the wisdom of God be codemned of folly 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishness to him And again 1 Cor. 3. 19. The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God for it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise are but vain And now that which hath laboured to quench the spirit 1 Thess. 5. 19. must now be quenched by the spirit that which the darkness could not comprehend nor love shall now be both comprehended and loved And that which was crucified dead and buried must now rise again and be exalted and sit in judgement Oh! where is he that doth or dare say and pray with David Psal. 35. 24. Iudge me O Lord my God Search me and try my Reins Though I be found guilty and so lyable to all punishments both here and hereafter yet judge thou me But He in whom this Spiritual man is risen he can say so for he knows this judging is but to escape judgement t is not unto death but to escape both Death and Hell T is for the destruction of the slesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus This is the day of Jesus Christ the former day was Our day this is that Great Day of Jesus Christ wherein he will judge all things Suffer then I beseech you the words of exhortation For until this work â—f condemnation be wrought in us we have no need of a pardon we have no need of a Phisician for we are whole And he that thinks this work needless he hath as yet no Saviour Intercessor or Mediator Mat. 19. 12. The whole need no Physitian but those that are sick Christ never dyed for him the precious blood of Christ let it speak better things to whom it will to thee it speaks no better then the blood of Abel till this great act of condemning our selves be in thee Christ dyed in vain to thee If then by all that hath been said of Adam the Old man the Serpent and Lucifer and the rest if still thou wantest Water to thy Mill if still thou wantest Argument or Evidence against thy self if yet thou wantest water in the midst of the Ocean or light in the brightest sunshine vâ—z Cause to set thee upon this work what shall I say I will say as Isaiah saith to the Law and to the testimony either contractedly or at large which sayes Thou shalt love God above all with all thy strength with all thy mind and with all thy might and the second is like it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self See and examine thy self by this Law and see whether there be no cause of condemning thy self It is a Law made for thee to walk by and â—bey by him that made thee who hath power to command thee A Law so full so holy and pure that Moses himself trembled and was amazed at the delivering of it by God being deliveâ—ed with such terror and dread the people were not able to look toward the Mount nay they had much a do to hear Moses deliver it to them And if it were so terrible in the Proclamation of it what will it be in the execution of it upon Rebels in the breach of it Examine thy self by it and see how short thou comest of that which is injoyned thee Nay t is a Law given thee by him that gave himself for thee he laid down his life for thee besides how agreeable is it to thy well-being and to the well-being of thy neighbour how agreeable to the principles of nature and reason how hath it been justified in all ages and lastly in observing whereof consists thy life and breath or else thy eternal death as Moses reasons the case in the 28. of Deuteronomy And because you shall not hereafter complain of your not being Catechized I will in this point teach every of you to chatechize himself and do it I charge you till you find matter enough to condemn your selves and before you go about it you had need to pray O Lord open thou mine eyes c. that I may receive my sight Take then the first Commandement Thou shalt have no other gods but me I know now when flesh and blood hears this Commandement it thinks it hath shelter enough it can answer this Commandement well enough Have I any other but one true God I worship no other God we are no Papists Turks nor Heathens we are free from worshipping Angels and Saints and Stocks and Stones or any false God I worship onely one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity but withal know you are bound to love him with all your whole mind and strength and alas if you did but see your selves and examine your ways you would find even every man before me for I implead my self and all that hear me this day that according as the Prophet saith Ie. 2. 28. According to the number of your Cities so many are your gods See if thou hast not bent thy heart rather to the satisfying of some lust rather then to the obeying of Gods Commandement whâ—ever sin and lust it is that thou hadâ— but â—desâ—re 〈◊〉 commit when Gods Law hath told thee 〈◊〉 said I charge thee commit it not yet thou hast 〈◊〉 chosen to obey it and hast not regarded Gods Commandment I appeal to thy self That thou hast pleased thy self but Gods Commandments thou hast cast them behind thy back and trodden them under foot Let it be what sin it will whether Pride Gluttony Covetousness Deceit Malice Revenge whoever they are that dare displease God for the satisfying of any lust or sin whatsover thou hast hated righteousness and loved wickedness Psal. 45. 7. thou hast made that very lust thy God What Lord what God what lust hath power to command you and you to obey and to break Gods Law as the Prophet complains Other Lords have ruled over us what doth the Prophet mean there doth he mean when Israel was carried Captive No not onely so those were all but types of the Captivity of the soul although we have not fallen down on our knees and worshipped these sins yet in thy practise thou sayest dayly to them as to instance if it be pleasure thou followest it against Gods Commandement if it be profit thou lovest if it be mony thou esteemest though I say thou hast not fallen down and worshipped it yet thou hast done worse for thou hast given thy heart to them And I tell thee that therein As the Israelites did thou hast worshipped them and said when they had made a GOLDEN CALF These be thy gods O Israel these are they that will help thee and deliver thee it matters not whether thou do it with thy body and in words but thy heart hath fallen down and said Pleasure thou art My God I admire
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
see light Psal. 36. 9. all other light is but darkness till we come to see things by this light we see them all by a False light every thing is of quite contrary colour in the light that we thought it to be in the dark The light discovers every thing as it is but till this light be come into the soul we believe not that we are in Darkness we think we have as true a light as can be will you make us believe we are blind Saith the Pharisee to Christ but say they quite contrary In my light we shall see light however some may be in darkness we are in the light neither can they be perswaded there is any better light then their own light As for example there be several things that live in the two Elements as those on the earth and those in the water those that be in the water cannot see things on land as they are t is true they have a light but it is a false light things are not represented to them as they are because there is water between the sight and the thing but those that live on the land they see things as they are there is no obstacle between them and the things they look on neither can those on the land see things in the water on the same reason So it is in our spiritual estate there be those that live in two Elements in the light of Nature and in the light of Grace those that live in the first they think there is no better light nor there can be no better for think they Are not we the onely men do not we live obedient to the Laws and seek to do justice and equity towards all and pay every man his own do not we live uprightly do not we govern justly and uprightly and according to Gods Laws do not we bridle sin and sinners that they run not into that excess of riot that some do do not we also submit our selves to authority over us and walk honestly in our places and live peaceably with all men These men these are the men I say they live in the water they have but a duskish glimmering light though they thus boast themselves nothing appears truly to them they think themselves in a very good case there is no better light then theirs and those that think there is they are deceived They know that they are in the good way those that will seek for any better light they think their forwardness will quite put out their light And those that are below them they think those are in as bad case They know not what will become of Swearers and Cheaters and Drunkards and Whoreâ—ongers c. If it were possible it should go ill with us what should become of the multitude say they O Beloved all this is False light For If once you go about to measure your selves by others let them be who they will be you will be found too scanty When God shall come to weigh you in the ballance of the sanctuary you will be found too light God will not weigh us by the holiest men but by his own weights he will not judge thee by thy light but by his own light And if once this bright light be lighted up in the soul The light of the candle shall never need to shine in that soul more there needs neither the light of the Sun nor the Moon for the glory of God shines in it and the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 22. 5. But the Armour of this False light is Reason whatever seems good to reason that is good and if you cannot shew them a reason it cannot be good for say they as Nabal said to David who was so wicked a man could not speak to him saith the Text is it reason that I should take my victuals that I have prepared for my Sheep-shearers and give unto strangers 1 Sam. 25. 11. Is it not reason I should take notice of my gifts and graces that God hath bestowed upon me of my wisdom of my understanding of my memory which God hath given me of my labours and attainments above another take heed take heed I pray thee this may cost thee thy life 〈…〉 to cost Nabal his had not wise Abigail come and met David if Gods wisdom doth not come and prevent thy reason and thy wisdom they will destroy thee Object Why is that any hurt to make a difference where God hath made a difference I see I have these gifts above another and I praise God for them what shall I deny the good things that God hath given me no no by no means Answ. But glorying herein will undo thee and besides is this giving honour one to another as the Apostle commands Rom. 12. 10. In honour preferring one another and accounting thy self the least Read that Rev. 18. 23. Thy Merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived The Apostle commands Not to mind High things but to condescend to men of low estate Nor be not wise in your own conceits The twelfth name is Darkness Why are we in darkness we have the light and have had it these seventy years and 〈◊〉 if any Nation in the world are free from this name we are we have the light as well as you You may indeed go teach this to the Indians and the Salvages and to those that know not God to those that live in the Antipodes that go feet to feet with us they may perhaps believe this Doctrine and oonfess themselves guilty but you shall never make us believe it concerns us Beloved whatever you think That you have the light know it you are in darkness as in Ephes. 4. 18. Having their understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart And as our Saviour saith if the light that is in you be darkness how great is that darkness That is when men boast of light and yet are in darkness when they are proud of darkness how great is that darkness they call good evil and evil good they call sweet sowre and sowre sweet That which men and flesh calls good that they call good what nature and reason sayes is good that is good and onely good but God calls that evil which they call good and contrary that good which they call evil Therefore saith the Apostle Fashion not your selves according to the world call not that good which the world calls good which this corrupt flesh sayes is good saith it wealth is good and health is good and fair weather is good and pleasure is good do not men say the same do not Heathens say the same therefore this is darkness yea Egyptian darkness that may be FELT If you were not overcome with Darkness And the Armour of this Darkness is love of darkness and
Christ as Act. 10. 42. it is Christ that was ordained of God to be judge of quick and dead he is not onely Judge at that great and last day but he also is Judge in this life as our Saviour sayes Ioh. 12. 31. Behold now is the Prince of this World judged or cast out there is no man nor nothing of man that is judged or condemned but it is Christ that is The Iudge in that soul for if we tarry till Satan condemn Satan if we tarry till Belzebub condemn Belzebub till the strong man bind himself we may tarry a day too long as the Proverb is for never while the world stands can we expect that flesh will judge flesh that our own will will condemn our own will that Lucifer will judge Lucifer this can never be if you expect that you may wait till it be too late the door will be shut and there is no more hope The Scripture then makes mention of three sorts of men that are Judges the first are Carnal men Rom. 7. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 3. For we know the law is spiritual but I am Carnal sold under sin For ye are yet carnal for whereas there is among you envyings and strifes and divisions are not ye carnal and walk as men that are led meerly by carnal and fleshly sense given up onely to please their appetites and fleshly desires they see no farther and their aim is no higher The second sort are Animales reasonable men and they are such as are more refined of a higher and more sublime nature even those that mind the intellectual part their souls And these reasonable or rational men as we call them being guided by reason there they rest and there they are satisfied for let a man but shew a reason for what he does and who will condemn him But neither of these have the wisdom that is from above for all this wisdom is but earthly fleshly and devillish Iam. 3. 15. Can it be expected that either of these two will judge themselves will carnal fleshliness judge carnality no it approves it it justifies it or will reason condemn reason how can it overthrow it self it is impossible a Kingdom divided against it self it cannot stand but yet the rational man doth judge and condemn and sits as Judge oftentimes over the actions of the carnal man But there is a third sort of men and they are Spiritual men Gal. 6. 1. and 1 Cor. 2. 15. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self left thou also be tempted But he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man And This MAN judgeth both these the Spiritual man Omnia judicat judgeth all things we esteem little of the carnal man every one condemns him but we highly esteem of the rational man because he is guided by reason and doth all things that reason guides him to he minds not his body onely it is reason he should regard that but he regards his soul too and That above his body he knows he hath an Eternal soul and therefore it behoves him and he hath reason to look for an estate and well-being for it and who can now judge who is able to blame this man can any man do better But now comes the spiritual man and he judgeth all things when he comes he judgeth and condemneth the very best and highest actions of this reasonable man and tells him that his very thoughts are abominable to God his hearing reading praying his sacrifices are an abomination In the two former men we could not find such a judge but here comes ONE who indeed is no man nor any part of man but the Son of God himself he comes now into the soul the spirit of God he is the judge this spiritual man this Christ being formed in the soul this word being spoken in the soul for Christ is the Word spoken It comes and sayes Reason for all thou art so set up and esteemed amongst men yet thou art a fool and Reason sayes again that God is a fool But let me tell you God is capable to understand Reasons wayes but Reason cannot understand Gods ways And beloved God and Man have been a long time at this God sayes Reason thou art a fool and again Reason sayes God thou art a fool But now Reason must be condemned Reason must be cast the inward man must judge the outward the New man the old the second Adam the first This is that voice in the soul This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased hear him Do you think that is meant onely of his words that he then spake when he was on earth No but Hear him that is Hear Him in your selves Hear Him in your souls the one is but a fleshly hearing this is a spiritual a soul-like hearing His Word silences all Of this word we may say Blessed is he that hears my words and doth them And as David saith Arise Lord and judge the people but by the way Do you think that God ariseth or removes from place to place No no Rise Lord in our souls be Judge there among the Gods amongst those that have been our Gods and have ruled over us those strange Lords bring them down and do thou Lord exalt thy self the wicked flourish in thy House and Courts And break down the carved work c. In that place that should be thy House witness those effects those murthers and thefts and cruelties that express themselves daily many in action and many more lye lurking in the soul to betray the innocent and guiltless man Oh then sayes this soul let God arise and his enemies shall be scattered and again Psal. 35. 24. Iudge me O God according to thy righteousness and let not mine enemies rule over me Judge me according to thy righteousness not according to flesh not according to reason but according to thy righteousness And if that condemn me this condemnation is not unto death as Christ said concerning Lazarus This sickness is not unto death So likewise This delivering unto Sathan is for the crucifying of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Oh Lord sayes this soul judge thou me my flesh hath judged me and my soul hath judged me the carnal and the rational man hath judged me but they can find no fault with me but up Lord exalt thy self that so this man of sin may shew himself no more in me Now He that hath been judged and condemned by the world must now condemn the world Now He sits down with Christ in his Throne To judge even the twelve Tribes of Israel all Outward and formal profession The wisdome of the world which hath long condemned the wisdom of God to be folly must now by
is in them both meat for nourishment and also excrements buu who can say when he looks on either This is the meat and This is the Nutriment and this Other is the excrements and this is that which goes into the draught and is good for nothing Yet you know The stomach will sever these and divide to either their proper way and places and to their proper uses and a skilful Physician which knows the body the arteries and the veins and all the parts how they lie he knows how nature disposes of all these things and knows both the things and the causes And so likewise in Physick ye can have no Physick without excrements though ye cannot see the virtue and the Life and the Spirits yet ye may see the effects and though in meat you cannot see the nourishment yet you may see the thing nourished by it So we cannot have the true word of God without the letter God could not as I may so say considering our state as we are he could not give us meat or Physick by the word but by the Letter And although it be not the Physicians intent to give excrements but onely Physick and we do not eat meat for the excrements sake but for the meats sake and for the nourishment So my Brethren we being of so low a nature and quality so earthly so fleshly so sensual so far from a spiritual nature That I say God cannot give us His Mind and the soul of the Scriptures which is so Divine Heavenly and Spiritual without the Letter without the shell without those excrementsâ— Yet His meaning is not to give us the shell or the excrements but the nourishment his meaning is to give us Living water springing up to eternal life and to feed us with Hidden Manna and to give us the white stone wherein there is a new name that no man knoweth but he that receâ—veth it But we must not therefore Throw away the Letter because there is excrements with it as we do not throw away meat or Physick because excrements are in it because if you throw away the meat you throw away the nourishment as well as the excrements But if you take the Carnal letter as carnally spoken The literal letter as literally spoken Then you have not taken the City of the letter If you look for no more in the Scriptures we do but cast pearls before swine you go no further then the Pharisees The Jews and the Pharisees before Christ came they were so literal sensual and carnal they thought that whosoever did not break the letter of the Ten Commandments If they did nothing against the Outward Literal letter they thought themselves blameless As in the seventh Commandment They thought If they had not actually layen with a woman then they had perfectly kept that Law but Christ goes further and tells them He that looks on a woman and lusts after her hath committed adultery already in his heart And so for murther they thought if they did not lay hands on their brother to murther him they thought they had gone a great way in keeping that Command but our Saviour goes further then every eye can see and saith He that is angry with his brother without cause is guilty of murther So they rested on the Letter and the Letter perished They had not married Achsah they had still The vail before their eyes and those that are come no further they are still Jews as the Apostle saith They have still the vail before their eyes even while Moses is read and Christ is a mysterie Hid to such even from the beginning of the world Beloved we have many Chatechisms now adayes and They say they are for children and I believe so to Onely for children to get by roat and be never the better for them and I am afraid there are Too too many such children who think themselves Tall men who have most of the Scripture at their fingers ends And because they can answer any Catechistical point in Divinity they must be accounted The greatest Proficients and tallest Châ—istians But you see by this we have said how far men may go herein and yet know nothing to salvation As we said The children of Israel how expert were they in the Scriptures so as they thought themselves the strictest observers of the Commandments yet you see how our Saviour undervalues all their knowledge and strictness And now seeing it is fallen in our way we will touch upon each Commandment briefly The Israelites they thought if they observed the litteral Ten Commandments there was no more required As in the first Commandment if he worshipped either Sun Moon or Stars or any creature then he thought he should dye the death but if they never bowed to any creature in a way of worship then they were innocent But This they might do and be never the better for saith the Apostle The end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart and faith unfeigned To have any thing in the world for thy God Either to love or fear so that it draws away the love and fear of thy Creator that thing is to thee a God and thou givest it that worship fear and love that is due onely to God So far as any creature hath caused thee to offend thy Creator thou hast broken this Commandment If either riches or beauty or honour or promotion hath weighed down thy love from obeying God Almighty thou hast set it in the room of God and cast Him behind thy back And that thou hast worshipped and served thou sacrificedst to it thy heart thy fear thy love thy trust which is onely due to God They never came to this To observe what they set up in their hearts for God and herein lay The marrow The nourishment the meat of the Commandment and all because they had not smitten Kiriathsepher they had not crackt the Letter And so the second Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image Here let me tell you thus much In making of Images God loves Carvers better then Painters It may be The strangeness of the expression will cause you to take the more notice of what I am to say Be not offended aâ— the expression for I shall open my intentions in so saying Quest. Why sir what do you mean Answ. I le tell you Carvers you know in their work they lessen cut pare and take away but Painters they do not so but they adde in their work they put colour here and there So this is that I mean God loves those that seek him in poverty in a way of emptiness and self-nothingness And as for those that seek him in riches and greatness and in high things in mens esteem they go farther and farther from him The Virgin Mary found it so in experience when she said The hungry he fills with good things and the rich he sendeth empty away he hath regarded the
Covetousness regard none of Gods Commandments as had I time I could shew you how Covetousness is the breach of all the Commandments But I will a little in brief shew How Covetousness occasioneth the breach of all the Commandments I. COMMANDMENT The first Commandment is soon answered for Covetousness is Idolatry that is clear which this Commandment forbids Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupisence covetousness which is idolatry And the covetous is an Idolater Ephes. 5. 5. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God But if the Scripture will not satisfie you and you will not believe without a reason and say How can that be that a covetous man is an Idolater and Covetousness Idolatry I answer thus Though thou sacrificest not beasts yet thou sacrificest that which is the chiefest sacrifice which God still calls for and without which all sacrifices are nothing to him namely Thy heart which includes thy minde thy soul thy might thy strength Luk. 10. 27. then which thou wert better sacrifice beasts for in this thou sacrificest thine own bowels Therefore that is a true and remarkable saying and agreeable to Scripture though Apocrypha Ecclus. 10. 9. There is nothing worse then a Covetous man why art thou proud O earth and ashes there is not a more wicked thing then to love mony for such a one would even sell his soul and for his life every one is compelled to pull out his own bowels The fool indeed that is the Atheist saith There is no God Psal. 14. 1. but in some sense the Covetous man exceeds him for he not onely dethrones God and will not have him to be his God but he sets up another in his seat for he saith to the Gold Thou art my hope and to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence Job 31. 24. What need men love money but that they dare not trust the providence of God but they wickedly say in their hearts though not with their tongues according to the proverb It s good going a foot with a horse in hand So say they to themselves let Ministers talk and prate against Covetousness but its good trusting God with a penny in purse what desperate Hypocrisie and Idolatry is this You know also obedience is due to God and t is better then sacrifice I Sam. 15. 22. How cheerfully do men obey the commands of Covetousness how ready and free to run and go when it bids so that without further dispute thou makest it thy God and whatever is due to God thou sacrificest to Covetousness So that the Israelites in the 32 of Exodus did not more heartily say to the Calf made of their Rings and Ear-rings These be thy Gods O Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt then thou sayest O Covetousness Thou art my strength my help my joy my trust my Rock my Tower thou hast helped saved and delivered me And wilt help save deliver me Though thy mouth confess not this yet this is the plain English of thy practice when thou lookest upon thy money and wealth houses and lands thou sayest These be thy gods O my soul. Beloved never mince the matter for so it is as the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa. 2. 7 8. Thou hast forsaken thy people because they are replenished from the east and they please themselves in the children of strangers Their land also is full of silver and gold neither is there any end of their treasures and their land is full of horses neither is there any end of their chariots And then it follows in the next verse Their land is full of Idols they worship the works of their own hands that which their own fingers have made So that you see whatever a man relies on trusts to depends upon or to its service Dedicates his wisdom strength time parts and the like that he makes His God 2. COMMANDMENT And for the second Commandment That depends upon the first The first Commandment concerns the heart and This The purity of Gods outward worship Is it not lamentable to see how men for this Lucre of Covetousness will vioate the laws of God and of their own conscience and for gain and preferment sake subscribe and submit to any thing to any change in Religion so they may keep in favour and keep their livings and Benefices so that the Apostle may say of them and God rather as he of Demas 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me and hath embraced this present world If men could be content to forsake as Christ commands Houses Lands Liberties Lives for his sake and his worship they would not so Creep and Cring and Issacar-like stoop down to take up every burthen and every command that men shall lay upon them even against the pure worship of God And if any man speak against these practises presently Up with him into the High Commission or Star-chamber then Demetrius-like Act. 19. 24. They all lay their heads together not for fear That the worship of God should go down but for fear of their gain and their Silver-Trade and with one unanimous voyce cry up their God Great is Diana of the Ephesians pretending for their Goddess Diana but it was because by that Craft they had their wealth It is written my House shall be called the House of prayer but ye have made it a den of Thieves and every man is for his gain from his quarter let men set up and change Religion as they please so They can but have their gain from their places and from their quarter they are well Insomuch that the Keys of the Church which God hath intrusted his Church withal are now become and made very Picklocks and the cause of all this is Covetousness The Devil when he tempted Christ to idolatry he did it by Covetousness All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Mat. 4. 9. An Israelite cannot be familiar with a Midianite but she will woo him to Baal-peor How many are ready to renounce the Almighty slight him and turn their backs upon him rather then slight or part with their wealth their Mammon if not in action and with their knees yet how many in Heart and affection do this daily 3. COMMANDMENT The third Commandment enjoyns Not to take Gods name in vain How ordinary this is every one knows taking his name in vain for their profit an ordinary thing now a days to make bold with the sacred name of God for their gain sake to help away with their Commodities though they swear falsly and all this to serve their god Covetousness nay this is not the worst Religion is taken up by many and made a stalking-horse a colour a cloak for their gain As you
full of silver and gold and Balaam was covetous for Iude mentions his sin Hired with the wages of unrighteousness 5. Wisemen who wanting the true fear of God they are Diaboli delitiae The Devils delight Fit men for his turn and therefore They as most Fit must be set on work to act for him his Subtil and Cunning devices his Glorious Stratagems His splendida peccata Those glistring sins generosa scelera Noble Projects Honourable policies and Scarlet sins These be His Grave Black and Sage Complotters Cunning Engineers these are the fittest to carry on his Sage and Grave Mysteria iniquitatis Mysteries of Iniquity nay and some of his Mysteries of iniquity must carry a Divine face A reverend shew of holiness and Religion or else they cannot be effected and accomplished And what 's the ground of all this But Covetousness But why should I stand to deal with particulars severally Covetousness is an Epidemical plague common to rich poor it is a disease incident to the several ages of man Childehood Manhood Old age incident to the several Complexions of men none free from Covetousness The Thief in the old Law Covetousness caused him to steal God made a Law for the Thief to restrain him from coveting that which was not his own Exod. 22. 1. If he kill or sell it He should restore five Oxen for one Ox four sheep for one sheep It was not a law then to Hang a man and cut off the thred of his life for Thirteen pence half peny but to make Restitution to the Owner and not as it is now The owner to be bound to prosecute if he accuse and lose all himself and all that can be found of the Malefactors to fall to the King and if the owner take restitution of or to himself to be as lyable to the Law as the Thief himself Yet questionless it is meet that the Restitution should be given in a Legal way and openly and not covertly underhand and secretly as it then was whereby the Thief was known and detected and condemned to make restitution according to the Law it could be wished these things were well considered by those whom it concerns Our Saviour gives a special caveat against this sin of Covetousness Men think O if they had but such a thing as such a man hath Oh how it would content and please them such a mans house such a mans horse such a mans Estate I am now possessed of an hundred a year O could I make it two hundred and then three thousand then five thousand a year and thus the Devil deludes the vain heart of man and steals from him this rare Iewel of Contentment and intoduceth and juggels in the room thereof that Ugly and Gaping Fiend Covetousness Therefore our Lord bids us beware of this devouring foul Fiend Luk. 12. 15. Take heed and beware of Covetousness for though a man have abundance yet his life standeth not in his riches This is such a Taking Evil with the sons of men Christ had need bid them beware again and again some other dangers and evils if they be but seen t is sufficient to make men eschew and avoid them but for this of Covetousness ye must give item upon item and caution upon caution and caveat upon caveat and yet how few Take heed and beware of Covetousnessâ— A word or two of the Intention the third part of this Indictment Are given unto Covetousness This doth very much Aggravate this sin of Covetousness and so all other sins when men in this kinde do not onely peccare but peccatum facere not onely sin but sin with delight this is that which is exceedingly acceptable to the Devil for as God commanded Exod. 35. 5. that they should not onely bring offerings but bring them from a willing heart whether gold or silver or brass or silk blue or purple or scarlet c. or of goats-hair if never so small the free and willing heart was all in all So when men not onely sin but sin with a willing heart when men are not onely Covetous but given up to it are covetous with a willing heart what more acceptable to Satan and what more adominable to the Lord And hereupon when men thus Give themselves up freely to sin so that they choose it and delight in it then God himself gives them up to it likewise and lets them follow after the gods whom they have chosen as 1 Iohn 3. 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil that is he that Committeth himself to sin he is a free and willing servant to sin He hath chosen Sin to obey it and to be his Lord and Master Men â—ust give themselves up unto sin and then God in his righteous judgement gives them up according to their own hearts lust and according to their own choise and desire And is not this a righteous thing with Almighty God judge ye As Moses to Pharaoh God sent him to Pharaoh to let his people go who told him if he would not these and these plagues would follow Pharaoh hardens his heart and would take no Beware no Caveat then the Lord said as it were Seeing it is so seeing he is hardned and he chooses to be so he shall be hardned I will also harden his heart that I may shew upon him my mighty wonders Beloved Do not your hearts Ake while you hear of these things do you not tremble had you not need to take heed and boware of Covetousness especially of the love of Covetousness For if once you are delivered up to this first by your own choosing secondly by God Almighty in his righteous judgement truly you are in a wo case Then it may be said of you as the Prophet Ieremiah concerning the Israelites when they had voluntarily forsaken the Lord Ier. 13. 23. Can the Black amore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do well who are accustomed to do evil In all which regards take heed and beware of Covetousness for a mans life cansisteth not in abundance But having food and raiment let us be therewith content Fourthly and Lastly for the punishment of this sin here threatned which is onely implyed in this word For with reference to the former verses which I may call as I did at the beginning The Zarah of my Text. The sin goes before and the punishment follows But here like Iudahs two Sons Pharez and Zarah the last put forth his hand first to the birth and they tyed a red thred to his finger saying This is born first but he pulled it in again and let his brother come first So though the punishment offered it self first by this first word in my Text For yet sin being always the forerunner of judgment this word For pulled back its hand and comes now last to the birth namely To be handled and spoken to wherein also I must be very brief
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