communicated unto us These holy mysteries received in due manner do instrumentally both make us partakers of the grace of that body and bloud which was given for the life of the world and imparts unto us even in true and reall though in mysticall manner the very person of our Lord Himself whole perfect and intire together with the communication of His holy Spirit to sanctifie us as it sanctified Him that what merit force or vertue there is in His sanctified Body and Bloud we freely fully and wholly have by this Sacrament And all this for the Sacrament in it self is but a corruptible and earthly creature and an unlikely instrument to work such admirable effects in man all this resteth upon the strength of His glorious power who bringeth to passe that the bread and cup which He giveth though true Bread and Wine for our senses tell us so and in such cases they cannot be deceived shall be truly the thing promised the flesh of Christ which is meat indeed and the bloud of Christ which is drink indeed If we understand not this but will ask How can these things be n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysâ—n â— Ad Tim. c. 1. Hom. 1. we must remember that nothing is hard to the Lord therefore to Him we must pray that we may be taught of Him and that His Spirit may reveale it unto us That is all we are to do for further question is needlesse and fruitlesse Very observable it is that in the sixth of Iohn o Verse 26. The people finding Christ at a place whereto by an ordinary way and means they knew He could not come fall to wondering and then to questioning Rabbi when camest thou hither The disciples in the 20. of Iohn when Christ appeared to them in farre more strange and miraculous manner moved no question but rejoyced greatly in that they saw For why The one sort beheld only that in Christ which they knew was more then naturall but yet their affection was not rapt there-with through any great extraordinary gladnesse the other when they looked on Christ were not ignorant that they saw the well-spring of their own everlasting felicitie The one because they enjoyed not disputed the other disputed not because they injoyed If then the presence of Christ with them did so much move judge what their thoughts and affections were at the time of this new presentation of Christ p Hooker câ—â— Pol. 5. 67. pag. 358. not before their eyes but within their souls And so much for the opening and unfolding of the mysteries which we are to receive The further manifestation we leave to Him who worketh All in All according to the pleasure of His good will It follows now That we consider how we must come addressed to this great feast of the soule wherein our approach to an earthly banquet gives us good instruction though the persons inviting and the cheere to which we are invited are of a very different nature and yet somewhat such a feast instructs We come to a common table specially if invited thereto by no common person well fitted and prepared decently and in order And in case we finde our stomacks clogged with bad humours or feaverishly disposed we come not at all or we forbeare to eate This allusion Chrysostome follows and makes very usefull in his 27. Hom upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11. toward the end but more fully in the following Hom. neere the beginning of the same very full of instruction all I shall follow our plain Catechisme and therefrom set down these requisites which must be in every worthy Communicant and they are three strongly enforced and imployed in the signes before our eyes 1. Repentance from dead works which God gives and it answers The eating of the Lambe with sowre hearbes There I see in the Bread first thrashed then put into the mill after in the oven All this the True Bread went through before He was made the Shew-Bread to God the Bread of Life to us as much as the Church of old did in the q Exod. 12. 9. Lambe which was to be rosted with fire or in the Manna which was ground in the mills r Numb 11. 8. I see in the wine powred forth That Christ powred forth His soul unto death and by Himself purged our sins Å¿ Heb. 1. 3. See Mr. Dearing on that text Hence we learn to hate sin and to hate it with a perfect hatred as the only ground of our misery the creatures vanitie and of Gods dishonour t Mr. Raynold on the 110. Psalme pag. 411 412. We see it is so hatefull unto God that He will most certainly be avenged of it If he spare me yet He will not spare my sinne though His own beloved Sonne must be punished for it O then how should that be light to me which was as heavy as a mill stone to the soul of Christ How should that be in a throne with me which was upon the Crosse with Him How should I allow that to be really in me which the Lord so severely punished when the guilt thereof was but imputed to His Son so our second Raynolds Therefore we should learn with David to hate every evill way because God hates it and suffers it not to passe unpunished To revenge the quarrell of Christ against those lusts of ours which nailed Him and to crucifie them for Him again for for that end was Christ crucified that our old man might be crucified with Him that the Body of sin may be destroyed that hence-forth we should not serve sinne u Rom. 6. 6. What measure of sorrow is required in every Receiver for it is said The Land shall mourn x Zach. 12. 10. 12. the Prophet doth fully declare where he saith And they shall looke on Him c. The sorrow for sinne is set forth by our sorrow for such things whereof we have the quickest sense And such a sorrow it is past all question which is lasting which makes us mourn as David for his sonne every day * 2 Sam. 13. 37. It is a bitter sorrow and it is accompanied with loathing y Ezech. 6. 9. 43. 20. 43. How these will stand together Godly sorrow I mean and spirituall joy is not to our purpose now But the greater our sorrow if it be godly the greater our joy The more sowre our sinnes the more sweet is Christ The more loathing of them as the alone and greatest evill the more prizing of Christ as the only and greatest good the choisest of ten thousands Whether we have this grace of repentance the tryall is easie for if we sorrow after a godly sort behold what carefulnesse it works what clearing of our selves what indignation 2 Cor. 7. 11. what feare what vehement desire what zeale what revenge Infallible marks these of repentance unto life It is now with the penitent as once it was and as ever it will be
A sorrow to repentance is not a work of a day or two the hanging down the head like a bulrush for a day or an houre as the custome is Where there is a breaking the bands of our yoke there is a making to go upright z Levit. 26. 13. a constant walking with God as those that have now communion and fellowship with the Father and the Sonne And though this godly sorrow is more secret in the heart and there the work also of a true penitent is most in the well ordering thereof and in watching over the issues there-from yet is it not altogether undiscernable to the outward sense for as Mr. Dearing a Heb. 2. 11. noteth well There is no affection in us according to to the flesh but if it be great it will appeare in its work much more this which is of the Spirit of God If thou be sorrowfull it will make thy face sad b Deprendas animi tormenta latentis in aegro Corpore Juven Salyr 9. if joy be within it maketh thy countenance merry if thou have a flattering heart all the members of thy body will streight serve so vile a thing if hatred be within thee thy body will shew it forth in all manner of cursed doing and there is nothing that can possesse the minde but it leadeth the members in obedience of it How much more if the Spirit of God have replenished our mindes with these affections of godly sorrow and spirituall joy And so much to the first requisite 2. The second is Faith the hand of the soul which the Lord createth and strengthneth to lay hold on eternall life by Iesus Christ In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we see a full Redemption wrought and a full price paid in His body broken and bloud poured forth In the bread and wine he that Qui dividit perdit devides destroyes the Sacrament we have a full and compleat nourishment all that the soul can desire But now as the mouth is opened so are we filled As the heart is enlarged so do we receive If the mouth be shut and the principle of life be wanting no matter what dainties are set before us or what put in Therefore we must consider our Interest in the Covenant and whether we can lay hold on a promise for life reconciliation and peace For the bloud of Christ and His Body serve not for the nourishment of any in whom they have not been as the seed of regeneration both in pardon of sin and change of the heart in which conversion standeth we must remember Sacraments convert none but strengthen the converted To the fainting spirit they are meanes to convey power they encrease strength c Isa 40. 29. The Sacraments are as the breasts of the Church from which the living childe doth suck and is satisfied with consolations from which the thirsty soul doth milke out and is delighted with the abundance of her glory d Isa 66. But it is the living childe that draweth comfort here and the instrument by which he draweth is Faith which is Gods gift as is Repentance He gives both So then we must examine how provided we come hither else we come to a well of living water but having nothing to draw or we are like a vessell cast into the Ocean which hath no mouth or if any it is stopt The outward man can do its part it discerneth tasteth digesteth the outward signes But now what inward principle hath my inward man and what help hath it from all this in the beholding tasting enjoying the spirituall part Christ and the influence of His Grace issuing therefrom This is all the Question and point to be examined what Faith I have whose work is the same about the spirituall part as is the work of the outward man about the outward And yet had we all Faith I mean justifying faith we could not receive all that is offered here and though we have a weake faith if true we shall receive sufficient Our hearts as one noteth cannot comprehend all the wisdome of God in the wind that bloweth Mr. Dearing Ibid. how He raiseth it up or maketh it fall again how can we understand this wisdome of our uniting unto Iesus Christ only this we true members can say God hath given us faith in which we may believe it and out of which such joy shineth in our mindes as crucifieth the world unto us how farre our reason is from seeing it it skilleth not it is sufficient if we can beleeve it We beleeve in the Lord our God yet we know not what is his countenance we beleeve and apprehend by hope His glory yet neither eye can see it nor eare can heare it We beleeve and see immortalitie yet our heart cannot comprehend the heighth the breadth the length the depth We beleeve the resurrection of the dead yet we cannot understand such excellent wisdome how life is renewed in the dispersed and scattered bones and ashes We beleeve our Saviour Christ is man and we have seen Him and felt Him yet how He was man born of a virgin all men in the world have no wisdome to declare Even so we beleeve that our Saviour Christ and we be one He of us and we of Him He the head we the body really substantially truly joyned together not by joynts and sinewes but by His spirit of which we have all received And this unitie I cannot conceive nor utter till I know God even as He is and His holy spirit which hath wrought this blessing But yet though thus secret and undiscernable this work of faith is we may take some evidence of the life and operation thereof by those things that our understanding part doth here in matters below and of another and much inferiour nature As thus My minde by the velocitie and speed of my apprehension can be many miles off upon the naming of the things I love Then surely my heart is dull and slow and wants the principle of a new creature if by so lively representations of the Lord Iesus Christ under these signes to nourish and cheere me if I cannot Eagle-like flye up to heaven unto Him and on that carcasse fasten and fixe my faith thence to draw strength and refreshing The soul can presently be one with that it delights in be it profit be it pleasure and it should much convince and ashame us of our flatnesse herein a matter of such concernment And in case we finde no such working then to withdraw our foot being Tremenda mysteria now approaching towards those high and awfull mysteries For if our hearts can open towards the earth and unite with things there but are flat and heavy towards Heaven no working that way where the Treasure is the Lord of Glory then surely we are no fit guests for this table For certain it is That whensoever our soul shall feele its union with God in Christ all things below will seeme
creature when they shall have it and puts a price upon the same when it is in their hand It is rare amongst those that are grown up to finde a stomack full of meat and an heart as full of praise The emptie stomack feeles the comfort and is in likelihood more enlarged Let the childe abstain from all sometimes but not often it is their growing time yet sometime altogether from all at all times from part They must not taste of every dish nor look so to do it is not good for the Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Al. Paed. 2. 1. pag. 103. parent lesse wholsome for the childe there is a drunkennesse t Plures cum sint vino sobriae ciborum largitate sunt ebriae Hier. lib. 2. ep 17. in eating as in drinking Accustome children to waite now they will waite with more patience hereafter But more specially teach them a fit and reverent behaviour both before and at the table Though they sit at a common table yet it is Gods table He spread it for the parent and the childe Though there we receive common blessings yet we must not put upon them common esteeme nor return for them common thanks children must not by their rude and uncivill deportment before and at the table make it a stable or an hogs-stye nor must they drown themselves there in an eager fulfilling their appetite like beasts u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Mex Pop. 2. 7. pag. 127. at their manger or swine in their trough like beasts I say that have their manger before x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loco laud. pag. 128. them and their dung-hill behind them hereof Clem. of Alex. makes very good use and that is all I tend to here 6. And now that we have eaten we must remember to return praise Our great Master is our great example Before He gave common bread He gave thanks and when He administred the Sacrament of His blessed body and bloud He concluded with an Hymn * Matt. 26. 30. Hearken to this saith Chrysostome y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. upon those words all ye that goe from your common table like swine whereas ye should give thanks and conclude with a Psalme And hearken ye also who will not sit out till the blessing be given Christ gave thanks before He gave to His disciples that we might begin with thanks-giving And He gave thanks after He had distributed and sung a Psalme that we might do so likewise so Chrysostome Now then that we are filled it is the very season of thanksgiving saith the y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys de Laz. Ser. 1. Tom. 5. Father And he that is now to addresse himselfe to return thanks is supposed to have fed temperately and to be sober They that have fed without feare and are filled with their pasture are more like to kick with the heele then to return praise and in so doing are worse then the most savadge creatures who to shew their thankfulnesse will be at the beck of those that feed them We must remember that with us men every favour requires a z Omne beneficium exigit officium Lege Chrysost in Gen. cap. 12. Hom. 32. Man must not be like his belly what it receives to day it forgets to morrow and when it is full it thinks of temperance Translated out of Basil de jejunio p. 281. Psal 154 10. returne much more when we receive these comforts of meat and drink from Gods hand we must return in way of homage our thankfulnesse If it should be thrice asked as one in another case what is the speciall dutie or grace required in a Christian I should answer thrice also supposing the season Thankefulnesse Thankfulnesse at our sitting down Thankfulnesse at our receiving the blessing Thankfulnesse when we are refreshed Thankfulnesse is as good pleading in the Common Law the heart string a Lord Cooke Pref. Littlet thereof so of Religion It is the very All of a Christian if it be with all the heart And heartie it should be for as it is for beasts to eate till they be filled so is it beast-like to look downward when they are filled If God had made me a Nightingale I would saith on have sung as a Nightingale doth but now God hath made me a man I must as a man sing forth His praise All Thy works blesse Thee and Thy Saints praise Thee Now that we have received mercies we must think to make return else every bit we have eaten will be an inditement against us There is a vanitie in our natures for sometimes we stand upon exactnesse of justice as one saith in answering petty D. 5. 563. courtesies of men and in shewing our selves thankfull for favours received there when yet we passe by substantiall favours from God without taking notice of them But we can easily consider that if it be a sinne in civilitie carelesly to passe by the favours from men much more in Religion to receive from Gods hand and not to returne our thanks b Iâ—a semper â—omedendum est ut cibum oratio sequatur Lectio Hier. epist lib. 1. ep 35. pag. 47. And if it be a rude and uncivill fashion to rise from our common tables where we receive common bread to play much more then so to rise from our seat at Church where the bread we are fed withall is so much more precious as the soule is above the body We suppose then we are now rising from our common table where every man hath put in his thanks as into a common stock and so joyntly offered unto God Cyprians words are seasonable here I finde them in Vrsinus touching the order and connexion of the fourth with the fift petition After our supplication to God for supply of food and sustenance Give us we say forgive us that is we pray for pardon of sinnes and offences That He who is fed by God may live to God c Vt à Deo pasti in Deum vâ—vant Thankfulnesse and that is the spring of a kinde obedience must presently follow the receipt of mercies It is good to take the advantage of the freshnesse of a blessing He will not be thankfull anon who is not thankfull now he hath newly felt and found the sweetnesse of a mercy what we adde to delay we take from thankfulnesse If the heart be closed now that the Lord hath so newly opened His hand toward it it is like it will be as hard and dry as a flint afterwards And what an unkinde requitall is it when in stead of being Temples of His praise we become graves of His benefits They lye buryed in us It is an old tradition but instructs very much which is That every creature hath a three-fold voice to man take returne beware In more words the meaning is this when we take the creature into our hands be it bread or be it water
servant though he may passe for a Master in the world But he may defend his sloth thus so I finde it in Chrysostome u In Ephes cap. 4. Hom. 16. Though I stand idle in the Market of the world and sleep in the harvest of the yeare yet I neither pick nor steal I neither curse nor strike my fellow servants and then I have done no hurt I am sure So the slothfull servant may say for himself he hath done no hurt Yes if thou doest no good thou doest hurt if thou art slothfull thou art wicked The husbandman hath done thee much hurt if he sate still in the Spring-time and slept in thy harvest though yet he was not drunk all that time nor did he strike nor abuse his fellow servants The mouth and the hand will do the body much hurt if they neglected those offices proper to those ends wherefore they are placed in the body though yet the one did not bite nor did the other smite or scratch the body In omitting our duty of doing good we commit much ill for Truth hath sealed hereunto That the slothfull servant is a wicked servant And so much to perswade to duty for conscience sake 2. That doing our duties to man we neglect not our duty to God That while we answer our relation we stand in as members of the body we forget not that strict bond and relation we stand unto our head This is a main point and I touch upon it here because many there are who serving their particular callings and doing their duties there think that this will hold them excused for their neglect in their generall calling as they are Christians I heare the same pleading which was of old why we cannot do this or that though of infinite concernement to our souls both yet we cannot because our callings will not admit so much vacancy or leisure what not to serve God! what leisure to serve our selves and the world and can finde none to serve Him who gave us being and a place with all conveniences in the world no leisure to serve Him These things ought we to have done in their place order and subordination to an higher thing but the other thing that one thing we should not have neglected Certainly it will be a most astonishing excuse no excuse indeed but such as will leave us speechlesse To plead the ordinance of God for our neglect in the service of God He hath designed us our severall callings that there we might the better serve and glorifie Him And if from thence we shall plead our omissions therein our excuse will be no better then if a drunkard should pleade thus for his abuse of the good Creatures If thou Lord haddest not given me my drink I had not so dishonoured thee and my self Vain man the Lord gave thee drink to refresh thee therewith and being refreshed that thou shouldest return praise to the Giver It is thy sinne and thy great condemnation that thou hast turned a blessing into a curse overcharged thy self and by thy exceeding that way hast pressed thy bountifull Lord as a cart is pressed with sheaves And let this bid us beware of our old-Fathers sinne for it was Adams the woman that thou gavest me he pleaded the ordinance of God for his walking inordinately Beware I say and let it command our watchfulnesse too for particular sinnes do adhere and stick to particular callings as close as the ivie to the wall as the stone to the timber But yet our callings shall give us no excuse for committing those sinnes or for omitting the contrary duties It is certain we shall have no excuse therefrom none at all but what will leave us speechlesse This by the way but not from my scope So much to engage our faithfulnesse in our callings and our heart still to God A word now touching our abiding in that * station or x Nè quis temerè suos fines transiliret ejusmodi vivendi genera vocationes appellavit suum ergò singulis vivendi genus est quasi statio c. Cal. Inst. lib. 3. cap. 10. sect 6. calling whereunto God hath called us Certain it is the Analogie or resemblance holds well and teacheth very much between the body naturall and the body politick Thus in the body naturall it is bloud and châ—ler contain themselves within their own proper vessels if bloud be out of the veins it causeth an Apostume if choler out of the gall it makes a jaundise all over the body So with our members if any one be out of place or doth not its proper office in its place then every one is out of quiet For the good and peace of the whole it is that every member keeps its proper place and doth the proper office belonging to that place Thus should every one do in that place where God hath appointed him in the body politick He must do those peculiar acts which are peculiar to his place from which his calling hath its denomination and is so called He that teacheth on teaching is the Apostles rule and extends it self unto all callings as an universall rule and of universall use Therefore to instance in that one calling for all which is the highest of all but gives the same rule for the lowest The office of a Pastour Bishop or Minister is to feed his flock to look to the state thereof to prepare the way of the people a Esay 62. 10. c. for that Scripture is fully and usefully explained by Tremellius This the office of Pastour or overseer to seek not yours but you to feed not themselves but their flock b See Hist of the councel of Trent 〈◊〉 2. p. 252. See pag 216. Noâ— magis de posâ—endo grege cogitan quam sutor de aâ—ando Cal Inst 4. cap. 5. sect 12 13. Those overseers then were truly taxed and charged of old that they did walk as men and did no way answer the office whereto they were called when as they saw nothing in their cures nor knew nothing of them but their rents This had been proper to him who was in office to be the Kings Rent gatherer but very impertinent to him or them whose office it was to prepare the way of the people or to prepare a people for the Lord. The conclusion is peremptory he that teacheth on teaching So likewise as we are called and as every man hath received the gift so must we minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold graces of God that He in all things may be glorified c 1. Pet 4. 10. As he hath received the gift I resume it again because we must well note it my gift fits me for my calling my calling for my work If I have not the gift I must not affect nor enter the calling If no calling I must not venture upon the work without a gift all will be done unskilfully without a calling disorderly without work
person suffering who was the eternall Sonne of God And this He suffer'd even such a weight of wrath that He might free us from the same I mean that wrath which is to come which hath in it the very life and spirits of wrath The present wrath though it lye heavy for sinne yet it is but for present but the wrath to-come seizeth upon the soul and lyeth upon it to all eternitie l Omnis peccator peccat in suo aeâ—â—rno And this is the life and spirit of this wrath the thought whereof swallows us up as a drop is swallowed in the wide Ocean This weight He suffered as the greatest sinner that He might save to the utmost those that come unto Him Mark it for the houre may come saith m Disc of Just pag. 519. Mr. Hooker when we shall think it a blessed thing to heare That if our sins were the sins of Popes and Cardinals ours are very great having had a clear sun-shine of grace so long yet not walked as children of the Light the bowels of the mercie of God are larger I must reade his following words too I do not propose unto you a Pope with the neck of an Emperour under his feet A Cardinall riding his horse to the bridle in the bloud of Saints but a Pope or Cardinall sorrowfull penitent disrobed stript not only of usurped power but also deliver'd and recalled from errour Antichrist converted and lying Chap. 3 prostrate at the foot of Christ And shall I think that Christ will spurn at him No He suffered to the utmost that he might save to the utmost those that beleeve whom he maketh the righteousnesse of God re-instateth in the Paradise which they lost that there they may live ever with their Lord partaking with Him of an exceeding weight of glory And here for the time would fail me my understanding both I would fix thy thoughts even at this well of Salvation On this Rock I would settle thee but that my hands are too short but under the shadow of thy wings my heartie desire is that thou mayest trust and dwell for ever then happie art thou and for ever happie for this Rocke is Christ from Him issueth water of life healing sinne washing away guilt sweetning sorrow swallowing up such a Death before mentioned with all its issues Christ I say get Him thou hast all a Sea an Ocean of good things as Clemens cals Him cleave to Him He hath strength enough enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrep p. 51. against all assaults from within from without He and His righteousnesse answers all makes us firme and stedfast like an everlasting foundation the gates of hell nor policie nor strength shall prevail All in Him all of Him all from Him And all this as it is fully discovered in his Word therefore let it be thy delight and thy counsellour and pray that His Spirit still would be thy Interpreter for without Him it is as a Book sealed so was it figured out and sealed unto us in Baptisme But before I come to that Sacrament we must look over what was said touching our inward frame of spirit Where we behold from what a dignitie we are falne into what a depth of miserie That the Scripture speaks not in vain The o Jâ—r 17 â— heart is desperately wicked It is for hardnesse like the nether mil-stone the Rocke the Adamant It is in point of conversion or turning unto God as dead as a doore-naile as unchangeable as the spots of a Leopard It is in point of that poyson malignity and rage that is in it a Lyon a Dogge an Adder a Dragon an Aspe a Viper in point of uncleannesse like a Leper from head to the foot polluted All this and much more That we may remember and be confounded and never open our mouth any more b Ezek. 16. ω. but in acknowledging our selves unclean vile lothsome and in magnifying the abundant treasures of grace and riches of mercies in and through Christ freely offered and secured unto us in Baptisme which now comes to be treated of c. CHAP. III. Baptisme the outward the inward the secret and mysterious working thereof BAptisme wherein sacramently is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretium Redemptionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lavacrum bloud to justifie and water to sanctifie even all Christ in that signe of water to quicken to renew to sanctifie He bids us in this Sacrament wash and be clean as in the other eat and live There we put off the old man with his lusts and we put on the new man with his righteousnesse here we are made one with Christ as a branch with the vine as a member with the body we are Christs and Christ is ours we are as truly united unto Him as is my hand to my arme my arme to my shoulder both to my head as truly I say but more strongly and firmly for these may be parted though my outward sense gives me not a feeling of it but such a neere union there is and it is sealed unto us in Baptisme I meane not that as was said of circumcision outward in the flesh made with the Hand sprinkling the face which doth but tye us to the body in an outward profession as a graft to the stocke from whence it hath neither life nor nourishment it doth not put us into Christ nor will it in the day of visitation and separation difference us from the Heathen b Jer. 7. 19. but exposeth us rather to more wrath And this outward Baptisme which without an inward work cleanseth not is as much as the Baptist that is deputed by the Church can administer Iohn who was the greatest that was born of women c Matth. 11. 11. could reach his hand no further then to the outward water and dipping therewith It is the Baptisme made by fire and the holy Ghost which reacheth to the heart which cleanseth and purgeth indeed He or she who have received this washing who are purged from their old sinnes may glory in their fountain opened for sinne and for uncleannesse d Zech. 31. 1. and in their priviledges worthy to be gloried in as we read a great Emperour did more then in his Imperiall Crown e for what greater glory is there then to o Aust de Civit. Dei l. 5. c. 26. be of the off spring of God to receive the adoption of sonnes and daughters and to have that worthy name to be called upon us and such honour have all thy Saints And now we are come to a great secret The way how the Lord works and upon whom He works is more secret then is the winde which bloweth where it listeth c. and as indiscernable to sense as is the knitting of the bones in the wombe and covering of them with flesh What we cannot conceive pray that we may admire what we cannot understand pray we that we may experimentally finde and feel
from how kept under from spreading too farre and running forth wilde AND now leaving this inward frame of our revolting heart I meane the fountain of originall impuritie or the body of death as Paul calls it to our most retyred thoughts that so it may stirre up to continuall watchfulnesse and humiliation I say leaving that fountain or body of sin I come to the members issuing thence as the streame from the fountain or as branches from the root For though the current thereof be in a good measure stayed and stopt in Baptisme by the sanctifying power of Christs saving bloud yet it doth more or lesse bubble up in our rebellious nature Though the branches are hew'd and lop't yet they trust out again from their bitter root Though the body of sinne be mortified so as the power and dominion thereof is subdued yet the life thereof is prolonged a Dan. 7. 12. and the power thereof is as the kingdome spoken of by Daniel b Dan. 2. 42. partly strong and partly broken So as here is still matter of our strife and combate as against an enemy dwelling within our Land like the Canaanite in the border of an Israelite to vexe exercise and prove us I cannot reckon up the least part of that wilde fruit which springs forth of this our so fruitfull stumpe bound up fast within our earth as with a band of Iron and Brasse But some three or foure or more branches I shall point at which run most wild to the dishonour of our outward man and disturbance of our inward peace And these I shall discover unto thee that thou may est be most wary of them and ever well provided and armed against them as followeth The first is §. 1. Pride Chap. 4 §. 1 § 1. I meane not that privy pride springing up from a secret and unsuspected fountaine even from an holy zeale godly duties good actions not properly ours yet flesh and bloud will lay claime unto them And hath its seat in a sanctified soule making it proud that it is not proud even of its humilitie And therefore doth the same soule make its watch the stronger I meane that pride whose root is discernable and whose fruit soonest shooteth forth and declareth it selfe defiling our outward members and inward faculties lifting us up so much the higher in a windy conceit the emptier and lighter we are upon the ballance and the more wanting And this some call the Womans sinne Indeed it is most unworthy and unbeseeming a man the truest testimony of weaknesse and vanitie But yet Sith there is as one noteth c L. Verulam Essayes Act. 12. 63. in humane nature more of the foole then of the wise we must grant it to be the Mans sinne also perhaps not so generally his nor in the same degree For if we do grant as ordinarily it seemes so and is so concluded That the inward powers of Iudgement and Reason are weaker in women then in men we must needs grant That pride as it is till of late more ordinarily discovered in that sex then in the other so it is for the same reason more incident unto them They may have lesse inward worth and beautie to commend them and therefore do they the more paint and adorne the outward Likely it is that they do not so well discerne the simple and naked truth of things and therefore delight themselves in feathers toyes flattering conceits false valuations They are not so well able to study nature as men may and can therefore may they it is not proper to say they may and yet more excuseable it is in them then in men they may please themselves with polished Art at the best but natures Ape rather then with that which is simple and naturall with very appâ—arances affectation and pompe rather then with reality and substance rather with that which is borrowed then with that which is proper and naturall Lastly they may not be so able to study themselves The principles they consist of The foundation they stand on The vilenesse of the body The excellent worth and dignitie of the soul The faculties of both body and soul The excellency of that end for which they received them Where these defects and wants are as in all they are for naturally in all as was said there is more of the fool then of the wise and the more or lesse they are in man or woman accordingly will he and she more or lesse reckon and account of falshood and outward appearances before verities Lying and base vanities before realitie and substance and so are pay'd accordingly with winde and counterfeit ware instead of currant commoditie for these vain conceits and false valuations will prove but poore and shrunken things in the end For from hence it is and so we may go through all things that do lift up man and blow up that bubble hence it is That our clothes made for necessity and ornament yea to make us humble and thankfull humilitie and thankfulnesse still go together do prove so contrary to those ends priding us up in our own conceits and dishonouring us in the eyes of others Hence it is that we are such Fashionists so phantastick and changeable that way That the Taylor can as hardly fit us as the d Plut. Conv. 7. sapient man so goes the fable could fit a garment for the Moon Hence it is That our haire made to cover our scalp doth in a windy humour to a base fashion cover our face and that part of it which of any should not be covered So that which was made for an ornament and we should finde it so if we wanted but an eye-brow is so nourished and let to spread out so that it makes the person look like afurie Hence it is that we do tread like the Antipodes if the word were proper clean contrary to nature hiding that which should be covered and covering that which should be hid Hence it is That our eyes feet fingers our whole gesture and deportment do make so plain a Commentary upon the heart That if I may apply it so he that runnes may read the present humour and state of the minde and will so great a discovery of our dissimulations the gesture is for that speaks to the e Many have secret hearts and transparent countenances Essayes 21. p 128. eye as the tongue to the eare Hence it is That the inward beauty is so neglected and the outward so set out and highly prized when as beauty and strength will be much wasted by one fit of an Ague yea f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil in Hex Hom. 5. quite gone in one night Hence it is That Knowledge doth puff up That Learning makes proud which is not Knowledge indeed nor Learning but our ignorance and going back wards a windie and flatuous conceit of both True Learning the more it is and the truer it is the more it humbles the closer it lies the
refreshments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for our hell here and our Fatherly punishments as for our Heaven hence and our hope of rest He puts afflictions c. into the Catalogue or register of Gods mercies and in the first place Indeed it is no hard matter to open the mouth in way of thankfulnesse for the good things of this life as we call them but to be thankfull for the evills that is an hard task but yet the dayly work of a true Christian The Heathen Philosopher could say g Mar. Aur. Aut. medit 12. B. sect 2. p 197. A wise man should be fitted for all estates and conditions like Empedocles his Allegoricall Spheare or like a square body Throw it you cannot overthrow it cast it down if you can it will stand as upright as before losing nothing at all of its height h Lege ep 168. Basilâ—i And such a man saith he hath gained unto himself great rest and ease for he hath get his minde loose from outward intanglements and that manifold luggage wherewith we are round about incumbred We may discern our selves as we do our metalls best by our falls or casting down if when we are thrown our sound is flat and dull murmuring-wise it argues a leaden spirit * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazâ—anz which sinks under trouble like lead into the waters But if our sound be silver-like cleare and pleasing it argues we are of better orat 18. When there is a storm withâ—ut he keeps his minde cleare within pag. 302. metall That is not silver which comes not clearer out of the fining pot nor is that gold which doth not shine in the fire i Prosperitie doth best discover vice but adversitie doth best discover vertue A good eye is for any colour though all colours are not equally lightsome A good care for every sound though every sound hath not the same gratefulnesse Good teeth are for all meats that are wholesome though all be not alike toothsome so a sound understanding is fit for whatsoever shall happen though every thing which happens is not alike pleasing He that cannot receive evill as we call it from Gods hand as well as good shews that he is of a crazed temper in the Inward man as an eye that seeks after green colours or as teeth after that which is tender which argueth saith the same Philosopher Sore eyes and unsound teeth k Mar. Aur. lib. 10. sect 37. p. 177 I have been long upon the point the longer that I might perswade to a contentednesse in every condition and that we might finde use and pick good out of all But it is the Lord who perswades the heart and He doth it else no condition will please seem it to others never so pleasing To possesse our souls in patience we lose them else is the readiest way to be eased and in time to be exalted The Lord teach thee the wisdome of His people and give thee content in present things understanding in all He subdue thy spirit He meeken thy heart He fashion and mould thy will to a patient submission unto His that it may be as conformable there unto as the wax unto the seal All this God can do He onely And when He hath thus humbled the heart and thus meekned the spirit when he hath thus fashioned it then the work is done and nothing will be grievous It is a remarkable speech from Mr Bradford l â—ox p. 1503. he hath many such but with that one I will conclude and shut up this Though my body be in an house out of which I cannot come when I will for he was in prison yet in that I have conformed my will to Gods will I finde herein libertie enough and for my lodging bedding feeding c. all above my worthinesse worthinesse quoth I alasse I am worthy of nothing but damnation So he wrote to his mother I must tell you also what he said to his friend He was in a strong hold neare the time of his enlargement when he was to passe to his crown but through the fire His friend told him that he would if it pleased intercede with the Queen for his life Do if you will said he if her Majestie will be pleased to give me my life I will thank her if my libertie I will thank her for that if neither of both I will thank her still If she will keep me here I can thank her here if she will send me hence to the stake I can thank Chap. 5 § 1 her there also See what an humble man can do he can smart patiently he can suffer silently he can receive blows and return thanks No murmuring no repining no complaining in his mouth He hath committed his cause to God Learn how contented this man is and observe the patience of the Saints so I have done CHAP. V. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper The mysterie thereof Graces required in those who come to this Table In case these Graces be wanting what is to be done Of Mans worthinesse AND now Childe having made some discoverie unto thee of those our master-sinnes and corruptions which most dishonour our outward man and disturb our inward peace And having supplied unto thee some provision for the better subduing thereof I shall now for thy better provision and preparation also put thee in minde of two extraordinary and solemne approaches both before the Lord and both in the face of the Lords congregation In the one the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we professe by faith to be one with Christ and by union with Him to partake of all His honour and glory In the other falsly by some called a Sacrament also they who were two are made one joyned together in so straight a band that nothing but death or that which is worse and more destroying then death can dissolve We must be well advised before we approach to either of these ordinances for it is for life It was well answered by one who was asked why he took so much pains and was so curious about his work it is said he because I work to eternitie m Pingo aetoâ—â—â—tati Much fitter might the same be said in these cases we must walk warily here we must take pains here for we work to eternitie we receive to eternitie and so we marry too to our eternitie it is for life both and beyond it as farre as the heaven is above the earth A glorious life depends upon the right receiving of the one so do all the comforts of our temporary life depend upon our advised entrance into the other I shall give thee some instructions for this better provision for both And first of the first The Sacrament of the Lords Supper therein we see the Cost of our Redemption and the matter and substance of our Righteousnesse before God which doth consist principally in His body broken upon the crosse and His bloud
base unto it the soul cannot unite with them nor be servant unto them use them she may but she enjoyes God her union there parts unrivets and divorceth her from base unions and fellowships with things below And so much to the second Grace required in the Receiver 3. The third is Love Love to God who loved us first and gave His Sonne that we might not perish Love to to Christ who so dearely bought us a Love as strong as Death which stirres up all the powers of the Body and Soul to love Him again so as we can thinke nothing too much or too hard to do or suffer for Him who hath so abounded towards us The History of His passion is more largely set down then is the History of His Nativitie Resurrection or Ascension and for this reason it is That all the circumstances thereof are so largely set down That our hearts should be enlarged after Christ That we should have largenesse of affection to Him and these steeped as it were in His bloud and crucified to His crosse and buried in His grave And as Love to Him so love to our Brother for His sake * Amicum in Christo inimicum propter Christum It cannot be doubted of in Him that tastes of this Love Feast he partakes of that there which is the cement that sodders and joynes us together e Sanguis Christi coagâ—lum Christianorum as the graines in one Loafe or as the stones in an Arch one staying up another or to speake in the Scriptures expression as members of one Body nay which is yet neerer as members one of another we partake in one house at one table of one bread here is a neere Communion and that calls for as neere an union so the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. One God one Christ See Chrysost on the 1 Cor. Hom. 1. one Spirit one Baptisme one Supper one Faith And all this to make us one That we may keep the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace f Eph. 4 3. But above all The Sacrament of the Supper is ordained for Love But our love to our enemies our shewing the kindnesse of the Lord g 2 Sam. 9. 3. first part p. 71. that is returning good for evill This blessing them who curse us this is all the difficultie and the doubt And hard it is to corrupt nature I remember Salvian saith He that thinks he prayeth for his enemy may be much mistaken he speaks he doth not pray h Si pro adversario orare se cogit loquitur non precatur lib. 2. pag. 70. And yet it is much to consider how farre a common and naturall light hath lead some here in this straight way of forgiving an enemy He was an implacable brother who said let me not live if I be not revenged of my brother The other brother answered And let not me live if I be not reconciled to my brother i Plut. de Fralorno amore And they were brothers too betwixt whom we read never any other contention was but who should dye for the other k Mart. lib. 1. ep 37. So strong a naturall affection hath been and so able to endure wrongs and to right them with good which is our rule and contrary to former customes l Isid Pelus lib. 3. epist 126. 1 Cor 4. 12. 13. Lege Chrys ad Pop. Ant. tract Hom. 9. ω. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plus de Frat. Am. wins the Crown or garland Grace is stronger then Nature it rivets and joynes men together like twin-members eyes hands and feet or like twigs on the same root or stalke which stick alwayes together But especially if we suppose two persons communicating together at the Table of the Lord we must needs grant that in this Communion they see that which will reconcile implacablenesse it self for there they see a free offer of grace and peace not onely to an enemie once but to enmitie it self an infinite debt cancell'd a transgressour from the wombe an infinite transgressour since yet accepted to mercy This will beget again a love to God and to the most implacable enemy for Gods sake thoughts of this will swallow up the greatest injuries If our thoughts be upon the Ten thousand talents we cannot possibly think of requiring the hundred pence this Chrysostome m Vol. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Lege Chrysost in cap. 8. ad Rom. Hom. 14. p. 206. presseth very fully and usefully in his first sermon upon that parable or debtor We must remember alwayes that much love will follow as an effect from the cause where many sinnes are forgiven n Luke 7. 47. Matth. 18. 33. We cannot but think on the equitie of this speech and how inexcusable it must leave an implacable man I forgave thee all thy debt shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servants The summe is and our rule I must love my friend in Christ and my enemie for Christ Catechismes are large here and helps many and it is hard to meet with new meditations on so old a subject handled so fully and usefully by many but His good spirit leade thee by the hand who leades unto all truth It remains onely that I give some satisfaction to a question or two these they are But how if I finde not these graces Repentance faith charitie to be in me how then May I go to this Table or go I as a worthy Communicant A weighty Question this of high and universall concernment For he or she that eats and drinks unworthily are guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord o 1. Cor. 11. 27. The guilt of bloud lieth upon them Now the Lord ever puts a price upon bloud even upon the bloud of beasts upon the bloud of man much more upoÌ„ that bloud that was shed for man how great a price being the bloud of God and the price of souls So then we must be well advised what we do For if we spill mans bloud as God forbid we should for bloud cries yet if we would we have another bloud to cry unto which cries for mercy but if we spill this Bloud and tread it under foot what then whither then shall we flie for mercy when with our own hands we have plucked down our Sanctuary We spill we cast away our right pretious medicine We must then be well advised what we do and be humbled very low for what we have done even to girding with sackcloth and wallowing in dust p Jer. 6. 26. For who is he that may not say even in this case Deliver me from bloud guiltinesse O Lord the God of my salvation q Psal 51. And blessed be God even the God of our salvation that we can in His Name go to bloud for pardon of this crimson sinne even the spilling of His Bloud for so three thousand did before us r Acts 2. And written