alter 1mmortal lory. 257 Feavcrs, and variety ofdifeafes,, fo that the is fometimes down ; at the bell but crafie and valetudinary ; fcarce any vicillirudeand change, either of age, or place, orcalling ; but the foul isdangerouflyaffeEtedwith it,andingreathazard; a dange- rous Cottage,ready to fall upon the foul,and erafh it in pi eces;'a cottáge fullof -holes and rifts, in every ftorm, and tempefl of adverfity it rains through this cottage in- to the foul, and makes the foul unhealthy ; in the Sun-(hine of profperity , the beams of the Sun beat upon the foul, and make it faint and weak, many times a ruinous cottage, fo that the inhabitant is forced to fpend almoft all his time in re- pairing it, in keeping it up, in fupplying the neceffities of it ; . diftra&ed, rent, and torn with cares and folltcitudes for it , fo that little time is left for better du- ties, for duties proper to the inner man, and when the foul fetteth her felfto thefe duties, then this Cottage is an impediment unto her, taking off her mind from it by Come fudden gufi of a vain thought, or hindring her by fome indi(pofition, or compelling her by force urgent neceffrty, to break off before' the is willing. Theme and the like incurnbrances do muchaffliet the Saints,therefore theydelire tobe cloatbed upon, with a pure howl, a pleafant houfi,alightfome hoxfe, a healthful hoof, a durable howl, a glorious heu/e, that might be a help andencouragement to the foul in holy and religious duties. In thiswegroan earnefily, &c. You that are owners of the wonder, are not ignorant what a wonder man is, a compofure of different natures, Celeftial, terreftrial , Angelical, beaftial , cor- poral , fpiritual ; greater than the world , lefs than the world ; the richeft Pearl, and the bafeft foyl ; the Image of GOD, and a piece of clay : you are not igno- eanthow thefe two are affe&ed one totheother in the Regenerateman, ifthe body be found and well, it kicketh againfl the fpirit ; ifit be ill, it affli&s the Spirit. How do I love my body, as my fellow fervent, and efchew it as mine enemy? how do I hate it as myclogg, and reverence it as my fellow-heir ? I buffetit as a flave, and embrace it asa friend; I chaftife it andkeep it under, and then I want a companion to affr[t me in the works ofpiety ; I cherilh it, and nourilh it, and then am I (Lung with the lulls of it ; it is a flattering enem , a treacherousfriend, Oh tfiyconjun&ton; and oh my alienation ! that which I fear I embrace, and that which I love I fear : before I make war withit, I am reconciled ; and beforeI am reconciled, I am at variance : what a orangemyftery is this ! therefore the Saints mortifie andcrucifie their bodies, they gird themclofewith the cords of fttongre- folutions, they macerate them with watchings and faftings, and make them thin, andpale, and wan, that fo theymay be ferviceable to the Spirit ; they labour that their hands maybe tranflucent with fatting, as the hands of Elphegsar were, that their countenances may be living documents ofhumility, that their bodies maybe as tranfparent glaffes, wherein the thoughts of their hearts may be Peen, that their fouls may have no more refidence in the heart, but may as evidently be teen in every part of the body as there. This they aim at, and when they have done all this , yet they complain of the dulnefs, deadnefs, heavinefs, lumpifhnefs of the body, and are at enmity with it, and cry out, Oh miferable man that ! am, who (hall deliver me from this body of death ? not that they are limply enemies to the body , but to this earthly corruptible body , this finful body that depreffeth the mind muting of many t;,ings, and delire the depofition, and laying downof the fame, that fo they may receive a glorified, a clarified, an incorruptible fpiritual body , not made of a fpirit , but ferviceable to the fpirit ; they delire that thefe eyes may be fo defecated, that if they cannot behold the effence ofGod, yet they may ftedfaftly behold the Empirian heavens , the fplendour of our Saviour, and the luftre of the bodies of the Saints, more bright than the Sun liven times ; they delire that thefe hands may be Hefted with the contra&ation of that fa- cred body that 'redeemed them, they delire that this body may be fo tranfparent and lucid, tint the foul may fally out freely, not at the eye alone, but at every part to contemplate thofe glorious obje&s, that it may be fo prelucit, that the ve- ry thoughts of the heart, and the divine fanciesthat are in the imaginativepart may be feen through it, that it may be fo ftript of corporal denfityand grofsnefs, that like lightning it may be here and there, thatit may be fit for raptures, and walks, L I and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=