XXIV. 21

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 273

But fome are of Opinion, that becaufe they AI>
ftain from Women, and from all things Vifible,
they are Saints immediately. But really it is not
fo. For Sin is ftill in the Mind, it Lives and is
Exalted in the Heart. But This is the Saint,
who has undergone his ° Purgation, and is Sane- ° Matth.
titled in the Inner Man. For wherefoever Truth ^^
Abides, there docs Error Fight, Endeavouring to 1%
Hide and Darken it. When the Jews were in
PolTellion of the Priefthood, thofe of that Na-
tion were Perfecuted p and Afflicted, becaufe p Heb. xi.
they Perflfted in the Truth, as Eleazar and the 37-
Maccabees. But now becaufe *hat ever fince
the Crofs of Chrift, and the Rending of the
Veil the Spirit is Departed from them ; the
Truth hath been i Reveal'd Here, and Operates q i Cor.W.
among us. Wherefore again of this very Na- 6-
tion alfo, do People fuffer Perfecution now. ^ m*
Thofe of that former Nation were Perfecuted Rom.'ix.
and Affliclred, that the Lovers of the Truth might 26".
be Martyrs for it. For how mall Truth be made p™verbs
to Appear, unlefs it meet with Adverfarics that j^111'2?-*
are given to Lies, and run Counter to the r Truth ? ,', m
There are alfo fome among the Brethren that en- r 1 Cor.xi
dure Sufferings and Afflictions : But yet have 19-
Need f of Great Circumfpection, left they Fall/ 1 Cor.
for one of the Brethren being once in Prayer xiii- 3*
with another, was Captivated by a Divine Pow-
er, and being Snatch'd away, law t Jerufalem^^^ -
the City Above, with its Bright Forms, and Im- 22, a?,'
menfe Light. And he heard a Voice pronounc-
ing, This is the Place of Reft to the Righteous.
And a little after, being Blown up, and fancy-
ing the Virion he had feen Related to himfelf, he
fell afterwards into the moft Retir'd Depths of
Sin, and into Endlefs Mifchiefs.

If therefore a Perfon inwardly Abftrac~tcd, and
far Advanc'd Fell : How can a common Perfon

T fay,

274 ffl? Spiritual Homilies

fay, bccaufe I Fail and Turn * Pilgrim, and give
\ i Cor. away all v my Goods, I am certainly Holy. For
xHi.3. the bare Refraining from what is Evil, This is
not Perfection. But if thou hail once Entred
into thy Darkened Mind,- and haft KilPd the Ser-
pent that is Lower than thy Mind, and Deeper
than thy Thoughts -, in the very Secret Clo-
fets and Repofitones of thy Soul, actually Brood-
ing There, and Deftroying thee 5 (for the Heart
is a Bottomlefs Deep : ) If 5 I fay, thou haft Kill'd
him, and Call: out All Uncleannefs that was in
Thee : Then f indeed the Cafe is Mter*d. For
All, both Philofophers, and the Law, and the
Apoftles, and the Coming of our Saviour, * In-
culcate All the Great Article of Purity. For all
Men, whether Je-ivs^ or Greeks^ have a Love for
Purity, tho" -f they can't attain to it.

We ought therefore to Search it out, how
and by what means this Purity of the Heart may-
be Compafs'd. Truly, no other way at all, but
■Tit, ii thro' Him who was u Calcified for us. For He
H- . is the « Way, the Life, the Truth, the x Door,
"Juh.xiv.the y Pearl, the Living, 2 and the Heavenly
x j^'^ 9 Bread. Neither i.c it 3 poilible for any one, with-
r Matth. out that Truth, to Know the Truth, or to be
-xiii.46. Saved.

zjoh. vi. ^s t{ierefore wjph Rcfpect to the Outward

a , co^ ^ Man, and all things Vifible, thou haft Renounc'd

11, 1 4. them every one, and Diftributed away thy whole

Matth. xi.

27. * The printed Copies, and the Manufcript in the running

xviii. 11. Text, read f W&m. But the Margin \mC\& m.
4 f Thefe Words are inferted to Fill up the Senfe.

* Were the Original Word t«,8»J then it wou'd anfwer
to labor ant> as all theVerfions render it. But iince the Manufcript
reads to i».: as well as the printed Editions, but inferts with-
al xiy,. before it, I chofe to Render it accordingly.

t In the printed Copies it is *, but the Manufcript reads

« K,.

S ubftance 3

0/Macarius the Egyptian. 17 J

Subitance ; To alfo with Reference to worldly
b Wifdom, if thou hail c Knowledge -and Elo- b i Cor.iii
quence, thou oughteft to d Reject them All arid l8-
Eiteem them as Nothing,that thus thoumay'itbc:^2^
Edify'd by theFooliihneis of Preaching: Which ,9' 20>
Preaching is the True e Wifdom^ having tKJt'Phil. m
the Pomp of Words, but the Power that Ope- c 7» 8- .
rates thro' the Holy Crofs. Glory be to the Tri-
nity United in the lame Subitance ! Amen.

24, 2J.

Homily XVIII.

Concerning the Treafure of Chriftiansy that
isy Chrifi and the Holy Spirit, varioufly
Exercifing them towards their Coming to
'Perfection.

p|||jR>F any one in this World is very Rich,
PPnil an<^ F0^^ °f an Hid Treafure, with
§|^§J| tnat Treafure, and with what Wealth
he has, he Purchafes all things what-
ever he has a mind to. And whatfoever * Extra-
ordinary Poffeflions he is deflrous of in this World,
Them does he Compafs with Eafe, Depending
on his Treafure : Becaufe, with the Help of
That, he readily Procures All PofTefrlons that
Suit his Inclinations. So alfo they who Seek
-\ firfb of God, and have Found, and Obtain the
Heavenly Treafure of the Spirit, the Lord fhining
in their Hearts, Fulfil the whole Righteoufneis
of the Vermes, with that entire Extent of Good*
nefs there is in the Commandments of the Lord,

* The Manufcr:pt here inferts iga/fli7«.

t n^6>rey is wanting indeed in the Edition of Mtrelius,
and in the Manufcript. But I follow the other Copies, as
Evidently AliuTling to Matth. vi. 33.

T z ' from

i?6 The Spiritual Homilies

from that Treaiure that is within them, Christ j
and by means of That do they Amafs together
a yet larger Store of Heavenly Wealth. For by
means of the Heavenly Treaiure do they Work
every Vertue in the whole Circle of Righteouf^
nefs, and every Commandment of the Lord, by
the Help of the Invifible Riches of the Grace
within them.

To the fame Effect the Apofrle alfo, in thofe

a 2 Cor.iv. Words, We have a this Treafure in Earthen Vcf-

7- fehy That is, which being yet in theFlefh they

were thought worthy to Poffefs within them, the

bEphef.iii. Sanctifying b Power of the Spirit. And again,

1 6. Who c of God is made to us, Wifdom, and Righ-

c i Cor. i. teoupiefs^ anci SancJificatioji) and Redemption.

Whoever therefore hath found and PofTefTes
within himfelf this Heavenly Treafure of the
^Johniii. Spirit, he Fulfils d in this Spirit All the Righte-
"• oufnefs of the Commandments, and the com-
plete Practice of the Vermes, without Blame,
and in Purity $ moreover alfo without Compul-
ePf. cxix.fion e or Difficulty. Then let us alfo Befeech
J2"... God, and feek Diligently unto him, and Pour
jo nvin. out our Supplications before him, thatHewou'd
Freely grant unto us the Treaiure of his Spirit,
and that Thus we may be Enabled to Walk in
rLuk.i. 6. All his f Commandments without Reproof, and
without Blemifri, and Fulfil all the Righteouf-
nefs of the Spirit in Purity, and Perfection, thro'
the Heavenly Treafure, which is Chrift.

For he that is Poor, and # Naked, and a Beg-
gar, and juft FaminYd, can Purchafe Nothing
in the World : His very Poverty Reftrains him.
But he that has a Treaiure at Command, he as
was faid before, veiy Readilv, and without
Trouble, is Matter of what PoiTefTion he pleafes.
So too the Soul that is Naked, and Deltitute of
* The Manufcript after wms adds *£ yv^V,,

the

'/ M AAM&¥ s the Egyptian- 2^7

the Fellowfhia, and under the Hard % StreightsgLukexv
of Sin, cannot, wou'd he ever fo feign, Pro- l6' 1?'
duce any one of the * Fruits of the Spirit of
Righteoufnefs in Truth and Reality, before it
actually Partakes of the Spirit it felf.

But withal, it behoves every one to Oblige
himfelf by Force to Petition the Lord, that he
may be thought worthy to Receive and Find
the Heavenly Treafure of the Spirit, fo as with-
out Trouble and Difficulty to be Able to Per-
form All the Commandments of the Lord, Blame-
lefs, and in Purity: Which Before, even with
Violence, he cou'd never do. Ror being Poor
and DeiHtute of the Communication of the Spi-
rit, how ihou'd it poflibly come by (lich Spiri-
tual PofTeflions, Unprovided with the Treafure
and Riches of the Spirit? But the Soul, which,
by the Searching of the Spirit, by Faith, and
much Patience, hath Found the Lord the True
Treafure, produceth the Fruits of the Spirit, as
was faid Before, and Performs All the Righte-
oufnefs and Commandments of the Lord, which
the Spirit hath Commanded, in and by her,
with Purity, without Defect, and Free from
Blame.

Or to give again another Illustration, when a
Man fuppofe that is Rich, is to make a Splen-
ded Entertainment, he takes out of that Wealth
and Treafure, which he has already -, nor is he
in the leaf]: Apprehenhve that he fhall Want
any thing, as having an Ample Fortune. And
Thus does he Regale the Gueft he Invited with
Magnificence and Splendor, letting Variety of
New Dimes (till before him. But one that is Poor,
and without fuch a Fortune, if ever he thou'd

* The Manufcript reads ru* xxfrajv which much better
agrees with *7ev than «» x«?to» in the printed Copies. ■

T 3 have

Z7% Tfje Spiritual Homilies

have a mind to Entertain his Friends -, he has
every thing to Borrow y both Veffels, Table
Linen, and other Equipage. And Thus after
all, when the Guefts have done, a thing of
Courfe at a poor Man's Entertainment, he Re-
turns Home to every Man that he had Bor-
rowed of, the Silver, or Table Linen, or any other
Furniture. So that, when every thing isReftor'd
to the right Owner, he remains of himfelf Poor
and Naked as ever, having No Wealth of his
own, to Chear up himfelf with. Thus they al-
fo that are Enrich 'd with the Holy Spirit, that
have the Heavenly Riches in Truth, and the
Communion of the Spirit within * themfelvesj
if they fpeak the Word of Truth to any, or Im-
part to any their Spiritual -f Difcourfes, Propo-
sing thereby to Chear their Souls, it is out of
the-r own Store, and their own proper Treafure,
which they are PofTefs'd of in themfelvesj out
of that do they Speak, and from that do they
Glad the Souls of them that Hear their Spiri-
tual Difcourfe. Nor are they Afraid they {hall
be at a Lofs, becaufe they have in actual PofTef-
fion that Heavenly Treafure of Goodnefs, from
which they Take and Revive thofe that are Spi-
ritually Entertain'd by them. But he that is Poor
and not PofTefs'd of the Riches of Chrift, and
has not that Spiritual Treafure in his Soul
that fendeth forth an univerfal Goodnefs both of
Words and Works, of Divine Thoughts and
Myfteries Unutterable ; tho' he is willing to
Speak the Truth, and to Comfort fome that
hear them : Yet not having Obtain'd the Word
of God in Power and Truth within him y but
only Recollecting and Borrowing Sentences from

* The printed Copies have «Jt*7s, but the Manufcript lcuir»7s.
f The Manufcript reads xiym wv&uttlocM.

every

o/Macarivs the Egyptian. 179

every part of Scripture, or what he has Heard from
Spiritual Perfons, and Relating, and Teaching
them, Lo, he feems indeed to make others Glad,
and they certainly Enjoy the Benefit of whan
he Delivers : But when he has Done Repeating,
every Word Returns back to its proper borne,
whence it was Taken > and the Man himfelf re-
mains a Naked and Poor as afore : Having No a Ecclef,
Treafure of the Spirit he can call his Own, xxxyii.
whence to Take, and Profit, and Revive, not *9'
being iirft Reviv'd himfelf, nor Rejoicing in
Spirit.

For which reafon ought we x fir ft to beg of
God with b Earneftnefs of Heart, and with Faith, b Lu. xxii,
that he would grant unto us that we may Find 4+-
his Riches, the True Treafure of Chrift, in our
Hearts, in the Power and Efficacy of the Spirit.
And Thus having found firft within our felves
the Benefit of it. Salvation and Eternal Life, the
Lord himfelf, we fhall then Profit c others alf^, c Lu. xxii.
as we are Able to have Accefs to them: d Pro-d 32- ..
ducing from that Treafure of Chrift within us, Ma";xu-
All theGoodnefs of Spiritual Difcourfes, and De-
claring Heavenly Mylteries. For fo it -pleafed
the Good Will of the Father, that he mould
Dwell with every one that Believeth, and is De-
firous of Him. For he that Loveth me, e lays c John xiv.
Chrift, jloall be Lov'd of my Father, and I will z ' '
Love him, and will Manif eft my f elf to him. And
again, i JVe will come unto him, I and my Fatherf—V- 23-
and make our Abode with him. Thus did the In-
finite Kindnefs of the Father Will. Thus was
the Inconceivable Love of Chrift Pleafed. And
thus did the Unfpeakable Goodnefs of the Spirit
Promife. Glory be to the Tender Mercies of the
Holy Trinity, which Surpafs all Expreflion !
For they that have been thought worthy to %be-% John *•
come the Sons of God, and to bchBom of the Spi- h ":

T 4 rit^**'

280 The Spiritual Homilies

1 2C0r.hr. rit from Above, and have Chrift within f Enlight-

*Ma«h x nin& anc* k Refreming them, are Led by the Spi-
2g " ' rit after various and divers manners, and are Actu-
ated by Grace invifibly in the Heart > and that
too is Attended with Spiritual Reft.

But let us produce the Characters Obfervable
in the World of fuch Enjoyments, to Illuftrate
in fome meafure by particular Examples the Me-
thods of the Spirit in the Soul. At a certain
! Luke xv. time then are they Elated, as at a l Royal Ban-
2^> 32- quet, and Rejoice with Joy and Gladnefs not to
be ExprefTed. At another Seafon are they as the
Bride, that in Communion with the Bridegroom
Enjoys Divine Pleafures. At other times they
*i Joh. i.are as the m Angels, which are not Clogg'd with
'■ 4. this # Earthly Tabernacle, fo Exceeding Fine and
Light are they, even Body and all. At other
times again like Men Overcome with Drink, they
are Exhilarated, and even Intoxicated with the
Spirit, Drunk with Divine and Spiritual Myf-
teries.

At other times, they are as it were All in
* Pf. cxix. Grief and Lamentation for n all Mankind and
136. Interceding for the whole Stock of Adam: They
take up a Wailing and a Weeping for it -> the
Love of the Spirit for the Humane Nature
Kindling and Flaming out within them. At o-
ther times the Joy and Love of the Spirit In-
flames them to that degree, that were it pofTi-
ble, they wou'd Snatch up every Man into their
own Bowels, not making the Leaft Diftinclrion
of the Bad from the Good.

At other times they are Humbled fo far below
every other Perfon in the Self-Abafement of the

* So I chufe to render oLtrwpofloi here, becaufe elfe I fhou'd
make the Author Clafh with himfelf, Horn. iv. where he calls
Aogels a-apec]*, alluding to the Etherial Vehicles,

Spirit,

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 281

Spirit, as to thinjt themfelves Inferior to, and
Lefs than All. At other times they are * Exer-
cis'd by the Spirit with Joy Unutterable. At
other times they are like a Strong Man that
having put on the Royal ° Armour, and coming <> Ephef.vz.
down in Battle upon his Enemies will Fight va- n.
liantly againft them, and Overcomes them. ForLu^xi-
in like manner, he too that is Spiritual takcth
the Heavenly p Weapons of the Spirit, and p 2 Cor. x.
comes upon his Enemies and Fights them, and 4-
treads <i them under his Feet. At other q Joh. v.4.
times doth the Soul Reft in Great Silence, and
Calmnefs, and Peace, being given up to Spiritual
Pleamre, Reft unfpeakable, and "Safety. At o-
ther times it is r Inftru&ed by Grace in a fort r wifd- **
of Underftanding and Wifdom not to be De-p^J^1^
fcrib'd, and a Knowledge f of the Spirit that isrEpheCiiL
paft -f finding out, in fuch things as it is impofli- 19.
ble for the Tongue and c Mouth to Utter. Att29or*
other times it becomes as a common Man. xil*4*
So very Various is the Way of Grace in them ;
and fuch Variety is there in the manner after
which it Conducts the Soul, Refrefhing accord-
ing to the Will and Pleafure of God. And with
equal Variety does it Exercife her, thereby to
Reftore her Perfect and Blamelefs, and Pure to
our Heavenly Father.

But thefe aforefaid Operations of the Spirit
are Peculiar to thofe Heights that Border very
near upon Perfection. For thofe feveral Refrefh-
ments of Grace we before mention'd, are Ex-

* The printed Copies read Ar«r«f£»^, But the Manufcript
xetjxwi&vy , which I follow.

f If we read with the common Copies */»<yVw tk£i*m]»s
mnfy^dmtHt the Author had perhaps in his Eye Ifaiah xl. 28.
If with the Manufcript arfgfgdCmrrp, then it alludes to Job
xxviii. 12-21,

prefVd

28 % Tloe Spiritual Homilies

prefs'd indeed very differently. However, there
is No IntermiiTion of their Influence at all 5 but
one Operation continually fucceeds another. For
when the Soul has once Arriv'd to the Perfec-
tion of the Spirit °y and is thoroughly Cleans'd
from all its Corrupt Affections $ and is United
by an Ineffable Communion, to the Spirit the
Comforter ; and is thoroughly mix'd with the
Spirit -, and is thought to become Spirit it felf,
being * fo mix'd : Then is it All Light, All Eye,
All Spirit, All Joy, All Reft, All Gladnefs, All
Love, All Bowels, All Goodnefs, and Clemency.
For as a Stone in the Bottom of the Sea, is every
manner of way Surrounded with Water : So are
thefe every way Drench'd with the Holy Spirit,
are made like to Chrift himfelf, Poffeffing unal-
terably within themfelves the j Vermes of the
Power of the Spirit, being Blamelefs within and
without , and Spotlefs and Pure. For being
brought to due Perfection by the Spirit, how is
it Pollible they fhou'd Outwardly Produce the
# Fruits of Sin ? But at all times, and in every
0 Compare inftance, do the Fruits of the Spirit Shine u Bright-
Gal, v. 22, ly out in their whole Deportment.

23- And therefore let us alfo Befecch God, and

•MatjV V* Believe in Love, and abundant Hope, that he

may grant unto us the Heavenly Favour of the

Gift of the Spirit 3 that the Self-fame Spirit may

* The Mixture here implies Nothing Grofs or Corporeal any-
more than the Mixture the Apoftle mentions between the Word
of God, and Faith in the Hearer. Heb. iv. 4.

f By the Venues, 8cc. I am apt to underftand that Sevenfold
Vertue or Power of the Holy Ghoft, which our Bleffed Sa-vi-
our was Baptiz/d with as Man. Compare Matth. iii. 16. Ifaiah
3d. 2. Col. ii. 9. And thro' Him the Church. Compare John i.
j 8. 1 John ii. 27. Col. i. 9. See the firft Collect in the Of-
fice of Confirmation.

* The Manufcript reads ,:^tt«v», which agrees better with
the Context.

Govern,

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 283

Govern, and Lead us into All the Will of God ;
and may Refrcih us with all that uiual Variety
of the Rett he gives 3 that by the means of fuch
an Adminiftration, and the Exercife of Grace,
and Spiritual Improvement we may be thought
worthy to come to the Perfection of the Ful-
nefs of Chriil, as the Apoftle w expreffes it,wEphef.
That ye might be FUN with all the Fulnefs of iji- »9-
God. And x again, Till wt all come unto a per-* iv. 13.
feci Man, unto the meafure of the Stature of the
Fulnefs of Chrift. The Lord hath Promis'd to all
that believe in him, and Afk in y Truth, that y John iv.
He will Give to them the Myileries of the 24-
Ineffable Communion of the Spirit. And there-
fore let us, having entirely Devoted our felves
to the Lord, make what haft we can to At-
tain the Good Things we have before mentioned,
being Confecrated both in Soul and Body, and
Nail'd to the Crofs of Chrift may become Wor-
thy of the Eternal Kingdom, Giving Glory to
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit un-
to Ages. Amen.

Homily

284 The Spiritual Homilies

Homily XIX.

Chriftians that are willing to Improve and
Increafe> ought to Force themfelves to
every thing that is Good ; in order to be
Freed from the Sin that dwells with-
in themy and to be Fittd with the Holy
Spirit.

ShTI

E that is Deflrous to come to the Lord,
and to be thought Worthy of Eternal
Life, and to become the very a Manfion
Houfe of Chriil, and to be FhTd with

■ Compare
Ex. xl. 34.

10\ ' the Holy Spirit, that fo he may bring forth the

John xiv. Fruits of the Spirit, and Perform the Command-

*■}- ments of Chrift in Purity, and without Blame :

Moh1x2iv'ThisPerfon OLl3ht t0 Begin firft with b Believing
1. ' in the Lord, to give himfelf entirely up to the Di-
rections of his Commandments, and to Bid an
univerfal Farewel to the World, that fo his Mind
may not be # wholly Engrofs'd by any of the
1 1 Cor.iv. Things that do c Appear.

l8\ He ought withal ever to Continue Inftant in

-"Rom.xii.d Prayer, in the Faith and Expectation of the

Thef. v Lord, waiting at all times for his e Vifitation and

1?[ Help, with the full Bent of his Mind continual-

Luk.xviii. ly Fix'd upon it. Then ought he to Force him-

*• felf upon every good Work, and to All theCom-

ePfal.xl. ^mandments of the Lord, by reafon of the f Sin

*CRom.vii.tnat *s Prefent with him. For infbancej let him

' 20, it. Force himfelf to be of a Lowly Mind before

■ Phil. ii.3. aU Men, and let him Efteem § himfelf Inferior
* John v. and Worfe than they, not Seeking the h Honour,

44.

* The Manufcript reads cA*s.

Of

of Mac arius the Egyptian. • 285

or Praife, or Glory of Men from any one, ac-
cording as it is written in the Gofpel: But by.
1 Setting the Lord and his Commandments ever ' p£ xvi- 8-
bcfore his Eyes, Deiirous of Pleafing Him only ^pslU2J
inMeeknefs of Heart, as the Lord himfelf k Pre- "
fcribes, Learn of me, for I am Meek and Lowly k Matt, xi,
of Heart, and ye JJj all find Reft unto your Souls. *9-

In like manner let him Accuftom himfelf to
be Merciful, Kind, Tender-hearted, and Good
to the utmofl of his Power, as our Lord ex-
prefTes it, * Be ye Good and Kind, even as your ' Luk. vt
Heavenly Father alfo is Merciful And again, m If JJ\ *6'
ye Love me, keep my Commandments. And again, j '
Ufe Violence ', ( * for the n Violent take the King- n Matth xL
dom by Force) and ° Strive to enter in at the Strait 12.
Gate. ° Luk-X»f-

Above all things let him keep Inviolably in
Mind the Humiliation of our Lord, and his
Manner of Life, his Meeknefs and Converfation,
as the Standard that is never to be Overlook'd >
let him continue ? In ft ant in Prayer, ever Praying p Ro. xiii.
and Believing, that the Lord at his °L Coming may I2,
Dwell in him, and make him r Per feci, and xxfjV'I2
f Strengthen him in all his Commandments, and 2 Cor. vi*.
that the Lord may become the z Habitation of 18.
his Soul. And Thus the things which he does'1 Pet«v-
now bv Violence, and with a Reluctant Heart, fpyj'i-
he will in time do Freely, by Habituating him- , j.
felf constantly to that which is Good, and be- Ephef. vi.
ing ever u Mindful of the Lord, and in w muchf .IO-
Love x waiting for him. Then the Lord ob-'^ 2XC1*
ferving fo Strong a Delire, and a commendable Pro' Xviii.
Induttry, how he Forces himfelf to Keep the 10.
Lord in Remembrance, and Always to that which a P^-CX1X*

8 r, 82.
* Luk. vii.
* The Manufcript after (Zix?e&e adds thefe Words, fiiotrcu a-,.

$ (tcircc^G-t rr-i (ojtTtXeixv rav ^vwy' ^ dywify&i, whichxPf. CXXX.

are Tranllated in the Parentheiis Above. 6.

is

z%6 The Spiritual Homilies

is Good, to Lowlinefs of Mind, and Meeknefs,
and Love he even # Wrefts his Heart, tho' ne-
ver fo Unwilling, and orders it as far as he is able,
by main Force : Then, I fay5 does the Lord mew
•f Mercy to him, and Redeems him from his
y Luke i. y Enemies, and from the Sin that z Dwelleth in
74- .. him, a Filang him with the Spirit. And thus for
■Rom.vn.tjie future5 without Compulfion or Difficulty,
aEphef.v. does ne Perform the Commands of the Lord in

1 8. b Truth. But it is rather the Lord c himfelf
— iii- 19- that doth his own Commandments in him ,
* Ephef. v. anc| t|ien jie grjngS fortri tjie Fruits of the Spirit in

* if. xxvi. d Vw& ■.

i2. But firft he that comes to the Lord, ought

Joh.iii.i i. thus to Force himfelf to that which is Good > and
PhiU. 1 3. tj10' fas jjcart be ever f0 mucn againfl it, to Wait
" -^ ' *v* continually with an Unfhaken Faith for his Mer-
cy -y and to Force himfelf to Love, if he be deiti-
tute of that Grace 5 to Force himfelf to Meek-
nefs, if he wants Meeknefs •, to Force himfelf to
fhew Compaffion, and to have a merciful Heart;
to Force himfelf to endure Contempt, and to
Bear up with a courageous Patience, when De-
fpis'd; and tho' he is Set at Naught, or Di£
grae'd, not to be mov'd with Indignation at it,
' eRom.xii. according as it is written, Dearly e Beloved^ A-

19. venge not you? "[elves , to Force himfelf to Prayer,
if he have not the Spiritual Prayer , and thus
does God Beholding him in thefe Conflicts, and
Torturing himfelf with Violence, tho' with a

f Ro.viii. reluctant Heart, Grant unto him the true f Prayer
2 ' of the Spirit^ Beftow upon him the True Love,

8 CololT. the Meeknefs of Truth, the s Bowels of Mercies ,
the True Clemency, and to Speak out all at once,
Fill him with the * Fruits of the Spirit.

* The printed Copies reads «y«> the Manuscript *.vx*~t
t The Manufcript for «'$ tte®** reads *» eA &. £cc.
' The Manufcript for 7*1 x«£ttc? reads rm tu^xSU,

1 But

m. 12.

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 287

But now if any one that is deflitutc of Prayer,
Forces himfelf to Prayer only that he may have
the Prayer * of Grace^ but exerts no fuch Vigour
after Meeknefs, and Humility, and Love, and the
other Commandments of the Lord, neither is
in any Concern, at any Pains, or has any Con-
flict about the due Regulation of them : As to
his Option and Free Choice the Prayer of Grace
is fometimc granted him with Reft and Glad-
nefs -f from the Spirit 3 but then it is apart by it
felf, juft according to his Petition. But in his
Manner and Behaviour he is exactly as he was
Before : Without Meeknefs, for he fought it not,
neither Prepar'd himfelf to become fo 3 without
Humility, becaufe he Afk'd h not for it, andhjam. Iv.
took no Pains about it ; nor has he a Love for 2.
all Men *, forafmuch as he never had any Con-
cern or i Agony in the Offering up of his Prayer 5Luk.xxii
for it. And in the Execution of the Work he 4+-
is upon he has not Faith and Confidence towards
God becaufe indeed he is # unacquainted with him-
felf, has not yet difcover'd that he wants it, nei-
ther has he Labour'd with any fort of Affliction,
when Petitioning to Obtain from the Lord a
Steady and True Affiance in Him.

* The printed Copies read <&'x«$ %4&fh which agrees I
own with <&ms #a'e^A** Opufc. de Lib. Mentis.Cap. 18. But
the Manufcript, which I follow, reads dC%w x^^^' Both
Readings point full upon the Infus'd or Supernatural Prayer.

f The Manufcript here reads ok srv^a^r, which c* is
not the printed Editions.

* The Manufcript reads *'* tyatiur, which ** is wanting
in the Editions of Valtbmius and Dr. Fritius. Tdtkerims, by
his Veriion, plainly fuppofes it in the Original. Dr. Vritius
follows the Omimon after Pahbenius in the Text, but in his
Tranflation is at fome Pains to exprefs the fame. But had
he Confulted either the Octavo or Folio Edition by Pirns, it
had been Better.

For

288 The Spiritual Homilies

For it behoves every one, as he * Forces and
Conftrains himfelf to Prayer, with an unwilling
Heart, fo alfo to an Aflurance in God -, fo alio to
Humility $ fo alfo to Meeknefs, Sincerity, and

*jam, i. Simplicity: So alfo to All-patience k and Long-

2— 4- fuffering, according as it is written, with Joy.

Thus ought he by an habitual Violence to Efteem

himfelfas Nothing, and to take up with the Repu-

'Mark- ix- tation of being Poor, and the l Laft of all Men.
*s' Care fhou'd be taken to Break himfelf of Unpro-
fitable Difcourfe, ever to Meditate upon the
things of God, and to Declare them with his
Mouth, and with his Heart. The fame way
fhou'd he proceed not to Boil with Anger, and
not to be Clamorous (according as it is faid,

J Jam. W. m Let all Bitternefs, and Wrath, and Anger, and
31- Clamour, and Evil Speaking be put away from you
with all Malice :) "f to Conform to our Lord's
whole Department, to the entire Exercife of
Vertue, to a way of Life that is Good and Re-
putable, to an univerfal Good Converfation, to
All the Humility of Meeknefs, fo as neither to
be Exalted, nor High-minded, nor PufPd up, nor
to Speak againft any Man.

All thefe ought he to bring himfelf to by down-
right Force, that is defirous to become Approv'd
and well-pleafing to Chrift, that fo the Lord,
(when he fhall Behold this Forward nefs and Full
Intention of his in thus Compelling himfelf to
All Goodnefs, and Simplicity, and Kindnefs, and
Humility, and Love, and Prayer, and how he
Drives himfelf to them with an high Hand) may
Impart his whole felf to him, the Lord himfelf
Performing all thefe things of a Truth, within

* The Manufcript reads jS/ac^eJ *£ «y#«
t The Manufcript, and Edition of Mcrelins, omit * t«s here»
which is in all the other printed Copies.

him

of Macarius the Egyptian. 2 89

him in Purity, without Trouble, and without
Compulsion, which Before he vvas not Able, not
even with Force and Violence to Obierxe, by
reafon or" Sin Dwelling in him. And all theie
Exercifes of Vertue become to him as Nature.
For * the Lord for the future when he comes,
and is in him, and he in the Lord, Performs in
him his own Commands without Labour, Filling
him with the Fruits of the Spirit.

But if any one forces himfelf only to Prayer, till
fuch time as he receives die Gift of it from God :
But ufes not the like Violence to bring himfelf to
theie abovc-nam'd Obligations, neither ftruggling
for them, nor tiling himfelf to them : He can
never Com pais the Practice of them in Purity,
and without Blame. But thus does it Behove him
to Prcdifpofe himfelf as much as poifibic to that
whicli is Good. For the Divine Grace comes
upon him in the very n moment of Prayer and n Dan. i*.
Supplication. For God is ° Gcd, and A'/W, and *»«
to thofe that Aft of him doth he Grant ^sx-*°-
their Requeils. But he that has not the afore- T Vc't*
mention d Particulars, neither hath us d mmfelr ^T.
to them, nor yet Predifpos'd himfelf for them 5 1 Pet. ii. 3.
ihou'd he even ft; ceive the G:i\ce, he will as
certainly Loie it, and Falls thro' Pride. Or clfe
he makes no Pirogrds and Improvement in the
Grace Beftow'd upon him, becaufe he docs not
give himfelf in a p deliberate way to the Com-ppf. CX1-X#
mandments of the Lord. For the Manfion Houfe, 173.
and Rett of the Spirit, is i Humility, and Love, q If. Ivii.
and Mecknels, and the other Commandments of 1S-
the Lord. Johnxiv.

Whoever therefore is willing to Pleafe God in x johii w.

truth, and receive from Him the Heavenly Grace 16.

of the Spirit, and to r Grow up, and to be fPcr-r2Pet- "*"•

1 s.

f The Manufcript here inierts y^, '^ xviL

U fecledcol.ii.io

2po The Spiritual Homilies

fe&ed in the Holy Spirit, ought to Force him-
felf upon all the Commandments of God, and
to bring his unwilling Heart in Subjection to
Pf. cxix. 'em, according as it is written, t Therefore hold
1 04, 128. / Straight all thy Commandment j, and all falfi
Ways 1 utterly Abhor. For as a Man in order
to Perfeverance in Prayer Acts with Violence and
Conftraint till he can bring himfelf to it : So al-
fo in All the inftances of vertuous Practice, if
he has but a willing mind, he is Violent and
Preffing with himfelf-, and actually brings him-
felf to a Good Habit. And thus Afking and
Praying to the Lord at all times, even after he
■ iPet. ii. hasObtain'd his Petition, and is come to u Tafte
3- of God, and is made Partaker of the Holy Ghoft,
pf. xxxiv. ke takes tme pains to w Improve the Gift im-
Heb vi 4. parted to him, and to make it Flourifh, Repoling
w Matth. himfelf in his Humility, in Love, in Meeknefs.
xxv. 1 6. The Spirit it felf grants him thefe, and Teaches
him the True Prayer, the True Love, the True
Meeknefs : Which before he Forc'd himfelf to,
and Sought after, and was Solicitous about 3 and
which took up his whole Thoughts ; and at laft
51 Ephef. ii. they were Given him. And being thus x Grown

21.

up, and Confummated in God, he is thought
*T\V:.1?' worthy to become the Heir of the King-
CoJ,11,Ip,dom. For the Humble Man never Falls. For
whence ihou'd he Fall, who is Below All?
Self-Elevation is a Great Abafement : But Self-
Abafement is a Great Exaltation, and Honour,
and Dignity.

Let us therefore bring our felves by Conftraint
and Force to an Humble Frame of Mind, not-
withftanding that the Heart may be unwilling;
and to Meeknefs, and to Love, Intreating and
Befeeching God in Faith, and Hope, and Love,
without Ceafing, with fuch an Expectation and
View, that he will fend his Spirit into our Hearts,

that

of MacarIus the Egyptian. 291

that we may Pray to God, and Worfhip him
in Spirit and in Truth, and the Spirit it felf
[* may y Pray in us> that the Spirit it felf ~\ mayyRo. viii,
Teach us the True Prayer, which at prefent [thoy z6> 27-
"t ufn& Violence we cannot make ; the True Humi-
lity of Mind, which at prefenf\ we cannot even
with Violence bring our felves to , Bowels of
Mercies, Kindnefs, and All the Commandments
of the Lord j that he may Teach us to Do them
of a Truth, without any Let of inward % Dif-
fUtisfa&ion or outward Obftruction as the Spirit
it felf knows how, when it Fills us with his
|| Fruits.

And Thus the Commandments of God being
Fulfiird by * us thro' his Spirit, who alone ■ 1 Cor. ii;
2 knows the Will of the Lord, and that Spirit ' l-
Perfecting us a in it felf, and being it felf b Com- a * Cor.
pleted in us, when once Cleans'd from All thebx"; 9*
Pollution and Stain of Sin, it will then Prefent ^ °^
our Souls to Chrift, as Beautiful Brides, Pure and 1 John iv.
Blamelefs: We on the one hand Repofing our 12.
felves in God, in his Kingdom, and God on the
other taking up his Rcfl: in us, to Endlefs Ages !
Glory be to his Mercies, and Companion, and
Love y for that he hath vouchfaf'd to Admit the
Race of Mankind unto fo Great Honour and
Glory, Thought them worthy to be the SonsMatth.xih
of his Heavenly Father, and Declar'd them to 2jf*

* The Manufcript here inferts cv tipX* &Hj* '*** cujiv t»

TTt/jU-ot. diZoiry &C.

•j- The Manufcript here again inferts *} (Zictgofyet sk t%9-

* The Manufcript reads »Mv,ui for echv-srus I take in
Both.

|| The Manufcript reads ruv xeqiruv

* The Fol. Edit, and Dr. Fritins read Cftw. But Mwelitts
jynd the Manufcript wui.

U * N be

2$) 2 The Spiritual Homilies

be his own Brethren. To Him be Glory for
Ever ! Amen.

Homily XX.

Chrift alone, the True ^Phyfician of the In-
ner Man, is Able to Heal the Soul, and
to Adorn her with the Robe of Grace.

• Compare )Mmm F any one is a Naked for want of the

aCor.v. 3. llnnl Divine and Heavenly Cloathing, which

Rev* *"• g^lgl is the Power of the Spirit, as it is faid,

J-^j1 ' Now b // any Man have not the Spirit of

—xix'. 8. Chrift, he is none of his : Let him Weep, and

Gen.iir.7,lntreat the Lord that he may Receive the Spi-

io, 11. ritual Cloathing which is from Heaven 5 that he

x. xxxn. may have a Covering for his Soul Difrob'd of

b Ro. viii. the Divine Power. For he is Cloath'd with the

9. Great Shame of Vile c AfFe6bions, that is not Clad

CRo>1-26- with the Garment of the Spirit.

For as in the things that are Seen, if any one
is Naked, he is in much Confufion and Difgrace j
even Friends turn away from their Friends that
are Naked,and near Kindred from thofe they are
Gen.ix.2 3. Related to. Nay, Children that have difcover'd
their Father to be Naked, Turrfd away their Faces,
that they might not come full upon their Fa-
thers Naked Body : But have gone backwards
and Covered him, and by that means were their
Eyes taken off. Thus does God even Turn
away from the Souls that are not Cloath'd with
the Garment of the Spirit id the Full AfTurance

of

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 293

of Faith, as not having put d on the Lord Jefus d Ro- «&
Chrifl in Power and in Truth. I4*

The veiy Firft Man, when he Beheld himfclf
Naked, wras Afham'd. So Great is the Difho- Gen. Hi;
nour that attends Naked nefs ! If therefore in re- 7-
lation only to the Body, he being Naked expofes
us to fo much Shame : How much rather is the
Soul that is Uncloath'd of the Divine Power,
that wears not, nor is Clad with the Raiment not
to be Deicrib'd, Immortal, and Spiritual, the Lord
Jefus Chrifl himfclf in Truth, Cover'd over with
Superior Shame and Dishonourable Affections.
And every one that is Uncloatrfd oF that Divine
Glory ought in like manner to be AiTiam'd of
himielf, and to Acknowledge the Difgrace he is un-
der : As Adam was Amam'd with refpect to his Bo-
dy being Naked \ tho' he made himielf a Covering
of Fig-Leaves, he bore his Shame notwith Hand-
ing, well knowing his own Poverty and Naked-
nefs. Let therefore fuch a Soul Afk of Chrid
the Donor, who Cloaths it with Glory in the
Light, which SurpafTes all Expretfion, without
making to it felf any Covering of vain Thoughts,
or being Deluded with an Opinion of its own
Righteoufnefs, and imagining that it hath on the
e Garment of Salvation. el£.\xl.io:

For if any one ftands only upon his own Righ-
teoufnefs ( # not looking for the f Righteoufnefs off^-om- x-
God, which is the Lord, who as the Apoftle Speaks, 3> 4-
is made 8 to us Righteoufnefs and Redemption : ) g i Cor. f.
the Pains he takes are Vain and Fruitlefs. For 3°-
every fuch Opinion of his own Righteoufnefs is

* The Reading and Verfion of the printed Copies feems
Imperfeft. The Manufcript inferts here with advantage w

fytiOi'^c^fio^ tjjw tQ ©£« XtKcuorvvyv y.tk; ■$*{» o KVfuog *>'? (Syirtv

o l&nsoXac, (and in the Margin, is «$/vj$5-3; jj^'O JtKMOTvvtj >£

U x at

294 The Spiritual Homilies

at the laft Day plainly laid Open as a Filthy Rag,

If. lxiv, 6. as fJth the Prophet, All our Right eoufnefs is be-
come as a Filthy Rag.

Let us therefore Beg of God, and Intreat him
that we may put on the Garment of Salvation,
our Lord Jefus Chrift., the InexpreiTible Light,
which fuch Souls as once have it fhall Never put
off again : But in the Refurreclion their Bodies
alfo {hall be Glorified with the Glory of that
Light, which Faithful and Noble Souls are

J Ro. viii. Cloath'd with at prefent, according to the h A«*
ll- poftle, He that Rats' 'd up Chrift from the Dead)
fhall alfo Quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit
that dwelleth in you. Glory be to his Tender
Mercies, and Compaffion, which Surpafs all Ex-
preffion and Utterance !

And again, as the Woman that was Difeas'd
with an I flue of Bloud, when She became a

fMatth.ix.True i Believer, and had Touch'd the Hem of
22* our Lord's Garment, was Heal'd immediately -9

* Mark v. and the Impure Fountain of her Bloud was k Dri-
29* ed up : So every Soul that has the Incurable
Wound of Sin, the Fountain of Unclean and
Wicked Thoughts, if fhe will come to Chriff,
and with a true Faith Pray to Him $ frie Recovers
her Health, Free from that Fountain of Corrupt
Affections, which was Incurable -, and that Foun-
tain which fendeth forth Impure Thoughts, on-
ly thro' the Power of Jefus, Abates and is Dri^
ed up. Neither is it in the Power of any o-
ther to Heal this Plague. For fo nicely Careful
was the Enemy in the Tranfgrefiion of Adam^
as to Wound and Darken the inner Man, the
Ruling Part in him, the Mind that look'd di-
rectly upon God. His Eyes after that were
TunVd off to Sin, and Corruption, being fhut
out from the Good Things of Heaven.

So

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 29 j

S^> Greatly was he Wounded, that it was not
Poflible for any one5 befides die Lord, to Heal
him : To him Alone is it yet Poffiblc. For at
his Coming he took a-zvay the Sin of the World jjoh, i.29:
that is, he dried up the Unclean Fountain of the
Thoughts of the Soul. For as that Woman that
was Difcas'd with an IfTue of Bloud, had Spent
All fhe was Worth upon thofe that had * Pro^
mis'd to Heal her, was yet Cur'd by no Man,
till fuch time as fhe came to the Lord with a
True Faith, and Touch'd his Hem -y but thus
fhe was prefently Senfible that fhe was Hcal'd,
and the Flux of her Bioud was £topt. Thus
is it with the Soul that has been Wounded from
the Beginning with this Incurable Wound of
Sinful Affections : which None of the Righteous,
neither the Fathers in general,nor the Prophets, or
Patriarchs in particular have been Able to Cure.

Mofes came, but was not Able to give a per-
■feft Health. The Priefts, the Gifts, Tithes,' If. i. 13.
1 Sabbaths, New-Moons, Wafhings, Sacrifices,
whole m Burnt- Offerings, and every other Branch m PM- 6-
of Righteoufnefs were Punctually Obferv'd un-
der the Law. And yet the Soul cou'd not be
n HeaPd, and Cleans'd from the Impure Foun- n Heb. x.4.
tain of Sinful Thoughts. Neither cou'd All its
Righteoufnefs Avail any thing towards the Heal-
ing of him : Till fuch time as the Saviour came 0 , .
himfelf, the True ° Phyiician, who Healeth " '/
P Freely, who Gave himfelf a <i Ranfom for the Mai. iv. 2.
Race of Mankind. He r Alone wrought thepMatth.x.
Great and Saving Redemption, and Cure of theq K^'
Soul. He it was that Set f Free from the State 2g*J
of Bondage, and Brought it out of.* Darknefs,rif.lix.itf.

rJoh. viii.

* All the printed Editions read \oOp^jtoa hwcttfym But 3^;
the Manufcript more agreeably to the running Senfe of our Lukj.79,
Author i*lgjjarsii iircvyyektefdjfioiii which I follow. M" ,' .**

U 4 having 1$.

196 The Spiritual Homilies

° Luke ii. having u Glorified it with his own Liglit. He
32- indeed hath Dri i Lip the Fountain of Unclean
Thoughts ^ for behold, faith the Scripture, the
Lamb cf God which takcth away the Sin of the
World.
w Ecdus For its own Medicines out of the w Earth,
xxxvm- 4« that is, its own Righteous Actions onlv, were
not Able to Cure and Heal it cf fo Great a
Plague Invifible. But by the Heavenly and Di-
vine Nature, the Gift of the Holy Spirit, by
Vertue oi: this Medicihconly was Man capable
of Recovering Health, and of coming to Lire,
being Purified in his Heart by the Holy Ghoft.
B it as there, in the foregoing Inftance, the
lyoman, though fhe eou'd not be HeaTd, but
her Sore continued, yet had {he Feet at the
feme Time to come to the Lord, and ib coming
might be Heal'd : As alio that Blind Man that
coud not Go, nor come to the Lord, becaufe
he cou'd not See : Yet fent he out a cry^ more
* Piercing, than if handed to him by McJJen-
* Mark x. gets y for iaid he, x Then Son cf David have Mcr-
46.— fo.€y on me^ /U1C| tj~jUS ^y having y Believ'd, did

^~)Z' he Obtain a Cure, the Lord coming in Perfon
to him, and making him to See. Thus alfo the
Sonl, though it has been wounded with the
f Ifai.i. 6.z Wounds of vile Affe&ions, and though it be
Blinded with the Darkneis of Sin : It retains its
Will however, wherewith to Cry after, and to
Call upon Jcfus, that fo he may Come and work
Eternal Redemption for the Soul.

For as that Blind Man, had he not Cried out j
and the Woman with the Bloody Flux, had ihe
not come to the Lord, they had neither of them

* Tn this Verfion I follow that of Ticus rather tli3n thofe
of Tahhctvtts, and after him of Dr. frit'mi, who Both render
dyytXai by Angels. The Reader may take his Choice.

been

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 297

been Hcal'd : So if any come not to the Lord
of his own Will and Motion, and Petition
him with the full Aflurance of Faith, he is by
no means Heal'd. For why were they imme-
diately Heal'd upon their having Faith 3 but we
have not yet Really had our Sight, nor been Cur'd
of our a Secret Corruptions ? But yet the Lord is a Pfal. xix.
more Solicitous for the Immortal Soul, than for the l z-
Body 3 which when Recovering Sight agreeably
to thofe Words, b Open thou mine Eyes9 will never b Pf cxix<
lofe it again, nor being once Heal'd, will ever ^.
be wounded more. For if the Lord, when he
came upon the Earth, took Care of^Bodies that are
Corruptible : How much rather of the Soul,
which is Immortal, and made after his own
Image ? But by reafon of our want of Faith > be-
cauie of our Difagreement among our felves 5 be-
caufe we Love him not with all our Heart > neither
truly Believe him : Therefore, as yet are we not
made Partakers of his c Health and Salvation. CP£ kviL

Let us therefore have d Faith in him, and d 2- .
come to him in Truth, that he may fpcedily Per- 6'*
form his True Healing-Operation within us: For John" xiv.
he hath Promis'd to Give to them that e Ask him, 1,
his Holy Spirit, and to Open to them that Knock, e Matt- v""«
and to be Found of them that Seek him : And he mkexi
that Promised f cannot Lie. To Him be Glory 13.

and Might for ever. Amen. f Heb. vl

18.
Titus i. z.

HoM LI Y

2p3 The Spiritual Homilies

Homily XXI.

The Chriftian has a Two-fold War fet
before him, an Inward for Inftance and
an outward one : The one in with-
drawing himfelf from Wordly 'Diftr ac-
tions ; the other in the Heart againft the
Suggejiions of wicked Sprits.

E that is willing Truly to Pleafe God,

and is a downright Enemy to the Ad-

verfe Party, that of Sin, is engag'd

in a double Fight, and a double

Conflict, both writh the Vifible

Things of this prcfent Life, ftanding off from

Earthly Diftra&ions, and from the Love of

Worldly Bonds, and Sinful Affections > and

•iCor.iv.with the Things which are a Hid : Oppofing

5". the very Spirit of Wickednefs, of whom the °

Apoftle, We wreftle not againft Fle/b and Bloody

but againft Principalities^ againft Powers^ againft

the Rulers of the Darknefs of this World, againft

Spiritual Wickednefs in Heavenly Places.

For Man, when he had Tranfgrefs'd the Com-
mandment, and was Turn'd out of Paradile, was
Bound down Two different Ways, and with a
double Chain to this prefent Life, and its Con-
cerns, to the Love of the World, namely of Car-
mi Pleafures, and Inordinate Affections, Riches,
and Honour, and * PoJJeffions, Wife and Chil-
dren, Relations, Countries, Places, Cloaths,
and to fpeak out all at once, All Things that are

* The Printed Copies read kIit^xtmu but the Manufcript

X~7iy.X7U»,

Seen :

X Cor. iv.

fEphef. vi
I*.

a/Macarius the Egyptian. lyy

Seen : From which therefore the Word of God
commands him to be Loos'd by his own volun-
tary Act -, forafmuch as every one is of his own
accord Bound faft to the Things that do appear,
that having Loofen'd and Freed himfelf from all
thefe, he may perfectly Adhere to the Command-
ment. And in that which lies conceal'd from
the outward Eye, the Soul is Hemm'd in all
round with * Mounds, Hedges, and Walls, and
Bound fall; with the Chains of Darknefs by
wicked Spirits, perfectly unable to Love the
Lord, to Believe, or Pray, as willingly it wou'd.
For ever fince the Tranfgreflioh of the Firft
Man, have we been Surpriz'd on all Sides with
a fettled Contrariety both in the Things which
are Villble, and with thofe which are Con-
ceal'd.

If any one therefore upon Hearing the Word
of God, will venture upon the Engagement,
and caff off the Affairs of this Life, and give a
peremptory Denial to the Snares of the World,
and to all the Pleafures of the Flefh : When he is
Difengag'd from thefe, then cleaving to the
Lord, and waiting his Pleafure, may he- know
that in his Heart there is a farther Struggle,
another fecret Oppofition, and another War in
his Thoughts from wicked Spirits, and yet ano-
ther Conteft fet before him. And by thus wait-
ing and calling upon- the Lord with a fteady
Faith, and much Patience, and obtaining Help
from him, he may thence Gain his Liberty with-
in from the Bands, and \ Mounds, and Fences,
and Darknefs of wicked Spirits : which are but the

* The Manufcript reads vt^inr^yy^'.

t The Printed Copies read here t{i%m. And fo did thc
Manufcript at fir ft, but by way of Amendment it reads
rgiy%oiy.

Efforts

300 The Spiritual Homilies

Efforts of our own conceaPd Inordinate Af-
fections.

But this War, through the Grace and Power
of God, may be put an end to. For of himfelf
a Man is never able to get clear of the Contra-
riety and Error in his Thoughts, the Invifible
Diforder of bis Affections, and the Stratagems of
the wicked One. But if any one is taken up
With the outward Affairs of this World, and
Intangled with variety of Earthly Fetters, and
carried away with Sinful Affections : He does
not fo much as Apprehend that there is any far-
ther Struggle, leaft of all any warm Engage-
ment, and downright War within. For it may fo
happen, that when a Man having once enter' d
the Lilts, has withdrawn and freed himfelf from
thefe outward Ties of the World, the Incum-
brances of Matter, and the Pleafures of the
Flefh, and Begun to Adhere to the Lord, empty-
ing himfelf of this World, then may he Difco-
vcr a fettled Struggle of the Affections within,
with an Inward War, and wicked Thoughts.
For unlets, as we faid Before, he Fights againff
the World and Denies it, and Rids himlelf of
Earthly Luffs with all his Heart *, and entirely
defires with the whole Bent of his Soul to
rPf.kxin\cJeave c faft to |he Lord, he never finds out the
*p/xci D^uf"lon^ of the Hidden d Spirits of Wicked-
'& ' nefs, and the fecret Attractions of Sin : But he
is a perfect Stranger to himfelf, as knowing no-
thing of his Wounds, and entirely ignorant of
the fecret Affections he Harbours within him.
And moreover he is chain' d down to Things Ex-
ternal, and Intangled with the Affairs of the
World.

But he that has truly Renounc'd the World,
and Fought, and Flung off from him the Bur-i
den of Earth, and withal Refcued himfelf from

vain

0/"Macarius the Egyptian. 301

vain Lufts, and the Pleafures of the Flefh, of
Glory, and of Rule, and the Humours of Men,
and withdrawn himielf from them with all his
Heart -, ( forafmuch as in this fo Public k Con-
flict the Lord fecretly Succours him in Propor-
tion as- he Denies the c Will of the World :) e Epkef. ii
And ftanding tail in the Service of the Lord, *-
and cleaving wholly and entirely to Him, I
mean in Body and Soul, he meets with Rcfiil-
ance, and lurking Affections, and irndfibie
Snares, a War before Unfeen, and *"he Hidden
Struggle and Combat. And thus having Be-
fought the Lord, and Received from Heaven
the f Weapons of the Spirit, wmich the BleiTea f 2 Cor.x.
Apoitle has reckon'd up, § the Breaft-plate ofgE £
Rigijteoufnefs^ the Helmet of Salvation^ the Shield \^
of Faiths and the Sword of the Spirit : Being
Arm'd, I lav, with thefe, he will be Able to
Stand agair.ji: the fecret Wilei of the Devil, in
the midft of All the h Iniquity that Threatens h i John v.
him. Which Armour having once acquir'd, 19.
with aii manner of Prayer, and Perfeverance,
ard Supplication, and Falling, and all through
Faith : He is able to carry on the War againft
Principalities, and Powers, and Rulers. And
they having overcome the Adverfe Powxrs thro'
the Co-operating Grace of the Spirit, and his
own Endeavours after Virtue, he will be
thought worthy of Eternal Life, Glorifying the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghoit : To
whom be Glory and Dominion for ever ! A-
men.

VI.

Homily

302 The Spiritual Homilies

Homily XXIL

Concerning the Two-fold State of them that
'Depart out of this Life.

HEN the Soul of Man is gone out

of the Body, there is a Great Myfte-

ry Tranfacled. For if the Guilt of

Sin be found upon it, Companies of

Devils come, and Bad Angels, and

the Powers of Darknefs Sieze upon that Soul,

and Take it to their a own Lot. Neither ought

any one to think ftrange of thefe things. For

if while Living, and Abiding in this prefent

World he was Subject and Obedient, and be-

£ Rom. vi. came a b VafTal to 'them : How much rather,

}6> when he makes his Exit hence, is he laid hold

of, and Kept in PofTerTion by them?

* But that things are Thus, you may fairly

underftand from the Good and Happy Side. For

upon the Holy Servants of God there are An-

eMatth. gels c attending from this very moment, and

xviii. 10. Holy Spirits, d Encircling them round, andPre-

dpf-xxxiv-ferving them. And when they go out of the

•Luk'xvi. Bocty5 the Qu?«s of Angels take upe their Souls

' 22'. ' into their own f proper Part, into the PureEter-

fHeb. xii.nity. And thus do they Bring him to the Lord.

22. ££* \ whom be Glory and Dominion for ever!

Amen.)

1 Matth.
Xxv.4.1,

* The Manufcript here inferts Se, which all the Tranfla-
tions feem to fuppofe. , 9 \

* The Manufcript here adds * *##{* *J w x&ros «'$ T*;

Homily

of Macarius the Egyptian. 303

Homily XXIII.

As they only that are Born of the Royal
Seed, can wear the Royal and Coflly 7 ear I:
So in like manner are none allow d to wear
the Heavenly Tearl but the Children of
God.

HE Great, and Coftly, and Royal
Pearl that belongs to the Royal Dia-
dem, is Proper only for the King, and
the King only can Wear it. Nor is
it allowable for any other Man to Wear the
like. So unlefs a Man is Born of the Royal
and Divine Spirit, and is made of the Heavenly
and the a Royal Race, and the Son of God, ac- 3 Rev. i. G.
cording as it is written, As many a : Received h':m,
to them gave he Power to become the Sons of Goa1,
he can never Wear about him the Heavenly
Pearl b of Great Price^ the Image c of the Light, b Matth.
that Inexpreffible Light, which is the Lord, as x"i-4&
not being the Son of the King. For they that' Wi£d-V»-
have, and Wear the Pearl, Live together withHeb. i. »j
(Thrift, and Reign with him for ever. For lb
the Apoftle, d As we have Born the Image of the* iCor.xv.
Earthly , we floall alfo Bear the Image of the Hea- 49. \
venly.

For as the Horfe, fo long as it Grazes in the
Woods with other Savage Creatures, is under no
Subjection to Mankind > but after it is Caught,
in order to be Tam'd, they put an Heavy Bridle
on him, till (uch time as he has learnt to Walk
Ordcrlv and Rightly: Then is he Exercised by
fome Skilful Rider, that he may be farther Ser-
viceable for tJ War 3 at length do they Arm

him

304 ^e Spiritual Homilies

him for the Field with a Bread-piece, and the
other Accoutrements. Then they Hang up the
Firft Bridle, and Shake it together before his
Eyes, to Ufe him to it, and to Prevent his
* Starting. And thus being Taught by his Ri-
der he Learns to War (\ with the Enemy. For
without a Rider and a Breaft-piece) it is impoffi-
ble for the Horfe to Appear in the Fight. But
after he has been Educated and AccuftonVd, he
no fooner Scents and Hears the Alarm of War,

t y0b but of himfelf he Freely e Runs upon the Enemy,

xxxix. and merely with his Snorting Strikes a Terror

2I— *r- into the Army.

After the Self fame Manner does the Soul alfo
from the time of the Tranfgreffion, become Wild
and Untraceable, Adjoining it fclf to the wild
Beads in the Wilderneis of the World, the Spi-
rits of Wickednefs, Drudging on in the Service
of Sin. But when it has Heard the Word of
God, and is come to Believe, being Bridled by
the Spirit, it lays adde its wild Deportment and
Fleihly Wifdom, being Rein'd in by Chnft its
Rider. Then does it come to be Afflicted, and
to be Tam'd, and to be in Streights, that lb it
may be Tried to the End, that by degrees it
may be brought to a due Temper by the Spirit,
Sin Abating in it by little and little, and at lalt
Disappearing quite. And thus the Soul having

Ephef. vi.on the Breajl-plate of Righteoufnefs , and the
14—17. Helmet of Salvation, and the Shield of Faith,

fPf.xviii. an(j tne Sword of the Spirit is f Taught to

34-

* The printed Copies read *5r«?r7wv*i but the Manufcript

-J- In the printed Copies it is « jwi ju*v0*v«, &c. But the
Manufcript leaves out « w, and after woXtpeiv adds lyfi(o^%
X«&4« $ in&xT* t$ Swpyxos 'IxTrot woAe^«v «' Mirf, &C.

i Fi^ht

of Macarius the Egyptian. 305-

Fight with * her Enemies. And being Thus
A rm'd with the g Spirit of the Lord, Fights againlt * I£ xi.
wicked Spirits, and h Quenches the Fiery Darts 2> 3-
of the JVicked One. For without the Armour " EPhei>i'
of the Spirit, it comes not forth into the Line
of Battle : But Furnifh'd with the Weapons of
the Lord, whenever it Hears or Smells any Hot
Battles, itRufhes forthwith \ Leaping and with
a Shout, as it is faid in Job^ At the Voice of her
Cry, do her Enemies fall down Flat. And thus
having Born the Heat of the Battle, andObtain'd
the Victory thro' the Spirit, it carries off the
Triumphal Crowns with great ^Alacrity, and af-
ter all Reits in Peace together with the Heaven-
ly King. To whom be Glory and Dominion
for ever ! Amen.

* The Manufcript inftead of ccvto7$ reads Jutk.

f The common Reading is c* uXxXxyuxli the very Phraie
of the Ixx. in Job xxxix. 25-. But the Alexandrian Manufcript
reading tibpxlh I rendred it accordingly.

X HoMILY

-$o6 The Spiritual Homilies

Homily XXIV.

The State of Chriftians is likerid to Merchan-
dize, and to Leavening. For as the Mer-
chants heap tip their Earthly Gains together:
So do They alfo their Thoughts that are
Scatter d throughout the World. And as
the Leaven leavens the whole Lamp : So
does the Leaven of Sin Run thro* the
whole Race of Adam. But Chrifi Tuts
the Heavenly Leaven .of Goodnefs into
Faithful Souls.

Haitians are like to Merchants that
Traffick for the Greateft Gains. For
as they do out of the Earth Heap to-
gether their Earthly Gains : So do
thefe by the Help of all the Vertues,
and by the Power of the Spirit, Gather up out
of the whole Earth all the Thoughts of their
Hearts that are Scattered up and down through-
out this prefent World, which is the Greateft
and the True Merchandize. For this World
goes contrary to the World Above, and this
prefent Age ftands in direct Oppofition to the
Age Above. It behoves the Chriltian therefore,
having, # according to the Scriptures, Denied the
World, to be Tranflated and to Depart in his
Mind out of this World, (where from the Time
of Adam's Trantejreffion the Mind is plac'd and
expos'd to Snares) into the other, and with his

ill

c

1

* The Editions of Falthenius and Dr. Thntms read here ^erei.
But the Manulcript, and both the Editions of Ficus in Odavo>
ajnd in Folio, read *«/«.

Intellect

o/Macarius the Egyptian. 30?

Intellect to take up his Abode in the Divine World
Above, as it is written, a But our Conner fat ion ' Phil, Hi
is in Heaven. *•!

But this can no manner of way be Done
with Succefs, nnlefs the Soul having Denied this
World, fhall Believe in the Lord with her
whole Heart ; And the Power of the Divine
Spirit can Gather up the Heart that is Scattered
throughout the whole Earth, into the Love of
the Lord, and Tranflate the Intellect into the
Eternal World. For ever fince the Tranfgref-
fion of Adam^ have the Thoughts of the Soul
been fcatter'd Abroad, from the Love of God
into this World, and been mix'd with Material
and Earthly Imaginations.

But as AAdrii) after his Tranfgreflion, Re-
ceiv'd into himfelf the Leaven of Sinful Af-
fections, and fo by participation All that were
Born of him, even the whole Race of Adam
took a Part of that Leaven -, And ever after, fuch
was the Progrefs and Improvement of it, Sinful
Affections grew up in Men to that Degree, as
even to come to b downright Fornication and b jam. h
Uncleannefs, and Idolatries, and Murders, and *P
other Absurdities, till fuch time as Humane Rom* *■ 2i
Nature was Leaven'd with Sin. Nay, fo very
High did it moot up in Men, that they c thought c P£ *- t •
there was not fo much as a God in Being : But
they paid their Adoration to Lifelefs Stones $
nor wou'd they admit of a God fo much as in
d Thought. So e exceedingly did the Leaven d pf. x 4.
of corrupt Affections, Leaven the whole Race Rom. i,
of the old Adam ! 28-

After the fame Manner did it pleafe the Lord"*™"™'-
at his Coming, to Suffer for All, and to Pur-
chafe them with his f own Blood, and to putfRev-v-9-:
the Heavenly § Leaven of Goodnefs into Faithful g^"h"
Souls, iubdued by h Sin. And thus afterwards *itom.vtijj

X z in ia<

2o8 The Spiritual Homilies

in Proportion to the Growth and Improvement of
it, to Fulfil All the Righteoufnefs of the Com-
mandments, and All the Vertues within them,
till fuch Time as they might be Leaven'd into One

1 1 Cor.vi. by that which is Good, and become ' One Spi-
.17. rit 'With the Lord, according to the faying of
St. Paul > fo that Sin and Wickednefs cannot
reach even to the Thoughts in the Soul, that is
thoroughly Leaven'd with the Divine Spirit, as
it is faid, Charity thinketh no evil, and fo on.
But without the Heavenly * Leaven, which is
the Power of the Divine Spirit 5 it is impoffible
for the Soul to be Leaven'd with the Goodnefs
of the Lord, and to attain to Life. As on the
other hand, neither cou'd the Race of Adam
have poffibly been turn'd over to fuch a Degree

£1 Cor. v. of Sin and Wickednefs, unlefs the Leaven k of
8- Malice, which is Sin, had entred into him, and

»Aftsv. ?. is a certain Rational l and Intellectual Power of

Luk. xxii. Satan.

3- For fuppofing a Perfon to be Dreffing Meal,

and to put in no Leaven > how much foever he
may feem to take Pains, to Turn it up and
down, and to work it Thoroughly, it is at belt
but Unleaven'd Dough, and not fit for Eating.
But after the Leaven is Flung in, That draws the
whole Mafs of Meal to it felf, and Ferments it
all into perfect Leaven, as the Lord alfo liken'd
his Kingdom in the Parable, when he faid, the

* The Heavenly Leaven. The Original Word n^tyi*,-**
is much more Expreffive, as fignifying not merely Leaven,
but a Leaven of Anticipation, or PrepJJeJjion, anfwering to
what we commonly mean by Tr eventing Grace \ So alfo Be-
low the ?T£<}*v<u.iov KetKici is not barely the Leaven of Malice,
but the Preventing Leaven of Malice, if we may fo fpeak ,• that
wrong Biafs in corrupt Nature, antecedent to any Humane
A6t. in the Soul, which is commonly known in the Church
by the Name of Original Sin.

i m Kingdont

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 309

*n Kingdom of Heaven is like unto Leaven^ whicbmM^-xli'1'
a Woman took and hid in Three Meafures of Meat , }}'■■-
till the whole was Leaven* d. 2 x r

Or if we fuppofe a Man to have any Quanti-
ty of Flefli Meats by him, and after all his care
of them he can take, fhou'd neglect to Salt them
with Salt, which deftroys the Worms and Re-
moves the ill Savour •, the Pieces ftink and are
corrupted, and are Unfit for Man's Ufc : After
the fame manner do but imagine the whole Hu-
mane Nature to be Flefh or Unleaven'd Dough 5
but both the Salt and the Leaven, to be from
another World, the Divine Nature of the Ho-
ly Spirit. Unlefs therefore there be a Mixture
made, and there be cart into the Humane Na-
ture Qualified by Humility, from that World
and Country, the Heavenly Leaven of the Spi-
rit, and the Good and Holy Salt of the God-
head: The Soul cannot get rid of the 111 Savour
of Sin, nor be Difcharg'd from that Heavi-
nefs, and Unleaven'd State, that of Wicked-
nefs.

For whatfoever the Soul feems of it felf to Do,
to take Care of, and to take Pains with, Rely-
ing only upon the the bare Support of its own
Strength, and imagining it is Able perfectly to
Accomplish it by its felf, without the AfTiftance
of the Spirit, it is mightily miftaken. For that
Soul is by no means Fit for the n Heavenly "John xiv.
Places^ nor Fit for the Kingdom, that imagines \
fhe can, from and by her Single ° felf, Purifie Eph^i: "•
her felf with any Perfection and Succefs. For o job xv<

unlefs the Man, that is thus Tormented by dif- 14 16.

orderly Affections, will come to God, having— v^. 4.

Renounc'd the World, and mall Believe in 3-

Hope, and with Patience, that he fhall Receive
fome Good Thing, that does not p properly Be- ? Mark. xl
long to his own Nature, which is the Power 18.
X 3

3 i o The Spiritual Homilies

q Hofea x, 0f the Holy Spirit, and the Lord {hall i Rain

Compared ^0Wl1 uPon ^1S Sou* ^rom Above, the r Divine

wfth Life : Such an one mall neither be Scnfible of the

Pf. ixxii. True Life, nor Recover from the Intoxication

6- ... of Matter > neither will the Illumination of the

JCT- xxm- Spirit Shine out in the Benighted Soul, * or

Rom! viii. Kindle UP tne Holy f Day within it -7 neither will it

10. be Awakened out of its mod Profound £ Sleep

* joh. i. 4. of Ignorance : That thus it might come to ac-

Ephei. iv, knowledge God of a truth, through the Power

Col! iii. °^ God, anc^ the u Efficacy of his Grace.

3, 4. For unlefs a Man is thus through Faith thought
fiThef.v. worthy to Receive Grace, he is even of no ufe,
fm ... and x Unfit fur the Kingdom. And again, he that has
I4" 'Rcceiv'd Grace of the Spirit, and in no Inftance
^Ephef. iii. turns away from it 3 and does not any defpite to
ao. that Grace through Carelefnefs, or evil Practice j,

W*i l6'And having thus Fought Time after Time,
* <L! K' ^'tl^ yet not Grieve tne Spirit, he {hall be Ena-
bled to partake of Eternal Life. For as any one
fenfibly perceives the Efforts of corrupt Af-
fections, of Anger I mean, of Conciipifcence,
and of Envy, and of SluggilTinefs, and of wicked
Thoughts, and all other Abfurd Diipofitions:
So ought he as fenfibly to Feel the Grace and
Power of God in trie Vermes 3 In Love, I
mean, and Kindnefs, and Goodneis, and Joy,
and Chearfulnefs and Divine Gladnefs 5 that fa
he may be made like to, and be mix'd to-
gether with the Good and Divine Nature,
with the Kind and Holy Influence of Grace.
But the Intention, that has been Tried by the
Advances and Improvements it has made, as it
Jiad Time and Opportunity, if it be at all times

* In all the printed Copies here is *t\ which in the Manu-
fcript is omitted ; But thus rendered, the Senfe is the very
fame.

United

of Mac ar ius the Egyptian.

United to Grace, and is found Acceptable, it
becomes in Proportion to its Advancement, to
be wholly and entirely Spiritual. And thus, as
to what remains behind, being completely
wrought Holy and Pure by the Spirit, it is made
worthy of the Kingdom. Glory and Worihip
to the Father ofPurity, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Ghoft ! Jimcn.

311

Homily XXV

This Homily teaches, that no Man, unlefs
he is ftrengtherid by Chri/l, is Able to
get clear of the Stumbling-Blocks of Sa-
tan. And what they ought to T)o, that
are defirous of the 'Divine Glory. It
teaches alfo7 that through the Difobedi-
ence of Adam we were Brought into the
Bondage of Carnal Affections, from which
we are 'Deliver 'd through the My fiery of
the Crofs. It inftruEts laftly, that the
Efficacy of Tears, and of the Divine]^!
Fire is Great. 33.

Ezck. xi.
9, 20.

HEY in whom is the3 Divine Law, * Cor. m.
not written with Ink and Letters, T 3* .
but Ingrafted in the Hearts of Fiefh, Vi, 24.
thefe having the Eyes of their Mind*Rom.yiii.
Enlightncd, and being ever defirous of the 24-
Hope, n >t which is b Seen, but which is In- 2 ' N '
vifible c and Intellectual -, are Able to get clear c |0/^ xx%

X 4 of

312 7%e Spiritual Homilies

* Compare of the Stumbling-Blocks d of the Wicked one

5ri&Up£ m^not °f * thcwfetoes) but from a Power that' is

xci ,t ' e infuperable. But they that are not f Honoured

•i joh.iv.with the Word of God, nor Inftruftcd in the

4- Divine Law, being vainly Puffd up, imagine

p^m.Pare that by their own Free- Will they can cut off all

rwith 9 'Occafions of Sin, which yet is Condemn'd

Rom. iii. through the Myftcry of the Crofs alone. For

2. that Freedom of Will which is in the Power of

Man, Lies in Refilling the Devil : But not in

any Ability to maintain an abfolute Sway over

Pf. cxxvii, his Affections. For unkfs the Lord Build the

*• Houfe, faith the Pfalmift, and keep the Citv,

the Watchman hath kept awake in vain, and

in vain does he Labour that Buildeth it.

For it is Impracticable to Go upon the Afp
and the Bafilifk, and to Tread upon the Lion
and the Dragon, unleis he has firft, as far as
82Tim.ii.Man is able, g Purg'd himfelf, is Enabled by
2I- him that faid to the Apoftles, Behold, I give you
Luke x. power f0 Tread on Serpents, and Scorpions, and
over all the Power of the Enemy. For . were the
Humane Nature Able, without the Complete
Armour of the Floly Spirit, to Stand again!!
the Wiles of the Devil : We had never been
Rom. xvi. told by the Apo file, But the God of Peace fo all
20. Bruife Satan under their Feet portly.- And a-
Compare g^ Whom the Lord pall Slay with the Spirit of
g T^hn'his Mouth. For which Reafon alfo, had we
Rev.i. 16. t>een order'd Before, to Befcech the Lord 3
M ttn i Lead us not into 'Temptation : But deliver us from
j j." the Evil one. For unleis by Means of fome Su-
perior Succours, we are Delivered from the
Fiery Darts of the Wicked one, and may be

* The Manufcript here inicrts *» w<p% ewsr&i, with this
Advertifement, that thole Words were put in to fill up the
Senfe, which other wife wou'd be Imperfect.

thought

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 313

thought worthy of the Adoption : Our whole
Conversation is to no End or Purpofe, as being
far Remov'd from the Power of God.

He therefore that is defirous to be made Par-
taker of the Divine Glory, and as in a Glafs to
Behold the Form of Ch rift in the Ruling Power of
his Soul : Ought with an Unfatiable Affection,
and a Defire that is never Full, with his whole
Heart and Strength, Night and Day to Seek
Help from God in the Power of his Might -y
which it is Impoffiblc to Partake of, unlets, as
I laid Before, a Man fhall Reftrain himfelf from
the Reiiih of the World, from the Lulls of the
h Adverfe Power, which is contrary to the h Compare
Light, and the Energy of Wickednefs $ it is 1 Pet. a.
perfectly uncapable of any Good Influence, and TXI*
every way Eftrang'd from it. J °lm VU1-

Wherefore if you defire to Learn upon what
Account, we who were Created in Honour, and Hcb. ii. 7,
Plac'd in Paradife, were at laft compared to the p^aI- viii-
Be aft s that have no Under ft anding, and made like q J*'- 8
to them, having Fall'n from the immaculate Glo- pfa].' xiix."
ry : Know that having through Difobedience 20.
become Servants to Carnal Affections, we have
Shut our Selves out from the Happy Region of
the Living -, And being in actual Captivity, are
ftill Sitting down by the Rivers of Babylon -y And P&lm
becaufe we are ftill Detain'd in * Egypt, it 13 «*&"*•»*

* It may feem odd, I confefs, that our Author here fhou'd
firfl: Say we are fitting down as Captrves in Babylon, and in the
,very next Words, that we are Detain'd in Egypt. But the
candid Reader will fee that our Author fpeaks not Literally.
,And jf we look upon thefe Two Literal Captivities, the
Egyptian, and the Babylon: fly, as Typical of that fore Bondage,
which according to our Author, the whole Creation, and
Man above all, is at prefent under, Diftinguifhablc as with Re-
lation to the Body, and with Relation to the Mind : We may
pofnbly find a very Harmonious Confiftency in this feeming
Contradiction,

evident*,

314 The Spiritual Homilies

evident, that as yet we have not Inherited th
Land of Promife, that flows with Milk and
Honey. As yet we are not work'd up with the
Leaven of Sincerity, but continue on in the Old
Leaven of Wickednefs. Our Heart is not as
' Compare yet « Sprinkled with the k Blood of God. For as

24.' wi'thy^ the Snare.of Hell5 and the Hook of Sin is
1 Pet. i. 2. Stuck fait in it.% As yet we have not Receiv'd
* A£ts xx. l Gladnefs of the Salvation of Chnft. For ftill

28. t\yC m gfing of Death is deeply Rooted in us.
p^^^As yet we have notn put on the New Man, which
4*3 ^ after God is Created in Holinefs \ Becaufe as yet
with Rev. we have not ° put off the Old Man, which is corrupt
xiv. 3 .and according to the Deceitful Lufts. As yet we have
**iCor not Born rf°e p £&ag8 of the Heavenly Man, nor
xv. 5-6. been ll Conformed to his Glory. As yet we have
"Ephef.iv.not Worfhipp'd God in r Spirit and in Truth :

24- By Reafon that Sin s Reigns in our Mortal
p"co *xv Bodies. As ycc we ^ave not Beheld the # In-

49*# ' corruptible Glory 5 For as yet we are under the
^Rom.viii. Influence of the Moon-lcfs f Night. As yet we

*9-_. have not put on t the Armour of Light > Becaufe
rjoimiv. as yet we ^ave not ca^. Qg- tjie Armour, the

s Rom. vi. Darts, and the Works of Darknefs. As yet we are
1 2. not Transform'd by' the Renewing of our Minds,
f Compare becaufe as yet we are v Conform'd to this
ir*u l^d9i World in the Vanity of our Mind. As yet we
l!xxx\26.are not Glorified ll together with Chrifi, becaufe
Pial. hxii.neither have we Suffered with Him. As yet we
7- ... do not Bear x his Marks in our Body, though we
\ Ro. xm.jiave |Deen 4- -n tjie jyivrtery of the Crofs of

^rf. 2. Chrift.

uRo. viii. v M , .

17. * The printed Copies read t>ji> «>o|av m cc^oc^m, but the

J Gal. vi. Manufcript rni &g<sv t*\ u<p9xprov. The Senfe is much the
17- fame both Ways. Compare 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43. with 2 Cor-
iii. 7._n.

t Thoy we have been in the My fiery, &c. I fhould.fufoecl: the
Original Reading to have been ftv fyjoflpo', which feems to

Suit

^/Macarius the Egyptian. 315

Chrift. For as yet we live in Carnal Paffions

and Lufts. As yet are we not made Heirs and

* Joint-heirs with Chrift. For * as yet the Spi-X Ro.viii,

fit of Bondage is in us, and not of Adoption. I7*

We are not yet become the Temple of God, and

the Habitation of the Holy Spirit. For ftill we

are the >r Temple of Idols, and the z Receptacle y Ezek.

of wicked Spirits, by realbn of that our violent z *iv- 5-

Bent to Diibrderly Affections. xvi^" 2

For really as yet we have not attained to a Matt. xiM,
Simplicity of Behaviour, and a Clearnefs of Con- 4, 19.
fcience. As yet we have not been thought wor-
thy of the Sincere and Rational Milk, and the
Intellectual a Improvement. As yet the Day has a 1 Cor.
not Dawtid) nor b the Day Star Rijen in our Hearts. bxm- ! r-.
As yet we are not mix'd with the Sun of Righ- 2 et
teoufnefS) f neither have we c Burniflfd in concert c Matth. v.
with his Splendors. As yet have we not receiv'd the i<5.
Lord's d Similitude -y neither have been Partakers Mal- iv; 2-
of the e Divine Nature. As yet we are not ^IV^tiT
come the genuine Royal * Purple, nor the Le- J 9\
gitimate Image of God. As yet we have not Coloil". ui,
been f Wounded with Divine Love, neither have IO«.
we been Smitten with the Spiritual Love of the' ^€th^-
Bridegroom. As yet we have not been £ ac"Cantv S.
quainted with the h Fellowlhip that exceeds all with Pial.

Xlv. 2, j\

Suit Better with the Running Senfe of the Homily. But31** -
both the Manufcript and printed Copies ae;rcein<T, 1 have rcn- XJX: ,2*
der'd it accordingly. S.EFhd-

. , 1 1 J . IO.

* Talthenius, and after him Dr. Fritius, read in. But the*, ljQu: 2
Taris Editions both in O&avo and Folio read with the Ma-
nufcript <7<.

f The Printed Editions read all xzru rode, uvtS rwttjSf,^?*-
fB/j uKJla-iv. But the Manufcript feems moreEmphatical, viz.,

bTi ra.li; dvyctlc, civvy rrtu>vs^'^/ot.^p.

* This ExpreiTion feems to be a Cataehreftical AJlufion to

the Privilege of Royalty obtained by Chrift for us, and Pur-
chased by his Blood. See the Introduction, p. ja.

Exprcf-

£i6 The Spiritual Homilies

Expreifion $ nor had any Infight into that Pow-
er, and Peace that is Infeparable from Holinefs.
And to fay much in little we are not as yet a

1 iVct.u. 9. C ho/en i Generation, a Royal Priefthood, an Holy
Nation, a Peculiar People : Becaufe as yet we are

fMatth. Serpents, and a k Generation of Vipers.
«fc 7- But how fhou'd we be any thing but Serpents,
who are not Found in the Obedience of God,

* Compare but in that Difobedience with the 1 Serpent In-

Gen. iii. trodue'd ? Wherefore upon thefe Considerations

13. Wifd l.j anl perfectly at a lofs, how to Bewail our Mi-
tt vjrife *"elT' as ** deferves. I am entirely ignorant with
^Heb. xii'.wnivt Cries and m Tears I mall Addrefs my felf

17. to Him that is Able to Drive out the Error that
— v. 7. is in me. But how Jh all /» Sing the Lord's Song

cxPxxviiS4 in aftran£e Land? How ^al1 l Bewail ° Jerufa-

•'LaiLi 'Ism? How mail I Efcape from the Hard Bon-

i2yi6,io.dage of Pharaoh? How mall I do to leave the

1 2 Pet. ii. Filthy p Neighbourhood I am in? How mail I

r7' 8; Deny the bitter Tyranny I am under? Which

x° *' way {hall I get out of the Land of Egypt ? How

fhall I march thro' the Great Wildernefs? How

1 John iii. fhall I efcape q Perifhing, when Bit by Serpents?

14. if- How fhall I Overcome the Aliens? How fhall
compar'd j utterly Deftroy * the Nations that are within
Num.xxi. mc? How fhall I Receive the Oracles of the
9. Divine Law upon my r Tables? How mail I Be-
r2Cor.iii. Hold the True f Pillar of Light, and the f Cloud,

" 5- that proceeds from the Holy Spirit ? How fhall

■EcSv.'I Enjoy the "Manna of Eternal Delights ? How

$' 4. ' mall I Drink Water out of the Quickningw Rock ?

*Rev.ii. How fhall I pafs over Jordan, and enter into the

*7- Land of Promife ? How {hall I Behold the Cap-

v 1 Cor. x. J L

4.
Joh. vii. * The Canaanites here Alluded to were plainly Typical of

27 29. the Corrupt A fre&ions in Humane Nature which are as much

to be Rooted out in a Spiritual Senfe, as the other in a lite-
ral. Compare -Dertf. vii. z—f. with ijob.v. if, 16. Man is
here fpoken of '-as 3 little World, &c,

tain

Heb. vi.
20.

of Macahius the Egyptian. 317

tain of the Lord, whom Joftjua^ when he Be- fatt*j-l+r-

held, Fell down immediately, and Woi mipp'd ?

For unlefs by my Acquaintance with all theie, I

fhall Root out the Nations within me -y I Avail

never gain Admittance, nor Reft in the Sanctuary

of God, nor be made Partaker of the Kingdom

of Glory.

Wherefore endeavour all you can to become
the Child of God without x Blame, and to En- * Ephef. i.
ter into that Reft, whither the y Forerunner Chrift 4
is Entred for z us. Do your utmoft that your lc
Name be written in the Church in Heaven with *joh.*xiv;
the a Firftborn ; that you may be found at the z, 3.
b Right Hand of the Majefty on High. Study to a Luke x.
Enter into the c Holy Citya the Peaceful Jeru- Heb2°^i7
falem, and that in its higheft a Exaltation, where 1Jg
Paradife e alfo is. For thefe Wonderful and Blef- b Compare
fed f Patterns, you can no other way be thought Heb.i- 3.
worthy of, unlefs you pour out Tears Day and™lthRcr:

tvt- i j- 1 • i r ■ 2 7- XT- r 111.21. and

Night, according to him that laid, Every JSlight Matth. xx.
waJJj I my Bed^ and Water my Couch with my 23.
fears. For you can't but know that they ^tocRev.xxk;
h Sow in Tears Jh all Reap in Joy. Wherefore the 7» IO- . ,
Prophet exprcfles himfelf with Confidence, ' Hold'"*™;1*'
not thy Peace at my fears. And again, k Thou haft * Gal. "iv.
pit my Tears (in * thy Sight) even as in thy Pro- *6>
mife. And elfewhere, l My Tears have been my Meat \ R(7-"-.7-
Day and Night. And in another m Pfalm^ I have e *vm"
mingled my Drink with Weeping. For that Tear%Y£. vi. 6.
that is Really Shed out of much n Affliction and An- h Pf.cxxvi.
guiflo of Heart in the Acknowledgment of the. $*•
Truth, and the ° Burning of the Bowels, is the' pf-xxxix-
very- Food of the Soul made out of the HeaveiHkp£M.$j
ly Bread : which Mary partook of in a more1 Pf.xlii. 3"

raPf.cii.o.

* So Talthmus, and the Folio Edition, viz* c* e\ff< <•«. n iCor.ii.
Which however both the Edition of Morelius, and the Ma- 4* 'm
nufcipt omit. Compare the LngM) Tranflations of this°— "xi'2^'
FfaU

Emi-

3 1 8 The Spiritual Homilies

• Eminent manner when {he Sat at the Feet of
our Lord5 and Wept, # according to the Testi-
mony of our Lord Himfelf. For, faith he, Mary
hath Chofen that good fart , which JJoall not be
'Taken away from her. O thofe Pretious Pearls
that Drop in the Fall of BlcfTed Tears ! O that
» if.xUu 8. Upright and Obfequious Attention ! O the ' Man-
* Deut-2 lincfs and k Wifdom of that Mind ! O the » Sharp-
nCxlix.l. ne*~s °** t^ie Spirit of the Lord of Love ftrongly
carried out towards the unfullied Bridegroom!
O the Sting of Defire in the Soul for God the
"JfJxiLjr, Word! O the clofe Union of the m Bride with
the Heavenly Bridegroom !

Imitate this ( O my -f Soul) as a Son, imi-
tate this, looking after nothing elfe, but Him only
J Luk, xii. who faid, n I am come to fend Fire on Earth,
49- which I wou'd # it were already kindled. For this
Burning of the Spirit it is that Kindles up new
Life in the Heart. For which reafon is this Im-
material and Divine Fire us'dto Enlighten Souls,
and to Try them as the Pure Gold in the Fur-
nace, but to -\ Confume Sin as Thorns and Stub-
°Deut. iv. ble. ° For our God is a Confirming Fire, in Flam-
„ l4" •• *"#£ Fire taking Vengeance on them that knozv not
zq, God, and Obey not his Gofpel. This very Fire
2ThcfTi. 8. exerted it felf in the Apoftles, when they p fpoke
pAasn. with Fiery Tongues. This very Fire it was that
3> 4-

* The Manufcript inftead of «£?* reads »«7«*
f All the printed Copies read here wc, tskvov, and fo does
the Manufcript in the Margin ; but in. the running Text it
reads u tUvov Agreeable to this are All the Vernons. But not
knowing how to Reconcile the Syntax any other way, I have
put in (O my Soul) to Agree with «.<po*a<r*
Dan. Hen- * The printed Copies read all 9 nh eLvfoB-v. And Hein~
liiExerc.t.^ thinks it probable that the True Reading was « *>h *n$&*i,
§.adL.xn. But the jyjanufcript here inftead of >$ riS-s^a *, reads «&*«»«/.
Fo! d 1 7 1 * "1" T^e Manufcript rea^s <P<»V£™ and *v«A/Vx«v , which
Lujo-', Bat. fccms more uniform.

1639* having

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 319

having Diffused its Luftrc round St. Paul, by a
Voice cnlightned his Mind indeed, but Darkned
his outward P Sight. For neither was he fenfiblcp Adhix.3;
of the Force of that Light without the Body. 4»y»8, 9.
This very Fire was Seen by Mofcs in the 1 Bufh.iE.voJ.iii.
This very Fire in the Form of a Chariot fnatch'd 2.
away r Elijah from the Earth. In quell: after A<as vii*
the Influence of this Fire it was that the BlelTcdr 2l|i°'
David (aid, f Try me, O Lord, and Prove me, Try \i lfm
out my Reins and my Heart. This very Fire In- fP£xxvi.
flam'd the Heart of t Cleopas and his Compani-t 2-
on, as our Saviour was Talking to them after the *****
Refurrection. Whence alfo both the Angels
and Miniftring Spirits partake of the Brightnefs
of this Fire, according to what is (aid in Scri-
pture, u who maketh his Angels Spirits, and hisnV£. civ. 4.
Miniftcrs a flaming Fire. This fame Fire burns Heb.1.7.
up the Beam w in the inward Eye -> Reftores the w Matth*
Mind to its Purity, that fo upon Recovering
its Native Power of Seeing, it may Inceflantly
Behold the Wonders of God, according to him
that faid, x Open thou ?nine Eyes, that I may Be- x Pf.cxix.
hold wondrous things out of thy Law. This very JS.
Fire therefore is that which puts Devils .to
Flight, and Takes away Sin, is the Sovereign
Power of Railing the Dead to Life, is the
Energy of Immortality, is the Illumination of
Holy Souls, and the Support of the Rational
Powers. Let us Pray v this Fire that it wou'd j^ the
come to us alfo, that we walking at all times in dlvTvem
the z Light, may never, no not for a Moment, Creator in
Dafh our a Feet againft a Stone : But as Lights thc °rdi-
Jhining in the IVorld, may b hold forth the Word ^y^tionOf-
EternalLife; that enjoying the good things orV,u}^
c God, we may reft with the Lord in Life, Gio-TfUci.u*
rilying the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Mattiv.6.
Gholt. To whom be Glory for ever ! Amen. phlL "•

Tf.lxxxiv.
Homily n.

$zo The Spiritual Homilies

Homily XXVL

Concerning the Truth and Excellency, the
Ability, and Operation of the Immortal
Soul i And h&w, it is tempted by Satan,
and Obtains ^Deliverance out of Tempta-
tions. Bat it cmtains fome Queftwns full
of very much Inflru£iwn.

HfO N't you, my beloved Brother, (lightly

Regard the Intellectual Nature of the

Soul. ; The Immortal Soul is a VefTel

of Great price. See and Obferve how

Great the Heaven is and the Earth, and yet God

sEccxxiv.took not any Great Complacency in a them :

? 8. -gut jn Thee only. Behold thy own Worth and

High Defcent -y That the Lord fhou'd come on

b Heb.ii.y. an Embafly, and that not by b Angels, but in

*-tLLl. his own c Perfon, on purpofe to Recal thee

i Luk> XVo that had ft been d loft, and e wounded, and to

24. Reftore to thee the Original f Formation of

•— x. 30. Adam in his Purity. For Man was Lord of All,

1 2 Cor' v* from Heaven above to the Depths Beneath, and

Rev7xxi. a Difcerner of the AfFe£tions, Averfe to De-

. ^. vils, and Pure from Sin ( the * Image ) % and

Joh.iii. 3-Likenefs of God. But thro' the Tranfgreftion

■Gcn.i.26.washe Fallen, and Wounded and Dead. For

Satan has Spread a Mift over his Mind. In one

refpect he is Thus j and in another he Lives, and

Difcerns, and has a Will.

* The printed Copies all read #x*x*/. Inflead of whicJi
the Manuscript reads much better eixw.

Queft. Is

0/"Macarius the Egyptian. 311

Qiieft. Is not the Natural Concupifccnce Rooted
out by the corning of the Holy Spirit, together with
Sin ?

Anfiv. I faid Before, that Sin is Rooted out
under one -> And that Man receives the Original
Formation of Adam in his Purity. Thus * verily
thro' the Power of the Spirit, and the Spiritual
Regeneration, he comes up to the Degrees of
the Firit Adam, and is made h Greater than * Compute
Him 3 For he is Deified. i Cor. xv*

Quell. Whether Satan islet loofe to a certain *& w^ ,
Degree, or makes War as he pleafes ? L^ \l\\%

Anfw. His AfFault is Level'd not only at Chri- 13.
flians, but at Idolaters alfo, and indeed upon the
whole World. If therefore he were permitted
to War at Pleafure, He wou'd put an End to
All. How fo ? Why, Becaufe This is his Bufi-
nefs, and his Defire is This. But as the Potter
puts his Veftels in, and Heats the Furnace gently ^
not overmuch, left being Bak'd above Propor-
tion they fhou'd Crack } nor yet Lefs, left be-
ing Under-done, they fhou'd come to nothing :
And if the Silver-Smith and the Gold-Smith put
on Fire by Rule > For if there is more than
enough, the Gold and Silver is melted, and be-
comes like Water, and is loft : And if the Mind of
Man has Skill enough to Proportion his Burdens
to his Beaft, even to a Camel, or any other Ani-
mal, fuitable to the Strength they have to Carry :
How much more does God, who f knows the
Capacities of Men, { Loofen the Reins of the ' t Cdr. x.
Adverfe power in different degrees ? SJ«

But as the Earth, tho' it be but One, is in One
part Rocky, and in another Fat Soil > And one

* The printed Copies read Jr^, but the Manuscript vr*?.

f All the printed Copies reads Sfc. The Manufcript indeed
reads ucy but becaufe xi(&> follows, and not a ta><, 1 prefer^
the Reading of the Printed Copies.

Y part

322 The Spiritual Homilies