Eibrarg of

TOWARDS MAN,

AND

TOWARDS GOD.

IJ^ FOUR BOOKS,

And printed in London, Anno Domini, 1712.

BOSTOJV:

TO THE READER.

THE following work accidentally fell into the hands of the Editor; and after a careful perusal, it was thought too valuable a work, to lie buried in obscurity.

And, as transcribers and correctors of other men's writings, often make such material alterations, both in sentiment and language, that the real authors are scarcely to be seen; and as most readers, when perusing any production, wish to be able to form some just ideas of the genius and talents of the real author or translator; so to accomplish the above purpose, it was thought best, in correcting the following work, to preserve the language and sentiments of the translator entire: Although the language appears to be somewhat ancient, and the sentiments in some few instances obscure, and in others inaccurate. Therefore the only alterations which have been made are such as respect redundant and obsolete words> orthography, the addition of some words, and the transposition of some sentences; that the ideas of the translator might appear more conspicuous.

Thus corrected, the work is submitted to the public inspection, with the sincere prayer of the Editor, that the blessing of Heaven may attend it, and that it may prove a savour of life unto life, to many, as we are informed (in the preface) it did soon after its first publication, and not of death unto death to any into whose hands it may chance to fall.

Content0*

Page

Chap. I. Of the Image of God in Man, - - - 33

Chap. ii. Of the Fall and Apostasy of Adanut - - 43

Chap. iii. Of the Restoration by Christy - - - 51

Chap. iv. What true Repentance and Conversion is; and hoiv

the Cross and Toke of Christ are to be understood, - - 57

Chap. V. What true Faith is; and of jfustifcation by it, - 63

Chap. vi. Of the Kingdom of God within, - - 69

Chap. vii. Hoiv the Law of God is written in the Hearts

of all Men, 74

Chap. viii. Without true Repentance no Man can lay any Claim

to Christ and his Merits, ------ 79

Chap. ix. Of the Antichristian Life of the formal Christian, 86

Chap. X. How the Life of the Men of the World, is contrary to

Christ and his life : And the vulgar Christianity no better than

a false Christianity, ------ 89

Chap. xi. Whosoever doth not imitate the Life of Christ, hath

not yet seriously repented, neither is such an one to be reputed a

Christian indeed, or a true Child of God, - - - 94

Chap. xii. A Christian ought to die to himself, and live to Christ, 106 Chap. xiii. A Christian ought willingly for Christ, and for oh'

taining in him the end of Man^s Creation and Redemption, to

Chap. XIV. The true Christian's Contempt of the World, and

Hatred of his own Life for Christ, - - - -125

Chap. XV. What the true Cross of Christ is, - - - 132

Chap. xvi. The continual Combat of the Flesh and Spirit, - 138

Chap. xvii. A Christian's Inheritance not of this World, - 143 Chap, xviii. The extravagant Madness of preferring temporal

Chap. xix. He is of God most beloved, who is most wretched in

Chap. XX. How by true Contrition a Christian's Life is daily amended, and he made continually more and more fit for the

VI CONTENTS.

Page Chap. xxi. What the true Worship of God is, - - ine

Chap. xxii. As a Tree is knoivn by its fruit; so is a true Christian by charity, and by a Life nuhich is truly according

Chap, xxiii. He that would advance in the Life of Christ,

must not entertain worldly Friendships, - - - 1 8a

Chap, xxi V. Of the Love of God, and of our Neighbour, - loc Chap. XXV. Of Love towards our Neighbour, - . - 209

Chap. xxvi. Wherefore our Neighbour is to be loved, - 21 C

Chap, xxvii. Wherefore our Enemies are to be loved, - 223

Chap, xxviii. Wherefore the Love of the Creator should be preferred to all Creatures, - - - - - -230

Chap. xxix. Of Reconciliation to our Neighbour, loithout

'Ofhich, God takes aivay his grace from us, ■ . . 2%±

Chap. xxxi. That without Charity, the best gifts may be corrupted.' And how they are by self-love and pride dangerously

Chap, xxxii. Great Gifts do not demonstrate a Man to be a Christian and acceptable to God, but Faith, as it worketh by

Chap, xxxiii. God hath no respect to the works of any one;

lut judgeth the work according to the Heart, - - 258

Chap, xxxiv. We do nothing of ourselves for our Salvation, but God doth all things for us; only we admit of his grace, and yield to it, _.-_.--- 261

Chap. XXXV. Without a Holy and christian Life, all Wisdom, all Arts and Sciences; yea, the Knowledge of the whole Scripture and Theology, is in vain, ..... 267

Chap, xxxvi. How and by whom the Virtue of the hidden

Chap, xxxvii. Christ the Light of the World; declaring, how those that do not follow him in their life, cannot be freed from the Blindness of their hearts; but must remain in Darkness nvithout the light of Life; and so can have no true Knotvledge of, or Felloivshtp with God, .... 280

Chap, xxxviii. That an Antichristian Life is generally the Source of False Doctrine, and the original cause both of Hardness of Heart, and of Blindness of Understanding, - 294 Chap, xxxix. The purity of Doctrine and of the Word of God, ore not so much by disputation and writing of books, as by true Repentance and an holy Life to be obtained and defended, - 3*^®

Chap. xl. Christian Rules for leading a christian and devout

Chap. xli. That the whole of Christianity consists in the Restoration of the Image of God in Man, by the extinction of that of

CONTENTS. Vll

Chap. xlii. The Conclusion, containing the reeuon of the met ho J of this present Book; and shelving <withal the absurdity of spiritual pride, and that the gifts of the Holy Ghost are not to be obtained but dy humility with prayer, • - - 339

BOOK II.

THE Introduction, 349

Chap. 1. That Jesus Christ the Son of God, is given us by our heavenly Father for an yiatidote against the damnable and deadly poison of sin, and the Fruits thereof; and for a medicinal Fountain, good against all the calamities and evils both of Body

Chap. ii. The true Grounds of Consolation fwhich are in Christ to a Christian: And how every one may, and ought to apply the same to himself, -..---- ^63

Chap. iii. That Justification before God, consists only in the perfect Obedience and merit of Christ Jesus, and in the pardon

Chap. iv. That salutary Faith in the true Christian, produces the various Fruits of Righteousness, arising from the most inward ground of a heart void of all hypocrisy; and therefore God himself, by this same ground, doth measure and value all

Chap. V. The Power of the Word of God operating in man, - 384 Chap. vl. The Happiness of a Soul united with Christ, - 391

Chap. vlii. God most affectionately invites to Repentance;

'which is by no means to be neglected or delayed, - - ^^.oo

Chap. ix. What Repentance is; how to be performed, and

how the Divine Goodness invites us thereto, > _ _ 408

Chap. X. Of four Properties of true Repentance, - - 421

Chap. xi. That the nenv creature is the effect of true conversion. Ho<w a christian is by Faith made a Lord over all, and by Charity a Servant under all; the Life of Christ being

Chap. xii. That Christ is the Way to true Godliness, and the Mark of a christian'' s Life: And that he who is not led of

Chap. xiii. That Christ is the true Book of Life, teaching us

by his Poverty, to despise the Pomps of the World, - - 435

Vlll CONTENTS.

Page

Chap. xlv. That the Lord jfeius, by his patient Suffering the Reproaches and affronts of others, as also by his Self-denying Life, hath taught us to despise the Honours and Pomps of the

Chap. XV. How a christian by Christy ought to bear and to

overcome the Adversity and contempt of this World, - - 4^

Chap. xvi. Honu christians are to seek their Honour and

Glory in Christ ; and hoiu they may obtain the same, - 4^ 2

Chap. xvii. How, after the Example of Christy and of all other Saints, ive may overcome calumny, - - - - 456

Chap, xviii. That the consideration of the Sufferings and Sorrows of Christ, is the most effectual Method for subduing in us

Chap. xix. Hozif in Christ crucified, as in a Book of Life^ <we may read our oivn Sins, together with the Wrath, Righteousness, Love, and Wisdom of God, - - - - - 478

Chap. XX. Of the Power and Necessity of Prayer in these

ARNDTIUS'S name hath been all along venerable in the Protestant churches, ever since the celebrated work oi true chrisiiamty (part whereof is here presented to the reader) hath appeared in public. The eflFects this book hath produced in the conversion of souls are so very many and considerable, that to give an account of them, would make up a history by itself; which there- fore is not to be expected from a Preface. The Author has not only been esteemed (and so continues to be) by those of his own communion, but even by many of other denominations of Protestants; especially by such as have sincerely laid to heart the great decay of solid piety in these latter days, and been concerned in retrieving the honour of die christian religion, by making it shine in the lives of its professors.

2. Religion looked with a deplorable aspect in Germany, when our author began first to appear with his book of true chr'tst'tanity. It is true, that church was but lately reformed from many errors and superstitions ; so that one would think, true Christianity should have met with a more favourable acceptance among Protestants. But as the humour of the world goeth ! real piety and true practical Christianity has been all along an unwelcome gueft in all ages, in all parties and denominations, in all states of Christendom : and men, however they pretend to honour it, have found out a way to keep its power and energy at a convenient distance ; not caring to be too nearly acquainted with a religion, whose main scope is to mafter the corrupt bent and bias of nature, and to bring the will of men into an entire compliance with the will of God.

3. This being the nature, end, and design of Christianity, it is almost impossible that those who earnestly endeavour to promote it, should fare better than religion itself. And this was the reason, our Author with his book has undergone many severe censures and persecutions, when this came to see the light ; one branding him with this error, and another with that, as in part has been related in the preface prefixed to the last Latin edition, printed at London in the year 1708. However, this disturbance raised about John Arndt and his doctrine, served only to render more re- fulgent the solidity of his principles, and to set oflf the better the lustre of true Christianity, by the opposite darkness of a false and counterfeit one.

X The Translator's Preface.

4. One of the greatest efforts of our Author was, to remove from Christianity the abominable idol of a mere external formality^ (commonly called opus operatum) and to inspire people with an inivard sense and gust of all the duties and functions they outwardly performed. He would have them not only maintain the purity of the doctrine, but adorn also the purity of doctrine with a suitable purity of life and manners ; counting this the noblest orna- ment, the crown and topstone of true Christianity, to which all other endeavours ought directly to tend. But as people never grow sooner weary in any thing, than in the work of reformation, (espec- ially, if this be not only levelled against the corrupt manners and doctrines, but also against the corrupt faculties of the soul, and the very leading principle residing within the mind) so many of the Protestants, soon after the first heat of reformation was over, sat themselves down quietly, as if the business had been finished, and nothing left to be done by them. Whereas the true applicatory work of the reformation was then but begun, when the doctrine came to be recovered into some degree of purity, and refined from the adheiing dross of abuses and corruptions, in order to be now constantly continued and handed down in life and practice to all succeeding generations. This would have been, and always will be, the likeliest way safely to preserve the depositum of a pure doctrine ; which must needs be very much impaired, if not entirely lost, whenever people, once given up to the corrupt bent of their own will, freely indulge themselves in all manner of vices and loose practices : For the w/// and inclinations being once tainted with self-love, and other irregular passions attending it, will soon give a wrong bias to the eye of the understanding., and this being darkened will produce again abundance of errors and delusions, of .ibuses and mistakes in the lives, manners, and doctrines themselves, and so in the whole frame and practice of the christian religion.

5. These mistakes did shew themselves soon after the reformation. When Luther had in some degree turned out the doctrine of being justified by works, and established the doctrine oi justification by faith only ; many of his followers readily fell in with that doctrine ; but inftead of a living, active, operative, purifying faith, (as Luther required, and which is constantly attended with a train of heavenly operations) they set up a mere carnal conjidenccy and human persuasion ; and instead of that s<u}eet rest, calmnefs and composedness of conscience, which usually accompanies a divine faith, they rested in a state of carnal security, endangering thereby both their own and other people's safety. This proved the very inlet of many evils. It made way for the vilest of sinners to shelter himself under the cover of being justified only by faith without works. However, these most dangerous mistakes, as they did not spring up from the doctrine itself thus reformed, but from the misapplication people made thereof; so those that palliated their consciences with so slight and scanty a covering

The Transhior^s Preface. li

did thereby manifestly betray themselves as altogether unwilling to be wrnught into a true obedience of faith, as the apostle's phrase is. All which may give us an insight into the various stratagems of the great enemy of souls, who, whilst people sleep, steals in upon them unawares, and soweth tares among the wheat.

6. It is true, abundance of dead works of the Papists, which vulgar eyes admired in thofe days, have been laid aside by Protes- tants : but is not our dead faiths which too many have raised instead thereof, as empty a thing as their dead works ? Where is that compunction and brokenness of heart, that poverty in spirit, that humility, those internal breathings, longings, and desires after Christ the author of salvation I Where is that inward kn wledge and sense of the spirituality of the law, and that sorrow, grief, and anxiety of heart attending the experimental knowledge of our apostasy from God ? And yet all this must needs precede the practical application of the doctrine of faith, if ever the latter fhall leave a saving change upon the mind, and prove a shelter in the day of wrath, and a stay in the storm of temptation. For all thefe acts of humiliation are comprehended in the draxoing of tht Father,* which is the forerunning dispensation of the law, whereby the soul, as by a school master,\ is brought at last unto Christ, to be justified by faith. No fboner does she come to believe in Christ, but she is thereby removed from that stock which is wild by nature, and is ingrafted into Christ the true vine, in whom she now lives like a branch, and brings forth much fruit.

7. But where are those fruits v/hich must unavoidably /o//oto the doctrine oi faith if duly applied by a returning sinner ? Where are those sweet emanations and rivers of living water, which will readlly^ow, and often gufh fortli from the believer, though there were never a law to compel them ? Where is that mortification of the deeds of the flesh, together with the succeeding newness of life ? Where is that new creature, that patient resignation and submission to the will of God in his disposals of us ? Where is that love of God shed abroad in the heart, and those other heavenly virtues and fruits of the Spirit springing up from the principle of faith as from a divine seed lodged within the soul ? Are not these weighty and practical doctrines of true Christianity, both as they precede zxid^ follow the settlement of a divine faith, if not quite lost, yet despised, neglected, silenced among Protestants in this degenerate age ? The doctrine of spiritual contrition and sorrow of heart, being the product of the dispensation of the law, is turned by many into ridicule, and cried down for vapours, for a piece of melancholy, for the effect of an hypocondriac constitution, and for the restless workings of a distempered brain \ Whereas it is one of the first operations of the divine Spirit, whereby the sinister bent and obstinacy of the will is rendered somewhat pliable, and

-the whole frame of the mind disposed to a liking of the following

x\i The Translator's Preface.

communications of the Spirit. The soul is qualified thereby to be entrusted in time with sublimer gifts and graces. But if \.his preparatory uispensation (under which a man diggeth deep, in order to lay the foundation on a rock) and first step towards a fpiritual life, be neglected, and thus the very ground-work over-turned; (on v/hich the whole structure of faith and religion was to be raised,) then it is no wonder, that all the rest falls to the ground: religion, without this previous work, being nothing but mere show and pretence, and the virtues, howsoever they may appear to the eye of men, but faint and counterfeit images of religion, but not religion itself, nor the genuine effect thereof.

8. rhe doctrine of faith itself has fared no better. Faith, as it is now in vogue, signifies no more than a firm adhering to a certain sect and denomination of people, and a violent maintaining of such particular tenets as have been received and approved by that party. All the ingredients of such a faith are nothing but human education, custom, tradition, persuasion, conversation. The zeal which goes along with it is entirely the effect of selflove., and of corrupt reason, the two great framers of sects and party-notions. There is no fuch conviction in this matter'as is wont to attend a true faith, and to influence the mind of the believer with a full certainty and undoubted assurance of the truth and reality of the doctrines once received. This faith has not the least character of a divine work stamped upon it. It is entirely taken in upon trust, by the mere suggestion of tutors, teachers, and of other men in authority. This faith is handed down from one generation to the other ; one friend perfuading the other into the fame notional belief, and parents leaving it to their children, by way of inheritance. It is fit to serve every turn, let it be interest, honour, worldly greatnefs, preferment, and the like. No man is a greater enemy to the inward power of true religion, than he that is deeply rooted in this imaginary belief, and this barren set of human notions : for his rational activity being destitute of a superior guide to keep it within bounds, and yet busying itself about matters of religion, contracts thereby a multitude of spiritual pollutions. To which is often added a profane contempt of things most sacred, and a misconstruction of the more interior operations of God's Spirit, as was shewn before. Thus is faith, which, according to its primitive standard of scriptural signification, is entirely a creation of God, made a w^ork and persuasion of men, and a traditional business, without so much as one ray of true gospel-light shining into the heart. Such a believer has the name that he lives.

9. But to get out this dark faith in its true light, we ought well to consider the contrary nature of a sound, saving faith, and the glorious display of the fruits attending it ; some few hints whereof have been given already. True faith, whenever it is seated in the mind, brings forth works suitable to its inward impulse and constitution. These are t^vmed ^ood works, fruits of righteousness^ fruits of the Spirit, rivers of living ivater ; because they are brought forth by a believer as freely as a good tree yields its fruits, and a plentiful fountain its water. The true christian is constantly employed about doing good, and laying out what he has received ; and yet is he not in the least sensible of any decay, but rather of a daily supply of what he has bestowed on others. He that hath, and practically layeth out what he hath, to him JJoall be given, and he Jhall have abundance. By these uninterrupted emanations of love and mutual acts of charity, the sou! is so far from losing the fountain of life, that she rather moves nearer and nearer towards it, and heartily closes with Christ, who is both the original source and the means of all the graces conferred on her. For this water which the true christian has tast- ed, is in him a well of living water springing up gradually (and so not by fits and starts) into life everlasting. These are good works indeed. They come from the true gospel spirit of Christ, and by a constant, and as it were natural return, are resolved at last into the grand spring from whence they were derived. Such an one soiueth his seed in the morning, and in the evening ivithholdeth not his hand from working early and late upon all occasions. This water of life is to him a constant monitor, to do good whilst he has opportunity. How plentifully did the christians of old drink of this water of life ! The woman of Samaria tasted of it, when the Lord discoursed with her at Jacob's well, and she feeling the inward operations thereof, left her water-pot, designed to supply her outward want, together with the well itself, though highly extolled by her at first, and went her way into the city to give vent to these benign, and yet powerful infusions, and to declare to others the joyful tidings which had so wonderfully affected her. She was not able any longer to contain herself, but most affectionately invited her fellow creatures to the same enjoyment. So free and communicative, so ready and overflowing is this well of water, having no envy, no bitterness, no sorrow mixed with it. That glorious martyr, Ignatius, compares this inward work of grace both to fire and water: My (self) love, says he, is crucified, and *he fire that is ivithin me does not desire any thing : But the living "water springing ivithin me speaketh inivardly to me : Come to the Father.*

10. But to return. This free and unconjlrained gospel-spirit, which is an inseparable companion to a living faith, was powerfully preached up by Luther, particularly in the first years of the reformation. I cannot but subjoin here his graphical description concerning the life and energy of faith, thereby to give the reader a taste of the sense he had of this work :f " Many, (says he) when they hear the gospel, frame unto themselves a thought, which says, / hdieve. This thought of theirs being excited by their own

* In Epist. ad Rom. f In prafat. Gerffisin. prsemissa Epistolx ad Rom,

xiv The Trantlaiors Preface.

strength, is counted by them true faith: Whereas it Is their own fiction and cogitation, leaving no experimental impression at all upon the heart. And as it is but a human business, so it is not followed neither by any good work, nor amendment of life. But true faith is a divine work within us, whereby we are changed and born anew of God. It mortifies the old Adam, and makes us quite other men, in heart, in mind, in temper, and in all the faculties of our soul, bringing along with it the holy Spirit of God. O, it is certainly a lively, active, operative, and mighty work to have faith! So that it is altogether impossible for it, not to be constantly employed about some good thing or other. Nor doth faith ask a while, whether one ought to do good works; for it hath done them before one can ask, and is continually employed about doing. He therefore who is destitute of such works, is for certain a faithlefs man, or downright unbeliever "

1 !. Now if this active fai/h, set forth by Luther, had continued to be pressed and inculcated, as it was begun by him ; we should then have preserved the doctrines both of faith and of good ivorks^ in their soundness and integrity. Faith would have been a divine principle woven into all the faculties of the mind, and displayed itself by works as the immediate product thereof : But the former being in a manner lost ; it is ho wonder, the latter shoots forth into many luxuriant branches, and quite degenerates into some empty moralities, raised on no other foundation, than the scanty goodness of the natural man. Such works, though they may often attract the eyes of the beholders for a while, dazzling them with a glaring and sudden lustre, and gaining to those that do them the repute of very good men ; yet will they upon impartial examination deserve no better character than to be ranked among the splendid sins, as Augustin is said to have called the very best works of the heathens. For inasmuch as they do not taste of Christ, of faith, of the Spirit of adoption, of filial freedom, and a childlike dependence on God's power and mercy ; they cannot in any wise come up to the worth and dignity, to the beauty and brightness of true and genuine fruits of t e Spirit.

12. The enemy of souls is always busy to obstruct such endeavours as have a direct tendency to the promoting of true faith and religion. This doth plainly appear from the conduct of thofe who fucceeded indeed the first refoimers; but did not labour so much to express theii* inward life and spirit, as tolerably to keep up to the outivard form, scheme and model by them raised. This has been in all ages one of the sources of corruption. Many have presumed to value themselves and their way of worship, upon a scheme of religion introduced by some apostolical and eminent men, without stirring up in themselves, a spirit of holy emulation, whereby to answer not only the external formality, but the inward zeal also, the love, wisdom, indefatigable diligence, and other divine characters which rendered their predecessors so conspicuous in their time. But what else can be expected from

The Translator's Preface, XT

?o dangerous a mismanagement of the work of reformation, but a piece of falje Christianity, consisting in a naked profession of some particular tenets and opinions of men? The most profligate wretch being ready to declare for ^ primitive form, and to stand up in defence of a notional belief, provided he can but rid himself of the spiric, power, and energy of the christians in those days. Truly, if things were but rightly settled as to these wtcnor ffiiritual realities, intrinsically and essentially required, and if thus the reforma- tion of the heart was made to go along with the reformation of doctrines, of rites and ceremonies; then no doubt true Christianity would get ground on all sides, and flourish in the midst of crosses, as a lily among thorns. For to be a true christian (as a man endued with an apostolical spirit tells us) is not a 'work of opinion, but of greatnefs of m.nd, efpecially when he is hated by the ivorld.*

13. What has been said concerning the first zeal, and how apt men are to slide from it, is manifest from the conduct of Luther himself. An industrious observer of the reformation by him begun cannot but silently admire that fervency of spirit, that holiness of manners, that unaflfected humility, meekness, and patience, which in the first years of the work he entered upon, would shine through all his actions. It seems as if it had not been without providence, that the very first thesis of that disputation, which proved in time the foundation of the ensuing reformation, did directly tend to a reformation of life, running to this effect ; <ivhen our Master and Lord jfesus Christ says, repent, iffc. He requires that the whole life of his believers on earth should be a constant and unihterrupted repentance. And the progress Luther made in the first Jive or six years was entirely raised on this basis, and was a proof of his being in good earnest, to recover the power of Christianity, together with the purity of doctrine. The writings he publiflied in these years, are enriched with a divine morality, and fraught with observations relating entirely to practical Christianity. He runs down the inventions and traditions of men, and every where extols Jesus Christ, and the economy of salvation by him established. His insight into the dispensation of the law and of the gospel (which are the two grand hinges whereon the work of conversion moves,) is plain from his excellent Exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians. It came out in the year 1519, and lo but two years after the aforefaid first disputation which proved so fatal to the church of Rojiie. There is a vein of unfeigned piety running through all his books and actions of that time His delivery was plain, unafi;ected, free from rhetorical flowers and colours of speech : it appeared every where in its native simplicity ; and yet had it fome particular graces, and a cer- tain celestial energy going along with it ; which also easily made its way through all the little fetches and flourishes of a superficial scholar, and by a secret sting left in the heart of the hearer, forced

* Ignat. in Epist. ad Rom.

xvi The Translator's Preface.

often an approbation even from the worst of men. For whilst is; enlightened the understanding, it warmed also the affections with a sense of the love of God, and wrought the will into some degree cf compliance with his commandments. Not to mention here at large, his laudable endeavours in putting some stop to the farther progrefs of the school-divinity, and the popular prejudices which, springing up from it, pestered the minds both of teachers and learners in schools and universities.

14. This piece of divinity, as it was a cursed offspring of Aristotle's philosophy, and a rhapsody made up of theological and phi- losophical distinctions, so it received a great blow by the doctrines of Luther ; who did what he could to retrench the extravagance of the school-men, and to assert the dignity of the sacred Oracles, then, if not quite thrown aside, yet loaded and darkened with much heathenish trash, and abundance of crabbed notions and barren useless excrescences. The effect whereof was, that, left the sacred scriptures inwardly digested, should have nourished up the soul in the plain practice of piety, they had puffed it up with an intolerable pride and disdain of others not so well acquainted with the intricacy of the school-questions ; it being always the unhappy product of false learning, that it does but discompose the mind more and more for receiving any solid impressions of true Christianity hereafter. And it were to be wished, that there were not too much left in our modern schools and universities, of these impure streams and puddles derived from the filthy cisterns of the philosophy of the heathens, and the divinity of school-men : For these superficial notions having once vitiated the eye, and corrupted the taste of youth, they will hardly ever after relish again the plain and primary truths of the sacred scriptures, let them be never so profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, and alone able to make a man wise unto salvation.

15. But alas ! these noble efforts, whereby Luther endeavoured to recover Christianity into its first brightness and integrity, both as to life and doctrine, was in the following years not a little interrupted by a stratagem contrived by the enemy of souls. This was designed to divert our reformer from the pursuit of an enterprize which threatened a dismal ruin to false Christianity, estab- lished hitherto, and fortified by a world of laws, constitutions, and authorities of men. Luther entered now the lists with a multitude ot adversaries. He did no sooner touch the most visible corruptions, especially those which have /ri^i? and covetousness at the bottom ; (the two great ends the corrupt clergy have always in their eye) hut numbers of adversaries combining against him, rose up with great heat and fury in defence chiefly of those tenets which all along had served some temporal end or other ; which however was cloaked with the specious name of church and orthodoxy. And this was the reason that showers of slanders were

The Translator's Preface, xvii

poured forth upon, and most fierce and violent contentions raised against Luther.

i6. Luther shewed in the beginning, as was said before, a great deal of moderation, meekness, and humility: but by little and little, when the fire of contention was kindled, and the minds of men soured on both sides, his brightness began to be visibly eclipsed. The more interior and sublimer exercises of the spiritual life, best preserved in a meek and quiet spirit, suffered greatly under these clamours brought against, and repressed by him. The violence of his temper being thus called forth to battle, he now endeavoured to settle the reformation by arguing, contending, and disputing, which he was before entered upon under many inward trials, supplications, frequent humiliations before the throne of grace, and most rousing exhortations to a reforn^ation, not only of doctrine, but of life and manners also. And this undoubtedly had been the likeliest way to have established so great and weighty a work on a firm and lasting foundation. For a sincere amendment and holiness of life, whereby the tyranny of sin is broken, must needs be highly conducive both to obtain and preserve the purity of doctrine; it having been observed in all ages, that the remaining affections to sin hinder the learning and understanding of the things of God: Which an eminent divine* illustrates with the conduct of St. Paul, who intending to convert Felix discoursed first with him about temperance, righteousness, and judgment to come. Where this author goes on: " St. Paul, says he, began in the right point. He knew it was to no purpose to preach Jesus Christ crucified, to an intemperate person, to an usurper of other men's rights, to one whose soul dwelt in the world, and cared not for the sentence of the last day." Where he applies this particularly to the errors of the church of Rome, and then adds: "We may well think It a wonder, that no more men are persuaded to leave such unlearned follies. But then on the other side, the wonder will cease, if we mark, how many temporal ends are served by these doctrines. If you destroy the doctrine of purgatory and indulgences, you take away the priest's income, and make the See Apostolic to be poor: If you deny the Pope's infallibility, you will despise his authority. When we run through all the propositions of difference between them and us, and see that in every one of them they serve an end of money or oi poiver; it will be very visible, that the way to confute them is not bylearned disputations: (for we see they have been too long without effect, and without prosperity ) the men must be cured of their affections to the world, that with naked and divested affections, they might follow the naked crucified Jesus, and then they would soon learn the truths of God, which till then, will be impossible to be apprehended. Let men pretend to as much learning as they C

* D. Jer. Taylor in Concioncin John vlii. X7.

xv;Iu The ■ Translator^ s Preface.

please, they must begin again at Christ's cross; tlity must learn true mortification and crucifixion of their anger and desires, before they can be good scholars in Christ's school, or be admitted into the more secret inquiries of religion, or profit in spiritual understanding,

17. This is so great a truth, that people may dispute even to the world's end, and yet never find the way to light, if the controversy in hand should border upon any thing of interest, lust, honour or any other branch of corrupted selfishness. These inordinate desires are too deeply rooted, to be quelled and silenced by the common disputes and contentions of men. The secret of the Lord., and the knowledge of the divine economy of salvation, is only iv'ith them that fear him, and his covenant is to make them knotu it. And this practical method was followed by Luther, when he first entered upon his great enterprize of reforming ; though afterwards, when the noise and clamour was raised, he in a manner lost his vi'ay, the boisterous passions raised on both sides intercepting, in some measure, the soft and gentle communications and guidance of the divine Spirit ! Every day was now a day of battle with him, and every place a pitched field to ward off the incessant assaults of a numerous enemy surrounding him on all hands. And as at his first setting out, he was entirely destitute of human help and support; so he cast himself entirely upon the power and mercy of God, the only proper object of faith in the worst of times. But this scene of affairs took afterwards another turn. Great men of the world ftepping in, encouraged indeed and applauded the work once begun : however, their ends being too much bent by self-interest, and other sinister designs intruding into, and mingling with, the concerns of religion ; their offers, aids, applauses, promises, and engagements, proved often but more prejudicial to the main scope of the undertaking, and more hurtful to the principal managers thereof. But as my intention is not to take here an exact survey of all the transactions of that .ge. ; (it being too ample a subject to be brought within the bounds of a preface,) so these few hints may suffic for the end here intended.

18. After the death of Lulher, which happened in the year 1546, it was expected \.\\q protestanis (for so the reformed party began to be called about the year 1529,) should have carried the work begun by Luther and his fellow-labourers, to a higher degree, and betimes repaired what was weak and tottering. For truly they stood now on Luther's shoulders ; and seeing the ice broken, and a path beaten out before them, they might have drawn nearer and nearer towards fitly framing together all the spiritual building, that it might at last have grown up unto an holy temple in the Lord. And it was Luther's will, his followers should go on with, and by no means rest in the work by him set on foot. But alas ! things fell out quite otherwise. Hardly had Luther got his quietus, when too many of his friends lost more and more the mtun design out of their eye. Strifes and contentions, disputes and

The Translator's Preface. xix

wranglings, grew to an excessive height, but the plain practice of piety fell to decay. School-divinity, which was banished by Luther as a thing n^jt agreeing at all with the native simplicity of the gospel and of the christian doctrine, gained ground again in schools and universities, and re-assumed now after its return, too masterly an air in matters of divinity. And so it has continued to do in most universities ever since, but more particularly where it was first turned out by our reformer. The unhappy effect wheieof has been, and is still, that the plainness of true Christianity, has thereby been exceedingly adulterated, and by this means a complication of spiritual diseases been bred, with a neglect of that heal- ing truth which is in Jesus, and with a disrelishing of the knowledge of that tiuth which is after gjdliness, as the apostle's phrase is.

19 Thus did a great many lay themselves entirely out in maintaining such doctrines as were revived by the first reformers, ■without endeavouring at the same time to see them also experimentally applied in life and practice. Those made religion a work only of the memory and understanding, whilst the ivlll continued in the bondage of self-love and pride, of ambition and emula- tion, and of other />Zar/.fai<:a/ defilements. And this must needs prove but a very lame and imperfect reformation at last. However, all this was covered again with the specious title of "z-eal for the reformed church. The doctrine, cast into a systematical dress, was made to appear under the name of orthodoxy and analogy of faith. This was attended with a set and circumscription of certain notions, rights, ceremonies, and, as it were, party-confines ; which use to be the preliminaries for erecting a doctrine and opinion into a complete sect or party. Others were only busy about increasing the number of proselytes. And indeed many left the Pope, but never came to Christ. They cast away the more notorious prejudices, but took up more refined ones, and never receiv- ed the love to truth, or any inward principle of grace. Hardly was any inquiry made, whether he was also a living member of Christ, that offered to be a member of another communion. Alas ! How much is there left of this superficial work even to this day in the gaining of proselytes.

20. Now for this reason, many well disposed souls have endeavoured botii to lay open the Insufficiency of this reformation, and to offer some means, whereby, if duly applied, things might be set to rights again. Some have compared the state of the church before the reformation, with the hones seen by Ezekiel* in his vision. As they were very dry, so every thing seemed dead and destitute of a principle of life in the times of popery. Not as if there had been no Saviour at all, but because there were too many. It seems the guides and governors felt in themselves a secret conviction of the deplorable deadness and emptiness of that church, and for this reason contrived abundance of human helps, means, and inven-

* Chap xxxvii.

Xi The Translator's Preface.

tions, thereby to amuse the Ignorant, and to supply the place of a living Christ and Saviour. But all this would not do. The hones continued dead and dry. At last the work of reformation began. Christ is preached up as the fountain of life, to wash away the sin and uncleanness of ihe world. Many Indeed questioned, whether these bones would e'ver live: nevertheless, a noise was heard. Some did like and applaud the reformation; some did not. Some were wrought upon; and some not. However, after various collisions and shakings, some bones came together, and flesh and sinews upon the bones, the skin covering them above. Thus did the Protestants frame at last a body of a church, and endued it with sinews, thereby to convey the doctrines and principles of religion into the body itself, and into every member in particular. But alas! what was said there may fitly be applied here: There IV as no spirit in them!

2 1. I would not be understood to cast any uncharitable reflections on any of the first reformers Nor do I say, there is no spiritual life stirring at all in any of the members adhering to the sundry church-communions of Protestants. There have been all along some few in all ages and nations, who, without noise and bustle, have minded, and still do mind, the more essential and spiritual pan of religion, without doting about questions, and some fashionable strifes of words. But this I dare say, that the body itself, considered in general, is still dead. The true infernal constitution of a body is wanting ; let this be considered with respect either to the head, or to the jnembers adhering to it, and the various operations proceeding from the members. Where is that true communion the body ought to have with the head, and the uninterrupted influence the head ought to have again upon the body ? Where are the vital emanations which must needs attend so close an union, and the real efi'cts derived again from this union, upon the life, manners, desires, thoughts, actions, and the w^hole internal and external conduct of a christian ? Again : if the body be considered in relation to the members ; where is then that sweel fellotu/hip to be found in our modern church-societies, which one member ought to bear to the other, and which makes every one employ its particular gifts for the profit and benefit of the whole, in a manner most abounding and universal, free from hatred, envy, bitterness, strife and animosities, as things utterly inconsistent with the nature of the church, body, and spouse of Christ ? Where is that spiritual sympathy and fellow-feeling, wherewith those that are not dead, but living members of this spiritual body, must needs be affected among themselves ? Where is that divine coherence and symmetry (not so much in particular opinions, forms, schemes, and modes of an external way of worship, as) in spirit, in power, and in reciprocal acts of an endearing love, and of a most cordial friendship ?

22. Of this divine constitution relating to a true church communion, some small ray has been observed in the church of the brethren of Bohemia, about these latter ages ; to which their last

the Translator's Preface. xxi

bishop* applies chat apostolical description of a church, telling us, *' That this congregation was a society of saints fitted by the work of the ministry, for mutual edification in the unity of faith, and for a sincere conduct in love and charity: That it was fitly joined together and compacted, by that which every joint supplies, out of di ponver ivorking 'within. Thus whilst every one was the member of another, they were by common laws bound to common edification; being, as it were, glued to one another; not by the induce- ment of any external pomp or splendour, or affluence of wealth and honour, nor by the ties of any violent compulsion; but entirely by a virtue or power ivorking iviihin, and by the glue of the same faith, love, and hope." And this virtue working within, as this author calls it, or this divine nature derived out of the fulness of the head, into the whole body, and into every member of the body, proved the very cement, which in the better ages made the body most wonderfully cohere in all its members, and in the various functions and employments of the members. There was indeed, a variety and multiplicity of members, (as there is in the natural body) and of differing adlions and motions of the members: Yet did they all concur and most sweetly conspire, to the advancement of the common interest of the whole body. All the actions did spring up from one and the same root or leading principle, and they tended all to one and the same end also. But then each member manifested the gift conferred npon it, in its proper place, sphere, station, and capacity, and m.ved in no other orb but where it was placed by Providence. Hereby the manifold wisdom of God displayed itself most gloriously; there being both a unity and variety in the spiritual body of Christ. A unity as to the productive and radical principle fixed within the mind; and a variety as to the differing motions, functions, and emanations proceeding from it.

23. Now those souls thus combined in the unity of faith, and works of love, make up together the spiritual living body, and the holy temple of Christ. They are the family of God. They are the spouse of Christ, and the domestics or household of faith. They are the spiritual house and the true church of God sanctified and cleansed by Christ. They are scattered through all such parties, sects, and confessions, as have preserved Jesus Christ as the Author of life, and the vital principle of religion, and do not disdain the contemptible meanness wherein his body appears at present. No sect or party can for itself claim the privilege of being the church or spouse of Christ alone, with an exclusion of other communions. He that vi-ould pretend to such a spiritual pre-eminence, would but betray thereby too much of the spirit of antichrist, together with a gross ignorance of the laws, constitutions, dispensations, and of the whol^ economy of the church of Christ. For of such heaven-born souls, some few have been at

* Vid. Comenii Parrenesis ad Ecclesiam Anglicanam de Bon Unitatis, Pag. 8. seqq. recusa Londini, 1710.

xxi'i "The Translator's Preface.

all times in the several branches of the Protestant communions, (to whom this my dilcourfe is chiefly confined) from the beginning of the reformation, down to this piesent age. In thofe fouls the greatest mysteries of falvation have been preferved, and the principle of regeneration constantly handed down to fome of the posterity, when all the rest went a whoring from the true God, after the imaginations of their own heart. Thofe fouls make up that peculiar people of God, as the apostle styles them. They are a chofen generation, an holy nation, a royal priesthood, having the Ur'im and Thummhn fixed upon, nay, within their breast; and being no longer fervants, but friends^ they have fuch things made kiiOVv'n to them, as the Lord has heard of his Father. Thefe have been, and still are, the shining ornaments and supports, the glory, the light and the salt of the external communion wherein they live, though generally haled by the domineering multitude of formal hypocrites, and branded with the odious names oi fanatics and enthusiasts; it being the common lot of all those that are born after the Spirit, to be persecuted by those that are born after the flesh.

24. What particularly concerns the Lutheran church, to which the book here presented to the public leads -me, John Arndt was an ornament thereof in the beginning of the seventeenth century, endeavouring then to awaken people from their lifeless formality, into an inward sense of true Christianity, by restoring the doctrine of a living fnth, to its first integrity and practical application. But this would be too prolix a task, if I should offer to enumerate here at large, the labours of those persons, who, under the gracious influence of God, have all along borne up against the tide of such mistakes and prejudices, as in part have been taken notice of here. Some few hints relating both to our author, and to some others joining with him in reviving a sense of true Christianity, have been given elsewhere ;* to which, for brevity's sake, such readers are r\ovi referred, as perhaps are willing to know something of the present state of religion in other Protestant communions, and particularly of the late stirs among those of the confession of Augs- bourg, towards a revival of true Christianity. The translation of this frst volume, as it has been done by an English pen, so it is left to the English reader to judge of the performance. Perhaps something is lost in the translation, there being a certain, secret, and almost inimitable divine unction which accompanies some books in the reading, and which is scarce possible fully to transmit in any other words than those of the author himself. However, there have not been wanting witnesses among the learned, even in Great Britain, who having read it only in Latin, have expressed a high esteem and veneration both f^r the author and the book.

* See the Short Account of Pietism, added to the Abstract of Picta^ . Halknsis, p. 5. seqq. Edit. II. de Ann. 1707".

The Translator'' s Preface. ixlii

25. Of this number is the late learned and pious Dr. Worthington, who called our author another Salvian : And in the excellent preface to his exact translation of The Christian's Pattern^ introduces him as one of the brighcest lights of the reformed churches, (much the same among the Lutherans, as Thomas Kempis a with liis famous little Manual, was among the Papists,) "Whose business it was to convince men of their unchristian spirits and lives, and to awaken them to the minding of true chriitianity in life and power, that so they might not place the kingdom of God in meats and drinks, in mere opinions and outward observances, in a speculative and o//on<2/ Christianity, an unfruitful faith, a dry form of knowledge and godliness ; but might make it their great care to become really better, a people reformed in deed and truth ; to excel and outshine others in every grace and virtue ; to bhew forth the power of Christ's death and resurrection within them ; to crucify the old man, that the body of sin might be destroyed, and that they might rise up to a new life, the holy, harmless, sweet, and humble life of Christ : And that by living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present ivorld, they might adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, which is by the apostle styled the doctrine, or the truth after godliness. To such purposes and respects of true charity and piety, to the good and spiritual interest of souls, were the writings of this faithful servant of God (John Arndt) designed/'

26. This was the well weighed judgment of this great and worthy man concerning this present treatise, and the author of it. Then, having before compared him with Salvian among the ancients, and a Kempis among the moderns, he likens him in the last place, to the prophet Micajah, as to the hardness of his lot ; acquainting us, how " such a plain and sincere dealing met with gre.it oppositions and censurings, even among Protestants themselves ; but how unjustly and undeservedly, says he, has been observed by others."

27. As for the order into which the whole work is digested, the reader is to observe, that it contains four books. The first, he calls the book of scripture ; the second, the book oilife ; the tbirdt the book of conscience ; to which he subjoins the fourth, called the book ot nature. In the^rj/ of these, he demonstrates the scope of the scriptures to be the restoration of the human nature, from the fall it had in Adam ; and that for obtaining this great end, the reading of the scriptures ought not to be looked upon as a mere task en- joined by the laws of men ; but that they ought also to be inwardly digested, and really transcribed into the soul of a sincere christian. In the next, he (hews at large, how the whole life, practice, and power of the christian religion is to be entirely ^m-ud-^yVom Christ, viz. From his bitier passion, crucifixion, death, and resurrection. In the third book his design is, to explain the kingdom of God in the soul, und the divine principle of a regenerate conscience in its various motions and operations, with all that relates to the hidden

xxiv The Translator's Preface.

treasure and pearl of wisdom. And in the fourth, he is an interpreter of the Mosaical Genesis; shewing how the great world, and all things that are therein, do both bear witness of God, and lead us constantly to him

May the great Lover of souls grant his blessing to it for the end intended, and accompany it with his gracious workings in the heart of the reader, that he may obtain an inheritance among them that are sanctified in the truth!

1. HOW great and detestable the abuse of the holy gospel is, in these last dregs of the world, abundantly appears from the manners and conduct of those, that boast loudly of Christ, and of the purity of his word ; but lead at the same time, a life so profligate, and altogether so antichristian, as if they lived not among christians, but heathens themselves, and professed infidels. This dis- mal state religion is reduced to in an age wherein vice, and an empty hypocritical pretence, has got the ascendant every where, has prevailed vviih me at last to publifh this treatise ; for no other end than that tlaose who are as yet of a good will, and not quite carried away with the vogue or torrent of the times, may know at least, wherein true Christianity does consist; viz. In xhc demonstration of a true, lively, and practical faith, manifesting and ex- erting its life and energy by unfeigned godliness, and suitable fruits of righteousness ; the name of a Christian being given us, not only as we beUeve in Christ, but also as lue live in him, and as he again lives in us.

2. Moreover, I have undertaken to write this piece of Practical Christianity, that it may serve for an instruction, how true repentance must needs proceed from the inmost centre of the heart alone, how it entirely changes the mind and affections, together with the other faculties of the soul, and conforms in fine, the whole man. to Christ and to his holy gospel, renewing him day by day, into a ne-j} creature. For as every seed produces fruits of a similar nature,, and like to the seed itself ; so ought also the word of God to be the productive principle of plenty of spiritual fruits within us : And we ourselves ought to live constantly in the neiv birth, after being made once new creatures by faith in Christ. In a word : The whole intention and design of the book, is, to explain how Adam ought in us to die and Christ to live : It being not enough to know the word of God ; but if we know it, it must then also be expressed in our whole life and practice.

3. Many of those that now-a-days apply themselves to the study of divinity, suppose it to be a mere notional and speculative science, or some piece of polite learning so much in vogue among scholars : Whereas, it is rather a living experience and practical exercise of the soul. Almost every one, alas I that goes about this study, does it with no other prospect than to get the applause of men, and to become great and famous in the world '

ixvi The Author's Preface.

But how few are there that will answer the true design of dlvlnlt}', which is, that people should be made thereby thoroughly good and holy, and have their own will rendered conformable to the will of God! Thus is divinity itself, which should raise the mind far above these petty designs and selfish desires, turned into a means of promoting but the better, carnal ends and interests! Every one is now in quest of polite and learned men, by whom he may be instructed in arts, languages, and sciences: But hardly is there any one to be met with, that covets to learn from the true One, and only teacher and master, that great lesson of meekness and humility of heart; though it be an undeniable truth, that the holy exemplar of life which he has left us is the brightest pattern and safest rule to follow, and consequently the sublimest and most sovereign wisdom and art of arts, according to that of the poet:

The life of Christ all learning us doth teach: No human wisdom it can ever reach.*

4. There are not wanting now every where such men as would be thought ministers of the gospel and of Christ ; but there are exceeding few that are willing to be his followers also, or imitators of his life : at this rate, has the Lord many ministers, hut fe'of

followers! notwithstanding it be utterly impossible for any one to be truly a minister and lover of Christ, unless he be at the same time a follower of his life also, according to that: If any man serve me, let him follow me. If any one love Chiist, he must needs love also to copy after his most holy life, and to transcribe in his ' own life and conversation, the humility of Christ, his meekness and patience, his cross and contempt, his reproaches and insults, though they be never so sharp and afflicting to the propensions of a temper which never likes to be crossed by any opposition. And though we are not like to express to the full that sacred pattern of the blameless life of Christ, whilst we are in this state of our minority; yet it is meet that such a state should be loved, breathed after, and pursued with our utmost endeavours. And then surely we live in Christ, and Christ lives in us: For he that says, he abideth in him, ought himself also so to aualk, even as he ivalked.

5. Truly men are now-a-days so far fallen away from the substance of things, into some empty and slight appearances, that they will be more inqui-itive about learning, arts, and sciences, than about the love of God itself. They will seek to know every thing else, rather than to know Christ ; though this knowledge exceed in roal worth and dignity, all the wit, sciences, and arts of men, which without it must needs prove very barren, and altogether empty and fruitless. But then, (as I said just now) no man can be a true lover of Christ, except he be a follower also of the holiness of his life, and of the purity of his manners. But alas ! so great is the degeneracy of most men in this age, as to be even ashamed (j/* Christ, and of his life, and to count the meanness and lowliness

* Omnia nos Christi vita docere potest.

wherein Christ appeared, unbecoming the hfe and manners of the so called christians. And to these belongs that just, though severe reproof of our Lord: Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my ivords, in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, ivhen he cometh in the glory of his Father. And this is the true sense and character of our modern christians! Fain would they have for themselves such a Christ, as would be magnificent, splendid, wealthy, pompous, fashionable, and conformable to all the airs and humours of the age. If such a Christ were to be had, there would be multitudes ot followers resorting to him from all parts. But now they cannot away with a Christ that is poor and indigent, meek and humble, despised and rejected by a profane world. They cannot bring themselves to have a liking to such an one; no, not by any means i they care not either to receive him, or to profess and to follow him. Unto those therefore he will answer in that day — I never hnezu you. As you heretofore disdained to know me in my humility and meanness; so 1 do not know you now in your pride and worldly greatness. I knonv you not from rvhence you are. O terrible word I

6. Now this proflioaie life and overflowing corruption of our modern christians, as it is diametrically opposite to Christ, and to the religion by him established ; so it loudly provokes the wrath and judgments of God, which now begin to gather apace on all hands. So that almost all the creatures of God, heaven and earth, fire and water, seem to be made a weapon for revenging the affront and indignity offered to Christ, by the false and formal professors of Christianity : Nay, the whole frame and system of nature, moved as it were with a just indignation, groans under the bondage of corruption, ready to break to pieces at the abounding wickedness of the world. And this, you will say, must unavoidably be followed at last by floods of misery, by dearth, slaughter, and de- vastations ; by pestilence, and other contagious and destructive distempers.

7. Nor is there a stop here. For the last plagues already begin to rush in upon us with so uncommon a violence, and to crowd in one after another, that men will hardly be free at last from the revenging insults of any creature whatsoever. For as it was before the mighty deliverance of the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, when this nation was scourged with most dreadful plagues and afflictions ; so it shall be before the last glorious deliverance of the children of God out of this world, that grand and spiritual Egypt. With unusual, most dismal, and unheard of judgments, shall the impiety and unbelief of men be visited. And therefore it is time, nay, high time to enter upon an unfeigned course of repentance, whilst the tide of wickedness runs so high ; and to fet about the work of reformation in good earnest, whilst grace is offered, turning from the world to Christ, and by faith adhering to, and living in him : For thofe that '■'■ dwell in the secret place of the Most High shall abide safe under the shadow of the

sxvlii The Author's Preface.

Ahnighiy,'' and fecure the interest of their souls, in the midst of a profane and dissolute world. To which tends alfo the warning of our Saviour; " Watch therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to efcape all thefe things that shall come to j>ass." And that of David: " Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preferve them from this generation forever."

8. Now to prepare your mind, Friendly Reader, for fuch a faring change required by the gofpel of Christ ; this Treatife will furnish you with some practical instructions ^ or a sort of manuduction towards so important a work. It explains both the nature of faith, in order to obtain forgiveness of sin ; and the saving use of grace, in order to acquire that holiness of life, and reformation of manners, which is wont to adorn and to evidence true faith, whenever it is begotten within the heart. People greatly mistake, when they place religion in nothing else than in a mere verbal confession , or some outward shew and appearance of -ii formal devotion : Whereas it consists rather in a lively /?z/VA, attended with most substantial fruits of piety, and with a train of christian virtues, pro- ceeding from faith no othervrise, as from Christ himself, to whom faith is united. And so indeed, need there is that it should be. For since faith In itself is a good altogether unseen and hidden to the eyes of men ; it is but meet that it should display and manifest itself by fruits of righteousness, and hereby become, in a manner, visible to the eyes of others. For faith is an active principle in the mind, which by its close adhering to, and hearty embracing of Christ, fetches from him plenty of heavenly graces ; nay, righteousness and happiness itself.

9. Now whenever this faith is raised into a firm and constant expectation of such goods as are promised in the word of the gospel ; then faith has begotten hope. For what else is hope, but a patient and quiet expectation of enjoying in due time the goods that have been promised to faith ? The same goods being now, in some degree, attained by faith, and laid out again in charitable acts for the good of our fellow creatures ; then Charitv springs up from faith, which constantly reflects back upon the neighbour that love which it has received from God. Again, when faith sustains the examination or trial of the cross, and resigns itself qui- etly to the divine will and disposal ; we may then conclude, that Patience is brought forth by faith. But when faith either sighs under the burden of the cross, or returns thanks to God for benefits received ; we muft then pronounce Prayer to bud forth from the fruitful stock of true faith. Moreover, when the eye of faith is beholding God's power on one hand, and man's misery on the other, and is now comparing one with the other } then it will bow and prostrate itself before the divine Majesty : and then we may say, that Humility is the blefTed off- spring of the fame faith. When at last faith is put to an hearty concern, lest by any false step it lose again what once it has received: or, as the apostle's phrase is, when it " worketh out its salvation

The Author's Preface. xxlx

with fear and trembling," then the Fear of the Lord proves the genuine product of true faith, and adds the top-stone to the divine structure, so happily raised and carried on by a true believer,

10. And from this, 1 think it is manifeft, that all the christian virtues are really of the progeny of Faith, or, as it were, the children thereof inseparably attending that principle, from which they originally drew their first breath, life, and happinefs. I say, if they be but folid, lively, and true christian virtues, fprung up from God through Christ in the holy Spirit ; they then will never be feparated from faith, which, on the part of man, is the very begetting principle of them all, and makes them all return into God, as certainly as they, by the means of faiih, firft proceeded from him. From whence it follows, that no man, without faith in Christ, can perform any work acceptable to God. For, from whence is true hope, sincere charity, firm patience, fervent prayer, christian humility, filial fear of God, but from faith ? It is faith that fetches all this from Christ, that true, and unexhausted fountain of salvation. It derives from him righteousness itself, and all the fruits that are wont to accompany this righteousness.

11. But in this matter take heed left you perhaps intrude your own works and fmall beginnings of virtue ; nay, not even the very gifts of the new life, into the grand article of juftification. For before God there is no manner of account had of any man's work, merit, gifts, and virtues ; (let them in all appearance be never so bright and conspicuous) but of the all sufficient merit of Christ only, humbly laid hold on by faith. But this we have spoken of at large in the 5th, 19th, 34th, and 41st chapters of this first book, and in the three first chapters of the fecond, to which the reader is referred. See therefore, I say, that the righteousness of faith be not confounded at any rate, with the righteousness of the christian life, springing up from it : But that these two be carefully distinguifhed from each other ; the former being the basis of the latter, and these two taken together, the main hinges on which the whole life of a christian, in all its works and operations, must move. But then take care also on the other hand, lest, by a wrong and sinister application of this doctrine, your endeavours after a true holiness of life, be in any manner cooled or lessened. For, wherever a hearty concern for a daily growth in the practice of Christianity is wanting ; there faith itfelf is wanting alfo, whofe very nature and character is, daily to purify, to change, and to renew the heart. And therefore this work of repentance and mortification must be earnestly resolved upon ; it being utterly impossible for any one to relish the sweet and gracious infusions of the gospel of Christ, except he has tasted before the bitterness of a contrite fpirit, and of an unfeigned sorrow of heart ; according to that of the Lord : " The poor have the gospel preached to them." And — " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.'*

12. For how shall faith quicken and raise the heart into new. ness of lifci unless it be first deadened and mortified by serious con-

2ix The Author's Preface.

tritton and affected with a sorrowful sense of all the former sins and transgressions I And therefore I would h ive you by no means believe, as if repentance was so light and easy a matter, as our superficial professors suppose, who place the whole of their religion in being externally sober and righteous, and free from the foul and visible pollutions of the world. The sacred writers do not use soft and delicate, but earnest and grating expressions, whenever they set forth the intrinsic nature of repentance. The apostle commands us no less, than to *' mortify theflesb and the members -which are upon earth; to crucify the flesh -with its affections and lusts; to be crucijied to the ivorld, to be crucified tvith Christ; to present (or offer up) the body a living sacrifice; to die to sin, and to be dead nvith Christ,^' and the like. A.11 which exhortations of the holy apostle entirely tend to remove far from true Christianity, that delicacy and softness of mind, which is apt to indulge the flesh in its inordinate lusts and sinful propensities.

13. Nor do the holy prophets of old, when they describe repentance in its true and lively colours, use any softer or milder expressions ; thereby to mince, as it were, and to palliate the matter. No ! so far from that, their very words are as a hammer, to break in pieces, and as a fire to burn up whatever stands in its way. They require no less than a broken heart, and a bruised spirit. They will have the heart rent, and not the garments : They will have us turn to the Lord with fasting, with weeping, with mourning. But alas ! where is there to be found at this day, so much as the least footftep of such a repentance as this-* Christ himself will have us hate ourselves, deny ourselves, and forsake all that we have, if ever we have a mind to be his disciples and followers. And all these notable words, so full of strength and vigour, are made use of for no other purpose, than to make us go forth v/ith power and earnestness against the common enemy of souls, who is always busy to slack our hand in the important work of repentance. And of this anxious care and severe contrition, we have a most lively image afforded us in the penitential Psalms of David, to which I refer the reader for a fuller information about the practice of repentance. Not to mention here the terrifying menaces of a jealous God throughout the whole scripture, whereby the sinner is required 10 bring forth repentance, with all the fruits answerable thereto ; and this, on pain of being forever banished from the kind and glorious presence of God. And this impartial scrutiny of a man's own heart, together with the smart and exasperation of the law, is necessary, in order to make way for the sweetness, temperature, and mildness of the gospel of Christ, which, when these days of toil and labour are blown over, will most certainly take place in the soul, and, by exerting its own gentle operations, lead the penitent sinner into the easy, pleasant path of the love of God, strewed with plenty of evangelical promises, and displayed for his comfort in scripture.

The Author's Preface. Kxxi

But both one and the other works in us the self-same Spirit of God through his word.

14. This serious, bitter, and mx.z^n?\ penitence of the heart, together with the whole train of spiritual graces, the practice of faith and works of charity going along with it, is the main drift and subject of the book here published. For whilst it treats on faith, it cannot but touch also what is so nearly related to it : And this is love, the first and immediate offspring of faith. Ag^in : what proceeds from christian love must needs proceed from faith also, if we trace every thing up to its first source and original principle. One thing I must notice here. This is, that some of my readers might, perhaps, take offence at a {^■^ passages interspersed in this book, being fetched from the writings of D. Tauler, of Thomas a Kempis, and of some other pious and ancient authors, which at the first view may seem to attribute a little too much to the strength and ability of man in the work of conversion : (from which, nevertheless, all my books derogate.) Therefore I earnestly entreat the reader, that he would be pleased to ponder well the principal scope and main design of the whole treatise, without stopping or stumbling at a few particular expressions. Now the main scope of the whole book is no other, than to lay open on the one hand the secret and abominable depth of original corruption cleaving to mankind ; and on the other, to set forth Je^us Christ as the sole beginning, medium, and end of our whole conversion to God. This twofold consideration required to the aforesaid internal penitence of the heart, nuns through the whole composure of the book. As the first will influence us with a profound sense of our misery and nothingness, and make us even despair of our own strengtli and ability ; so will the other branch of this knowledge make us ascribe every thing that is really good to Jesus Christ, the great restorer of our happiness ; that he alone may be our All and our Whole, that he may work all in us, and live in us alone.

15. May the Lord by his holy Spirit enlighten us all, that we m.iy be found sincere and vi'ithout offence, both in fiith and life, until the day of Christ ; (which is at hand) being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God. Amen.

BOOK I.

CHAP. I.

EPH. iv. 23, 24, — Be ye renewed in the sjitrit of your minds: And put ye on the uenv?nan, which after God is created in righteousness^ and in true holiness, {or holiness oj" truth.)

§ 1. THE linage of God in man is the conformity of man's soul, of his spirit and mind, of his understanding and will, and of all his faculties or powers, whether spiritual or bodily, whether rational or sensitive, with the Divine Being, the Infinite Good; with all the divine attributes, virtues, and properties that can ever be imaged forth in a creature; with all the divine beauties, harmonies and lovelinesses; and, in a word, with the original pattern of the divine mind, and the perfect standard of that will from whence all righteousness and true holiness are derived. Now it appears manifestly, that man was at first created according to the image of God: And that this was after it had been first resolved upon, and in a solemn manner declared, by the Eternal Father, in union with his eternal Son and blessed Spirit, and with all his divine attributes, virtues, pov ers and properties; accord- ing as it is written; God said, that is, through the omnipotent WORD which was with Him in the beginning, even the Word that both was ivith God, and was himself God, he outwardly and substantially expressed his mind to this effect, viz. ^"^ Let us make man in our image, after our likeness," Gen. i. 26. Whereupon it immediately follows: So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him, according to

34 Of the Dhine Image in Man. Book I.

the resolution and decree, which was just before mentioned by the divine historian. And this now was the creating luor^, the overflowing power and hfe of the Godhfcid, which went forth as from the council of the Holy Trinity (if it be lawful so to speak) into nature, whereby the image thereof became reflected in man, and rest- ed upon man.

\ 2. And hence, by the testimony of the Holy Ghost, it is evident, that the Deity in Trinity implanted its image in man in the beginning; and that this was after such a manner, as the divine holiness, righteousness, and goodness might shine forth in his soul, and send forth light abundantly in his intellect, will and affections, yea, even in his very outward life also: And that all his actions, both interior and exterior, might consequently breathe nothing but divine love, divine power, and divine purity; and man might live upon earth, no other- wise than the blessed angels do in heaven, always doing the will of his heavenly Father.

§ 3. Thus man was made to lead a heavenly and angelic life upon the earth, and by an efflux of this god-like being and image in him, he had dominion also over all things in this elementary world; being for that end, but a little lovv'er than the angels, and even that, but for a littie while. Wherefore the creatures of the earth, sea and air, were universally put into subjection under him, that so he might rule them to his Creator's glory, by a divine virtue and power inherent in him: According to the express decree concerning him, whereby this was originally communicated together with, tliat image, saying, " Let them ha've cloininion over the fish of the sea^ and o'uer the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earthy and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.'''' So that all this is the consequence of man's being thus divinely formed, and sealed with the divine image and similitude, as a representative and vicegerent of God; whom he \\ as to have expressed continually in love, power and holiness. For God was delighted to honour him; and this image he had made in man, on purpose to take his delight in him, and rejoice, as it were, in his soul, with the joy of a bridegroom in his bride,

Chap. I. Of the Divine Image in Man. 35

and of a father in his child born after his image. For even as a man becoming a father, and beholding himself, or aiwtlier self, in his offspring, cannot hence but rejoice with an inward joy hardly to be expressed: So in like manner, God here becoming a Father, and beholding the express character of his person reflected in a living image of Him, or beholding himself in this his offsprings his rejoicing was thence " in the habitable part of his earth; and his delights "were ivith the sons of men,'''' as in whom he himself was represented. Thus God's chief pleasure was to be with man; in whom he rested as it w ere from all his labour: and our first parents and their posterity were to have alw^ays enjoyed this blessed communion, had they continued but in his likeness, and rested in him, and in his will, by placing their delight and pleasure in the original of this blessed image; which, as it was their beginning, w-as to be also their end. For though God rested in all his works, yet did he take singular and chief delight in man; because in him his di- vine image did most perfectly and transcendently appear: and did more eminently rest in him, than in them all, as in a sovereign master-piece of his creation; from which did shine forth the excellent glory in highest innocency, beauty and lustre.

\ 4. For this cause God planted three principal faculties in the soul of man; which are the understandings the ix)ill, and the memory; that in these three the manifestation of his glory might more fully and distinctly be set forth, according to the variety of the divine numbers and powers. These faculties, as an out-flowing from its original source and root, the Holy Trinity produces and preserves, sanctifies and illuminates, most beautifully decks and adorns with its divine graces, works and gifts.

\ 5. Now it is the property of every image whatsoever, to represent a like form and figure of that which is thereby imaged: Nor can it be thought worthy the name of an image, or similitude, unless it be like to that original, that it is to represent. For an instance whereof w^e may take a looking-glass, in which a man beholds his natural face, and views the reflected image of his ovi^n person.

36 Of the Dhinc Image in Man. Book I.

according to the degree and goodness of the said glass. For in this an image cannot appear, unless it draw a likeness from the object which is set before it: or unless it conceive as it m ere the form of the original which begets in it its own resemblance or picture, by a due re- flection of the light, where there is no impediment to obstruct the same. And consequently as by how much purer and clearer the mirror is, so much more clearly and evidently does the image of a human face appear therein reflected: Even so in like manner the more clear and pure the soul is, so much the clearer and brighter does the divine image, or the face of God in Christ, therein shew forth itself visibly.

\ 6. And therefore to this end the great and holy God created man altogether pure in the beginning, as an unspotted mirror of his brightness, without the least stain or blemish, being endued with such faculties, both of soul and body, as were then perfectly blameless and unreproveable: That so the Divine Image might in him be seen, not as a vain and lifeless shadow appears in a glass, but as a true and living image of the invisible God, and as the likeness of his inward hidden immense beauty. Thus was man then, I say, created after the similitude of the Divine Being, in perfect beauty; there being an image of the M'isdom of God in the understanding of man; an image of the goodness, meekness, and patience of God in the spirit of man; an image of divine love and mercy in the affections of man's heart; an image of God's righteousness and holiness, integrity and purity in the will of man; an image of his friendliness, his loveliness, his gentleness, his courtesy, and his veracity in all man's words and actions; an image of his almighty power in the dominion and government of man over the earth, and in the fear and subjection of all living creatures that was granted to him; and last of all, an image of God's eternity in the immortality of the soul.

\ 7. From this image man ought to have studied and learnt the knowledge of God and of himself: And this should have been done by him before all things. Out of this he might have known God his Creator and Former to be all things, the Being of beings, and the chief

Chat.!. Of the Dhine Image in Man. 37

and only Being, from whom all created beings have their existence, and in whom, and by whom all things that are subsist and have their being. Out of this his image he might also have known God, as the original of man's nature and fountain of his being, to be all that essentially^ whereof the image and representation was shadowed forth in himself. So then we arrive hereby to the knowledge, that God must be all those things after an essential and most perfect manner, which are in the glass of the human soul, as in a true and lively mirror of the Godhead, represented; for the manifestation of his hidden glory to man, and for the revelation in nature of the divine perfections before unmanifested: And that the image of these ought to shine out clearly in man, to the honour and praise of God, who has graciously vouchsafed herein to demonstrate, according to the riches of his infinite power and wisdom, the most vivid traces of his unutterable goodness.

\ 8. Therefore seeing that man was to carry in him the image of divine goodness, it thence follows, that God is the sovereign and universal goodness essentially: And consequently that he is essential love, essential life, and essential holiness. Wherefore also to God alone all worship, praise, honour, glory, magnificence, might, majes- ty, dominion, power and virtue are to be ascribed as his due; because he is all these essentially: But not any of all these is due to any creature, or to be given to any thing besides, either in heaven or in earth, but to God only. And hence it is, that when one came and said unto Christ, whom he took to be no more than a mere man, " Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal lije?^'' Christ said to him; " JVhy callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God;^^ that is to say, good essentially; know thou that but for God, and without God, no good can be: And what meanest thou then thus to call me good; seeinonone is strictly good, but God alone? And this may suflfice to have here hinted concerning the knowledge of God, as the same is derived from his image in man.

§ 9. Yet further it is to be noted, that man, out of this image of the Deity, should learn in the next place to know

38 Of the Dmne Image hi Man. Book I.

himself. He should know and reflect, that there is a vast difference between him and God; that the distance between the creature and the Creator must be beyond all conception great; and that in him there is no goodness at all, even in his best estate, but a likeness only or resemblance of the goodness itself, which can be no other than God. Man verily is not God, but God's image: And the image of God ought to represent nothing but God. God represented indeed himself in man; yet was not man therefore created a God by that: Nor was he made hereby a deity in this world, but after the likeness of the eternal Deity; that he might govern the same, not by his own, but by the power of God, as imaging and manifesting itself in his nature. In man, therefore, who is made the express similitude and portraiture of God, the very character and image of divine power, divine wisdom, and divine goodness; God alone should be seen, God alone should be glorified. Besides God nothing should hence live in man; besides God, I say, nothing should in man put forth itself; nothing but God himself should in him appear, operate, will, love, think, speak, act and triumjph. For if any thing else besides God move and work in man, then man cannot be the image of God: but he is become the image of tJiat whatever it be, which now moves and works in him; and is his representative by whom he is acted, driven, and carried away in such a strange manner. If man therefore would be and continue the image of God, there is a necessity for him to surrender up himself wholly to God, after the most passive manner: and so quietly to suffer God to do and work all things in him, even as he wills. Whence, by denying his own proper will, man ought in all things, without reserve, to fulfil the divine will by a most true and perfect passive obedience; as one resigned, devoted, and absolutely given up to God, in whom only he wishes to live. This truly is a divine accomplishment, and is begotten of God, to the end, that man may be a most pure and holy instrument of his divine Majesty, and of his works and will. Whereby it now comes to pass that man does not move his own will, but has the divine will instead of

Chap. I. Of the Dhine Image in Man, S9

his own; does not love himself, but Godv; does not seek his own honour, but God's; does not challenge either inward or outward good to himself, but refers all to the original Good; and being contented to possess God, is consequently without the love of th&. world. Thus should it indeed have been with man, who ought to have freely rendered himself to be the organ of the divine operations: and to have stripped himself for this, of all self-propriety, and self-activity, that so God might be all in him, and do all in him, by his holy Spirit. To conclude then, nothing was to be, live, and work in man, but purely God alone, and his word.

\ 10. And herein consisted man's perfect innocence, purity, and sanctity. For what greater innocency can there be, than that man should not do his own proper will, but the will of his heavenly Father? Or w^hat greater purity can there be, than that man suffer God in him to work and finish all things according to his pleasure? Or w hat greater sanctity, than for man to be as a well-tuned instrument of the Holy Ghost, the fountain of sanc- tification? Behold, here are innocency and simplicity in perfection. This is the highest innocency to be wholly without self-will. This also is the highest simplicity, to be simplified as a little child, in whom the world has not yet imaged or portrayed itself.

\\\. In such child-like innocency and simplicity, man ought to have stood in absolute obedience to God: and God should have ruled in him without a competitor, bringing all man's faculties and powers into subjection to his sceptre of righteousness and peace; whereby a triumphant joy in the divine image would have also arisen in him, and God would have taken delight in him, as in a beloved son. Thus should the kingdom of God have been in man, both without and within, and the tabernacle of God with the glory thereof, would have ever been with man; had he but made such a total surrender of himself, in all passiveness of spirit, and true filial resignation, as the nature of this kingdom absolutely iequires.

} 12. Of which kingdom of God in man, by an entire, unlimited subjection to the sovereign will of his Father,

40 Of the Dhine Image in Man. Book I.

our Lord Jesus Christ, the most complete and absolute image of God, was, in his human capacity, a most perfect example while he lived upon earth: For as much as he sacrificed and consecrated his will to God his Father, in perfect obedience, saying, "Lo, I come to do thy will;" and in perfect humility and meekness, saying, " O, my Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt;" and, in consequence of this his consecration, by the oblation of his will, freely despoiled himself of all honour and esteem; of all interest and self-love; of all pleasure and joy, permitting God alone to think, speak, and do every thing in him, by himself alone. In a word, he had always, as man, the will and pleasure of God, for his own; which God himself testified by a voice from heaven, saying, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matt. iii. 17.

\ 13. This Jesus Christ, blessed forever, is the true image of God, in whom, and out of whom, nothing did appear and shine, but God himself; and from whom, nothing but godlike manifestations flowed forth; such as love, mercy, long-suffering, patience, meekness, gentleness, affection towards mankind, righteousness, holiness, consolation, life, and blessedness everlasting. For by him, the invisible God was willing to be seen, manifested, and made known to men. And furthermore he is, after a yet more sublime manner, the image of God; that is, according to his divinity, as being very God himself, or his essential image, and so, God of God, and no less than the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person, in the infinite splendour of the uncreated light. Of which, I have nothing at this time to say; my design being here only to speak of him as he conversed, and lived in his holy humanity, when he dwelt upon the earth.

\ 14. In such an holy innocence as this, was the image of God also in Adam, our father, at the beginning, which he should, in true meekness and obedience, have kept. And carefully for that end, he was to have watched over it, so that he might not be tempted or surprised, for the sake hereof, to think of himself, as if he were some-body, or were to be to himself the chief good:

Chap. I. Of the Dh'me Image In Man. 41

But that hence he might reflect on himself, as the image only of the chief good, and as a mn-ror of the Godhead, made purposely to receive the reflection of the divine form. But, alas! he did not consider tliis as he ought, but chose rather to be this good to himself; that is, to be as God; he fell thereby into the greatest and most abominable of all evils, being deprived of this inestimable image, and so alienated from that communion of God, which, by virtue of it, he had before enjoyed.

. By all which it may appear, how man ought to have arrived, by beholding in himself this image, to the knowledge of himself; and how he ought therefore to have considered himself as the image only, without ever attempting to set up himself for an original, or to be the author and fountain of his own happiness, in like manner as God is. But there is remaining besides, another part of the knowledge of man's self through the divine image, which is greatly to be desired. And this is, that man was made capable by God, of all the manifold benefits of this marvellous image; or that there was a capacity in the human soul, to receive and reflect the divine goodness, and take in all beautiful forms from the essential word of God, wherein they are all contained, and whence they are all manifested and propagated. Now the knowledge of this is no less important than the former; for, as that is the ground of humility, so this is of faith. Wherefore, being rooted in humility, by the sincere knowledge of our own utter disability to eflTect any good for ourselves, by our having no more at best, but an image of the One Good; we ought also to be rooted in faith, to the glory of God, even in the faith of his divine operation; to the end, we may not miss of the good gifts which accompany the same. For it is no mean part of wisdom by faith, to understand, that man was made capable of all the benefits of this divine image, and together with it, of sincere and unmixed delight; of solid and pure pleasure; of flowing and melting love; of godlike peace and tranquillity; and of all the fruits of the Holy Ghost: And to know thence the revelation of the glorv of God in man, even as it is in the angels of

42 Of the Dhine Image in Mmi. Book I.

heaven. And this is a knowledge truly to be desired, which brings that peace which passes knowledge, being no less than the peace of God himself in the soul, as in his beloved image: And therewith, spiritual fortitude, power, wirtue, dominion, majesty, harmony, life, and light, which are not to be separated from this divine image. In consequence of which, it is plain, that God alone should in man have been all things, and that man, by virtue hereof, would have been the tabernacle of God, so long as this heavenly image abided in him.

§ 16. Now had self-will been excluded, this could not have departed from him: And this abiding, God cannot but live and work in the creature; forasmuch as he cannot deny his own image. That God therefore may fill man, made after his image, it behooves man, before all things, to be emptied of himself, even as Christ Jesus emptied himself, when he made himself for us, of no reputation, by taking upon him the form of a servant; and to humble himself as much as possible, and become obedient with him unto death. So indeed it should be with man, made in the likeness of his Creator, and the love, and honour, and praise of himself, being thus excluded, only God should be his glory, his praise, his honour and worship. For eveiy like is capable of its like, not of its contrary; and therein rejoices, and is glad. So man, being in the likeness of God, must thereby have been capable of God, to whom he was like: And being capable to receive God into him, he should not have received the creature, or the image of the creation; but should have rested in God only, and in him continually rejoiced. And in this wise, God had decreed to infuse himself into man, \vith all the treasures of his goodness; seeing that goodness is most of all communicative of itself.

§ 17. Lastly, by the image of God, man ought to understand how that he is, by means of it, united to God, and how that in this union man's true and everlasting union rests. And to know also, that as on one side, the union of God with the soul is its chief tranquillity, and only true rest, from which, peace, joy, life, and happiness, eternally flow; so on the other side, the chief

Chap. II. Of the Fall. 43

restlessness and torment of the mind, with all vexation of spirit, cannot happen other\\^ise, than by the breach of this union, or by ceasing to be the image of God; which* is, by man's turning himself to the creature, whereby he is deprived of the chief and eternal Good, from which, for the sake of the creature, he is turned away.

CHAP. II.

Rom. v. 19. — As by one man's disobedience many were made sijinera, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

\ 1. THE fall of Adam was disobedience to God; whereby man turned himself away from God, towards himself, and robbed God of his honour, in that he himself thought to be as God: But while he ^vas seeking thus to make himself a god, because he was but a thief, and a robber of the divine honour, he was therefore stripped of the divine image, divested of the perfect hereditary righteousness, and spoiled of that holiness which comes from God; being thenceforth, as to the understanding, dark and blind; as to the ^vill, stubborn and refractory against his Maker; and as to the powers and faculties of the ^vhoIe heart and spirit, universally alienated from God; and so from a favourite, turned to be his enemy.

\ 2, Now this abomination is in all men propagated, and is spread throughout the whole mass, by means of fleshly generation: and thence, by inheritance, it passes into them all, not W'ithout a certain necessity of nature. The plain consequence of \Ahich is, that man is hereby become spiritually dead, and is made the child of wrath and damnation, until he be redeemed out of this miserable state by Christ. Let not then any of them that are called christians, here deceive themselves; but let them take heed, how they go about to lessen or extenuate the transgression of Adam, in whom they are fallen, as if it were nothing more than some little ' peccadillo, a poor

44 Of the Fall. Book I.

trifle, or the eating of an apple at worst. But rather let them assuredly think and believe, that the guilt of Adam, as well as of Lucifer, was, that he fain would be as God; that it was the same transgression in them both; that it was the same, most grievous, most heinous, and most detestable crime in one, as in the other; the same wicked apostasy, the same vile treason, and the same tyranni- cal affecting and usurping the rights of the divine Majesty, even to be as God.

^ 3. This apostasy (for indeed nothir.g less was it) was first begotted in the heart: And being there conceived, -vvas afterward, by eating the forbidden fruit, brought forth. Of which, there is a very lively similitude set before us, in the crime of Absalom, as in a picture for us to reflect on. For first, Absalom was the son of the king; and Adam is called the son of God. Secondly, there was none so praised as he for his beauty; and the beauty of Adam, in the likeness of God, was above that of all the visible creatures. And thirdly, he was the favourite of his father; and Adam might be termed in like manner, God's favourite. Now herein then did the fall of Absalom, and his sin against his father, consist, in that he m as, in his heart, first turned away from his father, towards himself; and thence forgetting the high prerogatives which he, as a son, did enjoy from him, was for setting up himself instead of his father, who loved him so tenderly. And therefore not contented to be the king's son, nor to be the most beautiful and accomplished person that eye almost could behold, so that in all his father's kingdom, there was none so much admired as he, for the fineness of his person; forasmuch as from the very sole of his foot, even to the crown of his liead, there was no blemish in him; nor lastly, to be the most dear and beloved one of his father, even the darling of his heart, as it did evidently appear from his father's tears and lamentation for him, which the history records: I say, not being contented \wi\h this glory, he plotted to usurp even the royal dignity itself, from his king and his Father; and having once entertained and conceited in*his mind, such a thought as this, he began

Chap. II. Of the Fall .45

afterward to profess himself openly the enemy of him that begat him, and to lay snares for his very life.

\ 4. So in like manner man, \\hen in honour, knowing not how to rest satisfied, in that he was numbered even among the sons of God; in that he came forth from the hands of the Almighty, both in body and soul, without blemish, and was one of the greatest master-pieces of beauty in the creation; and lastly, that he was (not only a son, but) the darling of God, and his delight; would, as if all this were a little matter, needs be for scaling heaven, that he might be yet higher, and nothing less would serve him, than to set up himself for God too. Whereupon he conceived in his heart, an enmity and hatred against God, his Creator and Father, whose throne and dignity he began foolishly to affect; being disposed, had it been in his power, even utterly to un- ,8:od him, and drive him forever out of the world; that the terror of Him might not remain upon him. Now who could ever commit a sin more detestable than this? Or what could there be thought of, even more abominable?

\ 5. Hence after this, man became inwardly like the devil, bearing his express likeness in heart and mind; since both the one and other of them had now sinned the same sin, had committed the same high crime, as traitors against the Majesty of heaven. No longer does man now carry upon him the image of God; but the portraiture of the devil. Nor any longer is he after this, the instrument of God and his Spirit; but the organ of the devil and his spirit, and so is thereby capable of all manner of devilish wickedness. And thus man losing the image that \\as heavenly, spiritual, and divine, became altogether earthly, fleshly, and brutish, yea, devilish. For the devil, that he might imprint and seal his own image upon man, cunningly soothed him up, and by a train of enticing and deceitful words, so charmed him, and prevailed on him, as to let him sow in him his seed, which is called the seed of the serpent; by which seed, I chiefly underst^uid, self-love or self-will; and the ambition of being as God, that is, an affectation of supremacy, or of God-head.

46 Of the Fall. Book I.

\ 6. Hence it is, that the holy scripture calls, not without ground, those that are drunk and intoxicated with self-love, the generation of vipers, or the serpent's offspring; and all those who are of a proud and devilish nature, the seed [and progeny] of the serpent. Wherefore, I will put enmity, saith God, between the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman: Or " between thy seed," speaking to the serpent, " and her seed."

\ 7. Now out of this seed, this viper's seed, there is nothing else can shoot forth, nor should any thing be expected, but deadly and horrible fruit; since nothing else from such a seed as this can ever proceed, but what is most terrible: such as is the image of Satan, the offspring of Belial, and the children of the devil; for it is here even as it is in all other seeds. And just as there are in any other seed, no matter how small soever it be, contained after a wonderful and hidden manner the nature and properties of the whole plant or vegetable; the perfect standard and dimensions of its nature; the thickness, the length, the breadth thereof, and all its propor- tions in miniature, as also the branches, the leaves, yea, the flowers: And in a word, the very whole make and tree, with all the numberless fruits thereof. Even so in the same pestilent and deadly seed of the serpent, that is in Adam's self-love and disobedience, which, by fleshly generation, has passed into all his posterity, as by inheritance, there lies hid the tree of death, or the great death-bearing tree, with all its branches, its leaves, and its flowers; also with the innumerable fruits of unrighteousness growing on it: And in short, within it secretly lies the whole image of Satan, together with all the notes, characters, and properties of that diabolical image.

§ 8. Again consider, I pray, but with attention, a little infant in his mother's arms; and observe in him, how even from the cradle, yea, from the very womb, this natural corruption begins to display itself; and how especially self-will and disobedience will here discover themselves, by breaking forth early into act, and witnessing to the hidden root from whence they proceed. Con- sider him as he shall grow up, take notice of him step by step, and observe in the young strippling, a natural

Chap. II. Of the Fall. 47

selfishness, and inbred ambition, an appetite for worldly glor)', a lo\'e of applause, a pursuit of petty revenge, a disposition to lying, dissimulation, and other such like qualifications.. Then there comes a troop. And you may now observe in him, conceitedness, arrogancy, pride, blasphemy, vain oaths, direful curses, frauds, cheats, scepticism, infidelity, contempt of God and of his holy word; with disobedience to parents and magistrates: yea, moreover, wrath, contentiousness, hatred, envy, revenge, murders, and all kinds of cruelty whatever, especially if outwai d scandals and occasions do but present themselves, which do the office, of midwives, as it were, to the birth of the Adamical corruption: call forth into act the diabolical seed, and nourish, and serve upon all turns, the itch of depraved nature.

§ 9. Since by this means, there may in him be seen to sprout out wantonness, unclean thoughts and imaginations, filthy discourses, polluted gestures, and all the works of the flesh: You shall see also breaking out in him, as occasions are further presented, drunkenness, rioting, and all manner of intemperance both in food and raiment, with fickleness, humoursomeness, and delicateness; and all that may please, either the lust of the eye, or the gust of the palate, with the pride of life. And besides, you may observe covetousness, extortion, tricking, under-hand practices, counterfeits, sophistications, impos- tures, undermining of another's business: all the mystery of knavery, cozenage in trade, stock-jobbing, and the like. And to conclude in a word, the whole troop, or rather whole army of wickedness, villanies, and crimes, so various and manifold, as it is impossible to declare, or tell the number thereof; according to that of the prophet: "The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked," [bringing forth abundar.tly the fruits of sin and death] " who can know it?" and if to these, in the last place, there be added likewise the seducing and false spirits, then may you observe schisms in the church, wicked and dangerous heresies, yea, the forswearing of God and Christ, the denial of the faith, the hatred and persecution of the trudi, and

48 Of the Fall. Book L

even the very sin against the Holy Ghost; with all kinds of corruptions in doctrine, perversions of the scripture, and very dreadful delusions. All which are nought else but so many fruits or births of the serpent's seed in man, and the very image of Satan.

\ 10. But now, who could ever have once suspected at the first, that in such a young, \veak, litde puny infant, such a sink of all manner of wickedness and impiety should be? Or that he should have such a basilisk lie within him unseen? or, that such a wicked and pestilential heart could lie hid in such a seemingly innocent babe? I say, who could have ever once thought this, unless man himself, by his sinful, and nauseous, and abominable life, by the imagination of his thoughts, being only evil continually, and desperately bent to that which is wicked, did not of his own accord bring forth the same to light, and from his childhood, and so forward, abundandy express and branch forth what was be- fore hidden, as in a little seed!

§ 11. O root, most vile, and most accursed! from whence there grows up after this manner, the tree of evil, bearing for fruit all manner of plagues, after its kind! O seed of the serpent, and spawn of vipers, most dreadful, most hateful! out of which so abominable a monster, so deformed and so foul an image is nourished secretly within, and thence buds forth, according as invited and assisted by outward temptations and opportunities, or as conceived by scandals. And this might very well be the reason why the blessed Jesus was so careful, as strictly to forbid, that any should, by their bad example, scandalize or offend little children; gs considering, that in them the seed of the serpent lies hid; and the original principle, or beginning of all wickedness and abominations, is thereby hiddenly fomented and cherished, much after the same manner as poison in some deadly and venomous worm.

\ 12. Learn therefore, O man, to know the sin of thy father Adam, and the original corruption of mankind I learn, if thou art wise, to discern it in thyself: look into the same, not slightly or carelessly, but deeply, and as

Chap. II. Of the Fall 49

the importance of the matter well deserves. For this infection is greater, this depravation deeper, this contagion more fatal than thou canst express with words, or even reach unto in thy thoughts. This corruption in thee is greater than the understanding of a man can pierce into. Know thyself! and deeply consider what thou art, O man, since that apostasy of thy first father; namely, how thou art transformed into the image of the devil, from the image of God, and so art become as an abridgment of all the devilish nature and hellish properties, being made like unto Satan himself in all malice and ungodliness. For,

\ 13. As in the image of God, all the divine virtues and properties are contained, and even the very nature of God; even so in this image of the devil, which man by turning himself away from God, and setting up himself to be, as it were, a God to himself; all the diabolical vices and properties are contained, with the very nature of the devil.

§ 14. Moreover, as before the fall, man bore the image of the heavenly Adam; that is, was altogether heav- enly, spiritual, angelical, and divine: even so, since the apostasy, he carries about him the image of the earthly Adam; and so is inwardly, and in the ground of his being, made wholly earthly, carnal, and bestial. Lo! he is become as one of the beasts of the field. For what, O fallen man, is thy wrathfulness? and to whom does it more properly belong, to a lion or to a man? and as for that envy of thine, with that greediness, doth not both one and the other evidently betray in thee the nature of a dog, and of a wolf? And for thy uncleanness and gluttony, do they not tell thee, that thou carri- est a swine within thee?

§ 15. Nay, didst thou rightly look into thyself, thou wouldst find certainly within thine own breast, more yet; thou wouldst make a discovery there of a whole world filled with unclean and hurtful beasts: And even in the very tongue alone, that little member, according to St. James, Chap. iii. 5. A lake and sea of pestilen- G

50 Of the Fall. Book I.

tial creeping things, Isa. xiii. 21, 22. Rev. xviii. 2. The habitation of satyrs, and hold of every foul spirit, the cage of every unclean and hateful bird, and in a word, a " v^orld of iniquity," James iii. 6. Yea, very often we make such a progress in wickedness, as we surpass in wrath and fury, the beasts of prey; in envy and snarling, the dogs; in griping and ravenousness, the wolves; in subtlety and cunning, the foxes; in virulency and malice, the basilisk; and in filthiness and obscenity, the swine. And by reason of this brutish nature, under a human form, it was that Christ named Herod expressly a fox; and the unholy, in general, dogs and swine; to whom it is not therefore fit to give that which is holy, as who deserve not to have pearls cast before them.

\ 16. Now whosoever shall not correct this infernal corruption of his nature, that cleaves so very closely to him, and be renewed in Christ Jesus, but dies in such a state as is that of the bestial man by us now described; such a one, I say, must retain forever this bestial and satanical nature, and abide perpetually arrogant, haughty, proud, and devilish: He will remain a cruel lion, an envious dog, a greedy wolf, a filthy swine, a venomous worm, and a poisonous basilisk. And when he shall have neglected the time of his purification here, he shall carry about with him perpetually, in the blackness of darkness, the image of Satan impressed upon him, for a testimony, that while he ^vas in the world, he lived not in Christ, neither was renewed in him after the image of God, according to that of the holy Revelations, Chap. xxi. 8, xxii. 15. " Without are dogs, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."

Ghap. III. Of the Restoration, . 51

CHAP. ^^^Ik

OF THE RESTORATION BY CHRIST. Shewing how Man is renewed in Him to Life everlasting.

§ 1. THE new birth is a work of the holy Ghost, whereby man, of a child of wrath and damnation, is made the child of grace and salvation, and of a sinner, is made righteous through faith, . the word and the sacraments: So that his heart, with all the powers and faculties of his soul, more particularly the understanding, will, and aifections, are renewed, enlightened, and sanctified in Christ Jesus, and formed after his express like- ness, to be a new creature. And this consists of two principal parts, the one of which we call justification, and the other we call sanctiji cation. Both which the apostle has thus excellently expressed: "The kindness and love of God toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy, saving us by the washing of re- generation and the renewing of the Holy Ghost."

\ 2. So that the birth of every christian is twofold; and none can enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he must be born t\\ ice. The first birth is after the flesh; the second after the Spirit; the first from beneath, the" second fiom above; the first natural and earthly, but the second supernatural and heavenly. The one is camal, sinful, and accursed, as descending from the first Adam, by the seed of the serpent, after the similitude and image of the devil; and by that is the earthly and bestial man propagated. But the other is spiritual, holy, and blessed, as descending from the second Adam, by the seed of God, after the likeness and living representation of the Son of God; and by this is the heavenly and spiritual man propagated. This is the "renewing of the Holy

52 Of the Restoration. Book I.

Ghost," and the true sanctification, which follows the washing of regeneration, by which is given the seal of justification. Thus by this new and second birth, this happy and blessed regeneration through Christ, the new creature is formed, the seed and image of God is manifested in nature, and the man of God, so heavenly and like unto God, is, after a spiritual manner, begotten and produced. For even as the stem of old Adam is in us, so it is necessary also, that the new stock, progeny and kindred of Christ, be as truly in us.

S 3. And hence it comes, that as there is a twofold generation, line and pedigree, so there may be said to be two men as it were in orie and the same numerical person: And thus in the regeneration, every Christian tru- ly carries these two about him; that is, the fleshly lineage of Adam, and the spiritual lineage and offspring of Christ proceeding from faith. Because as the old birth of Adam is in him by nature, even so the new birth of Christ must also be in him by grace, working through faith. And this is that old and new man, the old and new birth, the old and new Adam, the earthly and heavenly image, the old and new Jerusalem, the flesh and the Spirit, Adam and Christ in us: Lastly, the outward and inwaid man.

\ 4. Now then let us see how we are regenerated by Christ: Even as the old birth is propagated carnally from Adam, so the new spiiitually from Christ, through the word of God; which word is like unto the seed of a new creature. "For we are born (saith St. Peter) not of a corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever." And thus blessed James, " He of his own will begat us by the (word of his faith, or) by the word of truth; that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures."

\ 5. This word produces faith, which faith apprehends in like manner the word, and in that word is ap- prehended Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost; and by that holy virtue, force and efficacy, the man is born again, or regenerated. Briefly, regeneration is effected, first by the Holy Ghost, and this Christ calls the

Chap. III. Of the Restoration. S^

being born of the Spirit. Secondly, by faith, whence it is said, " He that beUeveth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." Thirdly, by baptism; as it is also written, " Except a man be born again oi water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." Of which things let us see further.

\ 6. By Adam man came by the principal evils, such as sin, abomination, wrath, death, devil, hell, and damnation; for these ail are the fruits of the old descent, na- ture and original: But in Christ again man recovers, and receives the chief good, such as righteousness, grace, blessing, power, heavenly life, and eternal salvation. From Adam man has a carnal spirit, and is subject to the rule and dominion of wicked spirits: But from Christ, he has the holy Spirit with his gifts, and a most quiet reign and peaceable kingdom: For such as the spirit of a man is, even such is his original nativity and property; which is a thing known but to few: " For ye know not what spirit you are of," saith Christ. Thus from Adam man has an arrogaiit spirit, a haughty, swelling and most proud spirit; and if he have a desire to be born again, anelto be renewed in Christ, then it will be, in the first place, necessary for him to receive a humble spirit, to admit into his heart a plain, a meek, and a simple spirit from Christ, and this by faith. Thus also from Adam we, by natural generation, receive an unbelieving spirit, yea, blasphemous also, and abominably ungrateful; and therefore it behoves us, by faith in Christ, to attain a believing spirit, which may be faithftil, acceptable and well pleasing unto God. From Adam likewise a disobedient, a fierce, and a rash spirit is given us; but it is from Christ we take the spirit of obedience, the spirit of gentleness and modesty, the spirit of meekness and prudence, through faith in him. Again, from Adam we by nature possess the spirit of wrath, of hostility, of revenge, and of murder; but fi"om Christ, by faith, in the place thereof, is gotten the spirit of long-suffering, love toman, mercifulness, forgiveness, & universal goodness itself, which is charity. From Adam, moreover, by our nativity and carnal oft'spring man has a covetous

54 Of the Restoration. Book I.

heart and a spirit that is churlish, seeking only his own private commodities and petty profits, and snatching and catching at that which is another man's, but from Christ, by faith, there is obtained the spirit of mercy, of piety, of generosity and liberality. Furthermore, from Adam, by carnal propagation, proceeds the spirit of unchastity, shamefulness, uncleanness, and intemperance; against which, it is meet to seek to obtain, by spiritual generation from Christ, a chaste spirit, pure, clean and temperate: And also from Adam is communicated to man a lying spirit, a spirit speaking nothing but falsehood and calumny; whereas from Christ, he participates the spirit of truth, integrity and constancy. And lastly, from Adam there passes to us the spirit of the beasts, which is earthly and brutish: And contrariwise, there is to be conceived by Christ, a spirit from heaven, which is altogether celestial arid divine; and for that cause it behoved Christ to take our human nature on him, to the end he might be conceived by the Holy Ghost, and so abound with the same spirit above measure, that of his fulness we might all receive: Yea, for this very cause it was convenient that the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of God, should rest upon him, as saith the prophet Isaiah, that so the human nature in him and by him, should be renewed; and that we in him, and by him, and through him, might become a new creature, by receiving from him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, for the spirit of foolishness and sottishness; the spirit of counsel for that of madness; the spirit of fortitude, for a base and cowardly spirit; the spirit of knowledge, in room of our natural and inbred blindness; and the spirit of the fear of the Lord, instead of the spirit of impiety and atheism. In which permutation consists the whole new life, and the fruit of the new creature.

\ 7. For as in Adam we are all spiritually dead, neither can we expect other than death, and the works of darkness itself: Even so in Christ, we must be raised again to the works of light. As by carnal generation we

Chap. III. Of the Restoration, 55

entered into the sin of Adam; so by faith, through Christ, we must attain to righteousness. As by the flesh of Adam, pride, covetousness, hist, and all kind of uncleanness are conceived, born, and grow up to maturity in us; so by the Spirit of Christ, our nature ought to be renewed, sanctified, and purged from all pride, covetousness, lust, and envy. And it is needful that we, from Christ, should draw a new spirit, a new heart, a new sense and mind, in the same manner as we drew from Adam our fleshly mind and heart, subject to sin.

\ 8. And, moreover, as by regeneration Christ is our Father, and is eternal; (whence he is called the everlasting Father) we are renewed in Christ to life eternal, we are after his likeness regenerated by Christ, and we are m Christ become new creatures. And by this regenerated birth, it is necessary that works should flow and proceed, which, by faith, may please God: and the works that please him must be all of the new birth; must all flow out of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost, and out of faith unfeigned.

§ 9. So henceforth we live in the new birth, and the new birth lives in us; so we are in Christ, and Christ in us; so last of all, we live in the Spirit of Christ, and the Spirit of Christ lives in us. Thus regeneration, and the fruits thereof, St. Paul calls to be " renewed in the spirit of our mind, to put off" the old man, to be transformed into the image of God:" And again, to be "re- newed, and knovv-'n, according to the image of him that created us:" Also " regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Ghost." Last of all, it is called the taking away the stony heart, and giving us a heart of flesh. And by this it appears, how by the incarnation of Jesus Christ, man's regeneration proceeds: And how, as man out of ambition, pride, and disobedience, turned himself from God: This apostasy could not be done away, but by the extreme humility, lowliness, and obedience of the Son of God. For as Christ in his conversation, on earth among men, was most humble, so it is necessary that he should be the same in thee, O man! to live in thee, aivl to renew the image of God in thee.

56 Of the Restoration, Book I,

\ 10. See now, and behold the most amiable, the most lowly, the most obedient, and the most patient Jesus, and learn of him, live even as he lived; live in him. For what was the cause he so lived? Truly it was this, that he might be thy example, thy glass, thy book, and the rule of thy life. He, even he only is the right rule of life. It is not the rule of St. Benedict which is the rule of our life; not the rule of any man whatsoever, or how holy soever is this rule; but the pattern of Christ only, M'hich all his apostles and evangelists have, after him, with one consent, set before us for our imitation. This, this is what they did alone point at. And this is 'the most mystical ground of his passion, death, and resurrection; even that thou, O man! together with him, shouldst die from thy sin: And again, in him, with him, and by him rise spiritually, and walk in newness of life, even as he walked; of which argument thou shalt see more hereafter, God willing.

. Now therefore we see how our regeneration arises out of the salutary fountain of the passion, death, and resurrection of our dear Lord Jesus Christ: whence St. Peter says, " God has begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead: " ' And the holy apostles every where lay the foundation of repentance, and of the new life, in the passion of Christ; particularly St. Peter and St. Paul: For if we be dead with Christ, because he that is dead, is justified from sin, we have then faith, as the latter of these argues, that we shall also live with him, and in him, and death shall then have no more dominion over us, we being dead unto sin, but alive unto God, through the life of Christ in us; and therefore has the former likewise given this express charge, that we "pass the time of our sojourning here in fear; forasmuch as we know we are not re- deemed with corruptible gold and silver; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" where you seethe most precious ransom paid for our redemption, to be urged as the cause and motive for our holy conversation. And the same St. Peter v/rites afterward how " Christ his own

Chap. IV. Of true Conversion. 57

self bare our sins in his own body on the cross, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by IV hose stripes we are healed." And Christ also himself saj^s, "Thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name." V 12. By all which it is manifest, that from the fountain of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, flow the christian's true rule and pattern; and that thereby repentance and forgiveness of sins are best preached to us in his name and nature. And so the passion of Christ is both the satisfaction for our sins, and also the renewing of our nature by faith; the one out\\ardly, the other invvardly; both which together, and at once, are lequired by God to the redemption and reparation of mankind; because this last is the fruit, and the true and proper efficacy of the passion of Christ, working in us powerfully the renovation and sanctification of lapsed nature. This, to conclude, is the means whereby we are born again, born from above, and reiiewed in Christ: neither is the laver of regeneration any other thing, wherein we are baptized into the death of Christ; but the dying with Christ from our sins, by the help and efficacy of his precious death, and tl^e rising from sin by the grace of his glorious resurrection.

CHAP. IV.

What true Repentance and Conversion is; and how the Cross and Yoke of Christ are to be understood.

GAL. V. 24. — They that are Christ's have crucified the Jlesh, with the affections and lusts.

\ 1. REPENTANCE is the work of the Holy Ghost wrought in the soul, by which man, acknowledging his fiuilts through tlie law, and therewith the most just wrath of God against sin, does earnestly grieve for the same, and wishes with all his heart, not to have committ- H

58 Of true Cornier sion. Book I.

ed those things that he has done; and then through the gospel, understanding the grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ, obtains thereby the remission of his sins. And by this penitence is the mortification and crucifying of the f^esh, and of all carnal pleasures and concupiscences of the heart, really accomplished; and together with the same, the quickening also of the Spirit, or the resurrection of the new man in Christ. Whereby it follows, that the old Adam, with all his corruptions, dies in us; and Christ then lives in us by faith: for we must know, that these two necessarily go together; so as the resurrection of the Spirit, constantly follows the mortification of the flesh as at the heels, and the quickening of the new man is a consequent of the abolishing of the old man. And hence, although the outward man decay, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Wherefore we are commanded to mortify our "members which are upon the earth;" and so to reckon ourselves "dead unto sin, but ahve in God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

\ 2. However, let us consider more particularly, why the flesh is thus to be mortified, that we may arrive at the nature of true repentance. We said, just now, that by the fall of Adam, man became devilish, earthly, and carnal, without God and without love: for being without God, he was also without love, whereby he calls himself; and was upon this, changed from divine to worldly love, which is to be called concupiscence rather than love; so that every where, in all things, man studies now himself, favours, counsels, and applauds himself, and sets forth and provides only for his own interest, honour and glory. And this is the effect of Adam's fall, who, whilst he studied to make himself, as it were, a God, involved thereby all mankind with himself, in one and the self-same dire calamity. And this corruption and depravation of human nature must in us, of necessity, be changed, or done quite away, which it cannot be but by serious repentance; that is, by a true and divine contrition, by faith, apprehending the remission of sins, and by the mortification of carnal

Chap. IV. Of true Coivoersioii. 5S)

pleasures, and the crucifixion of self-love and pride. For true i epentance does not herein consist, that you put away from you the great and outward sins, but that you descend deeply into your own self, and look inward, searching into the inmost recesses of the heart and mind; turn over the secrets and closets, all the little w indings and turnings thereof; change and renew them throughout, with the grace that is given you; and so by faith, convert yourself from self-love to divine love; from the world and all worldly lusts, to a spiritual and heavenly life; and from a participation of the pomps and pleasures thereof, to participating the merits and virtues of Christ, by believing his word, and walking in his steps. Lo! this is the path of true conversion; and here is the giound of that mortification of the flesh, or carnal principle in man, which is so necessary for the resuscitation of the spirit, and for our restoration from the fall.

\ 3. Whereupon it follows, that a man must deny himself, as it is written; that is, must tame and mortify his own will, and suffer himself to be led and carried wholly by the divine will; must not love himself, must not seek himself, must not esteem himself, but account himself the un worthiest of all mortal creatures; must renounce all things he hath, for the love of Christ; must contemn the world, with all its pomps and honours: must pass by his own wisdom, and all endowments or gifts of nature, as if he saw them not; must trust in no creature but God alone; yea, must hate his own life; that is, his carnal will and pleasures, his pride, covetousness, lust, wrath, envy; must lay the axe to the root of all these; must not please, but rather displease himself; must set nothing by all that is his own, must boast in nothing, must attribute nothing to himself, or to his own proper strength; must, in a word, die to the world; that is, to the lust of the eyes, and of the fiesh, and to the pride of life, and so be crucified unto the world. This, this, I say, is true repentance, without which no man can ever be the disciple of Christ: This is true conversion from the world, from himself, and the devil, to God; without which, no sinner can have re-

60 Of true Cornier sion. Book I.

mission of sins, nor attain salvation. This is the true mortifying of the flesh, without which the spirit cannot be quickened. This penitence and conversion is the denial of a man's self, and is the true cross and yoke of Christ, of which he himself speaks, Matt. xi. 29, saying, " take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart." As if he should say to thee, by earnest and inward humility, whereof thou hast an example in me, must thy self-love and thy ambition be tamed; and by meekness, wrath and desire of revenge are by thee to be kept under, and brought into subjection. Which thing indeed to the new man is an easy yoke, and a light burthen; to the flesh, it may seem a most heavy and bitter cross. And this is indeed to crucify our own flesh Avith its affections and lusts, whereof the apostle experimentally writes. Therefore they do err, yea, do greatly err, who know no other cross than tribulations and worldly afflictions; being ignorant of inward repentance and mortification of the flesh being that true cross, which we ought to carry after Christ daily; the v^hich we are to do, by bearing our enemies with great patience, and by overcoming the disdain and arrogance of our malicious slanderers and cruel adversaries, with all mildness and humility, after the pattern of the Lamb of God; forasmuch as it becomes us to follow this example of Christ, who was willing for us to die to the world, and to be w ith him perfectly crucified to all worldliness, to all worldly splendour and glory, to all this world's interest and power, to all its fame and praise, and to every thing that is called great or noble: that looking unto him, we may thereby learn to endure the cross, even as he did, and with him to despise its shame.

\ 4. This yoke of Christ is our true cross, which we are bound to bear; which when we do, then we truly die to the world: and not when we hide ourselves in monasteries; nor when we make to ourselves singular orders and rules of living, we being in the mean time disorderly in the heart; full of the love of the world, of rspiritual pride, and pharisaical contempt of others; of

Chap. iV. Of true Comersmi. 61

lust, envy, hypocrisy, and secret hatred. I say, this is not to die to the world; no, it is iiot. This is not the christian yoke; this is not the cross of Christ. But it is to mortiiy the flesh, with all things which are pleasant to it: to turn one's self from the \\ odd inwardly to God, and daily in heart to die to the world; to live to Christ by faith in sincere humility and lowliness, following- his steps, and submitting to his yoke; and lastly, to - confide solely on the grace of God in Christ Jesus, as always doing such and so great things for man, out of his mere love and mercy.

\ 5. To this repentance are we called expressly by Christ; namely, to atfue and inward conversion from the Vv orld to God. To which also alone, the imputation of his righteousness and his obedience, through the efficacy of faith, together with the remission of our sins, is promised. So that without this inward repentance, Christ profits us nothing; for without it, man verily cannot participate of his grace, favour, and merit. The reason whereof is, because these are to be apprehended only by a contrite, faithful, humble, and penitent heart. And truly, this fruit of the passion of Christ is in us, that we may die to sin by true repentance: as the fruit of his resurrection in like manner is in us; that Christ in us, and we in Christ, may live. And hence comes the new creature in Christ, through the regeneration, which only is available with God; as the apogtles of our Lord have sufficiently declared in their epistles, and whereof we shall have occasion hereafter more fully to speak. Let this suffice here to give us in short, a right notion of the blessed yoke of our Lord, and of the nature of that true conversion which is of the inv/ard man.

^ 6. Hence therefore let us learn the nature and the con"stitution of true repentance, and let us not err in the common error, as if the forsaking of external idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, with all such outward enormities and A'ices, were the true and only repentance; upon a pretence that this external repentance is by some expressions of the prophets, chiefly struck at; as by that in particular of Isaiah, " let the

02 Of true Conifer sion. Book I.

wicked forsake his way," or the work of his hands. And by thatof Ezekiel, " When the wicked man turnethaway from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive," as also by that other of the same prophet, " If he turn away from his sin, and do that which is la^^ful and right: If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of Hfe without committing iniquit}' ; he shall surely live." Whereas it is clear, that both the prophets and the apostles do here look much deeper, even to the very heart; whence the Holy Ghost has also said by Isaiah in the same place, " Let the unrighteous forsake his, thoughts." I do not deny that this outward repentance, or repentance of works, is there commanded by the prophets in God's name; but this I positively maintain, that they, together with the apostles, aim much further, carry the matter a great deal higher; they command also that which is of the hidden man, and charge us to level at our thoughts, and to look into our inward parts; and even under the outward too they drive principally at what is inward, even at another repentance which is truly inward, infinitely more noble than the outward; w hereby man dies to pride, to covetousness, and to lust; whereby he denies and hates his own self, renounces the w orld, and strips himself of all that he calls his own, and whereby he commits himself by faith to God, crucifies the flesh; and lastly, offers up a contrite heart, as the best and most acceptable sacrifice to God. So that we always ought to remember that the true inward penitent lives with a heart full of fears and groans. But these are always supported by a lively faith and hope; which char- acter of inward repentance, the Psalms of David (more particularly the penitential ones) every wdiere most powerfully set forth.

\ 7. It remains then, that this is the only true repentance, when inwardly in the heart, with earnest sorrow, and most unfeigned feeling of heaviness, for having offended a most gracious and good God, we be made first truly contrite and afflicted in spirit; and then made both

Chap. V. Of true Faith. 63

holy and joyful, being purged and changed, being thoroughly amended by remission of sins, through faith in Jesus Christ, and so transformed inwardly from the image of the old iVdam into that of the new; whereby it cannot but come to pass, that the outward life and manners must be also renewed and quite changed. But what if one should only do outward penance, or perform bodily repentance; should abstain from great sins, and flee enormous offences, and this for the fear of punishment, while the inuard man keeps all the while his old spots still, and no care be taken to enter into the inward and new life in Christ Jesus; Shall not such a one nevertheless be damned? Yea, verily, I say, it shall not profit him a straw to cry, Lord, Lord; but he shall be constrained to hear that terrible voice, nesc'io lios^ I know you not: For most certain, and infallibly sure it is, not all that say, " Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only those that do the will of their heavenly Father." Under which terrible sentence of the Divine Majesty, it is manifest, that men of all orders and ranks are comprised; if they do not inwardl} , and from the heart truly repent, and so become new creatures in Christ. For no other will he ever acknowledge for his.

CHAP. V.

What true Faith is: and of Justification by it.

1 JOHN V. 1. — Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born

of God.

^ 1. Fx\ITH is a solid trust, and a firm and certain persuasion of the grace of God promised to us in Christ Jesus for the remission of sins, and life eternal, enkindled through the word of God, and the Holy Ghost, in our hearts. By \\'hich faith, we have conferred upon us the remission of our sins, and that gratis; that is, for no merits at all of ours, but for Christ's alone, and out

04 Of true Faith. Book I.

of mere grace, that so our faith may remain fixed upon a firm and solid foundation, and we be immoveable in the Lord. And this forgiveness of sins is our justification, which is true, solid, and eternal, before God. For neither is it of men or of angels, but by the obedience of the Son of God himself, and by his most precious merits and perfect ransom; which by faith we appropriate to us, fixing and applying the same to ourselves; whence, neither the imperfections of our life, nor any sins, are left remaining in us to condemn us, but they be covered as with the veil of grace, for Christ's sake, who henceforward lives and works in us. \ 2. Furthermore, by this solid and firm faith, it follows, that man does now dedicate his whole heart solely to God, in whom henceforth he rests alone; to whom alone he is fast united, with whom alone he enters into fellowship. He is now joined to God, and so participates all things that are of God, and of Christ, and is thence made one spirit with God; gathering from him a divine power and strength, with a new life, which has in it new joys, new recreations, new occupations; wherein are peace, lightness of heart, and durable satisfaction, which make in us the soul's sabbath, and the spirit's rest. For by this is justification, and by this is sanctification in the Holy Ghost. What other thing then is it, after all is said, to be justified by Christ, but to be regenerated through faith? For where the true faith is, there Christ verily is with all his righteousness', holiness, redemption, and remission of sin; with all his merits, justification, adoption, and inheritance of lite eternal. And this is the new life and the new creature, through faidi in Christ; which being a substantial change is very properly called regeneration. Whereupon the apostle, writing to the Hebrew s, calls faith a substance; thereby understanding the undoubted, solid, and firm trust of such things as are hoped for, and a certain manifest and notable conviction, sensation, and experience of such things as are invisible. And so great and powerful indeed is the consolation of a true living faith in our hearts, as it cannot but convince, by arguing most

Chap. V. Of true Faith. 65

firmly and most solidly from experience and from a great taste of the sovereign good in the soul, from the quietude of heart, and from peace in God; whereby that preser\'ation remains most certain, and that hope of salvation unshaken, which a christian doubts not even to seal with his very life. And this is that strength of spirit, that might of the inward man, that vigour and alacritv of faith, that parrhesia, or holy boldness; (Eph. iii. 12. Phil. i. 14. 1 John ii. 24, iii. 21.) This is that joy in God, (1 Thess. ii. 2.) Lastly, this is that p/erophoria, that immoveable and firm certainty, that exceeding and superabounding assurance, (1 Thess. i. 5.) for W'hich one should even dare to die: This is that which, if any man be truly persuaded of in his own mind, and most firmly therein rooted, through the Holy Ghost infixed in his heart, and impressed in his understanding, he shall never fail: but it behoves him therefore that believes, to be lively and inward in most powerful consolation, whereby that may come to the mind which is supernatural: and he may receive divine recruits, and a celestial strength, ,to overcome the fear of death; and the love of the world may hence be utterly extinguished in him. Mark it well: I say, so great, and so solid a persuasion, and so close an union with Christ is heretofore needful, that neither death nor life may be able to dissolve it. Whereupon St. John well pronounces, *' That he that is born of God, hath overcome the world." But to be bom of God, cannot be any vain, or figurative or shadowy thing; it must needs be a lively thing, and very pow^erful; even something which is real, proper, and truly becoming a God. For it is wicked to believe that the living God can beget a dead offspring, or produce useless and dead members, or choose to make unserviceable organs: rather it is a certain rule to be received, that God, being a living God, cannot but beget a living man after his likeness; even no other than the new man in Christ Jesus. Now seeing that our faith is the victory,* by which we overcome the I * Viva est, & victrix, §i modo vera Mti.— Faith is living and victorious,

66 Of true Faith, Book I.

world, who can doubt hence, that it should overcome, being thus endued with such powerful strength, and such exceeding great force? Or, that this our faith, which is commanded by God, and also by him empowered to overcome the world, ought for this end to be lively and vigorous, active and potent, over-ruling all our affections, and working in us a divine confidence, a heavenly vivacity, and an infallible and triumphant influence? Yea, how should it be otherwise? forasmuch as Christ himself is apprehended most truly by faith, and is fixed in our minds, and ingrafted in our understandings: And by this virtue, we do as it were return into God, and become intimate and one with him. And from Adam, as from a cursed vine, we are thus transplanted into Christ, that living and blessed Vine. In Christ we now henceforth possess all his goods; and in Christ, the just One, we are, together with him, justified. Even as a scion that is ingrafted into a good tree, grows, flourishes, and bears fruit; but without it, withers: So man, without Christ, is as a cursed vine, and all his works are sinful; the grapes of it being bitterness and gall: but in Christ he is blessed and justi- fied; wherefore St. Paul says, " That he that kne^v no sin, for us became sin, that we might be justified before God in him."

§ 3. By this then it appears manifestly, that works do not justify; because we must be ingrafted into Christ by faith, before we can do any good work; and so this justification, O man, is the gift of God, freely given before, and preventing all thy merits. And we may as well hence say, that a dead man may see or hear, may stand or walk, or do any good of himself: as that being spiritually dead we can do any good of ourselves. As he therefore that is dead, cannot do any work, but he must first be raised from death to life; so thou likewise that art dead in sin to God, canst not perform any work to God, unless thou be first raised by Christ to life: which granted, it necessarily follows, thy justification only proceeds from faith in Christ. And faith is like a new-bom babe just come into the world, weak and nak-

Ckap. V. Of true Faith. 67

ed, destitute, and set before the eyes of its Saviour, from whom (as from its parent) it receives righteousness, holiness, life, light, and the holy Ghost. And after this manner is tlie naked child, by the mercy of God, clothed; and his spotted garments being taken away, he re- ceives of God grace, health, truth, and holiness. This alone therefore, yea, this only receiving of Christ in the heart, makes a man both holy and liappy; and evidences that his true justification is only through faith, not through ^vorks: 1 say through faith, which apprehending Christ w ith all his goodness, challenges and makes it all his own. Then sin, death, the devil, and hell, give back affrighted; and in much confusion vanish away, as.not able to stand before this noble birth. And so poweifully, so lively, and so effectually does the merit of Christ, through faith, work, and working abound, that even the sins of the whole world caimot hurt such an one; forasmuch as he is delivered from the bondage of iiin unto death,

\ 4. Seeing therefore that Christ by faith lives and dwells in you, never think or believe, that this his habitation, this his indwelling in you, is a dead work; but rather that it is a living thing, a quickening principle, a vital force, a powerful working, an effectual transformation, a thorough renewing; for faith performs two things; first, it transplants you into Christ, and gives him freely to you, with all that he has: Secondly, it renews you in Christ, that you may grow green and flour- ish, and live in him. Neither is the wild graft indeed brought into the stock, for any other purpose, but that it should flourish and bring forth fruit. For as by the apostasy of Adam, and by the seduction of the devil, the seed of the serpent, and the diabolical corruption of his nature, is sown in man, growing up into a tree, and bearing the fruits of death: even so by the word of God, and by the Holy Ghost, faith is sown in our hearts as the seed of God; in which seed, after a wonderful manner, ai'e shut up and comprehended all the divine virtues and properties, which day by day are manifested: From whence, in like manner as with the former, there flows

68 Of true Faith. Book I.

forth a most glorious and new image of God; and this brings forth a new tree, the fruits whereof are obedience, patience, humility, meekness, peace, charity, justice, temperance, fortitude; and a new habit of mind is required: and so descends into man the whole kingdom of God.

\ 5. For true and saving faith renews the whole man, purifies the spirit, sanctifies the soul, and makes clean the heart: It knits this when cleansed, and unites it fast to God; and the heart, when it is thus purged and set free from earthly thirsts, then soars easily heaven- ^vards: it hungers and thirsts after righteousness; it works love, it brings peace, joy, patience, strength, moderation in adversity; it overcomes the world, with the prince thereof; it makes us the sons of God, and heirs of all celestial goodness, and co-heirs with Christ. But if any one be without it, or ignorant of this joy, which is given by faith, acknowledging himself to be of little faith, let him beware he distrust not therefore the merciful goodness of the Lord; but rather let him trust in the grace that is promised by Christ, which promise remains certain, immoveable, and everlasting. And although we, through human infirmities, may often fall and go back^A ards, yet let us in the mean while, always account this sure and certain, that the grace of God remains solid and firm, whensoever, by a true and serious repentance, we arise from our fall. For Christ is and will be Christ; yea, he will be your Saviour, whether you take hold of him by a strong or by a weak faith; if so you take hold of him indeed, for he embraces both alike, even the weak and the strong; Christ is alike to all. Moreover, the promise of grace is universal and perpetual; upon which, it is necessary faith should be founded without difference or exception, be it great or little, be it firm or weak. In the mean time, lift up your heart with hope, O soul, that art heavy laden! for God will in his good time, and in his own appointed season bring that sincere and sensible joy to you, although he hide himself av. hile in the inw ard ground of your heart. Of which argument I shall say more in the following book.

Chat. VI. The Kingdom of God ivithin. 69

CHAP. VI.