other have split their vessels in these days But the Author so clearly distinguishes that he misseth both Rocks and carries on the truth Amain with Top-sail against all battery and opposition Here ye shall finde the vail rent and the last shadows vanishing and some Rayes of the glory of the holiest of all appearing being hid from ages and generations but in these last times upon the bringing in the fulness of the Gentiles and for the calling of the Iews more brightly breaking forth revealing the mystery of the Scriptures or the marrow of the true word of God which endureth forever wherein the Life and Spirit of the Holy Word is clearly distinguished from the outward and killing letter comparing spiritual things with spiritual that all those errors differences revilings and bitter censurings so much broken forth of late occasioned by resting in the letter may now vanish and make haste before the presence of the Lord and the glory of his coming whose fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor and gather the wheat into his garner but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire And will baptize his own people with his own Spirit with the Holy Ghost and with fire Howbeit we speak wisdom onely among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world which comes to nought But we speak the wisdom of God in a MYSTERY even the hidden wisdom which God hath ordained before the world unto our glory which none of the princes of this world knew 1 Cor. 2. It is written Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for those that love him having revealed them unto us by his spirit And if in this life onely we had hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. We are fools for Christs sake but ye are wise we are weak but ye are strong ye are honourable but we are despised 1 Cor. 4. 10. Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world or to himself let him become a fool that he may be wise 1 Cor. 1. 18. For the preaching of the CROSSE is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God verse 18. But the foolishness of God is wiser then men and the weakness of God is stronger then men verse 25. He that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man verse 15. The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. And the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 1 John 2. 27. If any man have an ear to hear let him hear Verse 10. Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jude 24. and to do exceeding abundantly for you above all that we can ask or think according to the mighty power which worketh in you unto him be glory and majesty dominion and power in the Church by Iesus Christ thoughout all ages world without end Eph. 3. 20. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all Amen Rapha Harford An Approbation THe publisher of this Book is desirous that it might pass with some testimonial into the world but it needs not testimony from man for I find it imprest with such a Divine Image and bearing such clear lineaments of Heaven-born truths as testifie it to be of God and therefore strongly bespeaks us to receive it as into our houses so chiefly into our heaâ—ts I dare assure thee Reader if thou hast received a spiritual relish thou shalt taste much sweetnes in it And if thou canst rejoyce to be laid low and made nothing that God may be exalted and made all in all then shalt thou find here that which will help thy joy and let me intreat thee That as thou readest the Book to read also thine own heart and by this thou mayest come to find thine heart in the Book and the Book in thine heart and will make thee fall upon thy face with that Ideot and worship God and report God is in this word of a truth 1 Cor. 14. 25. Some are casting off the letter of the Scripture others resting in it some are despising Ordinances others overvaluing them I find the Author walking warily betwixt both giving due honour to the letter and the form while he is exalting the Power and the Spirit incomparably above both And thou shalt find him laying the Ax of truth and the Edge of his Spirit to that cursed Root of Self-Approbation in man which is daily bringing forth such bitter fruits in his heart in his life and in the world and yet remains unseen and untouched in the hearts of many that would be thought to be arrived at the brink of perfection while they scarce understand wherein the great imperfection of the natural man doth lie Some expressions in thy reading may seem harsh or obscure to thee as they did to me but if thou comparest one place with another thou wilt clearly see what the Author means and shalt find his whole discourse to have a Sacred tendency to lay man low and so to put him into a Rich capacity of coming in to the nearâ—st fellowship with God so that while some seek to build up themselves upon the deceitful foundation of corrupted nature and struggle though in vain in the light and power of it to advance towards perfection He is planting his spiritual Artillery against it to throw it into the dust that man may come to be surely bottomed upon the Righteousness Power and Wisdom of Iesus Christ which is the onely foundation that God hath laid and the Gospel revealed And in some things you must give him a latitude to his judgement as thou desirest to thine own in other If thou findest some truths delivered and inforced with reiterated expressions consider they were delivered for the most part in several Congregations so that in some particulars the same things may be re-inforced but yet with more lustrâ— to make Truth more clear And that thou hast them as they were Preached and Pressed in Sermons to the Capacity and Conscience of his Auditors and taken from his mouth by a Notary yet afterward owned and approved by himself and compared with his own notes Read Consider and Try and hold fast that which is good March 26. 1653. Tho. Brooks M. Barker Imprimatur Ioseph Caril Decemb. 6. 1652. In remembrance of the Author and upon view of his Essigies and SERMONS HIS ICON curiously
Thy Word For Mine Eyes Have Seen Thy Salvation Which Thou hast Prepared before the face of All people A light to lighten the Gentiles And to be The GLORY Of Thy People Israel EPHES. 6. 23 24. GRace be with All Them That Love The Lord Iesus in Sincerity and PEace be to All the Brethren And Love with Faith 〈◊〉 God The Father And The Lord Iesus Christ. JUDE 25. ANd To the Onely Wise God And Our Saviour Be Glory And Majesty Dominion and Poweâ— Now and Ever Amen and Amen IOB 42. 1 c. THen Iob Answered The Lord and Said I Have Heard of Thee by the Hearing of the Ear But Now Mine Eye Seeth Thee Therefore I Abhorre my Self in Dust and Ashes Now After The Lord had spoken These Words unto Iob The Lord Also said unto Eliphaz The Temanite My wrath is kindled against Thee And against Thy two Friends For Ye have not spoken of me The thing That is Right Like my Servant Iob. Therefore Take unto you Seven Bullocks and Seven Rams And Go to my Servant Iob And offer for your Selves a burnt Offering And my Servant Iob shall Pray for you For I will Accept Him Lest I should Put you to Shame Because Ye have not spoken of me The Thing which is Right Like My Servant IOB The Heads of the Particular Sermons Analysed and may serve as a TABLE Part 1. UPon this Text Mark 9. 50. Have salt in your selves he first stirreth up to attention and then He sheweth 1. What Salt is 2. What it is to have salt 3. What to have it in our selves Pag. 3. Several judgements what is meant by salt pag. 6. In what sense the Apostles were called salt pag. 7. Christ is the salt 1. To season our duties nothing from man accepted onely Jesus Christ in us pag. 9. 2. To heal our sin-wounds p. 11. 3. To preserve the soul from putresaction p. 13. 4. Salt hath a virtue to preserve it self All Gods promises are as a Covenant of salt like himself unalterable t is childishness to think God to be alâ—ered or changed by prayer p. 13 14. The fifth and main reason as the Author conceives as salt is the substance and knitter of all things so Christ is the salt of the salt p. 15 16 17. Object Christ comparing himself to salt if Christ can lose his savour as salt and be good nothing in what sense this may be in regard of Christ answered under the two heads explained p. 18 c. The Exhortation by way of Use p. 29 Third head is to see we have salt in our selves and to leave censuring and condemning others p. 30 c. That soul is a glorious Temple where God reveals himself in the graces of his Spirit p. 35 c. Two Sermons upon that Text 1 Cor. 2. 2. But I determined to know nothing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified HE sheweth Pauls undervaluing all things but this knowledge p. 41 c. Then what it is to know Jesus Christ truly which must not be externally onely but internally also p. 43 c. Men may know the letter and never know Jesus Christ for he is hid therein p. 45. Yet we may not slight the letter p. 46. True Christ as to us must be formed in us or he doth us no good p. 48. All men yea the learnedst and all the Princes in the world ignorant of Jesus Christ except it be revealed from above explained under two heads p. 49 c. How Abraham more then Prophetically saw Christs day explained p. 56. Christ is alwayes in us in regard of his being yet revealed but to some p. 57. True Demonstrations of Christ his being in us in several particulars and how he is said to be in us p. 58. 1. His birth if he be born in us ibid. 2. Christs star ariseth in us manifesting him to our selvâ—s and others p. 59. The manifestation or birth of Christ terrible to the fleâ—h p. 61 c. 3. We are circumciâ—ed with him ibid. 4. His silencing all the Doctors in the Temple which is done also in the soul before he can be entertained p. 65 c 1. Pleasure 2. Profit 3. Honor all dispute against Christ p. 67 c. A digression occasioned by a terrible from of thunder and lightning encouraging against fear p. 69. 4. Arrogance A dangerous and Common disputant p. 70 c. 5. Reason another great disputer against Christ in us p. 72 c. An Exhortation to look within our selves while these things are unfolding p. 73. 6. After Christ came to preach being thirty three years of age his first miracle turning water into wine how done in us p. 74. While men are in unrâ—generation they wholly seek themselves Neither the glory of God nor good of others p. 76. Christ his coming to us and departing from us further explained p. 77. Third head what it is to know Christ crucified p. 79. 1. So long as the strong man keeps the house Christ is crucified p. 81. The knowledge of Christ not to be had without knowing the Mystery of the Trinity briefly explained p. 82 c. 2. While we hearken to and obey the flesh Jesus Christ is crucified p. 88. The Letter of the Scripture owned justified but resting barely therein condemned p. 89. A Question answered how Christ should suffer and not God in regard they are One and the same p. 92. An example to clear these truths to us p. 98. A conclusion and application of all p. 99. He that truly seeth he hath crucified Christ cannot do it again for a thousand worlds p. 100 Eight Sermons upon Rom. 8. 17. If so be we suffer with him that we may be glorified with him SHewing as there were three rooms in Solomons Temple so there be three kinds of sufferers p. 118 c. The last onely the true sufferers p. 125. If this definition of Christs sufferings amaze us Two qualifications are propounded to encourage the weakest if true sufferers p. 134 c. All outward sufferings nothing if we suffer not with Christ in those two things expressed Phil. 2. 6 c. in emptying our selves p. 148 c. in Humbling our selves p. 148 c. There is no suffering with Christ but by overcoming the Old man p. 160. He is descâ—ibed by twenty several names explained and shewing what Armour each one weareth p. 149. Called 1. The Old man p. 164. 2. Adam 165. 3. The Serpent 168. 4. Lucifâ—r 161. 5. The Red Dragon 164. 6. The Roaring Lion 174. 7. The Devil 175. 8. Antichrist 179. 9. Rebellion 180. 10. Sin 188. 11. False-light 190. 12. Dâ—rkâ—ess 194. 13. Flâ—sh 195. 14. Selfness 196. 15. Propriety 197. 16. Sâ—lf-love 199. 17. Our own will 200. 18. Errour 201. 19. Satan 203. 20. The evil one ibid. These Enemies being overcome we have six steps to ascend to the Throne of Rest or Glorification 1. Condemnation 2. Annihilation 3. Abdication 4. Indiffâ—rency 5. Conformity 6. Deiformity p. 205. 1.
nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. So much concerning that we come to the third that is Forsaking all things Of what degree and condition soever though not actually it may be we are not called to that but yet to forsake them alwayes in affection to be alwayes in readiness to forsake All if God cal to it Many think they have done this they are ready to say with Peter Mat. 19. 27. Lo master we have forsaken al but Peter was deceived he had forsaken very little and I doubt by that time we are tryed we shall be found very tardy in this very thing But before I go any further I will answer one objection which it may be lies in some of your minds You tell us of these high duties of Condemnation and Annihilation and forsaking all things in the world and indifferency but what is all this without faith they are but splendida peccata golden sins for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and we never heard you name faith in all this I answer Though I never expressed it in words yet it is necessarily implyed for that is the weight of all faith is the ground of all faith in it self is a secret thing it is The Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. that being the ground and foundation you know The foundation that holds all for wheresoever you see a glorious building ye will not imagine but that it hath a foundation though it be hid from your eyes but as it is said Rev. 13. 10. Behold here is the faith and patience of the Saints so say I Behold they can forsake father and mother and wife and children and all yea and their own lives too or else he is not worthy to be my Disciple Luk. 14. 33. Behold Here is a glorious Building Built by God himself as when the Disciples wondred at the building of the Temple Christ takes them off wondring as having no such gloriousness in it because the time should come there should not be a stone upon a stone which should not be thrown down Mar. 13. 1. His wondring was taken up about things of another nature But our Saviour Christ saith there wonder not that I said unto you he that forsakes not father and mother c. he is not worthy of me but I say unto you that he that hates not father and mother and wife and children yea and his own life too cannot be my Disciple v. 26. But Oh this Scripture comes so tart and so thwart to flesh and bloud they cannot endure it they cry out durus sermo as the Papists say concerning the second Commandment it comes so directly contrary to making of Images that there is no way but it must be blotted out of the Decalogue So is it with this Scripture flesh and bloud cryes out down with this Scripture away with it out upon it it is impossible for any man to perform it or else they cry out Oh give it some allay some moderation some interpretation some mitigation else we cannot bear it I if it come in competition with that and other things too that either we must forsake Christ or forsake them here now flesh and bloud can bear with it But say I away away with all these things These fleshly interpretations Do you think Christ knew not what he said Bring thy self to the Word and not the Word to thee All these things are offence unto me Behold as S. Paul saith I tell you A mystery He that loves any thing in the whole world that is visible any thing that is visible in thy wife or visible in thy children or visible in thy father or mother c. I say if thou lovest any thing visible in the whole world let it be what it will be This love it arises from flesh and bloud and it is guided by flesh and bloud and is terminated and ends in flesh and bloud For the body is but the brutish part flesh and bloud is the worser part of man or woman for think but from whence this comes look back and see the pit whence you were digged see the womb in which you were nourished and with what The womb was but made of the dust of the earth and of the same art thou made and thou wert there nourished by by the flesh of beasts Fowl or fish such as thy mother Eate and when thou art brought forth by the same is thy life continued and all is but fleshly and beastlike actions for the brute beasts do as much they eat and drink and seek to maintain life and propagate their kind and delight therein and if thou doest no more thy love is but Earthly sensual and devillish Iam. 3. 15. but if thou wouldst have thy love to be Pure Then learn to separate separate the precious from the vile Jer. 15. 19. if thou separate then shalt thou be as my mâ—uth c. Thou must love that which is divine in them thou must love their internal part Their Souls Thou must love the image of God in them and if thou do not separate herein the precious from the vile Christ when he comes he will do it then and if thy love be set upon the vile thou and it go together for as it began had its original continuance and end in flesh and blood so in flesh and bloud it shall have its reward thou lovedst it and it loved thee And I may say as Christ said in another case Verily verily I say unto you you have your reward Himself did make a separation of the precious from the vile when he was on earth and so he will do when he comes to judgement as when some came and told him when he was in the Temple thy Mother and Brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee he answers who are my Mother and Sisters and Brethren they that hear the Word of God and keep it the same are my Mother Brethren and Sisters He there separated the precious from the vile as if he should say Do you think that I look as men look and that I esteem as men esteem No as Mat. 23. 8. I look upon you all as Brethren for ye are all the children of you heavenly father I look upon that which makes you all Brethren and as you are a compleat body having one Master and one Father I look not upon you as divided but as one for a Kingdom divided against it self that Kingdom cannot stand Belzebubs Kingdom is not divided and shall Gods House shall Gods Kingdom be Therefore he that loves any visible thing his love is but fleshly and you can expect no better then a fleshly reward I but some will say to me t is true we know we ought not to love them as them but we onely love them so far forth as
indure STRONG MEAT and not to be alwayes Fed with PAPPE SERMON VIII Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together THose which have no part in Christs sufferings they have none in his glory And those are expressed in Phil. 2. 4. in two words 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. 7 8. 1 In Emptying of himself 2 In Humbling himself And these are sufferings indeed Far beyond his scourgings far beyond his nailing to the cross far beyond his crowning with thoâ—ns far beyond his whipping his mockings c. All those sufferings are not worthy to be named the same day with these for though he was God equall with his Father yet he came down from Heaven And dwelt among Us among men in the similitude of sinful flesh and took upon him the form of a servant And made Himself of no reputation and he had not so much as a hole to hide his head in and also he became Obedient unto death Now if these sufferings of Christ be in us If we Empty our selves viz. Of all that gall of sin and bitterness that is in us and also of all our Excellencies and Endowments both of Nature and Grace and lay it all down At the feet of Christ giving him all the power and glory for ever Then be assured whatever we do on this foundation God accepts it be it never so little And though we do never so much without this it is to God no more Then the cutting off a dogs neck and as odious as the offering up of swines blood under the Law On whom saith God Isa. 66. 2. and to whom will I look even to the humble to him that is of an humble and contrite spirit and trembleth at my words This foundation being laid Then come what will come Then neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heights nor depths nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 8. 38. They instead of separating us from Christ shall make us nearer to him and shall make us morâ— conformable to our head To fill up that which is behind of the measure of Christs suffering IN US which is his body And you may remember we compared these sufferings with Christ to those six steps which are the six steps that led up to Solomons Throne to wit 1. Was To abhor in our selves all those sins and defilements that we are guilty of which we called Condemnation The second was To beat our selves to dust to just Nothing which we called Annihilation yea to less then Nothing and vanity The third was Willingness to forsake all to Sell All for Christ which we called Resignation That is To be alwayes in affection and readiness till GOD call us to action The fourth was Indifferency which we are now to come to to stand equally affected to all conditions Faith being the ground as I told you the last day Believing undoubtedly that nothing can be better done then what is done God doing All. We have a pattern set us of this by the Apostle Paul He was come to this Ephes. 4. 11 12. I have learned saith he Implying That he was long about the work before he could attain it but now I am grown to be a good Scholar in it That is in what estate soever I am to be content and now I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me I know Now but not till now Both how to be abased and I know how to abound Every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry to abound and suffer need Phil. 4. 11 12. I have learned and I am instructed saith he which implies that there is a secret in Gods school which cannot be attained at the first entrance and by Beginners but when we are well entred and exercised therein we may know how too look with a smooth face upon all changes for they do as Christ their pattern in that of Iohn 4. 34. which is a copy set St. Paul by Christ My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work they account it not their meat and drink to do their own will As all the world doth but to do whatever He wills And to suffer whatever He Wills this is Their meat and Their drink and as the Apostle sayes I count it not in any case expedient to consult with flesh and blood surely in this case it is not onely not expedient but altogether unlawful for how tart is this to flesh and blood To tell a man when he is to go a journey he must be alike patient and alike thankful and he must neither desire fair weather nor foul To tell a man that is at Sea He must neither desire a wind with him nor against him To tell a man that expects a harvest he must neither desire a good harvest nor a bad Sunshine nor Rain To tell a man that is Naked that clothes and no clothes must be all one to him To tell a poor man That money or no money must be all one To tell a man that is sick that pain and ease health and sickness must be all one to him Labour and pleasure Ease and suffering Liberty and Imprisonment Glory and Infamy All this must be alike to him How can flesh and blood indure this Doctrine if we consult with it And therefore He that Means to practise this must not at all consult with flesh and blood As the Apostle saith I â—onsulted not with flesh and blood And the reason is because Thou mayest not desire any thing that may cross Gods will or his providence for that weather that is for thee may be hurt to another and that wind that is against thee may be for the good of another c. You will say it may be Here is a doctrine indeed What will this Babler bring us to at last Acts. 7. 10. Then certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountred him and some said What will this Babler say other some He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods beâ—â—use he preached unto them Iesus and the resurrection What new doctrine is this I have been an Auditor and a Professor this 20 30 or 40 years and I never heard such a doctrine as this And I have heard above a 100 Preachers and none like this man I never heard my own wayes so much thwarted He clean contradicts our byas and we have been alwayes taught otherwise and therefore this cannot be true doctrine these are some new tricks and some new crochets and devices some new querks and quillets for novelty This Doctrine is as strange to you as if I were A Setter forth of
pleasantness of fruit nor any such thing But he is that by which all these have their pleasantness light and sweetness and whatever excellency any creature hath he is not that thing as some have foolishly conceited because God is in them therefore they are Gods c. this declares in such much ignorance and weakness But he is the cause and being of all such excellencies and he himself infinitely transcends whatever can be thought or imagined For he that conceives in his God that there is in him light or sweetness or glory as we accont glory or light or sweetness or that he should be Musick to the ear or some glorious or glittering sight to the eye he that conceives God or Heaven to be any such thing whatsoever he is deceived Beloved I hope though I have some cause also to fear it that you are not so childish as to conceive that there is Musick Viols or Harps or Organs or any such thing in Heaven He transgresses against the first Commandement whosoever he be that apprehends any of these things to be in God or in heaven according to the letter and he is as great an Idolater as he that makes A Golden Calf and then falls down and worships it nay he is a more dangerous Idolater and Transgressor for the other Idolaters were so gross and absurd that very reason condemns them but this is more spiritual and more close Idolatry and therefore more dangerous For the Kingdom of heaven consisteth not in meats and drinks but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. that is it consisteth not in food or rayment in riches or honours or whatever is accounted precious or amiable to the world but saith our Saviour The Kingdom of God is within you and again My Kingdom is not of this world neither cometh it with observation But I say more then al this he that would find God let him be silent and sit in darkness neither to see any thing nor to hear any thing for he that thinks he hears or sees any thing or thinks of any thing that hath any manner of form or thing in his imagination when he thinks of God he is an Idolater As for instance will you see God in a man as he is in a good man so he is also in an evil man God or Christ dwels in them both in regard of Essence both in good and bad but here is the difference Christ lives not is not formed in them as to them in the one but in the other he is as to them the one sees it and knows it and prizeth rejoyceth in the seeing knowing and believing of it the other doth not but is Anathema Maranatha and separated from Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. Christ lives in every man in regard of himself and is as much in the one as in the other But I say here is all the difference to the one Christ is manifested to the other he is not God lives in al but all know it not A good man hath God in him and he seeth knoweth and believeth it the other do neither see know nor believe it and so rejoyce not in the manifestations of God in them but they believe they have a power will and a Being of their own and this they glory and rejoyce in presume on and live to themselves and sacrifice to their own drags and regard not God in whom they live move and have their being Again would you see God in the Sun Moon and Stars or in Beasts or Trees and in all other creatures Know he is the Life Act Motion of all creatures take away from all or any of these all that may be taken away all Accidents and then that which remaineth is God In the Sun or Moon or any thing else you must first strip it of all visibility and of all form and representation Glorious or Base and then you shall behold God not as that form but as the Cause Essence and Being of whatever is in it Or as in a man take from him highness and lowness for those are Accidents weight and lightness greatness and littleness youth and age for all these are Accidents what remains then but he that was is and is to come the All in all he that is Alpha the first of all and shall be Omega the last of all What remains then but the first begotten of the Father Jesus Christ even him that is the Ancient of dayes he that is above all through all and in all Ephes. 4. 6. For beloved there was something of me before I was either hot or cold before I was either dry or moist before I had either weight or lightness yea before I had any manner of shape These things I say being taken away what remains then but he that is I am He that is Alpha and Omega For take away heights and depths things present and things to come and then nothing can separate Christ and us as the Apostle in that case reasons Rom. 8. ult He was perswaded nothing could separate him from Christ neither death nor life nor angles nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heights nor depths nor any other creature should be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord For nothing hinders or separates us from Christ in this case but these things Although I know many men say and teach in a general way sin is the cause of separation which is a truth but too general a truth But this is a cause more particular and the cause of abundance of particular sins Seek therefore to remove the root and cause and then particular fruits effects and branches will wither and dye of themselves For were it not for the vail of Accidents that is between God and us we should see God we might then see God in the Gold and God in the Light God in the Sun and God in the Water and God in the Earth God in the Trees and God in the Flowers and God in every pile of Grasse and God to be All in All were but those things those Accidents removed from our sight for where any thing moves God is the mover nay where any thing hath a Being a Substance he is the Being of that Being the Substance of that Substance if we may call any thing Substance or Being but God For he is the Motion and being of every thing great or little glorious or mean they are all not onely his workmanship as most men teach and believe but he is also their Substance and Being and the Saints They see that the Lord is among them as in Sinai and that he was not more present and glorious in Mount Sinai then he is in all Creatures And further let me tell you this is The Angel of the Covenant spoken of in the Revelation whom these types and shadows
Letter speaks that is but Solomon but the spirit is Jesus Christ the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth And when Solomons wife speaks observe and mind the wife of Jesus Christ his Church and Spouse the dearly beloved of his soul being professions of dearness and intimateness of love to his wife and of his wives to him do but set forth the unexpressible and reciprocal dearness between Christ and his Church The Letter is but a dead resemblance or picture of the life within as of good things promised so evil threatned It speaks of devouring fire and everlasting burnings Isa. 33. 14. and of the Tophet prepared of old and of the worm that never dyeth and of weeping and gnashing of teeth and all these are but resemblances and shadows of the terrors of the Almighty the thing it self is infinitely beyond these expressions As I have read of some who of old time kept for their security fierce dogs within the House and were wont to have without doors upon the wall a painted Dog with this Caution Cave Cave Canem Beware Beware the Dog And I have read of some ignorant people that would place burning Lamps made of combustible matter mixt with oil in the Sepulchres of their friends and have likewise pourtraied fire on the stones on the outside to shew there was fire within So the outward Letter is but the picture the resemblance of the truth within that is but the Literal Historical sense the life the fire is another thing Jesus Christ is the Spirit and Life he is the fire as Iohn 5. 35. Christ saith of Iohn He was a burning and a shining light that was so far as Christ did shine and give light in him and by him As true fire is infinitely unspeakably beyond the shadow resemblance and representation both in heat and splendour so is the truth beyond the Letter And as a living Dog is more then a painted or a dead Dog for they bite not at all but the Dog within is of another nature Psal. 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool that is The Lord said unto his son or unto his word for so the word in the Original may be as well taken The Lord said unto his Word Sit thou on my right hand c. This great Kings word is like the Kings daughter Psal. 45. 13. All glorious within And he that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom that is He thâ—t hath the living sense given to him he is instructed to the Kingdom of God The living sense is the Word the Word is Christ himself the letter thâ—t is but the shell but this is the kernel and is of perpetual use As all the Scriptures are symbolical and figurative so this more especially These words then are a request of the Spouse to her Husband whose love and instruction she never wanted and yet here she sues for it though he was not wanting to her yet still she desires to grow in the knowledge and love of him that she might abound therein as he filled her so still she desires to be filled I gave you four things to consider of which was rather for memory sake then order 1 Her request Tell or Teach her 2 The weight she hangs upon her request Oh thou whom my soul loveth 3 The matter of her Request what it is she sâ—eks these two things where thou feedest and where thou restest at noon 4 Lastly The reason of all For why should I be as those that turn aside to the flocks of thy companions thereby intimating if he did not continually teach her and direct her she should presently turn aside to the flocks of his companionâ— some are so full their Omers run over they are wiser then the Spouse here as God said to Tyrus Ezek. 28. 3. Art thou wiser then Daniel these men they are wiser then Daniel They if they had been but with God at the Creation they could have directed him to have done many things wiser then he hath done they would have shewed him a better way and in their prayers they are still teaching God what to do but there are none of these things in Christs Spouse this is not her voice but in all her conditions and at all times yea till the world shall be no more she cries Tell me Teach me Let us dread the sentence of the Church of Laodicea Thou sayest that thou art rich and wantest nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked There is nothing so pleasing to the ears of God as this sound this voice Tell me teach me direct me Oh thou whom my soul loveth All other prayers are but the prayers of the Devil they can confess God to be and know him to be Mighty Glorious Omnipotent Omnipresent to be the Mighty Lord Iah Iehovah they can herein out-strip any man living therefore let us examine how much we love God and how much more then any thing else if thou canst not examine it by it self examine it by the fruits for by their fruits ye shall know them How much hath thy love increased toward him or doest thou love him as well as ever thou didst for thou lovedst him ever since thou wert born that 's never a whit If thou bearest no fruit thou art dead yea it may be twice dead and pulled up by the roots for if thou be rooted in him thou canst not if thou wouldst but bring forth fruit What ever prayers come from a soul that can truly say it loves God from this root I may boldly say it never returns in vain if it can say Oh thou whom my soul loveth thou art my God and I will love thee I would not commit adultery with any creature but my love is taken off all and is towards thee then is Gods love shed abroad in thy heart But we will go on to the next to the Spouses request Tell me what where thou feedest it is a strange speech now at this time that Christ should eat yet it is a true speech and a real question not imaginative but real not a transitive but a substantive It is true he did eat when he was upon earth you will say but he eats not now For your answer and for your better understanding of this take this short Theory They that conceive Christ according to the short time of 33 years that he lived upon earth or thereabouts they do limit and circumcise as I may say and cut short the vastness of his greatness Yet it is very true he lived 33 years upon earth and One only merit of his One action that he performed at that time was sufficient to satisfie for the sins of all the world abundantly and to perfect the work of Redemption considering what person he was viz. God equal with his Father
but also typical and Significant so is this growth of Jesus Christ he grows up in us in wisdom and stature and he in us waxeth strong in spirit being filled with wisdom and understanding He teacheth us the true wisdom He in us chuseth that good thing which shall never be taken away He is The grace of God in us I live saith the Apostle yet not I but it is Christ his life in me From him cometh all growth in grace not from our selves the work is his none of ours From him cometh Faith Hope Charity Strength Vertue c. If any of these come from man from the power industry or strength of man they are false and good for nought yet how ready are most men to assume these to themselves or at least to think that by their power or wisdom or industry they have attained them From whence come wars come they not from your lusts So from whence comes pride and the lifting up of the creature high towring and and swelling imaginations that in plain terms exalt themselves against Jesus Christ they are so far from being from him or of him that they are quite contrary to him however to some may seem the vertues of Christ himself but they they are the excrements of the Old man Hence it is said That Iohn Baptist grew and waxed strong in spirit because Christ by his divine life in him brake forth in Iohn and his light did shine before men they seeing those good works in him God was glorified not Iohn for saith he I must decrease but he must increase Hence it is said here accentively twice in this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 versus ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in our Text and Verse ult And the childe grew and waxed strong in Spirit filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upou him And again Iesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and men As these things were in him in his person then so the same things are as really done in his Mystical body and members All these influences are his and flow from him the head We are dead in trespasses and sins bnt he is the Resurrestion and Life And he that believeth in him shall never dye nay though he were dead yet shall he live When Jesus Christ doth once begin to display and declare the glory of himself in the soul and to adorn the soul with himself what a palace what a Kingdom what a Temple is that soul Well might David say Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City and Temple of God Psal. 82. 3. more glorious then the Temple spoken of Rev. 21. and saith our Saviour The Kingdom of heaven is within you All that description Rev. 21. there at large setteth out the Glory and light of that Temple which was like Iasper most precious and clear as Chrystal and the wall high and stately wherein were twelve gates the gates kept by twelve Angels and the walls of Iasper and the City pure gold and the very foundation garnished with precious stones a Iasper a Saphir a Chalcedony an Emerald a Sardonix a Sardius a Chrysolite a Beril a Topas a Chrysophrasus a Iacinth an Amethist I say all these things are accomplished in a great measure in some less in some more in all those where Jesus Christ is pleased to display his glories and in that soul where he is pleased to adorn it with his own graces and with the fruites of the spirit as Faith Hope Charity Strength Vertue Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Meekness Temperance c. Those that are thus qualified inriched and adorned let me tell you they need no Law no Light for they are a Law to themselves and there is a light within them like that City Rev. 21. 23. That had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for The Glory of God did lighten it and the lamb is The light thereof Nay I may say and say truly as I may say they are gotten above Law above Letter in this regard for they have the Gospel and the life within them yet for all this do not think that I speak against Law or Letter or Ordinances use them as I say but Rest not in them And know this also that while the soul is Rapt up in the glory sight and beholding of Jesus Christ he knows this that he enjoys that which is the Substance and that which is as farre above the other as the Substance is above the Shadow and the Life above the Letter and the Spirit above the Flesh yet he will not slight nor cast away these means or Ordinances because God hath often appeared in them and by them to him as I have shewed more at large upon other Scriptures But I say Let us look to find that in us which Christ affirms that the Kingdom of God is within us and that you are in some beginnings of that glorious Temple and City mentioned before for if you think the Kingdom of God or Heaven to consist of such things as are there declared in the Letter you are much deceived But the holy Spirit is pleased to make use of such expressions and representations that are so amiable and Glorious to the carnall eye that so we may come to see the Truth and Substance of those Shadows and Representations to be far and transcendenly more ravishing and glorious as all those Saints and people of God before whom God hath Unvailed his glory can abundantly witness and seal to the truth thereof Insomuch that had they all those precious stones and Houses and Temples built of them really yet they in comparison of what they see and enjoy of God would trample them all under their feet as not worthy to be named the same hour with those true pearls and those ravishing full and satisfying and transparent precious stones which are within them They need not when they are in union and communion with him and when he is pleased to let but his back parts pass before them they shall not desire the light of the Sun or of the Moon to give light in that Temple for the glory of the Lord doth lighten it aud the Lamb is the light thereof And as it is expressed there in Ver. 14. The Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory unto it This Temple and this Palace and this Glory darkens all the glory and splendor of all the Kings and Emperors under the Sun All their glory vanisheth and makes hast before this glory as being abashed and ashamed once to appear in sight thereof Beloved I hope and I know there are some that hear me which know and see and feel these things to be true yea as you say as true as Gospel yea so true as nothing is nor
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
Let me tell you In this very history There is a good land promised to us as well as to these Israelites and it is by Gods promise confirmed and Ratified to us And though we often doubt and despair murmur and mutiny yet the Lord often and many a time passeth by and pardons our murmurings and unbeliefe and still renews his promise Though we often so far as lies in us Cancel the bonds and the ingagements yet He is a God Rich in mercy Slow to anger and he pardons our Unbelief and his Charter to us and with us is A New granted and renewed every day and Revealed more and more unto us You that are Believers Do ye not find all these things true both to and in your selves Nay are there not Mutiners among us within our souls do you not find These very things accomplished within your own hearts have you not These Whisperers These depravers of the power of God within your selves do not you harbour these Mutiners that say T is true Heaven is a good Country and full of plenty that can be desired there is indeed as the Scripture saith Things such as eye never saw nor as ear never heard nor ever entred into the heart of man And At his right hand there are pleasures for evermore but These Mutiners within us they say withal that This place this land this Paradise is walled about with high and thick walls such as we shall never climb and the Inhabitants are Giants mighty men such as we shall never overcome There is before we come there The strong man to overcome and he is not onely strong but Armed And there is Lucifer the Prince of the powers of darkness and There is the blood Red Dragon spoken of in the Revelation And all these are Giants sons of Anack whom we dare not disturb nor enâ—ounter there is the Old Adam and Self-will and that which is nearest and dearest of all There is I my Self to be overcome as I opened to you upon another Text under several heads All these are as so many Golia's making challenges and proâ—lamations in behalf of the whole army of those numerous Philistims within us And to fight really with these we had rather die in the wilderness or return into Egypt into our old captivity then once adventure against them For saith the heart within for the present we are quiet and let us not further adventure we feel now no evil we can take our own wills and we can follow our own pleasures and we are Lords and none dare controul us in our own wayes if we can be content Though we are told our own wayes and wills are destruction We find not nor we feel no such thing while we served and worshipped the Queen of Heaven we had plenty of all things but since we attempted To forsake our selves and deny our selves and to crucifie our selves we have found nothing but troubles fightings and discouragements Therefore T is but a folly to try any further and labour ourselves in vain let the Country be as good as it will we shall never get thither we will rather venture our souls though we dye in this wilderness God is merciful and we find most ease and pleasure in following our own wiâ—ls and oâ—r own wayes Oh my beloved Find you not all these things within you and ten thousand thousands more of this nature But let me tell you None of all these doubtful distrustful spirits can ever enter this promised land Never did Nor never shall Enter this desired Land for Those enemies as I then shewed which I named in part before they must not onely be fought withal but they must be overcome These Goliahs must be slain and be beheaded before ever ye can triumph in the Dance with the Minstrels and the Damsels Nay let me tell you God hath solemnly sworn in his wrath in Psal. 95. These shall never enter into His Rest but To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down in my Fathers Throne Rev. 3. 21. But Oh ye of little faith why doubt ye How is it that ye have no faith if ye look upon your selves indeed ye are but as Grashopers to these Mighty Giants and Terrible â—nemies within you but if ye fix your eyes on him that hath promised you have no cause at all to 〈◊〉 they shall be but as meat for us And their â—efence shall depart from them and the Lord of hosts is on our side this spiritual Canaan this Heavenly Rest is freely promised by God not for anything in you Say not in your hearts as the Lord saith to the Israelites Because we are better or because we are stronger then the Nations about us we have done or shall do All these things but because the Lord loved you and he would do it for his own Name sake Therefore Onely Believe and none of all these things shall stand in your way These discouragements shall be as meat and Strength to you This inheritance is not gotten or obtained by our strength or our righteousness but it is purchased by his Sons Own bloud and the work is carried on by his Own strength Onely believe If ye can but trust to this if ye can but Rely and Rowl your selves on Him be sure you shall enter This Rest and possess This Good Land And the way to it is onely by being sensible of our own unworthiness and weakness and likewise of his Love and power Relying thereupon These souls shall enter and these onely My Brethren Then of all things take heed or rather The Lord give you watchfulness against this great sin of Unbelief Infidelity and unbelief is the first and main thing to be overcome in the way of Christianity Unbelief excludes us from this Rest Therefore it is That He who is an unbeliever cannot inherit the Kingdom of God All other sâ—ns are but fruits of unbelief â—nbelief disables utterly and Cuts off from the Kingdome of God for so long as we conceive a thing impossible to be done we can never go about it with courage oâ— confidence But He that relies on Gods promise distrusting his own ability yet believing that there is nothing so high but he shall attain it nor nothing so strong but he shall overcome it and onely because God hath promised it Then shall we go on couragiously and victoriously Our own strength or our own weakness shall not much encourage or discourage us But If we doubt and believe not Then shall it fare with us as it did here with these Murmurers We can never enter into His Rest. But now let us go on These things I could not but touch at lying so in our way After that these Israelites had entred and had partly overcome and conquered this Land and had got it into their own possession They began to divide the Land to every Tribe His lot of
Divine Nature he cannot accept or regard them So also if this be so then is there not onely holiness within flowing from A Natural principle of a new Nature but there will be All External glory there is the Ark of the Covenant overlaid all over round about with pure gold to shew that from this spring and fountain cannot but proceed all purity and holiness in our external actions then they cannot but must shew forth the vertues of him who hath called them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Then there is such a power and such a burning desire in the soul they must shew forth their good works that they may glorifie their father which is in heaven neither can this be attained really till we be admitted within the vail True it is while we are in this worldly Sanctuary we may do many External good actions as to our selves and other men And also Good in themselves but they are not done for this End to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them nor to glorifie their father which is in heaven but t is to glorifie themselves and to set up themselves Either for praise or esteem or for fear or for hope of advantage c. they serve not God as the Devil said of Iob for nought not for love of Holiness not for that Excellency that is in its self but to get something by it they use it as men do a bridge to carry them over to some desired place to some self-happiness or advantage and were it not for these the man were dead and you should find if the heart were searched throughly and theâ—e ends hopes and fears removed the man would stand stone-still But the other man he who is ascended and gotten within the Vail He works freely and naturally He cannot do otherwise though there were neither fear of hell or punishment or hope of the reward yet he must work And he will work this is that I still say Let but the heart be set to rights let the man be regenerate and partaker of the Divine nature and then with such a man you need not keep such a stir with Laws and Precepts and Rules and Disciplines He hath that within which will not onely inform and teach but reform and compel by the power of Love For saith the Apostle the Righteous are a law to themselves Beloved this is the service God loves He loves A cheerful giver He cannot abide that which comes forced and grudgingly and as a forced imposed task that by sinister respects they must be held to it but I say this man needs no such thing but turn him loose at all turns he hath an Informer and a Reformer in him Those that are led by the Spirit are not under the Law Gal. 5. 18. but under Grace and under the power of love and of a free mind for the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient This man is no longer under the law but is Dead to the Law that he may live to God and not unto himself for self is in him conquered and dead and Christ now is alive and exalted and set in his throne to reign for ever and ever In the third place there was the Pot of Manna which Manna God gave the Israelites in the wilderness some of which by the providence of God was preserved many hundreds of years together until the time as it is thought and affirmed by some of their last destruction by Titus and Vespatian He that hath gotten within the vail he hath gotten food sufficient to nourish him for ever He shall Never hunger more nor never thirst more as in that of Rev. 21. He that lives according to this new liâ—e he is â—ed with Hidden Manna He eats of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God His comforts are pure and ravishing and full of Everlasting delights his waters Everâ—low â—low and never cease there is in his belly a spring Ever springing up to everlasting life In the next place there was Aarons Rod that budded that was laid up by the pot of Manna Those that are accepted to look into the Holie of Holies Their fruit is alwayes flourishing and green their good works never dye but they ever after bring forth fruit like a tree planted by the rivers of waters that bringeth forth fruit in his season his lease shall not wither and whatever he doth it shall prosper and not onely shall they bring forth fruit but Ripe fruit in their age Psal 92. 12. The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in their old age they shall be fat and flourishing These men They are never satisfied with God They are never weary they shall run and not be weary nor faint they never have enough of Him his comforts are always fresh to them flourishing and green They are never satisfied with the knowledge of God This is such Manna such Meat The more they eat the more they may The more God communicates himself to them they are the more Hungry the more thirsty the more Vnsatisfied They have overcome and are still Overcoming they go on Conquering and to Conquer they are still conquering and subduing all their Enemies and getting their sins and lusts under their feet And so long as there is Any To overcom and conquer they can never Rest till they have brought All under Every high thought and Every strong hold and Every imagination That exalteth it self against the Power Kingdom and Soveraignty of Jesus Christ. Within the Holies of Holies There was also The Cherubims of glory Overshadowing the Mercy-seat and we may say as the Apostle there Of which things we cannot now speak particularly Those glorious Cherubims they looked face to face beholding one another Overshadowing the Mercy-seat Beloved were you but once come to this sight you should behold God Glorious and Amiable Full of love and mercy and tender Bowels All wrath And All frowns blown clean away We then shall behold in Him Not so much as any shadow of Anger but there will be a most sweet and amorous beholding of one another He wil love and delight in us we shall love delight in him we cannot look so delightfully upon him as he will upon us there will be Nothing but Amorous imbraces and we shall then see How Sure All his mercies are to them that love him and that they are The Sure Mercies of David we shall find in Our Hearts All his promises made good and we shall then call him Our God and Our Iehovah making good and giving Being as to all things So to all his promises that we shall say feelingly Not One hath failed of
pale of the Church they will be Teachers and they would fain be accounted great Rabbies and they can expound Scriptures as well as any and if need were or if they durst they can preach as well as any and these people if people will not hear them presently they are ignorant They are so well instructed they can go no whither to learn anything as though al wisdom were born with them when God knows they are as full of ignorance of pride of self-conceitedness as any men in the Town but the Spouse she cryes yea and still will cry till dooms day Tell me teach me she sees her own imperfections and strives after perfection she knows and is sensible with Paul she hath not yet attained And therefore I once again beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ and for your own souls sake leave off this kind of Religion although I would have you to hate even the garments spotted by the flesh We come to the second thing laid down and that is the Poise or weight that she hangs upon her suit she doth in a kind Adjure God I had thought to have gone through this Text at this time indeed I had thought when I began that you I should have waited upon this beautiful Lady our Mother our Mistress from Engedi to Eneglaim from the beginning of the Text to the end but you see here is a word hath bin cast in our way as the Carkases of Amasa and Asahâ—â— which made us to make a stand like the children of Israel at the Red Sea they could not the pass on till waters were dryed up and indeed the Red Sea is before us a whole Sea of matter but we must take what we can leave the rest Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth Here is a true expression of Prayer it is but a folly to pray to God except we can thus put up our prayers to him in this dialect O thou whom my soul lovesâ— Many think that if they can pray to God in setting forth his attributes styling him Most High Most Mighty Most Gracious and it may be adde Hebrew words as O Most mighty Iehovah then they think they have made an admirable Prayer but be sure of this except thou canst come to God truly say from thy heart O thou whom my soul love thy prayers be they never so excellent otherwise they all fal to the ground he accepts them not But when thou comest under this title it is so indeed he cannot chusâ— but hear for then it is the voyce of his Spouse but if you express his Attributes never so largely amply without this yet thou hast prayed no better then the Devil for there is no Attribute but he can inlarge amplifie above any of you all herein he is able to out-strip the best of you And the Apostle saith He that loves not the Lord Iesus let him be Anâ—thema Maranatha accursed from Christ he prayes no better then the very Devils and those that are accursed from Christ as we see still when the possessed with Devils came and met our Saviour whâ—t a large confession acknowledgement they make of him I know thee who thou art Iesus the Son of the most High God but Christ many times stopped their mouthes and would not accept their confession All thy prayers the best that ever thou madest without this title of love are but as milstones hung about thy neck and will drag thee to the bottom of the Sea But it may be you bless your selves for all this think your prayers are not so bad as we make them or if they be you hope you shall do well enough hereafter after you dye But know that as the tree falls so it lies as Solomon saith If thou dye in this condition so judgement shall find thee you hope it may be that you shall possess the Crown laid up for you in Heaven as you conceive but I fear you are so glued to the earth you can relish nothing but the earth so that that is it your souls loves And it may be you think it shall be some ponderous thing you shall have in heaven some glorious visible material or some tangible thing You think you shall have some such things as you enjoy here but alas alas thou shalt find that as soon as ever thou art unriveted from the earth And happy were it for thee if it were done here That the Kingdom of God consisteth not in meat and drinks in riches and wealth and the like for the Kingdom of heaven is not a creation but a multiplication And when you come to be received into that Kingdom it will not be demanded What riches have ye what honour have ye but Christ will ask How many loaves have ye if ye are not in possession of some loaves of some part of the Kingdome of heaven before in this world there is none to be given then Not what had you in this world But it will be asked how many loaves have ye â—hat is how many loaves of love How many loaves of Charity how many loaves of faith how many loaves of patience what wilt thou do if thou hast none wilt thou say Stay Lord I will go and buy or I will go and borrow as the foolish Virgins no no there is no body can lend they have none to spare they have but enough for themselves If thou canst not say as here O thou whom my soul loveth never look to entâ—r but ye must look for the answer those foolish Virgins had Depart I know ye not if this love be not the salt that seasons all your actions all your sacrifices he knows them not he regards them not where he sees no love in the actions let it be never so glorious a duty he knows it not Depart from me But try your love to him Try this secret seal by the Broad-seal of love to the creatures to your brethren if you be a living Member you will sympathize in love and fellow-feeling wit the rest of the members for the Apostle saith Love is the fulfilling of the Law the whole Law for take the Commandements first the Commandements of the second Table if a man love father and mother let him dishonour them if he can And so the next Thou shalt not kill if he love the creatures and his brethren he is so far from offering violence to any that he will rather lay down his own life And so the seventh if he love all he will not take the members of Iesus Christ and make them the members of an harlot And love will make him in stead of stealing from any to give plenteously and willingly and to be so far from coveting and taking away that he will rather adde what he can and love can bear no false witness nor covet any thing which is his Neighbours And so likewise for the first Table he that
loves God he knows him to be so full and satisfying that he never need make him more gods he knows that if the world were ten thousand times larger and pleasanter then it is he knows that God he is so full that he is sufficient for all neither can he make Images to worship them nor to put him in remembrance of him for he hath an apprehension of him beyond all manner of Images the whole Creation is a glasse to him he knows no Image can resemble him as God said to Moses Thou shalt make no image for ye saw no Image since the day I brought you out of Egypt And if he love him can he swear and blaspheme and prophane his name and can he if he love him grudge him one day in seven yea rather he wishes that God had taken seven to himself and given him but one Examine your selves by these things Is the seal of your external love a witness of your internal love it is true God is worshipped in spirit in truth and his love must be shed abroad in our hearts invisibly first but yet that love never rests there but it is like Aarons Rod a budding Rod or else thou art not fit to be a Priest to God if thy Rod be not a budding Rod be not deceived God is not mocked Except this tree put out some fruit some leaves it is dead and there is no sap or life in it for God hath not left himself without witness so that you see if there be not this love in the heart and expressed in the life conversation there can be no acceptance with God thou must come to him under this title O thou whom my soul loveth not as a Mercenary for gain or reward or for what advantage thou shalt get by him but for love to him not to his not as a Servant but as a Son Noâ— for fear neither but for love to him Many Beloved can come to God under this title O thou whom my body loveth thou givest me health thou givest me wealth thou givest me wisdom thou givest me a good report this is but O thou whom my body loves But this O thou whom my soul loves this proceeds forth from him that is invisible generally most men fix their eyes upon the visible blessings of God and they are much in prayer to God for them but know he regards none of these prayers but when his Son in whom he is well pleased when he prays he hears him alwayes but if any other prayes he regards it not Ye pray and it may be daily Thy will be done but yet saith the Husbandman O let me have a good year of increase and the Merchant he prays Thy will be done too but saith he O let the wind blow right for me to send home my shipping and the Tradesman he prays Thy will be done but saith he I desire store of customers to day and good takings what prayers are these think you what submission is here to the will of God mind thy own duty leave the success to him From whence do you think come these prayers O give me my health again O give me my wealth again O give my children again come these from Christ thinkest thou are these his prayers in thee or come they not from the flesh O let my flesh be well housed let my flesh be well clad let my flesh be well provided for away away God is deaf he can hear none of these prayers these blessings he gives promiscuously to every man these do not at all declare Gods love for he as often or oftner gives them where he hates as where he loves These are goods that a man may do good with but the other are goods that make a man good if thou dost good with them coming from this ground from love to Christ within they are acceptable even the least of them but if thou dost never so much good with them without this doing them to be seen of men or for any other by-end then verily ye have your reward ye did them to be seen of men ye are seen of men ye did them that men might think well of you and they do think well of you verily I say unto you you have your reward As the Lord said to the rich Glutton Son thou hadst thy portion in thy life time now he is comforted and thou art tormented Examine thy self do thy prayers come from this root O thou whom my body loves O thou whom my flesh loves or O thou whom my Soul loves for my body for my flesh then it is all one search thy soul diligentlyâ— for the day of the Lord will come and burn up all our deeds all our actions all our dross it will try out the gold the gold will not consume but be more refined but all that is hay and stubble and dross and such like stuff wrought but by the power of the creature and by the power of man even all mens Religion and their religious actions and whatever is of man shall be burnt up for ever Where Christ FEEDETH And where his Flock RESTETH CANT 1. 7. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions Preached in the Afternoon for Mr. Hodges in the publick meeting-place at High-gate I Told you in the morning that we must not imagine this Book of the Canticles to contain any idle reverence and foolish wanton complements between a man and his wife on whom they either doted but the expressions of entire vehement love between the Lord Christ his dear Spouse Beloved this is the Eternal Everlasting sense the other is but the Letter which is nothing nor may we look upon them as the Dialogue between Solomon and his wife for what are they to us they are dead gone Though the whole Book of the Canticles be in appearance but an Epithalamion or a Love-song between Solomon and Pharaohâ— daughter his wife and consequently may seem to rellish nothing but of sensual love and the effects thereof carnal enjoyments yet know this is but the chaff that covers the corn And herein by these expressions the true Solomons face is vailed as was Moses his face by his vail because we are not able otherwise to behold him Therefore still when ever you hear or read the Scriptures seek to have the Book unclapsed and the seals opened for as it lies printed or written in the Letter it is both clapsed sealed walled about and though it be a fountain yet it is walled about by the Letter none see the meaning save onely they to whom it is given And where-ever you see the Letter speaks rest not in that but look for One greater for behold a greater then Solomon is here Mat. 12. 42. when the
they cannot rest till they see Him who is in the middle of the creature Him that is in the midst of the Chrystal even HE that is all in all the very bottom and Foundation and the SUM of all and so in and through him they come to behold the SUN over his head in its glory and splendor even God himself Blessed for ever for otherwise God cannot be seen or approched unto but onely through his Son and these Spectators can never fail perish or miscarry because their love is set upon him that cannot change fail or miscarry For they cannot rest till they are united and joyned and made one with him As my eye can never be united to any thing till my sight see and receive it and by that means that thing be united together with my sight so neither can we be made one with God till we see and behold him being united to Him And if once we see him we cannot but love him and this love brings thee into union with God Now love is the knot that must unite us eternally that must for ever kâ—it us together and this knot being once knit it is knit for ever for we being knit and made one with him we can never be lost but so long as God lives so long shall you Here are Christs words verified That which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder but if to the creature you joyn your selves God never made that conjunction God never knit that knot and therefore that shall be put asunder but this knot that God hath knit himself shall never be loosed And further know this that thou being thus joyned to Christ as a true member of his body thou hast full right and title to him and to all his vertues and excellencies riches and glory but otherwise thou hast no title at all for as thou art a particular man thou hast right to nothing of his but as thou art a member of the Church of Christ his love comes to thee by vertue thereof for thou hast nothing to do with heaven or any thing that is Christs but as thou art a member just as a man hath a portion dowry with his wife or a woman any riches or joynâ—ure by her husband she or He hath no right to any part thereof as a single man or a single woman but by vertue of the knot that unites them together so as they are made One even so the dowry the joynture of eternal happiness was not made to Paul nor to Peter nor to thee as ye are single and particular persons but as you are members of his body being united and made one with him as a Branch in the root Beloved it is to the Church that Christ makes all his promises still to the Church still to his Spouse and it is not to any visible Church neither or an Assembly of men and women as particular and separated from his body but to the visible and invisible Congregation of Saints which are his members and make up his body to these are all the promises made and upon no other account can any one promise be claimed Therefore beloved let not the Church be an odious name to you as it is too too much nor let not every particular man think himself the Church for to thee separated from the Church belongs no good thing Now if a man be knit to Jesus Christ by this knot of love I will tell you what will follow Love you know suffers not a man to be his own but he hath given up himself to the thing loved and that rules him and it he obeys So this soul once knit to Christ by this knot of love then he cannot commit adultery with any creature he is no longer his own and therefore whenever ye find in the Proverbs and there read of the adulterous love of that whore that waits in the twilight to trap the young man or of the adulterous love of Potiphars wife to Ioseph in Genesiâ— or the like the intention of the holy Ghost is to set forth unto us the adulterous love of the soul and how our love is carried away from Christ The Creature is the Adulterous woman which takes our love And this love is diversly called in Scripture sometimes it is called hope and sometimes fear somtimes trust c. according to the several objects it is exercised upon As the Attributes of God are one in themselves though differenced to us according to the several obâ—ects they work upon Sometimes he is called Grace somtimes Glory somtimes Majesty somtimes Patience sometimes Mercy sometimes Anger sometimes love not that there are so many several things in God but all these are one act in God As the Sun it causes one colour in the Rose another in the Nettle and it causes the Carrion to stink and the Rose to smell sweet yet one and the same thing in the Sun doth all but it works to the several objects it meets with so it is One and the same act in Religion which is that which joyns unites us to our Creator yet distinguished by divers names as Hope Faith Fear Love Trust yet all one thing in the soul As when it looks upon the promises of God then it is called Faith when it apprehends him to be a just revenging God and that it apprehends that he is angry then it is called Fear and when it beholds the merciful and loving face of God in Jesus Christ then it is called Love again when it Beholds the promises and apprehends God to be faithful then it is called Hope c. and therefore ye are not to apprehend these things as several in God or in your selves but as One. Yet I pray do not mistake me that because I say Love is the cord that unites us to God do not think that I exclude Hope or Fear or Trust or Faith or any other grace do not think that I undervalue the rest far be it from me but only this I say Love doth knit the band more sensibly and more feelingly to us And in all this we must not ascribe any good any power to our selves whoever he be he must acknowledge himself an unprofitable servant and that the work is Gods own work and that you had no hand in it and be sure as ye have set to your seal that God is true so also that this is truth But if thou hast set thy seal to the creatures and that they have stolen away thy heart and thou art in love with them and knit to them made one with them then when thou comest to dye thou hast no refuge to trust to they will all fail thee for they all dye with thee if not before thee however when thou failest they fail and when they fail besure thou failest But if thou art dead to the creatures and art daily dying to them by degrees then it will be no grief for thee to part with
root And what ever priviledge or benefit Christ hath they shall all receive of his fulness grace for grace they shall all be made partakers of all the vertues of the head but notwithstanding all these promises we are never the better without we have Christ they are all blanks without him all unsavoury it is he that seasons all Yea trust as long as thou canst and believe as much as thou wilt without Christ thou canst never come unto him God himself is nothing to us without Christ As every Iubar and Beam of light that comes from the Sun they are all included in the body of the Sun but they are not communicated to us but by those Jubars and beams that come from the Sun so God is like the Sun and whatever good benefit or blessing we have it comes from God but all these are included in God himself and there is no creature can partake of any good from him but by his Son Christ in those Iubars of light that communicates them to us This light had never come to us but for those beams so God the Father cannot communicate himself to any creature but by the Son he is the first begotten of every Creature he came being sent from the father yet God the Father is not a day not a minute Ancienter then his Son Christ he is called The word spoken in the Hebrewes As he is unspoken so he is the word with God in the bosome of his Father and this word is God as Iohn 1. 1. but being once spoken and utered he is the first begotten of God in every creature The Alpha and Omega in every creature from whom alone we receive grace for grace all the goodness and fulness of God is poured upon the head of this Aaron which runs down not only to his beard but to all the skirts of his garments to all his members God himself in himself to the creature is nothing without Christ He cannot possibly be communicated but by and through Christ. Secondly All these promises to the seven Churches they imply that which hath its beginning in this life and perfected in the life to come saith our Saviour the Kingdom of Heaven is within you if ye find not the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven within you and in this world be assured ye shall never find it in the world to come He that denyes me before men him will I deny before my father which is in Heaven he that enjoys me not in this world he shall never enjoy me hereafter The poor dejected and oppressed soul it longs to taste Christ here nothing will satisfie him but to taste and eat Christ here for if he eat him not here he knows he shall not hereafter as David saith My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come before God What to do Psal. 27. 4. To see his beauty and to taste of his goodness if you see not God here ye shall never see Him hereafter Christ will ask thee as he did the Discsples how many loaves have ye when ye come to dye what Angels food have ye to feed on what Hidden Manna How many loaves of that if ye must say none Lord what a heavy answer will this be to you but if thou hast any if but two loaves if but a little oil in thy Lamp he will then multiply thy loaves and that little oyl the barrel of meal and that cruse of oyl shall never fail And he will say come thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a little I will now multiply thy reward Come now I will feed thee to eternity If Christ shall say to thee How much peace have you if thou canst but say here is a little Lord Christ will say come come I will multiply and increase that peace infinitely what love hast thou if thou hast but any though but as much as a grain of mustard seed come saith our Lord I will cause it to grow and increase and become a mighty tree so that the fowls of the air shall build their nests therein That is I will enlarge it as my self infinitely And which way soever else a man seeks for rest and peace he shall never find it for as all the Creatures so all the action and motion of the Creatures come out from him and they can never rest till they return into him again and therefore he is called the God of Sabbath which signifies Rest in him there is Rest and no where else The soul is the breath of God and it is impossible that it should have a rest for the sole of her foot till it return and this blessed Noah put forth his hand and take her in again Lay up treasure for your selves in heaven would you have treasure hereafter ye must treasure it up while ye are on earth that ye may have the reward and the wages hereafter ye must receive here the pledge the Hire The Portion and the reward comes hereafter Your fathers saith our Saviour have eaten Manna and are dead but blessed is he that eats Manna in the Kingdom of Heaven he that feels Gods love shed abroad in his heart here shall find that love increased thirty sixty an hundred-fold in the life to come here ye feed but are not filled but then you shall be satisfied Thirdly All these seven promises that are here made to the seven Churches there is not one word to be taken according to the Letter but think not strange of such sayings be not startled I would onely quicken up your attention I undervalue not the Scriptures but desire to give them all due honour for do you think that you shall be Pillars in Heaven or that you shall eat trees or the fruit of trees there or that ye shall have rods of iron in your hand or that ye shall be burning stars or as it is in Daniel He that converteth a soul shall shine like the Stars I say there is not one word true according to the Letter yet I say in all the words that ever Christ spake or that is written in this blessed blessed Book of God they are all true there is not the least tincture not the least allay of untruth I say every word every syllable every letter is true bear me witness you are my record but they are true as he intended them that spake them they are true as God meant them not as men will have them As when Christ says my Father is an husbandman do you think or are you so childish to think that God is a husbandman and Christ sayes again I am the vine and ye the branches will you have this to be literally spoken Go to I will speak a paradox to you but I willl unfold it It is impossible for any man either to speak a precise truth or to hear a precise truth for a precise
14. Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Besides all this that it is one of those Ingentia Peccata Mighty sins as it is called in Amos 5. 12. appears By The practice of the Saints The danger of the Sin Look over all the Saints which of them do we read of that were defiled with this mire of Covetousness Noah once overtaken with the love of wine never with the love of the world David though once besotted with flesh yet never bewitched with the world but he ever accounted himself a Pilgrim and a Stanger in it then he was far from being in love with it Zacheus he had been A Pinching Prowling Publican and the chief among them griping and grasping what he could get by cruelty and extortion before he knew Christ which is a sin incident to all such meâ— but as soon as Christ entred into his heart when he entred into his house he threw away this sin with disdain Lo half my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I will restore him fourfold If Jesus Christ do not whip this Money-Merchant out of the Temple it will bar even Him himself entrance Now Beloved what 's the reason these forenamed Saints though they had other both infirmities and gross sins yet not any of them tainted with this sin of Covetousness surely it shews that Christ and this sin in the love of it cannot cohabit together if Christ be there this sin must abandon if this be retained Christ is there a stranger And the reason is Grace and Religion may better stand with a sin once acted or oftner so it be not habitual although it be gross and foul as Adultery Incest Drunkenness c. then with an habitual Covetousness for where that sin is it can scarce be other then customary and habitual Therefore Samuel 1 Sam. 12. 3. did so abominate this sin that he challenged all Israel to charge him with it though he was their Governor and Ruler and wanted not for temptations and opportunities Behold I have walked before you from my childehood unto this day and here I am bear witness against me before the Lord and before his Anointed whose Ox have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you And they all answer and bear witness Thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand There was a pattern for Kings and Rulers and for Saul their new chosen King but who follows it he presently as soon as he could get the power of oppressing fell to it as God told them he would 1 Sam. 8. 11 12. This will be the manner of the King that will reign over you he will take your sons for himself for his Chariots and his Horsemen and to run before his Chariots and he will appoint them his Captains and he will set you to ear his ground and reap his harvest and to make him instruments of war and for his Chariots and he will take your daughters to be Confectioners Cooks and Bakers and he will take your fields and vineyards and olive-yards and give them to his servants c. and so goes on and ye shall cry out in that day because of your King which ye have chosen And Beloved what more frequent in all ages then covetous and oppressing Rulers and Governors They take it successively from hand to hand Having once got the power ye shall soon feel it So Ier. 5. 10. He complains that though he was free of this sin yet every one hated him Wo is me my Mother thou hast born me a man of strife a man of contention to the whole earth I have neither lent on usury nor men have leâ—t me on usury yet every one doth curse me So Paul Acts 20. 33. I have coveted no mans silver or gold or apparel ye your selves know these hands have ministred to my necessities and to those that were with me But what may be yet further the reason why that of all sins the Saints were freest from this sin of Covetousness Surely These Reasons may be further added I. Because they knew that this sin was that which most staineth and blemiâ—â—eth the good report and honest reputation of men professing Christ that men who pretend for heaven should live as men of the world whose portion is in this life and that they should so far blemish themselves and their master to set their mindes and affections on such poor transitory trifles and as if they had not better things to look after or that they served a Master not able to maintain them rather then thiâ— should be fastned on them or their Master They would instead of being in love with them trample them under their feet 2. To inlarge a little of what I hinted before It handeth in greatest opposition to the life and truth of grace for where this sin getteth head it eats out the heart of grace that though it be not quite lost yet scare Any to be perceived the Life being almost quiet extinct if he have life yet none to be perceived by himself or others and therefore saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 10. Love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith and peirced themselves through with many sorrows Nay not onely hath it caused some to erre from the faith and so wounded their own souls but some it hath caused to fall quite away from the faith that is from the profession of the faith and turn Apostates 2 Tim. 4. 13. Demas hath forsaken me and hath embraced this present world and yet now adayes where is there a man yea especially among Professors that would be accounted Christians that are free from it but are most deeply guilty of this defiling and dangerous sin of Covetousness And I think in no age ever more Beloved though your hearts were as mountains of rich Mines yet this one sin loved and delighted in will consume and eat out all for ought may be perceived and make you as barren as the barrenest Heath This sin is like the seven lean ears of corn that Pharaoh dreamed of which devoured the seven full ears And like the seven lean Kine devouring the seven fat and were themselves as hollow and lean as before and in Scripture is often compared to Caterpillars Grashoppers Cankers and the Palmer-worm because it doth feed upon the green and flourishing herb of grace till it hath as it were quite eaten it out of the heart therefore David prayes Psal. 119. 36. Incline mine heart unto thy Commandments and not unto Covetousness intimating that those that love
will fight and kick with those that would do them good And our Saviours counsel is Cast not your pearls before swine leâ—t they turn again and all to rent you I say again some of the Servants of God have found it so and for goodwil freeness and faithfulness and not keeping back any part of Gods counsel have been ill-rewarded rent and torn for their faithful counsel and it hath therefore been the Serpentine Wisdom of others to hide their talent in a napkin that so they might avoid the cross of Christ and sleep in a whole Skin I remember a speech of R. Moses More Nevochim part 3. chap. 34. Legem accommodatam esse ad totam gentem communiter non ad singulos the Law is fitted for the people in generall for all the Nation and not for particular persons only There was and is many a good man who wants those outward things when those that are evil have them in abundance as well then as now And shall we then say and conclude the word or promises are not true no God forbid Heaven and earth shall pass away before one tittle of his word shall fail Mat. 5. Therefore I say they in the old Testament and also we now mistake because by Moses was promised the Kingdom and the Land flowing with milk and honey temporal peace multitude of children bodily health these were in themselves temporal blessings but they figured out spiritual because these were promised but to the old man under the old Law and those that look no farther now under the Gospel what are they better then the old Jews and the CHILDREN of Israel 3. I affirm I have alwayes holden it a dangerous thing especially of late years to press God with particulars of temporal things as of health wealth honour c. but to leave all those things to the will of God walking on in our duties and calling and leave the success to him But while we are in our childish condition we are still telling God in this regard what he shall do for us and how he shall govern the world and when we would have fair weather and when rain and when a fair wind and so every man would serve his own turn and then I pray thee if thy will be done who shall take care of thy neighbour t is no matter though thousands miscarry and fail of those things so thou hast them it matters not What kind of prayers do you think are these dost thou in thy self think God were wise if he should answer thy prayers that which is for thee as thou thinkest is against multitudes of others and who shall seek their good that wind that serves thy design is as much opposite for others And therefore my advice is be very tender how you press the infinite wisdom of the Almighty Who when he will bless he will turn crosses and evil things as thou esteemest them to be the greatest blessings and therefore let the Almighty Alone in governing the Heavens and the Earth by his power and wisdom he hath upheld supported preserved and ordered the heavens and the earth to our knowledge almost these six thousand years well enough and I le warrant thee he will do it still without thy care or direction Who shall teach him knoledge and Who shall shew him the way of understanding or being his Counsellor hath taught him I remember a speech of Bernard Longe a Deoest animus qui in oratione c. That mind is farre from God or Heaven which in prayer is full of earthly requests And I say for the most part men are mistaken both in the nature and end of prayer which is first to ask things according to the will of God and our end ought to be God and the things of God in which our happiness is involved 4. I affirm it is certainly more excellent to seek the Kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof then to trouble God and our selves with wordly requests I say still distingue tempora distinguish of seasons there is a time when we may take more liberty because we know no better and we think it a great deal of Religion that we will acknowledge God and will come to him for temporal blessings but as the Apostle saith Behold I shew you a more excellent way covet after the best gifts Then doth God best accept thy prayer when thou onely seekest him for himself and not when thou seekest any other thing by or through him this will declare what thou lovest him for whether for thy self or himself what thou most lovest what thou most earnestly prayest for and what thou most weepest for when wanting that thou most lovedst when thou hadst it but to all true believers both in this as in all thinigs God is their end their chief love c. and therefore tis him they seek to enjoy above all things Although it be with the loss of all things Him they esteem Portion enough And to conclude I affirm as it is said of Abishai 2 Sam. 23. 19 there were three most honourable among the thirty but Abishai was the most honourable of the three therefore they chose him their Captain And so say I prayer is honourable in its time season and seeking for temporal blessings according to the will of God but more honourable in seeking graces to adotâ— the soul and inward man but when in prayer we seek God for himself having so much love to him such strong desires after him that we forget and lose our selves and mind onely him as our chief end then say I let Abishai let That Prayer be Captain for that hath done the most honourable of all the chosen Worthies the other have done worthily but this is the more Honourable of all the three for if we had time we might shew you that there can no prayer do more worthily then this for it answers first to the Lords Prayer Mat. 6. 17. Secondly to Christs Prayer immediately before he suffered Iohn 17. Self-denialls in his resignation to the will of his Father and love to his Flock Disciples and Members A most ravishing prayer and such a prayer as no man ever prayed but time will not suffer me now to open any thing about it Thirdly this prayer is most agreeable to the example of the Apostles who under-valued all the world to enjoy the life of Christ insomuch that they esteemed his Cross their Throne and his sufferings their Crown So that by all this we have said you may examine your prayers of what excellency they be consider the matter and end of your prayers whether they be of Flesh or spirit whether in them you seek God or your selves And with the words of the Apostle Rom. 7. 6. I conclude all for this time seeing God hath put it into your heart to seek him and to worship him Let it not be in the Oldness of the Letter but in the Newness of the
relies and trusts in the wisdom and love of his father and looks upon all his sufferings as ordered and sent from God The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1. 21. To come now to another and that is the last Observation from the soul of the Text Why Christ rebuked him for speaking truth Mendacium erat dicebat se scire quod nesciebat it was a lye He said he knew what indeed He did not Now here ariseth another Question Whether Christs Incarnation was known to the Devils or no 'T is certain that they are full of knowledge for his very name is derived from knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disco quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctus so t is read Acts 16. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Divination or Knowledge In brief Nolebat hoc testimonium ab illis Christ would not have any testimony from the Devil He wanted no such Testimony Helper or Upholder therefore t is said Acts 16. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul rebuked the spirit of Divination in the like kind so saith Austine God would let the Devil know no more then what He pleased that pleased God which was fitting for the Devil in lib. 9. c. 21. de civit Dei And further Christ knew well that the Devil spoke this to tempt him for the Devil in all his actions hath an ill and indirect end And lastly the Doctrine of Christs Incarnation was no ways agreeable for the Devils knowledge it did not reflect any ways upon him he was not to have any benefit by it and therefore there was no necessity of his knowledge of it It was Balm for mankind but of no vertue to the fallen Angels These several Observations now gathered and confirmed which I termed the Soul of the Text I proceed on now to the Summity the Height or Spirit of the Text I would not have you wonder at the Definition for the Scripture is frequent in this definition To cause us to look further then the Letter And we may often find it so Exod. 14. we read of the Cloud and the Red Sea yet 1 Cor. 10. the Apostle calls them Baptism So Exod. 17. the Rock in Horeb yet 1 Cor. 10. 4. That Rock was Christ And Exod. 34. 33. we read of Moses Vail yet 2 Cor. 3. we find the Apostle applying it to the Vailing of the heart Abraham had two sons one by a bond-woman another by a free-woman yet Gal. 4. 24. we read that these things were an Allegory So in reading the History of our Saviour to raise moral Instructions as of his love to mankind readiness to help of his power mildness obedience patience and long-suffering c. this is to do as Moses did Exod. 15. to sing songs unto the Lord and to render him praise But this is not all But to mind the Spirit and life couched under the Vail and Curtain of the Letter Viz. The living bread which cometh down from Heaven which will make us live for ever To eat of Christs flesh and drink his blood is meat indeed and drink indeed Moses brought not the Children of Israel into Canaan therefore as 1 Cor. 10. 11. All things happened to them in figures in types and shadows As his face so his words were Vail'd So to us now Till Christ be pleased to Reveal the Mystery of the Word the Truth is hid and kept secret For as 't is said of our Saviour Without a parable spoke he not unto them but to his own Disciples He declared and opened every parable Mark 4. 34. And as he spake nothing without a parable So He did nothing without a parable and therefore without controversie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great is the mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. And for this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might Destroy the works of the Devil 1 Iohn 3. 8. And can we think there are no more Devils to be destroyed yet yes sure Quot Crimina tot Daemonia Yea as many Devils as sins 'T is true that when our Saviour Iohn 19. 30. cryed Consummatum est It is finished There was no more to do That is No more for the fulfilling of the Scriptures vers 28. No more for that individual flesh assumed of the Virgin Mary to suffer But yet there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remnants of Afflictions for Paul to fill up in his flesh Col. 1. 24. So we also and the Rest of the members must bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the marks of the Lord Iesus in our bodies Gal. 6. 16. And for certain 'T is better to feel compunction of spirit and the crucifying the Old man in us then to know onely those quaint finical and neat definitions of it which men by their wit and parts have drawn from the Letter to please the ears and fancies of men Making so many divisions and sub-divisions to set forth the Wits of men and not the Truth so much used by many men Know a minutes feeling spiritually is worth seven years speaking To feel these things spiritually Is to be a Door-keeper in the House of God to talk of them or onely to know them Are but The Tabernacles of Meseck and the tents of Kedar And therefore Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. As to instance in some particulars whereby you may enlarge upon any other 1. Was Christ formed in the Virgins womb 't is true so ought we to be as little Children that Christ may be formed in us Gal. 4. 35. That we may become Nothing in our own eyes that so He may be to us All and in All. 2. Was that done by the Holy Ghost coming upon her and by the power of the Most High over-shadowing her so must our spiritual birth be the Holy Ghost must overshadow and sanctifie us and the power of the Most High convert us and turns us from sin to newness of life 3. Was Christ circumcised so must we be circumcised in heart For this is true Circumcision according to Gods own interpretarion Deut. 10. 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skins of your hearts Stephen complained of the Jews for want of this O uncircumcised in hearts and ears Acts 7. 51. And Paul saith Rom. 2. 29. Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the Letter 4. Did he grow in wisdom and in stature and in favour Luk. 2. 52. so ought we to incre se with all the increase of God and to grow from grace to grace Col. 2. 19. 5. Did he dispute with the Doctors and captivate their judgements Convict their thoughts and overthrow their reasonings in the Temple so must he do in us bring every thought though never so high to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5.
own souls and you shall better consider and know his malice not onely to the bodies but to the souls of men as t is said 1 Sam. 18. 10. Saul was vexed by an Evil spirit so when you hear of casting out of Devils Take heed lest your selves fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the snares and nets and condemnation of the Devil Further to this point St Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 4. that there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Differences of graces yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but one spirit As there are the graces of wisdom of Knowledge of faith All different in their several acts operations and degrees yet flowing all from the same spirit so I may say there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Differences of sins and lusts in the soul some being spiritual wickednesses others carnal and fleshly some for stature and growth like the sons of Anack mighty and great and strong others of a less and lower size Differences too there be in sins length and time as Iob saith His bones were full of the sinnes of his youth Some do not leave their sins but increase them and carry them in them till they dye and they grow strong and numerous even to a Legion of Devils There be some also that though they come up in a night yet by the blessing of God they are wasted and gone in a night like Ionahs Gourd they are like a wafaring man of no continuance they take no deep rooting in the soul There are differences too in respect of obstinacie purpose of mind malice and HATRed of God c. some going before others others following after unto judgement as the Apostle speaks It was said to Ierusalem Thou hast justified thy sister Sodom in all her abominations Ezek. 16. 51. her sins did exceed for grievousness those of Sodom and yet all sins of what nature or quality soever how different soever they be are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that Evil One in us The Devil and though as our Saviour saith Mat. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts thefts c. yet these are suggested into the heart by Satans malice and policy As t is said of Iudas That the Devil put it into his heart to betray His Master So that it is not onely Hard but impossible for any man that hath not been rapt up into the third Heaven To know How God sends Good motions into souls whether by Angels or not Yet I am sure though the Apostle saith That to will is present with me Phil. 2. 13. But yet that will is from him For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights Jam. 1. 17. Nay all natural actions as to think and to do or to move c. are all of him from him and by him For In him we live move and have our BEING And As hard it is to say directly Though the Prince of this world Joh. 12. 31. The God of this world 2. Co. 4. 4. very lofty titles you see are given him by the Holy Ghost To shew what great power he hath I say 't is very hard to know How he Tempts and moves us to Evil whether by His Angels or not For HE hath Angels called properly and peculiarly HIS Mat. 25. 41. Prepared for the Devil and His Angels and termed The Angels that sinned 2. Pet. 2. 4. And again 't is said He drew the third part of the Stars from Heaven when he fell And the Devil is called The King of the bottomless pit Rev. 9. 11. Sure I am that there are great store of several sorts of Evil spirits For there is The spirit of jealousie Numb 5. 6. The Evil Spirit of lying 1 Reg. 22. 22. The spirit of deep slumber and sleep Isa. 29. 10. The spirit of this world 1 Cor. 2. 12. The spirit of dissention Judg. 9. 23. The spirit of perversness Isa. 19. 14. The spirit of wheredom Hosea 4. 12. 5. 4. And the spirit of seducing 1 Tim. 4. 1. And once for all As we read of the Spirit of Christ so also do we find the spirit of Anâ—ichrist 1 Ioh. 4. 8. And yet necessary it is thâ—â— thâ—s it should be I say Necessary with that necessity of which our Saviour speaks Mat. 18. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary that offences should come For As in visible things there is no change without corruption so in civil things Lex non est posita justo sed injusâ—o The Law is not made for the righteous but for the transgressors for the lawless and disobedient as the Apostle saith And so and no otherwise is it in spiritual things Men cannot imagine How God should have made known the Riches of his goodness Rom. 2. 4. if no Evil had been nor The Greatness of the Riches of his Glory Rom. 9. 22 23. if there had been No vessels of wrath and dishonour Fitted for destruction Neither should he have shewn the Depth of his wisdom and knowledge Rom. 11. 33. If there had been no folly and ignorance Nor yet The riches of his grace Ephes. 1. 7. If there had been None that stood in need of pardon and grace Beloved How could the sons of men have known or understood Either the plenteousness of His REDEMPTION If there had been no Captives Or the exceeding greatness of his love wherewith he hath loved us in Christ If there had been none that were his Enemies and hated him So that now I will say of the Devil and his Angels as once Augustine said of Original sin Whereof after he had long disputed whence it should flow and proceed at length he concludes That it is A more vain and fruitless thing to stand disputing about its Rise or Original when as we feel the flames of evil concupiscence in our selves still Burning then it is for a man when he finds his house on fire to stand still Demanding how the fire came but doing nothing to quench it Or whereas he should find his son fallen into a well ready to be drowned yet should stand still Asking How he came to fall in but not using any help or means to get him out and so save his life So may I say of the Devil and his Angels It being so that they Are And that they are so Active and Destructive to men and that they move in Rule and reign in the Children of disobedience and have already climbed our works and are gotten in our very hearts and there wound kill and slay if we did but see it so I say 'T is but a fruitless question to enquire how they entred or came into us or of what they are made or what Power they have to do us mischief or the like But sure I think it is our best policy and greatest wisdom to
private but all is because it is of good Report and now in fashion and credit but this is not done for the love of God nor of grace but for to get the praise of men and for love of themselves for fear of punishment or hope of Heaven or Rewards In these and such like cases Satan gives a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a check to himself silences himself in one case when he sees it is not for his security that there is a distast against some sin or a convincement in the soul And so changes that practise that he may be heard and received in another and all is to get more and stronger possession Nay which is more he will Command himself out in one shape that he may be admitted the easier in another as when one leaves Drunkenness because his brain will not bear it any longer but then turns covetous and it may be a Usurer So also when as a man follows not lust nor Wantonness because he is old or sickly or weak yet betakes himself to Idleness or Pride or Ambition so also when as any one leaves pride because it s too costly yet gives himself over to Glunttony and Rioting so he can but get it on other mens cost and thus t is in divers other vices and not onely in civil or external things but in Religion Now you may know and discern Satan his subtile workings and plottings in these wayes by this in such cases as this He never Rents nor Tears them whom he so leaveth bur deals fawningly and placidly and smoothly with them he deals easily and insensibly with them In these kinds Of Satans casting out himself in men and shifting shapes yet t is still Himself for he never Tears nor Rents them He departs not though he seems to depart but so much the more keeps in and strengthens himself in his possession As the natural changes do in our bodies which are not to be discerned but infancy goes away and youth steps in and youth departs and manhood comes on so manhood decays and old age creeps upon us as it were insensibly Thus Satan departs in lesser and weaker sins that he may Reenter in greater and stronger nay he may break off in some Great Sins too but then he aims still to bring in greater yea the greatest impieties that he may reign solely and absolutely without any control or rebuke at all And thus he deals with men for many Reasons As 1. That he may have the easier Re-admission he departs gently makes no combustion or commotion for he leaves all in quiet the sooner to insâ—nuate again as a cunning Enemy who will quit some out-works that he may the sooner get into the heart of the City like a wayfaring man who leaves his lodging quietly and discharges all and departs in peace but 't is that he may be Entertained with the greater respect at his return 2. Satan departs from men so quietly that they may be the securer and the more careless that they may have no suspicion of his wiles and subtilties As when a man departs with smooth carriage sweet language and civil deportments he will be the sooner invited thither again nay the parties will be glad to enjoy his company As those prophane Jews that cryed out for the return of those dayes wherein they baked Cakes to the Queen of Heaven they were so besotted with the deluding spirit of Idolatry and spiritual whoredom that they wished for and cryed out for the dayes of the Queen of Heaven to return Was it not better then with us say they then now 3. Satan doth thus in policy and deep subtilty for he doubts if he should dwell too long or alwayes in one and the same habit and practise he would be discovered and therefore he transforms himself the oftner that he may not be discerned and known to be Satan 4. And further Satan is a Thief and steals something at his going out and therefore departs in the night nay while the good man of the house was asleep Security is the bane of the soul when men are careless and aâ—e in the night of ignorance Now Thieves when they go away they steal out without any noyse or tumult softly and without any Candle because they hate the light And as Thieves do not reside alwayes in one place but shift fro none place to another departing from one road-way to another from one corner to another to avoid discovery so the Devil he goeth about saith the Apostle Peter or rather Iob and compass eth the earth and goeth to and fro in it and it is for the most part without any noise or Renting at all And hereupon it is that men are the easier perswaded to yield him admission because he departs fairly and smoothly there is no Tearing or Renting at all when Satan casts out himself but when Christ casts Him out then he Tears and Rends for then he comes forth against his will But else he suffers them to sleep as we say in a whole skin He doth not then disturb or rack the conscience nor wound the soul at all And therefore 't is with men in this case as t was with the Israelites in Gideons time when they pleaded for Baal How long saith Ioash will you plead Baals cause and contend for him Judg. 6. 31 The Devil did so mask and cover himself that most people cryed him up as a true God his sleights were so subtillty woven that they took him for the onely God and his service for the pure service of God So that not discerning him truly what he was they pleaded for him and contended for him and in Eliahs time they Rent themselves and Cut their flesh for his Cause And so Covetousness is said to wear a cloak that is because it will never appear in its own shape and so neither will Satan that he may the better deceive Our Saviour bids us to beware of false Prophets in Sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravenous Wolves Mat. 7. 15. Such an one is Satan for all his quietness and stillness within you Now if Satan shall stir up any false Prophet or lying spirit as he did to Ahab saying Whatever this odd fellow saith Go in peace Go on and prosper and will nto let you believe these things you may then if you will Go on And go up with confidence But ye shall surely fall And t is very like some may call you aside as Peter did our Saviour Mat. 16. 22. And he began to rebuke him saying Master favour thy self none of thosethings shall happen to thee Thou mayest go on in a fine smooth way of Religion and never feel this Tearing or Renting He speaks of But my counsel is to make them that answer our Saviour doth Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me And labour to see this Renting in thy self for if Satan do in reality depart