his workes Part. 2 Pag. 129 World World the dissolution of it proved Part. 1 Pag. 31 World why we are sent into it Part. 1 Pag. 168 World God without it as well as in it Part. 2 Pag. 148 God able to make other worlds 1.149 Worship see Spirit Christ. Worth VVant of worth in us must not discourage us from comming to God Part. 1 Pag. 125 FJNJS ERRATA Part. 1. Page 50 line 2 blot out all p 53 l 17 for nicurus read Nisurus p 56 l 15 r in such a manner p 59 l 27 for this argument r themselves p 62 l 21 blot out â—ven p 6â— l. 18 for where r when p. 71 l 28 for the r this p 80 l 10 blot out but p 86 l 9 for device r Divines p 87 l 8 for Esay's r Asa's p 88 l â—4 for head r hand p 97 l 28 for place r phrasâ— p 108 l 5 blot out upon p 109 l 9 for at r â—o p 121 l. 25 for you r them p 128 l. 12 for Isay 56 17 r. Deut. 6 24 p. 129 l 1 for in r â—t l 10 for for that r such in the margent for entitling r exalting p 143 l. 15 for and r as p. 145 l 3 for filled r fitted p 149 l. 17 for all r. ought p. 150. l. ult for measure r manner p 164 l 16 for dlace rplace p 165 l 26 for behold r. beloved p. 167 l. 10 blot out and no more p 173 l 30 begin Vse 5 at Seeing God c. Part. 2. Page 21. line ult read to the nature of a spirit p 42 l â— r. were no God p 44 l 11 for out of a conceit r. without deceit p. 50 l. 19 for some r something p 53 l. 22 for or r and p 62 l 29 for miscarriage r. dissembling p. 65 l 12 for thing r. meanes p 72 l. 12 for will not be r. is not p 76 l 13 for seemes r is sayd p 80 l. 18 for eternity r tymes p 105 l 22 r it hath it p 118 l 116 for nothing r no other desire p 119 l 6 for caseth r causeth p 120 l 8 for suspect r expect p 122 l 1 for all this while r otherwise p 12â— l 29 r of the maker p 123 l 7 for handles r did handle p 133 l 3 for feares r favours p 138 l 3 for if God was great r though God were great p 142 l â—2 for losse r enduring p 144 l 15 for an ordinate r coordinate p 147 l 14 r infinitenesse of c p 148 l 24 for quality r quantity p 149 l 24 for and r or p 151 l 24 for governours r goâ—â—â—nment p 1â—4 l 10 for need r reason p 169 l 7 for a glasse r of glase p 170. l 14 r no man p 1â—0 l 22 for then r them p 181 l 5 for as large as the obiect r of equall largenes p. 182 l â— for not worke r doth not worke p 186 l 9 for proportionable for its end r apâ—oâ—â—tâ—d for the effect as its end p 195 l 14 for man r many p 1â—8 l 17 for his power is r it is p 201 l 18 for as it r as if it p. 203 l. 14 for is farre better than to indure r. will farre exceed the enduring What Theologie is 1 Cor. 2.13 2 Tim. 1.13 Theologie wherein it differs from other Sciences Arts why invented Parts of Theologie 1 Concerning God 2. Things 1 That God is 2 What God is Rom. 1.20 Acts 17. Acts 14.17 Difference in points of Theologie 1 That there is a God See the sensible Demonstration of the Deitie in the beginning The consideration of the originall of all things proved 1 By the making of man That man was made Psal. 94.9 Because else the creatures should be Gods Else the creatures should be without Causes All creatures have an end When a man maketh himselfe his end he destroyeth himselfe Else where be any monuments of times before those mentioned the Scriptures That there is a God proved by the Law written in mens hearts Rom. 1 1â— The same truth is proved by the soule of man Gen. 9.6 The second way to prove that God is is by faith To strengthen this principle that there is a God more in our hearts Hebr. 11.27 Ier. 23.24 Two kindes of Atheisme Isai. 51.12 13 14. Iob 22. Draw such consequences as may arise from such a conclusion 2 Pet 3.4 Verse 5. Vers. 6. Ezek. 1. Eccles. 9.11 Eccles. 10. Iames 1.2 3. Luke 16. The second sort of arguments How this is proved by Faith Three wayes whereby Faith gathers that the Scriptures are true and consequently that there is a God that made the World Proofes that Moses and other Pen-men of Scripture spake by the Holy Ghost The miracles which were 1 Visible 2 Reall Exod. 19. The prophecies which were Esay 41.22 23. 1 Particular 2 Perspicuous 3 Limited to a set time Exod. 12. 1 King 16. ult 1 King 13.1 2 3. Arg. 2. The testimonies that are given to the Scriptures by adversaries The exact Chronologie in the Scriptures Arg. 3. From the Scriptures themselves 1 Their majestie 2 Puritie 3 Antiquity The fourth argument from the testimony of the Church A difference betweene the Writings of the Pen-men of Scripture and other holy men Vse To confirme our faith in this first principle For two reasons Reason 1. Because there is a great difference betweene common faith and that of the elect in these principles Diff. 1. Diff. 2. Diff. 3. Diff. 4. Motive 2. Because these principles have a great influence into mens lives Hebr. 11.6 Esay 52. 1. Meanes To confirme our faith in these principles 1 Search and examine them to the full 2 Meanes Prayer 3 Meanes Acquaint thy selfe with the Word more and more Rom. 10. Colos. 3.16 Converse with faithfull men 4 Meanes Act. 14.1 3 Effects of a firme assent to these principles The third Argument to prove that God is There is no other God besides him Esay 45.22 Doctr. Proved by the greatnesse of his Majestie and workes Esay 46.5 Psal. 86.8 Esay 40.15 16. Vers. 25. Vers. 12. Vers. 18. All other gods are but new He from everlasting Esay 41.4 and 44.6 and 43.10 He onely knowes things to come Esa. 41 22 23. and 44.7 8. By the greatnesse of his power and providence working changes in the world Esay 41.23 24. Esay 40.23 24. Psal. 107.33 34. He only the living God other gods but dead Vanities Act 14.15 Psal. 115. 2 More particularly 1 The gods of the Gentiles and their religion was false Rom. 1. 1 Because their gods were men 2 The worst of men 3 They did die The religion of Mahomet is false 1 He gives testimony to the Old and New Testament and yet is contrary to both 2 His new religion wanted miracles to confirme it 3 His Alcoran is barbarous and without sense 4 His doctrine is impure and so his life To beleeve that our God is God alone and to
prerogative if thou looke upon future times as thine and sayeth with the rich man in the Gospel now soule take thy rest this is sacrilege against God It is as if a man should say I have three thousand acres of land when he hath not three foot or if a man should say I have three thousand pound and hath not three pence It is the use made of it in Iames 4.13 14. Goe to now yee that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a Citie c. Whereas yee ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and doe this or that if hee will give us leave to come in upon his ground This phrase is out of use with many men as clothes that are out of use we are unwilling to weare them but Christians should bring them into use againe and say if the Lord please let them labour to doe this in feare and trembling Thou shouldst thus thinke of time thou shouldst looke upon it as on a large field given by God and nothing of it belonging otherwise unto thee and looke what ground the Lord God gives thee thou art to sow seed in it and apply it to seeke him that thou mayest receive an harvest in future time and let men not say I will repent and turne to God hereafter but doe it presently in feare and trembling Boast not of time why doest thou deferre the time thou breakest into the Lords right and oftentimes he cuts thee off for it because thou breakest into that which doth nothing belong unto thee THE TENTH SERMON EXODVS 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you WEE come now to the next Attribute and that is the Simplicity of God he is without all composition without any parts not having soule and body as we have not being compounded of substance and accident as we are but hee is simple without all composition Which I gather out of these words I AM WHAT I AM that is whatsoever is in mee it is my selfe I am a pure act all being a whole entire simple and uniforme being without parts not like to the creature for the best of them is compounded of actions and qualities but whatsoever is in me it is my selfe Now in this simplicity and immixture of God wee will first fall upon that which the Scripture sets downe in plaine words Iohn 4.24 God is a Spirit that is he is not mixt he is not compounded of body and soule as men are but he is a Spirit The word Spirit both in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine tongue doth signifie breath A breath is indeede a body but because it is the finest body the most subtile and most invisible therefore immateriall substances which we are not able to conceive are represented to us under the name of a spirit or breath Besides this is to be added though God bee said to be a spirit yet he is not properly a spirit as Angells are for an Angell is a creature and though it want a body and be a spirit yet it is a created substance but yet because that is neerest to the pure and incomprehensible nature of God therefore he calls himselfe a spirit as Angells are and our soules are To shew you what a spirit is these foure things are to be considered 1 It is proper to a Spirit to be invisible impalpable not to bee discerned by any sense Therfore Christ bids his Disciples to feele him Behold my hands and my feete saith he that it is I my selfe handle and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as I have A Spirit is that which is drawn from the sight of any corporeall sense whatsoever and in this sense God is called a Spirit because he is invisible and therefore Moses is said to see him that is invisible not by any bodily eye but by the eye of faith 2 Every Spirit moves it selfe and other things also The body is but an earthy piece that is not able to stirre it selfe at all as you see it is when the soule is gone out of it it is the spirit that both moves it selfe and carries the body up and downe where it listeth and it moves it selfe with all speed and agility because it finds no resistance Bodies beside their elementarie motion vpward and downeward have no voluntarie motion they cannot move themselves whither they will as spirits doe And this I gather out of Ioh 3.8 the Holy Ghost is compared to the wind that blowes where it listeth 3. It is the propertie of every Spirit to move with exceeding great force and strength and with much vehemency so that it farre exceeds the strength of any body Therefore in Isa 31.3 speaking of the strength of the Aegyptians he saith that they are flesh and not spirit as if hee should say all flesh is weake but the spirit is strong Therefore you see the Divells that are spirits what strength they have and the man in the Gospell that was possessed it is said that he could breake the strongest bonds and you see it commonly in those that are possessed and you read how he threw downe the house over Iobs children This is the strength of the spirit exceeding the strength of any body 4 It insinuates it selfe and enters into any bodily substance without all penetration of dimension that is it is not held out of any place by reason of a body that is in it it may be in it though the place be otherwise full as you see the soule is in the body you shall find no where an emptie place the body is every where whole yet the Spirit insinuates it selfe in every part and no body can keepe it out And so is God he is invisible not seene by any eye hee moves himselfe and all things in the world as he lists and he doth what he doth with exceeding great strength and then hee fills every place both heaven and earth what bodies soever be there yet he may be there notwithstanding And thus you see in what sense this is to be understood God is a Spirit Now we will come to apply this Vse 1 If God be a Spirit first then this we may gather from it 1 That his eye is cheifely vpon the spirits of men There are many things in the world which his hand hath made but that which he chiefely lookes to is the minde and spirit of man Whereas a man consists of two parts a body and a spirit it is the spirit that is like to God and in regard of the spirituall substance of the soule it is said
to be made after his Image and therefore in Heb 12 God is called the Father of Spirits Why He is the Father of the body also he made that but the meaning is that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father over them because he guides and nurtures them being most like to himselfe as the sonne is like the father so they are like to him and therefore hee most regards the spirits of men As you may see when Samuel went to anoint David King and all the sonnes of Iesse came before him those that were much more proper than David God tells him that he did not looke upon the persons of men nor upon their outward appearance hee heedes them not what doth he then he sees the soule and spirit of man the Lord looketh upon the heart and according to that hee judgeth of them 1 Sam. 16.7 Now if his eye be chiefly upon the spirit thou shouldest labour to let thine eye be chiefly still upon thy spirit and so thou shalt most please him Let thy eye be upon thy soule to keepe it cleane that it may be fit for communion with him who is a spirit This should teach you to looke to the fashion of your soules within because they are likest to him and carry his image in them he is a father of them in a speciall manner and they are that whereby you may have communion with him in that which is most proper unto him in spirituall exercises and performances Object But you will say what is it that you would have us to doe to our spirits to have them fit for the Lord that he may regard them and that they may be like to him Answ. 1 1 Thou must scoure and cleanse them from all filthinesse 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises dearely beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinisse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God There is a pollution which the Apostle speakes of which pollution he divides into two kindes of the flesh of the spirit both of these thou must labour to bee cleansed from but specially that of the spirit if tâ—â—n wouldst have it fit to have the Lord to delight in for he being a Spirit doth most regard those actions which are done by the Spirit and therefore that is the thing that mainely thou shouldst looke to Object But what is that pollution of spirit or what is that which doth defile it Answ. Every thing in the world defiles the spirit when it is lusted after 2 Pet. 1.4 Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust that is the world and all things in the world and all the parts of it they doe then corrupt the spirit defile and soile it when the soule of man hath a lust after them You might medle with all things in the world and not be defiled by them if you had pure affections but when you have a lust after any thing then it defiles your spirit therefore in Titus 1.15 the Apostle speakes of a conscience defiled And in Matt. 15. 19. saith our Saviour out of the heart proceede evill thoughts murthers adulterers fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies these are the thâ—â—gs whâ—â—h defile a man He doth not speake onely of actuall adulterie or murther but even of the siâ—â—ull dispositions of the soule even these are things that defile the spirit in Gods sight who lookes upon them as you doe upon outward filthinesse with the eyes of your body So that every inordinate lusting of the soule doth defile the soule Object But is not this rule too strait We are commanded not to murther nor to commit adultery this is the commandement and why should you say that every disordered affection doth defile the soule and that it is more regarded by God then the outward actions Answ. You must know that the tenth commandement doth strike against these abominations Thou shalt not lust and so it is translated Rom. 7 so that these lustings of the spirit are those that defile the soule You see that God hath spent a whole commandement against them And indeede all the actuall sinnes committed by us simply considered in themselves as committed by the body are not so hated of God as the pollution of the spirit is Nay I dare be bolâ—â— to say that the act of adultery and murther is not so abominable in Gods eyes as the filthinesse of the spirit this is more abominable in the sight of God who is a spirit than the act of the body for it is the spirit that he mainly lookes to Indeed the act contracts the guilt because the lust is then growne up to an height so that it is come to an absolute will and execution Therefore if these lustings doe presse into the soule wee should put them out againe and reject them with shame and griefe for GOD is a Spirit and beholdes the continuall behaviour of thy spirit Againe the injury which you offer to others though in it selfe it be a great sinne yet that inward brooding of it in thy heart plotting mischiefe that boiles within thee while it hatches rancour and revenge this is that which he hates though thou shouldest never commit any actuall sinne this way Iam. 4.5 you have this phrase used The lust of the spirit to envie that is the bent of the spirit and inclination of the minde which lookes upon the gifts of others whereby it overshines them so that they lust to have that light put out that their candle might appeare above it though they act nothing yet this is abominable to him And that I might not deliver this without ground consider There is nothing so pleasing to God as a broken heart Isa. 57. Now the breaking of the heart is nothing else but the severing betweene the heart and sin As when you see an artificers worke wherein many parts are glued together if it should fall downe or the glue be dissolved then they all breake to pieces and when the lusts that are in our soules are thus severed this pleaseth the Lord not that the affliction of a mans spirit is pleasing to the Lord but the separation of sinne from his soule when the soder that joynes a sinfull action and the heart together when this is dissolved this doth please the Lord. And by the rule of contraries if this be true then it is true on the other side that when the spirit is glued by any lust to any inordinate thing it is most hatefull to God for the stronger the lust is the stronger is the glue and therefore a man the more he is tyed to this world and hath such strong lusts the more hee hath this uncleannesse and pollution of spirit And therefore as a broken heart is most acceptable to God so a spirit that is knit to any inordinate object by the thing that it cleaves to it becomes most hatefull and abominable to him
asse having goodly trappings should boast it selfe against the horse which is a goodly creature because it hath goodly trappings or as if a mud-wall that the Sunne shines upon should boast it selfe against a wall of marble that stands in the shadow Therefore consider of this that so thou maist labour to beautifie thy spirit if there were no other reason but that he is a Spirit and that he beholdes the excellency of the spirit this were sufficient Take all other excellencies in the world they make thee onely excellent in the sight of man but this makes thee excellent before God this is a solid thing all the glory of the world is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty glory but that which makes thee excellent before God is this As it is Iam 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him As if he should say that which makes men glorious is their faith and holines within that is the thing that makes us excellent in Gods sight and inables us to doe higher workes all other things habilitate us but to the things of this life but grace makes thee strong and makes thee to serve the Lord with fear and reverence Heb. 12.28 And therfore this is to be sought of us Phil. 4.8 The world seekes other things after their owne fancie but seeke you these things this is the excellency that we should seeke for this adornes thy spirit And now if I should aske any man whether is it not better to have Gods image renewed in him and to be like to him than to have the excellency of humane knowledge every one would say that to have Gods image renewed in them were the best but then why doest thou not busie thy selfe about it why doest thou not labour for it why doe you studie much and pray so little So if I should aske another whether grace or outward excellency were better he would say grace but then why doe you not bestow some time about it to get it It is a great signe that the heart is right when we can judge aright of the excellency that is to be sought by us 2 Cor. 5. It is made a signe of a new creature that he doth judge aright of spirituall things Iam 1..10 It is made a signe of a man converted to God when he is brought low that is he is drawne from that high esteeme of outward excellency which before he had when he sees that they are but fading flowers things of no worth and thus the soule gets strength to it selfe When thou hast cleansed thy spirit when thou hast adorned it with such spirituall beauty so that God is delighted in thee then thou must goe yet further thou must let it have rule and dominion thou must let it have the upper hand of the body in all things Let thy spirit be still advanced that is let it not bee drowned with the body but be emergent still aboue it kept from all base affections let it be cleare from all corporeall drosse that is from those bodily affections of meate drinke uncleannesse sports pastime c. wherewith the body is delighted for this spirit is the most excellent thing in thee therefore it is meete that it should have dominion that it should not be brought into subjection no not by any spirituall lust that ariseth from the spirit that the body is not capable of much more then a shame is it to be brought into subjection by any bodily lust that wrongs the Father of spirits 1 Cor. 6.12 13. All things are lawfull to me saith the Apostle but I will not be brought under the power of any thing Meat is for the belly and the belly for meat but God shall destroy both it and them His meaning is this I see that it is not convenient for me to eate flesh I doe not deny but that I have a desire to eate flesh as well as others but because it is not convenient therefore I will bridle that appetite for Meat is for the belly and the belly for meat but God shall destroy both it and them If that appetite should prevaile the body would rule over the soule but that I will not suffer that my spirit should be brought into subjection by any bodily appetite And consider what an unreasonable thing it is that the spirit should be brought under the body There are but two parts of a man and they draw us two wayes the spirit drawes us upward to the Father of spirits as it is a spirit and the body drawes us downeward Now consider which should have the vpper hand they will not goe both together Now know this that if the spirit bee under the body it will breede confusion It is so in other things looke into the Common wealth if you should see servants riding and Princes going on foot looke into nature if the fire and aire should bee below and the water and earth aboue what confusion would there bee So is it in this case The Apostle compares them to bruite beasts 2. Pet. 2.12 and the wise man compares them to a citie whose walls are broken downe so that there is an vtter ruine Saith the Apostle Peter in the place forenamed that they as naturall bruite beasts made to bee taken and to be destroyed who speake evill of the things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their owne corruption that is if a man will come to this to suffer such a confusion as this they shall even bee served as bruite beasts are Nay beloved if it were with us as it is with beast we might giue libertie for these corporall appetites to rule over the soule as take a horse if he hath no rider then you blame him not though he runne and kicke up and downe for he is a beast and hath no rider to sit him but when he is under the bridle then if he doth not doe that which he should doe then you blame him But a man hath reason to guide him and hee hath grace to guide reason now to cast off both these is more than brutish Consider that all things the more refined they are the better they are for they come neerer to the spirit So then doe thou looke vpon thy selfe and say with thy selfe the more that spirit within me is advanced the more it is suffered to rule without impediment it is the better for me To give you an instance or two that you may see the practise of the Saints in this case Iob he saith I esteemed thy word as my appointed meales c. I will rather restraine my body in this then I will suffer my soule to want that which belongs to it as he saith for eating and drinking so saith David for sleepe rather then my soule should not doe its duty I will deprive my body of sleepe saith he So Iesus
Christ Ioh 4.34 Iesus saith unto them my meate is to doe the will of my Father and to finish his worke that is I will be content to neglect my body to doe that which is the worke of my spirit the worke of my Father And such is his owne advice seeke not the loaves saith he nourish not your bodies labour not for the meate that perisheth but looke that thy soule get the better in all things Object But how shall I know this whether my soule doth rule or no Answ. When the bodily appetite and inclination shall arise so high as to rule the sterne of the soule and the actions of it then the body gets rule over the soule but when these shall bee subdued and ruled and guided by the soule when they shall bee brought to that square which the spirit within shall set downe then the spirit rules over the body Object But my inclinations are strong and I cannot rule them what must I doe then Answ. Thou must doe in this case as Saint Paul did who kept under his body by violence as men use to tame horses we should keepe it downe wee must take heed of carnall lusts they will keepe the body too high as a Horse may be too lustie for his rider yet so as on the other side it must not be kept too low for the body is the instrument of the soule but onely the soule must have dominion over it it should alwayes bee subject to the principall agent as it is said of a servant that he should not be Supra negotium nor infra negotium but par negotio not above nor below but fit for his businesse so ought the body to be the soules servant Beloved consider this doe but thinke what your soules are that you should suffer them to be thus in subjection Thinke what a shame it is that these bodily affections should so overrule the spirit that is made like to God the soule that shall live for ever the soule for which Christ dyed that is better then all the world beside thinke I say with your selves what a sencelesse and unreasonable thing it is that this soule should be kept under by the body and that the body should rule over it Are not men in this kinde like to beasts subject to sensualitie that eate that they may play and play that they may eate and the soule is not considered all this while how it is a spirit that is like to God himselfe who is a spirit Alas what is the body to it It is in it as in a prison such is the body to the soule not to be regarded in comparison of it Therefore adde this to the other that the soule may still be advanced and that it suffer not bodily actions to bring it into subjection lest you be as bruite beasts subject to sensuality made to be taken and to be destroyed FINIS THE ELEVENTH SERMON EXODVS 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM c. Vse 2 A Second use from this point is this If God be a spirit then his dominion government and providence is chiefly exercised on the spirits of men It is true his providence is over all things that belong to us but as he is in himselfe a Spirit so he puts forth and exerciseth this power of his principally in guiding the spirits of men and in that you are chiefly to observe his providence toward you And that you shall see in Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God that is his rule and power is not in meate and drinke for they are outward things and hee that is a spirit regards them not but it is in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost that is in the things that belong to the spirit therein is his kingdome and dominion chiefly exercised So also Psal. 33.14 15. From the place of his habitation hee looketh downe upon all the inhabitants of the earth he fashioneth their hearts alike hee considereth all their workes Marke it when God lookes downe from heaven and beholdes the children of men the chiefest thing that he doth wherein his government is exercised is in that hee fashions their hearts and spirits and therefore those eternall subjects of his that live with him for ever and spirits as the Angels and the soules of men Therefore if thou wouldest observe the will of the Lord toward thee and wouldest see wherein his providence is chiefly exercised looke upon thy spirit upon all occasions that is what bents what inclinations what hopes and desires hee hath put into thy soule If you looke upon men in the world you shall see them divers in their spirits one man lusts after riches honour and preferment another after gaming sporting and drinking now looke upon this temper of spirit as the greatest judgement of all others Againe looke upon the spirits of other men they are fashioned a contrary way to deny themselves to seeke grace and avoid sinne to be content to have God alone to doe his worke and to leave their wages to God to live a painfull life serving God and men with their sweetnesse this is a quite contrary spirit and this is the greatest blessing Therefore you shall see that when the Lord is angry with a man so that his anger is wound up to the highest pegge then he gives him over to this judgement as it is Psal. 81.12 So I gave them over to their owne hearts lust and they walked in their owne counsells that is my judgement shall be executed upon their spirits to leave them to an unjudicious minde Againe on the other side when the Lord would doe a man the greatest kindnesse then he fashions his spirit another way Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live as if he should say when I minde to doe you a kindnesse then I will thus fashion your hearts aright So Ezek 36.26 A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you an heart of flesh The Scripture is plentifull in this Therefore if thou wouldest observe what the LORD is to thee looke how hee fashions thy spirit if thou findest that hee leaves thee to unruly affections and lusts and leaves thee to be glued to that from which thou shouldest be divorced or that he hath left thee in bondage to the feare of men as a snare to thee there is no greater judgement in the world than this as it is the greatest mercy on the
contrary Therefore in 2 Tim. 4.22 Paul prayes The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy spirit as if hee should say this is the greatest mercy that I can wish thee and the greatest good that God can doe thee and therefore he wisheth God to be with his spirit Now to set on this point a little further and to make this plaine to you you shall see it in these three things 1. Because all other things as riches poverty health sicknesse c. he dispenseth these promiscuously so he gives riches to wicked men c. because as it is Eccles. 9.1 His love or hatred cannot be knowne by these things Whence I reason thus That wherein the love and hatred of God is most seene therein his providence chiefly exerciseth it selfe but in the fashioning of the spirits of men there and there chiefly is his providence seene for other things come alike to men to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not 2. The disposing of other things is much in the power of men A Prince or a man hath power to kill or to save he can give riches and honor and take them away at his pleasure But to rule the spirits to compose and guide the apprehensions and affections of the soule that belongs to God alone a man is no more able to doe it than to rule the raging sea For as it is proper to God alone to compose the winde and to rule the waves so it is proper to him alone to rule the turbulent affections to compose and guide them If there be any disordered affection in the heart as an immoderate love of any thing or an impatient desire to any thing who is able to remove it but the Lord who is a Spirit So who can implant holy affections in thee but he alone as for example to thinke a good thought a man cannot do it without him who is the Father of spirits so to perswade a man no man can doe it it must be the Lord as Noah saith God shall perswade Laphet to dwell in the Tents of Sem. So to see the hainousnesse of sinne and the evill of it no man can doe it but by the spirit of God as it is said Iohn 16.9 The Spirit convinceth men of Sinne. So to wil this or that which is good it is he that workes both the will and the deed A man cannot choose but bee swallowed vp with worldly griefe except God keepe him he cannot chose but feare the face of man except God assist him for this is one of Gods prerogatives royall to rule in the affections and apprehension of men 3 Because the guiding of a mans spirit is of the greatest consequence of all other things else Now God is a wise commander and therefore he will not exert and put forth his power but in things of greatest moment but the guiding of our affections is all in all to us For in a mans outward estate what things soever befall him all are nothing but what his apprehension is of them and how he is affected to them makes them crosses or comforts if a mans spirit be whole the greatest crosse is nothing and the least is intolerable if his spirit be broken As againe what are all pleasant things if a man hath not a heart to apprehend them As to Paul what was all his persecution as long as his spirit was whole within him he carried it out well and what was Paradise to Adam and a kingdome to Ahab when their spirit was broken It is the apprehension that makes every thing to a man heavy or unheavy pleasant or unpleasant sweete or sower and therefore this is the use to be made of it to behold Gods providence cheifely on our spirits and not onely in our owne spirits but what he doth vpon the spirits of others also It is a thing we stumble at when we see a wicked man prosper and carry all things in the world before him we should not say where is Gods providence and the truth of his promise but see what he doth upon the spirit of that man If thou seest such a man more malicious to the Church and children of God growing more carnall and abominable in his courses therein is Gods curse seene more than in all the dispensation of outward curses for that treasure of sinne which he layes up for himselfe will draw on a treasure of wrath which will be executed in due season Therefore beholde your spirits alwayes and Gods providence upon them Lament 3.65 Give them sorrow of heart thy curse upon them the words signifie which is thy curse upon them Therefore if you see an obstinate heart in a man that is the greatest curse of all As in receiving the Sacrament there wee doe pronounce a curse to him that receives it unworthily and prophanes the Lords body but it may be he goes on and sees it not but now looke upon his spirit and see how GOD deales with that whether his heart doth not grow harder and more obdurate which is the greatest curse You may observe this every where If thou seest one that hath a vaine and idle spirit that cannot studie that cannot pray that cannot choose but be carried away by an unruly lust to this or that thing believe it this is a greater judgement than all the diseases in the world than all shame and disgrace that wee account so much of than poverty and crosses as it is the greatest mercy on the other side when a man is able to serve GOD with an upright heart and to be sincere in all his carriage Thus it is with men and this thou shouldest observe in thy selfe also from day to day Let us not observe so much what accidents befall us what good is done to us or what crosses wee have it is true indeed GOD is seene in all these things but chiefly looke what GOD hath done to our spirit what composing of minde or what turbulency of affections or what quietnesse what patience or what impatience and for this be chiefly humbled or be chiefly thankfull for to take away from Christ the praise of sanctification is as much as to take away the praise of his redemption Herein thou shalt see his love or hatred manifested to thee his greatest judgement shewed to thee or his greatest mercies The Third Vse is that which the Scripture makes of it Iohn 4 24. If God be a Spirit then worship him in Spirit and truth What it is to worship God in spirit and truth you shall see if you compare this place with that in Rom. 1.9 For God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers The meaning of it is this When Paul had taken a solemne asseveration GOD is my witnesse c. doe not thinke saith hee that I have done this feignedly I am no such man
in preaching the Gospell of Iesus Christ I doe it in my spirit that is I doe it not for by-ends for feare of men or the like but I doe it in my spirit that is plainly heartily and sincerely So that to worship GOD in spirit is to have a plainnesse and sincerity in our worshipping him that is to doe it heartily what we doe to him in our praying and worshipping him when it is not formally and customarily done but our spirit seconds it within this it is to worship him in spirit So that the scope of our exhortation is that you would worship GOD chiefly in your spirits As it is said of singing Psalmes Col. 3.16 Admonish one another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And the ground of it is because GOD is a spirit and therefore he beholdes at any such time when you come before him the inward behaviour of your spirits that is he observes when you come to preach or pray what squint-eyed ends what vaine glory what respect to men you have Yea he observes how farre naturall conscience leads you so that you do it as a task out of custome c. he observes what worldly-mindednes and carnall affections creep into the soule at that time that makes you either to post off the duty or else to doe it in a customary manner All this doth he behold he lookes to the inward carriage of the spirit and therefore doe you looke chiefly to the inward carriage to the inward frame of your minde Quest. But what is that more particularly Answ. I will shew it to you in these three things 1. See that thy spirit be as neare him as thy lippes are Isay 29.13 Hee complaines of a sort of people that draw nigh unto God with their mouth and with their lips doe honour him but have removed their heart farre from him and their feare towards him is taught by the precepts of men So Ier. 12.2 Thou oh Lord art neare in their mouth and farre from their reines Now if thou wouldest worship him in spirit see that thy spirit be as neare him as thy words are As for example in prayer thou confessest thy sinnes and professest that thou doest hate them thou prayest for mortification and grace for weanednes from the world herein thy words and Gods will doe agree they are consonant and when yet it may be the inward inclination of thy heart is farre enough off from this expression therefore bring thy spirit neare to God as thy lippes are and then thou worshippest him in spirit To shew you more plainly what this farrenesse off of the spirit is take a covetous man and put him upon the racke of any exigent where hee must part with all to save his life he will say as much as need to be in this case but his heart is set as close to his wealth as ever it was before so that he is loath to part with any thing And take a thiefe that comes before the Iudge hee confesseth his fault and begges pardon and saith that he will doe so no more but yet his heart sits as neere to his theft he is as farre from honesty as ever he was before So take a man when he comes into some exigent for that usually is the time as at the receiving of the Sacrament or at his day of death he comes and professeth to the Lord that hee will follow no more his wicked courses but he will become a new man here his words draw neare but looke to the bent and inclination of his heart to the radicall constitution of it and that is farre from holinesse there hee sits as close to his sinne as hee did before Therefore if thou wouldest worship God in spirit take care that thy spirit draw neare to him upon all such occasions as thy words doe A man in his ordinary course it may be prayes and his prayers are good but how farre his heart is from it that his life shewes It is a strange thing that at the Sacrament men come and make confession of their sins and yet their spirits are far from it and that their practise shewes Consider this you are the men that the Prophet doth speake too you draw nigh to GOD with your lips but your heart is farre from him And this is the first particuler When you worship God with all the might and strength and indevour of the minde and all the faculties of it this is to worship God in spirit 2 Sam. 6.14 It is said of David that hee danced before the Lord with all his might it was a worship of God a spirituall worship of God wherein David by his outward act of dancing did expresse his exultation and reioycing in the Lord. Now the text saith that he did this with all his might with all the might of his spirit for so you must understand it It is a Metaphore taken from the body when a man useth all his strength and might to doe any thing he vnites all the forces of his body to it so a man worshippeth God in spirit when all the faculties of the soule are concentred and united together in the performance of such a dutie And therefore it is called a wrastling with the Lord as Iacob did and it is called a striving with God as Paul saith that you strive together with me in prayer Rom. 15.30 that is when the soule and the minde are joyned all together when hee bends the whole soule to the worke this is to worship God in spirit Such an expression you haue Act. 20. where Paul went bound in the spirit to Ierusalem that is his spirit did not hang loose but it was girt up in a resolution to goe through with the worke whatsoever came of it his spirit was bound Now when thy spirit hangs loose upon the duty halfe on and halfe off when a man cares not whether hee doth it or no this is not to worship God with the spirit but when thy minde is girt up and thou dost it with all the intention of thy soule then thou dost it heartily as it is Col. 3.22 Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing GOD where eye-service and heartily are opposed Eye-service is when a man doth it in the outward shew and appearance onely and what is the other to doe a thing heartily That is when a mans strength and his soule doth goe with the duty and the contrary to this is the loosenesse of the minde and the wandring of it about other things when the body and the words are well imployed but the minde doth not goe with them this is not to worship God in spirit when the spirit sits thus loose to God And this is the second thing wherein this worshipping of God in spirit doth consist The Third which
Hee that is eternall must be without ending Part. 1 Pag. 157 See Advantage Ensignes Ensignes of GODS greatnes Part. 2 Pag. 124 Equall Attributes of GOD equall Part. 2 Pag. 53 Equality of GODS Attributes prove him omnipotent Part. 2 Pag. 180 Erre see Rule Essence Essence of GOD what Part. 1 Pag. 94 Essence of GOD infinite 2 148 Eternall Eternity Eternity of GOD Part. 1 Pag. 156 Eternity 5 things in it Part. 1 Pag. 157 VVhy God must be eternall Part. 1 Pag. 158 Foure differences betweene the eternity of GOD and duration of the creatures Part. 1 Pag. 159 Eternall things to be minded more Part. 1 Pag. 161 Eternity an exhortation to consider of it Part. 1 Pag. 165 Eternity motives to consider it Part. 1 Pag. 167 Eternity what Part. 1 Pag. 168 Love and enmity of GOD eternall Part. 1 Pag. 171 Hatred and joy in GOD from eternity Part. 2 Pag. 78 Counsels of God from eternity Part. 1 Pag. 81 Evill Things are not alway evill that we think are Part. 1 Pag. 42 Everlasting GOD from everlasting other gods new Part. 1 Pag. 79 GODS being everlasting Part. 1 Pag. 98 Events Events contrary to mans preparations Part. 1 Pag. 39 Exalt To exalt GOD as GOD Part. 1 Pag. 135 Excellency Excellency outward not to be sought after Part. 2 Pag. 17 Excellency outward of 3 sorts Ibid F. Faculties Men desire company to exercise their faculties Part. 2 Pag. 166 Faint see Church Faith That there is a GOD proved by faith 1 19 45 Faith what Part. 1 Pag. 20 Faith in this that there is a GOD should be confirmed Part. 1 Pag. 61 Faith of elect and others differ Part. 1 Pag. 62 Faith though the same hath severall acts Part. 1 Pag. 72 Faith strengthened by revealing GODS name Part. 1 Pag. 103 False The gods and religion of the Gentiles false Part. 1 Pag. 80 The religion of Mahomet false Part. 1 Pag. 82 Feare VVhy we should feare God Part. 1 Pag. 171 See Goodnesse Fire The Spirit as Fire Part. 2 Pag. 15 Fill. The Lord fills heaven and earth Part. 2 Pag. 45 Flee God such an enemy as the wicked cannot flee from Part. 2 Pag. 174 Force Force in the motion of a spirit Part. 2 Pag. 3 Foundation Foundation of faith stable Part. 2 Pag. 51 Friendship Friendship of God to be esteemed Part. 1 Pag. 129 Future Future things knowne onely to God Part. 1 Pag. 79 G. GOD. God that he is Part. 1 Pag. 3 That there is a God Part. 1 Pag. 5 Creatures should be God if they were not made Part. 1 Pag. 8 A God sought naturally by all Part. 1 Pag. 14 That there is a God consequents of it Part. 1 Pag. 28 Meanes to confirme our faith that there is a God Part. 1 Pag. 68 That God is God and none besides him Part. 1 Pag. 75 5 Arguments that there is no other God Part. 1 Pag. 76 God what he is Part. 1 Pag. 94 God how to conceive of him in prayer Part. 2 Pag. 44 GOD how said to come and goe Part. 2 Pag. 77 GOD the comfort of all things in him Part. 2 Pag. 188 See Affections Good Goodnesse The commands of GOD for our good Part. 1 Pag. 127 Eternity makes things infinitely good Part. 1 Pag. 160 To feare GOD for his goodnes Part. 2 Pag. 14 See Observe Government Government of the world by GOD Part. 2 Pag. 150 See Spirit Grace Gracious Grace of GOD free Part. 1 Pag. 125 The Lord is gracious Part. 2 Pag. 46 To goe to GOD for grace Part. 2 Pag. 69 See Light Sin Vnchangable Grieve see Himselfe Greatnesse Greatnesse of GOD Part. 2 Pag. 123 Greatnesse of GOD declared in sixe things Ibid Greatnesse of GOD compared Part. 2 Pag. 126 Greatnesse of mind to be sought Part. 2 Pag. 129 VVhat makes the mind great Part. 2 Pag. 130 Greatnesse outward why men are led away with it Ibid Greatnesse of minde how gotten Part. 2 Pag. 137 To feare GOD for his greatnes Part. 2 Pag. 140 H. Hate Pollution of spirit to hate it Part. 2 Pag. 12 How to come to hate it Part. 2 Pag. 13 Heathen Passages of Scripture acknowledged by Heathen Part. 1 Pag. 53 Heaven No want of outward comforts in heaven Part. 2 Pag. 19 See Humble Helpe No case so desperate but GOD can helpe Part. 2 Pag. 203 Hindred GOD cannot be hindred Part. 2 Pag. 52 High Not to put our selves to things too high Part. 1 Pag. 149 Himselfe Being of God of himselfe Part. 1 Pag. 98 GOD may doe things for himselfe Part. 1 Pag. 144 what he doth that greiues most for things that concerne himselfe Part. 1 Pag. 150 Hope Hope of the Saints whereon built Part. 1 Pag. 63 Holinesse Holinesse of Scripture Part. 1 Pag. 52 Holinesse what Part. 2 Pag. 37 Holinesse expressed outwardly Part. 2 Pag. 39 Holinesse of God shewes his greatnesse Part. 2 Pag. 127 Holy ghost Holy ghost guided penmen of Scripture Part. 1 Pag. 48 Humble An Humble man takes heauen how Part. 1 Pag. 121 Humanity see CHRIST I. I am I am what meant by it Part. 1 Pag. 95 Idolatry To keepe our hearts from Idolatry Part. 1 Pag. 88 Idolatry of two kinds Ibid Idolatry 3 grounds of it Part. 1 Pag. 82 Idolatry to resolve on things by our owne strength Part. 1 Pag. 112 Image Image of God Part. 1 Pag. 15 Image of God in the soule double Part. 1 Pag. 16 Immediate see Government Impure The life and doctrine of Mahomet impure Part. 1 Pag. 84 Immense The Immensity of Gods being Part. 1 Pag. 97 Immensity of Gods being shews his greatnesse Part. 2 Pag. 127 Immensity of God Part. 2 Pag. 147 Immensity of God we should rejoyce in it Part. 2 Pag. 152 Immensity of God we should studie it Part. 2 Pag. 153 Imperfection Imperfection negatiue in the Saints Part. 1 Pag. 121 Imperfection where there is change Part. 2 Pag. 73 See perfect Impenitence Impenitence punnished in Gods children Part. 2 Pag. 99 Immutable Immutability of God Part. 2 Pag. 72 5 reasons of Gods Immutability 2 73 Grace in it selfe not immutable Part. 2 Pag. 115 Inconstancy Inconstancy to be humbled for it Part. 2 Pag. 112 Inconstancy two causes of it Part. 2 Pag. 115 Inconstancy from weaknesse Part. 2 Pag. 117 Indeavour Indeavours help not when God hath cast off a man Part. 2 Pag. 83 Indeavour not taken away by Gods decree Part. 2 Pag. 92 Infinite God is infinite Part. 2 Pag. 74 To make a creature infinite were a contradiction Part. 2 Pag. 186 See Essence Presence Invisible To be invisible a property of a spirit Part. 2 Pag. 2 Inquire Somewhat in God we must not inquire into Part. 1 Pag. 100 Injuries Injuries of men why we are so affected with them Part. 2 Pag. 133 How to be patient in injuries Part. 2 Pag. 156 Influence To beleeve there is a God hath influence into the whole life Part. 1 Pag. 64 Iustification Faith strengthened in matters
1 Pag. 49 Reason Difference betweene faith and reason Part. 1 Pag. 46 Reason for that faith beleeveth Ibid. Reason raised by faith Part. 1 Pag. 47 Purposes grounded on reason Part. 2 Pag. 118 VVee must get strong reasons for our resolution Part. 2 Pag. 119 Regard VVe should regard the Lord in three things Part. 1 Pag. 171 Rejoyce see Immensity See Almighty Religion see False Repentance Repentance how attributed to God Part. 2 Pag. 76 Gods gifts and calling without Repentance Part. 2 Pag. 84 Resolution Resolution meanes to helpe it Part. 2 Pag. 119 Resolution must be renewed Part. 2 Pag. 122 See Desire Reject see Pray Rest. Of resting in things concerning a mans selfe Part. 1 Pag. 151 Reward He that lookes for reward from men makes himselfe his end Part. 1 Pag. 15 Reverence VVe should reverence God why Part. 2 Pag. 145 Righteous GOD righteous in his wayes Part. 2 Pag. 79 Roote The roote of all sin what Part. 1 Pag. 66 Rule That which goeth by a rule may erre Part. 1 Pag. 144 We should let the Spirit rule Part. 2 Pag. 19 How to know when the Spirit beareth rule Part. 2 Pag. 22 See confusion S. Scandall GOD punnisheth his owne children in case of Scandall Part. 2 Pag. 99 Scriptures Scriptures proved true by faith 3. wayes Part. 1 Pag. 48 Scriptures proved by themselues Part. 1 Pag. 56 Difference betweene penmen of scripture and other writers Part. 1 Pag. 80 Whence it is that men take the judgement of scripture rather then mens fancies Part. 1 Pag. 70 How to understand scriptures Part. 2 Pag. 78 Seek How to know we seeke to God Part. 1 Pag. 130 Serve service He that neglects GODS service makes him not his end Part. 1 Pag. 150 VVhy we should labour to serve GOD Part. 1 Pag. 172 Secure GODS power in bringing downe those that are secure Part. 2 Pag. 202 Seeing We are present with GOD by seeing of him Part. 2 Pag. 160 GOD present with us by seeing us Part. 2 Pag. 161 Short The good the creatures do us is short Part. 1 Pag. 138 To GOD no time long or short Part. 1 Pag. 160 Sinne. The perfection of GOD to bee vncapable of sinne Part. 1 Pag. 122 Sinne 3. things in it Part. 1 Pag. 166 Sinne and grace to be thought on cheifly Part. 1 Pag. 167 Sinne observed by GOD Part. 2 Pag. 168 GOD therefore Omnipotent because he cannot sinne Part. 2 Pag. 182 See Light Simplicity Simplicity of God what 2 1. Simplicity of God proved by 6 reasons Part. 2 Pag. 49 Simplicity two things in it Part. 2 Pag. 60 See Quantity Singlenesse Singlenesse of heart what Part. 2 Pag. 37 Singlenesse to be laboured for Part. 2 Pag. 59 Sicknesse Sicknesse in the body of the world 1.33 Soule A God proved by the soule of man Part. 1 Pag. 15 Soule the acts of it depend not on the body Part. 1 Pag. 18 God in the world as the soule in the body Part. 1 Pag. 23 Spawne Spawne of sinne in the lusts of the spirit 2 10 Speake Speaking to GOD makes us present with him 2 161 GOD present with us by speaking to us Ibid. How GOD speakes to us now Part. 2 Pag. 162 Spirit GOD a spirit Part. 2 Pag. 2 VVhat kinde of spirit God is Ibid 4 Properties of a spirit Ibid Gods eye especially on the spirit of man Part. 2 Pag. 4 How to fit our spirits for communion with God Part. 2 Pag. 6 Pollution of spirit how hatefull to God Part. 2 Pag. 7 Spirit broken pleaseth God Part. 2 Pag. 8 Directions for cleansing the spirit Part. 2 Pag. 10 Gods government chiefly on mens spirits Part. 2 Pag. 25 Spirit GOD guides onely Part. 2 Pag. 28 Spirit the guiding of it of great consequence Part. 2 Pag. 29 GOD must be worshipped in spirit Part. 2 Pag. 32 To serve GOD in spirit what Part. 2 Pag. 33 How to conceive of a spirit Part. 2 Pag. 45 See Adorne Iudgement Stability Stability in that we enjoy to be begged of GOD 2 10 Stronger The assent in the elect stronger that there is a God than in others Part. 1 Pag. 62 Substantiall Perfection in God substantiall Part. 1 Pag. 122 Succession God without succession Part. 1 Pag. 98 Hee that is eternall must be without succession Part. 1 Pag. 157 Suffer VVhy men rather sinne than suffer Part. 1 Pag. 25 T. Temptations Temptations we must outbid them Part. 2 Pag. 120 Testament Testament both olde and new acknowledged by Mahomet Part. 1 Pag. 82 Testimony see Adversaries Church Theologie Theologie what Part. 1 Pag. 1 Theologie wherein it differeth from other sciences Part. 1 Pag. 2 Theologie the parts of it Part. 1 Pag. 3 Difference in points of Theologie Part. 1 Pag. 5 Time Time dispensed by God Part. 1 Pag. 158 All time present with God 1.159 Time of outward things short Part. 1 Pag. 162 God the Lord of time Part. 1 Pag. 174 Time as a field to be sown Ibid. Time double Part. 2 Pag. 83 See Iudgement Thoughts How to be rid of ill thoughts Part. 2 Pag. 169 Together God possesseth all things together Part. 1 Pag. 159 Trust. To trust in God Part. 1 Pag. 171 V. Vanity Vanity 〈…〉 our owne streâ—â—â—â— 1 1â—3 See 〈◊〉 Vessells All outward things earthen vessells Part. 2 Pag. 105 Visible Miracles of Scripture visible Part. 1 Pag. 48 Vnderstanding Objects of the understanding of two sorts Part. 1 Pag. 21 Vnchangeable Men make excuses from this that Gods decree is unchangeable Part. 2 Pag. 95 Vpon what occasion the doctrine of Gods unchangeablenesse is revealed Part. 2 Pag. 96 The end and use of the doctrine of Gods unchangeablenesse Part. 2 Pag. 97 To prize things by their unchangeablenesse Part. 2 Pag. 106 Grace unchangeable Part. 2 Pag. 107 See Decree Vnmixed The perfection of God unmixed Part. 1 Pag. 121 Voluntary see Cause VV Walke To walke with God Part. 2 Pag. 159 To walke with God what Part. 2 Pag. 160 See Love Want How faith is strengthened in our wants Part. 1 Pag. 103 Perfection of GOD without want Part. 1 Pag. 122 To make use of Gods power in our wants Part. 2 Pag. 19â— Weaknesse Weaknesse to regard praise of men Part. â— Pag. 133 See Inconstancy Weaned To use outward things with weaned hearts Part. 2 Pag. 57 Weary The soule not weary in its action Part. 1 Pag. 19 Wheeles Observations from the wheeles in Ezek 1. Part. 1 Pag. 35 Will. God wills not things because they are just but they are just because he wills them Part. 1 Pag. 143 Gods power large as his will Part. 2 Pag. 181 Men doubt more of Gods power than his will Part. 2 Pag. 194 No losse by yeelding to Gods will Part. 2 Pag. 204 Wisedome Wisedome carnall opposite to sincerity 2.65 See Company Word Word of God unchangeable Part. 2 Pag. 108 Workes Workes of God the greatnesse of them 1 78 Good workes unchangeable Part. 2 Pag. 108 Gods greatnesse seene in
thorow performance For as it was in the old law a lame sacrifice was accepted as none so a lame prayer a lame hearing the word a lame performance of any exercise God reckons as none Therefore in these things God sends them away empty as they came What better are they doe their hearts get any thing Beloved God is a fountaine and if he meet with a fit pipe as is an ordinance rightly performed there he usually conveyes his grace but if he meet with a foule pipe and obstructed there hee doth not conferre any blessing Now if thou saist I have thus behaved my selfe and have not beene answered Doe not deceive thy selfe for if it be truly performed you shall be answered so that looke if it be truly done expect a blessing GOD will not suffer his ordinance at that time to be a pen without inke or a pipe without water I hope there be none of us here that neglect prayer to GOD morning and evening that live as if there no GOD in the world as if they were not his subjects if there be GOD will wound the hoary scalpe of such But these are not the men I speake to but they are those that doe it from day to day they pray from time to time and omit it not these are the men whom wee are to advertise in this case Take heede though you pray every day yet it may be thou hast not made a prayer all thy life yet and this is the case of many For if thou considerest what an ordinance is indeed thou shalt know that the Lord doth not reckon all petitioning as a prayer nor set it downe for the ordinance And it may bee the case of the Saints sometimes though we speake not now to them they may pray often and yet the Lord not register nor set it downe for a prayer and therefore it may never come into remembrance before him And this I take to be Davids case in the time of his adultery the ground of which you shall see Psal. 51.16 17. Open thou my lips O LORD and my mouth shall set forth thy praise David had as it were mistaken himselfe he thought that he had prayed and offered a sacrifice but saith he I was deceived all this while I was not able to open my mouth to any purpose therefore Lord open thou my mouth I brought sacrifice in but thou regardest it not till my heart was humbled Therefore a broken and a contrite heart O GOD thou wilt not despise Therefore you deceive your selves that goe on in a customary performance of holy duties and thinke that you pray for all this that thinke this worship to be in the spirit onely when your outward man carries it selfe negligently this is but a lame performance they must goe both together Therefore looke that it be an ordinance which then it is when not onely the spirit of a man is well set but the whole man is applied to the duty that is when all the strength of a man goes to it Object If you say May not a man pray sometimes when he is walking or lying or riding by the way or the like Answ. I answer There be two times of prayer one is ordinary and in private when you may have all opportunity to doe it in a holy and solemne manner and then you ought to doe it solemnly The other is when you pray occasionally and there the occasion and disposition doth not admit such outward solemnity as when a man gives thankes at meate or prayeth when hee rides Here the Lord accepts the will for the deed GOD requires not this upon all occasions yet when you may you ought to doe it in a reverent manner not onely of spirit but of the bodie also You may gather it from Christ he fell on his face and prayed Luke 22.42 and Daniel and Abraham it is said that they bowed themselves to the ground And it is said of Christ that hee lifted up his eyes to heaven when he blessed the loaves Why are these set downe If any man might be freed Iesus Christ might but it pleaseth the holy Ghost to set downe that circumstance of him that he fell on his face and that hee lift up his eyes to heaven Indeed in this case when it is hurtfull to the body there it may be omitted the Lord will have mercie rather than sacrifice even mercie upon your bodies So also when you finde that it hurts the inward man and hinders it when the heart doth it out of a conceit that it may performe it the better then there is a libertie left unto you to dispense with it As I say for prayer so for other duties when a man comes to heare the word hee saith my minde is intent enough though I make not such a shew yet notwithstanding know this that thou must behave thy self reverently when thou commest before God You shall see in Luke 4. when Christ preached it is said that the eyes of all the people were fastened upon him Why is such a corporall gesture noted in the text is it in vaine No because it is a comely gesture therefore it is to be regarded Quest. 2 How should we conceive of GOD in prayer seeing he is a Spirit and a Spirit we never saw what conceit and apprehension of GOD should we have then when we come to call upon his name Answ. Wee may not conceive him under any corporeall shape for he is a Spirit and therefore they that thinke they may worship the humanity of Christ disjoyned are deceived we are not to worship it as separated from his Deity for we are to worship the Trinity in the Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity which we cannot doe if we worship his humanitie as separated from his Deity Therefore when you come to pray before GOD you must remember that he is a Spirit filling heaven and earth strong gracious mercifull full of goodnesse and truth c. concerning which three things are to bee considered First That he is a Spirit Object But how shall I conceive of a Spirit Answ. How doest thou conceive of the soule of another man when thou speakest to him thou never didst see it yet thou knowest that there is such a spirit that fills the body and that doth understand what thou sayest and speakes to thee againe so remember this of the Lord that he is a Spirit Compare Ier. 23.24 with this Can any man hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Secondly That the Lord fills heaven and earth as the soule fills the body so that thou must thinke that hee sees all things and heares all things Indeed the Lord is not in the world as the soule is in the body but in an incomprehensible manner which we cannot expresse to you yet this is an expression which wee may helpe our selves by and is used every where
in Scripture Thirdly consider his Attributes that hee is a Spirit filling heaven and earth and hee is exceeding fearefull powerfull almighty exceeding gracious and long-suffering abundant in mercy and truth that hee hath pure eyes and cannot see any iniquity Deut. 24. So Exod. 34.6 As Moses could not see him but his Attributes his backe parts so thou must conceive of him that he is exceeding strong potent and fearefull one that will not holde the wicked innocent but shewes mercie to thousands of them that feare him and to sinners if they will come in unto him And thus you must conceive of him when you come before him FINIS THE TVVELFTH SERMON EXOD. 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM c. HAVING finished that point that GOD is a Spirit which is a particular expression of the Simplicity of GOD we come to speake of the Simplicity it selfe which is that Attribute by which he is one most pure and entire essence one most simple being without all composition so that there is no substance and accident matter and forme body and soule but he is every way most simple nothing in him but what is God what is himselfe The rise that it hath from hence we shall see hereafter All those phrases of Scripture where God is said to be love truth light and wisedome it selfe all these shew the Simplicity of God for of no creature can you say so The creature is wise and just and holy and true but to say it is truth it selfe love it selfe light it selfe or wisedome it selfe that cannot be attributed to any creature So that this you must know that God is one most pure intire and uniforme being or essence I AM shewes that he is a being and if we should aske what kinde of being he is he is a most simple and uncompounded being And that hee is so wee will make it cleare by these reasons Because if there be many things in him they must not be the same but different if different one hath one perfection which another wants if so there must be something imperfect in God for if the defect of that were made up it would be more perfect If there be two things in God then there is multiplication now all multiplication ariseth from some imperfection from some want and defect for if one would serve two would not be required As if one could draw a ship or boate up the streame two were needlesse if one medicine would cure two would be unnecessary so in all things else so that the reason of multiplication is because one will not serve the turne Therefore GOD being all-sufficient it is not needfull yea it cannot be that a breaking into two should be admitted in him and consequently he must be most simple without all composition a pure and intire essence full of himselfe and nothing besides If GOD should have love in him or justice or wisedome or life or any other quality different from his essence as the creatures have them he should be what he is not originally of himselfe but derivatively and by participation and so imperfectly as to be fiery is more imperfect than to be fire it selfe to be gilded is more imperfect than to be gold it selfe So to be wise loving holy that is to be indewed with the qualities of wisedome love holinesse is more imperfect than to be wisedome and love and holinesse it selfe Therefore there is not a substance and a quality in GOD as in the creature but he is love and light and wisedome and truth and so the Scripture expresseth him Wheresoever there is any composition there must be two or three things so that there may be a division they are seperable though not separated but where division may be there may be a dissolution and destruction though it never be But of GOD we cannot say that this may be and consequently there cannot be two things in him but what he is he is one most simple most pure and most intire being without all composition and multiplication If GOD be not simple there must be parts of which he is compounded But in GOD blessed for ever there are no parts because then there should be imperfection for every part is imperfect Againe Parts are in order of nature before the whole but in God there is nothing first or second because he is simply first Againe Parts cannot be united and knit and compounded together without causes to doe it but here is no cause to knit and unite any part together because he is without all cause as hath beene shewed before I will conclude this with a reason out of the text He is a being I AM hath sent mee unto you If he be a being then either the first or second being A second being he cannot be for then there should be some before him and above him upon which he should be dependent but this cannot be therefore hee is absolutely the first being Adam was the first man but God onely is the first absolute being Now the first being was never in possibility to be and therefore he is a pure act in regard of his essence Againe there are no qualities springing from him for if there were they should have had sometimes no being and so in possibility to be and consequently have a beginning and be a creature Therefore there is neither Potentia substantialis nor accidentalis in him and so hee must be purus actus as the Schoolemen say and therefore he is most simple without all composition This I speake to schollers for it is a mixt auditory and therefore you must give mee a little liberty Now I come to those Consectaries which flow from hence and they are these three If God be such a simple first pure and absolute being then hence you may see what a stable foundation our faith hath to rest upon we are built upon the lowest foundation in all the world that is upon the first most absolute and simple and pure and intire being which I say is the lowest foundation that depends upon no other but all upon it and this is the happy condition of all Christians and of them alone Angels men heaven and earth are foundations to some things which are built upon them but they are all built upon this and therefore dependent For if this foundation shake it selfe for so he hath power to doe they all fall to ruine But God is the first simple and lowest foundation being the first absolute and simple being therefore he that is built upon him hath the greatest stability which is the transcendent happinesse of Christians above all men in the world And this is a great priviledge