admit also the other Therefore if they looke vvell about them they shall finde the beame to bee in their ovvne eye for they peruert both the lawe of GOD and the law of Nature by a nevv inuented physick of their owne For whatsoeuer he be that attributes to one and the selfe same body naturall and vnnaturall properties vvhich directlie fight against themselues I say that man peruerts both true Theology and Physick But they to one and the selfe same body of Christ Iesus attribute naturall vnnaturall properties therefore it is they that peruert both the vse of true Theologie and the order set downe and established in Nature Would you knowe the reason of my Proposition I say it behoueth as well in Theology as in Physick of necessity one of the contrary enunciations to be false But once to make an end vvith them I will aunswere their last refuge Thus they reason A glorified body is not subiect to physicall rules but Christ his body is glorified therfore it is not subiect to physicall rules First of all before wee answer directly wee must consider wherein standeth the glorification of a body and then the answer will be easie The Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 15.42 speaketh after this manner So also saith hee is the resurrection of the dead The body is sowen in corruption and is raised in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour and is raised in glorie It is sowen in weaknesse and is raised in power And a litle after This corruption must put on incorruption and this mortalitie must put on immortalitie By this cleare Antithesis Paul plainly describeth the glorification of a bodie for he opposeth these two the vnglorified and the glorified bodie And to the vnglorified bodie hee ascribeth corruption ignominie infirmitie carnalitie and mortalitie To the glorified bodie hee attributes incorruption glorie power spiritualitie and immortalitie Of this opposition we may gather easily what the resurrection and glorification brings to the bodie In a word by them wee see That the bodie is onely spoyled of corruption shame infirmitie naturalitie and mortalitie And it becomes onely spoyled of all the infirmities of our nature that it may be clothed with a more glorious apparell as with incorruption power glorie spiritualitie and immortalitie Wee see then That this glorification imports a chaunge indeed but I beleeue no man will bee so mad as to thinke this change to bee made in the substance for if that were so the old substance behoued to decay and a new should arise but wee heere no such thing in this discription and as little is the change made in the quātitie for wee find no word eyther of augmentation or diminution of any substāce which behoued to be if it were in the quantie The most that we can perceiue This mutation consistes in the qualities by the which the bodie casteth off the old coate of infirmitie and cloatheth it selfe with the coate of glorie for Christ after hee did arise hee both went and came was seene and touched Of the things before deduced it cleerely followeth That in respect the glorie of the bodie of Christ hath wrought nothing in his nature and substance and consequently in his naturall dimensions neyther yet in any other essentiall propertie That therefore the glorification of his bodie freeth it not frō the rules of Physick For so long as that nature of a true bodie remaines there are no supernaturall gifts whereby it may be glorified were they neuer so high so farre as they may be gathered out of the scriptures that may hurt eyther the nature or the naturall propertie of it For there is no gift nor qualitie that may hurt nature but that gift that is against nature But the supernaturall gift is neyther vnnaturall neyther yet against nature Therefore it cannot hurt nor impaire nature And my reason is this Those gifts that decore and beautifie nature they cannot hurt nor impaire nature But all supernaturall gifts beautifie and decore nature Therefore they cannot take away neyther nature nor yet the naturall property They leaue vs not so but out of this doctrine of Paule concerning the glorification of the bodie they drawe an obiection to presse vs withall Paul grants that a glorified bodie is a spirituall bodie but a spirituall bodie is an inuisible bodie Therefore a glorified bodie is inuisible and by consequence the bodie of Christ is inuisible Though the argument be not formall yet to be short I denie their assumption for if there were no more but that word bodie that word might be an argument that the spiritual bodie is not inuisible But yet to open the matter more cleerely according to the meaning of Saint Paul in that place Saint Paul in a word as it were in the 44. vers of that Chap. sheweth the change that shall be in the qualities of the bodie by the resurrection For he saith that our naturall bodies shall become spirituall bodies and then in the next verse immediately following hee expoundeth these two qualities for in the 45. verse That is called a naturall bodie sayeth hee which is maintained and quickned by a liuing soule onely such as Adams was And againe that is said to be a spirituall bodie which together besides the soule is quickned with a farre more excellent vertue to wit with the spirit of God which descendeth from Christ the second Adam vnto vs Then according vnto this ground I answere with Augustine ad Constantium As the naturall bodie is not a soule but a bodie Euen so the spirituall bodie is not said to bee a soule but a bodie And by consequent it is not inuisible For the further explaining of this head I will giue them onely one knot to loose and so ende this point Then I reason Yf therefore Christs bodie is naturally and really in the Lords Supper because that it is glorified It followeth consequently That when it was not glorified it could not bee really present But it was not glorified when this supper was first instituted Therfore it was not really present in the bread at Christs first Supper Yf his bodie was not really present in the bread at the first supper it cannot be naturally present now For whatsoeuer they vse now in the administration of their Supper or of their Masse call it as you will according to their owne confession they vse it according to the ordinance forme and maner that Christ Iesus himselfe vsed in his first Supper For they say plainely in their disputation at Poyssie and in all the rest of their works That Chr. Iesus first of all obserued that forme which they vse in their Masse left it to his Apostles and to their successours that they should doe the like And so by their owne words they haue intangled themselues and crucified their Masse what can they answere to this They will not stand dumbe I am sure for maintenance of their religion they must say some thing Thus they say That though the body of
shake off your lusts affections peece and peece and so by little and little renounce thy selfe that thou maist embrace Christ I grant there is a greater progresse in this poynt in some then in others some lesse some more profit in this but except in some measure yee cast off your selues whatsoeuer in your own eyes yee account most precious to come by Christ yee are not worthy of him And this is very hard to be done It is very easie for a man to speake it to bid a man renounce his owne Idol which I call his affections but it is not so soone done assuredly a stronger must come in to cast out the affections yea a stronger then the diuell must come in to driue out the diuell who maketh residence in the affection or else he will remaine there for euer Therefore there are not many that haue renounced themselues and examine thine heart when thou wilt if there be any thing in the world that thou louest better then Christ If thou be not content to leaue father and mother to leaue wife children or whatsoeuer is dearest vnto thee in this world for Christ thou art not worthy of him If thou be not content to cast off whatsoeuer maketh thee a stranger to Christ thou art not worthy of him And is this a small matter seeing there is no part or power of our soules but it is enemy to this and repines against this heauenly coniunction Is this an easie thing to cast off and renounce ourselues that wee may come vnto Christ There is no greater thing then this it hath not entred into euery hart to consider of this for this worke of our new creation is tenne thousand times greater then the worke of our first creation and therefore it is most necessary that euerie man take heede vnto himselfe for the diuell is so crafty in this point that hee erecteth euer one I doll or other in our soules and sometimes vnder the shew of vertue which of all is most dangerous And in euery worke that wee take in hand be it neuer so holy hee is at our right hand and maketh himself to haue interest in it and hee contents himselfe not with this vnder the shew of vertue to corrupt vs but hee is so watchfull that euen in the best actions and when yee are best occupied in your most vertuous actions hee mixeth them with sinnes and so doth all that lyeth in him to make you lose your profit and lose your rewards For when yee are best occupied he goeth about to engender in you an opinion of your selues and so defraude God of his glory Or otherwise in dooing of good deedes he maketh you so slack and negligent that if ye do them ye doe them coldly or so indiscreetly that he makes you begin at the last first and makes it that should be first last and so as Martha was to be occupied and ouer-busie in those things which are not so necessary as the things wherin Mary was occupied for she should haue preferred first the hearing of the word to the preparing of Christs Supper This is but to giue you an in-sight and to let you see that the diuell is so craftie that either he casteth in a false conceit of our selues in dooing any good deed or else makes vs to doe that last which should be first or then makes vs altogether so sluggish and so negligent that wee do the worke of the Lord coldly so one way or other he holdeth vs euer in a continuall business so that we cannot be halfe watchful enough For we haue to do with principalities powers with spiritual wickednesses which are aboue vs and within vs also for there is not that man that hath corruption within him but Sathan is in him we cannot therfore be halfe watchfull or studious enough to cast out the diuel to renounce our selues to submit vs vnto the obedience of Christ Thus farre concerning the coniunction Now seeing that the signe How the signe the thing signified are giuē receiued Considerations thereof the thing signified are diuerse it resteth to be considered how the signe is deliuered and how the thing signified is deliuered and after what manner they are receiued And therfore concerning this ye haue these things to marke First to consider whether the signe and the thing signified be deliuered vnto you by one man or not Secondly to consider whether the signe and the thing signified be deliuered vnto you in in one action or not Thirdly vvhether both these things be giuen by one instrument or not And fourthly ye are to consider whether the sign the thing signified be offered receiued after one maner or not Now after that ye haue considered all these in the end yee shall find that the signe the thing signified are not giuen by one person Yee shall finde next that they are not giuen in one sort of action Thirdly yee shall finde that they are not both offered giuen by one instrument And fourthly ye shal find that they are not both giuen and receiued after one manner So finding this diuersitie yee haue this to doe marke the diuersity of the offerers and giuers marke the diuersitie of the actions marke thirdly the diuersitie of the instruments and fourthly the diuerse manner of receiuing Marke all these diligently and ye shall finde little difficultie in the Sacrament And first to make it cleare vnto you I say that the signe the thing signified by the signe are not both giuen by one and this ye see plainly For as for the signe that Bread that Wine yee see your selues that the Minister offers vnto you the signe he giues you that Sacrament as that signe is an earthly and corporall thing so it is an earthly and corporall man that giues it Now the thing signified is of another nature for it is an heauenly and spirituall thing therefore this heauenly thing is not giuen by an earthly man this incorruptible thing is not giuen by a naturall and corruptible man But Christ Iesus hath locked vp and reserued the ministerie of this heauenlie thing to himselfe onely therefore there are two giuers in this Sacrament the Minister giueth the earthly thing Christ Iesus the Mediator giues you the heauenly thing in this Sacrament For Christ in giuing the earthly thing will not vse his own ministery immediatly nor the ministerie of an Angell but onely the ministerie of an earthly man And as for the dispensation of his owne body and bloud he will not giue it either to heauenly creature or earthly man but he keepeth this ministerie to himselfe and he dispenseth his own body and bloud to whom and when hee pleaseth And vvhy If any man in the world had power to giue Christes body and bloud no question this man should haue power to clense the hart and conscience for the bloud of Christ hath this power with it and consequently should haue power to
Wine onely hath not a perfect corporall nourishment therefore that they might represent and let vs see a perfect nourishment hee hath giuen vs both Bread Wine for the perfect corporall nourishment standeth in meat and drinke to represent the full and perfect nourishment of the soule Marke how full and perfect a nourishment hee hath to his body that hath store of Bread and Wine So he that hath Christ lacketh nothing of a full and perfect nourishment for his soule Then you see the reason wherfore there are two signes appointed in this Sacrament and onely one signe in Baptisme There remaineth yet concerning these signes two things to be inquired First Two questions What power the bread hath to be a signe in this Sacrament And how long that power indureth what power hath that bread in this Sacrament to be a signe more then the bread which is vsed in common houses from whence commeth that power Next if it haue a power how long indureth and remaineth that power with the bread For the first concerning the power which that bread hath more then any other bread I will tell you That bread hath a power giuē vnto it by Christ by his institutiō Answer 1 by the which institution it is appointed to signifie his body to represent his body to deliuer his body That bread hath a power flowing frō Christ That bread hath that power from Christs institution and his institution vvhich other common bread hath not so that if any of you would ask whē the Minister in this action is breaking or distributing that Bread pouring out and distributing that Wine if you would I say aske what sort of creatures those are this is the answere They are holy things Yee must giue this name to the signes and seales of the body and bloud of Christ That bread of the Sacrament is a holy bread and that vvine is an holy vvine Why Because the blessed institution of Christ hath seuerd them from that vse wherevnto they serued before and hath applied them vnto an holy vse not to feed the body but to feede the soule Thus farre concerning the power of that bread it hath a power flowing frō Christ and his institution Answer 2 Now the second thing is how long this power continueth vvith that bread how long that bread hath this office That power continues during the seruice of the Table In a word I say this power continueth with that bread during the time of the action during the seruice of the Table Look how long that action continues and that the seruice of the Table lasteth so long it continueth holy bread so long continueth the power with that bread but looke how soone the action is ended so soone endeth the holinesse of it looke how soon the seruice of the Table is ended so soon that bread becomes cōmon bread againe the holinesse of it ceaseth Then this power continueth not for euer but it continues onely during the time of the action and seruice of the Table Thus far concerning the Elements There is besides the Elements an other sort of signes in the Sacrament there is not a ceremonie in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but is a signe and hath it owne spirituall signification with it as namely looking to the breaking of that bread it representeth vnto thee the breaking of the body bloud of Christ Not that his body and bones were broken but that it was broken with dolour with anguish and distresse of hart with the weight of the indignation and furie of God that he sustained for our sinnes which he took vpon him Then the breaking is an essentiall ceremonie the pouring out of the wine also is an essentiall ceremonie For as yee see cleerly that by the wine is signified the bloud of Christ so by the pouring out of the wine is signified that his bloud was seuered from his flesh and the seuering of those two maketh death for in bloud is the life and consequently it testifieth his death The pouring out of the wine then tells thee that he dyed for thee that his bloud was shed for thee so this is an essentiall ceremonie which must not be left out Likewise the distribution giuing and eating of that bread are essentiall ceremonies And what doth the eating testifie vnto thee The applying of the body bloud of Christ vnto thy soule So that there is none of these rites but haue their own signification and there cannot one of them be left out but ye shal peruert the whole action Thus farre concerning the signes Now An obseruation what profit can ye make of all this discourse Learne this lesson and yee shal make profit by these things In respect that euery signe and ceremonie hath it owne spirituall signification so that there is not a ceremonie in this whole action that wants it owne spirituall signification consider this and thinke with your selues at that time especially when yee are at the Lords Table in the sight of that action that looke vvhat thou seest the Minister dooing outwardly what euer it be Is he breaking that Bread is hee dealing that bread is he pouring out and distributing that vvine Thinke assuredly vvith thy selfe that Christ is as busie dooing all these things spiritually vnto thy soule hee is as busie giuing vnto thee his ovvne bodie vvith his owne hand hee is as busie giuing to thee his owne bloud with the vertue and efficacie of it So in this action if thou be a faithfull Communicant looke vvhat the mouth doth and hovv the mouth of the body is occupied outwardlie so is the hand and mouth of the soule vvhich is faith occupied invvardly As the mouth taketh that Bread and that Wine so the mouth of thy soule taketh the body and bloud of Christ and that by faith For by faith and a constant perswasion is the onelie vvay to eate the bodie and drinke the bloud of Christ invvardly and dooing this there cannot but follow a fruitefull eating Thus farre for the consideration of the signes Now commeth in the matter wherein greatest difficulty standeth wherof I spake the last day How the signes and the thing signified are conioyned in the Sacrament as God gaue me the grace yet in the particular I must speak as wel as in the generall but somewhat more shortly Then ye haue to vnderstand for the better information of your consciences and for the better preparation of your soules yee haue to vnderstand how that bread and that vvine which are the signes are coupled with the body and bloud of Christ which are signified thereby What sort of coniunction this is and from whence this coniunction floweth I shall be briefe because I haue already in my last Lecture spoken of it at large Take heede for if ye giue not good attention it is not possible that ye can conceiue this coniunction Concerning this coniunction would you knowe how these two are coupled Then must
vnderstand not this therefore they imagin a gross carnal coniunction Except the spirit of God reueale these things they cannot be vnderstood The spirit of God must illuminate our mindes and be planted in all our harts before wee can come to the vnderstanding of this Then wouldest thou vnderstand hovv Christ is giuen thee This ground is true that the bodie of Christ is at the right hand of the Father the bloud of Christ is at the right hand of the Father yet notwithstanding though there be as great distance betwixt my body and the bodie of Christ as is betwixt heauen and earth yet Christes body is giuen to me because I haue a title to his body giuen to mee the right and title which is giuen to me of his body and bloud makes me to possesse his body and bloud The distance of the place hurteth not my title nor my right for if any of you haue a peece of Land lying in the farthest part of England if ye haue a good title to it the distance of the place cannot hurt your title so I say the distance of place hurts not my title and my right that I haue to Christ But though he be sitting at the right hand of the Father yet the title and right that I haue to him makes him mine so that I may say trulie this Christ is my property Then Christ is not made mine because I fetch him out of the heauens but he is mine because I haue a sure title right to him hauing a sure title and iust right to him the distance of place how farre soeuer it be can no wayes hurt my title nor right but where-euer he be he is mine because I haue a right title to him Yea not onely haue I a title to him but this title is confirmed to mee For as I gette a title to him in the vvord and if I got not that title to him in the word I durst not come to the Sacrament so in the Sacrament I get the confirmation of my title I get the Seale which confirmes my title Then to come to the point Christs bodie is sitting at the right hand of the Father and yet he is mine and is deliuered to me because I haue right to his bodie be it where it will hee was borne for mee giuen to mee and deliuered to mee So distance of place hurts not the suretie of my title as propinquitie of place helpes not the suretie of the same Though Christ would bow the heauens and touch thee with his bodie as he did Iudas yet this could not helpe thee for if thou hast not a title to him thou darest not call him thine So it is not the neernesse nor proximity of place that makes Christ mine It is onely the right that I haue to him I haue right to him only by faith So by faith only Chr. is made mine But they thinke they haue gotten a great vantage of vs if we be so farre from Chr. as the heauen is frō the earth but this shal be answered by Gods grace I haue a title to his body his body is distant frō my body yet his body is not distant from me that is from my soule I say his bodie and my soule are conioyned It is a strange ladder that will reach from the earth to the heauens yet let me tell you there is a corde that extendeth from the earth to the heauens Faith is that which couples vs and Christ and coupleth mee and Christ together and this is onely true fayth By true faith Christ though he be in the heauens is coupled and conioyned with me who am heere on earth I will shewe you this by a similitude Similitude taken from the sunne Is not the bodie of the sunne in the firmament It is impossible for you to touch the bodie of the sun yet the bodie of the sunne and yee are conioyned How By those beames that shine on you by that light that shineth vpon you Why may not the bodie of Christ then though it be in the heauens be conioyned with mee that am on the earth namelie by the beames by the light and gladnes that floweth from his bodie My bodie Christs body are conioined by the vertue and power flowing from his bodie which vertue and power quickneth my dead soule maketh me to liue the life of Christ to beginne to die to my selfe and euer the more I die to my selfe the more I liue to Christ This coniunction nowe is the ground as I told you of all our felicitie and happinesse and I haue made it cleere to you at this time so farre as God hath giuen me insight Alwaies yee see this coniunction is brought to passe by two speciall meanes by the holy spirit and by faith If there bee no other meanes but these two what needest thou a carnall or a visible coniunction Faith is invisible and the spirit is inuisible therefore thou canst not see it nor take it vp with the eye of thy bodie The power of the holy spirit is so subtile secret and inuisible that thou canst not perceiue it nor take it vppe with the eye of thy bodie and it will worke great effects in thy soule or euer thou perceiuest his working In respect therefore that the meanes of this coniunction are so subtill secret and spirituall why thinkest thou to get a sight of this coniunction with the eye of thy bodie why imaginest thou such a carnall coniunction as this which would doe thee no good if thou hadst it knowst thou not that the spirit that coupleth vs and Christ is infinite so that it is as easie for the spirit to couplevs and Christ how farre distant soeuer wee bee as it is easie for our soules to couple our head and the feete of our bodies though they be distant Then seeing this coniunction is the ground fountaine of all our happinesse And seeing this ground of happinesse is so subtil and so spirituall What is your part Remoue all your outward senses remoue al your naturall motions remoue your naturall discourses and your naturall reason and follow the sight and information of the spirit of God Craue that it would please him to illuminate your vnderstanding that by the light of his spirit yee may see cleerely the spirituall coniunction Except the eye of the spirit be giuen you to perceiue this spirituall coniunction It is not possible that yee can get any insight in it But if the Lord of his mercy will bestowe some measure of his holy spirit vpon you out of question yee shall soone come to the vnderstanding of it and yee shall thinke the time happie that euer yee heard this word Except yee haue some part of this spirit it is not possible that yee canne bee spirituall That which is borne of flesh and bloode will remaine flesh and bloud except the spirit come in and make it spirituall Therefore yee must bee borne againe of the spirit
nourish the soule is that part that it should nourish therefore to the soule it is deliuered Yea that bread that wine are no more really deliuered to the body to the hand of the body then the flesh of Christ is deliuered to the soule and to the hand and mouth of the soule vvhich is faith therefore craue no more a carnall deliuerie nor thinke not vpon a carnall receiuing Thou must not thinke that eyther GOD giueth the flesh of Christ to the mouth of the bodie or that thou by the mouth of thy bodie receiuest the flesh of Christ For yee must vnderstand this principle in the Scriptures of GOD our soules cannot be ioyned with the flesh of Christ nor the flesh of Christ cannot be ioyned vvith our soules but by a spirituall band Not by a carnall band of bloud and alliance not by the touching of his flesh with our flesh but hee is conioyned with vs by a spirituall band that is by the power and vertue of his holy Spirit And therefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12.13 That by the meanes of his holy spirit all wee who are faithfull men and vvomen are baptized into one body of Christ That is wee are conioyned and fastened with one Christ by the meanes saith he of one spirit not by a carnall band or any grosse coniunction but onely by the band of the holy spirit That same holy spirit that is in him is in euery one of vs in some measure and in respect one spirit is in him and in vs therefore wee are accounted all to be one body and to bee members of one spirituall and mysticall body And in the same verse the Apostle saith Wee are all made to drink into one and the selfe same spirit that is we are made to drink of the bloud of Christ And this bloud is no other thing but the quickning vertue and power that floweth from Christ and from the merits of his death we are made all to drinke of that bloud when wee drinke of the liuely power and vertue that floweth out of that bloud So there is not a band that can couple my soule with the flesh of Christ but onelie a spirituall band and a spirituall vnion And therefore it is that the Apostle 1. Cor. 6.17 saith Hee that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit And Iohn saith That vvhich is borne of the spirit is spirit So it is onely by the participation of the holy spirit that we are conioyned with the flesh and bloud of Christ Iesus That carnall band vvhether it bee the band of bloud vvhich runnes throrough one race or the carnall touching of flesh vvith flesh that carnall band I say vvas neuer esteemed of by Christ In the time that hee was conuersant heere vpon earth hee respected nothing that band for as hee vvitnessed himselfe by his owne vvords hee neuer had that carnall band in any kinde of reuerence or estimation in respect of the spirituall band But as for the spirituall band whereby we are coupled with him by one spirit hee euer esteemed of this band in the time that he was conuersant on earth in his word he hath left the praise and commendations of the same To let you see how lightly he esteemed of the carnall band of bloud and alliance which wee esteeme so much yee may see in the eight of Luke 20.21 for there they comming to him say Master thy Mother and thy Brethren stand vvithout and vvould see thee ye shall heare his answere vnto them how little he esteemed of that carnall band in the 21. verse in a manner denying that band hee saith My Mother and my Brethren are those which heare the vvord of God and doe it As if he would haue said It is not that carnall band that I esteeme it is not that carnall coniunction that I reuerence it is the spirituall coniunction by the participation of the holie Spirit vvhereby wee are mooued to heare the word of God to giue reuerence to it and to obey it This carnall band was neuer profitable as that in the 8. of Luke doth plainly testifie for if the touching of Christes flesh had been profitable the multitude wherof mention is made in that chapter that thrusted and preased him had beene the better by their carnall touching But so it is that there was neuer any of them the better by their carnall touching therfore the carnall touching profiteth nothing Saith not Christ himselfe Iohn 6.63 to drawe them from that sinister confidence they had in his flesh onely My flesh profiteth nothing It is the spirit that quickneth To touch him by the holie Spirit and by faith in thy soule this touching by faith hath euer been profitable and wee haue a plaine example of it in the same chapter Euen so the poore vvoman that had long been diseased vvith a bloudie issue the space of twelue yeeres and had vvasted and consumed the greatest part of her substance in seeking remedie shee found no helpe by the naturall and bodily Physition at the last by vertue of the holie Spirit working faith in her heart shee vnderstands and conceiues that shee is able to recouer the health of her bodie and the health of her soule from Christ Iesus vvho came to saue both body and soule And vpon this perswasion which shee had in her hart that Christ could cure both body and soule shee came vnto him and as the Text saith shee preased thorough the multitude to come to him and when she was come it is not said that she touched his flesh with her hand in case the Papists would ascribe the vertue which came out of him to her carnall touching but it is said that she touched onely the hemme of his garment with her hand and with faith vvhich is the hand of the soule shee touched her Sauiour God and man And to let you vnderstand that shee touched him by saith hee saith to her at the last Goe thy way thy faith hath saued thee Shee touched him not so soon by faith but incontment there came a power out of him which power and vertue shee felt by the effect of it in her soule and our Sauiour felt it vvhen it went from him The effect vvhereby shee felt it was the health of her soule and the effect wherby he felt it was the going from him And so soone as hee felt it goe from him he saith Who is it that hath touched mee Peter who was euer most suddaine answereth and saith Thou art thronged and thrusted by the multitude and yet thou askest Who hath touched thee Our Sauiour answers againe It is not that touching that I speake of it is another kinde of touching There is one hath touched me who hath drawn a vertue and power out of mee the multitude takes no vertue from me The poore woman thinking she had done amisse and perceiuing that she could not be hid came trembling and said I haue done it Hee answered her at the last
euer God had Mark the speech of the Apostle Wee are alwaies in doubt saith hee but wee despaire not So doubting and faith may lodge in one soule And from whence floweth this doubting VVee knowe that in the regenerate man there is a remnant corruption for we haue not our heauen in this earth though wee beginne our heauen heere yet we get it not fully heere And if all corruption vvere avvay vvhat should there vvant of a full heauen heere So it is onely begunne in this life and not perfected therefore there remaines in the soule a great corruption which is neuer idle but continually occupied This corruption is euer bringing foorth the birth of finne more or lesse euery sinne hurts the conscience a hurt conscience impaireth the perswasion and so comes in the doubting For there is not a sinne that we commit but it banisheth light and casteth a myst ouer the eye of our faith whereby wee doubt and stagger in our sight and were it not that the Lord in his mercy taketh vs vp giueth vs the gift of repentance and maketh vs euery day as oft as wee sinne to cry as oft for mercy and so to repaire the losse that wee haue of faith to repayre the losse that vvee haue of the feeling of mercie we would wholly put out that same light But it pleaseth the Lord though wee be euery day sinning to giue vs the gift of repentance and by repentance to repaire our faith to repaire the sense and feeling of mercie in vs and to put vs in that same state of perswasion wherein wee were before Therefore if GOD beginne not continue not and end not with mercie in that very moment that hee abstracts his mercy from vs wee will decay So wee must be diligent in calling for mercy wee must be instant continually in seeking to haue a feeling of mercie Thus much for the doubting Novv howsoeuer it be sure and certaine A doubting and weake faith is faith shal neuer decay that the faith of the best children of GOD is often subiect to doubting yet it is as sure and certaine that it is neuer wholly extinct albeit it were neuer so vveake yet it shall neuer vtterlie decay and perish out of the hart wherein it once maketh residence This comfort consolation the Spirit of God hath sette downe in his vvord to support the troubled hart That hovvsoeuer faith be weake yet a weake faith is faith and where that faith is there will euer be mercie Yee haue in Romans 11.29 that The gifts and calling of GOD are vvithout repentance But among all his gifts that are of this sort faith is one of the chiefest therefore it cannot be reuoked againe Yee haue in Iude 3. That faith vvas once giuen vnto the Saints Once giuen that is constantly giuen neuer to be changed nor vtterly taken from them The Lord will not repent him of this gift but the soule which he hath loued once he will loue perpetually It is true and certaine that the sparkles of faith which are kindled in the hart by the Spirit of GOD may be obscured smothered for a long time they may be couered with the ashes of our owne corruption and with our own ill deedes and wickednes into which we daily fall It is true that the effects of a liuely faith will be interrupted and that thy lusts and affections will preuaile for a long time so that when thou lookest on thy selfe vpon the Iudgements of God that hang ouer thy soule and body and when thou lookest vpon thy dissolute life and on the anger of God against this dissolute life In the minde in the hart and conscience of him that hath so smothered and oppressed his faith it will oft times come to passe in his owne iudgement hauing his eyes fixed on himselfe onely that hee vvill thinke himselfe to be a reprobate to be an out-cast and neuer able to recouer mercy Where this corruption bursteth forth in this grosse maner after that the Lord hath called thee looke how soone the Lord beginneth to vvaken thee againe incontinent thou fixest thine eyes vpon thine owne life and entrest into a deepe consideration as well of the weight of thy sinne as of the weight of the wrath of GOD which thou seest following thereupon and art loath to remit these cogitations to thinke vpon the deepenesse of the mercie of God Resting on these considerations it cannot but come to passe that in thine owne iudgement thou art an out-cast And yet GOD forbidde it were so for though these sparks of the Spirit be couered by the corruption that is vvithin thy soule yet these sparkles are not wholly put out And to let you see that they are not extinguished The sparkles of faith though they be smothered they are not wholly put out nor are idle though they break not forth in the outward effects that the world may knowe thee to be a faithfull man as heeretofore yet these sparkles are not idle and thou shall finde them not to be idle in thee As for confirmation of my Argument that howsoeuer our bodies are let loose to all dissolution after our effectuall calling within vs in our soules that yet the sparkles are not idle ye see that though the fire be couered with the ashes yet it is a fire there is no man will say that the fire is put out though it be couered No more is faith put out of the soule though it be so couered that it neither giue heat â—or light outwardly An example of this we haue cleerely in the Prophet Dauid after his lamentation in that Psalme of Repentance Psalme 51.11 hee prayeth to GOD in these words Cast me not away from thy presence And what addeth he And take not thy holy Spirit from mee Had he not lost the Spirit by his adultery and murther No for he would not haue said then Take it not from mee But Restore it to mee It is true that he vseth the like in the verse following Restore mee to the ioy of thy saluation Not that hee wanted the spirit wholly but that the spirit lacked force in him and needed strengthening and fortification it would be stirred vp that the flame of it might appear Therfore I say in that Dauid speaketh so plainely after his adultery and murther Take not that Spirit from mee it is a certaine argument that the faithfull haue neuer the spirit of God alwaies taken from them in their greatest dissolutions The second point is this How proue I that these sparkles are not idle though the outward effects be interrupted As Dauid felt this in his conscience so euery one of you may feele it in your owne consciences The Spirit of God in mans hart can not be idle but these sparkles during the time that the body is let loose to all dissolutions these sparkles are accusing thy dissolution are finding fault vvith thy manners these sparkles suffer thee not to take the pleasure of thy bodie
without great bitternesse and continuall remorse And these sparkles where they are will make the soule vvherein they dwell to vtter these speeches at one time or other once in the twenty-foure houres Alas I am dooing the euill vvhich I vvould not doe if I had power or strength to resist my affection and if I might be maister of my affections I would not for all the world doe the euill which I doe Againe if I had power to doe the good vvhich I vvould doe I vvould not leaue it vndone for all the vvorld So these sparkles though they haue not such force and strength presentlie aâ— to resist the affection and abstaine from dooing euill deedes yet perpetually in the hart they are finding fault with thy corruption and suffer thee not to take thy pleasure without paine but last of all force thee to vtter these speeches If I had strength to resist I vvould not doe the euill vvhich I doe Where these speeches are no question they are the words of a soule vvhich the Lord hath begunne to sanctifie and beeing once sanctified in despight of the diuell and of the corruption that is in vs this faith shall neuer perish but if the whole soule without contradiction vvith a greedie appetite and pleasure be carried to euill and hath no sorrow for it that soule is in an ill estate I can looke for nothing in such a soule but death except the Lord of his great mercy preuent it But where this remorse and sorrow and such speeches are in the soule that soule in the time that God hath appointed shall recouer strength The Lord shall neuer suffer those sparkles to bee vvholly taken away but in his own time he shall fortifie them and make them to breake out before the world in good works The Lord in his owne time will sanctifie them hee will scatter the ashes of corruption stirre vp the sparkles make them to breake out into a better life then euer they did before as ye may cleerely see that Dauids repentance hath done more good to the Church of God then if hee had neuer fallen Thus far concerning the effects Though the effects of repentance bee interrupted Similitudes shewing that the sparkles of faith thogh they be couered are not extinguished yet those sparkles are not extinguished For there is no man will thinke that the fire vvhich is couered with ashes is extinguished but beeing stirred vp in the morning it will burne as cleerely as it did the night before There is no man wil think the trees that now in the time of Winter want leaues fruit and externall beauty to be dead There is no man will thinke the Sunne to be out of the firmament though it be ouershadowed with a clowd of darknes and mist There is great difference between a sleeping disease and death for men are not dead though they be sleeping and yet there is nothing liker vnto death then sleep As there is great difference betwixt a drunken man and a dead man so there is great odds betwixt the faith that lieth hid for awhile vttereth not it selfe and the light that is vtterly put out When we breake not forth into outvvard deedes GOD forbid that vvee shold think that these sparkles are wholly extinguished Indeed the soule which is visited after foule and heinous backslidings from his calling and against his knowledge before this foule recouer the former beautie it is in a strange danger For if the Lord suffer thy corruption to get loose in such sort that it cary thee as it will and by all meanes possible maketh thee to labour to put out the sparkles of regeneration vvhen the Lord beginnes to challenge thee or to make thee render an account of this life past the soule of that man when it is challenged is in great danger So that no question when the Lord beginnes to lay to your charge your dissolute life the contempt and abuse of your calling assuredly your soules are so neere to the brinke of desperation that there can be nothing neerer For vvilt thou looke to GOD thou vvilt see nothing but his anger kindled as a fire against thee wilt thou looke to thy selfe thou wilt see nothing but sinne prouoking his anger thou wilt see the contempt and abuse of thy calling enlarging his anger thou wilt see nothing but matter of despaire And what is the best pillar and surest retreat whereupon such a soule that is so neere to the brinke of desperation may repose A sure retreat to repose on in highest tentations I will shew you the helpe whereupon When thou art assaulted by all the greatest tentations thou canst imagine when there is nothing before thee but death when thou seest the diuill accusing thee thine own conscience bearing him witnes against thee thy life accusing thee and the abuse of thy calling accusing thee whither shalt thou goe Looke back againe to thy forepast experience cast ouer thy memorie and remember if God at any time and in any measure hath loued thee if euer thou hast felt the loue and fauour of GOD in thy hart and conscience Remember if euer the Lord hath so disposed thy hart that as hee loued thee thou louedst him hadst a desire to obtaine him Remember this and repose thine assurance on this that as hee loued thee once he will loue thee euer and will assuredly restore thee to that loue before thou departest this life The hart that felt once this loue of God shall feele it againe and looke vvhat gift or grace or what taste of the power of the world to come that euer the Lord gaue to his creatures in this life to that same degree of mercy hee shall restore his creature before it depart this life So the soule that is tossed with high assaults and great dangers where present things will not helpe it is necessary that it haue recourse vnto things past and keepe in memory the afore-past experience of mercy which the Lord hath freely shewed towards that soule This same memory shall be so pleasant to the soule that it shall stay it presently from desperation and vphold it vnto the time the Lord pacifie that hart giue comfort to that soule which beeing done that soule shall see that hovv-soeuer GOD was angry hee was angry onely for awhile I speake these things not that I think that euery one of you hath tasted of them and yet in some measure the seruaunts of GOD must taste of them and yee that haue not tasted of them may taste of them before yee die And therefore whether ye haue tasted or not tasted of them it cannot be but profitable for you to look vp this lesson in your harts and remember it faithfully that if the Lord at any time strike at your harts yee may remember and say with your selues I learned a lesson To looke backe vnto my fore-past experience A lesson and thereon to repose And though yee be not touched