to God in these words Cast me not away from thy presence And what addeth he And take not thy holy Spirit from me Had he not lost the Spirit by his adultery and murther No for he would not haue said then Take it not from me but Restore it to me It is true that he vseth the like in the verse following Râ—store me to the ioy of thy saluation Not that he wanted the Spirit wholly but that the Spirit lacked force in him and needed strengthening and fortification it would be stirred vp that the flame of it might appeare Therefore I say in that Dauid speaketh so plainly after his adulterie and murther Take not thy Spirit from me it is a certaine argument that the faithfull haue neuer the Spirit of God alwaies taken from them in their greatest dissolutions The second point is this How proue I that these sparkles are not idle though the outward effects be interrupted As Dauid felt this in his conscience so euery one of you may feele it in your owne consciences The Spirit of God in mans heart cannot be idle but these sparkles during the time that the bodie is let loose to all dissolutions these sparkles are accusing thy dissolution are finding fault with thy manners these sparkles suffer thee not to take the pleasure of thy bodie without great bitternesse and continuall remorse And these sparkles where they are will make the soule wherein they dwell to vtter these speeches at one time or other once in the twenty-foure houres Alas I am doing the euill which I would not do if I had power or strength to resist my affection if I might be master of my affections I would not for all the world do the euill which I do Againe if I had power to do the good which I would do I would not leaue it vndone for all the world So these sparkles though they haue not such force and strength presently as to resist the affection abstaine from doing euill deeds yet perpetually in the heart they are finding fault with thy corruption and suffer thee not to take thy pleasure without paine but last of all force thee to vtter these speeches If I had strength to resist I would not do the euill which I do Where these speeches are no question they are the words of a soule which the Lord hath begun to sanctifie and being once sanctified in despite of the diuell and of the corruption that is in vs this faith shall neuer perish but if the whole soule without contradiction with a greedy appetite and pleasure be carried to euill and hath no sorrow for it that soule is in an ill estate I can looke for nothing in such a soule but death except the Lord of his great mercie preuent it But where this remorse and sorrow and such speeches are in the soule that soule in the time that God hath appointed shall recouer strength The Lord shall neuer suffer those sparkes to be wholly taken away but in his owne time he shall fortifie them and make them to breake out before the world in good works The Lord in his owne time will sanctifie them he will scatter the ashes of corruption stirre vp the sparkles and make them to breake out into a better life then euer they did before as ye may cleerely see that Dauids repentance hath done more good to the God then if he had neuer fallen Thus farre concerning the effects Though the effects of repentance be interrupted yet those sparkles are not extinguished For there is no man will thinke that the fire which is couered with ashes is extinguished but being stirred vp in the morning it will burne as cleerely as it did the night before There is no man will think the trees that now in the time of Winter want leaues fruite and externall beauty to be dead There is no man will thinke the Sunne to be out of the firmament though it be ouershadowed with a clowde of darkenesse and mist. There is great difference betweene a sleeping disease and death for men are not dead though they be sleeping and yet there is nothing liker vnto death then sleepe As there is great difference betwixt a drunken man and a dead man so there is great oddes betwixt the faith that lieth hid for a while and vttereth not it selfe and the light that is vtterly put out When we breake not forth into outward deedes God forbid that we should thinke that these sparkles are whollie extinguished Indeede the soule which is visited after foule and haynous backslidings from his calling and against his knowledge before this soule recouer the former beauty it is in a strange danger For if the Lord suffer thy corruption to get loose in such sort that it carry thee as it will and by all meanes possible maketh thee to labour to put out the sparkles of regeneration when the Lord beginnes to challenge thee or to make thee reÌ„der an account of this life past the soule of that man when it is challenged is in great danger So that no question when the Lord beginnes to lay to your charge your dissolute life the contempt and abuse of your calling assuredly your soules are so neere to the bâ—inke of desperation that there can be nothing neerer For wilt thou looke to God Thou wilt see nothing but his anger kindled as a fire against thee Wilt thou looke to thy selfe Thou wilt see nothing but sin prouoking his anger thou wilt see the contempt and abuse of thy calling enlarging his anger thou wilt see nothing but matter of despaire And what is the best pillar and surest retreat whereupon such a soule that is so neere to the brinke of desperation may repose I will shew you the helpe whereupon When thou art assaulted by all the greatest tentations thou canst imagine when there is nothing before thee but death when thou seest the diuell accusing thee thine owne conscience bearing him witnes against thee thy life accusing thee and the abuse of thy calling accusing thee whither shalt thou go Looke backe againe to thy forepast experience cast ouer thy memorie and remember if God at any time and in any measure hath loued thee if euer thou hast felt the loue and fauour of God in thy heart and conscience Remember if euer the Lord hath so disposed thy heart that as he loued thee thou louedst him and hadst a desire to obtaine him Remember if euer the Lord hath so disposed thy heart that as he loued thee thou louedst him hadst a desire to obtaine him Remember this and repose thine assurance on this that as he loued thee once he will loue thee euer and will assuredly restore thee to that loue before thou departest this life The heart that felt once this loue of God shall feele it againe and looke what gift or grace or what taste of the power of the world to come that euer the Lord gaue to his creatures in this life to
that same degree of mercy he shall restore his creature before it depart this life So the soule that is tossed with high assaults and great dangers where present things will not helpe it is necessary that it haue recourse vnto things past and keepe in memory the fore-past experience of mercy which the Lord hath freely shewed towards that soule This same memory shall be so pleasant to the soule that it shall stay it presently from desperation and vphold it vnto the time the Lord pacifie that heart and giue comfort to that soule which being done that soule shall see that howsoeuer God was angry he was angry onely for a while I speake these things not that I thinke that euery one of you hath tasted of them yet in some measure the seruants of God must taste of them and ye that haue not tasted of them may taste of them before ye die And therefore whether ye haue tasted or not tasted of them it cannot be but profitable for you to locke vp this lesson in your hearts and remember it faithfully that if the Lord at any time strike at your hearts ye may remember and say with your selues I learned a lesson To looke backe vnto my forepast experience and thereon to repose And though ye be not touched presently your selues yet when ye visite them that are troubled in conscience let these things be proposed to them as comforts vse them as medicines most meete to apply to the griefe of the inward conscience and so ye shal reape fruite of this doctrine and possesse your soules in a good estate Thus farre for the first point wherein euery one of you ought to try and examine your owne consciences The second point is this Try whether ye haue loue towards your neighbour or not For as we are coupled with God by faith so by the band of loue we are coupled with our neighbour For loue is the chiefe and principall branch that springs from the roote of faith Loue is that celestiall glew that conioyneth all the faithfull members in the vnity of a mysticall body And seeing that religion was instituted of God to serue as a path-way to conuey vs to our chiefe felicity happy we cannot be except we be like vnto our God like vnto him we cannot be except we haue loue For as it is 1. Iohn 4.8 God is loue So seeing God is loue it selfe whosoeuer will resemble him must be endued with the oyle of loue This onely one argument testifieth to vs that this loue is a principall head whereunto all things that are commanded in religion ought to be referred To spend long time in the praise of loue I hold it not necessary seeing the holy Scripture resounds in blasing the commendations of it but that we speake not of any thing ambiguous I will let you see how this word is considered taken in the Scriptures Loue is considered either as a spring or fountaine from whence the rest proceedes that is for the loue whereby we loue God And as loue cometh first from God and is poured by his holy Spirit into our hearts so it first redounds vpward and strikes backe vpon himselfe for the loue of God must euer goe before the loue of the creature Next we take this word for that loue whereby we loue Gods creatures our neighbours especially them that are of the family of faith And thirdly it is taken for the deedes of the second Table which flow from this loue Now when I speake of loue I speake of it as in the second signification to wit as it is taken for the loue of our neighbour And taking it so I call loue The gift of God poured into the hearts of men and women by the which gift we first loue God in Christ our Sauiour and next in God and for Gods cause we loue all his creatures but chiefly our brethren that are of the family of faith the children of one cōmon Father with vs. We will examine this definition I say first the loue of God as it cometh from God it returneth to God as it comes down from him so it strikes vpward to him againe And is it not good reason And why Let thy heart fixe thy loue as long as thou wilt vpon the creatures thou shalt neuer be satiate nor thy affections shall neuer be content except thou lay hold on God but if once thou loue God in thy heart and cast thy affections vpon him once takest hold on him the longer thou louest him the greater safetie and contentment shalt thou haue thou shalt not thirst for any other For as to the creatures there is neuer a creature that God hath created but it is stamped with his owne stampe and euery creature beareth his Image and looking to the Image of God in the creature should it not draw thee to him that thou fixe not thy heart vpon the creature For his owne Image in his creature should leade thee to himselfe And therefore the more that thou knowest the creatures and the greater varietie of knowledge that thou hast of them the more should euery particular knowledge of them draw thee to God and the more shouldest thou wonder at thy God and know thy dutie towards him And seeing that delight floweth from knowledge and euery knowledge hath his owne delight as the varietie of knowledge that ariseth from the creature should make the mind to mount vp to the knowledge of God so the varietie of delights that arise vpon the diuersitie of this knowledge should moue the heart vpward to the loue of God and the heart getting hold of God and being seised with the loue of God and the mind being occupied with the true knowledge of God so soone as heart and mind is full of God the heart is quiet and the mind is satisfied So that the more this knowledge groweth in the mind the greater contentment thou hast and the more the loue of God groweth in thy heart the greater ioy and reioycing hast thou in thy soule And why In God ye haue not onely all the creatures but ye haue himselfe beside the creatures and therefore in God ye haue all the knowledge and delight that can arise of the creatures and besides the creatures ye haue God himselfe who is the Creator And so I say the minde of man can neuer quiet it selfe in the knowledge nor the heart can neuer settle it selfe in the loue of naked creatures in respect they are flowing and vanitie as Salomon calleth them But in the infinite God rightly knowne and earnestly loued the mind shall finde a full rest and the heart shall haue a perfect ioy For our affection is so insatiable that no finite thing will satisfie it nor there can be no solide setling vpon the thing that is transitorie So the loue ought to mount vpward first to God in whose face the heart shall find full and perfect ioy The second argument
that I vse is this Seeing there is onely one precept left by our Master in recommendation to be obserued by vs namely That euery one of vs should loue another therefore our wise Master vnderstanding well that where loue was there needed no more lawes that the life of man by loue onely behooued to be most happie left onely the same in chiefe recommendation and taketh vp the whole Law and Gospell in one word Loue. And if the heart of man were endued with loue his life might be most happy and blessed for there is nothing maketh this life happie but the resemblance and likelihood that we haue with God The neerer we draw to God the more blessed is our life for there cannot be so happie a life as the life of God In the first Epist. of Iohn 4.8 God is loue therefore the more we are in loue the more neere we are to that happie life for we are in God and partakers of the life of God When I speake this ye must not thinke that loue in God and loue in vs is one thing for loue is but a qualitie in vs and it is not a qualitie in God There is nothing in God but that which is God so loue in God is his owne essence therefore the more that ye grow in loue the neerer ye draw to God and to that happie and blessed life For there is nothing more profitable more agreeable conuenient vnto nature then to loue and aboue all things to loue God And therefore it is that God and his Angels are most happie and blessed because they loue all things and desire euer to do good On the other side there is nothing more vnhappie nothing more noysome more hurtful that eateth vp nature more then to burne with enuie and hatred and therefore it is that the diuels are most miserable who torment themselues with continuall malice and hatred burning with a vehement appetite to be noysome vnto all creatures So as the life of the diuel is most vnhappie because he is full of enuie and malice so our life will be most happie if we be full of loue I will no further speake of loue Onely if ye haue loue marke the effects of it set downe 1. Cor. 13.4.5.6.7 verses which effects if ye haue not in some measure ye haue not true loue I end here Ye see in what points euery one of you ought to be prepared Ye must be endued with this loue and ye must be endued with faith and if ye haue these in any small measure go boldly to the hearing of the word and to the receiuing of the Sacraments This is the preparation that we allow of I grant the Papists haue a preparation far differing from this and therefore they can haue no warrant from the word of God Last of all seeing that we are commanded to trie our selues he that lacketh knowledge cannot trie himselfe a mad man cannot trie himselfe a child cannot trie himselfe therefore they ought not to come to the Lords Table All these things being considered aright he that hath faith and loue in any kind of measure let him come to the Table of the Lord. And all these things serue as well for the hearing of the word fruitfully as for the receiuing of the Sacrament Therefore the Lord of his mercy illuminate your minds and worke some measure of faith loue in your hearts that ye may be partakers of that heauenly life offered in the word and Sacraments that ye may begin your heauen here and obtaine the full fruition of the life to come and that in the righteous merits of Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glorie both now and for euer Amen THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERALL 1. COR. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betrayed tooke Bread c. THere is nothing in this woâ—ld nor out of the world more to be wished of euery one of you more to be craued and sought of euery one of you then to be conioyned with Christ Iesus then once to be made one with the God of glorie Christ Iesus This heauenly and celestiall coniunction is purchased brought about by two speciall meanes It is brought about by meanes of the word and preaching of the Gospell and it is brought about by the meanes of the Sacraments and ministration thereof The word leadeth vs to Christ by the eare the Sacraments leade vs to Christ by the eye two senses of all the rest which God hath chosen as most meete for this purpose to instruct vs and bring vs vnto Christ. For that doctrine must be most effectuall and mouing that wakeneth and stirreth vp most the outward senses that doctrine that wakeneth not onely the eare but the eye the taste the feeling and all the rest of the outward senses must moue the heart most must be most effectuall and piercing in the soule But so it is that this doctrine of the Sacraments moueth stirreth vp and wakeneth most the outward senses therefore it must be if we come well prepared vnto it most effectuall to stir vp the inward senses of the dull heart But there is a thing that ye must euer remember there is no doctrine neither of the simple word nor yet of the Sacraments if Christ abstract his holy Spirit that is able to moue therefore when euer ye come to heare the doctrine whether it be of the Sacraments or of the simple word craue of God that he would be present by his holy Spirit or otherwise all the doctrine in the earth will not auaile you Alwayes this doctrine of the Sacraments stirres vp and wakens most the outward senses there is no question therefore but it is an effectuall and potent instrument to waken prepare and stirre vp our hearts Then to let you see what the word Sacrament meaneth and to remoue the ambiguity of it it is certaine and out of all question that the Latine Diuines who were most ancient did interpret the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word Sacrament and they vsed the Greeke word not onely to signifie the whole action of the Supper of the Lord and the whole action of Baptisme but they vsed the word Mystery to signifie whatsoeuer is darke and hid in it selfe and not frequented in the coÌ„mon vse of men as after this manner the Apostle calleth the vocation of the Gentiles a mystery This coniunction which is begun here betwixt vs Christ is called a mystery the Latine Interpreters call it a Sacrament to be short ye wil not find in the book of God a word more frequent then the word Mystery But as for the word Sacrament wherby they interprete the Greeke word we find not this word by the same Diuines to be taken so largely neither is
many euill men that haue sought death and it is as true that there haue bene many good men that haue sought death yet neuer one of these sought death for it selfe for it is not naturall to seeke the dissolution of our selues But these euill men that sought death and put hand on themselues in their appearance they sought it for a better to wit to eschue the present torment and vexation of hell in their conscience wherein they were thinking that their miserable soule being out of the body should be at greater libertie then if it were detained in this prison But they are all deceiued For suppose hell be begun here yet it is not in a full measure vntill this life be done and so the miserable caitife deceiueth himselfe On the other side there haue bene good men that haue sought death but not for it selfe but for a better If they knew not felt not that there were a better life to follow after death they would not seeke it but by reason they see there is a greater ioy to follow after it therefore they regard not to taste in some measure for the present of the bitternesse of death It it true againe I grant that death vnto thee who art a Christian is sanctified in the death of our maister and Sauiour Christ Iesus for blessed is the death of them that die in the Lord. But suppose the death be sanctified yet thou art not wholly sanctified for if thou were as sanctified as the death thou wouldst not haue such a thing as terror paine or griefe in thy death But seeing in the best of vs all there is a remnant of corruption would to God it were but a remnant so thicke and foule that it is shame to speake of it this corruption vrgeth the conscience so that where the conscience is vrged there must be a feare and the more the conscience be vrged the greater is the paine and terror It is true that this feare is tempered by faith that dwelleth in the soule and the hope of ioy that dwelleth in the faithfull soule holdeth this feare in awe that hope of heauenly ioy so swalloweth vp and deuoureth the feare and maketh it to appeare to the looker on that the soule hath no feare but no doubt there is a feare and it is sure there is some griefe It is onely as I haue said the hope of that heauenly ioy that holdeth this feare in awe where this hope is not terrible is that feare wonderfull are these terrours great is that anguish of soule that is there so that I cannot find names to expresse it Terrible it is to see the countenance of God in his iustice there is no creature that can abide it Terrible it is to see their owne sinnes present themselues the ouglinesse and guiltinesse of sinne And beside all these to be left destitute of hope it is not the least part of their grief and yet this is not regarded For men will not rise to get faith if it should cost them but an houre they will not come to heare the word This is a wonderfull and miserable madnesse that is in the soule of man that he will neuer prouide for hell vntill hell catch him Now to come to our purpose the lesse the corruptions be the lesse must be the feare Wherein then should your exercise stand should ye not studie to diminish this corruption For he that would be voide of feare must trauell to diminish this corruption that the conscience may be cleane and ye may haue a good testimonie which maketh men to be without terrour For as long as the loue of this world and of worldly things occupieth our soule it is not possible that it can be without feare For why there is no heart that can willingly part with the thing that it loueth without exceeding sorrow and griefe Then we should trauell to take order with these affections and loue to worldly things but so farre as they may serue to the loue of God and in God to loue our selues and our neighbour that when he calleth no strange loue may draw vs from him There is a common law in all cities concerning the forbidden goods which are discharged plainly to be carried out of the country where we are presently and suppose they were carried they can serue to no vse in the countrey whither we go To let you see the exposition of the Parable I say the loue of this world the cares thereof the loue of the flesh and the lusts thereof are these forbidden goods which serue to no vse in the countrey whither we go yea they are plainly forbidden by the King of the countrey For the heart which is replenished with these shall haue no entrie there There is a plaine discharge sounded concerning these goods that we cleanse our hearts of them and prepare our selues to bring those commodities with vs that agree with the nature of that countrie Let vs make vs for the loue of God and of our neighbour and let vs cast off all contrarie loue onely let vs loue God and in God let vs loue our neighbour Now if I might obtaine this one lesson for all the rest I would thinke my trauell verie well bestowed and therefore I insist so much the more in it that it may sinke into your hearts Now then this good King feareth which telleth me that in all Christians there is some feare I come to the next what saith he in his trouble and perturbation The effect of the thing he saith is this First he saith He saw his owne death prepared for him Next because he was troubled with it and cast in a great perturbation he subioyneth the reasons why he was so grieued And as I may gather them they are three in number But ere I come to the reasons I will tell you his owne words which he said in time of his trouble he said I shall go downe to the gates of the graue I am drawing neare to the gates of death For so soone as I heard the Prophet say that I should die so soone I began to prepare me for it for if all threatnings come to passe as the Prophet hath said if I find no outgate in the mercie of God I must die For this I know that I am a mortall man and suppose I be a King and a glorious King yet I am not exempted from death and therefore I will prepare me for it He knew wel that suppose he made himselfe readie he was not one haire nearer to death Now surely if ye would follow this King ye would be a thousand times readier and more able to liue then ye are in your diseases But ye are cast vp in such a daintie and delicate fashion that no man will suffer to heare of death saying It is a thing that will further man to die But I say the contrarie and the Spirit of God saith the contrarie I say the readier ye be
is onely true peace and quietnesse to be found Therefore our exercise should chiefly stand in this to expell this enemy and monster sinne and to possesse that sauing iuice and wholsome peace that passeth all vnderstanding The second effect whereby we may know that the soule liueth is the ioy and reioycing vnder trouble For we know by experience that trouble of it owne nature cannot bring forth this ioy but bringeth forth the contrary effects as sadnesse heauinesse and sorrow Now where the Spirit is so disposed that we reioyce vnder trouble this is a sure argument of the blessed Spirit the Spirit of life which onely quickneth the soule and this ioy maketh vs not onely to reioyce in trouble but to glory also as sayth the Apostle For surely the crosse of Christ is our onely ioy the shame of Christ is our onely honour Hereby we perceiue the great glory that the Lord hath called vs to that not onely he maketh vs to beleeue his word but to suffer for him also onely ye haue to take heede to your troubles For this ioy accompanieth not all troubles but onely those troubles that are suffred for Christs cause for righteousnesse sake are vnderserued For those troubles that are deserued the like ioy is not to be found in them The third effect whereby we may know that the soule liueth is the loue of God and hatred of euill Where this loue is kindled in the soule where we beginne to know God to loue him and to taste of him for it is not possible that we can loue him except we haue a taste of his sweetnesse this loue make vs like to God for God is loue as Iohn saith If loue dwell in thine heart God dwelleth in thine heart and this loue is a sure pledge of the life of the soule where this loue is of necessity also there must be a hatred of euill Now trie and examine if the Spirit of life hath wrought these effects in thy soule in any measure if it were neuer so small it is a sure argument that this life is begunne and the life which God hath begunne he will perfect it If the loue of God were neuer so litle and the hatred of euill were neuer so little if any of these effects were but in a small measure ye may be sure that Christ dwelleth in your hearts by faith and that the soule liueth Ye that feele this as I would that ye all felt it prease to nourish and strengthen this life not weary in well doing but go forward in working the works of the Spirit Sow not in the flesh go not forward in the lusts and appetites thereof for ye may learne of the Apostle what aduantage this labour bringeth to wit shame and confusion death of the body and death of soule Rom. 6. But on the contrary go forward in nourishing of the Spirit and in well doing Sow in the Spirit and as the Apostle sayth ye shall reape an euerlasting and incomprehensible life This Spirit then is said to be nourished and corroborate in our hearts when we nourish the light and knowledge of God in Christ Iesus when we edifie our selues in our most holy faith and continue in the exercise of prayer As by the contrary we banish this light of the good Spirit and by our euill doing we banish the knowledge of God in Christ whē we put out this light diminish our perswasion and leaue off the exercise of prayer For by the same meanes whereby the soule liueth they being remoued the soule dieth Therfore those that would liue this way they ought to nourish the knowledge of God they ought to be exercised in well doing in hearing of Gods word in edifying them in their most holy faith and in continuall crauing of grace and mercy by prayer Now the King sayth he hath this life and he hath experience of the good word in this for I take this to be a different life from the other whereof he spake before to wit this is the life of the soule which proceedeth of the word of promise for this word is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue Rom. 1. Set your hearts saith Moses Deut. 32 vpon this word for it is not a vaine word it is your life and felicity The words which I speake sayth our Master Iohn 6. are Spirit life And from this Iohn calleth him the word of life the bread of life Peter saith whom shall we go to for in thee are the words of life It is he that hath life in himselfe Iohn 5. From this also it is said 1. Cor. 15. that as the first Adam was made a liuing soule so the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit and by reason we are made participant of this spirit by the ministery of his word therefore it is called the word of the Spirit by the same reason we that are his Ministers are counted the Ministers of the Spirit as the Apostle calleth vs 2. Cor. 3. They that would reade further of the praise of this word I remit them to the 19. Psalme where the properties of this word are exactly set downe I will end here Who so looketh vpon the precious effects of this word and on the other side looketh vpon our vnhappy behauior I am assured it would astonish any Christian heart to behold how the Lord can suffer our contempt so long as he doth For formerly whereas there was skarsly crummes of this bread of life to be had in this countrie men sought it out diligently and ran to haue it with such zeale that they compassed both sea and land they spared neither trauell nor cost but forcibly as it were thronged and thrusted in and made irruption in this kingdome But now when it hath pleased the Lord to offer vnto vs great plentie of this foode we so despise the bountie and liberality of this good God that we turne this great grace and mercie of his into iudgement and vengeance vpon our owne heads And as to the greatest part of the multitude they disdain it so spitefully that they had rather embrace the leauen of the Pharisies and draw them to that company where they can haue no other foode but songes maskes mummings and vnknowne Languages And so thinke to feed their soules by the mockery of God Now as to the Gentlemen Earles Lords and Barrons they are so drunken with sacrilegde that ere they will part with these goods they had rather part with the life of their soule yea when it cometh to this that the word cannot be entertained but by their expences they make no choyse but had rather lose their soules an hundred times ere they would bestow a halfepenny vpon the Church This is true in the greatest part so it is the Lord that wonderfully continueth the light amongst vs that keepeth a face of a ministery in Scotland There is no good entertainment but a very great pouerty in the most part
THE WAY TO TRVE PEACE AND REST. DELIVERED AT EDINBOROVGH In XVI Sermons on the Lords Supper Hezechiahs Sicknesse and other select Scriptures By that reuerend faithfull Preacher of Gods word Mr. ROBERT BRVCE for the present Minister of the Word in Scotland Dulcia non meruit qui non gustauit amara IOHN 10.27.28 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand LONDON Printed by R. Field for Thomas Man and Ionas Man dwelling in Pater-noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1617. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL MAISTER ADRIAN MOORE Esquire c. And to the no lesse religious and vertuous Gentlewoman Mistresse MARIE MOORE his Wife Patrones of Piety all peace and happiness in both Worlds RIght Worshipfull It must not seeme strange vnto you that a new occasion hath made also a new change of stile since occasion daily sheweth so many changes in the world Amongst all which alterations I must beg of you still to continue your countenance vnto these few plaine homely Sermons In token that no change I hope so long as I liue shall keepe me from manifesting vnto the world as all occasions shall serue how much in dutie I am bound to your true vnfeined loue and vndeserued fauours to me the vnworthiest of all For which I can but wish you to be euer attended with those two faithfull companions of the Saints peace of conscience and ioy in the holie Ghost and at the last to haue a speedie hearing when your Spirits shall faile to transport them into Abrahams bosome there to enioy eternall and vnspeakeable rest for euer and euer Yours in all dutie much and euer bound I. H. TO THE READER GEntle Reader The Author of these Sermons not being present at their going to the presse againe to reuiew and correct them I doubted whether in these learned and curious dayes such homely lines as these might not be distastfull amongst such multitudes of learned ones euery where swarming in the presse so much the rather since their Author hath euer thought so meanly of himselfe that no worke of his could be worthie of the presse Notwithstanding since the importunitie of many did long since as it were wring and extort these few Sermons from him in the beginning of his ministerie before things could be so well ripely and methodically digested as possibly he could haue wished if now they were to do I haue made bold also once againe to send them vnto thy view chiefly to the hungrie Because as Salomon speaketh he who is full despiseth an honie combe but to the afflicted soule euery soure thing is sweete The first fiue on the Lords Supper were englished by a late Gentleman of worthie memorie M. S. Mitchell who was gathered to his fathers before he could see them at the presse the rest were perused and englished by another friend All the care and paines taken hath bene for Gods glorie and thy good If it please thee now therefore to vse Philips counsell to Nathaniel and see whether any good things come out of Nazareth it may be thou shalt not thinke thy paines and time lost which that thou mayest the sooner do I ceasse to trouble thee remaining Thine in the Lord Iesus I. H. The Contents and substance of the Sermons following SERMON I. Out of 1. Cor. 11.28 Intreating of preparation to the Lords Supper Sheweth that a man must make this triall in his conscience The Definition of conscience the causes why conscience was by God left in vs The way how to keepe a good conscience In what things we must chiefly examine our consciences how to trie our peace with God and loue with our neighbours of mans first miserie and recouerie and so how faith is wrought in the heart how it is nourished in vs. SERM. II. Out of 1. Cor. 11.28 Intreating of Preparation to the Lords Supper Sheweth how a sincere faith is knowne that he who for Christ can renounce himselfe cannot be disappointed of his expectation That faith is the free gift of God Certaine effects whereby we may know if we haue faith That because it is ioyned with doubting it must be nourished That faith and doubting may lodge in one soule That a faith mingled and maistered with much doubting is yet a true faith That faith smothered yet is not extinguished A sure rest in the most dangerous tentations The definition of loue what our loue vnto God and our neighbour is SERM. III. Out of 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacraments in generall Sheweth the definition and diuerse acceptions of the word Sacrament what the signes in the Sacrament are why they are called signes what the thing signified in the Sacrament is The necessitie of the application thereof How the signe and the thing signified are ioyned together The Illustration of this Coniunction what considerations are needefull when the Signe and the thing signified are giuen and receiued The other part of a Sacrament which is the word To what vses the Sacrament serueth vs more then the word Faults which peruert the Sacrament c. SERM. IIII. Out of 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Sheweth the diuerse Names both in the Scriptures and by the Ancients giuen vnto this Sacrament of the Lords Supper The ends why this Sacrament was instituted The things both outward and inward contained in this Sacrament That the things signified in both Sacraments are one but the signes are not one why in Baptisme there is but one signe and in the Lords Supper two What power and perpetuity the bread hath to be a signe How the Signes the thing signified are conioyned in the Sacrament How the Signe and the thing signified is receiued What inconueniences are cast in by the Papists against this spirituall receiuing of Christ in the Sacrament How the soule is said to eate the body and drink the blood of Christ. Faith is that which coupleth vs to Christ. A similitude explaining the same SERM. V. Out of the 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacrament of the Lord Supper Sheweth our vnion with Christ by vertue of communion of the same Spirit The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Why this Sacrament is called a seale Why a holy seale Why the seale is said to be annexed to the Couenant Why the Sacrament should be administred publikely Why this seale must be ministred according to Christs institution That the word and element must concurre in the institution of a Sacrament What we meane by the word in a Sacrament what the Papists vnderstand by the word in this action and our differences from them How the outward Elements are sanctified How the Papists sanctifie these Elements The refutatiō of Transubstantiatiō by diuerse arguments The reasons why the Papists cannot thinke Christs body present in the Sacrament vnlesse it be really and substantially present The
euery yeare of thy whole life For that conscience that should rest for euer with the liuing God that conscience â—hich must euer behold the face of the Sonne of God it cannot be ouer-well cleansed we cannot looke ouer-narrowly to it The more curious we be in searching out of this conscience we are the better occupied I spake of our owne consciences I speake not of our neighbours Thirdly I come to the points wherein euery one of you should trie examine your selues Euery one of you ought to trie and examine your consciences in two things First whether thou be at peace with God who is the Lord of heauen or not Next examine thy conscience whether thou art in loue and amitie with thy neighbour or not Wouldest thou know whether thy conscience be at vnitie and peace with God or not Thou shalt know it this way the God of heauen can haue no societie nor companie with that soule which is alwaies vncleane that is euery way defiled no he cannot Now I speake not so precisely that I make a soule to be fully sanctified and perfectly holy in this life no in this life there are wonderfull iniquities grosse sinnes and great faults wherewith euen the righteous are defiled but this is my meaning There is no soule can be at peace with God or wherewith the Lord can haue any societie but in some measure it must be sanctified and made holy For God cannot make residence in a soule that is alwaies as a stinking dunghill and therefore of force in some measure it must be sanctified there must be so much made cleane in one corner or other of that soule wherein the Lord of heauen by his holy Spirit may make his residence Now let vs see whereby the heart is sanctified Peter Act. 15.9 saith That the soule of man is purified by faith that the heart of man is purged by faith So faith openeth and purgeth the heart By faith in Christ Iesus and in the merits of his bloud we haue peace with God Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 5.1 Now then this point cometh in That ye are to proue your selues whether ye be in the faith or not as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith Examine if your soules be seasoned with this faith for if ye haue not faith in Christ Christ is not in you and if Christ be not in you ye are in an euill state ye are in the estate of the reprobate and damned So euery one ought to looke carefully and see if he haue a beliefe in the bloud of Christ or not whether he belieue to obtaine mercy by his merits and sanctification by his bloud or not For if thou haue no measure of this faith thou hast no measure of peace with God by reason our peace with God is ingendered and groweth daily more and more by true faith in Christ. Now this faith where it is true where it is liuely and couples the heart with God as I haue alreadie said it must breake forth in word and deede it can by no meanes be held in but it will breake forth It must breake out in word in glorifying the God of heauen who hath forgiuen vs our sinnes it must breake forth in word by giuing a notable confession of those sinnes wherein we haue offended him It must breake out in deed in doing good works to testifie to the world that thing which is within thy heart to testifie to the world that thou who hast this faiâ—h art a new man that by thy good example of life and conuersation thou maist edifie thy brethren the simple ones of the Church of God and that by thy holy life thou mayest draw sinners to repentance that they seeing thy good light may be compelled to glorifie God in thee Then in the first point of triall let vs looke to these three to the heart to the mouth to the haâ—d Take heed that there be an harmonie betwixt these three for if the heart be inwardly coupled with God there is no doubt but the mouth will outwardly glorifie him and if thy heart and mouth be renewed and be one of necessity thou wilt expresse it in thy conueâ—sation There must be an agreement betwixt the heart and the hand thy conuersation must be changed with the heart and be holy honest and godly as the heart is So that if thy conuersation be good it is a sure token that thou art at one with God but if thy conuersation be not good speake what thou wilt thy heart is but defiled this true and liuely faith hath no place in it Then wouldest thou know when thou art at one with God When thy conuersation thy heart and thy mouth say all one thing then without question thou hast the worke of faith wrought by the holy Spirit in thy heart which maketh thee to be at peace with God This is the first point wherein ye should trie your selues The next point is loue ye must trie whether ye be in loue and charitie with your neighbours or not for as thou art not coupled with God but by the hand of faith so thou art not coupled with thy neighbour nor ioyned with any member of Christ in this world but by the hand of loue amity and charity Take away loue thou art not a member of this body for loue is the maister sinnew and couples all these members of Christs bodie together and makes them to grow vp in a spirituall and mysticall vnity loue is the onely marke whereby the children of God members of Christs bodie are knowne from the rest of the world loue is that holy oyle that refresheth our soules and makes vs like vnto God and the moâ—e we grow in loue the more God by his Spirit dwelleth in vs for God is loue So that except in some measure loue towards thy neighbour dwell in thy heart thou canst haue no societie with thy neighbour and far lesse with God If the manners of men were examined by this rule we should find a multitude of godlesse people in this Country who haue their hearts raging with malice one against another and where the diuell and the malicious spirit dwelleth there is no place for the holy Spirit And although the Lord hath gone about by all meanes possible early and late to instruct them and to infuse into them this precious loue and amity towards God and their neighbour and so to alter their conditions yet they will not suffer themselues to be wakened vntill the great vengeance and malediction of God fall vpon them This loue this honest and godly conuersation floweth alwaies from the roote of faith So that if thy heart haue faith in any measure be it neuer so little in that same measure thou must haue loue towards thy neighbour and this loue is neuer idle but is vttering it selfe in one effect or other And
apprehension of the meate and drinke that is the foode of the body so there is two sorts of apprehension of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus which is our meate and drinke spirituall Of meate and drinke corporall there is an apprehension by the eye and by the taste that while the meate is present vnto you on the table your eye taketh a view of that meate discerneth it and maketh choice of it and not only the eye but also the taste discerneth the meate and the taste approouing it that is called the first apprehension Now vpon this which is the first the second apprehension followeth that is after that ye haue chewed that meate swallowed it and sent it to your stomacke where it digesteth and conuerteth into your nouriture then in your stomacke ye get the second apprehension But if your eye like not that meate neither your taste like it the second apprehension followeth not for thou wilt spet it out againe or reiect it preferring some other meate vnto it that thou likest better That meate which thou likest not enters neuer into thy stomacke and so it can neuer be conuerted into thy nourishment for it is onely the second apprehension of the meate that is the cause of the nourishment of the body in our corporall foode so that if ye chew not this meate and swallow it it feeds you not then it is onely the second apprehension that nourisheth our bodies It is euen so in spirituall things so farre as they may be compared in the foode of Christ Iesus who is the life and nouriture of our soules and consciences There must be two sorts of apprehension of Christ Iesus The first apprehension is by the eye of the mind that is by our knowledge and vnderstanding for as the eye of the body discerneth by an outward light so the eye of the mind discerneth by an inward and renewed vnderstanding whereby we get the first apprehension of Christ. Now if this first apprehension of Christ like vs well then the next followeth we begin to cast the affection of our hearts on him we haue good will to him for all our affections proceede from our will and our affections being renewed and made holy we set them wholly vpon Christ. We loue him and if we loue him we take hold of him and digest him that is we apply him to our soules and so of this loue liking of him the second apprehension doth follow But if we haue no will to him if we haue no loue nor liking of him what do we Then we reiect him and preferre our owne Idoll and the seruice of our owne affections to him and so the second apprehension followeth not We cannot digest him and if we digest him not that spirituall life cannot grow in vs for marke in what place the eye serues to the bodie in the same roome serueth knowledge and vnderstanding to thy soule and looke in what place thy hand and thy mouth thy taste and thy stomacke serue vnto thy body in that very place serue the heart and affections vnto thy soule So that as our bodies cānot be nourished except our hands take and our mouthes eate the meate whereby the second apprehension may follow likewise our soules cannot feede on Christ except we hold him and embrace him heartily by our wils and affections For we come not to Christ by any outward motion of our bodies but by an inward motion apprehension of the heart For God finding vs all in a reprobate sence he bringeth vs to Christ by reforming the affection of our soules by making vs to loue him And therefore the second apprehension whereby we digest our Sauiour will neuer enter into our soules except as he pleaseth the eye so he please the will and the affection also Now if this come to passe that our wils and affections are wholly bent vpon Christ then no doubt we haue gotten this Iewell of faith Haue ye such a liking in your minds such a loue in your hearts of Christ that ye will preferre him before all things in the world then no question faith is begun in you Now after a thing is begun there is yet more required for though this faith be formed in your minds in your hearts and soules yet that is not enough but that which is formed must be nourished and he who is conceiued must be entertained and brought vp or else the loue that is begun in me by the holy Spirit except by ordinary meanes it be daily entertained and nourished it will decay except the Lord continue the working of his holy Spirit it is not possible that I can continue in the faith And how must we nourish and keepe faith in our soules Two manner of waies First we nourish faith begun in our soules by hearing of the word not of euery word but by hearing of the word of God preached and not by hearing of euery man but by hearing the word preached by him that is sent For this is the ordinarie meanes whereunto the Lord hath bound himselfe he will worke faith by the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments And the more that thou hearest the word and the otfner that thou receiuest the Sacraments the more thy faith is nourished Now it is not onely by hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments that we nourish faith The word and Sacraments are notable of themselues to nourish this faith in vs except the working of the holy Spirit be conioyned with their ministerie But the word and the Sacraments are said to nourish faith in our soules because they offer and exhibite Christ vnto vs who is the meate the drinke and life of our soules and in respect that in the word and Sacraments we get Christ who is the foode of our soules therefore the word and Sacraments are said to nourish our soules As it is said Act. 2.42 The Disciples of Christ continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship breaking of bread and prayers by these meanes entertaining augmenting and nourishing the faith that was begun in them Then the holy Spirit begets this faith workes this faith creates this faith nourisheth entertaineth this faith in our soules by hearing the word preached and by the receiuing of the Sacraments which are the ordinarie meanes whereby the Lord nourisheth vs and continueth this spirituall foode with vs. For obserue by what meanes the spirituall life is begunne by the same meanes it is nourished and entertained as this temporall life is entertained and nourished by the same means whereby it is begun Then seeing by these meanes the holy Spirit begets this worke of faith in our soules it is our duty to craue that he would continue the worke which he hath begunne And for this cause we should resort to the hearing of the word when it is preached and to the receiuing of the Sacraments when they are ministred that we may be fedde in our soules to life
of the Lords Supper is partly corporall and partly spiritual I call this action partly corporall not in respect onely that the obiects that is that bread and wine are corporall but also in respect my mouth whereunto these things are offered the instrument whereby and the manner how these things are receiued are all corporall and naturall I â—all the same action againe partly spirituall not onely in respect of Christ Iesus who is the heauenly and spirituall thing of the Sacrament but also in respect of my soule wherunto Christ is offered and giuen in respect the instrument whereby and the manner how he is receiued are all spirituall for I get not Christ corporally but spiritually So in these respects I call this action partly corporall and partly spirituall Now confound not these two sorts of actions the corporall and naturall signes with the spirituall thing signified thereby againe confound not the mouth of the body with the mouth of the soule Thirdly confound not the outward manner of receiuing by the hand of the bodie with the spirituall manner of receiuing by the hand of the soule And so it shall be exceeding cleare to see that each thing shall be present to the owne instrument that is the bodie of Christ which is the spirituall thing signified shall be present to the spirituall mouth and hand and the bread and wine which are the corporall signes are present to the corporall mouth and hand Then how is any obiect present A corporall obiect is corporally present and an inward obiect is inwardly present Of what nature is the thing signified It is of an heauenly natuâ—e Then aske you how he is present He iâ— spiritually and heauenly present to the soule and the mouth of the soule which is faith For it were a preposterous thing to make the thing signified present to thy bellie or to the mouth or eye of thy bodie for if that were so it should not be spiritually present because euery thing is present as it agreeth in it owne nature Is it a bodily thing it is bodily present and if it bâ— a heauenly thing it is spiritually present So I thinke no man can doubt how the bodie of Christ is present he is not â—arnally present but spiritually present to my soule and to faith in my soule Thus far concerning the manner of his presence Now the last part of our difference is this we haue to consider to whom the words ought to be directed and pronounced For we and the Papists differ in this last point we say that the words ought to be directed and pronounced vnto the people to the faithfull communicants They on the contrary say that the words ought not to be directed nor pronounced to the people but to the elements and not to be clearely pronounced but whispered on the elements So that if they be spoken to the people or spoken openly their charme auaileth not Now I say that as this holy action is peruerted by them in all the rest so they peruert it in this point also in speaking that to the dumbe elements which they should speake to the people of God For I shall proue it clearely by three arguments taken out of the Scriptures that the words ought not to be spoken to the bread but to the people of God And first I say the promises of mercie and grace ought to be directed and pronounced to them in whom the Lord performeth them and maketh them effectuall But so it is that the promises of mercie and grace are performed and made effectuall not in bread and wine but in faithfull men and women Therefore these promises should be directed to faithfull men and women Now here is the promise of mercie and graces This is my bodie which is broken for you and this promise is made to no other thing but to the faithfull and so to them onely it ought to be directed Secondly we haue to consider that this Sacrament seales vp a couenant of grace and mercie Now with whom will God make his couenant of mercie and grace will he make a couenant with a peece of bread or any dumbe element There is no man will enter into couenant with his seruant much lesse wil enter inter couenaÌ„t with a dumbe element So in respect this Sacrament seales vp a couenant this couenant of necessity must be made with a faithfull soule and in no wise with the dumbe element and therefore these words cannot be directed to the elements Thirdly looke to the end wherefore this Sacrament was appointed Is it not to leade vs to Christ Is it not to nourish my faith in Christ Is it not to nourish me in a constant perswasion of the Lords mercy in Christ Was this Sacrament appointed to make the elements Gods No for if ye marke Gods purpose in this institution ye shal find that Christ hath not ordained this institution to nobilitate the elements to fauour respect the elements which were Bread and Wine yesterday to be Gods to day We on the contrary say plainly that the institution of Christ respecteth not the elements to alter their nature Indeed it is appointed to alter vs to change vs and to make vs more and more spirituall and to sanctifie the elements to our vse But the speciall end is this to make vs holy and more and more â—o grow vp in a sure faith in Christ not to alter the elements nor to make them gods And therefore by all these three Arguments it is euident that the words ought nor to be directed to the elements but to the people and faithfull communicants Now to come to an end There is one thing without the which we cannot profit let vs discourse neuer so long vpon the right vnderstanding of the Sacrament Ye see now how all that is spoken concerning the Sacrament is grounded and dependeth vpon faith Let a man haue faith be it neuer so little he shall get some hold of Christ and some insight in the vnderstanding of this Sacrament but wanting faith though a man endeuour himselfe to make the Sacraments neuer so sensible it is not possible that he can get any hold of Christ or any insight of him For without faith we cannot be Christians we can neither get a sight of God nor feele God in Christ without faith Faith is the onely thing that translateth our soules out of that death and damnation wherein we were conceiued and borne and planteth life in vs. So the whole studie and endeuour of a Christian should tend to this To craue that the Lord in his mercie would illuminate his mind with the eye of faith and that he would kindle in his heart a loue of faith and worke in his heart a thirst and desire of the obiect of faith and more and more to thirst and hunger for the foode of faith that nourisheth vs to life eternall Without this faith how-soeuer the naturall man vnderstanding naturally would flatter himselfe surely there
they passe to ouglier paines and greater torments Now all these torments and vglie paines which eate them vp mooue them not and except the Lord worke it they will neuer be moued he hath commanded all to heare his word and he hath promised to worke by his seruants who vtter his word and therefore I say these bloudie men and oppressors they ought to be here present that the Lord if it be possible by this meanes may call them backe by repentance that they may preuent that terrible iudgement whereof they haue but little feeling as yet But ere they go they will feele it better Now I come to the proposition and there I shall end he propoundeth the comfort shortly in three points two of them are according to the petition The third is more then he craued health of body agreeth to the petition prorogation of dayes agreeth to the petition a glorious estate a sure a prosperous estate came not in his minde and this also he getteth he not onely will deliuer him out the hands of Ashur but deliuer the whole Citie And this promise of a prosperous and ioyfull estate is more then he thought on or looked for Of this there might be many things marked but I leaue them And this only I obserue The Lord hauing to do with this King to make him thankfull in times comming he granteth him more then he sought and prouoketh him as it were after this manner saying What euer thou lackest seeke it of me Lackest thou health of bodie seeke it of me Lackest thou prorogation of dayes seeke it of me Lackest thou a sure glorious and prosperous estate seeke it of me There cannot be a more affable kinde of intreating then is betwixt God and the King he desireth him what euer he lackes to seeke it of him Except Kings humble them to honour God hold them in his continuall fauour it is not possible that they can look for these things of him But by the contrarie if Kings humble them to serue God hold them in his fauour there is no honour nor dignitie that he hath prouided for thē by birthright or otherwaies but if he see it serue to their good in despite of the world they shall haue it But if they fall from the seruice of God and cast themselues out of his fauour they shall lose dignitie birthright priuiledge of nature and all other things themselues beside Examples of this we haue in the Scriptures Cain being Adams eldest sonne and hauing the birth-right so long as he kept him in the fauour of God he was in hope of it but from time he lost the fauour of God by the slaughter of his brother Abel he was banished from the face of God and lost his birthright with all his inheritance Ismael in like manner was Abrahams eldest sonne yet because he was not in the fauour of God he gat no part of his inheritance Esau was his fathers eldest sonne yet because he fell from the fauour of God his brother was preferred to him his birthright helped him not Now the generall doctrine is this It is onely the fauour of God that maketh men to enioy priuiledges dignities or whatsoeuer they haue right to if they keepe the fauor of God it is not possible that they can be disappointed So the exhortation is easie vnto you Sir as your maiestie thinketh to possesse that which the Lord hath appointed for you so looke that you keepe you in the fauour of God There is no way to keepe the fauour of God but to purge your countrie of these two Idolatrie and bloud for vnder these I comprehend all the sinnes committed against the two tables Let this be done and it is not possible that ye can be disappointed of any thing that may serue for your wealth For it is the fauour of God that shall make you to enioy not onely your possessions but all other priuiledges that ye are borne to The Lord of his mercie worke it in your heart Sir that we may see this as an argument that ye are in his fauour when ye shall put to your hand to reforme this countrey and so make it knowne that ye feare God and loue his people This being done suppose men would be inconstant and lie yet God is not as man not as the sonne of man saith Balaam that he should lie Depend on him The Lord worke it in our hearts that we may earnestly craue it and obtaine it that your heart being established by grace ye may obey his holy will The Lord grant it for Christs sake to whom be all honour praise and glorie for now and euer Amen THE EIGHTH SERMON VPON ISAIAH CHAPTER 38. 7 And this signe shalt thou haue of the Lord that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken 8 Behold I bring againe the shadow of the degrees whereby it is gone downe in the diall of Achaz by the Sunne ten degrees backward so the Sunne returned by ten degrees by the which degrees it was gone downe 9 The writing of Hezechiah King of Iudah when he had bene sicke and was recouered of his sicknesse 10 I said in the cutting off of my dayes I shall go to the gates of the graue I am depriued of the residue of my yeares 11 I said I shall not see the Lord euen the Lord in the land of the liuing I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world IN our last lesson welbeloued in Christ Iesus we heard the manner and forme of the comfort that was offered by the Prophet vnto the sicke King we heard when this comfort was offered we heard where it was offered we heard the person that was the giuer we heard the person that was the bearer we heard the preface which the Lord vsed to make the King attentiue we heard the narratiue shortly and the parts o◠the comfort propounded As to the circumstances we noted where the Prophet was when he receiued this commission he was in the middle court he was not as yet past the second hall when the word of the Lord bad him stay and go backe againe At this time he is commanded to recall his former sentence and with that same mouth to pronounce the quite contrarie No further distance is there betwixt the pronouncing of the one sentence and the other then is betwixt the Kings bed and the second hall Looke what space the Prophet spent in going betwixt the Kings bed and the second hall as great space is consumed betwixt the one sentence and the other Vpon the suddainnesse we marked sundrie notable things and first we marked the great force of the Kings prayer to wit his prayer is so effectuall that it maketh the Lord to recall his owne sentence in one instant of time That same thing which heauen and earth and all the creatures therein could not haue moued him to do that the prayer of his seruant
to die ye are the readier to liue he that saith the contrarie I say he speaketh an vntruth if he were the best Doctor of Physicke Therefore when sicknesse which is the messenger of death beginneth to pull your eares the first thing that ought to be propounded to the patient is to bid him make him readie for death for the readier he is to die as I haue said he is the more able to liue Then ye see Hezekiah knew that suppose he was a King yet he was mortall As to his words he setteth downe three reasons wherefore his death grieueth him so much If ye looke to the reasons there appeareth at the first no weight in them yet being tried more narrowly ye shall finde in them a greater validitie The first reason is this I am depriued of the residue of my yeares He was a man at that time of 38. or 39. yeares and of such age as he might haue liued twise as long by the course of nature as Dauid saith O! but this appeareth to be a slight reason it is slight indeede if there be no more in it He is not so much grieued at the cutting off his yeares as at the cutting off the affaires which the shortning of his yeares brought with it So there were two respects wherefore this King was so grieued at the cutting off of his dayes The first because the worke of reformation in Church policy which he had begun would ceasse And out of question this hastie cutting off made him so well prepared in his heart to die as he would haue bene if he had had leysure So in respect he lacked time and yet he was not so voide of all preparation as commonly youth is that cast off all repentance to the last age thinking there is time enough before them In these respects that the worke of reformation by the cutting off of his time would be imperfect and in respect he should not haue bene so well prepared in his heart therefore he is grieued at his death and saith I am depriued of the residue of mine yeares Well to apply this vnto our cause I thinke there is none but they see clearely that if we come not with better speede to the worke of reformation then we are like to do I feare that we leaue not this worke onely vn-ended but vn-begun for if this confusion of Church and policie grow from day to day as it doth without interruption as if there were not a King in Israel I say if this confusion endure no question but the birth of iniquitie shall so ouerburthen the land that it shall make it to spue foorth the inhabitants I will not insist I am assured there is no magistrate of any degree but he is lawfully forewarned and made inexcusable before God The second reason wherefore his death grieued him is set down in the beginning of the 11. verse where he saith I shall not see the Lord in the land of the liuing Then this is it that grieued him because he should not see the Lord. How can this be I am assured he had that same eye in seeing of the Lord that Dauid had How is it that he sayth he shal not see the Lord What kinde of eye Dauid had is declared in the 16. Psal. Where he sayth that he set the Lord before him in all his works he reioyceth exceedingly in his heart and he sayth I am sure that my soule shall be gathered with the rest of the soules of my faithfull predecessors who are in the presence of God where there is fulnesse of pleasure and sweetnesse of life for euer I am assured this good man was not destitute of this eye but in some mâ—asuâ—e he saw with it as his father Dauid How is is then that he sayth He shall not see the Lord He expoundeâ—h himselfe a little after ye see a cleare commentary in the end of the verse he sayth He shall not see the Lord in the Land of the liuing As though he would say I shall noâ— see him as I was wont to see him before I shall not see him in his Church as the rest of his faithfull seruants see him How this was ye know the custome of the Scriptures in this matter God was said to be seene of old when the visible signes wherein he gaue his presence were seene For God being in himselfe inuisible when the visible signes of his presence were seene he himselfe was said to be seene As when they saw the Temple God came in their minde when they saw the Tabernacle God was said to be seene chiefly when they saw the Arke God was said to be seene because about it appeared the glory of God For in that same cloud which replenished the inward house his glory appeared Now by reason that these visible signes wherein he gaue his presence were seene God was said to be seene Then the reason is this I shall not see the Lord in the land of the liuing That is I shal be taken from his seruice I shall not see him in his Temple as I was wont to do Surely in this as in all the rest he followeth the footsteps of his good father Dauid As we may read in all the Psalmes made in time of his greatest persecution There was nothing grieued him so much as because he had not liberty to assemble with the rest of the faithfull as Psalm 84. and 112. he sayth My heart reioyced when they said to me Let vs go to the house of the Lord. This singular godly loue of the word of God among many vertues is extreme losse to this King And for this reason he is now grieued Now let vs compare our selues with this King and trie whether ye follow him in your hearts in this poynt or not that is whether ye haue such a desire to heare the word as he had But surely he shall condemmne all estates For if ye will looke to the prophane multitude of this country how well they like of the hearing of the word their maners declare For as to the multitude if they haue any businesse remaining it is cast off vntill the Lords day and if there be any markets meetings appointmentes and traffiques all is cast off till that day And the best of you hath taken such a loathing at the hearing of the word that ye are wearie to rise in the morning to heare it if it were but an houre sooner then your diet What must this contempt worke Of necessity it must bring exceeding famine of that same food which we loathed For the Lord will not suffer his word which of it selfe is so dainty and delicate to be contemned And it cannot be but that the same word which your fathers and some of your selues haue runne many miles to heare is as dainty now as it was then And therefore it cannot be that the Lord wil suffer this contempt but either there must be greater
zeale or of force we shall be spoyled of it Thus farre concerning the second cause As to the third I shall touch it shortly and so I shall end The third cause is this he sayth he shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the earth Now what a cause is this This appeareth to be a very slight cause that he should be grieued at his death because he should see man no more For I am assured there were men in his daies whom he tooke no pleasure to see and whom he could not see without great griefe euen such monsters as are now in our dayes This generall must be restrained to this as if he would say I shal not see men that is faithfull men honest and obedient subiects to God and their King of whose company I had delight and whose protection I was I shall see these good men no more He had such a care of the Church and of the Christian subiects vnder him that in the very houre of his death he sheweth his compassion toward them and is grieued that they should lacke his protection in time coming Well the country is exceeding blessed that hath such a Prince who is endued with the care of his subiects and specially of the Church that in his death he is sorrie that they should be depriued of his protection And turne it ouer againe As cursed and vnhappy is that countrie who hath a King that hath no kind of care or respect of his subiects much lesse of Gods Church which is the best part of his subiects Therfore it is euery one of your duties that heare me see what it is to lacke this blessing to craue of God that he would distill his grace into his Maiesties heart which may moue him to take vp another manner of protection then hitherto he hath done Oh would to God it were so Thus farre for the exposition of the causes shortly In all these causes some things are worthy of praise and some things are worthy of dispraise for I stand not to iustifie him in them all They are worthy of commendation so far as they flowed from faith and tended to the glory of God and weale of his Church They are worthy of reproofe so far as they flowed from the foolish affectioÌ„ corruption of nature without the which none can be so long as we be in this life Then ye see the best goods that we haue to carry with vs of our owne is this corruption foolish affection No question Kings haue not this power to carry their iewels magnificencâ— with them but surely they carry their vices faults of their gouernment with them which shall meete them And surely if this good King caried any of this stuffe with him much more shall other Kings And as it is in Kings so is it in euery of vs we shall all carry with vs vertues or vices If we cary vertue with vs then shal we haue a good conscience to meete vs there Then to end this matter prepare your hearts and make both hand and heart voide of the loue and affection of the world that your hearts being busied onely with the loue of good things ye may cary your hearts with you when the Lord calleth And as your eares are bent to receiue this word so let it be digested in your hearts that in your death I may see the fruites and effects thereof And seeing we must either cary with vs vertues or vices the fauour of God to mercy or the fauour of sathan to iudgement should not our whole indeuour be that these foule vices may be remoued out of our hearts and should not our whole study be that our soule which is holden so fast bound in the chaines of wickednesse may be set at freedome and liberty That we may haue melting hearts acknowledging that by the bloud of Christ our sins are forgiuen that through a stedfast faith in his bloud sure hope in his mercy we may seale vp that peace which floweth from the pacification purchased by the offering vp of his owne body Now when I see mine owne conscience pacified and my soule so washed from the spots of corruption that all my sinnes are forgiuen me am I not happy and this can neuer be except in your hearts ye be as attentiue as with your eares ye are to heare me But if this matter as it is heard by the eare so it were learned remeÌ„bred by the heart we should see greater profite in sanctification and newnesse of life this day then we do and death would not be so fearefull to many as it is For the ready way to eschue the feare of death is not to delay your repentaÌ„ce but let the whole course of your life be a continuall repentance Happy is he that learneth this lesson and more then happy is he that followeth it and as vnhappy he that neuer practiseth it The Lord worke so with vs grant vs such increase of his Spirit that we may follow it and study to practise it in our life and conuersation The Lord grant this for the righteous merits of Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory for now and for euer Amen THE NINTH SERMON VPON ISAIAH CHAPTER 38. 12 Mine habitation is departed and is remoued from me like a shepheards tent I haue cut off like a weauer my life he will cut me off from the height from day to night thou wilt make an end of me 13 I reckoned to the morning but he brake all my bones like a Lion from day to night wilt thou make an end of me 14 Like a Crane or Swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a Doue mine eyes were lift vp on high O Lord it hath oppressed me comfort me IN our last sermon welbeloued in Christ Iesus the Prophet assureth the King of his health by a wonderfull signe which was giuen to him The manner and forme of the manifesting of the signe was this The King seeketh a signe and the Lord granteth a signe vnto him and after the same manner that he sought a signe it was giuen to him Thirdly the Lord manifesteth this signe by his owne power and vertue without the support of any creature The King seeketh a signe not that he is distrustfull of Gods promise nor yet to tempt God as the wicked do but he seeketh a signe to strengthen his beliefe in the Lords promise He belieueth the promise yet his beliefe was weake and to strengthen his weake faiâ—h he seeketh the signe The thing that weakeneth his beliefe was this The Prophet in an houre and shorter space cometh to the King and proposeth two contrarie sentences Fiâ—st he saith to him Make thee readie thou must die in an instant of time he pronounceth the plaine contrarie and saith Thou shalt liue both these two could not stand Therefore he seeketh a signe to strengthen
his beliefe whereby he might know the truth of the last promise This signe was giuen him as ye heard and looke after what manner he craued it after that same manner it is granted according to his desire The Sunne is bâ—ought backe as also the shadow of it in his Fathers diall by ten degrees and the day which otherwise should haue lasted but twelue houres by this wonder it is made to endure for the space of 22 houres The signe was wrought partly in the diall partly in the body of the Sunne It was wrought in the bodie of the diall because it was a publike worke see vp in a publike place at the head of the palace ouer against the Temple to the end the miracle wrought in it which was in such an open and common place might be knowne to all the Citie and consequently to all that were in Iudea It was wrought in the bodie of the Sunne that the knowledge of that worke might come to the whole world that the whole world who saw that light might see in that worke a God whom they saw not so before This signe was exceeding fit and proper for the purpose for by this signe the King saw euidently that it was as easie to God to bring backe his life to a flourishing youth which was hastening to decay as it was to bring backe the Sunne which was very neare to his going down This signe is wrought onely by the vertue of God For that generall is true There is no creature yea not the diuell himselfe that hath power to shew any true miracle Then all those miracles that are in the popish Churches as the images of legs and armes waxe clothes and all the rest of that sort are deceiuing lies of the diuell The King purchaseth this signe by his owne prayer to learne vs this lesson That suppose the Lord be of minde and purpose to giue vs benefits and suppose he hath promised to grant benefits vnto vs yet he will not giue them but to the seekers he will haue vs first seeking them before we obtaine them And so he would learne vs this exercise to stand constant in honouring and worshipping of him who hath these benefits to giue vs. Before we entred into the song we declared vnto you the whole course of this Kings life from the 14. yeare of his reigne and in his whole course ye saw that his whole life was a continuall falling and rising a continuall praying and praising of God Praying in the time of his falles and of his trouble that the Lord would strengthen him by his Spirit And praysing God for his victories that he had so mightily deliuered him In this we see an image of a Christian life and of a Christian exercise to assure euery one of you that while ye are here your life shall be but a continuall falling and rising rising by the speciall grace and mercie of God in Christ Iesus And therefore it becometh you to be occupied in the same exercises wherein this King was imployed In the time of your falles and troubles to be diligent in prayer seeking strength of the Lord to endure and praysing him in your victories He that forgetteth to pray forgetteth to rise and therefore take heed that in all your troubles ye haue euer recourse to God by prayer We tooke the song to stand of these three parts In the first part is set downe the great trouble perplexitie and perturbation wherein the King was what he said during this trouble and what he did In the second part there is a rehearsall made of the great benefit that he obtained how singular and how excellent it was In the third part he maketh a faithfull promise to be thankfull to God for this benefit to praise him all the dayes of his life that so long as he liued he would neuer forget him In the first part we marked the circumstance of time when this trouble of mind ouertooke the King to wit at what time the seruant of God came to him told him it behooued him to die from the time he heard death denounced incontinently the mention of death striketh a feare and a trembling in him It casteth him in a great perturbation of mind Suppose he was a godly King and indeed such a King of whom there is as good mention made as of any other King in the Scriptures of God yet notwithstanding at the hearing of death he feareth and trembleth This death is indeed a renting asunder of those two parts which were appointed to haue remained together and therefore it is no maruell suppose the mention of it strike a feare in the heart Our owne sinne hath procured it and in some measure it is good that we taste what sin hath brought with it It is true indeed our death that are Christians is fully sanctified in the death of Christ Iesus But it is as true on the other side that suppose our death be fully sanctified yet so long as we remaine in this earth we are not fully sanctified And in respect there remaineth in vs yea in the best of vs all a remanent of corruption yea would God it were but a remanent of this floweth this feare trouble perturbation of mind It is true that this faith and the constant hope of a better life that dwelleth in the other part of the soule do temper the feare mitigate the trouble and swallow vp the paine of death yet in respect of the corruption that remaineth some feare must be and the greater the corruption is the greater feare falleth vpon the conscience The chiefe corruption that grieueth vs in the time of death is the loue of the world the cares of the world the inordinate loue of flesh and bloud So that he that would make himselfe voide of feare must prouide to rid his hands and his heart of these inordinate affections for experience although vnhappie teacheth vs that there is no man that can part with that he loueth without exceeding griefe And therefore in the point of death experience teacheth what it is to cast our affection on friuolous things that suddainly vanish So I say now it is time to rid your hands and purge your hearts of such preposterous affections that death which vnto others is so terrible when it cometh it may be a blessing vnto you I shew vnto you that all those care were forbidden goods expresly inhibited by the King of heauen which are neither profiâ—able for you nor to the countrey whither ye go And therefore I desired you to carrie with you the loue of God and the loue of your neighbour in God And these kind of commodities shall both profit you and be welcome to the countrey whither ye go In this trouble the first thing that he vttereth he sayth with himselfe I see I must die I am drawing neere to the ports of the graue Suppose he was very loath to die as his words do testifie yet he maketh
him ready It is foolish false to thinke that preparation to death is a furtherance to death No the contrary is true The readier ye are to die the more able ye are to liue the lesse shall be your anguish when the Lord calleth As to the reasons I will not insist in them onely the last reason that maketh death to be so fearefull to this good King was the great loue which he had to the Church that was in his country the great care which he had of his faithfull subiects who should lacke by his death his mercifull protection And in this I did let you see that the country had an exceeding blessing where the Prince is so carefull for the Church in his country and of his faithfull subiects that in his death he hath mind of them and is grieued to depart from them As on the other side the Church must be as heauily cursed where the Prince hath no regard of the Church in his country nor of his faithfull subiects As to the reasons I will not stand precisely in iustifying of them all I thinke as the word soundeth that there is some thing worthy of praise and commendation in them and some thing worthy of dispraise and reproofe For so farre as they flow of faith and of the good spirit of God no question they are worthy of praise and so farre as they flow from the Kings vnruly affections they are worthy of dispraise And surely it appeareth by the words that his affections had bene somewhat vnruly Well the lesson that I gathered was This is the profite that we reape of these preposterous affections they draw our loue from God to the creatures And ere these affections can be drawne from the creature they bring such a griefe vnto them as it were another death Therefore the thing that we craued was that ye should set your affection vpon God The truth of loue is in God and therefore it becometh you to bring your hearts from the creature vnto God and imploy your affection vpon him in whom onely is solid ioy Thus farre we proceeded in our last exercise Now in the words which I haue read he returneth to his complaint and he taketh vp his lamentation againe in the first part of the 12. verse he vttereth his trouble wherein he was In the end of that verse and in the verse following he vttereth the great rage furie of his sicknes And in the 14. verse he letteth vs see what he did in this great rage and extremity of his disease Then to returne to the 12. verse I say in the beginning of it he returneth to his lamentation and he vttereth his complaint as he had wont to do bursting out after this manner Mine habitation saith he is departed and transported from me As if he would say my life is to depart and the Lord is to transport it to another part I see death is instant and the Lord is cutting off this present life of mine He letteth vs see the maner how his life is to be transported by two similitudes The first similitude he taketh from a shepheards tent The second similitude he taketh from a Weauer and his web As to the first similitude he sayth his life is to be transported from him like a shepheards tent Looke how the tents of shepheards are remoued transported and remoued so saith the King he saw his life to be subiect to the same transportation It is knowne to you all that reade histories that in the East hote countries as namely among the Tartars and Arabians where the shepheards in the sommer seasons remaine vnder tents so often as they remoue their flocks they remoue their tents And in our owne countrie here when our shepheards remoue their flockes they remoue their other necessaries alluding to that same custome so would the King say look how these tents are remoued in the sommer season transported my life is subiect to the same condition Of this similitude we haue matter full of good doctrine For this similitude doth first teach vs that there is nothing more instable vncertaine then is the life of man here beneath There is nothing more subiect to instability then this life which we liue in this body For as to the nature of tents ye see whether ye call them tents pauillions or tabernacles all is one by experience there is nothing more vnstable nor vncertaine to dwell in then is a tent For why it lacketh a ground it lacketh a foundation and stability and in stead of a ground it leaneth onely to certaine pinnes which enter not deepely into the earth and consequently by the lightest blast of euery wind they are blowne vp and when the pinnes faile the tent falleth So the King would teach vs by this similitude that this life of ours lacketh a ground lacketh a foundation and lacketh a stabilitie And therefore the King in this comparison would send vs to the life which hath the sure ground foundation and stability he sendeth vs to that kingdome which as the Apostle Heb. 12. saith cannot be shaken by no kind of stormy blasts And as I remember Heb. 11 9.10 there in these verses the Apostle maketh a flat opposition betwixt these tents that lacke a ground and the City of God saying that as tents and tabernables lacke a foundation and ground so the City of God on the contrary hath a ground and a foundation and in steede of one he calleth them in the plurall number foundations Looke saith he to the City that hath the foundations whose craftsman and builder is the God of heauen He expoundeth himselfe what he meaneth by the foundations in the last verse where he saith Such a kingdome as cannot be shaken that is whose ground is so sure that it cannot be shaken nor totter by no processe of time nor stormy blasts Then the first lesson that ye haue from this part of the comparison is this Learne to seeke for the City that hath sure foundations seek for the City that can not be shaken The Lord giue you grace so to do In the other part of the comparison he letteth vs see that so long as we are in this life we haue no pernament abode nor certaine remaining whereunto we may leane For as ye may perceiue by the historie of Genesis the Patriarkes dwelled in tens to testifie vnto vs two things First to testifie that they were no countreymen there nor natiue borne men of that country but strangers and pilgrimes in that country and as they professed themselues that they were not onely strangers of that countrey but counted themselus strangers so long as they remained on the face of this earth The second thing that they testified by dwelling in tents is that they were minded not to remaine there it was not their purpose to fixe their staffe as we speake there But they were vpon their iourney and seeking the way that leadeth homeward the way that
of God at the last he shall neuer come out So in time let euery one beware to abuse the grace of God this way but beg a liberty and a renewing of the Spirit that that which is pleasing to him may be also pleasing to vs and that which is displeasing to him may be displeasing to vs. The last thing that I marke is this whereof cometh this willingnesse and free offering of our selues to the seruice of God Dauid noteth it in a word It proceedeth not of externall worshipping but of the boring of the eare except the Lord had prepared the eare of his heart it was not possible for him to haue brought with him a mind or a will to serue God Then this willingnesse is wrought by the Spirit of God and not onely this willingnesse but the doing and execution of his will is wrought by the Spirit of God For by nature we are hard hearted and more vnfit then brute beasts to do the Lords will And therfore whosoeuer would be partaker of the grace of the new Testament let him looke into himselfe how farre his will is reformed For the more we submit our will â—o the will of God the more we are partakers of the grace of the new Testament So long as we make the will of man a rule to our will we testifie that we haue not tasted of the grace of the new Testament Onely then are we partakers of the grace of the new Testament when the Spirit of grace boweth our will and maketh it to obey in some part the will of God For I meane not that our whole will can obey the will of God It is not possible so long as we are here that we can runne one way if the affections could runne one way and bend themselues wholly to God in a maner we should possesse life eternall in this life But so long as we are here we are compassed with two wils from the which proceedeth â—wo sorts of motions affections and cogitations In this battel the regenerate man continueth to the end I require not a perfection of the will or a perfection of the heart but I desire a delight in the law and in the loue of God a will to loue and a preasing more and more to subdue our will to the loue of God Where this resisting is the battell is and where a battell continueth there is a true Christian who at the last shall get the victorie Resist thy wicked will resist the motions thereof resist the cogitations thereof and sorrow for the actions thereof if thou resist the motions and cogitations thereof thou art in good estate It is onely the consenting to the actions and performance thereof that maketh thee guiltie before God Suppose thou hast euill cogitations motions yet if so be thou resist them thou art not guiltie before God But if tâ—ou consent and performe the appetites of sinne the action will bring guiltinesse and guiltines will banish light and light being banished God is banished The obedience of sinne banisheth a good will and placeth in stead thereof an euill will so the perfection of a Christian in this life standeth in resisting To trie night and day that thou consent not to the actions of thy wicked will O then it is a matter of great consequence to subdue tame that great idoll of euill will We may speake of it as we please and say that we are able to do it but of all the works of the earth it is the greatest for such is the stubbornnesse of our will that it will do nothing but what it liketh it selfe Well the perfection of a Christian standeth in striuing we must either striue or we shall not be crowned Therefore let euery one beg of God that he would worke by his Spirit in this life that he may resist the motions and cogitations of his heart that he would arme him against the enticements thereof that resisting here we may be crowned hereafter In the last part of the Psal. he returneth to prayer and as he had found the mercifull deliuerie of God in time past so he desireth that the Lord would continue the same mercie toward him in time to come and vndertake his protection against the troubles that were to ensue as well as he had done against the troubles past In this part he letteth vs see this lesson which if it were well learned might stand vs in great stead the whole course of our life to wit That the whole life of man in this earth as Iob saith is a continuall tentation and the end of one miserie is but an entrie to a greater so that our whole exercise should be to praise God for fauours past and to pray to God for times to come that in praysing and prayer our life being continually spent we might hold Christ Iesus who in life and death is exceeding aduantage To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and praise world without end So be it THE FIFTEENTH SERMON VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE SECOND Epistle to Timothie beginning at the 22. verse preached the ninth of Nouember 1589. at the which time â—he Eaâ—le Bothwell made his publike repentance in the Church of Edinborough 22 Flee also from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with pure heart 23. And put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strife 24 But the seruant of the Lord must not striue but must be gentle toward all men apt to teach suffering the euill men patiently 25 Instructing them with meekenesse that are contrary minded proouing if God at any time will giue them repentance that they may know the truth 26 And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the diuell which are taken of him at his will IN these two Epistles which the Apostle directeth vnto his Disciple Timothie he taketh a very great care to informe Timothie that he may behaue himselfe accordingly in all his proceedings that he might behaue himselfe as well in his owne person as in his office towards others beside In his owne person in respect he was a yong man yong in yeares although though no other way yong neither yong in knowledge nor in manners but somewhat yong in yeares In respect of his youth and of the imperfections that accompanie youth In respect of the continuall follie whereunto youth is drawne he biddeth him first remember that he take heede to his youth that he be not caried with those vices with those affections and lusts that vse violently to carry yong men away As towards others he willeth him to haue a discretion foresight of their estate to discerne the persons with whom he hath to do And first of all that he consider whether these persons be friends or aduersaries whether they be of one familie with himselfe in the familie of faith or otherwise strangers as
is so wicked and corrupt that it cannot hold it selfe within bounds nor containe it selfe in any mediocrity But as when we finde the fire of Gods wrath in any mesure kindled for sinne we would looke backe to desperation So if the conscience be acquainted long with the ioy with the taste of his mercy and of his peace the diuell in this world deceiueth vs and draweth vs to presumption Therefore as before being cast downe with the consideration of thine owne sinnes so eschue desperation thou withdrawest thy consideration to the mercy of God So now to esâ—hue presumption thou must cast backe thy thoughts to the consideration of thy selfe of thine owne sinnes and iniquities and looke what thou wast before thou wast called to repentance This is the way to hold thee low and humble and to distinguish grace from nature As to the sorts of repentance Of true repentance there are two sorts an ordinary repentance wherein euery Christian is bound to walke all the dayes of his life and an extraordinary and a speciall repentance The ordinary repentance is this when any man after he is called to the participation of grace falleth into some speciall sinne the rising from that sin I call a special repentance as Dauids rising In this ordinary repentance we are commanded all to walke the speciall repentance should waken them that are fallen into one speciall viâ—e or other From the extraordinary we should beseech the Lord to preserue vs. Alwayes if we fall the Lord waken vs. Now ye haue heard the parts of repentance according to the order and diuision which I haue layd There is nothing farther to be spoken of this head except onely this We ought to praise and thanke God for the victory that we haue gotten ouer our selues through him We haue to consider and see how farre we are bound vnto him that he should haue had such a speciall regard vnto vs vile finners that he hath poured out streames heapes and conduits of his mercy among vs which he hath denied to others who in the iudgement of the world were in a better ease then we The consideration of this no doubt will raise a thankefulnesse in vs and moue vs to consider how farre we are bound to so gracious a God As for the gift it selfe seeing it is not in vs we ought euer to be instant in seeking of it Therefore I recommend this repentance to be sought of euery one of you And ere we go further let vs pray for it both to out selues and others Then remember the things that haue bene spoken What is the chiefe thing that yong men should flie to wit the lusts of the flesh what is the chiefe thing that they should follow and strictly pursue the gift of repentance Therefore from your hearts seeke this gift And ere we go forward to the rest of our action let vs pray for it and pray that this matter may haue a good issue and succeede well that for the righteous merits of Christ. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glorie both now and euer The Sermon being ended the Minister directeth his speach to the Auditory assembled for the time in effect as followeth IT is not vnknowne to you all welbeloued in Christ Iesus how many means and sundry wayes the Lord hath to waken a sleeping conscience to bring men to the confession of their sinnes and to make them to seeke grace and mercy at his hands And as he lacketh no store of instruments and meanes so it hath pleased him of his mercy to the saluation of his soule who is penitent and to your good example who heare to worke this motion in the heart of this noble man in such sort that he is content from his hart vpon his knees to acknowledge and confesse those sinnes whereby he hath offended the maiesty of God and giuen euill example to the meanest and poorest of you And to let you vnderstand that this confession is willing and from his heart It is true and none of you can pretend ignorance of it that by the liberty of the Actes of our Church and custome receiued it had bene lawfull for him according to the order in his owne Church to haue made satisfaction yet such is the willingnesse of his owne heart that for the better satisfaction of you that are indwellers in this City he is content in this chiefe part and Church of the country and in that same place where he last shed innocent blood to repaire the same and in the presence of you all to seeke mercy at the God of heauen The Lord hath put this motion in his heart and that not suddenly not of late but he informed our brother Iames Gibson along time before his Maiesties departure out of this country and desired him to come and shew vnto vs that he was willing to make satisfactition to the Church not onely for his murther and bloodshed but for taking the name of God in vaine and for euery thing wherein he hath abused himselfe and for all his offensiue rash speeches generally for euery thing wherin he hath offended the least of you Which if we had vnderstood we had made more hastle to require the practise of it sooner Alwaies we haue euery one of vs to thanke God that he hath so moued his heart and to beseech of the Lord that it may be from his hatt that he may declare the effects of it in all time to come Therefore my Lord ye haue no further ado but fall on your knees craue of God mercy and pardon for your sinnes whereby ye haue offended him The Lord of his mercy grant it you THE WORDS WHICH THE EARLE Bothuell c. vttered being vppon his knees I would God that I could make such a Repentance as my heart desireth and I desire you all to pray for it The Lord of his mercy grant it to him and to vs all Amen THE SIXTEENTH SERMON VPON 2. TIMOTHIE 2.15 IN WAY OF EXHORTAtion to the Prouinciall assemblie of the Presbyteries of Louthiane holden at Edinborough the 16. of September 1589. 2. TIMOTHIE 2.15 Studie to shew thy selfe approoued vnto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed deuiding the word of truth aright IT is not vnknown vnto you Brethren that in Timothy we haue the true patterne of a Profitable Pastor set down how he should behaue himselfe in all things what he should do what he should leaue vndone what he should follow what he should flie In euery thing he is forewarned but chiefly among many of one thing that he study not to please men that he hunt not for their praise and commendation For why Experience from time to time hath taught that these men haue not onely endangered their owne estate but hazarded also the whole estate of the Church As namely there were two in his owne time in the dayes of Timothy who to get a name
among men that they were very curious disputers subtill reasoners moued doubts vpon euery thing chopped changed with the truth of God as if it had bene the prophane word of man at the last they began to moue questions raise some doubts vpon the very articles of our beliefe And the spirit of the diuell to carried them forward that from doubting at the last it came vnto a plaine defection They denied the article of the resurrection in particular So they did not onely lose themselues and poysoned the Auditorie but they peruerted the truth of God so farre as in them lay From these mens example the Apostle forewarned his Disciple and in him euery Pastor that they beware not onely of this vaine iangling about wordes specially in matters of conscience but chiefly beware of the roote fountaine from whence they spring to wit of that naturall selfe-loue which we nourish all in our bosomes and are so loth to part with in our whole life And we haue an example before our eies in our time of a man going about to make himselfelfe great and to get the praise of men who in the end not onely hazarded his own estate but endangered the estate of the whole Church so far as lay in him So as the example of Hymenaeus was meete to moue Timothie to beware of such a vice euen so let the example of our Hymenaeus which is yet in our eyes moue vs that we fall not into the like snare that we cast not only not to hunt for the praise of men but also that we apply vs to eschue the root and fountaine from whence it springeth to wit that naturall self-selfe-loue whereof euery one of vs hath a portion And since we are entred into the schoole Christ let vs study to learne that one lesson to renounce our selues The Lord giue vs hearts to learne it and make vs to be borne againe in this life and to renounce our selues in this life which are not the workes of man but the singular works of God renewing man Now as he hath shewed him what he shall eschue and that this is the vice which he should chiefly flie so in this 15. verse he beginneth to admonish him that the contrary of it is the chiefe vertue which he should embrace and the onely thing which he should aime at during his whole life to wit he should Study to be approoued of God For seeing there is no workman but he wisheth to sute his worke to be allowed of this is a common instinct in vs with the rest to seeke to be approued therefore the Apostle informeth him and admonisheth him what sort of approbation he shall seeke at whose hands he shall seeke it and after what manner he shall come by it So for the present we haue these three things to speake of Of the sort of approbation that a Pastor should seeke at whose hands he should seeke it and how and after what manner he shall obteine it As to the sort of approbation it must be spirituall godly flowing from the Spirit of God and not from flesh and blood And as it must flow from the Spirit of God and not from flesh and blood so must he seeke it at the hands of God onely and not of any creature liuing Study to be allowed of him for why suppose men would allow of thee thou art not the more approued For if thou in stead of others shouldst praise thy selfe thou art neuer one haire the better For if a man honour himselfe saith our master Iohn 8. his honour is nothing worth and he whom men commends sayth the Apostle 2. Cor. 10.15 is not approued but onely he is approued whom God commendeth Therefore let vs not seeke honour one from another but let vs seeke the honour which cometh from God onely let vs studie to be approued of him onely for obtaine we his approbation we shall get the other two for there is but three in all For if God approue vs he shall make our owne conscience approue vs. And haue we our owne conscience and God within our conscience to allow of vs we haue two of the best for these two will neuer leaue vs they will stand by vs here and when it cometh before an higher Tribunall they wil make vs ioyfull And as to the third sort which is by men where these two go before we shall haue the Church of God no doubt and good men to upproue vs. For where God and conscience calleth a man inwardly this God maketh his Church by their testimony to ratifie his calling outwardly As ye see he commanded the Church to separate Paul Barnabas to the worke whereunto he had called them inwardly so obtaine we his approbation we shall haue all the three Therefore let vs looke to none but his we looke to his approbation when we looke to our selues then honoureth he vs when we honour him When we seeke nothing but him then seeketh he vs and our weale And it is for better for vs that he seeke our good then that we our selues seeke it For he can and may seeke it best Therefore let vs studie to seeke God and his honor that God may seeke vs and our honor And will we looke who hath sent vs forth who employeth vs who made vs Embassadors in stead of Christ we shall find that we ought to studie to please none but him We are not subiect to render account to any but to him To him we are subiect indeed therefore it is necessarie that we studie to be approued of him Now to come by his approbation the Apostle sheweth vs what way we may proceede how we shall behaue our selues namely that we do two things First that we studie that is that we haue a sound care to present our selues before him Next that we studie to present our worke of the ministery before him as he would say that we studie to take heed to our selues and to our office To our selues that we be good Christians to our office that we be good Pastor for he will neuer be a gooâ— Pastor that is not a good Christian Therefore the first thing that he must take heed to is to his person that he studie to present himselfe get accesse to his countenance and stand before him Now there is no standing before God but in puritie and by puritie of the heart it is the pure heart only that looketh vpon God and standeth before him For Blessed are the pure in heart saith our Maister Math. 5. for they shall see God The heart againe is no way purged but by faith so it is by faith onely that we stand present our selues vnto God The good Pastor to get himselfe approoued must studie for the increase of faith and sanctification For he shall neuer teach with authority and power except he feele in himselfe the thing that he would haue wrought in others how shall he prease to sanctifie others
lying in the farthest part of England if ye haue a good title to it the distance of the place cannot hurt your title so I say the distance of place hurts not my title and my right that I haue to Christ. But though he be sitting at the right hand of the Father yet the title and right that I haue to him makes him mine so that I may say truly this Christ is my property Then Christ is not made mine because I fetch him out of the heauens but he is mine because I haue a sure title and right to him and hauing a sure title and iust right to him the distance of place how farre soeuer it be can no wayes hurt my title nor right but where-euer he be he is mine because I haue a right and title to him Yea not onely haue I a title to him but this title is confirmed to me For as I get a title to him in the word and if I got not that title to him in the word I durst not come to the Sacrament so in the Sacracrament I get the confirmation of my title I get the Seale which confirmes my title Then to come to the point Christs body is sitting at the right hand of the Father and yet he is mine and is deliuered to me because I haue right to his body be it where it will he was borne for me giuen to mee and deliuered to me So distance of place hurts not the surety of my title as propinquity of place helpes not the surety of the same Though Christ would bow the heauens and touch thee with his body as he did Iudas yet this could not helpe thee for if thou hast not a title to him thou darest not call him thine So it is not the neerenesse nor proximity of place that maketh Christ mine It is onely the right that I haue to him I haue right to him onely by faith So by faith onely Christ is made mine But they thinke they haue gotten a great vantage of vs if we be so farre from Christ as the heauen is from the earth but this shall be answered by Gods grace I haue a title to his bodie his bodie is distant from my bodie yet his bodie is not distant from me that is from my soule I say his bodie and my soule are conioyned It is a strange ladder that will reach from the earth to the heauens yet let me tell you there is a cord that extendeth from the earth to the heauens and coupleth me and Christ together and this is onely true faith By true faith Christ though he be in the heauens is coupled and conioyned with me who am here on earth I will shew you this by a similitude Is not the bodie of the Sunne in the firmament It is impossible for you to touch the bodie of the Sunne yet the bodie of the Sunne and ye are conioyned How By those beames that shine on you by that light that shineth vpon you Why may not the bodie of Christ then though it be in the heauens be conioyned with me that am on earth namely by the beames by the light and gladnesse that floweth from his bodie My bodie and Christs bodie are conioyned by the vertue and power flowing from his bodie which vertue and power quickneth my dead soule maketh me to liue the life of Christ to begin to die to my selfe and euer the more I die to my selfe the more I liue to Christ. This coniunction now is the ground as I told you of all our felicitie and happinesse and I haue made it cleare to you at this time so far as God hath giuen me insight Alwaies ye see this coniunction is brought to passe by two speciall meanes by the holy Spirit by faith If there be no other meanes but these two what needest thou a carnall or a visible coniunction Faith is inuisible and the Spirit is inuisible therefore thou canst not see it nor take it vp with the eye of thy bodie The power of the holy Spirit is so subtile secret and inuisible that thou canst not perceiue it nor take it vp with the eye of the bodie and it will worke great effects in thy soule or euer thou perceiuest his working In respect therefore that the meanes of this coniunction are so subtill secret and spirituall why thinkest thou to get a sight of this coniunction with the eye of thy bodie why imaginest thou such a carnall coniunction as this which would do thee no good if thou hadst it Knowest thou not that the Spirit that coupleth vs and Christ is infinite so that it is as easie for the Spirit to couple vs and Christ how far distant soeuer we be as it is easie for our soules to couple our head and the feete of our bodies though they be distant Then seeing this coniunction is the ground and fountaine of all our happinesse and seeing this ground of happinesse is so substill and so spirituall what is your part Remoue all your outward senses remoue all your naturall motions remoue your naturall discourses and your naturall reason and follow the sight and information of the Spirit of God Craue that it would please him to illuminate your vnderstanding that by the light of his Spirit ye may see clearely the spirituall coniunction Except the eye of the Spirit be giuen you to perceiue this spirituall coniunction it is not possible that ye can get any insight in it But if the Lord of his mercie will bestow some measure of his holy Spirit vppon you out of question ye shall soone come to the vnderstanding of it and ye shall thinke the time happie that euer ye heard this word Except ye haue some part of this Spirit it is not possible that ye can be spirituall That which is borne of flesh and bloud will remaine flesh and bloud except the Spirit come in and make it spirituall Therefore ye must be borne againe of the Spirit ye must be borne in the bodie of Christ his Spirit must quicken you This is called the quickning and liuing Spirit of Christ by Iohn And so soone as the Spirit cometh what doth it It chaseth away darknesse out of the vnderstanding whereas before I knew not God now I see him not onely generally that he is a God but that he is my God in Christ. What more doth the holy Spirit It openeth the heart as well as the minde and what doth it there Those things whereon I bestowed the affections of my heart and imployed the loue of my soule are by the working of the holy Spirit made gall to me he maketh them venome to me and to be as deadly hated of me as poyson He worketh sâ—ch an inward disposition in my soule that he maketh me to turne and flie from those things whereon I imployed my loue before and to imploy it vpon God This is a great perfection Alwaies in some measure he makeâ—h me to loue God better then any other thing
He changeth the affections and inclinations of my soule he changeth the faculties and qualities of my soule And though our hearts and minds be made new yet the substance of them is not changed but onely the faculties and qualities are changed in respect of the which change we are called new creatures and except you be found new creatures ye are not in Christ. Now to come to the point This secret coniunction is brought to passe by faith and by the holy Spirit by faith we lay hold on the bodie and bloud of Christ And though we be as farre distant as heauen and earth are the Spirit serueth vs as a ladder to conioyne vs with Christ As the ladder of Iacob which reached from the ground to the heauen to the selfe same vse serueth the Spirit of God to conioyne the bodie of Christ with my soule Then obserue the whole in a word What maketh you to haue any right or title to Christ Nothing but the Spirit nothing but faith What should be your studie then Seeke by all meanes possible to get faith that as Peter Acts 15.9 saith your hearts and consciences may be sanctified by faith And if you endeuour not as well to get faith in your hearts as in your minds your faith auaileth not What auaileth the faith that fleeteth in the fantasie and bringeth a naked knowledge without the opening of the heart and consent of the will So there must be an opening of thy heart and consent of thy will to do that thing that God commandeth or else thy faith auaileth not Then striue to get faith in your hearts and minds and doing so ye do the duties of Christians This is not done without the diligent hearing of the word and diligent receiuing of the Sacrament Then be diligent in these exercises and be diligent in prayer Praying in the holy Ghost that he would nourish your soules inwardly with the bodie and bloud of Christ That he would increase faith in your hearts and minds and make it to grow vp more and more daily vntill you come to the full fruition of that blessed immortalitie Vnto the which the Lord of his mercie bring vs and that for the righteous merits of Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glorie both now and euer Amen THE FIFTH SERMON VPON THE LORDS SVPPER 1. COR. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betrayed tooke Bread c. WE haue heard wel-beloued in Christ Iesus in our last exercise what names were giuen to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as well in the Scriptures as by the Ancients of the Latine and East Churches we heard the chiefe ends wherefore and whereunto this holy Sacrament was at first instituted we heard the things that were contained in this Sacrament what they were how they are coupled how they are deliuered and how they are receiued we heard also some obiections that might be obiected to the contrarie of this doctrine we heard them propounded and as God gaue the grace refuted we heard how the faithfull soule is said to eate Christs body and drinke Christs bloud We heard the manner how Christ is or can be receiued of vs. And we concluded in this poynt That Christ Iesus the Sauiour of mankinde our Sauiour cannot be perceiued nor yet receiued but by a spirituall way and apprehension Neither the flesh of Christ nor the bloud of Christ nor Christ himselfe can be perceiued but by the eye of faith can be receiued but by the mouth of faith nor can be layd hold on but by the hand of faith Now faith is a spirituall thing for faith is the gift of God powred downe into the hearts and minds of men and women wrought in the soule of euery one and that by the mighty working and operation of the holy Spirit So the onely way to lay hold on Christ being by faith and faith of it owne nature being spirituall it followeth therefore that there is no way to lay hold on Christ but a spirituall way there is not a hand to fasten on Christ but a spirituall hand there is not a mouth to digest Christ but a spirituall mouth The Scriptures familiarly by all these termes describe the nature and efficacy of faith We are said to eate the flesh of Christ by faith and to drinke his bloud by faith in this Sacrament chiefly in doing of two things First in calling to our remembrance the bitter death and passion of Christ the bloud that he shed vpon the crosse the Supper which he instituted in remembrance of him before he went to the Crosse the commandement which he gaue Do this in remembrance of me I say we eate his flesh and drinke his bloud spiritually First in this point in recording and remembring faithfully how he died for vs how his bloud was shed vpon the crosse This is the first point a point that cannot be remembred truly except it be wrought by the mighty power of the holy Spirit The second poynt of the spirituall eating standeth in this That I and euery one of you beleeue firmely that he died for me in particular That his bloud was shed on the crosse for a ful remission and redemption of me and my sins The chiefe and principall point of the eating of Christ his flesh drinking of his bloud standeth in beleeuing firmly that that flesh was deliuered to death for my sinnes that that bloud of his was shed for the remission of my sinnes and except euery soule come neere to himselfe and firmely consent and agree and be perswaded that Christ died for him that soule can not be saued that soule can not eate the flesh nor drinke the bloud of Christ. Then the eating of the flesh and drinking of the bloud of Christ standeth in a faithfull memorie in a firme belief and in a true applying of the merits of the death and passion of Christ to my owne conscience in particular There were sundry things obiected against this kind of receiuing I will not insist to repeate them But beside all the obiections which ye heard obiected against this kinde of spirituall receiuing by faith they say If Christ his flesh nor his bloud be not perceiued nor receiued but by the Spirit by faith in the Spirit then say they ye receiue him but by an imagination if he be not receiued carnally nor corporally but onely by the Spirit and by faith then is he not receiued but by way of imagination conceite and fantasie So they account faith an imagination of the minde a fantasie and opinion fleeting in the hearts of men I cannot blame them to thinke so of faith For as none can iudge of the sweetenesse of hony but they that haue tasted of it so there is none can discerne nor iudge of the nature of faith but they that haue felt it