A Christian Library - Vol 1

THE SECOND BOOK.
PART 2:
CHAPTER 1.
Of Humility.

1. Without true humility all religion is nothing. All prayer without it is in vain. Our Lord Jesus CHRIST is that book, out of which this is best learnt; as who is indeed a most perfect mirror unto us of all virtues and graces. Look on his life, and you shall find it made up of nothing but love and humility. Look on his doctrine, and you shall see it to be mere wisdom and truth; a doctrine consisting not in words, but in power; not in shadows, but in the substance of the things that we are taught of him.
2. If we have therefore a mind to study this virtue, which is the root of the rest, it behooves us to learn the same, not only by words, but by the holy example which our Lord has set us. For this very end," He humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross." Behold then,. O Christian, how this virtue has its foundation, and its highest and most excellent ground, not in anti angel, not in any apostle, but in CHRIST Jesus alone. And, therefore, says he, "Learn of me," Matt. 11: 29: as if he had said, "Look ye upon me, how I abase myself under all, who yet am above all. Behold, as much higher as my majesty is, so much lower is my humility: and so much dearer and more lovely should this virtue be to you, as I your Lord and your God have delineated it in my whole life." Mark it; he says, " Learn of me." But what? Not to do mighty things and wonders, not to work signs and miracles, or to sheiv any great work of f the creation; but to be meek and lowly.
3. As he was just drawing to a period of his life upon the earth, the humble Jesus chose to exemplify this; when after his last supper, he took a towel and girded himself, and "washed his disciples' feet." Wherefore he also says, " Know ye what I -have done to you?" Do ye indeed consider what it is that I have done? And will ye humble yourselves every one to the other, and submit gladly even to the meanest offices of charity? O learn of me, by what you have now seen me do. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Learn of me, if I then be your Lord and Master, "for I am meek and humble in heart." Let -this my example be a rule for your whole lives, and let my life evermore stand before your eyes as an image or picture of that lowliness wherewith I humbled myself for your sakes. For,
4. Humility is the basis and foundation of all virtue, and of all happiness; and must at all times, and in all estates, be exercised by us, according to the example of our meek and lowly Master, if we aim either at being virtuous or happy. For as pride is of all other things most odious to GOD, so is humility of all others the most acceptable to him. For he that exalts himself must needs be humbled; because self-exaltation is a mere fancy, and has nothing to bottom itself upon. And he that humbles himself must needs be exalted; because self-humiliation is full of truth and reality; and has such a bottom to subsist upon, as uniteth heaven and, earth together.
5. Pride aims at the utmost pitch of honor;, yet undermines what it would advance. Humility, on the contrary, leads us to the bottom of our condition, and gives us the true sight of our own vileness; yet raises hereupon a most magnificent structure, like to the creation of the world, out of emptiness and darkness. Humility is solid and real; is just and reasonable; is wise and holy; is beautiful and amiable; is peaceable and righteous; is good and profitable; and there is no end of counting its excellencies. Humility is suitable to all objects; is agreeable to all the ends and causes of human life; is fitted to all the circumstances of our present state and condition. Humility is full of grace and truth; it is the ground of all the Divine works; it is the footstool of God's throne; it is the mirror of his greatness; it is the magnet of all his glories and beauties. In a word, it is the most agreeable to all the principles of nature and grace; to all the desires of angels and men; and to all the designs of God himself. So that nothing is more true, than that, "before honor is humility."
6. For humility is a bright light in the heart, wherein at once is discovered to us our own nothingness, and the high majesty and overflowing goodness of God. When a man sees his own emptiness, and how he is without form, and perfectly void, being naked and destitute of every thing that is good; the darkness which was upon the face of his mind, begins instantly to break away; and he betakes himself earnestly to pray for the grace and mercy of God to fill his vacuity, and to make him what he would please to have him in the order of the new creation. So he pants after, and betakes himself to GOD, as to the original and fountain of all good things; desiring to know him aright, to praise him, and to honor him as he should. This desire being thus begotten in him, he pours out his heart by himself, and says, " When shall I come to appear • before the presence of God?" And then finding an utter inability in himself, and beholding God as at an infinite distance, his soul is sore vexed within him, and tears are his meat both day and night. Now when he thinks hereupon continually, and pours out himself after this manner, acknowledging from the ground of his heart his own vileness; then one deep calls to another deep, even the deep of his misery, to the deep of God's mercy. For in his humility he looks at God's majesty and greatness, as also at his superabundant love and grace. And hereupon do the streams of grace sweetly flow down into such a soul. And Divine grace thus being communicated to this thirsty soul, there is hereby conceived in her a spirit of prayer, which ceases not to ascend up in holy aspirations, and to bring down the blessings of peace and righteousness. This spirit of prayer is of GOD, most beloved; and he is able to deny nothing that it asks for. Whosoever would attain it, and. would have all his prayers and desires answered by GOD, must therefore be sure to keep close to humility.
7. Moreover, by humility there is an elapse of the Holy Spirit into the soul, whose influences grow continually thereby stronger and stronger; and the love of God is by this means "shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, which is given us.".For when a soul, that is conscious of her own vileness, reflects upon the humiliation of the Son of GOD, it is not only humbled, but hence also in this humility, there springeth up a most noble flame of Divine charity, which burneth more and more day by day. And in this Divine love, she, being attracted by faith unto GOD, is made to love all men- in GOD, and in CHRIST; as calling to mind the exceeding great love of the Godhead towards mankind; and particularly how her heavenly Father has in CHRIST loved her, and called her to the participation of his goodness, though most unworthy. And when the soul is thus drawn into GOD, and is swallowed up in his love, the consequence hereof is this, that all those things or persons which are beloved by GOD,. the soul also cannot but love, in like manner as God loves them
8. It follows, that if any good befall our neighbor, charity will rejoice; but if any evil happen to him, it will make us sorrowful. For the humble and charitable person, behaving himself courteously and lovingly towards his neighbor on all occasions, does not rashly judge him, if he behold his misery; much less carry himself haughtily and superciliously towards him, or treat him with contempt. For such a soul can never so
put off the sense of her own misery and vileness, as to despise another, or to esteem herself better than any, as remembering the mire out of which she herself has been delivered.' And if she falls at any time into any sin, she judges herself., but her neighbor she judges not. Humble charity judges herself before all, and maketh us condemn ourselves rather than others. And the observation of a neighbor's calamity is the cause of the soul's descending into herself, and deploring herself before God. Because in another's fall, the lowly soul reads her own defaults, her own sins, and transgressions.
9. Humility causes us meekly to acknowledge, that in us, of our own selves, there is no good thing; and that whatsoever good may be found in us, it is wholly to be ascribed to the grace and favor of God; according to that of the apostle, " Not I, but the grace of God which was with me." Now whosoever does not this, falls into two great sins. The first is apostasy from GOD, by his turning himself from God towards himself; that is; from the true and supreme Being, towards that which is in itself nothing. The second is sacrilege, by his taking to himself that honor which is due to none but God; whose, and not man's, is every thing that may be called good. Ile, tlherefore, that worketh not all things in humility, does steal from God the glory that is due to him.
1O. If any man applaud himself, either for knowing any thing, for doing any thing, or for being able to do this, or that, verily that man takes to himself the honor and glory which are due to God only. For this reason ambition is an abominable idolatry. And self-love and self-esteem are no less than having another God before him, whose name is Jehovah. For this very reason does the devil seek to be honored by his devotees in the world. And truly such a vain-glorious devil, covetous of honor from the world, does every proud person cherish in his breast. If you wilt be wise, see then that you break down this idol, which is set up in the sanctuary of thy heart. There are many who, out of an abhorrence of idols, are cautious, not even to look upon any outward images; not observing all the while that huge idol which they carry about with them in their very hearts, and whence they are so dreadfully defiled, as to become an abomination before God. For all that which is highly esteemed by men, through self-love and ambition, is an abomination before God. Whence all the men that flatter themselves, complimenting their own honor, or power, or ability in any thing, or ascribing ought to themselves as their own, are idolaters. Thus the whole world liveth in idolatry; and every house has its domestic gods and idols; and the very "abomination of desolation" cometh at last to be set up in the holy place, which by solemn covenant,' was in baptism dedicated to God and his Spirit.
11. The idolatry which defiles thee, proceeds from within, even from the heart. For in whatsoever thy heart does acquiesce and rest, and unto whatsoever it does cleave, whether it be wealth, or honor, or power, or long life, that passes immediately into an idol. Forasmuch as idolatry is not barely an outward pollution; but that which is internal and spiritual.. God considers all things by the heart, " trying the hearts and reins," and thence judging of all things. Whence CHRIST has also plainly told thee, " Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also;" that is, thy GOD, thy rest, thy peace, thy trust, will be there; and there will be thy paradise; yea, there will heaven and all things be to thee. In what thing soever, therefore, thy mind does take up its repose, that you art to esteem for thy god. Now if thy heart cleave fast to God only, then is he thy God; and blessed art You, according as it is written, " Blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God." And again, " Delight you in the Lord, and he shall give thee thy heart's desire." But if thy mind cleave to the world, then is the world thy god.
12. Wooden idols are easily avoided; but take heed of the idols of gold. It is no hard matter to keep from dead idols; but take heed you worship not the living ones, and especially thyself. For as soon as you challenges to thyself either honor or praise, or knowledge, or power, or might, you settest up thyself in the place of God. Which most pestilent idolatry is struck at by GOD, when he denies that he will give his glory to another. His honor and glory is due to none but himself. He is the Most High, and the Most Holy One, and is the Sovereign and the everlasting God.
13. Wherefore, whosoever forgets himself, so as not to depend on GOD, (who alone is all things,) as does a shadow on its body, "thinking himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself," Gal.’vi.3. For he falls from the unchangeable good into vanity, and from truth itself into a lie. And this is not only the greatest of sins, but of punishments also. For man, the more 11e turns from GOD, approaches so much the nearer to misery, and punishes the very sin which he commits. And he then turns himself away from GOD, and forsakes the " Rock of his salvation," whensoever he does arrogate to himself I know not what of power, or strength, or art, or skill, or wisdom, or honor, or merit, so as to be willing to be thought somebody, and to be something accounted of; when in very deed, all these do in no wise belong to man, or to any crea< tore, but to God only. For every creature, as was said, is a mere shadow, and of itself is merely nothing; even so as the life, substance, faculty, wisdom, powers, and strength, which it seems to have, are not properly its own, but God's only.

CHAP. II.
Of Love.

1. Love is the greatest of all virtues, and without it all gifts are unprofitable. But a man may sin or mistake therein as easily as in any thing else. Therefore nothing ought to be looked upon with a more suspicious eye than love; for there is nothing which can so powerfully incline, force, or restrain, and so thoroughly penetrate the mind, as love. Therefore, if love be not ruled- by the true Light, or the Holy Ghost, it may precipitate the soul into a thousand calamities.
2. Therefore it is highly necessary that our love be guided and ruled by considering and copying after the whole life of CHRIST and his holy sufferings, out of which nothing but all pure love shineth forth. He loved God purely above all things. He loved man with a pure, undefiled love. He did and spoke nothing for his own sake, but all for ours. Whatsoever he did and spoke was for our benefit; not he was profited by it, but we.
3. This is a pure, undefiled love, for which nothing is too diicult; which complains of nothing; which spares not itself, but gives itself for the Beloved, even unto death. Whatsoever crosses and sufferings God sends, this love takes all for good, and is very well contented with every thing that God willeth; for it knows that God orders all things well.
4. And seeing that love unites itself to the Beloved, it learns also his mariners, follows him for his love's sake, and does what is well-pleasing unto him. So he that loves CHRIST, learns his manner of life, conforms himself to his image, and remains all the days of his life under the cross of CHRIST. CHRIST, during his whole life, bore the cross of poverty, contempt, and pain. And every Christian is to endeavor that his love be not false, but pure as his.
5. This pure love, derived from CHRIST and the Holy Ghost, works in man every good _thing. It is joy unto it to do good, for it can do nothing else; like as the Lord God says, " I will rejoice over them to do them good." Why P Because God is love; which can do nothing else but what is in his being. And this is a character of pure and true love. For this love does not say, I am not obliged to do this, or that; but where it has no law, there it is a law unto itself, only that it may do much good; for otherwise, love would not continue to be love.
The properties of true love are these: 1. Love submits itself to the will of the beloved. 2. True love abandons all other friendship which is contrary to its beloved. 3. One friend discovers his heart unto the other. 4. A true lover endeavors to be made conformable unto his beloved, in his manners, and in all his life. Is the beloved poor? the lover will be poor with him. Is the beloved despised? the lover also bears his contempt. Is he sick? the lover is sick no less. Thus love makes between them an equality, that they have the same prosperities and adversities: for there must be such a communion between the lover and the beloved, as that each of them may be made partaker of the other's good as well as evil.
6. After this manner our Lord is become our friend. For, 1. His love has submitted itself to the will of man, and was obedient unto the cross; nay, for the sake of man, he has submitted his will to every one, even to his enemies. 2. He has neglected all other friendship; nay, nww has forgot himself, and spared not his own body and life for our sake. 3. He has in his gospel discovered unto us his heart; therefore he says, "Henceforth I call you riot servants, but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you." 4. He is made "like unto us in all things, only sin excepted," Phil. 2: 7. He is become poor, as we are, and mortal, as we.
7. The first mark of the love of CHRIST in us, is avoiding the love of the world. For when you considerest CHRIST in his holy poverty, entirely empty of love to temporal things, his love will also move thee to put off the love, of the world, and to despise the same; so that you wilt desire nothing in the world but thy Lord CHRIST; and wilt not put thy confidence in any creature, or any earthly assistance.
Secondly, you wilt willingly bear for CHRIST, reproach and contempt from the world, for the sake of his holy reproach; nay, with St. Paul, you wilt account it thy glory, and rejoice in it, Eph. 3: 13. You wilt not be troubled, when the world makes no account of thee; for this was thy Redeemer's life in this world. This shall be thy satisfaction, that CHRIST is thy glory, light, strength, power, victory, and. wisdom. For to follow CHRIST is the highest wisdom.
Thirdly, you wilt esteem the cross of CHRIST beyond all the treasures of the world. For if it were not so, CHRIST would not have taught thee so, and put it so before thine eyes with his own life and example. But you seest himself is gone this narrow path. Yet there are fete that follow him. For it is not an easy thing to conquer oneself, and to renounce the.world, and all that one has. This is the " narrow way, and few there be that find it."
The fourth mark of the love of CHRIST is, to have never out. of our thoughts the beloved Jesus; but to set him always before us by faith, and to consider the works of his love.
8. There are chiefly five arguments of the love of God. 1. CHRIST's incarnation. 2. His sufferings. 3. God's indwelling in us. 4. God's love shining forth out of the creatures. 5. His amiableness in his own Being, surpassing all created things. This is one of the greatest demonstrations of the love of GOD, that God is made man, and has taken upon him what is human, that he might give us what is Divine. He is become a Son of man, that he may make us children of God. He came down to us upon earth, that he might lift us up to heaven. O what a noble change! All for this end, that we in him might be loved of God. It is like as if God did call down from heaven, saying, "O ye men, behold my beloved Son! Him I have suffered to become man, that he might be a living example and witness of my love to you; that he might bring you all with himself unto me, and ye all might be made my children and heirs!" Therefore the Lord calls himself always in the gospel, the Son of Man, out of an intimate love to us.
9. But although his holy incarnation is a great argument of his love, yet his safering and dying for our sins, are still greater. " For greater love has no man than this, j that a man lay down his life for his friend. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, (says St. John,) that God sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." This is the highest and completest love. If God could have found out another means to redeem us, it would not have been the highest love shown to us. That he might bestow upon us the highest love, and that we might not be able to say, God has something which he loves so dearly, that he’would not give it us; he has given us his dearest Son; and not only given him, but "given him also to be the propitiation for our sins." He could not have showed us any greater love. Therein "God commends his love towards us," Rom., 5: 8. And " He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"Rom. viii. 32. has he given us that which is the greatest? he will surely give us that which is less. In eternal life, all that is God's shall be I ours. " He that overcometh shall inherit all things," Rev. 21: 7.
1O. In the mean time, God shows his love towards us, by his comfortable dwelling among us, and in us. O what a comfort is this, that God has sanctified our heart, and dedicated it to be his dwelling-place! Formerly, in the Old Testament, when the tabernacle and sanctuary were finished, Moses was to sprinkle it with the blood of the sacrifice; "for almost all things were by the law purged with blood," Heb. 9: 22: and thereupon the " glory of God came from heaven, and filled the tabernacle," Exod. xl. 34. So also, after CHRIST had died for our sins, and we were sanctified through his blood, God comes to us, and makes his abode, with us. Whom we love, with him we delight to be. God loves mankind, therefore he delighteth to be with them, and to have his "habitation among them. "I the Lord dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that- is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones," Isai. lvii. 15. And this, now that God loves us, and is with us, ought to comfort us in all our calamities; in poverty, in, sickness, in persecution, and in contempt. The greater afflictions on earth, the greater joy and glory in heaven, 2 Cor. 4: 17. And this is the. reason why God makes many people sorrowful, that he may dwell- in their hearts; for he delights no where more to dwell than in a poor and contrite spirit, Psalm xxxiv. 18, Isai. Ixvi. 2. God fills us here with his grace, that he may fill us hereafter with his glory.
11. The love of God shineth also forth out of the creatures. When St. Paul would wish to his Ephesians the best thing, he wishes that they might "know the love of GOD, and be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height" of the same. As if he had said, the love of God is higher than heaven, deeper than the sea, broader than the earth, longer than it is from east to west. Yea, heaven and
earth are full of the love of God. For all that God has created, be it visible or invisible, he has created for this end, that his inexpressible goodness and love might therein be manifested, And therefore he has given to man both inward and outward senses, that thereby he might perceive the love of God. For all that man can apprehend by his understanding, as well as what he apprehends with his outward senses, bears witness to the love of God. All that man has, is a testimony of the love of God; Tray, all creatures, visible and invisible, are as it were, so many messengers of GOD, denouncing unto us his love; and he speaketh to us through them, as if he did say, " Behold, heaven and earth, and all the creatures! all this I have created out of love to man." And whenever we perceive the pleasantness of the creatures, we perceive the goodness of God; so that both with inward and outward senses we may taste and see that the Lord is good. The sun speaks to us by its light and warmth, as if be did say, "Look upon me, I am the greatest and brightest among all visible creatures; he must be a great Lord that made me." But not only through the fair and glorious creatures God speaketh thus to us, but also through the most despicable worms, as if he did say, "Lo, to me thy creator, you art beholden, that I made thee a man, and not a worn. That GOD, who could have made thee a worn, has out of mercy, made thee a man." Thus God speaks unto man through all the creatures; declares unto him his love; and invites, allures, leads, and draws us unto himself. This is the wisdom of GOD, which uttereth her voice in the streets, which rejoiceth in the habitable part of the earth, and whose delights arc with the sons of men.
12. Nay, we are inclosed in the love of GOD, as we are all inclosed under heaven: seeing that in God we live, and move, and have our being, Acts 17: 28. For, as a man can retire himself no where, but he will always have heaven round about him, above him, and beneath him,
and on every side; so a man can go no where but the love of God follows after him, arid calls him through all the creatures, saying, " Whither wilt you go, my child? Whither wilt you flee from my presence? ` if you ascend up into heaven, I am there. If you make thy bed in hell, I am there also. If you take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall my hand lead thee, and my right hand shall hold thee.' Therefore come unto me, and acknowledge my love and grace, by which I meet thee in all creatures. Have you sinned? Grace abounds with me. Have you left me? My mercy has not left thee, but is continually running after thee, has been calling to thee, and as a wandering sheep, has sought after thee. Arid if you believest not those vast testimonies - of all the creatures, believe yet the testimony of my dear Son. You can no where else find rest for thy soul. Turn which way you wilt, you must and can only rest in my love and grace." O blessed is that heart, which understandeth that heaven and earth are full of the love of GOD, and that he has as many witnesses of his love, as he has made creatures. But the greatest and highest witness of all, is the Son of God.
13. We know also the love of GOD, from his own lovely being. For from the visions of the prophets, and the Revelation of St. John, we can observe, that God is so lovely and beautiful, as to transcend infinitely all beauty and loveliness of the world. He is the beauty of all beautiful
things; the loveliness of all lovely things; the life of all the living. He is ALL. An ancient father has said, " God is so lovely and beautiful, that if a man were in a fiery furnace, and did see the beauty and glory of him but for one moment, the greatest torment would be changed into the,. greatest joy; as it happened unto St. Stephen, when he said, `Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand
of God: " God is so lovely and beautiful, that if a man did see him for a thousand years together, it would seem unto him but one hour. For in beholding the loveliness and glory of GOD, all time is swallowed up into eternity; so that the more any one sees GOD, the more he is willing to see of him; the more one loves him, the more he will love him; and the more one praises him, the more will he praise him. Holy souls can never be satiated with the love and praise of God. Hence, although the holy angels have seen God from the beginning of their creation, they have not yet seen him enough; and though they have praised him from the beginning, they have not yet praised him enough. For God is infinite in his - beauty, loveliness, and glory; therefore no creature can love him enough. God is so amiable that the more one loves him, the more he desires to love him. He is so praise-worthy, that the end of his praises cannot be attained; so lovely to be looked upon, that looking upon him never makes weary;, so comfortable to be heard, that he never can be heard enough. If one might taste but a little drop of the perfect love of GOD, all joys and pleasures of this world would be changed into bitterness. The saints have endured the greatest torments for the love of GOD, and have given up their lives and bodies; and if one had a thousand bodies, he should hazard them all, only that he might keep the love of God; as the Psalmist says, "Lord, thy loving-kindness is better than life; my lips shall praise thee." God is so high, so noble, and so pure a good, that the more one knows him, the more he loves him. He is such a desirable sweetness, that the more one tastes of him, the sweeter he becomes; and the more one loves him, the more his loveliness increases. Blessed is that soul which is filled with the love of God. It will feel such a sweetness and delight, as cannot be found among creatures.
14. If you duly consider CHRIST crucified, you wilt see nothing in him, but all pure, perfect, and unutterable love; and he will skew thee his heart, and say, "Behold, in this heart there is no deceit, but the highest faithfulness and truth, Incline thine head
unto me, and rest upon my heart; open thy mouth, and drink out of my wounds the sweetest love, which out of the heart of my Father springs up and flows through me."
15. When you shall taste this love, you wilt forget and despise for it, all the world, and be desirous of nothing else, but of this love, and wilt say to thy Lord, " O Lord, give me nothing more than the sweetness of thy love; nay, if you wouldst give me the whole world, I desire it not: I desire nothing else but thee and thy love."

CHAP. 3
Of the knowledge of God.

1. GOD is an eternal, perfect, infinite, substantial good, full of love and joy, and therefore he will be known by a living faith, in spirit and in truth. But this cannot be, except a man do really taste and feel in his heart, his goodness, sweetness, loving-kindness, and comfort.
2. Now, seeing man has lost this excellent good by sin, and the devil has got an habitation in, and possession of him; who works in him all his own works; man therefore, through faith of the operation of GOD, must be turned again from the world unto GOD, from the devil unto Jesus CHRIST, and SATAN with his works must be driven out, and utterly dispossessed. For as long as SATAN's works are in man, God's works are not in him, but his works are hindered,' that the soul cannot taste that God is good. This-is the reason, Why there are so few that know God aright, seeing in the greatest part of men the works of SATAN have the dominion. The most part stick to the world, to the creatures, and to them
selves.
3. But they who will rightly know and feel the Lord, must be joined unto him, and be one spirit with him. And the more this is done, the more God manifests himself in the believing, loving soul; the more the heart is turned from the world unto GOD, the more God is united to the soul. For all love to the world must be turned out, if the love of God shall enter in. " if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." And where God finds a soul empty of the world, he fills it with himself, and with all his goodness. The more the heart is empty of love to the world, the more God filleth it with his light and comfort. Therefore, an ancient father says, In an empty, still, and quiet soul, it can he better felt, than expressed what God is.
4. You can not understand better that God is kind and loving, than when you feclest his comfort. None can teach thee better that God is a being full of joy, than God himself, when he rejoices in thee. And so it is with all the other things of God. If he do not himself work all in thee, you shall never come to a living knowledge of him. For, to know GOD, is impossible to man, says St. Austin. Therefore none shall ever be able to know what God is, unless God makes known and manifests himself. But when a heart feels the living word of GOD, then it knows and understands, that God is all; the true, perfect, eternal Good, and better than all that any heart can wish or think. For beyond this eternal, highest Good, no creature can think, or wish for any thing.
5. Upon this ground David says, " Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee?" This is a soul which has tasted the perfect good, in which all love to the world is vanished away, and which has no pleasure nor delight in earthly things, but in God alone. And this is the true, sesnible, and experimental knowledge of GOD, which is felt and tasted in the heart. That we may know him the more, let us consider first, the outward and temporal, benefits; then the spiritual and eternal ones, which God does unto us.
6. God has created nothing, either visible or invisible, which may not be serviceable to man. The invisible creatures, which are ministring unto us, are the holy angels, whose wisdom, strength, diligence, and watchfulness over us, is delared in many places of Scripture; so that even many angels are to wait upon one man; witness the history of the patriarch Jacob, and of the prophet Elisha. Because many evil spirits he in wait for one man to destroy him; therefore many holy watchmen are ordered by God for his defense. Seeing then God makes his own ministers and princes to defend and to watch over us, it is plain this is an exceeding great benefit; as it is when a prince appoints his own ministers to conduct and defend one that is to travel through a wilderness, or a country of his enemies.
7. Look upon the firmament, and consider how God has appointed it for thy service. Behold the wonderful course of the sun and moon; why do they run so unwearied, day and night, and rest not one moment? Are they not industrious servants of man? For God has no need of their service. He wants none of their operations, nor their light; but man is in want thereof. The sun serves thee like an unwearied servant, which every morning rises early, and carries before thee the light, and puts thee in remembrance of the eternal light, which is CHRIST, and his Divine word. "The night covers thee with her shadow, and teaches thee to abide under the shadow of the Most High," Psal. xci. 1. The moon is like an unwearied hand-maid, fetching in water, and watering the earth. Nay, there is not so much as one little star which has not received one or other blessing for the benefit of man.
8. Behold the air and the winds, how fair and clear make they the firmament, dispelling the clouds, driving them together as great water tuns, and pouring the iii forth upon the earth. And it is very marvelous, that God bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the " cloud is not rent under them," Job 26: 8. But the air must bear and hold them up; the clouds being nothing else but a moist vapour, which is afterwards resolved into " small drops of water," Job xxxvi. 27. Thunder, lightnings, and hail, serve us to acknowledge thereby the power of GOD, to pray to him, and to thank him when he has preserved us in a terrible tempest.
9. Behold the earth, that great store-house of victuals, and treasury of God. It brings forth meat and drink, physic and clothing, houses and tents, and all the various metals, gold and silver. Each month produces its flowers, which present themselves to our sight, as if they would say, " Here we are, and bring our gifts, and present you with them, as good as we received them from our Creator." Nay, behold a forest, which is the habitation of wild beasts; God has put them under man, and made him have dominion over them.
1O. But if one would enumerate all the temporal benefits of GOD, he would find it impossible to number only them that are in one particular country. For there is not the least apple, or any other fruit, but it is a benefit of God. Should not we learn therefore to know our good and bountiful God? If a great potentate did make subject unto thee his whole kingdom, and all his dominions, nobles, and strong, powerful men; nay, all his subjects, and did command them to guard, defend, preserve, to clothe, cure, and feed thee, and to take care that you should want nothing at all; wouldst you not love him, and account him to be a loving, bountiful Lord? How then oughtest you to love the Lord thy GOD, who has kept nothing back for himself, but appointed to thy service all that is in heaven, and from heaven, and all that is upon earth, or any where? For he wants no creatures for himself, and has excepted nothing from thy service, neither in all the hosts of holy angels, nor in any of his creatures under the stars. If we will) they are ready to serve us; nay, hell itself must serve. us, by bringing upon us fear and terror, that we may not sin.
11. Let us now, from the outward creatures, ascend unto God our Creator, and consider his Spiritual benefits. has not the Holy Trinity, and each person in particular, bestowed upon man great grace and beneficence? The Father has given us his own Son; "And shall he not with him, freely give us all things?" has not God the Son given us himself, and all that he is, and that he has? "God commends his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, CHRIST died for us," Roni. 5: 8. Is not the Holy Ghost within us, illuminating, purifying, teaching, comforting, beautifying, and adorning us with his gifts? "He beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of GOD," Rom. viii. 16.
12. God's mercy pours forth itself entirely upon us, and omits nothing whereby men could be moved to the love of God. As many benefits God bestows upon us, so many messengers he sends for us to come and to enjoy his low" If you should ask the Scriptures, the angels, all the prophets, and all the saints of GOD, nay, all creatures besides, from whence came you? they would answer, " We are the messengers of the mercy of God; we carry fire and flames, that the heart of man, all frozen, might be warmed and kindled again into the love of God." Yet all those numbers of flaming messengers are not able to warm the dead, cold and frozen heart. This is the greatest wonder the devil can effect, that he makes a human heart so cold, that warmth cannot be raised therein, by so many flames of the love of God.
13. Yet hearken, O man, and consider where thy Creator has placed thee; namely, in the middle among so many benefits, where the glorious angels surround thee-with their flaming love, and where there are so many creatures and messengers of GOD, all proclaiming unto thee his love. Wherein now has God Almighty transgressed against thee? Whereby has he deserved that you should not love and serve him? If it be too little what he has done for thee; behold! he offers to do still more. He will create for thee a new heaven anti a new earth, and will build up a new, glorious, heavenly city; which his glory will lighten; nay, he will illuminate thee with his own light and glory.
14. And seeing God has implanted love in all human hearts; tell me, if thy love could be bought of thee, unto whom wouldst you sell it rather than unto the Lord thy God? But thinkest You, God has not bought of thee thy love dear enough, and has not paid for it a price sufficient? has not he given thee his dearest Son for it, and heaven and earth besides? All you expectest to get for thy love from the world, is nothing, in comparison to what God has given thee, and what he further has prepared for them that love him. The world giveth thee, perhaps, a handful of honor and riches, accompanied with many troubles; and yet you loves it. Why dost you not rather love GOD, the everlasting good?
15. But if thy love will not be bought nor sold, but rather bestow itself freely upon what you likest best, what can love find to be liked better than the supreme, eternal, and most beautiful good? For every thing we love, is our beauty and ornament. And if you loves GOD, you shall make him thereby thy beauty, and thy ornament. And nothing can ever make thee more lovely, than the love of God in thy soul.
16. Lastly, it is but just and reasonable, that we should love him " who has loved us first," I John 4: 19. Take an account of all the benefits of GOD, and sum them. up, so shall you find that all the creatures are full of the love of God. This love follows and surrounds thee every where, so that you can not hide thyself from it. You must enjoy it almost whether you wilt or not, unless you wouldst live no more. Now we know that all the brutes love them of whom they are loved. Wouldst you be worse than a brute, hating thy benefactor, in whose love you livest and movest, standest and walkest, sleepest and wakest? But like as a thing that is to be kindled, must be held to the fire till it takes flame; so also art you to expose thy heart to the fire of the love of GOD, till it be kindled and inflamed therein. So let the eternal high-priest, Jesus CHRIST, kindle the sacrifice of thine heart by the fire of his Holy Spirit. This holy fire of his love was burning towards us from eternity;; for he loved us before the foundation of the world. But afterwards it has gloriously shown forth itself in the Lord's incarnation and birth; and chiefly in his holy sufferings and death; whereby he has bestowed upon us the. highest love. And this fire of his flaming love to us will not be’extinquished to all eternity. -Unto this fire keep you with thy cold heart, that You, may be kindled with, and united to, the love of CHRIST.
17. The love of God willeth that a loving soul do good unto all men, and be profitable both to foes and friends; not for the sake of her own profit and honor, but only for the love of GOD, which causes or movesh his omnipotence to descend and to draw nigh unto us. Which also out of its immense treasure, gives us all we have, to the end that we should give again out of love, what his love has given us, out of the treasure of his omnipotence. Therefore, O man, have a care that you appropriate nothing to thyself, but restore all to the omnipotence of GOD, who himself is all that you hast, and all that you art. No creature can ever give, or take away from thee, any thing; it is only the omnipotence of God which does it. No creature also can comfort thee, but the love of God alone.
18. In this love, the loving soul sees the fullness of God's incomprehensible omnipotence, which comprehends heaven and earth, the sea and the dry land, but cannot be comprehended by any thing. For the whole world is, to the omnipotence of GOD, as a drop of a bucket, and as the small dust of the balance, Isa. xl. 15.
19. And out of the fullness of God's omnipotence, -all powers of all the angels, men, and all the creatures comeforth. Therein stands the firmament of heaven. From the same proceeds the motion of the sea, and the virtues of the earth. So that heaven and earth are fill, of God;
full of Divine power and operation; full of the Spirit of the Lord, Wisd. 1: 7. The power of GOD, which is the might of his love, comprehends, encloses, and replenishes all things, but is comprehended by none.
2O. But as great and high as God is in his omnipo tence, so little and low is he made by his love. Behold our Lord Jesus CHRIST, the living Son, and powerful arm of GOD, by whom were all things created, and by whom all things consist, Col. 1: 16, 17. How deeply is he brought down by his love, and how low has he made himself unto all creatures!
21. Therefore as we cannot fathom, much less - in words express, the omnipotence of God; so we cannot reach with our thoughts the humility of CHRIST. Nevertheless, as deep as he has descended, so high has he also ascended up far above all heavens, Eph. 4: 1O. And unto him be honor and praise to all eternity. Amen.

The aspirations of a loving soul to Omnipotent Love.

O God! O Jesu! O blessed Spirit!-You unchangeable mind!-You unextinguishable Light!-You Peace never to be disturbed!-You indivisible Unity!-You infallible Truth!-You ineffable Bounty!-You immeasurable Might!-You infinite Wisdom!-You incomprehensible Goodness!-You omnipotent Eternity! You all-filling Simplicity!-You all-governing Begiu'ning!-Tllou all-moving Stability!-You Life of all the. living!-You Intellect of all intellectual beings!-You Operation of all operating things!-Do you enlighten me, do you enliven me, and do you sanctify me.
22. All those souls that love GOD, acknowledge him as the highest.and most holy righteousness, which goes through all, and over all. This is in GOD, his most holy will; in angels and men, holy obedience; in all creatures, it is the order of nature, whereby God has ordered all things in number, weight, and measure. All that is done against it is contrary to God and nature. All sins therefore in the world are committed against God's righteousness; and the sinner offends thereby all creatures; even all the angels in heaven, and his own conscience, and sets them in a contrariety against himself. For when God is offended, all creatures are also offended. Likewise when God is reconciled, all creatures are reconciled also. Out of this ground, St. Paul says, that " all things are reconciled by CHRIST, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven:" and this by reason that God. is reconciled through him.

CHAP. 4
Of Prayer.

1. If we would, even in this life, have a foretaste of the great and glorious promises, it must be obtained by prayer, diligent searching, and continual knocking. For no man can have admission into the kingdom of GOD, unless he beg it earnestly of God. No man can be delivered from the power of sin and the devil, unless he offer up his prayers in the name of CHRIST. For though CHRIST has purchased for us all manner of, good things; yet without faith shall no man be partaker of them. And the properties of faith are, to pray, to seek, and to knock. By prayer only we are entitled to those `1 good and perfect gifts,’which come down from above, from the Father of lights," Jam. 1: 17.
O Eternal God and Father, teach nle, I pray thee, by thy Holy Spirit, that as I have lost all by dying in Adam, so I may recover all by rising again in CHRIST. Grant that I may daily die unto myself, by continual mortification and repentance, and devote and give up myself en
tirely to thee: that so all the good things I have lost may be restored to me, through Jesus CHRIST our Lord. Amen.
2. The neglect of prayer is a violation of the commandments of God and CHRIST, who commands us to "pray without ceasing," Luke 18: 1, &c. not for his sake, for he well knows what things we stand in need of, (Dlatt. vi, 32:,), hut_ fm_ air_ awa, time wp Tn..a.v, b L-4,z a portion of the treasures and kingdom of God. He therefore that lives in the neglect of prayer, is a breaker of the first and third commandment, and a despiser of God; bringing voluntary destruction upon himself. He that neglects prayer, is a despiser of the promises annexed to the performance of that duty. "Call upon me, and I will deliver thee. Ask, and ye shall receive." Thereby representing God as unmindful of his promises, or not able to fulfil them. By the neglect of prayer, our faith, which is the great foundation of holiness, does by degrees perish and decay. For prayer is the nourishment of faith.
3. Prayer is the life of faith, making it flourish and prosper like a tree by the river side; and faith is the root of all that is good in us. Faith is our power, our spiritual consolation, our strength against all our enemies and temptations. By prayer we " receive the Holy Spirit," Luke 11: 13, Zech. 12: 1O; 1: e. by prayer, we make room for, and (as it were) give leave to the Holy Spirit to exert his power in us; to come and "make his abode with us," John 14: 23. By prayer, we obtain the true light and knowledge of GOD,- so as perfectly to understand his will. Lastly, by this we abide in his kingdom, and are partakers of the blessings of heaven.
4. And yet, if I resolve not to pray till I know myself worthy, I shall never do it at all. And if I should not desire God to bestow upon me his grace and favor, till, by my own strength, I became just and holy, I should never obtain any thing. Alas! poor man, what can you bestow upon him? Or, what can you obtain by the workings of thy corrupt nature; which, however specious in thine own eyes, are of no value in the sight of God: Verily, nothing at all. As then thine own Z,urthii~~ s frill here avail rhee nothing, so thine unworthiness shall do thee no harm; for the Lord Jesus CHRIST is he that "forgiveth thine unrighteousness, and covereth all thy sin." Therefore conclude with thyself, that as a drop of water is swallowed up in the sea, so are all thy transgressions in the boundless mercies of Jesus CHRIST.
O merciful and compassionate Father! who teachest me in thy holy word, how I ought to live the life of thy Son Jesus CHRIST, and walk in the straight path, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left; that I may neither fall through a vain presumption of my own piety, nor be cast into despair by the gloomy prospect of my guilt, and so die in my sins; grant that I may seriously consider, that neither my good works can merit, nor my sins hinder, the grace of CHRIST my Redeemer; that so I may continue firm and resolute amidst all the temptations of mine enemy, that I may neither be misled by the devil of presumption and spiritual pride that walks at noon-day, nor be afraid of the destroying angel of despair that walks in darkness; but that, having conquered the weakness of my nature, I may continue steadfast in the faith, filled with spiritual joy and consolation. Let thy grace, blessed Lord Jesus, begin, improve, and perfect this good work in me! Amen.
5. "Am I a God at hand, (says the Lord,) and not a God afar off?" Where then shall we find him? Must we look for him only in consecrated temples? Must we seek him in the ends of the earth? Must we search for him in the regions of darkness, or upon the top of mount Tabor? We are indeed frequently forced to the fatigue of long journies, to beg the protection of the princes of this world; but God is every where. "He filleth heaven and earth," and is nearer to all creatures, than they, are to themselves. " He is above all, and through all, and in us all." The utmost dimension of space, and even the boundless extent of eternity, appear to him but as a single point. As a man that walks at noon-day in an open field is environed with light, whether he discern it or not; so are-all creatures surrounded with the presence of GOD, " in whom they live, and move, and have their being." And these are properly the waters upon which the Spirit of God moves, penetrating through all beings and all spirits. God is, therefore, always near to us, though many of us are not so to him; having no more perception of his presence, than a blind man has of the light which surrounds him. God never turns away himself from us; but we turn away from him. He therefore that has faith, though with Jonah, he were in the depths of the sea, yet he would be in the kingdom of God. And he that has it not, though lee have the uppermost scat in the synagogue, and` join in all the visible acts of communion; yet, in the sight of GOD, he is without, and has no part in the kingdom of God.
O Lord Jesus CHRIST, who art the very way, the true light, and only gate of heaven, I praise thee from my heart, that you teachest me how I am in thee, and you in me, in whatsoever place I am; how You, my true and only High-priest, art with me, and deliverest me from my sins, whensoever I lift up my heart to thee. " Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you art with me." Teach me, O Lord, always to acknowledge this, and not to undervalue thy hidden treasure; but that I may in the true faith seek it, find it, taste it, and enjoy it for ever! Amen.
6. What we have observed of place, may be applied to time also, to which the eternal and unchangeable God is by no means confined, so as not to be always at liberty to hear our prayers. The princes of this world are not always to be spoken with, being engaged in the necessities or diversions of life. But our God cannot be thus separated from his creatures. At one view, he sees, and hears, and considers all things that are done upon the earth, and "understandeth our secret thoughts." God is confined to no time, but always ready to hear and to help us; yea, is continually standing at the door and knoc'sing, that we was open unto him. So that he is always ready, but we are not. Whereas if we would constantly and without ceasing, wait for him, we should never fail of an answer to all our prayers.
7. Every Christian is anointed and baptized with the Holy Spirit, 1 John 2: 2O;- which Spirit, when it is not resisted nor grieved, but obeyed, is continually praying in the heart of man, raising and exalting the devout soul from earth to heaven. Whosoever will faithfully attend to the workings of the Holy Spirit, and not stifle his operations, will easily be convinced of the truth of this. He will every now and then perceive a devout sigh springing up from his heart, and breaking forth into these, or the like words, Good GOD, holy Father, have mercy upon me! As myrrh, frankincense, or other sweet perfumes, by being thrown upon burning coals, send forth a smoke and delicious fragrancy, which they would not do without the help of fire; so, whenever the fire of the Holy Spirit toucheth our hearts, there arises a perfume of. affectionate sighs and prayers. And these are "the golden vials of the holy angels," Rev. 5: 8. These are the holy incense with which they perfume even heaven itself.
8. But we complain that God does not give us what we ask for, and therefore think our prayers are not heard. I answer, 1, GOD, in hearing our prayers, regards more our happiness than our desires, and reserves to himself the liberty of bestowing the blessings we ask, either upon
our bodies or our souls. Thus, perhaps, I ask of God some temporal blessings, which he seeing not to be fit for me, instead of them, gives me spiritual ones; byy which means I not only receive what I prayed for, but so much more, as the good of the soul is to be preferred before that of the body. If it should please God to visit you with some bodily distemper, and you pray for health, doubt not but your prayers are heard; and you shall certainly enjoy, if not the health of your body, yet the health of your soul, which is far better; and every man in his senses must think so. For what advantage would it be to have a sound and healthful body, and a sinful, distempered soul! But when it is well with the soul, a man may say with David, "My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."
9. Wherefore, if you dost not receive the blessings you prayest for, consider that it is not convenient for thee to enjoy them here, but that the answer of thy prayers is reserved for the other life, which is more noble and durable. There the Lord will bestow on thee a thousand-fold; all that he seems to deny thee here. For as he cannot forget our prayers; so he cannot choose but answer them graciously; if not in this life, yet in
that which is to come. As many prayers as you offerest tip here, so many blessings shall you receive hereafter. There "we shall reap, if we faint not." Then shall the Lord say to every soul, "Behold thy prayer which thou offeredst to ine. See, here is what you prayedst for, and a thousand times more than you desiredst." He would be a foolish husbandman, that should expect to reap as soon as he had sown; and should cry out, that he had sown a great deal of seed, but could see no sign of harvest! You fool! wait till the season of harvest, and then you shall receive the fruits of thy labor.
1O. The first help to prayer is our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus CHRIST, the Son of GOD, 1 John 2: 2. He is pleading our cause before GOD, when we are hardly able to express what we want; who is therefore called the Word of the Father, because GOD, by him, has discovered his will to us; as he is also called (1 the Mediator," because he solicits our cause before God. When Moses complained that he was of a slow speech, and a slow tongue, that so he might avoid carrying the commanded message to Pharaoh, God tells him, "Aaron thy brother can speak well, he shall be to thee instead of a mouth." So we also; when we shall pray, are dull, and slow of speech, and therefore must fly to CHRIST, our heavenly Aaron, who is to us instead of a mouth. Therefore CHRIST commands us to pray in his name, who is our eternal
High-priest, a( having an everlasting priesthood," (Heb. 7: 24,) " interceding for us," (Rom. viii. 34,) " in whom we have boldness, and access with confidence by the faith of him," Eph. 3: 12.
11. The second help is the Holy Spirit. "I will pour out upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication," Zech. 12: 1O. This Spirit is given us as a testimony of the Divine grace, and our adoption. Hence St. John says, "By this we know that we are in GOD, because he has given us of his Spirit." And St. Paul, "Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. For the Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God." He was typified by the anointing of the priests under the law, in imitation of whom, God has anointed us with the Spirit of CHRIST, that we should offer to him daily the calves of our lips.
12. The third help to strengthen us in prayer, are the promises of God. (` Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee. He shall call upon me, and I will hear him. Before they call, I will hear. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ask, seek, knock. The Lord is rich in mercy, (Eph. 2: 4,) to all that call upon him."
13. The fourth help in prayer is, the remembrance of those saints whose prayers God has heard. Look at the examples of the ancients, and be strengthened. And we must needs be so, when we reasonably call to mind examples of God's former providence and assistance. Upon this foundation, all the prophets of old built their prayers. When God was angry with Israel for the golden calf, and said to Moses, (` Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and I may consume them;" then "Moses his chosen, stood before him in the gap, [putting
God in mind of his former mercies,] saying, why does thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which you has brought forth out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth P Turn from thy fierce wrath,' and repent of this evil against thy people. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do against this people."
14. The fifth comfort in prayer is, The tender love of God to mankind, and his promises to help the afflicted. God does not, like proud, insolent men, despise the miseries of the distressed. For God judges not as corrupt men judge. He has not eyes of flesh, " nor does he see as man seeth." It generally happens among us, that the more need a man has of friends, the fewer he finds. On the other hand, God has a more tender regard for him that is destitute and afflicted. " The Lord is nigh to them that are of a contrite heart, and will save such as be of an humble spirit. That you may take the matter into thine hand, the poor commit.teth himself unto thee, for you art the helper of the friendless." And indeed such as they are the proper objects of Divine mercy. And to show the certainty of these promises, the holy Psalmist, Ps. cxlvi. 7, 8, 9, recites the several kinds of affliction to which God more particularly engageth his mercy,: `The Lord helpeth them to right that suffer wrong. The Lord feedeth the hungry. The Lord looseth men out of prison. The Lord giveth sight to the blind. The Lord helpeth them that are fallen. The Lord careth for the righteous. The Lord careth for the stranger. He defends the fatherless and widow."
15. What we have said upon this head is elegantly comprized in the prayer of Daniel, ch. 9: 4, &c. "O Lord our GOD, that have brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty arm; [here is the putting God in mind of his former mercies;] hear, O GOD, the prayer of thy servant, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. [This is pleading the name and merits of Jesus the Messiah.] O Lord, hear, O Lord, forgive, O Lord, hearken and do. [These are the groans of the Holy Spirit.] O my GOD, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations; [in regard of his promise;] because for our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are round about us. [Here is a confession of sin, and an acknowledgment of their misery.] For we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy,great mercies." [This is an acknowledgment of man's unworthiness, and God's mercy.]

CHAP. 5
Of Patience.

1. TRUE Christian patience is that virtue by which, in all afflictions; that cannot with a safe conscience be avoided, we resign ourselves to the Divine will, and submit entirely to it, choosing rather to suffer the greatest evils, than murmur -against GOD, or let go our dependence on him.
2. The first ground of this virtue is, The counsel and will of God; by which we are fore-ordained to sufferings and affliction. As God appointed his own Son for the sufferings of the cross, that thereby he might bring him to glory; so has he appointed to all the true members of CHRIST, every one his cross; without which they cannot be partakers with their Head. To each of these he has marked, measured, and as it were weighed out, his exact portion of affliction, which they cannot escape, much less shake off by impatience; but may make it easy by humble submission.
3. The expectation of everlasting happiness is another argument to support our patience. " For as the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, till he receive the early and the latter rain," comforting himself under all his toils with the hopes of a plentiful harvest; so should Christians learn to " possess their souls in patience," since the great harvest is at hand that shall repair all our losses, and give to every one of us the fruit of our labors. For as the husbandman does by no means reckon his seed lost, though it be for a while buried in the earth; so when Providence is pleased to take from us our lives, our friends, or estates, we must not look upon them as lost, but as sown in hope of the great day of harvest, where we shall reap to eternity, " if we faint not."
4. The third support of patience is, The truth and faithfulness of God. By the consideration of which " we ought to strengthen our hearts." For as we use to tie a tender tree to some other tree, that it may not be broken by the winds, and to cast anchor in a storm, to fix the ship, that it may not be driven by the tempest; so ought we to join and apply our faint and weak hearts to the firm pillar of God's Word, and fix the ship of our souls by the "anchor of hope," that it sink not. How many promises of Divine assistance have we in the holy Scriptures! And how many instances of strange deliverances have we daily before our eyes! And what variety of methods has God to deliver us! How many has he preserved in pestilence, and famine! How many has he delivered from the peril of the sword! Yes, he can turn the hearts of our enemies to peace, or disappoint the designs of our most malicious adversary.
5. Fourthly, we may set before our eyes the examples of holy men, as Abel, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Job, and Moses: the sufferings and trials of the apostles, and all the noble army of martyrs. Should you ask all these, By what way they entered heaven? They will all answer:, Ay the way of the cross. Neither did CHRIST himself enter any other way. So says St. Peter, so CHRIST suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps: who, when he was reviled reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judges righteously;"
So great was the patience of our blessed Redeemer, that though the sun hid its head at the time of his passion though the earth trembled, and the rocks rent, yet he, still hanging upon the cross, murmured not against his enemies, but prayed for them, begging that they might be saved by that blood which they so unjustly shed.
6. And if this be the lot of the children of GOD, that he correcteth every one whom he loves and receivethj it follows, that we must either suffer, or quit our title to be the sons of God. And if our heavenly rather spared not his own Son, though without sin, but chastised him with the rod of affliction i can You, who art but an adopted son, and polluted with innumerable sins, expect to escape it? Moreover, if God bear so patiently with our provocations, how much more patient ought we to be, when we are punished for our good? "Let us rather rejoice, (as St. Peter advises,) insomuch as we are partakers of CHRIST's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, we may be glad also with exceeding joy." Forasmuch then as in this valley of tears no man can be perfectly free from afflictions, let us consider how we may find help and comfort in the hour of temptation.
7. The first comfort is, the consideration of the " Divine providence, which lays the burthen upon us. The Lord killeth, and the Lord maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up," 1 Sam. 2: 6. " Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord," Eccles. 11:. 14. "The Lord gave, and the Lord _has taken away," Job 1: 22. " Are not two sparrows sold for one farthing, and not one of them falleth to the ground without your heavenly Father," Matt. 1O: 22. “ I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil," Isa. xlv. 7. "Happy i4 the man whom God correcteth; therefore despise not you the chastening of the Almighty. For he maketh -sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole," Job 5: 17, 18. It is therefore a foolish thing to be angry with those whom God makes the instruments of our correction. " Wherefore does a living man complain?" Lam. 3: 39. " A man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." For this is the design of GOD, that we should repent, and not murmur against him that afflicts us.
8. A second spring of comfort is, the presence of God with its under the cross. God has no where declared that he dwells with the jovial and the merry, but with the afflicted and sorrowful. " I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit." Isa. lvii. 15. " Fear you not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. When you passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when you walkest through the fire, you shall not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee,"
9. The blessed apostle St. Paul, meditating on these things, and on the tender mercies and compassions of our heavenly Father to all afflicted sinners, breaks out into words full of joy and thanksgiving; "Blessed be the God.and Father of our Lord Jesus CHRIST, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those that are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of CHRIST abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by CHRIST,-knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation," 2Cor. 1: 3, &c.
10. In these words the holy apostle gives thanks to GOD, for that no adversity does befall us, but God supports us under it by his Divine comfort, which is generally more abundant than our sufferings. And this he confirms by several arguments.
11. The first is, because God is the Father of mercies, which is the most comfortable appellation that can be conceived. For he shows himself a Father, not only in name, but in sincerity and truth, to all afflicted souls. Do but consider what arc the properties of a father, and that they all belong to GOD, our heavenly Father. It is the part of a father, 1, To love his children: 2, To take care of them: 3, To feed them: 4, To defend them 5, To correct and instruct them: 6, To pity their infirmities: 7, To be tender to them: 8, To give them portions. To illustrate this yet more perfectly, St. Paul, by a most significant epithet, calls him, the Father of mercies, 1: e. the eternal fountain of all that tenderness and affection that is diffused through the hearts of so many thousands of fathers. Hence it follows, that no cross can befall the children of God so great, as is the comfort that arises from the Father of mercies.
12. The second argument is contained in this expression, the God of all comfort. Because, he overflows with eternal and infinite comforts. For as God is the eternal and infinite good, and our crosses are finite and temporal, what can proceed froth that eternal good, but a perpetual spring of comfort; not only equal, but superior to our greatest affliction?
13. The third argument is, the example of St. Paul, and all the saints. God (says he) "comforts us in all our tribulation." The holy martyrs are examples, which our heavenly- Father has set before our eyes, to teach us, 1, That the cross is the sanctuary and mystery of the true Christian: 2, His heavenly and spiritual glory: 3, His victory over the world and the devil: 4, His preparation for the kingdom of heaven: 5, That without the cross, no man can enter into the kingdom of God: 6, That the cross is the image of CHRIST: 7, That it is an exalted and sublime mystery, in which lies hid the highest wisdom and providence of God. But as flesh and blood cannot comprehend this, so neither can -it taste the heavenly manna, hidden in the word of GOD, but by the cross. Hence also it follows, that the Divine comforts are greater than any human sufferings.
14. The fourth is expressed in these words, "That we may be able to comfort those that are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Now, how did God comfort the apostles? And how do they comfort us again? Certainly, by the gracious promises in his holy Word, Hence it is said, " Whatsoever things were written, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope," Rom. 15: 4. Now, whosoever reads the word of God as he ought, must needs observe how familiarly God vouchsafes to treat with us what abundance of grace; how many spiritual and eternal blessings he promises to bestow upon us. So that we must needs confess, that this one comfort is enough to outweigh all the sufferings of human life. Indeed, the word of God does so overflow with heavenly consolations, that the heart of man is too narrow to receive them. It is like the cruse of oil, which, by the blessing of Elisha, produced more oil than they had vessels to receive. Yea, it often happens, that one single word of Holy Scripture, can comfort a man more than the whole world, or the devil himself can distress him.. G° The river of God is full of water," says David, Psal. lxv. 9. So full, that no man can draw it dry. It is not without cause, that God calls himself, " The fountain of living waters," Jer. 2: 13. And so, Psal. xxxvi. 1O, "With thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light." And who can be so foolish as to think, that the fountain of sin and death does more abound with afflictions, than the fountain of life Both with comforts?
15. The fifth ground of comfort is, that the apostle calls the cross of the faithful, the cross of CHRIST. And that, 1, because all the faithful are spiritual members of the Lord Jesus CHRIST.. And as the head feels all the pains of every member of the body, by a sympathy arising from its union with them; so CHRIST, who is our spiritual head, feels all the crosses and sufferings of every member. 2, Because CHRIST dwells in his faithful servants, and is vitally united to them; therefore also he suffers in his members, sharing in all their sufferings and persecutions; as he witnessed by a voice from heaven; " Saul, Saul, why persecutest you me?"
It now remains that we speak of the means, by which we may be partakers of these comforts.
16. The first is, true repentance and confession of sin. For without this, the soul is not capable of comfort; according to that saying of CHRIST, "They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick." On the other hand, a person that is under a true sense of sin, has a real sight of the many miseries into which it has cast him, and therefore murmurs not against GOD, but abhors himself and his own iniquities, and confesses that God is just in all that he has brought upon him. And whoever confesses his sin, shall find a stream of consolation descending upon him from heaven.
17. The second means is faith, which hangs upon Jesus CHRIST, as the infant does upon the mother's breasts. It rests entirely on the paternal affection of the God of all consolation. It holds fast by Jesus CHRIST, as Jacob did by the angel, saying, " I will not let thee go, except you bless me." This is that which, through CHRIST Jesus, overcometh sin, death, the worlds the devil, and all its enemies. "For all things are possible to him that believeth. And he that believeth shall see the glory of GOD," John 11: 4O.
18. The third means is prayer; which is a Divine converse with God., For as it is aa great ease to an afflicted soul to communicate its sorrows to a faithful friend; so are our hearts refreshed and comforted by pouring them out before God in prayer. " When I called upon thee, you heardest me, and renewedst my soul with much strength." Prayer offered up in the name of Jesus CHRIST, is like Jacob's ladder, on which the soul ascends from earth to heaven. And as soon as the. prayer ascends, the angel of Divine consolation descends back with it. Thus it was in the agony of our blessed Lord, when he prayed snore earnestly, to! an angel descended from heaven to strengthen him. And we may assure ourselves, that whensoever we pray according to his will, we shall be strengthened according to his promise.
19. The fourth means of obtaining Divine consolation, is the praising God. He that is daily employed in the praises of GOD, lives the life of an angel; for they continually " behold the face of their heavenly Father," and sing his praises. This is the highest joy; this is the bread of angels. Whence it appears, that praising and glorifying God must afford joy to a devout soul. Hence, says David, Psal. xxxiv. I, 2, " I will always give thanks unto the Lord. His praise shall ever be in my mouth.. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof and be glad." In which place- the prophet joins the praise of God and spiritual joy together; teaching us thereby, that the one is the fruit of the other.
2O. The last certain means of receiving Divine consolation, is a diligent "reading, hearing, and meditating on the Word of God." For from the Word of GOD, as the true fountain of consolation, are to be drawn all arguments and grounds of comfort; all joy and quiet of mind, under all kinds of crosses and afflictions. Hence also we learn how these comforts are to be obtained, viz. by true repentance, solid faith, ardent prayer, and continual praising God.

CHAP. 6
Of Hope.

1. As faith is nothing but a steady assurance, by which the Christian depends perfectly and entirely on the favor and mercy of GOD, promised in CHRIST Jesus; (Heb. 11: 1,) so hope is a constant and patient waiting for the accomplishment of that promise.
2. And this is that hope which maketh not ashamed; being, as well as faith, founded upon a firm, immovable basis. This is no other than God himself, who never faileth those that wait for him. And for the same reason, his peace, his joy, his rest, his glory, and his confidence, are eternal. On this foundation he stands fixt and secure, amidst all the crosses and calamities of life; and though the rains descend, the floods come, and the boisterous winds blow upon him, he is fearless and unmoved, knowing that his " house is built upon a rock," Matt. 7: 25.
3. And as hope is built upon an immovable foundation, and the things of this world are fleeting and uncertain; therefore its rest, its entire dependence is on God alone, despising the pleasures and glories of the world. " They that trust in the Lord shall be even as the Mount Sion; that shall not be removed, but standeth fast for ever. As the hills stand about Jerusalem, even so standeth the Lord round about his people." On the other hand, they, whose hopes are founded on the riches, honors, or pleasures of this world, are perpetually exposed to fears, cares, and calamities; he at the mercy of every blast of unconstant fortune, by which they are tossed to and fro, and depend upon the world for every quiet moment they enjoy.
4. True hope is best learnt under the discipline of the cross. This discovers the inmost recesses of the soul, and shows us whether the hope that is in us be trueoff false. By this touchstone, we often find, that our hopes have not been so much fist upon God as upon the favors and blessings he bestows; that we have built upon the sand, and idolized the creature. For so great is the blindness of our nature, that we often rest in the creatures, instead of raising our minds from them to the Creator, as he designed. For to this intent only, does God bestow on man so many and great blessings; that by the gifts he may be drawn to the Giver, and learn to know, love, fear, and trust in God alone. But, so great is our corruption! We are not for serving God for nought; not for his own sake, but for what he bestows.
5. Nay, we sometimes proceed so far as to trust in ourselves, and depend on our own power, strength, and abilities, Then it is that God in mere mercy interposes, and breaks us in pieces; humbles, and confounds us, and so empties us of ourselves, that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. Which we cannot be, without being first emptied of that arrogance and self-conceit which stand in perfect opposition to the grace of God. Hence it appears that hope is a militant virtue, fighting against all that confidence in ourselves; all that self-exaltation upon the score of our own gifts, merits, righteousness, prosperity, honors, and riches, in which the natural man reposes all his confidence. The business of hope is to oppose and conquer all these delusions of the devil, and to seek its rest in the sanctuary of God.
6. It follows, that hope, as well as faith and charity, has only God for its object. And whosoever aims at any other mark, or places his hope in any other being, is destitute of the hope of a Christian. So then, these three virtues, faith, hope, and charity, are in the highest sense spiritual; admitting no earthly mixtures, but fixed entirely on GOD, who is their author and finisher; their eternal and invisible basis. To this refers that passage of St. Paul, " Hope that is seen, is not hope; for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for Rom. viii. 24,
Whosoever, therefore, places his hope upon any thing that is visible, has not the invisible God for his foundation or support; but rests upon a shadow. And when the visible world shall sink into nothing, by consequence his hope must perish.
7. Consider this, O man, and suffer thyself to be led into a firm and lasting peace. Eternity is unchangeable, ever constant, always the same; but time is nothing but change and revolution. The brightest day declines, and sets in darkness, Weeks are swallowed up in months, and months in years; and the most delicious springs, the most fruitful summers, languish and sink, by degrees, into desolate and uncomfortable winters. And not only this, but even all the elementary bodies, are in a state of change and uncertainty; always shifting forms, and revolving from one appearance to another; not to mention the continual, never-ceasing motion of the heavens: so that this world cannot be the region of rest. For whatsoever is subject to time, is continually passing, wearing, and vanishing. In a word, “All is vanity," Eccles. 1: And we shall never rest but in eternity. And though all men, both good and bad, are eagerly engaged in the pursuit of peace and tranquility, yet they, and they only, shall find it, who have learned to lose and resign themselves in CHRIST, the eternal rest of souls.
8. When affliction has taken every thing else from us, God alone cannot be taken from us. Yea, affliction is so far from separating us from GOD, that it rather brings us to GOD, and him to us, It is hope therefore that preserves us in calamities, that we are not consumed. But as the soul came naked out from GOD, so must she return thither again naked, and void of all love of the creatures, And when a man passes out of himself, and all the creatures, whither can he go, or where can he rest, but in the hands of his GOD, who comprehends and upholdeth the world, and all that is therein? Isa. xl. 12. Whosoever therefore bids farewell to the world, and is void of all love of the creatures, having his heart fixed on no earthly thing, but is perfectly free and at liberty; resigning himself and all his concerns into the hands of GOD, and being content under every dispensation of providence, he may be truly said to rest in God. But as many as are entangled in the love of the creatures, being slaves to their own wills, and resting in them, they are doubtless in the high road to destruction; and in the end shall he down in sorrow.

CHAP. 7
Comfort for those that are weak in faith, and strongly
tempted.

1. BECAUSE this weakness of faith is a very grievous temptation, therefore has the Holy Spirit furnished us with strong consolations against it; which ought deeply to be rooted in our minds, that we may apply them in the hour of temptation. And first, God does not despise, or reject our weak faith; but cherishes, strengthens, and at last crowns it with a blessed conclusion. In this sense we are to understand those golden passages, "You has been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat," Isa. 25: 4. " Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to _them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not; behold your God will come and save you," Isa. xxxv. 3, 4. "He givcth power to the faint; and to them that have no might, he incrcaseth strength," Isa. xl. 29, 31. " The Lord God Math given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary," Isa. 1. 4. « I revive the spirit of the humble, and the heart of thecontrite ones," Isa.. lvii. 15, 16. " The Lord has sent me to preach good things to the meek, to hind up the broken-hearted, and to comfort all that mourn," Isa. lxi. 1.
2. Secondly, let us be assured, that whensoever, in our greatest infirmities, we can but think upon Jesus CHRIST, he will be with us. Thus it, is said," In all places where I record my name, (or, as it may be better read, where there is a remembrance of my name,) I will cone unto thee, and I will bless thee," Exod. 2O: 24. For we cannot so much as think upon GOD, without his special assistance. Moreover, being engrafted into CHRIST, as branches into the living vine, we truly live in him, and draw life and nourishment from him. Our life, and the strength of our faith, is hid with CHRIST in God. And "the Holy Spirit witnesseth the same in our hearts," by the joy, peace, and comfort, which he produceth there. As therefore in the Old Testament, there was no prophet, but heard God speaking in him; so under the gospel, there is no true Christian but hears CHRIST speaking in him, and tastes the unction of the Holy Spirit. And though you has not always so lively a perception of this in thy heart, " Yet greater is he that is in thee, than he that is in the world," 1 John 4: 4.
3. Thirdly, when we are weak in faith, let us look up unto CHRIST Jesus, our Redeemer, and merciful highpriest, who offered up himself for us on the cross, and is still praying that our faith may be strengthened; as he did for St. Peter, " I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not," Luke 22: 32. To whom also he stretched out his Almighty hand, when he thought himself sinking into the sea. And he says, " Sanctify them in thy truth: neither pray I for them alone, (viz. the apostles,) but for those who shall believe on my name through their word," John 17: 11, 2O. " For we have not an high-priest that cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities; but that was in all points tempted, like as we are, but without sin; who is at the right hand of GOD, who also maketh intercession for us,"
4. Call then to mind that noble saying of Jeremiah, "The Lord will not cast off for ever; but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies. For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men," Lam. 3: 32. Whence you may learn, that though the Lord suffer thee to be afflicted for a season, yet he will not cast thee off for ever. But perhaps you wilt say, that the thoughts wherewith you art troubled, are not from GOD, but front the devil. Now though it cannot be denied, that they are suggested to us by the devil; yet it is also true, that the devil can do nothing but by God's permission. In this case, look unto Jesus, whom our heavenly Father suffered to be tempted by the same adversary. The fiery darts, which the evil one cast at our blessed Savior, came from himself, and not from God; but it was GOD, that gave him permission to assault him as he did. And though our blessed Lord bore all this, yet did he still continue the dearly beloved Son of God; nor could the tempter, with all his art and power, do him the least harm. Hear this, O afflicted soul, and believe that you also shall be safe and unhurt, among all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
5. But why does God suffer thee to be afflicted? It is certain that the true, inward taste of the Word of God is accompanied with joy, peace, and comfort, vastly exceeding any comforts or enjoyments of this life. This is 4 foretaste of eternal life, arising from the true and living knowledge of CHRIST Jesus; by which we discover the heart of God flowing with the most tender