from God Not so much as a Sparrow nor a haire of our head fals to the ground without the prouidence of our heauenly father He that keepes our hearts will hee not keepe our selfe Si sic custodiuntur superflua tua in quanta securitate est anima tua If thy haires bee kept in what safety is thy soule What euer cup of trouble men prepare for vs we shall not drinke of it vnlesse the Lord appoint it and temper it first with his owne hand Nabuchad-nezzar boasted the three children with a fiery furnace yet were they not afraid all because they considered that God aboue him ouer-ruled his intention Shimei cursed Dauid and he was not incenced with anger because hee considered that the Lord had sent him And Nahomi with this comforted her selfe against the losse of her husband It is the Lord said shee who humbles me All these doe warne vs vvhom God hath appointed for greater conflicts that it is a great feeblenes arising of inconsideration to suffer our soules to be dimoued out of the state of patience by the inordinate behauiour of any outward instrument of our trouble Absit à seruo Christi tali inquinamentum vt patientia maioribus praeparata in minoribus excidat Let such a spot and foule blemish bee farre from the seruants of Christ that our patience which is prepared for greater conflicts should faile and fall away in smaller tentations If when we run with foot-men they weary vs how shall wee match our selues with horses If when wee wrestle with men who are flesh and bloud we are so easily ouer-throwne with euery breath of their mouth and wounded with their smallest injuries that vvee faint and become impatient how shall we wrestle against principalities and powers or how shall vvee resist the fiery darts of the Diuell We haue therefore for helpe of our weaknesse to gather our thoughts and remember that whosoeuer bee the instrument of our trouble it is the Lord vvith whom vvee haue to doe so shall vvee the more easily possesse our soules in patience and giue glory to God CHAP. VIII The third Circumstance the manner of the wrestling corporall spirituall or mixt IN the third roome wee promised to speake of the manner of this wrestling whether it bee corporall onely or spirituall onely or mixed Now that it is mixt and so partly corporall and partly spirituall will appeare by comparing Moses and the Prophet Hosea together That the wrestling was corporall it is cleare of the disjoynting of Iacobs thigh whereof Moses makes mention and that it was also spirituall appeares partly of that which Moses saith that Iacob straue for the blessing and partly of that which Hosca saith that hee preuailed by wrestling and praying These are the sorest kinde of wrestlings when the Lord at one time exercises his children both in body and minde that his heauie hand of sicknes pouertie or some such like is vpon their bodyes and therewithall heauy inward troubles vpon their mindes This is indeede a very hard estate for as Salomon saith the spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it and yet with both those at one time hath the Lord exercised his dearest seruants so hardly that the vehemency of their trouble hath forced them to poure out most lamentable complaints My heart saith Dauid is wounded within me My spirit is in perplexitie and my soule is amazed The Lord renewes his plagues and encreaseth his wrath against me saith Iob So that changes and armies of sorrowes are against me the Lord suffers me not to take my breath but fils me with bitternesse The Lord saith Nahomi hath giuen me much bitternesse I haue fightings without and terrours within sayth the Apostle It is a common disease of the Children of God in their troubles to thinke that their troubles are singular I haue therefore marked this that none of them should think themselues marrowlesse when the Lord deales with them after this manner For no tentation hath ouertaken you but that which appertaines to men Wee haue here in like manner to mark another kinde of tentation wherby God tryes the faith of his children which is when his work seemes directly to fight against his Word so that in working with his children hee appeareth to come against his promise As for example the Lord hath promised that if I repent hee will forgiue if I mourne for my sinnes he will comfort me if I aske from him hee will giue vnto mee so sayes he in his word Yet I finde in his working with mee the contrary will the troubled conscience of the Childe of God say I doe repent from mine heart of my sinnes and am sorrowful that euer I offended my God but I cannot feele the Remission of them I mourne but the Comforter who should refresh my soule commeth not I call and cry night day but the Lord heareth mee not Vnto this estate I know that oftentimes the dearest of Gods children are brought as if the Lord had forgot to bee mercifuli vnto them and shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure they can finde no promised rest to their soule nor peace to their troubled mindes CHAP. IX How we should be haue our selues in this tentation we are taught THou therefore whose heart is set to seeke the Lord in this perplexitie wouldst know what to doe and how to behaue thy selfe I can no better way resolue thee then to send thee to looke vnto Abraham Iacob Iob and the rest of these who haue been exercised with the like tentations before thee Marke therefore and consider how the Lord commanded Iacob to go backe againe vnto Canaan and promised to be with him yet now in the iourney as it would seeme he comes against him He bad him goe forward and yet disioynts his thigh bone so vnables him to goe as he was wont Notwithstanding Iacob still cleaues fast to the promise of the Lord being perswaded that the Lord could not faile him and therefore contrary to his present sence and feeling trusting still on the word of the Lord for all the appearing contrarietie of his working he craues a blessing from him that wrestles vvith him Againe will ye looke vnto Abraham our father the Lord made him a promise that in Isaac his seed should be blessed and yet hee commands him to slay him A wonderfull tentation that the Lord commands him to slay that child in whom hee had promised the multiplication and blessing of his posteritie for here the promise of God his commandement seemes to fight together Yet Abraham strengthned in the faith as he receiued Isaac from the dead wombe of Sara doth not doubt but God was able to raise him from the dead againe and therefore resting on the Lords promise he spares not to sacrifice Isaac being fully assured that the Lordes apparant contrary working could
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
gracious the Lord is telling you that the graciousnesse of the Lord cannot be considered by him who neuer diâ—… tast it If you goe to speak to a vvorldling of inward Peace of spirituall Ioy or of the Priuiledges of a Christian you shall seeme to him a Barbarian or one that speaketh a strange language which he vnderstaneth not or if he himselfe speak of them which he sees learnedly hearing or reading yet shall hee speake like a Bird vtteâ—…ing voyces vvhich shee vnderstandeth not As the bruit Beast knoweth not the excellency of mans life and therefore delighteth it selfe vvith Hay and Prouender seeking no better because it knoweth no better So the naturall man knoweth not the excellency of a Christian and therfore disdaines him counting him a foole a mad man and the off-scum of the world hee taketh the dongue of the earth in his armes for his inheritance let him brook the portion of Esau that the fatnesse of the earth may be his dwelling place let his wine and his wheat abound to him hee cares for no more he knowes not vvhat it is to haue his soule made glad with the countenance of God This is your miserable condition O ye wretched Worldlings ye are cursed with the curse of the Serpent yee creepe as it were on your bellyes and licke the dust of the earth all the dayes of your life yee haue not an eye to looke vp to heauen nor a hart to seeke those things which are aboue most fearefull is your estate vvee warne you of it but it is the Lord vvho must deliuer you from it This resolute knowledge is the mother of spirituall courage constancie and patience therefore the Apostle vrgeth it in this place that the Christian may be made thereby strong and patient in tribulation and indeed what needes hee feare in the euill day yea though the earth should be remoued and the Mountaines fall into the middest of the sea vvho knoweth that the Lord sitteth on his throne hauing the whole vvorld as a glassie Sea before him gouerning all the walterings changes and euents of things therein to the good of them that loue him Oh that we had prosited so much in the schoole of Christ all our dayes that without any doubting or making any exception vvee could beleeue this vvhich here the Apostle layeth for a most sure ground of comfort that so vvee might chaunge all our thoughts and cares into one namely how to grow in the loue of God that in a good conscience vve might say to the Lord vvith Peter Lord thou knowest I loue thee And as the rest of our feares griefes and temptations which many times doe so compasse vs that to our judgements vvee can see no out-gate cast all the burthen of them vpon the Lord who careth for vs and hath giuen vs this promise for a Premunire All comes for the best The Souldier with courage entreth into the battell vnder hope to obtaine the victorie the Marriner with boldnesse committeth himselfe to the stormie Seas vnder hope of vantage and euery man hazardeth in his calling and yet are they all but vncertaine venturers and know not the end But the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for he knows that the God of peace shall shortly tread Sathan vnder his feete What then shall he not with courage enter into that battell wherein hee is made sure ere euer hee sight that all the Warriers of Iesus shal become more then Conquerours through him If wee will onely stand still we shall see the saluation of the Lord. Gedion and his three hundred fought against the great Host of Midian without feare because he was sure of victorie Dauid made hast and ran to encounter with Goliah because hee was perswaded the Lord would deliuer him into his hands The Israelites spared not to enter into the flood of lorden because they saw the Arkâ—… of God before them diuiding the waters And shall onely the Christian stand astonished in his temptations notwithstanding the word of God goe before him to resolue him that whatsoeuer fall out shall worke for the best vnto him The Lord increase vs make vs abound more and more in loue of our God for perfect loue casteth ouâ—… fear The Lord strengthen our Faith that through these misty clowdes of afflictions which now compasseth vs wee may see that comfortable end which the light of God hath discouered vnto vs. But wee are to beware of the subtile sleights of Sathan who to the end hee may spoile vs of this comfort in trouble endeauoureth by many meanes either to quench this light of God in our minds or else to darken and obscure it by the precipitation of our vnbeleeuing hearts carrying vs headlong to iudge of the works of God by their beginnings and to measure our selues in trouble by our present estate and condition not suffering vs to tarrie while we see the end whereof it comes to passe that our hearts beeing tossed to and fro with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like trees of the Forrest shaken with the winde in our necessities we hasten to be our owne prouisors in our dangers we will be our owne deliuerers euery way we become the caruers of our own condition we haue so much the more to beware of this precipitation because the dearest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord their God and breed great vnquietnesse vnto themselues When Dauid was in extreame anger in the wilâ—…ernesse of Maon hee said in his feare that all men were liers O what a blasphemy that euen the promises of God made to him by Samuel the Lords Prophet were but lies and how many times thought hee in his other troubles that God had forgot to bee mercifull and had shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure But when hee saw the end then was hee compelled to accuse himselfe to giue glorie to God and to say I should haue beene dumbe and not opened my mouth because thou didest it I said it in my feare but now I see Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Aâ—… this precipitation made Dauid to stumble and fall so will it carry vs also to the like inconuenience too except we beware of it For if we shold looke to Lazarus in the dongue hill full of Byles and sores hauing no comfort but from the dogges and compare him with the Rich man cloathed in purple and faring daintily euerie day What can wee iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet tarrie while the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus hee conueyed to Abrahams bosome and the rich glutton be gone to his place then shall truth appeare manifestly All things worke together for the best to them that loue God Let vs learne therefore to measure the euent of things not by their
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
THE Triumph of a Christian Contayning three excellent and heauenly Treatises 1 Iacobs wrestling with God 2 The Conduit of Comfort 3 A Preparatiue for the Lords supper Full of sweet consolations for all that desire the comfortable sweetnesse of Iesus Christ and necessary for those who are troubled in Conscience Written by that worthy man Master William Couper Minister of Gods word Commit thy way vnto God and hee shall bring it to passe LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge and are to be sould at the great South doore of Paules Church 1608. TO THE VERY GODLY and right Noble Lady my Lady Mary Stewart Countesse of Marre RIght noble Lady The Church of God is compared by Salomon to a terrible army wherin are bands of strong men and valiant Israelits expert in the war and that can handle the sword And euery Booke of sacred Scripture we may call a seuerall Armour-house furnished better then that house of Lebanon which Salomon stored with shields and Targets of Gold In it are weapons of war both invasiue and defensiue armour conuenient for euery state of life and meet for euery kinde of battell wherewith our aduersaries are able to assault vs. But as Dauids Woorthies were not all of one valour for Abishai chiefe of the second three yet diâ—… not attaine vnto the first three So haue not all the Warriours of Christ a likâ—… strongth skil to fight the Lords battels And therefore we who are but nouices in the spirituall warfare as wee should bee carefull euery day to put on the compleat armour of God that wee may stand so should wee diligently take heede to other valiant Wrestlers who through Faith and Patience haue inherited the promises before vs that wee may learne of them how to weild our weapon in the spirituall warfare Among many whose battels are registred in the booke of God for our instruction I haue here brought in worthy Iacob a wrestler from the wombe euen to the day of his death who in this his singular most rare wrestling with God let vs see an Image of Gods wrestling with his Children the varietie of tentations wherby he proues vs and the meanes by which we stand Sundry others before mee haue written learnedly and largely of this subiect but I haue laboured as farre as I could to eschew coincident doctrine and haue principally indeuoured my selfe to search out such obseruations as through experience by the grace of God I haue found most comfortable for such as are exercised in conscience And these right Noble Lady I haue beene bolde to Dedicate vnto your Honour as vnto one who hauing obtained mercy of God is through his grace daily exercised in the spirituall warfare Accept it therefore as a testimonie of that loue and reuerence that I beare to that grace of God which is manifest in you for the encrease whereof I daily pray vnto God that he would confirme you to the end and bring forward his owne worke in you to perfection Your Ladiships in our common Sauiour the Lord Iesus WILLIAM COVVPER GENESIS Cap. 32. Ver. 24. 24 NOw when Iacob was left himselfe alone there wrestled a man with him vnto the breaking of the day 25 And he saw that he could not prevaile against him therfore he touched the hollow of his thigh the hollow of Iacobs thigh was loosed as hâ—… wrestled with him 26 And hee said let me goe For the morning appeareth who answered I will not let thee goe except thou blesse mee 27 Then said he what is thy name and he said Iacob 28 Then said he thy name shall be called Iacob no more but Israell because thou hast had power with God thou shalt also preuaile with men 29 Then Iacob demanded tell me thy name I pray thee and he answered wherfore now dost thou aske my name and he blessed him there 30 And Iacob called the name of that place Peniel for said he I haue seene God face to face and my life is preserued 31 And the Sun rose to him as he passed Peniell and he halted vpon his thigh CHAP. I. A priuiledge of the Godly that say God is with them none can be against them to hurt them My helpe is in the name of the Lord. IT is a comfortable saying for the Godly that is set downe by the Apostle If God be with vs who can be against vs This sentence doth not denie but that good men euen in a good course may haue enimies but it doth import this comfort that the opposition which is made vnto them cannot hurt them we may be cast downe but wee cannot perish Our enimies may trouble vs but cannot ouercome vs. Yea capitis poena nos possunt afficere nocere non possunt they may take the head from vs but cannot hurt vs. It is not for this life they fight who haue laid hold on eternall life our joy and our crowne none are able to take from vs. Uerè enim tuta pro Christo cuÌ„ Christo pugna in qua nec vulneratus nec occisus fraudabiris victoria There is no danger in that battaile wherin we fight for Christ and with Christ for we are sure that whether we be wounded or slaine wee shall not be defrauded of the victory Iacob here a good man is in a good course for he is trauailing at the Lords commaund from Padan Araâ—… vnto Canaan yet is he troubled with enimies for Laban pursues him behinde and Esau commeth against him before but both of them labour in vaine because God is with him The Lord doth in such sort bridle the rage of Laban that albeit he marched after Iacob more furiously then Iehu the sonne of Nimshi marched after Iehoram thinking to satisfie his discontented minde by reducing Iacob to a greater slauery then hee was in before yet the Lord puts inhibition to the conclusions of his hart and makes him faine to sue for Iacobs friendship and to enter into a couenant of peace with him Yea which is more comfortable the Lord maketh Laban himselfe a preacher of Gods prouidence in mercy watching ouer Iacob Thus the Lord bridleth Laban and sends him backe againe to his owne harme without doing harme to Iacob or any of his And as to Esau the Lord in like manner changes his cruell Heart and makes him fauourable to Iacob so that the same hands wherwith once he thought to haue slaine him embraces him and with the same mouth that once vowed to haue his life he kisses him so sure are they vnto whom the Lord is a protectour For when the wayes of a man please the Lord he can make his enimies his friends If yee will marke and consider this History that the Lord so carefully wayâ—…es vpon his seruant Iacob that for euery trouble which arises to him he acquaints him euer with some new and singular Consolation In the beginning of this Chapter the Angels of the Lord appeared vnto Iacob to comfort him they brought him
in effect this message from the Lord Feare not O Iacob the power and malice of thy brother Esau for here are wee the hoast of the liuing God to goe with thee and assist thee according to the promise of protection in thy iourney that God made to thee in Bethel wherin thou sawest the Angels ascending and descending vpon the Ladder we are now sent to waite vpon the as wee conveyed thee in thy comming so are wee now safely to convey thee in thy returning in dispite of all that will oppose themselues against thee This vision no doubt did confirme the heart of Iacob for a while and encouraged him to the journey yet soone after he is troubled with a new feare â—…he report of his Messengers who tolde him that Esau was comming against him with foure hundred men doth in such sort disquiet his mind that hee forgets his former comforts and he becomes exceedingly afraid And in this each one of vs may see an image of our owne weaknesse Iacob had many proofes and experiences of Gods mercy it is not long since he got joyfull deliuerance from Laban and since the Lord as I haue said comforted him by the ministry of his Angels and yet now behold how small a thing discourages him certainly such is the weaknesse of the dearest Children of God that it is not one confirmation yea not many experiences of mercy that will sustaine vs but we haue neede continually and hourely to be strengthened with new grace of corroboration Plants that are set in the earth require watering when they are young corne that growes in the field without the first and latter raine comes not to maturitie and perfection so we vnlesse that euery houre the raine of heauenly grace descend vpon vs from God or at the least his dewe distill into our hearts by a secret and vnperceiued manner cannot possibly stand no not one moment in the state of grace Euery spiritual desertion manifests our weaknesse the voyce of a Damosell shall shake vs as it did Peter the rumour of a trouble shall affray vs as here it affrayes Iacob it is the Lords countenance which maketh vs to liue Cause thy face O Lord to shine vpon vs and we shall be safe Abraham in Aegipt got a notable proofe of the Lords prouident mercy waiting ouer him preseruing Sarah inviolate when he had exponed her chastitie to the concupiscence of an Ethnike king Pharaoh but was this experience of God his mercy sufficient to confirme him and make him strong against the like tentation in time to come No surely for shortly thereafter in Gerah among the Philistines he fals into the same sinne of fearefull distrust so that againe the second time hee seekes the preseruation of his life by hazarding the chastitie of Sarah And that worthy Prophet Samuell albeit hee found many a time the Lords presence with him assisting him in such sort that he suffered none of his words to fall to the ground yet when God commaunded him goe and annoynt Dauid he refused at the first why because he feared least Saul should slay him Who would think that such weaknesse had bin in the man of God that hauing the word of the Lord for his warrant he should yet be afraid of the countenance of man Thus now and then hath the Lord giuen to the best of his children a proofe of their owne weaknes that we looking vnto them might bee humbled within our selues knowing that we are nothing without the Lord. As Eutichus fell from his seat in the window wherin he sate hearing Paul preach so haue we our own sownings whereby many times we fall from the seate of our deuotion from the full assurance of faith which causes confidence from the sense of mercy and spirituall joy rising thereof into horrible distrust and fearefull perturbations so that wee become almost dead heartlesse comfortlesse and without feeling But blessed bee the Lord who euen at those times doth keepe our soules in life and lifts vs againe into his armes more louingly then Paul did Eutichus he sets vs againe on our feet hee renues his mercyes and restoreth his former joyes vnto vs. Let it therefore neuer goe out of our mindes that God is the strength of our life without whose grace we haue no standing that so our eyes and our harts may be continually aduanced towards him desiring the Lord to bee with vs and at no time to leaue vs. In all the course of our life let vs say to the Lord with Moses I will not goe forward one foote except thou goe with me otherwise we shal faint vnder euery burthen stumble at euery impediment and fall vnder the least tentation that shall ouertake vs but if the Lord bee with vs wee shall be able to doe all things through him that comforts vs. CHAP. II. Gods fatherly compassion appeares in that he handles vs most tenderly when wee are weakest NOtwithstanding for this infirmity in Iacob the Lord doth not reiect him but rather like a louing father handles him so much the more tenderly It is the Lords praise and our comfort he breakes not the brused reed and quenches not the smoaking flax he is the God who comforts the abiect and bindeth vp the broken in heart It was not for Iacobs worthinesse that the Lord did first chuse him and now for his weaknes hee will not reject him therefore doth hee now appeare to Iacob in his need and minister vnto him greater comfort then any he got before In the beginning of the Chapter the Lord sent his Angels his ministring spirits to comfort him and now because Iacob yet is in feare in the end of the Chapter ye see how he comes himselfe and comforts him Such is thy tender mercy O Lord towards those whom once thou hast chosen to be thine that thou wilt neuer forsake them surely because thou art not changed therefore it is that we are not consumed though we fall thou wilt put vnder thine hand and raise vs vp againe and makest thy last comfort alwaies the greatest The vision is rare the like not againe to be found in all the booke of God yet most profitable for our edification as contayning in it an exemplar of Gods wrestling with his own children and therefore meete to be considered of all the good souldiers of Iesus Christ wrestlers in the spirituall warfare And therefore for the better vnderstanding of it and giuing greater light to the whole storie in the entry we shall permit these three things God willing First what moued the Lord at this time to appeare vnto his seruant Iacob Next what is the forme and manner of the Lords apparition And thirdly what is the end of it CHAP. III. The cause mouing the Lord to appeare to Iacob at this time THe cause mouing the Lord to appeare to Iacob was the hard estate wherein his seruant stood at this time For Iacob is now in
great anguish of minde tumbling as it were betweene feare and confidence betweene hope and despaire hope bidding him goe forward in his iourney despaire by the contrary disswading him confidence promising him safetie feare threatning him with danger His hope leanes on the word of God who promised to be with him and prosper him his feare is conceiued of the words of Esau who had vowed to slay him and is now wakened againe and augmented by the report of his seruants who tolde him that Esau was comming against him with an army Thus did he walk staggering vpon feet not vnlike the feet of Daniels Image partly of clay partly of iron Some of his thoughts being weake and impotent others strong and forcible to carry him forward In this perplexitie now stāds Iacob hauing no conclusion nor counsell within him without contradiction vncertaine what to doe or which way to turne him not vnlike Iehosophat which being straited with the Ammonites Moabites and Edomites stood vp before the Lord and said O Lord there is no strength in vs to stand against this great multitude neither doe wee know what to doe but our eyes are towards thee In like manner say I doth Iacob here being assaulted with a force hee was not able to resist hee turnes him to the Lord and exponés to the Lord in humble manner his feare Deliuer me O Lord from the hand of my brother Esau for I feare him least hee come vpon me and smite me and the mother vpon the children Therfore is it that now the Lord comes as in due season and conuenient time to shew himselfe for the comfort of his seruant No helpe for Iacob in man the Lord puts to his right hand comforts him Ibi enim incipit diuinū auxilium vbi deficit humanum When all other helpes failes the Children of God then commeth in the helpe of God for he knows best the very point and article of time wherein it is meete that hee should bee the diliuerer of them who wayt vpon him As to the manner of the apparition the Lord is not content to answere Iacob by word onely nor by sending secretly patience and comfort vnto his troubled spirit which way many a time he answeres the prayers of his owne but he confirmes him by an extraordinary vision For he appeares to Iacob in the forme of a man and wrestles with him he assayes him not with a superiour strength which he was not able to withstand but applies himselfe to Iacobs weaknesse and disposes the wrestling in such a manner that Iacob gets the victory albeit not without a wound for his thigh-bone is disjoynted and put out of the joynt so that he haulteth all the dayes of his life which as for the present time it was a matter of his humiliation being a discouery of his weaknes and of the Lords indulgence whereby onely he preuailed victor in the combat so was it for all time to come a memoriall and remembrance vnto him of this most comfortable apparition And as to the end of the Lords appearing the end saith Theodoret was the confirmation of Iacobs hart against feare ideo enim Angelus cū Iacob luctari voluit vt timenti fratrem fiduciam inijceret And this ye may perceiue out of the words which the Lord vtters when the wrestling is ended thou hast wrestled with God and shalt also preuaile with men Feare not therefore will the Lord say O my seruant Iacob to encounter with Esau who is but a mortall man I who haue furnished thee with strength to stand in this wrestling with GOD shall furnish thee with strength also in all thy conflicts vvith men and thou shalt preuaile This is the ground of all our comfort in trouble which if we could remember then would we not be cast downe nor disquieted with feares but would sanctifie the Lord of hosts in our hearts and make him our feare It is not in our name nor strength nor in the power of nature that we stand and wrestle We go forth against our Goliah in the name of our God weake in our selues yet in him more then Conquerours Maior enim est qui prae est in nobis quam qui in hoc mundo nec plus ad deijoiendum potest terrena poena quam ad erigendum diuina tutela He is stronger that rules in vs then the Prince of this world Neyther are these euils which earthly men are able to inflict vpon vs so forcible to cast vs downe as the heauenly helpe is able to raise vs vp let vs alwayes walke forward in this our strength The Lord is my light and saluation the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid But now before that yet wee enter into the particulars let vs marke this profitable lesson that vpon the groūds I haue laid arise to be obserued If wee consider what is the Lords purpose and intention what againe are the meanes that he vseth to bring about his purpose and yee shall see that the Lord vseth meanes which appeares contrary to his end His purpose is to confirme Iacob the meanes hee vseth is wrestling with Iacob a strange manner of working that the Lord should shake him hee mindes to strengthen that he should wound him whom hee purposes to confirme and thus and this manner of way on a sodaine terrifie by a strange wrestling in the night in a solitary place his seruant whom hee came to comfort but so it is the working of the Lord oft times is by contraries In the first worke of creation hee made all things of nothing He commanded light to shine out of darknesse Hee formed the body of man his most excellent earthly creature of the basest matter dust and clay of the vilest creature hee made the most honourable and all to shew the glory of his power In the worke of redemption in like manner our Sauiour Iesus by sustaining shame hath conquered to vs glory by induring the Crosse hath obtayned the crowne by suffering death hath destroyed death and him who had the power thereof and after the same manner of working hee is yet daily meruailous in his Saints By death he brings them vnto life He kils and he makes aliue Through doubtings hee leads them to assurance by temporall despaire hee brings them to abound in hope he afrayes them with his terrors to make them the more capable of his consolations It is strange and meruailous in our eyes may not wee learne it by daily experience that God deliuereth vs from Sathan by letting Sathan loose for a while vpon vs Hee saues vs from our sinnes by gathering all our sins against vs and laying them to the charge of our conscience and by a present feeling of his wrath hee maketh vs flee that terrible Wrath which is to come Be not therefore discouraged yee who finde this working of the Lord faint not
had beene impossible for thee O weake man to haue holden vp thiâ—…e head in the least of these tentations ouer which now through his Grace thou hast preuayled and obtayned the victory Not vnto vs therefore O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name let the glory bee giuen It is againe here to be marked that the Lord when hee appeareth most familiarly to Iacob hec exercises him with a wearisome wrestling the suddaintie and noueltie vvherof no doubt at the first did greatly terrific and disquiet him The Lord then when hee coms to Iacob doth not â—…ast him asleep into carelesse security but hee tosses and shakes him too and fro and exercises him with fighting and strugling all the night long whereof wee may learne that euen when the Lord is neâ—…rest and most familiar with vs then oftentimes our tentations and wrestlings vvill be greatest So soone as Iacob got the first blessing therefore withall incontinent hee behoued to sustaine the enmitie of Esau and was forced for eschewing his crueltie to vndergoe banishment And now when the Lord comes to blesse him againe hee first wakes and prepares him by tentation This is the order of the Lords working Blessed is the man who endureth tentation for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them who loue him It is not then true which sometime the weake Conscience doth conceiue and apprehend that spiritual exercises wrestlings and fightings against tentations are tokens of descrtion of the Lords absence and departure from vs by the contrary they are sure witnesses of the Lords familiar presence vvith vs whether vve fight vvith the spirituall weapons of our Warfare against carnall men without vs or against our owne infidelitie and rebellious affections labouring to subdue them and bring them captiue to Christs obedience or against any other of Sathans temptations standing with the compleat armor of God at all occasions to resist him All these vvrestlings I say are vndoubted tokens of a spirituall life within vs and of the Lords presence vvith vs in mercy and fore-runners of a further blessing for as the carnall peace and securitie of the wicked ends in destruction and their pride goeth before a fall when they say peace safety then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction like that which fell on the Philistines in the midst of their carnall rejoycing the pillars of their house vvere not sure enough to sustaine them so the inward humiliation of Gods children is by a good token a sure argument of approaching grace But as to the vvicked vvith vvhom the Lord is not they are no Wrestlers against Sathan and sin for they are dead in sinne and trespasses and haue rendred themselues prisoners and captiues vnto Sathan and are taken of him Captiues at his will they liue vnder a miserable peace with the enimie of their Saluation If hee wound them they mourne not if he command them they resist not And such alas are many in this age vvhose eyes it may please the Lord to open that they may see that miserable state wherein they do stand and once may bee moued by his Spirit to sigh vnder this heauie seruitude and bondage and earnestly call vnto God for deliuerance CHAP. VII Comfort for Christs souldiers BVt as for you whom GOD hath set at enmitie with the Serpent and entred to fight in that battell which once was proclaymed in Paradise and wherein all the souldiers of that blessed seed of the woman must fight by course vnto the end of the world Blessed are ye for hereby yee may know that the Lord hath loosed the chaines of your captiuitie Ye are no more the slaues prisoners of sathan but by grace warriours against him ye stand on that side whereof the Captaine is that triumphant conquerour the victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda euen that God Peace who shall shortly trample Sathan vnder the feete of his Saints â—…aint not ye therfore because of your continuall tentations Thinke not the Lord is from you because you are exercised with inward wrestlings Wrestling in this life is our greatest perfection an vndoubted testimony of another life in vs then the life of nature None can striue against sathan and sinne but by the spirit of the Lord Iesus or who can hold or retaine the Lord till hee blesse him but he who hath the Spirit of the Lord Iesus Nature will make no opposition to Nature and Sathan will not striue against himselfe where striuing and wrestling is striuing I meane for a blessing from God and wrestling against sinne there Christ is there the spirit of the Lord is ther a new life is By it thou art knowen to be the good souldiour of Iesus to bee the man for whom is prepared the Crowne For no man is crowned except he striue Let it be therfore no discouragement to thee that thou art kept vnder wrestling with daily tentations but rather let it bee to thee a witnesse that God is with thee as hee was with Iacob Farther it is to be considered that Moses saith a Man wrestled with Iacob so hee appeared to be but as yee haue heard the wrestler was the Lord. This yeelds a notable lesson for the children of God that in all our wrestlings what euer appeare vnto vs or who euer seeme our partie it is the Lord with whom alway wee haue to doe This consideration vpheld Iob that worthy warriour in the middest of his greatest afflictions when the tempest of winde ouerthrew the house and destroyed his seauen sonnes and three daughters when fire came down from heauen and burnt his seauen thousand sheepe and his seruants when the Sabaeans destroyed his siue hundred yoke of Oxen and fiue hundred shee Asses when the three bands of Chaldâ—…ans tooke away his three thousand Cammels yet in all this he complaines not of the iniquitie of the Chaldaeans and Sabaeans he murmures not against the elements the aire nor the fire he speaks no word against any that were instruments of his trouble he knew that they were all vnder the Lords commandement to come and goe at his pleasure hee turnes his eye toward the Lord and takes him vp for his partie The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. And so with this one weapon of godly consideration he keepes off at one time manifold buffets blowes of Sathan and is preserued vnwounded by them For in all this Iob sinned not with his mouth Good were it for vs if in the whole course of our life vve could remember this for so shuld we not be discouraged cast down as commonly we are by looking too much to the instruments of our trouble Many things we beare the more impatiently because we conceit they proceede from men or other second causes which we vvould receiue much more vvillingly if wee could remember they come
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
to himselfe when he threatens to goe from them they follow him with these lamentable voyces turne againe O Lord and cause thy face to shine vpon me that I may bee saued O Lord take from me what thou wilt take from me all the worldly comforts that euer thou gauest me onely let me enioy thy selfe for whom haue I in the heauens but thee and I haue desired none in the earth with thee my flesh farles me and my hart also Lord faile thou me neuer when thou hidest thy face I am sore troubled returne therefore O Lord and be merciful to me be thou the strength of my heart and my portion for euer for thy louing kindnesse is better then Life These are the effects of sanctified trouble while I haue marked that wee may be comforted not discouraged when we finde that our outward or invvard troubles produce into vs a loaâ—… thing of earthly pleasure and a more feruent loue of our God We haue yet more narrowly to consider this answere that Iacob giues to the Lord I will not saith hee let thee goe Is this a seemely answere for a seruant to giue vnto his Lord when the Lord sayes let mee goe becomes it Iacob to answere I vvill not let thee goe Is this good religion in any thing to striue with the Lord Yea indeede ther are some things wherein the Lord is very well content that thou striue vvith him as namely when the Lord hath promised any thing vnto thee and thou hast his word for thy warrant to seeke it in sort that albeit the Lord say thee nay yet thou wilt receiue no refusall at his hands this is a strife which pleaseth the Lord for in effect it is no other thing but a constant affirmation that his truth is inuiolable After this manner that woman of Canaan stroue with him she would take no deniall of that which he had promised and after this manner here also Iacob striues with him hee will not be denied of a blessing And Moses also stroue with the Lord protesting he would not go forward one foote vnlesse the Lord went with him because the Lord had so promised But farre be it from vs to striue with the Lord as the wicked do grieuing him dayly with our murmurings and rebellions still liuing in contrarie tearmes with the Lord. Woe bee to him that striueth with his maker doe yee prouoke the Lord vnto anger or are yee stronger then hee The end of this strife to them wil be horrible confusion There is yet farther to be considered in these words of Iacob how hee saith to the Lord I will not let thee goe by what meane is this that Iacob is able to hold and detaine the Lord The Prophet Hosea will resolue this It was saith hee by mourning and weeping that Iacob preuailed and helde the Angel whilst he got the blessing Ther is nothing so strong in the world as the prayers of the godly they are the onely bands by which the Lord is holden and detained the Lord will not be restrained by all the powers of the earth neither will he cease to doe any worke that he is about to doe for the cries of all the men in the world yet the prayers of his children are able to constrain him to power downe an vndeserued blessing and turne away a iust deserued punishment When the people of Israell had fallen from God by worshipping the golden Calfe the Lords anger was highly incensed and kindled against them which moued Moses to fall downe on his face before the Lord beseeching him to bee appeased towards his people for the glory of his name This prayer did in such sort constraine the Lord in the midst of his anger that he is compelled to say vnto Moses Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them for I will consume them This manner of speach vsed by the Lord declares that the prayer of Moses did bind and hold in the wrath of God that it brake not out vpon this people In like manner we read in the Gospell that when Iesus was passing by those two blinde men who cryed vpon him Osanna thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs albeit the multitude regarded not their crying and the disciples also as it seemes tooke little thought thereof yet Iesus was moued thereby to stand still They could not come neere for the multitude to lay hands on him but their prayers reached vnto him doth so take hold vpon him that by that place he could not goe vntill he had giuen them a comfortable answere the prayer of a righteous man auatles much if it be powred out in faith CHAP. XVI Prayers of the godly must be forcible and acceptable to God seeing they come from his owne Spirit THis then is to the great comfort of the godly that our prayers are effectuall and are as I may call them the Lords owne bands wherewith we are able to detaine and hold him till hee blesse vs. And no meruaile seeing these prayers are not ours but the intercession of Gods owne spirit in vs powred out in the name of Christ in whom he is euer well pleased For as to vs wee know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe makes request for vs with sighes which cannot bee expressed And therefore may we boldly thinke that the Lord will not despise them Spiritus est in quo clamamus Abba pater sicut in nobis interpellat pro nobis ita in patre delicta donat pro ipso patre quod postulamus idem ipse donat qui dat vt postulemus It is the spirit saith Bernard by whom wee cry Abba father as in vs the spirit makes request for vs so with the Father he graunts our requests and forgiues vs our sinnes that for which we pray euen he giueth it vnto vs who giueth vs this Grace to pray Let vs therefore pray continually and strengthen by these godly meditations our feeble hearts and weake hands that they faint not in prayer Let vs go and desire good things from the Lord seeing we haue the Lord bound to vs by his promise The Lord will fulfill the desire of them who feare him And againe That which the wicked feares shall come vpon him but God will graunt the desire of the righteous Thou who art made sure to obtaine if so be thou canst desire art here made inexcusable none wants mercy and grace but hee who desires it not And yet take heed that in thy praier thou be not vnreuerent remember à quo quam magna petas from whom and what great things thou crauest Great things from a great king should be desired with reuerence and affection they can best speed at the Lords almes-dealing that fall downe lowest with the Publican not they who with the Pharisie stand vp prowdest vpon their feete Abraham the father of the faithfull in his prayer considering in himselfe and looking
to the majestie of God humbly confesseth that hee was but dust and ashes Yea Adam in his best estate of his innocencie was bound to glorisie God with the like confession of the basenesse of his originall and to let Adam alone the heauens are not cleane in his sight yea he hath found follie in his Angels they couer not onely their feete but their faces before the Lord what then shalt thou do O man who dwellest in lodgings of clay a sinfull creature by thine owne aposâ—…asie loaden with iniquitie how shouldest thou bee humbled and bow downe thy soule in the presence of thy Maker Redeemer and thy iudge Presumption in praier thus being remoued I returne to the comfort Thou being thus humbled with an hatred of thine owne sinnes with feare and reuerence of that diuine maiestie trusting to his promise goe on with boldnesse to the throne of grace Noli vilipendere orationem tuam quoniam illo ad quem oras non vilipendit esteeme not lightly thine owne prayer as though it were a smal thing seeing the Lord to whom thou pray est hath declared that he accounts so much of it suppose it be weake yet remember etiam solis vagitâ—…bus infans matrem commouâ—…t ad misericordiam euen the very cryes of the infant that vtters no distinct voyce moues the mother vnto commisseration And what comparison betweene the loue of a mother toward her children and the loue of the Lord towards his No father will giue to his children that asketh a stone instead of bread nor a Serpent in stead of a fish What kindnesse then if wee craue it may we looke for at the hands of our heauenly father As the heauens are aboue the earth so are my thoughts aboue yours Our prayers saith Cyprian are arma coeâ—… sâ—…ia quae stare nos faciunt fortiâ—…er perseuerare haec sunt munimenta spiritualia telâ—… diuina they are spirituall armour wherby we stand and strongly perseuer to the end they are heauenly darts and defences Oh that wee vnderstood the excellenâ—…e of this grace of prayer that so we might the more delight in it it is the hand of a christian which is able to reach from earth to heauen and take forth euery manner of good gift out of the Lords treasure It is one of those keyes of the house of Dauid whereby we open the doores of the heauenly pallace goe in to take a view of that eternall building and glorious mansion prepared for vs in heauen It is the messenger that with speed goeth from our soules saluting no creature by the way and entreth straight into the Mercie seate in heauen reporting to the Lord all our desires and returning backe a fauourable answere from him Yea it is vnto vs as that â—…iery chariot of Eliah whereunto we mount vp and haue our conuersation with God in the heauens O happie soule therefore which God hath endued vvith this most heauenly grace Except thou blesse me It were for vs a good thing if wee could learne from Iacob this holy vvilfulnesse neuer to let the Lord alone till he blesse vs. But alas here we are taken in our sinne we fall to our prayers without preparation we powre out a number of words without deuotion and so goe away without a blessing We send out our prayers like to incense made indeed according to the Lords direction but not kindled with fire from the Alter that is petitions lawfull enough and agreeable to Gods word but not powred out in feruencie And so no meruaile that the Lord smell not in them a sweet sacrifice for incense without fire hath no fragrant smell and so hauing finished our colde prayers vvee rise without examination not once considering with what fruit we haue prayed and whether wee haue gotten a blessing from God or no. CHAP. XVII Iacob cannot ende till God haue blessed him GOdly Iacob will here teach vs another lesson that we should not let our gripes goe nor cease from crying vntill the Lord haue blessed vs. Then hath Iacob doone when as the Lord hath blessed him but till hee get the blessing Iacob in no wise will part with the Lord. Where if thou dispaire how shalt thou know in prayer when God blesseth thee I answere Except the Lord teach thee I cannot tell thee the spirit of God when he comes downe with a blessing makes himselfe to bee knowne No man hath felt so sensible a shower of raine descending on his body as the child of God will feele when the shower of grace descends on his soule then the foundations of that earth which is in man are shaken the stonie heart melteth the eye aboundeth in ioyfull teares the tongue is loosed that was bound before the minde is filled with vnaccustomable light the whole soule with vnspeakeable comfort Finally such an alteration is made of his whole desires for a change of his whole inward and outward disposion as the childe of God feeles better than hee is able to vtter Which if we obtaine not in prayer as many times it falles out let vs receiue it as a checke of our coldnesse as a spurre to further humiliation that so with a new blessing wee may fall to seeke the Lord and his blessing And here againe wee haue to consider another lesson for in this that he seekes a blessing from him who wounded him wee are to take vp the nature of faith which is of such quicknesse that no maruell the Auncient said Fides Linceos habet oculos for albeit the Lord would take on him the shape of an enimie and shew himselfe an angry iudge to his children yet will they still looke for fauour and kindnesse at his hand It was the Lord who afflicted Iob with outward and inward troubles of the which nature sense could gather no other conclusion but that God had forsaken him and had become his enâ—…mie yet faith aboue sense and nature leadeth him through all these misly cloudes to looke vnto God as vnto his mercifull father and therefore resâ—…s he in that notable conclusion whereof we haue made mention before Albeit the Lord stay me yet will I trust in him CHAP. XVIII Faith through death espies life THis fulnesse of faith doth also appeâ—…e manifestly in all the rest of Gods children especially in time of trouble for what maketh them reioyce in afflictions and to triumph when they are going through the valley of death but the sight certaintie of a better How commeth it that in the same moment wherein God is taking their temporall life from them they are seeking an eternall life from him Out of doubt it commeth of their liuely faith which through wrath sees mercy through the clowde of light momentary afflictions it beholdeth an infinit weight of glory But this quicknesse of faith appeares most of all wonderfully in the vp taking of Iesus Christ for he appeared in the world disguised A King in
shâ—…pe of a seruant He being the God of glory came couered with such contemptible couerings that the vvorld mis-knew him His miraculous conception without the help of man was obscured with the couering of Maries espoâ—…sing vnto Ioseph his birth without all vncleannesse obscured with the couering of Maries purification his innocency in like manner obscured with the couering of circumcision and so 〈◊〉 est noui solis fulgor saith Bâ—…rnard and thus was the glory of this â—…ght shining sunne which the world saw neuer before obscured Yet through all these and many couerings that Centurion through faith espâ—…ed him to bee the sonne of God and those three wise men who came from the East by the light of faith through all these vayles saw him to bee a glorious King and therefore also fell downe and worshipped him But these blind Bethleemites amongst vvhom he was borne hauing no more but the eyes of nature wherewith to looke vpon him could not discerne him albeit this was their glory that out of them came that Gouernour who should feede his people by this faith Agnouit Simeon infantem tacentem for lack of it occiderunt Iudaei mirabilia facientem Simeon by faith acknowledged Iesus euen in his infancy when he had not yet spoken a word but the Iewes for lack of faith blinded with infidelitie flew him after that he had wrought many Miracles So then to returne to our ground it was a great faith in Iacob that hee sought a blessing from him who wrestled against him Nature will neuer learne vs that lesson Come and let vs return to the Lord he hath spoyled and he will heale vs hee hath wounded and he will binde vs vp Without faith there can bee no prayer to God especially at that time when God layeth his heauie hand vpon vs How shall they call to him in whom they beleeue not Where the fountaine is drye what water can there be in the strand ergo vt oremus credamus vt ipsa non deficiat â—…ides qua credimus oremus Therefore that wee may pray let vs beleeue and that our faith whereby we beleeue faint not let vs pray And this for the fulnes of faith CHAP. XIX The goldy in their prayers aboue all things seeke Gods fauour and blessing PErceiue yet farther out of these words that Iacob seekes nothing from God but his blessing The children of God euen then when God is most familiar vvith them seek nothing comparable to his blessing Herein they are insatiable on the earth they can neuer get enough of his blessings Iacob vvas blessed before of the Lord and now againe hee seekes a new blessing and euery time that hee meetes vvith the Lord all that he desires is a blessing It is far otherwise with miserable Worldlings it is seldome and far betweene that they come to the Lord they seeke some other thing then himselfe or his blessing some worldly benefit or deliuerance from temporall trouble is the summe of all their suite So Cain forgetting to seeke mercy for his sinne sought onely protection to his body Whosoeuer findeth mee shall slay mee and from time to time he got that hee vvent out from the presence of the Lord. O miserable man that left not behinde him so much as a petition to God for mercy deliuerance from that wrath vvhich his sin had brought vpon him CHAP. XX. Worldlings in their prayers dishonor God and preiudges themselues IN this doing vvicked men doe both dishonour the Lord and prejudge themselues they consider not the insinite goodnesse and the al-sufficiency of the Lord they measure him with their base and earthly minds and therfore in stead of eternall they seeke nothing but temporall and perishing things It was a princely answere that Alexander gaue his friend Perillus to whom he had offred fifty talents of siluer to help his daughter to marriage vvhich the other thinking too much replyed that ten talents were sufficient Yea said Alexander it were enough for thee to receiue but not for me to giue And to another in like case hee gaue the like answere Ne quaere quid tâ—… accipere sed quid me dare deceat But much more may our al-sufficient God that Monarch of the world indeede who is rich vnto all who cals vpon him giue vnto vs a greater rebuke that cannot enlarge our hearts nor open our mouthes wide that hee may fill them with his good things contenting vs to seeke the earth when the Lord offers vs the heauen seeking with worldlings that our wheat and our wine may abound and not with Godly Dauid that the light of the countenance of God which brings ioy to the heart may be vpon vs. The Lord esteemes this a very great indignitie and contempt done vnto him and therefore he complaines on the Iewes by his seruant the Prophet Hosea They howle vpon me in their beds for wine and oyle they cry like dogs for that vvhich may fill their bellies but sends not out the voice of my children to cry vnto me for mercy and grace It is in like manner very prejudiciall to themselues who doe it for they fast and weary their spirits in seeking many things and in the meane time are carelesse to seeke one thing the obtaining whereof might bring them vnto all things thus they consume themselues with vaine labour Qui rerum magis specie quam authore dilectati prius vniuersa percurrere de singulis cupiunt expiriri quam ad Christum curent vniuersitatis principem peruenire Who being delighted with the shew of things more then vvith the authour of them are desirous to know euery thing by experience but not carefull to come vnto Christ vvho is that head fountaine of vvhom all things are where otherwise if according to the command of our blessed Sauiour men would first seeke the kingdoâ—…e of God then all other things should be cast vnto them This is the onely compendious way to satisfie our insatiable desires Quicunque hic varia quaeris ipse vnus tibi erit omnia whatsoeuer thou bee who here seekes sundry things seek the Lord and he shal be all things in all to thee When the Lord offred to Salomon to giue whatsoeuer he vvould aske he sought from the Lord a wise and vnderstanding heart which so pleased the Lord that not onely hee gaue him that which he asked but also second and inferiour gifts as riches honour which he asked not so great delight hath the Lord to here vs seeke from him those things which are greatest and excellent Let vs therefore ascribe vnto the Lord glory and power hee is a great King let vs not dishonour him by seeking from him small and perishing things the least of them is enough for vs to receiue For we are not worthy of the least of his mercies but not enough for the Lord to giue suppose the Lord would â—…ue vs all the workes of his hand into
and not preuaile but it is not so with the Godly BEcause thou hast had power with God As â—…acob sought a blessing so at the length hee geâ—…teth it for the Lord at the last will fulfill the desires of them who feare him The desire of the childe of God is as a birth conceiued in the soule of man which shall not dye but come to perfection Salomon promised to giue his mother Bethsheba whatsoeuer she would aske and it were to the halfe of his kingdome yet when shee asked that Abishag the Shunamite might be giuen to Adoniah his brother to wife Salomon refused to graunt Thus men can promise much and performe little it is not so with the Lord our God He hath bidden vs pray he hath promised to heare and shall not also faile to performe Nunquam oranti beneficia denegabit qui orantes vt ne deficiant sua pietate instigat Hee will neuer denie his benefits to vs when we pray who prouokes vs to pray But as to the wicked the hope of the Hypocrite shall perish their soules are full of desires like so many strong voyces crying for that which they shall neuer obtaine they wayte vpon lying vanities which shall neuer come to passe Quid tam poenale quam semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nolle quod nunquam non erit in aeternum non obtinebit quod vulâ—… in aeternum quod non vult sustinebit What punishment more fearefull can fall on a man then that he should euer wish that which neuer shal be and alwayes wish that were not that shall be for euer that which he will he shall neuer obtaine and that which he will not hee shall for euer sustaine yet this is the miserable estate of the wicked Let vs therefore take heed to our praedominate desires for miserable are they whose desires are on the world more then on the Lord and on vanishing trifles more then vpon his permanent mercies For when the Lord hath filled their bellies with his earthly treasure giuen them enough that they leaue the rest behind to their children what haue they more to craue from the Lord They haue gotten their desire they are not to looke that euer they shall bee pertakers of the felicitie of Gods chosen their heart was neuer set vpon it they haue receiued their consolation on the earth they haue no more to looke for Wherefore our Sauiour pronounceth a feareful wo vpon them and no meruaile for miserable indeed is their condition their consolation dies before they dye themselues their comforts forsakes them before they go out of the world and like the Gowrd of Ionas withereth before their eyes in their life they sate vnder the shadow of it but in their death it is gone and they finde no comfort in it Well knew Dauid their misery and therefore hee praies Deliuer me O Lord from the men of the world who haue their portion in this life that is let mee neuer bee one of them Wee haue therefore to marke where-away the benefits of our affections doe carry vs for if wee feele the Lords blessing no doubt we shall finde it and if the desire of our hearts bee aboue all things towards the Lord such a desire I meane as vseth the meanes that may bring vs vnto him for otherwise wicked Baalam will desire Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous which he shall not obtaine But let vs goe the right way to mercy protesting with godly Dauid O Lord I desire to do thy commandements and then no doubt the Lord shall crowne vs with mercies and compassions at the last Thou shalt preuaile with men I doe now here by my word will the Lord say inuest thee in this priuiledge that no power of man shall be able to ouercome thee Goe on therefore with courage in thy iourney which I haue commanded thee and feare not any thing that man is able to doe against thee Wher it is to be marked that the Lord promiseth not of his seruant any immunitie from affliction yea by the contrary the Lord fore-warnes that men will make opposition to him for where no opposition is made by men how can there bee a priuiledge by Iacob It is needfull we consider what it is that the Lord hath promised vnto vs least looking for that which hee hath not promised vs we deceiue our selues Many in the time of trouble make foule apostacie from Christ and all because when they entred into the profession of Christian religion they considered not they could not be his Disciples except they bare his Crosse but foolishly lookt for some temporal ease or worldly commoditie in the following of Christ which he neuer promised them These are professors like to the Samaritans who so long as the Iewish religion flourished was in honour caused also to be built a temple on a high mountaine of Samaria named Garazin that in this they might not be inferiour to the Iewes They boasted themselues to be the progeny of Ioseph and worshippers of God also with them but when they perceiued that the Iewes were cruelly afflicted for worshipping God by Antiochus Epiphanes and fearing least they should be also handled in the like manner they changed their coate affirming that they were not Isiaelites but Sidonians and had built their temple not vnto God but Iupiter thus a little winde seperates the chaffe and the corne and a fierce tryall distin guisheth the counterfeit and true professor In like manner the ignorant Iewes because they vnderstood not the promises made concerning the Messias looked that Christ should haue restored vnto them their temporall Kingdome peaceably and free whereof when they saw themselues disappointed they were offended with him and persecuted him to the death It vvere therefore good for vs that wee should follow the counsaile of our Sauiour reckon with our selues in time in what state of life we enter when we enter into the profession of Christianitie before we build a Tower let vs count the cost whether we haue sufficient to performe it least that when wee haue laid the foundation and not able to performe it wee fall not vnder this shame to be mocked of men but bring vpon our selues a more fearefull wrath of God For it had beene better not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after we haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto vs like dogs to the vomit and like the sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire If we could resolue in time that they who will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution and arme our selues before hand thereunto reckoning with our selues that of the Lords indulgence we are spared euery day wherein some notable crosse is not layd vpon vs then certainely should we account the lesse of trouble when it comes vnto vs. Wee haue here againe to consider the connexion of
these words because thou hast had power with God thou shalt preuaile with men and out of them yee may perceiue that the Lord will haue this wrestling of Iacobs wherein hee was exercised immediately by the Lord to bee a preparation vnto him against other tentations which were to come by men Wherein is shadowed vnto vs how the Lord doth first prepare his children by wrestling with himselfe before he send them out to encounter with men and so makes the inward exercises of their mindes preparations whereby they are made ready the better to endure all outward troubles that doe come from men CHAP. XXIII The Lord by inward exercises of conscience makes his children strong to endure outward troubles which come from men THis made Moses that he was not afraid of the face of Pharaoh because hee had seene first the face of God for he saw saith the Apostle him who was invisible The Kings wrath saith Salomon is as the roaring of a Lion but when the Lord vtters his wrath then the heart and countenance of the greatest Monarch in the world make him as high as Beltasar shall faile him he will neuer loose a good conscience for feare of the wrath of man that knoweth the power of the wrath of God Feare not the man whose breath is in his nosthrils the most hee can do that by permission is he is able to kill the body but let vs feare the Lord who is able to cast both soulâ—… and body into hell fire This sustained aged Policarpus against all the threatnings of the Proconsull Ignem minaris ad horam arsurum paulo post extinguendum ignoras vero ignem illum futuri iudicij aeterni supplicij impijs reseruatum Thou theatnest mee saith hee with a fire which will burne for an houre and shortly after be quenched but thou knowest not that fire of the judgement to come reserued for the wicked which vvil burne for euer It is the holy feare of God which banisheth out of our hearts the prophane feare of men that we vvill not doe euill to offend the Lord no not for all the paines that can follow vs in this present life And therefore the Lord in great mercy towards his children doth sometimes exercise them with the sense of his wrath and letteth them feele the sting of an accusing conscience that so they may come out to the world strong in the Lord against outward tentations fully resolued rather to displease men then the Lord rather to endure present punishments than to cast themselues vnder danger of the wrath with is to come And so are the children of God to reckon with themselues that their inward wrestlings are preparatiues for outward troubles CHAP. XXIIII It is a sinnefull curiositie to seeke to know that which God hath not taught vs. Verse 29. And Iacob asked What is thy name NOW Iacob hauing receiued the blessing proceedes in the conference and desireth to know the name of him who blessed him No doubt but hee knew before that it was the Lord otherwise he had not sought a blessing from him It standeth not with the nature of faith to pray to any in whom we beleeue not By this question he attaineth not to any new knowledge for hee who blessed him refuseth to tell his name but Iacob by calling the place Peniel as afterwards followes plainely declares he knew it was the Lord. So then this asking importeth not that Iacob did not know it was the Lord that had giuen him the blessing onely it declareth an earnest desire of Iacob to haue had a more familiar reuelation of the Lord to him which I thinke hee did of a good minde and intention such as Moses had when he desired to see the face of God Yet ye see all our good intentions are not alway approued of the Lord. With his good intention there is joyned a peece of curiositie that hee will haue more knowledge of the majestie of God then the Lord thought expedient to communicate vnto him otherwise the Lord had not denied it to him To seeke a greater perfection of knowledge where the Lord offers it is very commendable but to aspire to know that which God vvill not teach and namely to search out that majesty farther then he pleaseth to reueale himselfe is curiosity and presumption worthy to be damned Hee that searches Quantus sit Deus quae illius mensura qualis essentia talia sciscitanti sunt periculosa ei qui rogatur complexa talium medicina est silentium To aske the quantitie measure of God or vvhat is his essence such questions are perillous to him that asketh intricate to him that is asked at and are best answered by silence There bee names whereby the Lord expresseth himselfe to vs according to our capacitie but as to his proper name it is himselfe it cannot bee comprehended Why askest thou my name which is wonderfull And from this curiositie Iacob here by gods reproofe is restrayned This sin with our nature wee haue drawne from our first father Adam the knowledge wherwith God endued him contented him not hee aspired higher and sought to bee equall with God in the knowledge of good and euill And that this poyson from Adam is propagate to his posteritie doth daily appeare among the common fruites of our corruption for eyther wee are carelesse to learne those things whereof the Lord hath offered himselfe a teacher or else wee are curious searchers of those things which the Lord hath kept secret and hidden from vs. There are two points of knowledge most excellent and needefull for man the first to know God and him whom he hath sent for herein consists eternall life the second is to know our selues and the state of our owne consciences But such is the vanitie of the minde of man that with Adam had rather eate of the tree of knowledge then of the tree of life and delighteth to bee well read in any booke rather then in the booke of his owne Conscience And yee may marke in the carnall professors of this age that if at any time they begin to speak of Theologie then do they handle diuine things in a diuellish manner altogether inexpert in the words of righteousnesse and hauing no skill to speake the language of Canaan eyther else they talke profanely vpon that which God hath reuealed insisting most in points of doctrine least profitable for them or then curiously they inquire for that which God hath concealed from them not remembring that warning of Moses secret things are for the Lord but things reuealed are for vs and our children This curious demaund of Iacob is answered vvith a gentle refusall Why askest thou my name The Interrogator striues to send Iacob within himselfe that by a new tryal taken of his speach within his owne minde hee might see how vnnecessary and vnprofitable his Petition was After this manner it is
customable to the Lord to rebuke the friuolous curiositie of his own children that we may learne to be sober and not presume aboue that which is written In his quae de Deo dicuntur maxima est scientia ignorantiam fateri terraÌ„ inhabitas terrae fines ignoras quo modo conditorem terrae comprehendes animam habes cuius facultates enumerare non vales stellas vides quas numerare non potes numera prius illa quâ—… vides tunc illum qui nonapparet enarra In those things which concern the diuinitie it is a great knowledge to acknowledge our ignorance thou dwellest in the earth and knowest not the borders thereof how then shalt thou comprehend him who is maker of the earth thou hast within thee a soule the faculties whereof thou art not able to enumerate thou seest the stars and canst not tell the number of them begin first and reckon on those things which thou seest and then if thou canst him that is not seene Let vs therfore restraine our selues from such idle speculations if others spare not to proue vs with the like of these rash perillous questions which I haue condemned then remember with Basil TaliuÌ„ optima medicina est silentium CHAP. XXV The Lord somtimes refuseth to giue that which his chidren seekes that he may giue them other things more conuenient for them YEt it is to bee marked that albeit he refuse to tell Iacob his name yet hee refuseth not to giue Iacob his blessing Sometime the Lord graunteth his children their desires because hee sees it is for their weale Other times hee refuseth them and that also for their weale but whether hee say yea or no to their petitions hee workes alway in mercy towards them He granted flesh to the children of Israel because they sought it but therewithall his wrath fell vpon them of the which it is euident that sometime he graunteth men their petitions because he is angry with them Others againe hee refuseth because he is mercifull to them denying vnto them that which they craue but graunting another thing which is much more profitable for them Multi Deo irato exaudiuntur multis propitius Deus non tribuit quod volunt vt quod vtile est tribuat The Apostle Paul being buffered by the Angell of Sathan besought the Lord thriâ—…e that he might be deliuered from him he receiued a refusall of that which hee sought and yet the Lord left him not destitute of comfort Saepe multos Deus non exaudit ad voluntateÌ„ vt exaudiat ad salutem In the first of the Acts the Disciples aske a question of Christ Wilâ—… thou at this time restore the kingdâ—…me to Israel but what answere receiue they a plaine refusall It is not for you to know the times and seasons yet hee promiseth to them a better thing But yee shall receiue power of the holy Ghost O happie exchange let it be vnto vs O Lord according to thy Word denie vs O Lord any thing thou wilt but neuer deny vs thy holy spirit that it may lead vs into all truth so long as wee remaine here and in the end may bring vs vnto the sight of thy ioyfull face Let vs giue vnto the Lord this glory that hee is our mercifull father not onely when he graunteth but euen when he refuseth some of those things which we desire It may well stand that being diseased thou dost seeke of the Lord bodily health and seeke it too with this restriction if it please him and yet thou obtaine it not the Lord thinking it good to keepe thee vnder a sicke body to the end he may restore vnto thee health of thy soule for so may ye read in the Gospell that many being moued by bodily diseases who otherwise were not minded to come vnto Iesus Christ hath found in him health both of body and soule It may also fall out that thou dost seeke from the Lord temporall riches and that conditionally if it please him for a benefit that thou be not burdenous vnto others and yet the Lord thinkes it more expedient to refuse thee least riches should be a snare vnto thee for vnto many they are but speciosa vincula quibus alligantur à quibus possidentur magis quam possident Beautifull bands wherewith they are bound which they possesse not but are possessed of them Thus their posteritie and riches becomes their ruine so corrupt is our nature that the same gifts which should draw our hearts after the Lord are allurements to turne them from him Facile enim cor humanum omnibus quae frequentat adhaeret adeo vt vix aut nunquam sine amore valeant possideri For the heart of man cleaueth very easily vnto that wherewith it is acquainted so that hardly or neuer can we possesse the things of this world without immoderate loue of them And therefore the Lord in great mercy take them from vs that they do not take vs from him Let vs therefore commit the successe of our prayers to the Lord let vs not presume to limite the Holy One of Israel being alway comforted with this that if the Lord deny vs that which we would haue hee shall giue vs another thing which is more expedient for vs. CHAP. XXVI How Iacob shewes himselfe thankfull to God for the benefits receiued in two things Verse 30. And Iacob called the name of the place Peniel c. THe conference between the Lord and Iacob being ended Moses now makes mention of Iacobs thankfulnes which he declareth in two things first he impones such a name to the place as might stand for a perpetuall memoriall of Gods familiar apparition vnto him And next hee rendreth himselfe obedient not regarding any danger that might be before him trusting vnto the word of the Lord hee goeth with courage forward in his iourney First I say hee impones a name to the place and calleth it Peniel the face of God he giueth the reason because I haue seene the face of God and my life is preserued Seeing the Lord will hee say hath showne mee this mercy that I haue seene his face and am not confounded I will neuer burne it in vnthanfulnesse and therefore that it may be remembred of the posteritie I call this place by the name Peniel It becommeth saith the Psalmist vpright men to be thankfull Seeing all good things come of God it is good reason the praise of all should returne vnto him As the waters that come secretly from the Sea through the veines of the earth return againe in their troghs publikely vnto it so euery good thing which the secret blessing of God hath conuayed vnto vs by publike praise should againe returne vnto him If wee haue gotten comfort from the LORD we should giue vnto the Lord his glorie And it is the manner of the children of God they cannot rest contented when God hath refreshed them
with his mercies till the Lord get his 〈◊〉 praise And hereof it commeth that they erect publike monuments memorials or at the least send out publike thanksgiuing for these mercies which God priuately and secretly hath bestowed vpon them But as to the wicked they swal ow vp the benefits of God in vnthankfull obliuion if the Lord increase then wealth and prosperitie they sacrifice to their owne net as though their prouidence and wit had done it and if hee doe preserue them from dangers they impute their deliuerance to their idoll they make their mouth to kâ—…sse their hand as if their owne arme had saued them Thus are they like vnto that salt sea whereinto Iordan floweth it swalloweth vp all the water of Iordan but waxeth no greater neither yet doth the salt and bitter waters thereof become sweeter for all that the wicked receiue from the LORD their old scent remayneth in them they are not the better neither is their hart enlarged to praise him They doe take from the Lord without giuing againe like barren and vnprofitable ground that deuoureth seede and renders nothing And therefore is neere vnto cursing whose end is burning Learne therefore O man to be thankfull to thy God euery benefit that thou hast receiued that encreaseth not thy thankfulnesse shall assuredly encrease thy iudgement Quâ—…m enim beneficia accepta meliorem non reddunt is certè etiam grauius supplicium commeretur He whom benefits receiued maketh not the better doth assuredly thereby demerite heauier punishments We are next to consider how it is that Iacob accounts it a great mercy that he hath seene God and yet his life preserued Seeing the Lord is the God of comfort how is it his presence should bring a terrour vnto men it is his countenance that makes glad the hart when he hides his face the creature is troubled but when he sends forth his spirit they are created and the face of the earth is renued When thou didst hide thy face saith Dauid I was sore troubled How is it then that Iacob here should say that the sight of the face of God causeth death and that his countenance should confound man Adam in Paradise in the state of innocency was familiar with God he saw and heard the Lord was comforted from whence then commeth this change that man cannot see the Lord and liue Surely the fault is not in the Lord his countenance is the wel-spring of life hee is the father of light and the God of all consolation The fault is in vs in our sinfull and peruerted nature Faultie weake eyes cannot behold the light without paine not for any euill which is in the light which is good and comfortable but for the infirmitie which is in themselues And sinfull men cannot see the Lord without feare not for any fault in the Lord who is merciful and gracious but for that peruerse disposition which sinne hath wrought in our selues This made the Israelites to tremble when they heard him and made that holy Prophet Esay cry out woe is me when he saw but a similitude and representation of his Maiesty And who then may abide that Maiestie in it selfe These three pillars of the Church Peter Iames Iohn fell downe to the ground astonished at a small manifestation of his glory the brightnesse of his glorious face shining like the Sunne confounded them how then should they beare the glory of his diuinitie And in vs it is this same sinfull nature which only hinders vs from the sight familiarity of our God What then shall we do but embrace the counsaile of the Apostle S. Iohn Whosoeuer hath this hope in himselfe namely to see God purgeth himselfe euen as God is pure We must remoue our sinnes and draw the powers of our soules to some neerer conformitie with the Lord if so be wee hope to dwell with him For without peace and sanctification none can see the Lord. But here againe it is to bee asked how sayes Iacob he saw the face of god seeing the Lord gaue Moses this answere when hee sought a sight of his face No man can see me and liue and we know that Iohn the Baptist saith No man hath seene God at any time but the sonne who is come from the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him How is it then I say that Iacob here saith I haue seene God face to face I answere that this is spoken in comparison of other visions and reuelations made to Iacob before his meaning is no other but that hee had now seene the Lord by a more excellent and notable manner of apparition then euer he had seene before And where Moses is said to haue seene the Lord face to face this is only spoken in comparison of Moses with other Prophets who had not so cleare a reuelation of the Majestie of God as Moses had this is euident out of the Lords owne words If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be knowne to him by a vision and speake to him by a dreame my seruant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all my house to him will I speak mouth to mouth not in darke wordes and hee shall see the similitude of the Lord. Yea let no man thinke because of these words that any of the Fathers saw the Lord as hee is thou canst not see the Sunne as it is Hee that a farre off lookes to the sea sayes truely that hee hath seene the sea but what is it that hee sees in respect of that which hee seeth not Yea wee cannot see a mortall man as he is and how then shall wee see the Lord as hee is If the Fathers had seene the Lord as he is then all the fathers had seene him one manner of way because God in himselfe is one simple and vndiuided essence but they saw him many manner of wayes in diuers soâ—…mes and apparitions To Iacob hee appeared in a siery busâ—… to the Israelites in a cloude to Elias in a soft and calme ayre to Esay in another manner of vision all which doe proue that hee shewed not himselfe neyther did they see him as hee is but onely in such manner of manifestation as the Lord thought most expedient for the time But what speake I of the sight of GOD on the earth wee shall not see him as hee is in the heauens For euen those holy Angles which stand about his Throne are described vnto vs couering their faces with their two wings witnessing thereby that there is a God of a more infinite glory then they are able to comprehend And no meruaile for euery Creature Man or Angell is finite a vessell of limited and definite bounds Now sure it is that no finite thing can comprehend that which is infinite that peace of God promised vnto vs passeth all vnderstanding and these things prepared for vs are such as the
heart of man cannot vnderstand What then shall wee thinke of him who prepared them Must not his glorious Majestie by infinite degrees surpasse the reach of our vnderstanding CHAP. XXVII What sight of God shall wee haue in the heauens YEt I speake not this to take away that sight of God which wee shall haue in the heauens It must bee true which the Apostle saith Wee shall see him as he is it being vnderstood with these restrictions First the sight of God vvhich vve shall haue in heauen shall bee perfect in respect of vs the Lord shall dwell in vs fully and replenish euery power and facultie of soule and body vvith his joyfull presence Hee shall fill my whole minde with â—…is light no darknesse shall bee left in it he shall quicken my whole heart no more deadnesse shall bee in it and the whole affections shall bee replenished with his peace and joy Now the Lord dwels in vs but he fils vs not Wee are yet hungry and thirstie Wee know but in part but in the heauens wee shall be filled perfectly with that presence wherein is the fulnesse of ioy the Lord shall then be all things in all vnto vs. Now the greatest measure of the sence of mercy is called by the holy spirit a tasting tast and consider how gracious the Lord is but there is promised vnto vs a full satisfaction ye shall bee satisfied Inebriabor ab vbertate domus tuae I call this sight perfect in respect of vs the Lord shall fill all that is in vs wee shall desire no more but we shall not be able to comprehend all that is in the Lord. Augustine expresseth this by a proper similitude for he compares the godly in the heauens to vessels cast into the sea were they neuer so large they shall be filled full of water and yet that which they containe is nothing in comparison of that great aboundance which is about them So euery godly man glorified in heauen shall be fully filled with gods comfortable presence so that hee shall know no want and yet shall he not be able to comprehend that infinit majestie and peace and joy and glory of the incomprehensible God Therefore said I that in respect of vs wee shall haue in the heauens a perfect sight of God that is so farre as we can bee capable of him Mensuram plenam superfluentem tunc dabit in sinâ—…s vestros A good measure prest and running ouer saith our Sauiour shall bee then giuen into your bosomes Secondly that sight of God that in heauen wee shall injoy shall bee immediate and this is such a sight as none can vnderstand till wee get it Yet to make it as plaine as we may let vs compare it with that which we haue here in earth The sight that now we haue of God is as through a glasse or a vaile that is by mediate reuelations Now vvee know him by seeing him in his Creatures wee know him by hearing him in his word we know him also euen in the earth by spirituall meditation that begetteth some secret sense of his mercy yet al these are a walking by faith not by sight at the least but a dark sight of God and through couerings but in the heauen we shall see him not by halues but by an immediate sight which wee shall then best vnderstand as I sayd when we shall attaine vnto it The Lord of his mercy purge and prepare vs in time and then hasten that day wherein we shall see him And yet because eternall life must be begunne on the earth and that it is not possible wee can see God in the heauen vnles wee haue first seene him in the earth let vs take heed vnto those three things whereby wee may attaine vnto the sight of God First remember that God without his own light cannot beseen the eye suppose it be an organe of sight were it neuer so quicke seeth nothing in the darke the Sunne without the Sunne cannot bee seene farre lesse can the Lord be seene without the Lord. In light saith the Psalmist shall we see light If therefore we would begin to see the Lord let vs walke in his light making his word a lanthorne to our feete in all our wayes taking heede vnto it as vnto a most sure word and a light shining in darknesse therewithall joyning to the Lords prayer Open my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law Secondly we must remember that wee cannot see God without some similitude and conformitie with him Therefore saith Christ. Blessed are the poore in spirit for they shall see God Among all the members of the body none can see the Sunne but the eye because of some similitude that is betweene them For as God hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the great world the Sunne and Moone in the sirmament as instruments of light to serue it so hath hee placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the little world which is Man two eyes in the highest part of his body as organes of light to serue him But the eye being any way troubled or offended as we see by experience â—…bhorres the light wherein it otherwise delights and after the same manner the minde of man polluted with sinne neyther can nor dare looke vp to the Lord. Oculus cordis parturbatus auertit se à luce iustitiae nec audet eam contemplari The eye of the heart being perturbed saith Augustine turneth it selfe away from the light of righteousnesse and dares not behold it And to the same effect he sayes in another place Male viuen do videri à Deo non potes videre Deum not potes bene autem viuendo videris vides If thou liue an euill life thou shalt be seene of God but shall not see him but if thou liue a good life thou art not onely seene of him but thou maist also see him So necessary is this conformitie with God by sanctificati on that without it we cannot see God Thirdly to the sight of God there is requisite attention and consideration a meeke and quiet spirit a heart stablished by grace separate from other things and fixed on the Lord Oculus circuÌ„mactâ—…s non videt etiam quae ante se sunt A watering and reeling eye sees not those things which are before it and an vnstable minde tossed too and fro with restlesse cares and perturbations is not meete to see the the Lord. When the Lord appeared to Eliah there went before him a mighty winde an earth-quake and fire but God was not in any one of them hee followed in a soft and still voyce to teach vs that we must haue meeke setled and pacified spirits if we looke that God should bee familiar with vs and wee must set the eyes of our soules stable and sixt on the Lord attending on his shining mercies like the eyes of seruants on their maisters and while the Lord
other thing which may discourage vs is the manifold troubles that follow vs in following Christ. For the Church of God on earth is as a Lilly among Thornes and our Lord Iesus as an Apple tree among the trees of the forrest If wee delight to sit vnder his shadow and if his fruit be sweet in our mouth wee must be content to walk toward him through many sharp afflictions therefore are wee commaunded not onely to suffer afflictions as the good souldiers of Iesus Christ but also to rejoyce in tribulations and if we cannot attaine to that perfection at least to count it exceeding joy when we â—…al into diuers temptations Yet because no chastisement is sweet for the present it hath pleased the Lord of his fatherly indulgence and pittie towards our weakenesse to seison the cup of our bitter griefes with his sweet comforts which as hee doth in many other parts of holy Scripture so especially from the 17. verse of this Chapter to the 30. wherein the Apostle abounds with consolation shewing himselfe a faithfull Steward in the house of God most carefull to lead as it were by the hand the weary sons and daughters of the liuing God into the wineceller there to refresh and stay vs with the Flagons of his wine to comfort vs with his Apples to strengthen vs with his hid Manna and to make vs merry vvith that Milke and Honny vvhich our immortall Husband Iesus Christ hath prouided for vs to sustaine vs that we faint not through these manifold Tribulations vvherewith vvee are compassed in this barren vvildernesse That this is the Apostles purpose and order of proceeding in this Chapter I thinke his conclusion makes it manifest which you haue from the 31. verse to the end vvherein hee drawes all that he had said into a short summe containing the glorious triumph of a Christian ouer all his enimies the triumph is first set downe generally in the 31 Verse What shall wee say then to these things If God be with vs who can be against vs thereafter he parts this generall in two there is would he say but one of two that are against vs eyther sinne or affliction as to sinne hee triumphs against it Verse 33. and 34. Who will lay any thing to the charge of Gods Chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and makes request for vs. As to affliction hee begins his triumph against it Verse 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ his answere mounts vp by a gradation Will tribulation or anguish doe it Yea will death it selfe doe it or that which is more will Principalities and powers doe it 10. In all these things wee more then Conquerours through him that loued vs. Thankes therefore be vnto our God who alwayes makes vs to triumph in our Lord Iesus Christ. Now in this verse as Iacob gaue his sonnes his greatest blessing in the last roome so the Apostle giueth to christi ans his greatest comfort in the last roome whereof this is the sumâ—… ouâ—… afflictions are so farre from being pâ—…eiudiciall to our saluation that by the contrary through the Lords merueilous working they tend to the aduancment thereof he in largeth the comfort Not onely afflictions but all other things workâ—… for the best together to them that loue the Lord. The parts of the Verse are two the first containes the comfort the second a discâ—…ption of the persons to whom the comfort appertaineth Now I come to the words Alâ—…o that is besides all the comforts which I haue giuen to you before I giue you yet this further learning vs that albeit our troubles be many yet our comforts are more Many saith Dauid are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all As if he would say for euerie trouble the Lord hath a seuerall deliuerance Euery temptation saith the Apostle hath the owne issue Euery horne that riâ—…eth against vs to push vs hath attending vpon it an hammer to represse it saith the Prophet Esau mourned vpon his father Isaac although he was prophane yet he cryed pittifully Hast thou but one blessing my Father But we with the holie Apostle may blessâ—… our heauenly Father who comforteth vs so in all our tribulations that as the sufferings of Christ a bound in vs so our consolations abound through Christ not one but manifold are his blessings and the storehouse of his consolations can neuer bee emptied The Lord our God hath not dealt nigardly nor sparingly with vs but a good measure of consolations pressed downe and running ouer hath hee giuen to vs in our bosome his name be praised therefore and yet how little is all this that wee now receiue in comparison of those inestimable ioyes of God that he hath prepared for vs the like whereof the eye neuer saw the care neuer heard of and the heart cannot vnderstand Surely the greatest measure of comfort that wee haue in this life is but the earnest penny of that principall which shall be giuen to vs hereafter If the earnest bee so great what shall bee the principall If the first fruites of the heauenly Canaan be so delectable how shall the full masse thereof aboundantly content vs when we shall behold the face of our God in righteousnesse and shall bee satisfied vvith his Image vvhen vve shall be filled vvith the fulnesse of joy which is in his presence and with those pleasures which are at his right hand for euermore CHAP. II. The Priuiledges of a Christian cannot be knowne of them who doe not possesse them WEe know If you ponder the Apostles words you shall finde that by an Emphasis he restraines this knowledge to the Children of God excluding Worldlings and Naturalists from it The spirituall man discerneth all things but hee himselfe is iudged of no man A naturall man cannot vnderstand the things that are of God The Gospel is Wisedome indeed but Wisedome among them that are perfect Euery Article of our faith and point of Christian Doctrine euery priuiledge of a Christian is a Mistery therefore no meruaile that the Gospell bee foolishnesse to the naturall man who perisheth And this doth draw vs to consider that the excellent things of Christianitie can be knowne of none but of those that possesseth them The value or rather vanitie of earthly Iewels hath beene better knowne of some that neuer enjoyed them then of them who possessed them but the Iewels of gods kingdome such as Peace Righteousnesse Ioy in the holy Ghost can be known of none but of the Christian only who enjoyes them The new Name giuen to the Christian who can know but hee that hath it and none can know what is the sweetnes of hid Manna except hee tast it therefore saith the Psalmist Tast and consider how
his purpose Thirdly the euident token according to Gods calling which is the loue of God The purpose of God concerning thy saluation thou maist know by thy calling and if againe thou wilt try thy calling try it by the loue of God which thou finds in thee And of these three I will now speake briefly CHAP. XI What comfort wee haue in this that our saluation is grounded on the Lords vnchangeable purpose ACcording to his purpose Here you see then how the Apostle draweth our Calling from the purpose of God and so when hee will comfort vs vvith the certaintie of our saluation he leads vs out of our selues vp to the Rocke that is higher then wee hee teacheth vs to cast our Anchor within the vaile and to fasten our soules vpon that vnchangeable Purpose of God It is most expedient for the Children of God to mark this because the manifold changes wee finde in our selues doe oftentimes interrupt the peace of our minds that the Lord our God hath in such sort dispensed our Saluation that the ground thereof is laide in his owne immutable Purpose but the markes tokens and pledges hee placeth in them after their Calling for whom it was ordayned The tokens are changeable as we our selues in whom they are are changeable but the ground holds fast being laid in the vnchangeable God in whom can be no shadow of alteration and this should comfort vs against our daily vicissitudes changes defects and temporall desertion our faith may faint our spirituall life may languish our hope hoouer our harts in praying fall downe like the infeebled hands of Moses yet let vs not despaire no change in vs can alter the Lords vnchangeable Purpose he vvho hath begun the work in vs will also perfect it Because I am not changed saith the Lord therefore is it that yee O Sonnes of Iacob are not consumed This purpose of God is called otherwaies The will of God and the good pleasure of his will and it doth learne vs to giue to the Lord the praise which is due to him namely the praise of the whole worke of our saluation should bee ascribed to the good pleasure of his will onely and not to our foreseene merits that poyson of pride which Sathan powred in our first parents wherby hee prouoked them to aspire to be equall with God doth yet appeare in their posteritie the corrupt heart of man euer ayming at this eyther in part or in whole to haue the praise of saluation ascribed to himselfe and so would start vp in the roome of God vsurping that glory which belongeth to the Lord and hee will not giue to another then the which no Sacriledge more fearefull can be committed against the Lord. O man content thee vvith that which the Lord offers thee and let that alone vvhich the Lord reserueth to himselfe My peace saith the Lord I giue vnto you but my glory I will not giue to another It is enough that the saluation of the Lord is thine but as for the glory of saluation let it remaine to the Lord hee is for this called the Father of Mercy because mercy is bred in his owne bosome many causes without himselfe found hee moouing and procuring him to execute Iustice but a cause moouing him to shew mercy found hee neuer saue onely the good pleasure of his will Therefore saith the Apostle The Lord hath called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace Surely except the Lord had reserued mercy for vs vvee had beene like Sodome and Gomorrha but it hath pleased him in his mercy of the same lumpe of clay to make vs Vessels of honour whereof he hath made others vessels of dishonour and who is able sufficiently to thinke of so great a benefit Therefore let the re deemed of the Lord cry out with a lowder voyce then Dauid O Lord what are wee that thou hast beene so mindfull of vs Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy louing kindenesse and for thy truths sake for our Saluation commeth of god that sitteth vpon the throne and of the Lambe to thee therefore be praise and honour and glory for euer and euer CHAP. XII Two callings outward and inward TO them that are called The purpose of God which is sufficient in it selfe is made knowne and manifest to vs by his Calling for our Calling is a declaration of the decree of our Election and as it were the secret voice of God bringing from the Heauens to our soules this comfortable message That wee are the sonnes of God Now wee must know that Gods Calling is twofold one outward which is common also to the wicked of it speakes our Sauiour Many are called but fâ—…w are chosen The other inward and effectuall proper only to the godly whom the Lord is purposed to saue And this will learne vs to consider of three sorts of men in the world wherof some are not called at all some called but not chosen some chosen and therefore are called to be sanctified iustified and Glorified Yee that will take a right view of all mankinde shall finde them as it were standing in the three circles they onely being happie who are within the third In the outmost Circle are all those on whom the Lord hath not vouchsafed so much as an outward calling and here stands the greatest part of the world In the middlemost Circle which is much narrower are all those which are partakers of Gods outward calling by the word Sacraments And in the third circle which is of smallest compasse in regard of the rest stands those who beside the outward calling of God by his word are called also inwardly and effectually by his holy Spirit These are Christs little flocke the fewe chosen the communion of saints the Lords third part so to speake with Zacharic the two parts shall be cut off and die but The third will the Lord sine as siluer and gold of them will the Lord say This is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God It is a great steppe indeede that we are brought from the vttermost Circle vnto the second but it is not sufficient to saluation yea rather they who stand in the second Circle hearing the voice of God call them to repentance and yet harden their hearts and will not follow the Lord may looke for a more fearefull condemnation than they who are in the vtmost ranke of all Waightie are all those warnings of our Sauiour Sodome and Gomorah shall be in an easier estate in the day of iudgement then they to whom the Lord hath spoken by his worde but they would not receiue it and that double stripes are for him that knowes his Masters will and doth it not Content not your selues therefore with this that you are brought within the compasse of this visible Church and made partakers of an outward
was senselesse before being dead in sinne and trespasses begins now to stir and moue as Iosiahs heart melted at the reading of the Law and the hearts of those penitent Iewes which were pricked at the sharpe Sermon of Peter then feeling our selues vnder death through sinne wee begin to thinke vs of the wayes of life and to aske with the Iaylor What shall wee doe that wee may bee saued These motions meltings and prickings of the hart wrought in the â—…lect by the operation of Gods word are the very plucks of the hand of God translating thee out of Nature into Grace yet must wee not rest here for Felix may tremble while Paul is preaching and many for a while may receiue this word with joy and yet afterward fall away in the time of temptation Wee must therefore consider if there bee in the hart a respondence and answering vnto the Lord so oft as hee calleth doe wee present our selues before him ready to follow him saying with Abraham here I am Lord and with Samuel after hee knew the Lords voyce Speake on Lord thy Seruant heareth thee This answering and following of the Lord are vndoubted tokens of effectuall Calling So oft as the Lord calleth the Christian answereth When thou saidst Seeke yee my face my heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy face If the Lord commaund the Christian answereth O Lord quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse that I may apply my heart to keepe thy statutes alwayes to the end If the Lord promise mercy the Christian answeres Stablish O Lord thy promise to thy Seruant and let it bee to me according to thy word for I beleeue in thee but Lord help my vnbeleefe And thus in the heart of one effectually called there is a continual respondence to the voyce of God a waiting on the Lord a walking with him and a following of him where euer hee goe If the Lord haue called thee sure it is thou wilt follow him and no power of the Diuell of the world or of the slesh shall hold thee back from him When Eliah touched Elisha with his cloak he left his Oxen and came after him When Iesus called on Andrew and Peter they left their nets their ship and their Father and followed him when hee called on Mathew hee left all his gainful trade of the receipt of custome and followed him when hee called on Mary Magdalâ—…ne shee forsooke her sinfull life and followed him Here is the finest Touchstone to trye an inward calling If the Lord hath called thee thou wilt follow him but if yet thou bee wandring after vanitie walking on in the course of thy sinne turning thy backe and not thy face vnto the Lord deceiue not thy selfe pertalcer of this heauenly Calling wherein stands the onely comfort of a Christian hast thou neuer beene CHAP. XV. The loue of God a sure token of an inward calling and of the commendation of loue THat Loue of God And last of all to returne to the words againe the whole effects of out inward Calling the Apostle compriseth vnder one to wit The loue of God and that most properly for Loue compriseth all the rest vnder it Loue is the Cognisance of Christs Disciples sayes our Sauiour It is the band of perfection saith the Apostle and accomplishment of the Lâ—… Loue speakes with the tongue of eueâ—… Vertue Pittie bids thee help the indigent Iustice bids thee giue euery man his owne Mercy bids forgiue Patience bids suffer but the voyce of Christian Loue commaunds all these Holy Loue is the eldest Daughter of a iustifying Faith that is the fiâ—…st affection that Faith procreateth and sanctifieth and whereby she workes in the sanctification of the rest Loue is the strongest and most imperious affection in the whole nature of man all the rest of the affections giues place vnto it which wee may see euen in the man naturall and vnregenerate Where Loue is kindled Feare is banished Couetousnesse coucheth Ambition is silent A Coward inflamed with Loue becomes valiant and a couetous man is oft times â—…y Loue made to bee more prodigall yea the proud and ambitious man who otherwise giues place to 〈◊〉 man for obtayning that which hee 〈◊〉 cares not to prostrate his honor 〈◊〉 the dust If carnall Loue be so forciâ—… what shall wee say of the spirituall Loue How much more doth it draw 〈◊〉 whole powers of soule and body 〈◊〉 the Lord neyther is it possible to 〈◊〉 otherwayes for euery thing returns to his owne originall as the waters go 〈◊〉 to the deepe from whence 〈◊〉 came and fire tends vpward to his owne place and Region euen so holy Loue being a sparke of the heauenly fire kindled in our hearts by the holy Ghost doth continually enflame them towards the Lord from whom it came and suffers vs neuer to rest while vvee enjoy him then vvee begin to liue when vvee begin to Loue. As no Creature can liue out of his owne Element so the Soule is but dead in sinne vvhich is destitute of the loue of God No feare to offend him no care to please him no obedience to his Commaundements can bee giuen by the heart that loues him not It were tedious to speake of all the properties of Loue we make choise of a few as chiefe tryals of our Loue. CHAP. XVI First triall of Loue. THe first propertie of Loue is a burning desire to obtaine that which is beloued as a Woman that loueth her Husband vnfainedly cannot bee content with any Loue token she receiueth from him in his absence but longeth more and more till she receiue himselfe So the soule which is wounded with the Loue of Iesus her immortall hushand hath a continuall desire to bee with him I graunt enerie token sent from him brings comfort but no contentment till shee inioyes him whereof comes these and such like complaints As the Hart brayes for the riuers of water so panteth my soule 〈◊〉 thee O my God O whâ—…n 〈◊〉 I come appeare before the presence of my God my soule desireth after the Lord as the thirstie land for I would be dissolued be with the Lord therefore come euen so come Lord Iesus But alas here are we taken in our sins Thou sayest thou louest him but how is it then thou longest not to see him neither desiâ—…est to be with him yea a small appearance of the day of death wherein we should goe to him or mention of the day of judgement wherein hee shall come to vs doth terrifie and affright thee Thou that contents thee with the gifts of God and thinkest not long for himselfe thou art but like an adulterous woman who if she possesâ—…e the goods of her husband regards not albeit she neuer see himselfe The Iewes are blamed because they called on thâ—… Lord rather for oyle and wine then for himselfe The Gentiles are conuinced for worshiping the creature rather then the creator but more iustly shall the bastard
Christian bee condemned for louing the gifts of God more then the giuer Let vs therefore beware of this fearefull ingratitude Wee may indeede reioyce in all the gifts the Lord hath giuen vs and they should thankfully be receiued but alwaies with a protestation that nothing giuen vnto mee here bee allowed vnto me for my portion and inheritance and that no contentment euer comes to our hearts till wee obtaine the full fruition of our louing husband Christ Iesus If the Loue of men compelled the Apostle to say to the Corinthians it is not yours but you I seeke how much more should the Loue of GOD compell vs to say to our Lord It is not thy gift but thy selfe O Lord I long for thou art the portion of my soule If thou wouldâ—…t giue mee all the workes of thine hands yet shall I neuer haue comfort nor contentment except thou giue me thy selfe therefore O thou whom my soule loueth shew mee where thou feedest where thou lyest at noone for why should I bee as shee that turnes aside to the flockes of thy companions Blessed is hee that hungers and thirsteth for thy righteousnesse for hee shall behold the face of his God and bee filled with his Image for in his presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore CHAP. XVII Second triall of Loue. THe second triall of holy Loue is Obedience and a care to serue and honour the Lord in all estates and callings Preachers must bee tried by this rule Peter louest thou mee feede my flocke Gouernours and counsellors in your callings must be tryed by this Can yee say with the godly gouernour Dauid I loue the Lord then will yee also say with him What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits How shall I shew to the Lord my Loue and what shall I doe in my time for the aduancement of his glorie If you loue the Lord then bee nursing Fathers to his Church be faithfull aduancers of his kingdome wise prouisours to remoue the stumbling blockes that hinder the course of his Gospell If yee loue the Lord. Stand vp with Dauid and say Doe I not hate them O Lord that hate thee and doe I not earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee Surely I hate them with vnfained hatred as if they were my vtter enimies Iâ—… yee honour the Lord as Dauid did the Lord shall blesse you as he did Dauid Dauid sware vnto the Lord that he would not rest till he found out a place for the Lord euen an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob And the Lord sweares againe to Dauid that of the fruite of his bodie hee would set vpon his Throne to raigne after him But if otherwaies there be nothing in you but a care to stablish your selues and your houses with the neglect of the glorie God then remember the curse of Shebna and not the blessing of Eliachim shall be vpon you you shall not bee fastned as a nayle in a sure place but shall be rowled and turned away like a Ball The Lord shall driue thee from thy station and out of thy dwelling place shall he destroy thee for the wicked shall not haue their desire his thoughts shall not bee performed neither shall he be established on the earth but euill shall hunt him to destruction the Lord shall take thee and pluck thee out of thy Tabernacle and roote thee out of the land of the liuing and generally all of you in your callings remember the value of your Christian loue must be tryed by the same touchstone not by your words but by your deedes If any loue me saith Christ 〈◊〉 him keep my commaundements But here also the hypocrisie of this age is cleerely discouered In word they pretend the loue of God but indeede they grieue him with their transgressions as the Iewes they called him king and bowed their knees before him but spâ—…t in his face and buffeted him So the bastard Christians of this age call Christ their Lord and bow their knee before him yet they câ—…ucisie him and trample his blood of the Couenant vnder their feete they kisse him and betraiâ—… him with Iudas It is but a Scepter of Reâ—…d they yeeld and graunt to him for they giue him no commandâ—…ment ouer their affections wherefore great is the controuersie which the Lord hath this day with the men of this generation CHAP. XVIII The last tryall of Loue. THe last tryall of Loue whereof I will speak at this time leauing many other is Bountifulnesse Loue saith the Apostle is Bountifull Experience prooues this euery Louer is a bountifull â—…ower on them whom he loues Yee loue your backes and spare not to cloath them yea with excessiue apparell yee loue your bellyes and therfore are bountifull daily to them in feeding them ye loue your Children and therefore lets them want nothing that is needefull for them yea yee loue your beasts and yee bestow large ly on them onely you say you loue the Lord but wherein are you bountifull toward him It is true that in nothing can a man be profitable to the Almighty saith Iob. But are there no works which should so shine before men that by them our heauenly Father may bee glorified Though works can bee no merits yet are they your witnesses of your Loue towards the Lord Though your goodnesse extend to the Lord yet where is your delight that should bee in his Saints and excellent ones vpon earth Where is your compassion and loue toward the brethren Are not the men of this age like the Fig-tree that haue faire leaues but not so much as one Fig to giue Iesus in his hunger hauing the shew of Godlinesse but hath denied the power thereof rendring words enough but not any fruits at all to adorne the glorious gospell of our Lord Iesus And so if wee might proceede euery tryall of Loue should discouer the hypocrisie and bastard Christianitie of the most part of professors of this age But being forced at this time to conclude I turne me toward you whom I know haue set your hearts to seeke the Lord that I may leaue my last blessing behinde me vnto you being no more purposed â—…o speake to you from this place to you and to euery one of you who can say with Peter in a sincere Conscience Lord thou knowest I loue thee to you here in the name of God I ratifie this priuiledge All things shall worke together for the best vnto you Faint not therefore I beseech you in the course of Godlinesse but be strong in the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ stand fast in the power of his might praying to the Lord continually that hee would stablish that which hee hath wrought in you and bring it forward to perfection And now I commend you to that Grace of God which is able to build you farther and to giâ—…e you inheritance among them that are
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
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 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
the tender conscience cast downe with the sight of sinne after tryall two sorts of tryalls the one of things perfect the other of things vnperfect Dayly tryall most necessary THe Apostle saith that the breaking of this bread is the Communion of the body of Iesus Sith Christ is that holy thing which here is communicated take heede how wee make ready the heart wherin to receiue him Ioseph of Aramathia and the rest of those Godly ones who tooke downe Iesus from the Crosse wrapped his dead bodie in pure and fine linnen what shall wee then doe with the liuing body of Iesus shall not wee receiue it into pure sine and well prepared hearts No man sayes our Sauiour puts new wine into olde Vessels far lesse will any man put the ordinary food of his body into vncleane vnseasoned and vnsauery Vessels but least of al should men presume with vnholy harts and hands to meddle with things sacred heauenly here is new wine indeed let vs not put it into old vessels here is heauēly manna let vs not receiue it with earthly harts Euery man that is in Christ should become a new Creature If wee bee these blessed ones who are called to the participation of the Lambs supper then shall it bee graunted to vs to bee arrayed with pure fine linnen and shining which is the righteousnes of the Saints The Lord vouchsafe this grace vpon vs that sith he hath made vs pertakers of the heauenly vocation and called vs to the marriage of his Son that wee receiue not so excellent a grace in vaine but it may be vnto vs his seruants according to his word And now before we enter to speak of this tryall least the tender Consciences of the Godly by reason of that which I haue spoken should bee discouraged and cast downe with the sence of their owne vnworthines which at all times is great in their eyes but greatest when by trial they looke most narrowly vnto themselues Wee haue therefore to consider that there be two sorts of tryals One whereby a thing perfect is tryed in such sort that it is not made better but sound to be that which it is and with this kinde of tryall man is said to try the Lord and his Word so speakes the Lord by Malachie proue me and try me now if I will not poure you out a blessing without measure By this tryall if a man fall to try the Lord hee shall finde him such as hee is true constant and faithfull to performe that which hee hath spoken or if againe man will enter and try the word of the Lord hee shall finde that the law of the Lord is perfect no drosse in it but like siluer fined seauen times in the fire There is againe another tryall wherby things imperfect are so tryed that they are made better and at the length perfected and hereby God tryes man for so he speakes by the same Malachie The Lord will fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as gold siluer that they bring offerings to him in righteousnesse And with this tryall also man tryes himselfe searching out his iniquities that he may forsake them and this triall tends indeed to a perfection at the last but stands rather in a sinding out and forsaking of our imperfections then in any present perfection And of this t◅yall the Apostle meanes here so that this precept doth commaund vs to search out our iniquities to depart from them but doth no way import that we should not communicate at this Table because that new tryall discouers to vs new transgressions for wee come not here as men without sin but as poore and miserable sinners seeking the Sauiour of the world knowing that hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Thou then who after examination shalt finde thy selfe a miserable and yet a penitent sinner say not with Peter Lord depart from mee for I am a sinfull man but so much the rather goe to him and crie with Dauid haue mercy on me O God and according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities for it is a true saying Christ came into the world to saue sinners Stay not thou therefore backe from him because thou art sinfull onely trie if thou bee wearie of thy sinnes for we are sure that a sinne discouered by tryall and cast out by repentance wil neuer condemne vs Wash you saith the Lord make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before my eyes and then though your sinnes were as crimson they shall bee made white as snow though they were red like Scarlet they shall be as Wool Omne quod ipse mihi non imputare decreuerit Sic est quasi non fuerit euerie sin saieth the ancient which God hath concluded not to impute vnto me is as if it had neuer beene If therefore in thy conscience thou feele thy sins an heauy burden vnto thee vnder the which thou sighest gronest and whereof thou earnestly desirest to be releeued crying with that holy Apostle O miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from this body of sin then goe thou to the Lord Iesus for surely thou art one of those whom he is seeking he came into the world to sane thee and the like of thee lay thy burden vpon the back of Christ and hee shall beare it and take thou vp his yoake which is easie and his burden which is light So shalt thou finde rest to thy soule O happy exchange when we are taken from the seruitude of sin and entred into the seruice of Christ when the burden of sin that presseth vs downe is taken from our backs and the sweete yoake of Christ that lifteth vs vp is laid vpon vs for albeit it bee called a burden yet is it such a burden as easeth vs and maketh vs lighter like the wings of a Bird Quidenim leuius co onere quod non solum onerat sed portat omnem cui portandum imponitur Where for our farther comfort let vs consider what manner of Guestes these were whom the great King commaunded to bring into his banquetting house euen the poore the maymed the halt and the blind Take heed vnto this O thou that art disquieted in minde wounded in spirit with the sence of thy infirmities the Lord is gracious ready to shew mercie Hee will not breake the brused reede nor quench the smoaking Flax he will not despise thee because thou art weake but bids thee come to him that he may heale all thy infirmities Art thou then poore and destitute of spirituall grace in thy seeling turne thee to Christ who being rich became poore for thy sake that thou in him mights bee made rich Art thou weake and diseased remember they who are whole need no Phisition but the sicke and that it is the glorie of this
is none of vs all but wee haue in vs our owne Idol whereunto many times we do seruice to the great offence of God And albeit this narrow tryall of our sins shall discouer to vs a wonderfull discoâ—…dance betweene our nature and the most holy law of the Lord yet let vs not be discouraged considering that wee are best in the eyes of God when we are worst in our owne eyes and most acceptable to him when we are most displeased with our selues The Lord was mooued euen with Achab his temporall humiliation seest thou not said he to Eliah how Achab is humbled before mee because hee submitteth himselfe before mee I will not bring that euill which thou hast spoken in his daies and will not then the Lord much more bee mooued with the true humiliation of his owne Seruants No doubt if wee cast downe our selues before the Lord he shall lift vs vp if wee humble our selues he shall exalt vs. If we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord for the Lord is neare to them that are contrite will saue such as are afflicted in spirit But if wee come before the Lord in the presumption of our minds and not touched with the sence of our sinnes then shall hee execute that fearefull threatning vpon vs I will enter into iudgement with thee because thou sayest I haue not sinned though thou wert high exalted like the Caedars of Lebanon and the Oakes of Bashan proud and hautie in thy conceit the Lord shall abase thee and bring thee low for hee is the Lord that resisteth the proud giueth grace to the humble The other poynt of our tryall and preparation stands in putting on that three-fold Christian disposition that towards our God wee bee holy and heauenly minded towards our neighbour louing righteous and mercifull and as concerning our selues that wee be sober and lowly for so the grace of God which hath appeared teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and wordly lusts and should liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world This is our wedding garment euen that pure fine and shining linnen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints A Garment not partie coloured like Iosephs but compact of many vertues graces of Christ Iesus These be his badges and Cognisances whereby vvee are knowne to bee his the putting on of these is the putting on of Christ for his grace translateth vs out of nature and transformeth vs into his image by his owne spirit And first as concerning our disposition towards God it should not onely be holy as I haue said but also heauenly for since wee call him our Father which is in heauen vvee must see vvhat heauenly disposition vve haue to goe after him and whether wee be weary of our absence from the Lord like Dauid weary of his dwelling in the Tents of Keder and desire with the Apostle to remoue out of the body that wee may dwell with the Lord for here is not the place of our rest The best of our life vpon earth except it be the little tast of that hid Manna wherewith the Lord now and then comforteth our soules in this barren Wildernesse it is but like the life of that forlorne Sonne who hauing banished himselfe from his fathers house vvas driuen to fill his belly vvith the huskes that was giuen to the Swine oftentimes could not get them Wee haue experience enough of the vanitie of worldly comforts wherein there is no contentment would to God vvee could also learne with that prodigall Son to be think our selues and conclude to make home againe to our fathers house in whose face is the fulnesse of ioy surely the least of them that dwell in our Fathers house haue bread enough they are filled with the fatnesse of his house and receiue drinck out of the riuers of his pleasures what pleasure then should it be to vs to liue here in this strange Land where our soules are almost dead for hunger There is no greater thankfulnesse that man can shew to the Lord then to declare in his affection that he cannot liue vvithout the Lord nor rest content so long as hee is absent from him The Lord in the vvorke of creation neuer rested till hee had made man and man can doe no lesle of duty then passing by all Gods Creatures to resolue with himselfe I vvill neuer rest till I enioy the Lord. The Soule of man should bee like that Doue of Noah vvhich being sent forth from the arke found no rest to the sole of her foot vntill she returned againe to him that sent her and indeed without the Lord where can wee rest Goe thy way with Salomon and proue all the goodnesse of the children of men which they inioy vnder the Sunne thou shalt finde it is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit whatsoeuer man cleaâ—…eth to beside Iehouah the true subsisting Lord it is but a lying vanitie which hath not in it that substance and certaintie which man imagineth yea man without God in his best estate is altogether vanitie and his wisest actions are but a disquieting of himselfe in vaine It is a godly saving of Augustine which the word of God and experience taught him Fâ—…isli nos Domine ad tâ—… semper inquietum est cor nostrum donâ—… requiâ—…at in te thou madest vs O Lord vnto thy selfe and our heart is euer vnquiet till it rest in thee The wicked vvho are strangers from the wombe pretend in their countenance vvhat they will yet euen in laughter their heart is sad for there is no ioy nor peace to the wicked saith my God their heart is moued as the Trees of tâ—…e Forrest shaken with the Winde As the point of the Marriners compasse so long as it is not direct to the North trembles continually so the spirit of the wicked not set vpon the Lord is neuer quiet but tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbations which in a part presently he feeles but shall better perceiue it when he goeth out of the body For tribulation and anguish shal be on the soule of euery man that doth wickedly this is the portion of them that forsake God and wander after vanitie It is good therefore for vs to draw neere vnto God saying with Dauid whom haue I in the heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth with the. The Lord worke this heauenly disposition in vs. And now to helpe forward ouâ—… earthly minds vnto it we haue to consider both the time space when and where our Sauiour did institute this sacrament The place is recorded by Saint Luke to haue beene an vpper Parlour the consideration of the place saith Nazianzin doth some way warne vs that wee should celebrate this holy sacrament with high heauenly affections When God gaue the law hee came downe from heauen to the top
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
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
endure outward troubles which come from men Chap. 23 It is a sinnefull curiositie to seeke to know that which God hath not taught vs. Chap. 24 Verse 29. And Iacob asked What is thy name The Lord somtimes refuseth to giue that which his children seekes that he may giue them other things more conuenient for them Chap. 25 How Iacob shewes himselfe thankefull to God for the benefits receiued in two things Chap. 26 Verse 30. And Iacob called the name of the place Peniell c. What sight of God shall wee haue in the heauens Chap. 27 The other thing wherein Iacob shewes his thankefulnesse is his obedience Chap. 28 Verse 31. And the Sunne arose to him The Table of the second Booke entituled A Conduit of Comfort Rom. 8. 28. ALso wee know that all things worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them who are called according to his purpose Chap. 1 The Priuiledges of a Christian cannot be knowne of them who doe not possesse them Chap. 2 Many working Instruments of contrary qualities and intentions in the world yet agrees all in one end Chap. 3 All Sathans stratagems work for the best to the Godly Chap. 4 How Death also workes for the best to Christians Chap. 5. How the plots and imaginations of men worke for the best to the christian Chap. 6 What is a Christians best Chap. 7 The Christian is not at his best now it is the working onely Chap. 8 All things worke to the worst to the wicked Chap. 9 How the Christian is made sure of his Election and Glorification Chap. 10 What comfort we haue in this that our saluation is grounded on the Lords vnchangeable purpose Chap. 11 Two callings outward and inward Chap. 12 Of the inward calling Chap. 13 In the inward calling the Lord begins at the illumination of the minde Chap. 14 The loue of God a sure token of an inward calling and of the commendation of Loue. Chap. 15 The first tryall of Loue. Chap. 16 The second tryall of Loue. Chap. 17 The last tryall of Loue. Chap. 18 The Table of the third Booke entituled A Preparatiue for the new Passcouer OF the seruent 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 we eate the last handled first Chap. 1 Ignorance the mother of all recusancie to communicate The Reasons of diuers Resusals 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 Chap. 2 Three Rules to be obserued in the right descerning the Lords body First that euery thing in this Sacrament bee taken in his owne kind Who failes in this and how Secondly that this Sacrament be vsed according to Christs institution How the Papists faile in this Thirdly that this Sacrament be vsed to right ends and those ends set down The conclusion of the first part of the precept Chap. 3 The second part of the precept commands tryall before we Communicate The Lord will not that this Table bee a snare to vs as was Absalom to Ammon Banquetters at this Table should be holy persons Chap. 4 Unreuerent 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 Chap. 5 Not to put new wine into old Uessels Comfort for the tender conscience cast downe with the sight of sin after tryall two sorts of tryals the one of things perfect the other of things vnperfect Daily tryall most necessary Chap. 6 What a laborious work is enioyned a man when hee is commaunded to try himselfe Two things necessary for this tryall First the Spirit of God Secondly the Word of God Many try themselues by wrong Rules and are so deceiued Chap 7 The points of preparation are two First that wee lay aside our old sinnes Secondly that we put on the new Christian disposition consisting in three things First that towards God we be holy and heauenly minded Secondly that towards our neighbours wee bee louing Thirdly that wee be sober and little in our owne eies The comfortable fruit arising to vs at this holie Table Chap. 8 FINIS Psal. 36. 7. How excellent is thy mercie O LORD therefore the children of men trust vnder the shadow of thy wings They shall bee satisfied with the fatnesse of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuers of thy pleasures Psal. 65. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to come to thee hee shall dwell in thy courts and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house Reuel 1. 5. Unto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father to him bee Glory and Dominion for euermore Amen FINIS Ius Mar. Apol. 2. ad Anton. Imp. Bern. Yet good men may be crossed in a good course 2 King 9. 20. But God shall either bridle or change or confound their enimies As the sufferings of Christ abounds in vs so his consolations aboundeth 2 Cor. 1. 5. Verse 2. An image of our weaknesse We haue need that the Lord should euery day renew his mercies towards vs. Psal. 80. Not once but often doe the godly fall and that many times in one the selfe same sinne We haue our spiritual faintings and sownings warning vs of our owne weaknesse Acts. Psal. And that God is the strength of our life Malac. Ps. 37. 24. This rare vision teacheth the manner of Gods wrestling with his children Iacobs perplexitie Dan. 2 Chro. 20 The help of God begins when other help failes The manner of the Lords apparition is both by word and vision The end of the Lords apparition is Iacobs cōfirmation Esay 8. 13. Cyp. lib. 2 epist. 6. Psal. 27. How meruailously God in dealing with his children workes by contraries So did hee worke in them the worke of creation So also in the work of redemption And so daily in his Saints Psal. We should not therefore be discouraged when God seemes vncouth and strange to vs. Psal. Hose 6. Tim. Genesis Acts. Esay 54. 7 For in the end he shal shew himselfe a louing father to his own Psal. 1. 19. Diuision of the history 1 The wrestling and fiue circumstances thereof 2 The conference betwixt God and Iacob 1 Solitarines conuenient for prayer And yet solitarines auailes not without inward attention Cypr de orat dom Cant. What preparation should goe before prayer Cant. Psal. 4. Mat. 6. 5. Dan. Acts. How carefull wee should be and why to seeke occasions to pray Neglect of prayer is a contēning of God True prayer alwayes returnes with profit to vs. Psal. Genes How at six petitions Abraham brought the Lord from fifty to ten