CHAP. I. Of the Ʋltimate and highest Per­fection of Man, as far as the same is attainable in this Life.

I Have purposed with my self, with the greatest accuracy, (as far as it is possible in this our Exile and Pilgrim State) to give a description of the Absolute and Plenary Abstraction from all things, and our ready, secure, naked, and firm adhering to our Lord God alone: And this the rather, be­cause the very End of Christian Perfecti­on, [Page 2]is Charity [or Divine Love,] where­by we cleave to, [and are made one with] the Lord our God. To which Divine Adhesion by Love, every one is bound that hopes for Salvation, and is performed by the observance of the Pre­cepts, and Conformity with the Will of God; the observance whereof, excludes whatsoever is repugnant to the Essence and Habit of Charity, such as are all Mortal Sins. But those that are in Re­ligious Orders, have over and above this, bound themselves to the Practice of Evangelical Perfection, and of those things which are matter of Evangelical Councel and Advice, rather than strict Imposition, (and by means whereof we more readily arrive to our ultimate End, which is God; by the observance of which are likewise excluded all those things, which clog and hinder the Activity and Fervor of Charity, from carrying us up into our Lord God;) such as are the de­nying of all things, yea even of our own Soul and Body; for seeing that our Lord God is a Spirit, they that would worship him, Joh. 4.24. must do it in Spirit and in [Page 3]Truth; That is, with Knowledge and Love, with the Understanding and Af­fection, devoid of all Phantasms, or Images: To this purpose, is that Command of our Lord, But thou when thou Prayest, Math. 6.6. enter into thy Closet; that is, the inmost retreat of thy Heart; and when thou hast shut thy door, viz. the door of thy Senses upon thee; there do thou, with a Pure Heart, and Good Conscience, and Faith unfeigned, pray to thy Father which is in Secret, in Spirit and in Truth. Which is then best done, when a Man being disentangled and divested of all other things, and wholly retir'd within himself; and having forgot and shut out all, and every thing, in the Presence of Jesus Christ, the Mind alone doth in silence, with Faith and Assurance, lay open her Desires, before her Lord God; and thus, by the entirest Affection of her Heart and Love, doth most sincerely and fully pour forth, and plunge her self into God, with the inmost Marrow and Strength of all her Powers, dilating, inflaming, and dissolving her self wholly into him.

CHAP. II. How a Man may, despising all other things, adhere to, and in­tend Christ alone.

NOw whosoever Desires, and makes it his Business to undertake and enter upon this State or kind of Life; it is needful that he, as it were, shutting his Eyes and Senses, do not concern or trouble himself with, or be careful and sollicitous about any thing whatsoever; but totally reject and renounce all things as impertinent, hurtful, and pernicious; and in the next place, that he wholly retire within himself, and in that Retire­ment, entertain no other Object, but Jesus Christ alone, and him Crucified, and so press on through him, into him, i. e. through Man into God, through the Wounds of his Humanity, into the in­most recess of his Divinity; and there, without any further disputing, readily and securely commit himself and all his [Page 5]Concerns to his indefatigable Providence, according to that of St. Peter, Casting all your care upon him, 1 Pet. 5.7. who can do all. And again, Be sollicitous for nothing. Phil. 4 6. And that of the Psalmist, Cast thy care upon the Lord, Ps. 55.22. and he shall sustain thee: And again, But it is good for me to, Ps. 73.28. cleave unto God: And again, I have set the Lord always before me: Ps. 16.8. And with the Spouse in the Canticles,Cant. 3.4. I have found him whom my Soul loveth; because,Wisd. 7.11. as Wisdom saith, All good things come together with it. This is that hid­den Heavenly Treasure, and that precious Pearl which cannot be purcha­sed,Mat. 13.44, 5, 6. but by the parting with all that we have, which being pre­ferred before all, in the Strength of the Spirit is to be sought for with humble Con­fidence, most instant Endeavours, and quiet Silence, even to the loss of all outward Conveniencies and Advantages of Praise or Honour, in the Strength of the Spirit. [Page 6]For what Advantage will it be to one that hath dedicated himself to God, if he gain the whole World, but at the same time suffer loss in his Soul? Or of what profit is the highest Profession of Religion, or a seeming Holy Conversa­tion, without living in the Spirit of Truth and Humility, wherein Christ dwells, through Faith wrought and form­ed by Love; wherefore we are told that the King­dom of God is within us: Luke 17.21. which is no other than Jesus Christ him­self.

CHAP. III. Wherein the Perfection of Man, in this Life, doth consist.

SUre it is that the more sollicitously busie the mind is in thinking and managing these Inferiour and Humane Affairs, at the greater distance it puts it self from Superiour and Heavenly Ob­jects, and true inward Devotion; and on the contrary, the more fervently she recollects her self from the Memory, Af­fection, and Understanding of things here below, and betakes her self to those above, the more perfect will her Prayer be, and the more pure her Contempla­tion; because it is impossible she should be perfectly intent on both these together, they being as opposite as Light and Darkness. For he that cleaves to God, is, and walks in the Light, but he that sticks to the World, gropes in the Dark. [Page 8]Whence the most sublime Perfection of Man in this Life is this, to be so far u­nited to God, that his whole Soul, with all its Powers and Faculties, be to that degree gathered up into the Lord his God, that he may become one Spirit with him, so as to Remember nothing but God, to feel or Understand nothing but God; and that all his Affections being u­nited and centred in the Joys of Love, may sweetly repose in the sole Fruition of their Creator. For the Image of God impress'd on the Soul, consists in these three Faculties, viz. Reason, Memory, and Will: And as long as these do not wholly receive their Stamp and Impress from God, the Soul is not Deiform, according to the intent and scope of its first Creation. For God is the form of the Soul, by whom the Soul must be impress'd, as the Wax is by the Seal. Now this can never be fully per­formed, until Reason be, according to its capacity, perfectly illuminated with the knowledge of God, who is the So­veraign Truth; and the Will be perfectly bent and taken up, in loving the Su­preme Good; and the Memory be wholly [Page 9]employ'd in the beholding and enjoying of Eternal Happiness, and in a sweet and delightful Repose and Acquiescence in the same. And forasmuch as in the Con­summate Possession of these, consists the Glory of the Bliss of Heaven, it is evi­dent that the true beginning and antici­pation of these, is the Perfection of this Life.

CHAP. IV. How the Activity of Man ought to be in the Intel­lect alone, and not in the Senses.

HAppy therefore is the Man, who by a continual effacing of all Phan­tasms and imaginary Representations, and by Introversion, and the lifting up his [Page 10]mind into God, doth at last, in a manner forget and leave behind him all I mages, and by this means, consequently operating inwardly with a Naked, Sim­ple, and pure Intellect and Affection, a­bout the most Pure and Simple Object, God. Wherefore thou must reject and cast out of thy mind all Phantasms, Re­presentations, and Images, and the forms of all things besides God, to the end that thy whole Exercise about God within thee may depend only of thy naked In­tellect, Affection, and Will. For indeed, the true End of all thy holy Exercises is this, that thou do intend and repose in the Lord God within thee, by the purest Act of Intellection, and the devoutest Affection, without all Representations or Intanglements whatsoever. Now this Exercise cannot be discharged by any corporal Organs, or the external Senses, but by that part in Man, by which he is Man: Now that which constitutes a Man, is Understanding and Love. And therefore as long as Man sports it with his Imagination and Senses, and fixeth there, he is not yet got beyond the Mo­tions and Bounds of his Bestial Nature, [Page 11]that is, of that part within him, which he hath common with Brute Beasts; forasmuch as they do perceive, and are affected with such sensible Representations, and no o­ther, because the power of their Soul reacheth no higher. But the case is o­therwise with Man, who is Created in the Image of God, according to his Intel­lect, Affection, and Free-will, which must be immediately, purely, and naked­ly imprest by God, and become united, and firmly cleave unto him. Wherefore also the Devil doth with all possible dili­gence endeavour to hinder and disturb this Exercise, as far as in him lies, forasmuch as he knows it to be an Entrance and Anticipation of Eternal Life; which makes him to envy so great a Happi­ness to Man. For which reason he al­ways endeavours to estrange and alienate the mind of Man from his Lord God, sometimes by one Temptation, sometimes by another; sometimes by one Passion, and sometimes by another; sometimes by superfluous solicitousness, and indiscreet carking; sometimes by Disturbance, dis­solute Conversation, and unreasonable Curiosity; sometimes by the study of cu­rious [Page 12]and subtile Writings, impertinent Discourses, Reports, and News; sometimes by Adversity, and sometimes by Prosperity. Which though sometimes they may seem to us to be very light, and in a manner, no Sins at all, are, nevertheless, great lets and hindrances to this holy Exercise and Work. And therefore, however they may represent themselves to us as profi­table and necessary, yet are immediately to be rejected and disowned, as hurtful and pernicious, whether they be small or great, and to be wholly expelled and cast out of our Senses. Accordingly it is highly necessary that all things heard, seen, done, or spoken, and other such like, be received by us without any Phan­tasms [Images] or dwelling upon them; and that neither afterwards, nor before, nor at the perceiving of them, we do form of feed any Representations; and when thus a Phantasm does not enter the Memory and the Mind, then can it neither hinder a Man in his Prayer, Medita­tion, and singing of Psalms, or in any other Spiritual Operation or Exercise whatsoever; neither will it ever again obviate and disturb him. Thus do thou [Page 13]readily and securely commit thy whole self, and all, and every one of thy Con­cerns in silence and rest to the infallible and most certain Providence and wise dis­posal of the Divine Majesty, who himself will appear for thee in this Combate, and fight for thee, and will with more Honour and Sweetness deliver and comfort thee, than if thou should'st continually, night and day, hammer upon the Anvil of thy thoughts and Imagination about it; and with a vain, vagabond, and yet cap­tiv'd Mind, foolishly run up and down from one contrivance to another, spending thy precious time in tireing thy Mind and Body, and foolishly consuming the strength of them both. Wherefore do thou receive all, and every thing, whensoever or howsoever they come up­on thee, with an even temper, in silence and tranquility, as reach'd forth to thee by the hand of the Paternal Divine Pro­vidence. Divest therefore thy self of the Images and Phantasms of all Bodily things, according to the Exigence of thy State and Profession, that with a naked and simplified mind, thou may'st sincere­ly cleave to him, to whom thou hast [Page 14]so frequently and entirely devoted thy self, that there may be nothing to medi­ate or interpose between thy Soul and him, that so with a pure and fixed view, thou mayest raise thy self from the Wounds of his Manhood, into the Glo­rious Light and Charity of his God­head.

CHAP. V. Concerning Purity of Heart, which is to be endeavour­ed above, and before all things.

IF so be therefore, thou dost desire and endeavour, by a strait, safe and short path, to arrive to the end of true Bliss, here and hereafter, of Grace and Glory, then do thou with an intent mind, ear­nestly aspire after continual cleanness of [Page 15]Heart and Purity of Mind, with a con­stant calm and tranquillity of thy Senses, and recollecting the Affections of thy Heart, continually fix them above, on the Lord thy God, withdrawing thy self in the mean time from thy Familiars and Acquaintance, and, as far as lies in thee, from all Men, and from all things that might be a let or hindrance to thy holy purpose; alwaies watching an Op­portunity where and when thou may'st find place and time, for sweet rest and contemplation, and the enjoyment of the secret Pleasures of Silence, avoiding the shipwracks of this present World, and the noise, hurry, and confusion of it. Wherefore let this be thy chief Study at all times, how thou may'st attain to Clean­ness, Purity, and Rest of Heart, that so continually, having shut the doors of thy Carnal Senses, thou may'st turn into thy self, and lock up thy Heart, as far as is possible, from the Representations of all Sensible things, and the Imaginations of Earthly Objects. It is this Purity of Heart that excels all Spiritual Exercises whatsoever, as being the final Intention, [...], and Reward for all the Labours [Page 16]which a Religious and Spiritual Man takes in this Life. Wherefore do thou with all Diligence, Application, and En­deavour, rid thy Heart, Senses and Af­fections from all these things that may impede its Freedom, and from every other Concern of the World, that hath the least Power to Allure, Bind, and Captivate thee. And so strive to recol­lect and gather up all the wandring ex­cursions of thy Heart, and all the Affecti­ons of thy Mind, into that One, True, Simple, and Supreme Good, and to keep them alwaies recollected within thy self, as in one place; and by this means endeavour alwaies to cleave with thy mind to God and Divine things, and leaving thy Earthly Frailty behind, strive to transform thy self continually into the pattern of the Heavenly things, through thy inward Communion with, and retirement into Jesus Christ. Where­fore if thou makest it thy Business to strip and purifie thy self from all Images and Representations, and with Trust and Confidence, to simplifie and quiet thy Heart and Mind in the Lord thy God, that thou may'st feel, and take in the [Page 17]Fountain of the Divine Good Pleasure in all thy inward parts, and by thy good will be united to God, in thy Intellect or Understanding, this Exercise alone will be sufficient for thee, and serve instead of all Study and Reading of the Holy Scriptures, and will advance thee to the Love of God and thy Neighbour, accord­ing as the Anointing Teacheth thee. Wherefore with all Study, do thou labour and endeavour to simplifie thy Heart, that being immoveable, and at peace from any intruding vain Phantasms, thou may'st always turn thy self to, and stand fast in the Lord, within thee, to that degree, as if thy Soul was got into the always present NOW of Eternity, that is, of the Deity; in such a manner, that for the Love of Jesus Christ, from a Pure Heart, a Good Conscience, and Faith unfeigned, thou may'st wholy for­sake and leave thy self, and entirely and fully commit thy whole self to God in all Tribulation and every Event whatsoever, always desiring to be patiently resign'd and obedient to his Will and Good Pleasure.

Now to the end, that thou may'st come to this State, it is necessary for thee, fre­quently [Page 18]to return to thine own Heart, and to abide there; ridding thy self, as far as is possible, of all things, preserving the Eye of thy Mind continually in Purity and Rest, voiding thy Intellect of all Images and Representations of inferiour things, setting free the Affection of thy Will from all Earthly Cares, and with a fervent Love, from the very bottom and root of thy Soul, cleaving to the True Supreme Good, having thy Memory also continu­ally lifted upwards, and firmly fix'd and grounded in the same alone True Sove­raign, Essential, and Uncreated Good, to the end, that thy whole Soul, with all its Powers and Faculties, being thus gather'd up into God, may become one Spirit with him, which is the highest Perfection at­tainable in this Life. It is this Unity of Spirit and Love, whereby Man is made conform in all his Desires and Wishes with the Supreme and Eternal Will, so as that he becomes that by Grace, which God is by Nature. And here we are to observe, that in that very moment wherein any Man by the Grace of God overcomes his own Will, that is his inordinate Love and Likeing, so as to dare fully and totally trust [Page 19]the Lord God with all his Needs and Concerns, he does so highly please God, that he freely bestows upon him such a degree of Grace, by which he feels that true Charity and Love begot in him, which expels all doubts and fears, and gives him a sure and confident hope in God. Wherefore nothing can he more happy or advantageous for us, than to cast our All upon him, in whom there is no want. And seeing that as long as thou standest in thy self, thou dost not stand fast, cast thy whole self securely upon God, and he will take thee up, heal thee and save thee. If thou doff but continually revolve these things in thy Mind, thou wilt find them more conducive to a truly Happy Life, than all the Riches, Plea­sures, Profits, and Honours, yea and all the supposed Wisdom and Knowledge to boot, of this deceiving and corruptible World, yea, tho' thou shouldst excel in all these, all that ever were before thee.

CHAP. VI. That we must cleave to God with a naked Intellect and Affection.

WHerefore seeing that by how much the more thou shalt empty thy self of all Images, and External, Worldly, and Sensible Intanglements, by so much the more thy Soul will recover its Primi­tive Strength and Vigour, and the use of its internal Senses to perceive and relish those things that are above; do thou en­deavour to quit all Phantasms and ima­ginary Representations of Bodily Things, because nothing is more pleasing and ac­ceptable to God, than a Mind divested of all such like Forms and Images, for his Delights are with the Sons of Men, that is such, who with a Calm Mind, Pu­rified, and Simplified from all these Occupations, Distractions, and Passi­ons, do intend, apply, and cleave to him, making this their whole business. For otherwise if thy Memory, Imagina­tion, and Thoughts be often busied a­bout [Page 21]these things, it must needs be in­veigled, either with some new things, or the remains of some formerly entertained, or be variously affected and distracted with other occurring Objects,Wisd. 1.5. For the holy Spirit of Disci­pline (as the Wise Man saith) removes its self from thoughts that are without Understanding. Wherefore a true Lover of Jesus Christ, must be so u­nited in his Intellect, through good Will, to the Divine Will and Goodness, and be so naked and stript of all Phantasms and Passions, as not so much as to take no­tice whether he be derided and flouted at, or Loved and Honoured, or whether any thing else happen to him. For a good Will makes up all, and is above and beyond all: Wherefore if there be a good Will, and that the same in the In­tellect be purely conform and united to God, it can do no hurt, tho' the Flesh or Sensuality and the outward Man should incline to Sin, and be backward and dead to that which is good; yea, even though the inward Man also, should be dead and listless to any thing of Devo­tion; for in this case it is sufficient for a [Page 22]Man by Faith and good Will, nakedly to cleave to God in the Intellect or Su­preme part of the Soul.

And this he will do, if he throughly perceive and be sensible of his own im­perfection and nothingness, and know that all his good consists, and is in his Creator; and if with all his Powers and Faculties he abandon himself and all Creatures, and totally plunge his whole self into his Creator, so as to direct all his Actions purely and entirely to his Lord God, as the sole end and scope of them all, seeking nor desiring any thing be­sides him, in whom he perceives himself to have found all Good, with all Happi­ness and Perfection. And by this process he becomes in a manner transformed into God, to that degree, that he can neither think, nor understand, nor love, nor re­member any thing but God, and the things of God; nor doth he see himself, and other Creatures, save only in God; Neither doth he love any thing save God alone, nor remember or make mention of them or of himself, but in God. Now this knowledge of the Truth makes a Soul very humble, judging it [Page 23]self, but not another; whereas on the con­trary, the Worldly Wisdom makes the Soul proud, Vain, Arrogant, and pufft up with Wind. Let us lay down this therefore for a Spiritual and Fundamen­tal Doctrine; that he who would draw near to the Knowledge, Service, and Fa­miliarity or Communion with God, and that would really possess him, must of necessity wholly strip and divest his Heart from all sensible Love, not only of every Person whatsoever, but of every Creature; to the end, that with a simple and entire Heart he may reach forward and press into the Lord God his Creator, freely without all Duplicity, Care, or Sollicitousness, with a full assured Trust and Confidence in his Providence, as to all his Concerns.

CHAP. VII. How the Heart is to be gathered up, or recollected into it self.

MOREOVER, as it is said in the Book of the Spirit and Soul, Chapter 21. To mount up to God, i [...] to enter into ones self. For he who in­wardly entring, and intimately pene­trating into himself, gets above or be­yond himself, he truly mounts up to God. Let us therefore gather up our Hearts from the various Distractions o [...] this World, and recall them to the joy [...] within, that we may at last be able to fix them in the light of Divine Contem­plation. For this is the true Life and Rest of our Heart, when by Desire it is fix'd in the Love of God, and sweetly refresh'd with his Divine Comfort. But the reason why in the experimental taste and relish hereof we are manifoldly hin­dered, so as that we can by no means reach to him, is plainly this, because the [Page 25]Mind of Man being distracted with so­licitousness, doth not enter into it self by the Memory; being overshadowed (clouded) with Phantasms, doth not re­tire into her self through the Intellect, being allur'd by Lusts and Concupiscence, doth not turn in to her self, through the desire of internal sweetness, and Spi­ritual joys; and being thus wholly ta­ken up with these sensible and present Things, she can never enter in to her self, viz, the Image of God, in her self. It behoveth therefore above all things, and is necessary, that with humble Reve­rence, and great Confidence, the Mind raise it self, above it self, and every Creature, by a total denying and re­nouncing of them all; and say within her self, he whom of all things, before all things, and above all things I seek, love, long for, and desire, is neither sensible, nor imaginable, but above e­very thing that is sensible and intelli­gible too: He is not to be perceived by any sence, but wholly desirable by full and perfect desire; neither is he figura­ble, or representable, but to be most perfectly long'd for, by the most inti­mate [Page 26]affection: He is not to be rated, or valued, but wholly to be affected with a pure heart, as being above all things amiable, and delectable; and of infinite Goodness, and Perfection. And thus she is carried into the darkness of the Mind, and becomes higher raised within her self, and enters deeper into her self. And this manner of ascending to the Aenigmatical, or obscure Vision of the most Holy Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, in Jesu Christ, is by so much the more fervent, by how much the power of Elevation is more intimate to the mind, and so much the more fruitful and profitable, by how much it is nearer, and stronger in Af­fection. For in Spiritual Things, those are accounted higher, which are more inward, as to Spiritual Experience. Wherefore, do thou never leave, never rest, until thou get a taste of some Pledges or foretastes of the fulness that is to come; and 'till thou per­ceive the sweetness of the Divine Loveli­ness, by some little first Fruits; and do not cease running after her in the perfume of her good Ointments, unti [Page 27]thou come to see the God of Gods in Sion. For, in thy Spiritual Progress, and in this Union with, and cleaving to God within thy self, thou must neither desist, nor give back, until thou hast ob­tained what thou lookest for; whereof, we may take an Example from those who are going up an high Hill: For if in this ascent our Spirit through Lust and De­sire, comes to plunge it self into the Transitory Things here below, it im­mediately is led out of the way, by in­finite Distractions, and crooked wind­ing Paths; and being manifoldly di­vided, is scatter'd in it self, according to the multiplicity of the Objects its Concupiscence desires: Whence necessary follows Motion without steadiness, Run­ning without attaining, and Labour without Rest. But, if on the other side, our Heart and Spirit do withdraw it self by Desire and Love from the infinite distraction of inferior Things here below, wholly quitting them, and by little and little gathering up her self into that one Unchangeable, All-sufficient Good, learn and accustom her self to stay at home, and with her [Page 28]whole affection do inseparably cleave un­to it; so much the more she is gathered up into one, and fortified, by how much she is elevated by understanding, and desire to the Things that are above; and becomes so habitually fixed and esta­blished in the true Supream Good with­in her self, 'till at length, she be made altogether immutable, and arrive to that true Life, which is the Lord God himself; so as that perpetually, without any vicissitude of Change, or Time, she now reposeth her self in that inward Quiet, and secret Mansion of the Deity; being perfectly fix'd and setled within her self, in Christ Jesus, who is the Way, to those that come to him,John 14.6. the Truth, and the Life.

CHAP. VIII. How a Devout Person must Commit himself to God in all Events, and in all his Concerns.

I Suppose, that from what hath been already said, thou dost perceive that the more thou shalt divest thy self from [Page 29]Images, and all Worldly and Created Things, and by Good Will be united in thy Intellect to God, the nearer thou wilt approach to the State of Innocence, and Perfection. Than which, what can be conceived better, more happy, or more delightful? To which purpose, nothing can be of more avail, than that thou keep thy mind naked of all man­ner of Phantasms, and Images, and from all Intanglements whatsoever, so as not to be concerned, or trouble thy self, neither about the World, nor about Friends, or Relations, nor about Pro­sperity, or Adversity; neither about any thing past, present, or to come, either in thy self, or in others: No, nor over much about thine own Sins; but with a certain pure simplicity, suppose thy self to be naked, and alone with God, with­out the World; for if thy Soul were already launched into Eternity, and se­parated from the Body, surely it would not be busied about Secular Matters, nor would it be concern'd about the course of the World, neither about Peace, nor War; fair, or foul weather, or any o­ther Temporal Thing, but would uni­formly, [Page 30]and totally intend, be at leisure for, and cleave to God alone: In like manner, do thou now (according to the present possibility) leave thy Body, and all Creatures present, and to come, and steadily fix the view of thy Mind and Spirit, according to thy utmost power, nakedly and readily upon that increated Light, that thy Spirit may be so stript and divested from all Phantasms, and from all Intanglements, and clowdy over­shadowings, as may be suppos'd that of an Angel tyed to a Body, who is not hindred by the activity of the Flesh, nei­ther is intangled with vain and hurrying Thoughts. Let thy Spirit therefore for­tifie it self against all Temptations, Vexations, Injuries, and Affronts what­soever; so that with the greatest uncon­cernedness, and evenness of Temper, it may immoveably persevere in God, in Adversity, as well as Prosperity. And when any thing of trouble, listlessness to any thing that is good, or confusion of Mind, do chance to seize thee, do not thou therefore think strange, or be dis­couraged; neither run thou, upon this account, to vocal Prayers, or other ways [Page 31]of comfort: but let this only be thy ex­ercise, that thou awaken and stir up thy self through good will in the Intellect, that so thou mayst cleave to God with thy mind, whether thy sensual Part will or not. For, a Devout and truly Re­ligious Soul ought to be so intimately united to God, and to have, and make his Will so conform to the Divine Will, that it may not busie it self with, nor cleave to any Creature whatsoever, any more than she did before she was Crea­ted; and as if there were nothing at all besides God and the Soul; and that it may with an even temper take all and every thing that happens to it, securely, and infallibly, from the gracious hand of the Divine Providence in all things, uni­formly suffering the Lord, in Patience, Tranquility, and Silence. Wherefore it appears, that to strip the mind of all Phantasms, doth above any other Exer­cise whatsoever, avail and conduce to a Spiritual Life, in which, by good will, thou mayst be united to, and become like to God, in thy intellect. For by this means, there will be nothing to me­diate, or intervene betwixt thee and [Page 32]God. Consider therefore, how greatly thou dost degenerate from the Nobility of thy Being, and how highly thou Sin­nest against the Lord thy God, and a­gainst all his Righteousness, if thou with thy Will and Love do cleave unto the Creature, rather than to the Creator; by this means, preferring the Creature, before the Creator.

CHAP. IX. That Divine Contemplation is to be preferr'd before all other Religi­ous Exercises whatsoever.

FOrasmuch therefore as all things be­sides God, are the Effect and Work of the Creator, having their Power and Being, and whatsoever they are or can, stinted and limited; and as at first they were produc'd out of Nothing, so are still surrounded with nullities, and no­thingness, and of themselves tend to no­thing; it follows, that they must neces­sarily, every moment receive their ex­istence, conservation, activity, and what­soever [Page 33]else may be in them, from the So­veraign Workman God, as being in, and of themselves, insufficient for them­selves, and others; to whose Divine Working they being compared, have the same proportion, as Nothing to Some­thing, or a Finite thing to that which is Infinite. Wherefore, let all our Con­templation, Life, and Operation, be in him alone, and about him, and for him, and to him; who, with one hint of his Will, is able, and knows to produce things infinitely more perfect than those Creatures we now see. There can be therefore, neither with respect to the In­tellect, or to the Will, any Contempla­tion and Fruition of Love more profita­ble, perfect, happy, and delightful, than that which hath for its Object the Crea­tor, the true and Soveraign Good; from whom, in whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; who alone is in­finitely sufficient for himself, and all things: Who, most simply, fully, and supereminently contains, and has concen­tred in himself from Eternity, the Per­fections of all things, in whom there is nothing that is not himself; with whom, [Page 34]and through whom, the Causes of all unstable things have their lasting subsi­stence, and establishment: In whom are the Immutable Ideas and Principles of all Mutable Things, and in whom the Eter­nal Reasons of all Rational, and Irrational, and Temporal Things do live for ever; who fulfills all, and essentially fills all and every thing with himself; and who is more intimately present by his Essence to every thing, than the thing is to it self; in whom all things are united and one, and in whom they live Eternally. More­over, if by reason of weakness, or the unaccustomedness of the understanding, any Man be oblig'd to Meditate, or Contemplate on the Creatures, then this will be the best, truest, and most pro­fitable way for him; that at least in all his Contemplations, and Meditations, whether about Creatures, or about the Creator, a delight in the Creator him­self, the One and Trine God, may arise within him; and that the fire of Divine Love and true Life may thence flame forth in himself, and in others, for the obtaining of Eternal Felicity. And here we may observe the difference there is between [Page 35]the Contemplation of Christian Believers; and that of the Heathen Philoso­phers: For the Contemplation of Philo­sophers is intended only for the perfection of the Contemplator, and therefore stops in the understanding, and so their end herein, is intellectual Knowledge. But the Contemplation of the Saints, is ta­ken up for the Love of him whom they Contemplation, that is, of God; and therefore does not stop in the Intellect by Knowledge, as in its ultimate end; but passeth over into the affection by Love. Wherefore the Saints in their Contemplation, have the Love of God for their principal end, and aim; be­cause it is far more happy and blissful to know and have the Lord Jesus Christ Spiritually by Grace, than without Grace, corporally, or essentially. Now whilst the Soul thus abstracts it self from all things, and reflects into it self, the eye of Contemplation by this means be­comes dilated, and raiseth it self like a Ladder, whereby she mounts to the Vi­sion of God. From which beholding, the Soul becomes inflamed with the Love of Coelestial, and Divine Good [Page 36]Things; and looks upon all Temporal Things aloof, as if they were just no­thing. Thus, when we draw near to God by the way of Negation, or re­moving from him all that is perceptible, or comprehensible; in the first place, we remove from him all that is Bodily, Sensible, or Imaginable; in the next place, all that is Intelligible, and last of of all, Essence, or Being it self, as it is in the Creatures. And by this means, according to St. Dionysius the Areopagite, we approach nearest to the Divine Essence, and are in the ready way of being joyn'd to him. And this is that thick Darkness, where God is said to dwell; and into which Moses entred, and through it pas­sed to his inaccessible Light. But that which is Spiritual is not first, but that which is Animal; so that according to the natural and accustomed Order, we are to proceed from the Labour of Action, to the Rest of Contemplation; and from the Moral Virtues, to the Theorical, and Speculative. Where­fore, O my Soul, why is it that thou busiest thy self to no purpose, about the many vain and superfluous Things where [Page 37]thou art always in want? And dost not rather fix thy intention and love upon that one Best and Soveraign Good, which contains all Good, and is only sufficient for thee, and all things? Un­happy therefore, yea thrice unhappy he, who knows, and has all things besides him, but is ignorant of him. For if a Man should be supposed to know all things, and him, yet would not he be the happier for knowing them, but him only; whence St. John tells us, and this is Life Eternal, Joh. 17. v. 3. Psalm. 17. v. 15. that they know thee the only true God, &c. And the Psal­mist, I shall be satisfied at the appearance of thy Glory, or accord­ing to the Hebrew, when thy image, or likeness shall awake in me.

CHAP. X. Actual and sensible Devotion is not so much to be minded, as the adhe­ring, or cleaving to God with our Will.

MOreover, do not thou greatly mind actual Devotion, sensible sweetness, or tears; but let it suffice thee [Page 38]to be by good will in thy intellect, with thy Mind united to God, within thy self, forasmuch as nothing is more pleasing to God, than a Mind strip'd naked of Phantasms, Images, and Reptesentations of the Creatures. It becomes therefore a truly devout Person, to estrange himself from all Creatures, that he may nakedly, and readily intend, apply himself, and adhere to God alone, within himself. Wherefore deny thy self, that thou mayest nakedly follow Christ thy Lord God, who being truly Poor, Obedient, and Chast, humbled himself, and suf­fered for us, and at whose Life and Death many were greatly offended, as appears from the History of the Gospel. Now as we see that a Soul separate from its Body, doth not mind, or take notice what becomes of it, whether it be burnt, hang'd, abus'd, or cursed; and is not at all troubled or grieved for any injuries that are done to it; but has all its thoughts fixed upon that ever present Now of Eternity, and the one thing ne­cessary our Saviour speaks of in the Gos­pel; In like manner be thou also af­fected to thy Body, being so unconcern'd [Page 39]with it, as if thou wast already out of the Body, and have always thy mind fixed upon the Eternity of thy Soul in God, and earnestly direct and level thy thoughts at that one thing, of which Christ saith, But one thing is needful: Luke 10.42. and by this means thou wilt feel great incomes, and assistance of Grace, for the attainment of true nakedness of Mind, and simplification of Heart. And most certain it is, that this one thing, is most present to thee, and will appear so, as soon as thou shalt have rid thy self from thy imaginary representations, and all other intanglements; and thou wilt soon find, that now thou canst with a naked, free, and ready mind apply thy self, and cleave to God; and by this means thou shalt be invincible in all things what­soever that can happen to thee, as the Holy Martyrs, Fathers, and all the Elect and Blessed Saints were; who despising and rejecting all things, only minded the Eternal Salvation of their Souls in God: And being thus armed within, and united to God by Good will, they contemned all the Things of the World, [Page 40]even as if their Souls already had been actually separated from their Bodies.

Consider well therefore, how great the power is of a good will united to God; yea, how by this impression of God upon the Soul, as by its virtual and spiritual Division from the Flesh, the Soul comes to look upon the outward Man as if it were none of hers; and is so unconcern'd at any thing that is done to it, or its flesh, as if they were done to another Body; for he that cleaves to God, becomes one Spirit with him. Wherefore do thou never dare in the least to think or imagine any thing in the presence of the Lord thy God within thee, which thou wouldest blush that Men should hear, or see; and that be­cause of the highest Reverence which is due to the Divine Majesty, in his Ho­ly Temple. It is also fit and just, that all thy thoughts be erect and lifted up to God alone; and that the view of thy mind be fixed only upon him, as if there were nothing at all besides him, and by close cleaving unto him, enjoy him, which is a perfect Commencement and Anticipation of the Life to come.

CHAP. XI. How we are to resist Temptations, and to bear Tribulations.

THere is no man that draws near to God with a true and sincere heart, but he must expect to be tried, and pro­ved with manifold Vexations, and Temptations. Now in all Temptations let this Precept be observed; that when­ever thou feelest any Temptation, that thou do not assent to it, and that thou bear it patiently, and quietly, with hu­mility, and long sufferance. And if they chance to be Blasphemous and Fil­thy injections, take it for a certain Rule, that there is no way better to overcome and be rid of them, than by despising them, though they be never so horrible, filthy, and abominable Blasphemies; let this be thy sole Armour of defence a­gainst them, to neglect them, account them as nothing, and despise them, without imputing them to thy self, or charging thy Conscience therewith. For thou wilt find this a sure way, to put [Page 42]the Enemy to flight, if thou treat him, and his endeavours with the greatest scorn and contempt; for he is exceeding proud, and cannot endure to be despis'd, and set at naught. Wherefore be sure to make use of this, as the best and surest Remedy against all such injections, ne­ver to mind them, or be troubled at them, any more than thou art at flies, that buzz about thee against thy will. Wherefore let the Servant of Jesus Christ take care not to run so easily from the face of the Lord, by being angry, murmuring and vexing himself about the buzzing of a silly Flie; I mean for some slight temptation, suspicion, sorrow, de­traction, weakness, or any other kind of Adversity; seeing that by the hand only of Good Will lift up to God, all these, and a thousand such like, may be easily chased away, and put to flight. For by Good Will, Man has God to be his Possessor, and Owner, the Holy An­gels his Guardians and Protectors; and moreover by the same, all Temptations are as easily overcome, as a Flie is cha­sed away with the least motion of the hand. Peace therefore is the portion of [Page 43]the Men of Good Will; neither can any more worthy present be offer'd to God than it; for as much as Good Will in the Soul, is the Original of all good, and the Mother of all Virtues; which, whosoever begins to be possessed of, he hath without care whatsoever is necessary to a good and happy Life; wherefore if thou willest that which is good, without, being able to perform it, God will make up from himself, what is wanting in thee, and accept the will for the deed; for an Eternal Law has unchangeably decreed and establisht that all Merit should con­sist and be in the Will alone, as reward, or punishment, are in happiness, or mi­sery. For Love is a strong will to serve God, a sweet affection of pleasing God, and a most burning desire of enjoying God. Besides, it is no Sin to be tempt­ed, but rather an occasion of exercising ones Virtues; for certain it is, that we get much good by Temptation, seeing that our whole Life here upon Earth, is but one long continual Temptation.

CHAP. XII. Concerning the Love of God, and how Powerful it is.

NOW all these things above said, and whatsoever else are necessary to Salvation, cannot be better, more readily, or more savingly performed than by Love; by which the want o [...] every thing that is needful to Salvation is easily supplyed, and in it is the abun­dance of all Good; neither does it wan the presence of the most desirable Ob­ject. For it is Love alone whereby we are turn'd to God, transformed into God, cleave to God, and are united to him, to that degree, as to become on Spirit with him, and so are made hap­py here in Grace, and hereafter in Glory, from him, in him, and by him For Love never rests but in the beloved Object, when it is possest of the same with a full and peaceable possession. Love or Charity is the way of God to Men, and of Men to God; and God cannot take up his Habitation any where, but [Page 45]where Charity is. If therefore we have Charity, we have God himself, for God is Love, or Charity. There is no­thing more sharp than Love, nothing more subtle, nothing more penetrating than Love; neither doth it ever rest, until naturally it have penetrated the whole virtue, profundity, and totality of the amiable Object; it will make it self one with its Beloved, and if possible, would be the the very same thing with it; and therefore it will not endure any thing to mediate or come between it, and the Object it loves, which is God, but doth with vehemence press into him, and never rests 'till it have past by all things, and be come not only to him, but into him. For Love is an uniting and transforming Power or Ver­tue, transforming the Lover into the Beloved, and the Beloved into the Lo­ver; so that one Lover is in the other, after the most intimate and presential manner imaginable. Which is very ap­parent in the first place, with reference to the apprehensive Powers, viz. That the Beloved is in the Lover; forasmuch as the Beloved Object is always sweetly [Page 46]and delightfully recall'd and represented in the apprehension of the Lover; and on the other hand, forasmuch as the Lo­ver endeavours, not superficially, but intrinsically to discern and penetrate t [...] the most inward parts of the beloved Object. And as to the appetitive and desiring Powers, the Beloved in said to be in the Lover, forasmuch as it is most intimately rooted by an affectionate con­placency, and pleasurable delectation it him: And on-the other hand, the Love is in the Beloved, by means of a tota [...] desire and conformity, as having but on willing, and nilling, one grief, and joy, as if they were indeed one and the same and no longer two distinct Beings.Cam. 8.6. For Love, which [...] strong as Death, draws th [...] Lover out of himself, and placeth him in the Beloved Object, making him to close most intimately therewith. For the Soul is more truly where it loves, than where it moves, because it is in the Beloved according to its own proper nature, reason, and will; but in that which it moves, or animates; it is only so far forth as it is a form, which is also [Page 47]competible to Beasts. There is therefore nothing else that can draw us from all outward sensibles, and make us retire within our selves, and from thence into the heart, and inmost Divinity of Jesus Christ, but the Love of Christ, and the longing desire after the sweetness of Christ, to feel, perceive, and to taste the intimate presence of Christ's Divinity. It is nothing else but the immense power of Love, which mounts a Man from the dregs of Earth, to the High Glory of Heaven. Neither is it possible for any one ever to attain the supream Bliss and Beatitude, but with the help of Love, and Desire. For Love is the true and genuine life of the Soul, the Wedding-Garment, and its utmost perfection, in which, all the Law,John 13.34. & Ch. 15.7. and the Prophets, yea, and our Lord's Command­ment too, are included, as being the Center and Substance of them all. And therefore St. Paul tells us, in his Epistle to the Romans, That Love is the fullfilling of the Law. Rom. 13.10. 1 Tim. 1.5. And in his first E­pistle to Timothy, That Charity is the end of the Cemmandment.

CHAP. XIII. The Qualifications of true Prayer, and the usefulness thereof; and how the Heart is to be recollected, and gathered up into it self.

AND forasmuch as we of our selves are altogether insufficient for these, and all other good things; and that we cannot of our selves render any thing to our Lord God (from whom alone pro­ceeds all good) which was not his own before, save one thing only; according to what he himself, with his Blessed Mouth and Example hath been pleas'd to instruct us, viz. That we in all Cases and Events have continual re­course to Prayer (as being Guilty, Mi­serable, Poor, Beggars, Weak, Destitute, Subjects, Servants, and Sons, and wholly desolate in our selves) and that we, with the most humble prostration of our mind, in Fear and Love, recollectedly, and composedly; with a deliberate true naked affection of shame, with earnest desire and fervency, with inward groans [Page 49]of the Heart, and with simplicity and sincerity of Mind should supplicate him, and lay open before him with full Con­fidence, all our impending dangers; and readily, securely and nakedly commit, resign, and offer up our selves totally and faithfully to him, to our very last breath, as being truly and entirely his, reserving nothing to our selves; that so the saying of the Blessed Father Isaak may be ful­filled in us,In Cassian. col­lat. 10. c. 6.who speak­ing of this king of Prayer, saith, Then it is that we shall be one in God, and our Lord God alone shall be all in all in us, when that perfect Love, wherewith he hath first loved us, shall become the Love and Affection of our our Love, all our desire, all our study, and our endeavour, and lastly all our Thoughts; yea, and every thing that we see, speak, or hope for, shall be God; and when that Unity which now is be­tween the Father and the Son, and be­tween the Son and the Father, shall be transfus'd into our Sence and Mind; to that degree, That as he Loves us [Page 50]with a sincere, pure, and unchangeable Love; So we also may be joyned to him, by a perpetual and inseparable dilection; being so intimately united to him, that whatsoever we hope, whatsoever we un­derstand, whatsoever we speak and pray for, may be God. This therefore must be the Purpose, this the endeavour and end of a truly Spiritual Man, to be found worthy to possess the Image of the future Beatitude in this Corruptible Body, and to obtain a foretaste of that Celestial Bliss, Conversation and Glory even in this Transitory Life. This is the end of all Perfection, that the Mind being purified from all the Dregs of Carnality, may be sublimed to that pitch of Spirituality, That its whole Conversation, and all the outgoings of the Heart, be nothing else but one continual never ceasing Prayer. And when the Mind thus, having shak'd off its Earth­ly Defilements and In­tanglements,Collat. 9. c. 5. doth breath out it self to God, in whom alone the intention of a Spiri­tual Man ought always to be fixed (from which Soveraign Good, the least Sepa­ration ought to be look'd upon as present [Page 51]Death, and the most pernicious Destru­ction) and that she (the Mind) being well founded and rooted in foregoing Peace and Tranquility, and set loose from the Bands of all Carnal Passions, and by a most resolute and tenacious purpose cleaves to that one Soveraign Good, then I say she will be able to fulfil that Command of the Apostle,1 Thes. 5.17. Pray without ceasing, and in all place,1. Tim. 2.8. lifting up Holy Hands without Wrath and doubting. For the Sence of the Mind being as it were wholly ab­sorpt by this Purity, and Transformed from its Earthly State into a Spiritual or Angelical likeness, in this condition what­soever she takes in, whatsoever she han­dles, whatsoever she does, will be the pu­rest and truest Prayer. Wherefore if thou shalt without interruption continue this Exercise, as has been here set down from the beginning, it will be as easie and obvious to thee, in thy introversion and Recollection, to contemplate and en­joy, as it is for thee to live in Nature.

CHAP. XIV. In all Judgments that are made of us, we are still to have Re­course to the Testimony of our Conscience.

MOreover to attain to this Spiritual Perfection, Purity and Tranquil­lity of Mind in God, it will be of no small Advantage to us, that, in all things which may be spoke or judged of us, or acted towards us, we always silently betake our selves, to the inmost retreat of our Minds, and there being abstra­cted from all other things, and totally recollected within our selves, place our selves before the Tribunal of Truth within us, where we shall plainly find and see, that it is not only of no Advan­tage, but a great hinderance to us, to be Praised and Honoured from without, when according to the knowledge of Truth in our selves we are indeed cul­pable and guilty. And as in this Case it is of no Advantage at all to a Man [Page 53]to be Praised outwardly by Men, when his Conscience accuseth him within; so neither on the contrary is it any the least hurt or hinderance to a Man, if he be despised, reviled, blamed and persecuted from without, when he is inwardly in­nocent, unreproveable and harmless: Yea rather he hath great Reason in Patience, silence, and Peace, to rejoyce in the Lord on this account, forasmuch as no adver­sity can hurt, where iniquity doth not prevail. And as no Wickedness ever goes unpunished, so no good can be without its reward: Neither let us be willing with Hypocrites to expect or re­ceive our Reward or Recompence from Men, but of our Lord God alone; not at present, but hereafter; not in this Tran­sitory time, but in Eternity. It is evi­dent therefore that there is nothing of greater Moment, or better for us, than alway in every Tribulation and Event to retire to the inmost secret of our Minds, and there to call upon the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is our helper in Temptations and Tribulations, and there to be humbled before him, Confessing our Sins, and to Praise God and our Father, [Page 54]who as he bruises and chastens, so he also Comforts and Heals us: And over and [...]bove all this to take and accept of all and every thing readily and securely happening to our selves or others, whe­ther Prosperous or Adverse, with an e­ven quiet Temper of Mind, from the Hand of his unerring Providence, and orderly disposing of all Things: from the faithful discharge of which Exercise and Duty will follow the Remission of our Sins, the Expulsion of all Bitterness, the Collation of Sweetness, Peace, and Se­curity, the infusion of Grace and Mercy, the attraction and strengthening of Fa­miliarity and Communion, with most a­bundant Comfort in him, and firm cleaving to, and Union with him. But by no means let us be willing to imitate those, who through Hypocrisie, and Pharisaical Pride, make it their Endea­vour to be seen, esteemed, and to appear more Holy outwardly before Men, than the Truth within them bears Witness to, which certainly is a piece of the ex­tremest Folly and Madness, to desire and long for Humane Praise and Glory from ones self, or others, when at the same [Page 55]time we are inwardly full of the flicker­ing inticements of this World, and most Grievous Sins. And certainly whoever pursues these most vain things, the fore­said Goods will fly from him, and he will fall into Shame and Disgrace: Where­fore have thou always before thine Eyes thy manifold Sins and Wickedness, and thy unfitness for any thing that is good, and endeavour to know thy self, that thou mayst be Humbled; and don't refuse, or be afraid to be esteemed and judged by all, as the vilest unworthiest, and most abject Off-scouring and Filth, be­cause of thy most Grievous Sins, and great Iniquities. Do thou therefore re­pute thy self amongst others, as Dross amongst Gold, as Tares amongst Wheat, as Chaff amongst Corn, as a Wolf a­mongst Sheep, and as Satan amongst the Sons of God. Neither do thou in the least desire to be Reverenc'd or Honour'd by Men, or to be preferr'd before o­thers; but rather with thy whole Heart and Spirit flee from the Infections of this Pestilence, the Poyson of Praise, and the Pride of Boasting and Ostentation;Psal. 10.3. lest the [Page 56] Wicked should be Praised in the desire of his Heart, and so be in the condition of those of whom the Prophet faith;Isa. 3.12. O my People! they which call thee Blessed, cause thee to erre, and overturn the way of thy going; or fall under that Curse of our Lord:Luke 6.26. Wo un­to you when all Men shall speak well of you; for so did their Fa­there to the false Prophets.

CHAP. XV. How we may arrive to a thorough Contempt of our selves, and how profitable it is.

THE more therefore that any Man knows his own Vileness, the more distinct and clear is his View and Vi­sion of the Divine Majesty; and the more Base and Vile any one appears in his own Eyes, for God, Truth and Righteousness, the more Precious he is [Page 57]in the Eyes of God. Wherefore let us strive, with the total Effort of our de­sire, to think our selves the Vilest of all Men, and to believe our selves unworthy of every Benefit; to displease our selves, and to please God alone, and be willing to be judged by others the most inconsi­derable and despicable Creatures. More­over let us endeavour not to be moved by any Tribulations, Afflictions or In­juries; nor to be troubled at those that bring them upon us, nor to entertain a­ny hard Thoughts, or to have indigna­tion against them, but with an even and quiet Mind to believe that we do well deserve all Injuries, slightings, Chastise­ments and Derelictions. For certainly he who truly Mourns and is Penitent ac­cording to God, he abhorrs to be Ho­nour'd or Belov'd by others; and doth not avoid or refuse to be hated, trod up­on, and wholly despis'd; to the end that he may be truly humbled, and with a Pure Heart may sincerely cleave to his Lord God alone. Now that we may ar­rive to this Loving of the Lord God a­lone, and the abhorring of our selves a­bove all Things, and to the desire of [Page 58]being despis'd by othess, there is not re­quired any outward Labour, or Health and Strength of Body, but rather soli­tude of Body, Labour of the Heart and Quiet of the Mind; That by Labour of the Heart, and Affection of the inmost Mind we may raise our selves above, and Bodily withdraw our selves from these in­ferious Things, and so rise and mount up to those that are Heavenly and Di­vine. For doing this, we change our selves into God: And this is then chiefly done, when we choose from our Hearts, without any judging, Condemning or Contemning of our Neighbour, to be esteem'd by all Men as meer Off-scouring, Filth, and Reproach, yea to be abhorred and trampled upon by all, as the Dirt in the Streets, rather than to abound in Pleasures and Deliciousness, or to be Ho­noured and lifted up by Men; or to en­joy any Corporal and Transitory Health or Advantages; Or to desire any other Comfort in this present Mortality and Bodily Life, but to Mourn, Lament and bewail, our Offences, Faults and Sins, without ceasing, perfectly to set at naught and Annihilate our selves, and to be e­steemed [Page 59]daily still Viler and Viler by o­thers, and appear daily more unworthy in our own Eyes, That we may please God alone, Love him only, and cleave unto him: Being unwilling to be Af­fected with any thing, save only with our Lord Jesus Christ himself; not be­ing sollicitous or careful about any thing but him, under whose Rule and Provi­dence all things subsist and have their Course. Know then, that henceforward it is not for thee to delight thy self, but to Mourn with thy whole Heart; where­fore if so be thou dost not yet Mourn, Mourn for that; and if thou dost Mourn, Mourn and Lament the more, for that thou hast brought upon thy self this Cause of Grief and Sorrow, because of thy most Griveous Offences and Infinite Sins. For as a Malefactor who receives his Sentence of Death is not concern'd a­bout the ranging of the Sherifs Men, or the Multitude of the Spectators; So he who in good earnest Mourns and Be­wails his Sins, cannot give his Mind to Pleasures, or Anger, or vain Glory, or Indignation, or any other such like. And as the Habitations of Citizens and [Page 60]Condemned Malefactors are very diffe­rent; So the State, Manner, and Beha­viour of those that Mourn, for being Guilty of Sins, that bind them over and make them obnoxious to Punishment, ought to be very different from those who are Innocent and not Guilty: For otherwise there would be no difference made between a Guilty and Innocent Person by reward and Punishment; and Unrighteousness would be more free, than Innocence. So that all things are to be denied, all things are to be Con­temned, all things are to be cast away and avoided, That with full Faith, a good and sure Foundation may be laid for the Sorrow of Repentance. Where­fore he that Loves Jesus Christ in Truth, and that Mourns after him, and that bears him in his Heart, and in his Body, that truly Mourns for his Sins and Of­fences, and earnestly seeks for the King­dom to come, and in true Faith possess­eth the Memory of the Torments of Hell and of Eternal Judgement, and imprinteth firmly and perfectly in his Heart the Sense and Fear of his own Death, such a one will no farther strive, [Page 61]care, or be sollicitous about any other thing whatsoever. Let him therefore who hastens to attain that Blessed im­passibility, and to approach to God him­self, account that every day wherein he is not reproach'd, revil'd, or contemn'd, he suffers great loss and damage. Now this impassibility here mention'd, is nothing else, but a freedom from Vices and Pas­sions, Purity of Heart, and the entire Ornament of Vertues and Graces. Sup­pose thy self therefore already Dead, whom thou doubtest not but must Dye certainly. And let this be the last and highest proof, and surest Tryal of all thy Thoughts, Words and Actions, to prove whether they be according to God or no, if by them thou becomest more humble, and more recollected and fixed within thy self and in God; but if thou findest the effect otherwise, thou wilt have good reason to suspect, that they were not according to God, and neither well pleasing to him, nor pro­fitable for thee.

CHAP. XVI. How the Providence of God ex­tends it self to all and every thing.

NOW to the end that according to the foregoing instructions, we may without let or hinderance, readily, securely, and nakedly be carried towards the Lord our God, with the greatest freedom and Tranquility become joyned with him and united to him, and may firmly cleave unto him, with an even­ness of Temper whether in Prosperity, or Adversity, Life or Death; it is of absolute Necessity that we resign and commit all and every thing, without the least doubt, or hesitation, and with the greatest assurance, to his unsearchable and infallible Providence. Neither ought we to think strange of this Counsel, foras­much as it is he alone, that gives to all things their being, Power, and Activity, that is, their Substance, Vertue, Opera­tion, Kind, Manner and Order, and [Page 63]that in Number, Weight and Measure. And this, the rather because as all Artisi­cial Works, presuppose the Works of Nature, so every Work of Nature, pre­supposeth the Work of God, Creating, Preserving, Ordering and Administring: Since to him alone belongs Infinite Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and Essen­tial Mercy, Justice, Truth and Charity, immutable Eternity and Immensity. Where­fore it is evident, that nothing doth or on subsist by its own Virtue, nor Act, save only in the Virtue of God himself, that is of the first Mover and first Prin­ciple, who is the Cause of all Actions, and Operates in every Agent. For with respect to the true Order of the Admi­nistration of the World, Go immedi­ately provides and takes care for all Things, even to the utmost Individuals: So that nothing from the highest to the lowest can escape or avoid the Eternal Providence of God, whether in things Natural or Voluntary, or Casual and For­tuitous, which were never intended by the particular Agent. Neither can God make any thing, but what must of ne­cessity resort or fall under the order of [Page 64]his Providence, no more than he can make any thing, which is not subject to his operating Power. It follows therefore that the Divine Providence doth extend it self to all and every thing, even to the very Thoughts of Mens Hearts Upon which Foundation the Scripture builds the following Instructions. Casting all your care upon him,1. Pet. 5.7.for he careth for you. Cas [...] thy Burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.Psal. 55.22.Look at the Generations of Old and see,Eccl. Syr. 2.10.did ever any trust in the Lord, and wa [...] forsaken? Or did ever any abide in his Fear, and was confounded? And that of our Saviour? Take no though for your Life, Mat. 6.25. wha [...] you shall eat, &c. Wherefore let us assure our selves, that whatsoever, or how great soever the things are that we hope or expect from God; we shall without doubt receive the same, accord­ing to that Promise in Deuteronomy. Deut. 11.24. Every place whereon the Soles of your feet shall tread, Josh. 1.3. shall be [Page 65]yours. Because as much as every one can de­sire, so much shall he receive; and as far as he can reach with the foot of his trust and confidence, so far shall he possess. Ac­cordingly Bernard tells us: God the Au­thor of all things doth abound with such Bowels of Love and Mercy, that to how great a degree soever of Grace, we can extend the reach of our trust and confi­dence, the same we shall undoubtedly re­ceive and be possest of: To which purpose our Saviour Mar. 11.24. also assures us: What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that you receive them, and ye shall have them. Now the stronger and more in­stant this trust and reliance in God is; And by how much the more forceably it lifts it self up to, and presseth into God, with Humility and Reverence, the more assuredly, abundantly, and swift­ly it will obtain the desired good. But and if it should happen, that by reason of the Multitude or Greatness of Sin, the Affiance should be luke-warm and slow in lifting up it self to God, let such a one consider, that all things are possible with God; and that whatsoever he will must [Page 66]necessarily come to pass: And that what he wills not, is for that very reason im­possible; and it is as easie for him to forgive and blot out innumerable Sins, how enormous soever they may be, as one only Sin. And that as a Sinner can­not by all the Power that is in him, raise himself up again from his innumerable Sins, shake them off, and free himself from them, so neither from one only.1. Cor. 3.5. For we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing that is good, (much less to do it) but our Sufficiency is from God. Tho' in­deed it be much more dangerous to be intangled with many Sins (all other Cir­cumstances being alike) than with one a­lone, because there is no Evil with without its Punishment, and an Infinite Punish­ment is due to every mortal Sin; and this according to the Rigor of Justice, because every such Sin is committed against God who is of Infinite Reverence, Dignity and Honour. Moreover we are to con­sider that, according to the Apostle, the Lord knows those that are his; and that it is impossible for any of those to Perish, in whatsoever windings and Floods of [Page 67]Errours, Scandals, Schisms, Persecutions, Dissentions, Heresies, Tribulations, Ad­versities and Temptations they may be involved, seeing that the number of his Elect, and the bound of their Merits hath been eternally and unchangeably foreseen by him; so that all things whe­ther Good or Evil; proper, or strange and Forreign; prosperous or adverse, do all work together for their good, save only that they appear yet more Glorious and acceptable to God in Adversity than Prosperity. Let us therefore securely and readily commit all and every of our and others concerns with a plenary Trust and Confidence to the Divine Providence, who therefore permits all manner of E­vils, in what way soever, to be done; and it is good and well done of him, that he suffers them to be done; neither can they be more or otherwise done, than as he permits them to be, because he knows, can, and will change and dispose them to something that is better. For as all good things are done by his Operation, so by his Permission all Evil things are made good. And by this means are manifested his Power, Wisdom, and Clemency, [Page 70]through our Saviour Christ, his Mercy and Justice, the Virtue and Strength of his Grace, and the weakness and failure of Nature, the Beauty of the Universe, which springs from the contraposition of opposites, the Praise of the Good, and the Wickedness and Punishment of Re­probates. So likewise in a Sinner con­verted are manifested Contrition, Con­fession, and Repentance, as well as the Meekness and long Suffering of God, his Kindness and Charity, his Praise and Goodness. Not that it always tends to their Good, that do Wickedly, for most commonly indeed It doth precipitate them into great Danger, and the worst of Evils, viz. the loss of Grace and Glory, and obnoxiousness to Guilt and Punish­ment, and sometimes of that which is Eternal, from which the Lord Jesus Christ of his Mercy preserve us. Amen.