Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

As to spiritual extractions, the believer is very sagacious. Chemists by racking and torturing of nature, have forced her to a confession of many secrets and choice mysteries, which made Paracelsus so triumph over Galen, vaunting proudly, that the least hair of his head had more learning then all the Universities besides. The believer is the best of Chemists, no extractions are like those of faith, he extracts heaven out of earth; could a man extract gold out of base metals, it would be but earth out of earth, purer out of grosser; but the believer extracts heaven out of earth. As Jacob saw more then mere Esau, he saw Gods face in Esau's, so the believer sees more then the mere creature-comfort, he sees the goodness of God in it, which is the sweetness of all. Carnal men are content with the bulk and gross matter of an earthly blessing, but the believer draws out the spirits and quintessence thereof; that is, the love of God, without which oil and wine and corn, and all other earthly things are but a caput mortuum, a ⟨p. 193⟩piece of dross and dead matter in his eyes; earthly things are transient and perishing in themselves, but he hath an art to melt them down by charity into a fixed condition, though he cannot say, his house, yet he can, his charity shall continue for ever. Silver and gold will not go in specie, in the upper world, but he knows how by the poor, which are Christs bankers, to return them thither for everlasting habitations, given in exchange by free-grace.

As to spiritual extractions, the believer is very sagacious. Chymists by racking and torturing of nature, have forced her to a confession of many secrets and choice mysteries, which made Paracelsus so triumph over Galen, vaunting proudly, that the least hair of his head had more learning then all the Ʋniversities besides. The believer is the best of Chymists, no extractions are like those of faith, he extracts heaven out of earth; could a man extract gold out of base metals, it would be but earth out of earth, purer out of grosser; but the believer extracts heaven out of earth. As Jacob saw more then meer Esau, he saw Gods face in Esaus, so the believer sees more then the meer creature-comfort, he sees the goodness of God in it, which is the sweetness of all. Carnal men are content with the bulk and gross matter of an earthly blessing, but the believer draws out the spirits and quintescence thereof; that is, the love of God, without which oil and wine and corn, and all other earthly things are but a caput mortuum, a ⟨p. 193⟩