is best, which least endangereth our inordinate adhesion to the instruments, and our neglect of God. We know not so well as God, what way is best and safest for us; as it is dangerous desiring to mend his Word by any fancies of our own, which we suppose more fit; so it is dangerous to desire to amend his government, and providence, and order, and to think that another way than that which in nature he hath stated and appointed, is more to our benefit. It is dangerous wishing God to go out of his way, and to deal with us, and conduct us in by-ways of our own; in which we are ourselves unskilled, and of which we little know the issue.

Direct. x. When you are apt to be terrified with the fear of devils, think then of the guard of angels, and how much greater strength is for you than against you.' Though God be our only fundamental security, and our chiefest confidence must be in him, yet experience telleth us how apt we are to look to instruments, and to be affected as second causes do appear to make for us or against us; therefore when appearing dangers terrify us, appearing or secondary helps should be observed to comfort and encourage us.

Direct. XI. 'Labour to answer the great and holy love of angels with such great and holy love to them, as may help you against your unwillingness to die, and make you long for the company of them whom you so much love. And when death seemeth terrible to you because the world to come seems strange, remember that you are going to the society of those angels, that rejoiced in your conversion, and ministered for you here on earth, and are ready to convoy your souls to Christ".' Though the thoughts of God and our blessed Mediator should be the only final object to attract our love, and make us long to be in heaven, yet under Christ, the love and company of saints and angels must be thought on to further our desires and delight: for even in heaven God will not so be all to us, as to use no creature

in Simus devoti, simus grati tantis custodibus: redamemus eos quantum possumus, quantum debemus effectuose, &c. Bernard. Væ nobis si quando provocati sancti angeli peccatis et negligentiis, indignos nos judicaverint præsentia et visitatione sua, &c. Cavenda est nobis eorum offensa, et in his maxime exercendum, quibus eos novimus oblectari: hæc autem placent eis quæ in nobis invenire delectat, ut est sobrietas, castitas, &c. In quovis angulo reverentiam exhibe angelo, ne audeas illo præsente, quod me vidente non auderes. Bernard.

for our comfort; otherwise the glorified humanity of Christ would be no means of our comfort there: and the heavenly Jerusalem would not then have been set out to us by its created excellencies as it is Rev. xxi. xxii. Nor would it be any comfort to us in the kingdom of God, that we shall be with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob".

Direct. XII. Pray for the protection and help of angels, as part of the benefits procured for the saints by Christ; and be thankful for it as a privilege of believers, excelling all the dignities of the ungodly. And walk with a reverence of their presence, especially in the worshipping of God.' It is not fit such a mercy should be undervalued or unthankfully received: nor that so ordinary a means of our preservation should be overlooked, and not be sought of God by prayer. But the way to keep the love of angels, is to keep up the love of God: and the way to please them, is to please him; for his will is theirs.

Direct. XIII. In all the worship you perform to God, remember that you join with the angels of heaven, and bear your part to make up the concert.' Do it therefore with that holiness, and reverence, and affection, as remembering not only to whom you speak, but also what companions you have; and let there not be too great a discord either in your hearts or praises. O think with what lively, joyful minds they praise their glorious Creator; and how unwearied they are in their most blessed work! And labour to be like them in love and praise, that you may come to be equal with them in their glory o.

" Luke xiii. 28. Matt. viii. 11.

Luke xx. 36.

I. That there are so many many difficulties which all That they are no more, is

I HAVE Something to say to thee of the number of these cases, somewhat of the order, and somewhat of the manner of handling and resolving them. is because there are really so men are not able to resolve. partly because I could not remember then any more that were necessarily to be handled, and I was not willing to increase so great a book with things unnecessary.

II. As to the order, I have some reasons for the order of most of them, which would be too tedious to open to you. But some of them are placed out of order, because, 1. I could not remember them in due place. 2. And great haste allowed me not time to transpose them. If you say that in such a work I should take time, I answer, You are no competent judges, unless you knew me and the rest of my work, and the likelihood that my time will be but short. They that had rather take my writings with such defects which are the effects of haste, than have none of them, may use them, and the rest are free to despise them and neglect them. Two or three questions about the Scripture, I would have put nearer the beginning if I could have time; but seeing I cannot, it is easy for you to transpose them in the reading.

III. The resolution of these Cases so much avoideth all the extremes, that I look they should be displeasing to all that vast number of Christians, who involve themselves in the opinions and interests of their several sects as such; and that hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons. But there will be still a certain number of truly Catholic, impartial readers, whose favourable acceptance I confidently prognosticate; and who, being out of the dust, and noise, and passions of contending sides and parties, and their interests, will see a self-evidencing light in those solutions, which are put off here briefly, without the pomp of formal argumentation, or persuading oratory. The eternal Light reveal himself to us, by Christ who is the Light of the world, and by the illumination of the Spirit and Word of Light; that we may walk in the Light, as the children of Light, till we come to the world of glorious, everlasting Light. And what other defect soever our knowledge have, if any man hath knowledge enough to kindle in him the love of God, the same is known of Him, and therefore is beloved by Him, and shall be blessed with and in Him for ever.

Quest. 1. How to know which is the true church, among all pretenders, that a Christian's conscience may be quiet in his relation and communion.

I HAVE Written so much of this already in four books, (viz. one called, "The Safe Religion," another called, "A Key for Catholics," another called, "The Visibility of the Church," another called, "A True Catholic, and the Catholic Church described,") that I shall say now but a little, and yet enough to an impartial, considerate reader.

The terms must first be opened: 1. By a church is meant, a society of Christians as such. And it is sometimes taken narrowly, for the body or members as distinct from the head, as the word kingdom is taken for the subjects only as distinct from the king; and sometimes more fully and properly for the whole political society, as con

stituted of its head and body, or the Pars imperans et pars subdita.'

2. The word church thus taken, signifieth sometimes the universal church called Catholic; which consisteth of Christ and his body politic, or mystical; and sometimes some part only of the universal church. And so it is taken either for a subordinate, political part, or for a community, or a part considered as consociate, but not political; or as many particular, political churches agreeing and holding concord and communion without any common head, save the universal Head.

3. Such political churches, are either of divine constitution and policy, or only of human.

2. By Christians, I mean such as profess the essentials of the Christian religion. For we speak of the church as visible.

3. By 'true,' may be meant, either reality of essence, opposite to that which is not really a church in this unequivocal acceptation; or else sound and orthodox, in the integrals, as opposite to erroneous and defiled with much enormity. And now I thus decide that question.

Prop. 1. The true Catholic church consisteth of Christ the Head, and all Christians as his body, or the members. As the kingdom consisteth of the king and his subjects".

Prop. 11. As all the sincere heart-covenanters make up the church as regenerate, and mystical or invisible; so all that are christened, that is, baptized, and profess consent to all the essentials of the baptismal covenant, not having apostatized, nor being by lawful power excommunicated, are Christians, and make up the church as visible".

Prop. 111. Therefore there is but one universal church, because it containeth all Christians; and so leaveth out none to be the matter of another, ©

Prop. IV. It is not ignorance or error about the mere integrals of Christianity, which maketh them no Christians who hold the essentials, that is, the baptismal covenant". Prop. v. That the baptismal covenant might be rightly

a 1 Cor. xi. 3.

b Eph. iv. 4, 5.

C Eph. iv. 4, 5.

1 Cor. xii. 12. Eph. i. 22, 23 1 Cor. vi. 15. 1 Cor. xii. 27. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.

1 Cor. xii. 12. Mark xvi 16.

d Rom, xiv. 1. 6, 7. xv. 1. 3, 4.