THE WAY TO THE
  SABBATH OF REST

  By Thomas Bromley (1629 -1691)
  Excerpts written in the late 1600's

Note From the Original Publisher:
Mr. Thomas Bromley was born in the year 1629 at Upton upon Severne, in Worcestershire, of an Ancient and Honourable Family, according to the World’s Account. (But methinks in mentioning this, I sink below the Subject I am speaking of; for what’s this to one who by his better Birth, was a Son and Heir of God, and Coheir with the King of Kings, and Lord of the Lords, the Holy and ever blessed Jesus?) He was in his younger Years religiously Educated, and after he had gone through the Learning of the Schools, became a Member of All-Souls College in Oxford, where God was pleased to reveal his Son in him, and to make great and glorious Discoveries of himself unto him, such, as it may be, should they be here related, some would scarce be able to understand or bear. And from that time forwards the Supreme Love having ravish'd his Heart with his All-surpassing Beauty, became a Vail to his Eyes, keeping him from beholding Vanity, or lusting after it; and he began in return of this special Divine Grace and Favour, wholly to dedicate himself to his Service from his Youth; and parting with all, and denying himself, became a faithful Follower and Disciple of this great Lord and Master, the Holy Jesus, and a true Minister of the Gospel, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit, one that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Thomas Bromley died on Easter-Monday, April 13th, 1691.

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Chapter I.
REgeneration is absolutely necessary to Salvation, John iii. 3. Hence it greatly concerns us, to know its Nature and Operation, how it is to be considered, either in it’s Initiation, Progress, or Consummation. As it is taken for the Beginning of the Work, it implies the first Change of the Soul, when in general the Frame of the Will is sway’d God and Heaven-ward. In it’s Progress, ‘tis the growth and motion of the Soul, from the Image of the Earthly towards the Image of the Heavenly. In it’s End, it is the bringing forth of the perfect and complete Image of God in our Humanity, 1Cor. xv. 49. When we attain this, we are complete in Christ, wholly New-born, 2Cor. v. 17. and made fit to see and enjoy that eternal Kingdom, which has been prepared for us from the beginning of the World.

2. Regeneration then in it’s full Latitude, comprehends all three States, and may be thus defined: It is that transforming quickening Work of God’s Spirit, which begins, carries on, and completes God’s Image in us. And so it is taken by Christ, Matth. xix.18, where he promiseth twelve Thrones to his twelve Disciples as Rewards for their Faithfulness in following him, an te palingenesia, in the Regeneration; where it is expressed by an emphatical Note, insinuating the Fulness and Completeness of it, as there meant.

3. But in the ordinary Acceptation amongst Professing Christians, 'tis used in the most restrained sense for the first Change of the Soul when the bent of the Heart begins to be habitually carried towards God in Christ. And by what I have heard and seen, from most I have conversed with, I find too much weight laid upon this first Work, as though it where the complete New-Birth; and that which might give sufficient ground of Comfort, even to those who feel not the comfortable growth of the inward Man in it’s Motion towards Perfection.

4. Hence many rest upon their first supposed Conversion, and have a continual Eye to it, as a great prop to their Souls, though they feel their Chariot Wheels stand still, yea, go backwards, and are in much more Deadness and Drowsiness of Spirit habitually, than when they first enter’d into the Work of the New-Birth. But certainly, this is dangerous, Ezek.xviii.24. and may much deceive the Spirits of many, by making them more eye what they were, than what they are, or may be, by pressing toward the Mark of perfect Union; for it stops their Motion, and hinders their Ascent toward Heaven, and their constant practising Conformity to the Death of Christ; by which Death only we pass out of the Fall, are fitted for Glory, and at length attain the Crown of Life.

Chapter III.
1.WH E N the Soul after it’s shakings, attains this Settlement in Christ’s Love, freely streaming towards it, usually ’tis much carried out in the sight and opening of the Free-Grace, which for a time, strongly work upon it, and induce it to yield suitable Returns, in constant Obedience. And this is commonly a Season of much Joy and Refreshment; the Soul feeling that sensible Consolation, and divine Sweetness, that causes it to break forth into continual Praises and Hallelujahs to God. Now, as this flows from the lively apprehension of God’s Love in Christ, so likewise from the clear sight of Christ in us, (p) and of that mystical transcendant Union, betwixt him and the inward Man; the Soul now beholding him in the Ground and Centre of her own pure Humanity (thence darting forth the Rays of Love upon her) whom before she look’d upon, as at a distance, without her, as only sitting at the right Hand of God in Heaven. Now whilst this Dispensation lasts, the Soul is in a (q)perpetual Spring, and a kind of delightful Paradise, bathing and delighting itself in the sweet (r) Fruition of Christ’s Love, who in this time expresseth much kindness to it, and gives frequent Testimonies of his divine Presence.

2. But this Day seldom continues very long, and this Summer by little and little usually inclines towards an Autumn, in which the Flowers of sensible Comfort and Love-Raptures, begin a little to whither, and benumming flesh again shews it’s Power, in secret (almost insensible) dullings of the Soul’s Affection, till by little and little, it comes to a sensible (s) Deadness, which is the more tedious and burdensome, the more the former Dispensation was pleasant and joyous.

3. Now what may be the reason of this declining in the Soul’s Enjoyments, I shall not positively determine; for it may proceed from different Causes, in different Persons: In some it may flow from the want of (t) Watchfulness over their Hearts; through the great Elevations of free Grace, in which time the flesh by little and little may collect Strength; Gifts then being more ey’d than Graces: It may also flow from the decay of the Soul’s lively apprehension of God’s Love, which it felt in freeing it from the poison and guilt of Sin, when it groaned sadly under them; for so long as the strong (u) impressions of that state remained, God’s Mercy eminently discovered, forced the Soul into suitable Meltings at the sight of it, but these somewhat vanishing in time, the effects likewise might cease by little and little. It may also come from want of practicing the way of the Cross, through our misapprehensions of being dead when we are not; or accidentally through the sensible overflowings of new Comforts, which may carry the Soul out of that watchful Exercise of the Cross, which at such time is most needful.

4. But whatever is the Cause of it, the Soul ought to enter into a strict Examination of itself, to sift every corner of it’s inward Chambers, and to pray for a clearer Light to view all subtil Corruptions, that may gull it, and hinder it’s Progress, and make it set up a Standard as though all where done. Oh ’tis dangerous sticking here, and resting upon former Changes; for this tends to the indulging of spiritual Drowsiness and Stupidity, and may bring the Soul in danger of losing (v) it’s former Works, by present Idleness and Relapses: For God looks not at what we were, but what we are; our present State making us either capable of God’s out-flowing Love, or obnoxious to his chastising Justice.

If so, awake dull Soul, think not to be Excused from thy present Lethargy By former Kindness, when the force of Love Did pierce thy Heart, and made it upward move; Awake and pray, that Christ in thee may give New quickning to thy Dead, that it may live.

Chapter IV.
1.MA N Y Souls stick long in this Condition, before they make a new advance towards Perfection, usually much reflecting upon their former work of Conversion, as the chief Basis of their Comforts: And though sometimes they look forwards, and desire (w) growth, yet that desire of growth is so weak that it terminates in itself short of effectual accomplishment; and though they sometimes begin, yet their endeavours are (x) nipt in their first Blossoming, and they themselves cast back into wonted Deadness, and so they come to run in a Circle, without getting ground of their Corruptions.

2. And I confess, I was long detained in this State, without any clear evident progress towards Eternity: And though I grew much in Knowledge and mystical Notions of the Life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ, and of our Conformity to his Example; yet not in the Power of his Cross, and Death, working the same in my Nature.

3. But afterward I came to a clearer sight of the Narrow Way which leads to Life Eternal, and of the necessity of our exact (y) Conformity to Christ's Sufferings and Death, to bring us unto his Life, and Resurrection: And that every degree of Life must come through a degree of Death; and the New-Man (z) spring up by continual decay of the Old. And though I saw This before, yet not so distinctly and effectually, as now. Here likewise I was more powerfully convinced of the (a) Straitness of the Pilgrim’s Path, which leads through the Visible and Invisible Worlds, into the third Heaven: Every step being to be made through Death and Resignation; and that the Soul could not attain perfect Bliss, but through a Death to (b) all things, which it came to love through the Fall. For as the Soul entered into Selfishness, so it must come out of it, casting away all that cloathing it is covered with, through Lust: And as it descended from Paradise into the Spirit of the World, and the Kingdom of the Devil, so it must re-ascend out of the Spirit of the World, and the Kingdom of the Dragon, through the Root (c) of fallen Nature into the Bosom of Abraham. Here I saw what a real Progress the Soul must make from the External into the Internal from thence into the Eternal: And as it descended so it must ascend; and as it fell by a gradual Change of the Will into Lust and Earthliness, so it must Rise by (d) a gradual renewal of the Soul, from Lust into Divine Love. Here I saw nothing without us could advantage, but as it was apply’d, to make a real change within. For (e) except we turn, and become as Children, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. It must be a Transmutation, and Metamorphosis of the Soul from the Image of the Earthly into that of the Heavenly. Nothing can ascend into Heaven, but that which came from Heaven, even the true (f) Image of God; the Earthly being predestinated to destruction: For Earth it is, and unto Earth it must return.

4. Now the motion of the Soul through the Gate of Death towards Life Eternal, is the motion of a Spirit, which is to be looked upon as ascending or descending, as it comes nearer or removes further from God the Center, as Bodies ascend or descend in relation to their Center, by their tending toward or fromward the Visible Heavens. Upward therefore to a Soul, is Inward; Outward is Downward. The Center is the Highest, the Circumference the lowest. God is in the Center being the most Inward; Matter in the Circumference, being most Outward; (g) yet God is in the Outward, as his footstool, but in the most Inward, as his Throne; filling both, though in both, not manifest alike. In the Inmost, he shows himself wholly in the Love; in the Outmost, in Love and Wrath, Life and Death, Generation and Corruption: But in the Inward dark World, altogether in Death, Darkness, and Wrath; as in the Inmost, all in Light and Life.

5. Therefore our Progress is from the Outward, through the Inward to the Inmost. The Outward is the place of Good and Evil, and as to its corrupt State, the Kingdom of the Beast. The Inward is two-fold, either the Dark or Light World. The Dark, is the Kingdom of the Dragon, the Center of Evil and Wrath; The Light World is the Paradisiacal Sphere, or that Garden of Eden, which is also situate in its Mesopotamia, or betwixt the two great rivers of Wrath and Love. The first of which is called (h) The Lake of Fire, burning with Brimstone; the last, Rev. 22 A pure River of Water of Life, clear as Chrystal, which proceeds out of the Throne of God, and of the Lamb. The Inmost, is the eternal Sanctuary, or true eternal Tabernacle of God, and that spiritual Land of Peace, where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the glorified, departed Saints live and inhabit.

6. But none can ever reach This, but through the perfect Death; and as we die daily, so we rise nearer it, Death giving us a gradual passage towards this Eternal Kingdom of Life.
And is it so, that Death must waft us ore,
The Sea of Nature, to the Heavenly shore?
Then bring thy Boat, blest Death, that thou and I
May sail together towards Eternity.
A sweet Companion thou wilt be to me,
Till I imbosom’d am in Unity.

Chapter V.
1.TH E Soul having arrived so far as to see the necessity of a complete Death, and of a perfect Conformity to the Cross of Christ; and discovering much Selfishness, which before it saw not, as matter for this Death and Cross, and begins afresh the serious Practice of the Cross, with great earnestness and resolution of Spirit, to indulge (i) nothing that stands betwixt it and God. Now it enters upon a strict Enquiry into his own Heart, searching its own Jerusalem with the Candle of the Lord, that so all Selfishness may be discovered and extirpated; and now it finds, that although (before this Dispensation) the chief Bent of the Will inclined habitually towards the Good, yet it was not strong enough to bear down that Opposition of Flesh that hindred its constant Ascent towards Heaven, and had therefore need of a new Alarm from thence to awaken it, and raise it from the Bed of Drowsiness, and arm it with Power of Resolution to cast out the (k) Relicks of the Flesh, and Corruption, and defend itself against the Assaults of the Devil, who having long possessed the unregenerate part of the Heart, is loath to quit his hold, least the Soul should get wholly out of his Kingdom and reach.

2. At this remove therefore the Spirits of Darkness (l) exceedingly oppose and use all their art and strength to betray and weaken the Soul’s endeavours. Here then begins a new and great War in the Soul between the Seed of the Woman and the Serpent. Michael and his Angels fight against the Dragon and his Angels; Christ and Anti-Christ strongly oppose each other. The Wrath and Love bring forth their mighty wonders, being both stirred and awakened afresh in the Soul.

3. But the Soul being now sensible of its present state, and seeing that there’s no Safety where the Devils have such access and influence, sinks down into the Mercy and Love of God, and flies to the Cross, embracing and delighting in it; that so the (m) Blood of the Cross may be shed unto it, to cleanse it throughout, and to take away those Stains, which are the Devil’s Mansions. And here it clearly finds, there’s no way of triumphing over the Prince of Death, but through Death; so (n) it dies daily, to that which the Evil One lives in, and lives to that which is death to Sin. In this way, there may much Discouragement sometimes seize on the Soul, thro’ the strength of Satan’s working and reluctancy of Flesh, and the outward Man, which is loath to subject his Neck to the sharp Axe of Death. But this Bitterness is recompensed with that Refreshment the Soul finds in it’s constancy of Self-denial, which is attended with many glances of Divine Comfort darting in upon the Soul to encourage it; and though it should, for a while remain in this Progress, which is bitter to the Flesh, without any sensible Comfort (which may well be, through that great opposition the Dragon will make at this remove of the Soul); yet when Patience hath had its Work, and the Soul is come to be wrapt up in Contentation and Passiveness, as to any Change of its Condition, and so fitted for Enlargement, the showers of God’s Love will seasonably and sweetly descend to the strength and blessed Support of the Heart; so that it will be forced to cry out, It is good that a Man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. (o) And What the Spirit sometimes now enjoys, so sweetens the Cross that it cannot but thus break forth.

4. Why Should the Soul refuse that Cross That Gold returns instead of Dross? Why should it fear that piercing Nail Which rends away the fleshy Vail? And gives a Prospect of that Place, Which Time and Age cannot deface.


Chapter X.
1. IMagination being now overcome, and the Animal Man mortified, the Soul cannot but clearly discover its growth in the Image of God, and the Resurrection of the Angelical Man, which now evidently perceives itself springing up in a new Principle, above the Spirit of the (d) World, and its mixed Laws: And here we come to own and receive new Relations, contracted by our Progress in the New Birth, and our tendency from the Spirit of the World towards Eternity.

2. And as through the Act of Generation we came to be invested with earthly Relations, so by the Work of Regeneration we come to possess those that are Spiritual. Here we come to honour God, as our Father in the Spirit, (not excluding any other of his beloved Ones, who have been instrumental to beget us into the divine Image and Wisdom) and Jerusalem above, as our true (e) Mother: And so all other Saints who have been begotten by the same Power into the same Nature, become our true Brothers and Sisters; all standing upon one Root, drawing one Nourishment, and knit together by (f) one Spirit, which is the Instructor, Leader and Comforter of all.

3. But we shall here find a nearer Union and Communion amongst those who have been by one particular Instrument begotten into the Life of Christ, having a peculiar Vein of spiritual Enjoyment running through them; which others, who received not that particular Tincture, do not partake of. And had we lived in the Apostles times, we should have seen this amongst the Primitive Christians; for certainly they that were begotten by St. Paul had a particular Endearment to him, and to one another; and so it may be said of those that were converted by Apollos, Cephas, and others. Which is clear by that Scripture, 1Cor. i. 12. Everyone of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas. And though St. Paul blames them here for Contention, Emulation and Irregularity in their particular Affections, to their spiritual Fathers; yet not for a peculiar ownment of those who instrumentally converted them; for that is according to the Law of pure Justice, (g) seeing he that Converts a Sinner, saves a Soul from Death, and covers a Multitude of Sins. And St. Paul himself in some places speaks of himself, as a spiritual Father, requiring of those he had begotten into the Faith, due Respect, Obedience and Love. But amongst those who are thus peculiarly united, we shall see more closely knit in spiritual Agreement than others, and essenced into one anothers Spirits; as may appear by that great Union which Christ had with St. John, and that particular Affection he bare towards him, which was the reason why St. John was called by way of eminency and distinction from the rest) The Disciple whom Jesus loved. Now when we come to experience this, we shall know the meaning of that Scripture, where Bone is said to come (h) to his Bone: For as some Bones are locked one in another, and some Members grow more immediately one out of another, though all make up but one organical Body: So some Spirits are nearer united in Christ’s Body than others, and stand closer jointed, and more intrinsically compacted, but all make up but one spiritual and mystical Body. And this we shall find to flow from the Harmony and Agreement of Spirits and Natures, as they were signatur'd in the first Moment of Existency: For Grace and the work of Regeneration do not destroy our Natural signatures, only rectify them by that heavenly Principle which reduceth all our Spirits into the highest Perfection they are capable of, by their primary Model and Frame. Hence it appears that they are more truly Brethren (even according to natural Nature) who thus agree, and correspond in their Essences, than they that are ordinarily called so, who are many times very contrary signatur'd. And the reason of this Assertion is, in that when our Natures come to their perfect rectitude and Restoration by Union with God; this secret propension and harmonious closing with those that are like-essenced, remains; whereas from meer natural Relation, there nothing continues; though in those who are related, there may be this Agreement too: But meer Relation is not the cause of it, but that secret Law of Influence, which God hath established to signature some one way, some another; some in much agreement and proportion; others more differing, tho’ all representing something of that variety which is wrapt up in the Unity of the eternal Nature. I could not but give an hint of this, because it may open some things concerning Relations, which may lye dark to those who know not the deepest Ground and Root of them.

4. But I shall proceed to the further opening of those Enjoyments, which flow from Union with new Relations, which come now to be very dear; because the ground of their Relation is so pure and good, being (i) not of Man, or the Will of Man, but of God. Here we shall experience the happy Effects of our pure Union, which produces that Divine Love, that none can know, but those that enjoy it. But this will be strongest, where there is most Harmony and Agreement in Spirits and Natures; because the eternal Tincture works upon, and through every thing according to its Nature and Capacity: Hence we come to enjoy more from some, than others; and some from us receive more than others. But that brotherly Love and Friendship, which now come to be renewed in Spirit, far transcend any enjoyments merely Natural: And whatsoever we parted with in dying to all earthly Affection and it’s Objects, we regain in the Resurrection of our Spirits, in this pure Love, which is not Affection, but something above it; not consisting in sudden out-flowings and eruptions, but in a constant sweet inclination, and secret propension of the Spirit, to those which are one with it, in pure Life: And this good-willingness is so great, that from it the Soul could give (k) it's Life (or if there were any (l) thing dearer than Life) for it’s Brother; and choose Sufferings to free others from them. In this state there will be a sympathizing in Joy and Sorrow; and where the Union is eminently great, there may be some knowledge of each others Condition, at a (m) distance, which comes from their being essenced in each others Spirits and Tinctures, which is the cause of this invisible Sympathy.

5. And they that are in this near Union, feel a mutual in-dwelling in the pure Tincture and Life (n) of each other: And so, the further we come out of the animal Nature, the more universal we are, and nearer both to Heaven, and to one another in the Internal; and the fitter instrumentally to convey the pure streams of the heavenly Life to each other, which no external distance can hinder. For the divine Tincture (being such a spiritual Virtue, as Christ imprinted into the Heart of the Disciples, with whom he talked after his Resurrection, making their Hearts to burn within them) is able to pierce through all distance, and reach those that are far absent; because it is not Corporeal, nor Subject to the Laws of place and time.
Now this is known to some by Experience, who in absence enjoy such influences of Spirit, and secret Insinuations of spiritual Virtues from one another, that they cannot but value this spiritual Communion, above all Enjoyments in the World; which compared to it, seem but like the basest Metal to the purest Gold.

6. Then quit that wretched state, immortal Soul, Where poyson'd Ghosts in flesh together roll; And take thy flight into that Mount of Love, Where New-born Spirits in bright Bodies move, And sport themselves in that Eternal Joy, Which totally excludes Lust’s base alloy. Lust’s left below for those that flesh desire; Love dwells on High, Love fills the heavenly Quire.