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they (as the apostle John advised them) kept themselves, that the evil one touched them not '.

For the light, which Satan cannot endure, and with which Chrift had enlightened them, difcovered him in all his approaches and affaults upon the mind, and the power they received through, their inward obedience to the manifestations of that bleffed light, enabled them' to refift and vanquish him in all his ftratagems. And thus it was, that where once nothing was examined, nothing went unexamined. Every thought must come to judgment, and the rise and tendency of it be alfo well approved, before they allow it any room in their minds. There was no fear of entertaining enemies for friends, whilft this strict guard was kept upon the very wicket of the foul. Now the old heavens and earth, that is, the old earthly converfation, and old carnal, that is Jewish or fhadowy worship paffed away apace, and every day all things became new. 'He was no more a Jew, that was one outwardly, nor that circumcifion that was in the flesh; but he was the Jew, that was one inwardly; and that circumcifion, which was of the heart, in the fpirit, and not in the letter, whofe praise is not of man, but of God ".'

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§. VII. Indeed the glory of the Crofs fhined fo confpicuously through the felf-denial of their lives who daily bore it, that it ftruck the heathen with astonishment, and in a fmall time fo fhook their altars, dif credited their oracles, ftruck the multitude, invaded the court, and overcame their armies, that it led priests, magiftrates, and generals, in triumph after it, as the trophies of its power and victory.

And while this integrity dwelt with chriftians, mighty was the presence and invincible that power that attended them it quenched fire, daunted lions, turned the edge of the fword, out-faced inftruments of cruelty, convicted judges, and converted executioners. In fine, the ways their enemies took to destroy, increased them; and by the deep wisdom of God, they were m Rom. ii. 28, 29. BA

! ! John v. 18.

made

made great promoters of the truth, who in all their defigns endeavoured to extinguish it. Now not a vain thought, nor an idle word, nor an unfeemly action was permitted; no, not an immodeft look: no courtly drefs, gay apparel, complimental refpects, or perfonal honours; much lefs thofe lewd immoralities, and fcandalous vices, now in vogue with chriftians, could find either example or connivance among them". Their care was not how to fport away their precious time, but how to redeem it, that they might have enough to work out their great falvation (which they carefully did) with fear and trembling; not with balls and masks, with play-houses, dancing, feafting, and gaming: no, not to make fure of their heavenly calling and election, was much dearer to them, than the poor and trifling joys of mortality. For they having with Mofes feen him that is invifible, and found that his loving-kindness was better than life, the peace of his spirit than the favour of princes; as they feared not Cæfar's wrath, fo they chofe rather to fuftain the afflictions of Chrift's true pilgrims, than enjoy the pleasures of fin, that were but for a feafon; efteeming his reproaches of more value than the perishing treasures of the earth. And if the tribulations of chriftianity were more eligible than the comforts of the world, and the reproaches of one than all the honour of the other; there was then furely no temptation in it, that could fhake the integrity of Christendom.

§. VIII. By this fhort draught of what Christendom was, thou mayeft fee, O Chriftendom, what thou art not, and confequently what thou oughteft to be. But how comes it, that from a Christendom that was thus meek, merciful, felf-denying, fuffering, temperate, holy, juft and good, fo like to Chrift, whofe name fhe bore, we find a Chriftendom now, that is fuperftitious, idolatrous, perfecuting, proud, paffionate, envious, malicious, felfifh, drunken, lascivious, unclean, ly

n Heb. xi. 32, to the end. Dan. vi. 16, to the end.

Ifa. Ixiii. 2. Dan. iii. 12, to the end.
Eph. v. 15, 16.

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ing, fwearing, curfing, covetous, oppreffing, defrauding, with all other abominations known in the earth, and that to an excess juftly fcandalous to the worst of heathen ages, furpaffing them more in evil than in time: I fay, how comes this lamentable defection?

I lay this down, as the undoubted reafon of this degeneracy, to wit, the inward difregard of thy mind to the light of Christ shining in thee; the first shewed thee thy fins, and reproved them, and that taught and enabled thee to deny and refift them. For as thy fear towards God, and holy abftinence from unrighteoufnefs was, at first, not taught by the precepts of men, but by that light and grace, which revealed the most fecret thoughts and purpofes of thine heart, and fearched the most inward part of thy belly, (fetting thy fins in order before thee, and reproving thee for them, not fuffering one unfruitful thought, word or work of darknefs, to go unjudged) fo when thou didst begin to difregard that light and grace, to be carelefs about that holy watch, that was once fet up in thine heart, and didft not keep centinel there, (as formerly) for God's glory, and thy own peace; the reftlefs enemy of man's good quickly took advantage of this flacknefs, and often furprized thee with temptations, whose suitableness to thy inclinations made his conqueft over thee not difficult.

In fhort, thou didst omit to take up Chrift's holy yoke, to bear thy daily crofs; thou waft careless of thy affections, and kept no journal or check upon thy actions; but didst decline to audit accounts, in thy own conscience, with Chrift thy light, the great bishop of thy soul, and judge of thy works, whereby the holy fear decayed, and love waxed cold; vanity abounded, and duty became burdenfome. Then up came formality, instead of the power of godlinefs; fuperftition, in place of Chrift's inftitution: and whereas Chrift's business was, to draw off the minds of his difciples from an outward temple, and carnal rites and fervices, to the inward and fpiritual worship of God, (fuitable to the nature of divinity) a worldly, human, pompous worship

is brought in again, and a worldly priesthood, temple and altar re-established. Now it was that the fons of

God once more faw the daughters of men were fair':' that is, the pure eye grew dim, which repentance had opened, that faw no comelinefs out of Chrift; and the eye of luft became unclosed again, by the god of the world; and thofe worldly pleafures, that make fuch as love them forget God, (though once defpifed for the fake of Chrift) began now to recover their old beauty, and intereft in thy affections; and from liking them, to be the study, care, and pleasure of thy life.

True, there still remained the exterior forms of worship, and a nominal and oral reverence to God and Chrift; but that was all; for the offence of the holy crofs ceafed, the power of godliness was denied, felf-denial loft; and though fruitful in the invention of ceremonious ornaments, yet barren in the bleffed fruits of the Spirit. And a thousand fhells cannot make one kernel, or many dead corps one living man.

§. IX. Thus religion fell from experience to tradition, and worship from power to form, from life to letter; that instead of putting up lively and powerful requests, animated by the deep fenfe of want, and the affistance of the Holy Spirit, by which the ancients prayed, wrestled and prevailed with God; behold, a by-rote mumpfimus, a dull and infipid formality, made up of corporal bowings, and cringings, garments and furnitures, perfumes, voices and mufick; fitter for the reception of fome earthly prince, than the heavenly worship of the only true and immortal God, who is an eternal, invisible spirit.

But thy heart growing carnal, thy religion did fo too; and not liking it as it was, thou fashionedft it to thy liking; forgetting what the holy prophet faid, the facrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord',' and what James faith, Ye afk, and ye receive not, (why?) because ye afk amifs';' that is, with an heart that is not right, but infincere, unmortified, not in the

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faith that purifies the foul, and therefore can never receive what is afked: fo that a man may fay with truth, thy condition is worfe by thy religion, because thou art tempted to think thyfelf the better for it, and art not.

§. X. Well! by this profpect that is given thee, of thy foul fall from primitive chriftianity, and the true cause of it, to wit, a neglect of the daily cross of Christ, it may be eafy for thee to inform thyfelf of the way of thy recovery.

For look, at what door thou wenteft out, at that door thou must come in and as letting fall, and forbearing the daily crofs loft thee; fo taking up, and enduring the daily cross, must recover thee. It is the fame way, by which the finners and apoftates become the disciples of Jefus. Whofoever (fays Chrift) will come after me, and be my difciple, let him deny himself, and take up his daily crofs, and follow me. Nothing fhort of this will do; mark that, for as it is fufficient, fo is it indifpenfable: no Crown, but by the Crofs; no life eternal, but through death: and it is but just, that those evil and barbarous affections, that crucified Christ afresh, should, by his holy crofs, be crucified. Blood requires blood; his crofs is the death of fin, that caused his death; and he the death of death, according to that paffage, O death! I will be thy death'!

CHA P. III.

§. 1. What the cross of Chrift is? A figurative speech, but truly, the divine power, that mortifies the world. §. 2. It is fo called by the apoftle Paul to the Corinthians. §. 3. Where it is the cross appears, and must be borne? Within, where the lufts are, there they must be crucified. §. 4. Experience teaches every one this, to be fure Chrift afferts it, from within comes murder, &c. and that is the house where the ftrong man must be bound. §. 5. How is the cross to be

• Mat. xvi. 21. 14. 1 Cor. xv. 55.

Mark viii, 34.

Luke xiv. 27.

* Hof. xiii.

borne ?

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