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
death to follow his Lo◅d yea most desirous to be dissolued by death in so much as hee knew it to be a meane to conioyne him neerer vnto Christ. And herein he stands vp to witnesse vnto vs that vnlesse wee haue a most feruent desire to participate of this holy Sacrament which the Lord hath instituted to seale vp and increase our spirituall Communion with him wee are manifestly conuinced to be such as in whom their is no loue of the Lord Iesus If we will not goe with him to eate and drinck in his Parlour at Ierusalem it is not likely that we will follow him out of the Cittie bearing his reproach to bee crucified with him on mount Caluarie The Apostle is desirous to goe through death that hee might come to Christ and it was the notable word of that auncient Ignatius the scholler of Christs best beloued Disciple Saint Iohn Nihil visibilium moror nihil inuisibilium modo Christum acquiram I stand said hee vpon nothing visible nor inuisible I care not what torments come vpon me so that I enioy Christ Iesus and will not wee then casting away all impediments come ioyfully forward to this holy Table wherein our blessed Sauiour communicates himselfe vnto vs and wherevnto this day so louingly he inuites vs Now hee standes at the doore and he knocks offering to come in suppe with them who will open vnto him Now the maister shall say to his Disciples Take re and eate this is my bodie Now saies the bridegroome to his friends Eate O my friends and make you merrie my welb◅loued Now doth the Angel intimate that proclamation which hereafter will be resounded with greater ioy from heauen Let vs be glad and reioyce for the marriage of the Lambe is come And now the Sauiour calles vpon sinners with outstretched armes Come to me all ye who are wearie and laden and I will refresh you Those diseased creatures who lay at the poole of Bethesda wayted diligently on the occasion when they should step downe into the water for he that first stepped in after the Angell had troubled the water was made whole whatsoeuer his disease was Praysed be God though we haue not now those waters of Siloam wherein with that blind man wee may cure our bodily diseases wee haue the waters of that Shiloh of the which whosoeuer drinks shall not thirst any more these are the waters of life that are able to cure all our spirituall infirmities the benefit is not restrained to one that first sits downe at his Table but is extended to all those who make themselues readie to come vnto him Let vs not therefore neglect so faire an occasion of grace but let vs vp arise let the Bride make her selfe readie and go foorth to meete the Bride-groome Let vs begin in this wildernes to eate the fruits of our promised Canaan which is aboue Let vs open to the King of glory that knocks let vs go to our sauiour that cries come and ioyfully communicate with our Lord who commaunds Take and eate this is my body For here is giuen the greatest gift and that in the most excellent manner that God hath to giue on earth vnto the sonnes of men for here he giueth it as it were with both his hands that is not onely by his word but also by his Sacrament onely take heede to this warning let a man trie himselfe and so let him eate There is danger in hearing of the word and therefore our Sauiour forewarnes vs Take heede how you heare Ther is danger also in communicating in the preceeding verse the Apostle forewarned vs of it He that eates of this bread and drinks of this cup of the Lord vnworthely is guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. In the subsequent verse hee forewarnes vs also of the danger He that eates and drinkes vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation And in this interiected verse which now by the grace of God wee haue to handle hee sheweth vs the way how to eschew them both and therefore let vs harken the more attentiuely vnto it This precept hath two parts in the first we are commaunded to try before we eate in the second wee are commaunded to eate af◅er triall Before we communicate he requires triall and after triall hee commands to communicate and so he encounters with two sorts of men whereof the one eates of this bread and tryes not and these faile against the first the other tries themselues but eates not of this bread and these faile against the second both of them are here corrected by the Apostles precept In handling whereof we begin first at the last part that such as are resolued to bide away if it please God may bee made willing to come and then by God his grace we shall return to the first that such as are willing to come may bee instructed how they should communicate And so let him eate It is not then as ye may perceiue left free vnto men to communicate or abstaine from the Communion as they please but we are bound by a commaundement to eate and drinke at this Table Doe this said our Sauiour in remembrance of mee Our first father Adam failed in eating of that tree of knowledge of good and euill whereof God forbade him to eate but many of his sonnes failes in refusing to eate of that tree of life whereof God commaunds them to eate In their words they condemne the fact of their fathers because they were Sicut omniū parentes ita omniū peremptores prius peremptores quam parentes perishers of their posteritie ◅re euer they were parents and in their deede they are dayly imitators of their folly It was a punishment vnto Adam to be debarred from the tree of life and it is but a pastime to many of his foolish posteritie to debarre themselues from it Thus stands the corrupt nature of man still in contrarie termes with the Lord And the children fulfilles the measure of their fathers iniquitie where God forbids man to eate there will he eate and where the Lord commaunds him to eate there will he not eate The Serpent spake from the earth albeit ye eate of that tree which God hath forbidden yee shall not dye and man hearkened vnto it The Lord Iesus speakes from heauen come and eate of the tree of life and yee shall liue but man will not heare him O silly and fearefull Rebellion the Seducer is beleeued and the Sauiour is not beleeued This day wisdome hath prepared his Table hee cals vpon you all Come and eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne hee that find eth me findeth life and shall obtaine the fauour of the Lord but hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule and all that hate mee loue death Thus are wee louingly called and fairely forewarned and all those are made
is neuer lawfull If that which sometime is lawfull cannot excuse thy delaying to come vnto Christ when he cals vpon thee what mockery of God is it to alleadge that which neuer is lawfull And here also beside the offence done against thy God consider what preiudice thou dost vnto thy selfe what folly is this that because thy neighbour hath sinned against thee thou wilt also sinne against thine owne soule I suppose as thou hast said hee hath wounded thee and hurt thee in thy body goods or name is that a reason why thou shouldest contemne the calling of Christ who offers to cure thy wounds and heale al the infirmities of thy soule yea to pacifie all those passions and perturbations of minde wherewith thy impatience disquiets thee hee forewarned his owne that in the world they should finde trouble but in him they should haue peace If thou finde as he forespake trouble in the world why wilt thou not go and seeke that peace in him which hee hath promised As to thy right I require not thou shouldest loose it neyther yet forbid I that by ordinary meanes thou shouldest seeke a redresse of those wrongs which against order are done vnto thee for the law is the stay of confusion and the Sinew of the Common-wealth without which no fellowship can be entertained amongst men and God hath appointed the Magistrate that vnto good men hee should be like the raine to fields new mowen vnder whom they may flourish but should bee to the wicked like that Westerly winde which draue those Locusts into the red Sea that troubled the Land but as for grudge rancour hatred malice and such like what haue they to doe in the hart of the childe of God Since we are commanded to forgiue on another euen as god for Christs sake forgaue vs and plainely foretold that if we doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will our Father forgiue vs our trespasses A fearefull recompence that wee should possesse our owne sinnes because wee will not forgiue the sinnes of others Certainely thou that dost so giuest out a hard sentence against thy selfe for in stead of mercy thou cryest for iudgement as oft as thou prayest forgiue me my sins as I forgiue them that haue sinned against me for that is Lord forgiue me not at all It was a horrible sin of the Iewes that they preferred Barrabas a wicked malefactor to the Lord but I pray thee consider how nere thy sin drawes to theirs if thou iudge rightly of it for when thou refusest to come to this holy table vnlesse thou haue amends of such wrongs as are done vnto thee thou saist in effect rather then I le renounce my will I will renounce my part of Christ and communion with him for heere is the verie question whether wilt thou forsake thy communion with Christ or thine owne corrupted will say not now to me these are hard speches God forbid that euerie one who is no partaker of this sacrament should in so doing forfeit his part of communion with Christ. I grant indeede they are hard speeches but true speeches and no harder then thy sin deserueth for I pray thee to what end did our Sauiour institute this Sacrament was it not that in it he might communicate himself to thee how canst thou then excuse thy selfe say thou hast â—…ot reiected him seeing thou reiects the means whereby hee is giuen to thee When Eliezer the seruant of Abraham sought Rebecca in marriage vnto Isaac what way did she testifie her consent surely not onely by word but by acceptation of those iewels of siluer and gold which he gaue her as loue tokens in the name of Isaac Now wee are sent forth to you as the Ambassadors of the liuing God to win you in mariage vnto his sonne and to prepare you that yee may bee presented a Chast spouse vnto him and wee are commaunded to minister vnto you this holy Sacrament as a pledge of his loue towards you If yee agree to the marriage and be content to forsake your fathers house and goe with vs to the house of Abraham then testifie your consent by receiuing these holy tokens of his loue which in his name wee exhibit vnto you but if yee will not then shall we stand vp as witnesses against you that wee haue called you and yee refused to come O man what wilt thou doe for thy Christ that wilt not come and banquet with him at his Table how canst thou say thou louest him when so small an impediment keepes thee back from going vnto him hast thou not cause to hang downe thy head for shame when thou art conuinced to haue lesse loue to thy Sauiour then Esau had to Iacobs pottage for loue of them he sould his birth right which he should haue kept but thou for loue of Christ wilt not forsake thy corrupt will which thou art bound to abandon Abraham for the loue of God was content with his own hands to slay his onely lawfull Sonne and thou for the loue of God wilt not slay thy vnlawfull bastard affections nor doe the holy will of God except thy wicked will be first fulfilled This euidently proues that thou hast not Abraham for thy father but art of the race of wicked Cain that hated his Brother vnto the death Assuredly except thou repent that merciles iudgement bides thee presignified in that mercilesse seruant who hauing gotten mercie from his King could shew none to his Companion Oughtest not thou to haue had pittie on thy fellow aâ—… I had pittie on thee Thy former sinnes shall bee imputed vnto thee and thou shalt be deliuered to the Iaylor till thou pay all that is due vnto thy Lord which thou shalt neuer be able to doe But that the pittifull ignorance of both these sorts of Recusants may the better appeare and farther light may arise to such as are willing to communicate wee are to consider what a banquet this is and what are the delicates vnto the participation whereof wee are here called The Apostle saith not let a man eate bread and drinke wine but let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup. The particle This tels vs it is no common Bread and Wine no surely the comfort is great that wee are commaunded to eate of that Bread whereof our Sauiour saith This is my body and to drinke of that Cup which he cals his Bloud of the New Testament shed for the remission of the sins of many Hee that eates of my bread and drinks of my Cup vnworthely becomes guiltie of the abuse of Gods Creatures but hee that eates of this Bread and drinkes of this Cup vnworthily becomes guiltie of the Body and Bloud of the Lord and eates his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords body And therefore that wee fall not into this fearefull sinne wee are to know that this Sacrament is not a simple thing but a
Sanctified in Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory for euer Amen FINIS A PREPARATIVE for the new Passeouer Very profitable to bee perused and read of all those who are called to the holy Table of our Lord. By WILLIAM COVPER Minister of Gods word Prouerbs Chap. 9. Verse 5. Come eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne 8 My fruit is better then Gold euen then fine gold and my reuenewes better then fine siluer LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge and are to sould at his shop at the great South doore of Paules 1608. To the right worshipfull Sir Dauid Murray speciall Gentleman of the Prince his Bed-chamber multiplication of mercy grace and peace RIght Worshipfull albeit no distance of place can disioynt them in affection whoÌ„ God hath conioyned by the band of one spirit yet is it no small stop of that Christian conference wherby eyther of them might happely edifie and be edified of others I haue therefore taken mee to the next remedy since I cannot reach towards you with my tongue I haue endeuoured by writing to bestow vpon you some Spirituall Gift according to my line or measure for recompence of that Comfort which I haue reaped of that Grace of God which is in you I know these colder parts of the I le wherein we soiourue doe not vsually render such ripe fruites as those on which the Sunne beates more hotely yet are they also profitable in their kinde for nourishment specially of such who from their youth haue beene accustomed to feede vpon them Neyther hath the Lord our God debarred vs from Communion of that which is the greatest glory of the I le the Sun of righteousnesse hath shined vpon vs also The Lord hath made our darknesse to bee light and lead vs who were blinde a way wee knew not The Lord hath set his Standard amongst vs. Hee hath not onely sayde to the South keepe not backe but hee hath also commaunded the North to giue and to bring vnto him his Sonnes from farre and his Daughters from the ends of the Earth As the going forth of the Sunne is from the one end of Heauen to the other rising in the East and running on like a mighty man his race towards the West so hath the Law gone forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem the light of the Gospell through many nations hath come from them of the East toward vs in the West where now it stands more meruailously then the Sunne stood in Gibeon in the dayes of Ioshua till the fulnesse of the Gentiles in these parts the remnants of Iaphets house bee brought into the Tents of Sem. How long it will so continue the Lord knoweth Now the shadows of the euening are stretched ouer them of the East the Sun is gone downe ouer their Prophets Darknesse is vnto them in stead of Diuination If our vnthankefulnesse prouoke the Lord to withdraw it from vs woe in like manner shall bee to this Land when God departs from it There was neuer people before vs had any more but their day of Grace some longer some shorter but as they had a Morning so hath an Euening also ouertaken them While therefore wee haue the light let vs walke in the Light Blessed shall wee bee if wee know those things which belong to our peace for in our dayes that promise which the Lord made two thousand and sixe hundred yeares agoe is aboundantly performed that hee would giue the ends of the earth to his Sonne for a possession Happy are they among vs who shall be found of that number sought out by the Candle of the Gospell as peeces of lost Money and like wandring Sheepe taken out of the mouth of the Lyon and giuen in a Gift to Christ that hee may saue them these are the Redeemed of the Lord let them praise the Lord and among them come yee in also and giue glory to God take in your heart and mouth with Dauid that Song of thanksgiuing The Lots are fallen vnto mee in pleasant places and I haue a faire Heritage It is written of Theodosius that hee thanked God more for that hee was a Christian then for that he was an Emperour because the Glory hee had by the one would vanish but the benefits hee enioyed by the other hee knew were to continue for euer and though it may bâ—…e most iustly great matter of your ioy that by the fatherly care of our Gracious Soueraigne yee haue beene placed a Domestique Attendant on his Maiesties most Princely Sonne euen from his very Cradle wherein hetherto you haue beene praised for Fidelitie and I hope shall be so to the end yet let this bee your greatâ—…st Glorie that the Lord hath made you partaker of that blessing which commeth by the Gospell and giuen you the earnest of that Inheritance prepared for them who are sanctified by Faith in Christ Iesus For increase whereof in you as I daily send vp my weake Prayers vnto the Lord so shall I be aboundantly contented to know that these small fruits of my hâ—…sbandry which haue growne this last Sum mer in the pleasant valley of Perth not far from your natiue soyle may be any way profitable to confirme and establish that which GOD hath wrought in you 〈◊〉 them therefore right Worshipfull come towards you as those fruits which Iacob sent to Ioseph from Canaan Southward to more plentifull Aegipt though not as supplements of your neede yet as Testimonies of that loue which I beare toward you in the Lord to whose mercy I commend you for euer in Iesus Christ. Your W. in the Lord Iesus M. William Cowper Minister of Christ his Euangell at Perth A PREPARATIVE for the new Passeouer CHAP. I. Of the feruent desire Christians haue to be vnited with Christ. How Inexcusable they are who neglect this holy sacrament The great danger in comming vnprepared The parts of the precept First that we try Secondly that wee eate the last handled first AS the soule of a Christian longeth for nothing more then to be fully vnited with the Lord Iesus so doth he greatly account of euerie meane whereby this vnion is aduanced The Apostle S. Paul was so inflamed with the loue of Christ that in comparison of him he esteâ—…med all other things to be but doung and euerie thing an aduantage that might serue to conioyne him wiâ—…h Christ for albeit the nature of man abhorreth nothing more then death yea euen the soule of the godly desires not to lay aside the body if it might stande with the Lords dispensation which the Apostle is not ashamed to protest of himselfe We would not saith he be vncloathed but would be cloathed vpon that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life Yet did the loue of Christ so far ouercome him that he was content through the valley of
is it then to take fâ—…om the people that which Christ by his Apostles hath deliuered vnto them and thus while they boast of antiquitie they are found fathers of noueltie And against the third they faile who vse not this Sacrament to the right endes which aâ—…e especially two The first is the commemoration of Christs death and pâ—…ssion with thanksgiuing for the which also the Gâ—…ecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second is the communication of Christ to them who are his And for this the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first I take out of our Sauiour his words doe this in remembrance of me And from the Apostle So oft as yee eate of this bread and drinke of this cup shew forth the Lords death till his comming againe And in very deed this holy Sacrament being vsed according to Christs institution is a liuely representation of Christ crucified while as the signes of his blessed body and bloud being sundred one of them from the other the one is broken the other poured out remeÌ„bring vs how his blessed body was broken with the Crowne of thornes the Scourge the Nayles the speare and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes which should worke in vs so oft as wee behold it an inward contrition and godly sorrow for our sins wherewith wee peirced and wounded our blessed Sauiour vnto the death And indeed if wee be of the number of those vpon whom God hath powred out the spirit of grace and compassion so often as wee looke vpon him whom we haue peirced as here in this Sacrament wee may see him crucified before our eyes as often shall wee â—…ament for this as one mourneth for his onely Son or is sorrowfull for his first borne but of this wee shall speak God willing hereafter Now here is also discouered the vanitie of that errour of concomitance wherewith the aduersaries would excuse their disâ—…embring of this holy Sacrament for say they by concomitance where the body of Christ is ther is his bloud and therefore the bread which is his body being giuen there is no neede to giue the cup. But as the Lord asked the King of Tyrus in dirision Art thou wiser then Daniel So may wee aske of them are yee wiser then Christ will yee amend his institution This assertion takes away one of the principall ends of this Sacrament to wit the Commemoration of Christs death and passion for to haue the bloud within the body is no declaration of a crucified man nor a shewing forth of the Lords death whereas our blessed Sauiour ordained them to be exhibited and receiued sundry that it might not only be preached to our eares but represented also to our eyes how his blessed body and bloud were sundred for our sinnes The second end for which this Sacrament was ordayned is that it might bee a meanes of the communication of Christ to all them vvho are his for the sealing vp of our spirituall vnion with him ideo enim sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ illud hominibus datur vt Caput in terris corpori coadunetur And this as I sayd I take out of the word of the Apostle This bread which we break is it not the coÌ„munion of the body of Christ And in this respect this holy bread and wine are not only signes representing Christ crucified nor seales confirming our faith in him but also effectuall instruments of exhibition wherby the holy spirit makes an inward applycation of Christ crucified to all that are his And herein stands our greatest comfort for if wee had no more to doe in the celebration of this holy sacrament but to remember Christs death and passion then certainely looking to it onely were sufficient to put vs in remembrance thereof but when wee heare and see that this bread which is his body it giuen vs and vve are commaunded to take and eate it vvhat shall wee thinck but that wee are called to this high mercy as to bee pertakers of Christ and all the benefits that flow from his death The Lord doth neyther deceiue vs with words to bid vs take vvhen hee giues nothing neither calleth hee vs onely to a communion of naked bread and wine farre be it from vs to thinck so basely of this holy Sacrament Certainely hee that with any measure of light and grace wil ponder these words of our Sauiour Take and eate this is my body Shall perceiue that there is here a reall and effectuall exhibition made of the Lord Iesus to the penitent and beleeuing receiuer And yet let no man thinke that albeit the breaking and giuing of the bread be the communication of Christs body that therefore the bread is transstubstantiate into his body or that euery one receiues the body of Christ who receiues the bread for there is great difference betweene communication and acceptation on the part of God In this Sacrament there is indeede a communication and exhibition of Christ but on the part of the vnbeleeuing receiuer it fayles for fault of acceptation because they haue no saith whereby to receiue him nor a purified heart wherein to lodge him It is therefore a vile errour also of the Papists who affiâ—…me that the wicked in this Sacrament eate Christ but to their damnation It is contrary to the Word of God reformed antiquitie For whosoeuer saith Christ eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Sacramentum quibusdam ad vitam quibusdam ad exitium res vero ipsa cuius est sacramentuÌ„ omni homini ad vitam nulli ad exitium 〈◊〉 Qui non manet in Christo in quo non manet Christus proculdubio non manducat spiritualiter earnem nec bibit sanguineÌ„ eius licet visibiliter premat dentibus Sacramentum sanguinis et corporis eius The wicked who beleeue not may with Iudas eate Panera Domini non panem Dominum The bread of the Lord but not the bread which the Lord himselfe is to his worthy receiuer Of all this then it is euident that this banquet is most heauenly and excellent wherein as there is no lesse offered then Christ Iesus so no lesse is refused by them who refuse to communicate they proclaime by their deed if they continue in it that they haue No poâ—…tion in Dauid neyther inheritance in the Sonne of Ishai But now wee leaue them and returne to speake as wee promised of that tryall which they who mind to communicate are to take of themselues CHAP. IIII. The second part of the precept commands triall before we communicate The Lord wil not that this table be a snare to vs as was Absalom to Ammon Banquetters at this table should be holy persons LEt a man therefore try himselfe This Particle therefore is relatiue to that which went before since there is a daunger will he say and many eates and drinks vnworthily therefore
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
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 strange Lords who can claime no right vnto him should tirannize ouer him and hee not endeauour to vvithstand it and that Sathan should leade him away in Captiuitie bound with chaines euen the cords of sinne blinder then Zedekiah hauing his eyes pulled out and man should not lament for it But where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and freedome there is a knowledge and detestation of sinne and a sighing to God for deliuerance from the Bondage The Prophet Ezechiel could not see the abhominable idolatries of the house of Israell till the Lord taught him to digge through the wall but we shall be farre lesse able to see the vile abhominations that are in our owne hearts vntill the spirit of the Lord digge through demolish that thick and hard wall of induration that naturallie hideth vs from the sight of our sins and keepeth vs in blindnesse vnder Sathans bondage The other thing whereby we are to proceede in this tryall is the word of God for euery thing that is imperfect must be tryed by another not by it self gold is tryed by the fire touch stone the weight of a thing is tryed by the ballance and the spots of the face are tryed by the glasse Thus euery imperfect thing that is tryed is tryed by another not by it selfe As to the law of God it is a most perfect rule by which God will haue men and their actions tryed but it is to be tryed by no other then it selfe If any man will trie scripture he must with the Nobles of Beraea trie it by the scripture so then the word serueth vnto vs as a touchstone for our tryall as a glasse for discouery of our spots as the ballance of the sanctuarie wherein we must bee weighed in the last day the secrets of all hearts will be iudged by the Gospell and therefore it were good that in time wee did iudge our selues by it some trie themselues by it some tâ—…ye themselues by themselues supposing they are such indeed as they haue conceiued themselues to be some againe measure themselues by others speciallie with such as in their opinion are behind them not with such as in light and grace doe farre excell them like that Pharisie who when hee came to examine himselfe before God thought he was good enough because he was not like the Publican wherein hee was also miserablie deceiued for suppose he spake the truth yet spake it ignorantlie as Caiaphas saide that one behooued to die for the people hee was not like the Publican indeede the Publican was much better then hee for hee came to the temple humble and penitent and went home to his house iustified whereas the Pharisie puft vp with a conceit of his own righteousnesse and iustifying himselfe went away out of the Temple more guiltie then he came In the tryall therfore of thy selfe make not thy neighbours disposition thy rule least thou in like manner be deceiued And yet if thou wouldst profit by the example of others remember it is a great follie to thinke that thou art religious enough because in religion some are behind thee and not rather to bee displeased with thy wants when thou seest so many before thee enriched aboue thee in all spirituall grace and haue profited more then thou in the mortification of their sinfull lusts hauing out run thee further in the way of Gods commaundements then that other Disciple ouer-ran Peter vnto Christs Sepulchre to learne his resurrection It is pittie that the Sonnes of men in worldlie things can looke to those who are aboue them thinking they haue little because they haue not so much as others yet in spirituall things they should looke to others that are inferior to them and so easily stand content with the little beginning of religion they haue because there be many who in their iudgement haue not so much whereas certainly if we could try our selues by the right rule wee should finde that as yet wee are farre from that which wee should bee and therefore haue more neede then that holy Apostle To forget that which is behinde indeauour our selues to that which is before following hard toward the marke for the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus We haue therfore heere yet farther to obserue that seeing the Apostle commaunds vs to try our selues wee thinke it not enough that others try vs and giue vs their approbation we must also try our selues The Pastors may try thy knowledge and thinke it good enough thy superiors may try thy conuersation and finde it vnreprouable of man But thou must try thy owne conscience for no man knowes the things of a man saue the spirit of man the minde of a man will shew him more sometime then seauen watchmen that are in a tower When this sacrament was first instituted there were twelue who communicated with the Lord Iesus and one of them was a Diuell and a traiterous hypocrite the remnant knew him not therefore could not reproue him but that made not Iudas the better man yet the fault which man could not finde out the Lord discouered it one of you said he will betray me Thinke it not therefore enough albeit vnchallenged of man thou maiest sit downe at the Lords table Remember the king will come take a view of the Guests euen he who is the God of the Spirits of all flesh and to whom the secrets of the heart are manifest Iosaphats garment cannot hide Achab from him hee is not blinde like Isaac that hee should bee deceiued to take one for another therefore try thou thy selfe how thou commest to this holy table whether as Iohn louing Iesus and beloued of him or as Iudas betraying Christ and accursed of him for as Christ foretolde them that one of them was a Diuell so the Apostle hath foretolde vs that many will eate and drinke vnvnworthily at this holy table who they are wee know not yet are they known to the Lord let euery one of vs striue to purge one euerie man trie himselfe and wash his hart from his wickednes and so shall we be all cleane let euery man aske for himselfe with the Disciples is it I Lord am I one of them that comes to betray thee to crucifie thee againe to tread the blood of the new Testament vnder my feete let vs neuer rest til we haue gotten the Lords certificate in our consciences and that after due triall of our selues wee come not as Hypocrites vnpenitent and vnbeleeuing Atheists but as diseased and poore sinners to seeke the Lord Iesus the Sauiour of the world for if wee doe so then shall we get that answere which the Angell gaue to the two Maries feare not ye because ye seeke Iesus who was crucified we shall eate at this Table and be satisfied shall goe away not without feare indeede but hauing our feare tempered with great
kinde Pelican that sendeth out his owne bloud to nourish his young and all this hath our Lord Iesus done not grudgingly but willingly prouoked hereunto by that feruent Loue hee bare to the glory of God his father and to our saluation Which shall yet appeare more euidently out of his owne comfortable saying to his Disciples I haue greatly desired to eate this Passeouer with you O word full of consolation sundry Passeouers had hee eaten before with them but hee protesteth this was his desired Passeouer See yee not here his vnquenchable Loue hee knew it was the last hee was to eate vpon the earth he knew he was to drink no more with them of the fruit of the Vine till it was fulfilled in his Fathers kingdome hee knew that the same night they would â—…ay him and that after Supper a bitter Cup of Passion was abiding for him yet his loue ouercame all these impediments and made him thinke long to eate of this Passeouer And which is much more before euer hee gaue himselfe to bee crucified for vs on the Crosse hee prouided this Sacrament as a meanes of the communication of himselfe vnto vs thereby assuring vs that his subsequent passion should not defraude vs but rather affoord vnto vs and make ready for vs that righteousnesse and life by Christ purchased on the Crosse and communicate in his holy Table to them who are his In the one hee was prepared and made ready as the onely foode of our soules to eternall life in the other hee is applyed Communicated and giuen vnto vs both of these necessarily behooued to bee done for the work of our Saluation Sicut enim ad potandum vinum venire nemo potest nisi botrus calcetur ante prematur sic nos sanguinem Christi bibere non potuimus nisi Christus prius fuisset calcatus pressus It was a great Loue which made our Sauiour content that his bloud should be shed out on the Crosse and so should bee made both a ransome and a conuenient foode for vs for the father sent him Quasi saccum plenum misericordia in passione conscindendum vt effundatur quod in eo latet pretium nostrum So is this also a new declaration of his loue that before his body was broken and his blood was shed hee first ordeyned the meanes whereby it should be communicated vnto vs. These and many more spirituall meditations should bee vnto vs as the breathings of the mouth of God to kindle in our soules that little sparke of the loue of God which alas for fault of entertainement is almost ouer gone and extinguished with the ashes of our corruption for seeing our Sauiour longed to eate with vs shall not we long to eate with him he greatly desired to giue himself to vs in this table and for vs on the crosse shall not we earnestly desire to receiue him hee knew it was the last he should eat vpon earth that after it heauy sufferings abode him wee know that our banqueting here is the banquet that shall be accomplished in heauen it is begun here it shall not end here Comfortable is that word of our Sauiour it shall be fulfilled in my kingdome and will not we then ioyfully begin this banquet shall we be so foolish as to wait vpon lying vanities and forsake our owne mercies shall we turne our back vpon the fountaine of liuing waters and digge to our selues Cisterns that can hold no water certainely our darknesse is grosser then the darknesse of Egipt and our hearts harder then the Adamant except this burning loue of the Lord Iesus rauish vpward our hearts after him The spouse in the Canticles professeth she was sicke of the loue of her glorious husband the Lord Iesus but alas wee are not touched with the like loue wee feele not the smell of his oyntments therefore with the rest of the Virgins we runne not after him Eliah touched Elisha with his Mantle and therwithall the Lord ioyned his inward calling and suddenly Elisha left his plough of Oxen and of a husbandman became Prophet Now the Lord cals vpon vs by his word and Sacrament let vs also pray that the Lord would shed abroad in our harts by his holy spirit the sence of that loue of God then should wee neglecting all things runne after the Lord seeking onely to inioy him The men of this world maruell to beehold the suddaine change of life which is made in the children of God by his effectuall calling they maruell to see them running so feruently after Christ seeking him by continuance in prayer by hearing of his word by participation of his Sacrament and that with such an insatiable desire that in this life they can neuer be satisfied with hearing reading praying and communicating but if the Lord should in like manner touch their harts and let them feele the power of an inward calling then would they marueile no more farre lesse disdaine yea they would make hast and ioyne themselues to the company of the godly And Saul also should become amongst the Prophets The woman who had liued before a licentious life would now change it with Mary Magdalene shee had beene a great sinner in the Cittie but became an example of Repentance to all the sinners in the Cittie shee prostrates no more her body to her carnall Louers but falles downe at the feete of Christ to craue his mercy in stead of her wanton lookes her eyes poure out teares and her beautifull hayre which before shee set out as a proclaimer of her Lust now shee pulleth downe to wash the feete of Christ. Thus all the former meanes of her sin shee maketh new witnesses of her repentance the man in like manner who had sate all his dayes with Mathew at the receipt of Custome that is who had liued in the sinfull trade of vnlawfull gaine would now in like manner forsake it but where the Lord by effectuall calling workes not in the heart an earnest loue of God no meruaile they lye still in the graue of their sins and rise not to walke after the Lord. We are therfore so much the more to vse all the ordinary means which may entertaine in vs that little sparke of the Loue of God till it grow vp vnto a great flame for the farther vnion and coniunction of our Soules with Iesus Christ and this for our disposition towards God As concerning our Christian disposition to our neighbour it is vsuall to the spirit of God to comprise it vnder Loue. Our Sauiour saith that loue is the Cognisance of his Disciples and the Apostle calleth it the band of perfection and fulfilling of the Law and no meruaile for Loue speaketh with the tongue of euery Vertue All the sundry precepts wee are commaunded to doe vnto our neighbour are summarily comprehended vnder this one Loue one another As this Sacrament sealeth vp the Communion of the
members with the head so it seales vp the communion of the members among themselues for this bread whereof we eate is of many graines of wheate made vp into one bread and the wine is the iuyce of many berryes collected and vnited into one to teach vs that all the Communicants at this holy Table how many soeuer they bee ought to agree together in one like members of one body as hauing one Father one Faith one Baptisme one Inheritance as Brethren quickned all by one and the selfe same spirit which is not to bee found againe in all the world except in this excellent brother-hood as wee cannot bee ioyned to the head without faith so can wee not bee knit to the members without Loue. Stones and timber cannot make vp a building till they be ioyned and sundry peeces of mettall cannot bee melted in one work without fire no more can Christians be vnited in one mysticall body without Loue and therefore our Sauiour at the celebration of this Sacrament recommended Loue to his Disciples by a new Commaundement which hee so called because it should neuer waxe olde yea so much doth he account of it that he will accept no seruice wee owe to himselfe without that duty of loue we owe to our brethren If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue thy offering goe thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift Of this it is euident that without Loue to our brethren we can doe no acceptable seruice to the Lord. In this therefore let vs trie and examine our selues what compassion finde we in our hearts toward our brethren what willingnesse to doe them the good wee can what loue to beare one anothers burthen what readinesse to forgiue when we are offended what humblenesse of minde to aske them forgiuenesse against whom wee haue sinned practising these precepts While yee haue time doe good to all men And againe forbeare one another forgiue one another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue you The Maiestie of God suppose first offended did first seeke man to bee reconciled with him and shall man that hath offended thinke euill to seeke his Brother to bee reconciled with him but alas are these fruites of Godlinesse now to bee found amongst men if thou seeke them thou shalt finde them as the Sommer gatherings or as the grapes of a Uintage cut downe though thy soule desire to eate the fruite thereof thou shalt not finde it for the good man is perished out of the earth such as are Christians by name they liue like Iewes and the Samaritans of whom it is written that they might not conuerse together to forbeare and forgiue one another to them are precepts of an vncouth language which they vnderstand not as a sparkle of fire easily kindles a heape of powder so a small offence remoueth all their affections they are not slow vnto wrath like the Lord and far lesse like him in readinesse to forgiue As men saith Lactantius are mortall so should their anger bee mortall our Sauiour saith the Sunne should not goe downe vpon our wrath the Apostle commaunds vs to bee Children concerning anger and maliciousnesse who as they doe not deepely coâ—…eiue it so they do not long retaine it but are shorly familiar with them with whom they were a little before offended but as it vvas doubted of Sylla Sylla ne prior an Sylla iracundia sit extincta so is it out of all doubt that in many vipers of this age anger dieth not till they die themselues And as for doing of good to their neighbors and brethren they liue in the world like monsters or like those Gyants The sonnes of Anack they alone will be Lords of the earth as if the world were made for them onely or they at the least were borne for themselues Churlish like Nabal shall I take said hee my bread and my flesh and giue vnto Dauid all that they haue they account so to be theirs as if they had not receiued it or were not the Lords stewards bound to distribute to the necessities of his Saints the rich gluttons they vse it as a morsell for their owne mouth Now my soule thou hast enough for many dayes let Lazarus finde as he may they thinke with Cain they are no keepers of their Brethren That which dieth let it die These and many moe are the common and seene corruptions of this age wherein we are to examine our selues how farre the renewing grace of the Lord hath made vs to depart from them and what holy loue we haue put on For hee that loueth not knoweth not God because God is loue and he that loueth not his Brother whom he hath seene how can hee loue God whom he hath not seene hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the Brethren And thus much vve are content to haue touched of our disposition toward our neighbour Now last of all concerning our disposition in our selues let vs bee sober esteeming basely of our selues highly of the Lords mercie hungring and thirsting for his saluation and in verie deed the more we shall consider how God hath magnified his holy name by his meruailous mercies towards vs the more shall wee bee compelled to cast downe our selues before him in all humilitie and submission of our spirits When Dauid promised to Mephiboseth that hee would shew him kindnesse for Ionathan his fathers sake Mephiboseth humbled himselfe to the ground and saide what is thy seruant that thou shouldest looke to such a dog as I am but here the Lord our God not onely promiseth vnto vs kindnesse for his Sonne Christ Iesus sake but presently performes it and inuesteth vs againe vvith our Fathers inheritance which vve forfaited in Adam and where we vvere of our owne nature but deade dogs vncleane creatures dead in sinne and trespasses Now behold what loue the Father hath shewen vs Hee hath made vs partakers of this heauenly vocation as to be hiâ—… sonnes and his heires and shall not wee then in our very hearts bee humbled before him acknowledge our great vnworthinesse and his excellent mercies Let vs confesse vvith Godly Iacob I am not worthy O Lord of the least of all thy mercies and let euery one of vs say with the Centurion I am not worthy Lord that thou shouldest enter vvithin my roofe Let vs vvith the vvoman of Canaan acknowledge our owne roome if the Lord should giue vs but the benefit of vvhelps dogs that is should suffer vs to goe vnder our maisters Table and eate of the crummes that fall from it yet were it more then any way we haue deserued and how then are we bound to haue our hearts and our mouthes filled continually with the praises of our God who hath bestowed vpon vs his greatest mercies when we
were not vvorthy of the least and hath set vs downe as Sonnes and Daughters and Heires at the Table of his children that were not vvorthy as dogs and whelps to creepe vnder it haue vve not cause to crie out with Dauid O Lord what is man that this manner of way thou art mindfull of him Elizabeth maruailed that Mary came to visite her and in the humility of her heart cryed out Whence commeth this that the mother of my Lord should come vnto mee but we haue more cause to maruell at the maruailous mercies of the Lord for what are we that the fairest among the Children of men should be delighted with our loue and our Lord should come to visit the base estate of his Seruants communicate himselfe his light his life and his grace vnto vs Let no man thinke that I haue multiplied these places of scripture vvithout a cause The beginning of the diuision betweene vs and the Lord slowed from the pride of our nature vnlesse vve humble our selues and bee content in our minde to sit lower then dust and ashes by reason of our sin it is not possible vve can bee vnited with the Lord This is the councell that in fevv vvords Michah giueth vnto vs He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercie to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God The Lord is indeed a most high God yet he is nearest vnto them and they goe soonest vp vnto him who are least in their owne eyes and tremble at his words And beside this inward humiliation arising of the sence of our own vnworthinesse let vs come with a hunger thirst of the Lord his righteousnesse saluation For he will satisfie the hungry but the full he sendeth away emptie onely they that haue the spiritual appetite hunger thirst are meete to be communicants at this holy table As that oyle multiplyed by Elisha ceased not so long as the widdow had any vessell wherein to receiue it so shall neuer that oyle of grace decay but be multiplyed and increased vnto all that with open and inlarged hearts are ready to receiue it Thou therefore who art more ready to faint for spirituall hunger then was Ionathan come hether put out the hand of faith eate of this hony make thee full and thou that art sicke with the Spouse in the Canticles for the loue of Iesus come hether and the Lord shall stay thee with the flagons of his wine Art thou almost dead like that Egyptian the Seruant of an Amalekite whom Dauid found in the fields take and eate of this bread and thy Spirit shall returne againe vnto thee But alas where is this spirituall appetite to be found amongst vs the deadnes of our hart is lamentable wee see not our wants wee see not his beauty wee smell not his oyntments wee tast little of his goodnesse and therefore we make not hast to run after him Dauid mourned ouer the dead body of Abner but alas if wee could wee haue much more cause to mouâ—…ne ouer our dead soules Oh that there were in vs that holy desire which Dauid protesteth to haue beene in him My soule fainteth for the saluation of God As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters and thirstie ground desireth raine so my soule panteth after the liuing God Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for his righteousnesse for they shall bee satisfied These onely are the guests and banquetters that shall eate of the delicates which here hee hath prepared and whose soule shall bee delighted with his fatnesse These shall goe from this Table as Moses came downe from Mount Sinai his countenance changed They shall arise with Eliah and walke on in the strength of this bread all the whole dayes of their pilgrimage They shall goe on in their way with Sampson eating of the hony which they haue found They shall depart from this Table as the two Maryes did from the Sepulcher with great ioy These shall goe home to their owne houses iustified with the Publican reioycing because they haue found a treasure and hath felt the sweetnesse of this Manna they shall not bee able to conceale this great ioy from Israell but shall be forced to tell euery Nathaniell whom they meete We haue found the Messiah And in all time to come their soule shall cleaue to the Lord without separation more straightly then the men of Iudah and Ierusalem cleaued vnto Dauid their King They shall say to the Lord as Elizeus said to Eliah As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I wil not leaue thee and with Peter whither O Lord shall I goe from thee seeing thou hast the words of eternall life The Lord worke this spirituall disposition in vs for Iesus Christs sake to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory for euer FINIS A Table wherein all the Chapters of the three forenamed Bookes are particularly set downe 1. Iacobs wrestling with God A Priuiledge of the Godly that say God is with them none can bee against them to hurt them Chap. 1 Gods fatherly compassion appeares in that he handles vs most tenderly when we are weakest Chap. 2 The cause mouing the Lord to appeare to Iacob at this time Chap. 3 The first circumstance the time of the wrestling Chap. 4 The second circumstance the persons betweene whom the wrestling is Cha. 5 Consolations for the Godly afflicted Chap. 6 Comfort for Christs souldiers Chap. 7 The third circumstance the manner of the wrestling corporall spirituall or mixt Chap. 8 How we should behaue our selues in this tentation we are taught Chap. 9 Let vs euer leane to the word of God how strange soeuer his worke seeme vnto vs. Chap. 10 Verse 25. And when he saw that he could not preuaile Chap. 11 Vers. 26. And he said let me go Chap. 12 What notable effects the felt presence of God bringeth with it Chap. 13 The presence or absence of God is euer dispensed for the weale of his owne Children Chap. 14 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. Cha. 15 Prayers of the Godly must be forcible acceptable to God seeing they come from his owne Spirit Chap. 16 Iacob cannot end till God haue blessed him Chap. 17 Faith through death espies life Chap. 18 The Godly in their prayers aboue all things seeke Gods fauour and blessing Chap. 19 Worldlings in their Prayers dishonour God and preiudges themselues Chap. 20 Faith obtaines euery good thing that it craues Chap. 21 Verse 27. Then he said It is the curse of the wicked to pray and not preuaile but it is not so with the Godly Chap. 22 The Lord by inward exercises of conscience makes his children strong to
inexcusable that wil none of his counsell they will not eate of this bread but shall eat of a worse For they shall eate of the fruite of their owne way and bee filled with their owne deuises their paths shall tend vnto death because they refuse to lay hold on the tree of life CHAP. II. Ignorance the mother of all Recusancie to communicate The Reasons of diuers refusals condemned Better excuses reiected by Christ in the Gospell then these They consent not to the Marriage of the Lambe who refuse the smallest token of his loue WHat euer bee the pretented excuse of these recusants ignorance is the mother of their sinne and therefore may I say that vnto them which the Lord Iesus said vnto that Samaritane woman If thou knew the Gift of God and who it is that sayes to thee giue mee drinke thou wouldst haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen thee the water of life This sweet gradation of our Sauiour his words If thou knew thou wouldest aske if thou asked I would giue euidently poynts out the sinne of these men to bee as I haue saide the Daughter of Ignorance whereas out of doubt if they knew the gift that is giuen them here by God they would answere with those Iewes Lord euermore giue vs this bread and with that Samaritane woman when shee was better informed Lord euermore giue me of that water to drinck that I thirst no more But that wee may deale particularly with such as refuse wee are to know that albeit this their rebellion proceeds of ignorance yet they who refuse are of sundrie rancks some knows not the vtilitie and excellencie of this Sacrament these thinke they may bee Christians good enough although no Communicants they looke to this Table with naturall eyes they iudge of it by things which they see and so despise it because after their reckoning they haue better replenished tables at home These are like Naaman the Syrian who came to Elisha to be cured of his leprosie hee was commaunded to goe and wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan which at the first hee disdained to doe are not said he Aabanah and Pharpar â—…iuers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israell he contemned the meanes commaunded by the Prophet he went away in displeasure and his leprosie went with him but afterward when hee reuerently vsed the meanes prescribed vnto him hee was made cleane of his leprosie Wherein wee are taught not to despise the ordinance of God although it seeme neuer so base vnto naturall iudgement It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them who beleeue and he hath in like manner appointed this Sacrament for communication of his Christ to them who are his Let a man therefore be content to take saluation out of the hand of God by such meanes as hee in his wisedome hath concluded to giue it No worldling will refuse treasure of gold although it were giuen him in a Boxe of Wood nor pretious Pearles presented to him in a purse of Leather and wee see that noble personages disdaine not take infeftments of stately buildings and faire inheritances by acceptation of a contemptible little peece of earth and stone and shall a Christian refuse so excellent a gift because it is giuen by so small a meane far be it from vs that wee should examine the ordinance of God but rather that wee prepare our selues in faith and feare to obey it let vs not looke to the meanes but to the blessing by Gods promise annexed to the meanes to the gift more then to the manner of giuing In this banquet we must learne to exercise our faith not to satisfie our sences it is no banquet for our bodie if so the Lord had intended it he could haue furnished his Table with the delicatest things and made thee a banquet farre exceeding that which Ahasuerus made to the Princes and gouernours of his prouinces For all the Foules of the ayrâ—… and beasts that feede on mountaines and fields are his He may commaund as his owne all the creatures of his three store houses the Ayre the Earth and the Sea but here the lesse wee see the more we are bound to belecue Say with vnbelecuing Naaman what better is this Bread and Wine then other Bread and Wine such blasphemies somtime hath fallen out of the mouthes of ignorants whose darknesse wee shall God willing discouer by the light of Gods word heâ—…reafter for the present my conclusion to the Recusant is that if as thou pretend thou be a louer of Christ then wilt thou esteeme euerie new token of his loue a new benefit vnto thee and what euer he puts in thine hand as a pledge of himselfe in that respect it shall bee deerer vnto thee then all the world beside Others againe there are who knows both the vâ—…ilitie and excellencie of this holy Sacrament and yet refuse to communicate but as they thinke with a reason pretending that it is not contempt but reuerence of the Sacrament which makes them to abstaine To whom I answere that there is no excuse in the world can warrant a man to bide backe from Christ Iesus when he cals vpon him for what art thou able to alleadge want of preparation the fault is thine owne for since the marriage of the Lambe is come and thou art warned thereunto why doest thou not make thy selfe ready and remoue the impediments And yet if thou al leadge that common excuse of the ignorant multitude that thou art at variance with thy neighbour by reason of some iniuries done to thee not as yet repayed by him nor to be borne withall and disgested by thee what dost thou but by a singular subtiltie of Sathan excuse one sinne by another as if one would teach thee to wash away the spots of thy face with puddle water were not that in stead of cleansing to make thy selfe more vncleane and thou while as thou wilt iustisie thy contempt of God his calling by alledging thy vnsanctified affection and hart that cannot forgiue dost no other thing but make thy selfe guilty of a double rebellion as one that will not discharge thy Christian duety neyther to God nor man Consider I pray thee the excuses pretended by those who were bidden to the Marriage of the great king and compare them with thine one of them said I haue bought a Farme and will goe see it Another said I haue bought fiue yoke of Oxen and must goe proue them And the third said I haue married a Wife and may not come The worst of their excuses is better then thine and yet were they all repelled the vse of husbandry and marchandise and the dutie that a man oweth vnto his wife are sometime lawfull albeit not to be preferred before that dutie we owe vnto Iesus Christ but that thou shouldst liue at variance with thy neighbour carry within thee a heart that cannot forgiue