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
all Helps All Prophesies tend to him and all actions end in him But in what sense is he here set out In this Vision T is true All actions are from him and all tend to him and end in him but all representations are not fit proper nor useful for all occasions in what sense therefore is this action or representation revealed in this place to Moses I Answer In effect this Vision was the same that Iacobs was the end of it was to encourage Moses in the work in hand Christ Jesus is often in Scripture compared to fire The light of Israel shall be for a fire and his Holy One for a flame It shall burn and devour his Briers and his Thorns in one day He was and is that Burning fire that burns and consumes every thing but not it self as you know fire doth Though it consumes every thing else yet it cannot consume it self nay indeed I may say Fire it burns every thing and consumes Nothing for fire doth but separate every thing to its own Element Air to Air Fire to Fire Earth to Earth and Water to Water Fire makes a change but there is nothing lost Such a Fire is Christ Jesus in this place who changes and alters things according as he pleaseth He it is that causes creatures to rise out of the Elements and creates them of the Elements and brings them All at his pleasure back again He Creates them and saith when he pleases not only Return again ye sons of Men but to all Creatures Return Return And so thousands of thousands of millions of ceatures have been and are daily Made of the same Elements and having continued their Creators pleasure they must dissolve return whence they came And out of That same matter successively creatures have been and are daily made Trees grow out of the earth and having fulfilled their work and their time they fall to the earth from whence they again arose All things are in a continual change Operation and Distillation Even as you see Water put into a glass put on the fire to still Being close stopt the vapors and the spirits ascend by heat To the very Top and the heat being allayed they fall and descend again Now observe There is a change made but there is nothing lost for being close stopt nothing could go out of the glass Even so Things are Altered Changed by Christ Jesus He makes Creatures of the Elements they Ascend and Descend but he consumes nothing for Whether should they go They cannot go out of the world And nothing They cannot be made but by God himself for All the creatures cannot bring the least Gnat to nothing This is an undeniable Maxime There is required the same power to Annihilate it as there was to Create it All the Kings in the earth cannot bring One creature to nothing if they should burn this body of mine to ashes and scatter the ashes in the air or cast them into the River Yet there is nothing lost of me but onely every Element hath its part to which it Returns Now I say Christ Jesus is this FIRE It is He that burns the Bush but consumes it not It is He as Iob saith that Turns them as wax to the seal You know wax is Altered and changed to any form and change it as often as ye will The Seal the Form you last gave it that stands till you destroy it and give it another So doth Jesus Christ of one and the same Elements doth he make and unmake and remake daily new forms and new impressions and that impression it last had That stands Till he cause it to Return till he unmake it and new make it again And I dare be bold to Affirm That if our great and glorious God should weigh the heavens and the earth now as he did at the making thereof For the Scripture saith He measured the waters in the Hollow of his Hand and comprehended The dust of the Earth in a measure and weighed The Mountains in Scales and The Hills in a Ballance I say it would be found That Nothing were lost For all he hath Created and Raised Made and Unmade Altered and changed All the whole world as he doth continually having raised thereout such infinite millions of thousands of men beasts trees c. and is still in changing and making them New and Unmaking them again yet I say If He Weigh the whole matter of Heaven and Earth of which they are made they would not weigh One Grain less or more then at the first Creation I say It is He that weighs the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance It is He that measures the waters in the hollow of his hand It is He that Spans the heavens and Measures the earth he it is that alters all things And metes out his workmanship out of the four Elements and yet preserveth the substance thereof so that nothing is lost Behold I make all things new Rev. 21. yet he consumes nothing They all shall wax old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed And who is it That doth all this but onely Jesus Christ the Son of the Father who works all things according to the minde of his father who is always Changing always Renewing There is not one Creature be it never so glorious be it never so solid but it is still In changing no creature is One and the same not one minute onely God is One God is the Same there is no house no wall no stone no man no Angel no Arch-angel no Cherubim no Seraphim but is still in motion it is still changing Onely Thou O Lord God Blessed for ever Thou alterest not nor changest not Thy years are the same They shall perish but thou sâ—alt indure They all shall wax old and change as a garment and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Though some be so durable that they move not nor change not in our apprehension yet they do As you know the Dial is in continual motion though you perceive it not so Though to your weakness they are insensibly moved yet there cannot be Any thing at Rest and Unchangable but onely God Almighty Now then Moses unto whom God spake in this Sacramental Vision he saw what was the Meaning the Substance thereof t is as if the Lord should say Moses as thou seest me Externally Burn This Bush and consume it not the same am I in thee and in All things else And if I be So Present In every thing and with every thing what needest thou to fear what needest thou to fear thine own inability what needest thou to fear Pharaohs hard-heartedness what needest thou to fear the Peoples believing and obeying thee If I be with thee and with them what needest thou doubt of any thing though thou seest things cross
glorious and beautiful yet Christ is crucified and Self is alive and set in the Throne As David saith Up Lord why sleepest thou Avenge us on our adversaries God is asleep in men till this work be brought about in them and again Arise O Lord exalt thy self above the Heathen Till thou Till thy self be brought down the Heathen are exalted and Jesus Christ is trampled down as the heathen in old time typically got the upper hand and took possession of the Land and the fair houses of God and banished and carried captive the people of God kept them under made them tributary and overrun the Land Even so are those very things accomplished in us when lust and sin commands and bear rule and over-run the soul like locusts which are the very locusts of the bottomless pit Which also are ANTICHRIST and they keep him under and daily crucifie him that is crucifie his life in us And these are those enemies we continually ought to make war with and hate and pray against these are that Meroz that we ought to curse bitterly as the Angel commands and not men nor any thing which God hath made for all creatures As they are made by God are good very good but the seed of the Serpent we must war with and persecute Even to the very death and nothing else These things Brethren we ought still to find in our own experience Not onely to hear and read the history of them as done in and by others but to see and feel how they are really accomplished in our selves for except we see This fighting and resisting accomplished in us except we have found the strong man bound in us and felt those fightings and resistings that he makes till he be bound and overcome we are yet in our sins Strangers possess the Land and the Temple of God lies waste and the enemies of God roar in the midst of the Congregations and they set up their Ensigns for signs and break down the carved work with axes and hammers Could we but see all these things in our selves then we might be sure that Light was approching to us And if This Light were but set upon a candlestick then it would give light round the house and we should discover these things more and more but till then the lights is hid under a bed or under a bushel as our Saviour saith And if we have not found these things in our selves we have not been so much as in the way to union with Jesus Christ but having found it we have cause infinitely to rejoyce for then Those Masters and Lords that formerly commanded thee now thou shalt command them and they shall obey then thou shalt find that he hath in thee broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Psal. 107. 16. thou through him shalt have power now to rectifie thy understanding thy will thy affections to rule and govern them As a King because Christ is exalted as King in thy soul then thou shalt be taught of God and shalt receive An unction from that holy one and thou shalt know all things In our selves indeed and in our own strength we can do nothing but by the power of Christ and by his strength in us we shall be More then Conquerours and we shall find these words true to our selves that our Saviour here saith All power is given to me in heaven and in earth you shall feel it true in your selves for you being united and made one with him you shall so derive his power to your selves that you may say All power is given to me in heaven and earth then you shall come to see such things as never eye saw nor ear heard nor ever entred into the heart of man things unutterable For till this comes to pass within you you shall never see the new heavens and the new earth so often promised in the Scriptures not till then shall we ever see the day that old things shall pass away and all things shall become new as it is exprest Rev. 21. 4. Then is the day come that God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes And thou shalt heare Christ himself in thee proclaiming Behold I make all things new Then shalt thou have power over the earth then also art thou that blessed Meek one spoken of Mat. 5. That shalt inherit the earth then shalt thou have power to meet thy Saviour Prepared And adorned as a bride to meet the bridgroom at his coming then indeed shall all those spiritual promises be fulfilled and accomplished in thee And all this by being risen again and united to thy Bridegroom Jesus Christ. And the way to this life is by being dead to the world and dead to the flesh the world being crucified to us and we to the world I le tell thee such a pass thou art now come to that as thou stinkest to the world so the world stinks to thee As all things are ready to forsake thee so thou art as ready to forsake them so that thou beginnest to see no excellency in any thing the world presents to thee no not in PROPRIETY which the whole world yea generally al esteem so highly of and are of all things lothest to forgo I say to this man even propriety begins to dye to him and he to it It departs from us and we depart from the love of propriety or with affection laying claim to any thing in the world but having it as having it not as 1 Cor. 7. That both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for all the fashion of this world passeth away This man is an a man dead and clean cast out of sight as David saith clean out of mind he is as a bubble that no body sets by but yet be contented hâ—ppy yea thrice happy are those men that are come to this to be dead men You know dead men are not affected with any thing dead men lay no claim to any thing dead men cannot so much as say This is I they esteem not of themselves they boast not of themselves praise and dispraise is all one to them they can let men do what they will with them they are all at one pass they claim no interest no propriety in any thing let them be merry while he lies by or let them be sad all is one to him let them be sharers of his goods One will have one part and another another part let them make merry and spend lavishly of His goods He is not moved why The reason is because he hath lost all his SENCES in this world his life is gone he is a dead man Beloved This was the condition
their father which is in heaven Til this time Iesus Christ was crucified dead and buried but when once this Lion of the Tribe of Iudah begins to rouse up himself then it shall appear that there is now a King born that will bear rule that shall be such a Messiah spiritually as the Iews expected temporally a Potent and Mighty Prince whose Government shall be upon his shoulders His Name being WONDERFUL Counsellour and Prince of Peace And now all those Accursed Iews which â—rucified him and made him to serve shall now be made to serve him as the Prophet saith You have made me to serve with your iniquites Now all those headstrong lusts those Kings and Rulers of the Earth which cryed Let us break his bonds in sunder and cast away these cords from us He shall now rule them with a rod of iron and crush them in pieces like a potters vessel So that we shall live no longer the life of natural carnal men in the vanity of their mind to fulfil the lusts of men and the will of flesh and of the world but they live the life of spiritual men we shall then shew that we are the Off-spring of Christ Till you become to this whatever you think of your selves there can be nothing well done for before this we altogether think our own thoughts do our own actions go our own ways For all the imaginations of mans heart are onely evil continually But before this great and not able day of the Lord come the Lord will set signs in the heavens and in the earth and there shall be great stirs and wars and rumors of wars and the Inhabitants of the earth shall be troubled amazement and terrour shall seize upon them because of these things And when thou seest these things come to pass I say within thee then look up for know your redemption draweth nigh When you see the red Dragon watch against the woman shall be delivered of her man-child spoken of in the Revelation that he sends forth whole floods of water out of his mouth to drown her then know the child is born But before this time when you see the woman in travel and hath great pain and cryeth out extremely and hath bitter pains I say Bitter pangs then you may know the child is near delivery that is when this beloved old man our own will as the Scripture terms him who was never by us denyed anything himself desired but all was carried smoothly according to his own desire and now to be crost and contradicted Oh â—his is great pain to him Oh he cryes out like a travailing woman Oh he would by no means forsake himself his own will his own pleasure his own profit Take up his cross and follow Christ What forsake all that is dear to him this is death to him Oh! when you hear your flesh cry out Oh! would to God I had never been born then I had never seen this day Oh! let me dye let me dye I am weary of my life when ye hear him like Iob bitterlycurse the day of his birth Oh Beloved this day is a terrible day to flesh and blood it never saw such a day Oh it s a bloody day it comes with a terrible confused noise of the warriors and garments tumbled in blood as the Prophet speaks it was never so haled and puld this way the flesh tother way the spirit it was never so torn in pieces But know Beloved when these pains are upon you that the child is at the birth near to be delivered Beloved these things will be if ever Christ be born in the soul And when it is so that the flesh hales one way and the Spirit another Oh then it behoves you to pray That so your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath nor in the harvest Oh Beloved pray that these things this Seed do not dye without fruit that in the midst of this biting bitter winter you do not fly but bide by it and indure and wait the fruit that in the midst of winter you may enjoy your Sabbaths a day of rest peace lest that when other men enjoy their Sabbaths their harvest you have nothing but winter bitterness trouble and want and no fruit to refresh you Brethren I beseech the Lord that you may prove try and examine your selves by these things see if this day hath overpast ye hath your woman had pains and bitter agonies have you suffered such contradiction between the flesh and the spirit that these wars and terrours and rumours have struck through the very soul of you that you have felt it as bitter as gall as bitter as bitterness it self for saith our Loâ—d Luk 21. 22. Then be the dayes of VENGEANCE that all things which are written may be fulfilled insomuch as you may say of your selves Call me not now Naomi pleasant but call me Marah bitterness for the Almighty hath dealt bitterly with me This work being gone through you may be sure the child is born to you and to you a Son is given else not Tell me of what you will of education and good nature and the still work of Gods Spirit except this work be done in you so that you can speak of the work thereof experimentally you do but befool and delude your own souls And this work being gone through and the child born then as I said before he grows and increases in age and perfection every day He is not grown to a man in a moment but by steps by degrees He that hath this work brought about in his soul he need fear nothing he is in a free and safe condition all the men upon earth nay the powers of darkness cannot hurt him although the Dragon the Devil Sin Lusts the old man Self Lucifer Adam the Serpent c. these with all their fiery darts for when I name one I name all as I opened them to you upon another occasion for I opened near 20 of his names severally for these names and many such the Scripture gives him to set out that evil one within us which the most part of men are little acquainted with although they hug them in their bosomes eat drink sleep work play with them all these I say although they send forth whole floods of water after the woman yet they cannot drown her 〈◊〉 this work delivers and frees men from the powers of darkness this work brings down the strong holds disarms the strong man and sets the soul free Saves it delivers it carries it above all waves The next remarkable action Christ did he was circumcised That is He submitted himself to all outward Ordinances because he knew that all powers were ordained of God and so far forth as they tend to God and tend to love and peace we ought to submit So then we are then circumcised with Christ and Christ is
from matter but Cherubims they have faces onely with wings shewing that they are further off then all these but Seraphims they are pictured as it were without any form or matter at all onely with a kind of fiery flame or yellowishness Therefore now of these Angels that are above us we can say little of them because men being in Nature below and they above our element Even as if we should ask a Toad what man is it could say nothing because it is in a sphere below us So if we should go about to define what Angels are we might very well mistake for though we may conceive somewhat to our selves yet we may be easily deceived in the knowledge of the Nature of Angels So much at present concerning Angels But some may further Object to me and it is a strong Objection Object God being so constant so unchangeable as he is and he is in the creatures what is the reason â—hen that the creatures are so changeable the Scripture tells us God is Immutable Ans. Beloved Almighty God is like the Sun riding in his Chariot we have no better expressions to set out these unexpressable things to you the Sun shines to us yet it is much changed to us according to the several objects it shines through The Sun is not the same to us that it is in its self for it is exceeding light and exceeding hot and its shining through the dull air changes it to us though nothing changed in itself so though the creature be changed yet God is not changed but his works are changed according to the several subjects he works on Again that same beam that shines in at one window is not the same that shines in at another yet we say the Sun shines in at both and yet it alters in a very small distance in one quarrel it shines red in the next green c. now here is a change but the Sun is the same So though the creatures be changed and turned upside down and mountains be hurled here and there yet God is the same he is not changed he cannot be moved In him is no variableness nor shadow of changing Iam. 1. 17. although according to the several creatures he works in he seems to be changed to us yet in himself he is not nor cannot be Now we come to the fourth and last part and that is who this General and great Captain is that commands all these Armie of Angels this great Army of Chariots and Angels it is said they are the Chariots of God Quest. But you will say to me I pray how is God in the Creature is he in the creature as he was on Mount Sinai for then God appeared to Moses in great Majesty and Glory the mouâ—â— shook and trembled and trumpets sounded lowder and lowder and there was thunder lightnings insomuch that all the people were amazed now if we could see God in the creature thus we should then believe he were there but we see no such thing in the Creature Answ. We must not imagine that God hath either trumpets or thunders or any such things material but there was something answerable to them something equivalent God then appearing in terrour and we could not better conceive of God then by such expressions as these But although God appear not the same to us in his creatures Yet without all doubt he is as much in every creature and as infinitely present as he was on Mount Sinai as terribly as gloriously though he doth not manifest himself so much For he is as much in the basest creature in a Mouse in a Frog and yet no disparagement or abasing to his infinite Majesty and greatness as some foolishly think but it so much the more exalts him yea I lay he is as much present in a Flie in a Flea in a Pile of grass as he was on the Mount And to some God â—ounds as loud in their hâ—arts in the manifestation of himself as the trumpets then though in others more stilly and wisperingly In all he is alike but he manifests himself but where he pleaseth Some are 〈…〉 and see not God at all In Balaaâ—◠〈…〉 as as much before he spoke but when God 〈◊〉 himself in him then he spake for if God would he could raise unto himself children unto Abraham out of the very stones as well as from among the wisest men And therefore O Hierome it was thy fault it was thy weakness when thou saidst that it was an abasing of God to say he was in a Mouse in a Toad in the base creatures for it is no dispraise at all to him to say he is as much in a Flie or in a pile of grass as in an Angel as much in the damnedst Devil in hell as in the gloriousest Saint and Angel in heaven but much to his praise and glory for deny this and ye deny his 〈◊〉 his filling all places and all creatures But know this God is not in every 〈◊〉 as he is in himself but as every creature 〈◊〉 him as though it be true that thâ— sea flows into all the creeks crannies of the earth yet not according to the fulness of the sea though to every cranny and brook the sea is not spaing It is true God is in heaven yet not more in heaven then he is in the earth and I remember I was taught when I was a child by my nurse or by my mother that God was above in heaven but let us now put away childish things I pray God too too many old men be not guilty of this childishness yea and many of these litteral Divines teach no otherwise they never bring their heâ—rers any farther then to be Monsters alwayes children alwayes feeding them with milk and never learn them to eat strong meat So that if they come amongst strong men to feed with them their stomachs are so squemish they turn with at all Or else casting pearls before swine they trample them under their feet and turn again and all to rent you One thing I had almost forgotten concerning the name of Angels which I will deliver to you before I come to make use of these things In every creature there is an Angel and this Angel is as the beam that comes from the Sun and this beam goes directly in a strait line to the Sun So that let a man thâ—â—gh he be in never so dark stinking a dungeon and never so deep yet if any little beam of the Sun can but come in though it be but at a pinhole yet go lay your eye full in that beam and you shall behold the Sun it self therefore and in that regard saith our Saviour Christ Their Angels alwayes behold the face of their Father which is in heaven So though there be never so much darkness in the soul yet do but lay your eye blinding all your sight besides in this beam or Angel that comes from
the certainty the rarity the delight of true spiritual riches Herein lies the pleasure the satisfaction the solace the sufficiency of men grown up into Christ these are their riches treasures pleasures despising and disdaining all things else save only for use and necessity for bodily sustenance wherewithal to relieve and do good to others were it not in this regard they would despise them for to be in love with them they cannot they see no such excellency in them as to heap up riches and to adde Land to Land and House to House as others do and to eat up themselves with care to get them but if God please to bestow them they look upon themselves but as Stewards to use them for necessity and charity and not to set their hearts upon them knowing that if riches be not well used they are a curse instead of being a blessing When they come to pray they cannot tell what to say nor what to ask in regard of temporal things blessings I had almost said but they seldom are so to most men except as I before said they are onely used for necessity and doing good They dare not direct God what to do in such things but say with a holy resignation even Father as it seemeth good in thy sight and Thy will not mine be done He dare not assume a will to himself in any of these things they can but say at most give us this day our daily bread and for that too they joyn Thy will be done The chief end and Aim of his prayer is submission to and rejoycing in the will of God and then whatever he hath be it little or much he knows that is a blessing and otherwise they are more crosses then blessings But O Beloved I know I have herein displeased the most here and I seem a blasphemer and a setter up of new gods and I know as David saith Psal. 31. 12 13 c. The slander yea I will say The blasphemy of the multitude for as it is a slander to me I weigh it not but onely as it is a blasphemy against a most divine truth of God which yet the gates of Hell shall never prevail against but as then David saith I know and have heard the slander of the multitude fear was on every side while they took counsel together against me they devised to take away my life I was a reproch among mine enemies yea my familiar acquaintance spake against me and I was a fear unto them and they fled from me I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde I am cast aside like a broken vessel But I trusted in thee O Lord and said Thou art my God my times are in thy hand O deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me Deliver me how it follows in the next verses Make thy face to shine upon thy servant and save me for thy mercies sake If God make his face to shine upon a man it matters not what his trouble be whether he deliver him or no nay that is the best deliverance All this I have repeated before you as being some bodies case else besides Davids whom some here know and I my self know better And I know most of you have taken notice of that in Acts 19. 23. when the whole City was filled with the confusion of them that cryed Verse 28. Great is Diana of the Ephesians Paul seemed to steal away their great Goddess Diana and they cry out What new Doctrine is this what odde fellow have we here What will this Babler say what to tell us we may not pray for outward things away with such a fellow from the earth it is not fit he should live for he seemeth to rob us of our old god whom we have worshipped so long and to be a setter forth of new gods But have patience if ye can bear with me I would have you rightly understand me but I shall not enter seriously now upon the point but by the way I would have you all know if God please In brief 1. I Affirm from my soul I never denied prayer for temporal blessings if I did let my tongue cleave to my mouth Pray for them I say for all temporal blessings heartily for I know that even your Graces Faith Hope c. as had and done and enjoyed in time are temporal but these tend and relate to a better life and to eternity and so are to be prized and looked upon But for outward blessings or temporal blessings which you call Riches Honor Houses Lands Wives Children Friends Health Beauty Handsomeness Long life c. these are the things we differ about and the doubt is we know not what is a BLESSING and what is not you call that a blessing oftentimes which God and his truth calls a curse and contrary that a curse which God calls a blessing Physick though it be bitter and unpleasing to the palate yet t is for your health when that which is sweet and pleasing to the disease turns to destruction I le tell you in brief what 's a blessing and what 's held forth by those promises made to the children of Israel indeed because they were children they took them literally viz. All those Promises in the 28. of Deuteronomie Blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed in the field blessed in the fruit of the body thy cattel and thy ground blessed in thy basket and in thy store blessed in thy going out and coming in and in all thou puttest thy hand unto Let me now tell you that which is held out to us there in those outward blessings The blessing is viz. To enjoy God in all above all and in the want of all and when thou canst say with David when all forsake thee Make thy face to shine upon thy servant and I am safe Psal. 31. 16. and again Psal. 4. 6 7. Many say who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us hereby thou hust made my heart more glad theâ— they that have corn and wine increased I well said David thou art right there was a man who knew the mystery of Deut. 28. he knew what a blessing was indeed 2. I affirm I never denyed children to do as children they may and must do so because they are weak and cannot go let them have Go-carts and Holdbies we hope they will come to be men in time and then they will forsake all those things in affection alwayes and in action too except it be as I before said for necessity and charity But if they will remain alwayes weak and for all the means and helps they have yet thrive not I say in such cases our cost and labour is ill bestowed And sometimes some children are so froward to those that would use extraordinary means to strengthen their limbs that they may be out of hand that they
will fight and kick with those that would do them good And our Saviours counsel is Cast not your pearls before swine leâ—t they turn again and all to rent you I say again some of the Servants of God have found it so and for goodwil freeness and faithfulness and not keeping back any part of Gods counsel have been ill-rewarded rent and torn for their faithful counsel and it hath therefore been the Serpentine Wisdom of others to hide their talent in a napkin that so they might avoid the cross of Christ and sleep in a whole Skin I remember a speech of R. Moses More Nevochim part 3. chap. 34. Legem accommodatam esse ad totam gentem communiter non ad singulos the Law is fitted for the people in generall for all the Nation and not for particular persons only There was and is many a good man who wants those outward things when those that are evil have them in abundance as well then as now And shall we then say and conclude the word or promises are not true no God forbid Heaven and earth shall pass away before one tittle of his word shall fail Mat. 5. Therefore I say they in the old Testament and also we now mistake because by Moses was promised the Kingdom and the Land flowing with milk and honey temporal peace multitude of children bodily health these were in themselves temporal blessings but they figured out spiritual because these were promised but to the old man under the old Law and those that look no farther now under the Gospel what are they better then the old Jews and the CHILDREN of Israel 3. I affirm I have alwayes holden it a dangerous thing especially of late years to press God with particulars of temporal things as of health wealth honour c. but to leave all those things to the will of God walking on in our duties and calling and leave the success to him But while we are in our childish condition we are still telling God in this regard what he shall do for us and how he shall govern the world and when we would have fair weather and when rain and when a fair wind and so every man would serve his own turn and then I pray thee if thy will be done who shall take care of thy neighbour t is no matter though thousands miscarry and fail of those things so thou hast them it matters not What kind of prayers do you think are these dost thou in thy self think God were wise if he should answer thy prayers that which is for thee as thou thinkest is against multitudes of others and who shall seek their good that wind that serves thy design is as much opposite for others And therefore my advice is be very tender how you press the infinite wisdom of the Almighty Who when he will bless he will turn crosses and evil things as thou esteemest them to be the greatest blessings and therefore let the Almighty Alone in governing the Heavens and the Earth by his power and wisdom he hath upheld supported preserved and ordered the heavens and the earth to our knowledge almost these six thousand years well enough and I le warrant thee he will do it still without thy care or direction Who shall teach him knoledge and Who shall shew him the way of understanding or being his Counsellor hath taught him I remember a speech of Bernard Longe a Deoest animus qui in oratione c. That mind is farre from God or Heaven which in prayer is full of earthly requests And I say for the most part men are mistaken both in the nature and end of prayer which is first to ask things according to the will of God and our end ought to be God and the things of God in which our happiness is involved 4. I affirm it is certainly more excellent to seek the Kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof then to trouble God and our selves with wordly requests I say still distingue tempora distinguish of seasons there is a time when we may take more liberty because we know no better and we think it a great deal of Religion that we will acknowledge God and will come to him for temporal blessings but as the Apostle saith Behold I shew you a more excellent way covet after the best gifts Then doth God best accept thy prayer when thou onely seekest him for himself and not when thou seekest any other thing by or through him this will declare what thou lovest him for whether for thy self or himself what thou most lovest what thou most earnestly prayest for and what thou most weepest for when wanting that thou most lovedst when thou hadst it but to all true believers both in this as in all thinigs God is their end their chief love c. and therefore tis him they seek to enjoy above all things Although it be with the loss of all things Him they esteem Portion enough And to conclude I affirm as it is said of Abishai 2 Sam. 23. 19 there were three most honourable among the thirty but Abishai was the most honourable of the three therefore they chose him their Captain And so say I prayer is honourable in its time season and seeking for temporal blessings according to the will of God but more honourable in seeking graces to adotâ— the soul and inward man but when in prayer we seek God for himself having so much love to him such strong desires after him that we forget and lose our selves and mind onely him as our chief end then say I let Abishai let That Prayer be Captain for that hath done the most honourable of all the chosen Worthies the other have done worthily but this is the more Honourable of all the three for if we had time we might shew you that there can no prayer do more worthily then this for it answers first to the Lords Prayer Mat. 6. 17. Secondly to Christs Prayer immediately before he suffered Iohn 17. Self-denialls in his resignation to the will of his Father and love to his Flock Disciples and Members A most ravishing prayer and such a prayer as no man ever prayed but time will not suffer me now to open any thing about it Thirdly this prayer is most agreeable to the example of the Apostles who under-valued all the world to enjoy the life of Christ insomuch that they esteemed his Cross their Throne and his sufferings their Crown So that by all this we have said you may examine your prayers of what excellency they be consider the matter and end of your prayers whether they be of Flesh or spirit whether in them you seek God or your selves And with the words of the Apostle Rom. 7. 6. I conclude all for this time seeing God hath put it into your heart to seek him and to worship him Let it not be in the Oldness of the Letter but in the Newness of the
Ghost In them for all Scripture was given by inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. after they were once set apart by God to write the holy Scriptures they all spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost as Dan. 12. 4. God commands Daniel Shut up the words and seal the Book even till the time of the end These holy men being once set apart for this use they prophesie Beyond themselves and out of course and latter and after-times shall make known that which they themselves which wrote them knew not for they spake as inspired by God but Christs words are alwayes absolute and perfect truth he knew and saw very well what he said there is nothing useless in his words there is no Tautologies as we call them no vain repetitions when Christ speaks they are words of weight words of power they carry vertue with them as for instance if ever the winds blow and the storms arise in thy soul Then thou shalt find experimentally and feelingly that One word from Christs mouth will do thee more good then all the words and all the power of men To Still those winds and storms those who have experience here of know it full well as we see when the ship was like to be Overcome by the winds and storms and Christ was asleep you may see there how One word from him Ceased them No more but Peace and be still and t is the same in the soul and Psal. 107. 29. He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still These words we have now read All power is given to me in heaven and earth They signifie that Christ is God equal with the Father but there seems to be a great difficulty in the words in that Christ never said before he was ready to leave the earth All power is given unto me in heâ—ven and earth The question is What power had Christ now committed to him that he had not before what new power received he that when he was to leave the earth and had given his Disciples a Commission and it was to be sealed at the day of Pentecost that he should say now and never before All power is given me in heaven and earth what addition of power had he now which he had not before if he be God equal with his Father and he saith many times The Father hath committed all judgement to the Son and again Before Abraham was I am and many such like words which shews he is God and of Equal power and Authority with his Father and yet he saith in the 14 of Iohn The Father is greater then I Can God receive any new Access of power No certainly but these words are so hard and difficult to reconcile that in the daies of Arius it filled the Church full of Errors and Heresies the Church fell much at Odds for many from hence denied the Divinity of Christ because they could not reconcile these Scriptures And by the way if he be Lord of all power then he leaves none for man to claim to himself But that I may answer this doubt and make it clear I will lay down two grounds First Although God receive no new power in himself yet he doth receive power by being made further known unto man And Secondly By mans being made further known unto him First By his being made further known unto man the revealing and discovering of God unto man making himself more known the manifestation of this is said To Adde power to him but not That any thing can be added to him who is infinite if there could he were not infinite and He were not God But know this whatever attribute God hath ascribed to him it is in regard of his creatures not in regard of himself for there are no such things in God Neither in regard of his incommunicable or communicable Attributes as Eternity Infiniteness Omnipotency Immensness c. Or in regard of his communicable as Wisdome Iustice and Mercy and Patience c. as if these were several things in God for God is One and cannot be more for when he is said to be any of these Iust or Good or Severe or the like these are all One and the same thing in him they are but Attributed to him that we may conceive of him it is but spoken of him according to the several workings of God on the creatures As for instance the Sun makes the Roâ—e to smel sweet and pleasant and it makes the Nettle to sting it makes the fields to grow and cast a Pleasant savour but it makes the Carrion and the Dunghil to stink and all this variety is by one and the self-same Sun the same light and heat doth divers things causes divers effects in the subjects Says the Rose it makes me fragrant and sweet and says the Dung-hill but it makes me stink and be unsavoury says the Wax it makes me soft and pliable but says the clay it makes me hard and obdurate yet the Sun doth not do one thing to one and another thing to another Even so Beloved it is with our God One man He finds God A comfort and a rejoycing to his heart another he finds God A Terror and an Amazement to him One he finds God A sweet guide and direction to him and thereby and therefore he draws nearer to God loveth and embraceth him Another apprehends God an enemy to him and this makes him run away from God Is God therefore thus various no no He is the self-same God to the One and to the Other and the self-same action in him is to the One and to the other He that is a Hammer to the Hard heart he is also mollifying and softning Oyl to the Penitent soul He that is A comfort to the fatherless and widow he is as an Enemy A Revenger and a consuming fire to the obstinate and rebellious And yet for all this Our God is always the same he is not nor cannot be changed in him is no shadow of change And therefore we cannot imagine that he can grow greater or less in regard of himself but as To us he doth that is if he manifest himself more to us more within us in our souls then he is said to be greater and if he lessen the knowledge of himself As to us then he is said to grow less And in this sense also he is said to come nearer to us and go further from us As also he is said so to do when he expresses as to us more or less some act of justice or mercy or any other artribute then I say he is onely said to be so in regard of us To grow greater or less to come nearer or depart further but He in himself is for ever blessed and perfect Unchangeable Immoveable always the same we can no way Touch him or Alter him but it is onely We the Creature is Altered and he is altered to us as to
This is the Shadow of that House of Clay Where dwelt a Soule that richly did Display Such Light of Trueth abroad as did Viseal The Book of God and Hidden Things Reveal But hauing left That House now dwels Aboue In those Bless'd Mansions of pure Light Loue. T. Cross Sculpsit M B THE Gospel-Treasury Opened OR The Holiest of all unvailing Discovering yet more The RICHES of Grace and Glory TO THE VESSELS of MERCY Unto whom onely it is given to know the Mysteries of that Kingdom and the excellency Of SPIRIT above LETTER POWER above FORMS TRUTH above SHADOWS In several Sermons preached at Kensington elswhere By JOHN EVERARD D. D. deceased Whereunto is added the Mystical Divinity of Dionysius the Areopagite spoken of Acts 17. 34. with Collections out of other Divine Authors translated by Dr. Everard never before printed in English 2 Cor. 3. 6. Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Verse 10. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth 1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect even the hidden wisdom of God in a mysterie London Printed by Iohn Owsley for Rapha Harford at the Bible and States-Arms in Little Brittain 1657. To all those who through the power of Christ in them have attained to esteem it their Wisdom long to be despised accounted Fools by the World 〈◊〉 his sake and the Gospels whose knowledge â—isdome and Guifts hath made them not Great and 〈◊〉 according to the custome of the World but Little yea Nothing in their own esteem who notwithstanding are the True Of-spring of God the Only Right-Wise and Honourable with Him and the Excellent upon Earth TO such only are these Sermons dedicated they knowing what these things mean but not to the Great and wise men of this world For saith our 〈◊〉 All men cannot receive these sayings Mat. 〈◊〉 11. A rich man can hardly enter into the Kingâ—â—me of heaven nor he especialy who is Rich or 〈◊〉 in his own esteem Nay It is easier for a 〈◊〉 or Cable to go through the Eye of a 〈◊〉 Needle then for a Rich man to enter into 〈◊〉 Kingdome of God And saith our Lord 〈…〉 I say unto you Except ye be converted 〈…〉 little Children ye cannot enter therein But whosoever shall humble himself as a littâ—â— child The same saith he mark the word 〈◊〉 no other shall be greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven These onely are they that can Deny theâ— selves in all things and take up their Crosse daâ— ly following their Lord and Master in the samâ— path he hath trod out before them being 〈◊〉 with his own Baptisme they wait upon 〈◊〉 as his serâ—ants and covet to be like him In all his afflictions reproches and death 〈◊〉 meek how lovely how courteous how 〈◊〉 how amiable how gratious was he 〈◊〉 all his behaviour How ready to pardoâ— and pray for his enemies There was no guile founâ— in his mouth He never reproached the vildest sinner how patient meek and loving was he 〈◊〉 them how did he pitty and tender them anâ— weep over them because they were so fast bounâ—â— in Satans chains Only he fell very foul on the 〈◊〉 and dissembling Outside Religion of thâ— Pharisees their gilded seemingly Holy outsides He could never endure Because though therâ— was an unreproveable and glorious outside yâ— within nothing but Stenches rottenness and 〈◊〉 bones like unto gilded and stately Sepuâ—â—chers without but within all manner of rottenâ—ness and loathsome Stenches And he chose raâ—ther to keep company with the grossest sinner the Publicans rather then with these Because themselves and others had so high an esteem of them and thought them righteous by reason of their grave and demure outsides to make others believe it was so or rather better within when it was quite otherwise He sought not Himself nor his own glory but the glory of his Father He endured the Cross despised the shame His life was to go about doing good even to his enemies He would gladly have done good to the proud Pharisees but they could not endure him because he did not reverence and admire them as others did but dishonour them and discover their nakedness and loathsome insides Those that are his servants they in their measure strive to follow their Master in all good things They have the same spirit Full of meekness and tenderhartedness to all Free and ready to do good they love all creatures for his sake they can see no creature in want but their bowels Yearn to help them being much troubled if they have not wherewith to supply their wants These indeed like their Master can Welcome the Crosse yea kisse the Crosse every day and expect bearing of the Crosse in every thing they do whether they be Actions Civil or Spiritual in their Almes or Charities to men or their religious Worship and duties to God They in all bear the Crosse alwaies about them Therefore that of the Papists to me is a pretty Embleme of these mens lives in this regard though they abuse it in an external outward foolish and Superstitious way but the Morral and signification to this purpose is by some very aptly applyed Viz. Every thing they have to do with or what ever they begin or go about The Crosse The Crusifix as they call it must be made upon it when they rise or when they go to bed or whatever they do they will not forget that so is it very truly and really applyed to these men And the more they esteem themselves Blessed for the Papists think themselves Blessed by doing it externally and the fewer Crosses they use the more they think are their curses But in this sence I am sure t is a real truth That these Self-denied Little-Ones know by experience then whom for any to offend it were far better for him That a Milstone were hanged about his neck and sunk headlong to the bottome of the Sea That the more of the Crosse they bare they reckon they are the more Rich the more Happy This taking up the Crosse and Denial of themselves they account it their Life their Portion their Inheritance their Blessing their Crown yea indeed their Heaven upon Earth As for all the things of this world they sit as loose to them as Elijaâ—'s Mantle which as he Ascended fell from him to the Earth to which it belonged These Souls they willingly and freely have departed from the love of this World and expect no love from it but rather Hatred but they having found the Pearl of great price of invalluable price they slight all Sell All for this Pearl For they have resolved and concluded in their souls in good earnest as it is Prov. 4. Wisdome is the principal thing therefore say they I must what ever I
engrav'd sets forth His outward feature not his inward worth His body was his souls dark vail and skreen So that his excellent substance lies unseen The hearing-ear and seeing-eye are blessings rare He furnish'd was with both for â—was his care To preach and practise true Self-denial Whereof these labours give sufficient trial In 's laâ—er dayes while here he had abode His life was joyn'd and hid with Christ in God How others might this spiritual method know His Life and Doctrine in this book do show True godliness is a MYSTERY long conceal'd But truly in these Sermons 't is reveal'd What good thou findest let not man be prais'd But to the Lord let all your hearts be rais'd L. D. The Titles Contents and Texts of both parts of this Book Christ the true Salt of the Earth IN one Sermon Preached at Islington Publike-meeting place on Mark 9. 50. Have salt in your selves The Star in the East leading to the true Messiah The Mystery of Christ crucified The spiritual crucifying the true Messiah In two Sermons at a private Meeting at Kensington near London on 1 Cor. 2. 2. But I determined to know nothing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified Of suffering and reigning with Christ. In eight Sermons at Kensington Publick meeting-place on Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together The dead and killing letter the Spirit and the Life Shadows vanishing some rayes of glory appearing In four Sermons at a private meeting at Kensington on Iosh. 16. 15 16. And Caleb said he that smiteth Kiriathsepher and taketh it to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife c. The second part Militia Coelestis or the heavenly Host. In two Sermons on Psal. 68. 17 At Giles Cripplegate London The Chariots of God are twenty thousand thousands of angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Where Christ feedeth and where his flock resteth In two Sermons on Cant. 1. 7. at Highgate Publick-meeting place Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy â—â—ocks to rest at noon for why c. Of eating Hidden Manna The substance of a Sermon preached at a Lecture in the Old Jury London on Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Hidden Manna Covetousness Anatomized or the generality of Covetousness The substance of several Sermons preached at Putney near London on Ier. 6. 13. From the least of them even unto the greatest every one is given to Covetousness and from the Prophet even to the Priest every one dealeth falsely The PLUS ULTRA of the Creatures A brief Exposition on Psal. 148. spoken privately in Old Street London Milk for babes meat for strong men The substance of several Sermons at Kensington Publick meeting-place on Luke 2. 40. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him The Mystery or the Life and Marrow of the Scriptures An Exposition in two Sermons on Exod. 3. the 6. first verses at a private meeting at Kensington Moses kept the flock of Iethro his father in Law Priest of Midian and he led the flock to the backside of the desart And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush c. True and divine Exorcism or the Devil conjured by Iesus Christ. The substance of several Sermons preached at Kensington Publick meeting-place on Mark 1. 25 26. And Iesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him and when the unclean spirit had torn him and cryed with a loud voice he came out of him All power given to Iesus Christ in heaven and earth In one Sermon preached at a Private meeting in Old-street London on Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Whereunto is added some Collections by Dr. Everard out of some Divine Authors as being things suitable to his preaching and giving further light each to other viz. To him who is in the light 1. DIonysius the Areopagite his mystical Divinity 2. Certain grave and notable sayings in Latin and English 3. Sayings of a certain Divine of great note and name 4. A lovely glass or example of our Lord Iesus Christ taken out of Taulerus his works 5. Another short instruction out of the same Author 6. A short Dialogue between a learned Divine and a Beggar TO THE READER OF Dr. Everards SERMONS Christian Reader AS there were many causes of delay in publishing these Sermons so there are also in bringing them to light now The time when they were preached was in the dayes of the last Bishops who endeavoured the strangling of many Truths in the birth as Pharaoh the children of Israel lest they should increase and multiply to discover and suppress their deeds of darkness to that end High-Commissioning many precious and bright-shining lights whereof this Author was in the number laying as their manner was many foul things to their charge which they never knew as David said of himself by his enemies thereby making a great noise to amuze the people in medling with such men and to colour their wicked designes for the suppression of light and men of light as if they were guilty of foul Doctrine or foul life or both and though they could prove nothing against them yet keeping them in their Courts if possible to aw and vex them if they could not suppress them The Author hereof being spotless in either especially since God in a special and extraordinary manner appeared to him in him in his latter dayes for he confâ—ssed with the Apostle Paul Eph. 4. 17 18. that in the dayes of his former ignorance and vanity he walked as other Gentiles and as men living without God in the world in the vanity of his mind having his understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God because of the blindness of his heart which no doubt our merciful and ready-pardoning God had forgiven though men could not or would not forget which he regarded not much God speaking peace and parâ—on to his soul. But afterward he desired nothing more then to bring in others to see what he saw and to enjoy what he enjoyed and to clear truth to them in either respect he oftentimes averring as to others so to the Publisher hereof that his trouble was not for self-sufferings but that truth should be any way obstructed or defamed through him And he having once obtained of their Court to refer the accusations in either kind but especially for Doctrine and for Conventicles as they called them kept by him to reason out his judgement and what he had delivered with four Bishops members thereof or any three of them In this he rejoyced so as in nothing more so he exprest and we judge and not without good ground he taking abundance of pains and travel to
every where But shall I tell you how yoâ— may come to handle him with your hands and see him with your eyes Thus Can you but take off all accidents from every thing and then that whiâ—h remains is Christ Their Angels alwaies behold the face of their father which is in heaven As if you take from me all heighth and depth all greatness and littleness all weight and measure all heat and cold and all kind of matter and form for these are all Accidents and then that which is left is He which BEARS â—p all even Iesus Christ blessed for ever even He that dwels in Heaven and in the bosome of his Father in his Pavilion and in his Secret place He clothes himself with light saith the Psalmist as with a garment Light is the next thing to God himself the purest Accident For all that may be smelt felt tasted seen heard oâ— understood all these are Accidents and therefore saith the Apostle the fashion of this world passeth away for the fashion of this world are but Accidents for take away all kind of fashion visible and every thing that can be imagined under any form whatsoever and then you shall find Jesus Christ the Son of the father the first-begotten of all creatures the Beginning and Foundation of all the works of God The IMMANUEL God with us All accidents must pass away all the fashion of the World and whatsoever must passaway let it pass away and that which perisheth or is to perish let it perish but still Christ remaineth he changeth not he is not subject to Accidents or any change but he remains alwayes the same He is yesterday and to day and the same for ever Therefore lay not hold on these transitory things but lay hold on the Anchor of your souls which is Both sure and stedfast and that entreth into that which is within the vail Heb. 6. 19. Highness and lowness pass away greatness and littleness pass away youth and age pass away weight and lightness pass away and all the beauty and glory of the Creature but still Christ who is the salt and the substance that still remains For there was something of me before I was either high or low great or little heavy or light old or young c. and that was Christ The beginning of all things And Christ being thus as we have shewed you you then see what ground Christ had to call himself The salt of the earth for all these things being taken away ye shall find him to be as the salt of every thing thâ—t is Christ he is the Strength the Holder the Knitter the Composure and Compacture of all things His name is The word of God Rev. 19. 13 He is The word by whom all things were made in him was life and the life was the light of men this light shineth in darkness But the darkness comprehendeth it not All Accidents are darkness and hide God from us He is the image of the invisible God the first-born of every Creature for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all were created by him and for him and he is the beginning of all things and by him all things consist Object But it may be you will say to me How can that be true of Christ Salt is good but if the salt saith he hath lost its â—avour wherewith shall it be salted It is neither meet for the land nor yet for the Dunghil but men cast it out He that hath ears to hear let him hear What shall he be seasoned withal can he be infaâ—â—ated or unsavoury Answ. The decision of which doubt falls propeâ—ly under the second general question of my 〈◊〉 My second question answers this viz. What iâ— is to have salt He in regard of himself seasons all alike He in himself doth not season some more and some less or some have him and some have him not but as it was in the gathering of Mannâ— they all gathered enough thoughsome gathered more some less they lacked not nor they had none left so Christ is in every one in regard of himself alike that is in regard of their real and essential perception and participation of Christ. He is the form of forms the soul of the soul and he cannot be more in one place then in another But here to have salt is to see to know to feel and believe and assure our selves that we have this salt and that Christ is in us Christ is in regard of himself every where and in every one alike but every one believes it not alike If we should attempt to speak of God as he is in himself in his essence as abstracted from all creatures so he is unknowable neither Creating nor in possibility of being Created as t is said in Prov. 30. 4. Who can declare his generation his name or his sons name if thou canst tell he is unknowable unnameable Canst thou by searching find out God We cannot conceive of his manner of being in the creature but acâ—ording to his manner of working in the creature As Iacob when he awaked then he saw that God was in that place then he cryes out Oh how terrible how dreadful is this place this is none other but the House of God God was there before as much as he was then but Iacob was not aware of God The whole creation is Gods house Gods Temple but we see it not so we see not God in all places nor in all creatures as Iacob did then till our eyes be opened God is alwaies in every creature and he is there alike in his Heaven in his Holy place and he cannot be more in one then another but till we be awaked till our eyes be opened till the scales of ignorance and the thick darkness be removed we cannot acknowledge it But as soon as ever they are open then we see God was and is in us we were not aware and we shall then cry out of every place and of every creature O how dreadful is this place I see now this is Gods house and Gods Temple and I knew it not Till then God had made as David saith darkness his secret place and his Pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies but when he pleaseth to discover himself then it follows in the next verse At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed hailstones and coals of fire then the Lord was seen and heard for he thundred in the heaven and the Highest gave out his voyce they saw then that it was He alone that wrought in and through all the Creatures that it was he alone that gathered and scattered and discovered the foundations of the world He it is that turneth the Nations of the
may be of no effect Christ may be to thee infatuate unsavoury good for nothing as he is in reprobates Now I hope is answered that Question What if the salt hath lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted Christ who is the true salt in himself he cannot be unsavoury and good for nothing but he may lose his favour in thee and to thee may be as a thing good for nothing because he dyed in vain to thee his cross is of no effect and so may be as he saith himself good for nothing but to be cast out and troden under the feet of men Alas brethren Christ blessed for ever he in himself cannot be said to be good for nothing noâ— he cannot be troden under the feet of men but till their eyes be opened to see him and acknowledge him as he is that they be aware of Christ and oâ— his presence and greatness and filling all things they as it were tread him under foot And as it is said Heb. 10. 29. How much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy of who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the convenant an unholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and hath done despite unto the spirit of Grace But beloved none of all these things can any creature do to Christ in himself for to him all Angels cry aloud Rev. 4. 8. The heavens and all the powers therein cry continually Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboths heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory No creature can dishonour him in himself but in â—hemselves and to themselves they tread him under foot because he lives not in them and so they see not neither acknowledge him or his workings in them Then my beloved let us make this use of this If this salt be in us and that wee see it is he that is our life and our motion then let us not onely give ear to him but let us love reverence and obey him and hearken to what he woâ—ld teach us and work in us let him be sole Lord and Saviour to us to deliver and save us from our lusts and from Satan nay if this salt be in us these will be the fruits and effects that will follow To love reverence and obey him God himself proclaims him to be his well beloved Son in whom onely he is pleased hear him Silence then your selves deny your own life hear no longer your selves nor your own lusts what honour saith what profit saith what self and your own by-ends saith But hearken now to what he commands This shall be your wisdom before all people this shall be your life and he that findeth his life shall lose it but he that loseth his life thus shall find it Beloved Christ being once dead dyeth no more saith the Apostle and yet he saith again That we crucifie to our selves the Son of God afresh He in himself cannot dye cannot be crucified no more but to our selves and in our own soules he maâ— be and is crucâ—fied daily that is when your lusts and your sins live then Christ he is dead and you have crucified him of whom you have been the betrayers and muâ—therers as Stephâ—n said to the Jews Acts 7. 52. so that he hath then losâ— his savour and his taste in and to thy soul for thou tastest him not seest him not nor feelest him though he be in thee Further know this that Christ himself is that salt himself hereâ—ommandeth â—ommandeth To have salt in our selves is to have Châ—ist himself in us as if he should say Though I be in you as I am in all things in all creatures yet my being there doth you no good except you feel and see me there except your faith believe me there and your life express me The third and last point is What is it to have salt in our selves We must have salt in us 1. Exclusively and 2. Inclusively not onely to see Christ in our selves and in â—ll creatures as we have shewed you but to have it in our selves is to be sure we look to our own 〈◊〉 whether we have this salt or no and this is a necessary Exhortation now in these times when men are so ready to neglect themselves and are so much in questioning the estates of others We are too ready to â—udge and condemn otheâ—s that tâ—ey have not this salt but heâ—e we are admonished 〈◊〉 others alone and first be sure to look circumspectly that we have it in our selves Another mans grace will do thee no good if thou haâ—â— none in thy selfâ— Warm thy self at thine own fire and drink the waters of thine own Cistern as Solomon counsels Prov. 5. 15. And who made thee Iudge over others what hast thou to do to take Christs office from him he is appointed to be Iudge of quick and dead Acts 10. 42. Yet thou wilt take upon thee to be Iudge and to sit in Christs throne thou wilt be judging and censuring of thy Brethren before thou hast censured thy self Christ is not in such and such men thou canst spy motes in thy brothers eye and perceivest not the beam in thine own Mat. 7. 5. whereby thy sight is quite put out as to thy self You know Christ himself when he was here in the slesh when they brought to him the woman taken in Adultery sayes he Hath no man condemned thee neither dâ— I. John 8. 11. Beloved did he disclaim this Iâ—dicature and shall we presume to take it up shall we overlook our selves and judge reproch and condemn other men This man hath no grace and that man hath no grace away away with all these things such a man O he is a wreâ—ched sinner and thou wouldst have God destroy him and plague him thou wonderest God doth not strike him down dead and seest not thy self how vile thou art Lord shall we call for fire from heaven said some of the Disciples away away saith Christ Ye know not of what spirit ye are of Leave off then â—udging of others and leave all â—udgement to God Vengeance is mine saith the Lord Christ could have writ every mans sins in his forehead as his are whom thou despisest to be read and seen of all men But thy sins are more secret and hidden and yet as odious to God as his and this thine own conscience knows what would become of thee I pray thee â— if all thy secret sins were written visibly in thy forehead But know that this gift of having salt in our selves is not in any mans power to take but God onely must give it where and when he pleases to bestow it they shall have it and none else And in his time and not sooner nor later But this command to have Salt in our selves is as much as to say before you go about to search other mens cellars that you see your cellars be
the shell of the Letter except we go further and Iesus Christ opens the seals and shews us the life the marrow That which except it be given to us we cannot understand And therefore the Apostle flatly denies all other knowledge 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 16. for saith he the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them Wherefore saith he in the 16. verse henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we had known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him no more What may be the meaning of this blessed Apostle thus seemingly to sleight the very body of Jesus Christ In all probability he never saw the body of Jesus Christ upon earth in that 33 years he lived here except he had a vision of him as he marched to Damascus when he was smitten from his horse His meaning therefore must needs be If we know Christ after the Letter never so exactly the whole history of him what avails it Our knowledge of Jesus Christ must be internal spiritual experimental to live unto him that dyed for them if a man be not as the Apostle saith in the succeeding verses made a new creature altered and changed according to Christ in the inward man so that he lives no longer to himself but to him that dyed for him so that all old things are past away and all things are become new so that there is by the mighty power of Jesus Christ a new man begotten in us as the Apostle saith My beloved of whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in yoâ— This is indeed that Christ that died for us else Christ dyed not for us his cross is of no effect he dyed in vain to us T is not all the knowledge and believing that ever thou canst attain to of an external Christ will do thee any good without a Christ begotten within thee a Christ in experience Hath any man gotten or attained though by much pains and industry any taste any knowledge of Christ otherwise it is but old things old knowledge old learning attained by the power of the old man fot self-ends And all old things must pass away saith the Apostle That knowledge that was conveyed to us by our parents or by our School-masters let it be what it will or by whom it will by all the Catechisms and Books that can be made and that we are able to apply them to our lives according to the Letter t is all but old things old knowledge as the young man in the Gospel he knew the law and had kept all those things from his youth but he failed in point of self-denial he obeyed from old powers and to old ends And although we had all knowledge and all power and all conformity in this regard before Christ be created in the heart it must all pass away This is that knowledge that we cannot depend on This is that knowledge that the Apostle regards not he esteems it Nothing let it be never so glorious and splendent and though all the world hath received it and in their words own it though in practise they renounce it he counts it all dross and dung Why St. Paul what manner of knowledge then is it that thou wilt know nothing besides it And that is the second thing he answers it himself in this chapter Lo if ye are able to understand saith he so that the god of this world hath not blinded your eyes we do speak wisdom even the hidden wisdom of God yet in a mystery not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world which comes to nought indeed this wisdom it tends not to outward pomp not to riches nor honour nor the setting up of men and parts but we speak wisdom to those that are perfect to those whom Jesus Christ hath pulled off the scales from their eyes What mystery is it to know Jesus Christ his death and resurrection outwardly and all the circumstances Will this faith save you No but to those that know no more we are very fools and they can see no wisdom in our words The carnal man knoweth not the Profound the Deep things of God neither indeed can he because they are spiritually discerned But he that can divide these waters shall have dry and firm ground to walk on and over Iordan safely He that can crack the shell those can rellish and digest these precious mysteries And to those they are the preciousest dainties in heaven and earth they are the sweetest excellencies wherein their souls can live and die these are the souls which delight themselves in Fatness undervaluing the world and all things therein as seeing them lean and empty things But to the carnal man and he that will go no farther then the Letter these truths we now speak of are the unrelishablest the tasteless est the sapless est meat you can give them we pour but water in their shoes ye cannot please them worse then when you talk of these things or preach of these things because ye are out of their element t is as unwelcome and as Nauseous as a câ—p of cold water they are sick of such doctrine To tell them that they must be killed and slain their own knowledge their own lives must be crucified they must no longer have their own desires their own wils their own affections but must be content to cross themselves in every thing and to take up their cross dayly and follow Christ else they cannot be his Disciples oh here is vinegar and gall ye are the unwelcomest men to them in the world they cry with the Jews Our soul is weary of this light meat give us somewhat that we can feel give us some ponderous thing some comfortable thing somewhat that our senses may see and feel good Alas this is not the Heaven we look for Can we think it a happiness to be destroyed to be killed and crucified Give us such a Christ and such a Heaven as is good to our outward man who will let us have credit and honour and riches such a Christ that we may believe in who died so many years ago that will save us outwardly such a Christ that will be good to my eyes to my hands and to my feet to my back and to my belly such a Christ as will save us if we do but externally and litterally believe in him and will let us have our own wils and speak our own words and please our affections and save our souls at last I marry Sir Here is a Christ indeed this is such a Christ as all the world would have But give me leave to tell you This is a Christ of thine own making this Christ which thou speakest of
after me with a hungring and thirsting after truth and without slighting other worthy Teachers I here profess be they what they will be rich or poor if they have a feeling of these things in their own souls I profess they are more welcome to me then so many Princes or Potentates and for ought I know one of them may enjoy more of God then most Kings or Princes or Noblemen and shall enter into their Masters joy when they themselves shall be shut out for the poor are alwaies despised in the world You know the Prophet Esay saith ch 43. 8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears And saith our Saviour Go tell Iohn the poor receive the Gospel This is a digression by the way we return to our matter And although the storm and the lightning be now very terrible be not afraid change not your countenances nor be not so amazed stand fast our God is able to defend us Attend mind the business in hand and fear not we are about the Lords business our fathers business we are now discovering the powers of Darkness if we should now be snarcht away doing this work we should have comfort in it though the earth be removed saith David and the Mountains be hurled here and there we will not fear though the heavens should kiss the earth and all things be reduced to their first Chaos yet stand stil fear not but attend and we shall go on Saith Doctor Honour Be wise for thy self art thou willing to be counted such a Fool to be so hot in religion do any of the learned any of the great and wise men go this way canst not thou go on in a fine smooth moderate way and so shalt thou please all the World And thus these Doctors will dispute against those wayes which are of absolute necessity if ever a man come to Heaven If thou wilt go this way we go and seek for honour riches c. thou shalt be a man of some account all the world shall bow to thee thou shalt be accounted some body people shall flock to thee for counsell else if thou wilt not hearken and obey our counsell thou art like to lead an obscure And beggerly life Again there is Doctor Arrogance and he saith Be thou some body in thine own esteem exalt thy self seek thine own praise thou hast wisdom and power and parts they are thine arrogate and appropriate these to thy self and walk confidently and boldly on in thinâ— own worth and so he looks on himself as a Peacock and saith Am not I some body have not I done this and this and that Is not this great Babel sayes Nebuchadnezzar that I have built for mine honour and greatness Oh Beloved this little word 1 little do you think what a comprehensive vast word it is it is a little one as the Apostle Iames saith concerning the tongue but full of evil have not I brought about this and have not I effected that and so prides himself therein as if he had brought things to pass and sees not God acting and doing all in him and by him and in and by all the creatures This Doctor is none of the lowest but is every where in request he runs through the whole world but unobserved Arrogance you may observe almost in every man in setting up himself praising and admiring himself what great Acts he hath done being tickled and delighted with the praises of others but cannot endure to hear any other praised but Himself and though all men say not thus with their tongues because of their subtilty The Devil will not suffer them for they would noâ— be observed to do so yet t is the end of their discourse and in their hearts they say no less And men are ignorant how dangerously The Devil in them disputes and whereto it tends in taking from God that which belongs to him and arrogaâ—ing it to himself no less sin then pulling God from his throne as much as lies in them and advancing themselves into his seat Oh! poor crawling worms nothings worse then nothings to attempt this high Treason to the King of kings and Lord of lords for all power wisdom goodness and praise All is Gods and if all be his what right hath any creature to say or think any part thereof is his This is no less then the sin of Lucifer which threw him down from heaven This is Lucifer within us being not content to be as he was created but would be someâ—hing of himself he would aim at Gods seat Thou hast said in thine Heart I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God I will be like the most High c. And this doth all the world by appropriating any good to themselves or any power to act without God for the creature is but a meer instrument in the hand of the Almighty and hath nothing of his own but sin and therefore they should in themselves be vile and nothing little in their own eyes else we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God as our Saviour saith Except ye be converted and become as little children ye cannot enter that so all praise and goodness and all power to act be ascribed to God alone And then comes up Doctor Reason Oh! He is a great man he is a learned Doctor indeed he is Doctor of the Chair at least when all the rest are â—â—â—enced yet he must be heard and he will believe nothing that you cannot bring within his bounds within his element whatever ye shew him if you shew him a reason for it then he is on your side If you tell him its reason he should regard his body he will believe you and that he should regard his soul above his body as the more precious and look out for the good of that that it may be saved hereafter he will believe you also because ye speak but reason to him but if you go beyond reason tell him any thing you cannot make him understand by reason he will if he can have you hist out of the Schools Tell him he must deny himself he must deny his own wisdom parts goodness he must become a fool that he may be made wise Tell him It is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nought The understanding of the prudent Oh! This is Harsh Doctrine then he cannot hear he cannot understand But when Iesus Christ comes into the soul he puts all these Doctors to sielnce he opposes and answers all he comes and preaches with authority and not as the Scribes he disputes with such power and authority with such a plain demonstration of truth in all his questions and answers that he makes the standers by amazed and astonished at his understanding and answers and brings all things into such a peace and tranquillity in the soul that there is no more jars
the true the real crucifying of Christ all other crucifyings are but the representment of this This is that crucifying that all the external crucifyings and deaths in the world are not sufficient to figure it out to us and make us sensible thereof unless we our selves partake thereof for herein chiefly consisted the sufferings of Christ even as the Apostle layes them down in Philip. 2. he emptied himself and he humbled himself he emptied himself of all his riches glory and greatness which he had with the Father and came down here among us and was content to be as a servant he that was Lord of all to be content to be trampled upon and crucified both literally and mystically by his own creatures herein were sufferings indeed far beyond his bodily whipping or nailing to the Cross far beyond his buffeting crowning with thorns and the like and if we herein suffer with Christ this is the true Cross of Christ and this is to be made partakers of his sufferings S. Paul largely expresses how he came to know these true sufferings and so shall all that ever shall tast of heaven saith he though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him no more you know that as soon as the body comes the shadow goes away when we enjoy the body the substance there is little use of the shadovv And Christ himself beats us off from these things vvhen he saith The flesh does us no good prositeth nothing but it s the Spirit that giveth life that onely profiteth If once vve have the body let the shadow go if once vve have teh Sprit leâ— the flesh go if you suffer vvith Christ as vve said before then you have the life the Spirit of the Scriptures in that particular and so likevvise in the rest To arise and triumph vvith him c. But by the way because I would have you understand me let me remember you except you know the mystery of the Trinity you will never understand what I mean when I speak of Christ for it is the knowledge of HIM The ONE in Trinity and the Trinity in ONE Being rightly grounded in that it makes all these things easie viz. to him whose eyes and whose heart God hath opened This is that I say Ye must first come to the knowledge of the Three in One and the One in Three or you will never rightly come to know what Christ is Mind this when we speak of God the Father then we speak of him that is Unknowable Unspeakable Unnameable and then you must consider him as abstractedly from all manner of creatures neither in possibility of Creating or being Created He is That he is I am that I am that is he is God Unknown Unspoken Unpronounced either by men or Angels or any Creature as having nothing to do with Creatures or Creatures with him And so the Father Son and Spirit are All one Here is the Trinity in Unity But if ye come to speak of any THING any manner of conception or of Things created then we divide the Godhead into persons then there is immediately Father Son and Spirit There is Iesus Crist the Son of the Father the first begotten of all Creatures The Heir of ALL THINGS And so we behold Iesus Christ as the second pâ—rson in Trinity Although the persons in the Godhead are not before or after other and so He hath to do with creatures and is In the creatures is the Being Action and Life of the creatures And so Iesus Christ is called The WORD Spoken for so he is called in that first of the Hebrews as He was in the bosome of his Father he was Unspoken Unpronounced or in possibility of being pronounced so He was and is God equal with his Father but being once spoken or pronounced so he is less then his Father he is after his Father but before he was neither before nor after As for example for I would illustrate these unknown things to you as well as I can I have a word in my mind while it is in my mind it is my own what have you or any one to do with it but being once past the door the bars of my lips then t is yours Brethren I beseech you mind these things He that hath ears to hear let him hear but it must be given to you to understand these things Flesh and blood cannot reveal these things But I will open them unto you as familiarly as I can As suppose the word in my mind be A House A Tree or any other thing while they were in my mind you knew them not but being once spoken Then you know them and apprehend them the figure and representation of that Word or Thing is immediately also in your mind So long as Jesus Christ was or is in the bosome of his Father he is unknown to the creature he is God Equal with his Father neither One before or after other But if God please to speak THIS WORD if he please to put forth himself in the Creating of any Creature Here now The word is Spoken I say Here now is Iesus Christ come OUT from the Father here is now The MEDIATOR That is between God and man without whom we cannot come to the Father He Onely complyes with his Father and complyes with The creatures If God should speak to us as he is in himself we dye Our God is a consuming fire if he should speak to us as he is in himself all the Creation would be undone consumed to nothing But here is our comfort Onely Jesus Christ HIS SON is Our Mediator otherwise Tell me his name or his Sons name if thou canst Tell as it is said in the Proverbs No man cometh to the Father or knoweth the Father but by the Sonne and him to whom the Sonne will reveal him Christ is called also The Eternal purpose of God and so All things in him had their IDEAL form but vvho knevv vvhat that IDEA vvas or vvhat vvas in his mind But he put forth his Son that so he might reveal to us what his Eternal purpose was And knovv this that what ever was In God vvas God hiâ—â—elf Christ vvas and is in him therefore is Himself His purposes vvere in him and they are HIM And so Christ vvas Equal with his Father Unknown Unspoken But as soon as ever ye think of any word or of any manner of Form then fasten presently on God the Son as Col. 2. 15 16. Who is the image of the invisible God the first-born of every creature by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist The same also is exprest Heb. 1. 2. 3. And then The third Person
man alive as the highest and gloriousest Saint But the One he is senâ—ble how Jesus Christ is near him and He knows how he hath been overtopt in him and overmastâ—â—ed by him and therefore he is ashamed and will do so no more But the Other not knowing of thisâ— he goes on according to his own laws and his own will and kills him Again and Again and runs his own wayes and thinks his own Thoughts and pleases himself Rushes upon any thing that tends to satisfie his own will He rushes upon any sin as a horse rushes into the battel as the Prophet speaks without fear He pleases himself and Tickles himself in his own delights cryes Ha Ha and he feels nothing sees no danger what ever men talk of Hell and Death and Bitterness Destruction and Damnation yet he believes none of these things and therefore he goes to the same course again and again But having onâ—e espyed the King Him who stands Behind the Hangings Him whom he hath so often kickt at and crucified then he is amazed at his Horrid Oaths and Blaspheâ—iâ—s of his Pride and Arrogancy against Him of his Envies and Reproches against his Brethren being onâ—e come to a true sight of this He is amazed and confounded in Himself Sayes he Have I been the man that hâ—th put the Son of God to death have I trampled his Blood under my feet I will not any more adde to hiâ— torments no not to gain the world Hath he dwâ—lt so near been my guest and lodged within me been my life and my stay and have I been he that hath starved and famished him have I so often moâ—kt whipt derided crucified him and knew it not Rather then I will do it again I will dye ten thousand deaths All the world shal never make me commit thosâ— Horrid Facts again I will now be ruled by him I will now do his Will not mine own I will now by his assistance live as he will have me live now I am content to deny mine own wisdom gifts parts strength For now I see I am Nothing And so by this means Christ shall be fed nourished and brought up and he shall grow in wisdom and stature and favour with God and man By this means Ye shall bring Christ to the Temple who shall put all the Doctors within you to silence and so non-plus them that not one shall be able to gain-say or answer him By this means you shall find him do all his miracles more truly over again the substance of his miracles as I shewed you before you even you your self us shal see him work all his miracles in thy sight within thee and this shall make thee more run after Christ to see these Divine miraâ—les far more affectionately and with more wondring and with more true love then ever they did in the dayes of his flesh to seeâ— his external mighty works and miracles This was that S. Paul determined and desired Onely to know for he knew this knowledge would never leave him till it had discovered such things such Miracles as neither eye had seen nor â—are heard no nor ever entred into the heart or thoughts of any man things unutterable unspeakable Let others seek after what they will to get glory and splendour in the world and to get those things that the world accounts great matters or any external literal knowledge of Christ though never so glorious though never so received yet sayes he I lay all in the dust for the Excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World for all those things shall vanish with them and perish in the using and come to nothing But these comforts will stand a man instead this is such knowledge that it will set one foot in Heaven while the other is upon earth when as other men who rest in the Flesh and in the Letter who know none of these things God knows when they come to dye how many weary winter Cold and comfortless steps they have to fetch that they shall be forced to Fly upon the Sabbath and in the Harvest and have their Oyle to buy when all things are at rest with others and they enjoy a fulness and a harvest and have Oyle in their Lamps at the Bridegrooms Coming for they have given up their wills and their lives to Christ So that Christ and they have such sweet Embraces as if they were in heaven already Insomuch that they are gotten above the world â—and all things below go they Even or Odde with other men they alwayes go Even with them they have gotten above Themselves and their own wills Now Christs will is their will And Christs â—eace is their peace And They have begun â—â—eir Eternal SABBATH and are at Rest in the bosome of Jesus Christ their Blessed Saviour OF SVFFERING AND REIGNING WITH CHRIST ROM 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together In eight Sermons Pâ—eached at Kensington Publique Meeting-place T Is true the Coherence of the Text imports An exception after some vast and immense Priviledges asserted and those priviledges Such whereof a Christian may boast of and triumph in as first of his Sonship Ver. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God have received the Spirit of Adoption Verse 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 2. Such is a Christians Priviledge and Sonship that he is delivered and set free from the Spirit of bondage he need never fear more And 3. He hath also received the Spirit of Adoption whereby he can own God and cry to him and call him Abba for he is his Father 4. The testimony of the Spirit of our Father with our Spirit Verse 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God And lastly Of our being made the Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ As in the former part of the Text And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ. Our Text being much like the Exceptions in the Kings general Pardon wont to be given in the end of a Parliament where at the first beginning you would think he had forgiven all and every One but by that you have read it to the end you will find so many exceptions and limitations he hath scarce forgiven any So this out Text is such a restriction or limitation narrowing and bounding all those large Priviledges Immunities and indulgences and tells us in plain terms Except we suffer with him we shall not regin with him for every one is ready to catch at the Priviledges and assume them to themselves but stay as if he should say Although these be very large priviledges yet let me tell you to whom they
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
other and so these dayly complaints are in the world Oh! What shall I do I have lost my estate or I have lost my good name or I have lost my dear wife or I have lost my hopeful children Oh! take heed of that of saying so They are taken away And he hath taken them that gave them to thee whose own they are He takes but what is his own and why then dost 〈◊〉 repine but that thou claimest a propriety right in them when thou hast None For did God ever Covenant with thee How long thou shouldst have thy wife or thy children or thy lands oâ— thy health or thy credit or thy honour He never did why may not He then take any of them when he pleases But here now is that faith that overcomes all To look upon God As doing all and therefore to conclude all is well done for in his government there can be no error not the least Error that can be imagined who dare blaspheme so as to imaginne that God can erre and yet in our practise we dayly Accuse him You know David how he behaved himself towards Shimei 2 Sam. 16. 7. when he railed on him Come forth thou man of blood come out thou man of Belial when some would have fallen upon him no saith David let him alone for God hath bid him curse as if he should say I will not run at the stone that is thrown but look through him to him that stands behind this creature Oh what a height in Christianity is that soul come to that not onely can endure but endure joyfully as the Apostles Act. 5. 41. they went away Rejoycing from the councel when they had been imprisoned misused and whipt That they were counted worthy To suffer such things for the name of Christ So when a man simply out of an Awful respect and Reverence of His Almighty God and Father can look upon the carrying away of his goods the burning of his house the ravishing of his wife with dry eyes and with a smooth face I say Out of an Aweful respect to God not out of a senseless stupidity mistake me not but because he dares not find fault with what Gods will is when he so behaves himself in whatever befals him for the Name and sake of Christ That he rejoyces at it That he so carries himself in Gods sight in these things as if he willed them and takes them thankfully as the Apostles did hating murmuring This is something What thou poor worm dust and clay to lift up a thought of murmuring against thy infinite wise Creator Oh tremble before him all ye Nations and let him rule in his own house in peace We daily pray Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done Beloved Gods will is never out of tune but it is thine that is for although thou hast said that Petition a thousand times over yet thou hast never yet learned that Petition till thou hast learned to render up thy will to Gods will as David 2 Sam. 12. 16. when his child was sick He fasted and lay upon the earth but when his child was dead he raised up himself and washed and called for meat Some of his servants wondred at him he answers Ver. 22. When the child was sick I knew not what Gods will was but now God hath declared his will in taking him away why should I grieve any longer I shall go to it it shall not return to me his carriage in it was wonderful That he should grieve for the child when it was alive and comfort himself when it was dead Now we having been so long in the Doctrinal part it is time for us now to look What effects this Doctrine brings about in us Let me tell you He that practises this Doctrine As he hath two eyes in his head so he hath two eyes in his mind and as he hath two feet two hands two ears to his body so to his mind the one is like the compass that stands fixt pitched in the center and the other moves and goes about and doth the work the one is pitcht upon God his will and his decree the other acts and works and goes up and down and doth what he hath to do in the world so that whatsoever fall out still he hath recourse to Gods will and decree There is his place of Refuge and security He doth the works of his calling and actions among men with chearfulness as imployment from God and however things fall out they move not him to lift him up or cast him down 2. This mans eye is not divided between God and Mammon he looks not asquint his eye is alwayes single he brings not God down to these things but he brings all things up to God he consecrates all to God 3. This man he hath resigned up his judgement To God onely He is content to let God rule his judgement he resignes his judgement wholly to him If God condemn him He accounts himself condemned but if men condemn him he can puffe at it He Regards not that So likewise This Man He resignâ— his judgement of others to God He dares judge no man saith he shall I dare to judge no no Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God will say I will hear his judgement whatever his judgement be that is well that is best and as David saith Psal. 31. 5. Into thy hands I commend my spirit So saith this Man into thy hands O Lord I commend my judgement into thy hands I commend my taste into thy hands I commend my sight I am ignorant and know â—othing but thou knowest what is best for me and to thy judgement will I submit whatever it be 4. This Mans is gotten Above all Heights and depths above all principalities and powers above life and death for he hath tamed and brought under all fears and all hopes that which hath undone and conquered thousands He hath vanquished all his Enemies and doth lay him down and sleep for saith he with David Thou onely makest me dwell in safety Psal. 4. 8. If mountains be tumbled up and down and hurled into the midst of the sea Though the Sea Roar and make a Noise yea though the whole frame and fabrick of heaven and earth crack and heaven and earth should meet together yet He can lay him down and sleep they may kill him but he knows They cannot hurt him If all things be in peace He is a quiet man If all things be in confusion and coming to nothing He is a quiet man too For believe it Till a man be come to This He is never quiet for he that hath any propension to any one thing more then to another can never be quiet therefore this man is equally A stranger to all creatures and he that is disturbed by hearkning to the call of his lusts cannot be quiet He that Hearkens after covetousness If he be a servant to this sin
nothingness of his handmaid he hath brought down the mighty and exalted them of low degree and scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts If you would find God It must be by lessening your selves and taking the creature quite out of your way And if you would think of God to find Him you must not imagine Him under any form but cast away from you all that ever you can say or think for God is nothing that we can say name or imagine And therefore if you speak of any thing or think of any thing either in the heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth and think him like it though it be never so glorious yea ten thousand times brighter then the Sun yet in this you commit Idolatry and make to your self A graven or a formed image All is one for God infinitely transcends all our thoughts and imaginations yea all the thoughts of all the Angels in heaven for none can comprehend God but God â—imself Therefore herein you belye God for he is none of all those things nor like any of those things we imagine For you know He speakes falsely as well He that sayes less then the truth as he that sayes more then the truth As in your publick oaths they are given in this form Thou shalt speak the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth So that he that speaks less then the truth or more then the truth speaks not the truth and he that speaks not the truth speaks a lye So he that thinks or speaks that which comes short of God and sayes such an one is the Almighty He belyes him and hath broken the second Commandment But he that shall Take away whatsoever is competible to any creature whatsoever He comes nearest to God For whatever is competible or agreeable to any creature Is All but Accidents and so The creature blindes us and hides God from us though God be in every creature and as much in one creature as in another yet These Accidents in the creatures hide God from us And those to whom Christ hath manifested the Father They in whom Christ dwells they know that Christ is in them and in every creature but Reprobates know it not as the Apostle saith Know ye not that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Those that be reprobates do not know that Christ is in them but if they be No Reprobates they know it and are sensible of it Christ hath manifested himself to be in them by Revealing to them That God filleth all things They See him Believe him and Feel him to be That Ever Blessed BEING That filleth all in all Who Alone can make them Happy They have seen His Goings out and His comings in His glorious Outgoings in every creature which hath so Endeared and won over their hearts to him so that they esteem him Dearer and more lovely and Amiable then ten thousand worlds and their hearts Can never depart from him or rather He hath so united them to himself by His love shed abroad in their hearts that they can never be Reprobated from him as David saith in Psal. 68. 24. They have seen thy goings O God even the goings of my King and my God even in the Sanctuary They see God in every creature Deckâ—d as on his Throne In his Glory and Majesty in his Heaven and in his Holy Temple But as we were saying whatever creature thou lookest upon be it never so glorious That creature by reason of its Clothing by Accidents iâ— blindes and hood-winks us from God for I cannot shew you God nor represent God to you by shewing or setting forth to you any creature but if you take from the creature All that can be felt heard thought or understood then you come Nearest Him As Dionysius in his book of Mystical Divinity who was St. Pauls Scholar mentioned in the Acts He very Elegantly expresseth This very thing we have so often spoke of and I willingly speak of it And the oftener as it comes in my way because I know These things we are very ignorant of generally even among those that think they know All things and yet are ignorant in this Great and Comprehensive truth which is even the very beginning and foundation and Rock of all other truths If you could take from the creature all Heat and Cold all heaviness and lightnesâ— all weight and measure all beauty and ill-favouredness all youth and age all greatness and littleness and all Accidents All manner of fashion and form or Whatever hath a Name or can be imagined then you shall find the High and Holy One in his tabernacle and in his Secret place Even He who is God blessed for ever that is Even God in Christ Iesus Those that go about to find God this way in the way of poverty and taking away they shall find God in Christ Jesus But those that go about to find him in the way of adding or inlarging or setting any creature before them to resemble God God hides himself the more and goes farther off from them And therefore it was I said that God loves Carvers better then Painters So then we have shewed you how Moses delivered onely the Letter of the Commandments and he that made Not an Idol to behold and fall down to it with his body he had not broke this Commandment But the Spirit of this Commandment goes farther then every eye can see and there is more contained in it then we can at first see in the superficies of the Letter For he not onely breaks this Commandment that makes an Image and falls down and worships it for this is but the least breach of it this is but outward and bodily he indeed transgresses against the Letter but there is an inward and more dangerous breach viz. To transgress against the Spirit of it That is He that thinks or believes or affirms That God is like any thing in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth and of this makes himself a God and adores and worships it in his mind This man the Lord will not hold him guiltless for he is a jealous God He that thinks God to be like any thing either glorious or base to be like any thing he hath seen or not seen to be like any thing he hath felt or not felt to be like any thing he hath heard or not heard to be like any thing great or little to be like any thing either present or absent or any thing he can imagine that man hath made him A graven Image and hath fallen down and worshipped it Nay I tell you though he hath neither eyes noâ— hands to make an Image yet he hath both made A graven Image and hath worshipped it Whereto sayes God will you liken me saw you any thing in that day c. and to what will
the 〈◊〉 which is to be smitten and he that doth So â—hall marry Achsah which signifies The Rending or the Tearing of the Vail and so by that means Kiriathsepher the City of the Letter sâ—all be made unto us Debir the Word So that if you put them together you must read it thus in English And A good Heart said He That smiteth the City of the Letter and taketh it to him will I give the rending of the vail asunder and he shall pass into my holy place and enter into my secret Pavilion or into my Tabernacle he shall behold and enjoy the glory of the Holie of Holies as it is promised in that 15. Psalme This is that S. Iohn wept sore for when the Angel 〈◊〉 proclamation in Rev. 5. with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the Book and to loose the seven seals thereof and no man in heaven or earth was able to open the book or look therein but at length it was revealed that the lion of the Tribe of Iudah the root of David had prevailed to open the book and loose the seals The Letter is not this sealed book for every one reads that humane abilities will reach the Letter and the Grammatical sense The Letter is not the Tree of Life nor the Waters of Life which god promiseth to give unto us The Letter is not the Secret Place of the Most High Every unclean Beast may hear and read therein and drink of these waters But He that hath the word of God shall live for over How many are and have been exercised constantly in That viz. in the Letter and yet not live but perish for ever Many thousands have taken great pains and writ many Volumes and preacht many Sermons and yet never reacht This Living for ever many have read it heard it preacht it and therein have thought they have done God good service and expect to enter and shall say Lord open to us and yet Christ shall say to them Depart ye workers of iniquity For by them the City of the Letter was never smitten and taken but he that shall be admitted to come into this Sanctuary and to eat of this Manna he shall find and say from a true and feeling sense thereof This is heavenly Manna indeed I find these are waters of life indeed for I find they give life to read hear and pray and the like they give no life they are no service to God without the life and power but kill and slay those souls that rest therein as most men do The words as I told you divide themselves into two parts Onus and honos The burthen he that strikes or smiteth Kiriathsepher and taketh it And the honour or reward to him that so doth He shall have Achsah to wife but see here it must be a Good heart must do it not a heart that seeks liberty to the flesh To make the knowledge of Christ as a more easie way to sinning to facilitate encourage them to please the flesh No no my Text sayes it must be a Caleb a good Heart such a Heart as seeks not rest in sinning but such a heart as seeks its Rest onely in God such a heart as hungers and thirsts after God Such a one as labours with all his soul night and day and never can be at Rest in any thing below God And then as it follows here Othniel the Lords fit opportunity or in his good timeâ— he struck it and took it Concerning Onus the burden I intimated that it is not sufficient To Read the Scriptures No though we could say all the Bible without Book and understand it according to the Letter It were nothing to salvation If they would read the whole Old and New Testament over every year as I have known some have made it their task yea and made it their boast nay I say more If it were possible they could read it All over every day in the year yet this were nothing for the Devil can do as much what man can come near him in bringing out Scripture upon all occasions As the flesh of Christ Till it was broken and his precious side Pierced and His Blood shed there was no profit could redound to us as he himself said This is my body which is broken for you this Letter of the Scriptures is As the body of Christ till this side of his be Pierced till this Letter be broken till this Rock be smitten there is no water for us Till the Lord give it down from Heaven there is no Manna no bread for us else we may live and dye with the Scriptures and yet hunger and starve and dye but this body being once broken and this Rock smitten and this Side pierced then we shall find a fountain of living waters springing up to eternal life and precious blood gush out and hidden Manna to nourish us so as we can never dye nor perish neither in this world nor in the world to come As you know bread is not food till it be broken whole bread and whole meat goes into the body and through the body into the draught and yields no nutriment to the body The Nourishment and the life and the spirit of it remains untoucht but if it be broken and chewed then the stomach separates the One and the Other The Vertue and the Excrement which divides and conveys to each way its part Truth it is many toss and tumble the Letter and have it much in their mouths and rowl it up and down but never crack it never break it though they seem so to do and make you believe they expound it and give you the sense and the vertue yet how shallow how literal how humane how low how sensual and carnal do they make the Word to be even your Rabbies your Doctors your great Schollars Which shews If that God himself if the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah If the Root of David do not open the Seals t is not all the learning or all the Universities in the world can help us to the Mystery And the Mind of Christ as the Apostle calls it Truth is The worst of men wicked men they feed but upon husks upon Excrements upon the Letter and keep a great stir and a great noise about that they indeed champ that in their mouths but they let the nourishment the vertue and the marrow escape They eat not of the childrens bread that is not for dogs as our Lord saith to the woman of Canaan As in Luk. 15. in the History of the Prodigal there wicked men the worst of men Carnal men they are there compared unto Swine because that any trash any Excrement or the refuse of any thing will serve their turn they feed upon Husks and it agrees well enough to their stomacks that satisfies and they neither desire nor know any better food and as their meat is so are they carnal and fleshly and earthly
if a man love his friend let him wrong him if he can but here is matter If ye have but the External Worship As most men content themselves with that and never care for the Internal but if once ye have the Spirit and the True sense of the Letter through the Letter then I say let him throw away the Letter if he can no no he cannot abuse but love that in its place and degree which hath been the Shel and instrument to bring him all that sweetness meat and nourishment I say Beloved once again things being thus and men being generally thus taken with the Letter and go no farther Wonder not To see All the world in A Deluge All drowned in their own ways all seeking themselves and their Own things and not the things of Iesus Christ All being taken with and Idolizing their own Conceits Wonder not To see them All in a mist Groping in darkness and every one feeding himself with his own devices I say Wonder not for Iohn the Baptist He that leapt and sprang for ioy in his Mothers Womb at the salutation of the Virgin Mary For all He as it were lived with him was his acquaintance and conversed with him for 30. years yet knew him not Wonder not to see An Universal Darkness over the whole world and scarce a man knows Him that lives in them dwels in them I am afraid it is with most men as it was with those women the Apostle Paul speaks of Alwayes learning and never came to the knowledge of the truth Yet it is well known ye have alwayes been Throâ—gers of Christ with the Jews but I fear Never yet drew any vertue from him and that ye have not yet Taken the City of the Letter Never yet had The rending of the Vail never yet took Achsah to wife For if ye had you would be so far forth Altogether spiritual and much taken up with these things knowing no man any more after the flesh but altogether in a spiritual manner knowing God to be in you and to dwell with you wherefore to stand in awe of his goodness and greatness majesty and incomprehensibleness c. But Beloved I press these things the more and the oftâ—er because I know these things had need be taught you as the Prophet Esay saith Line upon line and precept upon precept here a little and there a little For these things ye receive but slowly and by degrees like narrow-mouth'd vessels as ye are able to receive otherwise these things run over run at wasâ—e and run besides And are spoiled and ye trample these Pearls under your feet And besides I know you have enough that press the Letter but these things very rarely and therefore I take the more liberty This is such a truth that I would have it founâ—ded and well rooted in you viz. That God is He that Fills All in All I would not have you ignorant of this one thing viz. that God He is All Act a pure Act and nothing acts nor grows or increases or moves but in Him Know that not one creature stirs in any act towards you but by Commission there is no such thing as chance or fortune This is such a foundationâ— Truth that every Branch of Godliness ariseth from this root Iacob He saw this for t is said when he Awaked then he saw God was in this place God there appeared to him On purpose to convince Iacob of this very Truth not but that God was in that place before but Iacob saw him not there before God was in this place before but I knew it not saith he but his eyes being opened then he cryes out Oh! How dreadful is this place this is noâ—e other but the house of God! God dwells with us and in us and we are not aware of it All this while To this very day As suppose two men should come into a large room in which the King should be in one corner behind the hangings privately I suppose I have used the Simile before but the fitness makes me use it the oftner therefore take it and apply it and the One of these two men Espieth the King the Other knowing nothing of him He that knows the King is there he behaves himself with all Reverence and fear as before the King because he knows the King hears and sees all but the other lashes out in idle and frothy talk and behaves himself rudely as among his companions The reaon is because He sees not the King but if once he chance to espye the King or the King discover himself to him Then He humbles himself for all his idle carriage falls down Amazed intrembling and fear and carries himself so much the more Humbly and Awfully and the more submissively His carriage is quite changed he is no such man as he was before so Howsoever a man carry himself before he sees God and before he knew of him that he was so near and he knew it not yet when God once shews and discovers himself to such a man In the midst of all his pride and lofty carriage in the midst of his high and Towring imaginations and self-conceits As he did to Belshazzar when the hand-writing appeared to him on the wall His hair stood upright and his knees smote together and his joynts were loosed Even so is this man astonished at the sight of God in him he falls down and cries out with Iacob Oh! how dreadful is this place this is none other but the house of God and I never knew so much Was my God my Creator the Almighty and maker of Heaven and Earth He that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Is he here by me and in me all this while heard all my words and observed all my actions and I not know it I not aware of it Oh vile wretch that I am Beloved the case was thus with Iacob He over night being weary Travelling a whole days journy from his fathers house had no Inne to lodg at but in the open field having gotten some stones together for his pillow and the Heavens foâ— his Curtains He lies down in sorrow and thoughtfulness what he should do what would becom of him what course he should take He was a yoâ—ng maâ— and apt to run hiâ— own wayes and follow his own will little he had and knew not how he should be provided foâ— He was fain to run from home leave his fathers house as a banished man and it seems in these thoughts and the like he fell asleep And in a dream God appears and speaks to him and comforts him And in his dream he saw a vision A Ladder reaching up to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending c. and when he awaked he finding God to be so near him anâ— present with him whithersoever he went his spirit was comforted and refreshed Then He was a changed man Then he had New
thoughts and all his former thoughts were banished Even so doth this man behave himself when once God hath spoken to him and discovered himself to be so near He doth as David sayes he did Set the Lord alwayes before his eyes then he minds God and observâ—s his workings his out-goings and incomings he alwayes then puts God forward in him He must do all Before He was the forward man and who but he All Gods acts in him he arrogated to himself and as he thought the actions were His done by His power wisdom and parts so he took home The glory and praise of all to himself But now Upon Gods appearing to him this man is Undonâ— slain crucified Then he can with all his heart let God Be all and Do All Speak in him Move in him Live in him Work all his works in him and for him He now minds God in whatsoever any creature saith or doth to him He no longeâ— lives his own life but the life of God t is true He lives as the Apostle saith Yet not He but Christ in him He now As a New man Hath no words but the words of Christ no thoughts but the thoughts of Christ made One spirit and life with Him and so he becomes throughout A changed Man A New man But the other he that is not aware of God He that is a Reprobate who knows not That Christ is in Him He takes no knowledge of all this but does what he list and as he thinks He speaks his own words and thinks his own thoughts and All their thoughts words and actions All their aims and endeavours tend to the fulfilling the desires of the flesh Either more gross and open or else more subtile and refined and more hid from the eye of the world Their desires and aims are How they shall procure such a benefit to themselves such an estate or how he shall be delivered from the danger of the times and he is full of carking and caring how his flesh shall be provided for and the like And truly beloved it cannot be otherwise for whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh and whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit for it can never act without its own sphere and compass were we born of the Spirit we could not but dye to the flesh and seek the things of the Spirit then all his thoughts for the advantage of the flesh Cease and he is altogether fot Increasing and Perfecting This life of God begun in him let God live more and more and himself less and less As John Baptist saith he must increase but I must decrease This is his life now which before was his death and contrary his death is his life God is now A welcom Guest Yet Not that God is more or less there you being alwayes Gods Temple as well before you see him as when you see him for Christ cannot Alter his lodging in the reality of it This is a certain truth Nothing can make Christ depart in regard of his Essence and Being but to you he may depart and so you are to understand all such expressions for if you think and as some preach that God comes and goes from place to place from earth to heaven oâ— from heaven to earth departs and returns and that you can stay Him and change Him or make him return These are all childish fopperies in this ye do as it were Create another God to your selves and make the true God an Idol but it is spoken in refâ—rence to the Creature in regard of our sight and apprehensions As To you He is departed and dwels above far remote And indeed and really he is as having no being and is as no God to thee However thou mayest flatter and deceive thy self Until thou hast smitten and taken Kiriathsepher and marryed Achsah Calebs daughter Till there be power given To rend the vail But then you shall see Him who is the truth of all things The substance of all things and not before for whatever you can see are but Shaddows and not the Truth As in this my body you cannot see the Internality and the Truth of it for the truth and Substance of it doth not consist either in the coldness or in the hotness for it hath been hotter and it hath been colder neither in the Oldness nor Youngness for it hath been younger and may be older neither in the heaviness nor lightness for it hath been lighter and may be heavier nor in no accidents you can name Then if so none hath ever heard or seen or spoke that which is the Truth of me for my Substance cannot be seen but onely Accidents the truth consists in things internal and t is the like for any other thing you behold besides And so likewise such is the Word of God it consists not in any thing you can hear or see or can perceive or comprehend for Gods Word is as himself Mighty Incomprehensible Omnipotent c. not included in any place His Word is the Being and life of all things the Letter cannot possibly contain the Eternal Majesty of the Word it is not the Word of God till it be expounded to the heart and made a word of power and quickning in the hearts of his people The Word is Eternal and was before any Letters or Scriptures were and shall be for ever when all those things Cease Gods speaking is His creating Let it be done there can be no resisting sayes David whatever he commanded it was wrought God Hath spoken As many Words as he hath made Creatures But He hath spoken One Great and mighty word and that One WORD includes All those Words and that One Word is Jesus Christ the Onely begotten of his Father and the first born of every creature all the rest of the creatures are but as so many Letters of this GREAT Word for he is called the Word He being in the bosome of his Father He was Unspoken Unuttered Unpronouncedâ— there was not then any one creature in heaven or earth but God was ALL there was then Neither Father Son nor Spirit as divided But He being Once pronounced He is the Word Spoken then immediately there is Father Son and Spirit For these are expressed Several or TRINE onely in relation to the creatures which to me is clear for there is not diversity in God but God is one and in Himself cannot be more and I hope it is clear to you If any should think or say unto me the words of Pilate Oh Sir What thing is truth I must answer thus truth is not possible to be either spoken or heard for God onely is truth and nothing else can be now it is impossible to see or hear God saith our Saviour No man hath seen God at any time for we cannot see him and live we must depart Out of the nature of man and return into God and be one with God Else we can never know
all the good things he hath promised we shall say by experience Now we know that heaven and earth shall pass away but not one tittle of his word hath failed We shall then see All Solomons Love-songs fulfilled and never till then And yet Beloved all these things are but dark shadows to the Truth and The Things themselves But to conclude We run over these things for time hastens Those that are brought to this condition To have the vail Rent before their faces They shall see Such things as I am not able to express For eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither ever entred into the heart of man those glorious things which God hath prepared to entertain To Feast such self-denying souls which are both Full Satisfying and Ravishing contentments Beloved these are such things as cannot be enjoyed Seeing them by feeling till the vail be Rent But yet know this t is Othniel that takes this City t is The Lords good time or fit opportunity We cannot take this City nor marry Achsah Calebs daughter when we would but we must wait Gods opportunity when he pleases to give it noâ— in our time but in his time nay we cannot so much as hasten that time When we shall have power to smite Kiriathsepher and marry Achsah no more then a woman in travail by all the means and industry she can use can hasten the time of her delivery We must wait the time Till God reveal for we must take it When he will give it And As He will give it by degrees time after time line upon line and precept upon precept And so We wâ—iting in Gods way He will Reveal and we shall come to understand The Good Will of the Lord One time after another Now A little and then A little line upon line that so you may come To glorifie God your heavenly Father Not that you may bring Honour or Profit to your selves though This be our greatest Honor and profit or take the praise to your selves as though by Your power you had smitten the City or married Achsah And so possessed the Upper and Nether springs the letter and the Spirit Thus to do is not to smite the City You as yet have not smitten it this is not The power of God this is but Your selves this is but by the power of flesh this is but by the power of Satan in us but here is the misery of the Sons of men they are ready to think and believe that they have smitten the City when t is Nothing less they think they know as much as can be known and Glory in this and so look for and give praise and Honour to themselves And if Any go beyond them if they cannot fathom what you say presently they cry out upon it as an Error and no body must know more then they and they must have the honour and praise of all they must and will be sure to keep men within their compass and knowledge always holding them in the letter in the Rudiments in the Pedagogies and in the shadows of Religion and cannot indure nor bear that men should be brought up to perfection to possess those Plerophorias those Full Enjoyments prepared for them that so they may be delivered and set at liberty from under the Law and from the killing Letter From Bondage and thraldom that they may come to receive The inheritance of Sons and Freemen hâ—t so the glory and praise of All may be to God Almighty none to them who hath given power to smite Kiriathsepher the City of the Letter that it may be unto us DEBIR The Word of God and so reveal unto us things Unutterable and unspeakably glorious Even The hidden Manna and the Living Waters to nourish us to Everlasting life Where the Glory of God is the light of that Temple whose brightness you shall see so far as you are able to Receive where you shall have Safety from all your Foes you shall see and behold their Ruine where you shal have the company comfort of all the Saints And God himself shall strive to Fill and if it were possible and Glutt you with happiness Where the City Gates are built with Pearls The streets paved with gold the walls of Precious stones the Temple in this City Is Almighty God Himself and Kings and Princes shall be but Vassals and cast out and nor regarded as such Where the River springs from under the Throne and Hill of God the Water clear as Chrystal The Banks set with Trees of Life Where your Chear is Ioy your Exercise Singing the song of Moses and the Lamb your Duties praising the Subject God the Quire consisting of Angels and Saints the Songs Hallelujahs Rev. 19. 3 4 6. Where there is no more need to fear that your Eyes shall be dimmed with Tears or your Ears Affrighted with Cryes or your Senses disturbed with Pain or the Heart Damped with Sorrow or the Soul Ever Surprized by death VVhere there is All God and No Evil there is No Persecutors None to Claim your Possessions from you None To Envy your Happiness the Rich cannot be Robbed Nor Kings shall not be Flattered VVhere there is Possessions without Impeachments Seigniories without Cares Length of yeares without decay of Strength Love of All without Ieâ—lousie of any Greatness of STATE without Conscience of Corruption Where we shall be Ravished with Seeing Satisfied with Enjoying And Secured for Retaining Beloved All these things are Very true True In the Letter But far more true Taking it All as meant Spiritually There are Such Things as These Buâ— infinitely more Spiritual Divine and Transcending Such things As These and whatever else The Heart of man can Imagine Are but Poor Things to what we shall there Have and Live with and Live in viz. In Heaven The Beginnings whereof are given you Here as an Earnest and First Fruits For Heaven is Nothing else But Grace perfected T is of the same Nature with that you Enjoy Here For He that is United and made ONE with Jesus Christ by Faith Hath A True and REAL Glimpse of those Ravishing Glories And Delights which he shall for ever Enjoy But you must Wave All Carnal Sensual and Worldly Enjoyments And look upon the Highest Chiefest and Rarest here To be But Shadows and Dark Resemblances of those Blessed Good things which we shall then Enjoy For Ever and Ever THE TWO MIGHTY AND Wonderfull TREES OF EDEN In the Garden of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELOHIM Incognita Vnknown Ever since Man was driven out of Paradise until Admitted to Return in Again viz. THE TREE of KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD and EVIL AND The TREE of LIFE Taken out of A Book Called The LETTER And The LIFE Or The FLESH And The SPIRIT Translated by Dr. EVERARD THE TREE of KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD and EVIL What it is I Will not much contend with them that will have The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil as
keeps the Sabbath Holy being void of skill and Will is subject onely to God In Him to go Out Work Will know Both How What When and Why he pleaseth Now The Whole World lyeth in This Death and Sin for that it doth nothing else but kiss iâ—s own hand That is Adore the Purpose Counsel Invention and wisdom of it self To this purpose are all things Intended Aimed Drawn and Bent Even the Holy Scripture and Words of God Namely to be consonant to Our Reason and not to cross Our Wisdom Course and Way But all these things must be Overthrown and unlearned again if we will see God For therefore do the Scriptures so Vehemently urge us to becom Children and Fools Vomiting up again all the Art and knowledge of this Forbidden Tree To be purged by the strength of the Tree of Life and consequently let Every man in this case look and observe Himself narrowly what he doth And He shall find all this True in his Own Breast THE Gospel-Treasury Opened OR The Holiest of All unvailing The Second Part. Containing I. Two Sermons on Psal. 68. 17. intituled Militia Coelestis or the Heavenly Host. II. Two sermons on Cant. 1. 7. Where Christ feedeth and where his flock resteth III. A Sermon on Rev. 2. 17. Of eating hidden Manna IV. Heads of Sermons on Ier. 6. 13. Covetousness anatomized or the generality of Covetousness V. A short Exposition on Psal. 148. The Plus Ultra of the creatures VI. The substance of several Sermons on Luke 7. 40. Milk for babes meat for strong men VII Two Sermons on Exod. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. The mysterie or the life and marrow of the Scriptures VIII The substance of several Sermons on Mark. 1. 25 26. True and divine Exorcism or the Devil conjured by Iesus Christ. IX A Sermon on Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to Jesus Christ in heaven and in earth Also added I. Dionysius the Areopagite his mystical Divinity II. Grave and notable sayings in Latin and English III. Sayings of a certain Divine of great note IV. Taulerus his holy glass or example of our Lord Iesus Christ. V. Another short instruction by the same Author VI. A short Dialogue between a learned Divine and a beggar LONDON Printed for Rapha Harford At the Bible and States-Armes in Little Brittain 1657. Militia Coelestis OR The Heavenly Host Two Sermons upon Psal. 68. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand thousands of Angels The Lord is among them as in Sinai in the Holy Place Out of which the Bishops pretended matter of high accusation against the Author in their High Commission Court Preached at Giles Cripplegate when those masking Chariots and great shews were presented and acted at the Court the Temple and in the City after which there was so much running to be Spectators He chosing Texts on purpose constantly as his manner still was and being our Saviours practice in the Gospel he making use of present things most in use and most affected to take men off from admiring such vanities or rather to take an advantage by them and thereby improving them to raise up the mind to real Glories which have so few Lovers and Followers Saith our Saviour Matth. 11. 17. But we have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned and ye have not lamented And again saith he Wide is the Gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto destruction and many there be that go that way but strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it Mat. 7. 13. SERM. I. AS this Psalm was undoubtedly Davids so it is more then probable the occasion of penning it as you may see at the bâ—ginning thereof was upon the removing of the Ark to Ierusalem the City of David from the house of Abinadab 2 Sam. 6. At which time David with the rest of the people of Israel played on all manner of Instruments and danced before the Ark Whereupon Michal his wife Sauls daughter despised him for a fool An extasie of joy seizing upon his spirit he enjoying so much of God in it caused him to leap and dance before it She hereupon takes upon her to reprove censure and revile him and in her heart scorned him sayes the text v. 16. But David being lifted up filled with divine joy slighted her and told her he would yet be more vile And the reason of this conjecture is because this Psalm begins with that very Proverb that was appointed to be said at the rising of the Ark out of its place Num. 10. 25. Arise O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered let them that hate him flee before him I dare not offer at any Method in the whole nor at any connexion in the parts For I find that all your curious Dichotomizers do but dream play with the Scripture feeding themselves with fancies and not truth For sure I am the onely method that holy men of old observed was to speak as they were moved by the holy spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. But these words we have now read they being a clause in this Psalâ— I take them as a Melchizedeck without Father without Mother Heb. 7. 3. so having no dependance We will come to open the words as having a sufficient sense lying within themselves There be many Expositions on this place which I will not trouble you withall for men speak according to men but the Scriptures were written by Gods spirit dictated by his own finger for holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. We must therefore labour to find out if it be possible what is Gods mind in the Scriptures whatever men say I may call this Text as it is Luke 2. 13. Militia Coelestis the Heavenly Host There was with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God or as Iacob did the Angels Gen. 32. 2. when he saw the Angels he said This is Gods host for there is in them both greatness and terribleness which is proper to the Angels of God But that we may give you the parts of the woâ—ds There are four things represented in them 1 Their Nature they are called Chariots 2 Their Number they are said to be twenty thousand or thousands of thousands that is they are innumerable or numberless 3 In regard of their Names they are here called Angels 4 In regard of the Commander of all these numberless number of Chariots and Angels and that is God himself The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels â— Their Nature they are called Currus Chariots The mention of Chariots is as ancient as any History either sacred or profane they being used both for peace and warre In the first Book of Moses Gen. 41. 43. there is mention made of Pharaohs triumphant Chariot for Ioseph he that exalted Ioseph And again in
who can be against us 〈◊〉 likewise if God be against us who can be for us If a man flye from a Bear what help hath he if a Lion meet him and to flye from an iron weapon and a bow of steel strike him through when God is become thine enemie who dare be thy friend when God shall deny a man comfort then all comforts and Comforters fly from him when the God of all comfort shall deny his creatures power to comfort thee then like Iob if thou lay thee down thou sayest when shall I arise and the night be gone and thou art full of tossings too and fro unto the dawning of the day Iob 7. 4. He seeks for comfort but none dare give when the day comes he wisheth for the night and when the night comes he wisheth for the day and is full of unquietness While a man is in the body the Almighty hath visible Chariots to ride in towards thee In this life he shoots visible arrows Nah. 3. 2. The noise of a whip the noise of the ratling of the wheels of the praâ—sing horses and of the jumping Chariots He striks with visible swords his Chariot-wheels shall rattle against thee in poverty disgrace imprisonments in this life c. these are his rods whatever else seems bitter to us He hath the earth to swallow thee up as it did Dathan and his company and he hath waters to drown thee as he did Pharaoh he hath Whips Racks Strapadoes Halters and the like All these he hath and a 100 times more he useth for the body in the hands of man But adde unto these the invisible torments of thy invisible part And a wounded heart which as Solomon saith and such who have felt it know full well is far above all the rest The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear I but now if a man shall say with David Psal. 139. 11. Peradventure the darkness shall cover me and I will flee far hence when I have put off this body I shall then be at rest then dark death shall cover me and it shall ease me and hide me from all these things No no Then hath thy God invisible Chariots in which he rides and invisible weapons which shall pierce thy invisible soul The day and the night are all one to him Psal. 139. 12. When thou hast put on death he hath then also fiery Chariots and Horses still to affright amaze pursue wound and kill with a never dying death And therefore let us learn to fear him who can cast both boâ—â— and soul into hell But let us not fear any 〈◊〉 and I hope especially some among us we have not so learned Christ as either to fear them or trust in them Some saith David Psal. 20. 7. put trust in Chariots and some in Horses but we will trust in the name of the Lord. These are things we should never regard for all the Creatures are but Chariots wherein God rides therefore we should not much heed them but God in them neither men nor things but God onely who acts in them and by them for they can neither do us any good or hurt as of themselves but as they are acted and commanded by God and therefore I say we should neither fear them nor trust in them First Not fear them for so saith our Saviour Mat. 10. 28. Fear not him that can but kill the body c. Not trust in them for saith David A horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man Psal. 33. 17. And again put not you your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom there is no help For what is it that we trust to when we trust in them Fear them not saith the Psalmist why for their breath is in their nostrils they are but a puff of breath which is soon past and gone As soon as ever the Gate of our Life is broken down by some disease or other we come to nothing The snare is broken and our souls are escaped and what can such poor creatures do to us either for good or hurt Secondly Trust not in them no not in Princes nor in the son of man whose breath is in his nostrils in whom there is no 〈◊〉 and wherein is he to be accounted of The words are very remarkable and emphatical for when he had said Trust not in Princes one would think he had gone to the highest pich of power on earth for what is greater and who are of more power then Princes yet he addes nor in the son of man whose breath is in his Nostrils that is when a man hath trusted so long to things without himself till he hath no more to trust to and all fail him yet at last of all he will trust to himself and indeed the last trust is in a mans self therefore Christ nameth this before all to deny a mans self and take up his Cross herein daily But let us have our eye onely upon God and say as Elisha of Eliâ—ah and afterward as Ioash to Elisha 2 King 13. 14. so let us cry to God alone O my father my father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsmen thereof for indeed he is the Horsmen and the Chariots So when we look round about us both on the right hand and on our left above or below us let us take heed we rest not in any Creature whatsoever but let us look up and see that God is the strength of Israel his people and let us call upon him and say O my Father my Father the Chariots and Horsmen of Israel and to say with Iehosaphat in any strait O our God we know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee But as I told you there were chariots of divers fashions some that are made open and some made close And of old the Princes and great Ones of the Earth had Chariots of divers fashions and for divers uses so hath God Almighty As he hath Chariots Of Triumph so of Warre And those are both Offensive to pursue Defensive to deliver So also the Lord Almighty hath his Chariots Both Open and close wherein he Rides In some of his Chariots in some of his Creatures God rides more close in some he rides more open In some Creatures God is more apparently seen in others he is more hid But yet I will say as Austin saith of his Iudgements in some he is more hidden in others he is more manifest yet in all he is alwayes just And so say I of his presence in all his Creatures in some he is more conspicuous and apparent in others more secretly but in all alike truly and apparent to the seeing eye The Heavens are an open Chariot wherein he appears more visibly plainly Psal. 19. 1. The Heavens shew forth the glory of God and the Earth
sheweth his handy Work dâ—y unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge In these God rides more openly here ye may behold him with open face as it is Ier. 23. 24. Caâ— any hide themselves in secret places from him do not I fill Heaven and Earth sayes God So the Earth is a close Chariot wherein he rides God rides and abides in the close silent Earth though less glorious as to us as well as in the open and more glorious Heaven Psal. 18. 10 11. He made darkness his secret place and his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds he bowed the Heavens and came down and darkness was under his feet T is true he fills Heaven and Earth but in the Earth we cannot see him so open and manifest Sometimes he hides himself in darkness and sometimes he shews himself in light As he is light so he clothes himself with light Psal. 104. 2. like as he was to the Israelites he went before them in a pillar of a cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night Exod. 14. 19 20. He in himself is always invisible but in his expressions workings he is more secret more manifest Isa. 45. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour For God was both the cloud and the fire that went before and behind the children of Israel and he it was that filled the Tabernacle he was in both though he exprest himself so diversly And when we have put off this Tabernacle of clay that hangs about us then we whom he hath appointed shall see him as he is Yet let me tell you no man can see God as he is not in his Essence no not the Angels in heaven they themselves are not capable of that nor ever shall be but then the scales of Ignorance and blindness shall fall from our eyes and then we shall see his Influence into all Creatures and how this infinite God Flowes into them all as the river of Thames or the Sea by its streams it flows into all the adjoyning Creeks Arms but into every one according to their capacity not according to their own greatness but according to the greatness or littleness of those Creeks So doth our infinite God Flow into all his Creatures yet these expressions are infinitely below him too narrow to set out God to you but something in a way of resemblance I say after this manner doth the Almighty Flow into all his Creatures into Angels Arch-Angels Cherubims Seraphims Into men into beasts birds fish into all creatures yet not according to his own infinite greatness but according as every one can receive him and according to their capacity For if God should fill his creatures or communicate himself to them beyond their capacities he should destroy his creatures As to Moses God shewed him as much as a creature could see and live for if God had shewed him more he had been blinded undone by it for things may be as well invisible by too much light as by too little by excess of light as by want of light As the Sun if it should shine unto us in that excess of light that is in it self and that it were not intercepted interrupted by vapours and by thick and dull aire or if we were nearer to it then we are we should see nothing at all But whatever we see not of God now while we are in the world it is not for want of light in God but for want of light in us because the thick scales and the thick Darkness are still before our eyes and the dark vail is upon our hearts For God is alike apparent in every creature in regard of himself yet the accidents and matter that clothes God in the creature hides him from our sight For if we ask the Sea or the Winds or Beasts or Men of God these all speak dully and darkly of him for thou art now a hidden God from our eyes though thou art in every creature thou art the action motion and being of every creature yet God himself is a hidden a close God As Iacob when he fell asleep and dreamed and when he awaked he cryes out Oh how fearful is this place this is none other but the house of God God was there before but Iacobs eyes were not opened for God is in every place alike and cannot be more in one place then another but till our eyes be opened we can never acknowledge it but as soon as they are open then we can cry nay then we shall cry out for we cannot contain ourselves with Iacob with a holy fear and reverence we seeing the fulness of his presence every where Oh how dreadful is this place this is none other but the house of God and the gate of Heaven doubtless the Lord was in this place and I was not aware Object T is true you may say I see indeed all the creatures are Gods House and his Temple but why doth he call it The Gate of Heaven Ans. Because every creature when our eyes and ears are open it plainly represents speaks out God with a loud voice it leads us to see God himself who is not onely the substance and being thereof but he is the action life and motion thereof it leads us to behold and enjoy the infinite God who is heaven it self Then we shall come to see and say Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory And then shall we cry out one to another as the Seraphims Isa. 6. 3. And one cryed unto another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Then we shall see him so fill all places and all creatures even as he filled the tabernacle with his presence and glory Insomuch that we shall be overcome by his presence and the excellency of his divine glory Take home this truth with you and the Lord fix it in your hearts meditate and often think on it till you come to see it and believe it That God fills every thing though you see him not And although he be hidden not onely from men but even from the Angels themselves in regard of his Essence yet whatever creature it be how little so ever it be it is the house of God and the gate of heaven for this is Heaven upon earth thus to enjoy God and therefore well may Iacob call it The gate of heaven He fils even the lowest hell and is as wel in the damnedst Lucifer in hell as in the gloriousest Saint in heaven in regard of his Essence because he is in that regard in all places alike But here is the difference the one seeth him not so nor yields unto him the praise and glory of his infiniteness and of his filling all things as the
Saints and Angels do to the one he is not manifested to be in them to the other he is gloriously but they think they have an Essence and Being of their own even as all we poor ignorant men think who live not with and in God And they think they are governed by their own powers and wills and look on themselves as living out of God and at a distance from him as indeed they do because he is not manifested to be in them as he was to Iacob and so farre as any of us live at this remoteness and as strangers to God we live in Hell and in the very condition of Devils and Reprobates But O Lord where am I and to whom do I speak I pray God I do not cast pearls before swine Though these be glorious and undeniable truths yet if you see them not so I expect no other then that you should turn again and all to rent me as our Saviour speaks But the truth is also I have out-run my self my own purpose for I feared as the Apostle saith I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual for hitherto ye have not been able to bear these things neither yet are ye able I am afraid But you must be led to the understanding of them by low mean and carnal things and you must still be dealt with as with children because ye are not yet fit for strong meat Heb. 5. 13 14. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers ye have need that one teach you which be the first principles of the oracles of God and are become come such as have need of milk and not of strong meat for every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe But seeing providence hath opened my mouth the Lord open your ears and your eyes to see and understand and that I may declare and shew forth his praise and Glory But our God himself describes himself what he is what his name is Exod. 3. 14. I am that I am and yet also that expression comes infinitely short of what God is for he is inexpressable unutterable therefore I hope you would not have me to set him forth to you give you to see and handle him who is not to behandled nor to be seen would you have me to shew you him that is the unknown God spoken of Act. 17. 23. I confess I have read in some Authors of the occasion of that Altar that was erected To the unknown God for as they relate they having been a long time together afflicted with a great plague they sacrificed to all their own Gods and to all the Gods they ever heard of were not delivered at last they knowing believing there was a God that could help them but they knew him not they then sacrificed to that unknown God were delivered whereupon they erected that Altar and ever after sacrificed To the unknown God But I would willingly so far as humane capacity can reach by the assistance of Almighty God unfold something of this our great God who fills all things even this Vnknown God but so as you must then say with Balaam Numb 24. 17. I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh While you live in the creature and have your dependance upon the creature you cannot now see nor know God Beloved if I go about to describe him to you by the way of Honour by the way of Credit by the way of Health by the way of Riches or the like or by any creature or by any worldly glories happiness or enjoyments it is impossible to find him or ever to come near him for the rich he sends empty away Or to find him out by the way of addition or multiplication we shall never find him for if you go from one glorious creature to another and so multiply and adde one to another higher and higher till you come to the glorious heavens and put them altogether yet these are infinitely short of God for Is. 40. 12. He hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out the heavens with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure he hath weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance Therefore none of all these things can fully set forth what God is Quest. What then how shall we finde him Answ. It must be by way of substraction and taking away all that ever you can and then you come nearest to God as Dionysius saith in his Book of Mystical Theology In the way of poverty ye may find him for our Saviour saith expresly Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven And the Virgin in Mary He hath filled the hungry with good things but the rich he hath sent empty away Luk. 1. 53. by the way of substracting and taking away many have found him If you seek after him thus happily ye may feel after him and find him though he be not farre from every one of us Acts 17. 27. but by adding or multiplying you shall never come to see him For if you conceive God to be any thing that you can imagine go as high as you can you do no other then make an Idol of him For if you conceive God to be Light which is the most glorious thing he is no such thing for he dwels in light inaccessable but take away this and all sensible Accidents as Hardness Softness Heat Cold Greatness Littleness and all that you can conceive and this is the way to know and to find out God Then shall you come and draw near to Him who is the very image of the invisible God â—ol 1. 15. To him who is the bâ—ightness of his Fathers glory and the express image of his person To him who upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. and to Him who is the Ancient of Dayes Dan. 7. 9. and to Him that is I am that I am Exod. 3. 24. and to Him that that is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Rev. 1. 8. This our great Jehovah is not to be measured or compared with any thing competible to the creatures for He infinitely transcends all the excellency of all creatures yea though all the glory and excellency yea the quintessence of all were gathered and summed up in one It may be when you have thought of God you would resemble him to some glorious thing and then you have thought of Light when you have thought of him to resemble him by so it may be you have sometime thought him to be Sweet but he is not sweet as we conceive of sweetness for he is not the sweetness of a Rose nor of Honey nor any such thing he is not the lightness of the light nor the
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
of the Stars and calleth them all by their names but as they are his Stars so they are numbered by his Arithmetick for they are not according to the number of a man As God saith to Abraham Gen. 15. 5. Look towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them so shall thy seeed be I hope Beloved by this time you begin to see what a numberless number of Chariots and Angels God hath ready prest at his command for any errand he pleaseth to send them on and also how easily our Saviour the great Arch-Angel of the Covenant and Michael Captain of the Lords hosts could have commanded more then 12 Legion of Angels Mat. 26. 53. Beloved I will propound it very briefly to you in two things or two Scriptures wherein ye may a little have a glimpse of God and a smal scantling of God and of God Almighties Arithmetick and if this smal scantling and little glimpse be so wonderful what is his perfection what is himself what is his Essence and glorious Being One shall be from that which David saith Ps. 90. 4. A thousand years with God are but as yesterday or as one day there is no succession of time with him In a thousand years you know are 365000 dayes and all this time is to God but as one day is to us Then who can number dayes with God so who can number Gods Angels his Armies and his Chariots they are to us infinite and numberless as to men we must not nor cannot number them no not according to the number of a man As we must not measure God by mans measure so God numbers not by mans number nor measures not by mans measure for whensoever ye read of God expressed under any Name or Attribute measure him not as you apprehend of that Attribute but as infinitely beyond it as the Ocean to the Drop and farre farre beyond Beloved when we think of God we must go backward from our first principles that were born with us or instilled into us by our Teachers or acquired by our industry and unlearn what we have been learning so long or rather transcend and forget and forsake all that knowledge of him we must be stript from all carnal apprehensions of God so as to measure him by any thing we can comprehend And to teach us this Arithmetick we had need have line upon line line upon line and precept upon precept precept upon precept here a little and there a little before ever we can learn these things for they are farre above us As all the wayes of God are unknowable unsearchable Rom. 11. 33. so all the Armies of God are unsearchable unknowable and the Chariots of God are all the wayes of God And both Chariots and Wayes are his Creatures God hath his wayes in all his Creatures his goings forth and workings in all the Creatures are but the goings forth of himself they are but the displayings of his own wisdom power and greatness Be hmoth is called The Prince of the wayes of God Iob 40. 19. And David saith Ps. 77. 19. Thy wayes are in the Sea and thy paths are in the deep and the Lord hath his wayes in the whirlwinds and in the Storms and the clouds are the dust of his feet Nah. 1. 3. And whatever God is he is infinitely so as he is If he be called good he is infinitely good If Being he is infinite in Being he only hath a Being for if any thing else hath a being he cannot be infinite All things but God are but shadows bubbles soon vanish soon up and soon down and if he be all power and all wisdom c. as most certainly he is then there is no power nor wisdom c. but onely his either in Heaven or Earth and if his be all the glory then no Creature hath any glory if his be all the power Kingdome and glory as in the conclusion of the Lords Prayer then no Creature can claim any and yet how commonly do men ascribe appropriate these to themselves and wipe their mouths and say I have done no evill The second thing wherein I would have you take a scantling of God or of Gods Arithmetick or of his wayes is from that place Dan. 7. 10. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him I could make a strange inference upon his calculation but the bed is shorter then a man can stretch himself upon it and the covering narrower then he can wrap himself in it Isa. 28. 20. Therefore well may we with the Prophet conclude v. 23. Precept must be upon precept and line upon line c. that ye may go backward and be broken snared and taken Beloved ye must be undone and broken as to your selves and your own wisdom parts and then begin again Line upon line and line upon line here a little and there a little for saith he whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall be make to understand Doctrine even them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts For we have hitherto made lyes our refuge and under falshood have we hid our selves v. 15. Then Beloved if God be so infinitely great as he is so that he is all greatness all wisdom all power so that he comprehends commands acts all things fils all things in Heaven and Earth Oh! All you the people and children of God look about you and behold your Portion none hath such a God as you none hath such a Protector as you none hath such a Father such a Provider as you have Oh happy Oh happy yea thrice happy indeed art thou that hast but these everlasting arms under thee his right hand to defend thee and his care to provide for thee what needest thou to fear what needest thou to care thou art safe for ever Henceforth let not any proud flesh quarrel at or any doubtful soul wonder at or question our Saviours words saying how can it be that all the hairs of our heads are numbered and that not one can fall to the ground without him for by infinite wayes he is infinitely present with all things in all places But let all that hate or slight this great God tremble at his stupendious presence greatness and power For Nahum 1. 3 4 5. Though the Lord be slow to anger yet he is of great power and will not at all acquit the wicked who hath his way in the whirlewind and in the storm and the cloud are the dust of his feet for at his pleasure he rebuketh the Sea and maketh it dry and dryeth up the Rivers Bashan languisheth and Carmel the flower of Lebanon The Mountains quake at him and the hills melt and the earth is burnt up at his presence yea the world and all that dwell
therein who can stand before his indignation and who can abide the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him and darkness shall pursue his enemies Think upon this all you that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal. 50. ult But saith he Psal. 61. 3. The Lord is good and is a strong Hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Oh Beloved Let us all then give glory from our souls to this our great God to this infinite and everlasting Being who fills all things let us all poure out oâ—r souls before him like Water and be melted to nothing in his presence And to that end First Let us subscribe to the infiniteness of our â—od in all his Attributes in all his ways in all his Creatures Let us alwayes believe it and have him continually before us that we may tremble to offend him even the wickedest man And that godly men may both fear and love him and that they may with strong confidence be rooted resting and depending on him who is the rock of Ages And Secondly Let us cry out with Moses in continual acclamations in that powerful Orarion when ever we think of him or behold him There is none like the God of Iesurun who rideth upon the Heavens for thy help and in his excellency upon the skie For the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the Everlasting Arm. Thou canst be in no trouble but he is by thee with thee in the fire or in the water where ever thou art Ps. 34. 7 8. The Angels of the Lord encamp round about them that fear him O taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O fear the Lord ye his Saint for there is no want to them that fear him The young Lions may lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any thing Iacob when he went from his fathers house was afraid he should have wanted Gen. 28. but God appeared to him in a dream and he beheld a Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven The longest Ladder that ever was read of or ever heard of and the greatest builder hath made it and onely for his own use And Iacob by it saw that the providence of God was every where and Angels were continually passing up and down upon it being sent of the Almighties Errands not onely for protection but to be ministring spirits sent forth not onely for the good of those who shall be heirs of Salvation but for the good of all his Creatures So that we may say of the providence of God as David saith of his presence for they are both one Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy presence if I ascend into Heaven thou art there there is the top of the Ladder if I descend into the deep thou art there there is the bottome of the Ladder The builders of Babel aimed to make such a Ladder but that which they could never do the builder of Heaven and Earth hath done but were they not very fools to think to build a Tower of ten thousand times 1000000 miles high But let us labour to see the eternal God at the top of this Ladder and everlasting arms at the foot of it then how can we doubt He that hears the Ravens when they cry unto him who have neither faith nor understanding shall he not hear thee O thou of little faith It is against both the promise against the practice of your Father that any of you should want any good thing Yet how full of complaints are all the sons of men one wants children another friends others honour others riches others health others preferment some all these but certainly you are deceived you do not want any of them for if they were good for you you had them not then indeed you wanted them but being not good for you you want them not for they in such a case will do you more hurt then good Therefore I say let the servant of God that thinks he wants any of these things pray for what he will he shall have it if he do really want them for not onely all inanimal or unreasonable Creatures which are Gods Angels when he pleaseth do owe their Suit and Service unto those that fear the Lord but even all the Angels of God in heaven they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. 14. Nay let me tell thee if thou wilt command the Sun to stand still and the Moon in the valley of Ajalon as Ioshuah did it shall be done or the Sun to go backward upon the Dial as Hezekiah did or the Rocks to gush out water and the Heavens rain down Manna or the waters to be divided and the Sea to stand up as a wall as Moses did all shall be done and they shall obey rather then any of Gods people shall want any good thing Or if he will command Iron to swim as Elisha did Nay let him command the Covenant of night and day to be broken and time to be no more and it shall be done for Gods word can never fail nay heaven earth shall pass away but not one jot of his word shall fail But for all this I know and methinks I hear your murmuring thoughts still for all this you are not yet satisfied And you say with Iob Doth the wild Asse bray when he hath grass or loweth the Oxe over his fodder can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt or is there any taste in the white of an egg We are sure we do want these things or else we would not complain we are sure we have them not and is there any sweetness in nothing had we fodder we would not lowe nor complain I answer Indeed that may be that you are without them 1. It may be you are not of the family of your heavenly father then what right or interest have you to expect them but you are servants to sin and to his enemies and yet would have him let you want nothing 2. There is a great difference between not having and wanting It may well be that you have not riches and honour and preferment c. but if you be the true servants of God it cannot be that you should want them David saith it was good for him that he wanted and that he was in trouble There is oftentimes more mercy from God and more comfort to us in Gods Rods then in these outward things which are onely esteemed Blessings for they are often no other but rods or else meat to fat us for slaughter for our happiness and comfort lies not in that which the tender
delicate or wanton flesh and blood saith is good as to eat Calves out of the stall and Kids out of the flock and then rise up and sing to the sound of the Vial and the Harp Can there be any true comforts in these discomforts which if attained are but vanity and if not attained are vexation of Spirit Teshavah Teshelemoth nay most commonly better not attained then attained because they prove but snares and destructions But here may be applyed that of Sampsons riddle out of the sowre came forth sweet and out of the eater meat therefore O that we could behold the love of God in all conditions Indeed there is nothing happens to the wicked that hath any thing of love in it but if we belong to him how heâ—vy soever the afflictions be or how evil or unjust soever the Instrument be from him it is alwayes just and is in love and intended for our good and the issue shall be sweet just and good Shall then any servant of God grudge at whatever such a Tender father lays upon him we suffer the fathers of our bodies to correct us as the Apostle saith Heb. 12. 9. and we gave them reverence and shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits and live so verily they for a few dayes chastened us for their pleasure but he for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness I might shew you in many things wherein our profit by afflictions ariseth but this is not our point in hand we must return to it that we may end at present and commit you to God And let not me think because there are so many men and creatures in the world in Heaven and in Earth to provide for defend and protect that therefore I shall be neglected or that he hath not Armies and Angels enough to defend me or that thou who ever thou art that trustest in him shalt be neglected no no. To think because Kings and Princes and great Ones have Angels to defend them therefore to doubt there will be none or not enough to mind or to assist me Yea yea fear not he hath Chariots enough to assist all yea all his Creatures in all places in all times through all ages Beloved those sweet Babes the Kings children that now are How pleasant are they they take their sleep their food their play and care for nothing And yet little do they think how many heads must bleed and hearts must ake before their royal persons can be touched but I say they take their play and sleep quietly in their Cradles neither fear nor care toucheth them So my beloved Let the true royal seed of God do so Let all Gods Servants lie down in peace and take their rest and say O Lord thou alone makest me dwel in safety Psal. 4. for their Gods Armies lie round about them and shall make them all dwel safely They cannot be touched or hurt For besides al this that these millions of Angels both in Heaven Earth are their Guard That great General himself the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is their Saviour Protectour and his Everlasting Arms are under them for evermore But it may be their infirmities and their ignorance wil not let them see it or confess it yet little do they know how many thousand thousands of the Armies of God must be overthrown before Gods people or any one of his children can be touched before ever any one member of Jesus Christ can be hurt for this God as he is great dreadful so he is a God infinite in bowels and compassions who fills and commands all Creatures and all his Armies and Chariots are for their defence relief and protection And therefore from henceforth and for ever let us all cry out in an holy admiration Oh the Heighth Depth Breadth and Length of his Power and Mercy and Loving-kindness 1 HEIGHTH For saith David Psal. 36. Thy Mercy O Lord is in the Heavens and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds Thy righteousness is like the great Mount ains and thy Iudgements are a great deep O Lord thou â—reservest man and beast How excellent is thy loving kindness O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the â—adow of thy wings â—hey shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures For with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light we shall see light 2 DEPTH Psal. 86. 13. Great is thy mercy toward me thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest Hell 3 BREADTH Psal. 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches 4 LENGTH Psal. 98. 3. He hath remembred his mercy and his truth toward the house of Isaael all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God And now Brethren if this OUR great God be Lord and Governour of the House what then can be out of order If he be our spenditory our house of Store what fear of want If he be our Treasurer what fear of poverty Surely he hath enough and enough infinitely more then enough He can make the Philosophers Stone he can make gold he can and will create comforts and therefore let all these things stay your hearts and depend on him as on that Rock to whom there is none like him though all the men all the Kings Princes on earth should consult and conspire together and all contribute their utmost to make thee happy yet there is none like the God of Iesurun who rideth upon the Heavens in his help and in his excellency upon the skie for the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are THE EVERLASTING ARMS And so I commit you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and bring you on to perfection Militia Coelestis OR The Heavenly Host The second Sermon upon Psal. 68. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand thousands of Angels The Lord is among them as in Sinai in the Holy Place At Giles Criplegate in the Afternoon the Repetition omitted WE may well call this Verse The heavenly warfare wherein as I told you were contained four things 1 Their nature they are the hariots of God because God was pleased to ride in them 2 Their number the Text saith that they are twenty thousand thousands of Angels and I told you from the Text that they were Infinite 3 Their name they are called Angels 4 Their Commander and that is God The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels We spake of these two in the forenoon we come now to the two last The third is their name Angels There is much adoo about this name of Angels what they are what their nature is but we will not now stand
God and you shall behold God Now we come to make some use The first let it be this To teach us charity and love towards all the creatures be they never so base for we have all one Father maker God is in them though he manifests not himself as he doth in thee wherein he is most manifested for how came he to be manifested in thee was it by thy pains or industry or by his good will pleasure he might as well have refused to shine into thee as into another might have made thee in his case whom thou despisest Therefore behold and look upon all the creatures as thy brethren yea they are all more truly thy brethren then if you had been begotten by one father and brought forth by one mother in this regard because Almighty God is the common-Father of all and therefore when thou lookest on any creature though never so base account and esteem it as thy brother for it is a son to that Father of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is 〈◊〉 And therefore however some of our litteral and ignorant Divines do laugh at that of St. Francis that he called every creature his Brother he called the Ox his brother the Ass his brother and all creâ—tures his brothers if it came from an humble lowly mind in him I think him the better Christian for man is apt enough to boast himself and to look upon his endowments but he will fill the hungry the humble with good things I tel you here is such a brotherhood as shall never end the other shall have an end and therefore more cause of love to these then to the other for we are all begotten by one Father the other brotherhood ceases for saith our Saviour You are deceived not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God for in heaven there is no marrying nor giving in marriage but they are as the Angels of God in heaven Vse 2. Le ts learn to know our selves and then we shall learn also to pay the creatures that which is due to them Let us give them all due respect shew no cruelty to them but use them as brothers those creatures God hath appointed for mans use and used so they serve their Creators will and appointment let us use them so though many of them lose their lives for us yet shew as much compassioâ— to them as we may let us not exercise cruelty or our dominion or authority over them beyond what we are allowed do not begin to strike thy fellow-servant shew no rigor or wrath to them no not to the dumb creatures no nor to men When thou seest a wicked man thy heart rises against him thou wouldest have God presently destroy him not knowing thy own heart how bad that is and thou art ready to cal for fire from heaven as the Disciples did but what answer makes Christ to their desire Ye know not what spirit ye are of no no leave them to God Thou wonderest that God doth not send fire from heaven presently and destroy them as he did Sodom or open the earth to swallow them up as it did Corah c. O fools when will ye learn wisdom certainly God knows what to do without thy directions yet vain man will be so wise as to teach God wisdom Isa. 40. 14. and censure his actions But who art thou that contendest with thy maker Isa. 45. 9. Though it be said in Psal. 8. 6. He hath given him dominion over the works of his hands yet know though they were made for thy use they were much more for his they were not made for thee to use as you list nor for thy will and pleasure but to be used soberly according to his pleasure and appointment Vse 3. And lastly learn from hence that there is nothing of Fortune but all comes and falls out by an infinite wise Providence That the name of Fortune is an Idle a Heathenish and a wicked word taking it as the word imports for nothing comes by Chance or Fortune but t is God that guides all And yet knowing the right use of that word it may be used for it is used in the Scriptures saith Solomon For Time and chance or fortune for 't is the same happeneth to all things Though it first arose from an evil ground from the Heathens who because there were such cross events in the world that when a business was brought to the heads and period yet one thing or other oftentimes came between the cup the lip as we say and quite turned all about now hereat they were so amazed and at their wits end they could not tell how this should come to pass except there was a God call'd Forune and therefore they sacrificed to him But I say the ground and mis-use being forgotten it may come in time to be lawful to use it at least by such who know how to use it But what it imports is wicked and is condemned by this Doctrine as abominable We poor creatures stand and wonder at many events in the world here now God calls all the creatures Fools for instance When two dear friends that have been long apart not having seen one another in twenty or fourty years he one falls to come in some great danger his dear friend chanceth to come at a very instant and saves his life here now we stand and wonder it is no wounder at all if we eye God ye are herein but fools and blinde Again for example if you see me strike these two hands together if you saw not my body that guides these we may wonder at it but what wonder is it if you see me strike these two togther so far as you are blind and see not God so far ye wonder for it is as easie with God to do any of these things as for me to make my hands meet I can also by the power and guidance of the soul that is in me lay my finger in the darkest night upon any place about me why because my soul within me guides it so it is as easie for God in any case he being as it were the soul of the creatures can cause the creatures to do whatever is his Will to have done both in Heaven and earth and in the Seas as David saith Thus I have spoken to you of this our Immense Unknown Unexpressible Great God But O my Beloved I have spoken but according to man all this while infinitey short of him himself and therefore never scanty or circumscribe God by these things I have said for he is this and he is infinitly more for if men Men and Angels and Cherubims Seraphims should all joyn together to set out his praise to the utmost that they could conceive or relate yet look further further still for when they have said what they can they have said nothing in comparison of what he is As if a
pale of the Church they will be Teachers and they would fain be accounted great Rabbies and they can expound Scriptures as well as any and if need were or if they durst they can preach as well as any and these people if people will not hear them presently they are ignorant They are so well instructed they can go no whither to learn anything as though al wisdom were born with them when God knows they are as full of ignorance of pride of self-conceitedness as any men in the Town but the Spouse she cryes yea and still will cry till dooms day Tell me teach me she sees her own imperfections and strives after perfection she knows and is sensible with Paul she hath not yet attained And therefore I once again beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ and for your own souls sake leave off this kind of Religion although I would have you to hate even the garments spotted by the flesh We come to the second thing laid down and that is the Poise or weight that she hangs upon her suit she doth in a kind Adjure God I had thought to have gone through this Text at this time indeed I had thought when I began that you I should have waited upon this beautiful Lady our Mother our Mistress from Engedi to Eneglaim from the beginning of the Text to the end but you see here is a word hath bin cast in our way as the Carkases of Amasa and Asahâ—â— which made us to make a stand like the children of Israel at the Red Sea they could not the pass on till waters were dryed up and indeed the Red Sea is before us a whole Sea of matter but we must take what we can leave the rest Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth Here is a true expression of Prayer it is but a folly to pray to God except we can thus put up our prayers to him in this dialect O thou whom my soul lovesâ— Many think that if they can pray to God in setting forth his attributes styling him Most High Most Mighty Most Gracious and it may be adde Hebrew words as O Most mighty Iehovah then they think they have made an admirable Prayer but be sure of this except thou canst come to God truly say from thy heart O thou whom my soul love thy prayers be they never so excellent otherwise they all fal to the ground he accepts them not But when thou comest under this title it is so indeed he cannot chusâ— but hear for then it is the voyce of his Spouse but if you express his Attributes never so largely amply without this yet thou hast prayed no better then the Devil for there is no Attribute but he can inlarge amplifie above any of you all herein he is able to out-strip the best of you And the Apostle saith He that loves not the Lord Iesus let him be Anâ—thema Maranatha accursed from Christ he prayes no better then the very Devils and those that are accursed from Christ as we see still when the possessed with Devils came and met our Saviour whâ—t a large confession acknowledgement they make of him I know thee who thou art Iesus the Son of the most High God but Christ many times stopped their mouthes and would not accept their confession All thy prayers the best that ever thou madest without this title of love are but as milstones hung about thy neck and will drag thee to the bottom of the Sea But it may be you bless your selves for all this think your prayers are not so bad as we make them or if they be you hope you shall do well enough hereafter after you dye But know that as the tree falls so it lies as Solomon saith If thou dye in this condition so judgement shall find thee you hope it may be that you shall possess the Crown laid up for you in Heaven as you conceive but I fear you are so glued to the earth you can relish nothing but the earth so that that is it your souls loves And it may be you think it shall be some ponderous thing you shall have in heaven some glorious visible material or some tangible thing You think you shall have some such things as you enjoy here but alas alas thou shalt find that as soon as ever thou art unriveted from the earth And happy were it for thee if it were done here That the Kingdom of God consisteth not in meat and drinks in riches and wealth and the like for the Kingdom of heaven is not a creation but a multiplication And when you come to be received into that Kingdom it will not be demanded What riches have ye what honour have ye but Christ will ask How many loaves have ye if ye are not in possession of some loaves of some part of the Kingdome of heaven before in this world there is none to be given then Not what had you in this world But it will be asked how many loaves have ye â—hat is how many loaves of love How many loaves of Charity how many loaves of faith how many loaves of patience what wilt thou do if thou hast none wilt thou say Stay Lord I will go and buy or I will go and borrow as the foolish Virgins no no there is no body can lend they have none to spare they have but enough for themselves If thou canst not say as here O thou whom my soul loveth never look to entâ—r but ye must look for the answer those foolish Virgins had Depart I know ye not if this love be not the salt that seasons all your actions all your sacrifices he knows them not he regards them not where he sees no love in the actions let it be never so glorious a duty he knows it not Depart from me But try your love to him Try this secret seal by the Broad-seal of love to the creatures to your brethren if you be a living Member you will sympathize in love and fellow-feeling wit the rest of the members for the Apostle saith Love is the fulfilling of the Law the whole Law for take the Commandements first the Commandements of the second Table if a man love father and mother let him dishonour them if he can And so the next Thou shalt not kill if he love the creatures and his brethren he is so far from offering violence to any that he will rather lay down his own life And so the seventh if he love all he will not take the members of Iesus Christ and make them the members of an harlot And love will make him in stead of stealing from any to give plenteously and willingly and to be so far from coveting and taking away that he will rather adde what he can and love can bear no false witness nor covet any thing which is his Neighbours And so likewise for the first Table he that
root And what ever priviledge or benefit Christ hath they shall all receive of his fulness grace for grace they shall all be made partakers of all the vertues of the head but notwithstanding all these promises we are never the better without we have Christ they are all blanks without him all unsavoury it is he that seasons all Yea trust as long as thou canst and believe as much as thou wilt without Christ thou canst never come unto him God himself is nothing to us without Christ As every Iubar and Beam of light that comes from the Sun they are all included in the body of the Sun but they are not communicated to us but by those Jubars and beams that come from the Sun so God is like the Sun and whatever good benefit or blessing we have it comes from God but all these are included in God himself and there is no creature can partake of any good from him but by his Son Christ in those Iubars of light that communicates them to us This light had never come to us but for those beams so God the Father cannot communicate himself to any creature but by the Son he is the first begotten of every Creature he came being sent from the father yet God the Father is not a day not a minute Ancienter then his Son Christ he is called The word spoken in the Hebrewes As he is unspoken so he is the word with God in the bosome of his Father and this word is God as Iohn 1. 1. but being once spoken and utered he is the first begotten of God in every creature The Alpha and Omega in every creature from whom alone we receive grace for grace all the goodness and fulness of God is poured upon the head of this Aaron which runs down not only to his beard but to all the skirts of his garments to all his members God himself in himself to the creature is nothing without Christ He cannot possibly be communicated but by and through Christ. Secondly All these promises to the seven Churches they imply that which hath its beginning in this life and perfected in the life to come saith our Saviour the Kingdom of Heaven is within you if ye find not the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven within you and in this world be assured ye shall never find it in the world to come He that denyes me before men him will I deny before my father which is in Heaven he that enjoys me not in this world he shall never enjoy me hereafter The poor dejected and oppressed soul it longs to taste Christ here nothing will satisfie him but to taste and eat Christ here for if he eat him not here he knows he shall not hereafter as David saith My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come before God What to do Psal. 27. 4. To see his beauty and to taste of his goodness if you see not God here ye shall never see Him hereafter Christ will ask thee as he did the Discsples how many loaves have ye when ye come to dye what Angels food have ye to feed on what Hidden Manna How many loaves of that if ye must say none Lord what a heavy answer will this be to you but if thou hast any if but two loaves if but a little oil in thy Lamp he will then multiply thy loaves and that little oyl the barrel of meal and that cruse of oyl shall never fail And he will say come thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a little I will now multiply thy reward Come now I will feed thee to eternity If Christ shall say to thee How much peace have you if thou canst but say here is a little Lord Christ will say come come I will multiply and increase that peace infinitely what love hast thou if thou hast but any though but as much as a grain of mustard seed come saith our Lord I will cause it to grow and increase and become a mighty tree so that the fowls of the air shall build their nests therein That is I will enlarge it as my self infinitely And which way soever else a man seeks for rest and peace he shall never find it for as all the Creatures so all the action and motion of the Creatures come out from him and they can never rest till they return into him again and therefore he is called the God of Sabbath which signifies Rest in him there is Rest and no where else The soul is the breath of God and it is impossible that it should have a rest for the sole of her foot till it return and this blessed Noah put forth his hand and take her in again Lay up treasure for your selves in heaven would you have treasure hereafter ye must treasure it up while ye are on earth that ye may have the reward and the wages hereafter ye must receive here the pledge the Hire The Portion and the reward comes hereafter Your fathers saith our Saviour have eaten Manna and are dead but blessed is he that eats Manna in the Kingdom of Heaven he that feels Gods love shed abroad in his heart here shall find that love increased thirty sixty an hundred-fold in the life to come here ye feed but are not filled but then you shall be satisfied Thirdly All these seven promises that are here made to the seven Churches there is not one word to be taken according to the Letter but think not strange of such sayings be not startled I would onely quicken up your attention I undervalue not the Scriptures but desire to give them all due honour for do you think that you shall be Pillars in Heaven or that you shall eat trees or the fruit of trees there or that ye shall have rods of iron in your hand or that ye shall be burning stars or as it is in Daniel He that converteth a soul shall shine like the Stars I say there is not one word true according to the Letter yet I say in all the words that ever Christ spake or that is written in this blessed blessed Book of God they are all true there is not the least tincture not the least allay of untruth I say every word every syllable every letter is true bear me witness you are my record but they are true as he intended them that spake them they are true as God meant them not as men will have them As when Christ says my Father is an husbandman do you think or are you so childish to think that God is a husbandman and Christ sayes again I am the vine and ye the branches will you have this to be literally spoken Go to I will speak a paradox to you but I willl unfold it It is impossible for any man either to speak a precise truth or to hear a precise truth for a precise
truth or to speak precisely is to speak at once the truth that is the whole truth and nothing but the truth as for example if I tell you this is a Church this is not a precise truth for in saying it is a Church I neither tell you whether it be built of wood or stone or brick I neither tell you it is little or great I neither tell you whether it be high or low c. which I not doing do not tell you the whole truth Or if I tell you I saw a man I tell not his age nor stature nor complexion nor kindred nor riches nor bigness c. which is not the whole truth I shall unfold this to you these similies I use for your good God onely is able to speak such a truth A Precise Truth at once in one word as shall include all this God could have spoken such a word as should have included the whole truth in one word but where should he have found Auditors that were able to have heard him where had been our ears to have heard such a word or our understandings to have understood it you know a great noise deafs us and abundance of light blinds us if there be too much light it may as well blind a man as too little now you know truth is the object of the understanding as light is of sight so if there be an excessive truth spoken to us it destroyes it splits the understanding as the people of Israel they were not able to hear God speak but they must dye for it and Moses himself complains that he was afraid and trembled we are not able to hear God speak if he should speak to us as he would if we could hear he should speak us all to pieces he should speak us to nothing Oh let not God speak to us lest we dye We should cry out Oh do not speak to us as thou art in thy self for we are men but let Moses speak to us and we will hear him O Lord speak to us as men as we are able to hear Beloved the not knowing of this truth and our receiving the word and understanding it according to the Letter hath the been the ground of all the Errours of all the schisms of all the rents in this poor Church of ours But to go further and to give you a little further light I know the Scripture in the Letter speaks of election reprobation and predestination But if we take it according to men we are much deceived As for example when I say this man is like such another man And though he may be so in some things yet not in all and far be it from us to think because God speaks according to the manner of men that therefore we conclude his wayes are like our wayes or his thoughts like our thoughts but whatever God sayes of himself those are sentences and expressions spoken but by way of similitude to make us understand and not that we should think that the almighty infinite God to be like weak man so when he speaks of any of these things of election or reprobation or his foreknowledge there is indeed such a kind of thing in God 't is true but it is true as God intends it and not otherwise It is said also that God made a Covenant and the Scripture speaks of Gods knowledge but do you think that Gods Covenants are like the Covenants of men or his knowledge like means God forbid and wo be unto that man that takes it contrary to Gods intent and meaning so also we read of Gods hatred and of Gods love but his love and hatred is not like mens love and hatred Are my wayes like your wayes or my thoughts like your thoughts As if he should say will you wrest my word and take it according to your own ways will you take me according to my literal words away away As high as the Heaven is above the Earth so high are my thoughts above your thoughts And when God sayes he repented doest thou think that he repents as man repents He does repent it is true but according to his own sense and meaning not according to thine Alas alas we poor ignorant low narrow-spirited creatures as we are not able to comprehend God so neither can we Gods word we can see but a glympse and a little glimmering of the Truths of God As Elias he could not apprehend God nor discover him neither in the thunder nor in the lightning nor in the mighty rushing nor in the fâ—re though God was in them all but when God came in a still soft voice then he could apprehend God heard him and saw him and then he came to see that God was also as much in all the rest though he saw him not but he being as also we of a low soft and tender nature and so much children that he could not endure to hear the mighty God but in a still soft and tender voice the thunder and the fire and the mighty rushing is too terrible too destructive to our weak natures For in God there all things coincide even contradictories coincide in him as the Vision of God shews at large in some Chapters So when God promiseth here To him that overcometh will I give him to eat of the hidden Manna we must not take Gods meaning according to the Letter nor think it was or is that Manna that God rained from Heaven Num. 10. But by that expression he would win us to consider the heavenlyness and excellency and the rareness and the welcomness of that Manna that feeds the soul and what spiritual food is How welcome was it to the Israelites at first though afterwards the commonness made them loath it O lack I am but newly entred into my Text and now the time cuts me off I have opened the Windows to let in light into the Chamber into this Subject and the time bids me shut them again and I now must let it alone till another opportunity which is contrary to my purpose and full intent which was to have discovered what God hath revealed to me concerning these deep points now so much controverted and wherein there have been such errours and general mistakes even among them who have thought themselves very knowing in the Scriptures For vain man would be wise though he be born as a wild asses colt And he in his foolish wisdom and in his humane Reason would fain frame and square out God like unto himself that so he might as he thinks well near fathom comprehend him within the poor weak and narrow bounds of Reasons Line or Rule So much for the present Covetousness Anatomized AND THE Generality of Covetousness JER 6. 13. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to Covetousness and from the Prophet even to the Priest every one dealeth falsly Preached at Putney BEloved this speech as it is
honor so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof All the good they have thereof is but to Look on them Eccl. 5. 10 11. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase when goods increase they are increased to them that eat them that is make use of them for what good is there to the owners thereof save the beholding with their eyes for as Iob saith Job 20. 22. In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits I In more straits then he that hath but little Beloved what a strange curse follows these men to have Enough and Abundance and yet have Nothing this is a sin by it self for in all other Sins though they lose Eternal pleasures yet they have some pleasure here But in this None here nor None hereafter 2. In taking them away though they may like fools solace themselves in that poor comfort to see and behold them with their eyes which is vanity saith Solomon yet oftentimes this comfort also is taken away they are removed from them out of their sight for God hath provided a Worm for this Gourd and Vermine to corrupt this Manna as Iob 20. 20. He shall not feel quietness in his belly he shall not save ought of that which he desired there shall none of his meat be left therefore shall no man look for hiâ— goods when he is about to fill his belly God 〈◊〉 all cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating When men like Behemoth think to draw all Jordan into their jaws they shall so oppress their stomachs by their greediness that they shall vomit it as fast up again Iob 20. 15. He hath swallowed down riches but he shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of hiâ— belly As Augustine saith Praedo minoris shall be Prada majoris Psal. 37. The devourer of the lesser shall become the prey of the greater And saith David I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green Bay-â—ree yet he passed away and lo He was not I sought him but he could not be found 3. The punishment of this sin is oftentimes and commonly executed in his children and posterity Though all his care be To raise his house yet he doth all the while but consult evil to his own house Hab. 2. 9. For as the Father was a rich Beggar so his sons commonly are poor Gentlemen for he that coveteth an evil Covetousness to his house troubleth it and hath consulted shame to it His children oftentimes are a great plague to him Either worms to him to consume him while he lives or else they are worms to his wealth when he dyes Or else as the Prophet Amos saith of Riches and affirms it with a very great asseveration That the Lord hath sworn By His HOLINES Amoâ— 4. 1 2. That He will take them away with hooks and their posterity with fish-hooks they are plucked and as it were rent from their estates and they are left unto strangers for whom they were Never intended or else their estates are rent from them I beseech you therefore if none of the former Arguments will perswade yet as Iob to his wife For the childrens sake of your own bodies be afraid of this sin Alas what have these poor sheep done that thou shouldst consult misery and shame upon them 4. And lastly the punishments that attend his soul not onely hast thou sinned against thine own soul stuffing it with vexation and carking cares but thou hast bereft thine eyes of sleep As also in that earthly appetite letting it minde nothing else contrary to the divine nature of thy soul which is made to enjoy things above heavenly not to live upon things below thou hast by custom quite altered the very taste of thy soul and its very food for thou hast made it to live like a beast below having no other then Caninus Appetitus feeding like a Dog and like a swine always rooting in the mire and dirt of this world And not onely so but which is heaviest of all thou hast sinned against thine own soul in disinheriting it of heaven Ephes. 5. 5. For no covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ or of God Now by all this that I have said thou that art alwayes rooting in the earth I would intreat thee but to cast up thy accounts and see what thou hast gotten what hath it profited thee what hast thou gained by all thy care and â—oil yea though thou hadst gained the whole world Beloved God doth so hate this sin and sinner that in one prophesie he hath sworn two oaths against it Amos 4. 2. There he swears by his holiness that he will take away with hooks and Fish-hooks them and their posterity he cannot endure the sight of such Monsters he so hates them that he hates the very brood of them because they descend from such whom his soul hates Again in the 8. of that prophesie and verse 7. there he swears by his Excellency that he will never forget any of their works who buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shooes Shall not saith He The land tremble for this and every one mourn that dwelleth therein c. Even the heaviest of Judgements are there threatned Thus I have endeavoured to uncase this loathsom unprofitable and Burthensom sin of Covetousness and if the Lord hath been doing that in your hearts which I have been doing to your ears this will be a happy meeting But to all I have said though the time be past yet let me name and onely name four or five Remedies and so conclude REMEDIES THE first means I would commend to you whereby this rooted and prevailing sin may be overcome is by Faith as the Apostle saith 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith To learn To cease from living by sense and to live upon God Our Saviour useth many arguments to this end to destroy this Covetousness and carking care and sends us in the 6. of Matthew the latter end to the fowls of heaven to learn of them they neither reap nor carry into barns yet your heavenly father feedeth them and to learn how the Lillies of the field grow which neither Labor nor spin yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these Secondly If the Lord would teach thee sobriety in the use of them to use them with moderation and with weaned affections to use them as if thou usedst them not and they that buy as though they possessed not c. Using them onely for refreshment and necessity sake to use this world as not abusing it because the fashion of this world passeth away
much every whit arise from their confusion as from their salvation the hurt is their own not his And now to shew you how the dumb and deaf creatures sing praise to God as God demanded of Iob when he thought as we that man onely praises God Iob 38. 7. saith God Where wert thou when the morning Stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy God says there they Shouted and Sung did not you heat them did they not sing and shout in your ears it is no matter they did in his and to him they sang melodiously and Aloud and he understands their voice and their language though we understand not how they do praise him As in a tree it is the nature thereof to grow and flourish in the spring and in Autumn the leaves fall and the sap returns to the root Gods will is as well accomplished in this tree as in a man for these visible creatures were made of invisible and that which is invisible praised him before and that praises him still for all the creatures the Sun Moon and Stars yea the whole Creation they all sing sweetly and make a melodious praise wherein he is infinitely delighted as Psal. 19. The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth sheweth his handy-work And the Song of the three Children O all ye works of God bless the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever There is in all these dumb and insensible and unreasonable creatures A proper kind of Religion God gives to every one according to their place degree nature and calling A Talent and accordingly he will require of them again if he gives the gift of prophesie we must prophesie according to the measure of faith as in the University we do not expect those parts and abilities in young beginners and Sizars that we expect in those that are of longer standing Then by the way it is no wonder though God give to those that sit at the Helm of his Church more eminent and larger gifts then he gives to those that are below in lower offices I may say even these unreasonable creatures have a Religion in their way according to Gods will We see God ascribes moral vertues to them As in the Proverbs Go to the Pismire thou sluggard she provideth in summer for the Winter in Isai. 1. 3. The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but my people have not known me saith the Lord and in the Evangelists it is He rebuketh the windes and sea and they Obey him Here are moral vertues in them care and providence in the Pismire thankfulness in the Ox and Ass to them that feed them we see they will acknowledge their owner and there is obedience even in the Seas Nay every Creature doth its duty but onely MAN We will now also see if we can find out their Religion Religion consists of four parts All Religion I say may be reduced to four heads The first is A Creed what we are to believe 2. A Petition what we are to pray for 3. A Decalogue what we are to do And Lastly A Sacrifice what we are to give Now let us see how all these are competible to all these creatures First For their Creed what they believe what faith they have it is true they cannot speak as we do yet they speak in their kind and as they are able We require no more of children then they are able neither doth God of his Creatures and so these creatures do in their kind both speak and believe this is an undeniable maxime That there is a God for who can look upon an effect but he must needs have recourse to the cause there can be no effect without a cause if we see a thing made we know it hath a Maker and if we look upon the creature in this kind as an Effect it plainly speaks a cause so that we can look upon no creature but we must inquire after God There is no attribute ascribed to God but all the creatures speak it and confess it As first to speak of some of his Attributes for instance God is one Simple Essence this unity is testified and declared by the Creatures that God is one and can be no more for if there were more then one Creator of them then the one would destroy confouud and overthrow the other for if they be Two either they must be equal or not equal if they be not equal then the one is greater then the other and the greater will overcome the lesser and if they be equal then there must be bounds and limits set how far the Ones dominion must reach and how far the other but this to affirm is most absurd and ridiculous Secondly They all testifie that God is good and if good and the onely goodness goodness it self then likewise he must be Truth Entity and Being for all these are one Whatever is one is God whatever is truth is God whatever is good is God whatever is Entity and Being is God for in saying he is good or in saying He is any of these He is all these for these are terms convertible if he be good then he is Truth Entity and Being and if he be truth entity and being then he is good these are all one and so of any of the rest And if there be A goodness in the creatures then what is He who is the fountain that gives all these their goodness These are but the Chanels that run from the Fountain and Head but it so falls out in the world and is so common that many yea most men are so taken up with the pleasantness of the streames that come from him that they are drowned in them he gives us these outward comforts that they may draw our eyes to him that bestows them that so we may be in love with him not them But in our way to him we fall in love with the creatures he lets down these cords to draw us up to him we hang our selves with these cords as those that came a woing to Penelope many yea most of them fell in love with the Handmaids that were appointed to lead them to her and so never saw the Mistress So do we fall in love with the servants The Handmaids of God The creatures and we make them The Mistress whereas we should never rest till we come by these servants and Handmaids to the True Mistress indeed God himself Blessed for ever and onely BEAUTIFUL Thirdly God is called Light that is a property â—â—â—buted to him but yet God is not the light we now see but he is that fountain and being from whence it comes and therefore when we behold and see the Sun Moon and Stars and the glorious Firmament we cannot choose but ask whose light is this and they presently tell us Their Belief That they are All The works of His hands There is no creature but testifies the
Goodness the Wisdom Excellency and Beauty of him You may say these indeed in themselves are glorious creatures but say withal Where is He that enlightens them and makes them so glorious Oh! What and How glorious is He that thus shines in them and through them And as they All testifie the glory of their Creator so they All suffer him to be their Lord and Ruler Every thing is contented to stand in his place and be obedient to him the beasts they are appointed for food to man as other things are for beasts every one increasing and yielding their sweetness and fatness to the next creature above them and this they do willingly without grudging And All these creatures though they do speak God yet that they say of Him it is nothing in comparison of him Though they say something yet they all say not All of him but in us there is such a deal of ignorance which I was about to say was the greatest sin that we are so far from using them as we should making them serviceable to us and keeping them in their place that we are rather serviceable to them and are their servants and we make them Masters we are sooner turned into their kind then they into ours And the creatures though they speak God and speak aloud of him yet know this they still cry Plus ultra plus ultra there is more behinde still look beyond us for we are nothing when thou beholdest The Beauty glory sweetness or Excelencie of any Creature or of all the Creatures together Hear This voice from Them Look Beyond us for we All are Nothing Nothing to Him who made us and gave us to be What we are And we all speak infinitely short of Him As when I see This Church or House I know he was a workman that built it yet I know not All of him I neither knew what age he was of nor what means he had but that he was a workman this his works do tell me So in the works of Creation when I look upon any of the creatures I must needs acknowledge he was a Rare workman and a wise that contrived and made it but they come infinitely far short of him And they still cry with that man in the Gospel We believe But Lord help our unbelief 2. For their prayers You know prayer consists of two parts Of Prayer or Invocation Of Praise and Adoration As I told you every creature praises God the work praises the workman and every creature praises God I and with a loud voyce But whoever heard and understood the noise and the language of the stones and the voyce of the still and quiet earth But even All these praise God Aloud and he receiveth it at their hands They all praise him in his Sanctum Sanctorum The whole world and the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens are all but His Temple as David saith In this Temple doth every one speak of His glory In this Temple they all sing praise and Hallelujahs to him every one even as it were vocally as Psal. 84. 3. David complains that the Swallows and the Sparrows were more happy then he for they might draw nigh unto God in his Temple to praise him for what is their chirping crying and singing but the voice of nature and to whom do they cry and to whom do they sing but to their Creator and God knows their voice and their cry as David saith He feeds the young Ravens when they cry unto him As a mother knows the signs the Child makes knows by the nuzling what it craves even so doth God by all his creatures The eyes of all things look up unto thee and thou givest them their meat in due season What the eyes of all men nay of all things You know one creature understands the voice of another they understands one anothers complaints one anothers singing and rejoycing one Dog understands the voice of another and so every creature in its kind and shall not God who is the God of nature he knows whereof we are all made and He knows all our complaints and wants The Lions seek their prey of God and he feeds the Ravens when they cry unto him But if these should not preach Gods praise yet the very stones do speak his praise and cry unto him but yet in such a language as God understands who made them and therefore you to whom God hath given rongues and understanding if you do not praise God and glorifie him if you hold your tongues all these dumb creatures and even these senseless stocks and stones shall rise in judgement against you for this is a true rule Nature hath done nothing in vain What 's the reason the poor sheep bleats when it comes to the slaughter and the swine Roars when he is killed do you think they cry to us that pursue them kill them no no but to God who is witness of their surrendring up their precious lives according to his will STEVEN when he was stoned to death nor Jesus Christ when he was crucified and said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit they did not cry more Audibly I say not more Audibly in Gods eares to God to take notice of their innocent yielding up their lives then these creatures do Cry to God when they suffer cruelly and unjustly crying to God Lord lay not this sin to their charge And Father into thy hands I commit my life and my spirit and fall asleep as Steven did and return to their rest 3. The third thing is their Decalogue but this belongs onely to us because they need none they never broke their law they alwayes walk according to Gods will The water and the sea summer and winter hay-time and harvest with all other things these all keep their appointed time they all obey thy will O God True it is they have not that reason that we have and therfore they have not so exact A Decalogue Yet God hath power even to break this exact Law yea man also may if God give him a dispensation and then if he break any of these Laws it is no sin as God commanded Abraham to kill his son and he did kill him in his intention and he had killed him had not the Angel staid his hand and it was not Evil but Obedience in Abraham But if any one shall do this from their own will then it were sin for he that gave the Law may break the Law And for this third part we need say no more 4. For their Sacrifices or Sacraments I do not say they sacrifice as of themselves but they are not onely an occasion of our praising God and sacrificing to him but they are also the matter of our sacrifices yet David in that of I Chron. 16. 31 32 33. Exhorts Let the Heavens be glad and the earth rejoyce and let men say among the Nations The Lord reigneth so withal saith he Let the sea
roar and the fulness thereof let the fields rejoyce and all that is therein then shall the trees of the wood Sing Out at the presence of the Lord that is To him to whom God hath revealed himself and suffered His glory to pass before him All creatures yea the dumb and inanimate creatures sing out and sing aloud the infinite praises of God Almighty Psal. 145. 9 10. The Lord is good to all and his tender mereies are over all his works All thy works shall peaise thee and thy Saints shall bless thee and talk of thy Kingdom and Power And so much shall suffice for these four parts of the creatures Religion We will come to make use hereof to our selves First Let it make us ashamed of our backwardness to give God praise we that are exalted above these creatures that they are more ready and cheerful in praising their Creator then we we may blush and be ashamed for There is nothing that we can behold but puts us in mind of our slothfulness These poor servants that have received but one talent do yeild more increase of praise to God then I or you that have received many talents These poor creatures do more sing forth Gods praise then we with all our wisdom reason and understanding And let us with shame confess Saying it is I It is I that have depressed thy glory and caused thy praise to be evil spoken of and say with David when thou seest any of the creatures dye It is I Lord that have offended but what have these poor sheep done which are killed and slain for me unworthy unthankful sinner Second Use Take notice hence of the vast circumference of Gods Kingdom it reaches farther then we are aware of we think that we are the onely creatures that God esteems of Was not the earth made for me and the Sun to shine upon me and all creatures to feed and clothe me and thou thinkest that thou art left alone to praise God no no deceive not thy self Gods praise is not confined to the Church of men he hath reserved to himself seven thousand that have not bowed their knee to Baal Dost thou think poor creature that thou art onely He that I have appointed to worship me and that my infinite praise depends onely upon thee no no His Kingdom is from one end of heaven to the other and every creature praises him as much or more then thee as Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him both things in heaven and things in earth visible and invisible all things were created by him and for him for his praise and glory and Psal. 2. 10 11. That at the name of Iesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Iesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father Therefore alas alas do not think that Gods Temple is so narrowly scanted that thon onely praisest him thou art the least part of his Church and Temple Third Use Let this teach us to go to God boldly in the name of Iesus and with great encouragement to praise God for though men and Angels be unfit to praise God and they cannot do it as they ought yet he that accepts the Ravens and the Lions and all the dumb creatures when they Cry unto Him be assured he will never refuse the sighs and the groans of any poor penitent dejected soul that comes bleeding and weeping to him for mercy He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast away Joh. 6. 37. Fourth Use Let us learn also that when we look upon the creatures we take heed of being taken with any of them But let us consider that these are but as Iaco bs Ladder that by these steps by these Angels of God we may ascend to him that stands at the Top And if God do not by one means or other by one affliction and vexation in the creature or other drive us from the creature that we may look up to him we shall for ever live and dye in the creature And therefore happy is that man that God hunts from these things that they may never have any Rest till they find Him where they shall find Rest to their souls As if there be oyl put into a deep glass it lies at the bottom and will never rise to the top but if you pour water into it it will still be rising up to the top till the oyl it self run over I could apply it thus A soul that is sunk in sin and sunk in the creature except God of his infinite mercy pour upon him the water of afflictions his soul will never Arise and mount up to God this drives us upward to seek rest there for here is none and so thereby shall become more then conquerors through him that hath loved us where as if these had not been our souls had been drowned in the creatures and sunck for ever to the pit of Hell These things I thus unfold to you that you may see the unspeakable and large bounds of Gods praise That every thing may result and yield to him honour and praise A Fifth Use To teach us that though it be impossible for us to search out the unspeakable praises of God that is hid in all the creatures we may see them yet we can never search them to the bottom howbeit every creature saith to us as the Angel to Iohn when he would have fallen down and worshipped him See thou do it not for I am thy fellow servant Worship God we are ready to fall down and worship the creatures but they all cry See thou do it not I am thy fellow servant worship God And they all cry to thee Dost thou see the beauty of any creature doth the sweetness of any creature take thee I say they all cry to us Arise and depart hence for this is not your rest Doth the Pleasantness the sweetness the Comeliness c. of any creature delight thee it saith and calls aloud to thee Arise and depart hence for this is not your rest how sweet how beautiful how fair soever Rest not in that thou seest but seek for HIM thou seest not All creatures are like the waters to Noahs Dove which could find no rest for the soal of her foot but yet she brought an Olive leaf in her mouth we may taste and use these things But take not too much of them and hold them gently and be alwayes ready to let them fall take heed of resting till you come to the Ark all come out from him and all return to him again Sixth Use and the last Take heed of abusing any creature it is enough that you may use them for they are one of the family you your selves are of and they groan as well as you for deliverance as God complains that ye make him serve your
iniquities so may they complain to God of you and say thou hast appointed me to serve and comfort man and to make him more fit to serve thee but he abuses us and prostitutes us to serve his own inordinate will and lust and regards not thee And God himself calls upon you Oh take heed you do not abuse them and make them to serve your sins and lusts by Drunkenness Gluttony Pride and Wantonness for they are of that family of whom is named the whole family in heaven and earth They all call me Father and Maker as well as your selves And he that can look upon every creature as his BROTHER he can never abuse it he will never begin to strike his fellow-servants and say My Master deferreth his coming and therefore I take that to be a godly speech of St. Francis as they call him for all he was of the Church of Rome and therefore some of our literal Divines deride and mock at it I would God they would practice it in a godly and reverent manner It was his manner to call all the creatures his Brethren the Ox his Brother the Ass his Brother the Dog his Brother For God is Father of them as well as of thee But proud man is ready to put honour upon himself when no honour belongs to him All honour is Gods if all be his what right hast thou to claim any take heed of abusing then any of these thy brethren at thy pleasure and thinking that they were made Only to please and satisfie thee Solomon saith A good man is merciful to his Beast that is he useth them respectfully and for necessity and forbears Execrations and cursings of them and tortures to them And so to conclude let us and all creatures together sing and sound forth the Honour and Praise of our great God from Generation to Generation throughout all Ages Amen OF MILK FOR BABES AND OF Meat for Strong Men. Luk â— 2. 40. And the Câ—ild grew and waxed strong in Spirit filled with wisdom and the Grace of God was upon him Preached at Kensington Publick Meeting-place AS it is said of Iohn Luk. 2. ult That the child grew waxed strong in spirit was in the desarts till the day of his shewing unto Israel so likewise here the same is said of Jesus Christ yet with this exception and difference Iohn hath an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or set time after which he decreaseth and grows less Iohn 3. 30. He must increase but I must decrease And so it is with Believers they must grow less and less and come to nothing that so Jesus Christ may become all in all according to that in Dan. 2. 34 35. That stone cut out of the mountain without hands which smote the Image and brake it to pieces and it became a great mountain and filled the whole earth This stone is Jesus Christ which breaks to pieces all things That is That all Worships and Religions and whatever is mixt with Iron and Clay and whatever is of Man may decrease that himself may increase and grow great and fill the whole earth with the knowledge and manifestation of himself He being all in all But I must forbear for I prevent my self The Text contains 1. A Histâ—ry 2. A Mystery And this as I was speaking before comes under the second part viz. The Mystery For the History that is brief and shews onely the truth of his humane nature which though Hypostatically united to the Divinity even from the instance of his conception as it followeth in the Text that he was filled with wisdom and the Grace of God was upon him Vers. ult that he increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man which cannot be meant in regard of his Divine nature as if there could be any Access or increase of or to that which is infinite but onely in the expression and manifestation thereof in those Organs which the God of Order had therefore ordained and co-apted So that if any shall ask How that which is full and perfect can be said to increase I Answer as before not in Augmentation but in Manifestation God cannot grow greater or lesser be more or less excellent or glorious but his greatness power and glory is further manifested more spread and made known according to that promise Numb 14. 21. and Isa. 6. 3. All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord Our great and infinite God filleth the whole earth and the Heavens yea and the Heavens of Heavens with his majesty and Glory at all times and in every place Alike but then he is said to fill the Earth or Heavens with his glory and greatness when he is manifested more to men or Angels and when he enlargeth the knowledge of himself And of his Power and Greatness As we have often shewed you concerning Iacob Gen. 28. He dreamed and saw the Ladder reaching from earth to heaven and the Almighty The God of Abraham and Isaac was at the top thereof and from him Angels ascending and descending continually thereby God manifesting himself to be with him whereever he was and that he would keep him in all places whereever he went and that he would not leave him but fulfill all he had promised Iacob awaking he saw God as present there as at home in his Fathers house and cryes out The Lord is in this place and I knew it not whereat he was â—ore afraid and burst out into this ravishing acclamation How dreadfull is this place this is none other but the house of God! God was as much present in his glory and majesty over night as well as then but Iacobâ—aw â—aw not his presence God was not more there but there was a greater manifestation Iacobs sight was opened to see the presence of God more Iacobs Portion and Treasure was nigh him alwayes but he saw him not as Hagar God opened her eyes and then she saw the well of water Gen. 21. 19. Know this that the fountain of all good is alwayes with us nigh at hand if we could but see him and we need never fear nor never despond and doubt so as we do For as Moses saith concerning the command Deut. 30. 14. It is not hiddeu from thee neither is it far off the not in heaven nor beyond the sea but nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart So the Apostle Rom. 10. 6 7. he applies that Scripture to Jesus Christ who is Col. 1 16. the first begotten of all creatures by whom all things consist and in whom they live move and have their being But the second part is the Mystery of the Text. That which is more materiall is the Mystery Though all Scripture be written for instruction yet know The Scripture is a Mystery of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Eustathius saith comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
stark naked then you may look to find God to see Him as he is in himself consequently truth but not before And truly this work being done in the soul there is such a miracle wrought as none but only the finger of God could do He that thinks ever by his own power to bring it about is utterly deceived This is a great question now adays Whether miracles be ceased now or no But it shews that such men have little experience of these Divine sublime truths It is a most foolish ridiculous question to him who enjoys these things for he sees there are as great miracles done now every day as ever was done since the world stood but the fault is in us we see them not our eyes are blinded that we can see no miracles Oh! were they but open we should see such miracles as would make all the understandings of Men and Angels stand amazed and a thousand times greater then ever any that Christ did in the flesh And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in the midst of a burning bush and behold the bush burned and was not consumed In these bare literal words there is a mighty miracle yet there is hid in them a miracle far transcending this outward miracle there is couched in them an abstruse hidden sense One would wonder to what purpose God should shew such a miracle of this nature A burning bush and not consumed What did this concern the work God Almighty was about namely to bring the Israelites from under Pharaohs bondage and grievous slavery Yet it being opened and unfolded you may see how fit it was every way upon this occasion As for instance That of Iacobs vision Iacob when he was to leave his Fathers house and forsake all his kindred and friends never looking to see them again he was to walk a long tedious way and un-inhabited as the world was in those times he having many sad thoughts and knew not what he should do nor what should befall him having gone one dayes journey and meeting with no lodging at night but weary as he was lay down in the open field and having nothing to lay his head on he gathered a heap of stones and laid his head on them a hard pillow as you may well think yet at last it should seem fell asleep and dreamed such a dream as never was dreamed on a pillow of Down And his dream was he saw a Ladder reach from Earth to Heaven and God himself stood at the top of the Ladder and the Angels of God were ascending and descending on it But as I said of this vision to Moses What was all this to Jacob this seems not suitable to his necessity at that time One would think that if God had appeared to him and said Iacob I will be with thee I will provide for thee take no thought I will be thy God thou shalt want for nothing though thou hast forsaken Father and Mother and all yet fear not I will be all in all to thee This or else somewhat to this purpose had been more fit for Iacobs condition Beloved Whatever it seems to be in the History in the Mystery it was the suitablest the fittest the seasonablest vision that could possibly have been revealed to him namely to let Iacob see that while all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth which are Gods Angels or Messengers and do his will and all go of his errands He himself holds the Ladder at the top they all come from him and they all return to him again And not only so but he being their essence their being their life their motion they are all moved and actuated by him Himself there is not one Creature not one of these Angels or Messengers but doth his will and he is with them in what part of the Ladder soever they are if they be in the middle or bottom or at the top yet they are not absent from him but he rules and guides them all to do his work which he appoints them to do Now my Brethren this being fixed in Iacobs mind that every Creature was formed actuated and moved by God himself and that not any one of them could do any thing to him nor he could want nothing but a supply was at hand because he commanded it because he was so near it he was in it This was that which comforted Jacob in all his journey That whatever he met withal or wheresoever he was he still had recourse to what his vision taught him And so likewise in this vision to Moses it was the fittest that could have been shewed him upon this occasion and in this business which he was to go upon Now you may observe three kinds of Miracles to three several divisions of persons 1. To Moses and that onely this One the bush burned and was not consumed and this was sufficient to work upon Moses and to encourage him to his work But 2. The Israelites they will not beleive for one miracle but they must have three miracles But 3. The Egyptians ten miracles would not work upon them something is included in this For Moses being a man Near God being a Shepherd already he had in part resigned up himself to God and therefore one miracle was enough to make him believe for as soon as ever he saw it and God called unto him and said Moses Moses he presently answers Gods call Here am I Lord but Israel being further off from God having been long in Egypt they were so well accustomed there also to their slavery that they had as live remain there still as depart therefore before they could be perswaded to Obey and follow Moses there must be three miracles wrought 1. Moses threw down his Rod and it became a Serpent then he took it up by the tail and it became a Rod again 2. He put his hand into his bosome and pulling it out it became leprous and putting in his hand again and pulling it out it became as his other flesh 3. Says God If they will not believe for the first nor for the second miracle for the third they shall believe Take up of the water of the brook and pour it on the ground and it shall turn into blood These being further removed from God God did not live in them he was exalted in them as he was in Moses but was as dead and buried in them and to them But ten and ten to that can never work upon the Egyptians Those that will live and die Egyptians all the miracles in the world can never make them believe Moses he said at once Lord here I am he was ready to obey God and the Israelites they answered at three times But some there are that are so hardned in their own ways and so frozen on their dregs that let God do what he will with them let him strike them with sickness famine plague pestilence what he
will yet it doth no good upon them they will never let the Israelites go to serve the Lord but if they do they will pursue them and never leave them till they themselves are drowned in the Sea and utterly destroyed Now for the vision it self in hand And the bush burned and was not consumed A strange miracle that a bush should be all over of a red glowing fire all a day and not consume Indeed trees that have stood close together by the violence of wind rushing them together have been known to set on fire but then they consumed but who ever saw wood on fire a whole day together and not consume Moses it seemeth at first took no great notice of it but seeing it burn all day and not consume I will turn aside saith he and see what the reason is and see this great sight why the bush burneth and is not consumed But before I come to the vision it self here is yet one thing that will detain us and I fear for the whole time of the these few minutes allotted us but God may offer ere long another opportunity for to speak of the vision it self It is said in this second verse That the Angel appeared to Moses in the midst of the bush and in the verses following it is said to be the Lord God how could one and the same be an Angel and God too Tell the Children of Israel I AM hath sent you unto them Which name can belong to no Creature but is proper onely to God Almighty And again you know in all the Old Testament when any Angel appeared to any man if they fell down and worshipped them never any man was blamed but St. Iohn did but offer to fall down to worship the Angel that had shewed him all those visions and he was forbidden See thou do it not for I am thy fellow-servant worship God What may be the reason of this was there any difference between the Angels of the Old Testament and the Angels of the New No certainly The truth is this and that which will bear the touch and the trial against all opposition That every Creature is an Angel a Messenger of God Almighties not the greatest nor the least nor meanest that is but is one of Gods Angels or Messengers and being so He is the Essence and Being of every Creature The Substance of all things Insomuch that nothing can have a Being but onely Himself No Creature can say I AM. If he were not so how could God say I am if any Creature could say so Truly of it self And God is so the Essence and Being of all things not onely as most men affirm and believe an Essence giving Being to all things so as every thing hath no Being in it self but from him and of him but he is the Essence of the Essence He is the Being of the Being for he it is onely that is Alpha and Omega the first and the last He onely is He that was and that is and that is to come if any Creatures were sâ—arers in this title he were not God Almighty This is such a truth as all the world shall never be able to overthrow ye may bottom upon it for The gates of hell shall never prevail aginst it God being the Substance and Form of all things the Form of Forms he is as Really and as Gloriously and as Omnipotently present in the Meanest and least Creature you can shew me as he is in the greatest Let flesh and blood and Satan and Hell and all the powers of darkness set against it with all the might they have they shall never prevail against it I say he is as Infinitely as Magnificently as Gloriously as Incomprehensibly present in the basest Creature in the least mâ—te in sticks and stones name what ye will as he is in Heaven it self and in all the world besides for He cannot be more fully present in One place then another but in all places all present at once he is as Fully as all-sufficiently as Graciously as Vnbounâ—ably present in the barrenest Mountain as in he fruitfullest Valley But where is he that câ—n see him so who can see this glory and this â—ower of God in every Creature Most certainlâ— undeniably the thing is so but we want eyes to see him so Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith God If any thing fill Heaven or Earth besides him in the least jâ—t or period that saying were not true He is not present in the glorious Heavens in his Majesty more then He is in the Earth He is not present as most men teach and too many believe them in one place in regard of his Essence and in Another in regard of his Power and in another in regard of his Iudgment and in another in regard of his Mercy and in another by his Patience c. These be fond fopperies hearken to none of them let them be who they will be know this is truth He is in all alike Essentially but we see him not so and therefore we think him not so That we see him not so the fault is not in God for he is the same in all places and through all ages but the fault is in our selves we are so weak-sighted we cannot see him As suppose I speak to these three several Creatures to a man to a dog and to a stone the man he hears my voyce and understands me what I mean the dog hears but he understands not but the stone it doth neither And if you should ask the Stone what I said supposing there were a possibility of answering therein it would say I spake not at all if you ask the dog he would say I heard a voice a noise but he said nothing but ask the man and he would tell you That I spake and What I spake Was it therefore true that which the dog and the stone affirmed Because they either understood not or heard not or Was the fault in me they heard not or understood not No the fault is in themselves for I did speak and spoke sense but they had not a capability of hearing and apprehending So God shines Gloriously and Majestically and Super-exaltedly in all his Creatures but if we see him not so blame not God and say He is not so nor He is not there because you see him not nor cannot apprehend him there but blame your own ignorance your own blindness for God is as much in one as in another he cannot be Glorious in one and not in another but the same in all And God being there he cannot be without All His Accoutrements of Majesty and Glory Al His Glorious Attributes attend him whereever he is And he cannot be Sequestred from them nor they from him And if God hath opened your eyes so far as to see him Thus in all Creatures Do not offer to take from him His Glory or Greatness as if God where-ever
an Angel to worship him I sin or if I fall down to Jesus Christ as included in that man or in any Creature I sin likewise But if in men and beasts and trees and in all I behold God 〈◊〉 Immutable Incomprehensible Incircumscriptible Essence so I may praise God and take any occasion to fall down before him and say O thou God That Fillest Heaven and Earth O thou God that Fillest and movest every thing and thou thy self art not moved nor changed in all things I see thee who art One and for ever the same If you shall now ask me how you may behold God thus I will tell you In every Creature is a beam of the Divinity which is an Angel and that Angel be it never so small beholds The face of God Almighty that beam that lives in me or thee that beam I say sees the very face of God And therefore saith our Saviour Christ Take heed ye despise not one of these little ones for their Angel always beholds the face of your Father which is in Heaven Although you see not the Sun when you behold a beam that comes in at the window yet if you do but lay your eye in that beam you shall see the Sun it self So though you cannot see God Almighty in any Creature yet if you do not despise any of these little ones They behold God and if you lay your eye in that beam you shall come to behold God himself and then in the name of God praise God even with all your might and with all your strength then you can never praise him enough in all his Creatures Only take this along with you Thar so long as you are capable to see touch or understand what you see so long you see not God it is but a Creature but if you let that little spark guide you That Angel within you it will bring you to the very face of God For God is in the Midst of the bush in the midst of the Creature yet he is not The burning bush though he be in the Creature yet he is not the Creature So long as he appeared to Moses under any form he was but an Angel The Angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in the midst of a burning bush And if Moses had worshipt that burning bush he had been blamed as well as S. Iohn But God is Hid he is Vailed from our sight by Accidents He is not in the Out-parts but he is Within Beloved if God would be pleased to unfold these things to you and me and make us understand them aright I know that Then neither heights nor depths nor Angels nor Principalities nor any thing should ever be able to separate between us and these blessed truhs nay nothing could hinder us from union with this Our ever Blessed God for these are such infallible Truths such glorious Truths Against which the gates of hell shall never prevail When Iacob was to go three or four hundred miles from his Fathers house He saw a vision in his first nights sleep and it was a Ladder that reached from heaven to earth and the Angels of God went up and down ascending and descending on it and at the top of the Ladder stood God himself What do you think was the meaning of that Ladder We deny not the truth of the Story for let that heart that hath such a thought consume for ever in endless flames but let us labour to find out the mind and meaning of God in all his words God stood at the top of Ladder what God is in himself we meddle not with we have nothing to do with that O blessed God! be thou what thou art thou hast said I AM that I AM and we say so too THOU ART that THOU ART Holy and Blessed be Thou in what thou Art for ever and ever And as Thou art in Thy Self we neither know thy Name nor thy Sons Name But the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us Christ Jesus is the Substance and Being of all things Hee is Hee in whom all Types and visions ended This Book of God is a great Book and many words are in it and many large Volumes have been drawn out of it but Christ Jesus Hee is the Body of it Hee is the mark all these words shoot at Hee is the Truth and Substance of all those Types Shadows Metaphors Allegories Parables and Paradoxes Hee is The MARROW in that Bone and the Kernel in that SHEL There cannot one Creature come into the world nor go out of the world not one Angel ascends or descends upon that Ladder but it comes from God and by Jesus Christ He is the Substance and Being thereof and there is not One Creature but doth the Errand God sends him on And therefore David ascribes the very worst of actions to him when Doeg curst him he said Let him alone for God hath bid him He knew no Creature could move towards him to do him either good or hurt but what God bid it do And therefore saith he in whatever befel him I held my tongue and spake nothing because thou didst it Beloved know this the interpretation of visions is from the Lord as Ioseph said to Pharaoh It is not in me to interpret dreams or visions but God shall give Pharaoh an Answer of peace And so say I of this A vision it is and we shall find it no where expounded but God hath set it down It is thrown amongst us and writ for every one to read some take it one way and some another As Pilate said What I have written I have written he that can find the interpretation let him Beloved we spent much time the last Sabbath but we could not get from under the cloud nor espy the bright pillar of light and comfort to discover the meaning of the VISION but you know I was forced to leave my discourse as to the Vision it self Muâ—â—led up in those Sacred and Holy discontents which yet are like physick though a little distastful yet exceeding whollom My beloved is a garden walled about and as a fountain sealed up And saith Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation of dreams and visions is from the Lord. There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets And he that Ploughs not with his heifer shall not find out his riddle He which sent that vision to Iacob taught him also how to interpret it For in the bare relation of the vision what is in it to comfort Iacob in the condition he was in And so here to what purpose was this vision shewed to Moses what concerned this the business in hand as you may conceive Beloved He that can find out Gods meaning in these visions shall find Hidden Manna to nourish him But he that thinks by his wit and by his policy and by his own strength to find it out be sure shall find nothing but a bone to choke him
and thwart and contradict one another and that the confusion of things confounds thine understanding yet be sure I am with them and in them and I order all and to me all things work harmoniously though to thee cross and contradictory yet all effect and bring about my Ends they can do nothing but what is agreeable to my will for they are all led by one spirit they all to me do keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with me Even all Contradistories Coincide And so far forth as thou canst see and believe this they all shall do the Same to thee Beloved you know these my two hands are moved by the same spirit in me and the same soul moves all the members of my body and think you will one member hurt another No will my hand smite or pierce any member to hurt it No surely and if it do yet it is to better its condition though for the present it may hurt and wound and make it smart yet it is not to Hurt it but for its greater good So say I In the world what can happen or fall out to hurt us or displease us Truly nothing at all If we were but come to this that we could but keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace If we did But Behold ONE Spirit moving and ruling through the whole earth And if we did but see that He is the cause of all Wars and Tumults and that He stirs up their spirits for what End is best known to himself and thought we see such varieties and changes in the world yet in him and to him all things Coincide Even those things that are contradictories to us even all changes and oppositions and contentions and clashings in the world all in him Coincide That is all things to him are in agreement in an Harmony and work to his Almighty praise to the Highest to the utmost that can be Yet in regard of men he may be dishonoured but in himself and by himself He Works out His own praise in all contrarieties Because Really and in truth Nothing contradicts his will but if it do His revealed will yet He makes every act in the creature be it good or evil to contribute to his praise And he whom God hath been pleased to shew this vision to which he here shewed to Moses and the interpretation thereof he sees it so and his will and Gods clash not but Harmonize and coincide Gods actings and their wills agree these Blessed Souls They cannot finde fault with any thing but subscribe that He hath done all things well How then can this man distrust or murmure against God in whatever falls out because he sees God doing all he sees one Spirit moves all acts all but so far forth as men are Drowned in the Letter of this Vision they see none of all this They onely look upon it As a wonderful thing that God did thousands of years since and so take it as an History or according to their utmost interpretation viz. That God in the midst of the Afflictions of the Church yet he preserved them even as in the veâ—â—sâ—re though Pharaoh oppressed them and Egypt was as a furnace to the Israelites in which God kept them and brought them out of it which interpretation I condemn not but I think there is more held forth for God bid Moses tell the Israelites I AM had sent him He that was the Substance and Being of all things the worker and orderer of all things in heaven and earth But so far as men see not this When they hear of wars and rumours of wars and Nation rising against Nation they tremble and they fear and are at their wits end not knowing they are all led by the same spirit himself is when as those who see the Almighty thus working ordering and filling all creatures yea Burning and Changing Melting and reducing the Elements from one form and shape to another so that they see one generation come and another go These men they go on in an holy Serenity and Tranquillity of minde knowing there shall not an hair of their head perish without their Fathers pleasure and ordering Beholding his wisdom and power and goodness in all things in all turnings and tumblings and overturnings Having Cast all their care upon him for they know He takes care of them and infinitely beyond what they could do for themselves Therefore they Repose themselves sweetly upon his will and disposing which condition they prize above all earthly enjoyments yea more then a thousand natural lives if they had so many for They have forsaken Houses Lands Wives Children c. and all for Him and in him they enjoy and possess a hundred-fold instead thereof even in this life If they have them they enjoy God in them and through them and though they want all yet they have God instead of all who is to them more worth then all But others not being able to Hear or Bear these things being not yet come to be either Fathers or Yong-men in Christ living still in the Letter and in Shadows whom indeed these fathers in Christ pity and pray for and their Bowels yern for them and such is their strength that they are fain to become weak to the weak and all to all not that they shall gain all but that they may gain some for some are like the Egyptians here spoken of that not all the precepts or examples nor all the Plagues in the world will convince them They will not take knowledge That they are Acted and Guided by an unseen hand and power They see not that the whole Universe is guided by One Spirit But they think that there is one Spirit in the English and another in the French another in the Spaniard and another in the Dutch another in the Turks one in Europe another in Asia another in Affrica and another in America but be assured As to the carrying on of the affairs and designs of God in the world One and the same Spirit rules in all And though there are divers and contrary operations yet all is by the same Spirit it is God that worketh all in all and though they be never so far asunder yet all act by the same Spirit As in my body what 's further asunder then my head and my foot yet the same soul in both and know that this One soul within me hath as great a care of the lowest member as of the highest And so in the world though Almighty God hath set some in a high condition and some in a low yet know He Guides all He takes care whatever thou thinkest that the Higher Members and more Exalted and Impowred shall not oppress the lower no further then he in his wisdom thinks meet He it is that lets one man finde favour in this mans eyes and another not This as other actions all along are
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
type of this spiritual Pharaoh You see how discouraged he was but to come into his presence but to ask to let the people go to serve the Lord and much more to bring the thing to pass he went for No mâ—rvel if an Embassador for Christ be in this regard discouraged for All the Powers of darkness are before him Christians look on your enemies they have Cities walled up to heaven You have the tower of Babel to climb the soul to be Rescued and brought out of the claws of all the Devils in hell But this is your comfort Christ doth this for you but it must be done in you What 's thy name LEGION If all the whole earth were gathered into one Body into one Army All the Engines and Politick Engineers for war and all the Artillery thereof this were a potent mighty almost inconceiveable strength yet this is Nothing to these Legions One of which One Sin is able to destroy the soul for ever which is of more value then all the world yet all this power cannot destroy one soul whom Jesus Christ hath purchased Then what shall they soul do that hath Legions of these as thick in thy understanding will affections as Motes in the Sun as Devils in the air as thick as words as actions â—y as thoughts For where this strong man keeps the house Mat. 12. 29. all he doth speaks thinks all is sin and he lies close and safe in his trenches and strong holds he thinks himself invincible unconquerable And indeed so long as Men do but take up Arms against him Or use never so many ordinances or duties which they force themselves unto he laughs at the shaking of your spears Job 41. 29. And the neighing of your horses and all the strength you can make of your selves though you call in all the parties you have from all quarters in the soul Yet he is quiet as t is said David was or as a Christian ought to be in his God he can lie down and sleep in the midst of his enemies because God is his strong hold his Castle of defence So sure and safe is Satan in his conceit in the soul where he hath kept long possession foâ— he hath all the men in the world the whole Arm of Fesh he glories in his Offensive and Defensive weapons And indeed till the Lord Jesus begins To rouse up himself That King of Kings and Lord of lords that Mighty Lion of the Tribe of Iudah Aâ—ise in us and dress himself in his Glittering Armour as David speaketh he fears nothing for as I said before he is so strong that indeed he thinks himself too strong for Christ for so long as Christ suffers himself to be Overmastered by our sins and strong lusts he seemes Too weak for him And he insults over him as a Turk over his poor Gally-slave as I may so say or as if you will some cruel Marshal over his prisoners though the Kings best subjects he lays them at his pleasure Neck and Heels he casteth them into noisom dungeons where is nothing but Satans excrements and the filthy spuings of our lusts and These also he sets as Centinels that they stir not whilst he himself jets up and down in pride saith I le bring down the oroudest of you all What know you not me I have his Majesties Commissino for what I do So also This is that Spiritual and true Nebuchadnezar that jets up and down in his own pride Saying Is not this great Babel that I have built for the honour of my majesty and for the glory of my Kingdom Dan. 4. 30. This Devil in us he looks on himself as a Peacock and saith VVhat a goodly Christian am I what a height I have gotten what large knowledge have I obtained I think there is no point in Divinity but I am able to speak to it what doth no body take notice of me and so Arrogates the doing of all good to himself and All Evil as none of his Ah where is the man that can say I find all these things truly and really in my self this were a certain forerunner of the Sun Arising Of the day Break and of the day-stars arising in Our hearts Now will the Lord Christ arise triumphantly in thy soul and make All these beasts of the forrest to tremble Now as it is exprest in Rev. 6. 2. He will ride on conquering and to conquer as David saith Gird on thy sword upon thy thigh O thou most mighty with thy glory and thy majesty Ride on prosperously thine arrows shall pierce deep into the heart of all Our and the Kings enemies now though Satan in us muster up All his forces as now most certainly he will Yet he shall fall from heaven like lightning that which he hath Enjoyed as his heaven had the command of our souls where he hath ruled as Lord and King but yet as a Tyrant though we saw it not but were willing servants as to our Leige-Lord and natural King and were at the command of every servant and lust more then ever the Israelites were under the External Pharaoh under him we made bricks did all servile work our wages was but hard fare and tripes Oh! was not this an Egyptian blindness and darkness a darkness that may be felt but Israel when they most felt their slavery and groaned were nearest deliverance from under Pharaoh we are alwayes in darkness and slavery but when we begin to feel our spiritual darkness when we begin to feel the plagues of Egypt upon us Our water turned into blood and the frogs crawl and cover over all the Land when we are sensible of the murrain the boils and blains and the Plague and Carbuncles in our flesh the hail and the locusts Even the LOCUSTS of the bottomless pit which come all out of the mouth of the Dragon and from Belzebub Prince of the Devils then we shall see the death of our first-born our dearest right hand and right eye sins then we shall feel in our selves that this conquering King begins to carry captivity captive then shall Pharaoh with all his Host be overwhelmed in the midst of the sea Then the soul shall sing the song of Moses Exod. 15. The Lord is my strength and song he is become my salvation the Lord is a man of war the Lord of hosts is his name Pharaohs Chariots and his Host are drowned in the sea the depths have covered them they sank to the bottom as a stone as lead in the mighty waters thy right hand alone is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lorp hath dashed in pieces the enemies and David throughout his Psalms is full of these expressions all tending to empty the creature of all good and all power and to ascribe all to the Lord neither had the Israelites any good success any further then the Lord went with them and did their workes for them Here
he will Tear and Rent the Man and when he doth not though he seem to depart he keeps possession still or will Return with seven other spirits worse then himself Many perswade themselves they have grace because they are of a smooth fine affable disposition and carriage and many Prophets daub them up with untempered morter as if they had grace from their Cradles whereas indeed All men are as deep in Adams fall one as another and one as hard to be recovered as another I have shewed you upon another Text how all must suffer with Christ none excepted if they will be glorified with him and shewed you wherein viz. All and every one must be emptied and humbled as Christ was When Christ comes to cast the Devil out of these men in person himself I le warrant you he will Rend and Tear them When for Christ and to enjoy the life of Christ they must be emptied of all their fine natural endowments and come to see the ugliness the sinfulness of all their thoughts words actions and to be arraigned as the vilest Malefactors for all their great progress in Religion for even these are as far off the life of Christ as the other And they must be at the mercy of the Judge as much as the other And their Secret and Heart-Idols and defilements are as odious to God as the other I pray where is then their In-bred gracious natures If they must pass through that Condemnation and annihilation and abdication and indifferency c. as I then shewed you And must fight with the strong man Armed before he be cast out I le warrant you they will find this A Fiery Tryal Also the Apostle calls it A new birth What throws and pangs is there in natural births And do you think there is less and easier in the New birth No no deceive not your selves far far more for ye must be Slain and Crucified with Christ. I pray consider seriously of these things and be not deceived and lulled asleep nor receive not any such pillows under your Elbows from any for they cry peace peace when there is no peace and they say Thus saith the Lord when he hath not spoken unto them but they flatter you with the visions of their own heart Jet 23. 16. But be sure these unclean spirits are in every one of us naturally and they depart not without Tearing Beloved know All these are the unclean spirits in men that God will cause to pass out of the Land Zech. 13. 2. And I say t is to be suspected That when as the unclean spirit goes out without RENTING he intends a second return And contrarily where Satan departs with Renting he hath no hopes of re-possession For where he spoils and tears his lodging at his departure he finds that he that is stronger then himself casts him out and that such a soul is weary of such a troublesom Guest and turbulent intruding Inmate whom he rents he leaves and whom he Teares God Repairs whom he Rents God Renews Oh how I desire to have all our hearts Rent for then and not till then will God regard them Rent your hearts saith Ioel Joel 2. 12. And A broken heart a soul that is contrite and rent O Lord thou wilt not despise Psal. 51. 17. And therefore O sweet Saviour Rebuke thou all our unclean spirits with power command all our sins and corruptions to depart out of our hearts let them not reign or have the dominion over us but be thou our Lord our King and reign over us Other Lords indeed have had rule over us but do thou set up thy Kingdom O Lord and cast down thine Enemies under thy feet Thy Kingdom come for thine is the Kingdom power and glory for ever AMEN Come Lord Iesus come quickly ALL POVVER Given to IESUS CHRIST IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH MAT. 28. 18 19 20. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth c. In one Sermon Preached at a private Meeting in Old-street Augustine and others with him reckon this to be the ninth and last time of our Saviours appearing to his disciples after his Resurrection And that for this end he appeared so often to manifest the truth of his Resurrection and yet for all this some still doubted as you read in the foregoing Verse And they had great cause for though he had appeared to so many and so many times as this being the ninth time and it is also said He was seen of more then five hundred brethren at once yet for all this some doubted and although the Disciples were particularly appointed by Jesus to come at this time into this mountain and when they saw him they fell down and worshipped him yet some for all this doubted they knew they had seen him in great and extreme sorrow and anguish of soul even to the utmost that the malice of men and Devils could invent they saw him yield up the Ghost and they thought they had done their last office for him accompanying him to his execution and death and so to his grave and sepulchre but here He after many appearings to them to confirm their saith appears this once more and it seems to be very probably the last time of his appearing immediately before his ascention and now he gives them a commission and command To go and teach all Nations as it follows in the 19 and 20. Verses baptizing them in the name of the Father c. and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you for â—o I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world And because they should be able to shew their Authoritie and Warrant if any should ask who sent them he tells them He that is IAM hath sent you IAM is with you and further tells them that their power they shall derive from Him For all power is given to me in heaven and earth And these words however they be few in number yet there is in them an Abyss of matter there is a mighty power and a vast length and breadth height and depth in all His words for His words are alwayes full of sense spoken to the highest pitch that our capacity can conceive or reach The words of Christ are most pure free from all concourse of the depravedness of the creature they are like the pure wine that he made at Canaan there is no tincture no brackishness no leaven of the old Adam or of the Pharisees Mens writings and speakings are alwayes low they have in them some Allay of humane weakness but in his words there is not the least allay they cannot admit of any moderation or modification Others it may be writ they knew not what themselves as I may so speak even the Penmen of the holy Scriptures for they wrote things beyond their own comprehension they being directed by another spirit they spake not of themselves but the holy
our feeling to our sight to our apprehension and comprehension but not at all in himself We cannot Honour him no nor dishonour him as to himself he is infinitely Far Above our praises or dispraises neither toucheth him as David saith My goodness extendeth not to him and Iob If I sin it toucheth not him He is neither better or worse by all our works either by sin or righteousness Beloved be sure of this we can neither diminish nor increase his praise in Himself though in regard of â—s we do for though we hold our tongues though we run upon our own destruction yet All as Creatures Praise him if he be not glorified by us in his Mercy he is and will be in his Iustice. It is said in Phil. 2. that he emptied himself of all his glory that is he as it were drew a curtain between Our eyes and His glory not between his own eyes and his glory for he was the same in himself but as to men He drew a Curtain or Vail before his glory for he honoured himself most in that he Emptied himself and therefore he saith here All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth not but that he had the same power before But now All power is given me that is Now men shall see it how in this very thing I honoured my self How in this very thing I manifested my self to be the Saviour of the world And though he seemed to Unclothe and dis-robe himself of all power and glory yet men shall now see and acknowledge that he still At that very instant retained it as much as ever yea manifested it more to them I seemed to lay it down and now to them I will be seen to Take it up again and they shall see that it never departed from me nor I from it But now it may be you will say to me We see you have partly cleared it and made it appear in what sense it is to be understood that All power is given to him in Earth but how is all power given him in Heaven do the Angels add any thing to him or is any thing added to them yea certainly for by the Church these things are More made known unto them for they were not created in such an estate but they may be made better nor are they so perfect but that they desire an increase in their perfection for it is said 1 Pet. 1. 12. The Angels do stoop down to pry into these mysteries therefore their knowledge and perfection is increasing And indeed it is certain They see their imperfections more then man because of the great light they have they are nearer to God who is light and therefore see their darkness and imperfection more then we for we are more dark and further off the light but alas Vain men think they see a great deal and because of their blindness they think themselves such excellent Creatures being thereby puffet up in themselves looking on themselves as Lords of all every thing was made for Him and that Christ was sent Meerly to Redeem him to save him God overlookt as he conceives All Creatures both above him and below him and had respect to none but to him as proud Haman said I onely am in the Kings favour O poor Creatures you are deceived think not so this is onely a fruit of your ignorance of your blindness limit not Gods Church to so narrow a scantling The Dominions of his Church reach infinitely further ther then you are aware of but we must not now enter upon that But hereby you may see that things in Heaven have a revelation and manifestation of Christ unto them and his power is given unto him There as well as on earth if so it be That you do take Heaven according to our general and common Notion of taking Henven which we Vulgarly conâ—eive to be above the Circumference of the Sun and God to be present more especially there but this also is a limiting The bounds of his Church and Kingdom His Kingdom as I conceive is every where and Heaven is where he is for he is Every where Yet I remember I was taught when I was a Child either by my Nurse or my Mother or Shoolmaster that God Almighty was above in Heaven viz. above the Sun Moon and Stars and I thought of a long time afterwards that there was his Court and his Chamber of presence and I thought it a great Height to come to this knowledge but I assure you I had more to do to unlearn this principle then ever I had to learn it and I am afraid too many of us are gone no further then this Childish principle whereupon follow many errours But it is more safe Taking Heaven in the largest sense Eiâ—her as God Filling all places and all things as well above the Sun as below and below as above and so Heaven to be where God is that is ever where for he cannot be excluded from any place but he is not onely in every place but in every place Alike Or else to take Heaven in that sense the Prodigal doth Luk. 15. 18. Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee to take Heaven to be in our souls When God comes into our souls and dwels there that is when he manifests his presence in us and to us then he is said to dwell there not but that he dwelt there in regard of himself as much before but then he is there as in his Temple As in his glory to Us-ward then we see him there In the Beauty of Holiness Then He is compassed about with our praises as it is exprest in that 68 Psalm It is well seen O God how thou goest How thou My God goest when thou art in thy Sanctuary The singers go before and the minstrels follow after in the midst are the damsels with timbrels c. When God is not onely in us as he is in all Creatures but when he is there sensibly to us that we feel him and see him and Rejoyce to behold his Presence and Glory and so we come Thereby to glorisie him more Whenever we come to this Sight then are we come into a degree of the kingdom of Heaven Into Gods Chamber of Presence There we shall see all Creatures all Angels and Saints and the whole Creation compassing him round about with Glories and Hallelujahs Then as to us is He set upon his Throne And till then he is As Crucified As upon the Cross as Buffetted as Spit upon as Emptied as disrohed as Slighted Trod upon As upon the dunghil as separaâ—e from his glory but all this is but as to men not as to Himself as I said before For to him all Angels Cry A loud the Heavens and the Earth and all the Powers therein and all Creatures cry continually Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaths Heaven and Earth are full of the majesty of thy glory And
He knows His own glory and praise Infinitely Beyond our apprehensions but as I said He is more praised and glorified As to us and by us And in this sense are our Saviours words here that he hath now All power given him in Heaven and in Earth in regard there is a great deal more light come to us and he is revealed unto more for Christ as he saith Ioh. 1. 9. He is the true light that enlightneth every man that comes in to the world As you know He was once made known to the Jews and the Genâ—iles lay in darkness but now he is made known to the Gentiles and the Jews are in darkness like Gedions fleece They were wet when all the ground about was dry which was the time that the Jews had the knowledge of God and Christ but then again all the ground was wet and his fleece dry The fall of the Jews was the rising of the Gentiles as the Apostle expresseth Rom. 11. 12. The Gospel it first shined to the Jews and afterwards to the Gentiles which was All the rest of the world And our Saviour saith That he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And he commanded his Disciples when he first sent them out Go not in the way of the Gentiles but go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel He did very strictly tye himself to the Jews so that hardly any others could get any mercy from him They never got any but they got it very hardly and very sparingly as the Centution Luke 7. he would not go himself immediately to Jesus knowing how unwelcome they were to him and what harsh answers he gave them therefore he went by the Jews and got the Priests and Elders to go to him And they also were fain to use many words to perswade him t is said they were fain to perswade him instantly commending him for a good man and that he had done them much good and had built them a Synagogue and at last Jesus went with them c. And so likewise the woman of Canaan how hardly did she get mercy from him and how oft gave he her a repulse and beat her off and would not be overcome till her faith prevailed with him and she got it by force it is wonderful to see how our Saviour tyed himself to the Jews again it s said God wrought salvation in the midst of the earth Great is thy God saith the Prophet Isa. 12. 6. in the midst of thee or in the heart of thee Historiographers say that Ierusalem is in the very midst of the earth that it is the very Navel of the world And Christ began his miracles and preached first at Ierusalem and from thencâ— sent out his Disciples into all the world from which Observation we may apply thus much to our selves that whensoever Christ teacheth any man to Salvation That when he preacheth Healthfully and Savingly in the soul he preacheth first to the heart begins there sets that right and from thence His word is derived and sent forth to all the members of the body Christ and his Disciples first began at Ierusalem and then afterward their Commission was to go into all the world he tyed himself very strâ—ctly to the Jews before ever he would suffer them to go to the Gentiles This truth I would commend to you as a Stable Maxim of truth All faith and holiness is first to be preached to the heart before we go about to rectifie the members and the actions which in this regard may well be called Iews and Gentiles Religion if it begin not at the heart is nothing worth it is but a folly to preach to the eyes and to the ears to the hands and to the feet before we preach to the heart we must observe Christs rule first begin at Ierusalem and then go into all the world first preach to the Jews afterward to the Gentiles God onely speaks to the heart and Teacheth that to begin with the Outward man that so they may teach the heart is the way of man not of God Great is thy God in the midst of thee in thy heart do but rectifie that and the actions cannot be amiss make the tree good and there will follow good fruit Can you expect figs of thorns or grapes of thistles nay can you by all your manuring watching and dressing or forcing them cause them to bear such certainly no therefore see the folly of many men in our daies they think by their pains and by their Discipline to force men into Religion into faith good works and Spiritual actions When thereby they have onely restrained the outward man And with them they pass for Excellent Christians Alas alas Either saith our Saviour make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree evil and his fruit evil whatever fair pretences their actions may have and though they seem Good to men if the heart be not reformed they are but Golden Vices Botten Nutmegs and rotten apples gilded over Gilded Sepulchers they neither have a good root nor tend to a right End fair without but false rotten and stinking within they are carried on by Self to base carnal fleshly ends self is both the Rise and End of their actions and they no better then thorns and thistles and fit for nothing but to be burnt up As the Apostle saith The fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is Great is thy God in the midst of thee Satan it is that preaches first to the out-parrs He it is that preaches to the outward man by Laws by Credit by Honour by Riches by Praise and you know what verdict Christ gives of this preaching and of this learning Verily I say unto you you have your reward ye do it that ye may be seen of men and ye are seen of men ye have your reward ye restrain your hands and your feet from evil because you would not come under the penalty of mens Laws and you do escape them verily Herein you have your reward and you do your good works for the praise of men and you have it Verily I say unto you you have your reward And though you may think highly of such works and of your selves for them yet there is nothing of God in them and to him they are no better sacrifice Then cutting off a Dogs neck or the offering up of swines blood as the Prophet Isaiah saith this is nothing but One sin casting out Another for self-advantage this is nothing but Belzebub casting out Devils by Belzebub and yet he hath nothing less possession for it is nothing but the old man working within his own sphere and to his own advantage ye do it that ye may be counted honest among men and ye are accounted so ye would be and are esteemed great professors verily you have your reward Many such like ends you
have and so Many such rewards This is nothing but the Devils preaching and the Devils learning within thee it s no better then the Devils work and thou canst expect no other But the Devils Wages All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me He is the God of this world and hath great power given him over the Kingdoms of this world and he can bestow much of the glory of them upon his servants but God He speaks first in the center of the earth He begins first with the heart Preaches within thee reforms first the heart here onely preacheth His well-beloved Son in whom Onely he is well pleased Except Thy actions be The actions of his own Well-beloved Son in thy heart he neither owns nor accepts them they are strange fire to him and you know what became of Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire before the Lord The Lord He Pours precious ointment on this Aarons head and from thence Drencheth his beard and so down to the skirts of his garments so far as the heart is reformed the actions cannot be amiss That soul that is in love with Jesus Christ Beloved where the love of God is shed abroad in the heart it is death to him to that soul to go a whoring with the creatures he can have no peace to commit adulterie with the world That whorish woman he cannot endure Satans preaching hearken to me and I will give thee these and these thing no no his peace lies in hearkening to what the Lord saith in him and he preaches no such doctrine but bids him leave the world for its enmity to him he bids part with these things Take up the cross expect reproches persecutions and death from the world This preaching is of God let thy life be in forsaking the glory of the world though thou livest in the world yet let thy heart thy affections dwell and abide with me Use the world as if thou usedst it not count nothing in the world thine own be thou but as a steward in whatever thou hast Alwaies ready to give an account of all This preaching is from God from Heaven The Devils preaching is quite contrary And when thou hearest such preaching as is contrary to this and such whisperings within thee Conclude it is the Devil and not God and that such preaching and learning will destroy thy soul therefore I say always look to thy heart that It be set right before ever thou expectest the actions can be good if that be not so conclude all that proceeds from it is naught we must look mainly to the center to the Heart that life may come from thence Even as the life in the body by the blood flows from the heart to all the members if not those members are dead so the life of true grace flows from the heart as from the fountain for if either fear or Law or Heaven or Hel reward or any hopes or by-ends Urge the heart To goodness These are but dead works and you shall know it by this do but take away these respects and by-ends and these works Cease take away hope of reward and fear of punishment and this bodie is dead he works no more why because there is no life no heat within to move him tell him I mean he whose heart is set right for God reformed by him tell him he must deny forsake the world he must be emptied of all the glory of the world of all self-seeking self-glorying self-praising why herein is his life his peace his glory but to the other who hath been onely taught by such PRECEPTS as come from men from Self This preaching is death to him but his life and peace and joy is to hear How he shall be advanced esteemed honoured c. how he shall be made rich and great therefore you may easily hence distinguish what preaching and practise is from God and what from Satan and Self Thus much may serve for the first thing to open unto you the meaning of these words All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth to me it seems very plain and clear and I hope to you also that That which before seemed obscure now is made manifest The second ground Christ also as he is man hath all power given unto him as being united to God so also to man and this definition as being united to God is very large and deep as the river at the entrance into the Sanctuary which at the first entrance took a man but up to the ankles and then a little further up to the knees and then to the middle and at last it would quite down and swallow up all it grew into a vast Sea The meaning of the words in this sense we are not able to comprehend or understand but the more we wade into them the more we are drowned and swalloed up Jesus Christ he had the same glory in himself when he was upon earth as he had with his Father before all worlds and he is his well-beloved Son in whom onely he is well-pleosed But as he is man he to Us-ward emptied himself of all his glory And came in the form of a servant he was subject to the like passions and infirmities as we are except sinful and hereby man came to be further made known unto him that is in regard of his humane nature he was hungry and thirsty and weary and suffered death and the like and yet in regard of his Divine nature he held his glory and Union with his Father and it was necessary it should be so in both regards for had it not been so he could not have complyed so with the creatures and felt their wants and necessities and had he not retained his unity with his Father which he could not in regard of himself As God either lose or diminish nor increase he could not have complyed so perfectly with his Father for the salvation of mankind For as he was in the bosom of his Father he was unknowable to any creature he was known onely to himself he was inexplicable not to be unfolded and in this regard the more ye enter into darkness and unknowing the more ye know of him for he is nothing that we can comprehend or understand as we are creatures until we come to be One with him and swallowed up into him But let us observe that Christ never made this boast of himself that All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth till he was ready to leave the earth never till he had been crucified dead and buried and rose again It is remarkable he never all the while He was on earth ever appropriated all power to be his till he was ready to depart out of the earth And Beloved this is for our imitation Christ was no boaster though none might boast more but he was meek and lowly he became a servant to all
thou art dead to every creature thou canst never make this boast Beloved if you would have power to remove mountains and to offer violence to the Kingdom of heaven then you are to be thus qualified that thou hast experimentally seen and felt in thy own soul how that thy sins have ploughed and made long furrows upon his back as David saith and how you by your sins have quenched the light that is in you and how in thee he is crucified dead and buried and how thou hast drawn grave-stones of custome over him and how you have buried his light resisted and grieved his spirit in you and that you have found him arise in your own souls that you have really seen and felt all these things actually done within you his birth his life his death his resurrection that as his enemits have overcome and crucified him within you so himâ—rise â—rise gloriously and triumphantly within you and that he hath put down all his enemies under his feet In thee insomuch that thou hast heard him and seen him and felt him crying within thy soul Isa. 1. 24. Ha ha I will now arise I will avenge me on my adversaries Now I that was crucified am now risen again so that you see his glory and the love of him triumphing in you so that now thou canst truly say with David Psal. 27. 4. Now I am so far gotten from and forsaken the world and my self that now I desire but one thing and that will I seek after even that thou wouldest give me thy self unite me and make me One with thine own life that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life and visit his Temple You being once come to this pass Really in experience then you also may say All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth for then you are as I may say within an inch of being swallowed up into God and then are you ready to leave the earth and all things therein for this man he is become one spirit with the Lord And if we be one spirit as Chriâ—ts prayer hath purchafed Ioh. 17. 21. That they may be one as thou and I are one that thou mayest be in me and I in them and they in me that the world may believe that thou hast sent me if it be so then Christ himself lives in us and all our words are the words of Christ we have no thoughts but the thoughts of Christ we have no life but Christ lives in us as the Apostle saith I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And then also as the Apostle again saith and so may you say All is yours and not before Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or things present or things to come all are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods You being come to this as you may claim a right to all things so you may claim a Power over all things for you are already set down in Heavenly places with Christ himself in the very glory of God the Father who is blessed for ever But yet many there be that wil claim this right and appropriate to themselves this power and life when alas they are farre from it they will assume and presume that this is their condition when indeed and in truth Christ and his life is as yet buried in them He is not risen in them he hath not conquered nor gotten victory over his enemies but he is still crucified and made to serve their sins and their lusts Self-will and pride and arrogancy and vain boasting is still alive in them he hath not as yet Avenged himself on his enemies But pride and covetousnes and love of the world and praise of men these things live in them still and Christ is dead and so much the more dead and crucified in as much as they glory of that which is not conceiving Christ is theirs when as all their wayes are contrary to him and yet they conceive themselves made One with him when as it were far better they had a true sight of their opposition and contrariety to him And therefore thou must know thou art but an usurper to claim this power and right to all things in which thou hast no part For when a man is come to that life we formerly spake of then he is made Lord of the earth and hath then Real dominion over all the Creatures And made little lower then the Angels as it is exprest in Psal. 8. Then thou belongest to and art one with him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords though you see it not A supposition of two drops reasoning together As suppose two Drops apart from the Sea should Reason together and the one should say to the other Whence are we canst thou conceive whence we are either whence we come or to whom we belong or whither we shall go something we are but what will in a short time become of us canst thou tell And the other Drop should ansâ—wer Alas poor fellow-drop be assured we are Nothing for the Sun may arise and draw us up and scatter us and so bring us to nothing Says the other again Suppose it do for all that yet we are we have a Being we are Something Why what are we saith the other Why Brother Drop dost thou not know we even we as smal contemptible as we are in our selves yet we are members of the sea Poor Drops though we be yet let us not be discouraged we belong to the vast Ocean How saith the other we belong to the sea to the Ocean how can that be We have heard of the mighty greatness of the Ocean we have heard that there is the huge Leviathan that sports himself there who is so great and terrible he feareth none whose heart is as firm as a stone and as hard as a piece of the â—ether milstone the mighty are afraid before him who feareth not the spear nor the dart nor the Habergeon who esteemeth iron as straw and brass as rotten wood the arrow cannot make him flee-darts are as stubble and he laugheth at the shaking of the spear who maketh the deeps to boyl like a pot and maketh the sea like a pot of ointment so that he maketh a hoary path to shine after him and upon earth there is not his like What that we are of the Sea how can it be We have heard the Sea is great and wide Wherein also are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts there is that Leviathan who is made to play and sport therein and they that go down into the sea in ships and do their business in great waters they see the wonders of the Lord in the deeps there are the huge roaring waves that mount them up to heaven and suddenly they fall down into the depths and their souls melt because of trouble and those great
waves make them roll to and fro and stagger like a drunken man so that they are at their wits end In the Sea also we hear there be those huge and mighty rocks whose foundations are unmoveable Thou sayest that we are of the Sea and we belong to the Ocean where is any such vastness in us where is any of all those wonderful and mighty things in us therefore we cannot be of the Ocean No t is true saith the other for the present we are not of the Ocean because we are not yet joyned to the Ocean and except we perish and be dissolved as it were to nothing we are nothing but if the Sun draws us up and dissolve us to nothing that we are not seen to be much as drops then are we like to be something for then we shall return into the Ocean to which we belong Then we are those thâ—t have in us those rocks and those ships and those Leviathans and fish innumerable both small and great And they have room to play and sport themselves in us Then we may claim and appropriate to our selves whatever may be appropriated to the Sea or to the Ocean as well as any other drop for we are united and made One with the Ocean The Application by way of Dialogue So just so in like manner suppose Two mortal men reasoning together the one in Iealousie and the other in Revelation What are we says the one We are Nothing sayes the other we are but a Shadow a Dream a Bibble not so much as the drop of a bucket or as the dust of the ballance we are but as stubble before the fire and as smoke before the wind ready to be consumed scattered and dissolved into nothing Oh says the other though in our selves we are poor drops and as thou sayest we are no more then a drop a bubble soon up and soon down we have no power the least and weakest of all things imaginable yet we are we have a Being nay we are more then thou canst imagine Why what are we Why I le tell thee what we are we are members of the very body of Jesus Christ we are as I may say flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And we are to be made one spirit with him and therefore be contented though we in our selves are Poor and contemptible and apart from him Nothing yea worse then Nothing yet by the grace of God we are what we are we in our selves cannot say I am or â—â—â—ve we cannot call our selves I I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and in time I shall see my self to live in him and then I may And thou mayest claim the same life the same power with him for we shall return into Him who is Almighty we shall be dissolved into him who is infinitely Vaster then then ten thousand Seas or Oceans Ah Brother Saith the other how can these things be we have heard that Jesus Christ is God equal with his Father that he is Almighty incomprehensible Immense c. we have heard that he hath All power given him in heaven and in earth that he Rules over all his enemies and treads them all under his feet that he Rules them with a rod of iron and crushes them in pieces like a potters vessel and He is set upon his Throne and Triumphs in glory and majesty and is Set down in holy and heavenly places with his Father in his Throne and full Authority In us behold There is None of these things we are poor drops and weak creatures as little as we are we are full of nothing but sin and corruption we are empty and vile and despicable not only because of our smalness and nothingness but by reason of our sinfulness and impureness We have none of our enemies at command we are empty and changeable and no stability in us all our actions declare and render us to be always in a dying perishing condition but Jesus Christ to whom thou sayest we belong He is glorious and blessed and lives for ever And therefore I will not I cannot beleive wilt thou make me believe I am a part of him it can never be Oh! saith the other be contented Corn cannot bring forth fruit except it dye neither can a drop return to the Ocean except it be dissolved in it self and from its own proper being So Even so We poor drops in our selves we are nothing empty poor despised Nothings less then Nothings Apart from the immense Ocean But If we can be Content to dye forsake our selves Then should we Return and be made One with that immense Ocean Could we but be contented to annihilate our selves to be brought to Nothing we should be made Something If That Sun of righteousness would but arise and dissolve us and draw us up into Himself then we even we as poor as we be should be united and made one with the Almighty Beloved Beloved The Only Reason Why WE Remain such Empty Drops is because we esteem our selves to be Somewhat when indeed we are nothing while we set such a great price upon our selves and look on our selves as good holy and pure and take notice of our selves what a progress in Religion we have made and despise others This keeps us from being united to him Oh! those High-swelling towering thoughts must be brought down those Thrones and Powers and principalities set up in us by Satan The Prince of this world Those strong holds that keep us from being overcome and being brought to nothing must be brought down that so we may be joyned to the Lord himself to be made partakers of his life and glory My eye can never be united to the Sun till I behold and look upon it Then those beames that come from it draw my eye in a direct line to be joyned to it so thou art never united to Christ till the Lord himself by the eye of faith which is as a beam that comes from him unites and draws up thy soul in a direct line to him again As long as thou art Something in thy self so long thou art Nothing and when thou beginnest to be nothing in thy own esteem then thou beginnest to be really Something then is Jesus Christ Beginning to Arise and to Exalt himself in thee Then is I said before hast thou a right to All things and thou mayest claim all those great things spoken of before to thy self to be thine though not to thy self individual and as separated But as united to him to whom all power is given both in heaven and in earth but till this work be done Christ is kept under and thy self is exalted and it rules thee governs thee terminates all thy actions However they seem to thee and to other men as much lift up in themselves as thou art though I say to thee and to others in the same sphere with thee they seem never so
pious and precious proverb All things must be comprehended and keep Sabbath there must be no going up no running out nor no work done Seeing God desires not Our works but Our Sabbath and that himself in us Free and None Hindring him a MASTER and a GOD may Work Know Love Praise Pray Hear Crown and Reward HIMSELF in us Beloved without all doubt this is the ONE and Onely thing that pleaseth him And he commands All Flesh that in Divine matters it never Stir it self or desire any thing And therefore it is that I in this Book have Robbed man of all and Rejected him with all his Best Ware and most Precious Riches that he had in Divine businesses viz. Of all his Will Knowledge Wisdom Goodness All these must we Unlearn from all these must we Fast and keep Holy-day as from the Tree of knowledge of good and evil from whence Death is eaten And therefore there is in Heaven meer Peace Gladness Felicity as where there are Eternal Sabbaths and no Will but Gods Will Light Knowledge Art Wisdom in all his Saints whereby he doth Illustrate and Enlighten them And Christians do pray in the Lords Prayer that the same thing may be upon earth and that the will of God may be there done as it is in Heaven where no man Doth Wills Knows Speakes any thing but God who will have and in Christ hath Appointed this Sabbath also upon Earth This God grant unto us all Amen A most clear Glass and lovely Example of our Lord Iesus Christ which as he practised in himself so he propounded unto us to be followed and it may serve for an EPILOGUE or Perclose of this Book out of the 106 page of Iohn Taulerus his Works printed at Colen in Folio 1548. VVHosoever desireth to order his life according to the most Acceptable will of God and to be Partaker of his grace without any impediment ought warily to look into this Instruction following of the life of Christ which containeth all good things and to express it in his life and conversation Therefore every good and religious Christian ought in all things and above all things aâ—d at all times with all the strength of his soul in all his thoughts words and works purely to love and intend for God who is the eternal happiness and blessedness of all men as his own Portion which that he may the better do he shall most strictly observe himself within and in silence hearâ— what the Lord saith within him and avoiding all Imployments and Multiplicity he shall rest with God in unity He shall Shut up all his Senses in quietness Continually Praying and Calling upon God His eye being Fixt on him in all his actions He shall enjoy His Presence in every place time and thing He shall be A perpetual inhabitant of himself and shall Especially love Truth of heart and peace of conscience He shall be milde and Humble in heart as well as in word and be Divine and God-like in his life and conversation Taking Patiently All things at the hand of God He shall Praise Thank Honour and intend him in all his works He shall be always Endued with a certain humble Abnegation ordering of himself to what God wils shall submit himself not only to God but to All creatures avoiding those hateful vices Pride Envy Wrath and Arrogancy Moreover perpetually considering and marking the Goodness and Perfection of God He shall wonder and be astonished at the great love and faithfulness of God toward him and contrariwise at his own Unthankfulness and Infidelity judging himself from his heart The Least and Unworthiest of all men He shall more diligently take heed of his own Sense Estimation and of all the wickedness of his nature neither shall he think More of Himself then he hath from or of Himself which is indeed Nothing He shall alwayes take in hand a certain New life and exercise himself in New virtue and in New Truth He shall be Sober and Sparing in words but Plentiful in Holiness of life and shall desire to be Left and Despised of all men as men He shall much weigh Small sins and shall think The least defect not light He shall take so great care of Himself that he be never frustrated of the presence of God in his soul and that other men may be by him provoked to better things he shall do all his works in the most Perfect manner and shall Satisfie those things which he comprehends in his understanding He shall by his good will do nothing in this life to repent of hereafter He shall have In daily Adversity either within him or without him perpetual patience and in continual Multiplicity A Recollected mind he shall not 〈◊〉 either to Have or to Will any thing Proper in this world but be ready to distribute to others wants nor to have any Election oâ— Choise in things but receive thankfully The goodwill of His Father in every thing He shall admit nothing within himself but God continually He shall diligently Eschew and withdraw himself from all men as men and shall preserve himself Naked and Free from all Inwardly-received Images and his soul Untangled from all Accidents whatsoever that he may continually receive The Influence of His Heavenly Father into his soul. He shall often behold and Exercise himself in the Most worthy Life and Example of our Lord Jesus Christ As in a glass considering well How like or unlike He is unto Him and He shall in himself give an Ensample and Testimony to all men Of A Better life then This He shall be True in all his words Religious and Mature in His conversation He shall contemplate His beginning and Original From whence He and All things flowed forth and shall Strive with all diligence To return into the same again Finally tending diligently What He is whether He Ought what He Doth and for What cause he doth every thing and shall most constantly persevere in virtue and truth even unto Death And all this not by any power of his own but by Christ He alone Working all these things in him and not Himself nor Any His own Industry or Acquiring Another short Instruction taken from the same place in Iohn Taulerus his works pa. 107. VVE shall most certainly Attain The Various and Numerous exercises of this Book yea whatsoever can be written of a Perfect and Divine-like Life viz. by this means if we withdraw our selves from the love of all frail and mortal things if we study to attain an humble Resignation and inward Nakedness and embrace Onely God by faith and love in the bosom of our souls and hide our selves wholly with our Souls Spirit Body Heart and Senses in his Most Holy Humanity and labour by a certain lively imitation to become comformable thereunto and Finally by His life and merits Inhere and cleave continually and perpetually to his Divinity Whoâ—oever is enabled by Jesus Christ to do These things doth doubtless Obtain all
as the best and most excellent ibid. Two Sermons on Exod. 3. 6. the first six verses Moses kept the flock of Iethro his father in Law and he led them to the back side of the Desart And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in the midst of a bush c. THis is one of the grâ—atest miracles in the whole Scriptures p. 232. This History and Miracle concerns us now as much as the Israelites then p. 233. The Spirit magnified above the Letter p. 237 The truth couched under parables p. 240. The infinite condescension of God to become weak to the weak p. 242. The depth of the true word is imployment for Men and Angels for Eternity p. 244. Why Moses and the Patriarchs are taken such notice of that they were Shepherds p. 246. What the life of a true Shepherd is and why preferred before Husbandmâ—n p. 248. Moses led the flock into the desart before God appeared to him so must we foâ—sake the world or God will not manifest himself p. 250 c. Whether Miracles be ceased now oâ— no an ignorant question p. 253. Greater miracles done in accomplishing the truth of miracles then in the type or shadow p. 254. Yet this a mighty miracle in the letter but the mystery a miracle far transcending p. 255. How suitable Iacobs Vision of the Ladder reaching to heaven was to him and so this miracle to encourage Moses so the great work he was to go about p. 255. Why the Almighty is somâ—times termed an angel and why angels were worshipped in the Old Testament and St. Iohn forbidden p. 258 God not more present in heaven then in earth p. 260 c. God is to be worshipped as present in all places and in all creatures p. 265. The error of the Papists in worshipping Images condemned and why ibid. Hence a ground to interpret that saying of our Saviour Their Angels alwayes behold the face of their father c. p. 268. The use and Application from the foregoing truths p. 269 c. The second Sermon on the same Text. THe life of a Shepherd and of a Husbandman further explained p. 27â— The life of a Husbandman not condemned but a Shepherds life prâ—ferred before it p. 276. Going into the Dâ—sart not meant of forsaking all things actually but in aâ—fection and using them as if we used them not p. 280. The reason of all mens unquietness p. 283. The way to understand the vision is to put off our shoes from our feet as Moses and what that means p. 285. Men as men can comprehend nothing but what is within their own sphere of reason p. 288. Something about the name and nature of angels ibid. Every beam of the Divinity is an Angel p. 294. Christ the Substance of all types and visions p. 296. The true interpretation of visions and types from God alone p. 297. He that can see God thus cannot so far fear any creature nor any cross or death it self p. 298. The wonderfulness of the vision opened p. 300. Making known Jesus Christ is the business of all creatures of all men and all ages p. 302. The substance of this vision is Jesus Christ he is that fire that burns and changeth all things but not himself ibid c. He weighs the mountains and measures the waters he alters all things yet preserves the substance entire so that nothing is lost p. 304 c. How Gods will and theirs harmonize and coincide to whom God hath shewed this vision p. 308. They cannot find fault with anything God doth but they see one spirit moving and guiding all actions of men and creatures through heaven and earth p. 310. Vain man as his ignorance so his wisdom is to stoop and bow before the Almighty p. 311. He that looks no further then the letter of the vision he sees not these mighty things p. 312. But he that doth he sees Jesus Christ not onely changing all things but how at last he shall change our vile bodies ta make them like his glorious body p. 315. The substance of several Sermons on Mark 1. 25 26. And Iesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him and when the unclean spirit had torn him and cryed with a loud voyce he came out of him THe Text divided as Paul diâ—ides a man into body soul and spirit p. 318. Six morall observations onely named from the soul or letter of the Text not stood upon ibid c. Nothing absolutely evil but sin and nothing perfectly good but God p. 323. Obâ—â—r 7. That Christ is stronger then the Devil though he seem weaker and lets the Devil sometimes prevail in the world more then himself p. 324. Distinctions in the will of God as Revealed Secret Permissiv Ephes. 4. 17 18. Luke 10. 42. Phil. 3. 8. Heb. 4. 12. Gal. 6. 14. 1 Pet. 4. 15. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Jer. 17. 9. Ephes. 4. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Exod. 26. 33. 2 Cor. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 6. 5. Rev. 22. 2 Ephes. 6. 12. Ezeâ— 13. 18. Mich. 3. 5. Heb. 6. 1 2. Rev. 1. 10. Isa. 5. 20. Isa. 2. 22. James 5. 17. Rom. 7. 18. Gal. 2. 20. Acts 3. 12. Rom. 7. 20. Acts 26. 18. Psal. 26. 9. Dan. 9. 7. Mat. 7. 2. Mat. 7. 11. Jer. 31. 33 34. Luke 14. 35. Luke 2. 12. Luke 4. 22. Rev. 8. 1. Rev. 3. 16. John 4. 11. John 6. 60. Mat. 13. 36. Num. 22. 28. Ps. 51. 15. Mat. 9. 49. Isa. 10. 17. Mal. 3. 2. Mat. 5. 29. 30. 2 Pet. 3. 7. Joh. 11. Isaiah 20. 3. and Joel 2. 10. Acts 26. 18. Exod. 19. 16. Hos. 2. 19. Mat. 26. 39. Heb. 12. 29. Col. 4. 6. Prov. 16. 21. Eccl. 8. 1. Mat. 5. 13. Heb. 2. 11. Mat. 5. 13. 1 Cor. 3. 4. 5. 1 Cor. 1. 13. Mat. 5. 14. Joh. 1. 9. Joh. 8. 12. Lev. 6. 13. Lev. 2. 13. Num. 18. 19. 2 Kings 2. 21. Ezek. 16. 4. Job 16. 4. Gen. 27. Mat. 3. 17. Mat. 1. 24. Mat. 13. 34. Prov. 15. 23. Psal. 119. Rea. Hos. 13. 9. Luke 10. 34. Reas. 2. Psal. 38. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 22. Reas. 3. 2 Chro. 13. 5. Numb 18. 19. Mal. 3. 6. Psal. 102. 26. Ps. 139. 4. Rev. 3. 14. Heb. 1. 3. Col. 1. 17. Heb. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 51. Mat. 18. 1â— Psal. 104. 3. Col. 1. 15 17. 1 Cor. 7. 31. Heb. 13. 8. Heb. 6. 19. Joh. 1. Rev. 19. 13. Col. 1. 15. Object Luk. 14. 34 35. Maâ— 9. ult Answ. Exod. 16. 18. Prov. 30. 4. Job 12. 7. Gen. 28. 17. Psal. 18. 11 c. Psal. 18. Eph. 6. 12. Psal. 15. Psal. 24. Hab. 1. 2. Rom. 10. 7. Ioh. 1. 26. Gen. 18. 27. Psal. 12. 4. Job 12. Isa. 20. James 4. 13. Isa. 9. 9. Hos. 13. 9. Rom. 12. Mat. 24. 49. Ioh. 9. 41. Mat. 24. â—0 Isa. 2. 18. Gen. 19. 35. 2 Cor. 13. 15. Isa. 46. 10. Jer. 48. 11. Psal. 62. 11. 46. 2. Job 42. 5. Jude 1â—
2 Pet. 2. 15. Eccles. 6 1 2. Eccles. 5. 10 11. Job 20. 22 Job 20. 20 Vers. 15. Psal. 37. Amos 4. 1 2. Job 19. 17 Ephes. 5. 5 Amos 4. 2 Amos 8. 7 1 Joh. 5. 4 Mat. 6. 26. 1 Cor. 7. 30. Psal. 16. 11. 1 Cor. 2. â— Rom. 10. 2. Mat. 6. 7. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Rom. 9. 3. Ioh. 38. 7. Psal. 19. 1. Rom. 12. 6. Prov. 6. 6. Isa. 1. 3. Mar. 4. 39. Psal. 84. 3. Psal. 147. 19. Psal. 145. 19. * Some are offended at some passages in this Book whereof This is the chief Wâ—h in their apprehension under values Him whom he all along So much magnifies As no man more ergo a clear mistake To use no other argument That He should go so contrary to His Great Design viz. To list up Christ Above all things in Heaven oâ— Earth Gen. 22. 2. 1 Chron. 16. 31 c. Psal. 165. 9 10. Use 1. 1 Chron. 21. 7. Use 2. 1 King 19. 10. Col. 1. 16. Psal. 2. 10 11 Use 3. Use 4. Gen. 28. 12. Rom. 8. 37. Use 5. Rev. 22. 9. Mic. 2. 10. Gen. 8. 9. Use 6. Rom. 8. 22 Ephes. 2. Mat. 24. 49. Prov. 10. Luke 2. Ult. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 3. 30. Dan. 2. 34 35. Quest. Answ. Numb 14. 21. Isa. 6. 3. Gen. 28. Gen. 21. 19. Deut. 30. 14. Rom. 10. 6 7. Col. 1. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2. 28 29. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Obj. Answ. Heb. 6. 6. Gal. 4. 19. Col. 2. 11. Mat. 5. 16. Isa. 54. 13. Jer. 31. 34 Joh. 6. 45. Psal. 13. 3. Ps. 18. 28. Col. 3. 2. Joh. 8 59. 1 Cor. 2. 2. 1 Cor. 5. 16. Gal. 2. 20. Jam. 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 2. Ult. Ephâ—s 2. 1. Joh. 11. 25. Psal. 82. 3. Rev. 21. Rev. 21. Rev. 21. 23. Rev. 21. Exod. 33. 23. Rev. 21. 23. Ver. 14. Mar. 10. 37. Heb. 6. 1 2. Psal. 16 1 Joh. 2. 27. Cant. 4. 7. 1 Cor. 14. 26. Jer. 31. Joh. 16. 13. Vers. 1 2. 1 Cor. 3. 2 1 Cor. 2. 10. Luk. 2. 40. Matth. 19. 14. Lev. 21. 20. Cant. 1. 7. Pro. 26. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 7 Act. 16. 3. Gal. 5. 6. Gal. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 16. Mat. 20. 22 1 Cor. 12. 31. 2 Cor 12. 4. 2 Cor. 8. Mat. 16. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 16. Vers. 17. Act. 15. 28 29. 1 Cor. 9. 22. 1 Cor. 8. 7. 1 Cor. 10. 25. Jer. 31. 33. Jude 22 23. Gal. 4. I 2 Joh. 8. 35. Joh. 15. 15 Heb. 6. 1. 1 Joh. 2. 12 13 14. 1 John 2. 27. 2 Cor. 10. 12 13 c. 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. Luke 10. 42. Mat. 11. 16. Psa. 31. 12 13. c. Mat. 16. 18. Ps 31. 12. Act. 18. 23 Act. 17. 18 19. Ps. 137. 6. Deut. 28. Psa. 31. 16 Psa. 4. 6. 7 Mat. 7. 6. Mat. 5. 18. Isa. 40. 13. Mat. 6. ult 1 Cor. 12. 31. 2 Sam. 23. 19. Rom. 7. 6. Numb 1. 46. Gal. 1. 22. 1 Cor 10. Ephes. 2. 2 Joshua 15 15 26. Mark 15. 38. Exo. 14. 16. Josh. 15. 15 16. 1 Cor. 3. 6 Joh. 6. 58. 2 Cor. 3. 6 2 Cor. 5. 16. 1 Cor. 5. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 16. Col. 3. 1. Luk. 2. 46. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Exo. 1. 12. Luk. 4. 21. Exo. 14. 17. Act. 7. 23. Mat. 13. 34. 1 Cor. 3. 1. Numb 16. 3. Exod. 16. 19. Gen. 19. 16. 2 Cor. 3. 15. Isa. 6. 10. Act. 16. 14 Psal. 78. 71. 2 Sam. 7. 8. Ps. 62. 18. Gen. 42. 33. Luk. 10. 42. Ibid. Vers. 40. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Mat. 22. 37. 1 King 17. 6. 〈◊〉 5. 40. Job 4. 16. Mat. 5. 17. Cant. 4. 12 1 Cor. 2. 14. Mat. 6. 24 c. Luk. 12. 27. Ver. 2. Gen. 28. 16. Gen. 28. 12. Psal. 103. 21. Ver. 4. Exod. 4. 3. Ver. 7. Ver. 9. Exod. 9. ult Ibid. 14. 23. Ver. 2. Ver. 3. Ver. 14. Rev. 22. 9. Obj. Answ. Rev. 1. 8. Mat. 16. 18. Jer. 23. 24. 2 King 6. 16. Ver. 17. Num. 22. Act. 16. 25 Col. 1. 17. Heb. 1. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Mat. 22. 32. Matth. 18. 10. Mat. 18. 10 Isa. 65. 24. Rom. 10. 7 Isa. 9. 6. Ps. 56. 2. Ier. 20. 8. Esa. 9. 5. Psa. 158. 1 2. Gen. 4. Ps. 78. 71. Psa. 127. 1 Mat. 6. 27 Pro. 10. 4. Luk. 10. 42. Gal. 2. 20. Gen. 46. Ult. Luke 10. 42. Ps. 19. 10. 2 Chro. 19. 12. Psa. 85. 8. Hab. 1. 16 Mich. 2. 11. Zac. 7. 5. Dâ—u 5. 4. Obj. Ans. Luk. 1. 39. Exo. 33. John 12. 26. Luke 16. 13. Gen. 19. 20. 2 Sam. 18. Ult. Exod. 33. 11. Act. 2. 17. 1 King 19. 4. Matth. 13. 38. Ver. 2 3 4 Ezek. 47. 1 c. Act. 9. 7. Mat. 7. 6. 2 Tim. 3. 17. Num. 2. 2. Ps. 103. 21 Obj. Judges 6. 11 15. Ans. Phil. 4. 7. Rev. 22. 9. Psa. 148. Ps. 149. 6. Ps. 150. 1. Quest. Ans. Mat. 18. 10 Mat. 22. 37 Rom. 8. 39 Gen. 28. 10 2 Sam. 16. 10. Ps. 39. 9. Cant. 4. 12 Dan. 2. 28. Judg. 14. 18. Gen. 28. Gen. 28. 16. Gen. 46. 34. Exo. 2. 15. Exo. 10. 26. Ib. 3. 11. Obj. Ans. Obj. Ans. Exod. 4. Quest. Ans. Cant. 4. 12 Quest. Ans. Esa. 10. 17. Psâ— 90. 3. Job 38. 14 Isa. 40. 12. Rev. 21. 5. Heb. 1. 11 12. Psa. 102. 26. 27. Eph. 4 3. Eph. 4. 3. Mar. 7. 37. Ps. 62. 11. Exo. 3. 14. Mat. 24. 6. Luk. 21. 18 1 Pet. 5. 7. Mar. 10. 30 1 Cor. 9. 22 1 Cor. 12. 6 Eph. 1. 11. 2 Sam. 16. 10. Job 4. 18. Ch. 15. 15. Heb 11. 24. Rom. 9. 21 Mar. 7. 37. Ps. 90. 3. Job 38. 11 Psal. 93. 1. Psa. 31. 15 Psal. 66. 7. Dan. 4. 17. Jer. 24. 12 Zac. 3. 7. Luk. 2. 14. Mat. 10. 34 35. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Joh. 3. 3. Isa. 10. 17. 9. 18. Mar. 9. 49. Heb. 12. 29. 1 Cor. 3. 15. 1 Thess. 5. 19. Exo. 1. 18. â—am 1. 4. Eccl. 1. 7. Mal. 3. 3. Mat. 3. 12. 1 Thes. 5. 23. Hab. 2. 2. Job 1. 6. Zech. 3. 1. Mat. 10. 17. Phil. â—2 Ier 7. 4. Rom. 10. 10. Luk. 8. 28. Mat. 17. 21. Rev. 12. 4. Isa. 9. 6. Mat. 10. 34 Mar. 5. 6 7. Isa. 5. 20. Luk. 11. 23. Quest. Joh. 9. 31. Ps. 66. 18. Pro. 15. 8. Answ. Mat. 7. 7 8 Mat. 12. 20 Phil. 2. 21. Luk. 22. 42. 2 Cor. I 2. Psal. 53. 4. Quest. Luk. 22. 53. Luk. 13. 23 24. Answ. Joh. 19. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 22. Ephes. 2. 2 Luk. 11. 21. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Ps. 91. 13. Wisd. 7. 22. Psal. 139. 12. Isa. 54. 16. Ecclus. 33 16. Luk. 22. 53. Exod. 17. 11. 2 Cor. 13. 3. Object Rev. 12. 4 Quest. Rom. 13. 1. Joh. 19. 10. Nah. 3. 2. Isa. 26. 12 Job 1. 12. Ps. 18. 34. 〈…〉 Job 1. â—â— Ps. 135. 7. Job 1. 21. Mar. 5. 13. Exod. 7. 3. 2 Sam. 12. 11. 1 King 22 23. Joh. 12. 40 Isa. 6. 10. Rom. 8. 32.