have and so Many such rewards This is nothing but the Devils preaching and the Devils learning within thee it s no better then the Devils work and thou canst expect no other But the Devils Wages All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me He is the God of this world and hath great power given him over the Kingdoms of this world and he can bestow much of the glory of them upon his servants but God He speaks first in the center of the earth He begins first with the heart Preaches within thee reforms first the heart here onely preacheth His well-beloved Son in whom Onely he is well pleased Except Thy actions be The actions of his own Well-beloved Son in thy heart he neither owns nor accepts them they are strange fire to him and you know what became of Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire before the Lord The Lord He Pours precious ointment on this Aarons head and from thence Drencheth his beard and so down to the skirts of his garments so far as the heart is reformed the actions cannot be amiss That soul that is in love with Jesus Christ Beloved where the love of God is shed abroad in the heart it is death to him to that soul to go a whoring with the creatures he can have no peace to commit adulterie with the world That whorish woman he cannot endure Satans preaching hearken to me and I will give thee these and these thing no no his peace lies in hearkening to what the Lord saith in him and he preaches no such doctrine but bids him leave the world for its enmity to him he bids part with these things Take up the cross expect reproches persecutions and death from the world This preaching is of God let thy life be in forsaking the glory of the world though thou livest in the world yet let thy heart thy affections dwell and abide with me Use the world as if thou usedst it not count nothing in the world thine own be thou but as a steward in whatever thou hast Alwaies ready to give an account of all This preaching is from God from Heaven The Devils preaching is quite contrary And when thou hearest such preaching as is contrary to this and such whisperings within thee Conclude it is the Devil and not God and that such preaching and learning will destroy thy soul therefore I say always look to thy heart that It be set right before ever thou expectest the actions can be good if that be not so conclude all that proceeds from it is naught we must look mainly to the center to the Heart that life may come from thence Even as the life in the body by the blood flows from the heart to all the members if not those members are dead so the life of true grace flows from the heart as from the fountain for if either fear or Law or Heaven or Hel reward or any hopes or by-ends Urge the heart To goodness These are but dead works and you shall know it by this do but take away these respects and by-ends and these works Cease take away hope of reward and fear of punishment and this bodie is dead he works no more why because there is no life no heat within to move him tell him I mean he whose heart is set right for God reformed by him tell him he must deny forsake the world he must be emptied of all the glory of the world of all self-seeking self-glorying self-praising why herein is his life his peace his glory but to the other who hath been onely taught by such PRECEPTS as come from men from Self This preaching is death to him but his life and peace and joy is to hear How he shall be advanced esteemed honoured c. how he shall be made rich and great therefore you may easily hence distinguish what preaching and practise is from God and what from Satan and Self Thus much may serve for the first thing to open unto you the meaning of these words All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth to me it seems very plain and clear and I hope to you also that That which before seemed obscure now is made manifest The second ground Christ also as he is man hath all power given unto him as being united to God so also to man and this definition as being united to God is very large and deep as the river at the entrance into the Sanctuary which at the first entrance took a man but up to the ankles and then a little further up to the knees and then to the middle and at last it would quite down and swallow up all it grew into a vast Sea The meaning of the words in this sense we are not able to comprehend or understand but the more we wade into them the more we are drowned and swalloed up Jesus Christ he had the same glory in himself when he was upon earth as he had with his Father before all worlds and he is his well-beloved Son in whom onely he is well-pleosed But as he is man he to Us-ward emptied himself of all his glory And came in the form of a servant he was subject to the like passions and infirmities as we are except sinful and hereby man came to be further made known unto him that is in regard of his humane nature he was hungry and thirsty and weary and suffered death and the like and yet in regard of his Divine nature he held his glory and Union with his Father and it was necessary it should be so in both regards for had it not been so he could not have complyed so with the creatures and felt their wants and necessities and had he not retained his unity with his Father which he could not in regard of himself As God either lose or diminish nor increase he could not have complyed so perfectly with his Father for the salvation of mankind For as he was in the bosom of his Father he was unknowable to any creature he was known onely to himself he was inexplicable not to be unfolded and in this regard the more ye enter into darkness and unknowing the more ye know of him for he is nothing that we can comprehend or understand as we are creatures until we come to be One with him and swallowed up into him But let us observe that Christ never made this boast of himself that All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth till he was ready to leave the earth never till he had been crucified dead and buried and rose again It is remarkable he never all the while He was on earth ever appropriated all power to be his till he was ready to depart out of the earth And Beloved this is for our imitation Christ was no boaster though none might boast more but he was meek and lowly he became a servant to all
be for a fire and his holy one for a flame and it shall burn and devour his thorns in one day And he is FIRE in three regards In regard of Burning Heat Light First The nature of Fire is to burn Fire cannot burn it self take notice of that fire cannot burn fire but all things else it will burn and consume So doth Christ he is that fire that burns up all our works and whatsoever is not himself and his own work INUS he consumes and annihilaâ—es The Light of Israel shal be for a fire and his holy one for a flame it shall burn and devour his thorns and his brâ—ers in one day Know this the more sin the more fire the greater burning Mal. 3. 2. Who may abide the day of his coming who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like refiners fire and like fullers sope Christ is this fire and let me tell you this burning and consuming is for your good it is that out of the old ashes of the old man you may have a new life a new resurrection Examine thy self hath this fire cut off thy hands and feet and pulled out thy right eye hath it consumed thy young men 〈◊〉 hath it burnt up thy OLD heaven and thy OLD earth that so ye may enjoy a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 3. 7. Nay further let me aske thee hath it thrown all thy gods in the fire hath it burnt up all thy idols yet I tell ye this burning is not unto death but unto life as Christ said of Lazarus This sickness is not unto death but be sure that as the Lord Jesus Christ burneth up and woundeth so he healeth and maketh alive again I would and I heal Secondly the work of fire is to heat so Christ after he hath destroyed and burnt up all our actions then he breathes into us a gentle warmth and heat of his own Spirit to cherish and revive us again that so we may no longer live our own lives but the life of Christ. Thirdly The nature of fire is to give light when That day dawns to us that Christ comes into the soul we shall find He brings light with him and this is called Christs day Our first day is our own day that is a day of darkness a day of gloominess and thick clouds but the day of the Lord is a terrible day our flesh trembleth for fear of thee for who shall abide the day of thy coming and who shall stand when thou appearest for thou art like refiners fire and like fullers sope When Christ comes into the soul he comes not onely with light to discover but like fire to burn up all that building that we have made to our selves and that we have raised by our own power and breathes warmly and gently by his Spirit his own life until by degrees he brings a glorious light into the soul He then turns us from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God And all this is done by one and the same act in God although those acts be divers and distinct in the creature that is the same act in God which comes to the obstinate and perverse and hardens them which comes to the humble and meek and softens them the same act in him Hardens and Softens as the Sun doth wax and clay That same God which was darkness at the bottom of Mount Sinai was light in the top of the Mount He is the same God in himself to all but he works diversly in regard of the creatures He is the same God in a frozen and hard heart as he is in a repenting and bleeding soul but to the one he appears not but in wrath and vengeance ready to take revenge on them for their sins but to the other he appears in mercy and love and marries himself to them he communicates to them his sweet loves and their wills are swallowed up in his and these onely are they that can say in truth Not my will but thine be done but the other they cannot forsake themselves their own will their own ends but this is but by the way And this you see in brief what the fire is Our God is a consuming fire But now what is the salt I know it is divers wayes taken and expounded Some take it to be wisdom and discretion in speech and for proof they cite that place of the Apostle Let your speech be alwayes gracious seasoned with salt for so Solomon saith A wise man may hold up his head before Princes and they give this reason As salt keeps things from stinking so doth wisdom so salt and season a mans words that his words may not be unsavoury to wise men so that he is not laught to scorn Others take it for holiness and sincerity in life and conversation as our Saviour saith Ye are the salt of the earth Mat. 5. 13. that is say they when by their living well speaking the Truth in their words and expressing holiness in all thir actions this seasons their lives maketh them savoury before God and men So also they interpret that of our Saviour Mat. 5. 13. Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost his savâ—â—r wherewith shall it be salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men when men live not as they profess they are unsavoury and men tread such mens profession under their feet and therefoâ—e say they He admonisheth them to strive for integrity of life and soâ—ndness in doctrine and constancy in suffering for these things honour their profession and seasons them with salt and makes them savoury to God and to men But to be short and without any more circumstances that we may come to the matter intended The fire and the salt are both one and that is Christ himself as I have told you He is the fire so He is the salt as the Apostle saith Heb. 2. 11. Both he that sanctifyeth and they who are sanctified are all one So Jesus Christ he is the fire that salteth and the salt wherewith it salteth as is exprest in the verse before the Text. Indeed I confess the Apostles also were called Salt Mat. 5. 13. Ye are the Salt of the earth saith Christ himself not that they were the Salt themselves or the salt indeed but they were those which uttered the salt they taught salt as I may say and where rathâ—r as we may call them Salters those which sold and uttered the true salt which is CHRIST to the world But I say of them as the Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. 3. 4 5. While one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo who is Paul or who is Apollo but Ministers by whom you believed neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God c. and in another
every where But shall I tell you how yoâ— may come to handle him with your hands and see him with your eyes Thus Can you but take off all accidents from every thing and then that whiâ—h remains is Christ Their Angels alwaies behold the face of their father which is in heaven As if you take from me all heighth and depth all greatness and littleness all weight and measure all heat and cold and all kind of matter and form for these are all Accidents and then that which is left is He which BEARS â—p all even Iesus Christ blessed for ever even He that dwels in Heaven and in the bosome of his Father in his Pavilion and in his Secret place He clothes himself with light saith the Psalmist as with a garment Light is the next thing to God himself the purest Accident For all that may be smelt felt tasted seen heard oâ— understood all these are Accidents and therefore saith the Apostle the fashion of this world passeth away for the fashion of this world are but Accidents for take away all kind of fashion visible and every thing that can be imagined under any form whatsoever and then you shall find Jesus Christ the Son of the father the first-begotten of all creatures the Beginning and Foundation of all the works of God The IMMANUEL God with us All accidents must pass away all the fashion of the World and whatsoever must passaway let it pass away and that which perisheth or is to perish let it perish but still Christ remaineth he changeth not he is not subject to Accidents or any change but he remains alwayes the same He is yesterday and to day and the same for ever Therefore lay not hold on these transitory things but lay hold on the Anchor of your souls which is Both sure and stedfast and that entreth into that which is within the vail Heb. 6. 19. Highness and lowness pass away greatness and littleness pass away youth and age pass away weight and lightness pass away and all the beauty and glory of the Creature but still Christ who is the salt and the substance that still remains For there was something of me before I was either high or low great or little heavy or light old or young c. and that was Christ The beginning of all things And Christ being thus as we have shewed you you then see what ground Christ had to call himself The salt of the earth for all these things being taken away ye shall find him to be as the salt of every thing thâ—t is Christ he is the Strength the Holder the Knitter the Composure and Compacture of all things His name is The word of God Rev. 19. 13 He is The word by whom all things were made in him was life and the life was the light of men this light shineth in darkness But the darkness comprehendeth it not All Accidents are darkness and hide God from us He is the image of the invisible God the first-born of every Creature for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all were created by him and for him and he is the beginning of all things and by him all things consist Object But it may be you will say to me How can that be true of Christ Salt is good but if the salt saith he hath lost its â—avour wherewith shall it be salted It is neither meet for the land nor yet for the Dunghil but men cast it out He that hath ears to hear let him hear What shall he be seasoned withal can he be infaâ—â—ated or unsavoury Answ. The decision of which doubt falls propeâ—ly under the second general question of my 〈◊〉 My second question answers this viz. What iâ— is to have salt He in regard of himself seasons all alike He in himself doth not season some more and some less or some have him and some have him not but as it was in the gathering of Mannâ— they all gathered enough thoughsome gathered more some less they lacked not nor they had none left so Christ is in every one in regard of himself alike that is in regard of their real and essential perception and participation of Christ. He is the form of forms the soul of the soul and he cannot be more in one place then in another But here to have salt is to see to know to feel and believe and assure our selves that we have this salt and that Christ is in us Christ is in regard of himself every where and in every one alike but every one believes it not alike If we should attempt to speak of God as he is in himself in his essence as abstracted from all creatures so he is unknowable neither Creating nor in possibility of being Created as t is said in Prov. 30. 4. Who can declare his generation his name or his sons name if thou canst tell he is unknowable unnameable Canst thou by searching find out God We cannot conceive of his manner of being in the creature but acâ—ording to his manner of working in the creature As Iacob when he awaked then he saw that God was in that place then he cryes out Oh how terrible how dreadful is this place this is none other but the House of God God was there before as much as he was then but Iacob was not aware of God The whole creation is Gods house Gods Temple but we see it not so we see not God in all places nor in all creatures as Iacob did then till our eyes be opened God is alwaies in every creature and he is there alike in his Heaven in his Holy place and he cannot be more in one then another but till we be awaked till our eyes be opened till the scales of ignorance and the thick darkness be removed we cannot acknowledge it But as soon as ever they are open then we see God was and is in us we were not aware and we shall then cry out of every place and of every creature O how dreadful is this place I see now this is Gods house and Gods Temple and I knew it not Till then God had made as David saith darkness his secret place and his Pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies but when he pleaseth to discover himself then it follows in the next verse At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed hailstones and coals of fire then the Lord was seen and heard for he thundred in the heaven and the Highest gave out his voyce they saw then that it was He alone that wrought in and through all the Creatures that it was he alone that gathered and scattered and discovered the foundations of the world He it is that turneth the Nations of the
in his Lords wrath and punishment In Isa. 2. 18. See there how the Lord threatens to bring down this Spirit that is generally in all the sons of men Verse 10. Enter into the rocks and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty the lofty looâ—s of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone sâ—all be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low and so he goes on And upon all the Cedars of Lebunon that are lifted up upon all the Oaks of Bashan upon all the high mountains upon every tower and upon every fenced wall upon all the ships of Tarshish and upon all their pleasant pictures And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and haughtiness of men shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day And their Idols he shall utterly abolish and they shall go into the holes and caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his maâ—esty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth and a man shall cast his Idols of silver and gold to the Moles and to the Bats to go into the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for the fear of the Lord and for the glory of his maâ—esty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of I have a little digrest but it was for your good therefore you may bear with me Let us now then henceforward learn to beware of this God that is so Near us and so much in us and not to be like Lot in his drunkenness when his two daughters came and laâ— with him and yet he knew not when they lay down or when they arose Gen. 19. 35. But learn we to awake 〈◊〉 of our spiritual darkness and not to be so ignorant so sottâ—sh to let him be so near you as to live in you and to dwell with you to be with you in your going out and coming in in your down-lying and uprising and you never yet acquainted with him Who knows all your thoughts afar off even before you think them your selves Saith the Apoâ—â—le KNOW YOU NOT that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates nay though ye be reprobates It is the case of Reprobates of Devils not to know this but the meaning is if ye be not in the condition of reprobates then ye know and feel experimentally in some measure and degree that Iesus Christ is in you of a Trâ—th O happy yea thrice happy is that soul who is thus aware of God to see his workings and actings through all the creatures then will that soul cry out against himself and instead of arrogancyâ— and applanding himself he cryes out of himself of his own former and present ignorance and blindness he will not say we see and they what they ignorant of any thing they would not any one should have such a thought of them alas poor soulsâ— their great knowledge undoeth them thy wisdom hath made thee rebel or perverted thee Isa. 46. 10. because by all their parts and knowledge they themselves are swelled and pâ—ffed up and are not lessened and made nothing if they were they would cry out Oh what a beast was I I have not the knowledge of a man Oh what a wretch was I was God himself so near me all this while nay within me and I not know it hath it been he that hath altered and changed me in the whole course of my life and turned me from vessel tâ— vessel from one condition to another It was he that hath made all the changes in my life and ordered my actions as he pleased and also would and hath made them serve to his praise though I saw it not but now I see and feel it was He that made me pass through the fire and through the water and tumbled me and tumbleth Nations up and down That makes the waters roare and the mountains quake But now I hear and see as David saith The Lord spake it once and I heard it twice that God alone doth all that is I heard it throughly experimentally I saw it ratified to my experience to me within me I heâ—rd it first by the hearing of the eare I heard it in my understanding but my second hearing was my experience and seeing by the eye believing itâ— and knowing it in my self that it was so that God alone doth All. Till we come to see this What ever our boasts are whatever our parts are whatever our knowledge is we are dead we are in the state of reprobates we are frozen we can take no salt and I pray God we are not so self-wise and so hardened in our own conâ—eits that we be not as the Apostle saith twice dead and pulled up by the roots and so never shall bearany fruit being past hope and without God in the world I know this is harsh doctrine to the general sort of Professors What they ignorant what they to be accounted by others or to account themselves fools then who are the wise men Think they You know Salt when it is in a frozen body doth no good you know by experience that frozen meat will take no salt and then it may be said to be infatuated or good for nothing So though Christ the true salt be in us as he is in himself yet we may be reprobates our hearts our souls Frozen and we cannot take in this salt And then though Christ be there yet he doth us no good and he may be then said to be infatuated useless not but that he can thaâ— our hearts and work upon us and overcome in us and prevail over all the powers of 〈◊〉 and darkness within us if he pleaseth for He in himself is alwayes alike strong but we do not alwayes find him so neither is he so to us As you know he came to one place and he could do no miracles there because of their unbelief Mat. 13. 58. Christ he works still and doth all his miracles in the world daily but it may be not to thy sight he shews not his miracles to thee or in thee but to those whose eyes he hath opened he is daily in their sight working his miracles You are deceived Miracles are not ceased as you conclude but your eyes are closed and blinded by the god of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. as the Apostle Paul saith concerning the Cross of Christ Can the Cross of Christ be made of no effect yet the Apostle there propounds a case wherein it is made of no effect that is not that it can be so in its own nature but to thee it
may be of no effect Christ may be to thee infatuate unsavoury good for nothing as he is in reprobates Now I hope is answered that Question What if the salt hath lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted Christ who is the true salt in himself he cannot be unsavoury and good for nothing but he may lose his favour in thee and to thee may be as a thing good for nothing because he dyed in vain to thee his cross is of no effect and so may be as he saith himself good for nothing but to be cast out and troden under the feet of men Alas brethren Christ blessed for ever he in himself cannot be said to be good for nothing noâ— he cannot be troden under the feet of men but till their eyes be opened to see him and acknowledge him as he is that they be aware of Christ and oâ— his presence and greatness and filling all things they as it were tread him under foot And as it is said Heb. 10. 29. How much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy of who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the convenant an unholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and hath done despite unto the spirit of Grace But beloved none of all these things can any creature do to Christ in himself for to him all Angels cry aloud Rev. 4. 8. The heavens and all the powers therein cry continually Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboths heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory No creature can dishonour him in himself but in â—hemselves and to themselves they tread him under foot because he lives not in them and so they see not neither acknowledge him or his workings in them Then my beloved let us make this use of this If this salt be in us and that wee see it is he that is our life and our motion then let us not onely give ear to him but let us love reverence and obey him and hearken to what he woâ—ld teach us and work in us let him be sole Lord and Saviour to us to deliver and save us from our lusts and from Satan nay if this salt be in us these will be the fruits and effects that will follow To love reverence and obey him God himself proclaims him to be his well beloved Son in whom onely he is pleased hear him Silence then your selves deny your own life hear no longer your selves nor your own lusts what honour saith what profit saith what self and your own by-ends saith But hearken now to what he commands This shall be your wisdom before all people this shall be your life and he that findeth his life shall lose it but he that loseth his life thus shall find it Beloved Christ being once dead dyeth no more saith the Apostle and yet he saith again That we crucifie to our selves the Son of God afresh He in himself cannot dye cannot be crucified no more but to our selves and in our own soules he maâ— be and is crucâ—fied daily that is when your lusts and your sins live then Christ he is dead and you have crucified him of whom you have been the betrayers and muâ—therers as Stephâ—n said to the Jews Acts 7. 52. so that he hath then losâ— his savour and his taste in and to thy soul for thou tastest him not seest him not nor feelest him though he be in thee Further know this that Christ himself is that salt himself hereâ—ommandeth â—ommandeth To have salt in our selves is to have Châ—ist himself in us as if he should say Though I be in you as I am in all things in all creatures yet my being there doth you no good except you feel and see me there except your faith believe me there and your life express me The third and last point is What is it to have salt in our selves We must have salt in us 1. Exclusively and 2. Inclusively not onely to see Christ in our selves and in â—ll creatures as we have shewed you but to have it in our selves is to be sure we look to our own 〈◊〉 whether we have this salt or no and this is a necessary Exhortation now in these times when men are so ready to neglect themselves and are so much in questioning the estates of others We are too ready to â—udge and condemn otheâ—s that tâ—ey have not this salt but heâ—e we are admonished 〈◊〉 others alone and first be sure to look circumspectly that we have it in our selves Another mans grace will do thee no good if thou haâ—â— none in thy selfâ— Warm thy self at thine own fire and drink the waters of thine own Cistern as Solomon counsels Prov. 5. 15. And who made thee Iudge over others what hast thou to do to take Christs office from him he is appointed to be Iudge of quick and dead Acts 10. 42. Yet thou wilt take upon thee to be Iudge and to sit in Christs throne thou wilt be judging and censuring of thy Brethren before thou hast censured thy self Christ is not in such and such men thou canst spy motes in thy brothers eye and perceivest not the beam in thine own Mat. 7. 5. whereby thy sight is quite put out as to thy self You know Christ himself when he was here in the slesh when they brought to him the woman taken in Adultery sayes he Hath no man condemned thee neither dâ— I. John 8. 11. Beloved did he disclaim this Iâ—dicature and shall we presume to take it up shall we overlook our selves and judge reproch and condemn other men This man hath no grace and that man hath no grace away away with all these things such a man O he is a wreâ—ched sinner and thou wouldst have God destroy him and plague him thou wonderest God doth not strike him down dead and seest not thy self how vile thou art Lord shall we call for fire from heaven said some of the Disciples away away saith Christ Ye know not of what spirit ye are of Leave off then â—udging of others and leave all â—udgement to God Vengeance is mine saith the Lord Christ could have writ every mans sins in his forehead as his are whom thou despisest to be read and seen of all men But thy sins are more secret and hidden and yet as odious to God as his and this thine own conscience knows what would become of thee I pray thee â— if all thy secret sins were written visibly in thy forehead But know that this gift of having salt in our selves is not in any mans power to take but God onely must give it where and when he pleases to bestow it they shall have it and none else And in his time and not sooner nor later But this command to have Salt in our selves is as much as to say before you go about to search other mens cellars that you see your cellars be
doing so and if there was at any time any good in thee know that is none of thine that is his own work and no praise belongs to thee at all Now what sayest thou Davids heart smote him when he had numbred the people so should ours in numbring our sins Nay farther consider that not onely all thy own sins are laid upon thee but all the sins of all the men in the world that ever were are or ever shall be Because thou art of that Body of that Race A member of that sinful body and race proceeding from our first Parents which stained the Race and House in the very root by rebellion and Treason And that all this hath been in doing by thee almost this 6000 years so that when thou wert but six dayes old thou wert a 6000 years sinner when thou wert little above a span long thou wert an Everlasting Transgressor As in the body of Christ All the Members have right and interest in all the excellencies and graces of the whole body the Faith of Abraham the Zeal of Iosiah the Patience of Ioh the Meekness of Moses and adde to that whatever virtue is in the head Christ which is in Heaven They are all thine Thou sharest in all so that we may then say Thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee So thou being of that sinful race and body thou hast right and thereby art intitled to all the vilest sins that ever were committed in the world As it was said concerning those that crucified Christ that God might bring on them all the sins that ever were committed from the bloud of the righteous Abel What canst thou now say for thy self O wretched Off-spring of the race of flesh and bloud but that Nebuchadnezzars Oven should be heat seven times hotter will it not be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for thee What canst thou say is not Tophet prepared of old and prepared for thee O thou foul and leprous creature The pile and fuel thereof is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone shall kindle it Esay 30. 33. Hast not thou by thy so often sinning Even trod the bloud of the Covenant under thy feet and done despight unto the spirit of grace hast not thou chosen thy sins and lusts before thy Saviour and hast therein cryed out for a Barabbas to escape and concerning Christ hast cryed crucifie him crucifie him What will ye crucifie your King I say you crucifie Him cruciâ—ie Him His Bloud be on us and on our children c. Yet thou condemnest Iudas when thou readest how Villanously he betrayed and sold his dear Meek and precious Master I ask thee Who now hath sold his Master what for 30 pieces nay for the pleasure of one darling sin which will for ever destroy thee And thou condemnest the Devil who sinned but once and was thrown down from his place and thou condemnest Adam who eat but once of the forbidden fruit and was immediately cast out of Paradise and will not that weight of sin that as a TALENT of Lead lies upon thee make thee once groan or complain many aggravations by circumstances might be presented before thee for circumstances alwayes aggravate nay sometimes create the sin Friend What sayest thou to this charge if thou canst say nothing to me then what shall I say to thee Then thus Onely the blood of Jesus Christ purgeth from all sin if thou hast not right and part in that all thy sins lie upon thee And what ever he performs in thee that God accepts and nothing else for be assured what ever prayers what ever sighs what ever groans thou puttest up to him he loaths all but what his Son makes but all His requests are heard and granted I know you can in words have present recourse to that saying That though we are sinners indeed and grievous sinners yet the blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin I know that this very word were it spoken by Christ himself is enough indeed to silence Death and Hell and all the powers of darkness and is armour of proof against all Satans fiery darts and it is a most undoubted truth bâ—t then say I it is Christ himself must pronounce this saying to thee The blood of Iesus Christ purgeth thee from all sin If Christ pronounce these words then art thou indeed for ever acquitted but if thou sayest this of thy self to thy self and by thy self thou art not acquitted I know if Christ speak these words it is present death to all sin and unbelief they are the utter destruction to Sin and Sathan but if spoken onely by thy self they do but harden thee in sin they do but give new life to sin Thus much have I spoken to thee that thou mayest come to this first work of Humiliation namely Condemnation of our selves But O my Dear Brethren what are my words if Christ speak not by me he must preach his own truth to thee And this I say except thou first come to this work of Condemnation thou wilt never come to the second which is Annihilation not to any of the rest For every step is one above another These steps are ascending for as Solomon prayed that God would hear the prayers of all those that came and prayed in that house of the Lord and did see the plague of their own heart 2 Chron. 6. for except they saw that their prayer was in vain so say I not that it is in vain to pray but it is vain to trust to faith in vain to trust to Christ it will do no good except you see the plague of your own heart for thou mayest pray long enough and believe in Christ long enough if thou doest not see thy just worthiness of being destroyed if thou doest not see just cause of censuring and condemning thy self to the lowest Hell and that thou seriously confess That hell was not made in vain but that it was justly made And for thee and that it were just and righteous that God should cast thee thither nay not onely so but that you feel your souls in the Bitter agonies of Hell already and that the Torments thereof are seized upon you then there were hope That thy spirit would be saved and delivered Till thou art come to this never tell me of the blood of Christ That it purgeth from all sin but thou art none of them to whom it belongs for thou hast neither part nor portion in this matter If ye suffer with Christ then also shall ye be saved by him and reign with him SERMON VII ROM 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together BEloved I will trust your memories for that which I have delivered before out of these words and come immediately to the second of these six steps which I have
Exod. 14. 9. of the Chariots of new Pharaoh that arose which knew not Ioseph who pursued Israel with Chariots being drowned in the Sea He and all his Chariots And it is said of Solomon that his Chariots were twelve thousand But the greatest number we read of in Scripture is in 1 Chron. 19. 7. were Hanun hired 32000 out of Mesopotamia Syria and Zobah Now I say Chariots were used in two regards As the great men and Princes of the Earth besides that common use for ease they had them either for their state and glory and those were for triumph or else for terror and dreadfulness and those were for warre Some Chariots were drawn with two horses some with 4 some with 6 or else for the more glory they were sometimes drawn with men So also as Chariots were to several ends so they were of divers fashions some were made of wood and some of Iron and some were made with Hooks according to their several uses and Ends for which they were So our great God when he will appear in Triumph or Terror Hath Chariots at command without borrowing buying or hiting c. And these Chariots are in one word HIS CREATURES in which he rides when he pleaseth Either for Glory and Triumph or else Terrour and Battel 1 Triumphant As he is said to be fairer then all Psal. 45. 2. that is there is none like him in mercies and compassions to those he loves Thou art fairer then the children of men therefore Grace is poured into thy lips So he is terrible above all in fury and dreadfulness to those he hates Psa. 66. 5. Come and see the works of the Lord he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men Those are Gods Chariots of Triumph when hâ— rides upon the Cherubims and walks upon the wings of the wind when he is clothed with Majesty and Honour and covereth himself with light as with a garment when he layes the beams of his Chambers in the waters and maketh his spirits Messengers Psal. 104. When he is clothed with Glory and Maâ—esty and cometh forth like a Bridegroom and as the Sun is his Tabernacle Psal. 19. 5. Then we may say O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth who hast set thy glory above the Heavens And as it is here in the 24. vers of this Psalm so we may say They have seen thy goings O God even the goings of my God and my King which art in the Sanctuary The Singers go before and the players of Instruments followed after among them were the dâ—msels playing with Timbrels 2 For Terror Let us see which are Gods Chariots for Terror and War as he is fairer then all so he is terrible above all as I said before as he is the God of peace Rom. 16. 20. so he is the Lord of Hosts Psal. 24. 8. God then rides in his Chariots of Terror when he makes darkness his secret place and at the brightness before him thick clouds passed hail-stones and coals of fire The Lord thundered in Heaven and the Most High gave out his voyce Hail-stones and coals of fire Psal. 18. When he rents the Heavens and comes down and causeth the Mountains to flow down at his presence as when the melting fire burneth to cause the waters to boil to make his name known to his Adversaries that the Nations may tremble at his presence when he doth terrible things which they looked not for Isai. 64. 1 2 3. And as in that Psalm 18. v. 26. With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure so with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward That is with those that will be at peace with him he will be â—t peace with them and with those that are at war with him he will be at war with them Yet think not that God changeth But so as it is in a Looking glass you know it represents unto you such shapes as is set before it yet all the change is in your selves not in the glass for the glass is alwayes the same in it self If you frown upon it it will frown upon you if you laugh upon it it will laugh upon you if you hug it it will hug you if you strike it it will strike you if you embrace it it will embrace you if you turn your back upon it it will turn its back upon you Just so it is with our righteous God as a man behaves himself toward him so will he shew himself towards him If we forsake him he will forsake us Chr. 15. 2. If we be stubborn toward him he will be stubborn towards us But if we cleave to him he will cleave to us if we embrace him he will hug and embrace us if we run toward him he will run towards us As you know what the Prodigals father did when he was yâ—t afar off but a coming and returning to his father His father ran to meet him and fell on his neck and kissed him And yet for all this God changes not our God is alwayes the same there is no shadow of change in him but the change is in us And he appears so to us because we are changed but in himself he is not nor cannot be changed but is ever the same like Mount Sion which cannot be moved â— But we go onto our Text The Chariots of God Quest. What are these Chariots of God Answ. Look but round about thee and thou shalt see those innumerable Chariots and Angels here spoken of for so many Creatures as thou seest so many Angels and Chariots of God thou seest they are all his Host they are all his Chariots wherein he rides and whether you see it or no Thâ— Lord is among them as in Sinai in his holy place The glory of the Lord fills them all had we but our eyes open to see it so and they are all at his command and there is no creature but doth his pleasure Oh Brethren how glorious and blessed a thing it is to behold and see that look how many Creatures visible and invisible thou seest or conceivest to be For the soul now to look on them as so many fiery Chariots and Horsmen for its defence and preservation and on the other hand how a fearful a thing it is to fall into the hand of the living God who hath all these Angels and Chariots at his command to execute his will and vengeance on those that hatâ— and oppose him Amos 3. 8. when this Lion roareth who can but tremble when God by any Creature roars against a man and threatens terrour to any one for when the Creature roars and threatens or when it comforts and smiles it is God in it I say who is he then that dare comfort And if God speaks peace to a man what Creature dares nay what Creature can terrifie If God be on our side
therein who can stand before his indignation and who can abide the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him and darkness shall pursue his enemies Think upon this all you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal. 50. ult But saith he Psal. 61. 3. The Lord is good and is a strong Hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Oh Beloved Let us all then give glory from our souls to this our great God to this infinite and everlasting Being who fills all things let us all poure out oâ—r souls before him like Water and be melted to nothing in his presence And to that end First Let us subscribe to the infiniteness of our â—od in all his Attributes in all his ways in all his Creatures Let us alwayes believe it and have him continually before us that we may tremble to offend him even the wickedest man And that godly men may both fear and love him and that they may with strong confidence be rooted resting and depending on him who is the rock of Ages And Secondly Let us cry out with Moses in continual acclamations in that powerful Orarion when ever we think of him or behold him There is none like the God of Iesurun who rideth upon the Heavens for thy help and in his excellency upon the skie For the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the Everlasting Arm. Thou canst be in no trouble but he is by thee with thee in the fire or in the water where ever thou art Ps. 34. 7 8. The Angels of the Lord encamp round about them that fear him O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saint for there is no want to them that fear him The young Lions may lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any thing Iacob when he went from his fathers house was afraid he should have wanted Gen. 28. but God appeared to him in a dream and he beheld a Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven The longest Ladder that ever was read of or ever heard of and the greatest builder hath made it and onely for his own use And Iacob by it saw that the providence of God was every where and Angels were continually passing up and down upon it being sent of the Almighties Errands not onely for protection but to be ministring spirits sent forth not onely for the good of those who shall be heirs of Salvation but for the good of all his Creatures So that we may say of the providence of God as David saith of his presence for they are both one Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy presence if I ascend into Heaven thou art there there is the top of the Ladder if I descend into the deep thou art there there is the bottome of the Ladder The builders of Babel aimed to make such a Ladder but that which they could never do the builder of Heaven and Earth hath done but were they not very fools to think to build a Tower of ten thousand times 1000000 miles high But let us labour to see the eternal God at the top of this Ladder and everlasting arms at the foot of it then how can we doubt He that hears the Ravens when they cry unto him who have neither faith nor understanding shall he not hear thee O thou of little faith It is against both the promise against the practice of your Father that any of you should want any good thing Yet how full of complaints are all the sons of men one wants children another friends others honour others riches others health others preferment some all these but certainly you are deceived you do not want any of them for if they were good for you you had them not then indeed you wanted them but being not good for you you want them not for they in such a case will do you more hurt then good Therefore I say let the servant of God that thinks he wants any of these things pray for what he will he shall have it if he do really want them for not onely all inanimal or unreasonable Creatures which are Gods Angels when he pleaseth do owe their Suit and Service unto those that fear the Lord but even all the Angels of God in heaven they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. 14. Nay let me tell thee if thou wilt command the Sun to stand still and the Moon in the valley of Ajalon as Ioshuah did it shall be done or the Sun to go backward upon the Dial as Hezekiah did or the Rocks to gush out water and the Heavens rain down Manna or the waters to be divided and the Sea to stand up as a wall as Moses did all shall be done and they shall obey rather then any of Gods people shall want any good thing Or if he will command Iron to swim as Elisha did Nay let him command the Covenant of night and day to be broken and time to be no more and it shall be done for Gods word can never fail nay heaven earth shall pass away but not one jot of his word shall fail But for all this I know and methinks I hear your murmuring thoughts still for all this you are not yet satisfied And you say with Iob Doth the wild Asse bray when he hath grass or loweth the Oxe over his fodder can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt or is there any taste in the white of an egg We are sure we do want these things or else we would not complain we are sure we have them not and is there any sweetness in nothing had we fodder we would not lowe nor complain I answer Indeed that may be that you are without them 1. It may be you are not of the family of your heavenly father then what right or interest have you to expect them but you are servants to sin and to his enemies and yet would have him let you want nothing 2. There is a great difference between not having and wanting It may well be that you have not riches and honour and preferment c. but if you be the true servants of God it cannot be that you should want them David saith it was good for him that he wanted and that he was in trouble There is oftentimes more mercy from God and more comfort to us in Gods Rods then in these outward things which are onely esteemed Blessings for they are often no other but rods or else meat to fat us for slaughter for our happiness and comfort lies not in that which the tender
the holy Spirit to us to lay upon you no other burthen then these necessary things That ye abstain from things offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled c. if you keep your selves from these things ye shall do well Fare ye well Now in these things according to the present infancy and weakness of that Church did as Pauls practise was He became weak to the weak and became all to all that he might win some They saw they could not bear taking away and removing all things at once and so drew them on with cords of love and indulgence in things indifferent It was as much as they at that time could bear to remove that unquestionable commanded Ordinance of Circumcision and because others began to press it as a thing of necessity therefore they in wisdom remove it laying no such injunction on them and this they tell them they shall do well to observe But after this when they had been exercised more in the Truth and they began to see these things were but Pedagogies Paul adventured to wave these things as being things which are not the Truth and Substance And therefore he incourages the Corinthians not to stand upon such things in that 1 Cor 8. 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with confidence of the Idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol and their conscience being weak is defiled For saith he in the Verses before An Idol is nothing and there is none other but one God Therefore although it be meat left at the Idol Sacrifices the meat is the same afterward which it was before the Idol defileth not the meat for it is nothing And therefore in 1 Cor. 10. 25. saith he Whatever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for conscience sake Why there he gives the same reason again For the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof I might draw out this point to many more particulars wherein many are misled in these days as concerning eating of blood and using of Temples or Places dedicated to Idols I hope I need give no other Solution at present but that Answer that there the Apostle doth An Idol is nothing in the world there is none other but one God The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Therefore I say eat and use what is prepared for you making no question for conscience sake But through the weakness and childishness of many there hath been great contest about things of this nature And if it be evil to prefer the handmaid before the Mistris and the Shadow before the Substance even of things commanded much more to prefer these things of such indifferency before the Substance which are to be laid aside as we grow stronger which we are not to do by the things absolutely commanded but to use them and not abuse them to use them and not build on them or Rest in them And as it is in things of this nature so it is in the general estate of all Christians First they are servants and under the yoke before they come to be Sons but when once the true Heir comes to age then cast out the bond-woman and her son as the Apostle alledgeth that of Abraham for this very purpose not that they do cast away obedience according to the Law but that they do it upon another account even from love Then t is no longer a yoke but according to that promise Ier. 31. 33. I will write my Law in their heart and so they obey out of love and not for fear There was a time when the highest Chriâ—â—ians were but servants therefore despise not him who is not as tall as thy self but let us in whatever we reprove them pity them and pray for them knowing it was once thine own condition onely when men are self-wise and conceited and think themselves to be great and something when they are nothing these deserve a more severe reproof according to that of the Apostle Iude verse 22 23. Of some have compassion making a difference others save with fear pulling or snatching them out of the fire And the Apostle Paul carries this point high and saith Gal. 4. the beginning and applies it to Christ himself Now I say that the heir as long as he is under age differeth nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all but is under Tutors and Governors until the time apppointed of the Father even so we when we were in bondage under the elements of the world but when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons And Christ himself saith Iohn 8. 35. The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth for ever But what is it to be a servant and what a Son Christ answers it himself Iohn 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you and ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I have commanded you Servants you know are kept at a distance and know not the secrets of their Master but if you be Friends or Sons its all one you shall abide in the house for ever The inheritance is yours the secrets of the Almighty are yours you shall not onely have the external and outward command but shall see the excellency the glory the pleasure and delight of those Commands that is you shall not onely have the Letter but the Life and shall know whatever the Lord doth you shall not always be servants but shall grow up to be sons and if ye grow not you may well question your selves whether ye shall ever come to the inheritance or no. But I say look to your selves therefore in the name of Jesus Christ for I affirm boldly in his name That faith which is not a growing faith is not a true faith If your faith and light be the same as it was many years ago that you have onely an external faith and your faith is taught onely by the Precepts of men and Christ is not your Teacher and that he grows not in you this is but a dangerous and dead faith As one saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is nothing in the world is barren and saith Christ Considerate Lilia quomodo crescunt Consider the Lilies how that they grow and a grain of mustard seed which is the least of all seed yet it grows the tallest Then â—latter not your selves Beloved that faith that grows not is not true faith and that light that increaseth not is not true light that Christ that grows not in you dwells not in you Beloved look about you this Doctrine falls heavy as lead upon abundance
make me bid defiance to the world and the things below that we would fain walk evenly in all change of conditions dost thou want spirituall riches and those things which God accounts Good things things which he gives only to his own people And not those he gives promiscuously and most plentifully to those he hates are given to destroy and to undoe them Then I say unto thee thou needst not say Who shall ascend into Heaven or who shall descend to bring Christ from the grave behold he is nigh thee Even within thee What needest thou go out of thy self for help or counsel there is that Great Counseller dewls within thee What need hast thou to go out to any Creature What need hast thou to rely upon man or the Arm of flesh Thou hast such a Counseller and Comforter within thee that is able to darken and obscure all the counsels and comforts of all Men and all Creatures But thou must first strip thy self of all manner of thoughts and fantasies and all imaginations and then thou shalt find such an infinite bottomless God whose name is called wonderfull Counseller the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace That thou mayst say of all Creatures as Iob of his friends Miserable Comforters are ye al. For There may be such an occasion and a man may be in such a condition wherein all the world cannot help a man nor comfort him But there can be no case wherein this great Counseller this mighty Helper cannot uphold and comfort a man Though all the world were set against a man to undo and overthrow him yet he is so safe with God that he needs not regard it If God will keep a man under his wings what need he fear Though thou art oppressed and wronged I do not mean onely outwardly do not take me too much in that sense but inwardly by Satan and by thy wicked lusts so that thou cryest our with David Mine enemies fight against me daily and I am oppressed on every side and with Ieremiah Lord help me I suffer violence and spoyl Have thy eye and thy heart most upon these inward violences so that thou seest a mighty battel fought within thee Esa. 9. 5. For every battel of the warriour is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire Is this thy case There is one nigh thee whom thou mayst cry to as Ieremiah doth Lord help me I suffer violence There is one within thee that can make thee not to fear but can make thee laugh at all these things As Iob saith the Horse doth in the Battel at the shaking of the spears As here Moses went about a desperate and a mighty attempt viz. that he A poor Shepherd should offer to go to so great a King and to cause him to let half his Kingdom depart from him but there was such a Supporter within Moses that made the work seem possible to him though impossible to men Beloved your heavenly Father is so near you that he knows what ye need before ye ask he is so much you that he is more near to you then your selves He is not so present as the King is present in all his Kingdom because his power is over all and reaches to all In that sense every Iustice of Peace every Constable and every Officer is a finger of the King and therefore it is a vain foolish thing to say 'T is true Gods power is here and he is present in regard of his Attributes for will ye separate God and his power Will ye make God and his Attributes two things that cannot be for Gods power is his essence And what ever is in God is God and where he is present by his power there he is present by his Essence if you do not see it so blame your selves lay not the fault on God and deny him therefore to be there but blame your own eyes which are not opened and your own ear because they are not bored And so I say conceiving God to be thus take any yea all occasions of magnifying worshipping and praising him and with the Prophet David when ye behold any of the Creatures Say Praise the Lord in the heights Praise him in the Sun and Moon Praise him in the Stars Praise him in the Firmament of his power and Praise Him according to his most Excellent Greatness So much for this time THE MYSTERIE OR THE LIFE and MARROVV OF THE SCRIPTURES An Exposition on Exodus 3. the Six first Verses EXOD. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Now Moses kept the flock of Iethro his father in Law the Priest of Midian and he led the flock to the back-side of the desart and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked and behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt c. Delivered at a Private Meeting at Kensington OUt of which words we have observed three things 1. Moses his Preparation or disposition to this Vision and that is in the first Verse And Moses kept the flock of Iethro his father in Law Priest of Midian and he led the flock to the back side of the desart and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. 2. The Vision it self that is in the 2 3 4 5. Verses The Angel of the Lord appeared to Mose in a flame of fire in the midst of a burning bush and the bush burned and was not consumed c. Lastly the consequence and what followed thereupon In the preparation of Moses his disposition to this great sight we observed something in that it is said here that Moses was a Shepherd and shewed you the reason why the Holy Spirit takes such special notice of Shepherds and still prefers them before Husbandmen as the first of men that were begotten Cain and Abel the Shepherds offering was accepted and the Husbandmans rejected and then we produced and traced all the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob and Iacobs twelve sons all Shepherds and so David The first of Kings that was accepted he was taken from following the sheep to sit upon the Throne to feed Gods people and still all the stock of the Messiah of whom Christ came were generally Shepherds This is the Letter of the word but what may be the meaning that Shepherds are more esteemed then Husbandmen what is the mystery what is the living sense of these words As I take it the meaning is this that the life of a true Shepherd was to depend more upon God and his providence then Husbandmen because they more resign up their wills to God and liye altogether upon his blessing And do not so labour and Toil
or none Evil Actions as they are Actions that are in Scripture attributed to Satan that are not likewise ascribed to God either for things External or Internal Truly friends I may not keep back any part of Gods counsel for fear of the Iews Although they be Angry at the preaching of these things First For External Actions If we look upon Iob Did the Sabeans come and take away his Oxen and slew his servants and was that done by Satan upon that Commission given to him Iob 1. 12. All he hath is in thine hands why yet we know it was God gave him that very Commission who is the Lord of all Hosts yet acted by Bands of Sabeans and Armies of men Did the Chaldeans set upon his Camels drove them away and slew his servants know as David saith The Lord teacheth my fingers to fight And the mouth of the sword of the Chaldeans could not bite till God bad it Did the fire burn up his sheep and his servant yet we know that it is the Lord God Who raineth snares fire and Brimstone Psal 11. 6. and in that very History it is called Ignis Dei The fire of God Job 1. 16. Did a great wind come from the wilderness and blew down the house and killed Iobâ— children yet 't is certain He that is the Lord Bringech the windes out of his treasure Psal. 135. 7. Iob saith The Lord hath taken away c. Job 1. 21. But to come nearer yet Did the Devils enter into the Girgasites swine So that they ran headlong into the sea and were drowned but yet they did not could not enter into them till Christ bade them go no no He that sends is greater then he that is sent the Lord is above the servant though the Devil may desire to do mischief yet he cannot accomplish it till he be authorized and impowred by God himself Now to come to spiritual Actions and such as may seem to have a Near and almost inseparableâ—ffinity â—ffinity with the worst sort of evil Sin for the other were but Medicines Nocumenta Documenta Nocuments are Documents Did the Devil Harden Pharaohs heart yet the Text saith plainly of God I will harden Pharaobs heart Exod. 7. 3. Obduration and hardness of heart is a grievous sin and a Heavy punishment yet God saith I will harden Did the Devil tempt Absalom to take his fathers Concubines yet 2 Sam. 12. 11. saith God I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house Yet again Thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel Did a Lying spirit that is the Devil Seduce Ahab that he might go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead yet it is recorded in the same place Behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets saith Micaiah 1 King 22. 23. I will sum up all in HIM who is the sum of all Christ Jesus Ioh. 12. 40. who citing that of the Prophet Isaiah Isa. 6. 10. where God commands to make the heart of this people fat and shut their eyes c. Christ saith plainly Ioh. 12. 40. HE hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not seeâ— nor be converted And saith he These things spake Isaias when he had seen the glory of God And then spake of him So likewise did the Devil enter into Iudas his heart to betray his Lord Luk. 22. 3. It was true yet I will say as Austin upon Psal. 61. towards the end of it Malignus Iudas Traditor Christi Maligni persecutores c. Iudas was wicked who betrayed Christ the Jews were wicked who persecuted him with malice to death all of them were impious and miserable wretches to crucifie the Lord of life And yet Paul saith to the Romans Rom. 8. 32. The FATHERâ— spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tradidit BETRAYED HIM yet it was HIS FATHER And Ephes. 5. 2. tradidit seipsum And He gave up Himself and yet Iudas He betrayed him What shall we say herein Dispone si potes distingue sipotes dispose and distinguish if thou canst To that end Let us then take the counsel of our Saviour Let us give unto God the things that are Gods and unto man what is mans let us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with boldness give unto God as the SOLE SUPREME Agent The Glory of all Actions of what nature or kind soever as actions As to the soul The power and act of seeing but of seeing doubly or dimly to the organ it useth so God gives to the soul the Act and power of Hearing smelling tasting speaking thinking Going and Doing and the like but for the Evil and viciousness of any or all these to the organ they use and imploy In bâ—ief Take this as the sum of all let God have all the glory honour and praise of all actions they belong to him alone but to our selves let us take shame and confusion Baldness to every head and shame upon all faces Ezek. 7. 18. Gods righteousness in all these is like the great mountains and his â—udgements are a great depth Psal. 36. 6. like the mountains indeed Eternal and Eternally mountains though we climb never so long never so high They are still past finding out and are like the great DEPTH Depth still though we sink never so low and therefore Cusanus speaks learnedly to this point Omnia creat Deus etiam alterabilia mutabilia corruptibilia contraria c. that is God creates all things alterable changeable corruptible contrary yet he created not Alteration Changeableness Corruption nor Contrariety for seeing that he is HIMSELF Entity Life and Substance Essence and Being He doth not cannot create Non-Entity Destruction Death or Ruine but Hee is Alone BEING LIFE and SUBSTANCE And yet so it musts needs be for God is the God of Order and order implyes plurality and diversity And then secondly what harmony or musick is made upon one string or if it be a Monochorde yet there must be divers fâ—ets and stops and cliffs In this case you know The sweetest Harmony is made where there is the greatest discord and Variety To go a step or two further In that famous and memorable story of Ioseph his Brethren t is said sold him to the Midianitish Merchants in their malice and they into Egypt where he was tempted by his Mistris An act worse then the other yet when he makes himself afterwards known to his brethren Gen. 45. 5. Ioseph saith plainly Misit me Deus c. God sent me hither before you into Egypt They did it and God did it they indirectly God directly yet Ioseph saith it was not you but God sent me before So also in that act of Shimei he was set on by the Devil to curse David yet David saith Let him alone let him curse the Lord hath
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
relies and trusts in the wisdom and love of his father and looks upon all his sufferings as ordered and sent from God The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1. 21. To come now to another and that is the last Observation from the soul of the Text Why Christ rebuked him for speaking truth Mendacium erat dicebat se scire quod nesciebat it was a lye He said he knew what indeed He did not Now here ariseth another Question Whether Christs Incarnation was known to the Devils or no 'T is certain that they are full of knowledge for his very name is derived from knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disco quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctus so t is read Acts 16. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Divination or Knowledge In brief Nolebat hoc testimonium ab illis Christ would not have any testimony from the Devil He wanted no such Testimony Helper or Upholder therefore t is said Acts 16. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul rebuked the spirit of Divination in the like kind so saith Austine God would let the Devil know no more then what He pleased that pleased God which was fitting for the Devil in lib. 9. c. 21. de civit Dei And further Christ knew well that the Devil spoke this to tempt him for the Devil in all his actions hath an ill and indirect end And lastly the Doctrine of Christs Incarnation was no ways agreeable for the Devils knowledge it did not reflect any ways upon him he was not to have any benefit by it and therefore there was no necessity of his knowledge of it It was Balm for mankind but of no vertue to the fallen Angels These several Observations now gathered and confirmed which I termed the Soul of the Text I proceed on now to the Summity the Height or Spirit of the Text I would not have you wonder at the Definition for the Scripture is frequent in this definition To cause us to look further then the Letter And we may often find it so Exod. 14. we read of the Cloud and the Red Sea yet 1 Cor. 10. the Apostle calls them Baptism So Exod. 17. the Rock in Horeb yet 1 Cor. 10. 4. That Rock was Christ And Exod. 34. 33. we read of Moses Vail yet 2 Cor. 3. we find the Apostle applying it to the Vailing of the heart Abraham had two sons one by a bond-woman another by a free-woman yet Gal. 4. 24. we read that these things were an Allegory So in reading the History of our Saviour to raise moral Instructions as of his love to mankind readiness to help of his power mildness obedience patience and long-suffering c. this is to do as Moses did Exod. 15. to sing songs unto the Lord and to render him praise But this is not all But to mind the Spirit and life couched under the Vail and Curtain of the Letter Viz. The living bread which cometh down from Heaven which will make us live for ever To eat of Christs flesh and drink his blood is meat indeed and drink indeed Moses brought not the Children of Israel into Canaan therefore as 1 Cor. 10. 11. All things happened to them in figures in types and shadows As his face so his words were Vail'd So to us now Till Christ be pleased to Reveal the Mystery of the Word the Truth is hid and kept secret For as 't is said of our Saviour Without a parable spoke he not unto them but to his own Disciples He declared and opened every parable Mark 4. 34. And as he spake nothing without a parable So He did nothing without a parable and therefore without controversie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great is the mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. And for this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might Destroy the works of the Devil 1 Iohn 3. 8. And can we think there are no more Devils to be destroyed yet yes sure Quot Crimina tot Daemonia Yea as many Devils as sins 'T is true that when our Saviour Iohn 19. 30. cryed Consummatum est It is finished There was no more to do That is No more for the fulfilling of the Scriptures vers 28. No more for that individual flesh assumed of the Virgin Mary to suffer But yet there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remnants of Afflictions for Paul to fill up in his flesh Col. 1. 24. So we also and the Rest of the members must bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the marks of the Lord Iesus in our bodies Gal. 6. 16. And for certain 'T is better to feel compunction of spirit and the crucifying the Old man in us then to know onely those quaint finical and neat definitions of it which men by their wit and parts have drawn from the Letter to please the ears and fancies of men Making so many divisions and sub-divisions to set forth the Wits of men and not the Truth so much used by many men Know a minutes feeling spiritually is worth seven years speaking To feel these things spiritually Is to be a Door-keeper in the House of God to talk of them or onely to know them Are but The Tabernacles of Meseck and the tents of Kedar And therefore Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. As to instance in some particulars whereby you may enlarge upon any other 1. Was Christ formed in the Virgins womb 't is true so ought we to be as little Children that Christ may be formed in us Gal. 4. 35. That we may become Nothing in our own eyes that so He may be to us All and in All. 2. Was that done by the Holy Ghost coming upon her and by the power of the Most High over-shadowing her so must our spiritual birth be the Holy Ghost must overshadow and sanctifie us and the power of the Most High convert us and turns us from sin to newness of life 3. Was Christ circumcised so must we be circumcised in heart For this is true Circumcision according to Gods own interpretarion Deut. 10. 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skins of your hearts Stephen complained of the Jews for want of this O uncircumcised in hearts and ears Acts 7. 51. And Paul saith Rom. 2. 29. Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the Letter 4. Did he grow in wisdom and in stature and in favour Luk. 2. 52. so ought we to incre se with all the increase of God and to grow from grace to grace Col. 2. 19. 5. Did he dispute with the Doctors and captivate their judgements Convict their thoughts and overthrow their reasonings in the Temple so must he do in us bring every thought though never so high to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5.