haue in this life is but the earnest penny of that principall which shal be giuen to vs hereafter If the earneâ—â— be so greaâ— what shal be the principall 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fruites of the Heauenly 〈◊〉 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 â—oynt 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 Christianiâ—e 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 grâ—eses 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 Prâ—munire 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 encouÌ„ter 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 â—â—rty 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 〈◊〉 land â—or I would be dissâ—lued and be with the Lord therefore come euen so come Lord Iesus But alas heere are we taken in our sinnes â—hou 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 〈◊〉 or mention of the day of Iudgement wherâ—in he shall come to vs doth terrifie and affright thee Thou that contents thee with the gyâ—â—s of God thinkest not long for him selfe thou art â—ut like an 〈◊〉 woman who if she possesse the goods of her husband regards not albeit she neuer see 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 are blamed because they called on the Lord 〈◊〉 for oyle wine 〈…〉 for worshipping the creature 〈…〉 but more 〈…〉 be condemned for louing the gilts 〈◊〉 God â—ore then the giuer Let vs therefore beware of this 〈…〉 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 Iâ—sus If the Loue of men compelled the Apostle to â—ay to the Corinthians It is not yours but you I seeke how much more should the Lâ—ue 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 pleasures for euermore The second tryall of holy Loue is Obedience and a care to serue and honour the Lord in all estates and calliâ—ges Preachers must be tryed by this rule Peter Lâ—uest thou mee â—eede my flâ—cke 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 â—e 〈◊〉 Fathers to his Church be saythfull aâ—uaunâ—ers of his Kâ—ngdome wise prouisors to remooue the stuâ—bling 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 Cursâ—e 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 Câ—mmandements But heere also the hypoâ—â—isie of this age is clearely discouâ—red 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 spaâ—â— 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 contâ—ouersie 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 Bounâ—â—fulnesse Loue sayth the Aposâ—â— 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 bountiâ—ull toward him It is true that in nothing can a man be â—râ—fitable to the Almightie sayth Iob. But are there no workes which should so shine before men that by them our heauenly Father may be 〈◊〉 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 â—â—ue 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 compaâ—sion and loue towarde the Brethren Are not the men of this age like the â—ig-tree that haue faire Leaues but not so much as one Figge to giue Iesus in his hungâ—r hauâ—â—g the shâ—w of godlinâ—sse but hath deâ—ied the pâ—wer thereâ—f rendring wordes ynough but no â—ruites to adorne the glorious Gospell of our Lord 〈◊〉 And so if wee might proceed â—uery tryall of 〈◊〉 should diâ—coueâ— th'hypocrisie and bastard Christianitie of the most part of
A Conduit of Comfort Preached at Sainct Iames before the Commissioners of the Vnion of the Realmes By W. Couper Minister of Gods word The Lord is my Comforter Imprinted at London for W. Ferbrand and are to be sold at his Shoppe in Pops-head Allie neare the Exchange 1606. A CONDVIT OF COMFORT Rom. 8. 28. Also we know that all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them who are called according to his purpose My helpe is in the name of the Lord. THis Chapter may be conueniently â—earmed A Câ—â—pâ—nde â—f Chrâ—stian consolation for whereas many kindes of comfortes are dispersed throughout the holy Scriptures for the strengthening of the man of God some of euery kinâ— are heere gathered together in one and like chosen Flowers picked out of the Garden of God are knitt together in one bunch and presented to thee who art a Christian. There are two thinges onely which trouble vs in this life The first is the remanents of sinne in our corrupt nature this was such a matter of griese to the holy Apostle that it made him to cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of 〈◊〉 So despleasant was it to him to liue in that body wherein he found the motions of sinne rebelling against the law of his God And if the Apostle accounted this buâ—then so waightie to him Alas how should we complaine and what cause haue we with Ezcchiâ— to walke weakely in the bitternesâ—e of our â—ouâ—es all our dayes in whom the life and power of that sinning sinne is â—arre lesse restrained Yet least wee should be so cast downe with the sense of sinne that we despeare perish being swallowed vp with griefe the Lord furnisheth vs with many comforts against it froÌ„ the beginning of this Chap. to the middest of the 17. verse The other thing which may discourage vs is the manifold troubles which follow vs in the following of Christ. For our Lord is like a Lillie among Thornes and at an Apple tree among the trees of the Forrest If wee delight to sit vnder his shadow and if his Fruite be sweete in our mouth wee must be content to walke toward him through many sharpe afflictions therefore are we commaunded not only to suffer afflictions as the good Souldiers of Iesus Christ but also to reioyce in tribulations and if we cannot attaine to that perfection at the least to count it exceeding ioy when we fall into diuerse temptations Yet because no chastisement is sweete for the present it hath pleased the Lord of his fatherly indulgence and pitty toward our weakenesse to seyson the cupp of our bitter griefes with his sweete comforts which as he doth in many other parâ—es of holy Scripture so specially from the 17. verse of this Chapter to the 30. wherein the Apostle aboundes with consolation shewing himselâ—e a faythâ—ull Steward in the house of God most carefull to lead as it were by the hand the weary Sonâ—es and Daughters of the liuing God into the Lords Wine-seller there to refresh and stay vs with the Flagons of his wine and to comfort vs with his Apples to â—â—rengthen vs with his hid Manna and to make vs merry with that Milke and Honny which out immortall Husband Iesus Christ hath proulded for vs to sustaine vs if wee faint not through these manifold tribulations wherewith we are compassed in this barren Wildernesse That this is the Aposâ—les purpose and order of proceeding in this Chapter I thinke his conclusion makes it manifest which you haue from the 31. verse to the end wherein he drawes all that he had sayd into a short summe conteyning the glorious triumph of a Christian ouer all his enemies the triumph is first set downe generally in the vers 31. What shall we say then to these things If God be with vs who can be against vs thereafter hee partes this generall in two there is would he say but one of two that are against vs either sinne or affliction as to sinne he triumphes against it verse 33. and 34. Who will lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead or rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and makes request for vs. As to Affliction hee begins his triumph against it verse 35. Who shall separate vs from the â—oue of Christ his answere mountes vp by a gradation Will tribulation or anguish do it yea will death it selfe do it or that which is much more Will Principalities and Powers doe it no in all these thinges we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs Thaâ—kes therefore be vnto our God who alwayes makes vs to triumph in our Lord Iesus Christ. Now in this verse as Iacob gaue his sonnes his greatest blessing in the last roome so the Apostle giueth to Christians his greatest comfort in the last roome wherof this is the Summe Our afâ—â—ictions are so far from being preiudicial to our saluation that by the contrary through the Lords marueilous working they tend to the aduancment thereof he enlarges the comfort Not only afflictions but all other things workes for the best together to them that loue the Lord. The partes of the Verse are two the first conteynes the comfort the second a description of the persons to whom the comfort appertaineth Now I come to the wordes Also that is besides all the comfortes which I haue giuen to you before I giue you yet this further learning vs that albeâ—t our troubles be many yet our comforts are more Many sayth Dauid are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliureth him out of them all As if he would say for euery trouble the Lord hath a seuerall deliuerance Euery temptation sayth the Apostle hath the owne issue Euery horne that riseth against vs to push vs hath attending vpon it an hammer to represâ—e it saith the Prophet Esau mourned vpon his father Isaac although he was prophane yet he cried pittifully Hast 〈◊〉 but one Blessing my Father But wee with the holy Apostle may blesse our heauenly Father who comforteth vs so in all our tribulations that as the suffeâ—ings of Christ abound in vs so our consolations abound through Christ not one but manifold are his blessings and the storehouse of his conâ—olations can neuer be emptied The Lord our God hath not dealt 〈◊〉 nor spaâ—ingly with vs but a good measure of coâ—â—olatioâ—s prâ—ssed downe and running ouer hath he giuen to vs in our bosome his name be praysed therefore and yet how little is all this that we now receiue in compaâ—â—son of these 〈◊〉 ioyes of God that he hath prepared for vâ— the like whereof the eye neuer saw the eare neuer heard of and the heart can not vnderstand Surely the greateâ—â— measure of comfort that we