WHEN a man first finds himself stirred up with religious zeal, what does he generally do? He turns all his thoughts _outwards_, he runs after this or that man, he is at the beck of every _new opinion_, and thinks only of finding the truth, by resting in this or that society of Christians. Could he find a man, that did not want to have him of his opinion, that turned him from himself to God, not as historically read of in books, but _essentially_ living and working in every soul, him he might call a man of God; as saving him from many vain wanderings, from fruitless searchings into a council of _Trent_, a synod of _Dort_, an ♦_Augsburg_ confession, an _Assembly_’s catechism, or a _thirty-nine Articles_. For had he an hundred articles, if they were any thing else but a hundred calls to Christ, as the only possible light, and teacher of his mind, it would be a hundred times better for him to be without them.――For all man’s misery lies in this, that he has lost the knowledge of God, as living within him, and by falling under the power of an earthly, bestial life, thinks only of God, as living in some other world, and so seeks only by notions, to set up an image of an absent God, instead of worshipping the God of life and power, in whom he lives, moves, and has his being.――Whoever therefore teaches you to expect great things from this, or that sort of opinions, or calls you to any thing as _saving_, and _redeeming_, but the _manifestation_ of God in your own soul, through Christ, is totally ignorant of the whole nature, both of the _fall_, and the _redemption_ of man. ♦ “Augsberg” replaced with “Augsburg” The Spirit of Christ must live in you, or all exhortations, to walk as he walked, are vain. The natural man is in full separation from this holiness of life, and though he had more wisdom of words, more depth of literature, than was in _Cicero_ or _Aristotle_, yet would ye have as much to die to, as the greatest Publican or vainest Pharisee, before he could be in Christ a new creature. For the highest improved natural abilities, can as well ascend into heaven, or cloath flesh and blood with immortality, as make a man like-minded with Christ in any one divine virtue. And that for this one reason, because God and divine goodness are inseparable.