and delights in whatsoever good he sees otherwhere, as if it were his

own: he does not fondly love and esteem either himself or others.

The divine temper and strain of the ancient philosophy .

CHAPTER IX.

The seventh and last property or effect discovering the excellency of religion,

viz. That it raiseth the minds of good men to a due observance of,

and attendance upon, Divine Providence, and enables them to serve

the will of God, and to acquiesce in it. For a man to serve Providence

and the will of God entirely, to work with God, and to bring himself

and all his actions into a compliance with God's will, His ends and

designs, is an argument of the truest nobleness of spirit; it is the most

excellent and divine life; and it is most for man's advantage. How

the consideration of Divine Providence is the way to inward quietness

and establishment of spirit. How wicked men carry themselves un-

becomingly through their impatience and fretfulness under the dispo-

sals of Providence. The beauty and harmony of the various methods

of Providence

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443

CHAPTER X.

4. The excellency of religion in regard of its progress, as it is perpetually

carrying on the soul towards perfection. Every nature hath its pro-

per centre to which it hastens. Sin and wickedness is within the

attractive power of hell, and hastens thither: grace and holiness is

within the central force of heaven, and moves thither. It is not the

speculation of heaven as a thing to come that satisfies the desires of

religious souls, but the real possession of it even in this life. Men are

apt to seek after assurance of heaven as a thing to come, rather than

after heaven itself and the inward possession of it here. How the as-

surance of heaven rises from the growth of holiness and the powerful

progress of religion in our souls. That we are not hastily to believe

that we are Christ's, or that Christ is in us. That the works which

Christ does in holy souls testify of Him, and best evidence Christ's

spiritual appearance in them

447

CHAPTER XI.

5. The excellency of religion in regard of its term and end, viz. Perfect

blessedness. How unable we are in this state to comprehend and de-

scribe the full and perfect state of happiness and glory to come. The

more godlike a Christian is, the better may he understand that state.

Holiness and happiness not two distinct things, but two several notions

of one and the same thing. Heaven cannot so well be defined by any

thing without us, as by something within us. The great nearness and

affinity between sin and hell. The conclusion of this treatise contain-

ing a serious exhortation to a diligent minding of religion, with a

discovery of the vanity of those pretences which keep men off from

minding religion

451

PAGE

DISCOURSE X.

ON A CHRISTIAN'S CONFLICTS WITH, AND CONQUESTS OVER,

SATAN.

CHAPTER I.

The introduction, summarily treating of the perpetual enmity between God, the principle of good—and the principle of evil, the devil: as also between whatsoever is from God and that which is from the devil. That wicked men, by destroying what there is from God within them, and divesting themselves of all that which hath any alliance to God or true goodness, and transforming themselves into the diabolical image, fit themselves for correspondence and converse with the devil. The fears and horrors which infest both the apostate spirits and wicked men. The weakness of the devil's kingdom; Christ's success against it 463

CHAPTER II.

The first observable, That the devil is continually busy with us. The devil considered under a double notion. 1. As an apostate spirit which fell from God. The great danger of the devil's activity, not only when he presents himself in some corporeal shape, but when he is unseen and appears not. The weakness and folly of those who are afraid of him only when he appears embodied. That the good Spirit of God is active for the good of souls. How regardless men are of the gentle motions of the Divine Spirit; and how unwatchful and secure under the suggestions of the evil spirit. How we may discover the devil in his stratagems and under his several disguises and appearances

CHAPTER III.

2. Of the activity of the devil, considered as a spirit of apostasy, and as a degenerate nature in men. That the devil is not only the name of one particular thing, but a nature. The difference between the devil and wicked men is rather the difference of a name than of natures. The kingdom and tyranny of the devil and hell is chiefly within, in the qualities and dispositions of men's minds. Men are apt to quarrel with the devil in the name and notion, and defy him with their tongues, while they entertain him in their hearts, and comply with all that which the devil is. The vanity of their pretended love to God, and hatred of the devil. That there is nothing better than God Himself, for which we should love Him; and to love Him for His own beauty and excellency is the best way of loving Him. That there is nothing worse than sin itself, for which we should hate it; and to hate it for its own deformity is the truest way of hating it. How hell and misery arise from within men. Why wicked men are so insensible of their misery in this life

466

470

CHAPTER IV.

The second observable, viz. The warfare of a Christian life.

True reli-

gion consists not in a mere passive capacity and sluggish kind of

doing nothing, nor in a melancholy sitting still or slothful waiting,

&c. but it consists in inward life and power, vigour and activity. A

discovery of the dulness and erroneousness of that hypothesis, viz.

That good men are wholly passive and unable at any time to move

without some external impetus-some impression and impulse from

without upon them: or, that all motions in religion are from an ex-

ternal principle. Of the quality and nature of the true spiritual

warfare, and of the manner and method of it. That it is transacted

upon the inner stage of men's souls, and managed without noise or

pompous observation; and without any hinderance or prejudice to

the most peaceful, sedate, and composed temper of a religious soul.

This further illustrated from the consideration of the false and pre-

tended zeal for God and his kingdom against the devil; which, though

it be impetuous, and make a great noise, and a fair show in the world,

is yet both impotent and ineffectual

CHAPTER V.

The third observable, viz. The certainty of success and victory to all

those that resist the devil. This grounded upon, 1. The weakness of

the devil and sin considered in themselves. 2. God's powerful assist-

ing of all faithful Christians in this warfare. The devil may allure

and tempt, but he cannot prevail, except men consent and yield to his

suggestions. The devil's strength lies in men's treachery and falseness

to their own souls. Sin is strong, because men oppose it weakly. The

error of the Manichees about a principium mali defended by men in

their lives and practices. Of God's readiness to assist Christians

in their spiritual conflicts; His compassionate regards and the more

special respects of His providence towards them on such occasions.

The conclusion, discovering the evil and horridness of magic, diabolical

contracts, &c.

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481

A

DISCOURSE

CONCERNING

THE TRUE WAY OR METHOD OF ATTAINING

DIVINE KNOWLEDGE.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments. Psalm cxi. 10.

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. John vii. 17.

Πῶς δέ ἐστι δυνατὸν, ἡττηθέντα τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἡδονῶν, ἐξομοιοῦσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἢ γνῶσιν ἔχειν Θεοῦ;-CLEM. ALEXANDR. Strom. IΙΙΙ. 5.

Θεοῦ δὲ γνώσιν λαβεῖν τοῖς ἔτι ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν ἀγομένοις, ἀδύνατον.—IBID.

Τὰ γὰρ τῆς πολιτείας ἐλέγχει σαφῶς τοὺς ἐγνωκότας τὰς ἐντολάς—ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν καρπῶν τὸ δένδρον, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθῶν καὶ πετάλων, γνωρίζεται. ἡ γνῶσις οὖν ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ καὶ τῆς πολιτείας, οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ λόγου καὶ τοῦ ἄνθους.—IBID.