the true the real crucifying of Christ all other crucifyings are but the representment of this This is that crucifying that all the external crucifyings and deaths in the world are not sufficient to figure it out to us and make us sensible thereof unless we our selves partake thereof for herein chiefly consisted the sufferings of Christ even as the Apostle layes them down in Philip. 2. he emptied himself and he humbled himself he emptied himself of all his riches glory and greatness which he had with the Father and came down here among us and was content to be as a servant he that was Lord of all to be content to be trampled upon and crucified both literally and mystically by his own creatures herein were sufferings indeed far beyond his bodily whipping or nailing to the Cross far beyond his buffeting crowning with thorns and the like and if we herein suffer with Christ this is the true Cross of Christ and this is to be made partakers of his sufferings S. Paul largely expresses how he came to know these true sufferings and so shall all that ever shall tast of heaven saith he though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him no more you know that as soon as the body comes the shadow goes away when we enjoy the body the substance there is little use of the shadovv And Christ himself beats us off from these things vvhen he saith The flesh does us no good prositeth nothing but it s the Spirit that giveth life that onely profiteth If once vve have the body let the shadow go if once vve have teh Sprit leâ— the flesh go if you suffer vvith Christ as vve said before then you have the life the Spirit of the Scriptures in that particular and so likevvise in the rest To arise and triumph vvith him c. But by the way because I would have you understand me let me remember you except you know the mystery of the Trinity you will never understand what I mean when I speak of Christ for it is the knowledge of HIM The ONE in Trinity and the Trinity in ONE Being rightly grounded in that it makes all these things easie viz. to him whose eyes and whose heart God hath opened This is that I say Ye must first come to the knowledge of the Three in One and the One in Three or you will never rightly come to know what Christ is Mind this when we speak of God the Father then we speak of him that is Unknowable Unspeakable Unnameable and then you must consider him as abstractedly from all manner of creatures neither in possibility of Creating or being Created He is That he is I am that I am that is he is God Unknown Unspoken Unpronounced either by men or Angels or any Creature as having nothing to do with Creatures or Creatures with him And so the Father Son and Spirit are All one Here is the Trinity in Unity But if ye come to speak of any THING any manner of conception or of Things created then we divide the Godhead into persons then there is immediately Father Son and Spirit There is Iesus Crist the Son of the Father the first begotten of all Creatures The Heir of ALL THINGS And so we behold Iesus Christ as the second pâ—rson in Trinity Although the persons in the Godhead are not before or after other and so He hath to do with creatures and is In the creatures is the Being Action and Life of the creatures And so Iesus Christ is called The WORD Spoken for so he is called in that first of the Hebrews as He was in the bosome of his Father he was Unspoken Unpronounced or in possibility of being pronounced so He was and is God equal with his Father but being once spoken or pronounced so he is less then his Father he is after his Father but before he was neither before nor after As for example for I would illustrate these unknown things to you as well as I can I have a word in my mind while it is in my mind it is my own what have you or any one to do with it but being once past the door the bars of my lips then t is yours Brethren I beseech you mind these things He that hath ears to hear let him hear but it must be given to you to understand these things Flesh and blood cannot reveal these things But I will open them unto you as familiarly as I can As suppose the word in my mind be A House A Tree or any other thing while they were in my mind you knew them not but being once spoken Then you know them and apprehend them the figure and representation of that Word or Thing is immediately also in your mind So long as Jesus Christ was or is in the bosome of his Father he is unknown to the creature he is God Equal with his Father neither One before or after other But if God please to speak THIS WORD if he please to put forth himself in the Creating of any Creature Here now The word is Spoken I say Here now is Iesus Christ come OUT from the Father here is now The MEDIATOR That is between God and man without whom we cannot come to the Father He Onely complyes with his Father and complyes with The creatures If God should speak to us as he is in himself we dye Our God is a consuming fire if he should speak to us as he is in himself all the Creation would be undone consumed to nothing But here is our comfort Onely Jesus Christ HIS SON is Our Mediator otherwise Tell me his name or his Sons name if thou canst Tell as it is said in the Proverbs No man cometh to the Father or knoweth the Father but by the Sonne and him to whom the Sonne will reveal him Christ is called also The Eternal purpose of God and so All things in him had their IDEAL form but vvho knevv vvhat that IDEA vvas or vvhat vvas in his mind But he put forth his Son that so he might reveal to us what his Eternal purpose was And knovv this that what ever was In God vvas God hiâ—â—elf Christ vvas and is in him therefore is Himself His purposes vvere in him and they are HIM And so Christ vvas Equal with his Father Unknown Unspoken But as soon as ever ye think of any word or of any manner of Form then fasten presently on God the Son as Col. 2. 15 16. Who is the image of the invisible God the first-born of every creature by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist The same also is exprest Heb. 1. 2. 3. And then The third Person
thoughts and all his former thoughts were banished Even so doth this man behave himself when once God hath spoken to him and discovered himself to be so near He doth as David sayes he did Set the Lord alwayes before his eyes then he minds God and observâ—s his workings his out-goings and incomings he alwayes then puts God forward in him He must do all Before He was the forward man and who but he All Gods acts in him he arrogated to himself and as he thought the actions were His done by His power wisdom and parts so he took home The glory and praise of all to himself But now Upon Gods appearing to him this man is Undonâ— slain crucified Then he can with all his heart let God Be all and Do All Speak in him Move in him Live in him Work all his works in him and for him He now minds God in whatsoever any creature saith or doth to him He no longeâ— lives his own life but the life of God t is true He lives as the Apostle saith Yet not He but Christ in him He now As a New man Hath no words but the words of Christ no thoughts but the thoughts of Christ made One spirit and life with Him and so he becomes throughout A changed Man A New man But the other he that is not aware of God He that is a Reprobate who knows not That Christ is in Him He takes no knowledge of all this but does what he list and as he thinks He speaks his own words and thinks his own thoughts and All their thoughts words and actions All their aims and endeavours tend to the fulfilling the desires of the flesh Either more gross and open or else more subtile and refined and more hid from the eye of the world Their desires and aims are How they shall procure such a benefit to themselves such an estate or how he shall be delivered from the danger of the times and he is full of carking and caring how his flesh shall be provided for and the like And truly beloved it cannot be otherwise for whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh and whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit for it can never act without its own sphere and compass were we born of the Spirit we could not but dye to the flesh and seek the things of the Spirit then all his thoughts for the advantage of the flesh Cease and he is altogether fot Increasing and Perfecting This life of God begun in him let God live more and more and himself less and less As John Baptist saith he must increase but I must decrease This is his life now which before was his death and contrary his death is his life God is now A welcom Guest Yet Not that God is more or less there you being alwayes Gods Temple as well before you see him as when you see him for Christ cannot Alter his lodging in the reality of it This is a certain truth Nothing can make Christ depart in regard of his Essence and Being but to you he may depart and so you are to understand all such expressions for if you think and as some preach that God comes and goes from place to place from earth to heaven oâ— from heaven to earth departs and returns and that you can stay Him and change Him or make him return These are all childish fopperies in this ye do as it were Create another God to your selves and make the true God an Idol but it is spoken in refâ—rence to the Creature in regard of our sight and apprehensions As To you He is departed and dwels above far remote And indeed and really he is as having no being and is as no God to thee However thou mayest flatter and deceive thy self Until thou hast smitten and taken Kiriathsepher and marryed Achsah Calebs daughter Till there be power given To rend the vail But then you shall see Him who is the truth of all things The substance of all things and not before for whatever you can see are but Shaddows and not the Truth As in this my body you cannot see the Internality and the Truth of it for the truth and Substance of it doth not consist either in the coldness or in the hotness for it hath been hotter and it hath been colder neither in the Oldness nor Youngness for it hath been younger and may be older neither in the heaviness nor lightness for it hath been lighter and may be heavier nor in no accidents you can name Then if so none hath ever heard or seen or spoke that which is the Truth of me for my Substance cannot be seen but onely Accidents the truth consists in things internal and t is the like for any other thing you behold besides And so likewise such is the Word of God it consists not in any thing you can hear or see or can perceive or comprehend for Gods Word is as himself Mighty Incomprehensible Omnipotent c. not included in any place His Word is the Being and life of all things the Letter cannot possibly contain the Eternal Majesty of the Word it is not the Word of God till it be expounded to the heart and made a word of power and quickning in the hearts of his people The Word is Eternal and was before any Letters or Scriptures were and shall be for ever when all those things Cease Gods speaking is His creating Let it be done there can be no resisting sayes David whatever he commanded it was wrought God Hath spoken As many Words as he hath made Creatures But He hath spoken One Great and mighty word and that One WORD includes All those Words and that One Word is Jesus Christ the Onely begotten of his Father and the first born of every creature all the rest of the creatures are but as so many Letters of this GREAT Word for he is called the Word He being in the bosome of his Father He was Unspoken Unuttered Unpronouncedâ— there was not then any one creature in heaven or earth but God was ALL there was then Neither Father Son nor Spirit as divided But He being Once pronounced He is the Word Spoken then immediately there is Father Son and Spirit For these are expressed Several or TRINE onely in relation to the creatures which to me is clear for there is not diversity in God but God is one and in Himself cannot be more and I hope it is clear to you If any should think or say unto me the words of Pilate Oh Sir What thing is truth I must answer thus truth is not possible to be either spoken or heard for God onely is truth and nothing else can be now it is impossible to see or hear God saith our Saviour No man hath seen God at any time for we cannot see him and live we must depart Out of the nature of man and return into God and be one with God Else we can never know
he lives or when he comes to dye if the Lord do but speak to him as he did to Iob then he finds quite contrary that all evil is his and no good at all and then he is amazed at himself and confounded And although it is heartily wâ—shed if it had so pleased God that the Author had lived to see these Sermons in print and some other pieces of his as he intended but prevented by death yet as the proverb is Seeing we cannot do as we would 〈◊〉 us do we may T is pity these things should dye and be altogether obsâ—ured there may be in them such an apâ—â— door to some men whom the Lord hath this way enlightned and such hints given as may lead them to 〈◊〉 things then these yet thus much we assure you 〈…〉 were in the Authors hands a Considerable and were perased over by himself 〈…〉 who gave this approbation of them There is nothing in them but I own he saying withal That writing of Sermons was a very great advantage not onely giving men account of what was delivered many years after when both the matter the subject and expressions were forgoten But also said he t is a kind of immortalizing mens labours and the workings of God upon their spirits to generations to come though they themselves dye and are forgotten yet their works may live and remain And if Writing be so much more Printing which makes them so common publique and cheap so that so many thousands do enjoy them and many thousands more might and would were there not a common fault especially of late in those that should disperse sell or communicate them and do not or will noâ— either because of their particular dislikes every one affecting and will not prefer any thing but what suâ—s to their apprehensions or else being tainted with envy at others accepâ—ation and prosperity whereby abâ—ndance of precious Books dye in obscurity either lying by the walls and rot or turned to Wast paper being a just judgement of God upon persons and Traders tainted with envy or affecting singularity the fruits whereof this generation hath deeply tasted the bitterness of and those that succeed are like to do much more except we repent and resolve amendment beginning again to love and receive each other in the truth and bearing with what our selves at present see not for you have found that with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again but let us now learn that safe and sure rule so much in these dayes neglected As ye would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets T is true we know one main cause is fulness and over-abundance whereby many stomachs are cloyed and indeed our full stomachs have loathed and turned against abundance of precious hony-combs but though this be one reason yet the two formâ—r may lead the van as being chief ring-leaders to this mischief But to conclude for this Authors Sermons thou must accept of these or none for here is all can be hoped for or expected we rather choosing to present thee with all at once then divided in regard this Authors manner of teaching was not in an ordinary way whereby some things asserted may seem harsh or dark to some that so one paâ—t thereof may express and give light to another he insisting more fully in some Sermons then other therefore judge not all untill thou hast read the work through and pondered well with waiting on God by prayer for here are things worthy to be seriously weighed and waited for till God reveal So we commit thee and them to him who is not tyed to mans teachings but is able to teach without him and it is onely be that teacheth by him according to his most gracious promise in the new Covenant I will be their God and they shall be my sons and daughters and thâ—y shâ—ll not teach every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest Farewel Yours desiring if by any means he might serve you in the Gospel and help you on to perfection R. H. TESTIMONIES Freely given By Mr. Iohn Webster and by Mr. Iohn Cardell in their publick Preaching at Aâ—hallowes Lombard-street LONDON By Mr. JOHN WEBSTER AND therefore I cannot but take notice and I much wonder at That precious Book lately printed which it may be many of you have not taken notice of being Sermons preached by Dr. Everard called Gospel-Treasures opened wherein he among other Divine things expresseth this point in several of his Sermons most Divinely and Elegantly and I could not but recommend it to you having my self found so much sweetness in it and I wonder much at the Heavenliness and sweetness of his spirit for to me it is as clear a piece as any I know extant Setting forth as to this particular the infinite and deep condescention of the Son of God being God equal with his Father yet to stoop lower and beneath the unexpressible misery of man to bring him up again He there shewing that herein lay the great and unconceivable sufferings of Christ far beyond his external sufferings of whipping reviling spitting upon crowning with Thorns or his crucifying upon the Cross and the like all being far below and not worth the naming the same day with these sufferings And shewing also how these things are to be also in every Christian And that this Liberty purchased by Christ is not to encourage the flesh or to purchase liberty for it but 't is for the inward man and the spirit And how he once having such a principle of life he cannot give way to sin but sin is his bondage and how the power of Christ in him slayes all fleshly actings in the love of them And that all things of man shall be slain and crucified in him by the death of the Son of God And that these are the things which shall be burnt up for ever and ever with unquenchable fire And although many self-wise Professors in the world are offended at the Book and stick not to asperse and belye it with their common slanders of Error and Heterodoxal opinions and the like Yet we know the World can do no other but will belye the Truth as it alwayes hath done And the more Divine any truth is the more they oppose it Why Because the Light thereof Condemns their Darkness Sin and Ignorance and their Practices And they are not able to stand in or bear the Light thereof For either they must Condemn the Truth to justifie themselves or else Condem themselves by the Truth which they can never do till they are overcome and Captivated by the Truth By Mr. JOHN CARDELL AND therefore I cannot but recommend to you those precious Sermons Preached by Dr. Everard which I know many of you have both in your houses and hearts whose Name is very sweet and precious to many that
man alive as the highest and gloriousest Saint But the One he is senâ—ble how Jesus Christ is near him and He knows how he hath been overtopt in him and overmastâ—â—ed by him and therefore he is ashamed and will do so no more But the Other not knowing of thisâ— he goes on according to his own laws and his own will and kills him Again and Again and runs his own wayes and thinks his own Thoughts and pleases himself Rushes upon any thing that tends to satisfie his own will He rushes upon any sin as a horse rushes into the battel as the Prophet speaks without fear He pleases himself and Tickles himself in his own delights cryes Ha Ha and he feels nothing sees no danger what ever men talk of Hell and Death and Bitterness Destruction and Damnation yet he believes none of these things and therefore he goes to the same course again and again But having onâ—e espyed the King Him who stands Behind the Hangings Him whom he hath so often kickt at and crucified then he is amazed at his Horrid Oaths and Blaspheâ—iâ—s of his Pride and Arrogancy against Him of his Envies and Reproches against his Brethren being onâ—e come to a true sight of this He is amazed and confounded in Himself Sayes he Have I been the man that hâ—th put the Son of God to death have I trampled his Blood under my feet I will not any more adde to hiâ— torments no not to gain the world Hath he dwâ—lt so near been my guest and lodged within me been my life and my stay and have I been he that hath starved and famished him have I so often moâ—kt whipt derided crucified him and knew it not Rather then I will do it again I will dye ten thousand deaths All the world shal never make me commit thosâ— Horrid Facts again I will now be ruled by him I will now do his Will not mine own I will now by his assistance live as he will have me live now I am content to deny mine own wisdom gifts parts strength For now I see I am Nothing And so by this means Christ shall be fed nourished and brought up and he shall grow in wisdom and stature and favour with God and man By this means Ye shall bring Christ to the Temple who shall put all the Doctors within you to silence and so non-plus them that not one shall be able to gain-say or answer him By this means you shall find him do all his miracles more truly over again the substance of his miracles as I shewed you before you even you your self us shal see him work all his miracles in thy sight within thee and this shall make thee more run after Christ to see these Divine miraâ—les far more affectionately and with more wondring and with more true love then ever they did in the dayes of his flesh to seeâ— his external mighty works and miracles This was that S. Paul determined and desired Onely to know for he knew this knowledge would never leave him till it had discovered such things such Miracles as neither eye had seen nor â—are heard no nor ever entred into the heart or thoughts of any man things unutterable unspeakable Let others seek after what they will to get glory and splendour in the world and to get those things that the world accounts great matters or any external literal knowledge of Christ though never so glorious though never so received yet sayes he I lay all in the dust for the Excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World for all those things shall vanish with them and perish in the using and come to nothing But these comforts will stand a man instead this is such knowledge that it will set one foot in Heaven while the other is upon earth when as other men who rest in the Flesh and in the Letter who know none of these things God knows when they come to dye how many weary winter Cold and comfortless steps they have to fetch that they shall be forced to Fly upon the Sabbath and in the Harvest and have their Oyle to buy when all things are at rest with others and they enjoy a fulness and a harvest and have Oyle in their Lamps at the Bridegrooms Coming for they have given up their wills and their lives to Christ So that Christ and they have such sweet Embraces as if they were in heaven already Insomuch that they are gotten above the world â—and all things below go they Even or Odde with other men they alwayes go Even with them they have gotten above Themselves and their own wills Now Christs will is their will And Christs â—eace is their peace And They have begun â—â—eir Eternal SABBATH and are at Rest in the bosome of Jesus Christ their Blessed Saviour OF SVFFERING AND REIGNING WITH CHRIST ROM 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together In eight Sermons Pâ—eached at Kensington Publique Meeting-place T Is true the Coherence of the Text imports An exception after some vast and immense Priviledges asserted and those priviledges Such whereof a Christian may boast of and triumph in as first of his Sonship Ver. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God have received the Spirit of Adoption Verse 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 2. Such is a Christians Priviledge and Sonship that he is delivered and set free from the Spirit of bondage he need never fear more And 3. He hath also received the Spirit of Adoption whereby he can own God and cry to him and call him Abba for he is his Father 4. The testimony of the Spirit of our Father with our Spirit Verse 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God And lastly Of our being made the Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ As in the former part of the Text And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ. Our Text being much like the Exceptions in the Kings general Pardon wont to be given in the end of a Parliament where at the first beginning you would think he had forgiven all and every One but by that you have read it to the end you will find so many exceptions and limitations he hath scarce forgiven any So this out Text is such a restriction or limitation narrowing and bounding all those large Priviledges Immunities and indulgences and tells us in plain terms Except we suffer with him we shall not regin with him for every one is ready to catch at the Priviledges and assume them to themselves but stay as if he should say Although these be very large priviledges yet let me tell you to whom they
knew him in the â—lesh in his latter dayes for those savoury and experimental Truths wrought in you by the power of Christ which he was an instrument to bear so clear witness unto And I for my part if I had the most precious Balme or the most Odoriferous ODOUR in the whole Earth I could freely pour it forth upon the NAME and Memory of that man as upon any English man I ever read or heard or ever were acquainted with But I have it not and he needs it not for he is far above all things of that nature or the most precious things the whole Earth can afford For He Resteth with Christ. But that which makes me now remember Him is That Mystical and Divine Exposition he gives of those 2 or 3 verses in the 15 Iosh. 15 16 17. being very suitable to the MYSTERY we are now unfolding I will read you the words and then I will give you the Interpretation in His own Words for I cannot give you a better And although the Men of the Letter or the Masters of the Letter will not cannot endure an Interpretation but what the bare Letter bears but presently they cry out ERROR and HERESIE according to their wonted manner In vilifying that which they do not apprehend but we leave them to themselves I pray give ear The words are these The Holy Spirit speaking concerning Caleb And he went up to the Inhabitants of DEBIR And the Name of DEBIR before was Kiriathsepher And Caleb said He that smiteth Kiriathsepher and taketh it to him will I give ACHSAH my Daughter to Wife And Othniel the Son of Kenaz the Brother of Caleb took it And he gave him Achsah his Daughter to Wife Saith he Kiriathsepher signifieth The City of the Book or The City of the Letter And Debir signifieth THE WORD And Caleb A good heart OTHNIEL The Lords Opportunity and Achsah The Rending of the Vail So that the Dr. reads the verses in English thus And A good Heart said He that smiteth the City of the Book or the City of the Letter He onely shall marry Achsah and have the Rending of the Vail And Othniel The Lords fit Opportunity he onely smites This City of the Letter and takes it and to him alone are the Scriptures made DEBIR The Word from whence he draws most Heavenly and Divine Conclusions c. But I refer you for your better satisfaction to the Book it self And return to our business in hand To all Those Blessed and Precious Souls Wheresoever Scattered Throughout the World Yet united in One Spirit Which Rejoyce in the Revelation Of the Mystery of Christ Being also reconciled unto God In One Body By the Cross He Having slain the Enmity thereby And do or may Comprehend This LANGUAGE To Them Is the Word of This Salvation Sent In all Humility Greeting A light to lighten the Gentiles And To be the Glory of the People of Israâ—â— To make known among the Gentiles The Manifold Wisdom of God And The Unsearchable Riches of Christ. THE RENDING OF THE VAIL OR Some Rayes of Glory from The HOLY of HOLIES MARK 9. 50. Have Salt in your selves In one Sermon Preached at Islington at the Publique Meeting-Place MY beloved now you are here gathered together in this place I beseech you hearken diligently to what shall be now â—poken I will use no other Preface then a word or two from that saying of our Saviour in the Paâ—allel place to this Luk. 14. 35. from which he makes this conclusion He that hath ears to hear let him hear Let him now hear the word of him by whom he shall be judged at that great day Let him now hearken to that word which shall certainly one day either sooner or later rise up in judgement against him Let him hearken to the word of him who spake as never man spake for his words are like the wine he made at Cana no wine like that wine nor no words like his words fot the best words that ever man spake had somewhat of Self and Carnal ends in them but in his words there is no tincture no concourse or tast at all of the Creature no Allayes of humane weakness but they are all words of grace and peace the words of spirit and life insomuch that all that heard him wondered at the gracious words that proceeded frrom his lips who in all his words never sought himself nor his own glory as men do but the glory of him that sent him Nay hearken I pray you to his word that could have spoken far beyond all that ever he hath spoken had he but had Auditors fit to have heard and understood him I beseech you therefore silence yourselves a while I mean your own Wit and Reaâ—â—â— and your own blind understandings And let there be silence in Heaven for half an hour that you mâ—y learn to know what it is to have salt in your selveâ— that you may have salt in you that you be not spewed out of Gods mouth as unsavoury and loathsome to his stomach It were far better you had never heard then that these words should prove unprofitable to you But as you are here in this your so great zeal to hear and in such thronging and â—locking together this day to whom should we address that our zeal and meeting may not be in vain for as the woman of Samaria said to our Saviour Iohn 4. 11. so may we say The Well is deep and we have nothing to draw with mans reason and understanding cannot reach Truth ad quem ibimus then whether shall we go saith Peter Iohn 6. 60. and he answers it there himself truly O Lord Tu habes verba vitae aeternae Thou hast the words of eternal life Therefore let us pray with the Disciples Mat. 13. 36. O Lord declare thou to us this Parable And I humbly pray and beseech that God who opened the mouth of Balaams dumb Ass that he would be pleased to open my lips and then my mouth shall shew forth his praise for the instruction of those that are his servants here And I pray God you may rouse up your attention maugre fulness drowsiness wandring thoughts custom in sleeping and the like The things that I intend through Gods assistance to open to you and answer are these three Questions O Lord In lumine tuo lumen Psal. 36. 9. In thy light we shall see light And by no other light Then Let us see 1. What salt is 2. What it is to have salt 3. What it is to have it in our selves 1. What salt is Christ saith in the Verse before my Text That every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifiâ—e shall be salted with salt We must first find what fire is and then we shall know what salt is This fire is Christ and that very properly as you may see he is so called Isa. 10. 17. The light of Israel shall
in his Lords wrath and punishment In Isa. 2. 18. See there how the Lord threatens to bring down this Spirit that is generally in all the sons of men Verse 10. Enter into the rocks and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty the lofty looâ—s of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone sâ—all be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low and so he goes on And upon all the Cedars of Lebunon that are lifted up upon all the Oaks of Bashan upon all the high mountains upon every tower and upon every fenced wall upon all the ships of Tarshish and upon all their pleasant pictures And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and haughtiness of men shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day And their Idols he shall utterly abolish and they shall go into the holes and caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his maâ—esty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth and a man shall cast his Idols of silver and gold to the Moles and to the Bats to go into the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for the fear of the Lord and for the glory of his maâ—esty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of I have a little digrest but it was for your good therefore you may bear with me Let us now then henceforward learn to beware of this God that is so Near us and so much in us and not to be like Lot in his drunkenness when his two daughters came and laâ— with him and yet he knew not when they lay down or when they arose Gen. 19. 35. But learn we to awake 〈◊〉 of our spiritual darkness and not to be so ignorant so sottâ—sh to let him be so near you as to live in you and to dwell with you to be with you in your going out and coming in in your down-lying and uprising and you never yet acquainted with him Who knows all your thoughts afar off even before you think them your selves Saith the Apoâ—â—le KNOW YOU NOT that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates nay though ye be reprobates It is the case of Reprobates of Devils not to know this but the meaning is if ye be not in the condition of reprobates then ye know and feel experimentally in some measure and degree that Iesus Christ is in you of a Trâ—th O happy yea thrice happy is that soul who is thus aware of God to see his workings and actings through all the creatures then will that soul cry out against himself and instead of arrogancyâ— and applanding himself he cryes out of himself of his own former and present ignorance and blindness he will not say we see and they what they ignorant of any thing they would not any one should have such a thought of them alas poor soulsâ— their great knowledge undoeth them thy wisdom hath made thee rebel or perverted thee Isa. 46. 10. because by all their parts and knowledge they themselves are swelled and pâ—ffed up and are not lessened and made nothing if they were they would cry out Oh what a beast was I I have not the knowledge of a man Oh what a wretch was I was God himself so near me all this while nay within me and I not know it hath it been he that hath altered and changed me in the whole course of my life and turned me from vessel tâ— vessel from one condition to another It was he that hath made all the changes in my life and ordered my actions as he pleased and also would and hath made them serve to his praise though I saw it not but now I see and feel it was He that made me pass through the fire and through the water and tumbled me and tumbleth Nations up and down That makes the waters roare and the mountains quake But now I hear and see as David saith The Lord spake it once and I heard it twice that God alone doth all that is I heard it throughly experimentally I saw it ratified to my experience to me within me I heâ—rd it first by the hearing of the eare I heard it in my understanding but my second hearing was my experience and seeing by the eye believing itâ— and knowing it in my self that it was so that God alone doth All. Till we come to see this What ever our boasts are whatever our parts are whatever our knowledge is we are dead we are in the state of reprobates we are frozen we can take no salt and I pray God we are not so self-wise and so hardened in our own conâ—eits that we be not as the Apostle saith twice dead and pulled up by the roots and so never shall bearany fruit being past hope and without God in the world I know this is harsh doctrine to the general sort of Professors What they ignorant what they to be accounted by others or to account themselves fools then who are the wise men Think they You know Salt when it is in a frozen body doth no good you know by experience that frozen meat will take no salt and then it may be said to be infatuated or good for nothing So though Christ the true salt be in us as he is in himself yet we may be reprobates our hearts our souls Frozen and we cannot take in this salt And then though Christ be there yet he doth us no good and he may be then said to be infatuated useless not but that he can thaâ— our hearts and work upon us and overcome in us and prevail over all the powers of 〈◊〉 and darkness within us if he pleaseth for He in himself is alwayes alike strong but we do not alwayes find him so neither is he so to us As you know he came to one place and he could do no miracles there because of their unbelief Mat. 13. 58. Christ he works still and doth all his miracles in the world daily but it may be not to thy sight he shews not his miracles to thee or in thee but to those whose eyes he hath opened he is daily in their sight working his miracles You are deceived Miracles are not ceased as you conclude but your eyes are closed and blinded by the god of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. as the Apostle Paul saith concerning the Cross of Christ Can the Cross of Christ be made of no effect yet the Apostle there propounds a case wherein it is made of no effect that is not that it can be so in its own nature but to thee it
make me bid defiance to the world and the things below that we would fain walk evenly in all change of conditions dost thou want spirituall riches and those things which God accounts Good things things which he gives only to his own people And not those he gives promiscuously and most plentifully to those he hates are given to destroy and to undoe them Then I say unto thee thou needst not say Who shall ascend into Heaven or who shall descend to bring Christ from the grave behold he is nigh thee Even within thee What needest thou go out of thy self for help or counsel there is that Great Counseller dewls within thee What need hast thou to go out to any Creature What need hast thou to rely upon man or the Arm of flesh Thou hast such a Counseller and Comforter within thee that is able to darken and obscure all the counsels and comforts of all Men and all Creatures But thou must first strip thy self of all manner of thoughts and fantasies and all imaginations and then thou shalt find such an infinite bottomless God whose name is called wonderfull Counseller the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace That thou mayst say of all Creatures as Iob of his friends Miserable Comforters are ye al. For There may be such an occasion and a man may be in such a condition wherein all the world cannot help a man nor comfort him But there can be no case wherein this great Counseller this mighty Helper cannot uphold and comfort a man Though all the world were set against a man to undo and overthrow him yet he is so safe with God that he needs not regard it If God will keep a man under his wings what need he fear Though thou art oppressed and wronged I do not mean onely outwardly do not take me too much in that sense but inwardly by Satan and by thy wicked lusts so that thou cryest our with David Mine enemies fight against me daily and I am oppressed on every side and with Ieremiah Lord help me I suffer violence and spoyl Have thy eye and thy heart most upon these inward violences so that thou seest a mighty battel fought within thee Esa. 9. 5. For every battel of the warriour is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire Is this thy case There is one nigh thee whom thou mayst cry to as Ieremiah doth Lord help me I suffer violence There is one within thee that can make thee not to fear but can make thee laugh at all these things As Iob saith the Horse doth in the Battel at the shaking of the spears As here Moses went about a desperate and a mighty attempt viz. that he A poor Shepherd should offer to go to so great a King and to cause him to let half his Kingdom depart from him but there was such a Supporter within Moses that made the work seem possible to him though impossible to men Beloved your heavenly Father is so near you that he knows what ye need before ye ask he is so much you that he is more near to you then your selves He is not so present as the King is present in all his Kingdom because his power is over all and reaches to all In that sense every Iustice of Peace every Constable and every Officer is a finger of the King and therefore it is a vain foolish thing to say 'T is true Gods power is here and he is present in regard of his Attributes for will ye separate God and his power Will ye make God and his Attributes two things that cannot be for Gods power is his essence And what ever is in God is God and where he is present by his power there he is present by his Essence if you do not see it so blame your selves lay not the fault on God and deny him therefore to be there but blame your own eyes which are not opened and your own ear because they are not bored And so I say conceiving God to be thus take any yea all occasions of magnifying worshipping and praising him and with the Prophet David when ye behold any of the Creatures Say Praise the Lord in the heights Praise him in the Sun and Moon Praise him in the Stars Praise him in the Firmament of his power and Praise Him according to his most Excellent Greatness So much for this time THE MYSTERIE OR THE LIFE and MARROVV OF THE SCRIPTURES An Exposition on Exodus 3. the Six first Verses EXOD. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Now Moses kept the flock of Iethro his father in Law the Priest of Midian and he led the flock to the back-side of the desart and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked and behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt c. Delivered at a Private Meeting at Kensington OUt of which words we have observed three things 1. Moses his Preparation or disposition to this Vision and that is in the first Verse And Moses kept the flock of Iethro his father in Law Priest of Midian and he led the flock to the back side of the desart and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. 2. The Vision it self that is in the 2 3 4 5. Verses The Angel of the Lord appeared to Mose in a flame of fire in the midst of a burning bush and the bush burned and was not consumed c. Lastly the consequence and what followed thereupon In the preparation of Moses his disposition to this great sight we observed something in that it is said here that Moses was a Shepherd and shewed you the reason why the Holy Spirit takes such special notice of Shepherds and still prefers them before Husbandmen as the first of men that were begotten Cain and Abel the Shepherds offering was accepted and the Husbandmans rejected and then we produced and traced all the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob and Iacobs twelve sons all Shepherds and so David The first of Kings that was accepted he was taken from following the sheep to sit upon the Throne to feed Gods people and still all the stock of the Messiah of whom Christ came were generally Shepherds This is the Letter of the word but what may be the meaning that Shepherds are more esteemed then Husbandmen what is the mystery what is the living sense of these words As I take it the meaning is this that the life of a true Shepherd was to depend more upon God and his providence then Husbandmen because they more resign up their wills to God and liye altogether upon his blessing And do not so labour and Toil
bring them to be Purer and Purer Finer and Finer till they be all made pure As himself is pure He who is called often Fire in Scripture as Mar. 9. 49. He will purifie the impure from the pure the dross from the gold The light of Israel shall be for a fire and his holy one for a flame and he shall burn and devour his bryers and thorns in one day All wickedness shall be before him like the Thorns of a forrest before the fire and shall not be able to stand before Him It shall All be burnt up and nothing remain thereof as it came of nothing so it shall return to nothing And this Christ will do not at once but by degrees as Fire makes not a thing at first as hot as it self but by degrees but it wil not rest nor cease till it hath Heb. 12. 29. Our God is a consuming fire Wickedness nor any impurity shall not be able to stand before this consuming fire no more then thorns and stubble before devouring fire but by degrees he will purifie us throughout in bodies souls and spirits All the works of man as of man shall be burnt up and he shall suffer loss but himself shall be saved yet so as by fire as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 15. For the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is Therefore I say take heed of Standing Up before this fire If thou arâ— not 〈◊〉 â—own beforehand this â—â—e will burn thee down to ashes Do not quench the motions of the Spirit in you do not strangle them in the birth as Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew Midwives To strangle the Male-children of the Israelites in the birth Exod. 1. 18. But let this Fire have its Perfect work as the Apostle Iames saith of Patience Expand and give up your selves to Him Let him work his will in you give him leave to burn up your dross That you may be brought nearer and nearer to him and be made more like unto him that ye may more fully enjoy him That so at length ye may be Swallowed up and Emptied into him Even into that Ocean whence ye came as all the small rivolets which come from the Sea never rest till they return into the Sea And let us continually Magnifie the infinite goodness of Almighty God who of his Meer mercy will so far Humble himself to sit as a refiner over his work and never ceaseth but is always Purifying Clarifying and Refining from one degree of purity to another till we come to be like unto his own Dear Son Jesus Christ and all our dross so separated till we be made all pure silver and pure gold and that all our chaff may be removed till we become pure wheat and fit to be gathered into our Lords Garner Even till we be Clarified Rarified and Glorified even like unto the Precious and Glorious body of Jesus Christ himself who is blessed for ever and ever Amen TRUE and DIVINE EXORCISM OR THE DEVIL CON-JURED BY IESVS CHRIT MARK I â—5 26. And Iesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace and come out of him And when the unclean spirit had torn him and cryed with a loud voyce he came out of him The Substance of several Sermons preached at Kensington Publique meeting-place AS the holy Apostle Paul divides a man into body soul and spirit so do I this present Text the body is the history according to the letter the soul is such moral observations as arise and are deduced from the letter and history the SPIRIT is such heavenly instructions and divine documents as rightly applyed may be fitly termed The Marrow and Quintesscence of the Word of God The History according to the letter is so plain that he that runs may read and understand it and so needs no explanation and therefore I intend to collect the moral observations And 1. From the place where this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This man with an unclean spirit was in the Synogogue at Capernaum We from hence are taught That no place can secure from an unclean spirit 't is not a Church Chancel Communion-Table or Pulpit no Bishop or rigid Chancellor or stout Archdeacon nor yet any Politick Official can with all their wit wealth or power excommunicate him or drive him out when he hath once entred in He appeared among the Sons of God Job 1. 6. He stood at Ioshuah the High Priests right hand Zech. 3. 1. nay into Heaven it self and Paradise he intruded therefore we should as our Saviour saith Beware even of Men Such men as are of His spirit Unclean they will deliver yon up to their counsels Mat. 10. 17. And the Apostle hath it Phil. 3. 2. Beware of dogs That is beware of men of proud cruel fierce and dogged spirits And then 2. As no place can secure us from Others Evil Men or Devils without us So nor can none of us assure our selves that we are what we should be If Templum Domini If the Jews crying out The Temple of the Lord would have serv'd the turn Ier. 7. 4. but that did not though they rested secure and blest themselves in it So also do we now in the Outward Baptism so in the Outward receiving of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper and also in the outward profession of Christianity c. Sed ista omnia folia sunt but all these are but leaves but 't is the fruit God looks after For though no tree that bears fruit but hath leaves yet Wo to those Trees which bear nothing but leaves Then 3. From the Devil his confessing Christ we learn That though as Paul saith Ore fit confessio with the mouth confession is made Rom. 10. 10. yet that is nothing without the other except the heart believes unto salvation for that confession is vain which is void of faith saith Fulgentius 4. Observe For all the uncleaneness strong possession of this unclean spirit as soon as our Saviour speaks for he spoke a s one Having Authority and not as the Scribes 't was a destruction to him for he cryes out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou come to destroy or to torment us Luk. 8. 28. the Scribes and Pharisees might have preach'd long enough ere this Devil would have Roared For as some go not out but by fasting and prayer Mat. 17. 21. so some unclean spirits wil not stir out of men but by powerful preaching which is Christ coming Himself with power and casting them out And 5. From this Renting the poor man we learn how furious and raging his malice is to man Tearing and renting Them whom he may not cannot longer possess The Dragon never watch'd the Woman so narrowly as when nearest her time of deliverance Rev. 12. 4. So Pharaoh pursued the Isralites most eagerly when departing his land And the Prophet Isaiah saith For unto us a Child is born and a
own souls and you shall better consider and know his malice not onely to the bodies but to the souls of men as t is said 1 Sam. 18. 10. Saul was vexed by an Evil spirit so when you hear of casting out of Devils Take heed lest your selves fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the snares and nets and condemnation of the Devil Further to this point St Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 4. that there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Differences of graces yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but one spirit As there are the graces of wisdom of Knowledge of faith All different in their several acts operations and degrees yet flowing all from the same spirit so I may say there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Differences of sins and lusts in the soul some being spiritual wickednesses others carnal and fleshly some for stature and growth like the sons of Anack mighty and great and strong others of a less and lower size Differences too there be in sins length and time as Iob saith His bones were full of the sinnes of his youth Some do not leave their sins but increase them and carry them in them till they dye and they grow strong and numerous even to a Legion of Devils There be some also that though they come up in a night yet by the blessing of God they are wasted and gone in a night like Ionahs Gourd they are like a wafaring man of no continuance they take no deep rooting in the soul There are differences too in respect of obstinacie purpose of mind malice and HATRed of God c. some going before others others following after unto judgement as the Apostle speaks It was said to Ierusalem Thou hast justified thy sister Sodom in all her abominations Ezek. 16. 51. her sins did exceed for grievousness those of Sodom and yet all sins of what nature or quality soever how different soever they be are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that Evil One in us The Devil and though as our Saviour saith Mat. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts thefts c. yet these are suggested into the heart by Satans malice and policy As t is said of Iudas That the Devil put it into his heart to betray His Master So that it is not onely Hard but impossible for any man that hath not been rapt up into the third Heaven To know How God sends Good motions into souls whether by Angels or not Yet I am sure though the Apostle saith That to will is present with me Phil. 2. 13. But yet that will is from him For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Jam. 1. 17. Nay all natural actions as to think and to do or to move c. are all of him from him and by him For In him we live move and have our BEING And As hard it is to say directly Though the Prince of this world Joh. 12. 31. The God of this world 2. Co. 4. 4. very lofty titles you see are given him by the Holy Ghost To shew what great power he hath I say 't is very hard to know How he Tempts and moves us to Evil whether by His Angels or not For HE hath Angels called properly and peculiarly HIS Mat. 25. 41. Prepared for the Devil and His Angels and termed The Angels that sinned 2. Pet. 2. 4. And again 't is said He drew the third part of the Stars from Heaven when he fell And the Devil is called The King of the bottomless pit Rev. 9. 11. Sure I am that there are great store of several sorts of Evil spirits For there is The spirit of jealousie Numb 5. 6. The Evil Spirit of lying 1 Reg. 22. 22. The spirit of deep slumber and sleep Isa. 29. 10. The spirit of this world 1 Cor. 2. 12. The spirit of dissention Judg. 9. 23. The spirit of perversness Isa. 19. 14. The spirit of wheredom Hosea 4. 12. 5. 4. And the spirit of seducing 1 Tim. 4. 1. And once for all As we read of the Spirit of Christ so also do we find the spirit of Anâ—ichrist 1 Ioh. 4. 8. And yet necessary it is thâ—â— thâ—s it should be I say Necessary with that necessity of which our Saviour speaks Mat. 18. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary that offences should come For As in visible things there is no change without corruption so in civil things Lex non est posita justo sed injusâ—o The Law is not made for the righteous but for the transgressors for the lawless and disobedient as the Apostle saith And so and no otherwise is it in spiritual things Men cannot imagine How God should have made known the Riches of his goodness Rom. 2. 4. if no Evil had been nor The Greatness of the Riches of his Glory Rom. 9. 22 23. if there had been No vessels of wrath and dishonour Fitted for destruction Neither should he have shewn the Depth of his wisdom and knowledge Rom. 11. 33. If there had been no folly and ignorance Nor yet The riches of his grace Ephes. 1. 7. If there had been None that stood in need of pardon and grace Beloved How could the sons of men have known or understood Either the plenteousness of His REDEMPTION If there had been no Captives Or the exceeding greatness of his love wherewith he hath loved us in Christ If there had been none that were his Enemies and hated him So that now I will say of the Devil and his Angels as once Augustine said of Original sin Whereof after he had long disputed whence it should flow and proceed at length he concludes That it is A more vain and fruitless thing to stand disputing about its Rise or Original when as we feel the flames of evil concupiscence in our selves still Burning then it is for a man when he finds his house on fire to stand still Demanding how the fire came but doing nothing to quench it Or whereas he should find his son fallen into a well ready to be drowned yet should stand still Asking How he came to fall in but not using any help or means to get him out and so save his life So may I say of the Devil and his Angels It being so that they Are And that they are so Active and Destructive to men and that they move in Rule and reign in the Children of disobedience and have already climbed our works and are gotten in our very hearts and there wound kill and slay if we did but see it so I say 'T is but a fruitless question to enquire how they entred or came into us or of what they are made or what Power they have to do us mischief or the like But sure I think it is our best policy and greatest wisdom to