haue in this life is but the earnest penny of that principall which shal be giuen to vs hereafter If the earneââ be so greaâ what shal be the principall ãâã the ãâã fruites of the Heauenly ãâã be so delectable how shall the full masse thereof abundantly content vs when we shall behold the face of our God in righteousnes and shal be satisfied with his image when we shal be filled with the fulnesse of ioy which is in his presence and with those pleasures which are at his right hand for euer-more Wee know If you ponder the Apostles words you shall finde that by an Emphasis hee restraynes this knowledge to the Children of God excluding Worldlings and Naturalistes from it The spiritual man discerneth all thinges but hee himselfe is iudged of no man A naturall man can not vnderstand the things that are of God The Gospell is Wisedome indeede but Wisedome in a misteriâ and Wisedome among them that are perfect Euery Article of our Fayth âoynt of Christian doctrine euery priuilege of a Christian is a Misterie therefore no maruaile that the Gospel be foolishnesse to the Naturall man who perisheth And this doth draw vs to consider that the excellent things of Christianiâe can be knowne of none but of those that possesseth them The value or rather vanitie of earthly Iewels hath bin better knowne of some that neuer inioyed them then of them who possesse them but the Iewels of Gods kingdome such as Peace Righteousnesse ioy in the Holy Ghost can be knowne of none but of the Christian onely who inioyes them The new Name giuen to the Christian who can know but hee that hath it and none can know what is the sweetnes of hid Manna except he taste it therfore saith the Psalmist Taste and consider how gratious the Lord is telling you that the graciousnesse of the Lord can not be considered by him who neuer did taste it If you goe and speake to a Worldling of inwarâ 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 vnderstandeth not or if he himselfe speake of them which he sees learnedly hearing or reading yet shal he speake like a bird vttering voyces which she vnderstandeth not As the bruite Beast knoweth not the excellencie of a mans life and therefore delighteth it selfe with Hey and Prouander seeking no better because it knoweth no better So the Naturall man knoweth not the excellencie of a Christian and therefore disdaines him counting him a foole a madd man and the ofspring of the world he taketh the Dung of the earth in his armes for his inheritaunce let him brooke the portion of Esau that the fatnesse of the earth may be his dwelling place let his Wine and his Wheare abound to him hee cares for no more he knowes not what it is to haue his Soule made glad with the light of the countenance of God This is your miserable condition O yee wretched worldlings yee are cursed with the curse of the Serpent yee creepe as it were on your bellies and licke the dust of the eath all the dayes of your life yee haue not an eye to looke vp to heauen nor a heart to seeke those thinges which are aboue most fearefull is your estate wee warne you of it but it is the Lord who 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 him feare in the euill day yea though the Earth should be remooued and the Mountaines fall into the midest of the Sea who knoweth that the Lord sitteth on his Throne hauing the world as a glassie Sea before him gouerning all the walterings changes 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 doubting or making any exception we could beleeue this which heere the Apostle layeth for a most sure ground of comfort that so we might change all our thoughts and cares into one namely how to grow in the loue of God that in a good conscience we might say to the Lord with Peter Lord thou knowest I loue thee And as the rest of our feares grâeses temptations which many times do so compasse vs that to our iudgements wee 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 Prâmunire All comes for the best The Souldier with courage entreth into the Battaile 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 vncertanie venturers and knowes not the end But the Christian runnes not as vncertaine but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne for he knowes that the God of peace shall shortly tread Satan vnder his seete What then shall hee not with courage enter into that battaile wherein he is made sure ore euer he fight that all the Watriers of Iesus shall become more then Conquerours through him If we will onely stand still we shall see the saluation of the Lord Gideon his 300. sought against the great Hoste of Midian without feare because he was sure of victorie Dauid made haste and ran to encouÌter with Goliah because he was perswaded the Lord would deliuer him into his handes The Israelites spared not to enter into the Flood of Iorden because they saw the Aike of God before them deuiding the waters And shall only the Christian stand astonished in his temptations notwithstanding the word of God goe before him to resolue him that whatsoeuer fal out shal worke for the best vnto him The Lord increase vs and make vs abound more and more in loue of our God for perfect loue casteth our feare The Lord strengthen our Fayth that through these mistie cloudes of afflictions which now compasseth vs we may see that comforttable end which the light of God hath discouered vnto vs. But wee are to beware of the subtile sleightes of Satan who to the end he may spoyle vs of this comfort in trouble endeauoreth by many meanes either else to quench this light of God in our mindes or else to darken and obscure it by the precipitation of our vnbeleeuing heartes carrying vs headlong to iudge of the workes of God by their beginings and to measure our selfe in trouble by our present estate and condition not suffering vs to âârty while wee see the end whereof it comes to passe that our heartes beeing tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbance like trees of the Forrest
riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O my God O when shall I come and appeare before the presence of my God my soule desireth after the Lord as the ãâã land âor I would be dissâlued and be with the Lord therefore come euen so come Lord Iesus But alas heere are we taken in our sinnes âhou sayest thou Louest him but how is it then thou longest not to see him neither desirest to be with him yea a small appearance of the day of death wherein we should goe ãâã or mention of the day of Iudgement wherâin he shall come to vs doth terrifie and affright thee Thou that contents thee with the gyââs of God thinkest not long for him selfe thou art âut like an ãâã woman who if she possesse the goods of her husband regards not albeit she neuer see ãâã The ãâã are blamed because they called on the Lord ãâã for oyle wine ãâ¦ã for worshipping the creature ãâ¦ã but more ãâ¦ã be condemned for louing the gilts ãâã God âore then the giuer Let vs therefore beware of this ãâ¦ã We may indeed reioyce in all the gifts the Lord hath giuen vs they should thankfully be receiued but alwayes with a protestatioÌ that no thing giuen vnto me heere be allowed vnto me for my portion and inheritaunce and that no contentment euer come to our hearts till we get the full fruition of our louing husband Christ Iâsus If the Loue of men compelled the Apostle to âay to the Corinthians It is not yours but you I seeke how much more should the Lâue of God compell vs to say to our Lord It is not thy gift but thy selfe O Lord I long for thou art the portion of my soule If thou wouldst giue me all the workeâ of thine handes yet shall I neuer haue comfort nor contentment except thou giue mee thy selfe therefore O thou whom my soule loueth shew mee where thou feedest where thou lyest at ãâã for why should I be as shee that turnes aside to the flockes of thy companions Blessed is he that hungers and thirsteth for thy righteousnesse for he shall behold the face of his God and be filled with his image for in his presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand ãâã pleasures for euermore The second tryall of holy Loue is Obedience and a care to serue and honour the Lord in all estates and calliâges Preachers must be tryed by this rule Peter Lâuest thou mee âeede my flâcke Gouernours and Counsellers in your callings must be tryed by this Can you say with the godly Gouernour Dauid I loue the Lordâ then will yee also say with him What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefites How shall I shew to the Lord my Loue and what shall I do in my time for the aduancement of his glory If you loue the Lord then âe ãâã Fathers to his Church be saythfull aâuaunâers of his Kângdome wise prouisors to remooue the stuâbling blockes that impede the course of his Gospell If yee loue the Lord. Stand vp with Dauid and say Doe I not hate them O Lord that hate theeâ and do I not earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee Surely I hate them with vnfaigned hatred as if they were my vtter enemies If yee honour the Lord as Dauid did the Lord shall blesse you as he did Dauid Dauid sware vnto the Lord that hee would not rest till he found out a place for the Lord euen an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob And the Lord sweares againe to Dauid that of the fruite of this body he should set vpon his Throne to raigne after him But if otherwayes there be nothing in you but a care to stablish your selues and your houses with the neglect of the glory of God then remember the Cursâe of Shebna and not the Blessing of Eliachim shall be vpon you you shall not be fastened as a Nayle in a sure place but shall be rowled and turned away like a Ball The Lord shall driue thee from thy station and out of thy dwelling place shall he destroy thee for the wicked shall not haue his desire his thoughtes shall not be performed neither shall he be established on the earth but euill shall hunt him to destruction the Lord shal take thee and plucke thee out of thy Tabernacle and roote thee out of the land of the lyuing and generally all of you in your callinges remember the value of your Christian Loue must be tryed by the same touchstone not by your wordes but by your deedes If any man loueth mee sayth Christ let him keepe my Câmmandements But heere also the hypoââisie of this age is clearely discouâred In word they pretend the loue of God but in deed they grieue him with their transgressions as the Iewes they called him King and bowed their knees before him but spaââ in his face and busseted him So the bastard Christians of this age call Christ their Lord and bow then knee before him yet they crucifie him and tramples his blood of the Couenant vnder their feete they kisse him and betray him with Iudas It is but a Scepter of Reede they graunt to him for they giue him no commaundement ouer their affections wherefore great is the contâouersie which the Lord hath this day with the men of this generation The last tryall of Loue whereof I will speake at this time leauing many other is Bounââfulnesse Loue sayth the Aposââ is bountifull Experience prooues this euery Louer is a bountifull bestower on them whom he loues Yee loue your Backes and spares not to cloath them yea with excessiue Apparrell Yee loue your Bellies and therefore are bountifull dayly to them in feeding them Yee loue your Children and therefore lettes them want nothing that is needfull for them yea yee loue your Beastes and yee bestow largely on them onely you say you loue the Lord but wherein are yee bountiâull toward him It is true that in nothing can a man be ârâfitable to the Almightie sayth Iob. But are there no workes which should so shine before men that by them our heauenly Father may be ãâã Though workes can be no merites yet are they your witnesses and what haue you done to standâ when as you are dead as witnesses of your ââue towardes the Lord Though your goodnesse extend not to the Lord yet where is your delight that should be in his Saincts and excellent ones vpon earth Where is your compaâsion and loue towarde the Brethren Are not the men of this age like the âig-tree that haue faire Leaues but not so much as one Figge to giue Iesus in his hungâr hauââg the shâw of godlinâsse but hath deâied the pâwer thereâf rendring wordes ynough but no âruites to adorne the glorious Gospell of our Lord ãâã And so if wee might proceed âuery tryall of ãâã should diâcoueâ th'hypocrisie and bastard Christianitie of the most part of
not ordayned to mercie Now that this Calling flowing from Election may be yet made sure to our consciences for our greater comfort let vs marke the maner of the Lordes proceeding into it and so gather vp some tokens wherby we may discerne it As in the first Creation the Lord began at the light so in the second Creation he begins at the illumination of the minde For we can neither know the Lord to feare and loue him neither yet our selues and our sinnes âright till the Lord who commaunded light to shine out of darknesse shine also into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ and this light of God discouers to vs so many workes of darknesse wherewith in ignoraunce we defiled our consciences that we begin to be ashamed of our selues in the sight of God yeâ our very flesh trembleth for feare of his Iudgements and we cry out with Iob Now my eye hath seene the Lord therefore I abhorre my selfe And thus the Lord proceedes from the minde to the heart working into it such a contrition and godly sorrow as causeth repentance vnto saluation whereby the heart that was senselesse before being dead in sinne and trespasses begins now to stirre and moue as the heart of Iosiah melted at the reading of the Law and the hearts of those penitent Iewes which were pricked at the sharpe Sermon of Peter then feeling our selues vnder death through sinne we begin to bethinke vs of the way of life and to aske with the Iaylor What shall we do that we may be saued These motions meltings and prickinges of the heart wrought in the elect by the hearing of Gods word are the very pluckes of the hand of God translating thee out of Nature into Grace yet must we not rest heere for Felix may tremble while Paul is preaching and many for a while may receaue this word with ioy and yet afterward fall away in the time of temptation We must therefore consider if there be in the heart a respondence and answering vnto the Lord So oft as he calleth doe we present our selues before him ready to follow him saying with Abraham Heere I am Lord and with Samuel after he knew the Lords voyce Speake on Lord thy seruant heareth thââ This answering and following of the Lord are vndoubted tokens of effectuall Calling So oft as the Lord calleth the Christian answereth When thou saydst Seeke yee my ãâã my heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy ãâã If the Lord commaund the Christian answereth O Lord quicken mee according to thy louing kindnesse that I may apply my heart to keepe thy Statutes alwayes to the end Iâ the Lord promise Mercie the Christian answers Stablâsh O Lord thy promise to thy seruânt and let it be to mee accordiâg to thy word for I beleeuâ in thee but Lord helpe my vnbeleife And thus in the heart of one effectually called there is a continuall respondance to the voyce of God awayting on the Lord a walking with him and a following of him where euer he goe If the Lord haue called thee sure it is thou wilt follow him and no power of the Diuell of the World or the Flesh shall hold thee backe from him When Eliah touched Elisha with his Cloake he left his Oxen and came after him When Iesus called on Andrew and Peter they left their Nets their Ship and their Father and followed him When he called on Matthew he left all his gainefull trade of the receit of Custome and followed him When he called on Mary Magdelen she forsooke her sinfull life and followed him Heere is the finest touchstone to try an inward calling If the Lord hath called thee thou wilt follow him but if yet thou be wandring after vanity walking on in the course of thy sinne turning thy backe and not thy face vnto the Lord deceaue not thy selfe partaker of this heauenly Calling wherein sâandes the onely comfort of a Christian hast thou neuer been That loue God And last of all to returne to the wordes againe the whole effectes of our Inward Calling the Apostle compriseth vnder one to wit The loue of God and that most properly for Louâ compriseth al the rest vâder it Loue is the cognoscence of Christs Disciples sayes our Sauiour It is the Band of perfection sayth the Apostle and accomplishment of the Law Loue speakes with the tongue of euery Vertue Pittie biddes thee helpe the Indigent Iustice biddes thee giue euery man his owne Mercy biddes forgiue Patience biddes suffer but the voyce of Christian loue commaundes all these Holy loue is the oldest Daughter of a Iustifying Fayth that is the first affection that Fayth procreateth and sanctifieth and whereby she workes in the sanctification of the rest Lâue is the strongest most impeâious affection in the whole nature of man all the rest of the affections giues place vnto it which we may see euen in the man naturall and vnregenerate Where Loue is kindled Feare is banished Couetousnesse coucheth Ambition is silent A Coward iâflamed with Loue becomes valiaât and a Couetous man is oft times commaunded by Loue to be prodigall yea the Proud ambitious man who otherwise giues place to no man for obtaining that which he loues cares not to prostrate his honour to the dust If Carnall louâ be so forcible what shall we say of the Spiritual lâue how much more doth it draw the whole powers of soule and body after the Lord neither is it possible to do otherwayes for euery thing returnes to his owne originâll as the waters go downe to the deepe from whence they came and Fire tendes vpward to the owne place and region euen so holy Lââe being a spârke of the heauenly Fire kindled in our heartes by the âoly Ghost doth rauish vs alwayes vpâard towarâe the Lord ârom whom it came and ãâã vs neuer to rest while we enâoy him then we begin to lâue when we begin to Loue. As no Creature can liue out of the owne ãâã so the Soule is but ãâã in sinne ãâ¦ã of the loue of God No feare to oââend him no ãâã âo please him no obedience to his Commandements can be giuen by the heart that loues him not 't were longsome to speake of all the properties of Loue we make choyce of a few as chiefe tryalles of our Loue. The firââ propertie oâ Lâue is a burâing desire to obâaine that which is bâloued as a Woman that loueth her Husband vnlargnedly can not be content with any Loue token she receiueth from him in his absence but longeth more and more till she receiue ãâã So the Soule which is wounded with the Loue of Iâsus her immortall Husband hath a continuall desire to be at him I graunt euery âoken sent from him bringes comfort but no contentment till she enioyes him whereof comes these and such like complaintes As the Hart brayes for the