out of his experience beganne many Psalmes with prayer and ends them with thanksgiuing And the blessed Virgine My Soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirite hath reioyced in God my Sauiour And Saint Paul is exemplum exemplorum all his speech of himselfe is but a comment on this Text and a large exposition of this point in hand Hee confesseth it Our reioysing is this the testimony of our conscience and in the 2. Cor. 7.4 I ouerflow exceedingly I abound with all ioy amidst our tribulations and that it is the generall condition of all Gods seruants Saint Peter tels vs where he sayeth that though they see him not yet beleeuing reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious This might easily be proued by shewing that such men haue all the true grounds foundations of ioy and contentment As first that they haue remission of sinnes in Christ and secondly adoption to become the Sonnes of God and in the thirde place haue â—ight and title to Heauen but t is Horaces counsell quaedam dicenda remittere not to amasse and heape vp all that might be said to any one point and therfore we come to the last part namely the fitting and applying of this resemblance heere vrged by Solomon wherin following the former Method I will first present to your consideration howe the wicked conscience is no Feast or if one not a continuall one and next that the good Conscience is one and secondly a continuall one A good Conscience is a continuall Feast First wicked men haue no feast For such men haue lost all tast of good and heauenly things They doe not relish or sauour the things that bee of God saith the Apostle as we see Swine neglect pasture and eat draffe So these men banquet but t' is with poyson like Tereus feast or rather t' is Scilicornium a funerall Feast for such a man as S. Paul speaks of a widow that liues in the pleasure of sinne is dead while he liues Their food breeds onely winde and froath and inflation no perfect or pure blood So that wee mistake iudging such a man full because Rich t is true he hath enough his bellyful but t' is with wind Eccles 5.16 or else theyr eating procures a corrosion and convulsion priuie gripings and qualmes stitches and aches wormes and distortion of the stotion of the stomacke that they cannot sleepe or take rest vpon it The satietie of the Rich will not suffer him to sleepe Or if hee doe hee shall spue soone after it as Iob saith hee hath deuoured substance and shall vomite it for God shall draw it out of his bellie Iob. 20. Or if it settle and stay with him then it inflames his soule and hart-burnes him For a practised sinner is saide to haue his soule singed and seared his Conscience burnt with an hotte yron 1. Tim. 4.2 or lastly as poyson if it kill not presently breakes out in tumors and byles so his wickednes doth occasion diseases and his bones are full of the sinne of his Youth Iob 20.11 and as he goeth on in vers 12. Though wickednes be sweet in his mouth and though he hide it vnder his tongue and keepe it like a delicate Epicure in the midst of his palate yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of Aspes within him And this is theyr viandes their cates theyr delicates of which Dauid desires to eate no part Psalm 141. If wee desire to knowe what they drinke at such a feast Iob tells vs they drinke iniquity like water Iob 15.16 and their wine the scripture saith is the wine of astonishment or else a certaine kind of compounded stuffe that Dauid speaks of ps 75.8 In the haÌ„d of the Lord ther is a cup it is red wine it is full mixt and hee powres out of the same Surely all the wicked of the earth shal wring out drink therof and in Psalm 11. he describes their burnt wine which seemes the very same that the Deuils drinke in hell God will raine snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shal be the portion of their cuppe As for the companie of these men what can it be but a noyse and sette of Diuells for Satan returning saith our Sauiour returning and finding such mens hearts like houses swept and garnished prepared for him enters with seuen worse then himselfe and the ende of that man is worse then the beginning It is not strange then that prophane and lewde men will fancie and conceite themselues the onely flourishing people vpon earth when wee see that their very banquetting stuffe is but gall poyson theyr drinke vengeance and their companie Diuells But let vs grant them that their seeming mirth and iollity they liue in may be tearmed a feast which is their portion vpon earth all they can looke for yet alasse it is not a continuall feast but exceeding fleet and momentanie Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull at that very instant They banquet as theeues in a caue or a wood alwayes in feare Esay tels vs that the Harpe the Violl the Tabret Pipe are in their feasts Esay 5.12 But this will not hold for hee addes in ver 14 Therefore Hell hath enlarged her selfe and opened her mouth wâ—de And their pompe and he that reioyceth shall descend into it So soone they are gone They breake off as it were in the middest of their meale and sinke into hel Nor can the damned soule thinke to take it out when hee comes there Indeed as hee in his life time made a feast of his soule to the Diuell and drest it for him to make his Helship merry for as the good Angels reioyce at a sinners conuersion so wee must thinke the Diuels mirth is his rebellion So now Sathan to bee quiet with him prepares him a feast a blacke banquet onely two dishes weeping serued in for the first course and gnashing of teeth for the second It is true it shall bee a continuall feast but worse to him then any feast for he shall bee so farre from receyuing pleasure in it that hee shall howle roare out with Diues for some drinke to his hote meate euen for a drop of water to coole his tongue And this for the first part of the comparison The second is that the goodman hath in his conscience a feast and not so onely but a continuall Feast First hee hath a Feast for a godly man like that vngodly one in the Gospell fares deliciously euery day keepes a spirituall Christmas alwayes drinkes deepe in the Wine-sellar as it seemes by the Spouse in Canticles 2.4.5 Hee brought mee into the Wine-seller and loue was his banner ouer mee Stay mee with flaggons and comfort me with apples for I am sicke of loue So it is in that song of the blessed Virgin Hee filles the hungry with good things fils them giues them enough feasts them Like a noble Lord God with his proper gifts and graces And in examining
wee shall find that they haue all things which make vp a sumptuous Feast and a BANQVET Royall 1. Plenty and variety of meat and drinke 2. Good company 3. Lights and 4. Musicke 1. They haue plenty and change of dishes and they are all good solide meates One maine seruice is their seruice of God their good worke for it is a ioy to the iust to do iustice Prou. 21.15 Dauid found it so Psal 122.1 and in Psalme 84. My soule longs yea and faints for the Courts of the Lord And our blessed Sauiour confesseth it Iohn 4. My meate is to doe the will of him that sent me and finish his worke yet this to the most holy man aliue is but a faint food in respect of the second messe or seruice whereupon they feed and that is their faith in God which is nourishing meat indeed so sayth the Scripture The iust man shall liue by his faith It is his Viaticum his meat his maintenance and this feeds him thicke-fat Hee that puts his sure trust in the Lord shall bee fat Prou. 28.25 To which meat his bread and drinke are hearty sorrow and repentance for his sin So saith Dauid God giues his people bread of teares and teares to drinke in great measure whole healthes Psal 80.5 In the third place the righteous soule contemplates and feeds vpon God himselfe all the three persons in the thrice blessed Trinity First she feasts vpon God her Creator tasts and sees how gracious the Lord is that not onely prouided a world to entertaine her vnder a starry cloth of State did place a thousand creatures and distil a thousand dewes for the refection of her body but also feedes and fattes her selfe with his grace and goodnes and this dish if we will beleeue Saint Bernard is a wondrous sweet one Reuerâ illudsolum est gaudium quod de creatore concipitur cui comparata omnis aliunde iucunditas moeror est omnis suanitas dolor est omne dulce amarum est Indeed that is is onely true delight which wee conceiue of our Creator in regard whereof all other pleasure is a very bitternesse And this made Austine cry out O luxuriose vbi maior delectatio quam insùmmi dulcissime deo Where canst thou find more sweetnes then in the most sweet God himselfe Secondly the soule takes a sweet repast on the second Person Christ Jesus from whose fulnes we doe all receiue grace Iohn 1.16 Whose flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drinke indeed of which whosoeuer eates and drinkes saieth our Sauiour hath eternall life Iohn 6.54 Who testifies also that he is the true bread which came downe from heauen to strengthen mans heart and wine to comfort it no adulterate or sophistocate mixture but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true vine Iohn 15. to temper which heauenlie liquor the soule in the thiâ—d place mixes it with the water of the holy spirit which is not meerely water but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sweet and liuing water springing vp into euerlasting life Iohn 4.14 A fourth seruice is a maine standing dish and a delicate one named the Mercy of God therefore called by Dauid not only plenteous mercy but sweet and tender mercy which is not meerely foode but a kind of restoratiue as we may see in Psa 79.8 where Dauid speakes as if hee were in a consumption make haste and preuent vs with thy tender mercies For wee are brought very low And in the fift course comes in the Grace of God whereof as in Philosophy they say we are nourished by the same things of which wee are begotten we are both borne and maintained both bred and fed Saint Paul sayeth plainely By the grace of God I am that I am both in root and height and this also is a standing dish and tastes like the barrel of meale and cruise of oyle 1. Reg. 17.16 or like that lake pot of water which the Angell gaue Elias after which hee arose and did walke in the strength of that meat forty dayes and forty nights 1. Reg. 19.8 It is indeed a whole Feast of it selfe So God tolde Saint Paul 2. Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee sufficient enough and enough wee say is as good as a Feast Next to make vp our meale are serued in the word of God and the Sacrament of Christs most blessed body and blood on which the first the soule doth feede and feast for it is a strong meate to fasten and confirme the righteous soule in faith a medicine of immortality An Antidote saith Ignatius assuring vs wee shal not die but liue in Iesus Christ So for the word of God it is called bread Deut. 8. Amos threatens a famine of it Amos. 8. And in Hebrewes 5. It is sayde to bee milke for Babes and strong meate for men of riper age and therefore God bade the Prophet eate the roule and Saint Iohn sayeth hee tooke the Booke out of the Angels hand and eate it vp and to proue it more then ordinary food S. Paul cals it wholesom doctrine and comfortable that we through patience coÌ„fort of the scriptures might haue hope Ro. 15.4 So comfortable that in the opening they make mens heart to burne within them Luc 24.32 and filles them with ioy These things haus I spoken vnto you that your ioy might be full Iob 15.11 Therefore cryes S. Austine Domine Iesu sint castae delitiae mea scripturae tuae and Dauid Eloquia c. Thy word is sweet vnto my mouth yea sweeter then the hony and hony combe And if it be of this nature read what is it when the bread is broken and diuided then we haue the pure marrow the Manna and meaning of it So that at euery sermon we haue lautas epulas plenty and change of dishes Thus you haue heard the meate at this feast Nor must you thinke that drinke is wanting for they haue which I named before water of Teares which let none despise For vpon such eyes as stand brim-full of repentant teares Christ works a miracle turnes their sorrow into the wine of gladnes and heauenly consolation They haue secondly Dauids cuppe of Gods saluation which ouerflowes For as the violl of his wrath runnes out for fiercenesse so the cup of his saluation runnes ouer for fulnes Againe they haue the loue of Christ which the Spouse saith is better then wine Cant 1.1 And last of all Dauid tells vs that God will make such to drinke out of the riuer of his pleasures Psalm 36.8 If you demand what sauce the children of God haue at this feast of a good conscience I must answere crosses and afflictions troubles tribulations which as Physitians roule pills in sugar and make that Vehiculum medicinae God so wisely mixes and tempers with their wholsom food that they are not able to distinguish twixt meat and sauce but nourish their growth in grace as wel with the one as with the other So that they finde no
tartnes no sharpnes no bitternes in these afflictions no not in death it selfe for as God sweetly disposes and pleasantly compounds the rest so Christ Iesus is theyr taster in this He hath tasted death for all Hebr. 2.9 This is their maine cheare To this Sage and Succory Marioram gentle Patience and Honesty Harts-ease and Hearb-grace are sprinckled in for salades And all this before the banquet For that comes after wherein as wee see at feasts the same things serue for the Banquet too but otherwise cooked and disguised so it may happily fall out in this for remissiō of sinnes and hope of euerlasting glory are saies Latimer the sweet-meats to the feast of a good conscience And as for fruits as we are called in scripture the first fruits of his creatures so if we be of S. Pauls companie we haue the first fruits of his spirit Rom 8.23 where of S. Paul serues in often a brace Grace peace in God the Father c. And oftentimes a lease Grace mercie and truth c. And wee finde almost a douzen in a dish Galath 5.22.23 The fruits of the spirit is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes Faith meekenes temperance c. After these come in all choyce and rare dainties mentioned in Isay 11.2 Wisedome and vnderstanding councell and strength Knowledge and the feare of the Lord which are called in Esay 55. by the names of Water milke and wine saturitie Fatnes c. In other places they are iointly named the Annoynting the oyle of gladnes where with as Christ Iesus was annoynted aboue his fellowes so being as S. Peter stiles him the Byshop of our soules he doth therewith annoint and consecrate vs Priests vnto God euen an holy and a Royall Priesthood 1.2.9 which is an oynement most sauory and redolent The sauour of thine oyntment is better then all spices Cant. 4.10 which heauenly Oyle is shead in our hearts by the holy Ghost that is giuen vs. Rom 5.5 Ther 's an other banquetting dish of loue and knowledge mine together For knowledge of it selfe is too windy it swell a man like puff past and shewe him vp but loue modefies and allayes it and makes it wholesome Then comes in the louing kindnesse of the Lorde making the Good-mans estate equall with that of Kings as Saint Paul tolde Agrippa in which regarde God is sayde to crowne vs with louing kindnes tender mercy Psa 103.4 So that righteous mē are so many crowned Kings Nay faieth the Apostle more then conquerours Rom. 8. What 's more then conquerours Why Triumphers for hee makes vs to triumph in Christ 2. Cor. 2.14 Next the good faithfull soule receiues in this banquet a Christall bellie made of the blood of Christ not Sanguis Draconis but Leonis of the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda or rather of the Lambe of God a strange and strong restoratiue more then all their pectorall rowles or Mythridate or aurum potabile that will fetch life againe sooner then all their cordiall waters for this indeede is the true Aqua Coelestis and Rosa Solis of the Sunne of righteousnesse one droppe whereof is sufficient for a thousand worlds After this comes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that full assurance of faith in Christ which is the true Manus Christi that passeth all their Marmelade Succate And last of all is that food of Angels hidden Manna so called Apos 2.17 which is a kind of secret consolation which the Lord infuseth into the hearts of his faiththfull seruantes such as keepe a good conscience which farres exceeds all the stellifyed meates of Alchymists and Coniurers transports and rauisheth the soule of man as S. Peter hauing a taste of it talkes of building Tabernacles and Saint Paul it seemes had some relish of it where hee sayeth I ouerflow exceedingly I abound with all ioy amidst our tribulation This it makes a man forget all sensuall pleasure and is not only food but a riuer of spirituall drinke to the soule which prouokes Austin to cry Pota me Domine torrente volupt atis vt nil iam mundanorum libeat degustare veneualae dulcedimis Giue mee of this drinke Lord that I desire not the poysonous delights of the world This occasioned the same Father to entitle a good conscience a paradise abounding with graces and delights And Hugo to stile it a garden of delight and the golden diuing Chamber of the holy Ghost And so much for the meat and drinke The second thing that commends a feast is the Company It is a speech of a Romane in Plutarch that hee had only eaten not supped when he wanted company Now company are eyther guests or attendants both these magnifie the feasts of a good conscience for the guests are the blessed glorious Trinity For a good conscience wee haue heard hath the spirit his bosom-friend such a foule the Tēple the closet of the holy-Ghost for his father our Sauiour tells vs Iohn 14. to the man that loues him his Father will come and dwell with him And of himselfe Rerel 3.20 Beholde I stand at the dore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the dore I will come in to him and will suppe with him and he with me Our best friends vse to be best welcome and can a man haue a dearer Guest a better friend then Christ Iesus for he vouchsafes to call good men his friends Ioh 15.13 his kinsmen in other places his brethren his children his mother his Spowse to shew that he loues vs with all these loues the friendes the kinsmans the brothers the fathers the wifes Nay his is as high aboue these as is Heauen aboue earth and therefore hauing him our guest wee haue him in the knot and ring and packe of all our frinds together As for the Attendants at this feast they are no common wayters ordinary Seruing men but the blessed Angells of heauen Are they not all ministring Spirits sent out to minister for their sakes that shall be heyres of saluation Hebr. 1. vlt who as they ministred to Christ assoone as the diuell forsooke him so when we are once ridde of the diuell of hell of an euill conscience they presently be our seruants and as they ministred to him in his hunger for the Angells to all his in thyrst and hunger are as Luther is bolde to say Cookes and Butlers 3. The third circumstance of a feast is light t' is therefore a plague saith Ecclesiastes to a couetous wretch that alwayes he eates in darknes And indeed what is a feast without light so t is in the soule therefore the wicked hart or conscience is described in scripture to be voyde of light full of darknes hauing theyr cogitations darkned Ephes 4.18 Their foolish heart is full of darknes Rom 1.21 And all they can doe all their works are deedes of darknes Rom 13.12 But the children of God like the land of Goshen haue light enough they walke in the light and are children of