The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God, Title page – Publisher to the reader

The Rise Race and Royalty of the Kingdom of God · Title page – Publisher to the reader

THE Rise, Race, and Royalty OF THE Kingdom of God IN THE Soul of MAN. OPENED In several Sermons upon Matthew 18. 3. AS ALSO The Loveliness & Love of Christ Set forth In several other Sermons upon Psal. 45. v. 1, 2. Together with An Account of the State of a Saint's Soul and Body in Death.

By PETER STERRY, sometimes Fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and Late Preacher of the Gospel in London.

Matthew 11. 19.

But Wisdom is justified of her Children.

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Cockerill, at the Three Leggs over against the Stocks-Market in the Poultry. 1683.

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.

Reader,

IF thou knew'st the Author of these following Discourses, it is needless to say any thing to thee concerning him or them. And if thou art still a stranger to him, it is pity to detain thee from so profitable an Acquaintance as thou may'st yet most happily redeem with him, by these his Excellent Works▪ in which he has given us a much better Account of himself, than it is possible now to receive from any other hand.

However, the Publisher professes so great a Love and Veneration for his Person, and is so great an Admirer of these, and all other Discourses of his, whic… he has yet seen, that he dare not venture to tell thee his own thoughts of either, lest he should offend against the Spring, whilst he commends the Stream. VponUpon this and some other considerations, which are to him of much weight, he declines doing any thing that may pretend to look like a Preface; and believes upon thy due perusal of what is here presented to thee, thou wilt easily justifie his Modesty and Prudence herein. Nor wilt thou then wonder that our Author, and this his Book addresses thee so directly, and without the recommendations of some of the Greater Lights and Rabbies of our present Times. It would indeed be a new thing for a Person, and Discourses so very heavenly and spiritual, to receive such a complement; and especially in an Age which has all along discovered such a watchful jealousie over, and opposition to all the encreases and growths of Truth above the pitch and stature of Opinions and Principles commonly received among us. An Age, which instead of forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, as the Apostle speaks, Phil. 3. 13. has taken up its rest and satisfaction in present measures and attainments, making them the Rule, the Law, the …est, and the Standard to all the further discoveries and breakings forth of God in the midst of us. It has still been the Lot of the Divinest Births, and Appearances of God in this lower World, to be most solitary and neglected as to an outward pomp and attendance. They are reserved for the Glory and Triumph of another day. We read indeed of a Ruler, who came to Christ by night, being drawn by the fame of his Miracles; and of the Multitude following him for the Loaves: but upon that most spiritual Sermon of our Saviour's in the 6th chap. of John, the Text tells us, Many of the Disciples went back, and walked no more with him: And that the Twelve were themselves so stagger'd, that our Lord saies unto them, Will ye a…so go away?

Leaving then our Author, and his Book among those excellent and best things, whic… have alwaies stood alone in this World, and been contented so to do; I now apply my self to the proper service of these Lines, which is to acquaint thee, that these Discourses are posthumous, and not designed for the Press, when they were first Preached; but are now made publick, to answer the imp…rtunities of particular Friends, and th… requiring of a more universal Charity, that so much Goodness should be communicative.

This is the reason, why in the diligent perusal of this Book, thou wilt find an omission of some few Heads of Disc…urse, as to the particular enlargement upon them, both in the Sermons upon Matth. 18. and those upon the 45th Psalm: As also why neither of those Discourses are compleatly finished: Those few particular Heads being forgotten by our Author in his Original Copy, which is here exactly observed; and he by his death prevented bringing of either Discourse to their desired and designed perfection.

I must also acquaint thee, that the State of a Saint's Soul and Body in death, which makes the last part of this Book, was intended by our Author, as an Introduction only to several Sermons which he afterwards Preached upon that Argument, from those two Scriptures, 1 Thes. 4 14. and Heb. 2. 14, 15. in which he dispatch'd the several Heads enumerated in the beginning, as also those which are wanting at the end of that Discourse, belonging to the first consolation and joy of death to a Saint; which Sermons, to the Reader's great satisfaction had been here published as the Author's finishing strokes to his excellent representation of Death, had they not proved his own Funeral Discourses; for before he could give us a Copy of them, or correct one, which was imperfectly taken from his mouth, he died; confirming to us his Belief of what he had deliver'd upon that Subject, by his hastening to the highest proof thereof, which is enjoyment. However, it is judg'd worth the Reader's while, to make what our Author design'd for the beginning of several other Discourses, to be the conclusion of these, it being so sweet a strain in his Dying Song, and so admirable an expression of his Victory and Triumph over the King of Terrors.

I must also tell thee, that some few Errata's have escaped the Press, whi…h the more intelligent may rectifie as they read; although for the sake of the more ordinary Readers they are care…ully corrected in the end of the Book. 'Tis hoped the Reader will not think it one, that these Discourses are Printed in no bigger a Let…er, and that we have le…t him no fairer a Margent, because we have herein consulted his Purse, and taken care he should buy as little waste Paper as was possible in the purchase of this Book. Nor will the understanding Reader complain it wants the Ornament of a large empty Margent, or the ostentation of one filled with Learned Quotations, whilst in the reading of it, he will find our Author has given him throughout his Book all manner of Humane, and Divine learning, after the best sort; Well digested, and converted into an excellent habit, strength, and activity of mind.

And now Reader, I have only some few requests to present to thee for thy own sake, rather then our Authours.

First, It is probable thou maist here meet with some things which not onelyonly from the manner of the expression, but chiefly from the matter of them, may be difficult, and hard to be understood. My request here is, Thou would'st take great care not to Judge and condemn what thou art not able first to hear and understand, lest by t…y rash Censures thou should'st blindly rush upon the hiding of power, which the Prophet Habakkuk speaking of Christ in the Spirit, tells us, Chap. 3. ver. 4. is in his hand. That is, In the spiritual discoveries of Christ, which are as hands of light, by which he puts forth himself, and taks hold of the World. As our Author some where expresses himself upon those words. Who among us is yet able to comprehend all the distinct ages and growths of good minds; To understand the various Improvements, measures and attainments, the several capacities, languages and operations, which are peculiar to those ages and growths? It is impossible for us to set the bounds to spiritual things; To stint that Spirit in our selves or others which is a fountain of Divine Light and Life in all regenerated Souls, continually sending forth new streams, and running along with afresh succession of Waters without any stop or limit. We are too proud to understand the condescentions, too low to take the height, too shallow to fathom the depth, too narrow to measure the breadth, too short to reach the length of the Divine truth and goodness, and the various communications of the…selves to us. We cannot assign the highest or the lowest state of Saints, whilst they are here below. We cannot say all above this is fancy, whimsie, dream, and delusion; all below that, is common, carnal, formal and superstitious. As we ought not then to despise, and contemn that which is below; So let us not censure and condemn that which is above us. Blessed be God all Good Souls in the midst of their greatest distances from one another here below do all meet in the Divine Comprehension above. We are all enfolded in the Divine Arms, we are all encircled in the Divine Love. That has breadth, and length, and depth, and height enough to reach, and hold us all. And if we cannot yet receive and embrace each other in our several ages, growths measures, and attainments, it is because we have little, low, dark, narrow and contracted hearts, feel but little of the love of Christ, and are no more fill'd with that Spirit which is the spring, the center, the circle, the band to all good Spirits in heaven, and on Earth. There is as great a difference in the statures of Souls, as of bodies; In the growths of Christians, as of men and all other things. St. John, Joh. 12. &c. distinguishes these growths into little Children, Young men, Fathers, twice together; That we might take the more distinct notice of them. Our Author was in the highest of these ranks; Was indeed one of the tallest among his Brethren, whether we consider the height of his own spiritual discoveries and enjoyments, or the depth of his condescentions to the lowest and least of them. For the true stature of any thing cannot be exactly taken without measuring from both ends. That is not truly tall or great which seems to stand high, and look big, but that which reaches furthest, which is most extensive, comprehending and Universal. Our Author was indeed a true Father in Christ, and so esteemed by all who knew him For his own great understanding, and experience in Divine things, for the excellency of his Ministery, whereby he did in Jesus Christ thorow the Gospel beget and edifie many; As also for the great tenderness, and Father like bowels which throughout his whole Ministry, and in all his other converses, he delighted to be still expressing towards all the weak and little ones. Nor was his skill herein less considerable than his Naturalness. This Character thou wilt find eminently due to him as thou perusest these discourses, in which he is still careful to provide Milk for the Babes, whilst he sets stronger Meat before the men; Those who are Spiritual, and by being so, are able spiritually to discern spiritual things, to compare them with themselves, and to feed on them not only as they are brought down to us in fleshly Images, and resemblances; But as they express and manifest themselves in us in their own spiritual forms and glories. Sure I am if thou art truly come within the compass of the lowest of those growths before mentioned, if thou art become so much as a little Child in Christ, if thou hast but that genuine instinct, and naturalness of Soul towards God and all Divine things, which is essential to, and inseparable from the New birth in its most infant state, if thou…hast but the least degree. of a Spiritual mind, any spiritual sense and savour, there are a great many things in this Book which thy Soul must of necessity understand, eccho to, rellish, and acknowledge to be exceeeding good. Let then the goodness of what thou dost understand, encourage thy Charity to think that which is above thy reach, may be better; At least let it prevail with thy reason not to judge, sentence, and condemn it.

It is every where esteemed an high and difficult Office to be a Judge in the Affairs of this lower World. The Wisdom of our Nation has provided (as a Noble Author observes) that so great a Work should not depend upon One Person, every Court of Iudicature having a certain number of Judges or Assistants belonging to it. Nor can a Iudge depute his Authority to another, it being an Office and Work of greatest Confidence, Trust and Skill, and therefore personal and inherent. And with what wariness and caution do the Rules of all our Courts direct their own proceeding to a Judgment in every little case here below. It is certainly a much higher and harder work to be a Iudge in the matters of another World, in things not obvious to Sense, and transcendent to Reason, in things above all the natural Principles of Wisdom or Truth in any creature: The Jews speak of it as one of the first things delivered by God to Moses, by him to Joshua, and so down to all their Elders and Wise men in all Ages, To be slow in judging. St. Paul cautions us, 1 Cor. 4. 5. To judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come. To pass a Iudgment, to pronounee a Sentence upon Persons and Principles in spiritual matters, is in its own nature, and in the consequences thereof, the greatest, the weightiest act our Souls can put forth; and therefore not to be hastily executed; nor indeed at all, without his presence, from whom all the Authority, Power and Capacity of Spiritual Iudgment is derived. God has committed all this Iudgment in a more especial manner to Jesus Christ, and there can be no true, right, authentick, valid, and final Iudgment, without him, and where he is not present. He has no where so deputed this Office and Work to any Person or Company of persons, as to alienate the dignity and glory of it from himself. And whether he dispence it immediately or mediately, he cannot be excluded. It is his Presence, and Power, the Appearances of Christ, and the manifestations of his Spirit, which do give to any Society of men the Distinction and Authority of a Church; to every Church or Person, the right, the ability of Spiritual Iudgment. No man, no Church has here any other Spiritual Power and Capacity, besides that of Christ, and his Spirit in them. And how rich, full and sufficient soever the several Churches of Christ may at this day esteem themselves to be without him; yet sure I am, there is nothing more speaks the absence of Christ, and his spirit; And their poverty, emptiness, and weakness, then that hasty, rash, sleight, partial, blind▪ and bold judging and censuring one another which every where abounds in the present Christian Churches: Whilst in some of them, the greatest acts of spiritual judgment that can be done on Earth, (as a great man long since complained,) are made to lackey up and down for Fees, and become the most ordinary process that is. And in others which pretend to be more refin'd, to attend upon outward forms, inward Opinions, our own parties, interests, and passions. As if instead of judging nothing before the time, until the Lord comes; The Spirit of man would so determine every thing, that no knot should be left for him to unty, nothing remain for him to judge. But blessed be God the causeless curse shall not come. All the judgments which are fondly and proudly made in mans day shall be cancell'd in the day of Christ. Your Brethren (as God speaks by the evangelical Prophet to those that tremble at his Word) That hated you, that cast you out for my name sake, said▪ Let the Lord be glorified: But he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Be perswaded then to do as God has done: Leave all judgment to the Son, to his manner and measure of appearing in thee. Wait still for his coming who is to set judgment in the Earth, to bring it forth in thy Spirit. Be first able to say, Thou art full of Power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of Judgment, before thou takest upon thee to declare unto thy Brethren their transgressions, mistakes, follies, and errours. Do not venture to step into the Throne of Iudicature, till he, whose place it is, lead thee up, lest thou find thy self ere thou art aware, in the Chair of Scorners, instead of the Seat of Judgment. Judge nothing till Christ comes, lest thou shouldest then be judged by him, as an evil doer, and a busie body. 'Tis true, the Spiritual Man is said to judge all things. But that Word, that State, that Work, do all of them import a distinct and critical discerning of things: such must thine be of all things before they can be rightly judg'd by thee. Thou mayest indeed speak evil of what thou knowest not, but thou canst not fairly judge it, till thou doest thoroughly understand it. As a spiritual man read these following Discourses, and as such give thy judgment of them. Remember still, that every Truth is not spoken at once to every good man, nor any Truth opened to him in its full glory at the first sight; but as Luther speaks, we are enlightened by Beam after Beam. It is said of some things our Saviour did, and which were done unto him, Joh. 12 That his Disciples understood them not at the first, but when Christ was glorified, when he took away his fleshly presence, and came in more spirit, then they were acquainted with them. What I do, says Christ to Peter, Joh. 13. 7. thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter, And in Joh. 16. 12, 13. He tells his Disciples, he had yet many things to say unto them, but they could not bear them then; howbeit, when the Spirit of Truth was come, he should guide them into all Truth. When St. Paul was a little beforehand caught up into the World to come, the Text says, 2 Cor. 12. 4. that he heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter; that could not, that might not be spoken. Such things as would no d… ubt …ave offended the best men then alive, if he had declared them. Good Souls have their several Orbs and Sphears of Spiritual Light and Life; all below are comprehended by them above, and lie in their Bosoms; but the lesser Circle can by no means contain the greater. A Soul got no further than the first Heavens, cannot hear, cannot receive the discoveries and enjoyments of one in the third. If a Truth be very raised and spiritual, it is not the first Beam of Christ himself can shew us that Truth: And if I by my glimmering light shall go about to examine and judge things spoken in a clearer day, I shall be subject to many mistakes, and in great danger of rejecting the Truth, because I do not understand it. In my Father's house, saies Christ, are many Mansions. 'Tis true of his house of grace here below; as well as that of glory above. Let every Christian then say of his present state and measure, This is my present Heaven, my present Mansion; here my God is pleased to meet me, thus he dispenseth himself to me; here I will wait, until I am called up higher; and if another comes and speaks things beyond my present understanding and experience, I will judge no man's Light, Life and Liberty in the Lord; being constant to this, that as Christ in the flesh came to his own, and his own received him not; so also may Christ in the Spirit. Instead then of judging and censuring what thou do…st not yet understand, be faithful to that which thou already knowest; answer thy present light with a suitable life, so shalt thou grow up, not only into all the Discoveries, Truth and Mysteries which are in this, and all other spiritual …ooks, but into him also in all things who is thy Head. Hast thou received any one ray, any one glimpse of spiritual Light into thy Soul, watch it, cherish it, walk according to the direction and instinct of it; and this Beam shall quickly, swiftly grow up into a glorious day in thy spirit. For, the path of the Just is as the shining Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Secondly; It is possible thou mayest here meet with some few things very different from some of thy beloved Sentiments; for our Author intended in these Discourses, to tell thee his own thoughts, not to guess at thine. My Requests in this case, are such as these; not to make thy self overwise; not to think thou knowest any thing; not to abound in thy own sense; not to lay too much weight upon thy own Iudgment, nor too little upon thy Brother's; not to overvalue thy own Notions and Opinions, nor to undervalue his; not to forget that modesty and sobriety of mind which every good man ought still to preserve towards himself; nor that moderation, forbearance, indulgence, allowance and respect which not only charity, but reason and interest oblige thee alwaies to express towards all good men that differ from thee. For we all stand in need of, and have a right to such a tender behaviour from one another. To impress a little such Requests as these upon thy mind, let me briefly offer to thy larger thoughts upon them, these few Considerations.

1. It is possible for us then to have wrong Notions and Opinions of Spiritual Truth, when we think we have the rightest. How easily do we mistake an Object, and the true colour of it, when we see it through a dyed and colour'd Medium? The Staff that is streight in the Air, seems crooked when it is seen under Water, through the grossness and inconstancy of that Element. Such are all our views, our reports of Divine Truths, whilst we take in, and give forth the Copies of them through the thick, colour'd, and spotted Glass of our Natural Vnderstanding. Thou confessest thy self to bee a poor fallible creature; thou bemoanest daily thy Ignorance before the Lord, and beggest of him that thou mayest understand thy own Errours: Be not then too hasty in charging thy Brother with false Notions, whilst thou thy self art not exempted from mistakes: Do not think thy self an Infallible Iudge of his Errours, whilst thou art but a Fallible Discerner of Truth for thy self.

2. It is impossible for us to have clear Notions and Opinions of Spiritual Truth, whilst we are in this dark and distant World. We now see but through a Glass darkly. We are in a confused state. We can better make a shift to puzzle and perplex the Notions of another. than we know how to disintangle and extricate our own. The Sun appears not to us in his true brightness and glory, but as a red bunning fire, when we see him in the mornings and evenings through those earthly vapours and mists which interpose. Such Fogs are still gathering between the God of Truth and our Vnderstandings, whilest they dwell below. We are as yet but like the blind man in the Gospel, who upon the first touching of his Eyes, saw Men like Trees. How fond and obstinate should we think that man, who going forth in the twilight, when it is impossible clearly to discover and distinguish any thing, is however very confident he sees, and reports all things aright? All our Notions of Spiritual Truths here below, are at best but as a Twilight, in which Light and Darkness meet. How unreasonable is it whilst thy own Light is shaded with so much Darkness, to think there is no mixture of Light in thy Brother's Darkness?

3. It is impossible for us to have full and comprehensive Notions and Opinions of Spiritual Truth, whilst we are in this separated and divided state. Our knowledge here below is not only dark (as was said before) but partial. St. Paul with excellent reason puts these two together, 1 Cor. 13. 12. We now see through a Glass darkly; we know but in part; or▪ in division. It is indeed the partiality of our knowledge, which causes and encreases the darkness and difficulty of it, and turns it into a Riddle. That will be plain, easie, and pleasant to us, when we come at once to see the whole body of Divine Truth; when we shall in one view behold the entire frame, and universal harmony of it; the connexion, proportion, consent and sympathy of one Truth with another, and of each Truth with every Truth; which being now seen alone, puzzles, perplexes, intangles, and labyrinths us. Spiritual Truths are now Aenigma's to us, because we know but in part, in division. All our Notions and Opinions here can be but broken things, but little pieces of Truth. We are all running away with scattered bits and scraps of Spiritual Truth; every one fondly calling his own share the entire Purchase: But we know not how to put things together. Some are zealous for one; others for another part of Divine Truth; whilst we contend for one, we are apt to let go another; whilst we are seeking after one, we lose another: We continually mistake one another, and the Truth in each other, through our partial discovery of things: We have so much light, so much knowledge, as through the darkness and ignorance mingled with it, and prevailing over it, serves us to wrangle, dispute, and quarrel with our Brethren; but not enough to receive and comprehend them. We have indeed a Notion of the Indivisibility of Truth, and are sure of it in the Theory, but we know not how to make it out in our practice. It is true, that is not Truth which cannot dwell with any, with every Truth; but all Truth is not yet thus reconciled in the head of any Good man on Earth, although it be so in every Good man's heart; he is in love with all Truth, but has not yet found out all its Alliances, the whole compass and circle of it. Truth is one in it self, but it is broken into I know not how many pieces as it is in us; and those pieces through the darkness mixt with them in our spirits, fighting one against another. The next state will give us a clear and comprehensive view of things; all the divisions of Truths and of Spirits▪ will then be at an end. Those Truths, those Spirits shall then be reconciled, and run into the Embraces of one another, that seem now to stand at the greatest distance and defiance: Then the Darkness shall no more predominate over the Light, nor employ it thus unnaturally to contend against it self; but the Light running together from all parts, and every where mingling with it self, shall swallow up all the Darkness. But we have now only a glimmering prospect of this happiness. It is impossible to attain here to a full view of the whole face of Truth, which is great and glorious as God. All our present Notions and Opinions are too narrow, too contracted to take in those innumerable Raies and Beams of Divine Truth, which are every where scattered and dispersed among all the Children of Light. Thou hast but one little part of it in all thy Notions and Opinions; thy Brother has another part in his. Instead of undervaluing his share, it becomes us much better to acknowledge the shortness of our own; and to say of God (with Job upon another occasion not much different) Job 26. 14 Lo, these are parts of his waies, but how little a portion is heard of him!

4. The same Spiritual Truth may communicate it self to us in various, different, and contrary Notions and Opinions. The whole state of things all along throughout the Christian World, is a sufficient proof of this matter. It is somewhere well observ'd by our Author to this purpose, as they say in Philosophy. The Essences, and kinds of things, are unmoveable, and ever the same; However there be an infiniteness of uncertainty and change in the Individuals by the variety and change of outward accidents: So if you compare one good man with all other good men in all ages, you will every where find the same New Nature, the same inward savour and rellish, the same Divine Principle and God-like life in them all; Whilst the inward forms of truth and goodness upon their understandings, and the outward expressions of them in their conversations, and practices, do exceedingly vary and differ, from the different degrees and waies of their light within and their educations, and customs without. The Apostle tells us, Rom. 14. One Christian believeth that he may eat all things: Another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; And let not him which eateth not, judge him which eateth: For God hath received him. One man esteemeth one day above another: Another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; And he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; And he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. Both these are different, and contrary in their Notions, Opinions, and practices; And yet in that difference, and contrariety, do both serve the same Lord, and are accepted by him▪ They both in their several opinions, Notions, and practices, have the same apprehensions of the glory of God, the same reference and regard to it, the same aim and intention of Soul to make themselves a Spiritual sacrifice to him. Nor does this hold only in the lesser matters of Religion, but in the greater also. Besides that Babel and confusion of languages, that variety and contrariety of opinions which are in the Christian World, about things of a lower consideration; What disputes, what controversies, what contradictions, do we see at this day among good men concerning the most substantial, and vital truths of the Gospel? How even among the best Christians themselves, are some of the greatest points of Christianity, darkened and perplexed with Clouds of disputes, with diversity, and uncertainty of opinions, with different and contrary explications? What Principle of Christianity (how clearly and expresly soever it has been revealed to us in the letter of the Scriptures) has been universally received and explained alike by all good men? Do we not every where see those very Persons, who have (as we have reason to judge) entertained the same Divine Truths in the inward power, life, and Spirit of them, do yet discourse, interpret, and preach them in Notions, Opinions, and Forms, very different and contrary to one another? Do we not every where see good men puzling, and confounding each other with their own explanations of those very things, in the life and power of which they are all agreed? Have we not upon this accompt seen some of the best of men such strangers to, and so jealous of one another, that they have been unable to bear one another. Look abroad, lay aside all thy prejudice, fondness, and partiality; And then tell me if thou dost not every where meet with the same ingenuity, modesty, humility, and meekness of Soul; The same desire and diligence in the search after truth; the same goodness, holiness of heart and life; The same Love to God, and his waies; the same sincerity, and integrity, the same purity of intention, aim and end; in persons that appear to thee, and to one another, of very different, and contrary minds, and practices, in matters of Religion. Their Souls are vitally quickened, and informed, their conversations beautified, and adorned, with the same Spiritual truths; Which by their explications of them, they seem not to understand, yea to contradict.

I have some where read a story of a blind man who could distinguish and judge of all metals, or pretious stones, by weighing them in his hand. I am perswaded if we had learn thus to judge of Spiritual things, not by the beauty of some outward form and appearance, or an agreeableness to our own Notions and Opinions; But by the weight of an inward Principle, and the Power of a Divine life; We should discover a most harmonious agreement in the Essential and radical Principles of Divine truth and goodness, among those who seem most of all to oppose one another, in their Notions, and Opinions. If we did but know how to get into, to open, and interpret each others Souls; How to weigh not only words, and phrases, but Spirits, as God is said to do, Prov. 16. 2. We should quickly find, that we differ more in words, then in thoughts, and in the Notions of things, then in the things themselves.

Our Spiritual wisdom, holiness, strength, and happiness, do not lye in our Notions, and Opinions of Spiritual truth, but in the truth itself. St. Paul excellently distinguishes, and explains this matter, 2 Cor. 4. 6, 7. Where speaking of the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, he tells us, we have this treasure in Earthen Vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. That Spiritual truth which is the shining forth of the glory of God in the Person of Christ, the first, the supream, the universal truth, is the heavenly treasure; The several Notions, and forms in our understandings, by which this truth appears to us, are but a part of the Earthen Vessel which holds this treasure. How weak is it, to lay the weight of such a treasure, upon such a Vessel, subject to so many frailties, flaws, and cracks? How unworthy is it, to ascribe the excellency of that power to our selves, which belongs wholly to God? Sure I am, it is not the Vessel that makes us rich, but the treasure which is in the Vessel. Thus again, The same Apostle speaking of the same thing in another expression, tells us, 1 Cor. 4. 20. The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. This Kingdom consists not in the excellency of our notions and apprehensions, of our words, and expressions concerning Spiritual things; But in the inward Vertue, Vigour, Life, Power, and Spirit that is in the Nature of them, to change the whole man into one image of glory with themselves. Spiritual knowledge is not a notional, verbal, and talking; but a real▪ living, and practical thing. Divine truth is better understood, as it opens and unfolds itself in the holy, and heavenly mind, and life of a good man, then by all the Systems of Divinity, and good Books in the World.

Thy Brother has (it may be) several Notions and opinions of Spiritual Truth, very different from thine; But he is really sanctified through the same truth; He has purified his Soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit. He is become a living Edition of the truth, it is written in his heart, it shines forth in his life, he has so learned the truth, that he knows it as it is in Jesus; although he cannot yet receive it, as it is in thee, nor thy notions and representations of it. His Soul, his life, is dyed, coloured and figured with it; the truth is transforming his whole being into one beautiful and blessed image with, framing, fashioning, his whole man according to, itself. This must needs be a better proof that he is truly one with thee in the same truth, then the highest complement he can pay to thy own notions and Opinions concerning it, can possibly be; Holiness is the Character, and seal of the Spirit of Truth. The result of this consideration is plainly this, That we should not lay too great a stress upon our own notions and Opinions, nor despise our Brothers; That we should make the image of God. and not our own likeness, the reason, rule, and measure of our Brotherly Love; Observing still in all our Christian converses, that excellent League which our Saviour himself has established. He that is not against us, is with us. Whilst we see the same truth vitally influencing, and quickening the Souls and spreading itself throughout the lives of good men of different and contrary sentiments, let us no longer judge another by his comprimising with our own sense of things, but his agreement with us in the substance, power, efficacy, and Spirit of the truth.

Thus the primitive Christians judged, before the iniquity of the times, and a worldly interest corrupted the simplicity, and quenched the first and purer warmths of Religion. No man was then censured for his Opinion, that lived well, although there were very strange notions then commenced. So much and so justly did those better ages of Christianity, prefer a God like life, to the rightest notions and Opinions. Nor did they want the highest Example, Authority, and Reason in this matter, God himself having told them, and us. He is no respecter of Persons, but in every Nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness is accepted with him, Act. 10. 34. And again, Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and Drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men: That is, shall be justified in the day of all Divine, and humane Principles. Whatever his outward form, or inward Opinion be; Whether he eat, or eat not; Keep a day, or keep it not; So it be to the Lord, to Charity, and to Aedification.

5. All the truest and best notions, and Opinions we can have of Spiritual truth here below, are to be done away▪ when we arrive at that state above, So the Apostle expresly tells us, 1 Cor. 13. 9. 10. We know in part, and we Prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. We shall then lose all our present Notions and Opinions of Spiritual things, not in a blackness of Darkness and Death, violently breaking in upon, and overspreading them; But in the brightness of an unmixt, and eternal light arising upon, and comprehending them in i…self. They shall all be blotted out, not as water quenches the fire; But after such a manner as the Beams of the Sun do put it out, by drawing up the finer, and more fiery parts into themselves. They shall be put out, not as a Candle is by the Extinguisher; But as the darknesses, and shadows of the night are swallowed up by the light of the morning: Or rather, as the several colours of light in the first dawning of the day, are afterwards drunk up into the pure and perfect light of the encreasing day. It is yet but a morning light with the most enlightned Souls here on Earth. In the first breaking of the day, the Light (you know) appears to us in a variety of colours, one after another; Till at last as the day comes on, all those colours are changed into an unstained and pure light. Such are the discoveries of Spiritual things to our understandings, whilst our true day is yet but Springing. All our Notions and Opinions of them are as so many colours of light, growing clearer and clearer, unto a Noon day brightness. Now all these colours vanish; Now all our mistaken, dark, mixt, short, and disproportioned notions and apprehensions, break up into a light which has nothing of privation, mixture, imperfection, or shadow in it. But till then it is impossible for us, to have such Notions & Opinions of Spiritual truth as can admit of no change, or emprovement. We are here in a growing & travelling state. And whilst we are so, motion is better then rest. We can now no more stint, and fix our sense of things, then we can hinder and stop our own growth; Or keep day out of the World, when the Sun arises. It is not here, our reproach, but our praise, to be still changing our minds, to be still transformed in the renewing of them, that we may prove what the good and acceptable will of God is. To change for emprovement, to alter our minds for the better, is not our inconstancy, but our virtue. This is only to change, as all things do, when they encrease; nothing speaks us more rooted, fixt, and established, then such a change. Thou art not (it may be) of the same mind, at this instant, thou wert in, a few daies past, neither dost thou know what mind thou shalt have to morrow. The spirit of man changes Opinion every moment; And what one reason brings in this hour, a stronger may carry out the next. Nor will the good Spirit (if thou art indeed acted, and informed by it) suffer thee to rest in thy present light, and much less in thy remaining darkness. Thou art not yet so knowing, so good as thou shouldst be, if thou canst be satisfied with thy self, and thy present Notions of things. Art thou not waiting for Christ to touch thine Eyes a second time? Dost thou not pray for his Spirit to lead thee into all truth? Can'st thou be contented to lose thy share in the riches of that glory, thou art yet a stranger to? Thou thinkest (it may be) that thou understandest all mysteries, and hast all knowledge, but still all thou canst attain to here below, is but a little part of what is yet to come; And will be done away, when that which is perfect appears. Why then dost thou lay so great a weight upon those Notions and Opinions, which thou hadst not the other day, which thou mayst lose to morrow, and which are finally to be swallowed up? Why should an obscure, dark, intricate, curious, unnecessary, uncertain, and fading Notion and Opinion, be imploy'd to the prejudice of that Charity that shall never fail? All our Notions and Opinions are changeable, temporary, transient, and perishing things; They pass away, and confute themselves, whilst we are contending for them. but Love is a lasting, permanent, and Eternal Duty, and perfection. This shall remain, when all our Notions and Opinions of one sort and another, shall for ever cease to be; Shall either sink down into their first darkness out of which they sprung; Or rise up into, and happily lose themselves in their Original Light.

6. Let us seriously consider how mischievous the want of that moderation, I am pleading for, …has all along been to Christians and to Christianity it self. What depths of inward filthinesses have the differences and animosities of good men about Opinions, discovered in them, and drawn forth from them? What floods of outward miseries have they brought upon them? It is this has given such a scope, and power to our lusts, to our pride, ambition, covetousness, anger, wrath, bitterness of Spirit and revenge, as has been more wounding to Religion, then the malice of all the wicked men in the World can possibly be. It is this has set us to rake into the Infirmities, Weaknesses, and Miscarriage of our mistaken Brother; And whilst men have been thus employed, what heaps of dirt, and folly have they poured out of their own Spirits, to the greater scandal of themselves, and their profession? It is this, has for several ages delivered up the Christian World to disorder, bloud, and desolation. It is this, has rendred a great part of it unhabitable to a man that asserts the just liberty of his mind. It is this has made Christians (who should be the best of men) much worse to each other, than wild Bears and Beasts of prey, for they devour not one another of the same kind. It is this has raised so many suspitions, jealousies, fears, heart-burnings, evil surmises, mutual provocations to wrath, and thoughts of revenge, and ruine, among our selves, that we are almost become an easy prey to our common enemies; And if we should escape them, are in danger to be consumed one of another. We have laid the stress, and weight of our Religion upon Notions, Opinions, outward modes and forms, and some of those subservient only to a secular interest, and reasons of state, and not upon the truth and substance it self, which is Jesus Christ, and his Spirit. For this reason the Righteous God seems to have given up the whole frame of Nature to confusion and destruction, and to be drowning the face of the Earth in bloud.

St. Paul, 2 Thes…. 2. 1. puts these two together: The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and, our gathering together to him. And we often read in the Scripture of his coming with all his Saints. Lines are at their greatest distance in the circumference; the nearer they come to their center, the nearer still they are to one another. As we are drawnforth from all those things which we have set up in the room of Christ, and are made to unite in his Person alone, so shall we also draw near to, and be at peace with one another. It is he alone who is our King of Righteousness, and Prince of Peace, the true Shiloe. VntoUnto him shall the gathering of the People be, and unto each other in him. Nothing more proves him to be so far off from us, as our being so miserably sca…tered, divided, and driven away from one another, When he shall again return, and appear to us in his own Person, when we shall for his sake cast away all our Idols, and unanimously running into his Bosom, cry out with an universal shout, None but Christ, he alone is that eternal image it self of all truth, and goodness, which we have been every where seeking, our center and rest for ever: When we shall no more place our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, our Religion in those forms and Opinions, which are but the outsides, and dresses of it, and must pass away with the fashion of this World; Which are but the leaves and husks that shall fall to the ground; But in him who is that Truth, Life, Power, and Substance which endures for ever. Then shall a peace which is to encrease without end, bless the World; All our Swords shall then be beaten into Plow shares, our spears turned into pruning-hooks, and nothing be left to hurt, and destroy in Gods holy Mountain.

A mutual forbearance, indulgence, allowance, and kindness among all honest hearts of different perswasions, and practices, has not only thy own interest, but the concern of all thy Brethren, and the welfare of the whole Christian World after the highest manner contained in it. For it is the safety, stability, security, strength, and subsistence of a good interest, and of all good men, in the midst of a very unkind, angry and wicked World; Whose rage doth not terminate in the extirpation of any one particular sect, or party of good men, but would by degrees, and as fast as it can, blot out goodness it self. St. Paul with admirable reason joins these two together▪ Eph. 4▪ 2, 3. Our walking with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; And, our endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It is most plain from this Scripture, That the unity of the Church of God, is not an agreement in inward Opinions. and outward forms; But an Unity of Spirit; an Unity in that Spirit, which is the common Soul of the Church, the specificating form, the constituting and conserving Principle of all true Christianity. We are not united to Christ, and to one another, by the same Opinions, and Forms; but by one and the same Spirit, nor can any Opinions and Forms divide us from Christ, (and therefore ought not to separate us from each other) if they have not in their own nature an enmity to the heavenly image of Christ, which is Spirituality; Or to the natural image of him which is morality. It is again expresly told us in the connexion of this Scipture. That the way to preserve this Vnity of the Spirit in the Body of Christ, is by walking towards one another with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; And not by a proud, haughty, impatient, peevish and angry, imposing of our own Notions, and modes of Religion upon them. This may indeed be a mistaken piece of humone policy to serve our own Worldly interest upon Christianity; but I am very sure, there is nothing of the true Spirit of Christ in this temper, not of a right endeavouring to keep the Vnity of his Spirit in such a proceeding.

How clear is it again from this Scripture. That the bond of Peace has its strength, and root, not in an Unity of knowledge and uniformity of worship, but in the Unity of a Divine Spirit; As the sympathy, and Vnion of all the members in the body arise from, and is preserved by the Vnity of the Soul.

Whilst there is as great a difference in the Original make of Souls as of faces; in the complexions of minds, as of bodies; whilst the variety of humane understandings is so great; Whilst we are under the power of different tempers; educations, and interests, several measures and degrees of light; Whilst there is imperfection in our state, negligence in our searchings after truth; & an envious one alwaies ready to sow Tares; It is unreasonable to expect a proportion, and analogy of Notions and Opinions among good men. Whilst we are thus circumstanced, there will be some otherwise minded; Nor do I know any remedy in such a case, but a mutual forbearance, till God cleares up the matter of difference. This forbearance cannot be more our Duty, then it is our interest, and necessity; for it is our preservation in the midst of powerful lusts within, and potent Enemies without. If all good men could but make a shift to tollerate one another, this wicked World must be bound to endure them all. Could they but hold together and love one another; No forreign violence could break them. Goodness is stronger then Evil; and therefore the good thus united, and in an Association; Must be too powerful for the Evil, with all its Plots, Conspiracies, and Force. What a root of mischiefs have the Divisions of good men been in all ages to themselves. From hence we may derive all the Evils we feel, and those also we fear. When the sheep push, and run heads against, one another, the Shepheard saies, we shall have foul weather. We have already seen the truth of this observation, and I am affraid must feel it once again. 'Tis easy to presage a storm when so much ill weather appeares in the Spirits, faces, and actions of men. God grant it may prove but a storm, for from the animosities that are yet between good men, and an implacableness of Spirit which is started among us, we have cause to fear a Deluge.

These Reader, are some few General considerations to impress a little upon thy mind▪ that moderation which is thy Duty, and every good mans Right, how different soever his Notions, and Opinions may be from thine. I might now add some others, which more particularly relate to our excellent Author, but I have already too much exceeded the bounds of my own intentions, and thy patience; nor would I willingly depart from the Modesty of my first Resolution, which was to do nothing in this service, that might pretend to pass for a Preface to these following Discourses. I therefore leave the Book itself to open thee its own unspeakable worth, as thou readest it. And I perswade my self, when thou hast duly perused it, and well observed those excellent rules by which our Author governs himself throughout these discourses; That admirable temper, and Spirit; That pleasant, and powerful tendency to holiness, and spirituality, that is every where to be found in them? Whatever thy thoughts may be concerning some of his sentiments, thou must needs have a great love for his memory.

There is not in the universal Nature of things a more intimate Sympathy, then that of Truth, and Gooodness; they are really one; They are for ever inseparable; They differ only as the seal and the stamp; Goodness being but the Impression of Truth.

This consideration (I must confess) has so far prevailed with me, that I cannot defend my self from thinking, there must be something of truth in all our Author has here delivered to us, whilst I find there is so much goodness in it all.

And now Reader, according to custom, I should spend a great deal more of thy time in a long Apology, for having already taken up so much of it. But in my Opinion to excuse this matter, is at once to abuse my self, and thee. For it was in my power not to have given thee all this trouble, if for the sake at least of some Readers, I had not judged it reasonable so to do; and if thou thinkest otherwise, it is still in thy power to escape as much of it as thou pleasest. I chuse rather to take my leave of thee with this serious Request to the, That thou wouldst read these Heavenly Discourses with the same Divine Love which first brought them forth from the fountain of all Loves. It is not by the sagacity of our own Natural understandings, but by being rooted and grounded in Love that we come to comprehend Spiritual truths. That this Love may abound in thee yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment, or sense, that thou mayst approve things that are excellent, Is the hearty prayer of

Thy Well-wisher and Servant I. WHITE▪