IV. I

xv. z6.

116 The Spiritual Homilies

the Better, it has a Fall, but it alfo Recovers of
it. Again, Sin worfteth thee in Ten or Twenty
Conflicts,- Overcomes the Soul, and lays it Flat :
But the Soul in time, in one Engagement Ob-
tains the Victory over Sin. Again, if the Soul
but perfevere, and no way Flag, it begins to be
an Overmatch, to See thro' the Enemy, and to
Carry off the Trophies of Victory from Sin.
But even here too if we make a ftricTt Enquiry,
Ephef. Sin (till is too hard for Man, till he is m Come
to a Perfect Man indeed, unto the Meafure of
his St at lire ■, and perfectly Overcomes Death. For
i Cor. [t is n Written, the Laft Enemy that JJoall be De-
flrotfd^ is Death. And thus will Men have the

°— TW6> Superiority over the Devil, and be his ° Con-

^"' qiierors.

But if, as we faid before, any one lays, I am
No Fornicator, nor Adulterer, neither am I Cove-
tous, I Lack Nothing -y thus far I grant he may
have Fought againft three Parties, but withal I
mull tell him that there are Twenty more inRe-
fervc, which Sin has in Readinefs to Oppofe his
Soul, which he never yet ventur'd upon, but
he was Worried. He ought therefore to Fight
againft them All and Engage every one. For
the Mind, as I have laid more than once already,
is it felf the Adverfary, and the Strength it has
againft Sin is much upon the Level, fo far as to
Contradict aud Withftand the Thoughts fuggeft-
ed to it.

But if you fay that the Adverfe Force is
Stronger, and that Sin has altogether the Domi-
nion over Man •, you make God Unrighteous in
Condemning the Humane Nature for Obeying
Satan, when yet He is the * Stronger, and Forces
the other to Subjection by a kind of Xrreilftible?
Power. Thou, "O God, "haft, it is true, made
* The Manufcript reads \%v^%^u

Him

o/Macarius the Egyptian. 117

Him Greater and Stronger than the Soul, but

in the End Thou wilt p Regard me ! f VC. iii. 4,

Suppofe that one in the Vigour of Youth
fliou'd Engage a Child in fingle Combat, and
the Child lhou'd be Worried -, is He Con-
demn'd ? For what * Reafon ? Becaufe He was
Worfted ? This is very Unjuft. Hence do we
pronounce the Mind both an Adverfary and an
equal Match into the Bargain. And fuch a Soul
as will but feek after it, finds Help and Succour,
and is vouchfaf'd Redemption too. For there is
No Strife or Combat, but where the Strength
of both Parties is upon a Level. Let us give
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Spirit for ever ! Amen.

Homily IV.

Chriftians ought to go over the Courfe of
their Race in this World with Care and
ExacJnefs, that they may attain to the
Heavenly Applaufes from God and Angels.

HEY that are deflrous to Lead the Life

of a Chrifbnn with any Great Exactnefs,

the very firit thing they are obliged to

take Care of with all "their Might is

that leading Power in the Soul by which wc

* The Manufcript for h&rt reads h»li% for which Reafon
I have rendred the PafTage by Interrogations, as Beft fuiting
then with the Original, especially if after <*W/< we fubjoin
on, which Words may eafily be contracted by Miflake into

OiOTI,

I 3 Under**

Ii 8 The Spiritual Homilies

Underftand and Difcern Things, that having
once attain'd to an Exact Adjuftment of the
nice Difference between Good and Evil, and
ever diftinguifhing the Things that arc intro-
duc'd into, and contrary to Nature, our Conver-
fation in the World may always be Upright and
Inoffenfive -> that fo making ufe of this difcern-
ine; Power, we may keep our felvesfree from any
* Engagement and Covenant with the Suggeftions
of Sin, and being Rewarded with the Hea-
venly Gift for fo doing, may become Worthy of
the Lord. Let us take an Illuftration of the
Matter from what we meet with in this vifible
Frame of Things. For the Body bears a fair
Refemblance to the Soul, and the Things of
the Body to thofe \ of the Soul, and the Things
which are Seen to the Things which are Hid.
For as the Body has the Eye for its Guide, and
this fame Guide by its Sight Conducts the Body
into the ftrait Road > * and do you but fuppofe
a Man to be making his Way thro' Marfhy
Grounds, where he meets with noticing but
Thorns and Bogs, Fire is alfo breaking out, and
Swords are {tuck upright in one Place, and both
Precipices and frequent Waters meet him in ano-
ther , this being fuppos'd, the Active, Careful,
and f nimble Traveller, having his Eye for his
Guide, goes over all thofe difficult Places with
the utmoft Care imaginable, holding up his Gar-
ment clofe to the belt of his Power on all Sides

* TheFol. andP;w. Edit, with the Yrancfort reads ccruvdoU-
foi' the Lipjic Edit. ctTuvMetroi, and the Manufcript drMJoia-
rot which is but little different. *

f The Manufcript reads t?s 4/vX^

* Both Picus and Tdthenius obferve an Abruptnefs in this
Place, which they are willing to think a Sufpeniion of the
Senfe, rather than a Real Defect.

f The Manufcript reads., djurKl®:

that

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 119

that io it may efcape bring Rent by the Shrubs
and Thorns, or being Bemir'd in the Bogs, or
g Cut by any one of the Swords ; and his
Eye Conducts his whole Body Safe, as being
indeed its Light, fo as neither to be Batter'd to
pieces againtt the Precipices, nor Drown'd by
the Waters, nor receive any manner of Damage
from any Difficulty that Threatens him. He that
thus * Brifkly and yet Warily pafles on with all
poflible Sobriety with his Garment tuck'd up
Clofe about him, keeping in the (trait Path his
Eye directs him to, both keeps himfelf from
Harm, and preferves the Garment hdhas on, from
being either Burnt or Rent. Whereas, if any
one that pafles thorough fuch Places as thefe, is
Idle, and Slothful, and Supine, and Heavy, and
Unactive, his Veil fluttering about every man-
ner of way is Rent, by the Shrubs and Thorns,
or elfe Burnt by the Fire, becaufe he does not
keep up his Garment tight on all Sides with the
Courage of a Man > or elfe it is Cut by the Swords
that are ftuck in the Ground, or it is Bemir'd
in fome Bog ; and to fay ail at once, he quickly
Spoils his Fine and New Vert, merely for. want
of Care, with Negligence, and downright Lazi-
nefs. And not only fo, but unlels he keeps a
watchful and fteady Eye upon his Way, he will
Fall himfelf into a Pit, or be Drown'd in the
Waters.

After the very fame manner the Soul alfo
which wears the Fine Garment of the Body as
its Veil:, and is endued with a Difcerning Fa-
culty that Directs the entire Soul together with
the Body in its Progrefs thro' the Defcrts and
Thorns of Life, and thro' the Mire, and Flame,
and Precipices, that is, thro' FleiTily Appetites,

* The Manufcript rcruis yoeyZc, *£ vwi-c7>.

1 4 thro1

no The Spiritual Homilies

thro' the Pleafures, and the other Abfurd Fooleries
of this prefent Time, ought every way with So-
briety, Courage, Induftry and Application, to
Gird and Preferve her felf, and her Garment of
the Body, that it be not Rent in the Briers and
Thorns of the World, of Cares, Supinenefs,
and Earthly Diftra&ions , and that it be not
Burnt up with the Fire of Concupifcence : That
is, fhe keeping her felf cloath'd with her Garment,
turns away her Eye from Beholding Wickednefs -,
ihe likewife turns away her Ear from Hearing
Slanders -y her Tongue from fpeaking Vanity >
her Hands and Feet from Evil Undertakings. For
the Soul certainly has a Will to Turn away and
Hinder the refpe&ive Members of the Body from
abominable Sights, from Hearing wicked and un-
chaft Difcourfe, from Speaking alfo as no way be-
comes us, and from worldly and finful Devices.

The Soul doth alfo Turn her felf away from
wicked Refveries, keeping her Heart fo, that none
of her Thoughts can be Hurried away in the
Spirit of the World. And by thus Struggling
and tiling her Endeavours, and yet diligently Curb-
ing in on all Hands the Members of the Body
from Things (infill, me Prefervcs her Noble Veir,
that of the Body from Rents, and Burns, and
Spots. And ihe mail her felf by Vertue of an
upright Will enabling her to Know, Under-
Hand and Difcern, or to fay all at once, thro'
the Power of the Lord be Preferv'd entire, me do-
ing in the mean time all me can to Curb her felf in,
and Turning clean away from all worldly Concu-
pifcence. And thus doth ilie find Help from the
Lord, that fo me may in very Deed be Preferv'd
from the foremention'd Evils. For when once the
Lord fhall obferve any one Bravely turning his Back
upon the Plcafures of this Life, together with
. its grofs Intanglements and Perplexities, the

Earthly

a/Macarius the Egyptian. m

Earthly Clogs, and Refllefs Workings of Vain
Thoughts, He then vouchfafes him the fpecial
Afliftance of his Grace, Preferving that Soul from
Falling, that pafTes fo Nobly thro' the pre-
fent Evil World $ and being Succour'd by him,
hath gone over the Stage of this prefent Life,
and FininYd his Courfe with Succefs.

But if any one thro' Sloth and Backward nefs
continues on his Courfe without Due Care, and
of himfelf doth not Abhor every worldly Luft,
nor Seek after God with a Full Defire : he is
Driven upon the Thorns and Thickets of this
World, and the Garment of his Bddy is Burnt
outright in the Fire of Concupifcence j he is
withal Bemir'd in the Sink of Pleafures > and by
this means is the Soul Depriv'd in the Day of
Judgment of that a Boldnefs it ought to have, as a i Jofo
not having been able to keep its Garment freeiv- r7«
from Spots, but utterly Rotted it with the De-
ceits of this prefent Time, and for that very '
reafon it is b Sentenced to be Caft out of thebMatth.
Kingdom. For what fhall God do with himXX11, Eh
that voluntarily gives himfelf up to the World,
and is Deceived by the Pleafures of it, or drawn
away with the Hurry of Earthly Diffractions ?
For the Man, upon whom he bellows the Suc-
cours of his Grace, is he who Divorces himfelf
from grofs Pleafures and his c former accuflom'd c Eph. w.
Behaviour, and at all times forcibly Urges his Mind 12-
towards the Lord, both Denying himfelf, and
a Seeking after the Lord only: This is the Per- dAdh xvii.
fon that God takes into his fpecial Care, that 27-
keeps himfelf difentangled every Way from the
Snares and Nets of the Matter of this World,
that works out his Salvation with e Fear and Trem- e Phil. ii.
Ming -, that with the utmofr. Heed pafTes clean l *•
thorough all the Snares and Toils, and Lufts
"of this World , both Seeking after the Lord

for

I2z The Spiritual Homilies

for his Afliftance, and Hoping in his Mercy to be
fav'd thro' Grace.

For behold the Five Wife and Sober Virgins
that Haften'd that which was a Stranger to
their Natures, that took Oil in the VelFel of
their Hearts, that is, the Grace of the Spirit
fMatth. from Above, they had Power to f enter with
xxv. i o. the Bridegroom into the heavenly Chamber. But
the others which were Foolifh, that continued
in their own Nature, neither kept thcmfelves
Sober, neither were they Solicitous to take the
tpf.xlv.7.8 Oil of Gladnefs in their VefTels, as Perfons Hill
in the Flefh, but they were overwhelmed as it
were with a deep Sleep thro' Negligence, and
Idlenefs, and Sloth, and Ignorance, or even thro'
an imaginary Opinion of their Righteoufnefs :
For which reafon they were alfo Excluded from
the Chamber of the Kingdom, not having been
able to Pleafe the Heavenly Bridegroom. For
being kept faft with the Chain of this World,
and an earthly Kind of Love, they gave not up
their entire Love to the Heavenly Bridegroom,
fc Matth. neither h took they Oil. For the Souls that Seek
xxv. 3. what is Foreign to their Nature, the Sanctifica-
tion of the Spirit, Engage their whole Affection
to the Lord, and there it is they Walk, and there
do they Pray, and there are their Thoughts em-
ploy 'd, Rejecting all things elfe. Wherefore
they are alfo thought Worthy to Receive the
* Oil of the Heavenly Grace. And thus they
can pafs thro' this Life without Falling, rendring
thcmfelves perfectly well pleafing to the Spiritual
Bridegroom. Whereas thofe Souls that continue

* By the Oil of the Heavenly Grace here, and the Oil of
Gladnefs before, feems to be meant that Fulnefs of Divine
Grace which is peculiar to the Gofpel, and alone enables us to
do our Duty with Eafe and Chearfulnefs. Compare 1 John
zir 27. John i. 1 6.

on

a/MaCarius the Egyptian. 113

on in their own Nature Grovel inthei ^noughts
upon the Earth, their Reafonings are upon *" the
Earth, and upon the Earth it is that their Mind
has its Converfation and in their own Opinion
truly they take themfelves to belong to the Bride-
groom, and to be Adom'd with the Righteouf-
nefs of the Flefh. But yet they are not Born of the
Spirit from Above, as not having Received the
Oil of Gladnefs.

For the Five # Rational Senfes of the Soul, if
once they come to receive the Grace which is
from Above ; and the SancTiification of the Spi-
rit, are in Truth the Wife Virgins, that have
received the Wifdom of Grace which is from
Above. But if they continue only in their own
Nature, they are found to beFoolifh, and plain-
ly difcover'd to be the Children of the World j
for they have not put off the Spirit of the World,
notwithftanding that in their own Conceit they
take themfelves to be by the Goodlincfs of their
Difcourfe and Demure Appearance, the very
Spoufes of the Bridegroom. For as thofe Souls
that wholly and entirely i Adhere to -\ the Lord, 'l P£ tncffl,
are there in Thought, and there Pray, and there i8,ln ixx'
Walk, and there Burn with Defire after the Love
of the Lord : So on the other hand the Souls
that are # Bound down in the Love of the
World, it is their Defire to have their Converla-

* The Author chuiing to fpeak of the inner Man in way
of Refemblance to the outward, I thought this literal Tran-
ilation more proper, than the common Veriion ; by Rathwl
Senfes here meaning only thofe of the Inward or Intelic&ual
Regenerate Man, not merely of the Rational Soul.

f The Francfort and Folio Edition, and even Dr. P;v>/'///s,
read r.y^V But the Manufcript and Paris of Morel. Ed*
read kv^Jiu'.

* The Manufcript reads d'eterou, and not cc9hg-xs as it is
in all the printed Copies.

tion

124 The Spiritual Homilies

tion upon the Earth 5 there they Walk, and there
Employ their Thoughts -y there does their Mind
take up its entire Abode. For which Reafon
neither can they be Turn'd to the Good Wif-
dom of the Spirit, which is a kind of Stranger
to our Nature, I mean the Heavenly Grace,
which is necefFary to become an Ingredient and
to be wrought up with our Nature, that we
might be Enabled to enter together with the
Lord into the Heavenly Bridech amber, and ob-
tain everlafting Salvation.

For thro' the Difobedience of the Firft Man
have we receiv'd into our felves, that Corrup-
tion of our Affections, which is Foreign to our
Nature, and which however Eflablifh'd by long
Cuftom and Prefcription as it were into Nature,
ought to be driven out again by that proper
*Matth. k Gueft of our Nature, the Heavenly Gift of
~xv- ST- the Spirit, and we be Reftor'd to our original
State of Purity. And unlefs we mall obtain
that Love of the Spirit which is from Heaven
by continual Petitions, and Supplication, and
Faith, and Prayer, and an Averfion to the World,
and our Nature cleave to this Love, which is
1 1 John the Lord ] himfelf, and be Sanctified by that
iv. 16. Love of the Spirit, having been defil'd by Sin,
and we perfevere to the End Blamelels, living
" Luke i. m ftri&ly in all the Commandments of the Lord,
6. we mall never be able to Obtain the Heavenly

Kingdom.

* But I have a Mind to difcourfe this Point
with a fort of Subtilty and Depth to the
Beit of my prefent Abilities. Hear therefore

* This concerning the Bodies of Angels is the firft of
thofe Paflages that have been cenfur'd in our Author, as Er-
roneous. But I refer the Reader to my Introduftion, (Ob-
jeftion I.) for Satisfa&ion as to this particular. See p. 37.

and

of Macarius the Egyptian. ny

and Attend. God, who is Infinite, and whom
no Man can approach unto, and Uncreated, hath
thro' his immenfe and inconceivable Goodnefs
taken to himfelf a Body, and as I may fo fay,
has Abridged himfelf of that n InacceJJible^ Glory^ o , Tim
that fo He might be in a Capacity of being vi. 16.*
United with his vifible Creatures, fuch as the
Souls I mean of Saints and Angels, that they
too might be Enabled to partake of the Life
of the Godhead. For every one of them is in
its o\yn Nature Body , be it Angel, Soul, or
Devil. For how Fine foever they may be, yet
at the fame time in Subflance, Form and Image,
according to the Subtilty of their Nature they
are Thin Bodies flill, as this Body of ours is in
Subflance Grofs. Thus alfo the Soul being of
fo fubtile a Nature hath taken to it felf an Eye
by which it fees, an Ear by which it Hears,
likewife a Tongue by which it fpeaks, an Hand,
and to fay all at once, an entire Body with its
feveral Members, and having taken this is Blend-
ed with it, and by it Performs all the Offices of
Life.

After the very fame manner hath God, who
is Immenfe and furpafling all Conception ° Lef-°Heb.ii.j
fen'd himfelf, out of mere Goodnefs, and put
on the Members of this Body, and withheld
himfelf from the Glory that is not to be Ap-
proach'd, and being Transform'd thro' Clemency
and Love to Man, makes himfelf a Body, and mixes
with it, and takes to Him the Souls that are Holy
and well-pleafing, and Faithful, and becomes
One Spirit with them according to the faying of
p St. Paul, Soul in Soul, and Subflance in Sub- p i Cor.vi
ilancc, that the Soul may live in * pcrfecl: Unity, 17-

and

* All the printed Copies read cv T? hotvAi, and accordingly
render it in Novitate. But that Nevenefs of Life we are caii'd to

tl6 The Spiritual Homilies

and be made to Tafte of the Life which is Im-
mortal, and become partaker of the Glory
which is Incorruptible, the Soul I mean that is
worthy, and well-pleailng in his Sight. For if
He made fuch a viiible Creature with fo Great a
degree of Excellence and Variety to come into

. Being out of things that were <i not, and that
mom. iv. had nQ Being before it was thus Made . He ha(j

withal a Mind, and with Eafe He made of

* . the things that were not, Subilances Grofs and

Hard, fuch as the Earth I mean, Mountains and

Trees ; (you plainly fee what Hardnefs there is

in Nature.) And again the * Middle Waters 5

rGen. i. And out °** tnem did ^c command the r Fowls

20. ' to be brought forth > And laltly the Finer Parts

of the Creation, the Fire and the Winds, and

whatever elie by reafon of its exceeding Subtilty

efcapes the Sight of the Eye of the Body.

How hath the Art of the manifold Wifdom
of God, which is Infinite and furpaffing all De-
fcription, made out of thofe things which were
not, the GrofTer, and more fubtile and delicate
Bodies to Subiifi by his Will? But how much
more doth He who is juft as He will and what
He pleafes to be, thro' his unfpeakable Kind-
nefs, and inconceivable Goodnefs Transform and
Diminiiri Himfelf, and make Himfelf Like to
us, Embodying Himfelf fc; far as He was capa-

. in the Gofpel being always * Kotivorqs and not v earns I chufe
A ' ' to read with the Manufcript c* r»f Ivortft, in Unity, as agree-
4* . ing alfo beft with the Senfe of St. Paul and our Author, tho*

— ' v11, ' at the fame time in the Margin of the Manufcript we are di-
rected to read veor-^t.

* By fierce v$*lcct middle Waters, I fuppofe our Author
might mean, the Waters that run between the Hills, Sec. they
being fo defcrib'd by the Pfalmift,' Tfal. civ. i o. And fo they
may be call'd in ContradifHndHon to the Waters above the
Firmament and thofe of the Abyfs Below, Gen. i. 6, 7, o.

ble-

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 127

ble in Holy, and Worthy, Faithful Souls : That
Co He who is in himfelf Invisible may f be feen r l J°hn u
by them, and He who is above all Touch may lmmm3*
be c Felt and Handled in Proportion to the * re- < A#s xvif<
fin'd State of the Soul, and they may u Tafte of 27.
his Sweetnefs, and make the a6hial Experiment u 1 Pet- «•'
for themfelves of the Goodnefs of the Light of|}-xix ,
his unutterable Pleafure. When He pleafes, HeHeb.vi.j-.'
becomes a Fire Burning up every Sinful AfFe&ion
introduced into the Soul. For our God, fays the
w Apoflle, is a Confuming Fire. When He pleafes, w Heb. *&
He becomes a Reft furpaffing all Expreflion and 29' ,comr
Utterance, that the Soul may be Reftcfh'd with^™.
the Reft of the Godhead. When He pleafes, 24.
He becomes Joy and Peace, Cherifhing and Em- i* 3.
bracing her.

Now if God is alfo willing to make Himfelf
like one of his Creatures for the Gladnefs and
Joy of his intellectual Creatures, fuch as the City
of Light, Jerufalem or the Heavenly Mount
Si on, He is Able to do all things as he will, ac-
cording as it is x faid, But ye are come unto Mount x Heb. xii.
Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the lz:
Heavenly Jerufalem. All things are Eafie and
Void of Difficulty to Him, who is Transform'd
into whatever he pleafes for the Sake of his Wor-
thy and Faithful Souls. Let any but duly ftrive
to be well-pleafing to Him, and he mail Really,
Experimentally and Scnfibly Behold the Good
Things of Heaven, the unfpeakable Delights and
immenfe Riches of the Godhead, which >' Eye hath * i Cor. ii.
not feen, -nor Ear heard, and which have not En- °-
tred into the Heart of Man: Even the Spirit of

* By Xenons here I under/land not the Natural Finenefs
either of the Soul or its Vehicle, but that Delicacy of Per-
ception in it, which arifes from Purity of Heart, and is ra-
ther a Moral than Natural Perfection.

the

J28 The Spiritual Homilies

the Lord which ferves for the Reft of Holy
Souls, their Rejoicing, their Delight, and Eter-
nal Life. For the Lord Embodies himfelf that
he may become their Meat and Drink, as it is
* john vi. written in the 2 Gofpel, He that eateth this Bread,
jti. ■ [ball Live for ever-, that He may Refrefh the
Soul in fuch a way as is not to be Exprefs'd, and
Fill it with fpiritual Gladnefs. For, faith he, I
am the Bread of Life : In like manner alfo doth
he become the Drink of the Heavenly Spring as
« John iv. he a faith, He that drinketh of this Water that
'14. I jh all give him, it Jball be in him a Well of Wa-

ter [fringing up into everlafting Life. And we all,
b 1 Cor. x. b fays the Apoflle, have been made to drink the
[ame [fir it ua I Drink.

Thus did He appear to every one of the Holy
Fathers, as he pleas'd,and thought Beft fof them;
cHeb.i. 1. after one c manner to Abraham, after another to
I[aac, after a third to Jacob -y in a different way
to Noah, to Daniel, to David, to Solomon, to
E[aias, and to every one of the Holy Prophets *
after one manner to Elias, after another to Mo[es.
And it is my Opinion that Mo[es all the Time he
was in the Mount during that Fall: of the Forty
Days, was admitted into that fpiritual Table, was
Entertain'd with the Delights it afforded, and En-
joy'd them. He appear'd therefore to every one
of the Saints in particular, as he thought fit,
for their Refrefhment and Salvation , and to lead
them into the Knowledge of God. For all
things are Eafle to Him, that He inclines to, and
Dimi milling himfelf at pleafure, He Embodies
himfelf, and is Transform'd when Beheld by
thofe that love Him, in that Glorious Light
which is not to be Approach'd, being manifefted
to his Saints in his Great and InexprcffibleLove
according to his Power. For the Soul that is
thought worthy in the Abundance of Defire and

Expecta-

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 129

Expectation, and Faith, and Love, to Receive
that Power from on High, the Heavenly Love
of the Spirit, and hath receiv'd the Heavenly-
Fire of the Life that is Immortal, is verily dil-
engag'd from all worldly Love, and perfectly at
liberty from every Bond of Sin.

For as Iron, or Lead^ or Gold, or Silver,
when calf, into the Fire is Freed from that Hard
Confiitency that is natural to it, being chang'd
into Softnefs, and fo long as it continues in the
Fire, is frill difiblv'd and gone off from its native
Hardnefs, through the ftrong Heat of the Fire *
After the Self-fame Manner the Soitl that has
Renounc'd the World, and Fix'd its Defire only
upon the Lord, in great Seeking of Soul, and
Labour, and Conflict, and keepeth up a con-
stant Expectation of Him in Faith and Hope 5
and hath once receiv'd that Heavenly Fire of
the Godhead, and of the Love of the Spirit, is
then of a truth Difentangled from all Love of
the World, and fetFree from all the Corruption
of the Affections > it turns all things out of it
felf, and it is chang'd from its natural Habit
and the Hardnefs of Sin, and Efteems all things
Superfluous, purely Acquiefcing in a fervent and
unfpeakable Love for that Heavenly Bridegroom
alone, whom it has Receiv'd.

But I tell thee, that thefe very Brethren fo
much Defir'd by him, whom his Eye is upon, if
they drawback from that Love, He too isTurn'd
away, as I may fay, from Them. For that very
thing is the Soul's Life and Refrefhment, namely,
the hidden and unfpeakable d Communion of the d Cantai<
Heavenly King. For if the Love of that Fel- 3»
lowfhip which is in the Fleih caufes a Separa-
tion e from Father, Mother, and Brethren 3 and c Gen. ii
all things befides are thought Foreign to the'~;"
married Couple 3 and if there be any Referve o£ L£*T

K Afreftion

130 The Spiritual Homilies

Ephef.v. Affection, it is at a di fiance at befl: Whereas
31- the Full Bent of its Inclination is kept for her

that Cohabits with him. For for this Caufey
faith the Scripture, Jhatt a Man leave Father and
Mother, and pall cleave to his Wife, and thefe
Two JJoall be One Flejh. If therefore the Love
which is of the Flefh, Sets one thus at liberty
from all Love befides: How much more mail
they, as many as have been thought worthy truly
to partake of that Holy Spirit who is the Hea-
venly and Indifputable Object of our Love, come
entirely off from the Love of the World -> and
all things elfe appear to them as impertinent Su-
perfluities, in that they have been perfectly Over-
c me with an Heavenly Defire, and United to the
Illapfe of it ? There are their Defires, there are
their Thoughts employ'd, there do they Live,
there do their Thoughts Rove up and down,
there is the Mind continually taken up, being
Overcome with Divine and Heavenly Love, and
Spiritual Defire.

What remains then, Beloved Brethren, but
that having fuch Good things laid before us, and
f2Cor.vii.lb Great f Promifes being made us by the Lord,
1 • we Throw off all Impediments from us,Renounce

all Love of the World, and give our felves wholly
up to that Only Good with Seeking and Defire,
that fo we may Obtain that unfpeakable Love of
the Spirit, which the Bleffed Paul hath Exhort-
ed us to Haflen our Endeavours after, faying,
* 1 Cor. 8 Follow after Charity, that we may be in a Ca-
xiv. 1. pacity to be thought worthy of being Chang'd
h Kzekiel from our own h Hardnefs by the Hand of the
xxxvi. 2tf.moflHigh, and may come to the fpiritual Sweet-
nefs and Reft, having been wounded with the
Love of the Divine Spirit. For the Lord bears
an exceeding friendly Affection for Man, wait-
ing with Companion for the time when we mall

entirely

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 131

entirely Turn to him, Refcuing our (elves from
all things that are contrary to us. For tho'
even we tnro' tne Abundance of Ignorance, and
Childifhnefs, and the wrong Byafs of Corruption
arc Turn'd away from Life, and Multiply Im-
pediments upon our felvcs, having no Mind to
Repent in good Earned : Yet is He touch'd
with Abundance of Companion for us, fuffering
long, till we Return and Come to Him, and
are Enlightned in our Inward Man, that our
Faces may not be Cover'd over with Shame
at the Day of Judgment.

But if this feems to us to be everl Difficulty
thro' the Trouble there is in the Practice of
Vertue, but more efpecially thro' the Suggeftion
andCounfel of the Adverfory, lo his Bowels yern,
and He beareth long, expecting our Converflon >
and tho' we Sin, He holds his Hand, waiting for
our Repentance $ and He is not Afriam'd to Re-
ceive us again when we Fall, as the Prophet
hath faid, l Shall they Fall, and not Arife^ foal I He * Jer. viii*1
turn away , and not Return ? Only let us be k So- 4-
her, having a good Mind in PoiTeflion, and let g l et' v'
us Return immediately and directly, feekingAf- *
fiftance from Him, and He for his Part is Ready
to Save us. For He Accepts this warm Effort
of our Will towards Him, the All of that Abili-
ty we have, and the Faith and Forwardnefs that
proceeds from a * Good Purpofe $ but the
whole Regulation of it, He worketh in us Him-
felf

Let us therefore, Beloved, ufe our Endeavours,
as the Children of God, having put off allPre-
pofTeilion, and CarelefTnefs, and Sloth, to be Brave
and Readv to Follow after Him, never adjourn-
ing from Day to Day, as Undermin'd by Sin*

* The Manufcript reads t*v c^k srgwgf*!** «?«££$,

K x For

x\i The Spiritual Homilies

For we know not the Time of our Departure
out of the Body. The Promifes made to us
Chriftians are Great and beyond Expreflion -, in-
fo much that all the Glory and Beauty of Hea-
ven and Earth, with all the remaining Furniture
and Variety, Riches, Splendour and Delight of
the Viiible Creation, bear no Proportion to
the Faith and Treafure of one flngle Soul.

How then fhall we ftand out againft fuch ex-
traordinary Invitations and Promifes, and not be
willing to Come entirely to Him, and Devote
our felves to Him, having formally Denied, ac-
cording to the Gofpel, together with all things
1 Luk xiv. elfe, even our own ] Life, and to Love Him on-
26' ly, and to admit of neither Rival nor Partner

with him ? But behold, notwithftanding all thefe
things, and the Great Glory that has been Given,
the many Difpenfations or the Lord there have
been from the Times of the Fathers, and the Pro-
phets -, the many Promifes that have been made j
and the many Exhortations Given ; and the
Great and Tender Companions of our Lord and
Matter from the Beginning towards us -, And
m Rom. v. lattly, notwithftanding his m inexpreflible Good-
7> 8. nefs to us at his Coining, Demonttrated by his
John xv. Suffering upon the Crofs, to Convert and n Tran-

"Coli n.^ate us into L^e: Yet do we ^ re^e toDe"
John v. 3 part from our own Will and from the Love of
24. the World, and from Engagements and Habits

which are Evil. This therefore is a Demonttra-
tion, that we have but very little Faith, or ra-
ther none at all. And yet after ail, Lo * He
continues to be Kind, Cherifhing and Preferring
us Invifibly, not delivering us over according to
our Sins, for ever to the Power of Evil, nor
yet fuffering us to Periih by the Deceitfulnefs of

* The Manufcript for uutu? reads cu/tv, contrary to al1
the printed Copies.

the

o/Macakivs the Egyptian. 133

the World, but thro' his Great Kindncfs and
Long-fuffering, Looking down upon us, expect-
ing when it will be that we Turn to Him.

But I am very much afraid the Words of the
Apoftle may come to be Verified upon us fome
time or other, (that live together in an unanimous
Contempt of All, and are drawn afide by our
old Prejudices) in which he ° fays, Or defpifefb0 Rom. ii.
thou the Riches of his Goodnefs, and Forbearance, 4-
and Long-fuffering, not knowing that the Goodnefs
of God leadeth thee to Repentance ? But if to this
Long-fuffering, and Kindnefs, and Forbearance
we make no Return but that of further Sins, and
thro' our CarelefTnefs and Contempt ihall Pur-
chafe for our felves yet Greater Judgments, that
Orach p alfo will be Fulfill'd, But after thy Hard- pRom. ii.
nefs and Impenitent Heart, freafureft up to thy felff-
JVrath againft the Day of Wrath, and Revelation
of the Righteous Judgment of God. For God has
carried himfelf with relation to Mankind with
Great Goodnefs beyond ExprefMon, and with
Long-fuffering not to be defcrib'd, defiring only
that we will be willing to °i Recover our felvcs,q iTim.ii,
and make it our Bufinefs to Turn to him with- -6-
out the leaft Referve, that we may be in a Ca-
pacity to Obtain Salvation.

But if you are defirous to Know the Long-
fuffering and Great Goodnefs of God your felf,
we may Learn it fufficiently from the Infpir'd
Writings. Look there upon Ifrael, of -whom are
r the Fathers, to whom the Promifes were directed,' Rom. ix.
of whom Chrift came after the FlefJj, to whom be- 4> f-
long the Services of God, and the Covenant -, How
Great Sins were they Guilty of? How often had
they Relaps'd? And yet He call them not r oflFfP£xcnr.
for ever, but for a Proper feafon, Gave them '4«
up to Chaftifemcnts for an Advantage, being
willing to Soften the Hardnefs of their Hearts

K 3 thro'

X$4 T%e Spiritual Ho mil its

thro' Affii&ion, He Turn'd, He Admonifh'd,
He fent Prophets to them. And how" many
times did He fhew himfelf Long-fuffering to
them that actually Sinn'd againft him and Pro-
vok'd him ? And thofe that Turn'd to him He
Luke xv. Receiv'd t with Joy > and when even after that
*°>22>2$»they Revolted again, He Forfook 'em not, but
*' ilill Invited them by his Prophets to Return to

him. And many a time when they had Revolt-
ed, He very gladly Embrac'd them and Receiv'd
them Gracioufly, till at laft they were Found in
that Great Apoflacy of all, and" had laid violent
Hands upon their own Lord, whom thro' the
Traditions of the Fathers and Holy Prophets
they Expefted for their Deliverer, and Sayiour,
and King, and Prophet. For when Tie came,

* John i. they u Received him not : But on the contrary, af-
-z1, ter they had offer'd Him many great Indignities,

they at laft PuninYd him with Death upon the
Crofs. And in this Great Offence and Tranf-
cendent Sin, their Sins which they had SwclPd
above the ufual Standard were Fill'd up ; and fo
they were Caft off for Good and All, the Holy
Spirit having departed^ from them, when the
Vail of the Temple was Rent. And thus their
very Temple, after it was given up to the Gen-

* Matth. tiles, was thrown down, and made w De folate, ac-
jexm. 38, cording to the Lord's exprefs x Denunciation,
Kriyit There Jh all not be Left here one Stone upon ano*

ther, that pall not be Thrown down. Thus were they
finally Deliver'd over to the Gentiles, and were
Scatter'd throughout the whole Earth by thofe
Kings that had taken them Captive, and were
ftri&ly enjoin'd never to Return more to their
own proper Habitations.

Thus therefore, even at this very Day, God be-
ing Kind and Good to every one of us, Suffers
Jong j Beholding how many Sins every one com-

mits^

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 13 j

mits,and yet keeps Silence, waiting for the Time
when he ihall Repent, and come off from Sin-
ning on any farther, and Receiving him with
Great Love and Joy that Turns from Sin. For
fo He y faith, There is Joy over one Sinner that?Lvkexy,
repentethy And z again, It is not the Will of my\°'
Father that one of the leaf of 'the fe little ones Jho/id\Mnrtth
Periflj. But if any one under the Great Kind-
nefs and Long-fuffering of God thus attending
him, who forbears to proceed to immediate
Vengeance for every particular Offence, as it is
committed, whether Secret, or Manifeit, but
Beholds and keeps Silence, and as itSvere wait-
ing for his Repentance , if any one, I fay, that
is advanced to a great degree of Contempt, jldds
a Sin to Sin^ Backs Sloth with Sloth, and Piles "I£xnc.i.
up Offences upon Offences, he Fills the* Bounds
of his Sins, and cometh in the end to fome Ini-
quity of that Magnitude, that from it he can
never Efcape more, but is Broken b to Pieces, and bMatth.
being for ever Deliver'd over to the wicked one, xxi- 44.
Perifhes. \£ xxx'

Thus it befel Sodom. For they by Sinning I4#
Greatly, and never Returning, fplit at lair upon
that wicked Device of theirs about the c An- c Gen. xix.
gels, being Bent upon Knowing them as Men, fo f*
that they were no longer capable of Repentance,
but were finally Rejected. For they Fill'd up
the meafure of their Sins, and even Exceeded it :
Wherefore they thro' the Divine d Vengeance djude 7.
were Deftroy'd by Fire. Thus did it alio hap-
pen in the Days of Noah^ by committing many
Offences, and never Repenting, they Fell into
fo Great Crimes, that in the End the whole Earth

* The Expreffion is fbmething peculiar, but the Author
feems to illuftrate by it the Swellings and Ozerjbw'mg of
Sin, from that of the Sea. Compare Jeremy li. f, with Job
xxviii. 1 1 , meaning only, the Meafure of Iniquity,

K 4 was

I $6 The Spiritual Homilies

was Deftroy'd. Thus in the Cafe of the Egyp-
tians-y they had been Great Sinners, and had
Sinn'd againft the People of God $ God us'd
them with Clemency, fo as not to Inflict fuch
Plagues as fTiou'd Confume them utterly , but
for their C halt ifement, and Convcrfion, and Re-
pentance, He inflicted on them the fmall Stripes
of his Scourges, Bearing with them Long, and
6 2 Pet. iii. waiting that they might e Repent: But they ha-
9* ving committed very many Sins againft the Peo-

ple of God, and then turning to God, and after-
wards Repenting of that Converfion, and Settling
in the Old Infidelity of a corrupt Will, and Ha-
railing again the People of God, did at lad,
when God by many Wonders had brought his
People out of Egypt by the Hand otMofes, Great-
ly Offend in Perilling after the People of God.
Wherefore alio the Divine Vengeance Confum'd
and made an End of them Utterly, and Over-
wheim'd them in the Waters, having Judg'd them
as Unworthy of this prefent Life.

In like manner, as was faid before, Ifrael com-
mitting many Offences and Sins, flaying the Pro-
phets of God, and doing many other wicked
things, becaufe God was Long-fuffering, holding
his Peace, and waiting for their Repentance, they
Sinn'd at the laft to that degree, that however
contrite, they cou'd never Rife from it. For
they laid their Hands upon the Dignity and Cha-
racter of the Lord. For which reafon they were
alfo Forfakcn and Rejected for ever, and the
Gift of Prophecy, the Priefthood, and the Ser-
vice of God were Taken from them, and Given to
the Gentiles that had Embrac'd the Faith, as the
f Matth. Lord exprefly f fays, the Kingdom of God fi all be
*xi- 43- taken from # you, and fi all be Given to a Na-

* Dr, Tritius and the Manufcript read v/uit,

tiom

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 137

tiori bringing forth the Fruits of it. For till then
did God bear with them, and was Long-fufTering,
and withdrew not his Companions from them.
But beeaufe they had FilPd up the Meafure of
their Sins, and exceedingly Abounded, in laying
Hands upon the Dignity and Character of the
Lord, they were finally Defertcd of God.

But thefe Matters, Beloved, have we difcours'd
of more at large, making it to appear from Scrip-
ture Sentiments, that we ought to Turn with-
out the lead Delay, andHaften to the Lord who
exercifes Clemency, and waiteth for us to come
perfectly off from All Wickednefsf and Sinful
PreporTerTion , and with much Joy Receiveth
them that turn to Him > that our Contempt may
not Encreafe upon us from Day to Day, and
our Sins being Heap'd up may not Multiply up-
on us, and we upon this very account Bring
down the Wrath of God upon our felvcs. Let
us therefore make it our Bufinefs to come to
God, being converted with a True Heart, not
Defpairing of Salvation (for that were of it felf
a flagrant Inftance of the Malice and s Subtilty % i Cor.
of the Serpent) upon the Remembrance of Sinsxi- 3-
Pari, that lead a Man into Defpondency, and
Want of Spirit, and Negligence, and downright
Inactivity, fo that he cannot by Turning and
Coming to the Lord, obtain Salvation thro' the
exceeding h Kindnefs of the Lord, which is reach'd »> Titus Hi
out to all Mankind. 4.

But if it appears to us as a Difficult and Im-
poffible Thing to Turn from a Multitude of
bins, as having taken firft PofTeflion of us, (which,
as we faid before, is the Suggeition of Wickcd-
nefs and an Hindrance to our Salvation : ) let us
call to mind, and conflderhow * our Lord, when
Converting with Mankind, by his Good nefsRe-

* The Manufcript inferrs here if^h '

ftor'd

Xll. 2.

138 The Spiritual Homilies

ilor'd the Blind to their Sight, Cur'd the Sick
of the Palfie, Heal'd every kind of Difcafe,
Rais'd the Dead that were gone down into Cor-
ruption and Oblivion, made the Deaf to Hear,
Calf out a Legion of Devils out of one fingle
Man, and Recover'd him to his right Mind that
was fo far gone with a Frenzy: How. much

1 Pf. xxiii. more will He not { Convert the Soul that turns

3- to Him, and Petitions Him for Mercy, and ftands

in Need of his Help, and bring it into the
chearful State of Freedom from Paffions, in-
to an Eftablimment of every Vertue, and a

fRom. k Renovation of the Mind, and Reflore it to
Health, intellectual Sight and Peace of Thought,
from the Blindnefs, and Deafnefs, and Deadnefs
of Infidelity, and Ignorance, and Want of Fear,
bringing it back to the Wifdom of Vertue and
Purity of Heart ? For He that made the Body,
himfelf alfo made the Soul. And as when He
convers'd on Earth, to all thofe that came and

"Matth. fought to Him for l Help and to be HeaVd^ He
liberally Granted of his Goodnefs whatever their
Wants were, as being the Good and Only Phy-
fician : Even fo is the Cafe exactly the fame in
Spirituals.

For if He was mov'd with fo much Compaf-
fion, towards Bodies which diflblve and die, and
Readily and Kindly did for every one what he Re-
quefled : How much more to an Immortal Soul,
that is Subject neither to DifTolution nor 'Cor-
ruption, yet labours under the Difeafe of Igno-
rance, and Malice, and of Infidelity and Want
of Fear, and the other Affections of Sin* but
cometh notwithstanding to the Lord, Seeking
to Him for Help with an Eye to his # Mercy,

* The printed Copies read all of 'em «« ™ ctonS 'eXs©*,
which certainly fhou'd be ccu'tv* Conf. Manufcript

and

xv. 25-
Mark ix

of Mac ari us the Egyptian. 139

and defiring to Receive from Him the Grace of
his Spirit for its Redemption, Salvation, and De-
livery from all Malice and every corrupt Affec-
tion will He not fooner and more readily Grant
the Redemption of Healmg,agreeably to * his own
m \Vord,How much rather will the Heavenly Father™ L.uke
Avenge them that cry Day and Night to hi?n ? And
he goes on faying, Verily n I fay unto you, thatnVc{.z.
He will Avenge them fpcedily. And again He ex-
horts in another ° piace, Afk, and it floall be Gi- ° Matth.
ven you. For every one that ajketh, Receiveth,vn'7>^'
and he that Seeketh, Findeth, and to him that
Knocketh, it floall be Opened. And* a little P far-PVer- Ir-
ther he Subjoins, How much more J> hall your Hca- ^JJlSL
vcnly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that AJkx-u I3.
Him? 9 Verily I fay unto you, tho' He will not* Luke xL
give him becaufe he is his Friend, yet becaufe of his 8-
Importunity He will Rife and Give him as much
as he hath need of.

By all thefe Inilru&ions therefore hath He Ad-
moniuYd us to Beg of Him the Gift of Grace
with Boldnefs, without IntermiiTion, and with-
out Fainting. For it was for the Sake of r Sin-r. Matth.
ners that He came into the World, that Helx" 1$'
might f Turn them to Himfelf, and Heal them
that Believe on Him. Only let us withdraw
our felves from our Evil PrepofTeflions to the
Beft of our Power, and Hate all Evil Devices,
and the Deceits of the World, and Reject all
wicked and vain Thoughts, and ever Cleave to
Him to the utmoft of our Power : And He is
Ready to Supply us with his Help. For there-
fore is He Merciful, and Quickening, and Heal-

* The Manufcript reads oJt£, and not cwrov, as it is in the
printed Copies.

f The printed Copies read jjnr* e ■■laci, but the Manufcript

ing

140 The Spiritual Homilies

ing the Diforders that were Incurable, and work-
ing Redemption for them that call upon Him,
and Turn unto Him, and who, as far they are able,
of mere Will and Choice withdraw from all
worldly Love, and take off their Mind from the
Earth, and Hang upon Him with Application
and Deflre. To iuch a Soul as this doth God
vouchfafe his Help, which looks upon all things
elfe as Superfluous, and Acquiefces in Nothing that
this World affords > but expects to be Refrefh'd
and to Rejoice in the Reft of his Benignity.
And thus having thro' fo much Faith attain'd to
fHeb.vi. the Heavenly f Gift, and made her Deflre toAc-
4' quiefce in the Full Aflurance of Hope thro'

Grace, and for the time to come adminiftring to
the Holy Spirit uniformly and conftantly, and
daily advancing in Goodnefs, and continuing in
the way of Right eoufnefs, and to the very Laft
holding out Inflexible, and Difengag'd from the
Side of Malice, and in no wife Grieving the
Grace beftow'd upon it, it is thought worthy to
Partake of Eternal Salvation with all the Saints,
as being indeed a joint Partaker and Companion
in the Race of Holinefs thro' the Imitation of
them during her Converfation in the World.
Amen !

Homily

a/Macarius the Egyptian, 141

Homily V.

There is a wide "Difference between Chris-
tians, and the Men of this World. For
thefe having the Spirit of the World are
Bound in Heart and Mind with Earthly
Chains. But They are defirous of the
Love of the Heavenly Father ', placing in
the Abundance of their T^efire Him only
before their Eyes.

IWgH-E World of Chriftians, and their way
Tig of Life, and their Mind, and Difcourfe,
£^^1 and Practice, is one thing : and that of the
Men of this World, both as to Manner,
Sentiment, Difcourfe, and Practice, quite and
clean Another. They are One thing, and thefe
Another -y and the Difference between Thefe and
Them is very wide. For they that are the In-
habitants of the Earth, and the Children of -this
World, are like to Wheat that is Caff, into the
Sieve of this Earth, being Tofs'd to and fro by
the Unfettled Reafonings of this World, and in
the troubled Sea of Earthly affairs, Defires, and
Variety of grofs Imaginations, while Satan in
this Sieve, (that is, of earthly Concerns,) is Sifting
the whole Sinful Race of Men ever fince the
Fall of Adam, who tranfgrefs'd the Command
of God, and came under the Dominion of the
Prince of Wickednefs, (He having receiv'd the
Power over him) and ever after is actually Sift-
ing all the Sons of this Life with the endleis Pro-
jects of Deceit and Diilraction, and Throwing
them againu the Sieve of this Earth.

For

i^z The Spiritual Homilies

For as in a Sieve the Corn is knock'd againrl
the Sides by him that Sifts, and continually Shaken
and Turnu in it: So by means of earthly Cares
and Diftraftions does the Prince of Wickednefs
keep fall Hold of all Mankind, and by them
Tofs about, and Dillurb and Shake them, and
make them Hit againft vain Imaginations, and fil-
thy Lulls, inceflantly leading Captive, and Hur-
rying, and Infnaring the Sinful Race-of Adam^
as the Lord foretold to the Apoilles, that the
wicked one wou'd certainly Rife up againll them,
•Luke Satan7 faith a he, hath defied to Sift you as
xxii. 31, fflheat^ but I have Prafd to my Father ', that
32# your Faith fail not. For the Word that was

fpoken to Cain by his Maker, and the Sentence
publickly Pafs'd upon him, (viz. Thou jhalt go
Mourning and Tremblings and be Tofs'd about up-
on the Earth) is a Type and Image of all Sinners
as to their Inward State. For thus was the Race
of Adam, having once Fain from the Command-
ment, and become Sinful, PofTefs'd of that Image
in the Hidden Man, being Tofs'd about with the
incelfant Suggeflions of Fear and Dread, and
every kind of Dillurbance, with Lulls and Plea-
, b John xiv. fares in great variety of b every Kind, the Prince
3°- of this World actually Toffing to and fro the

Soul that is not Born of God y and varioully
Diflurbing the Thoughts of Mankind, as Corn
that is continually Shifted about in a Sieve y and
Shaking and Enfnaring them All in worldly De-
ceits, and the Lulls of the Fleiri, and Fears and
Troubles.

For the Lord, when Shewing them that follow

the Deceits and Will of the wicked one in every

Motion of it, that they bear the Image of Cain's

Wickednefs, told them in way of Reproof, You

•johnviii. w*// do c the Lufts of the Father. He was a Mur~

44. derer from the Beginnings and Abode not in the

Truth,

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 143

Truth* So that the whole Sinful Race of Adam
carries about this Hidden Condemnation within
them, viz. Groaning and Trembling floall ye be.
Shaken in the Sieve of the Earth by Satan Sifting
you in Pcrfon. For as from one Adam the whole
Race of Mankind was Spread over the Earth : Gen. ix]
So one certain Taint in the Affections was de- 19-
riv'd down into the Sinful Stock of Men ; and
the Prince of Malice is fufficiently Able to Sift
them All in reftlefs, and grofs, and vain, and
troublefome Reflexions. For as one and the
fame Wind is enough to Stir and Shake all
Plants and Seeds whatever -> or, as the common
Darknefs of the Night is fpread over the whole
habitable Earth : Thus the Prince of Wicked-
nefs, being in fome fort the intellectual Darknefs
of Sin and Death, and an hidden and bluilering
fort of Wind, Toffeth to and fro all the Race of
Men upon Earth, and d carries them about withdEph,iV;
unfettled Thoughts, and Enticing the Hearts of J4*
Men with the Lufts of e the World^ He fills every e i John
Soul with the Darknefs of Ignorance, Blindnefs, »•. l6-
and Oblivion, if it is not Born from Above, Tltus "•
and in Mind and Heart is not pafs'd into another
World, according as it is laid, f But our Convey- f Phil, HI
fat ion is in Heaven. 20«

For in this do True Chriftians differ from the
whole Race of Mankind befides, and the Dis-
tance between Both is, as we faid before, very
Wide, forafmuch as they have their Heart and
Mind conftantly taken up with the Thoughts
of Heaven, and thro' the Prefence and Partici-
pation of the Holy Spirit do Behold, as in a
Glafs, the Good Things which are Eternal, by
being Born of God from Above, and being
thought worthy to become the Children of God
in Truth and Power, and being Arriv'd thro'
many Conflicts, and Labours, and Periods, to a

Settled

X44 T7°e Spiritual Homilies

Settled and Fix'd State, and an Exemption from
Trouble/and perfect Reft, never Sifted more, nor*
made to Fluctuate inUnfettled and VainThoughts.
Herein are they Greater and Better than the
World, by reafon that their Mind, and the De-
fire of their Soul, are in the Peace of Chriil, and
the Love of the Spirit, as even the Lord when
* "John v. difcourfing of thefe Matters hath laid, 8 that they
24. have pafs'd from Death to Life. Wherefore the

Alteration peculiar to Chriftians doth not confift
in any outward Fafhions or Refemb lances, as the
many imagine, that herein lies the Difference and
Diftinction between the * World and Them, viz.
in the ## Fafhions and Figures of them. And lo
in Mind and Thought they are like the World^
experiencing the fame Commotion and Unfettled-1
nets of Thought, and Want of Faith, and
Confuflon, and Diforder and Fear with all Man-
kind. And indeed in Shew and Appearance, and
fome outward Punctilio's of Behaviour they do
Differ from the World : But in the Heart and
Mind they are Bound with Earthly Bands, not
being poffeis'd of the Reft which is of God and
the Heavenly Peace of the Spirit in the Heart 5
becaufe -j" they fought it not of God, and had
not Faith to be made worthy of them.
.. For it is in the h Renovation of the Mind, and
' the i Peace of the Thoughts, and the k Love of
''Phil.iv.y.the Lord, the Heavenly Love, that the l New
*Eph.iii. Creature of the Chriftians differences them from
*9- all Men befides. Wherefore alfo the Coming of

*Cor-f-t\1G Lord proceeded upon this View, that He
might make them that truly Believe on him

* The Manufcript here inferts tS nos-px, which was want-
ing in all the printed Copies,

** The Manufcript both here and above rea ds xvpetrt.

t The Manufcript omits the*»; which is in the printel
Copies.

worthy

vf M a c a r i u s the Egyptian. 145-

Worthy of thofe Spiritual good Things. For
the Giory, and the Beauty, and the Heavenly
Rjches of Chriftians are Inexpreflibie, and Pur-
chas'd only with Labour and Pains, and I rials,
and Many Conflicts. But the Whole is o\\ -ng
to the Grace of God.

For if the Sight of even an Earthly King is
Defired by all Men, and every Inhabitant in the
City of the King has a longing Mind if it be but
to See his Beauty, or the Finery of his Robes, or
the Glory of his Purple, the Beauty of his vari-
ous Pearls, and the Graceful Luitxe of the Dia-
dem, the Auguftnefs of his Noble Retinue (unlefs
we except thofe Perfons that are Spiritual, who
look upon them All as Nothing, thro' their
having Experimentally known another Heavenly
and Incorporeal Glory, and been Wounded with
a different unfpeakable m Beauty, and Partaker of™ p^ xIv*

another Sort of Riches, and had their # Senfes J^vii ±:

n Awaken V/ in the Inward Man, and actually par- « Heb. v.
taking of another Spirit.) If, I fay, the -J- Men 14*
of this World, who have the Spirit of the
World, are in earned verydefirous to Behold an
Earthly King, with nothing but his Whole
Splendour and Glory. (For as his Portion is
Greater in thefe vilible Goods than that of other
Men, Co is it a Glorious and Defirable thing in
the Eyes of all to have but the Sight of Him ;
infomuch that every one Secretly wi&es with
himfelf, Woiid to 'God Somebody wou'd 3ej}ow
that Glory^ Grace^ and Splendow upon Me !
Pronouncing the Prince Happy, tho* he is
one like himfelf, of the Earth, of the like Paf-
fions, and Mortal withal, but yet Envied for
that Becoming Grace and Glory he is Set offwith

* The Manufcript for \Ac% reads &&■{&%.
t The Manufcript for *v reads oi.

L for

i^6 The Spiritual Homilies

for a Seafon ;) If then, I fay, the Carnal part of
Mankind arefo defirous of the Glory of an Earth-
ly King j How much more are thofe upon

°Pf. Ixxii. whom that ° Dew of the Spirit of Life, even
?• of the Godhead hath drop'd, and wounded

K xlv. 8. tiiejr fjearts with a Divine Love for Chrift the
Heavenly King, Bound fait to that Beauty,
and the unfpeakable Glory, and incorrup-
tible Grace, and the Inconceivable Riches of
Chriit the True and Eternal King, with the De-
lire and Longing after whom they are Captiva-
ted, turning wholly and entirely to Him, and
defiring to obtain thofe Unfpeakable good things,
which thro' the Spirit they actually Behold as in
a Glafs already -> and for whofe Sake they Efteem
all the Beauties, and Graces, and Glories, and
Honours, and Riches of Kings and Princes as
juft Nothing at all?

For they are Wounded with the Divine Beau-
ty, and the Life of the Heavenly Immortality
hasdropt into their Souls. For which realbn alfo
their Delire is towards that Love of the Heaven-
ly King, and Placing Him only before their
Eyes in the Abundance of their Affection, they
for his Sake difengage themfelves from all Love
of the World, and draw back from every Earth-
ly Clog, that fo they may be able Ever to Re-
tain in their Hearts that Only Delire. And
what that is we ought to Pofiefs, the Apoftle

« 2 Cor. v. tells us in thefe Words, * For we know, that if
i. our Earthly Houfe of.thisl'abermch were diffok?d$
we have a Building of God, an Houfe not made
with Hands, Eternal in the Heavens.

Every one therefore ought to ftrive, and be
diligent in every Kind of Vertue, and to Believe
that thereby we fhall pofleis that Houfe. For
if the Houfe of the Body be Diflblv'd, we have
no other Houfe for the Soul to Turn in to. If

jo

of Mac aiuus the Egyptian. 147

fo be, (faith the r Apoftle) that being cktbW—** 3.
we fall not be found Naked, that is, depriv'd of
the Communion and Participation of the Holy
Spirit, in which alone it is that the Faith-
ful Soul can find Reft. For for this very Rcafon
do they that are Chriftians in Truth and Power,
take Courage and Rejoice at their Departure out
of the f Flcfh, becaufe they have that Houfe which f " cor.xvt
Is not made with Hands, which Houfe is the *0,
Power of the Spirit that dwelleth in them. And
therefore if the Houfe of the Body be de-
ftroy'd, they are in no Fear > for they have the

Heavenly Houfe of the Spirit, and vt hat t Glory' xv;

which is Incorruptible. Which Glory, in the Day 42> 43*
of the Refurrection, will Build up and Glorify
even the Houfe of the Body, as the Apoftle
v fpeaks, He that raised up Chrift from the Dead, vRom.viii.
fall alfo Quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spi- 1 l '
rit that dwelleth in you. And again, u That theuiCov.iv.
Life alfo of Jefus might be Manifefled in the Mor- IO-
tal Body. And that, fays he, * Mortality might™— Y'4'
be Swallowed up of Life.

Let us therefore Strive, by Faith and a vertu-
ous Converfation, henceforward to be pofTeis'd
of that Cloathing, that when we Refume the
Body, we may not be found Naked, and there
be Nothing wanting which may Glorify our
FleiTi in that Day. For every one, fo far as he
hath been thought worthy by Faith and Dili-
gence to be made Partaker of the Holy Spirit,
in the fame Proportion fhall his Body alfo be Glo-
rified in that Day. For that which the Soul
hath Trcafur'd up within in this prefent Life, fhall
then be Reveal'd and made Manifeft outwardly
in the Body.

For as the Trees that have got over the Win-
ter, do by an invifible Power from both the Sun
and the Winds chcriihing them, put forth from

L z within,

148 The Spiritual Homilies

within, and moot out Leaves, and Flowers, and
Fruits, as their Cloathing : And in like manner
as the Flowers of the Grafs come out of the Bo-
foms of the Earth, and the Earth is Cover'd and
Cloath'd, and the Grafs is as the Lilies, concern-

* Matt. vi. ing which the Lord hath faidj x that not even
z9- Solomon in all his Glory was Arrafd like one of
thefe. (For all thefe are Rude Sketches, and
Types, and Images of Chriftians in the Refur-
rection :•) So to all Souls that are Lovers of God,
that is, to all true Chriftians, the firft Month is
Xanthicus, which is call'd April, which is the
Day of theRefurre&ionj and thro' the Power of

y M ' iv. the y Sun of Right eoufnefs there fhooteth out from
2* within the Glory of the Holy Spirit Covering

■ ifa. iv. 5. and 2 Defending the Bodies of the Saints, which
Glory they had before within Hidden in * their
Souls. For whatever (the Soul) hath at prefent,
the fame cometh forth at that time outwardly in
the Body.

This Month then, I fay, is the Firft of the
Months of the Year. This bringeth joy to the
whole Creation > ThisCloaths the Naked Trees,
Opening the Earth -y This bringeth -f fonh Joy
to all Living Creatures ; This Difcovers a Chear-
ful Smile to All -, This is the firft Month of the
Chriftians, Xanthicus by Name, which is the Sea-
ion of the Refl!', eel ion, wherein their Bodies
fhall be Glorined, by that unfpeakable Light
which is from this very Moment in them, that
is, the Power of the Spirit, which fhall be at
that time to them Cloathing, Meat, and Drink,
Gladnefs, Joy, Peace, a Robe, and eternal Life.
For then that Spirit of the Godhead, which in
this prefent Life they have been thought wor-

* The Manufcript adds cwrav.
f The Manufcript reads sr^pipet.

thy

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 149

thy to Receive, becomes the very univerfal
Luftre of Brightnefs, and Heavenly Beauty upon
them.

How ought we therefore every one of us to
Believe, and Strive, and be diligent in a all ver- a 2 Pet- i*
tuous Conversation, and to wait in Hope and
much Patience, that we maybe thought worthy
on this Side the Grave to Receive the Power
which is from Heaven, and the Glory of the
Holy Spirit inwardly in the Soul, that at the
time when our Bodies are Diffolv'd, we may
have what will Cover and Quicken us ? If Jo
be, b faith the Apoftle, that being C loath* d, we b 2 Cor. v.
fhall not be found Naked. And c He floall quicken c 3- ...
our Mortal Bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in' °i*ivi1
us. For Mofesj of BlefTed Memory, has (hewn
us a Type (thro' that d Glory of the Spirit thatd2Cor iii,
continued upon his d Countenance, which no T*
Man could ftcadfaftly Behold) after what manner
the Bodies of the Saints fhall be Glorified in the
Refurrection of the Righteous : Which very
Glory the Souls of fuch as are Holy and Faith-
ful are thought worthy to have within them in
the inner Man, even now in this prefent Life.
For we all3 fays e the Apoftle, with open Faa\eiCoT.ui.
that is to fay, the inward Man, behold the Glory l8-
of the Lord) being changed into the fame Image
from Glory to Glory. In like manner again for
forty Days and forty Nights together, /&, as it
is f written, neither Eat Bread, nor Drank tVater. f Exodus
But it was Impofilble, from the very Nature of xxxiv. 18
his Body, that he fhould Live fo long a time,
unlets he partook of another Spiritual Kind of
Food : which Food the Souls of the Saints do
from this very time receive of the Spirit after an
inviftble manner.

L 3 There

i jo The Spiritual Homilies

There are two * Ways whereby the BlefTed
Mofes has Prefigur'd what kind or Glory it is
which all true Chriftians fhall have in theRefur-
redtion, even the Glory of Light, and the intel-
lectual Delicacies of the Spirit, which after an
hidden manner are Vouchfifed to them from this
very time : wherefore it *f {hall be Manifefted
Then in your Body alfo. For the Glory which
the Saints are now poffefs'd of in their Souls,
even that, as was faid before, fhall Cover andCloath
their naked Bodies ralfo, and fnatch them away
into Heaven, and thereupon fhall we Reft with
the Lord in his Kingdom, both Body and Soul,
for ever. For when God made Adam^ he did
not provide him with any Corporeal Wings, like
the Fowls of the Air, as having originally deiign'd
for him the Wings of the Holy Spirit, that is,
thofe which he has determin'd to give him in
the Refurredtion, to make him Light and Carry
him off, whither the Spirit pleafes ; which
Wings the Souls of the Saints are thought wor-
thy tD have at prefent, as flying up in their Mind
into the Heavenly Wifdom. For the World of
Chriftians is quite of Another kind $ Theirs is a
different Table, and another Sort of Raiment,
and another fort of Enjoyment, and another Fei-
lowfhip, and another Set of Thoughts. Where-
fore alio They are Better than all Mankind be-
fidesj and are thought worthy of Receiving the
Vertue of thefe at prefent in their Souls, thro'
the Holy Ghoft. Wherefore in the Refurrec-
tion their Bodies alfo mall be thought worthy
of thofe good things of the Spirit, and Mix
with that Glory which the Souls they belong to

* The Printed Copies read rwVss, the Manuicript r^Vs5 ;
I have taken in both.

f The Manufcript reads ^eue^etiWtj*

have

of Mac arivs the Egyptian. iji

have in this Life actually had Experience of

already.

Therefore ought everyone of us to Strive, and
take true Pains, and be Diligent in All Vertue,
and to Believe and to Seek it of the Lord -, that
the inward Man may be made Partaker of that
Glory in this prefentLifc, and that the Soul may
have its %Felhtwjhip in that Holincfs of the Spi- g * Joh-i»
lit, that being cleans'd from the * Filth of Sin, 3-
we may have at the RcfurrccHon alfo where-
withal to Cover our Naked Bodies as they Rife,
Veil our Blemiihes, Quicken us, and Rcrrefh us
to all Eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven. For
Chrift hwill come down from Heaven, andRaifehlTfcf.iv.
to Life all the Kindred of Adam that have Slept l6,
from the Beginning of the World, according to
the Holy Scriptures. And he (hall Separate them
all into Two Diviflons -, and them that have his
own Mark, that is to lay, the Seal of the Spirit,
thefe He iTiall call to as his own Peculiar, and
place them on hist Right Hand. For my Sheep, fMat.xxv.
fays he, hear my Voice, and I Know them that are i?,2Lpv'
Mine, and am Known of Mine. And then i rial I j 27"
the Bodies of Thefe be Surrounded with a Divine iCor.xni.
Glory k from their Good Works, and themfelves I2-
fliall be Full of the Glory of the Spirit, which '^^
they have had in their Souls in this prefent Life. par^ ^j,
So that being thus Glorified in the Divine Light, Rev. xix.
and fnatch'd away to meet the Lord in the1 Air, S.
ive, as it is x written, Jloall ever be with the Lord, ' lThef-ir'
Reigning together with Him to Ages of Ages
without End. Amen.

* The Manufcript reads **» Uvm in the Plural 3 which, if
the true Reading, may poiTibly intend the difrinct Pollution of
Spirit, Soul, and Body, ariiing from the Lujis of 'the Fie fh, theLufls
of the Eye, and the Pride of Life. Comp. i Johnii. 16. with
i ThefT. v. 23.

L 4 Homily

ij2 The Spiritual Homilies

Homily VI.

They that are willing to Tleafe God, ought
to make their Trayers in Teace and Silence,
and Meeknefs and Wifdom ; left by UJing
Noife> they give Offence to all But with-
all the Homily contains two Queftions,
Whether the Thrones and Crowns are Crea-
tures y and concerning the Twelve Thrones
of Ifrael.

p^HEY that come to the Lord, ought to
g!|TJ|| make their Prayers in Silence and Peace,
|||^§ff| and great Compofure, and not with In-
decent and Conrus'd Clamours , but wait-
ing upon the Lord with Anguifh of Heart, and
Thoughts of Sobriety. And as in the cafe of Tome
Bad Diftempers, when the Patient is fbrc'd to be
Cauteriz'd, and to be under the Surgeon's Hands,
^ this Perfon with Courage and Patience under-
goes the Pain of the Operation, keeping himfelf
under due Reflraint, without anyTrouble or Dis-
turbance; Whereas there are others in the fame
Painful Circumflances, that while they are Cau-
terizing, or under the Surgeon's Operation, make
Indecent Noifes : And yet the Pain is the very
Same both in him that makes the Outcry, and
in him that maketh none at all y in him that Stirs,
and him that is Still. Thus there are fome in
Trouble and Affliction, and carry it oft with
great Sedatenefs, keeping their Mind within the

* The Printed Copies read *t&>s, Thus, which certainly ought
to be jr©-, This Perfon, as Fiats in the Paris Verilon renders it.

Bounds

Vi.
2.

o/Macarius the Egyptian. 153

Bounds of Thought. But others there are un-
der the fame Affliction, who not bearing it with
any tolerable Temper, pour out their Prayers
With Tumult and Difturbance, fo as that who-
ever hear, are offended. There are others yet
under no Uneafinefs at all, that out of Oftcnta-
tion however, or Singularity, Indulge themfclves
in diforderly Cries, as if by thefe they could Re-
commend themfelves to God.

But it is by no means allowable for any Ser-
vant of God to be in fo Great Diforder > but in
all Meeknefs and Wifdom, as the a prophet hath a Ifa. lx
Exprefs'd it , To whom floall I look, but to him
that is Meek and of a ghiict Spirit , and 1? embleth
at my Word ? And in the Days of Mofes b and b Ex- *»
Elias do we find in the Manifeftation made to i K^'xix
them, that when there was a Large Attendance u i2-
of Trumpets and Powers before the Majefty of
the Lord, the Prefence of the Lord was diftin-
guiuYd thro' them all, and Manifefted in Peace,
in Stilnefs, and in Reft. For behold, fays c the '
Text, the Voice of a Small Breath, and in that
the Lord was. Wherefore the Lord's Reft is
difcover'd to be in Peace and Compofure. ' For
as the Foundation is which a Man has laid, and
the Beginning which he has made : So he holds
out to the laft. If he Begins his Prayer at firft
with Whine and Noife, he will hold on the fame
Cuftom to the End : But fince the Lord has a
Love for Man, He gives his AfTiftance to this
Perfon notwithstanding. Thefe therefore, thro'
the Encouragement or Grace, have kept up the
fame ufual Manner to the End j but it is evi-
dent, that this is the Part of Idiots, by reafon
that they both give Scandal to others, and
are themfelves in great Diforder while they
Pray.

But

ibid.

ij4 T%e Spiritual Homilies

But the True Foundation of Prayer is TIji%
To take heed to our Thoughts, and make our
Prayers in great Calmnefs and Peace, ib as that
neither they that are without may take Offence.
For this Perfon, if he fhould receive the Grace
of God and Perfection, will offer up his Prayers
in Quiet throughout, and will Edify many more.

diCor.xiv.a/r(?r qoci js not fjoe Jiuthor of Confufton^ but of
^>' Peace. For they that deal in Noife, -are like to
the Mailers of the Foreihip, in not being able to
Pray every where, neither in the Churches, nor
yet in the Villages, unlefs it be perhaps in the
Deferts, exactly according to their own Humour.
. But they that pray Quietly, Edify all in every
Place. For a Man's whole Care fhould be taken
up about his Thoughts, and in cutting away that
Matter of Evil Suggeflions with which they are
Clogg'd y and in Forcing himfelf to God, and

fPn*xxiii-not following the e Dictates of his own Thoughts,

4- but to Collect them as they Rove, from every

Quarter, Diftinguifhing thole which are Natural

from them that are Wicked. For the Soul that

fRom.vii.is under f Sin? approaches very near to a Great
J4- Wood upon a Mountain, or the Reeds in a Ri-
ver, or the Thickets of Thorns, or Woods. They
therefore that have any Mind to pafs thro' that
Place, ought to hold out their Hands, and by
Force and Labour to move away the Wood that
furrounds them . Thus alfo is there a Wood of
Thoughts, which inclofe the Soul from the ad-
verfe Power. There is Need therefore of Great
Diligence and Application of Mind to Diitinguifri
thole Foreign thoughts of the Adverfe Power. For
there is one that, Trailing in his own Ability,
thinks to Fell thofe Mountains that furround him
of himfelf. But another that governs his Mind
withCompofure and Difcretion, and he without
the lead Fatigue to himfelf, Finifhes his Work be-
yond

a/Macarius the Egyptian. ijvy

yond him. Thus alfo in the Matter of Prayers,
ibme there are that Ufe themfelves to unbecoming
Noifes, as if they Depended upon Strength of
Body, never regarding the Wandrings of their
Thoughts, but imagining the Work done Com-
pleatly well by their own Power. But there are
others alfo that look well to their Thoughts, and
Finifh the whole Conflict within. Thefe by
their Understanding and Difcernment are able to
Rectify, and to Shake off the InfurrecHons of the
Thoughts, and to Walk # according to the Will
of the Lord. We find too by the Apoftle, g That s i Cor.xiv,
he that Speaketh with Tongues, Edafieth him f elf •> 4> 5-
but he that Prophefieth, Edifieth the Church -> and
he that Prophefieth, is Greater than he that Speak-
eth nnith Tongues. Every one therefore will chufe
to Edify others, and be thought Worthy of the
Kingdom of Heaven.

Queft. Becaufe fome tell us, that the Thrones
and Crowns are Creatures, and not Spirits, how
ought we to under ft and them ?

Anfw. The Throne of the Godhead is our
Mind. And again, the Throne of the Mind is
the Godhead and the Spirit. But even Satan in
like manner, and the Powers and the Rulers of
Darknefs, from the Tranfgreflion of the Com-
mandment, have Seated themfelves in the Heart,
and Mind, and Body of Adam, as their proper
Throne. For this very Reafon therefore the
Lord came, and took a Body of the Virgin. For
had it been his Pleafure to come down among us
in the Naked Godhead, who could poflibly have
Eorn it ? But thro' the Organ of the Body did
HeConverfe with Mankind. Wherefore He re-
mov'd thofe Spirits of Wickednefs that had

• The Iranckfort and the Folio Editions, and Dr. Tritius read
uira ; but the Manufcript and the Paris Edition, k*t?.

taken

1 5 6 TJoe Spiritual Homilies

taken up their Seats in the Body, from the

Thrones of the Mind and Thoughts, where their

Converfation was -> and the Lord Cleans' d the

hHcb. ix. h Confcience, and made the Mind, the Thoughts,

J4" and the Body a 'Throne to Himfelf.
;Mat.xix. Queft. What is it then which he'1 fetid, Ye fid all
28# Sit upon Twelve Thrones, judging the Twelve Trifys
o/lfrael?

Anfw. This we find was actually Done upon
Earth, when the Lord was taken up into Heaven.
For He Cent the Spirit the Comforter upon the
Twelve Apoftles, and that Holy Power which
came down, pitch'd its Tent, and Sat upon the
Thrones of their Minds. But becaufe they that
f A&s ii. flood by faid, k Thefi are full of New Wine;
*3- Peter hereupon began to Judge them fpeaking
'ver. 22, of Jefus$ ] A Man Mighty in Words and Signs,
23. Him have ye Crucified, hanging him upon a Tree.
And behold ! He doth Wonders there alfo ; He
Breaketh thro' the Stones of the Sepulchres, and
m Joel ii. Raifeth the Dead. For it is m written, In the
28. laft Days I will pour out of my Spirit upon all
Adsii.17. Flejh, and your Sons and your Daughters flo all Pro-
phefy. Many therefore having been Inftructed
n A&s ii. by Peter, came to n Repentance, infomuch that
37—41. the World was become New, the Elect of
God.

You fee how the Beginning of the Judgment
appear'd. For there the World appear -d New.
For thus was the Power given to them of Sitting
in this World, and pairing Judgment. Notwith-
standing that they are yet to Sit and Do Judg-
ment at the Coming of the Lord, at the Refur-
rection of the Dead. It is Done even here alfo,
the Holy Spirit being Seated on the Thrones of
their Minds.

But neither are the Diadems which Chriftians
fliall then receive, Creatures. And they that fay

they

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 157

they are, fay 111. But the Spirit which is n Tranf- n Rom.xii.
form'd iheweth thefe things. What iaith the •*• ...
A\>ott\z Paul concerning the Heavenly Jei Uj h n ? 2 °g ni*
That fie is the ° Mother of us all, in * whom we are« Gal.'iv.
Agreed. But as to the Garment which Chrifti- 16.
ans wear, the Spirit it felf doth manifeltly Qoath
them in the Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Amen.

Homily VII.

Concerning the Goodnefs of C hkist to-
wards Man. This Homily doth alfo con-
tain fome Queftions and Anfwers next to
I Impertinent or Vain.

S a Man, whom we will fuppofe to go
into a Royal Palace and fee the Hiftory-
Pieces which arc there, and the Noble
Furniture, iheTreafures laid up in one
Place, and Variety of other things in others > and
that he is made to Sic down at Table with the
King, and to have the moil: Delicious Meats and
Drinks fet before him, ana to be Entertain'd
eveiy manner of way with Sights and Ornaments :
but after all this, is Divorc'd thence, and found
to be driven into Places that are Ncifome -y Or,
as a Virgin that for Beauty, andWifdom, and
Fortune excels the reft of her Sex, but takes in
a Man that is Indigent, Mean, and Unfightly,

* The Manufcript inftead of l Ttwot*oXoySfdft reads «'? %»

f See the Prologomena, Objecltffx. where this Cenfure is par-
ticularly taken into Conflderation.

i cloath'd

i j 8 The Spiritual Homilies

*2,ech.iii. cloath'd with Rags, and taking off his a filthy
3— >- Garment^ cloaths him with Royal Apparel, and
puts a Diadem upon his Head, and her felf be-
come his Confort : the Poor Man thereupon be-
gins to be itruck with Aftoniihment, and to fay,
Am I then, Wretched and Poor, and Mean and
Pitiful as I am, to have fuch a Confort as this

b Eze. xvi. Given Me ? b Thus even God himfelf hath done
i • for Miferable and Wretched Man." He hath made

c Heb. vi. him to Tajle of c another World \ and of another
f* molt Delicious kind of Food -> He hath fhewn
him the Glories and Royal Splendour, which
exceed all Defcription, thofe in Heaven. And
he at laft, upon a due Companion of thofe Spi-
ritual things with the things of this World,
Throws them all afide, whether it be a King he
fees, or Nobles, or the Wife Men, his Eyes are
not to be taken off from the Heavenly Treafure.

djJolmiv.For fmcc &God is Love9 he has receiv'd of Him
l6' the Heavenly and Divine Fire of Chrift, and he
is at Reft, and in Joy, and there is heFix'd.

Qiieft. Is Satan prefent with God0 whether in
the Air^ or among Men ?

Anfw. What Hurt doth this Sun, which is
but a Creature, and mines upon the molt. Miry
Places, Receive ? How much more is the Divine
Being Prefent with Satan^and neither Sullied, nor
Polluted ? But He hath permitted Evil to. be for
the Exercife of Mankind. But that Evil is
Darkned and Blinded, and not able to look up-
on the Purity and Finenefs of God. But if any
one £iy that Satan hath his proper place, and
God too His, he makes Him to be Circumicrib'd
even as far at leaft as that Region where the wick-
ed one dwells. But we certainly fay that Good
is neither Circumfcrib'd, nor Comprehended, and
that all things are Contain'd in it, and yet the
Good is not DehTd by the Evil. What then,

i becaufe

o/Macarius the Egyptian. 159

becaufe the Heavens, and the Sun, and the Moun-
tains are in God himfelf, and e Subfift by Him,'2 Pet. Hi.
are they therefore God ? No. The Creatures are*"*
Confin'd to their own Order j and the Maker
himfelf who is Prcfent with his Creatures, is
God.

Queft. Since Sin is Transform' d into an Angel
of Light, and bears a near Refemblance to Grace,
how fiali a Man know the Wiles of the Devil,
and when to Embrace and Diftinguijh the Workings
of Grace ?

Anfw. Whatever is of Grace is attended with
fJoy, with Peace, with Love, with Truth. f Gal.v.
The Truth it * felf forces a Man to Seek after 22, 22.
Truth. But the Appearances of Sin, are Difor-
der'd, and carry nothing in them of Love an$
Joy towards God. For as Succhorie is like Let-
tice, when yet the one is Sweet, the other Bit-
ter : So in Grace it felf, there is a Refemblance
of Truth, and there is the very Subftance of
Truth it felf. As for inftance, there is the
Brightnefs of the Sun, and the Body of the Sun,
but the Brightnefs appears after one manner, and
the Light that is Lodg'd in the Body after
another. Again, a Lamp illuminates an Houfe,
but the Luftre that Shines all about is one thing,
and the Brighter and Clearer Light in the Body
of the Lamp is another. So are the things of
Grace, when a Man his as it were a diftant
View of them, and Rejoices in the View : But
he is quite another Perfon when the Divine
Power enters into him Seizing all his Members
and his Heart, and Captivates his Mind to the
Love of God. When they took Peter and
8 Thru ft him intoPrifon, as he was mut in faft, gAfts ..
the Angel came, and broke off his Chains, and4>^)7i9/

* The Manuscript reads torr«<

brought

i6o The Spiritual Homilies

brought him out, but he being as in an Ecftacy,
thought he had feen a Villon.

Que ft. But how do they Fall that are Influenced
by the Grace of God ?

Anfw. Our very Thoughts however Pure, do

in their own Nature Sub fide and Fall. For a

■ Man begins to be Lifted up, to Cenfure and to

hjohnix. fay9 You h are a Sinner ; but to Efteem himfelf

Luk xviii Rignteous- You don't know what Paul 'l faith,

IK " ' There ivas given unto me a Thorn in the Flefh, the

1 2 Cor. Meffenger of Satan, to Buffet me, left I Jhou'd be

x"- 7- Lifted up above Me a fur e. For there is even in

pure Nature a Tendency to Self-Elevation.

Quell. Can a Man by means of the Light fee
his own Soul, fince there are fome that take away
all Revelation, and affirm that Vifion is merely
thro1 Knowledge and Senfe ?

Anfw. There is Senfe, there is Vifion, and
there is Illumination. But this Perfon that hath
the Illumination, is Greater than He that hath
Senfe. For his Mind is Illuminated, as having
receiv'd a larger Portion than the Man that hath
Senfe, onlybecaufe he hath Expcrienc'd in him-
felf the full Aflurance of Vifions. But Reve-
lation is ftill of a different Nature, where the
great Things and Myfleries of God are difcover'd
to the Soul.

Queft. Does a Man by Revelation and the Ll-
vine Light fee the Soul?

Anfw. As thefe Eyes of ours Behold the Sun*
fo do they that are Enlightned Behold the Image
of the Soul. But few Chriiiians fee # thefe
things.

Queft. Has the Soul any Shape?

Anfw. It hath an Image, and a Shape refem-
bling an Angel. For as the Angels have an

* The Manufcript reads t««Jt«s.

Image

6/Macarius the Egyptian. \6x

Image unci a Shape -, and as the Outward Man
hath its Image: So too the inward Man hath an
Image like an Angel, and a Shape anfvvering to
the outward Man.

Quell. Is the Mind one things and the Soul
another ?

Anfzv. As the Members of the Body which
are many, are call'd One Man : So alfo are the
Members of the Soul many, the Mind, the Con-
feience, the Will, and the Thoughts, thofe
which k Accufe and thofe which Excufe $ but k Rom. iti
all thefe are Compriz'd in the general Notion of lS-
Thought, and are the Members of the^oul. But
the Soul is One, the Inward Man. But as the Out-
ward Eyes difcover before them at a diftance
Thorns, Precipices, and Pits : So alfo does the Mind
being # quicker of Apprehenfion, Spy out all the
Stratagems and Defigns of the adverfe Power,
and Fortifies the Soul before hand, as being the
Eye of the Soul. Let us \ return Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghoil,
for ever and ever. Amen.

* The Manufcript and the Paris Edition, for yo^yo^ as it
is in the other Copies, reads yogyoTegos.

* The Manufcript omits *v.

M Homily

i6z The Spiritual Homilies

Homily VIII.

Concerning thofe things that happen to Chrif
tians in the Time of Trayer, and con-
cerning the 'Degrees of TerfeEtion, name-
ly, whether it be poffible for Chriflians to
arrive at that State which is TerfeEl.

Man goes in to Bow the Knee, and his
Heart is Fill'd with a Divine Power,
and his Soul Rejoiceth with the Lord,
as the Bride with her Bridegroom ac-
■ Efai.lxii. cording to the Word of Efaias, * As the Bride-
groom Rejoiceth over his Bride^ Jo /hall the Lord
Rejoice over thee. It happens then that this Per-
fon who has been Burled all day long, gives him-
felf at a certain Hour to Prayer, and the Inward
Man is Snatch'd away to yet farther Devotion,
into the Unfathomable Depth of that World in
much Sweetnefs, infomuch that his whole Mind
is Eftrang'd, being Rais'd and carried off thither,
fo that for that time there is a Cloud of Obli-
vion upon the Thoughts of the Earthly Wis-
dom, by reafon that his Thoughts are Fill'd with
Divine and Heavenly Things, Things Infinite
and Incomprehensible, certain wonderful Things
which are impoiTibleto beUtter'd by the Mouth
of Man, fo that what he Prays and Says at that
time is, wou'd to God my Soul were gone along
with my Prayer !

Queft. Does a Man at all times Enter thus far
into thofe 'Things ?

Anfw. Grace indeed is incefTantly Prefent and
has taken Root, and 'is work'd up with us from
our tender Years, and is become as it were Na-
tural

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 163

fcural and Blended with us, it being as effectually
Prefent with Man as if it were One Subitance
with him. But it is after divers Manners that
it Conducts the Man for his Advantage, as it
pleafes 5 fometimes the Fire Flames out and Kindles
with greater Strength •, but at other times more
Slow and Gentle. And even the Self-fame Light
at certain Scaions Burns with a iironger Heat
and Flame, but at others the Fire Abates and
Burns but Dim. And this very Lamp (of Grace)
which is ever Burning and Shining out, whenever
it is Brightned up,it is more ftrongly Enkindled by
an extraordinary * Infuilon of the Love of God j
But again it is Imparted in meafure, and then the
Light that is Prefent is comparatively Dull.

Farther yet, by means of the Light there has
appear'd to fome the Sign f of the Crofs, and that
too has been Faftned to the Inward Man. At
another time again a Man in the very midft of
Prayer has been as it were in an Ecftacy, and
been found {landing at the xAltar in a Church -y *
and there have been Three Loaves brought to
fuch a one Leaven'd as it were with b Oil, andbLev.ii.4:
the more He has Eaten, the Bread has Encreas'd vii. 12.
and Grown the more. At another time again Numb- VI».
there has been as it were a Garment c of Light,^^;
fuch as there is not upon Earth in this Life, nei- Xyii. 2.
ther can be prepar'd by the a Hands of Men. <* Mark ucj
For as when the Lord went up into the Moun-3.
tain with John and Peter ^ He Chang 'd his Raiment ,
and made it to appear as the Lightning : Even
thus was that Garment ; and the Man that was

* Literally it is thus, viz. The more it is E?ihindled from an
tbriety of the Love of God , concerning which ExprelTion, fee
the Introduction, p.fy.^ il.

f See the Introduction. h.± y.£ £<mc.

* See the Introduction.

M z » Cloth"d

164 r^9e Spiritual Homilies

* Cloth'd with it, wondrcd and was AftoninVct
at it. At another Seafon the very Light which
was Shining in his Heart, has difclos'd a yet more
Inward, Profound, and ConceaPd Light, info-
much that the whole Man being Abforpt in
that Sweetneis and Contemplation, was Mailer
of himfelf no longer, but was to this World as
a mere Fool and Barbarian, by reafon of the Su-
perabundant Love and Sweetnefs, and by reafon
of the Hidden Myfteries. So that thePerfon be-
ing for that time Set at Liberty, arrives to fuch
Degrees of Perfection as to become Pure and
Free from Sin. But after all this Grace has with-
drawn it felf, and the Vail of the adverfe Power
has come upon him -> But it appears in part how-
ever, and he Hands in one of the lower Rounds
of Perfection.

So that, as we may fay, a Man ought to get
over Twelve gradual Steps, and arrive at Per-
fection. A Man in time does attain to that De-
gree and Come to Perfection. Again Grace
gives way, and comes down a Step lower, and
has made fome Stay upon the Eleven (inferior
Rounds.) But one that is Rich in Grace, at all
times, by Night and by Day, continues in a per-
fect State, Free and Pure, Ever Captivated, and
in Elevation.

But now if the Man, that has had thofe won-
derful things fhewn him, and had Experience of
them, ihou'd have them Always Prefent before
him, he wou'd not be able to Undertake the
Difpenfation of the Word, or any Burden. Nei-
ther cou'd he bear to Hear or have any Concern,
upon Occafion, for himfelf, or the Morrow :

* The printed Copies read w£ehf/Spo ■. , which certainly is
wrong : But the Manufcript uifohflposy which is Scute, and
to this agrees the Paris Veriion.

But

of Mac arius the Egyptian. i6y

But purely to Sit in a Corner in a State of E-
levation and Inebriation. So that the perfeft
Degree of all hath not been Given, that a Man
may be in a Capacity to attend the Care of the
Brethren, and the Miniitration of the Word.
Ncverthelefs the middle e JVall of Partition is bro- e Eph. \\.
ken downy and even f Death is Overcome. fT 4-

The Cafe is Thus, As there is a gloomy Kind lLxxv-8-
of Power that s hangs about a Lamp andSkreensgThe Fo-
it lightly, as the thick Air, tho' that continues ^ohcrere"
all the while Burning and Shining: * So is there t^° Mar-"
a Vail hanging about the other Lights Whence gin to Gal.
it is that this Perfon frankly owns that he is not iv.
Perfect, nor altogether Free from Sin. So that
he fays, that the Middle Wall of Partition is
taken down and Broken, and again in fome Part
that it is not taken down entirely, nor for good
and all. For there is a Seafon, when it Kindles,
and Comforts, and Refrefhes in a greater de-
gree. There is again a Seafon when it is kept
under and difcovers but little Life, as Grace it
felf difpenfes to Man for his Advantage. .

But who everarriv'd to that Degree which is
Perfecl:, in the feveral Seafons, (of Grace) and
hath had a Taft. and Experience of that World ?
For as yet I have not Seen lb much, as one that
is a Chriltian, or Free. But tho' a Man is even
Refreih'd with Grace, and Enters into Myile-
ries and Revelations, and into the Great Sweet-
nefs of Grace, Sin notwithstanding is ftiil Pre-
fent within. But they by reafon of the h j£#-hiQ6r.ir.
ccedingGrace^ and the Light that is in them ima- T4-
gine thcmfelves to be Free and Perfecl:, being for
Want of Experience deceiv'd, fince they Enjoy
the Influence of Grace. But as yet I have not •

* All the printed Copies here read iq^eed aearta, but it
mufl certainly be *t*$.

M 3 Seen

166 The Spiritual Homilies

Seen fo much as One that is Free. For I have
my felf in fome meafure, at certain times, come
up to that Degree -, and I know from what I
have learnt, that there is no fuch thing as a Per-
feft Man.

Queft. Do you tell us in what Degrees you are ?
Anfw. After the Sign of the Crofs, Grace in
this prefent Life Operates thus, # It Calms all the
Members and the Heart, fo that the Soul, out
of the Abundance of Joy, feems like a little
Child, confeious of No 111 ; and the Man no
longer Condemns the Gentile, or the Jew, or the
Man of the World. But the inward Man looks
upon all with an Eye of Purity, and the Man
Rejoices over the whole World, and defires to
Refpect and Love -f All, the Gentiles, as the
** Jews. At another time, as the Son of a
King, he confides in the Son of God as his own
'iIf. ix. 6. i Father, and the Doors are opened to him, and
* John xiv. in he goes into k many Manfions. And the farther
2* he goes in, they are again Opened to him, in

proportion, from One Hundred Manfions to an
Hundred others, and He is Rich. And the more
he is Enrich'd, there are again others, and thofe
newer Wonders, Difcover'd to him. iVnd He is
Entrufted as the Son and Heir, with things that
cannot be Spoken by Humane Nature, nor be
Pronounc'd by the Mouth and Tongue. Glory
be to God ! Amen.

* The printed Copies infert ^ here, v, hich the Manufcript
omits.

f The Manufcript for sraV^s reads sr*v7«j.
** The Manufcript for §t reads #$,

Homily

of Macarius the Egyptian. 167

Homily IX.

That theTromifes andTrophecies of God are
Fulfill' d thro3 all the Variety of Trials and
Temptations. And that We, by continu-
ally waiting upon God alone, are Redeem' d
from the Molefiations of the TVickedOne.

HE Spiritual Energy of the Grace of
God, which is in the Soul, performs its
Work with much Long-mffering, and
Wifdom, and a Myftical Difpenfation of
the Mind, the Man in the interim Struggling at
certain Seafons in much Patience. And then is
the Work of Grace plainly fhewn to be Perfect
in him, when the Free Determination of his Will
is Mani felled thro' Variety of Temptations to be
Acceptable to the Spirit, and he has given Proof
of his Experience and Patience time after time.
But the whole Conduct of this Matter we fhall
fet before you from the undeniable Examples in
Holy Scripture.

What I alTert, is much the fame with what
we find in Jofepb. After how many Times and
Seafons was it that the determinate Will of God
concerning him was Accomplifh'd, and the Vi-
iions were FulfilPd ? And what a SuccefHon of
antecedent Labours, Afflictions, and Strcights
were appointed for his Purgation ? And how No -
bly did he Bear up under All ? And being found ■ Gen. ill
by God to have been in every particular an Ap- 4°-..
prov'd and Faithful Servant, he then became theAfts vn*
a King of JEgypt} he b NouriJJfd his pwn Family %* Gea!xlv

M 4 and a'

i68 The Spiritual Homilies

and the Prophecy of the */^/£ww, and the Will of
God, which was Foretold, were Both Fulfill'd
after long Time and a Variety of Difpeniation.
In like manner as to David^ God Anointed
a t Sam. him to be a King by Samuel the Prophet. And
bxvl> *3' when he was Anointed, then did he b Fly from
IO# 'Saul^ who perfued him to take away his Life.
p— — xxiii.And where then was God's Anointing? And
7> lT- where the Promife that look'd as if it meant to
_xxvi. t x|ce Yjffeit immediately ? For after he had been
Anointed, then was he grievoufly Afflicted, wan-
c Hebr. xi. drmg about in c Deferts, and deftitute even of
d j |am a Bread, and flying to the e Gentiles for Refuge,
xxi. 3, 4, by reafon of the Defign of Saul againft him. The
j, 6. very Man whom God Anointed to be King, was
! — IO- yet involved in fuch Great AfHicbions. At length
in a Succeflion of Times having been Tried, and
Afflicted, and Tempted, and having exercis'd an
unwearied Patience, having Believed in God once
for all, and pofTefs'd himfelf with a Full Afl lirance
to this Effeft : What God has done for me by his
Prophet in Anointing Mc^ and what God hath /aid
Jhould come to pafs concerning me^ muft without all
doubt fo come to pafs. At lail, thro' much Long-
Suffering, the Will of God was Brought about,
f 2Samii. an<j David after many Trials actually f Reign'd.
4- And then was the Word of God Manifeiled, and
the Anointing which was done by the Prophet?
was plainly prov'd to be Firm and True.

Likewife in the Cafe of Mofes, God having

Fore-known and Fore-ordain'd this Perfon for the

Governour and Deliverer of the People, made

« Exod. ii. him to become the 8 Son of Pharaoh's Daughter,

10.

* The running Text of the Manufeript reads c^^eirm tho'
in the Margin, I confers, we are dire6ted to read ao^rm the
Inytfible Things (with all the Printed Copies j) and Jofeph's
Dreams or Virions may therefore be ftiied Irwifime, becaufe mt
Frobable in the Eye of Man. SceGen.xxxvii. 8, 10.

and

0/"Macarius the Egyptian. 169

and he was Brought up to the Wealth^ and Glo-
ry, and Plcafurc of a King, being h Learned in alt A<fh V1I<
the JVifdom of the ^Egyptians, and being grown 22*
up to Man, and become # Great, he 'Refus'd all 'Hebr. xi.
thole things, chufing rather the Afflictions and 24-
Reproaches of Chrif, according to the Words of
the k'Apoftfe, than to Enjoy the Plea fires of Sink — *.-*J!
for a Seafon. And when once he came to Fly l6'
from ./Egypt, how long a time did he fpend in
the Bufineis of a l Shepherd, who was a King's1 Ex. ii. 21.
Son at the fame time, and Bred up to the Plea- — m- "•
fords and Delicacies of a Court ? Ariel thus at laffc
being found, thro' much Long-differing, to be
Approv'd of God, and m Faithful, as having un-mHeb. SL
dergone manv Temptations, he became the11 De- z- ..
tiverer, and "° Leader, and p King of Ifrael, and um '
was by God expreily declar'd a <i God to Pharaoh. n£x
For by Him did God Smite JEgypt, and mew
r Great and Wonderful Things f upon Pharaoh,°?n™1
and in the iffue f Drown'd the ^Egyptians in thePD2°* .
Sea. Behold, after how many Times the Will Xxxiii.$\
and Purpofe of God was plainly Difcover'd, and 1 Exod.vii.
after how many Trials and Afflictions it was Ac- '•
complim'd. " r^d*v;K

The fame we have Exemplified in Abraham. __\- IO

How many Years before-hand had God promis'd ' . xiv.

to give him a t Son, and yet gave him none for 26 — 30.
all that immediately ; but v Trials and Tcmpta- ' Gcn* xv'

tions Befel him in the mean time many Years? t'Xvil

And he took all that came upon him with a per- ^_s.

fevering Patience, apd tt ftrengtherfd himfclf in xviii.

Faith, being fully perfuaded, that He who made the v ' °» cV.

2.
* The Folio and Frankfort, and the Lip/rc Editions, here inferfu Rom jv>
viV« which yet is not in the Magufcript, nor. Edition 0^18,19,20]
Morehus, tho' it is plainly taken from {&£,*!. 24. where sr<V« 2 j
occurs j and then it fkould be thus, liz. And by Faith, when
become Great, he Refusal, &c.

f The Marrjfcript here for 7r» reads «V.

Promife

7.
xod.iii.

o.

17 o The Spiritual Homilies

. Tit. i. 2. Promife not being in a x Capacity to Lie, will make
his own Word Good, And thus being found Faith-
ful, he obtain'd to the Promife.

After the fame manner alfo was Noah in the

*Gen. v. yFive Hundredth Year of his Life, commanded
3 V by God to prepare the Ark, who had told him

mm V1, 8' He would bring a Flood upon the Earth j and
yet it was in his Six Hundredth Year that He
brought it. He waited long a full Hundred
Years, not doubting in the leaft, whether God
would do as he had laid, or not : But being once
for all Eftablifh'd in a Firm Belief, that whatever
God had fpoken would without all queffion
come to pafs. And being thus Approv'd for the
Purpofe of his Heart, in Faith and Patience, and

**Pet.ii. much 2 Long-fufFering, He alone was fav'd with
8* his Houfe, having kept the Commandment be-
yond Exception.

Thefe Proofs have we brought out of the
Scriptures, in order to make it plain beyond dif-
pute, that the Energy of the Grace or God in
Man, and the Gift of the Holy Spirit, which
the Faithful Soul is thought worthy to Receive,
is attended with great Conflict, much Patience,
and Long-fufFering, and Temptations, and Trials >
the genuine Inclinations of the Will being Tried
by all manner of Afflictions. And if fhe Grieves
not the Spirit in any kind, but Harmonizes with
Grace throughout all the Commandments, then
is (lie thought worthy to be Set at Liberty from
her Afflictions, and Receives the Fulnefs of the
Adoption of the Spirit, and that which is fpoken
of in a Myftery, and of the Spiritual Riches, and
of the JVifdom which is not of this World, which
they who are Chriilians indeed become Partakers
of.

Wherefore alfo thefe Differ in all refpe&s
from all the Men who have the Spirit of the

World,

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 171

World, the Men of Prudence, Underftanding

and Wifdom. For fuch a one pafTeth a Judgment

upon all Men, as it is a written, He knowcth every2 1 Cor.ii.

Man, whence he [peaks, and where his Station '-S^1^

and what the Degrees he is in. But not a Man J^^

of thofe that have the Spirit of the World is able

to Know andDifcern Him, unlcfs He only who

has the Like Heavenly Spirit of the Godhead,

He knows his Like, as the Apoftle Hpeaks, Com-b — v. 13.

paring Spiritual Things with Spiritual But c thec —v. 14.

Animal Man receiver h not the Things of the Spirit

of God. For they are FooliJJmefs to him. But d he d —v. rj,

that is Spiritual, difcerneth all * Men^ yet he him-

felf is difcemed of no Man. Such a one as this

looks upon all the Glorious things of the World,

its Wealth, Delicacies, and Univerfal Pleafure,

and even Knowledge it felf, and every thing that

belongs to this prefent State, as Abominable and

Deteftable.

For as a Man that Burns with a Fever, what-
ever you bring him to Eat or Drink, tho' never
fo Pleafant, he Abominates and thrufts it from
him, becaufe he Burns with the Fever, and is
much Tormented with it. After the felf-fame
manner they alfo that Burn with the Heavenly,
Holy, and Noble Defire of the Spirit, and are
Wounded in the Soul with an Affection for the
Love of God, and ftrongly Influenc'd with that
Divine and Heavenly Fire, which the Lord e came e Luke xif„
to fend upon Earth, and whofe Will it is it floould 49-
fpeedily be Kindled -, and Flame out into the Hea-
venly Defire of Chrift, as was faid before ; thefe,
I fay, Etleem all the Glorious and Prctious

* All the Printed Copies read ?r«v&, with the common Co-
pies of the Greek Teftament. But the iManufcript reads n-uv&s,
a Reading which Dr. Mills vindicates from Iren&ns and Tbeodorct,
and which perhaps better fuits with the running Senfe of Ma-
cmus here.

things

172- 7#<? Spiritual Homilies

things of this prefent World, as things to be Ab-
horr'd and Hated, by reafon of that Fire of the
Love of Chrift. that PofTeffes them, and Kindles
and Inflames them with a Difpofition for God,
and with the Heavenly good things of Love.
From which Love, Nothing of all that is in
Heaven, or upon the Earth, or under the Earth,
fhall be able to Separate thefe, as the Apoitle
% Ro. viii. Paul hath Teftified, £ Who Jball Separate Us from
35 *• the Love of Chrift ? and fo on.

But it is never known, that any one finds the
« Luke xxi. g PoJJeJJion of his own Soul^ and of the Heavenly
*9' Spirit of Love, unlefs he Alienate himielf from
all things that are properly of this World , give
himfelf Entirely up to Seek after the Love of
Chrift y and his Mind be Diiengag'd from Ma-
terial* Cares and Earthly I ntanglements : that he
may be wholly taken up with that one Aim ia
view, Regulating thefe things by All the Com-
mandments, that fo his whole Concern, and
Search, and Engagement, and the Employ of his
Soul be laid out upon finding out that Intellect
h Compare tua\ Subftance , how it ought to be h Adorn'd
Pr0Ic 9t w^ tne PrecePts of every Vertue, and theHea-
j o. jer'.venly Ornament of the Spirit, and the Commu-
ii. 32. andnion of the Purity and Sanclification of Chrift;
iPet.iii.4. that a Man having difcarded All, and cut off
, J |ohn j from himfelf all the Impediments of Matter and
3. the Earth, and Carnal Love, and coming off
from Natural Affection, whether for Parents or
other Relations, may not allow his Mind to be
taken up with any thing elfe, or be drawn off,
whether by Government, or Glory, or the Ho-
nours, or Carnal Friend ihips of the World, or
any other Earthly Cares : But let his whole Mind
entirely Confine its Care and Anxiety to the

* The Manufcript and Paris Copy infert here /uf&tjttv alv.

Searching

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 173

Searching out of the Intellectual Subitance of the
Soul, and wholly and entirely wait in the Hope
and Expectation of the Coming of the Spirit up-
on it, juft as the Lord k faith, In your Patience k Luk.xxi.
po/fefs your Souls. And again, 1 Seek the Kingdom ^ T9-
of God, and all thefe things fh all be Added unto' Matt- VI*
you.

And it is pofTible, that a Perfon that thus
Strives, and looks continually to himfelf, whe-
ther in Prayer, or Obedience, orfomeWork or
other relating to God, may be able to Efcape the
Darknefs. of the Wicked Devils. For the Mind
that neglects not the Searching into it felf, and
Seeking after the Lord, is able to PorTefs its Soul
(when once its Corrupt Affections are Deitroy'd)
by Captivating it felf to the Lord ever by Force
and a Forward Mind, and by Cleaving to Him,
as it is m faid, Bringing e-very Thought into Capti- m i Cor. x±
vity, to the Obedience of Chrift : That by means S-
of fuch a Conflict, and Defire, and Seeking, the
Mind may be thought * worthy to be with .the
Lord in one Spirit, which is the Gift and Grace
of Chrift, having Refted in the Vefiel of the
Soul, which hasPrepar'd her felf for every good
Work, and does no n defpite unto the Spirit of the n Hebr, x.
Lord, by its own Self-Will, and theRefvcries of *9«
this World," or by its Dignities, or Principalities,
or Peculiarities of Opinion, or Carnal Pleafures,
or the Combinations and Fellowship of Wicked
Men.

For it is an Acceptable thing, if the Soul fo
Devotes her whole Self to the Lord, and Cleaves
to Him only, and Walks in his Commands with-
out the kait Forgetfulnefs, and duly Honouis the
Spirit of Chrift, which hath come down upon
and Overihadow'd her, as to be thought worthy

* The Manufcript reads xasr*|<w^.

to

174 *^°e Spiritual Homilies

to become One Spirit, and One Composition
* i Cor. vi. with Him, even as the ° Apoftle fpeaks, He that is
17- joined to the Lord, is One Spirit. But if any one
p Mat. xiii. give himfelf up to * Cares p, or Glory, orDomi-
12- nion, or be Sollicitous after the Honours that
come from Men, andHunteth after thefe things 5
or if his Soul gives in to the Medley and Confu-
fion of Earthly Thoughts 5 or be Tied down to
any thing of this World, and Kept Fall by it >
and fuch a Soul afterwards Should defire to make
an Elopement, and Efcape, and get j" clean off
from the Darknefs of the Affections, in which it
is detained by wicked Powers ; I fay, it will not
be able to do it, by reafon of its Loving and Do-
ing the Will of Darknefs, and not perfectly Ha-
ting the Practices that are Evil.

Let us therefore Prepare our felves to come to
the Lord with a Full Intention and Undivided
Will, and to be Followers of Chrift, to the end
that we may Perform whatever appears to be his
Will, and be Mindful of All his Commandments
to Do them, and having Divorc'd our whole
felves from the Love of the World, may Direct
our Souls Only to Him, and keep in our Mind
a clofe Applicacion to, and Concern for, and
Search after Him Only. But and if by means of
the Body, we mould happen to go off a fmall
matter from a ftricTt Regard to the Command-
ments of God, and our Obedience to Him j let
the Mind however by no means Depart from its
Love, and Search, and Defire after the Lord,
that Striving with a Mind fo Affected, and go-
ing on with a juft Senfe in the Way of Righte-
ouihefs, and taking Heed at all times to our

+ The Manufcript reads peeJinvxs.

t The Manufcript, for iJzehsircv, as it is in all the Printed
Copies, reads e|«A^«i«

Selves,

o/Macarius the Egyptian. 175

Selves, we may Obtain the Promife of his Spirit,
and be Redeenfd by Grace from that Deitruc-
tion of the * Darknels of the Affections, by
whofe Influence the Soul is Diftrefs'd 5 fo that
we may become worthy of the Eternal King-
dom, and be thought worthy to Enjoy Eternity
together with Chnif, Giving Glory to the Fa-
ther, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit for ever.
Amen.

Homily X.

The Gifts of 'Divine Grace are Treferv'dand
Improvd by an Humble Senfe of Mind,
and a Ready Will : But quite Deftrofd by
'Pride and Sloth.

|HE Souls that are Lovers of Truth and
of God, and in the Abundance of their
&§ Hope and Faith are defirous to Put on
Chriit compleatly, do not ftand in fo much need
of any Remembrance of others, nor are they
without Heavenly Defire and Love towards the
Lord, tho' they may fuffer in fome meafure a
State of Emptinefs : But being wholly and en-
tirely Nail'd to the Crofs of Chrift, they per-
ceive day after day an Experimental Senfe of their
Spiritual Advances towards the Spiritual Bride-
groom. And being wounded with an Heavenly
Defire, and actually Hungring after the Righte-

* All the Printed Copies read here r» <ncorx<;. The Manu-
fcript indeed has it not in the running Text, but in the Mar-
gin only,

3 oufnefs

xy6 The Spiritual Homilies

oufnefs of the Vertues, they have a Great and Infa-
tiable Longing for the Spirit to Shine out upon
them. Arid tho' they are thought worthy to Re*-
ceive, thro' their Faith, the Knowledge of Divine
Myileries, or are made Partakers even of the
Gladnefs of the Heavenly Grace, yet have they no
Confidence in themfelves, out of an Opinion that
they are Something : But in # proportion as they
are thought worthy of Spiritual Gifts, * by fo
much the more Infatiable is the Heavenly Defire
they are Fill'd with, and on they feek with un-
wearied Diligence > The more they are Senflble
of the Spiritual Progrefs in themfelves, the more
■f Hungry and "f Thirfty are they after the
Participation and Encreafe of Grace •, and the
Richer they Spiritually are, by fo much the more
do they fcem to themfelves to be in downright
Want, and are carried out infatiably with a Spi-
ritual Defire after the Heavenly Bridegroom, as
aEcc.xxiv. faith the % Scripture, a 'They that Eat me Jlo all yet
**• be Hungry ', and they that Drink me Jlo all yet be
Thirty.

Souls like thefe, that have a Fervent and In-
fatiable Love for the Lord, are worthy of Eter-
nal Life. Wherefore alfo they are thought
worthy of the Redemption from Vile Affecti his,
and perfectly Receive the Irradiation and Prefence
of the Holy Spirit, which is Unfpeakable, and

* The Manufcript reads here o<ru and rvrxTu*.
f The Frankfort, the Folio, and even the Paris Edition of Mo- '
+ See bis melius read here c*?r«vw *£ wh-^x which Dr. Fritius f obferves-
Preface to is not Senfe : And therefore he reads for it in his Edition «
the Homi- »"«w> *J $ty?»» which is a fufficient Reftoration of the Senie.
lies. But he adds withal, that it would be as well to read fW«vo< ^

exh^oiy thefe Words coming over again in this very Homily.
And this Con; ecture gives us the very Reading of the Bxroccian
Manufcript, which is much the Beft.

J All the Printed Copies read «-s <pnru v v&®*> ; but in the
Manufcript n ygj^is only found in the Margin,

p/Macarius the Egyptian. 177

of the b Myftical Fellowfhip in the c Fulncfs of b Compsw

having never entertained any Hopes of Receiving 16.
the Sanctification of their Heart thro' Patience and
Long-furTenng, I don't fay in part, bat in fuch a
Degree as is Perfect $ nor of Enjoying the Fel-
lowship of the Spirit in Perfection, with the ut-
molt Senfation and AfTurance j nor expected to
be Redecm'd thro' the Spirit from the Affections
which are Evil : Or again, having been once
thought worthy of Divine Grace they have yet,
being infenfibly Circumvented by the Evil Princi-
ple, given themfelves over to a fort of Carelef-
nefs and Remifnete. And the Reafon is evident,
that after they have Receiv'd the Grace of the
Spirit, and actually Enjoy the Comfort of Grace,
in Reft, Defire, and Spiritual Sweetnefs, and
have Trufted in it, they are Lifted up* and take
no farther Care, being neither of a Contrite
Heart, nor Humble Mind) neither are they in
that Degree of Freedom frdm the Paffions which
is Perfect, neither yet have they Waited with all
their utmoft Diligence and Faith, to be perfectly
Fill'd with Grace: But initead of that, they were
Full to a Sufficiency* they were completely Sa-
tisfied, and Refted in the Confolation of Grace,
Small as it was. The Progrefs fuch Souls made,
tended more to Elevation than Humility : fo that
they wereStript again of that very Gift, which
before was Vouchsafed to them, merely thro' a
carelefs Contempt of any thing farther, and the
vain Swelling or their own Opinion.

The Soul that is truly a Lover of God, and a
Lover of Chrift, tho' it does Righteous Works
without Number, demeans it fclf however, as if
it had wrought juft nothing at all, thro' the In-

N fatiablc

178 The Spiritual Homilies

fatiable Love it bcareth to the Lord. And tho*
by Failings and by Watchings it has even Mace-
rated the Body, it applies it ielf to the Perfuit of
the Vertaes flill, as it it never had Begun before
to take the lead Pains about them. Tho' it has
been thought worthy of the feveral Gifts of the
Spirit, or even been Favoured with Revelations
and Heavenly Myfteries j yet byreafon of its im-
menfe and In fatiable Love for the Lord, doth it
feem to it felf notwith (landing as if it had juft
Nothing of all this in PofTeilion : But Hungring
and Thirfling thro' Faith and Love, it is carried
on infatiably in the Perfevering Spirit of Prayer
to the Myfteries of Grace, and to every Degree
of Vertue. And being Wounded with the Love
of the Heavenly Spirit, continually exciting an
inflam'd Defire after the Heavenly Bridegroom,
thro' the Grace which is ever in it, and Longing
to be completely admitted to the Myilical and
InexprefTible Communion with him in theSanc-
tification of the Spirit j Being unveil'd in the
Face of the Soul, and looking with a ileady Eye
upon the Heavenly Bridegroom, Face to Face,
in the Light which is Spiritual, and not to be
Exprefs'd -y it mixes with Him in all the Fulnefs
of AfTurance, becomes Conformable to his Death,
ever waiting in the Abundance of Defire to Die
for the Sake of Chnil, and expecting the Full
AfTurance of Faith to Obtain under the Conduct
of the Spirit, an entire Redemption from Sin,
and the Darknefs of the Affections : That being
Purified by the Spirit, Sanctified in Soul and
Body, it may be thought Worthy to be made a
Veflel clean prepared for the Sulception of the
Heavenly Ointment, and the Refidence ofChrifl
the True and Heavenly King. And then is the
Soul made worthy of the Heavenly Life, and

from

of Macakivs the Egyptian. 179

from that Moment doth it become the Pure Ha-
bitation of the Holy Spirit.

But thefe are Heights which the Soul is not
allow'd to reach all at once, or without a Proba-
tion. But thro' many Labours, and Conflicts, and
Periods, and much Application, with variety of
Trials and Temptations, it receives Spiritual
Growth and Improvement, till at laft it comes
up to the State of an entire Exemption from its
old Affections : That holding out with a Chear-
ful and Noble Obltinacy againft every fucceed-
ing Temptation from the Evil Quarter, it may
then be thought worthy of Great Honours and
Spiritual Gifts, and the Heavenly PLiches, and
thus become an Inheriter of the Heavenly King-
dom in Chnftjeius our Lord, to whom be Glory
for Ever. Amen,

Ni Homily

180 The Spiritual Homilies

Homily XL

That the Power of the Holy Spirit in the
Heart of Man is as Fire 5 and what
things we may ft and in need of in order
to T>ifcern the Thoughts that Spring up
in the Heart : And concerning the Dead
Serpent Himg tip by Mofes on the Top of

l a*Pole, which was a Type ^Chrift. This
Homily moreover contains two 'Difputa-
tionSy the One of Clirift with that wick-
ed One, Satan $ the Other of Sinners with
the Same.

SIBH AT Heavenly Fire of the Divine Na-
k ture, which Christians receive within
them in their Heart now in this prefent
World, that felf-fame Fire, which now
* Miniftreth in their Hearts, when the Body
fhall be DifTolv'd, becomes Outward, and again
Compacts the Members, and caufes a Refiirrec-
tion of the Members that had been Diflblv'cL
For as the Fire that Miniftred on the Altar at

* The Manufcript and all the Printed Copies read Ji&kovSk
f See Bib* And yet f Combefis tells us, that Picus reads 3ioikSv, which, if we
both. P P. view the Translation, is True enough ; but if the Original
Concionat. Text, whether in the Folio Edition, or that of Morelius, is as cer-
.Dflw.S.^/? tainly Falfe. As to his Exceptions againft otoLxow it is cer-
Femecojien. tainly no Derogation to the Holy Spirit to Aft in Subordina-
Tom.v.p, tion to the Father and the Son. It may as well be applied to
a 6' 7. the Holy Ghofti as to Chrift. (See Rom. xv. 8. Beiides, the

Minifiration here, when rightly coniiderJd; will be found to be
nothing lefs than a Vrero^ati e peculiar to the Godhead. ( See
Dr. Scot s Chnftian Life, Part II. Vol. II. from p. 49. ro p. 98.)
Nor can it be more Below him to Act fuch a Part in the Se-
«»</ Creation, than it was in the FirJi*

i Jeru-

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 181

Jerufalem^ during the Seafon of the Captivity,
lay Buried a in a Pit-y and when there came a* 1 Mac I
Peace, and the Captives were Returned, that l9>
very fame Fire was as it were Renew'd, and
Serv'd as formerly it had done : So alfo at this
very Day does the Heavenly Fire work upon,
and Renew this Body we are fo us'd to (which
after its Diflblution turns to Dirt) andRaife again
the Bodies that were Corrupted. For that /#-
ward Fire, which now dwelleth in the Heart,
doth then Break out, and Accomplifh theRefur-
re&ion of the Body.

For in the Reign of Nebuchadonofir^ the Fir£
which was in the Furnace, was not Divine, but
a mere b Creature : but the three Children, that* Dan- ■**
for their Righteoufne(s were in the Vifible Fire, %9t
had in their Hearts the Divine and # Heavenly
Fire miniftring within their Thoughts, and exert-
ing its Influence upon them : And that very fame +
Fire difcovcr'd it felf without them too > for it
flood in the midft of them, and Reftrain'd the
Vifible Fire, that it fhould neither Burn, nor
Hurt the Righteous in the lead.

And likewife in the Days of Ifrael^ when the
Bent of their Mind and Thoughts was upon the
Project of Revolting from the Living God, and
Turning to Idolatry, Aaron was Forc'd to fpealc
to them to bring their Golden VefTels and Orna-
ments. Whereupon the Gold and the VefTels
which they call into the Fire, became an Idol,
and the Fire did as it were c Copy out their Inten-cEx.xxxu.
tion. Now this was a Wonderful Thing. For *4«
when, according to their Secret Purpolc, they
had in their Thoughts concluded upon Idolatry,
the very Fire did in like manner Work the Vef-
fels that were Flung into it, into an Idol. And

J The Manufcript and Paris Edition infert £.

N 3 after

i8z The Spiritual Homilies

after that, they made No Scruple of Open Ido-
latry.

As therefore the Three Children, whofe
Thoughts were upon Righteoufnefs, Receiv'd
the Fire of God within them, and WoriTiipped
the Lord in Truth : Even fo at prefent do Faith-
ful Souls receive that Divine and Heavenly Fire,
in this World, in the Hidden Man, and that fame
Fire Forms the Heavenly Image in the Humane
Nature.

As therefore the Fire Form'd the Golden Vef-
fels, and they became an Idol : So alfo does the
Lord, who exactly imitates the Intentions of
Faithful and Good Souls, even according to their
own Will, Frame the # New Image in the Soul,
which in the Refurrection appears outwardly,
and Glorifies their Bodies within and without,
But in the fame manner as their Bodies are at this
- very time Corrupted, and Dead, and DifTolv'd -,
fo alfo are the Thoughts Corrupted by Satan,
?johni.4.and Dead to the True dLife, and Buried in Mire
and Earth : For their Soul is Perifh'd.

As therefore the Ifraelites caft their Golden
Veffels into the Fire, and they became an Idol :
So now has Man given up his Pure and Good
Thoughts to Wickednefs, and they are Buried
in the Mire of Sin, and become a very Idol.

But how {hall a Man do to find thern out
again, and diftinguim them, and refcue them
from the Fire they belong to ?

Here the Soul flands in need of the Divine
Lamp, the Holy Spirit, which Garnifheth the
Houfe that is Darkned -y of the Bright Sun of
Righteoufnefs, which giveth Light, and Rifeth

* The Printed Copies read id, viw, but the Manufcript *ouv£$$
which in tranfcribing may eafily be Alter 'd,

in

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 183

in the Heart. It ftandeth in need alfo of the
Weapons of him e that winncth the Battle. "Compare

For there it was that the Widow, which had-]°!in^:^
Loft the Piece of Silver, firft f Lighted a Candle, jj, ' lx^ , %
then Swept the Houfc; and thus the Houle be-_5. and
ing Swept, and the Candle Lighted, the Silver Rev. iii.
Piece was found, which had been Cover'd overf T ,x:1, 2*
with Dung, and Filth, and Dirt. And at pre- Ug#
lent the Soul is not able to find out and ieparate
her own Thoughts: But when the Divine Can-
dle is lighted up, it Illuminates the Houfe that
was Darkned : and then doth me Behold her
own Thoughts, how they had been Earth'd in
the Filth and Mire of Sin. The Sun*Rifes, and
then the Soul feeth her Deftr notion, and doth
begin to Recover her Thoughts that lay confus'd
in Dung and Filth. For the Soul hath loir, her
8 Image, having Tranfgrefs'd the Command- g Compare
ment. Gen. i. 26.

Juft as when a certain King, who hath Goods ^71*Ep
and Attendants under him to wait upon his Per- colJiiao.
fon, happens to be Taken, and carried off Cap-
tive by his Enemies -> it is neceflary when He is
thus Seized and BaniuYd from his own Territo-
ries, that his Miniftcrs and Attendants Follow
after Him : So Adam alfo was Created Pure by
God for his own Service, and all thefe Creatures
were given him for his Attendants \ (for He was
made the Lord and King of all the Creatures.)
But from the time that the Wicked * W ord
came to him, and Convers'd with him, he re-
ceived it flrit. thro' the outward Ear, afterwards
it made its way thro' his Heart, and took hold
of his whole Perfon. And thus in the Event,

f Spirits are called \'*y«-t Words, in the Antient Philosophy.

And in Scripture Chriji is called the Word of God, and by v/ay of
Eminence, The Word. And therefore as the Good Wora f is Ckrijt,
fo the Evil Word muit be Antichrijl, or the A™/.

N 4 when

184 The Spiritual Homilies

when he was once laid hold on, the Creatures
alio that Waited on and Serv'dhim, were Taken
together with him. For by Him hath Death
RHgn'd over every Soul, and Blotted out the
entire Image of Adam, from the time of hisDif-
obedience ; infomuch that Mankind turn'd about,
and came to Worfhip Devils. For lo ! the Fruits
of the Earth, which were Created by God for a
good End, are Offered to Devils. Bread, and
Wine, and Oil, and Living Creatures do they
place upon their Altars. Not only fo, but even
jpfai. cvi« their gons anj Daughters have they h Sacrificed
37 " unto Devils.

At this juncture therefore, He that Fram'd
Body and Soul, comes in Perfon, and Unravels
pi'johniii.the whole * Scheme of the Wicked One, and his
8. Works that wereFinifrYd in the Thoughts. And
He Renews and Creates the Heavenly Image, and
makes the Soul New, that Adam may again be
a King over Death, and Lord of the Creatures.
And in the Shadow of the Law wzsMofes call'd
the Redeemer of Ifrac]y for he Brought them
out oiALgypt : So now alfo doesChrirl the True
Redeemer enter into the Hidden Recedes o\ the
Soul, and Bring it out of the Dark ALgypt, * and
the Intolerable Yoke, and Hard Bondage. He
Commands us therefore that we mould come
out of the World, become Poor as to all things
vifible, and have no Earthly Care upon our
Hands : But to (land Night and Day at the
Door, and wait for the Time when the Lord
will Op~n the Hearts that are fhut, and Pour in
upon us the Gift of his Holy Spirit. He has or-
der'd therefore, that we fhould Difmifs our Gold,
jMat.xix.and Silver, and k Relations, to Sell what we
29- have, and Give to the Poor, and fo to Hoard

* The Manufcript here inferts ^.

then*

21.

of Macarius the Egyptian. 1 8 y

them up, and Seek them in Heaven ; For where,
1 fays He, the Treafure is, there will the Heart be ' Matt- vi«
aljo. For the Lord knows, that from that quar-
ter Satan Prevails againfl: the Thoughts to Bring
them down into a Sollicitude for Material and
Earthly Things. Upon this account hath God,
confulting the Good of thy Soul, Bid thee to
Renounce them All, that fo even againft thy
Will thou mighteft Seek after the Heavenly
Riches, and keep thy Heart directed towards
God. For fhould'fl thou be willing to Return
to thy * PoffeJJions, thou would'ft find thy felf
pofTefs'd, after all, of Nothing that^ is Vifible.
Whether thou Wilt, or Not, thou art under a
Neceffity of Directing thy Mind towards "f Hea-
ven, where thou haft Treafur'd and Laid up
thefe things : For where thy Treafure is, there will
thy Heart be alfo.

For under the Law God Commanded Mofes,
that he fhould make a Brazen Serpent, and Lift
it up, and Faften it upon the Top of a Pole \
and as many as had been Stung by Serpents,
were Heai'd by Looking up to the Brazen Ser-
pent. This was done by a Special Difpenfation,
that fuch as were Detain'd in Earthly Cares, and
the Worfhip of Idols, and the Pleafures of Satan,
and All Ungodlinefs, might by this means Look
up in fome meafure to the things Above, and
having % taken off their Eyes from things Below,
Attend only to things Sublime, and again from
them Proceed on to the utmoft Height of all.
And by thus gradually Advancing to a Higher
and Superiour Rank, they might come at laft

* The Manufcript here reads ktv §*,*&,

f The Manufcript reads *..<,»'»

J The Manufcript being corrected reads dtxKv^avleq.

to

i$6 The Spiritual Homilies

to Know, that there is zMoflEigh above Every
Creature.

Thus alfo hath He Commanded thee to be-
come Poor thy felf, and having Sold All to Give
to them that are in Want ; that for the futiu e,
if thou would'ft never fo fain be Creeping upon
the Earth, it may not be in thy Power. Seau h
therefore into thy Heart, begin to Reaibn the
Matter over with thy Thoughts, Since then me
have Nothing upon Earthy let us he moving to-
wards He averts where we have a Treafure^ and
whither we have Trafficked. Then doth thy Mind
begin to Raife its Eye towards that which is
*Col.iii. i. Sublime, and to m Seek thoje things which are
AbGve, and to make i Progrefs in this.

But what is the Meaning that the Dead Ser-
pent which was Faifen'd upon the Top of the
Pole, mould Heal them that had been Wounds
ed ? Why, the Dead Serpent Overcame the
Living Ones > fo that it is a Type of the Body of
the Lord. For the Body which He receiv'd of
the -j~ Ever-Virgin Mary, He Offer'd upon the
Crofs, and Hung and Faften'd it to the Wood,
and the Dead Body Overcame and Slew the Ser-
pent" that was Alive and Crept about in the Heart.
Here is the Greateft Wonder of all, how the
Dead Serpent did to Kill the Living One. But
juft as Mofes wrought a New Work, when he
made the Similitude of a Living Serpent \ fo the
• jer.xxxi.Lord alfo created a n New Work of the* Virgin
Mary, and cloath'd himfelf with it, but brought
not a Body from Heaven. The Heavenly Spirit
entring into Adam, Wrought in and Mix'd him
with the Divine Nature. As then there was
no Brazen Serpent order'd by the Lord to be in

f The Manufcript inferts here tettff-tfglo.y*

* The Manufcript here inferts wx^6eva.

the

22.

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 187

the World till the time of °Mofes> fo neither was° Luke L
there Seen at all in the World a New and Sinlefs 3 J-
Body till the time of our Lord. For when the
Firft Adam had onceTranfgrefs'd the Command-
ment, Death Reign'd over all his Children. The
Dead Body therefore Overcame the Living Ser-
pent. And this Wonder is to the Jews a Stum-
bling Blocks and to the Greeks FoolijJmefs.

But what faith the P Apoftle ? But we Preach? i Cor. I
Jefus Chrift, and Him Crucified, unto the Jews a 23> 24-
Stumbling Block, and unto the Greeks FoolijJmefs -y
But to us who are Sav'd, CJorifl the Power of God,
and the Wifdom of God. For in the Dead Body
is the Life. Here is the Redemption, here is
the Light -, Here doth the Lord cdme to Death,
and Difpute with him, and exprefly Commands
him to Let the Souls out of i Hell and Death, q Rev. 1
and Reftore them back to Him. Behold then, l8*
he goes, difturb'd at thefe Injunctions, in to his
Servants, and Mutters up all his Forces, and the
Prince of Wickednefs brings to Him the r Hand- r Jer.xvii.
writings, and then fpeaks, Lo ! thefe have ^ Obey* dr Ro^ vj
my JVord, Behold how Mankind has TVorflnfd x^\
Us ! But God, being a Righteous Judge, even
There Difplays his Righteoufnefs, and Anfwers
him, Adam, I own, has Obefd you, and you- have
had the Hearts of all his Sons in your Pofjejfion.
The Humane Nature hath Obefd you. But what
doth My Body do Here ? Tlois certainly is Free
from Sin. float Body of the Firft Adam is Tied
down by Sufficient Obligations, and it is with J:if
tice enough that you keep the Writings in your own
Pofjejfion. But as to My felf, all JVitnefs unani-
moujly for Me, that I have not * Sinn'd. I am' i John iii.
under No Obligation to you in the leaf. And all fm
witnefs to me, that I am the Son of God. For the
Voice that came from the Heavens Above, witnef v Mat ^
fed on my behalf on Earth, This is my v Beloved i7.

Son,— 'Xvii.j*.

1 88 The Spiritual Homilies

*"johni. Son, hear Him. "John is another Witnefs, Be-
29- bold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sin of
the World. And the Scripture again, IV ho did
•If.liii.9. no w Sin, neither was Guile found in him. And
1 Pet. ii. tne Scripture again, x fhe Prince of this World
, jotoxiv ^meth, and hath Nothing in Me. And even you
30. too, Satan, your felf are a plain Witnefs for Me^
JMar.i.24.^^ crying out, y I know thee who thou art,
■-iii. 1 1. even the Son of God. And again, What have
*Lukc iv.we to do with thee, thou 2 Jefus of Nazareth?
34- . Art thou come to Torment us before the time?
Matt, y&ipnre are Three that Bear me Witnefs, He
^r that fendeth out the Voice from Heaven above,
They on the Earth, and Thy own Self. I therefore
Redeem that Body which was Sold to thee by the
I Co), ii. Firft a Adam, I make your Writing void, in having
*♦• been Crucified, and Defcended into Hell. And I
Command you Hell, and Darknefs, and Death, Re-
leafe every one of you the Souls of Adam, which
you have Imprifotfd. And thus, after all, the
Wicked Powers ftruck thro' with Horrour, di-»
re&ly Surrender up the Adam they had in Hold.

But when thou heareft, that at that very time
the Lord Delivcr'd the Souls out of Hell and
Darknefs, and that he went down into Hell, and
did the Glorious Work, "don't you imagine that
thefe Matters are at any great Dillance from your
own Soul. For Man is always in a Capacity of
Receiving the Wicked One. For Death keeps
the Souls of Adam in faft Hold, and the
Thoughts of the Soul are clofe Imprifon'd with-
in Darknefs. And whenever you hear mention
made of Tombs, don't let your Thoughts run
only upon fuch as are Outward j for thy Own
Heart is the Tomb and Sepulchre. For when
the Prince of Wickednefs and his Angels are
Lurking there, and make Paths and Thorough-
fares, where the Powers of Satan walk up and

down5

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 189

down, in thy very Mind and Thoughts > art
thou not a Hell, a Sepulchre, and Tomb, and
art thou not dead to God ? There it is that Sa-
tan has b Stamped the b Reprobate Silver. In this b Compare
very Soul has he Sown the Seeds of Bitternefs, Jer-vi- 3°-
and Leaven'd it with the Old Leaven. There ^r";
* Bubbles up the Fountain of the Mire. The xiv# 9.
Lord therefore Defcends to thofe Souls that Seek
after Him, into the very Depth of the Heart,
and there doth He give forth his Commands to
Death faying, Let out the Souls under your Confine-
meat) that Seek after Me ', and which you keep by
"f main Force. f He Breaks therefore thro* the
Heavy Stones that lie upon the Soul, Opens the
Sepulchres, Raifes up the True Dead, and bring-
cth the Imprifon'd Soul out of the Dark Cu£
tody.

Juft as if a Man were Bound Hand and Foot
with Chains, and there come one to him, and
loofe his Bands, and leave him to walk at liberty
in the open Air : So exactly doth the Lord Loofe
the Soul that is Bound with the Chains of
Death from her Fetters, gives her aReleafe, and
fets the Mind at liberty, that fhe may walk into
the Divine Air with Eaie and Pleafure.

As if a Man were in the middle of a River,
when at fulleft, and Sinking in the Water, lies
Dead, being Stifled in the midft of frightful
Creatures -y and any other that is not us'd to
Swim, frail have a mind to Save him that Fell

* The State of the Wicked feems here to be defcrib'd in way
©f Oppoiitiori to the "romife Chrirt, has made in thcGofpel to
them that Believe in Him; Compare John iv. 12. With' ifaiah
ivii. 10.

f Thus the Printed Copies. But the Manufcrpt readeth
thus, w':. Let out tlx SohL of the Redeemed Adam. (Or, Adam
h .„ beet, tteaeem'd) i»*t are Haider your Conjinemei4. A/id thus
m-j: r rd, the Wicked ?o 1. ftrttek it. <: m Horror, directly fur-
mtder kp the Adam they hod in Hold: As above.

in.

po The Spiritual Homilies

in, he alio is for certain Loft with him, and
Stifled. So that there is need of one that is
Expert at Swimming, and an Artift, who plung-
ing into the Depth of the Bofom of the Water,
may there Dive, and Bring up again the Perfon
that was Drown'd, and lay in the middle of
frightful Creatures. The very Water, in fuch a
cafe, when it finds a Perfon of Experience and
Skill in Swimmings lends him Affiftance, and
fhoves him up to the Surface So is the Soul
Suffocated, as having been Drown'd in the Abyls
ofDarknefs, and the Deep of Death, and is Dead
to God in company with the Frightful Crea-
tures.

And who is Able to go down into thofe Se-
cret Chambers, and into the Depths of Hell and
Death, but that Great Artift that Fafhion'd the
Body himfelf ? He cometh into both Parts, into
the Depth of Hell, and again into the Deep Bofom.
of the Heart, where the Soul with its Thoughts
is Detain'd by Death, and out of that Dark Deep
doth He bring up the Dead Adam. And even
Death it felf lendeth, by way of Exercife, an
Affifting Hand to Man, as the Water does to
the Perfon that Swims.

For what Difficulty is there for God to make
this Entry into Death, and again into the Deep
Bofom of the Heart, to Call up the Departed
Adam thence ? For in this Vifible World there
are Dwellings and Houfes built where Mankind
inhabits, and there are alfb where the Wild
Beads, the Lions, or Dragons, or other Veno-
mous Beafts take up their Quarters : If there-
fore the Sun, that is but a Creature, enters every
way thro' Lights and Doors, even into the Dens
of Lions, and the very Holes of Creeping Things,
and comes out again and receives no Harm > how
much more does the God and Lord of All Pene-
trate

a/Macarius the Egyptian. ipi

trate into the Lurking-Holes and Manfions where
Death hath Pitch'd his Tent, and into Souls,
and even Reicuing yfrtfow thence, is no way Hurt
by Death ? Even the Rain that cometh c downeif.lv/i».
out of Heaven, Marches on into the lower parts
of the Earth, and there doth it Moiften and Re-
new the Roots that were Dried up, and produ-
ceth a New Shoot.

There is one that hath Conflicts and Afflic-
tions, and a downright War with Satan. This
Man hath a Contrite Soul '5 for he is in Trouble,
in Grief, and in Tears. Such a one maintains a
double Character. If therefore in fuch a Pofture
of Affairs he ifandeth out, God is with him in
the War, and Preferveth him; for he Seeks in
good earneit , and he d Knocketh at the Door d Matt.vii,
till fuch time as He Openeth to him. But 7-
again, if thy Brother aca^iits himfelf Well in this
Matter, he is Eff ablifh'd by Grace. But he that
hath No Foundation, hath not the Fear of God
in fuch a Degree, his Heart is not Contrite, he
is in No Concern, neither doth he Secure his
Heart and his Members, fo as not to walk Dis-
orderly. This Man's Soul is frill in a DifTolute
State -, for as yet he hath -not Entred into any
Conflict. He therefore that is in a State of Con-
*fli£f and Affliction, differs widely from him who
knows not what the Battle means. For the very
Seeds, when call into the Ground, undergo Af-
fliction in the Fro lis, from the Winter, and the
Chilnefs of the Air -y and in the proper Seafon
the Shoot is quicken'd Anew.

It iometimes, happens that Satan Reafons the
Caie with thee ir. thy Heart : " See how much
" Evil thou haft Done! Behold what Variety of
" Madnefs thy Soul is Fill'd with, and that thou
u arc heavy laden with thy Sins, and that then:
" is no more any PofTibility thou fhould'ff be

« SavU"

\<)i The Spiritual Homilies

cc Sav'd." And this he does to Drive thee into
Defpair^ and with an Intimation that thy very
Repentance is not Acceptable. For when Sin
has by Tranfgreflion once got Entrance, it is af-
terwards Difcourfing every Hour with the Soul,
as one Man does with another. But do you alio
Anfwer Him to this effeelrj viz. u I have the
•Ez.xxxiii. u Teftimonies of the Lord in e Writing, decla-
11 ' " ring I have No Pleafure in the Death of a Sin-
r ner^ but in his Repentance^ and that he Jhould
<c 'Turn from his Wicked IVay^ and Live." For
for this very Reafon did He come down, that
he might Save Sinners, Raife the Dead, Quick-
en thofe whom Death had Subdued, and En-
lighten thofe that were in Darknefs. For verily
at his Coming he call'd us to the Adoption of
Sons, to the Holy City, which is in Peace, to
the Life that never Dies, to Glory Incorruptible.
Let us only add a Good End to our Beginnings
continue in a State of Poverty, of Pilgrimage^ of
Tribulation, of Prayer to God, Knocking at the
Door with Boldnefs. For as the Body is nigh
the Soul, fo is the Lord nearer yet to Come and
Open the Doors of the Heart, which are {hut,
and to give us the Heavenly Riches. For He
is Good and Kind to Man, neither can his Pro-
mifes Lie, provided we alfo Perfevere to the End
in Seeking after Him. Glory be to the Mercies
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit for Ever. Amen.

Homily

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 193

Homily XII.

Concerning the State of Ad am before he
Tranfgreffed the Commandment of G o d,
and after he had Loft both his* own and
the Heavenly Image. This Homily doth
alfo contain g)uejiions highly UfefuL

DAM having Tranfgrefs'd the Com-
mandment, was Undone Xwo Ways :
One, becaufe he Loft that Purity of his
Nature he was before pofTefled of, which
was Beautiful, exactly a after the Image and Like- a Gen. u
nefs of God : The Other, becaufe he alfo Loft
that very Image, in vertue of which the whole l
Heavenly Inheritance was according to Promife
Made over to him. Juft as a Piece of Money
bearing the King's Image, if once it be Adulte-
rated, both the Gold is Loft, and the Image is
of No Value. Much- fuch a Lofs has Adam
alfo Suftain'd : For Great was the Wealth, and
Great the Inheritance prepared for him. As if
we fhould fuppofe fome large Mannor, and that
fhould have feveral Walks to it, where in one
Place is thetFlourifhingVine,in another Fruitful
Fields, in a third Cattle, and elfew here Gold and
Silver : So was the % VeiTel of Adam a Valuable

* Concerning this double Image, fee the Introduce, p. ?6, fjl
f All the Printed Copies read Iv^Mjao-ci. But the Barocctan

Manufcript reads ivfavHo-oi, which is alfo the Reading of both

the Manufcripts in the French King's Library. See Cottel. Mon.

Ecclef.Gr&c&, Tom. ii. p. 5-37. A.

% That is, the Body, which is £0 cali'd in Scripture. See

2 Cor. iv. 7. 1 Thejf.iv. 4, fre,

O Mannor

26.

Cor. xi*

194 7%e Spiritual Homilies

Mannor before his Difobedience. But after he

had Harbour'd Evil Thoughts and Imaginations,

* Gen. iii.he b Perifh'd from before God.

i . compa- \y e don't {^y, however, that he entirely Perifh-

K i.T ed> Difappeared^ and Died. He Died from c God,

c Confiderbut to his own Nature he is ftiH Alive. For lo !

Rom. vi. the whole World Walketh and Trafricketh in

1 1 . and 2 the Earth. But God Beholdeth # their Mind and

Cor.v. ^-Thoughts, views them as it were round, and

taketh his Eye off again, and maintains No

Communication with them, fince their Mind runs

upon Nothing that is Well-pleafing to God.

As if there mould be Houfes of promifcuous
Reception and 111 Fame, and Places where Dif-
order and Intemperance are Committed \ when-
ever Perfons of a Religious Life and Character
pars by that way, do not they Abominate them,
and look not even upon what they can't help
Seeing ? For they are to them as Dead. Thus
doth God alfo Look indeed upon them that have
Turn'daway from his Word, and from the Com-
fPf.lxxiii. mandment -, but it is with a d Slighting Look,
20< and He holds No Communion there, neither
doth the Lord Reft upon their Thoughts at all.

Queft. Plow can a Man be Poor in Spirit, efpe-
daily when he is Senfible in himfelf that he is
Chang'd and far Advanc'd, and even Arrived at
Knowledge and Underftanding which before he
wanted ?

dnfw. Till a Man is once PolTefs'd of thefe,
and Advances forwards, he is by no means Poor
in Spirit^ but merely Imagines it. But when he
is once come to this Underftanding and Progrefs,
Grace itfelf Teaches him to be Poor -in Spirit,
and tho' a Man be even Righteous and Elecl: of
f2Cor.xii.God, yet not to think himielf to be f anything,
1 1.

* The Printed Copies read wJ™> but the Manufcript *»rm.

but

o/Macarius the Egyptian. ipjf

but to keep his Soul in the humble State of
Abatement and Self-annihilation, as if he neither
Knew nor PofTefTed any thing, when at the fame
time he docs Both. And this is as it were Natu-
ral, and Riveted into the Mind of Men. Don't
you plainly fee that our Fore-father Abraham^
when even Elect, calPd himtelf but 8 Duft andsGcn.xviii
Afies ? And David^ after he was Anointed to 27-
be King, had God with him : And yet how does
he {peak ? lam a h JVorm and No Man^ a very hPf.xxii.<>,
-Scorn of Men^ and the Ontcaft of the People. compared

They therefore that would be Fellow-Heirs ^^
with thefc, and Fellow-Citizens of the Heavenly I3,
City, and be Glorified together with them,
ought to have this very Humblenefe of Mind,
and not to Prefume that there is any thing in
themfelves but a i Contrite Heart. For tho1 ' f& Ivlu
Grace worketh after a different manner in every **' mm
Single Chriitian, and hath k variety of Members > iConxifi
yet are they All of1 One City, of One -Soul,/ *;2£*£
of One n Tongue, perfectly acquainted with each pla cxxii4
other. with Phii

As the Members in the Body are Many, but*"- 2°-..
the Soul that Moves in them Ail is One : So it isHeb' X1K
° One Spirit, that worketh differently in All, but m ^s iv.
yet they are of One City, and One Way. For 32.
all the Righteous have gone on in the Streight" l Cor- !«
and Narrow Way, being p Perfecuted, Torment- !°" '
ed, 1 Reproached, fpending their Lives in Goat-o °cor.'xiil
Skins, in Dens, and Caves of the Earth. n.

In like manner do the Apoftles alfo r Speak, p Heb. xi.
Even unto this pre fent Hour <we both Hunger and ,J7'^ ;
T'hirftj and are Naked, and are Buffeted^ and have
No certain DvoeUi tig-Place. Of whom, fome* ,cor. iv,
were Beheaded, others Crucified, and others dif* iu
ferently Afflicted*

And how did even the Lord himtelf both of
the Prophets and Apoftles, pals thro' the World

O % as

0

196 The Spiritual Homilies

as if he had quite Loft all Remembrance of his

Divine Glory ? Being made an Example to Us,

'Matthew He wore the f Crown of Thorns amidit Reproach-

xx vii. 2 ,fuj inJignitieS5 Underwent Spittings, Sinkings,

and the Crofs. If God Far'd thus upon Earth,

1 John xv. thou c oughteft alfo to imitate Him. For * thus

20- did even the Apoftles and Prophets converfe

themfelves > and We too, if we are defirous to

be Built upon the Foundation of the Lord and

of his Apoftles, ought to be Followers of them.

MCor.xi.For faith the Apoftle by the Holy Spirit, v Be ye

I# Followers of Me, even as I alfo am of Chrift.

But if indeed thou Loveft the Honours of

■ John f^Mco, and defireft to be Worihipped, and feek-

41, 44. efl. tQ jjve at £^ tj10U art tmtf£ qU^te out 0£

the Way. For it Behoveth thee to be Crucified
with Him that was Nail'd to the Crofs, to Suf-
fer with him that hath Suffer'd, that thus thou
may'ft alfo be Glorified together with Him that
was Glorified. For there is a direct Neceflity for the
Bride to Suffer with the Bridegroom, that thus
fhe may become a Partaker and Fellow-Heir
with Chrift. For it is Never allow'd to any to
have Admittance into the City of the Saints, and
be at Reft, and Reign together with the King
himfelf to jendlefs Ages, without Sufferings, and
the Rough, the Streight, and Narrow Way.

Qiieft. Since [you \ were faying] that Adam
Loft his Proper and Heavenly Image, my §ueftion
is, If he Partook of the Heavenly Image, had He
the Holy Spirit ?

Anpw. So long as the Word of God was Pre-
fent with him, and the Commandment, he had
all things. For the Word it felf was to him an

* The Manufcript reads *C y\

t The Manufcript, in the Margin of it, dire&s us to infert

i "Inheri-

of Macarius the Egyptian. 197

w Inheritance > it was his xCloathing, and thewPf xvi.
Glory that Skreen'd him ; it was his conftant, ?•
Oracle oflnftra&ion. For it was Suggested to him ' lVt *'

to give every thing ay Name ; This he call'dHea-* Gen. ii
ven, this the Sun, this the Moon, this the Earth, I0-
this a Bird, this a Beatt, and this a Tree : Jutt as
he was Taught himtelr^ fo he Pronounc'd the
Name.

Queft. But had be a real Senfc and Commu-
nication of the Spirit ?

Anfw. The very Word, by being Prefent
with him, became All things to him, whether
it be Knowledge, or Senfition, or Inheritance,
or InftrucHon. And what fays John of the
Word ? Why, In the z Beginning 'was the Word. * Jo«n ^
You fee, that the Word was All things. But *'
if he had alfo outwardly a Glory Prefent with
him, let us not be Offended at it. For it * fays,
that3 they were Naked, but did not fee each other fa Gen. if.
and after they had Tranfgrefs'd the Commandr I**
merit, then did they fee themfclves Naked, and
were Afliam'd.

Que ft. Were they then before this Cloath'd with
the Glory of God, inftead of a Garment ?

Anfw. As in the Prophets, the Spirit exerted
its Influence, and Taught them, and was within
them, and Difcover'd it felf to them Outwardly >
thus alfo was it with Adam : The Spirit, when
it pleas'd, was with him, and Taught him, and
gave him b Orders, Speak and call it thus. For b Confide*
the Word was All things to Him, and fo longir-xxx-21

* The Scripture fays only, that they were both Naked, the Man
and his Wife, and were not Afljam'd; as a Defcription of their
Innocence and Freedom from Concupifcence. Before the Fall,
they had only the Single Eye, Luke xi. 34. But after it, they had
an Evil one. Compare M?/1/. v. 28. zPet.ii 14. ifo!-m\\. 16.
with Gen, Hi. 7. and the Senie at leaf! will appear to be the
fame.

O 3 a$

i$>8 . The Splrttutil Homilif.s

ns^c conhhueJ in fheGo^mjndmenr \ wasthfc

c Xv f Fr'wrd of God And vvKif wonder. iFeven in

*4 rhele CirttWfrntc* Ne Tfemforeii'd the Com-

-n.indments, vvhett even ^<rf-> that have been

rWd wvHi tfce Holy &oh!V tun-yet Thoughts

merJj Natural ami have i Will too to Comply

vvifn fr-Hem Tbuj He tocs tW prtfent with God

iti PaftkKfe of WWetf Tftm^gtdfei by his own

WW> and was Obedient-: > the Wicked Part,

* Bn *ven ^rt^/ ranigreffion, hehaddKnow-

>7- ledge. b

• Quefl. But mhi : KM of Knowledge?

Anfw. Much the fame with that of a Rogue
that is brought into a Court of Judicature, and
his Trial is coming on, the Judge puts the Quef-
tion to him, When you were Committing thefe
Rogueries, did you not know that you were Liable
to be 'Taken, and to Suffer Death ? He has not
the Confidence to fay, / did not know fo much :
For he knew it well enough, and at the time of
Execution he Recollects All, and makes a Frank
Confeflion. And does not the Fornicator -know
that he does 111 ? And he that Steals, does not
he know that, he Sins? Thus even without the
Scriptures, do Men from Natural Reflection not
know that there is a God ? They can never fay
in that Day, We never knew thee to be God. He
mentions to them the Thunders and the Light-
nings that come from Heaven, and then appeal-
ing to them, Could you not know that it was
God that Orders the Creation ? Why then did
« Mark iii. the Devils e cry out, Thou art the Son of God ->

,, II,.„ Why art thou come to Torment us before the Time?
Matt. vin. J J

25,.

* That is, Christians. For tho'^ta had the Spirit, as be-
ing made in the Image of God ; (Gen.i. 27. and Wifdcm in all
Ages entred into Holy Souls, Wifd.vii. 27.) yet to be Fill' 'd with the
Spirit is a Phrafe appropriated to Chriflians. . Compare J^w i»
%6. Eph. iii. 19. i. 23. v. 18. Ehil.i. 11. Col. i. o.

And

of Macarius the Egyptian, 199

And under the Torture they fay, You Bum me^
You Burn me. They knew not therefore the
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil -y Tt
was the Tranfgrejjion of Adam that gave Know-
ledge.

For every one falls immediately into the En-
quiry, What State was Adam ;#, and What was
it thai be did ? For Adam had received the
Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then do we
learn from the Scriptures that he was in a State
of Honour and Purity. But when he hadTranf-
grefs'd the Commandment, he was Turn'd out
of Paradife, and God was Angry with him. At
laft he Learns What is his Good $ and when he
has Learn* fWhdt is his Evil^ he guards himfelf1 Compare
asainft it, that he may Fall no more by Sinning Eccl.xvm.

•& 1 A j • ; m 1 r> J 1 8. with

into the Condemnation of Death. But we know wi£j4X. I#
that every Creature of God is Order'd by Him.
For He made the Heaven, the Earth, the Living
Creatures, the Creeping things, the Beafts, which
we See it is true, but are Ignorant of their Num-
ber. For who among Men knoweth it ? Who
but God * alone, who actually is in All things,
in the very Embryo's of Living Creatures ? Does
not He know the things that are under the
Earth, and above the Heavens ? *

Leaving therefore thefe matters, let us rather
like Good Merchants feek how we may PoiTcis
the Inheritance we have in Heaven, and the
things that are Beneficial to our Souls ; let us
learn to get fuch PofleMions as mall be Lading
with our felves. For if you that are but Man
fhould once begin to Search into the Mind of
God, and to lay I have inade a Difcoverv, and
Comprehend it, the Humane Mind will then be
found to Surpais the Reach of God. But in this

* The Manuscript reads .<«,■©>».

O 4 you

too The Spiritual Homilies

you greatly Err. And in proportion as you dc-
fire to Search and Penetrate by way of Know-
ledge, you plunge the deeper, and are nothing
the wifer. [*For as to thofe Curious Enquiries
that arife in you, What it is that (God) works
in you day by day, and How, they are matters
pail all ExpreiHon and Comprehenlion, it is All
to beReceiv'd with Thankfgiving and in Faith.]
Have you ever been able, from the Hour that
you was Born, to this very Moment, to have
any Knowledge of your own Soul? Repeat me
then the feveral Thoughts that fpring up in you
from Morning to Night. Oblige me with the
Thoughts ot Three Days. But that you can
never do. If then you could never Comprehend
the Thoughts of your own Soul, how can you
pofliblyFind out the Thoughts and Mind of
God ? But do you Eat as much Bread as you
find, and let the whole Earth (befides) alone j
and go to the River's fide, and Drink as much as
you have need of, and then Retire, and never en-
quireWhence it comes, or How it flows ? Da
thy befr. to have thy Foot Cur'd, or the Difor-
dcr of thine Eye, that thou may'ft Behold the
Light of the Sun. Never enquire what Quan-
tity of Light the Sun Contains, or in what Sign
he Riles. What will be of Ufe and Service,
Take. And why mull you be Rambling to the
Mountains, and Enquiring what Number of
Wild Afjes, or other Bcafts find Pallure there?
The very Infant, when it comes to the Mother's
Breads, takes the Milk, and is NouriuYd. But
he knows not how to Search into the Root and
Fountain whence it thus flows out. For he
Sucks the Milk, and Empties all > and again,

* There is no Syntax in the Original, and I translate by
guefs.

another"

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 201

another Hour the Bread is Full. This the Child
knows nothing of, nor yet the Mother ^ tho'for
the molt part the Milk is deriv'd from all the
Parts of the Mother.

If therefore you Seek the Lord in the § Deep, g P£ evil
there you find him [_If you * Search for him in 24-
the s JVater, there you find Him'] Doing Won-
ders. If you look for Him in the Den, there
you find Him h in the midft of two Lions, pre- h Dan. vi.
ferving the Righteous Daniel. If you fearch 22-
for him in the i Fire, there you find Him Sue- ' Dan. Hi.
couring his Servants. If you fearch after him in zr> l8-
the k Mountain, there you find him with Mofes k Mat xvii,
and Elias. He is therefore every wjiere, both 3> 4-
under the Earth, and above the Heavens, or elfe
within us -> He is every where. So too is the
Soul near thee, and within thee, and without
thee alfo. For wherever your Inclination is to
be in diftant Countries, there is your Mind, whe-
ther it be towards the Weft, or the Eaft, or
even for Heaven, there is it found to be.

Let us therefore Seek in the very firfl place, ' Gakt. vf.
to have the 1 Mark and m Seal of the Lord.^-E^k.
within us -, becaufe in the Day of Judgment, Lx^ -

when God fhall make the Separation, and all Zt ,J *

the Tribes of the Earth, the Whole Adam, areEph. i. 13.
gather'd together-, when the "Shepherd mail call" John x-
his own Flock, as many as have the Mark know II#
their Shepherd, and the Shepherd acknowledges
them that have his own Seal3 and gathers them ° Ver. 27.
from all Nations. For his own do ° Hear his
Voice, and Follow after Him. For the World *Mat.xxv.
is Divided into * Two Parts 3 and there is one 32j 3 3-
p Dark Flock, which goes into q Everlafting Fire, ^SSSS.
and there is another full of Light, which is Led 10. with'
off into the Heavenly Reft. That therefore J udexiii.

q Mat. x.w.
* The Manuscript here iqferts, si £>jr*s «j v^oy iKn ^I#

which

20 2 The Spiritual Homilies

which we now Poflcfs within [ * our'] Souls,
that felf-fameTreafure Shines, and is Manitefted,
and Cloaths our Bodies with Glory.

As in the Seafon of the Month Ap\ ;/5 the
Roots that were Buried in the Earth produce
their proper Fruits, and their refpe&ive Flowers
and Beauties, both the Good Roots that bear
Fruit, and they that bear Thorns, are made Ma-
nifeff. : So in that Day does every one make it
appear what he hath done in the Body* the
Good and the Bad are Equally laid Open. For
there is the General Judgment and Retribution.
For there is another kind of Food be fides that
which isVifible. For Mofes, when he went up
into the Mount Failed forty Days. He went up
nothing more than Man, but came down PofTef-
fed of God. And behold ! we fee in our very
Selves, that in a few Days, unlefs the Body is
Supported by Food, it Decays. And yet. He,
after he had Fafted forty Days, came down much
Stronger than All of them. For he was Nou-
rihYd by God, and his Body was Provided for
W7ith another kind of Food from Heaven. For
; Matt. iv. the Word of God was r Food to Him, and he
' 4- ...had a Glory upon his f Countenance. What then
- 2 or' 1H happen'd, was a Type ; for that very Glory now
Shines inwardly in the Hearts of Chriftians : For
theRifen Bodies are at the Refurrection Cover'd
over with another Divine Cloathing, and Nou-
rihYd with an Heavenly Food.

Qiiefl:. IFJoat is the meaning of the Woman
Praying with her Head Uncover 'd?

Anjw. Bccaufe in the Apoftles times they
wore long Hair for a Covering. For this Rea-
fon did the Lord and the Apoftle come to the
Creature, and brought it to a Sober Senfe. But

* The Manufcript inferts rt^v.

the

of M a c A rius the Egyptian. 203

the TFoman there is put for a Type of the
Church. And as inthofe days the Women Open-
ly wore their Hair loofe for a Covering -y So d
the Church in like manner put on and cloath her
Children with Divine and Glorious Garments.
But antiently the Ifraelitijh Church, the Congre-
gation was One, and that wasCover'd over with
the Spirit, and they were Cloath'd with the
Spirit for Glory, even tho' they were not over
Orderly. The Church then is Affirmed both of
a Multitude, and of One Single Soul. For the
Soul her felf Mud ers up all her Thoughts, and is
a perfect Church to God. For the Soul is Fitted
for Communion with the Heavenly J3ridcgroom,
and Mixes with the Heavenly One. But This is
to be underflood both of a Multitude and of one
Single Perfon. For the Prophet alfo fpeaking of
jerufalem^ has thefe Words, / t found thee Naked, f Ez. x.
and I cloatlf d thee, Sec. as if he were fpeaking
but of One Perfon.

Queft. -What is it that Martha [aid to the Lord
c/Mary, yIam troubled with many things , but She v Luke
only Jits down by you ? 4°«

Anf<w% That which Mary ought to have re-
plied to Martha, the Lord himfelf preventing
her, faid to her again, that fhe indeed had 'Left
all things, and had feated her felf at the Feet of
the Lord, and fpent the whole Day in Praiiing
God. You fee fhe was allow'd to Sit, in Re-
ward for her Love. But that I may put the
Word of God in a yet clearer Light, Attend.
If any Man Loves Jejus, and Heeds him, and At-
tends to him in good earneii, and not merely of
courfc, but Perfeveres alfo in Love, God himfelf
is at that very time contriving how to make fome
Return to that Soul for its Love, tho' the Man
at the fame time is ignorant of what he is like to
Receive, or how Large a portion God is about

Beftow-

V.

z 04 The Spiritual Homilies

Bellowing upon the Soul. For to Mary that
lov'd Him, and was fitting at his Feet, He did
not merely grant his Company, but withal Im-
parted fome Hidden Vertue from his ownEfTence
or Nature. For the very Words which God

* John vi.fpoke thus in Peace to Alary y were All v Spirit

*3» and Real Power. And thefe Words entring in-
to her Heart [# became] Soul in the Soul, and
Spirit in the Spirit, and the Divine Power was
Multiplied in her Heart. For of Neceflity that
Power, wherever it (hall once Settle, is Conftant,
like a PofTeflion never to be taken away. For
this reafon did the Lord, well knowing what
himfelf had Beftow'd upon her, make Anfwer,
*Luke x.Mary hath u chofen that good part. And fome
4*- time after, All that Martha had freely done in
way of Service, Brought Her alfo to that very
Grace. For me too Receiv'd the Divine Vertue
[•f" in] her Soul.
And what Wonder is it, if they that come to
^Compare the Lord, and cleave w Bodily to Him, Receive
Eph.v.io. Vertue from him? When the Apoftles preach'd
with i Co- ^ Word, thex Holy Ghoft alfo fell upon them
r . vl* that Believ'd. Even Cornelius receiv'd Vertue

* AEts x. from the Word he had heard. How much more

44. then when the Lord fpoke the Word in y Perfon

• y Luke x. to Alary ^ or to Zacchtens, or the Sinful Woman,

__4x* who untied her Hair, and wip'd her Lord's Feet,

vii. 48. or to the Woman of z Samaria , or to the

* John iv.a Thief, did there actually go Vertue out of him,

J4- ... and the Holy Ghoft was mingled with their

•u*xxm* Souls ? Even at prefent they that Love God,

and Abandon all things, and Continue inftant in

fc Compare Prayer, are b Taught in Secret the things which

Pfal H. 6\ before they knew nothing of. For the Truth it
xvi. 7, 8. J &

* The Manufcript here adds iyiywil:

t The Manufcript and Paris Copy infert here w,

fcif

o/Macarius the Egyptian. 20 y

felf is according to their own Defirc made mani-
feft, and Teaches them ; c I am the Truth. For'Johnxiv.
the very Apoftles themfelves, before the Cruci- 6-
fixion, by Continuing with the Lord, Saw great
a Signs, how the Lepers were Cleans1 d, and thedMitx.xi.
Dead Raifed up : Yet were they ignorant what f-
was the way of e the Divine Power, and how itc John "^
e Minifters in the Heart, and that they were to 8*
be Spiritually born again, and to be Mixed with
the Heavenly Soul, and become a New Crea-
ture. # But for the fake of the very Signs which
He did, did they Love the Lord. At laft faid
the Lord to them, Why do ye fo wonder at thefe
Signs ? I give you a great Inheritance^ which the
whole World hath not. They continued on to be
perfect Strangers to his Words, till fuch time as
HeRofe from the Dead, and carried up his Bo-
dy, for our Sakes, far above all Heavens. And
then did the Spirit of Comfort enter in, and
mix with their Souls. And the Truth manifefts
it felf in Faithful Souls, and the f Heavenly Mam i Cor.xv.
meeteth with thy (f Earthly) Man, and they be- 47.
come one Communion.

As many therefore as are for the Service, and
Chearfully perform every thing out of Zeal, and
Faith, and the Love of God 5 that very Work of
theirs doth in fome time after Bring them to the
Knowledge of the Truth it felf. For the Lord
is Manifested to their Souls, and Teacheth them
the Manner of the Holy Spirit. Glory and Ado-
ration be to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Ghoft, for ever. Amen.

'* The Manufcript here inferts *AAi.

Homily

xo6 The Spiritual Homilies

Homily XIIL
What Fruit God Requires ofChriftians*

2i

Ver.

U LL the things that do appear, hath God
Created, and given to Men for their
Refreiliment and Delight. And to them
hath He given the Law of Righteoufnefs. But
from the time of ChriiVs Coming, God looketh
for other Fruit, and another kind of Righteouf-
nefs, Purity of Hearty and a Good Confcience^
Profitable Difcourfe, Chaff, and Good Thoughts,
and all the Exact Deportment of the Saints. For
* Matt, v, faith the Lord, b Unkfs your Righteoufnefs floall A-
20. bound more than that of the Scribes and Pharifees,
ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. In
the Law it is written, 1th ou Jhalt not commit Adul-
Matt, v.tery. But I fay unto you that thouc Luft not^ nor
be (] Angry. For it Bchoveth him that is delirous
'to become the Friend [" and * Brother, and the
■" Son of Chriif, to Do Something Extraordina-
" ry beyond other Men, that is, to Confecrate
" his very Heart and Mind to Lift up his
" Thoughts to God. And thus does God, in
" an Hidden Way, give Life and Succour to
" his Heart, and Commit his very felf to it.
" For when a Man Surrenders up his Secrets,
" that is, his Mind and Thoughts to God, be-
u ing neither Taken up, nor Diffracted elfe-
" where, but doing perreft Violence to himfclf,

* The running Text in the Manufcript goes on here as in
all the Printed Copies* But the Margin directs us to Borrow
two Whole Octavo Pages out of the'Next Homily, and infert
them here, which feems to Reftore that Senfe to Both the
Homilies, that before was Notorioufly wanting,

" then

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 207

Cc then doth the Lord vouchfafe to make him
<c Partake of Myftcrics in greater Holinefs and
4C Purity, and give Himfelf the Heavenly Food,
w and the Spiritual Drink.

w Juit as we may fuppofe of a Man that has
a considerable Subfbmcc, and both Servants and
" Children ; He has one fort of Food for Ser-
" vants, and quite and clean another which he
a gives to his own Children that arc Born of* his
" Seed : Becaufe the Children are the Father's
" Heirs, and Eat with Him, being made like
" to their Father. Thus alio Chrilt the True
cc Lord Created all things himfelf, and Nourifh-
" etli the Wicked and Unthankful. But the
" Children which he hath Begotten^of his e own c Compare
w Seed, and to whom he hath Imparted of his John i. 12,
cc Grace, in whom the Lord is *Fofm% He {?• }vit^
u maintains them in a peculiar kind of Refrefh- J^'/pet"
cc ment and Diet, both Meat and Drink, beyond i. 22.
u other Men -, and Gives Himfelf to them that f Gal. W.
" Converfe with their § Father \f[Jefus~\ as the JP-
"Lord h Speaks, He that Eateth my Fief, and&l^ix:
" Drinketh my Blood, Abideth in Me, and I in * jonn vi
" Him, and he fall not fee Death. For they 5-4, $-6.
" that obtain the True Inheritance, are Sons Be-— viii./i.
" gotten of the Heavenly Father, and Lire in
" theHoufe of their Father, as the Lord i faith, "' Compare
" "The Servant abideth not in the Houfe, but the John viiL
" Son abideth for ever. ^ ^ith

" If therefore we alfo are Defirous to be Born ^ "'
" of the Heavenly Father 5 then ought we to
w Do Something beyond the reif. of Mankind,
" Signalize our ielves by Diligence, by Strug-
" gling, by Zeal, by Love, by a good Conver-
" fation, by continuing in Faith and Fear, as

* The Manufcript here inferts our*?.
t The Manufcript here inferts l^i.

5< willing

208 The Spiritual Homilies

" willing to Attain to thofe good things, and to

" Inherit God. For the Lord [* faith he] is the

fPfil.xvi.cc ^porfion of mine Inheritance^ and of my Cup.

*' " And thus the Lord, Beholding a good Purpofe,

cc and Patience, Performs his Mercy, and will

" f Cleanfe us by his Heavenly $ Word "] from

'James iii. the Filth of Sin, and from that everlafting l Fire

6- which is within us. This makes you Worthy of

Hofea vii. t^ie Kingdom. Glory be to his Tender Mercy,

4j 6. and to the Good Pleafure which hath been

m Tit. iii. m fhewn, of the Father, and of the Son, and ot

4- the Holy Ghoft. Amen.

* The Manufcript herein the Margin inferts <pw\\

\ For y.ctQcf.oji'r'x.c here read *.<*.# v,p).t&%

J Here endeth the Paflage, which is transferr'd from the
next Homily into This. But the Manufcript leaves out the
Words Hvoc4 §i& (pv^drlei)) icwTDif and then goes on, dvo ts
fVTru -f flf^a^Wofs, Sec.

Homily

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 209

Homily XIV.

They that give up their Thoughts and Mind
to Gody do it in Hope that the Eyes of
their Heart may be Enlightened, and God
thinks them Worthy of Myjieries in the
higheft 'Degree of Holinefs and Turity,
and Imparts to them of his Grace. And
what we, who are 'Defirous of attaining
the Heavenly Good Things, ought to T)o.
At la/t the Apoftles and Prophets are Corn-
par d to the Sun-Beams that enter in thro9
a Window. The Homily alfo InftruSts us
what is the Earth of Satan, and what
that of Angels 5 and that they are Both of
them Impalpable and Invifible.

|fpfl|| L L the Works in the World that fall
g[~lg under our View, are done in Hope that

itlS! ^en may P'artakc °* tneu* Labours. And
were it not for the Full AfTurance of En-
joying their Labours, there would be No Man-
ner of Progrels made. For even the Huiband-
man fows his Seed in Hope of the Fruits, and by
Vertue of this Expectation does he undergo his
great Fatigues. Let him, a faith the Scripture," iCor.ix;
that Ploiveth, Plow in Hope. And he that taketh I0-
a Wife, doth it in Hope of having Heirs. The
Merchant alfo Commiteth himfelf to the Sea and
Apparent Death for the fake of Gain. Thus alfo
in the Buflnefs of the Kingdom of Heaven -> in
Hopes of having the Eyes of his Heart Enligh-
tened, does a Man Refign himfelf up, Withdraw-
ing from the things of this Life, and Attend

P purely

2io The Spiritual Homilies

purely upon Prayer and Supplication, in Expec-
tation of the Lord, when he will come and Ma-
nifest himfelf to him, andCleanfe him from the
Sin that Dwells within him.

Nor yet doth he Confide in his Pains and Con-
duct, till he Obtains the things he Hopes for, till
the Lord mall Come and Dwell within him,
with the Full Senfation and Influence of the

"Pfxxxiv. Spirit. And when once he {hall h fafte of the
Goodnefs of the Lord, and be Delighted with

c 2G2aIait- v- the Fruits of the c Spirit, and the d Veil of Dark-

d iCor.ui. ne^s ^a^ be Remov'd, and the Light of Chriffc
1 6. ihall c Shine out, and Exert it felf in Joy beyond

■ — iv. 4. Exprefllon > then is he perfectly Satisfied, as hav-
ing the Lord with him in the Exceeding great
Love of a Father, juff, as the Merchant, in the
instance above. Rejoices for having Gain'd what
he Expected. But (before) he is in great Anxi-

fLuke viii. ^y anc| pcar 0f Robbers and f Wicked Spirits,
l2" Icil thro' any Remifsnefs he mould lofe his La-
bour, till fuch time as he fhall be thought wor-
thy of the Kingdom of Heaven, in the Jerufalem
which is Above.

Let us then our felves alfo Entreat God that
He would Uncloath us of the Old Man, and Put
on us the Heavenly Chriff, from this prefent
Moment, that being Fill'd with Gladnefs, and
thus Conducted by Himfelf, we may Live in great
Tranquillity for the future. For faith the Lord,
willing to Fill us with the Tafte of his King-

g John xv. dom, 8 Without Me ye can do Nothing. He knew

3- moreover, how to Enlighten Many by means of

the Apofiles. For being themfelves Creatures,

they brought up their Fellow* Servants 5 by their

£ood

* What follows for two whole QEiwvo Pages together, be-
ing already Transferred to the Foregoing Homily, is here ac-
cordingly Left out. So that the Senfe here alio Runs plain and
Hi a Thread. Nor need we any Alteration in the Greek Text,

bating

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 211

good Convention and Doctrine they Reviv'd and
Rais'd up the * Minds of Perfons that before
were h Dead and Corrupt. For one Creature11 Eph.ii.i,
Nourifheth and Quickeneth another. As the
Clouds, for Instance, which are but Creatures,
do by the Seed of Corn and Wheat. The Rain
alfo, and the Sun, Quicken what they arc ' Com- rW^*
manded to. xxxviii. 8

And as it is the Light that entreth in at a Pf. cxlviii,
Window, but the Sun himielf that Darts his3>4*I£v«
Beams thro' the whole Earth : So were the Pro- '
phets the k Lights of their own Houfe, even of k * pet- *•
Ifrael > But the Apoftles were perfect Suns, I9*
fhooting forth their Radiant Light into all the ' Pfal. xix;
1 Parts of the World. 4-

There is therefore the Earth, in which four- 8' x-
footed Creatures dwell. And there is an Earth in
the -\ very Air, wherein the Birds do Roam and
Live. And fhould thefe incline to Stand down, or
Walk upon the Earth (itriclrly fo call'd) they are
fure of Fowlers that take them. And there is
the Earth of Fifties, the Water of the Sea. And
in the veiy place where every thing was Born,
both Earth and Air, there too it has its Being,
and Nourishment, and Reft. Thus alfo is there
a Satanic Earth, and Country, in which the Pow-
ers of Darknefs, and the Spirits of Wickednefs,
do Live, and Range, and take up their Reft.
And there is yet a Luminous Earth of the God-
head, where the m Camps of Angels and Holy ^Compare
Spirits move up and down and are in perfect PGuxxrir*

Reft. And neither can the Dark Earth be Seen 7-Heb.xii.

22,23.

bating a very Small one, which the Mm ufcript Authorizes, viz.
for «vx^*>o7ro«y» Read civeCaoTrcitjv, and tor dveyn^av Read

*Vr,yetOyV

* The Latin Verfions render io-k^xI^ thus.
f Seethe Introduction, concerning thefe different Kinds of
Earth.

P 2. by

212 The Spiritual Homilies

by the Eyes of this Body, or be Felt at all. Nei-
ther is the Lightfome Earth of the Divine Be-
ing at all to be Felt, or Seen by the Eyes of the
Flcfh. But as to them that are Spiritual, both
the Satanic Earth of Darknefs, and that Light-
fome one of the Godhead, fland Open to the
Eye of their Heart.'

But as the Report of thofe Without * informs
us, ; there are Fiery Mountains, where Fire actu-
ally is, and Living Creatures exactly like to Sheep.
To be ihnrt, thofe that Hunt them, make them-
felvcs Iron Wheels, Fling out their Hooks, and
Caft them into the Fire $ becaufe thofe Crea-
tures having Nothing but Fire to Feed upon,
and Fire for their Drink, ILefrefhment, Growth,
and Life, the ¥kc is to them inftead of eveiy
thing. And if you bring them into another
•f Climate, they Die : And when their Cloaths
are at any time Foul, they Wafli them net in
Water, but in Fire, and fo they are much
Cleaner and Whiter. Thus Chriflians in like
manner have that Heavenly Fire for their Food :
That is to them their Reiremment. It is That
that Cleanfeth, and Wafheth, and Sanctifieth
their Heart. That gives them Growth. That
is their very Air and Life. But if they come out
thence, they are preiently Deftroy'd by Wicked
Spirits -y as in the former Inftance thofe Creatures
Die, when they Stir out of the Fire* asFifh out
of the Water > and as Four-footed Beafts that are
thrown into the Sea, are Stifled > as Birds that
venturing down upon the Earth, are Taken by
Fowlers : So alfo that Soul which continueth not
in that Earth, is Choak'd up and Dies. And if
it have not that Divine Fire for its Meat, and
Drink, and Raiment, for the Purification of the

* See the Inmduttm. \ Cr. Air.

.. Heart,

o/Macarius the Egyptian. 213

Heart, and Sanctification of the Soul -y it is direct-
ly Seiz'd by Wicked Spirits, and Detlroy'd. But
let us [* fludioufly] enquire, whether we have
been n Sown into that Invifible Land, and have n Hofea &
been Ingrafted into the ° Heavenly Vine. Glory o *3-

be to his Mercies. Jmen.

1.

Rom. xi.
*3-

Homily XV.

This Homily Teaches us at large ', how the
Soul ought to T) erne an her f elf in Holinefsy
and Chaflity, and Turity, towards her
Bridegroom Jefus Chrift, the Saviour of the
World. It contains withal fome Queftu
ons Full of Great Inftrutlion, viz. Whe-
ther [for Inftance) in the Refurrection All
the Members are Rais'd ? And a great ma*
ny others concerning Evil, and Grace, and
Tree- Will, and the Dignity of Humane
Nature.

S a Perfon (fuppofe) that is exceeding
Rich, indeed a Glorious Prince, fhould
take a Liking to a poor Woman, that
has Nothing befides her Perfon, and
fhould become a direft Lover, and defne to hava
her brought Home to Him for his Spoufc and
Domeftic Companion, and ilie fhould ever after
fhew all manner of Good Will to this Hufband,

* The Manuicript and tarn Edition omit <tm) .vraty.

P J and

214 ^oe Spiritual Homilies

and Retain a conftant Love for Him : Lo ! that
very Poor and Indigent Woman, that had juft
Nothing at all, has Full Command of All her
Hufband is worth. But if in any one Inftance
flie Tranfgrcfles the Bounds of Decency and Du-
ty, and Demeans her felf very Unfuitably in this
her Hufband's Houfe, then is me turn'd out of
Doors with Difgrace and Reproach, laying both
her Hands upon her Head, as Mofes alfo inti-
mates in the Law, of the Woman that is Difor-
derly and Unprofitable to her Hufband. And
fhe too for the future is full of Sorrow and
Grief in the higheft degree, Reflecting with her
felf from how Great Wealth fhe is Fallen, and
what Glory me has Loft, as being Stript of All
her Honour merely thro' her Foolifhnefs. Thus
alfo the Soul, which Chrift the Heavenly Bride-
groom (hall Efpoufe to himfelf, in order to his
. aMyftical and Divine Communion, fhould fhe
* T Joh- u\ - once Tafte of the Heavenly b Riches, with great
J Rom. u. jn ^n[\Yy ancj Ingenuous Inclinations ought fhe to
c T • r Pieafe Chrift her Lover, and to c make full Proof
' 'of that Miniftration of the Spirit fhe is Intrufted
with, with all Decent and Suitable Behaviour,
d F , . by Pleadng God in all things, and not A Grieving
^'l 'the Spirit in any one Particular, but Maintaining
an Handfome Regard and Affection for Him, out
of a Senfe of Duty, and carrying her felf in the
Houfe of this Heavenly Spoufe with a Fair De-
portment, with an entire Grateful fenfe of the
Grace Beftow'd upon her. Lo ! fuch a Soul is
actually Inverted with the Full Command of All
her Lord's Goods, and her Body becomes the
very Glorious Tabernacle of His Godhead. But
if ihe make any Failure, and in her Miniftration
do any thing Improper, and not the things that
are Plead ng to Him, and is not Perfectly obfer-
vant of his Will, nor Co-operate with that Grace

of

(?/Macarius the Egyptian. 21 y

of the Spirit which is Prefent with her, then
with Reproach and Difgrace is ihe Diirob'd of
All her Honour, and is BaninYd from Life as be-
come Ufclefs, and no way proper for the Com-
munion of the Heavenly King. And after that
there commences an Univerial Grief, and Sor-
row, and Lamentation over that Soul among
All the Saints and Intellectual Spirits : Angels,
Powers, Apollles, Prophets, and Martyrs Mourn
for her.

For as e there is Joy in Heaven, as the Lord ' Luke xv#
hath faid, over one Sinner that Repent eth ; So is
there great Grief and Mourning in Heaven over
one Soul that Falls from Eternal Life. And as
on Earth, when any Wealthy Perfon Dies, he is
Attended out of the World with Mournful
Songs, Lamentations, and Wailing by his own
Brethren, and * Kindred, and Friends, and Ac-
quaintance : So over that Soul alfo do All the
Saints mourn with Lamentations and "f~ Funeral
Songs. For this is what the Scripture elfewhere
hints at in thefe Words, £ "The Pine % is Fallen, fZech. xf.
Mourn ye Cedars. For as the People of Ifrael,
when they feem'd to Pleafe the Lord, tho' they
did not Pleafe Him neither in fuch a manner as
they ought, s had the Pillar of the Cloud Over- zl'^'

fhadowing them, and a 8 Pillar of Fire to give xjv. 19,

them Light > Saw the h Sea Divided before their 10.

Face, and clear f Water out of the Rock. But h Ver-

11, 22.

* The Printed Copies read a-^s «r*v/*»»r, the Manufcript ^
ir^'yevMv. But to leave out wy$ is Better at leaft.

J In the Original and Septuagint it is, Howl Fir-Tree, for the
Cedar is Fallen. The Cedar iignifics the Righteous, Pial. xcii. 1 7 .
As our Author Cites the Words, the Cedars are the Sanits in
Glory, or the Unfmrimg Angels. In the Common Reading it Iig-
nifies the Relapfed, or the Apojiate Members of the Churchy
Ifa, ii. 13.

P 4 after

2io I al Homilies

trpofc was Turn'd away

c them up to the k Scr-
;mies, theywere Led in-
to Sore C were 1 'd with Bit-

oc i d a] 1 R c i p e ft s h ap -

Souk But this the Spirit Mviiic.-lly

the Prophet Ea •:./.", laid of fiich a

. . . ,'.'". .. , faith he,

Nsh , from

\ and If: ' a

, and

:':;. _\V. .. .

.: A..;:v Y.>

, and at '.: ;:: all ?ny B:

-'-■■«■' . ■ .

IV the Spirit word his Admoni-

tions to the Soul that khoweth Godly Grace -y
which been Cleaned from its former

)eck'<3 with the r- Ornaments of the