which thou hast gotten are pledges of a fill of mercy vvhich yet abides thee For so Dauid of that which he had felt concludeth doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life CHAP. XIIII The presence or absence of God is euer dispensed for the weale of his owne Children FOr the Morning appeareth These words containe the reason why the Lord desires that Iacob should let him goe because the Morning appeareth This at the first seemes a strange reason Is it not a like to thee O Lord to abide with thy seruants in the morning as in the euening or is there O Lord with thee any such distinction of time Surely none at all for thou O Lord art couered with the light as with a garment euen the darknesse with thee is light yea those bright Angels that stand about thy throne makes the midnight where they come for shining light like the noone-tide of the day But we must consider that this reason respecteth not the Lord it respecteth Iacob and so the meaning is It is for thy cause O my seruant Iacob that I desire to goe for now the morning appeareth and thou must goe on in thy journey thy seruants family will wait for thy comming as being vncertain whether they shall remoue or remaine till thou direct them and therefore that I be no more to stay thee from them let me go And of this we may more euidently perceiue that which I said how the going and comming of the Lord to and fro his children is alway ordained and dispensed for their weale when hee commeth when hee goeth all is for our weale Ne timeas ô Sponsa nec existimes te contemni si paulisper tibi sponsus subtrahit faciem suam omnia ista tibi cooperantur in bonum de accessu recessu lucraris Be not afraid saith Bernard O spouse neither thinke that thou art contemned albeit for a short while the bridegroome withdraw his face all that he doth works for the best vnto thee thou hast gaine both of his comming to thee of his going from thee And this for the comfort of one exercised with spirituall desertion doth hee explaine more cleerely in the wordes vvhich hee immediatly subjoynes tibi venit recedit venit ad consolationem recedit ad cautelam ne magnitudo consolationis extollat te ne si semper adesset exilium deputares pro patria arrham pro praeâ—…ij summa paulisper permittit nos gustare quam suauis sit antequaÌ„ plane sentiamus se subtrahit ita quasi alis expansis te prouocat ad volandum Hee commeth saith he for thy consolation and goes for thy warning and humiliation least the greatnes of his comfort should puffe thee vp and least if hee were alwayes present thou shouldest esteeme this place of thy banishment for thine own country and should take this earnest for the principall summe hee lets thee tast of his sweetnesse for a short while and incontinent before thou feele it fullie he withdrawes himselfe and so as it were with his wings stretched out ouer thee he prouokes thee to mount vp and slie after him This is the reason why the Lord dispenses in such sort his presence and absence vnto his Children If at no time hee shewes himselfe vnto vs then would wee bee ouercome of that heauinesse vnder which we lye through manifold tentations and if alwayes he should be familiar with vs then would we take the earth for the heauen and forget our fathers house which is aboue therefore sometime he with-drawes his presence from vs that hee may teach vs to become weary of this barren wildernesse wherein we liue absent from our Lord Hee ascends many times from vs that we may stand like these Disciples on the Mount of Oliuet not looking downeward to the earth but gazing looking vpward towards our Lord who hath gone from vs he giues vs a little tast of his graciousnesse and then hee goes but goeth in such sort that he cryes after him Come and see Not of purpose to defraud thee of any joy that is in him doth he goe from thee onely that hee may prepare thee to follow him to that place wherein he will communicate to thee the fulnesse of ioy and let thee see that glory he had with his father from the beginning Hee will not alway tarry from vs least we despaire neither yet alway remaine with vs on earth least vve presume Sometime he will kisse vs with the kisses of his mouth and as it were vvith the Apostle rauish vs vp to the third heauens other times againe as it seemes he casts downe his angry countenance vpon vs he humbles vs to the hell and permits Sathan also to buffet vs least wee should be exalted out of measure Alwayes this comfort vvee haue of the Lords vvorking with vs that as here wee see hee comes to Iacob and goes from him for his vveale so vvhether he shew himselfe familiar vvith vs or againe for a vvhile hide his face from vs in both the one and the other hee is vvorking for our comfort and vveale Onely let vs possesse our soules in patience and giue glory to God CHAP. XV. How their inward exercises of conscience workes in the godly a diuorcement of their soules from all creatures and a neerer adherent to the Lord. WHo answered I will not let thee goe Perceiue here how the mint of the Lords departure workes into Iacob a more constant cleauing and adhering to the Lord. This as I said before is that notable fruite which all the Lords spirituall desertions worketh in his children it augments in them a desire of mercie and a more earnest carefulnesse to seeke the Lord. And this also wee see in our dayly experience for among all them who professe the name of Iesus Christ yee shall finde none more feruent in praier more continuall in mourning and sighing for their sinnes none that thirsteth more earnestly for mercie then they whom God hath humbled in their spirits with threatnings of spirituall desertion As here Iacob is more wakened by this one word Let me goe then by all the rest of the wrestling so is there nothing goeth so neere the heart of the godly as doth the mint of the Lords departure from them they are neuer so louing to him as at those times when hee seemeth to count least of them if hee looke angerly vpon them the more pittifully looke they vnto him if hee threaten them they threaten kindnesse vpon him the hardlier that hee answeres them the more importunately doe they cry vpon him Then with Dauid they water their couch with tears and call vpon God all the day long Their eyes cast out water continually when the comforter that should refresh their soules is away from them In a word these desertions worke in Gods children a diuorcement of their soules from the delight of euery creature a straiter adherence
the more earnestly should we practise this Lesson because now by Iacobs example vvee learne that then the Lord doth deale most familiarly to shew himselfe vnto vs when wee are best content to separate our selues from all other pleasures that we may get conference with the Lord whereas by the contrary when we neglect to seeke him and will not doe so much as redeeme a time and occasion to speake with him by forgoing for a while the company of men the Lord accounts that hee is dishonoured of vs that we are such as haue little delight in the Lord yea preferres euery thing before him and therfore also it is that the Lord delights not to be homely with vs and to acquaint vs with his familiar presence because we doe not carefully waite vpon him The Lord therefore encrease in vs this delight disposition to pray that we may esteeme it a benefit vantage to vs to haue the least occasion to pray for it was neuer yet seene but that a hart to pray hath euer been an vndoubted forerunner of a speciall blessing of God to ensue If we open our mouth wide the Lord shall fill it seeking must goe before finding we must knocke before it be opened If we haue the first we may be sure of the second Our Sauiour hath assured vs that our heauenly father will giue his holy spirit to them who desires him When Abraham prayed to the Lord the Lord answered him in such sort that euery petition hee sent forth returned back with some new gaine at sixe petitions he brought the Lord from fiftie to ten that the Lord promised to spare all Sodom for tenne righteous And that which is most comfortable the Lord left not off answering till first Abraham ceased from praying As that Oyle miraculously multiplyed by Elisha continued so long as the poore widdow had an emptie vessell wherein to receiue it so may we be sure that the grace of our God shall without ceasing bee multiplyed vpon vs so long as our hearts are enlarged to call vpon him Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied CHAP. V. The second circumstance the persons betweene whom the wrestling is THe second thing that here comes to be considered is the persons betweene whom the wrestling is Hee that wrestles here with Iacob is not a Man albeit Moses so calleth him because so hee appeares neither is hee a created Angell albeit Hosea call him an Angell of God But hee who wrestles is the sonne of God the great Angell of the couenant hic homo verus Deus est non ex nuncupatione sed natura hee it is who in this combat is the wrestler with Iacob Where first it is to bee demanded how it is that Iesus Christ appeared to the Fathers vnder the law in forme and shape of a man hee not being yet incarnate and made man indeede The answere is that appearing of Christ in forme of a man was as Tertullian calleth it praeludiū humanitatis a presignation of his manifestation after in the flesh but there is a great difference between the appearing his incarnation that followed in the fulnesse of time For first albeit christ before his incarnation tooke on verely the body of man yet was he not then a man indeede he was not then of the seed the woman but whē fulnesse of time came God sent his son into the world made of a woman then the word was made flesh then tooke he on the seed of Abraham became in al things man like vnto vs except sin then hee assumed our nature and joyned it into one subsistance vvith his diuine nature that is into one personall vnion for the straitnesse of the which conjunction it is sayd and most truely that Christ Iesus Man is God and Christ Iesus God is Man vvhich before his incarnation could not be said of him Secondly vvhereby Christ vnder the lavv tooke on the body of man was but temporall and for the doing of some particular errand vvhich so soone as he had finished he laid away againe But Christ Iesus hath now assumed the nature of man neuer to be laid away againe as hee hath joyned our nature vvith his diuine nature in a personall vnion so also in an euerlasting vnion so that there shall neuer be a separation betweene them Alway in this manner of Christs appearing vnto Iacob other of his seruants before the law let vs take vp the loue of Iesus toward his owne that for their sake hee is content to abase his majestie and appeare to his seruants not in a shape answerable to his glory but in such a forme as their weakenes might best comport vvith for vvhat kind of more homely and familiar apparition can God vse to man than to appeare as a man in the shape most familiar to man Not as God clad with glory and Majestie for that way no flesh might abide him In this O Lord thou hast shewed thy goodnes to man in this our father Abraham Isaac and Iacob had a proofe of thy louing kindnesse and in this all thy children may see what great account thou makest of them vvho loue and feare thy holy name But what is all this if it be compared with that which after followed I doe meane with that great loue which now in this last age of the world according to the truth of his promises he hath shewed vnto his Church in that he hath kept the precise promised and appoynted period of time wherein he hath appeared to his Church not in sh◅pe of a man onely as he did to our fathers but in the very nature of man A man indeed albeit not made man after the manner of other men For hee is the stone cut out of the mountaine without hands He vvas not made man by the operation of man He is a flower of the field not of the garden he grew vp like a Branch of the root of Iesse but not by the ordinary labour of a Gardiner Hee is the second Adam very man but not begotten by man He being the God of glory made himselfe of no reputation hee tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant and was made like vnto men and all this he did that in our nature he might work the work of our redemption Hee came downe from the bosome of his Father as the great Angell of his counsell to reueale to vs his fathers will concerning our saluation It is not customable that honourable personages should come to the poorer but his compassion of our necessities constrayned him Iacentes enim paralytici in grabbato diuinam illam non potteramus attingere celsitudinem For we lying sick of the palsie in our cowch vvere not able to reach vnto that diuine and high majestie therefore hee humbled himselfe to come vnto vs because wee were not able to goe vnto him And herein
hath he vttered toward man his wonderfull loue Man being man onely aspired to be like vnto God and so lost himselfe that now hee is become worse then a Companion to beasts But Iesus being very God was content to become man that he might saue man vvho vvas lost O how hath the loue of Iesus ouercome our ingratitude hee became the sonne of man to make vs the sonnes of God he hath taken on him our sinnes and giuen to vs his righteousnesse he refused not to vndergo that death which vvas due vnto vs that he might make vs pertakers of his life In a word Quod homo est Christus voluit esse vt homo possit esse quod Christus est That vvhich Man is Christ would bee that man might bee made that which Christ is and therefore Humiliauit se vt populum qui iacebat erigeret vulneratus est vt vulnera nostra sanaret seruiuit vt ad libertatem seruientes extraheret mori sustinuit vt moriens immortalitatem mortalibus exhiberet Hee vvas humbled himselfe that he might raise vp his people lying in bondage He was wounded for our transgressions that by his stripes wee might be healed He became a seruant that wee vvho vvere seruants might be restored to liberty He suffered death that he dying might giue immortalitie to vs that are mortall This is O Lord the greatnesse of thy loue towards vs the length and breadth the height and depth whereof all thy Saints are not able to comprehend But O Lord graunt that vve may daily grow in the feeling therof that with joy of heart wee may resigne our selues fully to thine only seruice vvho so willingly hastâ—… giuen thy selfe to be ours But to returne to the consideration of the persons who wrestles yee may meruaile what wrestling can bee betweene parties so vnequall betweene God and Man betweene the Creatour and the Creature betweene the Potter and his Vessell When the Lord is angry the foundations of the mountains and earth doe shake Hee breaks downe and it cannot be built he shuts vp and it cannot be loosed The pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe at his rebuke hee dryes vp the sea and maketh the floud desart there fish rot for want of water and dye for thirst Hee clothes the heauens with darknesse hee biddeth his lightning walke and they say Loe here we are he maketh the pot to boyle like ae pot of oyntment who is able to stand before this holy Lord And how then is it that Iacob is brought in here as a wrestler with the Lord But here ye must consider the parties as they are set downe in this conflict by Moses The Lord in this wrestling vtters not himselfe as the mightie God hee shews not himselfe in his power for so should hee easily haue confounded his creature but the Lord vttereth himselfe as a man and a man in pith strength inferiour to Iacob Iacob againe is here to be considered not as a simple man nor as a man vvrestling by his owne strength but as one standing wrestling by the strength of God and hereof commeth his preâ—…ailing in this battell The Lord vtters himselfe lesse then he is and makes vp Iacob much more then hee was Magna certè Dei nisericordia in figura hominis luctari voluit cum iusto vt se illius humilitati attemperarâ—…t And this same is the Lords dealing in all his wrestling with his children that neither doth hee vse his strength against theÌ„ nor yet leaue them to their owne weakenesse If the Lord should shew himselfe a strong God in wrestling against vs then indeed none were able to stand before him The three Disciples at the sight of Christs glory when hee was transfigurate on mount Tabor fell to the ground astonished If sinfull flesh bee not able to abide the sight of his glory how shall it indure the dint of his power that which is most of all how could fraile man sustaine the bensall of his Wrath and anger if the Lord would intend it Hereof then commeth our standing in these inward conflicts of conscience that our faithfull God suffers vs not to be tempted abouâ—… our power he assailes vs not aboue our strength he sets not our sinnes in order before vs that wee should see them as we committed them Hee permits not his deputy the Conscience to accuse and torment vs according to the merite of our transgressions hee mittigates the stroke of his rod extenuates the pith of his hand when hee puts at vs. And with this also by his secret grace he vnderprops vs otherwise no power should bee found in weake man to stand in the meanest of these battels wherein God sheweth himselfe our aduersarie party Yea if the Lord should set vp one of our sinnes to pursue vs and then withdraw his secret grace from vs wee should fall into the desperation of Caine and Iudas And if hee should arme but one of our owne cogitations against vs we should become miserable murtherers to our selues like Saul and Achitophell If he take his breath out of our nosthrils we fall to the ground or if he should abstract from vs the vse of Reason which he hath lent vs we become worse then the beasts Thus neither in inward nor outward wrestlings haue wee any strength of our owne to stand before him Our standing in trouble is onely by the strength of God who sustaines vs hee puts at vs with the one hand and vnderprops vs with the other It is God in vs vvho ouercommeth himselfe opponing vnto vs. Qui pro nobis morteÌ„ semel vicit semper vincit in nobis And this yee may see clearely in his dealing with that woman of Canaan his audible voyce was against her but the secret helpe of his spirit vvas with her with one hand hee repelled her and with the other hee drew her heart neere vnto him CHAP. VI. Consolation for the Godly afflicted THis I haue marked for thy consolation thou who art the vvarriour and vvrestler of God that thou maist know God is the strength of thy life and finding it so maist be thankfull and entertaine his presence vvith thee For vvhereof thinkest thou hath it come that so many yeeres thou hast stood in the middest of so many tentations that so long thou hast endured these spirituall vvrestlings wherein thy conscience and God vvho is greater then thy conscience hath stood vp thine accuser hath it come of any strength in thee None at all If the Lord had not holpen me my soule had almost dwelt in silence It is the Lord that kâ—…epeth our soules in life The Lord vvho seemed our Aduersarie was our secret helper hee shooke vs with tentations and sustained vs with his grace Euen the Lord who wounded vs did heale vs. The Lord is the dâ—…liuerer of our soule out of all aduersitie Otherwise it
no way be prejudiciall to the veritie of his word O strong O rare O wonderfull Faith Therefore the Lord who giueth no vaine stiles to his seruants honoureth Abraham with this name the father of the faithfull For by his example our weakenes is strengthned to giue credit to the Lord when he speaketh to vs. And the same lesson of Faith is in like manner taught vnto vs by the example of patient Iob for many schoolmasters and examples haue wee on whom the ends of the world are fallen No doubt he had laid vp the promises of God in his heart whereupon he dependeth yet doth the Lord handle him sohardly both in body and minde as if hee were determinate to keepe no promise vnto him Yet Iob for all this distrusts not the truth of Gods promise but gripes them so surely that in his greatest extremitie he resolues O Lord albeit thou shouldest slay me yet will I trust in thee That is albeit Lord thou shouldst deale hardlier with me then thou hast done yet will I neuer thinke but thou wilt bee mercifull to me according to thy promise there is a heart knit to the Lord there is a soule cleaning to God without separation that thus concludes O Lord none of thy workes shall make me to misbeleeue thy word though thou cast me downe to hell my eye shall bee vpward towards thee my soule shall loue thee euen when it appeares thou saist that thou hast no delight in me And the like also may we see in that woman of Canaan according to that promise askâ—… and it shall be giuen call on me in thy trouble and I shall heare thee and deliuer thee She 〈◊〉 O Lord haue mercy on me but at the 〈◊〉 gets no answere She cryeth againe againe but contrary to another promise as it would appeare God giues to all men liberally and reproches no man not onely is she refused but reproched as a dog and one not meet to eate the childrens bread But at the length leaning without wauering to the Lords promise shee receiues a fauourable answere O woman great is thy â—…aith CHAP. X. Let vs euer leane to the Word of God how strange soeuer his worke sâ—…eme vnto vs. OF all this then the lesson ariseth vnto vs that when ere the Lord shall exercise vs so hardly as to our Iudgement Gods working with vs seemes to fight with his promise made vnto vs so that suppose wee pray and wee mourne and we seeke comfort we can find none yea the more we pray the more our trouble encreaseth yet let vs not despaire but learne at our brethren who haue fought the like battailes before vs to rest assuredly on Gods promise For in the end his hardest working shall bee found to tend vnto the performance of his promise made vs in Christ Iesus let the Lord walke on in his secret wayes knowne to himselfe and let vs giue to the Lord this glory I know O Lord that it cannot 〈◊〉 but well with them who loues thee I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right for thy word endureth for euâ—…r in heauen and thy truth is from generation to generation Heauen earth shal passe away but one iotte of the Word of God shall not passe 〈◊〉 O happy are they to whom the Lord hath made a promise of mercy they shall sing in the end with Ezechiel The Lord hath said it and the Lord hath done it he will stablish the promise he hath made to his seruant and hee will not alter the word that he hath spoken with his lips Wherfore O thou that art afflicted humbled in spirit disquieted within thy selfe waite vpon God and thou shalt yet giue him thanks Now in the fourth roome we haue to speake of the time how long the wrestling continueth Moses saith it lasted to the breaking of the day Here then is a new mercy to bee marked the Lord will neuer so exercise his children with wrestlings but in regard of their weaknesse graunts them some intermission and a breathing time least they should faint he will lay no more vpon them then they be able to beare neyther suffer his rods to lye longer vpon their backs then may serue for their weale Al our afflictions are measured by the Lord in quantitie qualitie and continuance of time For quantitie the Lord propines to each one of his Children a câ—…p of affliction conuenient for their purgation and as to qualitie he tempers also our afflictions that where of their owne nature they are exceeding bitter being the fruites of sinne worse to drinke then the waters of Marah vntill Moses changed them by prayer and made them sweet He alters them in like manner by the vertue of the Crosse of Christ and his intercessions for vs the become so sweet and delectable that wee reioyce in tâ—…bulation And as for time hee giues vs but dayes of try all affliction houres of tentation attending to his good pleasure and wishâ—… dispensation If we cast Shadra Mesah and Abednego into the fire one like the sonne of God shall go with them to waite vpon them and relieue them in conuenient time Yea no gold-smith waites so diligently vpon his gold to take it out of the fire in due time as the Lord attends vpon his children that in due season hee may draw them out of their troubles Iacob wrestles no longer then the dawning and all our troubles haue an appointed time of deliuerance Weeping may abide in the euening but ioy commeth in the morning And of this ariseth to vs a lesson of patience that so long as it pleased the Lord to exercise vs with any crosse so long should we bee content to beare it No minting to cast off the yoke vntil it please the Lord to take it from our neck Noah was weary of his abiding in the Arke a yeere and a day for so long he remayned and no doubt when he saw the ground he was greatly desirous to come forth but he will haue no deliuerance till the Lord who closed him in command him also to come out and in very truth there can be no deliucrance but that which commeth from the Lord as this one notable example among moe makes manifest vnto vs. When the Angell commanded Lot to escape for his life to the mountaine â—…e requested the Angell for license to â—…arry at Zoar. And so where the Loâ—…d pointed out the mountaine for the place of his deliuerance hee himselfe makes choise of another but when he obtayned that which he desired durst he for all that abide in Zoar no certainly he could neuer liue without feare vntill he went forward to the mountaine whervnto the Angell at the first directed him So that both the time the place the manner of our deliuerance must be referred to the Lord and not elected by our selues Then wee rest in quietnesse when wee rest on the will and mercy of God not vpon
that spirituall desertions are prouocations whereby God his Children are wakened more effectuously to desire the continuance of Gods mercy with them When lesus Christ accompanied his two Disciples vnto Emaus communed with them by the way when they drew neere to the towne Iesus made him saith the Euangelist as if he would haue gone a little further onely to stirre them to seeke his abiding with them In the doing of our Sauiour is figured vnto vs the manner of the Lords working with his children who sometimes doth so behaue himselfe as if he were instantly to depart and take his holy Spirit from them which mints of spirituall desertion because they are exceeding grieuous to the godly let vs for our comfort consider the Lord by them seeketh no other thing but to encrease our faith to kindle our loue to stirre vs vp vnto greater feruency in prayer that we may vvith Iacob constrayne the Lord to tarry and blesse vs. And with the two Disciples may cry Lord abide with vs and forsake vs not For we are to vnderstand that the same blessings which God hath concluded to bestow vpon his children he will haue vs to aske them before that he giue them the Lord came at this time to Iacob of purpose to blesse him and yet he makes as if he would go away and not blesse him not that hee had changed his minde but because he will haue Iacob to pray for that blessing of corroboration which he had concluded to giue him And let this warne vs in the least threatning of a spirituall desertion to lay holde on the Lord by prayer least for fault of seeking wee close vp the Lords hands which are full of blessings ready to bee bestowed vpon vs. Againe we are to consider that the Lords presence in a like manner cannot be continually kept in this life neither from the beginning haue any of the children of God enioyed it at all times Where for the better vnderstanding of the lesson and our farther comfort we must distinguish between thâ—…se two kindes of the Lords presence there is a presence of the Lord which is felt and perceiued there is another which is secret and not perceiued yet knowen by the effects The secret presence of God is continually vvith his children vvhere-euer they goe ruling guiding sustayning them in all their troubles according to his promise when thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee that they doe not ouerslow thee when thou walkest through the sire thou shalt not be burnt As to vs wee haue our owne vicissitudes of feeling and not feeling wee are changeable but the Lord remayneth the same whom hee loues hee loueth to the end hee will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs but by his secret presence he intertaines life in our soules when to our owne judge ment wee are become altogether dead and senceles as there is a substance in the Elme and Oke euen when they haue cast their leaues And thâ—…s as I sayd appeareth by the effects that vve haue stood in many tentations wherein wee could feele no present grace vpholding vs. CHAP. XIII What notable effects the felt presence of God bringeth with it THe other sort is when not onely God is present vvith his children but also make themselues sensibly perceiue it by inward glorious feelings this presence when we get it makes a sodaine change of the whole man it raises vs from death to life it maketh a comfortable light to shine vvhere fearfull darknesse abounded it makes our faith liuely our loue feâ—…ent our zeale burning and our prayer earnest Then is our water turned to wine our sighes are turned into songs our mourning into glorious reioycing because the Bridegroome is with vs and the Comforter that doth refresh our soule is come to visite vs. This presence is as euidently felt of them to whom it is graunted as was that descending of the holy Ghost perceiued of the Apostles to whom he came This presence sometime is graunted before trouble as here vnto Iacob and then it is a preparation of him that gets it to the battell it embouldens incourages and strengthens him in such sort that hee feares not in Gods cause to encounter vvith vvhatsoeuer aduersarie He triumphs vvith Dauid the Lord is the light of my saluation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my liâ—…e of whom shall I be afraid This presence makes Iacob with his familie goe forward in the face of Esaâ—… and of his armed men vvithout feare where before he was afraid at the rumour of his comming This presence made Moses lightly regard the angry countenance of Pharaoh because hee had seene him who was inuisible This presence made Paul goe vp with joy to Ierusalem where he knew he should be in chains for the name of Iefus This presence hath emboldened many faithfull Martyres to offer their bodies more freely and willingly to the fire for the testimony of Iesus then euer any worldling hath stept into his bath to wash himselfe or to his bed to rest him Let Peter bee prepared with this presence and hee will preach Christ boldly in the face of a Counsell that condemned Christ Let Peter bee vnprepared of this presence and hee will denie Christ at the voyce of a sâ—…ple damsell Sometime againe this prescence is graunted to his Children after their long continuance in some trouble and then it is to them as the neesings of that childe whom after swouning Elisha reduced vnto life or as a glimps of the bright shining Sunne to the tender fruites of the earth which before hath beene oppressed with blasting and consuming tempests it brings to the children of God a pacifying of all these distrustfull perturbations which did before disquiet them yea it so delights and rauishes them that with the three Disciples on Mount Tabor when they had seene a little glance of Christs glory they cry out It is good for vs to bee here Yea they wish oh that my soule might for euer abide in this happy state and condition But as I said before to enjoy the Lord continually in this manner is not giuen to any man vpon earth for a while he will be familiar with thee as hee was with Iacob but soone after he must goe and thou must learne to reuerence this dispensation of his presence and not to be dis couraged because for a while he is gone from thee yea albeit with Mary one sword of many sorrowes should peirce through thy soule yet with her also magnifie the Lord and let thy spirit reioyce in God thy sauior blessing him with hart mouth that he looked to the base estate of his seruant Account thy selfe happy that at any time the Lord shewes thee his mercifull face being assured that he who hath giuen thee an earnest penny wil in his own good time giue thee the principall summe and that the glimps of mercy
translate his Church from Aegypt to Canaan then hee altered Pharaohs countenance hee raised vp a new king which knew not Ioseph and turned the Aegyptians harts away from Israell so that they vexed Israell and caused them to serue by cruelty and all this the Lord did to the end his people should become weary of Aegipt and inforced by violence to make forward to Canaan whereas otherwise as it well appeares if they had beene dandled as in the beginning they would haue neglected the promised land and contented themselues with Onions and Flesh-pots of Aegipt Thus Pharaoh by his obstinacy brings on himselfe his iust deserued punishment the Lord workes to his people their vndeserued deliuerance and afterward when the sins of his people drew to that ripenes that they had caused their dayes to draw neere and were come to their terme the Lord stirred vp the king of Babell as the rodde of his wrath and staffe of his indignation he sent him to the dissembling Nation and gaue him a charge against the people of his wrath to take the spoyle and the pray and to tread them vnder feet like mire in the streets and then that the Lord might be auenged of the sins of Israell hee subdued all kingdomes round about them vnder the king of Babell that no stop or impediment should be in their way to hold off the iudgement from them But yet againe when the Lord had accomplished all his workes vpon Mount Sion and the appoynted time of mercy was come and the 70. yeares of Captiuitie was expired then the Lord visited the proud heart of the King of Ashur and for his Churches sake hee altered againe the gouernement of the whole earth translating the Empire to the Medes and Persians that Cyrus the Lords annoynted might performe to his people the promised deliuerance All which should learne vs in the greatest changes and alterations which can fall out in the world to rest assured that the Lord will worke for the good of his Church though the earth should bee moued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea yea though the waters thereof rage and be troubled yet there is a Riuer vvhose streames shall make glad the Cittie of our good God in the middest of it and therefore it shall not bee moued yea they who should bee as nursing fathers and Mothers to the Church of God may forsake her and become her enimies but assuredly they shall perish and comfort and deliuerance shall appeare vnto Gods people out of another place The Lord for a while may put the bridle of bondage in the Philistines hands to humble the Israelites for their sins but it shal be taken from them and the day shall come wherein wee shall with ioy draw water out of the Wels of saluation and prayse the Lord saying Though thou wert angry with me thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest me Yea Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy for great is the holy one of Israell in the midst of her and therefore in our lowest humiliations let vs answere our Aduersaries reioyce not against me oh mine enimie though I fall I shall rise and when I shall sit in darknesse the Lord is a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill he shall pleade my cause and execute iudgement for mee hee will bring me forth to the light and I shall see his righteousnesse then hee that is mine enimie shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer him who said to mee What is the Lord thy God CHAP. VII What is a Christians best WHat is the Lord thy God Now shall he be trodden vnder as the mire in the street yea so let al thine enimies perish O Lord For the best This best is no other thing but that pretious saluation prepared to be showne vs in the last time reserued in the heauens for vs and whereunto wee are reserued by the power of God through Faith whereof we learne that our best estate is not yet wrought so as it is accomplished it is onely in the working saies the Apostle and therefore wee are not to looke for it in this life There is a great difference between the godly and the wicked the one inioyes their best in this life the other lookes for it and are walking toward it For if it should be demaunded when a wicked man is at his best I would answere his best is euill enough but then a wicked man is at his best when hee comes first into the world for then his sinnes are fewest his iudgement easiest It had bene good for him that the knees had not preuented him but that he had died in the birth for as a Riuer which is smallest at the beginning increaseth as it proceeds by the accession of other waters into it till at length it bee swallowed vp into the deepe so the wicked the longer hee liueth waxeth euer worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued saith the Apostle proceeding from one euill to worse saith Ieremie till at length he bee swallowed vp in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And this the Apostle expresseth most significantly when he compares the wicked man vnto one gathering a treasure wherein he heapes vp wrath to himselfe against the day of wrath For euen as the Worldling who euery day casteth in money into his treasure in few yeares multiplies such a summe the particulars whereof he himselfe is not able to keepe in minde but when he breaketh vp his Boxe then he findeth in it sundry sorts of Coyne whereof he had no remembrance Euen so is it and worse with thee O impenitent man who not onely euery day but euery houre and moment of the day doest multiply thy transgressions and desile thy conscience hoording vp into some dead work or other to what a reckning thinkest thou shall thy sinnes amount in the end though thou forget them as thou cōmittest them Yet the Apostle telleth thee that thou hast layde them vp in a treasure and not onely so but with euery sinne thou hast gathered a portiō of wrath proportionable to thy sin which thou shalt perfectly know in that day vvherin the Lord shall breake vp thy treasure and open the booke of thy conscience and set thy sinnes in order before thee then shall thine owne wickednesse correct thee and turning backe shall reproue thee then shalt thou know and behold that it is an euill thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God And shalt be astonished to see such a multitude of witnesses standing vp against thee then shalt thou perceiue that these sinnes which thou hast cast behinde thy backe the Lord hath set them in the light of his countenance and then woe shall be vnto thee for the Lord shall turne thine owne wayes vpon thy head when thou hast accomplished the measure
of thine iniquitie the Lord shall giue thee to drinke of the cup which thou hast filled with thine owne hand and shal double his stripes vpon thee according to the multitude of thy transgressions CHAP. VIII The Christian is not at his best now it is the working onely BVt as to the children of God if you will aske when they are at the best I answere praised bee God our worst is ended our good is begun our best is at hand as our Sauiour said to his Kinsmen so may we say to the Worldlings your time is alway but my time is not yet come We are at the worst immediately before our conuersion for our whole life till then was a walking with the Children of disobedience in the broad way that leads to damnation and then were wee at the worst vvhen vvee had proceeded furthest in the way of vnrighteousnesse for then vvere wee furthest from God Our best beganne in the day of our recalling wherin the Lord by his word and holy spirit called vpon vs and made vs turne our backs vpon Sathan and our face toward the Lord and so caused vs part company with the Children of disobedience among vvhom vvee had our conuersation before then we came home with the penitent forlorne to our fathers familie but they went forward in their sins to judgement That was a day of diuision betwixt vs and our sinnes In that day with Israell we entred into the borders of Canaan into Gilgall there were circumcised and the shame of Egypt was taken from vs euen our sinne vvhich is our shame indeede and which vvee haue borne from our mothers wombe the Lord graunt that we may keepe it for euer in thankfull remembrance and that wee may count it a double shame to returne againe to the bondage of Egipt to serue the Prince of darknesse in Bricke and Clay that is to haue fellowship any more with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but that like the redeemed of the Lord wee may walke from strength to strength till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion Alwayes this difference of estates of the godly and wicked should learne vs patience let vs not seeke that in the earth which our gracious God in his most holy dispensation hath reserued for vs in the heauen let vs not be like the foolish Iewes who loued the place of their banishment in Babell better than their home for here wee are not at our best now our life is hid with the Lord and wee know not yet what wee shall be but wee know when he shall appeare wee shall bee like him the Lord shall carry vs by his mercy and bring vs in his strength to his holy habitation Hee shall plant vs in the mountaine of his inheritance euen the place which hee hath prepared and Sanctuary which he hath established then euerlasting ioy shall be vpon our heads and sorrow and mourning shall slie away from vs for euer And now till the Lord hath accomplished his work vnto vs let vs not faint because the vvicked flourish neither thinke we haue cleansed our hands in vaine because they prosper they are to bee pittyed rather then enuyed let them eate and drinke and bee merry sure it is they will neuer see a merrier day then that they see presently they haue enjoyed their heauen in the earth they haue receiued their consolation in this life and haue gotten their portion in this world Oh what tongue can expresse their misery And yet as Samuel mourned for Saul when God rejected him and Ieremy wept in secret for the pride of his people that would not repent of their sinnes how can wee but take vp a bitter lamentation for many of you whom in this time of grace wee see to bee strangers from grace Wee vvish from our hearts ye were not like the kinsmen of Lot who thought hee vvas scorning when he told them of a iudgement to come and therefore for no request would goe with him out of Sodome but tarried while the fire of the Lords indignation consumed them But rather as Sara followed Abraham from Calde to Canaan so you would take vs by the hand and goe forward with vs from hell to heauen But alas The lustes of the flesh holds you captiue your sinnes hath blinded you and the Loue of the world doth bewitch you but all of them in the end shall deceiue you For All the labour vnder the Sun is but vanitie and vexation of spirit When you haue finished your taske you shall bee lesse content then yee were at the beginning you shall be as one wakened out of a dreame who in his sleepe thought he was possessor of many things but when hee awaketh behold he hath nothing Like that rich man who said in his securitie Now my soule thou hast much good for many dayes and euen vpon the next day vvas reducted to greater pouertie then that dispised Lazarus that hee had not so much as a drop of cold water to coole his tongue with then shall you lament we haue wearied our selues in the way of iniquitie and it did not profit vs. Alas how shall I learne you to bee wise The Lord when he created man set him in a roome aboue all his creatures and now degenerate man sets euery creature in his heart aboue the Lord. O fearefull ingratitude Doe you so reward the Lord yee foolish people and vnwise There is nothing which you conceiue to be good but when you want it you are carefull to seeke it when you haue it you are carefull to keepe it onely you are carelesse of the Lord Iesus though he be that incomparable iewell that brings light in darkenesse life in death comfort in trouble mercie against all iudgement you should set him as a signet on your heart as an ornament on your head put him on as a glorious attire that gets you place to stand before God But what paines doe you take to seeke him what assurance haue you that ye are in him or what mourning do you make because ye are strangers from him Can yee say that the tenth of your thoughts and wordes are imployed vpon him Alas how long will you wander after vanities and follow lies Will ye for euer forsake the fountaine of liuing waters and digge to your selues broken pits that can hold no water O consider this in time yee that forsake the Lord least he teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you CHAP. IX All things worke to the worst to the wicked THe last lesson wee obserue in this part of the verse is this as All things worke for the best to them that loue the Lord so all things worke for the worst to the wicked there is nothing so cleane which they defile not nothing so excellent which they abuse not Make Saul a King and Balaam a Prophet and Iudas an Apostle their preferments shall be their
take yee heede how ye come he saith not simplie let a man eate but let a man try himselfe and so let him eate This warning then of the Apostle stands in the entrie of this holy action like that Cherubin armed with a sword in the entry of Paradice yet not to hold out the Sonnes of Adam but onely to terrifie vs that wee presume not to draw nere without sanctification And herein doth our Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs who before he inuite vs to eate and drinke at his table doth first of all instruct vs how we should doe it Absalom called his younger Brother Ammon to a banquet onely of purpose to slay him hee prepared delicate meate and drinke aboundant'y for him but concealed the danger It is not so with our elder bro ther he calls vs here to a banquet noâ—… of purpose to slay vs but to saue vs 〈◊〉 is no way willing we should make thâ—…s Table a snare to trappe our selues to damnation which he hath ordeined aâ—… a meane of our Saluation and therfore before hand forewarnes vs of the danger that we may eschew it It is pittie to see how the great multitude runne to this holy Sacrament without tryall examination of them selues and all because they heare of a bread of life which heere is exhibited to the Communicants at this holy Table it is verie true that great thinges are exhibited heere indeed but thou shouldest first of all enquire of thy selfe who art thou what interest thou hast in this Communion and whether or no thou be one of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine for if thou in thy person be a profane vnsanctified creature thy touching of these holy things may defile them and make thee guiltie of the contempt of them but shall not benefit thee yea a greater curse then that which Elisha pronounced on the vnbeleeuing Samaritane Prince shall light vpon thee thou shalt see the Table of the Lord and heare of the plentie of the bread of life therein communicate but shall not eate of it Let a man therefore trie himselfe so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. For as this Sacrament is a holy and excellent thing so should they who celebrate it bee holy and seperate persons It should not bee receiued with common hands that is with earthly harts and vnsanctified affections The Pharises would not eat their common meate with vnwashed hands and that was but superstition but heere to wash before we eate both our hands and our head with Peter yea to wash as Ieremy exhorts vs Our hearts from our wickednesse is deuotion and good Religion both commended and commaunded by the word of God Otherwise fearefull is that warning of our Sauiour If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with mee To the vncleane all things are vncleane for euen their consciences are defiled CHAP. V. Vnreuerent handling of holy things hath neuer beene left vnpunished The Lord will not shew his presence without preparation The excellencie of this Sacrament and an exhortation to come vnto it with reuerence THe Lord hath neuer suffered vnpunished the vnreuerent looking to or handling of the holy signes of his presence Them of Bethshemesh looked vnreuerently into the Ark the Lord slew fifty thousand of them Uzza touched vnreuerently the Arke and the Lord in like manner strook him instantly to death Abimelech would not giue to Dauid the hallowed bread of proposition but conditionally that the young men who were with him were sanctifyed No vncircumcised man might eate of the pascall Lambe vnder paine of death and such as were circumcised being vncleane behooued to abstaine till they were clensed according to the law yea such of them as were cleane did not eate without foure daies preparation for the Lord commaunded them to take the Lambe the tenth day and not to slay it till the foureteenth day at night that all the space betweene they might the better prepare themselues to that holy action Neither will the Lord any other way be familiar with vs except we be sanctified Before the Lord came downe on Mount Sinai to giue his law to Israel hee appointed them three dayes of preparation wherein to sanctifie themselues The Lord appeared to Moses in the fiery bush but reuealed not his will vnto him till hee put off his shoes I will be sanctified saith the Lord in all that draw neere vnto me The Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand nor haue fellowship with the Throne of iniquitie his eye is so pure that hee can behold no iniquitie vnlesse we put off our worldly thoughts and sinfull affections whereby we haue troad in the vncleane wayes of sin it is not possible that the Lord can bee fa miliar with vs. All these stand vp as examples warning vs to draw neere to this holy action in assurance of Faith sprinckled in our hearts from an euill Conscience Here is a Sacrament more excellent then the Passeouer here is bread more holy then that Shew-bread here are the tokens of Gods presence more glorious then the Arke here the Lord commeth downe and saluation vnder his wings not to sound by Angels the precepts of his Law on Sinai but to scale vp by his Spirit the promises of his Gospell to the inhabitants of Sion shall wee then presume to come to this holy Table without sanctification Or if we will may wee not looke assuredly for iudgement The Corinthians were stricken with death and sundry diseases because they discerned not the Lords body that which is most feareful of al he that came to the marriage wating his wedding garment was he not taken from the banquet Table and cast into the place of vtter darknesse and shall we looke to escape the like iudgement if we fal into the like contempt of God Prepare thy selfe oh Israell to meet thy God let vs search and trye our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the heauens If wee be this day come to the Lord with our heart let vs put away our strange Gods which are our sinnes from among vs let vs with Iosephs Brethren make ready our presents sith we haue no better thing then our heart let vs sacrifice our hearts to the Lord and that in the best estate that possible wee can get it for the Lord our God is a great king Cursed is he that hath a male in his stock and voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord. Beware therefore we offer not that which is lame and torne to the Lord a diuided heart a halting heart betweene two an vnpenitent heart is neyther a meete Sacrifice to offer vnto the Lord nor a meete vessell wherein to receiue that holy thing which here the Lords offers vnto thee CHAP. VI. Not to put new wine into olde vessels Comfort for
of Sinai and Moses went vp from the plaine to it and so saieth he had familiar conuersatiō with the Lord and heere as the Lord commeth down as low as he can in this Sacrament for our capacitie it becōmeth vs to mount vp as high as pos◅ible we can in our affections if so be wee be desirous to meete the Lord otherwise if the Lord shall abide in his glorie and inaccessible light and if man shall lye still in the darke dungeon of this base and earthly minde what familiar meeting can there be betweenne God and man And as to the time Saint Iohn witn◅sseth that our Sauiour ordeined this sacrament when he was to goe out of the world to his father wherin said Augustine Spes membris in Capite data quod essent in illo transeunte sine dubio sequutura Yea not onelie should it nourish our hope that where hee is there once we shall be but should waken our affection and desire to goe after him we should eate and drinke at this holy table not as if we were here to remayne but should celebrate this supper like a passeouer standing as pilgrimes and our loynes gi◅ded vp hauing our staues in our hands readie to follow our Lord who is gone into heauen before vs and euerie day of our communion should bee a new departing of our hearts out of this world vnto our heauenly Father yea wee should receiue this meate from the Lord with that wa◅ning which the Angel gaue to Eliah in the wildernesse vp and ◅ate for thou hast yet a great iourney to goe This bread is giuen vs that in the strength thereof wee may walk forward the way which is before vs not that wee should lie downe and rest vs in this vvildernesse as if we had now attained to the end of our iourney The Angell wakened Eliah twice sleeping vnder the Iuniper twice he touched him and twice he bad him vp eate and walke at length hee rose and vvalked in the strength of that bread forty dayes But alas our securitie is greater then his many a time hath the Lord warned vs of the iourney that is before vs many a time hath hee proposed heauenly food vnto vs and now against this day the Lord reneweth his mercy towards vs. The Lord vvaken vs and graunt at the length that wee may rise and walke following the Lord till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion But of all other meanes the most forcible to rauish our hearts after the Lord is a deepe meditation of the loue of God towards vs. The Apostle protesteth it is a loue that passeth knowledge the height breadth the length and depth vvhereof none is able to comprehend he that at one time cryed out Come and I will tell you what God hath done to my soule is compelled another time to confesse O Lord my God thou hast made thy wonderfull works so many that none can count in order to thee the thoughts towards vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse And yet although vvee bee lesse able then the Elephant at one draught to drink vp the Riuer of Iordaine let vs bee content with the wearyed Passenger willingly to take in so much as may refresh vs we cannot measure the waters of the Sea in our fist nor number the stars of heauen and how then shall vvee number his mercyes which are aboue all his workes shall vvee therefore not looke to them nor behold that glory of God which shineth in them Though we cannot comprehend his incomprehensible loue yea blessed are wee if it shall comprehend vs let vs notwithstanding earnestly and feruently meditate vpon it not by starts and vanishing motions for as a Candle doth not at the first receiue light from the fire were it neuer so blowne but if for a time it bee holden constantly to the fire it is at the length enlightened so it is not vanishing meditations that will warme our harts vvith the Loue of God but if wee shall continue without wearying to exercise our thoughts vpon this great loue that the Lord hath borne towards vs it shall happely fall out at length that the powers of our Soule shall bee inflamed with his loue and vve shall find the sauour of death in euery thing that smelleth not of his loue No greater Loue then this sayeth our Sauiour can bee shewed among men then that a man should bestow his life for his friends but that which man is not able to shew our Lord Iesus God and man hath shewed to his children his good will for the Loue hee bore to vs hee gaue himselfe in a sacrifice for our sinnes on the Crosse euen when wee vvere his enimies and hath here in this Sacrament giuen himselfe a food and nourishment vnto vs for so that disciple beloued of him doth testifie When Iesus knew that his houre was come that hee should goe out of the world vnto his Father forasmuch as hee loued his owne vnto the end hee loued them therefore did hee institute this Sacrament that therein he might communicate himselfe to them O wonderfull loue stronger then the loue of Ionathan to Dauid When Ionathan and Dauid were forced to part company because of Sauls Tyranny Ionathan gaue Dauid his Garment his Girdle and his Armour he had no better and could giue no better and so with many teares and mutuall imbracings departed from him but our blessed Sauiour before hee remoued his corporall presence from vs gaue his life to redeeme our life from the death hee sent out bloudie sweat aboundantly as the witnesses of his burning loue towards vs hee powred out an euerlasting prayer to his father for vs he hath left behinde him in his last will his peace for our portion hee hath giuen vs his spirit for a Comforter his Word for a warner and this Sacrament for a spirituall foode vntill his second comming againe No meruaile his spouse in the Canticles praised his loue to be far aboue the loue of women for though in some of them the naturall strength of affection bee so great that it makes them indure the painefull bearing and bringing vp of their children with the milke of their breasts yet what is that comparable to this nothing indeede Such a Loue as here our Sauiour hath discouered towards vs is not to bee found againe in the world for whereas mothers saith Chrisostome eyther commit their Children to Nurses or else brings them vp vpon the milke of their owne breasts Iesus Christ feeds vs not with the milke of another but with his owne flesh and his owne bloud Necessitie sometime hath compelled the Mother to eate her owne Children but we neuer read that compassion hath moued the mother to giue her owne flesh to preserue her Children that they should not dye in famine But our Lord Iesus is that