Doth your baptizing old men or women avail any thing I indeed baptize you onely with water saith Iohn Mat. 3.11 Joh. 1.26 And this you do and mightily lean upon this weak shadow or figure and it is to be feared that many amongst you are like unto those in the Acts where Paul asked them If they had received the holy Ghost and they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost Acts 19.2 3. Are not you carnally minded about the ordinances of God for the most part of you as the Apostle speaks in 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Doth not the most part of you rest in outsides of Religion being but very little acquainted with the truth and power of Religion as it is in the Spirit What difference is there between parishes and you from which you dissent They for the most part rest in a meer outside form of godliness read 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. and think they were baptized when they were young and if they hear Sermons then they may be admitted to the Sacrament as they think by the Minister or Elders and if there be no more but this it is a meer outside shew and a form that wil not profit and is it not so with many of you that are called Anabaptists If you be but admited by those that say they wil baptize you then you lean much upon this and say now you are within the door but beware for many go in at this door and return out again with litle profit mistake me not I prize the ordinances of God and therefore I speak of the formality that most use in and about them I shal ask one question Are you acquainted experimentally with the Baptism of Jesus Christ upon your spirits even the sprinkling of clean water upon you and this wil purge your corrupt natures Ezek. 36.25 And this water wil refresh thy parched soul Isa 44.3 And this water wil be as a Wel of Living Water for to comfort thee in all thy straits Joh. 7.37 38 39. He saith John shal baptize you with the holy Ghost meaning Jesus Christ Mark 1.8 Now you that are called Anabaptists and you Presbyterians if you were acquainted with the Baptism of Jesus Christ that would clear up your judgments which I conceive are very dark for God is Love and if you were acquainted with this Baptism it would teach you to love one another read 1 Joh. 3.18 19 20 21 22 23 24. But one of you prays against the other which is not wel One word more to you that are rigid Anabaptists for you make a division in the body of Christ for Christ and his members are one 1 Cor. 12.12 13 14. And those that are one with Jesus Christ you judg not fit to be members or one with you if they be not of your judgment or opinion But we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.17 And by one Spirit saith the Apostle we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And those that are joyned to the Lord are one spirit with the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 And wil you slight those or separate your self from those that God hath joyned to himself This is not wel judg not according to externals be not over rigid in censuring Cease to be legal learn to be spiritual and then you wil love one another for salvation doth not depend upon diping or sprinkling or plunging or washing read Gal. 6.15 Sect. 5 One word to you that are moderate Anabaptists Do not the publick professors of this Kingdom both Ministers and people for the most part rest in an outside and a visible form of Religion I know you wil answer Yes I ask is it not so with the most part of those that are of your opinion Do they not rest too much in the form and shadow not being acquainted with Christ crucified who is the power of God and the wisdom of God and the salvation that God gives to men 1 Cor. 1.13 14.23 24. The Baptism of water for profession is nigh at hand and both young and old receive it But the Baptism of the Spirit is far off and few there be that have it but those that have it do not go back again to the shadow because Christ the Sun doth shine who is the Substance Mary Magdalen after she had seen Christ was risen from the grave she did not return back again to look Christ in the grave Joh. 20.11.16 17 18. Now you that lean so much upon the Baptism of water if you have no more that wil profit but little But moderate and Christian friend the Baptism of the Spirit of Christ wil teach us to profit in all conditions It wil teach us to know the world to be passing away and all the glory of it to be but as grass It wil teach us to dye to the world with Christ upon the Cross Gal. 6.14 15. It wil teach us to go down with Christ from the Cross into the Grave and there to see sin the devil the world the grave and the old man conquered and subdued and Jesus Christ triumphing from the Cross to the grave and in the grave and this is the Christians dayly work if they have faith read Col. 2.12 13 14 15. And so this blessed Spirit wil baptize every true Beleever every day more and more into the resurrection of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 Now a true Beleever being raised up from the grave together with Jesus Christ is made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2.5 6. And this is the Baptism that wil profit us and answer all our doubts and fil our hearts ful of the joy of the Lord that is Christ the bridegroom of the soul and the soul standeth to hear the voyce of Christ and greatly rejoyceth in that Jesus Christ is the spiritual Loadstone that draws up the soul to himself in whom the soul centers and finds its rest and in him the soul spiritually injoys all the ordinances and with Jesus Christ comes down again to all external ordinances and becomes weak to the weak that he may gain some and so likewise Iohn Baptist did rejoyce in Christs Ministry for he saw that to be glorious and said Christ should increase and the glory of his Ministry should run up into Christs Ministry He must increase saith John but I must decrease Joh. 3.29 30. Now you that rest so much upon water the Baptism of an outward profession and slight all those that are not of your opinion and you contend much for the time when and the manner how this ordinance of God must be administred Not to young children you say but to men and women of years because a young child cannot make a verbal Confession of Faith it is true indeed but a man or a woman in years may learn by education to make a verbal Confession of
to take content in outward observations and say O! the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and the ordinances of the Lord are these and yet we know not the good will of him that dwelt in the bush Jere. 7.4 Exod. 3.2 6 7 8. And thus we outwardly appear before men but inwardly we are ignorant of God and of Jesus Christ as it will appear in most Parish Churches for one saith he hath believed ever since he could remember and another she saith she hath as good a heart as the best and another he hopes to be saved for his good meaning and for his good thoughts and another saith he believes as the Church believes and another saith he believes what the Preacher saith and whether it be true or false he cannot tell but God forbid but he should believe his Minister Now such people are soon drawn to a form of Religion of any fashion for as the State changes so they wil change Now there are some others that can talk learnedly they think they know much but indeed and in truth they understand but little of Jesus Christ yet they may have a curious form of Religion and a glossie form of religious words which they may get by a customary way of Religion and by the abilities of nature and by reading in good Books as in a Catechism and the like and so they may speak the words that other men hath labored for and learn them and so much a Parrot may do and doth do Mistake me not I speak not against the using of good Books for I know those that are lame must have a crurch But one word with understanding and grace is better then a thousand words in a Catechism without understanding And so likewise Sect. 2 we may be like to the Jews in seeming to take delight in approaching to God upon our Fasting days as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh Isaiah 58.2 If we do that which is like unto the Jews then we are like unto the Jews and if we do not fast unto the Lord then we do fast unto our selves but if we do fast unto the Lord then what meaneth this bleating of the sheep saith Samuel to Saul what meaneth saith the Prophet Isaiah this putting forth of the finger and speaking against our neighbors and brethren what meaneth this strife and debate and this biting and devouring one another and this smitting with the fist in private Is not this wickedness to bow down our heads as a bull-rush and yet these things remain and we seemingly call upon the Lord. But this is not to fast unto the Lord. Read Zech. 7.5 6 7 8 9 10. Now if it would please God to help us but to keep one right Fasting day then we should loose the bands of wickedness and undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free and break every yoke and deal our bread to the hungry and cover the naked and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother Then this would be a fast unto the Lord and a feast unto men Read Isai 58.6 7. Now the Elders that are not able to feed the flock of God they outwardly appear to be religious before men as Christ speaketh so you may read Matth. 23.27 28. And so saith the Prophet Micah concerning the Prophets and so saith the Lord They make my people erre they seem to be that which they are not that bite with their teeth and cry Peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him Have not we had many such Prophets and Elders in our days read Micah 3.5 6. And so likewise the Lord takes notice of the people as well as of the Prophets and the Priests The Prophets prophecy falsly saith the Lord and the Priests bear rule by their means and this is a horrible thing committed in the land and my people saith the Lord love to have it so Mark this O ye people of England for the Lord takes notice of you that call truth error and error truth Jere. 5.30 31. Now the Elders that are not able to feed the flock of God and the priests that teach for hire and the heads of the house of Jacob that abhor judgment or neglect to do justice to the poor and so pervert all equity yet saith the Prophet they will lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us My desire is that these things were not to be found amongst us at this day read Micah 3.9 10 11 12. Zeph. 3.3 4. Mark what the Prophet Micah saith They lean upon the Lord that is they lean upon the ordinances of the Lord in a carnal way they lean upon being outwardly baptized and the hearing of the Word preached and the outward receiving of the Sacrament and they lean upon Church-fellowship and upon an outward Confession of Faith onely in words But mark now what our Saviour Christ speaks John 6.63 The flesh profiteeh nothing mistake me not I say to lean upon the outside of the ordinances of God profiteth nothing which the most part of the world doth to this day The leaning upon being baptized with water either young or old profiteth nothing but the being baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire that will teach you and help you to profit and that will refine you and thorowly purge your hearts and gather you as good wheat into Christ garner Luke 3.16 17. And so to lean upon the outward preaching of the Word that will not profit us until Christ open our ears and speak in our hearts and say this is the way and I will inable you to walk in this my way and you shall spiritually hear this voice and I will wait saith the Lord to be gracious unto you and I will turn a pure language unto you and you shall serve the Lord with one consent read Isai 35.5 6. 30.18 19 21. Zeph. 3.9 And when this is we shall profit and with Samuel we shall say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3.9 10. And so likewise to lean upon the outward receiving of the Sacrament it will profit nothing A blinde man that 's bid to a feast though he cannot see the excellence of the feast yet he may tast of the goodness and sweetness of the banquet but in this case of coming to the Sacrament it is otherwise for a man may see carnally but he cannot tast spiritually but he that cannot tast spiritually of the Lords banquet he cannot see spiritually and so he sits naked not having faith to see the want of Christs righteousness and so he sits naked before the King and the Saints Now Christ is the King of this banquet and a man not having faith is speechless when Christ speaks unto him read Mat. 22.11 12. Now a Saint and a true Beleever are in a better condition for they both see and tast of the sweetness of Christ and of the infinite love
of God the Father and the unspeakable and sweet comforts of the holy Ghost and that in a spiritual way in all the ordinances they do not nor cannot lean upon the outside of any ordinance A true Beleever sees within the vail and sees the most holy of all Mine eyes saith old Simeon have seen thy salvation O Lord Luk. 2.29 30. A Saint sees Christ in the Spirit though he be vailed with flesh A true Beleever sits down at the table with Christ who is the King of this banquet and there is friendly discourse between Christ and a poor soul A poor soul sits down under the shadow of Christ with great delight and the graces of Christ are sweet to my tast saith the poor foul Cant. 2.3 4 5 6. Now Christ answers the poor soul again and saith Thy graces smel sweeter that I have given thee then the ointments of all spices Cant. 4.8 9 10. Now a beleeving soul is married to God and Christ and doth confess all her sufficiency is from God and from Christ While the King siteth at his table saith the poor soul my spikenard sendeth forth the smel thereof that is while Christ is in the soul to act those graces that he hath given into the soul so long those graces send forth a pleasant sinel Cant. 1.12 13. Now Christ being once in the soul is for ever in the soul and with the poor soul for to help it in all its wants and loves it to the end that is for evermore Joh. 13.1 And Christ promises That he wil never leave the poor soul nor forsake it in its greatest wants Heb. 13.5 6. Now a poor soul begins to be strong in the Lord because Jesus Christ hath taught it to cal God Father Mat. 6.9 And Christ himself cals the poor soul his brother and his sister and tels them he wil pray his Father and their Father for to send his love-token into their hearts that is the sweet Spirit of God for to uphold them in the hour of temptation and to comfort them in their greatest distress and to teach them to have communion and fellowship with God and with Jesus Christ and this is the food that a true beleeving soul feeds upon in all the ordinances of God and in all the promises and providences of God in this world and this is that which a Saint leans upon even upon the very bosome of God and of Jesus Christ as that beloved Disciple did lean upon the brest of Christ at Supper Joh. 21.20 Sect. 3 Now by this means a true beleeving soul begins to be without slavish fear and without bastard-like fear because God hath said Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I wil strengthen thee yea I wil help thee O thou poor weary soul yea I wil uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Isa 41.10 Now this is that which holds up the head of a beleeving man or woman in this troublesom world for they see a way made by the blood of Jesus a new and living way and by the hand of faith they can take spiritual food out of that new and living way and feed upon that when worldly food seemeth to decay Heb. 10.19 20. And so likewise a beleeving man by the eye of faith doth see himself secure in this new and living way though the world should be turned upside down What saith the Prophet Habakkuk Although saith he the fields should yeeld no meat and the flocks were cut off from the fold and there should be no herd in the stals Mark the condition of a true beleeving man Yet saith he I wil rejoyce in the Lord and I wil joy in the God of my salvation Habak 3.17 18. I wil lift up mine eyes saith the beleeving man unto the hils from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth Psa 121.1 2 3. Now in the next place to lean upon Church-fellowship this wil not profit us But there is a fellowship which the Apostle speaks of which wil profit us Truly saith the Apostle we and all that do truly beleeve our fellowship saith he is with God and with Jesus Christ read 1 Joh. 1.3 4 and this fellowship is by way of union I in them and thou in me saith Christ that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 24. I shal now speak a word to those that are in external Church-fellowship Sect. 4 who hold it not fit for to have communion with one in some ordinances nay almost in all if one be not in fellowship with them but count of one as to be without or to be men of the world or almost as bad as Heathens in that condition But the Foundation or Being of the Saints is built upon the eternal good wil and good pleasure of God which he had purposed in himself before the world was and hath chosen us with an unchangeable love in him that is in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world That we should be holy and without blame before him in love read Eph. 1.4 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Here you may see the original of the Saints from whence they are They come forth from God and they go with Jesus Christ to God their Father again For their life is hid with Christ in God read Col. 3.3 4. Joh. 14.19 20. For at that day saith Christ to the Saints ye shal know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and because I live ye shal live also And where I am there shal you be also and you shal behold my glory saith Christ to the poor souls of men and rejoyce in that and you shal see my Fathers love in me and it shal be in you and I wil be in you read Ioh. 17.23 24 26. Here you may see from whence the Saints are and upon what fellowship they lean They lean upon the unchangable love of God and they lean upon their friend Jesus Christ and they lean upon the coming forth of the sweet Spirit from God and from Jesus Christ into their hearts and that sweet Spirit wil shew them things to come as Christ tels them and that blessed Spirit wil teach them to profit and he wil make Jesus Christ beautiful in their eyes for he shal receive from God and from Jesus Christ and shal shew it unto them as Christ himself speaks read Ioh. 16.13 14 15. Isa 33.16 17. Here you may see what heavenly provision and what a sure place of rest the holy one of Israel hath prepared for every true beleeving soul and here you may see what fellowship God and Jesus Christ have with every true beleeving man or woman And wil you that are called Anabaptists have no fellowship with those that God and Christ and the holy Spirit of God have fellowship withall except they be baptized your way You say to be baptized young availeth nothing I ask
life but we are to work from a principle of life which is in Christ Jesus A right knowledg of this and the exceeding great and precious promises and the in-comes and the in-dwelling of the Divine Nature in our nature and in our hearts Now this is the seed in the tree of life which wil cause us to â—ease from our selves whose breath is in our nostrils and we shal cease from our own doings For wherein are we to be accounted of Now in this day and at this time The loftiness and the haughtiness of men shal be made low and the Lord alone shal be exalted in that day read and compare 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Isa 2.17 20 21 22. together Now when the grace of God in Christ doth abound in your hearts saith the Apostle That wil make you that ye shal neither be barren nor unfruitful in the works of the Lord nor in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ read 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. Now this wil stop the mouths of your adversaries that say that you say Christ hath done all for you and you need to do nothing Now I know you wil answer and say as Christ said to Philip The words that you speak The Saints defence and the works that you do it is not you that do them but it is Christ who is God that dwelleth in you that doth all in you and for you and by the strength of Christ you do what you do and Christ shal have all the praise Ioh. 14.10 Fourthly You are accused of saying That you need not pray for the pardon of sin Of the pardon of Sin Now the Love of God and the Blood of Jesus are the pardon of sin and the pardon for sin and the sweet Spirit of God is the Messenger that brings the Manifestations of this pardon unto the soul nay into the soul and makes it glad In my love I have bloted out thy sins as a thick cloud saith the Lord. Isa 44.22 And with my Sons blood I have writen a pardon Rom. 5.8 9 10 11. Heb. 9.22 28. Now this pardon lies in the Covenant ordered in all things and made everlastingly sure though I do not as yet beleeve it or at sometimes I do not so clearly see it or feel it in my soul Read and consider 2 Sam. 23.4 5. Hebr. 10.16 17 18 19. Now in time of Trouble The time of Temptation or in time of Ignorance when men do not beleeve or in time of Desertion when God doth withdraw himself or hide his face or in the time of men being weak in faith then they are apt to think that there is no pardon or that there must be one got made for them but there is one ready for them before they pray for it or cal for it Isa 42.6 7. Now the love of God and the blood of this man saith the Apostle meaning Christ who offered one sacrifice for sins from the foundation of the world 1 John 4.9 Heb. 10.12 14. Rev. 13.8 Now this is the pardon that is ever ready for poor siners to come unto and it is able to save them to the uttermost Hebrews 7.24 25 26. Now we are not so much to ask for the pardon for that is sure and stedfast in the heaven of God but we are to ask much more for the manifestations of this pardon in our own souls and that by the Spirit of God and this wil make the lame man leap as an Hart Isa 35.5 How the soul is refreshed 6 7. and make the sick man wel and heal all our doubts and expel our fears and make us holy and heavenly before God as for instance saith Ieremiah The Comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me Lam. 1.16 And so in David Lord saith he I know my pardon is sure but there is a cloud before me and it Lord saith he take this cloud away Davids prayer Ps 51. opened and cause me to hear the joy and gladness that I had wont to have in and with the Spirit of Christ O Lord restore this joy and let me have thy free Spirit to comfort me and uphold me O Lord let thy holy Spirit be constantly in my brest or in my heart that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce The absence of thy Spirit O God is as the breaking of bones and the presence of thy Spirit O God is as marrow and fatness and as wine upon the lees And thus it was in David Psa 51.8 9 10 11 12. And thus it was between the Church and the Spirit of Christ in her union and communion with the Spirit of Christ I am thine and thou art mine saith the soul to Christ I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine And this we know saith the Apostle by the Spirit of God which he hath freely given unto us Cant. 6.3 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Now the question is not whether there be a pardon or not a pardon but whether I saith a poor soul have any interest in this pardon or no The perplexities of a poor soul wanting assurance I know not And if I had saith a poor soul or if I could but get saith another poor soul the assurance of the pardon of my sins then I should tread the world under my feet I know saith another poor soul that there is a pardon but whether it be for me or no it is not as yet revealed unto me but if it were revealed in my soul then it would be as a crown of life to me as David said Lord saith he thou hast crowned me with loving kindness and with tender mercies Psa 103.4 10 11 12. Now the word Pardon which is so much spoke of amongst us and prayed for by us it is apparently known to be and to be generally held forth unto all men for Christ hath spread as large a plaister as Adam made the sore Rom. 5.18 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. And life and death good and evil blessing and cursing are set before men therefore chuse life O men for why wil ye dye O ye sons of men Deut. 30.13 14 15 19. Ezek. 18.31 Now you wil say I am for general Redemption and for free wil. I answer An Objectionmade and answered I am for that which God is for It is not in faln man to direct his steps to God Jer. 10.23 All men in Adam went out of the way from God and are to be found in a way of sin Rom. 3.11 12 18. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots No it is their nature we have a proverb That custom is a second nature Man at the first falling into sin sin is become a custom and so is become a second nature and so men drink in sin as a fish drinks in water John 8.44 The Ethiopian cannot change his skin no more can a man change himself that is accustomed to sin Ier. 13.23 A man in his sins is dead
City for they can neither give this good thing nor hinder the one thing needful nor take away this free gift of God which wil make a man free in troublesom times An Use of sweet comfort Now Christ is the good thing and the one thing needful and the free gift of God and the substance of Religion within a man and by his Spirit he wil be a Wel of living water springing up into everlasting life within the soul and spirit of a man And this wil be meat and drink spiritual which the world knows not of This wil refresh a man in the time of greatest troubles and the world cannot take this sweet food away Psal 27.4 5. Luke 10.42 John 4.10 14 32. And though men of all sorts be striving now for externals in matters of Religion meer circumstances shadows that wil flie away Yet amongst these men there are two sorts of men which may be divided into four sorts of men and these four sorts of men may be all the servants of Christ as those four beasts were which you may read of Rev. 4.6 7 8. And these four sorts of men may be divided into two parts comparatively as Presbyterians and Independents Now if you wil divide the Presbyterians into two parts you shal find them acting like unto those two first beasts which I before spake of And the first beast is like a Lion and the second beast like a Calf and the third beast had a face as a man and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle Now the first part of the Presbyterians did not they begin to move Lion-like with majesty speed and roughness and did not some of them say as the chief Captain said of Paul Let him be brought into the Castle and be examined by scourging only they wanted power read Acts 22.24 25. The second part of the Presbyterians moves like a Calf that is more slowly more moderately and with less harm Now divide the Independents into two parts and the first of them moves and hath a face like a man that is more rational more temperate more condescending in the worship of God to do as he would be done by Now the second part of the Independents moves like an Eagle that is flying high even unto the third Heaven where Christ is where they see things unutterable and ful of glory and for this they depend only upon God and herein they are not Independents as some cal them But now the Lion-like and the Calf-like and he that had the face like a man begin to raise troubles and jealousies against him that is Eagle-like because say they he flies too high we cannot discern him nor agree with him But shal I now Sect. 2 as a friend give you a reason why you cannot discern him that is like an Eagle it is because you are dul of hearing and are unskilful in the word of righteousnes for ye are as babes for strong meat belongeth to them that are of ful age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil as you may read heb 5.11 12 13 14. And thus our dul-headed Prelatical Clergy for the most part were wont to cal those that were Eagle-like Puritans and now at this time they cal them Roundheads and others there are that cal them Familists and Sectaries Now here are three that are striving in the world and make a great deal of stir about circumstances and things which wil change And the first is the Presbytery and they are striving for preeminence and for a form to sit easie on Now the second is the Independents which would fain have their own way but they shal suffer for it if some had but power Now while these two are striving the third party which is the Episcopal or the Prelatical party or Priests comes in with their long black gowns coats A ministry not coming out from Christ is not Christian but Antichristian that loves not the flock for they cannot feed the flock Mar. 13.21 22 23 1 Joh. 4.1 2 3. John 21.15 16 17. skarfs and girdles with roses at them as though they were singular above all other men and they bring in their easie common Service Book and an old Homily or a Sermon preached over and over and it may be never the better a piece of art which they for the most part study and this art doth consist of Rhetorick that is to be elegant and to speak plausible words though it may be they are but little acquainted with the lively part of divine Theology but only the Theorick they are fine Theoricians that is they can speak much of that which they can practise little or nothing of and with this the most people in this Kingdom are wel pleased Take an Instance Jere. 5.30 31. 4.22 And thus these three are striving for external things meer outsides circumstances fig leaves And thus these three feed upon low mean food but some of them I hope do feed upon true food though like babes weakly But for the most part of these three which I have spoken of they feed upon low earthly food as outside forms with little or no love in them or as it were A ministry that hath Christ in possession witnesseth a good profession of Christ in Faith Verity 1 Tim. 6.11 12 13. with gilded fig leaves and the like But now the Eagle-like or the man that is like the flying Eagle he is about the throne of God and feeds upon Angels food Isai 6.1 2 3. Now such a man doth the work of Angels because he is in the Spirit as John was on the Lords day which day is Jesus Christ Rev. 1.10 13 19. 4.6 7 8. Now such a man feeds upon delicate spiritual food in the heaven of God Sect. 3 which heaven is Christ Now such a beleeving man or woman takes no delight in the box except the pearl be therein It is not the beautiful box that such a soul takes delight in but it is the pearl Christ or Christ the pearl that the soul is fixed upon as you may instance in Mary It was not the two glorious Angels sitting in white that gave Mary content but she remains weeping and enquiring for her Lord Christ and when Christ began to speak to her he so spake to her heart that her soul ecchoed again to him and she said Master O Master thou art he whom my soul loveth John 20.11 12 13 14 15 16. Now the only good thing in troublesom times and in the hour of distress and in sad temptations is to have rivers of living Water living comforting water of life which Christ gives Now this water is the Spirit the Spirit of comforts or the gracious comforting Spirit read John 7.37 38 39. Now this sweet water of life is comfortable in sickly times but especially upon the sick bed when a man comes to lie upon his dying pillow then to have this sweet Spirit