The narrow path of divine truth described from living practice and experience of its three great steps, viz Purgation, illumination & union according to the testimony of the holy scriptures; as also of Thomas a Kempis, the German divinity, Thauler, and such like. Or the sayings of Matthew Weyer reduced into order in three books by J. Spee. Unto which are subjoyned his practical epistles, done above 120 years since in the Dutch, and after the author's death, printed in the German language at Frankfort 1579. And in Latin at Amsterdam 1658. and now in English.

EPIST. XXVII. A faithful Admonition concerning the Re∣surrection of the Flesh.

To his Brother A. W.

MY Brother, Let us go to that man, and let us set before him Death, and Life, Resurrection, and incorruptibility, all unfolded in their own degree and na∣ture, and it shall be at his pleasure to make choice of any one of these. For if he shall choose nature in his life, then in good earnest he must perish in an eternal death, nor shall he ever arrive at such a life as he seeks: but if he will approach unto the truth (even as also the thing is) he shall live while he dieth, and he shall acknow∣ledge the true Resurrection, which else is denied to him. My Brother, May God exhibit to him and to us his mercy ac∣cording to the variety of his compassions: nor may he ever leave us in our miseries, but remember us in this life subject to so many sufferings, in which we cry out la∣boriously unto the Lord with many sighs,

that by his hand we may be promoted to incorruptibility; which can by no means be effected, but by our death, which comprehends in it self the relinquishing of all those things, which we know by na∣ture, and possess, and love, and in which we live. The power of death shall be known to all things living, but by so much the more difficulty, by how much the greater knowledge some have on this earth: for at the time of death, all things are to be given up to God, and then all things are shut up, and ended in the truth of God. The Lord unite us with himself, who himself is the beginning and end; old and new; yet is he one, and immutable, void of all increase in himself, though in the temporary creature, he is known with increase and decrease.

As much therefore as we depart from temporariness, so much are we united with God, in whom there is no time, and in him who is the last and the first, with an everlasting presence, and in him all Multiplication and Substraction of time is taken away and made co-equal; and all flesh, which is spiritualized, and which

was wont to express it self in time, doth melt away before eternity. The Lord be merciful to us all, as of one flesh, that bid∣ding farewel to that shadow of time, we may grow in his fear, and let his name be more and more sanctified over all his creatures in time, and let our life perish and vanish away like smoke, even as in is evidently done to all flesh: together with which, all things do tend to corrup∣tion, whatever it was that ever sprung from it, whether they were deeds, or whe∣ther there were thoughts. But it is not so with him, who is godly, for he, with all his works, is preserved, and will grow and live to Eternity, because every appe∣tite, life, and desire of his, is nothing else but God, and therefore whatsoever is his, tendeth to Eternity. As on the contrary, the desire and scope of a worldly man, is nothing else but flesh, which alone doth also move and direct him: therefore the effect must perish with the cause, as expe∣rience testifies: for the fruit cannot be otherwise then is the root whence it is sprung. May our eternal Saviour Christ Jesus purifie us, that in him we may bring

forth true fruit, and according to the mul∣titude of that his most abundant Grace, which God hath richly poured forth up∣on us, from the very beginning of the World, we may abide permanent in him. Amen.