grace, and the gift (the free gift) by grace, which is upon all to justification of life, that receive it, and follow the teachings, of it.

Peter fpeaks of the more fure word of prophecy, to which men fhould take heed; and wait (in taking heed to that) for the dawning of the day, and the arifing of the day-ftar in the heart, 2 Peter i. 19. Indeed, all men ought to wait for, and give heed to, the light of God's Holy Spirit, and the holy prophecies, warnings, and directions thereof in their hearts.

And John, at laft, as I may fay, in that book of the Revelation (closing up the teftimony of that age and generation) fpeaks of walking in the light of the Lamb, chap. xxi. 23, 24. (which every one that comes to witness the true light ought to do, elfe there is no true fellowship with God, nor with his fanctified ones, who are gathered into and walk in the light, even as God is in the light, 1 John i. 7.) And the angel that opened the prophecies and myfteries of that book to John, faid, that the teftimony of Jefus is the Spirit of prophecy, chap. xix. 10. So then, he that hath this fpirit of prophecy, he that hath this inward light, hath the teftimony of Jefus; but he that hath it not, hath not the teftimony itself, but only words concerning the teftimony. For this is the diftinction between the true believer and the false; the true believer hath the spirit of prophecy, the witnefs in himself, 1 John v. 10.: the falfe believer hath but the outward teftimony or relation of things; but not the inward fubftance, the covenant and law of life within...

QUESTION II.

What doth this light do inwardly in the hearts of those that receive it, believe in it, and give up to it?

A N S W E R.

It doth all that is requifite to be done, from the foul's coming out of fpiritual Egypt into the land of reft; and all that is needful for its growth and prefervation there.

First, It enlighteneth. It fheweth what is evil, and alfo what is good, according to the measure and proportion of it, and according to God's caufing it to shine in the heart. It discovers the mystery of darkness, the mystery of ungodliness, the mystery of iniquity, the mystery of deceit in all its mysterious workings; for nothing is hid from the light of him with whom we have to do. And it also discovers the mystery of godliness, the mystery of holiness, the pure way and commandment of life; and gives all the believers (the true believers in Chrift) this experience, that bis commandment is life everlasting. There is nothing the heart needs defire to know of God, but this makes it manifeft in the due feason. It opens the_very_mystery of the fcriptures, gives the right understanding and application

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application of the promises, and fulfils the prophecies thereof in the heart.

Secondly, It doth not only manifeft the good and evil, but likewife inclines the mind to chufe the good, and refufe the evil. It draws from the evil, and towards the good; yea, and the foul is made willing in the day of him who is light, and who appears in the light, and reveals 'his power there. There is a way, an high-way, fpoken of, Ifa. xxxv.. 8. called the way of holiness, which the unclean can neither difcern nor pass over to ; but the light of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the measure of grace and truth wherewith he enlightens men, fo manifefts and leads into this way, 'that they that are taught and guided by him, fhall walk therein, and not err.

Thirdly, It fcatters the darknefs, breaks the power of the enemy; it makes one with him who is all power, and giveth to partake thereof; fo that power is given to become fons in the light, to the children of the light power given to become kings and priests to God; power given to reign in the dominion of his life, in the dominion of his truth, over fin, over death, over deceit; and to offer up the holy living facrifices to God. What fhall I fay? It is one with Chrift, it is of his heavenly Spirit and nature, it makes way for him, it leads to him, it fills with him, it brings into unity and fellowship both with the Father and the Son, where the peace which paffeth understanding, and the joy unfpeakable and full of glory, abounds. This is the gofpel meffage, that God is light; and they that are gathered into and abide in this light, they are gathered into, and abide in unity and fellowship, both with the Father and the Son.

David had great fense, and great experience of this light of God's Holy Spirit, and of his truth fent forth, manifefted, and revealed in his inward parts, as is fignified, Pfal. li. 6. and again, in that vehement prayer of his, Pfal. xliii. 3. Ob! Send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy bill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God the gladness of my joy; yea, upon the harp will I praife thee, O God, my God. Indeed when the light fhines, and the truth fprings up in the heart, it leads to him that is true, it leads to the holy hill and mountain of the Lord, and to the inward altar; which they have no right to, who serve and worship at the outward; and the harp is known whereon the Most High is praised, even that inward harp, whereof David's outward harp was but the figure. Therefore they that come to the holy hill of God, to the mountain of the Lord's houfe, and to that holy building which was reared there, they invite and encourage others to walk in that light which led them thither, wherein communion with God, and one with another, and the bleffings of life and peace are enjoyed, Ifa. ii. 5.

But what fhould I fpeak of the fufficiency of the light and grace of the Spirit of our Lord Jefus Chrift, or of what it is able to do, and of what he is pleased to work by it? I fhall only fay this, that as the fullness was enough for Chrift, and to fit him for the work which he had to do; fo the

measure

measure of grace and truth which he bestows, is enough for every man, My grace is fufficient for thee, faid God to Paul; and fo it is for every man. There is no want of fufficiency in the grace of God, in the feed of the kingdom, in the pearl of price, in the holy leaven, in the heavenly falt; but the virtue and strength of it is greater than the enemy is able to withstand; and he that keeps to it, and departs not from it, fhall feel life and power springing up in it, to quicken him and carry him through all that God requires of him. For the water which Chrift gives is a well, fpringing up (in him to whom it is given) unto life eternal; and this water is able to wash, able to nourish, able to fill the foul with living virtue, which waiteth for it and partaketh of it. And all the nations of them that are faved, are to walk in the light of God's Spirit. To this men are to be turned, unto this they are to be gathered, into this they are to be tranf lated (even from the kingdom of darkness, into the Son's marvellous light); and being changed by it (into its nature) become light in the Lord, and ought to walk in the light, as God is in the light, 1 John i. 7.

How doth the mind come to be enlightened, and the candle of the Lord come to be fet up in the foul?

A N S. W E R.

By God's caufing it to fhine there, and the mind's being turned to it, and given up to be exercised by it, as it pleafeth the Lord to caufe it to fhine.

The power of the Lord reacheth to the pure principle of life and light in the heart, in the feasons of his good pleasure. This being reached to and touched by the Lord, anfwers his touch, his vifit, his call; and the mind being turned to it, fenfible of it, and willing to let it into its nature and fpirit, and to become one with it, (fuffering with it, and bearing its; crofs); the feed cometh to grow there, the light which was hid and overwhelmed under the earth (under the earthly wifdom, the earthly will, the earthly knowledge, the earthly defires, the earthly delights, &c.), cometh to be lighted up there; yea, the life cometh to be quickened more and more, and the holy leaven to spread more and more there. And this fenfible plant of God's renown being thus entertained, and being not after-: wards grieved, defpifed, quenched, or hurt, by the giving way to, and letting in of that which is contrary to it, it fhooteth up into a kingdom of righteousness, into a tree of righteoufnefs, within. the compafs whereof, and under the fhadow whereof, the foul fitteth down in peace and reft, and is defended and nourished with that which is pure and living, and full of the pure fap and virtue, and fo becomes ftrong in the Lord, and in the A a 2

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power of his might, against the power and ftrength of darkness. Now this all men may experience (at firft in fome low measure and degree, and afterwards more and more), as they come to feel after, and have a sense of that which is of God, and good in the heart, and come to join and give up to it. For then it will be working againft, and purging out, that which is of a contrary nature, and overspreading the heart with its own nature; infomuch as that which was the leaft will become the greatest; and that which was the lowest of all (and indeed trampled under foot) will rise up into dominion and power over all, and bring all under. So that the lofty city, the lofty building of fleshly wisdom, and of fin and iniquity in the heart, will be laid low, and the feet of the feed fhall tread it down; even the feet of that which was once poor and needy, until it was anointed, and its horn exalted by the Lord.

How is the light or candle of the Lord diminished, and at length extinguifked or put out in fome? Or how cometh that about?

A N S W E R.

By their neglecting, defpifing, quenching it; hearkening and giveing way to the contrary fpirit in its motions and temptations. For as the good let in, ftops and works out the evil; fo the evil let in, ftops and works out the good: fo the Philiftine nature given way to, ftops the inward well which Jacob had digged and opened. There is a time when life is a mystery, a fountain fealed, and there is a time wherein God unfeals the fountain, and opens the mystery in the heart. Oh! then great care is to be had, and the foul is to lie very low in the pure fear, that it may continue in his goodness, and walk worthy of his love, that the fountain may be kept open, and the pure fprings of the Holy Land flow, and not be fealed and fhut up again. For there are fome that rebel against the light, and they dwell in a dry land. There were fome that did always refift and vex God's Spirit, and the Lord's Spirit ceased striving with them, and gave them up to a reprobate fenfe and judgment concerning the things of God. There are fome that do not improve God's good talent, and from them that which was once given is again taken away. Yea, the candle of the wicked fhall one time or other be put out, and they shall be filent in darkness, and their mouth ftopped from having any thing to fay against God, his truth, and people, for evermore. And all men had need to take heed how they be wanton with the grace of God, or despise the day of their vifitation by the holy light of God's Spirit; for if God take away the talent, if God put out the inward candle, who can light it again? Oh! how did poor David, the man after God's own heart, fuffer by letting the enemy's temptations in upon him! Caft me not away from thy presence, faid he, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Indeed he did lofe his condi

tion at the present, and he speaks as a man in danger of being quite undone ; though afterwards he came to comfort and affurance that God would restore him to the joy of his falvation, and light his candle, and enlighten his darknefs again.

But I am not infenfible of what doubts and disputes there are in mens minds about this teftimony which we give (from certain knowledge and true experience) concerning the light wherewith God enlighteneth fouls. At first, when the teftimony first came forth, men would not grant fuch a thing as a light from God in men, which convinced of and reproved for fin; but now there are many will affent to that, who yet cannot believe it to be a measure of the grace and truth which comes by Jefus Chrift, and that in it the fufficiency and power of God is revealed, against the strength and power of Satan. But let fuch seriously consider,

First, Who they are that have teftified, and testify, of this light. They are perfons who generally have been deeply exercifed in religion: perfons who have read the fcriptures very diligently, with much praying and waiting upon God, for the true, certain, and clear understanding of them: perfons who (several of them) have had experience of moft (if not all other) feparated ways, but could never meet with the answer of the cry of their fouls, nor with fatisfaction to that birth which breathed in them after the Lord night and day.

Secondly, What their testimony is; which is manifold. As firft, that they were by the Lord (even by his Holy Spirit, and the fhinings and fpringings of his precious feed in them) turned to this light, and fhewn it to be of God. Secondly, That in turning to it, they ftill meet with the presence, appearance, and power of the Lord working in their hearts. Thirdly, That it did not only difcover fin to them, but alfo powerfully refift it, fight against it, and bring it under; which no light and power befides the light and power of God's Spirit can do. Fourthly, That the life of the Son is manifefted and revealed in it, and they come therein truly to fee, and taste, and handle the Word of eternal life. Fifthly, That in this light they come to witness cleanfing by the blood of the Lamb, and the everlafting covenant made with them (even the fure mercies of David), and the holy precious promises fulfilled in them, whereby they are made partakers of the divine nature, and come to witness an entrance into the holy city, and drink of the ftreams of the pure crystal river, which refresh and make glad the city of our God, and all the tabernacles wherein he dwells. Laftly, To mention no more, the Lord hath fhewn them how this had been formerly with them, even in the days of their former profeffion; and how God had wrought by this in them in former times, though they then knew it not; and that all their ability then to understand any thing of God aright, or to pray unto him, or reap any true benefit from the fcriptures, was through the stirring of this in them, whereby God even then, in fome meafure, enlightened and quickened their minds. For there being fuch a prin

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