The way to the city of God described, or, A plain declaration how any man may, within the day of visitation given him of God, pass out of the unrighteous into the righteous state as also how he may go forward in the way of holiness and righteousness, and so be fitted for the kingdom of God, and the beholding and enjoying thereof : wherein divers things, which occur to them, that enter into this way with respect to their inward trials, temptations, and difficulties are pointed at, and directions intimated, how to carry themselves therein ... / written by George Keith in the year 1669 ... : whereunto is added the way to discern the convictions, motions, &c of the spirit of God, and divine principle in us, from those of a man's own natural reason, &c.

CHAP. I.

Holding forth

Certain Doctrinal Principles of the TRVTH, whereof a M••n being convinced by the Spirit of God, it contributes much to his making a right entrance into the way of Holiness.

A Man doth not (nor can he) enter into the way of Holiness, but he must first have his understanding some way opened by the Spirit of Truth, so as to receive some con∣vincement of certain Principles of Truth. For how can a man enter into a way, and know no∣thing thereof, neither more nor less? It is the u∣sual method and order of the Spirit of God, first to convince a man of divers things before he pro∣ceed further, so as to convert him into the way of Holiness, or carry him on wards therein.

Therefore I shall in the first place lay down a few certain Principles, the knowledg of which is of great advantage unto beginners for their

first entrance into Holiness: and I shall at this time but name, and suppose them as known, rather than prove them, referring their proba∣tion to other Treatises. And though I may not say that none ever attained unto any measure of Holiness, without the clear, distinct and ex∣plicit knowledg of all these Principles hereafter delivered; yet I am very free to say, that the knowledg of them all doth very much conduce to beginners for their entrance into Holiness, and the ignorance of them hath been a grievous let to many a Soul, which, though it hath not made the entrance absolutely impossible, yet hath it made it extream difficult, even much more by far than it is indeed and in Truth, or is found to be by those, whose Understandings are well informed in these Principles.

I. That all men in their natural and unregene∣rate state, are unholy and unrighteous altogether, and so as such, unable to do any thing acceptable to GOD, and unfit for fellowship and commu∣nion with him.

II. That GOD hath not left men wholly in this condition, but hath given unto all and every one of them an occasion in a day or time of Visita∣tion, whereby it is possible for them, to come out of their first state of unholiness and unrighteous∣ness, which is also a state of Spiritual blindness and death, into a state of holiness and righteous∣ness, which is a state of enjoying spiritual Light and Life of GOD.

III. That this occasion is ministred unto every one, through Jesus Christ, who is freely given of the Father, unto every man that comes into the world for Salvation, as attainable by every man through him.

IV. That the coming of Jesus Christ into the world both outwardly and inwardly, was neces∣sary unto mans Salvation, so that the one is not to be understood in opposition to the other, for that both have their great uses and blessings un∣to men. Hence all, who are saved, are saved no less by the benefit and grace of his outward com∣ing, in his becoming man, suffering, dying and resurrection, then by that of his inward coming as a Light, and quickening Spirit, &c. Yet that the knowledg of his inward coming is that which is the more needful, and in the first place, as being that, by which the true and comforta∣ble use of his outward coming is alone sufficient∣ly understood.

V. That the Lord IESVS according to his in∣ward coming, is come a Light into the world, lightning every man that cometh into the world, that all through him might believe, and by believing might have eternal life.

VI. That his coming in the inward is in a Di∣vine and Heavenly SEED, which the Father hath given from Heaven unto every man, and hath sown in the heart of every man. In, and through which Seed, the Divine Light, Life and Power or Vertue and Glory of Jesus Christ, is only re∣vealed

unto men in a saving way, by the Holy Spirit.

VII. That this SEED in the hearts of unholy men, is the least of all Seeds; but as the mind comes to be turned towards it, in faith and love, it grows up to become greater and greater, till it be the greatest of all.

VIII. That according to the arising and growth of this Seed in mens hearts, the Divine Light and Life, &c. of Jesus Christ comes more and more to be revealed, and made manifest even unto the perfect day.

IX. That there is some manifestation and re∣velation of the Divine Light and Life in this Hea∣venly and Divine Seed in the hearts and minds of the most unholy and unrighteous, unto their Salvation, in a day or time of Visitation given them of GOD.

X. That the nature of this Seed is so un∣changeable, holy, pure, and incorruptible, that it can admit no unclean thing to enter into it, nor unite therewith, nor can it be defiled with any uncleanness of the spirit of man, but work∣eth alwaies against the uncleanness, and every unclean, unholy and unrighteous thing in man, through that Divine Vertue and Power, that is in it, to destroy and consume the same, and work it out of the heart and mind of man.

XI. That the manifestation, revelation, and shining of the Divine Light in this Divine Seed in unholy men, is not of the same manner and

kind, as in the holy; for in the holy the Divine Light shines in the immediate manifestation of the love, joy, peace, goodness and glory of God, which doth (after a manner unconceiveable to unholy men) refresh and comfort the Souls of the holy, and doth admit them to approach thereunto, and unite therewith, so as to live and walk therein, and have the fruition thereof. But the Divine Light shineth in the unholy, but in remote manifestations of the love and mercy of God, and that also but as it were by glimpses and flashes, and as through a vail. The mani∣festation of the Divine Light in an immediate way, that is proper unto unholy and unrigh∣teous Souls, being that of judgment, reproof, con∣victions and condemnation, the Divine Word working in them, as a Hammer, a Sword and a Fire, even as the Refiners Fire and the Fullers Sope▪ for their mortification and cleansing.

XII. Now it is fit, that in this place I should give some description of Holiness, seeing it is im∣proper to declare of the way of attaining unto Holiness, and yet not to declare what Holiness is. Therefore at present (referring the more large description of it, to what will be afterwards more fully treated of) I shall only in these few words describe it.

HOLINESS (as a man can be partaker of it) is a mans being like unto GOD, so far as he can re∣ceive a likeness unto him, which is by receiving the Image of God in its compleat form, and having

his heart, soul, mind and spirit, with the under∣standing, will, affections, and all the powers thereof, according to the capacity of each, impressed or stamped therewith. So that the whole Soul, in all its powers answer unto this holy Image, as the wax answereth unto the seal, or as the Cloth that is put into the Diers fat, answereth in colour or die unto that, in which it is dipped, which is the baptism that saveth, not the putting away the filthi∣ness of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience, or mind, towards God, as aforesaid.

XIII. This Divine Image is (according to the Lord's ordinary way of working in the hearts of his people) not found or begotten in an in∣stant, but raised up by degrees from the Divine Seed; the formation of which, as it requires the Divine and Supernatural Concurrence of God as a Father, and as the principal cause and worker, so doth it also require the Concurrence of the Soul on the other hand (so to speak) as the Mo∣ther to conceive it in its most inwards (as the Mother conceiveth the Child in her Womb) which is a Divine Birth, and in Scripture is cal∣led Christ formed within, and, the Flesh and Blood of Christ, because his Divine Light and Spirit dwelleth and tabernacleth therein, and there through conveigheth the manifestation of it unto the Soul.

XIV. Now a mans regeneration is not simply the having this Divine Image raised and formed in him, but it is somewhat consequential there∣unto;

for it is by this Image, through the mighty operation of God therein, that the Soul comes to be regenerate: And so the regene∣ration of the Soul is distinguishable therefrom, as the effect from the cause; yet where ever this Image is raised or formed, in any measure, in a mans heart, that man in some measure propor∣tionable, is thereby regenerated and renewed; for the Divine Image is no sooner formed in any measure, but it doth in some measure effigiate or impress the Soul, and infuse its pure tincture, Blood and Spirit into all its Powers, which the Soul drinking in, it becometh assimilated or l••kened thereunto, yet still retaining its own original essence. A very plain and clear Exam∣ple whereof we have in Cloath, which being dipped in the Diers Fat, drinketh in the tincture or die, even substantially, and yet it retaineth its own essence, so that it is the same Cloath still, only hath another die and colour from the tin∣cture, which it hath drunk in, and substanti∣ally got it incorporated in it self.

XV. But before this Divine Image can be formed in the Soul, or that the Soul can be tin∣ctured or leavened therewith, the Soul must be cleansed and purified from the pollution and de∣filement it hath received from the contrary I∣mage, which is that of the Serpent; even as (ac∣cording to the former Example) before the Cloath can receive the die, it must be washed and made clean; also the Image of God and

of the devil, are of so contrary natures, that they cannot live in one and the same place of the Soul, wherefore there must be some room pre∣pared in the Soul in its most inwards, out of which the Serpentine Image must be expelled, before the Divine can spring up: and there must be some place in the Soul cleansed and purified for it to be conceived in, for it cannot be conceived nor grow, but in a clean and pure matrix or womb, according to which doctrin it's evident, that mortification must go before re∣generation, in some measure. But I do not say, that the mortification must be total, and pass ove•• the whole Soul, and all sin and unrighte∣ousness in it, before it attain unto any measure of regeneration, for that is contrary unto all ex∣perience, for that we find both the Images having some place in us for some time, but they cannot have one and the same place to live in, because of their exceeding contrariety: and indeed the mortification and regeneration of the Soul go on proportionably, so that where the regeneration is but in part, it is because the mortification is but in part, and where the mortification is be∣come whole, there the regeneration becometh whole also: for that which hindereth the Image of God to spring up in its whole growth and statu•••• readily and speedily, is the contrary I∣mage, which will let, till it be taken out of the way.

XVI. And the Divine Power and Spirit ap∣peareth

in the Divine SEED, and worketh there∣in, even in the Souls of those who are wholly unholy and unrighteous, in whom Satan's I∣mage possesseth the whole place: First to mor∣tifie some place in the Soul, and to cleanse and purifie it, and to expell the Serpents Image out of it, that so the Divine Image may begin to be formed and conceived. The Divine Seed therefore (through the Divine Power, which worketh therein) must first destroy and consume its contrary, before it can take root, and plant it self, and spring up in the heart, which is dili∣gently to be observed, and of this the Seed of God in the outward, viz. Israel after the Flesh was a type, for before they could plant them∣selves in the Land of Canaan, they behoved to destroy their enemies, which inhabited the same, and gradually as they consumed their enemies, they planted themselves in it, and took root, till they filled it all over, like a great tree over∣shaddowing the whole Land with its Branches, and filling it with its Fruits.

I shall not add more particulars at present, being unwilling to burthen the weak under∣standing of a beginner with many things at the en••rance. There are many more Doctrinal Principles, but they will come in time enough afterwards. These well known and understood will satisfie to begin with: of the truth of which things let none imagine they can be sufficiently certified through this declaration, or any other

that can be outwardly given, only it may be an occasion for them to observe the truth of these things, sprung up in their own understanding, from a measure of the same Spirit, from which they are declared.