to get them than the spirituall then are wee such labourers as are discharged in my Text. * The French word which heere signifieth labour giveth some light to this In the French Bible it is travaillez As the learned French writers thinke travailler is as who should say tres-veiller that is in Latine pervigilare to be almost altogether without sleepe according to that of the Poet. Nam vigilare leve est pervigilare grave * This labour then that is heere forbidden concerning worldly things is a labour that letteth not a man sleepe but night and day taketh vp all the thoughts of his heart while he lyeth downe at even the world is in his mind the last of all his thoughts and the first in the morning This labour is excessiue care which the Pagans to the shame of Christians haue placed into the gorge pipe of hell Primisque in faucibus Orci Luctus vltrices posuere cubilia curae * Take heede to this yee sonnes of men If the cares of the worlde take the sleepe from you yee are certainely labourers but not in the LORD his vine-yard looke not for a hire from the LORD for such labour your mindes are so distracted with worldly cares that yee cannot labour for the Lord which is the chiefe labour that is profitable to the soule Vnwise is hee who laboureth so for the body that hee neglecteth the soule The counsell of Bernard is notable concerning this * Ad laborem cum veneris sic temperabis opus agendum vt solicitudo operis intentione animi tui ab ijs quae Dei sunt non avertat that is When thou beginnest to labour temper so the worke that the care thereof distract thee not from the things of GOD such a labour what ever day it bee vpon were it vpon wedensday is a breaking of the Lords sabbath * The whole weeke is a Sabbath a time of rest from such labour Were it to gather stickes with excessiue care vpon Wednesdaye is as who should worke vpon Sunday * The one heere is as well forbidden in the Gospell as the other was in the law yea and that more strictly * For vnder the law the Priestes might profane the sabbath and bee blamelesse that is they might labour by killing of beastes for sacrifice But in this Sabbath of the Gospell which is a rest from carking care no labour of that kind is permitted for any consideration The doctrine I obserue heere is this There bee many labourers in this world who are discharged to labour This world is full of such labour * The most part of men sweate in this vine-yard Most men seeke more after earthly trashes than after heavenly treasures * That this is true I shall by one argument inforce it vpon your consciences Tell mee I pray you if his Maiestie should cause proclaime at your crosse that who in Burgh and Barronie should come to the Church-yard at such a houre they should haue both their houses and lands made free for their lifetime and that without any cost and that who came not should bee depriued of the gift Alas who would amongst you be absent * The creples who haunt not the LORD his house would clinch out vpon their stilts The blind wold be feet to the creples and the Creples would bee eyes to the blind O what a congregation should bee seene I thinke that neither Church nor Church-yarde should bee able to containe the multitude * But alas doe men so labour for the graces of GOD There is not a preaching but while the Bell ringeth it cryeth Come to GOD his house and receiue a Kingdome come and receiue grace and glory But I appeale to your owne Conscience how little a businesse will hinder you from comming for to receiue such offers * Mother Martha hath many Children which troubleth themselues about many things but fewe can learn of Marie to make choise of the best part which shall never bee taken from them I compare worldly men to great gluttonous fish they follow after GOD his benefits as they follow after the Schooles of herring where such Schooles are to bee found there are they * Men for the most part are like the Ravens feading vpon the stinking carions of horse dogs and cats whereas like Royall Eagles they should conveene about the body of IESVS according to that saying of CHRIST wheresoever the carcase is there will the Eagles bee gathered together Eagles flie to CHRIST but Ravens runne to Carions An Objection But heere some may object and say what needed CHRIST to teach those men not to labour for their meate It would seeme that they followed him for to eschue labour They had seene how with fiue bread he had fed fiue thousand and that of the fragments were twelue basket full For this cause it would appeare they followed CHRIST for bread because they came easily by it without any labour It might seeme that CHRIST should rather haue said yee are but idle sluggards following mee for loaues Returne home to your house and worke for your meate labour labour The Answere I answere that this labour whereof CHRIST dischargeth them is to bee vnderstood of the labouring of the mind A carking care an earnest and ardent desire more than is competent for any worldly thing either for to obtaine it or to keepe it is that which is heere discharged * I will put foorth a Paradoxe There bee many idle men who labour more for the meate which perisheth then these labourers that in most painefull labour winne their bread with the sweat of their browes But how can that bee The reason is an ydle man may bee a covetous man The greedy desire of his heart to haue that which hee wanteth is the labour that is heere forbidden by the LORD There bee none so busie at this forbidden labour as some who are stark idle They abstaine from the lawfull labour of the body while their mindes vnlawfully labour with laborious desires after things which perish * Thus as hee who beeing his alone said that hee was never lesse his alone than when hee was alone so may I say of such idle drones they labour not so much as when they labour none * Many while they are most idle they are least idle for while their body is idle they labour with ill desires Let vs in the words of my text obserue the wisedome of CHRIST The auditours of his Sermon were men addicted vnto their belly to filthy panch pleasures Behold heere according as hee saw their sinne he fitted his reproofe discharging them to bee so carefull for perishing things * Heere is a doctrine of wisedome for all Pastours where the boile is putrified there must they launce Those men had a boile in the belly The Lord IESVS seeing it ripe launced it with a reproofe * Wee all by nature from the Crown to the
* If wee doe well this day must be vnto vs all a very painefull day even a day of Battell against all the pleasures that ever wee had in sinne since we could discerne good from ill In this day wee must trye and search carefully all the secrets of our hearts * This is the time wherein wee must keepe an Assise against our selues both for to judge and condemne our selues * In a word wee must all take such paines in sifting out all our bypast iniquities that the LORD may say of vs as hee said of the woman that broke the Boxe of ointment vpon his head Shee hath done what shee could Good Brethren and Sisters What yee can doe doe What yee can not doe pray GOD to doe it and to pardon you your impossibility * I beleeue said that poore man with teares that is all that I can doe but I beleeue not as I should and therefore LORD helpe thou myne vnbeleefe Let vs all bee earnest to intreat GOD to giue vs grace to doe what wee can doe and what wee can not doe that hee would pitie vs and pardon vs. I reade that in the dayes of Hezekiah a number of the people which had not cleansed themselues did eate the Passcover otherwise then it was written But what befell them I pray you Many of them were troubled with sore sickenesse * But how were they cured of these diseases It is said that Hezekiah prayed for them The good LORD said hee pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seeke GOD the LORD GOD of his Fathers though hee bee not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary Now what was the fruite of that prayer This was it The LORD hearkned to Hezekiah and healed the people That which the Passover was to them the LORDS Supper is vnto vs even a Sacrament appointed by GOD for the sealing vp of our Salvation If wee eate this supper otherwise then it is written let vs looke for diverse diseases For this cause saith the Apostle Many are weake and sickely amongst you and many sleepe that is die Let vs therefore as we would desire our bodies health and our soules Salvation prepare ourselues to meete the LORD to morrow There is none of vs I confesse that can prepare himselfe according to the preparation of the Sanctuary nor cleanse himselfe according to its purification No Soule can bee so well prepared and purified as GOD in his Sanctuary requireth * But this I dare be bold to say that the good LORD shall pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seeke GOD though hee bee not so cleansed as the purification of the Sanctuary requireth GODS word is plaine that GOD is mercifull Hee hath sworne by his life that He deligteth not in the death of sinners * He hath sent his word for to tell vs that If wee will judge our selues wee shall not bee judged * Yea such is his mercy that while wee are chastised with sicknesse or death for our carelesse preparation he maketh all that to worke to our well for when wee are judged wee are chastened of the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world Now good people not knowing if ever after this yee shall heare or I teach another Preparation Sermon in this place let me conclude all with that adew of S t. Paul said to the elders of Ephesus at Miletum I commend you to GOD and to the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and to giue you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified Passe the rest of this day in a serious meditation of your owne miserie and of the bloodie agonie of IESUS our Master who out of loue to vs hang vpon a cursed tree for to purchase vnto vs the everlasting blessings of his Father To whom with the Sonne of his loue and with the Spirit of Comforts bee Glory and Majestie Dominion and Power now and ever Amen A SERMON FOR THE DAY OF THE SACRAMENT IOHN 6. v. 27. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate which endureth to everlasting lyfe which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for Him hath GOD the FATHER sealed THIS TEXT in my former Sermon was divided into a Fast and a Feast First heere is a Fast and then a Feast The fast is from carking care Labour not for the meate which perisheth Fast from that The feast is for the soule a banket of meate which feedeth to life everlasting Feast vpon that Take paines and labour for it This whole TEXT seemeth to runne vpon a Sabbath of rest and vpon fore working and labour The first part is a Sabbath and rest from labours Labour not for the meate which perisheth The second hath a commandement of worke Labour for the meate which endureth to lyfe everlasting As for GOD his Sabbath which is a discharge of labour a resting from toiling I read in Scriptures of three sortes therof First there is one on earth enjoyned by GOD his law a day of rest In it saith GOD thou shalt doe no manner of worke This is the lawes Sabbath The second is the Gospel Sabbath which is a continuall resting from carking cares This is enjoyned heere labour not for the meate c. This precept is for our whole lifetime * There is not one day of the weeke that GOD will dispense with any for to labour in this sort The third Sabbath is inâ—o the heavens an eternall rest from all worldly toiling and sweat of browes the paines of sinne of all that are there is said that they are blessed yea saith the spirit for thy rest from their labours As there bee three sortes of rest first of the law secondly of the Gospell Thirdly of the HEAVENS so there bee three sortes of labour first there is one enioyned by the law a labour laide vpon all the sonnes of Adam to them it is enioyned sixe dayes in the weeke to winne their meat with the sweat of their browes * Cursed is that meat which is not sawsed with sweete Bitter is that bread which is not sweetned with the sweete of browes The Second labour is Gospell labour a continuall labour Labour for the meat which endureth This is enjoyned in the second part of this Text This is our spirituall exercise painfull to flesh and blood in the best The third labour is Heauenly which shall bee our exercise in the life to come * That labour shall bee sweete without sweate pleasant without paine This labour is an everlasting praising of GOD without ceasing which is so easy and so pleasant to the praisers that Scripture calleth it a resting from our labours It is of the second sorte of labour whereof wee haue heere the command it is an Evangelicall labour which is heere commanded by the LORD labour saith hee for the meate which endureth to
TWO SERMONS FOR THESE WHO ARE TO COME TO THE TABLE OF THE LORD With diverse prayers fit for the necessities of the Saincts at diverse occasions Carefully digested by M r. ZACHARIE BOYD Preacher of GODS word at GLASGOVV AVGVST de doctrina CHRIST Omnis res quae 〈◊〉 non deficit dum habetur non datur nondum habetur quomodo habenda est I liue to die that I may die to liue EDINBVRGH Printed by IOHN WRâ—ITTOVN Anno DOM. 1629. TO THE RIGHT WORTHIE CHRISTIANS THE INDWELLERS OF THE BVRGH AND BARONIE OF GLASGOVV WELBELOVED in the LORD The word of God is a treasure of knowledge Jt maketh wise the simple It made David wiser then his teachers Blessed is the man whose delight is in Gods law and who meditats on the same both day and night This is the wisedome of the wise but in the hearts of fooles be proclamations of folie for they knowe not that the LORD pondereth all their goeings Happy are yee if yee can acknowledge the day of your mercifull visitation your God hath blessed you with many blessings He hath done to you amongst many Cities as Joseph did to Benjamin amongst his brethren to whom he multiplied the number of his measses aboue theirs But in a particular manâ—â— hee hath blessed you with the powerfull preaching of his Gospell The Lord who in Zacharias dayes promised to make the Mount of Olives to cleaue that Ierusalem hidde with hils might bee seene by all nations hath in this land which was Scotia a land of darknesse made a way to the sight of his glory and to you in a speciall maner I pray God yee bee thankfull and that such favors continue It hâ—th beene Gods providence by the occasion of the French bloody warres to bring me amongst you My soule the Lord is my witnesse wisheth your well In testimonie therefore of my sincere and hearty loue receaue favourably these two Sermons with some fewe prayers Take it in good part that I present you with them All that is done in this envious and taxing age is lyable to censure Many striue to stop a worke at the first stop as though the praise of any were their prejudice The tongues of such are armed with sharpe arrowes of the mightie and with coales of juniper * Let such knowe that the best reproving of others is to doe better them selues It is my desire that yee would accept this little and vouchsafe it a rowme of lodgeing in your favour as being a testimonie of loue from him who shall alwayes pray the Eternitie of Israell to make his graces raine downe plentifully vpon you as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended vpon the mountaines of Zion where the LORD commanded the blessings So humbly taking my leaue I intreate the LORD in whom all fulnesse dwelleth to replenish you with all spirituall blessings in Heavenly places Now hee that ministreth seede to the sower both minister bread for your foode and multiplie your seede sowen and increase the fruits of your righteousnesse Not els but humbly taking my leaue I remaine GLASGOVV this 5. of November 16â—8 Yours ever in the Lord M r. ZACHARIâ— BOYD. TWO PREPARATIVE PREFACES TO THE SERMON OF PREPAâ—RATION THE FIRST PREFACE THERE be two things in this world which cheefly should greeue the heart of man viz sinne and shame The one is the mother the other is the daughter Sinne is ever full of shame a shamefull thing great with shame as a woman with child * If wee would kill the viper of â—inne the mother of shame let vs be ashamed of our sinnes The shame wherewith a sinner is ashamed of his sinnes killeth sinne and the shame to ensue * If we be not ashamed of our sinnes which is repentance God shall by his judgements make vs ashamed of our selues which is vengeance In the consideration of this let vs fall downe vpon our kneâ—s with publick protestation that to the Lord our God belongeth the righteousnesse but to vs open shame and confusion of face Let vs humbly confesse our sinnes into his presence and kisse his footstoole by a humble debaseing of our soules and bodies before him before whose feete the crownes of Heaven are cast downe THE SECOND PREFACE * The fire of GOD his spirit is not a painted fire which seemeth to bee that which it is not It ever hath some heat though sometimes without flamme This day wee are come before the Lord for to blow at the coale Man must blow and God will blow Man bloweth vp the spark of grace by praying servently to God God bloweth it vp by the powerfull preaching of the word outwardly and by the secret motion of his spiâ—it inwardly When God quickned Adam but a dead lump of clay scripture saith that hee breathed into his nostrils the breath of lyfe and man became a living soule * If the spirit of Iesus this day breath into our hearts he shall be vnto our soules a quickning spirit which is better than Adams living soule For as that soule it was deprived of all lyfe by sinne but where once the quickning spirit is that soule can die no more And seeing God his word is the instrument of lyfe and the power of God to salvation I intreat you all earnestly to pray from your hearts that Christ who breathed vpon his Apostles the sweete breath of the holy GHOST would also vouchsafe in some measure to blow breath vpon you and mee at this time The LORD blow into my heart and mouth the words that may saue your soules A SERMON OF PREPARATION TO THE COMMUNION PREACHED THE THIRD OF MAY 1628. THE TEXTE IOHN 6. V. 27. LABOVR not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate which endureth vnto everlasting lyfe which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him hath God the Father sealed THE first things of the godly man are hardest his last things are best things lyke the wyne of Cana in Galilee Many are the troubles of the righteous these be his first things But the Lord delivereth them out of them all these be his last things * As the Apryle showers goe before the May flowers so must our teares trickle before our triumphs we must sweate before we climb vp the everlasting hils and sorrow before wee sing Wee must groane before we glory and we must fast before wee feast THE DIVISION OF THE TEXT IN my text is both a fast and a feast first a fast and then a feast fast from worldly things Labour not for the meate which perisheth feast vpon Heavenly things labour for the meate which endureth to lyfe everlasting c. Seeing this day of preparation is a fasting day J shall content me with the first part of my text reserving the rest vnto the day of the feast That wee may the better vnderstand this dayes text we