engrav'd sets forth His outward feature not his inward worth His body was his souls dark vail and skreen So that his excellent substance lies unseen The hearing-ear and seeing-eye are blessings rare He furnish'd was with both for â—was his care To preach and practise true Self-denial Whereof these labours give sufficient trial In 's laâ—er dayes while here he had abode His life was joyn'd and hid with Christ in God How others might this spiritual method know His Life and Doctrine in this book do show True godliness is a MYSTERY long conceal'd But truly in these Sermons 't is reveal'd What good thou findest let not man be prais'd But to the Lord let all your hearts be rais'd L. D. The Titles Contents and Texts of both parts of this Book Christ the true Salt of the Earth IN one Sermon Preached at Islington Publike-meeting place on Mark 9. 50. Have salt in your selves The Star in the East leading to the true Messiah The Mystery of Christ crucified The spiritual crucifying the true Messiah In two Sermons at a private Meeting at Kensington near London on 1 Cor. 2. 2. But I determined to know nothing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified Of suffering and reigning with Christ. In eight Sermons at Kensington Publick meeting-place on Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together The dead and killing letter the Spirit and the Life Shadows vanishing some rayes of glory appearing In four Sermons at a private meeting at Kensington on Iosh. 16. 15 16. And Caleb said he that smiteth Kiriathsepher and taketh it to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife c. The second part Militia Coelestis or the heavenly Host. In two Sermons on Psal. 68. 17 At Giles Cripplegate London The Chariots of God are twenty thousand thousands of angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Where Christ feedeth and where his flock resteth In two Sermons on Cant. 1. 7. at Highgate Publick-meeting place Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy â—â—ocks to rest at noon for why c. Of eating Hidden Manna The substance of a Sermon preached at a Lecture in the Old Jury London on Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Hidden Manna Covetousness Anatomized or the generality of Covetousness The substance of several Sermons preached at Putney near London on Ier. 6. 13. From the least of them even unto the greatest every one is given to Covetousness and from the Prophet even to the Priest every one dealeth falsely The PLUS ULTRA of the Creatures A brief Exposition on Psal. 148. spoken privately in Old Street London Milk for babes meat for strong men The substance of several Sermons at Kensington Publick meeting-place on Luke 2. 40. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him The Mystery or the Life and Marrow of the Scriptures An Exposition in two Sermons on Exod. 3. the 6. first verses at a private meeting at Kensington Moses kept the flock of Iethro his father in Law Priest of Midian and he led the flock to the backside of the desart And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush c. True and divine Exorcism or the Devil conjured by Iesus Christ. The substance of several Sermons preached at Kensington Publick meeting-place on Mark 1. 25 26. And Iesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him and when the unclean spirit had torn him and cryed with a loud voice he came out of him All power given to Iesus Christ in heaven and earth In one Sermon preached at a Private meeting in Old-street London on Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Whereunto is added some Collections by Dr. Everard out of some Divine Authors as being things suitable to his preaching and giving further light each to other viz. To him who is in the light 1. DIonysius the Areopagite his mystical Divinity 2. Certain grave and notable sayings in Latin and English 3. Sayings of a certain Divine of great note and name 4. A lovely glass or example of our Lord Iesus Christ taken out of Taulerus his works 5. Another short instruction out of the same Author 6. A short Dialogue between a learned Divine and a Beggar TO THE READER OF Dr. Everards SERMONS Christian Reader AS there were many causes of delay in publishing these Sermons so there are also in bringing them to light now The time when they were preached was in the dayes of the last Bishops who endeavoured the strangling of many Truths in the birth as Pharaoh the children of Israel lest they should increase and multiply to discover and suppress their deeds of darkness to that end High-Commissioning many precious and bright-shining lights whereof this Author was in the number laying as their manner was many foul things to their charge which they never knew as David said of himself by his enemies thereby making a great noise to amuze the people in medling with such men and to colour their wicked designes for the suppression of light and men of light as if they were guilty of foul Doctrine or foul life or both and though they could prove nothing against them yet keeping them in their Courts if possible to aw and vex them if they could not suppress them The Author hereof being spotless in either especially since God in a special and extraordinary manner appeared to him in him in his latter dayes for he confâ—ssed with the Apostle Paul Eph. 4. 17 18. that in the dayes of his former ignorance and vanity he walked as other Gentiles and as men living without God in the world in the vanity of his mind having his understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God because of the blindness of his heart which no doubt our merciful and ready-pardoning God had forgiven though men could not or would not forget which he regarded not much God speaking peace and parâ—on to his soul. But afterward he desired nothing more then to bring in others to see what he saw and to enjoy what he enjoyed and to clear truth to them in either respect he oftentimes averring as to others so to the Publisher hereof that his trouble was not for self-sufferings but that truth should be any way obstructed or defamed through him And he having once obtained of their Court to refer the accusations in either kind but especially for Doctrine and for Conventicles as they called them kept by him to reason out his judgement and what he had delivered with four Bishops members thereof or any three of them In this he rejoyced so as in nothing more so he exprest and we judge and not without good ground he taking abundance of pains and travel to
much every whit arise from their confusion as from their salvation the hurt is their own not his And now to shew you how the dumb and deaf creatures sing praise to God as God demanded of Iob when he thought as we that man onely praises God Iob 38. 7. saith God Where wert thou when the morning Stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy God says there they Shouted and Sung did not you heat them did they not sing and shout in your ears it is no matter they did in his and to him they sang melodiously and Aloud and he understands their voice and their language though we understand not how they do praise him As in a tree it is the nature thereof to grow and flourish in the spring and in Autumn the leaves fall and the sap returns to the root Gods will is as well accomplished in this tree as in a man for these visible creatures were made of invisible and that which is invisible praised him before and that praises him still for all the creatures the Sun Moon and Stars yea the whole Creation they all sing sweetly and make a melodious praise wherein he is infinitely delighted as Psal. 19. The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth sheweth his handy-work And the Song of the three Children O all ye works of God bless the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever There is in all these dumb and insensible and unreasonable creatures A proper kind of Religion God gives to every one according to their place degree nature and calling A Talent and accordingly he will require of them again if he gives the gift of prophesie we must prophesie according to the measure of faith as in the University we do not expect those parts and abilities in young beginners and Sizars that we expect in those that are of longer standing Then by the way it is no wonder though God give to those that sit at the Helm of his Church more eminent and larger gifts then he gives to those that are below in lower offices I may say even these unreasonable creatures have a Religion in their way according to Gods will We see God ascribes moral vertues to them As in the Proverbs Go to the Pismire thou sluggard she provideth in summer for the Winter in Isai. 1. 3. The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but my people have not known me saith the Lord and in the Evangelists it is He rebuketh the windes and sea and they Obey him Here are moral vertues in them care and providence in the Pismire thankfulness in the Ox and Ass to them that feed them we see they will acknowledge their owner and there is obedience even in the Seas Nay every Creature doth its duty but onely MAN We will now also see if we can find out their Religion Religion consists of four parts All Religion I say may be reduced to four heads The first is A Creed what we are to believe 2. A Petition what we are to pray for 3. A Decalogue what we are to do And Lastly A Sacrifice what we are to give Now let us see how all these are competible to all these creatures First For their Creed what they believe what faith they have it is true they cannot speak as we do yet they speak in their kind and as they are able We require no more of children then they are able neither doth God of his Creatures and so these creatures do in their kind both speak and believe this is an undeniable maxime That there is a God for who can look upon an effect but he must needs have recourse to the cause there can be no effect without a cause if we see a thing made we know it hath a Maker and if we look upon the creature in this kind as an Effect it plainly speaks a cause so that we can look upon no creature but we must inquire after God There is no attribute ascribed to God but all the creatures speak it and confess it As first to speak of some of his Attributes for instance God is one Simple Essence this unity is testified and declared by the Creatures that God is one and can be no more for if there were more then one Creator of them then the one would destroy confouud and overthrow the other for if they be Two either they must be equal or not equal if they be not equal then the one is greater then the other and the greater will overcome the lesser and if they be equal then there must be bounds and limits set how far the Ones dominion must reach and how far the other but this to affirm is most absurd and ridiculous Secondly They all testifie that God is good and if good and the onely goodness goodness it self then likewise he must be Truth Entity and Being for all these are one Whatever is one is God whatever is truth is God whatever is good is God whatever is Entity and Being is God for in saying he is good or in saying He is any of these He is all these for these are terms convertible if he be good then he is Truth Entity and Being and if he be truth entity and being then he is good these are all one and so of any of the rest And if there be A goodness in the creatures then what is He who is the fountain that gives all these their goodness These are but the Chanels that run from the Fountain and Head but it so falls out in the world and is so common that many yea most men are so taken up with the pleasantness of the streames that come from him that they are drowned in them he gives us these outward comforts that they may draw our eyes to him that bestows them that so we may be in love with him not them But in our way to him we fall in love with the creatures he lets down these cords to draw us up to him we hang our selves with these cords as those that came a woing to Penelope many yea most of them fell in love with the Handmaids that were appointed to lead them to her and so never saw the Mistress So do we fall in love with the servants The Handmaids of God The creatures and we make them The Mistress whereas we should never rest till we come by these servants and Handmaids to the True Mistress indeed God himself Blessed for ever and onely BEAUTIFUL Thirdly God is called Light that is a property â—â—â—buted to him but yet God is not the light we now see but he is that fountain and being from whence it comes and therefore when we behold and see the Sun Moon and Stars and the glorious Firmament we cannot choose but ask whose light is this and they presently tell us Their Belief That they are All The works of His hands There is no creature but testifies the
roar and the fulness thereof let the fields rejoyce and all that is therein then shall the trees of the wood Sing Out at the presence of the Lord that is To him to whom God hath revealed himself and suffered His glory to pass before him All creatures yea the dumb and inanimate creatures sing out and sing aloud the infinite praises of God Almighty Psal. 145. 9 10. The Lord is good to all and his tender mereies are over all his works All thy works shall peaise thee and thy Saints shall bless thee and talk of thy Kingdom and Power And so much shall suffice for these four parts of the creatures Religion We will come to make use hereof to our selves First Let it make us ashamed of our backwardness to give God praise we that are exalted above these creatures that they are more ready and cheerful in praising their Creator then we we may blush and be ashamed for There is nothing that we can behold but puts us in mind of our slothfulness These poor servants that have received but one talent do yeild more increase of praise to God then I or you that have received many talents These poor creatures do more sing forth Gods praise then we with all our wisdom reason and understanding And let us with shame confess Saying it is I It is I that have depressed thy glory and caused thy praise to be evil spoken of and say with David when thou seest any of the creatures dye It is I Lord that have offended but what have these poor sheep done which are killed and slain for me unworthy unthankful sinner Second Use Take notice hence of the vast circumference of Gods Kingdom it reaches farther then we are aware of we think that we are the onely creatures that God esteems of Was not the earth made for me and the Sun to shine upon me and all creatures to feed and clothe me and thou thinkest that thou art left alone to praise God no no deceive not thy self Gods praise is not confined to the Church of men he hath reserved to himself seven thousand that have not bowed their knee to Baal Dost thou think poor creature that thou art onely He that I have appointed to worship me and that my infinite praise depends onely upon thee no no His Kingdom is from one end of heaven to the other and every creature praises him as much or more then thee as Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him both things in heaven and things in earth visible and invisible all things were created by him and for him for his praise and glory and Psal. 2. 10 11. That at the name of Iesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Iesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father Therefore alas alas do not think that Gods Temple is so narrowly scanted that thon onely praisest him thou art the least part of his Church and Temple Third Use Let this teach us to go to God boldly in the name of Iesus and with great encouragement to praise God for though men and Angels be unfit to praise God and they cannot do it as they ought yet he that accepts the Ravens and the Lions and all the dumb creatures when they Cry unto Him be assured he will never refuse the sighs and the groans of any poor penitent dejected soul that comes bleeding and weeping to him for mercy He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast away Joh. 6. 37. Fourth Use Let us learn also that when we look upon the creatures we take heed of being taken with any of them But let us consider that these are but as Iaco bs Ladder that by these steps by these Angels of God we may ascend to him that stands at the Top And if God do not by one means or other by one affliction and vexation in the creature or other drive us from the creature that we may look up to him we shall for ever live and dye in the creature And therefore happy is that man that God hunts from these things that they may never have any Rest till they find Him where they shall find Rest to their souls As if there be oyl put into a deep glass it lies at the bottom and will never rise to the top but if you pour water into it it will still be rising up to the top till the oyl it self run over I could apply it thus A soul that is sunk in sin and sunk in the creature except God of his infinite mercy pour upon him the water of afflictions his soul will never Arise and mount up to God this drives us upward to seek rest there for here is none and so thereby shall become more then conquerors through him that hath loved us where as if these had not been our souls had been drowned in the creatures and sunck for ever to the pit of Hell These things I thus unfold to you that you may see the unspeakable and large bounds of Gods praise That every thing may result and yield to him honour and praise A Fifth Use To teach us that though it be impossible for us to search out the unspeakable praises of God that is hid in all the creatures we may see them yet we can never search them to the bottom howbeit every creature saith to us as the Angel to Iohn when he would have fallen down and worshipped him See thou do it not for I am thy fellow servant Worship God we are ready to fall down and worship the creatures but they all cry See thou do it not I am thy fellow servant worship God And they all cry to thee Dost thou see the beauty of any creature doth the sweetness of any creature take thee I say they all cry to us Arise and depart hence for this is not your rest Doth the Pleasantness the sweetness the Comeliness c. of any creature delight thee it saith and calls aloud to thee Arise and depart hence for this is not your rest how sweet how beautiful how fair soever Rest not in that thou seest but seek for HIM thou seest not All creatures are like the waters to Noahs Dove which could find no rest for the soal of her foot but yet she brought an Olive leaf in her mouth we may taste and use these things But take not too much of them and hold them gently and be alwayes ready to let them fall take heed of resting till you come to the Ark all come out from him and all return to him again Sixth Use and the last Take heed of abusing any creature it is enough that you may use them for they are one of the family you your selves are of and they groan as well as you for deliverance as God complains that ye make him serve your
despise it we ascend not nor set our feet aright on those six steps ascending up to the Throne of Grace Peace and Rest truly and lively explained in this book to wit 1. Condemnation 2. Annihilation 3. Abdication 4. Indifferency 5. Conformity 6. Union or Deiformity the very Throne it self and compared by the Author as you shall find in this book to the six steps leading up to Solomons Glorious Throne Where are the men now who desire to climb these steps but generally all men account them mighty difficult and painful and therefore decline them men rather descend them then seek to ascend how low and how poorly do most men yea most Professors live how bound up to the world they live altogether unto pleasures or profits and to themselves not unto the Lord and yet t is certain He that will be my disciple must deny himself and take up his Cross Actions not forced or compulsotory but free and voluntary few now seek the glory of God or the good of others but mind themselves love themselves provide for themselves so that they are rivetted into and fastened unto the earth Is this to live by faith to live to Christ Can such men say I dye daily with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. or I am crucified to the world and the world unto me or can they justifie that they live not but Christ liveth in them or can they plead that they have crucified the old man with the affections and lusts thereof have these men abstained though it may be from outward fleshly lusts yet not from those spiritual wickednesses in high places which also war against the soul O for shame is this to live as Christ lived and to do as â—e did Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously And even hereunto are ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an ensample that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. Those Primitive Christians those precious jewels of God whose souls are bound up in the bundle of life they counted all but as loss and dross and dung to gain the knowledge of Christ and him crucified they in the first place sought the Kingdom of heaven and its righteousness they took the Kingdom of heaven by violence and these violent ones took it by force Oh admirably active and passive men of whom the world was not worthy they were afflicted persecuted tormented who counted it their joy to suffer for Christ they went to their Rest through the Cross rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Those were they that counted not anything no not their lives too dear for Christ and yet in all their sufferings went off Conquerours these found that pearl slighted all and parted with all to get this pearl Behold here is the faith and patience of the Saints Rev. 13. 9. And of this Author we may say he was one that sought after wisdom and found it for he knew the merchandize of it to be better then the merchandize of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold Prov. 1. 4. and 8. And he would often say that he desired to be acquainted with men who had experience of Christ rather then men of notions or speculations that desired to act more then to talk and he did in his publick preaching averr it that though they were never so mean poor and despised by the world yet if they were but acquainted with such experimentall truths as these they were more welcome to him then so many Princes and Potentates and we hope his labours of the like stamp will find the like welcom with such as are experienced and practised in these spiritual truths And to such Auditors he desired to preach to and be acquainted with that he might confirm them in the grace of God We may say here of him and of such high-raised truths as the Prophet Isaiah Isa. 28. 9 10. Whom shall we teach knowledge and whom shall we make to understand doctrine those that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts for precept must be upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little And such was the counsel of the Author when any came to him either ignorant or full of literal knowledge who usually are full of questions yet are also very ignorant saith he as to Self-denial Annihilation and Resignation which his discerning spirit soon perceived in reasoning with them sometimes alledging to them that of Pythagoras that when any Scholler came to enter himself under him he would enjoyn them to ask no question in three years so that he might teach them as he found them able to receive and at three years end they might then ask him any question but then they had none to ask for he had satisfied all their doubts Or suppose said he there were before you as much meat as you could eat in a moneth if I should enjoyn you to eat it all at a meal or two instead of nourishing it would destroy you whereas if I gave you a moneth to eat it taking your meals orderly and digesting them it would do you much good nourish refresh and strengthen And a narrow-mouthed vessel which holds much in the continent you may fill it with precious liquor and so preserve it if you pour it in as it can receive but if ye pour in too fast ye spil and spoil that which hereafter may support your life Nor do we put young Schollers to learn Latin or Greek at the first entrance but we instil learning by degrees as they are able to suck in and receive with these and such like expressions would he perswade them to wait with patience till God were pleased to reveal and the same counsel do we give to all who cannot be satisfied presently with these things but let them read ponder and wait and those that hunger and thirst shall be filled And truly they are but as St. Iohn and Ieremy say One of a City and two of a Tribe that shall come to Zion who can attain this salvation few there be that enter into this strait gate For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto destruction and many there be that go in thereat but strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it And in reading these Sermons you may observe the Author cuts his way clear between First the meer Rationalist who will square out God according to his own reason or else he is no God and herein also including the Formalist and Secondly the Familist who saith he lives above Ordinances and so hath quite left all Religion and by degrees hath turned licencious Ranter which are the main points now in agitation and the two great rocks against which so many either against the one or the
laid down the first being Condemnation of our selves the second is Annihilation bringing or reducing our selves to just nothing Mistake not for your own sakes I do not mean to be really nothing at all of no substance that is more then any earthly power can do more then Potentates or Kings can do they may attempt such a thing but their arm can onely reach to division or separation of soul and body and dividing of the Elements one from another they may grind us to powder they may burn us to ashes and when they have so done cast the ashes into the river as in some case they may justly do but they cannot make us nothing for the same power that Creates can onely Annihilate for every thing retires to its own proper place every thing to its element the water to his the fire to his the air to his the earth to his so that when I tell you of making your selves nothing I do not mean you should destroy your selves but I speak of such a making nothing and destroying as that you keep all your members such a making nothing as Iob complains of himself ch 16. 12. I was at ease and he hath broken me asunder he hath taken me by the neck and hath shaken me to pieces and hath set me up for his mark he cleaveth my reins asunder and poureth my gall upon the ground Iob there complains that he was broken to pieces and yet Iob had all his joynts and all his members therefore that which I mean is the turning of a mans self into dust and powder before God to be emptie in our selves to be Nothing less then nothing in our own esteem that all those huge bulwarks that we have raised in our souls of our somethingness and of our own esteem may be all laid flat to the ground and brought to nothing as Abraham Gen. 18. 27. when God had appeared to him said Now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes he seeing the infinite vast difference between God and him he cryes out O Lord I am but dust and ashes And I tell thee O man pulvis es in pulverem revertâ—ris Gen. 3. 19. Dust thou art and to dust thou must return But give me leave and I will yet be more plain to you For my beloved My mouth is open unto you my bowels are not straightned to you-ward my heart is enlarged though the Jews should forbid me to speak any more in this name as they did the Apostles yet I will not keep back any part of Gods Counsel from you And I pray God you do not take the childrens bread and cast it unto dogs and I shall express my meaning briefly All that thou callest I All that selfness All that arrogancy propriety that thou hast taken to thy self all this must be brought to nothing whatsoever creates in us Iness or Selfness this is pulvis cinis Dust and Ashes and Vanity for take away these and we are glorious creatures the workmanship of God himself but these things Iness and Selfness being let in These these things make us deformed this is that makes us like the Devil himself for take from him this I I am something and take away Selfness I will have mine own will and I will be Lord and King and take away Propriety I will have and I will enjoy something to my self and for my self and then the Devil himself is a glorious Angel there is nothing then left but what is good all things were at first very good It is true That Man at the best is but created of the dust of the earth but what is he and what a case is he in when sin enters into him I do believe there are thousands at this instant in Hell that do wish from their souls that they were or could be reduced to nothing at all But that man that is reduced in this sense to nothing and hath truly considered himself he cryes out and complains See O Lord how I am become Vile Lam. 1. 11. and he acknowledges as David 2 Sam. 6. 21. that if I be Vile I will yet be more Vile Doth Gods book require that he should be Vile and abominable and low in his own sight his heart Echoes and answers I will yet be more vile I will be more nothing as the Prophet Esay sayes ch 40. 17. We are nothing we are less then nothing all Nations are but as the drop of the Bucket they are nothing they are vanity it self we are but as a bubble as David confesses we are but as a broken pitcher that can hold no water Psal. 31. 12. we are but as dead men cast out of sight and clean out of mind David was then in a most miserable condition in the eyes of flesh and blood But Oh happy thrice happy are those men that are once come thus to be Dead men whatever men think You know dead men they cannot so much as say this is I they esteem not of themselves let men do what they will with them they are all one strike him he feels it not they claim no interest nor propriety in any thing let them be merry while he lies by or let them be sad all is one to him let them be sharers of his goods One will have one part Another another let them spend lavishly and make merry with his goods he he is not moved why because he hath lost his sense he hath lost his taste so he that is dead to himself he hath lost his sense he hath lost his taste in this world let others rejoyce in heaping up riches and adding land to land and making themselves and their posterity great in the world these things concern not him and likewise poure any thing into a broken Pitcher it can hold nothing it can hold no honour no praise no price so likewise into this man pour what ye will into him pour wealth into him pour health pour honour into him pour praise pour credit or the contrary he can hold nothing whatever ye do to him or take from him he is all one if ye take his cloak from him he will give you his coat if ye strike him on the one side he will turn the other curse him and he will pray for you and this he learns of his sweet and dear Saviour Jesus Christ who hath set him a pattern for him to follow and commands him to learn of him and thereby ye shall find Rest to your souls for saith he with Iacob Gen. 32. 10. I am less then the least of thy mercies These things Selfness and Propriety being taken away Then there is a Fair Table for Gods Spirit to write what he pleases for if a sheet of paper be blacked all over can a man write any thing thereon but if ye can take away that which blacks the paper and defiles the soul
like a swine spake like a swine conversed like a swine and all this because he fed and fared like a swine he lived upon Husks the Letter of the Word without the Spirit and the MARROW And that would suffer them to follow the World To wallow in the pleasures the profits the honours thereof these and the like these he fed upon and these relished with him and nothing else but such like Husks and Excrements and Altogether carnal things was his meat and his delight Will not new food alter all even the whole man Judge therefore Brethren whether we may not call The Letter of this blessed wholsome and Heavenly Book which within it contains the Heavenly Manna and Angels food any other but the Husks To such men Whether it be any thing else to these men but the City of the Letter the Book sealed The Fleshly and bodily exercise which profiteth them nothing It is not yet Debir to them its true they call it the Word of God as the Jews did Oh! the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord so they call it the Word the word I by all means t is The Word of God but you see it is not the Word to them for where is the Nourishment they get from it If they fed upon the Life and Marrow Alas to day How would it Alter their Lives and their Looks and reform their wayes and make them Look like Christians doing the works of Christians But they smooth themselves up with Crying The Temple of the Lord and The Temple of the Lord with a meer outside profession of godliness But the Prophet Tells them there They were deceived For saith he The Temple of the Lord Are these If ye Throughly amend your wayes and your doings If ye throughly exercise Iudgement between man and man c. But will you steal and murder and lye and commit Adultery and swear falsly and burn Incense to Baal and serve other gods and oppress the stranger the fatherless and the widow c. and then come and stand before me in my House which is called by my name and say we are delivered what for To do All these Abominations Is This House which is Called by my Name become A House of Thieves and a Den of Robbers Therefore I charge you in the name of God and as ever ye hope for heaven or think to see Gods face learn yet I know it is not in your power to learn but this I say To shew what you should be and what you must be if ever you enter into the Kingdom of God learn henceforward I say Not to keep this Book in your houses onely and in your heads But to BREAK the body of Christ that you may eat of the True bread saith our Lord This is my body which is BROKEN for you Learn to smite the rock that you may get the pure water of life running from under the Throne of God and the Lamb In the new Ierusalem and not outwardly to touch it onely for that will do thee no more good then if thou hadst Touched the body of Christ when he was upon earth yet many desired to see him and rejoyced to see him and To converse with him and Touch him and so it is now and alwayes hath been in all ages with most Professours in regard of the Letter and Externals of the Word Christs body does us no good except his body be broken and his blood shed for us Neither will the water you draw out of the Letter do you any more good for your souls then that water the woman of Samaria drew out of Iacobs well And He that drinketh of that shall Thirst again But He that drinketh of the Water that Christ giveth He shall never Thirst and It shall be IN HIM An Everlasting Well of water Springing up to Everlasting Life Let us Ministers and All others learn Rightly to divide the word of truth and not take the Outside alone but Outside and Inside together and then you shall find what it is To marry Achsah and to have The Rending of the Vail What it is to have The Upper Springs And the Nether Springs given you as your JOINTURE Let no man for Any thing that I have said think to undervalue the Letter and to trample it underfoot as Excrements and Prophane For though this be The Shell The Outside yet it is the Shell and it is the Outside but this is that I still say There is something within of more price of greater value Thus far prize it In that God hath by this means given us the Kernel In the Shell is the kernel to be found and without the shell ye cannot have the kernel As we can never see LIFE but we must see it in a mortal thing That lives so The Ever blessed Sweet and eternal Truth is in the Letter Hid as life is in Accidents and as fire in a thing fired for True Fire The Element of Fire ye can never see And Truth is as an Oyster in the shell fast shut up which shell must be forced open before you can have the meat And he that doth thus by the letter shall have the meat the vail Rent for him he shall have the priveledge to pry into the secrets of my God and he shall enter into his High and Holy place Now I humbly beseech God Almighty that your eyes may be opened to behold Those Mâ—steries that are Within Paul that blessed High-Flowen self-denied Apostle He being brought to this he not onely confest he saw things unutterable unspeakable so that he was so ravished therewith he knew not whether He was in the body or no but also this was another effect in him of the sight of these things Then sayes he I will henceforth know no man after the flesh Why because that was nothing many glory in the flesh in the letter in that they have seen the body of Christ That they have the Bible in daily use As if he should say away now with all these poor empty things Henceforth I will know no man after the flesh no though I had seen the Lord Christ after the flesh he would now he was come to this condition know nothing after the flesh no more no he went so far as to say that in that case he valued not the very body of Jesus Christ which was a very High and A strange word Men after the flesh And after the Letter judge it no better then blasphemy and would say so but that it s written in the Bible and had many that profess themselves Teachers and knowing men heard Paul say so not knowing him to be as he was they would not have been able To comprehend Pauls reach but All their voices would have gone clear To have burnt him for an Heretick And Christ himself also For many of whose actions were such they would have cryed Away with him Crucâ—â—ie â—im Crucifie Him it s not fit he should
live And With those men which Live â—pon the shadow and content themselves with Shels and Husks There is no peace to be had with them except ye make the Substance Vail to their Shadowes And the True God to stoop to their Idol Baal Otherwise They are like Saul Before He was converted Acts 9. 1. Exceedingly Mad against them like Inraged Mad Bulls and Breathing out Threatning and Slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord And are still seeking to the High Priests and the powers of the Earth to assist them with Commissions To make Havock of the Church But Oh! that the Lord would graciously Shine Round about them And smite them to the earth Causing them to hear That voice Why Why persecutest Thou Me It is Hard for thee to Kick against the Pricks But St. Paul â—e was now come to those things of which he knew and found Christ His bod was but A shadow He now possest the 〈◊〉 let the shadow go And if men woâ—ld never sleigh the Shadow or the Letter or the Shell Till the did it on the same ground the Aposâ—le did 〈◊〉 instead of blaming them I should Highly commend them But this is that which is too common in these dayes they throw away the shadow and the shell too soon they throw away the Letter and Ordinances upon a meer supposition 〈◊〉 they are in S. Pauls condition and this is thâ— very ground of the Error of Many in these dayes and therefore I caution hence 〈◊〉 much and charge you Not to throw away the Letter noâ— sleight the body of Christ in the least exâ—epâ— inrelation to the Spirit the Life and the Substance Onely comparatively And you as come Really 〈◊〉 enjoy these things not to cast them quite 〈◊〉 as I said before but not to rest in them 〈…〉 the Handmaid before the Mistress or the 〈◊〉 before the Marrow or the Casket before thâ— IEWEL or the â—ield before the PEARL Le no man saith the Apostle Iudge you in Meats 〈◊〉 Drinks or in respect of an Holy day New 〈…〉 of The Sabbath dayes which are shadows of Thing To come But the Body is Christ. For beloved Christs body was Symbolical 〈◊〉 well as his actions they all held 〈…〉 that we might not rest in them bâ—t this is 〈…〉 flesh in us is ready to abuse to our own 〈◊〉 and condemnation The cunning politick Devil in us when he cannot hold us in prophaneness by the Chains of ignorance then he labours to do it by the Chains of knowledge Sayes he in us if the letter be a shadow and nothing then we will neglect it we will throw it away there is nothing now to be done we will live as we list we Owe No duties to God or man we will please our selves and deny our selves nothing for we are gotten above Word Ordinances Sacraments Worships and all Oh Beloved these are the Devils strongest Chains of all These Chains of Knowledge to abuse the highest liberty and glory of a Christian to the Idleness and Luxuriousness of the flesh He that is taken in These Chains a thousand to one if he ever get out as the Apostle saith Heb. 10. There is after this no more Sacrifice for sins such will hardly ever recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil and as he expresseth it in Heb. 6. It is impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away it is impossible to renew them again to repentance and he so goes on and explains it by a similitude For the earth which drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God else it beareth thorns and bryars and is rejected and is â—igh unto cursing and in the end to be burned This caution I thought good to mind you of that in taking you off from Resting on these things that you do not quite slight them nor think your selves come to the Spirit when ye have scarce Attained The letter and Outside But as I was saying Christs body and his actions were symbolical for though he healed the lame and cured the deaf and raised the dead and the like yet this was not the Substance nor the End of his coming for he by them shadowed out to us what he doth internally in our souls For Iesus Christ is yesterday and to day and thâ— same for ever He did then Those actions of curing the blind cleansing the lepers casting out devils and the rest So he doth the same still as David saith Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soul which cureth all thy diseases and healeth al thy infirmities which redeemeth our lives from destruction and crowneth us daily with loving kindnesses and tender mercies These are the diseases Christ cures daily and so cures that they never mortally fall sick again Those he cured then they might fall to the same diseases again or worse it may be and besides that curing them saved them not from death as this curing doth The young man that was raised from death dyed again and Lazarus dyed again but those he cures in soul they are cured for ever them he quickens for ever them he so raises from death that they dy no more As old Simeon said of him Luke 2. 34. That he was for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and he was for a sign which shall be spoken against He is for a sign in the flesh and in his Humane nature of what he did from the begining and of what he is still in doing He himself in the body in his humanity and All his actions were typical These things I often represent to you because we are Backward to reâ—eive them we are loth to turn our eyes inward in hearing and reading the Scriptures To see all those things fulfilled in our selves Nay we do not yet feel and believe That we are those that Christ came to cure that we are the dumb and the deaf the halt and the blind Little do we think that Devils are to be cast out of us but those whom Christ hath cured they are able to see really that they are The men that Christ then by them represented They see when they read of the Iews crucifying of the Lord of life of their cruel whipping mocking c. crowning him with thornâ— and the like they can say to themselves as Nathan said to David when by a parable he had represented his sin sayes he and so can this man say to himself Thou art the man And so likewise in all his other actions Far be it from any one to think that to heal those External diseases was the End of his coming But thus think Did he arise from death to life he doth the same
all the good things he hath promised we shall say by experience Now we know that heaven and earth shall pass away but not one tittle of his word hath failed We shall then see All Solomons Love-songs fulfilled and never till then And yet Beloved all these things are but dark shadows to the Truth and The Things themselves But to conclude We run over these things for time hastens Those that are brought to this condition To have the vail Rent before their faces They shall see Such things as I am not able to express For eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither ever entred into the heart of man those glorious things which God hath prepared to entertain To Feast such self-denying souls which are both Full Satisfying and Ravishing contentments Beloved these are such things as cannot be enjoyed Seeing them by feeling till the vail be Rent But yet know this t is Othniel that takes this City t is The Lords good time or fit opportunity We cannot take this City nor marry Achsah Calebs daughter when we would but we must wait Gods opportunity when he pleases to give it noâ— in our time but in his time nay we cannot so much as hasten that time When we shall have power to smite Kiriathsepher and marry Achsah no more then a woman in travail by all the means and industry she can use can hasten the time of her delivery We must wait the time Till God reveal for we must take it When he will give it And As He will give it by degrees time after time line upon line and precept upon precept And so We wâ—iting in Gods way He will Reveal and we shall come to understand The Good Will of the Lord One time after another Now A little and then A little line upon line that so you may come To glorifie God your heavenly Father Not that you may bring Honour or Profit to your selves though This be our greatest Honor and profit or take the praise to your selves as though by Your power you had smitten the City or married Achsah And so possessed the Upper and Nether springs the letter and the Spirit Thus to do is not to smite the City You as yet have not smitten it this is not The power of God this is but Your selves this is but by the power of flesh this is but by the power of Satan in us but here is the misery of the Sons of men they are ready to think and believe that they have smitten the City when t is Nothing less they think they know as much as can be known and Glory in this and so look for and give praise and Honour to themselves And if Any go beyond them if they cannot fathom what you say presently they cry out upon it as an Error and no body must know more then they and they must have the honour and praise of all they must and will be sure to keep men within their compass and knowledge always holding them in the letter in the Rudiments in the Pedagogies and in the shadows of Religion and cannot indure nor bear that men should be brought up to perfection to possess those Plerophorias those Full Enjoyments prepared for them that so they may be delivered and set at liberty from under the Law and from the killing Letter From Bondage and thraldom that they may come to receive The inheritance of Sons and Freemen hâ—t so the glory and praise of All may be to God Almighty none to them who hath given power to smite Kiriathsepher the City of the Letter that it may be unto us DEBIR The Word of God and so reveal unto us things Unutterable and unspeakably glorious Even The hidden Manna and the Living Waters to nourish us to Everlasting life Where the Glory of God is the light of that Temple whose brightness you shall see so far as you are able to Receive where you shall have Safety from all your Foes you shall see and behold their Ruine where you shal have the company comfort of all the Saints And God himself shall strive to Fill and if it were possible and Glutt you with happiness Where the City Gates are built with Pearls The streets paved with gold the walls of Precious stones the Temple in this City Is Almighty God Himself and Kings and Princes shall be but Vassals and cast out and nor regarded as such Where the River springs from under the Throne and Hill of God the Water clear as Chrystal The Banks set with Trees of Life Where your Chear is Ioy your Exercise Singing the song of Moses and the Lamb your Duties praising the Subject God the Quire consisting of Angels and Saints the Songs Hallelujahs Rev. 19. 3 4 6. Where there is no more need to fear that your Eyes shall be dimmed with Tears or your Ears Affrighted with Cryes or your Senses disturbed with Pain or the Heart Damped with Sorrow or the Soul Ever Surprized by death VVhere there is All God and No Evil there is No Persecutors None to Claim your Possessions from you None To Envy your Happiness the Rich cannot be Robbed Nor Kings shall not be Flattered VVhere there is Possessions without Impeachments Seigniories without Cares Length of yeares without decay of Strength Love of All without Ieâ—lousie of any Greatness of STATE without Conscience of Corruption Where we shall be Ravished with Seeing Satisfied with Enjoying And Secured for Retaining Beloved All these things are Very true True In the Letter But far more true Taking it All as meant Spiritually There are Such Things as These Buâ— infinitely more Spiritual Divine and Transcending Such things As These and whatever else The Heart of man can Imagine Are but Poor Things to what we shall there Have and Live with and Live in viz. In Heaven The Beginnings whereof are given you Here as an Earnest and First Fruits For Heaven is Nothing else But Grace perfected T is of the same Nature with that you Enjoy Here For He that is United and made ONE with Jesus Christ by Faith Hath A True and REAL Glimpse of those Ravishing Glories And Delights which he shall for ever Enjoy But you must Wave All Carnal Sensual and Worldly Enjoyments And look upon the Highest Chiefest and Rarest here To be But Shadows and Dark Resemblances of those Blessed Good things which we shall then Enjoy For Ever and Ever THE TWO MIGHTY AND Wonderfull TREES OF EDEN In the Garden of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM Incognita Vnknown Ever since Man was driven out of Paradise until Admitted to Return in Again viz. THE TREE of KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD and EVIL AND The TREE of LIFE Taken out of A Book Called The LETTER And The LIFE Or The FLESH And The SPIRIT Translated by Dr. EVERARD THE TREE of KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD and EVIL What it is I Will not much contend with them that will have The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil as
Goodness the Wisdom Excellency and Beauty of him You may say these indeed in themselves are glorious creatures but say withal Where is He that enlightens them and makes them so glorious Oh! What and How glorious is He that thus shines in them and through them And as they All testifie the glory of their Creator so they All suffer him to be their Lord and Ruler Every thing is contented to stand in his place and be obedient to him the beasts they are appointed for food to man as other things are for beasts every one increasing and yielding their sweetness and fatness to the next creature above them and this they do willingly without grudging And All these creatures though they do speak God yet that they say of Him it is nothing in comparison of him Though they say something yet they all say not All of him but in us there is such a deal of ignorance which I was about to say was the greatest sin that we are so far from using them as we should making them serviceable to us and keeping them in their place that we are rather serviceable to them and are their servants and we make them Masters we are sooner turned into their kind then they into ours And the creatures though they speak God and speak aloud of him yet know this they still cry Plus ultra plus ultra there is more behinde still look beyond us for we are nothing when thou beholdest The Beauty glory sweetness or Excelencie of any Creature or of all the Creatures together Hear This voice from Them Look Beyond us for we All are Nothing Nothing to Him who made us and gave us to be What we are And we all speak infinitely short of Him As when I see This Church or House I know he was a workman that built it yet I know not All of him I neither knew what age he was of nor what means he had but that he was a workman this his works do tell me So in the works of Creation when I look upon any of the creatures I must needs acknowledge he was a Rare workman and a wise that contrived and made it but they come infinitely far short of him And they still cry with that man in the Gospel We believe But Lord help our unbelief 2. For their prayers You know prayer consists of two parts Of Prayer or Invocation Of Praise and Adoration As I told you every creature praises God the work praises the workman and every creature praises God I and with a loud voyce But whoever heard and understood the noise and the language of the stones and the voyce of the still and quiet earth But even All these praise God Aloud and he receiveth it at their hands They all praise him in his Sanctum Sanctorum The whole world and the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens are all but His Temple as David saith In this Temple doth every one speak of His glory In this Temple they all sing praise and Hallelujahs to him every one even as it were vocally as Psal. 84. 3. David complains that the Swallows and the Sparrows were more happy then he for they might draw nigh unto God in his Temple to praise him for what is their chirping crying and singing but the voice of nature and to whom do they cry and to whom do they sing but to their Creator and God knows their voice and their cry as David saith He feeds the young Ravens when they cry unto him As a mother knows the signs the Child makes knows by the nuzling what it craves even so doth God by all his creatures The eyes of all things look up unto thee and thou givest them their meat in due season What the eyes of all men nay of all things You know one creature understands the voice of another they understands one anothers complaints one anothers singing and rejoycing one Dog understands the voice of another and so every creature in its kind and shall not God who is the God of nature he knows whereof we are all made and He knows all our complaints and wants The Lions seek their prey of God and he feeds the Ravens when they cry unto him But if these should not preach Gods praise yet the very stones do speak his praise and cry unto him but yet in such a language as God understands who made them and therefore you to whom God hath given rongues and understanding if you do not praise God and glorifie him if you hold your tongues all these dumb creatures and even these senseless stocks and stones shall rise in judgement against you for this is a true rule Nature hath done nothing in vain What 's the reason the poor sheep bleats when it comes to the slaughter and the swine Roars when he is killed do you think they cry to us that pursue them kill them no no but to God who is witness of their surrendring up their precious lives according to his will STEVEN when he was stoned to death nor Jesus Christ when he was crucified and said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit they did not cry more Audibly I say not more Audibly in Gods eares to God to take notice of their innocent yielding up their lives then these creatures do Cry to God when they suffer cruelly and unjustly crying to God Lord lay not this sin to their charge And Father into thy hands I commit my life and my spirit and fall asleep as Steven did and return to their rest 3. The third thing is their Decalogue but this belongs onely to us because they need none they never broke their law they alwayes walk according to Gods will The water and the sea summer and winter hay-time and harvest with all other things these all keep their appointed time they all obey thy will O God True it is they have not that reason that we have and therfore they have not so exact A Decalogue Yet God hath power even to break this exact Law yea man also may if God give him a dispensation and then if he break any of these Laws it is no sin as God commanded Abraham to kill his son and he did kill him in his intention and he had killed him had not the Angel staid his hand and it was not Evil but Obedience in Abraham But if any one shall do this from their own will then it were sin for he that gave the Law may break the Law And for this third part we need say no more 4. For their Sacrifices or Sacraments I do not say they sacrifice as of themselves but they are not onely an occasion of our praising God and sacrificing to him but they are also the matter of our sacrifices yet David in that of I Chron. 16. 31 32 33. Exhorts Let the Heavens be glad and the earth rejoyce and let men say among the Nations The Lord reigneth so withal saith he Let the sea
will fight and kick with those that would do them good And our Saviours counsel is Cast not your pearls before swine leâ—t they turn again and all to rent you I say again some of the Servants of God have found it so and for goodwil freeness and faithfulness and not keeping back any part of Gods counsel have been ill-rewarded rent and torn for their faithful counsel and it hath therefore been the Serpentine Wisdom of others to hide their talent in a napkin that so they might avoid the cross of Christ and sleep in a whole Skin I remember a speech of R. Moses More Nevochim part 3. chap. 34. Legem accommodatam esse ad totam gentem communiter non ad singulos the Law is fitted for the people in generall for all the Nation and not for particular persons only There was and is many a good man who wants those outward things when those that are evil have them in abundance as well then as now And shall we then say and conclude the word or promises are not true no God forbid Heaven and earth shall pass away before one tittle of his word shall fail Mat. 5. Therefore I say they in the old Testament and also we now mistake because by Moses was promised the Kingdom and the Land flowing with milk and honey temporal peace multitude of children bodily health these were in themselves temporal blessings but they figured out spiritual because these were promised but to the old man under the old Law and those that look no farther now under the Gospel what are they better then the old Jews and the CHILDREN of Israel 3. I affirm I have alwayes holden it a dangerous thing especially of late years to press God with particulars of temporal things as of health wealth honour c. but to leave all those things to the will of God walking on in our duties and calling and leave the success to him But while we are in our childish condition we are still telling God in this regard what he shall do for us and how he shall govern the world and when we would have fair weather and when rain and when a fair wind and so every man would serve his own turn and then I pray thee if thy will be done who shall take care of thy neighbour t is no matter though thousands miscarry and fail of those things so thou hast them it matters not What kind of prayers do you think are these dost thou in thy self think God were wise if he should answer thy prayers that which is for thee as thou thinkest is against multitudes of others and who shall seek their good that wind that serves thy design is as much opposite for others And therefore my advice is be very tender how you press the infinite wisdom of the Almighty Who when he will bless he will turn crosses and evil things as thou esteemest them to be the greatest blessings and therefore let the Almighty Alone in governing the Heavens and the Earth by his power and wisdom he hath upheld supported preserved and ordered the heavens and the earth to our knowledge almost these six thousand years well enough and I le warrant thee he will do it still without thy care or direction Who shall teach him knoledge and Who shall shew him the way of understanding or being his Counsellor hath taught him I remember a speech of Bernard Longe a Deoest animus qui in oratione c. That mind is farre from God or Heaven which in prayer is full of earthly requests And I say for the most part men are mistaken both in the nature and end of prayer which is first to ask things according to the will of God and our end ought to be God and the things of God in which our happiness is involved 4. I affirm it is certainly more excellent to seek the Kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof then to trouble God and our selves with wordly requests I say still distingue tempora distinguish of seasons there is a time when we may take more liberty because we know no better and we think it a great deal of Religion that we will acknowledge God and will come to him for temporal blessings but as the Apostle saith Behold I shew you a more excellent way covet after the best gifts Then doth God best accept thy prayer when thou onely seekest him for himself and not when thou seekest any other thing by or through him this will declare what thou lovest him for whether for thy self or himself what thou most lovest what thou most earnestly prayest for and what thou most weepest for when wanting that thou most lovedst when thou hadst it but to all true believers both in this as in all thinigs God is their end their chief love c. and therefore tis him they seek to enjoy above all things Although it be with the loss of all things Him they esteem Portion enough And to conclude I affirm as it is said of Abishai 2 Sam. 23. 19 there were three most honourable among the thirty but Abishai was the most honourable of the three therefore they chose him their Captain And so say I prayer is honourable in its time season and seeking for temporal blessings according to the will of God but more honourable in seeking graces to adotâ— the soul and inward man but when in prayer we seek God for himself having so much love to him such strong desires after him that we forget and lose our selves and mind onely him as our chief end then say I let Abishai let That Prayer be Captain for that hath done the most honourable of all the chosen Worthies the other have done worthily but this is the more Honourable of all the three for if we had time we might shew you that there can no prayer do more worthily then this for it answers first to the Lords Prayer Mat. 6. 17. Secondly to Christs Prayer immediately before he suffered Iohn 17. Self-denialls in his resignation to the will of his Father and love to his Flock Disciples and Members A most ravishing prayer and such a prayer as no man ever prayed but time will not suffer me now to open any thing about it Thirdly this prayer is most agreeable to the example of the Apostles who under-valued all the world to enjoy the life of Christ insomuch that they esteemed his Cross their Throne and his sufferings their Crown So that by all this we have said you may examine your prayers of what excellency they be consider the matter and end of your prayers whether they be of Flesh or spirit whether in them you seek God or your selves And with the words of the Apostle Rom. 7. 6. I conclude all for this time seeing God hath put it into your heart to seek him and to worship him Let it not be in the Oldness of the Letter but in the Newness of the
sent Shimei and bid him To curse David 2 Sam. 16. 11. In all these actions sin cleaves so near and fast to the Action that Chrysostome in Tom. 1. upon the 45. Chapter of Genesis cryes out Vidisti Ioseph tolle malitiam fratrum ejus tolle invidiam fratricidii commentum c. simul abstuleris omnia illa quibus Aegypti stetit incolumitas hast thou seen Ioseph take away the malice of his brethren their envy and their lye you will then take away all those things whereon Egypts safety stood and the interpretation of Pharaohs dreams revealed by God himself to Ioseph And Drexel Heliotrop lib. 5. cap. 8. saies further and clearly Tolle Iudae avaritiam Iudaeorum invidiam simul abstuleris genâ—is humanae lytrum Christi sanguinem mortem Take away Iudas Covetousness and the Jews Envy and Malice and you will take away the vertue and efficacy of the blood of Christ Jesus Again Tolle Diabolos certamina victoriae praemia magna ex parte cessabunt Do but take away Devils and then spiritual conflicts and trials victories and conquests over temptations nay rewards for them will also cease and end these quotations out of the Primitive Fathers I rather use for your help and good then any way to strengthen truth which needs not any humane assistance but the weakness and childishness of men need all helps that they may receive and digest such meat as is fit for strong men Beloved friends were it not for Tyrants where should we finde glorious Martyrs The furious sire tries and distinguishes the gold from dross From Contraries every action seems necessary t is God himself by his Prophet Isaiah that saith I make peace and create war Isa. 44. 7. Some may say This is hard and seems impossible to distinguish betwixt Actio and Culpa Actionis the Action and the faultiness or sinfulness of the Action True it is so to us impossible but the word of God Heb. 4. 12. is sharper then a two-edged sword and divides betwixt the soul and the spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and secrets of the heart so also WE cannot divide the fire yet the voyce and the word of the Lord divideth the flames of fire Psal. 29. 7. his word and voyce divideth between the fire and the heat which to man is impossible for as Basil speaks Fire T is heat for the wicked t is light for the just so also it purifies gold it consumes stubble it softens wax it hardens dirt From what hath been said we may learn three things First HUMILITY towards God Wo to him that striveth with his Maker Isaiah 45. 7. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee to walk humbly with thy God Mic. 6. 8. You know God did regard the humbleness of the Virgin Mary as for the proud He sends them empty away beholds them afar off if we be proud and haughty and lifted up in our selves he hath power enough for all power is in his hands to bring us down This is more for our benefit then we are aware of to be Emptied and laid Low in our selves To be Children in our own esteem Little in our own eyes as God Commands and highly Commends This fits us for His Heavenly Kingdom And all that God requires of us Is out of meer Love to us and out of tender care for the Good of Man There is not One of His Commandments but they are made more for mans good and Salvation then out of respect to Himself as Eliphaz and Elihu confessed Job 22. 23. A wise man may be Profitable to Himself but not to God Is it any Pleasure to the Almighty that thou Art Righteous Is it Gain to Him that thou makest thy ways Perfect and again Iob 35. 6 7. If thou sinnest what canst thou do against Him or if thy Transgressions be multiplied what doest thou unto Him Or If thou be righteous what givest thou unto Him Or what receiveth he of thine hand Thy wickedness may Hurt a man as thou Art and thy righteousness may profit Him But what canst thou take away from God or adde unto Him certainly nothing He remaineth Perfect Eternal Vnchangable Impassible to Him nothing can be given or added detracted or subtracted If a man throw up a Heavy stone into the air it will return down again upon his own Head we can make God neither Richer nor Poorer Greater or Lesser but He hath a care of Us and Our Good He hath a hand always open Ready to give if we could but receive He is Rich and free to all that call upon Him And He requireth nothing at our Hands but onely this That we quietly receive of Him what he is willing to give Secondly we may learn hence confidence and trust in God for he is stronger then all our enemies though the hills should be moved and those hills carried into the midst of the Sea and though the seas roar and the heathen rage yet God is mightier and can curb and command the waves and make A great calm when the Nations are in a Hurly-burly and they are like a tempesâ—uous sea as contrary winds ruâ—â—ing and fighting one against another if Jâ—sus Christ do but say to these troubles Peace and be Still they must obey and become still and calâ— and therefore we should with David check and correct our weakness and diffidence Why art thou so cast down O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me still trust in God Psal. 41. and 42. And indeed as David saith why should not we trust in him at all times Our father 's trusted in thee They hoped in thee and thou didst deliver them Psal. 22. we should do and say as Paul I know in whom I have trusted and with Iob though he kill me yet will I trust in him And therefore David exhorts O trust in him at all times all ye people for he hath wrought deliverances for Iacob and is terrible to the Kings of the earth Thirdly hence we may learn Content in all estates and conditions whatsoever for nothing câ—mes to us but by him and from him as Iob confesseth when he rebuked his wife Shall we receive good at the hands of God and not evil Job 2. 10. why should we at any time murmure against him in whatsoever he doth to us when as The judge of all the earth cannot but do right Gen. 18. 25. And I have learned saith the Apostle Paul in what estate soever I am in therewithal to be content and the Prophet David when he was afflicted and visited by Gods hand Rested contented I held my tongue saith he and said nothing for I knew it was thy doing Psa. 39. 9. Iob looked not so much in his affliction upon the Sabeans or Chaldeans Nor reviles frets against the fire or the winds but quiets Himself
our feeling to our sight to our apprehension and comprehension but not at all in himself We cannot Honour him no nor dishonour him as to himself he is infinitely Far Above our praises or dispraises neither toucheth him as David saith My goodness extendeth not to him and Iob If I sin it toucheth not him He is neither better or worse by all our works either by sin or righteousness Beloved be sure of this we can neither diminish nor increase his praise in Himself though in regard of â—s we do for though we hold our tongues though we run upon our own destruction yet All as Creatures Praise him if he be not glorified by us in his Mercy he is and will be in his Iustice. It is said in Phil. 2. that he emptied himself of all his glory that is he as it were drew a curtain between Our eyes and His glory not between his own eyes and his glory for he was the same in himself but as to men He drew a Curtain or Vail before his glory for he honoured himself most in that he Emptied himself and therefore he saith here All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth not but that he had the same power before But now All power is given me that is Now men shall see it how in this very thing I honoured my self How in this very thing I manifested my self to be the Saviour of the world And though he seemed to Unclothe and dis-robe himself of all power and glory yet men shall now see and acknowledge that he still At that very instant retained it as much as ever yea manifested it more to them I seemed to lay it down and now to them I will be seen to Take it up again and they shall see that it never departed from me nor I from it But now it may be you will say to me We see you have partly cleared it and made it appear in what sense it is to be understood that All power is given to him in Earth but how is all power given him in Heaven do the Angels add any thing to him or is any thing added to them yea certainly for by the Church these things are More made known unto them for they were not created in such an estate but they may be made better nor are they so perfect but that they desire an increase in their perfection for it is said 1 Pet. 1. 12. The Angels do stoop down to pry into these mysteries therefore their knowledge and perfection is increasing And indeed it is certain They see their imperfections more then man because of the great light they have they are nearer to God who is light and therefore see their darkness and imperfection more then we for we are more dark and further off the light but alas Vain men think they see a great deal and because of their blindness they think themselves such excellent Creatures being thereby puffet up in themselves looking on themselves as Lords of all every thing was made for Him and that Christ was sent Meerly to Redeem him to save him God overlookt as he conceives All Creatures both above him and below him and had respect to none but to him as proud Haman said I onely am in the Kings favour O poor Creatures you are deceived think not so this is onely a fruit of your ignorance of your blindness limit not Gods Church to so narrow a scantling The Dominions of his Church reach infinitely further ther then you are aware of but we must not now enter upon that But hereby you may see that things in Heaven have a revelation and manifestation of Christ unto them and his power is given unto him There as well as on earth if so it be That you do take Heaven according to our general and common Notion of taking Henven which we Vulgarly conâ—eive to be above the Circumference of the Sun and God to be present more especially there but this also is a limiting The bounds of his Church and Kingdom His Kingdom as I conceive is every where and Heaven is where he is for he is Every where Yet I remember I was taught when I was a Child either by my Nurse or my Mother or Shoolmaster that God Almighty was above in Heaven viz. above the Sun Moon and Stars and I thought of a long time afterwards that there was his Court and his Chamber of presence and I thought it a great Height to come to this knowledge but I assure you I had more to do to unlearn this principle then ever I had to learn it and I am afraid too many of us are gone no further then this Childish principle whereupon follow many errours But it is more safe Taking Heaven in the largest sense Eiâ—her as God Filling all places and all things as well above the Sun as below and below as above and so Heaven to be where God is that is ever where for he cannot be excluded from any place but he is not onely in every place but in every place Alike Or else to take Heaven in that sense the Prodigal doth Luk. 15. 18. Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee to take Heaven to be in our souls When God comes into our souls and dwels there that is when he manifests his presence in us and to us then he is said to dwell there not but that he dwelt there in regard of himself as much before but then he is there as in his Temple As in his glory to Us-ward then we see him there In the Beauty of Holiness Then He is compassed about with our praises as it is exprest in that 68 Psalm It is well seen O God how thou goest How thou My God goest when thou art in thy Sanctuary The singers go before and the minstrels follow after in the midst are the damsels with timbrels c. When God is not onely in us as he is in all Creatures but when he is there sensibly to us that we feel him and see him and Rejoyce to behold his Presence and Glory and so we come Thereby to glorisie him more Whenever we come to this Sight then are we come into a degree of the kingdom of Heaven Into Gods Chamber of Presence There we shall see all Creatures all Angels and Saints and the whole Creation compassing him round about with Glories and Hallelujahs Then as to us is He set upon his Throne And till then he is As Crucified As upon the Cross as Buffetted as Spit upon as Emptied as disrohed as Slighted Trod upon As upon the dunghil as separaâ—e from his glory but all this is but as to men not as to Himself as I said before For to him all Angels Cry A loud the Heavens and the Earth and all the Powers therein and all Creatures cry continually Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaths Heaven and Earth are full of the majesty of thy glory And
Divine Nature he cannot accept or regard them So also if this be so then is there not onely holiness within flowing from A Natural principle of a new Nature but there will be All External glory there is the Ark of the Covenant overlaid all over round about with pure gold to shew that from this spring and fountain cannot but proceed all purity and holiness in our external actions then they cannot but must shew forth the vertues of him who hath called them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Then there is such a power and such a burning desire in the soul they must shew forth their good works that they may glorifie their father which is in heaven neither can this be attained really till we be admitted within the vail True it is while we are in this worldly Sanctuary we may do many External good actions as to our selves and other men And also Good in themselves but they are not done for this End to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them nor to glorifie their father which is in heaven but t is to glorifie themselves and to set up themselves Either for praise or esteem or for fear or for hope of advantage c. they serve not God as the Devil said of Iob for nought not for love of Holiness not for that Excellency that is in its self but to get something by it they use it as men do a bridge to carry them over to some desired place to some self-happiness or advantage and were it not for these the man were dead and you should find if the heart were searched throughly and theâ—e ends hopes and fears removed the man would stand stone-still But the other man he who is ascended and gotten within the Vail He works freely and naturally He cannot do otherwise though there were neither fear of hell or punishment or hope of the reward yet he must work And he will work this is that I still say Let but the heart be set to rights let the man be regenerate and partaker of the Divine nature and then with such a man you need not keep such a stir with Laws and Precepts and Rules and Disciplines He hath that within which will not onely inform and teach but reform and compel by the power of Love For saith the Apostle the Righteous are a law to themselves Beloved this is the service God loves He loves A cheerful giver He cannot abide that which comes forced and grudgingly and as a forced imposed task that by sinister respects they must be held to it but I say this man needs no such thing but turn him loose at all turns he hath an Informer and a Reformer in him Those that are led by the Spirit are not under the Law Gal. 5. 18. but under Grace and under the power of love and of a free mind for the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient This man is no longer under the law but is Dead to the Law that he may live to God and not unto himself for self is in him conquered and dead and Christ now is alive and exalted and set in his throne to reign for ever and ever In the third place there was the Pot of Manna which Manna God gave the Israelites in the wilderness some of which by the providence of God was preserved many hundreds of years together until the time as it is thought and affirmed by some of their last destruction by Titus and Vespatian He that hath gotten within the vail he hath gotten food sufficient to nourish him for ever He shall Never hunger more nor never thirst more as in that of Rev. 21. He that lives according to this new liâ—e he is â—ed with Hidden Manna He eats of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God His comforts are pure and ravishing and full of Everlasting delights his waters Everâ—low â—low and never cease there is in his belly a spring Ever springing up to everlasting life In the next place there was Aarons Rod that budded that was laid up by the pot of Manna Those that are accepted to look into the Holie of Holies Their fruit is alwayes flourishing and green their good works never dye but they ever after bring forth fruit like a tree planted by the rivers of waters that bringeth forth fruit in his season his lease shall not wither and whatever he doth it shall prosper and not onely shall they bring forth fruit but Ripe fruit in their age Psal 92. 12. The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in their old age they shall be fat and flourishing These men They are never satisfied with God They are never weary they shall run and not be weary nor faint they never have enough of Him his comforts are always fresh to them flourishing and green They are never satisfied with the knowledge of God This is such Manna such Meat The more they eat the more they may The more God communicates himself to them they are the more Hungry the more thirsty the more Vnsatisfied They have overcome and are still Overcoming they go on Conquering and to Conquer they are still conquering and subduing all their Enemies and getting their sins and lusts under their feet And so long as there is Any To overcom and conquer they can never Rest till they have brought All under Every high thought and Every strong hold and Every imagination That exalteth it self against the Power Kingdom and Soveraignty of Jesus Christ. Within the Holies of Holies There was also The Cherubims of glory Overshadowing the Mercy-seat and we may say as the Apostle there Of which things we cannot now speak particularly Those glorious Cherubims they looked face to face beholding one another Overshadowing the Mercy-seat Beloved were you but once come to this sight you should behold God Glorious and Amiable Full of love and mercy and tender Bowels All wrath And All frowns blown clean away We then shall behold in Him Not so much as any shadow of Anger but there will be a most sweet and amorous beholding of one another He wil love and delight in us we shall love delight in him we cannot look so delightfully upon him as he will upon us there will be Nothing but Amorous imbraces and we shall then see How Sure All his mercies are to them that love him and that they are The Sure Mercies of David we shall find in Our Hearts All his promises made good and we shall then call him Our God and Our Iehovah making good and giving Being as to all things So to all his promises that we shall say feelingly Not One hath failed of
He knows His own glory and praise Infinitely Beyond our apprehensions but as I said He is more praised and glorified As to us and by us And in this sense are our Saviours words here that he hath now All power given him in Heaven and in Earth in regard there is a great deal more light come to us and he is revealed unto more for Christ as he saith Ioh. 1. 9. He is the true light that enlightneth every man that comes in to the world As you know He was once made known to the Jews and the Genâ—iles lay in darkness but now he is made known to the Gentiles and the Jews are in darkness like Gedions fleece They were wet when all the ground about was dry which was the time that the Jews had the knowledge of God and Christ but then again all the ground was wet and his fleece dry The fall of the Jews was the rising of the Gentiles as the Apostle expresseth Rom. 11. 12. The Gospel it first shined to the Jews and afterwards to the Gentiles which was All the rest of the world And our Saviour saith That he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And he commanded his Disciples when he first sent them out Go not in the way of the Gentiles but go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel He did very strictly tye himself to the Jews so that hardly any others could get any mercy from him They never got any but they got it very hardly and very sparingly as the Centution Luke 7. he would not go himself immediately to Jesus knowing how unwelcome they were to him and what harsh answers he gave them therefore he went by the Jews and got the Priests and Elders to go to him And they also were fain to use many words to perswade him t is said they were fain to perswade him instantly commending him for a good man and that he had done them much good and had built them a Synagogue and at last Jesus went with them c. And so likewise the woman of Canaan how hardly did she get mercy from him and how oft gave he her a repulse and beat her off and would not be overcome till her faith prevailed with him and she got it by force it is wonderful to see how our Saviour tyed himself to the Jews again it s said God wrought salvation in the midst of the earth Great is thy God saith the Prophet Isa. 12. 6. in the midst of thee or in the heart of thee Historiographers say that Ierusalem is in the very midst of the earth that it is the very Navel of the world And Christ began his miracles and preached first at Ierusalem and from thencâ— sent out his Disciples into all the world from which Observation we may apply thus much to our selves that whensoever Christ teacheth any man to Salvation That when he preacheth Healthfully and Savingly in the soul he preacheth first to the heart begins there sets that right and from thence His word is derived and sent forth to all the members of the body Christ and his Disciples first began at Ierusalem and then afterward their Commission was to go into all the world he tyed himself very strâ—ctly to the Jews before ever he would suffer them to go to the Gentiles This truth I would commend to you as a Stable Maxim of truth All faith and holiness is first to be preached to the heart before we go about to rectifie the members and the actions which in this regard may well be called Iews and Gentiles Religion if it begin not at the heart is nothing worth it is but a folly to preach to the eyes and to the ears to the hands and to the feet before we preach to the heart we must observe Christs rule first begin at Ierusalem and then go into all the world first preach to the Jews afterward to the Gentiles God onely speaks to the heart and Teacheth that to begin with the Outward man that so they may teach the heart is the way of man not of God Great is thy God in the midst of thee in thy heart do but rectifie that and the actions cannot be amiss make the tree good and there will follow good fruit Can you expect figs of thorns or grapes of thistles nay can you by all your manuring watching and dressing or forcing them cause them to bear such certainly no therefore see the folly of many men in our daies they think by their pains and by their Discipline to force men into Religion into faith good works and Spiritual actions When thereby they have onely restrained the outward man And with them they pass for Excellent Christians Alas alas Either saith our Saviour make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree evil and his fruit evil whatever fair pretences their actions may have and though they seem Good to men if the heart be not reformed they are but Golden Vices Botten Nutmegs and rotten apples gilded over Gilded Sepulchers they neither have a good root nor tend to a right End fair without but false rotten and stinking within they are carried on by Self to base carnal fleshly ends self is both the Rise and End of their actions and they no better then thorns and thistles and fit for nothing but to be burnt up As the Apostle saith The fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is Great is thy God in the midst of thee Satan it is that preaches first to the out-parrs He it is that preaches to the outward man by Laws by Credit by Honour by Riches by Praise and you know what verdict Christ gives of this preaching and of this learning Verily I say unto you you have your reward ye do it that ye may be seen of men and ye are seen of men ye have your reward ye restrain your hands and your feet from evil because you would not come under the penalty of mens Laws and you do escape them verily Herein you have your reward and you do your good works for the praise of men and you have it Verily I say unto you you have your reward And though you may think highly of such works and of your selves for them yet there is nothing of God in them and to him they are no better sacrifice Then cutting off a Dogs neck or the offering up of swines blood as the Prophet Isaiah saith this is nothing but One sin casting out Another for self-advantage this is nothing but Belzebub casting out Devils by Belzebub and yet he hath nothing less possession for it is nothing but the old man working within his own sphere and to his own advantage ye do it that ye may be counted honest among men and ye are accounted so ye would be and are esteemed great professors verily you have your reward Many such like ends you