OF THE IMITATION OF Jefus Chrift. The Third Book. Digefted into Conferences between CHRIST and the Soul of his Difciple. CHAP. I. The Happiness of fuch a Converfation. Difciple.] I Will bear what the Lord God will fay concerning me. For Pfal. lxxxv.8. bleffed is the Soul, which hears the Lord fpeaking, and feels the tranfporting Comforts of his Gracious Words. Bleffed are the Ears, which, with a greedy Attention, drink in the foft and gentle Whispers of his Spirit; while they continue obftinately deaf to the treacherous Infinuations of this deluding World. And doubly bleffed are They, who hear the Sound of Truth, not only in the Outward Administrations of the Word, but by the Inward and Familiar Communications and Motions of infufed Grace. Bleffed thofe Eyes, which are shut to all the Objects of the World, and conftantly wakeful and open to the Affairs of the Soul, and turned inward upon one's felf. Bleffed are they whofe fharper Sight enters deep, and pierces into the secret and fublime Mysteries of Heavenly Truth; purged and prepared by Spiritual Meditations, and Daily Exercife of Holy Duties. Bleffed indeed are they, who difengage themselves from all Worldly Incumbrances, and gain Leifure and Opportunities for attending continually upon God alone. John xiv. Confider this, my Soul, and shake off Sensual Defires, which must be firft abandoned, before thou canst liften with due Reverence and Attention to those Things, which the Lord God will fpeak. And, O! what comfortable Words are thofe, I am thy Peace, thy Life, thy Salvation, and exceeding great Reward. Come unto me, thou that art weary and heavy laden, and thou fhalt find Reft unto thy Soul. Set thy AffeEtions on Things above, and not on Things on the Earth. For the Things that are seen Matth. xi. Coloff.iii. 2 Cor. iv. are temporal, but the Things that are not feen are eternal. What are all things here below, but dangerous and empty Delufions? And what could it profit a Man to gain, though it were all the Creatures, if he be forfaken and caft off by the Creator? In him alone is Pleasure, and Blifs, and Glory. Therefore let go thofe cheating Shadows, and embrace the only fubftantial Good; bid a final Adieu to the Deceits of the World, and place all thy Love and Endeavours upon thy God; for in his Service and Acceptance thou shalt attain the End of thy Wishes, the Fruit of thy Labours, folid Satisfaction and true Happiness. CHAP. CHA P. II. God is in the fmall ftill Voice. Difciple.] SP 1 Sam. iii. Peak, Lord, for thy Servant Servant, and the Son of thy Handmaid; O give me Un- Deut. xxxii. der Herb, and diftill gently, like Dew upon the Grass. The Ifraelites indeed befought Mofes heretofore, Speak thou unto us, and we will bear, but let not God fpeak unto us, left we die. But let it Exod. xx. 19. not be fo done unto me, my God. I rather chuse to make my humble Petition in the Prophet Samuel's Form; Speak, Lord, for thy Servant heareth. Let not Mofes, nor any of the Prophets be my only Instructor, but do thou thy felf alfo vouchfafe to teach me by thy felf. For thou art the Source of all their Light and Knowledge. They could not utter Truth without thy Infpiration and Heavenly Guidance; but Thou art Effential Wisdom and Truth, and canft communicate thy felf effectually to my Soul. Their Words, alas, are Air and empty Sound, but Thine alone are Spirit and Life. Their Expreffions may be proper, their Arguments moving, but unless thou break Silence, my Soul will ftill continue deaf and infenfible. They deliver the Words, but thou art the Interpreter, and letteft me into the true and hidden Senfe of their abftruse Oracles. Their Books are fealed, and only Thy Hand can open and explain them. From Them we receive the Command, but only from Thee the Difpofition to Obey, and the whole Power of performing it. They fhew the Way, but thou imparteft the Strength to walk in it; All They I 4 can I Cor. iii. Ifa. iv. can do, is still remote and without us. Thou only entreft into the Soul, and, by a secret Conveyance, putt'st Truth in the inward Parts. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but except thou be pleafed to give the Increafe, the Word will return unto thee void, and accomplish no part of the End, whereto thou fenteft it. The Voice of their Cry pierces our Ears; but the knowing what thy cry, and the Impreffion upon our Hearts, is thy peculiar Gift. Therefore, I cannot but implore again thy Grace and Mercy, and beg, that Mofes may not fpeak to me, but Thou, my Lord, my God, the Only and Eternal Truth, left I die; Not by the Terrors of thy thundring Voice, but by the effectual Communications of thy Will. For if I be inftructed and admonished by the Outward Miniftration only, and be not inwardly difpofed, and zealously affected to Obedience, the Advantages of Inftruction will but aggravate my Condemnation. For this is the difmal Confequence of the Word preached not profiting, when it Heb. iv. is not mixed with Faith in them that bear it. And mixed with Faith thou knowest it cannot be, except feconded and enforced by the Voice of thy Spirit; except thou incline me to love the Good I know, and enable me faithfully to fulfil the Doctrine I believe. Speak therefore, Lord, I fay again; To thee thy Servant liftens gladly, for Thou haft John iv. the Words of eternal Life. Speak powerfully to my Soul, and carry the Saving Truths home to my Conscience and Affections; that thy Words may bring Comfort and Peace, Reformation and Holinefs to thy attentive Servant, and to thy felf immortal Honour and Praife. 1 CHAP. CHA P. III. Of the General Difregard to God's Word, and the Chrift.] Obedience due to it. Ince then, my Son, thou fo paffionately defireft to hear my Voice, incline now thine Ears to my Words. Words, which well deferve, and will abundantly reward thy most diligent Attention; For they are sweet and charming, far above all the engaging Arts of Human Eloquence; ufeful and inftructive, beyond the most laboured Systems of Philofophy. The Wisdom of this World could not invent, or order, nor can it comprehend them. The Myfterious Truths they declare are too ftrong for Human Senfe to behold; nor canft thou enter into their Secrets, till guided by that Light from whence they flow. My precepts are pure and spiritual, such as a Carnal and Impure Heart can find no Relish in. My every Word is of Weight; and spoken, not to entertain the Curious, and tickle Itching Ears, but to subdue the Heart, and command a ftrict Obedience. Hear therefore, but hear as becomes thee, with refpectful Silence, and entire Submiffion; with profound and awful Humility; with an earnest Defire to be taught; and fincere and vigorous Refolutions of doing as thou art taught. Difciple.] I own the mighty Favour, and heartily acknowledge, with thy Holy Prophet, That Blefjed is the Man whom thou chafteneft, O Lord, and teacheft him in thy Law; That thou Pfal. xciv. mayeft give him Strength in time of Adverfity, left be fall away with the Ungodly. Chrift.] That Prophet fpoke what I infpired, and fo did all thofe Holy Men of old; for they were all of my fending. Nor is my Care at all abated now, tho' the |