Soul So Religion the garment is the outward form of Actions Righteousness Holinesse the body is Truth Righteousnesse revealed to the Church apprehended by man but the Soul of it is the Spirit even God himself as the Garment and Body without the Soul are but dead Corps and so this without God So Paul distinguished man into Soul Body and Spirit by the Body the outward Masse of flesh the Soul the vital power and sensitive appetites and natural understanding by the Spirit the immortal or inward part in right disposing of which stands mans peace and happinesse For if the Bodie be in health and the Soul in Life amidst the fulnesse of its natural objects yet no rest unlesse the Spirit be satisfied also now when the Spirit of our minds is drawn by sensual power to bodily objects it wants Life But leaving all these being guided to and joyned to God and Christ it is then satisfied and the body cannot be nourished with the pleasure of the Soul without food nor the Soul with the food of the Body without its objects neither can the Spirit without them both without its proper objects food So that the confounding of these is the confusion unrest of the Soul And yet alace it is thus in the World men will needs joyn God and Dagon Christ and Mammon without any trust or thought of God at all like beasts Others keep a form of God after the flesh as they acknowledge his power and see his justice fear worship him with a far off worship but the heart bowes to Mammon loves and cleaves to him above all Nay believers joyn these together some put confidence in God but more in the World yea how soon after God hath shewed himself to man by his truth and love doth he joyn heart and hands with the World again So that indeed this eats out all Religion amongst us And for fleshly Wisdom how doth this draw from simple believing asking a reason disputing with him joyning the power of man the power of God so making mans free-will a worker with God So that it is that man believes not God True it is that man is the subject in whom God workes yet the life and power of believing working is in God and given to man by Faith according to the Promise and though Paul say They are workers together yet it is in regard of manifestation not of any power they had over the hearts of men Nay let this God of Israel be our only stay and lay Sauls Armour aside so man abiding in his simple and naked heart full of weaknesse like a Child waiting on Gods simple truth the Father will come but when man thinks to help God he mars all Neither is this a way to securitie but onlie unto those that pervert all truth unto their own destruction For this is not a secure resting at all adventures as though the forlorn child could sit down at all adventures and say It cannot help my self my Father must come or I must be lost but not sensible of his own misery and forlorn estate As the Prodigal seeks and cryes and prayes till he come this keeps him froâ— sleeping so with us So that Religion is a simple thing and cannot mix it self with any thing like the Truth that joynes to none till death but simply waits on God with Faith and Love But when man brings in Dagon and sets him up the Soul of man abhors it or is joyned to it or is deceived Then no bringing in of Religion into a fleshly mind but first Dagon must down then Religion will stand If ever it be offered to a Worldly mind it is not an unwelcome guesse for the Life of that Soul is elsewhere It is in the World and pleasures thereof but the Spirit is dead within them Dagon was fallen Thus the power of God destroyes the Idol So that Thus the Truth of God prevails against the Idol and will not suffer any thing to stand equal with God in mans heart Paul destroyed circumcision from Christ and Christ the young man his weapons taken from him his high thoughts pulled down And thus Gods warriours pulls down groves and destroyes Idols That God may thereby let man see the weaknesse of all power in the creatures This is the proper work of the Word to pull down high imaginations and lay them low as the valyes This truth discovers the vanitie of all the rest but we with the Philistins are still building up Dagon nay the Ark is not yet come to us because Dagon is yet standing But know that it must down So that mans happinesse is in the fall of the flesh and all the power thereof SERMON XXV Mark 14.27 I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered CHrist by his death hath brough life this death was spoken of by the Prophets and often foretold by Christ and spoken of more at large and now is come by suffering to lose all that he may gain all after that he had comforted His Disciples and left them the pledge of his Love he Prophesies of the trouble that shall come to them hereby that they may now begin to suffer with him 1. Grievous wants and persecutions to the offending of all 2. That man shall not stand at that day by any power at all in man In the same he lets them see that this is the way they must still follow This is a sacrifice of his death whereby the same through Faith is confirmed to us He shews what shal become of the head and that they should be offended So that Though we live in the light of the Gospel and Sun-shine of Gods blessing yet there will come a day that will dash all and lay it in the dust So to David Abraham and the Rich Fool. For life gotten by the creature must be laid away Christ is the common stock of believers Woe to the World for all high mountains must down thy dearest object and thou must part When Israel was boasting of the Temple then was the Lord removing it from Shilo or destroying that new Jerusalem might come from heaven See how thou wilt do when this night comes we provide light fire and houses against cold and night but forget this night Let believers look for it in their greatest fulnesse and prosperitie for then will God take away these that he may be perfected in God I will smite the shepherd Yea Christ in the flesh that he may rest solely and simply in God Abraham and the Prodigal Paul I know none after the flesh by taking away fuel from it So that This is the way to bring man to God to purifie Faith to subdue the World and make Gods power known This he doth 1. In that great tribulation that lyes all on heaps 2. By his love that kills all at the heart but then we grow wise in the flesh to separate the confused heap 3. By the crosse
content a life of joy and mirth And in a word a Heaven upon the earth A goodly golden Common-weal to see Through love each others Lord and Man to be But since not had on earth God hath ev'n here The better our Infirmities to bear Full well provided Common-wealths and States Masters and Servants Subjects Magistrates Such men as may the sword of Justice draw Wrongs to redress and keep lewd men in aw With other sundry means to end the strife And difficulties of this present life Which all are Rudiments and helps to lead Towards that life where none of these shall need Without the which who could remain an hour But violence would life and goods devour Which shews how much we here estranged be From that perfection of Eternitie I tearm it thus since most here if not all Is violent so not perpetual At least so far as God doth not reduce And recreat it for his nearer use Which I confesse the more that he shall d The less corruption it is subject to As being brought to that sweet calm and peace The very Center of all happinesse Yea sp'ritual made which how much more they be With this his nature nearer they agree For even these our Massie bodies shall Again be rais'd bodies spiritual Yet so as they must holy be and pure For otherwise he can them worse indure Hereof he natures goodly order set As shaddow though but of a portion yet In this that actions natural we see Furthest from violent coaction be Wherein the Creature doth it self intend Towards that calm and uncreated end In which fair Book are plainly manifested Gods power and purpose towards man regressed Who such a stamp on silly man can frame Like to himself I do not say the same For his pure Essence Infinite in blesse To Creatures in communicable is Two Infinits there cannot be for letting And bounds and limits each to other setting So Creatures he out of himself createth Whiles he his working outwardly dilateth Outward I say dilateth for within The Trinity hath each to others been Eternally most letles of destraction In some serene calm pure perpetual action Without all motion change or alteration VVhich is far otherwise in this Creation VVhich made of nothing daily doth intend Towards a Period and a final end And would accomplish it save that this power Upholds the former and matters every hour For this our world is but the younger brother So call'd by some a shadow of the other That spiritual and immaterial He The second â—erson in the Trinity And hath a temper said to be compound Of parts in nature quite contrary found A cause yet too why creatures it produceth Of sundry shapes and for so diverse uses For God forbid I should in any case Once seem Gods Works and Creatures to debase The least of whom that live the heavens under Than they have parts contain more cause of wonder But thus considered as we them compare With their Creator so they nothing are Who all their parts creats and frames and joyns Whose least parts bigger than the other loyns In whose wide womb all creatures lye unmolded Before all times unsearchably unfolded Whose spiritual nature is without exception Most infinite in Goodness and Perfection The very Heaven of a blessed Soul Though I a place grant too above the Pool These things to creatures never can agree Which only spiritual in a measure be And circumscript subject to time and place Motions exposes changes and disgrace By Nature save as it is said before As to perfection God shall them restore Which shall be once when they are purified And sp'ritual made their nature rectifi'd Extract into a quintescence so pure As meer created Natures can indure Lessons hereof some Artists seem to spell By Nature as in Mathematicks skill Who void of Rules in th' abstract through defect Place its perfection in the Intellect As that which is more spiritually intent And so by consequence more excellent For spirits do all bodies far exceed As forms above their matter have their meed I do not say with some all spirits be No substances but meer quality But this I say These are so near of kin That with one name they sometimes named been And what in us but qual ty men call In our Creator is essential From whose pure Fountain Streams still overflow To Creatures as from head springs Riv'lets do Love patience meekness peace â—nd righteousnesse Joy wisdom pittie truth and holiness No marvel then though a regenerate soul Down these clear Streams of Gods pure pleasure roul And bathe it self wiâ—h sweetest delectaâ—â—â—n Re-sold therein by wondâ—â—us transmutation Re-sold I say lâ—ke th' air which some câ—nclude Those cold moist concaves of the Earth include Till in that Kingdom having long conversed It 's turn'd to water and in springs dispersed Made fellow riv'let with the rest to be To run along in one fraternitie Or if it fitter seem like clouds of water From which the Sun extracting subtil matter Changeth them peice-male till the whole dilated Be into the air in time evaporated The aires kind kinsman 'twixt it self and water Becoming so a partial Moderator Thus doth the Soul most truly undergo Both generation and corruption so Though not for substance yet for quality Till in Gods Image it invested be The rather when this body too is made To the pure soul then subordinate Like those in Luke who bidden go did run Do this and it was incontinently done For bodies once their Souls must fitly suite It 's pure designs better to execute While both full blest eternally shall run Down those life Streams till Gods good will be done And as his Will is evermore a doing So shall that stream be evermore a flowing They needless of constraint herein for thriving As water is oft down the Channel driving Or as the Tree which doth by Nature grow Bears fruit and blossomes though none bid it so Which Kingdom here is actually begun So soon as one by faith is made a Son And as the Soul within the body lives And theâ—eunto both life and motion gives So doth Gods Spirit the soul therein abiding With endless pleasures and delight it giving Wherein the lesser violence doth need Nearer men are to happiness indeed As liker to the purest Nature which In all compleatness of perfections rich Who needs no labour nor no motions make For any business he doth undertake But is an Eye a Hand a Tongue and Ear On all occasions when he list and where Yea is that Ear that at one Instant hears Within without and far beyond the Sphears That Eye which doth most infinitely see What 's past what 's present what shall ever be A powerful hand where e're he list to shew it To hurt or help and when he list can do it That Wisdom deep that understanding might To whom all Secrets and all hearts are light That will which is a work and when it listeth No Creature in the Heavens
I wish men warie in Lest ought neglected should become a sin See how God dealt with Moses when he brake Through zeal the Tables which himself did make And at the Rock again how unbelief A sin scarce nam'd did bring so wondrous grief Iâ— fine let Christians labour to be wise And Paul the Apostle counsel not despise The best gifts still desiring untill they Attain unto the more excellenter way The which when any shall attain unto Th'anointing will direct them what to do But still in sp'ritual things fly we extortion Bearing our selves but after saiths proportion For we are yet as little children here And do our selves but like to children bear How er'e â—â—ts eye the main chance look to that Lest that the leaner kinâ— devour the fat Thus I let pass the bodies slâ—cknesse too Such duties as Gods Spirit wills it do Since where that is and cherisht Satans seed Iâ— sowen temptations and illusions breed And say men may the soul in some good plight Drawing the body after wiâ—h delight Have this last dish not all in order get Or if it be not so observed yet Through a desire to voyde what Paul so fears Th'observing dayes and times and mouths and years Since outward exercise small good doth bring But Godliness is good for every thing Believing that this outward mans own dying Is inwards greater comfort and reviving As where è contra th' inward man decayes Th' outward it self into its room conveyes Some may think thus I say and that withall The constant use of outward things let fall Through a perswasion that such strict observance Is not a course becoming sons but servants By outward things note still I mean such duties As may be call'd the Churches outward beauties As thinking thus the more the bodies bound To these the more the Soul 's in darknesse drown'd For still Gods spirit is of aspiring nature Seeking the clearest view of Gods bright feature And gladly here would finde it but alace Things are not yet com'd to that happie passe For till it be refin'd this house of clay Weighs overmuch to soar with quit away I speak not here with purpose or intent To give true zeal the least discouragement Which on the wings of faith doth mount and hye And takes no resting underneath the skie But wish men jealous of such freedom found Which leave at large the outward man unbound For though in such transcendent state as this God so upholds men go not oft amisse Yet is it possible for one to stray Wherein our nature weaknesse doth bewray Whereof this an occasion but no cause May be as are of briberie wholesome Laws But say some for that time with merrie gale Float on their sail cloaths puffing up withal Yet may it prove e're they shall touch the shore They 'l be constrain'd perforce to ply the ore How confident are some in this estate That there then comfort never shall abate Still having in their month this cheerful song They ne're shall move their hill is made so strong That no temptation ever shall prevail To cause their faith to faint much less to quail But all like clouds before the summer Sun Shall fade and vanish till they quite be done That they unshaken still may make aboad Like a strong pillar in the house of God What may one say to this then bid God speed them Or else with Joshua challenge and forbid them I neither blame nor this do justifie But if men thus believe so do not I. I mean It is no sound Axiome general But who holds so under reproof do fall Only I say it may be some mens case Particularly God's mercies thus to trace And if it be an errour or a sin Then it 's the same that David once was in And I say more it 's ordinarie too Most of Gods Saints in this state thus to do Which from what Spirit it doth or may arise I leave to better judgements to advise And thus conclude what is to me if short God cut their dayes and mean while fitt them for 't By letting them within his bosom ly To rest them in his lapp untill they dye So many tho As make this general As I have said under reproof do fall For that Gods Word alwayes remaineth true God's Church shall wain and strength again renew And like the Moon still have its time and turns Yet with the bush consumes not though it burns But to return this sense of graces slacking Satan then vantage of mens tempers taking Sets in the brain what in the heart should ly To make them wise above sobriety Inciting them through latcheate felt of grace The Stock of liberty to spend apace An still to hold on in their former course Then which to men thus fitted none is worse As though one of five hundred pounds revenue Should after a thousand speed and keep retinue Or like the younger son of some Esquier Who brought up with such dyet and attyr As fits his Fathers house after keeps State On a poor farm and lives at former rate Forgetting his Annuitie but run Maintain a farmer not a gentleman Some men are thus deceiv'd for finding grace In the first prime thereof put forth apace Much like those trees which digg'd and drest will do Beare more that year than afterwards in two Or the young child which at the first doth thrive More in one year then afterwards in five The humour radical being at that time In its full vigor in the very pryme Grace with the corn of Hezekiahs growing The first and second year without their sowing They think that soil the third year also will By Gods sole blessing bring a harvest still And so forbear to plow again and sow And ply their works as other neighbours do But times will tell them thus they ' l little win And find their gain but slowly coming in I do not speak against it though that we Should in this prime estate industrious be But labour then I count it is but small I scarce know if I should it labour call Since Gods true service is to such a blesse Yea to the holiest most delightful is Provided that it much much spiritual be For such with that estate will best agree Yea all things to the spiritual men they do Are holy grace doth alter nature so I mean as far as they regenerate been In which respect it s said they cannot sin And so far too as th' act it selfâ— not ill Repugnant so to Gods revealed will I say Christs yoke is then no such great toyl When th' hearts fresh noynted with the spirits oyl As afterwards when th' old man stronger grows Which as he wins ground still the new doth loose And thus I count the worse the new man speeds More industrie and labour still there needs The Prophet saith I 'le wise and warrie be In perfect way until thou come to me The ground when barren must have greater toyl For lesser gain then in a
drink In all the tears he shed Thus water washt and burning blood did cleanse In one baptism so for to dispense Water and blood distinguish we may so In two though one and so there be no moe Baptisms but one which cleanseth sin away By Jesus in his water and blood for ay For God in three distinguished may be And yet but one there is in verity Thus we may drink with Christ his water so In watry tears and unto blood may go And drink thereof to take with him a sup Though two yet is but one devincing cup. SELF CIVIL WAR I Sing not Priam nor the Siege of Troy Nor Agamemnon's War with Thestis Joy I sing my self my Civil Wars within The Victories I hourly loose and win The daily battel the continual strife The Wars that end not till I end my life And yet not mine alone not only mine But every on 's that's under the honor'd Sign Of Christs his Standard shall his Name inroul With holy vows of body and of soul Vouchsafe O Father succour from above Courage of Soul comfort of heavenly love Triumphant Captain glorious General Furnish me Arms from thine own Arsenal O sacred Spirit my Sp'rits assistant be And in this Conflict make me conquer me Vertue I love I lean to vice I blame This wicked World yet I embrace the same I climb to Heaven I cleave to the earth both I love my self and yet my self I loath Peaceless I peace pursue in Civil War With and against my self I joyn I jar I burn I freeze I fall down I stand fast Well ill I sare I glorie though disgrac't I dye I live I triumph put to flight I feed on cares in tears I take delight My slave base brave I serve I run at large In libertie yet ly in Jaylours charge I strike I stroke my self I kindly ken Worke mine own woe rub gall rouse my spleen Oft in my sleep to see rare dreams I dream Wakeing mine eye doth scarce discern a beam My mind strange Megrim whirling to and fro Now trusts me hither thither doth me throw Into diverse fractions I my self divide And all I trie I fly on every side What I but now desir'd I now disdain What late I weigh'd not now I wish again To day to morrow this that now annon All nothing crave I ever never one But Combitant unreadie for the field To tardie take I after wounds my shield Still hurled headlong to unlawful things Down-dragging vice me easily downward dings But sacred vertue climbs so hard and high That hardly can I her steep steps descrie Both right and wrong to me indifferent are My Lust is law what I desire I dar Be there so foul a fault so fond a fact Which follie asking furie dare not act But artless heartless in religious cause To do her lessons to defend her Laws The all proof Armmour of my God I loose Fly from my charge and yield it to my foes Guilty of sin sins punishment I shun But not the guilt before the offence be done For how could shunning of a Sin â—nsue To be the occasion of another new Oft and again at the same stone I trip As if by falling I learned not to slip Alive I perish and my self undo Mine eyes self-willing wise and witting too Sick to my self I run for my relief More sicker of my Physick than my grief For whilest I seek my swelting thirst to swage Another thirst more ragingly doth rage Whiles burnt to death to coole me I desire With flames my flames with sulphure quench I fire Whil'st that I strive my swelling waves to stop More stormilie about they toss my top Thus am I cur'd this is my common ease My med'cine still worse than my worst disease My sores with sores my wounds with wound I heal Whilst to my self my self I still conceal And O! what leagues what truces make I still With Sin with Satan and my wanton will What slight occasions do I take to Sin What silly crimes am I entraped in What idle cloaks for crimes what nets to hide Notorious sins already long descri'd I writ in ice winds witness sign'd with showres I will redeem my Soul lif 's former hours But soon the swing of custome whirl-wind-like Rapting my passions ever fashion sike Transports me to the contrarie alone Faint guard of goodnesse armless Champion My green-sick tast doth nothing sweeter finde Then what is bitter to a gracious minde Egypts fat flesh-pots I am longing for The eternal Manna I do here abhor Worlds Monarch Mammon Dropsie mystical Crown'd round fac't Gods I joyn Beliall Mydar's desire the misers only trust The sacred hunger of Pactolian dust Gold gold bewitches me and frets accurst My greedy throat with more then Dipsian thirst My mind 's a gulf whose gaping nought can stuff My heart a hell that never hath enough The more I have I crave the lesse content In store more poor in plentie indigent For of those Cates how much soe're I crâ—m It doth not stop my mouth but stretch the same Sweet useries infâ—stuous interest For Dollors dolours hoordeth in my Chest The world's slave confits and the minds sweet pleasure Insatiat both both boundless botâ— past measure This Cleopatra that Sardonaple For huge annoy's brings joy's both short and smal O! miracle begot by Heaven in Earth My mind divine my bodie brute by birth O! what a monster am I to depaint Half friend half fiend half savage half a saint Higher than my fier doth my grosse earth aspire My raging flesh my restlesse force doth tyre And drunk with wordly lusts deep sunk in sleep My sp'rit the spye that warie watch doth keep Betrayes at last woe that I trust it so My Souls dear kingdom to her deadlie soe Through â—aâ—es Caribdis and through gulfs of grief Star-la-board run I sailing all my life In merrie sorrie seas with wind at will My Ship my flesh my sense my Pilots still As in a most seditious common-well Within my breast I feel my lust rebell Against their Prince my furious people use Their awlesse Prince dare his own Law despise Mine Er's an out-law and my struggling Twins Jacob and Esau never can be friends Such deadlie feed such discord such despight Ever 'twixt brethren such continual sight What done in me another doth not I Yet both alace my guest and enemie My mind unkind sub-ordin'd by my soe Indeed within me but not with me tho Near yet far off in fleshly count be fyl'd And with the worlds contagious filth defil'd I am too narraw for my own desires My self desires me what my flesh requires Fearful I hope careful secure I languish Hungrie too full drye drunken sugred anguish Wearie of life merrie of death I suck Wine from my Punice honie from the rock Disorder'd order mournful merriment Dark-day Dooms-day dull double diligent Infamous fame known errour skilless skill Mad mind rood reason an unwilling will A healthie plague a wealthie want poor treasure A pleasant torment a tormenting pleasure An odious love an uglie dentie base Reproachful honour a disgraceful grace On thoâ—ns my Graps on garlick grows my Rose On crums my sums from flint my fountain flows In showres of tears mine hours of fears I mourn My looks to btooks my beams to streams I turn Yet in this torrent of my torments rise I suck annoyes and drink the joyes of life A fruitless tree a drie deflowered flower A feeble force a conquered conquerour A fickly health dead life a restless rest These are the comforts of my soul distrest O how I like dislike desire disdain Repell repeal lothe and delight again O what whome wither neither flesh nor fish How wearie of my life again I wish I will I nill I nill I will my mind Perswading this my mood to that 's inclin'd My loose affections Proteus like appears In everie form at once it frowns and flears Mine ill good-will is vaine and variable My Hydras flesh buds heads innumerable My mind 's a grief a Labyrinth my reason Mine eye false spy the door to fancies treason My rebell sense self soothing still affects What it would fly what it would ply neglects My flothing hope with passions storms is tost Even now to heaven ev'n then to hell almost Concording discord doth my life sustain Discording concord kills me soon again My self at once I both displease and please Without my self my self I faine would ease For my too much of me me much annoy'd And my self plentie my poor self destroyes Who seeks me in me in me shall not finde Me as my self Hermaphrodite in mind I am at once Male Female Neuter yet What ere I am I cannot minde I weet I am not with my self as I conceive Wretch that I am my self my self deceive Unto my self I do my self betray I from my self banish my self away My self agrees not with my self a jot Knows not my self I have my self forgot Against my self I have mov'd wars unjust I trust my self and I my self distrust My self I follow and my self I fly Besides my self and in my self am I. My self am not my self another same Unlike my self and like my self I am Self sons self furious and thus way-ward else I cannot live with nor without my self FINIS
he must give life or else we die 2. All things live by him onlie much more mans Soul which hath no life in any thing else as the body hath 3. This is the whole Law and the Gospel 4. And God and the Faithful are joyned and made one in Spirit like Father and Child Husband Wife so that offer what thou wilt they cry none but my Father and my Husband 1. But the dark World which is blind hath incroached upon Gods Inheritance and shut him out of the hearts of men that they cry Any God but this God So the Jewes any but Christ Barrabas or any Murtherer As 1. See how the World and the Strength thereof is trusted and relyed on that they say with Israel These are thy Gods which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt 2. See how it is loved and how it is sought and delighted in 3. See how the want and the losse thereof is feared and sorrowed for 4. Yea how willingly man serves and becomes a slave to it and yet this great and terrible God this good kind and merciful God and his sure word promise not regarded 2. So that Faith is a simple and single hearted thing casts off all power wisdom and good of all things but this only and like a chaste Wise cleaves onlie to her husband and cryes out with David against all Satans temptations 1. When he offers plentie and fulnesse nay none but God and his Christ 2. When he offers Righteousnesse and Wisdom to look at nay none but Christ 3. When he threatens drives man to seek to the arm of flesh nay none but God his power yea when he draws to sin through lust yet with Joseph No I cannot sin against God So that Faith is only the preservative As in the Martyrs whâ— for this God forsook Father Husband Life and all to be joyned to this God so good For while God was a God to Israel all Nations fled before them and feared them no want nor miserie surprised them but they were filled to the full with all good and satietie and while man sits under his shadow simplie he is safe he needs no power of man to support him nor riches to fill him For he hath a joy peace and riches and goodnesse that the World knows not off because it knows not him 3. Let everie man try who is the Lord and God of his Soul One saith O! riches is the onlie thing another Nay drunken and merrie companie is the onlie joye another Nay youthful sports and pleasures the onlie Heaven another Nay the great Babel that I have built for my honour another Nay but I have none in Heaven nor in Earth but thee alone Which brought thee out of the land of Egypt I helped when thou wast not able to help thy self I freed thee when thou wast a slave and I delivered thee when thou wast in danger I supplied thy want when thou was readie to faint wilt thou have any other Gods but me For they thought not of it Moses a weak man to deliver them What straits were they brought too still he fred them So that God ever witnesseth his power and truth and love to man in his greatest weaknesse and miserie and then doth man ever find God to him the nearest What straits was David in all those bitter complaints and Israel when they wandered in the wildernesse and had no City to dwell in Yea out of the deep have I cryed and thou helped me So when we were in Egypt wearie of that bondage he braught us out Yea the Prodigâ—l what straits was he in and was received to mercy This is the Type of our great Redemption manifested in the Gospel 1. For then doth man most purely believe Gods love most apparent 2. These straits wants God brings man into that he may shew man his power and man may believe him 3. Then doth he Seal up the truth of his Word and Promise which man in fulnesse calls a lie 1. No marvel then though we have but little appearance of Gods love when we are readie to brost with fulnesse and satiety of conceit sin bites but we feel it not we can shift it off and Christ came onlie to sinful man want presseth us not need makes us not run We live in Egypt but we would live there and fill our bellies and so seek no deliverance For we feel no bondage but know that this Pharaoh a devil will root as out at last as to Israel when they fled to him for help 2. So that straits and bondage in our selves and the World makes God great to appear for Where sin abounds there grace also O! what straits were the poor Martyrs put too when all was taken away Their joy turned into sorrow peace freedom into war bondage and jeopardie of death everie hour and yet How did he deliver them how did the light break out of that darknesse The wicked who being in honour Psal 49. Yet dying passe from house to grave with woe welladay These passed from the prison to the fire with joy and with singing I have seen I have seen saith God the affliction of my people in Egypt I remember my Word to Abraham Come therefore I will send thee to deliver them But he cannot say so to us I see the desolate mourning Soul of my people lying groaning under the bondage of sin Nay they are full rich increased with goods c. Therefore I will not cast my Word upon them in vain For they are not fit subjects for my mercy A merciful man indeed hath ever an open heart and hand to the needie So hath God But the rich he sends emptie away The deliverance is more urged in the Old Testament than any work that God wrought both by Moses Samuel and the Prophets And whaâ— wonderful Sacraments for remembrance thereof did God institut as the Passeover and Pascal Lamb because it was a figure of our eternal redemption To teach That the life ioy comfort of man is continued still the same way of faith promise power of God whereby mans was first fred that this promise might still live in mans hoâ—â— I am the Lord thy God which brought the out of the land of Egypt 1. For man is as weak in himself and Satan as strong as then For as God gave life to man and be only continues it so he gives grace and continues it thereby we live His Word endures for ever Paul was received to mercy thâ—â—ugh grace and the same Christ still lived in him So he often exhorts to continue in grace and to be grounded and established in grace to live by faith 1. Not as wise unbelieving men who having tasted of the good word of the Lord and knowledge of the Mystery of the Gospel with Israel turn back into Egypt or become wise and righteous in themselves and so cast off the Covenant And
for thy Servant heareth Christ yeelded himself to the Father Also David the will of the Lord be done and Christ to the Pharisees Ye tithe mint annise and cummin c. Psal 8. If my people had hearkened For God is the sole Lord over all and man a silly creature and as the life of a subject is in obedience to a Prince so here is mans happinesse in yeelding to Gods will for that must stand whether man be obedient or not for disobedience was that which cast off Adam and Israel that is because man will needs be God Now obedience is two-fold of Faith and Love Obedience of Faith is when the clear evidence of the Truth of the Promise and mans Reason and Wisdom â—eelds to that Truth as Moses at the Red-Sea and Abraham When man sees no reason in himself that God should or will keep promise but the contrary he seeing nothing but rebellion and iniquitie yet stickâ— to that where all reasonable wayes of the World and all threats of Satan are overcome though the World threaten want yet he believes fulnesse for this is the will of God that ye believe But most believe not but rebell in this for though God hath promised yet we obey not believe not but give the promise the lye and say That God will not do and therefore fear So that infidelitie is the great Rebel that strikes at the Truth of God which a man cannot endure This Faith also mars not obedience in neither limiting God a time but waiting nor a measure but believing that it shall be our rest Obedience of love is the end of the Law where the love of Christ enforceth man and this is a sweet and free yeelding up of a mans life unto God as a Sacrifice Rom. 12. Which cannot be till our bodies and flesh be sacrificed and then in the Spirit of our minds we are revived according to the will of God This is not to be a foundation of Faith but a necessary expression of the love and goodnesse of God to man This flows from Faith naturally there is nothing but rebellion and lust if Faith fail to wait on God God doth this obedience and man fleeth and man seeketh shifts or some device The intent is doing what he commands not because the Law forceth so many thievish hearts are bound to be true but not from the heart And warms of Gods love in the heart to suffer for his sake what ever befalls as the Martyrs did but this shews the little obedience in man For indeed neither will ye yeeld but the old contention remains whether shall be God Faith and Love is the obedience life of man and when man lives in 〈◊〉 yeelding temper nothing can vexe him let impossibility come and he is obedient and suffers And so was Christ obedient unto the death of the Crosse But while man hath a will and love of himself he is never freely obedient but would frame Gods will to his and to hearken to Satans voice raither than Gods So that An open ear to hear and a heart to believe and obey the voice of God and the Word of Truth is better than all seeming sacrifice a man can offer Isa 45. Incline your ears c. Then shall ye hear the voice of God and he that hears shall live He opened mine ear and I was not disobedient So to that end God hath given his Word to man that thereby he might be called back again to God Therefore God saith cry aloud to man and bid him return and come and live for ever and so he that hath an ear to hear let him hear When God sets his love and mercie and truth to or beâ—ore man and when man attends and meets God here then is that Word accomplished to man But Christ may still say Who hath believed our report as to Israel but Israel would not hear for man hath two Preachers before him still 1. Satan who by his Ministers the World and the Flesh daily whispers and calls man to obey as to Christ Satan saith I will give thee all those the World calls here is Riches the flesh calls here is peace ease and honour God calls and saith Here is all in me Now look whose voice takes place and is believed so man prospers Man hears as God manifests and herein is a reasonable mystery and spiritual power by the one man growes wise and by the other faithful and obedient For rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft Man through rebellion of his own heart and stubbornesse of his own will runs away from God forsakes the Covenant of peace casts off obedience and himself to misery in the end as Pharaoh and Saul here SERMON XXIII 1. Sam 4.3.4.5 So when the people were come into the Camp the Elders of Israel said Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistins VVHen God had governed Israel by Judges for many years and manifested his power and truth by his Priests and Prophets in bringing them into the Land of Promise according to the Covenant and given them many victories over their enemies Israel grew secure and presumptuous yea the Egyptian Priest himself grew so carelesse of the Lords sacrifice yea even Ely himself committed them into the hands of his Sons who filled their bellies and lusts and that without reproof Whereupon the Lord intended to destroy that vain confidence and to proceed against the house of Ely which he fore-tells in the second Chapter by a man of God and in the third by Samuel which in the fourth Chapter he brings to passe First by giving Israel into the hands of their enemies once again and then delivering the Ark into the hands of the Philistins destroying Ely and his two sons After Israel had received the overthrow at the hands of the Philistins they make way for a second by running further from God So that This is the way of man for man by every affliction is either brought nearer to God or else driven farther from him and so makes way for greater evils to befall him As David who to hide his shame ran into murther so Adam having sinned to hide his shame hides himself from God so Saul to the Witch of Endor like a child that grows more cunning after the whip more wâ—lly but not more wise And this through stubborness and hardness and pride of wit But Joshua when they fâ—ll before Ai never ceased till he had found out the curse from God cast out the execrable thing Many things light upon man that touch not his heart but is so blinded with lust and self-love that the light of the truth leads him not out but his wit will needs guide him God doth nothing in vain If man regard not Processe or any hatchment that is coming he shall see that a writ of Rebellion is coming and if he regard not that than a Bailiff comes and to prison he must and that God by the righteousnesse of
men need not then to fast Though slender shot doth cause the Fool to fall Canons scarce make sign on the Castle-wall The Assailants strength the Objects weakness do Ever contrare to make a deadly blow This is the cause why tender flesh by dint Of sturdy steel receives so deep a print And here especially it must be so Where th'ones strength doth from th' other weakness grow Like mushroms which from harreness of soyl Doth suck his sap and filthy liquor boyl And if you think whiles Faith stands firmly sound Yet sin that while can strike as deep a wound As where â—ts weak you speak things quite contrary And so affirm impossibility Indeed I grant most men coin such a Faith As may of sin abide the better breath And not be sick but such a Faith say I Will with his Master live and with him dye So then such Faith my soul desireth not As is a Poyson but an Antidot Not such as flesh might freely sin as much As it desires and conscience feel no truth But a perfume which casts such smells behind it As foul as made us cannot once abide it Such as prevents that sin can bring no smart For that it first so purifies the heart And though this life afford it not in prime The less it is the more the fault is mine And who imagins sin and this agreeing Feigns a new fiction never yet in beeing Yet is it true that our Salvations ground Rests not herein what good in us is found But in another higher seat doth sit Whick makes our works but underlings to it Hereof it comes that our Divines well say Which words Lewd men may wrest another way That if from works or more or less thou measure Thy certainty thou heapest copper treasure Since God in Christ before all times and place By His Decree determined our case Not from the good that we should after do But of free choice ordaining us thereto Then make not that a cause which is th' effect Of Gods dear love in them He doth elect But whoso draws from Faith by true descent The Pedegree of Works as consequent May thereby judge if no such fruits appear That sound assurance is in no wayes there For good and ill trees by their fruits are known And fruitful seed will spring where it is sown So when I say I wish in God his love Such confidence as sin might not remove My meaning is I wish a â—aith so stable As t' enter therein sin might not be able Or if it did yet hope should not be lost But hid in him whom it so dearly cost As iâ— that case when Sin and Law is over This were I trow the next way to recover Nor would this cause Gods goodness to despise But in new life still more and more to rise Unless Corruption do abuse the same Which if it do yet grace is not to blame And 't is most true that Unbelief is Mother Of every sin adulteries thefts and other By which is writ the sins of graceless men With Diamond point and with an Iron-pen For Conscience Paper is Ink unbelief Th' affections Pen men whereof Will is chief So then lewd life and true â—aith are no kin For Christ is not the Minister of sin Nor yet doth freedom preaching in such minds As that sweet Doctrine fitted for it findes By its own kind abroad such bastards set More than doth Nature monstrous shapes beget But if this new cloath wider make the rent It only falls out so by accident As when it meeteth with an hardned heart Which wholesome food to poyson will convert As oft it doth too I confesse yet so As that the Law of other sort makes moe I mean of Hypocrites who while they hear The hideous thundrings of the same through fear Worke with a vengeance till their backs do break Wishing mean while their wrath on God to wreak Who still think they most like a cruel Master Layes on more load and bids them worke the faster Yea gathering ever where he hath not strawn And heaping profit where he hath not sown These when they see the Law no mean nor measure Doth hold in loading then they take more leasure And having not the Son to set them free Are tyr'd at length break out at liberty And so a freedom of their own they have But such a liberty as God nev'r gave Whereout off too springs th'Atheist filthy swine The carnal Protestant or Libertine Or else such Hypocrites as still make sure They take no peace but what they may indure Gaining like peace by that their formal walking As doth the Fowler get by Fowlers stalking Much like the Crab their eye sight one way bending The whiles their footsteps are another â—eâ—ding Whereby it falls out that these counterfeits Are of all other seldom set in Straits Whiles formal walking keeps them flesh bone From being br ken on the Corner-stone A cause why Harlots place in heaven find Before that wâ—â—ke proud Pharisaick kind As for the Law this ground of Faith it gaineth That graceless men it civilly restraineth At leâ—st until some exigent betide Such as it said and â—ake them turn aside Then whaâ— wayes best for thee who art a gleaner To make thy God herein the greatest gainer Since that most like as in our Statute Law Ouâ— of the yoke lewd men their necks can draw By this or that exception or pretence Or otherwise by wresting of the sense And that in our Experience every day Those words prove true that Christ himself did say We pipe to you yet you no measure keep We mourn to you and yet you do not weep 'T is not alace in offering oyl though fountains Nor though all thine were sheep upon the Mountains Nor that thou dost thy Neighbour sorrows grieve Nor yet the poor with all thy goods relieve 'T is not in this nor that corruption killing No nor in Rivers of salt tears distilling 'T is not thy foot from outward evils turning Nor yet thy body given to the burning It neither is in this or that mans teaching Nor is it in the Law or Gospels preaching No no 't is not in him that wills or runs But in Gods mercy which creats us sones Yea Lord it is thy Spirits mind that blows Which none can tell from whence or whither goes But saith one for so I hear one say I thought at length these fellows would display What minds they bear reposing in such wise Themselves in God the means they do despise O God forbid alace let not one brother Such eager censures lay upon another The means I reverence as the thing whereby God saves his Children ordinarily Nay th' only way wherein all Gods elect Hâ—s saving Grace aâ—d blessing can expect Nay who neglects much more who it contemns Gods Ordinance for his souls health condemns Yea 't is in bâ—ief Gods worthy Instrument Us'd in his hand his Children to prevent Yet he offends not who more p rases puts
it well Know then though thou make a mock of it of us poor silly flesh as thou art and cast it off and thinks to escape Yet be sure it will meet with thee He should not be a God of truth if thou perish not holding on thy course but thou wilt reply Doth he not say also That this brings a heart that cannot repent and thou more unpat than before But he did not excuse his Word to the Ninevites yet for the condition of Repentance was understood his general promise If he return and forsake his way he will have mercie So that the alteration was in the Ninevites not in God Nay how often doth believers start from this believe rather their own devices than God hath he not said That nothing but Faith and Love avails yet we fix our eyes and hearts on something else Nay we believe the truth because of something else and not all things for the truths sake neither because of this or that raither than because the truth hath spoken Sâ— that the way of safety is to believe God in faithfulnesse shall he speak and not man regard Therefore if thou have never so likely means to uphold thee in the flesh yet if thy heart run from God therein it will not prosper and though thou see no way of safetie yet abide patiently by the Word and wait not what thou would have done but what he saith For the vision is for an appointed time but though we have a sure Word we are to stay the appointed time for we would be now eased then comforted yet rest thou hast a sure foundation and it may be thou must become yet more weak Thy Wisdom Righteousness and Power must yet be more troden down that so nothing may live in thee but truth only As with Abraham when there was nothing but the truth of the Promise left The Philistins took the Ark of God The fear of the God of Israel was upon all Nations as upon the Philistins here in these Words 1. The Philistins taking the Ark carreing it to Ashdod one of their chief Cities 2. Their setting it up by Dagon their God the fall of Dagon at the presence of the Ark. 3 Their repairing and setting up again 4. The second fall with the losse of his head and hands First the Ark was taken away for Israel was grown secure because of Samuels words The Ark and Eli the Priest they were proud and fat in their own conceit and so had turned Faith into a blind presumption and securitie therefore it was taken away So that When Man by reason of any gift or priviledges grows proud and secure in himself not sensible of his own weaknesse and power and the promise of God this is the way to lose it When David was lifted up in his high mountain he was soon brought low and when Paul was lifted up in aboundance he had a prick in the flesh When Israel made a Covenant with death God disannul'd it If Nebuchadnezzer be lifted up upon his Babels he must be brought down amongst the Beasts The Jews being a people alwayes boasting they came to be no people 1 So thus we forsake God and cleave to the creature 2. Hereby simplicitie of believing is lost changed into vain and fleshly confidence 3. This is the way to purge the old heart and to bring in the heart to God or else would man never return to him if he should prosper 4. Nothing more opposit to the grace of God than the pride of man This was the sin of the Angels being so proud and doting upon their own excellencies they despised God in whom they should have been preserved And yet this is the snare we all fall into we enjoy nothing but the mind is fixed on it and grows proud of it and imagines our selves to be strong and safe because of it when it is only in the hand of God to be given and taken at his will and pleasure all gifts are to be rejoyced in but not to be proud of while we rejoyce only the mind is kept humble seeing the fountain and feeling his weaknesse but pride hardens and makes secure Nay what gift is it we look not at and think our selves the better for it and that our Faith and Hope is nourished by these as much as Gods truth and love is enjoyed Hath not the rich man more confidence that he shall not want than the poor man hath not the righteous man more confidence his state is good than the desolate wretch and yet his righteousnesse as his own brings no ground to believe but only Gods free grace Is this any thing but Pride and Securitie making the arm of flesh his stay Yea thus are believers drawn take we heed that this be not the way for our Land to lose all we shall bragg of our peace till we lose it and of our pride till we be subdued yea of our wealth till we have lost all yea of the Gospel till it be taken from us as here they did the Ark. But it is Gods goodnesse to crosse all his in that wherein they are misled that man may see what a weak creature he is and what a weak staff he hath trusted to as the World and now is gone as knowledge and now as he had neither known God nor himself But know there will come a parting day from thy dearest object thy careful Father tender Mother dearest Infants loving Brother Sister all because thou dotâ—st on them The way of safetie is to enjoy all in God but trust nothing else and forget all behind They brought the Aâ—k and set it by Dagon They thought the God of Israel was a terrible God and all Nations stood in fear of him therefore they set him by Dagon thinking now they should be sure to overcome This Dagon was their Idol from the navel downward like a fish and upward like a man but this prospered not them to win God and Dagon to trust to the World and conceive on this God as they did on Dagon it would not serve So that No joyning of the Ark and Dagon in our house nor God and Mammon in our heart nor fleshly Wit nor Gods Truth cannot sute together in Gods Kingdom Christ saith Ye cannot serve two masters God and Mammon Christ and Bellial Christ Antichrist if God be God serve him Rom. 5.6 Know you not to whom ye give your selves Servants his Servants you are This is putting new wine into old bottels Christ gives the Reason either he will love the one and hate the other or else forsake the one and stick to the other The Soul cannot intend two objects at once For look what respect we have to the one it draws from the other God is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth trusted and loved with the spirit of our minds else no communion with him For as a man hath a Garment a Bodie and a