hath mercy vpon vs. These are the principall helpes whereby the sight of God is begun in earth which will be perfected in heauen CHAP. XXVIII The other thing wherein Iacob shewes his thankefulnesse is his obedience Verse 31. And the Sunne arose to him THe other thing wherein Iacob vttereth his thankfulnes is in the obedience he giues to the Lords calling walking on in the journey which God commanded him Without this the other had beene nothing for except we obey serue the Lord in our callings doing that which is commaunded vs wherein can wee be thankfull to him and truely there is no better token that we haue beene refreshed by the countenance of God who is the strength of his people then this if with boldnesse and spirituall courage we follow him where away he cals vs albeit we should finde neuer so many impediments before vs. But it is to be marked Moses saith he halted as he went on in his journey This is the meruailous working of the Lord no doubt that Iacob being hurt in the night his thigh-bone disjoynted yet walkes vpon it in the morne and the hurt which he receiued of the Lord hinders him not nor stayes him from going forward in the journey which was enjoyned him by the Lord. We haue shewed you before how the children of God in their wrestlings do in such sort preuaile that they get no victory without a wound who is able to say that hee hath in such sort fought against Sathan and sin but oftentimes hee hath beene buffeted by Sathan and wounded by sinne Yet such is the gratious dispensation of the Lord that as Iacobs hurt made him not giue ouer the journey but rather confirmes him to go forward with greater boldnesse now halting on one thigh then before when hee went straight vpon both so the Lord doth so dispence the spirituall battailes of his Children that out of their manifold falles buffets and wounds which they receiue in this warfare hee workes in them a greater hatred of sinne and loue of righteousnes a greater attention and circumspection in all their wayes and a greater feruency and zeale to run out the race which is set before them and to renue the battaile against Sathan and sinne And this wee may see cleerely in Dauid who after his adultry murther being renued by repentance â—…iseth againe with a greater hatred of sinne and more earnest desire of mercy than euer he had before And did not Peters fall bring forth in like manner the like fruits in him that hee sheddeth teares now more aboundantly then at any time before hee now stands boldly to confesse the Lord Iesus before the Counsell whom before he had denied before a Dâ—…msell and in all the rest of his life he shewes himselfe an example of godly zeale labouring to confirme his brethren by a good conuersation whom before hee had offended by his stumbling and falling Thus the Lord by some one sinne wherein hee sussereth his children to haue experience of their weakenesse wakeneth them to a narrower inquisition of their sins for a light paine in the head men runne not to the Phisitian nor to the water for a light spot in their garments but if the defiling be great then we doe take occasion thereat to wash away euen the smallest spot that is in them So the godly when oftentimes they passe ouer small sinnes without remorse the Lord permits them to fall into greater that so they may be moued to mourning hasten to an earnest reformation of all Where wee are not to thinke that this commeth of any goodnesse that is in vs or in sin which we haue brought forth but of the excellent wisdome and goodnesse of God Deus etiam summus est medicus qui benè nouit vti enim malis For God is that great Phisitian who can vse to good euen those things which are euill And it doth saith the same Father more aduance the glory of Gods goodnesse etiam de malis bene facere quam mala esse non sinere euen to draw good out of euill rather then that he should suffer euill not to be Thus the Lord our God maketh all things serue and worke for the best to them that loue him so as euen the wounds which we receiue in spiritual wrestlings may well worke in vs a greater humiliation but shall not confound vs so that we leaue off the race and course to our heauenly Canaan Wherein if we cannot alway runne in the strength of the spirit with Eliah yet let vs by Gods grace endeauour to halt forward with Iacob at least creepe forward towards our heauenly Father as his little babes children who are but yet learning to walke proceeding alway from strength to strength till we appeare before the face of our GOD in Sion whereunto the Lord that is the author and finisher of our Faith the beginner perfecter of our saluation bring vs of his great mercy in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS A CONDVIT of Comfort Full of sweet Consolations for all those that desire the comfortable sweetnesse of Iesus Christ. By WILLIAM COVPER Minister of Gods word LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge and are to sould at his shop at the great South doore of Paules 1608. A CONDVIT of Comfort Rom. 8. 28. Also wee know that all things worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them who are called according to his purpose My helpe is in the name of the Lord. THis Chapter may be conueniently tearmed A compend of Christian consolation for wheras many kinds of comforts are dispersed throughout the holy Scriptures for the strengthening of the man of God some of euery kinde are here gathered together in one and like chosen flowers picked out of the word of God are knit together in one bunch presented to thee who art a Christian. There are two things onely which trouble vs in this life The first is the remanents of sinne in our corrupt nature this was such a matter of griefe to the holy Apostle that it made him to crie ouâ—… O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death So displeasant was it to him to lâ—…ue in that body wherin hee found the motions of sin rebeling against the law of God And if the Apostle accounted this but then so weighty to him alas how should wee complaine and what cause haue wee with Ezechia to walke weakly in the bitternesse of our soules all our dayes in whom the life and power of that sinning is farre lesse restrained Yet least we should be so cast downe with the sense of sinne that we despaire and perish being swallowed vp with griefe the Lord furnisheth vs with many comforts against it from the beginning of this Chapter to the middest of the 17. Verse The
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
best to them that loue the Lord not according to his purpose in deede but because the Lord trappeth him in his owne snare If vnder the serpents shape hee deceiued Adam vnder the Serpents name shall the Lord curse him and all these weapons whereby hee intends to destroy the worke of Gods grace in vs shall the Lord make forcible to destroy the workmanship of Sathan in vs I meane that whole bastard generation of sinfull affections which Sathan hath begotten vpon our mutable nature by a most vnhappy and vnlawfull copulation The experience of all the saints of God will proue this that Sathan by his restles temptations doth destroy himselfe which is most euident both in his temptations for sin which tend to desperation as also in his temptations to sin which tend to presumption Eâ—…ery accusation of the conscience for by-past sins is a preseruatiue to the child of God to keepe him from sinne in time to come hee reasoning with himselfe after this manner If my eni mie doth so disquiet my mind with inward terrors for these sins which foolishly I did by his inticement why shal I harken to him any more hereafter and so increase the matter of my trouble for what fruite haue I of all the sinnes whereof I tooke pleasure but terrour and shame And shall I looke that this forbidden Tree shall render any better fruite hereafter O what a faithlesse traytor is Sathan he intiâ—…eth man vnto sinne and when hee hath done it hee is the first accuser and troubler of man for sinne When hee works in vs he is a temptor when we haue finished his worke which is fin hee is an accuser of vs to the iudge and when he returneth hee returneth as a troubler and a tormentor of vs for our sins Stop thy eare therefore O my soule from the voyce of this deceitfull enchaunter His temptations againe vnto sinne are so many prouocations spurring vs forward to the throne or grace for whilst we finde his restlesse malice pursuing that sparkle of spirituall life whereby the Lord hath quicned vs and our owne weaknesse and inhabilitie to resist him then wee are forced with Israel in Aegipt to sigh for the thraldome and to cry with Iosah O Lord our God we wot not what to do but our eies are turned toward thee And who feeles not this that the grace of feruent prayer wherein otherwise wee faint our hands being more ready to fall downe then the hands of Moses except they bee supported is greatly weakned and abridged in the children of God by the buffets of Sathan So they weakned the holy Apostle and stirred him vp to such feruency in praier that hee besought the Lord thrice that is many times to deliuer him from them Yea which is more the Lord made them effectuall meanes to beate downe the power of naturall pride in him least he should haue beene exalted out of measure through the greatnesse of his reuelations A wonderfull worke that the Father of pride becommeth against his wil a represser of pride and hee who first powred this poyson into the nature of Man is made contrary to his entent an instrument to suppresse it Thus the Lord our God out-shooteth Sathan in his owne bow and with the sword of Goliah cutteth off his owne head his holy name be praised therefore for euer Now as concerning outward afflictions it is true that as the Philistins could not vnderstand Sampsons Riddle how sweet came out of the sower and meate out of the eater So can no Worldlings vnderstand that tribulation bringeth out Patience and that our light and momentary afflictions causeth vnto vs a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory but the Children of God haue learned by experience that albeit no visitation be sweet for the present yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them vvho are thereby exercised that there is more solide joy in suffring rebuke with Christ then in all the pleasure of sinne which indure but for a season For as Moses the mediator of the old Testament by his prayer made the bitter waters of Marah sweete that the Israelites might drinke of it so Iesus the mediator of the new Testament by his passion hath mittigated to his Children the bitternes of the Crosse and not onely mixed it with joy but made it most profitable The forlorne Son concluded neuer to returne home to his Father till he was brought low by affliction And many in the Gospell were forced by corporall diseases to run to Iesus where others enjoying bodily health did nothing but disdaine him The earth which is not tilled and broken beares nothing but Thornes and Bryers the Vines waxe wilde by time except they be pruned and cut so would our vaine hearts ouergrowe with vilde affections if the Lord by sanctified trouble did not continually manure them Therefore said Ieremy It is good for a man to beare the yoke in 〈◊〉 youth And Dauid confessed It was good for him that hee was afflicted Yea saith our Sauiour Euery branch that beares fruite my heauenly Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite No work can be made of Gold and Siluer without fire and stones are not meet for Pallace worke except they be pollished and squared by hammering no more is it possible that wee can bee vessels of Honour in the houses of our God except first wee bee sined and melted in the fire of Affliction neither can wee bee as liuing sâ—…ones to be placed in the wall of the heauenly Ierusalem except so long as wee be here the hand of God beate vs from our proud lumps by the hammer of Affliction As standing waters putrifies and rotâ—… so the wicked feares not God saith the Psalmist because they haue no changes And Moab keepes his sent saith the Prophet because he was not powred from Vessell to Vessell but hath beene at rest euer since his youth And therefore O Lord rather then we should keepe the old sent of our naturall corruption and liue in carelesse securitie without the feare of thy holy name and so become sit-fasts in our sins no rather O Lord change thou vs from estate to estate waken vs with the presence of thy hand purge vs Lord with thy fire and chastice vs with thy rods alway O Lord with a protestation that thou stand to thy promise made to the Sons of Dauid I will visite them with my rods if they sinne against mee but my mercy will I neuer take from them CHAP. V. How death also workes for the best to Christians THe same comfort haue vvee also against death that now in Christ Iesus it is not a punishment of our sinnes but a full accomplishment of the motificatian of sinne both in soule and body for by it all the Conduits of sinne are stopped the weapons of vnrighteousnesse broken and though our bodyes seeme to bee consumed yet
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
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
compound wherein are things of sundry kindes which must be distinguished and so the word of discerning imports that secret There are here things of sundry sorts wee must discerne euery thing in the owne kind so our Sauiour taught vs and after him his Apostles and this truth the auncient Fathers haue deliuered vnto vs Eucharistia said Irenaeus ex duabus rebus constat terrena coelesti The Eucharist consists of two kind of things the one earthly the other heauenly And Augustine calleth it visibile signum inuisibilis graciae the visible signe of invisible grace And Macarius calleth this Bread and Wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Examplaria figurae seu Typi carnis sanguinis Christi Resemblances figures and Types of the Body and Bloud of Christ Iesus Now it is sure that a Type Patterne or figure must euer bee distinguished from that whereof it is a figure This Sacrament then being a compound thing must be considered not as a simple but as a compound thing If it bee asked whether a man be earthly or heauenly because hee is a compound creature It must bee answered by a distinction If it be asked how a Christian being on the earth the Apostle saith that hee hath his Conuersation in the Heauens it must be answered by a distinction and if also it be asked whether this Sacrament bee an earthly or an heauenly thing how the signe is giuen and how the thing signified how Christ Iesus is in heauen and yet present in the Sacrament All these I say must be answered by distinction Sursum est Dominus said Augustine sed etiam hic est veritas Dominus corpus enim Domini in quo resurrexit vno loco esse potest veritas eius vbique diffula est Our Lord is aboue in heauen yet here also is our Lord as hee is the truth for the body of our Lord in which hee arose from death can bee but in one place but his truth is diffused into euery place And againe Ibat per id quod homo erat manebat per id quod Deus ibat per id quod vno loco erat manebat per id quod vbique erat Hee went hence by that which was man he stayed by that which was God hee went away by that which was but in one place hee stayed by that which was in all places And againe Ascendit super omnes coelos corpore non recessit maiestate He ascended aboue all the heauens in his body but hee departed not hence in his Maiestie And Cyrill in like manner Non enim quia nunc non adest in carne ex eo putes quod spiritu medio hic non adsit Thinke not that with his spirit he is not here amongst vs because hee is not now amongst vs with his bodie Thus yee see we must vse a distinction And yet albeit we are forced here to acknowledge the sundrie natures of things compound and consider them in their owne kinds wee must for all that take heed to the wonderfull vnion and Sacramentall coniunction that is betweene them which is so strait that vnto the receiuer they are inseparable for the which also the earthly thing receyues the name of the heauenly And this must also be considered least on the other hand separating those things which God hath conioyned we make this Bread and this Wine but naked and bare signes and so iustly incur that blame which our aduersaries vniustly would lay vpon vs and in like manner this punishment which here the Lord threatens against them who are euill discerners CHAP. III. Three rules to be obserued in the right descerning the Lords bodie First that euerie thing in this sacrament be taken in his owne kinde Who failes in this and how Secondly that this sacrament bee vsed according to Christs institution How the Papists faile in this Thirdly that this sacrament bee vsed to right ends and those ends set downe The conclusion of the first part of the precept VVE are therfore to consider that for the right discerning of the Lord body these three rules are to bee obserued first that in this sacrament we take vp euerie thing in the owne nature and kinde Next that we vse euery one of them in the manner appointed by Christ and with that reuerence that is due vnto them And thirdly that this Sacrament be celebrated vnto the right ends for which our Sauiour appointed it Against the first failes both Papists and bastard professors Papists are euill discerners because they take the signe for the thing signified the earthly thing for the heauenly The men of Lystra were euill discerners when they tooke Paul and Barnabas for Iupiter and Mercurius Gods in their account and therfore would haue worshipped them as Gods but in this light farre blinder are they who will adore a creature insteade of the creator and that with the same kinde of worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by their owne confession is due to God onely They alleadge for their error the word of truth Iesus Christ speaking say they of the bread called it his body wee say in like manner that this bread is Christs bodie but sacramentally bâ—…t deny that the bread is transubstantiate into the verie naturall bodie of Christ as they against the principles of faith and nature falsely affirme It is strange to see what backward peruerse handlers of holy scripture these men bee where they should sticke to the letter they inforce an allegorie to serue their purpose What plainer Historie then that which Moses hath God made two great lights the greater to rule the day the lesser to rule the night yet is this place violently wrested when out of it they will gather that the Papall dignitie which as they say God hath appointed to rule ouer the spiritualtie is gâ—…eater then the regall and that the Pope by as many degrees excelleth the Emperour as the Sunne excells the Moone And againe where the Spirit of God vseth a figure there they sticke to the Letter These words according to the Letter Mandant flagitium commaund an impietie And therefore by Augustines rule should be esteemed figuratiue Si praeceptiua loquutio est aut flagitium aut facinus vetans aut vtilitatem beneficentiam iubens non est figurata loquutio si autem flagitiuÌ„ vel facinus videtur iubere aut vtilitateÌ„ aut beneficentiam vetare figurata loquutio est nisi manducaueritis inquit Christus carnem â—…ilij hominis facinus iubere videtur figura est ergo praecipiens passioni domini esse communicandum suauiter vtiliter recondenduÌ„ in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa sit If a speech of precept either foâ—…bid some sinne or heynous deede or else commaund a profitable or a good deed then it is no figuratiue speech but if it seeme to commaund a sin or heynous deede or forbid a profitable and honest action then it is
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