ACtion is the life of a Christian, it is death to him not to be stirring. He cannot rest in himself, though, nay becausefill'd with the greatest contents. He receiveth to doe, but the wicked doth to receive. His pleasures, his joys, his delights, are displeasures, are troubles to him if they doe not run forth themselves into God. Hence the [Page 105]soule at his stillest, and retiredest recesses is still putting out its heart, and breathing forth it selfe in praises, stu­dying and contriving wayes of activenesse for the glory of its God; and hence the poore soule, though indeed only rich, when it lyes at an under, in truth the very heighth of Christianity, cries out, O it cannot doe, it cannot doe. Blessed soule, that art estranged to thy self, that hast forgotten thy selfe and all thy good deeds, as things not worth the looking after, and hast got so for­ward in the wayes of holinesse, to be still more pressing onward to the marke, in a more speedy and active course, by how much the nearer thou commest to it: Thou that knowest what it is to cry out, enough Lord, mercy enough, vvhat are those sweet pangs and blessed conflicts of soule under a divers notion, the while thou over-powred with apprehension of that Unspeakable Gift, in whom is given thee all things richly to enjoy, & now labouring under some present distemper, and be­ing thereby led back to the remembrance of its roote and originall, art so overcome with the sight of thine owne altogether unworthinesse of the least mercy, thou dost even sinke and fall under such weighty and over­bearing thoughts, with a sweet-humble-resignment of thy selfe, as now no more thy selfe, and so with an ho­ly kinde of carelesnesse as concerning thy selfe, art be­come willing to suffer, to doe, to be any thing for thy God, and in that respect, the while thou tacitely, and most effectually deprecatst these, petitionst for the remo­vall of these distempers, disturbances, indispositions, &c. as of themselves impediments to the more active duty, and the more manifest expression of the divine glory, though indeed these sweet impressions are not a little [Page 106]tending to it. The sinceritie, the humilitie, the love the zeale that is more intentively active within, breaking forth with so much the more strength and vigour. And what can the most eminent, lively, stirring and active Christian doe of himselfe, since the strongest is as weake as the weakest without God, and the weakest as strong as the strongest with him; who accepteth the sincere, heartie, studious indeavoring will for the deed; and will thus accept of thy mite, that thus throwes away thy self as it were that throwes in heart and all, although in the mea­nest and weakest performance, as desiring no mercies to thy selfe, but to returne them as tributary streames to their first spring, even this shall he accept before all the Rivers of Oyle, all the bodies that may be given to be burnt by a selfe seeking Pharisee that is still returning and winding about to himselfe like those waters of Ponds, Meers and Lakes that run into themselves [...] Psal. 58. that are not acted by an inward principle to a selfe-withdrawing selfe-outing end, but are meerely agitated by winds by externall motions, and still move within the compasse of themselves and therefore dry away, and perish with the hypocrite. And this do­ing is no doing, or if any, is aliud agere is male agere, that thus beginnes and ends in it selfe. But what dost thou O man of whom God requires onely that thou shouldest doe justice and walke humbly with thy God? And what is it to doe justice, but to give every man his right, and for every man to give thee O Lord thine; all he doth, he hath, he is; all his pleasures, all his possessions, all his abilities, of which all since he can give thee nothing, what cause hath he to walke humbly with his God? And what infinitely sweet humble action and active humilitie is that that brings us to walke, to [Page 107]converse, to have fellowship with such an infinitely sweete God, the author, the finisher of our ever infinitely sweete humilitie; O who would not now humbly act in all, and aske his mirth what Doth it, and account his laughter madnesse, runnes a round of selfe con­ceited pleasure and is not like a line that takes its be­ginning and ending in thee, that conveyes not the soule along to thee onely? Who would not Ecco to the command of, Come doe my will, with a readie and spee­dy I come I come to doe thy will? If there be any truth even in naturall love, is it not when it not receives for it selfe, but doth for its beloved, even to the undergoing the greatest paine, the losing of the dearest life, can na­ture live by, doe, die for love, and shall not grace make nature subservient to Thee in all these? and what ever there may be more then these; where can the man finde himselfe that knowes thee, that loves Thee as he should as hee would! here is the man that sees so much of Heaven that nothing but the love of God can make him meddle with a thought of the earth, while the God-unacquainted soule sees so much of earth that nothing but the love of himselfe can make him to meddle with a thought of heaven; all the glories of the Kingdomes of the world may well passe away as shaddowes, vanities, nothings before the soule that in his Christ sees his God, when the least tempting Apple may loose him that is not secured in this blest premunition. And to that happie condition is the soule brought, and that is it which brings the soule to that happy condition, that lookes after the world and Heaven for God, when the other after God for the world and Heaven; so while hee makes him­selfe [Page 108]his God, makes himselfe a devill, while the other in making himselfe Gods, makes God himselfe; while he drawes in onely that hee might poure out, God poures in unto them while he is drawing forth, while he takes his graces themselves drinkes and fills his belly with those living waters to this prime and principall end that the overflowing thereof may make glad the city of God, and carry both himselfe and it to be swallowed up of that infinite ocean of loves and sweetnesses. A Christian is (at least, should be) so rich with content so superaboun­ding with such an exuberancy of the milke and hony of Canaan, that like the distended udders of high fed Kine, it even lookes to be drawne forth, and longs for some to be taken into the partnership of its joyes and graces; so far should he be out of any impotencie and incontinen­cie of spirit to be carried out to the fond desires of the creature, to pitchupon it as his happiness. Neither is there any thing I know that doth more raise, more innoble the soul then this open heartednesse, this freenesse of spirit, nothing that makes it more like God himselfe, whom it hath, in whom it lives beaming forth the Sunne of its fa­vours and beneficialnesse to all that come within the compasse of his Horison and (as he hath conveniency) choses the emptiest vessell to communicate his ful­nesse to, both of graces and common gifts, still like his God that professeth himsefe to delight most in the com­pany of the humblest to be in a speciall manner the God of the needy, the fatherlesse, the widdow the stranger, so hee seekes the most indigent object to draw out his soule unto, and delights in delighting the comfortlesse; as he that findes it more blessed, more glorious (because more like to, more full of God) to give then to receive. [Page 109]As he that is still calling his faith to account, to see what it layes out in action. How stirring, how operative it is, how it workes by love, whether it love not it selfe more then God, whether it be not more for receiving then do­ing? As knowing it a most strongly denying expostu­lation, an evident brand of an unbeliever, and that by him who best knew how to give every thing its proper mark: How can ye believe which receive honour (and conse­quently pleasure, profit, &c.) one of another, and not seek for that which commeth from God only. Now what greater honour can there be to a man, then to have his workes beare witnesse that the Father hath sent him, to be inabled to doe, to give any thing to God (as he is who does, gives to any in his name) what greater plea­sure, profit, then to be the servant of God, imployed in his businesse, to live in his sight, to walk before him, to be at his finding? But those miserable niggardly pinch­ing soules, that are unacquainted with these inlargings, these fully satisfying apprehensions, no marvell they are still raking, scraping, and scrabling on the Dunghill for rotten rags. Certainly the soule that hath ever had any quick, lively, intimate, thorough resentments of the Di­vine Loves shed abroad in its heart, that hath ever feel­ingly found that God hath not a faithfull industrious ser­vant, who hath not him an indulgent Father, a dearely affecting Husband, an inestimable Portion, cannot be base, cannot but live at an high rate, as he that knowes the raising thoughts of so high dignity; cannot but spend freely, communicate liberally, munificently, as not ig­norant of those Mines, those treasures inexhaustibly infi­nite, that are ever ready for his supply. Cannot but be mercifull, and lending, while he still guides his affaires [Page 110]with discretion, and hath an eye too to that discretion, lest it should befoole him in degenerating into basenesse, and slily winde him about into himselfe, while he is stu­dying how to outgoe himselfe in keeping the precise, and narrow path prescribed him. Or rather an eye to it, lest it be false and counterfeit, it being impossible for Truth but to be ever like it selfe. This is he that cannot effeminate enervate himself in delicacies, and pleasures, while he knowes none but in God, and they flowing in­to his soule like a spring of life, and vigour, that beare him forth in a voluble, diffusive, indefatigable course of activity in well doing, while they still bathe him in in­conceivable refreshings, unimaginable delights. This is not a man that is but the name and shaddow of one, while like a brute beast he is carried on to eating, drink­ing, sleeping, or any naturall desire, and pleasure, out of a meere [...] impetus, and propulsion of Concupis­cence from somewhat to be received from them to himselfe. But the very doing of these obedientially as duties, as ordinances for somewhat to be done by them in a way of a further self-emptying and transacting him­selfe into God, is that which makes this very thing the service of God, when the most glorious performances, the most publike beneficialnesse, the most pain-taking actions, activity in things materially good, is but serving themselves, and the devill. So that that mans pleasure is Gods service, because he makes Gods service his pleasure and this mans paines-taking in the best duties is a serving the devill, because it is the pleasing himselfe; the godly man acting not because it is pleasing to him, but it is pleasing to him because it is action, the other contrary; the godly, not that he may get to himselfe, but that he may get to God (and so indeed to himselfe) [Page 111]counting Gods glory his greatest good. And therefore imployes himselfe in that which is most singular, and especially serviceable to God and Gods, and not in that which is most profitable to himselfe, he had rather spend thousands of pounds, of yeares, of any thing in the ser­vice of God, then the least penny, the least minute, the least any thing in the service, or (to say righter) the sla­very of himselfe; as he that counteth his pleasures his works and duties, and his works & duties his pleasures, the doing of the will of God his meat and drink, and his meat and drink the doing of the will of God. And this were an excellent way to make us humble in excellen­cies, temperate in delights, diligent in action, and for a­voiding those three consociating and Nation-destroy­ing sins, Pride, Idlenesse, and fulnesse of Bread. So may we make an especiall use of that common by-word, que­stioning and examining our desires, when they call us to, or put us upon any thing, What to doc. And thus Christi­an I greet thee with that ancient salutation [...]. Doe well, and farewell. And indeed our owne, when wee ask one another how wee doe, and wish­ing one another may doe well, imports no lesse, but that to do well, is to be well. Neither is the description of bo­dily health disagreeable to that of the soul, it being such a frame and constitution of it, whereby it is fit and ready for the discharge of its severall duties, in their right-due maner. So that they describe it not so much by its enjoy­ing it self in a sweet and fresh temperature, resulting from the well symmetrizing of humors, and confermation of parts, as by its right & ready toward lines to requisite acti­ons. So the soul then healthy, not so much in regard of the joy & comfort that it finds in God, as of the vigor by it, the active disposition, the operativenesse towards him. [Page 112]Though indeed that cannot be without, nay without be­ing the author of this, nor this without some measure at lest of that. The sincere soul making its worke its wages, its dutie, its delight. Grace being now growne, as I may say, a second nature it being connaturall to him, and therefore as, nay more, pleasing in its actions, than those of our first could be; the one being but Gods ordinary common, the other his especiall choise extraordinary dispensation of himself. Grace being the spirit of Christ working on us, in us, and through us, beginning, con­tinuing, and ending all in it selfe; happy Soule that knowes what is the study of selfe-deniall, never can wee finde any where more of sweetnesse, because no where more of God. O could we make this our Hoc age our businesse, our one thing, whether wud it leade us, where wud it loose us, even to the following of God fully to be full of him, and still to follow him, to emptie and fill, fill and emptie in a most sweet and blessed exercise of soule till we lay downe in everlasting rest and peace, wholly emptied of our old and dying, wholly filled with our new & everliving selves! O the unserchablenesse, the unconceiveablenesse of the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord! O the depth of its humility, the heighth of its zeal, the latitude and length of its obedience, what thing, what time can bound it! O what is it can so free, can so en­large so sublime the heart, as the giving it up to the hands of its God, to be guided by him, at his pleasure! Can the soule contain it selfe within it selfe, that hath these thoughts. O when shall we know what it is, that single­nesse of heart, that being but one soule, but one heart! When shall we be like so many closing pieces of tender waxe before the fervent heat of the Sun? When shall we [Page 113]be dissolved, when runne into one another, and all into one holy Lumpe. Even so Lord Jesus come quick­ly.

LOok not so much at the present as the future, having eye in adversitie to prosperity, and prosperitie to adversitie; learne to estrange neither from your thoughts, that you may welcome either; they are guests that looke for successive entertainement, be not so free to one, as that the other take you unprovided: they are enemies to each other, and yet an indifferent respect may make them both friends to you; be acquainted, yea familiar with both, but indeare your selfe to neither; deny nei­ther of them admission to your head, so shall you both the possession of your heart; keepe correspondency with both and you are safe, but give your selfe to either, and it will leade you you know not whither; you are betray­ed, you are lost, you shall be set upon, now by the one, now by the other, and become a slave to both; you shall then learne that it is better to observe ten then serve two; be not led so much by sight of what is, as foresight what may be, not so much by sence as by reason, and not so much by reason as faith, for that is beast-like, and lookes but downeright, this man-like and lookes forward, but this last, Christian-like and looks upward. Labour then to know no such things as adversitie and prosperitie, but as the will or not the will of God in your having or not ha­ving [Page 116]these outward things, and learne this excellent Art of composing a meane out of two extreames. Take somewhat of the sweet to qualifie the soure, and of the soure to qualifie the sweet, yet let it savour most of the most benigne, to which the other is but subservient. It is the soure griefe and fulsome joy that distempers, but it is the joyfull griefe and grieving joy that is the sweete the onely gracefull temper. I deny not but changes of State may move you, but they must not remove you, they may somewhat alter the affection, but must nothing alter your station; suppose you sing the more cheerefully in the Sun shine and weepe the more freely in the storme, yet must you mourne in this singing, and rejoyce in this weeping; this Aequanimity, unwaveringnesse, standing, even, upright posture of soule is that which may be de­monstrated the best, in that the excellency of every thing is according to its likenesse, or rather partaking of that onely excellency, and therefore as of his simplicitie and infinitie in the inlargednesse and puritie of heart, so its immutabilitie in the steadfastnesse and immoveable­nesse of our mind; these being as necessarily concomitant to the proportion of our holinesse as they are to his sim­plicitie, there being nothing to bound or alter that that is unmixed, free, absolute, & hath nothing to hinder it in its perfection. And for that suiting our selves to others, our sympathising teares and smiles, I thinke it so farre from being inconsistent with this, that it cannot well consist without it, for how else shall I accommodate my selfe to my friends in their present contrary extremities, how weepe with them that mourne, and rejoyce with then that rejoyce at the same time. Nor can we finde a greater helpe and furtherance to our promoving and progresse [Page 117]in our Christian course then this unmooveablenesse in respect of digression. But if this station of soule bee vergent to either hand, better to sadnesse (I meane not of harshnesse, discontent, or any kind of malignitie, but a more solemnesse, retirednesse of spirit) then to jollitie, slightnesse, flashinesse, pragmaticalnesse, idle­busibodiednes, &c. nothing that I know arguing a man of a more emptie and worthlesse spirit. By the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better; more pon­dering, more wary, more capable of councell, diligent in action; againe, love is more taking with ingenious, then terrour with base and servile spirits, Gods mercy in Christ will sooner fetch them up, then all his threatnings cast these downe. And indeed a Christian (so farre as understanding himselfe, the ground and use of his owne affections) cannot but pleasure in his sorrow, delight in his mourning in his brokennesse, in his contrition of heart, because, delights in doing the will of God, because, he sees the hand of God working it, feeles it kneading as it were, subduing, fashioning it to his owne mind, be­cause, his affections are answerable to God's, he delights in that which God delights, and further, knowes neither it, nor ought else of worth, further then sub­servient, conducible, advantagious to his love, his joy, his confidence in, his magnifying of Christ, &c. so his joy must needs have a touch, a tincture of greefe; be­cause he lookes on it as on all his affections, as matter of dutie and obedience (else wu'd they not differ from bruit beasts) because bid rejoyce in the Lord alwayes, againe bid to rejoyce; but now he cannot so looke on it, but with a sweet & gratious regret, to see it no more, be­cause no more pure, that hath so infinit so holy a God for its object, for its only object, either immediatly, or at least [Page 118]mediatly. And so indeed this very griefe cannot but in­tend, confirme, consolidate his joy in an humbly-thank­full (the onely comfortable and truly joyfull) posture of soule, to see in what a sweet and gratious temper the di­vine goodnesse maintaines it, whose rich and abundant mercy it is that it finds any the least smatch of true and reall peace. And I am perswaded, that even in heaven it selfe these hints and relishes of our owne unworthinesse, made worthy in Christ, of such an enmitie reconciled in such a unity, will much further, intend and extend these inimaginable joyes. Sure I am they are a heaven upon earth. And this, this onely is the griefe becomming a Christian, that lead'st it to the purest-and-sublimed'st joyes. Those feares those tremblings that keepe the soule in the humblest selfe-debasing, and therefore at the highest exaltation.

To you it is given to know the ministeries of the king­dome of Heaven. And art not thou O Lord tui juris? art not Thou at Thine owne disposall, at whose disposall are all the things in the world? mayst not thou give thy selfe to whom thou pleasest? or what is Heaven but Thee? or the knowledge of its mistery but the knowledge of Thee? and the knowledge of Thee life eternall, Thy free and gracious, and therefore not worke-fore-seene gift. Shalt Thou depend on the creature, or that on Thee? Thou on its will, or it on Thine? Can the humble soule say, thou sawest man would be good or bad, and there­fore thou must needs order him to life and death? and so not thy will but theirs must have the precedency, the preheminency. It is not safer to say, that thou who art an absolute and free agent, giver and disposer of thy selfe, (in the inhabitation of whom in the soule is Grace, Glory, Life eternall) that thou in leaving and passing by a man, hath left him as bad, because not pertaking of thee the onely good; or blasphemously to say, thou see­ing some goodnesse in man without thy selfe, as it must needs be if not from thee, from thy will, thou seeing of him thus good of himselfe, and therefore a God, wouldst order him to salvation; and then how can he be a God? O into what absurdities, into what everlasting confusi­ons, would not the mad pride of degenerate nature leade us? and all for want of a true thorough sight of that infi­nite desparitie betweene the Creator and the creature, tha [...] absolute soveraigntie that he hath over it, that cleare and distinct understanding of his will, its positivenesse, privitivenesse, activenesse, permissivenesse, &c. its alwayes justice, holinesse, goodnesse. Can that soule but above all desire, nay desire it as that one onely thing, that it might [Page 149]ever dwell in the house, in the presence of God, to behold the beauties of his holinesse, and to blesse him among his chosen; and yet but say withall, but if he hath no delight in me, here I am, let him doe to me as seemeth him good. Os what is it can more assure the soule that it hath seene him, that it shall ever see him; as having chosen that good part, that shall never be taken from it; in whom alone it could learne to humble it selfe to the death, in the willing fulfilling of a ready obedience to its Fathers will. This is the heart that will not haste after its owne inventions, but will waite upon his counsells; that feareth the Lord and dwelleth in his secrets.

I Would not beleeve, because I see, feele, heare, &c. but see, heare, &c. because I beleeve; not have my sense leade my faith, but my faith my sense; because I have a ground for it by revelation by the VVord, and not so far beleeve as I finde ground from faith out of sense. If I cannot believe Gods eyes, I will never be­lieve mine owne; thinke all I see, heare, doe, as a dream, farther then faith goes along and assures me of it, &c. To receive apprehensions of things as meerely presented by the senses, is no more then brutish; by naturall reason, no more than humane; but what by supernaturall rea­son by faith, is divine; though indeed that reason be but unreasonablenesse, farther then it is inlightned by this; far­ther then it is acquainted with, adheres to, workes ac­cording [Page 152]to the will of God; The heartie, thorough, active, compleat knowledge of the Truth. Now truth is (as I may say) of fundamentall necessitie to the consti­tuting of a true and stable faith; it being impossible that that which is founded on falsehood shud prove other then false and failing: whether concerning persons or things, our condition in generall or perticular acts. Where the promise, precept, word is not taken aright, the application of the soule to it must needs be amisse; where the ground is mistaken the building muw needs miscarry. Where that's not sound this must sinke. Loose and spongie soiles may have a firme superficies. Hollow vaults a hard roofe. The soule that takes things by the outside is like to goe away with out-side comforts; that is not penetrating, bottom-searching, inward-looking, is like to fall low for want of looking low. Build then cauteously O my soule, tread warily, take heede of the rashnesse of fooles (Esa. 32.4.) walke accurately, circumspectly, pre­cisely, keepe thy selfe close to thy God, loase not thy hand, thy hold, the least time, the least distance, walke humbly, love him intirely, cleave to him inseperably, follow him at every turne, thou canst never be out of thy way while thou keepest thy way, thy Christ, whom thou sha't onely find in his fatheas, who is (who is al­ready) found of all them that seeke his face, (not them­selves but him) his holinesse his glory; who of his just goodnesse and gratious wisedome, to the manifestation of the power of his light, of his love, hath left thee among so many false lights, fooles-fires, in such a mist in such a night of darkenesse, among so many misguiding guides like so many false voices in a wildernesse. Now to know his from a strangers, now to discerne is grace, [Page 153]wisedome, &c. in its richest attire. Resigne then thy selfe to thy Christ to thy God, live by faith in all, and feare not but when thou art gone out of thy selfe, his spirit shall teach thee, when, what, &c. to see, heare, doe, &c. for while thou art with, so farre as thou art with the Creator thou canst not want wisedome how to use the Creature, so as it may bee most for his glo­ry, and that is the height of thy wisedome. Cer­tainly so long a wee are with him, hee will bee with us counselling, directing in all our wayes. All our miscarriages, ill doing, and ill farings being from our departure from him, our light, life, comfort; so that not onely true faith is rationall; in beleeving God beyond and against sence; but true reason is faithfull in conver­sing with God in and thorough sence. And hither I con­ceive lookes those places, I am crucified to the world and the world to me; am dead and this that I live in the (very) flesh (incarnall sensuall things, seeing, hearing, talk­ing eating, drinking, commerce, &c.) I live by the faith, live the life, of the son of God. We are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God. ARe dead, and the spirit that raised up Jesus quickneth our mortall bodies, the soule of our soules, the life of our lives. Senses spiritualized. Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne, &c. Neither can there be any thing pleasing to God but what is done in him in whom onely he is well pleased; but what wee doe in him we doe by faith. The nature whereof were wee so happy fully to know, wee should fully know our owne happinesse.

THere is nothing wherein we are more wanting, then in what we thinke our selves least; the grounds and principles of Christianity. VVhat more commonly con­fessed, than that we are all sinners, children of wrath by nature? More readily professed then that we believe in Christ? that we preferthe will, the glory of God above all, &c. and yet what is it we beleeve, we do lesse? What is it is more hard, more excellent? VVhile they are things meerely notionall, and superficially swimming in the braine, or at most but glide and coast upon the heart, and carry it on in a way of action, so far as pleases our selves and corrupt nature, the devill lets us run on with the undoubted, uncontraverted conceit that we know them, that we believe them; till they have at length brought us thither where we shall too late be forced to be­lieve & know, that we believed, that we knew them not. But then is it that we meet with the crosse windes, the stormes, fluctuations, temptations, doubts & questionings, of their certainty, their equity, &c. When they come with that weight upon the soule as to sinke into it, to be re­ceived and entertained of it into its seriousest and so­lemnest consideration; when they come with that force and power upon it, as not to Herere inprimis viis, to stay in the common sense, fancy; but to take the judgement, and by that the heart, and by that the whole man, into their possession; that they are not only on the soule, but In it, and it wholly given up to, wholy in these things: [Page 156]when we come to suck sweetnesse from them, to live upon them, to digest them throughly, to gather strength from them, to draw them forth to practise, to make them such to our selves as they are in themselves, &c. certainly could wee fully understand, firmely beleeve, cordially affect, and frequently or rather continually actuate these things, what manner of men should wee be (O could we experimentally know) in all holinesse in all happinesse of conversation? we should be Christians farre more in reallitie then wee can be in profession: in substance then wee can be in shew. It is as impossible for that heart to make the world know what it sindes within it selfe, as it is (to speake proportionably) to make them know what is heaven. Not the thousandth part of it selfe is that soule able to discover that hath the pow­erfull workings of these thoughts, these meditations within it; though too they be such whose very nature is to carry forth the soule in the most operative activitie.

John 11.5.7.

A seeking (Isaiah 11.10. with Romans 15.13.) Satisfy­ing (John 5.44. with John 14.1.) Faith, (John 1.4.19.) a sincere (Phil. 1.10. Matth. 6.22. Eph. 6.24.) Fervent (Cant. 8.6.7.) love (John 14.15.) an universall (Psal. 119.6. Jam. 2.10. Ephe. 4.23. Matth. 5.10.) Constant (Cor. 1.15.58.) Obedience. So that grace is, faith un­derstanding, faith affecting, faith acting. And must needs, because whatsoever is not of faith is sinne. Nei­ther indeed can I wonder how feare hath lead me to faith, but shud certainly take my selfe to be seduced, if it did not. All graces, how distant soever seeming, being of the same company, going the same way; so that he that is with one, must needs be with all. And questionlesse all are wrought in the soule together, and grow to­gether; how ever in the minoritie of our Christianitie God may teach us methodo analytica, may as it were par­cell them forth into severall lessons, till our capacities are more widened and strengthned for the fuller and compleater apprehension of them, according as wee grow in our manhood in Christ Jesus. And hence is it that so often in Scripture a Christian is caracterised by one onely; But especially by faith and feare, that in the old, this in the new Testament; one, in Christ more dark­ly shadowed out, the other in Him more evidently re­vealed, but both in Him: according to the manifold wise­dome of God in Him by whom Hee hath reconciled all things, the severall kinds of actings of the soule as well as severall soules to one another, and all to himselfe. So that what they said of their vertues, that there was cogna­tio quaedam & arcta necessitas betweene them, I am sure holdeth most true of graces; betwixt whom there is [Page 215] cognatio certa & necessitas perquam arctissima. All of the noblest and familiarest consanguinitie, being all of the blood of Christ. Or conceive them as so many linkes of a Bracelet, the love token of the soule from its Christ, lincked together in an invielable concatination; you cannot breake off one, but the whole figure and forme of the worke (as it is said of the Commandements where­by these are framed (as it were) and cast) is broken. And indeed there is nothing of Christ in the soule, but it is Christ. Christ formed in you. You have not so learned Christ. We preach Christ, &c. the whole sum of the Gos­pell-Law, and Law-giving Gospell, and consequently the whole worke of grace being onely Christ. So that we cannot so much as thinke the least good thought of our selves. What we doe, what we have, what we are, of good, we doe, we have, we are not; but it is God, the spi­rit of Christ that dwells in us, and so indeed ours, so we, as Christians as outed of our selves, as inned in God, perta­kers of the divine Nature, &c. whose being in us habitually, whose acting in us, imminently or transiently, is all our grace. Now the spirit of God is indivisible, and there­fore are all our graces; homogeneous, harmonious; have a gracefull symetrie, analogie, proportion, to one another; make but one systeme, joynt frame, and body of Christianitie; how different so ever, how discrepant soever the parts, the members seeme, they are gracefull to, usefull to each other. Are like so many faculties of the same soule in innocency, before by our fall they were like a watch dashed against, troubling and stopping the course of one another. Which mended againe by their maker, though like severall wheeles they seeme to move not onely diversly but contrarily, yet are they all mo­ved [Page 216]by one spring, and further the due motion of each other, and all tend to the same end, the promoveing of the same gnomen, in promoting of the glory of their God, and setting forth the praise of that never-suffici­ently admired workemanship. (And though there may be some hamerings and knockings in setting the minde in frame, some paines in the new birth, some harshnesse in the tuning of the soule, yet they do all tend to the com­pleating of that inconceiveable harmony. Though God often times, (specially in the more powerfull times of the Gospell) brings forth Christ formed, as it were without any paine, tunes the heart as it were with one touch, and sets up the whole and joynt frame of the temple, without scarse any the least sound of the hammer.) And as a wheele, not onely by, but in its going downe, is Ipso facto going up, so those graces that seeme onely to cast downe the soule, doe not onely afterward, but in the very do­ing of it, raise it up; as humilitie, feare, griefe, &c. which so farre as divine, and as I may say Gospell-proofe, are still raysing up the soule in the greater assurance, magna­nimitie, joy, and these (as it were) still casting it downe, and that againe raysing it up, &c. As there is nothing that more humbles the soule then heavenly mindednesse, so is there nothing that more sublimes it then humilitie; as there is nothing that strikes the soule with a deeper awe then the assurance of the eternall love, so in the feare of Jehovah is the strongest confidence; as it is an unsound and vaine joy that hath no acquaintance with sorrow, so is it a sinfull and death-working sorrow that reares not up the soule to more livelmesse and joy, &c.

Christ, I see, I fall, I fall in love, for love I die, this death's my life, this life's my worke, this worke's my life, this life's my light, this lively light's my death, this death's my fall, my rise to come to flie unto my light love life my Christ. Happy, happy soule in truth, whom the sight of God the beautie of truth of holinesse shining through the face of Christ as a mutuall perspective of re­ciprocall delight, keepes in an humble-meeke-peaceable-lovefull-fearing-joying-strongly-confident every-way gratious posture! And hither I suppose lookes that of James, the meekenesse of wisedome; not onely cause they as all graces convene in one bundle of life, in one poesie of heavenly fragrancies; nor of the proficiencie of wise­dome by meekenesse, in that the humble he will teach; nor from the nature of it, in that the wisedome from above is first pure and thence peaceable gentle easie to be intreated, &c. as in pure cleane sweet-juiced bodies, free from the repugnancie of sower cholericke hetrogeneous humors; but because the first rise of this so especially blessed grace is from wisedome, from the knowledge of God and our selves. And hither that, unite my heart to feare thy name, as touched before. And that, fearefull in praises, the same discovery that presents me God praise worthy for his great goodnesse presenting me him feare-worthy for his good greatnesse, Hither that, now I have seene thee with [Page 218]the seeing of the eye I abharre my selfe in dust and ashes, the soule might heare else long enough, (though indeed too faith comes by hearing, yet so as it is made an effectuall meanes to open the eyes.) And hither that, holy, holy, ho­ly, I am a man, &c. Hither that behaviour of the foure and twenty Elders, that on the contemplation of the excel­lencies of God threw downe their crownes, their excellen­cies at his feete, as being nothing but what they had of Him. in Him, for Him. But life would faile mee; in referring zeale and constancie, &c. and all other graces hither, in what dependancie relati­on they stood to one another. Sinne being like so much muck and dung on the fire of zeale; the more unmixt, the more intent, &c. The feare of the Lord being a cleant feare and abiding for ever; make me sound in thy statutes- and steadfast in thy Covenant; The inheritance undefiled that fadeth not away; [...]; how that the purer the thing is, the more free from corruption, heterogene­ousnesse, the more stable firme durable it is, so the body, so the soule. But now we know this puritie, this sinceri­tie is by this discovery, therefore this constancy, this zeale, &c. And hither that, the things that are seene are temporall but the things that are not seene are eternall. The things that are not seene being rare pure holy simple, &c. and therefore free from corruption, and therefore from alteration, from decay. But into what a blessed maze, and gladly involving labarinth hast thou wound thy selfe O my soule! And sha't thou be so unhappy e­ver to finde the way out againe? Is it not good for us ever to wander here, in these paths of pleasure, and walkes of delight? Can there be any thing that can steale away the heart so surrounded with such glories, such [Page 219]loves? But, art thou not to thy selfe but to thy God, and doth he call thee to workes of an inferiour nature? Still worke and wonder, worke and love, worke and blesse; still keepe thy ground, thy God, who is the God of the vallies as well as of the mountaines. And still while thou art walking with him thorough a diverse path, loose thy selfe in him, who shall shortly with all them that in truth have knowne his name, be ever lost in the blessed con­templation of the wonderfull contrivances of the eternall wisedome. When there shall be no more eating and drinking, no more sleeping and rest, no more spending of spirits, no more avocations from the immediate and uninterrupted continually active contemplation in that full vision of the onely blessed God, and in him of all his wonderfull works. When there shall be no successive­nesse of plenary intuition and perfect action, but still the heart that knowes-loves-obeyes him, continually over­powred with the blessed vision and over-flowing in loves and sweetnesses, shall be incessantly running over in heart ravishing praisings, and intranced in perpetuall extasies. Who is it that even now is able to conceive the heaven that is in his owne heart? what then when we there see- and love-and-sing-and-sing-and-love-and see eternally? when we shall not onely have the spirit in us, but be in, be wholy in the spirit. Perfused, baptized, overwhel­med with it. Not onely see and have, light, joy, love, spirit, but be In, nay be spirit, light, joy, love! And now O Lord what are wee that it should be thus with us! O thou life of life! and being of beings! thou incompre­hensible God! What is it to thee that wee know thee? that we love thee? what pleasure hast thou in our righteous­nesse? or what profit it is to thee that we make our wayes per­fect? [Page 220]surely O Lord thou hast thou hast none! who art so infinitely above all happie and holy! none but what thou acceptest as such in him, in whom thou onely art, in whom we onely are, well pleased. In whom thou wilt welcome us, with a Well done, good and faithfull servant, when thou shalt finde us so doing, who have done, nothing. What are our understandingst thoughts of thee; but as so many mishapen confused conceits? What our appo­sitest speeches but as so much jabbering and gibberish? What our accuratest performances, but as so many tri­fling toyes? All childish childish all. What are they fur­ther then they are exercises of, then they are testimonies of our love; the end; the summe, of all the Commandements. Yet what too are our strongest our heart-possessingest loves, but as so many fond and fleeting passions? And yet thou looking on us and we on thee thorough the face of thy Christ, that perspective of mutuall lustre and glory (from, in and for whom are all our thoughts, words, affe­ctions, actions, and ought that ought is) art pleased to ac­cept them as the thoughts, as the language, as the love, as the life of Angells. Whom thou hast made ministring spirits to thy chosen, thy faithfull, that wee with them, and they with us, preferring each other in honour, might all joyntly promote the honour of our onely-honour-wor­thy God. O the freenesse of thy grace! the unfathomed­nesse of thy wisedome! the incomprehensiblenesse of thy glory! O where is the learning that hath learnt thee, that would not willingly debase it selfe, throw downe it selfe, as the footstoole before thy Throne and the Throne of thy Christ! as being nothing but what it is in raysing up the soule to a dutie-learning, to an humble walking with thee: that would not willingly as it were, unlearne all, and learne it over againe in thy Christ? where are those [Page 221]fond and selfe-conceited Opiniasters that would not lay downe all at his feete, at least meekely and selfe-suspect­ingly mannage their Scripture-unevidenced tenets. O did we know in what a blacke cloud of ignorance wee were all involved! in what a night of palpable darke­nesse! (an epithite not unknowne to a Christian heart, that cannot but be feelingly sensible of it.) Had our memo­ries oftener recourse to that Originall pride, that con­founded the language of our minds, as well as that of our tongues; or thought that multiplicitie and incer­tainty of opinions may since purposely be permitted by the divine wisedome and gratious justice to lay us low in our owne eyes, to make us out of love with our selves, &c. how could we then be so proud? and not so, so conten­tious? Why may not all that hold the same head, have the same heart? why may not there be dissention, with­out contention? But every one seeke their owne and none of Christ. Which true foundation, or foundation of truth, laine in the heart if any shall (as who doth not) among our gold and silver, unwittingly build straw and stubble, why should not we labour to purge one anothers drosse with a tender love and carefull salvation (as I may say) of one anothers respects, content, peace, whom the God of love and peace hath promised to save eternally? Or had we observed, that it is with Christians as with the tenent and mortesse in building, the condyles and con­cavities in the bones of the body; he is that eminent at one end (as it were) may be defective at the other, that is excellent in this, may be wanting in that; that so wee may fall in with, joyne closer to one another in one & the same building frame and growing body; so farre should we be from making them as arguments to keepe us at [Page 222]the greater distance. And what indeed is the end of Gods various dispensation of himselfe in such diversitie of gifts, parts, abilities, if not that hee might shew the more of his wisedome in drawing them all so compleat­ly into one gracefull knot; the bond of peace, love; that in such, if not by such a variety, can preserve the uni­tie, if not further the harmony of the spirit of the Lord Jesus (Ephes. 4. perlege) Or to what purpose is our know­ledge, but for love, for charitie? the fulfilling of the Law, the end of the Commandement out of a pure conscience and of faith unfained? This is the sincere, the true faith, and know­ledge, that thus workes. What puritie of conscience, what life of assection, I see in the conversation (caeteris pa­ribus) by that shall I judge of the truth of the measure of the faith, the knowledge, as the roote by the fruit; and by that I look to be judged by the judge of all things; by him whose call is for, whose residence is in, whose shining is in­to, the heart, where he shewes himselfe, where he is, where he ha's savingly. Not by what is found in my braine, my head, but in my brest my heart; that which sitteth here making musicke to the Lord with a gratious answering to all his wills, a glorious admiration of his love his wise­dome, &c. his mercifull acceptance in the Lord Christ, and not that which it jarring with others there. That which sounds forth God in its life, and not that which founds forth it selfe in its tongue. The Divill I beleeve hath as much knowledge, and can dictate as excellent discourse, as all the men of the world. Knowledge, so farre as it is not cordiall and living, so farre as it is not sappy savory and fruitfull, but dry and barren, or bring­ing forth wild thistles, so farre I shall never thinke it to have the Lord Christ for its roote. So farre as it is not [Page 223] sapida & sertilis, it will proove but insipida & futilis, foo­lish and vaine. I would have knowledge then bee my food, and my food my strength, and my strength my exercise. I wu'd feede with delight, but not for delight; but for the better disgesting of my knowledge into an assimu­lated practice. And be our opinions, notions, what they will, if they convey no more of God along with them, certainly they never came of his sending, who alwayes comes along with the true understanding of his will, of himselfe the onely truth. And by more of his presence induceth more glorious light-more humble love-more faithfull action. And to what purpose have our hearts tugged so hard at heaven, for the pulling downe of those spirituall wickednesses, and exalted vilenesses, [...] Psal. 12. but as they have held up the heads, and strengthned the hands of the ungodly? but as they are those of whom we have no warrant, that they had their commission from him, and therefore no promise that hee would dispence him­selfe through them, but as they are intruders betweene God and us, and obtruders of their ceremoniall and traditionall obstructions in our immediater approaches to him, and they taken away wee might have more of him, and that, that wee might doe more for him. But now, to have the obstacles removed, and the end never the nearer attained, to what purpose is it? To have those who under the pretence of being the Conduit pipes, were the dirt and filth that stopped them; of being the Contrefenestres, the shutting windowes to keepe out the theevery of innovations, schismes, seperations, &c. out of the Church, keepe out the light and truth, and were the greatest schismaticks renters of the Church themselves, to have these I say removed (as sure enough [Page 224]they shall at what ever rate) and wee draw never the more light and life into our hearts into our lives, but still hugge our owne fond imaginations, still seeke about in such extravagancies after our owne inventions, lying vanities, that promise faire, and performe worse then no­thing, what other will it be interpreted by him then the dispising, the turning of his goodnesse his glory into shame, while we know God more, but know him not, and there­fore worship him not, as God, the commander of the whole man. But those (O Lord) that know what it is to know thee, can they but be thankfull, in an active, and [...] action-denying thankefulnes? O then that thou wouldest accomplish the work that thou hast so gratiously so pow­erfully undertaken. How long shall thy servants nau­seate at the fulsomenesse of their pride? Though they make the hearts of kingdomes still ake with it, let them be vomited, be vomited forth thoroughly. Rather let us be pained with our cure, that not prevent our death. We, yea, thou art sicke of their Lukewarmenesse, O when wut [...] thou spue them out of thy mouth. So will we flocke up to mountaines of thy house, and poure forth our soules in thy praises. So in the humilitie of our spirits will we sit at the feet of thy Jesus; and learne at the mouths of thy holy servants. So shall our hearts bow before thee, and out hands be dilgent in thy service. So shall holinesse bee written on our pathes, and our lives be the memorialls of thy mercies. So shall the review of thy favours be as the fringe for remembrance of thy precepts. So shall the wonderfulnesse of our deliverancies be read in the won­derfulnesse of our obedience. So will we commune with our owne hearts and be still, and say, what have wee re­turned thee? What sinne have we more crucified, what [Page 225]dutie have we more, have we better done? So will we offer unto thee, the sacrifice of righteousnesse, of a broken and contrite heart. While wee bind all the faculties of our soule and members of our bodies to thy Alcar: With the cords of our affections to thy Christ, and thou sha't ac­cept them gratiously.

O Lord, our hearts, thy Sion!

MY neare and deare friend in the Lord Jesus, I can­not but according to your desire acquaint you with present passages; and passages I may well say, for all these things are but passing shadowes, nothing. Were we in our own place, we might look down upon them as little fleeting vapoury clouds, without raine. Or else see our selves so far above them in this third region, as wee need not feare the storme. It is unworthy the thought of a Christian that hath already laid hold of eternall life, to shrink at the appearing losse of a mortall. But we are men. But God is God. And he is our own God, the God of our salvation, &c. O that we could, that we alwayes could see our selves so partakers of the divine nature, so filled with all the fulnesse of God, that we could look upon life and death, principalities, powers, &c. as things gi­ven in unto us, and all as things under our feet, at our command; for so they are to him that beleeves, for all are ours, and we are Christs, and Christ is Gods. Our faith must fall before we, and our God before our faith. For it is founded on that rock, that living stone, that is the life of all the building. Let us stand therefore having ta­ken us unto the whole armour of God, for what can the man doe that comes after the devill? And surely little, nay no cause have we to feare in adversity, that can stand in prosperity. That soule, and only that soule that in this estate can follow God fully, be so satisfied with the hourely, minutely presence of God, that in all things it crosses it selfe of its own will, as not enduring the least [Page 231]estrangement from him, certainly in the other the mer­cies of God shall so follow him, so shall he delight him­selfe continually in him, as that in all things hee will crosse men and devils of their wills against him, and so over-powre him with the light of his countenance, with­out which he was dead in the dearest injoyments, and with which he lives in the deadliest confusions) as shall make them gnash their teeth to see such a divine re­flect from that light unspeakable and glorious, whereby he shall be able to laugh death and destruction in the face. But shall we not feare, not grieve? He is no true Christian that doth not. Shall the Lion roare, and we not tremble? Yet must we be confident in this feare, and joy in this sorrow. And indeed the feare of God is strength, (Prov. 14.26. Psal. 112.1. with ver. 7. and 8.) And by the humility of our heart is our trust in the Lord, Prov. 28.25. But audaciousnesse and pride will shrinke in the wetting. Neither will James his joy, 1.2. hold good without Pauls sorrow. 2 Cor. 7.7. Nor his sor­row without his joy. It is not the excesse of feare and griefe, but the defect of confidence and joy that hurts us. Our own weaknesse can never too much fright us. Our own and others sins grieve us. Neither will it be found so proper and soveraign a salve to those happily languish­ing consciences, to tell them they are too much dejected, cast down, sorrowfull; but rather they have too little lifted up Christ in their hearts, and their hearts in Christ. It is impossible to think too basely of our selves (and if there may be degrees in impossibility) more impossible to think too highly of Him. When we are led back by any particular sin to the Originall source of all (as wee must if we mean to know it to any purpose) and see the [Page 232]horrid shape of it, and become sensible of the malignity, the universality, the inherencie of it, &c. with all those infinite (as to us) actuall breakings out of rebellion from it, or rather the divers kinde of breaking out of one con­tinued unintermitting act; now while the soule is thus taking a bottome-and through-searching view of it selfe, by a beame of the divine Light and Love shed abroad in its heart (without which it could make no through, no true discovery of it) and thereupon throwes it selfe be­low the lowest hell, in a sensible self-condemning, while it is still held up by the hand of faith in an unspeakably blessed distraction; now to see this Sun of Righteous­nesse still rising, and rising with its infinite-surpassing in­finitenesse of glory, splendor, lovelinesse upon the light­transformed soule, lying under the gracious droppings of its healing wings, O how sweet is that healing! How, how glorious that Sun! But the seeing, the feeling soul, where is it? How high! how low! How lost between both! Be then as sorrowfull my soule as may be, thou canst not be enough for sin. As joyfull as may be, thou canst not be enough for grace. Abate not of that sorrow, but increase this joy. Goe as low as thou canst, but bee sure thou risest higher by it. To be so dejected and cast down, as not to be heightned, raised by it, in the admi­ration, the love, the life of thy Saviour, is indeed to have proud and haughty thoughts of thy selfe, and low and undervaluing of thy Christ. Never feare thy livelinesse and cheerfulnesse so far, as duely objected on him. Nor lessen so much thy love to the creature, as augment it to Him thy Creator. Affect with the strongest and heartiest indearement any thing beside him, and yet abhorre it with the most detesting and abominating hatred for him. [Page 233]There is nothing that I set my eye on that I wu'd not love as proceeding from him, as subsisting in him. But so far as degenerate from him, as comming in competiti­on with him, the indignation wherewith it affects me is inutterable. Thus shall Cesar best have his due, and God his: Himself, and what is subordinate to him. God takes a­way no affection no nor the intensivenesse of it, but onely its obliquitie to the object. Nay I am perswaded that all worldly feare, all worldly sorrow fall farre short of spiri­tuall; the one being from a displeasing world which is finite, the other from a displeased God who is infinite. But how great then is that consident joy to which this fearing griefe is but a set off? For these to overcome the soule and them for Christ to come and overcome that conquest what a triumph will there be? Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God, &c. And blessed, ever blessed be our God that we are not of them from whom hee hath hid the mistery of god­linesse! strength made perfect in weakenesse, concor­ding discord. And if it be the glory of God to bring light out of darkenesse, good out of evill, how can we but re­joyce that by being subjects of the one we come to bethe instruments of the other, 2 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 2.5. And if good be the object of the concupiscible facultie, why shu'd we make our affections the object of our irascible. The Lord strengthen us with joy in the inner man, and then goe it how it will with the outer. So may we gladly keepe the word of his patience in the saddest and patience-as­saultingst times; so shall hee keepe us from, or at least in, and therefore from, the houre of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try them. Now is it a time for the patience of the Saints, for them that keepe the [Page 234]Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus: Now is it a time for those that have held fast this inviolable knot in the bond of love, to hold up their heads in re­joycing, as then knowing the greater redemption drawes nigh when the greater calamitie approaches. Thus what ever of these things we may know already (feelingly in the heart, if not notionally & perspicuously in the head) let us not faile to put one another alwayes in remembrance. Alwayes striving together in our Prayers, and that with no small conflict of heart that we may be comforted, being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the ac­knowledgement of the mistery of God, and the Father, and of Christ. Had we more godly and brotherly love, wee should have more comfort, and that would hunger after more knowledge, and that fill with more assurance, and that furnish with more grace, and all acknowledge the mistery of the puritie, of the wisedome, of the love of the Godhead. So much spirit so much faith, so much faith so much Christ, so much Christ so much love, so much love so much knowledge, so much knowledge so much fulnesse of God. Eph. 3.16. &c. Come then what may come, befall what may befall to the flesh: The Lord be with, the Lord will be with, will be, our Spirits.