our possession they shall be found but comfortles comforts in the end vnlesse we enjoy his fauour towards vs in Iesus Christ. CHAP. XXI Faith obtaines euery good thing that iâ—… craues Verse 27. Then hee said VPon this earnest desire of Iacob the Lord resolues that hee will blesse him we haue a promise of God Aske and it shall be giuen you we haue also manifold confirmations of this promise Zedekiah spoke it in a slattering manner to his Princes Ye know that the King can denie you nothing but it is most true in the Lord our God such is his louing affection towards all his subiects of the kingdome of grace that in very deed he can deny nothing which they ask in faith As to the wicked saith S. Iames they ask get not because they ask not in faith nor for the right end It is written of Uitellius the Emperour that one of his friends being denied his petition which was not rea sonable waxed angry and said vnto him what auailes to me thy friendship seeing I cannot obtaine that vvhich I craue vvho replyes vnto him what auailes to mee thy friendship if for thee I must do that which is vnlawful If such equitie hath beene found in man vvhat shall vve think of our God with vvhat face dare wee seeke that from God vvhich is vnlawfull to bee giuen But whatsoeuer vve aske of the Lord in faith we are sure to obtaine it or a better So rare a jewell is faith that hee vvho hath it hath all things to bee his God for his Father Iesus Christ for his Sauiour the holy Ghost for his Comforteâ—… the Angels for his ministâ—…ing Spirits this world for a sojourning place all the good creatures therein for his Seruants and the heauen for his inheritance therfore said Cyril Lata merâ—…atura est sides Before the Lord blesse him he asks Iacob what his name vvas hee answered My name is Iacob to vvhom the Lord sayes Thou shalt no more bee called Iacob onely but shalt be called Israell also I giue thee now a new name and this blessing that thou hast had power with God so hereafter shalt thou preuaile with men feare not therefore the face of thy Brother Esau. Hee that gaue thee strength in this vvrestling shall sustaine thee also in all thy conflicts with men Thus the Lord will haue Iacob vse the present experience of Gods mercy at this time as a confirmation of him in all time to come Iacob then as yee see hath two names and both of them he gets from wrestling Hee wrestled once vvith his brother Esau in the wombe of his mother and from it he receiued the name Iacob because he held his brother by the heele Now againe hee wrestleth with the Lord and from it he receiueth this other name Israel a prince of God As it was with Iacob so it is with all the true Israelits of God wrestling abides them and in wrestling they must bee exercised sometimes vvith God as Israell sometime with man as Iacob with Esau and Paul with beasts at Ephesus No man is crowned before he striue the husbandman must labour before he receiue the fruit and wee by many tribulations must enter into the kingdom of God Againe yee see that as the Lord bestoweth vpon Iacob a new name so therewithall hee bestoweth vpon him new graces increase of faith and spirituall strength to resist tentations It is not the Lords manner of dealing to set out his seruants with vaine glorious titles which imports nothing when hee giues them a new name he giueth also new graces answerable to the name by his vvord he cals things to be which vvere not Soli Deo idem facere quod loqui for vnto God it is one to speake and to doe And hee giues names to things according as they are Somtime he changeth a name from the better to the vvorse as the place once called Bethel the house of God the Lord called it Bethauen the house of vanitie and this the Lord doth not but where a change is indeed from good vnto euill Sometime againe hee changeth the name from the worse to the better Where it was said vnto you Yee are not my people it shall be said yee are the sons of the liuing God and this he doth not but vvhere a change is indeede of the persons who gets the name from euill vnto good And this is a rule whereby we may try our selues vvhether the new name that appertaineth to Christians be ginen vnto vs of the Lord or not or if vvee haue vsurped it our selues If the Lord haue changed thy name as he did Iacobs name let it appeare in this that he hath also changed thy selfe Hath he giuen thee that grace which the name imports Hast thou receiued an oyntment from that holy One Hath he illuminated thy darknes quickned thy dead heart sanctified thy vnclean affections Then maist thou be sure that thou hast receiued thy name from God but if yet we be such as remain in our naturall estate liuing in our old sinnes vnder the new name of a Christian as now the most profane men haue gotten on the couering of a Christian name Esau doth put on him the apparrell of Iacob thou that so dost maist bee sure the Lord neuer gaue vnto thee this new name but thou hast violently vsurped it vnto thy selfe It shall be no more auaileable to thee then was the garment of good king Iehosophat vnto wicked Achab yea it shall augment so much the more the wrath of God vpon thee because that vnder an holy name thou hast liued an vnholy life Beltasar sinned against God by excesse and intemperancie but that hee abused the holy vessels of the house of God to serue him to prophane drinking was a double sinne a horrible sacriledge yet not so horrible as thine Hee abused dead Vessels but thou profanest a liuing soule body they are not thine owne they were once made by the Lord and bought againe by the price of his bloud and so by all right are the Lords by Baptisme they were separate to the seruice of God and his mark put vpon them Notwithstanding all this thou darest sacrilegiously abuse them and make them weapons of vnrighteousnesse to the seruice of Sathan O miserable man what fearefull judgement maist thou looke for at the hands of God The wrath of God is reuealed against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of man Tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill euery man shall receiue according to that which hee hath done in the body Turkes and Pagans shall not escape vnpunisht but thou that abusest thy soule and body to the seruice of Sathan which by Baptisme wert separate consecrate to the Lord committest a double sacriledge and therefore must looke for a double judgement except in time thou repent CHAP. XXII It is the curse of the wicked to pray
hath he vttered toward man his wonderfull loue Man being man onely aspired to be like vnto God and so lost himselfe that now hee is become worse then a Companion to beasts But Iesus being very God was content to become man that he might saue man vvho vvas lost O how hath the loue of Iesus ouercome our ingratitude hee became the sonne of man to make vs the sonnes of God he hath taken on him our sinnes and giuen to vs his righteousnesse he refused not to vndergo that death which vvas due vnto vs that he might make vs pertakers of his life In a word Quod homo est Christus voluit esse vt homo possit esse quod Christus est That vvhich Man is Christ would bee that man might bee made that which Christ is and therefore Humiliauit se vt populum qui iacebat erigeret vulneratus est vt vulnera nostra sanaret seruiuit vt ad libertatem seruientes extraheret mori sustinuit vt moriens immortalitatem mortalibus exhiberet Hee vvas humbled himselfe that he might raise vp his people lying in bondage He was wounded for our transgressions that by his stripes wee might be healed He became a seruant that wee vvho vvere seruants might be restored to liberty He suffered death that he dying might giue immortalitie to vs that are mortall This is O Lord the greatnesse of thy loue towards vs the length and breadth the height and depth whereof all thy Saints are not able to comprehend But O Lord graunt that vve may daily grow in the feeling therof that with joy of heart wee may resigne our selues fully to thine only seruice vvho so willingly hastâ—… giuen thy selfe to be ours But to returne to the consideration of the persons who wrestles yee may meruaile what wrestling can bee betweene parties so vnequall betweene God and Man betweene the Creatour and the Creature betweene the Potter and his Vessell When the Lord is angry the foundations of the mountains and earth doe shake Hee breaks downe and it cannot be built he shuts vp and it cannot be loosed The pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe at his rebuke hee dryes vp the sea and maketh the floud desart there fish rot for want of water and dye for thirst Hee clothes the heauens with darknesse hee biddeth his lightning walke and they say Loe here we are he maketh the pot to boyle like ae pot of oyntment who is able to stand before this holy Lord And how then is it that Iacob is brought in here as a wrestler with the Lord But here ye must consider the parties as they are set downe in this conflict by Moses The Lord in this wrestling vtters not himselfe as the mightie God hee shews not himselfe in his power for so should hee easily haue confounded his creature but the Lord vttereth himselfe as a man and a man in pith strength inferiour to Iacob Iacob againe is here to be considered not as a simple man nor as a man vvrestling by his owne strength but as one standing wrestling by the strength of God and hereof commeth his preâ—…ailing in this battell The Lord vtters himselfe lesse then he is and makes vp Iacob much more then hee was Magna certè Dei nisericordia in figura hominis luctari voluit cum iusto vt se illius humilitati attemperarâ—…t And this same is the Lords dealing in all his wrestling with his children that neither doth hee vse his strength against theÌ„ nor yet leaue them to their owne weakenesse If the Lord should shew himselfe a strong God in wrestling against vs then indeed none were able to stand before him The three Disciples at the sight of Christs glory when hee was transfigurate on mount Tabor fell to the ground astonished If sinfull flesh bee not able to abide the sight of his glory how shall it indure the dint of his power that which is most of all how could fraile man sustaine the bensall of his Wrath and anger if the Lord would intend it Hereof then commeth our standing in these inward conflicts of conscience that our faithfull God suffers vs not to be tempted abouâ—… our power he assailes vs not aboue our strength he sets not our sinnes in order before vs that wee should see them as we committed them Hee permits not his deputy the Conscience to accuse and torment vs according to the merite of our transgressions hee mittigates the stroke of his rod extenuates the pith of his hand when hee puts at vs. And with this also by his secret grace he vnderprops vs otherwise no power should bee found in weake man to stand in the meanest of these battels wherein God sheweth himselfe our aduersarie party Yea if the Lord should set vp one of our sinnes to pursue vs and then withdraw his secret grace from vs wee should fall into the desperation of Caine and Iudas And if hee should arme but one of our owne cogitations against vs we should become miserable murtherers to our selues like Saul and Achitophell If he take his breath out of our nosthrils we fall to the ground or if he should abstract from vs the vse of Reason which he hath lent vs we become worse then the beasts Thus neither in inward nor outward wrestlings haue wee any strength of our owne to stand before him Our standing in trouble is onely by the strength of God who sustaines vs hee puts at vs with the one hand and vnderprops vs with the other It is God in vs vvho ouercommeth himselfe opponing vnto vs. Qui pro nobis morteÌ„ semel vicit semper vincit in nobis And this yee may see clearely in his dealing with that woman of Canaan his audible voyce was against her but the secret helpe of his spirit vvas with her with one hand hee repelled her and with the other hee drew her heart neere vnto him CHAP. VI. Consolation for the Godly afflicted THis I haue marked for thy consolation thou who art the vvarriour and vvrestler of God that thou maist know God is the strength of thy life and finding it so maist be thankfull and entertaine his presence vvith thee For vvhereof thinkest thou hath it come that so many yeeres thou hast stood in the middest of so many tentations that so long thou hast endured these spirituall vvrestlings wherein thy conscience and God vvho is greater then thy conscience hath stood vp thine accuser hath it come of any strength in thee None at all If the Lord had not holpen me my soule had almost dwelt in silence It is the Lord that kâ—…epeth our soules in life The Lord vvho seemed our Aduersarie was our secret helper hee shooke vs with tentations and sustained vs with his grace Euen the Lord who wounded vs did heale vs. The Lord is the dâ—…liuerer of our soule out of all aduersitie Otherwise it
no way be prejudiciall to the veritie of his word O strong O rare O wonderfull Faith Therefore the Lord who giueth no vaine stiles to his seruants honoureth Abraham with this name the father of the faithfull For by his example our weakenes is strengthned to giue credit to the Lord when he speaketh to vs. And the same lesson of Faith is in like manner taught vnto vs by the example of patient Iob for many schoolmasters and examples haue wee on whom the ends of the world are fallen No doubt he had laid vp the promises of God in his heart whereupon he dependeth yet doth the Lord handle him sohardly both in body and minde as if hee were determinate to keepe no promise vnto him Yet Iob for all this distrusts not the truth of Gods promise but gripes them so surely that in his greatest extremitie he resolues O Lord albeit thou shouldest slay me yet will I trust in thee That is albeit Lord thou shouldst deale hardlier with me then thou hast done yet will I neuer thinke but thou wilt bee mercifull to me according to thy promise there is a heart knit to the Lord there is a soule cleaning to God without separation that thus concludes O Lord none of thy workes shall make me to misbeleeue thy word though thou cast me downe to hell my eye shall bee vpward towards thee my soule shall loue thee euen when it appeares thou saist that thou hast no delight in me And the like also may we see in that woman of Canaan according to that promise askâ—… and it shall be giuen call on me in thy trouble and I shall heare thee and deliuer thee She 〈◊〉 O Lord haue mercy on me but at the 〈◊〉 gets no answere She cryeth againe againe but contrary to another promise as it would appeare God giues to all men liberally and reproches no man not onely is she refused but reproched as a dog and one not meet to eate the childrens bread But at the length leaning without wauering to the Lords promise shee receiues a fauourable answere O woman great is thy â—…aith CHAP. X. Let vs euer leane to the Word of God how strange soeuer his worke sâ—…eme vnto vs. OF all this then the lesson ariseth vnto vs that when ere the Lord shall exercise vs so hardly as to our Iudgement Gods working with vs seemes to fight with his promise made vnto vs so that suppose wee pray and wee mourne and we seeke comfort we can find none yea the more we pray the more our trouble encreaseth yet let vs not despaire but learne at our brethren who haue fought the like battailes before vs to rest assuredly on Gods promise For in the end his hardest working shall bee found to tend vnto the performance of his promise made vs in Christ Iesus let the Lord walke on in his secret wayes knowne to himselfe and let vs giue to the Lord this glory I know O Lord that it cannot 〈◊〉 but well with them who loues thee I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right for thy word endureth for euâ—…r in heauen and thy truth is from generation to generation Heauen earth shal passe away but one iotte of the Word of God shall not passe 〈◊〉 O happy are they to whom the Lord hath made a promise of mercy they shall sing in the end with Ezechiel The Lord hath said it and the Lord hath done it he will stablish the promise he hath made to his seruant and hee will not alter the word that he hath spoken with his lips Wherfore O thou that art afflicted humbled in spirit disquieted within thy selfe waite vpon God and thou shalt yet giue him thanks Now in the fourth roome we haue to speake of the time how long the wrestling continueth Moses saith it lasted to the breaking of the day Here then is a new mercy to bee marked the Lord will neuer so exercise his children with wrestlings but in regard of their weaknesse graunts them some intermission and a breathing time least they should faint he will lay no more vpon them then they be able to beare neyther suffer his rods to lye longer vpon their backs then may serue for their weale Al our afflictions are measured by the Lord in quantitie qualitie and continuance of time For quantitie the Lord propines to each one of his Children a câ—…p of affliction conuenient for their purgation and as to qualitie he tempers also our afflictions that where of their owne nature they are exceeding bitter being the fruites of sinne worse to drinke then the waters of Marah vntill Moses changed them by prayer and made them sweet He alters them in like manner by the vertue of the Crosse of Christ and his intercessions for vs the become so sweet and delectable that wee reioyce in tâ—…bulation And as for time hee giues vs but dayes of try all affliction houres of tentation attending to his good pleasure and wishâ—… dispensation If we cast Shadra Mesah and Abednego into the fire one like the sonne of God shall go with them to waite vpon them and relieue them in conuenient time Yea no gold-smith waites so diligently vpon his gold to take it out of the fire in due time as the Lord attends vpon his children that in due season hee may draw them out of their troubles Iacob wrestles no longer then the dawning and all our troubles haue an appointed time of deliuerance Weeping may abide in the euening but ioy commeth in the morning And of this ariseth to vs a lesson of patience that so long as it pleased the Lord to exercise vs with any crosse so long should we bee content to beare it No minting to cast off the yoke vntil it please the Lord to take it from our neck Noah was weary of his abiding in the Arke a yeere and a day for so long he remayned and no doubt when he saw the ground he was greatly desirous to come forth but he will haue no deliuerance till the Lord who closed him in command him also to come out and in very truth there can be no deliucrance but that which commeth from the Lord as this one notable example among moe makes manifest vnto vs. When the Angell commanded Lot to escape for his life to the mountaine â—…e requested the Angell for license to â—…arry at Zoar. And so where the Loâ—…d pointed out the mountaine for the place of his deliuerance hee himselfe makes choise of another but when he obtayned that which he desired durst he for all that abide in Zoar no certainly he could neuer liue without feare vntill he went forward to the mountaine whervnto the Angell at the first directed him So that both the time the place the manner of our deliuerance must be referred to the Lord and not elected by our selues Then wee rest in quietnesse when wee rest on the will and mercy of God not vpon
which thou hast gotten are pledges of a fill of mercy vvhich yet abides thee For so Dauid of that which he had felt concludeth doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life CHAP. XIIII The presence or absence of God is euer dispensed for the weale of his owne Children FOr the Morning appeareth These words containe the reason why the Lord desires that Iacob should let him goe because the Morning appeareth This at the first seemes a strange reason Is it not a like to thee O Lord to abide with thy seruants in the morning as in the euening or is there O Lord with thee any such distinction of time Surely none at all for thou O Lord art couered with the light as with a garment euen the darknesse with thee is light yea those bright Angels that stand about thy throne makes the midnight where they come for shining light like the noone-tide of the day But we must consider that this reason respecteth not the Lord it respecteth Iacob and so the meaning is It is for thy cause O my seruant Iacob that I desire to goe for now the morning appeareth and thou must goe on in thy journey thy seruants family will wait for thy comming as being vncertain whether they shall remoue or remaine till thou direct them and therefore that I be no more to stay thee from them let me go And of this we may more euidently perceiue that which I said how the going and comming of the Lord to and fro his children is alway ordained and dispensed for their weale when hee commeth when hee goeth all is for our weale Ne timeas ô Sponsa nec existimes te contemni si paulisper tibi sponsus subtrahit faciem suam omnia ista tibi cooperantur in bonum de accessu recessu lucraris Be not afraid saith Bernard O spouse neither thinke that thou art contemned albeit for a short while the bridegroome withdraw his face all that he doth works for the best vnto thee thou hast gaine both of his comming to thee of his going from thee And this for the comfort of one exercised with spirituall desertion doth hee explaine more cleerely in the wordes vvhich hee immediatly subjoynes tibi venit recedit venit ad consolationem recedit ad cautelam ne magnitudo consolationis extollat te ne si semper adesset exilium deputares pro patria arrham pro praeâ—…ij summa paulisper permittit nos gustare quam suauis sit antequaÌ„ plane sentiamus se subtrahit ita quasi alis expansis te prouocat ad volandum Hee commeth saith he for thy consolation and goes for thy warning and humiliation least the greatnes of his comfort should puffe thee vp and least if hee were alwayes present thou shouldest esteeme this place of thy banishment for thine own country and should take this earnest for the principall summe hee lets thee tast of his sweetnesse for a short while and incontinent before thou feele it fullie he withdrawes himselfe and so as it were with his wings stretched out ouer thee he prouokes thee to mount vp and slie after him This is the reason why the Lord dispenses in such sort his presence and absence vnto his Children If at no time hee shewes himselfe vnto vs then would wee bee ouercome of that heauinesse vnder which we lye through manifold tentations and if alwayes he should be familiar with vs then would we take the earth for the heauen and forget our fathers house which is aboue therefore sometime he with-drawes his presence from vs that hee may teach vs to become weary of this barren wildernesse wherein we liue absent from our Lord Hee ascends many times from vs that we may stand like these Disciples on the Mount of Oliuet not looking downeward to the earth but gazing looking vpward towards our Lord who hath gone from vs he giues vs a little tast of his graciousnesse and then hee goes but goeth in such sort that he cryes after him Come and see Not of purpose to defraud thee of any joy that is in him doth he goe from thee onely that hee may prepare thee to follow him to that place wherein he will communicate to thee the fulnesse of ioy and let thee see that glory he had with his father from the beginning Hee will not alway tarry from vs least we despaire neither yet alway remaine with vs on earth least vve presume Sometime he will kisse vs with the kisses of his mouth and as it were vvith the Apostle rauish vs vp to the third heauens other times againe as it seemes he casts downe his angry countenance vpon vs he humbles vs to the hell and permits Sathan also to buffet vs least wee should be exalted out of measure Alwayes this comfort vvee haue of the Lords vvorking with vs that as here wee see hee comes to Iacob and goes from him for his vveale so vvhether he shew himselfe familiar vvith vs or againe for a vvhile hide his face from vs in both the one and the other hee is vvorking for our comfort and vveale Onely let vs possesse our soules in patience and giue glory to God CHAP. XV. 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. WHo answered I will not let thee goe Perceiue here how the mint of the Lords departure workes into Iacob a more constant cleauing and adhering to the Lord. This as I said before is that notable fruite which all the Lords spirituall desertions worketh in his children it augments in them a desire of mercie and a more earnest carefulnesse to seeke the Lord. And this also wee see in our dayly experience for among all them who professe the name of Iesus Christ yee shall finde none more feruent in praier more continuall in mourning and sighing for their sinnes none that thirsteth more earnestly for mercie then they whom God hath humbled in their spirits with threatnings of spirituall desertion As here Iacob is more wakened by this one word Let me goe then by all the rest of the wrestling so is there nothing goeth so neere the heart of the godly as doth the mint of the Lords departure from them they are neuer so louing to him as at those times when hee seemeth to count least of them if hee looke angerly vpon them the more pittifully looke they vnto him if hee threaten them they threaten kindnesse vpon him the hardlier that hee answeres them the more importunately doe they cry vpon him Then with Dauid they water their couch with tears and call vpon God all the day long Their eyes cast out water continually when the comforter that should refresh their soules is away from them In a word these desertions worke in Gods children a diuorcement of their soules from the delight of euery creature a straiter adherence
to himselfe when he threatens to goe from them they follow him with these lamentable voyces turne againe O Lord and cause thy face to shine vpon me that I may bee saued O Lord take from me what thou wilt take from me all the worldly comforts that euer thou gauest me onely let me enioy thy selfe for whom haue I in the heauens but thee and I haue desired none in the earth with thee my flesh farles me and my hart also Lord faile thou me neuer when thou hidest thy face I am sore troubled returne therefore O Lord and be merciful to me be thou the strength of my heart and my portion for euer for thy louing kindnesse is better then Life These are the effects of sanctified trouble while I haue marked that wee may be comforted not discouraged when we finde that our outward or invvard troubles produce into vs a loaâ—… thing of earthly pleasure and a more feruent loue of our God We haue yet more narrowly to consider this answere that Iacob giues to the Lord I will not saith hee let thee goe Is this a seemely answere for a seruant to giue vnto his Lord when the Lord sayes let mee goe becomes it Iacob to answere I vvill not let thee goe Is this good religion in any thing to striue with the Lord Yea indeede ther are some things wherein the Lord is very well content that thou striue vvith him as namely when the Lord hath promised any thing vnto thee and thou hast his word for thy warrant to seeke it in sort that albeit the Lord say thee nay yet thou wilt receiue no refusall at his hands this is a strife which pleaseth the Lord for in effect it is no other thing but a constant affirmation that his truth is inuiolable After this manner that woman of Canaan stroue with him she would take no deniall of that which he had promised and after this manner here also Iacob striues with him hee will not be denied of a blessing And Moses also stroue with the Lord protesting he would not go forward one foote vnlesse the Lord went with him because the Lord had so promised But farre be it from vs to striue with the Lord as the wicked do grieuing him dayly with our murmurings and rebellions still liuing in contrarie tearmes with the Lord. Woe bee to him that striueth with his maker doe yee prouoke the Lord vnto anger or are yee stronger then hee The end of this strife to them wil be horrible confusion There is yet farther to be considered in these words of Iacob how hee saith to the Lord I will not let thee goe by what meane is this that Iacob is able to hold and detaine the Lord The Prophet Hosea will resolue this It was saith hee by mourning and weeping that Iacob preuailed and helde the Angel whilst he got the blessing Ther is nothing so strong in the world as the prayers of the godly they are the onely bands by which the Lord is holden and detained the Lord will not be restrained by all the powers of the earth neither will he cease to doe any worke that he is about to doe for the cries of all the men in the world yet the prayers of his children are able to constrain him to power downe an vndeserued blessing and turne away a iust deserued punishment When the people of Israell had fallen from God by worshipping the golden Calfe the Lords anger was highly incensed and kindled against them which moued Moses to fall downe on his face before the Lord beseeching him to bee appeased towards his people for the glory of his name This prayer did in such sort constraine the Lord in the midst of his anger that he is compelled to say vnto Moses Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them for I will consume them This manner of speach vsed by the Lord declares that the prayer of Moses did bind and hold in the wrath of God that it brake not out vpon this people In like manner we read in the Gospell that when Iesus was passing by those two blinde men who cryed vpon him Osanna thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs albeit the multitude regarded not their crying and the disciples also as it seemes tooke little thought thereof yet Iesus was moued thereby to stand still They could not come neere for the multitude to lay hands on him but their prayers reached vnto him doth so take hold vpon him that by that place he could not goe vntill he had giuen them a comfortable answere the prayer of a righteous man auatles much if it be powred out in faith CHAP. XVI Prayers of the godly must be forcible and acceptable to God seeing they come from his owne Spirit THis then is to the great comfort of the godly that our prayers are effectuall and are as I may call them the Lords owne bands wherewith we are able to detaine and hold him till hee blesse vs. And no meruaile seeing these prayers are not ours but the intercession of Gods owne spirit in vs powred out in the name of Christ in whom he is euer well pleased For as to vs wee know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe makes request for vs with sighes which cannot bee expressed And therefore may we boldly thinke that the Lord will not despise them Spiritus est in quo clamamus Abba pater sicut in nobis interpellat pro nobis ita in patre delicta donat pro ipso patre quod postulamus idem ipse donat qui dat vt postulemus It is the spirit saith Bernard by whom wee cry Abba father as in vs the spirit makes request for vs so with the Father he graunts our requests and forgiues vs our sinnes that for which we pray euen he giueth it vnto vs who giueth vs this Grace to pray Let vs therefore pray continually and strengthen by these godly meditations our feeble hearts and weake hands that they faint not in prayer Let vs go and desire good things from the Lord seeing we haue the Lord bound to vs by his promise The Lord will fulfill the desire of them who feare him And againe That which the wicked feares shall come vpon him but God will graunt the desire of the righteous Thou who art made sure to obtaine if so be thou canst desire art here made inexcusable none wants mercy and grace but hee who desires it not And yet take heed that in thy praier thou be not vnreuerent remember à quo quam magna petas from whom and what great things thou crauest Great things from a great king should be desired with reuerence and affection they can best speed at the Lords almes-dealing that fall downe lowest with the Publican not they who with the Pharisie stand vp prowdest vpon their feete Abraham the father of the faithfull in his prayer considering in himselfe and looking
to the majestie of God humbly confesseth that hee was but dust and ashes Yea Adam in his best estate of his innocencie was bound to glorisie God with the like confession of the basenesse of his originall and to let Adam alone the heauens are not cleane in his sight yea he hath found follie in his Angels they couer not onely their feete but their faces before the Lord what then shalt thou do O man who dwellest in lodgings of clay a sinfull creature by thine owne aposâ—…asie loaden with iniquitie how shouldest thou bee humbled and bow downe thy soule in the presence of thy Maker Redeemer and thy iudge Presumption in praier thus being remoued I returne to the comfort Thou being thus humbled with an hatred of thine owne sinnes with feare and reuerence of that diuine maiestie trusting to his promise goe on with boldnesse to the throne of grace Noli vilipendere orationem tuam quoniam illo ad quem oras non vilipendit esteeme not lightly thine owne prayer as though it were a smal thing seeing the Lord to whom thou pray est hath declared that he accounts so much of it suppose it be weake yet remember etiam solis vagitâ—…bus infans matrem commouâ—…t ad misericordiam euen the very cryes of the infant that vtters no distinct voyce moues the mother vnto commisseration And what comparison betweene the loue of a mother toward her children and the loue of the Lord towards his No father will giue to his children that asketh a stone instead of bread nor a Serpent in stead of a fish What kindnesse then if wee craue it may we looke for at the hands of our heauenly father As the heauens are aboue the earth so are my thoughts aboue yours Our prayers saith Cyprian are arma coeâ—… sâ—…ia quae stare nos faciunt fortiâ—…er perseuerare haec sunt munimenta spiritualia telâ—… diuina they are spirituall armour wherby we stand and strongly perseuer to the end they are heauenly darts and defences Oh that wee vnderstood the excellenâ—…e of this grace of prayer that so we might the more delight in it it is the hand of a christian which is able to reach from earth to heauen and take forth euery manner of good gift out of the Lords treasure It is one of those keyes of the house of Dauid whereby we open the doores of the heauenly pallace goe in to take a view of that eternall building and glorious mansion prepared for vs in heauen It is the messenger that with speed goeth from our soules saluting no creature by the way and entreth straight into the Mercie seate in heauen reporting to the Lord all our desires and returning backe a fauourable answere from him Yea it is vnto vs as that â—…iery chariot of Eliah whereunto we mount vp and haue our conuersation with God in the heauens O happie soule therefore which God hath endued vvith this most heauenly grace Except thou blesse me It were for vs a good thing if wee could learne from Iacob this holy vvilfulnesse neuer to let the Lord alone till he blesse vs. But alas here we are taken in our sinne we fall to our prayers without preparation we powre out a number of words without deuotion and so goe away without a blessing We send out our prayers like to incense made indeed according to the Lords direction but not kindled with fire from the Alter that is petitions lawfull enough and agreeable to Gods word but not powred out in feruencie And so no meruaile that the Lord smell not in them a sweet sacrifice for incense without fire hath no fragrant smell and so hauing finished our colde prayers vvee rise without examination not once considering with what fruit we haue prayed and whether wee haue gotten a blessing from God or no. CHAP. XVII Iacob cannot ende till God haue blessed him GOdly Iacob will here teach vs another lesson that we should not let our gripes goe nor cease from crying vntill the Lord haue blessed vs. Then hath Iacob doone when as the Lord hath blessed him but till hee get the blessing Iacob in no wise will part with the Lord. Where if thou dispaire how shalt thou know in prayer when God blesseth thee I answere Except the Lord teach thee I cannot tell thee the spirit of God when he comes downe with a blessing makes himselfe to bee knowne No man hath felt so sensible a shower of raine descending on his body as the child of God will feele when the shower of grace descends on his soule then the foundations of that earth which is in man are shaken the stonie heart melteth the eye aboundeth in ioyfull teares the tongue is loosed that was bound before the minde is filled with vnaccustomable light the whole soule with vnspeakeable comfort Finally such an alteration is made of his whole desires for a change of his whole inward and outward disposion as the childe of God feeles better than hee is able to vtter Which if we obtaine not in prayer as many times it falles out let vs receiue it as a checke of our coldnesse as a spurre to further humiliation that so with a new blessing wee may fall to seeke the Lord and his blessing And here againe wee haue to consider another lesson for in this that he seekes a blessing from him who wounded him wee are to take vp the nature of faith which is of such quicknesse that no maruell the Auncient said Fides Linceos habet oculos for albeit the Lord would take on him the shape of an enimie and shew himselfe an angry iudge to his children yet will they still looke for fauour and kindnesse at his hand It was the Lord who afflicted Iob with outward and inward troubles of the which nature sense could gather no other conclusion but that God had forsaken him and had become his enâ—…mie yet faith aboue sense and nature leadeth him through all these misly cloudes to looke vnto God as vnto his mercifull father and therefore resâ—…s he in that notable conclusion whereof we haue made mention before Albeit the Lord stay me yet will I trust in him CHAP. XVIII Faith through death espies life THis fulnesse of faith doth also appeâ—…e manifestly in all the rest of Gods children especially in time of trouble for what maketh them reioyce in afflictions and to triumph when they are going through the valley of death but the sight certaintie of a better How commeth it that in the same moment wherein God is taking their temporall life from them they are seeking an eternall life from him Out of doubt it commeth of their liuely faith which through wrath sees mercy through the clowde of light momentary afflictions it beholdeth an infinit weight of glory But this quicknesse of faith appeares most of all wonderfully in the vp taking of Iesus Christ for he appeared in the world disguised A King in
shâ—…pe of a seruant He being the God of glory came couered with such contemptible couerings that the vvorld mis-knew him His miraculous conception without the help of man was obscured with the couering of Maries espoâ—…sing vnto Ioseph his birth without all vncleannesse obscured with the couering of Maries purification his innocency in like manner obscured with the couering of circumcision and so 〈◊〉 est noui solis fulgor saith Bâ—…rnard and thus was the glory of this â—…ght shining sunne which the world saw neuer before obscured Yet through all these and many couerings that Centurion through faith espâ—…ed him to bee the sonne of God and those three wise men who came from the East by the light of faith through all these vayles saw him to bee a glorious King and therefore also fell downe and worshipped him But these blind Bethleemites amongst vvhom he was borne hauing no more but the eyes of nature wherewith to looke vpon him could not discerne him albeit this was their glory that out of them came that Gouernour who should feede his people by this faith Agnouit Simeon infantem tacentem for lack of it occiderunt Iudaei mirabilia facientem Simeon by faith acknowledged Iesus euen in his infancy when he had not yet spoken a word but the Iewes for lack of faith blinded with infidelitie flew him after that he had wrought many Miracles So then to returne to our ground it was a great faith in Iacob that hee sought a blessing from him who wrestled against him Nature will neuer learne vs that lesson Come and let vs return to the Lord he hath spoyled and he will heale vs hee hath wounded and he will binde vs vp Without faith there can bee no prayer to God especially at that time when God layeth his heauie hand vpon vs How shall they call to him in whom they beleeue not Where the fountaine is drye what water can there be in the strand ergo vt oremus credamus vt ipsa non deficiat â—…ides qua credimus oremus Therefore that wee may pray let vs beleeue and that our faith whereby we beleeue faint not let vs pray And this for the fulnes of faith CHAP. XIX The goldy in their prayers aboue all things seeke Gods fauour and blessing PErceiue yet farther out of these words that Iacob seekes nothing from God but his blessing The children of God euen then when God is most familiar vvith them seek nothing comparable to his blessing Herein they are insatiable on the earth they can neuer get enough of his blessings Iacob vvas blessed before of the Lord and now againe hee seekes a new blessing and euery time that hee meetes vvith the Lord all that he desires is a blessing It is far otherwise with miserable Worldlings it is seldome and far betweene that they come to the Lord they seeke some other thing then himselfe or his blessing some worldly benefit or deliuerance from temporall trouble is the summe of all their suite So Cain forgetting to seeke mercy for his sinne sought onely protection to his body Whosoeuer findeth mee shall slay mee and from time to time he got that hee vvent out from the presence of the Lord. O miserable man that left not behinde him so much as a petition to God for mercy deliuerance from that wrath vvhich his sin had brought vpon him CHAP. XX. Worldlings in their prayers dishonor God and preiudges themselues IN this doing vvicked men doe both dishonour the Lord and prejudge themselues they consider not the insinite goodnesse and the al-sufficiency of the Lord they measure him with their base and earthly minds and therfore in stead of eternall they seeke nothing but temporall and perishing things It was a princely answere that Alexander gaue his friend Perillus to whom he had offred fifty talents of siluer to help his daughter to marriage vvhich the other thinking too much replyed that ten talents were sufficient Yea said Alexander it were enough for thee to receiue but not for me to giue And to another in like case hee gaue the like answere Ne quaere quid tâ—… accipere sed quid me dare deceat But much more may our al-sufficient God that Monarch of the world indeede who is rich vnto all who cals vpon him giue vnto vs a greater rebuke that cannot enlarge our hearts nor open our mouthes wide that hee may fill them with his good things contenting vs to seeke the earth when the Lord offers vs the heauen seeking with worldlings that our wheat and our wine may abound and not with Godly Dauid that the light of the countenance of God which brings ioy to the heart may be vpon vs. The Lord esteemes this a very great indignitie and contempt done vnto him and therefore he complaines on the Iewes by his seruant the Prophet Hosea They howle vpon me in their beds for wine and oyle they cry like dogs for that vvhich may fill their bellies but sends not out the voice of my children to cry vnto me for mercy and grace It is in like manner very prejudiciall to themselues who doe it for they fast and weary their spirits in seeking many things and in the meane time are carelesse to seeke one thing the obtaining whereof might bring them vnto all things thus they consume themselues with vaine labour Qui rerum magis specie quam authore dilectati prius vniuersa percurrere de singulis cupiunt expiriri quam ad Christum curent vniuersitatis principem peruenire Who being delighted with the shew of things more then vvith the authour of them are desirous to know euery thing by experience but not carefull to come vnto Christ vvho is that head fountaine of vvhom all things are where otherwise if according to the command of our blessed Sauiour men would first seeke the kingdoâ—…e of God then all other things should be cast vnto them This is the onely compendious way to satisfie our insatiable desires Quicunque hic varia quaeris ipse vnus tibi erit omnia whatsoeuer thou bee who here seekes sundry things seek the Lord and he shal be all things in all to thee When the Lord offred to Salomon to giue whatsoeuer he vvould aske he sought from the Lord a wise and vnderstanding heart which so pleased the Lord that not onely hee gaue him that which he asked but also second and inferiour gifts as riches honour which he asked not so great delight hath the Lord to here vs seeke from him those things which are greatest and excellent Let vs therefore ascribe vnto the Lord glory and power hee is a great King let vs not dishonour him by seeking from him small and perishing things the least of them is enough for vs to receiue For we are not worthy of the least of his mercies but not enough for the Lord to giue suppose the Lord would â—…ue vs all the workes of his hand into
heart of man cannot vnderstand What then shall wee thinke of him who prepared them Must not his glorious Majestie by infinite degrees surpasse the reach of our vnderstanding CHAP. XXVII What sight of God shall wee haue in the heauens YEt I speake not this to take away that sight of God which wee shall haue in the heauens It must bee true which the Apostle saith Wee shall see him as he is it being vnderstood with these restrictions First the sight of God vvhich vve shall haue in heauen shall bee perfect in respect of vs the Lord shall dwell in vs fully and replenish euery power and facultie of soule and body vvith his joyfull presence Hee shall fill my whole minde with â—…is light no darknesse shall bee left in it he shall quicken my whole heart no more deadnesse shall bee in it and the whole affections shall bee replenished with his peace and joy Now the Lord dwels in vs but he fils vs not Wee are yet hungry and thirstie Wee know but in part but in the heauens wee shall be filled perfectly with that presence wherein is the fulnesse of ioy the Lord shall then be all things in all vnto vs. Now the greatest measure of the sence of mercy is called by the holy spirit a tasting tast and consider how gracious the Lord is but there is promised vnto vs a full satisfaction ye shall bee satisfied Inebriabor ab vbertate domus tuae I call this sight perfect in respect of vs the Lord shall fill all that is in vs wee shall desire no more but we shall not be able to comprehend all that is in the Lord. Augustine expresseth this by a proper similitude for he compares the godly in the heauens to vessels cast into the sea were they neuer so large they shall be filled full of water and yet that which they containe is nothing in comparison of that great aboundance which is about them So euery godly man glorified in heauen shall be fully filled with gods comfortable presence so that hee shall know no want and yet shall he not be able to comprehend that infinit majestie and peace and joy and glory of the incomprehensible God Therefore said I that in respect of vs wee shall haue in the heauens a perfect sight of God that is so farre as we can bee capable of him Mensuram plenam superfluentem tunc dabit in sinâ—…s vestros A good measure prest and running ouer saith our Sauiour shall bee then giuen into your bosomes Secondly that sight of God that in heauen wee shall injoy shall bee immediate and this is such a sight as none can vnderstand till wee get it Yet to make it as plaine as we may let vs compare it with that which we haue here in earth The sight that now we haue of God is as through a glasse or a vaile that is by mediate reuelations Now vvee know him by seeing him in his Creatures wee know him by hearing him in his word we know him also euen in the earth by spirituall meditation that begetteth some secret sense of his mercy yet al these are a walking by faith not by sight at the least but a dark sight of God and through couerings but in the heauen we shall see him not by halues but by an immediate sight which wee shall then best vnderstand as I sayd when we shall attaine vnto it The Lord of his mercy purge and prepare vs in time and then hasten that day wherein we shall see him And yet because eternall life must be begunne on the earth and that it is not possible wee can see God in the heauen vnles wee haue first seene him in the earth let vs take heed vnto those three things whereby wee may attaine vnto the sight of God First remember that God without his own light cannot beseen the eye suppose it be an organe of sight were it neuer so quicke seeth nothing in the darke the Sunne without the Sunne cannot bee seene farre lesse can the Lord be seene without the Lord. In light saith the Psalmist shall we see light If therefore we would begin to see the Lord let vs walke in his light making his word a lanthorne to our feete in all our wayes taking heede vnto it as vnto a most sure word and a light shining in darknesse therewithall joyning to the Lords prayer Open my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law Secondly we must remember that wee cannot see God without some similitude and conformitie with him Therefore saith Christ. Blessed are the poore in spirit for they shall see God Among all the members of the body none can see the Sunne but the eye because of some similitude that is betweene them For as God hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the great world the Sunne and Moone in the sirmament as instruments of light to serue it so hath hee placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the little world which is Man two eyes in the highest part of his body as organes of light to serue him But the eye being any way troubled or offended as we see by experience â—…bhorres the light wherein it otherwise delights and after the same manner the minde of man polluted with sinne neyther can nor dare looke vp to the Lord. Oculus cordis parturbatus auertit se à luce iustitiae nec audet eam contemplari The eye of the heart being perturbed saith Augustine turneth it selfe away from the light of righteousnesse and dares not behold it And to the same effect he sayes in another place Male viuen do videri à Deo non potes videre Deum not potes bene autem viuendo videris vides If thou liue an euill life thou shalt be seene of God but shall not see him but if thou liue a good life thou art not onely seene of him but thou maist also see him So necessary is this conformitie with God by sanctificati on that without it we cannot see God Thirdly to the sight of God there is requisite attention and consideration a meeke and quiet spirit a heart stablished by grace separate from other things and fixed on the Lord Oculus circuÌ„mactâ—…s non videt etiam quae ante se sunt A watering and reeling eye sees not those things which are before it and an vnstable minde tossed too and fro with restlesse cares and perturbations is not meete to see the the Lord. When the Lord appeared to Eliah there went before him a mighty winde an earth-quake and fire but God was not in any one of them hee followed in a soft and still voyce to teach vs that we must haue meeke setled and pacified spirits if we looke that God should bee familiar with vs and wee must set the eyes of our soules stable and sixt on the Lord attending on his shining mercies like the eyes of seruants on their maisters and while the Lord
hath mercy vpon vs. These are the principall helpes whereby the sight of God is begun in earth which will be perfected in heauen CHAP. XXVIII The other thing wherein Iacob shewes his thankefulnesse is his obedience Verse 31. And the Sunne arose to him THe other thing wherein Iacob vttereth his thankfulnes is in the obedience he giues to the Lords calling walking on in the journey which God commanded him Without this the other had beene nothing for except we obey serue the Lord in our callings doing that which is commaunded vs wherein can wee be thankfull to him and truely there is no better token that we haue beene refreshed by the countenance of God who is the strength of his people then this if with boldnesse and spirituall courage we follow him where away he cals vs albeit we should finde neuer so many impediments before vs. But it is to be marked Moses saith he halted as he went on in his journey This is the meruailous working of the Lord no doubt that Iacob being hurt in the night his thigh-bone disjoynted yet walkes vpon it in the morne and the hurt which he receiued of the Lord hinders him not nor stayes him from going forward in the journey which was enjoyned him by the Lord. We haue shewed you before how the children of God in their wrestlings do in such sort preuaile that they get no victory without a wound who is able to say that hee hath in such sort fought against Sathan and sin but oftentimes hee hath beene buffeted by Sathan and wounded by sinne Yet such is the gratious dispensation of the Lord that as Iacobs hurt made him not giue ouer the journey but rather confirmes him to go forward with greater boldnesse now halting on one thigh then before when hee went straight vpon both so the Lord doth so dispence the spirituall battailes of his Children that out of their manifold falles buffets and wounds which they receiue in this warfare hee workes in them a greater hatred of sinne and loue of righteousnes a greater attention and circumspection in all their wayes and a greater feruency and zeale to run out the race which is set before them and to renue the battaile against Sathan and sinne And this wee may see cleerely in Dauid who after his adultry murther being renued by repentance â—…iseth againe with a greater hatred of sinne and more earnest desire of mercy than euer he had before And did not Peters fall bring forth in like manner the like fruits in him that hee sheddeth teares now more aboundantly then at any time before hee now stands boldly to confesse the Lord Iesus before the Counsell whom before he had denied before a Dâ—…msell and in all the rest of his life he shewes himselfe an example of godly zeale labouring to confirme his brethren by a good conuersation whom before hee had offended by his stumbling and falling Thus the Lord by some one sinne wherein hee sussereth his children to haue experience of their weakenesse wakeneth them to a narrower inquisition of their sins for a light paine in the head men runne not to the Phisitian nor to the water for a light spot in their garments but if the defiling be great then we doe take occasion thereat to wash away euen the smallest spot that is in them So the godly when oftentimes they passe ouer small sinnes without remorse the Lord permits them to fall into greater that so they may be moued to mourning hasten to an earnest reformation of all Where wee are not to thinke that this commeth of any goodnesse that is in vs or in sin which we haue brought forth but of the excellent wisdome and goodnesse of God Deus etiam summus est medicus qui benè nouit vti enim malis For God is that great Phisitian who can vse to good euen those things which are euill And it doth saith the same Father more aduance the glory of Gods goodnesse etiam de malis bene facere quam mala esse non sinere euen to draw good out of euill rather then that he should suffer euill not to be Thus the Lord our God maketh all things serue and worke for the best to them that loue him so as euen the wounds which we receiue in spiritual wrestlings may well worke in vs a greater humiliation but shall not confound vs so that we leaue off the race and course to our heauenly Canaan Wherein if we cannot alway runne in the strength of the spirit with Eliah yet let vs by Gods grace endeauour to halt forward with Iacob at least creepe forward towards our heauenly Father as his little babes children who are but yet learning to walke proceeding alway from strength to strength till we appeare before the face of our GOD in Sion whereunto the Lord that is the author and finisher of our Faith the beginner perfecter of our saluation bring vs of his great mercy in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS A CONDVIT of Comfort Full of sweet Consolations for all those that desire the comfortable sweetnesse of Iesus Christ. By WILLIAM COVPER Minister of Gods word LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge and are to sould at his shop at the great South doore of Paules 1608. A CONDVIT of Comfort Rom. 8. 28. Also wee know that all things worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them who are called according to his purpose My helpe is in the name of the Lord. THis Chapter may be conueniently tearmed A compend of Christian consolation for wheras many kinds of comforts are dispersed throughout the holy Scriptures for the strengthening of the man of God some of euery kinde are here gathered together in one and like chosen flowers picked out of the word of God are knit together in one bunch presented to thee who art a Christian. There are two things onely which trouble vs in this life The first is the remanents of sinne in our corrupt nature this was such a matter of griefe to the holy Apostle that it made him to crie ouâ—… O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death So displeasant was it to him to lâ—…ue in that body wherin hee found the motions of sin rebeling against the law of God And if the Apostle accounted this but then so weighty to him alas how should wee complaine and what cause haue wee with Ezechia to walke weakly in the bitternesse of our soules all our dayes in whom the life and power of that sinning is farre lesse restrained Yet least we should be so cast downe with the sense of sinne that we despaire and perish being swallowed vp with griefe the Lord furnisheth vs with many comforts against it from the beginning of this Chapter to the middest of the 17. Verse The
gracious the Lord is telling you that the graciousnesse of the Lord cannot be considered by him who neuer diâ—… tast it If you goe to speak to a vvorldling of inward Peace of spirituall Ioy or of the Priuiledges of a Christian you shall seeme to him a Barbarian or one that speaketh a strange language which he vnderstaneth not or if he himselfe speak of them which he sees learnedly hearing or reading yet shall hee speake like a Bird vtteâ—…ing voyces vvhich shee vnderstandeth not As the bruit Beast knoweth not the excellency of mans life and therefore delighteth it selfe vvith Hay and Prouender seeking no better because it knoweth no better So the naturall man knoweth not the excellency of a Christian and therfore disdaines him counting him a foole a mad man and the off-scum of the world hee taketh the dongue of the earth in his armes for his inheritance let him brook the portion of Esau that the fatnesse of the earth may be his dwelling place let his wine and his wheat abound to him hee cares for no more he knowes not vvhat it is to haue his soule made glad with the countenance of God This is your miserable condition O ye wretched Worldlings ye are cursed with the curse of the Serpent yee creepe as it were on your bellyes and licke the dust of the earth all the dayes of your life yee haue not an eye to looke vp to heauen nor a hart to seeke those things which are aboue most fearefull is your estate vvee warne you of it but it is the Lord vvho must deliuer you from it This resolute knowledge is the mother of spirituall courage constancie and patience therefore the Apostle vrgeth it in this place that the Christian may be made thereby strong and patient in tribulation and indeed what needes hee feare in the euill day yea though the earth should be remoued and the Mountaines fall into the middest of the sea vvho knoweth that the Lord sitteth on his throne hauing the whole vvorld as a glassie Sea before him gouerning all the walterings changes and euents of things therein to the good of them that loue him Oh that we had prosited so much in the schoole of Christ all our dayes that without any doubting or making any exception vvee could beleeue this vvhich here the Apostle layeth for a most sure ground of comfort that so vvee might chaunge all our thoughts and cares into one namely how to grow in the loue of God that in a good conscience vve might say to the Lord vvith Peter Lord thou knowest I loue thee And as the rest of our feares griefes and temptations which many times doe so compasse vs that to our judgements vvee can see no out-gate cast all the burthen of them vpon the Lord who careth for vs and hath giuen vs this promise for a Premunire All comes for the best The Souldier with courage entreth into the battell vnder hope to obtaine the victorie the Marriner with boldnesse committeth himselfe to the stormie Seas vnder hope of vantage and euery man hazardeth in his calling and yet are they all but vncertaine venturers and know not the end But the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for he knows that the God of peace shall shortly tread Sathan vnder his feete What then shall he not with courage enter into that battell wherein hee is made sure ere euer hee sight that all the Warriers of Iesus shal become more then Conquerours through him If wee will onely stand still we shall see the saluation of the Lord. Gedion and his three hundred fought against the great Host of Midian without feare because he was sure of victorie Dauid made hast and ran to encounter with Goliah because hee was perswaded the Lord would deliuer him into his hands The Israelites spared not to enter into the flood of lorden because they saw the Arkâ—… of God before them diuiding the waters And shall onely the Christian stand astonished in his temptations notwithstanding the word of God goe before him to resolue him that whatsoeuer fall out shall worke for the best vnto him The Lord increase vs make vs abound more and more in loue of our God for perfect loue casteth ouâ—… fear The Lord strengthen our Faith that through these misty clowdes of afflictions which now compasseth vs wee may see that comfortable end which the light of God hath discouered vnto vs. But wee are to beware of the subtile sleights of Sathan who to the end hee may spoile vs of this comfort in trouble endeauoureth by many meanes either to quench this light of God in our minds or else to darken and obscure it by the precipitation of our vnbeleeuing hearts carrying vs headlong to iudge of the works of God by their beginnings and to measure our selues in trouble by our present estate and condition not suffering vs to tarrie while we see the end whereof it comes to passe that our hearts beeing tossed to and fro with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like trees of the Forrest shaken with the winde in our necessities we hasten to be our owne prouisors in our dangers we will be our owne deliuerers euery way we become the caruers of our own condition we haue so much the more to beware of this precipitation because the dearest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord their God and breed great vnquietnesse vnto themselues When Dauid was in extreame anger in the wilâ—…ernesse of Maon hee said in his feare that all men were liers O what a blasphemy that euen the promises of God made to him by Samuel the Lords Prophet were but lies and how many times thought hee in his other troubles that God had forgot to bee mercifull and had shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure But when hee saw the end then was hee compelled to accuse himselfe to giue glorie to God and to say I should haue beene dumbe and not opened my mouth because thou didest it I said it in my feare but now I see Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Aâ—… this precipitation made Dauid to stumble and fall so will it carry vs also to the like inconuenience too except we beware of it For if we shold looke to Lazarus in the dongue hill full of Byles and sores hauing no comfort but from the dogges and compare him with the Rich man cloathed in purple and faring daintily euerie day What can wee iudge but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two yet tarrie while the Lord haue ended his worke and Lazarus hee conueyed to Abrahams bosome and the rich glutton be gone to his place then shall truth appeare manifestly All things worke together for the best to them that loue God Let vs learne therefore to measure the euent of things not by their
of thine iniquitie the Lord shall giue thee to drinke of the cup which thou hast filled with thine owne hand and shal double his stripes vpon thee according to the multitude of thy transgressions CHAP. VIII The Christian is not at his best now it is the working onely BVt as to the children of God if you will aske when they are at the best I answere praised bee God our worst is ended our good is begun our best is at hand as our Sauiour said to his Kinsmen so may we say to the Worldlings your time is alway but my time is not yet come We are at the worst immediately before our conuersion for our whole life till then was a walking with the Children of disobedience in the broad way that leads to damnation and then were wee at the worst vvhen vvee had proceeded furthest in the way of vnrighteousnesse for then vvere wee furthest from God Our best beganne in the day of our recalling wherin the Lord by his word and holy spirit called vpon vs and made vs turne our backs vpon Sathan and our face toward the Lord and so caused vs part company with the Children of disobedience among vvhom vvee had our conuersation before then we came home with the penitent forlorne to our fathers familie but they went forward in their sins to judgement That was a day of diuision betwixt vs and our sinnes In that day with Israell we entred into the borders of Canaan into Gilgall there were circumcised and the shame of Egypt was taken from vs euen our sinne vvhich is our shame indeede and which vvee haue borne from our mothers wombe the Lord graunt that we may keepe it for euer in thankfull remembrance and that wee may count it a double shame to returne againe to the bondage of Egipt to serue the Prince of darknesse in Bricke and Clay that is to haue fellowship any more with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but that like the redeemed of the Lord wee may walke from strength to strength till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion Alwayes this difference of estates of the godly and wicked should learne vs patience let vs not seeke that in the earth which our gracious God in his most holy dispensation hath reserued for vs in the heauen let vs not be like the foolish Iewes who loued the place of their banishment in Babell better than their home for here wee are not at our best now our life is hid with the Lord and wee know not yet what wee shall be but wee know when he shall appeare wee shall bee like him the Lord shall carry vs by his mercy and bring vs in his strength to his holy habitation Hee shall plant vs in the mountaine of his inheritance euen the place which hee hath prepared and Sanctuary which he hath established then euerlasting ioy shall be vpon our heads and sorrow and mourning shall slie away from vs for euer And now till the Lord hath accomplished his work vnto vs let vs not faint because the vvicked flourish neither thinke we haue cleansed our hands in vaine because they prosper they are to bee pittyed rather then enuyed let them eate and drinke and bee merry sure it is they will neuer see a merrier day then that they see presently they haue enjoyed their heauen in the earth they haue receiued their consolation in this life and haue gotten their portion in this world Oh what tongue can expresse their misery And yet as Samuel mourned for Saul when God rejected him and Ieremy wept in secret for the pride of his people that would not repent of their sinnes how can wee but take vp a bitter lamentation for many of you whom in this time of grace wee see to bee strangers from grace Wee vvish from our hearts ye were not like the kinsmen of Lot who thought hee vvas scorning when he told them of a iudgement to come and therefore for no request would goe with him out of Sodome but tarried while the fire of the Lords indignation consumed them But rather as Sara followed Abraham from Calde to Canaan so you would take vs by the hand and goe forward with vs from hell to heauen But alas The lustes of the flesh holds you captiue your sinnes hath blinded you and the Loue of the world doth bewitch you but all of them in the end shall deceiue you For All the labour vnder the Sun is but vanitie and vexation of spirit When you haue finished your taske you shall bee lesse content then yee were at the beginning you shall be as one wakened out of a dreame who in his sleepe thought he was possessor of many things but when hee awaketh behold he hath nothing Like that rich man who said in his securitie Now my soule thou hast much good for many dayes and euen vpon the next day vvas reducted to greater pouertie then that dispised Lazarus that hee had not so much as a drop of cold water to coole his tongue with then shall you lament we haue wearied our selues in the way of iniquitie and it did not profit vs. Alas how shall I learne you to bee wise The Lord when he created man set him in a roome aboue all his creatures and now degenerate man sets euery creature in his heart aboue the Lord. O fearefull ingratitude Doe you so reward the Lord yee foolish people and vnwise There is nothing which you conceiue to be good but when you want it you are carefull to seeke it when you haue it you are carefull to keepe it onely you are carelesse of the Lord Iesus though he be that incomparable iewell that brings light in darkenesse life in death comfort in trouble mercie against all iudgement you should set him as a signet on your heart as an ornament on your head put him on as a glorious attire that gets you place to stand before God But what paines doe you take to seeke him what assurance haue you that ye are in him or what mourning do you make because ye are strangers from him Can yee say that the tenth of your thoughts and wordes are imployed vpon him Alas how long will you wander after vanities and follow lies Will ye for euer forsake the fountaine of liuing waters and digge to your selues broken pits that can hold no water O consider this in time yee that forsake the Lord least he teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you CHAP. IX All things worke to the worst to the wicked THe last lesson wee obserue in this part of the verse is this as All things worke for the best to them that loue the Lord so all things worke for the worst to the wicked there is nothing so cleane which they defile not nothing so excellent which they abuse not Make Saul a King and Balaam a Prophet and Iudas an Apostle their preferments shall be their
destruction If they bee in prosperitie they contemne God and their prosperitie becomes their ruine if they bee in aduersitie they blaspheme him and like raging waues of the sea cast out their owne durt to their shame Yea what speake I of these things euen their table shall be a snare to them Iesus Christ is a rocke of offence to them the Gospell the sauour of death to them and their prayer is turned into sinne to them And what more excellent things then these as a foule stomak turneth most healthsome foode into corruption so their polluted Conscience turne iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into Wormewood And all this should prouoke vs to become good in our persons or else there is nothing were it neuer so good can be profitable vnto vs. To them that loue God Here followeth the second part of the Verse containing a discription of the persons to whom this priuiledge appertaineth together with a reason of the former comfort Of force all things must worke for the best namely to saluation to them that loue God because they are called namely to saluation according to Gods purpose The strength of this reason stands in the necessitie and immutabilitie of the purpose of God more stable then the decree of the Medes and Persians for what hee hath decreede cannot be reuoked anulled or hindered It is that supreame cause of all which orders all inferiour causes and incidents whatsoeuer in such sort that they must worke to the aduancement of that most high purpose of God This reason is made clearer in the subsequent Verse where the Apostle lets vs see how the links of the golden Chaine of our Saluation are knit together inseperably by the hand of God that no power in heauen or earth can sunder them whereof it comes that he that is sure of one is sure of all And now let vs take a short view of it for confirming of the Apostles Reason Election is the first and it is the most auncient Charter of the right of Gods Children to their Fathers inheritance Calling is the second and it is that gift of God whereby wee are knowne the sonnes of God and our Election secret in it selfe is made manifest to our selues and others Iustification is the third and it is the grace of God whereby we are infeoft in Iesus Christ in such sort that wee are made one with him and pertakers of all that is his Glorification is the last and it is that grace of GOD whereby vvee shall bee entred in the due time full Heyres to our heauenly Father No King on earth can produce so auncient a right to his crowne as the Christian effectually called No man on earth can bee knowne his fathers heire vpon such sufficient warrant as the Christian for in his Regeneration the Father communicates to him his Image his Nature and his Spirit whereby he begins from feeling to call God his father and in life and manners resembleth him No Free-holder so surely infeoft in his Lands hauing so many confirmations of his right as hath the justified Christian who vpon his guift hath receiued the earnest the Pledge the Seale and the Witnesse of the great King and last of all the Christian shall be entred to the ful fruition of his inheritance with such joy and triumph in the glorious assembly of the Saints as the like was neuer seene in the world no not in Ierusalem that day when Salomon sate downe in his fathers Throne then their joy was so great That the earth rang with the sound of them but nothing comparable to this And herein stands the excellency of a Christian and certaintie of his saluation CHAP. X. How the Christian is made sure of his Election and Glorification FOr this Chaine of our Saluation reacheth as I may say from eternitie to eternitie the beginning of it albeit before beginning is our Election the end of it albeit without end is our glorification and these two ends of the Chaine the Lord keepes them sure secret in his owne hand but the two middle links of the Chaine to wit Calling and Iustification the Lord hath letten them downe from the Heauen to earth that we should gripe and apprehend them that being sure of the two middle Links wee might also bee sure of the two ends because the Lord hath knit them inseparably together Then thou who wouldest be comforted with the assurance of thy Saluation take heed of this making it knowne to thine owne Conscience by a holy life that God hath called thee and iustified thee Gripe sure as it were with one hand the linke of Calling and with the other hand the linke of Iustification then maist thou know assuredly Election before the world is thine Glorification after this shall also be thine To make this yet more plaine we are to remember this mortall life of ours is a short interiected point of Time betwixt two Eternities if so I may call it or like a stepping stone betwixt two Gulphes whereupon some in feare and trembling worke out their Saluation and so steps from Gods eternall Election to endlesse glorification Others againe in wantonnesse and carelesse securitie drinkes in iniquitie with greedinesse and so steps from the decree of Reprobation that most iustly they procure their euerlasting condemnation So that euery man is to consider of his euerlasting weale or woe by his present disposition in this life Oh that wee had sanctified memories to remember this so long as wee are here If of weaknesse wee fall wee may rise againe and if wee haue not learned well to repent in one day wee haue leaue of the Lords patience to learne it better another day his name bee praysed therefore who hath opened a doore of mercie to sinners and with long suffering waits for our repentance But he who in the day of his transmigration steps the wrong step will neuer get leaue to amend it Where the tree falles it shal lie there the wicked dies in their sinnes and so steps downeward to the deep pit and gulph out of which there is no redemption Let vs therefore be wel aduised before wee leape Let vs fasten our feete in the borders of that Canaan in time which shal be done if wee make our whole life a proceeding from Election to Glorification and that through Calling and Iustification which two hath inseparably following them the Sanctification and Renouation of the whole man The Lord make vs wise in time that we may consider our course and think of the end wherevnto it leades vs for there is but one of two as Moses protested to the Israelites so doe I vnto you I haue laid this day life and death before you the Lord giue you grace to make choise of the best But now to returne to the words of this discription of the persons to whom this priuiledge appertaineth wee haue these things First the Purpose of God Secondly his Calling according to
Sanctified in Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory for euer Amen FINIS A PREPARATIVE for the new Passeouer Very profitable to bee perused and read of all those who are called to the holy Table of our Lord. By WILLIAM COVPER Minister of Gods word Prouerbs Chap. 9. Verse 5. Come eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne 8 My fruit is better then Gold euen then fine gold and my reuenewes better then fine siluer LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge and are to sould at his shop at the great South doore of Paules 1608. To the right worshipfull Sir Dauid Murray speciall Gentleman of the Prince his Bed-chamber multiplication of mercy grace and peace RIght Worshipfull albeit no distance of place can disioynt them in affection whoÌ„ God hath conioyned by the band of one spirit yet is it no small stop of that Christian conference wherby eyther of them might happely edifie and be edified of others I haue therefore taken mee to the next remedy since I cannot reach towards you with my tongue I haue endeuoured by writing to bestow vpon you some Spirituall Gift according to my line or measure for recompence of that Comfort which I haue reaped of that Grace of God which is in you I know these colder parts of the I le wherein we soiourue doe not vsually render such ripe fruites as those on which the Sunne beates more hotely yet are they also profitable in their kinde for nourishment specially of such who from their youth haue beene accustomed to feede vpon them Neyther hath the Lord our God debarred vs from Communion of that which is the greatest glory of the I le the Sun of righteousnesse hath shined vpon vs also The Lord hath made our darknesse to bee light and lead vs who were blinde a way wee knew not The Lord hath set his Standard amongst vs. Hee hath not onely sayde to the South keepe not backe but hee hath also commaunded the North to giue and to bring vnto him his Sonnes from farre and his Daughters from the ends of the Earth As the going forth of the Sunne is from the one end of Heauen to the other rising in the East and running on like a mighty man his race towards the West so hath the Law gone forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem the light of the Gospell through many nations hath come from them of the East toward vs in the West where now it stands more meruailously then the Sunne stood in Gibeon in the dayes of Ioshua till the fulnesse of the Gentiles in these parts the remnants of Iaphets house bee brought into the Tents of Sem. How long it will so continue the Lord knoweth Now the shadows of the euening are stretched ouer them of the East the Sun is gone downe ouer their Prophets Darknesse is vnto them in stead of Diuination If our vnthankefulnesse prouoke the Lord to withdraw it from vs woe in like manner shall bee to this Land when God departs from it There was neuer people before vs had any more but their day of Grace some longer some shorter but as they had a Morning so hath an Euening also ouertaken them While therefore wee haue the light let vs walke in the Light Blessed shall wee bee if wee know those things which belong to our peace for in our dayes that promise which the Lord made two thousand and sixe hundred yeares agoe is aboundantly performed that hee would giue the ends of the earth to his Sonne for a possession Happy are they among vs who shall be found of that number sought out by the Candle of the Gospell as peeces of lost Money and like wandring Sheepe taken out of the mouth of the Lyon and giuen in a Gift to Christ that hee may saue them these are the Redeemed of the Lord let them praise the Lord and among them come yee in also and giue glory to God take in your heart and mouth with Dauid that Song of thanksgiuing The Lots are fallen vnto mee in pleasant places and I haue a faire Heritage It is written of Theodosius that hee thanked God more for that hee was a Christian then for that he was an Emperour because the Glory hee had by the one would vanish but the benefits hee enioyed by the other hee knew were to continue for euer and though it may bâ—…e most iustly great matter of your ioy that by the fatherly care of our Gracious Soueraigne yee haue beene placed a Domestique Attendant on his Maiesties most Princely Sonne euen from his very Cradle wherein hetherto you haue beene praised for Fidelitie and I hope shall be so to the end yet let this bee your greatâ—…st Glorie that the Lord hath made you partaker of that blessing which commeth by the Gospell and giuen you the earnest of that Inheritance prepared for them who are sanctified by Faith in Christ Iesus For increase whereof in you as I daily send vp my weake Prayers vnto the Lord so shall I be aboundantly contented to know that these small fruits of my hâ—…sbandry which haue growne this last Sum mer in the pleasant valley of Perth not far from your natiue soyle may be any way profitable to confirme and establish that which GOD hath wrought in you 〈◊〉 them therefore right Worshipfull come towards you as those fruits which Iacob sent to Ioseph from Canaan Southward to more plentifull Aegipt though not as supplements of your neede yet as Testimonies of that loue which I beare toward you in the Lord to whose mercy I commend you for euer in Iesus Christ. Your W. in the Lord Iesus M. William Cowper Minister of Christ his Euangell at Perth A PREPARATIVE for the new Passeouer CHAP. I. Of the feruent desire Christians haue to be vnited with Christ. How Inexcusable they are who neglect this holy sacrament The great danger in comming vnprepared The parts of the precept First that we try Secondly that wee eate the last handled first AS the soule of a Christian longeth for nothing more then to be fully vnited with the Lord Iesus so doth he greatly account of euerie meane whereby this vnion is aduanced The Apostle S. Paul was so inflamed with the loue of Christ that in comparison of him he esteâ—…med all other things to be but doung and euerie thing an aduantage that might serue to conioyne him wiâ—…h Christ for albeit the nature of man abhorreth nothing more then death yea euen the soule of the godly desires not to lay aside the body if it might stande with the Lords dispensation which the Apostle is not ashamed to protest of himselfe We would not saith he be vncloathed but would be cloathed vpon that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life Yet did the loue of Christ so far ouercome him that he was content through the valley of
death to follow his Lo◅d yea most desirous to be dissolued by death in so much as hee knew it to be a meane to conioyne him neerer vnto Christ. And herein he stands vp to witnesse vnto vs that vnlesse wee haue a most feruent desire to participate of this holy Sacrament which the Lord hath instituted to seale vp and increase our spirituall Communion with him wee are manifestly conuinced to be such as in whom their is no loue of the Lord Iesus If we will not goe with him to eate and drinck in his Parlour at Ierusalem it is not likely that we will follow him out of the Cittie bearing his reproach to bee crucified with him on mount Caluarie The Apostle is desirous to goe through death that hee might come to Christ and it was the notable word of that auncient Ignatius the scholler of Christs best beloued Disciple Saint Iohn Nihil visibilium moror nihil inuisibilium modo Christum acquiram I stand said hee vpon nothing visible nor inuisible I care not what torments come vpon me so that I enioy Christ Iesus and will not wee then casting away all impediments come ioyfully forward to this holy Table wherein our blessed Sauiour communicates himselfe vnto vs and wherevnto this day so louingly he inuites vs Now hee standes at the doore and he knocks offering to come in suppe with them who will open vnto him Now the maister shall say to his Disciples Take re and eate this is my bodie Now saies the bridegroome to his friends Eate O my friends and make you merrie my welb◅loued Now doth the Angel intimate that proclamation which hereafter will be resounded with greater ioy from heauen Let vs be glad and reioyce for the marriage of the Lambe is come And now the Sauiour calles vpon sinners with outstretched armes Come to me all ye who are wearie and laden and I will refresh you Those diseased creatures who lay at the poole of Bethesda wayted diligently on the occasion when they should step downe into the water for he that first stepped in after the Angell had troubled the water was made whole whatsoeuer his disease was Praysed be God though we haue not now those waters of Siloam wherein with that blind man wee may cure our bodily diseases wee haue the waters of that Shiloh of the which whosoeuer drinks shall not thirst any more these are the waters of life that are able to cure all our spirituall infirmities the benefit is not restrained to one that first sits downe at his Table but is extended to all those who make themselues readie to come vnto him Let vs not therefore neglect so faire an occasion of grace but let vs vp arise let the Bride make her selfe readie and go foorth to meete the Bride-groome Let vs begin in this wildernes to eate the fruits of our promised Canaan which is aboue Let vs open to the King of glory that knocks let vs go to our sauiour that cries come and ioyfully communicate with our Lord who commaunds Take and eate this is my body For here is giuen the greatest gift and that in the most excellent manner that God hath to giue on earth vnto the sonnes of men for here he giueth it as it were with both his hands that is not onely by his word but also by his Sacrament onely take heede to this warning let a man trie himselfe and so let him eate There is danger in hearing of the word and therefore our Sauiour forewarnes vs Take heede how you heare Ther is danger also in communicating in the preceeding verse the Apostle forewarned vs of it He that eates of this bread and drinks of this cup of the Lord vnworthely is guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. In the subsequent verse hee forewarnes vs also of the danger He that eates and drinkes vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation And in this interiected verse which now by the grace of God wee haue to handle hee sheweth vs the way how to eschew them both and therefore let vs harken the more attentiuely vnto it This precept hath two parts in the first we are commaunded to try before we eate in the second wee are commaunded to eate af◅er triall Before we communicate he requires triall and after triall hee commands to communicate and so he encounters with two sorts of men whereof the one eates of this bread and tryes not and these faile against the first the other tries themselues but eates not of this bread and these faile against the second both of them are here corrected by the Apostles precept In handling whereof we begin first at the last part that such as are resolued to bide away if it please God may bee made willing to come and then by God his grace we shall return to the first that such as are willing to come may bee instructed how they should communicate And so let him eate It is not then as ye may perceiue left free vnto men to communicate or abstaine from the Communion as they please but we are bound by a commaundement to eate and drinke at this Table Doe this said our Sauiour in remembrance of mee Our first father Adam failed in eating of that tree of knowledge of good and euill whereof God forbade him to eate but many of his sonnes failes in refusing to eate of that tree of life whereof God commaunds them to eate In their words they condemne the fact of their fathers because they were Sicut omniū parentes ita omniū peremptores prius peremptores quam parentes perishers of their posteritie ◅re euer they were parents and in their deede they are dayly imitators of their folly It was a punishment vnto Adam to be debarred from the tree of life and it is but a pastime to many of his foolish posteritie to debarre themselues from it Thus stands the corrupt nature of man still in contrarie termes with the Lord And the children fulfilles the measure of their fathers iniquitie where God forbids man to eate there will he eate and where the Lord commaunds him to eate there will he not eate The Serpent spake from the earth albeit ye eate of that tree which God hath forbidden yee shall not dye and man hearkened vnto it The Lord Iesus speakes from heauen come and eate of the tree of life and yee shall liue but man will not heare him O silly and fearefull Rebellion the Seducer is beleeued and the Sauiour is not beleeued This day wisdome hath prepared his Table hee cals vpon you all Come and eate of my meate and drinke of the wine that I haue drawne hee that find eth me findeth life and shall obtaine the fauour of the Lord but hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule and all that hate mee loue death Thus are wee louingly called and fairely forewarned and all those are made
compound wherein are things of sundry kindes which must be distinguished and so the word of discerning imports that secret There are here things of sundry sorts wee must discerne euery thing in the owne kind so our Sauiour taught vs and after him his Apostles and this truth the auncient Fathers haue deliuered vnto vs Eucharistia said Irenaeus ex duabus rebus constat terrena coelesti The Eucharist consists of two kind of things the one earthly the other heauenly And Augustine calleth it visibile signum inuisibilis graciae the visible signe of invisible grace And Macarius calleth this Bread and Wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Examplaria figurae seu Typi carnis sanguinis Christi Resemblances figures and Types of the Body and Bloud of Christ Iesus Now it is sure that a Type Patterne or figure must euer bee distinguished from that whereof it is a figure This Sacrament then being a compound thing must be considered not as a simple but as a compound thing If it bee asked whether a man be earthly or heauenly because hee is a compound creature It must bee answered by a distinction If it be asked how a Christian being on the earth the Apostle saith that hee hath his Conuersation in the Heauens it must be answered by a distinction and if also it be asked whether this Sacrament bee an earthly or an heauenly thing how the signe is giuen and how the thing signified how Christ Iesus is in heauen and yet present in the Sacrament All these I say must be answered by distinction Sursum est Dominus said Augustine sed etiam hic est veritas Dominus corpus enim Domini in quo resurrexit vno loco esse potest veritas eius vbique diffula est Our Lord is aboue in heauen yet here also is our Lord as hee is the truth for the body of our Lord in which hee arose from death can bee but in one place but his truth is diffused into euery place And againe Ibat per id quod homo erat manebat per id quod Deus ibat per id quod vno loco erat manebat per id quod vbique erat Hee went hence by that which was man he stayed by that which was God hee went away by that which was but in one place hee stayed by that which was in all places And againe Ascendit super omnes coelos corpore non recessit maiestate He ascended aboue all the heauens in his body but hee departed not hence in his Maiestie And Cyrill in like manner Non enim quia nunc non adest in carne ex eo putes quod spiritu medio hic non adsit Thinke not that with his spirit he is not here amongst vs because hee is not now amongst vs with his bodie Thus yee see we must vse a distinction And yet albeit we are forced here to acknowledge the sundrie natures of things compound and consider them in their owne kinds wee must for all that take heed to the wonderfull vnion and Sacramentall coniunction that is betweene them which is so strait that vnto the receiuer they are inseparable for the which also the earthly thing receyues the name of the heauenly And this must also be considered least on the other hand separating those things which God hath conioyned we make this Bread and this Wine but naked and bare signes and so iustly incur that blame which our aduersaries vniustly would lay vpon vs and in like manner this punishment which here the Lord threatens against them who are euill discerners CHAP. III. Three rules to be obserued in the right descerning the Lords bodie First that euerie thing in this sacrament be taken in his owne kinde Who failes in this and how Secondly that this sacrament bee vsed according to Christs institution How the Papists faile in this Thirdly that this sacrament bee vsed to right ends and those ends set downe The conclusion of the first part of the precept VVE are therfore to consider that for the right discerning of the Lord body these three rules are to bee obserued first that in this sacrament we take vp euerie thing in the owne nature and kinde Next that we vse euery one of them in the manner appointed by Christ and with that reuerence that is due vnto them And thirdly that this Sacrament be celebrated vnto the right ends for which our Sauiour appointed it Against the first failes both Papists and bastard professors Papists are euill discerners because they take the signe for the thing signified the earthly thing for the heauenly The men of Lystra were euill discerners when they tooke Paul and Barnabas for Iupiter and Mercurius Gods in their account and therfore would haue worshipped them as Gods but in this light farre blinder are they who will adore a creature insteade of the creator and that with the same kinde of worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by their owne confession is due to God onely They alleadge for their error the word of truth Iesus Christ speaking say they of the bread called it his body wee say in like manner that this bread is Christs bodie but sacramentally bâ—…t deny that the bread is transubstantiate into the verie naturall bodie of Christ as they against the principles of faith and nature falsely affirme It is strange to see what backward peruerse handlers of holy scripture these men bee where they should sticke to the letter they inforce an allegorie to serue their purpose What plainer Historie then that which Moses hath God made two great lights the greater to rule the day the lesser to rule the night yet is this place violently wrested when out of it they will gather that the Papall dignitie which as they say God hath appointed to rule ouer the spiritualtie is gâ—…eater then the regall and that the Pope by as many degrees excelleth the Emperour as the Sunne excells the Moone And againe where the Spirit of God vseth a figure there they sticke to the Letter These words according to the Letter Mandant flagitium commaund an impietie And therefore by Augustines rule should be esteemed figuratiue Si praeceptiua loquutio est aut flagitium aut facinus vetans aut vtilitatem beneficentiam iubens non est figurata loquutio si autem flagitiuÌ„ vel facinus videtur iubere aut vtilitateÌ„ aut beneficentiam vetare figurata loquutio est nisi manducaueritis inquit Christus carnem â—…ilij hominis facinus iubere videtur figura est ergo praecipiens passioni domini esse communicandum suauiter vtiliter recondenduÌ„ in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa sit If a speech of precept either foâ—…bid some sinne or heynous deede or else commaund a profitable or a good deed then it is no figuratiue speech but if it seeme to commaund a sin or heynous deede or forbid a profitable and honest action then it is
take yee heede how ye come he saith not simplie let a man eate but let a man try himselfe and so let him eate This warning then of the Apostle stands in the entrie of this holy action like that Cherubin armed with a sword in the entry of Paradice yet not to hold out the Sonnes of Adam but onely to terrifie vs that wee presume not to draw nere without sanctification And herein doth our Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs who before he inuite vs to eate and drinke at his table doth first of all instruct vs how we should doe it Absalom called his younger Brother Ammon to a banquet onely of purpose to slay him hee prepared delicate meate and drinke aboundant'y for him but concealed the danger It is not so with our elder bro ther he calls vs here to a banquet noâ—… of purpose to slay vs but to saue vs 〈◊〉 is no way willing we should make thâ—…s Table a snare to trappe our selues to damnation which he hath ordeined aâ—… a meane of our Saluation and therfore before hand forewarnes vs of the danger that we may eschew it It is pittie to see how the great multitude runne to this holy Sacrament without tryall examination of them selues and all because they heare of a bread of life which heere is exhibited to the Communicants at this holy Table it is verie true that great thinges are exhibited heere indeed but thou shouldest first of all enquire of thy selfe who art thou what interest thou hast in this Communion and whether or no thou be one of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine for if thou in thy person be a profane vnsanctified creature thy touching of these holy things may defile them and make thee guiltie of the contempt of them but shall not benefit thee yea a greater curse then that which Elisha pronounced on the vnbeleeuing Samaritane Prince shall light vpon thee thou shalt see the Table of the Lord and heare of the plentie of the bread of life therein communicate but shall not eate of it Let a man therefore trie himselfe so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. For as this Sacrament is a holy and excellent thing so should they who celebrate it bee holy and seperate persons It should not bee receiued with common hands that is with earthly harts and vnsanctified affections The Pharises would not eat their common meate with vnwashed hands and that was but superstition but heere to wash before we eate both our hands and our head with Peter yea to wash as Ieremy exhorts vs Our hearts from our wickednesse is deuotion and good Religion both commended and commaunded by the word of God Otherwise fearefull is that warning of our Sauiour If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with mee To the vncleane all things are vncleane for euen their consciences are defiled CHAP. V. Vnreuerent handling of holy things hath neuer beene left vnpunished The Lord will not shew his presence without preparation The excellencie of this Sacrament and an exhortation to come vnto it with reuerence THe Lord hath neuer suffered vnpunished the vnreuerent looking to or handling of the holy signes of his presence Them of Bethshemesh looked vnreuerently into the Ark the Lord slew fifty thousand of them Uzza touched vnreuerently the Arke and the Lord in like manner strook him instantly to death Abimelech would not giue to Dauid the hallowed bread of proposition but conditionally that the young men who were with him were sanctifyed No vncircumcised man might eate of the pascall Lambe vnder paine of death and such as were circumcised being vncleane behooued to abstaine till they were clensed according to the law yea such of them as were cleane did not eate without foure daies preparation for the Lord commaunded them to take the Lambe the tenth day and not to slay it till the foureteenth day at night that all the space betweene they might the better prepare themselues to that holy action Neither will the Lord any other way be familiar with vs except we be sanctified Before the Lord came downe on Mount Sinai to giue his law to Israel hee appointed them three dayes of preparation wherein to sanctifie themselues The Lord appeared to Moses in the fiery bush but reuealed not his will vnto him till hee put off his shoes I will be sanctified saith the Lord in all that draw neere vnto me The Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand nor haue fellowship with the Throne of iniquitie his eye is so pure that hee can behold no iniquitie vnlesse we put off our worldly thoughts and sinfull affections whereby we haue troad in the vncleane wayes of sin it is not possible that the Lord can bee fa miliar with vs. All these stand vp as examples warning vs to draw neere to this holy action in assurance of Faith sprinckled in our hearts from an euill Conscience Here is a Sacrament more excellent then the Passeouer here is bread more holy then that Shew-bread here are the tokens of Gods presence more glorious then the Arke here the Lord commeth downe and saluation vnder his wings not to sound by Angels the precepts of his Law on Sinai but to scale vp by his Spirit the promises of his Gospell to the inhabitants of Sion shall wee then presume to come to this holy Table without sanctification Or if we will may wee not looke assuredly for iudgement The Corinthians were stricken with death and sundry diseases because they discerned not the Lords body that which is most feareful of al he that came to the marriage wating his wedding garment was he not taken from the banquet Table and cast into the place of vtter darknesse and shall we looke to escape the like iudgement if we fal into the like contempt of God Prepare thy selfe oh Israell to meet thy God let vs search and trye our wayes let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the heauens If wee be this day come to the Lord with our heart let vs put away our strange Gods which are our sinnes from among vs let vs with Iosephs Brethren make ready our presents sith we haue no better thing then our heart let vs sacrifice our hearts to the Lord and that in the best estate that possible wee can get it for the Lord our God is a great king Cursed is he that hath a male in his stock and voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord. Beware therefore we offer not that which is lame and torne to the Lord a diuided heart a halting heart betweene two an vnpenitent heart is neyther a meete Sacrifice to offer vnto the Lord nor a meete vessell wherein to receiue that holy thing which here the Lords offers vnto thee CHAP. VI. Not to put new wine into olde vessels Comfort for
is none of vs all but wee haue in vs our owne Idol whereunto many times we do seruice to the great offence of God And albeit this narrow tryall of our sins shall discouer to vs a wonderfull discoâ—…dance betweene our nature and the most holy law of the Lord yet let vs not be discouraged considering that wee are best in the eyes of God when we are worst in our owne eyes and most acceptable to him when we are most displeased with our selues The Lord was mooued euen with Achab his temporall humiliation seest thou not said he to Eliah how Achab is humbled before mee because hee submitteth himselfe before mee I will not bring that euill which thou hast spoken in his daies and will not then the Lord much more bee mooued with the true humiliation of his owne Seruants No doubt if wee cast downe our selues before the Lord he shall lift vs vp if wee humble our selues he shall exalt vs. If we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord for the Lord is neare to them that are contrite will saue such as are afflicted in spirit But if wee come before the Lord in the presumption of our minds and not touched with the sence of our sinnes then shall hee execute that fearefull threatning vpon vs I will enter into iudgement with thee because thou sayest I haue not sinned though thou wert high exalted like the Caedars of Lebanon and the Oakes of Bashan proud and hautie in thy conceit the Lord shall abase thee and bring thee low for hee is the Lord that resisteth the proud giueth grace to the humble The other poynt of our tryall and preparation stands in putting on that three-fold Christian disposition that towards our God wee bee holy and heauenly minded towards our neighbour louing righteous and mercifull and as concerning our selues that wee be sober and lowly for so the grace of God which hath appeared teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and wordly lusts and should liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world This is our wedding garment euen that pure fine and shining linnen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints A Garment not partie coloured like Iosephs but compact of many vertues graces of Christ Iesus These be his badges and Cognisances whereby vvee are knowne to bee his the putting on of these is the putting on of Christ for his grace translateth vs out of nature and transformeth vs into his image by his owne spirit And first as concerning our disposition towards God it should not onely be holy as I haue said but also heauenly for since wee call him our Father which is in heauen vvee must see vvhat heauenly disposition vve haue to goe after him and whether wee be weary of our absence from the Lord like Dauid weary of his dwelling in the Tents of Keder and desire with the Apostle to remoue out of the body that wee may dwell with the Lord for here is not the place of our rest The best of our life vpon earth except it be the little tast of that hid Manna wherewith the Lord now and then comforteth our soules in this barren Wildernesse it is but like the life of that forlorne Sonne who hauing banished himselfe from his fathers house vvas driuen to fill his belly vvith the huskes that was giuen to the Swine oftentimes could not get them Wee haue experience enough of the vanitie of worldly comforts wherein there is no contentment would to God vvee could also learne with that prodigall Son to be think our selues and conclude to make home againe to our fathers house in whose face is the fulnesse of ioy surely the least of them that dwell in our Fathers house haue bread enough they are filled with the fatnesse of his house and receiue drinck out of the riuers of his pleasures what pleasure then should it be to vs to liue here in this strange Land where our soules are almost dead for hunger There is no greater thankfulnesse that man can shew to the Lord then to declare in his affection that he cannot liue vvithout the Lord nor rest content so long as hee is absent from him The Lord in the vvorke of creation neuer rested till hee had made man and man can doe no lesle of duty then passing by all Gods Creatures to resolue with himselfe I vvill neuer rest till I enioy the Lord. The Soule of man should bee like that Doue of Noah vvhich being sent forth from the arke found no rest to the sole of her foot vntill she returned againe to him that sent her and indeed without the Lord where can wee rest Goe thy way with Salomon and proue all the goodnesse of the children of men which they inioy vnder the Sunne thou shalt finde it is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit whatsoeuer man cleaâ—…eth to beside Iehouah the true subsisting Lord it is but a lying vanitie which hath not in it that substance and certaintie which man imagineth yea man without God in his best estate is altogether vanitie and his wisest actions are but a disquieting of himselfe in vaine It is a godly saving of Augustine which the word of God and experience taught him Fâ—…isli nos Domine ad tâ—… semper inquietum est cor nostrum donâ—… requiâ—…at in te thou madest vs O Lord vnto thy selfe and our heart is euer vnquiet till it rest in thee The wicked vvho are strangers from the wombe pretend in their countenance vvhat they will yet euen in laughter their heart is sad for there is no ioy nor peace to the wicked saith my God their heart is moued as the Trees of tâ—…e Forrest shaken with the Winde As the point of the Marriners compasse so long as it is not direct to the North trembles continually so the spirit of the wicked not set vpon the Lord is neuer quiet but tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbations which in a part presently he feeles but shall better perceiue it when he goeth out of the body For tribulation and anguish shal be on the soule of euery man that doth wickedly this is the portion of them that forsake God and wander after vanitie It is good therefore for vs to draw neere vnto God saying with Dauid whom haue I in the heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth with the. The Lord worke this heauenly disposition in vs. And now to helpe forward ouâ—… earthly minds vnto it we haue to consider both the time space when and where our Sauiour did institute this sacrament The place is recorded by Saint Luke to haue beene an vpper Parlour the consideration of the place saith Nazianzin doth some way warne vs that wee should celebrate this holy sacrament with high heauenly affections When God gaue the law hee came downe from heauen to the top
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