in effect this message from the Lord Feare not O Iacob the power and malice of thy brother Esau for here are wee the hoast of the liuing God to goe with thee and assist thee according to the promise of protection in thy iourney that God made to thee in Bethel wherin thou sawest the Angels ascending and descending vpon the Ladder we are now sent to waite vpon the as wee conveyed thee in thy comming so are wee now safely to convey thee in thy returning in dispite of all that will oppose themselues against thee This vision no doubt did confirme the heart of Iacob for a while and encouraged him to the journey yet soone after he is troubled with a new feare â—…he report of his Messengers who tolde him that Esau was comming against him with foure hundred men doth in such sort disquiet his mind that hee forgets his former comforts and he becomes exceedingly afraid And in this each one of vs may see an image of our owne weaknesse Iacob had many proofes and experiences of Gods mercy it is not long since he got joyfull deliuerance from Laban and since the Lord as I haue said comforted him by the ministry of his Angels and yet now behold how small a thing discourages him certainly such is the weaknesse of the dearest Children of God that it is not one confirmation yea not many experiences of mercy that will sustaine vs but we haue neede continually and hourely to be strengthened with new grace of corroboration Plants that are set in the earth require watering when they are young corne that growes in the field without the first and latter raine comes not to maturitie and perfection so we vnlesse that euery houre the raine of heauenly grace descend vpon vs from God or at the least his dewe distill into our hearts by a secret and vnperceiued manner cannot possibly stand no not one moment in the state of grace Euery spiritual desertion manifests our weaknesse the voyce of a Damosell shall shake vs as it did Peter the rumour of a trouble shall affray vs as here it affrayes Iacob it is the Lords countenance which maketh vs to liue Cause thy face O Lord to shine vpon vs and we shall be safe Abraham in Aegipt got a notable proofe of the Lords prouident mercy waiting ouer him preseruing Sarah inviolate when he had exponed her chastitie to the concupiscence of an Ethnike king Pharaoh but was this experience of God his mercy sufficient to confirme him and make him strong against the like tentation in time to come No surely for shortly thereafter in Gerah among the Philistines he fals into the same sinne of fearefull distrust so that againe the second time hee seekes the preseruation of his life by hazarding the chastitie of Sarah And that worthy Prophet Samuell albeit hee found many a time the Lords presence with him assisting him in such sort that he suffered none of his words to fall to the ground yet when God commaunded him goe and annoynt Dauid he refused at the first why because he feared least Saul should slay him Who would think that such weaknesse had bin in the man of God that hauing the word of the Lord for his warrant he should yet be afraid of the countenance of man Thus now and then hath the Lord giuen to the best of his children a proofe of their owne weaknes that we looking vnto them might bee humbled within our selues knowing that we are nothing without the Lord. As Eutichus fell from his seat in the window wherin he sate hearing Paul preach so haue we our own sownings whereby many times we fall from the seate of our deuotion from the full assurance of faith which causes confidence from the sense of mercy and spirituall joy rising thereof into horrible distrust and fearefull perturbations so that wee become almost dead heartlesse comfortlesse and without feeling But blessed bee the Lord who euen at those times doth keepe our soules in life and lifts vs againe into his armes more louingly then Paul did Eutichus he sets vs againe on our feet hee renues his mercyes and restoreth his former joyes vnto vs. Let it therefore neuer goe out of our mindes that God is the strength of our life without whose grace we haue no standing that so our eyes and our harts may be continually aduanced towards him desiring the Lord to bee with vs and at no time to leaue vs. In all the course of our life let vs say to the Lord with Moses I will not goe forward one foote except thou goe with me otherwise we shal faint vnder euery burthen stumble at euery impediment and fall vnder the least tentation that shall ouertake vs but if the Lord bee with vs wee shall be able to doe all things through him that comforts vs. CHAP. II. Gods fatherly compassion appeares in that he handles vs most tenderly when wee are weakest NOtwithstanding for this infirmity in Iacob the Lord doth not reiect him but rather like a louing father handles him so much the more tenderly It is the Lords praise and our comfort he breakes not the brused reed and quenches not the smoaking flax he is the God who comforts the abiect and bindeth vp the broken in heart It was not for Iacobs worthinesse that the Lord did first chuse him and now for his weaknes hee will not reject him therefore doth hee now appeare to Iacob in his need and minister vnto him greater comfort then any he got before In the beginning of the Chapter the Lord sent his Angels his ministring spirits to comfort him and now because Iacob yet is in feare in the end of the Chapter ye see how he comes himselfe and comforts him Such is thy tender mercy O Lord towards those whom once thou hast chosen to be thine that thou wilt neuer forsake them surely because thou art not changed therefore it is that we are not consumed though we fall thou wilt put vnder thine hand and raise vs vp againe and makest thy last comfort alwaies the greatest The vision is rare the like not againe to be found in all the booke of God yet most profitable for our edification as contayning in it an exemplar of Gods wrestling with his own children and therefore meete to be considered of all the good souldiers of Iesus Christ wrestlers in the spirituall warfare And therefore for the better vnderstanding of it and giuing greater light to the whole storie in the entry we shall permit these three things God willing First what moued the Lord at this time to appeare vnto his seruant Iacob Next what is the forme and manner of the Lords apparition And thirdly what is the end of it CHAP. III. The cause mouing the Lord to appeare to Iacob at this time THe cause mouing the Lord to appeare to Iacob was the hard estate wherein his seruant stood at this time For Iacob is now in
shâ—…pe of a seruant He being the God of glory came couered with such contemptible couerings that the vvorld mis-knew him His miraculous conception without the help of man was obscured with the couering of Maries espoâ—…sing vnto Ioseph his birth without all vncleannesse obscured with the couering of Maries purification his innocency in like manner obscured with the couering of circumcision and so 〈◊〉 est noui solis fulgor saith Bâ—…rnard and thus was the glory of this â—…ght shining sunne which the world saw neuer before obscured Yet through all these and many couerings that Centurion through faith espâ—…ed him to bee the sonne of God and those three wise men who came from the East by the light of faith through all these vayles saw him to bee a glorious King and therefore also fell downe and worshipped him But these blind Bethleemites amongst vvhom he was borne hauing no more but the eyes of nature wherewith to looke vpon him could not discerne him albeit this was their glory that out of them came that Gouernour who should feede his people by this faith Agnouit Simeon infantem tacentem for lack of it occiderunt Iudaei mirabilia facientem Simeon by faith acknowledged Iesus euen in his infancy when he had not yet spoken a word but the Iewes for lack of faith blinded with infidelitie flew him after that he had wrought many Miracles So then to returne to our ground it was a great faith in Iacob that hee sought a blessing from him who wrestled against him Nature will neuer learne vs that lesson Come and let vs return to the Lord he hath spoyled and he will heale vs hee hath wounded and he will binde vs vp Without faith there can bee no prayer to God especially at that time when God layeth his heauie hand vpon vs How shall they call to him in whom they beleeue not Where the fountaine is drye what water can there be in the strand ergo vt oremus credamus vt ipsa non deficiat â—…ides qua credimus oremus Therefore that wee may pray let vs beleeue and that our faith whereby we beleeue faint not let vs pray And this for the fulnes of faith CHAP. XIX The goldy in their prayers aboue all things seeke Gods fauour and blessing PErceiue yet farther out of these words that Iacob seekes nothing from God but his blessing The children of God euen then when God is most familiar vvith them seek nothing comparable to his blessing Herein they are insatiable on the earth they can neuer get enough of his blessings Iacob vvas blessed before of the Lord and now againe hee seekes a new blessing and euery time that hee meetes vvith the Lord all that he desires is a blessing It is far otherwise with miserable Worldlings it is seldome and far betweene that they come to the Lord they seeke some other thing then himselfe or his blessing some worldly benefit or deliuerance from temporall trouble is the summe of all their suite So Cain forgetting to seeke mercy for his sinne sought onely protection to his body Whosoeuer findeth mee shall slay mee and from time to time he got that hee vvent out from the presence of the Lord. O miserable man that left not behinde him so much as a petition to God for mercy deliuerance from that wrath vvhich his sin had brought vpon him CHAP. XX. Worldlings in their prayers dishonor God and preiudges themselues IN this doing vvicked men doe both dishonour the Lord and prejudge themselues they consider not the insinite goodnesse and the al-sufficiency of the Lord they measure him with their base and earthly minds and therfore in stead of eternall they seeke nothing but temporall and perishing things It was a princely answere that Alexander gaue his friend Perillus to whom he had offred fifty talents of siluer to help his daughter to marriage vvhich the other thinking too much replyed that ten talents were sufficient Yea said Alexander it were enough for thee to receiue but not for me to giue And to another in like case hee gaue the like answere Ne quaere quid tâ—… accipere sed quid me dare deceat But much more may our al-sufficient God that Monarch of the world indeede who is rich vnto all who cals vpon him giue vnto vs a greater rebuke that cannot enlarge our hearts nor open our mouthes wide that hee may fill them with his good things contenting vs to seeke the earth when the Lord offers vs the heauen seeking with worldlings that our wheat and our wine may abound and not with Godly Dauid that the light of the countenance of God which brings ioy to the heart may be vpon vs. The Lord esteemes this a very great indignitie and contempt done vnto him and therefore he complaines on the Iewes by his seruant the Prophet Hosea They howle vpon me in their beds for wine and oyle they cry like dogs for that vvhich may fill their bellies but sends not out the voice of my children to cry vnto me for mercy and grace It is in like manner very prejudiciall to themselues who doe it for they fast and weary their spirits in seeking many things and in the meane time are carelesse to seeke one thing the obtaining whereof might bring them vnto all things thus they consume themselues with vaine labour Qui rerum magis specie quam authore dilectati prius vniuersa percurrere de singulis cupiunt expiriri quam ad Christum curent vniuersitatis principem peruenire Who being delighted with the shew of things more then vvith the authour of them are desirous to know euery thing by experience but not carefull to come vnto Christ vvho is that head fountaine of vvhom all things are where otherwise if according to the command of our blessed Sauiour men would first seeke the kingdoâ—…e of God then all other things should be cast vnto them This is the onely compendious way to satisfie our insatiable desires Quicunque hic varia quaeris ipse vnus tibi erit omnia whatsoeuer thou bee who here seekes sundry things seek the Lord and he shal be all things in all to thee When the Lord offred to Salomon to giue whatsoeuer he vvould aske he sought from the Lord a wise and vnderstanding heart which so pleased the Lord that not onely hee gaue him that which he asked but also second and inferiour gifts as riches honour which he asked not so great delight hath the Lord to here vs seeke from him those things which are greatest and excellent Let vs therefore ascribe vnto the Lord glory and power hee is a great King let vs not dishonour him by seeking from him small and perishing things the least of them is enough for vs to receiue For we are not worthy of the least of his mercies but not enough for the Lord to giue suppose the Lord would â—…ue vs all the workes of his hand into
from God Not so much as a Sparrow nor a haire of our head fals to the ground without the prouidence of our heauenly father He that keepes our hearts will hee not keepe our selfe Si sic custodiuntur superflua tua in quanta securitate est anima tua If thy haires bee kept in what safety is thy soule What euer cup of trouble men prepare for vs we shall not drinke of it vnlesse the Lord appoint it and temper it first with his owne hand Nabuchad-nezzar boasted the three children with a fiery furnace yet were they not afraid all because they considered that God aboue him ouer-ruled his intention Shimei cursed Dauid and he was not incenced with anger because hee considered that the Lord had sent him And Nahomi with this comforted her selfe against the losse of her husband It is the Lord said shee who humbles me All these doe warne vs vvhom God hath appointed for greater conflicts that it is a great feeblenes arising of inconsideration to suffer our soules to be dimoued out of the state of patience by the inordinate behauiour of any outward instrument of our trouble Absit à seruo Christi tali inquinamentum vt patientia maioribus praeparata in minoribus excidat Let such a spot and foule blemish bee farre from the seruants of Christ that our patience which is prepared for greater conflicts should faile and fall away in smaller tentations If when we run with foot-men they weary vs how shall wee match our selues with horses If when wee wrestle with men who are flesh and bloud we are so easily ouer-throwne with euery breath of their mouth and wounded with their smallest injuries that vvee faint and become impatient how shall we wrestle against principalities and powers or how shall vvee resist the fiery darts of the Diuell We haue therefore for helpe of our weaknesse to gather our thoughts and remember that whosoeuer bee the instrument of our trouble it is the Lord vvith whom vvee haue to doe so shall vvee the more easily possesse our soules in patience and giue glory to God CHAP. VIII The third Circumstance the manner of the wrestling corporall spirituall or mixt IN the third roome wee promised to speake of the manner of this wrestling whether it bee corporall onely or spirituall onely or mixed Now that it is mixt and so partly corporall and partly spirituall will appeare by comparing Moses and the Prophet Hosea together That the wrestling was corporall it is cleare of the disjoynting of Iacobs thigh whereof Moses makes mention and that it was also spirituall appeares partly of that which Moses saith that Iacob straue for the blessing and partly of that which Hosca saith that hee preuailed by wrestling and praying These are the sorest kinde of wrestlings when the Lord at one time exercises his children both in body and minde that his heauie hand of sicknes pouertie or some such like is vpon their bodyes and therewithall heauy inward troubles vpon their mindes This is indeede a very hard estate for as Salomon saith the spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it and yet with both those at one time hath the Lord exercised his dearest seruants so hardly that the vehemency of their trouble hath forced them to poure out most lamentable complaints My heart saith Dauid is wounded within me My spirit is in perplexitie and my soule is amazed The Lord renewes his plagues and encreaseth his wrath against me saith Iob So that changes and armies of sorrowes are against me the Lord suffers me not to take my breath but fils me with bitternesse The Lord saith Nahomi hath giuen me much bitternesse I haue fightings without and terrours within sayth the Apostle It is a common disease of the Children of God in their troubles to thinke that their troubles are singular I haue therefore marked this that none of them should think themselues marrowlesse when the Lord deales with them after this manner For no tentation hath ouertaken you but that which appertaines to men Wee haue here in like manner to mark another kinde of tentation wherby God tryes the faith of his children which is when his work seemes directly to fight against his Word so that in working with his children hee appeareth to come against his promise As for example the Lord hath promised that if I repent hee will forgiue if I mourne for my sinnes he will comfort me if I aske from him hee will giue vnto mee so sayes he in his word Yet I finde in his working with mee the contrary will the troubled conscience of the Childe of God say I doe repent from mine heart of my sinnes and am sorrowful that euer I offended my God but I cannot feele the Remission of them I mourne but the Comforter who should refresh my soule commeth not I call and cry night day but the Lord heareth mee not Vnto this estate I know that oftentimes the dearest of Gods children are brought as if the Lord had forgot to bee mercifuli vnto them and shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure they can finde no promised rest to their soule nor peace to their troubled mindes CHAP. IX How we should be haue our selues in this tentation we are taught THou therefore whose heart is set to seeke the Lord in this perplexitie wouldst know what to doe and how to behaue thy selfe I can no better way resolue thee then to send thee to looke vnto Abraham Iacob Iob and the rest of these who haue been exercised with the like tentations before thee Marke therefore and consider how the Lord commanded Iacob to go backe againe vnto Canaan and promised to be with him yet now in the iourney as it would seeme he comes against him He bad him goe forward and yet disioynts his thigh bone so vnables him to goe as he was wont Notwithstanding Iacob still cleaues fast to the promise of the Lord being perswaded that the Lord could not faile him and therefore contrary to his present sence and feeling trusting still on the word of the Lord for all the appearing contrarietie of his working he craues a blessing from him that wrestles vvith him Againe will ye looke vnto Abraham our father the Lord made him a promise that in Isaac his seed should be blessed and yet hee commands him to slay him A wonderfull tentation that the Lord commands him to slay that child in whom hee had promised the multiplication and blessing of his posteritie for here the promise of God his commandement seemes to fight together Yet Abraham strengthned in the faith as he receiued Isaac from the dead wombe of Sara doth not doubt but God was able to raise him from the dead againe and therefore resting on the Lords promise he spares not to sacrifice Isaac being fully assured that the Lordes apparant contrary working could
no way be prejudiciall to the veritie of his word O strong O rare O wonderfull Faith Therefore the Lord who giueth no vaine stiles to his seruants honoureth Abraham with this name the father of the faithfull For by his example our weakenes is strengthned to giue credit to the Lord when he speaketh to vs. And the same lesson of Faith is in like manner taught vnto vs by the example of patient Iob for many schoolmasters and examples haue wee on whom the ends of the world are fallen No doubt he had laid vp the promises of God in his heart whereupon he dependeth yet doth the Lord handle him sohardly both in body and minde as if hee were determinate to keepe no promise vnto him Yet Iob for all this distrusts not the truth of Gods promise but gripes them so surely that in his greatest extremitie he resolues O Lord albeit thou shouldest slay me yet will I trust in thee That is albeit Lord thou shouldst deale hardlier with me then thou hast done yet will I neuer thinke but thou wilt bee mercifull to me according to thy promise there is a heart knit to the Lord there is a soule cleaning to God without separation that thus concludes O Lord none of thy workes shall make me to misbeleeue thy word though thou cast me downe to hell my eye shall bee vpward towards thee my soule shall loue thee euen when it appeares thou saist that thou hast no delight in me And the like also may we see in that woman of Canaan according to that promise askâ—… and it shall be giuen call on me in thy trouble and I shall heare thee and deliuer thee She 〈◊〉 O Lord haue mercy on me but at the 〈◊〉 gets no answere She cryeth againe againe but contrary to another promise as it would appeare God giues to all men liberally and reproches no man not onely is she refused but reproched as a dog and one not meet to eate the childrens bread But at the length leaning without wauering to the Lords promise shee receiues a fauourable answere O woman great is thy â—…aith CHAP. X. Let vs euer leane to the Word of God how strange soeuer his worke sâ—…eme vnto vs. OF all this then the lesson ariseth vnto vs that when ere the Lord shall exercise vs so hardly as to our Iudgement Gods working with vs seemes to fight with his promise made vnto vs so that suppose wee pray and wee mourne and we seeke comfort we can find none yea the more we pray the more our trouble encreaseth yet let vs not despaire but learne at our brethren who haue fought the like battailes before vs to rest assuredly on Gods promise For in the end his hardest working shall bee found to tend vnto the performance of his promise made vs in Christ Iesus let the Lord walke on in his secret wayes knowne to himselfe and let vs giue to the Lord this glory I know O Lord that it cannot 〈◊〉 but well with them who loues thee I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right for thy word endureth for euâ—…r in heauen and thy truth is from generation to generation Heauen earth shal passe away but one iotte of the Word of God shall not passe 〈◊〉 O happy are they to whom the Lord hath made a promise of mercy they shall sing in the end with Ezechiel The Lord hath said it and the Lord hath done it he will stablish the promise he hath made to his seruant and hee will not alter the word that he hath spoken with his lips Wherfore O thou that art afflicted humbled in spirit disquieted within thy selfe waite vpon God and thou shalt yet giue him thanks Now in the fourth roome we haue to speake of the time how long the wrestling continueth Moses saith it lasted to the breaking of the day Here then is a new mercy to bee marked the Lord will neuer so exercise his children with wrestlings but in regard of their weaknesse graunts them some intermission and a breathing time least they should faint he will lay no more vpon them then they be able to beare neyther suffer his rods to lye longer vpon their backs then may serue for their weale Al our afflictions are measured by the Lord in quantitie qualitie and continuance of time For quantitie the Lord propines to each one of his Children a câ—…p of affliction conuenient for their purgation and as to qualitie he tempers also our afflictions that where of their owne nature they are exceeding bitter being the fruites of sinne worse to drinke then the waters of Marah vntill Moses changed them by prayer and made them sweet He alters them in like manner by the vertue of the Crosse of Christ and his intercessions for vs the become so sweet and delectable that wee reioyce in tâ—…bulation And as for time hee giues vs but dayes of try all affliction houres of tentation attending to his good pleasure and wishâ—… dispensation If we cast Shadra Mesah and Abednego into the fire one like the sonne of God shall go with them to waite vpon them and relieue them in conuenient time Yea no gold-smith waites so diligently vpon his gold to take it out of the fire in due time as the Lord attends vpon his children that in due season hee may draw them out of their troubles Iacob wrestles no longer then the dawning and all our troubles haue an appointed time of deliuerance Weeping may abide in the euening but ioy commeth in the morning And of this ariseth to vs a lesson of patience that so long as it pleased the Lord to exercise vs with any crosse so long should we bee content to beare it No minting to cast off the yoke vntil it please the Lord to take it from our neck Noah was weary of his abiding in the Arke a yeere and a day for so long he remayned and no doubt when he saw the ground he was greatly desirous to come forth but he will haue no deliuerance till the Lord who closed him in command him also to come out and in very truth there can be no deliucrance but that which commeth from the Lord as this one notable example among moe makes manifest vnto vs. When the Angell commanded Lot to escape for his life to the mountaine â—…e requested the Angell for license to â—…arry at Zoar. And so where the Loâ—…d pointed out the mountaine for the place of his deliuerance hee himselfe makes choise of another but when he obtayned that which he desired durst he for all that abide in Zoar no certainly he could neuer liue without feare vntill he went forward to the mountaine whervnto the Angell at the first directed him So that both the time the place the manner of our deliuerance must be referred to the Lord and not elected by our selues Then wee rest in quietnesse when wee rest on the will and mercy of God not vpon
which thou hast gotten are pledges of a fill of mercy vvhich yet abides thee For so Dauid of that which he had felt concludeth doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life CHAP. XIIII The presence or absence of God is euer dispensed for the weale of his owne Children FOr the Morning appeareth These words containe the reason why the Lord desires that Iacob should let him goe because the Morning appeareth This at the first seemes a strange reason Is it not a like to thee O Lord to abide with thy seruants in the morning as in the euening or is there O Lord with thee any such distinction of time Surely none at all for thou O Lord art couered with the light as with a garment euen the darknesse with thee is light yea those bright Angels that stand about thy throne makes the midnight where they come for shining light like the noone-tide of the day But we must consider that this reason respecteth not the Lord it respecteth Iacob and so the meaning is It is for thy cause O my seruant Iacob that I desire to goe for now the morning appeareth and thou must goe on in thy journey thy seruants family will wait for thy comming as being vncertain whether they shall remoue or remaine till thou direct them and therefore that I be no more to stay thee from them let me go And of this we may more euidently perceiue that which I said how the going and comming of the Lord to and fro his children is alway ordained and dispensed for their weale when hee commeth when hee goeth all is for our weale Ne timeas ô Sponsa nec existimes te contemni si paulisper tibi sponsus subtrahit faciem suam omnia ista tibi cooperantur in bonum de accessu recessu lucraris Be not afraid saith Bernard O spouse neither thinke that thou art contemned albeit for a short while the bridegroome withdraw his face all that he doth works for the best vnto thee thou hast gaine both of his comming to thee of his going from thee And this for the comfort of one exercised with spirituall desertion doth hee explaine more cleerely in the wordes vvhich hee immediatly subjoynes tibi venit recedit venit ad consolationem recedit ad cautelam ne magnitudo consolationis extollat te ne si semper adesset exilium deputares pro patria arrham pro praeâ—…ij summa paulisper permittit nos gustare quam suauis sit antequaÌ„ plane sentiamus se subtrahit ita quasi alis expansis te prouocat ad volandum Hee commeth saith he for thy consolation and goes for thy warning and humiliation least the greatnes of his comfort should puffe thee vp and least if hee were alwayes present thou shouldest esteeme this place of thy banishment for thine own country and should take this earnest for the principall summe hee lets thee tast of his sweetnesse for a short while and incontinent before thou feele it fullie he withdrawes himselfe and so as it were with his wings stretched out ouer thee he prouokes thee to mount vp and slie after him This is the reason why the Lord dispenses in such sort his presence and absence vnto his Children If at no time hee shewes himselfe vnto vs then would wee bee ouercome of that heauinesse vnder which we lye through manifold tentations and if alwayes he should be familiar with vs then would we take the earth for the heauen and forget our fathers house which is aboue therefore sometime he with-drawes his presence from vs that hee may teach vs to become weary of this barren wildernesse wherein we liue absent from our Lord Hee ascends many times from vs that we may stand like these Disciples on the Mount of Oliuet not looking downeward to the earth but gazing looking vpward towards our Lord who hath gone from vs he giues vs a little tast of his graciousnesse and then hee goes but goeth in such sort that he cryes after him Come and see Not of purpose to defraud thee of any joy that is in him doth he goe from thee onely that hee may prepare thee to follow him to that place wherein he will communicate to thee the fulnesse of ioy and let thee see that glory he had with his father from the beginning Hee will not alway tarry from vs least we despaire neither yet alway remaine with vs on earth least vve presume Sometime he will kisse vs with the kisses of his mouth and as it were vvith the Apostle rauish vs vp to the third heauens other times againe as it seemes he casts downe his angry countenance vpon vs he humbles vs to the hell and permits Sathan also to buffet vs least wee should be exalted out of measure Alwayes this comfort vvee haue of the Lords vvorking with vs that as here wee see hee comes to Iacob and goes from him for his vveale so vvhether he shew himselfe familiar vvith vs or againe for a vvhile hide his face from vs in both the one and the other hee is vvorking for our comfort and vveale Onely let vs possesse our soules in patience and giue glory to God CHAP. XV. How their inward exercises of conscience workes in the godly a diuorcement of their soules from all creatures and a neerer adherent to the Lord. WHo answered I will not let thee goe Perceiue here how the mint of the Lords departure workes into Iacob a more constant cleauing and adhering to the Lord. This as I said before is that notable fruite which all the Lords spirituall desertions worketh in his children it augments in them a desire of mercie and a more earnest carefulnesse to seeke the Lord. And this also wee see in our dayly experience for among all them who professe the name of Iesus Christ yee shall finde none more feruent in praier more continuall in mourning and sighing for their sinnes none that thirsteth more earnestly for mercie then they whom God hath humbled in their spirits with threatnings of spirituall desertion As here Iacob is more wakened by this one word Let me goe then by all the rest of the wrestling so is there nothing goeth so neere the heart of the godly as doth the mint of the Lords departure from them they are neuer so louing to him as at those times when hee seemeth to count least of them if hee looke angerly vpon them the more pittifully looke they vnto him if hee threaten them they threaten kindnesse vpon him the hardlier that hee answeres them the more importunately doe they cry vpon him Then with Dauid they water their couch with tears and call vpon God all the day long Their eyes cast out water continually when the comforter that should refresh their soules is away from them In a word these desertions worke in Gods children a diuorcement of their soules from the delight of euery creature a straiter adherence
was senselesse before being dead in sinne and trespasses begins now to stir and moue as Iosiahs heart melted at the reading of the Law and the hearts of those penitent Iewes which were pricked at the sharpe Sermon of Peter then feeling our selues vnder death through sinne wee begin to thinke vs of the wayes of life and to aske with the Iaylor What shall wee doe that wee may bee saued These motions meltings and prickings of the hart wrought in the â—…lect by the operation of Gods word are the very plucks of the hand of God translating thee out of Nature into Grace yet must wee not rest here for Felix may tremble while Paul is preaching and many for a while may receiue this word with joy and yet afterward fall away in the time of temptation Wee must therefore consider if there bee in the hart a respondence and answering vnto the Lord so oft as hee calleth doe wee present our selues before him ready to follow him saying with Abraham here I am Lord and with Samuel after hee knew the Lords voyce Speake on Lord thy Seruant heareth thee This answering and following of the Lord are vndoubted tokens of effectuall Calling So oft as the Lord calleth the Christian answereth When thou saidst Seeke yee my face my heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy face If the Lord commaund the Christian answereth O Lord quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse that I may apply my heart to keepe thy statutes alwayes to the end If the Lord promise mercy the Christian answeres Stablish O Lord thy promise to thy Seruant and let it bee to me according to thy word for I beleeue in thee but Lord help my vnbeleefe And thus in the heart of one effectually called there is a continual respondence to the voyce of God a waiting on the Lord a walking with him and a following of him where euer hee goe If the Lord haue called thee sure it is thou wilt follow him and no power of the Diuell of the world or of the slesh shall hold thee back from him When Eliah touched Elisha with his cloak he left his Oxen and came after him When Iesus called on Andrew and Peter they left their nets their ship and their Father and followed him when hee called on Mathew hee left all his gainful trade of the receipt of custome and followed him when hee called on Mary Magdalâ—…ne shee forsooke her sinfull life and followed him Here is the finest Touchstone to trye an inward calling If the Lord hath called thee thou wilt follow him but if yet thou bee wandring after vanitie walking on in the course of thy sinne turning thy backe and not thy face vnto the Lord deceiue not thy selfe pertalcer of this heauenly Calling wherein stands the onely comfort of a Christian hast thou neuer beene CHAP. XV. The loue of God a sure token of an inward calling and of the commendation of loue THat Loue of God And last of all to returne to the words againe the whole effects of out inward Calling the Apostle compriseth vnder one to wit The loue of God and that most properly for Loue compriseth all the rest vnder it Loue is the Cognisance of Christs Disciples sayes our Sauiour It is the band of perfection saith the Apostle and accomplishment of the Lâ—… Loue speakes with the tongue of eueâ—… Vertue Pittie bids thee help the indigent Iustice bids thee giue euery man his owne Mercy bids forgiue Patience bids suffer but the voyce of Christian Loue commaunds all these Holy Loue is the eldest Daughter of a iustifying Faith that is the fiâ—…st affection that Faith procreateth and sanctifieth and whereby she workes in the sanctification of the rest Loue is the strongest and most imperious affection in the whole nature of man all the rest of the affections giues place vnto it which wee may see euen in the man naturall and vnregenerate Where Loue is kindled Feare is banished Couetousnesse coucheth Ambition is silent A Coward inflamed with Loue becomes valiant and a couetous man is oft times â—…y Loue made to bee more prodigall yea the proud and ambitious man who otherwise giues place to 〈◊〉 man for obtayning that which hee 〈◊〉 cares not to prostrate his honor 〈◊〉 the dust If carnall Loue be so forciâ—… what shall wee say of the spirituall Loue How much more doth it draw 〈◊〉 whole powers of soule and body 〈◊〉 the Lord neyther is it possible to 〈◊〉 otherwayes for euery thing returns to his owne originall as the waters go 〈◊〉 to the deepe from whence 〈◊〉 came and fire tends vpward to his owne place and Region euen so holy Loue being a sparke of the heauenly fire kindled in our hearts by the holy Ghost doth continually enflame them towards the Lord from whom it came and suffers vs neuer to rest while vvee enjoy him then vvee begin to liue when vvee begin to Loue. As no Creature can liue out of his owne Element so the Soule is but dead in sinne vvhich is destitute of the loue of God No feare to offend him no care to please him no obedience to his Commaundements can bee giuen by the heart that loues him not It were tedious to speake of all the properties of Loue we make choise of a few as chiefe tryals of our Loue. CHAP. XVI First triall of Loue. THe first propertie of Loue is a burning desire to obtaine that which is beloued as a Woman that loueth her Husband vnfainedly cannot bee content with any Loue token she receiueth from him in his absence but longeth more and more till she receiue himselfe So the soule which is wounded with the Loue of Iesus her immortall hushand hath a continuall desire to bee with him I graunt enerie token sent from him brings comfort but no contentment till shee inioyes him whereof comes these and such like complaints As the Hart brayes for the riuers of water so panteth my soule 〈◊〉 thee O my God O whâ—…n 〈◊〉 I come appeare before the presence of my God my soule desireth after the Lord as the thirstie land for I would be dissolued be with the Lord therefore come euen so come Lord Iesus But alas here are we taken in our sins Thou sayest thou louest him but how is it then thou longest not to see him neither desiâ—…est to be with him yea a small appearance of the day of death wherein we should goe to him or mention of the day of judgement wherein hee shall come to vs doth terrifie and affright thee Thou that contents thee with the gifts of God and thinkest not long for himselfe thou art but like an adulterous woman who if she possesâ—…e the goods of her husband regards not albeit she neuer see himselfe The Iewes are blamed because they called on thâ—… Lord rather for oyle and wine then for himselfe The Gentiles are conuinced for worshiping the creature rather then the creator but more iustly shall the bastard
is neuer lawfull If that which sometime is lawfull cannot excuse thy delaying to come vnto Christ when he cals vpon thee what mockery of God is it to alleadge that which neuer is lawfull And here also beside the offence done against thy God consider what preiudice thou dost vnto thy selfe what folly is this that because thy neighbour hath sinned against thee thou wilt also sinne against thine owne soule I suppose as thou hast said hee hath wounded thee and hurt thee in thy body goods or name is that a reason why thou shouldest contemne the calling of Christ who offers to cure thy wounds and heale al the infirmities of thy soule yea to pacifie all those passions and perturbations of minde wherewith thy impatience disquiets thee hee forewarned his owne that in the world they should finde trouble but in him they should haue peace If thou finde as he forespake trouble in the world why wilt thou not go and seeke that peace in him which hee hath promised As to thy right I require not thou shouldest loose it neyther yet forbid I that by ordinary meanes thou shouldest seeke a redresse of those wrongs which against order are done vnto thee for the law is the stay of confusion and the Sinew of the Common-wealth without which no fellowship can be entertained amongst men and God hath appointed the Magistrate that vnto good men hee should be like the raine to fields new mowen vnder whom they may flourish but should bee to the wicked like that Westerly winde which draue those Locusts into the red Sea that troubled the Land but as for grudge rancour hatred malice and such like what haue they to doe in the hart of the childe of God Since we are commanded to forgiue on another euen as god for Christs sake forgaue vs and plainely foretold that if we doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will our Father forgiue vs our trespasses A fearefull recompence that wee should possesse our owne sinnes because wee will not forgiue the sinnes of others Certainely thou that dost so giuest out a hard sentence against thy selfe for in stead of mercy thou cryest for iudgement as oft as thou prayest forgiue me my sins as I forgiue them that haue sinned against me for that is Lord forgiue me not at all It was a horrible sin of the Iewes that they preferred Barrabas a wicked malefactor to the Lord but I pray thee consider how nere thy sin drawes to theirs if thou iudge rightly of it for when thou refusest to come to this holy table vnlesse thou haue amends of such wrongs as are done vnto thee thou saist in effect rather then I le renounce my will I will renounce my part of Christ and communion with him for heere is the verie question whether wilt thou forsake thy communion with Christ or thine owne corrupted will say not now to me these are hard speches God forbid that euerie one who is no partaker of this sacrament should in so doing forfeit his part of communion with Christ. I grant indeede they are hard speeches but true speeches and no harder then thy sin deserueth for I pray thee to what end did our Sauiour institute this Sacrament was it not that in it he might communicate himself to thee how canst thou then excuse thy selfe say thou hast â—…ot reiected him seeing thou reiects the means whereby hee is giuen to thee When Eliezer the seruant of Abraham sought Rebecca in marriage vnto Isaac what way did she testifie her consent surely not onely by word but by acceptation of those iewels of siluer and gold which he gaue her as loue tokens in the name of Isaac Now wee are sent forth to you as the Ambassadors of the liuing God to win you in mariage vnto his sonne and to prepare you that yee may bee presented a Chast spouse vnto him and wee are commaunded to minister vnto you this holy Sacrament as a pledge of his loue towards you If yee agree to the marriage and be content to forsake your fathers house and goe with vs to the house of Abraham then testifie your consent by receiuing these holy tokens of his loue which in his name wee exhibit vnto you but if yee will not then shall we stand vp as witnesses against you that wee haue called you and yee refused to come O man what wilt thou doe for thy Christ that wilt not come and banquet with him at his Table how canst thou say thou louest him when so small an impediment keepes thee back from going vnto him hast thou not cause to hang downe thy head for shame when thou art conuinced to haue lesse loue to thy Sauiour then Esau had to Iacobs pottage for loue of them he sould his birth right which he should haue kept but thou for loue of Christ wilt not forsake thy corrupt will which thou art bound to abandon Abraham for the loue of God was content with his own hands to slay his onely lawfull Sonne and thou for the loue of God wilt not slay thy vnlawfull bastard affections nor doe the holy will of God except thy wicked will be first fulfilled This euidently proues that thou hast not Abraham for thy father but art of the race of wicked Cain that hated his Brother vnto the death Assuredly except thou repent that merciles iudgement bides thee presignified in that mercilesse seruant who hauing gotten mercie from his King could shew none to his Companion Oughtest not thou to haue had pittie on thy fellow aâ—… I had pittie on thee Thy former sinnes shall bee imputed vnto thee and thou shalt be deliuered to the Iaylor till thou pay all that is due vnto thy Lord which thou shalt neuer be able to doe But that the pittifull ignorance of both these sorts of Recusants may the better appeare and farther light may arise to such as are willing to communicate wee are to consider what a banquet this is and what are the delicates vnto the participation whereof wee are here called The Apostle saith not let a man eate bread and drinke wine but let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup. The particle This tels vs it is no common Bread and Wine no surely the comfort is great that wee are commaunded to eate of that Bread whereof our Sauiour saith This is my body and to drinke of that Cup which he cals his Bloud of the New Testament shed for the remission of the sins of many Hee that eates of my bread and drinks of my Cup vnworthely becomes guiltie of the abuse of Gods Creatures but hee that eates of this Bread and drinkes of this Cup vnworthily becomes guiltie of the Body and Bloud of the Lord and eates his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords body And therefore that wee fall not into this fearefull sinne wee are to know that this Sacrament is not a simple thing but a
heart of man cannot vnderstand What then shall wee thinke of him who prepared them Must not his glorious Majestie by infinite degrees surpasse the reach of our vnderstanding CHAP. XXVII What sight of God shall wee haue in the heauens YEt I speake not this to take away that sight of God which wee shall haue in the heauens It must bee true which the Apostle saith Wee shall see him as he is it being vnderstood with these restrictions First the sight of God vvhich vve shall haue in heauen shall bee perfect in respect of vs the Lord shall dwell in vs fully and replenish euery power and facultie of soule and body vvith his joyfull presence Hee shall fill my whole minde with â—…is light no darknesse shall bee left in it he shall quicken my whole heart no more deadnesse shall bee in it and the whole affections shall bee replenished with his peace and joy Now the Lord dwels in vs but he fils vs not Wee are yet hungry and thirstie Wee know but in part but in the heauens wee shall be filled perfectly with that presence wherein is the fulnesse of ioy the Lord shall then be all things in all vnto vs. Now the greatest measure of the sence of mercy is called by the holy spirit a tasting tast and consider how gracious the Lord is but there is promised vnto vs a full satisfaction ye shall bee satisfied Inebriabor ab vbertate domus tuae I call this sight perfect in respect of vs the Lord shall fill all that is in vs wee shall desire no more but we shall not be able to comprehend all that is in the Lord. Augustine expresseth this by a proper similitude for he compares the godly in the heauens to vessels cast into the sea were they neuer so large they shall be filled full of water and yet that which they containe is nothing in comparison of that great aboundance which is about them So euery godly man glorified in heauen shall be fully filled with gods comfortable presence so that hee shall know no want and yet shall he not be able to comprehend that infinit majestie and peace and joy and glory of the incomprehensible God Therefore said I that in respect of vs wee shall haue in the heauens a perfect sight of God that is so farre as we can bee capable of him Mensuram plenam superfluentem tunc dabit in sinâ—…s vestros A good measure prest and running ouer saith our Sauiour shall bee then giuen into your bosomes Secondly that sight of God that in heauen wee shall injoy shall bee immediate and this is such a sight as none can vnderstand till wee get it Yet to make it as plaine as we may let vs compare it with that which we haue here in earth The sight that now we haue of God is as through a glasse or a vaile that is by mediate reuelations Now vvee know him by seeing him in his Creatures wee know him by hearing him in his word we know him also euen in the earth by spirituall meditation that begetteth some secret sense of his mercy yet al these are a walking by faith not by sight at the least but a dark sight of God and through couerings but in the heauen we shall see him not by halues but by an immediate sight which wee shall then best vnderstand as I sayd when we shall attaine vnto it The Lord of his mercy purge and prepare vs in time and then hasten that day wherein we shall see him And yet because eternall life must be begunne on the earth and that it is not possible wee can see God in the heauen vnles wee haue first seene him in the earth let vs take heed vnto those three things whereby wee may attaine vnto the sight of God First remember that God without his own light cannot beseen the eye suppose it be an organe of sight were it neuer so quicke seeth nothing in the darke the Sunne without the Sunne cannot bee seene farre lesse can the Lord be seene without the Lord. In light saith the Psalmist shall we see light If therefore we would begin to see the Lord let vs walke in his light making his word a lanthorne to our feete in all our wayes taking heede vnto it as vnto a most sure word and a light shining in darknesse therewithall joyning to the Lords prayer Open my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law Secondly we must remember that wee cannot see God without some similitude and conformitie with him Therefore saith Christ. Blessed are the poore in spirit for they shall see God Among all the members of the body none can see the Sunne but the eye because of some similitude that is betweene them For as God hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the great world the Sunne and Moone in the sirmament as instruments of light to serue it so hath hee placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the little world which is Man two eyes in the highest part of his body as organes of light to serue him But the eye being any way troubled or offended as we see by experience â—…bhorres the light wherein it otherwise delights and after the same manner the minde of man polluted with sinne neyther can nor dare looke vp to the Lord. Oculus cordis parturbatus auertit se à luce iustitiae nec audet eam contemplari The eye of the heart being perturbed saith Augustine turneth it selfe away from the light of righteousnesse and dares not behold it And to the same effect he sayes in another place Male viuen do videri à Deo non potes videre Deum not potes bene autem viuendo videris vides If thou liue an euill life thou shalt be seene of God but shall not see him but if thou liue a good life thou art not onely seene of him but thou maist also see him So necessary is this conformitie with God by sanctificati on that without it we cannot see God Thirdly to the sight of God there is requisite attention and consideration a meeke and quiet spirit a heart stablished by grace separate from other things and fixed on the Lord Oculus circuÌ„mactâ—…s non videt etiam quae ante se sunt A watering and reeling eye sees not those things which are before it and an vnstable minde tossed too and fro with restlesse cares and perturbations is not meete to see the the Lord. When the Lord appeared to Eliah there went before him a mighty winde an earth-quake and fire but God was not in any one of them hee followed in a soft and still voyce to teach vs that we must haue meeke setled and pacified spirits if we looke that God should bee familiar with vs and wee must set the eyes of our soules stable and sixt on the Lord attending on his shining mercies like the eyes of seruants on their maisters and while the Lord
best to them that loue the Lord not according to his purpose in deede but because the Lord trappeth him in his owne snare If vnder the serpents shape hee deceiued Adam vnder the Serpents name shall the Lord curse him and all these weapons whereby hee intends to destroy the worke of Gods grace in vs shall the Lord make forcible to destroy the workmanship of Sathan in vs I meane that whole bastard generation of sinfull affections which Sathan hath begotten vpon our mutable nature by a most vnhappy and vnlawfull copulation The experience of all the saints of God will proue this that Sathan by his restles temptations doth destroy himselfe which is most euident both in his temptations for sin which tend to desperation as also in his temptations to sin which tend to presumption Eâ—…ery accusation of the conscience for by-past sins is a preseruatiue to the child of God to keepe him from sinne in time to come hee reasoning with himselfe after this manner If my eni mie doth so disquiet my mind with inward terrors for these sins which foolishly I did by his inticement why shal I harken to him any more hereafter and so increase the matter of my trouble for what fruite haue I of all the sinnes whereof I tooke pleasure but terrour and shame And shall I looke that this forbidden Tree shall render any better fruite hereafter O what a faithlesse traytor is Sathan he intiâ—…eth man vnto sinne and when hee hath done it hee is the first accuser and troubler of man for sinne When hee works in vs he is a temptor when we haue finished his worke which is fin hee is an accuser of vs to the iudge and when he returneth hee returneth as a troubler and a tormentor of vs for our sins Stop thy eare therefore O my soule from the voyce of this deceitfull enchaunter His temptations againe vnto sinne are so many prouocations spurring vs forward to the throne or grace for whilst we finde his restlesse malice pursuing that sparkle of spirituall life whereby the Lord hath quicned vs and our owne weaknesse and inhabilitie to resist him then wee are forced with Israel in Aegipt to sigh for the thraldome and to cry with Iosah O Lord our God we wot not what to do but our eies are turned toward thee And who feeles not this that the grace of feruent prayer wherein otherwise wee faint our hands being more ready to fall downe then the hands of Moses except they bee supported is greatly weakned and abridged in the children of God by the buffets of Sathan So they weakned the holy Apostle and stirred him vp to such feruency in praier that hee besought the Lord thrice that is many times to deliuer him from them Yea which is more the Lord made them effectuall meanes to beate downe the power of naturall pride in him least he should haue beene exalted out of measure through the greatnesse of his reuelations A wonderfull worke that the Father of pride becommeth against his wil a represser of pride and hee who first powred this poyson into the nature of Man is made contrary to his entent an instrument to suppresse it Thus the Lord our God out-shooteth Sathan in his owne bow and with the sword of Goliah cutteth off his owne head his holy name be praised therefore for euer Now as concerning outward afflictions it is true that as the Philistins could not vnderstand Sampsons Riddle how sweet came out of the sower and meate out of the eater So can no Worldlings vnderstand that tribulation bringeth out Patience and that our light and momentary afflictions causeth vnto vs a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory but the Children of God haue learned by experience that albeit no visitation be sweet for the present yet afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them vvho are thereby exercised that there is more solide joy in suffring rebuke with Christ then in all the pleasure of sinne which indure but for a season For as Moses the mediator of the old Testament by his prayer made the bitter waters of Marah sweete that the Israelites might drinke of it so Iesus the mediator of the new Testament by his passion hath mittigated to his Children the bitternes of the Crosse and not onely mixed it with joy but made it most profitable The forlorne Son concluded neuer to returne home to his Father till he was brought low by affliction And many in the Gospell were forced by corporall diseases to run to Iesus where others enjoying bodily health did nothing but disdaine him The earth which is not tilled and broken beares nothing but Thornes and Bryers the Vines waxe wilde by time except they be pruned and cut so would our vaine hearts ouergrowe with vilde affections if the Lord by sanctified trouble did not continually manure them Therefore said Ieremy It is good for a man to beare the yoke in 〈◊〉 youth And Dauid confessed It was good for him that hee was afflicted Yea saith our Sauiour Euery branch that beares fruite my heauenly Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite No work can be made of Gold and Siluer without fire and stones are not meet for Pallace worke except they be pollished and squared by hammering no more is it possible that wee can bee vessels of Honour in the houses of our God except first wee bee sined and melted in the fire of Affliction neither can wee bee as liuing sâ—…ones to be placed in the wall of the heauenly Ierusalem except so long as wee be here the hand of God beate vs from our proud lumps by the hammer of Affliction As standing waters putrifies and rotâ—… so the wicked feares not God saith the Psalmist because they haue no changes And Moab keepes his sent saith the Prophet because he was not powred from Vessell to Vessell but hath beene at rest euer since his youth And therefore O Lord rather then we should keepe the old sent of our naturall corruption and liue in carelesse securitie without the feare of thy holy name and so become sit-fasts in our sins no rather O Lord change thou vs from estate to estate waken vs with the presence of thy hand purge vs Lord with thy fire and chastice vs with thy rods alway O Lord with a protestation that thou stand to thy promise made to the Sons of Dauid I will visite them with my rods if they sinne against mee but my mercy will I neuer take from them CHAP. V. How death also workes for the best to Christians THe same comfort haue vvee also against death that now in Christ Iesus it is not a punishment of our sinnes but a full accomplishment of the motificatian of sinne both in soule and body for by it all the Conduits of sinne are stopped the weapons of vnrighteousnesse broken and though our bodyes seeme to bee consumed yet
destruction If they bee in prosperitie they contemne God and their prosperitie becomes their ruine if they bee in aduersitie they blaspheme him and like raging waues of the sea cast out their owne durt to their shame Yea what speake I of these things euen their table shall be a snare to them Iesus Christ is a rocke of offence to them the Gospell the sauour of death to them and their prayer is turned into sinne to them And what more excellent things then these as a foule stomak turneth most healthsome foode into corruption so their polluted Conscience turne iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into Wormewood And all this should prouoke vs to become good in our persons or else there is nothing were it neuer so good can be profitable vnto vs. To them that loue God Here followeth the second part of the Verse containing a discription of the persons to whom this priuiledge appertaineth together with a reason of the former comfort Of force all things must worke for the best namely to saluation to them that loue God because they are called namely to saluation according to Gods purpose The strength of this reason stands in the necessitie and immutabilitie of the purpose of God more stable then the decree of the Medes and Persians for what hee hath decreede cannot be reuoked anulled or hindered It is that supreame cause of all which orders all inferiour causes and incidents whatsoeuer in such sort that they must worke to the aduancement of that most high purpose of God This reason is made clearer in the subsequent Verse where the Apostle lets vs see how the links of the golden Chaine of our Saluation are knit together inseperably by the hand of God that no power in heauen or earth can sunder them whereof it comes that he that is sure of one is sure of all And now let vs take a short view of it for confirming of the Apostles Reason Election is the first and it is the most auncient Charter of the right of Gods Children to their Fathers inheritance Calling is the second and it is that gift of God whereby wee are knowne the sonnes of God and our Election secret in it selfe is made manifest to our selues and others Iustification is the third and it is the grace of God whereby we are infeoft in Iesus Christ in such sort that wee are made one with him and pertakers of all that is his Glorification is the last and it is that grace of GOD whereby vvee shall bee entred in the due time full Heyres to our heauenly Father No King on earth can produce so auncient a right to his crowne as the Christian effectually called No man on earth can bee knowne his fathers heire vpon such sufficient warrant as the Christian for in his Regeneration the Father communicates to him his Image his Nature and his Spirit whereby he begins from feeling to call God his father and in life and manners resembleth him No Free-holder so surely infeoft in his Lands hauing so many confirmations of his right as hath the justified Christian who vpon his guift hath receiued the earnest the Pledge the Seale and the Witnesse of the great King and last of all the Christian shall be entred to the ful fruition of his inheritance with such joy and triumph in the glorious assembly of the Saints as the like was neuer seene in the world no not in Ierusalem that day when Salomon sate downe in his fathers Throne then their joy was so great That the earth rang with the sound of them but nothing comparable to this And herein stands the excellency of a Christian and certaintie of his saluation CHAP. X. How the Christian is made sure of his Election and Glorification FOr this Chaine of our Saluation reacheth as I may say from eternitie to eternitie the beginning of it albeit before beginning is our Election the end of it albeit without end is our glorification and these two ends of the Chaine the Lord keepes them sure secret in his owne hand but the two middle links of the Chaine to wit Calling and Iustification the Lord hath letten them downe from the Heauen to earth that we should gripe and apprehend them that being sure of the two middle Links wee might also bee sure of the two ends because the Lord hath knit them inseparably together Then thou who wouldest be comforted with the assurance of thy Saluation take heed of this making it knowne to thine owne Conscience by a holy life that God hath called thee and iustified thee Gripe sure as it were with one hand the linke of Calling and with the other hand the linke of Iustification then maist thou know assuredly Election before the world is thine Glorification after this shall also be thine To make this yet more plaine we are to remember this mortall life of ours is a short interiected point of Time betwixt two Eternities if so I may call it or like a stepping stone betwixt two Gulphes whereupon some in feare and trembling worke out their Saluation and so steps from Gods eternall Election to endlesse glorification Others againe in wantonnesse and carelesse securitie drinkes in iniquitie with greedinesse and so steps from the decree of Reprobation that most iustly they procure their euerlasting condemnation So that euery man is to consider of his euerlasting weale or woe by his present disposition in this life Oh that wee had sanctified memories to remember this so long as wee are here If of weaknesse wee fall wee may rise againe and if wee haue not learned well to repent in one day wee haue leaue of the Lords patience to learne it better another day his name bee praysed therefore who hath opened a doore of mercie to sinners and with long suffering waits for our repentance But he who in the day of his transmigration steps the wrong step will neuer get leaue to amend it Where the tree falles it shal lie there the wicked dies in their sinnes and so steps downeward to the deep pit and gulph out of which there is no redemption Let vs therefore be wel aduised before wee leape Let vs fasten our feete in the borders of that Canaan in time which shal be done if wee make our whole life a proceeding from Election to Glorification and that through Calling and Iustification which two hath inseparably following them the Sanctification and Renouation of the whole man The Lord make vs wise in time that we may consider our course and think of the end wherevnto it leades vs for there is but one of two as Moses protested to the Israelites so doe I vnto you I haue laid this day life and death before you the Lord giue you grace to make choise of the best But now to returne to the words of this discription of the persons to whom this priuiledge appertaineth wee haue these things First the Purpose of God Secondly his Calling according to
is it then to take fâ—…om the people that which Christ by his Apostles hath deliuered vnto them and thus while they boast of antiquitie they are found fathers of noueltie And against the third they faile who vse not this Sacrament to the right endes which aâ—…e especially two The first is the commemoration of Christs death and pâ—…ssion with thanksgiuing for the which also the Gâ—…ecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second is the communication of Christ to them who are his And for this the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first I take out of our Sauiour his words doe this in remembrance of me And from the Apostle So oft as yee eate of this bread and drinke of this cup shew forth the Lords death till his comming againe And in very deed this holy Sacrament being vsed according to Christs institution is a liuely representation of Christ crucified while as the signes of his blessed body and bloud being sundred one of them from the other the one is broken the other poured out remeÌ„bring vs how his blessed body was broken with the Crowne of thornes the Scourge the Nayles the speare and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes which should worke in vs so oft as wee behold it an inward contrition and godly sorrow for our sins wherewith wee peirced and wounded our blessed Sauiour vnto the death And indeed if wee be of the number of those vpon whom God hath powred out the spirit of grace and compassion so often as wee looke vpon him whom we haue peirced as here in this Sacrament wee may see him crucified before our eyes as often shall wee â—…ament for this as one mourneth for his onely Son or is sorrowfull for his first borne but of this wee shall speak God willing hereafter Now here is also discouered the vanitie of that errour of concomitance wherewith the aduersaries would excuse their disâ—…embring of this holy Sacrament for say they by concomitance where the body of Christ is ther is his bloud and therefore the bread which is his body being giuen there is no neede to giue the cup. But as the Lord asked the King of Tyrus in dirision Art thou wiser then Daniel So may wee aske of them are yee wiser then Christ will yee amend his institution This assertion takes away one of the principall ends of this Sacrament to wit the Commemoration of Christs death and passion for to haue the bloud within the body is no declaration of a crucified man nor a shewing forth of the Lords death whereas our blessed Sauiour ordained them to be exhibited and receiued sundry that it might not only be preached to our eares but represented also to our eyes how his blessed body and bloud were sundred for our sinnes The second end for which this Sacrament was ordayned is that it might bee a meanes of the communication of Christ to all them vvho are his for the sealing vp of our spirituall vnion with him ideo enim sacrameÌ„tuÌ„ illud hominibus datur vt Caput in terris corpori coadunetur And this as I sayd I take out of the word of the Apostle This bread which we break is it not the coÌ„munion of the body of Christ And in this respect this holy bread and wine are not only signes representing Christ crucified nor seales confirming our faith in him but also effectuall instruments of exhibition wherby the holy spirit makes an inward applycation of Christ crucified to all that are his And herein stands our greatest comfort for if wee had no more to doe in the celebration of this holy sacrament but to remember Christs death and passion then certainely looking to it onely were sufficient to put vs in remembrance thereof but when wee heare and see that this bread which is his body it giuen vs and vve are commaunded to take and eate it vvhat shall wee thinck but that wee are called to this high mercy as to bee pertakers of Christ and all the benefits that flow from his death The Lord doth neyther deceiue vs with words to bid vs take vvhen hee giues nothing neither calleth hee vs onely to a communion of naked bread and wine farre be it from vs to thinck so basely of this holy Sacrament Certainely hee that with any measure of light and grace wil ponder these words of our Sauiour Take and eate this is my body Shall perceiue that there is here a reall and effectuall exhibition made of the Lord Iesus to the penitent and beleeuing receiuer And yet let no man thinke that albeit the breaking and giuing of the bread be the communication of Christs body that therefore the bread is transstubstantiate into his body or that euery one receiues the body of Christ who receiues the bread for there is great difference betweene communication and acceptation on the part of God In this Sacrament there is indeede a communication and exhibition of Christ but on the part of the vnbeleeuing receiuer it fayles for fault of acceptation because they haue no saith whereby to receiue him nor a purified heart wherein to lodge him It is therefore a vile errour also of the Papists who affiâ—…me that the wicked in this Sacrament eate Christ but to their damnation It is contrary to the Word of God reformed antiquitie For whosoeuer saith Christ eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Sacramentum quibusdam ad vitam quibusdam ad exitium res vero ipsa cuius est sacramentuÌ„ omni homini ad vitam nulli ad exitium 〈◊〉 Qui non manet in Christo in quo non manet Christus proculdubio non manducat spiritualiter earnem nec bibit sanguineÌ„ eius licet visibiliter premat dentibus Sacramentum sanguinis et corporis eius The wicked who beleeue not may with Iudas eate Panera Domini non panem Dominum The bread of the Lord but not the bread which the Lord himselfe is to his worthy receiuer Of all this then it is euident that this banquet is most heauenly and excellent wherein as there is no lesse offered then Christ Iesus so no lesse is refused by them who refuse to communicate they proclaime by their deed if they continue in it that they haue No poâ—…tion in Dauid neyther inheritance in the Sonne of Ishai But now wee leaue them and returne to speake as wee promised of that tryall which they who mind to communicate are to take of themselues CHAP. IIII. The second part of the precept commands triall before we communicate The Lord wil not that this table be a snare to vs as was Absalom to Ammon Banquetters at this table should be holy persons LEt a man therefore try himselfe This Particle therefore is relatiue to that which went before since there is a daunger will he say and many eates and drinks vnworthily therefore
the tender conscience cast downe with the sight of sinne after tryall two sorts of tryalls the one of things perfect the other of things vnperfect Dayly tryall most necessary THe Apostle saith that the breaking of this bread is the Communion of the body of Iesus Sith Christ is that holy thing which here is communicated take heede how wee make ready the heart wherin to receiue him Ioseph of Aramathia and the rest of those Godly ones who tooke downe Iesus from the Crosse wrapped his dead bodie in pure and fine linnen what shall wee then doe with the liuing body of Iesus shall not wee receiue it into pure sine and well prepared hearts No man sayes our Sauiour puts new wine into olde Vessels far lesse will any man put the ordinary food of his body into vncleane vnseasoned and vnsauery Vessels but least of al should men presume with vnholy harts and hands to meddle with things sacred heauenly here is new wine indeed let vs not put it into old vessels here is heauēly manna let vs not receiue it with earthly harts Euery man that is in Christ should become a new Creature If wee bee these blessed ones who are called to the participation of the Lambs supper then shall it bee graunted to vs to bee arrayed with pure fine linnen and shining which is the righteousnes of the Saints The Lord vouchsafe this grace vpon vs that sith he hath made vs pertakers of the heauenly vocation and called vs to the marriage of his Son that wee receiue not so excellent a grace in vaine but it may be vnto vs his seruants according to his word And now before we enter to speak of this tryall least the tender Consciences of the Godly by reason of that which I haue spoken should bee discouraged and cast downe with the sence of their owne vnworthines which at all times is great in their eyes but greatest when by trial they looke most narrowly vnto themselues Wee haue therefore to consider that there be two sorts of tryals One whereby a thing perfect is tryed in such sort that it is not made better but sound to be that which it is and with this kinde of tryall man is said to try the Lord and his Word so speakes the Lord by Malachie proue me and try me now if I will not poure you out a blessing without measure By this tryall if a man fall to try the Lord hee shall finde him such as hee is true constant and faithfull to performe that which hee hath spoken or if againe man will enter and try the word of the Lord hee shall finde that the law of the Lord is perfect no drosse in it but like siluer fined seauen times in the fire There is againe another tryall wherby things imperfect are so tryed that they are made better and at the length perfected and hereby God tryes man for so he speakes by the same Malachie The Lord will fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as gold siluer that they bring offerings to him in righteousnesse And with this tryall also man tryes himselfe searching out his iniquities that he may forsake them and this triall tends indeed to a perfection at the last but stands rather in a sinding out and forsaking of our imperfections then in any present perfection And of this t◅yall the Apostle meanes here so that this precept doth commaund vs to search out our iniquities to depart from them but doth no way import that we should not communicate at this Table because that new tryall discouers to vs new transgressions for wee come not here as men without sin but as poore and miserable sinners seeking the Sauiour of the world knowing that hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Thou then who after examination shalt finde thy selfe a miserable and yet a penitent sinner say not with Peter Lord depart from mee for I am a sinfull man but so much the rather goe to him and crie with Dauid haue mercy on me O God and according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities for it is a true saying Christ came into the world to saue sinners Stay not thou therefore backe from him because thou art sinfull onely trie if thou bee wearie of thy sinnes for we are sure that a sinne discouered by tryall and cast out by repentance wil neuer condemne vs Wash you saith the Lord make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before my eyes and then though your sinnes were as crimson they shall bee made white as snow though they were red like Scarlet they shall be as Wool Omne quod ipse mihi non imputare decreuerit Sic est quasi non fuerit euerie sin saieth the ancient which God hath concluded not to impute vnto me is as if it had neuer beene If therefore in thy conscience thou feele thy sins an heauy burden vnto thee vnder the which thou sighest gronest and whereof thou earnestly desirest to be releeued crying with that holy Apostle O miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from this body of sin then goe thou to the Lord Iesus for surely thou art one of those whom he is seeking he came into the world to sane thee and the like of thee lay thy burden vpon the back of Christ and hee shall beare it and take thou vp his yoake which is easie and his burden which is light So shalt thou finde rest to thy soule O happy exchange when we are taken from the seruitude of sin and entred into the seruice of Christ when the burden of sin that presseth vs downe is taken from our backs and the sweete yoake of Christ that lifteth vs vp is laid vpon vs for albeit it bee called a burden yet is it such a burden as easeth vs and maketh vs lighter like the wings of a Bird Quidenim leuius co onere quod non solum onerat sed portat omnem cui portandum imponitur Where for our farther comfort let vs consider what manner of Guestes these were whom the great King commaunded to bring into his banquetting house euen the poore the maymed the halt and the blind Take heed vnto this O thou that art disquieted in minde wounded in spirit with the sence of thy infirmities the Lord is gracious ready to shew mercie Hee will not breake the brused reede nor quench the smoaking Flax he will not despise thee because thou art weake but bids thee come to him that he may heale all thy infirmities Art thou then poore and destitute of spirituall grace in thy seeling turne thee to Christ who being rich became poore for thy sake that thou in him mights bee made rich Art thou weake and diseased remember they who are whole need no Phisition but the sicke and that it is the glorie of this
excellent Phisition to cure diseases otherwise incurable quid enim tam mortem quod Christi morte non saenetur Art thou lame and complainest that thou canst not with Danid runne the way of the commaundements of God yet indeauour to halt forward with Iacob vnto Canaan and to creep to the Lord Iesus as one of his little Babes praying vnto him O Lord that raisest vp the crooked I beseech thee to order my goings aright and to staye my steps in thy pathes that I slide not any more as I haue done And thou who laments thy blindnesse and the weake measure of thy knowledge now in this time of light alas as we haue all more then cause to complaine that by our own default the eyes of our vnderstandings are not lightned and we haue so little insight into the riches of that glorious inheritance and rich mercies manifested to vs by the Gospell in comparison of that we might haue had If with the Angels we had beene desirous to behold them surely in regard of time we should haue beene teachers yea the meanest inhabitant of Icrusalem should haue beene as Dauid and Dauid as the Angel of God But we are become such as haue neede that the principles of God should bee taught againe vnto vs yet must wee not dispayre but goe to Iesus who giueth sight to the blinde and pray to him Lord open our eyes that we may see the wonders of thy Law Let vs goe to this Table stand and cry with these two blinde men Iesus the Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me O Lord enlighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death Comfortable then is that mes sage sent by the Lord Iesus to the Church of Laodicea I know that thou art miserable and poore and blinde and naked Yet I counsell thee come to mee I haue the fine gold that wil make thee rich I haue the white raiment to couer thy filthy nakednesse I haue the Eye-salue that will open thy eyes Let vs not therfore hearken to the voyce of our infidelitie against so cleare testimonies of the Word of God neyther so looke on our miseries that we turne our backs vpon Gods mercies but rather let our miseries chase vs to him who of his aboundant mercy is able to fulfill all our necessities aboue all that wee can aske or thinke But now to returne and speake of the tryall here required wee must consider that as this action is not a daily action so it requires a tryall aboue our daily tryall as to our daily and ordinary tryall in it we are bound to examine all our actions in the Court of Conscience that we may call our selues to account Not concealing the iniquitie of our bosome as Adam did but iudging our selues that wee may not be iudged of the Lord. And this tryall without a daily losse cannot bee neglected for since wee are subiect to so many changes that euen the iust man falleth seauen times in the day and no man knoweth the errours of his life wee haue great neede by daily consideration to view the state of our consciences to looke into the course of our life whether or not it be such as will lead vs vnto that end whereat wee would be Such profit found godly Dauid by the examination of his wayes that hee praysed the Lord Who gaue him counsell and made his reynes to teach him in the night And hee acknowledgeth it a speciall meanes whereby many times hee was reduced into the way of life when hee had wandred from it I haue considered saith hee my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy Testimonies As Dauid learned this from God so doth he recommend it vnto vs that morning and euening we should examine our selues as a most profitable meanes to nourish that holy feare in vs wherby we keepe out sinne when wee are tempted to it or cast out sinne when wee haue once conceiued it for this holy feare is Innocentiae custos Tremble therefore saith hee and sinne not examine your hearts vpon your beds and be yee still Againe hee protests that euery day he was punished and chastised euery morning that hee daily cleansed his heart and washed his hands in innocency Euery day of our life wee contract some new debt of sinne and wisedome craues that euery day wee should seeke a discharge thereof As wee cannot liue without dayly food far lesse can wee liue without daily mercy and therefore our Sauiour who in the one Petition taught vs to pray giue vs this day our daily bread in the next hee taught vs also to pray and forgiue vs our sinnes that no day should goe by vs without examination of our selues and crying of God mercy for our sinnes But here commeth to be lamented the sencelesse slupiditie of this generation in all their affaires they vse consideration bring to account and reclâ—…oning their whole busines with men but as touching their conuersation towards God and the state of their consciences and whether or no they bee translated from Nature into Grace there are they so carryed away by presumption that they leaue no place to the examination of themselues but proclaime peace to themselues though there be no peace blessing themselues in their hearts albeit God in their hearing pronounce them and their actions accursed in his Word They are wise like Achitophell hee put his house in order but not his soule in order wise in things perishing concerning this life there they ouer see nothing wise enough in their generation but fooles concerning things pertaining to life eternall for they suffer a daily debt to run on vpon their soules which at length shal ouer-charge them A count that is long ouer-passed in the end becomes difficult to be finished and hee who long hath liued in darknesse if yee bring him to the light cannot hold vp his eyes to looke vpon it but is forced to cast them downe toward the ground euen so shall it bee with him who suffers his debt of sinne to multiply and the reckoning of his transgressions to runne on in the end His owne wickednesse shall reproue him The Lord shall draw him out of his lurking hooles and bring him out of the darke chambers of his imagination and as now his secret sins are set in the light of Gods Countenance so then shall the Lord set them in order before him that did them Hee shall manifest his inward thoughts to the light and present him naked vnto iudgement and then with what confusion and astonishment with what trembling and blacknesse of face shall he that was prodigall of the time of grace liuing in his sinnes a contemner of God come forward vnto iudgement And this to awake vs to the daily triall and ordinarie examination of our hearts As to this action it is not ordinary and therefore requires a singular and extraordinary tryall farre aboue that which euery day
ioy because we found the Lord. And lastly let vs take heede that the Apostle commaundeth vs to trie our selues and not to trie other men It is a corrupt custome of men at those times of holy communion to sift the conuersation of their neighbours and brethren more narrowly then euer Laban searched the stuffe of Iacob to see if he could finde any thing wherewith to charge him and this they doe not of a heart to forgiue which were commendable but of purpose to seeke the vttermost recompence and satisfaction for smalest offences done against them and so where they should cast open the dore of their hearts to the King of glory and prepare in the desart a path for our God by making low that which is high within them making straight that which is rough by the contrarie they stoppe all the passages and wayes of God his accesse vnto them for now their affections are exalted so high by pride against God that they dispise the counsell of his word crooked were they before but more crooked now they liued without loue before and dissembled it but now are not ashamed when God calleth them to the table of loue plainely to professe with rough and sierce speeches the hatred of their hearts they put off that which the Apostle commaunds them to put on as the elect of God namely tender mercy humblenesse of minde meekenesse and long suffering they insist to search out the sins done against them by men and ouerpasse the sinnes by themselues done against God Louers of themselues more then louers of God I graunt indeed it is a poynt of Christian duty to admonish our brethren of their sinnes if it bee done in Loue for so vvee are commaunded Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy hart but shalt reproue him It is hatred and not Loue for the father to spare correction or the brother to spare admonition to his brother in his sins I confesse in like manner that he who hath offended is bound to reconcile himselfe vnto thee before hee offer his Sacrifice to the Lord but in case that hee neglect to doe it yet standest thou bound and obliged to forgiue him and to take heede that thou despise not so great a Saluation offered by the Lord because an other dischargeth not that brotherly duety which he ought vnto thee As another mans faith will not iustifie thee so another mans sinne will not condemne thee And therfore mourning for that which vvee cannot amend in others let vs chiefly attend to our selues as wee are here commanded CHAP. VIII The points of preparation are two First that wee lay aside our old sinnes Secondly that we put on the new Christian disposition consisting in three things First that towards God we be holy and heauenly minded Secondly that towards our neighbours wee bee louing Thirdly that wee be sober and little in our owne cies The comfortable fruit arising to vs at this holie Table BVt now leauing to speake any more of this tryall ingenerall we enter to speake of the particular points of this tryall The whole tryall and examination required in those who are to bee banquetters at this holy Table I reduce to these two the first is that wee try our selues vvhether or not with Ioshua vvee haue cast away our filthy garments that is if vvee haue cast off the old man vvhich is corrupt through deceiuable lusts And next if we haue put on our marriage garment that is put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse First of all therefore we must take paines to remoue the impediments that may hinder our Vnion with Christ that wee come not to this Table as Iudas dâ—…d with our old sinnes hauing that lodged in our hearts which wee dare not present vnto God for seeing no man will sit downe at the Table of his enimie what great presumption is it in vs to sit downe at the Lords Table as long as our sinne which is the cause of enmitie is not remoued There can bee no communion betweene light and darknesse Let vs therefore bee changed from that vvhich we are let vs cast away the works of darknesse and be renewed in the spirit of our minde if so bee we desire to be vnited with the Lord hee is the holy One of Israell God blessed for euer in vvhom there can be no shadow of alteration so that of necessitie the change must bee vpon our part It is written of the Lionesse that hauing had con mixtion with the Leopard shee washes her selfe in water before shee company againe with the Lyon that so hee should not by sent dâ—…scerne her adultery And Basile in his Hexameron writes that the Vipeâ—… a most pernicioâ—…s kind of Serpent before his copulation with that Sea-fish called Muâ—…aena doth fiâ—…st vomit and cast out his venemous poyson thus the Beasts in their kinde so farre as they can do reuerence one to another to teach man that hee is woâ—…se then a Beast indeede except hee cast off the filthy slâ—…e of his olde sinnes that hee may bee ioyned with the Lord for by nature wee arâ—… more adulterous then the Lyonesse for what is the vanitie after which vve haue not gone a whoring more venemous also we are then the Viper full of hatred malice enuy debate and therefore haue neede to vomit out our iniquities by repentance and to wash our selues in that fountain opened to the house of Dauid Before that Ester was presented to Ahasuerus shee was purified by the space of twelue monthes sixe moneths with oyle of myrrhe and sixe monthes with sweet odours shall such reuerence be done to mortall flesh whose carkasse was shortly to bee made a pray to the wormes and shall wee carry no reuerence to our immortall husband the Lord Iesus shall wee take no paines to purifie our heart that we may be presented as a chast spouse vnto him Let vs not deceiue our selues except we forsake our fathers house and our owne people that is except we be deuorced from our old sins wherein wee were borne and brought vp it is not possible that the king shall haue pleasure in our beautie Let vs call our deeds to examination before the tribunal of our conscience let vs cast out the Cananits and not pitty them that the peace of God may dwell with vs let vs deliuer Barrabas to be crucified that Christ Iesus may liue in vs why shall these Serpents I meane our crooked affections bee nourished any longer in our bosome which liue vpon our bloud and cannot liue except we die Oh that wee could make this day a day of new diuision betweene vs and our old sins Neither must wee heere thincke it enough to fight against our sinnes but we must euery one of our selues make a particular inquisition of these domestique sins and predominate euill affections that hath most of al oppressed vs for there
kinde Pelican that sendeth out his owne bloud to nourish his young and all this hath our Lord Iesus done not grudgingly but willingly prouoked hereunto by that feruent Loue hee bare to the glory of God his father and to our saluation Which shall yet appeare more euidently out of his owne comfortable saying to his Disciples I haue greatly desired to eate this Passeouer with you O word full of consolation sundry Passeouers had hee eaten before with them but hee protesteth this was his desired Passeouer See yee not here his vnquenchable Loue hee knew it was the last hee was to eate vpon the earth he knew he was to drink no more with them of the fruit of the Vine till it was fulfilled in his Fathers kingdome hee knew that the same night they would â—…ay him and that after Supper a bitter Cup of Passion was abiding for him yet his loue ouercame all these impediments and made him thinke long to eate of this Passeouer And which is much more before euer hee gaue himselfe to bee crucified for vs on the Crosse hee prouided this Sacrament as a meanes of the communication of himselfe vnto vs thereby assuring vs that his subsequent passion should not defraude vs but rather affoord vnto vs and make ready for vs that righteousnesse and life by Christ purchased on the Crosse and communicate in his holy Table to them who are his In the one hee was prepared and made ready as the onely foode of our soules to eternall life in the other hee is applyed Communicated and giuen vnto vs both of these necessarily behooued to bee done for the work of our Saluation Sicut enim ad potandum vinum venire nemo potest nisi botrus calcetur ante prematur sic nos sanguinem Christi bibere non potuimus nisi Christus prius fuisset calcatus pressus It was a great Loue which made our Sauiour content that his bloud should be shed out on the Crosse and so should bee made both a ransome and a conuenient foode for vs for the father sent him Quasi saccum plenum misericordia in passione conscindendum vt effundatur quod in eo latet pretium nostrum So is this also a new declaration of his loue that before his body was broken and his blood was shed hee first ordeyned the meanes whereby it should be communicated vnto vs. These and many more spirituall meditations should bee vnto vs as the breathings of the mouth of God to kindle in our soules that little sparke of the loue of God which alas for fault of entertainement is almost ouer gone and extinguished with the ashes of our corruption for seeing our Sauiour longed to eate with vs shall not we long to eate with him he greatly desired to giue himself to vs in this table and for vs on the crosse shall not we earnestly desire to receiue him hee knew it was the last he should eat vpon earth that after it heauy sufferings abode him wee know that our banqueting here is the banquet that shall be accomplished in heauen it is begun here it shall not end here Comfortable is that word of our Sauiour it shall be fulfilled in my kingdome and will not we then ioyfully begin this banquet shall we be so foolish as to wait vpon lying vanities and forsake our owne mercies shall we turne our back vpon the fountaine of liuing waters and digge to our selues Cisterns that can hold no water certainely our darknesse is grosser then the darknesse of Egipt and our hearts harder then the Adamant except this burning loue of the Lord Iesus rauish vpward our hearts after him The spouse in the Canticles professeth she was sicke of the loue of her glorious husband the Lord Iesus but alas wee are not touched with the like loue wee feele not the smell of his oyntments therefore with the rest of the Virgins we runne not after him Eliah touched Elisha with his Mantle and therwithall the Lord ioyned his inward calling and suddenly Elisha left his plough of Oxen and of a husbandman became Prophet Now the Lord cals vpon vs by his word and Sacrament let vs also pray that the Lord would shed abroad in our harts by his holy spirit the sence of that loue of God then should wee neglecting all things runne after the Lord seeking onely to inioy him The men of this world maruell to beehold the suddaine change of life which is made in the children of God by his effectuall calling they maruell to see them running so feruently after Christ seeking him by continuance in prayer by hearing of his word by participation of his Sacrament and that with such an insatiable desire that in this life they can neuer be satisfied with hearing reading praying and communicating but if the Lord should in like manner touch their harts and let them feele the power of an inward calling then would they marueile no more farre lesse disdaine yea they would make hast and ioyne themselues to the company of the godly And Saul also should become amongst the Prophets The woman who had liued before a licentious life would now change it with Mary Magdalene shee had beene a great sinner in the Cittie but became an example of Repentance to all the sinners in the Cittie shee prostrates no more her body to her carnall Louers but falles downe at the feete of Christ to craue his mercy in stead of her wanton lookes her eyes poure out teares and her beautifull hayre which before shee set out as a proclaimer of her Lust now shee pulleth downe to wash the feete of Christ. Thus all the former meanes of her sin shee maketh new witnesses of her repentance the man in like manner who had sate all his dayes with Mathew at the receipt of Custome that is who had liued in the sinfull trade of vnlawfull gaine would now in like manner forsake it but where the Lord by effectuall calling workes not in the heart an earnest loue of God no meruaile they lye still in the graue of their sins and rise not to walke after the Lord. We are therfore so much the more to vse all the ordinary means which may entertaine in vs that little sparke of the Loue of God till it grow vp vnto a great flame for the farther vnion and coniunction of our Soules with Iesus Christ and this for our disposition towards God As concerning our Christian disposition to our neighbour it is vsuall to the spirit of God to comprise it vnder Loue. Our Sauiour saith that loue is the Cognisance of his Disciples and the Apostle calleth it the band of perfection and fulfilling of the Law and no meruaile for Loue speaketh with the tongue of euery Vertue All the sundry precepts wee are commaunded to doe vnto our neighbour are summarily comprehended vnder this one Loue one another As this Sacrament sealeth vp the Communion of the
endure outward troubles which come from men Chap. 23 It is a sinnefull curiositie to seeke to know that which God hath not taught vs. Chap. 24 Verse 29. And Iacob asked What is thy name The Lord somtimes refuseth to giue that which his children seekes that he may giue them other things more conuenient for them Chap. 25 How Iacob shewes himselfe thankefull to God for the benefits receiued in two things Chap. 26 Verse 30. And Iacob called the name of the place Peniell c. What sight of God shall wee haue in the heauens Chap. 27 The other thing wherein Iacob shewes his thankefulnesse is his obedience Chap. 28 Verse 31. And the Sunne arose to him The Table of the second Booke entituled A Conduit of Comfort Rom. 8. 28. ALso wee know that all things worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them who are called according to his purpose Chap. 1 The Priuiledges of a Christian cannot be knowne of them who doe not possesse them Chap. 2 Many working Instruments of contrary qualities and intentions in the world yet agrees all in one end Chap. 3 All Sathans stratagems work for the best to the Godly Chap. 4 How Death also workes for the best to Christians Chap. 5. How the plots and imaginations of men worke for the best to the christian Chap. 6 What is a Christians best Chap. 7 The Christian is not at his best now it is the working onely Chap. 8 All things worke to the worst to the wicked Chap. 9 How the Christian is made sure of his Election and Glorification Chap. 10 What comfort we haue in this that our saluation is grounded on the Lords vnchangeable purpose Chap. 11 Two callings outward and inward Chap. 12 Of the inward calling Chap. 13 In the inward calling the Lord begins at the illumination of the minde Chap. 14 The loue of God a sure token of an inward calling and of the commendation of Loue. Chap. 15 The first tryall of Loue. Chap. 16 The second tryall of Loue. Chap. 17 The last tryall of Loue. Chap. 18 The Table of the third Booke entituled A Preparatiue for the new Passcouer OF the seruent desire Christians haue to be vnited with Christ. How inexcusable they are who neglect this holy sacrament The great danger in comming vnprepared The parts of the precept first that we try secondly that we eate the last handled first Chap. 1 Ignorance the mother of all recusancie to communicate The Reasons of diuers Resusals condemned Better Excuses reiected by Christ in the Gospell then these They consent not to the Marriage of the Lambe who refuse the smallest token of his loue Chap. 2 Three Rules to be obserued in the right descerning the Lords body First that euery thing in this Sacrament bee taken in his owne kind Who failes in this and how Secondly that this Sacrament be vsed according to Christs institution How the Papists faile in this Thirdly that this Sacrament be vsed to right ends and those ends set down The conclusion of the first part of the precept Chap. 3 The second part of the precept commands tryall before we Communicate The Lord will not that this Table bee a snare to vs as was Absalom to Ammon Banquetters at this Table should be holy persons Chap. 4 Unreuerent handling of holy things hath neuer beene left vnpunished The Lord will not shew his presence without preparation The excellencie of this Sacrament and an exhortation to come vnto it with reuerence Chap. 5 Not to put new wine into old Uessels Comfort for the tender conscience cast downe with the sight of sin after tryall two sorts of tryals the one of things perfect the other of things vnperfect Daily tryall most necessary Chap. 6 What a laborious work is enioyned a man when hee is commaunded to try himselfe Two things necessary for this tryall First the Spirit of God Secondly the Word of God Many try themselues by wrong Rules and are so deceiued Chap 7 The points of preparation are two First that wee lay aside our old sinnes Secondly that we put on the new Christian disposition consisting in three things First that towards God we be holy and heauenly minded Secondly that towards our neighbours wee bee louing Thirdly that wee be sober and little in our owne eies The comfortable fruit arising to vs at this holie Table Chap. 8 FINIS Psal. 36. 7. How excellent is thy mercie O LORD therefore the children of men trust vnder the shadow of thy wings They shall bee satisfied with the fatnesse of thine house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuers of thy pleasures Psal. 65. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to come to thee hee shall dwell in thy courts and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house Reuel 1. 5. Unto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father to him bee Glory and Dominion for euermore Amen FINIS Ius Mar. Apol. 2. ad Anton. Imp. Bern. Yet good men may be crossed in a good course 2 King 9. 20. But God shall either bridle or change or confound their enimies As the sufferings of Christ abounds in vs so his consolations aboundeth 2 Cor. 1. 5. Verse 2. An image of our weaknesse We haue need that the Lord should euery day renew his mercies towards vs. Psal. 80. Not once but often doe the godly fall and that many times in one the selfe same sinne We haue our spiritual faintings and sownings warning vs of our owne weaknesse Acts. Psal. And that God is the strength of our life Malac. Ps. 37. 24. This rare vision teacheth the manner of Gods wrestling with his children Iacobs perplexitie Dan. 2 Chro. 20 The help of God begins when other help failes The manner of the Lords apparition is both by word and vision The end of the Lords apparition is Iacobs cōfirmation Esay 8. 13. Cyp. lib. 2 epist. 6. Psal. 27. How meruailously God in dealing with his children workes by contraries So did hee worke in them the worke of creation So also in the work of redemption And so daily in his Saints Psal. We should not therefore be discouraged when God seemes vncouth and strange to vs. Psal. Hose 6. Tim. Genesis Acts. Esay 54. 7 For in the end he shal shew himselfe a louing father to his own Psal. 1. 19. Diuision of the history 1 The wrestling and fiue circumstances thereof 2 The conference betwixt God and Iacob 1 Solitarines conuenient for prayer And yet solitarines auailes not without inward attention Cypr de orat dom Cant. What preparation should goe before prayer Cant. Psal. 4. Mat. 6. 5. Dan. Acts. How carefull wee should be and why to seeke occasions to pray Neglect of prayer is a contēning of God True prayer alwayes returnes with profit to vs. Psal. Genes How at six petitions Abraham brought the Lord from fifty to ten