recount my sinnes iâ— the bitternesse of my heart and all the night cause my bed to swim and water my Couch with â—eares for the manifolde transgressions wherewith I haue offended the Lord my God And now because this tryall of our selues is so necessâ—rie let vs heere remember that there are two things without which we cannot profit in this workâ— of tryall The one is tâ—e spirit of God the other is the word of God As to the first man by nature is so blinded with selfe-loue that he accounts his owne deformitie beautie and his bondagâ— libertie what vyler bondage then the seruitude of Sinne O quam multos domiâ—os habâ—t qui vâ—um non habet said Ambrose and yet man vnregenerate couâ—teth it his liberty to liue vncontrolled in the seruice of his lustes to doe what he will what libertie againe so â—xcellent as to be the freeman of God Seruâ—re deo est regnare and yet foolish man accounts the obedience of Gods lawe which is the law of liberty a seruitude and the commaundements of God he esteemes as bonds wherewith he will not be bouÌ„d walking the footsteps of other Rebels before him he cries out Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. It was not the disease of the Laodiceans onely to account themselues happy when indeed they were miserable it is the natural disease of al the Sonnes of Adam for euery mans way seemeth good in his own eyes A pitifull blindnesse that death should reigne ouer man and man not feele it y t straÌ„ge Lords who can claime no right vnto him shold tiranise ouer him and he not endeuour to withstand it that sathan shold lead him away in captiuity bouÌ„d with cheines euen the cords of his own sin blinder theÌ„ Zedekiah hauing his eyes pulled out man should not lament for it But where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and freedome there is a knowledge and detestation of sinne and a sighing to God for deliuerance from the bondage The Prophet Ezechiel could not see the abominable idalitries of the house of Israel till the Lord taught him to digge through the wall but we shal be farre lesse able to see the vile abominations that are in our owne hearts vntill the spirite of the Lord digge through and demolish that thicke and hard wall of induration that naturallie hideth vs from the sight of our sins and keepeth vs in blindnes vnder Sathans bondage The other thing wherby wee are to proceede in this tryall is the word of God for euerie thing that is imperfect must betryed by another not by it self golde is tryed by the fire touchstone the weight of a thing is tryed by the ballance and the spots of the face are tryed by the glasse Thus euerie imperfect thing that is tryed is tryed by another not by it self As to the law of God it is a moste perfect rule by which God will haue men and their actions tryed but it is to bee tryed by no other then it selfe If any man will trie scripture hee must with the Nobles of Beraea trie it by the scripture so then the word serueth vnto vs as a touchstone for our tryall as a glasse for discouery of our spots and as the ballance of the sanctuarie wherein wee must bee weighed in the last day the secrets of all hearts wil be iudged by the Gospel and therefore it were good that in time wee did iudge our selues by it some trie themselues by it some trye themselues by themselues supposing they are such indeede as they haue conceiued themselues to bee some againe measure theÌ„selues by others speciallie with such as in their opinion are behind them not with such as in light and grace doe farre excell them like that Pharisie who when he came to examine himself before God thought hee was good enough because he was not like the Publican wherein hee was also miserablie deceiued for suppose he spake the truth yet spake it ignorantlie as Caiaphas saide that one behooued to die for the people he was not like the Publican indeede the Publican was much better then he for he came to the temple humble and penitent and went home to his house iustified whereas the Pharisee puft vp with a conceit of his owne righteousnesse and iustifying himselfe went away out of the Temple more 〈◊〉 then he came In the tryall therefore of thy selfe make not thy neighbours disposition thy rule least thou in like maner be deceiued And yet if thou would proffit by the example of others remember it is a great follie to thinke that thou art religious enough because in religion some are behinde thee and not rather to bee displeased with thy wants when thou seest so many before thee enriched aboue thee in all spirituall grace and haue profited more th n thou in the moâ—tification of their sinfull lustes hauing out runne thee farther in the way of Gods commaundements then that other Disciple ouer-ran Peter vnto Christs Sepulchre to learne his resurrection It is pitie that the Sonnes of men in worldlie things can looke to those who are aboue theÌ„ thinking they haue little because they haue not somuch as others yet in spirituall things they should looke to others that are inferior to them so easily stand content with the little beginning of religioÌ„ they haue because there be many who in their iudgemeÌ„t haue not so much wheras certainly if we could try our selues by the right rule we shold finde that as yet we are far froÌ„ that which we should bee and therfore haue more need then that holy Apostle To forget that which is behinde indeuour our selus to that which is before following hard toward the mark for the prise of the hie calling of Goâ— in Christ Iâ—sus We haue therfore heere yet farther to obserue that seeing the Apostle commaunds vs to try our selues we thinke it not enough that others try vs giue vs their approbation we must also try our selues The Pastors may try thy knowledge thinke it good enough thy superiors may trie thy coÌ„uersatioÌ„ find it vnreprouable of maÌ„ But thou must â—ry thy own coÌ„scieÌ„ce for no maÌ„ knowes the thingâ— of a man saue the spirit of man the minde of a man will shew him more sometime then seuen watchmen that are in a tower When this sacrament was first instituted there were twelue who communicated with the Lord Iesus and one of them was a Deuil and a traiterous hypocrite the remnant knew him not and therefore could not reproue him but that made not Iudas the better man yet the fault wâ—ich man could not finde out the Lord discouered it one of you said he will betray me Thinke it not therefore enough albeit vnchallenged of man thou maiest sit down at the Lords table Remember the king wil come and take a view of the Guests euen he who is
forewarnes vs also of the danger He that eates and drinkes vnworthily eateth and drinketh his own damnation And in this interiected verse which now by the grace of God wee haue to handle hee sheweth vs the way how to eschew them both and therefore let vs hearken the more attentiuely vnto it This precept hath two partes in the first we are commaunded to trie before we eate in the second we are commaunded to eate after triall Before we communicate he requires triall and after triall hee commaundes to communicate and so he encounters with two sorts of men whereof the one eats of this bread and tries not and these faile against the first the other tries themselues but eats not of this bread and these faile against the second both of them are here corrected by the Apostles precept In handling whereof wee begin first at the last part that such as are resolued to bide away if it please God may bee made willing to come and then by God his grace we shall returne to the first that such as are willing to come may bee instructed how they should communicate And so let hâ—m eate It is not then as ye may perceiue left free vnto men to communicate or abstaine from the communion as they please but wee are bound by a commaundement to eate and drink at this Table Do this said our Sauiour in remembrance of me Our first father Adam failed in eating of that tree of knowledge of good and euill whereof God forbade him to eate but many of his sonnesfailes in refusing to eat of that tree oflife whereof God commaundes them to eate In their worde they condemne the fact of their fathers because they were Sicut omnium parentes ita omnium peremtores prius peremptores quam parentes perishers of their posteritie ere euer they were parents and in their deed they are dayly imitators of their folly It was a punishment vnto Adam to bee debarred from the tree of life and it is but a pastime to many of his foolish posteritie to debarre themselues from it Thus stands the corrupt nature of man still in contrarie termes with the Lord And the children fulfilles the measure of their fathers iniquitie where God forbids man to eate there will hee eate and where the Lord commaunds him to eate there will he not eate The Serpent spake from the earth albâ—it yee eate of that tree which God hath forbidden ye shall not dye and man harkned vnto it The Lord Iesus speakes from heauen come and eate of the tree of life and yee shall liue buâ— man will not heare him O sillye and feareful Rebellion the seducer is beleeued and the Sauiour is not beleeued This day wisdom hath prepared his Table hee calls vppon you all Come and eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne hee that findeth me findeth life and shall obteine the fauour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me hurteth his owne soule and all that hate me loue death Thus are wee louinglye called and fairely forewarned and all these are made inexcusable that will none of his counsell they will not eate of this bread but shall eate of a worse For they shall eate the fruite of their owne way and beâ— filled with their owne deuises their pathes shall tend vnto death because they refuse to lay hold on the tree of life What euer be the pretended excuse of these Recusants ignorance is the mother of their sinne and therefore may I say that vnto them which the Lord Iesus said vnto that Samaritane Woman If thou knewe the gift of God and who it is that saies to thee giue mee a drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee woulde haue giuen thee the water of life This sweete gradation of our Sauiour his words If â—hou knew thou wouldest aske if thou asked I would giue euidently points out the sinne of these men to bâ—e as I haue saide the Daughter of ignorance whereas out of doubt if they knewe the gift that is giuen them here by god they would answere with those Iewes Lord euermore giue vs this bread with that Samaritane woman when shee was better informed Lord euermore giue mee of that water to drinke that I thirst no more But that we may deale particularlye with such as refuse wee are to knowe that albeit this their rebellion proceedes of ignorance yet they who refuse are ofsundrie rancks some knowes not the vtilitye and excellencie of this Sacrament these thinke they may bee Christians good enough although no Communicants they looke to this table with naturall eyes they iudge of it by thinges which they see and so despise it because after their reckoning they haue better replenished tables at home These are like Naaman the Syrian who came to Elisha to bee cured of his leprosie he was commaunded to goe wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan which at the first he disdayned to do are not said he Aabanah and Pharpar riuers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel â—e contemned the meanes commaunded by the Prophet hee went away in displeasure and his leprosie went with him but after ward when hee reuerently vsed the meanes prescribed vnto him hee was made cleane of his leprosie Wherin we are taught not to despise the ordinance of God although it seeme neuer so base vnto naturall iudgement It pleaseth God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them who beleeue and he hath in like manner appointed this Sacrament for communication of his Christ to them who are his Let a man therfore be content to take saluation out of the hand of God by such meanes as hee in his wisdom hath concluded to giue it No worldling wil refuse treasure of golde although it were giuen him in a Boxe of Wood nor a preâ—ious Pearle propined to him in a purse of Leather and wee see that noble personages disdaine not to take infeftments of stately buildings and faire inheritances by acceptation of a contemptible little peece of earth and stone and shall a Christian refuse so excellent a gift because it is giuen by so small a meane far be it from vs that we should examin the ordinance of God but rather that wee prepare our selues in faith and feare to obey it let vs not looke to the meanes but to the blessing by Gods promise annexed to the meanes to the gift more then to the manner of giuing In this banquet we must learne to exercise our faith not to satisfie our sences it is no banquet for our bodie if so the Lord had intended it he could haue furnished his Table with delicate things made thee a banquet farre exceeding that which Ahasuerus made to the Princes and gouernours of his prouinces For al the Foules of the ayre and beastes that feede on mountaines and fâ—eldes are hiâ— Hee may commaund as
house of Abraham then testifie your consent by receiuing these hâ—lye tokens of his loue which in his name we exh bit vnto you but if yee will not then shall we stand vp as witnesses against you that we haue called you and ye refused to come O man what wilt thou doe for thy Christ that wilt not come and banquet with him at his Table how canst thou say thou louest him when so small an impediment keepâ—s thee back from going vnto him hast thou not cause to hang downe thy head for shame when thou art conuinced to haue lesse loue to thy Sauiour then Esau had to Iacobs pottage for loue of them he solde his birth-right which hee should haue kept but thou for loue of Christ wilt not forsake thy corrupted will which thou art bouÌ„d to abandon Abraham for the loue of God was content with his own hands to slay his onely lawful Son and thou for the loue of God wilt not slay thy vnlawful bastard affections nor do the holy wil of God except thy wicked will be first fulfilled This euidently proues that â—hou hast not AbrahaÌ„ for thy father but art of the race of wicked Cain that hated his Brother vnto the death Assuredly except thou repent that merciles iudgement abides thee presignified in that mercilesse seruaÌ„t who hauing gotten mercie from his King could shew none to his Companion Oughtest not thou to haue had pittie on thy fellow as I had pittie on thee Thy former sins shall bee imputed vnto thee and thou shalt be deliuered to the Iaylor til thou pay all that is due vnto thy Lord which thou shalt neuer be able to doe But that the pittiful ignorance of both these sortes of Recusants may the better appeare and farther light may arise to such as are willing to communicate wee are to consider what a banquet this is and what are the delicates vnto the participation whereof wee are here called The Apostle saith not let a man eate bread drink wine but let him eate of This bread drink of this Cup. The particle This tels vs it is no coÌ„mon bread wine no surely the comfort is greate that we are commaunded to eate of that bread wherof our Sauiour saith This is my body and to drinke of that Cup which he calles His blood of the New Testament shed for the remission of the sinnes of many He that eates of my bread drinks of any cup vnworâ—hily becomes guiltie of the abuse of Gods creatures but he that eates of this Bread and drinkes of this cup vnworthily becomes guiltie of the bodye and blood of the Lord and eates his own damnatioÌ„ becaâ—se he discerneth not the lords body And therefore that wee fall not into this fâ—arfull sinne wee are to know that this Sacrament is not a simple thing but a compound wherin are things of sundry kinds which must be distinguished and so the word of discerning imports that secret There are here things oâ— sundâ—ie sorts we must discerne euery thing in the owne kinde so our Sauiour taught vs and after him his Apostles and this truth from them the auncient Fathers haue deliuered vnto vs Eucharistia said Irenaeus ex â—uabus râ—buâ— constat â—errenâ— et caelesti The Eucharist coÌ„sists of two kinde of thinges the one earthly the other heauenly And Augustine calleth it vâ—sibile stâ—num inuâ—fibilis gratiae the visible signe of inuisible grace And Macarius calleth this bread wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exemâ—lâ—râ—â— figurae seutâ—pâ— carnis et sauguinis Christs Resemblances figures types of the body blood of Christ Iesus Now it is â—uâ—e that a type patterne or figure must euer bee distinguished from that wherof it is a figure This sacrament then being a compound thing must bee considered not as a simple but as a compound thing If it bee asked whether a man be earthly or heaueÌ„nly because hee is a compound creature It must bee answered by a distinction If it bee asked how a Christian being on the earth the Apostle saieth that hee hath his câ—nconuersation in the Heauens it must bee answered by a distinction And if also it bee asked whether this Sacrament be an earthlye or an heauenlye thing how the signe is giuen how the thing signified how Christ Iesus is in the heauen yet present in this SacrameÌ„t All these I say must be answered by a distinction Sursum est dominus saide Augustin sedetiam hic est veritas dominus corpus enim domini in quo resurrexit vno loco esse potest veriâ—as eius vbique diffusa est Our Lord is aboue in heauen yet heere also is our Lord as he is the truth for the body of our lord in which he arose from death can bee but in one place but his truth is diffused into euerie place And againe Ibat per id quod homâ— erat manebat per id quod deus ibat per id quod vno loco erat manebat per id quod vbique erat He went hence by that which was Man hee stayed by that which was God he went away by that which was but in one place he stayed by that which was in al places And againe Ascendit super omnes coelos corpore noÌ„ recessit maiestate Hee ascended aboue all the heauens in his bodie but he departed not hence in his Maiestie And Cyrill in like maner Non enim quia nunc non adest in carne ex eo outes quoâ— spiritu medio hic noÌ„ adâ—it Think not that with his spirit he is not here amongest vs because hee is not now amongst vs with his bodie Thus ye see we must vse a distinction And yet albeit we are forced here to acknowledge the sundrie natures of things compound and consider them in their owne kinds wee must for all that take heed to the wonderfull vnion and sâ—cramentall coniunction that is betâ—eene them which is so strait that vnto the right receiuer they are inseparable for the which also the earthly thing receyues the name of the heauenly And this must also be considered least on the other hande separating those thinges which God hath conioyned we make this Bread and this Wine but naked and bare signes and so iustly incurre that blame which our aduersaries vniustly would lay vpon vs and in like manner this punishment which here the Lorde threatens against them who are euill discerners We are therefore to consider that for the right discerning of the Lords body these three rules are to be obserued First that in this Sacrament we take vp euery thing in the owne nature kind Next that we vse euerie one of theÌ„ in the maner appointed by Christ with reuerence that is due vnto them And thirdly that this SacrameÌ„t be celebrated vnto the right ends for which our Sauiour appointed it Against the first failes both Papists and bastard professors Papists are euill
the cup so mutilate the holy sâ—crament a horrible sacriledge in like maner yet ratified by y e decree of y e haeretical couÌ„cel of Trent Si quis dixerâ— ex dei praecepto vel de necessitate salutis esse omnes et singulos Christi fideles viramque specieÌ„ Eucharistae sumere debere Anatâ—ema sit If any man auouch that it is by Gods commaundement or vppon neceâ—sitie of our Saluation that all Christes faithfull people should receiue the Eucharist vnder both kindes let him be accuâ—sed To whome it contents at vs this time to oppose the decree of their owne Pope Gelasius Comperâ—mus quod quidâ—m sumpta tantuÌ„modo corâ—oris sacri portione a calice sacrati cruoris â—bst meant qui proculdubio quoniam nâ—soâ—o qua superstitione docentur astricti aut integra sacramenta percipiâ—nt aut ab integris â—reeantur quod diuisio vnius eiusdemque mystery sine grandi non sit sacrilegio Wee vnderstand that certaine receiuing only the portion of Christes bodye absteine from the cup of his sacred blood which men because vndoubtedlye they are trayned vp in some kinde of superstition let them be inforced either to receiue the whole sacrament or to bee restayned from the whole because this diuiding of one and the same mysterie cannot bee without great Sacriledge In this contrarietie among themselues which way I pray you shall the poore people turne them The counâ—ell curses all them who affirme this Sacrament should bee ministred with bread and wine The Pope sayes plainly it is superstition and sacriledge to giue the one without the other and commaunds that either we abstaine from both or retaine them both togither If ye follow the counsell the Pope shal condemne you if you follow the Pope the Councell shal accurse you but curse as they will the Lord shall blesse them who in faith communicate at his holy Table according to his institution and the curse of God shal not faile to cleaue vnto thâ— surer theÌ„ the leprosie of Naaman to Gâ—â—â—sa yea their part shall be taken out of the booke of life who dare presume to change the ordinance of God The Apostle hath deliuered vnto vs that which he receyued from the Lord how not only he tooke the bread blessed it and brake it and gaue it but that in like maner he tooke the cup and gaue also to his Disciples What boldnesse is it then to take from the people that which Christ by his Apostles hath deliuered vnto them and thus while they boast of antiquitie they are found fathers of Noueltie And against the third they faile who vse not this sacrament to the right endes which are especially two The first is the commemoration of Christes death and passion with thanksegiuing fâ—r the which also the Grecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second is the communication of Chrâ—st to them who are his And for this the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first I take out of our Sauâ—our his words Do this in râ—membrance of me And from the Apostle So â—ft as ye eate of thiâ— bread and drinke of this cup shew fooâ—th the Lords death till his â—omming againe And in verie deede this holy Sacrament beeing vâ—ed according to Christes institution is a liuely representation of Christ crucified while as the signes of his blessed bodye and blood being sundred one of them from the other the one is broken the other poured out remâ—mbring vs how his blessed body was broken with the Crowne of Thornes the Scourge the Nailes and the Spâ—are and his blood shed for the remission of our sinnes which should worke in vs so oft as wee beholde it an inward contriâ—ion and godly sorrow for our sinnes wherewith wee pierced and wounded our blessed Sauiour vnto the death and indeâ—de if wee bee of the number of those vpon whom God hath powred out the spirit of grace and compassion so often as wee looke vpon him whom we haue pierced as heere in this sacrament we may see him crucified before our eyes as often shall wee lament for this as one mourneth for his onely Sonne or is sorrowfull for his first borne but of this we shall speake God willing hereafter Now here is also discouered the vanity of that error of concomitance wherwith the aduersaries would excuse their dismeÌ„bring of this holy SacrameÌ„t for say they by concomitance where the bodye of Christ is there is his blâ—od and therfore the breade which is his boâ—die being giuen there is no neede â—o giue the cup. But as the Lord asked the King of Tyrus in derision Art thou wiser then Daniell So â—ay wee aske of them are yee wiser then Christ will ye amend his institution This assertion takes away one of the principall ends of this Sacrament to wit the commemoration of Christes death and passion for to haue the blood within the bodie is no declaration of a crucified man nor a shewing foorth of the Lordes death whereas our blessed Sauiour ordeyned them to bee exhibited and receaued sundrie that it might not onely be preached to our eares but represented also to our eyes how his blessed body and blood were sundred for our sinnes The second end for which this Sacrament was ordeyned is that it might bee a mean of the communication of Christ to all them who are his for the sealing vp of our spiritual vnion with him ideo enâ—m Sacramentum ilâ—ud hominibuâ— datur vâ— Caput in terris corporicoaduneâ—ur And this as I said I take out of the words of the Apostle The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the bodye of Christ And in this respect this holye bread and wine are not onely signes representing Christ crucified nor seales confirming our faith in him but also effectuall instruments of exhibition wherby the holy spirit makes an inward applycation of Christ crucified to all that are his And heerein standes our greatest comfort for if wee had no more a doe in the celebration of this holye Sacrament but to remember Christes death and passion then certainel ye looking to it onely were sufficient to put vs in remembrance therof but when we heare and see that this bread which is his body is giuen vs and we are commaunded to take and eate it what shall wee thinke but that weâ— are called to this high mercy as to bee partakers of Christ and all the benefits that flowe from his death The Lord doth neither deceiue vs with wordes to bid vs take when he giues nothing neither calleth he vs only to a coÌ„munion of naked bread and wine farre be it from vs to thinke so baselye of this holy Sacrament Certainly he that with any measure of light and grace wil ponder these wordes of our Sauiour Take and eate this is my body Shall perceiue that there is here a real and effâ—ctual exbition made of the Lord Iesus to the penitent and beleuing receauer
of themselues but proclaime peace to theÌ„selues though there be no peace blessing thâ—mselues in their hearts albeit God in their hearing pronounce them and their actions accursed in his word They are wise like Achitophel hee put his house in order but not his soule in order wâ—se in things perishing concerning this life there they ouersee nothing wise enough in theâ—r generation but fooles concerning things perteining to liâ—e eternal for they suffer a daily debt run on vpoÌ„ their soules which at length shall ouer-charge them A count that is long ouerpassed in the end becomes difficult to be finished he who long hath liued in darkenes if ye bring him to the light cannot holde vp his eies to looke vppon it but is forced to cast them downe toward the ground euen so shal it be with him who suffers his debt of sin to multiplie and the reckoning of his transgressions to runne on in the end His own wickednesse shal reprooue him The Lord shall drawe him out of his lurking holes and bring him out of the dark chambers of his imagination as now his secret sinnes are set in the light of Gods countenance so then shall the Lord set them in order before him that did them He shall manifest his inward thoughts to the light and present him naked vnto iudgement and then with what confusion and astonishment with what trembling and blacknesse of face shall hee that was prodigall of the time of grace liuing in his sinnes a contemner of God come forward vnto iudgemeÌ„t And this to awake vs to the daily tryall and ordinarie examination of our hearts As to this action it is not ordinarie and therefore requires a singular and extraordinarye tryall farre aboue that which euerie day wee are to take of our selues for if as I said the Ieâ—es had assigned to them the space of foure daies for preparation before they eate their Passeouer whaâ— shall wee doe that haâ—e to celebrate a more excellent misterie they searched diligently euery corner of their house to see that no leauen were in it but more diligentlie should wee search euerie corner of our hearts that no knowne leauen of wickednesse and maliciousnesse bee left in it which wee haue not purged and cast out by repentance Then shall we finde that eueriâ— new sight of our selues shall discouer a new corruption for the heart of man is a great deepe and deceitfull aboue all things manie Chambers of corruption are in it If we haue entred into one and seene the abhominations which are there thinke not for that we haue entred in all No doubt the prophet Esay knewe before that hee was a sinfull man but a new vision of the Maiestie of God brought him to a deeper insight of his owne vncleanenesse and made him to crie out woe is me for I am vndone Becâ—use I am a man of pâ—lluted lippâ—s and mine eyes haâ—e seene the King the Lord of Hostes I haue seene saith Iob The Lord therfore doe I now abâ—oâ—re mâ— sâ—lfe And this I marke that none of vs think a new trial vnnecessary but that euenye who through grace haue beene accustomed euerie morning to chastice your selues and euerie euening to examine your hearts in your beds may bee warned to you also belongeth this precept let a man trye himselfe and so let him eate Which shall appeare more euidently if thou ponder this precept Try thy selfe it is a râ—stlesse and laborious worke that heer is inioyned to thee thoâ— art set to a taske which may holde thee exercised all the daies of thy life The Lord by this precept will haue euerie thing that is in man broughâ— vnder examination Man as he is the workmanship of God is euerie way so maruailous that no maruaile the Philosophers called him a little world Augustine in his Estimaâ—ion acâ—counted man a greater miracle then all the miracles that euer were wrought amoÌ„gst men but as he is peru râ—ed by sin become the workmaÌ„ship of sâ—than he is so fraughted with iniquitâ— y e S. Iames cals one member of his body A world of wickednesâ— if in the toung only which is but a small meÌ„ber of the body there is so much wickednâ—sse that the Spirit of God who giueth names to thinges as they are calleth it a world of wickednes what shall we thinke of the rest what bottomles depth of iniquitie must there bee in the fountaire when there is so much in the streame and therefore I say â—e hath nâ—ede to be full of eies within and without that will practise this precept of the Apostle let a man trie him selfe For if ye shall begin to take a view of your minde and consider how farre it is inlightned and what naturall darknesse yet remaineth in it how many bands of strange cogitations at sâ—uerall times soiourne in it sâ—me flowing frâ—m the loue of the world and her deceitfull pleasures intending to steale our hearts after them some from the roâ—te of concupisence and her inordinate lusts that ofâ—entimes violently oppresse vs and some from the roote of bittâ—rnesse raysing wonderfull câ—mmotions and perturbations within vs reeling too fro by courses in our swelling and restlesse mindes raging like waues of the Sea carried with furious windes besides infinit armies of other vaine and ydle cogitations wherof we cannot tell froÌ„ whence they come nor whither they go and if from the minde they proceede to the heart which is the seate of the affections and take a particular view of them how our loue and our hatred our feare and our confidence our ioy and our griefe our care and our contentment are renewed and framed according to that word which is the rule of righteousnes And if againe ye goe to try the affections and see how the members of your bodies are imployed as weapoÌ„s of righteousnes in the seruice of God if ye haue made a couenant with your eyes or not that they regard not vanitie or if negligently ye let them stand open as windowes at the which death enters euerie moment into your soules and if ye haue learned to take heede to your lippes that ye sinne noâ— with your tongue if ye shal also take a time to considâ—r the ignorances of your youth and sinnes of your old age if I say yee looke vnto all these which yet are fewe in regarde of manie moe we haue to looke vnto what shall appeare but a new found world of wickednes discouered vnto thee which moâ—te iustlie may make thâ—e ashamed and compell thee to crie out with Dauid O Lord who knoweth the errors of his life Lord cleanse me from my secret sinnâ—s and k epe me from presumptuous sinnes that so I may bee made cleane from much wickednesse yea thou shalt wish with Ieremie O that my head were full of water and m ne eyes fountaines of teares that all the whole day long I might with Ezekiah