by believing you do indeed honour him and he that honoureth the Son honoureth the Father Ioh. 5. 23. Here is a compendious way to glorifie God receive salvation of him freely righteousnesse and eternall life and this sets to a seal of Gods truth and grace and mercy and who so counts the Son worthy to be a Saviour to them and sets to their seal of approbation to him whom God the Father hath sent and sealed he also honours the Father and then he that honoureth the Father hath it not for nothing For them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. saith the Lord And he that serves me him will my Father honour Joh. 12. 26. As the believing soul cares for no other and respects no other but God so he respects no other but such a soul I will dwel in the humble and look unto the contrite there is mutual respects and honours God is the delight of such a soul and such a soul is Gods delight that soul sets God on a high place in a throne in its heart and God sets that soul in a heavenly place with Christ Eph. 2. 6. yea he comes down to sit with us and dwell in us off his throne of Majesty Isa. 66. 1 2. 15 57 Psal. 73. 24. to the end Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel c. Whom have I in heaven but Thee c. It is good for me to draw near to God 1 John 1. 3. These things declare we to you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And John 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be one as we are one I in them and they in me that they may be perfect in one c. IT is a matter of great consolation that Gods glory and our happinesse are linked together so that whosoever sets his glory before them singly to aim at they take the most compendious and certain way to true blessednesse His glory is the ultimat end of man and should be our great and last scope But our happinesse which consists in the enjoyment of God is subordinate to this yet inseparable from it The end of our Creation is communion and fellowship with God therefore man was made with an immortal soul capable of it and this is the greatest dignity and eminency of man above the creatures He hath not only impressed from Gods finger in his first moulding some characters resembling God in righteousnesse and holinesse but is created with a capacity of receiving more of God by communion with him Other creatures have already all they will have all theycan have of conformity to him but man is made liker than all and is fitted and fashioned to aspire to more liknesse and conformity so that his soul may shine more and more to the perfect day There was an Union made already in his first moulding and communion was to grow as a fragrant and sweet fruit out of this blessed root Union and similitude is the ground of fellowship communion That union was gracious that communion would have been glorious for grace is the seed of glory There was a twofold Union between Adam and God an Union of state and an Union of nature He was like God and he was Gods friend All the creatures had some liknesse to God some engravings of his power and goodnesse and wisdome but man is said to be made according to Gods Image Let us make man like unto us Other creatures had similitudinem vestigii but man had similitudinem faciei Holinesse and righteousnesse is Gods face the very excellency and glory of all his Attributes and the Lord stamps the image of these upon Man Other Attributes are but like his back-parts he leaves the resemblance of his footsteps upon other creatures What can be so beautifull as the Image of God upon the soul Creatures the nearer they are to God the more pure and excellent We see in the Fabrick of the World bodies the higher they are the more pure and cleanly the more beautiful Now then What was man that was made a little lower than the Angels In the Hebrew a little lower than God tantum non Deus Seeing man is set next to God his glory and beauty certainly surpasses the glory of the Sun and Heavens Things contiguous and next other are like other The water is liker air than the earth therefore it is next the air The air is liker Heaven than water therefore it is next to it Omne contiguum spirituali est spirituale Angels and men next God are spirits as he is a Spirit Now similitude is the ground of friendship Pares paribus congregantur similitude necessitudinis vinculum It is that which conciliats affection among men so it is here by proportion God sees that all is very good and man the best of his works and he loves him and makes him his friend for his own Image which he beholds in him At length from these two roots this pleasant fragrant fruit of Communion with and enjoyment of God grows up this is the entertainment of friends to delight in one another and to enjoy one another Amicorum omnia communia Love makes all common it opens the treasure of Gods fulnesse and makes a vent of divine bounty towards man and it opens the heart of man and makes it large as the sand of the sea to receive of God Our receiving of his fulnesse is all the entertainment we can give him O what blessednesse is this for a soul to live in him and it lives in him when it loves him Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat and to taste of his sweetnesse and be satisfied with him this makes perfect onnenesse and perfect onnenesse with God who is the fountain of life and in whose favour is life is perfect blessednesse But we must stand a little here and consider our misery that hath fallen from such an excellency how are we come down from Heaven wonderfully Sin hath interposed between God and man and this dissolves the union and hinders the communion An enemy is come between two friends and puts them at odds and Oh! an eternall odds sin hath sown this discord and alineated our hearts from God Mans glory consisted in the irradiation of the soul from Gods shining countenance this made him light Gods face shined on him But sin interposing hath eclipsed that light and brought on an eternall night of darknesse over the soul And thus we are spoiled of the Image of God as when the earth comes betwixt the Sun and Moon Now then there can no beams of divine savour and love break through directly towards us because of the cloud of our sins that separates between God and us and because of the partition-wall of Ordinances and the hand-writing which was against us Gods holy Law and severe Justice Col. 3. 14. Then What shal we do How shal we
searching we could find them out unto perfection but to believe what is spoken till the day break and the shadows flee away and the darknesse of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse We are called then to receive this truth that God is one truly one and there are three in this one the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost This I say you must believe because the wisdom of God faith it though you know not how it is or how it can be though it seem a contradiction in reason a Trinity in Unity yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith silence it with this one answer The Lord hath said it If thou go on to dispute and to enquire how can these things be Thou art escaped from under the power of Faith and are fled unto the tents of humane wisedom where thou mayest learn artheism but no Religion for the world through wisedom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. And certainly who ever he be that will not quiet his conscience upon the bare word of truth in this particular but will call in for the help of reason and disputation how to understand and maintain it I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of God and satisfaction of mind than before There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary Who art thou O man that disputes When ever thou thinks within thy self How may this be how can one be three and three one then withall let this of Pauls sound in thine ears Who art thou O man who disputes Think that thou art man think that he is God Believing ignorance is much better than rash presumptuous knowledge ask not a reason of these things but rather adore and tremble at the mysterie and Majesty of them Christianity is foolishnesse to the world upon this account because it 's an Implicite faith so to speak given to God but there is no fear of being deceived though he lead thee blind by a way thou know not yet he cannot lead thee wrong This holy simplicity in believing every word of God trusting without more trying by disputation is the very Character of Christianity and it will be found only true wisdome for if any will become wise he must be a fool in mens account that he may be wise he must quite his reason to learn true Religion which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason neither is it contrary to it though it be high above it In this place of Moses you have the Unity of God asserted The Lord thy God is one Lord And that is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature That God is One for all may know that the common notion and apprehension of God is that he is a most perfect being the Originall of all things most wise most powerfull infinite in all perfections Now common reason may tell any man that there can bee but one thing most perfect Excellent there can be but one infinite one Almighty one beginning and end of all one first mover one first cause of whom are all things and who is of none Again in this place of Iohn ye have a Testimony of the blessed Trinitie of Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in that holy Unity of Essence The great point which Iohn hath in hand is this fundamentall of our Salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Saviour of the World in whom all our confidence should be placed and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls this he proves by a twofold testimony one out of Heaven another in the Earth There are three bearing witnesse to this truth in heaven The Father the word that is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God whom this Apostle calls the word of God or wisdom of God Ioh. 1. 1. and the Holy Ghost The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of Heaven when Christ was baptized Mat. 3. 17. This is my wel-belovd Son hear him here 's the Fathers Testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people and divinely with great glory and Majesty from Heaven as if the heavens had opened upon him and the inaccessible light of God had shined down on him which was confirmed in the transfiguration Mat. 17. 5. VVhere the Lord gave a glorious evidence to the astonishment of the three Disciples how he did account of him how all Saints and Angels must serve him Him hath God the Father sealed saith Iohn Indeed the stamp of divinitie of the divine Image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ was a Seal set on by God the Father signifying confirming his approbation of his well-beloved Son and of the work he was going about Then the Son himself did give ample Testimony of this this was the subject of his Preaching to the VVorld I am the light and life of men He that beleeveth on mee shall be saved and therefore he may be called the word of God and the wisedom of God Joh. 1. 1. Prov. 8. Because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mysterie of Wisdom concerning our Salvation He is the very expression and Character of the Fathers person and Glory Heb. 1. In his own Person and he hath revealed and expressed his Fathers mind and his own Office so fully to the World that there should be no more doubt of it Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this Word might be established But for superabundance behold a third the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptisme in his Resurrection after his Ascension the Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work in the similitude of a Dove the Holy Ghost testified it in the power that raised him from the dead the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the Apostles according to Christs promise For the other three witnesses on earth we shal not stay upon it only know that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the word and spirit signified by water the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ the Testimony of the spirit in our Conscience bearing witnesse to our Spirits is an assured Testimony of this that Jesus Christ in whom we believe is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The changing pacifying and comforting of souls in such a wonderfull manner cryes aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living God whom to know is eternal life But mark I pray you the accuracy of the Apostle in the change of the speech these three witnesses on earth saith he agree in one in giving one common testimony to the Son of God and Saviour of Sinners But as for the heavenly witnesses the Father the Word and Holy Ghost how ever they be three after an inconceivable manner
think the Word is true and they never doubted of it But I beseech you consider how greatly you mistake a main matter of weighty concernment If you will search it as before the Lord you will find you have no other belief of these things than children use to have whom you teach to think or say any thing there is no other ground of your not questioning these truths of the Gospel but because you never consider on them and so they passe for current Do not deceive your selves with the heart man believes it is a heart-businesse a soul-matter no light and uselesse opinion or empty expression which you have learned from a child You say you believe in God the Maker of Heaven and Earth and so say children who doubt no more of it than ye and yet in sadnesse they do not retire within their own hearts to think what a one he is they do not remember him in the works of his hands there is no more remembrance of that true God than if no such thing were known So it is among you you would think we wronged you if we said ye believed not that God made the world yet certainly all men have not this faith whereby they understand truly in their heart the Power Wisdome and Goodnesse of God appearing in it that is the gift of God only given to them that shal be saved If I should say that you believe not the most common Principles of Religion you would think it hard yet there is no doubt of it that the most common truths are least believed and the reason is plain because men have learned them by tongue and there is none that question them therefore very few ever in sadnesse and in earnest consider of them You say that God made Heaven Earth but how often do you think on that God And how often do you think on him with admiration Do ye at all wonder at the glory of God when you gaze on his works Is not this volume alwayes observant before your eyes every thing shewing and declaring this glorious Maker yet who is it that taketh more notice of him than if he were not at all such is the generall stupidity of men that they never ponder digest these things in their heart till their soul receive the stamp of the glory greatnesse of the invisible God which shines most brightly in these things that are visible and be in some measure transformed in their minds and conformed to these glorious appearances of him which are engraven in great Characters in all that do at all appear There is another mistake peculiar to some especially the Lords people that they think faith is limited to some few particular and more unknown and hid truths and mysteries of the Gospell Ye think that it is only true believing to imbrace some special Gospell-truths which the multitude of people know nothing of as the tenor of the Covenant of Grace and of Works c. And for other common Principles of Gods making and ruling the World you think that a common thing to believe them But saith the Apostle By faith we understand that the worlds were made it is that same faith spoken of in the end of Chap. 10. by which the just shal live So then here is a point of saving faith to believe with the heart in God the Creator and Father Almighty to take a view of Gods Almighty Power and sufficient Goodnesse and infinite Wisdome shining in the Fabrick of the World that with delight and admiration at such a glorious Fountain-being to rise up to his Majesty by the degrees of his creatures this is the climing and aspiring nature of Faith You see how much those Saints in the Old Testament were in this and certainly they had more excellent and beseeming thoughts of God than we It should make Christians ashamed that both Heathens who had no other Book opened to them but that of Nature did read it more diligently than we And that the Saints of Old who had not such a plain testimony of God as we now have yet did learn more out of the Book of the Creature then we do both out of it and the Scriptures We look on all things with such a carelesse eye and do not observe what may be found of God in them I think verily there are many Christians and Ministers of the Gospel who do not ascend into those high and ravishing thoughts of God in his being and working as would become even meer Naturalists How little can they speak out of his Majesty or think as it becomes his transcendent glory There is little in Sermons or discourses that holds out any singular admiring thoughts of a Deity but in all these we are so common and carelesse as if he were an Idol It is not in vain that it is expressed thus By faith we know that the worlds were made for certainly the firm believing pondering of this one truth would be of great moment and use to a Christian in all his journey You may observe in what stead it is to the Saints in Scripture This raises up a soul to high thoughts and sutable conceptions of his glorious Name so conforms the worship of his Majesty unto his excllency it puts the stamp of Divinity upon it spiritualizes the thoughts and affections so as to put a true difference between the true God and the gods that made not the Heavens the Earth Alace the worship of many Christians speaks out no diviner or higher object than a creature it is so cold so formall and empty so vain wandring there is no more respect testified unto him than we would give to some eminent person You find in the Scripture how the strain of the Saints affections and devotion rises when they take up God in his absolute Supremacy above the creatures look on him as the alone fountain of all that is worth the name of perfection in them A soul in that consideration cannot chuse but assign unto him the most eminent seat in the heart gather those affections which are scattered after the creatures into one channell to pour them out on him who is all in all and hath all that which is lovely in the creatures in an eminent degree Therefore know what you are formed for to shew forth his praise to gather and take up from the creatures all the fruits of his praise and offer them up to his Majesty This was the end of man this is the end of a Christian you are made for this and you were redeemed for this to read upon the volumes of his works word and from thence extract songs of praise to his Majesty As this would be of great moment to the right worshipping of God and to the exercise of true holiness so it is most affectual to the establishing of a soul in the confidence of the promises of God When a soul by faith understands
therefore there are many differences between us the brethren because we are not one perfectly in him therefore we are not one as he and the Father is one But when he shal be in us and we in him as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father then shal we be one among our selves then shal we meet in the unity of the faith into a perfect man into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4. 13. Christ is the uniting Principle while the Saints are not wholly one uni tertio they cannot be perfectly one inter se among themselves Consider this I beseech you Christs union with the Father is the foundation of our union to God and our union among our selves this is comfortable the ground of it is laid already Now it is not simply the unity of the Father and the Son in essence that is here meant for what shadow resemblance can be in the world of such an incomprehensible mystery But it is certainly the Union and Communion of God with Christ Jesus as Mediator as the head of the Church which is his Body Therefore seeing the Father is so wonderfully well pleased and one with Christ his wel-beloved Son Messenger of the Covenant chief party contracting in our name he is by vertue of this one with us who are his seed and members And therefore the members should grow up in the head Christ from whom the whole body makes increase according to the effectuall working of the spirit in it Eph 5. 15 16. Now if the union between the Father and Christ our Head cannot be dissolved and cannot be barran and unfruitfull then certainly the spirit of the Father which is given to Christ beyond measure must effectually work in every member till it bring them to the unity of the Faith and to the measure of the perfect man which is the fulnesse of Christ. So then every believing soul is one with the Father as Christ is one because he is the Head and they his members the day is coming that all the members shal be perfectly united to the Head Christ grow up to the perfect man which is the stature of Christs fulnesse and then shal we all be made perfect in one we shal be one as he is one because he and we are one perfect man Head and Members Now to what purpose is all this spoken I fear it doth not stirre up in our souls a desire after such a blessed life whose heart would not be moved at the sound of such words Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son we are made perfect he in us and we in him Certainly that soul is void of the Life of God that doth not find some sparkle of holy ambition kindled within after such glorious and blessed condition But these things sevour not and taste not to the most part the naturall man knows them not for they are spiritually discerned How lamentable is it that Christ is come to restore us to our lost blessednesse and yet no man almost considers it or layes it to heart O how miserably twice miserable is that Soul that doth not draw near to God in Christ when God hath come so near to us in Christ that goes a whoring after the lust of the eyes and flesh and after the imaginations of their own heart and will not be guided by Christ the way and life to glory Thou shalt destroy them O Lord Psal. 73. 27. All men are far off from God from the womb Behold we may have accesse to God in Christ woe to them that are yet far off and will not draw near they shal all perish I exhort you to consider what you are doing The most part of you are going away from God you were born far off and you will yet go further know what you will meet with in that way Destruction Ye have never yet asked in earnest for what purpose you came into the World What wonder you wander and walk at randome seing you have not proposed to your selves any certain scope and aime It is great folly You would not be so foolish in any petty businesse But O how foolish men are in the main businesse The light of the body is the eye if that be not light the whole body is full of darknesse If your intention be once right established all your course will be orderly but if you be dark and blind in this point have not considered it you cannot walk in the light your whole way is darknesse The right consideration of the great End would shine unto you and direct your way but while you have not proposed this end unto your self the enjoyment of God you must spend your time either in doing nothing to that purpose or doing contrary to it All your other lawfull businesse your callings and occupations are but in the by they are not the end nor the way but you make them only your businesse they are altogether impertinent to this end And the rest of your walking in lust and ignorance is not only impertinent but inconsistant with it and contrary to it If you think that you have this before your eyes to enjoy God I pray you look upon the way you choose Is your drunkennesse your swearing your uncleannesse your contentions and railings and such works of the flesh are those the way to enjoy God Shal not these separate between God and you Is your eating and drinking sleeping as beasts and labouring in your callings are these all the means you use to enjoy God Be not deceived you who draw not near God by Prayer often in secret and by faith in his Son Christ as lost miserable sinners to be saved and reconciled by him you have no fellowship with him and you shal not enjoy him afterward You whose hearts are given to your covetousnesse who have many lovers and idols besides him you cannot say Whom have I besides thee in the earth No you have many other things beside God You can have nothing of God except you make him all to you unlesse you have him alone My undefiled is one Cant. 6. 9. He must be alone for his glory he will not give to another If you divide your affections and pretend to give him part your lusts other part you may be doing but he will not divide his glory so he will give no part of it to any other thing But as for those souls that come to him and see their misery without him O know how good it is It s not only good but best yea only good it is bonum it is optimum yea it is unicum there is none good save one even God and there is nothing good for us but this one to be near God and so near that we may be one one spirit with the Lord for he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Rejoice in your portion and long for the
their nakednesse and filthinesse which is in it self as menstruous and unclean as any thing It is now the very propension and naturall inclination of our hearts to stand upright in our selves Faith bowes a souls back and take on Christs righteousnesse but presumption lifts up a soul upon its own bottom How can ye believe that seek honour one of another The engagement of the soul to its own credit or estimation the engagement of self-love and self-honour do lift up a soul that it cannot submit to Gods righteousnesse to righteousnesse in another And therefore many do dream and think that they have eternall life who shal awake in the end and find that it was but a dream or night-fancy Now from all this I would enforce this duty upon your consciences to search the Scriptures if you think to have eternall life search them if you would know Christ whom to know is eternal life then again search them for these are they that testifie of him Searching imports diligence much diligence it s a serious work it s not a common seeking of an easie and common thing but it s a search and scrutiny for some hidden thing or some special thing It s not bare reading of the Scriptures that will answer this duty except it be diligent and daily reading and it s not that alone except the Spirit within meditate on them and by meditation accomplish a diligent search There is some hidden secret that you must search for that is inclosed within the covering of words and sentences there is a mystery of wisdome that you must apply your hearts to search out Eccles. 7. 5. Jesus Christ is the Treasure that is hid in this field O precious treasure of eternall life Now then souls search into the fields of the Scriptures Pro. 2. 4. for him as for hid treasure It is not only truth you must seek and buy and not sell it but it is life you would search Here is an object that may not only take up your understandings but satisfie your hearts Think not you have found all when you have found the truth there and learned it no except you have found life there you have found nothing you have missed the treasure If you would profite by the Scriptures you must bring both your understandings your affections to them and depart not till they both return full If you bring your understanding to seek the truth you may find truth but not truly you may find it but you are not found of it you may lead truth captive and unclose it in a prison of your mind and encompasse it about with a guard of corrupt affections that it shal have no issue no out going to the rest of your soul and wayes and no influence on them you may know the truth but you are not known of it and brought in captivity to the obedience of it The Treasure that is hide in the Scriptures are Jesus Christ whose intire and perfect Name is Way Truth and Life He is a living truth and true Life Therefore Christ is the adaequat object of the soul commensurable to all its faculties He has Truth in him to satisfie the mind and he has Life and Goodness in him to satiate the heart therefore if thou wouldst find Jesus Christ bring thy whole soul to seek him as Paul expresseth it He is true and faithfull and worthy of all acceptation then bring thy judgement to find the light of truth and thy affections to imbrace the life of goodnesse that is in him Now as much as ye find of him so much have ye profited in the Scriptures If you find commands there that you cannot obey search again and you may find strength under that command digg a little deeper you shal find Jesus the end of an impossible command when you have found him you have found life and strength to obey you have found a prepitiation and sacrifice for trantgressing not obeying If you find curses in it search again you shal find Jesus Christ under that made a curse for us you shal find him the end of the curse for righteousnesse to every one that believes When you know all the Letter of the Scripture yet you must search into the Spirit of it that it may be imprinted into your spirits all you know does you no good but as it s received in love unlesse your souls become a living Epistle the Word without be written on the heart you have found nothing As for you that cannot read the Scriptures if it be possible take that pains to learn to read them O if you knew what they contain whom they bear witnesse of you would have little quietnesse till you could read at least his love-epistle to sinners And if you cannot learn be not discouraged but if your desires within be servent your endeavours to hear it read by others will be more earnest But it is not so much the reading of much of it that profiteth as the pondering of these things in our hearts and digesting them by frequent meditation till they become the food of the Soul This was Davids way and by this he grew to the stature of a tall well-bodied Christian. Eph. 2. 20. And builded upon the foundation of the Apostles c. BElievers are the Temple of the living God in which he dwels and walks 2 Cor. 6. 16. Every one of them is a little Sanctuary and Temple to His Majesty Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts in your hearts though he be the high lofty one that inhabits eternity yet he is pleased to come down to this poor Cottage of a creatures heart and dwell in it Is not this as great a humbling and condescending for the Father to come down off his Throne of Glory to the poor base foot-stool of the creatures soul as for the Son to come down in the state of a servant and become in the form of sinfull flesh But then he is a Temple and Sanctuary to them and he shal be to you a Sanctuary Isa. 8. A place of refuge a secret hiding-place Now as every one is a little separated retired Temple so they all conjoyned make up one Temple one visible body in which he dwels Therefore Paul calls them living stones built up into a spiritual house to God 1 Pet. 2. 5 All these little Temples make up one house Temple fitly joyned together in which God shews manifest signs of his presence and working unto this the Apostle in this place alludes The Communion Union of Christians with God is of such a nature that all the relations and points of conjunction in the creatures are taken to resemble it hold it out to us We are Citizens saith he Domesticks houshold men so dwel in his house and then we are his House beside Now ye know there are two principal things in a House the Foundation and the Corner-stone the one supports the building the
according to the Word and receive no more upon trust from men but as you find it upon triall to the truth of God 1 Tim. 〈◊〉 13. Hold fast that form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love c. HEre is the sum of Religion here you have a compend of the Doctrine of the Scriptures All Divine Truths may be reduced to these two Heads Faith Love What we ought to believe and what we ought to do This is all the Scriptures teach and this is all we have to learn What have we to know but what God hath revealed of himself to us And what we have to do but what he commands us In a word what have we to learn in this world but to believe in Christ love him and so live to him This is the duty of man this is the dignity of man and the way to eternall life Therefore the Scriptures that are given to be a Lamp to our feet and a Guide to our paths contain an perfect and exact rule credendorum faciendorum of Faith and Manners or Doctrine and Practice We have in the Scriptures many truths revealed to us of God and of the works of his hands many precious truths but that which most of all concerns us is to know God our selves this is the special Excellency of the reasonable creature that it s made capable to know its Creator and to reflect upon its own being Now we have to know of our selves What we are now and what man once was and accordingly to know of God what he once revealed of himself and What he doth now reveal I say The Scâ—…iptures holds out to our consideration a twofold estate of Mankind according to these a twofold revelation of the Mystery of God We look on Man now and we find him another thing than he was once but we do not find God one thing at one time and another thing at another time for there is no shadow of change in him and He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore we ask not What he was and what he is now but how he manifests himself differently according to the different estates of Man as we find in the Scriptures man once righteous blessed Eccles. 7. 29. and God making him such according to his own Image Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 25. in righteousnesse and true holinesse we finde him in communion and friendship with God set next to the Divine Majesty and above the works of his hands all things under his feet How holy was he And how happy And happy he could not chuse but be since he was holy being conformed and like unto God in his will and affection chosing that same delight that same pleasure with God in his understanding knowing God and his will and likewise his own happinesse in such a conformity he could not but have much communion with him that had such conformity to him Union being the foundation of coÌ„munion great peace solid tranquility in him Now in this state of mankind God expresses his goodnesse and wisdom and power his holinesse and righteousnesse These are the Attributes that shine most brightly In the very morning of the Creation God revealed himself to man as a holy and just God whose eyes could behold no iniquity therefore he made him upright and made a Covenant of life and peace with him to give him immortall eternal life to continue him in his happy estate if so be he continued in well-doing Rom. 10. 5. Do this and live In which Covenant indeed there was some out-breakings of the glorious grace free condescendency of God for it was no lesse free grace and undeserved favour to promise life to his obedience than now to promise life to our Faith so that if the Lord had continued that Covenant with us we ought to have called it grace and would have been saved by grace as well as now though it be true that there is some more occasion given to mans nature to boast glory in that way yet not at all before God Rom. 4. 2. But we have scarcely found man in such an estate till we have found him sinfull miserable and fallen from his excellency That Sun shined in the dawning of the Creation but before ye can well know what it is it s eclipsed and darkned with sin and misery as if the Lord had only set up such a creature in the Firmament of Glory to let him know how blessed he could make him and wherein his blessednesse consists and then presently to throw him down from his excellency when ye find him mounting up to the Heavens and spreading himself thus in holiness and happinesse like a Bay-tree Behold again and you find him not though you seek him you shal not find him his place doth not know him He is like one that comes out with a great Majesty upon a Stage and personates some Monarch or Emperour in the World then ere you can well gather your thoughts to know what he is he is turn'd off the Stage and appears in some base despicable appearance so quickly is man stript of all these glorious ornaments of holinesse and puts on the vile rags of sin and wretchednesse and is cast down from the Throne of eminency above the creatures froÌ„ fellowship with God to be a slave and servant to the dust of his feet and to have communion with the devill and his angels And now ye have man holden out in Scripture as the onlie wretched Piece of the Creation as the very plague of the World The whole Creation groaning under him Rom. 8. and in pain to be delivered of such a burthen of such an Execration and Curse and Astonishment You find the testimony of the Word condemns him altogether concludes him under sin and then under a curse and makes all flesh guilty in Gods sight The Word speaks otherwise of us than we think of our selves Their imagination is only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. O then What must our affections be that are certainly more corrupt What then must our way be All flesh hath corrupted their way and done abominable works and none doth good Psal. 14. 1 2 3. But many flee in unto their good hearts as their last refuge when they are beaten from these out-works of their actions and wayes but the Scripture shal storm that also The heart is deceitful above all things who can know it Jer. â—…7 9. It is desperatly wicked In a word Man is become the most lamentable spectacle in the world acompend of all wickednesse and misery inclosed within the walls of inability and impossibility to help himself shut up within the prison of despair a stinking loathsome and irksome dungeon It is like the mytie pit that Ieremiah was cast into that there was no out-coming and no pleasant abode in it Now Mans estate being thus nay having made
men could have a pertinent discourse of light and colours would they form any sutable notion of that they had never seen and cannot be known but by seeing What an ignorant speech would a deaf man make of Sound which a man cannot so much as know what it is but by hearing of it How then can me speak of God who dwels in such accessible light that though we had our eyes opened yet they are far lesse proportioned to that resplendent brightnesse than a blind eye is to the Suns light It uses to be a question If there be a God or how it may be known that there is a God It were almost blasphemy to move such a question if there were not so much Atheism in the hearts of men which makes us either to doubt or not firmly to believe seriously to consider it But what may convince souls of the Divine Majesty Truly I think if it be not evident by its own brightnesse all the reason that can be brought is but like a candles light to see the Sun by Yet because of our weaknesse the Lord shines upon us in the Creatures as in a Glass and this is become the best way to take up the glorious brightness of his Majesty by reflection in his Word and Works God himself dwels in light inaccessible that no man can approach unto if any look straight to that Sunne of Righteousnesse he shal be astonished amazed and see no more than in the very darknesse But the best way to behold the Sun is to look upon it in a pail of Water and the surest way to know God by is to take him up in a state of humiliation and condescention as the Sun in the Rainbow in his Word and Works which are the Mirrours of his Divine Power and goodnesse and do reflect upon the hearts and eyes of all men the beams of that increated light If this be not the speech that day uttereth unto day and night unto night One self-being gave me a being and if thou hear not that language that is gone out into all the earth and be not as it were noised and possessed with all the sounds of every thing about thee above thee beneath thee yea and within thee all singing a melodious song to that excellent Name which is above all names and conspiring to give testimony to the fountain of their being If this I say be not so sensible unto thee as if a tongue and voice were given to every creature to expresse it then indeed we need not reason the businesse with the who hath lost thy senses do but I say retire inwardly and ask in sobriety and sadnesse what thy conscience thinks of it And undoubtedly it shal confesse a Divine Majesty at least tremble at the apprehension of what it either will not confesse or slanderly believes The very evidence of truth shal extort an acknowledgement from it If any man denied the Divine Majesty I would seek no other argument to perswade him than what was used to convince an old Philosopher who denied the fire they put his hand in it till he found it so I say return within to thine own conscience thou shalt find the scorching heat of that Divine Majesty burning it up whom thou wouldest not confesse There is an inward feeling and sense of God that is imprinted in every soul by nature that leaves no man without such a testimony of God that makes him with out excuse There is no man so impious so atheistiall but whether he will or not he shal feel at some times that which he loves not to know or consider of so that what rest secure consciences have from the fear and terrour of God it is like the sleep of a drunken man who even when he sleeps doth not rest quietly Now although this inward stamp of a Deity be engraven on the minds of all and every creature without have some marks of his glory stamped on them so that all things a man can behold above him or about him or beneath him the most mean and inconsiderable creatures are pearles and transparent stones that casts abroad the rayes of that glorious brightnesse which shines on them as if a man were inclosed into a City builded all of precious stones that in the Sun-shine all and every parcell of it the streets the houses the roofs the windows all of it reflected into his eyes those Sun beams in such a manner as if all had been one mirrour though I say this be so yet such is the blockishnesse and stupidity of men that they do not for all this consider the glorious Creator so that all these Lamps seem to be lighted in vain to shew forth his glory which though they do every way display their beams upon us that we can turn our eye no where but such a ray shal penetrate it yet we either do not consider it or the consideration of it takes not such deep root as to lead home to God therefore the Scriptures calls all naturall men Atheists They have said in their heart There is no God Psal. 14 1. All men almost confesse a God with their mouth and think they believe in him but alas Behold their actions and hearts what testimony they give for a mans walking and conversation is like an eye-witness that one of them deserves more credite than ten ear-witnesses of profession Plus valet oculatus testis unus quà m auriti decem Now I may ask of you What would ye do How would ye walk if ye believed there were no God Would ye be more dissolute prophane and more void of Religion Would not Humane Laws bind you as much in that case as they now do For that is almost the restraint that is upon many the fear of temporal punishment or shame among men â—…et your walking beside a heathens conversation and save that you say ye believe in the true God and he denies him there is no difference Your transgressions speaks louder than your professions that there is no fear of God before your eyes Psal. 36. 1. Your practise belies your professioÌ„ you profess that you know God but in works you deny him saith Paul Tit. 1. 16. Ore quod dicitis opere negatis In these words read in your audience you have a strange question and a strange answer a question of Moses and an answer of God The occasion of it was the Lords giving to Moses a strange and uncouth Message he was giving him commission to go and speak to a King to dismisse and let go 600000 of his Subjects and to speak to a numerous nation to depart from their own dwellings come out whither the Lord should lead them Might not Moses then say within himself who am I to speak such a thing to a King Who am I to lead out such a mighty People Who will believe that thou hast sent me Will not all men call me a deceiver an Enthysiastical Fellow that takes upon
degrees of perfection and excellency while we are only comparing them among themselves but let once the glorious brightnesse of God shine upon the soul and in that light all these lights shal be obscured all their differences unobserved an Angel a Man a Man and a Worm differ much in glory and perfection of beeing But O in his presence there is no such reckoning upon this account all things are alike God infinitly distant from all and so not more or lesse Infinitnesse is not capable of such terms of comparison This is the reason why Christ sayes There is none good but one even God Why because in respect of his goodness nothing deserves that name lesser light in view of the greater is a darkness as less good in comparison of a greater appears evil How much more then shal created light and created goodnesse lose that name and notion in the presence of that uncreated light self-sufficient goodnesse And therefore it is that the Lord calls himself after this manner I am as if nothing else were I will not say saith he that I am the highest the best and most glorious that is that supposeth other things to have some being and some glory that is worthy the accounting of But I am there is none else I am alone I lift up my hand to Heaven swear I live for ever There is nothing else can say I am I live there is none else for there is nothing hath it of it self Can any boast of that which they have borrowed and is not their own As if the bird that had stolen from other birds its fair feathers should come forth and contend with them about beauty would not they presently every one pluck out their own leave her naked to be an object of mockery to all Even so since our breath and being is in our nostrils and that depends upon his Majesties breathing upon us if he should but keep in his breath as it were we should vanish into nothing he looketh upon man as he is not Iob 7. 8. That is a strange look that looks man not only out of countenance but out of life and being he looks him into the first nothing and then can he say I live I am no he must alwayes say of himself in respect of God as Paul of himself in respect of Christ I live yet not I but Christ in me I am yet not I but God in me I live I am yet not I but in God in whom I live and have my being So that there is no other thing beside God can say I am because all things are borrowed drops of this self-sufficient fountain sparkles of this primitive light Let any thing interveen between the stream and the fountain and it is cut off and dried up let any thing be interposed between the Sun and the Beam and it evanishes Therefore this fountain being this original light this self being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plato calleth him deserves only the name of being other things that we call after that name are nearer nothing than God and so in regard of his Majesty may more fitly be called nothing than something you see then how profound a mystery of Gods absolute self-sufficient perfection is infolded in these three Letters I am or in these four Iehovah If you ask what is God there is nothing occures better then this I am or he that is if I should say he is the Almighty the only wise the most perfect the most glorious it is all contained in that word I am that I am nempe hoc est ci esse haec omnia esse For that is to be indeed to be all those perfections simply absolutly and as it were solely If I say all that and should reckon out all the Scripture-Epithets I add nothing If I say no more I deminish nothing As this holds out Gods absolute perfection so we told you that it imports his eternity and unchangeablenesse you know Pilats speech what I have written I have written wherein he meant that he would not change it it should stand so So this properly belongs to Gods eternity before the mountains were brought forth from everlasting to everlasting he is God Psalm 90. 2. Now this is properly to be this only deserves the name of being which never was nothing never shal be nothing which may alwayes say I am you know it is so with nothing else but God The Heavens and Earth with the things therein could not say 6000. years ago I am Adam could once have said I am but now he cannot say it for that self being fountain-being hath said to him Return to dust so it is with all the generations past where are they now They were but they are not And we then were not now are for we are come in their place but within a little time who of us can say I am No we flee away are like a dream as when one awaketh we are like a tale that is told that makes a present noise and it is past within few years this generation will passe none will make mention of us our place will not know us no more than we do now remember those who have been before Christ said of Iohn He was a burning and shining light he was saith he but now he is not but Christ may alwayes say I am the light and life of men Man is but look a little backward and he was not you shal find his original and step a little foreward and he shal not be you shal find his end but God is Alpha and Omega the beginning the end but oh who can retire so far backward as to apprehend a beginning or go such a start forward as to conceive an end in such a being as is the beginning end of all things but without all beginning and end Whose understanding would it not confound There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary O the heighth and breadth and depth We cannot imagine a being but we must first conceive it nothing in some instant receiving its being and therefore canst thou by searching find out God Therefore what his being is hath not entered into the heart of man to consider If a man would live out the space but of two generations he would be a worlds wonder but if any had their dayes prolonged as the Patriarchs before the flood they would be called ancient indeed but then the heavens and earth are far more ancient we may go backward the space of near 6000. years in our own minds and yet be as far from his beginning as we were when we are come to the beginning of all things a mans imagination may yet extend to self-further suppose to it self as many thousands of years before the beginning of time as all the Angels and men of all nations generations from the beginning if they had been imployed in no
find blessedness in him Though you find him yet can you search him out unto perfection Then what you have found were not God How is it possible for such narrow hearts to frame an apprehension or receive an impression of such an immense greatnesse and eternall goodnesse Will not a soul lose its power of thinking and speaking because there is so much to be thought and spoken and it so transcends all that it can think or speak Silence then must be the best Rhetorick and the sweetest eloquence when eloquence it self must become dumb and silent it is the abundance excesse of that inaccessible light that hath no proportion to our understandings that strikes us as blind as in the darknesse the want of light All that we can say of God is that whatsoever we can think or conceive he is not that because he hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive and that he is not like any of these things which we know unto which if he be not like wee cannot frame any similitude or likenesse of him in our knowledge What shall we then do Seek him and search him indeed but if we cannot know him to reverence fear and adore what we know So much of him may be known as may teach us our duty shew unto us our blessednesse let then all our inquiries of him have a special relation to this end that we may out of love and fear of such a glorious good God worship and serve him compose ourselves according to his will and wholly to his pleasure what ever thou knowes of God or searches of him it is but a vain speculation and a work of curiosity if it do not lead to this end to frame fashion thy soul to an union communion with him in love If it do not discover thy self unto thy self that in that light of Gods glorious Majesty thou mayest distinctly behold thy own vilenesse and wretched misery thy darknesse deadnesse utter impotency The Angels that Isaiah saw attending God in the Temple had wings covering their faces wings covering their feet those excellent spirits who must cover their feet from us because we cannot behold their glory as Moses behooved to be vailed yet they cannot behold his glory but must cover their face from the radiment and shining brightness of his Majesty yet they have other two wings to flee with and being thus composed in reverence fear to God they are ready to execute his commands willingly and swiftly Isa. 1. 2 3. c. But what is the use Isaiah makes of all this glorious sight Wo is me I am a man of polluted lips c. Oh all is unclean People and Pastor He had known doubtlesse something of it before but now he sees it of new as if he had never seen it the glory of God shining on him doth not pull him up in arogancy conceit of the knowledge of such profound mysteries but he is more abased in himself by it it shines into his heart whole man and lets him see all unclean within without so it was with Iob. Iob 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but as long as it was hear say I thought my self something I often reflected upon my self actions with a kind of self complacency and delight But now saith he since I have seen thee by the seeing of the eye I abhorre my self in dust and ashes I cannot look upon my self with patience without abhorrency and detestation self-love made me loth other mens sins more then mine own self-love did cover mine own from me it presented me to my self in a seigned likenesse but now I see my self in my true shape all coverings stripped off Thy light hath pierced into my soul behold I cannot endure to look upon my self Here now is the true knowledge of Gods Majesty which discovers within thee a mystery of iniquity and here is the knowledg of God indeed which abases all thing beside God not only in opinion but in affection that attracts and units thy soul to God drawes it from thy self all created things this is a right discovery of Divine purity glory that spots even the cleannesse of Angels and stains the pride of all glory much more will it represent filthinesse as filthiness without a covering It s knowledge science falsly so called that pusseth up for true knowledge emptieth a soul of it self and humbleth a soul in it self that it may be ful of God He that thinks he knowes any thing he knows nothing as he ought to know This then is the first property or mark of saving knowledge of God it removes all ground of vain cōfidence that a soul cannot trust unto it self and then the very proper intent of it is that a soul may trust in God and depend on him in all things For this purpose the Lord has called himself by so many names in Scripture answerable to our several necessities and difficulties that he might make known to us how all-sufficient he is that so we may turn our eyes and hearts towards him This was the intent of this name I am that Moses might have a support of his faith for if he had looked to outward appearance was it not almost a rediculous thing and like a vain fancy for a poor inconsiderable man to go to a King with such a message that he would dismisse so many subjects And was it not attempt of some mad man to go about to lead so many thousands from a wicked tyrannicall King into another Nation Well saith the Lord I am I who give althings a being will give a being to my promise I will make Pharoah hearken and the people obey Well then what is it that this name of God will not answer It is a creating Name a Name that can bring all things out of nothing by a Word if he be such as he is then he can make of us what he pleases If our souls had this name constantly engraven on our hearts O what power would Divine promises and threatnings have with us I even I am he that comforteth thee saith he If we believed that it were he indeed the Lord Jehovah how would we be comforted How would we praise Him by His Name IAH How would we stoop unto him and submit unto His blessed will If we believed this would we not be as dependent on him as if we had no being in our selves Would we not make him our habitation and dwelling-place And conclude our own stability and the stability of his Church from his unvariable eternity as the Psalmist Ps. 90. 1. Ps. 102. ult How can we think of such a foūtain being but we must withal acknowledge our selves to be shadows of his goodnesse and that we ow to him what we are and so consecrate and dedicate our selves to his glory How can we consider such a self being independent
desired tasting of it only begets a kindly appetite after it the more tasted still the fresher and more recent But yet it is above both desire and fruition thou cannot see my face c. All our knowledge of God all our attainments of experience of him do reach but to some dark confused apprehension of what he is the clearest and nearest sight of God in the world is as if a man were not known but by his back which is a great point of estrangement It 's said in the heaven we shall see him face to face and fully as he is because then the soul is made capable of it Two things in us here puts us in an incapacity of nearnesse with God Infirmity and Iniquity Infirmity in us cannot behold his glory it 's of so weak eies that the brightnesse of the Sun would strike it blind and Iniquity in us he cannot behold it because he is of pure eyes that can look on no unclean thing it 's the only thing in the Creation that Gods holinesse hath antipathy at and therefore he is stil about the destroying of the body of sin in us about the purging of all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and till the soul be thus purged of all sin by the operation of the Holy Ghost it cannot be a Temple for an immediate vision of him an immediate exhibition of God to us Sin is the wall of partition and the thick cloud that eclipses his glory from us it is the opposite Hemesphere of darknesse contrary to light according to the accesse or recesse of Gods presence it is more or lesse dark the more sin reigns in thee the lesse of God is in thee and the more sin be subdued the readier nearer is Gods presence but let us comfort our selves That one day shal put off both Infirmity and Iniquity mortality shal put on immortality and corruption be cloathed with incorruption we shal leave the rags of mortall weaknesse in the grave and our menstruous cloaths of sin behind us then shal the weak eyes of flesh be made like Eagles eyes to behold the Sun and then shal the soul be cloathed with holinesse as with a Garment which God shal delight to look upon because he sees his own Image in that glasse We come to the Lords satisfying of Moses desire and proclaiming his Name before him it is himself only can tell you what he is it is not Ministers preaching or other discourse can proclaim that Name to you we may indeed speak over those words unto you but it is the Lord that must write that Name upon your heart he only can discover his glory to your spirit There is a spirit of life which cannot be inclosed in Letters and Syllables or transmitted through your ears into your hearts but he himself must create it inwardly and stir up the outward sense feeling of that Name of those Attributes Faith indeed comes by hearing and our knowledge in this life is thorow a glasse darkly thorow ordinances and senses but there must be an inward teaching and speaking to your souls to make that effectuall the anointing teacheth you all things 1 Ioh. 2. 27. Alas its the separation of that from the word that makes it so unprofitable if the spirit of God were inwardly writing what the word is teaching then should our souls be living Epistles that ye might read Gods Name on them O be much in imploying of depending on him that teacheth to profit who only can declare unto your souls what he is These names expresse his Essence or Being his Properties what he is in himself what he is to us in himself he is Jehovah or a self-being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we heard in the 3. Chap. I am that I am and EL a strong God or Almighty God which two hold out to us the absolute incomprehensible perfection of God eminently and infinitely enclosing within himself all perfections of the creatures the unchangeable and mutable being of God who was and is is to come without succession without variation or shadow of turning and then the Almighty power of God by which without difficulty by the inclination and beck of his will pleasure he can make or unmake all create or annihilate to whom nothing is impossible which three if they were pondered by us till our souls received the stamp of them they would certainly be powerfull to abstract and draw our hearts from the vain changeable and empty shadow of the creature gather our scattered affections that are parted among them because of their unsufficiency that all might unite in one and joyn with this self-sufficient and eternal God I say if a soul did indeed believe and consider how All sufficient he is how insufficient all things else are would it not cleave to him and draw near to him Psal. 73. ult It is the very torment and vexation of the soul to be thus racked distracted divided about many things therefore many because there is none of them can supply all our wants our wants are infinit our desires insatiable the good that is in any thing is limited bounded it can serve one but for one use and another for another use and when all are together they can but supply some wants but they leave much of the soul empty But often these outward things crosses one another and cannot consist together and hence ariseth much strife and debate in a soul his need requireth both and both will not agree But O that you could see this one universall good One for all and above all your souls would choose him certainly your souls would trust in him ye would say Ashur soal not save us we will not ride on horses Creatures shal not satisfie us we will seek our happinesse in thee and no where else since we have tasted this new wine away with the old the new is better I beseech you make God your friend for he is a great one whether he be a friend or an enemy he hath two properties that make him either most comfortable or most terrible according as he is at peace or war with souls Eternity and Omnipotency You were once all enemies to him O consider what a Party you have an Almighty Party and unchangeable Party if you will make peace with him and that in Christ then know he is the best friend in the world because he is unchangeable and Almighty if he be thy friend he will do all for thee he can do and thou hast need of But many friends willing to do yet have not ability but he hath power to do what he will and pleases Many friends are changeable their affections dry up of themselves die and therefore even Princes friendship is but a vain confidence for they shal die then their thoughts of favour perish with them but he abides the same for all Generations there is no end of his
of him all our objections against coming to him believing in him it is certain Ignorance is the mother of unbelief together with the naturall perversenesse of our heatts if wee knew his Name we would trust in him if his Names were pondered and considered wee would believe in him Satan knowes this therefore his great slight and cunning is to hold our minds fixed on the consideration of our misery and desperate estate he keeps the awakned conscience still upon that comfortlesse sight he labours to represent God by halfes that it is a false representation of God he represents him as clothed with justice and vengeance as a consuming fire in which light a soul can see nothing but desperation written and he labours to hold out the thoughts of his mercy and grace or diverts a soul from the consideration of his promises whence it comes that they are not established that though salvation be near yet it is far from them in their sense and apprehension therefore I say you should labour to get an intire sight of God and you shall see him best in his word there he reveales himself and there you find if ye consider that which wil make you fear him indeed but never flee from him that which may abase you but withall embolden you to come to him though trembling what ever thought possesse thee of thine own misery of thy own guiltinesse labour to counterpoise that which a thought of his mercy and free promises what ever be suggested of his holynesse Justice heaâ—… himself speak out his own Name and thou shalt hear as much of mercy and grace as may make these not terrible unto thee though high and honourable The Lord hath so framed the expression and proclamation of his name in this place that first a word of Majesty and power is premised The Lord The Lord God that it may compasse our hearts in fear and reverence of such a glorious One make a preparatory impression of the Majesty of our God which indeed is the foundation of all true faith It begins to adore and admire a Deity a Majesty hid from the world the thoughts of his power and glory possesses the soul first and makes it begin to tremble to think that it hath such a high and Holy One to deal with But in the next place you have the most sweet alluring comforting styles that can be imagined to meet with the trembling and languishing condition of a soul that would be ready to faint before such a Majesty here mercy takes it by the hand gives a cordial of grace pardon forgivenesse c. to it which revives the soul of the humble and intermingles some rejoycing with the former trembling Majesty and greatnesse goes before to abase and humble the soul in its own eyes and mercy and goodnesse seconds them to lift up those who are low and exalt the humble and in the description of this the Lord spends more words according to the necessity of a soul to signifie to us how great and strong consolation may be grounded on his Name how accessible he is though he dwel in inaccessible light how lovely he is though he be the high and the lofty one how good he is though he be great how merciful he is though he be majestick In a word that those that flee to him may have all invitation all encouragement to come nothing to discourage to prejudge their welcome that whoever will may come and nothing may hinder on his part then after all this he subjoynes a word of his Justice in avenging sin to shew us that he leaves that as the last that he assayes all gaining wayes of mercy with us and that he is not very much delighted with the death of sinners that so whosoever perishes may blame themselves for hating their own salvation and forsaking their own mercy Now whoever thou art that apprehends a dreadful terrible God and thy self a miserable and wretched sinner thou canst find no comfort in Gods highnesse power but it looks terrible upon thee because thou doubts of his good-will to save and pardon thee thou sayest with the blind man if thou wilt thou can do it Thou art a strong God but what comfort can I have in thy strength since I know not thy good-will I say the Lord answers thee in this name I am mercifull saith the Lord if thou be miserable I am mercifull as well as strong if thou have sin misery I have compassion pitty my mercy may be a coppy patern to all men to learn it of me even towards their own brethren Luk. 6. 36. Therefore he is called the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. Misericors est cui alterius miseria cordi est Mercy hath its very name from misery for it is no other thing than to lay anothers misery to heart not to despise it not to adde to it but to help it it is a strong inclination to â—…uccour the misery of sinners therefore thou needs no other thing to commend thee to him art thou miserable knows it indeed Then he is mercifull and know that also these two suit well Nay but saith the convinced soul I know not if he will be mercifull to me for what am I There is nothing in me to be regarded I have nothing to conciliat favour all that may procure hatred But saith the Lord I am gracious and dispenses most freely without respect to condition or qualification say not If I had such a measure of humiliation as such a one if I loved him so much if I had so much godly sorrow and repentance then I think he would be mercifull to me Say not so for behold he is gracious he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and there is no other cause no motive to procure it it comes from within his own breast It is not thy repentance will make him love thee nor thy hardnesse of heart will make him hate thee or obstruct the vent of his grace towards thee no if it be grace it is no more of works no works in that way that thou imagines it is not of repentance not of faith in that sense thou conceivest but it is freely without the hyre without the price of repentance or faith because all those are but the free gifts of grace thou would have these graces to procure his favour and to make them the ground of thy believing in his promises but grace is without money it immediatly contracts with discovered misery so that if thou do discover in thy self misery and sin though thou find nothing else yet do not cast away confidence but so much the more adresse thy self to mercy and grace which doth not seek repentance in thee yet there is something in the awakened conscience It have gone on long in sin I have been a presumptuous sinner can he endure me longer well hear what the Lord saith I am
of his Will they are but imaginary dreams like fancies of a distracted person who imagining himself a King sits down on the Throne and gives out decrees and Ordinances May not He who sits in Heaven laugh at the foolishnesse madnesse of men who act in all things as if they had no dependance on him and go about their businesse as if it were not contrived already it is a ridiculous thing for men to order their businesse and settle their own conclusions without once minding one above them who hath not only a negative but an affirmative vote in all things It s true that God in his deep wisedom hath kept up his particular purposes secret that men may walk according to an appointed Rule and use all means for compassing their intended ends and therefore it is well said Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus But yet withall we should mind that of Iames If the Lord will go about all things even the most probable with submission to his will and pleasure And therefore when men go without their bounds either in fear of dangers or joy conceived in successes Ridetque si mortalis ultra fas trepidet c. Excesse of fear excesse of hope excesse of joy in these outward things is as it were ridiculous to him who hath all these things appointed with him To him be praise and glory Eph. 1. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated c. Rom. 9. 22 23. What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his power known c. IN the Creation of the World it pleased the Lord after all things were framed and disposed to make one creature to rule over all and to him he gave the most excellent nature and priviledges beyond the rest so that it may appear that he had made all things for man man immediately for his own glory As man was the chief of the works of his hands so wee may according to the Scriptures conceive that he was chiefly minded in the Counsels of his heart And that as in the execution of his purpose in creating the World man had the preheminence assigned unto him and all seemed subordinate unto him so in the Lords purposes concerning the world his purpose about man has the preheminence He indeed has resolved to declare the glory of his Name in this world Therefore the Heavens and Firmament are made Preachers of that Glory Psal. 19. 1 2. c. But in special manner his Majesties glorious Name is manifested in man and about man he hath set man as it were in the Center or midst of the Creation that all the Creatures might direct or bring in their praises unto him to be 〈◊〉 up in his and their name to the Lord their Maker by him as the common mouth of the World and the Lord hath chosen this creature above all the creatures so the more solemn glorious declaration of himself in his special properties therefore we should gather our thoughts in this businesse to hear from the Lord what his thoughts are towards us for certainly the right understanding of his everlasting Counsell touching the eternall state of Men is of singular vertue to conform us to the praise of his Name and establish us in faith and confidence Predestination is a mystery indeed into which we should not curiously boldly enquire beyond what is revealed for then a soul must needs lose it self in that depth of wisdome and perish in the search of unsearchableness And thus the word speaks in Scripture of this subject intimating unto us that it is rather to be admired than conceived that there ought to be some ignorance of these secrets which conjoyned with Faith and reverence is more learned than any curious knowledge But withall we must open our eyes upon so much light as God reveals of these secrets knowing that the light of the word is a saving refreshing light not confounding as is his inaccessible light of secret Glory As far as it pleases his Majesty to open his mouth let us not close our ears but open themalso to his instruction knowing that as he will withhold no necessary thing for our salvation so he will reveâ—… nothing but what is profitable This is the best bond of sobriety and humble wisdome to learn what he teacheth us but when he makes an end of teaching to desire no more learning Its humility to seek no more it is true wisdom to be content with no lesse There is much weaknesse in our conceiving of divine things we shape and form them in our mindes according to a mould of our own experience or invention and cannot conceive of them as they are in themselves If we should speak properly there are not counsels purposes in God but one entire counsel and resolution concerning all things which are in time by which he hath disposed all in their severall times seasons conditions and orders but because we have many thoughts about many things so we cannot well conceive of God but in likenesse to our selves And therefore the Scripture condescending to our weaknesse speaks so How many are thy precious thoghts towards me saith David and yet indeed there is but one thought of him and us all which one thought is of so much vertue that it is equivalent to an infinite number of thoughts concerning infinite objects The Lord hath from everlasting conceived one purpose of manifesting his own glory in such severall wayes this is the head-spring of all that befalls creatures men and Angels But because in the execution of this purpose there is a certain order and succession and variety therefore men do ordinarily fancy such or such a frame and order in the Lords mind purpose And as the Astronomers do cut and carve in their Imaginations Cycles Orbs Epicycles in the Heavens because of the various and different appearances motions of stars in them whereas it may be really there is but one Celestial body in which all these various lights and motions do appear So do men fancy unto themselves an order of the Lords decree according to the Phaenomena or appearances of his works in the world whereas it is one purpose and Decree which in its infinite compasse comprehends all these varieties and orders together This much we may-indeed lawfully conceive of his Decree that there is an exact correspondence suteableness between his Majesties purpose and execution that he is a wise Lord wonderful in counsel excellent in working having some great plot and design before his eyes which he intends to effect and which is as it were the great Light and Sun of this Firmament unto which by that same wonderfull Counsel all other things are subordinate And so in the working it shall appear exactly as his Counsel did delineate contrive it There is no man so empty or shallow but he hath some great design and purpose
he doth first and so some do rank his decrees that he had first a thought of glorifying men and to attain this end he purposed to give him grace and for this purpose to suffer him to fall for all to create him But we must not look thus upon it either it were a foolish rediculous counsell unbeseeming the poor wisdom of man to purpose the glorifying of man whom he had not yet determined to create therefore we should alwayes have in our mind that the great end and project of all is the glory of his mercy and justice upon men and this we may conceive is first in order neither mens life nor death but Gods glory to be manifested upon men Now to attain this glorious end with one inclination or determination of his will not to be distinguished or severed he condescends upon all that is done in time as one compleat and intire mean of glorifying himself so that one of them is not before another in his mind but all together for attaining this he purposes to create man he ordains the fall of all men into a state of sin and misery some of these upon whom he had resolved to shew his mercy he gives them to Christ to be redeemed restored by grace Others he fore-ordains them to destructions all this at once without any such order as we imagine Now though he intend all this at once and together yet it doth not hence follow that all these must be executed together as when a man intends to build a house for his own accommodation there are many things in the house upon which he hath not severall purposes But yet they must be severally and in some order done First the foundation laid then the Walls raised then the roof put on yet he did not intend the foundation to be for the walls or the walls for the roof but altogether for himself Even so the Lord purposes to glorifie his mercy and justice upon a certain number of persons and for this end to give them a being to govern their falling into misery to raise some out of it by a Mediator and to live some into it to destruction all this as one intire mean to illustrate his glorious mercy and justice but these things themselves must be done not all at once but one before another either as their own nature require or as he pleaseth the very nature of the thing requires that man be created before he sin that he sin and fall before a Mediator suffer for his sin and that he have a being before he have a glorious being and that he have a sinfull and miserable being before he have this glorious and gracious being which may manifest the grace and mercy of God But it is the pleasure of the Lord that determines in what time and order Christ shal suffer either before or after the conversion of sinners or whether sinners shal presently be instated in glory and perfectly delivered from all sin at their first conversion or only in part during this life Seeing then this was his Majesties purpose to make so many vessels of honour upon whom he might glorifie the riches of his grace end mercy And so many vessels of wrath upon whom he might shew the power of his anger You may think what needed all this businesse of mans redemption might not God have either preserved so many as he had appointed to glory from falling into sin and misery or at least have freely pardoned their sin without any satisfaction and out of the exceeding riches of his mercy and power have as well not imputed sin to them at all as imputed their sins to Christ who was not guilty What needed his giving so many to the Son and the Sons receiving them What needed these mysteries of Incarnation of Redemption seeing he might have done all this simply without so much pains and expence why did he choose this way Indeed that is the wonder and if there were no more end for it but to confound mortality that dare ask him what he doth it is enough Should he be call◅ down to the Bar of Humane Reason to give an account of his matters Who hath known the mind of the Lord or being his counsellour hath taught him That is in the depths of his unsearchable understāding that he chose to go this round to compasse his end by such a strange circuit of means when he might have done it simply and directly without so much pain yet it is not so hidden but he hath revealed as much as may satisfie or silence all flesh For we must consider that his great project is not simply to manifest the glory of his goodnesse but of his gracious and mercifull goodnesse the most tender and excellent of all therefore man must be miserable sinfull and vile that the riches of his grace may appear in choosing and saving such persons But that it may appear also how excellent he could make man and how vain all created perfections are being left to themselves therefore he first made man righteous and being fallen into sinne and misery he might straight way have restored him without more ado but his purpose was to give an exact demonstration of mercy tempered and mixed with justice and therefore he finds out the satisfaction in his eternall Counsell I have found a ransome and so he chooses Jesus Christ to be the head of these chosen souls in whom they might be again restored unto eternal life and these souls he in his everlasting purpose gives over to the Son to be redeemed and these the Son receives And thus the glory of mercy and justice shines most brightly yea more brightly than he had at first pardoned O how doth his love and mercy appear that he will transfer our sins upon his Holy Son and accept that Redemption for us and his Justice that a Redemption price he must have even from his Son when once he comes in the stead of sinners and in this point do the Songs of Eternity concenter Rom. 9. 22. and Eph. 1. 11. WE are now upon a high subject high indeed for an eminent Apostle much more above our reach the very consideration of Gods infinite wisdome might alone suffice to restrain our unlimited thoughts and serve to sober our minds with the challenge of our own ignorance and darknesse yet the vain and wicked mind of man will needs quarrell with God enter the lists of disputation with him about his righteousnesse and wisdome in the Counsel of Election and Reprobation But who art thou O man that replyest against God or desputes ver 20. This is a thing not to be disputed but believed and if ye will believe no more than ye can comprehend by sense or reason then ye give his Majesty no more credit than to weak mortall man Whatever secret thoughts do rise up in thy heart when thou hearest of Gods fore-ordaining men to Eternall life
the world was made by God then it relyes with confidence upon that same word of God as a word of power and hopes against hope There are many things in the Christians way betwixt him and glory which look as insuperable thou art often emptied into nothing and stript naked of all encouragements and there is nothing remaining but the word of Gods promises to thee and to the Church which seems contrary to sense and reason Now I say if thou do indeed believe that the world was made by God then out of all Question thou may silence all thy fears with this one thought God created this whole frame out of nothing he commanded the light to shine out of darknesse then certainly he can give a beeing to his own promises is not his word of promise as sure and effectuall as his word of command This is the grand incouragement of the Church both offered by God from Isa. Chap. 40. and made use of by his Saints as David Hezekiah c. What is it would disquiet a soul if it were reposed on this Rock of creating power and faithfulnesse This would alwayes sound in its ears faint not weary not Iacob I am God and none else the portion of Iacob is not like others be it inward or outward difficulties suppose Hell and Earth combined together let all the enemies of a soul or of the Church assemble here is one for all the God that made the Heaven and the Earth can speak and it is done command and it stands fast He creates peace and who then can make trouble when he gives quietnesse to a Nation or to a person Almighty power works in Saints and for Saints let us trust in him Gen. 1. 26 27. And God said Let us make man after our own Image with Eph. 4. 24. and Heb. 3. 10. WHile we descend from the meditation of the glory of God shining in the Heavens in Sun Moon and Stars unto the consideration of the Lords framing of Man after this manner we may fall into admiration with the Psalmist Psalm 8. Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him or the Son of man that thou shouldest remember him It might indeed drown us in wonder and astonish us to think what speciall notice He hath taken of such a creature from the very beginning and put more respect upon him then upon all the more Excellent works of his hands you find here the Creation of man expressed in other tearms than was used before He said let there be light and it was let there be dry land c. But it is not such a simple word as that but let us make man according to our image as if God had called a consultation about it what was there any more difficulty in this then the rest of his works Needed he any advisement about his frame and constitution No certainly for there was a great work of power as curious peeces of Art wisdome which were instantly done upon his word He is not a man that he should advise or consult as there is no difficulty nor impediment in the way of his power He doth all that he pleases ad nutum at his very word or nod so easie are impossibilities to him so there is nothing hard to his wisedom no knot but it can loose nothing so curious or exquisite but he can as curiously contrive it as the most common and grosse peeces of the creation and therefore He is wonderful in counsell excellent in working But ve have here expressed as it were a Counsell of the Holy and Blessed Trinity about Mans Creation to signifie to us what peculiar respect He puts upon that Creature and what speciall notice he takes of us that of his own free purpose and good pleasure he was to single and choose out man from among all other Creatures for the more eminent demonstration of his glorious attributs of grace mercy and justice upon him and likewise to point out the excellency that God did stamp upon man in his Creation beyond the rest of the creatures as the Apostle showes the excellency of Christ above Angels To which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son Heb. 1. 5. So we may say of which of the creatures said he at any time come let us make them in our image after our likenesse O how should this make us listen to hear earnest to know what man once was how magnified of God and set above the works of his hands There is a great desire in men to search into their Original and to trace backward the dark footsteps of antiquity especially if they be put in expectation of attaining any honourable or memorable extraction How will men love to hear of the worth of their Ancestors But what a stupidity doth possesse the most part in relation to the high fountain and head of all that they do not aim so high as Adam to know the very estate of humane nature hence it is that the most part of people ly still astonished or rather stupid and senselesse after this great fall of man because they never look upward to the place and dignity from whence man did fall It is certain you will never rightly understand your selves or what ye are till ye know first what man was made You cannot imagine what your present misery is till you once know what that selicity was in which man was made let us make man in our image some have called man a little world a compend of the world because he hath heaven and earth as it were married together in him two most remote and distant natures the dust of the earth and the immortall Spirit which is called the breath of God sweetly linked and conjoyned together with a disposition and inclination one to another The Lord was in this piece of workmanship as it were to give a narrow and short compend of all his works so did associate in one piece with his marvelous wisdome being living moving sense and reason which are scattered abroad in the other creatures so that a man carries these wonders about with him which he admires without him At his bare and simple word this huge frame of the world started out of nothing but in this he acts the part of a cunning Artificer let us make man he makes rather than creats first raises the walls of flesh buildeth the house of the body withall its Organs all its Rooms and then he puts in a noble divine guest to dwel in it He breaths in it the breath of life he incloseth as it were an Angel within it and marrieth these two together into the most admirable union and communion that can be imagined so that they make up one man But that which the Lord looks most into is this work and would have us most to consider is that Image of himself that he did imprint on man let us make man in our own Image there was no
â—…iseries that one fall hath brought one all mankind 〈◊〉 am sure by these bruises we might conjecture what 〈◊〉 strange fall it hath been Sin did interpose between God us and this darkned our souls killed them â—…e light of knowledge was put out and the life of hoâ—…nesse extinguished and now there remains nothing 〈◊〉 all that stately building but some ruines of comâ—…on principles of reason and honesty engraven on all â—…ens consciences which may shew unto us what the â—…ilding hath been we have fallen from holinesse and so from happynesse our soules are deformed defiled you see what an ill favoured thing it is to see a child wanting any members O if sin were visible how ugly would the shape of the soul be to us since it lost the very proportion and visage of it that is Gods Image Let us consider this Doctrine that we may know from whence we have fallen and into what a gulf of sin and misery we have fallen that the new news of Jesus Christ a Mediator and Redeemer of fallen man may be sweet unto us Thus it pleased the Lord to let his Image be marred quite spoiled in us for he had thus design to repair it and renew it better than of old and for this end he hath created Christ according to his image he hath stamped that image of holinesse upon his flesh to be a pattern and not only so but a pledge also of restoring such souls as flee unto him for refuge unto that primitive glory and excellency Know then that he hath made his Son like unto us that we might again be made like unto him he said let one of us be made man in the counsel of Redemption that so it might again be said let man be made like unto us in our image It is a second Creation must do it and O that you would look upon your hearts to enquire if it be framed in you certainly you must again be created into that Image if you belong to Christ To him be praise Glory Rom. â—…1 36. Of him through him and for him are all things c. Psal. 103. 19. His Kingdome is over all Matt. 10. 29. A Sparrow shal not fall without your Fathers will THere is nothing more commonly confessed in words than that the providence of God reaches in all the creatures and their actions But I believe there is no point ofReligion so superficially sleightâ—… considered by the most part of men The most part ponder none of these divine truths there is nothing above their senses which is the subject of their meditations and for the children of God I fear many do give such truths of God too common course entertainment in their minds through a conceit of the commonnesse of them I know not what we are taken up with in this age with some particular truths more remote from the knowledge of others in former times or some particular cases concerning our selves You will find the most part of Christians stretch not their thoughts beyond their own conditions or interests or some particular questions about Faith repentance c. And in the mean time the most weighty points of Religion which have been the subject of the meditation and admiration of Saints in all ages are wholly laid aside through a misapprehension of their commonnesse as if a man would despise the Sun the Air prefer some rare piece of stone or timber to them Certainly as in the disposall of the World the Lord hath in great wisdome goodness made the most needfull usefull things most common those without which man cannot live are alwayes obvious to us so that if any thing be more rare it is not necessary So in this Universe of Religion he in mercy wisdome hath so framed all that those points of truth belief which are most near the substance of Salvation necessary to us most fit to exercise us in true godlinesse these are every where to be found partly engraven on mens hearts partly set down most clearly often in Scripture that a believing soul can look no where but it must breath in that air of the Gospel look upon that common Sun of Righteousnesse God the Creator the healing Sun Christ the Redeemer shining every where in Scripture The general Providence of God the special Administration of Christ the Saviour these are common and these are essentiall to our happines therefore the meditation of Christians should run most upon them not alwayes about some particular questions or debates of the time It is a strange thing how people should be more affected with a discourse of the affairs of the time or on some inward thoghts of their own hearts than if one should speak of Gods Universall Kingdom over all men Nations that is accounted a generall and ordinary discourse even as if men would set at nought the Suns light because it shines to all every day Or would despise the water because it may be found every where Let the Sun be removed for some few dayes and O what would the world account of it beyond all your curious devices or rare enjoyments This is it which would increase to more true godlinesse if rightly believed than many other things ye are busied withall It s our general view of them makes them but general I spoke once upon this word Rom. 11. 36. but only in reference to the end of man which is Gods glory But the words do extend further we must now consider what further they hold forth The Apostle hath been speaking of the Lords unsearchable wayes and judgements towards men in the dispensation of grace and salvation how free and absolute he is in that And this he strengthens by the supream wisdome of God who did direct him Why dost thou O man take upon thee to direct him now For where was there any Counsellor when he alone contrived all the frame of this World and then by Soveraign highnesse and supremacy over the creatures disposed of them For he is debitor to none therefore none can quarrel him for giving or not giving for who was it that gave him first for which he should give a recompence Was there any could prevent with a gift Nay none could saith he for of him through him for him are all things And therefore he must prevent men For from whence should that gift of the creature which could oblidge him have its rise It must be of God if it be a creature and therefore he is in no mans common he must give it ere we have it to give him again The words are most comprehensive they comprehend all things that is very large There is nothing without this compasse they comprehend all the dependance of things Things depend upon that which made them that which preserves them and for which they are made All things depend on him as their producing cause
that first gives them a being For of him are all things they also depend on him as their conserving cause who continues their being by that self-same influence wherewith he gave it For through him are all things And then they depend on him as their final cause for whose glory they are and are continued for For him are all things Thus you have the beginning the countenance and the end of the whole Creation This word may lead us through all from God as the beginning the Alpha originall of their Being Through God as the only supporter confirmer upholder of their being and unto God as the very end for which they have their being Now to travel within this compass to walk continualy within this Circle to go alongs this blessed round to begin at God to go along all our way with him till we arrive and end at God and thus to do continually in the journey of meditation when it surveyes any of his works this were indeed the very proper work the speciall happinesse man was created for and I may say a great part of that for which a Christian is created for Again there would nothing more powerfull to the conforming of a soul to God to his obedience and fear than this to have that perswasion firmly rooted in the heart That of God are all things That whatever it be good or evil that befals us or others whatever we observe in the World that is the subject of the thoughts and discourses of men turns mens eyes after them that all that is of God that is it is in the world it s started out of nothing at his command it is because his power gave it a beeing and in this consideration to overlook and in a manner forget all second causes to have such affecting and up-taking thoughts of the first principle of all these motions as to regard the lower wheels that are next to us no more nor the hand or the sword that a man strikes us with As if these second causes had no influence of their own but were meerly acted moved by this supream power as if God did nothing by them but only at their presence We should so labour to look on those things he doth by creatures as if he did them alone without the creatures as if he were this day creating a world Certainly the solid Faith of Gods providence will draw off the covering of the creature and espy the secret Almighty power which acts in every thing to bring forth his good pleasure concerning them And then to consider with that same seriousnesse of meditation that the same everlasting arm which made them is under them to support them that the most noble and excellent creatures are but streams rayes images and shaddows of Gods Majesty which as they have their beeing by derivation so they have their continuance by that same continued influence so that if he would interpose between himself and them or withdraw his countenance or stop his influence the most sufficient of them all should evanish as the Sunne-beams dry up the streams of a fountain disappear at the image of the glass Psal. 102. 29 30. O that place were a pertinent object of a Christians meditation How much of God is to be prest out of it by serious pondering of it Thou hidest thy face and they are troubled thou takest away thy breath and they die thou sendest out thy spirit they are created It is even with the very beeing faculties of the creature as with the image of the glasse which when the face removes its seems no more The Lord as it were breaths into them a being and when he takes in his breath they perish and when he sends it out again they are renewed we do not wonder at the standing of the world but think if we had been witnesses of the making of it we would have been filled with admiration But certainly it 's only our stupidity that doth not behold that same wonder continued For what is the upholding of this by his power but a very continued and repeated Creation Which influence were able to bring a World out of nothing If this had not been before the vertue and power he imployes now in making them subsist that same alone without any addition of power wold have in the beginning made all this to be of nothing so that the countenance of the World is nothing else but an uninterrupted and constant flux emanation of these things from God as of light from the body of the Sun And then to meditate how all these things are for him and his glory though we know no use nor end of them yet that his Majesty hath appointed them to shew forth one way or other the glory of his Name in them and these things which to our first foolish apprehensions seem most contrary to him and as it were so spread a cloud of darknesse over his glorious Name the sins and perverse doings of men and Angels the many disorders and confusions in the world which seem to reflect some way upon him that yet he hath holy and glorious ends in them all yea that himself is the end of all I say to meditate on these things till our soul received the stamp of reverence fear and faith in God this would certainly be the most becoming exercise of a Christian to bring all things down from God that we might return and ascend with all things again unto God This is the most sutable employment of a man as reasonable much more as a Christian that very duty he is created for This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise Isa. 43. 21. And this is the shewing forth of his praise to follow forth the footsteps of God in the Word and in the World and to ponder these paths of divine Power and goodnesse and Wisedom and to acknowledge him with our heart in all these He made many creatures on which his glory and praise is shewed forth he made this creature Man to shew forth that praise and that glory which is shewed forth in other creatures O but this is a divine Office it is strange how our hearts are carried forth towards base things and busied in many vain impertinent and base employments and scarce ever mind this great one we were created for Certainly this is the employment we were made for to deduce all things from God til we again reduce all to him with glory to bring all down from his everlasting Counsels untill we send all up to his Eternall glory together with the sacrifice of our hearts To behold all things to be of him that is of his eternal Counsel and Decree to have their rise in the bosome of that and then through him to proceed out of the bosome of his Decree and Purpose by his Power quasi obstetricante potentia and then to return with all the praise
own ignorance of him then I would desire no other knowledge and growing in the grace of God but to grow more and more in the believing ignorance of such a Mystery in the knowledge of an unknown unconceiveable unsearchable God that in all the degrees of knowledge we might still conceive wee had found lesse that there is more to be found then before we apprehended This is the most perfect knowledge of God that doth not drive away darknesse but increase it in the souls apprehension any encrease in it doth not declare what God is or satisfie ones admiration in it but rather shews him to be more invisible insearchable so that the darknesse of a soul's ignorance is more manifested by this light and not more covered ones own knowledge is rather darkned disappears in the glorious appearance of this light for in all new discoveries there is no other thing appears but that this which the soul is seeking is supereminently unknown and still further from knowledge than ever it conceived it to be Therefore what ever you conceive or see of God if ye think ye know what ye conceive see it s not God ye see but something of Gods lesse than God for it 's ◅aid Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to consider what he hath laid up for them that love him Now certainly that 's himself he hath laid up for them therefore whatever thou conceive of him thinks now thou knows him this is not He for he hath not entered into mans heart to conceive him Therefore this must be thy souls exercise progress in it to remove all things all conceptions from him as not beseeming his Majesty and to go still foreward in such a dark negative discovery till thou know not where to seek him nor find him next Si quis Deū videat intelligat quod vidit Deum non vidit If any see God understand what they see God they do not see for God hath no man seen 1 Joh. 4. 12. And no man knows the Father but the Son And none knows the Son but the Father it 's his own property to know himself as to be himself silent seeing ignorance is our safest and highest knowledge Exod. 3. 14. I AM THAT I AM. Psal. 19. 2. Before the mountains c. from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Job 11. 7 8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God c. THis is the chief point of saving knowledge to know God And this is the first point or degree of the true knowledge of God to discern how ignorant we are of him and find him beyond all knowledge The Lord gives a difinition of himself but such a one as is no more clear than himself to our capacities A short one indeed and you may think it saith not much I am What is it that may not say so I am that I am the least and most inconsiderable creature hath its own being mens wisdom would have learned him to call himself by some high styles titles as the manner and custome of Kings and Princes is such as the flattery of men attributes unto them you would think the superlatives of wise good strong excellent glorious and such like were more beseeming his Majesty and yet there it more Majesty in the simple stile than in all others but a naturall man cannot behold it for it is spiritually discerned Let the pot sheards of the earth saith he strive with the pot-sheards of the earth Isa. 45. 9. But let them not strive with their Maker So I say let creatures compare with creatures let them take superlative styles in regard of others let some of them be called good and some better in the comparison among themselves but God must not enter in the comparison Paul thinks it an odious comparison to compare present crosses to eternal glory I think them not worthy to be compared saith Paul Rom. 8. But how much more odious is it to compare God with creatures Call him Highest call him most Powerfull call him most Excellent Almighty most Glorious in respect of creatures you do but abase his Majesty to bring it down to any terms of comparison with them which is beyond all the bounds of understanding all these do but express him to be in some degree eminently seated above the creatures as some creatures are above all others so ye do no more but make him the Head of all as some creaturs is the head of one line or kind under it but what is that to his Majesty he speaks otherwise of himself Isa. 40. 17. All nations are before him as nothing and they are accounted to him less then nothing Then certainly you have not taken up the true notion of God when you have conceived him the most eminent of all beings as long as any being appears as a being in his sight before whom all beings conjoyned are as nothing while you conceive God to be the best you still attribute something to the creature for all comparatives include the positive in both extreams So then you take up only some different degrees between them who differeth so infinitly so incomprehensibly the distance betwixt heaven earth is but a poor similitude to expresse the distance between God and Creatures what is the distance betwixt a being and nothing Can you measure it Can you imagine it Suppose you take the most high and the most low measure the distance betwixt them you do but consider the difference betwixt two beings but you do not expresse how far nothing is distant from any of them Now if any thing could be imagined less than nothing could you at all guess at the vast distance between it and a being Now so is it here thus saith the Lord All Nations their glory perfection and number all of them and all their excellencies united do not amount to the value of an unity in regard of my Majesty all of them like Ciphers joyn never so many of them together they can never make up a number they are nothing in this regard lesse than nothing So then we ought thus to conceive of God and thus to attribute a being and life to him and as his sight and in the consideration of it all created beings might evanish out of our sight as the glorious light of the Sun though it no not annihilate the Stars and make them nothing yet it annihilates their appearance to our senses and makes them disappear as if they were not although there be a great difference inequality of the Stars in the night some lighter some darker some of the first magnitude and some of the second and third c. some of greater glory and some of lesse But in the day time all are alike all are darkned by the Suns glory Even so it is here though we may compare one creature with another and find different