The Gospel treasury opened, or, The holiest of all unvailing discovering yet more the riches of grace and glory to the vessels of mercy unto whom onely it is given to know the mysteries of that kingdom and the excellency of spirit, power, truth above letter, forms, shadows / in several sermons preached at Kensington & elswhere by John Everard ; whereunto is added the mystical divinity of Dionysius the Areopagite spoken of Acts 17:34 with collections out of other divine authors translated by Dr. Everard, never before printed in English.

THE RENDING OF THE VAIL, OR Some Rayes of Glory from The HOLY of HOLIES.

MARK 9. 50.

Have Salt in your selves.

In one Sermon, Preached at Islington, at the Publique Meeting-Place.

MY beloved, now you are here ga∣thered together in this place, I be∣seech you hearken diligently to what shall be now ••poken.

I will use no other Preface, then a word or two from that saying of our Saviour in the Pa••allel place to this, Luk. 14.* 1.1 35. from which he makes this conclusion, He that hath ears to hear let him hear: Let him now hear the word of him by whom he shall be judged at

that great day: Let him now hearken to that word which shall certainly one day, either sooner or later, rise up in judgement against him: Let him hearken to the word of him who spake as never man spake;* 1.2 for his words are like the wine he made at Cana; no wine like that wine, nor no words like his words: fot the best words that ever man spake, had somewhat of Self and Carnal ends in them, but in his words there is no tincture, no concourse or tast at all of the Creature, no Allayes of humane weakness, but they are all words of grace and peace,* 1.3 the words of spirit and life; insomuch that all that heard him, wondered at the gracious words that proceeded frrom his lips; who in all his words never sought himself, nor his own glory (as men do) but the glory of him that sent him.

Nay hearken, I pray you, to his word that could have spoken far beyond all that ever he hath spo∣ken had he but had Auditors fit to have heard and understood him: I beseech you therefore silence yourselves a while, I mean your own Wit and Rea∣•••••• and your own blind understandings;* 1.4 And let there be silence in Heaven for half an hour, that you m••y learn to know what it is to have salt in your selve••, that you may have salt in you, that you be not spewed out of Gods mouth as unsavoury,* 1.5 and loathsome to his stomach: It were far better you had never heard, then that these words should prove unprofitable to you.

But as you are here in this your so great zeal to hear, and in such thronging and ••locking toge∣ther this day, to whom should we address, that

our zeal and meeting may not be in vain? for as the woman of Samaria said to our Saviour, Iohn 4. 11.* 1.6 so may we say, The Well is deep, and we have no∣thing to draw with; mans reason and understanding cannot reach Truth; ad quem ibimus? then, whe∣ther shall we go? saith Peter, Iohn 6. 60.* 1.7 and he an∣swers it there himself, truly O Lord, Tu habes verba vitae aeternae, Thou hast the words of eternal life; Therefore let us pray with the Disciples, Mat. 13. 36.* 1.8 O Lord, declare thou to us this Para∣ble. And I humbly pray and beseech that God who opened the mouth of Balaams dumb Ass,* 1.9 that he would be pleased to open my lips,* 1.10 and then my mouth shall shew forth his praise, for the instruction of those that are his servants here: And I pray God you may rouse up your attention, maugre fulness, drowsiness, wandring thoughts, cu∣stom in sleeping, and the like.

The things that I intend (through Gods assist∣ance) to open to you, and answer, are these three Questions: O Lord, In lumine tuo lumen, Psal. 36. 9. In thy light we shall see light. And by no other light. Then, Let us see

• 1. What salt is?
• 2. What it is to have salt?
• 3. What it is to have it in our selves?

1. What salt is?* 1.11 Christ saith in the Verse be∣fore my Text, That every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifi••e shall be salted with salt. We must first find what fire is, and then we shall know what salt is. This fire is Christ, and that very pro∣perly, as you may see he is so called, Isa. 10. 17.

The light of Israel shall be for a fire,* 1.12 and his holy one for a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns in one day,

And he is FIRE in three regards:

In regard of

• Burning.
• Heat.
• Light.

First, The nature of Fire is to burn: Fire cannot burn it self; take notice of that, fire cannot burn fire, but all things else it will burn and consume: So doth Christ▪ he is that fire that burns up all our works, and whatsoever is not himself, and his own work INUS, he consumes and annihila••es. The Light of Israel shal be for a fire, and his holy one for a flame, it shall burn and devour his thorns and his br••ers in one day. Know this, the more sin, the more fire, the greater burning, Mal. 3. 2.* 1.13 Who may abide the day of his coming, & who shall stand when he ap∣peareth? for he is like refiners fire, and like fullers sope? Christ is this fire; and let me tell you this burning and consuming is for your good; it is that out of the old ashes of the old man you may have a new life,* 1.14 a new resurrection. Examine thy self, hath this fire cut off thy hands and feet, and pulled out thy right eye? hath it. consumed thy young men? 〈◊〉〈◊〉, hath it burnt up thy OLD heaven and thy OLD earth? that so ye may, enjoy a new heaven and a new earth? 2 Pet. 3. 7.* 1.15 Nay further, let me aske thee, hath it thrown all thy gods in the fire? hath it burnt up all thy idols? yet I tell ye, this

burning is not unto death, but unto life, as Christ said of Lazarus, This sickness is not unto death; but be sure that as the Lord Jesus Christ burneth up,* 1.16 and woundeth, so he healeth and maketh alive again: I would and I heal.

Secondly, the work of fire is to heat; so Christ after he hath destroyed and burnt up all our acti∣ons, then he breathes into us a gentle warmth and heat of his own Spirit to cherish and revive us again, that so we may no longer live our own lives, but the life of Christ.

Thirdly, The nature of fire is to give light: when That day dawns to us that Christ comes into the soul, we shall find, He brings light with him, and this is called Christs day.* 1.17 Our first day is our own day, that is, a day of darkness, a day of gloomi∣ness, and thick clouds; but the day of the Lord is a terrible day▪ our flesh trembleth for fear of thee, for who shall abide the day of thy coming, and who shall stand when thou appearest? for thou art like re∣finers fire and like fullers sope. When Christ comes into the soul, he comes not onely with light to discover, but like fire to burn up all that building that we have made to our selves, and that we have raised by our own power, and breathes warmly and gently, by his Spirit, his own life, un∣til by degrees he brings a glorious light into the soul;* 1.18 He then turns us from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God.

And all this is done by one and the same act in God, although those acts be divers and distinct in the creature; that is, the same act in God, which

comes to the obstinate and perverse, and hardens them; which comes to the humble and meek and softens them; the same act in him, Hardens, and Softens, as the Sun doth wax and clay.

That same God which was darkness at the bot∣tom of Mount Sinai, was light in the top of the Mount:* 1.19 He is the same God in himself to all, but he works diversly in regard of the creatures; He is the same God in a frozen and hard heart, as he is in a repenting and bleeding soul; but to the one he appears not, but in wrath and vengeance, ready to take revenge on them for their sins; but to the other he appears in mercy and love, and marries himself to them,* 1.20 he communicates to them his sweet loves, and their wills are swallowed up in his; and these onely are they that can say in truth, Not my will, but thine be done; but the other, they cannot forsake themselves,* 1.21 their own will, their own ends: but this is but by the way.

And this you see in brief, what the fire is; Our God is a consuming fire. But now what is the salt?* 1.22 I know it is divers wayes taken and expounded: Some take it to be wisdom and discretion in speech; and for proof they cite that place of the Apostle, Let your speech be alwayes gracious, seaso∣ned with salt; for so Solomon saith, A wise man may hold up his head before Princes; and they give this reason,* 1.23 As salt keeps things from stinking, so doth wisdom so salt and season a mans words,* 1.24 that his words may not be unsavoury to wise men,* 1.25 so that he is not laught to scorn. Others take it for holi∣ness and sincerity in life and conversation; as our

Saviour saith, Ye are the salt of the earth, Mat. 5. 13. that is (say they) when by their living well, speaking the Truth in their words, and expressing holiness in all thir actions, this seasons their lives, & maketh them savoury before God and men: So also they interpret that of our Saviour, Mat. 5. 13.* 1.26 Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his sav••••r, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thence∣forth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under the feet of men; when men live not as they profess they are unsavoury, and men tread such mens profession under their feet; and therefo••e say they, He admonisheth them to strive for integrity of life, and so••ndness in doctrine, and constancy in suffering; for these things honour their profession, and seasons them with salt, and makes them sa∣voury to God and to men.

But to be short, and without any more circum∣stances (that we may come to the matter inten∣ded) The fire and the salt are both one, and that is Christ himself as I have told you; He is the fire: so, He is the salt; as the Apostle saith, Heb. 2. 11. Both he that sanctifyeth,* 1.27 and they who are sanctifi∣ed are all one: So Jesus Christ he is the fire that salteth, and the salt wherewith it salteth, as is ex∣prest in the verse before the Text.

Indeed I confess, the Apostles also were called Salt, Mat. 5. 13.* 1.28 Ye are the Salt of the earth (saith Christ himself) not that they were the Salt them∣selves, or the salt indeed, but they were those which uttered the salt; they taught salt, (as I may say) and where rath••r (as we may call them) Sal∣ters;

those which sold and uttered the true salt, (which is CHRIST) to the world: But I say of them, as the Apostle Paul saith, 1 Cor. 3. 4, 5.* 1.29 While one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollo: who is Paul, or who is Apollo, but Mi∣nisters by whom you believed? neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, but God, &c. and in another place (saith he) Was Paul cru∣cified for you?* 1.30 or were you baptized in the name of Paul? So say I, were the Apostles crucified for you? are they those that suffered for you, and redeemed you? are they those that are the Salt, Life, Strength and Support to you? no, no, for themselves had need of salting; therefore they were not The Salt, but they were the Instru∣ments or Ministers which Christ used to convey to us the true Salt, and in no other regard were they called The salt of the earth.

And again, Christ saith (in the same sense) Mat. 5. 14. Ye are the light of the world; and again S. Iohn saith,* 1.31 and more properly, Iohn 1. 9.* 1.32 He is the true light, which lightneth every man which cometh into the world; and himself saith, Iohn 8. 12. I am the light of the world. He it was also that was typisied in all the Oblations under the Law,* 1.33 and throughout the old Testament; He was the True Paschal Lamb, He was the true Sacrifice, he was that Fire that must alwaies burn upon the Al∣tar, Levit. 6. 13.* 1.34 He also was that salt comman∣ded, for the salt was never wanting; and in the verse before my Text, Christ himself cites that place, Every sacrifice (saith he) shall be salted

with salt, he was that salt which must never be wanting; he seasons every Oblation, Lev. 2. 13.* 1.35 he is the Salt of the everlasting covenant unto thee and thy seed for ever:* 1.36 he was that Salt that Eli∣sha threw into the waters,* 1.37 and healed them; and those many waters are many people, as it is exp••es∣sed in the Revelation; in sum, he is the Substance, the MIND of the whole Scriptures.

As he is the fire, by reason of burning, ••nd be∣cause of heat and light; so he is the salt that swee∣tens and savours ev••••y thing. As he is the light that enlightneth, so he is the salt that sal••e••h ••ve∣ry man: He it was th•••• was wanting in that people which God upbraideth, Ezek. 16.* 1.38 That were cast forth to the world in their blood and fil••hiness, and their navel was not cut, and they were not salted at all; that is, they had not Christ that true salt applyed to them, that sho••ld have made then savoury to God; That which is unsavoury, shall it be eaten without salt? Iob 16. 4.* 1.39

It is this salt that must season the venison that must be savoury meat for old Isaac;* 1.40 it is not your salt, no, nor your VENISON, not the daintiest meat you can provide, not the best duties you can perform, will please him, except they be sal∣ted and seasoned by his own Son; let them be the best actions that ever man performed, never so well purposed, never so good and excelling, (both for the matter and manner of them) away with them, without This Salt; it is onely in his son that he is well pleased:* 1.41 Never think that all your prayers, your tears, your alms, &c. please him, but onely

that which is his Sons own action and work in you; else they stink and are abominable in his eyes; he will not, he cannot regard them: The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to him. The Devil made as true, and as large a Confession of Christ, as any man can do; look upon the words, and not up∣on him that spake them, and you would think they were the words of a Saint; O thou Iesus of Nazareth, Son of the most high God, I know thee who thou art,* 1.42 even the holy one of God: (indeed it was extorted, and came from them against their wills) but Christ accepted it not, because this glo∣rious confession was without salt; it was not from a sweet feeling experience of him in them, but from some self-ends. Therefore I have observed, that the Devil (where he is worshipped) to imi∣tate God, hath brought in, in all his Sacrifices, the use of salt: nay, so eminently true is this, that as the Devils cry out and attest unto him, though against their wills: so by their practice we may note, that under salt, was hidden that great my∣stery and secret of all Religion, by their great care to use salt, thereby to imitate the worship of God, as Iosephus noteth against Appion, and Ierome against Vigilantius, Pliny, Plato, and others.

Christ spake altogether in Parables;* 1.43 for sayes the Text, without a parable spake he nothing unto them; yet know, he alwayes spake in such para∣bles, as were not absurd ones, but they had a most fit correspondency and resemblance to the things themselves, and those speeches of his which to us seem not congruous, had we but eyes to see (even

every one of them) they would be like apples of gold, with pictures of silver;* 1.44 so aptly and fitly are they spoken, as no man can speak like him; As there is not a word nor a syllable in all this blessed book of God, but is really true; so all the words therein they are spoken with infinite wisdome; there are Wonders in all Christs words, but our eyes are shut that we cannot see the wonders of Gods Law; and as Christ spake much in Parables, so doth God much in Allego••ies;* 1.45 the truth is hid under shadows, and Mysteries in the Letter.

But the reasons (as I con••eive) why Christ is compared to salt, are these:

First, There is a healing power in salt:* 1.46 Little do you know the vertue that is in salt to cure all man∣ner of diseases; for Antidotes against poysons, to heal all manner of wounds, as some have written thereof at large: I do not say, salt rudely taken, as it is in our common use, but salt duly prepared and made ••it to every use, nothing more useful, nothing more excellent.

In this regard (salt having such an healing ver∣tue for all wounds, poisons, diseases) Christ is more truly salt to the soul, then salt is to the bo∣dy; he is precious salt, and duly prepared and ••itted for all our diseases; no infirmity, or malignant disease in us, though never so desperate, but This Salt will cure it: If you have gotten such a wound, that you are as a man fallen from an high place upon a heap of stones, so that you are bruised all over; if you be covered with the leprosie of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from the crown of the head, to the sole of the

feet, so that no part, no member, no faculty is free, His everlasting mercy, and His never failing good∣ness, and his Almighty power, is a never failing Medicine, that can fit and compound such ingre∣dients, that shal answer the disease of every part: If there be an utter enmity between God and you, in your apprehension, so that you have no hope of ever coming into his favour, and nothing you can do can prevail with him; set but Christ be∣tween God and you, and he will heal this enmity. When he was here upon earth in the flesh, no disease could withstand him in the body; so I am sure none can in the soul:* 1.47 But if you have not Him, there is no way but you must dye in your sins, and your destruction is of your selves because you believe not, and lay not hold on him who would save you from destruction.

Alas do not you once think, In your own names, or in your own strengths to turn your selves to God: No alas, this is the way to destroy your selves; for do you what you can, fast and pray, and weep and lament, and confess your sins, &c. these do but destroy you the more, if he be not the bottom you stand upon, if he be not your rock you build upon: But coming in his name, and confessing from your souls your own vileness, seeing really your own nothingness, and utterly disclaiming whatever flesh and blood can do; Then, thou shalt find God gracious to thee, not onely in accepting what thou dost on this ground, but also healing thy nature,* 1.48 and subduing thy lusts, then shalt thou find this good Samaritan pouring in oyl to heal

thee, and to bind up thy wounds; and then thy mea∣nest duties in him, are better accepted then the most glorious and splendent to men; for then the c••se is altered with thee, Because now Thou bot∣tomest upon him.

Se••ondly,* 1.49 he is compared unto salt, because as sal•• preserves things from putrefaction and corrup∣tion, so doth he preserve our souls; for they would stink before God,* 1.50 if his merits were not applied to them; as David saith, My wounds stink and are corrupt: We are in our selves, without him, As unclean,* 1.51 as a swine that walloweth in the mire, and as dogs that return to their vomit; but of this we h••ve spoken sufficiently already, and therefore we p••ss it by, and come to the third Reason.

Thirdly,* 1.52 salt hath a power and vertue in it to preserve it self; if it be able to preserve other things, much more it self. Salt is the most dura∣ble of all things; therefore saith Abi••ah, 2 Chro. 1••. 5.* 1.53 Ought you not to know, that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him & to his sons by a Covenant of Salt? Why?* 1.54 Because it was most durable: therefore sayes th•• Lord, I will make with you an everlasting Covenan•• of salt, A perpetual covenant is there cal∣led A covenant of Salt; because salt is durable it self, and makes every thing else durable, therefore the Lord compares his Covenant to salt, because it is and shall be immutable, unchangeable; And it is his praise, and his goodness, that in himself he is not mutable; and it much commends his mercy to us, that he changes not, why? Because Therefore

ye sons of Iacob are not consumed. Mal. 3. 6.* 1.55 and Iames 1. 17. In him is no variableness, nor shadow of change or turning. He onely is Unchangeable; but look on all the creatures, and ye may see them [changeable] If we grant they do not change (as you think) yet they are in a possibility of changing.

But if we think Him [changeable] this is our ignorance, our childishness; When we think, by our prayers, or fastings, and reformings, that we can turn God, or change his mind; that one while he is angry, and another while he is pleased: Be∣loved, this be far from our God, He cannot change: You think weakly and childishly of him, that when you feel or fear a judgement, or desire any bles∣sing, that you can meet him and stay his hand, or you can prevail to turn his mind, or constrain him; no, no, far be such thoughts from us: The change is not in your God, but you may and are changed; The change is in your selves, and in your selves only: As when men are at Sea and cast anchor on a rock they draw and pull as though they would pull the rock to them, but they pull themselves to the rock,

We think when we repent he is pleased, and when we are obstinate he is angry, as if ••e were so changeable▪ that he is angry to day, and pleased to morrow: There can be no such thing in God; And by such thoughts, we make God no God; we make the ever blessed and unchangeable God an I∣dol: Indeed, the creature is changed, and the act of God upon the creature, may and doth change; as the Psalmist saith, They all shall wax old as doth a garment;* 1.56 as a vesture shalt thou change them,

and they shall be changed: but thou changest not, they years are the same. We erre, not knowing the Scriptures, if we think that we can Change and Alter God, or that we can direct him what is best to be done, as I Fear too many of you doe. Yea, (I fear) even some that have been long pro∣fessors, nay those that have been long Tea∣chers in the Church, and sit at the stern, and should guid the ship aright, yet ordinarily let it dash upon this rock, they themselves teach so, and others be∣lieve so and so both, The people with Aaron, have made themselves A golden Calf, and then have fallen down & worshipped it: No, no, my brethren, it is our happiness, our security, that God changes not.

And so also God is said to come nearer to us, & to go further from us; but know, God cannot remove, God is as near us alwayes as he can be▪ yea, he is nea∣rer us then any thing we can call [i] he is nearer us then our selves,* 1.57 he knows all our thoughts a farr off; that is, even before we think them our selves.

But Beloved, to me all these Reasons are b••t external, common Reasons; But I conceive, the onely and true reason, and that which I conceive is chiefly intended, is this:

That as salt is (for so it is) the Central exist∣ence of every thing; that is, salt is the Substance, the Strength, Supporter, and Compacter of every visible and mixt body: So is Christ to every crea∣ture. Rev 3. 14. the beginning of the creation of God, and the BEARER bearing up all things by his mighty word and power,* 1.58 Heb. 1. 3. and Col. 1. 17. He was before all things, and by him all things con∣sist;

and Heb. 3. 14. For we are made partakers of Christ,* 1.59 if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.* 1.60 Take this as a maxime, there is no one thing in the world,* 1.61 but salt is the strength, the Knitter, the Supporter, the Sustainer, the Compacture of it; there is nothing in the earth that you can give me, but I can give you the Salt of it; as take a Leafe, wherein you may think that there can be no salt; but there is in it Salt, and so in all other things; And indeed that is the life of every thing; The greenness is not the salt, and yet salt is in it, though you see it not; even so is Christ that salt of every thing; it is He who FILS all things, He who Knits and Upholds all things, is the essence, being, and life of all things.

Behold I tell you a mysterie (as the Apostle saith) you think Christ is in heaven,* 1.62 and so indeed he is, for heaven is where he is, and he is every where. But shall I tell you how yo•• may come to handle him with your hands, and see him with your eyes? Thus; Can you but take off all accidents from every thing, and then that whi••h remains is [Christ;]* 1.63 Their Angels alwaies behold the face of their father which is in heaven. As if you take from me all heighth and depth, all greatness and littleness, all weight and measure, all heat and cold, and all kind of matter and form; for these are all Accidents: and then that which is left, is He which BEARS ••p all, even Iesus Christ, blessed for ever; even He, that dwels in Heaven, and in the bosome of his Father, in his Pavilion, and in his Secret place. He clothes himself with light (saith

the Psalmist) as with a garment.* 1.64 [Light] is the next thing to God himself, the purest Acci∣dent: For all that may be smelt, felt, tasted, seen, heard, o•• understood, all these are Accidents: and therefore saith the Apostle, the fashion of this world passeth away, for the fashion of this world are but Accidents: for take away all kind of fa∣shion visible, and every thing that can be imagined under any form whatsoever, and then you shall find Jesus Christ the Son of the father,* 1.65 the first-be∣gotten of all creatures, the Beginning and Foundation of all the works of God, The IMMANUEL, God with us.

All accidents must pass away,* 1.66 all the fashion of the World; and whatsoever must passaway, let it pass away; and that which perisheth or is to perish, let it perish; but still Christ remaineth, he changeth not, he is not subject to Accidents, or any change,* 1.67 but he remains alwayes the same; He is yesterday and to day, and the same for ever. Therefore lay not hold on these transitory things, but lay hold on the Anchor of your souls, which is Both sure and stedfast, and that entreth into that which is within the vail, Heb. 6. 19.* 1.68 Highness and lowness pass away; greatness and littleness pass away, youth and age pass away, weight and lightness pass away, and all the beauty and glory of the Creature; but still Christ who is the salt and the substance, that still remains. For, there was something of me before I was either high or low, great or little, heavy or light, old or young, &c. and that was Christ, The beginning of all things.

And Christ being thus, as we have shewed you, you then see, what ground Christ had to call him∣self The salt of the earth; for all these things being taken away, ye shall find him to be as the salt of every thing: th••t is, Christ he is the Strength, the Holder, the Knitter, the Composure, and Compacture of all things:* 1.69 His name is The word of God, Rev. 19. 13,* 1.70 He is The word by whom all things were made; in him was life, and the life was the light of men: this light shineth in darkness, But the dark∣ness comprehendeth it not. All Accidents are dark∣ness, and hide God from us; He is the image of the invisible God,* 1.71 the first-born of every Creature; for by him were all things created, that are in hea∣ven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principali∣ties, or powers, all were created by him and for him, and he is the beginning of all things, and by him all things consist.

Object.* 1.72 But it may be you will say to me, How can that be true of Christ? Salt is good, but if the salt (saith he) hath lost its ••avour,* 1.73 wherewith shall it be salted? It is neither meet for the land, nor yet for the Dunghil,* 1.74 but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. What shall he be sea∣soned withal? can he be infa••••ated or unsavoury?

Answ.* 1.75 The decision of which doubt falls pro∣pe••ly under the second general question of my 〈◊〉〈◊〉. My second question answers this, viz. What i•• is to have salt?

He in regard of himself seasons all alike; He in himself doth not season some more and some less;

or some have him, and some have him not; but as it was in the gathering of Mann••,* 1.76 they all gather∣ed enough, thoughsome gathered more, some less; they lacked not, nor they had none left: so Christ is in every one in regard of himself alike; that is, in regard of their real and essential perception and participation of Christ. He is the form of forms, the soul of the soul: and he cannot be more in one place then in another. But here, to have salt, is, to see, to know, to feel, and believe, and assure our selves that we have this salt, and that Christ is in us. Christ is in regard of himself every where, and in every one alike, but every one believes it not alike.

If we should attempt to speak of God as he is in himself, in his essence, as abstracted from all creatures, so he is unknowable; neither Creating, nor in possibility of being Created, as tis said in Prov. 30. 4.* 1.77 Who can declare his generation, his name,* 1.78 or his sons name, if thou canst tell? he is un∣knowable, unnameable; Canst thou by searching find out God? We cannot conceive of his manner of being in the creature; but ac••ording to his manner of working in the creature. As Iacob when he awa∣ked, then he saw that God was in that place;* 1.79 then he cryes out, Oh how terrible, how dreadful is this place! this is none other but the House of God. God was there before as much as he was then; but Ia∣cob was not aware of God.

The whole creation is Gods house, Gods Temple, but we see it not so; we see not God in all places, nor in all creatures, (as Iacob did then) till our eyes be opened. God is alwaies in every creature, and

he is there alike, in his Heaven, & in his Holy place, and he cannot be more in one then another; but till we be awaked, till our eyes be opened, till the scales of ignorance, and the thick darkness be re∣moved, we cannot acknowledge it: But as soon as ever they are open, then we see God was and is in us, & we were not aware; and we shall then cry out of every place, and of every creature, O how dreadful is this place! I see now, this is Gods house,* 1.80 and Gods Temple, and I knew it not. Till then God had made (as David saith) dark∣ness his secret place, and his Pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies; but when he pleaseth to discover himself, then it follows in the next verse, At the brightness that was before him, his thick clouds passed, hail∣stones and coals of fire: then the Lord was seen and heard, for he thundred in the heaven, and the Highest gave out his voyce: they saw then that it was He alone that wrought in and through all the Creatures; that it was he alone that gathered and scattered, and discovered the foundations of the world;* 1.81 He it is that turneth the Nations of the world upside down; it was at his rebuke, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils that the earth shook, and trembled, and coals were kindled by it. So also he saw that it was God who sent from a∣bove out of heaven, his holy place, and took him out of his troubles, out of many waters, and delivered him from his strong enemy, and he brought him out into a large place, and so goes on in that 18. Psalm.

When the soul comes to be awaked, and to see God thus, filling all in all, to be motion and Agent in all things: then he falls down before God, and is ashamed; and throws down all his own pride and arrogancie, all his high conceits of his acting and doing any thing; for he sees now it was not he, but that it was God in him that did all:* 1.82 now, down falls all conceit of power and gifts, with all strong holds, all principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places,* 1.83 and he gives All glory to God who dwels so near him,* 1.84 In his holy hill of Sion.

Then he no longer looks without himself; but now he hearkens to know what the Lord sayes in him;* 1.85 his eye and his ear are now to himwards; he will now no longer rule and guide himself▪ nor take his own advice; but he sees how he hath gone astray from God, and desires now that God onely would guide him; for he finds that he is the surest and the nearest Counsellour; his eye is altogether now upon God, so that he trembles in his presence: He sees now we need not say, Who shall ascend up to Heaven to bring Christ thence,* 1.86 or who shall descend into the grave to bring Christ from the dead? for behold, the word is nigh thee, it is even in thy mouth. Christ is in thee, in the midst of thee, as the Prophets often, Great is thy God in the midst of thee, O Israel. And a∣gain, The holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. And again,* 1.87 Iohn Baptist, There is one in the midst of you whom ye know not; he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire.

When our eyes are opened by Christ, to come to see this, even those eyes which were blind from their Mothers womb: And when the strings of our tongue shall be loosed then we shall fall down before his presence, and confess our own vileness, our own nothingness; and that we in our selves without him are meer dust and ashes,* 1.88 poor drops, poor warms. And this is not out of formality, or custom, but unfainedly and really, seeing our selves to be so and no otherwise. But till this time we go on in our pride and arrogancie; we ex∣alt our selves and go on to please our own wils, and say who shall bring us downe? our tongues are our own, we will prevail; who is Lord over us? we say,* 1.89 Tush: God sees not, he is above: can he see through the thick clouds? and so we go on in our own waies,* 1.90 and follow our own wills, and regard not God who is in us, and acts all our acts, and works all our works for us;* 1.91 till then we exalt our selves, even into Gods throne, and dethrone him, as much as lies in us: for we say, I will, and I am, Power is mine, and Revenge is mine: many say so, and multitudes more do so, they will be Revenged, that they will: and so appropriate and arrogate to our selves,* 1.92 the very att••ibutes of God: Vengeance is mine saith the Lord. And, as Iames, Woe to them that say, To morrow we will go to such a City and re∣main a year, and there buy and fell and get gain. and Isa. 9. 9.* 1.93 Wo to them that say in the pride and stoutness of their heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with ••••wn stones.

Beloved, conclude this, all power is his; and all

praise is his; and if all be His, then what hath any creature to do to take to himself any at all? but this great sin of arrogancie is that which runs through the whole world, great and small; and who sees it? and who checks himself for it, say∣ing, what have I done? This is that which rules in the very Devils themselves: Nay this is the Devil in us. For they think they have a power, and so walk according to their own wills, and see not that they act by the power of God; for God is all power, all act, and no creature stirs or moves but by him; he is their act and their being, tho••gh not of evil: for though God be The orderer of e∣vil, yet he is not the Author: but men would hence lay the fault on God, and excuse them∣selves: And very strange conclusions men have made through mistake, that because there is in God an active, positive, consulted, and deliberate repr••obation of certain men, before their sins were committed, yea, before the Creation: and be∣cause also tis said we can do nothing without him (for in him we live, move, and have our being) therefore they con••lude that the evil of action as well as the Action belongs to Him▪ not understan∣ding to distinguish between the Act and the Evil of the Act: no, no, you are decei∣ved; you conclude thus, because you cannot comprehend his waies, and so you would bound, limit and circumscribe the Almighty by your nar∣row Reason. But you must distinguish between the Act and the evil of the Act: all Act is Gods, but he is free from the evil of any Act. All evil

is thine, and all good is Gods. And therefore Hos. 13. 9.* 1.94 O Israel, thy perdition is of thy self, but in me is thy help: but this I cannot now enter upon; we therefore return to our point in hand.

Till Christ be pleased to discover himself to be there, to be in us, we are stark blind, until He say to our eyes, Ephatha, be ye opened: Else how do we walk and ••et up and down in our pride and arrogancie both to wards God and men, and begin to beat and oppress, and lord it over our fellow-ser∣vants? what an ••nseemly thing is it, that such worms and nothings as men are, should walk so bolt-upright, in insolencie and arrogancie, boasting o••t themselves to be something when they are no∣thing! They will revenge themselves, and begin to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their fellow-servants,* 1.95 and reproch even those who desire to do their masters business as well and better then themselves;* 1.96 affecting no∣thing so much as to rule and to be great. Is this the carriage of those who have their eyes upon God, who (they know) sees all their pride, inso∣lencie, and arrogancie? or rather is it not clear that this is the carriage of blind men, ignorant men, that say, We see? and therefore their sin re∣maineth.* 1.97 And the Lord of such servants will come in an hour when they look not for him, and will cut them asunder,* 1.98 and appoint their portion with Hy∣pocrites; there shall be weeping and grashing of teeth: The hainousness of his sin is seen in his Lords wrath and punishment.

In Isa. 2. 18.* 1.99 See there how the Lord threa∣tens

to bring down this Spirit, that is generally in all the sons of men, Verse 10. Enter into the rocks, and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty; the lofty loo••s of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone s••all be exalted in that day: For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lof∣ty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low: and so he goes on, And upon all the Cedars of Lebunon that are lifted up: upon all the Oaks of Bashan, upon all the high mountains, upon every tower, and upon every fenced wall: upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all their pleasant pictures: And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and haughtiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day: And their Idols he shall utterly abolish, and they shall go into the holes and caves of the earth for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his ma••esty, when he a∣riseth to shake terribly the earth; and a man shall cast his Idols of silver and gold to the Moles, and to the Bats, to go into the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks for the fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his ma••esty, when he ariseth to shake ter∣ribly the earth: Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? I have a little digrest, but it was for your good, therefore you may bear with me.

Let us now then henceforward learn to beware of this God, that is so Near us, and so much in us: and not to be like Lot in his drunkenness, when his

two daughters came and la•• with him, and yet he knew not when they lay down, or when they arose, Gen. 19. 35.* 1.100 But learn we to awake 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of our spiritual darkness, and not to be so ignorant, so sott••sh, to let him be so near you as to live in you, and to dwell with you: to be with you in your going out, and coming in: in your down-lying and up∣rising, and you never yet acquainted with him, Who knows all your thoughts afar off, even before you think them your selves.* 1.101 Saith the Apo••••le, KNOW YOU NOT that Iesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? nay, though ye be reprobates: It is the case of Reprobates, of Devils, not to know this: but the meaning is, if ye be not in the condition of reprobates, then ye know and feel experimentally, in some measure and degree, that Iesus Christ is in you of a Tr••th.

O happy, yea, thrice happy is that soul, who is thus aware of God, to see his workings and actings through all the creatures▪ then will that soul cry out against himself, and instead of arrogancy•• and applanding himself, he cryes out of himself, of his own former and present ignorance and blindness; he will not say, we see; and they what they ignorant of any thing! they would not any one should have such a thought of them: alas poor souls•• their great knowledge undoeth them;* 1.102 thy wisdom hath made thee rebel, or perverted thee, Isa. 46. 10. be∣cause by all their parts and knowledge, they them∣selves are swelled and p••ffed up, and are not lessened, and made nothing; if they were, they would cry out, Oh what a beast was I, I have not

the knowledge of a man! Oh what a wretch was I! was God himself so near me all this while, nay within me, and I not know it? hath it been he that hath altered and changed me,* 1.103 in the whole course of my life, and turned me from vessel t•• vessel, from one condition to another? It was he that hath made all the changes in my life, and ordered my actions as he pleased; and also would and hath, made them serve to his praise, though I saw it not; but now I see and feel it was He that made me pass through the fire, and through the water, and tumbled me, and tumbleth Nations up and down;* 1.104 That makes the waters roare and the mountains quake.

But now I hear and see,* 1.105 as David saith, The Lord spake it once, and I heard it twice, that God alone doth all; that is, I heard it throughly, expe∣rimentally; I saw it ratified to my experience, to me, within me; I he••rd it first by the hearing of the eare, I heard it in my understanding; but my se∣cond hearing was my experience, and seeing by the eye, believing it•• and knowing it in my self, that it was so, that God alone doth All. Till we come to see this, What ever our boasts are, whatever our parts are, whatever our knowledge is, we are dead, we are in the state of reprobates, we are frozen, we can take no salt: and I pray God we are not so self-wise,* 1.106 and so hardened in our own con••eits, that we be not, as the Apostle saith, twice dead and pul∣led up by the roots, and so never shall bearany fruit, being past hope, and without God in the world.

I know this is harsh doctrine to the general

sort of Professors: What, they ignorant! what, they to be accounted by others, or to account themselves fools! then, who are the wise men Think they! You know Salt when it is in a frozen body, doth no good; you know by experience, that frozen meat will take no salt, and then it may be said to be infatuated or good for nothing. So though Christ the true salt be in us, as he is in himself, yet we may be reprobates, our hearts, our souls Frozen, and we cannot take in this salt: And then, though Christ be there, yet he doth us no good; and he may be then said to be infatuated, useless; not but that he can tha•• our hearts, and work upon us, and overcome in us, and prevail over all the powers of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and darkness within us, if he pleaseth: for He in himself is alwayes alike strong; but we do not alwayes find him so, nei∣ther is he so to us: As you know he came to one place, and he could do no miracles there because of their unbelief,* 1.107 Mat. 13. 58. Christ he works still, and doth all his miracles in the world daily, but it may be not to thy sight: he shews not his mi∣racles to thee, or in thee; but to those whose eyes he hath opened, he is daily in their sight, working his miracles: You are deceived, Miracles are not ceased as you conclude, but your eyes are closed and blinded by the god of this world,* 1.108 2 Cor. 4. 4. as the Apostle Paul saith concerning the Cross of Christ, Can the Cross of Christ be made of no ef∣fect? yet the Apostle there propounds a case, wherein it is made of no effect; that is, not that it can be so in its own nature, but to thee it may be

of no effect: Christ may be to thee infatuate, unsavoury, good for nothing, as he is in reprobates.

Now I hope,* 1.109 is answered that Question, What if the salt hath lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? Christ who is the true salt in himself, he cannot be unsavoury, and good for nothing: but he may lose his favour in thee, and to thee; may be as a thing good for nothing; because he dyed in vain to thee, his cross is of no effect; and so may be (as he saith himself) good for nothing but to be cast out, and troden under the feet of men. Alas, brethren, Christ blessed for ever, he in himself cannot be said to be good for nothing; no•• he cannot be troden under the feet of men; but till their eyes be opened to see him, and acknowledge him as he is, that they be aware of Christ, and o•• his pre∣sence, and greatness. and filling all things; they, as it were, tread him under foot: And as it is said, Heb. 10. 29.* 1.110 How much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy of, who hath troden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the convenant an unholy thing, wherewith he was sanctified, and hath done despite unto the spirit of Grace? But beloved, none of all these things can any creature do to Christ in himself; for to him all Angels cry aloud, Rev. 4. 8.* 1.111 The heavens and all the powers therein cry continually,* 1.112 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabboths; heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory: No creature can dishonour him in himself: but in ••hemselves, and to themselves they tread him under foot, be∣cause he lives not in them; and so they see not, nei∣ther

acknowledge him, or his workings in them.

Then,* 1.113 my beloved, let us make this use of this; If this salt be in us, and that wee see it is he that is our life, and our motion, then let us not onely give ear to him, but let us love, reverence and obey him, and hearken to what he wo••ld teach us, and work in us; let him be sole Lord and Saviour to us, to deliver and save us from our lusts, and from Satan: nay, if this salt be in us, these will be the fruits and effects that will follow, To love, reve∣rence and obey him. God himself proclaims him to be his well beloved Son, in whom onely he is plea∣sed,* 1.114 hear him: Silence then your selves, deny your own life, hear no longer your selves, nor your own lusts, what honour saith, what profit saith, what self, and your own by-ends saith: But hearken now to what he commands;* 1.115 This shall be your wisdom before all people, this shall be your life; and he that findeth his life shall lose it:* 1.116 but he that loseth his life thus shall find it.

Beloved, Christ being once dead dyeth no more, saith the Apostle: and yet he saith again, That we crucifie to our selves the Son of God afresh: He in himself cannot dye, cannot be crucified no more: but to our selves, and in our own soules, he ma•• be, and is cruc••fied daily; that is, when your lusts and your sins live,* 1.117 then Christ he is dead, and you have crucified him, of whom you have been the betrayers and mu••therers (as Steph••n said to the Jews, Acts 7. 52.) so that he hath then los•• his savour and his taste in and to thy soul; for thou tastest him not, seest him not, nor feelest him▪

though he be in thee.

Further, know this, that Christ himself is that salt himself here ••ommandeth: To have salt in our selves, is to have Ch••ist himself in us: as if he should say, Though I be in you, as I am in all things, in all creatures, yet my being there doth you no good, except you feel and see me there, ex∣cept your faith believe me there, and your life ex∣press me.

The third and last point is,

What is it to have salt in our selves?

We must have salt in us, 1. Exclusively; and 2. Inclusively: not onely to see Christ in our selves, and in ••ll creatures, as we have shewed you: but to have it in our selves, is to be sure we look to our own 〈◊〉〈◊〉, whether we have this salt or no: and this is a necessary Exhortation now in these times, when men are so ready to neglect themselves, and are so much in questioning the estates of others: We are too ready to ••udge and condemn othe••s▪ that t••ey have not this salt; but he••e we are admonished 〈◊〉〈◊〉 others alone, and first be sure to look circumspectly that we have it in our selves. Another mans grace will do thee no good, if thou ha•••• none in thy self•• Warm thy self at thine own fire,* 1.118 and drink the waters of thine own Cistern, as Solomon counsels, Prov. 5. 15. And who made thee Iudge over others? what hast thou to do to take Christs office from him?* 1.119 he is ap∣pointed to be Iudge of quick and dead, Acts 10. 42. Yet thou wilt take upon thee to be Iudge, and to sit in Christs throne; thou wilt be judging and cen∣suring

of thy Brethren, before thou hast censured thy self: Christ is not in such and such men; thou canst spy motes in thy brothers eye, and perceivest not the beam in thine own,* 1.120 Mat. 7. 5. whereby thy sight is quite put out, as to thy self.

You know Christ himself, when he was here in the slesh, when they brought to him the woman taken in Adultery, sayes he, Hath no man condemned thee?* 1.121 neither d•• I. John 8. 11. Beloved, did he disclaim this I••dicature, and shall we presume to take it up? shall we overlook our selves, and judge, reproch and condemn other men? This man hath no grace, and that man hath no grace; away, away with all these things: such a man, O he is a wre••ched sinner, and thou wouldst have God de∣stroy him and plague him; thou wonderest God doth not strike him down dead; and seest not thy self how vile thou art: Lord, shall we call for fire from heaven? said some of the Disciples; away, away, saith Christ, Ye know not of what spirit ye are of: Leave off then ••udging of others, and leave all ••udgement to God; Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord: Christ could have writ every mans sins in his forehead, as his are whom thou despisest, to be read and seen of all men:* 1.122 But thy sins are more secret and hidden, and yet as odious to God as his, and this thine own conscience knows▪ what would become of thee (I pray thee)•• if all thy secret sins were written visibly in thy forehead? But know, that this gift of having salt in our selves, is not in any mans power to take, but God onely must give it; where and when he pleases to bestow it,

they shall have it, and none else. And in his time, and not sooner nor later.

But this command to have Salt in our selves is as much as to say, before you go about to search other mens cellars, that you see your cellars be well provided: But (by the way) be not deceived, to think God comes or goes; for he cannot remove from place to place; he cannot fill you more then he hath filled you already; neither can he be nea∣rer you then he is; for he is ONE intire ACT of Being, filling all things with his infinity; he can∣not come, nor go, nor remove, nor be more in one place, nor in one man more then in another: And yet David bids us,* 1.123 Open our gates that the King of glory may come in; stand open ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in; yet this is a certain truth, he cannot come in more then he is already come in; but the meaning must needs be•• set open the eyes and doors of your knowledge and understanding. Beloved, take knowledge of this, that the King of glory is within you already.

As when Elisha and his servant were invironed round about with enemies,* 1.124 the mountains round the City full of Chariots and armed men, his ser∣vant was afraid; but Elisha comforts him, and tels him, there was no cause of fear; for they had more with them to preserve and defend them, then there was to offend and destroy them; for saith he, There is round about us Chariots and Horsemen for our defence: Elisha his eyes were open, and he saw them present; but his servants were shut, and he could not see them, although

as near to him: then Elisha prayed, that his eyes might be opened, and immediately it was so, and then he also saw the Chariots and Horsemen, and fire round about them to defend them; they were there before he saw them, and his not seeing them did not make them not there: So Christ doth not then come into thy soul, when thou first seest him there, when he works in thee, and to thy sight and feeling, when he lives in thee; but then you come to know him, and see him there; and then you come to know ye are no reprobates, because he dwels in you workingly, to your sight and feeling: for if you were reprobates, yea, Devils, and the blackest Devils in Hell,* 1.125 yet he is in you: no place, no creature, can exclude him: the earth and heavens, yea the heaven of heavens cannot contain him,* 1.126 no, nor exclude him: nor is he any more in the high∣est, gloriousest Heaven, then he is in the low∣est Hell, then he is in the very Prince of Devils: but this they know not, they cannot see him in them, they are not able to see that he acts in them, and by them; but they think they act, and live, and work by their own power, and think that they fulfil onely their own wills, their own malice, and do what they please.

And this also indeed is the very Devil in man, this Disposition, when he arrogates to himself the wisdome, power or glory of God; for all wisdom, power, glory, and all good, is all and alone his: And (as I said) if all be his, the creature is deceived to think it self hath any; but they in whom God lives, they see themselves nothings: they see God is all

in them; they see him do all, speak all, work all, think all in them; they acknowledge freely they have no wills, no affections, either Natural or Di∣vine, but what are his: they execute not their own wills, their own lusts, but they fulfil the will of him who works in them: And to him, and not to themselves they ascribe the glory and power of doing all.

O Beloved, If we knew the gift that is in us, our eyes, our desires, would alwaies be upon it: Oh how precious is that gift in us, could we but see it, and know it! as our Saviour said to the wo∣man of Samaria, O woman, if thou knewest the gift of God,* 1.127 and who it is that speaketh to thee, he would have given thee living water, whereof if a man drink he shall never thirst, and it should be in his belly a spring of water, springing up to eternal life: Such a Gift, such a Power, such a Treasure is in every man: (mark well what I say) that were he but acquainted with it, he would presently de∣ny, renounce himself, his own wisdom, power, parts, and solely live upon this gift, this wisdom, this treasure: I tell you, you would desire to drink no more of your own waters, of your own pleasures, of your own wills; but you would say, as the wo∣man there said to Christ, Oh sir, evermore give me of that water, that I thirst no more, & that I come no more hither to draw: Then you will desire never to draw your comforts from honours, pleasures, lands, &c. or from your own wills: then you wil acknow∣ledge feelingly and knowingly, and not in words onely, that you are nothing, that you can do no∣thing,

but that he is all, and in all.

Beloved, look but inwardly, and there you shal see the gloriousest things that ever ••e saw;* 1.128 there is the City of God,* 1.129 the Temple of God, the new Ie∣rusalem,* 1.130 such things as never eye saw, nor ear heard, or ever entred into the heart of man (as man) but as he is a new creature, in some deg••ee: Glo∣rious things are spoken of thee, O thou City of God, Selah, saith David: There is within thee such a glorious Temple, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bedecked, and beset with pre∣cious stones and rich pearls of Faith, Repentance, Love, Ioy, Hope, &c. all graces, which didst thou en••oy, would make thee rich to Eternity, thou woulst never desire any more to taste thine own wa∣ters, to follow thine own will; but wo••ldst say with David, One day in this house of God•• is better then a thousand elsewhere,* 1.131 Psal. 84. 10. Its better (with David) to be but a Door-keeper in this Tem∣ple, then to dwel in the places of [self-wil] & wicked∣ness: Here are ••he Beauties of God himself display∣ed: One thing I have desired, and that I will seek (saith David) that I may dwell in thy house all the daies of my life;* 1.132 there to behold thy beauty, and to visit thy Temple: Here dwells wisdom; whose wayes are wayes of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

Never look nor never expect outwardly to find God,* 1.133 for God dwells within, nor expect not out∣wardly to hear God, for God dwels in his Temple within, there he preacheth and there he teacheth: for outwardly are nothing but obscurities, darke∣ness, thick darkness, outward darkness, as the right translation renders it; where is nothing but

weeping and gnashing of teeth:* 1.134 Outwardly are no∣thing but accidents and vails, and thick clouds, whi••h hide the everlasting beauties of our God from our beholdings: within dwells the King of glories, the everlasting Son of the Father▪ who is from everlasting to everlasting; even the Alpha and Omega of all the works of God.

Beloved,* 1.135 when you a••e still and quiet upon your beds,* 1.136 then examine your hearts & then ye shall find your beloved, when lust, and self, and flesh are all quieted and asleep, so that there is no disturbance, nor hurly-burly in the soul; then, and not before, expect to hear and see God: God is never seen or heard, but when all things in us as of us, are at rest: Those that come and acknowledge him, and deny themselves▪ and all they are, even all their parts both of Nature and Grace; these are come to en••oy their rest, these onely keep Sub∣baths,* 1.137 these are they that have overcome, and are set down with him in his throne, even as he hath overcome, and is set down in his Fathers Throne.

In the evening, it is said, God came into the Gar∣den, and called to Adam in t••e cool of the day, Gen. 3. 8.* 1.138 that is, when the heat of Adams lust and self-will was over: till then lust made such a noise in Adams soul, God could not be heard: Then the Lord God puts Adam upon the exami∣nation of his soul: Adam where art thou? wh••t hast thou done? hast thou tasted 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eaten of thine own will, that forbidden fr••it? whi••h 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shalt find the very eating or tasting will be death to thee, which every soul th••t God hath really spo∣ken

to, findes true in his own feeling and expe∣rience.

Thus have we run through this hour allotted, it may be God may open your eyes, that you may see into these things; and I pray God you may, even far beyond what I am able to express: that you your selves may say and feel that this knowledge is that one thing necessary: For this is that word,* 1.139 which if you believe not, will be the savour of death unto death;* 1.140 but if believed and re∣ceived, will be the savour of life unto life.

THE STARRE IN THE EAST, Leading unto the true MESSIAH.

1 COR. 2. 2.

But I determined to know nothing among you save Iesus Christ and him cru∣cified.

In two Sermons Preached at a Private meeting at KENSINGTON.

BEloved, there are such things In-wrapt and folded up in the sacred Sriptures of God Al∣mighty, which being once known, he that knows them in a right way, he need not with the Apostle here, being taught by the holy Spirit,

deire to know any thing more.

And because the treasure that is in these words, and also in all the words of God, is so fast lockt up so that no natural man can come at them; he knows nothing of them, for he perceiveth not the things of God,* 1.141 neither indeed can he, for they are spiritually discerned. Therefore let us implore and besee••h his help who hath the keys to open the seven seals, as it is in the Revelation of S. Iohn, He who onely was counted worthy to open the book,* 1.142 that He may unlo••k and reveal to us these precious mysteries.

I determined to know nothing among you, &c. What doth the Apostle mean by these words? was he a man that knew nothing, or was he an ig∣norant in all those other things, and therefore sleighted them: That because he had no learning therefore sleighted learning? No, 〈…〉〈…〉 me leave to tell you, He was no Fool, he was 〈…〉〈…〉, he was no Bab•••• no not in all that great and ••hie∣fest learning, which was in his time accounted so highly of: for he was as great a proficient Therein as most of them all.* 1.143 He was brought up (as he ••aith of himself) at the feet of Gamaliel: and he wa•• a great man in the learning of the Pharisees, who were at that time the onely learned men of the Church, yea of the whole world: Insomuch that they were had in reverence of all, because they thought these Rabbins had all knowledge, & that these were the onely men to whom God himself opened and revealed himself: So that, he was coun∣ted a madman or a fool, one led with the spirit of er∣ror

and schism that should dare to oppose or speak a word against them.

Yet our Apostle here, being inferiour to none of them all, and could have gone their paths, to have gotten their estimation in the world, if he had then seen any excellency in them, as before he did, he could have gloried after the slesh as well as they. But now having to do with these Corinthians, and seeing the vanity of all humane learning without this knowledge, he layes all aside, and undervalues all as dross and dung, and comes to them in won∣derful plainness of speech, that he might preach to them Iesus Christ and not himself (as they did) to gain honour and profit in the world,* 1.144 and to make themselves great in the esteem of others; it was death to them to fail of these ends. These, they put so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 confidence▪ both Preachers and People, in this kind of way, and in this learning, being onely litterally learned, and knowing in the Scri∣ptures onely Externally; so that all the world was undervalued to them; for so it was at that time, All this great fabrick of the world was divided in∣to two parts onely, viz, Iews and Barbarians; if they were not Iews, they were Barbarians and Heathens.

And this kind of learning was then, and so al∣wayes is accompanied with all manner of riches and honour, with all the glory and splendour of the world, every man bowed to their parts and worth: they were presented with gifts, and it was ac∣counted a great honour to have them accepted by them: they were repaired to at all times, As

to resolve doubts, and give counsel, &c. they were as Oracles in the peoples esteem generally. And he that went not this way, was like to lead an ob∣scure, beggerly life, no body taking notice of him, scarce having a hole to put his head in, nay He should be sure to be trampled down and cast un∣der foot by these great men, by their great blu∣stering, and by their great parrs, and by their great learning.* 1.145 The foxes have holes, and the birds of this world have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Well, notwithstanding all this, our Apostle sticks not at it, but layes all aside, learning, credit, honour and dishonour, riches, poverty; he tramples all under foot, and is content to expose himself to whatever their malice could bring about: he re∣poses no confidence in whatever Parts he had equal with them: and sayes that he expected, and was content to be accounted a Fool, and to hide him∣self, and be as one that had nothing in him. He will never go about to dispute it out with these great Rabbins, that is not the way, he knew that would do no good: for he had experience, that of disputations there was no end: for every one stuck so fast and unmoveable to his opinion, one to shew his wit and eloquence; another to gain honour and riches; another because he had declared what he held, and being once past the bars of his lips, he must not recant and be a flincher, and dis∣cover his ignorance, wherein he had declared so much confidence, but must then stand it out to the death: so one for one end, and another for

another, mens Ends being infinite and unspeak∣able, so that therein he had no hope.

Well beloved, our Apostle sleights all, away with all these things,* 1.146 I count them nothing, they are dross and dung: I desire to know nothing, I seek for no knowledge you can name: as if he should say, you (it may be) account me ignorant in re∣gard of some among you: well, all is one, esteem of me as you will, seek to undervalue and to crush me what you please, I determined, I resolved be∣fore I came I would know nothing, hearken to no knowledge, but the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified: that is, whether you knew this in experience or no, whether you had that know∣ledge that would crucifie and bring to nothing all your great learning, and your great parts.

Now that I may come to unfold and unlock those precious truths that are hid and folded up in these words, by the gracious assistance of that Meek Lamb that was slain for us: I shall endeavour to open these three principal things,* 1.147 that ly plain in the words.

1 What manner of knowledge this is, that the Apostle so Highly sets it up even above all knowledge, so that he himself was contented to be accounted nothing, so he could but gain more of that among them, or bring them to the know∣ledge of it?

2 What is the subject of this knowledge? that is, Jesus Christ.

3 What it is to know Jesus Christ crucified? (as it is here meant.)

He knew it was not enough to know Jesus

Christ Externally, nor to know him so Crucified: No, though they had been eye-witnesses of it, yet this knowledge was nothing: for (sayes the Apostle) Henceforth know we no man any more af∣ter the flesh,* 1.148 no, though we had known the LORD CHRIST himself: Yet I know, if I should ask any of you; or take you one by one and ask you, If you knew Jesus Christ? You would presently answer me to this, and tell me a large story, that this was your faith, and that you did confidently believe,* 1.149 That in the fulness of time God sent an Angel to the virgin Mary to tell her that of her body Christ should be born,* 1.150 and he was conceived in her by the power of the Holy Ghost, the most High came upon her and overshadowed her, she conceiv∣ed without the aid or help of man, and she brought forth her first-born son, which was the Messiah, and that he grew up in age and stature, and in favour with God and man; as the Scriptures express of him. And also▪ that wise men came from the East to see and worship him, and at twelve years old he came up to Hierusalem with his parents, and went into the Temple and disputed among the Doctors:* 1.151 and then ye heard no more of him till he was 30 years old: and then he was baptized of John at Jordan, then he began to preach, and then he was questioned for his doctrine, despised, derided: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he wrought many miracles, and taught such doctrine that many wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. And at last, he was apprehended, examined, scourged, buffeted, spit up∣on, crowned with thorns, and was crucified, and dyed

upon the cross, and the third day rose again, and shall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead. This is your faith, this is he in whom you believe, and this is your Saviour.

Well, but give me leave to tell you, you may know all this and a thousand times more, and yet not know Iesus Christ, nor know him crucified: It is another manner of knowledge that our Apostle here determined to know, all this faith will do you no good, for this is no more then the Devils know: Although it be all truth, undeniably true; this History of him is most certainly true, and in de∣fence whereof we ought to spend our lives and bloud. And I say also, they do well that teach this, and who have learned it themselves, and teach their children and servants to know it: But if you learn this and no more, ye•• know not half so much as the Devils know,

This you may know also, that God is a great and a mighty God,* 1.152 the Devils know him to be so: that he is a wise and omniscient God: the Devils know as much and more: The Devils believe all this, I, and tremble at the knowledge thereof, as the Apostle saith. They believe and tremble, Iam. 2. 19.

And because it is said in the Gospel,* 1.153 This is eter••••l life to know thee the onely true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent. Doest thou think this is that knowledge St. Iohn means?

And because thou knowest that he is a merci∣ful God, the Devils externally and in general know as much; That he is long-suffering and

abundant in goodness and truth to those that fear him, and what else thou canst say of him: they know as much, and far more. This is not there∣fore most certainly that knowledge that is there called Eternal li••e, for such an Eternal life the Devils have, and a better.

But many are so far from Eternal life, that they know not so much as the history, the bare letter of the Scriptures. Although they that do know the history never so exactly, in that they have every letter and word thereof without book, and have gathered it into never so short an Epitome by their labour and industry, yet these may be far from the Mystery, the life and marrow of the word. But what shall they do then, how far are they from the mystery, who have not attained the bare shell, the bare history and outside? Those indeed must be known (though in themselves they do us no good••) for they are but the way to the Mystery, and without the History we cannot have the Mystery: for we cannot come to Be∣lieving without Hearing:* 1.154 for how can they believe him, of whom they have not heard?

We must not therefore cast away the letter, because that is the Book which brings us the Word: though they (those letters) be not the living word, and in themselves do us no good, if we go farther; yet we cannot have the kernel without the shell. These outward letters to the eye and to the ear are a means to convey the True word to the heart. And therefore if you think you have Gods Word, when you have gotten the

knowledge of the letter, or of whatsoever the out∣side, or the letter bears, without the mind and meaning, you are deceived. This knowledge will deceive you; it will be but as a broken reed, that whosoever he be that relyes thereon, it will run into his hand,* 1.155 deceive and destroy him. This is Truth (if ye will believe it from our Saviours own mouth) The flesh profiteth nothing,* 1.156 it is the Spirit (the mystery) the marrow that giveth life. It is the mystery, the Spirit that is eternal life; The let∣ter and the shell cannot nourish, it must be the mystery and the marrow, That which cannot pos∣sibly be known in the superficies, in the outside, in the flesh, in the shell of the Letter, except we go further;* 1.157 and Iesus Christ opens the seals and shews us the life, the marrow, That, which except it be given to us, we cannot understand.

And therefore the Apostle flatly denies all o∣ther knowledge,* 1.158 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15, 16. for (saith he) the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and he dyed for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that dyed for them. Wherefore (saith he in the 16. verse) henceforth know we no man after the flesh, yea though we had known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we him no more. What may be the meaning of this blessed Apostle thus seem∣ingly to sleight the very body of Jesus Christ? In all probability he never saw the body of Jesus Christ upon earth in that 33 years he lived here: except he had a vision of him, as he marched to

Damascus, when he was smitten from his horse; His meaning therefore must needs be,* 1.159 If we know Christ after the Letter never so exactly, the whole history of him; what avails it? Our knowledge of Jesus Christ must be internal,* 1.160 spiritual, experi∣mental, to live unto him that dyed for them: if a man be not (as the Apostle saith in the succeed∣ing verses) made a new creature, altered and chan∣ged according to Christ in the inward man:* 1.161 so that he lives no longer to himself, but to him that dyed for him; so that all old things are past away, and all things are become new: so that there is (by the mighty power of Jesus Christ) a new man begotten in us,* 1.162 as the Apostle saith: My beloved of whom I travel in birth, till Christ be formed in yo••. This is indeed that Christ that died for us, else Christ dyed not for us,* 1.163 his cross is of no effect, he dyed in vain to us. Tis not all the knowledge and belie∣ving that ever thou canst attain to of an external Christ will do thee any good, without a Christ be∣gotten within thee, a Christ in experience.

Hath any man gotten or attained (though by much pains and industry) any taste, any know∣ledge of Christ otherwise, it is but old things, old knowledge, old learning, attained by the power of the old man, fot self-ends. And all old things must pass away (saith the Apostle.) That knowledge that was conveyed to us by our parents, or by our School-masters; let it be what it will, or by whom it will; (by all the Catechisms and Books that can be made, and that we are able to apply them to our lives according to the Letter) tis all but old

things, old knowledge; as the young man in the Gospel,* 1.164 he knew the law, and had kept all those things from his youth: but he failed in point of self-denial, he obeyed from old powers, and to old ends. And although we had all knowledge, and all power, and all conformity in this regard, before Christ be created in the heart,* 1.165 it must all pass away: This is that knowledge that we cannot de∣pend on, This is that knowledge that the Apostle regards not, he esteems it Nothing: let it be ne∣ver so glorious and splendent, and though all the world hath received it, and in their words, own it (though in practise they renounce it) he counts it all dross and dung.* 1.166

Why St. Paul, what manner of knowledge then is it, that thou wilt know nothing besides it? And that is the second thing: he answers it himself in this chapter, Lo, if ye are able to understand (saith he) so that the god of this world hath not blinded your eyes:* 1.167 we do speak wisdom, even the hidden wis∣dom of God, yet in a mystery, not the wisdom of this world, nor of the Princes of this world, which comes to nought: indeed this wisdom it tends not to out∣ward pomp, not to riches, nor honour, nor the set∣ting up of men and parts, but we speak wisdom to those that are perfect, to those whom Jesus Christ hath pulled off the scales from their eyes. What mystery is it to know Jesus Christ his death and resurrection outwardly, and all the circumstances? Will this faith save you? No, but to those that know no more,* 1.168 we are very fools; and they can see no wisdom in our words. The carnal man knoweth

not the Profound, the Deep things of God; neither indeed can he, because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that can divide these waters, shall have dry and firm ground to walk on, and over Iordan safely: He that can crack the shell, those can rellish and digest these precious mysteries: And to those, they are the preciousest dainties in heaven and earth: they are the sweetest excellencies wherein their souls can live and die: these are the souls which delight themselves in Fatness, undervaluing the world and all things therein, as seeing them lean and empty things. But to the carnal man, and he that will go no farther then the Letter, these truths we now speak of, are the unrelishablest, the tasteless est, the sapless est meat you can give them: we pour but water in their shoes, ye cannot please them worse then when you talk of these things, or preach of these things, because ye are out of their element, tis as unwelcome and as Nauseous as a c••p of cold water, they are sick of such doctrine.

To tell them that they must be killed and slain, their own knowledge, their own lives must be cru∣cified, they must no longer have their own desires, their own wils, their own affections; but must be content to cross themselves in every thing,* 1.169 and to take up their cross dayly and follow Christ, else they cannot be his Disciples: oh here is vinegar and gall, ye are the unwelcomest men to them in the world: they cry with the Jews,* 1.170 Our soul is weary of this light meat, give us somewhat that we can feel: give us some ponderous thing, some comfortable thing, somewhat that our senses may see and feel

good. Alas, this is not the Heaven we look for; Can we think it a happiness to be destroyed, to be killed and crucified? Give us such a Christ, and such a Heaven as is good to our outward man: who will let us have credit, and honour, and riches: such a Christ that we may believe in, who died so ma∣ny years ago, that will save us outwardly: such a Christ that will be good to my eyes, to my hands, and to my feet, to my back, and to my belly: such a Christ as will save us, if we do but externally and litterally believe in him, and will let us have our own wils,* 1.171 and speak our own words, and please our affections, and save our souls at last.

I marry Sir, Here is a Christ indeed, this is such a Christ as all the world would have. But give me leave to tell you: This is a Christ of thine own making; this Christ which thou speakest of, was never of the Fathers sending, he comes unsent, the true Christ is hid from thee.

But (as the Apostle saith) if our doctrine be hid, it is hid to those that perish: but to us who believe, it is the Savour of life unto life: but to all others the Savour of death unto death:* 1.172 He is to us sweeter then the hony, or the hony comb; more dear to us, then thousands of gold and silver: This Christ is more precious (whom we are now unfolding) to you that truly believe, then all the riches and glo∣ry, yea then all the lives in the world.

And, That we may come to open this Iesus Christ to you, if so be your eyes are open, or else we shall speak but parables and paradoxes to you, as Christ did to the Jews: and they will but

make you more mad as he did them, more enrage them against himself.

That ye may understand what we speak of, and intend, we must first wave the knowledge of the History of Christ externally; and then we shall come to the knowledge of the Mystery, of the true Christ, of that Jesus Christ which is able to save your souls, and to make you wise unto salvation. The other knowledge cannot do so; for if it could, the Devils themselves should be saved. Therefore it must needs be another kind of knowledge then they have; it must be more then the knowledge of the Letter, and outward face, even of the whole Scriptures. It must be a hidden knowledge, and that is the knowledge of The Mystery: namely, a real, l••vely, and experimental knowledge of Iesus Christ wrought in thy heart, by the power of himself. Even like unto Flowers or Herbs, or any other thing that grows on the ground by the heat and power of the Sun: if there be not something com∣municated to them from the Sun, that is of the Suns own nature, they grow not at all, but they wither and dye; if the Sun warm them not and comfort them, they grow not, but dye. So if there be not in every one of us something of Jesus Christ that is of his own nature, the same mind, the same quickning Spirit,* 1.173 the same disposition, and the same new nature, something of his own off-spring, we are but in a dead and perishing condition; all that ever we know otherwise, is meer folly in this re∣gard; be their knowledge never so excellent and glorious to those who have not Jesus Christ in them.

As that wicked Pope said when he had shewed such a vast treasure of riches, See (saith he) how that Fable of Iesus Christ hath inriched me: So to these men, what ever they talk of Jesus Christ and of the knowledge of him, to them the true Christ is a meer fable, a meer tale: as he thought outwardly to inrich him, so they think this Fable of a deceit∣ful Christ hath and will enrich their souls. But except we know Christ feelingly, experimentally, so that he lives within us spiritually, his own na∣tural life, insomuch that whatever any man hath known in the Letter and History of him, that he know the same within him, as truly done actually in his own soul, as ever Christ did any thing with∣out him in the days of his flesh, else it profit no∣thing; And to find all that ever you read of him to be verified in you experimentally: It is not Jesus Christ without us can do us any good; he is no Christ, to us, all his actions are in vain, to us, they are all as a meer tale, a meer song, to us. As one of the Fathers said, It was not that Christ that the Virgin Mary carryed in her womb, that did save her, but that Christ that she carried in her heart.

And our Saviours own words express as much, Not blessed is the womb that bare thee,* 1.174 and the paps that thou hast sucked; but blessed are they that hear the word of God and kept it. They that would have any benefit by Jesus Christ, they must have him in their hearts, Born within them: not only to know that Christ was born at Bethlehem, but born in them, and not to know onely that Christ

dyed at such a time, so many years ago; this will do you no good, except you experimentally find and feel, how he is crucified, dead, and buried with∣in you.

Let no man (what ever he be) delude you, and make you believe that any other Christ will save you. Let no man upon pain of the salvation and damnation of his soul, once dare to think that any other Christ will do him any good; and that he experimentally feel Jesus Christ risen again with∣in him; and all other actions that ever he did, that still he finds him doing the same in him: as Saint Paul saith, My beloved, of whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you:* 1.175 not Christ di∣vided and by halves, but whole Christ formed in you.

When you begin to find and know, not onely that he was conceived in the womb of a Virgin, but that thou art that virgin, and that he is more truly and spiritually, and yet as really conceived in thy heart; so that thou feelest the Babe beginning to be conceived in thee, by the power of the Holy Ghost,* 1.176 and the most High overshadowing thee; when thou feelest Jesus Christ stirring to be born, and brought forth within thee; when thou beginnest to see and feel all those Mighty, powerful, and won∣derful actions done in thee, which thou readest he did in the flesh: For Christ is not divided (saith the Apostle) but yesterday,* 1.177 and to day, and the same for ever: There is not one Christ without us, and Another within us, but that same Christ that was then upon earth, must be spiritually in us,

growing and encreasing, and doing the same actions still.

Now, Beloved, here is a Christ indeed, that will save you; here is a Christ, A real Christ, that will do you some good; this is The Christ, which indeed, Alone, and Onely will bring you to heaven.

If your faith hath wrought and formed such a Christ in you,* 1.178 then you may have boldness through him: Of this Christ you may boast and triumph against all the powers of darkness, with St Paul, Rom. 8. so that neither heights, nor depths, nor things present, nor things to come, nor Angels, nor any creature, shall be ••ver able to separate you and this Iesus Christ our Lord, blessed for ever, Rom. 8. 38, 39.* 1.179

What ever other faith you have, believe as strongly, and as confidently as you will or can do, be sure it is but Head-knowledge of Christ, it is but a bold unwarranted presumption, and no faith: For Externall Jesus Christ is a shadow, a symbole, a figure of the Internal: viz. of him that is to be born within us, In our souls.

Beloved, you know it is said of Abraham, He saw Christs day, and rejoyced; so all the Saints that ever were, are, or shall be, must See the day of Iesus Christ as well as Abraham did; if we look for any comfort by Iesus Christ, we must see his day also. The Jews saw the day of Christ in the flesh onely; but thou must see Christs day as Abraham did: Thou must as really, yea, more really and more truly See Christs day, then the

Jews;* 1.180 for sayes Christ, Abraham saw my day, and rejoyced; and in the same manner shall all that ever shall taste of heaven, See, The same day of Christ. Did the Jews see the day of Christ in the flesh? did they see him work miracles? opening the eyes of the blind, yea, of those born blind, and curing the deaf, and the lame, and the dumb: why (as if our Saviour should have said) you think you see my day? but if you see me but externally, doing this action, you see not my day: Abraham that lived so many hundred years ago, he saw my day truly, and rejoyced: He saw me do all these works in himself; he did truly and really see me cast out devils, raise the dead, open blind eyes, heal and cure all the diseases of his soul; he saw me to be the Messiah and Saviour to himself and in himself; he saw my day better then you, and rejoyced to see me do all these mighty works in him: and the self-same day must we see, if ever we come to be partakers of Iesus,* 1.181 and of the Divine nature.

Abraham saw not his day (as some think) so much by way of prophesie, as it is commonly taken and expounded, that he was the Messiah that should come into the world: but he (besides this) saw done in himself, that which he did when he came in the flesh: And so Abraham saw my day, He saw me conceived, born, brought up; yea he saw me apprehended, scourged, crucified; He saw me dead, and buried, and risen again, and all in himself: This was a true, a real, a saving see∣ing of Christs day. To see it by way of prophesie,

was far below this seeing; that was a seeing did Abraham (nor will do you) little good: If it were meant of that kind of seeing, the Iews saw Christ better then Abraham; for they saw him actually, personally, but that was a fruitless seeing.

Therefore if you will see Christ gloriously, as the Great and Mighty Saviour, we must see him such a Saviour,* 1.182 as we may say of him, Unto us a Son is born, unto us a child is given: ye shall call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, and the Prince of Peace, and the Government shall be upon his shoulders: And all this I find and feel in my own soul; and in me, and to me is all this done.

But Beloved, give me leave, that you may un∣derstand me, if it shall please God to open your eyes, and to let you see these hidden secrets▪ which are kept close from ages, and from generations: I will in the plainest manner that I can, shew you how Jesus Christ is said to be in you: that is, when he so begins to arise in you,* 1.183 that his fame spreads far and near, when he shews his own actions in you: for know this, Christ is alwayes in you•• he is at no time absent; as soon as ever ye began to have a being, he was in you in regard of himself, though you saw him not, because he is Infinite; For, That which is infinite, is in all places, it is excluded out of no place: for if any place, if any creature were without him, he were not infinite: And because he is infinite, he is equally present in all places at once, and in all places alike: he

cannot be more in one place then another; for if he should, he could not be infinite: and because he is infinite, he is all-present in all places at once.

These things are out of all question, and known by every one that understands any thing: I think none will deny them. He is as well in a dead wi∣thered branch, as in a green flourishing tree; but in the living branch we see him grow and put forth his life: And so likewise he is in the deadest, rottenest member that is, as well as in the fruit∣fullest Christian: But here is the difference; in the one we see him not, we see not his life and fruit, but he is in such a member as dead; dead to him, and dead (in appearance) to others, yea, that member is,* 1.184 as it were, twice dead and pulled up by the roots, as the Apostle saith, and fit for no∣thing but to be condemned to the fire: For Jesus Christ, although he be in them, as much as in the living bought, yet to them he is dead and buried, and lives not in them, and to them.

And give me leave, and I will shew you in some particular actions that Christ did and doth, when He begins to live in a man; for till He be∣gin to shew the actions of life, He is, as if he were not there. I will onely touch upon some of his actions, which may be as a key to open and inter∣pret the meaning of all the rest: for it is impossible to speak of all the actions that he did and doth; for the whole world were not able to contain that which might be written of him,* 1.185 saith St. Iohn:* 1.186 that is, of those actions and mighty miracles that he goes up

and down working daily, and doing good internally and spiritually in the souls of men.

But the first motive that induceth, shews and perswades us that Christ is alive in us, is his Na∣tivity, which you know in the dayes of his flesh was first proclaimed by one Angel, and afterwards by a whole quire of Angels.

When God hath sent this One Angel (or Mes∣senger) into the soul, to shew us, and to pro∣claim the reality and being of Christ in every crea∣ture, then thousands of Angels sing the same to us, then every creature proclaims HIM with a loud voyce (to him who hath this light sent into his soul) that there is now to us a Son born,* 1.187 and to us a child is given: glory only be to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men: then all the Angels, that is, all the creatures, they all harmo∣niously sing the same tune to us. When he bringeth the first-begotten into the world, He saith, Let ALL The Angels of God worship him.

And then Christ being once born, the next thing that appears is his Star;* 1.188 his star appears in the East, and wisemen come to see him; then he increases and grows up in us; then he shews himself to men, then he manifests himself to be The Christ, in that he doth the deeds of Christ; in that we shew the vertues of him that hath called us from darkness to light,* 1.189 from the power of Satan to God▪ then he waxes taller and taller,* 1.190 and grows up in wisdome, and stature, and in favour with God and man (i. e.) with all wise men: They now act and live the life of Christ, denying their own lives they

lived before;* 1.191 that so men seeing their good works, may glorify their father which is in heaven. Til this time Iesus Christ was crucified, dead and buried: but when once this Lion of the Tribe of Iudah be∣gins to rouse up himself,* 1.192 then it shall appear that there is now a King born, that will bear rule, that shall be such a Messiah spiritually, as the Iews expected temporally,* 1.193 a Potent and Mighty Prince, whose Government shall be upon his shoulders. His Name being WONDERFUL, Counsellour, and Prince of Peace.

And now all those Accursed Iews which ••rucifi∣ed him, and made him to serve, shall now be made to serve him:* 1.194 as the Prophet saith, You have made me to serve with your iniquites:* 1.195 Now all those headstrong lusts, those Kings and Rulers of the Earth which cryed Let us break his bonds in sun∣der, and cast away these cords from us: He shall now rule them with a rod of iron, and crush them in pieces like a potters vessel: So that we shall live no longer the life of natural, carnal men, in the va∣nity of their mind,* 1.196 to fulfil the lusts of men, and the will of flesh,* 1.197 and of the world; but they live the life of spiritual men; we shall then shew that we are the Off-spring of Christ: Till you become to this, whatever you think of your selves, there can be no∣thing well done;* 1.198 for before this we altogether think our own thoughts,* 1.199 do our own actions, go our own ways: For all the imaginations of mans heart are onely evil continually.

But before this great and not able day of the Lord come,* 1.200 the Lord will set signs in the heavens, and in

the earth, and there shall be great stirs and wars, and rumors of wars; and the Inhabitants of the earth shall be troubled; amazement and terrour shall seize upon them, because of these things:* 1.201 And when thou seest these things come to pass (I say, within thee) then look up for know your redemption draweth nigh: When you see the red Dragon watch against the woman shall be de∣livered of her man-child spoken of in the Revela∣tion, that he sends forth whole floods of water out of his mouth, to drown her, then know the child is born.

But before this time, when you see the woman in travel, and hath great pain, and cryeth out ex∣tremely, and hath bitter pains, I say Bitter pangs, then you may know the child is near delivery: that is, when this beloved old man, our own will, as the Scripture terms him, who was never by us denyed anything himself desired, but all was car∣ried smoothly, according to his own desire; and now to be crost and contradicted, Oh ••his is great pain to him! Oh he cryes out like a travailing wo∣man! Oh he would by no means forsake him∣self, his own will▪ his own pleasure, his own profit, Take up his cross and follow Christ! What, for∣sake all that is dear to him! this is death to him: Oh! when you hear your flesh cry out, Oh! would to God I had never been born, then I had never seen this day: Oh! let me dye, let me dye, I am weary of my life when ye hear him like Iob bitter∣lycurse the day of his birth: Oh Beloved! this day is a terrible day to flesh and blood: it never saw

such a day: Oh its a bloody day, it comes with a terrible confused noise of the warriors, and gar∣ments tumbled in blood,* 1.202 as the Prophet speaks; it was never so haled and puld, this way the flesh, to∣ther way the spirit it was never so torn in pieces: But know Beloved, when these pains are upon you, that the child is at the birth, near to be delivered.

Beloved, these things will be, if ever Christ be born in the soul: And when it is so, that the flesh hales one way and the Spirit another, Oh then it behoves you to pray, That so your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath, nor in the harvest: Oh Beloved, pray that these things, this Seed do not dye without fruit, that in the midst of this biting bitter winter, you do not fly, but bide by it, and indure and wait the fruit, that in the midst of winter you may enjoy your Sabbaths, a day of rest & peace, lest that when other men enjoy their Sabbaths, their harvest, you have no∣thing but winter, bitterness, trouble and want, and no fruit to refresh you.

Brethren,* 1.203 I beseech the Lord that you may prove, try and examine your selves by these things; see if this day hath overpast ye; hath your woman had pains, and bitter agonies? have you suffered such contradiction between the flesh and the spirit, that these wars and terrours and ru∣mours, have struck through the very soul of you? that you have felt it as bitter as gall, as bitter as bitterness it self, for saith our Lo••d, Luk 21. 22. Then be the dayes of VENGEANCE, that all things which are written may be fulfilled; inso∣much

as you may say of your selves,* 1.204 Call me not now Naomi, pleasant; but call me Marah, bit∣terness: for the Almighty hath dealt bitterly with me.* 1.205 This work being gone through, you may be sure the child is born to you, and to you a Son is given, else not. Tell me of what you will, of edu∣cation and good nature, and the still work of Gods Spirit; except this work be done in you, so that you can speak of the work thereof experimental∣ly, you do but befool and delude your own souls.

And this work being gone through,* 1.206 and the child born, then (as I said before) he grows and increases in age and perfection every day. He is not grown to a man in a moment, but by steps & by degrees. He that hath this work brought about in his soul, he need fear nothing, he is in a free and safe condition; all the men upon earth, nay the powers of darkness cannot hurt him; although the Dragon, the Devil, Sin, Lusts, the old man, Self, Lucifer, Adam, the Serpent, &c. these with all their fiery darts (for when I name one, I name all) (as I opened them to you upon ano∣ther occasion) for I opened near 20 of his names severally: for these names and many such the Scripture gives him, to set out that evil one within us, which the most part of men are little acquain∣ted with (although they hug them in their bo∣somes,* 1.207 eat, drink, sleep, work, play with them) & all these I say, although they send forth whole floods of water after the woman, yet they cannot drown her, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this work delivers and frees men

from the powers of darkness: this work brings down the strong holds,* 1.208 disarms the strong man, and sets the soul free, Saves it, delivers it, carries it above all waves.

The next remarkable action Christ did, he was circumcised,* 1.209 That is, He submitted himself to all outward Ordinances, because he knew that all powers were ordained of God; and so far forth as they tend to God, and tend to love and peace, we ought to submit: So then, we are then cir∣cumcised with Christ, and Christ is circumcised in us, when we for his sake submit to all humane Ordinances, both temporal and spiritual, they not being against the Word and command of God. For Christ himself, though he was not bound to them, yet he would do it, because (saith he) on ano∣ther occasion,* 1.210 it becomes us to fulfil all righ∣teousness.

And our Saviour puts this very question to Pe∣ter (saith he) Peter, of whom do the Kings of the earth take tribute? of the children, or of Strangers? Pe••er answers, of Strangers. Then (saith our Sa∣viour) the children are free. Though our Lord knew his liberty, yet he did submit himself; and did not as many do now adayes, upon pretence of liberty deny submission to good orders in Church and State: But he commanded Peter (notwith∣standing he was the Son of God) and knew infi∣nitely his own liberty, and the liberty of his Saints and Disciples, more then we or they; Tis true Peter,* 1.211 saith he, the children are free: yet not∣withstanding, go to the Sea, and cast word Angle,

and open the mouth of the first fish that comes up,* 1.212 and there he should find a piece of silver; go and give that for me and thee; so then are we circum∣cised with Christ, when we do the same action for his sake, although we be free, that we may give them no offence, as Christ there saith.

The next action that we read Christ did,* 1.213 He came up with his Parents at the feast to Ierusalem, and went into the Temple and disputed among the Doctors. The same thing doth Christ in the soul; for there is within every one of us A many Lear∣ned Doctors, brought up in Satans University; who are very subtle, very acute Disputants: even the rankest fool amongst us hath a whole Univer∣sity of Doctors within him: how subtle how lear∣ned then are they in wise men? Truly the more wisdome, the more dangerous to dispute a man to hell; and in this regard the more wise the more remote from the Kingdome of hea∣ven, more unfit to be made a fool for Christ: how hard is it for such a man to be brought to vnknow,* 1.214 unlearn, and deny his own wisdom, parts, goodness? &c, Thy wisdome hath made thee rebel, saith Ieremiah and Isaiah: We are so full of wis∣dom to defend our selves in our evil wayes; and by custome and practice we have wonderfully pro∣fited in this University: we have made a large pro∣gress in these Schools, and have out-stript many of our standing. Insomuch that we have not one∣ly approved and cleaved fast and close to our ini∣quities, but we are grown learned Doctors at it, to defend th••••, to hold out arguments against the

very World of God, and the everlasting blessed truths of Jesus Christ: which did we but receive, and suffer our selves to be overcome by them, they would make us for ever happy and Able to make the man of God wise ••nto salvation.* 1.215

Beloved, examine your selves; find you not these things so? What mighty, learned, unweari∣ed Disputes are there held in our souls? what strange and strong reasonings? insomuch that the Old man carries all before Him, and these Lusts, these great Doctors bear away the day of it: down with the Word, down with Law, Gospel, Christ, Salvation, Truth, all kept under and imprisoned, and made to serve with our iniquities,* 1.216 as the Pro∣phet speaks. And this you know is, and hath been of old, and still will be, My brethren, until Jesus Christ be pleased with his Almighty pow∣er to come into the soul and command a silence; and that he will now manifest himself, and comes in with Regal, Conquering power. Else our lusts make such a hurly burly, such a noise, such loud clamouring in the soul, that Christ can∣not be heard: therefore he in the first place, is fain to put them all to silence, answering and con∣victing every lust: and then are we mighty through God to the casting down of strong holds and every imagination that exalts it self against the knowledge, kingdome, and power of Iesus Christ••: otherwise,* 1.217 if Christ come not in thus, there is no silencing these Doctors: He must put the Min∣strels out of doors before he will raise the dead soul. Do you what you can, pray, fast, strive

against them, yet they know you not, they are furi∣ous and raging.* 1.218 Iesus we know, and Paul we know, but who are ye? Self will not be cross'd, will through all, knows no banks, no bounds, no bottom; will seek it self, set up and exalt it self in every thing; there is no overcoming, no silencing these Doctors.

For there is Doctor Pleasure; and he pleads, take thy pleasure in the life time, fill and satisfie thy self with recreations, and take thy fill of the good blessings of God: Were they not made for mans use, and art not thou Lord over the Crea∣tures, to use and enjoy them as thou pleasest?

And then there is Doctor Profit: saith he, Friend, the best way for thee is to get riches for thy self, it is no matter how, though others pinch for it, so thou canst but bring in profit: this will do thee good when all thy friends will forsake thee: thou mayest then take thine ease; come times what wil, thou hast goods laid up for many years,* 1.219 thou shalt be rich, and be a man in esteem in the parish: here∣by thou shalt be a great man, thou shalt be heard before another, and thou shalt be looked upon and advanced, whereas the Poor they are despised and trampled on, scarce suffered to speak for them∣selves.

And then comes Doctor Honour; and sayes he, what need all this stir about Religion? canst not thou be content to go the old way thy fore-fathers went? canst not thou be content to go that way the State goes, that way that Kings and Princes, and Great men go? then shalt thou walk safely,

and enjoy thine own, and be honoured for a wise man, a prudent man, do not the most go this way? and though thou art not so forward in Religion, thou shalt do as well as they: There is none but a a company of poor beggerly fellows, Tinkers and Coblers, and schismatical and conceited fellows that are so hot, and they are every where despi∣sed; as it was said in derision the last day, that there was none came running out of the City to hear me, but a company of Coblers and slight fel∣lows.

Although I would not encourage any to slight their own Pastors who teach them truth, and la∣bour to build them up in their holy faith, and I know there be many able men in the City near them, and therefore I marvail what they came out into the Wilderness to see? a poor sinful man, sub∣ject to like passions and infirmities with others? a Reed shaken with the wind? who hath nothing to give, if God enlighten not, and if he open not my mouth,* 1.220 I cannot set forth his praise, whose praise is far above the earth and heavens: for if Praise, or Profit, or Self open my mouth,* 1.221 I cannot set forth His praise: but if this people come after me with a hungring and thirsting after truth, and without slighting other worthy Teachers, I here profess, be they what they will be, rich or poor, if they have a feeling of these things in their own souls, I pro∣fess they are more welcome to me then so many Prin∣ces or Potentates: and for ought I know, one of them may enjoy more of God then most Kings or Princes, or Noblemen, and shall enter into

their Masters joy, when they themselves shall be shut out, for the poor are alwaies despised in the world. You know the Prophet Esay saith, ch. 43. 8. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.* 1.222 And saith our Saviour, Go tell Iohn, the poor receive the Gospel. This is a digression by the way, we return to our mat∣ter.

And although the storm and the lightning be now very terrible,* 1.223 be not afraid, change not your coun∣tenances, nor be not so amazed, stand fast, our God is able to defend us. Attend, mind the bu∣siness in hand, and fear not; we are about the Lords business, our fathers business; we are now discovering the powers of Darkness; if we should now be snarcht away doing this work, we should have comfort in it: though the earth be removed (saith David) and the Mountains be hurled here and there, we will not fear; though the heavens should kiss the earth, and all things be reduced to their first Chaos, yet stand stil, fear not, but attend and we shall go on.

Saith Doctor Honour, Be wise for thy self, art thou willing to be counted such a Fool, to be so hot in religion? do any of the learned, any of the great and wise men go this way? canst not thou go on in a fine, smooth, moderate way, and so shalt thou please all the World? And thus these Doctors will dispute against those wayes which are of abso∣lute necessity, if ever a man come to Heaven. If thou wilt go this way we go, and seek for honour, riches, &c. thou shalt be a man of some account,

all the world shall bow to thee, thou shalt be ac∣counted some body, people shall flock to thee for counsell. else, if thou wilt not hearken and obey our counsell, thou art like to lead an obscure And beggerly life.

Again, there is Doctor Arrogance; and he saith, Be thou some body in thine own esteem, exalt thy self, seek thine own praise; thou hast wisdom, and power, and parts, they are thine; arrogate and ap∣propriate these to thy self, and walk confidently and boldly on in thin•• own worth; and so he looks on himself as a Peacock, and saith, Am not I some body? have not I done this, and this, and that? Is not this great Babel (sayes Nebuchadnezzar) that I have built,* 1.224 for mine honour, and greatness? Oh Be∣loved! this little word [1] little do you think what a comprehensive, vast word it is; it is a little one,* 1.225 as the Apostle Iames saith concerning the tongue, but full of evil: have not I brought about this? and have not I effected that? and so prides himself therein, as if he had brought things to pass, and sees not God acting and doing all in him and by him, and in and by all the creatures.

This Doctor is none of the lowest, but is every where in request, he runs through the whole world, but unobserved [Arrogance] you may ob∣serve almost in every man, in setting up himself, praising and admiring himself what great Acts he hath done, being tickled and delighted with the praises of others, but cannot endure to hear any other praised but Himself: and though all men say not thus with their tongues, because of their

subtilty, The Devil will not suffer them, for they would no•• be observed to do so, yet tis the end of their discourse, and in their hearts they say no less: And men are ignorant how dangerously The Devil in them disputes, and whereto it tends, in taking from God that which belongs to him, and arroga••ing it to himself, no less sin then pulling God from his throne, as much as lies in them, and ad∣vancing themselves into his seat: Oh! poor craw∣ling worms, nothings, worse then nothings! to at∣tempt this high Treason, to the King of kings, and Lord of lords; for all power, wisdom, good∣ness and praise, All is Gods; and if all be his, what right hath any creature to say or think any part thereof is his?

This is no less then the sin of Lucifer, which threw him down from heaven: This is Lucifer within us, being not content to be as he was created, but would be some••hing of himself,* 1.226 he would aim at Gods seat; Thou hast said in thine Heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God, I will be like the most High, &c. And this doth all the world by appropriating any good to themselves, or any power to act without God: for the creature is but a meer instrument in the hand of the Almighty, and hath nothing of his own but sin: and there∣fore they should in themselves be vile and no∣thing, little in their own eyes; else we cannot en∣ter into the Kingdom of God; as our Saviour saith, Except ye be converted,* 1.227 and become as little chil∣dren, ye cannot enter; that so all praise and good∣ness,

and all power to act, be ascribed to God alone.

And then comes up Doctor Reason: Oh! He is a great man, he is a learned Doctor indeed, he is Doctor of the Chair at least: when all the rest are ••••••enced, yet he must be heard; and he will be∣lieve nothing that you cannot bring within his bounds, within his element: whatever ye shew him, if you shew him a reason for it, then he is on your side: If you tell him its reason he should regard his body, he will believe you; and that he should regard his soul above his body, as the more precious, and look out for the good of that, that it may be saved hereafter, he will believe you also, because ye speak but reason to him; but if you go beyond reason, tell him any thing you cannot make him understand by reason, he will, if he can, have you hist out of the Schools: Tell him he must deny himself,* 1.228 he must deny his own wisdom, parts, goodness, he must become a fool, that he may be made wise,* 1.229 Tell him It is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nought The understanding of the prudent, Oh! This is Harsh Doctrine, then he cannot hear, he cannot under∣stand.

But when Iesus Christ comes into the soul, he puts all these Doctors to sielnce, he opposes and an∣swers all;* 1.230 he comes and preaches with authority, and not as the Scribes: he disputes with such power and authority, with such a plain demonstration of truth in all his questions and answers, that he makes the standers by amazed and astonished at

his understanding and answers,* 1.231 and brings all things into such a peace and tranquillity in the soul, that there is no more jars and dissentions, but the soul yields to Christ, he having cast out those unclean and unruly spirits; and they now with Ma•••• sit quietly at Christs feet and hear his Heaven•••• Do∣ctrine, and there is a confessing and subscribing, that he hath done all things well:* 1.232 they will no more contend with him, nor direct him; but con∣fess, that what ever he doth is the best.

Well, then we hear no more of Christ after this, till he was thirty years old: I beseech you go along with me, and look altogether within your selves, and it may be, the Lord may shew you all these things, and a thousand times more then I can speak: I beseech him to open your eyes, and to give you understanding; for this day (through Gods blessing) I shall put such a key into your hands, that unlocks all the Scriptures; even as a fine curious contrived Cabinet, which we know not which way to open, yet having found the se∣cret Lock of all the Drawers, then they all fall to pieces, and every one comes to your hand: So shall I do this day (if God say Amen) give you such a secret key, that takes all the Scripture to peices, and you may come to see what use every several part thereof is for: Those Scriptures that before were hard and dark, and you could not tell what they should mean; now they all fall off as easie, and come to hand as you desire: but it is not I, nor any thing I can do, though I should preach and beat these things into you till mid∣night,

till Christ himself be pleased to come into the soul,* 1.233 and work these things in you by his own power: the hearing by the ear will not do it, it must be the experimental touch of these things upon your hearts that must teach you these things.

Well, after Christ was thirty years old, he be∣gan to fall to working of miracles: ••nd it is said, the first miracle that we read that Iesus did,* 1.234 was in Cana of Galilee, where at a feast he turned the wa∣ter into wine: Those things which before to you were but dead, flat waters; these precious truths that heretofore were so untasteful, so unrelis••able, that you had as live dye as drink thereof, the wayes of Christ are so harsh and thwart to flesh and blood; Christ must come and make those waters (that before were deadly, they were so bitter you could not endure to taste them: Oh! it was Gall, Vinegar and Wormwood, if you tipt but your tongue in them, you would have no more of them, away with them) now he comes and makes these waters first drinkable, that you begin to endure to take a draught of them; and after∣ward he turns them into wine, delightful and plea∣sant drink: nay, he made such wine that it was wondered at,* 1.235 Thou hast kept the good wine until now.

Oh! the wayes of Christ to that soul that hath experience of them, are more pleasant then the purest wine;* 1.236 they, as David saith, Are as sweet as honey, and the honey comb; are more desirable then gold, yea then much fine gold: And now those

wines that we so much prized before, now are turned into water; they are now harsh and distaste∣ful; its death to them now to drink of those wa∣ters; but he that is overcome and governed by Christ, he turn•• all into wine: then all Christs wayes are pleasant, though he walk contrary to them, yet still he gives these souls wine to drink, and such wine, as they never tasted the like be∣fore: Do you now tell them of drinking of their old waters? no, they can despise them all; he despises his sinful pleasures, he despises the world; he can despise honour, pleasure, ease, profit, all; though they were his life before, now he can des∣pise them all.

If Christ before had commanded to for sake our pleasure, our profit, our friends, our houses our lands, our lives: Oh! this had been harsh wine, we should have dyed to have heard of it: but as soon as Christ comes, he convinces and over∣comes our inward darkness and mistakes; our judgement of these things is quite turned; our eyes begin to be opened, we have new eyes, new tastes; we can now see and relish the wonderful things of Gods Law: Now Christ doth nothing but go up and down in us, preaching and teach∣ing in our Temples, and working miracles from place to place in our souls;* 1.237 in one place he makes clay and anoints their eyes, and opens them; in another he cryes to the ears, Ephatha, be ye open∣ed, and then all things shine gloriously to these eyes, and all things sound melodiously to these ears.

What thunder is not a well tuned cymbal? and what voyce so hoarse and harsh, that is not a clear Organ, when God sets his voyce to the instru∣ment, and the instrument to his voyce? when our spirits are set right, there is a sweet harmony between us and all the wayes of God, seem they never so harsh to flesh and blood: all Gods dealings they esteem them to be right: though God afflict them,* 1.238 yet they see it is in faithfulness; as David saith, I know, O Lord, that all thy judge∣ments are right, and thou in faithfulness hast af∣flicted me: and again (saith he) I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right,* 1.239 and I hate every false way: Before they could endure to hear of nothing but ease, pleasure, honour, profit, credit, and external freedom from crosses: I, I, ye can∣not bring news so fast of these things, as they have eyes, ears, hearts, hands, and all ready to receive them: ye are the welcomest Guests that can be to them; but if you tell them they must deny all these things, they must part with these things, they must sell all and follow Christ,* 1.240 as he told the young man; That they must enjoy them as if they enjoyed them not,* 1.241 as Paul saith: Oh bitter! they have now neither eyes to see, nor ears to hear you, nor hands to receive: all this Doctrine shall fall to the ground for them; they cannot endure any thing which brings not good news to themselves, to their carnal self.

As when the Sun shines, you know it shews all things below it self, and darkens every thing a∣bove it self: for in the day ye can see nothing above the Sun; all the Stars, which are above the

Sun, are obscured, and all things else: So while a man is in the state of unregeneration, he can see nothing above himself: but if it be any thing that leads him to the love of himself, that he can see: Heaven is welcome to him out of a self-love, and so far as he apprehends it will make him happy; but if ye shew him any thing above himself, he can∣not see nor hear any thing; he is therein stark blinde and deaf: this is not the generation that he is wise in; but the children of this world are wiser in their generation, then the children of light.* 1.242

I said, Christ being once come into the soul (conceive, I pray you, what I mean) not that Christ in regard of dwelling can come in, or go out, but in regard of his workings in us, and to us:* 1.243 Christ in himself cannot grow greater or less, or more exalted; for his praise is far above the earth and heavens; but to us he is more manifested and to us and in us he grows and increases, and so his life comes to us by degrees: And so far forth as we lay down our selves, and all that is in us, or whatso∣ever is acted by us, at the foot of Christ, and that we are ruled and guided by him, then we shall see, how he speaks all in us, doth all in us, hears all in us, sees all in us; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which dwells in you:* 1.244 This is to have Christ come into the soul; because before we are really sensible of this, he is as it were not there: But he being (I say) once come into the soul, for we must make use of such expressions for our understanding, then he opens those eyes that before were shut; he now makes those feet that

were cripple from the mothers womb, so that they could not set one foot forward in his wayes, now he makes their feet like hindes feet; he makes them run his ways with delight, and he shews his miracles in all their members; he turns all into a new creature, and in this sense he grows more and more in them,* 1.245 till they come to a perfect stature, even the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Before they could not endure this life, it was the old life they were taken up withal, how they might please the flesh,* 1.246 and fulfil the desires of the flesh, and were by nature children of wrath even as others: Those were the thoughts they were ta∣ken up withal at bed and at board; all their thoughts, words, actions, eyes, ears, tongues, feet, were all imployed in this service, else they were unquiet, and never contented.

To see Christ to be all in all in us, this is to know him experimentally: and if ye know him thus, then you know him as you ought to know him, else he is but a fable to you: for so to know him, is to have all the Scriptures fulfilled in you, as our Sa∣viour said,* 1.247 This Scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears.

Beloved, such a light, such a key ye have gotten, who see these things, that whatever place of Scripture you read or hear, that you shall be able to say and feel it in your own souls, That this day is this Scripture (though writ so long ago) fulfil∣led in your ears, in your souls.

When you read the Story of the Conception, Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection of Christ; of his

Whipping, Crowning with Thorns, Buffeting, Spit∣ting upon, you shall be able experimentally to say, and cry out, Alas! this day is this Scripture fulfil∣led in me.

And Beloved, this is a daily doing all the Scri∣ptures over again; this is the enduring of the word for ever; as David speaks, (sayes the soul) Alas, my soul was like a Leopard,* 1.248 spotted from head to foot with the lepros••e of sin, and he hath com∣manded,* 1.249 I will•• be thou clean; he hath washt away with his bloud all my spots. I found that I was grown crooked and bowed together with my strong sinews of lusts,* 1.250 and he hath made me straight. I found I had a continual running issue, that conti∣nually ran, to the polluting of my soul, and to the dishonour of God; and the touching of his gar∣ments hath healed me. Oh happy soul, to whom God hath been pleased to give this key! this is sa∣ving knowledge of the Scripture; all other know∣ledge of the Letter, is but the flesh of the Scri∣ptures, that which the carnal man may compre∣hend: and although it be never so great, never so exact, it is meer dirt and dung•• its not worth one rush: for thus to know the Scriptures as I have said, is to have the whole Scriptures fulfilled in us, as David saith, I will hearken to what the Lord saith in me.

Now we come to the third thing: What it is to know Jesus Christ crucified: I determined to know nothing among you, save Iesus Christ, and him cru∣cified. And again, saith the Apo••••le, God forbid that I should rejoyce in anything,* 1.251 save in the Cross of

Christ, whereby the world is crucified un••o me, and I unto the world. And again,* 1.252 I count all things loss and dung▪ that I may win Iesus Christ, and know him crucified. Before we can live the life of Jesus Christ, we must of necessity know his death, and find that he is crucified in us. In a natural life a man must first be born and live, before he can be crucified and put to death; but in the spiritual life in us its contrary; a man must first see that Christ is crucified before he is born.

Beloved, I tell you, if you take but this key to unlo••k this p••ecious Cabinet of God, you will find precious Iewels will come tumbling down to your hand. Christ Jesus, as he was crucified upon the cross, so by way of equivalency, he is still and daily crucified in us:* 1.253 for he is the lamb slain from the beginning of the world, and shall be to the end of the world. You are deceived if you think the passion of Christ is past when he had suffered under Pontius Pilate.

Every man before he comes to be a spiritual man, he was a carnal man, a natural man. And this natural man possessed the house,* 1.254 and he is the strong man; and not onely strong, but armed: and when ever I speak of the strong man, or the old man, or sin, or the Devil, or Satan, or Lucifer, or Antichrist, &c. I mean and intend one and the samething, and so doth the Scripture, as I con∣ceive, and I would have you well to consider this thing; for they are those enemies the Scripture most minds us of, and gives us warning to beware of, and watch against; they be our bosome ene∣mies

that betray us: as for outward enemies, we meddle not now with them; but the Scripture hath given these Enemies, or rather this Enemy of ours several names, that thereby we may come to know him, or by some of them at least: that we may see in our selves the several effects of all those names, and the several workings, according to the nature of those names.

So long as this strong man keeps the house, that is, so long as our own wisdom, strength, gifts, abilities of nature, reason, understanding, will, af∣fections,* 1.255 so long as these keep the house, Iesus Christ is crucified;* 1.256 these are those Jews who have Crucified the Lord of life;* 1.257 these have kept him under, and made him to serve your iniquities; these have laden him as a cart is pressed with sheaves,* 1.258 these have kept him down; these have put his feet in the Stocks with Joseph, and the irons have entred into his very soul. This is the true, the real crucifying of Christ: all other crucify∣ings are but the representment of this. This is that crucifying, that all the external crucifyings and deaths in the world are not sufficient to figure it out to us, and make us sensible thereof, unless we our selves partake thereof; for herein chiefly consisted the sufferings of Christ, even as the Apostle layes them down in Philip. 2.* 1.259 he emptied himself, and he humbled himself: he emptied himself of all his riches, glory and greatness which he had with the Father, and came down here among us, and was content to be as a ser∣vant; he that was Lord of all, to be content to be

trampled upon and crucified both literally and mystically, by his own creatures; herein were sufferings indeed, far beyond his bodily whipping, or nailing to the Cross; far beyond his buffeting, crowning with thorns and the like: and if we here∣in suffer with Christ,* 1.260 this is the true Cross of Christ, and this is to be made partakers of his suf∣ferings. S. Paul largely expresses how he came to know these true sufferings:* 1.261 and so shall all that ever shall tast of heaven; saith he, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we him no more: you know that as soon as the body comes, the shadow goes away, when we enjoy the body, the substance, there is little use of the sha∣dovv.* 1.262 And Christ himself beats us off from these things vvhen he saith, The flesh does us no good, prositeth nothing, but its the Spirit that giveth life, that onely profiteth. If once vve have the body, let the shadow go; if once vve have teh Sprit, le•• the flesh go; if you suffer vvith Christ (as vve said before) then you have the life, the Spirit of the Scriptures in that particular, and so likevvise in the rest, To arise and triumph vvith him, &c.

But by the way, because I would have you un∣derstand me, let me remember you, except you know the mystery of the Trinity, you will never un∣derstand what I mean when I speak of Christ; for it is the knowledge of HIM, The ONE in Trini∣ty and the Trinity in ONE, Being rightly groun∣ded in that,* 1.263 it makes all these things easie, viz. to him whose eyes and whose heart God hath opened. This is that I say. Ye must first come to the

knowledge of the Three in One, and the One in Three, or you will never rightly come to know what Christ is.

Mind this, when we speak of God the Father, then we speak of him that is Unknowable, Unspeak∣able, Unnameable; and then you must consider him as abstractedly from all manner of creatures; neither in possibility of Creating or being Crea∣ted;* 1.264 He is That he is; I am that I am; that is, he is [God] Unknown, Unspoken, Unpronounced, either by men or Angels, or any Creature; as ha∣ving nothing to do with Creatures, or Creatures with him: And so the Father, Son, and Spirit are All one; Here is the Trinity in Unity. But if ye come to speak of any THING, any manner of concep∣tion, or of Things created, then we divide the Godhead into persons; then there is immedi∣ately Father, Son and Spirit, There is Iesus Crist the Son of the Father, the first begotten of all Creatures.* 1.265 The Heir of ALL THINGS.

And so, we behold Iesus Christ as the second p••rson in Trinity, Although the persons in the Godhead are not before or after other; and so, He hath to do with creatures, and is In the creatures; is the Being, Action and Life of the creatures: And so, Iesus Christ is called The WORD Spoken, for so he is called in that first of the Hebrews: as He was in the bosome of his Father, he was Unspoken, Unpronounced, or in possi∣bility of being pronounced; so He was and is God equal with his Father: but being once spoken or pronounced, so he is less then his Father, he is af∣ter

his Father: but before, he was neither before nor after.

As for example, (for I would illustrate these unknown things to you as well as I can) I have a word in my mind, while it is in my mind it is my own; what have you or any one to do with it? but being once past the door, the bars of my lips, then tis yours.

Brethren,* 1.266 I beseech you mind these things; He that hath ears to hear, let him hear: but it must be given to you to understand these things; Flesh and blood cannot reveal these things: But I will open them unto you as familiarly as I can. As suppose the word in my mind be [A House, A Tree] or any other thing; while they were in my mind you knew them not; but being once spoken, Then you know them, and apprehend them: the figure and representation of that Word or Thing is immedi∣ately also in your mind; So long as Jesus Christ was or is in the bosome of his Father, he is un∣known to the creature; he is God Equal with his Father, neither One before or after other: But if God please to speak THIS WORD, if he please to put forth himself in the Creating of any Crea∣ture; Here now, The word is Spoken, I say Here now is Iesus Christ come OUT from the Father,* 1.267 here is now, The MEDIATOR That is between God and man, without whom we cannot come to the Father.

He Onely complyes with his Father, and com∣plyes with The creatures: If God should speak to us as he is in himself,* 1.268 we dye; Our God is a consu∣ming

fire: if he should speak to us as he is in him∣self, all the Creation would be undone, consumed to nothing. But here is our comfort, Onely Jesus Christ HIS SON is Our Mediator; otherwise, Tell me his name, or his Sons name if thou canst Tell, as it is said in the Proverbs:* 1.269 No man cometh to the Father, or knoweth the Father, but by the Sonne,* 1.270 and him to whom the Sonne will reveal him.

Christ is called also The Eternal purpose of God, and so,* 1.271 All things in him had their IDEAL form; but vvho knevv vvhat that IDEA vvas, or vvhat vvas in his mind? But he put forth his Son, that so he might reveal to us what his Eternal purpose was. And knovv this, that what ever was In God, vvas God hi••••elf; Christ vvas and is in him, therefore is Himself; His purposes vvere in him, and they are HIM: And so, Christ vvas Equal with his Father Unknown, Unspoken: But as soon as ever ye think of any word, or of any manner of Form; then fasten presently on God the Son, as Col. 2. 15, 16.* 1.272 Who is the image of the invisi∣ble God, the first-born of every creature, by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible, and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. The same also is exprest Heb. 1. 2. 3.* 1.273

And then The third Person in Trinity, the Ho∣ly Ghost, He is The Motion, or Reciprocation between the Father and the Son▪ The Act of Love, as I may so say, or that Bond of Love be∣tween

the Father and the Son;* 1.274 for God is Love, saith the Apostle;

Then, God the Holy Ghost is nothing else but that constant love and amity that the Father bears to his Son,* 1.275 and that love that the Son bears and returns to his Father again; and so Proceeds from the Father and the Son; and this is that Holy Spirit of love, whereby we are sancti∣fied and conformed to our head Christ: and so is The third person in Trinity, and after both, though in themselves One and the same. But know this, God cannot communi••ate himself to us, but by One in Three, and Three in One, it is impossible: but in himself he is but One, and can∣not be more, there is not three things in him: for he cannot be multiplied nor divided.

But BY Jesus Christ God made all things that he hath made, as in Ioh. 1.* 1.276 The world was made by him, and without him made he nothing that was made. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; There was God In Himself: But if God make any creature, it follows, The world was made by him, and with∣out him made he nothing that was made: There is God IN the Creatures,* 1.277 Christ Jesus: And in This Son is all the Fathers complacencie and de∣light, in him he is onely well-pleased: he loves Him, and Him onely, Him and nothing else, That is, His own image in every creature: for tis certain, God cannot love any thing but Himself; It is im∣possible His love should go out of himself if it should, let me tell you He could not be God Al∣mighty.

So that in conclusion, The sum of All we have said, is thus much, You can conceive no other∣wise but thus, if you conceive of it rightly: God is in himself Unspeakable, Unknowable, and Incom∣prehensible, having no relation to Cre••••ures, nor to a Creator; neither in possibility of Creating or being created. But Thus it is, God the Father hath been pleased to put fo••th his Son, and to send him into the world, who is the express image of himself.* 1.278 And This image of himself he loves Inf••∣nitely, & indeed nothing else he can love, viz. The image of himself in every creature, This is His Son and nothing else he can love: And it is one and the self same thing in God, though to us they be d••∣verse; Himself loves Himself, and onely Himself: now you see here is three things named, the Lo∣ving, the Loved, and The Love: yet all is but One and the same thing,

Beloved, these are High, Mighty, Sublime, Unexpressible things we have now in hand; but if God be pleased to give us this KE••, I spe••k of, then these things will be easie to us.

Now having a little disgressed (for your sakes) that you may the better understand These things, we come nearer to our matter in hand: mind me I pray you, As long as any thing whatsoever lives in us besides Christ, As long as those things we brought into the world with us, Any thing that is [US or [I] lives, Christ is whipt, his mouth is stopt, he is crucified, dead and buried: As long as Reason lives, Christ is dead: As long as our own Wills live, Christ is crucified: As long

as our own knowledge lives, he is dead. He may knock and knock long enough at the door of our hearts, but we will not hear, we will not open to him, & he is as one dead to us, & we dead to him. Our ears are onely open, to hear the voice of Na∣ture & the voice of flesh and self. Oh! here is a way how thou shalt be made rich; Here is away how thou shalt come to be Honourable; we are deaf, except it be to these things: Oh! here is a way how thou shalt come to be esteemed a wise man, a Famous Professor; How thou shalt be set up, and esteemed, and every one shall speak Well of thee, People shall flock to thee for Counsel, and thou shalt he The onely man in the City.

Oh beloved, Let me tell you while we hear∣ken and are Taken with such things as these, Now is Jesus Christ, whipt, blind-folded, crowned with thorns, and smote on the mouth, made to carry his Cross, crucified, dead, and buried, and a heavy stone rolled upon him, that he may never rise again. Now is Jesus Christ Taken, Apprehended with a strong guard, carryed from one judgement-seat to another; And every lust cryes, Crucifie him, Crucifie him; they are all willing, and give sen∣tence that he shall be condemned, that so THEY may still live and rule; for They know, His life is their death: Therefore he is now taken for the Grand Transgressour; and why? Because He hath broken the Laws of flesh and blood, therefore Crucify him, Away with him, It is pity he should live. The Innocent is hereby taken and led Cap∣tive,

and he that was Righteous in all he did, is now taken for a Wicked man and a Sinner.

My beloved, Herein Lies The life of the Scriptures; Yet do not think that I go about to deny the Letter: I hope I shall stand in justifica∣tion thereof to the death, that those things were Externally and Literally acted. But this I say still, Let us not be content with the Letter Only; Friends, Bear me Record, I say, They were All, Actually and Really done in the flesh; but yet I also say, They were To Teach us, That the same things are Alwayes In doing: I am so far from having such a thought (as some ignorantly charge me) as if I would make all the Scripture a Fable, and meerly Allegorical, and no such things done: that I wish from my soul, Cursed be those lips, and for ever be the sealed up, even with the wrath of Eternal fire, that shall deny in the least, the truth of the Letter.

The truth is, Christ was conceived in us as soon as ever we were born, as I said before, Nay as soon as ever we had A Being; Nay it was He that created us, and gave us Our Being: But now, This we must know and believe, Christ was born in us at our first Being; But that is not enough (as to us) But He must be manifested IN US, and that is, To be Born again. We condemn those Cursed Jews, that apprehended our Lord and Saviour, and put him to death; And we condemn Iudas for betraying him; And we condemn the Souldiers that nailed him to the Cross, and that pierced his blessed Side with a spear: Oh! we

count Them Bloody Villains, and we would have them p••t to a Thousand death: But Let me ask thee, What doest thou do, when thou followest thine own will, and thine own pleasure, against his pure command••?* 1.279 I tell thee, Thou art the man, as Nathan told David; thou art th••t very Iudas, The very Traytor that hast betrayed him: For, when he would live in thee, and rule in thee, and be KING in thy soul, and Tread all his ene∣mies under his feet, thou hast betrayed him into his enemies hands; Thou hast delivered him up to be crucified: As long as thy sins live, and thou pre∣tendest to be a servant to him, Thou hast made A MOCK of the Son of God,* 1.280 And counted the blood of the Covenant an Unholy thing, wherewith he would have sanctified thee:* 1.281 therefore ye must seek to have your part in the first Resurrection, if you hope the second death shall have no power on you,

But Let me remember my self, Perhaps friends, I speak Riddles to you; for you may say in your hearts, Far be it from me to crucifie my Saviour: I find no Christ crucified in me, nor I would not do it, no, not for a Thousand worlds: What? to have my hands imbrewed in the Death and BLOUD of the Son of God? God for∣bid: No poor soul, I believe thou feelest it not so, Because the strong man keeps the house,* 1.282 and He keeps all at peace: But if once Jesus Christ come into thy soul, Even He that was dead, and now begins to live, That he begins to rouse up himself like a Lion, He will then, Make all the

beasts of the Forrest to TREMBLE: And know this, if he once Will Lift up himself, it is not in our power, nor in the power of all the lusts and corruptions in the world, nor in all the powers of darkness to keep him Down: But Till this time; He is content,* 1.283 To serve your iniquities.

But, When He doth Arise, He will then shew you and make you sensible, How you have scour∣ged and crucified him All this while: He will make you Amazed to see, How all this while, you have had him Live in you, and been so near you, and you have Crucified him: What? I Crucified my Saviour all this while; and I not aware of it? Oh wretch that I am! Oh! now now he cryes out, Oh! let these Jews dye, let them live no longer, these lusts,' these Sins of mine, that have crucified and put to death The LORD of Life: When I read the story of his life and death, how he was used, de••ided, buffered, &c. little did I think that I was He that was in doing all those things to Christ my self; Then, thou shalt clear∣ly see, that when Christ commanded thee, These and these things to be done,* 1.284 Thou hast cast his Commands behind thy back, and thou wouldest not have him rule in thee: but thou chosest rather to follow thine own will, and what self and flesh commanded: Oh! here now thou hast Newly pierced Iesus Christ to the heart with a sharp spear: Thou confessest, truth it is, God commands me to do these things, to cross my self, to forsake my own will, and follow him: Tush, but it is all one, I will, and I must have my own will, I will not stand

bent to these Laws; thou s••••ppest in sunder these bands and casts these cords from thee: Oh Friend! thou art now The very man,* 1.285 that hath newly wounded the Son of God, and brought from his s••de, water and blood:* 1.286 Oh Beloved, these are The Spears, These are the Mocks, these are the Scour∣gings, these are Vinegar and Gall, to Christ: And that man that hath, Thus, Crucified him, He hath more truly crucified him then ever the Jews did.

But after a man is brought to see and feel This, How do you think? Can that man that sees how he hath crucified Christ In him, and put him to death, Can he go on and crucifie him still? Can he wound and put him to death still? Can he be so Cruel to take these Spears, these sins and lusts, and wound him to the very heart again! Oh! no, no, He cannot, He cannot; he will rather chuse to dye Ten thousand deaths: Whatever he doth, he will not wound again So Meek and Merciful A Sa∣viour.

But it may be there is this Q••estion which may run in your thoughts,* 1.287 and it may be it is Hard for you to conceive, How Christ should suf∣fer, and not God to suffer, seeing he is God and man:* 1.288 It is certain, God cannot suffer: and there∣fore ye must understand, That Christ in Himself cannot suffer, but he suffers in his body, in his members: Those types and shadows of his suf∣ferings are but to shew how He still suffers in his Members Internally, and spiritually! He suffers In regard of Us, and to Us, and for Us, because

we live, and our sins and lusts live, and our Self lives, and therefore He suffers, He is Crucified and dead: For, whatever we see done by Christ in the letter, is An Embleme of that He doth for Ever; For He is the Lamb slain from the be∣ginning:* 1.289 Iesus Christ is yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever:* 1.290 Did you see him yesterday nailed to the Cross? he is the same to day, and for ever, &c. yet He HIMSELF suffers not, but his body: For Example, my body can never suf∣fer, unless my soul be in it; neither can my soul suffer without my body; and yet my body cannot suffer without my soul: Then wonder not, if it may be thus in a creature, if Jesus Christ in him∣self suffereth not, but onely Himself in his mem∣bers, neither can his members suffer unless he be in them.* 1.291 I my self (saith Paul) fill up in my body The measure of the sufferings of Christ.

Beloved, These are Divine, sublime things, if your eyes be but open to see them: And, you having This KEY put into your hand by God him∣self (for God himself must interpret his own meaning) then you will have Such a light, such a Demonstration of Truth, so that, Those Scrip∣tures which you knew not before, what to make of them, nor what they concerned, they were So dark and Obscure, and Contradictory; Now, all the whole Scriptures open of themselves, and shew you all their Hidden Iewels, and Unspeakable Treasures.

And now my Brethren, God forbid, that after an hours, or more patient hearing, that I or you

should fall under the reproof of Iobs friends, In ventum verba protulisse; or to have entertained you here so long with Wind or lyes; as Ephraim is said to have dieted himself with, Hos. 12. 1.* 1.292 He feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind, He daily encreaseth lyes: God forbid, That all we have said should be but as Lyes or wind or No∣thing to you.

But if you see these things in experience;* 1.293 Then Beloved, you shall see wonderful things, How all Davids Psalms come in, How the Fat Bulls of Basan came about him like Bees; and How his feet were fast in the stocks; and how he was overwhel∣med in the mire: and so throughout the whole Psalms, and the rest of the Scriptures (still seeing and taking them as done spiritually and invisibly) And so, you shal come to see, The Scriptures to be A Bottomless SEA where in the Elephant may swim and the Leviathan may sport himself.* 1.294

Neither would many men so much trouble themselves about a personal Reign of Christ here upon earth, if they saw that the Chief and Real ful∣filling of Scriptures were within them; And that whatever is externally done in the world, and ex∣pressed in the Scriptures, is but Typical and Re∣presentative and points out, A more spiritual and saving salvation, and a more Divine fulfilling of them: For this is no more, Then to ask, as the Sons of Zebedee did, to sit one at his Right hand and the other at his Left, in his Kingdom; And with the Disciples, to expect a Temporal Restoring the Kingdom to Israel: but Christ takes

them off from all those things;* 1.295 and saith, My Kingdom is not of this world, for them would my ser∣vants fight to obtain this their Kingdome; but the Kingdome of heaven is within you; for men may have their part in these external Powers, Scepters, Crowns and Kingdoms, and have no part in Christs Kingdom; Therefore all those thoughts are but Literal and low, and poor, and childish: but let us mind such a Kingdom, wherein if we have but the least part, the least share, that if we be but Door-keepers, then we are Happy for ever, and shall never perish, neither in this world, nor in that to come.

And let us look upon all those Scriptures they alledge, as fulfilled to the Church spiritually in all ages: Verily there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death till these things be fulfilled:* 1.296 And then whether that come about they speak of or no, it matters not; or if it do or should be ful∣filled literally, either for the pulling down of An∣tichrist the Pope externally, or for the thousand years of Christs Personal Reign, yet we are not Here to Rest, in the external fulfilling of them, but plus ultra, let us look beyond all these things: These things may be, and yet Christ not exalted in thee, nor Antichrist pulled down in thee: And if they be not done in thee, and in me; what is all to us?

But I will hold my self at this time rather to the point in hand, concerning Christ being crucified IN man; for to look upon those actions and prophe∣cies only as to be fulfilled externally, is but a know∣ing

Christ after the flesh,* 1.297 and to please the out∣ward man; of which the Apostle saith, Hence forth I will know no man after the flesh; no though I had know Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth will I knew him no more: Of our hope and belief in this kind of fulfilling the Scriptures spiritually, we are sure we need not, nay we shall not be ashamed, be∣cause we are sure we shall not be disappointed: This is the body, The Substance: the other is but the Figure, the Shadow.

And those actions being done Spiritually, they are more truly done then those that are done Temporally and corporally: for if he did suffer then in the time that he lived upon earth, in the daies of his flesh (as he did) He suffers now herein, more truly and really; for that suffering was but the shadow of these sufferings. These are The Suf∣ferings indeed, His other sufferings, are not wor∣thy The Name of sufferings to these. Yet be sure, The Godhead cannot suffer, by no means: And therefore if God in you have brought the know∣ledge of Christ to this, to see all these things to be within you, And to suffer with him Internally, then is your knowledge right; Sufferings with Christ in the outward man are nothing to these sufferings, namely thus: for a man to lay down his own will, to cross himself, to forsake and Empty Himself (as Christ did) herein lie the Great and unconceivable sufferings of Christ, as the A∣postle sets them down in Phil. 2. 4.* 1.298 He that was Lord of all became least of all, He Emptied Himself, Poured out all his glory. (as the origi∣nal

renders it,) and became as a servant; was con∣tent to be abased and trampled on by his own crea∣tures; Herein was Sufferings indeed: Herein lies The MYSTERIE of the Gospel of Christ; His other sufferings, or any External sufferings in the Saints are not worthy to be named the same day with THESE Sufferings.

For, If once you come to these sufferings, then, down with parts, down with our own excellen∣cies and endowments both of nature and grace: (Babel within us must bethrown down) then shall we come to be nothings in our own esteem: Be∣hold Herein is the sufferings and patience of the Saints, and whatever else we suffer,* 1.299 if we suffer not thus, we suffer not with Christ, we are not acquainted with Christ Crucified. For if we know never so much of an External Christ, of an Out∣ward Christ, and of Outward sufferings without this, it will do us no good.

But I beseech God, That you may observe All within you; How Christ is conceived within you, and when he offers himself to the birth; Observe when those Commotions and Hurly-burlies are within you: then look up, and know that the birth is at hand, The kingdom of God is at hand; Your Redemption draweth nigh; That you may see, how you are the men that have killed and crucified Him: and that he will be exalted and lifted up in you.

And then, being once come to this: That light which hath discovered Thus much, of the work of Christ within you, will not leave you, but

bring you further and further: so that you shall go on, From strength to strength, and dig up foun∣tains of wonder and comfort till you come,* 1.300 and appear before God in Sion. Then shall ye be brought by His power and strength, And by his Mighty workings in you, to stand in awe of him: And now, To look Altogether to his counsel and direction, ceasing any longer to Guide your selves: so that, This mans will is quite altered and turned up••••de down.

As for example: Suppose, Two men alike Vile coming into a room where the King is Be∣hind the Hangings: The one, He is aware of the King, because he knows he is there: but the other, knowing nothing, he lashes out into his own idle, foolish, frothy talk: he talks any thing, he speaks Trenchmole (as the Proverb is,) That is, He observes no rules but his own will and fancy; He behaves himself Rudely and Unmannerly: but the other, he observes himself and his carri∣age, because he knows, The king hears him and observes him. Now, The king He is as near to the one as to the other: but here is the diffe∣rence, The One sees him, and Trembles before him: but the other sees him not; and so thinks he may do what he list. But if so be, That the King please to discover himself to this man, and to let him know, That he was an eye and an ear∣witness to all his behaviour; Then he falls down with trembling and fear, and judges himself and his own loose actions, and submits himself to the will and pleasure of the King.

So my brethren, Christ Jesus in regard of his Essence, he is as near one creature as another, as near the wickedest man alive, as the highest and gloriousest Saint: But, the One, he is sen••ble how Jesus Christ is near him; and He knows how he hath been overtopt in him, and overmast••••ed by him, and therefore he is ashamed and will do so no more: But the Other, not knowing of this•• he goes on according to his own laws, and his own will, and kills him Again and Again, and runs his own wayes, and thinks his own Thoughts, and pleases himself: Rushes upon any thing that tends to satisfie his own will; He rushes upon any sin as a horse rushes into the battel (as the Prophet speaks) without fear:* 1.301 He pleases himself and Tickles himself in his own delights, & cryes Ha, Ha, and he feels nothing, sees no danger▪ what ever men talk of Hell and Death, and Bitterness, Destruction, and Damnation, yet he believes none of these things: and therefore he goes to the same course again and again. But having on••e espyed the King, Him, who stands Behind the Hangings, Him, whom he hath so often kickt at and crucified; then he is amazed at his Horrid Oaths and Blasphe••i••s, of his Pride and Arro∣gancy against Him, of his Envies and Reproches against his Brethren, being on••e come to a true sight of this, He is amazed and confounded in Himself.

Sayes he, Have I been the man that h••th put the Son of God to death?* 1.302 have I trampled his Blood under my feet? I will not any more adde to hi••

torments, no, not to gain the world.

Hath he dw••lt so near, been my guest, and lodged within me? been my life and my stay? and have I been he that hath starved and famished him? have I so often mo••kt, whipt, derided, crucified him, and knew it not? Rather then I will do it again, I will dye ten thousand deaths. All the world shal never make me commit thos•• Horrid Facts again, I will now be ruled by him, I will now do his Will not mine own: I will now (by his assistance) live as he will have me live; now I am content to deny mine own wisdom, gifts, parts, strength, For now I see, I am Nothing. And so by this means Christ shall be fed, nourished and brought up; and he shall grow in wisdom, and stature,* 1.303 and favour with God and man. By this means Ye shall bring Christ to the Temple;* 1.304 who shall put all the Doctors within you to silence, and so non-plus them, that not one shall be able to gain-say or answer him. By this means you shall find him do all his miracles (more truly) over again (the substance of his miracles) as I shewed you before: you, even you your self us shal see him work all his miracles in thy sight, within thee: and this shall make thee, more run after Christ, to see these Divine mira••les, far more affectionately, and with more wondring, and with more true love, then ever they did in the dayes of his flesh, to see•• his external mighty works and miracles.

This was that S. Paul determined and desired Onely to know: for he knew this knowledge would never leave him till it had discovered such things,

(such Miracles) as neither eye had seen,* 1.305 nor ••are heard, no nor ever entred into the heart or thoughts of any man; things unutterable, unspeakable. Let others seek after what they will, to get glory and splendour in the world, and to get those things that the world accounts great matters, or any ex∣ternal literal knowledge of Christ, though never so glorious, though never so received: yet sayes he, I lay all in the dust for the Excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord,* 1.306 by whom the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World; for all those things shall vanish with them, and perish in the using, and come to nothing.

But these comforts will stand a man instead; this is such knowledge, that it will set one foot in Heaven while the other is upon earth: when as other men who rest in the Flesh and in the Letter, who know none of these things, God knows (when they come to dye) how many weary, winter, Cold and comfortless steps they have to fetch, that they shall be forced to Fly upon the Sabbath, and in the Harvest,* 1.307 and have their Oyle to buy, when all things are at rest with others, and they enjoy a fulness and a harvest, and have Oyle in their Lamps at the Bridegrooms Coming: for they have given up their wills and their lives to Christ, So that Christ and they have such sweet Embraces, as if they were in heaven already: Insomuch that they are gotten above the world, ••and all things below; go they Even or Odde with other men, they alwayes go Even with them: they have gotten above Themselves and their own wills;

Now, Christs will is their will; And Christs ••eace is their peace; And They have begun ••••eir Eternal SABBATH, and are at Rest in the bosome of Jesus Christ their Blessed Saviour.

OF SVFFERING AND REIGNING WITH CHRIST.

ROM. 8. 17.

If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

In eight Sermons, P••eached at Kensington Publique Meeting-place.

TIs true, the Coherence of the Text im∣ports An exception, after some vast and immense Priviledges asserted; and those priviledges, Such whereof a Christian may boast of, and triumph in; as first, of his Sonship, Ver. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit

of God, they are the Sons of God, have received the Spirit of Adoption: Verse 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. 2. Such is a Christians Privi∣ledge and Sonship, that he is delivered and set free from the Spirit of bondage, he need never fear more: And 3. He hath also received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby he can own God, and cry to him, and call him Abba; for he is his Father. 4. The testimony of the Spirit of our Father, with our Spirit, Verse 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of God. And lastly, Of our being made the Heirs of God, and Co-heirs with Christ, As in the former part of the Text, And if Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joynt-heirs with Christ.

Our Text, being much like the Exceptions in the Kings general Pardon, wont to be given in the end of a Parliament, where at the first begin∣ning you would think he had forgiven all and every One; but by that you have read it to the end, you will find so many exceptions and limi∣tations, he hath scarce forgiven any: So this out Text is such a restriction or limitation, nar∣rowing and bounding all those large Priviledges, Immunities, and indulgences, and tells us in plain terms, Except we suffer with him, we shall not regin with him (for every one is ready to catch at the Priviledges and assume them to themselves) but stay, (as if he should say,) Although these be very large priviledges, yet let me tell you to whom

they belong: If so be we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together: These words I say, are a limitation and concentring these precious pri∣viledges; And terminating them upon, One out of a city and Two out of a Tribe, No more: yea, though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, A remnant onely of them shall be saved, Isa. 10. 22.* 1.308 Being like those words of our Saviour, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction,* 1.309 and many go in thereat: but strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Yet,* 1.310 for this present we will consider the Text As a Melchizedek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without father, without mother; viz, without any dependance or suc∣cession from the words going before, or any reference to them that follow: As a substantive standing by himself, & so we shall find this Text, an Everlasting Almanack, an Erra Pater, setting before your eyes the state of a Christian, from the very first day [of his Regeneration] to his last day even [of Glorifi∣cation] ••ay, beyond all time, according to the Angels Oath, Rev. 10. 6.* 1.311 Till time shall be no more.

This Text is that sword, without which, you will never cut asunder that Gordian knot, As to tell us why St. Paul sayes, Col. 1. 24.* 1.312 That he did Gaudere in passionibus,* 1.313 Rejoyce in his sufferings: and saith he, 2 Cor. 11. 30. If I must needs glory, I have nothing more to bast on, then of the things that concern my infirmities: That which to you, and to all the world Seemeth my infirmi∣ty, my loss and my cross, this is my gain, and my

Crown;* 1.314 In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons, in deaths, in perils, in painful∣ness, in watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fastings, in cold and nakedness, &c. and herein (sayes He) I glory: And he asserts it with the greatest asse∣veration that can be,* 1.315 The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lye not: What a strange paradox is here? what a Gordian knot is here to be untyed? or who can with the sword of mans rea••on cut it insunder? Therefore have I chosen this Text, that by it ••nd by Divine Light, the Spirit of God, we may clear this p••radox, and untie this knot.

Neither was this Pauls case alone, but the other Apostles also when they were beaten, Acts 5. 41.* 1.316 they departed from the Councel, re••oycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. I pray Beloved, if you had known no more of the Apostles then the Jews did, would not you have said as they did?* 1.317 that they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Act. 2. 13.* 1.318 These men are full of new wine; for its ordinary with you, when you are not able to comprehend the Mystical Depths of the Spirits working in the hearts of those re∣generated, to ••ay, They are Mad, Distracted, Drunk, Filled with new wine; And if you had known no more of the Martyrs of the Primitive Church, then their Persecutors, would you not have said with them? Wisd. 5. 4.* 1.319 We fools thought their life madness, and their end without Honour.

It is said, Nemo carnem suam odio habuit, &c. Ephes. 5. 29.* 1.320 No man ever yet hated his own flesh,

but nourisheth and cherisheth it: What did They then? and what case were They in, Isa. 50. 6.* 1.321 that gave their backs to the smiters, and their cheeks to the nippers, and hid not their faces from shame and spitting; And were content to be killed all the day long; And to be as sheep for the slaughter? that preferred Mountains and Dens, and Caves of the earth, before Palaces of Princes? wildernesses be∣fore Society? Heb. 11.* 1.322 8. Mat. 11. 8.* 1.323 sheep-skins and goats-skins, before the softraiment of them that are in Kings Courts? mockings and scourgings, before sleeping in a whole skin? Rackings, be∣fore down-beds? Stoning, Hewing asunder, and slaying with the sword, before Deliverance, safety, health and long life? Heb. 11.

And generally all who are not sufferers with them, have that opinion of them rooted in them, which Festus had of Paul, Acts 26. 24.* 1.324 that they conclude they can be no less then Mad men: and the very tr••th is, these true sufferers are counted every where, In All Ages no other;

Then God Almighties FOOLS.

But,* 1.325 there is no finding out Sampsons Riddle, without ploughing with Sampsons Heifer; could we but do so, then we may say, as Philip said to Nathaniel, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write, Jo. 1. 45.* 1.326 So here, In opening these words now read, we hope (by the gracious assistance of the holy Spirit) we shall unfold, As this Text, so those Riddles men∣tioned in the SCRIPTURES: As,

1. What is meant by Moses bitter waters at

Marah, Exod. 15. 25.* 1.327 whereof the people could not drink, but murmured; and Moses cryed unto the Lord, and he shewed him a Tree, which being cast into the waters, they were made sweet; even so, shall these sufferings with CHRIST be made very sweet to us, And come to know How, they come so to be, in our own experience.

2. We shall see what is meant by Elishas naughty waters of Iericho, 2 Kings 2. 19, &c.* 1.328 The men of the City said to Elisha, the situation of the City is pleasant, but the water is naught, and the ground barren: Then he took salt, and cast therein, and said, I haue healed these waters, there shall not be from hence any more death or barren Land: and the waters were healed, according to the saying of Elisha which he spak: Even so shall be these suffer∣ings with Christ. All bitterness and unsavoury∣ness shall be taken from them.

3. You shall see whats meant by Iobs unsa∣voury meat, and the salt to season it, Iob. 16. 6.* 1.329 Ca•• that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egge? These Sufferings with Christ being once seasoned by Christ, they will be savoury to your Taste, Self-Denial will be no hard task, but Meat and Drink to you.

4. You shall come to see what is meant by Having salt in your selves, Mark 9. 50.* 1.330 Salt is good, saith our Saviour, but if the salt have lost his salt∣ness, wherewith will you season it? Have salt in your selves, and have peace one with another.

5. You shall see what is meant by Davids

sowing in tears, and reaping in joy, Psal. 126. 5.* 1.331 They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: he that goeth forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoycing, bringing his sheaves with him: And then the Lord shall turn again your captivity, as the streams in the South: all these things you shall come to see and feel experimentally fulfilled in you, and upon you.

6 You shall come to see what is meant by Isaia's Mourners and Rejoycers, Isa. 66. 10.* 1.332 Re∣joyce ye with Ierusalem, all ye that love her: Re∣joyce for joy with her, even all ye that mourn for her, that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations: that ye may milk out and be de∣lighted with the abundance of her glory. You shall come to know what Heaven is, which is so much talked of, and so little known.

7. You shall see what our Saviour represented and intended, when he said, Iohn 16. 21.* 1.333 A wo∣man when she is in travail, hath great sorrow, be∣cause her hour is come; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for joy that a man-child is born into the world.

And lastly, we shall also see, what it is St. Paul means, 2 Cor. 1. 15.* 1.334 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also our consolation Aboundeth by Christ: So that you see, both the Law and the Prophets, And Christ and his Apostles, do plenti∣fully bear witness to the Text, and to both parts of it; both for our suffering with Christ, and our reigning with him: for as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 15. 19.* 1.335 If in this present life onely we had hope

in Christ, we were of all men most miserable. But our Life is Hid with Christ in God.

As then▪ There is a Season to every thi••g, and an appointed time for every purpose, Eccles. 3. 1,* 1.336 &c, A time to be born, and a time to dye; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to lose, and a time to get, &c. So will I enstyle this Text A CHRISTIANS TIME, His whole time, from the very beginning to the end; so that besides or beyond which, he hath not no•• cannot look to have, a minute, a mo∣ment; Nay he is not at all, when he is not, either suffering or being crucified with his Saviour, or else in being glorified or reigning with him. In both which states he is very safe, although he cannot alwayes see it so.

Or you may call i•• (if you will) his Non-age and Full age, Gal. 4. 1.* 1.337 when he is under age, and differeth nothing from a Servant, though he be coheir with Christ, who is heir of all things: or else his Full-age,* 1.338 or partaking with Christ in his In∣heritance and glory: Or else▪ if that be too long ye may call it A CHRISTIANS YEAR, that is, his winter and his summer; his winter of affliction and suffering;* 1.339 and his summer of joy, re∣freshing and consolation.

Or if that be too long, then cal it HIS DAY, as Gen. 1. The evening and the morning were the first day; and so the f••rst day; and every day after consisted of an evening and a morning: first the evening then the mo••ning: And Luke 19. 42.* 1.340 If thou hadst known in this Thy day the things that

belong to thy peace; You must observe this order; or else a Day is improperly applyed to him, be∣cause he hath first his Night and evening of dark∣ness and sorrow; and then his Morning of joy and refreshing after that NIGHT of sorrow; as Psal. 30. 5.* 1.341 Heaviness may indure for a Night, but joy cometh in the morning: Call it all these, or any of these, so you pervert not the order, that we must be first servants and suffer with Christ, be∣fore we come to be heirs in p••ssession with Christ; we must first have our winter: first sow our seed, &c.* 1.342 before we have our Summer and time of reaping.

From hence take notice of the perpetual and constant method God take•• with all his children; first he gives them their Evening, their Non-age, their Winter, &c. First, lets them have their time of suffering, their winter of affliction, their even∣ing of sorrow: Their serving-time first, and then afterward cometh their Morning, their Summer, their Full age; Their Morning of joy and conso∣lation, and their time of Reigning: first Servants, then Heirs: as you may obse••ve in those Types of Jesus Christ: which Types set out not only his Person, but his Body: Ioseph was first sold for a slave,* 1.343 and was cast into prison, before he was ad∣vanced to a kingdom. And Mordecai, he had his sorrowing and fasting time, before he was advan∣ced; a tristibus semper sed necessariis incho at Deus, as Origen saith.

And as our Saviour saith, Mat. 11. 28.* 1.344 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and

I will give you rest. But it is quite contrary in the Devils method towards his servants, He gives, first their Summer, first their morning, first their good wine: but Christ he keeps the good wine last; God first plucks up, and then plants; first pulls down, and then builds: first kils, and then makes alive, 1 Sam. 2. 6.* 1.345 And as it is Rom. 5. 15, 16.* 1.346 For if through the offence of one, many be dead, much more the Grace of God,, and the gift by grace by Ie∣sus Christ, hath abounded unto many: For if by one mans offence death Reigned: much more the abun∣dance of grace, and the gift of righteousness shall Reign in life by One, Iesus Christ.

But wicked men, They may rejoyce here, but they have their portion, but their suffering suc∣ceeds,* 1.347 and is coming apace, as Abraham said to Dives: Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy Good things; but now he is comforted, but thou art tormented.

Friends, you may rejoyce, sing, and dance, and be merry, but you have small cause if you consider all: you may sup well, but you are like to have au hard breakfast. You prefer your life, and your lovial time, before the life and time of the peo∣ple of God; you think, they are a melancholy people: but judge your selves, whose condition is best,* 1.348 theirs or yours: He that will be my Disciple, let him here take up his cross, and then his Crown follows: whatever He loses, parts with, denies himself in, tis that he may have an hundred∣fold with Christ, in his Kingdom; He now sows, that he may then Reap: but it is quite contrary

in thy condition; nothing will content thee but to reap now, rejoice now, and to be frolick here; and then follows everlasting darkness; instead of leaping and dancing,* 1.349 your feet will for ever stum∣ble on the dark Mountains.

Beloved, these things are worth your considera∣tion; which if you seriously do, it may be, that your spirit may be saved in that day of the Lord: do not overprize your contents here, but rather use them soberly; use them, but use them so as if ye used them not:* 1.350 there will come a time will abundantly recompence all your suffering, Bearing and forbearing.

But I fear, to some this is harsh doctrine, as Christ his doctrine was to the young man, when he bid him Sell all,* 1.351 and he should have treasure in Heaven: he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich; worldly riches glistered more in his eye then heavenly riches, and that drove him quite away: And our Saviour preaching such unsavoury doctrine as this, Ioh. 6. 66.* 1.352 tis there said, Many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him. And so also, it may be some of your cases here present, To turn away and turn back from the Holy Comandement, when it is set before you without fraud or flattery.

But I must tell you, this Tryal he hath Appoin∣ted; ye must all that look for this crown, this Throne of Rest, pass through the Fiery Tryal in one kind or other: For enough would willingly eat of Christs Bread, and drink of his wine, see his miracles, and be healed by him externally;

but to eat the ••lesh of Christ, and to drink his blood, to be content to bear his Cross, and to be baptized with his Baptism, to suffer with him, how few are they? How many are content to hear his doctrine, and to be ruled by it very much,* 1.353 as Herod was by Iohn: its an easie and a pleasing request, to ask to sit on his right hand, and on his left;* 1.354 but hard to be baptized with his bap∣tism: To see and read of his Miracles done upon others, but to be content to have his Miracles done in our souls, how few are there? nay, you are so far from that, that you cannot so much as yield or acknowledge that you are lame or disea∣sed, or blind, or deaf, or dumb spiritually; it were much if you would confess this, then there were some hope you would be content, I, and be glad to be healed by him. O my Brethren, I would say to you as once Paul to His Corinthians; O ye Corinthians, Our mouth is open to you, our Heart is inlarged; ye are not straitned in us, but I feare ye are straitned in your owne bowells. Now for a recompence in the same, I speak unto you as unto my Children, Be ye also inlarged. For I would not Keepe Back from You any part of Gods Counsel revealed to me.

But to many,* 1.355 how harsh is this doctrine? are you not ready many of you to repent you ever fol∣lowed Christ, and to turn back and leave all pro∣••ession? I know that these thoughts will creep in even while I set these things before you. When Christ shall tell us, That for his sake ye must be content to be despised, mocked, excommunicated,

cast out of the Synagogues of the greatest Pro∣fessors, and that by the greatest Rabbins and learned Teachers, and by those that profess Christ: And, by them ye shall be persecuted, scourged, killed, and by them his name s••all be blasphemed: Oh! then you are ready to cry out, What strange new Doctrine is this? what hard sayings are these? And many times Christs own people are amazed at this doctrine, and are not willing to submit to it, Mat. 19. 25.* 1.356 When his Disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, who then can be saved? How many are willing to flatter themselves, saying, Master, favour thy self, none of these things shall happen to thee, Luke 4. 8.* 1.357

But beloved, you know Tops must be kept up with whipping, and Nets Kept open with cork and lead; Else there is no fish caught: But be not afraid of the Cross of Christ, it is the pathway to his Crown, to his Throne.

If the Son himself learned obedience by the things He suffered, Heb. 5. 8.* 1.358 much more may you. And tis said v. 9. He being so consecrated, He was the Author of salvation to all that obey him: and not onely an Author but a pattern: we must imitate, obey, and follow him our pattern. And, Luke 24. 26.* 1.359 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory? Else if it were not so, The Disciple would be Above his Lord, and the Schollar Above his Master. As David said, Shall I dwell in an house of Cedar, and the Ark of God dwell between the Curtains?

2 Sam. 7. 2.* 1.360 So shall our Lord, wade through a Sea of blood to his Crown, and woulde••t thou be carryed in a bed of Roses and Spices? and as Uriah said to David, refusing at his command to go to his house, The Ark, Israel and Iudah abide in tents, and my Lord Ioab is encamped in the open fields: and shall I the•• go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lye my wife? 2 Sam. 11. 11.* 1.361 so how uns••itable is it, for our Lord and Master Jesus Christ to suffer so much, to be so humbled, and so emptied, and we to be so full, and so lifted up? He came not to be ministred unto, but to mi∣nister, Mark 10. 45.* 1.362 and shall we expect to be served, and not to serve? But the wisdom of our God in this case, hath appointed it otherwise.

But as there are some are amazed and discou∣raged at these things, and turn back, so some also though they go forward, and seem to walk with Christ, yet suffer not with him. If this be all (say they) then we have to plead for our selves, we have suffered for him, and with him: These are ready to bless themselves, and will not be found without an answer; like those in the 7. of Mat. v. 22.* 1.363 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name? and in thy Name cast out Devils? and in thy Name done many great workes? when Christ had there, a lit∣tle before, been telling them what they must do, and what they must suffer; he there takes them off as well as the former Sufferers. So many now will come and say, Have not we suffered in thy name? have not we been mocked and presecuted

for thee? have not we suffered with thee, and for thee? have not we been poor as thou wert? have not we been despised as thou wert? contem∣ned as thou wert? have not we been whipt as thou wert? Luk. 6. 40.* 1.364 but Christ shall answer them as he did the other there, Mat. 7. 23. Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity. Have not we had compassion on thee, when we have either heard or read of thy Bitter Sufferings? we never thought upon thy Bloody suf∣ferings, but it grieved us for thee: we never read in the Gospel of thy s••ff••rings, or of the Jews ma∣lice toward thee, but it pierced us to the very heart; we never heard of thy sweet name [Iesus] but we bowed our knees, put off our hats; and yet for all this, wilt thou say, nunquam novi vos, thou wilt not know us? No, I will not know you.

For although they have done and suffered all these things, yet they have not suffered for Christ, nor with him. Therefore Christ will profess unto them, I never knew you. I know you not, you poor ones, you contemned ones: I know you not, you compassionate ones: Depart from me, ye are All workers of iniquity. Though you were sufferers, you mistake your selves, you suffered not with me nor for me.

Oh beloved! how Christ met with and ama∣zed his Hearers, he searched their very hearts, he cut off all their pretences, he could not be beguil∣ed with a profession of him onely: those who are so eager for forms and outward profession, they cannot befool and deceive him, though they may

••he world: He sees through all their great shews ••nd glorious pretences: he so ransackt the ••eart in all his preachings, which was the reason that so many went back and walked no more with him;* 1.365 All ••hose who could not indure to be laid open, hated his Doctrine: and so I expect will mine be, by such; but such who are willing to know and be acquainted with their own hearts, will draw near to hear, and fit quietly, while we are open∣ing these truths, as Mary sat at Christs feet, and heard him gladly.

But to clear the point to you.

There be then three kinds of Sufferers, As Moses professed to Pharaoh, that he would go three dayes journey into the wilderness, Exod. 5. 3.* 1.366

And Solomons Temple had Atrium

• Populi.* 1.367
• Sacerdotum.* 1.368
• Sanctum Sanctorum.

It had three Courts o•• three Rooms: the Out-Court, where all the people came: the Middle Court, whereinto went the Priests onely: and the Sanctum Sanctorum, whereinto went onely the High-Priest once a year: much like unto these, are th••re three kinds of sufferers for Christ, and of two of them Christ saith, non novi vos, I know you not.

1 Such, As out of tenderness of nature suffer

with him; they are of a natural tenderness, and can weep to see any creature suffer, much more Him whom they conceive to be their Saviour: to look upon him as whipt, wounded, mockt, crowned with thorns, nailed to the cross, suffer, crie out so lamentably, and then to yeild up the Ghos••. And all this by the Cruelty of his own Creature.

1 They can compassionate his bodily sufferings. 2 Then also, they can Compassionate the suffe∣rings in his soul, as I said.

There be some kind of Sufferers, and they come but into the peoples Temple: these go but the first dayes journey with Moses, and there sit down.

The second sort go farther, they go two dayes journey with him: these indeed do enter into the Priests Court, but go no farther. Where are Laws and Ordinances, and a wordly Sanctuary, and di∣rections for outward worships; where indeed the generality of Preachers and Professors stick, and there sit down.

And these Sufferers, though to man they seem to go a great way; yet (as the Lord saith Heb. 4* 1.369) They have not entred into my Rest.

But there is a third sort, who go the third days journey, and these, these are the Sufferers I aim to set before you: these are those whom God carries on, (the power of man and self may bring men into the two former conditions of suffering) but these, God himself never leaves them till he hath brought them into the Holy of Holies. That is, till sufferings hath brought them to, and ended

in Rest: Having overcome, and do sit down with Christ in his throne▪ even as he hath overcome, and is sit down with his Father in his throne, Rev. 3. 21.* 1.370

The first of these sufferers, who suffer with him by way of compassion (as we call it) Mat. 15. 32.* 1.371 Iesus had compassion on the multitude, because they had been with him three days: and Mar. 8. 2.* 1.372 the same word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in both places tran∣slated Teneritudines. These Sufferers, though (it may be) they may think they go a great way, and they can go no fa••ther; Some of these, they only look upon his bodily sufferings, and therein they can enlarge themselves, and can dilate lar∣gely of it: of the shame and disgrace that he suffered, the spitting in his face, of his being crow••ed with tho••n••, of s••••ipping him naked out of his clothes, of his cruel whippings and scour∣gings, of his nailing to the cross, of giving him ga••l and vinegar, of his wounding with the spear, and the rest. In all these things they can am∣plifie, unfold, and enlarge themselves, thereby to a••••ect their hearts in compassion toward Christ in all these his bitter sufferings and Agonies: In∣somuch that some of the Papists can find in their hearts, for very grief and compunction of heart, to whip and tear their own flesh, that so they may have the deeper compassion, and be more fellow-feelers with him; insomuch (They would make you believe they so much prize his suffe∣rings) that they make much of any part of the wooden Cross whereon he suffered; and out of love to him, keep it for a precious Relique

and remembran••e of him. Likewise they can tell how many stripes his blessed body had: and they keep the number of the nails that pierced his members, and happy is he that can handle them, and kiss them; and afflict themselves, and go many sore and far pilgrimages for their s••n•• against him committed.

Nay, so particular some of them have been in these things, as the Rabbin in the Letter of the Pentateuch relates of one that hath summed up and collected all his stripes, how many he had, and saith he had 5400. Another sayes they were 5370. Another that they were 4000. And one hath been so p••nctual, and saith, that the crown of Thorns bored his head with seventy two wounds.

Nay, not onely so, do they suffer with him, in compassionating his bodily sufferings, but they carry it farther, to the pangs and torments of his soul, and suffer with him in that. How do they weep for, and lament his sufferings in that he should bear the heavy weight of his Fathers wrath? Compassionating those sorrows, fears, frights, amazements, which he had before his suffering, when he prayed in the garden, his Sweat being like Drops of Bloud, Mar. 14. 35.* 1.373 Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

And how do they take to heart those his suf∣ferings upon the Cross, when he cryed out, Eli, Eli, Lamasabacthani? so that they may say of him, and call to others to lament and weep with them, as Lament. 1. 12.* 1.374 Is it nothing to you, all ye

that pass by? behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. And all this they take to be pious, de∣vout, and religious, and they may have a good meaning in it; yet all this they may do, and yet Christ may profess unto them. I know you not. They may do all this, and not suffe•• with Ch••ist.

All this is b••t Atrium populi, the Peoples Court, whereunto Every one may come. This is but as the Pharisees Tything Mint, and Cumin, &c. Mat. 23. 23.* 1.375 And neglect the weightier mat∣ters of the Law: to whom our Saviour pronoun∣ceth many woes. All this is but as the Grass that withereth, and the Flower that fadeth, and all flesh shall see it together, when the glory of the Lord shall be revealed in us, Esay 40. 5, 6, 7.* 1.376 And the voice said, Cry; what shall I cry? Cry, that all flesh is grass, and all the goodness thereof but as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it, but the Word of the Lord abideth for ever: Therefore arise, depart hence, this is not your rest. Mic. 2. 10.* 1.377

Of all these, and to all such, we may say as our Saviour, Luk. 23. 27.* 1.378 when they wept for him, Weep not (saith he) for me, O daughters of Ieru∣salem, when he was going to suffer, but weep for your selves and for your children: as if he should say, away with all this tenderness of heart, away with all this seeming suffering with and for me, away with all your thousands of tears, were they

never so many, I regard them not; all this is no∣thing worth to me as you do it.

Beloved, These are not those sufferings the Apostle Peter speaks of, 1 Pet. 4. 13.* 1.379 Where he bids us rejoyce in as much as ye are made partakers of the sufferings of Christ: to suffer with and for Christ, are other kind of sufferings then these, which I shall hereafter come to unfold to you. But saith he, weep for your selves, and for your chil∣dren: that is, for those bitter calamities that are coming upon you, the cause whereof is bred in you, and you see it not; weep for that, lament for that.

But secondly, some (as I said) go farther then this; they suffer as Christ did actually with and for him, and as he commands (as they think) in shame, in reproch, in imprisonment, in loss of goods, houses, lands, wife, children; yea in loss of liberty and life it self.

But though they think it is for him, and they pretend and seem to suffer for and with him; yet it is not for him, but for themselves: nay not one∣ly so, but many are come so far, that they do not onely suffer these things, suffer poverty, and for∣saking of houses, lands, wives, children, good name, liberty, life: but they may and also do take plea∣sure in suffering with him and for him: This in∣deed they may do, but how do they do it? they suffer indeed willingly and cheerfully, and yet un∣willingly: Willingly, as it may accomplish ends to themselves, and ends of their own; but they suffer not for his will sake.

They may thus suffer, because this is a way (as they think) to bring about their own happi∣ness: so that though they suffer willingly, and may rejoyce in it, yet it is but as of necessity, that seeing there is no other way to heaven but by suffe∣rings, and by undergoing the cross: but yet withal, they grudge, and think hardly of God, they accuse him of severity and cruelty, and think he is a Hard Master: and they accuse the Law also of severity and difficulty; they could wish the way had been easier and smoother, without such crosses, and such hard self-denyal; they would that God would have more pleased them, and are ready to direct him a better way, as they think: There is indeed in them a willingness to suffer and act, things being as they are, but they do not suffer freely, they do not choose to have them so as they are; their wills and Gods jarr; They like not in themselves the Cross of Christ, they wish God had done other∣wise, then to make their way to heaven so Rough; They do his Commands, but they do them as a hard and sore Task: These do indeed (as one says) carry the cross, but they do not follow Christ: and of both these sufferers Christ saith, Non novi vos, I know you not: And though all these be good Herbs in regard of the matter of them, yet a little Colaquintida among them spoils all, self-ends poyson all, 2 Kings 4. 39.* 1.380 and we may say of them, Mors in olla, there is death in the pot.

Therefore I had need to say to you, as Christ did, Mat. 16. 6.* 1.381 Take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the Sadduces; Take heed of the

poyson of self-ends in all you do, for you may run far, and act much, and soare high; but if Selfe be your end, you lose all the things you have wrought: though it be but a small thing as you would think, yet it corrupts your best duties: as you know, a dead slye is but a small thing, yet it cor∣rupts the oin••ment, and makes it stink: so doth this all your duties, all your actions; therefore I say to you, as the Apostle to the Galatians, Gal. 3. 3, 4.* 1.382 Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, ye will be made perfect by the flesh? have ye suffered so many things in vain, if it be yet in vain? and indeed it is so in vain, that there is no hope, except you see and amend this evil: therefore this is to be mainly looked to, that this self∣seeking in your actions and duties, do not poyson and bring all you do to nought; for all of this Kind is but from ••lesh and self: but when the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and the Spirit of the Lord blow upon it, we shall see all this is as grass, and all the goodness thereof but as the flower of the field: therefore arise, depart hence also, This is not your rest.

But there is a third sort; and These are They which suffer with Christ indeed: and we may truly say of them, with St. Peter, 1 Pet. 4. 13.* 1.383 They are made Partakers of the sufferings of Christ: these are they which have cast Anchor, and are entred with Jesus Within the vail, into the Holiest of All: These go the third days journey: these, not onely See, but enter and possess the Land of Canaan: these are the Little slock that shall inherit

the kingdom: these are the Poor Remnant the Scripture speaks of, That though the number of the children of Israel were as the sands of the sea, a Remnant onely shall be saved, Rom. 9. 27.* 1.384 And though all the world we••e Christians in profession, and were Sufferers in the two former respects, It is this Remnant, this Poor Remnant onely that shall be saved, as the 9. of the Romans testifieth; and as in the 29.* 1.385 Verse of this 8. of the Romans, where it is said, These are they whom he makes conformable to the Image of his Son: These are they that enter in at the strait gate; for our Sa∣viour saith, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many finde and go that way: but strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that finde it, Mat. 7. 13.* 1.386 There is in the way to Heaven so many Snares, set by the Devil; and so many By-pathes, and False ways, which others have bea∣ten and trodden before us, that a man may easily be led out of the way: many false ways but onely one true way: But very few finde, or come ever to know, The True Sufferings of Christ; and do we not see, how many the Dragons tail doth dai∣ly Sweep down? yea such Stars, as we thought ve••ily had been fixed stars, and yet are proved but Comets: and what numbers of these glitte∣ring Comets, even in these days are come to nothing? As you know the Dragons Taile drew down the third part of the stars of Heaven, even Those which shined and Glistered, like stars in a forward Profession of Christ.

There are some miss this way, because they never intend it, and for them it is no marvel: be∣cause they never once set their faces toward Sion. But there are some (for my intent is to speak of those) that intend the voyage for heaven, who miscarry at their first setting out: they miss their way at the very first entrance into Christianity; and some after they are entred in, and gone a lit∣tle way, they will not venture too far; if they can catch fish near the shore, well and good, but they are resolved they will not venture much, they will not Sell All, part with all, they will not lose their hold, ye cannot perswade them to weigh anchor, and Hoise up sails to la••ch out into the deep, But onely content themselves with what they can catch on the shore, and what lies near hand, for they will not adventure themselves: And these men are so much taken up about the shell of Religion, and about outsides, they are so taken up about the letter of the word, that they can catch nothing, though they fish all night, take great pains about it, and toil themselves exceed∣ingly; and yet all in vain: No wonder then that St. Paul talks of working out our own salvation with fear and trembling: and no wonder our Savi∣our bids us, Strive to enter in at the strait gate, Luke 13. 24.* 1.387 for saith he, many shall seek to enter iu, and shall not be able.

Some again miss their way, after they are lan∣ched out into the deep: they have lost their sea-mark and their Compass, and then wander they know not whither; they mind not perfection and

Religion for it self, but Religion for some self-ends; and so by seeking themselves, have quite lost themselves: Yet Beloved, I would not be He that should discourage or discomfort any manin the way to Heaven, by no means: and yet also I would have you set sure footing, so that ye may not labour in vain, and lose the things you have wrought: The truth is, I aim not (as you may think, and as some have affirmed of me) to bring your Hell into your consciences, no otherwise then to save you from Hell; and as the Apo••le saith, 1 Cor. 6. 11.* 1.388 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged; and though I made you sorrowful with a letter, I do not repent, 1 Cor. 7. 8. So if the Lord by me did so kindle Hell-fire in you here for a time, to keep you from the Everlasting Hell, this were a great mercy to you, and a fruit of true love.

But, I am sure, you are all of Davids mind concerning Ahimaaz, 2 Sam. 18. 27.* 1.389 O he is a good man, and he brings good tidings: And you are good at saying, as in Isa. 52. 7.* 1.390 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation: Oh! ••hose are the good men, that will preach of no∣thing but peace, and prophesie good to you: the••e are the onely men with you; but I (for dealing plainly with you, and for searching your wounds to the bottom, to make a sound cure) shall even gain that opinion from you, that Micaiah the Prophet had from Ahab, 2 Kings 22. 8.* 1.391 That when king Ahab and King Iehoshaphat were met

together to joyn battel against Ramoth-Gilead•• and they had enquired of 400 false Prophets, and they all cryed Peace, peace: Is there not one more, said Iehoshaphat, of whem we may enquire? Yea, saith Ahab, there is one Micaiah, but I cannot abide him, I hate him, for he never prophesieth good to me but evil: And those that were sent for him, tell him by the way, That all the Prophets prophe∣sied good unto the King with one mouth, therefore they counsel him, so let thy words be also: And as the prophet answers there, Verse 14. so do I, As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak: I shall not, I cannot, nor dare not (though you intreat me never so) ever speak well of that the Lord speaks evil of: though men may cry you up and admire parts, and duties, and forms, as if they were the substance, yet if they come but from the power of self, and tend to advance self, though others may make such as Kings and Princes and Leaders in Religion: yet these, without the substance, I must tell you plain∣ly, My God, my Master abhors: Israel is an em∣pty vine and bringeth forth fruit to himself: there∣fore I for my part cannot prophesie peace to you, in your highest and gloriousest duties on that ground: Truly Brethren, I dare not in this place speak the visions of mine own heart,* 1.392 but the faithful Embassie of my Lord and Master.

That Scripture named before, Seek, (saith our Saviour) strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many shall seek, and shall not be able: And say I, if many shall seek to enter, and shall not be able, what

shall become of them that never seek? And know, it is such a striving, which made the Apo∣stle compare it to a Race, So run (saith he) that ye may obtain: Likewise he compares it to a fight, Put on the whole armour of God, and stand fast, Eph. 6. 13.* 1.393 he compares it likewise to A wrest∣ling: How intent are men in these cases of stri∣ving? they mind that thing onely: We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places, Verse 12.* 1.394 Now you know, Wrestlers are very in∣tent, and mind the things onely they are about, they are very watchful lest they should be foiled: Therefore examine you•• hearts; Do you Thus strive? do you Thus wrestle for heaven, with all your might? or is it not the least thing that troubles you? Do you not rather mind All other things of less consequence? or do you not mind it, and other things too with it? do you not seem to offer violence to the Kingdom of heaven, and yet your eye and desires are another way, after other things; money, and health, and superiority, fa∣vour at Court, and with great ones, preservation of youth, handsomness, decking the body, opinion of goodness from others, and the like? These you account real things, and worth your labour and pains; but as for the Heaven I speak of, the way whereto consisting so much in self-denyal, you have some faint wishes toward it, but the other way runs your strong desires: And if you thus wrestle, no marvel you get the foil; for, let you have but riches and honours, health and prosperity;

let you have but beauty and handsomeness, long life and deliverances, and the esteem and praise of men, and you are well enough.

As M••phibosheth said to David,* 1.395 when he bid him and Ziba Divide the land between them: Me∣phibosheth answers, Nay, saith he, now my Lord the King is come home in peac••, let who will divide the Land: So, let that whi••h is Lord and King in thy esteem, come home to thee, let who will take heaven: for health, and riches, and honour, and praise, and credit in the world, these things you account real and present: for you know and feel the use and benefit of them; but as for these things to come, they are a great way off, we see them not now what they are and therefore (say you) give us these things: and as for our souls, we will trust God with them, for God is merciful; we know it, and he that would make us afraid knows it also, for all he frames and presents us with such Bugbears.

Saith the Apostle Peter, 1. Pet. 4. 18.* 1.396 If the righteous can scarcely be saved, where shall the wicked and ungodly appear? I know the general vote of interpreters expounds this place of temporal de∣liverances: but you must pardon me, I take it not so (my eyes are too dim to read your Iunius notes upon this text) I take it as it is spoken▪ If the righ∣teous shall scarcely be saved, &c. that is, if the righ∣teousest, with all his righteousness: if the just with all his justness: if Peter with all his tears, if Iob with all his patience, if Abraham with all his Faith, if Ioseph with all his chastness, if Moses with all his meekness, if all these shall scarcely be

saved, where wilt thou appear? what will become of thee that hast nothing of all these?

And to this purpose I told you the last sabbath, as there were six steps that went up to Solomons throne, so there be six steps or degrees which we must Ascend, before we can sit down with Christ upon his throne of Rest and peace.

The first is, Condemnation of our selves,

Confessing and acknowledging our own sinfulness and wickedness, condemning and abhor∣ring our selves really in the sight of God, upon a true sight of our own vileness.

Secondly, Annihilation of our selves, account∣ing our selves Nothing, worse then nothing, and as it were, beating our selves to dust in our own esteem.

Thirdly, Abdication or forsaking all things in the world, of what nature or condition soever. Using the world as if we used it not.* 1.397

Fourthly, Indifferency to all things, to all con∣ditions, whether to riches or poverty, to honour or dishonour, to health, or sickness, to ill report and good report, to liberty and imprisonment, to praise or dispraise, to peace or to war, to fair weather or foul. When all conditions are Alike to us, whether God makes us sad or merry.

Fifthly, Conformity to Christ our head, fol∣fowing him as our pattern, that in what condition soever we are in, whatever in such a condition Christ himself would do, were he in our case and condition, the same do we.

Sixthly, Deiformity, when indeed we are no

longer men but gods: mistake me not, that is, when we act no longer our selves, but God acts in us; that if we do any thing, yet we see and feel, and confess it is God that doth it▪ that if we speak, it is Christ that speaks; if we think, it is Christ that thinks; if we go, it is Ch••ist that goeth: that it is no longer I that act any thing, it is Christ that dwelleth in you: and you and the members of your body are given up to him a living sacrifice, and as instruments of righteousness, Rom. 6. 13.* 1.398 These are things the Old man cannot indure to hear of, They are terrible to flesh and blood, the flesh cannot indure to hear of Whippings, and Rack∣ings, fire and faggot. But let me tell you, that these things are farr short of these spiritual suffe∣rings, These are a thousand-fold more hard to un∣dergoe; as those can witness, who have experi∣ence in them: nay, yet let me tell you, a man were better endure any, nay all those sufferings, Nay that a Milstone were hanged about his neck, and He dragged to the bottom of the sea, then not to have his part in these sufferings, for they are happy sufferings.

Beloved, lest these things, and the difficulty of these Names and of this work should make you amazed, and make you cry out, quis potest salvari? who then can be saved?* 1.399 if all must ascend those six steps you have named, how few then have got∣ten, or will get to heaven?

Therefore before I proceed any further, Let me for your comfort and encouragement represent unto you two things: two Quali∣fications

of these truths.

Qualification 1.

The first is this, That God is in you, although you know it not; as you know there are in us all ••hose parts, those organs and instruments of life by which we breath and live, as Nerves, Arteries, Sinews, Bones; &c. whereof though most of us do not know their particular names and uses, and how knit together, and whereof we have daily and minutely use of: And if any of you be Ar∣••ists in the body of Man, you can discourse there∣of, and delineate plainly the use and exercise of them.

And as Iohn said concerning Christ, There is one in the midst of you whom you know not, Ioh. 1. 26.* 1.400 I say so of you, there is one among you, and yet alas, you see him not, you know him not: and as God said to Moses, Exod. 6. 3.* 1.401 By my name Al∣mighty, was I known unto your fathers: but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them. I was the same then, but by that name they knew me not. So God is the same in himself, but he is not manifested to thee, nor in thee; that is, he lives not in thee (as to thee), to thy sight and know∣ledge.

So likewise the Patriarchs and Prophets before Christ, they knew him but not as we do now; they knew him by the name MESSIAH to come, and by the promised seed, and to be He in whom all Nations should be blessed; by these names

they knew him then; but not by the Messiah come, The Messiah born, the Messiah crucified, the Messiah risen again, the Messiah ascended. A∣braham, saith Christ, desired to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. Ioh. 8.* 1.402 He saw it fifteen hun∣dred years before, but not as we see it.

But these things are somewhat too high, and you cannot conceive (it may be) what I mean by these expressions. But I shall come lower to your capacities, and shall make you acquainted with these hidden things, and make them familiar to you.

Saith our Saviour to Nicodemus,* 1.403 (he was one that wanted teaching, for all he himself was a Teacher in Israel; Christ began to reason with him of High and Hidden and Mysterious things) Except a man be born again, he cannot see the King∣dom of God; Christ was now too high for him: See (for all he was such a great and learned man among the Jews) what an ignorant and a fleshly answer he makes Christ, Can a man enter into his mothers womb and be born again? Christ falls lower to his understanding; (saith he) That which is born of flesh is ••lesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit: He falls lower still, to fami∣liar comparisons to make him understand; Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind (now I am in thy element wherein thou un∣derstandest, even among the creatures) It bloweth whither it listeth, and thou hearest the sound, but knowest not whence it cometh or whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

So, would you know of me how far these high truths may be dispensed with, and what is the lowest degree in grace you must come to, if ye would be saved? Thus; though God call you not to that degree of suffering, as he doth some others; yet there ought to be a propension and an Affecti∣on to it, to aim at it, though you reach it not. As a child is a reasonable creature as well as the lusti∣est man, and the fullest grown man; and we do not exclude it from the name of a man, or from the nature of a man: for he will be a man in time, he hath all the parts and lineaments of a man, and he is growing and intends towards a man. So neither do we exclude those Christians that are w••aklings and Babes in Christ, neither from the name, nor from the hope of Christians, though they be but Babes, and have not that strength as perfect and strong men in Christ have: You know men can reason and discourse of things to our under∣standings, and can tell you the reason of their strength and growth; we do not expect this in children.

Our Saviour calls the woman of Canaan no better then a Dog, a whelp; truth (said she) though I am so, yet Lord the whelps eat of the crumbs under their Masters table:* 1.404 know this, the best Christians are but Whelps, meer puppies and weaklings in comparison of their Master and of that they should be, and eat but the crumbs, the scraps that fall from their Masters table in that regard: Alas what poor, ungrown, unshapen crea∣tures are they, in comparison of their head, the

Lord Jesus Christ? and what fragments do we live upon, to those dainties he would find us and feed us with, if we were but capable or fit for them? So, though we find not in our selves that strength and growth that should be, yet be not discouraged, so you find but a propension and dispo∣sition toward these things, and to grow as much as you can, then be sure, Christ will perfect that dis∣position in his due time.

2 Qualification.

Secondly, God accepts the will for the deed: for (as the Apostle saith) 2 Cor. 8. 12.* 1.405 A man is ac∣cepted according to that he hath, and not according to that he hath not: so it be a real and a true will, a will in good earnest, then there is no question, He accepts the will for the deed; but be sure it be so; for you must know (as the Apostle saith, Gal. 6. 7.* 1.406) Be not deceived, do not ••latter your selves, God is not mocked, you cannot deceive him with preten∣ces; but if it be so, then he accepts the will for the deed.

As David, 2 Sam▪ 30. 21.* 1.407 when Ziglag was fired, and their wives and children carried away captives while he was absent, David goes and in∣quires of the Ephod whether he should pursue af∣ter the enemy or no; he was bid go, and he fol∣lowed them, and overtook them, and overcame them; but as he followed and pursued, some of his men were weary, and could not go to their journeys end, therefore they tarried behind and

looked to the stuff; but in the end, when the spoil came to be divided, those that held out, and per∣formed the work, would not let them that tarried behind have any part with them; yea, saith Da∣vid, these that tarried behind shall have as good a part as those that fought; for their will was good, they as really intended it, as those that performed it:* 1.408 and this was made a statute and a law in Isra∣el ever after.

Beloved, just so is it with our infinite wise God, He sets by All his Souldiers alike, though he set some in the Front, and some in the Reer, and some in other offices; some in more dangerous places, and some in less; yet he esteems them all his true souldiers, as well He that is weak (so he be faith∣ful) as he that performs the greatest service.

So in the 20 of Matthew,* 1.409 and the 11 Verse, the Master there hired servants, some sooner, & some later, some at the sixth, ninth, tenth, eleventh hour but none at the twelfth; (observe that) none at the twelfth hour; and when he came to pay, he gave all alike; those that came first, and had done more service murmured: sayes the good Master of the house, Take that is thine; is thine eye evil be∣cause mine is good? even so is it with us: so we have a right and real disposition to suffering,* 1.410 a rea∣diness thereunto, and as great a willingness to do much work, and to work all the day, if God call us to it, as to do a little when God calls us not to it; Then my brethren know, God in such a case accepts the will for the deed: perhaps we are not actually called to poverty, nor actually to dis∣grace,

to whipping, to pulling a pie••es with wilde horses, to racks, to breaking of bones, to crucify∣ing, as you know some have been: Though we are not called to do what others are, so we do what we can, and are faithful in our talent, and ready to imploy a greater talent to more advan∣tage, if it be Gods will to call you to it: But know, all must suffer, less or more; for so much is inclu∣ded in the Parable; the last that was called was at the eleventh hour; there was none called at the twelfth; he that was called last, wrought one hour in Christs vineyard: Christ will have one hours work done before night; take notice of this: and to return to our former Simile.

A Captain that hath Souldiers, all stand not in the front; he dyes a Souldier, that dyes in the battel (let it be where it will) as well as he that dies in the forefront: The Lord is called in Scrip∣ture The Lord of Hosts: we are part of his Soul∣diers: he hath heavenly Souldiers, as well as earth∣ly; It is said of the Angels, that they are Ready to do his will, Psal. 103. 20.* 1.411 they are all ready▪ yet we read but of a few of their names that he sent of er∣rands; yet those that he never sent, are as truly part of his heavenly hosts, as those that he doth send; they are as ready and willing as those that were sent. So those Christians that suffer not so much, which he takes away in youth, & in the in∣fancy of their Christianity, these have the title of Souldiers, as well as those that live to their full age, and to be fathers in Christ, and have suffered never so much; All is one, so we be in a willing∣ness

and readiness: onely deceive not your selves: I know if I should ask any of you of your willing∣ness and readiness, you will say, you are willing, and he is not a true Christian that desires not to be ready to do Gods wil & to grow in grace: yes, yes, we are taught that (say you) in the Lords pray∣er, to pray, Thy Kingdom come, and thy will be done.

I, I, I know well enough, you have words enough, very good words, you have Religion at your fin∣gers, and your tongues end: it is true, we all of us cry daily, Thy will be done, thy Kingdom come, and it may be we have said these words a thousand times over: and yet it may be, we are of the number of them that say, We will not that thou shalt rule over us; let us break their bonds▪ and cast away these cords from us, Psal. 2. 3.* 1.412 I, and it may be we fast and pray, and tye our selves to a constant rule, which we will by no means omit: and yet be like those in the 1. of Isaiah, give God very good words, draw near with our mouthes, and ho∣nour him with their lips, but yet our hearts are far from him, and we will have our own will; God nor his wayes neither shall cross us of that: And if so be God will but let us have our wills, we will then give him service enough in this kind, bodily service, and bodily exercise more then he would have weary him with sacrifices, I and our selves too.

Brethren, what shall we think of those men that daily pray for the life & health of the King, & the extension of his power & government, and yet do nothing but plot treason? are these loyal subjects?

So it may be you will say with Paul, To will is present with me, but to do I know not how to perform, Rom. 7. 18.* 1.413 I require you therefore, as you will answer before God Almighty, and his elect angels, that your willingness be true and real, & not pre∣tended, that there be as true and as great willing∣ness, as there is in a man that is hungry to eat: and to be as willing as a thirs••y man would drink; & then if it be so, I say as you say, & as the Apostle saith, he will accept the will for the deed; & more∣over he will work the deed: It is with God, as it is with a man looking in a glass, if you go to it, it will go to you; if you go from it, it will go from you; if you look proudly, it will do so too; if you smile on it, it will smile on you; if you kiss it, it will kiss you: just so it is with our God; with the just man thou wilt shew thy self just; and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward; with the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure, Psal. 18. 25, 26.* 1.414 if we do but so much as incline to God, God will incline to us: As soon as the Prodigal inclined, and had but a thought to turn again to his father, his father was ready to turn towards him: for says the Text, Luke 15. 18, 19, 20.* 1.415 While he was yet afar off, he saw his son and ran to meet him.

Having premised these two qualifications, like a nail in the sanctuary to Rivet you to your hope, we come now to set our feet upon the first step that leads us up to this Throne of Perfection and Rest: But, here stands [A Lion] in the way (the sluggard said so in the Proverbs, to excuse his idle∣ness) when there was none: but here stands a

a Lion indeed;* 1.416 A Roaring Lion, that doth hinder, & will hinder, till he be taken away; He stands con∣tinually at the foot of these steps,* 1.417 seeking whom he may devour, and will suffer no man to come near: And he stands compleatly Armed, & bids men ad∣venture if they dare, they come upon their perils.

All the imitable actions of our Saviour we are to follow, though not his miracles, as to cure the blind, and heal the lame, and raise the dead, and the like: but he hath set us a pattern wherein we should all imitate him; for He being Lord of all, yet he became least of all; although he was God equal with his Father,* 1.418 yet he Emptied himself, and poured out all his glory, and became as a servant, submitting himself to death, yea, to the death of the cross: then which description I cannot give you a more plain shorter, or more infallible com∣pendium of his sufferings, which will assuredly draw after it, Being glorified with him: Herein ye must imitate him, herein ye must suffer with him, and Herein ye shall be Glorified together: understand I pray you, I do not say ye must be poor as Christ was poor; I do not say ye must be whipt as Christ was whipt; that ye must be crowned with thorns as Christ was: this is more then I know: I know not what God may do with you in that regard, whether he will call you to this or not; nay, if I should tell you so, this were To begin at the wrong end; for if you should do All this, and undergo never so much, the utmost misery that ever man endured upon earth, name what death and torture you will, it doth not ne∣cessarily

follow That ye shall be glorified with him: As a man in a feaver, if you apply never so many medicines outwardly to the skin, it will do him no good; you must alter somewhat within before ye can cure him: so if a man suffer never so much outwardly in his body, if you alter not the heart within (for all evil is in the heart) till that be made clean,* 1.419 till there be a suffering there, there is no good done; till then, we suffer not with Christ, viz. to be emptied of our selves, to be made No∣thing, to forsake our own will, &c. these are suf∣ferings indeed; all other outward and bodily suf∣ferings are but the shadow; these are the sub∣stance, and the True Sufferings: This is, to suffer with Christ, that so we may reign with him.

I say herein we must imitate Christ in these two things spoken of, Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8.* 1.420 Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Iesus, who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient un∣to death, even the death of the Cross: we must be Empty and Humble; empty thy self of all thy gifts, yea of all thy graces: down with, not onely your infirmities and weaknesses, but throw down your Crowns, before the Lamb that sitteth on the Throne, Rev. 4. 12.* 1.421 and proclaim, All glory, all honour, and all power be unto him for ever: I say, down with all your graces, your excellen∣cies, that wherein you really do excel, throw all

down before him, your real excellencies, all must be thrown at the feet of the Lamb: he hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away, Luke 1. 53.* 1.422 But here steps in, and here stands in our way the old Adam, the old Serpent, Lucifer, Flesh, Selfness, &c. he hath di∣vers names, for our better kowledge of him; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he heareth of these sufferings, he cryes, Oh Master, favour thy self, Mat. 16. 23.* 1.423 none of these things shall happen to thee: what needest thou go this ••ay? here is a killing way indeed; live still, fill thy self with riches, and fill thy self with plea∣sures, and fill thy self with wisdome, &c. you will find the benefit of it: but you know Christs an∣swer, Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Object.* 1.424 But it may be you will say to me, What do you tell us of the old red Dragon, and Lucifer, and of the Devil, &c. we have nothing to do with any of these things; tell those of them that it con∣cerns: I hope there is none of us possest; some are ready with Peter to curse bitterly, swearing, I know not the man:* 1.425 I never saw any of these things; What strange things will this babler make us be∣lieve? what will he bring us to at last?

Beloved, I answer;* 1.426 Have patience with me, Did any of you ever see his own eyes, His own face, except in a glass? though you think you ne∣ver saw the Devil; yet had you looked into Gods book, there you might have seen him in you: There you are bidden to fight with your own

selves, with your own desires, with your own af∣fections, with your own reason, with your own will; and therefore if you will find your enemies, never look without; if you will find out the De∣vil, and what He is, and what his nature is, look within you; you will never find him without; there you may see him in his colours, in his nature, in his power, in his effects and workings: but my fear is, that hearing you hear and understand not, and seeing you see not, Mat. 13. 14.* 1.427

Again, You never saw your own souls, did you, but onely in the effects? it may be you never saw this Fiery red Dragon: but in his effects you may see him daily: From whence come lyes (saith the Apostle Iames) and wantonness, and pride, envy, hatred, debate? come they not from hence, even from your lusts? James 4. 1.* 1.428

In the time of the Law there was much a do about the leprosie, the Priest must come and look on it again and again; much ado there was, and all was to this end, that they might know it, that so they might avoid it: So we shall never avoid this Old Serpent, this bloody Dragon, if we do not learn to know him, to know him in his effects in us: and as I said before, we cannot come to set our foot so much as on this first step, leading up to So∣lomons Throne, but we shall find HIM, this Giant, this Goliah Armed, being full of ire, terror, and dreadfulness, standing in our way: and there is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 coming near, without he be overcome, subdued, conquered, and taken away.

And now I have This dreaful Dragon to fight

withal, For I have desired it Through the power of God, to give him such a blow, that he may be mortally wounded in you and me: I desire that it may be with me, as it was with the sword of Saul, and the bow of Ionathan, which never returned empty or in vain, from the blood of the slain, and from the fat of the mighty,* 1.429 This Mighty NIMROD.

And when I have gone over his several names, and opened them, I hope to discover him so to you, that you may say experimentally, as Abigal said of Nabal, Nabal is his name, and so is he, 1 Sam. 25. 25.* 1.430 Nabal is his name, and so is his nature: if he be called, Satan, that you shall say I have found him Satan to me, which signifies Se∣ducing, and so is his nature: if he be called the Old man, the Old man we have ••ound him in our practise: if called the Red Dragon or the Strong man, or what else he is called so we have found him in his effects to our poor souls: And I have desired to discover him; and now I have fallen upon it, God grant I may do it effectually, even to the assaulting and rasing his strongest and most spiritual wickednesses and strong holds in you and me, that I may now have a deadly blow at the Head of this SERPENT, that hath so long and so often bitten my Heel, and wounded you and me when we felt it not.

But my Endeavours and my Wisdome, nor my strength will do no good, he is too MIGHTY for me to encounter w••th, neither go I against Him with Sword or Spear, but in the name of THE LORD OF HOSTS.

FOR THE BATTEL IS THE LORDS.* 1.431

The feeling of these things in your selves will be farr beyound my describing them.

Neither will I bring any Rayling accusation against him, (but onely such as the Scripture hath given him) and onely say, as the Arch-Angel M••∣chael said when he and his Angels fought with the Devil and his Angels, Iude 9.

THE LORD REBUKE THEE.

SERMON II.

ROM. 8. 17.

If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I Brought and Reduced the last Sabbath, all the imitable sufferings of Christ (for some of them are not imitable in manner, nor alwayes in the matter, none of them in the measure) to the ex∣pression of two words:

• 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉* 1.432
• 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Phil. 2. 7, 8.* 1.433

• First, He humbled himself.
• Secondly, He emptied himself.

And in these two things consists our suffering with Christ: it may be to be whipt with Christ, to be poor with Christ, to be reproched with Christ, to suffer death with Christ, &c. it may be we are not called to these, neither matters it whe∣ther we do or no suffer in that kind, except God calls us to those conditions: But in these two we must of necessity suffer with Christ, if we would be glori∣fied with him: He was found (saith that Text) in

the form of a servant, he was Humble as a ser∣vant, He that was Lord of all glory, emptied himself of all that glory which he had with the Father, being God equal with him, in full pow∣er and glory; yet he emptied himself, pouring out all his glory, and made himself of no reputation and indeed he became a Servant of Servants, as you know, who calls himself so.

And (as you may remember) the last day, when we intended to discover those six steps that led up to Solomons Throne, to this Throne of Hu∣mility, we found there a HUGE Porter; viz. the strong man Armed, standing at the foot of these steps: whom we intend to describe to you by opening those names that the Scripture gives him: I reckoned them twenty in number.

1. The Old-man. 2 Adam. 3. The Serpent. 4. Lucifer. 5. The Red Dragon. 6. The Roaring Lion. 7. The Devil. 8. Antichrist. 9. Sin. 10. Rebellion. 11. False light. 12. Darkness. 13. The Flesh. 14. Selfness. 15. Propriety. 16. Self-love. 17. Our own will. 18. Error. 19. Satan. 20. The evil one.

And except He be taken away and removed which till then will Let,* 1.434 there is no ascending any one of these steps.

The first of which was Condemning ourselves.

The second Annihilation of our selves.

The third was Abdication, or forsaking all things.

The fourth, Indifferency to all conditions, to health and to sickness, to plenty and to want, to good

report and to evil report, to fair weather and to foul: so that ye might stand indifferently affected to these estates, or to any other: so that they know not which to choose, as willing to have one as the other, if God please.

The fifth was conformity in all things to Christ; imitating him in all imitable actions.

The sixth was deiformity, as I may so call it, when we are so given upto God, that we no long∣er act, but when we act, it is God that acts, when we see, think, speak, go, it is not we, but God: and (as I said) when I had thought to come to ••hose 6 steps,* 1.435 we found that He that will with∣hold will withhold until he be taken away: That Great Goliah and Armed; If we do but offer to set a foot on any of these steps, we must look for striving; expect to fight a great battel, we must look for much resistance; therefore before we come to draw near, we must labour that this Ar∣med Man be removed and taken away; or else we ••hall neither confess our own sinfulness, nor our own nothingness and vileness, nor be content to forsake all, nor to be indifferent to all things, nor any of the rest,

For thus he objects to thee, viz. this great red Dragon, this GOLIAH, SATAN, LU∣CIFER, &c. What needs all this stir, condemn∣ing thyself, and annihilating thy self, and for∣saking all that thy heart could delight in? &c. What needs all this adoo? had all (doest thou ••hink) that went before thee, such a difficult way ••o heaven? no, no, favour thy self: Master, Ma∣ster▪

Be good unto thy self; none of these things shall happen to thee, as Peter said to Christ, Mat. 16. 23.* 1.436 This is new doctrine indeed: had you ever such counsel given you as this, before this odde fellow came? yet I beseech you examine your selves (I beseech you bear with me) Have ye not these thoughts within you? Then If you will but confess, this. This is the man, the old man, the Lu∣cifer, the Devil that we go about to describe: Are you not ready to say when you hear these things,* 1.437 what new doctrine is this? What do you tell me of the red Dragon, and the Serpent, Anti∣christ, and the Roaring Lyon, &c. We know none of these things▪ we are Christians; And no such things appear now adayes: indeed in our fore-fa∣thers dayes, we have heard that there appeared SPIRITS and HOBGOBLINGS, and such kind of things; but that was in the dayes of Popery and blindness: but now the light hath va∣nished all these things, and you are ready with Peter, Mar. 14. 71.* 1.438 to Curse and swear we know not the man ye speak of: we have heard of Dragons spoken of by some of the Prophets, that have been in the wilderness; and of Adam our first father, but he is dead long ago: and we have heard of the Owls in the deserts,* 1.439 and of the Scritch∣owls, and the Ims and Oyms of the Desert, spoken of in Isaiah: but alas to day, these things are old, and concern not us, and are forgotten long ago: You have: say you so? and concern not you? Alas, Alas, but for all this, I say unto you,* 1.440 There is o••e in the midst of you, whom you

whom you know not; See I pray you if this Dragon, these Serpents, these Owls, Ims and Oyms, be not in you and among you, and you know them not, And truly I believe you will tell me you never heard of such a doctrine as this before; you have been Professors this 20, 30 or 40 years, and you never heard that these things were in you before: you have indeed heard and read of such things, but you thank God you can wash your hands in innocency, and you were never taught so, nor ever believed so: And I believe as in 1 King. 22. 12.* 1.441 all the Prophets prophesie so and so, and prophesie good, and say you, shall we believe this odde fellow? He hath already made us believe that we are Devils, and now he is at it again; and he would perswade us that we are Serpents, nay Antichrist, and Dragons, and we know not what.

Well, Notwithstanding all this (as the Apo∣stle sayes) Heb. 13. 22.* 1.442 I beseech you suffer the words of exhortation: Truly Friends we must suf∣fer this proud ••lesh of ours to be pulled out by the roots, it will else destroy the whole body: Let me pray you to Iudge your selves that ye may not be judged, 1 Cor. 11. 31.* 1.443 Nay judge your selves, and ye shall escape the judgment of God; God will certainly judge you to be so, as we have shewed; Now, if you would escape his judge∣ment, then be content to judge so of your selves to prevent his judgment.

And as Peter the Apostle saith in another case, Acts 2. 29,* 1.444 so would I to you, Men and bre∣thren, let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch

David, &c, So more boldly and freely let me confess before you; As all these things are in you, so verily I find them daily in my self, and from mine own experience, and I desire to communi∣cate the knowledge thereof unto you: And I would not that you should think This Deadly Enemy A friend, and this Domestick, A stranger.

And in preaching to you, Beloved, I assure you I desire to preach to myself; I judge you no more then I judge my self; I am peccatorum pri∣mus, of whom As saith the Apostle, I am Chiefe; As bad as any of you all: Therefore I accuse you not more then my self. If I look for devils, the old Man, Sin, Antichrist, and Dragons, or Ostrich∣es, or the Ims and Oyms of the Desert, or Luci∣fer, or the Hissing Serpent, &c. alas, alas, I find I need not look far, they are nigh me, they are all in me: And indeed there were far more hope of you to see and confess it, then to deny and despise what is represented unto you.

Well then, that I may come to open HIM to you, that by His names you may know him; for I would fain bring you acquainted with this great stranger to you, though he be your daily guest: as S. Iohn Baptist said of our Saviour, Ioh. 1. 26.* 1.445 so say I, There is one in the midst of you, whom you know not: namely, Antichrist, this Devil, this Darkness and Blindness, with all other his names whatever He may be called; and this I wo••ld have you know so as your selves may see and feel that he is in you, In the midst of you: so that you may both Hear him and See him. I beseech you

arraign and examine your selves: for I would fain make you all Iustices, and Iudges of your selves, And I shall shortly shew you your Com∣mission; and I pray, when you hear your selves Arraigned by any of those several names, answer to your names, and cry, Here, Here; and say to your selves,* 1.446 as Nathan to David, and clap your hand on every ones breast, and say, Thou art the man: and also I would have you to answer as David to Nathan, I have sinned: and this is the way for me to pronounce to you that Absoluti∣on, The Lord hath put away thy sin.

The first Name then, I say, which opposeth it self against this our True and BLESSED Con∣formity with Christ in those sufferings, formerly mentioned.

He is called the OLD man, Rom. 6. 6.* 1.447 Know∣ing this, that our old man is crucified, &c. And he is so called, not because he is Old and Ancient of dayes, but because, He is The Old-man in our practice:* 1.448 we are begotten with him, As David confesses Psal. 51. In sin I was begotten and brought forth; and it were better for us we had never been born, then to be but so born: we are by nature (sayes the Apostle) Children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3.* 1.449 Thus God and his Word accounts of us: what Lands soever we have, and what HEIRS soever we be, what Honours and Titles soever we have, Our father is an Amorite, and our mother an Hittite, Ezek. 16. 3.* 1.450 we are without God, Strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel, &c. thus we are in Gods esteem, what ever glo∣ry

and splendour we have to the world; let Lords and great ones mind this, as our Saviour tells Ni∣codemus, A man cannot enter into the Kingdom of God but he must be born again, Ioh. 3. 3▪* 1.451 these were his words that spake* 1.452 So true as never man spake: He whose words could admit of no un∣truth: Paul indeed saith, now I speak, and now the Lord, and this the Lord, and now I: but here is one that alwayes spoke the words of God; he never spake of himself: But saith he, verily, verily a man must be born again; wha••ever it be that tends not to Regeneration, must be cut off, it must be brought down.

Thus, I say, this STRONG MAN stands in our way, under the name and term of the OLD Man; but he is not onely a Strong man, but he stands also Armed: Therefore the more strong, the more Terrible, The more Hard to Resist, And he wishes us, to keep back and not to adventure upon our own ruine.

And his Armour is Custome in sin and Pre∣scription: How hardly is a custome broke? a man can assoon die as leave an old custome, Eph. 4. 22, 23.* 1.453 That is, That ye cast off, concerning the conversation in times past, that OLD MAN, which is corrupt through the deceivable lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind: and saith Ieremy, Can the Leopard change his spots, or the Blackamore his skin? Ier. 13. 23.* 1.454 Can custome in sin be broken? if it can, then may you learn to do well, which are accustomed to evil; if it be broken, I am sure, it was never by your will or power, you

may thank God for it: He it is that hath over∣come this Man Armed; You your selves could never have overcome him: It may be here is in this Congregation a good number of Christians, real Christians, and you have overcome this Old man, but how? you may thank God for it; you had never been so, nor had ever overcome, had not He been; and had not he fought for you, you had never overcome him: Custome in sin is a great matter, as Augustine speaking of his conver∣sion, Saith, That when he was resolved to forsake his sins, then Custom in sin came and set upon him, and sayes he, All my sins and all my Old delights came before me, Crying unto me, What, will ye leave us now? what, We that have been such Old Companions, loved so dearly, will you now forsake us? Have we not often given you much delight and content, and must we now part, and part for ever? And so part, as never to see one another again? So that Custome in sin may well be called the Armour of this Old man, for it is A Strong Armour.

A second name is Adam, and yet not exclu∣ding Eve: good women, do not think so, But I may say as S. Paul sayes,* 1.455 Neither is the MAN without the Woman in the Lord, nor the WOMAN without the Man: So may I, Too truly say, nei∣ther is the Man without the Woman in the Devil, not the Woman without the Man in the Devil; and so both are in the transgression: nay, the wo∣man was first in the transgression, 1 Tim. 2. 14.* 1.456 the whole man is defiled, Soul and Body. And we

call it [Adam] because, It hides it self f••om God, and because by it as by Adam, Sin entred into the world: as in our form of baptism we pray That the Old Adam may be so buried in us, and that the new man may live and grow in us. But, What did Adam? He hid himself: This is one proper∣ty in this Old Adam: when Adam had sinned He Hid himself (as he thought) from God: And God asks him, Adam, where art thou? but what a vain thought was this in him to think to hide himself from God; From His all-seeing Creator and Maker? But, This Adam had some LEAVES to hide himself among: that is, some Excuses, for He is not Unarmed: for in what shape soever he is represented, he hath Armour Fitted to him.

And his armour in this is Amolition of the crime, putting it off himself. And even thus Do not we do as Adam did? Hath not he taught us the Trick of it, to Hide our selves from God? though we no not do as Adam did, to run among the trees, yet we do something equivalent, some∣thing like it:* 1.457 so that we are not onely Adam (naked) but we, (even as Adam did) sow fig∣leaves together for Aprons: Rather then Adam would accuse himself, he would accuse the wo∣man, and then the woman the Serpent: nay, ra∣ther then he will be guilty, or confess his sin, he will accuse God himself; Thou gavest me the wo∣man, saith he: So, do not we do the same? Ra∣ther then we will accuse our selves, we will ac∣cuse God; If we be charged, why hast thou done

this? Oh, I could not help it; it is this flesh that thou gavest me; is not this our case? why hast thou done this thing? we have our answer ready, The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, Mat. 26. 41.* 1.458 the fault is not in us, but in this weak and frail flesh, that thou hast given us: but God answers this Old Adam peremptorily,* 1.459 thou belyest me, I gave thee not Thy flesh to destroy thee, Thy de∣struction is of thyself, O Israel, I am free; I gave thee flesh to a good end, but Thou hast abused it: Therefore Accuse thy self, for all evil is from thy self; Blame not me in saying, The flesh that I gave thee; and that I have not done well in giv∣ing thee such a frail and weak flesh, which thou art not able to bridle and govern: Saith God, all I created, behold it was very good: But lay the blame on your selves, All that is given you, is given for your good, if you abuse it not, and turn it to evil, to your selves: This was a good argu∣ment, as David used it, but not as we, and as this Old Adam useth it; for David often complains of the weakness of his Flesh, and that he could do nothing, and he had no strength, and that his bones were broken, and he was all to peices: Da∣vid did it by way of Argument,* 1.460 that God would have pity upon him, and strengthen him; but we do it that we may be excused for all we do, without desire of amendment: therefore away with these shifts, And give glory to God: Confess, confess,* 1.461 that it is thy sin, and thy transgression; and confess Thou art The man.

A Third name, he is called The SERPENT;

and in Isa. 1. 27.* 1.462 he is called Leviathan, that crooked Serpent.

Now he is called The Serpent from that curse, Gen. 3. 14.* 1.463 because he Goes upon his belly, and eates The dust of the ea••th.

Object.* 1.464 But what Are we serpents then? and do we eat of the dust of the earth?

Answ.* 1.465 Yes: This Serpent is the flesh, which first came to the woman, and tempted her; for Eve I take to be meant of the sensitive, and fleshly and inferiour part; and Adam to be meant, the rational and the higher part of man, viz. The Reasonable Soul: Now this Serpent, the flesh, or this carnal part, doth not first and immediately set upon Adam; for Adam might have reasoned it out with him: but he first sets upon weak Eve; He Arrests first, The sensitive part, because that it is next unto the Flesh, and very little differing from the flesh: And then at last, by degrees, he comes to Adam, and that By Eve; And so, by that means the Sensitive prevailed over the Ra∣tional, Eve over Adam, and the Woman over the Man.

Object.* 1.466 I, but Sir, by your Favour we do not lick the dust as Serpents?

Answ. But we do, and that according to the Letter;* 1.467 All that ever we see, smell, touch, taste, ••ear, all is but the dust of the earth, for this Serpent Licks Dust, and Lives by Dust, and all our Senses are Fed with Dust: for if we see Beauty, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 see but beautiful dust; if we touch gold, it is but thick clay, thick dust: if we smell any thing,

they are but vapors from the earth; if we taste any thing, it comes from the earth, and to the earth it returns: If we hear any thing that plea∣ses the ears, Its but Aire contracted into a Sound; All that we account of, and esteem, All that we Relish and delight in, All, is but the dust of the Earth; Beloved, methinks these things should make a man abhor himself; we see how naturally men abhor Serpents, because they are made of so contrary a nature and disposition to men: And if This ONE Serpent be so loathsom and terrible, And Unarmed, what is He, when he is Armed?

And his Armor is, His Subtilty, that is, his Wisdom: and that you will think strange; Our Sa∣viour saith, Be wise as Serpents: But wherein con∣sists His Wisdom? It consists in this, That when∣soever this Serpent Sees himself Assaulted, and like to be Overcome, That he will do all he can to defend his Head, to keep that safe; For life is in the Head; Tis certain, ye may wound him in the Tail, and he will recover that well enough: For let a man come into a garden overrun with weeds; And, to destroy these, shall go and cut off all the tops of them; we know, that This hath not killed the weeds; for the roots are there still, and will spring again: So, for a man to cut off This particular sin, And That particular sin, and not to pull up sin by the roots, it is never the near; af∣ter a while they grow the ranker, and the stron∣ger: if we would destroy it, we must strike at the Root of sin, at the life, at the Head; for that is it that was promised in the 3 of Genesis,* 1.468 Thou

shalt bruise his Heel, but he shall break thine Head: If at any time, we Ministers go about to reprove you of your sins, you can endure us well enough, so long as we cut off but the laps of your garments:* 1.469 And you can be well contented to hear us; I, and to reform and obey our Doctrine; but if once we come to meddle with the root, with the life of sin, Then you will strive, then you will wrestle and fight to save that, and you will never fight in earnest till then, and then you will Fight: Oh save The HEAD; Save the LIFE of your Sins and lusts.

A fourth name is Lucifer; you know the place, Isa. 14. 12.* 1.470 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lu∣cifer, Son of the morning? how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the Nations? for thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into hea∣ven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will be like the most High: yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit, &c.

Now it may be you will say unto me; Nay sir, you have made us bad enough already, do not make us Lucifers, the Prince of Devils:* 1.471 who are they, or where are they that will offer such high presumption, To Aime at Gods Seat, or to Exalt themselves above the Stars of God, or to be like unto God?

I Answer, This Lucifer Is spiritual pride when the heart prid••s it self in its own excellencies; viz. Such thoughts as these: See, see, what an excel∣lent creature man is made,* 1.472 But little lower then the Angels? O what a Regard God hath unto

man? He hath crowned him with glory and ho∣nour: he hath given him dominion over all the works of his hands; and hath put all things under his feet: Hath not he made the Earth to bear me, and the Sun to shine upon me, The moon and stars to do homage and service to me,* 1.473 and all crea∣tures to feed and clothe me? Oh! what Excel∣lent graces have I? How have I excelled other men? I have made a fair and long progress in Re∣ligion: Oh Brethren, Brethren, what shall I say? I never wonder that Cain was seduced by hatred and envy, and Lamech overcome by lust, and Absalom to fall by Ambition, and Abiram by murmuring, Iudas by covetousness, the Richman by gluttony, and that Simon Magus was overcome by covetousness, and the like. But, here is the mi∣sery of all miseries, and the height of all aggrava∣tions: For a man to go to hell by his Religion, and profession of truth: for a man to go to hell by hearing of Sermons, By receiving the Communi∣on, by praying, by preaching, by abstinence, By over∣coming of Vice, by Resisting of sin, by giving of alms, &c. to bless themselves and say, I thank God I am not thus and thus, as the Pharisee said, I am not as other men,* 1.474 nor as this Publican; I do not as other men do, I do not swear as such a man, I do not blaspheme and lye, and be drunk, as such and such; I go to Church twice a Sabbath, I attend diligently, I read and repeat the word in my fami∣ly, I pray twice a day: nay not onely so, but I keep a strict watch over my heart and tongue: I have overcome swearing and filthy speaking, and

lying, and covetousness: all these have I killed, my life is unspotted, No man can say Black is my eye. But may it not be said of thee, as it was once con∣cerning Alexander? that when he came to be∣siege and take a City, and the enemy stood upon a high steep mountain or bulwark, upon which stood Elephants, so that they were in such a strait, they knew not what to do; for if they killed, they should kill more of their own Army, then of their Enemies; For, if they killed the Elephants that stood in the front, their heavy bodies would tumble down upon them and kill them: So say I, I fear that in killing of sin, sin hath killed thee: Are not all thy good deeds fallen upon thine own head? and hath not all thy labour and pains that thou hast taken, Killed thine own soul?

And, for all this Potent strength that this Luci∣fer (you see) hath, yet he hath gotten Armour on, besides; And his armour is Innocency: And, the more of this he hath, the more strong, and the better Armed is He: I say the more innocency and unsportedness This Lucifer hath, so much the more strong is he against God; but as David saith, Psal. 119. 71.* 1.475 It was good for me that I was af∣flicted; for before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have respect to all thy Commandments; So may I boldly say, It were good for thee to Fall, Nay it were better, that God would let thee fall, then stand, that thou mayest come to see thine own pride and glory laid in the dust, and that thou be made to see, Not what a strong excellent crea∣ture thou art, but what a vile and sinful, and what

a weak creature thou art; that so thou mayest say, it was good for me, and I find it by experi∣ence; Oh it is good for me that I sinned, and that I fell: for before I sinned I went astray; I had like to have gone to hell by all my good actions, by my pride in them; I was even at the very pits brink, had this never been disclosed to me.

Oh Beloved! Humility is the Top of all graces; all is nothing▪ if we have not That, with them. Be∣loved, examine your selves, Try and see whe∣ther these things be in you or not; and if they be, if you find them so, I tell you, you will never look so much to find any of them without your selves as within: One Name more, and then we conclude for this time.

The ••••th name that is given him, is, The Red Dragon, Rev. 12. 3.* 1.476 so called, because of his colour, And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold a great red Dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads: Friends, I would fain bring you ac∣quainted with. This enemy also, that you may once come to know him, that you may beware of him: for I open all these several names, that so I might fully describe and set him out to you, that you may know him, that if you find him not in you by one name, yet you may by another; and if not by one or two, yet by all his names compa∣red together:* 1.477 That as Moses put his hand into his bosom, and pulled it out leprous: so I would fain have you finde that these things are in your own bosoms, you are all Lepers, but know it not.

And though I take some time in opening these names, yet I hope it will be profitable to you; for as yet I am not half gone through them: This Red Dragon makes his Fiery assaults upon the Soul daily and hourly, and there doth he make Wreck and spoil: he there cruelly Rends and Tears your poor souls, and you for all that see it not, nor are sensible thereof: There He Seises upon his Prey, Which but with a very strong hand will he forsake; And, by those his fiery darts (which the Apostle speaks of) he wounds the soul to death and destruction, and there is no delivering the soul from the jaws of this fiery Dragon, but by the Almigh∣ty power and hand of God; for he goes about like a Roaring Lion, seeking his prey, and whom he may swallow up and devour, 1 Pet. 5. 8.* 1.478

And his Armour is blo••d▪ it is no less then your bloud, your life that feeds him; And he Thirsts for bloud, which is your life, and that is his life, his meat and drink: And there is no overcom∣ing this Dragon, but by destroying That which is the very life of your lives, viz. Of your carnal and fleshly lives; the life of pride▪ and the life of covetousness, the life of arrogancy and self-boast∣ing, &c.

All Humane and worldly wisdom must be brought down: The natural man, as born of the old Adam, must be crucified and slain▪ and be ut∣terly stript of all his wisdom and power: ye must take up arms, and go to war within your selves, and fight with your selves, fight with your own wills, with your own affections: You mus resist

and cast away that which is sweet and dear to flesh and bloud: you must cut off your right hands, and pull out your right eyes:* 1.479 else this Devouring Dra∣gon will never be overcome: Every man loves his blood dearly; the natural mans sin is as dear to him as his blood; it is so interwoven, and runneth into the very nature of man, even as the blood through every part and memb••r; so that take a∣way the bloud, and you take away the life: And nothing will satisfie this bloudy red Dragon but bloud: this he lives upon: and therefore when∣ever ye look and behold in your selves, or any other, A dearness in sin, A love to sin, you shall finde how loth they are to part with it: Can a Blackamoor change his skin, or a Leopard his spots? Neither can ye which are accustomed to do evil, learn to do well, saith Isaiah, Therefore He is, A Sore Enemy.

SERMON III.

ROM. 8. 17.

If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

THis Text, as I have told you, represents a Christians whole time, that is, His Non-age, and his Full-age; if that be too long, his Winter and his Summer; if that also be, then call it His Day, His Evening, and His Morni••g, as Gen. 1. The Evening and the Morning were a day: Ob∣serve, The Evening alwayes before the Morning. Now every one I know will be ready to say as Ba∣laam said, Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his, Numb. 23. 10.* 1.480 Oh let my Full Age be like his; let my Summer and my Morning be like his; The truth is, every one would Reign with Christ, but none would Suffer with him.

When the time shall come that we must sur∣render up these precious souls of ours, and that we feel and see we have but our three last groan∣ing sighs to fetch, and that we must be dissolved, depart out of this Tabernacle, and return to our first principles from whence we were taken, and

that our spi••its must return to God that gave them:* 1.481 I say when we shall come to see this (if so be, we believe so far as this) Oh then we would willing∣ly dye the death of the righteous, and that our dayes might end like his; but by no means would we take part with him in his Non-age, in his Winter, in his Evening, in his Suffering with Christ: Oh no; therein he cryes out, Master, favour thy self from these things,* 1.482 let none of these things happen to thee: but this Text I have now read unto you, withstands all these wishes and de∣sires; In plain words, If ye suffer with Christ, then shall ye be glorified with him; if ye suffer not with him, there is no hope of glory, no hope of reigning, no hope of the crown. Therefore it be∣hoves us to look for sufferings; we must make ac∣count of being sufferers, and of being such kind of sufferers as may claim a part in Christs sufferings: for there be many sufferers in the world, yet have no part with Christ.

Moreover it may be, We never were whipt with Christ, never poor with Christ, never crucified with Christ, never imprisoned with Christ; we were never called as the Apostle saith, to resist unto bloud, how then can we claim a part of suffer∣ing with Christ? therefore we must labour to find out such a condition wherein we may claim a part in Christs sufferings, and then we may also in his Throne and Glory.

We must therefore suffer, as the Apostle de∣fines Christs sufferings, Phil. 2.* 1.483 we must first empty our selves as Christ did; and,

Secondly, We must humble our selves as he did; fot he being God equal with his Father, yet he emptied himself of all his glory, that is, poured it all out, and made himself of no reputation, being so humble, that he was found in the form of a servant.

Now when a Christian begins but to set his face toward Ierusalem, if he do but begin to look towards this Emptying and suffering life, he shall be sure to find enemies enough, this old man Adam, Lucifer, Antichrist, the red Dragon, Sin, &c. All standing like so many Golia••s or strong men armed, standing at the very gate; that if ye do but look towards the door, they prepare to en∣counter; they stand at the very foot of the six steps which I named unto you,

• 1 Condemnation
• 2 Ann••hilation
• of our selves.
• 3 Forsaking of all things.
• 4 Indifferency to all things.
• 5 Conformity in all things.
• 6 Deiformity or Transformity.

Wherein con••••sts Our suffering with Christ; which Enemies do labour might and main, to hinder us from suffering with Christ: so that before we can set one foot on this first step, there stands, I say, Goliah, That mighty Giant, Standing for the whole army of the Philistims,* 1.484 being six cubits and a span high, with an helmet of brass upon his head, armed with a coat of Male, and greaves of brass

upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders, and the staff of his spear being like a Weavers beam, and his spear head weighing 600 shekels of iron: This Goliah thus armed stands, and if any man attempt or have a thought to look toward these six steps, he cries and proclaims, Choose you a man, and if he be able to come and fight with me,* 1.485 if he prevail over me, then will we be your servants and serve you: but if I prevail over him, then shall ye be our servants for ever.

But it may be some will say to me, I know not the man, I never saw any such thing as you speak of, I have none of these things in me, you touch not me, I am free, I have nothing to do with this strong man armed, This Goliah, nor Lucifer, nor the Serpent, nor the red dragon, nor Antichrist.

Therefore I intended and began last day to open unto you those names, that thereby you might see whether you knew any of these or no; for the Scripture hath given this Enemy divers names, and set him out divers wayes to us, be∣cause these things are in themselves far above our capacitie; therefore he hath divers names, that if you know him not by one, yet you may by another; for he hath divers and various effects, and workings in man, and he works in darkness, and his works are works of Darkness, so that few ever come to discover him, or them.

Therefore I hope after we have gone t••rough them all,* 1.486 ye will not say Ye know not the man we speake of, or that you have not heard of any of these things, and that you have no such things

within you, Nor that you have none of these se∣cret whisperings, none of these resistances and fightings within you; Nor you have none of these wars and rumours of wars within you, you can repent and confess your sins when you list; And you, for ought you can see have none of this battle of Warriors as Isaiah speaks of, which is with confused noise,* 1.487 and garments tumbled in blood; you have none of this burning up with the fewel of fire. But assuredly know, That all These things, will be within you, before there can be To us a child born, and To us a son given.

And if there be (Through Gods Blessing) such a happy discoverie (by that time we have opened these names, so that you shall be able to say) Sir, as you say he is, so have we found him: truly Nabal is his name, and Nabal is his nature; Adam is his name, and so is his nature; the Ser∣pent is his name, and so is his nature; the red Dragon is his name, and so is his nature. Then this will be a Happy, •• Blessed day to you.

As I said, if so be you find him in you by these names, or by his effects; then assure your selves He must be fought withal, there is no overcoming of him without fighting: Do not think that he is Scared with words, nor with Big looks, nor Stately carriage, nor self Arrogance, &c.

Five of his names we have opened. First, he is called the Old man. 2. Adam; which names we opened. 3. The Serpent, as Esay 27. 1.* 1.488 In that day the Lord with his sore and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent, even Leviathan

that crooked Serpent; he shall slay the Dragon that is in the Sea. And I tell you, how much soever we think we abhor Serpents; yet Th••se Cruel Ser∣pents, we live with them, we eat, we drink, we play with them, we hug them in our bosomes: And the way to destroy and kill this Serpent is by cut∣ting off his head: kill him in the head, for therein is his life; for that is it that is promised in Gen. 3.* 1.489 Let the Serpent but save his head, and he will do well enough; cut but off the tops of weeds and they will grow again ranker then before, they have their life still; cut off swearing, lying, pride, co∣vetousness, anger, revenge, any particular sin; yet you have left the root still, you have saved the Serpents head: and therefore though I have preached to you these three years, yet ye never knew me, To Hazzard a Sermon at the cutting off any one of these particular sins. I never set my self to preach against any one individual vice, as swearing and drunkenness, or whoredome, or the like, as many do, inveighing against some one particular external gross sin, many months to∣gether. Perhaps I might have forced and per∣swaded you to leave them, and so may they: but what reall good have they done? but I knew if I left the Root behind, they would grow again, if not the same way, yet another way as bad or worse: but take away the root and the cause, and then the effects would soon cease, not in one branch onely, but in all.

The fourth name was Lucifer, that is, that through our own vertues and excellencies he hath

given us the fall; and that is a dangerous fall, that which we take by our own endowments: I do not mean onely natural endowments, as ability to pray admirably in words, to repeat Sermons, to converse and reason excellently: but I mean our looking on our own excellencies, even those that are excellencies indeed, our graces, and that which to others makes us not onely seem excellent, but we are so in our selves. When we look upon what we ar••, how far we have gone on in Christianity, how many sins we have overcome, and we glory like the Peacock in our own plumes and feathers; this is the most dangerous fall, if not an irrecove∣rable one.

And he is not unarmed, as I then shewed you at large, and his armour is Innocencie, they walk unblameably; and the more of this innocencie, the more danger; and it were better in this case for men to have fallen then to have been innocent; for their innocencie hath been their destruction; for this is the very sin of Lucifer, which threw him down from Heaven.

Fifthly, He is called the red Dragon, in the Re∣velation 12. 3.* 1.490 we read in this place of a woman that was with child, clothed with the Sun, ready to be delivered of a male child, and the red Dragon stood before her to devou•• the child as soon as it was born; Because it was a Man-child, therefore he watched so narrowly; if it had been of the fe∣male sex, he had not cared, but being a Man-child, one that would be the destruction of him and his kingdom, it was time for him to look about him.

And when you read that Chapter of the wo∣man in heaven clothed with the Sun, I hope you are not so weak as to imagine that there is any such thing in heaven; that there is a woman with child in heaven; I hope you are not so babish; but it is meant of the soul of man, which is to be estee∣med far above the Sun and the fabrick of the mas∣sie world; And when this soul is to be brought to bed of a male child, in the New birth, this Dra∣gon watches to destroy it:* 1.491 this Pharaoh com∣mands, strangle them in the birth: but be they females, of the weaker sex, let them live: these help to advance Satans Kingdom; by all means let them live, nourish, cherish, foster them: but for the other, destroy, stifle them, they destroy his Kingdom.

And the Armour of this red Dragon is Blood, therefore he is called the Red Dragon,* 1.492 Red, like blood. God commands the Jews, not to eat the blood of any thing, for that is the life thereof; but tis blood this Dragon seeks; tis the life, tis blood that nourishes him; and this is a sore Armour, and we cannot destroy him, but we must destroy our selves: Ye must destroy your life, ye must destroy the blood, the life of your lusts, the life of your sins, the life of your desires, the life of your affecti∣ons, the life of your hopes, the life of your fears; Is not this also a Sore Enemie?

The sixth name, he is called the Roaring Lion; so called because of his implacable fury, nothing will satisfie him, nothing will stop him in his course of sin; no benefits, no terrors, no threats,

no intreaties; neither mercies nor judgments, nei∣ther rewards nor terrors move him; he mocks at all, he rusheth through all, as the horse rusheth into the battel, as Iob saith of the horse, ch. 39. v. 22.* 1.493 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; nei∣ther turneth he back from the sword.

And he is not unarmed, and his armour is Reso∣lution; he will through all, nothing shall stop him, he is desperate, he is without all bounds, re∣straints and limits: when God commands any thing, he is without command, he will be King and Lord himself, as Ier. 2. 25.* 1.494 Withhold from following after thy Lovers, withhold thy foot, with∣hold thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope, I will go after my Lovers: Strangers I have loved, and strangers I will love; that is, ye cannot dam up his way, he is like an overflowing Sea: no banks, no bottom, no commands, no laws will hold him. Sayes he, seeing that God commands and I command, one is strong, and the other is strong, I care not, right or wrong, stand or fall, let him that is strongest take all.

Beloved, I know these things you will not own, you loath these words: Oh far be any of these thoughts from you; but let me tell you, though you say not so with your mouths, yet this is the practise of your lives.

The seventh name is [the Devil:] In Scripture: we find very little said, of what God is in him∣self, in his essence, because that is too high for us, those words we are not able to hear, nor to com∣prehend, but very much what He is towards us,

what God is to us, and what he is in his effects and workings in us: for he is in his essence incom∣prehensible to us; so is the Essence of the Devil; and we find very little, yea much less said of him then of God; But let us see what is he to us and in us; for it is the Devil within us, that doth us all the hurt: for if he were not in us, all the De∣vi••s without us could do us no hurt, till gotten within us, and so entertained by us; were he not in us, he were no Devil to us: and therefore I say little or nothing of the essence of the Devil; But as he is in his workings and effects; and therein we daily find him too much, and too rife amongst us, and his work and nature is to be a lyar from the beginning: A Seducer.

His nature is

• 1 To accuse Man unto God.
• 2 God unto Man.
• 3 Man unto Man.

1 God unto Man, as Gen. 3.* 1.495 Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of the tree, &c. but in the day thou eatest thou shalt die? Tush Ye shall not die, for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil. What a most horrible lye was that! He may well be called the father of lyes, Ioh. 8. 44.* 1.496 that he should be so impudent, to accuse the infi∣nite good, and Almighty God, Of strait-handed∣ness or Envy towards them: and that he was not so good towards them as he might be; and that he had created them blind, and in simple con∣dition;

and had tyed them from eating of that tree, lest they should better their condition; l••st they poor miserable crawling worms, should come to be like the Eternal, Omnipotent, Wise God; and that God did forbid them that tree out of envy, for fear they should be as wise as he, because he onely will be the wisest. Oh hor••ible impudence!

Again, Secondly he accuses Man unto God, as Iob 1. God asked him if he had taken notice of his servant Iob?* 1.497 Satan answered, Doth Iob serve God for nought? thou blessest him, and therefore he serveth thee: but do but put forth thy hand and touch him in his estate, and he will blaspheme thee to thy face; That is, do but take away his estate, and he will curse thee as fast as he now blesseth thee and serveth thee.

Again, Thirdly, he accuses Man unto man. From whence comes all strife, and debates, and contention? is not he the cause? as the Apostle saith, from whence come wars and dissention? come they not hence,* 1.498 even from your lusts which war in your mem∣bers? Rather then the Devil will accuse himself, he will accuse Man, yea the Scripture, Nay God himself: if any thing go against him, then all is lyes, the Man lyes, the Book lyes, the Scripture lyes, God lyes, and all lyes: All this he will not stick to say, that they all shall be lyars before he will ac∣cuse himself.

The eighth name is Antichrist, 1 Ioh. 4. 3.* 1.499 And every spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God; but this is the spirit of Antichrist, of whom ye have heard, how that he

should come, and now already he is in the world.

You will say, Nay now, we are sure we are all free of this, he is far enough off us, he is at Rome: if there should be an Antichrist among us, he should soon be discovered and had up into the High Commission Court, and there be censured: but we are no Antich••ists, for the Apostle saith, That whosoever he be that confesses not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, the same is Antichrist: now we all confess this, he came into the world 1600 years ago, and he was begotten by the Holy Ghos••, (this is part of our Creed) born of the vir∣gin M••ry, suffered under Po••tius Pilate, &c. but thinkest thou that this confession with the mouth is enough? But I would ask thee, Is Jesus Christ come in the flesh with thee? is he come into thy flesh? that Ch••ist is Born in thee, risen in thee, that he is glorified in thy members? Then, thou art no Antichrist: but if he be not, thou needest not go far to find Antichrist.

I know well the general Vote is, that the Pope is Antichrist▪ well, let it be so, that he is exter∣nally and chiefly at Rome: and that the Pope shall be destroyed, and then Antichrist is fallen; I will not for my p••rt contend, let most voices carry it: but take heed you do not so long look for Antichrist abroad and at Rome, so that thou neglect one at home: And it may be, when Anti∣christ is destroyed, we look for a thousand years of peace, and then the Church shall be without spot or wrinkle, and Christ shall rule in his Kingdom in peace, and there shall no enemie oppose: But

all this you think will be when you are dead and gone; you wish you could see those dayes: And so likewise, when you p••ay daily, His Kingdom come, and his will be done, you think that will be in those dayes of peace: or else, when you are dy∣ing and can have your wills no longer: when you have striven so long, and God will have his will then you (it may be) will say thy will be done, and thy kingdom come: but then is Gods Kingdom come, and Gods Will done, when Ch••ist is come into thy flesh, that he lives in thee, and rules thee; That all thy actions are in imitation of thy Savi∣our, Doing the same things as our Saviour would do in thy case, were he upon earth: and let ••e tell you, till then, all your prayers and all your external duties are in vain▪ they all turn into s••n.

But if you shall ask, What armour w••ars this Antichrist? I answer, The armour of Antich••ist is Multitude; there are many Antichrists, 1 Ioh. 2. 18.* 1.500 Little children, it is the last time, and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even n••w are there many Antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last time. Nothing so common as Anti∣christ; if a man do but put his hand into his bo∣some, he shall find enough of Antichrist there: and there are so many Antichrists in the world, that a man can very hardly find a true Christian, every man hath an Antichrist within him: inso∣much that we had need do as the Prophet Za∣chary sayes, Search Ierusalem with lights; for An∣tichrist is in every place, the houses are full of An∣tichrist, the Pulpits are full of Antichrist▪ the

Communion-table is full of Antichrist, all places are full of Antichrist. Oh beloved, There are many thro••g about Iesus Ch••i••t: Yet but very few touch him, as the woman with a bloody issue, to get vertue from him.

If there were but one Antichrist, as we think the Pope is the Antichrist, he were eas••ly found: but the armour of this Antichrst is Multitude; no∣thing almost through the whole world but Anti∣christ: we are all born and live Antichrists: there∣fore destroy Antichrist and you must destroy all the world: if we are saved, it is by Gods infinite power and mercie:* 1.501 for we are (as the Apostle saith, Iude 23.* 1.502) firebrands snatched out of the fire, we are pulled out of the multitude; we are all born Antichrists, and I pray God we do not dye so: for for I am sure we are all born Antichrists: So that He that will oppose Antichrist, must oppose all the world, he must oppose a multitude: for say we, shall I not do as the most do? shall not I go that way that Kings and Princes go? and if I go that way they go, what need I to fear?

The ninth name is Rebellion,* 1.503 that is, when men rebel even against the light, as Iob saith, They know not the wayes thereof, nor abide in the paths of it: This n••me is taken from the Giants of old time, who presumed on their great strength, so that they rebelled against the Gods: we do also the same thing, for we war against God; we rebel in our minds and in Spirit. Those that are grieved at any thing God doth▪ and will not be ruled by his will, this is to war against him; To think any

thing (let it be what it will) not well done that he does, though he walk contrary to us: as when God takes away such a man, that was a good mem∣ber of the Church, and lets another live to waste and devoure the Churh; they think this not wi••e∣ly done, they could have directed God to do bet∣ter: This, this is High rebellion, High Treason: For in plain terms They would be Gods, they would Govern God: and those that do not dis∣like, and be sorry with them, for these doings of God, they are not liked by them, neither are they for their company; they cannot be content to be thrown to Hell themselves, but after they are fallen, they would, Devil-like, have others in the same transgression. They would have all side with them in this Rebellion.

But what may be the armour of this sin of Re∣bellion? And what are his weapons? Answ. Tis no other but [His Wisdom] that is, wisdome to get for themselves, To get riches, and honour, wisdome to exalt themselves in the world; what ever it be that crosses them in this is foolishness; if the stream run not this way, it is no wisdom with them, though God himself do it: as Isa. 47. 10.* 1.504 Thy wisdom hath perverted thee, and made thee Rebel: and again, Ezek. 28. 2, 3.* 1.505 Because thy heart is liftted up▪ and thou hast said, thou art a God, and thou wilt sit in the seat of God, ••n the midst of the Seas, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God; Behold art thou ••iser then Daniel? that is, with thy wisdom tho•• hast gotten thee riches: and thou wilt undertake to be God of the Seas,

that is, thou wilt rule those turbulent and trouble∣some waves, and the exorbitant passages of the world: and thou wouldst rule them so, that every thing may bring peace and riches & esteem in the world: Art thou wiser then Daniel? poor Daniel (sayes God there) he was wise, though he got no ••iches & wealth: Thou sayest, There is no wisdom where there is no riches (you must pardon me) though your tongues say not thus, yet the whole tenure of your lives speaks this: if things run not smoothly in the world, or according to your wis∣dom, this is foolishness.

Oh beloved, think of these things, lay them to your lives, and see if these things be not in you; I know you would fain shift off your own guil••iness, but it were more safe to acknow∣ledge it.

B•••• as I told you, This Strong man Armed, which I have endeavoured in part to unfold by these names, will not suffer you to set a foot on the very first step, viz. To condemnation of our selves: And I would have you be assured, if you never come to this first step, you will never come near any of the rest; And, if by opening all these names, which I am not yet half through, I can bring ••bout but the acknowledgement of your own guiltiness, I shall think my labour well bestow∣ed; for certainly we have no greater Enemy then our selves, as it is a common Proverb, yet but little believed, (as most of your common Proverbs are very true sayings) If our enemies within us did not betray us, our enemies without us could not sur∣us

Nothing can hurt us but our selves: and yet every one takes himself to be his own greatest and truest friend; but you see, that to a mans Self the••e is no enemie comparable to undo and destroy him as Himself.

SERMON IV.

ROM. 8. 17.

If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I Reduced all the sufferings with Christ, into these two comprehensive words:

• He emptied himself,
• And he humbled himself.

As I then told you, God doth not require at every mans hand to be poor, to be despised, and to suffer calumny, to forsake houses and lands, and wife and children: but whosoever suffers with Christ in these two things; In being Emptied and Humbled as Christ was, he shall find sufferings enough; He will say, he hath suffered heavy burthens, heavy afflictions, rending and tearing crosses: for a man is to empty himself of all his moral endow∣ments, of all his good education, of all his wisdom, of all his Religion and Graces, so that he must be∣come a fool to be made wise as God would have him:* 1.506 To renounce all his own affections, to over∣come his own desires, to resist his own will: these

must be all thrown down, and we to behave our selves, even in our hearts, and from our very souls as truly humble as a little child,* 1.507 or as the basest ser∣••ant, to become all to all: Your humble servant, is a base complement in all men, save in this Emptied man; but he can truly say so.

Then we came to those six steps which did shew us, wherein this suffering with CHRIST consisted.

First, In Condemnation of our selves.

Secondly, Annihilation.

Thirdly, Abdication, or forsaking all things whatsoever that may seem good, and to be de••i∣red for our own selves.

Fourthly, Indifferency to all things, Psal. 39. 9.* 1.508 I held my tongue, and spake nothing (saith David) because thou didst it: If God send foul weather, I held my tongue, for thou didst it: if God send fair weather, I held my tongue; if he send sickness, if he send health, I held my tongue, and said nothing, be∣cause thou didst it, Saith this Man: I am contented, whether he make me merry, or make me sad, all please me, because thou dost it.

Fifthly, Conformity to CHRIST in all things, Taking Him as Our Pattern.

Sixthly, Deiformity, that is, when God doth all in us, He speaks in us, He hears in us: so that we no longer think, speak, nor hear, nor do any thing, but He altogether.

In these six things consists our suffering with Christ: and these are such sufferings, as there is none like them: you may conceive of terrible

sufferings, of Rackings, of Breakings of bones, of Tearing apieces with wild horses, of being flayed alive: but yet these sufferings are a thousand∣fold more hard and difficult to overcome, as those that have the knowledge and experience thereof can witness; and as our Saviour saith in another case,* 1.509 Rather then a man should offend one of these little ones, it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the depth of the sea: And I say, these are such kind of sufferings, that it were better for a man that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the midst of the sea, then not to have his part in these sufferings; for these are happy sufferings,* 1.510 blessed and glorious, Rich and weighty sufferings, but not to flesh and bloud. But to the Spirit and inward Man will bring An Eternal weight of Glory.

But as I have told you, when we should come to ascend these six steps, and we thought to have gone on in a quiet calm way, and to have shewen you Davids feet to have gone up to this throne, or rather Davids wings, that we might fly up thi∣ther, and be at rest: Oh that I had the wings of a Dove! But we found it was very difficult, and not to be attained by natural power; for it is a supernatural work, nature opposes it: for there we found the Great, And not Naked, but Armed Porter, standing in the very gate, at the very foot of them:* 1.511 viz. The strong man, Armed, there was one who stands in the way; and we shall find that true of the Apostle, 2 Thess. 2. 7.* 1.512 That he

that now letteth, will let until he be taken out of the way; nay, we shall find there the Mystery of Ini∣quity working, that will hinder us, till it be re••o∣ved: and that Eccles. 2. 1.* 1.513 I said in mine heart, go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold this also is vanity. And as Peter said to Christ, Master, favour thy self, none of these things shall happen to thee: therefore whoever means to ascend any one of these steps, must get this Giant removed, and that wicked one revealed, that he may be consumed; He that will be a warriour must not mind pleasure, nor fear death. You know, David complained that he was compassed about with enemies on every side: So that The fat bulls of Bashan environed him, Psal. 22. 12.* 1.514 and that his feet stuck fast in the mire, Psal. 69. 2.* 1.515 but let me tell you, all here present at this time, have as great reason to com∣plain of those things, as ever David had.

And because you might know this enemy that hinders us, I shewed unto you, what this Strong man was called, and opened divers names by which he is set out to us, and pourtraied before us:

As

• Adam.
• The Old man.
• Lucifer.
• Red Dragon.
• The roaring Lion.
• Antichrist.
• The Devil.
• Rebellion.

So far we are gone. We are now to proceed

to the ninth, and so to the rest. This enemy is such an one, that if you do not continually watch, and stand in fear of him, you shall be sure to feel him: and though he hath many names, (yea as many names as a Jesuit, that hath one name for one shire, and another for another, for every County one) But that is, for our capacity that he is set out by several names: God could have gi∣ven him one name that might have set out fully his nature: but who could have understood him? for we are not able to hear God in his own lan∣guage, it is too Mighty, too terrible; it would confound us; we are not able to see him, or hear him, and live.

As the children of Israel on Mount Sinai, they were not able to hear God speak:* 1.516 but say they, Let Moses speak to us, and let God speak no more unto us lest we dye: for we being created rational creatures, and being led by sense, God deals so with us; because we believe nothing, but what we see; therefore God gives These unseen Enemies such names as are agreeable to things we see, hear, feel, and know, that by them we may know Their Natures and qualities.

The tenth name is Sin: as God told Cain, Gen. 4. 7.* 1.517 If thou doest evil, sin lieth at the door: So I tell you, if ye go about to enter into the King∣dom of God, you ••••all find, Sin lieth at the door, and ye shall find him as cruel and as hard a Master to serve, as the Israelites found of Pharaoh: you shall find Him alwayes laying cruel taxations up∣on you: and if you seek to go out of his Territo∣ries,

he will pursue you; you shall find him an enemy that will serve you to wrestle with all your life time: and the further and longer you go on in his service and in this way, the harder to return: The way of God is a strait way: now if a man erre never so little at first, from a strait way a very small little, but a hairs breadths aberration at first amounts in the end to a great matter.

And the Armour of this Sin sticks as close to us as our skins;* 1.518 for his Armour is, Our Selves, our own Members are the weapons of unrighteous∣ness: And, if we will destroy this Great Enemy, there is no way to do it, but by cutting off our hands and our feet, and by pulling out our right eyes: And though our Saviour doth not actually mean to cut off these visible hands and feet: but as in all the Scriptures, he speaks to our capacity, he shadows out by these things,* 1.519 that we should do somewhat answerable and equivalent to this cut∣ting off hands and feet, and pulling out our right eyes: we must do somewhat like it, somewhat that is more Terrible and Harsh to us. As all our Saviours actions, while he was here upon earth, were not ended in the actions, but by those actions he would resemble to us what he did in the soul: for he came not to heal the sick, and cure the lame, and cast out Devils, and the like, simply, as they are external actions: but that by these things which we see and feel, he might make us know, that he cureth the sick, and raiseth the dead, and healeth the blind in the souls of men: and that he alone could cast out Devils in the souls of

men: Likewise so are the actions of Devils out∣wardly, to shew how he possesses the so••ls of men, as he doth their bodies: and therefore by Gods will it so fell out, that at that time that our Sa∣viour lived upon the earth, there were more actu∣ally and really possest with Devils, then ever there was before or since, that we read of: that there∣by it might be made manifest to us in both re∣spects; Both in his possessing men, and our Savi∣ours curing and casting forth.

The eleventh name is False light: I am the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the world, John 1. 8.* 1.520 Christ is the true light, which implies that there is a false light: Till he be lighted up in the soul (and as David saith, In thy light we shall see light, Psal. 36. 9.* 1.521) all other light is but darkness; till we come to see things by this light, we see them all by a False light: every thing is of quite contrary colour in the light, that we thought it to be in the dark. The light discovers every thing as it is; but till this light be come into the soul, we believe not that we are in Darkness, we think we have as true a light as can be: will you make us believe we are blind? Saith the Pharisee to Christ; but (say they quite contrary) In my light we shall see light: however, some may be in darkness, we are in the light:* 1.522 neither can they be perswaded there is any better light then their own light: As for ex∣ample, there be several things that live in the two Elements, as those on the earth, and those in the water; those that be in the water cannot

see things on land as they are: tis true, they have a light, but it is a false light: things are not re∣presented to them as they are, because there is [water] between the sight and the thing: but those that live on the land, they see things as they are, there is no obstacle between them and the things they look on; neither can those on the land see things in the water on the same reason: So it is in our spiritual estate; there be those that live in two Elements, in the light of Nature, and in the light of Grace: those that live in the first, they think there is no better light, nor there can be no better; for think they, Are not we the onely men? do not we live obedient to the Laws, and seek to do justice and equity towards all, and pay every man his own? do not we live uprightly? do not we govern justly and uprightly, and accor∣ding to Gods Laws? do not we bridle sin and sin∣ners, that they run not into that excess of riot that some do? do not we also submit our selves to au∣thority over us, and walk honestly in our places, and live peaceably with all men? These men, these are the men (I say) they live in the water: they have but a duskish, glimmering light, though they thus boast themselves; nothing appears truly to them: they think themselves in a very good case; there is no better light then theirs; and those that think there is, they are deceived: They know that they are in the good way: those that will seek for any better light, they think their forwardness will quite put out their light; And those that are below them, they think those are in

as bad case: They know not what will become of Swearers, and Cheaters, and Drunkards, and Whore••ongers, &c. If it were possible it should go ill with us, what should become of the mul∣titude? say they: O Beloved, all this is False light.

For, If once you go about to measure your selves by others, let them be who they will be, you will be found too scanty;* 1.523 When God shall come to weigh you in the ballance of the sanctuary, you will be found too light: God will not weigh us by the holiest men, but by his own weights: he will not judge thee by thy light, but by his own light: And if once this bright light be lighted up in the soul, The light of the candle shall never need to shine in that soul more: there needs neither the light of the Sun, nor the Moon: for the glory of God shines in it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; Rev. 22. 5.* 1.524

But the Armour of this False light is Reason: whatever seems good to reason, that is good: and if you cannot shew them a reason, it cannot be good: for say they, as Nabal said to David, who was so wicked, a man could not speak to him: saith the Text, is it reason that I should take my victuals that I have prepared for my Sheep-shearers, and give unto strangers? 1 Sam. 25. 11.* 1.525 Is it not reason I should take notice of my gifts and graces that God hath bestowed upon me? of my wis∣dom, of my understanding, of my memory which God hath given me, of my labours and attain∣ments above another? take heed, take heed I

pray thee; this may cost thee thy life, 〈…〉〈…〉 to cost Nabal his, had not wise Abigail come and met David; if Gods wisdom doth not come and prevent thy reason, and thy wisdom, they will de∣stroy thee.

Object. Why, is that any hurt, to make a dif∣ference where God hath made a difference?* 1.526 I see I have these gifts above another, and I praise God for them: what, shall I deny the good things that God hath given me? no, no, by no means.

Answ. But glorying herein will undo thee; and besides, is this giving honour one to another as the Apostle commands? Rom. 12. 10.* 1.527 In honour pre∣ferring one another, and accounting thy self the least: Read that Rev. 18. 23.* 1.528 Thy Merchants were the great men of the earth, for by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived. The Apostle commands, Not to mind High things, but to condescend to men of low estate, Nor be not wise in your own conceits.

The twelfth name is Darkness; Why, are we in darkness? we have the light, and have had it these seventy years and 〈◊〉〈◊〉: if any Nation in the world are free from this name, we are: we have the light as well as you; You may indeed go teach this to the Indians, and the Salvages, and to those that know not God; to those that live in the Antipodes, that go feet to feet with us, they may perhaps believe this Doctrine, and oonfess themselves guilty: but you shall never make us believe it concerns us.

Beloved, whatever you think, That you have the light, know it, you are in darkness: as in

Ephes. 4. 18.* 1.529 Having their understanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: And as our Saviour saith; if the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness? That is, when men boast of light, and yet are in darkness;* 1.530 when they are proud of dark∣ness, how great is that darkness? they call good evil, and evil good; they call sweet sowre, and sowre sweet; That which men and flesh calls good, that they call good;* 1.531 what nature and reason sayes is good, that is good, and onely good; but God calls that evil which they call good, and contrary, that good which they call evil: Therefore saith the Apostle, Fashion not your selves according to the world:* 1.532 call not that good which the world calls good, which this corrupt flesh sayes is good: saith it, wealth is good, and health is good, and fair weather is good, and pleasure is good; do not men say the same? do not Heathens say the same? therefore this is darkness, yea, Egyptian darkness, that may be FELT, If you were not overcome with Darkness.

And the Armour of this Darkness is love of darkness; and this love of darkness is a strong Armour:* 1.533 Love is a strong cord, As a threefold cord, not easily broken: because men love dark∣ness, they not onely conceit they are in light, when they are in darkness, but they love it, they will not be removed from it: If ye break this cord of love, ye break their life, you undo them: What not love themselves? what, not love that which

all the world, good and bad, sayes is good? what not Honours good, nor Riches good? Oh how sweet are these things to flesh and blood! they are joyned together with inseparable love, And ex∣cept God himself with his Mighty Arm break in sunder this Cord, it will never be broken.

The thirteenth name is Flesh, ••al. 5. 1••.* 1.534 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would: so called, because tis executed, exercised in the flesh: and Iohn 3. 6.* 1.535 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spi∣rit, is Spirit. If we speak, it is by the flesh; if we do any thing, hear any thing, see any thing, it is of the flesh: tis true, we think, speak, do, but tis through flesh, and therefore is flesh; and you know what the Apostle saith,* 1.536 When we are present in the flesh, we are strangers to God: whatever acti∣on we do, If we do it by the flesh, and from the flesh; Sure it is Flesh and blood shall never inherit the Kingdom of God.

But what may be the Armour of this flesh? His Armour is Provision: how do men make provision for the flesh? Rom. 13. 14.* 1.537 and in the mean time neglect their souls? all their thoughts, words, acti∣ons, all their walking, sitting, lying, running, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is, To make provision for the flesh; and when they think they have made sufficient provision for 〈◊〉〈◊〉, then they are at rest; till then, never 〈…〉〈…〉, heart, hands, feet, eyes, all are set a work to mak•• provision for this flesh: but where, where is the

man, that takes such care, and endeavours to make such provision for his soul? where is the man that can say, or doth say of his soul, as that rich fool in the Gospel said of his bodily goods? Soul, soul, now take thy ease, eat and drink, and be merry,* 1.538 thou hast goods laid up for many years: Where, I say, is the soul that can say triumphing∣ly, Soul, soul, now take thy rest, take thy Ease, be Merry in thy God, let him be thy joy, thy game and thy gain; though thou hast not One penny, no matter, thou hast treasure enough laid up for ever: henceforth never more take thought, care for no more, God is mine, he is Enough and Enough.

The fourteenth name is Selfness, Whoever will be my Desciple, let him deny himself, Luke 9. 23.* 1.539 not onely deny thy self all those things that are evil: it is not meant onely so: but deny thy self in every thing, even in that is good, whatever it be that is well done, and is indeed a good acti∣on, that is good really in it self, and thou woul∣dest, Nay and thinkest thou oughtest to think well of it: Oh, this is well done, here I have done a good action: Away with these thoughts, they are dangerous; Run away from these thoughts, as Christ did when the Jews would have made him King:* 1.540 Own not these thoughts; the good actions thou dost are none of thine: thou hast nothing, thou art nothing; nothing is thine but sin: thou never didst a good action, never thoughtest a good thought: Shall I ascribe to my self the glory of doing any thing? (all action is Gods; sin, evil, wickedness is thine) away with

it; down, down, proud worm, down dust, down ashes;* 1.541 cast down your crowns before the Lamb, and him that sitteth upon the throne, and confess all honour, all praise, all power, all might, all do∣minion is his, and his alone, for ever and ever: cast down, not onely your weaknesses and infir∣mities, but cast down your Crowns, your excel∣lencies, your graces; that wherein your selves and others, think you excel; and confess, That all the glory, and all the strength is none of yours, it is all his; acknowledge I say (as the truth is) that you are nothing,* 1.542 that you can do nothing; and say, there is nothing due to me but shame and confusion of face for ever; but to God onely be all the Honour, Glory, Power, Praise, Majesty, and Might.

And the Armour of this Selfness, is love of our selves:* 1.543 as the Devil told God concerning Iob, Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life: This love of our selves we cannot part from:* 1.544 He that will save his life shall ••ose it; but he that will destroy himself, destroy his life, shall save his life: A very strange paradox to flesh and blood.

The fifteenth name is Propriety: but herein I know, I touch your coppy-hold; and as our Sa∣viour saith,* 1.545 Iohn 8. 45. Though I tell you the truth, I know you will not believe me: Oh this Propriety is that that is dear to us; that is, when we ascribe this or that thing to our selves, I have Propriety in this thing, it is mine, and mine onely, and we look upon it as a thing, we may do what we please

with it: you think it is your own; but know, you have nothing but what is given you: And it may be you confess that; but you think it is given you for your selves, and you think you may keep it for your selves. No, God hath made thee but a 〈◊〉〈◊〉; it is his, whatever it be, and thou art to ••mploy it for him: another hath as much right ••n it as thou, if God call for it; Therefore thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deceived, It is none of thine, It is Gods: But if you will claim it All, and you will have All the right in it; then, I say, you must disclaim your ••igh•• in Christ; and I say to you, as Peter said to Simon Magus,* 1.546 Your money and you perish together. Thou hast neither part nor portion in the king∣dom of Heaven.

I, but here Propriety hath his Armour; and he is armed with the Word of God:* 1.547 He that cares not for his family, is worse then an Infidel: I must ••ake care of my self, of my wife, of my children; Truly Friends, through the depravation of reason, we have so corrupted the Scripture, and so mis∣••pplyed it to our own destruction, wresting Scripture and picking out some places meerly to serve our own turns, and no otherwise. But, I would to God you had so much care of your wives and children as you should; in the name of God go on: I do not forbid you to care, but walk on in your care, and in your callings: but consider, ••ill you therefore count these things your own, ••nd not anothers as well as yours, if his necessity call for it?

Let me tell thee, God is not tyed to provide for

thee That way;* 1.548 for as our Saviour saith, Look upon the Lilies, and see how they are clothed. Solomon in all his royalty is not like them, yet they neither sow nor spin; but if you will be caring for your selves, care you shall: b••t it is God that both clothes us and feeds us. And it is He alone that giveth power to get wealth.

The sixteenth name is Self-love; say you, can this be an evil root, from whence comes so much good fruit? from hence we do many good things; how can this be evil? if we had not this self-love, how could we save and defend, and preserve our selves? we should run violently upon our own destruction; Hence it is, we serve men, and do good offices to them; and hence it is we serve God, and he will serve us and be good to us; Hence also comes care for our soules, diligence therein, and desire to be saved, and endeavors al∣so; how can this be evil? But you know what Christ saith,* 1.549 Do not hypocrites the same? what thank have you? Verily I say unto you, you have your reward; God, Never promised to reward that man, that loveth on••ly himself, or that loveth those that love Him; as he brews, so let him bake; he served himself in all he did, and let him reward himsel••:* 1.550 Him that honours me, I will honour: Do I regard him that onely regards him∣self? God requires not, that thy love should be set upon His happiness for thy self, and for thy own ends;* 1.551 for herein thou hast not given God Thy whole heart, which he requires: but thou hast given Thy Self thy heart: Nay further it

may be, thou hast so set thy whole mind upon heaven, that thou art not a man of this world (as thou thinkest) as most are; thou art gotten above these things, and thy eye is altogether heaven∣ward; yet if this be but meerly for happiness to thy self, thou hast yet but given Thy whole heart to thy self, and not to God; thou art not yet gotten a step beyond this Evil of Self-love.

But if thou wert come to this, to love and 〈…〉〈…〉 for Himself, and to give thy Whole 〈…〉〈…〉 him; if thy love were set upon Him, thou 〈…〉〈…〉 not lose by it, but shouldest receive thy love again, thy heart again, thy self again, All would return again; if we had but given••pour selves to him, All should turn to our good: if we were poor if we were in reproches, in prison, in death, all should turn to our good; we should then both en∣joy our selves, and enjoy God in the want of all.

The Armour of this, is, Necessity to love our selves: for say they, if we should not love our selves, who will love us? A necessity to love your selves, such a necessity did I never read of in all the Scriptures:* 1.552 I read of a necessity to love God, and of a necessity to preach the Gospel, and this is a Necessity indeed:* 1.553 Serve this Necessity and then ye need take no care for loving your selves, but all to love God, And to Honour Him; and then ye shall do well enough, yea best of all.

The seventeenth name is. Our own will, and this goes far with us: we think we do great acts, when we come to Church to hear, when we come to the Communion, when we tye our selves

to constancy in fasting, and set duties of prayer, and the like,* 1.554 as Isa. 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? be∣hold in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labours: but in doing these, it may be we do but our own will: all the while we do not Gods will in it; we do them, because they are agreeable to our selves, to our own mind, And according to our education and company we sort with: and we are affected that way; we love praise with men of that rank: here is no self-de∣nial, here is no denying our own will; Our own will spoils all.

And his Armour is, Opinion of our Own Suffi∣ciency, And a strong conceit of doing good: And say they, if our own Will will bring about the do∣ing so many good actions, in such an holy manner, how can this be evil? I must be brief, the time cuts me off: you may conceive of them more at large, when you are gone hence, as I hope ye will.

The eighteenth name is Error: There is no man Evil, by his own will; no man would be evil, no man chooses evil; but he chooses it by the error of his will, his will being misguided: it comes to him under the notion of a good, before he chooses it: for no man doth evil purposely as evil, but he to himself makes it A good, before he doth it, in his apprehension, and that he ought to do it: yea, even mad men, whom we would think did evil purposely, yet they do apprehend a good

in the evil they do: even such mad men are we all; And, if we should do otherwise, we must strip our selves out of this Armour which Errour hath on, which is An opinion of our own Goodness, and to love the praise of the world: we seek not to please God, but to please the world; we mind not what God commands, but what men say is good and commendable: we are not of Davids mind, to make Gods word A light unto our feet,* 1.555 and a lanthorn to our paths, to lead us in the way of truth: but having our eye upon the wo••ld, this leads us any whither, into any errour, and then from er∣ror to error.

And hence ariseth pleasure to do evil, which is a further degree of this evil: we please the world, and the world pleaseth and tickles us with its de∣lights, and we run after it with great pleasure and delight, so that it may lead us any whither: And this is also (I hope you perceive him) A difficult and dangerous enemy to resist and overcome, espe∣cially being so Armed; for we in all these things must resist our selves, our own wills, our own plea∣sure, our own sweetest delights, even those that are as dear as our right hands,* 1.556 and as our right eyes, yea, as our very lives. And who among us ever returned from following after these dear Lovers, by his own will, by his own power? do we not see, and have not all of you felt (who are re∣claimed and brought back) that it is the onely Almighty power of Heaven, and that it is the Lord (as David saith) that sent from heaven from his high and holy place to save me from the reproch

of him that would swallow me up,* 1.557 and set my feet at liberty, and pluckt them out of the deep mire and clay, wherein we were held so fast? It was He alone that hath smote in sunder those iron bands and fetters; he hath been a Sampson in us, to snap a sunder The new cords wherewith we were bound,* 1.558 and he hath brok ope, T••e Gates of Gaza, and car∣ried them away on his shoulders; and all this you have as really found, done in you as if you had been with Sampson himself, and seen him do what is related of him, for tis all done in you.

There be two names more, but the time is past, and I can but name them.

The nineteenth name is Sathan, for he opposeth himself against all that is called God, or that is wor∣shipped.

And his armour is Infidelity.

The twentieth is the Evil one, and his armour is pleasure to do evil. So much for this time.

SERMON V.

ROM. 8. 17.

If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

IF we would know what these sufferings are we are to endure, if we would be glorified with Christ; said I, to endure? nay that we should be glad to entertain, yea and rejoyce in; it is not meant of scorn, or scandal, or poverty, or imprison∣ment, or whipping, or death it self; for then what shall become of them that never suffer any of these things and yet do suffer with Christ? therefore I told you wherein every one must suffer with Christ, if they will be glorified with him: and that is in two things,

• 1 In Emptying of himself.
• 2 In humbling himself.

If we imitate him in these, though we are not cal∣led to the former, it is no matter, so we be ready in affection, and are in preparation to suffer them, if we be called to them: for those two are the Original of Christs sufferings, the foundation, the root, The Fountain: all His other (outward and external sufferings) are but the effects, the leaves,

and the fruit. From these two do all the rest stream and flow, as from the Spring, their Foun∣tain, and Well-Head.

Well then, This Ground-work and Corner-stone being laid, Let me tell you it will bear All, it will bear any building God shall rear upon it: and wanting this foundation, though we suffer all poverty, all disgrace, all tortures that can be named, yet we suffer not with Christ: and there∣fore they will not, nor cannot bring you to glo∣ry with him; And Again let me tell you, The least mite of sufferings, though it be never so smal, yea as small as the two mites (being but half a farthing the poor widow offered) coming from this foundation and fountain,* 1.559 it is great and preci∣ous in Gods sight, for it is from God and of God: when as all tortures, name what you can, are not regarded by him without they come from this foundation and Principle.

And as I told you, there be six degrees in these sufferings, or six steps, Typified by the six steps that led unto Solomons Throne. These six steps we must ascend before we can sit down in the Throne of rest, peace and perfection; having overcome all our enemies, and having brought all into subjection, and that all things are put under Christs feet, and that he rules in the midst of his enemies:* 1.560 And made his Enemies his Footstool.

The first Blessed step is;

• 1. Condemnation of our selves as worthy to be destroyed.
• 2. Annihilation of our selves, reducing ourselves

• to just nothing:* 1.561 That whereas sin hath made us something (in our own esteem) and it hath built up a tower in us to reach up to heaven, Grace may scatter it, And confound our language, and bring it again to nothing.
• 3. Abdication, or for saking all, resigning up all to God, all that ever we are or have.
• 4. Indifferency, to be equally disposed to every thing; to want, and riches, to cold weather and hot, to peace and war, &c. knowing that nothing can be better ordered then it is, All being done according to his will.
• 5. Conformity, to Christ in all things, that what ever Christ would do were he on earth, in my case, in my calling and condition the same do we.
• 6. Deiformity, that is, That though you see us move, wish, affect, will, rejoyce, &c. yet it is not we, but it is God doeth all; it is God that moves, it is God that wishes, it is God that wills, it is God that rejoyces.

And we are now come, after much striving, to set out foot upon the first step, namely Condem∣nation of our selves, confessing our own vileness and wre••chedness: for so far as we justifie and approve o••r selves, so far are we from ascending this first step of condemning our selves.

Friends, I would not have you think my labour lost in opening those several names, That kept us from ascending ••hese steps: for if ever you ascend these yo•• mu•••• see those things all in your selves; and they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be removed before ever you can look towards these steps, with so much as a pur∣pose

to ascend them; If you have not lookt all this while within your selves, and lookt to find there, The Devil, Sin, the red Dragon the Serpent, Lucifer, the roaring Lion, Antichrist, &c. my la∣bour is lost, I have but be at the air, and spilt wa∣ter on the ground: And it is but a folly to proceed to open these steps; for as ye understand not the One, so neither can you the Other; they are both to you As a fountain walled about, and a spring shut up, and as a book Sealed. And he that after all this is not able apparently to see and confess that all these are in himself, he is blind and sees nothing.

The subject of our Coudemnation, Being, The strong Man, The Old man, This Goliah•• of Gath, &c. as you may remember, we have arraigned and indicted him by several Names; because he may not escape and shift off the indictment: so that he may be accused, arraigned, and condemned in every heart here present, that if you find him not by one name, yet you may by some other; either by the name of Adam, or the old Man, or the Serpent, or Lucifer, or the red Dragon, or the Roaring Lion, or the Devil, or Antichrist, or Sin, or by the name of Rebellion, or False Light, or Dark∣ness, or the Flesh, or Selfness, or Propriety, or Self-Love, or our Own will, or lastly, by the name of Errour: For we shewed you that in Scripture he had all these names, with many more: if he be not known by any One of these, yet by them all you may know him. But lest you should think you have no Commission to ride this, Circuit

and sit as Judge, and say, Quis me constituit judi∣cem? Luk. 12. 14.* 1.562 Who made me a judge?

I answer: We have not onely a Commission, but a Promise annexed to it, to encourage us to this judging, 1 Cor. 11.* 1.563 where the Apostle com∣mands Iudge your selves, and you shall escape the judgement of God: and Christ himself gives out this Commission annexed with a Promise, Iudge your selves and ye shall not be judged.* 1.564 But know this also, though this work be done in thee, it is not thou that doest it,* 1.565 but God is judge himself; yet God himself judgeth no man, but all judge∣ment is committed to the Son, Ioh. 5. 22.* 1.566 and not onely the sentence, but power and authority to execute that Office belongs to Christ, as Act. 10. 42.* 1.567 it is Christ that was ordained of God to be judge of quick and dead: he is not onely Judge at that great and last day, but he also is Judge in this life, as our Saviour sayes, Ioh. 12. 31.* 1.568 Behold now is the Prince of this World judged, or cast out: there is no man, nor nothing of man that is judged or condemned, but it is Christ that is The Iudge in that soul: for if we tarry till Satan condemn Sa∣tan, if we tarry till Belzebub condemn Belzebub, till the strong man bind himself,* 1.569 we may tarry a day too long, as the Proverb is: for never while the world stands can we expect that flesh will judge flesh, that our own will will condemn our own will, that Lucifer will judge Lucifer: this can never be; if you expect that, you may wait till it be too late, the door will be shut, and there is no more hope.

The Scripture then makes mention of three sorts of men that are Judges: the first are, Carnal men, Rom. 7. 14.* 1.570 1 Cor. 3. 3. For we know the law is spiritual: but I am Carnal, sold under sin. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envyings and strifes, and divisions, are not ye carnal, and walk as men? that are led meerly by carnal and fleshly sense,* 1.571 given up onely to please their appetites and fleshly desires, they see no farther, and their aim is no higher.

The second sort are Animales, reasonable men, and they are such as are more refined, of a higher and more sublime nature; even those that mind the intellectual part, their souls; And these reaso∣nable, or rational men, as we call them, being gui∣ded by reason; there they rest, and there they are satisfied: for let a man but shew a reason for what he does, and who will condemn him? But neither of these have the wisdom that is from above; for all this wisdom is but earthly, fleshly, and devillish, Iam. 3. 15.* 1.572 Can it be expected that either of these two will judge themselves? will carnal fleshli∣ness judge carnality? no, it approves it, it justifies it: or will reason condemn reason? how can it overthrow it self? it is impossible; a Kingdom di∣vided against it self, it cannot stand: but yet, the rational man doth judge and condemn,* 1.573 and sits as Judge oftentimes over the actions of the car∣nal man.

But there is a third sort of men,* 1.574 and they are Spiritual men, Gal. 6. 1. and 1 Cor. 2. 15.* 1.575 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiri∣tual,

restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, con∣sidering thy self, left thou also be tempted. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. And This MAN judgeth both these; the Spiritual man, Omnia judicat, judgeth all things: we esteem little of the carnal man, every one condemns him: but we highly esteem of the rational man, because he is guided by reason, and doth all things that reason guides him to: he minds not his body onely; it is reason he should regard that; but he regards his soul too, and That above his body: he knows he hath an Eternal soul, and therefore it behoves him, and he hath rea∣son to look for an estate and well-being for it; and who can now judge, who is able to blame this man? can any man do better?

But now comes the spiritual man, and he judg∣eth all things when he comes:* 1.576 he judgeth and condemneth the very best and highest actions of this reasonable man, and tells him that his very thoughts are abominable to God; his hearing, rea∣ding, praying,* 1.577 his sacrifices are an abomination.

In the two former men, we could not find such a judge; but here comes ONE who indeed is no man, nor any part of man, but the Son of God himself, he comes now into the soul: the spirit of God he is the judge; this spiritual man, this Christ being for∣med in the soul,* 1.578 this word being spoken in the soul: for Christ is the Word spoken; It comes and sayes, Reason, for all thou art so set up, and esteemed amongst men; yet thou art a fool: and Reason sayes again, that God is a fool. But let me tell

you, God is capable to understand Reasons wayes, but Reason cannot understand Gods ways.

And beloved, God and Man have been a long time at this: God sayes, Reason, thou art a fool: and again Reason sayes, God, thou art a fool: But now Reason must be condemned; Reason must be cast; the inward man must judge the outward, the New man the old, the second Adam the first. This is that voice in the soul:* 1.579 This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, hear him: Do you think that is meant onely of his words that he then spake, when he was on earth? No, but Hear him: that is, Hear Him in your selves, Hear Him in your souls: the one is but a fleshly hearing; this is a spiritual, a soul-like hearing; His Word silences all.* 1.580 Of this word we may say, Blessed is he that hears my words; and doth them.* 1.581 And as David saith, Arise Lord, and judge the people: but by the way Do you think that God ariseth or removes from place to place? No no; Rise Lord in our souls, be Judge there among the Gods, amongst those that have been our Gods, and have ruled over us, those strange Lords, bring them down, and do thou Lord exalt thy self; the wicked flourish in thy House, and Courts, And break down the carved work &c. In that place that should be thy House: witness those effects,* 1.582 those murthers, and thefts, and cruelties that express them∣selves daily; many in action, and many more lye lurking in the soul to betray the innocent and guiltless man. Oh then, sayes this soul, let God arise, and his enemies shall be scattered; and again

Psal. 35. 24.* 1.583 Iudge me O God, according to thy righ∣teousness, and let not mine enemies rule over me. Judge me according to thy righteousness,* 1.584 not ac∣cording to flesh, not according to reason; but ac∣cording to thy righteousness. And if that condemn me, this condemnation is not unto death, as Christ said concerning Lazarus,* 1.585 This sickness is not unto death; So likewise This delivering unto Sathan is for the crucifying of the flesh,* 1.586 that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord; Oh Lord, sayes this soul, judge thou me; my flesh hath judged me, and my soul hath judged me, the carnal and the rati∣onal man hath judged me, but they can find no fault with me; but up Lord & exalt thy self, that so this man of sin may shew himself no more in me.

Now, He that hath been judged and condem∣ned by the world, must now condemn the world: Now He sits down with Christ in his Throne, To judge even the twelve Tribes of Israel; all Out∣ward and formal profession. The wisdome of the world, which hath long condemned the wisdom of God to be folly, must now by the wisdom of God, be codemned of folly, 1 Cor. 2. 14.* 1.587 The natural man receiveth not the things of God, for they are foolishness to him. And again, 1 Cor. 3. 19.* 1.588 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.* 1.589 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 judge∣ment.

Oh! where is he that doth or dare say and pray with David! Psal. 35. 24.* 1.590 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; tis not unto death, but to escape both Death and Hell. Tis for the destruction of the slesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus:* 1.591 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 exhor∣tation. For until this work ••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,* 1.592 Intercessor, or Mediator, Mat. 19. 12.* 1.593 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 Oce∣an, or light in the brightest sunshine, v••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,* 1.594 which sayes, Thou shalt love God, above all, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and with all thy might: and the se∣cond is like it,* 1.595 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 ••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 ama∣zed at the delivering of it by God; being delive∣••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 Re∣bels in the breach of it? Examine thy self by it, and see how short thou comest of that which is injoyned thee. Nay, tis 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.* 1.596 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 con∣demn your selves: and before you go about it, you had need to pray,* 1.597 O Lord, open thou mine eyes, &c. that I may receive my sight.* 1.598

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 Hea∣thens: 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.* 1.599 According to the number of your Cities, so many are your gods: See if thou hast not bent thy heart ra∣ther to the satisfying of some lust, rather then to the obeying of Gods Commandement; wh••e∣ver sin and lust it is, that thou had•• but ••des••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 Command∣ments thou hast cast them behind thy back,* 1.600 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 lo∣ved wickedness, Psal. 45. 7.* 1.601 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 pract∣ise thou sayest dayly to them; as to instance, if it be pleasure, thou followest it against Gods Com∣mandement; 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 Israe∣lites did, thou hast worshipped them, and said when they had made a GOLDEN CALF,* 1.602 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, adore, and worship thee, and thee I will serve; saith another, Profit, thou art my God, thee I will please and obey.

Thus if you will examine your selves punctu∣ally and particularly, you cannot deny, but must confess, that you have worshipped and served other Gods; And thou mayest truly complain and say, O Lord, Other Lords besides thee have ruled over me. Though Reason will excuse and defend it self; yet hear God speak in thee, hear what His well-beloved Son saith in thee, and con∣fess that thou art, as the truth is, Guilty of the breach of this Commandement; and that the re∣ward of sin is death, hell, and eternal damnation; and this confession from the heart, and from a true sight, is a sure means and way that thy spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.* 1.603 This sight of thy spiritual thraldom, and being delive∣red over to Sathan, is that thy Spirit may be sa∣ved, and that thy flesh may be crucified.

And so you might go over all the Command∣ments, and try your selves by them, as hereafter I may have time; and if you do but thus exa∣mine your selves, you will never complain of want of Catechizing.

But for this time, the time hath cut me off.

SERMON VI.

ROM. 8. 17.

If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

THis is the sixth hour I have spoken to you out of these words.

Many men may think themselves exempted from suffering with Christ, because they do not suffer as Christ did; viz.

In

Disgrace. Buffeting. Spitting upon. Poverty. Whipping. Crucifying, &c.

For,

As a Lamb dumb before the shearer, so o∣pened He not his mouth.

Therefore I defined a condition to you where∣in every one may claim a part in his sufferings; and that was in Phil. 2. 6, 7.* 1.604

He Emptied himself. And he Humbled himself. Phil. 2. 6, 7.

And I told you, If we suffer never so much, if we suffer not on This foundation, we do not suffer with Christ: And, if we do suffer from these two, then if we suffer never so little, we do suffer with him: Nay, if these two foundations be laid; It matters not whether we be called to suffer in the former cases or no, so we have but a readiness and a fit disposition and willingness to suffer therein also if God please: but suffering in these two re∣spects, In Emptying our selves, and humbling our selves as Christ did, we do suffer with Christ, and shall Reign with him. For all other sufferings, let them be what they will, are nothing to these, or without these; yea, the external and bodily torments of hell are below these sufferings. It may be we are far from the sufferings of our neigh∣bours in Germany in the other sufferings; yet if we have suffered in these Two, we have suffered beyond them, if they have not suffered in these kindes. All the Tyrants in the world cannot in∣vent Tortures comparable to these sufferings.

The last day we came to handle one of those six steps that lead up to this Throne of Solomon.

The first was, Condemnation of our selves.

The second, Annihilation.

The third, For saking all.

The fourth, Indifferency to all conditions, That is, to be as willing to have pain as ease, as willing to have want as plenty, foul weather as fair, bad report as good report▪ that we can as well bless God for evil as for good, Enough can say, blessed be his name

for good things: God hath given me health; Oh! blessed be his name: God hath given me wealth, God hath given me a good year of increase, God hath sent fair weather to get in my crop; Oh! blessed be his name: God hath given me the life of my wife, or the life of my children, Oh! bles∣sed be his name: God hath given me many goodly and happy children, that are a comfort to me in my old age; Oh! blessed be his name: E∣very one can bless God for these things. And what great things do ye? Do not Heathens and Hypocrites the same?* 1.605 saith our Lord. But where is the man that when God hath taken away any of these things, can say as heartily, Blessed be his name? that when God hath taken away his dear wife, that when God hath taken away his hopeful child, he can say, Blessed be the name of the Lord? God hath taken away my credit, God hath taken away my wealth, taken away my health; yea all: yet bles∣sed be his name; Thou mayest say so in words, but what saith thy heart? doth that say so?

The fifth was Conformity to Christ.

And the last Deiformity, when we are captiva∣ted and have given up our selves, and delivered up into the will of God, and all our members pre∣sented unto God, A living Sacrifice, Holy and Acceptable unto God; that we no longer do any thing, but it is God that doth all in us, while we do it.

All Attain not to the same measure in these, as I told you before, but all must attain to the same desire and affection to come to these.

The first is, Condemning our selves.

Iudge your selves.* 1.606 and ye shall not be judged: Beloved, consider what it is that makes us afraid, when we come to dye, and to leave all our dear friends behind us; when that hour comes that we have bur three Deep Groanes, or sighs to fetch to cool our languishing heart, And then to give up the Ghost: I say, What makes you a∣fraid then to go out of this body, and to leave the world behind you? Is it not, because you and the world have made a league together, and you esteem it so dear a friend as you can have no better? Answer me seriously, Is it not because you are afraid the Comforts hereafter are not comparable to the Comforts here? but would you escape this fear? would you escape this judgement? then you must ascend these six steps.

The first whereof is, To condemn our selves.

Let your selves pass first under this judgement; Iudge your selves, and ye shall not be judged: But you will say, This Office belongs to Christ To judge; as in Acts 10. 42.* 1.607 He is Appointed to be judge of quick and dead: What have I do to enter upon the office of Christ? All judgement is committed to the Son, John 5. 22.* 1.608 To which we Answer, It is true, that whosoever is truly judged, it is Christ that judges him; for no man will con∣demn himself; will reason judge Reason? or will (think you) Lucifer cast out Lucifer? will Belzebub cast out Belzebub? will devillish practises con∣demn devillish practises? You are not so sense∣less, to think so.

It is true you say in our ordinary speech, and you have it at your fingers end, we must judge our selves, and we m••st condemn our selves: but as I said, it can never be expected that Belzebub, and Lucifer,* 1.609 and Antichrist, will condemn them∣selves: he can ••ver suffer his Kingdom to be di∣vided; he knows then he cannot stand. There be, as I told you, three sorts of men;

• The Carnal.
• The Reasonable. And
• The Spiritual Man.

I am carnal and sold under sin,* 1.610 and ye are yet car∣nal, saith the Apostle. Carnality never judges carnality!* 1.611 never look that flesh should find fault with its own actions; neither doth the Reason∣able man find fault with his reasonable actions; but s••ith the Apostle,* 1.612 The Spiritual man judgeth all things; that is, the Spirit of God; as David saith, Exalt thy self, O God, above the heavens, and shew thy self, thy glory and thy majesty; Come thou un∣to us, O Lord, and judge the heathen; be thou judge among the judges,* 1.613 among the gods, among those that are and still would be gods and judges: Do thou, O Lord, put all thine enemies to silence, and Rule THOU in the midst of thine Enemies: But to silence our own reason, all our own affections, our own will, our own joys, our own fears, our own hopes;* 1.614 and then hear what God shall say; There is no hearing of God, till all these be put to silence:* 1.615 as it is said Gen. 3. God came into the Garden in the COOL of the day: what do you think was meant by that? that God came at even∣ing,

when the sun was going down? do you think that the day was too hot for God to walk in? no, no, that cannot be; but tis meant, he came into the soul in the cool of the day; that is, when lust was cool, when the heat of Adams desire was over, when his own will was silent, and there was a calm;* 1.616 then God spake and said, Adam where art thou? Till then there was such Noise and such a Hurly-burly in his soul: This lust would be satis∣fied, and the other lust would be satisfied; such cry∣ing and calling, & making such clamour and noise; there was then no hearing God speak: but these being All put to silence, God comes in, with a still, soft voice (not while the thunder and mighty rushing was) and speaks in the soul:* 1.617 Hear now what God saith,* 1.618 Hear him judge you, hear him condemn you: and if ye do this. This delivering over to Satan, is not unto death, but that your spirits may be saved in the day of the Lord:* 1.619 This casting of our souls into the lower hell,* 1.620 as David complains, is that we may be saved from the con∣demnation irrecoverable: I came to send fire on the earth (saith our Saviour) and what if I will that it be already kindled? The kindling of this fire is a happy kindling, tis that you may escape the Unquenchable fire: suffer therefore this con∣demnation to be wrought in your souls; it is a blessed, a happy condemnation: The day that this work comes into thy soul, is the blessedst day that ever thou sawest, the happiest hour that ever passed over thy head, the brightest and gloriousest day that ever dawned to thee: Indeed it is The

day of the Lord, A day of darkness and gloominess,* 1.621 of clouds and thick darkness, but it dawns to ever∣lasting light and glory.

I told you wherein, and how you might exa∣mine your selves; And that you might have a glass large enough to see your whole body; open your eyes to see the glass of the Law, and view your selves round by it, and then I will warrant you, you shall see cause enough of condemnation: then you will see so much in your selves, that you will have no wisdom nor leisure left to judge other men: if you did but see the true resemblance of your selves; you could do nothing else but be al∣wayes judging and condemning your selves; you could do nothing but lay all the Bitter curses you could devise, upon this Meroz, Even upon your Corrupt Self; you would so Hate and lothe your selves in your own sight,* 1.622 you would not others praises, which formerly you have so much sought for.

It may be we have read and heard the Ten Commandments over and over a thousand times; but that is not enough: But as the Scripture re∣quires an ear in an ear; so we must have an eye in an eye:* 1.623 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear; and, He that hath eyes to see, let him see. I open∣ed to you the sins of the first Commandement; from which I know you will free your selves most in; you think That of all the rest, you are most free from having other Gods: you were taught That from your Cradle, Thou shalt have no other Gods but me: But (as I then shewed you) you

that do worship any other god (as all of us do) some make their belly their god, some pleaure their god, some profit their god, some credit and praise their god, and these we obey, and wor∣ship, and fear, and love: Whatever it was that drew you from obeying Gods Commandments; was it for pleasure, was it for honour, or what∣ever else: consider what you have done; you have made them your gods, and done more then bowed your knee to them; so that as often as thou hast said the Ten Commandments, so of∣ten hast thou dissembled with God, and rebelled against that which thine own mouth hath ac∣knowledged: And I doubt I may say of you, as the Prophet said of Israel,* 1.624 So many Cities, so ma∣ny Gods: Shall I say, so many men so many Gods? Nay, so many LUSTS so many Gods: And those that have many Gods, have no God: This is ge∣nerally acknowledged, for even among the Hea∣then there was not one learned and wise man but did confess there was a God, and that there could not be any more then one God: although they gave several names to the divine power in several creatures, for the Apprehension of the ignorant, and called them Gods, yet they knew that God was but one.

Take therefore that sacred spotless Law, open it, and look upon it, view thy self well, and it will shew thee clearly all thy Gods. Do but look upon the actions of this very day, nay since you came into this place, and see if there hath not been matter enough to cause this work of Con∣demation:

Besides, consider this seriously, you are not represented to God as doing of one action, but according to the Tenor of your lives: thou art not presented to God as thou art dying, when thy mouth is full of holy words, nor as thou art do∣ing any good action: not as thou art sitting in the Church at thy prayers, not as thou art hearing a Sermon, not as thou art relieving the Poor, &c. but all thy whole life, every minute being always as present with him, as if every particular action were now in doing; there is no passing of time, no succession of time with him: so that from hence con••lude, and resolve it to thy thoughts, if ever thou swearest an Oath, thou art with him al∣wayes swearing; if ever thou blasphemest, thou art ever blaspheming: if ever thou toldst a lye, thou art with Him alwayes lying: if ever thou committedst adultery, thou art alwayes doing that act, as to him: if ever thou brokest Covenant and Promise, thou art with him alwayes doing so: if ever thou trampledst the bloud of the Co∣nant under thy feet, thou art alwayes doing so: and if there was at any time any good in thee, know, that is none of thine; that is his own work, and no praise belongs to thee at all.

Now what sayest thou?* 1.625 Davids heart smote him when he had numbred the people; so should ours in numbring our sins.

Nay, farther consider, that not onely all thy own sins are laid upon thee, but all the sins of all the men in the world that ever were, are, or ever shall be; Because thou art of that Body, of that

Race, A member of that sinful body and race, proceeding from our first Parents, which stained the Race and House in the very root by rebellion and Treason. And that all this hath been in do∣ing by thee almost this 6000 years, so that when thou wert but six dayes old, thou wert a 6000 years sinner; when thou wert little above a span long, thou wert an Everlasting Trans∣gressor.

As in the body of Christ All the Members have right and interest in all the excellencies and graces of the whole body, the Faith of Abra∣ham, the Zeal of Iosiah, the Patience of Ioh, the Meekness of Moses, and adde to that whatever virtue is in the head Christ, which is in Heaven; They are all thine, Thou sharest in all; so that we may then say, Thou art all fair my Love, there is no spot in thee.

So thou being of that sinful race and body, thou hast right, and thereby art intitled to all the vi∣lest sins that ever were committed in the world. As it was said concerning those that crucified Christ,* 1.626 that God might bring on them all the sins that ever were committed from the bloud of the righteous Abel.

What canst thou now say for thy self (O wretch∣ed Off-spring of the race of flesh and bloud) but that Nebuchadnezzars Oven should be heat seven times hotter?* 1.627 will it not be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for thee? What canst thou say? is not Tophet prepared of old, and prepared for thee, O thou

foul and leprous creature? The pile and fuel there∣of is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone shall kindle it, Esay 30. 33.* 1.628

Hast not thou by thy so often sinning, Even trod the bloud of the Covenant under thy feet,* 1.629 and done despight unto the spirit of grace? hast not thou chosen thy sins and lusts before thy Saviour, and hast therein cryed out for a Barabbas to escape, and concerning Christ, hast cryed cruci∣fie him, crucifie him? What, will ye crucifie your King: I (say you) crucifie Him, cruci••ie Him, His Bloud be on us and on our children, &c.

Yet thou condemnest Iudas when thou readest how Villanously he betrayed and sold his dear Meek and precious Master; I ask thee, Who now hath sold his Master? what for 30 pieces? nay for the pleasure of one darling sin, which will for ever destroy thee.

And thou condemnest the Devil,* 1.630 who sinned but once, and was thrown down from his place: and thou condemnest Adam, who eat but once of the forbidden fruit,* 1.631 and was immediately cast out of Paradise: and will not that weight of sin, that as a TALENT of Lead lies upon thee, make thee once groan or complain? many aggravations by circumstances might be presented before thee; for circumstances alwayes aggravate, nay sometimes create the sin.

Friend, What sayest thou to this charge? if thou canst say nothing to me, then what shall I say to thee?

Then thus,* 1.632 Onely the blood of Jesus Christ purgeth from all sin; if thou hast not right and part in that, all thy sins lie upon thee. And what ever he performs in thee, that God accepts, and nothing else; for be assured, what ever prayers, what ever sighs, what ever groans thou puttest up to him; he loaths all but what his Son makes: but all His requests are heard and granted. I know you can in words have present recourse to that saying, That though we are sinners indeed, and grievous sinners, yet the blood of Christ pur∣geth us from all sin; I know that this very word, were it spoken by Christ himself, is enough indeed to silence Death and Hell, and all the powers of darkness, and is armour of proof against all Satans fiery darts; and it is a most undoubted truth: b••t then say I, it is Christ himself must pronounce this saying to thee, The blood of Iesus Christ pur∣geth thee from all sin, If Christ pronounce these words, then art thou indeed for ever acquitted: but if thou sayest this of thy self, to thy self, and by thy self, thou art not acquitted: I know if Christ speak these words, it is present death to all sin and unbelief; they are the utter destruction to Sin and Sathan: but if spoken onely by thy self, they do but harden thee in sin, they do but give new life to sin.

Thus much have I spoken to thee, that thou mayest come to this first work of Humiliation, namely, Condemnation of our selves.

But O my Dear Brethren, what are my words if Christ speak not by me? he must preach his

own truth to thee. And this I say, except thou first come to this work of Condemnation, thou wilt never come to the second, which is Annihi∣lation, not to any of the rest. For every step is one above another.

These steps are ascending: for as Solomon prayed that God would hear the prayers of all those that came and prayed in that house of the Lord, and did see the plague of their own heart, 2 Chron. 6.* 1.633 for except they saw that, their prayer was in vain: so say I, not that it is in vain to pray, but it is vain to trust to faith, in vain to trust to Christ, it will do no good, except you see the plague of your own heart: for thou mayest pray long enough, and believe in Christ long enough, if thou doest not see thy just worthiness of being de∣stroyed; if thou doest not see just cause of cen∣suring and condemning thy self to the lowest Hell,* 1.634 and that thou seriously confess, That hell was not made in vain, but that it was justly made, And for thee: and that it were just and righteous that God should cast thee thither; nay not onely so, but that you feel your souls in the Bitter agonies of Hell already, and that the Torments thereof are seized upon you; then there were hope, That thy spirit would be saved and delivered; Till thou art come to this, never tell me of the blood of Christ, That it purgeth from all sin; but thou art none of them to whom it belongs, for thou hast neither part nor portion in this matter: If ye suf∣fer with Christ,* 1.635 then also shall ye be saved by him, and reign with him.

SERMON VII.

ROM. 8. 17.

If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

BEloved, I will trust your memories for that which I have delivered before out of these words, and come immediately to the second of these six steps, which I have laid down: the first being Condemnation of our selves; the second is Annihilation, bringing or reducing our selves to just nothing.

Mistake not (for your own sakes) I do not mean to be really nothing at all, of no substance, that is more then any earthly power can do, more then Potentates or Kings can do; they may attempt such a thing, but their arm can onely reach to di∣vision or separation of soul and body,* 1.636 and divi∣ding of the Elements one from another; they may grind us to powder, they may burn us to ashes; and when they have so done, cast the ashes into the river, as in some case they may justly do: but they cannot make us nothing▪ for the same power that Creates, can onely Annihilate; for every thing

retires to its own proper place: every thing to its element; the water to his, the fire to his, the air to his, the earth to his; so that when I tell you of making your selves nothing, I do not mean you should destroy your selves, but I speak of such a making nothing and destroying, as that you keep all your members; such a making nothing as Iob complains of himself, ch. 16. 12.* 1.637 I was at ease and he hath broken me asunder; he hath taken me by the neck and hath shaken me to pieces, and hath set me up for his mark; he cleaveth my reins asunder, and poureth my gall upon the ground. Iob there complains that he was broken to pieces, and yet Iob had all his joynts and all his members: there∣fore that which I mean is the turning of a mans self into dust and powder before God, to be emptie in our selves, to be Nothing, less then nothing in our own esteem; that all those huge bulwarks that we have raised in our souls of our somethingness, and of our own esteem, may be all laid flat to the ground, and brought to nothing; as Abraham Gen. 18. 27.* 1.638 when God had appeared to him, said, Now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: he seeing the infi∣nite vast difference between God and him, he cryes out, O Lord I am but dust and ashes. And I tell thee O man, pulvis es, & in pulverem rever∣t••ris, Gen. 3. 19.* 1.639 Dust thou art, and to dust thou must return. But give me leave and I will yet be more plain to you.

For my beloved,* 1.640 My mouth is open unto you, my bowels are not straightned to you-ward, my heart

is enlarged;* 1.641 though the Jews should forbid me to speak any more in this name, as they did the Apo∣stles,* 1.642 yet I will not keep back any part of Gods Counsel from you. And I pray God you do not take the childrens bread, and cast it unto dogs; and I shall express my meaning briefly.

All that thou callest [I,] All that selfness, All that arrogancy, propriety that thou hast taken to thy self, all this must be brought to nothing; what∣soever creates in us Iness or Selfness, this is pul∣vis & cinis Dust, and Ashes, and Vanity; for take away these, and we are glorious creatures, the workmanship of God himself: but these things, Iness and Selfness, being let in, These, these things make us deformed; this is that makes us like the Devil himself; for take from him this (I) I am something, and take away [Selfness] I will have mine own will, and I will be Lord and King, and take away [Propriety] I will have, and I will enjoy something to my self and for my self: and then the Devil himself is a glorious Angel; there is no∣thing then left, but what is good; all things were at first very good.

It is true, That Man at the best, is but created of the dust of the earth: but what is he, and what a case is he in, when sin enters into him? I do be∣lieve there are thousands at this instant in Hell, that do wish from their souls, that they were or could be reduced to nothing at all. But that man that is reduced in this sense to nothing, and hath truly considered himself, he cryes out and com∣plains, See O Lord how I am become Vile, Lam.

1. 11.* 1.643 and he acknowledges as David 2 Sam. 6. 21.* 1.644 that if I be Vile, I will yet be more Vile: Doth Gods book require that he should be Vile and abominable, and low in his own sight? his heart Echoes and answers, I will yet be more vile, I will be more nothing, as the Prophet Esay sayes, ch. 40. 17.* 1.645 We are nothing, we are less then nothing; all Na∣tions are but as the drop of the Bucket, they are no∣thing, they are vanity it self: we are but as a bub∣ble, as David confesses, we are but as a broken pit∣cher that can hold no water, Psal. 31. 12.* 1.646 we are but as dead men, cast out of sight, and clean out of mind: David was then in a most miserable con∣dition in the eyes of flesh and blood▪

But Oh happy, thrice happy are those men that are once come thus to be Dead men (whatever men think): You know dead men they cannot so much as say this is [I] they esteem not of them∣selves: let men do what they will with them, they are all one; strike him, he feels it not, they claim no interest nor propriety in any thing: let them be merry (while he lies by) or let them be sad, all is one to him: let them be sharers of his goods; One will have one part; Another, another; let them spend lavishly, and make merry with his goods, he he is not moved: why? because he hath lost his sense, he hath lost his taste: so he that is dead to himself, he hath lost his sense, he hath lost his taste in this world: let others rejoyce in heaping up riches, and adding land to land, and making them∣selves and their posterity great in the world; these things concern not him: and likewise, poure any

thing into a broken Pitcher, it can hold nothing; it can hold no honour, no praise, no price; so likewise into this man, pour what ye will into him, pour wealth into him, pour health, pour ho∣nour into him, pour praise, pour credit, or the con∣trary, he can hold nothing; whatever ye do to him,* 1.647 or take from him, he is all one: if ye take his cloak from him, he will give you his coat: if ye strike him on the one side, he will turn the other: curse him, and he will pray for you: and this he learns of his sweet and dear Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath set him a pattern for him to follow, and commands him to learn of him, and thereby ye shall find Rest to your souls: for saith he with Ia∣cob, Gen. 32. 10.* 1.648 I am less then the least of thy mercies.

These things, Selfness and Propriety being taken away, Then there is a Fair Table for Gods Spirit to write what he pleases; for if a sheet of paper be blacked all over, can a man write any thing there∣on? but if ye can take away that which blacks the paper and defiles the soul of man, take away Iness, as I may call it, and selfness, and propriety, and then there is a fair paper for God to write what Commands he pleases: then no Command cros∣ses them. You know our Saviour Christ saith, Matt. 10. 39.* 1.649 He that will deny himself, shall save himself; and again, There is no man that hath for∣saken houses, or lands, or wife, or children, or good name for his sake and the Gospels, but he shall have a hundred-fold, even in this world, houses, and lands, and wife, &c.

Brethren, if you did but believe this, could you be so over diligent, so eager, so covetous for the getting, holding, and saving of them? or would ye not rather, if Christ should command you, e••en Run out of Church, and burn you hou∣ses presently, if you knew you should have a hundred-fold for them? but whether you believe it or no, his word is true: and all men shall be ••ound lyars: Heaven and earth shall pass away, be∣fore one tittle of his word shall fail:* 1.650 his words were the words of truth it self, they could not admit of the least shadow of untruth: and those that Christ hath brought to this condition we now speak of, know them to be unspeakably true: viz. That one hours joy, one hours enjoyment of sure, se∣cure peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, which they have instead of those things, is more worth a thousand fold, then a thousand years enjoyment of all the wealth and riches in the world: nay, they find it better to have One minutes enjoy∣ment of this ravishing contentment, then to have all the honour, all the riches, all the attendants, or whatever the world could afford them, though for ever: And if the scales of ignorance which now blind and darken your understanding, were but fal∣len from your eyes, you should undoubtedly find it so; and till then you will never believe me: nay, though one should rise from the dead, and affirm these things,* 1.651 you can look on them but as empty words, wind and shadows.

Yet let me tell you, O Beloved! were your eyes but opened, you would be so in love with this con∣dition,

nothing could keep you from it: you would not say, as the sluggard in the Proverbs, There is a Lion in the way: no, no, your souls would be restless till you attain thereto: I beseech you exa∣amine your souls, and try them whether you are in this condition or you are not: let not things hang wavering,* 1.652 and weigh down neither side: If God be God follow him; if Baal be God follow him: you will be hankering towards heaven, and fain you would be saved; but till you be brought to a re∣solved Resolution, to take it by violence, there is no obtaining.

Consider this man in two things:

1 Consider, what ever God gives, he arrogates nothing to himself, and counts himself not wor∣thy of any thing; neither can he rejoyce in it, as his own, but as given from God.

2 What ever Lesson God sets this man to per∣form, he ascribes the whole power and strength of it to God onely, attributing no power to himself, while he doth it; yet he doth it not, but God in him: Or if he avoid any sin, he confesseth it was by no power, no watchfulness, no wariness of his own whereby he did it: for herein is the misery of all, that man will not acknowledge but some power he hath of his own, he can do something of himself: And herein was the sin of Adam, not so much in eating an Apple, but that Adam would have and appropriate a power to himself: he would be something without God; for if Adam had taken seven Apples, it had been nothing, setting self-will aside, and aiming at self pleasing, against the

Command of God: But Adam would have pow∣er in himself, he would have his own will, he would have an essence of his own; this was that which ruined him, and so also all his posterity to this day and for ever.

Thirdly Consider, This man, he takes all well that God doth; whether he give to him, or take from him, all is one to him; he is never troubled, he suffers no rending in his soul in leaving them: neither rejoyces in the getting of them; for he knows they are Gods, and they are due to him, whenso∣ever he shall call for them: As an honest man that knows a sum of money is due, he having it ready, he had as live the owner had it as himself; for he cannot account it his own, he cannot boast and pride himself in that which is none of his own: This is that we call Reducing our selves to nothing, To just nothing; so that here we have set before you A lively Statue and Portraiure of a sequeste∣red man which hath lost all that ever he hath in this world.

1 He receives all as from God, and looks on them as none of his own, and he not worthy of the least mercy, being less then the least, as Iacob con∣fesseth, Gen. 32. 10.* 1.653 not in word onely, but really he is so in his own esteem. Not worth the ground he goes upon, as we say.

And then secondly, he uses them all to the glo∣ry of God, and not to the satisfaction of the flesh, and his own will and lusts, but distributes them as God commands: And if he have Wife, Children, Honours, Riches, &c. he sets not his heart on them.

And thirdly, I should have shewed you, but I forgot, he is as glad and rejoyces as much in the good of others, as in his own good: he is not contented to enjoy plenty himself, or any good temporal or spiritual, but he would have others enjoy the like, and is willing to communicate to them.

Fourthly, he is ready to part with them willingly when ever God calls for them.

And lastly, Because, as Eliphaz saith to Iob,* 1.654 be∣cause the consolations of God seem no small thing to him, therefore he is indifferent in all these things; so God take not his holy Spirit from him, and those inward joyes and refreshings from his own presence, he cares not; let him take from him else what he will: Now what is it (think you) that this man feareth, that hath thus overcome, and is set down with Christ in his throne? he cannot so much as fear death, for he dyes dayly: And what do you think now can separate this man from the love of Iesus Christ? what can ••inder him from boasting and triumphing? though not of or in him∣self; but as the Apostle doth, Ro. 8. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39.* 1.655 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accoun∣ted as sheep for the slaughter:) nay in all these things we are more then conquerors, through him that lo∣ved us: for I am perswaded that neither death, nor life▪ nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor

depth, 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,* 1.656 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 Condemna∣tion 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;* 1.657 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.* 1.658 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.* 1.659 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.* 1.660 Behold, Here is a glorious Building, Built by God him∣self: 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.* 1.661 His wondring was taken up about things of another nature.

But our Saviour Christ saith there,* 1.662 wonder not that I said unto you, he that forsakes not father and mother, &c. he is not worthy of me; but I say un∣to you, that he that hates not father and mother, and wife and children, yea and his own life too, can∣not be my Disciple, v. 26.* 1.663 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 Com∣mandment, it comes so directly contrary to ma∣king 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 interpreta∣tion, 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;* 1.664 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,* 1.665 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 de∣light therein: and if thou doest no more, thy love is but Earthly, sensual, and devillish, Iam. 3. 15.* 1.666 but if thou wouldst have thy love to be Pure;

Then learn to separate; separate the precious from the vile, Jer. 15. 19.* 1.667 if thou separate, then shalt thou be as my m••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,* 1.668 Ve∣rily, 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,* 1.669 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 pre∣cious 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.* 1.670 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 bo∣dy, having one Master and one Father: I look not upon you as divided, but as one; for a King∣dom divided against it self, that Kingdom cannot

stand:* 1.671 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,* 1.672 but some will say to me, tis true; we know we ought not to love them, as them, but we onely love them so far forth as they are helps to better things, and as they fit us for the service of God.

A fair pretence!* 1.673 but delude not your own souls: many have been hindred by these things, few or none ever furthered: and yet forsooth, all the world of Professors, uses them but as furtherances, as they say: But we know, that thousands have been hindred by wives, and hindred by children, and hindred by houses and lands, and hindred by honours and pleasures, and they are most com∣monly, if I may not say Alwayes, snares and hin∣derances: for who ever found his heart as willing to part with them, as if he never had them? Therefore they are hinderances, and pul-backs, and no furtherers: ye are deluded, ye are blinded by them, when ye say so; and your souls are so much the more dangerously snared in them: for God commands in Deut. 13. 6.* 1.674 That if the wife that is in thy bosome entice thee to Idolatry secretly, thou shalt not hearken, neither have pity; thy hand shall be first upon her, &c. and I say, take heed thou makest not an Idol of that thou pretendest to love but to further thee.

And that of our Saviour, Mat. 18. 8.* 1.675 They are both such places, and aim at such high things, and

such deep self-denial as flesh and bloud cannot indure to think on: If thy hand or thy eye, or thy foot off end thee, cut it off, pluck it out, &c. shewing that these outward things that thou lovest so dear∣ly, may do thee the greatest mischief; as Wolsey said to Cromwel when he was to dye, Oh if I had but loved God as well as I have loved honour or riches, or health, &••. he would not have forsaken me as these will do very shortly: so that you see these outward things, for the most part, hinder us from Heaven, and minding the honour of God, and the good of our souls: The prosperity of wic∣ked men, is but a ripening of them, fatning and fitting them for destruction.

Object. I but Sir, this is strange; would you not have us love our wives? would you not have me love my children? would you not have us love our money? Love money, and it will love me, as the Proverb is; make much of it, and it will make much of thee: These are the good blessings of God, that he hath bestowed upon me, sayes every one: and will you have me so unthankful as not to love them?

Answ. Yes, yes, by all means; I disswade you not from loving your wives, or from loving your children: far be it from me to think, much less Teach, That children should not obey their pa∣rents: w•• have not so learned Christ: far be it from me to teach you so; for Christ commands that you should love your neighbours:* 1.676 and to love them as our selves, and our wives as our selves, as S. Paul saith, Ephes. 5. 25.* 1.677 And shall I diswade you from loving your wives and your children, or

father or mother? God forbid: But know what our Saviour saith, Mat. 5. 46.* 1.678 If ye love them that love you, what thank have ye? If ye love Father, Mother, Wife, Children, Goods, Honour, Credit what great acts have ye done? what have you done more then Heathens do? But as ye are Christians, I injoyn you A Love above all these: You are to love, That Noble, that Divine, that Internal part that is in them: do but separate the precious from the vile,* 1.679 and then I will say ye can∣not love too much: But take heed these outward things do not privily and secretly withdraw your hearts from God; For They st••al away the heart insensibly: you must love them in the Lord, and the Lord in them, it is all one: Therefore, those that are true Christians, as they love All in the Lord, so they love the Lord above all, and love the Lord in all: for he that loves not God in all, cannot love God above all, and he that loves not God in them cannot but be snared by them.

Thus loving all things in God, you wil be ready to part with all things for God: This is the Abdication I speak of, which is done by faith, & by faith only.

And further thou oughtest to have thy affecti∣ons to stand so indifferently to them, as still and alwayes Listning, when God shall bid thee De∣part from them: that when God shall say, De∣part from this thing, or let it depart from thee, whatever it be; that if he call for thy eye, or thy ear, or thy hand, or thy foot to cut it off, or things as dear and precious, That then, this shall be no sad message to thy soul; and then, I will say

with thee, That thou lovest them for God, and in God, and as blessings from God, as All are ready to pretend: But if it be otherwise, ye are befooled, and gulled by them. Look upon Abraham; did God bid him forsake his own Land, and leave all behind him? Gen. 12. 1.* 1.680 yes, and in such a man∣ner as I think you can hardly shew me his pattern; he must leave all; Get thee out of thy Country, and from thy kindred, and from thy Fathers House; and whither must he go? to a Land that I will shew thee; He knew not whither: So likewise did Abraham offer his son, his onely son, and the son in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed: yea, he did; That is, It was done in pur∣pose and affection, and had been done in action, had not the Angel staied his hand; here now was Abrahams faith, that stood so indifferently to all things, that he as readily parted from them as enjoyed them: Beloved, what think ye, were not these sore Trialls? And so Moses did, he forsakes Egypt, and all the pleasures and preferments there, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God: and those in the 11 of the He∣brews,* 1.681 that forsook all, kindred and friends, and wandred up and down in sheep-skins and goat-skins, in dens and caves of the earth, whom the world was not worthy of; and all this was through faith: Faith must be the ground of all this Blessed Ab∣dication; they were weaned to all these things through saith:* 1.682 as David saith, surely I have be∣haved and quieted my self as a child that is wean∣ed of his mother: My soul was even as a weaned

child: You know a child when it is weaned, it is froward and pettish, nothing will still it; it would have the milk, the breast still, and will not indure strong meat, David complains, that he was even so; Nothing would content him, but That he should not have▪ give him what ye would, if he might not have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will, he would throw all away as children do: nothing was so bitter to him as This Weaning; yet for all this, The child must be Weaned; Though it wrangle, and though it cry, and is never so froward, yet all is one, The child must be weaned. Tis for its Health, for its Good, and for its strengthning, That it may grow to be A Man, And 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 suffer∣ings, they have none in his glory: And those are expressed in Phil. 2. 4.* 1.683 in two words,

• 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Phil. 2. 7, 8.* 1.684

• 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 tho••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:* 1.685 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 Ex∣cellencies 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.* 1.686 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.* 1.687 They instead of separating us from Christ, shall make us nearer to him, and shall make us mor•• conformable to our head,* 1.688 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 no∣thing 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.* 1.689 I have learned, saith he, Implying, That he was long about the work, before he could at∣tain it; but now I am grown to be a good Scholar in it, That is, in what estate soever I am, to be con∣tent: 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.* 1.690 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 chan∣ges: for they do as Christ their pattern in that

of Iohn 4. 34.* 1.691 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,* 1.692 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 pati∣ent, 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 ••onsulted not with flesh and blood,

And the reason is,* 1.693 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,* 1.694 it may be, Here is a doctrine in∣deed: What will this Babler bring us to at last? Acts. 7. 10.* 1.695 Then certain Philosophers of the Epi∣cureans 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, be∣••••use he preached unto them Iesus and the resur∣rection; 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 there∣fore 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,* 1.696 as if I were A Set∣ter forth of strange Gods.

Answ. No, no; God forbid that I should Intice you to Idolatry, or to serve strange Gods. Nor are these things beloved, neither querks or quillets or new devices: for do not think I durst bring you here any thing, but what my God hath Bid me speak, and what he puts in my mouth to speak: They are no devices of my own, but I assure you they are rich Iewels taken out of the precious cabinet of God, They are Chrystal streams from God the fountain of them,* 1.697 clear as

chrystal proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. They are things that I have not brought here presently upon the phansie of my own brain; but things that I have seen and known by some experience thereof in my self; Things that I have long, long, debated in my own soul, and in serious consideration, before ever I durst deliver it to you as a message from my Master.

But Beloved, if you for all this do count these things Foolishness, Gods Spirit will, And doth, call you Fools; Do not do by me as the Gerge∣sens did by Christ; because he did but onely se∣parate them from their swine, they went out to meet him,* 1.698 and besought him to depart from their coasts, Notwithstanding all the good he might have done them, in his miracles, And in curing them and their diseases: they slight all this, be∣cause they had lost their swine: So, Because I desire to separate you and your swinishness asunder, you and your beastliness asunder, you and your earthliness asunder, you care not for it, what ever good and benefit this may be to the healing and curing of your souls; And if I do cast pearles before swine, And they turn again and all to rent me, I cannot help it; The Lord hath opened my mouth wide towards you. And I beseech him to open All our Hearts, As he did Lydia's. But to the Old man this Doctrine is very Harsh, and flesh and Blood will not endure it. But to the New man this Yoak is easie, and this burden is Light. And no wonder though a body made and bred of,

and with these carnal things, as it is, I say no wonder though nothing please it, and relish with it, but what tends to These things; No marvell though we shut our ears against this spiritual Divine Doctrine; for as it is said, Heb. 10. 36.* 1.699 Ye have need of Patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise: so in∣deed may I say herein, We have need of patience That we may be Thus moulded to Gods will, That we may be as pliable to his will, As wax is to the seal; and then, we shall be sure alwayes either to please God, or God shall please us, or both; Then All shall be at peace; Then shall there be no more war between God and us; Then we shall have Endless peace: As in the Revelation a 1000 years there is put for Eternity; for, from whence came wars? saith the Apostle Iames;* 1.700 come they not hence, even from your lusts? And again, we lust and have not, we desire and are not satisfied, because we ask it to bestow it on our lusts.

Now he that hath attained the practice of this LIFE I speak of, He is alwayes satisfied: but so far as we come short, when we desire any thing, and God gives it not, Then we fall at wars with God, And censure his proceedings, Having Harsh thoughts of Him.

The Apostle Iude among all the grievous sins that he speaks of, He reckons up Murmurers, complainers, That is, Mistakers of Gods doings; and he brings the example of Corah, whom the earth swallowed up quick for that very sin; But we,* 1.701 Because the earth hath swallowed us up quick

already; therefore we murmur and complain.

And as Christ said to Peter, Why doubtest thou▪ O thou of little faith? so say I, Why murmur you, Oh you of little faith? Why do you murmur against your infinite Good God and most gracious Father, who hath promised you, ye shall want for nothing? why dare you not trust him? And why do you accuse your God of Untruth and strait-handedness? what displeases you, Oh ye of little faith? let me but reconcile you together. As he thinks well of you, and intends well to you, So do yo•• esteem alwayes well of him, and of his doings: Do you not believe That God He is your Father? and if you account your selves His chil∣dren, he will give you All good things, Mat. 7. 11.* 1.702 Then he content To let him be wiser then you.

O but! I know you will say to me, God for∣bid but we should do so: he knows what is best for us, better then we; This we have been taught long ago: this is a Received Truth; This is plain in the Word, And in our Catechisms which we learned when we were Children; And what do we do with the word if we believe not All this? let us throw away our Bibles, let us burn our Bibles, if we do not believe and sent to our seal that this is true.

And if I should ask you, Do you not believe that God is your Physician? Yes: And will you direct your Physician what order he shall take with you, And will you tell him what is fittest for you? Surely then, if you mistake any thing that God does to you, or direct him what he shall do,

(whatever your confessions be with your mouths) you proclaim your selves Wiser then God.

Doth not he know, when to give you health; and when sickness? when to give you wealth, and when to give you want? when to give you ho∣nour, and when to give you dishonour? doth he not know when to give you peace, and when to give you war?* 1.703 Doth not this Great Master of the whole World know, how to give to al his houshold their meat in due season? I know you acknow∣ledge all this. And that God, if he saw it good, can give you your desire; for he can do as he pleaseth, And he hath the disposing of all these things; And that it is in vain to rise early, and go to bed late,* 1.704 and eat the bread of carefulness; for he alone giveth his beloved sleep. And our Sa∣viour sayes, Mat. 6. 31.* 1.705 Take no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things; for sufficient for the day is the labour there∣of: and care not for the morrow; the morrow shall care for it self, But if you confess, Also Believe These things, then might I save my labour; But your practise shews you do not. For if God do not give that which thy flesh desireth, yet thou oughtest to be content.

Obj. I but Sir, shall I not labour and be indu∣strious in my calling?

Answ. Yes, by all means, or else the Apostle saith, you must not eat: and it is commanded, Eccl. 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the eve∣ning let not thy hand rest: But, This thou art to

do without Perturbation of Spirit, and with indif∣ferencie, with a weaned affection, here is the very Hinge of the business, That when thou hast done all and found it true, That except the Lord build the City, they build in vain: And that except the Lord watch the City, the watchmen watch in vain, Psal. 127. 1, 2.* 1.706 and so consequently, That when the Lord hath denyed that success thou seekest; yet to be content and quiet, As seeing him Ordering all in his greatest wisdom. Thou art to aim at This, viz. To bring thy self to this point, to be alike thankful in health and sickness; For crosses and disappointments, as for successes and blessings (as thou esteemest them) for all dis∣pensations, even crossest, may be successes & bles∣sings with God, though thou esteemest them not so; for he may bless thee most, when he crosses thee most; and contrary, he may most curse thee when he most blesses thee, as thou thinkest.

I but Sir, by this rule you would not have me pray,* 1.707 neither for the one nor the other, neither for plenty nor want, neither for liberty nor impri∣sonment, or the like.

Yes, by all means, I would have you Pray, that God would give you that which is best for you,* 1.708 and that he would Turn all To the best, but not to direct and appoint him what to do. Be sure that your prayers be such as become Gods ears to hear; for all the prayers of all flesh through the whole world, is displeasing to God; He hears not, if it be for the satisfying of the flesh & lusts. Na, yas I said, God may give a blessing, and yet not grant

the thing thou desirest, but the contrary; and yet he gives the blessing; and he may and doth both hear and grant thy prayers: I know i•• is your or∣dinary common speech, when you are in some di∣stress and affliction, to say such a thing hath be∣fallen you, you praise God for it: But At that time what doth your heart say? does not it desire liber∣ty from it? if it do, you do but dissemble with God; For, could you praise God for it in good earnest, you would do it as for a thing which you rejoyce in and are glad of; At least, to be as equally content to have that condition as the con∣trary:* 1.709 There is enough can say blessed be his name for good things, and such things as please them; but if God take away those things, then they can∣not as well say, Blessed be his name, as holy Iob did. And as Hezekiah, when he had shewed the trea∣sures of the house of the Lord to the Embassa∣dors; the Prophet comes and denounces Gods judgement against him, Esay 39. 8. and told him that the King of Babylon should come and carry away all those things: he answers, the word of the Lord is good which thou hast spoken:* 1.710 so where is the man that when God causes any to carry away those things which we esteem, can say, The word of the Lord is good? This is that we should labour for: for if once we could attain to this, that no∣thing that God did should displease us, Then nothing that we do, should displease God.

But alas,* 1.711 alas, Vain Man would be wise, and will needs contend with his Maker; for this is that we should do, to subscribe and set to our faith and

belief, that what ever happens and comes to pass, Is the best, yea better, then if it should happen otherwise; Until we come to this, or so far as we come short of it, We are meer Lucifers, meer Devils: for we are not content with Gods govern∣ment, and we mislike what he doth; and we would fain establish, if we had power, we would have a government not according to Gods will, but ac∣cording to our own: But untill we come to this, to esteem Gods government to be best, we can ne∣ver quietly submit to it, or choose it: for so long as we apprehend a thing to be Evil, we cannot choose but hate it; for it is natural to us, To hate and abhor that which hurts us, and to love that which does us good.

Hence it is that the husbandman when he hath bad weather, that destroyes his hopes of his crop, if he apprehend this to be evil, he cannot love him that is the cause of it: and so the Mariner if he apprehends that a contrary wind is evil for him, how can he love God who is the cause thereof? So likewise, if a man thinks it an evil to lose his father, or mother, or wife, or children, or goods, or lands,* 1.712 he cannot choose but hate him that is the cause of all this. As Iobs wife says to her husband, Doest thou still remain in thine integrity? Curse God and dye: as if she should say, doest thou still bless God that curses thee? This is a maxime too commonly received among us, that where profit is there is piety; where God does not bless a man (as we count blessing) there we think is no piety; and where he does, there God is well plea∣sed.

Oh fools, and slow of heart to believe! Know this, That every man must either be a god, or else subject and submitting to a God; there must needs be One Rule, One Standard-measure, that must be the rule of all justice: so it is in every thing, in corn-measures, and the like in weights, &c. In every thing there is a rule, a standard to repair to, That rules, governs and measures all the rest, to which all measures must be brought to be regulated and fitted by: it must not be this or that mans saying so, but come to the rule: So in Divinity, will you be your own judges? or shall it be this mans opinion, that mans opinion? or rather shall we not say as David? Arise O Lord and judge the earth: I will not tell thee any more, what thou shouldst do, or tell thee what is best; for thou a••t Lord and judge, Thou art Iustice it self, and who shall contradict thee? I account better of what thou dost, then what I do; for my wisdom is foolishness: in case of honour, in case of dishonor; in case of good report, in case of evil report; in case of riches, in case of poverty; in case of giving children, in case of taking away children: In giving fair weather or foul &••. whatever thou dost, that is best.

Every thing in the world (as one saith) hath two hands; by the ••ne ye may carry it, by the other you cannot: As to say, My brother hath done me an injury, by the hand of injury we cannot carry it, but we swell and take it in ill part: but take it by the hand of Brother, my brother hath done me an injury, and then you may bear it: for

though he hath done me an injury, yet because He is my brother, I ought to bear with him. So again, My enemy hath done me an injury, by the hand of injury, you cannot bear it, but by the hand of your Enemy you may; for from your Enemy you expected no other: and so these dayly complaints are in the world: Oh! What shall I do? I have lost my estate; or I have lost my good name, or I have lost my dear wife, or I have lost my hopeful children: Oh! take heed of that, of saying so, They are taken away: And he hath taken them that gave them to thee, whose own they are, He takes but what is his own; and why then dost 〈◊〉〈◊〉 repine, but that thou claimest a propriety & right in them, when thou hast None? For did God ever Covenant with thee, How long thou shouldst have thy wife or thy children, or thy lands, o•• thy health, or thy credit, or thy honour? He never did; why may not He then take any of them when he pleases? But here now, is that faith that overcomes all,* 1.713 To look upon God, As doing all, and therefore to conclude, all is well done: for in his government there can be no error, not the least Error that can be imagined: who dare blaspheme so as to imaginne that God can erre? and yet in our practise we dayly Accuse him.

You know David how he behaved himself to∣wards Shimei, 2 Sam. 16. 7.* 1.714 when he railed on him, Come forth thou man of blood, come out thou man of Belial: when some would have fallen up∣on him, no saith David, let him alone, for God hath bid him curse: as if he should say, I will not

run at the stone that is thrown, but look through him, to him that stands behind this creature: Oh what a height in Christianity is that soul come to, that not onely can endure, but endure joyfully? as the Apostles, Act. 5. 41.* 1.715 they went away Rejoy∣cing from the councel, when they had been impri∣soned, misused and whipt, That they were counted worthy To suffer such things for the name of Christ: So when a man simply out of an Awful respect and Reverence of His Almighty God and Father, can look upon the carrying away of his goods, the burning of his house, the ravishing of his wife, with dry eyes, and with a smooth face: I say, Out of an Aweful respect to God, not out of a senseless stupidity: mistake me not, but be∣cause he dares not find fault with what Gods will is: when he so behaves himself in whatever befals him, for the Name and sake of Christ, That he rejoyces at it, That he so carries himself in Gods sight, in these things, as if he willed them, and takes them thankfully as the Apostles did, hating murmuring, This is something; What thou poor worm, dust and clay, to lift up a thought of mur∣muring against thy infinite wise Creator? Oh tremble before him, all ye Nations, and let him rule in his own house in peace.

We daily pray,* 1.716 Thy Kingdome come, Thy will be done. Beloved, Gods will is never out of tune, but it is thine that is; for although thou hast said that Petition a thousand times over, yet thou hast never yet learned that Petition till thou hast learned to render up thy will to Gods will:* 1.717 as David,

2 Sam. 12. 16.* 1.718 when his child was sick He fasted and lay upon the earth: but when his child was dead, he raised up himself, and washed and called for meat; Some of his servants wondred at him; he answers, Ver. 22. When the child was sick, I knew not what Gods will was; but now God hath declared his will, in taking him away, why should I grieve any longer? I shall go to it, it shall not re∣turn to me: his carriage in it was wonderful, That he should grieve for the child when it was alive, and comfort himself when it was dead.

Now we having been so long in the Doctrinal part, it is time for us now to look, What effects this Doctrine brings about in us: Let me tell you, He that practises this Doctrine, As he hath two eyes in his head, so he hath two eyes in his mind: and as he hath two feet, two hands, two ears to his body, so to his mind; the one is like the com∣pass that stands fixt, pitched in the center: and the other moves and goes about, and doth the work: the one is pitcht upon God, his will, and his decree; the other acts and works, and goes up and down, and doth what he hath to do in the world: so that whatsoever fall out, still he hath recourse to Gods will and decree: There is his place of Refuge and security. He doth the works of his calling▪ and actions among men with chear∣fulness, as imployment from God; and however things fall out, they move not him, to lift him up, or cast him down.

2. This mans eye is not divided between God and Mammon;* 1.719 he looks not asquint; his eye is

alwayes single; he brings not God down to these things, but he brings all things up to God, he consecrates all to God.

3. This man he hath resigned up his judge∣ment To God onely, He is content to let God rule his judgement: he resignes his judgement wholly to him. If God condemn him▪ He accounts himself condemned: but if men condemn him he can puffe at it; He Regards not that: So like∣wise, This Man He resign•• his judgement of others to God; He dares judge no man: saith he, shall I dare to judge? no no, Psal. 85. 8.* 1.720 I will hear what God will say, I will hear his judge∣ment, whatever his judgement be, that is well, that is best: and as David saith, Psal. 31. 5.* 1.721 In∣to thy hands I commend my spirit: So saith this Man, into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my judge∣ment; into thy hands I commend my taste; into thy hands I commend my sight; I am ignorant, and know ••othing, but thou knowest what is best for me: and to thy judgement will I submit, what∣ever it be.

4. This Mans is gotten Above all Heights and depths, above all principalities and powers, above life and death: for he hath tamed and brought under all fears and all hopes: that which hath un∣done and conquered thousands, He hath vanqui∣shed all his Enemies, and doth lay him down and sleep: for saith he with David, Thou onely makest me dwell in safety, Psal. 4. 8.* 1.722 If mountains be tumbled up and down and hurled into the midst of the sea, Though the Sea Roar and make a

Noise; yea, though the whole frame and fabrick of heaven and earth crack, and heaven and earth should meet together, yet He can lay him down and sleep: they may kill him, but he knows They cannot hurt him: If all things be in peace, He is a quiet man: If all things be in confusion, and coming to nothing, He is a quiet man too: For, believe it, Till a man be come to This, He is ne∣ver quiet; for he that hath any propension to any one thing more then to another, can never be quiet: therefore this man is equally A stranger to all creatures; and he that is disturbed by heark∣ning to the call of his lusts cannot be quiet.

He that Hearkens after covetousness, If he be a servant to this sin, he is alwayes in wayes that lead to it, and he can never be a servant to God: For, If it doth bid thee cozen and deceive? doth it bid thee trudge here, and truge there, to fulfill the lusts thereof? doth it bid thee compass sea and land with an over-Eager intention for thy pro∣fit? thou art still found in these wayes. So of Ho∣nour, if thou hearken to the commands of it, then art thou found in its service: Thou wilt flat∣ter, thou wilt bribe, thou wilt do any thing that it commands; Thou art as true a servant to it, as the Centurion said of his servant:* 1.723 I say unto one go, and he goeth; and to another come, and he cometh; and so of any other sin: and while thou hearkenest to the commands of these, thou canst never hearken to the commands of God: But This Man, He is ready for whatsoever God com∣mands either in doing or suffering; He is never

••narmed for any thing God shall send: if God call him to sickness, to imprisonment, to death, to judgement, he is ready, he is alwayes ready horsed for his Journey; he waits for the word of Command and is ready to depart: He is ready with the children of Israel To depart out of Egypt, He hath His bag and his baggage, and his staff in his hand, Ready to depart: All News is alike to him; yea, All creatures are alike base to him, and alike excellent: God is onely Excellent to him, but all creatures are alike.

Beloved, If all creatures were but Alike to us, and we indifferent to all, then God would be All in all: for in very truth, the reason why we do not account God most excellent, is because we prefer One thing before another; we prefer one creature before another: But whatever happens to This man, he can make no difference; doth riches happen? doth credit happen? doth poverty happen? doth disgrace happen? doth friends hap∣pen? doth foes happen? all is one to him; He concludes,* 1.724 Blessed be Thy will; And saith with our Saviour, For so Father it seemeth good in thy sight: doth health happen? even so father it seem∣eth good in thy sight: doth sickness happen? even so father it seemeth good in thy sight: doth adver∣sity happen? he is not cast down•• doth prosperity happen? he is not lifted up: as the Spouse in that of Cant. 4. 16.* 1.725 Awake, O North wind, and come thou south, and blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out: let my be loved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits; That is, arise

what will, Come from the four winds, and blow upon my garden, and it shall cause it to Flourish and increase: Come any kind of condition, it makes his garden grow: come the East wind, he grows; or come the West wind, a wind full con∣trary to that, it brings forth the same effects: come the South or come the North, which is full opposite to that, all is one. Oh happy, thrice hap∣py man, who is come to this!

Lastly, This man is such a man as I would ye were all such; That is, He is an Anabaptist, as I may say, he is New Christened: for so the word signifies; Anabaptist, That is, to be Again Bap∣tized, or Rebaptized: according to that promise of God, Isa. 62. 2. Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. His first name was, Quod vult homo, what Man would, what Self would, what flesh would: If ye ask how he lived? how he willed? how he desired? The answer must be, After the will of man, after the will of the flesh; but now his name is Quod vult Deus, What God would; He lives no more that old life, now he lives, wills, desires, affects after the will of God: Ask him now, how he wills? he will tell you, He desires no more his own will should be done, but that Gods will may be done in all things; Now, he no longer retires to his own wisdom, to his own directions in any case; but sayes with Iehoshaphat, 2 Chro. 20. 12.* 1.726 We know not what to do, but O our God, our eyes are towards thee: we know not what thou wouldest have us to do, we know not what thou wilt have us to suf∣fer,

we know not what we shall have, we know not what we shall lose, we know not how long we shall live; but O our God, our eyes are towards thee; even whithersoever thou shalt bid us go, we are ready to go.

Just as a man that is travelling in a strange way, and he comes to a way where there is three or four wayes before him; now he not knowing which is the right way he would be glad to have any one to tell him which is the right way; and he willingly takes that way, thorgh it be the worst, the ruggedest, he is indifferent to any way, so he go the right way. Especially the business being Important As Heaven is.

So my Brethren, Be assured many are the by∣wayes that a man may turn aside in; but This man looks up to Almighty God, and enquires of him, which way he will give him to go: and if in his providence he reveal to him, That Poverty is the way he would have him go, This man goes it cheerfully: If it be the way of Reproch he would have you go, that you go it cheerfully: or what∣soever way it be, that you go it willingly. I know, I need not bid you go the way of ri••hes willingly, the way of honour, the way of pleasure, to go these willingly; every one desires these wayes; but when God shall cross their own wills, and their own desires, that they go these wayes also willingly, and with chearfulness. We will con∣clude with our Saviours words; He doth all this cheerfully, because Even so father it seemeth good in thy sight; and because it is my meat and drink to do thy wil.

THe Author being taken off his publick preaching at Kensington, he came not to speak of the two last steps to peace and rest: viz. Con∣formity, and Deiformity.

THE DEAD and KILLING LETTER.; THE SPIRIT, and the LIFE.

JOSH. 15. v. 16, 17.

And Caleb said, he that smiteth Kiriathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Ke∣naz the brother of Caleb took it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

In four Sermons, Preached at a private meeting at KENSINGTON.

BEloved, that I may now bring you down As by the Hand, to the meaning of Gods Spirit, in this portion of Scrip∣tu••e, To unfold and set forth those Sa∣cred, Hidden, and divine Mysteries contained in

them: Take knowledge how that when Moses, as you may read in ch. 13. 14.* 1.727 of Numbers, when he had brought the people to the borders of that long desired land,* 1.728 which flowed with milk and hony: Moses according to Gods command, chooses 12 men, One out of every Tribe, to go and discover this land, what it was, and how it might be ob∣tained: among these 12 men, were these two sent, Ioshu•• the Author of this Book, and Caleb here mentioned in the Text: These two and the other Ten went, dispersing themselves by two: they pass through the Land from Zion to Rehob,* 1.729 and took special notice of what they could get know∣ledge of, as conducing to their ends, searching and piercing into the very bowels of the Land,* 1.730 what they could discover of its Richness and Fertility, Of its commodiousness and pleasantness, of the strength and weakness of the people; and of all things which might conduce to the victory, and for the encouragement of those who sent them: For they had heard various reports, some to in∣courage, some to discourage, therefore they re∣solve to send these 12 pickt men, One out of every Tribe, as spies, to bring them a True report. And in their journey, Two of them (to shew the rich∣ness of the land) they meeting with grapes very fruitfull,* 1.731 large and wonderfull, at the Brook Escol; There they cut down a cluster to bring their bre∣thren an Example of what they had seen, to con∣vince them by sight as well as report: and it was so big and weighty, that they were fain to carry it between two of them. And All these twelve

coming back to their brethren, They all give re∣ports of the Land: All the twelve agree in one, for the Excellency and goodness of the land: but ten of the Spies,* 1.732 All except these two, Ioshua and Caleb, They bring up in ill report, To discourage the people; saying, it was very true, that it was a land ••lowing with milk and honey, and abundance of all things,* 1.733 and therefore, To be desired: But, There was no way to get to it, for their walls were strong and high, reaching to heaven; and the men were mighty men, the sons of Anack, The land was full of Giants, And say they, we were in our own eyes but as Grashoppers to them. And therefore whatever others may talk of this and that; the plain truth is,* 1.734 That it had been far better That we had dyed in Egypt, or the wilderness: for let the Lord promise what he would, and Moses and that Faction believe what they would; there was No hope of ever prevailing:* 1.735 But this Rumour running and increasing among the people, inso∣much that the people Cryed out, and wept sore: Ioshua and Caleb hearing thereof, at last they stood forth to stop this slander, and to encourage the people; and exhorted them not to give any heed to those reports; For, The people were so discouraged at these reports, And the Mutiny grew so high, That they resolved to forsake their Gover∣nours,* 1.736 and make themselves Captains and return into Egypt. But Caleb and Ioshua laboured mightily to perswade their brethren; for the Lord was wroth and would have destroyed them, But These perswade them to forbear their

murmuring, and not rebell against the Lord: for If the Lord delight in them,* 1.737 he could and would give them the Land, and bring them into it; And, If they could but Believe, They need not fear the people of the Land; For; Their defence was de∣parted from them, and the Lord would be with Israel, And he would make their enemies to be bread to them, and they should be as Grashoppers before them: and the Lord would make them As Giants and Conquerors over them; and they should not be able to resist: And, for all they were so great and mighty,* 1.738 The power of God should make them serve for food; And, all those opposi∣tions and discouragements should so turn to their advantage, that they should Serve them, and be all, as helps to them in the victory and conquest. Yet for all this the people were so mad and inra∣ged through unbelief, that all the congregation bad,* 1.739 Stone them with stones.

They thus persevering, These two, To clear the slander, And the other to murmur and discourage the people, that hereupon began such a mutiny; Some few, taking Calebs and Ioshuahs side, and some, yea most of them the murmurers side, Inso∣much,* 1.740 That they fell at variance whether they should attempt the land, or dye as they were; so that Moses was fain to stand up and intercede for them; or else the Lord would have destroy∣ed them utterly as One man, at one instant; but yet, He would, for all this, in the very heat of all his anger and wrath, Preserve those that believed, And made of Moses,* 1.741 A great people: yet Moses

Stands up for them, and prayes and urges the Lord, That he is long-suffering and great in mercy, and therefore that he would, as he had often done, bear with them and pardon their unbelief; And the Lord answered his prayer and said, I have pardoned according to thy word:* 1.742 but as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord; Onely, This generation, who have seen All my Miracles and my wonders from Egypt to this day, and have tempted me now Ten times, they shall not see this good land I promised them; save onely my servants Ioshua and Caleb, they shall live and Enter and Possess, and also the poste∣rity of those that believe in me.

But before I go any further, I would not let all this go without this One observation from hence, by the way, That of all the souls that murmured, though they were at the edge of the land, yet (being 600000 in number) not One of them All, Entred the land of Canaan, but onely these two.

Beloved Friends, you have heard here a large description of what was then done: Of an Ex∣ceeding good land, and desirable, and how they murmured, and how full they were of Unbelief, and how few entred: Shall we onely look upon All this, as an history, and never reflect into our own souls? What is This good Land to us? what are we the better for all these good things, A land so fruitful, so good, so replenished with milk and hony, so fruitful every way, so delightful, so com∣modious, so desirable, If there be not the same

land for us, as well as for them? Can all these things do us any good, unless we may enjoy them? you know the p••overb, when ye hear of such and such Rare things, every one will say, what's all this to me? We had rather have it, then hear of it: for, it is a trouble to hear of it and yet want All these things. So I say Beloved, Because, in all you read or hear in the Scriptures, I would have you still look into your selves, That the Scriptures may Be your Own; That you may, as David sayes,* 1.743 make the Word your Portion and your Inheritance: That, that which was to others sweet, as it was to him; so it may to you, be as sweet as hony to your taste,* 1.744 yea sweeter then the hony comb; and more to be desired then gold, yea then much fine gold. I say, what is all this long History to us? But that, in this history, and so in all other Promises, we may see, They are made to us: 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 con∣firmed 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 par∣dons our murmurings, and unbeliefe, and still re∣news his promise; Though we often (so far as lies in us) Cancel the bonds and the ingage∣ments; 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 ac∣complished 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,* 1.745 that say, Tis true, Hea∣ven is a good Country and full of plenty that can be desired; there is indeed, as the Scripture saith, Things,* 1.746 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 ever∣more: 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 over∣come: 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 Revelati∣on, And all these are Giants, sons of Anack, whom we dare not disturb nor en••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 ano∣ther Text, under several heads) All these are as so many Golia's, making challenges and pro••la∣mations in behalf of the whole army of those nu∣merous Philistims within us; And, to fight really with these, we had rather die in the wilderness, or

return into Egypt,* 1.747 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 con∣troul 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;* 1.748 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 discourage∣ments, Therefore Tis but a folly to try any fur∣ther and labour ourselves in vain; let the Coun∣try be as good as it will, we shall never get thi∣ther; 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 wi••ls and o••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,* 1.749 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.* 1.750 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.* 1.751

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,* 1.752 and Terrible ••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 ••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,* 1.753 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 dis∣couragements shall be as meat, and Strength to you: This inheritance is not gotten or obtained by our strength, or our righteousness: but it is pur∣chased 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 s••ns are but fruits of unbelief. ••nbelief dis∣ables utterly, and Cuts off from the Kingdome of God: for so long as we conceive a thing impossi∣ble to be done, we can never go about it with cou∣rage o•• confidence. But He that relies on Gods promise, distrusting his own ability, yet believing that there is nothing so high but he shall at∣tain it; nor nothing so strong, but he shall over∣come it; and onely because God hath promised it, Then shall we go on couragiously and victori∣ously: 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 ne∣ver 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 over∣come and conquered this Land, and had got it into their own possession, They began to divide the Land, to every Tribe His lot of inheritance: To Caleb (Ioshua being made Governour) he gave Hebron, which he took upon him to subdue and

to finish the conquest; for Here and there The Enemy had some strong holds:* 1.754 So that Cal••b he took Hebron for his inheritance, And he under∣took, He and his friends to assist him, that if he could overcome it, he should have it to him and his for ever; if he could not, he should lose it: And passing along, he came to this City, Kiriathsepher; & It being a City very strong, & yet of great impor∣tance for him, he much desired it: Caleb makes a stand, & proclaims, That whosoever smiteth this Ki∣riathsepher,* 1.755 and taketh it, he promiseth to give him his daughter Achsah to wife: it seems Beloved, She was One very Amiable, and to be desired for her Comeliness and Beauty, One worth having; and therefore he propounds Her as a Great and full Reward to whosoever taketh it: as it is in the ver∣ses read: And Caleb said, Whoever smiteth Kiriath∣sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

We come now to divide the words: There is in these two verses, two things:

1. Onus, the work, the burthen, whosoever smi∣teth Kiriathsepher and taketh it.

And secondly, Here is Honos, the gift, or the Reward, or the honour, To him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

But now let us consider, what is all this to us? what is Caleb to us? or what have we to do with the smiting or taking Kiriathsepher? or what shal we be the better for Achsah, Calebs daughter?

I have here, you know, even now, read the first and second Lesson part of this 15.* 1.756 of Ioshua, and

the other out of 2 Cor. 3.* 1.757 I may boldly say, One answers to the other, like the two Cherubims, This looks forward to that Chapter in the Corinthians; and that looks back to this; The one is the inter∣pretation of the other. But it may be you will say to me, That is very strange, we see no such thing: what is this Chapter to that, or that to this? for S. Paul tels us there, That the letter kils, but the Spirit gives life; and that They are Ministers not of the letter, but of the Spirit: And likewise, he speaks there of the two Tables of the Law, and compares it with the Glorious dispensations of the Gospel, as being far more glo••ious: If there was so much glory at the Promulgation of the Law, which was written but in Tables of Stone, and to be abrogated, and was also but the mini∣stration of death: much more glorious is the mi∣nistration of the Spirit, written by the finger of God himself in the Tables of our hearts for even that which was made glorious, had no glory by rea∣son of that which excelleth in glory: And Moses, He put on a vail,* 1.758 else the people could not behold Him nor Hear him; Which vail is still upon the heart, and our m••nds are still blinded by reason of that vail, which is still upon the heart, while we are under the law: for to this day remaineth still the same vail, untaken away, In the reading the old Testament, which vail is done away in Christ.

But to all this I redudce onely This part of this Chapter now read, to unfold and interpret all this: And for the present I have made choise of these

two Verses, to give light to that whole Chapter; and that Chapter is the Exposition of this, as I before said: O how like is my text, and every part thereof, to those New washed sheep! Cant. 4. 2.* 1.759 Every word beareth twins, and there is none barren among them.

Of which two Verses, I shall say as Abigal said of Nabal, when David came to destroy him, Regard not this son of Belial, and let not my Lord be angry, Nabal is his name, and so is he: So I may say of this Text, as their Names are, so are They.

Here is Kiriathsepher, and Caleb, and Othniel, and Achsah: We will see what Secrets and Myste∣ries The holy Spirit hath Couched under these vails: For as they are in Hebrew, they express no∣thing to us: but Read them in English and take off their vail, and you may see what honey will come out of the mouth of the eater,* 1.760 and out of the strong Sweetness.

What then is Kiriathsepher? In Hebrew it sig∣nifies The City of the Book, or the City of the Letter.

We will first interpret them to you into English, and then we shall come to shew you what they are, To every one of us: for it is the office of the Ministers of the new Testament, To strive To take off the Vail, that every one may come to see His own face in the Scriptures, as a man seeth His natural face in a glass.

In the next place, What is Achsah? In Hebrew it signifies. The Rending of the vail.

And then, what signifies Caleb? In the Hebrew it is as much as to say, My heart, or a perfect heart, or a good heart.

And what then is Othniel? In Hebrew it is, Gods good time, or The Lords fit Opportunity.

I have Beloved, as yet Read the Text to you but in ••ebrew: And then it runs as it is written, And Caleb said, Whosoever smiteth the City Ki∣r••athsepher and taketh it, to him will I give Ach∣sah my daughter to wife: And Othniel the son of Kenaz the brother of Caleb took it, and he gave un∣to him Achsah his daughter to wife; and so on: But in English it is to be read thus, And my heart said, or a good heart said, That whosoever smiteth and taketh the City of the Letter, to him will I give the Tearing or Rending of the vail: And Othniel took it, as being Gods fit time or oppor∣tunity, and he married Achsah; that is, enjoyed the Rending of the vail, and thereby had the blessing possessed by Achsah; viz. by this Vail being Rent, and possessed both the upper springs and the nether springs. To him that obtains This rending of the vail, to him shall be given the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; He possesses full content, heaven and all happiness, and whate∣ver his heart can wish for, as we shall shew here∣after, if God permit.

But in the interim,* 1.761 it may be you will say to me, Sir, but methinks this seems to be a very bold allegory.

But have patience;* 1.762 for I must tell you that not onely in this Scripture, but throughout the old

Testament, from the first of Genesis, to the last of the Prophets there runs an Allegory, a Mystery, a Secret Woof in the Web of the Letter, as I may so call it, which if you have not the skill and Art to know it, that so you may eye it and see it through the let∣ter, (for it is hid and covered with the letter) I will be bold to say it you have not the Marrow, the life of the Scriptures; in the justification of which I dare live and die: I deny not the history of the word, It is really true, undeniably, most cer∣tainly true: bear me record: for certain, it is true both of this particular Scripture and so of the rest; I say, Caleb did say so, and Kiriathsepher was ta∣ken by Othniel, and he did marry Achsah: these things were really, and literally and externally acted. And so the History of Abraham, and all the rest: but I cannot stand now to instance as I would, though I could shew you clearely How the Mystery is hid, and couched and interwoven in the letter. But to touch upon the History of A∣braham; He had two sons, The One the son of the bond-woman; The Other the son of the free woman: And there was A mount Sinai, and A mount Sion, as the Apostle Paul alludes to it: and shews us Thy mystery of those things: and tells us plainly, Those things are an Allegory, Gal. 4. 24.* 1.763 Which things are an Allegory, saith he; for these are the two Covenants, the one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage which is Hagar, and answe∣reth to Ierusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children: but Ierusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all; and as he that

was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now: and so he goes on, shewing what the Holy Ghost Pointed out in that History, because he would not have them, Rest in the Letter, but search for the Spirit, The life, and the mystery: So neither do I deny, nor diminish the least title from the letter: but the Apostle, and so I, would bring the history home to our selves, to our own particulars: For what are these histories to us? what good is it to us, that there was Amount Si∣nai, and A mount Sion? and that Abraham had two sons, the One by the bond-woman, the Other by the free-woman? but He would shew and teach us, That the son of the bond-woman in us, which is the Son of fear, should be cast out; and the son of the free-woman, that is, the Son of love, should inherit: so always reserving the Truth of the Letter, yet not losing the sense and the meaning. But if we rest and dwell on the Let∣ter, or on the history, and so onely take it as an history,* 1.764 and not see our own selves in it and by it: then that History, that Letter kills: but it is the Spirit onely that gives life, viz. the Mind and the meaning; for there is no Scripture but is as a glass to behold our own faces, our own Hearts.

So, he that shall read the second and third chapters of Genesis: where we read of the Ser∣pents speaking to,* 1.765 and beguiling our mother Eve; and of Eves tempting her Husband, and so both came into the transgression: But now let us not one∣ly read this speculatievly, and so let it pass; but let

us consider how this Scripture is fulfilled in us, see how our own condition is there related, as well as our first parents; let us come to the woof; this is but the out-side, the Letter; what is the hid∣den truth in them? for there is no part of holy Writ but is fulfilled alwaies in all times, in every part thereof, and in every member of the Church; or In the enemies of the Church at one time or other: alwayes the same things are in doing throughout all ages.

As I take it, the meaning is, The Serpents there speaking to Eve; His first setting upon her, solli∣citing and seducing her: It shews that Satans method in the soul of every man, is first to set upon the inferior part of man, the affections, which are soonest overcome: as S. Paul sayes of Eve, the woman was first in the transgression,* 1.766 thereby under∣standing (as I conceive) the affections, unto which and by which The Serpent is every day whispering Treason, and suggesting Treachery in∣to the soul against God. The lower parts of the soul first hearken, and they being overcome, then they as Eve, set upon Adam, that is, the Will and Understanding, and the higher powers of the soul, whereby both the Woman and the Man came into the transgression. Understanding the Scrip∣tures thus, As fulfilled within us, we make them our own; hereby the word is made a Living word and Endureth for ever, as David saith. Those that see and feel the Scriptures Thus fulfilled In them, They have found The Pearl of the Scriptures, for we ought to sell All: and the Hidden Manna

which shall feed and nourish them to Eternal life.* 1.767 Nay, let me tell you, These have the Spirit and the life of the Word, though they never heard nor read the Scripture before. If thou hast but found & felt the Hissing Serpent cursed in thee, & overcome in thee;* 1.768 if thou hast seen Lucifer fallen from his Heaven in thy soul, like lightning; I say to thee, This day is the Scripture fulfilled in thee. For if thou knowest the Letter of the Scriptures never so exactly; if thou hast not this work brought about in thee Thou art a meer stranger to the Scriptures: thou never yet understoodst what the Word of God was: but finding these things in thee, thou wilt say as those Samaritans said to the wo∣man of Samaria, who told them she had met with Christ the Messiah: but when they themselves had conferred with him,* 1.769 say they, now we believe him to be so, not because thou saidst so, but be∣cause we have seen him and found him so to our selves: so mayest thou say, now I believe, not only because it is written in Gen. but because I have felt it, and seen it written & fulfilled in mine own soul: for Thus God is pleased, for our capacities and comprehensions, to convey to us the knowledge of this inward work within us, by external repre∣sentations to our understanding; that so we may comprehend Those things, that are so far above us; for men naturally altogether live by sense and rea∣son, which reveal not these things but as they are rubbed and whetted upon us,* 1.770 instilled by degrees, Line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a lit∣tle and there a little. And when thou canst say, I

have felt all these things done in my self, this whispering and this solliciting; I find I have that Adam and Eve in me; I have eaten of that for∣bidden tree; I find it was I that aspired to be equal with God, and I would sit in his seat; and this is Lucifer in me, and the Devil in me, and the old Adam in me; but if thou canst say withal, I have also found him overcome and cursed in me: o•• Beloved, you then are in a happy condition.

It is said concerning our Saviour,* 1.771 that he spake to them in parables, and without a parable spake l. e nothing unto them: so God seldome or never speaks to us, but it is in parables, under resem∣blances and figures: So here this City Kiriath∣sepher here spoken of, Of its Smiting and Taking, its a parable rather then a history; something else represented of more high concernment. The wisdom of God in the Scriptures is such, that it minds higher things then to tell Stories, and re∣late Histories: but he would thereby set out to us The picture of our selves, and of his own workings in us, And this is divine, the other is but Humane; it is but bare and empty, base and carnal in comparison of the spiritual and living sense. But herein lies the very wisdom and power, and foot∣steps of God, The very finger of God.

This we have spoken by way of prologue; that so we might bring you to converse, and to have your eyes within and upon your own hearts while we are opening unto you the Scriptures;* 1.772 then will your hearts burn within you. And I pray God that he would be pleased to shew you These things

in your selves, so that he may thereby so warm your hearts, that they may make them burn with∣in you, even while He himself opens these Scrip∣tures to you and in you.

The smiting of this Kiriathsepher, is the smi∣ting of the Letter; we must st••ike this Letter, this Scripture, and take it, and then we shall have Ho∣nos, the gift, or reward: there is no getting of Ach∣sah to wife without the Smiting this Kiriathse∣pher, and Taking it: you your selves must be the Othniels; But it must be a Caleb, a good heart that must make a proclamation in you, encourage and put you on to this work; You must know this, Self can never smite this Letter. If you smite it for your own ends, for your own carnal advantages, or for your own liberty, there is enough would so smite the Letter, as S. Paul saith, to abuse their li∣berty by Jesus Christ, to the satisfying of the flesh; this is nothing but the Devils and Satans smiting and taking the Letter: for flesh and the old man wisheth there were no Law to rule and bridle it: this is not an Othniels nor a Calebs smiting and taking; but this is our selves; this is not to strike it in Christs Name, but in our Own names, and then we shall never marry Aschsah.

He that rightly strikes the City of the Let∣ter, Shall have Achsah to wife: observe hence,

That we may have the Scriptures and yet not marry Achsah: we may be very conversant with, and dayly use the Scriptures, and yet never mar∣ry Achsah, never possess the Rending of the Vail.

Oh Brethren! know this for certain, we may be bred and born with the Scriptures, live and dye with the Scriptures, rise and go to bed with the Scriptures, Eat and drink with the Scriptures; they may be alwayes in our hands, and alwayes in use; insomuch that we may be able to give account of the whole Bible by heart, and yet not marry Achsah, and yet this rock yeeld no water to quench our thirst: and all because we read them as a History, as things done long ago without us, and not at present doing in us.

Moses might have stood long enough looking at the Rock,* 1.773 Till he had fainted for thirst, if he had not smote the Rock: So, the reason why we get no milk from the breasts of consolation,* 1.774 as the Prophet Esay saith, it is because we force them not, we milk it not forth: but he that striketh the Letter of the Word, shall have the interpreta∣tion thereof given to him.

Obj.* 1.775 But it may be you may say to me: But hath not God given us this Letter of the Word for our rule; the which he hath been pleased to keep and preserve in all Ages, and hath brought them to our hands, and so to our Posterities? and have not many Authors spent their labours, and written whole volumes upon This very Word, on the Letter of it? and will you say there is no∣thing in it? or will you say the Letter kills? What, hath God given us poison in the Scriptures to destroy us? then it were far better to neglect them and never use them.

Answ. No Beloved, far be it from me to say

so; yet I would have you rightly understand me, for your own sakes. The Letter, the Scriptures are all True, as I said before: but let me tell you withal, they are true onely as God means them. We must give him leave To interpret his own meaning: He that w••ote the Scriptures, certain∣ly knows best His own mind in them: but I say, if you have Onely the Letter, Nay, though ye have the external signification of them, that kills, that destroyes.

But you will say, Is the Letter, is the Book written in black Letters, is it then Evil? If so, then let us Throw away the Letter; if God hath given us therein poison to kill us, then what do we with it? let us throw away our Bibles, nay, let us burn our Bibles.

No, in no case; let us labour to preserve the Lette•• of the Word whole, entire, and untouched: But, The Letter is said to kill, not that it doth so in its own nature, but per accidens; it is so to him who looks no farther then the Letter, we make it so to our selves A killing Letter.

As if suppose I should give you a Cockle, or an Oyster, and I should tell you, Take this, for there∣in is precious meat to sustain and nourish you. Now if you take this and keep it by you and never crack the shell, that so you may come at the meat and the vertue whi••h is in it; I may say now, the s••ell kills you: for, if you onely look on the shells, and lie Licking the outside onely, will this nourish, will this give life? certainly no; but if you crack it, and open it, and eat the meat,

this will nourish•• yet I may justly and truly say, This Cogal, or These Oysters kill you; because you depend upon That which will starve and undo you: But, The meat, that gives life: So in the same sense is it spoken concerning the Word: The Letter kills, but the Spirit gives life:* 1.776 If you be alwayes handling the Letter of the Word, al∣wayes licking the Letter, alwayes chewing upon that, what great things do you? no marvel you are such starvelings; no marvel you thrive not: no marvel you are such Monsters, alwayes chil∣dren, and never come to any grow••th: no mar∣vel you go not on To perfection: what do you in this more then every carnal man may do? what do you more then Hypocrities?* 1.777 Do not Hypocrities the same? nay, do not the Devils the same? For he knows the Letter exactly, and he can dis∣course excellently thereof, far beyond the lear∣nedst Rabby in the World: but I say then, if you rest onely in the Letter, That kills: except this Letter be crakt, except this City Kiriathsepher be smitten and taken, ye cannot come at the kernel, ye cannot have Achsah, Calebs daughter.

Though the Letter contain in it Life and nou∣rishment, as the Oyster-shell doth the Oyster, and as the shell of the Cocal doth the meat; and ye cannot have the Oyster without the shell; Yet you see, you cannot have the meat neither, with∣out you crack and break the shell.

As for instance, If you give me [Beef or Mut∣ton;] there is in them both meat for nourish∣ment, and also excrements: buu who can say

(when he looks on either) This is the meat, and This is the Nutriment, and this Other is the ex∣crements, and this is that which goes into the draught, and is good for nothing. Yet you know, The stomach will sever these, and divide to ei∣ther their proper way and places, and to their pro∣per uses; and a skilful Physician which knows the body, the arteries, and the veins, and all the parts how they lie, he knows how nature disposes of all these things, and knows both the things and the causes.

And so likewise in Physick, ye can have no Phy∣sick without excrements: though ye cannot see the virtue, and the Life, and the Spirits; yet ye may see the effects: and though in meat you can∣not see the nourishment; yet you may see the thing nourished by it. So we cannot have the true word of God without the letter: God could not (as I may so say) considering our state as we are, he could not give us meat or Physick by the word, but by the Letter: And although it be not the Physicians intent to give excrements, but onely Physick; and we do not eat meat for the excre∣ments sake but for the meats sake, and for the nou∣rishment:

So my Brethren, we being of so low a nature and quality, so earthly, so fleshly, so sensual, so far from a spiritual nature, That I say, God cannot give us His Mind and the soul of the Scriptures, which is so Divine, Heavenly and Spiritual, with∣out the Letter, without the shell, without those excrements•• Yet, His meaning is not, to give us

the shell or the excrements, but the nourishment: his meaning is to give us Living water, springing up to eternal life,* 1.778 and to feed us with Hidden Manna,* 1.779 and to give us the white stone, wherein there is a new name, that no man knoweth but he that rece••veth it.

But we must not therefore Throw away the Letter, because there is excrements with it: as we do not throw away meat or Physick, because excrements are in it: because, if you throw away the meat, you throw away the nourishment, as well as the excrements: But, if you take the Carnal letter as carnally spoken; The literal letter as literally spoken; Then, you have not taken the City of the letter. If you look for no more in the Scriptures,* 1.780 we do but cast pearls before swine; you go no further then the Pharisees.

The Jews and the Pharisees, before Christ came, they were so literal, sensual and carnal, they thought that whosoever did not break the letter of the Ten Commandments; If they did nothing against the Outward, Literal letter, they thought themselves blameless. As in the seventh Commandment, They thought If they had not actually layen with a woman, then they had per∣fectly kept that Law; but Christ goes further, and tells them,* 1.781 He that looks on a woman, and lusts af∣ter her, hath committed adultery already in his heart: And so for murther, they thought if they did not lay hands on their brother to murther him, they thought they had gone a great way in keeping that Command; but our Saviour goes further then every eye can see, and saith,

He that is angry with his brother without cause, is guilty of murther:* 1.782 So they rested on the Letter, and the Letter perished: They had not married Achsah, they had still The vail before their eyes; and those that are come no further, they are still Jews; as the Apostle saith, They have still the vail before their eyes, even while Moses is read: and Christ is a mysterie Hid, to such, even from the beginning of the world.

Beloved, we have many Chatechisms now adayes,* 1.783 and They say, they are for children; and I believe so to, Onely for children to get by roat, and be never the better for them: and I am afraid, there are Too, too many such children, who think themselves Tall men, who have most of the Scri∣pture at their fingers ends; And because they can answer any Catechistical point in Divinity, they must be accounted, The greatest Profici∣ents, and tallest Ch••istians: But you see by this we have said, how far men may go herein, and yet know nothing to salvation.

As we said, The children of Israel, how expert were they in the Scriptures, so as they thought themselves the strictest observers of the Com∣mandments: yet you see how our Saviour under∣values all their knowledge and strictness: And now seeing it is fallen in our way, we will touch upon each Commandment briefly.

The Israelites they thought, if they observed the litteral Ten Commandments, there was no more required. As in the first Commandment, if he worshipped either Sun, Moon, or Stars, or any

creature, then he thought he should dye the death; but if they never bowed to any creature in a way of worship, then they were innocent: But, This they might do, and be never the bet∣ter; for saith the Apostle, The end of the Com∣mandment is love, out of a pure heart, and faith unfeigned. To have any thing in the world for thy God, Either to love or fear, so that it draws away the love and fear of thy Creator, that thing is to thee a God, and thou givest it that worship, fear and love that is due onely to God. So far as any creature hath caused thee to offend thy Crea∣tor, thou hast broken this Commandment. If either riches, or beauty, or honour, or promoti∣on hath weighed down thy love from obeying God Almighty, thou hast set it in the room of God, and cast Him behind thy back,* 1.784 And that thou hast worshipped and served; thou sacrificedst to it thy heart: thy fear, thy love, thy trust, which is onely due to God. They never came to this, To observe what they set up in their hearts for God; and herein lay The marrow, The nourishment, the meat of the Commandment, and all because they had not smitten Kiriathsepher, they had not crackt the Letter.

And so the second Commandment, Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image.* 1.785 Here let me tell you thus much, In making of Images, God loves Carvers better then Painters; It may be, The strangeness of the expression will cause you to take the more notice of what I am to say: Be not offended a•• the expression; for I shall open

my intentions in so saying.

Quest. Why sir, what do you mean?

Answ. Ile tell you; Carvers you know in their work, they lessen, cut, pare, and take away; but Painters they do not so; but they adde in their work, they put colour here and there; So this is that I mean; God loves those that seek him in poverty, in a way of emptiness and self-nothing∣ness: And as for those that seek him in riches and greatness, and in high things, in mens esteem, they go farther and farther from him. The Virgin Mary found it so in experience,* 1.786 when she said, The hungry he fills with good things, and the rich he sendeth empty away: he hath regarded the no∣thingness of his handmaid, he hath brought down the mighty, and exalted them of low degree, and scat∣tered the proud in the imagination of their hearts: If you would find God, It must be, by lessening your selves, and taking the creature quite out of your way. And, if you would think of God, to find Him you must not imagine Him under any form, but cast away from you, all that ever you can say, or think; for God is nothing that we can say, name or imagine.

And therefore if you speak of any thing, or think of any thing, either in the heaven above, or in the earth beneath,* 1.787 or in the water under the earth, and think him like it, though it be never so glorious; yea, ten thousand times brighter then the Sun: yet in this you commit Idolatry, and make to your self, A graven, or a formed image: All is one; for God infinitely transcends all our thoughts

and imaginations: yea all the thoughts of all the Angels in heaven; for none can comprehend God, but God ••imself; Therefore herein you belye God, for he is none of all those things, nor like any of those things we imagine. For you know He speakes falsely as well He that sayes less then the truth, as he that sayes more then the truth: As in your publick oaths, they are given in this form, Thou shalt speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: So that, he that speaks less then the truth, or more then the truth, speaks not the truth; and he that speaks not the truth, speaks a lye: So he that thinks or speaks that which comes short of God, and sayes such an one is the Almighty, He belyes him, and hath broken the second Commandment.

But he that shall Take away whatsoever is competible to any creature whatsoever, He comes nearest to God; For, whatever is competible or agreeable to any creature, Is All but Accidents: and so The creature blindes us, and hides God from us: though God be in every creature, and as much in one creature as in another, yet These Accidents in the creatures hide God from us: And those to whom Christ hath manifested the Father, They in whom Christ dwells, they know that Christ is in them, and in every creature; but Reprobates know it not,* 1.788 as the Apostle saith, Know ye not that Iesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Those that be reprobates, do not know that Christ is in them: but if they be No Reprobates, they know it, and are sensible of it:

Christ hath manifested himself to be in them, by Revealing to them That God filleth all things.

They See him,* 1.789 Believe him, and Feel him to be That Ever Blessed BEING That filleth all in all, Who Alone can make them Happy; They have seen His Goings out, and His comings in, His glorious Outgoings in every creature, which hath so Endeared and won over their hearts to him, so that they esteem him Dearer, and more lovely and Amiable, then ten thousand worlds, and their hearts Can never depart from him; or rather, He hath so united them to himself by His love shed abroad in their hearts, that they can ne∣ver be Reprobated from him: as David saith in Psal. 68. 24.* 1.790 They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of my King and my God, even in the Sanctuary: They see God in every creature, Deck••d as on his Throne, In his Glory and Majesty, in his Heaven, and in his Holy Temple.

But as we were saying, whatever creature thou lookest upon, be it never so glorious, That creature by reason of its Clothing, by Accidents i•• blindes and hood-winks us from God; for I cannot shew you God, nor represent God to you by shewing or setting forth to you any creature: but if you take from the creature All that can be felt, heard, thought or understood, then you come Nearest Him: As Dionysius in his book of Mystical Di∣vinity, who was St. Pauls Scholar, mentioned in the Acts,* 1.791 He very Elegantly expresseth This very thing we have so often spoke of, and I willingly speak of it, And the oftener, as it comes in my way, because

I know These things we are very ignorant of gene∣rally, even among those that think they know All things, and yet are ignorant in this Great and Comprehensive truth, which is even the very be∣ginning and foundation, and Rock, of all other truths.

If you could take from the creature all Heat, and Cold, all heaviness and lightnes••, all weight and measure, all beauty and ill-favouredness, all youth and age, all greatness and littleness, and all Accidents, All manner of fashion and form, or Whatever hath a Name, or can be imagined, then you shall find, the High and Holy One, in his ta∣bernacle,* 1.792 and in his Secret place,* 1.793 Even He who is God blessed for ever, that is, Even God, in Christ Iesus.

Those that go about to find God this way, in the way of poverty, and taking away, they shall find God in Christ Jesus: But those that go about to find him in the way of adding or inlarging, or setting any creature before them to resemble God, God hides himself the more, and goes farther off from them: And therefore it was I said, that God loves Carvers better then Painters.

So then, we have shewed you how Moses deli∣vered onely the Letter of the Commandments; and he that made Not an Idol to behold and fall down to it with his body, he had not broke this Com∣mandment: But the Spirit of this Commandment goes farther then every eye can see, and there is more contained in it then we can at first see in the superficies of the Letter.

For he not onely breaks this Commandment that makes an Image, and falls down and worships it; for this is but the least breach of it, this is but outward and bodily; he indeed transgresses against the Letter: but there is an inward and more dangerous breach; viz. To transgress against the Spirit of it; That is, He that thinks or be∣lieves,* 1.794 or affirms, That God is like any thing in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the wa∣ter under the earth, and of this makes himself a God, and adores and worships it in his mind; This man the Lord will not hold him guiltless, for he is a jealous God.

He that thinks God to be like any thing, either glorious or base, to be like any thing he hath seen or not seen, to be like any thing he hath felt or not felt, to be like any thing he hath heard or not heard, to be like any thing great or little, to be like any thing either present or ab∣sent, or any thing he can imagine, that man hath made him A graven Image, and hath fallen down and worshipped it.

Nay,* 1.795 I tell you, though he hath neither eyes no•• hands to make an Image,* 1.796 yet he hath both made A graven Image, and hath worshipped it: Whereto (sayes God) will you liken me?* 1.797 saw you any thing in that day? &c. and to what will you com∣pare me? therefore he that compares God to any thing, he hath not smitten The City of Kiriathse∣pher, and taken it; he hath not married Achsah.

So likewise, the Third Commandment: The letter of it commands not to take Gods name in

vain, or blaspheme his name: Now if a man hath ••ot in words blasphemed, nor swore an oath but when he hath been called to it, he hath done what Moses required; and No man else was ex∣ternally punished, but he that externally broke the Letter of the Commandments: But Gods name you know signifies his attributes, his Power, his Wisdom, his Iustice, his Mercy, &c, so that the Spirit of this Commandment is; He that takes or appropriates this Power, or Wisdom, or Mercy, or any other Attribute, and saith They are His, That he hath either power, or goodness•• or wisdom, or justice, or mercy; or that any creature hath any of these, or whatsoever is Gods Name; or That he shall apply These to any sinister, by, or self-end, and doth not at all times use them onely ••o glorifie, serve, and honour God with them: I say this man hath fearfully and desperately broke this Commandment: this man hath not onely Buried his talent in a napkin, and been An unpro∣••itable servant, for which the Lord Commands from him to be taken away That which he hath;* 1.798 that is, That which he seemeth to have, To him∣••elf, and to other men like himself; for which ••nprofitableness he is to be cast into Outer Dark∣••ess, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

But then, what shall become of him that hath Arrogated, purloined and appropriated those things which were but lent him to imploy for his Lords 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to his own self-ends and advantage? Nay moreover, This man hath subjected God himself to ••erve his turn, and his own carnal ends: as the

Lord himself complains by the Prophet,* 1.799 You have made me to serve your iniquities; that is, you have served your selves with my power, and strength, and wisdom, and goodness, and not me, nor my ends.

O Beloved, that we could but see all these things in o••r selves, to shame us, and to bring us to nothing, that we may put our mouthes in the very dust for these high indignities against the Throne and Scepter of Jesus Christ in our souls! Beloved, know, This is the substance of the Commandment; the other part is but the shadow; this is the Com∣mandment it self; the other is but the Sacra∣ment, the symbol, the Image.

And so likewise in the fourth Commandment: he that refrained his hands and feet from servile labour,* 1.800 and rested, did no work, nor gathered 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sticks, Moses found no fault with them: but the Spirit of this Commandment goes farther; for he that goes but thus far, keeps but the Sabbath of the Ox and the Ass: but the Sabbath is to be sanctified: whats that? onely to go to Church and hear or read, and make a prayer, or to do the like at home?* 1.801 No, no, But blessed is the man, who keepeth the Sabbtah from polluting it. Many think because they are constant in such things as Those, that they have sanctified the Sabbath. But as I said, He that truly keeps the Sabbath Holy, he must keep Gods Sabbath.

Object.* 1.802 You will say, What is that?

Answ.* 1.803 He is called The God of Sabbaths, not because (as many ignorantly think) that he is the

God of the Sunday, more then of the Munday or Tuesday, o•• of the seventh day more then of any other day; But because He is the God of Rest: for [Sabbath] is as much as to say, [Rest] Because the creatures are all in motion, in vegetation, and action, and no creature can be at Rest, till they re∣turn to Tim; He Onely is at Rest. All creatures were created by him; and are (as it were) gone out from him, as Noahs Dove sent out of the Ark, and they rest not One minute till they return into this Blessed Noah again, And till He be pleased to put forth his hand, and take it in again.

Beloved know this, The most stable and most durable creature that is, is in Motion, is still and al∣ways inchanging; It remains not the same, not one tittle of time: The iron, the gold, the silver, the stones, none are at rest, no not One minute: For could you but shew me any one creature that is at Rest, but for one minute, I would be so bold as to say It were God: and that creature were immor∣tal and everlasting: but it is God onely that is at Rest, it is He onely that is immortal, and there∣fore no creature can be.* 1.804 God Almighty, He is the True Sabbath, and those that return to be One with Him, they onely keep a True Sabbath: for God Rested on the seventh day and sanctified it: six dayes He was in creating and working; while we are absent from the Lord, we are in continual travel and labour, and so in continual changing till the seventh day come: while we are in the world and in the body, we must work and be in changing and removing from place to place, and

doing the actions of creatures as creatures. But know, as the Prophet saith, Arise, depart hence, for this is not your rest;* 1.805 Remember your Sabbath To keep it Holy, without turmoils, and hurryings after the creatures, and learn to live above while you are here below: I say Above in the quiet and still Regions, Above All the creatures and things below: for here in these things you can never Rest; But Return to God; Return to thy rest O my soul, saith David,* 1.806 where onely you shall find Rest and there keep your Sabbaths: All other keeping Sab∣baths, is but External and bodily labour, and bo∣dily labour profiteth nothing, sayes the Apostle: yet most men,* 1.807 those that not onely profess reli∣gion, but also most Teachers, they are gotten into such a Form of religion and External holiness, of Outward and Bodily labour in keeping Sabbaths and other things in religion, so that true and real godliness is almost lost; and which is most dange∣rous of all, Herein they rest, and bless themselves and their disciples: Therefore I would gladly disturb them, and Rouse them from their Lees, whereon they are setled. Therefore I say, look not among the creatures, nor in your External duties, nor in Outward keeping of Sabbaths, to find your true Rest; but onely in your God, who is the God of your Sabbaths.

Then for the fifth Commandement, God by the Letter commands us,* 1.808 to honour Father and Mo∣ther; that is to be done: To honour and obey those that are our Fathers and Mothers of the body, and according to the flesh; and those that

are termed Fathers and Mothers in regard of their office. For my aim is not in this, nor in any other Commandement ••o dehort you from doing the External part thereof: But when you have done that, there you Rest, and think you have done some great Act: but this is that I say, this is not that God chiefly intends; but God would by them commend unto us Himself.

1 In regard, He is the Father of all Fathers, the onely and true Father of all. And

2 Because Fathers and Mothers are dear to us, and tender towards us: but He is more tender over us; therefore He ought to be 〈…〉〈…〉 to us then any other: and Him we ought 〈◊〉〈◊〉 honour and obey before them and above 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he that honours, obeys and loves them one•••• hath obey∣ed the Letter: but he hath not smitten this City, he hath not married Achsah.

Then come to the sixth Commandement; Ma∣ny think if they can but wash thei•• hands from blood, so that they have killed no man, they think they have kept this Commandment: but if withall they have not murthered their brother in their heart,* 1.809 nor bore no malice to no man, nor wished an•• hurt to No man: and yet in this, who can say, Hi•• heart is free? and if any have gone th••s far, the•• think themselves upright in obedience to thi•• Commandement.

But this I must tell you is but the Letter: i•• you go no further, you have not smitten Kiriath∣sepher and taken it. But true and Real murther i•• that, which is fatal to the soul: and that is the

murther of God: How? what say you Sir? Murther God? We murther God? God forbid. Yes, Ile tell you what I mean, and you shall confess it.

God complains (as I told you before) that we have loaden him as a cart is loaden with sheaves:* 1.810 ye have so pressed him down under your sins, that he cannot rise: and again the Apostle saith, Ye have crucified to your selves the Son of God afresh: and this you do when you Hate God:* 1.811 And that is, whensover ye apprehend not God Merciful and good to you, in whatever he doth to you; I must tell you, you then Hate God. If at any time You apprehend God hurts you, you cannot love him for it, but you Hate him: and this is true and Re∣all murder with God, as well as when you hate your brother you are Man-slayers, 1 Ioh. 3. 15* 1.812 and that you will not deny; neither can you deny this, as much as lyes in you You Murder God.

For this is a certain rule; No man can love E∣vil, as tis Evil to him, and every man loves good as he finds it good to him. So long as we apprehend any thing to be an evil to us, and for our hurt, we can∣not love it, but do so long Hate it: As David in all his Psalms praises God For His Mercy, for his Goodness, and for His loving-kindness: whatever it be that comes under any other apprehension, we hate it, resist it, fight against it: But David He praised God for his afflictions, for corrections, even when God made him to smart; but that was never till he found kindness and mercy in it, and that he saw it was good for him: if any thing come upon us, that we cannot account a mercy to have it

so, we cannot praise God for it. If we think when God hath taken away any thing we enjoy, be it wife, children, friends, health, liberty, houses, lands, or any thing else that we prize and love, if we think this evil to us, So long we can never praise God for it: if we do not Account What ever falls to us a mercy, and be glad of it, yea a greater mercy to want what we desire then to have it, this man so far hates God.

He that murmurs and thinks, That God at any time doth not well nay doth not alwayes the best, this man hates God. This was that sin that God so Hated and punished in the Israelites, That they would be wiser then God, and they would teach him the path of wisdom, and shew him the way of un∣derstanding:* 1.813 still they were a murmuring and fin∣ding fault with what God did, as if he were not so wise as they; When the Poor POTSHERDS of the earth will contend with the Almighty,* 1.814 And for the Pot to stand up against the Potter,* 1.815 and say, why hast thou made me thus?

When we, Poor Creatures, Poor Crawling Wormes,* 1.816 (the best of us compared with God) shall take upon us to control the wisdome of him, who is wisdom it self?* 1.817 Oh! sayes one, There is such a Heavy thing fallen out: Oh! sayes another, God hath not done well in this: Oh! if he would have heard my prayers in that, I could have told Him How he might have done better then he hath done; and I wish it had fallen out otherwise: Oh friends! Oh friends! this is no other then to do what lies in us to throw the Almighty out of his

throne. How ordinary is this every where? Even among those that profess religion, The greatest and chiefest End and Ayme of their prayers, is to counsel and direct God. Nay, though ye will not own these things, yet if these things be examined to the bottom, this is the plain English, he hath done this contrary to my will, and thou doest not govern well in this, thou doest not rule well in that; thou mightest have taken My counsel, at such time, and in such a thing: this is the language and the plain English of many, yea of most of your prayers, Even of great Professors.

Oh poor Nothings! poor Grashoppers! Thus to lift up your selves against Him, who is so transcen∣dently Wise, Holy and good! Thou thinkest much If thy servant that is (as it were) thy Equal, in some regards, the same flesh and blood with thee, That he should contend and censure thy Acti∣ons: And Seemeth this A small thing in your eyes, to control, and Direct, and Censure, the Wisdom of the Almighty? Oh Beloved! All things of this nature express Hatred of God.

Let me tell you one thing, there is no man that when he looks upon All providences round about him, within him, and without him, Above him & below him,* 1.818 that cannot say from his heart He hath done all things well I say if he cannot in every thing set this down for a Maxime and a firm undeniable truth, that he hath done all things well, very well, Else he cannot from his heart alwayes and in Every thing give thanks,* 1.819 as the Apostle commands, A true resigned man can

say freely and heartily, He hath done

All thing well; In taking away my friends from me, In re∣moving my dear wife: He hath done All things well, In taking away my health, In taking away my good name.

And if so, If he have done A•••• things well, nay all things so much for the best, as the very wisdom of a God could do; then why art thou displeased with him? why doest thou once dare to lift up One murmuring thought again••t Him? thou prayest dayly, thy will be done, or at least shouldest do so: why then doest thou Repine when his will is done, either towards thee O thine, or in the world, or to his own people, or to the Church of God, or to the Enemies of God?

But beloved, I well know what your manner is, to excuse All, under dainty, fine, mincing terms, and call it the infirmity of the flesh, and your weak∣ness, when indeed it is no less then Rebellion,* 1.820 and as the sin of witchcraft (as Samuel told Sau••) when you take little notice of this High Crime, and High treason against the Most High: yet you pass it by, and make light of it, as Saul did; when as in plainterms, it is no less then the renouncing o•• God,* 1.821 Rejecting him and his Government. And i•• you were in His place, you think you would do otherwise in this thing and in that.

Oh poor Drop! why contendest thou with thy Maker? Who shall set him A Rule? wilt thou Sit above him, and Rule him according to thy mind? wilt thou give Laws to the Almighty? Oh trem∣ble before him Ye Earthen Pitchers, ye poor Dust of the ballance; tremble before him, the whole earth:

and let them not dare thus presumptuously to strive with thtir Maker, who is able for One of these thoughts to undo thee, and it is his infinite mercie he pasheth thee not to nothing.

Oh!* 1.822 learn, learn, Poor Dust of the ballance, and poor Drop of a Bucket, to be pleased with whatever he doth; whether he pleases thee or pleases thee not, be tho•• ple••sed with him. If he drives down The Banks before him, like a mighty Ocean; if he Rend the Rocks, and overwhelm the Mountains: if he make the Sea Roar,* 1.823 and the whole earth to Shoot for fear: learn we To tremble before him, and be Afraid to withstand him, lest he ••onsume thee, and bring thee to nothing. Learn to be ruled and guided by His wisdom; Learn of faithful Abraham to obey God, Learn to deny thine own will, and to take up his Cross Readily, and follow him.

As Abraham, when God had made him Rich, and he was setled in U•• of the Chaldees; God, Of A suddain Bids him Leave All and follow him: he presently obeyed and went:* 1.824 But whither must he go? Whither I shall shew thee: He told him not whither, no: he inquires not what conveniencies and accommodation the country had whirher he was to goe:* 1.825 but this was all, Follow me; Even Any where, where God shall shew thee, thou shouldst willingly go; if he bid thee leave Health, that thou leave it willingly; and if he will have thee go with him into sickness, that thou go with him willingly; if he lead thee into any conditi∣on, yea, even into the vale of tears, as David

saith,* 1.826 and into the shadow of death, that thou go with him readily and cheerfully: And so likewise con∣sider Abraham in the sacrificing his onely son,* 1.827 How readily he did it, and consulted not with flesh and blood.

For consider, if it be Gods will that thou shalt go this way, Thou must go it: Why wilt thou do that unwillingly, which thou must do?

Again, in the seventh Commandment, with Moses, he that did not commit Actual adultery with a woman, was not guilty of the b••each of this Com∣mandment: And our Saviour goes further, In in∣te••p••eting the very letter,* 1.828 He that lusts after a woman in his heart, hath committed adultery al∣ready: But the spirituality of this Commandement is,* 1.829 Take heed of spiritual Adultery: Take heed of turning Aside from the Creator, and going a Whoring after the creatures, to set thy affections on any creature above the Lord God Almighty, and not to love Him withal thy mind, with al thy might, and with al thy heart: To set them upon any thing below God, Thou hast therein plaid the Adulte∣rer in the highest degree.

And this is that Adultery set out in the 7. of the Proverbs,* 1.830 of the strumpet and the simple young man, Void of understanding: She had Attired her self like an Harlot, and she was subtile in heart, and she caught him and kissed him, with an impudent face; And tels him, How she had decked her bed with ta∣pestry, and perfumed her bed: Come let us take our fill of love until the morning: And with much fair

speeches she caused him to yield, and her flattering lips forced him: But saith the Holy Ghost, He goeth after her: but it is as an Ox to the slaughter, and as a fool to the stocks; till a dart strike through his liver, And he hasteth as a bird to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life: This is the let∣te••, But yet All this is chiefly, To set out to us, that all the sons of men are, This simple Young man; and that the beauty of the creatures woes us to go a whoring after them: they Court us, as she did the young man, and tell us, What pleasure and de∣lights we shall have, if we will follow them; and by this means, the spirit of man is defiled, and goes a whoring from the Lord.

All those excellencies and beauties in the creatures, should be, As so many Beams from the sun, to draw up and fix our eyes upon the Sun it Self; but we Are like PENELOPES Sui∣tors; Many hearing of Her admirable and incom∣parable Beauty and Comeliness, Attempted to come to her, but few or none ever came at Her; For, She had many Fair Damsels attending Her, to Conduct Her lovers to her, which were so fair and Amiable, that they thought none so fair as they, and so fell in love with them, and never came at The Mistris of All Beauty, of whom the Handmaids were but shadows: All which is a lively emblem of God and man; God is com∣passed about with various and Beautiful Crea∣tures, which should onely serve to lead us, and to bid us look higher then them. And though we all pretend, To aim at God, at perfect bliss and hap∣piness,

yet How Few Attain to him? How many fall short, And by the way they are wholly taken up with the creatures, His Handmaids, and there∣by their souls are caught As a bird in a snare, And they know not That it is for their lives? But yet know the creature may be loved and used, so we could but use it rightly, and love it r••ghtly; but that is very hard to do:* 1.831 if we could use it, and love it, as if we used it not, or loved it not, As not appropriating it to our selves, And always being ready to leave it, willingly, and freely; so that thou sufferest No Rending, No Tearing in thy soul, to part with it; and using it so, thou usest it for God, and in God, and to Ends appointed by God.

Then for the eighth Commandment: Every one will be ready to justifie themselves from theft; That is a poor, base, beggerly sin: But as I said, I say still, the outward part of this Commandment, and so of the rest, you may keep exactly: It is the easiest part of all; The Outward man may keep it without any Divine or spiritual assistance: Every natural man may attain The keeping of them According to the letter; and yet, They are deeply guilty of the spiritual breach thereof: Fo•• there is a spiritual Theft; and besides, you know the external part of this Commandment, and so of others, God can, and hath dispensed withal: but Never did nor Never will dispence with the Spiritual part: He gave Abraham a Command to kill his son;* 1.832 and had not he Really intended it h•• had sinned: And God commanded the Israelite

to rob the Egyptians,* 1.833 to borrow their Jewels of silver, and gold, and raiment, and to spoil the Egyptians; but never did he dispence with any man, Nor never will, To rob His God, to rob God of his honour and his praise; Will Any man Rob His God? Mal. 3. 8.* 1.834 And therefore in all the Commandments, Content not thy self with the letter of the Command; Because for all that, thou mayest go to hell: But if God shall bring thee to ob••erve the marrow, the inside of the Commandment, This is done by the power of God himself in thee: And he that can keep that, I dare assure him,* 1.835 He shall never perish, neither in this world, nor in the world to come: For the Spi∣rit, is All in All,

And I may in brief touch at the spirituality of the ninth Commandment: For the time is so far spent, and my own ability to speak, that I must leave the tenth to some other time; And, But that I made haste, I would have spoken more largely to some of the former; but according to that impulse of the spirit, within at this present, you have had my thoughts: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour: The letter of it, is against thy neighbour; which I say still, must not be neglected, yet not rested in: The spirit of it is, That we should not bear false wit∣ness of God: Thou professest thy self to be a Christian, and a servant, A child to God, and that he is Thy Lord, Thy master, Thy father, Thy God, Thou being one of his houshold, thou shouldst labour To Credit and Honour Him to whom thou

belongest; To report to the world in our lives and conversation, the Holiness and Purity of our God and our father:* 1.836 Because He is Holy and Pure, And loveth righteousness and Hateth iniquity. And so all his servants ought to do, Thereby to bear True witness to the world of our God; for else they will say, as the proverb is, Like servant, like Master, like Child, like Father. If you live other∣wise you break this Ninth Command, And bear false witness to the world of thy Holy and Pure God.

In all these I have taken the more pains, that so you may see, that when you have learned a Catechism, or the Bible by Heart, or that you are able to answer, or speak to any point in Divi∣nity, acording to the Letter, and the Grammati∣cal Sense, and have got The letter of it without Book, Nay, have gotten the external part in your practise and conversation, yet you have not got∣ten The Substance, The Life and the Marrow: you have but attained onely The Shell and the Husk, and not the Meat nor the Kernel.

So then, by this time I hope you are come to see, How this letter must be struck, How this City Kiriathsepher must be smitten and taken, if we mean to marry Achsah: and then, that is the way to make it unto us Debir, that is, The Word; for it is never The word unto Us before: As you may see in the Verse before my Text.

This City before it was smitten, it was called Kiriathsepher, The City of the Letter: but when it was smitten and taken, then it was no longer

Kiriathsepher, The City of the Letter: but i•• was called Debir, The Word; for then it was the word, and never before.

For this Book of the Bible, As it consists of Words Syllables, and Letters, Is not the Word of God: It is not, nor cannot be, the Word of God, without the Mind and Meaning, till it be smitten, till the shell be crackt: For, the Word is A Spring shut up,* 1.837 a Fountain sealed: for as it is in my reading it, that reading it makes it not the Word of God; onely the reading makes them words: and they are not words as they are written o•• p••inted, till one read them and make them words and syllables: for in no Book whatsoever is there One word or syllable till they be read, and that makes them words: And if a Book be written or printed in English, Hebrew, or French, &c. It is the knowledge of him that reads makes them words: For if an ignorant man look on them they are nothing: So the Scriptures when they are read they are made words, yet still the mind and the mysterie lies hid, though the external sense be understood; And The Acquired, Natural parts, will Reach This sense; but the true and Hidden Sense the Natural man cannot come at, As the Apostle saith:* 1.838 The natural man perceiveth not the things of God, for they are foolishness unto him: nei∣ther indeed can he, because they are spiritually dis∣cerned.

And besides, if the natural man should perceive the things of God, they are riddles, they are foo∣lishness to him; they are wisdom onely to those that

are perfect; to those onely that are immediately taught of God: so then it is clear, this book of the Letter must not onely be read, but Smitten by Othniel, before you can find Gods Word. For Gods Word as it is his Word, is not for every eye to read, but onely for those to whom it is Given, as our Saviour sayes in another case,* 1.839 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; but to them it is not given, because in seeing they see not, and in hearing hear not, neither do they un∣derstand. They have not received power from on high to smite it, as Moses the rock, to get out the pure water of life, clear as chrystal, proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb, Rev. 22. 1.* 1.840 Tis not that Water, or that sense that proceeds from the Universities, or any the acquired parts or powers of Man, but it must be freely given out by God himself, and seldome to the learned Scribes and Pharisees, or to the great Princes of the World; but to the despised, to the Off-scourings to poor Fishermen and the like; that the Crea∣ture might be convinced, that the power is of God, and not in the wisdom of Men, as the Apostle expresseth, 1 Cor. 2.* 1.841

For this book of the Bible is, But the Letter to the eye, and to the ear; But Gods Word, that lies hid: There must be a word to the heart, And, the Heart of stone must be removed,* 1.842 and a Heart of flesh given. We must buy of him eye-salve that we may see, before we can be acquainted with Gods Word. Gods Word is not Inke and Paper written or printed; but Gods Word is, as the Apostle

saith, Heb. 4. 12.* 1.843 Quick and powerfull, sharper then a two-edged sword. It is not the dull and dead letter That giveth Life, which we see by experience in most, even those that think them∣selves Doctors and Teachers, and think they know all things: And so indeed, to them, instead of be∣ing life and a quickning spirit, they are dead and sluggish: And men may be full of Notions, and Literal knowledge, and yet have no power. The Letter, it suffers men to be dead, idle, sluggish, as to the Life of Regeneration and the power of god∣liness.

The Letter never binds The strong man, it never conquers the will, and a mans Own Self; it never makes a man to deny the World, To rejoyce in the Cross, To sell all, and follow Christ. If the letters or the Grammatical sense were the word of God, Christ would never have so often condem∣ned, and expressed so many woes against the Scribes and Pharisees: for, who took moe pains in them then they? who had them, or observed them outwardly, more exactly? and for That, The people had them in High Honour and great Esteem: yet Christ He condemns all their know∣ledge,* 1.844 learning, holiness, parts, &c. for they sought not after the minde of Christ in them: if they had known the Word of God, they would have known him who was The Word.

If the Literal Scriptures were the Word of God, why doth the holy Ghost so often say, He that hath ears to hear let him hear? And why doth the Prophet Esay say,* 1.845 That hearing they may

hear and not understand: and seeing they might see and not perceive? make the heart of this people fat, their ears dull, and their eyes heavy, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should heal them: This is spoken, not in re∣gard of those that are ignorant, but of those that are very knowing, and very much conceited of their much knowing; and yet their knowledge, and gifts, and Precise Holiness according to the Letter, is but a stumbling-block and an occasion of their falling, death, and destruction; and Thus to know all things, is but to be ignorant of all things: And God accounts these knowing men among the number of those the world accounts The onely Prophane; and he esteems them farther off the Kingdom of God, Then Theeves and Harlots; and saith,* 1.846 That these shall go into the Kingdom of Heaven before them: and therefore Christ himself sooner conversed with Publicans and Har∣lots, and preferred them still before them, as knowing there was more hope to work upon them, then upon these Great, Conceited, puffed up Professors.

And therefore I have the more, and the larger insisted upon this that if it were possible These men might come to know the Truth, and so themselves, that they might be saved. Thus to understand the Scriptures,* 1.847 is that which the Scriptures call Eter∣nal li••e; and That good part which Mary hath chosen; this is to ••at Christ, to believe, to put on the

new Man, to be regenerate, to be born again, to live to the Spirit, to be baptized, to receive the Word, to be ingrafted into Christ, and the like. The other Carnal Knowers, they reach none of these things, though they think they are possest of them, and enjoy them; but Even from this very knowledge and holiness they eat death; and this is that for∣bidden tree of good and evil; From whence they Enquire much after knowledge, and Aime to be Like God, and so live for ever: and this is no∣thing but the Seed of the Serpent in our hearts, whereby these men much admire themselves,* 1.848 and kiss their own hands; that is, they much set up their own wills, their own wisdom, and their own carnal reason, and cover themselves with fig-leaves, as Adam did; whereby also they are come to that pass (that as I said before) they are ready to teach God knowledge, and To bring God to School to them, and to prescribe and direct him what he shall do in the world, and how he shall govern according to their wills and their prayers.

The word of God is Pure, High, Holy, Hea∣venly, Powerful, Reviving, Quickning, Spiritu∣allizing, But the Letter is not onely dead in all these regards: But killing and destructive in that sense formerly exprest, If you live and dye with this word; I mean, the letter of the word, and the Grammatical External sense, which These men call the word of God: All is nothing, If you have it exactly by heart, that you have it as ready at your fingers ends, to apply it to all occasions, as

the Devil himself: yet this can be no service of God,* 1.849 this is but bodily labour, and bodily exer∣cise, as the Apostle calls it, which profiteth nothing: this is but the flesh, this is but mans teaching; the Spirit of it, The WORD of God [Debir] you never yet found: But yet as I said, let us not say; If the Spirit be all, then what do we with the Let∣ter? Let us then cast it away: No, no, by no means; the letter is of use, to regulate the flesh, and the outward man in bodily exercises: But I say, it reaches not the inward man, and the heart. That must be, That bread which the Father giveth; which comes down from Heaven: Nei∣ther Moses, nor the knowledge of the whole Law, and of all the Scriptures can give us That bread; as Christ saith Iohn 6. 32, 33.* 1.850 Verily, verily, Moses gave them not that bread from hea∣ven: but my Father giveth you the bread from hea∣ven; for the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world.

And besides, (as I said) As the spirit of a man you cannot have without the body; Nor you cannot have the Oyster without the shell: so neither can you have these mysteries, these Alle∣gories, without the flesh, without the shell, with∣out Excrements; that is, without the letter of the word: for we being of a dull, low, corpore•••• substance, must have these high, divine, sublime things brought to us in such vessels, and repre∣sented by such things as we understand, feel, hear and see, and so come to know them: We are not able to conceive of the spiritual meaning, and

Gods mind, without something represented and p••oposed, suitable to our Element to our language, to our sphere, to our condition: something bodily must be presented, that we may conceive of that which is in the same proportion, done in us spiri∣tually.

And therefore this is that I advise still, Be sure still, To maintain the letter of the word Undefiled, Untouched, Uncorrupted: And let his tongue cleave to, and for ever Rot in his mouth, That goes about to abrogate the Letter; for without the letter you cannot have the Spirit: even as we cannot have Meat and Nutriment, but you must have necessarily dung and excrements: and if you cast away the Excrements, you cast away The Meat with it: Not that the Letter is dung and excre∣ment as of it self, or killing, or dead; but occa∣sionally made so, to us, and to all those, who crack it not, smite it not, and so suck not life, but death from it.

Therefore it is said, My heart, or a Good heart, a Caleb must set us a work, and an Othniel must smi••e it: for you see what fruits follow any other smiting: The heart that seeks liberty to it self, it abuses the Scriptures, It comes in privily, to spie out our liberty, that it may be an occasion to the flesh: I say a Caleb must smite this City, and not a heart that seeks for liberty to satisfie its own will and its own desires: for such Smiters there be too many, that would cast away the Letter of the Word: They would have no Law to rule or curb them: but this is not a good

Hearts, A Calebs, or an Othniels smiting: But to it, I say, viz. to this Good Heart, Let it smite the Letter and spare not: nay, I counsel, ye, Take it, and Tear it, And Rend it all to pieces, as we do meat; else ye get no nourishment; for in the Letter lies the nourishment hid: there is no get∣ting out the Nourishment and vertue, without we do, as it were, Tear it with our teeth and Chew upon it, to get out all the vertue: As cleane Beasts Chew The Cud, and that by a power given from above: and the more we can tear it and chew it in that sense, the more and the bet∣ter nourishment it gives.

Nor do I bid you, do it as of your selves, by your own power, but by the wisdom and power of God, who will enable you to find the Treasure, if you dig for wisdom as for gold,* 1.851 And search for it as for Hid Treasures. With a resolved heart, To dig for truth, for truths sake, and not for self, and for sinister ends and advantages, but out of love to truth; thus, I say, let a good heart use the Letter of the word and spare not, Take it, Strike it, Smite it, Tear it all to pieces: not because he hates the Letter; but as men do by meat, they tear it, champ, it, chew it between their teeth, not because they hate meat, but because they would get all the nourishment out they possibly can.

Beloved, in this manner Strike Kiriathsepher, In the Name of God, and the Almighty prosper ye; Go on, and the Lord of heaven give you good success, that he may enable you to get out Those pure waters of life, proceeding from the Throne of

God, and of the Lamb; That Hidden Manna that may nourish you to Everlasting life; that ye may have that Treasure, that Pearl hid in the field, that white stone, and that New Name, that ye may be enriched with gold,* 1.852 purified seven times, as David in that 12. Psalm sayes the Wo••d of God is: Do you think, he means the Letter? No, no, but That thou mayest have That white raiment, to cover they nakedness, and that eye-salve to anoint thine eyes that thou mayest see: then also art thou, Him that overcometh, to whom it shall be given to sit with him in his Throne,* 1.853 even as he also overcame and is set down in his Fathers Throne: Then shall ye come to be marryed to Achsah, Calebs daughter; Then, shall Othniel, Gods fit time or opportunity, give you possession of this City Kiriathsepher, that it may be unto you, The Word of God: That the Vail being Rent, you may look within and see the glory of the Holie of Holies; and that you may behold The Beauty of the Lord, and may visit His Temple, and there fall down and worship, and desire there to be for ever and for ever, AMEN.

Shadows vanishing, SOME Rays of Glory appearing.

The two last SERMONS on JOSH. 15. v. 16, 17.

And Cale•• said, he that smiteth Kiriathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Ke∣naz the brother of Caleb took it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

THE last Sabbath I told you that part of this Chapter was as the One Cher••b and that in 2 Cor. 3.* 1.854 was as the other Cherub: which, as the two Cherubims lookt directly face to face to each other, so doth this Chapter look forward to that, and that turns it self and looks face to face upon this; that is, the One is the interpretation of the Other▪ and you may remember, as a Prolog••e to our Text, we gave you a brief Epitome of the History of Moses his sending the twelve Spies to discover

and view the Land of Canaan, whereof Ioshua and Caleb were two of the twelve: and they bring news of the goodness of the Land with the other Ten, which Ten, All but Caleb and Ioshua, they brought up an Evil report, though they All con∣fessed the Land was Excellent and good, and abounded in plenty of all things,* 1.855 flowing with milk and honey: yet they said it was impossible to get it, or conquer it: for the men were mighty, sons of Anack, Giants, and the walls Thick and high: The people hearing this, began to murmur: Then Caleb and Ioshua standing up, they clear the slan∣der, and encourage the people; and for this con∣fidence and saith of theirs, they two onely entred the Land; all the rest, being about Six hundred thousand that murmured, died in the Wilderness, and not one entred the Land.

And as we related the History, we raised some observations, and endeavoured to bring the Histo∣ry home to our selves, and shewed how these things were daily in fulfilling spiritually and really within us. Then we came to our Text, where I also told you, that this Text as I have now read it, It is Hebrew; and reading it but as it is prin∣ted, is still Hebrew.

But (as I then told you) we may not, nor will not deny the Truth of the History and of the Letter; but we must take heed we rest not in the Story and go no further: for the Word of God Endureth for ever;* 1.856 There is a secret in the whole Letter of the Word which lasts to Eternity; which is accomplished not onely in that time, and of

that man of whom it is written; but fulfilled as well and as Really, in all times, in all ages, in all men ever after and before: As Ambrose said of Ahab and Nabal,* 1.857 These Histories are old in time, but new in practise; for there are many such per∣secuting Ahabs, and many such churlish Nabals. So may I say of this History and the rest of the Scriptures: Old in time, but ordinary in use: To this very day, Caleb proclaims, Whosoever shall smite Kiriathsepher and take it, he shall have Ach∣sah his daughter to wife. This was done Once in the Letter, but Ever doing in the Spirit; for the world of God lasts for ever,* 1.858 as David saith, Thy Word O Lord endureth for ever; Often in the 119. Psalm and elsewhere. They are such things as not onely instruct one age, one season, but every age and every season that follow it: The mean∣ing and the mind of God we must look at,* 1.859 and not to the bare History: hear what the Apostle Paul saith, Bodily exercise profiteth nothing; or rather hear it from our Saviours own mouth: The flesh profiteth nothing, but the Spirit giveth life.

Caleb here signifieth A good 〈…〉〈…〉 or the City of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which is to be smitten; and he that doth So ••hall marry Achsah, which signifies The Ren∣ding or the Tearing of the Vail, and so by that means Kiriathsepher, the City of the Letter, s••all be made unto us Debir, the Word. So that if you put them together, you must read it thus in English

And A good Heart said,* 1.860 He That smiteth the Ci∣ty of the Letter, and taketh it, to him will I give the

rending of the vail asunder:* 1.861 and he shall pass into my holy place,* 1.862 and enter into my secret Pavilion, or into my Tabernacle (he shall behold and enjoy the glory of the Holie of Holies) as it is promi∣sed in that 15. Psalme. This is that S. Iohn wept sore for, when the Angel 〈◊〉〈◊〉 proclamation in Rev. 5.* 1.863 with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the Book, and to loose the seven seals thereof? and no man in heaven or earth was able to open the book or look therein: but at length it was revealed, that the lion of the Tribe of Iudah, the root of Da∣vid, had prevailed to open the book and loose the seals.

The Letter is not this sealed book; for every one reads that: humane abilities will reach the Letter and the Grammatical sense. The Letter is not the Tree of Life, nor the Waters of Life which god promiseth to give unto us. The Letter is not the Secret Place of the Most High. Every unclean Beast may hear, and read therein, and drink of these waters: But He that hath the word of God shall live for over. How many are and have been exercised constantly in That, viz. in the Let∣ter, and yet not live, but perish for ever? Many thou∣sands have taken great pains, and writ many Vo∣lumes, and preacht many Sermons, and yet ne∣ver reacht This Living for ever: many have read it, heard it, preacht it, and therein have thought they have done God good service, and expect to en∣ter, and shall say, Lord open to us; and yet Christ shall say to them, Depart ye workers of iniquity: For by them the City of the Letter was never smit∣ten and taken: but he that shall be admitted to

come into this Sanctuary, and to eat of this Man∣na, he shall find and say, from a true and feeling sense thereof, This is heavenly Manna indeed; I find these are waters of life indeed; for I find they give life: to read, hear, and pray, and the like, they give no life; they are no service to God, without the life and power, but kill and slay those souls that rest therein, as most men do.

The words, as I told you, divide themselves in∣to two parts, Onus and honos; The burthen, he that strikes or smiteth Kiriathsepher, and taketh it. And the honour or reward, to him that so doth, He shall have Achsah to wife: but see here, it must be a Good heart must do it, not a heart that seeks liberty to the flesh, To make the knowledge of Christ as a more easie way to sinning, to facilitate & encourage them to please the flesh. No, no, my Text sayes it must be a Caleb, a good Heart, such a Heart as seeks not rest in sinning: but such a heart as seeks its Rest onely in God; such a heart as hungers and thirsts after God, Such a one as labours with all his soul night and day, and never can be at Rest in any thing below God. And then as it follows here, Othniel the Lords fit opportunity, or, in his good time•• he struck it, and took it.

Concerning Onus, the burden, I intimated, that it is not sufficient To Read the Scriptures; No though we could say all the Bible without Book, and understand it according to the Letter, It were nothing to salvation: If they would read the whole Old and New Testament over every year, as I have known some have made it their task, yea, and

made it their boast; nay, I say more, If it were possible they could read it All over every day in the year, yet this were nothing, for the Devil can do as much; what man can come near him in bringing out Scripture upon all occasions?

As the flesh of Christ, Till it was broken and his precious side Pierced, and His Blood shed, there was no profit could redound to us, as he himself said,* 1.864 This is my body which is broken for you: this Letter of the Scriptures is As the body of Christ; till this side of his be Pierced, till this Letter be bro∣ken, till this Rock be smitten, there is no water for us, Till the Lord give it down from Heaven there is no Manna, no bread for us; else we may live and dye with the Scriptures, and yet hunger, and starve and dye: but this body being once broken, and this Rock smitten, and this Side pierced, then we shall find a fountain of living waters springing up to eternal life, and precious blood gush out, and hidden Manna to nourish us, so as we can never dye nor perish,* 1.865 neither in this world nor in the world to come. As you know, bread is not food till it be broken; whole bread and whole meat goes into the body, and through the body into the draught, and yields no nutriment to the body; The Nourishment, and the life, and the spirit of it remains untoucht: but if it be broken and chewed, then the stomach separates the One and the O∣ther, The Vertue and the Excrement, which di∣vides and conveys to each way its part. Truth it is many toss and tumble the Letter, and have it much in their mouths, and rowl it up and down;

but never crack it, never break it, though they seem so to do, and make you believe they expound it, and give you the sense and the vertue: yet how shallow, how literal, how humane, how low, how sensual and carnal do they make the Word to be? even your Rabbies, your Doctors, your great Schollars; Which shews, If that God himself, if the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, If the Root of David do not open the Seals, tis not all the learning, or all the Universities in the world can help us to the Mystery And the Mind of Christ,* 1.866 as the Apo∣stle calls it. Truth is, The worst of men, wicked men, they feed but upon husks, upon Excrements, upon the Letter, and keep a great stir and a great noise about that; they indeed champ that in their mouths, but they let the nourishment, the vertue, and the marrow escape;* 1.867 They eat not of the chil∣drens bread, that is not for dogs, as our Lord saith to the woman of Canaan.* 1.868 As in Luk. 15. in the History of the Prodigal, there wicked men, the worst of men, Carnal men, they are there com∣pared unto Swine, because that any trash, any Ex∣crement or the refuse of any thing will serve their turn; they feed upon Husks, and it agrees well enough to their stomacks; that satisfies, and they neither desire nor know any better food: and as their meat is, so are they, carnal and fleshly, and earthly: Nay they cannot relish any thing Higher; That which is spiritual, hea∣venly, and divine, and like God, That they turn at, and quarrel at, because it is out of their Ele∣ment. And all because The word of God, the

Bread of God they cannot come at, The book is still sealed;* 1.869 they have not their senses exercised to discern between good and evil, between the pre∣cious and the vile: The word is not in them An∣ingrafted word, turning the stock into its own nature, they are not converted, moulded into the word, that so it may be able to save their souls,* 1.870 as the Apostle saith: they get no good by the meat they eat, they feed upon Husks, and not upon the FATTED Calf, Luk. 15. 23.* 1.871 Nor on thefeast of fat thingsful of marrow, nor of The wine on the lees well refined, Esay 25. 6.* 1.872 Therefore it is no strange thing that they profit not to salvation: because they champ onely The Letter of the Word, and feed upon Husks, and can get no nourish∣ment from it: and no marvel, for it can give none. I marvel much how such men can hope for Heaven, or hope for the Gift, and the Reward here spoken of that never eat any thing but the Letter of the word: That only do as the Jews did, onely desire but to touch Christs outward Gar∣ments, and to see His Body, or to see his external miracles on others, but they touch not HIM, not his person: His miracles are not wrought in themselves; they touch him not as the woman did with the bloody-issue;* 1.873 she touched not onely his garments, but touched him inwardly, she got vertue from him: for Christ as soon as she had touched him, askt when all the people pres∣sed him, Who touched me,? Peter wonders and asks him,* 1.874 Doest thou ask who touched thee, when there have so many hundreds toucht thee? the whole multitude presseth thee.

By this you may see what I mean; Christ knew he was not onely Outwardly toucht, as multi∣tudes do; all that make any profession of Christ do that: but he was toucht inwardly, which fetcht Vertue and nourishment from him. For all your great professions and running after Christ in much hearing, reading, and praying, &c. Let me tell you, He is sen••ble when ye touch him; you may do all these things constantly, all your life, and yet never touch him; He can feel when vertue goes out of him: For we all in the flesh and in the let∣ter, and acco••ding to carnal men, may be wise in carnal things; According to men, and the rudi∣ments of the wo••ld and for external government, and the like. And herein we touch Christ but as the Iews did, onely see and touch His body, but none gets Strength and Marrow & Life from him.

Indeed they handled Christ when they cruci∣fied him; and they handled him Hard: but who once I say handles him as the woman, to get ver∣tue from him? for a man may read the letter di∣ligently, gather his family together duly every day, morning, noon, and night; read it and converse of it, and teach it to them: but may not Christ ask for all this pressing about him, who hath touched me? To what end is all this ye do? what good do ye? what meat, what marrow get ye? un∣less withal ye touch Christ inwardly, what does all Touching do you good? this is but to touch Christs body, this is but to touch the Letter, this is but the Shel.

As the Disciples going to Ema••s,* 1.875 They read

and conferred, but they could not understand till Christ came: for all they had been brought up in the Family, and in the House of Christ, in the School of Christ, alwayes hearing and receiving at the feet of Christ, yet they were ignorant of the Mystery and the Spirit.

The Letter of the Scripture is but the Outward Court of the Tabernacle, where all the people may be admitted: Where Beasts, clean and unclean, come and are sacrificed.* 1.876 And there was also the inward Court, whither came the Priests; and there were onely Outward Ordinances, and Laws for Dis∣cipline, and Outward worship. But there was also the Sanctum Sanctorum, where onely entred the High priest, and that but once a year. The Letter is but this outward Court, or the Priests Court at most, where were nothing but Outward duties of preaching and sacrificing, of reading, hearing, and praying, and the like: but within, in the Sanctum Sanctorum, There is the hidden Manna: there is that which all the Other things Without did but represent: for they were not the things them∣selves: there onely is to be found Debir, the word; There is that which is quick and powerful, migh∣ty in operation,* 1.877 Sharper then any two-edged sword, dividing between the bones and the marrow, and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

All the former things were but cold, low, dead things; Here is the Life, here is the Quickning, the Spirit it self:* 1.878 There you shall find That word, that sword of Ionathan which never Returns in vain.

In this regard the Letter alwayes returns in vain. Thou saist thou Readest it in the Church, and in thy family twice a day, and thou delightest to be exercised therein, and to see that others do so; Thou doest well, it is good in its place: but what good doth it convey to thy soul? what refreshment and nourishment dost thou find by this thou so de∣lightest in, and so boastest of? where is the Power that the word hath abroad among these kind of men that seem so much to throng after Jesus Christ? what manner of people are these, that so champ the Letter between their teeth and Troul it on their tongues? what are they in their lives? have they got any vertue from Christ by being so conversant with him? are they transformed and made new Ceratures? do they live the inward and spiritual life of the Word? are they dead to the world, and the world to them? does Christs life shine in them and by them, so that they live not any longer in themselves? are they fetcht off their own bottoms, and ingrafted into Christ? or rather do not They altogether live, and Christ is dead in them? do they feed upon any thing but Husks, upon the Letter of the word, and upon the world, and upon creatures? And there they have their chief Life, hope and dependance; for had they new diet, they would become new men: by the men you may guess at their meat.

As, Take a man that hath been hard kept, with ill fare, ill diet, and want of clothes, his very coun∣tenance will shew it: but let him come to better keeping, good nourishing diet, and warm clothes,

and you shall see his Complexion and his flesh come again, and his whole body and countenance will be more white, smooth and sightly; So, He that feeds upon the Life and Marrow of this Word, Oh! He is cle••n another man then he was before: the time was that he lived like a swine, eat, and fed, and fared like a swine walkt like a swine, spake like a swine, conversed like a swine; and all this, because he fed and fared like a swine: he lived upon Husks, the Letter of the Word, without the Spirit and the MARROW, And that would suffer them to follow the World, To wal∣low in the pleasures, the profits, the honours there∣of: these and the like, these he fed upon and these relished with him, and nothing else but such like Husks and Excrements, and Altogether carnal things, was his meat and his delight.

Will not new food alter all, even the whole man? Judge therefore Brethren, whether we may not call The Letter of this blessed, wholsome and Heavenly Book, (which within it contains the Heavenly Manna and Angels food) any other but the Husks, To such men; Whether it be any thing else to these men but the City of the Letter,* 1.879 the Book sealed, The Fleshly and bodily exercise, which profiteth them nothing; It is not yet Debir to them: its true, they call it the Word of God,* 1.880 as the Jews did, Oh! the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: so they call it the Word, the word: I by all means tis The Word of God, but you see, it is not the Word to them, for where is the Nourishment they get

from it? If they fed upon the Life and Marrow, Alas to day, How would it Alter their Lives and their Looks and reform their wayes, and make them Look like Christians, doing the works of Christians. But, they smooth themselves up with Crying The Temple of the Lord, and The Temple of the Lord, with a meer outside profession of godliness, But the Prophet Tells them there, They were deceived, For, saith he, The Temple of the Lord Are these. If ye Throughly amend your wayes and your doings, If ye throughly exercise Iudgement between man and man, &c. But, will you steal, and murder, and lye, and commit Adulte∣ry, and swear falsly, and burn Incense to Baal, and serve other gods, and oppress the stranger, the fa∣therless, and the widow, &c. and then come and stand before me, in my House which is called by my name, and say, we are delivered, what for? To do All these Abominations; Is This House which is Called by my Name, become A House of Thieves and a Den of Robbers?

Therefore I charge you in the name of God, and as ever ye hope for heaven, or think to see Gods face, learn, yet I know it is not in your power to learn; but this I say, To shew what you should be, and what you must be if ever you enter into the Kingdom of God: learn henceforward I say, Not to keep this Book in your houses onely, and in your heads; But to BREAK the body of Christ, that you may eat of the True bread; saith our Lord, This is my body which is BROKEN for you. Learn to smite the rock, that you may get

the pure water of life, running from under the Throne of God and the Lamb, In the new Ierusalem; and not outwardly to touch it onely; for that will do thee no more good then if thou hadst Touched the body of Christ when he was upon earth: yet many de∣sired to see him, and rejoyced to see him, and To converse with him, and Touch him; and so it is now, and alwayes hath been in all ages with most Professours in regard of the Letter and Externals of the Word: Christs body does us no good, except his body be broken, and his blood shed for us. Nei∣ther will the water you draw out of the Letter do you any more good, for your souls, then that water the woman of Samaria drew out of Iacobs well, And He that drinketh of that, shall Thirst again: But He that drinketh of the Water that Christ giveth, He shall never Thirst, and It shall be IN HIM An Everlasting Well of water, Springing up to Everlasting Life.

Let us Ministers and All others learn Rightly to divide the word of truth, and not take the Out∣side alone, but Outside and Inside together: and then you shall find what it is, To marry Achsah, and to have The Rending of the Vail. What it is to have The Upper Springs And the Nether Springs given you, as your JOINTURE.

Let no man for Any thing that I have said, think to undervalue the Letter, and to trample it under∣foot as Excrements and Prophane: For though this be The Shell, The Outside, yet it is the Shell and it is the Outside: but this is that I still say, There is something within of more price, of

greater value; Thus far prize it, In that God hath (by this means) given us the Kernel: In the Shell is the kernel to be found, and without the shell ye cannot have the kernel: As we can never see LIFE, but we must see it in a mortal thing That lives; so, The Ever blessed Sweet and eternal Truth, is in the Letter Hid, as life is in Ac∣cidents, and as fire in a thing fired; for True Fire, The Element of Fire ye can never see: And Truth is as an Oyster in the shell, fast shut up, which shell must be forced open, before you can have the meat: And he that doth thus by the letter, shall have the meat, the vail Rent for him; he shall have the priveledge to pry into the secrets of my God, and he shall enter into his High and Holy place.

Now, I humbly beseech God Almighty, that your eyes may be opened, to behold Those M••ste∣ries that are Within. Paul, that blessed High-Flowen, self-denied Apostle, He being brought to this,* 1.881 he not onely confest he saw things unut∣terable, unspeakable, so that he was so ravished therewith: he knew not whether He was in the bo∣dy or no: but also, this was another effect in him of the sight of these things; Then sayes he, I will henceforth know no man after the flesh: Why? because that was nothing; many glory in the flesh, in the letter, in that they have seen the body of Christ, That they have the Bible in daily use. As if he should say, away now with all these poor empty things;* 1.882 Henceforth I will know no man af∣ter the flesh, no, though I had seen the Lord Christ

after the flesh: he would (now he was come to this condition) know nothing after the flesh no more: no, he went so far, as to say, that in that case he valued not the very body of Jesus Christ; which was a very High and A strange word: Men after the flesh And after the Letter judge it no better then blasphemy, and would say so, but that its written in the Bible; and had many that profess themselves Teachers, and knowing men, heard Paul say so, not knowing him to be as he was, they would not have been able To comprehend Pauls reach, but All their voices would have gone clear. To have burnt him for an Heretick, (And Christ himself also) For, many of whose actions were such they would have cryed, Away with him, Cruc••••ie ••im, Crucifie Him, its not fit he should live; And, With those men, which Live ••pon the shadow and content themselves with Shels and Husks, There is no peace to be had with them, except ye make the Substance Vail to their Shadowes, And the True God to stoop to their Idol Baal; Otherwise, They are like Saul, Be∣fore He was converted, Acts 9. 1.* 1.883 Exceedingly Mad against them, like Inraged Mad Bulls, and Breathing out Threatning and Slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord, And are still seeking to the High Priests and the powers of the Earth, to assist them with Commissions To make Havock of the Church. But Oh! that the Lord would gra∣ciously Shine Round about them, And smite them to the earth, Causing them to hear That voice, Why, Why persecutest Thou Me? It is

Hard for thee to Kick against the Pricks.

But St. Paul, ••e was now come to those things. of which he knew and found;* 1.884 Christ His bod was but A shadow; He now possest the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 let the shadow go: And if men wo••ld never sleigh the Shadow, or the Letter, or the Shell, Till the did it on the same ground the Apos••le did 〈◊〉〈◊〉 instead of blaming them, I should Highly com∣mend them: But this is that which is too com∣mon in these dayes, they throw away the shadow and the shell too soon; they throw away the Let∣ter and Ordinances upon a meer supposition 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they are in S. Pauls condition: and this is th•• very ground of the Error of Many in these dayes and therefore I caution hence 〈◊〉〈◊〉 much, and charge you Not to throw away the Letter, no•• sleight the body of Christ, in the least ex••ep•• inrelation to the Spirit, the Life, and the Substance Onely comparatively, And you as come Really 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enjoy these things, not to cast them quite 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as I said before, but not to rest in them; 〈…〉〈…〉 the Handmaid before the Mistress, or the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 before the Marrow, or the Casket before th•• IEWEL, or the ••ield before the PEARL. Le no man (saith the Apostle) Iudge you in Meats 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Drinks, or in respect of an Holy day, New 〈…〉〈…〉 of The Sabbath dayes, which are shadows of Thing To come, But, the Body is Christ.

For beloved, Christs body was Symbolical 〈◊〉〈◊〉 well as his actions; they all held 〈…〉〈…〉 that we might not rest in them: b••t this is 〈…〉〈…〉 flesh in us is ready to abuse to our own 〈◊〉〈◊〉

and condemnation: The cunning politick Devil in us, when he cannot hold us in prophane∣ness, by the Chains of ignorance, then he labours to do it by the Chains of knowledge: Sayes he in us, if the letter be a shadow, and nothing, then we will neglect it, we will throw it away, there is no∣thing now to be done, we will live as we list, we Owe No duties to God or man, we will please our selves, and deny our selves nothing; for we are gotten above Word, Ordinances, Sacraments, Worships, and all.

Oh Beloved, these are the Devils strongest Chains of all: These Chains of Knowledge, to abuse the highest liberty, and glory of a Christian, to the Idleness and Luxuriousness of the flesh: He that is taken in These Chains, a thousand to one if he ever get out; as the Apostle saith, Heb. 10.* 1.885 There is after this no more Sacrifice for sins; such will hardly ever recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil; and as he expresseth it in Heb. 6.* 1.886 It is impossible for those who were once in∣lightned, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; if they shall fall away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance: and he so goes on, and explains it by a similitude; For the earth which drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God; else it beareth thorns and bryars, and is rejected, and is ••igh unto cursing, and in the end to be burned: This

caution I thought good to mind you of, that in taking you off from Resting on these things, that you do not quite slight them, nor think your selves. come to the Spirit, when ye have scarce Attained The letter and Outside.

But as I was saying, Christs body and his actions were symbolical; for though he healed the lame, and cured the deaf, and raised the dead, and the like, yet this was not the Substance, nor the End of his coming; for he by them shadowed out to us what he doth internally in our souls:* 1.887 For Iesus Christ is yesterday, and to day, and th•• same for ever: He did then Those actions, of curing the blind, cleansing the lepers, casting out devils, and the rest: So, he doth the same still; as David saith, Psal. 103.* 1.888 Praise the Lord, O my soul, which cureth all thy diseases, and healeth al thy infirmities; which redeemeth our lives from destruction, and crowneth us daily with loving kindnesses and tender mercies: These are the diseases Christ cures daily; and so cures, that they never mortally fall sick again: Those he cured then, they might fall to the same diseases again, or worse it may be; and besides, that curing them saved them not from death, as this curing doth. The young man that was raised from death, dyed again; and Lazarus dyed again; but those he cures in soul, they are cured for ever, them he quickens for ever, them he so raises from death, that they dy no more.

As old Simeon said of him, Luke 2. 34.* 1.889 That he was for the fall and rising again of many in Isra∣el: and he was for a sign which shall be spoken

against: He is for a sign in the flesh, and in his Humane nature, of what he did from the begin∣ing, and of what he is still in doing: He himself, in the body, in his humanity, and All his actions, were typical. These things I often represent to you, because we are Backward to re••eive them, we are loth to turn our eyes inward, in hearing and reading the Scriptures, To see all those things ful∣filled in our selves; Nay, we do not yet feel and believe, That we are those that Christ came to cure; that we are the dumb, and the deaf, the halt, and the blind: Little do we think that Devils are to be cast out of us: but those whom Christ hath cured, they are able to see really that they are The men that Christ then by them represented: They see, when they read of the Iews crucifying of the Lord of life, of their cruel whipping, mock∣ing, &c. crowning him with thorn••, and the like, they can say to themselves, as Nathan said to David, when by a parable he had represented his sin;* 1.890 sayes he, (and so can this man say to him∣self,) Thou art the man: And so likewise in all his other actions.

Far be it from any one to think, that to heal those External diseases, was the End of his com∣ing. But thus think; Did he arise from death to life? he doth the same daily in our souls: Did he heal the lame, and cast out Devils then? He doth the same in our souls; And whereever he doth them, he doth them so as they shall never be Blind more, never Dumb more, never Deaf more, the devil shall never possess thee more:

The whole letter of the word is but Christs Body and therefore we must not be content with that and rest in that: When once we have the Sub∣stance of Christs actions, there is no more use o•• the signes: we must labour to find out the Truth that is hid in this shell, and to find the treasure, the pearl that is hid in this field, seek for THE WORD,* 1.891 as our Saviour prayes, Father sanctifie them with thy truth, Thy WORD is Truth. Mos•• men hen••e think, when they read the letter of the word, they think they read Gods word: No no, this is not the truth, that Christ calls truth; for he himself is the Word, the Truth, and the Life▪ He is the meat and the marrow, of which that is but the Bone and the shell: Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think to have eternal life, for they testifie of me: I am the substance, I am the SOUL of them; And, they do but testifie of Me; they are not the life the soul: Yet I prize the letter as high as any man, but I must not prefer the Hand∣maid before the Mistress.

Yet much ado there hath been among many men about this Letter of the word, who pretend to know much in Gods word, as if they knew whatever were to be known: They are gone so far, and are come to such perfection (as they think) that they can resolve any point in Divini∣ty, give the interpretation of any place of Scri∣pture; and many large voluminous works have been published to the world, and filled it full of their Expositions; but God knows how many of them have kept a deal ado, and much blustring, to little pur∣pose▪

And in our dayes, and in our Nation, what talk is there everywhere of Gods word, when in∣deed and in truth most men are ignorant of Gods word? and all is, because they take these Li∣teral, black letters to be The word of God: you are deceived; Is it The Word of God, because it is English, or Latin, or Greek, or Hebrew? can we tell whether ever God spake in any of these lan∣guages? or if he did, These Letters cannot be The word of God: If any way, The word be taken in vain, it is this way, when men think God speaks to them, And they hear him when they read the letter: You are deceived in this, The letter doth but bear Witness to the truth; Christ is the Truth, and the letter gives Testimony to him: See what the Evangelist sayes The Word is, Joh. 1.* 1.892 In the beginning was the word (Bibleswere not then) and the word was God; This is That Word, so mag∣nified both in the old and new Testament, To which, all their Sacrifices and Prophesies pointed to, in shadows; but the Substance of them is Christ; as the Apostle saith, Heb. 10.* 1.893 The Law is but a Shadow of good things to come: But Christ he is The Word, He is The Truth, He is those good things promised throughout All the Scriptures. The letter is but the Shadow, the Signes; the BODY and Substance is Iesus Christ.

And if it be so, then let me say thus much more to you, Never any man ever yet Saw the Truth, nor ever any man Heard the truth, nor ever read the truth: Those that onely read the Letter, they are ignorant of the word; for the truth

is the word, and the word is the Spirit: It is the Spirit That discerns the word through the letter, and it is the Spirit that applyes it, where ever it works; it is the Spirit onely that knows the truth, And tis the Spirit onely, that fructifies and thrives by it and lives in it. The word heard or read, is but the Bark, the Outside, the Sheath, the Lanthorn: but the Sap, the Life, the Sword, the Light, that is within: And this is, Onely Christ Co-Essential with the Father: This is that word which the Scripture speaks of, which is able to make the man of God perfect; for as the Apostle saith,* 1.894 The Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; for do you what you can;* 1.895 yea, keep the whole Law, according to the letter, yet this cannot make us perfect: But this word, this truth we now unfold, is the Sure, the real, the true, the eternal word, against which The gates of hell shall never be able to prevail:* 1.896 Have ye what ye can of the letter, except ye have also Christ, the substance thereof, the letter will but deceive you; for you have but the shadow, and therefore you must needs be deceived, for you to think you have the substance, when you have but the shadow: It is not any outward thing we can do, will do us any good; it is the Spirit, the word it self that doth the deed.

Yet I must tell you more, That this word and Christ and the Spirit All dwell Among us, dwell In us, and we know them not: as Iohn 1. 10.* 1.897 He was in the world, and the world was made by him; He dwels among us, and yet the world knows

him not; nay, He came among his Own, and his Own received him not: These are strange ex∣pressions; what may be the meaning of this Divine high-flowen Eagle? (for that is his Embleme:) I conceive it was, to shew that he soared and flew higher in Divine contemplations of truth, and in the knowledge of the Mystery, then all the rest of the Evangelists; This was he of whom it is said, The Disciple whom Iesus loved,* 1.898 and this is he tha•• Leaned on his breast at supper: This was he that had all those divine visions and Secret mysteries revealed to him in the Isle of Pathmos, who writ the Revelation, and was therefore called IOHN the Divine.

I conceive his meaning is (when he saith, He came and dwelt among us, and yet the world knew him not, although it was made by him) was this, that God in Jesus Christ dwells in every crea∣ture, but the creature comprehends it not, Because the light shineth in darkness, and the Darkness cannot comprehend the light: It is in him, (as the Apostle saith) that we live,* 1.899 move, and have our being, and yet we know it not, because we are com∣passed about with darkness: nay we are Darkness it self: Is it not a strange thing, that He should be in Us, be so near us, and be our light, and our life,* 1.900 our sun and our shield, and yet we not know him, we not be acquainted with him? But He Shines in Darkness; whats that? that is, All creatures are darkness to him. God in himself is light of lights, infinitely far above and beyond all creatures: & if he put forth himself in the making

of any creature, that creature is infinitely below him; the highest of creatures is da••kness to him: He is darkned in the Sun, and he is darkned in the Moon and Stars; He is darkned in Angels and Archangels, in Cherubims and Seraphims, and more darkned in men and other creatures: But he is (in Jesus Christ) The SOUL, and life of all things.

There have been great disputes in all ages, what the soul of man is, whi••h I shall not now enter upon; but whatever it be, be sure of this, It is infinitely below God: For God is the life of lives, the soul of souls; He is that Sun and glory, that Excellency and Beauty that shines in All creatures; He not onely gives to all things life and being, but He is Their life and being; He fils all things with His Being: So as all things are nothing, Compared with God; and yet for all this, For all He is so GREAT And so much ALL; yet, they see him not▪ comprehend him not: Iohn who was the fo••erunner of Christ confesses, that he knew him not: For all he was of such Excellen∣cy,* 1.901 that he was He whose shoe-latchet he was not worthy to stoop down to unloose; and yet he knew him not, He saw not this Glory and Majesty that was in him: For all he was The Messiah, The Saviour of the world, Lived with him, and con∣verst with him in all probability; for he was his Cousin German according to the flesh; And if their mothers visited one another while the chil∣dren were but in the womb, and for the childrens sake, much more after their birth did they come

together visit and salute one another; besides, many other reasons which might be given▪ yet he knew him not all that thirty years, till he came to be baptized of Iohn, And he saw the Spirit de∣scend upon him like a Dove. And it was so with Iohn Baptist, who was a Prophet, and the im∣mediate Harbinger appointed to bring tidings, that the Messiah followed him: I say, Seeing it was so then, do not wonder that men who read the word, and teach the Letter of the word, all their life long, yet never know Christ, never be acquainted with his Spirit, and His meaning in the literal word: Therefore take it not ill, if I tell you; If any man were able to speak the whole word, the letter in every tittle, That he could or were able, or if it were possible, To speak the whole Scriptures in one word, or at once, yet he may go to the Devil for all that: for no man can do so much as He in this regard: But Ile tell ye, if ye had once known Iesus Christ after the Spirit, ye would not make such a stir about Forms, Disciplines, and Externals, as if that were the great and onely reformation; for, all those things men may do, and be not One hair better before God; For all that the Devil is the Devil still, and flesh is alive still, and the heart may be set upon the creature still, and to this man this word is amiable still; I pass not what men say and prattle to the contrary: Let us see their hu∣mility and self-denial, and becoming all to all; lets see their self-judging, and judging other men less, and themselves most of all; let the life of

Christ appear in the fruits, humility and lowliness of mind, not seeking themselves, and their own profit and advantage, but the profit of many, that they may be saved: were it so as they pretend, what means so much knowing men after the flesh, having mens persons in admiration because of ad∣vantage? what means their seeking greetings in the markets,* 1.902 and uppermost rooms at feasts? what means Their long prayers,* 1.903 under a pretence, but tis To devour widows houses and to ingratiate them∣selves so as to get the praise of men, being excee∣dingly desirous of vain glory, and the wealth of the wo••ld. And if they have not these they are dead on the nest, heartless, and little or no fruit of love comes from them, but the contrary, Censori∣ousness, and bitterness, and hatred and Envyings.

Were you but once come to the true Vision of God, and the Life of Christ, you would be Above and slight all these base and carnall things; and they would here with the Apostle, never more know Men, nor the world, nor any creature after the flesh; that is, in their choicest and highest love and esteem: but all these things shew, that these men are yet below and in the world, and not above with God, whatever They in Shew express to the contrary.

Object.* 1.904 But it may be you will say to me, Sir, you so undervalue the letter and the Scripture, that we know not what to do; we took this to be Gods word: what would you have us cast away our Bibles? would you not have us worship God according to the letter? shall not God be worshipped with our bodies?

I answer, God forbid: But I know men of the letter, or the Devil in man, presently runs into this extreme; Either through ignorance, and so is, through the infirmity of the flesh, and weakness of the inward man: or else it is out of wilfulness, and so of the Devil, and one of his great designs to destroy the soul: God forbid that I should so condemn the Letter, as to bid men neglect good Or∣ders and worshipping God in their bodies, and in external worship; far be it from me: But this is that I say, I would not have ye onely do this; And I fear ye strive and cont••nd so much for the letter, and the external part of Gods worship, that ye neglect the inward and internal altogether; for where is the man that is so zealous and so hot for the Internal, as he is for the External? whereas the One is to be preferred far before the other, but we find it quite contrary: If we press men to the Inward before the Outward, or do but as I desire to do, Lift up that; Either how cold and heart∣less are they, or else how quarrelsome and mali∣cious are they? but this is that I say, Strive chiefly for the Spirit and the Hidden sense; get this but on••e into your hearts; and then I will be bold to say, Turn this man loose, he hath that within will g••ide him: Then I say let him neglect the outward if he can: otherwise you do but hold men to it as a Beare to the Stake, by cords of Humane inventi∣ons, by Self-Love and self-interest, by Fears, Hopes and Rewards, and these poor things, without the over-ruling and commanding Natural pow∣er and principle of love. And when you have done

this, what great act have you done? Do not the Hypocrites the same?* 1.905 do not sinners the same? do not Heathens the same?* 1.906 what great and goodly Converts have you made, that you so glory in them?

Beloved, if a man love his wife, this love will produce all care and tenderness, and all offices of love towards her that may be; if he love her, let him kill her if he can; let him beat her or hurt her if he can: if a man love his friend, let him wrong him if he can: but here is matter, If ye have but the External Worship, As most men con∣tent themselves with that, and never care for the Internal; but if once ye have the Spirit and the True sense of the Letter, through the Letter, then I say, let him throw away the Letter if he can: no no, he cannot abuse but love that in its place and degree, which hath been the Shel and instrument to bring him all that sweetness, meat, and nou∣rishment.

I say Beloved, once again, things being thus, and men being generally thus taken with the Let∣ter and go no farther; Wonder not, To see All the world in A Deluge, All drowned in their own ways,* 1.907 all seeking themselves and their Own things; and not the things of Iesus Christ, All being taken with, and Idolizing their own Conceits: Wonder not To see them All in a mist, Groping in dark∣ness, and every one feeding himself with his own devices: I say, Wonder not; for Iohn the Baptist, He that leapt and sprang for ioy in his Mothers Womb at the salutation of the Virgin Mary; For

all He (as it were) lived with him was his ac∣quaintance,* 1.908 and conversed with him for 30. years, yet knew him not: Wonder not to see An Univer∣sal Darkness over the whole world, and scarce a man knows Him that lives in them, dwels in them.* 1.909 I am afraid it is with most men as it was with those women the Apostle Paul speaks of, Al∣wayes learning, and never came to the knowledge of the truth. Yet it is well known, ye have alwayes been Thro••gers of Christ with the Jews, but I fear Never yet drew any vertue from him: and that ye have not yet Taken the City of the Letter, Never yet had The rending of the Vail, never yet took Achsah to wife, For if ye had, you would be so far forth Altogether spiritual, and much ta∣ken up with these things,* 1.910 knowing no man any more after the flesh, but altogether in a spiritual manner; knowing God to be in you, and to dwell with you: wherefore to stand in awe of his good∣ness and greatness, majesty and incomprehensi∣bleness, &c.

But Beloved, I press these things the more and the oft••er, because I know these things had need be taught you,* 1.911 as the Prophet Esay saith, Line up∣on line, and precept upon precept; here a little and there a little. For these things ye receive but slow∣ly and by degrees,* 1.912 like narrow-mouth'd vessels, as ye are able to receive; otherwise these things run over, run at was••e, and run besides, And are spoi∣led, and ye trample these Pearls under your feet; And besides, I know you have enough that press the Letter, but these things very rarely, and therefore I take the more liberty.

This is such a truth that I would have it foun••ded and well rooted in you, viz. That God is He that Fills All in All; I would not have you igno∣rant of this one thing, viz. that God He is All Act, a pure Act; and nothing acts, nor grows, or increases, or moves, but in Him. Know that not one creature stirs in any act towards you, but by Commission: there is no such thing as chance or fortune. This is such a foundation•• Truth that eve∣ry Branch of Godliness ariseth from this root.

Iacob He saw this:* 1.913 for tis said, when he Awa∣ked then he saw God was in this place. God there ap∣peared to him, On purpose to convince Iacob of this very Truth: not but that God was in that place before, but Iacob saw him not there before▪ God was in this place before, but I knew it not, saith he: but his eyes being opened, then he cryes out, Oh! How dreadful is this place, this is no••e other but the house of God! God dwells with us and in us, and we are not aware of it All this while. To this very day.

As suppose two men should come into a large room, in which the King should be in one corner behind the hangings privately: (I suppose I have used the Simile before, but the fitness makes me use it the oftner, therefore take it and apply it) and the One of these two men, Espieth the King, the Other knowing nothing of him: He that knows the King is there, he behaves himself with all Re∣verence and fear, as before the King; because he knows the King hears and sees all: but the other lashes out in idle and frothy talk, and behaves him∣self

rudely as among his companions; The rea∣on is because He sees not the King: but if once he chance to espye the King, or the King discover himself to him, Then He humbles himself for all his idle carriage, falls down Amazed intrembling and fear, and carries himself so much the more Humbly and Awfully, and the more submissively: His carriage is quite changed, he is no such man as he was before: so Howsoever a man carry him∣self before he sees God, and before he knew of him, that he was so near and he knew it not: yet when God once shews and discovers himself to such a man, In the midst of all his pride and lofty carri∣age,* 1.914 in the midst of his high and Towring imagina∣tions, and self-conceits, As he did to Belshazzar, when the hand-writing appeared to him on the wall, His hair stood upright, and his knees smote toge∣ther, and his joynts were loosed: Even so is this man astonished at the sight of God in him, he falls down and cries out with Iacob, Oh! how dreadful is this place? this is none other but the house of God, and I never knew so much: Was my God, my Creator, the Almighty, and maker of Heaven and Earth,* 1.915 He that the Heaven of Heavens cannot con∣tain; Is he here by me and in me all this while, heard all my words, and observed all my actions, and I not know it, I not aware of it? Oh vile wretch that I am!

Beloved, the case was thus with Iacob; He over night being weary, Travelling a whole days jour∣ny from his fathers house, had no Inne to lodg at, but in the open field, having gotten some stones

together for his pillow, and the Heavens fo•• his Curtains; He lies down in sorrow and thoughtful∣ness what he should do, what would becom of him, what course he should take: He was a yo••ng ma••, and apt to run hi•• own wayes, and follow his own will: little he had, and knew not how he should be provided fo••:* 1.916 He was fain to run from home, leave his fathers house as a banished man: and it seems in these thoughts and the like, he fell asleep; And in a dream God appears and speaks to him and comforts him; And in his dream he saw a vision; A Ladder reaching up to Heaven,* 1.917 and the Angels of God ascending and de∣scending, &c. and when he awaked, he finding God to be so near him an•• present with him whitherso∣ever he went, his spirit was comforted and re∣freshed: Then He was a changed man, Then he had New thoughts, and all his former thoughts were banished. Even so doth this man behave himself when once God hath spoken to him and discovered himself to be so near, He doth as Da∣vid sayes he did, Set the Lord alwayes before his eyes:* 1.918 then he minds God, and observ••s his work∣ings, his out-goings, and incomings; he alwayes then puts God forward in him, He must do all: Before He was the forward man, and who but he? All Gods acts in him he arrogated to himself: and (as he thought) the actions were His, done by His power, wisdom, and parts, so he took home The glory and praise of all to himself: But now Upon Gods appearing to him, this man is Un∣don••, slain, crucified: Then he can with all his

heart let God Be all, and Do All, Speak in him, Move in him, Live in him, Work all his works in him and for him; He now minds God in whatsoever any creature saith or doth to him:* 1.919 He no longe•• lives his own life, but the life of God: tis true, He lives as the Apostle saith, Yet not He, but Christ in him: He now As a New man, Hath no words but the words of Christ, no thoughts but the thoughts of Christ, made One spirit and life with Him, and so he becomes throughout A chan∣ged Man, A New man. But the other, he that is not aware of God, He that is a Reprobate, who knows not, That Christ is in Him, He takes no knowledge of all this, but does what he list, (and as he thinks) He speaks his own words, and thinks his own thoughts: and All their thoughts, words, and acti∣ons, All their aims and endeavours tend to the ful∣filling the desires of the flesh, Either more gross and open, or else more subtile and refined, and more hid from the eye of the world; Their desires and aims are, How they shall procure such a benefit to them∣selves, such an estate: or how he shall be delive∣red from the danger of the times, and he is full of carking and caring how his flesh shall be provided for, and the like: And truly beloved, it cannot be otherwise; for whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit: for it can never act without its own sphere and com∣pass;* 1.920 were we born of the Spirit, we could not but dye to the flesh, and seek the things of the Spi∣rit: then all his thoughts for the advantage of the flesh Cease, and he is altogether fot Increasing and

Perfecting This life of God begun in him: let God live more and more,* 1.921 and himself less and less; As John Baptist saith, he must increase but I must de∣crease:* 1.922 This is his life now, which before was his death: and contrary his death is his life.

God is now A welcom Guest, Yet, Not that God is more or less there, you being alwayes Gods Tem∣ple, as well before you see him, as when you see him: for Christ cannot Alter his lodging in the re∣ality of it; This is a certain truth; Nothing can make Christ depart in regard of his Essence and Be∣ing; but to you he may depart, and so you are to understand all such expressions: for if you think (and as some preach) that God comes and goes from place to place, from earth to heaven, o•• from heaven to earth, departs and returns; and that you can stay Him and change Him, or make him return; These are all childish fopperies; in this ye do as it were Create another God to your selves, and make the true God an Idol; but it is spoken in re∣f••rence to the Creature, in regard of our sight and apprehensions; As To you, He is departed and dwels above far remote; And indeed and really he is as having no being, and is as no God to thee; However thou mayest flatter and deceive thy self, Until thou hast smitten and taken Kiriathsepher, and marryed Achsah Calebs daughter, Till there be power given To rend the vail: But then you shall see Him who is the truth of all things, The substance of all things, and not before: for what∣ever you can see, are but Shaddows and not the Truth; As in this my body you cannot see the

Internality and the Truth of it: for the truth and Substance of it doth not consist either in the cold∣ness or in the hotness; for it hath been hotter, and it hath been colder: neither in the Oldness nor Youngness: for it hath been younger, and may be older: neither in the heaviness nor lightness; for it hath been lighter, and may be heavier; nor in no accidents you can name; Then if so, none hath ever heard, or seen, or spoke that which is the Truth of me; for my Substance cannot be seen, but onely Accidents; the truth consists in things internal; and tis the like for any other thing you behold besides.

And so likewise, such is the Word of God, it consists not in any thing you can hear or see, or can perceive or comprehend; for Gods Word is as himself, Mighty, Incomprehensible, Omnipotent, &c. not included in any place; His Word is the Being and life of all things; the Letter cannot possibly contain the Eternal Majesty of the Word: it is not the Word of God till it be expounded to the heart, and made a word of power and quickning in the hearts of his people. The Word is Eternal, and was before any Letters or Scriptures were, and shall be for ever when all those things Cease.

Gods speaking is His creating, Let it be done: there can be no resisting; sayes David, whatever he commanded it was wrought:* 1.923 God Hath spoken As many Words, as he hath made Creatures: But He hath spoken One Great and mighty word, and that One WORD includes All those Words: and that One Word is Jesus Christ the Onely be∣gotten

of his Father, and the first born of every creature: all the rest of the creatures are but as so many Letters of this GREAT Word: for he is called the Word▪ He being in the bosome of his Father, He was Unspoken, Unuttered, Unpronounced•• there was not then any one creature in heaven or earth: but God was ALL; there was then Neither Father, Son, nor Spirit, as divided; But He being Once pronounced, He is the Word Spoken; then immediately there is Father, Son, and Spirit; For these are expressed Several or TRINE onely in relation to the creatures: which to me is clear; for there is not diversity in God, but God is one, and in Himself cannot be more; and I hope it is clear to you.

If any should think or say unto me, the words of Pilate, Oh Sir, What thing is truth? I must answer thus, truth is not possible to be either spoken or heard: for God onely is truth, and no∣thing else can be: now, it is impossible to see or hear God;* 1.924 saith our Saviour, No man hath seen God at any time: for we cannot see him and live; we must depart Out of the nature of man, and re∣turn into God, and be one with God, Else we can never know God, tis onely his well-beloved in us, and who also is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared and revealed him. Whatever it be that a man sees or comprehends, that cannot be God, that cannot be truth; It can be at most, but the Emblem, the shadow of truth: as in a man we cannot see his life, but we may see him live; even so, truth cannot be seen, but you may see the

Effects and Fruits of truth. But he that marries Achsah, To him will I give The Rending of the Vail; that is, He shall see as much As a creature Can See and live, as God said to Moses. [Achsah] She will give you A glimpse, A sight through the cleft of the rock, as was to Moses; The Back-parts of IEHOVAH. But Truth cannot be seen In the True glory and splendor thereof; onely the back parts of her: She will admit you into the Sanctum Sanctorum, she will beg of her Father to give you a blessing, that seeing he hath given you the south-land,* 1.925 as it is here in this Chapter, that he will give you Springs of water: That you shal not onely have the Nether Springs, The Letter of the Word, External Ordinances, and outward Duties, Bodily Worships and the like; but you shall have The Upper Springs,* 1.926 The life of the Let∣ter, the power, the quickning Spirit, to see not onely Christs body, and touch it; but you shall have the vertue of The breaking of His Body, and the benefit of the sheding of his blood.

And When the Vail is Rent take but a short view of those priviledges and precious things you shall then have: Though I have hinted at them in general, as I went along; yet let us view a little the particular things contained within the Holie of Holies, as time at present will give leave.

When ye came to the Tabernacle, there was first,* 1.927 as I told you, A worldly sanctuary, as the Apostle sets them down, Heb. 9. 1. And therein was Ordinances and Divine service; for so the Apostle calls it in the first verse. And therein was

the Candlesticks, and the table, and the Shew-bread, and thither came the Priests, and did their office; there was sacrifices and offerings for themselves, and all the people; And All they could learn there, was but worldly and external Ordinances, bodily worships, which concerned not the heart and the inward man; But, if they offered such and such External things as was required, this was all: But into the second Vail within the Holie of Holies, thither the High Priest must come but once a year, (for we shall onely at pre∣sent touch at those particulars mentioned there by the Apostle) And first, There was the golden Censer, which typified Christs offering the prayers of the Saints, as it is exprest Rev. 8. there is an Angel which had the Golden Censer,* 1.928 and there was given him much Incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of the Saints upon the golden Altar; which Angel is Jesus Christ, the Angel of the Covenant: shewing unto us thus much, that he is the Mediator between God and man, for whose sake all our services are accepted: no∣thing is accepted from us with the Father, But what his Son doth in us: Be they never such glo∣rious actions, and done with never so specious reli∣gious pretences; yet if they be Our actions, they stink, they are abominable; In him onely he is well pleased: They are his actions onely that can be savour•• meat to him; Although as they be our actions, they may seem beautiful and glorious to us, yet to him they stink. A dead man hath the shape of a man, but he stinketh; So thy duties,

though they have the shape of Right and Holy duties to us, yet they are to him but dead works, Heb. 9. 14.* 1.929 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works, to serve the living God, who through the eternal spirit offered himself? When your services are not from an Internal prin••iple, from the work of the Eternal Spirit, but are like the Motion of Clocks and Watches, which is from Art and External weights, not from nature, all such services are dead works.

Within the Vail we come really to see, All our works nothing, they are abominable; yet we think highly of them, While we remain in the worldly Sanctuary, and are gotten no farther: But here within the Vail, God speaks to us, as he did to Iob, and we are convinced of our Vile∣ness:* 1.930 Behold, saith Iob; then I am vile; I will lay my hand upon my mouth; I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee, I abhor my self in dust and ashes; Iob had oft made confession of sin before in words, and in the notion: And practised dayly External wor∣ship, but yet we may see all along for all tha••, what an high Opinion Iob had of himself of his strictness and righteousness: Iob sacrificed often and constantly, and observed the letter very strictly; and thereby Iob maintained a high opinion of himself: But now the vail must be rent, and God must appear himself, to darken and con∣found all Iobs righteousness, before Iob could say I am vile; Iob was strict in Externals, but Iob

could not Really loath and Abhor himself: though in words he might, as many can easily and fre∣quently do that dayly, but to be really VILE in themselves, this work is from above, from Hea∣ven, from God: And so we come to see what it is, and for what we or our actions are accepted; it must be his sons work in us, else he loaths all, even the best of your Sacrifices, if it be not Jesus Christ in us that doth All; viz. that loves God, and Fears God, and obeyes God, and believes in God, &c. his Father regards it not; that may seem a Paradox, but yet it is a truth; for indeed and in truth, there is nothing fears God, but God; nor Nothing obeys God•• but God; nor Nothing loves God, but God; He a••cepts his own work in us, and nothing else: God cannot accept any thing any creature doth out of himself, but what himself doth; what his Son doth, that plea∣ses him; that he canno•• but accept. This is that Achsah that so pleases her Father that he can deny her nothing: This is the first thing we shall have after the Vail is rent; and none can attain this Really, and in good earnest, But He, to whom the vail is Rent.

The next thing there Exprest,* 1.931 is, The Ark overlaid with Gold; the Ark of the Covenant over∣laid with gold, overlaid round about with pure gold. Having married Achsah, we shall also have power to break open this Mystery: Christ is He in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen, they are all fulfilled in him: As all our actions must be derived from him as from the fountain; that

is, if they be not quickned and animated with the power, purity, holiness, excellency of Jesus Christ, that they are of himself, and of his own Divine Nature, he cannot accept or regard them; So also, if this be so, then is there not onely holi∣ness 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:* 1.932 Then there is such a power, and such a burning desire in the soul, they must shew forth their good works,* 1.933 that they may glorifie their father which is in heaven: nei∣ther can this be attained really, till we be admit∣ted within the vail.

True it is, while we are in this worldly San∣ctuary, 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 hea∣ven, but tis to glorifie themselves, and to set up themselves, Either for praise, or esteem, or for fear, or for hope of advantage,* 1.934 &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 de∣sired

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 the••e ends, hopes and fears re∣moved, the man would stand stone-still: But the other man, he who is ascended, and gotten with∣in 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,* 1.935 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 re∣form and compel by the power of Love, For (saith the Apostle) the Righteous are a law to them∣selves.

Beloved, this is the service God loves; He loves A cheerful giver;* 1.936 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,* 1.937 are not under the Law, Gal. 5. 18. but under Grace and under the power of love, and of a free mind;* 1.938 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 wil∣derness;* 1.939 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 Vespa∣tian: 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.* 1.940 He that lives according to this new li••e he is ••ed with Hidden Manna, He eats of the tree of life, in the midst of the Para∣dise of God; His comforts are pure, and ravish∣ing, and full of Everlasting delights; his waters Ever ••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 sea∣son;* 1.941 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.* 1.942 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 commu∣nicates himself to them, they are the more Hun∣gry, the more thirsty, the more Vnsatisfied; They have overcome, and are still Overcoming, they go on Conquering and to Conquer; they are still con∣quering and subduing all their Enemies, and get∣ting 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,* 1.943 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,* 1.944 There was also The Cherubims of glory, Overshadowing the Mer∣cy-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 Bow∣els: 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 im∣braces; and we shall then see How Sure All his mer∣cies are to them that love him, and that they are The Sure Mercies of David:* 1.945 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 all the good things he hath promised: we shall say by experience, Now we know, that hea∣ven and earth shall pass away,* 1.946 but not one tittle of his word hath failed; We shall then see, All Solomons Love-songs fulfilled, and never till then; And yet Beloved, all these things are but dark shadows to the Truth, and The Things themselves.

But to conclude, We run over these things, for time hastens: Those that are brought to this con∣dition, To have the vail Rent before their faces, They shall see Such things as I am not able to ex∣press; For eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither ever entred into the heart of man those glorious things which God hath prepared to entertain, To Feast such self-denying souls, which are both Full Satisfying and Ravishing contentments: Beloved, these are such things as cannot be enjoyed, See∣ing them, by feeling till the vail be Rent.

But yet know this, tis Othniel that takes this City, tis The Lords good time, or fit opportunity:

We cannot take this City, nor marry Achsah Ca∣lebs daughter when we would, but we must wait Gods opportunity, when he pleases to give it, no•• in our time, but in his time; nay we cannot so much as hasten that time, When we shall have power to smite Kiriathsepher, and marry Achsah, no more then a woman in travail, by all the means and in∣dustry she can use, can hasten the time of her de∣livery: We must wait the time Till God reveal; for we must take it When he will give it, And As He will give it by degrees, time after time, line upon line, and precept upon precept: And so We w••iting in Gods way, He will Reveal, and we shall come to understand The Good Will of the Lord,* 1.947 One time after another, Now A little and then A little line upon line; that so you may come To glorifie God your heavenly Father: Not that you may bring Honour or Profit to your selves (though This be our greatest Honor and profit) or take the praise to your selves, as though by Your power, you had smit∣ten the City, or married Achsah, And so posses∣sed the Upper and Nether springs,* 1.948 the letter and the Spirit: Thus to do, is not to smite the City; You as yet have not smitten it: this is not The power of God; this is but Your selves; this is but by the pow∣er of flesh; this is but by the power of Satan in us▪ but here is the misery of the Sons of men, they are ready to think and believe that they have smitten the City, when tis Nothing less: they think they know as much as can be known, and Glory in this, and so look for and give praise and Honour to them∣selves; And if Any go beyond them, if they cannot

fathom what you say, presently they cry out upon it as an Error, and no body must know more then they, and they must have the honour and praise of all: they must and will be sure to keep men within their compass and knowledge, always holding them in the letter, in the Rudiments, & in the Pedago∣gies, and in the shadows of Religion, and cannot in∣dure nor bear that men should be brought up to per∣fection, to possess those Plerophorias those Full En∣joyments prepared for them, that so they may be delivered and set at liberty from under the Law, and from the killing Letter; From Bondage and thraldom, that they may come to receive The in∣heritance of Sons and Freemen; h••t so the glory and praise of All may be to God Almighty (none to them) who hath given power to smite Kiriathse∣pher, the City of the Letter, that it may be unto us DEBIR, The Word of God, and so reveal unto us things Unutterable, and unspeakably glorious, Even The hidden Manna, and the Living Waters, to nourish us to Everlasting life, Where the Glory of God is the light of that Temple whose bright∣ness you shall see so far as you are able to Receive,* 1.949 where you shall have Safety from all your Foes, & you shall see and behold their Ruine; where you shal have the company & comfort of all the Saints, And God himself shall strive to Fill and if it were possible, and Glutt you with happiness; Where the City Gates are built with Pearls, The streets pa∣ved with gold, the walls of Precious stones: the Temple in this City, Is Almighty God Himself; and Kings and Princes shall be but Vassals, and

cast out and nor regarded as such: Where the Ri∣ver springs from under the Throne and Hill of God:* 1.950 the Water clear as Chrystal,* 1.951 The Banks set with Trees of Life,* 1.952 Where your Chear is Ioy, your Ex∣ercise Singing the song of Moses and the Lamb; your Duties praising, the Subject, God; the Quire consisting of Angels and Saints, the Songs Halle∣lujahs, Rev. 19. 3, 4, 6. Where there is no more need to fear, that your Eyes shall be dimmed with Tears or your Ears Affrighted with Cryes, or your Senses disturbed with Pain; or the Heart Damped with Sorrow, or the Soul Ever Sur∣prized by death: VVhere there is All God, and No Evil; there is No Persecutors; None to Claim your Possessions from you; None To Envy your Happiness: the Rich cannot be Robbed, Nor Kings shall not be Flattered: VVhere there is Possessions without Impeachments, Seigniories without Cares; Length of yeares without de∣cay of Strength: Love of All, without Ie••∣lousie of any; Greatness of STATE, without Con∣science of Corruption; Where we shall be Ravi∣shed with Seeing; Satisfied with Enjoying; And Se∣cured for Retaining.

Beloved, All these things are Very true, True In the Letter, But far more true, Taking it All as meant Spiritually; There are Such Things as These, Bu•• infinitely more Spiritual, Divine, and Transcending: Such things As These, and what∣ever else The Heart of man can Imagine Are but Poor Things to what we shall there Have and Live with, and Live in, viz. In Heaven; The Beginnings

whereof, are given you Here as an Earnest and First Fruits; For Heaven is Nothing else But Grace perfected, Tis of the same Nature with that you Enjoy Here; For He that is United and made ONE with Jesus Christ by Faith, Hath A True and REAL, Glimpse of those Ravishing Glories And Delights, which he shall for ever Enjoy: But you must Wave All Carnal, Sensual, and Worldly Enjoyments; And look upon the Highest, Chie∣fest and Rarest here, To be But Shadows and Dark Resemblances of those Blessed Good things, which we shall then Enjoy For Ever and Ever.

THE TWO MIGHTY AND Wonderfull TREES OF EDEN In the Garden of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ELOHIM.

Incognita Vnknown.

Ever since Man was driven out of Paradise, until Admitted to Return in Again. viz.

THE TREE of KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD and EVIL, AND The TREE of LIFE.

Taken out of A Book Called The LETTER And The LIFE, Or The FLESH And The SPIRIT.

Translated by Dr. EVERARD.

THE TREE of KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD and EVIL What it is.

I Will not much contend with them that will have The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, as it is Recorded in Sacred Scri∣pture, to be A Natural Tree, Planted by God in Paradise, And of such A Nature, That whosoever did Eat of it, should have their Eyes opened against themselves, and so to be made As Gods, To know Good and Evil; It may be, God would Admonish Adam both Inwardly and Out∣wardly, of what He did Inwardly, and in His Heart, either Forbid or Teach him; That He would likewise for the greater Evidence, Set be∣fore His Outward eyes; But I desire withall, that they will grant This, that What was Outwardly done, The Same also happened Inwardly, in the heart of Adam; That he was there Tempted by the SEED of the Serpent; To make some Account and Reckoning of his own Wisdom Will and Nature, and not to Submit Himself unto God, As Void of all Name, Knowledge, or Work; But to be

SOMETHING of himself, And There are Two Causes that move me to think so. The First is this, Because the Promise is, That the seed of the Woman should Bruise the Head of the Serpent; Now, We read of no Natural or Living Serpent whose head was so Bruised, by that Seed; There∣fore say I, As the Spiritual Seed of the Woman, was in Adams Heart, So likewise was the Serpents Seed; For Man indeed was made Good, Not of the Substance of God, But out f Nothing: And therefore, He Alwayes Turns Himself from God and Inclineth to His own NOTHING and Vani∣ty; For, I call, The Devil, Sin, Death and Hell, NOTHING: As many of the Ancient Fathers have done, and especially Taulerus For, God Never Created Them, But they are A NON-ENTI∣TY, A NOT-BEING, which is Contrary, And Perfectly oposite to ENTITY and BEING. And Peradventure, this was the Devil that dwelt in Adam, and Seduced Him, As well as in Lucifer.

The other Cause is this, That the Scriptures likewise Witness That, The City of God, And The Heavenly Ierusalem, and The Kingdom of God, is a Paradise Within Us; And further; that God and His Almighty Word, Is Our Paradise, The Tree of Life, The Temple. Where we Dwell, Walk, Sacrifice and Pray; As we likewise are His Temple and Paradise: And, That The BEAST Spoken of in the Revelation, Which the Whole World, Great and Smal, Do At This Day Worship in their Hearts As likewise, The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, is Within Us. For,

All the Whole Exterior World, or Whatsoever either is, Or is done Outwardly, are but Onely An Accident, and A Figure, Signifying The Truth of the thing And, The Internal Nature. And therefore There is Nothing True, of whatsoever is Seen with our Eyes; For the Figure and Fashion of this world must pass away and Perish, As being Nothing else but a certain Imaginary world, And The Figure of the World That is True, Right, Eternal, and subsisting of it Self.

Consequently, all things, which in the Bible were done Externally and Signifyingly, must again be done and again, brought to pass After their Manner; And, All the History of the Bible, All Moses and the Prophets, and in Summe, the Whole Scriptures Do, To This Day, Stand in Force, And are Continually Accomplished and Fulfilled, Internally, and Spiritually. All things are By Christ Translated, into the Truth, And it must needs be, That All the Prophesies which God spake, From the beginning of the world, by the Mouth of his Holy Ones must still be Called back, Reiterated, or Done over again; therefore that Shadow or that Tree, Was and is Nothing else in the Truth, But the Nature, Will, Know∣ledge, and Life of Adam; Of This He should not Have Eaten, This He should not have Ascri∣bed or Arrogated To Himself; But Rather, To be Free, and Freely Subject To God, and not to have Known anything, But What God Knew In Him, Nor to have Done any thing, But What God Did in Him; Nor, to have spoken any

thing, But What God Spake in Him, and so forth in the rest.

To the End That God, Without any Impe∣diment, Might have Exercised His Almighty Kingdom, Will, Nature and Power, In Him: But Himself should have been utterly Void of all Knowledge, Will, or Nature, And not have Ar∣rogated any of These, As Proper to Himself: This Pleased God, This was That Which He Commanded, And what He would have had Done.

To this Interpretation agreeth GERMANE DIVINITY, which Resolves That this Tree in the substance thereof is Nothing else, But our Own Will, and Knowledge, of which Alone In all the Earthy Paradise of this Wide World of our Hearts, We Ought not to Eat; But to Account it as Forbidden, Except we will also Eat of Death and Destruction.

Now then, As soon as Adam Fell, and did Eat of This Tree, The TREE, was Immediately Planted, in His Mind, And afterward Derived, into All the Branches and Fruits thereof, So that As, the Same Word, Precept, and Forbidding was Common to all, So is The same Fall. All We which are In Adam Have now, Eaten of Death, and haue Received from the Serpent, This Undi∣gested Poyson: Of an ill Bird, an ill Egge.

Hence, it may easily be perceived, How, Every Man is His Own Greatest Enemy; And what he ought to think of Himself, Of his Own Will, Understanding, Wisdom and Knowledge, See∣ing

it is the Counsel, Seed, Wisdom, Knowledge and Head of the Serpent, Which must By Christ, be Bruised In us; I say, it must needs be, That (As in the Old Testament was Signified by Cir∣cumcision, and in the New One by Baptisme) All things which we have By Nature and Inheri∣tance from Adam Must Dye, That we may Un∣learn and Put off All Things, Even as we would do, The Devil, And Death it self, viz. Our own Will, Prudence, Wisdom and Righteousness, Wherewith as with Figleaves Our Adam, doth Vainly seek to Hide Himself; For that is SIN, and the Sting of Death; Namely, To Eat of This Tree, And to Arrogate to a Mans Self, His own Wisdom, Provi∣dence, Will, Nature, or Himself.

But Alas for Woe, Who knowes This, Who thinks of it? Who is it That is Displeased with his Own Will, Understanding or Wisdom, Oh when shall we forsake them? Every Man De∣lights Himself, In His Own Will, and Recreates His Mind, Sweetly, and Contentedly therein, Re∣posing upon His Own Knowledge, Understanding, and the like. The Tree is Fair to be looked upon, and Sweet to be Tasted; and therefore All Mor∣tal Men, do Greedily Swallow and Devoure Death, as Adam did; But This is the Misery No Man knoweth it, No Man thinketh of it, But, Judgeth it to be Good; And All flesh thinks Assu∣redly That, This, Is The Tree of Life; Even, To follow their Own Wills, And their Own Conceit and opinion of Good (which indeed is false) As to Know Much, to Learn Much, to discern

Many Sciences; And in sum, To become Gods: And in the mean time, They are not Aware, That This is, Adams Fall, His Biting of the Ap∣ple; Yea, His Bitter Death It Self.

Continually, do we speak of This Miserable Adam and of His Fall, and never Take notice, that the Same is done In us. We Talk of His Eating and detest it, and Him for it; And yet WE Continually Eat, as well as He. O MAN VVho art Thou, That dost so Prepare A Rod fo•• thine O••n Back, and givest Sentence against thine Own Life; In Condemning Thy first Father Adam, and Pereeivest not, That thou art First in the Same Trap? Here then Consider Diligent∣ly, VVhat OUR Will, Knowledge and Understand∣ing is, Whereof we Boast so much; And where∣with we Think we may Come into the Presence of God; VVhereas Indeed, It is Nothing But The Bitterness of Death, And The Fruit of the Forbidden Tree. VVho is there, Among ALL Living Men, That Perceiveth This, Or will Learn To put Off, Deny, Fear and Mortifie, or Kill His Own VVill, and VVisdom? Nay ra∣ther, VVe Hold it Fast, Extol and Value it, as Pure Gold, VVhen as Indeed, It is Eternal Death, And, In This Misery The Whole VVorld ••yeth sick. But VVhere are Those Blessed Re∣deemed Ones?

THE TREE OF LIFE WHAT IT IS, And why Adam was Shut out, Forbidden, and withholden from it, and not suffered to EAT thereof.

I Can also be Content there should likewise Outwardly have been in Paradise, The Tree of Life, as you read in the Scripture, Whose Fruit might have been so Seasoned, and Endowed by God, And How it had that Na∣ture, that He who should Eat of it, should Live for ever and Never Dye; And when Adam had first Eaten of the Forbidden Tree, and had Fallen (as God foretold) into Death, it might not Now be That He should be permitted to Eat of the Tree of Life; Otherwise, he must have Lived for ever, And the Word of God, If thou eat there∣of, thou shalt dye the death, had been false. More∣over, God who is meer Love, and cannot for ever▪

be angry with His own workmanship, did well provide That Man in this Misery, Hated of God and an Enemy to Him, might not for ever Leada Wretched and Calamitous Life; And for that cause he drave him out of Paradise, from the Tree of Life, into this House of Penance (as it were) The World; And shewed him a Way whereby he might again come out of Death into Paradise, To this Tree of Eternal Life.

But, In the mean time, He fenced The Tree of Life, with a Flying Cherub, and a Glittering Sword, Lest Adam in this Banishment should Eat Life; For it seemed better, to the Good God, That Man should Dye, and so by Death put off this miserable Life, and Changing It, To be Translated to a better: For, He knew, That Life after this Death, Cold, Calamity, Banishment, would be so much more Welcom, and He so much more Dear unto God, after Victory. Therefore God, Who cannot Hate Us, Ever deals Mercifully with Us, Howsoever he handleth Us, If we would alwayes take it In Good Part, And not Suspect Him to be our Enemy; For, so is The Nature and Suspicion of Mans Heart.

Now, I do Thus think, That for Agreater Testimony, The Same thing did likewise Happen In the True Paradise (i. e.) In Adams Heart; As There is, The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; Which is the Seed, Speech, Counsel, Know∣ledge, Wisdom and VVill of the Serpent: So there also is, The Tree of Life, The Seed, Speech and Counsel of God, or of The VVoman. And, As

God and the Devil are, Even so are These Two Trees; So Contrary The One to the Other, That the One brings Life, The Other Death. And therefore It is Impossible, That whoso Eates of the One, should at the same Time Eat of the Other, or come unto it, As being Separated by a Flying Cherub, and a Glittering SWORD, Thus I Interpret VVinged Sin, and Obstinate Diso∣bedience; Which is elsewhere called in Scri∣pture A Separation. For who so Eats of the Tree of Knowledge of Good And Evil, That is, He that Greedily Swallowes down, and Devoureth Humane and Diabolical VVisdom, He Is already separated from the Tree of Life; That is, from the VVisdom, speech and Knowledge of God.

Neither of these Wisdoms, Speeches, VVills, Knowledges, Can indure the Other, Neither can One come from the One to the Other, So great is the Gulf between them, Being as Far Divided asunder as Heaven and Hell. He that Eats of the Tree of Life, That is, Of The VVord of God, He is Born of God, and cannot Dye, No, Nor Sin. For Their Fruit, Doth Eat The Eater, and Translate Him into His Own Nature, That is, Into Life; As Elsewhere The Scripture Speaketh, Of Eating of Christ His flesh; For indeed, It is The same Thing, To Eat Christ, To Live in His Word, To Believe, To Know God, and the like.

As likewise, it is All one, to Be in Adam, To Live in Adam, To Dye, To Eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, To Obey the Seed, and Word of the Serpent, And to become GODS.

Therefore, He that Eats of the Deadly Tree, And cleaves to the Word, and Wisdom of the Ser∣pent, And Being Born of Satan, and Affected as men are, Lives in Flesh and Blood; He cannot Do Well, or Please God; As, Contrariwise, The Other, Cannot Sin, Do Evil, or Displease God; Therefore He that will have the One, Must needs part with The other. We must of Necessity Go out of the Wisdom of Man, and The Serpent, and from The Forbidden Tree; That so, The Wis∣dom of the Tree of Life may Enter into Us: Adam, and the Wisdom of the Flesh, must Dye in Us, That Christ may Live in us, and The Spirit Have the Government. The Life of the One is Alwayes The Death of the Other, And The Weakness of the One, The Strength of the Other. No man can serve two Masters; And in vain shalt thou strive To Reconcile, Couple together, and Make Agree, God and Adam, or Christ and the Serpent, Light and Darkness, The Old man and the New.

That the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil planted in the heart of Adam, Is the Seed, Speech, and Spirit of the Serpent: And that great Idol ANTI∣CHRIST, Sin, Death, the Devil, and the BEAST, spoken of in Daniel, and the Revelation, which is the Greatest and most ordinary Worshiping of Idols.

VVHat do you think is the BEAST, of which Daniel writeth, that Resisteth and Blasphe∣meth the Most High, and killeth his Saints? What is that Old Serpent that overthrew Adam and Eve?* 1.953 What is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? What is the Shame∣less King and Antichrist, Of which Daniel wrote, and P••ul to the Thessalonians?* 1.954 What is That many-Headed Mon∣ster and the Seven-Headed Beast which the whole world Adoreth,* 1.955 Of which is spoken in the Revelation? What is Sin?* 1.956 What Death? What the Devil Himself, But every mans own Will, Wisdom, Reason, Religion, Righte∣ousness, Skill, Delight? For which cause Paul calleth it Death it self, Enmity against God, and Folly before God. And Saint Iames calls it Earthly, Humane, Devil∣lish wisdom;* 1.957 Because these three are one and the same, and that is Devillish which is meerly Humane: And con∣trariwise; For, Man, the Devil, Adam, and the Serpent, are the same, and do agree: For the Serpent did so In-stil this Wisdom and F••igned Goodnese into the Na∣ture of Adam, that the Serpents Seed and W••rd was in Adam, made a corporal Man, So that now, the same thing may be said of them both: And as they that are born of God, and in whom the word of God is made Man, or Flesh,* 1.958 are called Gods, and One Spirit with God: so all men, being Sprung of flesh and bloud, before they be

Born again,* 1.959 and before they are Planted into Christ, and Born of the Spirit, are justly called Devils, and the De∣vils Children, and off-spring: Therefore that which is Humane onely, is evil, and that which is Devillish is Humane. Again, What is the fall of Adam, but the wis∣dom of the flesh, and the fruit of the Forbidden Tree? What is that Old Dragon that came out of Hell, and Drew down from Heaven with himself,* 1.960 with his Tail a great part of the Stars of Heaven, But onely the wis∣dom of this Tree, Which extols it self against God, and would it self be God, and place his Seat with the Highest? I pray What else Are the thoughts of the flesh, What is Sin, What Arrogance, but the Fruits and Wisdom of this Tree? What are the Decrees of all men, and the bent of their Reason against God; Their Devises, Light, Books, &c. but the cunning of the Devil, from this Tree, Eaten? What is all the worship of Idols, The false Religion of all the wicked Iews, Turks, Gentiles, Mamalukes, and all false Christians? What are all their Leagues, Con∣venticles, Ceremonies, But the Apple of this Tree? Which counterfeiting The Tree of Life, sheweth to be pleasant fruits; but are such as are death it self. No man can sufficiently express The general worshipping of Idols, wherewith All the corners of the World, and the Hearts of men are stuffed; How common it is to all men? Who is he that Adores not Himself, and saith to his Own Hand, Reason, Knowledge, Honesty, Art, and Wisdom, Thou art My God, In thee I Hope, In thee I Trust? They do not, I grant, say thus with their mouth, but their Whole life, and their Idolatrizing mind saith as much by their deeds.

Here, Here it is, that all Mortal men deny God, and testifie it by their works. For if they think there be A God why do they not leave Vengeance to God?* 1.961 Why are they so Anxiously careful? Why do they so exercise mischief and fraud, and so deceive one another? Why do they make War, and Strife, right or wrong, for mine and thine? Why do they so Lye, Deceive, and Flatter one another? Why do they forget God and His sayings,

making no account of his Commandements? Where∣fore do they labour Night and Day to Get and Heap up Riches? Truly all this is because they believe not That God hath any care of them, or will or can Revenge for them; And therefore it is necessary that they Help and Revenge themselves; Otherwise they might look long enough unto Gods Hand, but be overcome and starve before Roasted Geese flye into their mouthes (as they say) and before he will avenge them on their Enemies; And they might be killed ten times over, and they might all beg their bread if they will have ought to do with God and truth in good earnest: No, they must not be wanting to themselves, but make their own Markets, by Lying, Deceiving, Cousening, and Usury. This, This they are assured will do them good and inrich them. Whereas his commandments would come too late for to Help them, and fail them at most need, and the Word of God is an insufficient Help in Adversity; Therefore it pleaseth them To kiss their own Hand,* 1.962 To speak Bigge words, And to Admire themselves; for who else is Our God? saith the Whole world, by their Works.

Of that Great Idol of Mans Wis∣dom and Knowledge; How men kiss their own Hands, and the whole world doth dili∣gently Worship Onely it SELF, and the works of their Own Hands, That is, the Inventions, Arts, Counsels, of their own Reason and Wisdom.

VVHat Other thing is the Worship of Idols, Superstition, Witchcrast, Evil Doctrine and the Ordinances of men, Then the Wisdom, Reason, In∣ventions, Crafts, Actions, Instincts and Prudence of men? Therefore the worshipping of Idols, is but to fashion such a form, like unto God, not according to his word as He Teacheth, Figureth and Formeth Himself In us, But according to our opinion and Judgement of God. More∣over, what is sin, Other then Our own Will, Wisdom & Coun∣sel, Sown in the mind of Adam and in his posterity by the Seed of the Serpent•• Consider the Purpose, Course, & Life of All mankind, where, & how thou wilt, and it is nothing but Humane wisdom. Here Will every man be his Own God; Lead, Teach, Govern, Actuate, Revenge, De∣fend, Excuse, Inrich Himself, and the like; and every mans own Head, Will, and Reason, is instead of A God unto Him; Though the sin and fall of Adam be no∣thing but Humane Affectation, of The Cunning, Rea∣son and Wisdom of the flesh, Which is therefore worthi∣ly called by God, Folly, and Enmity against God, yea Death it self and Devillish Wisdom.

All men ought with Christ, to bring Man to nothing, and by daily les••ening and depressing Him, to make him An Ass, A Fool, and a Child: But now it is clean contrary; All men build up The Man, that he may prove Wise, Glorious and Famous: Here are so many Cart∣loads

of Arts, to the end, The wretched and unprofitable Man, may become Great, Eminent, Praised and Excellent; And may obtain many Places Titles and Names. Here young men are purposely inslamed with a desire of Glo∣ry, that they may not be content to sit in the lower form, but may Domineer in the Pulpits and Teaching-places: And to the end, there are Artificers imployed to make the Scholars Accute, Witty, Knowing in all kinds of Crafts, and Exercises, and in all Exercises, Arts and Li∣teral Deceits, Whereby it appeareth clearer then the Light, That the world is contrary, An Enemy to God; Here, Every body Kisseth his own Hands, and Adoreth the Wisdom of his own Wit: This he accounteth instead of God, his Way and Word; and indeed which is of all things The greatest and Onely sin, and that very fall of Adam, And the fountain whence all other sins do flow, as Iob confesseth; For this is to be obedient and addicted to serve Himself, to Admire and Adore Himself, to fol∣low his Own will; Briefly, to be His Own; Being glad and willing to be somewhat, and to do, to Omit and to know somewhat, in himself; and not to be utterly void of all Name, W••ll, Work, and subject onely to God, this is the Onely and most deadly Sin; Yea rather, the Sink and Mother of all Sin; For the Delight, Will and Wis∣dom of the flesh, is Death it self; and a man is thereby no more profitable, better, nor religious then a Swine in his death. But so far forth as he doth Nothing, knoweth Nothing, Willeth nothing, but bears and suffers and sees God, making Holy-day In Him, This man keeps the Sabbath Holy, being void of skill and Will, is subject onely to God; In Him to go Out, Work, Will, know; Both How, What, When, and Why he pleaseth.

Now, The Whole World lyeth in This Death and Sin, for that it doth nothing else, but kiss i••s own hand, That is, Adore the Purpose, Counsel, Invention, and wisdom of it self. To this purpose are all things Intended, Aim∣ed, Drawn, and Bent, Even the Holy Scripture and Words of God: Namely, to be consonant to Our Rea∣son, and not to cross Our Wisdom, Course and Way.

But all these things must be Overthrown and unlearned again, if we will see God. For therefore do the Scriptures so Vehemently urge us to becom Children and Fools; Vomiting up again all the Art and knowledge of this Forbidden Tree, To be purged by the strength of the Tree of Life: and consequently let Every man (in this case) look and observe Himself narrowly what he doth, And He shall find all this True in his Own Breast.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke 14. 35.
• * 1.2

  Luke 2. 12.
• * 1.3

  Luke 4. 22.
• * 1.4

  Rev. 8. 1.
• * 1.5

  Rev. 3. 16.
• * 1.6

  John 4. 11.
• * 1.7

  John 6. 60.
• * 1.8

  Mat. 13. 36.
• * 1.9

  Num. 22. 28.
• * 1.10

  Ps. 51. 15.
• * 1.11

  Mat. 9. 49.
• * 1.12

  Isa. 10. 17.
• * 1.13

  Mal. 3. 2.
• * 1.14

  Mat. 5. 29. 30.
• * 1.15

  2 Pet. 3. 7.
• * 1.16

  Joh. 11.
• * 1.17

  Isaiah. 20. 3. and Joel 2. 10.
• * 1.18

  Acts 26. 18.
• * 1.19

  Exod. 19. 16.
• * 1.20

  Hos. 2. 19.
• * 1.21

  Mat. 26. 39.
• * 1.22

  Heb. 12. 29.
• * 1.23

  Col. 4. 6.
• * 1.24

  Prov. 16. 21.
• * 1.25

  Eccl. 8. 1.
• * 1.26

  Mat. 5. 13.
• * 1.27

  Heb. 2. 11.
• * 1.28

  Mat. 5. 13.
• * 1.29

  1 Cor. 3. 4. 5.
• * 1.30

  1 Cor. 1. 13.
• * 1.31

  Mat. 5. 14.
• * 1.32

  Joh. 1. 9.
• * 1.33

  Joh. 8. 12.
• * 1.34

  Lev. 6. 13.
• * 1.35

  Lev. 2. 13.
• * 1.36

  Num. 18. 19.
• * 1.37

  2 Kings 2. 21.
• * 1.38

  Ezek. 16. 4.
• * 1.39

  Job. 16. 4.
• * 1.40

  Gen. 27.
• * 1.41

  Mat. 3. 17.
• * 1.42

  Mat. 1. 24.
• * 1.43

  Mat. 13. 34.
• * 1.44

  Prov. 15. 23.
• * 1.45

  Psal. 119.
• * 1.46

  Rea.
• * 1.47

  Hos. 13. 9.
• * 1.48

  Luke 10. 34.
• * 1.49

  Reas. 2.
• * 1.50

  Psal. 38. 5.
• * 1.51

  2 Pet. 2. 22.
• * 1.52

  Reas. 3.
• * 1.53

  2 Chro. 13. 5.
• * 1.54

  Numb. 18. 19.
• * 1.55

  Mal. 3. 6.
• * 1.56

  Psal. 102. 26.
• * 1.57

  Ps. 139. 4.
• * 1.58

  Rev. 3. 14.
• * 1.59

  Heb. 1. 3.
• * 1.60

  Col. 1. 17.
• * 1.61

  Heb. 3. 14.
• * 1.62

  1 Cor. 15. 51.
• * 1.63

  Mat. 18. 1••.
• * 1.64

  Psal. 104. 3.
• * 1.65

  Col. 1. 15, 17.
• * 1.66

  1 Cor. 7. 31.
• * 1.67

  Heb. 13. 8.
• * 1.68

  Heb. 6. 19.
• * 1.69

  Joh. 1.
• * 1.70

  Rev. 19. 13.
• * 1.71

  Col. 1. 15.
• * 1.72

  Object.
• * 1.73

  Luk. 14. 34, 35.
• * 1.74

  Ma••. 9. ult.
• * 1.75

  Answ.
• * 1.76

  Exod. 16. 18.
• * 1.77

  Prov. 30. 4.
• * 1.78

  Job 12. 7.
• * 1.79

  Gen. 28. 17.
• * 1.80

  Psal. 18. 11, &c.
• * 1.81

  Psal. 18.
• * 1.82

  Eph. 6. 12.
• * 1.83

  Psal. 15.
• * 1.84

  Psal. 24.
• * 1.85

  Hab. 1. 2.
• * 1.86

  Rom. 10. 7.
• * 1.87

  Ioh. 1. 26.
• * 1.88

  Gen. 18. 27.
• * 1.89

  Psal. 12. 4.
• * 1.90

  Job. 12.
• * 1.91

  Isa. 20.
• * 1.92

  James 4. 13.
• * 1.93

  Isa. 9. 9.
• * 1.94

  Hos. 13. 9.
• * 1.95

  Rom. 12.
• * 1.96

  Mat. 24. 49.
• * 1.97

  Ioh. 9. 41.
• * 1.98

  Mat. 24. ••0.
• * 1.99

  Isa. 2. 18.
• * 1.100

  Gen. 19. 35.
• * 1.101

  2 Cor. 13. 15.
• * 1.102

  Isa. 46. 10.
• * 1.103

  Jer. 48. 11.
• * 1.104

  Psal. 62. 11. & 46. 2.
• * 1.105

  Job 42. 5.
• * 1.106

  Jude 1••.
• * 1.107

  Mat. 13. 58.
• * 1.108

  2 Co••. 4. 4.
• * 1.109

  Mark 9. 50.
• * 1.110

  Heb. 10. 29.
• * 1.111

  Rev. 4. 8.
• * 1.112

  Isa. 6. 3.
• * 1.113

  Use.
• * 1.114

  Mat. 3.
• * 1.115

  Deut. 32. 47.
• * 1.116

  John 1••. 25.
• * 1.117

  Acts 7. 25.
• * 1.118

  Prov. 5. 15.
• * 1.119

  Acts 10. 42.
• * 1.120

  Mat. 7. 5.
• * 1.121

  John. 8. 11.
• * 1.122

  1 Cor. 32.
• * 1.123

  Psal. 24. 7. 9.
• * 1.124

  2 Kings 7. 13.
• * 1.125

  Rom. 8. 27.
• * 1.126

  1 Kings 8. 22.
• * 1.127

  Joh. 4. 10.
• * 1.128

  1 Cor. 2. 9.
• * 1.129

  Rev. 21.
• * 1.130

  Psal. 87. 3.
• * 1.131

  Psal. 84. 10.
• * 1.132

  Psal. 27. 4.
• * 1.133

  Prov. 3. 17.
• * 1.134

  Mat. 8. 12.
• * 1.135

  Psal. 4. 4.
• * 1.136

  Rev. 3. 21.
• * 1.137

  Rev. 3. 21.
• * 1.138

  Gen. 3. 8.
• * 1.139

  Luke 10. 42.
• * 1.140

  2 Cor. 2. 16.
• * 1.141

  1 Cor. 2. 14.
• * 1.142

  Rev. 5. 9.
• * 1.143

  Act. 22. 2.
• * 1.144

  2 Cor. 2. 12.
• * 1.145

  Luk. 9. 58.
• * 1.146

  Phil. 3. 8.
• * 1.147

  Rev. 13. 8.
• * 1.148

  2 Cor. 5. 16.
• * 1.149

  Math. 1.
• * 1.150

  Luk. 1. 35.
• * 1.151

  Luk. 2. 42.
• * 1.152

  Jam. 2. 19.
• * 1.153

  Joh. 17. 3.
• * 1.154

  Rom. 10. 15.
• * 1.155

  Isa. 39. 10.
• * 1.156

  Joh. 6. 63.
• * 1.157

  Mar. 10. 11.
• * 1.158

  2 Cor. 5. 14, 15, 16.
• * 1.159

  Act. 9.
• * 1.160

  2 Cor. 5. 15.
• * 1.161

  2 Cor. 5. 17.
• * 1.162

  Gal. 4. 19.
• * 1.163

  2 Cor. 1. 17.
• * 1.164

  Mat. 19. 20.
• * 1.165

  1 Cor. 13. 2.
• * 1.166

  Phil. 3. 8.
• * 1.167

  1 Cor. 2. 2, 6, &c.
• * 1.168

  V. 14.
• * 1.169

  Luk. 9. 23.
• * 1.170

  Numb. 11. 6.
• * 1.171

  Isa. 58. 13.
• * 1.172

  Psal. 19. 7, 8.
• * 1.173

  Phil. 2. 15.
• * 1.174

  Luk. 23. 29.
• * 1.175

  Gal. 4. 19.
• * 1.176

  Luke 1. 35.
• * 1.177

  Heb. 13. 8.
• * 1.178

  Eph. 3. 12.
• * 1.179

  Rom. 8. 38, 39.
• * 1.180

  John 8. 56.
• * 1.181

  2 Pet. 1. 4.
• * 1.182

  Isa. 9. 6, 7.
• * 1.183

  Mark 1. 18.
• * 1.184

  Jude 12.
• * 1.185

  John ult. & ult.
• * 1.186

  Mat. 9. 35.
• * 1.187

  Isa. 9. 6. Luke 2. 14.
• * 1.188

  Mat. 2. 2.
• * 1.189

  Acts 26. 18.
• * 1.190

  Luke 2. 52.
• * 1.191

  Mat. 5. 16
• * 1.192

  Rev. 5. 5.
• * 1.193

  Isa. 9. 7.
• * 1.194

  Isa. ••3. 24
• * 1.195

  Psal. 2. 3. and 9.
• * 1.196

  Eph. 4. 17.
• * 1.197

  Gal. 5. 16.
• * 1.198

  Act. 17. 29.
• * 1.199

  Gen. 6. 5.
• * 1.200

  Mat. 24. 3, &c.
• * 1.201

  Luke 21. 28, &c.
• * 1.202

  Isa. 9. 5.
• * 1.203

  Mat. 24. 20.
• * 1.204

  Ruth. 1. 20, 21.
• * 1.205

  Esa. 9. 6.
• * 1.206

  Luk. 2. 42.
• * 1.207

  Rev. 12. 15.
• * 1.208

  2 Cor. 10. 5.
• * 1.209

  Mat. 12. 29.
• * 1.210

  Mat. 3. 15.
• * 1.211

  Mat. 22. 21.
• * 1.212

  Mat. 22. 21.
• * 1.213

  Luk. 2. 46.
• * 1.214

  Esa. 47. 10.
• * 1.215

  2 Tim. 3. 15.
• * 1.216

  Isa. 43. 24
• * 1.217

  2 Cor. 10. 15.
• * 1.218

  Act. 19. 16
• * 1.219

  Luk. 12. 19
• * 1.220

  Psal. 51. 15.
• * 1.221

  Psal. 8. 1.
• * 1.222

  Isa. 43. 8.
• * 1.223

  A terrible storm of Thunder and light∣ning fil∣ling the place with fire & flame.
• * 1.224

  Dan. 4. 30.
• * 1.225

  Jam. 3. 5, 6.
• * 1.226

  Isa. 14. 13.
• * 1.227

  Mar. 18. 3.
• * 1.228

  1 Cor. 3. 18. 1
• * 1.229

  Cor. 1. 19.
• * 1.230

  Mat. 7. 29.
• * 1.231

  Luk. 2. 47.
• * 1.232

  Mar. 3. 20.
• * 1.233

  Acts 20. 7.
• * 1.234

  Luke 2. 1.
• * 1.235

  Luk. 1. 10.
• * 1.236

  Psal. 19. 10.
• * 1.237

  Mat. 9. 35.
• * 1.238

  Psal. 119.
• * 1.239

  Psal. 119. 75. 128.
• * 1.240

  Mark 10. 21.
• * 1.241

  1 Cor. 7. 30.
• * 1.242

  Luke 16. 8.
• * 1.243

  Psal. 8. 1.
• * 1.244

  Mat. 10. 20.
• * 1.245

  Ephes. 4. 13.
• * 1.246

  Ephe. 2. 3.
• * 1.247

  Luke 4. 21
• * 1.248

  Psal. 119.
• * 1.249

  Mat. 8. 3.
• * 1.250

  Mat. 9. 20.
• * 1.251

  Gal. 6. 14.
• * 1.252

  Phil. 3. 8.
• * 1.253

  Rev. 13. 8.
• * 1.254

  Mat. 12. 19.
• * 1.255

  Heb. 6. 6.
• * 1.256

  Isa. 43. 24.
• * 1.257

  Amos 2. 13.
• * 1.258

  Ps. 105. 18.
• * 1.259

  Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8.
• * 1.260

  1 Pet. 4. 13.
• * 1.261

  2 Cor. 5. 16.
• * 1.262

  Joh. 6. 63.
• * 1.263

  Act. 16. 14.
• * 1.264

  Exod. 3. 14.
• * 1.265

  Heb. 1. 2.
• * 1.266

  Rev. 2. 7. Mat. 16. 17.
• * 1.267

  John 14. 6
• * 1.268

  Heb. 12. 29.
• * 1.269

  P••ov. 30. 4.
• * 1.270

  Mat. 11. 27.
• * 1.271

  Eph. 3. 11.
• * 1.272

  Col. 2. 15, 16.
• * 1.273

  Heb. 1. 2. 3
• * 1.274

  1 ••oh. 4. 16.
• * 1.275

  Ro. 8. 29 and 15. 6.
• * 1.276

  ••oh. 1.
• * 1.277

  Mat. 3. 17.
• * 1.278

  Heb. 1. 3.
• * 1.279

  2 Sam. 12. 7.
• * 1.280

  Heb. 10. 29.
• * 1.281

  Rev. 2. 11. & 20. 6.
• * 1.282

  Mat. 12. 29.
• * 1.283

  Isa. 43. 24.
• * 1.284

  Psal. 50. 17.
• * 1.285

  Psal. 2. 3.
• * 1.286

  John 19. 44.
• * 1.287

  Quest.
• * 1.288

  Ans.
• * 1.289

  Rev. 13. 8.
• * 1.290

  Heb. 13. 8.
• * 1.291

  2 Cor. 4. 10.
• * 1.292

  Hos. 12. 1.
• * 1.293

  Psa. 118. 12.
• * 1.294

  Psal. 104. 26.
• * 1.295

  John 18. 36.
• * 1.296

  ••ohn 8. 51.
• * 1.297

  2 Cor. 5. 16.
• * 1.298

  Phil. 2. 4.
• * 1.299

  Rev. 18.
• * 1.300

  Psal. 84.
• * 1.301

  Jer. 8. 6.
• * 1.302

  H••b. 10. 29.
• * 1.303

  Luk. 2. 52.
• * 1.304

  Luk. 2. 46.
• * 1.305

  1 Cor. 2. 9.
• * 1.306

  Gal. 6. 14.
• * 1.307

  Mat. 24. 20. & 25. 3.
• * 1.308

  Isa. 10. 22.
• * 1.309

  Mat. 7. 13.
• * 1.310

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.311

  Rev. 10. 6.
• * 1.312

  Col. 1. 24.
• * 1.313

  2 Cor. 11. 30.
• * 1.314

  2 Cor. 11. 30.
• * 1.315

  Vers. 31.
• * 1.316

  Acts 5. 41.
• * 1.317

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.318

  Acts 2. 13.
• * 1.319

  Wis. 5. 4.
• * 1.320

  Eph. 5. 29.
• * 1.321

  Isa. 50. 6.
• * 1.322

  Heb. 11.
• * 1.323

  Mat. 11. 8.
• * 1.324

  Acts 26. 24.
• * 1.325

  Judg. 14. 18.
• * 1.326

  Jo. 1. 45.
• * 1.327

  Exod. 5. 25.
• * 1.328

  2 Kin. 2. 19, &c.
• * 1.329

  Job. 16. 6.
• * 1.330

  Mark 9. 50.
• * 1.331

  Psal. 126. 5.
• * 1.332

  Isa. 66. 10.
• * 1.333

  John. 16. 21.
• * 1.334

  2 Cor. 1. 5.
• * 1.335

  2 Cor. 15. 19.
• * 1.336

  Eccles. 3. 1, &c.
• * 1.337

  Gal. 4. 1.
• * 1.338

  Heb. 1. 2.
• * 1.339

  Gen. 8. 22.
• * 1.340

  Luke 19. 42.
• * 1.341

  Psal. 30. 5.
• * 1.342

  Psal. 126. 5, 6.
• * 1.343

  Gen. 37.
• * 1.344

  Mat. 11. 28.
• * 1.345

  1 Sam. 2. 6.
• * 1.346

  Rom. 5. 15, 16.
• * 1.347

  Luk. 19. 25.
• * 1.348

  Luk. 9. 23.
• * 1.349

  Jer. 13. 16.
• * 1.350

  2 Cor. 6. 10.
• * 1.351

  Mar. 10.
• * 1.352

  Joh. 6. 66.
• * 1.353

  John 6. 20.
• * 1.354

  Mat. 20. 21.
• * 1.355

  2 Cor. 6. 11.
• * 1.356

  Mat. 19. 25.
• * 1.357

  Luke 4. 8.
• * 1.358

  Heb. 5. 8.
• * 1.359

  Luke 24. 26.
• * 1.360

  2 Sam. 7. 2.
• * 1.361

  2 Sam. 11. 11.
• * 1.362

  Mar. 10. 45.
• * 1.363

  Mat. 7. 22.
• * 1.364

  Luke 6. 40.
• * 1.365

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.366

  Exod. 5. 3.
• * 1.367

  2 King. 6.
• * 1.368

  Heb. 9.
• * 1.369

  Heb. 4.
• * 1.370

  Rev. 3. 21.
• * 1.371

  Mat. 15. 32.
• * 1.372

  Mar. 8. 2.
• * 1.373

  Mar. 14. 35.
• * 1.374

  Lam. 1. 12.
• * 1.375

  Mat. 23. 23.
• * 1.376

  Isa. 40. 5, 6, 7.
• * 1.377

  Mic. 2. 10.
• * 1.378

  Luke 23. 27.
• * 1.379

  1 Pet. 4. 13.
• * 1.380

  2 Kings 4. 39.
• * 1.381

  Mat. 16. 6.
• * 1.382

  Gal. 3. 3, 4.
• * 1.383

  1 Pet 4. 13.
• * 1.384

  Ro. 9. 27.
• * 1.385

  Rom. 8. 29.
• * 1.386

  Mat. 7. 13.
• * 1.387

  Luk. 13. 24.
• * 1.388

  1 Cor. 6. 11.
• * 1.389

  2 Sam. 18. 27.
• * 1.390

  Esa. 52. 7.
• * 1.391

  2 King. 22. 8.
• * 1.392

  Mat. 7. 13.
• * 1.393

  Ephes. 6. 13.
• * 1.394

  Ephes. 6. 12.
• * 1.395

  2 Sam. 19. 30.
• * 1.396

  1 Pet. 4. 18.
• * 1.397

  2 Cor. 6. 10.
• * 1.398

  Rom. 6. 13.
• * 1.399

  Luke 18. 26
• * 1.400

  John 1. 26.
• * 1.401

  Exodus 6. 3.
• * 1.402

  John 8.
• * 1.403

  John 3. 6.
• * 1.404

  Mat. 15. 27.
• * 1.405

  2 Cor. 8. 12.
• * 1.406

  Gal. 6. 7.
• * 1.407

  2 Sam. 30. 21.
• * 1.408

  1 Sam. 30. 25.
• * 1.409

  Mat. 20. 11.
• * 1.410

  Ver. 14.
• * 1.411

  Psal. 103. 20.
• * 1.412

  Psal. 2. 3.
• * 1.413

  Rom. 7. 18.
• * 1.414

  Psal. 18. 25, 26.
• * 1.415

  Luke 15. 18, 19, 20.
• * 1.416

  2 Thes. 2. 7.
• * 1.417

  1 Pet. 5. 8.
• * 1.418

  Phil. ••. 6.
• * 1.419

  Mat. 15. 11.
• * 1.420

  Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8.
• * 1.421

  Rev. 4. 12.
• * 1.422

  Luk. 1. 53.
• * 1.423

  Mat. 16. 23.
• * 1.424

  Object.
• * 1.425

  Mark 14. 71.
• * 1.426

  Answ.
• * 1.427

  Mat. 13. 14.
• * 1.428

  Jam. 4. 1.
• * 1.429

  2 Sam. 1. 22.
• * 1.430

  1 Sam. 25. 25.
• * 1.431

  1 Sam. 17. 45.
• * 1.432

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.433

  Phil. 2. 7, 8.
• * 1.434

  2 Thes. 2. 7.
• * 1.435

  Thes. ••. 7.
• * 1.436

  Mat. 16. 23.
• * 1.437

  Act. 17. 19.
• * 1.438

  Ma••. 14. 71.
• * 1.439

  Jsa. 13. 21.
• * 1.440

  Joh. 1. 26.
• * 1.441

  1 King. 22. 12.
• * 1.442

  Heb. 13. 22.
• * 1.443

  1 Cor. 11. 31.
• * 1.444

  Acts 2. 29.
• * 1.445

  Joh. 1. ••6.
• * 1.446

  2 Sam. 7. 12▪
• * 1.447

  Rom. 6. 6.
• * 1.448

  Psal. 51.
• * 1.449

  Eph. 2. 3.
• * 1.450

  Ezek. 16. 3.
• * 1.451

  Joh. 3. 3.
• * 1.452

  ••* Divers Earls and Lords be∣ing there present. E Holland E. Mul∣grave, &c. and other his inti∣mate ac∣quain∣tance.
• * 1.453

  Eph. 4. 22, 23.
• * 1.454

  Jer. 13. 23.
• * 1.455

  1 Cor. 11. 11.
• * 1.456

  1 Tim. 2. 14.
• * 1.457

  Gen. 3. 7.
• * 1.458

  Mat. 26. 41.
• * 1.459

  Hos. 13. 5.
• * 1.460

  Psal. 18.
• * 1.461

  2 Sam. 12. 7.
• * 1.462

  Isa. 1. 27.
• * 1.463

  Gen. 3. 14.
• * 1.464

  Obj.
• * 1.465

  Ans.
• * 1.466

  Obj.
• * 1.467

  Ans.
• * 1.468

  Gen. 3. 15.
• * 1.469

  1 Sam. 24. 11.
• * 1.470

  Isa. 14. 12.
• * 1.471

  Hest. 7. 5.
• * 1.472

  Ps. 8. 2.
• * 1.473

  Gen. 37. 9.
• * 1.474

  Luk. 18. 11.
• * 1.475

  Psa. 119. 71.
• * 1.476

  Rev. 12. 3.
• * 1.477

  Exod. 4. 6.
• * 1.478

  1 Pet. 5. 8.
• * 1.479

  Mat. 5. 20.
• * 1.480

  Numb. 23. 10.
• * 1.481

  Heb. 8.
• * 1.482

  Luk. 4. 7.
• * 1.483

  Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8.
• * 1.484

  1 Sam. 17
• * 1.485

  1 Sam. 17. 9.
• * 1.486

  Mar. 14. 71.
• * 1.487

  Isa. 5. 9.
• * 1.488

  Isa. 27. 1.
• * 1.489

  Gen. 3. 15.
• * 1.490

  Rev. 12. 3.
• * 1.491

  Exod. 1. 16.
• * 1.492

  Rev. 12. 3.
• * 1.493

  Job 39. 22.
• * 1.494

  Jer. 2. 25.
• * 1.495

  Gen. 3. 1.
• * 1.496

  Joh. 8. 44.
• * 1.497

  Job 1. 8, 9.
• * 1.498

  Jam▪ 4. 1.
• * 1.499

  1 John 4. 3.
• * 1.500

  1 Joh. 2. 18.
• * 1.501

  Mar. 6. 46.
• * 1.502

  Jude 23.
• * 1.503

  Job 24. 13.
• * 1.504

  I••a. 47. 10.
• * 1.505

  Ezek. 28. 2, 3.
• * 1.506

  1 Cor. 1. 27.
• * 1.507

  Mat. 20. 27. and Mar. 9. 36.
• * 1.508

  Psal. 39. 9.
• * 1.509

  ••uke 17. 11.
• * 1.510

  Rom. 8. 18.
• * 1.511

  Mark 3. 27.
• * 1.512

  2 Thess. 2. 7.
• * 1.513

  Eccles. 2. 1.
• * 1.514

  Psal. 22. 12.
• * 1.515

  Psal. 69. 2.
• * 1.516

  Exod. 19. 16.
• * 1.517

  Gen. 4. 7.
• * 1.518

  2 Cor. 10. 4.
• * 1.519

  Mat. 5. 29.
• * 1.520

  John 1. 8.
• * 1.521

  Psal. 36. 9.
• * 1.522

  Joh. 9. 40.
• * 1.523

  Psal. 73. 17.
• * 1.524

  Rev. 22. 5.
• * 1.525

  1 Sam. 25. 11.
• * 1.526

  Obj.
• * 1.527

  Rom. 12. 10.
• * 1.528

  Rev. 18. 23.
• * 1.529

  Ephes. 4. 18.
• * 1.530

  Joh. 12. 35.
• * 1.531

  Isa. 28. 10.
• * 1.532

  1 Cor. 7. 31.
• * 1.533

  Eccles. 4. 12.
• * 1.534

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 5. 17.
• * 1.535

  John 3. 6.
• * 1.536

  2 Cor. 5. 6.
• * 1.537

  Rom. 13. 14.
• * 1.538

  Luke 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 19.
• * 1.539

  Luk. 9. 23.
• * 1.540

  Mar. 11. 16.
• * 1.541

  Rev. 4. 10.
• * 1.542

  D••n. 9. 7.
• * 1.543

  Job. 1. 4.
• * 1.544

  M••r. 10. 3••.
• * 1.545

  John 8. 45.
• * 1.546

  Acts 8. 20.
• * 1.547

  1 Tim. 5. 8.
• * 1.548

  Mat. 6. 29.
• * 1.549

  Mat. 6. 5, & 16.
• * 1.550

  1 Sam. 2. 30.
• * 1.551

  Prov. 23. 16. & Lu••. 10. 17.
• * 1.552

  Mat. 22. 37.
• * 1.553

  1 Cor. 9. 16.
• * 1.554

  Isa. 58. 3.
• * 1.555

  Ps. 119. 105.
• * 1.556

  Mat. 5. 29, 30.
• * 1.557

  Ps. 57. 3.
• * 1.558

  Judg. 16. 7.
• * 1.559

  Mar. 12. 42.
• * 1.560

  Ps. 110. 1.
• * 1.561

  Gen. 11. 4.
• * 1.562

  Luke 12. 14.
• * 1.563

  1 Cor, 11. 31.
• * 1.564

  Mat. 7. 1.
• * 1.565

  Ps. 50. 6.
• * 1.566

  Joh. 5. 22.
• * 1.567

  Acts 10. 42.
• * 1.568

  Joh. 12. 31.
• * 1.569

  Mat. 12. 26.
• * 1.570

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.571

  1 Cor. 3. 3.
• * 1.572

  James 3. 15.
• * 1.573

  Mat. 12. 23.
• * 1.574

  Gal. 6. 1.
• * 1.575

  1 Cor. 2. 15.
• * 1.576

  1 Cor. 2. 15.
• * 1.577

  Prov. 10. 17.
• * 1.578

  Gal. 5. 17.
• * 1.579

  Mat. 3. 17.
• * 1.580

  Ma••. 3. 35.
• * 1.581

  Ps. 82. 8.
• * 1.582

  Psal. 74. 6.
• * 1.583

  Ps. 68. 1.
• * 1.584

  Ps. 35. 24.
• * 1.585

  John 11. 4.
• * 1.586

  1 Cor. 5. 5.
• * 1.587

  1 Cor. 2. 14.
• * 1.588

  1 Cor. 3. 19.
• * 1.589

  1 Thes. 5. 19.
• * 1.590

  Psalm 35. 24.
• * 1.591

  1 Cor. 5. 5.
• * 1.592

  Mat. 19. 1••.
• * 1.593

  Heb. 12▪ 24.
• * 1.594

  Isa. 8. 20.
• * 1.595

  Mat. 22. 28.
• * 1.596

  Deut. 28
• * 1.597

  Psal. 7. 8.
• * 1.598

  Psal. 82. 1
• * 1.599

  Jer. 2. 28.
• * 1.600

  Psalm 50. 17. &c.
• * 1.601

  Psal. 45. 7.
• * 1.602

  Exod. 22. 4.
• * 1.603

  1 Cor. 5. 5.
• * 1.604

  Phil. 2. 6, 7.
• * 1.605

  Mat. 5. 46. & Luke 6. 32.
• * 1.606

  1 Cor. 21. 31.
• * 1.607

  Acts 10. 42.
• * 1.608

  Joh. 5. 22.
• * 1.609

  Mat. 12. 25.
• * 1.610

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.611

  1 Cor. 3. 3.
• * 1.612

  1 Cor. 2. 15.
• * 1.613

  Psal. 82. 1.
• * 1.614

  Hab. 2. 1.
• * 1.615

  Gen. 3. 8.
• * 1.616

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.617

  1 Kings 19. 12.
• * 1.618

  1 Cor. 5. 5.
• * 1.619

  Psal. 86. 13.
• * 1.620

  Luke 12. 49.
• * 1.621

  Joel 2. 2.
• * 1.622

  Ezek. 6. 9.
• * 1.623

  Rev. 2. ult.
• * 1.624

  Jer. 2. 28.
• * 1.625

  2 Sam. 24. 12.
• * 1.626

  Mat. 23. 35.
• * 1.627

  Dan. 3. 19.
• * 1.628

  Esa. 30. 33.
• * 1.629

  Rom. 10. 29.
• * 1.630

  2 Pet. 2. 4.
• * 1.631

  Gen. 3. 6.
• * 1.632

  2 Joh. 1. 7.
• * 1.633

  2 Chro. 6.
• * 1.634

  1 Kings 8. 30.
• * 1.635

  Acts 8. 21.
• * 1.636

  Mat. 10. 28.
• * 1.637

  Job 16. 12.
• * 1.638

  Gen. 18. 27.
• * 1.639

  Gen. 3. 19.
• * 1.640

  1 Cor. 6. 11, 12.
• * 1.641

  Act 4. 17.
• * 1.642

  Mat. 15. 26.
• * 1.643

  La. 1. 11.
• * 1.644

  2 Sam. 6. 21.
• * 1.645

  Esa. 40. 17.
• * 1.646

  Psal. 31. 12.
• * 1.647

  Mat. 5. 39.
• * 1.648

  Gen. 32. 10.
• * 1.649

  Mat. 10. 39.
• * 1.650

  Mat. 5. 18.
• * 1.651

  Luke 16. ult.
• * 1.652

  1 Kings 18. 21.
• * 1.653

  Gen. 32. 10.
• * 1.654

  Job 15. 11.
• * 1.655

  Rom. 8. 35, &c.
• * 1.656

  Mat. 19. 27.
• * 1.657

  Romans 14. 23.
• * 1.658

  Heb. 11. 1.
• * 1.659

  Rev. 13. 10.
• * 1.660

  Luke 14. 33.
• * 1.661

  Ma••. 13. 1.
• * 1.662

  Luke 14. 33.
• * 1.663

  Ver. 26.
• * 1.664

  Mat. 16. 23.
• * 1.665

  Jer. 51. 1.
• * 1.666

  Jam. 3. 15.
• * 1.667

  Jer. 15. 19.
• * 1.668

  Mat. 6. 16.
• * 1.669

  Mar. 3. 31.
• * 1.670

  Mat. 23. 8.
• * 1.671

  Luke 11. 17.
• * 1.672

  Object.
• * 1.673

  Answ.
• * 1.674

  Deut. 13. 6.
• * 1.675

  Mat. 18. 8.
• * 1.676

  Ephe. 4. 20.
• * 1.677

  Ephe. 5. 25.
• * 1.678

  Mat. 5. 46.
• * 1.679

  Jer. 15. 19.
• * 1.680

  Gen. 12. 1.
• * 1.681

  Heb. 11. 37.
• * 1.682

  Psa. 131. 2
• * 1.683

  Phil. 2. 4.
• * 1.684

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.685

  Luk. 9. 58.
• * 1.686

  Isa. 66. 2.
• * 1.687

  Rom. 8. 38
• * 1.688

  Col. 1. 24.
• * 1.689

  Ephe. 4. 11, 12.
• * 1.690

  Phil. 4. 11, 12.
• * 1.691

  John 4. 34.
• * 1.692

  1 Col. 6. 12.
• * 1.693

  Gal. 1. 16.
• * 1.694

  Object.
• * 1.695

  Act. 17. 10
• * 1.696

  1 Kings 22. 14.
• * 1.697

  Rev. 22. 1.
• * 1.698

  Mat. 8. 34.
• * 1.699

  Heb. 10. 36.
• * 1.700

  Jam. 4. 1.
• * 1.701

  Jude 1. 16.
• * 1.702

  Mat. 7. 11.
• * 1.703

  Psal. 145. 15.
• * 1.704

  Psa. 127. 1
• * 1.705

  Mat. 6. 31.
• * 1.706

  Psal. 127. 1, 2.
• * 1.707

  Oject.
• * 1.708

  Ans.
• * 1.709

  Job 1. 21.
• * 1.710

  Isa. 39. 8.
• * 1.711

  Job 11. 12.
• * 1.712

  Job 2. 9.
• * 1.713

  Psal. 62. 11.
• * 1.714

  2 Sam. 16. 7.
• * 1.715

  Acts 5. 41.
• * 1.716

  Ma••. 6. 10.
• * 1.717

  2 Sam. 12.
• * 1.718

  2 Sam. 12. 16.
• * 1.719

  Mat. 6. 22.
• * 1.720

  Psal. 85. 8.
• * 1.721

  Psal. 31. 5.
• * 1.722

  Psal. 4. 8.
• * 1.723

  Mat. 8. 9.
• * 1.724

  Mat. 11. 26.
• * 1.725

  Cant. 4. 16.
• * 1.726

  2 chron. 20. 12.
• * 1.727

  Numb. 13, 14.
• * 1.728

  Exod. 3. 8.
• * 1.729

  Numb. 13. 21.
• * 1.730

  Ver. 18.
• * 1.731

  Ver. 23.
• * 1.732

  Ver. 27.
• * 1.733

  Ver. 2••.
• * 1.734

  Ver. 32.
• * 1.735

  Numb. 14. 1.
• * 1.736

  Ver. 4.
• * 1.737

  Ver. 8.
• * 1.738

  Ver. 9.
• * 1.739

  Ver. 10.
• * 1.740

  Chr. 14. 3.
• * 1.741

  Ver. 13.
• * 1.742

  Ver. ••.
• * 1.743

  Psal. 119.
• * 1.744

  Psal. 19. 7, 8.
• * 1.745

  1 Cor. 2. 9.
• * 1.746

  Psal. 16. ul••.
• * 1.747

  1 Sam. 17. 9.
• * 1.748

  Jer. 44. 17.
• * 1.749

  1 Sam. 18. 7.
• * 1.750

  Psal. 95. 11.
• * 1.751

  Rev. 3. 21.
• * 1.752

  Heb. 10. 23.
• * 1.753

  Deut. 7. 8.
• * 1.754

  Josh. 14. 9.
• * 1.755

  Josh. 15. 16.
• * 1.756

  Josh. 15.
• * 1.757

  2 Cor. 3.
• * 1.758

  2 Cor. 3. 13.
• * 1.759

  Cant. 4. 2.
• * 1.760

  Judg. 14. 24.
• * 1.761

  Object.
• * 1.762

  Answ.
• * 1.763

  Gal. 4. 24, &c.
• * 1.764

  John 6. 63.
• * 1.765

  Gen. ch. 2. 3.
• * 1.766

  1 Tim. 2. 14.
• * 1.767

  Rev. 2. 17.
• * 1.768

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.769

  Joh. 4. 42.
• * 1.770

  Isa. 28. 10.
• * 1.771

  Mat. 13. 34.
• * 1.772

  Luke 24. ••2.
• * 1.773

  Exod. 17. 6.
• * 1.774

  Isa. 66. 11.
• * 1.775

  Object.
• * 1.776

  2 Cor. 3. 6.
• * 1.777

  Mat. 5. 46.
• * 1.778

  John 4. 14
• * 1.779

  Rev. 2.
• * 1.780

  Mat. 7. 6.
• * 1.781

  Mat. 5. 28.
• * 1.782

  Mat. 5. 22.
• * 1.783

  2 Cor. 3. 15.
• * 1.784

  psal. 50. ••7.
• * 1.785

  Exod. ••0. 4.
• * 1.786

  Luke 1. 48, &c.
• * 1.787

  Exo. 2. 4.
• * 1.788

  2 Cor. 13. 5.
• * 1.789

  Ephes. 1. 23.
• * 1.790

  Psal. 68. 24.
• * 1.791

  Acts 17. ult.
• * 1.792

  Psal. 91. 1.
• * 1.793

  Rom. 8. 5.
• * 1.794

  Exod. 20. 4.
• * 1.795

  Isa. 2. 8.
• * 1.796

  Isa. 40. 18.
• * 1.797

  Exod. 20. 7.
• * 1.798

  Mat. 25. 28, &c.
• * 1.799

  Isa. 43. 24.
• * 1.800

  Exo. 20. 8. Numb. 16. 32.
• * 1.801

  Isa. 56. 2.
• * 1.802

  Object.
• * 1.803

  Answ.
• * 1.804

  Exod••s 20. 11.
• * 1.805

  Mich. 2. 10.
• * 1.806

  〈…〉〈…〉. 6. 7.
• * 1.807

  〈…〉〈…〉. 4. 8.
• * 1.808

  Exodus 20. 12.
• * 1.809

  Mat. 5. ••.
• * 1.810

  Amos 2 13.
• * 1.811

  Heb. 6. 6.
• * 1.812

  1 John 3. 15.
• * 1.813

  Psalm 78.
• * 1.814

  Isalah 40. 13.
• * 1.815

  Romans 9. 20, 21.
• * 1.816

  Isaiah 45. 9.
• * 1.817

  Jer. 18. 6.
• * 1.818

  Mar 7. 7. 37.
• * 1.819

  Eph. 5. 20.
• * 1.820

  1 Sam. 15. 23.
• * 1.821

  Ver. 26.
• * 1.822

  Isa. 40. 15.
• * 1.823

  Psalm 46. 2, 3.
• * 1.824

  Gen. 12. 1.
• * 1.825

  Heb. 11. 8. 9.
• * 1.826

  Psalm 23. 4.
• * 1.827

  Gen. 22. 2, 3. &c.
• * 1.828

  Mat. 5. 28.
• * 1.829

  Deut. 6. 5.
• * 1.830

  Prov. 7.
• * 1.831

  1 Cor. 7. 29, &c.
• * 1.832

  Gen. 22. 2.
• * 1.833

  Exod. 12. 35.
• * 1.834

  Mal. 3. 8.
• * 1.835

  Psal. 15. ult.
• * 1.836

  Joshua 24. 19.
• * 1.837

  Cant. 4. 12
• * 1.838

  1 Cor. 2. 14.
• * 1.839

  Mat. 13. 10, &c.
• * 1.840

  Rev. 22. 1.
• * 1.841

  1 Cor. 2. 4.
• * 1.842

  Rev. 3. 18.
• * 1.843

  Heb. 4. 12.
• * 1.844

  1 Cor. 2. 16.
• * 1.845

  Isa. 6. 9, 10
• * 1.846

  Mat•• 21. 31.
• * 1.847

  Luke 10. 42.
• * 1.848

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.849

  1 Tim. 4. 8.
• * 1.850

  John. 6. 32, 33.
• * 1.851

  Prov. 2. 4.
• * 1.852

  Psal. 12. 6.
• * 1.853

  Rev. 3. 21.
• * 1.854

  2 Cor. 3.
• * 1.855

  Numb. 13. 27.
• * 1.856

  1 Pet. 1. 25
• * 1.857

  1 Kings 21.
• * 1.858

  Ps. 117. 2.
• * 1.859

  1 Tim. 4. 1 Joh. 6. 63.
• * 1.860

  Psal. 91, 1.
• * 1.861

  Psal. 91. 1.
• * 1.862

  Psalm 31. 20.
• * 1.863

  Rev. 5.
• * 1.864

  Mat. 26. 26.
• * 1.865

  Psal. 15.
• * 1.866

  1 Cor. 2. 16.
• * 1.867

  Luke 15.
• * 1.868

  Mat. 15. 26.
• * 1.869

  Heb. 5. 14.
• * 1.870

  James 1. 21.
• * 1.871

  Luke 15. 13.
• * 1.872

  Isa. 25. 6.
• * 1.873

  Mat. 9. 20.
• * 1.874

  Luk. 8. 45.
• * 1.875

  Luke 14. 15.
• * 1.876

  Heb. 9. 7, &c.
• * 1.877

  Heb. 4. 12.
• * 1.878

  Ioh. 6. 63.
• * 1.879

  Joh. 6. 63.
• * 1.880

  Jer. 7. 4.
• * 1.881

  1 Cor. 12. 4.
• * 1.882

  2 Cor. 5. 16.
• * 1.883

  Act. 9. 1.
• * 1.884

  〈…〉〈…〉 16. 17.
• * 1.885

  Heb. 10. 26.
• * 1.886

  Heb. 6. 4, &c.
• * 1.887

  Heb. 13. 8.
• * 1.888

  Psal. 103. 2, 3, 4.
• * 1.889

  Luke 2. 34.
• * 1.890

  2 Sam. 12. 7.
• * 1.891

  Joh. 17. 17
• * 1.892

  Joh. 1. 1.
• * 1.893

  Heb. 10.
• * 1.894

  2 Tim. 3. ult.
• * 1.895

  Heb. 7. 19.
• * 1.896

  Mat. 16. 18.
• * 1.897

  Joh. 1. 10.
• * 1.898

  John 21. 20.
• * 1.899

  Act. 17. 18
• * 1.900

  Psal. 84. 11.
• * 1.901

  Mat. 3. 11.
• * 1.902

  Jude 16.
• * 1.903

  Mat. 23. 14.
• * 1.904

  Object.
• * 1.905

  Mat. 5. 46.
• * 1.906

  Luke 6. 33.
• * 1.907

  Phil. 2. 21.
• * 1.908

  Luk. 41. 1.
• * 1.909

  2 Tim. 3. 7.
• * 1.910

  2 Cor. 5. 16.
• * 1.911

  Isa. 28. 10.
• * 1.912

  1 Cor. 3. 1. &c.
• * 1.913

  Gen. 28. 16, 17.
• * 1.914

  Dan. 5. 5, 6.
• * 1.915

  2 Chro. 6. 18.
• * 1.916

  Gen. 28.
• * 1.917

  Ver. 12.
• * 1.918

  Ps. 16. 8.
• * 1.919

  Isa. 26. 12.
• * 1.920

  Ioh. 3. ••6.
• * 1.921

  Col. 3. 1.
• * 1.922

  Joh. 13.
• * 1.923

  Ps. 148. 5.
• * 1.924

  Joh. 1. 18.
• * 1.925

  Josh. 15. 11.
• * 1.926

  Ver. 19.
• * 1.927

  Heb. 9. 1.
• * 1.928

  Rev. 8. 3.
• * 1.929

  Heb. 9. 14.
• * 1.930

  Job 42. 5, 6.
• * 1.931

  Heb. 10. 4.
• * 1.932

  Acts 26. 18.
• * 1.933

  Mat. 5. 16.
• * 1.934

  Job. 1. 9.
• * 1.935

  2 Pet. 1. 2.
• * 1.936

  2 Cor. 9. 7.
• * 1.937

  Gal. 5. 18.
• * 1.938

  1 Tim. 1. 9.
• * 1.939

  Heb. 9.
• * 1.940

  Rev. 21.
• * 1.941

  Psal. 1. 3, 4.
• * 1.942

  Psal. 92. 12.
• * 1.943

  1 Cor. 10. 5.
• * 1.944

  Heb. 9. 5.
• * 1.945

  Isa. 55. 3.
• * 1.946

  Mat. 5. 18.
• * 1.947

  Isa. 28. 10.
• * 1.948

  Josn. 15. 19.
• * 1.949

  Rev. 21. 23.
• * 1.950

  Rev. 15. 3.
• * 1.951

  Chap. 19. v. 1. 3, 4, 6.
• * 1.952

  Chap. 21. 4.
• * 1.953

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.954

  Dan. 11. 21.
• * 1.955

  Thes. 1. 2.
• * 1.956

  Rev. 13.
• * 1.957

  Jam. 3. 15
• * 1.958

  Ephes. 4. 4.
• * 1.959

  Joh. 3.
• * 1.960

  Rev. 12. 4.
• * 1.961

  Deut. 32. 35.
• * 1.962

  Hab. 1. 16.