him and keepeth him under: and the just live by the faith which giveth victory over him.

A PREFACE TO THE EXPERIENCES.

IT hath pleased the Lord, to unseal and open the Fountain of life, in the midst of his heritage; so that in his light do they see light, and in his life do they reap and enjoy life. And the precious promises are fulfilled in the midst of them, of sending the Comforter, and pouring out of the Holy Spirit; so that he that believeth, out of his belly do flow rivers of living water. Yea, the Lord hath a vineyard of his own planting, which he keepeth night and day (lest any hurt it), and watereth every moment. Oh, the streams of life, the streams of love, the streams of grace, the streams of mercy, the streams of peace, the streams of joy and consolation, which flow from him into the bosoms of his children! Indeed grace and mercy and peace are multiplied from God our Father, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, daily; insomuch as that saying of Christ to his disciples (John xvi. 26, 27.) is now fulfilled: "I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father himself loveth you," &c. The Father in his love hath brought us to the Son, and the Son in the same love hath brought us back to the Father; and now the love flows from the Father, in and through the Son, most naturally and abundantly. And where the heart is circumcised, and much forgiven, there also love returns back most truly and naturally; so that the Lord our God, in the Lord Jesus Christ, is loved with all the heart, and with all the soul, and nothing is thought too good to sacrifice to him, nor any thing too much to suffer for him. Oh, the pure love that springs and flows between the heavenly Father and the spiritual child! The best love that is to be found in this world (in the men of this world) is not worthy to be a shadow of it. God is love: and his children are of him, and partake of and dwell in the same

love, though the enmity and highest wisdom of this world know them not, nor can know them; even as it never could know the children of the true wisdom formerly.

Now, from this Fountain, do not only issue springs and streams of life to refresh our own hearts; but testimonies concerning the life which we feel and partake of, and concerning our travels from the dark land, through the valley of tears (where he who gave us life was our well), towards our resting-place. These, many times, spring up in us for the sakes of others: of which nature are the things which follow. For not for my own sake did they spring up in me at this time; but to signify to others the mercy the Lord hath shown me, and the way wherein he hath led me, and what he hath given me to taste of and experience in the way; which will answer every true palate, every palate that is seasoned with life, and with the true experience. And having received them from the Lord for this very end, to hold them forth to others in love and tenderness of spirit, my heart is freely given up to him therein; not aiming at any thing thereby, but his glory singly, and the good of such souls to whom he shall please to extend favor and show mercy, in opening the heavenly mystery of life and salvation to them.

I have often said in my heart, Who hath begotten me these? Who would have said that Sarah should have given children suck! My wound was deep, and seemed incurable. But blessed be the Lord, who hath made known to me the physician of value, for whom no disease is too hard; but he is able to cure every sickness, and to relieve and rescue all that are captived and oppressed by the devil, that come unto him and wait upon him, in the way of his righteous judgments and most tender mercies. For after all my religion and deep exercises, and inward experiences and knowledge, I came to such a loss of what I once had, that I sensibly felt I knew not the Lord, and lay continually groaning and mourning after him, and deeply afflicted for want of him. Oh, the pure light, and precious life, and sweet presence of my God, that my soul wanted, insomuch

that my moisture was turned into the drought of summer, and my bones grown dry and withered! But at length, the Lord, in his goodness (Oh, blessed for ever be his name!), breathed upon the dry bones, and I felt life enter from him into me, and the days of deep sorrow and distress were at length forgotten, because a man-child was at length conceived and brought forth. And now where is the sack-. cloth? Where is the ashes? Oh, there is beauty in life, instead of the ashes in the state without life; and the garment of praise, instead of the spirit of heaviness! Oh glory, glory to the binder up of the bruised and broken-hearted, to the Redeemer of the captives, to the repairer of the breaches, to the builder up of the wasted and desolate ones! Glory to his tender mercy, glory to his grace, glory to his love, glory to his wisdom, glory to his power, for ever and ever, amen!

SOME EXPERIENCES ADDED.

I. Concerning the seed of the kingdom.

CONCERNING the seed of the kingdom, this I have experienced; that it consists not in words or notions of the mind, but is an inward thing, an inward, spiritual substance in the heart, as real inwardly in its kind, as other seeds are outwardly in their kind: and that being received by faith, and taking root in man (his heart, his earth, being plowed up and prepared for it), it groweth up inwardly, and bringeth forth fruit inwardly, as truly and really as any outward seed doth outwardly. This seed is known by its contrariety and enmity against the seed of the serpent; against all the seeds of evil in the hearts of men; it discovering them, turning the mind from them, and warring against them, and bruising and overcoming them in all that receive it, and let in its holy nature; which, as a holy leaven or salt, worketh out that which is unholy and unrighteous, dark

and dead, and seasoneth with light, with life, with grace, with the holiness and righteousness of truth.

II. Concerning the soul's food.

The soul's food is that which nourisheth it, which is the same with that which giveth it life. Every word proceeding out of the mouth of God, every motion, every quickening, every operation of his Spirit, is living, and nourisheth the soul with life, which receiveth it and feedeth on it. The spiritual manna, the spiritual water, from the holy well or fountain, the milk of the word, the flesh and blood of the Son of the living God, his words, which are spirit and life, nourish up the living birth unto life everlasting. How comes man to live at first, but by hearing the voice of him that giveth life? And how comes man to live afterwards, and to increase in life, but by hearing the same voice still? "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live," &c. Isa. lv. 3. This I have also experienced to give me life, to nourish up and strengthen me in life; even fresh life communicated from the living Fountain; and so my life is not in myself, not in any thing I can comprehend concerning Christ; but in being joined to him, in being ingrafted into him the holy root, into him the true olive-tree, into his Spirit; and so by the sap that springs up into me from him, my life is maintained and increased in me daily. Glory to his name for ever.

III. Concerning God's power.

Concerning God's power, this I have experienced; that that is it which doth the work in the soul. It begets to God, it brings out of the land of darkness, it leads through all entanglements, and preserves in the midst of them all. It breaks down the old building of sin and iniquity (both inwardly and outwardly, both in heart, and also in life and conversation), and raiseth the new and holy building. It makes willing, it makes obedient, it gives to believe, it gives to suffer. Oh, blessed be the Lord for the day of his power, which is inwardly broken forth! Oh, what would

the poor child do (the poor lambs in the midst of the wolves inwardly and outwardly), were it not for the Father's hand, the Father's arm, the Father's power, which is still with them, and compasseth them about! Oh, blessed are they that know the ministration of the life inwardly, the power of life inwardly! For in life, in the seed of life, is the holy power; which is manifest, appears, and works, as it gains ground on the creature, to put forth and exercise in it the virtue and strength which it daily receiveth from its Father.

IV. Concerning Temptations.

Concerning temptations, this I have experienced; that the strength and hurt of them, as to the soul, lies in the soul's looking at them. For the strength of God is revealed in his children against the tempter; which being patiently waited for, and trusted in, will never fail them. The least babe, the Lord would not have let in temptation and sin; but watch to that, and keep joined to that, which will preserve out of temptation and out of sin. God is faithful, who hath care of all his, and whose promise is to all his; and as he would have none sin, so none that diligently wait shall want his power to stand by them, to preserve out of sin. "Look unto me, and be saved, all ye ends of the earth.” It is universally true. Look unto me, trust in me; look not at yourselves, trust not in yourselves; look not at the enemy, fear not the enemy; I will save you from every snare, every temptation, as your eye is steadfast upon me. What if the enemy come in like a flood?. If the Spirit of the Lord lift up a standard against him, can he prevail? What though he cast fiery darts? What though he beset round about? Will not the shield of faith quench them all? Will not the whole armor of God defend and keep safe from them all? If the enemy be resisted lawfully (that is, in true faith in that power which is engaged for the soul against him), doth not the power of the Lord arise and scatter him, and strengthen and establish the soul in the grace, and in the truth? Oh! the holy mystery of the heavenly warfare, and of the working of the pure power against the enemy;