Certain sermons, first preached, and after published at several times, by M. Thomas Gataker…Certaine sermons, first preached, and after published at severall times, by M. Thomas Gataker…

He would be deemed a most vain man, that would boast and bear men in hand that^a he had been at the East-Indies, conquered a great part of the Country, and brought away much treasure and rich commodities from thence, who yet had never crossed the seas, or set foot once on ship-board, or come near the sea side. And no less vain are they, that would have men believe them, that they have made conquest of the Spiritual Canaan, and possessed themselves of much of the wealth and treasure of it; when as they never yet stirred once out of the mystical Egypt, never so much as enquired the way to it, much less ever travelled toward it. He would be deemed most ridiculous, that would profess^b to have rare skill in the Mathematics, or some other abstruse Science, when he had never spent day or hour in the study thereof. And no less ridiculous are they that will seem to have gotten much skill in this spiritual^c King-craft, (if I may so term it) and yet never beat their heads, or busied their brains about it; never studied^d the Gospel of this Kingdom, the only Book out of which it may be learned. Yea in this regard is this Spiritual Treasure rather like learning than wealth; in that^e worldly wealth and Honours may be had without labour or study by the donation of others, or by succession and descent; this,^* not so; each one must seek it for himself, and must seek and labour in it himself, or else the seeking of others, and their endeavour for him, will stand him in little stead.

He would be deemed a most vaine man, that would boast and beare men in hand that^a he had beene at the East-Indies, conquered a great part of the Country, and brought away much treasure and rich commodities from thence, who yet had never crossed the seas, or set foot once on ship-boord, or come neere the sea side. And no lesse vaine are they, that would have men beleeve them, that they have made conquest of the Spirituall Canaan, and possessed themselves of much of the wealth and treasure of it; when as they never yet stirred once out of the mysticall Aegypt, never so much as enquired the way to it, much lesse ever travelled toward it. Hee would be deemed most ridiculous, that would professe