is it then to take fâ—…om 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 aâ—…e especially two The first is the commemoration of Christs death and pâ—…ssion with thanksgiuing for the which also the Gâ—…ecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second is the communication of Christ to them who are his And for this the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first I take out of our Sauiour his words doe this in remembrance of me And from the Apostle So oft as yee eate of this bread and drinke of this cup shew forth the Lords death till his comming againe And in very deed this holy Sacrament being vsed according to Christs institution is a liuely representation of Christ crucified while as the signes of his blessed body and bloud being sundred one of them from the other the one is broken the other poured out remeÌ„bring vs how his blessed body was broken with the Crowne of thornes the Scourge the Nayles the speare and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes which should worke in vs so oft as wee behold it an inward contrition and godly sorrow for our sins wherewith wee peirced and wounded our blessed Sauiour vnto the death And indeed if wee be 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 peirced as here in this Sacrament wee may see him crucified before our eyes as often shall wee â—…ament for this as one mourneth for his onely Son or is sorrowfull for his first borne but of this wee shall speak God willing hereafter Now here is also discouered the vanitie of that errour of concomitance wherewith the aduersaries would excuse their disâ—…embring of this holy Sacrament for say they by concomitance where the body of Christ is ther is his bloud and therefore the bread which is his body being giuen there is no neede to giue the cup. But as the Lord asked the King of Tyrus in dirision Art thou wiser then Daniel So may wee aske of them are yee wiser then Christ will yee amend his institution This assertion takes away one of the principall ends of this Sacrament to wit the Commemoration of Christs death and passion for to haue the bloud within the body is no declaration of a crucified man nor a shewing forth of the Lords death whereas our blessed Sauiour ordained them to be exhibited and receiued sundry that it might not only be preached to our eares but represented also to our eyes how his blessed body and bloud were sundred for our sinnes The second end for which this Sacrament was ordayned is that it might bee a meanes of the communication of Christ to all them vvho are his for the sealing vp of our spirituall vnion with him ideo enim sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ illud hominibus datur vt Caput in terris corpori coadunetur And this as I sayd I take out of the word of the Apostle This bread which we break is it not the coÌ„munion of the body of Christ And in this respect this holy bread and wine are not only 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 herein stands our greatest comfort for if wee had no more to doe in the celebration of this holy sacrament but to remember Christs death and passion then certainely looking to it onely were sufficient to put vs in remembrance thereof but when wee heare and see that this bread which is his body it giuen vs and vve are commaunded to take and eate it vvhat shall wee thinck but that wee are called to this high mercy as to bee pertakers of Christ and all the benefits that flow from his death The Lord doth neyther deceiue vs with words to bid vs take vvhen hee giues nothing neither calleth hee vs onely to a communion of naked bread and wine farre be it from vs to thinck so basely of this holy Sacrament Certainely hee that with any measure of light and grace wil ponder these words of our Sauiour Take and eate this is my body Shall perceiue that there is here a reall and effectuall exhibition made of the Lord Iesus to the penitent and beleeuing receiuer And yet let no man thinke that albeit the breaking and giuing of the bread be the communication of Christs body that therefore the bread is transstubstantiate into his body or that euery one receiues the body of Christ who receiues the bread for there is great difference betweene communication and acceptation on the part of God In this Sacrament there is indeede a communication and exhibition of Christ but on the part of the vnbeleeuing receiuer it fayles for fault of acceptation because they haue no saith whereby to receiue him nor a purified heart wherein to lodge him It is therefore a vile errour also of the Papists who affiâ—…me that the wicked in this Sacrament eate Christ but to their damnation It is contrary to the Word of God reformed antiquitie For whosoeuer saith Christ eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Sacramentum quibusdam ad vitam quibusdam ad exitium res vero ipsa cuius est sacramentuÌ„ omni homini ad vitam nulli ad exitium 〈◊〉 Qui non manet in Christo in quo non manet Christus proculdubio non manducat spiritualiter earnem nec bibit sanguineÌ„ eius licet visibiliter premat dentibus Sacramentum sanguinis et corporis eius The wicked who beleeue not may with Iudas eate Panera Domini non panem Dominum The bread of the Lord but not the bread which the Lord himselfe is to his worthy receiuer Of all this then it is euident that this banquet is most heauenly and excellent wherein as there is no lesse offered then Christ Iesus so no lesse is refused by them who refuse to communicate they proclaime by their deed if they continue in it that they haue No poâ—…tion in Dauid neyther inheritance in the Sonne of Ishai But now wee leaue them and returne to speake as wee promised of that tryall which they who mind to communicate are to take of themselues CHAP. IIII. The second part of the precept commands triall before we communicate The Lord wil not that this table be a snare to vs as was Absalom to Ammon Banquetters at this table should be holy persons LEt a man therefore try himselfe This Particle therefore is relatiue to that which went before since there is a daunger will he say and many eates and drinks vnworthily therefore
Sanctified in Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory for euer Amen FINIS A PREPARATIVE for the new Passeouer Very profitable to bee perused and read of all those who are called to the holy Table of our Lord. By WILLIAM COVPER Minister of Gods word Prouerbs Chap. 9. Verse 5. Come eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne 8 My fruit is better then Gold euen then fine gold and my reuenewes better then fine siluer LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge and are to sould at his shop at the great South doore of Paules 1608. To the right worshipfull Sir Dauid Murray speciall Gentleman of the Prince his Bed-chamber multiplication of mercy grace and peace RIght Worshipfull albeit no distance of place can disioynt them in affection whoÌ„ God hath conioyned by the band of one spirit yet is it no small stop of that Christian conference wherby eyther of them might happely edifie and be edified of others I haue therefore taken mee to the next remedy since I cannot reach towards you with my tongue I haue endeuoured by writing to bestow vpon you some Spirituall Gift according to my line or measure for recompence of that Comfort which I haue reaped of that Grace of God which is in you I know these colder parts of the I le wherein we soiourue doe not vsually render such ripe fruites as those on which the Sunne beates more hotely yet are they also profitable in their kinde for nourishment specially of such who from their youth haue beene accustomed to feede vpon them Neyther hath the Lord our God debarred vs from Communion of that which is the greatest glory of the I le the Sun of righteousnesse hath shined vpon vs also The Lord hath made our darknesse to bee light and lead vs who were blinde a way wee knew not The Lord hath set his Standard amongst vs. Hee hath not onely sayde to the South keepe not backe but hee hath also commaunded the North to giue and to bring vnto him his Sonnes from farre and his Daughters from the ends of the Earth As the going forth of the Sunne is from the one end of Heauen to the other rising in the East and running on like a mighty man his race towards the West so hath the Law gone forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem the light of the Gospell through many nations hath come from them of the East toward vs in the West where now it stands more meruailously then the Sunne stood in Gibeon in the dayes of Ioshua till the fulnesse of the Gentiles in these parts the remnants of Iaphets house bee brought into the Tents of Sem. How long it will so continue the Lord knoweth Now the shadows of the euening are stretched ouer them of the East the Sun is gone downe ouer their Prophets Darknesse is vnto them in stead of Diuination If our vnthankefulnesse prouoke the Lord to withdraw it from vs woe in like manner shall bee to this Land when God departs from it There was neuer people before vs had any more but their day of Grace some longer some shorter but as they had a Morning so hath an Euening also ouertaken them While therefore wee haue the light let vs walke in the Light Blessed shall wee bee if wee know those things which belong to our peace for in our dayes that promise which the Lord made two thousand and sixe hundred yeares agoe is aboundantly performed that hee would giue the ends of the earth to his Sonne for a possession Happy are they among vs who shall be found of that number sought out by the Candle of the Gospell as peeces of lost Money and like wandring Sheepe taken out of the mouth of the Lyon and giuen in a Gift to Christ that hee may saue them these are the Redeemed of the Lord let them praise the Lord and among them come yee in also and giue glory to God take in your heart and mouth with Dauid that Song of thanksgiuing The Lots are fallen vnto mee in pleasant places and I haue a faire Heritage It is written of Theodosius that hee thanked God more for that hee was a Christian then for that he was an Emperour because the Glory hee had by the one would vanish but the benefits hee enioyed by the other hee knew were to continue for euer and though it may bâ—…e most iustly great matter of your ioy that by the fatherly care of our Gracious Soueraigne yee haue beene placed a Domestique Attendant on his Maiesties most Princely Sonne euen from his very Cradle wherein hetherto you haue beene praised for Fidelitie and I hope shall be so to the end yet let this bee your greatâ—…st Glorie that the Lord hath made you partaker of that blessing which commeth by the Gospell and giuen you the earnest of that Inheritance prepared for them who are sanctified by Faith in Christ Iesus For increase whereof in you as I daily send vp my weake Prayers vnto the Lord so shall I be aboundantly contented to know that these small fruits of my hâ—…sbandry which haue growne this last Sum mer in the pleasant valley of Perth not far from your natiue soyle may be any way profitable to confirme and establish that which GOD hath wrought in you 〈◊〉 them therefore right Worshipfull come towards you as those fruits which Iacob sent to Ioseph from Canaan Southward to more plentifull Aegipt though not as supplements of your neede yet as Testimonies of that loue which I beare toward you in the Lord to whose mercy I commend you for euer in Iesus Christ. Your W. in the Lord Iesus M. William Cowper Minister of Christ his Euangell at Perth A PREPARATIVE for the new Passeouer CHAP. I. Of the feruent desire Christians haue to be vnited with Christ. How Inexcusable they are who neglect this holy sacrament The great danger in comming vnprepared The parts of the precept First that we try Secondly that wee eate the last handled first AS the soule of a Christian longeth for nothing more then to be fully vnited with the Lord Iesus so doth he greatly account of euerie meane whereby this vnion is aduanced The Apostle S. Paul was so inflamed with the loue of Christ that in comparison of him he esteâ—…med all other things to be but doung and euerie thing an aduantage that might serue to conioyne him wiâ—…h Christ for albeit the nature of man abhorreth nothing more then death yea euen the soule of the godly desires not to lay aside the body if it might stande with the Lords dispensation which the Apostle is not ashamed to protest of himselfe We would not saith he be vncloathed but would be cloathed vpon that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life Yet did the loue of Christ so far ouercome him that he was content through the valley of
take yee heede how ye come he saith not simplie let a man eate but let a man try himselfe and so let him eate This warning then of the Apostle stands in the entrie of this holy action like that Cherubin armed with a sword in the entry of Paradice yet not to hold out the Sonnes of Adam but onely to terrifie vs that wee presume not to draw nere without sanctification And herein doth our Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs who before he inuite vs to eate and drinke at his table doth first of all instruct vs how we should doe it Absalom called his younger Brother Ammon to a banquet onely of purpose to slay him hee prepared delicate meate and drinke aboundant'y for him but concealed the danger It is not so with our elder bro ther he calls vs here to a banquet noâ—… of purpose to slay vs but to saue vs 〈◊〉 is no way willing we should make thâ—…s Table a snare to trappe our selues to damnation which he hath ordeined aâ—… a meane of our Saluation and therfore before hand forewarnes vs of the danger that we may eschew it It is pittie to see how the great multitude runne to this holy Sacrament without tryall examination of them selues and all because they heare of a bread of life which heere is exhibited to the Communicants at this holy Table it is verie true that great thinges are exhibited heere indeed but thou shouldest first of all enquire of thy selfe who art thou what interest thou hast in this Communion and whether or no thou be one of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine for if thou in thy person be a profane vnsanctified creature thy touching of these holy things may defile them and make thee guiltie of the contempt of them but shall not benefit thee yea a greater curse then that which Elisha pronounced on the vnbeleeuing Samaritane Prince shall light vpon thee thou shalt see the Table of the Lord and heare of the plentie of the bread of life therein communicate but shall not eate of it Let a man therefore trie himselfe so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. For as this Sacrament is a holy and excellent thing so should they who celebrate it bee holy and seperate persons It should not bee receiued with common hands that is with earthly harts and vnsanctified affections The Pharises would not eat their common meate with vnwashed hands and that was but superstition but heere to wash before we eate both our hands and our head with Peter yea to wash as Ieremy exhorts vs Our hearts from our wickednesse is deuotion and good Religion both commended and commaunded by the word of God Otherwise fearefull is that warning of our Sauiour If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with mee To the vncleane all things are vncleane for euen their consciences are defiled CHAP. V. Vnreuerent handling of holy things hath neuer beene left vnpunished The Lord will not shew his presence without preparation The excellencie of this Sacrament and an exhortation to come vnto it with reuerence THe Lord hath neuer suffered vnpunished the vnreuerent looking to or handling of the holy signes of his presence Them of Bethshemesh looked vnreuerently into the Ark the Lord slew fifty thousand of them Uzza touched vnreuerently the Arke and the Lord in like manner strook him instantly to death Abimelech would not giue to Dauid the hallowed bread of proposition but conditionally that the young men who were with him were sanctifyed No vncircumcised man might eate of the pascall Lambe vnder paine of death and such as were circumcised being vncleane behooued to abstaine till they were clensed according to the law yea such of them as were cleane did not eate without foure daies preparation for the Lord commaunded them to take the Lambe the tenth day and not to slay it till the foureteenth day at night that all the space betweene they might the better prepare themselues to that holy action Neither will the Lord any other way be familiar with vs except we be sanctified Before the Lord came downe on Mount Sinai to giue his law to Israel hee appointed them three dayes of preparation wherein to sanctifie themselues The Lord appeared to Moses in the fiery bush but reuealed not his will vnto him till hee put off his shoes I will be sanctified saith the Lord in all that draw neere vnto me The Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand nor haue fellowship with the Throne of iniquitie his eye is so pure that hee can behold no iniquitie vnlesse we put off our worldly thoughts and sinfull affections whereby we haue troad in the vncleane wayes of sin it is not possible that the Lord can bee fa miliar with vs. All these stand vp as examples warning vs to draw neere to this holy action in assurance of Faith sprinckled in our hearts from an euill Conscience Here is a Sacrament more excellent then the Passeouer here is bread more holy then that Shew-bread here are the tokens of Gods presence more glorious then the Arke here the Lord commeth downe and saluation vnder his wings not to sound by Angels the precepts of his Law on Sinai but to scale vp by his Spirit the promises of his Gospell to the inhabitants of Sion shall wee then presume to come to this holy Table without sanctification Or if we will may wee not looke assuredly for iudgement The Corinthians were stricken with death and sundry diseases because they discerned not the Lords body that which is most feareful of al he that came to the marriage wating his wedding garment was he not taken from the banquet Table and cast into the place of vtter darknesse and shall we looke to escape the like iudgement if we fal into the like contempt of God Prepare thy selfe oh Israell to meet thy God let vs search and trye our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the heauens If wee be this day come to the Lord with our heart let vs put away our strange Gods which are our sinnes from among vs let vs with Iosephs Brethren make ready our presents sith we haue no better thing then our heart let vs sacrifice our hearts to the Lord and that in the best estate that possible wee can get it for the Lord our God is a great king Cursed is he that hath a male in his stock and voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord. Beware therefore we offer not that which is lame and torne to the Lord a diuided heart a halting heart betweene two an vnpenitent heart is neyther a meete Sacrifice to offer vnto the Lord nor a meete vessell wherein to receiue that holy thing which here the Lords offers vnto thee CHAP. VI. Not to put new wine into olde vessels Comfort for
hath he vttered toward man his wonderfull loue Man being man onely aspired to be like vnto God and so lost himselfe that now hee is become worse then a Companion to beasts But Iesus being very God was content to become man that he might saue man vvho vvas lost O how hath the loue of Iesus ouercome our ingratitude hee became the sonne of man to make vs the sonnes of God he hath taken on him our sinnes and giuen to vs his righteousnesse he refused not to vndergo that death which vvas due vnto vs that he might make vs pertakers of his life In a word Quod homo est Christus voluit esse vt homo possit esse quod Christus est That vvhich Man is Christ would bee that man might bee made that which Christ is and therefore Humiliauit se vt populum qui iacebat erigeret vulneratus est vt vulnera nostra sanaret seruiuit vt ad libertatem seruientes extraheret mori sustinuit vt moriens immortalitatem mortalibus exhiberet Hee vvas humbled himselfe that he might raise vp his people lying in bondage He was wounded for our transgressions that by his stripes wee might be healed He became a seruant that wee vvho vvere seruants might be restored to liberty He suffered death that he dying might giue immortalitie to vs that are mortall This is O Lord the greatnesse of thy loue towards vs the length and breadth the height and depth whereof all thy Saints are not able to comprehend But O Lord graunt that vve may daily grow in the feeling therof that with joy of heart wee may resigne our selues fully to thine only seruice vvho so willingly hastâ—… giuen thy selfe to be ours But to returne to the consideration of the persons who wrestles yee may meruaile what wrestling can bee betweene parties so vnequall betweene God and Man betweene the Creatour and the Creature betweene the Potter and his Vessell When the Lord is angry the foundations of the mountains and earth doe shake Hee breaks downe and it cannot be built he shuts vp and it cannot be loosed The pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe at his rebuke hee dryes vp the sea and maketh the floud desart there fish rot for want of water and dye for thirst Hee clothes the heauens with darknesse hee biddeth his lightning walke and they say Loe here we are he maketh the pot to boyle like ae pot of oyntment who is able to stand before this holy Lord And how then is it that Iacob is brought in here as a wrestler with the Lord But here ye must consider the parties as they are set downe in this conflict by Moses The Lord in this wrestling vtters not himselfe as the mightie God hee shews not himselfe in his power for so should hee easily haue confounded his creature but the Lord vttereth himselfe as a man and a man in pith strength inferiour to Iacob Iacob againe is here to be considered not as a simple man nor as a man vvrestling by his owne strength but as one standing wrestling by the strength of God and hereof commeth his preâ—…ailing in this battell The Lord vtters himselfe lesse then he is and makes vp Iacob much more then hee was Magna certè Dei nisericordia in figura hominis luctari voluit cum iusto vt se illius humilitati attemperarâ—…t And this same is the Lords dealing in all his wrestling with his children that neither doth hee vse his strength against theÌ„ nor yet leaue them to their owne weakenesse If the Lord should shew himselfe a strong God in wrestling against vs then indeed none were able to stand before him The three Disciples at the sight of Christs glory when hee was transfigurate on mount Tabor fell to the ground astonished If sinfull flesh bee not able to abide the sight of his glory how shall it indure the dint of his power that which is most of all how could fraile man sustaine the bensall of his Wrath and anger if the Lord would intend it Hereof then commeth our standing in these inward conflicts of conscience that our faithfull God suffers vs not to be tempted abouâ—… our power he assailes vs not aboue our strength he sets not our sinnes in order before vs that wee should see them as we committed them Hee permits not his deputy the Conscience to accuse and torment vs according to the merite of our transgressions hee mittigates the stroke of his rod extenuates the pith of his hand when hee puts at vs. And with this also by his secret grace he vnderprops vs otherwise no power should bee found in weake man to stand in the meanest of these battels wherein God sheweth himselfe our aduersarie party Yea if the Lord should set vp one of our sinnes to pursue vs and then withdraw his secret grace from vs wee should fall into the desperation of Caine and Iudas And if hee should arme but one of our owne cogitations against vs we should become miserable murtherers to our selues like Saul and Achitophell If he take his breath out of our nosthrils we fall to the ground or if he should abstract from vs the vse of Reason which he hath lent vs we become worse then the beasts Thus neither in inward nor outward wrestlings haue wee any strength of our owne to stand before him Our standing in trouble is onely by the strength of God who sustaines vs hee puts at vs with the one hand and vnderprops vs with the other It is God in vs vvho ouercommeth himselfe opponing vnto vs. Qui pro nobis morteÌ„ semel vicit semper vincit in nobis And this yee may see clearely in his dealing with that woman of Canaan his audible voyce was against her but the secret helpe of his spirit vvas with her with one hand hee repelled her and with the other hee drew her heart neere vnto him CHAP. VI. Consolation for the Godly afflicted THis I haue marked for thy consolation thou who art the vvarriour and vvrestler of God that thou maist know God is the strength of thy life and finding it so maist be thankfull and entertaine his presence vvith thee For vvhereof thinkest thou hath it come that so many yeeres thou hast stood in the middest of so many tentations that so long thou hast endured these spirituall vvrestlings wherein thy conscience and God vvho is greater then thy conscience hath stood vp thine accuser hath it come of any strength in thee None at all If the Lord had not holpen me my soule had almost dwelt in silence It is the Lord that kâ—…epeth our soules in life The Lord vvho seemed our Aduersarie was our secret helper hee shooke vs with tentations and sustained vs with his grace Euen the Lord who wounded vs did heale vs. The Lord is the dâ—…liuerer of our soule out of all aduersitie Otherwise it
our owne deceitfull refuges of vanitie And here is discouered the foolishnesse of the wicked who being impatient in trouble haue recourse with Achaziah to Beelzebub to Sathan or his instruments seeking by sorcerie charming or some other such vnlawfull meanes to preuent the Lords deliuerance Alas these blinde wretches see not that which after this manner they seeke to read themselues they fall vnder the danger of an euerlasting wrath When Hananiah that false Prophet brake that yoke of timber which the Lord put about the necke of 〈◊〉 to presignifie the captiuitie of Babel the Lord insteede of it put a yoke of yron about his necke which Hananiah was not able to breake So shall it bee with thee O thou who withdrawest thy selfe from thy Lord thou who wilt cast off the yoke of God and not tarry till the Lord deliuer thee Insteed of a yoke of wood the Lord shall fasten thy neck with a yoke of iron that is in stead of a light temporall affliction whereof thou hast freed thy selfe for a time by meanes vnlawfull The Lord shall sting thee with Serpents and Cockatrices which thou shalt not bee able to charme he shall cast thee into that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone and shall bind vpon thee for euer that terrible wrath which is a wrath to come except in time thou repent But leauing the wicked let vs learne at Iacob who with patience continues in the wrestling as long as the Lord will wresâ—…le with him so that as the Lord began it so is hee the first that breaketh it off Wee may indeede with a good warrant pray for deliuerance out of trouble saying with Christ our Lord If it be thy will Lord let this cup passe by mee but alwayes so that vvee submit our wil to the Lords most holy will Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And in the meane season so long as it shal please the Lord to keep vs vnder affliction let vs bewaâ—…e that wee murmure not neyther limite the holy one of Israel to preseribe vnto him eyther the time or manner of our deliuerance 〈◊〉 to the Lord his owne praise He is the God that saueth vs and vnto the Lord belongeth the issues of death Waite thou patiently on the Lord Commit thy way to him trust in him and he shall bring it to passe CHAP. XI Verse 25. And when hee saw that he could not preuaile THe fift thing vvee promised to speake of is the euent and issue of the wrestling where wee see that the wrestling is so dispensed by God that in the end the victorie inclines vnto Iacob So saith Moses here The Lord saw that hee could not preuaile This speach doth not import any superiour strength in Iacob but an abundant mercy in God The Lord cannot is no other thing but he will not hee is the God of heauen and earth hee that speaketh and it commeth to passe all thâ—… nations of the earth compared with him are but as the drop of a bucket if hee had pleased to haue taken from Iacob his breath out of his nosthriles hee might easily haue confounded him and laid him dead vnto the ground But it pleases him by secret strength to make Iacob victorious yet not so but that he carryeth away some mark of his weaknesse and infirmitie For the Lord disjoynts his thigh bone and maketh him to halt and that partly for Iacobs humiliation least he should impute the victory vnto his own strength rather then the Lords mercy and partly that it might bee a memoriall vnto him all the dayes of his life and prouocation to thankfulnesse As also the Lord gaue him this marke in his body as Theodoret thinketh to assure him that it was no fantasie nor vaine vision which had appeared vnto him And in this is shadowed vnto vs the manner of that victory which the children of God obtain in their wrestlings to wit that it is such a victory as is not without a wound A notable wrestler was Dauid yet got he sundry times the foyle A notable wrestler was Peter and such a one for whom Christ prayed that his faith should not faile because hee knew that Sathan was to sift him yet was he deadly wounded by a very weake instrument A notable wrestler also was the Apostle Paul many rare reuelations receiued hee of the Lord much did he in his calling to draw many to righteousnesse hee laboured more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles he founded powerfully that â—…umpet which cast downe the wals of spirituall Iericho wheresoeuer hee came so that from Ierusalem to Illyricum hee made the Gospell of Christ to abound Yet least he should bee exalted out of measure an Angell of Sathan was sent to buffeâ—… him Noah that preacher of righteousnesse to the originall world spotted with drunkennes So Moses speaketh of him though Basill excuse his fact that in respect he was the first planter of a vineyard his drunkennesse came rather of the lack of experience that hee knew not the strength of wine then of his intemperance Yet the Spirit of God marketh it in him as a blemish No victory then to the Children of God in their battels in this life without some wound Who can say he hath so fought against sinne that at no time hee hath beene ouercome by sinne The best he that euer liued in the world our blessed sauiour excepted hath had his breuia leâ—…iaque peccata quamuis pauca quamuis parâ—…a non tamen nulla And those sinnes as they were done by them so are they written for vs not for our imitation but for attention not that wee should make sport of their weaknesse as Cham did of his fathers nakednesse Qui lapsu alieno gaudet gaudet Diaboli victoria Hee that rejoyceth at another mans fall rejoyceth at Sathans victorie but rather Ut medicamenta nobis de alienis vulneribus faciamus that so knowing our owne weaknesse we may learne by their example to take heed to our selues CHAP. XII Verse 26. And he said let me goe HAuing spoken of the wrestling that was betweene the Lord and Iacob it now remaines wee speake of the conference that vpon the wrestling fell out betweene them The Lord beginneth the conference and he craues of Iacob that hee would let him goe This may seeme very strange that the Lord this manner of way should speake vnto his seruant he that loosed the coupling of Iacobs thigh might hee not haue loosed the grasps of Iacobs hand he that came to Iacob without Iacobs knowledge might hee not haue gone without Iacobs license He might indeed yet doth he make intimation of his departure vnto Iacob and why onely to stirre him vp the more earnestly to seeke his blessing before he goe This is the Lords manner of dealing with his Children that he makes the mintes of his departure from them to bee meanes that prouokes them to draw neerer vnto him so
and not preuaile but it is not so with the Godly BEcause thou hast had power with God As â—…acob sought a blessing so at the length hee geâ—…teth it for the Lord at the last will fulfill the desires of them who feare him The desire of the childe of God is as a birth conceiued in the soule of man which shall not dye but come to perfection Salomon promised to giue his mother Bethsheba whatsoeuer she would aske and it were to the halfe of his kingdome yet when shee asked that Abishag the Shunamite might be giuen to Adoniah his brother to wife Salomon refused to graunt Thus men can promise much and performe little it is not so with the Lord our God He hath bidden vs pray he hath promised to heare and shall not also faile to performe Nunquam oranti beneficia denegabit qui orantes vt ne deficiant sua pietate instigat Hee will neuer denie his benefits to vs when we pray who prouokes vs to pray But as to the wicked the hope of the Hypocrite shall perish their soules are full of desires like so many strong voyces crying for that which they shall neuer obtaine they wayte vpon lying vanities which shall neuer come to passe Quid tam poenale quam semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nolle quod nunquam non erit in aeternum non obtinebit quod vulâ—… in aeternum quod non vult sustinebit What punishment more fearefull can fall on a man then that he should euer wish that which neuer shal be and alwayes wish that were not that shall be for euer that which he will he shall neuer obtaine and that which he will not hee shall for euer sustaine yet this is the miserable estate of the wicked Let vs therefore take heed to our praedominate desires for miserable are they whose desires are on the world more then on the Lord and on vanishing trifles more then vpon his permanent mercies For when the Lord hath filled their bellies with his earthly treasure giuen them enough that they leaue the rest behind to their children what haue they more to craue from the Lord They haue gotten their desire they are not to looke that euer they shall bee pertakers of the felicitie of Gods chosen their heart was neuer set vpon it they haue receiued their consolation on the earth they haue no more to looke for Wherefore our Sauiour pronounceth a feareful wo vpon them and no meruaile for miserable indeed is their condition their consolation dies before they dye themselues their comforts forsakes them before they go out of the world and like the Gowrd of Ionas withereth before their eyes in their life they sate vnder the shadow of it but in their death it is gone and they finde no comfort in it Well knew Dauid their misery and therefore hee praies Deliuer me O Lord from the men of the world who haue their portion in this life that is let mee neuer bee one of them Wee haue therefore to marke where-away the benefits of our affections doe carry vs for if wee feele the Lords blessing no doubt we shall finde it and if the desire of our hearts bee aboue all things towards the Lord such a desire I meane as vseth the meanes that may bring vs vnto him for otherwise wicked Baalam will desire Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous which he shall not obtaine But let vs goe the right way to mercy protesting with godly Dauid O Lord I desire to do thy commandements and then no doubt the Lord shall crowne vs with mercies and compassions at the last Thou shalt preuaile with men I doe now here by my word will the Lord say inuest thee in this priuiledge that no power of man shall be able to ouercome thee Goe on therefore with courage in thy iourney which I haue commanded thee and feare not any thing that man is able to doe against thee Wher it is to be marked that the Lord promiseth not of his seruant any immunitie from affliction yea by the contrary the Lord fore-warnes that men will make opposition to him for where no opposition is made by men how can there bee a priuiledge by Iacob It is needfull we consider what it is that the Lord hath promised vnto vs least looking for that which hee hath not promised vs we deceiue our selues Many in the time of trouble make foule apostacie from Christ and all because when they entred into the profession of Christian religion they considered not they could not be his Disciples except they bare his Crosse but foolishly lookt for some temporal ease or worldly commoditie in the following of Christ which he neuer promised them These are professors like to the Samaritans who so long as the Iewish religion flourished was in honour caused also to be built a temple on a high mountaine of Samaria named Garazin that in this they might not be inferiour to the Iewes They boasted themselues to be the progeny of Ioseph and worshippers of God also with them but when they perceiued that the Iewes were cruelly afflicted for worshipping God by Antiochus Epiphanes and fearing least they should be also handled in the like manner they changed their coate affirming that they were not Isiaelites but Sidonians and had built their temple not vnto God but Iupiter thus a little winde seperates the chaffe and the corne and a fierce tryall distin guisheth the counterfeit and true professor In like manner the ignorant Iewes because they vnderstood not the promises made concerning the Messias looked that Christ should haue restored vnto them their temporall Kingdome peaceably and free whereof when they saw themselues disappointed they were offended with him and persecuted him to the death It vvere therefore good for vs that wee should follow the counsaile of our Sauiour reckon with our selues in time in what state of life we enter when we enter into the profession of Christianitie before we build a Tower let vs count the cost whether we haue sufficient to performe it least that when wee haue laid the foundation and not able to performe it wee fall not vnder this shame to be mocked of men but bring vpon our selues a more fearefull wrath of God For it had beene better not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after we haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto vs like dogs to the vomit and like the sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire If we could resolue in time that they who will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution and arme our selues before hand thereunto reckoning with our selues that of the Lords indulgence we are spared euery day wherein some notable crosse is not layd vpon vs then certainely should we account the lesse of trouble when it comes vnto vs. Wee haue here againe to consider the connexion of
with his mercies till the Lord get his 〈◊〉 praise And hereof it commeth that they erect publike monuments memorials or at the least send out publike thanksgiuing for these mercies which God priuately and secretly hath bestowed vpon them But as to the wicked they swal ow vp the benefits of God in vnthankfull obliuion if the Lord increase then wealth and prosperitie they sacrifice to their owne net as though their prouidence and wit had done it and if hee doe preserue them from dangers they impute their deliuerance to their idoll they make their mouth to kâ—…sse their hand as if their owne arme had saued them Thus are they like vnto that salt sea whereinto Iordan floweth it swalloweth vp all the water of Iordan but waxeth no greater neither yet doth the salt and bitter waters thereof become sweeter for all that the wicked receiue from the LORD their old scent remayneth in them they are not the better neither is their hart enlarged to praise him They doe take from the Lord without giuing againe like barren and vnprofitable ground that deuoureth seede and renders nothing And therefore is neere vnto cursing whose end is burning Learne therefore O man to be thankfull to thy God euery benefit that thou hast receiued that encreaseth not thy thankfulnesse shall assuredly encrease thy iudgement Quâ—…m enim beneficia accepta meliorem non reddunt is certè etiam grauius supplicium commeretur He whom benefits receiued maketh not the better doth assuredly thereby demerite heauier punishments We are next to consider how it is that Iacob accounts it a great mercy that he hath seene God and yet his life preserued Seeing the Lord is the God of comfort how is it his presence should bring a terrour vnto men it is his countenance that makes glad the hart when he hides his face the creature is troubled but when he sends forth his spirit they are created and the face of the earth is renued When thou didst hide thy face saith Dauid I was sore troubled How is it then that Iacob here should say that the sight of the face of God causeth death and that his countenance should confound man Adam in Paradise in the state of innocency was familiar with God he saw and heard the Lord was comforted from whence then commeth this change that man cannot see the Lord and liue Surely the fault is not in the Lord his countenance is the wel-spring of life hee is the father of light and the God of all consolation The fault is in vs in our sinfull and peruerted nature Faultie weake eyes cannot behold the light without paine not for any euill which is in the light which is good and comfortable but for the infirmitie which is in themselues And sinfull men cannot see the Lord without feare not for any fault in the Lord who is merciful and gracious but for that peruerse disposition which sinne hath wrought in our selues This made the Israelites to tremble when they heard him and made that holy Prophet Esay cry out woe is me when he saw but a similitude and representation of his Maiesty And who then may abide that Maiestie in it selfe These three pillars of the Church Peter Iames Iohn fell downe to the ground astonished at a small manifestation of his glory the brightnesse of his glorious face shining like the Sunne confounded them how then should they beare the glory of his diuinitie And in vs it is this same sinfull nature which only hinders vs from the sight familiarity of our God What then shall we do but embrace the counsaile of the Apostle S. Iohn Whosoeuer hath this hope in himselfe namely to see God purgeth himselfe euen as God is pure We must remoue our sinnes and draw the powers of our soules to some neerer conformitie with the Lord if so be wee hope to dwell with him For without peace and sanctification none can see the Lord. But here againe it is to bee asked how sayes Iacob he saw the face of god seeing the Lord gaue Moses this answere when hee sought a sight of his face No man can see me and liue and we know that Iohn the Baptist saith No man hath seene God at any time but the sonne who is come from the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him How is it then I say that Iacob here saith I haue seene God face to face I answere that this is spoken in comparison of other visions and reuelations made to Iacob before his meaning is no other but that hee had now seene the Lord by a more excellent and notable manner of apparition then euer he had seene before And where Moses is said to haue seene the Lord face to face this is only spoken in comparison of Moses with other Prophets who had not so cleare a reuelation of the Majestie of God as Moses had this is euident out of the Lords owne words If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be knowne to him by a vision and speake to him by a dreame my seruant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all my house to him will I speak mouth to mouth not in darke wordes and hee shall see the similitude of the Lord. Yea let no man thinke because of these words that any of the Fathers saw the Lord as hee is thou canst not see the Sunne as it is Hee that a farre off lookes to the sea sayes truely that hee hath seene the sea but what is it that hee sees in respect of that which hee seeth not Yea wee cannot see a mortall man as he is and how then shall wee see the Lord as hee is If the Fathers had seene the Lord as he is then all the fathers had seene him one manner of way because God in himselfe is one simple and vndiuided essence but they saw him many manner of wayes in diuers soâ—…mes and apparitions To Iacob hee appeared in a siery busâ—… to the Israelites in a cloude to Elias in a soft and calme ayre to Esay in another manner of vision all which doe proue that hee shewed not himselfe neyther did they see him as hee is but onely in such manner of manifestation as the Lord thought most expedient for the time But what speake I of the sight of GOD on the earth wee shall not see him as hee is in the heauens For euen those holy Angles which stand about his Throne are described vnto vs couering their faces with their two wings witnessing thereby that there is a God of a more infinite glory then they are able to comprehend And no meruaile for euery Creature Man or Angell is finite a vessell of limited and definite bounds Now sure it is that no finite thing can comprehend that which is infinite that peace of God promised vnto vs passeth all vnderstanding and these things prepared for vs are such as the
other thing which may discourage vs is the manifold troubles that follow vs in following Christ. For the Church of God on earth is as a Lilly among Thornes and our Lord Iesus as an Apple tree among the trees of the forrest If wee delight to sit vnder his shadow and if his fruit be sweet in our mouth wee must be content to walk toward him through many sharp afflictions therefore are wee commaunded not onely to suffer afflictions as the good souldiers of Iesus Christ but also to rejoyce in tribulations and if we cannot attaine to that perfection at least to count it exceeding joy when we â—…al into diuers temptations Yet because no chastisement is sweet for the present it hath pleased the Lord of his fatherly indulgence and pittie towards our weakenesse to seison the cup of our bitter griefes with his sweet comforts which as hee doth in many other parts of holy Scripture so especially from the 17. verse of this Chapter to the 30. wherein the Apostle abounds with consolation shewing himselfe a faithfull Steward in the house of God most carefull to lead as it were by the hand the weary sons and daughters of the liuing God into the wineceller there to refresh and stay vs with the Flagons of his wine to comfort vs with his Apples to strengthen vs with his hid Manna and to make vs merry vvith that Milke and Honny vvhich our immortall Husband Iesus Christ hath prouided for vs to sustaine vs that we faint not through these manifold Tribulations vvherewith vvee are compassed in this barren vvildernesse That this is the Apostles purpose and order of proceeding in this Chapter I thinke his conclusion makes it manifest which you haue from the 31. verse to the end vvherein hee drawes all that he had said into a short summe containing the glorious triumph of a Christian ouer all his enimies the triumph is first set downe generally in the 31 Verse What shall wee say then to these things If God be with vs who can be against vs thereafter he parts this generall in two there is would he say but one of two that are against vs eyther sinne or affliction as to sinne hee triumphs against it Verse 33. and 34. Who will lay any thing to the charge of Gods Chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and makes request for vs. As to affliction hee begins his triumph against it Verse 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ his answere mounts vp by a gradation Will tribulation or anguish doe it Yea will death it selfe doe it or that which is more will Principalities and powers doe it 10. In all these things wee more then Conquerours through him that loued vs. Thankes therefore be vnto our God who alwayes makes vs to triumph in our Lord Iesus Christ. Now in this verse as Iacob gaue his sonnes his greatest blessing in the last roome so the Apostle giueth to christi ans his greatest comfort in the last roome whereof this is the sumâ—… ouâ—… afflictions are so farre from being pâ—…eiudiciall to our saluation that by the contrary through the Lords merueilous working they tend to the aduancment thereof he in largeth the comfort Not onely afflictions but all other things workâ—… for the best together to them that loue the Lord. The parts of the Verse are two the first containes the comfort the second a discâ—…ption of the persons to whom the comfort appertaineth Now I come to the words Alâ—…o that is besides all the comforts which I haue giuen to you before I giue you yet this further learning vs that albeit our troubles be many yet our comforts are more Many saith Dauid are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all As if he would say for euerie trouble the Lord hath a seuerall deliuerance Euery temptation saith the Apostle hath the owne issue Euery horne that riâ—…eth against vs to push vs hath attending vpon it an hammer to represse it saith the Prophet Esau mourned vpon his father Isaac although he was prophane yet he cryed pittifully Hast thou but one blessing my Father But we with the holie Apostle may blessâ—… our heauenly Father who comforteth vs so in all our tribulations that as the sufferings of Christ a bound in vs so our consolations abound through Christ not one but manifold are his blessings and the storehouse of his consolations can neuer bee emptied The Lord our God hath not dealt nigardly nor sparingly with vs but a good measure of consolations pressed downe and running ouer hath hee giuen to vs in our bosome his name be praised therefore and yet how little is all this that wee now receiue in comparison of those inestimable ioyes of God that he hath prepared for vs the like whereof the eye neuer saw the care neuer heard of and the heart cannot vnderstand Surely the greatest measure of comfort that wee haue in this life is but the earnest penny of that principall which shall be giuen to vs hereafter If the earnest bee so great what shall bee the principall If the first fruites of the heauenly Canaan be so delectable how shall the full masse thereof aboundantly content vs when we shall behold the face of our God in righteousnesse and shall bee satisfied vvith his Image vvhen vve shall be filled vvith the fulnesse of joy which is in his presence and with those pleasures which are at his right hand for euermore CHAP. II. The Priuiledges of a Christian cannot be knowne of them who doe not possesse them WEe know If you ponder the Apostles words you shall finde that by an Emphasis he restraines this knowledge to the Children of God excluding Worldlings and Naturalists from it The spirituall man discerneth all things but hee himselfe is iudged of no man A naturall man cannot vnderstand the things that are of God The Gospel is Wisedome indeed but Wisedome among them that are perfect Euery Article of our faith and point of Christian Doctrine euery priuiledge of a Christian is a Mistery therefore no meruaile that the Gospell bee foolishnesse to the naturall man who perisheth And this doth draw vs to consider that the excellent things of Christianitie can be knowne of none but of those that possesseth them The value or rather vanitie of earthly Iewels hath beene better knowne of some that neuer enjoyed them then of them who possessed them but the Iewels of gods kingdome such as Peace Righteousnesse Ioy in the holy Ghost can be known of none but of the Christian only who enjoyes them The new Name giuen to the Christian who can know but hee that hath it and none can know what is the sweetnes of hid Manna except hee tast it therefore saith the Psalmist Tast and consider how
present condition but by the prediction of Gods word Let vs cleaue to his Promise and waite on the Vision which hath his owne time appointed it shall speak at the last and shall not lie though it tarry let vs waite for it it shall surely come and not stay Let vs goe into the Sanctuary of God and consider the end there shall we finde and learne that there is no peace to the wicked howsoeuer they flourish for a time and that it can not bee but well with them that feare the Lord. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace but the transgressours shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off So both in the troubles of the Godly and prosperitie of the wicked are vve bound to suspend our iudgement till we see the end CHAP. III. Many working instruments of contrary qualities and intentions in the world yet agrees all in one end ALl things worke together O what a singâ—…lar 〈◊〉 hath the Christian that not onely Afflictions but all things whatsoeuer workes for the best and not onely so but they worke together for the best to him Many working instruments is there in the world their course is not one they communicate no counsels yea their intentions oftentimes are contrary yet the Lord brings all their wayes to this one end To the good of them that loue him Where euer they be in regard of place what euer they be in regard of persons what euer their purposes be howsoeuer disagreeing amongst themselues yet such is the power and prouidence of that supreame Gouernour our heauenly Father that All of them workes together to the good of them that loue him and herein doth his power wisdome appeare more clearly then in the tempering of this great vniuerse making Elements of so contrary qualities to meete together and agree in one pleasant harmony For the illustration of this let vs mark but one example for all Iacob sends his sonne Ioseph to Dothan to visite his brethren his brethren cast him into the pit Ruben relieues him the Merchants of Midian buy him and sell him againe to Potiphar his Mistresse accuses him his master condemnes him the Butler after long ingratitude recommends him and Pharaoh exalts him O what instruments are here and how many hands are about this one poore man of God but how doth the Lord direct them all yea besides their owne intention to further Iosephs aduancement in Egipt for his owne good and the good of his Church But now to the particulars There is nothing in the world which workes not for our weale All the works of God all the stratagems of Sathan all the imaginations of man are for the vveale of Gods Children yea out of the most poysonable things as sinne and death doth the Lord draw healthfull and medicinall preseruatiues to them that loue him All the wayes of the Lord saith Dauid are Mercy and Truth Mark what hee saith and make not thou an exception where God hath made none All none excepted But be thou strengthened in Faith and giue glory to God saying with the patient Iob Albeit the Lord would slay me yet will I trust in him Sometimes the Lord walkes in the way of anger seeming angry with his Children and to walke stubbornely against them vvhich hath mooued them to poure out the like of these pittifull Lamentations The arrowes of the Almightie are vpon me saith Iob the venime whereof doth drinke vp my Spirit and the terrours of God sight against me Thou sets me vp as a marke against thee and makest me a burthen to my selfe Thy indignation lyeth vpon me saith Dauid Yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life For felicity I haue had bitter griefe saith Ezechia for the Lord like a Lyon brake my bones so that I chattered like a Swallow and mourned like a Doue I am troubled on euery side saith the Apostle hauing fighings without and terrors within And yet in all these the Lord hath a secret way of mercy wherein hee walkes and workes for the comfort of his children which albeit for the present we cannot perceiue and can see no other oftentimes but that the Lord hath taken vs for his enimies yet in the end we shall be compelled to acknowledge it and confesse with Dauid O good was it for me ô Lord that euer thou correctedst me Therefore also said the Apostle The Lord is meruailous in his Saints and the Apostle cryeth out O the 〈◊〉 of the riches both of the Wisedome and Knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out His glory is great when he worketh by meanes his glory is greater when he worketh without meanes but his glory shineth most brightly when hee worketh by contraries It was a great worke that hee did open the eies of the blind but greater that hee did by application of spittle and clay such meanes as are meeter to put out the eyes of the seeing man then to restore the sight of a blind man So he wrought in the first Creation causing light to shine out of Darknesse So also in the worke of Redemption for by cursed death he brought happy life by the Crosse he obtained the Crowne and thorow shame hee went to Glory And this same order the Lord keepes yet in the worke of our second Creation which is our regeneration hee casteth downe that hee may raise vp he kils and hee makes aliue he wounds and hee will bind vp he wounds and he will heale hee accuseth his Children of sinnes that so they may get remission of their sinnes he troubleth their consciences that so he may pacifie them and in a word the meâ—…nes which hee vseth in working are contrary to the worke it selfe which he intends to performe towards his Children He sent a fearefull darknesse on Abraham but afterward communicated vnto him a ioyfull light hee wrestled with Iacob and shooke him too and fro but in the end blessed him he stroke the Apostle Paul with blindnesse and then opened his eyes that he might know the Lord Iesus he frownes for a while vpon his owne as Ioseph did vpon his Brethren but in the end with a louing affection shal he imbrace them hee may seeme angry at thy praiers as he put backe the petition of the woman of Canaâ—…n but at length will graunt a fauourable answer vnto them therefore let vs now learne to possesse our soules in patience let the Lord worke by any meanes it pleaseth him It is enough that wee know All the wayes of God yea euen when he dealeth most hardly with his children are mercy and tends to the good of those that loue him CHAP. IIII. All Sathans stratagems worke for the best to the godly ANd as to Sathans stratagems it is also out of doubt that they work for the
are they but sowne like graines of Wheate into the field and husbandry of the Lord which must dye before they be quickned but in the day of haruest shall spring vp againe most glorious and shall be restored by the same holy spirit who now dwels in them and as to our soules they are releeued our of this house of seruitude and that they may depart and turne to him from whom they came therefore haue I compared death to the red sea wherein Pharaoh his Aegiptians were drowned and sanck like a stone to the bottome but the Israelites of God went through to their promised Canaan So shall death bee vnto you O miserable Infidels whose eyes the God of this world hath so blinded that no more then the blinde Egiptians can you see the light of God that shineth in Goshan that is his Church although you bee in it to you I say your death shall bee a sea of Gods vengeance wherein yee shall bee drowned and shall sincke with your sinnes heauier then a Milstone about the neck of your soule to presse you downe to the lowest Hels But as to you that are the Israelites of God yee shall walk through the valley of death and not neede to bee afraide because the Lord is with you His staffe and his rod shall comfort you Albeit the terrours of Hell the horrour of the Graue the gultinesse of sinne stand about thee like mountaines threatning to ouerwhelme thee yet shalt thou goe safe through to the land of thine inheritance where with Moses and Meriam and all the Children of God euen the Congregation of the first borne Thou shalt sing prayses ioyfully to the God of thy Saluation And thus we see how that not onely our present afflictions but Sathan Sinne and Death are made to worke for the best to them that loue the Lord. CHAP. VI. How the plots and imaginations of men worke for the best to the Christian. NOw in the last roome concerning the imaginations of men against vs wee shall haue cause to say of them in the end as Ioseph said to his bretheren You did it vnto mee for euill but the Lord turned it vnto good The whole Historie of Gods Booke is as a cloude of manifold witnesses concurring altogether to confirme this truth I content my selfe therefore for all to bring one When Dauid was going forward in the battaile against Israel with Achish King of Gath vnder whom hee soiourned for a while in the time of his banishment the remnant Princes of the Philistines commanded him to goe backe and this they did for the worse to disgrace him because they distrusted him but the Lord turned it to him for the best Consider Dauids estate now and ye shall see him set betwixt too great extreamities If he had gone backe of his owne accord the Philistines might haue blamed him handled him as an enimie if hee had come forward hee should haue beene guiltie of the bloud of Israell and especially of Saul the Lords annointed who was slaine in that battaile In this strait the wit of man can find him no out-gate but the prouident mercy of God deliuers him in such sort that no occasion of offence is giuen to Saul and his people because Dauid came not against them neither yet could the Philistines condemne him because hee went back by their commaund So notable a benefit did Dauid receiue euen by that same deede wherein his enimies thought they had done him a notable shame and it should learne vs in our straitest extreamities whereunto men can driue vs to depend on the Lord and euer then to hope for an outgate when we see none For such is thy prouidence O Lord whereby in mercy thou watchest ouer those euils that are intended against them that by thee they are turned into good to them And here we haue further to consider that seeing this is the priuiledge of euery one that loues the Lord much more must it appertaine to the whole Church of God It is the portion of Abraham being the father of the faithfull and one of Gods children I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and shall it not belong thinke wee to all the congregation of the first borne will not the Lord be a Wall of fire round about Ierusalem and the glory in the midst of her will he not keepe her as the apple of his eye Shall not Ierusalem be as a cup of poyson vnto all her enimies and a heauie stone Yea surely all that lift vp themselues shall be torne though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it the weapons made against her shall not prosper euery tongue that shall rise against her in judgement shall bee condemned This is the heritage of the Lords seruants the portion of them who loue him For the Church is the Arke of God which may mount vp higher as the waters increaseth but cannot bee ouerwhelmed the bush which may burne but cannot be consumed the house built on a rock which may bee beaten with the winde and raine but cannot be ouerthrowne The Lord who changeth times and seasons who takes away Kings and sets vp Kings hath reproued Kings for his Churches sake and he gouerneth all the kingdomes of the earth in such sort that their risings fallings their changes and mutations are all dispensed for the good of his Church for there is but one of two sentences wherein all the Iudges of the world may iudge of themselues see cleerly their end Either that which Mordecai said to Ester who knowes if for this thou art come to the Kingdome that by thee deliuerance might come to Gods people Or else that which Moses in Gods name sayd to Pharaoh the first oppressor of Gods Church in his adolescency I haue set thee vp to declare my power because thou exaltest thy selfe against my people How miserable then are they who when they are highest abuseth their power to hold the people of God lowest Haue they not cause to feare least the Lord haue set them vp against him as an object of his power and Iustice if we will marke the course of the Lords proceeding euer since the beginning of the world we shall finde that as he orders the state of earthly power for the accomplishment of his wil concerning his Church so euermore a blessing followes them who are instruments of her good and by the contrary an ineuitable curse followes them who are the instruments of her euill When the Lord concluded to bring his Church from Canaan to sojourne in Aegipt he sent such a famine in Canaan as compelled them to forsake it but made plenty in Aegipt by the hand of Ioseph whom the Lord sent before as a prouider for his Church and by whom Pharaoh was made so fauourable to Iacob that he was allowed to dwell in Goshen but when such time came that hee would
destruction If they bee in prosperitie they contemne God and their prosperitie becomes their ruine if they bee in aduersitie they blaspheme him and like raging waues of the sea cast out their owne durt to their shame Yea what speake I of these things euen their table shall be a snare to them Iesus Christ is a rocke of offence to them the Gospell the sauour of death to them and their prayer is turned into sinne to them And what more excellent things then these as a foule stomak turneth most healthsome foode into corruption so their polluted Conscience turne iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into Wormewood And all this should prouoke vs to become good in our persons or else there is nothing were it neuer so good can be profitable vnto vs. To them that loue God Here followeth the second part of the Verse containing a discription of the persons to whom this priuiledge appertaineth together with a reason of the former comfort Of force all things must worke for the best namely to saluation to them that loue God because they are called namely to saluation according to Gods purpose The strength of this reason stands in the necessitie and immutabilitie of the purpose of God more stable then the decree of the Medes and Persians for what hee hath decreede cannot be reuoked anulled or hindered It is that supreame cause of all which orders all inferiour causes and incidents whatsoeuer in such sort that they must worke to the aduancement of that most high purpose of God This reason is made clearer in the subsequent Verse where the Apostle lets vs see how the links of the golden Chaine of our Saluation are knit together inseperably by the hand of God that no power in heauen or earth can sunder them whereof it comes that he that is sure of one is sure of all And now let vs take a short view of it for confirming of the Apostles Reason Election is the first and it is the most auncient Charter of the right of Gods Children to their Fathers inheritance Calling is the second and it is that gift of God whereby wee are knowne the sonnes of God and our Election secret in it selfe is made manifest to our selues and others Iustification is the third and it is the grace of God whereby we are infeoft in Iesus Christ in such sort that wee are made one with him and pertakers of all that is his Glorification is the last and it is that grace of GOD whereby vvee shall bee entred in the due time full Heyres to our heauenly Father No King on earth can produce so auncient a right to his crowne as the Christian effectually called No man on earth can bee knowne his fathers heire vpon such sufficient warrant as the Christian for in his Regeneration the Father communicates to him his Image his Nature and his Spirit whereby he begins from feeling to call God his father and in life and manners resembleth him No Free-holder so surely infeoft in his Lands hauing so many confirmations of his right as hath the justified Christian who vpon his guift hath receiued the earnest the Pledge the Seale and the Witnesse of the great King and last of all the Christian shall be entred to the ful fruition of his inheritance with such joy and triumph in the glorious assembly of the Saints as the like was neuer seene in the world no not in Ierusalem that day when Salomon sate downe in his fathers Throne then their joy was so great That the earth rang with the sound of them but nothing comparable to this And herein stands the excellency of a Christian and certaintie of his saluation CHAP. X. How the Christian is made sure of his Election and Glorification FOr this Chaine of our Saluation reacheth as I may say from eternitie to eternitie the beginning of it albeit before beginning is our Election the end of it albeit without end is our glorification and these two ends of the Chaine the Lord keepes them sure secret in his owne hand but the two middle links of the Chaine to wit Calling and Iustification the Lord hath letten them downe from the Heauen to earth that we should gripe and apprehend them that being sure of the two middle Links wee might also bee sure of the two ends because the Lord hath knit them inseparably together Then thou who wouldest be comforted with the assurance of thy Saluation take heed of this making it knowne to thine owne Conscience by a holy life that God hath called thee and iustified thee Gripe sure as it were with one hand the linke of Calling and with the other hand the linke of Iustification then maist thou know assuredly Election before the world is thine Glorification after this shall also be thine To make this yet more plaine we are to remember this mortall life of ours is a short interiected point of Time betwixt two Eternities if so I may call it or like a stepping stone betwixt two Gulphes whereupon some in feare and trembling worke out their Saluation and so steps from Gods eternall Election to endlesse glorification Others againe in wantonnesse and carelesse securitie drinkes in iniquitie with greedinesse and so steps from the decree of Reprobation that most iustly they procure their euerlasting condemnation So that euery man is to consider of his euerlasting weale or woe by his present disposition in this life Oh that wee had sanctified memories to remember this so long as wee are here If of weaknesse wee fall wee may rise againe and if wee haue not learned well to repent in one day wee haue leaue of the Lords patience to learne it better another day his name bee praysed therefore who hath opened a doore of mercie to sinners and with long suffering waits for our repentance But he who in the day of his transmigration steps the wrong step will neuer get leaue to amend it Where the tree falles it shal lie there the wicked dies in their sinnes and so steps downeward to the deep pit and gulph out of which there is no redemption Let vs therefore be wel aduised before wee leape Let vs fasten our feete in the borders of that Canaan in time which shal be done if wee make our whole life a proceeding from Election to Glorification and that through Calling and Iustification which two hath inseparably following them the Sanctification and Renouation of the whole man The Lord make vs wise in time that we may consider our course and think of the end wherevnto it leades vs for there is but one of two as Moses protested to the Israelites so doe I vnto you I haue laid this day life and death before you the Lord giue you grace to make choise of the best But now to returne to the words of this discription of the persons to whom this priuiledge appertaineth wee haue these things First the Purpose of God Secondly his Calling according to
death to follow his Lo◅d yea most desirous to be dissolued by death in so much as hee knew it to be a meane to conioyne him neerer vnto Christ. And herein he stands vp to witnesse vnto vs that vnlesse wee haue a most feruent desire to participate of this holy Sacrament which the Lord hath instituted to seale vp and increase our spirituall Communion with him wee are manifestly conuinced to be such as in whom their is no loue of the Lord Iesus If we will not goe with him to eate and drinck in his Parlour at Ierusalem it is not likely that we will follow him out of the Cittie bearing his reproach to bee crucified with him on mount Caluarie The Apostle is desirous to goe through death that hee might come to Christ and it was the notable word of that auncient Ignatius the scholler of Christs best beloued Disciple Saint Iohn Nihil visibilium moror nihil inuisibilium modo Christum acquiram I stand said hee vpon nothing visible nor inuisible I care not what torments come vpon me so that I enioy Christ Iesus and will not wee then casting away all impediments come ioyfully forward to this holy Table wherein our blessed Sauiour communicates himselfe vnto vs and wherevnto this day so louingly he inuites vs Now hee standes at the doore and he knocks offering to come in suppe with them who will open vnto him Now the maister shall say to his Disciples Take re and eate this is my bodie Now saies the bridegroome to his friends Eate O my friends and make you merrie my welb◅loued Now doth the Angel intimate that proclamation which hereafter will be resounded with greater ioy from heauen Let vs be glad and reioyce for the marriage of the Lambe is come And now the Sauiour calles vpon sinners with outstretched armes Come to me all ye who are wearie and laden and I will refresh you Those diseased creatures who lay at the poole of Bethesda wayted diligently on the occasion when they should step downe into the water for he that first stepped in after the Angell had troubled the water was made whole whatsoeuer his disease was Praysed be God though we haue not now those waters of Siloam wherein with that blind man wee may cure our bodily diseases wee haue the waters of that Shiloh of the which whosoeuer drinks shall not thirst any more these are the waters of life that are able to cure all our spirituall infirmities the benefit is not restrained to one that first sits downe at his Table but is extended to all those who make themselues readie to come vnto him Let vs not therefore neglect so faire an occasion of grace but let vs vp arise let the Bride make her selfe readie and go foorth to meete the Bride-groome Let vs begin in this wildernes to eate the fruits of our promised Canaan which is aboue Let vs open to the King of glory that knocks let vs go to our sauiour that cries come and ioyfully communicate with our Lord who commaunds Take and eate this is my body For here is giuen the greatest gift and that in the most excellent manner that God hath to giue on earth vnto the sonnes of men for here he giueth it as it were with both his hands that is not onely by his word but also by his Sacrament onely take heede to this warning let a man trie himselfe and so let him eate There is danger in hearing of the word and therefore our Sauiour forewarnes vs Take heede how you heare Ther is danger also in communicating in the preceeding verse the Apostle forewarned vs of it He that eates of this bread and drinks of this cup of the Lord vnworthely is guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. In the subsequent verse hee forewarnes vs also of the danger He that eates and drinkes vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne 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 harken the more attentiuely vnto it This precept hath two parts in the first we are commaunded to try before we eate in the second wee are commaunded to eate af◅er triall Before we communicate he requires triall and after triall hee commands to communicate and so he encounters with two sorts of men whereof the one eates of this bread and tryes not and these faile against the first the other tries themselues but eates not of this bread and these faile against the second both of them are here corrected by the Apostles precept In handling whereof we 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 return to the first that such as are willing to come may bee instructed how they should communicate And so let him eate It is not then as ye may perceiue left free vnto men to communicate or abstaine from the Communion as they please but we are bound by a commaundement to eate and drinke at this Table Doe this said our Sauiour in remembrance of mee 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 sonnes failes in refusing to eate of that tree of life whereof God commaunds them to eate In their words they condemne the fact of their fathers because they were Sicut omniū parentes ita omniū peremptores prius peremptores quam parentes perishers of their posteritie ◅re euer they were parents and in their deede they are dayly imitators of their folly It was a punishment vnto Adam to be 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 he eate and where the Lord commaunds him to eate there will he not eate The Serpent spake from the earth albeit ye eate of that tree which God hath forbidden yee shall not dye and man hearkened vnto it The Lord Iesus speakes from heauen come and eate of the tree of life and yee shall liue but man will not heare him O silly and fearefull Rebellion the Seducer is beleeued and the Sauiour is not beleeued This day wisdome hath prepared his Table hee cals vpon you all Come and eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne hee that find eth me findeth life and shall obtaine the fauour of the Lord but hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule and all that hate mee loue death Thus are wee louingly called and fairely forewarned and all those are made
excellent Phisition to cure diseases otherwise incurable quid enim tam mortem quod Christi morte non saenetur Art thou lame and complainest that thou canst not with Danid runne the way of the commaundements of God yet indeauour to halt forward with Iacob vnto Canaan and to creep to the Lord Iesus as one of his little Babes praying vnto him O Lord that raisest vp the crooked I beseech thee to order my goings aright and to staye my steps in thy pathes that I slide not any more as I haue done And thou who laments thy blindnesse and the weake measure of thy knowledge now in this time of light alas as we haue all more then cause to complaine that by our own default the eyes of our vnderstandings are not lightned and we haue so little insight into the riches of that glorious inheritance and rich mercies manifested to vs by the Gospell in comparison of that we might haue had If with the Angels we had beene desirous to behold them surely in regard of time we should haue beene teachers yea the meanest inhabitant of Icrusalem should haue beene as Dauid and Dauid as the Angel of God But we are become such as haue neede that the principles of God should bee taught againe vnto vs yet must wee not dispayre but goe to Iesus who giueth sight to the blinde and pray to him Lord open our eyes that we may see the wonders of thy Law Let vs goe to this Table stand and cry with these two blinde men Iesus the Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me O Lord enlighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death Comfortable then is that mes sage sent by the Lord Iesus to the Church of Laodicea I know that thou art miserable and poore and blinde and naked Yet I counsell thee come to mee I haue the fine gold that wil make thee rich I haue the white raiment to couer thy filthy nakednesse I haue the Eye-salue that will open thy eyes Let vs not therfore hearken to the voyce of our infidelitie against so cleare testimonies of the Word of God neyther so looke on our miseries that we turne our backs vpon Gods mercies but rather let our miseries chase vs to him who of his aboundant mercy is able to fulfill all our necessities aboue all that wee can aske or thinke But now to returne and speake of the tryall here required wee must consider that as this action is not a daily action so it requires a tryall aboue our daily tryall as to our daily and ordinary tryall in it we are bound to examine all our actions in the Court of Conscience that we may call our selues to account Not concealing the iniquitie of our bosome as Adam did but iudging our selues that wee may not be iudged of the Lord. And this tryall without a daily losse cannot bee neglected for since wee are subiect to so many changes that euen the iust man falleth seauen times in the day and no man knoweth the errours of his life wee haue great neede by daily consideration to view the state of our consciences to looke into the course of our life whether or not it be such as will lead vs vnto that end whereat wee would be Such profit found godly Dauid by the examination of his wayes that hee praysed the Lord Who gaue him counsell and made his reynes to teach him in the night And hee acknowledgeth it a speciall meanes whereby many times hee was reduced into the way of life when hee had wandred from it I haue considered saith hee my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy Testimonies As Dauid learned this from God so doth he recommend it vnto vs that morning and euening we should examine our selues as a most profitable meanes to nourish that holy feare in vs wherby we keepe out sinne when wee are tempted to it or cast out sinne when wee haue once conceiued it for this holy feare is Innocentiae custos Tremble therefore saith hee and sinne not examine your hearts vpon your beds and be yee still Againe hee protests that euery day he was punished and chastised euery morning that hee daily cleansed his heart and washed his hands in innocency Euery day of our life wee contract some new debt of sinne and wisedome craues that euery day wee should seeke a discharge thereof As wee cannot liue without dayly food far lesse can wee liue without daily mercy and therefore our Sauiour who in the one Petition taught vs to pray giue vs this day our daily bread in the next hee taught vs also to pray and forgiue vs our sinnes that no day should goe by vs without examination of our selues and crying of God mercy for our sinnes But here commeth to be lamented the sencelesse slupiditie of this generation in all their affaires they vse consideration bring to account and reclâ—…oning their whole busines with men but as touching their conuersation towards God and the state of their consciences and whether or no they bee translated from Nature into Grace there are they so carryed away by presumption that they leaue no place to the examination of themselues but proclaime peace to themselues though there be no peace blessing themselues in their hearts albeit God in their hearing pronounce them and their actions accursed in his Word They are wise like Achitophell hee put his house in order but not his soule in order wise in things perishing concerning this life there they ouer see nothing wise enough in their generation but fooles concerning things pertaining to life eternall for they suffer a daily debt to run on vpon their soules which at length shal ouer-charge them A count that is long ouer-passed in the end becomes difficult to be finished and hee who long hath liued in darknesse if yee bring him to the light cannot hold vp his eyes to looke vpon it but is forced to cast them downe toward the ground euen so shall it bee with him who suffers his debt of sinne to multiply and the reckoning of his transgressions to runne on in the end His owne wickednesse shall reproue him The Lord shall draw him out of his lurking hooles and bring him out of the darke chambers of his imagination and as now his secret sins are set in the light of Gods Countenance so then shall the Lord set them in order before him that did them Hee 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 he that was prodigall of the time of grace liuing in his sinnes a contemner of God come forward vnto iudgement And this to awake vs to the daily triall and ordinarie examination of our hearts As to this action it is not ordinary and therefore requires a singular and extraordinary tryall farre aboue that which euery day
of Sinai and Moses went vp from the plaine to it and so saieth he had familiar conuersatiō with the Lord and heere as the Lord commeth down as low as he can in this Sacrament for our capacitie it becōmeth vs to mount vp as high as pos◅ible we can in our affections if so be wee be desirous to meete the Lord otherwise if the Lord shall abide in his glorie and inaccessible light and if man shall lye still in the darke dungeon of this base and earthly minde what familiar meeting can there be betweenne God and man And as to the time Saint Iohn witn◅sseth that our Sauiour ordeined this sacrament when he was to goe out of the world to his father wherin said Augustine Spes membris in Capite data quod essent in illo transeunte sine dubio sequutura Yea not onelie should it nourish our hope that where hee is there once we shall be but should waken our affection and desire to goe after him we should eate and drinke at this holy table not as if we were here to remayne but should celebrate this supper like a passeouer standing as pilgrimes and our loynes gi◅ded vp hauing our staues in our hands readie to follow our Lord who is gone into heauen before vs and euerie day of our communion should bee a new departing of our hearts out of this world vnto our heauenly Father yea wee should receiue this meate from the Lord with that wa◅ning which the Angel gaue to Eliah in the wildernesse vp and ◅ate for thou hast yet a great iourney to goe This bread is giuen vs that in the strength thereof wee may walk forward the way which is before vs not that wee should lie downe and rest vs in this vvildernesse as if we had now attained to the end of our iourney The Angell wakened Eliah twice sleeping vnder the Iuniper twice he touched him and twice he bad him vp eate and walke at length hee rose and vvalked in the strength of that bread forty dayes But alas our securitie is greater then his many a time hath the Lord warned vs of the iourney that is before vs many a time hath hee proposed heauenly food vnto vs and now against this day the Lord reneweth his mercy towards vs. The Lord vvaken vs and graunt at the length that wee may rise and walke following the Lord till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion But of all other meanes the most forcible to rauish our hearts after the Lord is a deepe meditation of the loue of God towards vs. The Apostle protesteth it is a loue that passeth knowledge the height breadth the length and depth vvhereof none is able to comprehend he that at one time cryed out Come and I will tell you what God hath done to my soule is compelled another time to confesse O Lord my God thou hast made thy wonderfull works so many that none can count in order to thee the thoughts towards vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse And yet although vvee bee lesse able then the Elephant at one draught to drink vp the Riuer of Iordaine let vs bee content with the wearyed Passenger willingly to take in so much as may refresh vs we cannot measure the waters of the Sea in our fist nor number the stars of heauen and how then shall vvee number his mercyes which are aboue all his workes shall vvee therefore not looke to them nor behold that glory of God which shineth in them Though we cannot comprehend his incomprehensible loue yea blessed are wee if it shall comprehend vs let vs notwithstanding earnestly and feruently meditate vpon it not by starts and vanishing motions for as a Candle doth not at the first receiue light from the fire were it neuer so blowne but if for a time it bee holden constantly to the fire it is at the length enlightened so it is not vanishing meditations that will warme our harts vvith the Loue of God but if wee shall continue without wearying to exercise our thoughts vpon this great loue that the Lord hath borne towards vs it shall happely fall out at length that the powers of our Soule shall bee inflamed with his loue and vve shall find the sauour of death in euery thing that smelleth not of his loue No greater Loue then this sayeth our Sauiour can bee shewed among men then that a man should bestow his life for his friends but that which man is not able to shew our Lord Iesus God and man hath shewed to his children his good will for the Loue hee bore to vs hee gaue himselfe in a sacrifice for our sinnes on the Crosse euen when wee vvere his enimies and hath here in this Sacrament giuen himselfe a food and nourishment vnto vs for so that disciple beloued of him doth testifie When Iesus knew that his houre was come that hee should goe out of the world vnto his Father forasmuch as hee loued his owne vnto the end hee loued them therefore did hee institute this Sacrament that therein he might communicate himselfe to them O wonderfull loue stronger then the loue of Ionathan to Dauid When Ionathan and Dauid were forced to part company because of Sauls Tyranny Ionathan gaue Dauid his Garment his Girdle and his Armour he had no better and could giue no better and so with many teares and mutuall imbracings departed from him but our blessed Sauiour before hee remoued his corporall presence from vs gaue his life to redeeme our life from the death hee sent out bloudie sweat aboundantly as the witnesses of his burning loue towards vs hee powred out an euerlasting prayer to his father for vs he hath left behinde him in his last will his peace for our portion hee hath giuen vs his spirit for a Comforter his Word for a warner and this Sacrament for a spirituall foode vntill his second comming againe No meruaile his spouse in the Canticles praised his loue to be far aboue the loue of women for though in some of them the naturall strength of affection bee so great that it makes them indure the painefull bearing and bringing vp of their children with the milke of their breasts yet what is that comparable to this nothing indeede Such a Loue as here our Sauiour hath discouered towards vs is not to bee found againe in the world for whereas mothers saith Chrisostome eyther commit their Children to Nurses or else brings them vp vpon the milke of their owne breasts Iesus Christ feeds vs not with the milke of another but with his owne flesh and his owne bloud Necessitie sometime hath compelled the Mother to eate her owne Children but we neuer read that compassion hath moued the mother to giue her owne flesh to preserue her Children that they should not dye in famine But our Lord Iesus is that
members with the head so it seales vp the communion of the members among themselues for this bread whereof we eate is of many graines of wheate made vp into one bread and the wine is the iuyce of many berryes collected and vnited into one to teach vs that all the Communicants at this holy Table how many soeuer they bee ought to agree together in one like members of one body as hauing one Father one Faith one Baptisme one Inheritance as Brethren quickned all by one and the selfe same spirit which is not to bee found againe in all the world except in this excellent brother-hood as wee cannot bee ioyned to the head without faith so can wee not bee knit to the members without Loue. Stones and timber cannot make vp a building till they be ioyned and sundry peeces of mettall cannot bee melted in one work without fire no more can Christians be vnited in one mysticall body without Loue and therefore our Sauiour at the celebration of this Sacrament recommended Loue to his Disciples by a new Commaundement which hee so called because it should neuer waxe olde yea so much doth he account of it that he will accept no seruice wee owe to himselfe without that duty of loue we owe to our brethren If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue thy offering goe thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Of this it is euident that without Loue to our brethren we can doe no acceptable seruice to the Lord. In this therefore let vs trie and examine our selues what compassion finde we in our hearts toward our brethren what willingnesse to doe them the good wee can what loue to beare one anothers burthen what readinesse to forgiue when we are offended what humblenesse of minde to aske them forgiuenesse against whom wee haue sinned practising these precepts While yee haue time doe good to all men And againe forbeare one another forgiue one another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue you The Maiestie of God suppose first offended did first seeke man to bee reconciled with him and shall man that hath offended thinke euill to seeke his Brother to bee reconciled with him but alas are these fruites of Godlinesse now to bee found amongst men if thou seeke them thou shalt finde them as the Sommer gatherings or as the grapes of a Uintage cut downe though thy soule desire to eate the fruite thereof thou shalt not finde it for the good man is perished out of the earth such as are Christians by name they liue like Iewes and the Samaritans of whom it is written that they might not conuerse together to forbeare and forgiue one another to them are precepts of an vncouth language which they vnderstand not as a sparkle of fire easily kindles a heape of powder so a small offence remoueth all their affections they are not slow vnto wrath like the Lord and far lesse like him in readinesse to forgiue As men saith Lactantius are mortall so should their anger bee mortall our Sauiour saith the Sunne should not goe downe vpon our wrath the Apostle commaunds vs to bee Children concerning anger and maliciousnesse who as they doe not deepely coâ—…eiue it so they do not long retaine it but are shorly familiar with them with whom they were a little before offended but as it vvas doubted of Sylla Sylla ne prior an Sylla iracundia sit extincta so is it out of all doubt that in many vipers of this age anger dieth not till they die themselues And as for doing of good to their neighbors and brethren they liue in the world like monsters or like those Gyants The sonnes of Anack they alone will be Lords of the earth as if the world were made for them onely or they at the least were borne for themselues Churlish like Nabal shall I take said hee my bread and my flesh and giue vnto Dauid all that they haue they account so to be theirs as if they had not receiued it or were not the Lords stewards bound to distribute to the necessities of his Saints the rich gluttons they vse it as a morsell for their owne mouth Now my soule thou hast enough for many dayes let Lazarus finde as he may they thinke with Cain they are no keepers of their Brethren That which dieth let it die These and many moe are the common and seene corruptions of this age wherein we are to examine our selues how farre the renewing grace of the Lord hath made vs to depart from them and what holy loue we haue put on For hee that loueth not knoweth not God because God is loue and he that loueth not his Brother whom he hath seene how can hee loue God whom he hath not seene hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the Brethren And thus much vve are content to haue touched of our disposition toward our neighbour Now last of all concerning our disposition in our selues let vs bee sober esteeming basely of our selues highly of the Lords mercie hungring and thirsting for his saluation and in verie deed the more we shall consider how God hath magnified his holy name by his meruailous mercies towards vs the more shall wee bee compelled to cast downe our selues before him in all humilitie and submission of our spirits When Dauid promised to Mephiboseth that hee would shew him kindnesse for Ionathan his fathers sake Mephiboseth humbled himselfe to the ground and saide what is thy seruant that thou shouldest looke to such a dog as I am but here the Lord our God not onely promiseth vnto vs kindnesse for his Sonne Christ Iesus sake but presently performes it and inuesteth vs againe vvith our Fathers inheritance which vve forfaited in Adam and where we vvere of our owne nature but deade dogs vncleane creatures dead in sinne and trespasses Now behold what loue the Father hath shewen vs Hee hath made vs partakers of this heauenly vocation as to be hiâ—… sonnes and his heires and shall not wee then in our very hearts bee humbled before him acknowledge our great vnworthinesse and his excellent mercies Let vs confesse vvith Godly Iacob I am not worthy O Lord of the least of all thy mercies and let euery one of vs say with the Centurion I am not worthy Lord that thou shouldest enter vvithin my roofe Let vs vvith the vvoman of Canaan acknowledge our owne roome if the Lord should giue vs but the benefit of vvhelps dogs that is should suffer vs to goe vnder our maisters Table and eate of the crummes that fall from it yet were it more then any way we haue deserued and how then are we bound to haue our hearts and our mouthes filled continually with the praises of our God who hath bestowed vpon vs his greatest mercies when we
we are to take of our selues for if as I said the Iewes had assigned to them the space of foure daies for preparation before they eate their Passeouer what shall we doe that haue 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 we search euery corner of our hearts that no knowne leauen of wickednesse maliciousnesse be left in it which wee haue not purged and cast out by repentance Then shall wee find that euery 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 wee haue entred in all No doubt the Prophet Esay knew before that he 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 Because I am a man of polluted lips and mine eyes haue seene the King the Lord of Hostes I haue seene saith Iob The Lord therefore doe I now abhorre my selfe And this I speake that none of vs thinke a new triall vnnecessary but that euen ye who through grace haue bene accustomed euerie morning to chastice your selues and euerie euening to examine your hearts in your beds may be warned to you also belongeth this precept Let a man try himselfe and so let him eate CHAP. VII What a laborious work is enioyned a man when hee is commanded to try himselfe Two things necessary for this tryall First the Spirit of God Secondly the Word of God Many try themselues by wrong Rules and are so deceiued VVHich shall appeare more euidently if thou ponder this preprecept Try thy selfe it is a restlesse and laborious work that here is inioyned to thee thou art set to a task which may hold thee exercised all the dayes of thy life The Lord by this precept will haue euery thing that is in man brought vnder examination Man as hee is the workmanship of God is euerie way so meruailous that no meruaile the Philosophers called him a little world Augustine in his Estimation accounted man a greater miracle then all the miracles that euer were wrought among men but as he is peruerted by sinne and become the workmanship of Sathan hee is so fraughted with iniquitie that Saint Iames cals one member of his body a world of wickednesse and if in the tongue onely which is but a small member of the body there is so much wickednesse that the Spirit of God who giueth names to things as they are calleth it a world of wickednes what shall we think of the rest what bottomlesse depth of iniqui tie must there bee in the fountaine when there is so much in the streame and therefore I say hee had need to be full of eyes within and without that will practise this precept of the Apostle Let a man trye himselfe For if ye shall begin to take a view of your minde and consider how farre it is enlightned and what naturall darknesse yet remayneth in it how many bands of strange cogitations at seuerall times soiourne in it some flowing from the loue of the World and her deceitfull pleasures intending to steale our hearts after them some from the roote of concupiscence and her inordinate Lusts that oftentimes violently oppresse vs and some from the roote of bitternesse raysing wonderfull commotions and perturbations within vs reeling too and fro by courses in our swelling and restlesse mindes raging like waues of the Sea carryed with furious windes besides infinite armies of other vaine and idle cogitations whereof wee cannot tell from whence they come nor whether they goe and if from the minde they proceed to the heart which is the seate of the affections 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 righteousnesse And if againe yee goe to try the affections and see how the members of your bodyes are imployed as weapons of righteousnes in the seruice of God if yee haue made a Couenant with your eyes or not that they regard not vanitie or if negligently yee let them stand open as windowes at the which death enters euery moment into your soules and if yee haue learned to take heede to your lips that yee sinne not with your tongue if yee shall also take a time to consider the ignorances of your youth and sinnes of your old age if I say yee looke vnto all these which yet are few in regard of many moe we haue to looke vnto what shal appeare but a new found world of wickednesse dicouered vnto thee which most iustly may make thee ashamed and compell thee to cry out with Dauid O Lord who knoweth the errours of his life Lord cleanse me from my secret sinnes and keepe 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 mine eyes fountaines of teares that all the whole day long I might with Ezekiah recount my sinnes in the bitternesse of my heart and all the night cause my bed to swim and water my couch with teares for the manifold transgressions wherwith I haue offended the Lord my God And now because this tryall of our selues is so necessary let vs here remember that there are two things without which wee cannot profite in this work of tryall The one is the Spirit of God the other the Word of God As to the first man by nature is so blinded with selfe Loue that hee accounts his owne deformitie beauty and his bondage libertie what viler bondage then the Seruitude of sinne O quam multos Dominos habet qui vnum non habet said Ambrose and yet man vnregenerate counteth it his libertie to liue vncontrolled in the seruice of his lusts to doe what hee will what libertie againe so excellent as to be the freeman of God Seruire Deo est regnare and yet foolish man accounts the obedience of Gods Law which is the law of libertie a seruitude and the Commandements of God he esteemes as bonds wherwith he will not be bound walking the footsteps of other Rebels before him hee cryes out Let vs breake their bonds and cast their cords from vs. It vvas not the disease of the Laodiceans onely to account themselues happy vvhen indeed they were miserable it is the naturall disease of all the Sons of Adam for euery mans way seemeth good in his owne eyes A pittifull blindnes that death should raigne ouer man and man not feele it
that strange Lords who can claime no right vnto him should tirannize ouer him and hee not endeauour to vvithstand it and that Sathan should leade him away in Captiuitie bound with chaines euen the cords of sinne blinder then Zedekiah hauing his eyes pulled out and 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 abhominable idolatries of the house of Israell till the Lord taught him to digge through the wall but we shall be farre lesse able to see the vile abhominations that are in our owne hearts vntill the spirit of the Lord digge through demolish that thick and hard wall of induration that naturallie hideth vs from the sight of our sins and keepeth vs in blindnesse vnder Sathans bondage The other thing whereby we are to proceede in this tryall is the word of God for euery thing that is imperfect must be tryed by another not by it self gold is tryed by the fire touch stone the weight of a thing is tryed by the ballance and the spots of the face are tryed by the glasse Thus euery imperfect thing that is tryed is tryed by another not by it selfe As to the law of God it is a most perfect rule by which God will haue men and their actions tryed but it is to be tryed by no other then it selfe If any man will trie scripture he 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 as the ballance of the sanctuarie wherein we must bee weighed in the last day the secrets of all hearts will be iudged by the Gospell and therefore it were good that in time wee did iudge our selues by it some trie themselues by it some tâ—…ye themselues by themselues supposing they are such indeed as they haue conceiued themselues to be some againe measure themselues 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 hee came to examine himselfe before God thought he 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 hee was not like the Publican indeede the Publican was much better then hee for hee came to the temple humble and penitent and went home to his house iustified whereas the Pharisie puft vp with a conceit of his own righteousnesse and iustifying himselfe went away out of the Temple more guiltie then he came In the tryall therfore of thy selfe make not thy neighbours disposition thy rule least thou in like manner be deceiued And yet if thou wouldst profit by the example of others remember it is a great follie to thinke that thou art religious enough because in religion some are behind 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 then thou in the mortification of their sinfull lusts hauing out run thee further in the way of Gods commaundements then that other Disciple ouer-ran Peter vnto Christs Sepulchre to learne his resurrection It is pittie that the Sonnes of men in worldlie things can looke to those who are aboue them thinking they haue little because they haue not so much as others yet in spirituall things they should looke to others that are inferior to them and so easily stand content with the little beginning of religion they haue because there be many who in their iudgement haue not so much whereas certainly if we could try our selues by the right rule wee should finde that as yet wee are farre from that which wee should bee and therefore haue more neede then that holy Apostle To forget that which is behinde indeauour our selues to that which is before following hard toward the marke for the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus We haue therfore heere yet farther to obserue that seeing the Apostle commaunds vs to try our selues wee thinke it not enough that others try vs and giue vs their approbation we must also try our selues The Pastors may try thy knowledge and thinke it good enough thy superiors may try thy conuersation and finde it vnreprouable of man But thou must try thy owne conscience for no man knowes the things of a man saue the spirit of man the minde of a man will shew him more sometime then seauen 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 Diuell and a traiterous hypocrite the remnant knew him not therefore could not reproue him but that made not Iudas the better man yet the fault which 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 downe at the Lords table Remember the king will come take a view of the Guests euen he who is the God of the Spirits of all flesh and to whom the secrets of the heart are manifest Iosaphats garment cannot hide Achab from him hee is not blinde like Isaac that hee should bee deceiued to take one for another therefore try thou thy selfe how thou commest to this holy table whether as Iohn louing Iesus and beloued of him or as Iudas betraying Christ and accursed of him for as Christ foretolde them that one of them was a Diuell so the Apostle hath foretolde vs that many will eate and drinke vnvnworthily at this holy table who they are wee know not yet are they known to the Lord let euery one of vs striue to purge one euerie man trie himselfe and wash his hart from his wickednes and so shall we be all cleane let euery man aske for himselfe with the Disciples is it I Lord am I one of them that comes to betray thee to crucifie thee againe to tread the blood of the new Testament vnder my feete let vs neuer rest til we haue gotten the Lords certificate in our consciences and that after due triall of our selues wee come not as Hypocrites vnpenitent and vnbeleeuing Atheists but as diseased and poore sinners to seeke the Lord Iesus the Sauiour of the world for if wee doe so then shall we get that answere which the Angell gaue to the two Maries feare not ye because ye seeke Iesus who was crucified we shall eate at this Table and be satisfied shall goe away not without feare indeede but hauing our feare tempered with great