of Sinai and Moses went vp from the plaine to it and so saieth he had familiar conuersatiō with the Lord and heere as the Lord commeth down as low as he can in this Sacrament for our capacitie it becōmeth vs to mount vp as high as pos◅ible we can in our affections if so be wee be desirous to meete the Lord otherwise if the Lord shall abide in his glorie and inaccessible light and if man shall lye still in the darke dungeon of this base and earthly minde what familiar meeting can there be betweenne God and man And as to the time Saint Iohn witn◅sseth that our Sauiour ordeined this sacrament when he was to goe out of the world to his father wherin said Augustine Spes membris in Capite data quod essent in illo transeunte sine dubio sequutura Yea not onelie should it nourish our hope that where hee is there once we shall be but should waken our affection and desire to goe after him we should eate and drinke at this holy table not as if we were here to remayne but should celebrate this supper like a passeouer standing as pilgrimes and our loynes gi◅ded vp hauing our staues in our hands readie to follow our Lord who is gone into heauen before vs and euerie day of our communion should bee a new departing of our hearts out of this world vnto our heauenly Father yea wee should receiue this meate from the Lord with that wa◅ning which the Angel gaue to Eliah in the wildernesse vp and ◅ate for thou hast yet a great iourney to goe This bread is giuen vs that in the strength thereof wee may walk forward the way which is before vs not that wee should lie downe and rest vs in this vvildernesse as if we had now attained to the end of our iourney The Angell wakened Eliah twice sleeping vnder the Iuniper twice he touched him and twice he bad him vp eate and walke at length hee rose and vvalked in the strength of that bread forty dayes But alas our securitie is greater then his many a time hath the Lord warned vs of the iourney that is before vs many a time hath hee proposed heauenly food vnto vs and now against this day the Lord reneweth his mercy towards vs. The Lord vvaken vs and graunt at the length that wee may rise and walke following the Lord till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion But of all other meanes the most forcible to rauish our hearts after the Lord is a deepe meditation of the loue of God towards vs. The Apostle protesteth it is a loue that passeth knowledge the height breadth the length and depth vvhereof none is able to comprehend he that at one time cryed out Come and I will tell you what God hath done to my soule is compelled another time to confesse O Lord my God thou hast made thy wonderfull works so many that none can count in order to thee the thoughts towards vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse And yet although vvee bee lesse able then the Elephant at one draught to drink vp the Riuer of Iordaine let vs bee content with the wearyed Passenger willingly to take in so much as may refresh vs we cannot measure the waters of the Sea in our fist nor number the stars of heauen and how then shall vvee number his mercyes which are aboue all his workes shall vvee therefore not looke to them nor behold that glory of God which shineth in them Though we cannot comprehend his incomprehensible loue yea blessed are wee if it shall comprehend vs let vs notwithstanding earnestly and feruently meditate vpon it not by starts and vanishing motions for as a Candle doth not at the first receiue light from the fire were it neuer so blowne but if for a time it bee holden constantly to the fire it is at the length enlightened so it is not vanishing meditations that will warme our harts vvith the Loue of God but if wee shall continue without wearying to exercise our thoughts vpon this great loue that the Lord hath borne towards vs it shall happely fall out at length that the powers of our Soule shall bee inflamed with his loue and vve shall find the sauour of death in euery thing that smelleth not of his loue No greater Loue then this sayeth our Sauiour can bee shewed among men then that a man should bestow his life for his friends but that which man is not able to shew our Lord Iesus God and man hath shewed to his children his good will for the Loue hee bore to vs hee gaue himselfe in a sacrifice for our sinnes on the Crosse euen when wee vvere his enimies and hath here in this Sacrament giuen himselfe a food and nourishment vnto vs for so that disciple beloued of him doth testifie When Iesus knew that his houre was come that hee should goe out of the world vnto his Father forasmuch as hee loued his owne vnto the end hee loued them therefore did hee institute this Sacrament that therein he might communicate himselfe to them O wonderfull loue stronger then the loue of Ionathan to Dauid When Ionathan and Dauid were forced to part company because of Sauls Tyranny Ionathan gaue Dauid his Garment his Girdle and his Armour he had no better and could giue no better and so with many teares and mutuall imbracings departed from him but our blessed Sauiour before hee remoued his corporall presence from vs gaue his life to redeeme our life from the death hee sent out bloudie sweat aboundantly as the witnesses of his burning loue towards vs hee powred out an euerlasting prayer to his father for vs he hath left behinde him in his last will his peace for our portion hee hath giuen vs his spirit for a Comforter his Word for a warner and this Sacrament for a spirituall foode vntill his second comming againe No meruaile his spouse in the Canticles praised his loue to be far aboue the loue of women for though in some of them the naturall strength of affection bee so great that it makes them indure the painefull bearing and bringing vp of their children with the milke of their breasts yet what is that comparable to this nothing indeede Such a Loue as here our Sauiour hath discouered towards vs is not to bee found againe in the world for whereas mothers saith Chrisostome eyther commit their Children to Nurses or else brings them vp vpon the milke of their owne breasts Iesus Christ feeds vs not with the milke of another but with his owne flesh and his owne bloud Necessitie sometime hath compelled the Mother to eate her owne Children but we neuer read that compassion hath moued the mother to giue her owne flesh to preserue her Children that they should not dye in famine But our Lord Iesus is that
THE Triumph of a Christian Contayning three excellent and heauenly Treatises 1 Iacobs wrestling with God 2 The Conduit of Comfort 3 A Preparatiue for the Lords supper Full of sweet consolations for all that desire the comfortable sweetnesse of Iesus Christ and necessary for those who are troubled in Conscience Written by that worthy man Master William Couper Minister of Gods word Commit thy way vnto God and hee shall bring it to passe LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge and are to be sould at the great South doore of Paules Church 1608. TO THE VERY GODLY and right Noble Lady my Lady Mary Stewart Countesse of Marre RIght noble Lady The Church of God is compared by Salomon to a terrible army wherin are bands of strong men and valiant Israelits expert in the war and that can handle the sword And euery Booke of sacred Scripture we may call a seuerall Armour-house furnished better then that house of Lebanon which Salomon stored with shields and Targets of Gold In it are weapons of war both invasiue and defensiue armour conuenient for euery state of life and meet for euery kinde of battell wherewith our aduersaries are able to assault vs. But as Dauids Woorthies were not all of one valour for Abishai chiefe of the second three yet diâ—… not attaine vnto the first three So haue not all the Warriours of Christ a likâ—… strongth skil to fight the Lords battels And therefore we who are but nouices in the spirituall warfare as wee should bee carefull euery day to put on the compleat armour of God that wee may stand so should wee diligently take heede to other valiant Wrestlers who through Faith and Patience haue inherited the promises before vs that wee may learne of them how to weild our weapon in the spirituall warfare Among many whose battels are registred in the booke of God for our instruction I haue here brought in worthy Iacob a wrestler from the wombe euen to the day of his death who in this his singular most rare wrestling with God let vs see an Image of Gods wrestling with his Children the varietie of tentations wherby he proues vs and the meanes by which we stand Sundry others before mee haue written learnedly and largely of this subiect but I haue laboured as farre as I could to eschew coincident doctrine and haue principally indeuoured my selfe to search out such obseruations as through experience by the grace of God I haue found most comfortable for such as are exercised in conscience And these right Noble Lady I haue beene bolde to Dedicate vnto your Honour as vnto one who hauing obtained mercy of God is through his grace daily exercised in the spirituall warfare Accept it therefore as a testimonie of that loue and reuerence that I beare to that grace of God which is manifest in you for the encrease whereof I daily pray vnto God that he would confirme you to the end and bring forward his owne worke in you to perfection Your Ladiships in our common Sauiour the Lord Iesus WILLIAM COVVPER GENESIS Cap. 32. Ver. 24. 24 NOw when Iacob was left himselfe alone there wrestled a man with him vnto the breaking of the day 25 And he saw that he could not prevaile against him therfore he touched the hollow of his thigh the hollow of Iacobs thigh was loosed as hâ—… wrestled with him 26 And hee said let me goe For the morning appeareth who answered I will not let thee goe except thou blesse mee 27 Then said he what is thy name and he said Iacob 28 Then said he thy name shall be called Iacob no more but Israell because thou hast had power with God thou shalt also preuaile with men 29 Then Iacob demanded tell me thy name I pray thee and he answered wherfore now dost thou aske my name and he blessed him there 30 And Iacob called the name of that place Peniel for said he I haue seene God face to face and my life is preserued 31 And the Sun rose to him as he passed Peniell and he halted vpon his thigh CHAP. I. A priuiledge of the Godly that say God is with them none can be against them to hurt them My helpe is in the name of the Lord. IT is a comfortable saying for the Godly that is set downe by the Apostle If God be with vs who can be against vs This sentence doth not denie but that good men euen in a good course may haue enimies but it doth import this comfort that the opposition which is made vnto them cannot hurt them we may be cast downe but wee cannot perish Our enimies may trouble vs but cannot ouercome vs. Yea capitis poena nos possunt afficere nocere non possunt they may take the head from vs but cannot hurt vs. It is not for this life they fight who haue laid hold on eternall life our joy and our crowne none are able to take from vs. Uerè enim tuta pro Christo cuÌ„ Christo pugna in qua nec vulneratus nec occisus fraudabiris victoria There is no danger in that battaile wherin we fight for Christ and with Christ for we are sure that whether we be wounded or slaine wee shall not be defrauded of the victory Iacob here a good man is in a good course for he is trauailing at the Lords commaund from Padan Araâ—… vnto Canaan yet is he troubled with enimies for Laban pursues him behinde and Esau commeth against him before but both of them labour in vaine because God is with him The Lord doth in such sort bridle the rage of Laban that albeit he marched after Iacob more furiously then Iehu the sonne of Nimshi marched after Iehoram thinking to satisfie his discontented minde by reducing Iacob to a greater slauery then hee was in before yet the Lord puts inhibition to the conclusions of his hart and makes him faine to sue for Iacobs friendship and to enter into a couenant of peace with him Yea which is more comfortable the Lord maketh Laban himselfe a preacher of Gods prouidence in mercy watching ouer Iacob Thus the Lord bridleth Laban and sends him backe againe to his owne harme without doing harme to Iacob or any of his And as to Esau the Lord in like manner changes his cruell Heart and makes him fauourable to Iacob so that the same hands wherwith once he thought to haue slaine him embraces him and with the same mouth that once vowed to haue his life he kisses him so sure are they vnto whom the Lord is a protectour For when the wayes of a man please the Lord he can make his enimies his friends If yee will marke and consider this History that the Lord so carefully wayâ—…es vpon his seruant Iacob that for euery trouble which arises to him he acquaints him euer with some new and singular Consolation In the beginning of this Chapter the Angels of the Lord appeared vnto Iacob to comfort him they brought him
that spirituall desertions are prouocations whereby God his Children are wakened more effectuously to desire the continuance of Gods mercy with them When lesus Christ accompanied his two Disciples vnto Emaus communed with them by the way when they drew neere to the towne Iesus made him saith the Euangelist as if he would haue gone a little further onely to stirre them to seeke his abiding with them In the doing of our Sauiour is figured vnto vs the manner of the Lords working with his children who sometimes doth so behaue himselfe as if he were instantly to depart and take his holy Spirit from them which mints of spirituall desertion because they are exceeding grieuous to the godly let vs for our comfort consider the Lord by them seeketh no other thing but to encrease our faith to kindle our loue to stirre vs vp vnto greater feruency in prayer that we may vvith Iacob constrayne the Lord to tarry and blesse vs. And with the two Disciples may cry Lord abide with vs and forsake vs not For we are to vnderstand that the same blessings which God hath concluded to bestow vpon his children he will haue vs to aske them before that he giue them the Lord came at this time to Iacob of purpose to blesse him and yet he makes as if he would go away and not blesse him not that hee had changed his minde but because he will haue Iacob to pray for that blessing of corroboration which he had concluded to giue him And let this warne vs in the least threatning of a spirituall desertion to lay holde on the Lord by prayer least for fault of seeking wee close vp the Lords hands which are full of blessings ready to bee bestowed vpon vs. Againe we are to consider that the Lords presence in a like manner cannot be continually kept in this life neither from the beginning haue any of the children of God enioyed it at all times Where for the better vnderstanding of the lesson and our farther comfort we must distinguish between thâ—…se two kindes of the Lords presence there is a presence of the Lord which is felt and perceiued there is another which is secret and not perceiued yet knowen by the effects The secret presence of God is continually vvith his children vvhere-euer they goe ruling guiding sustayning them in all their troubles according to his promise when thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee that they doe not ouerslow thee when thou walkest through the sire thou shalt not be burnt As to vs wee haue our owne vicissitudes of feeling and not feeling wee are changeable but the Lord remayneth the same whom hee loues hee loueth to the end hee will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs but by his secret presence he intertaines life in our soules when to our owne judge ment wee are become altogether dead and senceles as there is a substance in the Elme and Oke euen when they haue cast their leaues And thâ—…s as I sayd appeareth by the effects that vve haue stood in many tentations wherein wee could feele no present grace vpholding vs. CHAP. XIII What notable effects the felt presence of God bringeth with it THe other sort is when not onely God is present vvith his children but also make themselues sensibly perceiue it by inward glorious feelings this presence when we get it makes a sodaine change of the whole man it raises vs from death to life it maketh a comfortable light to shine vvhere fearfull darknesse abounded it makes our faith liuely our loue feâ—…ent our zeale burning and our prayer earnest Then is our water turned to wine our sighes are turned into songs our mourning into glorious reioycing because the Bridegroome is with vs and the Comforter that doth refresh our soule is come to visite vs. This presence is as euidently felt of them to whom it is graunted as was that descending of the holy Ghost perceiued of the Apostles to whom he came This presence sometime is graunted before trouble as here vnto Iacob and then it is a preparation of him that gets it to the battell it embouldens incourages and strengthens him in such sort that hee feares not in Gods cause to encounter vvith vvhatsoeuer aduersarie He triumphs vvith Dauid the Lord is the light of my saluation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my liâ—…e of whom shall I be afraid This presence makes Iacob with his familie goe forward in the face of Esaâ—… and of his armed men vvithout feare where before he was afraid at the rumour of his comming This presence made Moses lightly regard the angry countenance of Pharaoh because hee had seene him who was inuisible This presence made Paul goe vp with joy to Ierusalem where he knew he should be in chains for the name of Iefus This presence hath emboldened many faithfull Martyres to offer their bodies more freely and willingly to the fire for the testimony of Iesus then euer any worldling hath stept into his bath to wash himselfe or to his bed to rest him Let Peter bee prepared with this presence and hee will preach Christ boldly in the face of a Counsell that condemned Christ Let Peter bee vnprepared of this presence and hee will denie Christ at the voyce of a sâ—…ple damsell Sometime againe this prescence is graunted to his Children after their long continuance in some trouble and then it is to them as the neesings of that childe whom after swouning Elisha reduced vnto life or as a glimps of the bright shining Sunne to the tender fruites of the earth which before hath beene oppressed with blasting and consuming tempests it brings to the children of God a pacifying of all these distrustfull perturbations which did before disquiet them yea it so delights and rauishes them that with the three Disciples on Mount Tabor when they had seene a little glance of Christs glory they cry out It is good for vs to bee here Yea they wish oh that my soule might for euer abide in this happy state and condition But as I said before to enjoy the Lord continually in this manner is not giuen to any man vpon earth for a while he will be familiar with thee as hee was with Iacob but soone after he must goe and thou must learne to reuerence this dispensation of his presence and not to be dis couraged because for a while he is gone from thee yea albeit with Mary one sword of many sorrowes should peirce through thy soule yet with her also magnifie the Lord and let thy spirit reioyce in God thy sauior blessing him with hart mouth that he looked to the base estate of his seruant Account thy selfe happy that at any time the Lord shewes thee his mercifull face being assured that he who hath giuen thee an earnest penny wil in his own good time giue thee the principall summe and that the glimps of mercy
best to them that loue the Lord not according to his purpose in deede but because the Lord trappeth him in his owne snare If vnder the serpents shape hee deceiued Adam vnder the Serpents name shall the Lord curse him and all these weapons whereby hee intends to destroy the worke of Gods grace in vs shall the Lord make forcible to destroy the workmanship of Sathan in vs I meane that whole bastard generation of sinfull affections which Sathan hath begotten vpon our mutable nature by a most vnhappy and vnlawfull copulation The experience of all the saints of God will proue this that Sathan by his restles temptations doth destroy himselfe which is most euident both in his temptations for sin which tend to desperation as also in his temptations to sin which tend to presumption Eâ—…ery accusation of the conscience for by-past sins is a preseruatiue to the child of God to keepe him from sinne in time to come hee reasoning with himselfe after this manner If my eni mie doth so disquiet my mind with inward terrors for these sins which foolishly I did by his inticement why shal I harken to him any more hereafter and so increase the matter of my trouble for what fruite haue I of all the sinnes whereof I tooke pleasure but terrour and shame And shall I looke that this forbidden Tree shall render any better fruite hereafter O what a faithlesse traytor is Sathan he intiâ—…eth man vnto sinne and when hee hath done it hee is the first accuser and troubler of man for sinne When hee works in vs he is a temptor when we haue finished his worke which is fin hee is an accuser of vs to the iudge and when he returneth hee returneth as a troubler and a tormentor of vs for our sins Stop thy eare therefore O my soule from the voyce of this deceitfull enchaunter His temptations againe vnto sinne are so many prouocations spurring vs forward to the throne or grace for whilst we finde his restlesse malice pursuing that sparkle of spirituall life whereby the Lord hath quicned vs and our owne weaknesse and inhabilitie to resist him then wee are forced with Israel in Aegipt to sigh for the thraldome and to cry with Iosah O Lord our God we wot not what to do but our eies are turned toward thee And who feeles not this that the grace of feruent prayer wherein otherwise wee faint our hands being more ready to fall downe then the hands of Moses except they bee supported is greatly weakned and abridged in the children of God by the buffets of Sathan So they weakned the holy Apostle and stirred him vp to such feruency in praier that hee besought the Lord thrice that is many times to deliuer him from them Yea which is more the Lord made them effectuall meanes to beate downe the power of naturall pride in him least he should haue beene exalted out of measure through the greatnesse of his reuelations A wonderfull worke that the Father of pride becommeth against his wil a represser of pride and hee who first powred this poyson into the nature of Man is made contrary to his entent an instrument to suppresse it Thus the Lord our God out-shooteth Sathan in his owne bow and with the sword of Goliah cutteth off his owne head his holy name be praised therefore for euer Now as concerning outward afflictions it is true that as the Philistins could not vnderstand Sampsons Riddle how sweet came out of the sower and meate out of the eater So can no Worldlings vnderstand that tribulation bringeth out Patience and that our light and momentary afflictions causeth vnto vs a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory but the Children of God haue learned by experience that albeit no visitation be sweet for the present yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them vvho are thereby exercised that there is more solide joy in suffring rebuke with Christ then in all the pleasure of sinne which indure but for a season For as Moses the mediator of the old Testament by his prayer made the bitter waters of Marah sweete that the Israelites might drinke of it so Iesus the mediator of the new Testament by his passion hath mittigated to his Children the bitternes of the Crosse and not onely mixed it with joy but made it most profitable The forlorne Son concluded neuer to returne home to his Father till he was brought low by affliction And many in the Gospell were forced by corporall diseases to run to Iesus where others enjoying bodily health did nothing but disdaine him The earth which is not tilled and broken beares nothing but Thornes and Bryers the Vines waxe wilde by time except they be pruned and cut so would our vaine hearts ouergrowe with vilde affections if the Lord by sanctified trouble did not continually manure them Therefore said Ieremy It is good for a man to beare the yoke in 〈◊〉 youth And Dauid confessed It was good for him that hee was afflicted Yea saith our Sauiour Euery branch that beares fruite my heauenly Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite No work can be made of Gold and Siluer without fire and stones are not meet for Pallace worke except they be pollished and squared by hammering no more is it possible that wee can bee vessels of Honour in the houses of our God except first wee bee sined and melted in the fire of Affliction neither can wee bee as liuing sâ—…ones to be placed in the wall of the heauenly Ierusalem except so long as wee be here the hand of God beate vs from our proud lumps by the hammer of Affliction As standing waters putrifies and rotâ—… so the wicked feares not God saith the Psalmist because they haue no changes And Moab keepes his sent saith the Prophet because he was not powred from Vessell to Vessell but hath beene at rest euer since his youth And therefore O Lord rather then we should keepe the old sent of our naturall corruption and liue in carelesse securitie without the feare of thy holy name and so become sit-fasts in our sins no rather O Lord change thou vs from estate to estate waken vs with the presence of thy hand purge vs Lord with thy fire and chastice vs with thy rods alway O Lord with a protestation that thou stand to thy promise made to the Sons of Dauid I will visite them with my rods if they sinne against mee but my mercy will I neuer take from them CHAP. V. How death also workes for the best to Christians THe same comfort haue vvee also against death that now in Christ Iesus it is not a punishment of our sinnes but a full accomplishment of the motificatian of sinne both in soule and body for by it all the Conduits of sinne are stopped the weapons of vnrighteousnesse broken and though our bodyes seeme to bee consumed yet
Calling that ye haue bene baptized in the name of Iesus and communicated at his holy table for not euerie one that sayes Lord Lord shall enter into his kingdom except ye find also the Lords inward and effectuall Calling that the arme of his grace hath drawne you within the compasse of this third circle and so brought you to be of his owne third part and set you downe among the generation of them that seeke the face of God and therfore forsakes their sinnes that they may finde him CHAP. XIII Of the inward Calling THen wee see this excellent priuiledge is restrained to them who are called inwardly and therefore let vs yet a little consider it This inward Calling is the Communication of Christs sauing grace vvhereby the minde is inlightened the heart purified by faith the affections sanctified and the whole man reformed For as the Lord by his Gospell offers to his children righteousnesse and life so by his holy spirit he giues them that iustifying Faith and openeth their hearts to receiue that Grace which is preached and proclaimed to them in the Gospel So then this worke of our Calling is altogether the Lords It is his praise that hee cals things which are not and makes them to be the Lord that commaunded light to shine out of darknesse hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Christ Iesus hee it is that creates in vs a new heart and putteth a new spirit into our bowels that vvee may walke in his statutes The Lord promised that hee would call many of the Gentiles to the spiritual Ierusalem to suck out the milke of the breasts of her consolation and be delighted with the brightnesse of his glory shall I cause others to bee fruitfull saith the Lord and remaine barren my selfe and this his gracious promise hath he most abundantly performed in our dayes his name be praised therefore As this worke is onely the Lords so he restraines it onely to them who are his owne The outward Calling is extended to all but the inward calling makes a particular seperation of a few from the remnant where it is wonderfull to see the distinction which is made betwixt man and man in all rankes and estates by this effectuall calling of two Brethren as Iacob and Esau of two Prophets as Moses and Balaam of two Kings as Dauid and Saul of two Apostles as Peter and Iudas of two theeues the one is taken the other reiected and thus the arme of the grace of God goes through to euerie corner of the earth according to his pleasure culling out by his word from among the remnant of the world those who belong to his Election This grace of God it enters in a Land and not into euery Cittie it enters into a Cittie but not into euery Familie yea it will enter into a Familie and â—…et not come to euery person of the Familie or husband and wife of Maisters and Seruants of Parents and Children of Brethren and Sisters oftentimes the one is taken the other is left It came to Iericho and chose out Zacheus It came to Philipi and weiled out Lidia and the Iaylor It came to Nero his court and not to himselfe It entred into the familie of Narcissus and yet past by Narcissus himselfe It is the worke of God and merueilous in our eies The Gospell is preached to many but the blessing brought by the Gospell lights onely vpon the children of grace And hereof ariseth this dayly distinction which we see betweene man and man all heare alike but all haue not Faith all are not edified alike Some forsake their sins and followes the Lord others forsaking the Lord walkes on in their sinnes As the Lord gouerneth the raine and makes it fall vpon one Cittie and not vpon another so hee dispenseth the dew of his grace that hee makes it droppe downe vpon one heart and not vpon another And of this I would wish that so many of you as yet are strangers from Grace should learne to know your miserable state What a fearefull thing is this that God hath conuerted so many in the Cittie wherein thou dwellest yea perhaps many in the familie wherein thou remainest and yet his grace neuer lighted vpon thee but thou art left in thy olde sinnes Consider it rightly I pray you If the Lord should do to you as hee did to Israel in the daies of Achab causing it to raine for three yeares a halfe on all the lands about you but not vpon your Land would you not conceiue in it a sensible curse of God vpon you O Hypocrite thou that canst discerne the face of the skie and take vp the tokens of Gods anger in the creature canst thou not discerne the state of thine owne soule nor apprehend this for a sensible curse that thirty or forty yeares the showers of sauing and renewing grace hath descended vpon the people round about thee but neuer vpon thy selfe thou possessest thy old sins and keepest still a hard a barren and a fruitlesse heart What shall I say to thee to cut thee off from all hope of mercie and so send thee to despaire I haue not that in commission the Lord hath his owne time of calling and can when he will of Saul a persecutor make Paul a Preacher But one thing I can certifie â—…hee of so long as thou aâ—…t in that state mourne if thou vvilt thou hast much cause of mourning for if this effectuall calling by grace goe by thee in time to come as it hath done in time beganne it is an euident declaration that thou art a man reserued to wrath and not ordained to mercie CHAP. XIIII In the inward calling the Lord begins at the illumination of the minde NOw that this Calling flowing from Election may bee yet made sure to our Consciences for our greater comfort let vs marke the manner of the Lords proceeding into it and so gather vp some tokens whereby vvee may discerne it As in the first creation the Lord began at the light so in the second Creation he begins at the illumination of the minde For wee can neither know the Lord to feare and loue him neyther yet our selues and our sinnes aright till the Lord vvho commanded light to shine out of darknesse shine also into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of GOD in the face of Iesus Christ and this light of God discouers to vs so many workes of darknes wherewith in ignorance wee defiled our Consciences that wee begin to be ashamed of our selues in the sight of God yea our very flesh trembleth for feare of his iudgements and vvee crie out with Iob Now my eye hath seene the Lord therefore I abhorre my selfe And thus the Lord proceeds from the minde to the heart working into it such a contrition and godly sorrow as causeth repentance vnto saluation whereby the heart that
were not vvorthy of the least and hath set vs downe as Sonnes and Daughters and Heires at the Table of his children that were not vvorthy as dogs and whelps to creepe vnder it haue vve not cause to crie out with Dauid O Lord what is man that this manner of way thou art mindfull of him Elizabeth maruailed that Mary came to visite her and in the humility of her heart cryed out Whence commeth this that the mother of my Lord should come vnto mee but we haue more cause to maruell at the maruailous mercies of the Lord for what are we that the fairest among the Children of men should be delighted with our loue and our Lord should come to visit the base estate of his Seruants communicate himselfe his light his life and his grace vnto vs Let no man thinke that I haue multiplied these places of scripture vvithout a cause The beginning of the diuision betweene vs and the Lord slowed from the pride of our nature vnlesse vve humble our selues and bee content in our minde to sit lower then dust and ashes by reason of our sin it is not possible vve can bee vnited with the Lord This is the councell that in fevv vvords Michah giueth vnto vs He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercie to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God The Lord is indeed a most high God yet he is nearest vnto them and they goe soonest vp vnto him who are least in their owne eyes and tremble at his words And beside this inward humiliation arising of the sence of our own vnworthinesse let vs come with a hunger thirst of the Lord his righteousnesse saluation For he will satisfie the hungry but the full he sendeth away emptie onely they that haue the spiritual appetite hunger thirst are meete to be communicants at this holy table As that oyle multiplyed by Elisha ceased not so long as the widdow had any vessell wherein to receiue it so shall neuer that oyle of grace decay but be multiplyed and increased vnto all that with open and inlarged hearts are ready to receiue it Thou therefore who art more ready to faint for spirituall hunger then was Ionathan come hether put out the hand of faith eate of this hony make thee full and thou that art sicke with the Spouse in the Canticles for the loue of Iesus come hether and the Lord shall stay thee with the flagons of his wine Art thou almost dead like that Egyptian the Seruant of an Amalekite whom Dauid found in the fields take and eate of this bread and thy Spirit shall returne againe vnto thee But alas where is this spirituall appetite to be found amongst vs the deadnes of our hart is lamentable wee see not our wants wee see not his beauty wee smell not his oyntments wee tast little of his goodnesse and therefore we make not hast to run after him Dauid mourned ouer the dead body of Abner but alas if wee could wee haue much more cause to mouâ—…ne ouer our dead soules Oh that there were in vs that holy desire which Dauid protesteth to haue beene in him My soule fainteth for the saluation of God As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters and thirstie ground desireth raine so my soule panteth after the liuing God Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for his righteousnesse for they shall bee satisfied These onely are the guests and banquetters that shall eate of the delicates which here hee hath prepared and whose soule shall bee delighted with his fatnesse These shall goe from this Table as Moses came downe from Mount Sinai his countenance changed They shall arise with Eliah and walke on in the strength of this bread all the whole dayes of their pilgrimage They shall goe on in their way with Sampson eating of the hony which they haue found They shall depart from this Table as the two Maryes did from the Sepulcher with great ioy These shall goe home to their owne houses iustified with the Publican reioycing because they haue found a treasure and hath felt the sweetnesse of this Manna they shall not bee able to conceale this great ioy from Israell but shall be forced to tell euery Nathaniell whom they meete We haue found the Messiah And in all time to come their soule shall cleaue to the Lord without separation more straightly then the men of Iudah and Ierusalem cleaued vnto Dauid their King They shall say to the Lord as Elizeus said to Eliah As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I wil not leaue thee and with Peter whither O Lord shall I goe from thee seeing thou hast the words of eternall life The Lord worke this spirituall disposition in vs for Iesus Christs sake to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory for euer FINIS A Table wherein all the Chapters of the three forenamed Bookes are particularly set downe 1. Iacobs wrestling with God A Priuiledge of the Godly that say God is with them none can bee against them to hurt them Chap. 1 Gods fatherly compassion appeares in that he handles vs most tenderly when we are weakest Chap. 2 The cause mouing the Lord to appeare to Iacob at this time Chap. 3 The first circumstance the time of the wrestling Chap. 4 The second circumstance the persons betweene whom the wrestling is Cha. 5 Consolations for the Godly afflicted Chap. 6 Comfort for Christs souldiers Chap. 7 The third circumstance the manner of the wrestling corporall spirituall or mixt Chap. 8 How we should behaue our selues in this tentation we are taught Chap. 9 Let vs euer leane to the word of God how strange soeuer his worke seeme vnto vs. Chap. 10 Verse 25. And when he saw that he could not preuaile Chap. 11 Vers. 26. And he said let me go Chap. 12 What notable effects the felt presence of God bringeth with it Chap. 13 The presence or absence of God is euer dispensed for the weale of his owne Children Chap. 14 How their inward exercises of conscience workes in the godly a diuorcement of their soules from all Creatures and a neerer adherent to the Lord. Cha. 15 Prayers of the Godly must be forcible acceptable to God seeing they come from his owne Spirit Chap. 16 Iacob cannot end till God haue blessed him Chap. 17 Faith through death espies life Chap. 18 The Godly in their prayers aboue all things seeke Gods fauour and blessing Chap. 19 Worldlings in their Prayers dishonour God and preiudges themselues Chap. 20 Faith obtaines euery good thing that it craues Chap. 21 Verse 27. Then he said It is the curse of the wicked to pray and not preuaile but it is not so with the Godly Chap. 22 The Lord by inward exercises of conscience makes his children strong to