reasonable desires so the confirmation of that happinesse is the solace and security of those that desire it He said the Prophet speaking of Christ shall bee the desire of all Nations in as much as without him that happinesse which all doe naturally desire is but a Meteor and fiction So then wee see that even the light of our inbred reason seconded and directed by Divine truths doth leade us unto a desire of Christ who alone is the Authour and Matter of that Happinesse which is the true though unknowne object of all our naturall desires Now this happines in Christ wee cannot have till we have actuall fruition of him enjoy this blessednes we never can till we are vnited to him no more then a dissected member enjoyes the vitall influences of the soule and Spirits Vnion unto Christ wee cannot have untill it please him by his Spirit as it were to stoope from that Kingdome where now he is and to exhibit himselfe unto those whom it pleaseth him to assume into the unity of his body Other way to enjoy him here we can have none since no man can at his pleasure or power lift up his eyes with Steven to see him or goe up with S. Paul to the third Heavens to injoy him Now it hath pleased the Wisdome of Christ whose honor ever it is to magnifie his power in his creatures weaknes and to borrow noe parcell of glory in his service from those earthly and elementary instruments which he useth in it by no other meanes to exhibite and confirme the virtue of his sacred Body unto us with the life and righteousnes that from it issueth but onely by those poore and ordinary elements of Bread and Wine in his Sacrament unto which therefore he requireth such reverence such hunger and affection as is in reason due to the Hand that reacheth to the Seale that secureth to the food that strengthneth that spirituall life in us without which we cannot possibly reach unto the end of our very naturall and created desires happinesse and tranquillity It behoves us therefore to beware how we give entertainment to any carnall thoughts which goe about to vilifie and undervalew the excellency of so Divine misteries from the outward meannesse of the things themselves Say not like sullen Naaman Is not the Wine in the Vintners Sellar or the Bread of mine owne Table as good as nourishing as is any in the Temple certainly if thou be commanded some great Worke for the procuring of so great a good as there had beene betweene the service and the reward we disproportion so would even reason it selfe have dictated unto us a necessity of obeying rather then of disputing how much rather when he biddeth us only to eat and live True it is that these creatures naturally have no more power to convey CHRIST then wax hath in it selfe to convey a Lordship yet as a small piece of wax when once in the vertue of a humane covenant or contract it is made the instrument to confirme and ratifie such a conveyance is unto the receiver of more consequence then all the wax in the Towne besides and is with the greatest care preserved so these elements though physically the same which are used at our owne Tables yet in the vertue of that holy Consecration whereby they are made the instruâ—ments of exhibiting and the seales of ascertaining Gods Covenant of grace unto us are unto us more valewable then our barnes full of graine or our presses full of grapes and are to be desired with so farre distant an affection from the other that are common as Heaven is above Earth Secondly in that these elements are consecrated and exhibited for confirmation of our Faith wee thence see how the Church hath her degrees of faith her measure the spirit her deficiencyes of grace her languishings ebbings imperfections her decayes blemishes and fals which makes her stand in neede of being perfected builded rooted established in faith and righteousnes all things under the middle region are subject to Winds Thunders Tempests the continuall uncertainties of boysterous wheather whereas in the Heavens there is a perfect uniforme serenity and calmenes so when a Christian comes once to his owne Countrey unto Heaven he then comes unto an estate of peace and security to be filled with the fulnes of GOD where theeves do not breake thorowgh nor steale where neither flesh nor Satan have any admission noe stormes of temptation No Ship-wrack of conscience but where all things are spirituall and peaceable But in this Earth where Satan hath power to goe from place to place to compasse the World to raise his tempests against the Church even the Waves of ungodly men can have no safety from any danger which eyther his subtelty can contrive or his malice provoke or his power execute or his instruments further and therefore wee are here subject to more or fewer degrees of faintnes in our Faith according as our strength to resist the common adversary is lesse or greater As in the naturall so in the mysticall Body though all the parts doe in common pertake of life yet one is more vitall then another the Heart and Head then the Hands and Feete yea the same part is at one time more active and quick then at others One while overgrowne with humors and stiffned with distempers another while free expedite and able for the discharge of any vitall office And this is that which drives us to a necessity of recovering our strength and making up our breaches by this holy Sacrament which should likewise tell us in what humble esteeme wee ought to have our perfectest endowments they being all subject to their faylings and decaies Thirdly in that these mysteries doe knit the faithfull together into the unity of on common body we see what fellow feeling the faithfull should have of each other how they should interest themselves in the seâ—verall states and affections of their fellow members to rejoyce with those that rejoyce and to weepe with those that weepe As we should thinke the same things and so agree in a unity of judgments because all led with one and the same Spirit which is the Spirit of truth so we should all suffer and doe the same things and so all concurre in a unity of affections because all animated by the same Spirit which is the Spirit of love too where there is dissention and disagreement there must needs be a severall Law where the Law is diverse the government differs too and in a different government there must of necessity be a differeÌ„t subjection He then that doth not sympathize with his brother but nourisheth factious and uncharitable thoughts against him doth therin plainly testifie that he is not subject at least totally unto the same prince with him and then we know that there are but two Princes a Prince of peace and a
shew forth such an Heavenly light of holinesse puritie majesty authority efficacy mercy wisedome comfort perfection in one word such an unsearchable Treasurie of internall mysteries as that now the soule is as fully able by the native light of the Scriptures to distinguish their Divine originall and authenticalnesse from any other meere humane writings as the eye is to observe the difference betweene a beame of the Sunne and a blaze of a Candle The second question is how the Soule comes to bee setled in this perswasion that the goodnesse of these truths founded on the Authority of God doe particularly belong unto it Whereunto I answere in one word That this ariseth from a two-fold Testimonie grounded upon a preceding worke of Gods Spirit For first the Spirit of God putteth his feare into the hearts of his servants and purgeth their consciences by applying the bloud of Christ unto them from dead workes wish affections strongly and very sensibly altering the constitution of the minde must needs notably manifest themselves unto the soule when by any reflex act shee shall set her selfe to looke inward upon her owne operations This being thus wrought by the grace of God thereupon there ensueth a twofold Testimonie The first of a mans owne spirit as wee see in the examples of Iob David Hezekiah Nehemiah Saul and others namely That hee desireth to feare Gods name to keepe a conscience void of offence to walke in all integrity towards God and men from which and the like personall qualifications arise joy in the holy-Ghost peace of conscience and experience of sweetnes in the fellowship with the Father and his Sonne Secondly the Testimony of the holy Spirit bearing witnes to the sincerity of those affections and to the evidence and truth of those perswasions which himselfe by his grace stirred up So then first the Spirit of God writeth the Law in the heart upon obedience whereunto ariseth the Testimony of a mans owne spirit And then he writeth the promises in the heart and by them ratifieth and confirmeth a mans hops and joyes unto him I understand not all this which hath been spoken generally of all assents unto objects Divine which I take it in regard of their evidence firmnes and stability doe much differ according unto the divers tempers of those hearts in which they reside but principally unto the cheife of those assents which are proper unto saving Faith For assent as I said in generall is common unto Divils with men and therefore to make up the creature of true Faith There is required some differencing property whereby it may be constituted in the entire essence of saving Faith In each sense we may observe that unto the generall faculty whereby it is able to perceive objects proportioned to it there is annexed ever another property whereby according to the severall nature of the objects proposed it is apt to delight or be ill affected with it for example our eare apprehendeth all sounds in common but according as is the Harmony or discord of the sound it is apt to take pleasure or offence at it Our taste reacheth unto whatsoever is the object of it but yet some things there are which grievously offend the Palate others which as much delight it and so it is in Divine assents Some things in some subjects bring along with them tremblings horrors fearefull expectations aversation of minde unwilling to admit or be pursued with the evidence of Divine truths as it is in Divils and despayring sinners Other assents on the contrary doe beget serenity of minde a sweete complacency delight adherence and comfort Into the hearts of some men doth the Truth of GOD shine like Lightning with a penetrating and amasing brightnes in others like the Sunne with comfortable and refreshing Beames For understanding whereof wee are to observe that in matters practicall and Divine and so in all others though not in an equall measure the truth of them is ever mutually embraced and as it were insolded in their goodnes for as truth doth not delight the understanding unlesse it be a good truth that is such as unto the understanding beares a relation of convenience whence arise diversities in mens studies because all men are not alike affected with all kindes of truth so good doth noe way affect the will unlesse it be a true and reall good Otherwise it proves but like the banquet of a dreaming man which leaves him as hungry and empty as when he lay downe Goodnes then added unto truth doth together with the assent generate a kinde of rest and delight in the heart on which it shineth Now goodnes Morall or Divine hath a double relation A relation unto that originall in dependency on and propinquitie whereunto it consilleth and a relation unto that faculty or subject wherein it resideth and whereunto it is proposed Good in the former sense is that which beares in it a proportion unto the Fountaine of good for every thing is in it selfe so farre good as it resembles that originall which is the author and patterne of it and that is GOD. In the second sense that is good which beares a conveniency and fitnes to the minde which entertaines it good I meane not alwayes in nature but in apprehension All Divine truths are in themselves essentially good but yet they worke not alwaies delight and comforts in the minds of men untill proportioned and fitted unto the faculty that receives them As the Sunne is it in it selfe equally light the water in a Fountaine of it selfe equally sweete but according unto the severall Temper of the eye which perceiveth the one and of the vessell through which the other passeth they may prove to be offensive and distastfull But now further when the faculty is thus fitted to receive a good it is not the generality of that good which pleaseth neyther but the particular propriety and interest thereunto Wealth and honor as it is in it selfe good so is it likewise in the apprehension of most men yet we see men are apt to be griev'd at it in others and to looke on it with an evill eye nothing makes them to delight in it but possession and propriety unto it I speake here onely of such Divine good things as are by God appointed to make happy his creature namely our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ his Obedience Satisfaction Resurrection Ascension Intercession Glory and whatever elce it is of which he hath been unto his Church the Author Purchaser conveyer and Foundation Now unto these as unto other good things there is a double right belonging by free donation from him unto the Church a right of propriety unto the thing and a right of possession in the thing This latter is that which here in Earth the Church suspireth and longeth after that other onely it is which here we have and that confirmed unto us by a double Title The first as the Land of Cannan was confirmed unto the Israelits by
man it setteth him on worke to manifest Christ unto others as Andrew to Simon Iohn 1. 41. and the Woman of Samaria to the men of the City Ioh. 4. 29. and Mary Magdalen to the Disciples Ioh. 20. 17. It is like Oyntment poured forth which cannot be concealed Proverb 27. 16. Wee cannot saith the Apostle but speake the things which we have heard and seene Acts 4. 20. And they who feared the Lord in the Prophet spake often to one another Mal. 3. 16. These propositions being thus set downe let the conscience assume them to it selfe in such demands as these Doe I finde in my selfe a Freedome from that spirit of feare and bondage which maketh a man like Adam to fly from the presence of GOD in his Word doe I finde my selfe able with affiance and firme hope to fly unto God as unto an Alter of refuge in time of trouble and to call upon his Name and this not onely with an outward battology and lipp-labour but by the spirit to cry Abba Father doth the testimony of Gods Spirit settle and compose such doubtings in me as usually arise out of the Warre betweene Flesh and Faith doe I finde a change and transformation in me from the vanity of my old conversation unto the Image of Christ and of that originall Justice wherein I was created doe I finde my selfe distinguished and taken out from the World by Heavenly mindednes and raised affections by renouncing the delights abandoning the corruptions suppresing the motions of secular and carnall thoughts solacing my soule not with perishable and unconstant contentments but with that blessed hope of a City made without hands immortall undefiled and that fadeth not away doe I finde in my heart an habituall tendernes and aptnes to bleed and relent at the danger of any sinne though mainly crossing my carnall delights and whatever plots and contrivances I might lay for furthering mine owne secular ends if by indirectnes sinfull engagements and unwarrantable courses I could advance them doe I finde my selfe in reading or hearing Gods Word inwardly wrought upon to admire the Wisdome assent unto the truth acknowledge the holines and submit my selfe unto the obedience of it doe I in my ordinary and best composed thoughts preferre the tranquility of a good conscience and the comforts of Gods Spirit before all out-side and glittering happines notwithstanding any discouragements that may bee incident to a concionable conversation Lastly are the graces of God operative and stirring in my soule Is my conversation more heavenly my zeale more fervent my corruptions more discovered each faculty in its severall Sphere more transformed into the same Image with Christ Iesus Are all these things in me or in defect of any doe the desires and longings of my soule after them appeare to be sincere and unfeigned by my daily imploying all my strength and improving each advantage to further my proficiencie in them Then I have an evident and infallible token that having thus farre partaked of the spirit of Life and by consequence of Faith whereby our soules are fastned unto Christ I may with comfort approach unto this holy Table wherein that life which I have received may be further nourished and confirmed to me The second medium formerly proposed for the tryall of Faith was the nature and essence of it To finde out the formall nature of Faith we must first consider that all Faith is not a saving Faith For there is a Faith that worketh a trembling as in the Divels and there is a Faith which worketh life and peace as in those that are justified Faith in generall is an assent of the reasonable soule unto revealed truths Now every medium or in ducement to an assent is drawne eyther from the light which the obejct it selfe proposeth to the faculty and this the blessed Apostle contradistinguisheth from faith by the name of light or else it is drawne from the authority and Authenticalnes of a narrator upon whose report while we relie without any evidence of the thing it selfe the assent which we produce is an assent of faith or credence The Samaritans did first assent unto the miracles of CHRIST by the report of the woman and this was faith but afterwards they assented because themselves had heard him speake and this was sight Now both those assents have annexed unto them either evidence and infallibility or onely probability admitting degrees of feare and suspition That faith is a certaine assent and Certitudine rei in regard of the object even above the evidence of demonstrative conclusions is on all hands confest because howsoever qantum ad certitudinem mentis in regard of our weakenes and distrust wee are often subject to stagger yet in the thing it selfe it dependeth upon the infallibility of Gods owne Word which hath said it and by consequence is neerer unto him who is the Fountaine of all truth and therefore doth more share in the properties of truth which are certainty and infallibility then any thing proved by meere naturall reasons and the assent produced by it is differenced from suspition hesitancie or dubitation in the opinion of Schoole-men themselves Now then in as much as we are bound to yeild an evident assent unto the Articles of our christian Faith both intellectuall in regard of the truth and fiduciall in regard of the goodnes of them respectively to our owne benefit and salvation Necessary it is that the understanding be convinced of those two things First that GOD is of infallible Authority and cannot lie nor deceive which thing is a principle unto which the light of nature doth willingly assent And secondly that this Authority which in Faith I thus relie upon is indeede and infallibly Gods owne Authority The meanes whereby I come to know that may be eyther extroardinary as revelation such as was made to prophets concerning future events or else ordinary and common to all the Faithfull For discovery of them we must againe rightly distinguish the double Act of Faith First that Act whereby wee assent unto the generall truth of the object in it selfe secondly that Act whereby we rest perswaded of the goodnes thereof unto us in particular with respect unto both with these doth a double question arise First touching the meanes whereby a beleever comes to know that the testimony and authority within the promises and truths of Scripture hee relieth upon are certainly and infallibly Gods owne Authority Which question is all one with that how a Christian man may infallibly be assured ita ut non possit subesse falsum that the holy Scriptures are the very dictates of Almighty God For the resolution whereof in a very few words wee must first agree that as noe created understanding could ever have invented the mystery of the Gospell it being the counsell of Gods owne bosome and containing such manifold wisdomes as the Angels are astonished at So it being dictated and revealed by Almighty God such is the deepnes