Throne and all the many thousands of his Saints and Angels shining more bright then so many Sunnes in glory sitting about him and the body of Christ in glory and brightnesse surpassing them all The Reprobates being separated and remaining beneath vpon the earth for the right hand signifieth a blessed the left hand a cursed estate Christ will first pronounce the sentence of absolution and blisse vpon the Elect first because he will thereby increase the griefe of the reprobate that shall heare it secondly to shew himselfe more prone to Mercy then to Iudgement And thus from his Throne of Maiestie in the Ayre hee shall in the sight and hearing of all the world pronounce vnto his Elect. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for c. Come yee Here is our blessed vnion with Christ and by him with the whole Trinitie Blessed Here is our absolution from all sinnes and our plenary endowment with all grace and happinesse Of my Father Here is the Author from whom by Christ proceeds our felicitie Inherit Here is our Adoption The Kingdome Behold our Birth-right and possession Prepared See Gods Fatherly care for his chosen From the Foundation of the world O the free eternall and vnchangeable Election of GOD How much are those soules bound to loue GOD who of his meere good-will and pleasure chose and loued them before they had done either good or euill For I was hungry c O the Goodnesse of Christ who takes notice of all the good-workes of his Children to reward them How great is his loue to poore Christians who takes euery worke of mercy done to them for his sake as if it had beene done to himselfe Come yee to me in whom yee haue beleeued before yee saw me and whom yee haue loued and sought for with so much deuotion and through so many tribulations Come now from labour to rest from disgrace to glory from the iawes of death to the ioyes of eternall Life For my sake yee haue beene raiâ—ed vpon reuiled and cursed But now it shall appeare to all those cursed Esaus that you are the true Iacobs that shall receiue your heauenly Fathers blessing and blessed shall you be Your fathers mothers and neerest kindred forsooke and cast you off for my Truths sake which you maintained but now my Father will be vnto you a Father and you shall be his Sonnes and Daughters for euer You were cast out of your lands and liuings and forsoke all for my sake and the Gospell But that it may appeare that you haue not lost your gaine but gained by your losse in stead of an earthly inheritance and possessions you shall possesse with mee the inheritance of my heauenly Kingdome where you shall be for loue sonnes for birth-right heires for dignitie Kings for holinesse Priests and you may be bold to enter into the possession thereof now because my Father prepared and kept it for you euer since the first foundation of the world was laid Immediately after this Sentence of absolution and benediction euery one receiueth his crowne which Christ the righteous Iudge puts vpon their heads as the reward which hee hath promised of his grace and mercy vnto the faith and good workes of all them that loued that his appearing Then euery one taking his Crowne from his Head shall lay it downe as it were at the Feete of Christ and prostrating themselues shall with one heart and voyce in an heauenly sort and consort say Praise and Honour and Glory and Power and Thankes be vnto thee O blessed Lambe who sittest vpon the Throne wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euery kindred and tongue and people and nation and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests to raigne with thee in thy Kingdome for euermore Amen Then shall they sit in their Thrones and order as Iudges of the Reprobates and euill Angels by approuing and giuing testimony to the righteous sentence and iudgement of Christ the supreame Iudge After the pronouncing of the Reprobates sentence and condemnation Christ vvill performe two solemne Actions 1 The presenting of all the Elect vnto his Father Behold O righteous Father these are they whom thou gauest mee I haue kept them and none of them is lost I gaue them thy Word and they beleeued it and the world hated them because they were not of the world euen as I was not of the world And now Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen mee be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me and that I may be in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me and that thou hast loued them as thou hast loued me 2 Christ shall deliuer vp the Kingdome to GOD euen the Father that is shall cease to execute his office of Mediatorship whereby as he is King Priest Prophet and supreame head of the Church hee suppressed his Enemies and ruled his faithfull people by his Spirit Word and Sacraments So that his Kingdome of grace ouer his Church in this world ceasing hee shall rule immediately as hee is GOD equall vvith the Father and the holy Ghost in his Kingdome of Glory for euermore not that the dignitie of his Manhood shall be any thing diminished but that the glory of his Godhead shall be more manifested so that as hee is God hee shall from thence forth in all fulnesse without all externall meanes rule all in all From this Tribunall seate Christ shall arise and vvith all his glorious Company of Elect Angels and Saints he shall goe vp triumphantly in order and array vnto the heauen of Heauens with such a heauenly noise and Musicke that now may that Song of Dauid be truely verified God is gone vp with a triumph the Lord with the sound of the Trumpets Sing praises to God sing praises sing prayses vnto our King sing praises for God is the King of all the Earth he is greatly to be exalted And that Marriage song of Iohn Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue honour to him for the Marriage of the Lambe is come and his Wife hath made her selfe ready Alleluiah for the Lord God omnipotent raigneth The third and last Degree of the blessed state of a regenerated man after death beginnes after the pronouncing of the Sentence and lasteth eternally without all end Meditations of the blessed estate of a regenerated Man in heauen after he hath receiued his sentence of Absolution before the Tribunall seate of Christ at the last day of Iudgement HEere my Meditation lazeleth and my Penne falleth out of my hand the one being not able to conceiue nor the other to describe that most excellent blisse and eternall weight of glory whereof all the
obtaine eternall life For good workes are the true fruits of a true faith which apprehendeth Christ and his obedience vnto Saluation And no other faith auaileth in Christ but that which worketh by loue And but in the act of Iustification that Faith which onely iustifieth is neuer onely but euer accompanied with good workes as the Tree with his fruits the Sun with his light the Fire vvith his heate and Water with his moisture and that faith which doth not iustifie her selfe by good workes before Men is but a dead Faith which vvill neuer iustifie a mans soule before God But a iustifying faith purifieth the heart and sanctifieth the whole man throughout II. From the doctrine of Gods eternall Predestination and vnchangeable decree hee gathereth that if hee be predestinated to be saued hee cannot but be saued if to be damned no meanes can doe any good Therefore all vvorkes of Piâ—tie are but in vaine but hee should learne that God hath predestinated to the means as well as to the end Whom therefore GOD hath predestinated to be saued which is the end hee hath likewise predestinated to be first called iustified and made conformable to the image of his Son which is the meanes And they saith Peter who are elect vnto saluation are also elect vnto the sanctification of the spirit If therefore vpon thy calling thou conformest thy selfe to the Word and Example of Christ thy Master obeyest the good motions of the holy Spirit in leauing sinne and liuing a godly life then assure thy selfe that thou art one of those who are infallibly predestinated to euerlasting saluation If otherwise blame not Gods predestination but thine owne sinne and rebellion Doe thou but returne vnto God and God will gratiously receiue thee as the Father did the prodigall Sonne and by thy conuersion it shall appeare both to Angels and Men that thou didst belong to his Election If thou wilt not why should God saue thee III. When a carnall Christian heares that man hath not free-will vnto good he looseth the reynes to his owne corrupt will as though it lay not in him to bridle or to subdue it Implicitely making God the authour of sinne in suffering man to runne into this necessitie But hee should know that GOD gaue Adam free-will to stand in his integritie if hee would but man abusing his free-will lost both himselfe and it Since the Fall Man in his state of corruption hath Free-will to euill but not to good for in this state we are not saith the Apostle sufficient to think a good thought And God is not bound to restore vs what wee lost so wretchedly and make no more care to recouer againe But as soone as a man is regenerated the Grace of God freeth his will vnto good so that hee doth all the good things hee doth with a Free-will for so the Apostle saith that God of his owne good pleasure worketh both the will and the deede in vs who as the Apostle expoundeth cleance our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God And in this state euery true Christian hath Free-will and as hee increaseth in grace so doth his will in freedome for when the Sonne shall make vs free then shall wee be free indeede and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie for the holy Spirit drawes their mindes not by coaction but by the cordes of Loue Can. 1.4 by illuminating their mindes to know the truth by changing their hearts to loue the knowne truth and by enabling euery one of them according to the measure of grace which hee hath receiued to doe the good which he loueth But thou wilt not vse the freedome of thy will so farre as GOD hath freed it for thou dost many times wilfully against Gods Law to the hazard of thy Soule that which if the Kings Law forbad vnder the penaltie of death or losse of thy worldly state thou wouldest not doe Make not therefore thy want of free-will vnto good to be so much the cause of thy sinne as thy want of a louing heart to serue thy heauenly Father IIII. When the naturall man heares that no man since the fall is able to fulfill the Law of God and to keepe all his Commandements He boldly presumes to sinne as others doe hee contents himselfe with a few good thoughts and if hee be not altogether as bad as the worst hee concludes that hee is as truely regenerate as the best And euery voluntary refusall of doing good or withstanding euill he counts the impossibilitie of the Law But he should learne that though since the Fall no man but Christ who was both God and man did or can perfectly fulfill the whole Law yet euery true Christian as soone as hee is regenerated begins to keepe all Gods Commandements in truth though hee cannot in absolute perfection Thus with Dauid they apply their hearts to fulfill Gods Commandements alwayes vnto the end And then the Spirit of grace vvhich was promised to be more aboundantly poured forth vnder the Gospel helpeth them in their good endeuours and assisteth them to doe vvhat he commands them to doe And in so doing GOD accepteth their good will and endeuour in stead of perfect fulfilling of the Law supplying out of the merits of Christ who fulfilled the Law for vs whatsoeuer wanteth in our obedience And in this respect S. Iohn saith that Gods commandements are not burdenous And S. Paul saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of him that strengthneth me And Zâ—chary and Elizabeth are said to walkâ— in all the Commandements of the Lord without reproofe Hereupon CHRIST commends to his Disciples the care of keeping his Commandements as the trueest testimonie of our loue vnto him So farre therefore doth a man loue Christ as he makes conscience to walk in his Commandements and the more vnto Christ is our loue the lesse will our paines seeme in keeping his Law The Lawes curse which vnder the Olde Testament was so terrible is vnder the New by the death of Christ abolished to the regenerate The rigor which made it so vnpossible to our nature before is now to the new borne so mollified by the Spirit that it seemes facile and easie The Apostles indeede pressed on the vnconuerted Iewes and Gentiles the impossibilitie of keeping the Law by abilitie of nature corrupted But when they haue to doe with regenerated Christians they require to the Law which is the rule of righteousnesse true obedience in word and deede the mortifying of their members the crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof resurrection to newnesse of life walking in the spirit ouercomming of the world by faith So that though no man can say as CHRIST which of you can
sinne to come For though the eternall punishment of sinne as it proceedeth from Iustice is fully pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ yet vvee are not without serious iudging of our selues exempted from the temporall chastisement of sinne for this proceedeth onely from the loue of God for our good And this is the reason that when Nathan told Dauid from the Lord that his sinnes were forgiuen yet that the Sword of chastisement should not depart from his house and that his Childe should surely die For GOD like a skilfull Physitian seeing the soule to be poysoned vvith the setling of sinne and knowing that the raigning of the Flesh vvill proue the ruine of the Spirit ministreth the bitter pill of affliction vvhereby the reliques of sinne is purged and the soule more soundly cured the flesh is subdued and the spirit is sanctified Oh the odiousnesse of sinne vvhich causeth God to chasten so seuerely his Children whom otherwise hee loueth so deerely 2 God sendeth affliction to seale vnto vs our Adoption for euery Childe whom God loueth hee correcteth And hee is a Bastard that is not corrected Yea it is a sure note that where GOD seeth sinne and smites not he there detests and loues not Therefore it is said that hee suffered the vvicked Sonnes of Eli to continue in their sinnes without correction because the Lord would slay them On the other side there is no surer token of Gods fatherly loue and care then to be corrected with some crosse as oft as vvee commit any sinfull crime Affliction therefore is a seale of Adoption no signe of Reprobation For the purest Corne is cleanest fanned the finest Gold is oftest tryed the sweetest Grape is hardest pressed and the truest Christian heauiest crossed 3 God sendeth affliction to weane our hearts from too much louing this World and worldly vanities and to cause vs the more earnestly to desire and long for eternall life For as the Children of Israel had they not beene ill entreated in Aegipt vvould neuer haue beene so willing to goe towards Canaan so were it not for the crosses and afflictions of this life Gods Children would not so heartilie long and willingly desire for the Kingdome of Heauen For wee see many Epicures that vvould be content to forgoe heauen on condition that they might still enioy their earthly pleasures and hauing neuer tasted the ioyes of a better how loath are they to depart this life whereas the Apostle that saw Heauens glory tels vs that there is no more comparison twixt the ioyes of eternall life and the pleasures of this world then there is betwixt the filthiest dung and the pleasantest meate or betwixt the stinkingst dung-hill and the fairest bed-chamber As therefore a louing Nursse puts Worme-wood or Mustard on the breast to make the childe the rather to forsake the dug so GOD mixeth sometimes affliction with the pleasures and prosperitie of this life least like the Children of this generation they should forget God and fall into too much loue of this present euill vvorld and so by riches grow proud by fame insolent by libertie vvanton and spurne with their heele against the Lord when they waxe fat For if Gods children loue the vvorld so well when like a curst stepmother shee misvseth and strikes vs how should vvee loue this harlot if shee smiled vpon vs and stroaked vs as shee doth her owne worldly Brats Thus doth GOD like a wise and louing Father embitter with crosses the pleasures of this life to his children that finding in this earthly state no true nor permanent ioyes they might sigh long for eternall life where firme and euerlasting ioyes are onely to be found 4 By affliction and sicknesse God exerciseth his children and the graces which hee bestoweth vpon them He refineth and trieth their faith as the Goldsmith doth his gold in the furnace to make it shine more glistering bright he stirreth vs vp to pray more 〈…〉 and zealously and proueth what patience we haue learned all this while in his schoole The like experience he maketh of our hope loue and all the rest of our Christian vertues which without this triall would rust like iron vnexercised or corrupt like standing waters that either haue no current or else are not powred from vessell to vessell whose taste remaineth and whose sent is not changed And rather then a man should keepe still the sent of his corrupted nature to damnation who would not wish to be changed from state to state by crosses and sickenesse to saluation For as the Camomill which is troden groweth best and smelleth most fragrant and as the fish is sweetest that liues in the saltest waters so those soules are most pretious vnto Christ who are most exercised and afflicted with his Crosse. 5 God sendeth affliction to demonstrate vnto the world the truenesse of his childrens loue and seruice Euery hypocrite will serue GOD whilest he prospereth and blesseth him as the Diuel falsly accused Iob to haue done but who saue his louing childe will loue and serue him in aduersity when GOD seemeth to bee angry and displeased with him yea and cleaue vnto him most inseperably when hee seemeth with the greatest frown and disgrace to reiect a man and to cast him out of his fauour yea when he seemeth to wound and kill as an enemy yet then to say with Iob Though thou Lord kill me yet will I put my trust in thee The louing and seruing of God and trusting in his mercy in the time of our correction and misery is the truest note of an vnfained child and seruant of the Lord. 6 Sanctified affliction is a singular helpe to further our true conuersion and to driue vs home by repentance to our heauenly Father In their affliction saith the Lord they will seeke mee diligently Aegypts burdens made Israel cry vnto GOD. Dauids troubles made him pray Hezekias sickenesse made him to weepe and miserie droue the Prodigall childe to returne and sue for his Fathers grace and mercy Yea wee reade of many in the Gospell that by sickenesses and affliction were driuen to come into CHRIST vvho if they had health and prosperity as others would haue like others neglected or contemned their Sauiour and neuer haue sought vnto him for his sauing health and grace For as the Arke of Noah the higher it was tossed with the floud the neerer it mounted towards heauen so the sanctified Soule the more it is exercised vvith affliction the neerer it is listed towards GOD. Oh blessed is that crosse that draweth a sinner to come vpon the knees of his heart vnto Christ to confesse his owne misery and to implore his endlesse mercy Oh blessed aye blessed bee that Christ that neuer refuseth the sinner that commeth vnto him though weather-driuen by affliction and miserie 7 Afflictions worke in vs pittie and compassion towards our fellow-brethren that
bee in distresse and misery whereby wee learne to haue a fellow-feeling of their calamities and to condole their estate as if wee suffered with them And for this cause CHRIST himselfe would suffer and bee tempted in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted that he might be a mercifull high Priest touched with the feeling of our infirmities For none can so hartily bemone the misery of another as he who first suffered himselfe the same affliction Hereupon a sinner in miserie may boldly say vnto Christ Non ignare mali miseris succurrito Christe Our frailty sith O Christ thou didst perceiue Condole our state who still in frailties cleaue 8 God vseth our sicknesses and afflictions as meanes and examples both to manifest vnto others the faith and vertues which hee hath bestowed vpon vs as also to strengthen those who haue not receiued so great a measure of faith as wee For there can bee no greater encouragement to a weake Christian then to behold a true professour in the extreamest sickenesse of his body supported with greater patience and consolation in his soule And the comfortable and blessed departure of such a man will arme him against the feare of death and assure him that the hope of the godlie is a farre more pretious thing then that flesh and bloud can vnderstand or mortall eyes beholde in this vale of misery And were it not that wee did see many of those whom we know to be the vndoubted children of GOD to haue endured such affliction and calamities before vs. The greatnesse of the miseries and crosses which oft times wee endure would make vs doubt whether we be the children of GOD or no. And to this purpose Saint Iames saith GOD made Iob and the Prophets an example of suffering aduersity and of long patience 9 By afflictions GOD makes vs conformable to the Image of Christ his sonne who being the Captaine of our saluation was made perfect through sufferings And therefore he first bare the Crosse in shame before hee was crowned with glory and did first taste gall before he did eate the honey combe and was first derided king of the Iewes by the Souldiers in the High priests hal before he was saluted King of glory by the Angles in his Fathers Courte And the more liuely our heauenly Father shal perceiue the image of his naturall Son to appeare in vs the better he will loue vs and when wee haue for a time borne his likenesse in his sufferings and fought and ouercome we shall be crowned by Christ and with Christ sit in his throne and of Christ receiue the pretious white stone and morning starre that shal make vs shine like Christ for euer in his glory 10 Lastly that the godly may bee humbled in respect of their owne state and misery and God glorified by deliuering them out of their troubles and afflictions when we call vpon him for his helpe and succour For though that there is no man so pure but if the Lord will straightly marke iniquities hee shall finde in him iust cause to punish him for his sin Yet the Lord in mercy doth not alwaies in the affliction of his children respect their sinnes but sometimes layeth afflictions and crosses vpon them for his glories sake Thus our Sauiour Christ told his Disciples that the man was not borne blind for his owne or his Parents sinnes but that the worke of God should be shewed on him So hee told them likewise that Lazarus sickenesse was not vnto the death but for the glory of God O the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God which turneth those afflictions which are the shame and punishment due to our sinnes to bee the subiect of his honour and glory These are the blessed and profitable endes wherefore God sendeth sickenesse and afflictions vpon his children whereby it may plainely appeare that afflictions are not signes either of Gods hatred or of our reprobation but rather tokens and pledges of his fatherly loue vnto his children whom he loueth and therefore chasteneth them in this life where vpon repentance there remaines hope of pardon rather then to referre the punishment to that life where there is no hope of pardon nor ende of punishment For this cause the Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to giue God great thankes for afflicting them in this life So the Apostles reioyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs name Act. 5.41 And the Christian Hebrewes suffered with ioy the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had in heauen a better and an induring substance Heb. 10.34 And in respect of these holy endes the Apostle saith That though no affliction for the present seemeth ioyous but grieuous yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to them who are thereby exercised Pray therefore heartily that as God hath sent vnto thee this sickenesse so it would please him to come himselfe vnto thee with thy sickenesse by teaching thee to make those sanctifyed vses of it for which hee hath inflicted the same vpon thee Meditation for one that is recouered from sickenesse IF GOD hath of his mercy heard thy prayers and restored thee to thy health againe consider vvith thy selfe 1 That thou hast now receiued from GOD as it were another life Spend it therefore to the honour of God in newnesse of life Let thy sinne die with thy sickenesse but liue thou by grace to holinesse 2 Be not the more secure that thou art restored to health neither insult in thy selfe that thou hast escaped death but thinke rather that GOD seeing how vnprepared thou wast hath of his mercy heard thy prayer spared thee and giuen thee some little longer time of respite that thou maiest both amend thy life and put thy selfe in a better readinesse against the time that he shall call for thee without further delay out of this world For though thou hast escaped this It may be thou shalt not escape the next sickensse 3 Consider how fearefull a reckoning thou haddest made before the Iudgement seat of Christ by this time if thou haddest dyed of this sicknesse Spend therefore the time that remaines so as that thou maiest be able to make a more cheerefull account of thy life when it must be expired indeed 4 Put not farre off the day of death thou knowest not for all this how neere it is at hand and being so fairely warned be wiser for if thou be taken vnprouided the next time thy excuse will be lesse and thy iudgement greater 5 Remember that thou hast vowed amendment and newnesse of life Thou hast vowed a vow vnto God defer not to pay it for hee delighteth not in fooles pay therefore that thou hast vowed The vncleane spirit is cast out Oh let him not re-enter with seuen worse then himselfe Thou hast sighed out the groanes of contrition thou hast wept the teares of repentance thou art washed in
badnesse thy iustice and my iniustice the impiety of my flesh the piety of thy nature And now O blessed Lord that thou hast endured all this for my sake What shall I render vnto thee for all thy benefits bestowed vpon me a sinfull soule Indeede Lord I acknowledge that I owe thee already for my creation more then I am able to pay for I am in that respect bound with all my powers and affections to loue and to adore thee If I owed my selfe vnto thee for giuing me my selfe in my creation what shall I now render vnto thee for giuing thy selfe for me to so cruell a death to procure my Redemption Great was the benefit that thou wouldest create mee of nothing but what tongue can sufficiently expresse the greatnesse of this grace that thou didst redeeme mee with so deere a price when I was worse then nothing Surely O Lord if I cannot pay the thanks which I owe thee and who can pay thee who bestowest thy graces without either respect of merit or regard of measure It is the aboundance of thy blessings that makes me such a bankerupt that I am so farre vnable to pay the principall that I cannot possibly pay so much as the interest of thy loue But O my Lord thou knowest that since the losse of thine image by the fall of my first vnhappy parents I cannot loue thee with all my might and my minde as I should Therefore as thou didst first cast thy loue vpon mee when I was a childe of wrath and the lumpe of the lost and condemned world so now I beseech thee shed abroad thy loue by thy spirit through all my faculties and affections that though I can neuer pay thee in that measure of loue which thou hast deserued yet I may endeauour to repay thee in such a manner as thou vouchsafest to accept in mercy that I may in truth of heart loue my neighbour for thy sake and loue thee aboue all for thine owne sake Let nothing be pleasant vnto me but that which is pleasing vnto thee And sweet Sauiour suffer me neuer to be lost nor cast away whom thou hast bought so dearely with thine own most precious blood O Lord let me neuer forget thine infinite loue and this vnspeakeable benefit of my redemption without which it had beene better for me neuer to haue been then to haue any being And seeing that thou hast vouchsafed me the assistance of thy holy spirit suffer me O heauenly Father who art the Father of spirits in the mediation of thy Sonne to speake a few words in the eares of my Lord. If thou O Father despisest mee for mine iniquities as I haue deserued yet be mercifull vnto me for the merits of thy Sonne who so much for me hath suffered What if thou seest nothing in me but misery which might moue anger and passion Yet behold the merits of thy Sonne and thou shalt see enough to moue thee to mercy and compassion Behold the mystery of his incarnation and remit the misery of my transgression And as oft as the wounds of thy Sonne appeare in thy sight Oh let the woes of my sinnes be hid from thy presence As oft as the rednesse of his bloud glisters in thine eyes Oh let the guiltinesse of my sinnes bee blotted out of thy Booke The wantonnesse of my flesh prouoked thee vnto wrath Oh let the chastitie of his flesh perswade thee vnto mercy that as my flesh seduced me to sinne so his flesh may reduce me vnto thy fauour My disobedience hath deserued a great reuenge but his obedience merits a greater waight of mercy for what can man deserue to suffer which GOD made man cannot merit to haue forgiuen When I consider the greatnesse of thy passion then doe I see the truenesse of that saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue the chiefest sinners Dar'st thou then O Caine say that thy sins are greater then may be forgiuen Thou liest like a murderer The mercies of one Christ are able to forgiue a whole world of Caines if they will beleeue and repent The sinnes of all sinners are finite the mercies of GOD are infinite Therefore O Father for the bitter death and blody passion sake which thy son Iesus Christ hath suffered for me and I haue now remembred vnto thee pardon and forgiue thou vnto me all my sins and deliuer me from the curse and vengeance which they haue iustly deserued And through his merites make me O Lord a partaker of thy mercy It is thy mercy that I so earnestly knocke for Neither shal mine importunity cease to call and knocke with the man that would borrow the loaues vntill thou arise and open vnto me thy gates of grace And if thou wilt not bestow on me the loaues yet O Lord deny mee not the crummes of thy mercy and those shal suffice thy hungry handmaide And seeing thou requirest nothing for all thy benefits but that I loue thee in the truth of my inward heart whereof a nâ—w creature is the truest outward testimony and that it is as easie for thee to make me a new creature as to bid me to be such Create in me O Christ a new heart and renew in me a right spirit and then thou shalt see how mortifying old Adam and his corrupt lusts I wil serue thee as thy new creature in a new life after a new way with a new tongue and new manners with new words and new works to the glory of thy Name and the winning of other sinfull soules vnto thy Faith by my deuoute example Keepe me for euer O my Sauiour from the torments of Hell and tyranny of the Diuell And when I am to depart this life send thy holy Angels to carry mee as they did the soule of Lazarus into thy kingdome Receiue me then into that most ioyful paradise which thou didst promise vnto the penitent theefe which at his last gaspe vpon the Crosse so deuoutly begged thy mercy and admission into thy kingdome Grant this O Christ for thine owne names sake to whom as it is most due I ascribe all glory and honour praise and dominion both now and for euer Amen FINIS Errata GEntle Reader some faults haue escaped vnespied they are not many Where thou meetest them lend thy helping hand to mend them these few especially Page 49. line 18. read differs not pag. 3â—3 in 〈◊〉 Egoâ— Ego pag. 63â— last line as 〈…〉 pag. 68â— li. 16. for internall reâ— integrall FINIS a 1 Tim. 6.15 Apoc. 17.14 b 1 Sam. 20 20. c 2 Chron. 34.3 * Qui monet vt facias quod iam facis ipse monendo laudat hortatu coÌ„probat actae suo d Cor. 8.7 Mat. 25.1 c. 2 Tim. 3.4 * ExempluÌ„ accidit Domino testâ— muâ—ieris quae Theatrum aeâ—â—ijâ— inde cum Daemonio redijâ— Itaque in eâ—orcismo cùm oneraretur immundus spiritus quod ausus est fideâ—em aggredi constantèr iustissimè quidem inquit feci
the Plurall number to expresse the Trinitie of Persons in Vnitie of Essence And to this purpose the holy Ghost beginneth the holy Bible with this plurall name of God ioyned with a Verbe of the singular number as Elohim barae Dij creauit The mightie Gods or all the three Persons in the God-head created The Iewes also note in the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bara consisting of three Letters the Mysterie of the Trinitie By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ben the Son by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resh Ruah the Spirit by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph Ab the Father But this holy Mysterie is more clearely taught by Moses Gen. 3.22 And Iehouah Elohim said Behold the man is become as One of 〈◊〉 And Gen. 19.24 Iehouah rayned vpon Sodome and vpon Gomorha brimstone and fire from Iehouah out of Heauen that is God the Sonne from God the Father who hath committed all iudgement vnto the Son Iohn 5.22 See Psal. 33.6 Isa. 63.9.10 The Singular number of Elohim is Eloah deriued of Alah he swore because that in all waightie causes when necessitie requireth an oath to decide the truth we are onely to sweare by the Name of God which is the great and righteous Iudge of Heauen and Earth This Name Eloah is but seldome vsed as Abac. 3.3 Iob. 4.9 Iob. 12.4 and 15.8.36.2 Psal. 18.32 Psal. 114.7 Once it hath a Noune plurall ioyned to it Iob. 35.10 None saith where is Eloah Gosai the Almightie my Makers to note the Mysterie of the eternall Trinitie Many times also Elohim the plurall number is ioyned with a verb plurall to expresse more emphatically this mysterie as Gen. 35.7 2 Sam. 7.23 Iâ—sh 24.19 Ier. 10.10 Elohim is also sometime Tropically giuen to Magistrates because they are Gods Vicegerents as to Moses Exod. 7.1 Iehouah said vnto Moses I haue made thee Elohim to Pharaoh that is I haue appointed thee an Embassadour to represent the Person of the true Three-one GOD and to deliuer his message and will vnto Pharaoh As oft therefore as we read or heare this name Elohim it should put vs in minde to consider that in one diuine Essence there are three distinct Persons and that God is Iehouah Elohim Now followes the names which signifie Gods essentiall workes which are these fiue especially 1 EL which is as much as the strong God and teacheth vs that God is not only most strong and fortitude it selfe in his owne essence but also that it is hee that giueth all strength and power to all other creatures Therefore Christ is called Isay 9.6 El Gibbor the strong most mightie God Let not Gods children feare the power of enemies for El our God is more strong then they 2 Schaddai That is Omnipotent By this name God vsually stiled himselfe to the Patriarches I am El Schaddai the strong God almighty Because he is perfectlie able to defend his seruants from all euill to blesse them with all spirituall and temporall blessings and to performe all his promises which hee hath made vnto them for this life and that which is to come This name belongeth onely to the God-head and to no creature no not to the humanity of Christ. This may teach vs with the Patriarches to put our whole confidence in God and not to doubt of the true performance of his promises 3 Adonai My Lord. This name as the Massorets note is found 134 times in the old Testament Analogically it is giuen to cretures but properly it belongeth to God alone It is vsed Malachy 1.6 in the plurall number to note the mystery of the holy Trinity If I be Adonim Lords where is my feare Ani the singular Adonim the plurall number This name is giuen to Chirst Dan. 9.17 Cause thy face to shine vpon thy sanctuary that is desolate for ADONAI the Lord Christ his sake The hearing of this holy name may teach euery man to obey Gods Commandements to feare him alone to suffer none besides him to raigne in his conscience to lay hold by a perticular hand of faith vpon his word and promise and to chalenge God in Christ to be his God that he may say with Thomas Thou art my Lord and my God 4 Is Helion that is most High Psal. 9.2 Psal. 91 9. Psal. 92.9 Dan. 4 17.24.25.34 Acts 7.48 This name Gabriel giueth vnto God telling the Virgin Mary that the childe which should bee borne of her should bee the sonne of the most High Luk. 1.32 This teacheth that God in his essence and glory exceedeth infinitly all creatures in heauen and earth Secondly that no man should be proud of any earthly honour or greatnesse Thirdly if wee desire true dignity to labour to haue communion with God in grace and glory 5 Abba a Syriake name signifying Father Rom. 8.15 This is sometimes vsed essentially as in the Lords praier Secondly personally as Matth. 11.25 For God is Christs father by nature Christians by adoption and grace Christ is called the euerlasting Father Isay 9.6 because hee regenerates vs vnder the New Testament God is also called the Father of light Iames 1.17 because God dwelleth in inaccessible light 1. Tim. 6.16 and is the author not onely of the Sunnes light but also of all the light both of naturall reason and supernaturall grace Which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world This name teacheth vs that all the giftes which we receiue from God proceede from his meere fatherly loue Secondly that we should loue him againe as deere children Thirdly that we may in all our needes and troubles be bold to call vpon him as a Father for his helpe and succour Thus should wee not heare of the sacred names of God but we should thereby be put in minde of his goodnesse vnto vs and of our duties vnto him And then should wee finde how comfortable a thing it is to doe euery thing in the name of God A phrase vsuall in euery mans tongue but the true comfort thereof through ignorance knowne to few mens hearts It is a great wisdome and an vnspeakeable matter for the strengthning of a Christians faith to know how in the mediation of Christ to inuocate God by such a name as whereby hee hath manifested himselfe to bee most willing and best able to help and succour him in his present neede or aduersitie The ardent desire of knowing God is the surest testimony of our loue to God and of Gods fauour to vs. Because he hath set his loue vpon me therefore will I deliuer him I will set him on high because hee hath knowne my name hee shall call vpon me and I will answere him c. and it is a great strengthning of faith with vnderstanding to beginne euery action in the name of God Thus farre of the nominall Attributes The reall Attributes are of two sorts either absolute or relatiue The absolute Attributes are such which cannot in any
in the life which is to come Lastly this discouers how few there are who doe truely know God for no man knoweth God but hee that loueth him and how can a man choose but loue him being the soueraigne good if hee knew him Seeing the nature of God is to enamour men with the loue of her goodnesse and whosoeuer loueth any thing more then God is not worthy of God and such is euery one who setles the loue and rest of his heart vpon any thing besides God If therefore thou dost beleeue that God is Almighty why dost thou feare Diuels and enemies and not confidently trust in God and craue his helpe in all troubles dangers If thou beleeuest that God is infinite how darest thou prouoke him to anger If thou beleeuest that God is simple with what heart canst thou dissemble and play the hypocrite If thou beleeuest that God is the Soueraigne good why is not thy heart more setled vpon him then on all Worldly goods If thou dost indeede beleeue that God is a iust Iudge how darest thou liue so securely in sinne without repentance If thou dost truely beleeue that God is most wise why dost not thou referre the euents of crosses and disgraces vnto him vvho knoweth how to turne all things to the best vnto them that loue him If thou art perswaded that God is true why dost thou doubt of his promises And if thou beleeuest that God is beautie and Perfection it selfe why dost not thou make him alone the chiefe end of all thine affections and desires for if thou louest beautie hee is most faire If thou desirest riches hee is most wealthy if thou seekest Wisedome hee is most wise Whatsoeuer excellencie thou hast seene in any creature it is nothing but a sparkle of that which is in infinite perfection in GOD and when in Heauen wee shall haue an Immediate communion vvith God wee shall haue them all perfectly in him communicated vnto vs. Briefely in all goodnesse he is all in all Loue that one good God and thou shalt loue him in whom all the good of goodnesse consisteth He that would therfore attaine to the sauing knowledge of God must learne to know him by loue For God is loue and the knowledge of the loue of God passeth all knowledge For all knowledge besides to know how to loue God and to serue him onely is nothing vpon Salomons credit but vanitie of vanities and vexation of spirit Kindle therfore O my Lady nay rather O my Lord Charity the loue of thy selfe in my soule especially seeing it was thy good pleasure that being reconciled by the blood of Christ I should be brought by the knowledge of thy grace to the communion of thy Glory wherein onely consists my soueraigne good and happinesse for euer Thus by the light of his owne word we haue seene the backe parts of Iehoua Elohim the eternall Trinity whom to worship is true Piety whom to beleeue is sauing faith and veritie And vnto whom from all creatures in heauen and earth bee all praise dominion and Glory for euer Amen Thus farre of the knowlege of God Now of the knowlege of a Man selfe And first of the state of his miserie and corruption without renouation by CHRIST Meditations of the misery of a Man not reconciled to GOD in Christ. O Wretched man where shall I beginne to describe thine endlesse miserie who art condemned as sonne as conceiued and adiudged to eternall death before thou wast borne to a temporall life A beginning indeed I finde but no end of thy miseries for when Adam and Eue being created after Gods owne Image and placed in Paradise that they and their posterity might liue in a blessed state of life immortall hauing dominion of all earthly creatures and onely restrained from the fruit of one tree as a signe of their subiection to their Almightie Creator Though God forbad them this one small thing vnder the penalty of eternal death yet they beleeued the diuels word before the word of God making God as much as in them lay a lyer And so being vnthankefull for all the benefits which God bestowed on them they became male-contented with their present state as if God had dealt enuiously or nigardly with them and beleeued that the Diuel would make them pertakers of farre more glorious things then euer God had bestowed vpon them and in their pride they fell into high treason against the most high and disdayning to be Gods subiects they affected blasphemously to bee Gods themselues equals vnto God Hence till they repented losing Gods Image they became like vnto the Diuell and so all their posterity as a traiterous broode whilest they remaine impenitent like thee are subiect in this life to all cursed miseries and in the life to come to the euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuel and his Angels Lay then aside for a while thy doating vanities and take a view with me of thy dolefull miseries which daily suruayed I doubt not but that thou wilt conclude that it is far better neuer to haue natures being then not to be by grace a Practicioner of religious Pietie Consider therfore thy misery 1 In thy life 2 In thy death 3 After death In thy life 1 The miseries accompanying thy body 2 The miseries which deforme thy soule In thy death the miseries which shall oppresse thy body and soule After death the miseries which ouerwhelme both body and soule together in Hell And first let vs take a view of those miseries which accompanie thy body according to the foure ages of thy life 1 Infancy 2 Youth 3 Manhood 4 Olde age Meditations of the misery of Infancy WHat wast thou being an Infant but a bruit hauing the shape of a man was not thy body conceiued in the heate of lust the secret of shame and staine of originall sinne And thus wast thou cast naked vpon the earth all imbrued in the blood of filthinesse fithy indeed when the Sonne of God who disdained not to take on him mans nature and the infirmities thereof yet thought it vnbeseeming his Holines to be conceiued after the sinfull maner of mans conception So that thy mother was ashamed to let thee know the manner thereof What cause then hast thou to boast of thy birth which was a cursed paine to thy mother and to thy selfe the entrance into a troublesome life the greatnesse of which miseries because thou couldst not vtter in words thou didst expresse as well as thou couldest in weaping teares 2 Meditations of the miseries of youth WHat is Youth but an vntamted beast all whose actions are rash and rude not capable of good counsell when it is giuen and Ape-like delighting in nothing but in toies and bables Therefore thou no sooner beganst to haue a little strength and discretion but foorthwith thou wast kept vnder the rodde and feare of parents and masters as if thou hadst beene borne to
were all his thoughts and imaginations Then husbands and wiues looke to your actions and thoughts For all shall be made manifest one day See 1. Cor. 4.5 8 The faithfull in the old Testament are said to be gathered to their Fathers therefore the knowledge of our friends remaines 9 Loue neuer falleth away therefore knowledge the ground thereof remaines in another life 10 Because the last day shall be a declaration of the iust iudgement of God when he shall reward euery man acording to his workes and if euery mans work be brought to light much more the worker And if wicked men shall account for euery idle word much more shall the idle speakers themselues bee knowne And if the persons be not knowne in vaine are the workes made manifest Therefore saith the Apostle Euery man shall appeare to account for the worke that hee hath done in his body c. See Wisdome Chapter 5.1 Though the respect of diuersities of degrees and callings in Magistracy Ministry and Oeconomy shall cease yea Christ shall then cease to rule as he is Mediator and rule all in all as hee is God equall with the Father and the holy Ghost The greatest knowledge that men can attaine vnto in this life comes as farre short of the knowledge which wee shall haue in heauen as the knowledge of a childe that cannot yet speake plaine is to the knoweldge of the greatest Philosopher in the World They who thirst for knowledge let them long to be students of this Vniuersity For all the light by which wee know any thing in this world is nothing but the very shadow of God but when we shall know GOD in heauen wee shall in him know the manner of the worke of the creation the mysteries of the worke of our Redemption yea so much knowledge as a Creature can possibly conceiue and comprehend of the Creator and his works But whilest wee are in this life wee may say with Iob. How little a portion heare wee of him And assure our selues with Syracides that There are hid yet greater things then these be and that wee haue seene but a few of Gods works 2 They shall loue God with as perfect and absolute loue as possibly a creature can doe The manner of louing God is to loue him for himselfe the measure is to loue him without measure For in this life knowing God but in part we loue him but in part but when the Elect in heauen shall fully know God then they will perfectly loue God And for the infinite causes of loue which thy shall know to be in him they shall be infinitly rauish't with the loue of him 3 They shall be filled with all manner of diuine pleasures At thy right hand saith Dauid there are pleasures for euermore Yea they shall drinke saith he out of the riuer of pleasures For assoone as the soule is admitted into the actuall fruition of the beatificall presence of God shee hath all the goodnesse beauty glory and perfection of all creatures in all the world vnited together and at once presented vnto her in the sight of God If any be in loue there they shall enioy that which is more amiable if any delight in fairenesse the fairest beauty is but a dusty shadow to that he that delights in Pleasures shall there finde infinite varieties without either interruption of griefe or distraction of paine Hee that loueth honour shal there enioy it without the disgrace of cankred enuy he that loueth treasure shall there possesse it and neuer be beguiled of it There they shal haue knowledge void of all ignorance health that no sickenes shall impaire and life that no death can determine In a word looke how farre this wide world surpasseth for light pleasures comfort the darke and narrow womb wherin thou wast conceiued a childe so much doth the world to come exceede in ioyes solace consolation this present world Now happy then shall wee be when this life is chāged we thither translated 4 They shal be replenished with an vnspeakeable ioy In thy presence saith Dauid is the fulnesse of ioy And this ioy shall arise chiefly from the vision of God and partly from the sight of all the holy Angels and blessed soules of iust and perfect men who are in blisse and glory with him But especially from the blissefull sight of Iesus the Mediator of the New Testament our Emmanuel God made man His sight will be the chiefe cause of our blisse and ioy If the Israelites in Ierusalem so showted for ioy that the earth rang againe to see Salomon crowned how shall the Elect reioice in heauen to see Christ the true Salomon adorned with glory If Iohn Baptist at his presence did leape in his mothers wombe for ioy how shall wee exult for ioy when he will be not onely with vs but in vs in heauen If the wise men reioyced so greatly to finde him a Babe lying in a manger how great shall the ioy of the Elect bee to see him sit as as King in his celestiall throne If Simeon was so glad to see him an Infant in the Temple presented by the hands of the Priest how great shall our ioy be to see him a King ruling all things at the right hand of his Father If Ioseph and Mary were so ioyfull to finde him in the middest of the Doctors in the Temple how glad shal our soules be to see him sitting as Lord among Angels in heauen This is that ioy of our Master which as the Apostle saith the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the heart of man can conceiue which because it cannot enter into vs vvee shall enter it 5 Lastly they shall enioy this blissefull and glorious estate for euermore Therefore it is tearmed euerlasting life and Christ saith that our ioy shall no man take from vs. All other ioyes be they neuer so great haue an end Assuerus Feast lasted an hundred and eightie dayes but hee and it and all his ioyes are gone For mortall man to be assumed to heauenly glory to be associated to Angels to be satiated with all delights and ioyes but for a time were much but to enioy them for euer without intermission of end who can heare it and not admire it who can muse of it and not be amazed at it All the Saints of Christ as soone as they felt once but a true taste of these eternall ioyes counted all the riches and pleasures of this life to be but losse and dung in respect of that And therefore with vncessant prayers fasting almes-deedes teares faith and good life they laboured to acertaine themselues of this eternall life and for the loue thereof they willingly eyther solde or parted with all their earthly goods and possessions Christ calleth all Christians Merchants Luke 19. and eternall life a precious pearle
that thou thinkest these Prayers to be too long a taske being shorter for quantitie then theirs but farre more profitable for qualitie tending onely to Gods glory and thy good and so compiled of Scripture phrase as that thou maist speake to God as well in his owne hâ—ly words as in thine owne natiue language Be ashamed that Papists in their superstitious worshipping of Creatures should shew themselues more deuout then thou in the sincere worshipping of the true and onely God And indeede a prayer in priuate deuotion should be one continued speech rather then many broken fragments 6 Lastly when such thoughts come into thy head eyther to keepe thee from prayer or to distract thee in praying remember that those are the Fowles which the euill one sends to deuoure the good Seede and the carkeises of thy spirituall Sacrifices but endeuour with Abraham to driue them away Yet notwithstanding if thou perceiuest at some times that thy spirits are dull and thy minde not apt for Prayer and holy deuotion striue not too much for that time but humbling thy selfe at the sense of thine infirmity and dulnesse knowing that God accepteth the willing minde though it be oppressed with the heauinesse of the flesh endeauour the next time to recompense this dulnesse by redoubling thy zeale and for the time present commend thy Soule to God in this or the like short Prayer Another shorter Morning Prayer O MOST gracious GOD and mercifull Father I thine vnworthy Seruant do here acknowledge that as I haue beene borne in sinne so I haue liued in iniquitie and broken euery one of thy Commandements in thought word and deede following the desires of mine owne will and lusts of my flesh not caring to be gouerned by thy holy Word and Spirit and therefore I haue iustly deserued all shame and miserie in this life and euerlasting condâ—mnation in Hell-fire if thou shouldest but deale with mee according to thy Iustice and my desert Wherefore O Heauenly Father I beseech thee for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake and for the merits of that bitter death and bloudy Passion which I beleeue that he hath suffered for mee that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue vnto me all my sins and deliuer me from the shame and vengeance vvhich is due vnto mee for them And send thy holy Spirit into my heart which may assure mee that thou art my Father and that I am thy childe and that thou louest mee with an vnchangeable loue and let the same thy good Spirit leade mee in thy truth and crucifie in me more and more all worldly and carnall lusts that my sinnes may more and more dye in mee and that I may serue thee in vnfained righteousnesse and holinesse this day and all the dayes of my life that when this mortall life is ended I may through thy mercy in Christ be made a partaker of euerlasting glory in thy heauenly Kingdome And here O Lord from the bottome of my hart I thanke thee for al thy blessings which thou hast bestowed vpon my soule and body for electing mee in thy loue redeeming mee by thy Sonne sanctifying mee by thy Spirit and preseruing me from my youth vp vntill this present day and houre by thy most gracious prouidence I thanke thee more specially for that thou hast defended mee this night from all perils and dangers and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And now good Lord I beseech thee keepe me this day from all euill that may hurt me and from falling to any grosse sinne that should offend thee Set thy feare before mine eyes and let thy Spirit so rule my heart that all that I shall thinke doe or speake this day may tend to thy glory the good of others and the peace of mine owne Conscience And to this end I commend my selfe and all my wayes and actions together with all that do belong vnto me vnto thy gratious direction and protection praying thee to keepe both them and mee from all euill and to giue a blessing to all our honest labours and endeuours Defend thy whole Church from the tyranny of the World and of Antichrist Preserue our gracious King from all conspiracies and treasons grant him a long and prosperous raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Lady Elizabeth endue them vvith thy grace and defend them from all euill Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with those graces and gifts which thou knowest necessary for their places Be fauourable to all that feare thee and tremble at thy Iudgements comfort all those that are sicke and comfâ—rtlesse Lordâ— keepe mee in a continuall readinesse by Faith and Repentance for my last end that whether I liue or dye I may be found thine owne to thine eternall glory and mine euerlasting saluation through Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour In whose blessed Name I beg these mercies at thy hands and giue vnto thee thy praise and glory in that Prayer which hee hath sanctified with his owne lips saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Further Meditations to stir vs vp to praier in the Morning THinke not any businesse or haste though neuer so great a sufficient excuse to omit Praier in the Morning but meditate 1 That the greater thy businesse is by so much the more neede thou hast to pray for Gods good-speed and blessing thereon seeing it is certaine that nothing can prosper without his blessing 2 That many a man when hee thought himselfe surest hath beene soonest crossed so maiest thou 3 That many a man hath gone out of his dore and neuer come in againe Many a man who arose well and liuelie in the morning hath beene seene a dead man ere night So may it befall thee And if thou bee so carefull before thou goest abroad to drinke to fence thy body from ill ayres how much more carefull shouldest thou be to pray to perserue thy soule from euill temptations 4 That the time spent in prayer neuer hindereth but furthereth and prospereth a mans iourney and businesse 5 That in going abroad into the world thou goest into a forrest full of vnknown dangers where thou shalt meet many bryars to teare thy good name many snares to trap thy life and many hunters to deuoure thy soule It is a field of pleasant grasse but ful of poysonous serpents Aduenture not therefore to go nakâ—â— among these briars till thou hast prayed Christ to clothe thee with his righteousnesse nor to passe through these snares and ambushments till thou hast praied for Gods prouidence to be thy guide nor to walke barefoote through this snakie field till hauing thy feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace thou hast praied to haue still the brasen Serpent in the eye of thy faith that so if thou commest not home holier thou maiest be sure not to returne worser then when thou wentest out of dores Therefore though
for their want of due preparation And the man vvho came to the Marriage-feast without his wedding-garment or examining of himselfe vvas examined of another and thereupon bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse Mat. 22.12 And Saint Paul tels the Corinthians that for vvant of this preparation in examining and iudging themselues before they did eate the Lords Supper God had sent that fearefull sicknesse among them wherof some were then sicke others weeke and many falne asleepe that is taken away by temporall dâ—â—th Insomuch that the Apostle saith that euery vnworthy receiuer eaâ—es his owne Iudgement temporall if he repents eternall if he repents not and that in so hainous a measure as if he were guilty of the very body and blood of the Lord whereof this Sacrament is a holy signe and seale And Princes punish the indignity offered to their great seale in as deep a measure as that which is done to their owne Persons whom it representeth and how hainous the guiltinesse of Christs bloud is may appeare by the misery of the Iewes euer since they wished his bloud to be on them and their Children But then thou wilt say It were safer to abstaine from comming at all to the holy Communion Not so for God hath threatned to punish the wilful neglect of his sacraments with eternal damnation both of body and soule And it is the Commaundement of Christ Take eate doe this in remembrance of mee and he vvill haue his Commandement vnder the penaltie of his Curse obeyed And seeing that this Sacrament was the greatest token of Christs loue which hee left at his end to his friends whom he loued to the end Therefore the neglect and contempt of this Sacrament must argue the contempt and neglect of his loue and bloud-shedding then which no sinne in 〈◊〉 account can seeme more hainous Nothing hinders vvhy thou maist not come freely to the Lords Table but because thou hadst rather vvant the loue of God then leaue thy filthy sinnes Oh come but come a guest prepared for the Lords Table seeing they are blessed who are called to the Lambes Supper O come but come prepared because the efficacie of this Sacrament is receiued according to the proportion of the Faith of the Receiuer This preparation consists in the serious consideration of three things first of the Worthinesse of the Sacrament which is tearmed â—o discerne the Lords Body secondly of thine owne Vnworthinesse vvhich is to iudge thy selfe thirdly of the meanes whereby thou maist become a worthy Receiuer called communication of the Lords body 1 Of the worthinesse of the Sacrament THE worthinesse of this Sacrament is considered three vvayes first by the Maiestie of the Author ordaining secondly by the Preciousnesse of the Parts whereof it consisteth thirdly by the Excellencie of the Ends for which it vvas ordained 1 Of the Author of the Sacrament The Author was not any Saint or Angell but our Lord Iesus the eternall Sonne of God for it pertaineth to Christ onely vnder the New Testament to institute a Sacrament because hee onely can promise and performe the grace that it signifieth And we are charged to heare no voyce but his in the church How sacred should vvee esteeme the Ordinance that proceedeth from so diuine an Author 2 Of the parts of the Sacrament The parts of this blessed Sacrament are three first the Earthly signes signifying secondly the diuine Word sanctifying thirdly the heauenly graces signified First the earthly Signes are Bread and Wine in number two but one in vse Secondly the diuine Word is the word of Christs Institution pronounced with praiers and blessings by a lawfull Minister The Bread and Wine without the word are nothing but as they were before but when the Word commeth to those Elements then they are made a Sacrament and GOD is present with his owne ordinance and ready to performe whatsoeuer hee doth promise The diuine wordes of blessing doe not change or annihilate the substance of the bread and wine for if their substance did not remaine it could be no Sacrament but it changeth them in vse and in name For that which was before but common bread and wine to nourish mens Bodyes is after the blessing destinated to an holy vse for the feeding of the Soules of Christians and where before they were called but Bread and Wine they are now called by the name of those holy things which they signifie The body and bloud of Christ the better to draw our minds from those outward Elements to the heauenly graces vvhich by the sight of our bodies they represent to the spiritual eyes of our faith Neyther did CHRIST direct these wordes This is my Body this is my Bloud to the Bread and Wine but to his Disciples as appeares by the vvordes going before Take yee eate yee Neyther is the Bread his Body but in the same sense that the Cup is the New Testament viz. by a Sacramentall Metonymie And Marke notes plainely that the wordes This is my Bloud c. was not pronounced by our Sauiour till after that all his Disciples had drunken of the Cup. Mar. 14.23.24 And afterwards in respect of the naturall substance thereof hee cals that the fruit of the vine which in respect of the spirituall signification thereof he had before tearmed his Bloud verse 25. After the manner of tearming all Sacraments And Christ bids vs not to MAKE him but to doe this in remembrance of him and hee bids vs eate not simply his body but his body as it was then broken and his bloud shed which Saint Paul expounds to be but the Communion of Christs body and the communion of his bloud that is an effectuall pledge that vvee are partakers of Christ and of all the merits of his body and bloud And by the frequent vse of this Communion Paul will haue vs to make a shew of the Lords death till he come from heauen and till vve as Eagles shall be caught vp into the Ayre to meete him who is the blessed Carkeis and life of our soules Thirdly the spirituall graces are likewise two the Body of Christ as it was with the feeling of Gods anger due to vs crucified and his bloud as it was in the like sort shed for the remission of our sinnes They are also in number two but in vse one viz. whole Christ with all his benefits offered to all and giuen indeede to the faithfull These are the three internall parts of this blessed Sacrament the Signe the Word and the Grace The Signe without this Word or this Word without the Signe can doe nothing and both conioyned are vnprofitable without the Grace signified but all three concurring make an effectuall Sacrament to a worthy Receiuer Some receiue the outward signe without the spirituall grace as Iudas who as Austen saith receiued the bread of the Lord but not the Bread
that without faith wee cannot be perswaded in our consciences that our receiuing is acceptable vnto God 3 Of vnfained repentance requisite for a true Communicant True Repentance is a holy change of the minde when vpon the feeling sight of Gods mercy and of a mans owne misery hee turneth from all his known and secret sinnes to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the rest of his daies For as he that is glutted with meat is not apt to eat bread so hee that is stuffed with sinnes is not fit to receiue Christ. And a conscience defiled with wilfull filthinesse makes the vse of all holy things vnholy vnto vs. Our sacrificed spotlesse Passeouer cannot bee eaten with the sowre leauen of malice and wickednes saith Paul 1 Cor. 5.8 Neither can the olde bottles of our corrupt and impure consciences retaine the new wine of Christs precious bloud as our Sauiour saith Mar. 2.22 Wee must therefore truely repent if we will bee worthy partakers 2 The duties to be performed in respect of our neighbour is Charity Charity is a hearty forgiuing of others who haue offended vs and after reconciliation an outward vnfained testifying of the inward affections of our hearts by gestures words and deeds as oft as we meete and occasion is offred For first without loue to our neighbour no sacrifice is acceptable vnto GOD. Secondly because one chiefe end wherefore the Lords Supper was ordained is to confirme Christians loue one towards an other Thirdly no man can assure himselfe that his owne sinnes are forgiuen of God if his heart cannot yeelde to forgiue the faults of men that haue offended him Thus farre of the first sort of duties which we are to performe before wee come to the Lords Table called Preparation 2 Of the second sort of duties which a worthy Communicant is to performe at the receiuing of the Lords Supper called Meditation THis exercise of spirituall Meditation consists in diuers points First when the Sermon is ended and the banquet of the Lords Supper begins to be celebrated meditate with thy selfe how thou art inuited by Christ to be a guest at his holy table and how louingly he inuiteth thee Hoe euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters of life c. Come buy wine and milke without money and without price eate yee that which is good let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse Take ye eate ye This is my body which was broken for you drinke yee all of this for this is my blood which was shed for the remission of your sinnes What greater honor can be vouchsafed then to be admitted to sit at the Lords own Table What better fare can be affoorded then to feede of the Lords owne body and bloud If Dauid thought it to be the greatest fauour that he could shew vnto good Barzallaâ— for all the kindenesse that hee shewed vnto him in his troubles to offer him That he should feed with him at his owne Table in Ierusalem how much greater fauour ought we to account it when Christ doth indeede feede vs in the Church at his owne Table and that with his owne most holy body and bloud Secondly as Abraham vvhen hee vvent â—p to thy Mount to sacrifice Isaak his Sonne left his Seruants beneath in the Valley so vvhen thou commest to the Spirituall Sacrifice of the Lords Supper lay aside all earthly thoughts and cogitations that thou maist wholy contemplate of Christ and offer vp thy Soule vnto him vvho sacrificed both his Soule and Body for thee Thirdly meditate vvith thy selfe how precious and venerable is the Body and Bloud of the Sonne of God vvho is the Ruler of Heauen and Earth the Lord at vvhose becke the Angels tremble and by whom both the quicke and dead shall be iudged at the last day and thou among the rest And how that it is hee who hauing beene crucified for thy sinnes offereth now to be receiued by faith into thy soule On the other side consider how sinfull a Creature thou art how altogether vnworthy of so holy a Guest how ill deseruing to taste of such sacred foode hauing beene conceiued in filthinesse and wallowing euer since in the mire of Iniquitie bearing the Name of a Christian but doing the Workes of the Diuell adoring CHRIST with an Aue Rex in thy mouth but spitting Oathes in his face and crucifying him anew vvith thy gracelesse actions Fourthly ponder then with what face darest thou offer to touch so holy a body with such defiled hands or to drinke such precious blood with so lewde and lying a mouth or to lodge so blessed a guest in so vncleane a stable For if the Bethshemites vvere slaine for but looking irreuerently into the Arke of the olde Testament what Iudgement mayest thou iustly expect who with such iâ—â—ure eies and heart art come to see and receiue the Arke of the New Testament in which dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily If Vzza for but touching though not without zeale the Arke of the Couenant was stricken with sudden death What stroake of diuine Iudgement maiest thou not feare that so rudely with vncleane hands doest presume to handle the Arke of the eternall Testament wherein is hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge If Iohn Baptist the holiest man that was borne of a woman thought himselfe vnworthy to beare his shooes O Lord how vnworthy is such a prophane wretch as thou art to eate his holy flesh and to drinke his precious bloud If the blessed Apostle S. Peter seeing but a glympse of Christs Almightie Power thought himselfe vnworthy to stand in the same Bâ—ate with him how vnworthy art thou to sit with Christ at the same Table where thou maist behold the infinitenesse of his Grace and Mercy displayed If the Centurion thought that the roofe of his house was not vvorthy to harbour so diuine a Guest what roome can there be fit vnder thy ribs for Christs holinesse to dwell in If the bloud-issued sicke woman feared to touch the Hemme of his Garment how shouldest thou tremble to eate his flesh and to drinke his all-healing bloud Yet if thou commest humbly in Faith Repentance and Charitie abhorring thy sins past and purposing vnfainedly to amend thy life henceforth let not thy former sinnes affright thee for they shall be neuer laid vnto thy charge and this Sacrament shall seale vnto thy Soule that all thy sinnes and the Iudgements due vnto them are fully pardoned and cleane washed away by the bloud of Christ. For this Sacrament vvas not ordained for them who are perfect but to helpe penitent sinners vnto perfection Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And he saith that the whole neede not the Physitian but they that are sicke Those hath Christ called and when they came them hath hee euer helped Witnesse the whole Gospell which testifieth that not one sinner
vvho came to Christ for mercy went euer away vvithout his errand Bathe thou likewise thy sicke Soule in this fountaine of Christs bloud and doubtlesse according to his promise Zach. 13.1 thou shalt be healed of all thy sinnes and vncleannesse Not sinners therefore but they who are vnwilling to repent of their sinnes are debarred this Sacrament Fiftly meditate that Christ left this Sacrament vnto vs as the chiefest token pledge of his loue not when wee vvould haue made him a King Iohn 6.15 which might haue seemed a requitall of kindnesse but vvhen Iudas and the High Priest were conspiring his death therefore vvholy of his meere fauour When Nathan would shew Dauid how entirely the poore man loued his sheepe that was killed by the rich man hee gaue her said hee to eate of his owne morsels and of his owne Cup to drinke 2 Sam. 12.3 and must not then the loue of Christ to his Church be vnspeakeable when hee giues her his owne flesh to eate and his owne bloud to drinke for her spirituall and eternall nourishment If then there be any loue in thine heart take the Cuppe of saluation into thy hand and pledge his loue with loue againe Psal. 116.11 Sixtly when the Minister beginneth the holy consecration of the Sacrament then lay aside all praying reading and all other cogitations whatsoeuer and settle thy meditation onely vpon those holy actions and rites which according to Christs Institution are vsed in and about the holy Sacrament For it hath pleased God considering our weaknesse to appoint those rites as meanes the better to lift vp our mindes to the serious contemplation of his heauenly graces When therefore thou seest the Minister putting apart Bread and Wine on the Lords Table and consecrating them by Prayers and the rehearsall of Christs Institution to be a holy Sacrament of the blessed Body and Bloud of Christ then meditate how GOD the Father of his meere loue to mankinde set apart and sealed his onely begotten Sonne to be the all-sufficient meanes and onely Mediator to redeeme vs from sinne and to reconcile vs to his grace and to bring vs to his Glory When thou seest the Minister breake the Bread being blessed thou must meditate that Iesus Christ the eternall Sonne of GOD was put to death and his blessed Soule and Body vvith the sense of Gods anger broken asunder for thy sinnes as verely as thou now seest the holy Sacrament to be broken before thine eyes And withall call to minde the hainousnesse of thy sinnes and the greatnesse of Gods hatred against the same seeing Gods Iustice could not be satisfied but by such a Sacrifice When the Minister hath blessed and broken the Sacrament and is addressing himselfe to distribute it then meditate The King who is the Master of the feast stands at the Table to see his guests and looketh vpon thee whether thou hast on thee thy Wedding garment thinke also that all the holy Angels who attend vpon the Elect in the Church and doe desire to behold the celebration of these holy Mysteries doe obserue thy reuerence and behauiour Let thy Soule therefore whilest the Minister bringeth the Sacrament vnto thee offer this or the like short Prayer vnto Christ. A sweet Soliloquie to be said betwixt the Consecration and receiuing of the Sacrament IS it true indeed that GOD will dwell on earth behold the Heauen and the Heauen of Heauens are not able to containe thee how much more vnable is the soule of such a sinfull câ—itife as I am to receiue thee But seeing it is thy blessed pleasure to come thus to suppe with me and to dwell in mee I cannot for ioy but burst out and say What is man that thou art so mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him What fauour soeuer thou vouchsafest mee in the abundance of thy Grace I will freely confesse what I am in the wretchednesse of my Nature I am in a vvord a carnall Creature vvhose very soule is sold vnder sinne a wretched man compassed about with a body of death yet Lord seeing thou callest here I come and seeing thou callest sinners I haue thrust my selfe in among the rest and seeing thou callest all with their heauiest loades I see no reason why I should stay behinde O Lord I am sicke and whither should I goe but vnto thee the Physitian of my Soule Thou hast cured many but neuer didst thou meete vvith a more miserable patient for I am more leaprous then Gehazi more vncleane then Magdalene more blinde in Soule then Bartimeus vvas in Body for I haue liued all this while and neuer seene the true light of thy Word My Soule runnes with a greater fluxe of sinne then vvas the Hemorisse issue of bloud Mephiboseth was not more lame to goe then my soule is to walke after thee in loue Ieroboams Arme was not more withered to strike the Prophet then my hand is maimed to relieue the poore Cure me O Lord and thou shalt doe as great a worke as in curing them all And though I haue all their sinnes and sores yet Lord so abundant is thy grace so great is thy skill that if thou wilt thou canst with a word forgiue the one and heale the other And vvhy should I doubt of thy good will when to saue mee will cost thee now but one louing smile vvho shewedst thy selfe so willing to redeem me though it should cost thee all thy heart bloud and now offerest so gratiously vnto mee the assured pledge of my redemption by thy bloud Who am I O Lord God and what is my merit that thou hast bought me with so deare a price It is meerely thy mercie and I O Lord am not worthy the least of all thy mercies much lesse to be a partaker of this holy Sacrament the greatest Pledge of the greatest mercy that euer thou diddest bestow vpon those sonnes of men whom thou louest How might I in respect of mine owne vnworthynesse cry out for feare at the sight of thy holy Sacrament as the Philistimes did when they saw the Arke of God come into the assembly Woe now vnto me a sinner But that thy Angel doth comfort me as he did the women Feare thou not for I know that thou seekest Iesus which was crucified It is thou indeed that my soule seeketh after And heere thou offerest thy selfe vnto me in thy blessed Sacrament If therefore ELIZABETH thought her selfe so much honoured at thy presence in the wombe of thy blessed mother that the babe sprange in her bellie for ioy how should my soule leape within mee for ioy now that thou commest by thy holy Sacrament to dwell in my heart for euer Oh what an honour is this that not the mother of my Lord but my Lord himselfe should come thus to visit me Indeede Lord I confesse with the faithfull Centurion that I am not worthy that thou shouldest