to him, that said, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, and the deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I, the Lord? Exod. iv. 11. Cry aloud to him, with Bartimeus, Lord, that I may receive my sight; Matt. x. 47, 51. And, if thou be hopeless of thine outward sight, yet pray, with the Psalmist, O Lord open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law; Ps. cxix. 18.

Art thou afflicted with sterility? Pray. So did Isaac; Gen. xxv. 21. So did Hannah: she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore; and received a gracious answer; 1 Sam. i. 10. ii. 21.

Art thou troubled and weakened with want of rest? Pray. So did Asaph: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak; Ps. lxxvii. 3, 4. I cried to God with my voice; unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me; v. 1.

Dost thou droop under the grievances of old age? Pray. So did David: Oh, cast me not off in the time of old age: forsake me not, when my strength faileth; Ps. lxxi. 9. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: Now, also, when I am old and grey-headed, O God, forsake me not; vv. 17, 18.

Free

Art thou troubled and dismayed with the fears of death? Pray. So did David: My soul is full of troubles; and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them, that go down into the pit : I am as a man that hath no strength. among the dead: thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps; Ps. lxxxviii. 3 −6. But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and, in the morning, shall my prayer prevent thee; v. 13.

Dost thou tremble at the thought of Judgment? So did the man after God's own heart: My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments; Ps. cxix. 120. Look up with Jeremiah, and say to thy Saviour, O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life: O Lord, judge thou my cause; Lam. iii. 58, 59.

the wicked: Ps. lxiv. 2.

Lastly, art thou afraid of the power, malice, subtlety of thy spiritual enemies? Pray. So did David: Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them, that rise up against me: Ps. lix. 1. Oh, hide me from the secret counsel of Consider mine enemies; for they are many, and they hate me with cruel hatred. Oh, keep my soul, and deliver me; Ps. xxv. 19, 20. So did St. Paul pray, that he might be freed from the messenger of Satan, whose buffets he felt; and was answered with, My grace is sufficient for thee; 2 Cor. xii. 9. So he sues for all God's Saints: May the God of peace tread down Satan under your feet shortly; Rom. xvi. 20.

Shortly, whatever evil it be that presseth thy soul, have

speedy recourse to the Throne of Grace: pour out thine heart into the ears of the Father of all Mercies, and God of all Comfort and be sure, if not of redress, yet of ease: We have his word for it, that cannot fail us: Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee; and thou shalt glorify me: Ps. l. 15.

Fashionable suppliants may talk to God: but, be confident, he, that can truly pray, can never be truly miserable. Of ourselves, we lie open to all evils: our rescue is from above: and what intercourse have we with heaven, but by our Prayers? Our Prayers are they, that can deliver us from dangers, avert judgments, prevent mischiefs, procure blessings; that can obtain pardon for our sins, furnish us with strength against temptations, mitigate the extremity of our sufferings, sustain our infirmities, raise up our dejectedness, increase our graces, abate our corruptions, sanctify all good things to us, sweeten the bitterness of our afflictions, open the windows of heaven, shut up the bars of death, vanquish the power of hell. Pray; and be both safe and happy.

A

TREATISE

OF

CHRIST MYSTICAL:

OR,

THE BLESSED UNION

OF

CHRIST AND HIS MEMBERS.

BY JOSEPH, BISHOP OF NORWICH.

TO THE

ONLY HONOUR AND GLORY

OF HIS BLESSED SAVIOUR AND REDEEMER :

AND TO THE COMFORT AND BENEFIT OF ALL THOSE MEMBERS OF

HIS MYSTICAL BODY, WHICH ARE STILL LABOURING

AND WARFARING UPON EARTH;

JOSEPH HALL,

THEIR UNWORTHIEST SERVANT, HUMBLY DEDICATES

THIS FRUIT OF HIS OLD AGE.

CHRIST MYSTICAL.

CHAP. I.

INTRODUCTORY.

SECT. 1.

How to be happy in the apprehending of Christ.

THERE is not so much need of learning as of grace, to apprehend those things, which concern our everlasting peace. Neither is it our brain, that must be set on work here; but our heart for true happiness doth not consist in a mere speculation, but a fruition of good. However, therefore, there is excellent use of scholarship in all the sacred employments of Divinity; yet in the main act, which imports salvation, skill must give place to affection. Happy is the soul, that is possessed of Christ, how poor soever in all inferior endowments.

Ye are wide, O ye great wits, while you spend yourselves in curious questions and learned extravagancies. Ye shall find one touch of Christ more worth to your souls, than all your deep and laboursome disquisitions: one dram of faith more precious than a pound of knowledge. In vain shall ye seek for this in your books, if you miss it in your bosoms. If you know all things, and cannot truly say, I know whom I have believed, (2 Tim. i. 12.) you have but knowledge enough to know yourselves truly miserable.

Wouldst thou, therefore, my son, find true and solid comfort in the hour of temptation, in the agony of death? make sure work for thy soul, in the days of thy peace. Find Christ thine; and, in the despite of hell, thou art both safe and blessed.

Look not so much to an Absolute Deity, infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious: alas, that Majesty, because perfectly and essentially good, is, out of Christ, no other than an enemy to thee. Thy sin hath offended his justice, which is himself: what hast thou to do with that dreadful power, which thou hast provoked?

VOL. VII.

Q