1)0 / I i I ttfo 4· I The Parable ofthe bwt that is all: Oh trurl them not! Many have, and th efe will fall aivay to fomc: Lull, or Opinion, or Pride, or World; and the reafon is, they never'had li~bt enough, John 5·35· .John ~M" burning and fhinin,{ !ight, '!l"d the] did jo1 in hz'!' fw :' feafonJ yet as glonous as lt was, t~ey faw not Chnit bpr, efpecia!ly nqt \THh D1vme L1ght. Irs rare ro fee: Chnllians full both of hght and affection. And therefore confider of this, many a man bath been well brought up; and is of a fwee~, loving N~ture, ~ild, and ge!Jtle, and har~le!fe, like; and loves tbe bdt thmgs, and h1s meamng, and mmd ~nd he.art 1s good, and harh more in heartthan infhew, and fo hopc:s all Jhall go well with him. Hay, there may lie grearell hypocrifie under greare(l affeCI:ions; efpecia\ly if they want light. You Jball be hardned in your hypocrifie by them. I never liked violent affections and pmgs, but only fuch as were dropt in by light; becaule thole come from an external Principle, and lalt nor, but rhefe do. Men are nor affrightc:d by the light of the Sun, though clearer than the Lightning. Hence take heed of contenting your fdves with everykind of know!edge: Do notworfhipevery Image in your own Heads; efpecially you that fall Jhorrof Truth or the knowledge of it; for when you have fome, rbere may be yet that waming which may make: you fincere. There are many me11 of great knowledge, able ro reach rhemfdves and others roo, and yet their hems are unfound. How comes this to pa!fe? Is it becaufe tbey have lo much light? No, but becaufe they want much ; and therefore content not your felves with every knowleclge. There is fome kn0wledge which men have by the light of nature (which leaves , them without excufe) from the Book of Creation·, fome by power ofeducation, fome by the light of rhe Law, whereby meil may know their fin and evils, fome by the Letter of the Gofpel, and fo men may know much, andfpeak well, and fo infeeing fee not ; fomc by the Spirit, and may fee much, fo ss to prophefie in Chrills Name, and yet be bid depArt, Mat.7· Now there is a Light ofGlory, whereby the EleCt fee things in another manner ; to tell you bow, rhey cannot, its the beginning of light in Heaven, and the fame Spirit thatfils Chri!t, filling their minds, that rhey know by this anointing all things; which if ever you have,, you mull become B.1bes and Fools in your own eyes. God will nevepvrite his Law in your minds, till all the Scriblings of it are blotted our. AccQunt all yqur knowledge lo!fe for the gaining ofthis. 'I is fad to fee many aJnan pleafing bimfelfin his own dreaming de\ufions, yet the poor creature in/eei.ng fees nor,which· is Gods heavy curfe uFon men undergreareit means, and which laies all wall and defolare, Ifa.6. How lo11g? Untila!lbew~tft, v.II. Hence fee the right way of living a life of Truth, of being ani fraelite in whom uno guile. Keep light in your minds, and you will keep Truth alive in your •hearts and lives. M.my a fince re.hem may have Hypocrifie al}d much unfoundnelfe in him, rhough he be no Hypocrite. Bur how comes it fo to be? and w,hence fo little Truth? and hence fo many fears and doubts about their ellares continually ? Oh ! men lofe that Glorious Light that fomtime they have. For when you have it in an Ordinance, Oh how fweet i~ the Lord and all hi> waies ra you! Aftenvard you have loft your beans, truly 'tis becaufe you have loll your light. Two waie• Hy}'ocrifie vents it felf, which Gods pe<ilple oppofe. I, In fecret withdrawing of the hem to fin. Oh now gee light! for fin never draws away, but by aprearanceoffome good at lea!t, pro hie & nunc. Jam·!· 1 4· Now put off the covering, keep the mind from being deceived, you mll keep the hem from being hardned, deaded and withdrawn from God. 1 z. In performing duties, but not for Chrill ~s their 11tmoll end; now the hear,t is benr this way, yetit failes, becaufe light is 'gom;, r'ofe~~nd~ehold the Glory and ble!fedneife of this. Men that have honour or gam m the1reye, arecarriedv.iolentlyafterir. Men that are bound foravoyagewillgothrough, their
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=