fills them and adorns them with. Keep in the faith, keep in the truth, keep in the light, keep in the power; it excludes boafting in or after the flesh, and keeps the mind in that humility and poverty of fpirit which God hath brought, and daily further and further brings it into; and fo the humility and poverty remains (poor in fpirit for ever, humble in fpirit for ever, nothing before the Lord for ever) even as that remains which brought into that frame, and keeps in that frame for ever. And fo the Lord of life is only exalted, and the creature kept abafed before him, and low for ever; and is nothing but as the Lord pleafeth to fill, and make it to be what it is. So what I am, I am by God's love, by his grace, by his mercy, by his goodnefs, by his power, by his wifdom, by his righteoufnefs, by his holiness, which he of his own good pleasure communicateth, and causeth to spring in me, and filleth and cloatheth me with, as feemeth good in his fight.

The CONCLUSION.

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HERE is mention made in the book of the Revelations, in the epistles from Chrift to the seven churches of Afia, of a tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradife of God (the fruit whereof is good for food, and the leaves thereof for the healing of the nations); and of hidden manna, and a white ftone, and in the ftone a new name written, which none knoweth but he that receiveth it; and of a morning-ftar to be given, and power over the nations, to rule their spirit, even as Chrift hath received of his Father; and of being cloathed in white, and his name confessed before the Father, (This is the fheep of my fold, the child of my Father's begetting, who is named by me among the living, I know him by his name, John x. 3.); as alfo of his being a pillar in the temple of God, and of going no more out, but bearing the name of God, and the name of the city of God, the new Jerufalem (which cometh down from God out of heaven); and of Chrift's new name (oh! what is that!) and of fitting with Chrift in his throne. This is the generation of spiritual kings, who have a spiritual kingdom, and a spiritual throne, even Chrift's kingdom, and Chrift's throne, the royal priesthood of God. Oh! precious things! Oh! rich glory! Surely eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of men to conceive what these things are.

Now he that would witness these things; he that would know, experience, and enjoy these things, muft mind that feed in which they are wrapped up, as in a feed, and out of which they spring, and fhoot forth. The kingdom is in the feed, the throne in the feed, the power in the feed. He that is united to the feed, and abideth in the feed, receiveth power from the feed, and overcometh, he shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he fhall be my fon, Rev. xxi. 7. But he that will be fo, muft not be fearful or unbelieving of overcoming fin, or his foul's enemies; but muft depend VOL. II. upon

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upon the almighty, and all-fufficient power of God, which will give him victory over fin, and keep him that he touch no unclean thing; that he may be holy, as the Lord his God is holy; and righteous, even as the Lord his God is righteous. Indeed it becometh the heavenly children to partake of the divine life, of the heavenly nature of their Father, and be like him. And he that partaketh of his nature, of his holinefs, Heb. xii. 10. is holy, as he is holy and he that from the holy root of purity and righteousness, doth righteoufnefs; is righteous, even as he is righteous, 1 John iii. 7. So it is written without, and fo it is teftified within, by him that is born of God, in whom the feed remaineth, which overcometh the wicked one, bruifeth him and keepeth him under: and the juft live by the faith which giveth victory over him.

Some EXPERIENCES added.

I. Concerning the Seed of the Kingdom.

ONCERNING the feed of the kingdom, this I have experienced; that it confists not in words or notions of the mind, but is an inward thing, an inward fpiritual fubftance in the heart, as real inwardly in its kind, as other feeds are outwardly in their kind: and that being received by faith, and taking root in man (his heart, his earth, being ploughed up and prepared for it) it groweth up inwardly, and bringeth forth fruit inwardly, as truly and really as any outward feed doth outwardly. This feed is known by its contrariety and enmity against the feed of the ferpent; against all the feeds of evil in the hearts of men; it discovering them, turning the mind from them, and warring against them, and bruising and overcoming them in all that receive it, and let in its holy nature; which, as an holy leaven or falt, worketh out that which is unholy and unrighteous, dark and dead, and seasoneth with light, with life, with grace, with the holiness and righteoufnefs of truth.

II. Concerning the Soul's Food.

The foul's food is that which nourisheth it, which is the fame with that which giveth it life. Every word proceeding out of the mouth of God, every motion, every quickening, every operation of his Spirit is living, and nourisheth the foul with life, which receiveth it and feedeth on it. The fpiritual Manna, the spiritual Water, from the Holy Well or Fountain, the Milk of the Word, the Flesh and Blood of the Son of the living God, his words which are fpirit and life, nourish up the living birth unto life everlasting.

everlasting. How comes man to live at firft; but by hearing the voice of him that giveth life? And how comes man to live afterwards, and to increase in life, but by hearing the fame voice ftill? Incline your ear, and come unto me: bear, and your foul fhall live, &c. Ifa. lv. 3. This I have also experienced to give me life, to nourish up and strengthen me in life; even fresh life communicated from the living Fountain; and fo my life is not in myself, not in any thing I can comprehend concerning Chrift; but in being joined to him, in being ingrafted into him the holy root, into him the true olive-tree, into his Spirit: and fo by the fap that fprings up into me from him, my life is maintained and increased in me daily. Glory to his name for ever.

III. Concerning God's Power..

Concerning God's power, this I have experienced; that that is it which doth the work in the foul. It begets to God, it brings out of the land of darkness, it leads through all entanglements, and preferves in the midst of them all. It breaks down the old building of fin and iniquity (both inwardly and outwardly, both in heart, and alfo in life and converfation) and raiseth the new and holy building. It makes willing, it makes obedient, it gives to believe, it gives to fuffer. Oh! bleffed be the Lord for the day of his power, which is inwardly broken forth! Oh! what would the poor child do, (the poor Lambs in the midft of the Wolves, inwardly and outwardly) were it not for the Father's hand, the Father's arm, the Father's power, which is still with them, and compaffeth them about! Oh! bleffed are they that know the miniftration of the life inwardly, the power of life inwardly! For in life, in the feed of life, is the holy power; which is manifeft, appears and works, as it gains ground on the creature, to put forth and exercise in it the virtue and ftrength which it daily receiveth from its Father.

IV. Concerning Temptations.

Concerning temptations, this I have experienced; that the strength and hurt of them, as to the foul, lies in the foul's looking at them. For the ftrength of God is revealed in his children against the tempter; which being patiently waited for, and trusted in, will never fail them. The leaft babe, the Lord would not have let in temptation and fin: but watch to that, and keep joined to that, which will preferve out of temptation, and out of fin. God is faithful, who hath care of all his, and whofe promife is to all his and as he would have none fin; fo none that diligently wait, fhall want his power to ftand by them, to preferve out of fin. Look unto me, and be faved, all ye ends of the earth. It is univerfally true. Look unto me, truft in me, look not at yourselves, truft not in yourselves; look not at the enemy, fear not the

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enemy;

enemy; I will fave you from every fnare, every temptation, as your eye is ftedfaft upon me. What if the enemy come in like a flood? If the Spirit of the Lord lift up a standard against him, can he prevail? What though he caft fiery darts? What though he befet round about? Will not the fhield of faith quench them all? Will not the whole armour of God defend and keep fafe from them all? If the enemy be refifted lawfully, (that is, in true faith in that power which is engaged for the foul against him) doth not the power of the Lord arife and fcatter him, and ftrengthen and establish the foul in the grace, and in the truth? Oh! the holy myftery of the heavenly warfare, and of the working of the pure power against the enemy; which overcomes all his impurities, and keeps clean from them! Look not at the enemy; let not in the reafonings of the mind; keep in the patience, keep in the pure fear, in the holy living fenfe; be only what thou art in the feed, in the new birth, in the life which God hath begotten in thee; then art thou fafe, then art thou in the name of the Lord, which is the ftrong tower. The enemy indeed may make a noife about thee with his lufts, with his temptations, with his floods, with his ftorms, with his fiery darts: but he cannot enter thy habitation. The fpirit of darkness, the prince of darkness, is fhut out of the land of the living. Abide thou there: dwell in the light, and walk in the light, as God is in the light, and he fhall never have power

over thee.

V. Concerning Prayer.

I have experienced prayer to be the breathing of that birth which God begets, to the Father of life which begat it; who by his Spirit makes known to it its condition and wants, and gives a suitable fenfe of heart, and cries to it. For as it is not in man to beget himfelf to God; no more can he pray to God in his own will or time, but as God pours out the Spirit of prayer and fupplication upon him, and by his Spirit teacheth and helpeth him to pray as he ought. Because ye are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. I have had a fenfe of the natural man, and of the fpiritual man; and of the cries and prayers of each: and this I have been taught and learned of God, that the gospel-prayer is the prayer of that birth which is begotten by the Spirit and power of the gofpel; and which prays in the Spirit, and in the fpringing of the holy life and power; whereby it rightly wrestles, and prevails with God, obtaining the mercies and bleffings which it wrestles with him for. For to this child there is access from God in the faith, through that holy Spirit of life which makes way for it, to obtain grace and mercy in the time of need. And through this Spirit it prays to God, and prevails with him on the behalf of others also. For the prayers of the righteous avail much, as it is written.

VI. Concerning Juftification and Sanctification, fome things which it bath pleafed the Lord, in his tender mercy, to give me to experience.

First, That it is the fame Chrift, the fame Spirit, the fame Life, the fame Wifdom, the fame Power, the fame Goodness, Love and Mercy, the fame Water, the fame Blood, which both juftifies and fanctifies.

Secondly, That juftification and fanctification go hand in hand together. There is none juftified, but he that is in measure fanctified: and there is none fanctified, but he that is in fome measure juftified. For God justifieth by a rule (by the new covenant, and according to the law thereof); and men receive and partake of juftification, according as they are brought into, and keep within, the compass of that rule. For God acted of old toward, and juftified, the children of the old covenant according to the law thereof; and the children of the new covenant are justified, and partake of juftification, according to the law thereof.

Thirdly, That juftification and, fanctification are both of and through the grace. It is fo in the beginning, and it is fo all along. By grace ye are Javed, faith the apoftle. The whole work of falvation is begun and carried on through grace. It is through that, God vifits and reaches to the foul, with his quickening virtue and power. He regenerates alfo thereby. Through that he justifies; through that he fanctifies, &c. So that as the work goes on, grace, grace, is to be cried to him that does the work, from his very laying the foundation and fastening the foul thereupon, to his very laying on of the top ftone.

Fourthly, Though juftification and fanctification be of God's grace and mercy in Chrift; yet this doth not exclude faith: but they are alfo through faith, and not without it. God doth not juftify man in the unbelieving state, in the dead ftate, in his abiding there; but in the coming out of it, in the repenting and turning from the dead works to the living God, and in believing in him: and fo he alfo fanctifies him..

Fifthly, Faith and obedience are of the fame nature, and always go together. So that where-ever there is faith, there is obedience likewife; and where-ever there is obedience, there is faith. Obedience flows from faith, and cannot be without it; for the very nature and virtue of faith is in it. And faith is obedience. For this is the command of God, that the foul believe on him (and in his appearances) whom he hath fent to fave; and this believing is obedience unto him that commands it. And this faith, and this obedience, is holy and juft in God's fight; and through it (but not without it) the foul is both juftified and fanctified.

Sixthly, That the works of faith, the works of the new life, are not the works of the law, the works of the old covenant; nor are excluded justification, as the works of the old covenant are. For I have found the Lord, who hath condemned and excluded all my doings, which ever I have been

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