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the Idols out of the Houfe of the Lord, and all the Altars that he had built on the Mount of the House of the Lord, and in Jerufalem, and caft them out of the City, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord, 2 Chron. 33. 15, 16.

So pleasing is this retirement to God, that he doth exprefly call himself, Our Father which fees in fecret, Matth. 6. 4. When Christ had a mind his Disciples fhould fee his Glory, he doth not carry them to Jerufalem, leads them not into the Market-place, doth not mingle them with the Multitude, bids them not attend him at Herod's Court; for he knew, these places would rather diftract, than help their Devotion: but he fummons them to go up with him into a high Mountain apart, bids them retire from fecular bufineffes, leave their fenfual affetions at home, feparate themselves from fuch Worldly Employments, as were apt to take up their Minds that their thoughts might be more at liberty, to contemplate his Glory, and the Transfiguration might affect them more, and make the deeper impreffions upon them.

Come my People, enter thou into thy Chamber, and fhut thy doors about thee, and hide thy felf, faid God to the Sinful Men of Ifrael, when he bid them turn and repent, Efa. 26. 20. To fhew, that a Chamber is a fitter place for their work, than a Theater, and a Closet more proper, than a Hall, or Dining-Room, and lock

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ing our felves up, a better preparative, than delighting in variety of Company.

It was, I confefs, too lavish an expreffion which the Hermit in Sulpitius used, That he who was vifited by Men, could not be vifited by Angels; yet in fome refpect he said true; and he that doth not love to be alone sometimes, is not like to receive the vifits of these Ministring Spirits.

It was in retirement, that Elijah rais'd the dead Child, 1 Kings 17. 19. and by the River Chebar it was, in a lonely place, that God appeared to Ezechiel; fo he revealed himself to Mofes in the Bufh, when at a great distance from Men, and Crouds of People: and therefore it was excellent advice S. Chryfoftom gave to a Man, who intended for Salvation; Depart from the High-way, and tranfplant thy felf in fome inclosed ground, for it is hard for a Tree that stands by the way-fide, to keep her fruit till it be ripe.

What S. Bafil faith of a Solitary Life, may in a great measure be applied to fuch retirement: It is the School where Men are taught Celestial Doctrine, and Divine Arts and Sciences are infufed by nothing fo foon, as by this Difcipline. This is a Garden of delights, where Vertues, like glittering Flowers fend forth their grateful Odours. Here grows the Red Rose, fervent Charity.

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Charity. Here rifes the Milk-white Lilly Chaftity. Here the Myrtle of Mortification is seen, and the Frankincenfe of Prayer is here to be found. O Retirement, the joy of Sanctified Minds, and the feat of all spiritual Gufts; Thy Vertue is the fame with that of the Babylo nian Furnace, for by Faith thou keepest off the burning heats of Luft.Thou art that Oven, where the Veffels of Honour are prepar'd. Great Store-Houfe of Heavenly Wares, where all the rich Merchandize of the Spirit is hoarded up. Vaft Shop of Spiritual Exercises, where the Soul comes to be reftored to her Creators Image, and returns to the rity of her Original.

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Thou makeft indeed the Lips pale with Fasting, but makeft the Soul fat, and flourishing. Thou makeft the Good Man ftand in the Castle of his own clarified Mind, and look down with contempt on this nether World!

Sacred Tent, where our holy War is carried on, Camp of God, Tower of David, where hang a Thousand Shields, all fit to keep off the fiery darts of the Devil! Field, where the Lords Battles are fought, where the Soul fights against the Flesh, and the Flesh against the Soul.

O Retirement! The happy place where Vices die, and Vertues live, and where Men learn what it is to arrive to perfection. Great Ladder of Jacob, whereby Men climb to Heaven, and Angels come down to Men. Sweet and gol

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den way, whereby a Chriftian goes home to his Fathers House! Bath of the Soul! Death of Sin! Purgatory of Filthiness. Thou destroyeft the fecret intrigues of Pride, washeft away the nastiness of sin, and elevatest the Soul to the brightness of Angels !

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For indeed we find, that as a Mans reason is more free in fuch Retirements, fo God is the readier to meet him, as the Angels did Jacob, in this privacy, and to display to him the vanity of that World, he hath doted on, the Scarlet dye of those Sins, he hath delighted in, and that miraculous love, he hath undervalu'd, and trampled on, with the vengeance he hath procured, and been greedy of: for now it appears, that the Man is in good earnest to be fav'd, and to fuch, God never denies his favour, for moft Men play with Religion, go about it, as if it deferved no pains, and therefore here God doth no mighty work, as being loth to caft his Pearls before Swine. He that retires to confider, what he must do to be saved, makes Religion his bufinefs; and, thofe that feek me thus fhall find me, faith Eternal Wifdom, Prov. 8. 17. Such Mens minds het is willing to over-fhadow, with the power of the Higheft, fuch Men prepare to meet their God, and God certainly will not fail them. And Chriftians, fay you what you will, either the Gospel is no Gofpel, or you'll find by woful experience, that without you are

at fome trouble about your everlasting con. cerns, and deny your felves in your time, profit, ease, pleasure, and punctilio's of greatness, to mind your Spiritual interest, and without Heaven doth coft you fomething more than ordinary, God hath no Heaven for you.

He that retires, and fets afide his Worldly bufinefs, and makes bold with the Company he is in, and leaves them to take a view of his duty to God, and Man, that Man layes force upon the Kingdom of Heaven, I am fure offers violence to his carnal interest, violence to flesh and blood. The Heathen could say, that the gods fell all their Gifts and Riches for diligence, and industry; and we find it to be true of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that perfon who retires, and takes pains, with Zackeus, to fee Chrift, may expect the fame gracious return, which was made to that Publican, This day Salvation is come into thy House.

The truth is, fhould God difcourfe a Sinner, that is in Company with other Men, or going about his fecular affairs, he would find him yawn and gape, and stretch himself, and gain as much attention, as he that tells a story to a man, whose mind is employ'd about other objects: he feems to give him the hearing, but when a great part of the Tale is told, he starts up, and Asks, What do you fay? but in private, Where there is none but God and his own Con

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