where els eyther to be sought or found but in lesus Christ onely Where I beseech you first to marke both how this doctrine ariseth from hence and then the tearmes in which I doe propound and deliuer the same It is gathered from this place because our Sauiour calleth vs vnto him yea vnto him alone which if it had not bin the will of his Father and verie truth indeede or if hee alone had not had aboundant yea infinite matter of strong and solide comfort in himselfe he would neuer haue done as we haue already heard in the beginning of this exercise And for the wordes I doe not say there is no comfort to bee founde for meate drinke sleepe friends recreation and such like are comforts I confesse but not true and sound comfort for a distressed spirit For the affliction of the mind is inward and these are but outward therefore are not fitte for a person or partie so affected and I would as soone thinke and say that bodily food were the proper and sound nourishment of the soule as suppose that these outward things were the true and sound comfort of a broken and contrite heart But that yet wee may bee the better perswaded of the trueth of this point let vs proceed vnto some further proofes of it This was not in my mind obscurely signified vnder all the sacrifices of the old law whether they were ordinarie or extraordinarie dayly or yearly generall or particular all and euery one of them in measure more or lesse tending still vnto him whom they did prefigure and signifie as the Apostle at large declareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And why him because he was he alone in whom God was pleased to reconcile the world vnto himselfe and to make the one and onely obiect of our faith And this is plainely propounded vnto vs and proued also by manifolde texts of Scripture both in the old and new testament I wil not trouble you with many for I like not much of that course Out of that great store let vs take two or three both playne and pregnant for this purpose In the 55. Chapter of the booke of the Prophet Isaiah a place cited before and is as we all know and confesse an euident prophecie concerning Christ and the graces that wee shall finde in him if with a liuely and stedfast fayth we labour to lay hold of him it is sayd Encline your eare and come vnto mee Oh marke how like this Euangelical Prophet our Sauiour himselfe speake let this phrase also I beseech you serue for a cōfirmation and exposition of these wordes of our text Heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Euery worde hath his waight he yea he alone will establish not a momentany but an euerlasting couenant with all his faithfull of which that wee might be the better certified hee telleth vs it shall be sure yea as sure as the mercies manifested vnto and bestowed vpon Dauid which as they were large and almost innumerable so were they irreuocable and could neuer fayle To the same purpose serueth a notable sentence of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1.5 As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth thorow Christ. By sufferinges of Christ he meaneth not onely those thinges that we indure at the hands of persecuters for Christes sake for Christ did not onely suffer that way but euen those anguishes also that we haue in our soules and in our spirits Christ being as much yea farre more throwne down and humbled that way than all flesh as appeareth by his conflict in the garden and by his outcries vpon the Crosse saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee And though these haue bin were and are very good indeed as those that haue felt and doe feele thē know and confesse yet to the ende that wee might assure our selues that our ioyes shoulde match them he sayth Our consolations abound thorow him For if there were not a proportion betwixt our heauines and our comfort nay I will say more a superaboundance of our ioyes aboue our griefes then sure what by reason of Satans malice against vs and the dulnesse and hardnesse of our owne heartes to beleeue and the greatnesse of our griefes sorrows besides it would goe hard with a distressed spirit And therefore as for the comforting of vs against the hugenes and height of our sinnes we say with the Apostle where sinne hath abounded there grace hath ouerabounded So in this case of inward afflictions particularly we say our sorrowes may be sore and our griefes great yet our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and eternall waight as of glory in the life to come so of ioy in this life raysed vp in our hearts by the comfortable feeling thereof And he that knoweth soundly and feelingly beleeueth the names natures person and offices of our Sauiour Christ together with the effects that from him in them are communicated to vs cannot chuse but see feele and confesse the trueth of this point Hee is good in him there is not or cannot be any thing but that which is absolutely good as in whose face and presence also there is the fulnes of ioy for euermore and at his right hand pleasures for euer and euer He is likewise so good that yet notwithstanding he is man like vnto vs in euery respect sinne onely excepted and one that hath bin touched with the feeling of our infirmities by meanes whereof we may the more boldly come vnto the throne of grace so receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Yea these two natures are so ioyned knit as we may say inseparably in one person euen from the very time of his blessed cōception in the wombe of his mother for the accomplishment of the worke of our redemption and our full comfort thereby as that they cannot be deuided or sundred hee being man that so hee might suffer and God that so hee might ouercome the perfection and full accomplishment of our redemption standing vpon these two partes suffering for sinne this is the first and then ouercomming sinne and death him that had the power of death that is the deuill And why is he called Iesus but because as it is sayd Matth. 1. He should saue his people from their sinnes For sinne and that that insueth vpon sinne as shame and confusion of face horror of heart condemnation c. is it that most stingeth mens mindes and soules Now all these beeing taken away in Christ why should they not as well and comfortably sing that tryumphant song O death where is thy sting O graue or hell where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ as well
and he told vs not of it but as a vaine glorious person would take all to himselfe and more indeede then did belong vnto him then shall hee bee wrapped vp in a double transgression the one against his father towards whom he hath caried himselfe vnfaithfully whilest he hath not reuealed vnto vs all his counsels communicated vnto him for our good and the other towards man because he hath dealt deceitfully with vs in that he hath depriued vs of hope helpe that we might haue from others with or besides him But all these things are most false and vntrue for he was the faithfullest in all the house of God euen as a sonne and comming out of the Fathers bosome hath communicated vnto vs all his counsels and we knowe and beleeue that there was neuer guile found in his mouth And therefore that sense must of necessitie be true yea the onely true sense It followeth in the verse All ye that labour and are heauy laden As the former words respected the person calling and exhorting or commaunding vs to come vnto him so these words concerne them that are called exhorted or commaunded Wherein Christ first sheweth that he is free from all partiality or respect of persons in as much as indefinitely or generally hee calleth all heauie heartes and as it were commandeth them to repayre vnto him Which doth not onely serue to shew his great care and loue towards them whilest he both calleth them all and calleth them when they thinke least of any such matter for if we would respect him in his magnificence or men in their owne vnworthines what are they that should receiue any fauour specially so great a grace as this but also answereth that that many distressed spirits imagine that God hath promised or shewed fauour to such and such because of some rare singular grace in them and not for his owne mercies sake or for their miserable distressed estate But he that will well weigh the course of Gods workes that way or the trueth of the word he shall find this to be but an imagination of mans heart and head or a suggestion and temptation of Satan rather to hinder the course and passage of Gods grace and goodnes from troubled and afflicted soules For as for Gods mercies they are and must bee altogether free or else they are not mercies For who knoweth not that man in his best estate after regeneration cannot merit the meanest mercies of God not in thinges appertayning to this life no not in a crumme of bread or droppe of water much lesse spirituall graces and eternall life And though it be true that God acknowledgeth his owne graces in his owne seruants as the fruits of their fayth and good testimonies of their willing obedience yet he may if he will by reason of the imperfection that cleaueth thereto reiect all And no doubt would doe it as in regard of his absolute and exact iustice but that he hath prouided in Christ as a gracious meanes for the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes thorow his death so a plentifull supply of whatsoeuer is wanting in vs thorow the most perfect righteousnes that is in him And me thinketh we may see this to be true thorough the disclaime that Gods people haue made of all or any good thing in themselues as Dauid for example in the xvi Psalm My goodnes O Lord reacheth not vnto thee Isaiah for himselfe all the faithful Chap. 64. Our righteousnesses before thee are as filthie stained cloathes Yea wee may see it by the course they haue kept in powring foorth of prayers vnto God in which they haue respected simply and onely these two thinges Gods mercy and their owne miserie and vsed them as principall arguments both to vphold their owne hearts and to prouoke him to pittie as wee may playnly see in many Psalmes of Dauid but specially in the 86. thorowout So that we may safely say God respecteth nothing in man no not his miserie though I doubt not but that many times he is much moued therewith for if it were so he should either leaue all or none in miserie and that our owne experience teacheth vs the contrary or if mans misery should be the working cause in him then those that are most miserable should soonest and most of all be respected but that is not vriuersally true neither And againe if misery should be the first mouing cause in God why doest not thou that art distressed and in thine owne iudgement so much as no man before thee from thine owne estate and confession gather comfort vnto thy selfe from the Lorde Wherefore let the troubled spirit cast away these conceits and fully assure himselfe that as in no respect God is a respecter of persons so not in distributing and bestowing his graces specially spirituall graces And that therefore so often as this or such like thoughtes come into their heads they should know that they are either frō the ignorance or diffidence of their owne soules or from the malice of Satan against them and therefore they should beware how they admit thē for men can hardly carry such fire in their breasts and not be burnt But let vs proceede Least this generall and indefinite tearme of our Sauiour should be stretched further than his meaning hee knowing also euen wicked men to be more forward that way then they ought he doth restrayne it by two particular adiuncts or attributes saying yee that labour and are heauy laden Where first wee are to marke that as in other places of the Scriptures and other cases also God is wont to resemble spirituall things by bodily and to speake of thē by metaphoricall and borrowed kind of speeches whether they be things in himselfe or without him so here he doth the like for vnder these termes of labouring and being heauy laden which are properly referred to outward actions and bodily burdens he meaneth sense of sinne conflict of conscience and tugging and wrestling as it were with and vnder the wrath of God sometimes in outward afflictions sometimes in inward sorrow yea condemnation for the same And as this is an vsuall thing with the spirit of God here and in other places of Scripture namely Isaiah 55. saying Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee vnto the waters yee that haue no siluer come buy cat come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money vnderstanding there by thirst that which he doth in this place by labour and burdening and by water wine and milke that which he doth by refreshing ease so he doth it not without cause specially as in regard of vs who doe not onely vnderstand outward things better than inward but volesse that we be taught of the inward by the outward we can hardly comprehend them He not meaning vnder these borrowed termes to signifie that these outward are able to the full and as it were liuely to set out the inward and spirituall for that
no eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart can conceiue nor tongue can vtter but by them so well sorting with our nature to giue vs some sight smacke or taste of them And euen herein also appeareth Christs loue that he is pleased to stoop downe so low vnto vs and in such base termes to expresse vnto vs such excellent things But yet let vs a little more particularly examine the words That word that is here termed labour doth not signifie simply euery labour but such a labour as is sore and hath ioyned with it toyling of the body and moyling of the mind with carke and care yea and wearines both of body and mind ioyned with it as an effect flowing from it and that causeth some also to turne it thus Come vnto me all ye that are weary Whatsoeuer it be we may see that Christ mindeth by this Metaphore to expresse this much vnto vs that distresse of spirit vpon what cause soeuer it arise and conflict of conscience is no small payne but a great and grieuous sorrow entring deepe into the soule disquieting the spirit distempering the body and making all parts and powers vnfit for al or any duety almost And this to be true the Scripture elsewhere sheweth it and namely Prou. 18. Where it sayth The spirit of a man may indure his infirmitie but a wounded spirite who shall beare it And our owne experience can witnes it if eyther wee haue beene humbled our selues or haue beene acquainted with other mens sorrowes that way in whome it hath taken away for the time sleepe from the eyes hearing from the eares speech from the mouth appetite from the stomacke nay I wil say more it hath caused some to assay the finishing of their payne as they supposed with a shameful feareful end had it bin accomplished Which yet notwithstanding is not spoken here or propounded elsewhere vnto vs in the word to discourage or oppresse them that be in that combate but as on the one side to teach all men to cast away securitie and carelesnes so on the other side to instruct them that are so weake in themselues to relie vpon him that is the God of their strength who being in them and with them and for them will doubtlesse make his strength and power to appeare in their weakenes That other word heauie laden is metaphoricall also and translated from bodily burdens vnto spirituall that is to say to the burdens of sinne and iniquitie which lye more hard vpon the soule and spirit though worldly men feele them not than any outward doth or can vpon the bodie yea though a man should be pressed therewithall vnto death because that onely reacheth vnto the bodie and in the middest of the paynes thereof the soule little or nothing touched nay it may bee very cheerefull and comfortable spiritually and so cause the soule almost to finde no griefe as in the Martyrs that haue beene so many wayes and so grieuously tormented may and doth appeare but when the soule is ouerclogged with sinne and the sense thereof or of Gods anger against it for the same the very body is tainted thereby with sundry sorts of sicknesses and diuers kindes of diseases some recouerable and some vnrecouerable And we shall find it much vsed in the scripture that sinne it selfe is compared vnto a burthen which may in part appeare not onely by this when the Prophets call the iudgements of God that should fal vpon men for their sinnes burthens that so there might be some proportion betweene the iniquitie they had committed the punishment that was executed vpō them for it but also by a plaine place of the Prophet Dauid in that eight thirtie Psalme that wee sung before this Sermon when hee sayth Mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a weightie burden they are too heauie for mee to beare By all which we may see that sin is not so sleight or light a matter as men make it but a wonderfull weight indeede whether wee consider it in it owne nature as being the feareful violation breach of the law of God or God that is offended thereby whose pure eies cannot behold that that is euill his hand in iustice is prest and ready to strike or the dangers dammages they pull vpon themselues in body and in soule for this life present and for that which is to come as terror and feare of heart shame and confusion of face discredite amonst men specially godly discords yea anarchies in Kingdomes common wealthes and families and what not And indeede this were a point well worth the wading into by reason of the grossenes and corruption of the age wherein we liue making so smal or no conscience at all of sinne and transgression were it not that we are to be occupied in some other points of comfort and consolation Howbeit this much we may say that as it argueth small conscience of sinne in men that mittigate minse it so it ministreth small hope of comfort vnto themselues or others of the happie recouery out of it For how is it likely that they should be cured of a disease that eyther knowe it not or feele it not or take it not to be so deadly and dangerous as it is Whereas on the other side the tender conscience charging yea surcharging it selfe with more then it should it may be yet that can hardly be if men consider rightly the height and the haynousnes yea the infinitenesse innumerablenesse of their owne sinnes generall and particular though in that accusation it suffer much griefe yea plunge it selfe as it were into distrustfulnes is in more hope of a gracious recouerie which in the midst of such sorrow of heart should minister some comfort because sinne felt is more likely by repentance to be cured and healed then that that men make no keepe or account of But to let this point passe and to come to that that doth more nighly concerne our purpose at this present Now there followeth the last wordes of this 28. verse And I will refresh you and containe in thē the second part thereof namely a sweet comfortable promise for the better drawing yea alluring of vs vnto him that calleth vs vnto himselfe but yet for our spirituall good A thirstie body indeede woulde reioyce to heare though it were but of water and not of drinke to slake the thirst withall the reason is because he knoweth it and taketh it to be a meane to maintayne life The tydings of ease and lighting of him in some sort of a great and grieuous burden to him that carrieth it is no doubt of it gladsome and ioyfull also because it is a toyle and a moyle a wearisomnes and weaknesse to body and minde to beare a waight yea though it be but small continually Reason our owne experience teacheth vs the trueth hereof in these worldly thinges But how much more shall this be found true as in
law and vnder the gospell all leading vs not onely vnto Christ but vnto all those sweete graces and heauenly comfortes that we receiue from him To omit to speake of the sacraments of the olde testament which yet notwithstanding were for substance and matter the same to the fathers that ours are to vs and to come to thē of the newe Testament yea and but to touch one of them onely namely the Lords supper What wonderfull and vnspeakeable comfort doth God in Christ offer vnto vs therein To say nothing of those that we receiue there the pledges of his death and bloud sheading and of all the graces that flow vnto vs therefrom as forgiuenesse of sinnes sanctified vse of the creatures reconciliation to God and sundry such like what a maruailous mercy is this that vnder those elements of bread and wine hee should seale vp in our hearts not onely the spirituall strength wee haue from him to die the death of sinne and to liue the life of righteousnesse thorow his power but also the heauenly comfort that he cōmunicateth vnto vs bread no more effectually or liuely strengthning our hearts nor wine more effectually making vs to be of cheerefull spirits than Christ partaken of by fayth filleth vs with all manner of heauenly and holy ioy And by arguments taken from priuation if I may so say wee may proue this point The comfort that we speake of is no where else to be sound therefore it must of necessitie be in him alone If we would looke to Angels and saints departed out of this life there is a double exception against them for first we are vncertaine of their good will and sounde affection towards vs as in this behalfe then we are sure they cannot afford vs that we desire as who neither haue that power in thēselues because it properly onely belongeth vnto the Lord and besides are sundred so farre from vs in respect of distance of place that they are not able to stretch out their ayd though they could helpe As for the rest of the creatures they are as farre vnable and weake for this worke as the other if not more The diuelles and damned spirits will rather do what they can to torment vs then yeeld any consolation Man and woman that liue with vs in the world are infirme and stand in neede as we our selues and not able in the greatnes of their distresse to comfort themselues much lesse vs vnreasonable creatures are tainted with our sinnes and sith the wicked enioy them in greater portion than we cannot yeelde consolation Our owne things that we haue in our owne power as our wiues our children and friendes either in hard heartednesse against vs will become miserable comforters vnto vs as Iobs wife and friendes were all the sort of them or else when we shal consider what iniuries and indignities we haue offered them will increase our sorrow And the like may wee say of our health wealth strength c. which beeing abused will cast downe rather then comfort But whither am I carried in confirmation of this point It is time as I take it to make vse of it and so to proceed to the handling and hearing of some other doctrines We may see by it as if it were in a cleare true looking glasse the miserable estate and wofull condition of all in the worlde that be without the knowledge and feeling of Christ I say both knowledge and feeling and I beseech you ioyne them both together for they cannot be sundred no more then the soule and the body because as all without the knowledge of him are vnder condemnation so many that know him yet feele him not in faith and obedience shall certainely perish For if that bee true which Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 17. This is life eternall to know thee to bee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ then this by the contrary must needs be true also that those that knowe not God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ rest vnder eternall condemnation because Christ sayth hee that beleeueth in the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God shall not come into iudgement but hath passed out of death into life and againe he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he beleeueth not in the name of the onely Sonne of God By which we see what sentence to giue not only of the heathen and gentiles of whom the Apostle speaketh Ephes 2. that they were without God in the world neither yet of the Iewes Turks others who though they acknowledge God the Father yet obstinately deny and refuse the person of the sonne but also of many thousandes of Christians whereof some as hereticks deny his natures as the Anabaptistes who deny his humanitie and our popish aduersaries defacing his offices of Kingdome in erecting and exercising another gouernement thē he hath prescribed of priesthood in placing their dayly vnbloody sacrifice in stead of it of prophecie in bringing in new docirines and establishing traditions and other such trash and trumpery Other some againe knowing him but denying him thorow loose and lewd life of whom we may say as the Apostle saith of some other not much vnlike them that When they knew the power of godlines they denied it notwithstanding in their deeds and of whom also we may say though it bee to their terror as Christ sayth Luk. 12. He that knoweth the will of his master and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes And yet let no man thinke this a hard or hasty iudgement for heere wee speake not the wordes of our owne heart or mouth but of God and may in some measure in this behalfe say euen as Christ himselfe sayth Ioh. 12. I iudge no man but there is one that iudgeth such euen the word that he hath spoken it shall iudge them according to which when we iudge we cannot but iudge righteous iudgement because it being all and onely trueth it can giue no sentence saue according to the same But to drawe it more neere to our present purpose and occasion We may learn from hence what is the reason why so many distressed spirits ly as it were broiling in the flame fire of a troubled and disquieted he art Sure he either they know not Christ and the power of his grace and spirit and then no maruell though they boyle and broile indeed when they are touched with the sting of conscience for sinne and condemnation therfore For how can it be otherwise seeing there is neither forgiuenesse of sinnes nor ouercomming of condemnation nor any comfortable continuall feeling of any fauor but by him Or els they feele him not with his force and effect that way though they knowe their owne sinne the punishmentes due vnto them therefore with the manifold vnworthynesses they find in themselues hindring them from comfort and consolation As for the former sort I would wish them carefully painfully to labour
exceedingly merciful as sometimes to disgrace a base colour or to make a colour that is perfect indeed to appeare more beautifull and orient wee set by it another that is nothing so glorious and good But to our purpose I say howe comfortable is that of Isaiah 41. where the Lord commaundeth his ministers to comfort yea to comfort his people and to seeke out for them and to speake such things vnto them as may delight and affect their heattes and to proclame vnto them that the set time is accomplished that their iniquitie is pardoned and that they haue receiued double at the Lords hands for all their sinne And this is yet further made plain by this that though al the word generally be the obiect of our faith teaching vs indeed what wee should beleeue and do for Gods glory heer and our endlesse glorification els where yet the principal props and stayes of our consciences for comfort consolation indeed are no where els to befound but in the gracious and sweet promises contayned therein which also is manifest euen by the very practise of God himselfe euery where propounding them to an afflicted and distressed heart as the principall and peculiar remedie against the sicknes of our soules that way In the 103. Psalme he saith that look how much more high the heauens are ouer the the earth so much doth his goodnes preuaile vpon them that feare him Againe he remooueth our sinnes as farre fromvs as the East is from the West By two fit similitudes taken froÌ„ things that are subiect to our fight amplifying the grace and mercie of God opposing the same against our transgressions And in Isaiah 1. he saith thus Though your si nes were as skarlet they shall be as snow and though they were as crimosin yet they shall be whiter than wooll And fearing least men woulde not willinglie come how doth he there intereat vs saying Come now I pray you and let vs reason the caus together as though he should say let vs friendly conferre of the matter If you will but lend and bend your care and be touched with the true sense of my righteousnes and your owne sinnes I promise faithfully that I will for mine own mercies sake put away all your transgressions whatsoeuer though they be neuer so great or grieuous That shall not let my worke in you my mercy shall surmount all yea your misery if you soundlie turne shall magnifie the greatnes of the abundant riches of my mercy The newe couenant that God maketh with his people in the 31. chap. of Ieremie and to the end that we might know it indeed to be a promise of the new testament it is repeated by the Apostle Heb. 8. how comfortable and full of sweet promises is that After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inwarde partes and write it in their heartes and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest saith the Lord for J will forgiue their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more And if the olde testament be so plentifull what shall we thinke of the new which doth as of purpose propound and handle this point or question Christ himself saith Mat. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen vnto you seeke and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened vnto you And in the 7. of Iohn in the last and great day of the feast he stood crying out said He that beleeueth in mee as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life and in the 12. of that Gospell He that beleeueth in me yea though he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die Is not that of the same nature which hee speaketh of in another Euangelisst The whole need not the Physition but they that are sicke I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance And what may we think of that which is alleaged in the 12. of the Gospell after Mathewe out of the prophet Isaiah A bruised reed shall he not breake and smoking flaxe shal he not quench till he bring foorth iudgement vnto victory Out of Paules epistles wee haue spoken somewhat before in the first point of doctrine that was gathered out of this text yet take one or two In the 2. to the Corinth chap. 6. he saith We are the temples of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwel amongst them and walk there and I will be their God and they shal be my people Yea I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall bee my sons and daughters saith the Lorde almighty And the same Apostle deliuereth a notable promise with a glorious comfortable preface prefixed before it also 1. Tim. 1. This is a true saying and worthy to be receined of all men that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chief May we not of these and thousandes such like say as the Apostle Peter doth that most great precious promises are giuen vnto vs that euen for that end which he expresseth there namely that by them wee shoulde bee partakers of the diuine nature whilest we fly the corruption that is in the world thorow lust Are not these great promises and may iustly bee so called because they proceed from the great God propounde vnto vs great and excellent matters May wee not esteeme them precious not only for the raritie and excellencie of them but also because they vnderprop our precious faith Are wee not made in a double respect by them partakers of the diuine nature 1. that as in regard God is ioyfull and chearefull we are also become comfortable and replenished with spiritual ioy 2. That as be ceaseth from sin and is continually occupied in well doing so we learne thereby in our measure and maner to die the death of sinne and to liue the lâ—fe of righteousnes What other men may think I know not but to me it seemeth that God thus in his worde setting promises against sin mindeth nothing els but to shew that as sin is it that most stingeth the conscience so the meane to heale that byting as if it were the brasen Serpent set vp to cure the bytinges of fierie Serpents to bring comfort against the same is the promises of God propounded vnto vs in the word and selt in our hearts by faith And this is so plaine and euident a truth that euen there where God seemeth most to terrifie I meane in denouncing the threats of his law or iudgments against sinne he yet thinketh vpon not only his mercy in himselfe but as it is manifested vnto men he euen there either plainly expressing promises of blessing grace and fauor or els
of a thing that is not remembred For our owne parts let vs know that as Sathan laboureth to root out of our hearts generally all the seede of the worde that thereby keeping vs in blindnesse and ignorance hee maie make vs runne riot at his pleasure so especially he trauaileth either to hinder vs from receiuing or hauing receiued from making good vse of the sweet comfortable promises of the worde the verie matter if I may so saie and a speciall meane I am sure of our spirituall comforte For the redressing and repressing also of which enormities in vs a godly man that is in some sorte ignorant should laboure to abound in the knowledge of them as he that is forgetfull should refresh his memorie by often reading meditation and cōference in them and that not onely by and with his owne heart but euen by other men also and they that want feeling of them should looke vnto Iesus Christ in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen and should be much and often in the vse of all the meanes wherby Christ is become ours as the word sacraments praier sasting c. But aboue all they should regard and labour for the holie spirit to be shed abroad in their hearts both to make all these things before named powerfull in them and to pledge vp also the truth and certaintie of the promises themselues because it is the carnest pennie of our adoption and inheritance That so sith sathan there laboureth to assault vs most and shake our faith as in that behalfe wee might thither bring all our aides and defences as they doe that are in a besieged hold and so we better made able not onely to indure the assault but to driue our foes with their forces from our gates walles And hee or shee or they whosoeuer that can do this they maie wel assure their hearts that howsoeuer they maie now then or for a while be buffeted beaten yet they shal neuer be vanquished or ouercome because he that is in thē with them for thē by himself his blessed spirit and all other effectuall meanes of consolation and comfort is stronger greater than al. Secondly it is verie fit and meet for confutation of a conceit that riseth vp in mens minds yea is deliuered also by the mouthes of some specially our popish aduersaries who tell vs that this propounding of comfort in the promises of the Gospell acquainting the people therwith maketh mensecure carelesse But herein surely they shew themselues blinde blockish as who haue not yet learned to distinguish betweene a thing good in it selfe and mans corruption abusing that which is good They may by the selfe same reason abolish all the other parts of the word and disanull or euacuate the sacraments because infinite thousands in the world abuse them to the increase of sin and licentiousnesse in themselues yea if they will or can make frustrate Gods grace because manie turne it into wantonnes and say sith is this true that where sin hath abounded there grace hath superabounded therefore let vs continue in sinne that grace maie abound And if for or in outward things we should reason as they doe and haue it followed that so is deliuered we might easily bring all disorder and confusion into the world and ouerthrowe the whole course and rase of mankinde Some abuse drinke to drunkennes and other some meate to gluttonie and gourmandise therefore there must be no vse of meate and drinke what is this els but to starue the excellētest of Gods creatures man I meane Many abuse apparell to pride and puffing vp It were best therefore to haue men goe naked which what were it els but to become or bring in new Adamites Diuers turne magistracy authoritie into tyrannie and therefore with the Anabaptists away with all ciuill authoritie and gouerment which what were it els but to bring in Anarchie worse than tyrannie by much But to the point indeed The promises of themselues and in the seruants of GOD bring forth no such effect For as they are deliuered for the comfort and consolation of them that are afflicted and mourne in Sion as may appeare in euerie place where they are alledged namely in the two first verses of the 40. chapter of Isay and tend indeede to manifest Gods loue and mercy that so in the truth and performance of his word wee might bee well assured that nothing should put an eternall separatiō between him and vs that hath loued vs so tenderly and giuen vs such gracious promises of truth life So surely the doctrine euery where adioyned to those promises in the word doth plainely shew that God meaneth not to make men secure and carelesse thereby or would haue them to inferre anie such thing thereupon And therefore when in the latter end of the sixt chapter of the second epistle to the Corinth hee had alledged manie promises of peace goodnes he beginneth the seuenth Chapter thus Seeing thē wee haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all fi lt hines of the flesh the spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God And the like he doth in the second chapter of the second epistle to Timothy saying The strong foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his but withall let euery one that calleth vpon the name of Christ depart frō iniquity And let this suffice for these wordes of the 28. vers with the rest I cannot proceed because we haue been somewhat long and as I am wearie in my selfe so am I loath to bee troublous or tedious vnto you God may be pleased hereafter to giue both occasion time and place to pursue these things and to finish the residue In the meane while it shall not bee amisse in a word or two to apply that hath been saide to our persent assemblie and causes thereof and so to shut vp this exercise The causes that haue moued vs thereto are great grieuous iniquities preuailing vpon al euery one of vs the heauie rod of penurie and scarsity that ouerfloweth the land warres and rumors of warres and the same intended and threatned against vs both outward and inward at home and abroad To diuert or turne away the punishments for our sinnes and the iudgements that wee confesse and acknowledge we haue iustly deserued therefore no outwarde thing will serue though it bee neuer so great glittering or seeme neuer so pleasant or painefull but soundnes of heart and humble walking with our God in all our waies and all the dayes of our liues To this we haue been exhorted and prouoked by manifolde good meanes and namely by propounding singular comforts and consolations which the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs the better to meet with our backwardnes from approching to him wee being sometimes discouraged from doing of that dutie by his almightie greatnes and excellencie and sometimes let from it by the consideration of our owne base and vnworthie estate But yet sith hee hath so louingly and fatherly called vs and for our better incouragement giuen vs gracious promises let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith our inward parts being pure from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water And so no doubt the punishments wee presently feele shal be remooued the feare of our foes at home and abroad shall be put farre away and wee shall not need to dread the curses of that Balaam of Rome not the vaunts and attempts of that proud and persecuting notion of Spaine nor of anie other our enemies bodily or ghostly because that our consciences being quieted with the comforta blefeeling of all Gods fauours and specially of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules wee may comfortably say as the saithfull that haue gone before vs haue done I will not bee afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Nay though I should walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will yet feare none ill for thou art with mee thy rod and thy staffe they comforte mee Yea that wee are perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now let vs pray that God would giue a rich and plentifull blessing in our seuerall hearts to al the good things that haue been deliuered vnto vs at this time and let vs humbly intreat him to make them profitable in vs not onely for this present but for all the daies of our liues to his glorie and our euerlasting comforte thorowe Christ FINIS
as mournefully vtter that sorrowfull voyce Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death His other name Christ and his stately offices of King Priest and Prophet contayned in it and vnder it set out vnto vs what doe they else but proue this point For why was he all in all but to giue vs to vnderstand that as all was in him so all must be fette from him or else it coulde no where be sound And though it bee true that diuers persons had as some one or other of those names for example Iehoshua so one or diuers of those offices vpon them at one the selfe same time as Melchisedech if you will yet neither had they all or if they had them they had them but as figures of him whose person and place they did for a while represent and those graces also they had in measure whereas in him they were in all fulnesse that so of his fulnes we might all receiue euen grace for grace that is aboundance of grace and yet when he hath giuen vs all that wee haue hee hauing neuer a whit the lesse in himselfe And this very thing haue all the godly in all ages felt in themselues and confessed before others that so if it were possible they might be made partakers with them of the selfe same comfort Abraham saith Christ in the Gospel after Iohn chap. 8. reioyced to see my day and indeed saw it and was glad Christ meaning thereby that the aboundant riches of Gods grace that was in him was made manifest in all former ages the fathers by the eye of fayth as the Apostle plainely sheweth it Hebr. 11. seeing in the promises that he shoulde come of whome also as they did very ioyfully lay hold on by fayth so in respect of him and the sweetnes of his promises they contemned all outward things And Dauid no doubt of it in many places fetteth out this grace and feeling to haue bin in himselfe and he to haue found fauour with the Lord as in regard of comfortable assurance of this matter How gloriously in many places of the Gospelles doth Peter the rest of the Apostles acknowledge it In the 16. Chapter of this Gospell in the great varietie of opinions that was amongst men concerning Christ some saying he was Elias some Ieremias or one of the Prophets Peter in his owne name and in the name of the rest being demaunded what they thought answered for them all Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Which what was it else but to acknowledge that in him alone and in none other was the fulnesse of all goodnesse trueth life comfort or whatsoeuer else we can thinke of or reckon vp And in the sixt of the Gospel after Iohn where it is shewed that euen for some points of doctrine which our Sauiour Christ did deliuer but were not rightly vnderstood many of his disciples went backe and walked no more with him Christ demaunding of the twelue whether they also woulde goe away Peter answered as he was alwayes a forward fellow Master to whom shall wee goe as if hee shoulde say certainly we cannot tell Thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and know that thou art that Christ that Sonne of the liuing God But amongest all others yea aboue the rest as seemeth to me the Apostle Paul is most plaine and plentifull in this poynt whose seuerall sentences recorded in his holy Epistles concerning this matter would make almost a volume But let vs take one or two in steede of all the rest In his first Epistle to the Corinthians and first Chapter thereof towards the ende he saith concerning Christ and for the body of the faithfull that he is made of God vnto vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption meaning thereby that all euen the chiefest graces that we can wish or would haue as true and heauenly wisedome absolute righteousnesse euen before God houest and holy life in the sight of men and deliueraunce from all sinne and all miseries and calamities whatsoeuer are to be found onely in him and no where else And in the Epistle to the Colossians once or twice for fayling he saith that it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnes dwell chap. 1. And in the 2. chap. he saith that in him dwelleth the fulnes of the Godhead bodily meaning thereby that he was replenished not onely with most plentifull but with infinite aboundance of all things both diuine and humane he being not onely most perfect in himselfe and passing all other things but teaching his that whosoeuer hath him neede require nothing more Yea that we might see in him what wee our selues should striue vnto euen euery one of vs as in regard of our owne parte or feeling hee doth not onely tell vs comfortable things 1. Tim. 1. but setteth a worthy preface before it saying This is a true saying and worthy by all meanes to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefe Neither neede wee to thinke this strange that godly men haue euery where acknowledged it for euen the diuelles and wicked men conuicted with the euidence and clearenesse of this trueth haue bin constrayned though it haue bin full sore against their willes but for the further increase of their condemnation to confesse it saying What haue we to doe with thee O Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And this is it also that S. Iames meaneth when he sayth of thē the deuilles beleeue tremble And surely God himselfe doth not obscurely but most plainely rather propound this point both in the giuing of his gracious promises concerning Christ and in the reiterating of them also because as the Apostle saith In Christ Iesus all the promises of God are yea and Amen As for example when to our first parents after the fall hee sayth the seede of the woman shall breake or bruise the serpents head And when to Abraham he sayth in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Which he doth repeat in Genesis twise or thrise at the least for sayling and the Apostle doth notably expound it in his Epistle to the Galathians saying in thy seed as of one which one is Christ That so in the particularizing of it wee might see still this to be most true that no where we can seeke for or find sound consolation but in him alone Which also may yet further appeare by this that God the Father hath not onely prouided for the continuance and conueyance of this trueth ouer or vnto men by the audible voice of preaching in the publicke ministery of the Gospell teaching them to sound and to publish it saying This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him but hath offered to seale it vp in the heartes and consciences of them by instituting ordayning certaine visible signes and Sacraments both in the