The divine life in three treatises

How little cause then have all the Churches enemies to triumph, that can never shut up a true believer from the presence of his God? nor banish him into such a place where he cannot have his conversation in Heaven? The stones that were cast at holy Stephen, could not hinder him from seeing the Heavens opened, and Christ sitting at the right hand of God. A Patmos allowed holy John Communion with Christ, being there in the ⟨p. 374⟩Spirit on the Lords day, Rev. 1. 9, 10. Christ never so speedily and comfortably owneth his servants, as when the world disowneth them, and abuseth them for his sake, and hurls them up and down as the scorn and off-scouring of all. He quickly found the blind man that he had cured, when once the Jews had cast him out, Joh. 9. 35. Persecutors do but promote the blessedness and exceeding joy of sufferers for Christ, Mat. 5. 11, 12.

And how little Reason then have Christians, to shun such sufferings, by unlawful means, which turn to their so great advantage? and to give so dear as the hazard of their souls by wilful sin, to escape the honour, and safety, and commodity of Martyrdom?

And how little Reason then have Christians, to shun such sufferings, by unlawful means, which turn to their so great advantage? and to give so dear as the hazard of their souls by wilful sin, to escape the honour, and safety, and commodity of Martyrdome?

And indeed we judge not, we Love not, we Live not as sanctified ones must do, if we judge not that the truest Liberty, and Love it not as the Best Condition, in which we may Best converse with God. And O how much harder is it to walk with God, in a Court, in the midst of sensual delights, than in a prison or wilderness where we have none to interrupt us, and nothing else to take us up? It is our prepossessed minds, our earthly hearts, our carnal affections and concupiscence, and the pleasures of a prosperous state that are the prison and the Jailers of our souls. Were it not for these, how free should we be, though our bodies were confined to the straightest room! He is at Liberty that can walk in Heaven, and have access to God, and make use of all the Creatures in the world, to the promoting of this his Heavenly conversation. And he is the prisoner whose soul is chained to flesh and earth, and confined to his lands and houses, and feedeth on the dust of worldly riches, or walloweth in the dung and filth of gluttony, drunkenness and lust: that are far from God, and desire not to be near him; but say to him, Depart from us, we would not have the knowledge of thy ways: that Love their prison and chains so well, that they would not be set free, but hate those with the cruellest hatred that endeavour their deliverance. Those are the poor prisoners of Satan, that have not liberty to believe, nor to Love God, nor converse in Heaven, nor seriously to mind or seek the things that are high