that same degree of mercy he shall restore his creature before it depart this life So the soule that is tossed with high assaults and great dangers where present things will not helpe it is necessary that it haue recourse vnto things past and keepe in memory the fore-past experience of mercy which the Lord hath freely shewed towards that soule This same memory shall be so pleasant to the soule that it shall stay it presently from desperation and vphold it vnto the time the Lord pacifie that heart and giue comfort to that soule which being done that soule shall see that howsoeuer God was angry he was angry onely for a while I speake these things not that I thinke that euery one of you hath tasted of them yet in some measure the seruants of God must taste of them and ye that haue not tasted of them may taste of them before ye die And therefore whether ye haue tasted or not tasted of them it cannot be but profitable for you to locke vp this lesson in your hearts and remember it faithfully that if the Lord at any time strike at your hearts ye may remember and say with your selues I learned a lesson To looke backe vnto my forepast experience and thereon to repose And though ye be not touched presently your selues yet when ye visite them that are troubled in conscience let these things be proposed to them as comforts vse them as medicines most meete to apply to the griefe of the inward conscience and so ye shal reape fruite of this doctrine and possesse your soules in a good estate Thus farre for the first point wherein euery one of you ought to try and examine your owne consciences The second point is this Try whether ye haue loue towards your neighbour or not For as we are coupled with God by faith so by the band of loue we are coupled with our neighbour For loue is the chiefe and principall branch that springs from the roote of faith Loue is that celestiall glew that conioyneth all the faithfull members in the vnity of a mysticall body And seeing that religion was instituted of God to serue as a path-way to conuey vs to our chiefe felicity happy we cannot be except we be like vnto our God like vnto him we cannot be except we haue loue For as it is 1. Iohn 4.8 God is loue So seeing God is loue it selfe whosoeuer will resemble him must be endued with the oyle of loue This onely one argument testifieth to vs that this loue is a principall head whereunto all things that are commanded in religion ought to be referred To spend long time in the praise of loue I hold it not necessary seeing the holy Scripture resounds in blasing the commendations of it but that we speake not of any thing ambiguous I will let you see how this word is considered taken in the Scriptures Loue is considered either as a spring or fountaine from whence the rest proceedes that is for the loue whereby we loue God And as loue cometh first from God and is poured by his holy Spirit into our hearts so it first redounds vpward and strikes backe vpon himselfe for the loue of God must euer goe before the loue of the creature Next we take this word for that loue whereby we loue Gods creatures our neighbours especially them that are of the family of faith And thirdly it is taken for the deedes of the second Table which flow from this loue Now when I speake of loue I speake of it as in the second signification to wit as it is taken for the loue of our neighbour And taking it so I call loue The gift of God poured into the hearts of men and women by the which gift we first loue God in Christ our Sauiour and next in God and for Gods cause we loue all his creatures but chiefly our brethren that are of the family of faith the children of one cōmon Father with vs. We will examine this definition I say first the loue of God as it cometh from God it returneth to God as it comes down from him so it strikes vpward to him againe And is it not good reason And why Let thy heart fixe thy loue as long as thou wilt vpon the creatures thou shalt neuer be satiate nor thy affections shall neuer be content except thou lay hold on God but if once thou loue God in thy heart and cast thy affections vpon him once takest hold on him the longer thou louest him the greater safetie and contentment shalt thou haue thou shalt not thirst for any other For as to the creatures there is neuer a creature that God hath created but it is stamped with his owne stampe and euery creature beareth his Image and looking to the Image of God in the creature should it not draw thee to him that thou fixe not thy heart vpon the creature For his owne Image in his creature should leade thee to himselfe And therefore the more that thou knowest the creatures and the greater varietie of knowledge that thou hast of them the more should euery particular knowledge of them draw thee to God and the more shouldest thou wonder at thy God and know thy dutie towards him And seeing that delight floweth from knowledge and euery knowledge hath his owne delight as the varietie of knowledge that ariseth from the creature should make the mind to mount vp to the knowledge of God so the varietie of delights that arise vpon the diuersitie of this knowledge should moue the heart vpward to the loue of God and the heart getting hold of God and being seised with the loue of God and the mind being occupied with the true knowledge of God so soone as heart and mind is full of God the heart is quiet and the mind is satisfied So that the more this knowledge groweth in the mind the greater contentment thou hast and the more the loue of God groweth in thy heart the greater ioy and reioycing hast thou in thy soule And why In God ye haue not onely all the creatures but ye haue himselfe beside the creatures and therefore in God ye haue all the knowledge and delight that can arise of the creatures and besides the creatures ye haue God himselfe who is the Creator And so I say the minde of man can neuer quiet it selfe in the knowledge nor the heart can neuer settle it selfe in the loue of naked creatures in respect they are flowing and vanitie as Salomon calleth them But in the infinite God rightly knowne and earnestly loued the mind shall finde a full rest and the heart shall haue a perfect ioy For our affection is so insatiable that no finite thing will satisfie it nor there can be no solide setling vpon the thing that is transitorie So the loue ought to mount vpward first to God in whose face the heart shall find full and perfect ioy The second argument
euery yeare of thy whole life For that conscience that should rest for euer with the liuing God that conscience â—hich must euer behold the face of the Sonne of God it cannot be ouer-well cleansed we cannot looke ouer-narrowly to it The more curious we be in searching out of this conscience we are the better occupied I spake of our owne consciences I speake not of our neighbours Thirdly I come to the points wherein euery one of you should trie examine your selues Euery one of you ought to trie and examine your consciences in two things First whether thou be at peace with God who is the Lord of heauen or not Next examine thy conscience whether thou art in loue and amitie with thy neighbour or not Wouldest thou know whether thy conscience be at vnitie and peace with God or not Thou shalt know it this way the God of heauen can haue no societie nor companie with that soule which is alwaies vncleane that is euery way defiled no he cannot Now I speake not so precisely that I make a soule to be fully sanctified and perfectly holy in this life no in this life there are wonderfull iniquities grosse sinnes and great faults wherewith euen the righteous are defiled but this is my meaning There is no soule can be at peace with God or wherewith the Lord can haue any societie but in some measure it must be sanctified and made holy For God cannot make residence in a soule that is alwaies as a stinking dunghill and therefore of force in some measure it must be sanctified there must be so much made cleane in one corner or other of that soule wherein the Lord of heauen by his holy Spirit may make his residence Now let vs see whereby the heart is sanctified Peter Act. 15.9 saith That the soule of man is purified by faith that the heart of man is purged by faith So faith openeth and purgeth the heart By faith in Christ Iesus and in the merits of his bloud we haue peace with God Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 5.1 Now then this point cometh in That ye are to proue your selues whether ye be in the faith or not as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith Examine if your soules be seasoned with this faith for if ye haue not faith in Christ Christ is not in you and if Christ be not in you ye are in an euill state ye are in the estate of the reprobate and damned So euery one ought to looke carefully and see if he haue a beliefe in the bloud of Christ or not whether he belieue to obtaine mercy by his merits and sanctification by his bloud or not For if thou haue no measure of this faith thou hast no measure of peace with God by reason our peace with God is ingendered and groweth daily more and more by true faith in Christ. Now this faith where it is true where it is liuely and couples the heart with God as I haue alreadie said it must breake forth in word and deede it can by no meanes be held in but it will breake forth It must breake out in word in glorifying the God of heauen who hath forgiuen vs our sinnes it must breake forth in word by giuing a notable confession of those sinnes wherein we haue offended him It must breake out in deed in doing good works to testifie to the world that thing which is within thy heart to testifie to the world that thou who hast this faiâ—h art a new man that by thy good example of life and conuersation thou maist edifie thy brethren the simple ones of the Church of God and that by thy holy life thou mayest draw sinners to repentance that they seeing thy good light may be compelled to glorifie God in thee Then in the first point of triall let vs looke to these three to the heart to the mouth to the haâ—d Take heed that there be an harmonie betwixt these three for if the heart be inwardly coupled with God there is no doubt but the mouth will outwardly glorifie him and if thy heart and mouth be renewed and be one of necessity thou wilt expresse it in thy conueâ—sation There must be an agreement betwixt the heart and the hand thy conuersation must be changed with the heart and be holy honest and godly as the heart is So that if thy conuersation be good it is a sure token that thou art at one with God but if thy conuersation be not good speake what thou wilt thy heart is but defiled this true and liuely faith hath no place in it Then wouldest thou know when thou art at one with God When thy conuersation thy heart and thy mouth say all one thing then without question thou hast the worke of faith wrought by the holy Spirit in thy heart which maketh thee to be at peace with God This is the first point wherein ye should trie your selues The next point is loue ye must trie whether ye be in loue and charitie with your neighbours or not for as thou art not coupled with God but by the hand of faith so thou art not coupled with thy neighbour nor ioyned with any member of Christ in this world but by the hand of loue amity and charity Take away loue thou art not a member of this body for loue is the maister sinnew and couples all these members of Christs bodie together and makes them to grow vp in a spirituall and mysticall vnity loue is the onely marke whereby the children of God members of Christs bodie are knowne from the rest of the world loue is that holy oyle that refresheth our soules and makes vs like vnto God and the moâ—e we grow in loue the more God by his Spirit dwelleth in vs for God is loue So that except in some measure loue towards thy neighbour dwell in thy heart thou canst haue no societie with thy neighbour and far lesse with God If the manners of men were examined by this rule we should find a multitude of godlesse people in this Country who haue their hearts raging with malice one against another and where the diuell and the malicious spirit dwelleth there is no place for the holy Spirit And although the Lord hath gone about by all meanes possible early and late to instruct them and to infuse into them this precious loue and amity towards God and their neighbour and so to alter their conditions yet they will not suffer themselues to be wakened vntill the great vengeance and malediction of God fall vpon them This loue this honest and godly conuersation floweth alwaies from the roote of faith So that if thy heart haue faith in any measure be it neuer so little in that same measure thou must haue loue towards thy neighbour and this loue is neuer idle but is vttering it selfe in one effect or other And
apprehension of the meate and drinke that is the foode of the body so there is two sorts of apprehension of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus which is our meate and drinke spirituall Of meate and drinke corporall there is an apprehension by the eye and by the taste that while the meate is present vnto you on the table your eye taketh a view of that meate discerneth it and maketh choice of it and not only the eye but also the taste discerneth the meate and the taste approouing it that is called the first apprehension Now vpon this which is the first the second apprehension followeth that is after that ye haue chewed that meate swallowed it and sent it to your stomacke where it digesteth and conuerteth into your nouriture then in your stomacke ye get the second apprehension But if your eye like not that meate neither your taste like it the second apprehension followeth not for thou wilt spet it out againe or reiect it preferring some other meate vnto it that thou likest better That meate which thou likest not enters neuer into thy stomacke and so it can neuer be conuerted into thy nourishment for it is onely the second apprehension of the meate that is the cause of the nourishment of the body in our corporall foode so that if ye chew not this meate and swallow it it feeds you not then it is onely the second apprehension that nourisheth our bodies It is euen so in spirituall things so farre as they may be compared in the foode of Christ Iesus who is the life and nouriture of our soules and consciences There must be two sorts of apprehension of Christ Iesus The first apprehension is by the eye of the mind that is by our knowledge and vnderstanding for as the eye of the body discerneth by an outward light so the eye of the mind discerneth by an inward and renewed vnderstanding whereby we get the first apprehension of Christ. Now if this first apprehension of Christ like vs well then the next followeth we begin to cast the affection of our hearts on him we haue good will to him for all our affections proceede from our will and our affections being renewed and made holy we set them wholly vpon Christ. We loue him and if we loue him we take hold of him and digest him that is we apply him to our soules and so of this loue liking of him the second apprehension doth follow But if we haue no will to him if we haue no loue nor liking of him what do we Then we reiect him and preferre our owne Idoll and the seruice of our owne affections to him and so the second apprehension followeth not We cannot digest him and if we digest him not that spirituall life cannot grow in vs for marke in what place the eye serues to the bodie in the same roome serueth knowledge and vnderstanding to thy soule and looke in what place thy hand and thy mouth thy taste and thy stomacke serue vnto thy body in that very place serue the heart and affections vnto thy soule So that as our bodies cānot be nourished except our hands take and our mouthes eate the meate whereby the second apprehension may follow likewise our soules cannot feede on Christ except we hold him and embrace him heartily by our wils and affections For we come not to Christ by any outward motion of our bodies but by an inward motion apprehension of the heart For God finding vs all in a reprobate sence he bringeth vs to Christ by reforming the affection of our soules by making vs to loue him And therefore the second apprehension whereby we digest our Sauiour will neuer enter into our soules except as he pleaseth the eye so he please the will and the affection also Now if this come to passe that our wils and affections are wholly bent vpon Christ then no doubt we haue gotten this Iewell of faith Haue ye such a liking in your minds such a loue in your hearts of Christ that ye will preferre him before all things in the world then no question faith is begun in you Now after a thing is begun there is yet more required for though this faith be formed in your minds in your hearts and soules yet that is not enough but that which is formed must be nourished and he who is conceiued must be entertained and brought vp or else the loue that is begun in me by the holy Spirit except by ordinary meanes it be daily entertained and nourished it will decay except the Lord continue the working of his holy Spirit it is not possible that I can continue in the faith And how must we nourish and keepe faith in our soules Two manner of waies First we nourish faith begun in our soules by hearing of the word not of euery word but by hearing of the word of God preached and not by hearing of euery man but by hearing the word preached by him that is sent For this is the ordinarie meanes whereunto the Lord hath bound himselfe he will worke faith by the hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments And the more that thou hearest the word and the otfner that thou receiuest the Sacraments the more thy faith is nourished Now it is not onely by hearing of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments that we nourish faith The word and Sacraments are notable of themselues to nourish this faith in vs except the working of the holy Spirit be conioyned with their ministerie But the word and the Sacraments are said to nourish faith in our soules because they offer and exhibite Christ vnto vs who is the meate the drinke and life of our soules and in respect that in the word and Sacraments we get Christ who is the foode of our soules therefore the word and Sacraments are said to nourish our soules As it is said Act. 2.42 The Disciples of Christ continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship breaking of bread and prayers by these meanes entertaining augmenting and nourishing the faith that was begun in them Then the holy Spirit begets this faith workes this faith creates this faith nourisheth entertaineth this faith in our soules by hearing the word preached and by the receiuing of the Sacraments which are the ordinarie meanes whereby the Lord nourisheth vs and continueth this spirituall foode with vs. For obserue by what meanes the spirituall life is begunne by the same meanes it is nourished and entertained as this temporall life is entertained and nourished by the same means whereby it is begun Then seeing by these meanes the holy Spirit begets this worke of faith in our soules it is our duty to craue that he would continue the worke which he hath begunne And for this cause we should resort to the hearing of the word when it is preached and to the receiuing of the Sacraments when they are ministred that we may be fedde in our soules to life
heart is willing in some measure to renounce it selfe This lesson is often taught vs by our Sauiour Christ we must both take vp the crosse and renounce our selues also before that we can follow him The more that this thirst groweth in the heart the more this renouncing of our selues groweth in the heart the more that this thirst decayeth is diminished in the hart the more we cleaue to the woâ—ld the more we loue the flesh and the more are we ruled and guided by them So either we must nourish a thirst of righteousnesse a hunger of life euerlasting a thirst of mercie a hunger after that iustice that is in Christ or it is not possible that in any measure we can be his disciples Now to proceede The heart that after this manner is prepared that with a thirst to be reconciled is resolued also to renounce it selfe this heart in the which there remaineth so earnest a thirst is neuer frustrate of the expectation is neuer disappointed But as the Lord hath imprinted in it an earnest studie to be reconciled and to lay hold on Christ so in his mercie he grants vnto that heart the possession of mercie he puts that heart in some measure in possession of mercie which it seeketh in possession of Christ Iesus himselfe whom it seeketh the which apprehension which it hath of Christ the heart sensiblie feeleth and apprehendeth in that peace which he giueth to the conscience So that the conscience which was terrified exceedinglie gnawen and distracted before by the approching of this peace and of Christ with his graces incontinent it is quieted and pacified there cometh a calmnesse and soundnesse into the heart and all troubles and stormes are remoued With this peace is conioyned a taste of the powers of the world to come the heart gets a taste of the sweetnes that is in Christ of the ioy which is in the life euerlasting which taste is the only earnest pennie of that full and perfect ioy which soule and bodie in that life shall enioy And the earnest penny as ye know must be a part of the summe and of the nature of the rest of the summe And therefore that earnest pennie of ioy assures vs that when we shall gette possession of the whole summe it shall be a strange ioy and these documents lift vp the heart and make it not to linger nor wearie in the expectation of that life but being refreshed now and then therewith by so many earnest pennies they assure vs of the full fruition of that ioy for the which in patience we will sustaine all troubles So as the holy Spirit worketh a thirst in vs to be with Christ a thirst of mercy and reconciliation with him the same holy Spirit disappointeth not that same expectation and thirst but putteth the soule and heart in possession of Christ by the which the conscience is pacified the heart is reioyced and we get a taste of the sweetnes and of the power of that life to come The sensible feeling of the which taste that passeth all naturall vnderstanding what doth it in my heart and conscience It worketh a wonderfull assurance and perswasion that God loueth me The feeling of his mercie in the bowels of my heart in the bottome of my conscience worketh a certaine assurance and perswasion that he is my God that he wil saue me for Christs sake that the promise of mercy which I durst not apply vnto my conscience before now by the feeling of mercie I dare boldly applie and say mercie appertainâ—th to me life and saluation belongeth to me For the conscience being exceedingly terrified and seeing nothing in God but fire and wrath it is not possible but it must flie from him it cannot approch to a consuming fire But from the time that the conscience getteth a taste of this peace mercie and sweetnesse how fast soeuer it fled from the presence of God before now after this reconciliation it will runne as fast to him and will possesse him more more fully So the assurance perswasion of mercie ariseth from the feeling of mercie in the heart and conscience And except the heart feele it and taste it in some measure no conscience dare apply God and his mercie to it selfe I may be sure in generall that all my sinnes are remissible and that I may obtaine mercie before I feele it But to applie this mercie particularly to my selfe vntil I feele a taste of it I dare not So this particular application whereby we claime God and Christ as a property vnto vs as if no man had title to him but we to call him my God my Christ to claime his promises as if no man had interest in them but we this cometh of the sâ—nce and feeling of mercie in the heart and the more that this feeling groweth and the greater experiâ—nce that we haue in our owne hearts of this peace and mercie the more increaseth our faith and assurance Our perswasion becometh sâ— strong that we dare at the last say with the Apostle What can separate vs from the loue of God Neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. This particular application which ariseth no doubt vpon the feeling and sence of mercie is the speciall difference the chiefe marke and proper note whereby our faith who are iustified in the bloud of Christ is discerned from that generall faith of the Papists Our faith by this particular application is not onely discerned from the generall faith of the Papists but it is discerned from all the pretended faiths of all the Sects in the world For the Papist dareth not apply the promise of mercie to his owne soule he accounteth it presumption to say I am an elect I am saued and iustified And fâ—om whence floweth this Onely from hence that in their consciences they haue neuer felt mercie they haue neuer tasted of the loue fauour and sweetnes of God For looke how fast the conscience flieth from God before it get the taste of his sweetnesse it runneth as diligently to him and threatneth loue of him after that it hath gotten that taste So they miserable men content themselues with this generall faith which is no other thing but an historicall faith which groundeth onely on the truth of God whereby I know that the promises of God are true But the Papists dare not come and say They are true in me Why Because they haue not felt it and their hearts are not opened But our iustifying faith as I told you consecrateth the whole soule vnto the obedience of God in Christ. So that it resteth not onely vpon the truth of God nor it resteth not onely vpon the power of God though these be two chiefe pillars of our faith also but especially and chiefely it resteth vpon the mercie of God in Christ.
to God in these words Cast me not away from thy presence And what addeth he And take not thy holy Spirit from me Had he not lost the Spirit by his adultery and murther No for he would not haue said then Take it not from me but Restore it to me It is true that he vseth the like in the verse following Râ—store me to the ioy of thy saluation Not that he wanted the Spirit wholly but that the Spirit lacked force in him and needed strengthening and fortification it would be stirred vp that the flame of it might appeare Therefore I say in that Dauid speaketh so plainly after his adulterie and murther Take not thy Spirit from me it is a certaine argument that the faithfull haue neuer the Spirit of God alwaies taken from them in their greatest dissolutions The second point is this How proue I that these sparkles are not idle though the outward effects be interrupted As Dauid felt this in his conscience so euery one of you may feele it in your owne consciences The Spirit of God in mans heart cannot be idle but these sparkles during the time that the bodie is let loose to all dissolutions these sparkles are accusing thy dissolution are finding fault with thy manners these sparkles suffer thee not to take the pleasure of thy bodie without great bitternesse and continuall remorse And these sparkles where they are will make the soule wherein they dwell to vtter these speeches at one time or other once in the twenty-foure houres Alas I am doing the euill which I would not do if I had power or strength to resist my affection if I might be master of my affections I would not for all the world do the euill which I do Againe if I had power to do the good which I would do I would not leaue it vndone for all the world So these sparkles though they haue not such force and strength presently as to resist the affection abstaine from doing euill deeds yet perpetually in the heart they are finding fault with thy corruption and suffer thee not to take thy pleasure without paine but last of all force thee to vtter these speeches If I had strength to resist I would not do the euill which I do Where these speeches are no question they are the words of a soule which the Lord hath begun to sanctifie and being once sanctified in despite of the diuell and of the corruption that is in vs this faith shall neuer perish but if the whole soule without contradiction with a greedy appetite and pleasure be carried to euill and hath no sorrow for it that soule is in an ill estate I can looke for nothing in such a soule but death except the Lord of his great mercie preuent it But where this remorse and sorrow and such speeches are in the soule that soule in the time that God hath appointed shall recouer strength The Lord shall neuer suffer those sparkes to be wholly taken away but in his owne time he shall fortifie them and make them to breake out before the world in good works The Lord in his owne time will sanctifie them he will scatter the ashes of corruption stirre vp the sparkles and make them to breake out into a better life then euer they did before as ye may cleerely see that Dauids repentance hath done more good to the God then if he had neuer fallen Thus farre concerning the effects Though the effects of repentance be interrupted yet those sparkles are not extinguished For there is no man will thinke that the fire which is couered with ashes is extinguished but being stirred vp in the morning it will burne as cleerely as it did the night before There is no man will think the trees that now in the time of Winter want leaues fruite and externall beauty to be dead There is no man will thinke the Sunne to be out of the firmament though it be ouershadowed with a clowde of darkenesse and mist. There is great difference betweene a sleeping disease and death for men are not dead though they be sleeping and yet there is nothing liker vnto death then sleepe As there is great difference betwixt a drunken man and a dead man so there is great oddes betwixt the faith that lieth hid for a while and vttereth not it selfe and the light that is vtterly put out When we breake not forth into outward deedes God forbid that we should thinke that these sparkles are whollie extinguished Indeede the soule which is visited after foule and haynous backslidings from his calling and against his knowledge before this soule recouer the former beauty it is in a strange danger For if the Lord suffer thy corruption to get loose in such sort that it carry thee as it will and by all meanes possible maketh thee to labour to put out the sparkles of regeneration when the Lord beginnes to challenge thee or to make thee reÌ„der an account of this life past the soule of that man when it is challenged is in great danger So that no question when the Lord beginnes to lay to your charge your dissolute life the contempt and abuse of your calling assuredly your soules are so neere to the bâ—inke of desperation that there can be nothing neerer For wilt thou looke to God Thou wilt see nothing but his anger kindled as a fire against thee Wilt thou looke to thy selfe Thou wilt see nothing but sin prouoking his anger thou wilt see the contempt and abuse of thy calling enlarging his anger thou wilt see nothing but matter of despaire And what is the best pillar and surest retreat whereupon such a soule that is so neere to the brinke of desperation may repose I will shew you the helpe whereupon When thou art assaulted by all the greatest tentations thou canst imagine when there is nothing before thee but death when thou seest the diuell accusing thee thine owne conscience bearing him witnes against thee thy life accusing thee and the abuse of thy calling accusing thee whither shalt thou go Looke backe againe to thy forepast experience cast ouer thy memorie and remember if God at any time and in any measure hath loued thee if euer thou hast felt the loue and fauour of God in thy heart and conscience Remember if euer the Lord hath so disposed thy heart that as he loued thee thou louedst him and hadst a desire to obtaine him Remember if euer the Lord hath so disposed thy heart that as he loued thee thou louedst him hadst a desire to obtaine him Remember this and repose thine assurance on this that as he loued thee once he will loue thee euer and will assuredly restore thee to that loue before thou departest this life The heart that felt once this loue of God shall feele it againe and looke what gift or grace or what taste of the power of the world to come that euer the Lord gaue to his creatures in this life to
that I vse is this Seeing there is onely one precept left by our Master in recommendation to be obserued by vs namely That euery one of vs should loue another therefore our wise Master vnderstanding well that where loue was there needed no more lawes that the life of man by loue onely behooued to be most happie left onely the same in chiefe recommendation and taketh vp the whole Law and Gospell in one word Loue. And if the heart of man were endued with loue his life might be most happy and blessed for there is nothing maketh this life happie but the resemblance and likelihood that we haue with God The neerer we draw to God the more blessed is our life for there cannot be so happie a life as the life of God In the first Epist. of Iohn 4.8 God is loue therefore the more we are in loue the more neere we are to that happie life for we are in God and partakers of the life of God When I speake this ye must not thinke that loue in God and loue in vs is one thing for loue is but a qualitie in vs and it is not a qualitie in God There is nothing in God but that which is God so loue in God is his owne essence therefore the more that ye grow in loue the neerer ye draw to God and to that happie and blessed life For there is nothing more profitable more agreeable conuenient vnto nature then to loue and aboue all things to loue God And therefore it is that God and his Angels are most happie and blessed because they loue all things and desire euer to do good On the other side there is nothing more vnhappie nothing more noysome more hurtful that eateth vp nature more then to burne with enuie and hatred and therefore it is that the diuels are most miserable who torment themselues with continuall malice and hatred burning with a vehement appetite to be noysome vnto all creatures So as the life of the diuel is most vnhappie because he is full of enuie and malice so our life will be most happie if we be full of loue I will no further speake of loue Onely if ye haue loue marke the effects of it set downe 1. Cor. 13.4.5.6.7 verses which effects if ye haue not in some measure ye haue not true loue I end here Ye see in what points euery one of you ought to be prepared Ye must be endued with this loue and ye must be endued with faith and if ye haue these in any small measure go boldly to the hearing of the word and to the receiuing of the Sacraments This is the preparation that we allow of I grant the Papists haue a preparation far differing from this and therefore they can haue no warrant from the word of God Last of all seeing that we are commanded to trie our selues he that lacketh knowledge cannot trie himselfe a mad man cannot trie himselfe a child cannot trie himselfe therefore they ought not to come to the Lords Table All these things being considered aright he that hath faith and loue in any kind of measure let him come to the Table of the Lord. And all these things serue as well for the hearing of the word fruitfully as for the receiuing of the Sacrament Therefore the Lord of his mercy illuminate your minds and worke some measure of faith loue in your hearts that ye may be partakers of that heauenly life offered in the word and Sacraments that ye may begin your heauen here and obtaine the full fruition of the life to come and that in the righteous merits of Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glorie both now and for euer Amen THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERALL 1. COR. 11.23 For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus in the night that he was betrayed tooke Bread c. THere is nothing in this woâ—ld nor out of the world more to be wished of euery one of you more to be craued and sought of euery one of you then to be conioyned with Christ Iesus then once to be made one with the God of glorie Christ Iesus This heauenly and celestiall coniunction is purchased brought about by two speciall meanes It is brought about by meanes of the word and preaching of the Gospell and it is brought about by the meanes of the Sacraments and ministration thereof The word leadeth vs to Christ by the eare the Sacraments leade vs to Christ by the eye two senses of all the rest which God hath chosen as most meete for this purpose to instruct vs and bring vs vnto Christ. For that doctrine must be most effectuall and mouing that wakeneth and stirreth vp most the outward senses that doctrine that wakeneth not onely the eare but the eye the taste the feeling and all the rest of the outward senses must moue the heart most must be most effectuall and piercing in the soule But so it is that this doctrine of the Sacraments moueth stirreth vp and wakeneth most the outward senses therefore it must be if we come well prepared vnto it most effectuall to stir vp the inward senses of the dull heart But there is a thing that ye must euer remember there is no doctrine neither of the simple word nor yet of the Sacraments if Christ abstract his holy Spirit that is able to moue therefore when euer ye come to heare the doctrine whether it be of the Sacraments or of the simple word craue of God that he would be present by his holy Spirit or otherwise all the doctrine in the earth will not auaile you Alwayes this doctrine of the Sacraments stirres vp and wakens most the outward senses there is no question therefore but it is an effectuall and potent instrument to waken prepare and stirre vp our hearts Then to let you see what the word Sacrament meaneth and to remoue the ambiguity of it it is certaine and out of all question that the Latine Diuines who were most ancient did interpret the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word Sacrament and they vsed the Greeke word not onely to signifie the whole action of the Supper of the Lord and the whole action of Baptisme but they vsed the word Mystery to signifie whatsoeuer is darke and hid in it selfe and not frequented in the coÌ„mon vse of men as after this manner the Apostle calleth the vocation of the Gentiles a mystery This coniunction which is begun here betwixt vs Christ is called a mystery the Latine Interpreters call it a Sacrament to be short ye wil not find in the book of God a word more frequent then the word Mystery But as for the word Sacrament wherby they interprete the Greeke word we find not this word by the same Diuines to be taken so largely neither is
of the Lords Supper is partly corporall and partly spiritual I call this action partly corporall not in respect onely that the obiects that is that bread and wine are corporall but also in respect my mouth whereunto these things are offered the instrument whereby and the manner how these things are receiued are all corporall and naturall I â—all the same action againe partly spirituall not onely in respect of Christ Iesus who is the heauenly and spirituall thing of the Sacrament but also in respect of my soule wherunto Christ is offered and giuen in respect the instrument whereby and the manner how he is receiued are all spirituall for I get not Christ corporally but spiritually So in these respects I call this action partly corporall and partly spirituall Now confound not these two sorts of actions the corporall and naturall signes with the spirituall thing signified thereby againe confound not the mouth of the body with the mouth of the soule Thirdly confound not the outward manner of receiuing by the hand of the bodie with the spirituall manner of receiuing by the hand of the soule And so it shall be exceeding cleare to see that each thing shall be present to the owne instrument that is the bodie of Christ which is the spirituall thing signified shall be present to the spirituall mouth and hand and the bread and wine which are the corporall signes are present to the corporall mouth and hand Then how is any obiect present A corporall obiect is corporally present and an inward obiect is inwardly present Of what nature is the thing signified It is of an heauenly natuâ—e Then aske you how he is present He iâ— spiritually and heauenly present to the soule and the mouth of the soule which is faith For it were a preposterous thing to make the thing signified present to thy bellie or to the mouth or eye of thy bodie for if that were so it should not be spiritually present because euery thing is present as it agreeth in it owne nature Is it a bodily thing it is bodily present and if it bâ— a heauenly thing it is spiritually present So I thinke no man can doubt how the bodie of Christ is present he is not â—arnally present but spiritually present to my soule and to faith in my soule Thus far concerning the manner of his presence Now the last part of our difference is this we haue to consider to whom the words ought to be directed and pronounced For we and the Papists differ in this last point we say that the words ought to be directed and pronounced vnto the people to the faithfull communicants They on the contrary say that the words ought not to be directed nor pronounced to the people but to the elements and not to be clearely pronounced but whispered on the elements So that if they be spoken to the people or spoken openly their charme auaileth not Now I say that as this holy action is peruerted by them in all the rest so they peruert it in this point also in speaking that to the dumbe elements which they should speake to the people of God For I shall proue it clearely by three arguments taken out of the Scriptures that the words ought not to be spoken to the bread but to the people of God And first I say the promises of mercie and grace ought to be directed and pronounced to them in whom the Lord performeth them and maketh them effectuall But so it is that the promises of mercie and grace are performed and made effectuall not in bread and wine but in faithfull men and women Therefore these promises should be directed to faithfull men and women Now here is the promise of mercie and graces This is my bodie which is broken for you and this promise is made to no other thing but to the faithfull and so to them onely it ought to be directed Secondly we haue to consider that this Sacrament seales vp a couenant of grace and mercie Now with whom will God make his couenant of mercie and grace will he make a couenant with a peece of bread or any dumbe element There is no man will enter into couenant with his seruant much lesse wil enter inter couenaÌ„t with a dumbe element So in respect this Sacrament seales vp a couenant this couenant of necessity must be made with a faithfull soule and in no wise with the dumbe element and therefore these words cannot be directed to the elements Thirdly looke to the end wherefore this Sacrament was appointed Is it not to leade vs to Christ Is it not to nourish my faith in Christ Is it not to nourish me in a constant perswasion of the Lords mercy in Christ Was this Sacrament appointed to make the elements Gods No for if ye marke Gods purpose in this institution ye shal find that Christ hath not ordained this institution to nobilitate the elements to fauour respect the elements which were Bread and Wine yesterday to be Gods to day We on the contrary say plainly that the institution of Christ respecteth not the elements to alter their nature Indeed it is appointed to alter vs to change vs and to make vs more and more spirituall and to sanctifie the elements to our vse But the speciall end is this to make vs holy and more and more â—o grow vp in a sure faith in Christ not to alter the elements nor to make them gods And therefore by all these three Arguments it is euident that the words ought nor to be directed to the elements but to the people and faithfull communicants Now to come to an end There is one thing without the which we cannot profit let vs discourse neuer so long vpon the right vnderstanding of the Sacrament Ye see now how all that is spoken concerning the Sacrament is grounded and dependeth vpon faith Let a man haue faith be it neuer so little he shall get some hold of Christ and some insight in the vnderstanding of this Sacrament but wanting faith though a man endeuour himselfe to make the Sacraments neuer so sensible it is not possible that he can get any hold of Christ or any insight of him For without faith we cannot be Christians we can neither get a sight of God nor feele God in Christ without faith Faith is the onely thing that translateth our soules out of that death and damnation wherein we were conceiued and borne and planteth life in vs. So the whole studie and endeuour of a Christian should tend to this To craue that the Lord in his mercie would illuminate his mind with the eye of faith and that he would kindle in his heart a loue of faith and worke in his heart a thirst and desire of the obiect of faith and more and more to thirst and hunger for the foode of faith that nourisheth vs to life eternall Without this faith how-soeuer the naturall man vnderstanding naturally would flatter himselfe surely there
many euill men that haue sought death and it is as true that there haue bene many good men that haue sought death yet neuer one of these sought death for it selfe for it is not naturall to seeke the dissolution of our selues But these euill men that sought death and put hand on themselues in their appearance they sought it for a better to wit to eschue the present torment and vexation of hell in their conscience wherein they were thinking that their miserable soule being out of the body should be at greater libertie then if it were detained in this prison But they are all deceiued For suppose hell be begun here yet it is not in a full measure vntill this life be done and so the miserable caitife deceiueth himselfe On the other side there haue bene good men that haue sought death but not for it selfe but for a better If they knew not felt not that there were a better life to follow after death they would not seeke it but by reason they see there is a greater ioy to follow after it therefore they regard not to taste in some measure for the present of the bitternesse of death It it true againe I grant that death vnto thee who art a Christian is sanctified in the death of our maister and Sauiour Christ Iesus for blessed is the death of them that die in the Lord. But suppose the death be sanctified yet thou art not wholly sanctified for if thou were as sanctified as the death thou wouldst not haue such a thing as terror paine or griefe in thy death But seeing in the best of vs all there is a remnant of corruption would to God it were but a remnant so thicke and foule that it is shame to speake of it this corruption vrgeth the conscience so that where the conscience is vrged there must be a feare and the more the conscience be vrged the greater is the paine and terror It is true that this feare is tempered by faith that dwelleth in the soule and the hope of ioy that dwelleth in the faithfull soule holdeth this feare in awe that hope of heauenly ioy so swalloweth vp and deuoureth the feare and maketh it to appeare to the looker on that the soule hath no feare but no doubt there is a feare and it is sure there is some griefe It is onely as I haue said the hope of that heauenly ioy that holdeth this feare in awe where this hope is not terrible is that feare wonderfull are these terrours great is that anguish of soule that is there so that I cannot find names to expresse it Terrible it is to see the countenance of God in his iustice there is no creature that can abide it Terrible it is to see their owne sinnes present themselues the ouglinesse and guiltinesse of sinne And beside all these to be left destitute of hope it is not the least part of their grief and yet this is not regarded For men will not rise to get faith if it should cost them but an houre they will not come to heare the word This is a wonderfull and miserable madnesse that is in the soule of man that he will neuer prouide for hell vntill hell catch him Now to come to our purpose the lesse the corruptions be the lesse must be the feare Wherein then should your exercise stand should ye not studie to diminish this corruption For he that would be voide of feare must trauell to diminish this corruption that the conscience may be cleane and ye may haue a good testimonie which maketh men to be without terrour For as long as the loue of this world and of worldly things occupieth our soule it is not possible that it can be without feare For why there is no heart that can willingly part with the thing that it loueth without exceeding sorrow and griefe Then we should trauell to take order with these affections and loue to worldly things but so farre as they may serue to the loue of God and in God to loue our selues and our neighbour that when he calleth no strange loue may draw vs from him There is a common law in all cities concerning the forbidden goods which are discharged plainly to be carried out of the country where we are presently and suppose they were carried they can serue to no vse in the countrey whither we go To let you see the exposition of the Parable I say the loue of this world the cares thereof the loue of the flesh and the lusts thereof are these forbidden goods which serue to no vse in the countrey whither we go yea they are plainly forbidden by the King of the countrey For the heart which is replenished with these shall haue no entrie there There is a plaine discharge sounded concerning these goods that we cleanse our hearts of them and prepare our selues to bring those commodities with vs that agree with the nature of that countrie Let vs make vs for the loue of God and of our neighbour and let vs cast off all contrarie loue onely let vs loue God and in God let vs loue our neighbour Now if I might obtaine this one lesson for all the rest I would thinke my trauell verie well bestowed and therefore I insist so much the more in it that it may sinke into your hearts Now then this good King feareth which telleth me that in all Christians there is some feare I come to the next what saith he in his trouble and perturbation The effect of the thing he saith is this First he saith He saw his owne death prepared for him Next because he was troubled with it and cast in a great perturbation he subioyneth the reasons why he was so grieued And as I may gather them they are three in number But ere I come to the reasons I will tell you his owne words which he said in time of his trouble he said I shall go downe to the gates of the graue I am drawing neare to the gates of death For so soone as I heard the Prophet say that I should die so soone I began to prepare me for it for if all threatnings come to passe as the Prophet hath said if I find no outgate in the mercie of God I must die For this I know that I am a mortall man and suppose I be a King and a glorious King yet I am not exempted from death and therefore I will prepare me for it He knew wel that suppose he made himselfe readie he was not one haire nearer to death Now surely if ye would follow this King ye would be a thousand times readier and more able to liue then ye are in your diseases But ye are cast vp in such a daintie and delicate fashion that no man will suffer to heare of death saying It is a thing that will further man to die But I say the contrarie and the Spirit of God saith the contrarie I say the readier ye be
his beliefe whereby he might know the truth of the last promise This signe was giuen him as ye heard and looke after what manner he craued it after that same manner it is granted according to his desire The Sunne is bâ—ought backe as also the shadow of it in his Fathers diall by ten degrees and the day which otherwise should haue lasted but twelue houres by this wonder it is made to endure for the space of 22 houres The signe was wrought partly in the diall partly in the body of the Sunne It was wrought in the bodie of the diall because it was a publike worke see vp in a publike place at the head of the palace ouer against the Temple to the end the miracle wrought in it which was in such an open and common place might be knowne to all the Citie and consequently to all that were in Iudea It was wrought in the bodie of the Sunne that the knowledge of that worke might come to the whole world that the whole world who saw that light might see in that worke a God whom they saw not so before This signe was exceeding fit and proper for the purpose for by this signe the King saw euidently that it was as easie to God to bring backe his life to a flourishing youth which was hastening to decay as it was to bring backe the Sunne which was very neare to his going down This signe is wrought onely by the vertue of God For that generall is true There is no creature yea not the diuell himselfe that hath power to shew any true miracle Then all those miracles that are in the popish Churches as the images of legs and armes waxe clothes and all the rest of that sort are deceiuing lies of the diuell The King purchaseth this signe by his owne prayer to learne vs this lesson That suppose the Lord be of minde and purpose to giue vs benefits and suppose he hath promised to grant benefits vnto vs yet he will not giue them but to the seekers he will haue vs first seeking them before we obtaine them And so he would learne vs this exercise to stand constant in honouring and worshipping of him who hath these benefits to giue vs. Before we entred into the song we declared vnto you the whole course of this Kings life from the 14. yeare of his reigne and in his whole course ye saw that his whole life was a continuall falling and rising a continuall praying and praising of God Praying in the time of his falles and of his trouble that the Lord would strengthen him by his Spirit And praysing God for his victories that he had so mightily deliuered him In this we see an image of a Christian life and of a Christian exercise to assure euery one of you that while ye are here your life shall be but a continuall falling and rising rising by the speciall grace and mercie of God in Christ Iesus And therefore it becometh you to be occupied in the same exercises wherein this King was imployed In the time of your falles and troubles to be diligent in prayer seeking strength of the Lord to endure and praysing him in your victories He that forgetteth to pray forgetteth to rise and therefore take heed that in all your troubles ye haue euer recourse to God by prayer We tooke the song to stand of these three parts In the first part is set downe the great trouble perplexitie and perturbation wherein the King was what he said during this trouble and what he did In the second part there is a rehearsall made of the great benefit that he obtained how singular and how excellent it was In the third part he maketh a faithfull promise to be thankfull to God for this benefit to praise him all the dayes of his life that so long as he liued he would neuer forget him In the first part we marked the circumstance of time when this trouble of mind ouertooke the King to wit at what time the seruant of God came to him told him it behooued him to die from the time he heard death denounced incontinently the mention of death striketh a feare and a trembling in him It casteth him in a great perturbation of mind Suppose he was a godly King and indeed such a King of whom there is as good mention made as of any other King in the Scriptures of God yet notwithstanding at the hearing of death he feareth and trembleth This death is indeed a renting asunder of those two parts which were appointed to haue remained together and therefore it is no maruell suppose the mention of it strike a feare in the heart Our owne sinne hath procured it and in some measure it is good that we taste what sin hath brought with it It is true indeed our death that are Christians is fully sanctified in the death of Christ Iesus But it is as true on the other side that suppose our death be fully sanctified yet so long as we remaine in this earth we are not fully sanctified And in respect there remaineth in vs yea in the best of vs all a remanent of corruption yea would God it were but a remanent of this floweth this feare trouble perturbation of mind It is true that this faith and the constant hope of a better life that dwelleth in the other part of the soule do temper the feare mitigate the trouble and swallow vp the paine of death yet in respect of the corruption that remaineth some feare must be and the greater the corruption is the greater feare falleth vpon the conscience The chiefe corruption that grieueth vs in the time of death is the loue of the world the cares of the world the inordinate loue of flesh and bloud So that he that would make himselfe voide of feare must prouide to rid his hands and his heart of these inordinate affections for experience although vnhappie teacheth vs that there is no man that can part with that he loueth without exceeding griefe And therefore in the point of death experience teacheth what it is to cast our affection on friuolous things that suddainly vanish So I say now it is time to rid your hands and purge your hearts of such preposterous affections that death which vnto others is so terrible when it cometh it may be a blessing vnto you I shew vnto you that all those care were forbidden goods expresly inhibited by the King of heauen which are neither profiâ—able for you nor to the countrey whither ye go And therefore I desired you to carrie with you the loue of God and the loue of your neighbour in God And these kind of commodities shall both profit you and be welcome to the countrey whither ye go In this trouble the first thing that he vttereth he sayth with himselfe I see I must die I am drawing neere to the ports of the graue Suppose he was very loath to die as his words do testifie yet he maketh
THE WAY TO TRVE PEACE AND REST. DELIVERED AT EDINBOROVGH In XVI Sermons on the Lords Supper Hezechiahs Sicknesse and other select Scriptures By that reuerend faithfull Preacher of Gods word Mr. ROBERT BRVCE for the present Minister of the Word in Scotland Dulcia non meruit qui non gustauit amara IOHN 10.27.28 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand LONDON Printed by R. Field for Thomas Man and Ionas Man dwelling in Pater-noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1617. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL MAISTER ADRIAN MOORE Esquire c. And to the no lesse religious and vertuous Gentlewoman Mistresse MARIE MOORE his Wife Patrones of Piety all peace and happiness in both Worlds RIght Worshipfull It must not seeme strange vnto you that a new occasion hath made also a new change of stile since occasion daily sheweth so many changes in the world Amongst all which alterations I must beg of you still to continue your countenance vnto these few plaine homely Sermons In token that no change I hope so long as I liue shall keepe me from manifesting vnto the world as all occasions shall serue how much in dutie I am bound to your true vnfeined loue and vndeserued fauours to me the vnworthiest of all For which I can but wish you to be euer attended with those two faithfull companions of the Saints peace of conscience and ioy in the holie Ghost and at the last to haue a speedie hearing when your Spirits shall faile to transport them into Abrahams bosome there to enioy eternall and vnspeakeable rest for euer and euer Yours in all dutie much and euer bound I. H. TO THE READER GEntle Reader The Author of these Sermons not being present at their going to the presse againe to reuiew and correct them I doubted whether in these learned and curious dayes such homely lines as these might not be distastfull amongst such multitudes of learned ones euery where swarming in the presse so much the rather since their Author hath euer thought so meanly of himselfe that no worke of his could be worthie of the presse Notwithstanding since the importunitie of many did long since as it were wring and extort these few Sermons from him in the beginning of his ministerie before things could be so well ripely and methodically digested as possibly he could haue wished if now they were to do I haue made bold also once againe to send them vnto thy view chiefly to the hungrie Because as Salomon speaketh he who is full despiseth an honie combe but to the afflicted soule euery soure thing is sweete The first fiue on the Lords Supper were englished by a late Gentleman of worthie memorie M. S. Mitchell who was gathered to his fathers before he could see them at the presse the rest were perused and englished by another friend All the care and paines taken hath bene for Gods glorie and thy good If it please thee now therefore to vse Philips counsell to Nathaniel and see whether any good things come out of Nazareth it may be thou shalt not thinke thy paines and time lost which that thou mayest the sooner do I ceasse to trouble thee remaining Thine in the Lord Iesus I. H. The Contents and substance of the Sermons following SERMON I. Out of 1. Cor. 11.28 Intreating of preparation to the Lords Supper Sheweth that a man must make this triall in his conscience The Definition of conscience the causes why conscience was by God left in vs The way how to keepe a good conscience In what things we must chiefly examine our consciences how to trie our peace with God and loue with our neighbours of mans first miserie and recouerie and so how faith is wrought in the heart how it is nourished in vs. SERM. II. Out of 1. Cor. 11.28 Intreating of Preparation to the Lords Supper Sheweth how a sincere faith is knowne that he who for Christ can renounce himselfe cannot be disappointed of his expectation That faith is the free gift of God Certaine effects whereby we may know if we haue faith That because it is ioyned with doubting it must be nourished That faith and doubting may lodge in one soule That a faith mingled and maistered with much doubting is yet a true faith That faith smothered yet is not extinguished A sure rest in the most dangerous tentations The definition of loue what our loue vnto God and our neighbour is SERM. III. Out of 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacraments in generall Sheweth the definition and diuerse acceptions of the word Sacrament what the signes in the Sacrament are why they are called signes what the thing signified in the Sacrament is The necessitie of the application thereof How the signe and the thing signified are ioyned together The Illustration of this Coniunction what considerations are needefull when the Signe and the thing signified are giuen and receiued The other part of a Sacrament which is the word To what vses the Sacrament serueth vs more then the word Faults which peruert the Sacrament c. SERM. IIII. Out of 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Sheweth the diuerse Names both in the Scriptures and by the Ancients giuen vnto this Sacrament of the Lords Supper The ends why this Sacrament was instituted The things both outward and inward contained in this Sacrament That the things signified in both Sacraments are one but the signes are not one why in Baptisme there is but one signe and in the Lords Supper two What power and perpetuity the bread hath to be a signe How the Signes the thing signified are conioyned in the Sacrament How the Signe and the thing signified is receiued What inconueniences are cast in by the Papists against this spirituall receiuing of Christ in the Sacrament How the soule is said to eate the body and drink the blood of Christ. Faith is that which coupleth vs to Christ. A similitude explaining the same SERM. V. Out of the 1. Cor. 11.23 Intreating of the Sacrament of the Lord Supper Sheweth our vnion with Christ by vertue of communion of the same Spirit The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Why this Sacrament is called a seale Why a holy seale Why the seale is said to be annexed to the Couenant Why the Sacrament should be administred publikely Why this seale must be ministred according to Christs institution That the word and element must concurre in the institution of a Sacrament What we meane by the word in a Sacrament what the Papists vnderstand by the word in this action and our differences from them How the outward Elements are sanctified How the Papists sanctifie these Elements The refutatiō of Transubstantiatiō by diuerse arguments The reasons why the Papists cannot thinke Christs body present in the Sacrament vnlesse it be really and substantially present The
is onely true peace and quietnesse to be found Therefore our exercise should chiefly stand in this to expell this enemy and monster sinne and to possesse that sauing iuice and wholsome peace that passeth all vnderstanding The second effect whereby we may know that the soule liueth is the ioy and reioycing vnder trouble For we know by experience that trouble of it owne nature cannot bring forth this ioy but bringeth forth the contrary effects as sadnesse heauinesse and sorrow Now where the Spirit is so disposed that we reioyce vnder trouble this is a sure argument of the blessed Spirit the Spirit of life which onely quickneth the soule and this ioy maketh vs not onely to reioyce in trouble but to glory also as sayth the Apostle For surely the crosse of Christ is our onely ioy the shame of Christ is our onely honour Hereby we perceiue the great glory that the Lord hath called vs to that not onely he maketh vs to beleeue his word but to suffer for him also onely ye haue to take heede to your troubles For this ioy accompanieth not all troubles but onely those troubles that are suffred for Christs cause for righteousnesse sake are vnderserued For those troubles that are deserued the like ioy is not to be found in them The third effect whereby we may know that the soule liueth is the loue of God and hatred of euill Where this loue is kindled in the soule where we beginne to know God to loue him and to taste of him for it is not possible that we can loue him except we haue a taste of his sweetnesse this loue make vs like to God for God is loue as Iohn saith If loue dwell in thine heart God dwelleth in thine heart and this loue is a sure pledge of the life of the soule where this loue is of necessity also there must be a hatred of euill Now trie and examine if the Spirit of life hath wrought these effects in thy soule in any measure if it were neuer so small it is a sure argument that this life is begunne and the life which God hath begunne he will perfect it If the loue of God were neuer so litle and the hatred of euill were neuer so little if any of these effects were but in a small measure ye may be sure that Christ dwelleth in your hearts by faith and that the soule liueth Ye that feele this as I would that ye all felt it prease to nourish and strengthen this life not weary in well doing but go forward in working the works of the Spirit Sow not in the flesh go not forward in the lusts and appetites thereof for ye may learne of the Apostle what aduantage this labour bringeth to wit shame and confusion death of the body and death of soule Rom. 6. But on the contrary go forward in nourishing of the Spirit and in well doing Sow in the Spirit and as the Apostle sayth ye shall reape an euerlasting and incomprehensible life This Spirit then is said to be nourished and corroborate in our hearts when we nourish the light and knowledge of God in Christ Iesus when we edifie our selues in our most holy faith and continue in the exercise of prayer As by the contrary we banish this light of the good Spirit and by our euill doing we banish the knowledge of God in Christ whē we put out this light diminish our perswasion and leaue off the exercise of prayer For by the same meanes whereby the soule liueth they being remoued the soule dieth Therfore those that would liue this way they ought to nourish the knowledge of God they ought to be exercised in well doing in hearing of Gods word in edifying them in their most holy faith and in continuall crauing of grace and mercy by prayer Now the King sayth he hath this life and he hath experience of the good word in this for I take this to be a different life from the other whereof he spake before to wit this is the life of the soule which proceedeth of the word of promise for this word is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue Rom. 1. Set your hearts saith Moses Deut. 32 vpon this word for it is not a vaine word it is your life and felicity The words which I speake sayth our Master Iohn 6. are Spirit life And from this Iohn calleth him the word of life the bread of life Peter saith whom shall we go to for in thee are the words of life It is he that hath life in himselfe Iohn 5. From this also it is said 1. Cor. 15. that as the first Adam was made a liuing soule so the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit and by reason we are made participant of this spirit by the ministery of his word therefore it is called the word of the Spirit by the same reason we that are his Ministers are counted the Ministers of the Spirit as the Apostle calleth vs 2. Cor. 3. They that would reade further of the praise of this word I remit them to the 19. Psalme where the properties of this word are exactly set downe I will end here Who so looketh vpon the precious effects of this word and on the other side looketh vpon our vnhappy behauior I am assured it would astonish any Christian heart to behold how the Lord can suffer our contempt so long as he doth For formerly whereas there was skarsly crummes of this bread of life to be had in this countrie men sought it out diligently and ran to haue it with such zeale that they compassed both sea and land they spared neither trauell nor cost but forcibly as it were thronged and thrusted in and made irruption in this kingdome But now when it hath pleased the Lord to offer vnto vs great plentie of this foode we so despise the bountie and liberality of this good God that we turne this great grace and mercie of his into iudgement and vengeance vpon our owne heads And as to the greatest part of the multitude they disdain it so spitefully that they had rather embrace the leauen of the Pharisies and draw them to that company where they can haue no other foode but songes maskes mummings and vnknowne Languages And so thinke to feed their soules by the mockery of God Now as to the Gentlemen Earles Lords and Barrons they are so drunken with sacrilegde that ere they will part with these goods they had rather part with the life of their soule yea when it cometh to this that the word cannot be entertained but by their expences they make no choyse but had rather lose their soules an hundred times ere they would bestow a halfepenny vpon the Church This is true in the greatest part so it is the Lord that wonderfully continueth the light amongst vs that keepeth a face of a ministery in Scotland There is no good entertainment but a very great pouerty in the most part
it is that Dauid in his 51 Psalme cryeth out and sayth Against thee against thee onely I haue sinned Now seeing it is he onely that forgiueth sinnes let vs seeke remission at God and no other The last thing that I marke is the cause that moued God to forgiue him his sinnes he saith because he loueth his person and for this loue that he did beare vnto him he neither suffered the bitternesse to remaine in his soule nor his body to see the graue It is confessed by the King that there was nothing in himselfe worthy of this loue Therefore he is not loued for his owne cause of necessity then he must be loued for that mans cause that took away his sinne Now reade ouer the Scriptures what man is that who hath taken away our sinnes taken on him our debt discharged him honestly and honourably of it euen he that is God and man also Christ Iesus and therefore in these same words quietly he acknowledgeth his sins to be remoued for the loue which God did beare to him in Christ Iesus who was in his loynes as yet according to the flesh I say there was no man able to beare and discharge this burden saue this man which is God also able because he was God and as he was able so he discharged this burden in his owne time And Christ is iustly the onely Mediator betwixt God and Man And therefore whom the Lord loueth he loueth in him and to whom the Lord sheweth mercie it is for his cause onelie For why he perfectly satisfied for the whole businesse which may be easily seene in these three points For fiâ—st he deliuered vs from these sinnes which we call actuall sinnes And how by his perfect satisfaction whereby he satisfied fully in suffering hell in his soule and death in his body and that on the crosse And so freed vs from these actuall sinnes and the punishment thereof So that in this point he is a perfect Mediatour Secondly he deliuered vs from the puddle and rotten roote from the which they proccede For ye see Christ Iesus was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin and that by the mighty power of his holy Spirit So that our nature in him was fully sanctified by that same power And this perfect purity of our nature in his person couereth our impurity for he was not conceiued in sin and corruption as we are but by the power of the holy Spirit who perfectlie sanctified our nature in him euen in the moment of his conception So he being throughly purged his purity couereth our impurity Now in the third point also he is a perfect Mediatour for he not onely satisfied for our sinnes but he accomplished the whole law for vs yea and more then the law required for the second Table requireth onely that we should loue our neighbour as our selfe But Christ did more then this for none loueth his neighbour so that willingly he will die for him So Christ in dying for vs sheweth that he loueth vs more then the law required And so he not onely accomplished the law for vs but did more then the law required Now this perfect righteousnesse of his cometh in betweene vs and his Father and couereth our rebellion and disobedience or else we could not be free from condemnation in this point also All these to wit perfect puritie perfect satisfaction and perfect righteousnesse are to be found in Christ perfectly And therefore onely mercie and remission of sinne is to be sought for in him and he that hath not Christ to be his intercessor that man shall neuer taste of mercie Now let vs go to the application what manner of intercession can Christ make for that man that blasphemeth his Father It is not possible that the Son can interceede where the Father is blasphemed wilfully and willingly Yea of all iudgements this is a most terrible iudgment where the spirit of blasphemie hath such power that he maketh a man to vtter such voyces against his maker Thus farre concerning these words Now in the next two verses he giueth two reasons wherfore the Lord forgaue him his sins and deliuered him from the death of his bodie and he sheweth in that 18 and 19 verses that the Lord in this worke had his owne entrie and speciall respect to his owne glorie which glorie he saw would be aduanced more by the lengthening of his dayes then otherise by the shortning thereof Secondly that the benefit of his deliuerie would be a matter of praise to al generations to the end of the world For it is said The fathers shal instruct their children and so fathers and children in their extremities they shall runne to God for the like mercie Now for these two ends that God might be praysed of the King in his owne person and of his posteritie and of all the posterities thereafter the Lord bestoweth this benefit vpon the King and giueth him health I take vp the reasons in these two verses the 18. and 19. And the first reason is taken vp in the 18 and beginning of the 19. for there he saith The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee As if he would say dead men and buried cannot praise thee as we do in these bodies of ours in the land of the liuing liuing in thy Church here Dead men that rest in their graues cannot looke for the accomplishment of thy promises And if I were dead and my bodie in the graue I could not looke for the accomplishment of thy promise in giuing me a sonne It is onely the liuing the liuing that is able to praise thee There he doubleth the word to let you see that they must be endued with a double life that praise the Lord aright They must not onely be endued with the life of the bodie but also they must liue in their soule Now the King saith I being restored to this double life both in body and soule I shall praise thee For none can praise thee worthily as I do this day but they that are aliue as I am This is the first reason Now to examine the words he meaneth not that they who are dead and buried leaue off this exercise onely he meaneth that they who are dead and buried will not praise God in their bodies will not praise him as we do here on earth And therefore we must not thinke that they leaue off this exercise Yea by the contrarie we must beleeue that the soules of the Saints departed are more busie in this exercise then when they were aliue and how prooue I this The nearer the soule is vnto God the greater plâ—asure and delight it taketh in him but after it is departed out of this life it is so much the nearer coupled with God Therefore it taketh the greater pleasure and delight in him Now the greater pleasure it taketh in God the greater praise it must giue to him for pleasure cannot come into the heart but it
mirrour of the word is but a dim mirrour and a sealed letter to all men as Isaiah calleth it It cannot profite vs. Therefore there is no way to seeke God truely but in the mirrour of his owne word and Spirit coniunctly that is by the word piercing the eare and the Spirit piercing the heart The word to work outwardly and to pierce the eare and the Spirit to worke inwardlie an eye in the minde and to open adore in the heart Where this coniunct and ioyned working is it cometh to passe that the veile of ignorance is taken out of our mindes it cometh to passe that our hard hearts are mollified it cometh to passe that the filthines of our affectiōs are mortified it cometh to passe that our soules are renewed our conscience getteth this boldnesse that with ioy we dare open these mouthes of ours which otherwise we durst neuer open and call the Father of Iesus Christ Our Father This heauenly reuelation we haue by the working of the worde and Spirit coniunctly and still the more we get of the Spirit the more clearely we see him and the better know we our God Then let vs come to the matter by this heauenly reuelation of God by his word and by his Spirit it cometh to passe that God is well knowne in Iudah that is in his Church And of this good knowledge which is no other thing but faith againe it cometh to passe that his name is great in Israel that is that his name is greatly praised highly extolled and his remembrance is euer continually in memory in Israel By the name of God here God himselfe is vnderstood for in so many good effects as God vttereth himself toward his Church as many names he giueth to himselfe whereby he may be praised of her As for example when he promiseth vnto his Church freely grace and mercy his Church giueth him a name and calleth him mercifull When he keepeth his promises and vttereth himselfe a faithfull God to his Church his Church giueth him a name and calleth him a true God When he deliuereth his Church out of danger and sheweth himselfe a mighty God terrible against his enemies the Church giueth him a name and calleth him a potent God and so foorth in the rest of his effects So that by the name of God is vnderstood here God himselfe as God maketh himselfe to be known in his wonderful works and effects Then to take vp the doctrine of this first benefit we see this heauenly familiar reuelation of God only and no other thing maketh this God well knowne in Israel Of this heauenly and familiar reuelation springeth true knowledg which is no other thing but our iustifying faith and of this iustifying faith benefite of knowledge springeth a continuall praysing and louing of God for these two further others mutually the true knowledge of God and the true praysing of God God is well knowne in Iudah Therefore his name is greatly praised there So that it is not possible but that man who knoweth God rightlie must praise him truely God is not like our countrymen For many of our men where they are best knowne they are worst loued It is farre otherwise with God for where he is best knowne he is best loued And this loue can neuer be idle but must burst forth in praises and thanksegiuing of him whom it loueth For these two follow others mutually the true knowledge of God and the true praysing of God Now let vs see and let vs turne ouer this argument vpon our selues and see if the consequence be true in vs. This countrey no waies praiseth God nor magnifieth his name and therefore it followeth he was neuer well knowne here his name is not great in Scotland Therefore it is a sure token that his goodnes was neuer well felt in Scotland Surely if a multitude of benefites might haue moued vs to haue altered our taste we might long since haue tasted the sweetnesse If a multitude of miracles and many wonders might haue made him to haue bene knowne among vs there are more shewed to vs and more wonderfull then euer was shewed to Pharaoh But God knoweth what we haue profited both in our knowledge and in our feeling For as to our knowledge in our hearts whatsoeuer we professe in our mouthes for all that is come and gone we are for the most part asking with Pharaoh Who is the great Iehouah that we should obey him And on the other part we doubt as much of his Son the Sauiour of the world so that we are still asking with the blindeman Iohn 9. Who is the Lord that we should beleeue in him I say if marueilous or wonderous workes might haue moued vs to know praise him he hath shewed a worke lately which euen the more we heare of it it is the more marueilous And yet I am assured a great part of the circumstances that should aggrauate this matter are not as yet come to our knowledge We are assembled this day for that end and to praise him for this benefite that his name may be great in Edinborough The Lord grant that euery one of you in some measure may burst forth in thansgiuing that ye may answer to our expectation as God hath giuen you grace And on the other side accursed be he as he is accursed from the heauen that presenteth himselfe here to scorne God that cometh here and bringeth not his heart and minde ready prepared in some measure to praise him I stand not here vpon the degrees of preparation howsoeuer it be so it be true otherwise here I pronounce him accursed from the heauen that cometh not here to praise God in some measure Since these corporall Sacrifices ceassed in the which God was honoured there is no spirituall Sacrifice more acceptable to him then the Sacrifice of thanksgiuing For as to this Sacrifice it sanctifieth not onely our owne persons but the whole creatures appointed to the vse of our persons For that which is true in meate and drinke is true in all the rest of the creatures of God ye see by your experience dayly that your meate and drinke is made wholesome to your nourishment by thanksgiuing to God after dinner and supper and so oft as ye refresh your bodies This that is true in these creatures is true in all the rest of the benefits of God So this proposition abideth firme Thankfulnesse to God sanctifieth the whole benefits of God It is not possible but a good conscience must praise God in some measure A good conscience cannot cast off the memorie of God and his benefits altogether but in some measure it must praise him Therefore that we may possesse this great worke and benefite of our deliuerie in the mercie and fauour of God and with his blessing in a good conscience let vs in some measure giue him praise therefore Surely the longer ye looke in this benefit and the more ye weigh it
of God at the last he shall neuer come out So in time let euery one beware to abuse the grace of God this way but beg a liberty and a renewing of the Spirit that that which is pleasing to him may be also pleasing to vs and that which is displeasing to him may be displeasing to vs. The last thing that I marke is this whereof cometh this willingnesse and free offering of our selues to the seruice of God Dauid noteth it in a word It proceedeth not of externall worshipping but of the boring of the eare except the Lord had prepared the eare of his heart it was not possible for him to haue brought with him a mind or a will to serue God Then this willingnesse is wrought by the Spirit of God and not onely this willingnesse but the doing and execution of his will is wrought by the Spirit of God For by nature we are hard hearted and more vnfit then brute beasts to do the Lords will And therfore whosoeuer would be partaker of the grace of the new Testament let him looke into himselfe how farre his will is reformed For the more we submit our will â—o the will of God the more we are partakers of the grace of the new Testament So long as we make the will of man a rule to our will we testifie that we haue not tasted of the grace of the new Testament Onely then are we partakers of the grace of the new Testament when the Spirit of grace boweth our will and maketh it to obey in some part the will of God For I meane not that our whole will can obey the will of God It is not possible so long as we are here that we can runne one way if the affections could runne one way and bend themselues wholly to God in a maner we should possesse life eternall in this life But so long as we are here we are compassed with two wils from the which proceedeth â—wo sorts of motions affections and cogitations In this battel the regenerate man continueth to the end I require not a perfection of the will or a perfection of the heart but I desire a delight in the law and in the loue of God a will to loue and a preasing more and more to subdue our will to the loue of God Where this resisting is the battell is and where a battell continueth there is a true Christian who at the last shall get the victorie Resist thy wicked will resist the motions thereof resist the cogitations thereof and sorrow for the actions thereof if thou resist the motions and cogitations thereof thou art in good estate It is onely the consenting to the actions and performance thereof that maketh thee guiltie before God Suppose thou hast euill cogitations motions yet if so be thou resist them thou art not guiltie before God But if tâ—ou consent and performe the appetites of sinne the action will bring guiltinesse and guiltines will banish light and light being banished God is banished The obedience of sinne banisheth a good will and placeth in stead thereof an euill will so the perfection of a Christian in this life standeth in resisting To trie night and day that thou consent not to the actions of thy wicked will O then it is a matter of great consequence to subdue tame that great idoll of euill will We may speake of it as we please and say that we are able to do it but of all the works of the earth it is the greatest for such is the stubbornnesse of our will that it will do nothing but what it liketh it selfe Well the perfection of a Christian standeth in striuing we must either striue or we shall not be crowned Therefore let euery one beg of God that he would worke by his Spirit in this life that he may resist the motions and cogitations of his heart that he would arme him against the enticements thereof that resisting here we may be crowned hereafter In the last part of the Psal. he returneth to prayer and as he had found the mercifull deliuerie of God in time past so he desireth that the Lord would continue the same mercie toward him in time to come and vndertake his protection against the troubles that were to ensue as well as he had done against the troubles past In this part he letteth vs see this lesson which if it were well learned might stand vs in great stead the whole course of our life to wit That the whole life of man in this earth as Iob saith is a continuall tentation and the end of one miserie is but an entrie to a greater so that our whole exercise should be to praise God for fauours past and to pray to God for times to come that in praysing and prayer our life being continually spent we might hold Christ Iesus who in life and death is exceeding aduantage To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and praise world without end So be it THE FIFTEENTH SERMON VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE SECOND Epistle to Timothie beginning at the 22. verse preached the ninth of Nouember 1589. at the which time â—he Eaâ—le Bothwell made his publike repentance in the Church of Edinborough 22 Flee also from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with pure heart 23. And put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strife 24 But the seruant of the Lord must not striue but must be gentle toward all men apt to teach suffering the euill men patiently 25 Instructing them with meekenesse that are contrary minded proouing if God at any time will giue them repentance that they may know the truth 26 And that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the diuell which are taken of him at his will IN these two Epistles which the Apostle directeth vnto his Disciple Timothie he taketh a very great care to informe Timothie that he may behaue himselfe accordingly in all his proceedings that he might behaue himselfe as well in his owne person as in his office towards others beside In his owne person in respect he was a yong man yong in yeares although though no other way yong neither yong in knowledge nor in manners but somewhat yong in yeares In respect of his youth and of the imperfections that accompanie youth In respect of the continuall follie whereunto youth is drawne he biddeth him first remember that he take heede to his youth that he be not caried with those vices with those affections and lusts that vse violently to carry yong men away As towards others he willeth him to haue a discretion foresight of their estate to discerne the persons with whom he hath to do And first of all that he consider whether these persons be friends or aduersaries whether they be of one familie with himselfe in the familie of faith or otherwise strangers as
yet and aduersaries to this faith If they be friends and of the family of faith as he is he willeth him to keepe Charitie to keepe peace in Christ Iesus and vnity with them that as he keepeth his faith to God so he may keepe vnity in loue and peace with them If againe those men be not of the family of faith but aduersaries to this faith they are either obstinate with knowledge or else ignorant and obstinate with ignorance Obstinate with knowledge such as are heretickes Apostates that had knowledge and haue lost it In case these men be heretickes he teacheth in the Epistle to Titus how he should behaue himselfe toward them If they be Apostates he teacheth in the person of Hymenaeus and Philetus how he should behaue himselfe toward them to wit he should first trauell to winne them if it be possible And if thy trauell succeedeth not that thou get no gaines at their hands this way then he willeth Timothie and the Pastors in Timothie to go another way to worke to proclaime their names yea at the last to giue their flesh as he speaketh to the diuell that their soule may be safe if it be possible in the day of the Lord To proclaime their names and make their names manifest to the people that the people may be warie of such persons and feare to fall into such offences If the persons againe be ignorant they are either ignorant with simplicity or ignorant with a wilful stubbornnes In both these cases he informeth his Disciple If they be ignorant with simplicity he recommendeth vnto the teacher three vertues meeknesse gentlenesse and patience Patience not of their euill nor of their vices but patience toward their persons suffering them to come and heare And suppose thou suffer him to come heare yet he willeth thee not to suffer his vices he willeth thee not to conceale his vices nor yet to flatter his vices But this is his meaning reproue his vices aduertise him of his faults And in thine admonition do the thing that lyeth in thee that he who is admonished may perceiue that the admonition floweth from loue and that we seeke nothing lesse then his shame and losse and nothing more then his weale and honour This ought to be the behauiour of those who haue to do with simple ignorants for if it were so that any man would beare with vices or iniquities that he knoweth to be in any person it were the ready way not onely to lose the person with whom he beareth but to lose himselfe also in concealing that part of his office and duty which is enioyned to him And therefore it is not such a patience that is required in the Pastor or Minister that he suffers his vices or conceale the persons vices but onely this kinde of moderate meeke and good behauiour is required in him that in his reproofe he may let the person see â—o far as in him lyeth that he desireth nothing lesse then his shame and nothing more then his amendment In case againe the person be ignorant and wilfull with ignorance as there are many that are obstinate in ignorance in such sort that the person of the Pastor is troubled and wearied with continuall admonition and reproofe and maketh no speed at his hands in such sort that at last the Pastor himselfe through the long trauell that he hath taken conceiueth a despaire of the recouery of that person The Apostle in this place admonisheth the Pastor not to faint nor to conceiue by his long trauels a despaire but though he remaine stubborne yet to abide vpon him pronounce the threâ—tnings and promises of God indifferently to tary vpon him at list and leasure why Because the gift of repentance which turneth the heart of man is not in his owne hand nor is it in the hands of the Pastor to giue it but the gift of repentance which turneth the heart of man is in the hands of God and God will bestow this gift at such time as he pleaseth not at that time when the Pastor pleaseth In like manner the gift of repentance is not visibly wrought it is not a corporall gift that it may be rceeiued by the Pastor at the first hand when it is giuen and wrought in the heart of man But it is a spirituall gift and inuisibly wrought in the soule of man And oft times it is wrought then when the Pastor least thinketh and that by the mighty and gracious prouidence of our God Therefore seeing it falleth out so oft times that the Lord will bestow this gift when the Pastor least thinketh he willeth the Pastor albeit the man be stubborne not to despaire And when the Lord shall giue him the gift of repentance there is no question but many commodities shall accompany this gift which commodities are sette downe in the end of this Chapter By this gift first he shall be delyuered from the snare of the Diuell in the which he was holden captiue to do him seruice By this gift secondly he shall come to knowledge not only to the knowledge of God in Christ but of himselfe his own misery Thirdly by this gift of repentance where his soule was sick diseased before his conscience terrified and exceedingly astonied that soule by the enioying of this gift shall be restored to health he shall come to amendement and to a wholsome disposition of heart minde and conscience This I take to be the summe of all that I haue read The matter is large and the heads are many that might be handled vpon this text But I purpose not to insist in euery head but to content me onely with such points as are most necessary for our edification and instruction Therfore I select out of the whole two points to speak of by the grace of God at this time as his Spirit shall assist me for the present The two points that I am to speake of are these The first point the first verse that I haue read the first part of it giueth manifest occasion to it to wit what is the first chiefe thing from which yong men should flee The second point the last verse saue one of this text giueth occasioÌ„ to it and the end of that verse and it is this What is the chiefe and principall thing that yong men should follow and pursue The chiefe and principall thing that yong men should flee euery youth in the world is the lusts and affections of the minde whereunto youth is inclined he should flee from the lusts of his youth not so much from the lusts of any other mans youth or another persons youth as from the lusts that are in himselfe and the lusts that his yong yeares bring with them And as he should flee from the lusts of his owne youth so the chiefe thing that he should follow seeke and pursue is the gift of repentance amendement of life conuersion vnto God taking vp of a new course a
himselfe is neuer disappointed of his expectation Exhortation Faith is the free gift of God Certaine effects whereby we may know if we haue faith Our faith must be coÌ„tinually nourished because it is ioyned with doubting Doubting faith may lodge in one soule 1 Cor. 4. A doubting and weake faith is faith and shall neuer decay The spaâ—kles of faith though they be smothered they are not wholly put out nor are idle Similitudes shewing that the sparkles of faith though they be couered are not extinguished A sure retreat to repose on in highest tentations A lesson Of loue which is the secoÌ„d point of our triall How the word loue is taken in the Scripture The definition of loue Of our loue toward God Of loue towards our neighbour Conclusion with an exhortation The diuerse taking of the word Sacrament Ephes. 3.9 Ephes. 5.32 The heads to be entreated of in this Sermon 1. The signes in the SacrameÌ„t Why they are called signes 2. What is the thing signified in the Sacrament Question Answer The thing signified must be applyed How the signe the thing signified are ioyned together This coniunction is made cleare by the coniunction betwixt the word and the thing signified thereby How the signe and the thing signified are giuen and receiued Considerations thereof The signe the thing signified are offered in two actions by two instruments and after two manners Of the other part of the Sacrament which is the word Anâ—wer 1. By the Sacrament we possesse Christ more fully then by the simple word 2. They serue to confirme the truth contained in the word Exhortation Faults whiâ—h peruert the Sacrament Conclusion with an exhortation Of the Supper of the Lord in particular Heads to be intreated of First head generall Of the names giuen vnto this SacrameÌ„t both in the Bible and by the Ancients Second head generall Of the ends why this Sacrament was instituted Third head generall Of the things contained in this SacrameÌ„t outward and inward wherin sundry heads are intreated The thing signified in both the Sacraments is one the signs are not one Why in Baptisme there is but one signe and in the Lords Supper two Two questions What power the bread hath to be a signe in this Sacrament And how long that power endureth 1. Answer That bread hath that power from Christs institution 2. Answer That power continues during the seruice of the Table An obseruation How the signes the thing signified are coÌ„ioyned in the Sacrament How the signe and the thâ—ng signified iâ— receiued What kinde of receiuing Christ is established in the Sacrament Inconueniences cast in by the Papisâ—s against the spirituall â—eceiuing of Christ in the Sacrament First inconuenience That the Sacrament is supeâ—fluous Refutation of the first Inconuenience Second incoÌ„uenience Refutation of the second inconuenience obiected wherein are sundrie reasons giuen why the wicked are counted guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ. Exhortation Third inconuenience Refutation of the third inconuenience How the soule is said to eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ. Obseruation Faith is that which couples vs and Christ. Similitude taken from the Sunne Conclusion with an exhortation How we are said to eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ. Our vnion with Christ by one and the same Spirit Exhortation The definition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Why this Sacrâ—ment is called a Seale Why it is called an holy Seale Why the seale is said to be annexed to the couenant Why the Sacrament should be ministred publikely First reason Second reasoÌ„ Why this seale must be ministred according to Christ his institution None hath power to institute a Sacrament but God onâ—ly We call the word in the Sacrament the whole institution Word and element must concurre in the constitution of a Sacrament What we meane by the word in the Sacrament What the Papists vnderstand by the word in the SacrameÌ„t The third head in controuersie How the elements are sanctified The word of blessing and thankâ—giuing vsed indifferently expressed by the other How the Papists sanctifie the outward Elements Refutation of the doctrine transubstantiation by three sorts of arguments The first sort of argument Second sort of argument Third sort of argument Other arguments vnto the same effect Their last râ—fuge The reason that moues the Papists to thinke thâ—t Christs body cannot be present in the Sacrament except it be really carnally and substaÌ„tially present Obseruation The diuerse opinions coÌ„cerning the presence of the body of Christ in the Saâ—rament How a thing is said to be present and absent How the bodie of Christ is present The last point in controuersie betwixt vs and the Papists Conclusion with an exhortation Heads to be intreated in this Sermon First lesson Second lessoÌ„ The time when the King fell into this disease Obseruation Doctrine The Prophet visiteth the King and inioyneth two things to him The dutie of the Pastor toward his diseased brethren The first omission that appeareth to be in this denunciation The second omission The third omission The King behauiour in this disease The Kings behâ—uiour makes vs certaine of his faith and repentance The Kings gesture in his disease The words of his prayer Dan. 6.23 1. Cor. 4. A wonderfull thing to haue recourâ—e vnto the same God who smiteth â—esson Recapitulation Diâ—isâ—on First lesson 2. Lesson 3. Lesson Doctrine The circumstance of peace Third circumstance The comfort that the King receiued Why mention of Dauid is here made Why Dauid is called Hezechias Father What maketh vs the sonnes of God 1. Lesson 2. Lesson A fault to be eschued in Ionas person Application to the King A vertue to be followed in Esaiahs person Doctrine Application The points of the comfort that the King receiued Obseruation Application Obseruation Exhortation to the Kings Maiestie Recapitulation The heads of doctrine to be intreated of The cause why he sought a signe How the wicked seeke signes Some refuse signes when they are offered How the signe was shewed Why the signe was wrought in the diall Why it was wrought in the body of the Sunne What profite is to be gathered of signes By whose power this signe was wrought The force of prayer in procuring this signe Why the Lord willeth vs to pray Application The Kingâ— thankfulnes for the beneâ—ite receiued The parts of the Kings Song A short sum of the Kings life A Christians chiefe exercise The first part of the song The diuersity of seeking death in the wicked and godly The way to eschue the feare of death Application The reason why deaâ—h was grieuouâ— to him Application The second reaâ—on why death was grieuous to the King How God was said to be seene of old Application The third reaâ—on why death was grieuous to this King Applicatâ—on What is worthy of praise or reprofe in these reasons Conclusion with an exhortation Recapitulation The heads to be treated of in this SermoÌ„ The manner of the transportation of the