ble. way of Living, and that no Man might invade another's Proper- ty; and that there was but here and there one that attain'd to Hap- pineſs hereafter; namely, ſuch an one as made it kis Buſineſs in this World to provide for another, and took due Care about it, and was .a Believer; But that Hell was the Place for him that err'd from the Truth, and preferr'd the Life of this preſent World before it. And what Labour can be greater, or what Miſery more compleat than his, who works, if you obferve, from the time he awakes, till he goes to ſleep again, you will find that he does nothing but whar tends to the attaining of ſome one or other of thefe vile ſenfible Things; namely, either Riches, to heap them up; or Pleaſure, which he may take; or Luſt, which he may ſatisfie; or Revenge, whereby he may paciſie his Mind; or Power, to defend himſelf; or ſome out- ward Work commanded by the Law, whercof he may make a vain- glorious Shew; or whereby he may ſave his own Neck? * Now all theſe things are Darkneſs upon Darkneſs in the Depth of the Sea, neither is there any of hon that doth not enter in thither, for ſuch is the unchangeable Decree F the Lord. | | 5 | SeR. 113. And when he underſtood the Condition of Mankind, and that the greateſt parr of them were like Brute Beafts, he knew that all Wiſdom, Direction and good Succeſs, conſiſted in what the Meſſengers of God had ſpoken, and the Law deliver'd; and that there was no other way beſides this, and that there could be nothing added to it; and that there were Men appointed to every Work, and that eye- ey one was beſt capable of doing that unto which he was appointed dy Nature. That this was God's way of dealing with thoſe which were gone before, and thatthere is no Change in his way. Whereupon re- turning to Sa/aman and his Friends, he begg'd their Pardon for what he had ſaid to them, and deſir'd to be excus'd, and told them that he was of the ſame Opinion with them, and went on in the ſame way, and perſuaded them to ſtick firmly to their Reſolution of keepin within the Bounds of the Law, and the Performance of the externa Rites, and they ſhould not much dive into the Things that did not con- cern them: and that in doubtful things they ſhould give Credit, and yield their Aſſent readily; and that they ſhould abſtain from novel Opinions, and from their Appetites, and follow the Examples of their pious Anceſtors, and forſake Noveltics, and that they ſhould avoid that neglect of religious Performances which was ſeen in the vulgar Sort of Men, and the Love of the World, which he principally cautioned em againſt. For both he and his Friend Asal knew that this tractable, but de fective Sort of Men, had no other way in the World to eſcape, but only by this means; and that if they rais d above this to curious Spe- Culations, it would be worſe with them, and they would not be able to attain to the Degree of the Bleſſd, but would fluctuate and be toſ. ſed up and down, and make a bad End. But on the contrary, if they Alcoran, Cap. 24 and 9. "> 4 OO — * » © contin in that State in which they were till Death overtook em de oni be happy, and ſtand on the right Hand: Bur as for thoſe erg went em, they ſhould alſo take place of em, and that they r dei 4 So they took their Leave and left them, and fought for : * ©} of returning to their Iſland, till it pleas God to heiß them-to-a Conveniency of paſſing. And Hai Ebz Tokdan eridea- ,your'dtoattainto his lofty Station, by the ame means he hadſought | it at firſt, till he recoyer'd it; and Axa! follow'd his Steps, till he dame near him, or wanted but very little of it; and thus they comi- mu d ſerving God in this Iſland till they dien. 0 Set. 11 f. And this is that (God alt thee and us by his Spirit) © which we have receiv'd of the Hiſtory of Hal Ebn Lordan, Asal and Satamax; which comprehendsſuch Choice of Words; as are not found in any other Book, nor heard in common Diſcourſe. And it is a Piece of hidden Knowledge which none can xeceive, but thoſe which have the Knowledge of God, nor can be rant of it, but thoſe which _ have not. Now, we have taken a contrary Method to dur pious An- ceſtors, as to their Reſervedneſs in this Matter, and Sparingneſs of Speech. And the Reaſon which did the more eaſily perſuade me to divulge this Secret, and tear the veil, was, becauſe of the corrupt Notions which ſome Pfetenders to Philoſophy in our Age have broach- 23 Add an d:ſcatter'd y ſo that ey. pre diffus'd throu h feyeral Countries, aud the Miſchief which ariſes from thence is become Epidemical. _ Fearingthereforelcſt thoſe weak ones, who reject tlie Tradition ef the ; Prophets (of bleſſed Memory) and make choice of that which is de- . -hverd em by Fools. ſhould imagine that theſe Opinions are that Se- = © cret, which oughtto be with-held from thoſe who are not worthy or 8 | <apable of it, and ſo their Deſire and Study of theſe Opinions ſhould be increas d. I have e to give them a Glimpte of this Se- Ferret of Segrets, that I might draw them into the right Way, and avert em from this other, Nevertheleſs, 1 have not ſo deliver'd the Secrets Which are comprehended in theſe few Leaves, as to leave em without t thin Veil or Cover over em, which will bc eaſily rent by thoſe who = re worthy of it; but will be fo thick to him, that is unworthy to paß beyond it, that he will not be able to get through it. And Ideſire =_ - __ of thole my Brethren who ſhall ſee this Biſcoutſe, that they would excuſe me fox being ſo eaſily induc d to explain it, and ſo free in the x 8 of it; ſeeing I had not done ſo, if I had not been elevated dt ſuch Heights, as trauſcend the Reach of humane Sight. And I was Willing e expreſs it in eaſie Terms that I might diſpoſe Men, and raiſe A2 beſire in 'em to enter into the right Way. And I beg of God Par- don aud Forgivenels, and that he would pleaſe to bring us to the true And certain Knowledge, of himſelf, for he is gracious and liberal of huis Favours. Peace be to thee, my Brother, whoſe Promotion is decreed, and 6