do get Wisdome for all my other Gettings I must get understanding For the Merchandize of it is better then the Merchandize of silver and the gain thereof then â—ine Gold This is that Wisdome which is more precious then Rubies and all the things thou canst desire is not to be compared to her Thou once having this High Esteeme of this Super-Excellent Super-Eminent Life thou wilt search for it as men search for silver and dig for it as for Hidd Treasures For believe it These are of infinite more value These are Everlasting Eternal Durable Riches The other are not so But the men of the world they esteeme silver and Gold and such like to be their Highest Riches and therefore all their Loves Mights and endeavours are to digg for them but these souls are quite contrary and put worth upon things of Worth indeed The violent take this Kingdome by force saith our Saviour Nor can it be gotten other waies This life cannot be obtained without strong Affections to it Not with sitting still nor in a general and formall road of profession it will not fall into our laps nor is it gotten by pattering over a few cold prayers but it must be Esteemed Prized Loved above all things else it will never bee laid hold on none else shall ever come neare it if any other thing take off your Eye or your Love from the persuit thereof you immediately lose the very sight of it He that findeth this life he indeed findeth life Wisdome loveth them that love her and those that seek her early shall find her Riches and honour are with her yea durable Riches and righteousness But he that sinneth against her or neglecteth her hateth his own soul. And this is the finall conclusion he makes Proverbs 8. 36. All that hate me love death yet know it is the Lord that worketh all our works in us â—sai 26. 12. And t is He that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 3. 13. c. These laborious Sermons do sweetly discover this Life This Pearl but till you come to experience them you will finde them full of Pâ—rables and hard Sayings not onely to such as are void of understanding and to the men of this world but to all such though filled with knowledge who are without the true knowledge of God even to all out of Christ for as the Apostle Paul saith The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 13. The worldly wise or men onely literally learned are uncapable of such Doctrines for St. Paul saith of such that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to â—ought the understanding of the prudent and as it were looks about him and cryes out Where is the wise Where is the scribe Where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world 1 Cor. 1. 19 20. And it is certain that the profound Rabbies and Philosophers require a sign and seek after wisdom that is such as is but humane or sensual carnal and devillish Iam. 3. 15. and therefore if Christ crucified be preached he is to the Iews and most learned men a stumbling-block and unto the Gentiles foolishness And St. Iohn saith of those great and learned men of the Jews that they plainly expressed so much Do any of our rulers believe on him no no they did not nor could not they wanted the seeing eye and hearing eare to know and receive him for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Life Tâ—ese labours then are fit indeed and onely fit for such as are weak in themselves poor and despised of the world yet called of God and precious because they hold out Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. and of a truth the great and the wise men nor the learned are not called or very few of them to the knowledge of God by the Gospel and thereupon unfit for such spiritual doctrine nay is it not true as the Apostle saith You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the world and things that are despised God hath chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 27 28. And therefore to you even to all you whose life is hid with Christ in God The seed of Abraham children of faith and of the promises begotten and descended of the bloud and seed Royal is this piece of Heavenly directions presented who are experienced and builded upon the Rock Iesus Christ and who know what that Annihilation Mortification and Self-denial is which is taught in these Sermons and by Christ was also wrought in the Author himself and otherâ— and tends to tâ—e confusion of the Mystical Babel in mens spirits so strongly erected in mens â—earts so that very few yet scarce know truly wâ—at the confounding of that language means in themselves Oh how rare how precious how excellent and sweet is this spiritual practical experimental life but where to be found where are the living Monuments of it and where are the Books of it where are those Choise ones that know it and do it How few in these days though Christians in profession do press towards the mark for the price of the high calling and who act true Mortification How few enjoy those true and sure treasures pleasures raptures riches and possessions which are in Christ How few do discern the true way to that High Rich Supereminent life But indeed few are the Preachers of it and few be the Labourers in this harvest Oh! Therefore seeing the harvest is great and the labourers few how should we incessantly pray that the Lord would send â—orth such Spiritual and Mortified labourers into his harvest But what may be the cause of this paucity or scarceness certainly t is because the practical part and the contemplative also are clean contrary to flesh and bloud unpleasant to the carnal man few men desire to take up much less to bear the cross of Christ which is the onely way thereunto and if men travell not in the right way how can they come to their journeys end themselves or how can they direct or encourage others to enter into it Oh! this great Idol corrupted self is too much served and worshipped Men are lovers of themselves more then of God very few practise now answerable to the Primitive Christians who delighted in self-denial and spiritual love very few prize the cross of Christ in themselves but rather
be for a fire and his holy one for a flame and it shall burn and devour his thorns in one day And he is FIRE in three regards In regard of Burning Heat Light First The nature of Fire is to burn Fire cannot burn it self take notice of that fire cannot burn fire but all things else it will burn and consume So doth Christ he is that fire that burns up all our works and whatsoever is not himself and his own work INUS he consumes and annihilaâ—es The Light of Israel shal be for a fire and his holy one for a flame it shall burn and devour his thorns and his brâ—ers in one day Know this the more sin the more fire the greater burning Mal. 3. 2. Who may abide the day of his coming who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like refiners fire and like fullers sope Christ is this fire and let me tell you this burning and consuming is for your good it is that out of the old ashes of the old man you may have a new life a new resurrection Examine thy self hath this fire cut off thy hands and feet and pulled out thy right eye hath it consumed thy young men 〈◊〉 hath it burnt up thy OLD heaven and thy OLD earth that so ye may enjoy a new heaven and a new earth 2 Pet. 3. 7. Nay further let me aske thee hath it thrown all thy gods in the fire hath it burnt up all thy idols yet I tell ye this burning is not unto death but unto life as Christ said of Lazarus This sickness is not unto death but be sure that as the Lord Jesus Christ burneth up and woundeth so he healeth and maketh alive again I would and I heal Secondly the work of fire is to heat so Christ after he hath destroyed and burnt up all our actions then he breathes into us a gentle warmth and heat of his own Spirit to cherish and revive us again that so we may no longer live our own lives but the life of Christ. Thirdly The nature of fire is to give light when That day dawns to us that Christ comes into the soul we shall find He brings light with him and this is called Christs day Our first day is our own day that is a day of darkness a day of gloominess and thick clouds but the day of the Lord is a terrible day our flesh trembleth for fear of thee for who shall abide the day of thy coming and who shall stand when thou appearest for thou art like refiners fire and like fullers sope When Christ comes into the soul he comes not onely with light to discover but like fire to burn up all that building that we have made to our selves and that we have raised by our own power and breathes warmly and gently by his Spirit his own life until by degrees he brings a glorious light into the soul He then turns us from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God And all this is done by one and the same act in God although those acts be divers and distinct in the creature that is the same act in God which comes to the obstinate and perverse and hardens them which comes to the humble and meek and softens them the same act in him Hardens and Softens as the Sun doth wax and clay That same God which was darkness at the bottom of Mount Sinai was light in the top of the Mount He is the same God in himself to all but he works diversly in regard of the creatures He is the same God in a frozen and hard heart as he is in a repenting and bleeding soul but to the one he appears not but in wrath and vengeance ready to take revenge on them for their sins but to the other he appears in mercy and love and marries himself to them he communicates to them his sweet loves and their wills are swallowed up in his and these onely are they that can say in truth Not my will but thine be done but the other they cannot forsake themselves their own will their own ends but this is but by the way And this you see in brief what the fire is Our God is a consuming fire But now what is the salt I know it is divers wayes taken and expounded Some take it to be wisdom and discretion in speech and for proof they cite that place of the Apostle Let your speech be alwayes gracious seasoned with salt for so Solomon saith A wise man may hold up his head before Princes and they give this reason As salt keeps things from stinking so doth wisdom so salt and season a mans words that his words may not be unsavoury to wise men so that he is not laught to scorn Others take it for holiness and sincerity in life and conversation as our Saviour saith Ye are the salt of the earth Mat. 5. 13. that is say they when by their living well speaking the Truth in their words and expressing holiness in all thir actions this seasons their lives maketh them savoury before God and men So also they interpret that of our Saviour Mat. 5. 13. Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost his savâ—â—r wherewith shall it be salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men when men live not as they profess they are unsavoury and men tread such mens profession under their feet and therefoâ—e say they He admonisheth them to strive for integrity of life and soâ—ndness in doctrine and constancy in suffering for these things honour their profession and seasons them with salt and makes them savoury to God and to men But to be short and without any more circumstances that we may come to the matter intended The fire and the salt are both one and that is Christ himself as I have told you He is the fire so He is the salt as the Apostle saith Heb. 2. 11. Both he that sanctifyeth and they who are sanctified are all one So Jesus Christ he is the fire that salteth and the salt wherewith it salteth as is exprest in the verse before the Text. Indeed I confess the Apostles also were called Salt Mat. 5. 13. Ye are the Salt of the earth saith Christ himself not that they were the Salt themselves or the salt indeed but they were those which uttered the salt they taught salt as I may say and where rathâ—r as we may call them Salters those which sold and uttered the true salt which is CHRIST to the world But I say of them as the Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. 3. 4 5. While one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo who is Paul or who is Apollo but Ministers by whom you believed neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God c. and in another
place saith he Was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul So say I were the Apostles crucified for you are they those that suffered for you and redeemed you are they those that are the Salt Life Strength and Support to you no no for themselves had need of salting therefore they were not The Salt but they were the Instruments or Ministers which Christ used to convey to us the true Salt and in no other regard were they called The salt of the earth And again Christ saith in the same sense Mat. 5. 14. Ye are the light of the world and again S. Iohn saith and more properly Iohn 1. 9. He is the true light which lightneth every man which cometh into the world and himself saith Iohn 8. 12. I am the light of the world He it was also that was typisied in all the Oblations under the Law and throughout the old Testament He was the True Paschal Lamb He was the true Sacrifice he was that Fire that must alwaies burn upon the Altar Levit. 6. 13. He also was that salt commanded for the salt was never wanting and in the verse before my Text Christ himself cites that place Every sacrifice saith he shall be salted with salt he was that salt which must never be wanting he seasons every Oblation Lev. 2. 13. he is the Salt of the everlasting covenant unto thee and thy seed for ever he was that Salt that Elisha threw into the waters and healed them and those many waters are many people as it is expâ—essed in the Revelation in sum he is the Substance the MIND of the whole Scriptures As he is the fire by reason of burning â—nd because of heat and light so he is the salt that sweetens and savours evâ—â—y thing As he is the light that enlightneth so he is the salt that salâ—eâ—h â—very man He it was thâ—â— was wanting in that people which God upbraideth Ezek. 16. That were cast forth to the world in their blood and filâ—hiness and their navel was not cut and they were not salted at all that is they had not Christ that true salt applyed to them that shoâ—ld have made then savoury to God That which is unsavoury shall it be eaten without salt Iob 16. 4. It is this salt that must season the venison that must be savoury meat for old Isaac it is not your salt no nor your VENISON not the daintiest meat you can provide not the best duties you can perform will please him except they be salted and seasoned by his own Son let them be the best actions that ever man performed never so well purposed never so good and excelling both for the matter and manner of them away with them without This Salt it is onely in his son that he is well pleased Never think that all your prayers your tears your alms c. please him but onely that which is his Sons own action and work in you else they stink and are abominable in his eyes he will not he cannot regard them The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to him The Devil made as true and as large a Confession of Christ as any man can do look upon the words and not upon him that spake them and you would think they were the words of a Saint O thou Iesus of Nazareth Son of the most high God I know thee who thou art even the holy one of God indeed it was extorted and came from them against their wills but Christ accepted it not because this glorious confession was without salt it was not from a sweet feeling experience of him in them but from some self-ends Therefore I have observed that the Devil where he is worshipped to imitate God hath brought in in all his Sacrifices the use of salt nay so eminently true is this that as the Devils cry out and attest unto him though against their wills so by their practice we may note that under salt was hidden that great mystery and secret of all Religion by their great care to use salt thereby to imitate the worship of God as Iosephus noteth against Appion and Ierome against Vigilantius Pliny Plato and others Christ spake altogether in Parables for sayes the Text without a parable spake he nothing unto them yet know he alwayes spake in such parables as were not absurd ones but they had a most fit correspondency and resemblance to the things themselves and those speeches of his which to us seem not congruous had we but eyes to see even every one of them they would be like apples of gold with pictures of silver so aptly and fitly are they spoken as no man can speak like him As there is not a word nor a syllable in all this blessed book of God but is really true so all the words therein they are spoken with infinite wisdome there are Wonders in all Christs words but our eyes are shut that we cannot see the wonders of Gods Law and as Christ spake much in Parables so doth God much in Allegoâ—ies the truth is hid under shadows and Mysteries in the Letter But the reasons as I conâ—eive why Christ is compared to salt are these First There is a healing power in salt Little do you know the vertue that is in salt to cure all manner of diseases for Antidotes against poysons to heal all manner of wounds as some have written thereof at large I do not say salt rudely taken as it is in our common use but salt duly prepared and made â—it to every use nothing more useful nothing more excellent In this regard salt having such an healing vertue for all wounds poisons diseases Christ is more truly salt to the soul then salt is to the body he is precious salt and duly prepared and â—itted for all our diseases no infirmity or malignant disease in us though never so desperate but This Salt will cure it If you have gotten such a wound that you are as a man fallen from an high place upon a heap of stones so that you are bruised all over if you be covered with the leprosie of 〈◊〉 from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet so that no part no member no faculty is free His everlasting mercy and His never failing goodness and his Almighty power is a never failing Medicine that can fit and compound such ingredients that shal answer the disease of every part If there be an utter enmity between God and you in your apprehension so that you have no hope of ever coming into his favour and nothing you can do can prevail with him set but Christ between God and you and he will heal this enmity When he was here upon earth in the flesh no disease could withstand him in the body so I am sure none can in the soul But if you have not Him there is no way but you must dye
though he be your daily guest as S. Iohn Baptist said of our Saviour Ioh. 1. 26. so say I There is one in the midst of you whom you know not namely Antichrist this Devil this Darkness and Blindness with all other his names whatever He may be called and this I woâ—ld have you know so as your selves may see and feel that he is in you In the midst of you so that you may both Hear him and See him I beseech you arraign and examine your selves for I would fain make you all Iustices and Iudges of your selves And I shall shortly shew you your Commission and I pray when you hear your selves Arraigned by any of those several names answer to your names and cry Here Here and say to your selves as Nathan to David and clap your hand on every ones breast and say Thou art the man and also I would have you to answer as David to Nathan I have sinned and this is the way for me to pronounce to you that Absolution The Lord hath put away thy sin The first Name then I say which opposeth it self against this our True and BLESSED Conformity with Christ in those sufferings formerly mentioned He is called the OLD man Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified c. And he is so called not because he is Old and Ancient of dayes but because He is The Old-man in our practice we are begotten with him As David confesses Psal. 51. In sin I was begotten and brought forth and it were better for us we had never been born then to be but so born we are by nature sayes the Apostle Children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. Thus God and his Word accounts of us what Lands soever we have and what HEIRS soever we be what Honours and Titles soever we have Our father is an Amorite and our mother an Hittite Ezek. 16. 3. we are without God Strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel c. thus we are in Gods esteem what ever glory and splendour we have to the world let Lords and great ones mind this as our Saviour tells Nicodemus A man cannot enter into the Kingdom of God but he must be born again Ioh. 3. 3 these were his words that spake So true as never man spake He whose words could admit of no untruth Paul indeed saith now I speak and now the Lord and this the Lord and now I but here is one that alwayes spoke the words of God he never spake of himself But saith he verily verily a man must be born again whaâ—ever it be that tends not to Regeneration must be cut off it must be brought down Thus I say this STRONG MAN stands in our way under the name and term of the OLD Man but he is not onely a Strong man but he stands also Armed Therefore the more strong the more Terrible The more Hard to Resist And he wishes us to keep back and not to adventure upon our own ruine And his Armour is Custome in sin and Prescription How hardly is a custome broke a man can assoon die as leave an old custome Eph. 4. 22 23. That is That ye cast off concerning the conversation in times past that OLD MAN which is corrupt through the deceivable lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and saith Ieremy Can the Leopard change his spots or the Blackamore his skin Ier. 13. 23. Can custome in sin be broken if it can then may you learn to do well which are accustomed to evil if it be broken I am sure it was never by your will or power you may thank God for it He it is that hath overcome this Man Armed You your selves could never have overcome him It may be here is in this Congregation a good number of Christians real Christians and you have overcome this Old man but how you may thank God for it you had never been so nor had ever overcome had not He been and had not he fought for you you had never overcome him Custome in sin is a great matter as Augustine speaking of his conversion Saith That when he was resolved to forsake his sins then Custom in sin came and set upon him and sayes he All my sins and all my Old delights came before me Crying unto me What will ye leave us now what We that have been such Old Companions loved so dearly will you now forsake us Have we not often given you much delight and content and must we now part and part for ever And so part as never to see one another again So that Custome in sin may well be called the Armour of this Old man for it is A Strong Armour A second name is Adam and yet not excluding Eve good women do not think so But I may say as S. Paul sayes Neither is the MAN without the Woman in the Lord nor the WOMAN without the Man So may I Too truly say neither is the Man without the Woman in the Devil not the Woman without the Man in the Devil and so both are in the transgression nay the woman was first in the transgression 1 Tim. 2. 14. the whole man is defiled Soul and Body And we call it Adam because It hides it self fâ—om God and because by it as by Adam Sin entred into the world as in our form of baptism we pray That the Old Adam may be so buried in us and that the new man may live and grow in us But What did Adam He hid himself This is one property in this Old Adam when Adam had sinned He Hid himself as he thought from God And God asks him Adam where art thou but what a vain thought was this in him to think to hide himself from God From His all-seeing Creator and Maker But This Adam had some LEAVES to hide himself among that is some Excuses for He is not Unarmed for in what shape soever he is represented he hath Armour Fitted to him And his armour in this is Amolition of the crime putting it off himself And even thus Do not we do as Adam did Hath not he taught us the Trick of it to Hide our selves from God though we no not do as Adam did to run among the trees yet we do something equivalent something like it so that we are not onely Adam naked but we even as Adam did sow fig-leaves together for Aprons Rather then Adam would accuse himself he would accuse the woman and then the woman the Serpent nay rather then he will be guilty or confess his sin he will accuse God himself Thou gavest me the woman saith he So do not we do the same Rather then we will accuse our selves we will accuse God If we be charged why hast thou done this Oh I could not help it it is this flesh that thou gavest me is not this our case why hast thou done this thing we have our answer ready The spirit is
see light Psal. 36. 9. all other light is but darkness till we come to see things by this light we see them all by a False light every thing is of quite contrary colour in the light that we thought it to be in the dark The light discovers every thing as it is but till this light be come into the soul we believe not that we are in Darkness we think we have as true a light as can be will you make us believe we are blind Saith the Pharisee to Christ but say they quite contrary In my light we shall see light however some may be in darkness we are in the light neither can they be perswaded there is any better light then their own light As for example there be several things that live in the two Elements as those on the earth and those in the water those that be in the water cannot see things on land as they are t is true they have a light but it is a false light things are not represented to them as they are because there is water between the sight and the thing but those that live on the land they see things as they are there is no obstacle between them and the things they look on neither can those on the land see things in the water on the same reason So it is in our spiritual estate there be those that live in two Elements in the light of Nature and in the light of Grace those that live in the first they think there is no better light nor there can be no better for think they Are not we the onely men do not we live obedient to the Laws and seek to do justice and equity towards all and pay every man his own do not we live uprightly do not we govern justly and uprightly and according to Gods Laws do not we bridle sin and sinners that they run not into that excess of riot that some do do not we also submit our selves to authority over us and walk honestly in our places and live peaceably with all men These men these are the men I say they live in the water they have but a duskish glimmering light though they thus boast themselves nothing appears truly to them they think themselves in a very good case there is no better light then theirs and those that think there is they are deceived They know that they are in the good way those that will seek for any better light they think their forwardness will quite put out their light And those that are below them they think those are in as bad case They know not what will become of Swearers and Cheaters and Drunkards and Whoreâ—ongers c. If it were possible it should go ill with us what should become of the multitude say they O Beloved all this is False light For If once you go about to measure your selves by others let them be who they will be you will be found too scanty When God shall come to weigh you in the ballance of the sanctuary you will be found too light God will not weigh us by the holiest men but by his own weights he will not judge thee by thy light but by his own light And if once this bright light be lighted up in the soul The light of the candle shall never need to shine in that soul more there needs neither the light of the Sun nor the Moon for the glory of God shines in it and the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 22. 5. But the Armour of this False light is Reason whatever seems good to reason that is good and if you cannot shew them a reason it cannot be good for say they as Nabal said to David who was so wicked a man could not speak to him saith the Text is it reason that I should take my victuals that I have prepared for my Sheep-shearers and give unto strangers 1 Sam. 25. 11. Is it not reason I should take notice of my gifts and graces that God hath bestowed upon me of my wisdom of my understanding of my memory which God hath given me of my labours and attainments above another take heed take heed I pray thee this may cost thee thy life 〈…〉 to cost Nabal his had not wise Abigail come and met David if Gods wisdom doth not come and prevent thy reason and thy wisdom they will destroy thee Object Why is that any hurt to make a difference where God hath made a difference I see I have these gifts above another and I praise God for them what shall I deny the good things that God hath given me no no by no means Answ. But glorying herein will undo thee and besides is this giving honour one to another as the Apostle commands Rom. 12. 10. In honour preferring one another and accounting thy self the least Read that Rev. 18. 23. Thy Merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived The Apostle commands Not to mind High things but to condescend to men of low estate Nor be not wise in your own conceits The twelfth name is Darkness Why are we in darkness we have the light and have had it these seventy years and 〈◊〉 if any Nation in the world are free from this name we are we have the light as well as you You may indeed go teach this to the Indians and the Salvages and to those that know not God to those that live in the Antipodes that go feet to feet with us they may perhaps believe this Doctrine and oonfess themselves guilty but you shall never make us believe it concerns us Beloved whatever you think That you have the light know it you are in darkness as in Ephes. 4. 18. Having their understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart And as our Saviour saith if the light that is in you be darkness how great is that darkness That is when men boast of light and yet are in darkness when they are proud of darkness how great is that darkness they call good evil and evil good they call sweet sowre and sowre sweet That which men and flesh calls good that they call good what nature and reason sayes is good that is good and onely good but God calls that evil which they call good and contrary that good which they call evil Therefore saith the Apostle Fashion not your selves according to the world call not that good which the world calls good which this corrupt flesh sayes is good saith it wealth is good and health is good and fair weather is good and pleasure is good do not men say the same do not Heathens say the same therefore this is darkness yea Egyptian darkness that may be FELT If you were not overcome with Darkness And the Armour of this Darkness is love of darkness and
of man take away Iness as I may call it and selfness and propriety and then there is a fair paper for God to write what Commands he pleases then no Command crosses them You know our Saviour Christ saith Matt. 10. 39. He that will deny himself shall save himself and again There is no man that hath forsaken houses or lands or wife or children or good name for his sake and the Gospels but he shall have a hundred-fold even in this world houses and lands and wife c. Brethren if you did but believe this could you be so over diligent so eager so covetous for the getting holding and saving of them or would ye not rather if Christ should command you eâ—en Run out of Church and burn you houses presently if you knew you should have a hundred-fold for them but whether you believe it or no his word is true and all men shall be â—ound lyars Heaven and earth shall pass away before one tittle of his word shall fail his words were the words of truth it self they could not admit of the least shadow of untruth and those that Christ hath brought to this condition we now speak of know them to be unspeakably true viz. That one hours joy one hours enjoyment of sure secure peace and joy in the Holy Ghost which they have instead of those things is more worth a thousand fold then a thousand years enjoyment of all the wealth and riches in the world nay they find it better to have One minutes enjoyment of this ravishing contentment then to have all the honour all the riches all the attendants or whatever the world could afford them though for ever And if the scales of ignorance which now blind and darken your understanding were but fallen from your eyes you should undoubtedly find it so and till then you will never believe me nay though one should rise from the dead and affirm these things you can look on them but as empty words wind and shadows Yet let me tell you O Beloved were your eyes but opened you would be so in love with this condition nothing could keep you from it you would not say as the sluggard in the Proverbs There is a Lion in the way no no your souls would be restless till you attain thereto I beseech you exaamine your souls and try them whether you are in this condition or you are not let not things hang wavering and weigh down neither side If God be God follow him if Baal be God follow him you will be hankering towards heaven and fain you would be saved but till you be brought to a resolved Resolution to take it by violence there is no obtaining Consider this man in two things 1 Consider what ever God gives he arrogates nothing to himself and counts himself not worthy of any thing neither can he rejoyce in it as his own but as given from God 2 What ever Lesson God sets this man to perform he ascribes the whole power and strength of it to God onely attributing no power to himself while he doth it yet he doth it not but God in him Or if he avoid any sin he confesseth it was by no power no watchfulness no wariness of his own whereby he did it for herein is the misery of all that man will not acknowledge but some power he hath of his own he can do something of himself And herein was the sin of Adam not so much in eating an Apple but that Adam would have and appropriate a power to himself he would be something without God for if Adam had taken seven Apples it had been nothing setting self-will aside and aiming at self pleasing against the Command of God But Adam would have power in himself he would have his own will he would have an essence of his own this was that which ruined him and so also all his posterity to this day and for ever Thirdly Consider This man he takes all well that God doth whether he give to him or take from him all is one to him he is never troubled he suffers no rending in his soul in leaving them neither rejoyces in the getting of them for he knows they are Gods and they are due to him whensoever he shall call for them As an honest man that knows a sum of money is due he having it ready he had as live the owner had it as himself for he cannot account it his own he cannot boast and pride himself in that which is none of his own This is that we call Reducing our selves to nothing To just nothing so that here we have set before you A lively Statue and Portraiure of a sequestered man which hath lost all that ever he hath in this world 1 He receives all as from God and looks on them as none of his own and he not worthy of the least mercy being less then the least as Iacob confesseth Gen. 32. 10. not in word onely but really he is so in his own esteem Not worth the ground he goes upon as we say And then secondly he uses them all to the glory of God and not to the satisfaction of the flesh and his own will and lusts but distributes them as God commands And if he have Wife Children Honours Riches c. he sets not his heart on them And thirdly I should have shewed you but I forgot he is as glad and rejoyces as much in the good of others as in his own good he is not contented to enjoy plenty himself or any good temporal or spiritual but he would have others enjoy the like and is willing to communicate to them Fourthly he is ready to part with them willingly when ever God calls for them And lastly Because as Eliphaz saith to Iob because the consolations of God seem no small thing to him therefore he is indifferent in all these things so God take not his holy Spirit from him and those inward joyes and refreshings from his own presence he cares not let him take from him else what he will Now what is it think you that this man feareth that hath thus overcome and is set down with Christ in his throne he cannot so much as fear death for he dyes dayly And what do you think now can separate this man from the love of Iesus Christ what can â—inder him from boasting and triumphing though not of or in himself but as the Apostle doth Ro. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter nay in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth
daily in our souls Did he heal the lame and cast out Devils then He doth the same in our souls And whereever he doth them he doth them so as they shall never be Blind more never Dumb more never Deaf more the devil shall never possess thee more The whole letter of the word is but Christs Body and therefore we must not be content with that and rest in that When once we have the Substance of Christs actions there is no more use oâ— the signes we must labour to find out the Truth that is hid in this shell and to find the treasure the pearl that is hid in this field seek for THE WORD as our Saviour prayes Father sanctifie them with thy truth Thy WORD is Truth Mosâ— men henâ—e think when they read the letter of the word they think they read Gods word No no this is not the truth that Christ calls truth for he himself is the Word the Truth and the Life He is the meat and the marrow of which that is but the Bone and the shell Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life for they testifie of me I am the substance I am the SOUL of them And they do but testifie of Me they are not the life the soul Yet I prize the letter as high as any man but I must not prefer the Handmaid before the Mistress Yet much ado there hath been among many men about this Letter of the word who pretend to know much in Gods word as if they knew whatever were to be known They are gone so far and are come to such perfection as they think that they can resolve any point in Divinity give the interpretation of any place of Scripture and many large voluminous works have been published to the world and filled it full of their Expositions but God knows how many of them have kept a deal ado and much blustring to little purpose And in our dayes and in our Nation what talk is there everywhere of Gods word when indeed and in truth most men are ignorant of Gods word and all is because they take these Literal black letters to be The word of God you are deceived Is it The Word of God because it is English or Latin or Greek or Hebrew can we tell whether ever God spake in any of these languages or if he did These Letters cannot be The word of God If any way The word be taken in vain it is this way when men think God speaks to them And they hear him when they read the letter You are deceived in this The letter doth but bear Witness to the truth Christ is the Truth and the letter gives Testimony to him See what the Evangelist sayes The Word is Joh. 1. In the beginning was the word Bibleswere not then and the word was God This is That Word so magnified both in the old and new Testament To which all their Sacrifices and Prophesies pointed to in shadows but the Substance of them is Christ as the Apostle saith Heb. 10. The Law is but a Shadow of good things to come But Christ he is The Word He is The Truth He is those good things promised throughout All the Scriptures The letter is but the Shadow the Signes the BODY and Substance is Iesus Christ. And if it be so then let me say thus much more to you Never any man ever yet Saw the Truth nor ever any man Heard the truth nor ever read the truth Those that onely read the Letter they are ignorant of the word for the truth is the word and the word is the Spirit It is the Spirit That discerns the word through the letter and it is the Spirit that applyes it where ever it works it is the Spirit onely that knows the truth And t is the Spirit onely that fructifies and thrives by it and lives in it The word heard or read is but the Bark the Outside the Sheath the Lanthorn but the Sap the Life the Sword the Light that is within And this is Onely Christ Co-Essential with the Father This is that word which the Scripture speaks of which is able to make the man of God perfect for as the Apostle saith The Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did for do you what you can yea keep the whole Law according to the letter yet this cannot make us perfect But this word this truth we now unfold is the Sure the real the true the eternal word against which The gates of hell shall never be able to prevail Have ye what ye can of the letter except ye have also Christ the substance thereof the letter will but deceive you for you have but the shadow and therefore you must needs be deceived for you to think you have the substance when you have but the shadow It is not any outward thing we can do will do us any good it is the Spirit the word it self that doth the deed Yet I must tell you more That this word and Christ and the Spirit All dwell Among us dwell In us and we know them not as Iohn 1. 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him He dwels among us and yet the world knows him not nay He came among his Own and his Own received him not These are strange expressions what may be the meaning of this Divine high-flowen Eagle for that is his Embleme I conceive it was to shew that he soared and flew higher in Divine contemplations of truth and in the knowledge of the Mystery then all the rest of the Evangelists This was he of whom it is said The Disciple whom Iesus loved and this is he thaâ— Leaned on his breast at supper This was he that had all those divine visions and Secret mysteries revealed to him in the Isle of Pathmos who writ the Revelation and was therefore called IOHN the Divine I conceive his meaning is when he saith He came and dwelt among us and yet the world knew him not although it was made by him was this that God in Jesus Christ dwells in every creature but the creature comprehends it not Because the light shineth in darkness and the Darkness cannot comprehend the light It is in him as the Apostle saith that we live move and have our being and yet we know it not because we are compassed about with darkness nay we are Darkness it self Is it not a strange thing that He should be in Us be so near us and be our light and our life our sun and our shield and yet we not know him we not be acquainted with him But He Shines in Darkness what 's that that is All creatures are darkness to him God in himself is light of lights infinitely far above and beyond all creatures if he put forth himself in the making of any creature that creature is infinitely below him the highest of creatures is
not onely represent and point to but they are also those which hide and blind him from our sight Isa. 12. 6. Cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee He that is an Inhabitant of Zion will upon the sight of God in any Creature fall down before him in a holy extasie and amazement of spirit fall down and worship him The seeing him to be so Infinite and Great and filling all things that they must with the Prophet in an holy ravishment and extasie as being made drunk overcome and swallowed up cry out and shout Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee The word in the Original signifies in the inmost inwardest part of thee When this Divine Being shall arise discover and rouse up it self before the poor soul that never saw him before Oh! how amazed ashamed confounded is it in it self This seeing of God is onely peculiar to the Saints God is onely manifested in them and to them but not at all in Reprobates but he is hidden and removed from their sight and believing though not at all out of them The Chariots of God are 〈◊〉 thousand yea even thousands of Angelâ— the Lord is among them as in Sinai You see I hope by this what sweet and glorious truths are couched in these few words These words I think many of you have read oftten but how few have 〈◊〉 them You may see now by this Doctrine what a glorious privilege the Saints have to have Christ dwelling in them by faith so that they see not onely that their bodies are the Temples of that great Holy One but they by faith see him filling and dwelling in all Creatures And know this that God is not revealed or manifested but onely in and to the Saints not effectually and operatively though notionally and in words men may acknowledge these things but they are not inwardly thus filled amazed overcome and swallowed up with the glory of the Lord even as the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle For they can and must say and cry out of all 〈◊〉 Oh! How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God when shall I come and appear before God! A day in thy 〈◊〉 is better then a thousand elsewhere I had rathâ—â— be a Door-keeper in the house of my God 〈…〉 dwel in the Tents of wickedness Those are 〈…〉 wickedness where God is not seen and 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 and have their habitatioâ— the Tents of â—edar But that man that enjoyes God thus his soul is filled with the fulness 〈◊〉 â—reatness of his presence even as the house 〈…〉 with the odour of that ointment Ioh. 12. 3. How was blessed Mary taken with those sweet drops that fel from her Saviours lips Luk. 10. 39. who made it her whole business content happiness nay whos 's All it was so she could but sit at his feet stare in his face hang upon his lips and hearken to his honey-dropping healing words Oh! blessed is that man that thus seeth thee trusteth in thee no marvel that these men undervalue all the afflictions and all the glory of the world and see that they are not worthy to be compared with this glory revealed in them as the Apostle saith concerning afflictions Rom. 8. 18. All glories are nothing all afflictions are light and vain compared to this fulness of God filling all things The next thing considerable is their number they are said to be twenty thousand even thousands of Angels many Interpreters differ in the explanation of this number but I having viewed al or most of their judgments I conclude that here a certain number is put for an uncertain as it is often in Scripture as Numb 10. 36. when the Ark was set down and rested this Proverb was appointed to be said at its seting down Return O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel there is put an uncertain number but in the margin you may see the word signifies a certain as well as an uncertain number and an uncertain as well as a certain either of both Which Interpretation gave Hierome and Novatianus the hint to say in plain words twenty thousand or thousands of Angels that is they are innumerable infinite immense And I think that interpretation is best and most agreeable to the manner of the Scriptures expressions and to the meaning of the word here used and elsewhere For the Hebrew word Ribboth signifies ten thousand in all numbers and Ribbaboth is interpreted 2 Sam. 18. 7. ten thousand and Rebaboth the plural number is rendred Numb 10. 36. the many thousands of Israel which come all from the Verb Rabbah multiplicavit and Rabmultus which gave Hierome and Novatianus that hint before expressed Then the Chariots of God are numberless that is no man can number them not but that God can number them and call them all by their names as David sayes of the Stars Psal. 147. 4. for any number that can be numbered is but like the number of the Beast Rev. 13. 18. which is according to the number of a man but God numbereth all things for as he made all things in weight and measure so in number Wisd 11. 17. Suppose as great a number as can be numbered as great as can be called or named yet Gods numbering is beyond all thought and to us it is impossible to number them If all the words that ever I spake or ever shall speak were unmbered if the minutes that are past since the world began were numbered this is beyond the number of a man But God can number all things he hath made all things both in number weight and measure but himself is the plot the standard the measure of all and the measure scales and weights are all his own for he numbers not according to the number of a man nor he weighs not as man weighs It sufficeth therefore that the number of his Chariots are as the number of his wayes both in difficulty and number no man can find them out they are unsearchable and past finding out so that we may well with the Apostle Rom. 11. 33. cry out Oh How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out He weighs the World in a ballance but what is all the world to him t is but as the drop of a Bucket and as the dust of the Ballance and as the drop of the morning dew to the Ocean yea infinitely far less inconsiderable T is true that in Esay 40. 12. He measures the waters in his fist and metes out the Heavens with his Span and comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure but the Omer Ephah are both his own And t is true he telleth the number
bold so it is a very strange speech and a home charge but wonder not for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is true boldness as Solomon saith Prov. 28. 1. The Righteous are as bold as a Lion For the Prophet here strikes at head and tail root and branch great and small Prince and People Priest and Prophet The whole house of Israel are here 1 Accused of Covetousness 2 Condemned for Covetousness The accusation is like an Indictment well laid which expresseth 1 The fault the charge which is Covetousness 2 The extent of the fault it was Epidemical from the greatest to the least 3 The Intention they gave themselves to it they did it purposely and voluntarily And 4 The Charge being proved and they found guilty the sentence or condemnation follows which is onely implyed in the word For it being the connexion of this verse with the former wherein is threatned that God will pour out his fury and indignation upon the children and young men upon the husband and wife the aged with him that is full of dayes and their houses and wive should be turned to others I The matter of the accusation is Covetousness But this sin how evil soever and however threatned here and elsewhere in the Scriptures is hardly esteemed any sin at all ye cannot perswade men of the Evilness thereof but you are ready to think and charge us that we Church-men are strange fellows To set up men of straw and then fight against them for our parts we find very few covetous some indeed are Swearers Drunkards Adulterers Lyars Prophaners of the Sabbath these they can see and acknowledge to be sins and would have us preach against them but to keep such a stir about Covetousness they think is a vain thing and time lost for either they are but few that are so or else t is not so great a sin as you make for or else you call that Covetousness which is not Indeed I confess other sins wear the Devils Cognizance and Livery openly but this alwayes wears a Cloak ye shall never see Covetousness without its Cloak as the Apostle terms it 1 Thes. 2. 5. For our last Translation renders it very right Nor a Cloak of Covetousness For this sin is generally in credit in the world and therefore they do not let it go naked but clothe it not with the name of any vice or sin but under tolerable and credible names as Thrift Providence Good Husbandry Honest care of a mans own and Care of the main chance I and so it should seem they esteem it the main chance a covetous man will part with his soul before he will part with his Covetousness and they have Scripture ready to protect and defend them 1 Tim. 5. 8. He that provideth not for his own especially for them of his own house is worse then an Infidel and hath denied the faith And so they bring it in as a duty that they ought to be scraping and covetous We may endeavour to uncase this covetous man by two words one is in the place before named 1 Thess. 2. 5. Nor a cloak of Covetousness its never without a cloak as I said and the other is 1 Tim. 6. 10. its hare called The root of all evil What a world of evils grow up from covetousness as if we had time we might shew In brief it excludes all love and fear of God and all love and pity to men and all care of our neighbours good and so breaks the whole Law it will make him Oppress Cozen Deceive Lye sell a good Conscience for every trifle In short it will make a man turn his back on all Religion to forsake the faith and consequently Salvation as is there exprest and in the foregoing Verses The love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows It is such a sin that if ever God touch the heart about it it will pierce through with many sorrows before ever they can forsake it for saith he They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction It is such a subtil snate so cunningly contrived and so full of fair pretences that let a man be once in love with money he knows not which way to wind out but it wil fetter him even to everlasting perdition and destruction Indeed friends it is a very hard thing to uncase this sin because care and diligence there may and must be and this is its Cloak DILIGENCE is Covetousness his Cloak never off his back whereby it s sheltred against all reproof I suppose and sure it is a man may pray Agurs prayer without Covetousness Prov. 30. 8 9. Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me A Competency of food and raiment this certainly is the limitation and bound of our desires But then will arise another Question What is a Competency or what is sufficient Therefore some in answer hereunto have deâ—ined Covetousness to be an inordinate desire of more and using unlawful means and ways to get it But I conceive this is somewhat too favourably defined for one may be covetous yea deeply covetous and yet get his goods without fraud deceit or oppression c. Aug. de lib. Arbit lib. 3. Chap. 17. Avaritia est plus velle quam satis sit It is Covetousness to desire more then is sufficient which is But daily bread and but This day our daily bread we have no warrant to seek more But we having daily bread according as our Saviour teacheth us to pray in the Lords prayer which includes all things necessary for this life food and raiment and the like without question this is sufficient and the desire of more is Covetousness As our Saviour commands Matth. 6. latter end Take no thought for the morrow saying What shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed for after all these things do the Gentiles seek And as the Apostle exhorts 1 Tim 6. 8. Having food and raiment let us be therewith content When this will not content then the desire is inordinate when a man will hunt and seek after that which he dare not warrantably pray for which is but daily bread and why should we seek with carking care for any more for any more for our breath is in our nostrils we are not sure of life not an hour then to what end is all this taking thought and then thou fool whose shall those things be which thou hast provided within this bound we ought to keep our selves for no sooner are we over this pale and bound SUFFICIENT but then we are in the wide wildernes and boundless CHAMPAIGN of Covetousness which consists in two things 1. To be covetous is to let
so we may say of evil Cvetousness for thy Covetousness is to please thy lusts 9. COMMANDEMENT The ninth commandement Bear no false witness He also is guilty of the breach of this As in the Commandement before he made no scruple of false dealing so here he makes none of false Accusing Iohn Baptist to the Souldiers he puts these together Luke 3. 14. Accuse no man falsly be content with your wages There is seldom any false Accusation against our neighbour but Covetousness is in it And here we may mention as guilty of Covetousness 1. The Flatterer 2. Knights of the Post that will for gain swear any thing 3. Detractors or Defamers And 4. Lawyers First Flatterers spoken of Iude v. 16. Whose mouthes speak proud things having mens persons in admiration for advantage sake They will say as they say Whom they flatter and fain with and fawn upon for their advantage sake Secondly Those pitiful poor creatures that will serve any one with Oaths and False-witness to get money and may well be called Knights of the Post which so hackney out their souls and consciences to such Hellish Monsters Thirdly Defamers Detractors and Backbiters are here reproved as Covetous and Breakers of this ninth Commandement who watch to take up all the spew and vomit of the world to please those they seek a meals meat from or some such small gain And care not who they reproach nor how unjustly so they can but please their Benefactors Lastly Those Lawyers who against their consciences will give counsel in a wrong cause and so bear false witness for their Fee Sake How common is this among Lawyers If like Balacks Messengers to Balaam they bring the Reward of Divination in their hands they will or it shall go hard though they break their brains for it make a bad cause seem good when they know it to be otherewise O hellish practise and common among Lawyers and yet they slight it as a thing of nothing Must we not speak for our Clients say they But they are herein deeply guilty of this foul sin of Covetousness 10. COMMANDEMENT And then for the tenth Commandement I hope you will not say they do not Covet for this is their whole practise and is directly against this Commandement For what can a man have that a covetons man doth not desire if his hands could or durst be as nimble as his thoughts and wishes he would be like Adam Alone in the earth No body should have any thing but He for Adam had all and no body shared with him such are the desires of a covetous man they are boundless As the Conclave answered Pope Benedict the twelfth If he would make more Cardinals he must make another world too for this world was scarce sufficient for them in being which were already made Covetousness enlargeth her desire as hell Look now upon thy self in this glass set it before thee and see if thou hadst no more sins but this One if it be not a mighty sin a massy sin as heavy as a Talent of lead O that thou didst but feel it so It is such a Seminary and Nursery of so many other sins that thou hast need to cry mightily against it with David Incline my heart to thy Commandments but not to Covetousness Psalm 119. 36. Beloved I do not use to spend time thus against any one particular sin because in doing so in most sins I cut off but the boughs and branches but leave the root to grow ranker and stronger I therefore still desire to strike at the root and then the boughs and branches dye and wither of themselves But this sin being so common and indeed Epidemical as I have shewed you and being a Root it self from which so many evil branches spring and grow I thought good to spend this short time though not in my ordinary way of speaking to you if so it may please God to bring any one here to abandon and detest this great and mighty sin of Covetousness Now I come to speak a little in brief to the other parts of this Indictment which I must run over and give you but a touch of what I meant to say Now for the Extent and generality of this dissease It is an Epidemical disease an universal plague from which no sort is free Some sins are peculiar to the place of Kings They having gotten so much power in their hands they would be Monarhs without control whose assertion is That they owe account of their actions to none but God alone and they want not for flatterers and Sycophants to preach such Doctrine in their ears That no power on earth ought to call them to Account for that they are above the law and then Covetousness will make them Make their lusts their Law and they will have what they will have right or wrong but in this Nation they have been still curbed and kept off from this Absolute power by one means or other You know what Iezebel said to Ahab 1 Kings 21. 7. when he would fain have taken from Naboth his vineyard but the Law manacled and restrained him what saith Iezebel Dost thou now govern the Kingdom of Israel and art so cast down for this thing and wilt fast and eat no bread up and eat and be of good chear I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth And when the Law would not give it him she devised a wicked device causing two sons of Belial Knights of the Post to swear blasphemy against him and so confiscate not onely his vineyard but his whole estate Covetousness will cause even Kings to do this and what not if they have but Power enough 2. Some sins are more peculiar to Noblemen as Ambition Pride desire of Honours and Preferments boasting of their great descent yet there is none of all these but is spiced and mixed if not grounded and bottomed on this general sin of Covetousness for to uphold themselves in their state Thy Princes are as Evening wolves greedy and covetous they all love gifts c. 3. The sin peculiar to rich men is to oppress and grind the faces of the poor through Covetousness To joyn house to house and field to field Isa. 5. 8. therefore the Prophet David gave rich men a good Lesson If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Psal. 62. 12. And we may see the covetous mind of rich men in Nathans Parable 2 Sam. 12. though he had Lambs enough of his own yet he would have the poor mans One Ewe 4. Learned men they are more addicted to credit and applause and to be had in great esteem yet they are not free from this sin of Covetousness It s plain in that story of Balack and Balam who sent Nobles but not without gifts in their hands and when Balack told him I will thee exalt to honour yet he puts that clause in too I would have filled thy house
he is where he works In his operations He works upon us As the spokes of a wheel upon the Ring and in his possession as upon the Nave As a Spider upon his Web If any one thred be Toucht He presently seizes upon the fly He is not to seek not will miss his prey for He is alwayes either watching or working to destroy Yet for all this As the earth rent with thunder blasted with fire drowned with water shaken with winds must not cannot blame the Heavens because the cause of all these distempers came forth of the Earth at first So if we be Heavily punished by the Devil we may blame our selves For we have taken into our selves of His Nature whereby he hath gotten power over us For could we but say as Christ He hath Nought in me He could have no power upon us Let therefore these spiritual Enemies keep us up as whips do Tops continually with our eyes up unto God That He may help us To leave and abhor all sin which procures and draws down such heavy and spiritual torments And here I must lay down this Maxim As all things aym either at a good or evil end so effectum testatur de causa the effect witnesseth of the cause all things proceed either from a good or Evil cause A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit nor an evil tree good Matth. 7. 28. Now we know WHOSE the good is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is none good but one which is God Matth. 19. 17. and we know likewise who is the Source and fountain of all Evil who is therefore in so many places of Scripture called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from whom we are taught by our Saviour to pray for deliverance under that name Deliver us from Evil Matt. 6. 13. All these Actions of this sublunary world whether External or Internal Corporal or Spiritual Visible or Invisible Are divided between these two whom our Saviour calls God and Mammon Matth. 6. 24. S. Iohn Light and Darkness S. Paul Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6. 15. Elias God and Baal 1 Kin. 18. 21. Accordingly Is that Text of our Saviour He that gathereth not together with me scattereth abroad and he that is not with me is against me Matt. 12. 30. So also that Text Rom. 14. 23. All that is not of faith is sin Hence the word of God makes it plain That many Diseases and Evils inflicted upon men are called Devils because coming from him and inflicted by him as Lunacy is called a Devil my son is Lunatick Matth. 17. 15. yet vers 19. t is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devil came out of him so Mark 9. 17. t is said of one that was dumb that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dumb Devil so also of one that was blinde A blinde man possessed with a Devil Matth. 12. 22. the like is said of of Deasness or of a Deaf Devil Luke 11. 14. So in the same manner of Crookedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having a spirit of infirmity Luke 13. 11. and yet at verse 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Sâ—tan or the Devil hath bound and thereupon Luke 8. 2. we finde that Infirmities and Devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are joyned together And includes One and the same thing All the plagues of Egypt Flies Frogs Caterpillars Locusts Hail Frosts Thunder-bolts c. Are all called Psal. 78. 49. Evil Angels and so also Iobs blains and botches pass under the same denomination so that as Hippocrates said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every disease as there is something of God in it so may we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something of the Devil in it Now I pray you Resume and take up again what I have formerly delivered God is a God of Order Order implyes plurality and diversity Now as all the Actions of Christ are Mystical So all of the Devils are likewise and as Omnis actio Christi est nostra instructio as every action of Christ is our instruction so is every one of the Devils actions too and therefore as there is Mysterium Evangelii The Mystery of the Gospel Ephes. 6. 19. And the Great Mystery of godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. as also The Mystery of faith 1 Tim. 3. 9. The Mystery of God Revel 10. 7. In like manner there is Mysterium iniquitatis The Mystery of iniquity 2 Thess. 2. 7. And as Paul cries out Rom. 11. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the Riches and Wisdom and Knowledge of God! so S. Iohn tell us Rev. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Depths of Satan When you consider and contemplate The mercies and miracles of Christ toward mankinde and his mighty works in the flesh Do you onely consider them as His mercies to the Bodies of men Or onely done to them then no no Duc in altum as Christ said unto Peter Luk. 5. 4. Lanch forth into the deep And Let down your Nets for a Greater draught Rest not there Look into your selves also reflect and see what God and Christ did and doth unto the souls and spirits of men even in thy self for as he cureth the one so he cureth and saveth the other He it is that gives light to them that sit in darkness of sin and ignorance and makes them to be Light in the Lord and looseth the Captives which are bound in Spiritual Captivity by Satan and maketh them free men in the Lord He healeth those that are broken-hearted and sets at liberty them that are bruised He opens the prison doors to them that are bound And lets the captives go free He maketh to grow strong in faith to grow in grace and favor with God and men He it is hath sent Redemption unto his people psa 111. 9. But all this not onely to their persons in corporal deliverances but chiefly to their souls and spirits doing the same actions over again in us And herein Is Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever And so also when you consider the malice of Satan do you onely look upon his malice to the Estates of men or to their bodies As His vexing Iobs person with diseases and botches his blowing down the house upon Iobs children or the fire he sent to burn up his sheep or do you onely look upon the Sabeans and Chaldeans or onely upon the loss of the Girgasites swine or upon the Tempests at sea and the sicknesses which he layes on the bodies or estates of men c. O Beloved you will Catch little or nothing here Though you fish All night and though you hear all the Sermons or read all the Books you can get you will be little the better stay not your contemplations or experiences here but Duc in altum Lanch forth mind these workings in you look into your
Real condemnation of our selves and not onely verbal p. 206 c. In this Condemnation three sorts of men sit Judges 1. The Carnal man p. 209. 2. The Rational man and he 〈◊〉 the Carnal p. Ibid. 3. The Spiritual manâ— and â—e â—udges both the former p. 210. The spiritualâ—ty of the 〈◊〉 opened and the first Commandment set before us as a glass to behold our condition p. 215. Further explained p. 224. Yet for all this guilt the blood of Iesus Christ purgetâ— from all sin if Christ apply it and not onely our selves p. 229. 2. Step Annihilation reducing our selves to nothing what it is p. 231 c. The effects of this Annihilation This Man 1. Receives all as from God p. 237 c. 2. He doth all by the power of God 238. to the glory of God ibid. 3. He rejoyceth in others goods as his own 239. 4. He is not glued to any temporal things but is ready to part with them when God calls ibid. 3. Step Resignation for saking all things in the world of what condition soever p. 240. 4. Step Indifferency to all conditions p. 251. Effects of indifferency This Man 1. He hath two eyes two feet as to the body so to his soul p. 264. 2. His eye is not divided between God and Mammon p. 265. 3. He resigns his judgement to God alone regards not what mans judgement is ibid. 4. He is gotten above all heights and depths principalities and powers c. ibid. 5. He is an Anabaptist his former name is changed and his Father hath given him a new name p. 268. The Author being interrupted came not to preach of the two last steps which is Conformity and Deiformity p. 270. Four Sermons on Josh. 15. 15 16. And Caleb said He that smiteth Kiriathsepher and taketh it to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife c. THe History of Moses sending the Spies to discover the Land of Canaan of the peoples murmuring and mutining upon the ill report raised by the ten Spies of Calebs and Ioshuas faith these things run over and applyed to our selves as concerning as much 〈◊〉 as them from p. 272 to 280. Part of this Chapter and 2 Cor. 3. Compared and answering face to face as the two Cherubims p. 212 c. The words opened and explained p. 287. Kiriathsepher the City of the Letter must be smitten and taken before it can be to us Debir The word then we likewise shall marry Achsah signifying The rending of the vail p. 294 c. The Letter or Ordinances not to be thrown away nor yet to be rested in p. 295. The spirituality of the ten Commandments briefly explained applyed from p. 296 to 319. In what sense the Scriptures are and are not the word of God explained p. 318 c. The text divided into two parts 1. Onus the work 2. Honos the reward p. 334. Those that rest in the letter either are starvelings or dwarfs alwayes children in stature and grow not p. 337. Christs body and actions in the flesh symbolical p. 343. Jesus Christ the substance and soul of all creatures false conclusions hence abandoned and shewing the soul of man is infinitely below God p. 351. An Objection answered about undervaluing the Letter p. 353. The Awfulness of God in that soul that truly sees him p. 357 c. Pilates question what thing is truth answered p. 363. A short view of some Priviledges which are to be enjoyed withiâ— the Holiest of all after we have married Achsah and obtained The râ—nding of the vail p. 364 c. The two Wonderful and unknown Trees of Eden viz. The Tâ—ee of Knowledge of Good and Evil p. 379. The Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God p. 385. How the Tree of Knowledge c. Is the Seed of the Serpent in mans Heart p. 389. That Great Idol a Mans Self 392. Two Sermons on Psal. 61. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the Holy place Part 2. THe parts of the text p. 7. God hath his Chariots of Triumph and Terror p. 8. All the Creatures are Gods Chariots wherein he gloriously rides so many creatures so many chariots p. 11. God in himself alwayes invisible to men and Angels p. 17. All creatures infinitely short of God and the most excellent speak him but darkly and though he fill all creatures yet all cannot comprehend him nor all men and Angels by them p. 18. How God is said to be in Hell and in Lucifer himself p. 21. God not to be found or known by Addition but onely by subtraction p. 23. The Kingdom of Heaven commonly mistaken which consisteth not in meats or drinks or crowns or scepters musick c. or any ocular or carnal glory p. 25. All creatures the Amiable tabernacles of God p. 30 c. Two Scriptures propounded whereby to represent a a small glimps or scantling of God p. 34. None like the God of Iesurun who rideth upon the Heavens in his excellency c. p. 39. What repose of heart the people of God may take in this their infinite God and Father because his everlasting arms are under them p. 44. Angels are Messengers or Embassadours p. 48. All creatures sing aloud Gods praise even the worst and wicked st sing a part and how p. 49. What to think of the Angels above us being out of our sphere we not able to define them p. 52. That God is in all the creatures and though the creatures change yet he is unchangeable p. 53. Yet he is not in every creature according â—o his infiniteness but as every creature can receive him p. 55. 1. use To teach us love and charity toward all creatures p. 57. 2. use To learn to know our selves p. 58. 3. use That nothing comes by chance but all things ordered by providence p. 59. Considerations of the Immenseness and infiniteness of God p. 60 c. Two Sermons on Cant. 1. 7. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest and where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon for why c. THe division of the text p. 70. The nature of a soul in love with Christ though he be still filling her yet she is never fully satisfied wiâ—h him p. 71. Things in heaven are neither visible material ocular oâ— tangible c. p. 77. To try whether we have love to God by our love to our brethren p. 78. Many can come to God in prayer under this notion O thou whom my body loves but how few O thou whom my soul loves p. 80. The letter of the word but a dead resemblance of the life within p. 85. They that limit Jesus Christ according to the thirty three years he lived on earth do circumcise and cut short the large vastness of his greatness p. 88. The Question answered what need Christ any rest seeing he is in heaven p. 94. If Christ be not