and partial Zeal cannot but be highly displeasing to them. For I am not a God of Contention and Faction, but of Order,and Peace, and Love; and these are the genuine Products of true Modefty and Humility, fuch as esteems others better than it felf; but inconfiftent with that bold affuming Temper,which is restlefs and discontented, if any other be preferred before it. It may be, Affection and honeft Zeal may difpofe fome Men to be more liberal in their Refpects on this or that fide of the differing Parties; but do not fuch confider, that fuch Affection is not the Effect of Grace or Religion, but merely of Human Infirmity? These are fuch Prepoffeffions as I can never be capable of; for all the Saints are equally mine. My Hand made them Men, my Affifting Grace made them Saints; I enriched them with Virtues, and crowned them all with Glory. I know what each have done,what Occafions they had, what Improvements they made. I foreknew them before Time was; they chose not Me, but I them, and fingled them out of the Common Croud I drew them with the Cords of Love and ; Mercy, conducted them thro' great variety of Trials and Afflictions; fuftain'd them with uncommon Comforts and Recruits, enabled them to perfevere, and rewarded the Conftancy my felf had given: Iknow the first and last, and my Fatherly, my inexpreffible Affection extends to them all; for all are Inftruments of my Praise and Glory, fo many Monuments and Eternal Trophies of my Goodnefs; freely advanced to what they are by my Bounty and Favour,without any Right or antecedent Merit of their own. He therefore who defpises the least of these is guilty of difrefpect to the greateft; for this Contempt reflects at laft on Me, the Author of their Virtues and their Happiness; and therefore in Me alone fhould all the Honour pretended to be paid to them center. Their Interefts and Properties are no longer feparate, for Charity hath

made

made them One, and knit them into the fame Myftical Body, whofe Honours and Advantages and Inclinations and Joys are infeparably the fame. Nay, which is the utmost Perfection of Charity, they all confpire in loving me more than themselves, or any Merits or Refpects of their own; for, being in that happy State exalted above themselves, they are entirely taken up with the Love and Honour of God. This is their Happinefs and utmoft End. Nothing can divert them to meaner Profpects, no mixture of Self comes in betwixt, to damp the pure Flames of this everlasting Love.

Away then with these vain Curiosities, thefe eager Difputes concerning the Condition of the Bleffed, which betray a prevalence of Carnal and Senfual Appetites; fuch as have no Notions higher than particu lar Gains and feparate Interefts. Nature and Partiality inclines fuch Difpofitions to Act and Defire, and Love and Hate, upon private and perfonal Confiderations and then they fondly transfer the fame Idea's and the fame Behaviour from Earthly,to Heavenly Objects. Alas! The difference is the wideft in the World, and nothing in Nature fo diftant as the filly Imaginations of fuch Novices in Matters of another World, from those juster Apprehenfions, which Minds enlightned from above entertain upon thefe Occafions. Be not too curious then, my Son, in Matters above thy Capacity, but rather let it be thy care and conftant thought, how thou may'ft be found, though it be but the leaft in the Kingdom of Heaven. For couldft thou understand all Myfteries and all Knowledge, couldst thou diftinctly view the feveral Orders and Places of each Angel and Spirit above, yet what would this avail, farther than as it excited in thee lefs for thy Own, and greater Zeal for my Honour? The Man who seriously reflects upon the Multitude of his own Sins, and the Defects and Worthlefnefs of his own Virtues, how few, how poor, how far fhort they are

of

of the Perfection of those bright Examples heretofore, employs his Mind upon a Subject, which God likes much better than fuch empty Speculations as concern the Preeminence or the Subordination of them, who have fet thofe Examples.

This is a Controverfy, which they themselves never trouble themselves about. For they afcribe nothing to any Deferts of their own, but acknowledge the whole of what they have and are, to be the fole Effect of my infinite Liberality and Love. And their Happinefs and Honour is compleat by the Joy they take in the Fruition of God and his Glory. The more exalted any of these are, the more modeft they are, the more dear, and the more like to me. Thus much is intimated by that Vision, where they are faid to caft their

Rev. x.

Crowns at the Feet of God, and falling down

upon their Faces before the Throne, and before the Lamb, to worship him that liveth for ever and ever,

How abfurd is it to fee Men zealously contending who is greatest in the Kingdom of God, who are not folicitous in the mean while to know, what much more nearly concerns them, whether they fhall-have any place at all there themfelves? And yet to be leaft there is to be great, for even the leaft are Sons and Heirs of God. A little one shall become a thousand, and failxi.22. the Child shall die an hundred Years old, but the ---lxv. 20. Sinner of an hundred Years old fhall be accurfed. When the Disciples enquired who fhould be the greateft in the Kingdom of Heaven, this was the Answer made to that Demand: Except ye be conMat. xviii. verted, and become as little Children, ye shall in no wife enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore whefoever fhall humble himself as this little Child, the fame fhall be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Wo to them, who dildain to imitate the Humility and Meeknefs of little Children; for ftrait and low is the Gate of Heaven, fuch as the towrings of Ambition, and fwellings

of

of bloated Vanity can never ftoop to, or enter at Wo to the Rich, who have their Confolation in this World, for while the Poor are admitted into Paradife, they fhall ftand Weeping and Wailing without. But rejoice, ye Meek and Humble and Poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God, if ye heartily embrace and obey the Truth, and be Rich in Patience and good Difpofitions.

CHA P. LXIV.

God is All the Good Man's Hope and Confidence.

Difciple.] we below, or what, of all the Things TN whom, O Lord, is my Hope, while

here

under Heaven, can minifter Peace and Comfort to my Soul? Truly my Hope is even in Thee, and my Joy and Truft in thy Mercy alone. When were my Affairs in ill Condition with thee? Or what can prevent my being exquifitely miferable without thee? Poverty for thy fake is infinitely rather to be chofen, than all the Riches and Greatnefs in the World in Exchange for thy Favour; and Earth and Exile with that Favour more blifsful than Heaven without the Fruition of Thee. For Heaven is Heaven by thy bleffed Prefence, and where that does not refide, all is Death and the Grave, and Hell. Thou art my Defire and my Portion, and therefore to thee my Sighs and Groans, and Cries and Prayers continually afcend. I have no other Stay or Refuge, who can fend feasonable and fuitable Relief to all my Dangers and Neceffities but thou alone art my Hope and Truft, my effectual Comforter, and faithful Friend.

Others pursue their own private Ends and Advantages, but thou feekeft my Improvement and Hap

pinefs,

piness, and ordereft all Things for my Good. Even my Temptations and Afflictions are appointed to do me fervice: Thefe are the Methods by which the Fidelity of thy Chofen is brought to the Teft; and even thefe harfher Difpenfations ought as much to engage my Affections, and excite my Gratitude and Praife, as the brightest Comforts, and moft defired Profperity. In Thee therefore, O my God, I reft my Soul; Thou art my Sanctuary, where I depofite the Burden of all my Griefs and Troubles. For there alone can They and I be fafe; fince all things elfe are feeble and uncertain, neither able, nor always difpofed to comfort or protect me. Friends cannot do what they wish; Great Men will not, or cannot help; the Wife without thee, mistake their Measures; Books are but infignificant Diverfion, and yield no folid Confolation; Wealth cannot buy Eafe and Peace of Mind; Fortreffes and Coverts cannot hide me from Calamity; unless thou be with those Friends, and ftrengthen thofe great Men, and direct thofe Counsellors, and inftruct me by those Books, and affift me in the use of Wealth, and guard that ftrong Retreat. For Peace and Happiness are entirely in Thee. Thou art the End, the Sum, the Source of all Good; the Perfection of Life, the Depth of Wisdom and Knowledge: And Hope in Thee is the fureft, the most fenfible Support thy Seryants can have in the Miseries of this mortal Life.

To Thee therefore lift I up my Eyes, O Father of Mercies and Lover of Men: Comfort my Soul in Trouble, and purify it with thy Grace, that it may be a clean and holy Habitation, fuch as thy glorious Majefty does not difdain to dwell in. Let no Impurity be left in this Temple; but purge it throughly from every thing which may offend thofe Eyes, that cannot behold Iniquity or Uncleannefs. Look upon me in thy great goodness, and, after the Multitude of thy Mercies, hear the Prayer of thy poor Servant, now

wan