God Reason 2 Secondly If the Lord onely found out his Sonne to be the foundation of this Covenant meant him sent him made him enabled him to ratifie it by the bloud of the Covenant accepted all this offers it seconds and assists it by his owne Spirit to make it effectuall Who can doubt that he onely is the Author of these Seales whereby this effectualnesse is convei'd Reason 3 Thirdly If he onely be the Author of blessing the word of promise to breede faith in the Covenant which is the lesser Who but hee shall breed the assurance of faith and the reflexion thereof upon the soule that it may know it selfe to beleeve Now how is this done ordinarily save by the seales If hee then be the Author of the lesser efficacie who but hee is the Author of the greater by the sealing Ordinance Reason 4 Fourthly If no externall blessing accompanying the Covenant for so the Lord was wont to perswade obedience Deut. 7. and Chap. 32. Deut. 7 32. Hos 2. Ezek. 33 c. can come from any other Author save the Lord as the blessings of raine dew plenty health long life successe Deut. 5.29 Deut. 5 29. and the like who shall dare usurpe the authority of Seales and Sacraments which are the most eminent annexes to the Covenant of all other Reason 5 Fifthly If the Lord Iesus himselfe was the onely stablisher of the Testament and Covenant by his death and bloud for without death no Legacy is of valour then who but himselfe shall make Sacraments which are in effect nothing else save the power of his life and death Reason 6 Sixthly If the Lord onely can authorise divers signes for the Sacraments as supr Chap. 2. if he onely can abrogate old ones if he one day shall abolish all old and new their nature and use as past use who but himselfe shall frame Sacraments It resting in one and the same power to make Lawes and to abolish them I conclude then that God alone is the Author of a Sacrament Conclus As indeed the Scripture doth witnesse The Lord only Gen. 17. Gen. 17. appointed Circumcision The same Lord Exod. 12. Exod. 12. ordained his Passeover the Lord extraordinarily gave commission from heaven to Iohn to appoint Baptisme Luke 3 1 2 3. Luke 22 18. and the Lord Iesus with his owne sacred presence and hands ordained the Supper before his death Seeing after his Resurrection he could not being partly an act of humiliation and so all Sacraments were given by the Lord in their severall kindes for their severall uses as in the next points shall appeare And to say the truth if it be once granted that the Lord is not the sole ordainer of Sacraments what a wide doore must of necessitie be set open for both usurping Ordainers and counterfeit Sacraments Where should the period be or why should not hundreths as well as three or five be admitted to the heape Vse 1 For use therefore hereof this teacheth us to abhorre all Sacraments which have not God and Christ for their ordainer If they cannot shew their pedigree in the Lords Genealogy Nehem. 7 63. nor be bookt in his Records nor have his stampe set upon them Math. 22 21. we say of them as our Saviour of the Penny Give unto Caesar that which is his So give to the Pope his Vnction throw him backe his Sacramentall Orders and Penance wee abhorre whatsoever savors not of God as copper coine Yea and we loath whatsoever of Gods first ordaining they by their abuse have corrupted namely as corrupted and seeing God and Christ never gave us a Sacrifice for a Sacrament wee abhorre to meddle with it as a Sacrifice propitiatory for the quicke and the dead and for their Baptisme we loath it also as administred by them as an horrrible defiling of Gods Ordinance professing to depart from their Sacraments both for their new inventions and for their adulteratings of the old and bidde them take them as their owne for now they have used them thus they are no longer Gods As for their distinction of Apostolicall and Divine we take what they grant if they be not Divine although an Angell from heaven did ordaine them wee should abhorre them How much more when their Pope or their Clergy or the body of their defiled Church For were their Church a chaste Spouse shee durst as well forsweare her husband as cast off subjection in embracing his Sacraments and usurping power to appoint other which is so farre beside her commission that she may as safely devise a new Covenant Scripture and Doctrine as doe it Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth us to esteeme so much the better of Gods Coyne as wee scorne the base stuffe of Popery Gods stampe upon the Sacrament should make it honourable and precious in our eyes If some civill ordinance hath honour in it because God hath put it upon it if marriage be so solemne if the Crowne of an earthly King be so sacred how holy is his Sacrament He who profanes it by sacrilegious adding detracting or profaning either by superstition or unprepared use shall finde God will not hold him guiltesse for taking his Name in vaine Wee delight when wee have any curious thing of a choise workeman to say It is a Picture of such a ones drawing It is a Musicall Lesson of such a ones setting a Watch of such a ones making How should Gods Master-peeces than affect us Not to over-prize them to keepe them in Pixes and under Canopies of gold but to preserve them in their spirituall integrity Vse 3 Thirdly it should teach us to behold them not in their outside but as they are in Gods ordination not the outside of a man which we see but the soule which is not seene is the man so not the outward thing but Gods Ordinance in it is the Sacrament Of which more in due place Vse 4 But Fourthly and especially seeing God is the Author of Sacraments let us be â—uled by him in the right manner of receiving them Looke what Iosia 2 King 21 23. 2 King 21 23. said to the people Keepe the Passeover to the Lord your God according to all that is in the Booke of the Covenant so heere I say Receive to the Lord be ruled by him in Preparation in action and the fruite of both It s onely in him that ordaines to order also and prescribe the due manner of using them Take we this item with us before wee come to the Doctrine of right receiving that it may set a spurre in our sides to quicken us to due preparation and using of them for he who gave them to his Church will most severely punish all ignoraâ—â— rash unbeleeving unrepentant uncharitable indifferent commers to his Sacraments and every such one stands to Gods Tribunal as we shall heare in due place Vse 5 Lastly let this point teach us to whom to goe for the spirituall life of faith
framing the uniforme truth of God to the text in hand and the text and use of it to the occasion of their people That so Gods Spirit might not seeme streightned for ease carelesnesse and forme seeme to eate up all power and spirit in men causing people to misapply truthes so deluding themselves Vse 3 Thirdly what a sweete ground of instruction is this to all to magnify Christ Sacramentall in the wisedome of his stewardship To ascribe his due honour to him in seeing and serving the wants and turnes of not congregations but particular beleevers What member is there of a great noble mans house whose eye is not set upon the steward of the house from him they have their meate their physicke their cloathes their lodgings their wages each one his portion therefore of all others he is the cheefe object of honour if faithfull Oh! couldst thou see the most curious wisedome of the Lord Iesus thy steward in the dispensing of Sacramentall graces neyther superfluously nor niggardly neither the apparell of the growne to the young nor Physicke in stead of foode nor strong meate in stead of milke nor any of these out of season when the soule is past them and starven but these fully justly wisely tenderly and all in season yea to all so that the number of his people wearies not his dispensation Oh! how would it ravish thee It s the ignorance of the stewards excellency which makes him so little set by Men make use of him for every thing and honour him for nothing and indeede rather cozen themselves of him than him of his due None of his graces serve onely for a dumbe shew but for use Consider what a steward thou hast who cuts out himselfe for thee beeing made of the Father to this end It s hee who is the dispenser of the manifold graces of God yea so doth he parcell them out to thee that he was pleased himselfe to partake them Hee would be baptized himselfe would eate and drinke the Supper himselfe that he might sanctifie his Minister to distribute his people to receive this nourishment that he might by his owne holy dividing eating and drinking cover all the defects of his Church in both and encourage them to come unto him even in their weakest preparations Alas not himselfe was the better for these but in all his Churches welfare he is refeshed as in his owne and when hee can make us accepted in himselfe and wel-pleasing he hath his desire Vse 4 Fourthly this should informe us of the excellency of the Sacrament and how it addes a blessing to the promise For the promise makes the Proposition of a Christians comfort All that thirst hunger beleeve may come and be eased refreshed But the Sacrament is the Assumption and addes But thou art that party To thee I offer these good things take thou eate drinke thou thou poore soule fearefull to apply the promise I speake to thee it s thy portion although thou wilt not acknowledge it I know thee to be such an one I come now to thy doore and lay this refreshing unto thee take it it s thine Many poore soules cavill against the promise and say If I were named as the party to whom the Lord Iesus belonged I durst but alas how dare I how many step in before me Indeede to the Church these things belong in generall but in so great a numbeâ— of men how easily is such a poore wretch as I trod downe No no the Sacrament is the hand of Christ thy steward seeing thee singling out thee looking downe for such as are broken empty base and fatherlesse that he may bee strong with all such And now in speciall to thee he saith Thou art this thirsty beleeving soule apply the promise to thy selfe Iohn Thomas such a man or woman for in a manner the Sacrament supplies the defect of the word both in personall and peculiar application It tells thee thy name is written in heaven it gives thee a ticket in speciall from God to secure thee to be his and as it offers whole Christ to the Communion of Saints so it severalls out thee and tells thee that thou art not forgotten among the rest but to thee the Lord Iesus broken belongs Thou seest not the parcell of bread and wine more personally offred to thy hand than Christ to thy soule So that as by vertue of generall Christ thou deniest thy selfe and prayest Our Father give us this day our daily bread forgive us leade not us into tentation that is compst thy selfe to serve onely for the use of the body so by vertue of Christ cut out and divided to thee thou sayst I beleeve in God I beleeve in Christ I beleeve in the holy Ghost I beleeve my selfe to bee the Lords and fasten so upon Christ not as every beleevers but mine owne in speciall to pardon to save me as if I were the onely person And not onely thus but after this Assumption comes in a Conclusion Therefore Christs benefits are thine all his graces his enablements for doing for suffering supply of thy ignorance releefe of thy forgetfulnesse wandrings earthlinesse coldnesse c. I say Christ is peculiarly thine with all his nourishment to eternall life Learne to make this use of the Sacrament Vse 5 Fiftly its instruction to the people to ground their hearts duly in the esteeme of the Minister of God Hee is in this dispensation of Christ both in word and Sacrament the true arbiter or middle man to convey from God to them the Lord Iesus in all his good things and the returner backe againe from them to the Lord the Calves of their lips their renued thankes affections covenant and obedience Surely they should behold him as an object of singular love and esteeme for his workes sake How oft should they muse with themselves Oh singular favour that the Lord should treate with us by entercourse of his Minister allow him in his stead to divide Christ to us in Word and Sacrament to reach us out our peculiar portions as our steward wisely and tenderly to speake to my heart aptly pertinently and then to apply it by the Sacrament more specially to separate the precious from the vile to bring a personall promise home to thee a peculiar supply of thy wants Oh! how should the feete of such be beautifull The truth is I grant the unfaithfulnesse of some is the cause which holds them from due honour when people see nothing in them tending to this mediation no tendernesse to their soules no love but seeking their owne ends polluting the ordinances both by admitting the worst dismaying the best discouraging the weake and defiling themselves Oh! how should this procure them honour But doubtlesse if as Shepheards they would take the weake sheepe on their shoulders and be all in all for Christ dividing him in word and supper aright what esteeme would follow them how should the best honour them and the vilest not dare to open
thing to such an apt use is the very life bloud and marrow of a Sacrament There is no doubt but as the Scripture teacheth a Christian wise man will picke out holines out of each resemblance an housewife that is godly will not boult out her flower from the bran but her heart will carrie her to our Saviours words Satan hath desired to winnow you Luke 22 31. c. An Husbandman will not use his Fanne or Floore to dresse or cast his corne in but he will muse of that finall separation of the drosse from the Wheate But there is great odds betweene a voluntary act of our owne devotion and an obedience to a Sacramentall charge As the Text saith Luke 4. Luke 4.27 There were many Leapers in Elisha's time and many Widdowes but not many to whom hee was sent So the world yea the world is full of resemblances but not of such as Christ hath set his stampe upon to bee Sacramentall The setting of a young child before the Disciples and the washing of their feete with his owne hands were Christs acts still at this day apishly followed by the Pope but neither appointed to be Sacramentall but onely naturall resemblances to an holy heart which hath a gift to make use thereof of a spirituall grace of humility Appropriation then especially stands in â—â—is determining of the Elements to such an use by the word and ordinance Vse 1 Ere we proceede this first point may be of speciall use 1. To blesse the Lord as for the releefe of our stupor by outward Elements so especially for the aptnes thereof chusing such as without any more adoe might easily acquaint us with such holy things of which before And to teach us to beg of his Majesty heavenly hearts which might be capable of his meaning herein Vse 2 Secondly this must keepe us within holy bounds as concerning our devising and setting up to our selves resemblances of holy things as Crucifixes the Image of the blessed humility of Christ to behold and worship Who allowed us these The Sacraments serve as a Supersedeas from all such inventions All Popish trash of forged Sacraments heere falles to ground Vse 3 Lastly let us learne to familiarize with Gods Sacraments in the point of the institution of Resembling the Lord Iesus Let us not be dull and blockish in appropriating them to their use but learne still to climbe up by them to heaven If the minde be at Yorke instantly at the naming of the Citty when yet the body is an 100. miles distant and no sooner doth a woman heare her husbands name but shee is present with him though he be in a farre Countrey by the velocity speed of the Apprehension stirred up by such a relation Oh! how dull and slow of heart are they who in the midst not of artificiall humane or naturall but divine appropriations are so carnall and heavy that scarsely the Sacrament will ingender one lively representation of the Lord Iesus to nourish us cheere us But as we come so wee sit and so depart as Strangers and Idiots as if Christ and we were devided as farre as heaven and earth The causes of which are these 2 Causes of our dulnesse herein eyther that wee are not those new Creatures in whom God hath renewed the powers of understanding and affection and therefore want the discourse and the spirit of relation in a word want the operation of a new Creature which is faith stirring the soule to a lively meditation of Christ by the word the ordinance and promise of God and then what wonder if Sacraments which should bee the most active meanes become all a-mort dead and dumbe with us and wee being held and taken in all our lims at once like numbâ—â—alsie-ones can neyther stirre hand or foote towards Christ or else wee abuse the gift of faith and the power of the new creature by disabling our selves and disinuring our soules from this worke and disguising that image of God in us which serves to carry us to God by setting it upon trash world profit pleasure ease and sensuality till it seeme tedious unto us to set it upon holy thoughts in the Sacrament Caveat thereto To prevent this it were good counsell to trade our spirits to heavenly things even by earthly occasions as well without as within the Sacraments He shall not finde his spirits so flat loy and lazy in meeting with Sacramentall Christ who inures his dead heart daily to an holy nimblenesse in comparing earthly things with heavenly Hee that cannot see a Pismire but hee will thinke of providence Prov. 6.6 not a garish harlot dressing herselfe for an adulterous wretch but will taxe himselfe for his lesse loving Christ shee that cannot lay a leaven Matth. 13.33 but thinkes of the kingdome of Christ and in a word hath a gift to be heavenly and to turne ordinary properties of the creature or common occasions to holy meditation he shall not have his heart in another world when the Lord presents unto him the Lord Iesus by Sacramentall resemblances And thus much for the first The second part of the forme of Sacraments is union The second part of forme Vnion Which yet comes nearer than the former as more closely conveying exhibiting the Lord Iesus to the soule Yet wee must know the former makes way to this the aptnesse and speciall application of signes to this use helpes much the minde to conceive but this is the more immediate object of faith to fasten upon Christ that the Sacraments are no longer the bread of the Lord but bread the Lord wine the Lord and water the Lord. And this Sacramentall union is an act of Gods ordeining Spirit and Authority by vertue whereof the Lord Iesus in all his merits and efficacy is not onely resembled and presented by apt likenesse to the minde but really made one with the Elements that by them and with them he might be carried into the soule inseparably for assurance of union and Communion with God Hence it is that the Scripture speakes in such a phrase This is my body This is my blood of the New Testament Luk. 22 19. 1 Cor. 5 7. Ioh. 6 32. yea in the Old Testament Christ is our Passeover The Rocke was Christ I am that Manna which descended c. All which phrases denote a realnesse and union with the Elements true and unfaigned And indeede all divine unions are Reall All unions reall although they differ in their severall kinds yet by vertue of the ordinance and the power of him that hath so made them they are no shaddowes of empty things no dumbe Pageants as we may see in other unions Sorts of them There is an intellectuall union in nature betweene the mind and object in which respect we say the mind is all things meaning in and by this comprehension and union The object and the mind are one by vertue of this power of God
Scriptures and Fathers expressing Sacramentall union As when our Saviour saith This is my body and Paul The bread we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ from which and like places they presently cry out Loe yee the bread is his body So when the Fathers especially those who were the greatest orators doe hyperbolize in the prayse of the Sacrament calling it the bread of life and an ineffable union and that after consecration the bread by the omnipotency of the Word is made flesh c. they abuse the scope of the Fathers which to themselves was good because although they meant no other but to magnifie Sacramentall union yet the excesse of their speech occasions the errour of corporall union to prevaile Let us loath their Idolatry and superstition Vse 4 Fourthly it should teach Gods people never to cease magnifying the love of God who hath refused no course neglected no meane which possibly might make for the communicating of himselfe to lost man both in union fellowship and seeing his word through our infidelity could not sufficiently satisfie your scrupulous and doubtfull mindes touching the realnesse of his faithfull meaning towards us hath not onely stooped to be in our flesh as a man but to tye himselfe to base creatures that so he might familiarize with our soules more nearely and make us one with himselfe so that the meate drink we receive is not made our substance of flesh more really than the Lord Iesus is made the substance of our spirituall nourishment Oh! I say how should his love shewed upon so hard conditions not onely ravish us but also prevaile with us for those ends which it serves for how should our soules study for union with him influence from him to become like him How should wee strive to attaine the perfection of that happinesse which Adam lost recover it in a farre fuller and nearer union with Christ and by him with the Lord Oh! this is the scope which all unions and especially this Sacramentall have to unrivet us from base unions and fellowships with things below that so we might settle our hearts upon him whom to know and beleeve to be our God reconciled is happinesse and to be united to his natures in one mysticall being of holinesse is above all earthly fading comforts Oh! hath the Lord joyned himselfe to the creatures that we not resting in them might by them be carryed to him in whom true rest and peace is to be had How should we despise to be one with money with pleasure with mans acceptance with other carnall objects and say since I came to see the excellent union of the soule with God in Christ I see nothing below but seemes base to me and such as I am loth to unite and give over my selfe to it to be servant to it to be possessed by it or to possesse it I will use all other things and enjoy the Lord. None of his good things can be made mine without union therefore as I seeke them and the increase of them in the Sacrament so I will especially seeke union and make much of the Sacrament for the purchasing of it Vse 5 Fiftly and especially how doth this point presse the necessity of faith upon us in the use of that Sacrament Onely faith is able to discerne the Lords body in this Sacramentall union and as by the former point to make us partakers of the divine nature so by this to strengthen the soule in the increase of communion by the Sacrament Let it be double exhortation then to all beleevers both to discerne to apply the Lord Iesus sacramentall 1. To discerne it For the first Turne wee all our cavilling and carnall reasoning which is endlesse for carnality comprehends not mysteries into a quietnesse and stillnesse of beleeving forsake the swift rolling torrent of never satisfied sence and embrace the softly and still streame of Siloam cut all knots in two by the ordinance thereby determine all endlesse reasonings of Popish curiosity spend that time in admiring this mystery and in longing to be partaker of that which is by it resembled I meane union of thy soule with Christ If this be so mystical how excellent is that to enjoy by faith Oh! Till union be made nothing is thine Behold not with a carnall eye say not with those Iewes Ioh. 8.22 how will he give us his flesh will he kill himselfe If reason may prevaile the Sacrament setting aside a little blinde devotion will discover no more Christ to the soule than bread and wine in a Cellar It s the power of God uniting Christ regeneration and nourishment to the soule not a few qualities of Christ but whole Christ to the whole man And the Sacraments obey him herein representing whatsoever he hath united to them No divell no instrument of his no Pope can sever these two each from other The Sacrament they may quite destroy but this union they cannot take from the Sacrament The spirit of the ordinance it is which makes it abide so irrepealable Do not then sever those things by unbeleefe which the Ordinance hath put so close together wander not descant not goe not into heaven nor downe to hell with a papist to consult and aske Rom. 10.15.16 How should this be But know the word is neare thee in thy eare yea hand eye taste the vertue of the ordinance makes whole Christ as neare the Elements as the quality of clensing feeding are neare them Destroy the one destroy the other If the one be naturall the other is spirituall and from an higher union if it be against sense to divide the one its sacriledge to sever the other True it is the things thus united are farre distant in place but yet the power of the eternall ordinance can easily unite them And shall not the gift of faith unite the soule to the Lord Iesus by these Elements as well as the ordinance for ever unites the Lord Iesus and the Elements Beware then least we sever what God hath united It is not the farrenesse off of a thing in place which can hinder union The Lord Iesus his body in the grave lost not union with the divinity by the distance of the soule in paradise because the relation was indissoluble the vertue of Christ crucified is united to the soule if it beleeve although his body keepe his place in heaven Faith in this kind is not unlike to the hand of the Marriner in sounding the depth of the sea His hand cannot touch or fadome it but by vertue of the line and plummet which he lets downe and holds in his hand he feeles the bottome and gages the depth be it never so remote So the hand of faith holding the cord and plummet of the word and promise feeles a bottome of Truth and unites it selfe to Christ For the second 2. To apply it from this discerning power goe to the applying get this
flesh they shall be conveyers of holy things the blood spirit power life of the Lord Iesus into the soules of the faithfull Oh Father then as thou and I are one Ioh. 17.22 so declare that looke what I upon earth have done that thou hast ratified in heaven let not thine elect make any question but that its thy will as well as mine that these Elements be sanctified for such use Secondly as he begges of his Father Consent so especially he craves blessing upon them As Salomon in that his prayer begs Oh Lord since it s thy will to dwell in this house which I have built 1 Kin. 8.28 therefore I beseech thee shew it by reall effects Whensoever thy people shall be hem'd in by their enemies be afflicted with famine pestilence sword or whensoever they shall pray for any good thing Oh Lord looke downe from heaven and let it be enough that thy people looke toward this house Oh then meet them and blesse them So our Saviour here Oh Father I know thou hearest me alway and by name in thy consent to this separation of the Sacrament But Lord shew it both at this time to my disciples for ever to the end of the world Let them not looke toward this ordinance in vaine but put the savor and foyson of thy Sons grace strength refreshing into them that they may actually conferre upon all hungry beleeving soules my righteousnesse of satisfaction and sanctification of merit in the one 1 Cor. 1 30. Exod 20.1 and efficacie in the other to sustaine them and encrease their comfort both in their reconciliation and holinesse as the neede of each requires 3. He begges of his Father that his poore doubtfull and weake people might understand this blessing to be granted as well as himselfe that they might come confidently to this Sacrament 4. That by vertue of this his prayer and blessing the Church might approach with confidence to the Throne of Grace to doe the like that is to blesse the Sacrament both Minister and people with hope to receive the like blessing upon their receiving Vse 1 Ere wee goe to the next branch this may affoord us speciall use let it be exhortation then to all poore humbled ones in the sight of unworthinesse to all fearefull distrustfull ones of themselves that mourne for their dead dull receivings and that the Sacrament comes and goes from time to time with small fruit Oh! Why is it thus with you Is the Lord here and you are not aware Doe yee fare as if the Lord bade yee come hither in your owne strength Hath he not bestowed blessings upon it and blessed it yea and in spite of all divels in hell coâ—ruption on earth formalitie of the wicked it shall be blessed Why then looke yee no more firmely to the effect of this prayer Let me adde one thing more This prayer of Christ was but the first of his requests in this behalfe Lo as he is our Advocate in heaven he plies this worke still and followes this first sute with his Father to the uttermost that he would apply the power of his death and bloud to his Word preached and Sacraments ministred in his Church so that no opportunitie is now wanting to second this blessing doe not feare least God should have forgot this old prayer for with him two thousand yeares is as one day â— Pet. 3 8. But say it were not so yet we have an Advocate daily to put him in minde of each occasion Ioh. 11 42. So that if the Lord Iesus be all-way heard when hee prayeth it s well for us though old suits might be forgotten which is impossible But alas alas The cold comfort we feele by the Sacrament is the fruit of our little denying our selves cleaving to the Prayer and the Promise This is my welbeloved c. If Iohoshaphat could so confidently goe to God 1. Chro. 20 9. so long after Salomons blessing the Temple pleading to be heard how much more thou in the prayer of the Lord Iesus Did not Rebecca and Iacob laugh and take courage thinke we when they heard Isaac tell Esau Gen. 27 33. That Iacob was already blessed and should be so Why dost thou not laugh then to heare a greater and surer blessing from Christ Why goest thou out of this Blessing and Promise into thine own warme Sun to compasse thy selfe with thy owne sparkles Esay 50 11. Thinkest thou it is with this great Master of Requests as at the Court that many requests may be made ere one granted No no The Lord heard his Sonne in his feares much more his desires bring thou faith and feare not to receive a Sacrament under such a blessing as the Prayer of Christ lies in pawne to procure Heb 5 7. Let thy heart be never so hard Lam. 3 17. empty barren and farre from prosperity if thou come in faith the blessing is thine It s noted by the Evangelist That when Christ pray'd Ioh. 12 28. Glorifie thy name c. answer was made I have glorified it and will glorifie it againe Our Saviour tels his disciples This was for their sakes If thou canst by the eare of faith heare this voyce it belongs to thee Vse 2 Secondly it should not onely be instruction to all Ministers to sanctifie the Sacrament to the Church and themselves But especially it should teach them to be humble in so doing and to come unto God in all abasement Gen. 18.27 even as dust and ashes when they come to aske the blessing of God upon this or other Ordinances at the hands of God If a man having many children especially his eldest Sonne and heire so obedient and loyall that he never askes any boone of his Father but thee comes in great honour and reverence to aske it Will not this teach all the rest except Impes and degenerate to be much more so Behold here thy elder Brother the Lord Iesus Lord of all yet subject and begging every thing he needs not for himselfe but for his Church and shall it not smite into thee one of the basest of all the family of God much more humblenesse in thy prayers Vse 3 Thirdly it should teach both Minister and people in their blessing of the Sacrament when they feele their owne wofull basenesse to be admitted to such a service as being privie to horrible prophaning of such Ordinances and guilt of other sinnes to behold themselves their Prayers and Preparations in the person and prayer of the Lord Iesus in which they may be accepted as if worthy When they have once praid for blessing Pray againe with Hezekiah The good Lord accept me Chro. 30 18 19. though no way prepared according to the preparing of the Santuary Isaac bids Iacob come neere my sonne that I may feele and know if thou be indeede my sonne Esau Gen 27 28. and so comming in his linnen and roughnesse hee tooke him
Act of taking note 1 Take that it stands in relation to a gift offered in the Sacrament And the gift is Christ and his benefits 2 Things in it Now to take them is to doe these two things First to concurre with the giver in the offer of this nourishment Secondly 1 Concurrence to apply and make it our gaine for the purpose which it serves for The former of these hath two branches according to the nature of the offer made in the Sacrament the former is concurrence of consent the latter of obedience in both stands faith That this may bee conceived marke that the Lord offers this gift either by promise or by charge The former is the ground of the latter and therefore the soule concurres with him in both duely consents to his promise without cavilling obeyes his charge without rebelling takes by both Partly in consent in 6 partice Touching the former first let it appeare how God offers and promises Christ Sacramentall and then it will easily appeare how freely faith consents The promise is conceived thus This is my body that is given for you This is the new Testament and the cup of it in my blood shed for you In this conceive these sixe especialls which in a short view to see will both revive and profit the Reader breefely 1. 1 The excellency of the offer The excellencie of the gift 2. The fulnesse 3. The aptnesse 4. The propriety 5. The graciousnesse 6 The manner of exhibiting and these will shew how faith consents First the Lord saith This is my body and blood that is my nourishment meate indeed drinke indeede not earthly fading mortall but heavenly eternall hee which eates it shall hunger no more he who drinketh it shall thirst no more it s the Lord Iesus from heaven heavenly What saith faith I consent Lord the reason is strong I take thee Secondly the fulnesse 2 The fulnesse of it This my food is no scant and halfe diet it s my flesh and my blood that is my selfe in my Satisfaction and Efficacie and my whole selfe no part excepted the whole Diamond unbroken and with my selfe all that I can afford all my graces to nourish the whole soule in each part for each defect for full encrease not a particular gift to the mind as knowledge or to the heart as patience but all Christ and all his grace for the perfecting of the whole man in his measure What saith faith She consents its royall Oh Lord I yeeld and take it 3. The Aptnesse of it Thirdly the aptnesse The Lord offers thee not meate and drinke which thou art uncapable of as if whole loaves or flagons should be offered thee too heavie and grosse for thy receiving But its apt prepared for thee meat layd unto thee in morsells in a cup a meet draught for thee a body given and broken A cup of the new Testament in my blood What saith faith I consent Lord I doe take it as prepared for mee Fourthly propriety 4. The propciety of it The Lord addeth It s given for you shed for you for you in person and for your wants and uses in especiall So broken and shed as if no other but you were regarded in it yea though given for the sinnes of the world yet specially for you and your nourishment What saith faith She consents Lord I leave not my portion for another to take I take my owne my selfe Fifthly graciousnesse Lord it s a Nourishment given 5. The graciousnesse of it Offered to you what is freer than gift It s not urged extorted by force on your part although if yee went from sea to sea to get it it were cheape on the price but freely and of mine owne accord given when it could not be expected with a most plaine beteaming heart meaning as I speake not to deceive nor defraud What doth faith Lord farre be it from me to warpe from thy meaning I enquire no further I consent and take it Lastly the manner of exhibiting it 6. The manner of exhibition I offer it thee under signes of bread and wine the staffe of life and cheere of the spirits It is no other nourishment than I offred thee in my Promise That offered me as thy pardon peace and strength so doth my Supper The manner of exhibiting is diverse but my offer is one and the nourishment is the same onely heere I offer it in a more familiar and apt manner to releeve thy infidelity let not that which I offer thee for the better in the more effectuall manner proove for the worser and be weaker in efficacy What saith faith She answers Thy way is best I consent I take it in the way thou offerest it Thus wee see how faith concurs with the promise and consents to it Vpon the Promise depends the charge For marke The 2. Act Obedience of faith the Lord addes Take it therefore eate and drinke it Why because it s so qualified for thee and so necessary that thou canst not take it but thou shalt prosper and be happy thou canst not refuse it but thou must needs pine and perish Therefore I who by promise have thus drawne thee doe also by my Authority Command thee I know many thinges as excellent and weighty as they are yet are not esteemed because they are unknowne Therefore I who know them better than thou doe require and charge thee upon thy Allegiance Take eate and drinke this my body and blood that thou mayest prosper and fare well What doth faith She obeyes the command and saith I doe so Lord I take them as thou commandest I concurre with thy command as with thy promise Thus wee see the first worke of faith to concurre with the offer of Christ her nourishment Thus much for that The use of it ere we come to the second is threefold first The Vses 1. of distinction or difference betweene a true Taker of the Sacrament and a false a beleeving one and an unbeleeving It s worth our noting because every foole will be prating and say he hath taken the Sacrament to day Oh its high holiday with him His garments are all white But oh foole what taking is thine Onely of the Elements onely the worke wrought If this will commend thee to God for a true taker it s well else all is lost But oh wretch Thou art a taker indeed but a Theefe thou takest that which is none of thine by sacriledge Thou takest not by concurrence with a promise Thou neither consentest to that nor obeyest the charge thou runnest not with God but out-runnest him preventest him and snatchest his nourishment from him as a dogge which hee hath given onely to children And this I will proove Thou hast neither a consenting eye of faith to see what the Lord gives thee nor yet a consenting heart to be affected with it nor yet a consenting hand to receive it more than sense convinceth thee
one body at once as selfe and Christ in equall termes to a soule The red earth had never had the breath of life put into it if it had not beene a meere dead patient and at Gods dispose to be as he would have it The flesh of Christ had no subsisting in it selfe save in the Godhead Rom. 11.32 and what is else that of Paul God shutting up all in disobedience that he might have mercy upon all Not of the willer or the runner but God c. Rom. 9.16 The Doctrine of imputation what doth it import saue that righteousnesse stands in counting that as ours which is none of ours What else is that of the Apostle Romanes Chapter 11. verse 6. If of Workes not of Grace Rom. 11.6 else Workes were no Workes If of Grace not of Workes else Grace were no Grace Trie thy selfe then by this Rule Triall by this Dost thou observe this backebyas of corruption in thy soule alway playing her parts and resisting grace Is this spirit of originall sinne as irkesome to thy spirit as the most odious sinnes of swearing or theeft Is it so much the more suspected by how much the more fine spunne and subtill running in the streame of thy best Religion Dost thou feele it in the Worke of the Law of the Gospell of Sanctification still resisting Grace and starting as much from the Word as the Sacrifice from the Knife of the Priest Dost thou wholly set thy selfe against it both selfe on the right hand deceiving thee with thine owne hopes and deserts and on the left scaring thee with feares of unworthinesse Art thou as well afraid of a white Divell as a blacke yea more Dost thou tremble to thinke that selfe should share with God in thy conversion Dost thou chuse rather to bee as base as dung and dogges meate yea when thou hast done all dost thou thinke thy selfe no neerer heaven thereby than if thou wert a Publican Dost thou confesse that there is no bloud no merit no congruity in selfe to purchase any dramme of grace And that it is just with God rather to seeke himselfe glory by abasing all flesh and carnall proppes than to suffer selfe to perke above him or mixe with him Yea canst thou say oh Lord I chuse to lie as the dust under thy footstoole and to be at thy pleasure as a fatherlesse Orphan to doe with mee what thou wilt yea when thou art under the deepest abasement and selfe-desertings and without a subsisting in thy selfe canst thou say Verily gladdly will I bee under this buffeting 2 Cor. 12.9 though it bee as a pricke in the flesh that Gods grace may bee another selfe and a new principle of comfort to stay my selfe upon Yea in this want of carnall stay I wait upon the promise to be my stay If it be thus in any true measure in thee it is a sweet signe The fourth ground I come to the fourth ground of trying faith to wit by the act of it The act of faith And that in two things First in the naked and free consent of the whole soule to the truth of God which is that he will ease the loaden soule comfort the mourning and satisfie them that hunger after righteousnesse Math. 5 4 5 6. The Lord requires that the soule simply relie it selfe upon this bare Word of his because he will performe it without descanting this way or that against it Esay 1.16 Psal 32 1. Secondly in the relying upon the meere and free act of Gods not imputing sinne or imputing righteousnesse to the soule yea a righteousnesse inhering in another and not in thy selfe The Lords act of esteeming and reckoning to the soule the righteousnesse of Christ is as reall an act as if hee had infused a reall habite of it into the soule to dwell personally in it as it dwelt in Christ Triall by this Trie thy selfe then by this rule thus First canst thou say truely that in the beleeving of Gods promise thou didst directly goe from a word to a word without adding or mixing the slime of thy owne conceits to defile the purenesse of it Didst thoâ— with Peter emptied of himselfe obey and say At thy Commandement Lord I will let downe though else I should not Luke Chapter 5 verse 5. Luke 5 5. Canst thou say oh Lord thou bidst a loaden wretch come unto thee to take ease as if there were no more circumstance in it than onely so Lord I have found my soule loden and pinch'd by thy Word therfore I come to thee for ease beleeving that seeing thy selfe art the Author of both words therefore thou who wouldst so really lode me canst as truely ease mee Canst thou say Lord in thy words is neither hooke nor crooke and therefore as I seeke to adde nothing to it so neither doe I detract nor dare I Revelation Chapter 22. verse 18. Rev. 22 18. Ephes 4 21. but take thy truth as it is in Iesus even truth it selfe subject to no exceptions or cavills of flesh I enquire not why thou dost it or why for mee and not for many hundred thousands that lie in their blindnesse still Secrets are for thee but revealed promises are for mee and therefore to thee I leave the one and claspe so much the more closely to the latter by how much the former is more above mee If thou canst find in thy heart thus freely to concurre with free grace saying Luke 1 38. Luke 7 30. Bee it to thy servant as thou hast spoken I dare not despise thy Counsell for my salvation or gainesay and give thee the lye but put my seale to thy word that it is true I say againe Iohn 3 3â— if in any true measure thou canst doe thus it is a sure signe And secondly if the Act of God in heaven justifying a poore wretch by his bare accompting him his righteousnesse when yet corruption abides in him exceedingly yea his perfect righteousnesse can so farre prevaile with thee as to say O Lord thy one witnesse and approbation of mee is to my conscience as a thousand though I neither see thy face nor can heare thy voyce yet O Lord I accompt my selfe as thou esteemest me even thy perfect righteousnesse in the midst of my greatest sinfulnesse and all because thy accompt is a done deede and my faith compts it done in earth because it is done in heaven I say this act of thy faith is a good signe The fifth ground is from the end of thy beleeving The 5 ground The end and that is that God may have the glory of his rich grace in saving a lost soule The last and full end of God in thy pardon and savation is not that thou mightst be happy but that himselfe might be glorified This the Lord so lookes at that all other ends are but second hand ends unto him although reall ends Try thy selfe also in this The tryall of this
that requires a separation There is more required also but without this nothing can be done The hand which will compasse Gods Altar must be cleane also But first it must be empty if it be filled with nutshels and trash it can hold nothing else If we cannot so much as heare a serious story or indite a letter without privacy if we can do no choise worke well except we be solitary and serious do we thinke it easy to worship God in a Fayre a Marquet an Alehouse a Bargaine while we be working or playing or prating or dreaming No all our courage all our strength is too little a broken humble beleeving heart is little enough for it Therefore at least an empty a swept and voyded heart is necessary Vse 3 Thirdly it must admonish us of a duty meete for us if we will be fit for Sacramentall Triall Admonition we must ere we set to it abhorre that giddinesse lightnesse and fraughtnesse of our soules which the most thinke is no sinne as our bane and the destroyer of Preparation for the Sacrament We must know that as the gold weights will not try gold till they stand still so neither can the soule try her selfe till she be well stayed and poysed When we will powre any precious liquor into a vessell or glasse especially if it have a narrow necke we will set it in a steddy posture for feare of spilling No man can see any thing in roared waters As the Lord Iesus speakes of agreeing with our adversary that we must lay downe our sacrifice by the Altar the whilst Math. 5.25 1 Pet. 2.2 and do that chiefly and as Peter bids those who will covet the milke of the word that they purge out of their stomacks all superfluity so especially doe it in this Triall at the Sacrament It s manifest by mens cavils against this duty viz. that they have callings to attend and businesse to looke after and they cannot prepare themselves that I say they account it as a veniall offence to be thus cloyed with other cares but if it defile and destroy Tryall of thy selfe how can it be small Thou wilt say thy thoughts and affections are neither murtherous uncleane oppressing defrauding lying revenging profane intemperate What then Is there no other disease mortall save the plague Let it therefore be as odious unto thee to carrie a light a gadding unsavory heart about thee so full of other bables that Gods liquor must needes runne over I say to be out of frame alway to entertaine the best things Let it be unto thee as odious as very profanenesse it selfe And before thou venter upon triall clense thy selfe of this fulsome glut and doe not enterline or write Gods letters upon a blotted but cleane paper even as thou wouldest wipe thy Table-booke ere thou writest the Sermon And whatsoever vanity hath pressed thy heart or dares presume to come before God serve it with the same sawce that Abner is said to serve Asahel that wilde Roe whom when he perceived to perke sawcily in his presence and dare him to his face he watch'd him so closely 2 Sam. 2 19. that he smote him with the hinder end of his Speare and laid him on the earth Let thy care be so to smite thy giddy heart that it may no more annoy thee or interrupt thy spirit being well occupied Vse 4 Lastly when thou commest to this triall summon thy selfe and all the out-workes and ranging thoughts of thy soule Exhortation all thy powers and members to come in to forsake other objects for the time and close seriously and sadly with the Lord in this worke of Sacramentall triall As thou wouldst faine have thy heart close at thy tryall for the Sacrament nay at thy great tryall of death so keepe it cleane empty unsnared in thy whole course Remember when thy heart would lash out there is a Sacrament and a triall before it If my thoughts then be past call I shall have an ill worke of it or else rush to the Sacrament with a surfeit upon it Surely looke how thy heart is watcht unto in thy course so shalt thou finde it at a speciall season and so shalt thou blesse God for the Sacrament aâ—d say Else Lord I should have strayed endlessely but this Ordinance hath kept me at a bay from wandring not onely from thy Commandements but even from a sober and serious attending to it selfe in lawfull liberties So much for the first Touching the second point viz The persons whom this triall concernes it hath two branches First how many Secondly Who must try For the former it may soone bee answered All must try and examine Persons 1. How many against the Sacrament The charge is generall admitting no exception As it was to the Iewes for the Passeover that all who eate it must be liable to the rules of observing it Exod. 12. so must it be in the Supper none can bee exempt from Tryall None exempt who will have a part in the Sacrament Briefly not to stay the Reader long He that hath not a soule to save to thrive to prosper in grace or to be happy or to desire it He that neither cares for the losse of heaven or woe of hell See Exod. 12.43 he that abhorres the name of a child and so the allowance of his fathers house and the portion of an heire he that chooseth rather to be without among dogges and swine hee that hath cut off himselfe and is become an Heathen and Publicane a scorner and pastgrace let him exempt himselfe else the Lord exempts none at all Pearles indeed must not bee cast before swine else it is not the difference of any outward respect that can discharge from this duty All need the benefit of it all are in danger to incurre the losse by neglecting it all therefore are equally obliged to it The people cannot exempt themselves under colour of inability or not being booke learned they must not put it off to the Minister as more sufficient for it The Minister may not exempt himselfe from it as if he lesse needed it than the people Schollers are not free because their calling is to study or reade the Scriptures for they may be farre from the triall of themselves Such as have learned the doctrine of the Sacrament soundly must not wash their hands of it because of their knowledge The wife must not thinke her selfe to be tryed in her husbands carefull tryall as if she were but his shadow and hath him to answere for her much lesse the husband may quit himselfe upon hers The rich must not plead liberty by his great businesse nor the poore for lacke of leasure from his handy labour nor the aged because of their infirmities growing upon them not the more experienced because they have oft done it nor the novice because he is greene and new to begin not the travellor because in a journey not servants because they are
as a marke of the wisedome of God plying thee with the Supper as hee knowes thy dayly spirituall ebbings and decayes require And doth the hearesay of each sacrament turne the spirit of thy mind towards it as a solemne object which may not be wanted Doth it possesse thy thoughts and memory more than common objects and passages of this life Doe thy thoughts so minde it heede it doth thy memory so reteine it as that it survives other occasionall matters thy selfe longing while they be over tha this may possesse thy spirit and doth thy preparation unto it cause all other things to lye by It is a good signe of reviving Secondly proceed to thy Affections I noted in the former Treatise in the chapter of the Supper that the good things offered in the Supper are manifold Looke backe and reade them I spake also there of those ends which the Lord gives them for viz. That the soule may bee healthy growing setled and fruitefull Try thy selfe also by this ground Tryalls by this Doth thy heart by the considering of all those good things revive and summon up all thy affections of love joy thankes zeale desire after them Doth not thy minde rest in a bare view of them till all the affections are up in Armes to covet them And is it with thee as with a crazie diseased man comming into a Physitians closet and there is shewed a boxe wherein his medicine lyes which being applyed will heale him Doth not such a man fasten his eyes upon that boxe Will he looke off Is not that boxe pretious to him for the medicines sake Doth he not stand upon thornes till it bee taken out and put into his hand Doth hee not thinke each minute an houre and doth hee take thought for the parting with his money to buy it Even so here Math. 13 44 Dost thou digest the good things of the supper till thou have caused thy heart to conceive an heate of appetite and love of them Dost thou ponder them so as to leape for joy to thinke that thou shalt bee healed there of pride selfe wrath and filled with meekenesse an heavenly minde and gifts for thy place It is a good signe thou hast revived thy faith for the Sacrament Steppe 3 Thirdly the Lord offers the good things of the Supper in the like manner and with the same heart wherewith hee offered whole Christ in the first promise and covenant of grace Hee offers Christ thy food and restorative with as free beteaming honest and full an heart of love as ever he did the other There is no oddes except for the better for heere in this ordinance above all other the Lord seales up his gift to the soule that is conveies it with the best strength he can Try thy selfe then by this rule Tryall by it Dost thou revive and quicken the blunt edge of thy weake faith by this consideration Dost thou beate out deadnesse benummednesse of faith by this ground Feelest thou as free and naked an assent of heart to this offer Take eate drinke as thou didst to the first promise Be eased Luke 22 19 20. Mat. 11 29. Take my yoake and my refreshing to thy soule Dost thou charge upon thy selfe strongly to resist thy unbeleefe in the Sacrament heereby Dost thou urge it thus my soule except the Lord should meane as he speakes he should doubly falsifie himselfe His Sacrament is a double strength there is both a covenant and a seale in it therefore it is a double confirmation or else a double deceit Oh! darest thou thinke the Lord can lye in that wherein he seekes thy double assistance If thou dare not Heb. 6.18 then let faith heere double her strength and edge If the strength of man be but weakenesse to Gods then what must this weakenesse be how should weakenesse it selfe gather life and spirit from it 1 Cor. 1.25 If thou canst thus revive thy dead faith at the Supper it s a good signe Steppe 4 Fourthly and especially I told thee before that each ordinance hath his speciall promises annexed to it as prayer and fasting Mat. 17 21. thankesgiving c. As that one of these shall cast out Divells which else will not goe out And that he who prayseth God Psal 50. ult glorifies him So the Supper hath speciall promises Take eate this is my body Drinke this is my blood of the new Testament Both are given and shed for you My flesh is meate indeede Luke 22.18 Iohn 6.55 my blood drinke indeed He that eateth my flesh hath eternall life shall not dye shall be satisfied shall not hunger nor thirst any more with many others Triall by it Try thy selfe above all by this ground Doth this promise really present the truth of God in speciall to thy soule There are thousands of receivers in the Church of God But doth this promise speake in speciall to thee as if there were no more receivers save thy selfe Is the promise of thy soule such a securitie as a specialty is from an able debtor for the paying of a great debt So that doe thou but sue the bond and the law will restore thy debt Is it so here Thy name is not written in the Scripture yet the promise assisted by the Spirit of Christ layes the grace of the Sacrament as it were in thy lap as Baez did the barley into the lappe of Ruth so that the Lord speakes by it in thy eare thus Ruth 3 15. This flesh is meate indeed and this blood is drinke indeed for thee Take it drinke it 2 Cor. 2 5. It is a sweete signe Againe doth the power yea the omnipotency of God shine in the promise to thee so that whereas thou doubtest how Christ can be in heaven bodily and yet in the Supper Spiritually thou wondrest how he should bee in thousands of communicants at once and how poore alements should bee one with him to convey him to thee yet the power of a promise can effect this Dost thou see that all the attributes of God attend his love least thy soule should be frustrate It is a good signe Againe doth the promise settle and beare downe the feare and bondage of thy heart arising from thy present sence of unworthinesse darkenesse and deadnesse Doth it worke thy spirit to a holding fast of Christ although unbeleefe would stave him off And whereas that would give God the lye ten times during the space of one Sacrament yet doth he promise still hold thee close to him till he answere thee so that as that poore dogge Math. 15. Mat. 15 27. rather than the Lord Iesus shall send thee away empty scraps and crummes shall serve thy turne Canst thou feele such succour from a promise notwithstanding thy formality and flatnes were great before thy experience of fruit by former Sacraments be small Dost thou thus strive in hope against hope and fight for life against thy base Spirit These are
12.2 Rom. 12 2. Secondly the heart thus broken breakes out into confession 2. Confession and as Hosea saith takes words unto herselfe to expresse her sorrow Hos 14.2 for confession is the true vent of godly sorrow This confession is an uttering and powring of the heart out to God when once sorrow hath filled it to the brimme and therefore in all those texts almost where we have examples of sorrow confession followes immediatly Confession without this open full and affected heart is as saplesse and barren a thing and as unsavory a formality as can bee Onely this broken heart will breake out into open and ingenuous confession which else keepes the impostume within her selfe and hides it Thus David sweetely Psal 32 Psal 32.5 6. saith While I hid my sinne and nourisht an hard heart my bones were consumed and the fire burnt within mee But when my heart thawed then I acknowledged my sinne that is powred out my soule in confession and thou forgavest me the iniquity of my sinne This confession is sampled by the matter which is searched out and according to the sorrow which the heart conceiveth and by both becomes a most humble plaine tender and hearty expressing of sinne to the Lord not onely in the substance but the circumstances of aggravation It s no mincer or lesner of it but to the uttermost enlarges it against her selfe according to eyther the greatnesse the extension and effects the hainousnesse of it by the person committing it the person against whom the heart wherewith the time when place where and all to make up an ingenuous confession against it selfe Oh! that one under such meanes of mercy even in coole blood with the heart of a Traytor should with so high an hand with such spirituall wickednesse offend the Lord say it be by uncleanenesse by living in a course of unprofitable hearing hypocrisy formality vaine glory pride earthlinesse especially unbeleefe or as the case requires yea that I should sinne against such mercies and longsuffering of God leading me to repentance and that to the horrible scandall of Religion and hardning of many in the like sinnes Oh woefull wretch how shall I looke thee in the face Thus confession turnes up the bottome of the heart with shame and detestation yea treading it selfe under Gods feete as unworthy to breathe in his ayre or looke up to heaven and makes it selfe vile and odious comparing it selfe in her filthinesse with the pure eyes of God See the confessions of the holy men in Scripture Dan 9.8 Ezra 10.1 Ezra 9.6 Psal 51.3 Iob 42.2 1 Tim. 1 10. Ezra David Iob Paul and others confounded in themselves for their sinnes Thirdly the soule having thus arraigned and indited her selfe before God doth receive sentence against her selfe pronouncing her selfe by her guilt Thirdly sentencing herselfe to lye justly under the vengeance of God for her sinne and doth justify God in all his sayings that hee may be righteous whatsoever become of her Yâ—a shee brings her selfe even to the suburbes of hell as she deserves Psal 51.4 2 Sam. 24.17 looking at Gods glory above her owne redresse This exceeds any repentance of an hypocrite whose terrors and confessions are but to vomit up the morsells which loade the heart for the present but after are welcome This I say is the third step So to condemne her selfe as to applaud and justifie Gods sentence If hee say shee is a Traytor shee grants it if hee say she is cut off and accursed shee confesseth it righteous in all the Lords accusings and judgings shee prevents him and judges her selfe saying True Lord thy judgments are just If thou should'st make all my dayes miserable it were but just if all at once wrath should seaze upon body name minde conscience goods wife and children all were just yea whatsoever is not hell is mercy hell it selfe being but just and under this confuzion and heape of guilt and wrath shee lies as one held downe with it as one that lies under the ruine of some peece of building fallen upon and oppressing of his body As wee see oddes betweene a face made white with colours and appalled with a disease betweene a vizard and a countenance consumed and worne with lying bedred which though no man speakes utters it owne weakenesse And this spirituall subjection of a penitent heart lying under her sinne and shame the holy Ghost much expresses true repentance by saying of Ephraim Ier. 31.18 I was as an heifer that knew no yoake but after I was corrected I turned yea I smote upon my thigh yea I was ashamed and confounded because I bare the reproach of my youth This holds the pearking proud heart of man under the hand of God wholesomly and sometimes the anguish and confusion of the soule workes upon the body so David and Iob tells us Psal 32.4 Iob 33.20.21 Psal 6.6.7 that the wrath of God turned his moysture into the drought of Summer That his flesh was as a bottle in the smoake that it was consumed loathed deynty meate and was brought to the grave By which we must not conceive pangs of despaire but the wounds of the conscience under the guilt of sinne as sinne and wrath as wrath so much the more bitter by how much more susteyned by God in the hope of pardon for all true Repentance yea each seede of it presupposes some seede of true faith in pardon The fourth and last in this kind is Indignation and holy revenge of a mans selfe as his owne greatest enemy for his sinne The fourth Indignation Which followes upon the other because the soule that loves God hates whatsoever resists his righteousnesse and as it doth hath sinne in others so especially in her selfe because it knowes it selfe best which zeale and anger against sinne doth not onely stand in a meare pang of passion and distaste but even in a revenge of it selfe upon both it selfe and sinne and all instruments thereof in token of utter detestation And why because it meanes no more to meddle with it for if it did it could not attaine to this degree First it conceaves a true enmity against the sin simply as sinne and opposite to the Image of God be it greater or smaller and the deeplyer as it dishonours God most deepely This is a worke of the Spirit putting a contrary Principle into a man to hate that which he loved and love that which he hated a thing which to flesh is impossible for no man ever hated his owne flesh As it was with David that nothing could cause him to hate Absolon neither the murther of Amnon nor deflouring of his Concubines nor treason against his owne person so it is with a naturall man nothing can set oddes betweene him and his lusts the amity with them is so rooted When therefore true enmity is set betweene sinne and the soule that it can say Lord I hate it yea as my rankest enemy it s a