creature but it had some ingravings of God upon it some curious draughts and lineaments of his Power Wisdome and goodnesse upon it and therefore the Heavens are said to shew forth his glory c. But whatever they have it is but the lower part of that image some dark shaddows and resemblances of him but that which is the last of his works he maketh it according to his own image tanquam ab ultima manu he therein gives out himself to be read and seen of all men as in a glasse other creatures are made as it were according to the similitude of his footstep ad similitudinem vestigii but man ad similitudinem faciei according to the likenesse of his face in our image after our likenesse It is true there is one only Jesus Christ his Son who is the brightnesse of his glory and the express substantiall image of his person who resembleth him perfectly and throughly in all properties so that he is alter idem another-self both in nature properties operations so like him that he is one with him so that it is rather an onenesse than a likenesse but man he created according to his own Image and gave him to have some likenesse to himself likenesse I say not samenesse or onenesse That is high indeed to be like God The notion and expression of it imports some strange thing how could man be like God who is infinite incomprehensible whose glory is not communicable to another It is true indeed in these incommunicable properties he hath not only no equal but none to liken him in these he is to be adored admired as infinitely transcending all created perfections conceptions but yet in others he has been pleased to hold forth himself to be imitated and followed and that this might be done he first stamps them upon man in his first moulding of him if ye would know what these are particularly the Apostle expresses them Col. 3. 10. in knowledge in rightousnesse and holinesse Eph. 4. 24. This is the Image of him who created him which the Creator stamped on man that he might seek him and set him apart for himself to keep communion with him and to bless him There is a spirit given to man with a capacity to know and to will And here is a draught and lineament of Gods face which is not engraven on any sensitive creature It is one of the most noble and excelâ—…ent operations of life in which a man is most above beasts to reflect upon himself his Creator There â—…re naturall instincts given to other things naturall â—…ropensions to those things that are convenient to â—…heir own nature but none of them have so much â—…s a capacity to know what they are or what they â—…ave they cannot frame a notion of him who â—…ave them a beeing but are only proportionate â—…o the discerning of some sensible things and can â—…each no further He hath limited the eye within coâ—…ours and light he hath set a bound to the care that 〈◊〉 cannot act without sounds and so every sense he â—…ath assigned his own proper stanse in which it moves â—…ut he teaches man knowledge and he enlarges the â—…hear of his understanding beyond visible or sensible â—…hings to things invisible to spirits this capacity â—…e hath put in the soul to know all things and it self â—…mong the rest the eye discerns light but sees not it â—…lf but he gives a Spirit to man to know himself and â—…is God and then there is a willing power in the soul by which it diffuses it self towards any thing that is conceived as good the understanding directing and the will-commanding according to its direction and then the whole faculties and senses obeying such commands which makes up an excellent draught of the image of God There was a sweet proportion and harmony in Adam all was in due place and subordination the motions of immortall man did begin within the lamp of reason did shine give light unto it till that went before here was no stirring no chusing or refusing when reason which was one sparkle of the divine nature or a ray of Gods light reflected into the soul of man when once that did appear to the discerning of good evil this power was in the soul to apply the whole man accordingly to chose the good and refuse the evil it had not been a lively resemblance of God to have a power of knowing and willing simply unlesse these had been beautified and adorned with supernaturall and divine graces of spiritual light and holinesse righteousnesse these make up the lively colour and compleat the image of God upon the soul. There was a Divine Light which did shine in upon the understanding ever till sin interposed Eclipsed it and from the light of Gods countenance did the sweet heat warmnesse of holinesse uprightnesse in the affections proceed so that there was nothing but purity and cleannesse in the soul no darknesse of ignorance no muddinesse of carnall affections but the soul pure and transparent to receive the refreshing and enlightning rayes of Gods glorious countenance and this was the very face and beauty of the soul it is that only that is the beauty and excellency of the creature conformity to God this was throughout in understanding and affections the understanding conformed to his understanding discerning between good and evil and conformed it behoved to be for it was ouâ—… a ray of that Sun a stream of that fountain of wisdom and a light derived from that primitive light of Gods understanding and then the will did sympathize as much with his will approving and chusing what he approved refusing that which he hated I dem velle atque idem nolle ea demum firma est amicitia that was the conjunction and it is more strict than any â—…ye among men there was not two wills they were as it were one the love of God reflecting into the soul did as it were carry the soul back again unto him that was the conforming principle which fashioned the whole man without and within â—…o his likenesse to his obedience Thus man was â—…ormed for communion with God this likenesse behoved to be or they could no joyn as friends But now this calls us to a sad meditation to think â—…om whence we have fallen and so how great our fall â—…s to fall from such a blessed estate that must be great misery Sathan hath spoyled us of our rich treasure â—…hat glorious image of holinesse And hath drawn â—…pon our souls the very visage of hell the lineaments â—…f his hellish countenance but the most part of men 〈◊〉 stupid insensible of any thing as beasts that are felâ—…d with their fall that can neither find pain nor rise 〈◊〉 we could but return and consider what are all those â—…d and woefull consequences of sin in the world what 〈◊〉 strange distemper it hath put in the Creation What
contention and strife about the interpretation of it Many Books have nothing in them but specious Titles to commend them they do nothing lesse then what they promise they have a large and fair entry which leads only into a poor Cottage but the Scriptures hath no hyperbolick and superlative styles to allure men they hold out a plain and common gate and entry which will undoubtly lead to a pleasant Palace others prodesse volunt delectare but these certainly prodesse volunt possunt they both can profite you and will profit you I wish that souls would read the Scriptures as profitable Scriptures with intention to profit If you do not read with such a purpose you read not the Scriptures of God they become as another Book unto you But what are they profitable for For Doctrine and a Divine Doctrine A Doctrine of life and happinesse It s the great promise of the New Covenant You shal be all taught of God the Scriptures can make a man learned wise learned to salvation It is foolishnesse to the world but the world through wisdom know not God Alace what do they then know Is there any besides God And is there any knowledge besides the knowledge of God You have a poor petty wisdom among you to gather riches and manage your businesse others have a poor imaginary wisdom that they call learning and generally people think To pray to God is but a paper-skill a little Book-craft they think the knowledge of God is nothing else but to learn to read the Bible Alace mistake me not it is another thing to know God The Doctrine of Jesus Christ written on the heart is a deep profound learning and the poor simple rudest people may by the Spirits teaching become wiser than their Ancients than their Ministers O! it s an excellent point of learning to know how to be saved What is it I pray you to know the course of the Heavens To number the Orbs and the Stars in them To measure their Circumference to reckon their motions and yet not to know him that sits on the Circle of them and not to know how to inhabite and dwel there If you would seek unto God leek eyes opened to behold the mystery of the World ye would become wiser then your Pastors you would learn from the Spirit to pray better you would find the way to heaven better then they can teach you or walk in it Then it is profitable for reproof and correction It contains no Doctrine very pleasant to mens naturall humours it is indeed most pleasant but to a fight ordered taste You know the distemper of the eye or the perverting of the taste will mis-represent pleasant things sweet things to the senses make them appear ill favoured and bitter But I say to a discerning spirit there is nothing so sweet so comly I have seen an end of all perfection but none of thy Law Thy Word is sweeter to me than the hony or the hony comb If a soul be pre-possessed with the love of the world the lusts of the world it cannot favour and taste to them that vitious quality in the mind will make the pleasant Gospel unpleasant I piped unto you and you have not danced But however the Scriptures are then most profitable when they are least pleasant to our corruptions and therefore it is an absolute and intire Piece Et prodesse volunt delectare Omne tulit punctum qui miscuitutile dulvi There are sharp reproofs sad corrections of his holy Law which must make way for the pleasant and sweet Gospel This is a reproof of life a wounding before healing that who so refuse them despise their own soul but the car that heareth them abideth among the wise Prov. 15. 31. Woe unto that soul that correction or reproof or threatning is grievous unto He shal die ver 10. He is brutish Prov. 12. 1. There is a generation of men thaâ—… can endure to hear nothing but Gospel-promises that cry out against all reproving of sins and preaching of Gods wrath against unbelieving sinners as legall and medling with other mens matters especially if they reprove the sins of Rulers their publick State-enormities As if the whole Word of God were not profitable as if reproofs were not as wholsome as consolations as if threatnings did not contribute to make men flee from the wrath to come into a City of refuge Let such persons read their own Character out of wise Solomon Correction is grievous to them that forsake the way Reprove a wise man and he will love thee and he will be yet wiser Pro. 9. 9. If we were pleasers of men then were we not the servants of Jesus-Christ Let us strive to profit men but not to please them Peace peace which mens own hearts fancie would please them but it were better for them to be awakened out of that dream by reproof by correction and he that will do so shal find more favour of him afterward than he that flattereth him with his tongue Prov. 28. 23. Well then let this be established in your hearts as the foundation of all true Religion that the Scriptures are the Word of the eternal God and that they contain a perfect and exact Rule both of glorifying God of the way to enjoy him they can make you perfect to every good work I shal say no more on this but beseech you as ye love your own souls be acquainting your selves with them You will hear in these dayes of men pretending to more divine spiritual discoveries and revelations than the Scriptures contain But my brethren these can make you wise to salvation these can make you perfect to every good work Then what needs more All that is beside salvation and beyond perfection count iâ—… superfluous and vain if not worse if not diabolicall Let others be wise to their own destruction let them establish their own Imaginations for the Word of God and Rule of their Faith but hold you fast what you have received contend earnestly for it add nothing and deminish nothing Let this Lamp shine till the day dawn till the morning of the Resurrection and walk ye in the light of it and do not kindle any other sparkles else ye shal lye down in the grave in sorrow and rise in sorrow Take the Word of God as the only Rule the perfect Rule a Rule for all your Actions Civil Natural and Religious for all must be done to his glory and his Word teacheth how to attain to that End Let not your Imaginations let no others Example let not the Preaching of men let not the Conclusions and Acts of Assemblies be your Rule but in as far as you find them agreeing with the perfect Rule of Gods holy Word All other Rules are regulae regulatae they are but like publications and intimations of the Rule it self Ordinances of Assemblies are but like the Herauld-promulgation of
that Jesus Christ may be the only foundation of thy soul as God hath laid him in the Church for a sure foundation That who so believeth in him may not be ashamed What ever beside a soul be established on though it appear very solid and the soul be setled fixed upon it yet a day will come that will unsettle that soul and raze that foundation either it shal be now done in thy conscience or it must be done at length when that great tempest of Gods indignation shal blow from heaven against all unrighteousnesse of men in the day of accounts then shal thy house fall and the fall of it shal be great But a soul established upon the sure promises and upon Christ in whom they are Yea and Amen shal abide that storm and in that day have confidence before God have wherewith to answer in Jesus Christ all the challenges of divine justice and the accusations of conscience He that trusteth in him shal be as Mount Sion which cannot be moved You see all things else change and therefore mens hopes and joyes perish even here the tentations and revolutions of the times undermines their confidence and joy and the blasts of the Northern wind of affliction blows away their hopes Now as Christ is the Foundation so he is the Corner-stone of the building It is Christ who hath removed that Partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles even the Ceremonies of the one and the Atheism of the other He is our peace who hath made of two one The two sides of the House of God are united by this Corner-stone Jesus Christ. Thus we who were the Temples of Satan are made the Temples of God thus poor stranger-Gentiles who had no interest in the Covenant of Promises come to share with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and to be founded upon the Doctrine of the Prophets who taught the Jewish Church Christ is the bond of Christians this is the Head into which all the members should grow up into a Body Distance of Place difference of Nations distinction of Languages all these cannot separate the Members of Jesus Christ they are more one though consisting of diverse Nations Tongues and Customes and dispositions than the people of one Nation or Children of one Family for one Lord one Spirit unites all Alas that all are not united in affection judgement why do the sides of this House contend and wrestle one against another when here is such a Corner-stone joyning them together Are not there many Christians who cannot endure to look one upon another who are yet both placed in one building of the Temple of God Alace this is sad and shamefull But that which I would especially have observed in this is that Jesus Christ is such a foundation that reacheth throughout the whole building and immediatly toucheth every stone of the Building it 's such a Foundation as riseth from the bottom to the top and therefore Jesus Christ is both the Author and finisher of our Faith the beginning and the end the first stone the last 〈◊〉 of our building must rise upon him and by him the least degree of grace and the greatest perfection of it both are in him and therefore Christians should be most dependent creatures dependent in their first being and in after well-being in their being and growing wholly dependent upon Christ that out of his fulnesse they may receive grace and then more grace for grace that all may appear to be grace indeed Now I beseech you my beloved in the Lord to know whereupon ye are builded or ought to be builded There are two great errours in the time take heed of them one is the Doctrine of some and another is the practice of the most part Some do prefer their own fancies and night-dreams and the imaginations of their own heart to the Word of God and upon pretence of Revelation of new Light do cast a mist upon that Word of God which is a light that hath shined from the beginning Be not deceived but try the Spirits whether they be of God or not There are many pretend too much of the Spirit and therefore cry out against the Word as Letter as Flesh But my Brethren believe not every Doctrine that calls it self a Spirit that spirit is not of God that hears not Gods voice as Christ reasons against the Jews seek ye more of the Spirit of Christ which he promiseth who is a Spirit that teacheth all things and bringeth to remembrance these blessed sayings and leads us to all truth It shal be both safest and sweetest to you to meditate on the word of the Prophets and Apostles and the entrance into it shal give you light an old light which was from the beginning therefore a true light for all truth is eternall and yet a new light to your sense and feeling It 's both an old command and a new command an old word a new word if thou search by the Spirits inspiration that old word shal be made new that Letter made spirit and life Such are the words that Christ speaks But yet there are many who do not reject the Scriptures in judgement who notwithstanding do not build on them in practice Alas it may be said of the most part of professed Christians among us that they are not builded upon the foundation of the Prophets Apostles but upon the sayings of fallible and weak men What ground have many of you for your Faith but because the Minister saith so You believe so the most part live in an implicite faith and practice that in themselves which they condemne in the Papists You do not labour to search the Scriptures that upon that foundation you may build your faith in the questioned truths of this Age that so you may be able to answer to those that ask a reason of the Faith that is in you Alas simple souls you believe every thing and yet really believe nothing because you believe not the Word as the Word of the living God but take it from men upon their authority Therefore when a temptation cometh when any gainsayings of the truth you cannot stand against it because your Faith hath no foundation but the sayings of Men or Acts of Assemblies And therefore as men whom you trust with holding out light unto you hold out darknesse in stead of light you embrace that darknesse also But I beseech you be builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles not upon them but upon that whereon they were builded the infallible truths of God You have the Scriptures search them since you have reasonable souls search them other mens faith will not save you you cannot see to walk to heaven by other mens light more than you can see by their eyes You have eyes of your own souls of your own subordinate to none but the God of Spirits and Lord of Consciences Jesus Christ therefore examine all that is spoken to you from the Word
himself thus and sought out to himself such sad inventions Eccles. 7. 29. and having destroyed himself Hos. 13. 9. What think ye Should any pity him If he had fallen in such a pit of miserie ignorantly and unwillingly he had been an object of compassion but having cast himself headlong into it who should have pity on him Or who should go aside to ask how he doth or bemoan him Ier. 15. 5. But behold the Lord pities man as a Father doth his Children Psal. 103. His compassions fail not He comes by such a loathsome and contemptible object and casts his skirts over it and saith Live Ezek. 16. And maketh it a time of love I say no flesh could have expected any more of God than to make man happy and holy to promise him life in well-doing But to repair that happinesse after it's wilfully lost and to give life to evil doers sinners O how far was it from Adams expectation when he fled from God Here then is the wonder that when men Angels were in expectation of the revelation of his wrath from heaveÌ„ against their wickednesse the execution of the curse man was concluded under that even then God is pursuing man pursues him with love and opens up to him his very heart and bowels of love in Jesus Christ Behold then the second revelation manifestation of God in a way of grace pure grace of mercy pity toward lost sinners The kindnesse of God hath appeared not by Works but according to his abundant mercy shewed in Christ Iesus Tit. 3. 4. 5. So then we have this purpose of Gods love unfolded to us in the Scriptures and this is the substance of them both Old and New Testament or the end of them Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law to all sinners concluded under sin and a curse by it our Lord Jesus the good Ebedmelech comes and casts down a cord to us draws us up out of the pit of sin and misery he comes to this prison and opens the doors to let captives free so then we have holden out to us a Redeemer as a repairer of our breaches God in Christ reconciling the world O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy Help found Hos. 13. 9. He finds to himself a ransome to satisfie his justice Job 33. 24. He finds a propitiation to take away sin a sacrifice to pacifie and appease his wrath he finds one of our Brethren but his own Son in whom he is well pleased And then holds out all this to sinners that they may be satisfied in their own consciences as he is in his own mind God hath satisfied himself in Christ you have not that to do he is not now to be reconciled to us for he was never really at odds though he covered his countenance with frowns threats since the Fal hath appeared in fire and hunders and whirlwind which are terrible yet his heart had alwayes love in it to such persons and therefore he is come near in Christ about reconciling us to himself Here is the business then to have our souls reconciled to him to take away the enmity within us and as he is satisfied with his Son so to satisfie our selves with him be as wel pleased in his Redemption and purchase as 〈◊〉 â—…er is and then you believe indeed in him Now if this were accomplished what have wee more to do but to love him and to live to him when you have found in the Scripture and believed with the heart what Man once was and what he now is what God once appeared and what hee now manifests himself in the Gospel ye have no more to do but to search in the same Scriptures what ye henceforth ought to be Ye who find your estate recovered in Christ ask what manner of persons we ought to be And the Scripture shal also give you that form of sound words which may not only teach you to believe in him but to love him and obey his coÌ„mands The Law that before condemned you is now by Christ put in your hands to guide you and conduct you in the way teacheth you to live henceforth to his glory The grace of God that hath appeared to all men Tit. 2. 12. teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldlie lusts we should live godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Here is the summe of the rule of your practise and conversation piety towards God equity towards men and sobriety towards our selves self-denyal and world-denyall and lust-denyal to give up with the world and our own lusts henceforth to have no more to do with them to resign them not for a time not in part but wholly and for ever in affection and by parts in practice and endeavour and then to resign and give up our selves to him to live to him and live in him Thus we have given you a summe of the Doctrine of the Scriptures of that which is to be believed and that which is to be done as our duty Now we shall speak a word of these two Cardinall Graces which are the compend of all Graces as the objects of them are the Abridgement of the Scriptures Faith Love these sound words can profite us nothing unlesse wee hold them fast with Faith and Love Faith is like the Fountain-grace streams come out of it that cleanseth the Conscience from the guilt of sin and purifieth the heart from the filth of sin because it is that which cometh to the Fountain opened up in the house of David draweth water out of these Wells of Salvation If you consider the fall and ruine of Mankind you will find infidelity unbelief the fountain of it as wel as the seal of it Unbelief of the Law of God of his promises and threatning This was first called in Question and when once called in Question it is half denied Hath God said so that you shal die It s not far off you shall not surely die Here then was the very beginning of mans ruine he did not retain in his knowledge and believe with his heart the truth and faithfulnesse and holinesse of God which unbelief was conjoyned intermingled with much pride you shal be as Gods he began to live out of God in himself not remembring that his life was a stream of that Divine Fountain that being cut off from it would dry up Now therefore our Lord Jesus Christ an expert Saviour and very learned and compleat for this work he brings man up out of this pit of misery by that same way he fell into it he fell down by unbelief and he brings him up out of it by faith This is the cord that is cast down to the poor Soul in the Dungeon or rather his Faith is the dead grip of the cord of Divine Promises which are sent unto the captive prisoners and by vertue thereof he is drawn out into the light
as the misapprehension of the thing it self for as long as they mistake it in its own nature no sign no mark can satisfie in it You take Faith to be a perswasion of Gods love that calms and quiets the mind Now such a perswasion needs no sign to know it by it is manifest by its own presence as light by its own brightnesse It were a foolish question to ask any How they knew that they were perswaded of anothers affection The very perswasion it self maketh it self more certain to the soul then any token So then while you question whether you have Faith or not and in the mean time take Faith to be nothing else but such a perswasion it is in vain to bring any marks or signs to convince you that you have Faith for if such a perswasion assurance were in you it would be more powerfull to assure your hearts of it self than any thing else and while you are doubting of it it is more manifest that you have it not than any signs or marks can be able to make it appear that you have it If any would labour to convince a blind man that he saw the light and give him signs tokēs of the lights shining the blind man could not believe him for it is more certain to himself that he sees not than any evidence can make the contrary probable You are still wishing and seeking such a Faith as puts all out of question Now when Ministers bring any marks to prove you have true Faith it cannot satisfie or settle you because your very questioning proves that ye have not that which ye question if you had such a perswasion you would not question it So then as long as you are in that mistake concerning the nature of Faith all the signs of the word cannot settle you But I say if once you understood the true nature of Faith it would be more clear in it self unto you than readily marks and signs could make it especially in the time of temptation If you would know then what it is indeed Consider what the Word of God holds out concerning himself or us the solid belief of that in the heart hath something in the nature of saving Faith in it The Lord gives a testimony concerning Man That he is born in sin that he is dead in sin and all his imaginations are only evil continually Now I say to receive this truth into the soul upon Gods Testimony in a point of Faith the Lord in his Word concludes all under sin and wrath ◅o then for a soul to conclude it self also under sin and wrath is a point of Faith Faith is the souls testimony to Gods truth the Word is Gods Testimony Now then if a soul receive this testimony within whether it be Law or Gospel it 's an act of Faith if a soul condemn it self judge it self that is a setting to our seal that God is true who speaks in his Law so it s a believing in God I say more To believe with the heart that we cannot believe is a great point of found belief because it 's a sealing of that Word of God The heart is desperatly wicked and of our selves we can do nothing Now I am perswaded if such souls knew this they would put an end to their many contentions and wranglings about this point and would rather blesse God that hath opened their eyes to see themselves then contend with him for that they have no Faith It is light only that discovers darknesse and Faith only that descerns unbelief Its life and health only that feels pain sicknesse for if all were alike nothing could be found as in dead bodies Now I say to such souls as believe in God the Law-giver believe also in Christ the Redeemer and what is that It is not to know that I have Interest in him No that must come after it is the Spirits sealing after believing which puts it self out of question when it comes and so if you had it you needed not many signs to know it by at least you would not doubt of it more than he that sees the light can question it But I say to believe in Christ is simply this I whatsoever I be ungodly wretched polluted desperate am willing to have Jesus Christ for my Saviour I have no other help or hope if it be not in him it is I say to lean the weight of thy soul on this foundation stone laid in Zion to embrace the promises of the Gospel albeit generall as worthy of all acceptation wait upon the performance of them It is no other thing but to make Christ welcome to say even so Lord Jesus I am content in my soul that thou be my Saviour to be found in thee not having my own righteousnesse I am well pleased to cast away my own as dung find my self on other not an ungodly man Now it is certain that ◅any souls that are still questioning whether they have Faith yet do find this in their souls but because they know not that it is Faith which they find they go about to seek that which is not Faith and where it is not to be found and so disquiet themselves in vain and hinder fruitfulnesse Now the Faith of a Christian is no fancy it 's no light vain imagination of the brain but it dwells in the heart with the heart man believes and it dwels with love Faith and love we need not be curious to distinguish them it is certain that love is in it from it it s in the very bosome of it because faith is a soul embracing of Christ it 's a choosing of him for its portion and then upon the review of this goodly portion and from consideration what he is and hath done for us the soul loves him still more is impatient of so much distance from him We find them conjoyned in Scripture but they are one in the heart O that we studied to have these joyntly engraven on the heart as they are joyned in the word so our heart should be a living Epistle Faith and Love are two words but one thing under different notions they are the out-goings of the soul to Christ for life the breathings of the soul after him for more of him when it hath once tasted how good he is Faith is not a speculation or a wandring thought of Truth it 's the truth not captivated into the mind but dwelling in the heart getting possession of the whole man you know a man and his will are one not so a man and his mind for he may conceive the truth of many things he loves not but what ever a man loves that and he in a manner becomes one with another Love is unitive it 's the most excellent union of distant things The will commands the whole man and hath the office of applying of all the faculties of their proper works Illa imperat aliae exsequuntur
own ignorance of him then I would desire no other knowledge and growing in the grace of God but to grow more and more in the believing ignorance of such a Mystery in the knowledge of an unknown unconceiveable unsearchable God that in all the degrees of knowledge we might still conceive wee had found lesse that there is more to be found then before we apprehended This is the most perfect knowledge of God that doth not drive away darknesse but increase it in the souls apprehension any encrease in it doth not declare what God is or satisfie ones admiration in it but rather shews him to be more invisible insearchable so that the darknesse of a soul's ignorance is more manifested by this light and not more covered ones own knowledge is rather darkned disappears in the glorious appearance of this light for in all new discoveries there is no other thing appears but that this which the soul is seeking is supereminently unknown and still further from knowledge than ever it conceived it to be Therefore what ever you conceive or see of God if ye think ye know what ye conceive see it s not God ye see but something of Gods lesse than God for it 's ◅aid Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to consider what he hath laid up for them that love him Now certainly that 's himself he hath laid up for them therefore whatever thou conceive of him thinks now thou knows him this is not He for he hath not entered into mans heart to conceive him Therefore this must be thy souls exercise progress in it to remove all things all conceptions from him as not beseeming his Majesty and to go still foreward in such a dark negative discovery till thou know not where to seek him nor find him next Si quis Deū videat intelligat quod vidit Deum non vidit If any see God understand what they see God they do not see for God hath no man seen 1 Joh. 4. 12. And no man knows the Father but the Son And none knows the Son but the Father it 's his own property to know himself as to be himself silent seeing ignorance is our safest and highest knowledge Exod. 3. 14. I AM THAT I AM. Psal. 19. 2. Before the mountains c. from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Job 11. 7 8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God c. THis is the chief point of saving knowledge to know God And this is the first point or degree of the true knowledge of God to discern how ignorant we are of him and find him beyond all knowledge The Lord gives a difinition of himself but such a one as is no more clear than himself to our capacities A short one indeed and you may think it saith not much I am What is it that may not say so I am that I am the least and most inconsiderable creature hath its own being mens wisdom would have learned him to call himself by some high styles titles as the manner and custome of Kings and Princes is such as the flattery of men attributes unto them you would think the superlatives of wise good strong excellent glorious and such like were more beseeming his Majesty and yet there it more Majesty in the simple stile than in all others but a naturall man cannot behold it for it is spiritually discerned Let the pot sheards of the earth saith he strive with the pot-sheards of the earth Isa. 45. 9. But let them not strive with their Maker So I say let creatures compare with creatures let them take superlative styles in regard of others let some of them be called good and some better in the comparison among themselves but God must not enter in the comparison Paul thinks it an odious comparison to compare present crosses to eternal glory I think them not worthy to be compared saith Paul Rom. 8. But how much more odious is it to compare God with creatures Call him Highest call him most Powerfull call him most Excellent Almighty most Glorious in respect of creatures you do but abase his Majesty to bring it down to any terms of comparison with them which is beyond all the bounds of understanding all these do but express him to be in some degree eminently seated above the creatures as some creatures are above all others so ye do no more but make him the Head of all as some creaturs is the head of one line or kind under it but what is that to his Majesty he speaks otherwise of himself Isa. 40. 17. All nations are before him as nothing and they are accounted to him less then nothing Then certainly you have not taken up the true notion of God when you have conceived him the most eminent of all beings as long as any being appears as a being in his sight before whom all beings conjoyned are as nothing while you conceive God to be the best you still attribute something to the creature for all comparatives include the positive in both extreams So then you take up only some different degrees between them who differeth so infinitly so incomprehensibly the distance betwixt heaven earth is but a poor similitude to expresse the distance between God and Creatures what is the distance betwixt a being and nothing Can you measure it Can you imagine it Suppose you take the most high and the most low measure the distance betwixt them you do but consider the difference betwixt two beings but you do not expresse how far nothing is distant from any of them Now if any thing could be imagined less than nothing could you at all guess at the vast distance between it and a being Now so is it here thus saith the Lord All Nations their glory perfection and number all of them and all their excellencies united do not amount to the value of an unity in regard of my Majesty all of them like Ciphers joyn never so many of them together they can never make up a number they are nothing in this regard lesse than nothing So then we ought thus to conceive of God and thus to attribute a being and life to him and as his sight and in the consideration of it all created beings might evanish out of our sight as the glorious light of the Sun though it no not annihilate the Stars and make them nothing yet it annihilates their appearance to our senses and makes them disappear as if they were not although there be a great difference inequality of the Stars in the night some lighter some darker some of the first magnitude and some of the second and third c. some of greater glory and some of lesse But in the day time all are alike all are darkned by the Suns glory Even so it is here though we may compare one creature with another and find different
foreseen did move him to such love and hatred It is all alike of works of men whether these works be present or to come Therefore I would advise every one of you what ever ye conceive of his Judgement or Mercy if he have shewed mercy to you O then rest not in thy self but arise and ascend till thou come to the height of his eternal free purpose and if thou conceive thy sin misery and judgement thou may go up also to his holy counsels for the glory of his Name silence thy self with them but it shal be most expedient for thee in the thought of thy miseries to return alwaies within and to search the corruption of thy nature which may alone make thee hatefull enough to God â—…f thou search thy own conscience it will stop thy mouth make thee guilty before God Let not the â—…hought of his eternal counsels diminish the conviâ—…tion of thy guilt or the hatred of thy self for sin and â—…orruption but dwel more constantly upon this because thou art called and commanded so to do Onâ—… thing remaines fixed though he hath fore-ordaâ—… men to death yet none shal be damned till his coâ—… science be â—…orced to say that he is worthy of it a thousand times There is another whispering and suggestion of the wicked hearts of men against the Predestination of God which insinuates that God is an accepter of Persons so accuses him of partiall and unrighteous dealing because he deals not equally with all men do ye not say this within your selves â—…f he find all guilty Why does he not punish all Why does he spare some And if he look upon all men in his first and Primitive thought of them as neither doing good nor evil Why does he not have mercy on all But is thy eye evill because he is good May he not do with his own as he pleases Because he is mercifull to some souls shal men be displeased do well to be angry Or because he of his own free grace extends it shall he be bound by a Rule to do so with all Is not he both just and merciful and is it not meet that both be shewed forth If he punish thee thou canst not complain for thou deserves it If he shew mercy why should any quarrel for it is free undeserved grace by saving some he shewes his grace by destroying others he shews what all deserve God is so far from being an accepter of persons according to their qualifications conditions that he finds nothing in any creature to cast the ballance of his choice if he did choose men for their works sake or outward priviledges 〈◊〉 others for the want of theâ—…e then it might be charged on him but he rather goes over all these nay he finds none of these in his first view of men he beholds them all alike and nothing to determine his mind to one more nor another so that his choice proceedeth wholly from within his own breast I will have mercy on whom I will But then thirdly our hearts object against the righteousnesse of God that this fatall chain of Predestination overturns all exhortations perswasions to godlinesse all care diligence in well-doing For thus do many profane souls conceive If he be in one mind and who can turn him Then What need I pray since he hath already determined what shal be and what shal become of me his purpose will take effect whether I pray or pray not my prayer will not make him change his mind and if it be in his mind he will do it If he have appointed to save saved we shal be live as we list if he hath appointed us to death die we must live as we can Therefore men in this desperate estate throw themselves head-long into all manner of iniquity and that with quietnesse peace Thus do many souls perish upon the stumbling stone laid in Sion and wrest the Truths and Counsels of God to their own destruction even quite contrary to their true intent meaning Paul Eph. 1. 4. speaks another language He hath chosen us in him that we should be holy and without blame His eternall Counsell of life is so far from loosing the reins to mens lusts that it is the only certain foundation of holinesse It is the very spring and fountain from whence our sanctification flowes by an infallible course This chain of God counsels concerning us hath also linked together the end and the means glory grace happinesse and holinesse that there is no destroying of them Without holiness it is impossible to see God so that those who expect the one without any desire of endeavour after the other they are upon a vain attempt to loose the links of this eternal chain Rom. 8. It is the only eternall choosing love of God which separated so many souls from the common misery of men it is that only which in time doth appear rise as it were from under ground in the streams of fruits of sanctification and if the ordinance of life stand so shal the ordinance of fruits Ioh. 15. 16. Eph. 2. 9. If he have appointed thee to life it is certain he has also ordained theâ—… to fruits and chosen thee to be holy so that what ever soul casts by the study of this there is too grosse a brand of peâ—…dition upon its fore-head it is true all is already determined with him he is incapable of any change or shadow of â—…urning nothing then wants but he is in one mind about it and thy prayer cannot turn him Yet a godly soul will pray with more confidence because it knows that as he hath determined upon all its wants and receipts so he hath appointed this to be the very way of obtaining what it wants this is the way of familiarity and grace he takes with his own to make them call and he performes his purpose in answer to their cry But suppose there were nothing to be expected by prayer yet I say that is not the thing thou shouldest look to but what is required of thee by thy duty to do that simply out of regard to his 〈◊〉 though thou should never profit by it this is true obedience to serve him for his own pleasure though we had no expectation of advantage by it certainly he doth not require thy supplications for this end to move him and incline his affections toward thee but rather as a testimony of thy homage subjection to him therefore though they cannot make him of another mind than he is or hasten performance before his purposed time so that in reality they have no influence upon him yet in praying praying diligently thou declares thy obligation to him and respect to his Majesty which is all thou hast to look to and to commit the event solely to his good pleasure The 2. Objection Paul mentions tends to justifie men Why then doth ye yet find fault who hath resisted