part is Fit for Planting the Vine, but another

again for Sowing Corn and Barley : So is there
as great a Difference in the Hearts, and Wills of
*iCor.xii. Men. So alio are the k Gifts that come from
4—7' "-Above, Dillributed accordingly. To one is gi-
' — ver.8.ven the Miniftration of ] the Word j But to
m -ver. i o. another the m Decerning of Spirits ; to a third,
■— ver. 9. the Gifts of n Healing. For God very well
knows any one's Ability to Difpenfe •, And accor-
dingly does he Bellow his feveral Gifts. In like
manner alfo with refpecl to Battles, in the fame
Proportion as any one is Able to Receive and
Suftain the Fight, fo far is the Adverie power
let Loofe upon him.

Quell. Does he that has Received the Divine
Power ■, and is in fame me a f lire Alter* d by it ^ continue
Still in the Nature he had Before ?

Anfw. That the Will, even after the Recep-
tion of Grace, may be Tried, which way it In-
clines, and to which it gives Confent, the Na-
ture Remains the very fame it was : He that was
Hard, continues in his Hardnefs, and he that
wTas Light in his Levity. But now and then it
happens, that an unlearned Perfon is fpiritually
Regenerated y and Chang'd into a Man of Wif-
dom : And hidden Myiteries are made known
to him, when yet in his own Nature he is
Rude as Ever. One that is naturally of an Au-
ftere Difpolkion, gives up his Will to the Ser-
vice of God, and God accepts him : But Hill
his Nature Retains its former Aufterity, and God
is pleas'd to Delight in him. Another, is of an
Obliging Carriage, Candid, and Good. He alfo
Religns himfelf to God y And the Lord accepts
him indeed ; But becaufe he Pcrfilts not in good
works, he delights no farther in him. For in-
deed the whole Nature of Adam is Changeable
into Good, and into Evil : Capable of Evil it

is

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 313

is true, but if* it fo pleafe, without bringing to
Effect or Finifliing any Thing.

As in Parchment that is written upon, you
have put down what you had a Mind to, and
again have Blotted it out •, for the Parchment
receives all Manner of Writing : Jult fo is it
with the Man of an Hard Difpoiition ; He has
given up his Will to God, he is Converted to
that which is Good, he has found Acceptance
with God. For God, that he might Manifefl
his Bowels of Companion, Receives All, every
Manner of Will, without Diitindtion. What-
foever City the Apoftles went into, they made
fome c Stay there -, And of thofe that were 111, ' Mattfu *«
fome they Cur'd, but others they did not. But II-
thofe very Apoltles had a Mind however, to Afts xvm*
Raife all their Dead to Life, and to Recover the
Sick to their Health again, but that they had not
entirely their own Will. For it was not Per-
mitted them to Do whatsoever they wou'd them-
felves. In like manner even Pauly when Appre-
hended by the Heathen Ruler, wou'd the Grace
of God have given leave, had broke through the
Ruler's Guards and the Wall, being a Man that
had the Spirit. But he is let down by Means
of a d Balket. But what becomes of the Divine d a&s it,
Power then, that was Prefent with him? Why, */•
Thefe Things were Done by a particular Dif-
penfation, that in fome Cafes they fhou'd Do v

Signs and Wonders : But in others not be Able,
that fo in all thofe Inilances the Faith might
clearly be feen both in them that Believ'd not,
and in the Faithful, and their Free Will put to
the Trial -, and that it might appear whether
fome were Scandalized at their Infirmities, or not.
For fhou'd the Apoftles have Done all they had a
Mind for, they wou'd with an High Hand have
Drove Men to the Worfhip of God by Mira-

y 2* 1 cuious

324 The Spiritual Homilies

culous Signs, and their own Free Will. And
then there wou'd be no more either Faith or
RorTTx! Infidelity. For e Chriftianity is a Stone of Stum-
32, 33. bling, and a Rock of Offence.
with But what is written of Job, How Satan *
Matt. xm-Begg'd him, is not without its weight. For
11 ' without a particular Permiffion, he cou'd not of
himfelf Do any Thing. But what faith the De-
Job ii. y. vil to the Lord ? f Give him but into my Hands,
and -f he ivill Curfe thee to thy Face. Thus
even at prefent Job is the veiy fame, God the
fame, and the fame too is the Devil alfo. The
very Moment therefore that Job obtains the Di-
vine Help, and is Ready in Mind, and Warm'd
with Grace, does Satan defire him, and fays to
Job 1. 9 t|ie Lqj.^ Becaufe you Succour and Support him,
he ferveth you. But do.you Relinquijh, and De-
liver him to me, and he ivill Curfe thee to thy
Face. What remains, but that Grace, fince the
Soul is Comforted by its Prefence, withdraws
it felf, and the Soul is Deliver'd over to Tempta-
tions ? The Devil therefore cometh, bringing on
Endlefs Mifchiefs : Defpair, Renunciation, wick-
ed Thoughts, Afflicting the Soul, that fo he may
take her off, and Alienate her from her Hope in
God.

But the Soul that is Wife, in the very midft
Jobxxvii.of Calamities, and Affli&ion, never Defpairs :
But what it Holds, it Holds faft j And how
much foever fhe may Bear through the Num-
-""^"•^•berlefs Temptations brought upon her, flill her
Words are, 'Though I fooiCd ev'n Die, yet will I
not let him Go. And if the Man holds out to

* That is, Tempted him, fay fome. See Heinfii Exercita-
iwnes Sacra, in Nov. Teft. Cap. xix. p. 193.

f The Printed Copies read all, r, #&. But the lxx. « uv
which is fbllow'd in All the Verfions. The Manufcript
directs to read however in the Margin « <^, though in the
running Text it agrees with the Printed Copies.

the

0/Macarius the Egyptian. 315

the End, Then doth the Lord Begin to Argue
the Cafe with Satan, you fee how great Evils,--'"-!'
and Afflictions thou haft brought upon him, and he
hath not hear hied unto thee, but Me he Serves,
and Me he Fears. Then is the Devil all over in
Confufion, and has Nothing further to Reply.
For as to Job's Cafe, had he Forefeen that, tho*
he fhou'd Fall into Temptations, he wou'd Bear
up againft them, and not be Worfted : He
wou'd never have been fo Importunate for him,
to Prevent his own Difgrace. So alfo at this
very Time is Satan Confounded at^ fuch as En-
dure Afflictions and Temptations -y And Repents,
as having gain'd no Ground. For now does the
Lord begin to Take him up, Lo, now I have
yielded to you, and permitted you to "Tempt him :
Have you been Able to do any Thing ? Has he
at all hearkned unto you ?

Queft. Does Satan know all a Man's Thoughts
and Dejigns ?

Anfw. If one Man is much with another,
and Knows his Concerns j And you that are but
Twenty Years Old, are yet Acquainted with
your Neighbour's Circumitances : Can Satan
that is conftantly with you, from the firft Mo-
ment of your Birth, not know the # Workings
of your Mind? For he is now ~\ Six Thoufand
Years Old, and we don't fay that he knows
what a Man will do, before he Tempts him.
The Tempter begins his Temptation, but does
not know for certain, whether the Man Re-
gards him, or Not, till the Soul deliver up its
Will to him for a Vaffal. Neither again do we
fay that the Devil is Acquainted with all the

* The Manufcript for Xeyto-^^ reads StecXoyiru*;.
f Concerning this Paflagc about the Devil's Age, fee the
Introduction, Pf2-

Y j Thoughts

2 6 , The Spiritual Homilies

Thoughts and Defires of the Heart. For as a
Tree fuppofe that has manv Branches and feve-
ral Arms ( J Tzvo or "three Branches of the Tree,
a Man may keep fafi hold of. So alfo the Soul
has many Branches and many Members.) Some
Branches then of its Thoughts, and Dehgns
there are within reach -y and them Satan lays
hold on. But other Thoughts and Dcfigns
there alfo are, which Satan has No hold of at all.
For in one Inftance the Sinful Part Prevails in
the Springing up of our Thoughts ; In another
again, the Rcafoning of Man maintains a Great
Superiority : Receiving from God Succours and
Redemption, and Bidding Defiance to Sin ; In
fomc Things he is MaflerVi, and- in fome
Things his Will is his own. For there is a
Time when he comes to God with Fervour.
And Satan knows it, and fees that he is Acting
againit him > neither is it in his Power to keep
him from it. How fo? Why, Becaufe he has
a Will to Cry to God, he has withal the Na-
tural Fruits of that Will, to Love God, to Be-
lieve in him, to Seek Him, and to Come to
Him. For even in Things that fall under the
Eye, the Hufbandman Works the Earth. ( But
though he even does fo, he ftands in need of
Rains and Showers from Above. For unlefs it
Rains from above, All the Pains the Hufband-
man has been at, Turn: in the Event to no manner
of Account}) So alfo is it in the Spiritual Hus-
bandry, nothing is ever Concejv'd without Two
Perfons. A Man ought therefore of his own
free Motion to Cultivate the Earth of his Heart,
and to take true Pains with it. For God re-
quires Labour, and Wcarincfs, and Working

J The Manurript here inferts xgog Aoy«v ^o n

on

o/Macakivs the Egyptian. 327

on Man's Part. Bat unlefs the Heavenly Clouds
are Seen over Head, and the Showers of Grace >
what the Hufbandman has done with all his La-
bour, fignifies ju(t Nothing.

But the True Sign of Chriilianity is This,
for a Man, when he has taken never fo much
Pains, and done never ib many Acts of Righte-
oufnefs, to demean himfelf as if he had done jurt
Nothing, and tho' Failing, to Say / have * not
Failed-, And when he has been at Prayers, /
han't been Praying that I knozv of > Having c^n*
tinued fome Time in Prayer, / have not been
Jo long at it -y and even at this very Time am Ibutjuft
beginning to Exercife, and to take fome Pains with
my [elf. Though with God he is Righteous,
yet ought he to fay, I am not Righteous, neither Phil. Hi. o,
do I take Pains, but every Day am I Trying to 13.
Begin. But every Day ought he to have the J J0*1-*'^
Hope, and the Joy, and the Expectation of the
Kingdom and Redemption that are coming on,
and to fay, if I have not met with my Redemption
to Day, yet to Morrow flo all I be Redeemed. For
as he that Planteth a Vine, Before he even un-
dertakes the Trouble, conceives within himfelf
fome Joy and Hope; and he Sketches out before-
hand the Vineyards in his Mind, and Computes
the Income, when as yet there is no manner of
Wine, and thus he enters upon his Labour. For
Hope, and Expectation make him very readily
fubmit to Labour -y And So long is he at con*
fiderable Expences out of Pocket. In like man-
ner both he that Builds an Houfe, and the Hus-

* This PafTage is to be under/food with a Grain of Salt.
The Author here only Alludes to our Blefll-d Lord's Ruic,
Matth. vi. 3. not to let our left Hand know what our right Hand
doth, m OppOj'tw to the P/oud 'Bobbin* of the Vain- glorious
Harifee. Luke xviii. 1 1, iz. and Inculcating the Necelliiy
of Humility.

Y 4 bandman,

328 Tloe Spiritual Homilies

bandman, are firft at no fmall Charges in Hopes
of the growing Gain. Juit To in the Cafe before
us, unlefs a Man has in view this Joy and Hope,
/ am certain of Redemption, and Life hereafter,
* Matth.xi. he is not Able to Bear Afflictions, nor any S
Gal*0* Burden, or the narrow Way. For Hope and
'- ' "'Joy being prefent make him to Labour, and
Bear Afflictions ( and to * 'venture upon the Bur-
then, and the narrow IVay)

But as it is no eafie Matter for a "f Brand to
get out of the Fire -, fo neither for the Soul to
Efcape from the Fire of Death* .without a great
deal of Trouble. But generally fpcaking, Satan
fuggefts to the Soul, as it were under the inew
[•2C0r.xi.0f good h Thoughts, that from this you may
J4« pleafe God, and underhand gains it over to
trifling Matters, and very fpecious Defigns, and
flie thus Infenfibly fedue'd, knows not how to
difcover the Cheat $ And thus doth fheFall into
the Snare and Deffruction of the Devil. But
h Cor. x. the mo ft Succefsful * Weapons of the Chriftian
4- Combatant are thefe, viz. To Pierce directly into
his own Heart, and there to make War upon
kMatt.xvi. Satan, to k Hate himfelf, and to Deny his own
, p4' •• Soul, to be l Angry with it, and Rebuke it,
1 IX ' 'to Refill his Inherent Lufts, to Struggle with
his Thoughts, and to Fight with himfelf.

But if you keep your Body from Corruption
and Fornication outwardly, and yet within have
been guilty of Adultery and Fornication in your
Thoughts : You are an Adulterer before God,
neither have you gain'd any Advantage by having a
Virgin-Body. For inftance, let us fuppofe the Cafe

* Thcfe Words are only in the Printed Copies, in the Ma-
nufcript they are omitted.

t falthemw, and aft;er h;m Dr. Tritius read SaXai, but the
Manufcript, and Zichs both in his OcJaiq an$ Folia Edit<
reads ft*Acy.

Of Or

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 329

of a young Woman •> and a young Fellow by Fraud
and "Wheadling to Corrupt her : She is ever
after the Averlion of her Hufband, became flic
has been an Adultrefs. Even fo the Soul, In-
corporeal as it is, by Holding Communion with
the Serpent that lurks within, the wicked Spi-m .
rit, goes a Whoring from m under her God. °2eaiv'
*As it is written, n ivhofoever looketh on a Woman n Ma
to Lufi after her^ hath Committed Adultery with
her already in his heart. For there is a Whore-
dom, which is Compleated in the Bodyj And
there is a Whoredom alfoyof the Soul in Com-
munion with Satan. For the felf-fame Soul is a
Partner and Sifter either of Devils, or of God,
and the Angels. Arid if afterwards me Com-
mits Adultery with the Devil, {he is no Way
fit for the Heavenly Bridegroom.

Qiieit. Does Satan ever lie ftill^ and is Man
Freed from the War ? Or has he the War upon
his Hands as long as he lives ?

Anpuu. Satan at no ° Time remits the War. ° Compare
As long as any one lives in this World, and Job i. 7.
wears Flefh, he finds the War OfTenfive. But with
when the Fiery Darts of the Wicked one fiatl^'pSd'
P be Quenctid, what then is there that Hurts the Xcl~
Man ? Though Satan even comes to a i Reckon- p Eph. vf.
ing, there is a certain Friend of the King, and l6-
he Prefers a Bill againft the Adverfary. Since ,z^m*
therefore he has the King to Favour and Be- U *
friend him, one that actually gives an Helping
Hand, he receives no manner of Damage. For
when a Man has pafs'd through all Orders and
Degrees, and is become the King's Friend, can
he after that be Liable to Injury from any
one ?

* The Printed Copies read *J luic the Manufcript *V,

To

330 The Spiritual Homilies

To Argue from what is Vifible, there are Cities
that receive Gifts and Corn from the Sovereign.
If therefore they miniltcr any little matter to
him, they are no way Damag'd: Since they Gain
and Receive Co Conliderably of the King. Thus
ChriiHans alio, tho' the Enemy even makes War
upon them, have Betaken themfelvcs however
before-hand to the Divine Being, and Put on
Power and Peace from on High 3 and are in no
further Trouble about the War.

For as the Lord took on a Body, leaving
All Power and Principality Behind : So are Chrii-
tians alfo Cloath'd with the Spirit, and are at
Reft. And tho' War arifeth from without, Sa-
tan Strikes it is true 5 But they are inwardly
Fortified with the Power of the Lord, and are
no more Concern'd for Satan. Juft 10 when he

'Matth.iv. Tempted our Lord in the r Wildernefs, forFor-
*> 2. ty Days: What real Hurt was it, that he cou'd
Outwardly approach his Body ? For within was
God. In like manner even ChriiHans, tho' Out-
wardly they are Tempted : Yet Inwardly are
they Fill'd with the Divine Nature, and fo No-
thing injur'd. Thefe Degrees if any Man attain

'Ljoh.iI. f, to, he is Come to the f Perfect Love of Chrift,

'Ephef.iii.ancl to the c Fulnefs of the Godhead. But he
l9' that is not fo, ftill Inwardly Retains the War.
He is one hour RefrenYd in Prayer, and another
is he in a State of Affliction and War. For fo is
the Will of the Lord -, Becaufe he is as yet but
an Infant, he Trains him up to the Battle. And
there Spring up in him Two Perfons, both Light
and Darknefs, and Reft and Affliction. They
Pray now in Quiet, and the next hour are they
in great Diforder. Don't you hear what St. Paul
fays, ^Tho' I have all Gifts j tho" I give my Body

viCor.xiii.^0 be Burn" d -y tho'* I [peak with the Tongues of
z""3- Angels^ and have not Charity^ I am nothing. Be-

cauft

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 331

caufe thcfe Gifts are but as Inducements -y and
they that take up with them, tho' in the Light,
yet are but Children. For many of the Brethren
have come to thcfe Degrees, and had the Gifts
of Healing, and Revelation, and Prophecy : How-
ever not having attain'd to perfect Charity, in
which is u the Bond of Perfeclnefs, the War" Col. iii.
came upon them, and They thro' Neglect Fell. x4-
But if any one comes up to Perfect Love, he is
for ever after Bound and Captivated by Grace.
But if any one make but fmall Advances towards
this Degree of Love, and come not within
the Reach of its Chains, fuch a one is ftill in
Bondage to Fear, and to War, and to Fallings
and unlefs he be well Guarded, Satan lays him
Flat.

For thus have many Gone off from the Grace
Beflow'd upon them. They imagined they had
Obtain'd Perfection, and laid, JVe have Enough,
IVe want Nothing. But the Lord neither has an
End j neither can he be Comprehended. And
they that are Chrifcians, dare not fay, we have
Comprehended Him : But they are Humbled
Night and Day. In the things we daily See,
Learning is by no means brought to Perfection.
And yet no Man knows this, but the Scholar
that has had a tolerable Infight into Letters. So
alio here God is neither w Comprehended, norw2Ef.iv.
x Meafur'd by any but thofe who have Some \}:
>' Talte of Him, whom they have Receiv'd \TTv~ "-
and they freely own their Weaknefs. Let any y g
one that has no great matter of Learning go in- y Ephci:
to a Village, where no Perfons of Education iti. 1 8.
are, and this Diminutive Scholar is by them Cried
up, becaufe they are Peafants, and uncapable of
paffing any Judgment. But this very fame Per-
fon that has fuch a fmall Acquaintance with
Books, if he goes into a City, where Men of

Eloquence

33 1 The Spiritual Homilies

Eloquence and Learning are, he dares not t>e
Seen, or to Open his Mouth in their Company.
For to real Scholars he appears a very Ignora-
mus.

Queft. Suppofe a Man in an Engagement, and
to carry two Perfons in his Soul, the one of Sin,
and the other of Grace -y and he is Removed out of
this World: Whither does he Go, there being two
different Sides that have faft Hold of him ?

Anpw. Why, what place foever his Mind is
Bent upon, and where his Love is Fix'd, thither
does he Go. Only, if War or Affliction come

* Job ii. o, upon you,you ought to z Contradicl,and to Hate it.

io. por that the War fhou'd come upon you, is no
fault of yours 5 but to Hate it, is incumbent on
you. And then does the Lord, beholding your
Mind, that you Struggle all you can, and Love
him with all your Soul, Separate Death from
your Soul in an Hour's Time (for that is no
hard thing for him to do) and then he takes you

• Compare into his own a Bofom, and into his b Light. In
John i. 1 8. a Moment's Time does he Snatch thee away
with xiv. £-rom the c Mouth 0f Darknefs, and in the fame
bjT^vjInftant art thou a Tranflated into his Kingdom.

16. for with God all things areEafie in a Moment's
.cPf.lxix. time, provided you have a Love for him. For
<ry.' ■ Godftandsin e need of Man's own Endeavour be-
■ Compare cau^e tne Soul Aflbciates, with the Divine Na-
Matth. ture.

xxiii. 37. And as in the Parable of the Hufbandman we

with. have fo often mention'd, that after he has La-

*COT,VI,1,bour'd, and Cart his Seed into the Ground, he

ought to Receive the Rain alfo from Above.
' £ec. x. 1 . For unlefs the f Clouds appear, and the Winds

Blow, the Labour of the Hufbandman fignifies

juft Nothing. For the Seed lies Uncover'd. Ap-
*Jato.v.7,v>iy This to the s Spiritual Huibandry. If a

ManRefts in his cwnWork only, and Receives

no*

of M a c a r i u s ^ Egyptian. 333

not fomething Foreign to his own Nature, he
can never Render to the Lord h Fruits worthy oPMat.xxi.
Him. But what is the Work of Man? Why, 4»-
to bid ' Farewel, and tok Go out of the World,5 Compare
to Continue in Prayer, to 1 Watch, to LoveLukexiv-
m God, and the n Brethren. This is his Proper Ma^'
* Charge. But if he continues on in his own \ 2g.
proper Working, without once Hoping to Re-Jam.iv.4.
ceive fomething befides -, And the Winds of thekHeb-xili-
Holy ° Spirit do not Blow upon him, and un-,c J3.'
lefs the Clouds appear, and the p Rain comes x pgt# \Y[
down out of Heaven, and Bedew the Soul, the 7.
Man can no way Render to the Lord Fruits mMat.xxii.
worthy of Him. For it is written, <i that ^nj^Z'j
Hufbandman when he obferveth a Branch that *tu "
beareth Fruity he Purgeth it that it may bring— .tin 1*7.
forth more Fruit 5 but that which beareth #0^° Compare
Fruity he Rooteth outj and Delivers it up to &?Johni1!*8-
Bum'd. But this is* Man's Duty, that whether ^^
he Fafts, or Watches, or Prays, or doth anyA&s ii. 2.
thing that is Good, he Afcribe it All to thepp£ Ixxii.
Lord faying This, Unlefs God had Strengthened ' *?•
we, I cou'd neither have Fafted, nor Pray' d, ^'qjohnxv/
Left the IVorld. And Thus when God beholds 1,2,$/
your Good Intention, that you Afcribe to God,
All that is yours which you do by Nature \ He
on the other Hand Grants to you what properly
Belongs to Him, Things Spiritual, Divine and
Heavenly. But what are They ? The very
Fruits or the Spirit, Joy and Gladnefs.

Queft. But Jince the Natural Fruits are like
thefe. Love, Faith, and Prayer : Explain to us
the Difference how it is with the Natural Fruits^
and how with the Spiritual.

.
* 'Ttf-o^'wv, which is in all the Printed Copies, the Ma*
nufcript here omits.

f The Manufcript here infer ts for Uvt#, iaU.

Jnfiv.

334 ^°e Spiritual Homilies

Anfw. The Things which you your (elf Do,
are Good indeed, and Acceptable with God, but
not Pure. For initance, you Love God, but
not Perfectly. The Lord comes, Giving * you
the Love which is Unchangeable {and -^Hea-
venly. You Pray naturally but with Diftrac-
tion and Multiplicity of Thoughts.) God giveth
you the Pure Prayer in Spirit and in Truth.
In Things that fall under the Eye, the Earth
for the mofl Part, of it felf produceth Thorns,
But the Hufbandman Digs, Works the Ground
carefully, Throws in the Seed. Yet the
Thorns, though not Sown, Shoot up, and
Multiply. For after his Tranfgreflion was it

Gen. iii. faid to Adam, Thorns and Thifiles Jhall the Earth
1 8. bring forth unto thee. Again, the Hufbandman
** Takes Pains with the Ground, and Diggeth
up the Thorns, and yet they Multiply afrefh.
Take this in a Spiritual Sente. For after the
Tranfgreflion, the Earth "j-f of the Heart brings
forth Thorns and Thiftles -, Man Cultivates,
and is at fome Pains with it y And yet the
Thorns of Wicked Spirits come up. After this

Rom.viii.the Holy Spirit itfelf Helpeth Alan's Infirmities,
26. and the Lord cafteth into the very Ground of
the Heart the Heavenly Seed, and Tilleth it.
Though the Seed is Sown, yet Thorns and
Thifiles ftill Spring up. Again the Lord him-
felf and Man Till the Ground of the Soul, and
### yef the Wicked Spirits and Thorns abound

* The Printed Copies read all ^'<W<y, but the Manufcript

*l$X$ O-QJ.

f Thefe Words are not in the running Text of the Manu-
fcript, but added in the Margin.

** The Manufcript for £W©»« reads I^^h.

ft The Manufcript omits \%% which is in the Printed Copies.

*** The Printed Copies here read firf*. which agrees I
confefs very well with Luke xi. 29. But the Manufcript
reads eu 7*, which in Writing may eafily be join'd into sV?*.

There,

<?/ Macarius the Egyptian. 335

There, and even grow up again, till fuch Time
as the Summer comes, and Grace Abounds,
and the Thorns fhall wither away with the
Heat of the Sun. For the Sin accompanies
Nature, yet does it not * fo far Lord it
over her, -\ nor docs it even Bear the Sway.
For the Tares may Choak indeed the tender
Blades of the Corn. But when the Fruits have
been Hardned by the Approach of the Sun, the
Tares do the Corn no Harm. For if there
happen to be Thirty Meafures of pure Corn :
-f"T yet is there a mixture of Tares to be Seen,
fomething lefs than a Quart. For 'tis in a man-
ner Loft through the Abundance of Corn. So
alio in Grace 5 where the Gift of God, and his
Grace abounds in Man, and he is Rich in the
Lord -y Sin though Prefent in Part, can never
much Hurt the Man , neither has it any Force
upon him, or Sway with him. For the coming
of the Lord, and the r Provifion for it were r Compare
therefore Appointed, that he might fet them Hai xL j.
f Free that were Enflav'd by Sin, and become ""ft , .
Obnoxious, and Brought under by it, and make ^ 6
them c Victorious over Death and Sin. The Luke Vii.
Brethren therefore ought not to think it ftrange, 29* 3°-
if they are Afflicted by fome in order to be ! ComPare
Refcued from Sin. ^ 1V*

For in Old Time Mofes and Aaron, when they jQhn 'vii/.
had the Priefthood in their ## own Hands, En- $o\

dur'dClCor-xv'

* _, ,,. , . „ , ,.,. . • Rom. vii.

* The Manufcript here inierts *#, which is wanting m 2

all the Printed Copies. 1 John v.

f I follow here the Folio Reading, which is », not «. J

ft The Manufcript for y*£ reads }e here.
** Properly lpcaking Aaron was the High-Prieft:. Mofes f
was a Prophet, Deut. xxxiv. 10. a Faithful Servant in God's
Houfe. Heb. iii. 2. a King in Jethurun. Deut. xxxiii. 5". and
even a God to Aaron, but not aPrieft. Exod. iv. 16. However

though
Z

3 3<S T&* Spiritual Homilies

u Exod. dur'd u many Things. But Caiaphas that Sate

xvn. 4. m t|iejr Chair, himfelf Perfccuted and Con-

Num. xvi. demtfd the Lord But the Lord at the fame

Time had that Honour for the Prieftood, that
he SufFer'd him to * Continue in the Office.
In like Manner were the Prophets Perfccuted by
*Matth. their w own Nation. In after Times Peter Sue-
Luke xm.' ceeded Mofes, and took the x New Church of
* 33. ' Chrift, and the True Priefthood into his *f own
■ 2 Cor. v. Hands. For the Baptifm now, is that of Fire,
x7- ... yand the Spirit, and a certain 2 Circumcifion per-
yMat. «».form»d in ^ Heart. For the Divine and Hea-
■Roni. ii. venly Spirit converfes in the Mind. But neither
*o. are thefe that are Perfect, fo long as they are in
the Flefh, without All Concern, becaufe their
! Phil. ii. Will is at Liberty : But they are ftill in a Fear,
II# and for that Reafon are Suffer'd to be Tempted.
But if the Soul proceed to Reach that City of
the Saints > Then, and then only can it Live
without Affliction and Temptations. For there
fcRev.xxi. is There no bmore any Sollicitude, or Affliction,
4-. or Trouble, or Old Age, or Satan, or War :
—xxn. 3. g^ Refl-5 and jQy5 and peace5 and Salvation.

For the Lord is in the midft of them, who is
cHof.xiju.calPd their0 Saviour, from his Saving the Cap-
pf Y ... tives. He has alfo been Stil'd the Phyfician,
18.

though their Commiflions were peculiar to Each : They ever
A&ed .in Concert : Neither did Aaron venture upon the High-
eft Act of the Priefthood, without the Concurrence of Mo/es,
A Noble Type of the Evang. Priefthood, &c.

* The Printed Copies read aura $A*%. which I confefs
agrees very well with the running Senfe: But the Manufcript
reading olvrov issued?. I Tranflate accordingly.

f This is to be taken with a Grain of Salt. The Apoftles
in general were much the 'fame to the Chriftian Church up-
on Earth, what the High Priefts were to the Jews under the
Law. And St. Peter in particular to thofe of the Circum-
cifion.

becaufe

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 337

becaufe He Bellows upon us the Heavenly and *Matthi£
Divine d Medicines, and e Heals the Diiordcrs I1*
of the Soul 5 for in ibme RcfpcCh have they an 1 J? *lv*
Afcendant over the Man. To fpcak All in a Compared
Word, JESUS is King and God : But Satan with
a Tyrant and a wicked Ruler. Luke v-

To proceed-, God and his Angels are willing 0,"~24'
to Challenge this Creature Man for one of their
HouiTiold in the Kingdom. The Devil in like
manner and his Angels have as great a mind to
get him over to Themfelves. The Soul there-
tore is plac'd in the Middle between Two Par-
ties ♦, And hereafter to which Side foever the
Will mall incline, it iliall be his * PofeJJion and
Son But let us fuppofe a Father friou'd fend in-
to a ft range Country his own Son, where wild
Beafts meet him by the way 5 And he furnifhes
him with Remedies, and Antidotes, that if any
wild Beafts or Dragons fhou'd come upon him,
he may Throw out the f Preparation to them and t Hiit. of
Kill them. After the fame manner do you alfo Bell and
make it your Bufinefs to Recive the Heavenly the Dra~
Medicine, the Healer and Antidote of the Soul, g a' Vt
that by means of that you may deftroy the Poi-
fonous Beafts of unclean Spirits. For it is.no
eafie Matter to PolTefs a pure Heart, unlefs a
Man will Purchafe that PofTeftion of a clean
Heart and Pure Confcience, with great Strug-
gle and Labour^ that the Evil Principle may be
Rooted out. For it fo fills out that a Man has
Grace, and yet his Heart is not Purified. And
for this very rcafon was it, that thole that have
Fall'n have done fo, becaufe they never Believ'd
that after Grace Receiv'd there ihou'd Remain cHof. xii'.
With them £ Smoke and Sin any longer. But all 3.

* The Manuscript, and both the Ociazo and Folio Edit, of 20*
Picus read here xlvux : Which not being in Paltkenius, nei-
ther is it in Dr. Vritius his Edition.

Z the

338 The Spiritual Homilies

the Righteous through the ftreight and narrow
u Ifaiah Way of Afflictions have ■ Pleas' d the Lord to
xlvm. io.t[ie very \.(X{\ Abraham, when even Rich to-
wards God, and towards the World, call'd him-
* Genefis felf, w £)uji am\ Jjhes. And David fays of him-

*P£ xxf ^ I am the Scorn °f ^a^ ancl the ®utcafi °f
'6/1' the People, even a x Worm and no Man. After the

fame Manner were all the Apoftles and Prophets

hardly Dealt with and Reproach'd. The Lord

himfelf who is the Way and God having come

into the World, not upon his own Account,

but purely for thy Sake, that He might be an

Example to thee of every Thing that is Good :

Confider well to what a Depth of Humiliation He

Condefcended, when he had taken upon him the

y Phil.ii. 8. y Form of a Servant, who in himfelf is God, the
Son of God, a King, and the Son of a King \
Diftributing in Perfon the Sanative Medicines,
and Healing thofe that had been Wounded >
But in his outward Appearance, was as one of

z Ifai. liii. thofe that had been 2 Wounded.
4> f- But take care you don't Defpife his Divine

Matth wortn9 while you Behold Him outwardly Hum-

viii. 17. bled, as one like our Selves. It was for our

. Sakes that He made this Appearance, not upon

* his own Account. Obferve well, in the fame

Hour, that they Cried, Crucifie Him, Crucifie

Him, and the Multitude Flock'd together, how

Ifa.lii. 14. Greatly He was Humbled, above all Men. As
in the Things we Daily fee, if a Man is a Male-
factor, and Receives Sentence of the Judge, he
is thereupon Abhorr'd and fet at nought by the
whole Body of the People : So was the Lord
at the Time of his Crucifixion, as a Man that

Matth. was going to Die, Treated by the Pharifees

Markxv w*tn tne ucm0^ Contempt. But when again
they Spit upon his Face, and put the Crown
of Thorns upon his Head, and {more him, how

Surprifing

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 339

Surprifing mud that Humility be which He did
not Exceed ? For it is written, I gave my Back to Ifii- L &
the SmiterS) I * turned not away my Face from
Shame and Spitting, nor my Cheeks from them
that pluck 'd off the Hair. Now if God fubmit-
ted to fo Great Injuries and Sufferings, and Hu-
miliation, you that are by Nature y Clay, and7 Job x. 9,
that Nature Mortal, whatibever Humiliation you
may undergo, you can do nothing like the
Lord. God Humbled himfelf upon your Ac-
count, and yet you are not Humbled for your
felf : But are Exalted, and Swell with Pride.
For he came to take f your Afflictions and Bur-
dens, and to Impart his 2 own Reft to you. * MatuV
And yet you are not willing to Endure Labours, *i. *&
and Sufferings, that fo your Wounds might ob-
tain his Healing. Glory be to his Patience^
and Long-fuffering for ever ! Amen.

* The Manufcript reads «Ve*-f *^«.
| The Manufcript here inferts c«Y

Z % Homily

34° Tlie Spiritual Homilies

Homily XXVII.

This Homily 'Difcourfes at large concerning
the Worth and Condition oftheChriJlian
Man, as well as the Foregoing, After
that it gives fever al highly Ufeful In-
flruffions concerning the Liberty of the
Will, Intermixing fome Queftions full of
'Divine Wtfdorn.

11.

Heb.

b John xv. "

N O W, O Man, thy High Defcent

and Worth > How Precious thou

art as the a Brother of Chriff, the

b Friend of the King, the c Spoufe

14,15-. of the Heavenly Bridegroom. For

etpor.xi.wholbeVer fliall be Able to Difcover the Worth

2* of his Soul : He is alio Able to Difcover the

Power, and the Myfteries of the Divine Na-

d 2 Cor. ture, and thereby to be the more d Abas'd ; for-

X1K S' afmuch as by the Power of God it is, that any one

fees his Fall. But in the fame Manner that He

■ Heb.ii/pafs'd through e Sufferings and the Crofs, and fo

10. was f Glorified, and fate down on the Right

Heb. 1. j-[anc| 0f t}ie Father : So doth it behove you alio

g r0> viii. to g Suffer with him, and to beh Crucified with

17. ' Him, and fo to { Rife again, and k Sit together,
* Gal. ii. and to be Join'd together with the Body of
ic?°\ Chrift, and for ever to Reign together with

■ EphdliV ^ml *n tnat ^r°r^- V we Suffer with Him^

! 0." ' that ive may alfo be Glorified together.

For whofoever fhall be Enabled to get over
and to Pais the Fences of Wickednefs, Enters
into the Heavenly City, that Abounds with
Peace, and Variety of good Things, where the
Spirits of juft Men are at Reft. Wemuft there-
fore

of Mac akivs the Egyptian. 341

ore Labour and Strive very greatly for This.
For it is not Juft that the Bridegroom, who
came for thy Sake, fhou'd Suffer and be Cruci-
fied, and the Bride hericlf, for whole Sake the
Bridegroom came, fhou'd only * bexBoajling, and'GaUUi;
Live as Rovers. For as in Things that fall un-
der the Eye j If any Woman is a Strumpet, fhc
Proftitutes her felf fcandalouily to All : So has
the Soul furrendred her felf to every Devil, and
is corrupted by Spirits. For fome have Sin and
Wickednefi of their own Free Choice : But o-
thers without Deiigning it. And what is the
Meaning of all This ? Why, they that have the
Evil of their own Free Choice, are thefe very
Perfons that Refign their Will to Wickednefs,
and take Pleafure in it, and Contract a Friend-
ship with it -, Thefe maintain a Peace with Sa-
tan, and make no War at all in their Thoughts
with the Devil. But they that have it without
any Delign of their own, thefe have Sin -J- in
themfelves, warring againjl them in their Mem-
bers, according to the m Apoftle ; And it is a mRom.vii
n Dark Power, and ° Veil quite befide their In-n *$•
tention. Neither do they confent in their Hq^'1'
Thoughts, or are Delighted with it, or Obe- ~ ,-'
dienttoit: But they Contradict, an4A6t again ft
it y they even ** Refifi, and are Angry with
themfelves. Thefe are much Better, and of
greater Etteem with God than thofe that pur-

* The Editions of Paltbewts, and both thofe of Pirns, read CotteUr';;a
tC, KzvfcMfdfjw. But we are Advcrtis'd by one that had con- Mon. Ece
iultcd the French King's Manufcripts, that it fhou'd be f£ cr£ T. z*
Xccw&(3fJK9 vcl x.e%xvvuidp'4V. Dr. Pritius reads t£ *■&■ %t*iBfirv, p. 6li.
and yet renders it after Cottelerius in mollitie verjari, which makes
me think the Printer put x, f°r * However the Manufcript
I follow reads v.ex.xv%»p()prlv.

f The Manufcript for i«vr«7{ reads ev dvroTq.

** The iManufcript here inferts «t>r*rt/»- /«*•;, which lite-
rally fignifies Return Blow for Blow.

Z 3 pofely

Efth.

34Z The Spiritual Homilies

pofely furrender up their Wills to Sin, and take
f Rom. ii. o pieafure in it.

32, As a King, that fhou'd find a poor young

Girl, Cloath'd in Rags, and fhou'd not be

PIfaiah Aflum'd of her j But take from her her p filthy

•*,v: 6-.. Garments, and + Warn away her q Blacknefs,

ec * ;II,and fet her ofF with r Splendid Apparel, and make

Lam.i. 9. her a Companion of the King's, and a Partaker

* Nah. ii. of his Table and Banquet : Thus alfo did the

I0- Lord find the Soul Wounded and Smitten, and

^kevfgwe herPhyfic, and Stript her of her Dark

2j.. ' Raiment, and the Filthinefs of Sin > And

fPf. civ. i, Cloath'd her with the Royal, Heavenly, f Di-

2- .. vine. Bright, and Glorious Apparel. And he

"' hath Put the ' Crown upon her, and made her

paV'dwkh Partaker of the Royal v Table, to her Joy and

Jam. i. 1 2 . Satisfaction.

tuLuk.xxii. And as # when a Garden is made, that has
3°* Fruit Trees in it, and thofe throughout yielding
a delicious Smell j And in it there fhou'd be va-
riety of Delightfome Walks, entirely Beautiful,
and" Abounding with Fragrant and Refreshing
Odours ; And whoever goes in, is Delighted and
.Refrefh'd : Thus is it with Souls in the King-
dom j they are perfectly overcome with Joy,
and Gladnffs, and Peace, as being Kings, and
*Rev.xix. Lords, and Gods. For it is written, v 'King of
Kings; and Lord of Lords.

Chriftianity therefore is no trivial Matter.

For this is a Great Myftery. Confider therefore

well thy High Defcent, that thou art call'd to

Pet. ii. Royal Dignity, a chofen x Generation^ a *# Royal

16.

r

I The Manufcript and the Octavo Edition of Vicus read
««-•**»$, which I follow. Talthenius, and after him Dr.
Tritlus, nay, and the Folio read *js-«xA*'»ji : Which I fuipecl: to
be rhe Fault of the Prefs.

* The Manufcript for t»v reads oreu*

** The Manufcript in the Margin inferts fictriXetcv before

Priefthoody

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 343

Prieflhood) and an Holy N. it ion. For the
Myitery of Chriitianity is Foreign to this
World. The Glory indeed of a, King, which
is Seen, and his Riches are Earthly, and Cor-
ruptible, and palling away. But that King-
dom, and thofe y Riches, are Divine things, * EpheC I
things Heavenly and Glorious, never paffing a- l8-
way, or differing Diffolution. For they Reign
together with the Heavenly King in the Church
in Heaven. And He truly is the z Fir ft- Born from7 Col.i.iS.
the Dead: But then are They too the a Firft-Bom Rev- '■ f;
alfo. But tho' fuch as thefe, are the Eleft and' Hf'xiu
Approv'd of God , yet are they in their own
Eyes, the very lealt of all, and greatly to be fet
at nought. Nay This is become to them as it
were Natural and Riveted into them to Efteem
themfelves # Nothing.

Queft. Do they then not know that they have
Received any thing Additional, and that they are
pojfefs'd of fomething Foreign to their Nature ,
which they had not before ?

Anfw. Take my word for it, they are not yet
Prov'd y neither are they Advancing , And igno-
rant they are that they are Poflefs'd of that which
they had not Before. But them that are fo, 'does
Grace it felf, when it is come, Teach not to look
upon their own Soul as of any worth or value,
while they are but Advancing : but to look upon
themfelves to be Naturally of No Efteem. Tho*
wTith God they are Precious, yet with themfelves
are they not fo. When in their Progrefs, and the
Knowledge of God, they are juft as if they had
known nothing at all. Tho' with God they arc

* Talthenius, and after him Dr. Viuiiis, rcaJ tuvhwi « ti
uyS'ev eecvlvg vyH&cu. In the Folio )rotzTeiinis :k is fcparated
by two Hooks thus [ ]. But the Manufcript an J the Octavo
Edition of Picus w! oily leave them out, which makes the
Senfe clear.

Z 4 h /i

344 The Spiritual Homilies

b James ii. b Rich^ in their own Efteem they are Poor. And
£•... as Chrift, when he took upon him the c Form of a
- ' l' Servant^ by Humility Overcame the Devil: So
from the very Beginning did the Serpent Over-
throw Adam by fuggeftions of High and Swell-
ing Thoughts. And even at this prefent doth the
fame Serpent, Lurking fecretly in the Hearts of
Mankind ,• Throw down and Diilblve the Race
of Chriftians.

For as a Man that in the Eye of the World is
a Gentleman, and of a Good Family, and is very
Rich, Goes on {till to Improve what he has, and
Gathers in the Fruits of it •, this Perfon goes out
of his Wits, and is Self- funic ient, and being In-
fupportable, he Kicks and Cuffs AH without Di-
ftindtion : Even fo are fome that have no Difcreti-
0113 Having found fome fmall matter of Reft and
Prayer, they have begun to Swell, to be belides
themfelves, and to pafs Sentence upon others.
dProv.xvi. And thus have they "FaH'n into the very loweft
l8- Depths of the Earth. For that very Serpent that
drove Adam out, thro' the Pride of his Thoughts,
Gen. iii. j. faying, Ye Jhall be as Gods : He, I lay, doth even
Now put High Thoughts into the Hearts of Men,
. faying to every one, Thou art Per feci-, Thou haft
Enough ; Thou art Rich 3 Thou want eft Nothing ;
"Thou art Happy.

Others there are in theWorld, that have Wealth
it is true* And tho' with the La%enefs of their
Incomes they are Improving what they have, yet
do they contain them within the Bounds of Dis-
cretion, and neither make any Boafting, nor are
they Lifted up : but keep in an Even Temper.
For they know well enough, that Barrennefs fuc-
ceeds Plenty. And again, when they Fall at any
time into Lofles, and a Bad Year, they are not
Troubled at it, but are Eafy. For they Know
withal that Plenty again is coming on in its Turn.

And

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 345

And being much Exercis'd in fuch Events, they
are not Surpriz'd : They are neither Blown up
with their Incomes and Years of Plenty-, neither
if they meet with any Lofs do they think it
Strange.

The Bufinefs therefore of Chriftianity is This,
viz. A Tailing of the Truth, an e Eating and e John vi.
Drinking of the Truth, to Eat and Drink our j"3-
utmoft. For as at a Fountain where fome thirfty
Body is beginning to Drink, but in the very midft
of all that fome other Perfon takes him away,
without fufTering him toFjll himfelf, as much as
he defires : His Third afterwards is Inflam'd the
more for having Tailed the Water, and he Seck-
eth it with the greater Eagernefs. So alio in
Spirituals. A Man Taftes and Partakes of the
Heavenly Food ; After that in the very midft of
All does Somebody keep him back, and no Man
allows him to take his Fill.

Qiieft. But why is he not' allow' d to take his
Fill?

Anfw. The Lord knoweth Man's Weaknefs >
that he is foon Lifted up : Therefore does he take
him off, and fuffer him to be f Exercis'd . and f Eccl. iv.
* Afflicted. For if upon your Receiving but a fmall J7»
Quantity there is no Bearing you , but you are
Swoln immediately : How much more Intolera-
ble would you have been, had anyone Given you
your Fill at once? But God having a thorough
Knowledge of your Weaknefs, Allots you by a
fpeciai Difpenfation to Afflictions, that you may
be Humble, and more Induftrious in Seeking af-
ter God. For even according to the World,
when a poor Man has found a Purfe of f Gold

* All the printed Editions read here Zxrfwcu , but the Ma-
nufcript reads much better S-XtfiZvcu.

t The printed Copies read x^ww, but the Manufcript %*v<rg .

and

34^ The Spiritual Homilies

and from a giddy Satisfaction Begun to Proclaim
it, / have #* found, I have found a Purfe, I am
Rich. Upon the Rumour, he that Loll it hears
of it and comes by it again. Another is run mad
with Wealth* And he fpurns at all, and has
Taken upon him to Abufe all Mankind , and to
Exalt himfelf above fome particular Men 5 where-
upon the thing coming to the Sovereign's Ear,
his Goods are Confifcated : So is it in the Buflnefs
of the Spirit. If fome Taile of never fo little
Refrefliment, they are at aLofs how to Hufband
it i But they Squander away even that which they
have Received. For Sin Tempteth them, and
Blindeth their Mind.

Queft. After the Vifitation made by Grace, how
is it that fome Fall? Is not Satan demonstratively
much the Weaker ? For where Day is , How can-
there -pofjibly be any Night ?

Anfw. Not that Grace is really Quench'd, or
Weaken'd : But that the Command you have of
your Self, and your Liberty may be put to the
Trial, which way it Inclines : It leaves you to
Sin. And again , when with your # Will you
Approach the Lord, you are AdmoninYd that you

* 1 Tim. i. 8 look well to the Grace given you. But then,
6. How comes it to be written, Quench not the
Spirit? That can never be Quench'd, but is Light.
However by growing wilfully Carelefs, and not
giving your Content, you are your felf under an
Eclipfe of the Spirit. In like manner, faith he,

hEphef.iv.h Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are Seald

3°- unto the Day of Redemption. You fee, it lies in.

your own Bread , and in your own Power, to

'iSam.ii-* Honour the Holy Spirit, and not to Grieve it.

3°-

** The Manufcript and T'tcus read ilpy but once. But the
Repetition is more Natural. And therefore I keep to the other
printed Copies. * The Manufcript here inferts *■£.

But

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 347

But I tell you, that even in perfect Chriftians
that are Captivated and Born down as with -j~Wine
to that which is Good, there is a Rcferve of
Freedom, by means of which having been Tried
with numberlefs Afflictions they are Turn'd to
Good.

As if for inftance there fhould be fome Perfons
of Rank, and Fortune, and Noble Birth, and
thefe purely of their own Will and Motion fhould
Renounce their Fortune, and their Quality, and
Honours, and go , and put on Sordid and Beg-
garly Garments, and Difhonour inftead of Glory,
and become Miferable, and of No Efteem: This
is entirely left to their own Pleafure. But I tell
thee that the very Apoltles that were k Perfected k i joh, ir.
in Grace, Grace never hundred from Doing what i*-
they would, tho' they had a Mind themfelves to
Do fome things Difpleafing to Grace. For* our
Nature is Sufceptible of Good and Bad, and the

f The Original Word plsjulb^vt^iok; fignifies Drunk or Over-
come -with Wine. An ExprcrTion Borrowed from the School of
Plato. And to take off the feeming Harfhnefs of it here, let
the Reader call to mind, what Macarius has told him more than
once , that the Buiinefs of Chriftianity is directly Eating, and
Drinking in the Senfe of St. John, Ch. vi. Let it be Reraem-
bred, (z.) That to be Drunk with Wine, and to be TilVd with the
Spirit are Oppos'd by the Apoftle, Ephef. v. 18. Add to All,
(3.) That both in the Carnal and the Spiritual Inebriation the
Liberty of the Will is Surrendred j So that Man Acts then
like a Machine in the Hands either of an Unclean Spirit ; See
Prov. xxiii. ^—.j^. Or elfe of the Spirit of God. Compare
Cantic. v. 1. Ifaiab lv. 1. Ecclus. xxiv. 21. Job xxxii. 18, 19.
and Ephef. v. 18. And what is this Inebriation More or Leis
than that Triumphant Joy and Satisfaction which Raifes a
Man above himfeif , and arifes from a Living Senfe of God
Operating by his Grace upon the Heart or Soul ? &t* \ Jttitmmtiii 1 il |>«o

* Palthenius, Dr. Pritius, and Pictts in the Folio Read tfjcui.
But the Manufcript and the Octavo Edition of ficus Real in**. ,

But all the Veriions Render it by Nojira : Which aga n I
have a great mind to look upon as an Argument of a Fault in
the Prefs,

Power

348 The Spiritual Homilies

Power that is Contrary, is merely Perfuafive, Not
Compulilve. After all, you have the Power in
your own Hands to Incline which way you pleafe.

\ Gal. li. Don't you obferve that Peter was to be 1 BlanVd ?

1 1' And that Paul went and Reprov'd him > and that

Great as he was, he was worthy of Blame how-

m i Cor. ever? And even Paul, when m Spiritual, himfelf

fiV'A7\ voluntarily held a n Difpute with Barnabas, in-
fomuch that having -been mutually Exafpcratcd,
they departed finally amnder. And again, the

• Gal. vi. fame ° Apoille, Te which are Spiritual Reftore,
?• fuch an one, confidering thy [elf left thou alfo be
'Tempted. L-o! Men that are Spiritual are Tempt-
ed, by reafon that the Power they ever had over
themfelves continues with them iliilj and their
Enemies Prefs upon them fo long as they conti-
nue in this World.

Queft. Could not the Apo files have Sinrfd had
they been fo minded? Or was Grace too Strong for
their Will?

Anfw. Sin indeed they could not. For neither
were they Lifted up , when in the Light, and
fo extraordinary a Grace. But yet we don't fay
that Grace was Weak in them : But Affirm that
* Grace gives way even to the Perfect Spiritual
Perfons, that they may have their * Will, and the
Power of Doing what they have a mind to, and
of Turning which way they will themfelves.
And Humane Nature it felf Weak, as it is, has
the Power, even when Good is Prefent, to Turn
away.

As if there mould be a Sett of Men Arm'd
Cap-a-pee, with Breaftplates and Armour, and

-«*,» .*as^to every thing elfe within are they fafe, Nei-
ther does the Enemy come upon them : Or they
come it maybe, but it remains in their own Will

* The Manufcript reads rs d/A^t*.

either

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 349

cither to make ufe of their Arms, to maintain
the Contcil, and to Fight againft their Enemies,
and to Carry the Day : Or elfe to meet Amica-
bly, and Clap up a Peace with the Enemy, and
not to Fight at all, tho' Furnifh'd with Arms.
ThusChriihans alio that are Cloth 'd with Perfect
Power, and have the Heavenly Armour, If they
are fo minded, Keep up a Good underflanding
with Satan , and Enter into Articles of Peace
with him, and Wave all manner of Fight. For
Nature is Changeable ; And a Man, if he pleafes,
becomes the Son of God-, But if otherwife, the
Son of Perdition -, Becaufe the Power of Acting
Freely Hill Remains.

It is one thing to Hold a Difcourfe about
Bread and a Table -y And another quite to Eat
and Partake of the Sweetnefs of that Bread, and
to have all our Members Strengthn'd by it. It
is one thing to Speak of the mofl'Pleafant
Drink, in a dry way of Chat, and quite another
to go and take of the Fountain it felf, and to
Taile one's Fill of that moil pleafant Drink. It
is one thing to Harangue about War, and the
Gallant Men of Strife, and Warriours : And a
very different one for a Man to Go in Perfon in-
to the Line of Battle, and to Engage the Ene-
my Hand to Fill:, to Go in and out amongfr.
them, to Take, to Give, and to Carry off the
Victory. So is it in Spiritual Matters alfo.
It is one thing with a flendcr Knowledge and
Underflanding to * Multiply Words -> And it is
another vet in Subftance, in very Deed, and in
Full Affurance to Poffefs the Treafure, and the
Grace, and the Talte, and the Efficacy of the
Holy Spirit, in the inward Man, and in the

* All the Printed Copies read hirA<r<xi ^ya<ii but the
Manufcript hnye$j%

1 Mind

3JO 77je Spiritual Homilies

Mind. For they that utter the bare Words,*
Exceed not the Bounds of Imagination, and are
Blown up in their Minds. For our Speech, fays

iCor.ii.4*the Apoftle, and Preaching was not with *#
enticing Words of Man's Wifdom : But in De-
monftration of the Spirit, and of Power. And

iTim.i.y. again in another Place he faith, The End of the
Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart?
and a good Confcience, and of Faith unfeigned.
Such a one as this does not Fall. For to many
that have fought after God, the Door has # been
Open'd, and they have feen the Treafure, and
have Entred into it. And in the midft of their
Joy, as they were Crying out, wchave Found the

'Lukexii. r Treafure, has he lliut the Doors upon them.
33, 34. They began thereupon to Roar, and to Mourn,
and to be upon the Enquiry, faying, We have
found the Treafure, and have Loft it again. For
Grace withdraws it for our Edification, that we
may feek after it with great Application. For
the Treafure is (hewn, as an + Encouragement to
Seek it.

Queft. Since fome affirm that after Grace a

'John v. Man is f pa/s'd from Death to Life, can any one
2*\ that is in the Light have Filthy Thoughts ?

*Galui**}< j£npu)% It is written, Having t begun in the
Spirit, are ye now made Perfect in the Flefh ?

»Ephef.vi. And again are we directed, nPut on the whole Ar-

"' mour of the Spirit that ye may be Able to Stand

againft the Wiles of the Devil. According to

this Text, there are Two Places intimated,

where the Perfon was when he put the Armour

** The Manufcript for 7r«0*vo<§ reads t«0*7$.

* The Printed Copies read faiyp, but the Manufcript

f The Printed Copies read rgoiro--, but the Manufcript

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 351

on, and where he is when he actually Wars up-
on Principalities and Powers : In the Light, or
in Darknefs. And * again, That ye may be Able^eC. vl
to Quench all the Fiery Darts of the wicked one. 16.
And again, Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.^iv. 30.
And again, // is impoffible for thofe who were once n^ vi ^
Enlightned, and have Rafted of the Gift of God,
and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghoft, if
they jhall fall away, to Renew them again. Lo !
They that have been Enlightned, and have
Tailed Fall away. You fee that Man has a
Will to Confent to the Spirit, and that he has
a Will to Grieve Him. Fer doubtlefs he takes
up Arms, that he may go into the Battle, and
Engage the Enemy. Doubtlefs he is Enlight-
ned, that he may Fight againfl the Darknefs.

Queft. How is it that the Apoftle fays, Thd* lCor xiii
I have all Knowledge, and all Prophecy, and i, 2.
/peak with the Tongues of Angels, I am nothing ?

Anfw. We ought not fo to underiland him,
as if an Apoflle were Nothing : But compara-
tively in refpect of that Charity, which is Per-
fect, are thefe but fmall Matters -, And he that
is in any of thefe Degrees may Fall. But he that
hath Charity, is Exempted from the Poffibili-
ty of it. But I tell thee,- that I have feen Men
that have been Admitted to the whole Circle of
Gifts, and been Partakers of the Spirit -> And
thefe very Perfons, not having attain'd to per-
fect Charity, have Fall'n. For one of the No-
ble Order having made his Renunciation, Sold
all his Goods, fet them that were Slaves at Li-
berty , was in himfelf a Perfon of Prudence and
Underftanding, in fhort, as to every thing elfe
of a very Reputable Life. Yet in the midit. of
all, by conceiving an Opinion of himfelf and

* The Manufcript here inferts ttxXiu

being

ja The Spiritual Homilies

being Blown up with Pride, he Fell in the E~
vent into Scandalous Impurities and Endlefs
Mifchiefs.

Another in the Time of Ferfecution Sur-
• i Cbr. rendered up his w Body, and becaufe he was a
xiii. 3. Confeflbr, when the Church had Peace, was
fet at Liberty, and '-had a mighty Name, for his
Eyes were Sore with the Smoak. This Perfon
continuing to be Famous, and being call'd to
Prayers, took Bread, and gave it to his Servant >
and he feem'd in his Mind, as one that had never
heard the Word of God. Another upon fome
Perfecution yielded Up his Body, and was Hung
up, and his Senfes taken away 5 Afterwards he
was Thruft into Prifon. There Attended him
therefore one of the Women-Regulars accord-
ing to the Faith $ And having Contracted fome
Familiarity with her, even while in Cuftody, he
Fell into Fornication. See 5 the Rich Man that
Sold his Goods, and he that gave up his Body to
Martyrdom : How they Fell.

Another, that was a Wife Afcfctict, that liv'd
with me in the fame Houfe, and Pray'd with
me ; So Rich was he in Grace, as when Pray-
« ing near me to Feel Compunction. For Grace
was Kindled in him to the Degree of Warmth.
There was given him even the Gift of Healing >
And he not only drove out Devils, but he Heal'd
likewife thofe that were Bound Hand and Foot,
and that were Afflicted with grievous Sicknefles,
purely by Putting his Hands upon them. After
this, upon growing Carelefs, and being Cried
up by the World, and taking Satisfaction in
himfelf, he was Blown up, and Fell into the
very Lowell Depths of Sin. See ! Ev'n he that
had the Gift of Healing, Fell. You fee how
they Fall before they come to the Heights of

Charity,,

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 353

Charity. For * he that arrives to Charity is
Bound, and Inebriated, He is Phmg'd all over,
and carried off Captive into another World, as
if he had no Senfe of his own proper Nature.

Quell. What is the Meaning of thofe Words,
which Eye hath not feen, nor Ear hcard^ neither i Cor.if;
have they entred into the Heart of Man ?

Anfiv. At that Time the Great Men, and the

Righteous, and the Kings and Prophets Knew

that the Redeemer was to "Come : But that at

his Coming He Suffers and is Crucified, and

that his Blood is Pour'd out upon the Crofs ,

They neither Knew, x nor had Heard •, Nei- K J Ccr. ii'

ther had it Enter'd into their Heart, that there 6~ 8*

was to be the Baptifm of Fire, and of the Holy

Ghoft -y And that in the Church there was to be

Gffer'd Bread and Wine, the Reprefcntatives of

his Flefh and Blood , And that they that Partake

ofthevifible Bread, Spiritually -f Eat the Flefh of

our Lord , And that the Apoftles and Chriflians

Receive the Comforter, and are Cloath'd with

Power from on High, and are Fill'd with the

Godhead, and that Souls are mix'd together

with the Holy Spirit : This the Prophets and

Kings knew nothing of, neither had it Enter'd

into their Heart. For Chriflians now grow

v Rich in a quite different way, and are carried y * Cor- iv-

up in their defires into the Godhead. But rfio' c8* •••

Poffefs'd of fo much Joy and Comfort, they are 9.'

yet in z Fear and "Trembling. i Tim. vi,

Queft. What Fear and Tremblini ? i3.

° x Phi), if.

* The Manufcript for ac, reads o. I2,

f Thofe of the Church of Rome have endeavcur'd to chal- Camftnnl
lenge this Paffage, as Favouring TrmfubfiantiAUon, But the Dunus,
Anfv/ers to them by Dr. Whitaker, &c. I wave and only re- &Cj
fer the Reader to the Exhortation before the Communion
Office in the Common Prayer,

A a Anfa<

3J4 The Spiritual Homilies

Jtnfw. Why, that they make no falfe Step in
any one Intlance : But Harmonize with Grace.
For as a Man that has Treafures, but happens
to Travel to places where are Rogues : He is
Glad it is true upon the account of his Riches
and Treafure, But yet he is under a Concern left
the Robbers fhould come upon him, and Plun-
der him > And he is as one that carries his own
* Life in his Hands. For, lo! as to things out-
ward we have all Renounced them, and arc

s i Pet. ii. Strangers, a and void of all Pofleffions, and de-
1 '• priv'd of all Society in the Flelh : Lo ! yet our
Body is \ Difpcs'd to Prayer y the Brethren
ought therefore to * [peak if their Mind corre-
fponds with their Body , As for the moft part
-J- worldly Artificers and Men of Dealings have
their Body Tied down to their Craft, and even
their Mind in like manner by Night and by
Day.

Do you then confidcr well your own felf,
whether having the Body fo much eftrang'd
from the World, you have your Mind alfo A-
verfe to this prefent Life, and are not Hurried
back into the World. For eveiy Man of the
* World, whether Soldier or Merchant, wherefover
his Body is, There is his Mind alfo faft Engag'd,

bMatth.vi.and There is his Treafure. For it is b written,

21.

* The Printed Copies here Read vai&et Body, and fo all the
Verficns, which is no Scnfe. TheManufcript in the Margin
directs us to Read w uc , Blond. I follow this Reading, and
render it by Life; fee Judges, xii. 3. and Comp. with Lev.
xvii. 11, 14. and Gen. ix. 4. the Life according to Scripture
being in the Blend and the Blond it felf.

f This I fuppofe may be by Retirement, Tafiing, and fiich
other Difciplinc as Formerly was thought neceffary. 1 Cor.
ix, 27, &c.

* The Printed Copies read «'<$«•, but the Matiufcript«V«».
| The Printed Copies read fi', but the Manufcript k$ xoa-^ov.

Where

0/"MACARitis the Egyptian.' 355

PPbere your Treafure is^ there will your Heart be
dlfo. As to any thing further, what fort of
Treafure does your Mind incline to ? Is it wholly,
and entirely Bent upon God, or is it not? If
not ; ye ought to tell me what it is that
Hinders. They are1 wicked Spirits no doubt
on't j Satan himfelf, and the Devils that keep
fail Hold of the Mind, and Hamper the Soul.
For the Devil is full of Turnings and Windings,
never without his Stratagems, his Triple doors,
and variety of Shifts 5 He takes up the Paftures
of the Soul and its Thoughts, and fuffers it not
to Pray aright, or to Approach to God : For as
much as the fame Nature is Partaker of Devils
and wicked Spirits, and likewife of Good An-
gels and the Holy Ghoft. It is the Temple
of Satan, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Take then, Brethren, an Exact Survey of your
mind, whom you are Partakers of, Angels or
Devils 5 whofe Temple # and Habitation ye are$
God's or the Devil's ; what kind of c Treafure c Mat. xii.
the Heart is Fill'd with, that of Grace, or of 3^.
Satan. The Soul therefore ought to be Cleans'd
throughout, as a Houfe that is full of Unfavou-
rinefs and Naftincfs, and to be Adorn'd, and to
be Fill'd with all manner of d fweet Savour, and d Phil, h\
Treafures, that the Holy Spirit may come, in* *8.
Head of Satan, and Reft upon the Souls tflCo*&
Chriftians. E v£ ^

But not immediately after a Man has heard
the Word of God, is he to be reckon'd of the
Good fide. For if fo, there wou'd then be no
more any Conflicts, or Times of War, or any
Race : But without any more ado, provided a

* The Manufcript and Svo Edit, of Picus by Morelius infert
here tCl which is wanting in the Folio Edit, in Pajtbenius and
in Pirns,

A a % Man

3y6 The Spiritual Homilies

Man had but been an Hearer, he mull then have
arriv'd at Reft, and the Heights of Perfection.
But things are really not fo. For in Aflerting
this, you take away the Will of Man, neither

• Rom.vli.do you allow any Adverfe Power e Struggling
a3- with the Mind. But our Affertion is This, that

f Afts ii.by Hearing the Word a Man arrives at f Com-
37- punction ; And after this, when Grace with-
draws it felf by Difpenfation for Man's Advan-
tage, he is Admitted to Exercife and Warlike
Difcipline, and he enters the Lifts and Fights

*2Tim.iv\ with*SW^, and after a long Courle § and Fight
7. he carries off the Trophies of Victory, and be-
comes a Chriftian.

For if merely by Hearing, a Man is without
any further Trouble on the Good fide : Even
thofe that frequent the Theatre, and Whore-
mongers fhall All go into the Kingdom, and in-
to Life. But no Man will give them This with-
out Labour and Fighting ; for as much as the

Lh Mat. vii, Way is ^ freight and narrow : We muft both go
14. thro' this very Rugged way, and hold out with
Patience, and be Afflicted, and fo Enter into
Life. For if a Man might fucceed without any
Trouble : Chriftianity were no more a Stone of
Stumbling, and a Rock of Offence. Neither wou'd
there be Faith,, or Infidelity. You make even
Man to be in Bonds, and not capable of Turn-
ing to Good or Evil. For to him that is able to
Turn to cither fide is there a Law given, as
having within himfelf Free Liberty to make
War upon t fa e adverfe Power. For to the Nature
that is Tied up, has there no Law Enjoyn'd. For
neither is the Sun, nor the Heaven, nor the Earth
Obnoxious to any Law 3 becaufe they are Crea-
tures of a Nature Lock'd up in Bonds. Whence
it follows that they are liable neither to Reward

nor

0/Macarius the Egyptian. 357

nor * Punifhment. For Honour and Glory arc
Prepafd l for him that is turn'd to Good. But 'Mat.xxv.
elfe Hell again and Torments are k Prepar'd for 34-
this very Changeable Nature, being Able to Fleck~*€r«4*»
from Evil, and to Bend it ielf to the Good and
Right fide.

But if you fay he is not of a Nature Free and
*# Difengag'd : the Confequence is, that you
don't make a Good Man worthy of Praife. For he
that is Kind and Good by Nature, is not -\~f wor-
thy of Praife, tho' at the fime time he is Defi-
rable. For that is not commendable, tho' it be
Defirable which is not Good of Free Choice.
For he is worthy of Praife, who by his own
Endeavours, not without Struggling and Con-
flict embraces what is Good, -f thro' the Power
he has of Acting as he pleafes.

As if at an Interview between the Per/Ian
and Roman Armies, Two wing*d Youths ihou'd
Hep forth from each Front, both of Equal
Strength, and Try their Skill upon each other :
So have the Adverfe Power and the Mind an Ex-
act Balance of Strength againft each other.
Both Satan has an equal degree of Power to
Perfuade and Entice the Soul to his own Will :
And the Soul on * the other Hand to Contra-
dict,

* The Original Word fignifies Honour, which indeed is the
Reward particularly Specified, Rom. ii. 7, 10.

** The Printed Copies read <J£ Puy«s ew'ixv <5W>^ Qvo-zcjc .-
But the Manufcript, which I follow, much better, tih s Aey&n;
cujtzv Ay-rijs <pvTio) .

ft This mud never be Strain'd to fuch a Senfe as if it Ex-
cluded thofe from Praife, who by a con font Rigja Ufe of their

JLiberty, have Brought themfelves under an Hapfy Ntcefitiy of
Habitually Chufing and Doing that which is £>//?.
f The Manufcript in the Margin inferts }1 for hm.

* The Folio Edition, That of Paltbenm and Dr. Pritius, Read
•adxlw e%{; which Dr. Prit'ms renders fugnam habit y others e

A a 3 i-fjerfe

2 j 8 The Spiritual Homilies

dift, and to Comply in no one Inftance. For
both the Powers may indeed Perfiiade, to Evil
and to Good : But neither of them can Compel.
To this Free Choice therefore is the Divine
** AfTittance Given, and Able it is, when En-
gaged, to take Weapons from out of Heaven,
and by their means to Root out and to Vanquish
Sin. ' For indeed to Contradici Sin, is in the
Power of the Soul : But without God it is not
Able to Conquer Evil or to Root it out. But
they that affirm. Sin to be as' a valiant Giant, and
the Soul but as a Stripling, fay wrong. For if
there were fuch a Disparity in things : Sin as a
Giant, and the Soul but as a little Child, the
Lawgiver wou'd not be Righteous, in having
given Man a Law to Fight againfb Satan.

But This is the Foundation of the way of
God, viz. To Travel the Road of Life in much
Patience, in Hope, in Humblenefs of Mind? in
Poverty of Spirit, in Meeknefs ; And thro' thefe
may a Man be PofTefs'd of Righteoufnefs within
himfelf. But the Righteoufnefs we are ipeaking
fjcr.xxiii.of, is the Lord1 Himfelf. For thefe Command-
6. ments by which we are Thus Enjoyn'd, are as
•the. Stones fet up at the end of every Mile, and
Marks of the Royal Way, Leading them that
Travel it, up to the Heavenly City. For faith
Mat. v- 3. he, Bleffed are the Poor in Spirit -7 Bleffed are the
Meek-, Bleffed are the Merciful 3 Bleffed are the
Peacemakers. Call this Chriftianity. But if any
"Trov.xxi. one Travel not in this way, he m wander eth
itf. where is no Path, he Proceeds upon a wrong

drjerfoor exadverfp. But the Text of Ticus by Morelius, which
here I follow reads, zr<*x v ,..

** JBoth Paltbemus, Dr. Fritius and View render here
»»7<A*4 by Kemnneratio: But the Verfion I have given of it
was rather determine by the running Senfe, &c,

Foundation.

of Mac arius the Egyptian. 35-9

Foundation. Glory be to the Tender Mercies
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghoft for ever ! Amen.

Homily XXVIIL

This Homily cDefcribes and Bewails the
Misfortune of the Srttl-, becaufe by Reafon
of Sin-, the Lord doth not 'Dwell in her.
And of John the Baptift it Jhews, that
of them that are Bom of Women-, there
is none Greater than He,

j( S God, when formerly Provok'd to
Anger by the Jews, Deliver'd up
Jerufalettk to be a Spectacle to its
a Enemies, and b they that Hated3 2. Chron.
them were Lords over them -, And™-*0'21-
there was no more There either c Feaffc or Offering : ! CV1*
So when Angry with the Soul, through herc Lam. a.
Tranfgreffion of the Commandment, hath He 6-.?.
Deliver'd her to her Enemies, Devils and vile
Affections. And when they had Thus Seduc'd
her, . they Compleatly DemoliuYd her : Neither
was there any more either Feaft, or Incenfe, or
Offering fent up to God by her, her Tokens in
the Publick Ways being Fili'd with d Frightful d Ezek.
Beafts, and Creeping Spirits of Wickedncfs, thatviii- IO«
take up their Abode in her.

And as an Houie. if it have not the Matter

Dwelling in it, is Cloath'd with Darknefs. and

Difgrace and Reproach, and is Fili'd with Filth

A a 4 anc}

360 The Spiritual Homilies

and Dans: : So even the Soul that has not her
Lord, together with his Holy Angels f Dancing
in her, {he too is Fill'd with the Darknefs of
Sin, the Shame of vile Affections, and all man-
ner of Diihonour. Wo to that Way, wherein
none Walketh, neither Heareth in it the Voice
of Man ! For it is become a Receptacle of
c Compare Beails. Wo to the Soul, when the Lord e
Lev. xxvi. wal!-eth not in her, neither Driveth out of her
aCoTvi tne Spiritual Reafts of Wickednefs with his
16. ' Voice ! Wo to the Houfe, when the Mailer "f
of it doth not Inhabit it ! Wo to the Earth,
when it hath no Huibandman to Till it ! Wo
to the Ship, when it hath no Pilot $ for then is
it Tofs'd about with the Waves, and Storm,
and is Loft ! Wo to the Soul, when it hath not
the True Pilot in her! For then being in the
Brackiih Sea of Darknefs, Tofs'd about by the
Waves of unruly Pafllons, at the Mercy of
Wicked Spirits, as of a Winter-Storm, it ob-
tains in the End Deftrucl-ion. Wo to the Soul,
when it wanteth Qhrifl to Till it with Care,
that it may be able to Bring forth the Good
Fruits of the Spirit ! For Lying Wafte, and
* being full of Thorns and Thiilles, the Fruit it
ts with in the End, is to be Burnt with Fire,
Wo to the Soul, when it hath not Chrift her
Mailer Dwelling in her ! For then is it a Wil-
dernefs, and that Fill'd with the 111 Savour of
disorderly Affections, the very Refort of Cor-
ruption.

* Our Author feero's here to Spiritualize, and Allude to,
the outward Expreflions of Publick Joy ufual among the
Jews, Con-.p-re Luke xv. 25-. with 1 Kings i. 40. and Rev.
xv. 3. with Exodus xv. iS.

t The common Reading is 0 hanrorw, but the Manufcript

For

^/Macarius the Egyptian. 361

For as when an Hufbandman g< es to Till
the Ground, he takes with him the Inftruments
and Cloaths * Proper for the Work. So even
Chrift the Heavenly King and the True f Hus-
bandman, when He came to the Humane Na-
ture, having Put on a Body, and Carried his Crofs
as his Inftrument to Work with, He Cultivated
the Soul that was laid Waite, and took the
Thorns and Thiftles of Wicked Spirits out of it,
and Pluck'd up the Tares of Sin, and All the
Grafs of Sinful Commiflions f Burnt He up with f Matt. Hi.
Fire. And having Thus prepar'd her with the 12.
Wood of the Crofs, He Planted in her the moft John xv-
Beautiful Garden of the Spirit, Bearing all man-
ner of Plealant and Defirable Fruit to God, as
her Mailer.

And as in Egypt during the Three Days Dark-
nefs, the Son law not his Father, neither the
Brother his Brother, nor one near Friend ano-
ther, the Darknefs Concealing them : So when
Adam had Tranfgrefs'd the Commandment, and
FalPn from his former Glory, was he Subjected
to the Spirit of the World, and the Veil of
Darknefs came upon his Soul from his own
Self j even till the Laft Adam^ the g LORD :giCQr.xv.
He never once fet Eyes upon his True and 47-
Heavenly Father, and his Good and Kind Mo-
ther, the Grace of the Spirit, and his Sweet and
Defirable h Brother, the Lord and his Friends and h Heb. H.
1 Kindred, the Holy Angels, with whom he once lI- ..

* The Printed Copies read all A^«>»», but the Manu-i Compare
fcript A«ft/3«'v« But then too inftead of oiov t«, which Tobit. v.
follows in the Printed Copies, ought we to Read ^eovrx, I2>
and accordingly is it here rendred. «^xii i r

f When Chriit- calls himfelf the Vine, the Husbandman then with
is God the 'Father, John xv. i. As Incarnate He is himfelf the Rev> xxjj
Vine: But as God does our Author pronounce Him the Hus- Q
bandman himfelf, that is, in Union with God the Father, who
Co-operates with Him,

US'd

$6t The Spiritual Homilies

us'd with Joy and Dancing to Celebrate the

* job i. 6.k Feaft. of Heaven. And not only to the Coming
— »• *.« of the Laft Adam-, but Still, even to this very

Time, They upon whom Chrift, the Sun of
Right eoufnefs hath not Rifen, and in whom the
Eyes of the Soul have not been Open'd, as En-

* John i.o. lightned by the True l Light ^ They are ftill un-

der the very fame Darknefs of Sin, having the
fame quick Senle of Pleafures, and being obnoxi-
ous to the fame Punifhment, have they not Eyes
to Behold their Father with.

For this every one ought to Know, that there

* Ephef. i. are Eyes within m thefe outward Eyes, and that

r8* there is a Senfe of Hearing more Inward than
this of the outward Ear. And as thefe Eyes of
ours fenfibly Behold and Know the Face of a
Friend, or one we Love : So do the Eyes of a
Worthy and Faithful Soul, Spiritually Enlight-
ned with Divine Light, fee and take Notice of
the True Friend, the Sweeter! and Highly De-
firable Bridegroom, the LORD, the Soul be-
ing Irradiated by the Adorable Spirit. And
thus Beholding Intellectually the Deferable, and
only Beauty which SurpalTes Expreilion, it is
Wounded with Divine Love : And it is Direct-
ed to All the Vermes of the Spirit -, And thus
has it Obtained the Boundlefs and Never-failing
Love for her DenYd Lord,

What Happinefs therefore is there bcvond

that Voice of John^ which pointeth out the

nJoh.i.2o.Lord before our Eyes, n Behold the Lamb of God

I Matt. xi. who taketh away the Sin of the World ? ° Verily

IK among them that are Bom of JVomen^ there hath

heen none Greater than John the BaptifL For he

is the Full Complement of All the Prophets.

And They all Prophefied of the Lord it is true,

fhewing at a great Diltance off that He was

Coming. But" He, when Speaking of the, $%-

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 363

wottr^ like & Prophet, Shew'd Him before the
Eyes of All, Crying out and Saying, Behold, the
Lamb of God ! What was that Sweet and No-
ble Voice of him that directly Pointed oat the
FerfonPreactTdupbyhim ? Jtmong th m that are
Bom of Women, a Greater than John there has
not been. Bat yet the Lea/l in the Kingdom of
Heaven is Greater than He : Namely the Apo-
ftles, who have been Born P of God from Above/ John HI
and have Received the Fir ft * Fruits of the Spirit of . 3-
Comfort. For thefe have been thought worthy, ^Viii.
to be made Co-judges and r Partners in the 23.
Throne with Him. Thefe have been made ther Mat.xix.
f Redeemers of Mankind. You find them Di- 28\..
viding the Sea of wicked Powers, and Bringing 2I t
Souls that Believe out of it. You find them to t Compare
be the Hufbandmen that Cultivate the Vineyard James v.
of the Soul. You find them to be the Bride- 2?- ...
men which Efpoufe Souls to Chrift, For I1 \6\ l
have Efpoufed you, fays the Apoftle, to One Hus- % Cor.' xi,
band. You find them giving Life to Men j 2.
And to fay All at once, you find them in variety
of Degrees and Ways Miniftring to the Spirit.
This therefore is that Little one that is Greater
than John the Baptift.

For as the Hufbandman leading the Yoke of
Oxen Tills the Ground : After the fame manner
did the Lord Jefus, the Noble and True Hus-
bandman, having Yok'd the Apoftles, t Two *<Matth.vi.
and Two, fent them Abroad, f Cultivating 7-
along with them Himfelf, the Ground of them
that Hear and that Believe in Truth. But This Luke viiL

V-

* The common Reading in all the Printed Copies, wou'd""X%
tempt one to think there were but Two Apoftles in All.
But the Manufcript reads Am #vo from St. Mark.

f Both the Editions of Picus read here with Paltbeniui
i. y ;:'«/^'«s : But the Manufcript ancj Doctor Prinns v&d

alfo

2(^4 ^Je Spiritual Homilies

alio is worthy to be Noted, that the Kingdom
of God, and the Preaching of the Apoftles con-
fift not only in the Word of Hearing, as if any
one that is Skill'd in Harangues, fhou'd Hold
forth to others : But in the Power and Efficacy
of the Spirit does his Kingdom conn* ft. For
thefe Things happened even to the Children of
ffraelj who were continually Meditating upon
the Scriptures^ as having doubtlefs the Lord
uppermoft in their Thoughts : But not having
John 1. 1 1 . Received the Truth ', they Quitted their Inheri-
*~v-iu. 4 x- tancc to others. Thus alfo they that Run over
the Words of the Spirit to others, themfelves
in the mean while not PofTefs'd of the Word in
Power, make over their Inheritance to others.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Ghofl for ever ! Amen.

Homily XXIX.

Cod Executes the T^ifpenfations of his
Grace upon Mankind, after a Twofold
manner. Intending to Require back the
Fruits of it in aftriff Account,

H E Wifdom of God being Infinite and
Incomprehensible : He Executes the
Difpeniations of his Grace upon Man-
kind after an Incomprehensible and
Unfcarchable manner with great Variety 5 In or-
der to Try the Freedom of our Will, that They
may be manifeft that Love him with all their
1 Heart,

0/"Macarius the Egyptian. 365

Heart, and Endure all manner of Danger and
Labour upon his Account. For the Perfons
who are Prevented with the Favours and Gifts
of the Holy Spirit, immediately as foon as they
Come with Faith and Prayer, are They without
Toil, and Sweat, and Fatigue. * But it fomc-
times happens that they are notwithihvnding in
the World. God frill affords them Grace, not
in vain, nor unfeafonably, nor yet as it were by
Chance ; But by a Wifdom that Exceeds all
Expreflion, and is never to be Comprehended :
In order to the Trial of their Purpofe and Free
Determination, who fo Quickly had Obtain'd
the Divine Grace, whether they were Senfible
of the Benefit and Kindnefs that had been fhewn
them, and of the Sweetnefs of God, according
to the Proportion of Grace receiv'd without
any Pains of their own; which they that have
been thought worthy of, ought to give Proof of
their Diligence, their a Courfe, and their Con- a Gal. v.
flictj And to Endeavour to Dcmonflrate the
Fruit proceeding from their Will, and their In-
tention, -f~ and their Love; And to make a Suit-
able Return for thofe Gifts, That is, by giving
their whole Selves over to the Love of the
Lord, Both doing his. Will only, and with-
drawing themfelves perfectly from all Carnal
Defire.

But fuch Perfons, on whom, (though they
have withdrawn from the World, and given a
Flat Denial to this prefent Life, according to the
b Gofpcl, and greatly Perfevere in Prayer an<lb Matth.
Falling and Diligence, and the other Virtues )xvl* M»

* What Encourag'd me to Differ from the Veriions of
Faltbeniusy Dr. Pritius, and Pirus, was this little Variation
in the Manufcript, viz. eV< <5' on. inflead of U'iv orr, as it is
in all the Printed Copies.

f The Manufcript here inferts >£, which eafes the Senfe.

God

%66 The Spiritual Homilies

God does not immediately Beftow his Grace*
and Reft, and the Gladnefs of the Spirit, ini
mere Long-Sufferance towards them, and with-
holds the Gift (But this not without Defign,-
nor out of Time, nor as it were by Chance :
But by a certain Wifdom beyond Expreffion for
the Trial of their own Free Will) that He may
See whether they Thought Him the Faithful

c Matt. vii. and True God who has Promis'd, c to Give to
7. them that Ask^ and to Open to them that Knock ,'
the Door of Life , that he may Obferve thofe
who have Believ'd in his Word of a Truth,
* whether they Endure to the End, with the
fame Full Affurance of Faith and Indufhy, Ask-
ing and Seeking y Or whether through Afflicti-
on and Remifsnefs, they may not Fall off, and
merely through Want of Faith and Hope Give

, ... into Contempt, Not holding on to the End, by
2Pet*m,Reafon of the Time being f d Adjourned \ and

Mat9xxiv.of the Trial of their Will and Intention.

48, 49. For he that Receives not in a very little Tirne^
through God's Putting off and Long-Suffering,
is Inflam'd the more, and more Defirous after the
Heavenly good Things y And every Day is he
* Adding to his former Defire and Induftry, and
Speed, and Struggle, and to the whole Deport-
ment of Vertue, and to his Hunger and Thirft
after that which is Good, nothing Difpirited by
the Sinful Reflections that are Prefent with his
Soul, nor Turning to Contempt, and Impa-
tience, and Defpair: Or again under a Pretence
of this Long-Suffering, will he give himfelf up
to Sloth, Mufing with himfelf to this Effect,

* The Manufcript here for ^ reads «a and omits the «
[lowing.

f The Printed Copi
Manufcript ;*•*£<> W».

following.

f The Printed Copies all read wste.*pi?w rQ #f <W, but the

when

#/ Macarius the Egyptian. 367

when pall I Obtain after all the Grace of God ?
And thence is Drawn afide by Sin to downright
Neglect. But the more the Lord himfelf, by
this Delay, fhews his Long-Suffering towards
him, Putting the Faith and Love of his \ Will
upon the Trial : So much the more Eager, Di-
ligent^ and * Obftinate, and Uncomplying ought
he to be in Seeking after the Gift of God, ha-
ving once Believ'd, and PofTefs'd himfelf with a
Full A durance, that God cannot Lie^ but is
Tt'tfej ** who hath Promis'd to Give his Grace,
to tfiem that continue to Ask in Faith to the
very End with all Patience. For by fiich Souls
as are themfelves Faithful, is God thought both
Faithful and True, and according to the Word of
Truth, e they have fet to their Seal that God fc€ J&miih
true. 55-

Wherefore Suitably to this above-mention'd
f Knowledge of Faith, do they make an Efti-^P1*^
mate of themfelves wherein they are Deficient, ,*
fo far as their own Power is concern'd : Whe-
ther it be in Labour, or Conflict, or Applica-
tion, or in Faith, or Love, or any other of the
whole Chain of Vertues -, And when they make
this Scrutiny, with all the Minute Exactnefs
they are Able, they Force and Urge * themfelves^
all they can, to be Well-pleafing to the Lord,
as having once for all Embrac'd this Faith, that
God, who is True, will not Deprive them of

f This may be well underftood in Oppofition to Bjiftnefs,
Precipitance, PaJJion, Complexion, or Imagination, which by
Novices and Enthujtafts are too commonly miftaken for the
Superiour Aflcnt of the Intellectual Man, which alone is Able to
Endure the Trial.

* The Printed Copies read mnhSu and Co render the
Context hardly Senfe : But the Manufcript reads thtriirm*

** The Manufcript before fcxyya^ot^^ inferts .

* The Manufcript here addj 'xvr'm

the

68 7l)e Spiritual Homilies

" the Gift of the Spirit, if they Perfevere to the
End in the Worihip and Expectation of Him,
with Full Application > But they fhall be
thought worthy of the Heavenly Grace, fo long
as they flill * continue in the Fleih, and (hall
Obtain Eternal Life.

And thus do they Direct their whole Love to
the Lord, having Denied all Things elfe, and
looking for Him only with Great Defire, and
Hunger and Thirft, and ever waiting for the
Refrclhment and Confolation of Grace, and
taking no Comfort in any thing of this World
willingly, much lefs Acquiefcing in it5 and Tied
down to it. But they ever Contradicting grofs
Suggeflions wait for the Aid and Help of God
onlv, when at the fame Time the Lord himfelf
Is Already after an hidden manner Prefent with
thole Souls that Oblige themfelves to fuch a
kind of Application, Intention, and Patience y
And He Succours, and Preferves them, and is
their Support \ in every Single Fruit of Ver-
tue. And though they are even in Labour and
Affliction, and in the Acknowledgment of the
Truth, and in an Enlightn'd State of Soul : Yet
. have they not Obtained the Grace of the Spirit,
and the Refreihment of the Heavenly Gift > nei-
ther have they been Fully Senlible of it through
the Inexpreflible Wifdom of God, and his un-
fpeakable Judgments, who Tries Believing
Souls very different Ways, and Fixes his Eye
upon the Love of their Will and Intention.
For there are Boundaries, Meafures, and even
Scales, of the Free Intention, the Love of the
Will, and the Difpolltion, fo far as one is Able,

* The Manufcript and Fiats for rvy^^TX> reac^s 7VV%*'

t The Manufcript here inferts tfc

to

o/"Macarius the Egyptian. 3<>p

to All his Holy Commandments. And thus
thofc Souls that Fill up the Meaturc of their
Love and Duty, arc thought worthy of the
Kingdom and Eternal Life.

For God is Juft, and his Judgments Righte-
ous. And with Him is there No Refpect of Pcr-
fons : But in proportion to their good Deeds,
whether Corporeal or Spiritual, Whether in the
Way of Knowledge, or Underftanding, or Dif-
cernment ( which God has alfo differently Im-
planted in the Human Nature) in Judging every-
one He will make Enquiry after the Fruits of
Venue, and as it Deferves will he Repay every
Man according to his Works ( in * the Day of
Judgment -> for fays the § Apoftk) He will Come i Rom. d.
and Render to every Man according to his Deeds : ) 6-
And the h mighty ft) all be mightily Tormented * Wifd.vi,
For h Mercy will foon Pardon the Meaneft. And 6*
the Lord faith, ■ that Servant which Knew his ! Luke xii<
Lord's Will) and prepared not himfelf neither did 47* 48«
according to his Will) fiall be Beaten with many
Stripes. But he that knew not) and did Commit
Things worthy of Stripes, fJjall be Beaten with
few Stripes. For unto whomfoever ?nuch is Given)
of him ftoall much be Required : And to whom
Men have Committed much) of him they will AJk
the more.

But Knowledge and Underftanding are you to
take in different refpe£h : As well according to
Grace and the Heavenly Gift of the Spirit •> as
according to the Natural Courfe of Underftand-
ing and Difcretion, and the Inftruction that
comes from the Divine Writings. For every
one will be call'd upon for the Fruits of Ver-
tue according to the Proportion of Bleilings

* The Manufcript here inierts It y,y.i;-r tfgirt«s *,%* •/**

$Kt:, ^ *7Ta^W« iKXfco kcctx rot, Igyk d'JT*,

B b God

3 ?o The Spiritual Homilies

God has Beftow'd upon him, whether they be
Natural, or thofe vouch faf'd by Divine Grace.
Every Man therefore is without Excufe before
God at the Day of Judgment. For every one
according to what he hath Known of the Fruits
of Faith, and of Love, and of every Vertue
Granted to himfelf, will be call'd upon for a
KMat.xxv.kj^e^tution out of his own Will and Intention,
y\t 27 wnetner it was by 1 Hearing he came by it, or
x ' 'whether He never heard the Word of God at
all. For the Soul that is Faithful and a Lover
of Truth, Looking upon thofe Eternal good
things that are laid up for the Righteous, and upon
that unfpeakable Blefling of Divine Grace that
is to come upon her, Deems her felf Unworthy,
as alfo all her Application, Labour, and Pains,
in Comparifon of the unfpeakable Promifes of
the Spirit.

This is the Man that is Poor in Spirit, whom
Mat. v. the Lord pronounces Blejfed -, This is he that
3--" Hungers and Thirfts after Right eoufnefs •> This is
he that is Contrite in Heart. They that take up
fuch an Intention, and Endeavour, and Pains,
and Defire of Vertue, and continue in it to the
'End, They {hall of a Truth be Enabled to Ob-
tain Life, and the Everlafting Kingdom.

Let not therefore any of the Brethren be
Lifted up againft his Brother, and proceed to
an Opinion of himfelf, feduc'd by Sin, fo as to
fay for Inftance, / have the Spiritual Gift in my
Pojjejfion. For it is by no Means Worthy of
Chriftians to Entertain fuch Thoughts as thefe.
For you know not what the Morrow may bring
to pafs in him 3 And Ignorant you are what
Sort of End,- His is like to be, and what your
own. But let every one looking well to him-
felf, Sift his Confcience at all Times, and Prove
the Work of his Heart, what Application, and

Conflid

of Macakivs the Egyptian. 371

Conflict he has in his Mind towards God. And
Aiming at the perfect m Mark of Liberty, and m PM. "i
Freedom from diforderly Affections, and of the J4"
Reft of the Spirit, let him Run' without Inter-
miUion, or Sloth, never placing his Confidence
in any Gift, or even in any Aft of Righteoufhefs.
Glory and Worfhip be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Spirit for ever ! Amen,

Homily XXX.

The Soul that is to Enter into the King-
dom of God ought to be Born of the
Holy Spirit. And how this is T)one.

HEY that Hear the Word, ought to
give Proof of the Work of God in
their own Souls. For the Word of
God is no Idle Word : But has its
proper Work wrought in the Soul. For therefore
is it call'd a Work^ that it may be found tobefoin3 J°hn vi.
the Hearers. May the Lord then vouchfafe the 29*
Work of Truth in them that Hear, that the
Word may be found to be Fruitful in us !
For as the Shadow goes before the Body, nay
the Shadow manifeits the Body} yet is Truth
the Body it felf : After the fame manner
is the Word, as the Shadow of the Truth of
Chrift. Moreover the Word goeth before the
Truth. The Fathers which are upon Earth Be-
get Children out of their own Nature, out of
their own Body and Soul, and when Born, they
carefully Inftruft them with all Diligence, as
their own Children till they grow up to be per-
Bbi feft

j7*3 The Spiritual Homilies

feet Men, and SuccefTors, and Heirs. For the Aim
of Fathers from the very Beginning, and their
whole Endeavour is to Get Children, and to
have Heirs : Which unlefs they compafs, they
are in the greateft Grief and Trouble -, As again,
when they have, they have Joy withal. Be-
sides, both the Relations and Neighbours Re-
joice at it. After the very fame manner our
Lord Jefus Chrift alfo having a Concern for the
Salvation of Mankind Fulfill'd every Difpenfation
and Attempt made from the very Beginning,
by the Fathers : The Patriarchs, the Law, and
the Prophets. Lafr. of All came He in Perfon,
and having Defpis'd the Shame of the Crofs,
He Underwent the Death. And all this Labour
and Pains of His was with this view, that He
might Beget out of Himfelf, out of his own
b Compare13 Nature, Children of the Spirit, being well
Hal hii. pleas'd that they ihou'd be Born from Above
.IO* out of his Divine Nature. And as thefe Fa-
]Tm.'i. 1 8. tners witn us> if tney have no Children, are
John i. 12, Troubled at it: So alfo the Lord having Lov'd
13. Mankind as his own Image, was willing to Be-
— ;ii 6 pCt tnem 0f his own c Seed, the Divine Na-
J ' ■ Iture. If any therefore have no Mind to come to
d Pf. ex. 3 . fach a kind of Birth, and to be Born of the
dWomb of the Spirit, even the Divine Nature:
Great is the Sorrow which Chriit thereupon
Conceives, having Suffer'd for them, and Un-
dergone fo much, that He might Save them.

For the Lord is willing that all Men fhou'd
be made worthy of this Birth. For He died
for All, and hath Call'd them All to Life. But
then Life is that Birth, which is from Above,
of God. For without this, it is impofUble for
c John iii-the Soul to Live, as the Lord faith, e Except a
3* Man be Born from Above ^ he cannot fee the King-
dom of GocL So that again as many as Believe

the

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 373

the Lord, and coming to Him are vouchfaPd
the Honour of this Birth, caufe their Parents
that f Begat them Great Joy and Rejoycing inr i Cor.iv.
Heaven. And all the Angels, and Holy Powers lf<
Rejoice *over the Soul that is Born of the Spi-
rit, and become Spirit it felf.

For this Body is the Likenefs of the Soul;
But the Soul, the Image of the Spirit. And as
the Body without the Soul is Dead, Able to
Do juft Nothing : So without the Heavenly
Soul, without the Divine Spirit, the Soul is
Dead to the Kingdom of God, not able to
Perform any one of the Things of God, without
the Spirit.

For as a Painter fir ft obferves the King's
Countenance, and then Draws it 3 And when-
ever the King's Face is oppolite looking full
upon the Perfon that Draws it, he Draws the
Figure with Eafe and Succefsj But if the Face
is turn'd off, he can by no means Draw it, be-
caufe it looks not directly upon the Painter :
After the Self fame manner does that Noble Ar-
tift Chrift in them that Believe in Him, and
ever Look with Attention to Him, immediately
make his Draught of the Heavenly Man after
his own Image, from his own Spirit -y Out of the
Subftance of the Light, wThich words cannot
exprefs, doth he Draw the Heavenly Image, and
Beftows upon it her Noble and Good Sppufe.
If therefore any one doth not Fix an attentive
Look conftantly upon Him, Overlooking all
Things elfe, the Lord will never Draw his own
Image from out of his own Light. It behoves
us therefore to Look earneftly on Him, Believ-
ing in Him, and Loving Him, Rejecting all
Things elfe, and Paying our Regards to Him :

* The Manuicript here inferts Itt\,

Bb z

374 Tke Spiritual Homilies'

that having Drawn the Heavenly Image of

* Ro. viii. Himfelf, He may fend it % into our Souls, and

29. f) h 4. Bearing Chrift we may Receive Eternal

l8* 'Life, and from that moment our AfTurance be-

*iCor.xv.ing Complete we may be at Reft.

49. As a Piece of Gold, unlefs it Receive and is

Stamp'd with the King's Image, neither pafTes
Current in the way of Dealing, nor is Hoard-
ed in the King's Treafures, but is Thrown back
again : So even the Soul, unlefs it have the
Image of the Heavenly Spirit in the Light which
is unfpeakable -, It is no way Fit for the Hea-
venly Treafures, neither is it Apcepted by the
Noted Merchants of the Kingdom, the Apo flies.
For he that was call'd, and had not on the Wed-
ding Garment, was Caft out as an entire Stran-
ger, into Outer Darknefs, as not Bearing the
Heavenly Image. For This is the Sign and
•Compare \§eai 0f t}ie Lord Imprefs'd upon Souls, even

j j v' the Sprit of the Inexprefllble Light.

1 Cor. ix. And as a Man that is Dead is Ufelefs, and

a- entirely of no Service to thofe about him* for

1 Tim. ii.wnich Reafon alfo they Carry him forth with-

Ephefl i out r^ie C^y? and lay him in the Ground : Thus

13' '. alfo the Soul that k Beareth not the Heavenly

John iii. Image of the Divine Light, which is the very

2 3- Life of the Soul, becometh l Reprobate, and

1 40 XV" fucn as w*u ^e Taken upon no account what-

'Jer.vilso.ever. For a Dead Soul is of no Service to that

City of the Saints, as not bearing the Luminous

and Divine Spirit. For as in this World, the

Life of the Body is the Soul; So alfo in the E-

ternal and Heavenly World is the Spirit of the

Godhead the Life of the Soul. (For * without

its proper Soul the Spirit, this Soul it felf is Dead

and Ufelefs to All Above.

* The Manufcript here adds uvev y<*% t%$ ij/t^fc, rQ

| Hence were the Antients ftil'd xgtropogoi, and §eo<po%oi.

, • Wherefore

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 375

Wherefore it behoveth him that Seeketh to
Believe and Come to the Lord, to make it his
Requeft that he may in this Life Receive the
Divine Spirit. For that is the Life of the Soul -,
And for this very Reafon did the Lord make a
Formal Coming, thereby to Impart his Spirit
to the Soul. For fays he, while ye have the John xii.
Lights Believe in the Light. The Night comet 7?, }6-
when ye can work no longer. If therefore any""*'*"*'
one, hath not hence Sought and Received Life
to his Soul, the Divine Light of the Spi-
rit j the very Moment he goes out of the Body,
is he immediately Set allele in the Regions of
Darknefs on the Left hand, never once Entring
into the Kingdom of Heaven, having his Final
Lot in Hell with the Devils and his xXngels.

~f~ As Gold and Silver, when Call: into the
Fire becomes Purer, and more Approv'd, and
nothing can Change it, neither Wood for in-
ftance, nor Grafs. For it Devours all Things
that come to it, for they too become Fire. So
alfo die Soul by its continual Abode in the Fire
of the Spirit, and the Divine Light, will Suffer
no manner of * Harm from any one of the Evil
Spirits. But if any one fhou'd happen to come
* near it, It is # Confum'd by the Heavenly Fire
of the Spirit.

f The Manufcript here omits ?, which is in all the Print-
ed Copies.

* Compare z Kings vi. 17. with Zech. ii. j»„ Pf xxxiv. 7.
f Eva$grius has inform'd us that Sergtopolis was Defended \Eccl Hift,
againft Chofroes, by an Apparition of Armed Men, not much Lib. iv.
unlike the Story of Eli/ha in Dot ban. And * Dr. Cave, Cap. 28.
that St. Ambrofe's Houfe was fo Guarded round with Fire, * See his
that the Demons, which by Magick were fent to Kill him,!'/* of St%
Confefs'd they cou'd not come near his Per/on, or even the Ambrofe,
Door of his Houfe. Confider alfo the Eleventh Homily of our p. 401.
Author.

Bb 4 Or

l?6 The Spiritual Homilies

Or as a Bird, when it has Flown up Aloft is,
in no Concern, as not #* Fearing, either the
Men of Sport, or Hurtful Beads : for being
Aloft it Laughs at all : So too the Soul, when
\?C. Iv. 6. fhe has Received the Wings 1 of the Spirit, and
has taken her Flight into the upper f Heavens,
being Higher than they, Laughs at all Below.

And indeed Ifrael after the Flem, in the Days
when Mofes Divided the Sea, went through it
Below : But thefe being the Sons of God walk
Above upon the Bitter Sea of wicked ' Powers.
For their Body and Soul are made the Houfe of
God.
■ Gen. iii. In that Day, when Adam Fell, God came
8. m Walking in the Garden ; He n Wept, as I may
■* ;_ * 'fay, upon the Sight of Adam, and faid, Out of
what Good things have you Extracted Surprizing
Mifchiefs ? Out of what Glory doft thou bring f'o
much Shame ? Why art thou Dark at this
Juncture ? Why Deformed ? Why Withered ?
Out" of fo Great Light, how Great a Darknefs
hath Covered thee ? And indeed when Adam was
Fall'n and Dead from God, his Maker Lament-
ed him 'y the Angels, All the Powers, the Hea-
vens, the Earth, and all the Creatures mourn'd
'for his Death and Fall. For they Caw that He
who was Given them for a King, was made the
Slave of the Adverfe and Wicked Power.
Wherefore he was CloathM with Darknefs in
•A&sviii. his Soul, with ° Bitter and Wicked Darknefs.
1 3- For he was brought under the Dominion of the,
Ruler of Darknefs.
Luke x. This is he that was Wounded by the Thieves^
3°- and that became Half dead as he was coming
down from Jerufalem to Jericho. For moreover
even Lazarus, whom the Lord Raised, was fo

** The Printed Copies read ftiFe, the Manufcript p**
f The Manufcript here reads rav a^ccwy.

Full

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 377

Full of Stench, that no Man cou'd come near theJohn XI-
Sepulchre j was a Type of Adam, who had Con- l3^*
tracked much 111 Savour in his Soul, and was
Fill'd with Blacknefs and Darknefs.

But do you, whenever you hear mention
made of Adam, and of him that was Wounded^
and of Lazarus, not Suffer your Mind to Run
out at Rovers, as it were on Mountains : But
Keep in your own Soul within, becaufe youalfo
Carry about you the very fame Wounds, the very-
fame 77/ Savour, and the very fame Darknefs.
For we are All of us Sons of that Dark Race,
and do All partake of the fame Rank Savour.
The Diforder therefore which he Labour'd un-
der, the very fame are we All Afflicted with, as
being of the Seed of Adam. For the Diforder
which hath happened to us is much what the
Prophet Ifaias mentions, There is nothing *
but Wounds and Bruifes, and Putrifying Sores ; I&. i. 5> 6,
they have not been Clos d, neither Bound up, nei~
ther mollified "with Ointment. So Incurable a
Wound had we been wounded with, that it
was PofTible for the Lord only to Heal it. For
for this very Reafon came He in Perfon, becaufe
Not one of all the Antients, nor the Law it felf,
nor yet the Prophets, were Able to Cure This :
But this Perfon Alone at his Coming HeaVd
that Wound of the Soul, which had been paft
Cure.

Let us therefore Receive God, and the Lord
the True Healer -, wTho Alone is able by his
Coming to Cure our Souls, having undergone

* The Letter of the Ixx, as cited by our Author, feems
to Affirm the contrary, viz. s*. en r(alvf**i y-re ua>x*>4 .
To render which Words fuitably to the Hebrew and our
-cttg/i/ftVerfion, X proceed upon a ilippos'd Ellipfis of («' p* )

ytZ% hx gfn ei fti Tqctvpci, &t& «' y.v, ficthmy , Qr>C,

many

378 The Spiritual Homilies

many things upon our account. For He ever
knocks at the Door of our Hearts, that we may-
Open to Him, and may when He is come in,
be Refrefh'd in our Souls, and that we may
Warn and Anoint his Feet, and that He * may
make his Abode with us. For in the Gofpel

' Luke vii. there, the p Lord f Upbraided him that had not
44- Waflfd his Feet. And again i elfewhere he

' Rev. i". faith. Behold I ft and at the Door and ** Knock,
if any one will hear my Voice, and. Open the Door
to "f~i" ^ I will come in unto him. For for this
very Reafon did He continue to Suffer many
Things, having Given up his own Body to the
Death, and Redeem'd us from Bondage, that
when He fhou'd Come to our Soul, He might
take up his Manfion with Her. For for this
very Reafon does the Lord fay to them on his
Left Hand in the Judgment, who are lent off

Matt. xxv. by Him into Hell with the Devil, / was a
42> 43- Stranger, and ye took me not in, I was an Hun-
gred, and ye Gave me No Meat, I was'^hirfty,
and ye Gave me No Drink. For his Food, and
Drink, and Clothing, and Houfe, and Refrejh-
ment is in our Souls. Therefore does He con-
. tinually Knock, defiring to Come in unto us.
Let us Receive Him therefore and Introduce
Him into our Selves : Becaufe both our Food,
and Life, and Drink, and Eternal Life is He
Himfelf. And every Soul that hath not received
Him in this prefent Life within her, and Re-
frefh'd him, or rather that hath not been Re-
frefh'd in Him, hath no Inheritance with the
Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven, neither can

* The Manufcript reads a-dttVp.

f The Manufcript reads mnhfyi.

** The Manufcript here inferts «J «£**?.

ft The Manufcript here inferts pa.

he

a/Macarius the Egyptian.

he Enter into the Heavenly City. But do
Thou thy Self, Lord Jefus Chrift, Introduce us
thither, while we Glorify thy Name, together
with the Father, and the Holy Spirit for ever !
Amen.

179

Homily XXXI.

It behoveth him that Believeth to be Changed
in his Mind, and to Co lie B all his Thoughts
moGody in which our whole Obfervance
of God doth truly conjift.

T behoveth him that Believeth, to
Beg of God that he may be Changed
in his Intention by a Change of his
Heart pafling off from Bitternefs to
Sweetnefs, and to Keep in Mind how
the Blind Man was Heal'd 3 the how Woman like-
wife which had an IfTue of Blood by Touching
the Border of his Garment was made whole ;
How the Nature of the Lions was Tam'd 3 the
Nature of Fire Subdued : Becaufe God is that
Peerlefs Good into whom you ought to Gather
up your Mind and Thoughts, and to Think of
nothing elfe, than how to Keep the Expectation
of Him in your view. Let the Soul therefore
be as one that Gathereth her Children which
are upon the Ramble, and Reproves the
Thoughts that were fcatter'd by Sin 3 # And

* The Manufcript here infcrts *J,

let

380 The Spiritual Homilies

let her Bring them Home into the Houfe of
her Body, Always expecting the Lord in Fail-
■Mat.xxm. ]ng anc| jn L0Ve5 when He will Come and a Ga-
37' ther her of a truth. But what is Future not be-
b Ro. viii. ;ng b Manifeft, let her Hope on the more in
c2Tim i.ner Governour, Placing her Hope c well upon
j 2. ' him, and let her Keep in mind, how even Ra-
hab^ when among Strangers, Believ'd the
Ifraelites ^ and was thought worthy to be
reckon'd as one of them . But the Ifraelites in their
4 Pfalm Love d Returned back into Egypt. As therefore
*KXVU1'*U Rabab's Cohabiting with People of a different
Nation, did her no manner of Prejudice ; but
her Faith Brought her over to the Side of the
Ifraelites: So neither will Sin any way Hurt
them, that in Hope and Faith wait for the Re-
deemer, who at his Coming Changes the
Thoughts of the Soul, and makes them Divine,
Heavenly, Good -> and Teaches the Soul True
Prayer, without Diftraclion, and Wandring.
* Ifa. xlv. Fear not^ e fays he, / will Go before thee^ and
2' Level the Mountains : I will Break in pieces the
Gates of Brafs^ and Cut in Sunder the Bars of
fpaat.vu.frQp. And again, Take heed, f faith he, to thy
l7' * Self) that the Word Hidden in thy Hearty become
not Sin -y left thou fay in thine Hearty this Na-
tion is Numerous and Strong. If we are not
Overcome with Sloth, nor afford Pafture to the
Diforderly Suggeftions of Sin; But voluntarily
Draw our Mind, Forcing our Thoughts upon
the Lord : the Lord will doubtlefs Freely come
unto us, and of a truth Gather us unto Himfelf.
For All well Pleating and Obfervance is in the
Thoughts. Wherefore do your Endeavour to
Pleafe the Lord, expecting Him always within,
Seeking Him in your Thoughts, and Forcing,
nay, Neccflltating your own Will and Inten-
sion conllantly to Look up %o Him, And Can-

fider

of M a c a r i u s the Egyptian. 381

fidcr how he comes to thee, and makes his Abode
with thee. For how much foever you Gather up
your Mind into a Seeking after Him, He is much
more Neceflitated by his own tender Companion
and Kindnefs to Come to thee and Refrefh thee.
For He Hands and Beholds thy Mind, thy
Thoughts, and thy Deiires ; Viewing well how
it is you fcek him,* and whether it is with your
entire Soul, whether it be not SluggiiTily, and
whether it be not Carelefly. And when he
fhall Obferve thy Earner! Application in Seeking
after him, then is he Manifcfted, and Appears
to thee, and he imparts his Help to thee, and
Appoints the Victory for thee, Delivering thee
out of the Hands of thine Enemies. For having
firft Beheld thy manner of Seeking, and how
Inceflantly thy whole Expectation is from Him :
"Thus * doth he Teach and give thee the True
Prayer, the True Love, which is s Himfelf^gjjoh,^
Becoming all things unto thee, Paradife, the 16*.
Tree of Life, the Pearly the Crown, the h Builder,
the Husbandman, a Sufferer ; Impafftble, Man, h Mat< xv-u
God, TVine^ the Living Water, a Lamb, the 18.
Bridegroom, the JVarrior, the Armour, All in
All, Christ.

And as an Infant knoweth not how to Heal it
felf, or to Deck it felf, but only Turns its Eyes
towards its Mother, Weeping till fhe is touch'd
with Companion, and then takes him up : Thus
do Faithful Souls Always Hope only in the Lord,
Afcribing to him all manner of Righteoufnefs.
For as without the Vine the Branch is Dried up, Johnxv.i,
fo is he alfo that is defirous to be Juitified with- jr.
out Chrift. He is a 'Thief and a Robber that— x, i_
cometh not thro' the proper Entrance, but

* The printed Copies here -read JV* j, the Manufcript £r*;

Climbcth

382 The Spiritual Homilies

Climbeth up fome other way, jufl * as he that

isjuftified to himfelf without one to Juftify him.

Take we therefore this Body of ours, and

make an Altar of it, and lay over it every 'Thought

of ours, and Befeech the Lord, that He wou'd

Send from out of Heaven the Invifible and Great

Fire, and Devour both the Altar and all things

upon it \ And that all the Priefts of Baal may

Fall, which are the Adverfe Powers. And then

1 Pf. lxxii. ihall we fee the Spiritual Rain \ , as the Footftep

6- of a Man coming into the Soul, fo as to Become

within us the very Promife of God according as

* Amos.ix.it is faid in the Prophet, k / will Raife up and

1 1 • Rebuild the Tabernacle of David that is Fallen-

Ml O J 7

* xv* and will Build again the Ruins of it , That of
his own Kind Motion the Lord may Shine out
upon the Soul that lives in Night and Darknefs,
in the Sottifhnefs of Ignorance, and She Recover-
ing Sobriety may walk without Stumbling, Per-
forming the Works of Day, and of Life. For
thence is the Soul NourinYd, whence it alfo Eats,
whether it be from this World, or the Spirit of

JRev. iii. God. God alfo is there NourinYd, l and Lives,
20. and is RefrenYd, and Converfes.

John. xi*. gut eveiy one5 if ne nas a mind to it, may

23* Trie himfelf, whence he is NourinYd, and where
he lives, and among whom he Dwells -> that
having thus come by his Intelligence, and at-
taint to an exact Difcernment, he may with Vi-
olence perfectly Refign up himfelf to that which
is Good. Moreover, when Praying, look to your
felf in Prayer, taking Notice of your Thoughts
and Workings whence they are, of God, or the
, Adverfary -y And who it is that brings Food to

the Heart, the Lord, or the Rulers of this
World. And when thou hail made this Tryal,

* The Printed Copies read £V#s, but the Manuscript vs.

and

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 383

and Known, do thou, O Soul, Ask the Lord
with Labour and Defire for the Heavenly Food,
and the Increafe and Working of Chrift accord-
ing to what is written, But our Converfation is phil.iii.20.
in the Heavens, and that not in Type and Figure,
as fome imagine. For lo ! the very Mind and
Underftanding of them that have only the Shew
of Godlinefs Refembles the World. Behold the
Shaking and the Waving of their Intention, or
their UnftableMind, or Timoroufnefs, and their
downright Fear according to what is faid, With Gcn.iv.iz.
Groaning and Trembling jhalt thou be upon the
Earth, in proportion to their Unbelief, and the
Confufion of their Unfettled Thoughts, how
many Hours are they Tofs'd about, like all other
Men ? Such Perfons differ from the World only
in Fafhion # and Sentiment, and in the Bodily
Adjuftments of the outward Man : But in the
Heart and Mind are they Drawn to and fro in
the ## World, and Intangled in Earth by Fetters,
and Fruit lefs Cares, not having in their Hearts
attain'd to that Peace which is from Heaven,
even as the Apoftle fpeaks, Let the Peace of GWCol.iii.ij,
Rule in your Hearts : Which Reigns Supreme,
and Renews the Mind of the Faithful in the
Love of God, and of all the Brotherhood. Glo-
ry and Worfhip be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Spirit for ever ! Amen.

* In the Printed Copies do we Read a" before >£, But the
Manufcript omits it.

** The Manufcript here inferts wy which is wanting in
the printed Copies. The Paris Edit, by Morelius c* t».

HOMIL Y

384 ^°e Spiritual Homilies

Homily XXXII.

The Glory of Chriftians which Abideth from
this very Time within their Souls, will
be Mantfefted at the Time of the Refur-
rection, and Glorify their Bodies in pro-
portion to their 'Piety .

H E Languages of this World are Va-

T~li

rious. For every Nation hath its pro-
per Tongue. But the Chriftians Learn
a New * Language, and the whole Body
of them are Inftru&ed by one Common Wif-
dom, the Wifdom of God -> and not of this
World, nor of this Age, which pafleth away.
And as Chriftians walk upon this old Creation,
they Fall into Heavenly Vifions which are Newer,
and into Glories, and Myfteries, taking Occafions
from the things that do appear. There are fome
kinds of Tame Beafts, as the Horfe for inftance,
and the Oxe. Each of them has its proper Body
and peculiar Voice. The fame is Qbfervable in
thofe that are Savage. The Lion has a Body and
a Voice peculiar to him, and the Hart likewife.
Even in Creeping things there is great Variety.
And among the Feathered kind are there Variety
of Bodies : the Body and the Voice of an Eagle
is of one kind, and the Body and Voice of an
Hawk is another. The fame Variety is there in
the Sea : Numbers of Bodies no way Refembling
each other. In the very Earth are there many
Seeds : But every (ingle Seed hath its proper
Fruit. Trees alfo there are many : But fome are

* All the Printed Copies Read bere ,> ,£yj which is hardly
Senfe: for which the Mairufcript reads mhy,\.

Greater?

of Mac akivs the Egyptian. 385

Greater, and fome are Lefs. The very Fruits of
Jutumn Admit of Great variety. For every
*kindo{ themf hath its peculiar Taitc. There are
Herbs .again, and among them great Differences.
For fome are Serviceable for Health : But others
again yield nothing but a pieajlng Smell. But
every kind of Tree produccth from within its
proper Cioathing the Leaves that appear, and
the Flowers and the Fruits. In like manner do
even Seeds produce from within the Raiment
that is vifible. The -\\ Lillies alio produce from
within what Cloaths them, and Beautifies the
Turf. Thus alio as many of the CI , as
have been thought worthy from this very time
to have the Heavenly Cioathing in Poffefiion,
have that very Cioathing Abiding in their Souls.
And iince it is Fore-ordain'd of God, that this
Creation fhall be Dijjolv'd, and Heaven and Earth
fa all pafs away ; that Heavenly Cioathing which
from this verv time had Cover'd and Glorified
the Soul, which they are pofTefs'd of in their
Heart, ** That will alfo Cover the Naked Bodies
which Rife out of the Graves -y The very Bodies
which are Rais'd in that Day, #*f* it is manifeft
{hall be Rob'd with Glory, that very Inviiible
and Heavenly Raiment, which Christians receive 2Cor. v.T
in this prefent Life.

And as 'Sheep and Camels^ when they find Grafs,
Run to the Fodder with Grcedinefs and Hafte,

* Unlefs -Vj(&> be imdcrftood here to agree with stxrov,
the Syntax wi[l be PerpIo.M

f The Manufc::pt hereinferts £#«, which is wanting in
the Printed Copies.

ft The Manuffoript and Mordias here omit durx, which is in
all the ether printed Copies and Clogs the Scnfe.

** In the Margin of the Manuicript there' is an Advcrtiie-
ment as i£ fbmething here were wanting.

*f The Word «aa*, which is in ail the printed Copies, the
Manuicript omits not without Advantage to the Senie.

C c and

386 The Spiritual Homilies

and lay in Food for themfelves : But in time of
Hunger they bring it out of their Maw, and
chew it, and that which they had Stor'd up Be-
Matth. xi. fore, ferves each of them for Fodder : Thus alfo
"■ as many as at prefent have Taken the Kingdom
of Heaven by Force, and Tafted of the Hea-
venly Food, Living in the Spirit 3 At the Time
of the Refurredtion have they that very Food to
Cover and Cherifh all their Members.

As therefore we were faying, that there is a
Difference in Seeds, becaufe many forts are fown
in one common Ground, and the Fruits which
they produce are Various, nothing like each
other > And of frees likewife that fome are
Greater, and others Smaller, and yet one com-
mon Earth contains the Roots of them All :
Numbers Thus alfo the Heavenly Church being but One, is
xxiii. 10. not t0 De Numbred : But every Jingle Perfon is
Gen. xxii. [n a fpecial Manner Adorn 'd with the Glory of
l?' the Spirit.

For as Birds produce out of their Body the
Covering of fheir Wings ; but the Difference
among them is confiderable : For fome Fly nearer
,to the Earth, but others again in the open Air ,
Or as the Heaven is but One, and contains many
Stars, Some indeed of a Brighter luflre, fome
of a greater Magnitude, and others of a leffer >
but all of them are Fix'd in the Sky : Thus alfo
are the Saint: in the One Heaven of the Godhead y
and have taken Root differently in the Invifible
Earth. In like manner the Thoughts that come
into Adam himfclf are very different. But the
Spirit that cometh into the Heart, Produceth
One Vein of Thinking, and One Heart. For
they that are Below, and they that are Above
are Both Govern'd by One Spirit.

But what is the meaning of thofe Be aft s that
Divide the Hoof ? Becaufe with double Hoofs

they

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 387

they Rid ground very Fa ft, they are fet for a Fi-
gure of thofe that Walk in the Law Uprightly.
But as the Shadow of a Body proceeds from the
Body it felf, but yet is Unable to Perform any
Bodily Miniitration ; for a Shadow can never
Bind up Wounds, Give Food, or Speak : How-
ever it plainly proceeds from the Body, and go-
ing before Manifeits the Prefence of the Body,
Thus even the Old Law is a Shadow a of the a Coh&.il
New Teftament. The Shadow fhews the Truth *7-
beforehand : But the Mini fixation of the Spirit Heb. x; i8
it never had. For Mofes being Cloath'd with
Flefri, cou'd not enter into" the Heart and Take
away the Filthy b Garments of Darknefs. N o- b Zech. ihV
thing but Spirit can diffolve the Power of wick- 3»
ed Darknefs from Spirit, and Fire from Fire.

For the Circumcifion which was in the Shadow
of the Law, Points out the True Circumcifion
of the Fleart, then Approaching > And the Bap*
tifm of the Law is a Shadow of things that are
True. For # thai; wanYd the Body : But here
does the Baptifm of Fire c and the Spirit Purge c Mat, Hh
and Wzfti off the Pollutions of the Mind. Then n.
the Prieft Cloath'd with Infirmity, Entred into Ifai- iv° 4«
the Holy Places, Offering Sacrifices both for
Himfelf and d for the People : Here Chrift the True d Heb. viu
High Prieft, hath once for all e Entefd into the e '27-
Tabernacle not made with Hands, and to the Altar e * VI'
which is Above, Ready to Purge them that Afk
him : Even the Confcience f that is Defil'd. For f Heb. ix.'
fays He, g / will be with you to the m End of the J 4-'
World. ThegMathew'

„ ■ XXVlll. 26/

* The Manufcript reads ««»».

** Chrifi is by the Evangelical Prophet Ifai. ix. 6. call' J
*IV ^H The EverLifmg Father. So our £»£/i/7> Translation.
But the lxxii. in the Alexandrian Copy renders it by ?r*7«f T*
/tt=^A*vT®- cui'm®*, and after that the Vulgar !/?//» by Pater
futuri feculi, i. e. the Father of the Age or World to come. By
Which World or J^e we are to underfland that Age of the
C C 2 Gc/pvf

388 The Spiritual Homilies

The High Prieft had upon his Breaft Two Pre-
cious Stones, and they had the Names of the
Tweke Patriarchs. What was therein Done is
a mere Type. For thus even the Lord having
Put on his "Twelve Jpoftles, fent them forth with
the Character of Evangelifts and Preachers to the
whole World. You lee how the Shadow by-
its own Approaching mews the Truth. But as
the Shadow Adminillers nothings neither -Heals
our Pains : So neither was the Old Law Able to
Heal the Wounds and Uneafinejfes of the Soul.

h Gal. iii. For neither had it h Life. For there are Two
**• Perfons jointly requiftte to bring any Matter to
Perfection, as for in fiance the Two Tefiaments.
Man was made after the Image and Likenefs of
God : He hath Tkvo Eyes, Two Noftrils, Two
Hands, Two Feet. And if it happen that any
one hath but one Eye, or one Hand, or one Foot^
It has the Appearance of a Fault.

Or as a Bird that has but one Wing, can never
Fly with that One : So even the Humane Na-
ture, if it continues Naked, by it felf, and Re-
ceive not the Mixture and Communion of the
Heavenly Nature, Nothing is Retlified, but it
* Remains Obnoxious in its own Nature, in much
Filth. For the Soul it felf is call'd the Temple
and the Houfe of God, and the Bride of the

Lev. xxvi. King. For faith he, I will Dwell in them, and I
ii, 12. will Walk in them-. Thus did it pleafe God,

2 Cor. vi.that when He came down out of the Holy Hea-
l6- venSj he Cloath'd thy Rational Nature with

5Ecc]cf. i.FbJ® taken out of the Earth, and Temper'd i it

*4

Go/pel or IvleJJlas which the Prophet had then in his Eye, and
which as it Began with the Incarnation of our Blefled Lord :
So neither can it expire before He ffcall have Deliver'd up the
Kingdom to his Father. 1 Cor. xv. 24. Whence it appears that the
re here, is not to be Limited to the Apoflles, but Reach-
es to M their Suuejfors, and is Coc yai with the Zverlafimg
tyfpd it fcIF.

with

a/Macarius the Egyptian. 389

with his Divine Spirit, that thou alfo beim
Earthly, rnighteft receive the Heaven!;; Soul
And when thy Soul (hall Communicate with the
Spirit, and the Heavenly Soul fhall Enter into
Thine, then art thou a Per feci Man in God, and
an Heir, and a Son.

But as neither the Worlds k Above, nor thefe k Hcb. xi.
Below can l contain the Majefly of God, and his, 3-
Incomprchenfible Nature : So neither on the other 2yi *£n'
hand are either the Worlds Above, or thefe on
Earth Able to Comprehend his D -u w\\

How he Leffens himfelf yin Gondefcenflqn to
imall and little things. F;>r as his Majefly is In-
comprehenfible, Co is his Humiliation. And it To
falls out that when in his Difpenfations he Ap-
points # thee to Afflictions, and Sufferings, and
m Marks to your Prejudice, and fuch things as m Gil vi.
you imagine to be againftyou. They come upon I7-
your Soul's Account, if you are defirous to be
in the World, ana to grow Rich -, All manner
of Misfortunes meet you. You begin to Reafon -
with your felf about it, Becaufe I have met with
no Succefs in the World, I will e'en Retire from it,
and Renounce it, and will ferve God. Afterwards
when you are come hither, You hear the Com-
mandment, which n faith, Sell all that thou haft, n Mat. xix.
Hate all Carnal ° Society, Serve p God. Then do o 2'- ..
you Bsgin to Return "Thanks For your Hard Fortune *)° ^
in the World, Becaufe, fay you, / am found by P M'at> '
the means of that, Obedient to the Command of 1Q.
Chrift. It remains \ now that as you have in