prerogative if thou looke upon future times as thine and sayeth with the rich man in the Gospel now soule take thy rest this is sacrilege against God It is as if a man should say I have three thousand acres of land when he hath not three foot or if a man should say I have three thousand pound and hath not three pence It is the use made of it in Iames 4.13 14. Goe to now yee that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a Citie c. Whereas yee ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and doe this or that if hee will give us leave to come in upon his ground This phrase is out of use with many men as clothes that are out of use we are unwilling to weare them but Christians should bring them into use againe and say if the Lord please let them labour to doe this in feare and trembling Thou shouldst thus thinke of time thou shouldst looke upon it as on a large field given by God and nothing of it belonging otherwise unto thee and looke what ground the Lord God gives thee thou art to sow seed in it and apply it to seeke him that thou mayest receive an harvest in future time and let men not say I will repent and turne to God hereafter but doe it presently in feare and trembling Boast not of time why doest thou deferre the time thou breakest into the Lords right and oftentimes he cuts thee off for it because thou breakest into that which doth nothing belong unto thee THE TENTH SERMON EXODVS 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you WEE come now to the next Attribute and that is the Simplicity of God he is without all composition without any parts not having soule and body as we have not being compounded of substance and accident as we are but hee is simple without all composition Which I gather out of these words I AM WHAT I AM that is whatsoever is in mee it is my selfe I am a pure act all being a whole entire simple and uniforme being without parts not like to the creature for the best of them is compounded of actions and qualities but whatsoever is in me it is my selfe Now in this simplicity and immixture of God wee will first fall upon that which the Scripture sets downe in plaine words Iohn 4.24 God is a Spirit that is he is not mixt he is not compounded of body and soule as men are but he is a Spirit The word Spirit both in the Hebrew Greeke and Latine tongue doth signifie breath A breath is indeede a body but because it is the finest body the most subtile and most invisible therefore immateriall substances which we are not able to conceive are represented to us under the name of a spirit or breath Besides this is to be added though God bee said to be a spirit yet he is not properly a spirit as Angells are for an Angell is a creature and though it want a body and be a spirit yet it is a created substance but yet because that is neerest to the pure and incomprehensible nature of God therefore he calls himselfe a spirit as Angells are and our soules are To shew you what a spirit is these foure things are to be considered 1 It is proper to a Spirit to be invisible impalpable not to bee discerned by any sense Therfore Christ bids his Disciples to feele him Behold my hands and my feete saith he that it is I my selfe handle and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as I have A Spirit is that which is drawn from the sight of any corporeall sense whatsoever and in this sense God is called a Spirit because he is invisible and therefore Moses is said to see him that is invisible not by any bodily eye but by the eye of faith 2 Every Spirit moves it selfe and other things also The body is but an earthy piece that is not able to stirre it selfe at all as you see it is when the soule is gone out of it it is the spirit that both moves it selfe and carries the body up and downe where it listeth and it moves it selfe with all speed and agility because it finds no resistance Bodies beside their elementarie motion vpward and downeward have no voluntarie motion they cannot move themselves whither they will as spirits doe And this I gather out of Ioh 3.8 the Holy Ghost is compared to the wind that blowes where it listeth 3. It is the propertie of every Spirit to move with exceeding great force and strength and with much vehemency so that it farre exceeds the strength of any body Therefore in Isa 31.3 speaking of the strength of the Aegyptians he saith that they are flesh and not spirit as if hee should say all flesh is weake but the spirit is strong Therefore you see the Divells that are spirits what strength they have and the man in the Gospell that was possessed it is said that he could breake the strongest bonds and you see it commonly in those that are possessed and you read how he threw downe the house over Iobs children This is the strength of the spirit exceeding the strength of any body 4 It insinuates it selfe and enters into any bodily substance without all penetration of dimension that is it is not held out of any place by reason of a body that is in it it may be in it though the place be otherwise full as you see the soule is in the body you shall find no where an emptie place the body is every where whole yet the Spirit insinuates it selfe in every part and no body can keepe it out And so is God he is invisible not seene by any eye hee moves himselfe and all things in the world as he lists and he doth what he doth with exceeding great strength and then hee fills every place both heaven and earth what bodies soever be there yet he may be there notwithstanding And thus you see in what sense this is to be understood God is a Spirit Now we will come to apply this Vse 1 If God be a Spirit first then this we may gather from it 1 That his eye is cheifely vpon the spirits of men There are many things in the world which his hand hath made but that which he chiefely lookes to is the minde and spirit of man Whereas a man consists of two parts a body and a spirit it is the spirit that is like to God and in regard of the spirituall substance of the soule it is said
thorow performance For as it was in the old law a lame sacrifice was accepted as none so a lame prayer a lame hearing the word a lame performance of any exercise God reckons as none Therefore in these things God sends them away empty as they came What better are they doe their hearts get any thing Beloved God is a fountaine and if he meet with a fit pipe as is an ordinance rightly performed there he usually conveyes his grace but if he meet with a foule pipe and obstructed there hee doth not conferre any blessing Now if thou saist I have thus behaved my selfe and have not beene answered Doe not deceive thy selfe for if it be truly performed you shall be answered so that looke if it be truly done expect a blessing GOD will not suffer his ordinance at that time to be a pen without inke or a pipe without water I hope there be none of us here that neglect prayer to GOD morning and evening that live as if there no GOD in the world as if they were not his subjects if there be GOD will wound the hoary scalpe of such But these are not the men I speake to but they are those that doe it from day to day they pray from time to time and omit it not these are the men whom wee are to advertise in this case Take heede though you pray every day yet it may be thou hast not made a prayer all thy life yet and this is the case of many For if thou considerest what an ordinance is indeed thou shalt know that the Lord doth not reckon all petitioning as a prayer nor set it downe for the ordinance And it may bee the case of the Saints sometimes though we speake not now to them they may pray often and yet the Lord not register nor set it downe for a prayer and therefore it may never come into remembrance before him And this I take to be Davids case in the time of his adultery the ground of which you shall see Psal. 51.16 17. Open thou my lips O LORD and my mouth shall set forth thy praise David had as it were mistaken himselfe he thought that he had prayed and offered a sacrifice but saith he I was deceived all this while I was not able to open my mouth to any purpose therefore Lord open thou my mouth I brought sacrifice in but thou regardest it not till my heart was humbled Therefore a broken and a contrite heart O GOD thou wilt not despise Therefore you deceive your selves that goe on in a customary performance of holy duties and thinke that you pray for all this that thinke this worship to be in the spirit onely when your outward man carries it selfe negligently this is but a lame performance they must goe both together Therefore looke that it be an ordinance which then it is when not onely the spirit of a man is well set but the whole man is applied to the duty that is when all the strength of a man goes to it Object If you say May not a man pray sometimes when he is walking or lying or riding by the way or the like Answ. I answer There be two times of prayer one is ordinary and in private when you may have all opportunity to doe it in a holy and solemne manner and then you ought to doe it solemnly The other is when you pray occasionally and there the occasion and disposition doth not admit such outward solemnity as when a man gives thankes at meate or prayeth when hee rides Here the Lord accepts the will for the deed GOD requires not this upon all occasions yet when you may you ought to doe it in a reverent manner not onely of spirit but of the bodie also You may gather it from Christ he fell on his face and prayed Luke 22.42 and Daniel and Abraham it is said that they bowed themselves to the ground And it is said of Christ that hee lifted up his eyes to heaven when he blessed the loaves Why are these set downe If any man might be freed Iesus Christ might but it pleaseth the holy Ghost to set downe that circumstance of him that he fell on his face and that hee lift up his eyes to heaven Indeed in this case when it is hurtfull to the body there it may be omitted the Lord will have mercie rather than sacrifice even mercie upon your bodies So also when you finde that it hurts the inward man and hinders it when the heart doth it out of a conceit that it may performe it the better then there is a libertie left unto you to dispense with it As I say for prayer so for other duties when a man comes to heare the word hee saith my minde is intent enough though I make not such a shew yet notwithstanding know this that thou must behave thy self reverently when thou commest before God You shall see in Luke 4. when Christ preached it is said that the eyes of all the people were fastened upon him Why is such a corporall gesture noted in the text is it in vaine No because it is a comely gesture therefore it is to be regarded Quest. 2 How should we conceive of GOD in prayer seeing he is a Spirit and a Spirit we never saw what conceit and apprehension of GOD should we have then when we come to call upon his name Answ. Wee may not conceive him under any corporeall shape for he is a Spirit and therefore they that thinke they may worship the humanity of Christ disjoyned are deceived we are not to worship it as separated from his Deity for we are to worship the Trinity in the Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity which we cannot doe if we worship his humanitie as separated from his Deity Therefore when you come to pray before GOD you must remember that he is a Spirit filling heaven and earth strong gracious mercifull full of goodnesse and truth c. concerning which three things are to bee considered First That he is a Spirit Object But how shall I conceive of a Spirit Answ. How doest thou conceive of the soule of another man when thou speakest to him thou never didst see it yet thou knowest that there is such a spirit that fills the body and that doth understand what thou sayest and speakes to thee againe so remember this of the Lord that he is a Spirit Compare Ier. 23.24 with this Can any man hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Secondly That the Lord fills heaven and earth as the soule fills the body so that thou must thinke that hee sees all things and heares all things Indeed the Lord is not in the world as the soule is in the body but in an incomprehensible manner which we cannot expresse to you yet this is an expression which wee may helpe our selves by and is used every where
have from Heathen men Quest. But this Question may now be made How should we know that these bookes which wee have as written by Moses that these are they that there is no alteration in them or supposititious prophecies put in Answ. You have the Iewes agreeing with the Christians who were enemies and the Iewes kept it exactly yet theirs agree with ours Object But how should we know that the Iewes are true Answ. They have testimony from the Samaritans and they were enemies to the Iewes and there being once a rent made were never reconciled againe yet in the Samaritan Bible there is no difference at all to any purpose Now adde to this the testimony of the Churches from Christs time downward still it hath continued so as in Eusebius and Baronius you shall see plentifull testimonies thereof The third Argument is from the Scriptures themselves if you consider but these three things 1 The majestie and plainnesse of the stile and the manner of the expressions a meere relation and no more In the beginning was the Word c. Where doth any booke expresse it selfe in a manner in the relation of any stories So as that it carries evidence from God so that Iunius reading the first Chapter of Iohn was stricken with an amazement by a kinde of divine and stupendious authoritie and so he was converted from Atheisme as himselfe said in his life 2 If you consider the purity of the doctrine If a man would deceive the world then the things that he teaches must needs be to please men but the Scripture is quite contrary it ties men to strict rules and therefore see how it is etertained and how hard it is for men to keepe it in the purity of the doctrine which is an argument it came from God If the Scriptures were delivered by men then either by good men or by bad if by holy men then they would speake the truth and not lye if by bad men then they would never have set downe such strict rules of doctrine that they must live by and which condemne themselves 3 Consider the anâ—â—quitie of them they were before all other Heathen stories which will answer an objection namely why there is no more testimony from them of the Scriptures The answer is that when Scriptures ended their writings did but begin there being little use and trading of learning in those dayes but it seemes the Grecians were the first or rather the Chaldees but there were not so many bookes written then as afterward Now when all these things are considered we are brought to beleeve the Scriptures are the Word of God and you finde this in the Scriptures that there is a God that made Heaven and Earth then this begets faith and so By faith we beleeve as here saith the Apostle that there is one GOD. I confesse all this which hath beene said is not enough unlesse God infuseth an inward light by his Spirit to worke this faith but yet there is enough left in the Scriptures to give evidence of themselves THE FOVRTH SERMON HEBREWES 11.6 He that commeth to God must beleeve that God is c. THere is one reason more remains that is from the testimony of the Church doubtlesse it is an argument of great strength That so many generations since CHRISTS time and before have from hand to hand delivered it unto us and that so many holy men as the Martyrs were and as the Fathers were when they lived that these all gave testimony to this Scripture in all ages But yet we will adde something to it because the Papists have abused this and say they would have the truth of the Scriptures to depend upon the authority of the Church and not so much upon the testimony it hath received from all ages and generations they would have it to be such a testimony as the present Church gives of it because say they that can erre in nothing therefore not in this and therefore they say This is the Bible and the very Dictate of the Pope in cathedrâ with his Councell some say makes it so and you must receive it for Scripture upon this ground without any further inquiry But with us who doe not receive that conclusion that the Church cannot erre it is out of question that the Scripture doth not depend on the authoritie of the Church But yet we will give you this reason against it Aske that Church that Synod of men what is that which makes the Church to beleeve that the Scripture is the Word of God Surely they will give the same answer that we shall deliver vnto you that it could be nothing else but the Scripture it selfe which therefore must needs be of greater authoritie than the Church it selfe for the declaration of themselves and the Scriptures manifestation of this argument be of more force than the authority of the Church as the cause hath much more strength than the effect Againe the Church hath no authoritie to judge of the Scripture till it be knowne to be the Church which cannot be but by the Scripture Moreover the Scripture hath a testimony more ancient than the authoritie of the Church and therefore cannot receive its authoritie from any the Scripture being the first truth it cannot be proved by any other it is the confession of their owne Writers that Theologia non est argumentativa Theologie is not argumentative to prove its owne principles but only our deductions out of it As also they say we cannot prove the Scriptures probando sed solvendo by answering and resolving objections made against it In all other things you see it is so as the Standard that being the rule of all cannot be knowne but by it selfe the Sunne that shewes light to all things else cannot be knowne by any other light but its owne so the Scripture that is the ground of all other truths cannot be knowne but by the evidence of those truths that it carries in it selfe We have onely this word to be added more concerning the Scriptures You shall observe this difference betweene the Writings of the Scripture that were written by holy men inspired by the Holy Ghost and all mens Writings in the world In mens Writings you shall see that men are praised and extolled something spoken of their wisdome and of their courage and what acts they have done there is no story of any man but you shall finde something of his praise in it but you shall finde the quite contrary in the Booke of God there is nothing given to men but all to God himselfe as Moses David Paul and all the Worthies in the Scripture you shall finde nothing given to them But of David it is said that he walked wisely because the LORD was with him it was not his owne strength so when they had any victory it was not through their owne courage or stratagems that they used but the LORD did give their enemies into
Hee that is eternall must be without ending Part. 1 Pag. 157 See Advantage Ensignes Ensignes of GODS greatnes Part. 2 Pag. 124 Equall Attributes of GOD equall Part. 2 Pag. 53 Equality of GODS Attributes prove him omnipotent Part. 2 Pag. 180 Erre see Rule Essence Essence of GOD what Part. 1 Pag. 94 Essence of GOD infinite 2 148 Eternall Eternity Eternity of GOD Part. 1 Pag. 156 Eternity 5 things in it Part. 1 Pag. 157 VVhy God must be eternall Part. 1 Pag. 158 Foure differences betweene the eternity of GOD and duration of the creatures Part. 1 Pag. 159 Eternall things to be minded more Part. 1 Pag. 161 Eternity an exhortation to consider of it Part. 1 Pag. 165 Eternity motives to consider it Part. 1 Pag. 167 Eternity what Part. 1 Pag. 168 Love and enmity of GOD eternall Part. 1 Pag. 171 Hatred and joy in GOD from eternity Part. 2 Pag. 78 Counsels of God from eternity Part. 1 Pag. 81 Evill Things are not alway evill that we think are Part. 1 Pag. 42 Everlasting GOD from everlasting other gods new Part. 1 Pag. 79 GODS being everlasting Part. 1 Pag. 98 Events Events contrary to mans preparations Part. 1 Pag. 39 Exalt To exalt GOD as GOD Part. 1 Pag. 135 Excellency Excellency outward not to be sought after Part. 2 Pag. 17 Excellency outward of 3 sorts Ibid F. Faculties Men desire company to exercise their faculties Part. 2 Pag. 166 Faint see Church Faith That there is a GOD proved by faith 1 19 45 Faith what Part. 1 Pag. 20 Faith in this that there is a GOD should be confirmed Part. 1 Pag. 61 Faith of elect and others differ Part. 1 Pag. 62 Faith though the same hath severall acts Part. 1 Pag. 72 Faith strengthened by revealing GODS name Part. 1 Pag. 103 False The gods and religion of the Gentiles false Part. 1 Pag. 80 The religion of Mahomet false Part. 1 Pag. 82 Feare VVhy we should feare God Part. 1 Pag. 171 See Goodnesse Fire The Spirit as Fire Part. 2 Pag. 15 Fill. The Lord fills heaven and earth Part. 2 Pag. 45 Flee God such an enemy as the wicked cannot flee from Part. 2 Pag. 174 Force Force in the motion of a spirit Part. 2 Pag. 3 Foundation Foundation of faith stable Part. 2 Pag. 51 Friendship Friendship of God to be esteemed Part. 1 Pag. 129 Future Future things knowne onely to God Part. 1 Pag. 79 G. GOD. God that he is Part. 1 Pag. 3 That there is a God Part. 1 Pag. 5 Creatures should be God if they were not made Part. 1 Pag. 8 A God sought naturally by all Part. 1 Pag. 14 That there is a God consequents of it Part. 1 Pag. 28 Meanes to confirme our faith that there is a God Part. 1 Pag. 68 That God is God and none besides him Part. 1 Pag. 75 5 Arguments that there is no other God Part. 1 Pag. 76 God what he is Part. 1 Pag. 94 God how to conceive of him in prayer Part. 2 Pag. 44 GOD how said to come and goe Part. 2 Pag. 77 GOD the comfort of all things in him Part. 2 Pag. 188 See Affections Good Goodnesse The commands of GOD for our good Part. 1 Pag. 127 Eternity makes things infinitely good Part. 1 Pag. 160 To feare GOD for his goodnes Part. 2 Pag. 14 See Observe Government Government of the world by GOD Part. 2 Pag. 150 See Spirit Grace Gracious Grace of GOD free Part. 1 Pag. 125 The Lord is gracious Part. 2 Pag. 46 To goe to GOD for grace Part. 2 Pag. 69 See Light Sin Vnchangable Grieve see Himselfe Greatnesse Greatnesse of GOD Part. 2 Pag. 123 Greatnesse of GOD declared in sixe things Ibid Greatnesse of GOD compared Part. 2 Pag. 126 Greatnesse of mind to be sought Part. 2 Pag. 129 VVhat makes the mind great Part. 2 Pag. 130 Greatnesse outward why men are led away with it Ibid Greatnesse of minde how gotten Part. 2 Pag. 137 To feare GOD for his greatnes Part. 2 Pag. 140 H. Hate Pollution of spirit to hate it Part. 2 Pag. 12 How to come to hate it Part. 2 Pag. 13 Heathen Passages of Scripture acknowledged by Heathen Part. 1 Pag. 53 Heaven No want of outward comforts in heaven Part. 2 Pag. 19 See Humble Helpe No case so desperate but GOD can helpe Part. 2 Pag. 203 Hindred GOD cannot be hindred Part. 2 Pag. 52 High Not to put our selves to things too high Part. 1 Pag. 149 Himselfe Being of God of himselfe Part. 1 Pag. 98 GOD may doe things for himselfe Part. 1 Pag. 144 what he doth that greiues most for things that concerne himselfe Part. 1 Pag. 150 Hope Hope of the Saints whereon built Part. 1 Pag. 63 Holinesse Holinesse of Scripture Part. 1 Pag. 52 Holinesse what Part. 2 Pag. 37 Holinesse expressed outwardly Part. 2 Pag. 39 Holinesse of God shewes his greatnesse Part. 2 Pag. 127 Holy ghost Holy ghost guided penmen of Scripture Part. 1 Pag. 48 Humble An Humble man takes heauen how Part. 1 Pag. 121 Humanity see CHRIST I. I am I am what meant by it Part. 1 Pag. 95 Idolatry To keepe our hearts from Idolatry Part. 1 Pag. 88 Idolatry of two kinds Ibid Idolatry 3 grounds of it Part. 1 Pag. 82 Idolatry to resolve on things by our owne strength Part. 1 Pag. 112 Image Image of God Part. 1 Pag. 15 Image of God in the soule double Part. 1 Pag. 16 Immediate see Government Impure The life and doctrine of Mahomet impure Part. 1 Pag. 84 Immense The Immensity of Gods being Part. 1 Pag. 97 Immensity of Gods being shews his greatnesse Part. 2 Pag. 127 Immensity of God Part. 2 Pag. 147 Immensity of God we should rejoyce in it Part. 2 Pag. 152 Immensity of God we should studie it Part. 2 Pag. 153 Imperfection Imperfection negatiue in the Saints Part. 1 Pag. 121 Imperfection where there is change Part. 2 Pag. 73 See perfect Impenitence Impenitence punnished in Gods children Part. 2 Pag. 99 Immutable Immutability of God Part. 2 Pag. 72 5 reasons of Gods Immutability 2 73 Grace in it selfe not immutable Part. 2 Pag. 115 Inconstancy Inconstancy to be humbled for it Part. 2 Pag. 112 Inconstancy two causes of it Part. 2 Pag. 115 Inconstancy from weaknesse Part. 2 Pag. 117 Indeavour Indeavours help not when God hath cast off a man Part. 2 Pag. 83 Indeavour not taken away by Gods decree Part. 2 Pag. 92 Infinite God is infinite Part. 2 Pag. 74 To make a creature infinite were a contradiction Part. 2 Pag. 186 See Essence Presence Invisible To be invisible a property of a spirit Part. 2 Pag. 2 Inquire Somewhat in God we must not inquire into Part. 1 Pag. 100 Injuries Injuries of men why we are so affected with them Part. 2 Pag. 133 How to be patient in injuries Part. 2 Pag. 156 Influence To beleeve there is a God hath influence into the whole life Part. 1 Pag. 64 Iustification Faith strengthened in matters
you should see why we are to beleeve the Scriptures but this wee must leave till the next time We will now come to some use of the point for wee are not to dismisse you without some application but we must insert some uses here and there Vse 1 When you heare these arguments and this conclusion proving that there is a God the use you should make of it is to labour daily to strengthen our faith in this principle and to have an eye at God in all our actions for this is the reason given in the Text why one man comes to God because he beleeves that he is and another doth not because he beleeves it but by halves if they did beleeve this fully they would serve God with a perfect heart What is the reason that Moses breaks thorow all impediments he had temptations on both sides Prosperitie and preferment on the one side and adversity and afflictions on the other yet he passeth thorow wealth and povertie honour and dishonour and goes straight on in the way to heaven and 〈◊〉 reason is added in the Text because hee saw him that was invisible even so if you did see him that was invisible the God wee now speake of as you see a man that stands before you your wayes would be more even and wee should walke with him more uprightly than we doe if we did but beleeve that it is he that fills the heaven and earth as he saith of himselfe Ier. 23.24 Some may here say Object How can we see him that is invisible here is oppositum in adjecto to see him that is invisible Answ. Come to the body of a man you can see nothing but the outside the outward bulke and hide of the creature yet there is an immateriall invisible substance within that fils the body so come to the body of the world there is a God that fills Heaven and Earth as the soule doth the body Now to draw this a little nearer that invisible immateriall substance the soule of man which stands at the doores of the body and lookes out at the windows of the eyes and of the eares both to see and heare which yet wee see not yet it is this soule that doth all these for if the soule be once gone out of the house of the body the eye sees no more the eare heares no more than an house or chamber can see when there is no body in it and as it is the spirituall substance within the body that sees and heares and understands all so apply this to God that dwells in Heaven and Earth that as though you see not the soule yet every part of the body is full of it so if we looke into the world we see that it is filled and yet God like as the soule is in every place and fills it with his presence he is present with every creature he is in the aire and in your selves and seeth al your actions and heareth al your words and if we could bring our selves to a setled perswasion of this it would cause us to walke more evenly with God than we do and to converse with him after another manner when a man is present yea are sollicitous thinking what that soule thinkes of you how that soule is affected to you so if you beleeved God were in the world it would make you have an eye to him in all your actions as he hath an eye to you and to have a speciall care to please him in all things rather than to please men And this is the ground of all the difference betweene men One man beleeves it fully that there is such a mighty God another beleeves it but by halves and therefore one man hath a care only to please God in all things and to have an eye to him alone the other beleeving it but by halves he seeketh and earnestly followeth other things and is not so sollicitous what the Lord thinkes of him The thing therfore which we exhort you unto is that you would endevor to strengthen that principle more and more We speake not to Atheists now but to them that beleeve there is a God and yet we do not think our labour lost For though there be an assent to this truth in us yet it is such an one as may receive degrees and may be strengthened for I know that there are few perfect Atheists yet there are some degrees of Atheisme left in the best of Gods children which wee take not notice of for there is a two-fold Atheisme 1 One is when a man thinkes that there is no God and knowes he doth so 2 Another kinde of Atheisme is when a man doubts of the Deity and observes it not There are some degrees of doubting in the hearts of all men as we shall see by these effects that this untaken-notice-of Atheisme doth produce As when men shall avoid crosses rather than sinne not considering that the wrath and displeasure of God goes with it which is the greatest evill that can befall us What is the reason of it That whereas the greatest crosse is exceeding light if the wrath of God be put in the other ballance what is the reason that yet this should over-weigh the other in our apprehension if wee be fully perswaded of this principle that God made Heaven and earth What is the reason that when crosses and sinne come into competition as two severall wayes that we must goe one way why will men rather turne aside from a crosse to sinne against God and violate the peace of their consciences rather than undergoe losses or crosses or imprisonment Againe what is the reason that we are so readie to please and loth to displease men as a potent friend or enemie rather than God If this principle were fully beleeved that there is a God that made Heaven and Earth you would not doe so The Prophet Isaiah doth expresse this most elegantly Isai. 51.12 13 14. Who art thou that art afraid of man that shall die and the sonne of man which shal be made as grasse and forgettest the LORD thy Maker which stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundation of the Earth As if he should say what Atheisme is this in the hearts of men Whence else are also those deceits lyes and shiftings to make things faire with men when they know that God is offended with it who seeth all things What is the reason that men are so sensible of outward shame more than of secret sinnes and care so much what men thinke of them and speake of them and not what God sees or knows Doth not this declare that men think as those Atheists of whom Iob speakes Iob 22. and doe they not conceive in some degree as those doe as if GOD did not descend beneath the circle of the heavens to the earth and his eyes were barred by the curtaines of the night that he did not take notice of the wayes of men and
looke how men doe this in a greater measure so much greater Atheisme they have Againe if you doe beleeve that there is such a God what is the reason when you have any thing to doe that you runne to creatures and seek help from them and busie your selves wholly about outward meanes and seeke not to God by prayer and renewing of your repentance if you did fully beleeve that there is a God you would rather doe this Againe What is the reason that men are carried away with the present as Aristotle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this same very nunc doth transport a man from the wayes of vertue to vice that they are too busie about the body and are carelesse of the immortall soule that they suffer that to lye like a forlorne prisoner and to sterve within them Would you doe so if you did beleeve that there is such a God that made the soule to whom it must returne and give an account and live with him for ever Againe what is the reason that men doe seeke so for the things of this life are so carefull in building houses gathering estates and preparing for themselves here such goodly mansions for their bodies and spend no time to adorne the soule when yet these doe but grace us amongst men and are only for present use and looke not for those things which commend the soule to God and regard not eternity in which the soule must live I say what is the reason of this if there be not some grounds of secret Atheisme in men What is the reason that there is such stupidity in men that the threatnings will not move them they will be moved with nothing like beasts but present strokes that they doe not fore-see the plague to prevent it but go on and are punished And so for Gods promises and rewards Why will you not forbeare sinne that you may receive the promises and the rewards Whence is this stupiditie both wayes Why are we as beasts led with sensuality that we will not be drawne to that which belongs to God and his Kingdome Is not this an argument of secret Atheisme and impiety in the heart of every man more or lesse Againe what is the reason that when men come into the presence of God they carry themselves so negligently not caring how their soules are clad and what the behaviour of their spirits is before him If you should come before men you would looke that your cloaths be neat and decent and you will carry your selves with such reverence as becomes him in whose presence you stand this proceeds from Atheisme in the hearts of men not beleeving the Lord to be hee that fills the Heaven and the Earth Therefore as you finde these things in you more or lesse so labour to confirme this principle more and more to your selves and you should say when you heare these arguments certainly I will beleeve it more firmely surely I will hover no more about it To what end are more lights brought but that you should see things more clearely which you did not before So that this double use you shall make of it One is to fix this conclusion in you hearts and to fasten it daily upon your soules Vse 2 The second is if there be such a mightie God then labour to draw such consequences as may arise from such a conclusion As if there be such a one that fils Heaven and Earth then looke upon him as one that sees all you doe and heares whatsoever you speake As when you see a ship passe thorow the sea and see the sailes applied to the wind and taken downe and hoysed up againe as the wind requires and shall see it keepe such a constant course to such a haven avoiding the rockes and sands you will say surely there is one within that guides it for it could not doe this of it selfe or as when you look upon the body of man and see it live and move and doe the actions of a living man you must needs say the bodie could not doe this of it selfe but there must be something within that quickens it and causeth all the actions even so when you looke upon the creatures and see them to doe such things which of themselves they are no more able to doe than the body can doe the actions that it doth without the soule therefore hence you may gather that there is a God that fils Heaven and Earth and doth whatsoever hee pleaseth and if this be so then draw nigh to him converse with him and walke with him from day to day observe him in all his dealings with us and our dealings with him and one with another be thankfull to him for all the blessings wee enjoy and flye to him for succour in all dangers and upon all occasions THE SECOND SERMON HEBREWES 11.6 He that commeth to God must beleeve that GOd is c. BEfore we come to the second sort of arguments to prove this principle that GOD is by faith we thinke it necessarie to answer some objections of Atheisme which may arise and trouble the hearts of men Object 1 Men are ready to say that which you shall finde in 2 Pet. 3.4 All things have continued alike since the creation That is when men looke upon the condition of things they see the Sunne rise and set againe and see the rivers runne in a circle into the sea the day followes the night c. the winds returne in their compasses and they have done so continually and there is no alteration therefore they doubt whether there be such a God that hath given a beginning to these things and shall give an end Answ. 1 For answer to this consider that these bodies of ours which we carry about with us which we know had a beginning and shall have an end that there is something in them that is as constant as any of the former as the beating of the pulse the breathing of the lungs and the motion of the heart and yet the body had a beginning and shall have an end Now what is the difference betweene these two It is but small this continueth only for some tithes of yeares but the world for thousands the difference is not great and therefore why should you not thinke it had a beginning as well as your body and likewise shall have an ending See what the Apostle saith in this place though all things continue alike yet there are two reasons whereby hee proves that God made the world and that the world shall have an end 1 The first is laid downe in verse 5. For this they are willingly ignorant of that by the Word of GOD the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the waters and in the waters That is naturally the waters would cover the earth as it did at the beginning for the naturall place of the waters is above the earth even as of the aire above the waters Now
Christ Ioh 4.34 Iesus saith unto them my meate is to doe the will of my Father and to finish his worke that is I will be content to neglect my body to doe that which is the worke of my spirit the worke of my Father And such is his owne advice seeke not the loaves saith he nourish not your bodies labour not for the meate that perisheth but looke that thy soule get the better in all things Object But how shall I know this whether my soule doth rule or no Answ. When the bodily appetite and inclination shall arise so high as to rule the sterne of the soule and the actions of it then the body gets rule over the soule but when these shall bee subdued and ruled and guided by the soule when they shall bee brought to that square which the spirit within shall set downe then the spirit rules over the body Object But my inclinations are strong and I cannot rule them what must I doe then Answ. Thou must doe in this case as Saint Paul did who kept under his body by violence as men use to tame horses we should keepe it downe wee must take heed of carnall lusts they will keepe the body too high as a Horse may be too lustie for his rider yet so as on the other side it must not be kept too low for the body is the instrument of the soule but onely the soule must have dominion over it it should alwayes bee subject to the principall agent as it is said of a servant that he should not be Supra negotium nor infra negotium but par negotio not above nor below but fit for his businesse so ought the body to be the soules servant Beloved consider this doe but thinke what your soules are that you should suffer them to be thus in subjection Thinke what a shame it is that these bodily affections should so overrule the spirit that is made like to God the soule that shall live for ever the soule for which Christ dyed that is better then all the world beside thinke I say with your selves what a sencelesse and unreasonable thing it is that this soule should be kept under by the body and that the body should rule over it Are not men in this kinde like to beasts subject to sensualitie that eate that they may play and play that they may eate and the soule is not considered all this while how it is a spirit that is like to God himselfe who is a spirit Alas what is the body to it It is in it as in a prison such is the body to the soule not to be regarded in comparison of it Therefore adde this to the other that the soule may still be advanced and that it suffer not bodily actions to bring it into subjection lest you be as bruite beasts subject to sensuality made to be taken and to be destroyed FINIS THE ELEVENTH SERMON EXODVS 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM c. Vse 2 A Second use from this point is this If God be a spirit then his dominion government and providence is chiefly exercised on the spirits of men It is true his providence is over all things that belong to us but as he is in himselfe a Spirit so he puts forth and exerciseth this power of his principally in guiding the spirits of men and in that you are chiefly to observe his providence toward you And that you shall see in Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God that is his rule and power is not in meate and drinke for they are outward things and hee that is a spirit regards them not but it is in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost that is in the things that belong to the spirit therein is his kingdome and dominion chiefly exercised So also Psal. 33.14 15. From the place of his habitation hee looketh downe upon all the inhabitants of the earth he fashioneth their hearts alike hee considereth all their workes Marke it when God lookes downe from heaven and beholdes the children of men the chiefest thing that he doth wherein his government is exercised is in that hee fashions their hearts and spirits and therefore those eternall subjects of his that live with him for ever and spirits as the Angels and the soules of men Therefore if thou wouldest observe the will of the Lord toward thee and wouldest see wherein his providence is chiefly exercised looke upon thy spirit upon all occasions that is what bents what inclinations what hopes and desires hee hath put into thy soule If you looke upon men in the world you shall see them divers in their spirits one man lusts after riches honour and preferment another after gaming sporting and drinking now looke upon this temper of spirit as the greatest judgement of all others Againe looke upon the spirits of other men they are fashioned a contrary way to deny themselves to seeke grace and avoid sinne to be content to have God alone to doe his worke and to leave their wages to God to live a painfull life serving God and men with their sweetnesse this is a quite contrary spirit and this is the greatest blessing Therefore you shall see that when the Lord is angry with a man so that his anger is wound up to the highest pegge then he gives him over to this judgement as it is Psal. 81.12 So I gave them over to their owne hearts lust and they walked in their owne counsells that is my judgement shall be executed upon their spirits to leave them to an unjudicious minde Againe on the other side when the Lord would doe a man the greatest kindnesse then he fashions his spirit another way Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live as if he should say when I minde to doe you a kindnesse then I will thus fashion your hearts aright So Ezek 36.26 A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you an heart of flesh The Scripture is plentifull in this Therefore if thou wouldest observe what the LORD is to thee looke how hee fashions thy spirit if thou findest that hee leaves thee to unruly affections and lusts and leaves thee to be glued to that from which thou shouldest be divorced or that he hath left thee in bondage to the feare of men as a snare to thee there is no greater judgement in the world than this as it is the greatest mercy on the
Affections Affections inordinately set on a thing make it a god Part. 1 Pag. 90 Affections sinfull must be purged out Part. 2 Pag. 62 Affections to the creatures what raiseth them Part. 2 Pag. 204 Affections strong breed strong afflictions Ibid. Agreement Agreement of the prophecies in Scripture Part. 1 Pag. 52 Alcoran Alcoran of Mahomet barbarous Part. 1 Pag. 84 Almighty God is almighty Part. 2 Pag. 128 That God is almighty 70 times repeated in Scripture Part. 2 Pag. 177 VVee should rejoyce that our God is almighty Part. 2 Pag. 186 Alone To beleeve that God is God alone Part. 1 Pag. 85 To behold God alone in serving him Part. 2 Pag. 36 VVhy men are not content with God alone Part. 2 Pag. 187 Angels Angels used in guiding the course of things Part. 1 Pag. 35 Antiquity Antiquity of Scripture proves them true Part. 1 Pag. 57 Apprehension Apprehension of things makes them heavy or easy Part. 2 Pag. 30 Arts. Arts why invented Part. 1 Pag. 3 Assent Assent double Part. 1 Pag. 46 Assent bred differently in the Saints and others Part. 1 Pag. 62 Atheisme Atheisme of two kindes Part. 1 Pag. 24 Atheisme the effects of it Part. 1 Pag. 25 Iunius converted from atheisme Part. 1 Pag. 56 Attributes Attributes of God of two sorts Part. 1 Pag. 119 B. Beast see Man Before God before all things Part. 1 Pag. 120 If God had any cause somewhat was before him Part. 1 Pag. 140 Being Being properly onely in God Part. 1 Pag. 97 Being of God explained in five things Ibid. Being given to all things by God Part. 1 Pag. 99 VVee should give God the praise of his being 1.112 All things but God are capable of not being 1.142 VVhat being hee must have that is eternall Part. 1 Pag. 157 God the first being Part. 2 Pag. 50 God not capable of any new being Part. 2 Pag. 73 Beginning He that is eternal must be without beginning Part. 1 Pag. 157 Body Body must bee kept downe Part. 2 Pag. 23 Body gestures of it used in Gods worship Part. 2 Pag. 38 Busie VVhy men are so busie in worldly things Part. 2 Pag. 132 C. Cast off VVe should take heed God cast us not off Part. 2 Pag. 80 The time of Gods casting off unknowne Part. 2 Pag. 83 Cause The creatures should be without cause if they were not made Part. 1 Pag. 8 God the first cause Part. 1 Pag. 39 God without all cause Part. 1 Pag. 140 God a voluntary cause Part. 2 Pag. 181 Change Change in the creature whence it is Part. 2 Pag. 75 Change in us a token of good Part. 2 Pag. 94 VVhen we thinke our condition cannot change we doubt of Gods power Part. 2 Pag. 195 See Imperfect Chronology Chronology of Scripture exact Part. 1 Pag. 55 Church Churches testimony proves the truth of Scripture Part. 1 Pag. 58 Scriptures of greater authority than the Church Part. 1 Pag. 59 God will shew himselfe God in raising the Churches Part. 1 Pag. 87 Not to faint in the misery of the Churches Part. 1 Pag. 109 Christ. Christ his humanity alone not to be worshipped Part. 2 Pag. 45 See Mahomet Cleaue What makes us cleave to a thing Part. 1 Pag. 86 Conceive God is beyond all that we can conceive Part. 2 Pag. 129 Complaint Complaint and griefe whence it ariseth Part. 1 Pag. 104 Command The creature at Gods command Part. 1 Pag. 138 Confusion Confusion when the body rules the spirit Part. 2 Pag. 21 Comfort see God see Heaven Composition God without composition Part. 2 Pag. 49 Counsell see Eternity Covenant How to know we are in covenant with God Part. 2 Pag. 85 Covenant twofold Part. 2 Pag. 86 Covenant not frustrate by our sinnes Part. 2 Pag. 87 Constancy To judge of our spirits by constancy in well-doing 2 111 Constancy in ill nothing worse Part. 2 Pag. 113 Constancy to beg it of God Ibid. Constancy two meanes to get it Part. 2 Pag. 115 Company Company why it is desired Part. 2 Pag. 166 Companions that a man may alway have Part. 2 Pag. 167 Company the more griefe in want of it the lesse wisedome Ibid. Contradiction see Infinite Content To be content with GOD though with crosses Part. 1 Pag. 130 To be content with a simple condition Part. 2 Pag. 54 Content bred by godlinesse Part. 2 Pag. 58 Creature Creatures to learne the vanity of them Part. 1 Pag. 116 Creatures of themselves can doe nothing for us Part. 1 Pag. 137 Creatures difference betweene God and them Part. 1 Pag. 146 Creatures not to goe to them but God Part. 2 Pag. 67 Creatures difference betweene God and them in respect of his unchangeablenes Part. 2 Pag. 103 Creatures not to expect much from them Ibid Creation Workes of creation shew the greatnesse of God Part. 2 Pag. 123 Gods omnipotence in the creation Part. 2 Pag. 178 Crosses Crosses God doth his good by them Part. 1 Pag. 41 Crosses faith strengtheneth in them how Part. 1 Pag. 105 See Content D. Dead Death He that beleeveth not Christ would not beleeve one rising from the dead Part. 1 Pag. 42 We cannot see reason for many things till death Part. 1 Pag. 103 Death sweetned by walking with God Part. 1 Pag. 165 Decree Decree of God unchangeable yet unknowne Part. 2 Pag. 92 Defend GOD is able to defend us Part. 2 Pag. 166 Delay Delay of GOD should not offend us why Part. 1 Pag. 168 Delay seemes long why Part. 1 Pag. 169 Depend Dependent Not to depend on many things Part. 2 Pag. 56 Dependent felicity to trust in the creature Part. 2 Pag. 106 Desires Desires must bee strong that helpe resolution Part. 2 Pag. 121 How to get strong desires Ibid Despise What makes a man despise outward things Part. 2 Pag. 138 Destroy A man destroyeth himselfe how Part. 1 Pag. 10 Die Dying Mortifying of lusts a dying daily Part. 1 Pag. 66 Heathen gods die therfore false Part. 1 Pag. 81 Direction Men desire company for direction Part. 2 Pag. 166 Discontent Discontent whence it is Part. 1 Pag. 123 Dispose Affliction and prosperity disposed by GOD Part. 1 Pag. 40 To be content with GODS disposing of us Part. 1 Pag. 124 Doe Doing VVe are present with GOD by doing his will Part. 2 Pag. 161 To consider what GOD doth to us Part. 2 Pag. 162 Some things that GOD cannot doe why Part. 2 Pag. 182 Double Double-minded man who Part. 2 Pag. 60 Sinful affections make the heart double Part. 2 Pag. 62 E. Effects Three effects of a firme assent that there is a GOD Part. 1 Pag. 70 Efficacy Efficacy of the creature from GOD Part. 1 Pag. 137 Enemy VVhat an enemy GOD is to wicked men Part. 2 Pag. 175 End All creatures have an end Part. 1 Pag. 9 VVe should doe nothing for our owne ends Part. 1 Pag. 146 End of mens callings appointed by GOD Part. 1 Pag. 147 VVhen a man makes himselfe his end Part. 1 Pag. 148 Ending
in Scripture Thirdly consider his Attributes that hee is a Spirit filling heaven and earth and hee is exceeding fearefull powerfull almighty exceeding gracious and long-suffering abundant in mercy and truth that hee hath pure eyes and cannot see any iniquity Deut. 24. So Exod. 34.6 As Moses could not see him but his Attributes his backe parts so thou must conceive of him that he is exceeding strong potent and fearefull one that will not holde the wicked innocent but shewes mercie to thousands of them that feare him and to sinners if they will come in unto him And thus you must conceive of him when you come before him FINIS THE TVVELFTH SERMON EXOD. 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM c. HAVING finished that point that GOD is a Spirit which is a particular expression of the Simplicity of GOD we come to speake of the Simplicity it selfe which is that Attribute by which he is one most pure and entire essence one most simple being without all composition so that there is no substance and accident matter and forme body and soule but he is every way most simple nothing in him but what is God what is himselfe The rise that it hath from hence we shall see hereafter All those phrases of Scripture where God is said to be love truth light and wisedome it selfe all these shew the Simplicity of God for of no creature can you say so The creature is wise and just and holy and true but to say it is truth it selfe love it selfe light it selfe or wisedome it selfe that cannot be attributed to any creature So that this you must know that God is one most pure intire and uniforme being or essence I AM shewes that he is a being and if we should aske what kinde of being he is he is a most simple and uncompounded being And that hee is so wee will make it cleare by these reasons Because if there be many things in him they must not be the same but different if different one hath one perfection which another wants if so there must be something imperfect in God for if the defect of that were made up it would be more perfect If there be two things in God then there is multiplication now all multiplication ariseth from some imperfection from some want and defect for if one would serve two would not be required As if one could draw a ship or boate up the streame two were needlesse if one medicine would cure two would be unnecessary so in all things else so that the reason of multiplication is because one will not serve the turne Therefore GOD being all-sufficient it is not needfull yea it cannot be that a breaking into two should be admitted in him and consequently he must be most simple without all composition a pure and intire essence full of himselfe and nothing besides If GOD should have love in him or justice or wisedome or life or any other quality different from his essence as the creatures have them he should be what he is not originally of himselfe but derivatively and by participation and so imperfectly as to be fiery is more imperfect than to be fire it selfe to be gilded is more imperfect than to be gold it selfe So to be wise loving holy that is to be indewed with the qualities of wisedome love holinesse is more imperfect than to be wisedome and love and holinesse it selfe Therefore there is not a substance and a quality in GOD as in the creature but he is love and light and wisedome and truth and so the Scripture expresseth him Wheresoever there is any composition there must be two or three things so that there may be a division they are seperable though not separated but where division may be there may be a dissolution and destruction though it never be But of GOD we cannot say that this may be and consequently there cannot be two things in him but what he is he is one most simple most pure and most intire being without all composition and multiplication If GOD be not simple there must be parts of which he is compounded But in GOD blessed for ever there are no parts because then there should be imperfection for every part is imperfect Againe Parts are in order of nature before the whole but in God there is nothing first or second because he is simply first Againe Parts cannot be united and knit and compounded together without causes to doe it but here is no cause to knit and unite any part together because he is without all cause as hath beene shewed before I will conclude this with a reason out of the text He is a being I AM hath sent mee unto you If he be a being then either the first or second being A second being he cannot be for then there should be some before him and above him upon which he should be dependent but this cannot be therefore hee is absolutely the first being Adam was the first man but God onely is the first absolute being Now the first being was never in possibility to be and therefore he is a pure act in regard of his essence Againe there are no qualities springing from him for if there were they should have had sometimes no being and so in possibility to be and consequently have a beginning and be a creature Therefore there is neither Potentia substantialis nor accidentalis in him and so hee must be purus actus as the Schoolemen say and therefore he is most simple without all composition This I speake to schollers for it is a mixt auditory and therefore you must give mee a little liberty Now I come to those Consectaries which flow from hence and they are these three If God be such a simple first pure and absolute being then hence you may see what a stable foundation our faith hath to rest upon we are built upon the lowest foundation in all the world that is upon the first most absolute and simple and pure and intire being which I say is the lowest foundation that depends upon no other but all upon it and this is the happy condition of all Christians and of them alone Angels men heaven and earth are foundations to some things which are built upon them but they are all built upon this and therefore dependent For if this foundation shake it selfe for so he hath power to doe they all fall to ruine But God is the first simple and lowest foundation being the first absolute and simple being therefore he that is built upon him hath the greatest stability which is the transcendent happinesse of Christians above all men in the world And this is a great priviledge