yet in setting foorth of this wonderfull iudgement and in the 8. verse he letteth vs see that this great and terrible iudgement was wrought by the power and force of God onely it was done extraordinarily from the heauen by himselfe onely So that the whole world saw the finger and hand of God in it Then in the beginning of this eight verse I say he maketh it knowne that he did it onely and in the end of the verse he letteth vs see what his iudgements wrought in the hearts of men In the 9. verse he letteth vs see the time when it was that it pleased him to worke it and to what end he wrought it In the 10. verse he letteth vs see whereunto the great furie and rage of the wicked serued and in the end of that verse he meeteth with an obiection which the Churâ—h might haue made And in the last two verses is contained the conclusion of the Psalme Then to rerurne to the 8. verse in the beginning thereof the Prophet maketh it knowne that it was God onely that did this worke immediately without the imployment of any creature And therefore this manner of execution testified to the whole world that God onely was the chiefe doer of it Then the chiefe reason that moued God to do this extraordinarily and immediatly with his owne hand is this Although our God hath infinite wayes and as many meanes in his hand at all times ready to destroy his enemies yet such is the malice of man and the enuy of the Diuell that possesseth man to the glory of God that so long as God worketh his worke ordinarily and imployeth this or that instrument in doing of his worke so long man spoyleth God of his Glory and spoyleth him of a part of his praise So that man will sometime ascribe the glory to his owne industry and wit or to fortune or to one occasion or other so that ere they suffer God to haue his whole glory they will giue a part of it to any creature of the earth For this cause the Lord worketh extraordinarily and from heauen that the mouthes of all the world yea of the very enemies may be compelled to say and this confession must be wrung out of them that it is the finger of God that wrought this without the support of any creature After what sort he wrought this ouerthrow I wil not dispute in particular whether it were by lightning thunder earthquake vpon this I insist not The generall is sure and certaine that it was a worke that flowed from heauen immediatly Now he sayth in the end of the verse that this terrible iudgement brought forth two effects in the hearts of men First it brought forth a wonderfull feare and secondly it brought forth a great silence their tongues were taken from them The earth feared and was still By the earth the inhabitants of the earth is vnderstood or if we will hold vs in our particular the remanent of Senacheribs army is vnderstood I meane the remanent of the armie that were saued from the iudgement This remanent beganne to feare and be afraid with a terrible feare and the tongues of them that were so stout the night before held themselues quiet They that lifted and hoissed their armes the night before prouoked God as it were to the combat after the sight of this iudgement they haue their hands to seeke and they who boasted so much of their valiantnesse and filled the very earth with their blasphemies the night before when they saw this terrible iudgement were silent and had not a word to speake It is wonderfull the Lords manner of doing and proceeding is a hid manner of doing against his enemies and few perceiue the fashion of the bringing about of his iudgements For ye see he taketh his enemies in an instant at vnawares whilest a man is in the height of his pride he bereaueth him of his counsell he bereaueth him of his force and spoyleth him both of heart and hand in such sort that he hath no wit to deuise more then an Asse and hath not a hand to performe any more then if he wanted hands So he bereaueth him of his policy exquisite iudgement And how is this done It is by a blinde feare that he striketh them with he casteth them into such anguish and blindnesse of minde that they neither see God who is the striker nor can finde any way out but are cast into a desperate estate and vtter darkenesse remedilesse And so it commeth to passe that these miserable men lay violent hands on themselues thinking that the soule which now is in prison as it were will be in a better estate if it were out of the body but alas they are deceiued So I say the iudgement of God when it lighteth how long soeuer it be delayed terrible shall it be when it lighteth on the enemie It is a fearefull thing to cast our selues willingly into the hands of a consuming fire Therefore now seeing ye haue courses in hand ye should take good heede to your courses looke well about you and be diligent to know whether ye be on Gods side or against him Ye againe that are not practisers and meddle not with high matters take heede how ye walke in your owne calling Looke vnto your trade ye that are Merchants looke vnto your dealing ye that are Lawyers how croked or how straight ye are ye that are Lords and Iudges with what conscience ye proceed in your vocation and marke this Looke to his word looke what profite ye haue made of his word examine your calling by his word And if ye examine your calling by his word this way ye shall find the fruite or losse of your calling but if ye depend on the testimony of your conscience without the examination and rule of his word ye will be deceiued for many do this and say I am not troubled in conscience I am sure my conscience presseth me not when in the meane time they runne a wicked course trie not their calling by the blessed word of God but looke onely to the estate of their conscience which in such euill affaires flatters them they thinke themselues sure enough O but thou art deceiued and why Thy conscience may be deceiued as well as thou And how Thy conscience can giue thee no better warrant of thy doing neither to accuse nor to excuse but as she is informed So that if she be rightly informed she will giue thee a right warrant but if she be euilly informed she will giue thee as euill a warant and flatter thee So that of a slight informatioÌ„ she wil giue as slight a testimony There is no right information but that which proceedeth of the word therefore seeing now ye haue the word so clearely taught vnto you ye should trie and examine your callings by this word See what this word biddeth you do try in particular and say What warrant of
seruant nor the murtherer because he is your kinsman nor the oppressor because he is your dependant therefore in time lay them aside and let the execution declare that no man is spared for feare or fauour Thus farre for the first point The next point that we haue to speake of is that the thing that Youth should chiefly seeke after straitlie pursue and follow the Apostle here sets downe to wit they ought to seeke after the gift of repentance seeing it is the Spirit that must mortifie the lusts and affections of the youth they should seeke the Spirit of repentance This gift of repentance here is called the gift of God And that euery one of you may vnderstand the better what this repentance meaneth For suppose this doctrine sound in your eares daily yet it soundeth not in your hearts there are few that is their hearts haue a feeling what the spirit of repentance meaneth to bring you therefore to the better feeling and to the better knowledge of it we shall keepe this order in deducing of it First we shall marke the word it selfe Secondly we shall examine the parts of it Thirdly we shall let you see who is the worker and who is the efficient cause that worketh it Fourthly by what instrument it is wrought Fiftly who is the author and the giuer of it And last of all how many sorts of true repentance there are As for the word it self if ye will take heed to the force of it and take heed to the signification of it it hath this force taken generally to signifie a sadnesse for the thing done such a dolor for the thing done so that it would gladly haue it vndone againe I call it a sadnesse for the thing done whether it be good or euill or howsoeuer it be it would haue it vndone againe taking the word generally it signifieth this dolor The Apostle 2. Corinth 7. setteth downe two sorts of dolor two sorts of sorrow or dolor raised in the heart of man he calleth the first sort a worldly dolor or sadnesse he calleth it no doubt a worldly dolor and sadnesse because it is conceiued for a worldly respect because it is conceiued for a worldly and fleshly end when a man beginneth to be sorowfull for the thing that is done not so much for Gods cause or for any reuerence he beareth to the infinite maiestie of God whom he hath offended as for the present paine that is vpon his bodie for the present griefe that is in his conscience or for any worldly or fleshly respect In this case where God is alwaies neglected where the sorrow is not for Gods cause that is a worldly and an earthly sorrow And this kind of sorrow I can call no other thing but a blind terror vexation and anguish of conscience I call it blind in these respects first by reason they see no issue for their estate no doubt were the more tollerable if they saw any hope of ease that they might haue some rest and ease in their conscience but they are alwaies blind all sight of rest is taken from such a conscience It is blind also in respect they know not from whom it cometh who it is that striketh them with this that they may come vnto him by amendment They see not that it cometh from God and as they are ignorant of this they are ignorant of the cause that procured it They are ignorant that their owne sinne and wickednesse is the cause that procured it so the ignorance of these three maketh it to be a blind tormēt and this kind of torment which I call a blind torment either it is increased in a high degree or else it is mitigated that they may suffer it When it is increased into an high degree desperation is the end of it and it maketh them as Iudas did to lay hands on themselues Sometimes againe it is not so increased but it is mitigated that they may beare it and then by peece peece it vanisheth And so soone as it departeth so soone departeth their sorrow and their teares and at the departure of their paine as their teares depart so returne they to the puddle out of which they came as the Sow doth and to the same vomit which they spewed out as the Dog doth So this dolor and torment turneth not the heart it altereth not the soule but mooueth the soule for the present that by reason of the paine And if the paine were away they would returne to the same sinnes wherein they offended God oft before as greedily as euer they did So that they mourne not for the sinne but for the presence of the paine The example of this we haue in Esau he wept bitterly for a while so long as he felt any dolor but after that the dolor was remooued he went backe to his old sinnes againe And what did he he addressed himselfe to anger his father worse then euer he did and specially in choosing of his wife which testifieth that his dolor was but for a worldly respect So I say this worldly dolor is either conceiued for the present paine and torment that is vpon the conscience as we haue an example in Cain for in his repentance wherfore sorrowed he Not that he had offended God not that he had displeased so gracious a Father but for the greatnesse of his paine and crieth out My paine is greater then I can suffer Mine iniquitie by the which I vnderstand this paine either my paine must be made lesse or I am not able to beare it So I say this kind of sorrow is either conceiued for the present paine or for a worldly and ciuill respect Beside this sorrow therefore there is a godly sorrow which the Apostle also setteth downe in that same seuenth Chapter And this godly sorrow is an earnest sorrow a true sorrow not fained nor counterfeit And as it is true and earnest so it is conceiued not so much for the present paine torment that is vpon the mind and conscience as no doubt the paine torment that is vpon their soule mooueth them to it but it is not so much conceiued for any present paine as for Gods owne cause that they haue offended so gracious a God who was so louing so mercifull and had such pitie and compassion vpon the multitude of their sinnes And therefore they set aside all creatures forget creatures although against them also they haue offended and they runne to God onely seeke mercie for their sins at him onely and put their trust in him onely So ye see Dauid Psal 51. as if he had offended none in the world but God onely he turneth to the maiestie of the liuing God and saith Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight Now there is no doubt but he had offended against the man whom he slue against the wife of the man whom he had defiled Yet
THE WAY TO TRVE PEACE AND REST. DELIVERED AT EDINBOROVGH In XVI Sermons on the Lords Supper Hezechiahs Sicknesse and other select Scriptures By that reuerend faithfull Preacher of Gods word Mr. ROBERT BRVCE for the present Minister of the Word in Scotland Dulcia non meruit qui non gustauit amara IOHN 10.27.28 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand LONDON Printed by R. Field for Thomas Man and Ionas Man dwelling in Pater-noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1617. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL MAISTER ADRIAN MOORE Esquire c. And to the no lesse religious and vertuous Gentlewoman Mistresse MARIE MOORE his Wife Patrones of Piety all peace and happiness in both Worlds RIght Worshipfull It must not seeme strange vnto you that a new occasion hath made also a new change of stile since occasion daily sheweth so many changes in the world Amongst all which alterations I must beg of you still to continue your countenance vnto these few plaine homely Sermons In token that no change I hope so long as I liue shall keepe me from manifesting vnto the world as all occasions shall serue how much in dutie I am bound to your true vnfeined loue and vndeserued fauours to me the vnworthiest of all For which I can but wish you to be euer attended with those two faithfull companions of the Saints peace of conscience and ioy in the holie Ghost and at the last to haue a speedie hearing when your Spirits shall faile to transport them into Abrahams bosome there to enioy eternall and vnspeakeable rest for euer and euer Yours in all dutie much and euer bound I. H. TO THE READER GEntle Reader The Author of these Sermons not being present at their going to the presse againe to reuiew and correct them I doubted whether in these learned and curious dayes such homely lines as these might not be distastfull amongst such multitudes of learned ones euery where swarming in the presse so much the rather since their Author hath euer thought so meanly of himselfe that no worke of his could be worthie of the presse Notwithstanding since the importunitie of many did long since as it were wring and extort these few Sermons from him in the beginning of his ministerie before things could be so well ripely and methodically digested as possibly he could haue wished if now they were to do I haue made bold also once againe to send them vnto thy view chiefly to the hungrie Because as Salomon speaketh he who is full despiseth an honie combe but to the afflicted soule euery soure thing is sweete The first fiue on the Lords Supper were englished by a late Gentleman of worthie memorie M. S. Mitchell who was gathered to his fathers before he could see them at the presse the rest were perused and englished by another friend All the care and paines taken hath bene for Gods glorie and thy good If it please thee now therefore to vse Philips counsell to Nathaniel and see whether any good things come out of Nazareth it may be thou shalt not thinke thy paines and time lost which that thou mayest the sooner do I ceasse to trouble thee remaining Thine in the Lord Iesus I. H. The Contents and substance of the Sermons following SERMON I. Out of 1. Cor. 11.28 Intreating of preparation to the Lords Supper Sheweth that a man must make this triall in his conscience The Definition of conscience the causes why conscience was by God left in vs The way how to keepe a good conscience In what things we must chiefly examine our consciences how to trie our peace with God and loue with our neighbours of mans first miserie and recouerie and so how faith is wrought in the heart how it is nourished in vs. SERM. II. Out of 1. Cor. 11.28 Intreating of Preparation to the Lords Supper Sheweth how a sincere faith is knowne that he who for Christ can renounce himselfe cannot be disappointed of his expectation That faith is the free gift of God Certaine effects whereby we may know if we haue faith That because it is ioyned with doubting it must be nourished That faith and doubting may lodge in one soule That a faith mingled and maistered with much doubting is yet a true faith That faith smothered yet is not extinguished A sure rest in the most dangerous tentations The definition of loue what our loue vnto God and our neighbour is SERM. III. Out of 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacraments in generall Sheweth the definition and diuerse acceptions of the word Sacrament what the signes in the Sacrament are why they are called signes what the thing signified in the Sacrament is The necessitie of the application thereof How the signe and the thing signified are ioyned together The Illustration of this Coniunction what considerations are needefull when the Signe and the thing signified are giuen and receiued The other part of a Sacrament which is the word To what vses the Sacrament serueth vs more then the word Faults which peruert the Sacrament c. SERM. IIII. Out of 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Sheweth the diuerse Names both in the Scriptures and by the Ancients giuen vnto this Sacrament of the Lords Supper The ends why this Sacrament was instituted The things both outward and inward contained in this Sacrament That the things signified in both Sacraments are one but the signes are not one why in Baptisme there is but one signe and in the Lords Supper two What power and perpetuity the bread hath to be a signe How the Signes the thing signified are conioyned in the Sacrament How the Signe and the thing signified is receiued What inconueniences are cast in by the Papists against this spirituall receiuing of Christ in the Sacrament How the soule is said to eate the body and drink the blood of Christ. Faith is that which coupleth vs to Christ. A similitude explaining the same SERM. V. Out of the 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacrament of the Lord Supper Sheweth our vnion with Christ by vertue of communion of the same Spirit The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Why this Sacrament is called a seale Why a holy seale Why the seale is said to be annexed to the Couenant Why the Sacrament should be administred publikely Why this seale must be ministred according to Christs institution That the word and element must concurre in the institution of a Sacrament What we meane by the word in a Sacrament what the Papists vnderstand by the word in this action and our differences from them How the outward Elements are sanctified How the Papists sanctifie these Elements The refutatiō of Transubstantiatiō by diuerse arguments The reasons why the Papists cannot thinke Christs body present in the Sacrament vnlesse it be really and substantially present The
the haynous sins in the which by nature thou liest If he hath granted to thee â—n insight of thy selfe in some measure and on the other side if he hath granted thee the remedie and hath giuen thee an insight of the mercie of God in Christ Iesus if thou hast obtained an insight of the riches of his grace in Christ no doubt the holy Spirit hath begun a good worke in thee a worke which will bring forth repentance which in his owne time he will perfect So this is the first care which ye ought to haue and the first point wherein ye ought to examine your minds to see if there be any light in it whereby ye may know your miserie haue an insight of the free mercie of God in Christ Iesus This being done that thou findest a sight of these two in thy mind fâ—om thy mind go to thy heart and as thou hast tried thy mind so try thy heart And first examine thine heart if it be altered or not that the will of it be framed and bowed to Gods obedience that thy affection be turned into the life of God and be poured out on him as it was poured out on vanities on filthinesse and on the world before Trie whether the ground of thy heart and the fountaine from whence thy motions and affections proceede be sanctified or not for from a holy fountaine holy waters must distill from a holy fountaine holy motions holy cogitations and sanctified considerations must flow Trie then and examine your hearts if the Spirit of God hath wrought any such reformation as I speake of in your hearts or not And that ye may perceiue the working of the holy Spirit the better in your hearts and consciences for the holy Spirit hath his chiefe residence in your hearts I will declare vnto you the fiâ—st effect that euer the holy Spirit bringeth forth in the heart in framing it in mollifying it and in bowing it vnto the obedience of God You shall know the working of the holy Spirit by this effect namely if your minds see and behold what is ill see behold what is good perceiue and discerne your owne miserie and your sinnes which haue brought this misery vpon you and withall perceiue and behold the riches of the mercie of God in Christ Iesus If as your minds see these two your hearts be reformed and prepared to loue the sight of them and as you see in your minds the mercy of God and that in Christ if ye haue hearts to desire mercy if ye haue a thirsting and earnest desire to be partakers of mercy where this desire thirst is there the holy Spirit is he hath no doubt opened the heart On the other side if as thou seeest mercie thou seest thy misery if as thy mind seeth thy miserie it seeth also the fountaine from whence thy miserie floweth to wit from thine owne sinnes if then thy heart also hate this the holy Spirit is there if as thou seest sinne which is the cause of thy miserie with the eye which is giuen thee in the minde thou hatest this sinne with thy heart no question the holy Spirit is there And as thou hatest it if also thou sorrow for it for it is is not enough to hate it if thou lament not the committing of it and with a godly sorrow deplore it the holy Spirit is there And thirdly if with thy lamenting thou hast a care and a study to eschue that sin for what auailes it to lament if like a dogge returning to his vomite thou fall into that same gulfe againe Therefore where there is an hatred of sinne a sorrow for sinne a care and a studie to eschue sin no question the holy Spirit hath opened the heart and is working out that pretious instrument Obserue all this in a word all the operation of the holy Spirit and working in the heart and by this examine thine heart See and perceiue it the holy Spirit hath entred so farre in thee to worke in that hard heaâ—t of thine an earnest and a diligent studie a carefull solicitude continually to be reconciled with the great God whom thou hast offended Is there such a thing as a thirst as a desire to be at amity with him whom thou hast offended to be reconciled with the God of heauen whom thou hast offended by thy manifold transgressions where this care and studie of reconciliation is if this care studie of reconciliation be in the heart there is no doubt but the heart that thirsteth for this reconciliation is heartily content not onely to renounce sinne to renounce all the impieties that separated thee from God but the heart that is endued with this thirst will be heartily content to renounce it selfe to cast downe it selfe as stubboâ—â—e as it was before to cast downe it selfe at the feete of the mighty God and be wholly content at all times after to be ruled by his holy will Not to follow it owne lust it owne will and appetite as it did before but to resigne it selfe wholly into the hands of the mighty God to be ruled by his will at his pleasure and to obey his commands And except ye finde this disposition in your owne hearts to acquire your selues to renounce your selues it is a vaine thing for you to say that ye haue a thirst to be reconciled So the greater thirst of reconciliation that we haue and the more that the care study thereof groweth the greater that the apprehension of my misery of the deepe gulfes and very hels whereunto my soule is subiect increaseth in my soule the more earnest would I be to be reconciled And to be reconciled I would not stand for the renouncing of the lusts of my heart but I would renounce my heart the obedience of the will and desire why Because I see I must die for euer except the Lord reconcile himselfe with me I see the huge deepes oceans of all misery into the which I shall fall in the end except inmercie the Lord reconcile himselfe with me To eschue these miseries and inconueniences is there any question but the heart that hath any sense and is touched with them will most willingly endeuour to acquite it selfe Againe seeing the Lord hath taken paines to deliuer me out of the deepe miserie in the which I had drowned my selfe and hath purchased my redemption by so deere a price not with gold nor with siluer or any drosse of the earth but by such a wonderfull meanes by such a pretious price and rich ransome looking to the greatnesse of our misery and to the greatnesse of the price whereby he hath redeemed vs what heart is it but would willingly renounce it selfe to get a part of that redemption and to be deliuered out of that hell wherein we are presently and wherein we shall be in a greater measure hereafter except we be reconciled So thâ—n with this there is ioyned a disposition in the heart whereby the
that same degree of mercy he shall restore his creature before it depart this life So the soule that is tossed with high assaults and great dangers where present things will not helpe it is necessary that it haue recourse vnto things past and keepe in memory the fore-past experience of mercy which the Lord hath freely shewed towards that soule This same memory shall be so pleasant to the soule that it shall stay it presently from desperation and vphold it vnto the time the Lord pacifie that heart and giue comfort to that soule which being done that soule shall see that howsoeuer God was angry he was angry onely for a while I speake these things not that I thinke that euery one of you hath tasted of them yet in some measure the seruants of God must taste of them and ye that haue not tasted of them may taste of them before ye die And therefore whether ye haue tasted or not tasted of them it cannot be but profitable for you to locke vp this lesson in your hearts and remember it faithfully that if the Lord at any time strike at your hearts ye may remember and say with your selues I learned a lesson To looke backe vnto my forepast experience and thereon to repose And though ye be not touched presently your selues yet when ye visite them that are troubled in conscience let these things be proposed to them as comforts vse them as medicines most meete to apply to the griefe of the inward conscience and so ye shal reape fruite of this doctrine and possesse your soules in a good estate Thus farre for the first point wherein euery one of you ought to try and examine your owne consciences The second point is this Try whether ye haue loue towards your neighbour or not For as we are coupled with God by faith so by the band of loue we are coupled with our neighbour For loue is the chiefe and principall branch that springs from the roote of faith Loue is that celestiall glew that conioyneth all the faithfull members in the vnity of a mysticall body And seeing that religion was instituted of God to serue as a path-way to conuey vs to our chiefe felicity happy we cannot be except we be like vnto our God like vnto him we cannot be except we haue loue For as it is 1. Iohn 4.8 God is loue So seeing God is loue it selfe whosoeuer will resemble him must be endued with the oyle of loue This onely one argument testifieth to vs that this loue is a principall head whereunto all things that are commanded in religion ought to be referred To spend long time in the praise of loue I hold it not necessary seeing the holy Scripture resounds in blasing the commendations of it but that we speake not of any thing ambiguous I will let you see how this word is considered taken in the Scriptures Loue is considered either as a spring or fountaine from whence the rest proceedes that is for the loue whereby we loue God And as loue cometh first from God and is poured by his holy Spirit into our hearts so it first redounds vpward and strikes backe vpon himselfe for the loue of God must euer goe before the loue of the creature Next we take this word for that loue whereby we loue Gods creatures our neighbours especially them that are of the family of faith And thirdly it is taken for the deedes of the second Table which flow from this loue Now when I speake of loue I speake of it as in the second signification to wit as it is taken for the loue of our neighbour And taking it so I call loue The gift of God poured into the hearts of men and women by the which gift we first loue God in Christ our Sauiour and next in God and for Gods cause we loue all his creatures but chiefly our brethren that are of the family of faith the children of one cōmon Father with vs. We will examine this definition I say first the loue of God as it cometh from God it returneth to God as it comes down from him so it strikes vpward to him againe And is it not good reason And why Let thy heart fixe thy loue as long as thou wilt vpon the creatures thou shalt neuer be satiate nor thy affections shall neuer be content except thou lay hold on God but if once thou loue God in thy heart and cast thy affections vpon him once takest hold on him the longer thou louest him the greater safetie and contentment shalt thou haue thou shalt not thirst for any other For as to the creatures there is neuer a creature that God hath created but it is stamped with his owne stampe and euery creature beareth his Image and looking to the Image of God in the creature should it not draw thee to him that thou fixe not thy heart vpon the creature For his owne Image in his creature should leade thee to himselfe And therefore the more that thou knowest the creatures and the greater varietie of knowledge that thou hast of them the more should euery particular knowledge of them draw thee to God and the more shouldest thou wonder at thy God and know thy dutie towards him And seeing that delight floweth from knowledge and euery knowledge hath his owne delight as the varietie of knowledge that ariseth from the creature should make the mind to mount vp to the knowledge of God so the varietie of delights that arise vpon the diuersitie of this knowledge should moue the heart vpward to the loue of God and the heart getting hold of God and being seised with the loue of God and the mind being occupied with the true knowledge of God so soone as heart and mind is full of God the heart is quiet and the mind is satisfied So that the more this knowledge groweth in the mind the greater contentment thou hast and the more the loue of God groweth in thy heart the greater ioy and reioycing hast thou in thy soule And why In God ye haue not onely all the creatures but ye haue himselfe beside the creatures and therefore in God ye haue all the knowledge and delight that can arise of the creatures and besides the creatures ye haue God himselfe who is the Creator And so I say the minde of man can neuer quiet it selfe in the knowledge nor the heart can neuer settle it selfe in the loue of naked creatures in respect they are flowing and vanitie as Salomon calleth them But in the infinite God rightly knowne and earnestly loued the mind shall finde a full rest and the heart shall haue a perfect ioy For our affection is so insatiable that no finite thing will satisfie it nor there can be no solide setling vpon the thing that is transitorie So the loue ought to mount vpward first to God in whose face the heart shall find full and perfect ioy The second argument
mercie of God he shall find it terrible to fall into his hands It is terrible to fall into the hands of a consuming fire sport with flesh as they please but iest not with God he shall find in experience if he runne out this course that he shall curse the day of his birth disclaime the houre that euer he saw this light except that same God whom he blasphemed preserue him in mercie In the end of the verse he letteth vs see the manner how he was deliuered and he sheweth in the end of that verse that it pleased the Lord to turne his bitter bitternesse into a farre better contentment of spirit The way whereby he did it was this he remooued his sinnes from him he forgaue him his iniquitie for except the Lord had forgiuen him his sinnes it had not bene possible that the bitternesse of his soule and conscience could be remooued Then so soone as he turned him to his God acknowledged his life by-gone and sought mercie by all manner of waies as sometimes by word by groning by teares by sighs by dolorous moane and lamentation and by all kind of humble gesture he obtained mercie so that the Lord did cast his whole sinnes behind his backe The cause that moued the Lord to shew mercy he noteth in the middest of that verse There was no occasion in the King for he deserued the contrary it was onely the loue of the Lord onely the kindnesse of the Lord in Christ Iesus his Messias who was to come of this King himselfe In the manner of his deliuerance this King acknowledged three things which are worthy of marking First the King acknowledgeth that sinne is the onely cause of our misery whether it be in our conscience body or soule surely this King speaketh very true For there is nothing that God can hate in vs but sinne there is nothing that he can correct in vs but sinne there is nothing that his furious iealousie can burne vp but sinne there is nothing that he can purge in vs but sinne Take away sinne and the punishmeÌ„t of the wicked shall ceasse yea there shal be no such thing as a wicked one and the purgation of the godly shall not neede So both punishment and purgation shall ceasse sinne being taken way for sinne is the onely thing that is punished in them and purged in vs. Now this King acknowledging this ranne vnto God confessed his sinnes found mercy So note the lesson Whether the Lord visite vs with trouble of body or conscience seeing that sinne is the cause of our trouble let vs runne the high way to God examine our by-past life acknowledge our offences and run vnto the throne of grace for mercy And whosoeuer runneth to that throne shall find mercie in the day of his greatest necessity this is the first thing that he acknowledged The second thing that he acknowledgeth is this he acknowledgeth the remission of his sins the best and surest cure that can be applied to any disease For there cannot be a better cure nor a surer cure then to remoue the cause of the disease Therefore the remouing of sinne cureth the disease The vnhappy world when they are visited with any disease they runne onely to the body and seeke the cause of the disease onely in the body as though the body had the onely wit they runne neuer to the soule when in the meane time the body is but an instrument to the soule For if the soule were well it is impossible that we could be diseased Therefore seeing the cause of the disease lurketh in the soule when the Lord visiteth you with any disease runne to the soule acknowledge that sinne is the cause lay the fault where it is and craue mercy of God for this is the ready way to cure our diseases Would God this lesson were learned for if it were well obserued we should not see so many kinde of pestilent diseases raging in this countrey as at this day we do The third thing the King acknowledged is that it is not his owne integrity that procured his deliuerance he acknowledgeth that it was not his innocency in life nor his good deedes as may appeare in the beginning of the chapter For in his prayer he appeareth to haue made an ostentation of his good deedes and innocency of life but here in the end of this verse he resolueth this doubt he letteth vs see it was the mercie of God in Christ Iesus that was the onely cause of his deliuerance Thus farre for the meaning of the words Now let vs marke the forme of speech The forme is this because saith he he hath cast all my sinnes behinde his backe This forme of speach is borrowed from our custome For those things that men may not behold that are filthy and abhominable we cast them behind our backe that we may not see them Now sinne being the onely thing which is abhominable in the presence of God when he forgiueth vs our sinnes he is said to cast them behind his backe The only thing that hideth the countenance of God from vs is sin for there is nothing that can separate man from his creator but sinne onely And what lose we when we are separate from the countenance of God We lose true pleasure and perfect pleasure There can neither be true nor perfect pleasure but in the sight and countenance of God And whilest we are by sinne debarred from his countenance we are depriued both of true and perfect pleasure Then the diligent care of a Christian should stand in this that sinne debarre him not from the countenance of God But we should be diligent in begging mercy for Christ his cause that enioying his countenance we may haue satiety of pleasure to last for euer The second thing that I marke in these words is this Where he saith He hath cast all his sinnes c. he saith not he hath cast a part and lâ—ft another part he saith not that he hath forgiuen veniall sinnes and left mortall sinnes but he sayth all sinnes of what sort ranke or degree soeuer they be he hath cast them all behinde his backe Al these sorts of sinnes that seuer vs from God and deteine vs from his countenance may be all brought vnder these three sorts Vnder the first I vnderstand this originall corruption this foule puddle this rotten root of the which all these rotten fruits do flow and proceede This corruption in the which we are both conceiued and borne which maketh vs the children of wrath dead in sinne and in â—he vncircumcision of our flesh Vnder the second sort I comprehend all motions cogitations and actions of our whole life whereby we decline neuer so little and go aside from that perfect duty which we owe to God and to our neighbour So in a word I comprehend vnder this second sort all our actuall sinnes This naturall corruption which we call originall sinne by the which it
himselfe is neuer disappointed of his expectation Exhortation Faith is the free gift of God Certaine effects whereby we may know if we haue faith Our faith must be coÌ„tinually nourished because it is ioyned with doubting Doubting faith may lodge in one soule 1 Cor. 4. A doubting and weake faith is faith and shall neuer decay The spaâ—kles of faith though they be smothered they are not wholly put out nor are idle Similitudes shewing that the sparkles of faith though they be couered are not extinguished A sure retreat to repose on in highest tentations A lesson Of loue which is the secoÌ„d point of our triall How the word loue is taken in the Scripture The definition of loue Of our loue toward God Of loue towards our neighbour Conclusion with an exhortation The diuerse taking of the word Sacrament Ephes. 3.9 Ephes. 5.32 The heads to be entreated of in this Sermon 1. The signes in the SacrameÌ„t Why they are called signes 2. What is the thing signified in the Sacrament Question Answer The thing signified must be applyed How the signe the thing signified are ioyned together This coniunction is made cleare by the coniunction betwixt the word and the thing signified thereby How the signe and the thing signified are giuen and receiued Considerations thereof The signe the thing signified are offered in two actions by two instruments and after two manners Of the other part of the Sacrament which is the word Anâ—wer 1. By the Sacrament we possesse Christ more fully then by the simple word 2. They serue to confirme the truth contained in the word Exhortation Faults whiâ—h peruert the Sacrament Conclusion with an exhortation Of the Supper of the Lord in particular Heads to be intreated of First head generall Of the names giuen vnto this SacrameÌ„t both in the Bible and by the Ancients Second head generall Of the ends why this Sacrament was instituted Third head generall Of the things contained in this SacrameÌ„t outward and inward wherin sundry heads are intreated The thing signified in both the Sacraments is one the signs are not one Why in Baptisme there is but one signe and in the Lords Supper two Two questions What power the bread hath to be a signe in this Sacrament And how long that power endureth 1. Answer That bread hath that power from Christs institution 2. Answer That power continues during the seruice of the Table An obseruation How the signes the thing signified are coÌ„ioyned in the Sacrament How the signe and the thâ—ng signified iâ— receiued What kinde of receiuing Christ is established in the Sacrament Inconueniences cast in by the Papisâ—s against the spirituall â—eceiuing of Christ in the Sacrament First inconuenience That the Sacrament is supeâ—fluous Refutation of the first Inconuenience Second incoÌ„uenience Refutation of the second inconuenience obiected wherein are sundrie reasons giuen why the wicked are counted guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ. Exhortation Third inconuenience Refutation of the third inconuenience How the soule is said to eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ. Obseruation Faith is that which couples vs and Christ. Similitude taken from the Sunne Conclusion with an exhortation How we are said to eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ. Our vnion with Christ by one and the same Spirit Exhortation The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Why this Sacrâ—ment is called a Seale Why it is called an holy Seale Why the seale is said to be annexed to the couenant Why the Sacrament should be ministred publikely First reason Second reasoÌ„ Why this seale must be ministred according to Christ his institution None hath power to institute a Sacrament but God onâ—ly We call the word in the Sacrament the whole institution Word and element must concurre in the constitution of a Sacrament What we meane by the word in the Sacrament What the Papists vnderstand by the word in the SacrameÌ„t The third head in controuersie How the elements are sanctified The word of blessing and thankâ—giuing vsed indifferently expressed by the other How the Papists sanctifie the outward Elements Refutation of the doctrine transubstantiation by three sorts of arguments The first sort of argument Second sort of argument Third sort of argument Other arguments vnto the same effect Their last râ—fuge The reason that moues the Papists to thinke thâ—t Christs body cannot be present in the Sacrament except it be really carnally and substaÌ„tially present Obseruation The diuerse opinions coÌ„cerning the presence of the body of Christ in the Saâ—rament How a thing is said to be present and absent How the bodie of Christ is present The last point in controuersie betwixt vs and the Papists Conclusion with an exhortation Heads to be intreated in this Sermon First lesson Second lessoÌ„ The time when the King fell into this disease Obseruation Doctrine The Prophet visiteth the King and inioyneth two things to him The dutie of the Pastor toward his diseased brethren The first omission that appeareth to be in this denunciation The second omission The third omission The King behauiour in this disease The Kings behâ—uiour makes vs certaine of his faith and repentance The Kings gesture in his disease The words of his prayer Dan. 6.23 1. Cor. 4. A wonderfull thing to haue recourâ—e vnto the same God who smiteth â—esson Recapitulation Diâ—isâ—on First lesson 2. Lesson 3. Lesson Doctrine The circumstance of peace Third circumstance The comfort that the King receiued Why mention of Dauid is here made Why Dauid is called Hezechias Father What maketh vs the sonnes of God 1. Lesson 2. Lesson A fault to be eschued in Ionas person Application to the King A vertue to be followed in Esaiahs person Doctrine Application The points of the comfort that the King receiued Obseruation Application Obseruation Exhortation to the Kings Maiestie Recapitulation The heads of doctrine to be intreated of The cause why he sought a signe How the wicked seeke signes Some refuse signes when they are offered How the signe was shewed Why the signe was wrought in the diall Why it was wrought in the body of the Sunne What profite is to be gathered of signes By whose power this signe was wrought The force of prayer in procuring this signe Why the Lord willeth vs to pray Application The Kingâ— thankfulnes for the beneâ—ite receiued The parts of the Kings Song A short sum of the Kings life A Christians chiefe exercise The first part of the song The diuersity of seeking death in the wicked and godly The way to eschue the feare of death Application The reason why deaâ—h was grieuouâ— to him Application The second reaâ—on why death was grieuous to the King How God was said to be seene of old Application The third reaâ—on why death was grieuous to this King Applicatâ—on What is worthy of praise or reprofe in these reasons Conclusion with an exhortation Recapitulation The heads to be treated of in this SermoÌ„ The manner of the transportation of the