Book III. of J E S U S C H R I S T. 273

made them One, and knit them into the fame Myfti- cal Body,whofe Honours and Advantages and Inclina- tions and Joys are infeparably the fame. Nay^ whieh is the utmoft Perfedion of Charity, they all confpire in loving me more than themfelves, or any Merits or Refpeds of their own ; for, being in that happy State exalted above themfelves, they are entirely taken up with the Love and Honour of God. This is their Hap- pinefs and utmoft End. Nothing can divert them to meaner Profped^s^no mixture of Self comes in betwixt, to damp the pure Flames of this everlafting Love.
Away then with thefe vain Curiofities, thefe eager Difputes, concerning the Condition of the BlefTed ; which betray a prevalence of Carnal and Senfual Ap- petites, fuch as have no Notions higher than particu- lar Gains and feparate Interefts. Nature and Partia- lity incline fuch Difpofitions, to Ad and Defire, and Love and Hate, upon private and perfonal Considera- tions ; and then they fondly transfer the fame Idea's and the fame Behaviour/rom Earthly to Heavenly Ob- jedls. Alas ! The diiference is the wideft in the World, and nothing in Nature fo diftant, as the filly Imagi- nations of fuch Novices in Matters of another World, from thofe jufter Apprehenfions, which Minds en- lightned from above entertain upon thefe Occafions. Be not too curious then, my Son , in Matters above thy Capacity ,• but rather let it be thy care and conftant thought, how thou may'ft be found, though it be but the leaftj in the Kingdom of Heaven. For, couldft thou underftand all Myfteries and all Knowledge, couldft thou diftindlly view the feveral Orders and Places of each Angel and Spirit above j yet what would this avail, farther than as it excited in thee lefs for thy Own, and greater Zeal for my Honour ^ The Man, who ferioufly refleds upon the Multitude of his own Sins, and the Defeels and Worthlefnefs of his own Virtues, how few, how poor, how far flior t they are
of
%74 €^f tl5e3ittiitatton Bookiii.
of the Perfedion of rhofe bright Examples heretofore, employs his Mind upon a Subjed , which God likes much better than fuch empty Speculations, as concern the Preeminence or the Subordination of them, who have fet thofe Examples.
This is a Controverfy, which they themfelves never trouble themfelves about. For they afcribe nothing to any Defcrts of their own , but acknowledge the whole of what they have and are, to be the fole Effed of my infinite Liberality and Love. And their Happi- iiefs and Honour is compleat by the Joy they take in the Fruition of God and his Glory. The more ex- alted any of thefe are, the more modefi they are ; the more dear, and the more like to me. Thus much is in- timated by that Vifion, where they are faid to cafi their Rev. X Crowns at the Feet of God, and falling down upon their Faces before the 7hroney and before the Lamb, to worfiip him thjt li-veth for e'ver and ever,
Hovv? abfurd is it to fee Men zealoufly contending who is greateft in the Kingdom of God, who are not folicitous in the mean while to know, what much more nearly concerns them, whether they fhall have any- place at all there themfelves ^ And yet to be leaft there is to be great, for even the lealt are Sons and Heirs of God. A little one jljall become a thoufand^ and Jfa Ixi. 22. the Child fljall die an hundredTears old^ but the "~ * * Sinner of an hundredTears old jljall be accurfed*
When the Difciples enquired who fhould be the great- eft in the Kingdom of Heaven, this was the Anfwer M.7tth.-ii\'ni. ^'^'^^^ ^o that Demand : Except ye be con- 'vertedy and become as little Children, ye flmll in no wife eiiter into the Kingdom of Hea'ven. Therefore whofoeijer floall humble himfelf as this little Child, the jamc jlhill be greateft in the Kingdom of Hea'ven, VVo to them, who difdain to imitate the Humility and Mecknefs oi little Children • for llrait and low is the Gate of Hea--' ven^fuch as the towrings of Amtition, and fwelling*
of
l3ook III. ofjBsus Christ. x75-
of bloated Vanity can never ftoop to, or enter at. Wo to the Rich, who have their Confohuion in this World, for while the Poor are admitted into Para- dife, they fhall ftand Weeping and Wailing without. But rejoice, ye Meek and Humble and "Poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God, if ye heartily embrace and obey the Truth, and be Rich in Patience and good Difpofitions.
Chap. LXIV.
God is All the Good Marts Hope and Confidence.
DifcipIe.'jT N whom, O Lord, is my Hope, while A here below, or what, of all the Things under Heaven, can minifter Peace and Comfort to my Soul ? Truly my Hope is. even in Thee^ and my Joy and Truft in thy Mercy alone. When were my Affairs in ill Condition with thee .'^ Or what can prevent my being exquifirely miferable without thee \ Poverty for thy fake is infinitely rather to be chofen, than all the Riches and Greatnefs in the World in Exchange for thy Favour ; and Earth and Exile with that Favour more blifsful, than Heaven without the Fruition of Thee. For Heaven is Heaven by thy blelfed Prefence j •and where that does not refide , all is Death and tlie Grave, and Hell. Thou art my Defire and my Por- tion, and therefore to thee my Siglis and Groans, and Cries and Prayers, continually afcend. I have no o- ther Stay or Rcfuge,who can fend feafonable and fui~ table Relief to all my Dangers and iSieceifities ; but thou alone art my llope and Truft, my effecfbual Comfortjer^ and faithful Friend. -j.j- ] . Oihers purfue their" Qvvn(, private Eiids and Advan- ^;ages, hut , thou feekeil iny Improvement and Hap-
pinefs^
27^ €>f t^e gimitatton BookiiL
pinefs, and ordereft all Things for my Good. Even my Temptations and Afflictions are appointed to do me fervice. Thefe are the Methods by which the Fi- delity of thy Chofen is brought to the Teft ^ and even thefe harfher Difpenfations ought as much to engage my AfFedions, and excite my Gratitude and Praife, as the brighteft Comforts, and mofl: deflred Profperity. In Thee therefore, O my God, I reft my Soul ; Thou art my Sancftuary, where I depofite the Burden of all my Griefs and Troubles. For there alone canThey and I be fafe; fmce all things elfe are feeble and uncertain^ neither able, nor always difpofed, to comfort or pro- ted me. Friends cannot do vvhat they wifh ,- Great Men will not, or cannot help ; the Wife, without Thee, miftake their Meafures ; Books are but infignificant Diverfion, and yield no folid Confolation ; Wealth cannot buy Eafe and Peace of Mind ; FortrefTes and Coverts cannot hide me from Calamity ; unlefs thou be with thofe Friends, and ftrengthen thofe great Men, and dired thofe Counfellofs, and inftrud: me by thofe Books, "and aflift me in the ufe of Wealth, and guard that ft rbng Retreat. For Peace and Happinefs are en- tirely in Thee. Thou art the End , the Sum, the Source of all Good ,* the Perfedion of Life , the Depth of Wifdom and Knowledge : And Hope in Thee is the fureft, the moft fenfible Support, thy Ser- vants can have in the Miferies of this mortal Life.
To Thee therefore lift I up my Eyes, O Father of Mercies and Lover of Men. Comfortmy Soul inTrou- ble, and purify it with thy Grace, that it may be a clean and holy Habitation, fuch as thy glorious Ma- jefty does not difdain to dwell in. Let no Impurity be left in this Temple ,• but purge it throughly from every thing which may oifend thofe Eyes, that can- not behold Iniquity or Uncleannefs. Look upon me in thy great goodnefs, and, after the Multitude of thy Mercies, hear the Prayer of thy poor Servant^ now
wan-