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.

How to discern the CONVICTIONS, that proceed from the LIGHT of Faith, or Divine Princi∣ple in us, from those, that proceed from the Light of Nature, or meer Natural and Hu∣mane Reason, assisted by Arguments drawn from Scripture.

THis question I find weighty on my heart to answer, for the sake of some, whose minds, through the subtle workings of the Enemy, may be perplexed with the same, as my mind was, for a considerable time, after I was in great measure convinced of the Truth. The Enemy of my Soul did exceedingly work in me, to cause me to believe, that I was still, but where formerly I had been, to wit, that, although I had changed my judgment concerning many things, yet the principle, that swayed my judgment, was still but the natural principle, helped with Scripture Ar∣guments, and so my Faith, touching these things, was but meerly Humane and Na∣tural, not Divine and Supernatural, and con∣sequently was nothing but opinion still, and that I was still but a natural man, and no true believer, and that, though I should join with the People of God, who have the true Divine Faith, and should do the things that they do, I could not be accepted of God, my Obedience not proceeding from the true

Divine Faith, which is the effect of the true Divine Light, nor having received the true Divine Call.

This Objection did so trouble, perplex, and disquiet me, through the working of Sa∣tan, as it were, under ground, and hiding himself and his design from me, that none, but the Lord alone, did, or could, know the great anguish of my Soul; and, had not the Lord, in his wonderful Mercy, broken this snare, I had been held in it, unto this very day, and perhaps had died in that sad and la∣mentable condition. And I do certainly know, the Enemy doth assault many in this day, and doth prevail over them by the same tentation, who are truly convinced of Truth by the Divine Light, and Principle of God in their Hearts, which Divine Conviction is a sufficient Divine Call, being alwaies accom∣panied with a secret Divine drawing, to give Obedience unto God, in all things, whereof they are convinced. The sense now of such Souls condition being brought upon me, my Bowels are moved in great tenderness towards them, and my Heart is opened by the Lord, to say somewhat unto them, that may be of service, to whose hands it may be ordered to come. And the breathing of my Soul, in the Spirit of Lif•••• ••s, that God Almighty may bless it 〈…〉〈…〉, and make it effectual.

The 〈…〉〈…〉 between these two

Principles, and their respective operations in the Soul, doth not proceed from this, that they are not in their own nature, widely distinct or discernable to be so, by them, who have the true eye of discerning opened in them, and are come to a clear inward sense and feeling, through a living growth in the Truth, for indeed no things in the whole Universe do more clearly appear to be of a differing nature, unto those, who have the Spiritual Senses raised and opened in them, than the two aforesaid Principles, or Lights, which dif∣fer as widely, as Heaven and Earth: for the one is of the Earth, Earthly; the other is of Heaven, Heavenly; the one is of the first Adam, the other is of the second Adam; Iesus Christ: yea, the one is meerly Humane and Natural, the other is purely Divine and Supernatural.

The cause then of the great difficulty to dis∣cern betwixt these two Principles, and their respective Operations, is that Darkness and Con∣fusion, that is over the Hearts and Vnderstand∣ings of those, who are but first convinced of the Truth, and not as yet really so converted unto it, as to be leavened by the Power of it, and transformed into its nature. Yea, after some beginnings of true Conversion, wrought in the Soul, the difficulty doth, in some measure, still remain, but not so great, as formerly.

The greatest difficulty therefore belongeth unto those only, who are but beginners, and

beginning to travel out of Egypt and Babylon, and Sodom, into the Holy Land, the Land of the Living, and the Holy Hill of Zion, with their faces thitherwards. To whom also it is a great difficulty how to distinguish not only betwixt the Natural•• Vnderstanding, and the Divine Light of Faith in them, but to distinguish betwixt the true Divine Light, and Satan trans∣forming himself into the similitude of an Angel of Light, in all which notwithstanding the difficulty is not so great, as the Enemy of the Soul doth represent it to be.

Now to help any distressed or perplexed Soul, that may be in doubt concerning this thing. To such I say, Since thou art really convinced that God hath given a measure of the true Divine Light, of his Son Christ Jesus, unto every Man and Woman, and consequently unto thee (for to such only at present do I write, who are convinced of this Truth, but do question the nature of their Convincement) why shouldst thou question that thy Convince∣ment doth only proceed from the Natural Light and meer Natural Vnderstanding of thy Soul, as influenced by Scripture Arguments, and other outward helps, and not also from the Divine Principle of the Light, Life and Spirit of Christ Jesus? For certainly this Divine Principle, which is in thee, is not altogether idle, or without Operation, it is of a most active or operative Nature, even as Fire and

Light in the outward. Can the outward Sun shine, and inlighten the Earth, and have no operation, nor influence upon it? or, can the Fire burn and have no operation, or influence upon what is next unto it? Nay surely. And therefore no more can this Divine Principle and Light be in any Soul, but it must certainly and infallibly have some Influence and Operation upon that Soul, in whom it is, and that in order to Salvation, whose day of Visitation is not ex∣pired. And the most proper operation of it in the first place is to convince the Soul of Truth, I mean of somewhat of the Truth, of somewhat of God, and of his mind and will, of what he doth accept, and is well pleased with, and what he doth reject and abhor.

The Word of God (said the Apostle, Heb. 4.12.) is Living and Powerful, or operative, and sharper than any two edged Sword, piercing even to the di∣viding asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Ioynts and Marrow, and is a Discerner (Judge, or Reprover) of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart. And this Word is in all, even in the mouth and in the heart of every man, and is that Word of Faith, as Paul did expound it, Rom. 10.8. Now, if it be the Word of Faith, it is also the Light of Faith, for in that Word is Life, and the Life is the Light of men, and this is the true Light that doth lighten every man, that cometh into the World, as Iohn declared, 1.9. Now mark the word [lighten] which doth import its active and

operative Influence and Vertue in all men, in some measure or degree, really to convince them. And, although there be great darkness over the Hearts and Souls of all Unconverted Men and Women, that they are said to be dark∣ness, yet as Iohn hath declared, the Light shineth in Darkness, although the Darkness comprehends it not, 1.5. so the Light not only is in the dark∣ness, but it shineth in the darkness, and work∣eth against the darkness to reveal it, and remove it, even as the darkness doth work in the Soul, to hide and obscure the Light, and as it were, to extinguish and quench it in the Soul. And it is a most absurd thing to acknowledg that the natural Principle hath its operation in the Soul, and is not without its influence and force to move and act the Soul, as also that the princi∣ple of darkness, to wit, the Diabolical or Hellish Principle, even the very Spirit of Satan hath its operation and influence in all men, in whom it is, and yet to deny that this Divine Principle, that is in Nature more powerful, and more o∣perative, than either of the other two, hath any influence or operation in them at all. And this I would have thee also to consider, that it plea∣seth God in his great condescension many times, together with his Divine Light and Spirit in thy Soul, to make use of the Scriptures, and argu∣ments drawn therefrom, making them of Ser∣vice in the Hand of the Divine Light and Spi∣rit, as also to make use of thy own natural un∣derstanding,

and the natural principle or light by shining upon it, and raising up in it pure and holy convictions and openings of Truth, together with pure and holy desires in the Soul, which as they are entertained, become a true begin∣ning of Conversion in that Soul. But the way of the Lord is not one and the same alwaies to the Soul in this State, for sometimes as is said, he maketh use of the natural principle it self, to wit, the natural understanding, and reason of man (by shining upon it) in a more active way and man∣ner, so as it may seem to be nothing else, but the natural principle it self, helped with Scripture Arguments and Reasons, or some outward helps, that doth convince the Soul of those things, which it is forced to acknowledg to be true, while yet it is Divine Light working in the Soul more secretly and hiddenly, that hath the main stroak and hand in the business. At other times the Divine Light appeareth more immediately in the Soul, and more openly, and scarcely at all maketh use of the natural principle or under∣standing; further than in a passive way, as when the Eye looketh towards an object, or as the Ear heareth a voice or sound, wherein the Soul is rather passive than active. And sometimes all the natural powers of the Soul are drawn into a deep silence, by the mighty, and yet secret working of the Power of the Divine Principle and Light, so that the Soul by none of its natural or humane powers or faculties doth apprehend what is in∣wardly

revealed in it by the Divine Light, but they all being silenced, bound, locked up, and as it were, made asleep (both imagination and Reason, or whatever else can be called a natu∣ral or humane faculty of the Soul being wholly suspended and laid by, as of no present use) and the Soul, as it were, wholly dead for that present time unto them all, as so many dead Members, the Divine Light and Spirit doth raise up, and awaken, in that Soul, a new Sense and power of discerning, of which it former∣ly had no experience, or at lest made no re∣flexion upon the same, which is the Spiritual sensation of God and Divine things, as inward∣ly revealed by the Divine Light. But this kind of experience is more rare to new begin∣ners, and to whom it is given, is a most singu∣lar and choice mercy and favour of God, which yet is most ordinary to all those, who in any considerable measure, are truly converted unto the Truth, and leavened into the nature of it. And if it shall please God at any time to give thee such an experience, who art not yet so considerably converted unto the Truth, thou art to receive it, as a singular favor and Grace of God, but, if it be denied at present unto thee, God not judging thee worthy of so high a favour, thou ough••st to be content with that other way. And such a convincement is a true Divine and Spiritual convincement, proceeding originally and principally from the true Divine

Light and Spirit of Faith, and there is vertue sufficient in that, which doth thus convince thee, to enable thee to believe and joyn unto it, and to obey its requirings, according to the present measure, and that is a true sufficient Divine call for the present, which if thou dost slight or neglect, in expectation of a greater, or more clear, thou dost tempt the Lord, and provoke his Holy Spirit.

Moreover, I would have thee to know, that thou oughtst not to expect that measure or de∣gree of clearness, or clear and distinct discern∣ing, as perhaps thy own mind doth judge to be requisite. God is wiser than thou, and doth better know, what is fittest for thee, than thou dost. And indeed this is no small engine of the Enemy, to keep thee in a state of Unbelief and Disobedience, under a pretence that thou art not so fully and sufficiently clear as is requi∣site: and, if the Enemy can prevail with thee here, he will continually keep thee in it from day to day, yea from one Week, Month, and Year, to another, until thou lose the pretious opportunity and day of thy visitation, to end thy miserable life in this sad estate of Unbelief and Disobedience: and so, in place of getting more clearness and more distinct and clear dis∣cerning of the true Divine Light, and Divine Voice and Call, thou wilt come to have less, until what thou once hadst be altogether taken from thee, and thou left in great darkness, and

deadness, and hardness of Heart. Therefore thou oughtst to improve that small clearness, which thou hast, and not to despise the day of small things, Zach. 4.10. nor overlook and contemn the little small grain of the Kingdom of God in thee, which is as a Mustard Seed, the least of all Seeds. The least measure of the true Light, that shineth in the darkness in thee, is a most precious treasure, even when it is but as the light of a Star, that shineth in a dark night. Some people travel with the help of Star light, till the Moon arise, and after the Moon is risen, they travel on, until the day dawn, and the clear day appear, and the Sun rise up, and then they have great comfort, and see much more clearly than before, and many things are clear∣ly discovered unto them, far and near, which they saw nothing of formerly, or but very dim∣ly and obscurely. But he is certainly a very un∣wise Traveller, who, having a great Journey before him, which he must accomplish in one day, or else suffer an unexpressible and irreco∣verable loss, resolves in himself to lie still in Bed till the Sun be up, and that he hath not time enough to accomplish his Journey: on the contrary the discreet and diligent Traveller gets up betimes, and even while it is yet night, sets forth on his Journey, and contenting him with the morning or Star light, goes on, in∣expectati∣on of the approaching day, when the Sun will arise upon him, and then his Travel will be the

more comfortable, easie, and pleasant to him. As it is then in the outward, so ought it also to be in the inward, or rather much more; for thou hast a great and long Journey before thee, ere thou arriv'st at everlasting Salvation, and thy time is but short, thou hast but one day, or rather, piece of a day, to travel it in. For all men spend a great part of their day in other Travels, yea in Travelling the contrary way, which must be all Travelled back again, and therefore when thou, whoever thou art, be∣ginst to see and turn thy face to thy Journeys end, thou hadst need gird up thy Loyns, and Travel with all thy might, with all circum∣spection, making use of every help, thy Guide affords thee, for, if thou dost not accomplish it within this one day, or the remaining part thereof, I mean the day of thy Visitation, thou art undone for ever. Herein only lies the dif∣ference 'twixt these two Travellers, in the out∣ward, and in the inward. That in the out∣ward, when one hath mispent, slept, trifled, or rioted away his time, how deeply soever he become affected with his mistake, he is past all remedy of getting to his Journeys end in that small pittance of time left him. But in the in∣ward 'tis quite otherwise, when the Lord, by his pure Judgments manifested in the Soul, awakens her, shewing her that she is even at the brink of the pit of misery, ready, as it were, to drop in, and yet would, did not his Mercy prevent:

I say, if the Soul in a deep sense of her error turn to the Lord, flee unto him, lamenting her by past strayings and present miserable state, void of all capacity of helping her self, expe∣cting from him his Power and Assistance, to carry her through to ••her Journeys end. Be∣hold! she will find Iesus, that Mighty Saviour (who is able to save unto the uttermost all, that come unto him, Heb. 7.25.) at her right hand to uphold and carry her through. And as the Soul comes diligently to wait upon him, in the Light, in the true self-denial, forsaking every evil way, and taking up his daily Cross, in all things, his Light, Life, Power and Vertue will break forth in the Soul, and cut short the work in righteousness, and so the Soul, in and by, and with his Power, and strength, will redeem the Time lost. For which cause it was that Christ said, Work while ye have to day, the night cometh, wherein no man can work, Joh. 9.4. & 12.35. But if any man will neglect the small measure of Light, that Jesus hath imparted to him, in the night state, and refuseth to follow and obey it, but saith, in himself, I will stay untill the Sun arise, he provoketh the Lord against him, in∣stead of giving him more Light, to take that from him which he hath already received: for the promises of more Light and Grace are only to those, who improve what is already given, in how little measure so ever.

And now, in what I am further to say unto thee, take heed unto it, and observe it, for it is from the Lord, and by the opening and moving of his Spirit, Light, and Life in my heart, I declare it unto thee, which is this. The Di∣vine Light of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, which is in thee, hath a true and innate clear∣ness in it, and a self-evidencing power and ver∣tue, whereby it can and doth sufficiently disco∣ver it self to be what indeed it is, namely to be a Divine Light given of God to guide and lead the Soul in the way of Life and Salvation. And it doth at times and seasons sufficiently ap∣pear in every Soul of man and woman, up∣on the face of the Earth, with a sufficient clearness and self-evidence in some measure more or less, according to the good pleasure of God, whereby to convince every Soul, that it proceeds from God and leads unto God: by the innate clearness and self-evidencing Power of which Light and Grace, Seed or Principle, all men (Fools or Idiots, and Infants excepted, in whom yet this Divine Principle is, tho they do not actually understand it, with whom there∣fore how the Lord dealeth, in order to the Sal∣vation of their Souls, he alone best knoweth, nor is it for us curiously to enquire) by this Di∣vine Principle, I say, all men shall be left with∣out excuse, who have not believed therein, nor obeyed it. Nor shall their pretence of wanting clearness and evidence sufficient avail them in

the day, when God shall call them to an ac∣count, for he will then bring to their remem∣brance the particular times and places, when and where he caused his Divine Light to shine in their hearts, in such manner and measure as was sufficient to enable them to know, whence it was, what was its tendency, and wherefore it was given them.

If then thou be but diligent in thy mind to observe, and give attendance to the inward Operations, Motions, and Shinings of the Di∣vine Light in thee, and Breathings of the Di∣vine Life, in the silence and quietness of thy Soul, out of the many wanderings, vain thoughts, and imaginations of thy mind, thou wilt certainly come to a true measure of clear discerning of the true Divine Principle, Life, and Light, and of the operations thereof, so as to distinguish it from all that, which is but Natural and Carnal, as also from all that is of Satan in his cunning transformings. And al∣though in the beginning it will be very hard to thee to attain to that perfect, and absolute inward silence of mind, from all thy own thoughts and imaginations (which will after∣wards become easie and familiar unto thee, as thou dost experience any considerable growth in the Truth) yet, as thou pressest after it, thou wilt find they self helped by the Lord, to come into some measure of true silence. And al∣though thou canst not say, that all vain foolish

thoughts, and idle imaginations, are put out of thy mind, yet, if a considerable part of them be gone, and evanished, so that thy mind is somewhat more cool, and quiet and still, and empty of such things, than it's wont to be, here thou wilt find thy self at some advantage, and in some capacity to discern the Divine Light, and working thereof, even, as it were, in this imperfect state of Silence, or half Silence, as we may call it.

To help thee then a little further in this in∣quiry and search, that thou mayst come to know, discern, and be acquainted with the true Divine Light, and working thereof in thee, which is indeed a very necessary know∣ledg, and without which thou art liable to sit down in a false rest, and build upon a false foundation, as many do at this day, taking the Natural Light and Principle for the Divine and Supernatural. And so what the Socinians and Pelagians, are in profession (who profess no higher Principle, in them necessary, than the Natural) these Men▪ are (whatever they profess of the necessity of having and being il∣luminated and led by the Spirit) really in pra∣ctice. Therefore that thou mayst avoid this snare, and come to the true knowledg of the Divine Light and Principle of God in thee. I shall briefly point at some distinguishing marks and characters, whereby the Divine and Super∣natural Principle, is truly distinguishable from

that, which is but Humane and Natural. As

1. The light, influence, and operation of the Humane and Natural Principle is cold, saint, and dead; but that of the Divine and Supernatural warm, living, and powerful, and the warmth, power, and life thereof, reacheth not only the Brain or Head, or the animal part, and affections (which the natural can do, and often doth) but it reacheth also the heart, and most inward parts, even the most inward affections of the Soul, and is of a Heavenly and Divine Nature, as the Principle is, of which it proceedeth. It is said of Christ, when he preached outwardly, he spake with Authority or Power, and not as the Scribes, Matth. 7.29. and he said himself, The words that I speak unto you, are Spirit and Life: It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the Flesh profiteth nothing, Joh. 6.63. And thus it is in the inward: what Christ speaketh in the Soul or Heart of any Man, or Woman, is with Power, even with a Hea∣venly Power and Authority, that raiseth an awe and reverence in the Heart, by which the Soul is convinced, that it is indeed the Voice or Word of God, and not of Man, by rea∣son of that innate Majesty and Glory, that is in it, as it is said in Psalm 29.4. The Voice of the Lord is Glorious, the Voice of the Lord is full of Majesty, &c. And, although many Souls be so dark, blind, deaf, and stupid, that many times they have no sense of any Divine Power,

or Principle, yet, when it pleaseth God to speak in the most deaf and stupid Soul, he causeth it to hear, and raiseth up some small sense of the same in it, at that present time, although, soon after, darkness and death doth prevail over them again, and they forget any such experience, as if they had never had it. How did God speak unto Cain, and expostulate with him? We read not that it was by an outward Voice, nor is there any need to suppose, that, when God reproved him for his anger against his Brother, it was by an outward Voice, and not rather by the Spirit of God inwardly in his Heart and Conscience, as he doth reprove men at this day, and as he did strive in man, before the deluge, and did judge and reprove him for sin, Gen. 6.3. My Spirit shall not alwaies strive (or contend) in Man, for so the words should be translated; and Christ promised that he would send the Comforter unto his Disciples, to wit, the Holy Spirit, and he should reprove the World of sin, Joh. 16.8.

Now, although a man by his own reason∣ings may reprove himself for sin, yet there is a great difference betwixt man's reproving him∣self, and God's reproving him by his Spirit and Divine Principle, in his Heart, that of Man being saint, cold, and dead, as is said, but the inward reproof of the Spirit of Truth, powerful, hot, and living, which goeth to a man's heart, and pricketh him to the quick,

woundeth him deeply; and of this no man but hath some experience, at times, especially before sin be come to such an heighth, and hath power in the Soul, that it is become past feeling. Now that some are so become, doth plainly imply, that once they had a feeling.

Again, when a man reproves himself, he doth it too partially, although he will be ready to judg himself, in the general, a great sinner, yet there are many times many particular sins, whereof he is guilty, that he will not reprove himself for, by any reasonings whatsoever, or Arguments drawn from Scripture, but will ra∣ther justifie and defend himself: for the natu∣ral light and natural understanding is exceed∣ingly corrupted by the fall, and therefore it can∣not impartially witness against sin, but is most ready to call many sins, vertues, and to call many vertues, sins, and so to put light for dark∣ness, and darkness for light, and call good, evil, and evil good, Isa. 5.20. Yea, the Natural Light or Understanding is so dim and dark, that it is no where in all Scripture called Light; but I find that unconverted men are ealled dark∣ness, in Scripture, and that by reason of the darkness of their understandings. It is said in Scripture, the carnal mind is enmity against God, and the wisdom from below is carnal, earthly, and devilish. All the natural powers of man's Soul are so corrupted by sin, that he is but dark, foolish, blind, and deceived in his most su∣blime

and refined reasonings in Spiritual mat∣ters.

But the inward Conviction, Judgment, and reproof of the Spirit of Truth, and Divine Principle, is wholly impartial, and is a most Faithful Witness, in man's Heart and Consci∣ence, against all manner of Sin, reproving and condemning those Sins in man, which man him∣self by his corrupt reasonings doth excuse and justifie.

2. The operation of the Natural Principle in man, as concerning God and Divine things, con∣sists only in bare Speculation and Notion, and mostly, if not wholly, in tedious and laborious Reasonings by drawing Conclusions from Pre∣mises, which weary the Soul, even as a long and tedious Travel doth weary the Body. Hence Ratiocination is not unfitly called Discourse, whereby the Soul runneth through many things from one to another, before it can come to any certain determination, or conclusion. Hence they that go about to prove that there is a God, by the light of Nature, or a Natural Principle, how many tedious Syllogisms and Argumenta∣tions are they forced to make use of, especially against an Atheist, if he be of a cunning and subtle Wit? And when a man is inwardly pur∣sued with Atheistical Thoughts, and tempted in his heart, to think that there is no God, if he go to reason the matter, and essay to overcome that tentation by his meer natural reasonings,

he will find the Devil a stroug Adversary and Disputant against him, he will suggest unto him ••any subtle and crafty answers, to the most cun∣ning reasonings, he can invent. Not that I judg that it cannot be truly and convincingly demonstrated by reason, that there is a GOD, but I say, such a conviction and knowledg of God by meer reason, and the hammering and work∣ing of the meer natural Principle is still but a bare and naked Theory or Notion, it hath no life in it, it giveth the Soul no true sense or feeling of God, no intuitive knowledg of him, but only that which is abstractive and notional, even as the knowledg is, which a blind man hath of Colours, or which a deaf man hath of Musick and pleasant Sounds.

Whereas the operation of the Divine Princi∣ple, the Divine Spirit and Light in man's heart exciteth and begeteth in him a true living sense and feeling of God, and of his Goodness, Love, Mercy, Power, Holiness, Purity and Justice: and this is more effectual, than all demonstration of Reason, or of the Natural Principle, for I cannot doubt of the being of that, which I have a real sense of, which I see, taste, and feel; nor do I need any exercise of my Reason, to per∣swade me of its true real existence. And although unconverted Souls feel little, or have little sense or tast of the Lord's Love, Goodness, and Mer∣cy, by reason of their great sins, that do so di∣stemper and corrupt the true capacity or faculty

in them, which can have a true sense and feel∣ing of the same, even as a Feaver doth corrupt the natural tast of the Mouth, that it cannot tr••••ly rellish the sweetness of Wine, or Honey, but it seemeth unpleasant. Yet, in the Unconvert∣ed and Corrupt State, men are truly sensible of the inward work and operation and appearance of God in the Divine Principle of his Light, Life and Spirit, in Judgment, and Wrath, and Terror, so that they can feel the Word of Life in them, as it pricketh and woundeth them in their hearts, and is as a Hammer, an Ax, a two-edged Sword, and Fire, in their most inward parts, against not only all manner of actual Trans∣gression, but against the very habits and habitual Inclinations of Sin, laying the Ax to the Root of the Tree, and striking at the very nature and be∣ing of sin in the heart.

Blessed is the Soul, that, being truly sensible of this inward work of judgment, hath a true love unto the same, and doth patiently lie un∣der the judgment, the pricking, the hamme∣ring, the wounding and bruising, and breaking in pieces, vea, the killing and burning, and, as it were, utterly consuming, and destroying the Soul, until the life and nature of sin be slain therein, and the Soul be throughly cleansed and redeemed thereby?

Now whatever Soul hath the least experience of this kind, it may certainly conclude, it is the true and infallible effect of the Divine Light

and Principle, and not of the Natural and Hu∣mane, for even as the light of the Moon has no heat, nor can burn any thing, though never so combustible, but is sensibly cold, even so the Natural Principle in its utmost extent, has no true heat, to tender or melt the Soul, can kin∣dle no true Fire in it, to purifie or refine it from sin, or consume truly the least sin hence.

3. The Operation of the Divine Principle, in its very first appearance, by an innate purity and perfect contrariety to sin, doth work in the Soul against all sin, and the nature of it, and hath a wonderful antipathy against it, even as good Physick doth work in the Body against a Disease, and this contrariety is most sensibly felt in the Soul, and, as it is entertained, causeth powerful and unusual motions to seize upon the Soul, and sometimes on the Body also, until Sin be utterly vanquished and overcome.

But the Natural Principle hath no such per∣fect contrariety to Sin, as being it self exceed∣ingly corrupted and defiled therewith.

4. The Divine Principle worketh most pow∣erfully and sensibly, when the mind is silent, and doth rest from its own meer natural work∣ings, and especially from its soaring imagina∣tions and lofty reasonings. And, although in the unconverted state it seldom, or never, is per∣fectly silent, yet, at sometimes, it is more silent, quiet and calm, than at other times (for even

the Sea doth not alwaies rage, although it al∣waies have some motion.)

5. The Divine Principle never worketh at, or in, the will of man, but only in the will of God. Whereas the corrupt and depraved will of man can set the Natural Principle on work, when and how it pleaseth.

6. There is somewhat, that is unexpressible, and cannot be named in words, but can be in∣wardly felt, both in the Divine Principle, and all its Operations, whereby, through an innate self-evidencing Power and Authority, it doth really distinguish it self, and may be really dis∣cerned, as distinct from the natural and hu∣mane principle, and all its workings, as also from the more subtle and cunning transformings of the Enemy, if the Soul be but diligent and watchful to observe the same, and have a true desire to understand the difference, and clearly to distin∣guish the one from the other.

And indeed, this innate self-evidencing Power of the Divine Principle, is that principally, whereby it can be discerned from the Humane and Natural; for, although it is truly distin∣guishable also by its effects, as Christ said, Ye shall know the Tree by its Fruits, yet the question at present relates to the state of those who are but newly convinced, and so have but little expe∣rience of its effects in them. Also seeing there are counterfeit effects, as a counterfeit Holiness, Purity, Humility, &c. The true effects cannot

be infallibly discerned from the counterfeit, which proceed only from the meer Natural Principle, or together with the same from Satans transformings, but as there is a regard unto the Principle, from whence the effects do proceed, for the true Divine Principle, as the mind is du∣ly applied thereunto, doth infallibly discover its own effects, and also the counterfeit workings and effects of the Enemy.

And therefore all outward rules do fail, and come short, to give an infallible discerning be∣twixt these two Principles, where the inward living discerning, which the true Divine Princi∣ple begeteth, is not attained. But where this inward living discerning is attained and kept unto, in any measure, outward rules may be useful in their place, but they only, who have this discerning, that proceedeth from the Prin∣ciple it self, can sufficiently make a due appli∣cation of any outward rules, or other outward helps, that can be given in the case.

GEORGE KEITH.

FINIS.