CHAP. I. A priuiledge of the Godly, that say God is with them, none can be against them, to hurt them. My helpe is in the name of the Lord.

IT is a comfortable saying for the Godly, that is set downe by the Apostle, If God be with vs, who can be against vs? This sentence doth not de­nie, but that good men euen in a good course may haue enimies: but it doth import this comfort, that the oppositi­on which is made vnto them, cannot hurt them; we may be cast downe, but wee cannot perish: Our enimies may trouble vs, but cannot ouercome vs.Ius. Mar. Apol. 2. ad Anton. Imp. Yea, capitis poena nos possunt afficere, no­cere non possunt, they may take the head from vs, but cannot hurt vs. It is not [Page 2] for this life they fight, who haue laid hold on eternall life; our joy and our crowne none are able to take from vs. Uerè enim tuta pro Christo, & cū Chri­sto Bern. pugna, in qua nec vulneratus, nec oc­cisus, fraudabiris victoria. There is no danger in that battaile wherin we fight for Christ, and with Christ, for we are sure, that whether we be wounded, or slaine, wee shall not be defrauded ofYet good men may be crossed in a good course. the victory. Iacob here a good man, is in a good course, for he is trauailing at the Lords commaund from Padan Ara [...] vnto Canaan, yet is he troubled with enimies: for Laban pursues him behinde, and Esau commeth against him before; but both of them labour in vaine, because God is with him.

The Lord doth in such sort bridle2 King. 9. 20. But God shall either bridle, or change, or confound their eni­mies. the rage of Laban, that albeit he mar­ched after Iacob more furiously then Iehu the sonne of Nimshi marched af­ter Iehoram, thinking to satisfie his dis­contented minde, by reducing Iacob to a greater slauery then hee was in be­fore: yet the Lord puts inhibition to [Page 3] the conclusions of his hart, and makes him faine to sue for Iacobs friendship, and to enter into a couenant of peace with him.

Yea, which is more comfortable, the Lord maketh Laban himselfe a preacher of Gods prouidence, in mer­cy watching ouer Iacob. Thus the Lord bridleth Laban, and sends him backe againe to his owne harme, without do­ing harme to Iacob, or any of his. And as to Esau the Lord in like manner changes his cruell Heart, and makes him fauourable to Iacob, so that the same hands wherwith once he thought to haue slaine him, embraces him, and with the same mouth that once vowed to haue his life, he kisses him: so sure are they vnto whom the Lord is a pro­tectour. For when the wayes of a man please the Lord he can make his enimies his friends.

If yee will marke and consider thisAs the suf­ferings of Christ a­bounds in vs, so his consolati­ons aboun­deth. 2 Cor. 1. 5. Verse 2. History, that the Lord so carefully way [...]es vpon his seruant Iacob, that for euery trouble which arises to him, he [Page 4] acquaints him euer with some new and singular Consolation. In the begin­ning of this Chapter, the Angels of the Lord appeared vnto Iacob, to com­fort him, they brought him 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. [...]he report of his Messengers, who tolde him that Esau was comming a­gainst him with foure hundred men, [Page 5] 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, mayAn image of our weaknesse. 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 houre­lyWe haue need that the Lord should e­uery day renew his mercies to­wards vs. 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 [Page 6] 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 Psal. 80. vpon vs, and we shall be safe.

Abraham in Aegipt got a notableNot once, but often doe the godly fall, and that many times in one & the selfe same sinne. 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: [Page 7] 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 andWe haue our spiritu­al faintings and sow­nings, war­ning vs of our owne weaknesse. Acts. 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 [Page 8] 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 hisPsal. 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 there­foreAnd that God is the strength of our life. 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 [Page 10] 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 Malac. art not changed, therefore it is that we are not consumed, though we fall thou wilt put vnder thine hand and raise vs vp Ps. 37. 24. againe, and makest thy last comfort al­waies the greatest.

The vision is rare; the like not againeThis rare vision tea­cheth the manner of Gods wrestling with his children. 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 great anguish of minde, tumbling as it were betweene feare and confidence, betweene hope and despaire: hope bidding him goe forward in his iourney, despaire by the contrary disswading him; confidence promising him safetie, feare threatning him with danger. His hope leanes on the word of God, who promised to be with him, and prosper him: his feare is conceiued of the words of Esau, who had vowed to slay him, and is now wakened againe, and augmented by the report of his seruants, who tolde him, that Esau was comming againstIacobs per­plexitie. him with an army. Thus did he walk staggering vpon feet, not vnlike the [Page 12] feet of Daniels Image, partly of clay, Dan. partly of iron. Some of his thoughts be­ing weake and impotent; others strong and forcible to carry him forward. In this perplexitie now stāds Iacob, hauing no conclusion nor counsell within him without contradiction, vncertaine what to doe, or which way to turne him; not vnlike Iehosophat, which being straited2 Chro. 20 with the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, stood vp before the Lord and said, O Lord there is no strength in vs, to stand against this great multitude, neither doe wee know what to doe, but our eyes are towards thee. In like man­ner say I, doth Iacob here, being as­saulted with a force hee was not able to resist, hee turnes him to the Lord, and exponés to the Lord in humble manner his feare: Deliuer me O Lord from the hand of my brother Esau, for I feare him, least hee come vpon me, and smite me, and the mother vpon the chil­dren. Therfore is it that now the Lord comes, as in due season and conuenient time, to shew himselfe for the comfort [Page 13] of his seruant. No helpe for Iacob in man, the Lord puts to his right hand, & comforts him. Ibi enim incipit diuinū The help of God be­gins when other help failes. auxilium, vbi deficit humanum. When all other helpes failes the Children of God, then commeth in the helpe of God, for he knows best the very point and article of time, wherein it is meete that hee should bee the diliuerer of them who wayt vpon him.

As to the manner of the apparition, the Lord is not content to answereThe man­ner of the Lords ap­parition is both by word and vision. Iacob by word onely, nor by sending secretly patience and comfort vnto his troubled spirit (which way many a time he answeres the prayers of his owne) but he confirmes him by an extraordi­nary vision. For he appeares to Iacob, in the forme of a man, and wrestles with him, he assayes him not with a superi­our strength which he was not able to withstand, but applies himselfe to Ia­cobs weaknesse, and disposes the wrest­ling in such a manner, that Iacob gets the victory, albeit not without a wound, for his thigh-bone is disjoynted, and [Page 14] put out of the joynt, so that he haulteth all the dayes of his life: which as for the present time it was a matter of his humiliation, being a discouery of his weaknes, and of the Lords indulgence, whereby onely he preuailed victor in the combat, so was it for all time to come, a memoriall and remembrance vnto him of this most comfortable ap­parition.

And as to the end of the Lords ap­pearing,The end of the Lords ap­parition is Iacobs cō ­firmation. the end, saith Theodoret, was the confirmation of Iacobs hart against feare; ideo enim Angelus cū Iacob lucta­ri voluit, vt timenti fratrem fiduciam inij­ceret. And this ye may perceiue out of the words which the Lord vtters when the wrestling is ended, thou hast wrest­led with God, and shalt also preuaile with men. Feare not therefore (will the Lord say) O my seruant Iacob, to en­counter with Esau, who is but a mor­tall man; I, who haue furnished thee with strength to stand in this wrestling with GOD, shall furnish thee with strength also in all thy conflicts vvith [Page 15] men, and thou shalt preuaile. This is the ground of all our comfort in trou­ble, which if we could remember, then would we not be cast downe nor dis­quieted with feares,, but would sanctifie Esay. 8. 13. the Lord of hosts in our hearts, and make him our feare. It is not in our name, nor strength, nor in the power of nature that we stand and wrestle. We go forth against our Goliah in the name of our God, weake in our selues, yet in him more then Conquerours: Maior enim est Cyp. lib. 2 epist. 6. qui prae est in nobis, quam qui in hoc mun­do, nec plus ad deijoiendum potest terre­na poena, quam ad erigendum diuina tu­tela. He is stronger that rules in vs, then the Prince of this world, Neyther are these euils which earthly men are able to inflict vpon vs, so forcible to cast vs downe, as the heauenly helpe is able to raise vs vp: let vs alwayes walke forward in this our strength. The Lord Psal. 27. is my light and saluation, the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then shall I be afraid.

But now, before that yet wee enter [Page 16] into the particulars, let vs marke this profitable lesson, that vpon the groūds I haue laid, arise to be obserued. If wee consider what is the Lords purposeHow mer­uailously God in dealing with his children workes by contraries. and intention, what againe are the meanes that he vseth to bring about his purpose: and yee shall see that the Lord vseth meanes, which appeares contrary to his end. His purpose is to confirme Iacob, the meanes hee vseth, is wrestling with Iacob, a strange man­ner of working, that the Lord should shake him hee mindes to strengthen, that he should wound him whom hee purposes to confirme: and thus, and this manner of way on a sodaine, terri­fie by a strange wrestling in the night, & in a solitary place, his seruant, whom hee came to comfort; but so it is, the working of the Lord oft times is by contraries. In the first worke of crea­tion, hee made all things of nothing.So did hee worke in them the worke of creation. He commanded light to shine out of dark­nesse. Hee formed the body of man, his most excellent earthly creature, of the basest matter dust and clay; of the vilest [Page 17] creature, hee made the most honoura­ble, and all to shew the glory of his power. In the worke of redemption inSo also in the work of redemp­tion. like manner, our Sauiour Iesus by su­staining shame, hath conquered to vs, glory; by induring the Crosse, hath ob­tayned the crowne; by suffering death, hath destroyed death, and him who had the power thereof: and after theAnd so daily in his Saints Psal. same manner of working, hee is yet daily meruailous in his Saints: By death he brings them vnto life; He kils and he makes aliue. Through doubtings hee leads them to assurance; by temporall despaire hee brings them to abound in hope; he afrayes them with his terrors, to make them the more capable of his consolations. It is strange and meruai­lous in our eyes; may not wee learne it by daily experience, that God deli­uereth vs from Sathan, by letting Sa­than loose for a while vpon vs? Hee saues vs from our sinnes, by gathering all our sins against vs, and laying them to the charge of our conscience, and by a present feeling of his wrath, hee [Page 18] maketh vs flee that terrible Wrath which is to come.

Be not therefore discouraged, yeeWe should not there­fore be dis­couraged when God seemes vn­couth and strange to vs. who finde this working of the Lord, faint not though the Lord after this manner doe exercise you, that when ye cry for mercy, yet to your feeling ye ap­prehend nothing but anger: reuerence the working of God, suppose for the present yee vnderstand it not; let the Lord walke on his owne way, and wait thou with patience for comfort in thePsal. end, the Lord will send a gracious raine vpon his inheritance to refresh it, when it is weary: though he kill vs, he shall make vs to liue againe. When he hath humb­led vs to the graue, yet will he raise vs againe. After two dayes he will reuiue vs, Hose. 6. and in the third he shall raise vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight. It is no rotten foundation we leane to; the foundation Tim. of the Lord remaines sure, & therefore, albeit the Lord should s [...]ay vs yet will we trust in him. He sent a fearefull darknes on Abraham or euer hee shewed himGenesis. the comfortable vision. He stroke Paul Acts. [Page 19] vnto the ground, and confounded him, before that he conuerted him; he strake him with blindnes, or euer hee opened his eyes; hee began hardly with Iacob, but ends with a blessing; at the first he dealt rigorously in his answers with the woman of Canaan, but in the end com­forted her. As Ioseph for a long time made it strange with his brethren, but at length his inflamed affection com­pelled him to embrace them: So the Lord, though hee make a shew of an angry countenance towards his owne, yet his inestimable loue and fatherly compassion shall force him to reueale himselfe vnto them in the sweetnesse of his mercy: For a little while haue I for­saken Esay.. 54. 7 thee, for a moment, in mine anger, (as it seemed) I hid my face from thee for a little season, but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer. We shal perceiueFor in the end he shal shew him­selfe a lo­uing father to his own in the end, that which now in the midst of trouble we see not: though in our afflictions we take him vp as an aduer­sary, through the weaknes of our faith, [Page 20] yet shall we finde, that then God was with vs, working for our deliuerance, when hee seemed to be against vs. Let vs not therefore be cast downe, when the Lord worketh with vs after his own manner of working, by meanes vn­knowne to vs. Let vs learne of Iacob to wrestle with the Lord, and with that woman of Canaan, cleaue to him the faster, that he seemes to put vs away: we shall feele in the end, the Lord is neere Psal. 1. 19. vnto them who a [...]e of a contrite heart, & will saue such as be afflicted in spirit. Yea, we shall with Dauid reioyce and glory in the Lord, it is good for me that euer the Lord corrected mee; The Lord be blessed therefore, for hee hath shewen his meruailous kindnesse towards me.

It is now time that we enter into theDiuision of the hi­story. History it selfe, which hath these two parts: The first sets downe the Angels1 The wrest­ling, and fiue cir­cumstances thereof. wrestling with Iacob: The second con­taynes the conference of the Angell with Iacob, which followes vpon the wrestling. As for the wrestling, we haue in it fiue things to bee considered: [Page 21] first, the time of it: secondly, the persons2 The con­ference be­twixt God and Iacob. between whom: thirdly, the manner of the wrestling, whether corporall onely, spirituall onely, or mixt: fourthly, how long continues the wrestling: and last of al the euent & issue of this wrestling.

CHAP. IIII. The first circumstance, the time of the wrestling.

AS to the first, the circumstance of1 time is noted by Moses, when Ia­cob (sayth he) was left alone. Amongst many reasons that might moue Iacob to bee alone, I encline to none more then this: he sought to be solitary, to the end he might haue the fitter occa­sion to pray, and poure out his griefe the more freely and homely into the Lords bosome. For we know that the presence of men is oftentimes a great impediment of the free communing of our soules with God, and that the chil­dren of God will boldly communicate [Page 22] those secrets to the Lord, which theySolitarines conueni­ent for prayer. will not vtter to their dearest friends. We haue here then to learne with Ia­cob, sometime to with-draw our selues from the dearest company of men, that wee may haue the better occasion by prayer to conferre with our God, For hee who loueth wisedome, will separate himselfe to seeke it. Yet are wee to re­member,And yet solitarines auailes not without inward at­tention. that solitarinesse auailes not without, vnlesse there be silence with­in: For though the body bee remoued from the eyes of men, if the soule in the meane time bee disquieted with bands of restlesse and troublesome mo­tions, it is not possible that we can pray. Maxima est segnitia, alienari & capi Cypr de orat. dom. ineptis cogitationibus, cum Dominum de­precaris, quasi sit aliquid, quod magis de­beas cogitare, quam quod cum Deo lo­quaris, quomodo te audiri à Deo postulas, cum te ipse non audias, vis Deum memo­rem esse tui cum rogas, cum tu ipse me­mor tui non sis, hoc est ab hoste in totum non cauere, hoc est vigilare oculis & corde dormire, cum debeat Christianus, etiam [Page 23] cum dormit oculus, corde vigilare. It is (saith Cyprian) a very great sloath to be alienate and carried away with vnmeet cogitations, when thou prayest vnto God: as if there were any thing wher­of thou shouldest thinke more then this, that thou art speaking with God. How desirest thou that God should heare thee, when thou hearest not thy selfe? or that hee should be mindefull of thee, who art not mindefull of thy selfe? By so doing, thou art not warie enough of thy enimie, this is to watch with thine eyes and sleepe with thy heart, whereas it becommeth a Chri­stian euen to wake with the hart, when the eye is asleepe: I sleepe but my heart Cant. waketh.

When therefore we goe to pray, weWhat pre­paration should goe before prayer. must doe as did our Sauiour, when he went to raise Tabitha from the dead, he put the Minstrels and the Mou [...]ners to the doore; and wee must put worldly thoughts out of our mindes, tollerable seruants (if so be wee vse them as ser­uants) at another time, but no way [Page 24] tollerable in the time of prayer: Like the Asses and Seruants of Abraham, which he vsed as helpes to carry him forward in his journey, but left them at the foote of the mountaine, when he went vp to pray, and sacrifice to the Lord. And thus the perturbations of our mindes within being quieted, then let vs eschew as farre as possibly wee can, all occasions of distractions with­out vs. Let vs with his spouse in the Canticles, follow our Husband to the Cant. fields, and there talke with him: or with Dauid, let vs examine our hearts vpon Psal. 4. our [...]eds, and be still: or as our SauiourMat. 6. 5. commandeth vs: Let vs enter into our chamber, and shut the doore, and there in secret pray to our heauenly father. Af­ter this manner went Daniel to hisDan. Acts. chamber alone, and Peter to the top of the house alone, and Iesus ChristHow care­full wee should be, and why, to seeke occasions to pray. went alone to the mountaine to pray all night. And so much the more ear­nestly should we practise this Lesson, because now by Iacobs example vvee learne, that then the Lord doth deale [Page 25] most familiarly to shew himselfe vnto vs, when wee are best content to sepa­rate our selues from all other pleasures, that we may get conference with the Lord: whereas by the contrary, when we neglect to seeke him, and will not doe so much as redeeme a time and oc­casion to speake with him, by forgoing for a while, the company of men, the Lord accounts that hee is dishonouredNeglect of prayer is a contēning of God. of vs, that we are such, as haue little de­light in the Lord, yea, preferres euery thing before him: and therfore also it is, that the Lord delights not to be home­ly with vs, and to acquaint vs with his familiar presence, because we doe not carefully waite vpon him.

The Lord therefore encrease in vsTrue pray­er alwayes returnes with profit to vs. this delight & disposition to pray, that we may esteeme it a benefit & vantage to vs to haue the least occasion to pray, for it was neuer yet seene but that a hart to pray hath euer been an vndoub­ted forerunner of a speciall blessing of God to ensue. If we open our mouth Psal. wide the Lord shall fill it: seeking must [Page 26] goe before finding, & we must knocke before it be opened. If we haue the first we may be sure of the second. Our Sa­uiour hath assured vs, that our heauenly father will giue his holy spirit to them who desires him. When Abraham Genes. prayed to the Lord, the Lord answered him in such sort that euery petition hee sent forth returned back with some new gaine: at sixe petitions he brought theHow at six petitions Abraham brought the Lord from fifty to ten. Lord from fiftie to ten, that the Lord promised to spare all Sodom for tenne righteous. And that which is most comfortable, the Lord left not off an­swering, till first Abraham ceased from praying: As that Oyle miraculously multiplyed by Elisha, continued so long as the poore widdow had an emptie vessell wherein to receiue it: so may we be sure that the grace of our God, shall without ceasing bee multiplyed vpon vs, so long as our hearts are enlar­ged to call vpon him. Blessed are they Mat. 5. who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse, for they shall be satisfied.

CHAP. V. The second circumstance, the persons betweene whom the wrestling is.

THe second thing that here comes2 to be considered, is the persons, betweene whom the wrestling is. Hee that wrestles here with Iacob, is not a Man, albeit Moses so calleth him, be­cause so hee appeares: neither is hee a created Angell, albeit Hosea call him an Angell of God. But hee who wrestles is the sonne of God, the great Angell of the couenant, hic homo verus Deus Chris. in Gen. 32. est, non ex nuncupatione, sed natura: hee it is, who in this combat is the wrestler with Iacob.

Where first it is to bee demanded,How as mā Christ appeared to the Fa­thers be­fore his in­carnation. how it is that Iesus Christ appeared to the Fathers vnder the law, in forme and shape of a man, hee not being yet in­carnate and made man indeede. The answere is, that appearing of Christ in forme of a man, was as Tertullian [Page 28] calleth it, praeludiū humanitatis, a presig­nation of his manifestation after in the flesh: but there is a great difference be­tween the appearing & his incarnation that followed, in the fulnesse of time. ForGal. first, albeit christ before his incarnation tooke on verely the body of man, yetDifference betweene Christs apparition and his manifesta­tiō after in the flesh. was he not then a man indeede, he was not then of the seed the woman, but whē fulnesse of time came, God sent his son into the world made of a woman, then the word was made flesh: then tooke he on the seed of Abraham, & became in al things man like vnto vs except sin: then hee assumed our nature, and joyned it into one subsistance vvith his diuine nature, that is, into one personall vnion, for the straitnesse of the which conjun­ction, it is sayd, and most truely, that Christ Iesus Man is God, and Christ Iesus God is Man: vvhich before his incarnation could not be said of him. Secondly, vvhereby Christ vnder the lavv tooke on the body of man, was but temporall, and for the doing of some particular errand, vvhich so soone as he [Page 29] had finished, he laid away againe. But Christ Iesus hath now assumed the na­ture of man, neuer to be laid away a­gaine: as hee hath joyned our nature vvith his diuine nature in a personall vnion, so also in an euerlasting vnion; so that there shall neuer be a separation betweene them.

Alway in this manner of Christs ap­pearingChrists loue is seene in his familiar apparition to the fa­thers be­fore the Law. vnto Iacob, & other of his ser­uants before the law: let vs take vp the loue of Iesus toward his owne, that for their sake hee is content to abase his majestie, and appeare to his seruants, not in a shape answerable to his glory, but in such a forme as their weakenes might best comport vvith: for vvhat kind of more homely and familiar ap­parition can God vse to man, than to appeare as a man, in the shape most fa­miliar to man? Not as God clad with glory and Majestie, for that way no flesh might abide him. In this O Lord thou hast shewed thy goodnes to man: in this our father Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob had a proofe of thy louing kind­nesse: [Page 30] and in this, all thy children may see what great account thou makest of them, vvho loue and feare thy holy name.

But what is all this, if it be compa­redBut more aboundant ly hath he shewed his loue to vs in this last age. with that which after followed, I doe meane with that great loue, which now in this last age of the world, ac­cording to the truth of his promises he hath shewed vnto his Church, in that he hath kept the precise, promised, andIraen. contra Val lib. 3 cap. 28. Bern. S [...]r 2. de ad­uen. dom. Iraen. contra [...]al. lib. 3 cap. 31. Tertulli­de carne Christi. Phil. 2. 7. appoynted period of time, wherein he hath appeared to his Church, not in sh [...]pe of a man onely, as he did to our fathers, but in the very nature of man. A man indeed, albeit not made man, after the manner of other men: For hee is the stone cut out of the mountaine without hands: He vvas not made man by the operation of man: He is a flower of the field, not of the garden; he grew vp like a Branch of the root of Iesse: but not by the ordinary labour of a Gar­diner. Hee is the second Adam, very man, but not begotten by man: He be­ing the God of glory, made himselfe of no [Page 31] reputation, hee tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant, and was made like vnto men: and all this he did, that in our nature he might work the work of our redempti­on. Hee came downe from the bosome of his Father, as the great Angell of his counsell, to reueale to vs his fathers will concerning our saluation. It is not customable, that honourable persona­ges should come to the poorer, but his compassion of our necessities constray­ned him: Iacentes enim paralytici in grab­bato, Bern. de aduentu. Dom. Serm. 1. diuinam illam non potteramus attin­gere celsitudinem: For we lying sick of the palsie in our cowch, vvere not able to reach vnto that diuine and high ma­jestie; therefore hee humbled himselfe to come vnto vs, because wee were not able to goe vnto him.

And herein hath he vttered towardMan lost himselfe aspiring to be like vn­to God: Christ hath saued Man by humbling himselfe to become like man. man, his wonderfull loue. Man being man onely, aspired to be like vnto God, and so lost himselfe, that now hee is become worse then a Companion to beasts: But Iesus being very God, was content to become man, that he might [Page 32] saue man, vvho vvas lost. O how hath the loue of Iesus ouercome our ingra­titude! hee became the sonne of man, to make vs the sonnes of God, he hath taken on him our sinnes, and giuen to vs his righteousnesse, he refused not to vndergo that death, which vvas due vn­to vs, that he might make vs pertakers of his life. In a word, Quod homo est, Cypr. de Idol. van. Christus voluit esse, vt homo possit esse, quod Christus est: That vvhich Man is Christ would bee, that man might bee made that which Christ is: and therefore, Humiliauit se, vt populum qui Cipr. de Eleemos. iacebat erigeret; vulneratus est, vt vulne­ra nostra sanaret; seruiuit, vt ad liberta­tem seruientes extraheret; mori sustinuit, vt moriens immortalitatem mortalibus exhiberet. Hee vvas humbled himselfe,Esay. 53. 5. that he might raise vp his people lying in bondage: He was wounded for our transgressions, that by his stripes wee might be healed. He became a seruant, that wee vvho vvere seruants might be restored to liberty: He suffered death, that he dying might giue immortalitie [Page 33] to vs that are mortall. This is, O Lord, the greatnesse of thy loue towards vs, the length, and breadth, the height, and depth whereof all thy Saints are not able Ephes. to comprehend: But O Lord graunt that vve may daily grow in the feeling ther­of, that with joy of heart, wee may re­signe our selues fully to thine only ser­uice, vvho so willingly hast [...] giuen thy selfe to be ours.

But to returne to the considerationHow is it that weake men in wrestling should bee partie to the mighty God. of the persons; who wrestles: yee may meruaile what wrestling can bee be­tweene parties so vnequall, betweene God and Man, betweene the Creatour and the Creature, betweene the Potter and his Vessell. When the Lord is an­gry, the foundations of the mountains and earth doe shake. Hee breaks downe, Psal. 18. and it cannot be built, he shuts vp, and it cannot be loosed. The pillers of heauen Iob. 12. tremble and quake at his reproofe: at his rebuke hee dryes vp the sea, and maketh the floud desart, there fish rot for want of water, and dye for thirst. Hee clothes the Iob. 26. heauens with darknesse: hee biddeth his [Page 34] lightning walke, and they say Loe, here we Esay. 50. Iob. 38. Iob. 41. 1 Sam. 6. are: he maketh the pot to boyle like ae pot of oyntment, who is able to stand before this holy Lord? And how then is it that Iacob is brought in here as a wrestler with the Lord? But here ye must con­sider the parties, as they are set downe in this conflict by Moses.

The Lord in this wrestling vttersBecause God vtte­reth not his power and houlds vp man by secret grace. not himselfe as the mightie God, hee shews not himselfe in his power, for so should hee easily haue confounded his creature, but the Lord vttereth himselfe as a man, and a man in pith & strength inferiour to Iacob. Iacob againe is here to be considered, not as a simple man, nor as a man vvrestling by his owne strength; but as one standing & wrest­ling by the strength of God: and here­of commeth his pre [...]ailing in this bat­tell. The Lord vtters himselfe lesse then he is, and makes vp Iacob much more then hee was. Magna certè Dei Chrisost. in Ge 32 nisericordia in figura hominis luctari vo­luit cum iusto vt se illius humilitati at­temperar [...]t. And this same is the Lords [Page 35] dealing in all his wrestling with his children, that neither doth hee vse his strength against thē, nor yet leaue them to their owne weakenesse. If the Lord should shew himselfe a strong God in wrestling against vs, then indeed none were able to stand before him. The three Disciples at the sight of Christs glory, when hee was transfigurate on mount Tabor, fell to the ground asto­nished. If sinfull flesh bee not able to abide the sight of his glory; how shallOtherwise Man could not stand before him. it indure the dint of his power? & that which is most of all, how could fraile man sustaine the bensall of his Wrath and anger, if the Lord would intend it?

Hereof then commeth our standing in these inward conflicts of conscience,1 Cor. 10. 13 that our faithfull God suffers vs not to be tempted abou [...] our power: he assailes vs not aboue our strength: he sets not our Psalm. 50. sinnes in order before vs, that wee should see them as we committed them. Hee permits not his deputy the Conscience to accuse and torment vs according to the merite of our transgressions, hee [Page 36] mittigates the stroke of his rod, & ex­tenuates the pith of his hand, when hee puts at vs. And with this also by his se­cret grace he vnderprops vs; otherwise no power should bee found in weake man, to stand in the meanest of these battels, wherein God sheweth himselfe our aduersarie party. Yea if the Lord should set vp one of our sinnes to pur­sue vs, and then withdraw his secret grace from vs, wee should fall into the desperation of Caine, and Iudas. And if hee should arme, but one of our owne cogitations against vs, we should become miserable murtherers to our selues, like Saul and Achitophell. If he take his breath out of our nosthrils, we fall to the ground: or if he should ab­stract from vs the vse of Reason, which he hath lent vs, we become worse then the beasts. Thus, neither in inward, nor outward wrestlings, haue wee any strength of our owne to stand before him.

Our standing in trouble is onely by the strength of God, who sustaines vs: [Page 37] hee puts at vs with the one hand, andIn wrest­lings spiri­tuall, God is both our assaulter and vphol­d [...]r. vnderprops vs with the other. It is God in vs, vvho ouercommeth him­selfe opponing vnto vs. Qui pro nobis mortē semel vicit, semper vincit in nobis. And this yee may see clearely in his dealing with that woman of Canaan, Cyp. lib. 2 epist. his audible voyce was against her, but the secret helpe of his spirit vvas with her: with one hand hee repelled her, and with the other hee drew her heart neere vnto him.

CHAP. VI. Consolation for the Godly afflicted.

THis I haue marked for thy conso­lation, thou who art the vvarriour and vvrestler of God, that thou maist know, God is the strength of thy life: and finding it so, maist be thank­full, and entertaine his presence vvith thee. For vvhereof (thinkest thou) hath it come, that so many yeeres thou hast [Page 38] stood in the middest of so many tenta­tions? that so long thou hast endured these spirituall vvrestlings, wherein thy conscience, and God vvho is greater then thy conscience, hath stood vp thine accuser: hath it come of any strength in thee? None at all If the Lord Psal. 94. 17 had not holpen me, my soule had almost dwelt in silence. It is the Lord that k [...]ep­eth Psal. 66. 9. our soules in life. The Lord vvho seemed our Aduersarie, was our secret helper; hee shooke vs with tentations, and sustained vs with his grace: Euen the Lord who wounded vs, did heale vs. Hose. 6. The Lord is the d [...]liuerer of our soule out of all aduersitie. Otherwise it had beene impossible for thee (O weake man) to haue holden vp thi [...]e head in the least of these tentations; ouer which now through his Grace thou hast preuayled, and obtayned the victory. Not vnto vs therefore, O Lord, not vnto Psal. vs, but vnto thy name let the glory bee giuen.

It is againe here to be marked, that the Lord when hee appeareth most [Page 39] familiarly to Iacob, hec exercises himThe Lord will not giue his children immunitie from trou­bles. with a wearisome wrestling; the sud­daintie and noueltie vvherof (no doubt) at the first, did greatly terrific and dis­quiet him. The Lord then when hee coms to Iacob, doth not [...]ast him asleep into carelesse security, but hee tosses and shakes him too and fro, and ex­ercises him with fighting, and strugling all the night long? whereof wee may learne, that euen when the Lord is ne [...] ­rest, and most familiar with vs, then of­tentimes our tentations and wrestlings vvill be greatest. So soone as Iacob got the first blessing, therefore withall in­continent, hee behoued to sustaine the enmitie of Esau, and was forced, for eschewing his crueltie to vndergoe ba­nishment. And now when the Lord comes to blesse him againe, hee first wakes and prepares him by tentation. This is the order of the Lords work­ing: Blessed is the man, who endureth Iam. 1. 12. tentation, for when hee is tryed, hee shall receiue the crowne of life, which the Lord hath promised to them who loue him.

[Page 40]It is not then true which sometimeSpirituall wrestling a witnesse of gods fa­miliar pre­sence with vs. the weake Conscience doth conceiue and apprehend, that spiritual exercises, wrestlings, and fightings against tenta­tions, are tokens of descrtion, of the Lords absence, and departure from vs: by the contrary, they are sure witnesses of the Lords familiar presence vvith vs, whether vve fight vvith the spirituall weapons of our Warfare against carnall 2 Cor. men without vs, or against our owne in­fidelitie, and rebellious affections, la­bouring to subdue them, and bring them captiue: to Christs obedience: or against any other of Sathans temptations, stan­ding with the compleat armor of God at all occasions to resist him. All these vvrestlings I say, are vndoubted tokens of a spirituall life within vs, and of the Lords presence vvith vs in mercy, and fore-runners of a further blessing; for as the carnall peace, and securitie of the wicked, ends in destruction, and their pride goeth before a fall: when they say Prouer. 1 The. 5. 3 peace & safety, then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction: like that which fell [Page 41] on the Philistines in the midst of their carnall rejoycing (the pillars of their house vvere not sure enough to sustaine them) so the inward humiliation of Gods children, is by a good token, a sure argument of approaching grace. But as to the vvicked, vvith vvhom theThe wic­ked being dead cap­tiues can­not fight. Lord is not, they are no Wrestlers a­gainst Sathan and sin, for they are dead in sinne and trespasses, and haue ren­dred themselues prisoners, and captiues vnto Sathan, and are taken of him Cap­tiues 2 Tim. at his will: they liue vnder a mise­rable peace, with the enimie of their Saluation. If hee wound them, they mourne not, if he command them, they resist not. And such (alas) are many in this age, vvhose eyes it may please the Lord to open, that they may see that miserable state wherein they do stand; and once may bee moued by his Spirit to sigh, vnder this heauie seruitude and bondage and earnestly call vnto God for deliuerance▪

CHAP. VII. Comfort for Christs souldiers.

BVt as for you whom GOD hath set at enmitie with the Serpent, and entred to fight in that battell, which once was proclaymed in Paradise, and wherein all the souldiers of that blessed seed of the woman must fight by course vnto the end of the world. Blessed are ye, for hereby yee may know that the Lord hath loosed the chaines of your captiuitie Ye are no more the slaues & prisoners of sathan, but by grace warri­ours against him; ye stand on that side whereof the Captaine is, that trium­phant conquerour, the victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda, euen that God, Peace, [...] I. Rom. who shall shortly trample Sathan vnder the feete of his Saints. [...]aint not ye ther­fore because of your continuall tentati­ons.Wrestling a sure to­ken of spirituall life. Thinke not the Lord is from you because you are exercised with inward wrestlings. Wrestling in this life is our [Page 43] greatest perfection, an vndoubted testi­mony of another life in vs, then the life of nature. None can striue against sa­than and sinne, but by the spirit of the Lord Iesus: or who can hold, or re­taine the Lord till hee blesse him, but he who hath the Spirit of the Lord Ie­sus: Nature will make no opposition to Nature, and Sathan will not striue a­gainst himselfe: where striuing and wrestling is, striuing (I meane) for a blessing from God, and wrestling a­gainst sinne, there Christ is, there the spirit of the Lord is, & ther a new life is. By it thou art knowen to be the good souldiour of Iesus, to bee the man for whom is prepared the Crowne, For no Tim. man is crowned except he striue. Let it be therfore no discouragement to thee that thou art kept vnder, wrestling with daily tentations, but rather let it bee to thee a witnesse that God is with thee, as hee was with Iacob.

Farther it is to be considered, that Moses saith, a Man wrestled with Ia­cob: so hee appeared to be, but as yee [Page 44] haue heard the wrestler was the Lord.In all our afflictions we should goe by the instrument and looke to God as our party. This yeelds a notable lesson for the children of God, that in all our wrest­lings, what euer appeare vnto vs, or who euer seeme our partie, it is the Lord, with whom alway wee haue to doe. This consideration vpheld Iob that worthy warriour, in the middest of hisIob. greatest afflictions: when the tempest of winde ouerthrew the house and de­stroyed his seauen sonnes, and three daughters: when fire came down from heauen, and burnt his seauen thousand sheepe, and his seruants: when the Sa­baeans destroyed his siue hundred yoke of Oxen, and fiue hundred shee Asses: when the three bands of Chald [...]ans tooke away his three thousand Cam­mels: yet in all this he complaines not of the iniquitie of the Chaldaeans and Sabaeans: he murmures not against the elements, the aire, nor the fire: he speaks no word against any that were instru­ments of his trouble: he knew that they were all vnder the Lords commande­ment, to come and goe at his pleasure, [Page 45] hee turnes his eye toward the Lord, and takes him vp for his partie. The Lord hath giuen, the Lord hath taken, blessed bee the name of the Lord. And so with this one weapon of godly consi­deration he keepes off at one time ma­nifold buffets & blowes of Sathan, and is preserued vnwounded by them: For in all this Iob sinned not with his mouth.

Good were it for vs, if in the wholeOur impa­tience pro­ceedes of this, that vve looke to the in­strument more then to God. course of our life, vve could remember this: for so shuld we not be discouraged, & cast down (as commonly we are) by looking too much to the instruments of our trouble. Many things we beare the more impatiently, because we con­ceit they proceede from men, or other second causes, which we vvould receiue much more vvillingly, if wee could re­member they come from God. Not so much as a Sparrow, nor a haire of our Mat. 6▪ 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 August. hom. 14. tua, in quanta securitate est anima tua? If [Page 46] 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 Dan. 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 heSam. was not incenced with anger; because hee considered that the Lord had sent him. And Nahomi with this comfortedRuth. 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, Tertul. lib. de patien. vt patientia maioribus praepara­ta in minoribus excidat. Let such a spot and foule blemish bee farre from the [Page 47] 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 Ier. 12. 5. 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? Rom. 8. 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,Hos. 12. 4. 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 [Page 49] minde, that his heauie hand of sicknes,Sore wrest lings when God at one time hum­bles his children both in body and minde. Prou. 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)Ps. 109. 22 is wounded within me. My spirit is Psa. 143. 4 in perplexitie, and my soule is amazed. The Lord renewes his plagues, and en­creaseth Iob. 10. 17 Iob. 9. 8. 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 2 Cor. 7. 5 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 [Page 50] 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 1 Cor. 10. that which appertaines to men.

Wee haue here in like manner toA rare ten­tation whē Gods wor­king seems to fight with his word and promise. 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 [Page 51] 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 [Page 52] 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 the1 By Iacob. 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 2 By 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 [Page 53] 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 in3 By Iacob. 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 [Page 54] 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 that4 By the woman of Canaan. woman of Canaan, according to that promise, ask [...] 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 [Page 55] 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 [...]aith.

CHAP. X. Let vs euer leane to the Word of God, how strange soeuer his worke s [...]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 [Page 56] 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 Ps. 119. 75 verse. 89. [...] but well with them, who loues thee. I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right, for thy word endureth for eu [...]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 [...]sa. 38. 15. Pst 119. 18 Psa. 89. 33 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 [Page 57] to speake of the time, how long the4 The fourth circūstance how long endureth the wrest­ling. 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,1 Chro. 10 13. neyther suffer his rods to lye longer vpon their backs, then may serue for their weale. Al our afflictions are mea­suredOur affli­ctions are measured in quanti­tie, qualitie and time. by the Lord, in quantitie, quali­tie, and continuance of time. For quan­titie, the Lord propines to each one of his Children, a c [...]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 [Page 58] intercessions for vs, the become so sweet and delectable, that wee reioyce in t [...] ­bulation. And as for time, hee giues vs but dayes of try all & affliction, houres of tentation, attending to his good plea­sure, and wish [...] 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 Psal. in the euening, but ioy commeth in the morning.

And of this ariseth to vs, a lessonThis shuld teach vs patience in trouble, for there is no deliue­rance till God giue it. 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 [Page 59] 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, [...]e requested the Angell for license to [...]ar­ry at Zoar. And so, where the Lo [...]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 [Page 60] by our selues. Then wee rest in quiet­nesse, when wee rest on the will and mercy of God, not vpon our owne de­ceitfull refuges of vanitie.

And here is discouered the foolish­nesseHow foo­lish are the wicked, who seeke deliuerāce by other meanes. of the wicked, who being impa­tient in trouble, haue recourse with Achaziah to Beelzebub, to Sathan, or his instruments, seeking by sorcerie, charming, or some other such vnlawfull meanes to preuent the Lords deliue­rance. Alas, these blinde wretches see not that which after this manner they seeke to read themselues, they fall vn­der the danger of an euerlasting wrath. When Hananiah that false Prophet brake that yoke of timber, which the Lord put about the necke of [...], to presignifie the captiuitie of Babel, the Lord insteede of it, put a yoke of yron about his necke, which Hananiah was not able to breake. So shall it bee with thee: O thou, who withdrawest thy selfe from thy Lord; thou who wilt cast off the yoke of God, and not tarry till the Lord deliuer thee. Insteed of a [Page 61] yoke of wood, the Lord shall fasten thy neck with a yoke of iron, that is, in stead of a light temporall affliction, whereof thou hast freed thy selfe for a time, by meanes vnlawfull, The Lord Ier. 28. 13. shall sting thee with Serpents, and Coc­katrices, which thou shalt not bee able to charme: he shall cast thee into that Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, and shall bind vpon thee for euer that terrible wrath, which is a wrath to come, except in time thou repent.

But leauing the wicked, let vs learneWe should pray to the Lord in trouble, but not preuent him. at Iacob, who with patience continues in the wrestling, as long as the Lord will wres [...]le with him, so that as the Lord began it, so is hee the first that breaketh it off. Wee may indeede with a good warrant, pray for deliuerance out of trouble, saying with Christ our Lord; If it be thy will, Lord let this cup passe by mee; but alwayes so, that vvee submit our wil to the Lords most holy will; Neuerthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And in the meane season, so long as it shal please the Lord to keep [Page 62] vs vnder affliction, let vs bewa [...]e that wee murmure not, neyther limite the holy one of Israel, to preseribe vnto him, eyther the time or manner of our▪ deli­uerance. [...] to the Lord his owne praise; He is the God that saueth vs, and Psa. 16. 20 vnto the Lord belongeth the issues of death: Waite thou patiently on the Lord: Psal. 27. 5. Commit thy way to him, trust in him, and he shall bring it to passe.

CHAP. XI.

THe fift thing vvee promised to5 The fift circum­stance the euent of the wrest­ling. speake of, is the euent and issue of the wrestling; where wee see that the wrestling is so dispensed by God, that in the end, the victorie inclines vnto Iacob. So saith Moses here: The Lord saw that hee could not preuaile. This speach doth not import any su­periour strength in Iacob, but an abun­dant mercy in God. The Lord cannot, [Page 63] is no other thing, but he will not: hee is the God of heauen and earth; hee that speaketh, and it commeth to passe▪ all th [...] nations of the earth compared with him, are but as the drop of a bucket: if heeEsay. 40. had pleased to haue taken from Iacob his breath out of his nosthriles, hee might easily haue confounded him, and laid him dead vnto the ground. But it pleases him by secret strength to make Iacob victorious; yet not so, but that he carryeth away some mark of his weaknesse and infirmitie: For the Lord disjoynts his thigh bone, and maketh him to halt, and that partly for Iacobs humiliation, least he should im­pute the victory vnto his own strength, rather then the Lords mercy, and part­ly that it might bee a memoriall vnto him all the dayes of his life, and pro­uocation to thankfulnesse. As also the Lord gaue him this marke in his body, as Theodoret thinketh, to assure him, that it was no fantasie, nor vaine visi­on, which had appeared vnto him.

And in this is shadowed vnto vs, the [Page 64] manner of that victory, which the chil­drenIn our spi­rituall bat­tels we get no victorie without a wound. of God obtain in their wrestlings, to wit, that it is such a victory as is not without a wound. A notable wrest­ler was Dauid, yet got he sundry times the foyle. A notable wrestler was Pe­ter, and such a one for whom Christ prayed, that his faith should not faile, because hee knew that Sathan was to sift him: yet was he deadly wounded by a very weake instrument. A nota­ble wrestler also was the Apostle Paul: many rare reuelations receiued hee of the Lord, much did he in his calling, to draw many to righteousnesse; hee laboured more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles: he founded pow­erfully that [...]umpet, which cast downe the wals of spirituall Iericho whereso­euer hee came: so that from Ierusalem to Illyricum hee made the Gospell of Christ to abound. Yet, least he should bee exalted out of measure, an Angell of Sathan was sent to buffe [...] him. Noah that preacher of righteousnesse to the originall world, spotted with drunken­nes. [Page 65] So Moses speaketh of him though Basill excuse his fact, that in respect he was the first planter of a vineyard, his drunkennesse came rather of the lack of experience, that hee knew not the strength of wine, then of his intempe­rance. Yet the Spirit of God marketh it in him as a blemish. No victory then to the Children of God in their bat­tels in this life, without some wound. Who can say, he hath so fought against sinne, that at no time hee hath beene ouercome by sinne? The best he that euer liued in the world (our blessed sa­uiour excepted) hath had his breuia, le [...]ia (que) peccata, quamuis pauca, quam­uis par [...]a, non tamen nulla: And those sinnes, as they were done by them, so are they written for vs, not for our imi­tation, but for attention: not that wee should make sport of their weaknesse, as Cham did of his fathers nakednesse, Qui lapsu alieno gaudet, gaudet Diaboli victoria. Hee that rejoyceth at another mans fall, rejoyceth at Sathans victo­rie: but rather, Ut medicamenta nobis [Page 66] de alienis vulneribus faciamus, that so knowing our owne weaknesse we may learne by their example to take heed to our selues.

CHAP. XII.

HAuing spoken of the wrestlingSecond part of the Historie containing the confe­rence bee­tweene Ia­cob, and the Angel. that was betweene the Lord and Iacob, it now remaines wee speake of the conference, that vpon the wrestling fell out betweene them.

The Lord beginneth the conference, and he craues of Iacob, that hee would let him goe. This may seeme very strange, that the Lord this manner of way should speake vnto his seruant; he that loosed the coupling of Iacobs thigh, might hee not haue loosed the grasps of Iacobs hand? he that came to Iacob without Iacobs knowledge, might hee not haue gone without Iacobs li­cense? He might indeed: yet doth he make intimation of his departure vnto [Page 67] Iacob, and why? onely to stirre him vp the more earnestly to seeke his blessing before he goe.

This is the Lords manner of dea­lingThreat­ninges of spirituall [...] are prouo­cations of the Godly to drawe neere vnto the Lord. with his Children, that he makes the mintes of his departure from them, to bee meanes that prouokes them to draw neerer vnto him, so that spirituall desertions, are prouocations, whereby God his Children are wakened more effectuously to desire the continuance of Gods mercy with them. When lesus Christ accompanied his two DisciplesLuke 24. 20. vnto Emaus, & communed with them by the way, when they drew neere to the towne, Iesus made him (saith the Euangelist) as if he would haue gone a little further, onely to stirre them, to seeke his abiding with them In the do­ing of our Sauiour, is figured vnto vs the manner of the Lords working with his children, who sometimes doth so behaue himselfe, as if he were instantly to depart▪ and take his holy Spirit from them; which mints of spirituall deserti­on, because they are exceeding grieuous [Page 68] to the godly, let vs for our comfort consider, the Lord by them seeketh no other thing but to encrease our faith, to kindle our loue, to stirre vs vp vnto greater feruency in prayer, that we may vvith Iacob constrayne the Lord to tar­ry and blesse vs. And with the two Disciples may cry Lord abide with vs, and forsake vs not.

For we are to vnderstand that theThe Lord will haue vs to pray for these same bles­sings that he hath concluded to giue. same blessings which God hath con­cluded to bestow vpon his children, he will haue vs to aske them before that he giue them: the Lord came at this time to Iacob, of purpose to blesse him, and yet he makes as if he would go away, and not blesse him; not that hee had changed his minde, but because he will haue Iacob to pray for that blessing of corroboration, which he had concluded to giue him. And let this warne vs in the least threatning of a spirituall de­sertion, to lay holde on the Lord by prayer, least for fault of seeking, wee close vp the Lords hands, which are full of blessings, ready to bee bestowed vpon vs.

[Page 69]Againe, we are to consider that theThe Lords presence is not ioyned without intermissi­on in this life. Lords presence in a like manner, can­not be continually kept in this life: nei­ther from the beginning haue any of the children of God enioyed it at all times. Where for the better vnderstan­ding of the lesson, and our farther com­fort,Two sorts of the Lord his presence one secret, which we want ne­uer, an­other felt, which all­waies wee enioy not. we must distinguish between th [...]se two kindes of the Lords presence; there is a presence of the Lord, which is felt and perceiued; there is another which is secret, and not perceiued, yet knowen by the effects. The secret presence of God, is continually vvith his children vvhere-euer they goe, ruling, guiding, & sustayning them in all their troubles, according to his promise, when thou passest through the waters I will bee with Esay. 43. 3. thee, that they doe not ouerslow thee: when thou walkest through the sire, thou shalt not be burnt. As to vs wee haue our owne vicissitudes of feeling, and not feeling, wee are changeable but the Lord remayneth the same; whom hee loues, hee loueth to the end, hee will neuer leaue vs, nor forsake vs: but [Page 70] by his secret presence, he intertaines life in our soules, when to our owne judge ment, wee are become altogether dead and senceles, as there is a substance in the Elme and Oke, euen when they haue cast their leaues. And th [...]s, as I sayd, appea­reth by the effects, that vve haue stood in many tentations, wherein wee could feele no present grace vpholding vs.

CHAP. XIII. What notable effects the felt presence of God bringeth with it.

THe other sort is, when not onely God is present vvith his children, but also make themselues sensibly per­ceiue it by inward & glorious feelings: this presence when we get it, makes a sodaine change of the whole man, it raises vs from death to life, it maketh a comfortable light to shine vvhere fear­full darknesse abounded, it makes our faith liuely, our loue fe [...]ent, our zeale burning, and our prayer earnest. Then [Page 71] is our water turned to wine, our sighes are turned into songs, & our mourning into glorious reioycing, because the Bridegroome is with vs, and the Comfor­ter that doth refresh our soule is come to visite vs. This presence is as euidently felt of them to whom it is graunted, as was that descending of the holy Ghost perceiued of the Apostles, to whom he came.

This presence sometime is grauntedThis felt presence before trou­ble is as a prepara­tiue. before trouble, as here vnto Iacob, and then it is a preparation of him that gets it to the battell, it embouldens, incoura­ges and strengthens him in such sort, that hee feares not in Gods cause to en­counter vvith vvhatsoeuer aduersarie. He triumphs vvith Dauid, the Lord is Psal. 27. 1. the light of my saluation, whom shall I feare? the Lord is the strength of my li [...]e, of whom shall I be afraid? This presence makes Iacob with his familie goe for­ward in the face of Esa [...], and of his ar­med men vvithout feare, where before he was afraid at the rumour of his com­ming. This presence made Moses [Page 72] lightly regard the angry countenance of Pharaoh, because hee had seene him, who was inuisible. This presence made Paul goe vp with joy to Ierusalem, where he knew he should be in chains for the name of Iefus. This presence hath emboldened many faithfull Mar­tyres, to offer their bodies more freely and willingly to the fire, for the te­stimony of Iesus, then euer any world­ling hath stept into his bath to wash himselfe, or to his bed to rest him. Let Peter bee prepared with this presence, and hee will preach Christ boldly, in the face of a Counsell that condemned Christ: Let Peter bee vnprepared of this presence, and hee will denie Christ at the voyce of a s [...]ple damsell.

Sometime againe, this prescence isAnd after trouble it is to Gods children a restoratiue graunted to his Children, after their long continuance in some trouble, and then it is to them as the neesings of that childe, whom after swouning, Elisha re­duced vnto life: or as a glimps of the bright shining Sunne, to the tender fruites of the earth, which before hath [Page 73] beene oppressed with blasting, and consuming tempests: it brings to the children of God a pacifying of all these distrustfull perturbations, which did before disquiet them: yea, it so delights and rauishes them▪ that with the three Disciples on Mount Tabor, when they had seene a little glance of Christs glo­ry, they cry out, It is good for vs to bee Mat. 27. 4. here. Yea, they wish, oh that my soule might for euer abide in this happy state and condition! But as I said be­fore, to enjoy the Lord continually in this manner, is not giuen to any man vpon earth, for a while he will be fami­liar with thee, as hee was with Iacob; but soone after he must goe, and thou must learne to reuerence this dispensa­tion of his presence, and not to be dis couraged because for a while he is gone from thee; yea, albeit with Mary one sword (of many sorrowes) should peirce through thy soule, yet with her also, mag­nifie the Lord, and let thy spirit reioyce in God thy sauior, blessing him with hart & mouth, that he looked to the base estate of [Page 74] his seruant. Account thy selfe happy that at any time the Lord shewes thee his mercifull face, being assured that he who hath giuen thee an earnest penny, wil in his own good time, giue thee the principall summe; and that the glimps of mercy 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 [Page 75] 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 Psa. 104. 2 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 euidentlyIt is gran­ted for our cōsolation, and taken away for our humi­liation. 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 [Page 76] weale. Ne timeas ô Sponsa nec existimes Bernard. 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 prae [...]ij summa, paulisper permittit nos gustare quam suauis sit, & antequā 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 [Page 77] 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; thereforeSpirituall desertions are prouo­cations of vs to fol­low the Lord. 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 [Page 78] 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 [Page 79] 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 [Page 80] 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 [Page 81] Dauid they water their couch with tears, and call vpon God all the day long. Their Lam. 1. 14. 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 to himselfe: when he threatens to goe from them, they follow him with these lamentable voyces, turne againe O Lord, and cause thy face to shine vpon me, that I may bee saued. O Lord take from me what thou wilt, take from me all the worldly com­forts, that euer thou gauest me, onely let me enioy thy selfe; for whom haue I in the heauens but thee? and I haue desired none in the earth with thee; my flesh farles me and my hart also, Lord faile thou me neuer: when thou hidest thy face I am sore troubled, returne therefore O Lord and be merciful to me, be thou the strength of my heart, and my portion for euer, for thy louing kindnesse is better then Life. These are the effects of sanctified [Page 82] trouble, while I haue marked, that wee may be comforted, & not discouraged, when we finde that our outward or in­vvard troubles produce into vs a loa [...] thing of earthly pleasure, and a more feruent loue of our God.

We haue yet more narrowly to con­siderThere is a striuing with God acceptable to him, & namely, when wee will take no refusall of that that God hath promised. this answere that Iacob giues to the Lord: I will not (saith hee) let thee goe, Is this a seemely answere for a ser­uant to giue vnto his Lord? when the Lord sayes let mee goe, becomes it Ia­cob to answere I vvill not let thee goe? Is this good religion, in any thing to striue with the Lord? Yea indeede, ther are some things wherein the Lord is very well content that thou striue vvith him; as namely, when the Lord hath promised any thing vnto thee, and thou hast his word for thy warrant, to seeke it in sort, that albeit the Lord say thee nay, yet thou wilt receiue no refu­sall at his hands: this is a strife, which pleaseth the Lord, for in effect it is no other thing but a constant affirmation, that his truth is inuiolable. After this [Page 83] manner, that woman of Canaan stroue with him, she would take no deniall of that which he had promised: and af­ter this manner, here also Iacob striues with him, hee will not be denied of a blessing. And Moses also stroue with the Lord, protesting he would not go forward one foote, vnlesse the Lord went with him; because the Lord had so promised. But farre be it from vs to striue with the Lord, as the wicked do, grieuing him dayly with our murmur­ings and rebellions, still liuing in con­trarie tearmes with the Lord. Woe bee to him, that striueth with his maker, doe yee prouoke the Lord vnto anger? or are yee stronger then hee? The end of this strife to them wil be horrible confusion

There is yet farther to be considered in these words of Iacob, how hee saith to the Lord, I will not let thee goe; by what meane is this, that Iacob is able to hold, and detaine the Lord? The Pro­phet Hosea will resolue this: It wasNothing in the world so strong as the prayer of the god­ly, for they are the bands vvhereby the Lord is holden & detained. (saith hee) by mourning, and weeping that Iacob preuailed, and helde the [Page 84] Angel, whilst he got the blessing. Ther is nothing so strong in the world, as the prayers of the godly, they are the onely bands, by which the Lord is holden, and detained: the Lord will not be re­strained by all the powers of the earth, neither will he cease to doe any worke, that he is about to doe, for the cries of all the men in the world: yet the pray­ers of his children are able to constrain him, to power downe an vndeserued blessing, and turne away a iust deser­ued punishment. When the people of Israell had fallen from God by wor­shipping the golden Calfe, the Lords anger was highly incensed, and kindled against them, which moued Moses to fall downe on his face before the Lord, beseeching him to bee appeased to­wards his people, for the glory of his name. This prayer did in such sort constraine the Lord in the midst of his anger, that he is compelled to say vnto Moses, Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, for I will consume them. This manner of speach vsed by [Page 85] the Lord, declares that the prayer of Moses did bind and hold in the wrath of God, that it brake not out vpon this people. In like manner we read in the Gospell, that when Iesus was passing by those two blinde men, who cryed vpon him, Osanna, thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs: albeit the multi­tude regarded not their crying, and the disciples also (as it seemes) tooke little thought thereof, yet Iesus was moued thereby to stand still. They could not come neere for the multitude to lay hands on him, but their prayers reach­ed vnto him, & doth so take hold vpon him, that by that place he could not goe, vntill he had giuen them a comfortable answere, the prayer of a righteous man a­uatles Iam. much, if it be powred out in faith.

CHAP. XVI. Prayers of the godly must be forcible and acceptable to God, seeing they come from his owne Spirit.

[Page 86]THis then is to the great comfort of the godly, that our prayers are effe­ctuall, and are (as I may call them) the Lords owne bands, wherewith we are able to detaine and hold him, till hee blesse vs. And no meruaile, seeing these prayers are not ours, but the intercessi­on of Gods owne spirit in vs, powred out in the name of Christ, in whom he is euer well pleased. For as to vs wee know not what to pray as we ought, but the Rom. 8. spirit it selfe makes request for vs, with sighes which cannot bee expressed. And therefore may we boldly thinke, that the Lord will not despise them. Spiritus est in quo clamamus Abba pater: sicut Bern in fest. Pent. Serm. 1. in nobis interpellat pro nobis, ita in patre delicta, donat pro ipso patre, quod postu­lamus, idem ipse donat, qui dat vt postu­lemus. It is the spirit (saith Bernard) by whom wee cry Abba father: as in vs the spirit makes request for vs: so with the Father he graunts our requests, and forgiues vs our sinnes, that for which we pray euen he giueth it vnto vs, who [Page 87] giueth vs this Grace to pray. Let vs therefore pray continually, and streng­then by these godly meditations our feeble hearts, and weake hands, that they faint not in prayer. Let vs go and desire good things from the Lord, see­ing we haue the Lord bound to vs by his promise. The Lord will fulfill the de­sire Psal. of them who feare him. And againe,Pro. 10. 24 That which the wicked feares shall come vpon him, but God will graunt the desire of the righteous. Thou who art made sure to obtaine, if so be thou canst de­sire, art here made inexcusable: none wants mercy and grace, but hee who desires it not.

And yet take heed, that in thy prai­erA warning for atten­tion in prayer. thou be not vnreuerent, remember, à quo, & quam magna petas: from whom and what great things thou crauest.Chrisost. de Canan homi. 15. Great things from a great king, should be desired with reuerence and affecti­on: they can best speed at the Lords almes-dealing that fall downe lowest with the Publican, not they who with the Pharisie stand vp prowdest vpon [Page 88] their feete. Abraham, the father of the faithfull, in his prayer, considering in himselfe, and looking to the majestie of God, humbly confesseth that hee was but dust and ashes. Yea Adam in his best estate of his innocencie, was bound to glorisie God, with the like confession of the basenesse of his ori­ginall; and to let Adam alone, the heauens are not cleane in his sight, yea he hath found follie in his Angels, they couer not onely their feete, but their faces before the Lord: what then shalt thou do O man, who dwellest in lodg­ings of clay? a sinfull creature by thine owne apos [...]asie, loaden with iniquitie: how shouldest thou bee humbled and bow downe thy soule, in the presence of thy Maker, Redeemer, and thy iudge? We should not desp [...]e our ovvne prayers, they being povvred out vvith­out pre­sumption, and why?

Presumption in praier thus being remoued, I returne to the comfort. Thou being thus humbled with an hatred of thine owne sinnes, with feare and reuerence of that diuine maie­stie, trusting to his promise, goe on with boldnesse to the throne of grace. Noli [Page 89] vilipendere orationem tuam, quoniam illo ad quem oras, non vilipendit: esteeme not lightly thine owne prayer, as though it were a smal thing; seeing the Lord to whom thou pray est hath declared that he accounts so much of it; suppose it be weake, yet remember, etiam solis vagit [...] ­bus Macar. hom. 31. infans matrem commou [...]t ad miseri­cordiam: euen the very cryes of the in­fant that vtters no distinct voyce, moues the mother vnto commisseration. And what comparison betweene the loue of a mother toward her children, and the loue of the Lord towards his? No fa­ther will giue to his children that asketh, a stone instead of bread, nor a Serpent in stead of a fish: What kindnesse then (if wee craue it) may we looke for at the hands of our heauenly father? As the Cyp. lib. 1 epist. 1. heauens are aboue the earth, so are my thoughts aboue yours. Our prayers (saith Cyprian) are arma coe [...] s [...]ia, quae stare nos faciunt & forti [...]er perseuerare, haec sunt munimenta spiritualia & tel [...] diuina, they are spirituall armour, wher­by we stand and strongly perseuer to [Page 90] the end they are heauenly darts and defences.

Oh that wee vnderstood the excel­len [...]eA com­mendation of prayer. of this grace of prayer, that so we might the more delight in it! it is the hand of a christian, which is able to reach from earth to heauen, and take forth euery manner of good gift out of the Lords treasure. It is one of those keyes of the house of Dauid, whereby we open the doores of the heauenly pallace, & goe in to take a view of that eternall building and glorious mansion, prepared for vs in heauen. It is the mes­senger that with speed goeth from our soules, saluting no creature by the way, and entreth straight into the Mercie seate in heauen, reporting to the Lord all our desires, and returning backe a fauourable answere from him. Yea, it is vnto vs as that [...]iery chariot of Eliah, whereunto we mount vp, and haue our conuersation with God in the heauens. O happie soule therefore which God hath endued vvith this most heauenly grace!

[Page 91] Except thou blesse me. It were for vsIacobs fer­uency, and zeale in praier con­vinces our inconside­ration and coldnesse. a good thing, if wee could learne from Iacob this holy vvilfulnesse, neuer to let the Lord alone till he blesse vs. But alas, here we are taken in our sinne, we fall to our prayers without preparation, we powre out a number of words without deuotion, and so goe away without a blessing. We send out our prayers like to incense, made indeed according to the Lords direction, but not kindled with fire from the Alter; that is, peti­tions lawfull enough, and agreeable to Gods word, but not powred out in fer­uencie. And so no meruaile that the Lord smell not in them a sweet sacri­fice; for incense without fire hath no fragrant smell; and so hauing finished our colde prayers, vvee rise without examination, not once considering with what fruit we haue prayed; and whe­ther wee haue gotten a blessing from God or no.

CHAP. XVII. Iacob cannot ende till God haue blessed him.

GOdly Iacob will here teach vs ano­ther lesson, that we should not let our gripes goe, nor cease from crying, vntill the Lord haue blessed vs. Then hath Iacob doone, when as the Lord hath blessed him: but till hee get the blessing, Iacob in no wise will part with the Lord. Where, if thou dispaire, how shalt thou know in prayer when God blesseth thee? I answere: Ex­cept the Lord teach thee, I cannot tellHovv may vve knovv vvhen God blesseth vs in praying to him. thee: the spirit of God, when he comes downe with a blessing, makes himselfe to bee knowne. No man hath felt so sensible a shower of raine, descending on his body, as the child of God will feele, when the shower of grace des­cends on his soule, then the foundations of that earth (which is in man) are sha­ken; the stonie heart melteth, the eye [Page 93] aboundeth in ioyfull teares, the tongue is loosed, that was bound before, the minde is filled with vnaccustomable light, the whole soule with vnspeake­able comfort. Finally, such an altera­tion is made of his whole desires, for a change of his whole inward and out­ward disposion, as the childe of God feeles better than hee is able to vtter. Which if we obtaine not in prayer (as many times it falles out) let vs receiue it as a checke of our coldnesse, as a spurre to further humiliation, that so with a new blessing wee may fall to seeke the Lord and his blessing.

And here againe wee haue to con­siderThe quick nes of faith another lesson; for in this, that he seekes a blessing from him, who woun­ded him, wee are to take vp the nature of faith, which is of such quicknesse that no maruell the Auncient said, Fi­des Linceos habet oculos: for albeit theBern. in Epiphan. serm. 1. Lord would take on him the shape of an enimie, and shew himselfe an an­gry iudge to his children, yet will they still looke for fauour and kindnesse at [Page 94] his hand. It was the Lord who afflicted Iob with outward and inward troubles, of the which, nature & sense could ga­ther no other conclusion but that God had forsaken him, and had become his en [...]mie; yet faith aboue sense and na­ture leadeth him through all these misly cloudes to looke vnto God, as vnto his mercifull father; and therefore res [...]s he in that notable conclusion, whereof we haue made mention before, Albeit the Lord stay me, yet will I trust in him.

CHAP. XVIII. Faith through death espies life.

THis fulnesse of faith doth also ap­pe [...]e manifestly in all the rest of Gods children, especially in time of trouble, for what maketh them reioyce in afflictions, and to triumph when they are going through the valley of death, but the sight & certaintie of a better? How commeth it, that in the same moment wherein God is taking their temporall [Page 95] life from them, they are seeking an e­ternall life from him? Out of doubt it commeth of their liuely faith, whichFaith in wrath can see mercy. through wrath sees mercy, through the clowde of light & momentary afflicti­ons, it beholdeth an infinit weight of glory.

But this quicknesse of faith appearesFaith of­fends not at the base forme and shape, in which Ie­sus Christ appeared, but throgh it sees him to be the king of glory. most of all wonderfully in the vp▪ ta­king of Iesus Christ, for he appeared in the world disguised, A King in sh [...]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 espo [...]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 B [...]rnard▪)Ber ser. 4. in vigil­ [...]. Dom. and thus was the glory of this [...]ght shining sunne which the world saw ne­uer before, obscured. Yet through all [Page 96] these, and many couerings, that Cen­turion, through faith esp [...]ed him to bee the sonne of God; and those three wise men who came from the East, by theMat. 2. 11. 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, Mich. who should feede his people, by this faith, Agnouit Simeon infantem tacentem, forAugust. serm. 20. 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 [Page 97] let vs return to the Lord, he hath spoyled, Hos. 5. 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 [...]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 [Page 98] 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 t [...] accipere, sed quid me dare, deceat. But much more may our al-sufficient God, [Page 100] 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 Psal. 4. 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 prejudiciallHow foo­lish they are, who in prayer seek to themselues, who doe it: for they fast and weary their spirits in seeking many [Page 101] things, and in the meane time, are care­lesseother things be­fore they seek the Lord. to seeke one thing; the obtaining whereof might bring them vnto all things: thus they consume themselues with vaine labour. Qui rerum magis Bernard. 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 kingdo [...]e of God, then all other things should be cast vnto them. This is the onely compendious way, to satis­fie our insatiable desires: Quicun (que) hic August. serm. 4. 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 [Page 102] to giue whatsoeuer he vvould aske, heThe onely way to get other things, is first of all to seeke the Lord. 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 [...]ue vs all the workes of his hand into our possession, they shall be found but comfortles comforts in the end, vnlesse we enjoy his fauour towards vs in Iesus Christ.

CHAP. XXI. Faith obtaines euery good thing that i [...] craues.

VPon this earnest desire of Iacob, the Lord resolues, that hee will blesse him: we haue a promise of God, Aske and it shall be giuen you, & we haue also manifold confirmations of this promise. Zedekiah spoke it in a slatte­ring manner to his Princes. Ye know that the King can denie you nothing, but it is most true in the Lord our God, such is his louing affection towards allIer. 38. his subiects of the kingdome of grace, that in very deed he can deny nothing which they ask in faith. As to the wic­ked (saith S. Iames) they ask, & get not, because they ask not in faith, nor for the right end. It is written of Uitellius the Emperour that one of his friends being denied his petition, which was not rea sonable, waxed angry, and said vnto him, what auailes to me thy friendship, [Page 104] seeing I cannot obtaine that vvhich I craue? vvho replyes vnto him, & what auailes to mee thy friendship, if for thee I must do that which is vnlawful? If such equitie hath beene found in man, vvhat shall vve think of our God? with vvhat face dare wee seeke that from God, vvhich is vnlawfull to bee giuen? But whatsoeuer vve aske of the Lord in faith, we are sure to obtaine it, or a better. So rare a jewell is faith, thatFaith a rare [...]ewell and why? hee vvho hath it, hath all things to bee his: God for his Father; Iesus Christ for his Sauiour; the holy Ghost for his Comforte [...]; the Angels for his mini­st [...]ing Spirits; this world for a sojourn­ing place; all the good creatures there­in for his Seruants; and the heauen for his inheritance: therfore said Cyril, Lata Cyril. catech 17 mer [...]atura est sides.

Before the Lord blesse him, he asksA new name is giuen to Iacob. Iacob what his name vvas: hee answe­red, My name is Iacob: to vvhom the Lord sayes: Thou shalt no more bee called Iacob (onely) but shalt be called Israell also. I giue thee now a new [Page 105] name, and this blessing, that thou hast had power with God, so hereafter shalt thou preuaile with men, feare not therefore the face of thy Brother Esau. Hee that gaue thee strength in this vvrestling, shall sustaine thee also in all thy conflicts with men. Thus the Lord will haue Iacob vse the present expe­rience of Gods mercy at this time, as a confirmation of him in all time to come.

Iacob then (as yee see) hath twoIacob had two names and they both are from wrest ling. names, and both of them he gets from wrestling. Hee wrestled once vvith his brother Esau in the wombe of his mo­ther, and from it he receiued the name Iacob, because he held his brother by the heele. Now againe hee wrestleth with the Lord, and from it he receiueth this other name Israel, a prince of God. As it was with Iacob, so it is with all the true Israelits of God; wrestling abides them, and in wrestling they must bee exercised, sometimes vvith God, as Is­raell; sometime with man, as Iacob with Esau, and Paul with beasts at Ephesus. [Page 106] No man is crowned before he striue: the husbandman must labour before he receiue the fruit; and wee by many tri­bulations must enter into the kingdom of God.

Againe, yee see that as the LordWith the new name God also giueth him new grace. bestoweth vpon Iacob a new name, so therewithall hee bestoweth vpon him new graces, increase of faith, and spi­rituall strength to resist tentations. It is not the Lords manner of dealing to set out his seruants, with vaine glorious ti­tles, which imports nothing; when hee giues them a new name, he giueth also new graces answerable to the name; by his vvord he cals things to be, which vvere not, Soli Deo idem facere, quod Ber. hom. 4. super miss [...]s est. loqui, for vnto God it is one to speake, and to doe. And hee giues names to things according as they are. Somtime he changeth a name from the better to the vvorse, as the place once called Be­thel, the house of God, the Lord called it Bethauen, the house of vanitie: and this the Lord doth not, but where a change is indeed from good vnto euill. [Page 107] Sometime againe hee changeth the name from the worse to the better. Where it was said vnto you, Yee are not Hos. my people, it shall be said, yee are the sons of the liuing God: and this he doth not but vvhere a change is indeede of the persons, who gets the name from euill vnto good.

And this is a rule, whereby we mayBy this rule we should try, if the new chri­stian name be perte­nent to vs or no. try our selues, vvhether the new name that appertaineth to Christians, be gi­nen vnto vs of the Lord, or not; or if vvee haue vsurped it our selues. If the Lord haue changed thy name, as he did Iacobs name, let it appeare in this, that he hath also changed thy selfe. Hath he giuen thee that grace, which the name imports? Hast thou receiued an oyntment Ioh. from that holy One? Hath he illuminated thy darknes? quickned thy dead heart? sanctified thy vnclean affections? Then maist thou be sure, that thou hast recei­ued thy name from God: but if yet we be such as remain in our naturall estate, liuing in our old sinnes, vnder the new name of a Christian, as now the most [Page 108] profane men haue gotten on the coue­ring of a Christian name, & Esau doth put on him the apparrell of Iacob: thou that so dost, maist bee sure, the Lord neuer gaue vnto thee this new name, but thou hast violently vsurped it vnto thy selfe. It shall be no more auaileable to thee then was the garment of good king Iehosophat vnto wicked Achab: yea, it shall augment so much the more the wrath of God vpon thee, because that vnder an holy name thou hast li­uedIt is horri­ble sacri­legde, to sin vnder the christi­an name. an vnholy life. Beltasar sinned a­gainst God by excesse and intempe­rancie, but that hee abused the holy vessels of the house of God, to serue him to prophane drinking, was a dou­ble sinne, a horrible sacriledge, yet not so horrible as thine. Hee abused dead Vessels, but thou profanest a liuing soule & body; they are not thine owne, they were once made by the Lord, and bought againe by the price of his bloud, and so by all right are the Lords, by Baptisme they were separate to the seruice of God, and his mark put vpon [Page 109] them. Notwithstanding all this, thou darest sacrilegiously abuse them, and make them weapons of vnrighteous­nesse to the seruice of Sathan. O mi­serable man! what fearefull judgement maist thou looke for at the hands of God? The wrath of God is reuealed a­gainst all vngodlinesse and vnrighteous­nesse of man. Tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill, euery man shall receiue accor­ding to that which hee hath done in the body. Turkes and Pagans shall not escape vnpunisht, but thou that abu­sest thy soule and body to the seruice of Sathan, which by Baptisme wert se­parate & consecrate to the Lord, com­mittest a double sacriledge, and there­fore must looke for a double judge­ment except in time thou repent.

CHAP. XXII. It is the curse of the wicked to pray and not preuaile, but it is not so with the Godly.

[Page 110] BEcause thou hast had power with God: As [...]acob sought a blessing, so at the length hee ge [...]teth it; for the Lord, at the last will fulfill the desires of them, who feare him. The desire of the childe of God, is as a birth concei­ued in the soule of man, which shall not dye, but come to perfection. Salomon promised to giue his mother Bethsheba, whatsoeuer she would aske, and it were to the halfe of his kingdome; yet when shee asked, that Abishag the Shunamite might be giuen to Adoniah his brother to wife, Salomon refused to graunt. Thus men can promise much, and performe little: it is not so with the Lord our God. He hath bidden vs pray, he hath promised to heare, and shall not also faile to performe, Nunquam oranti be­neficia denegabit, qui orantes vt ne defici­ant, sua pietate instigat. Hee will neuer denie his benefits to vs when we pray, who prouokes vs to pray.

But as to the wicked, the hope of the Hypocrite shall perish: their soules are full [Page 111] of desires, like so many strong voyces,Miserable are the wicked, for they desire that, which they shall neuer ob­taine. crying for that which they shall neuer obtaine; they wayte vpon lying vani­ties; which shall neuer come to passe. Quid tam poenale, quam semper velle, quod nunquam erit, & semper nolle, quod nunquam non erit, in aeternum non obti­nebit, quod vul [...], & in aeternum quod non vult sustinebit. What punishment more fearefull can fall on a man, then that he should euer wish, that which neuer shal be, and alwayes wish that were not, that shall be for euer: that which he will, he shall neuer obtaine, and that which he will not, hee shall for euer sustaine: & yet this is the miserable estate of the wicked. Let vs therefore take heed to our praedominate desires; for miserable are they, whose desires are on the world, more then on the Lord; and on vanishing trifles, more then vpon his permanent mercies. For when the Lord hath filled their bellies with his earthly treasure, & giuen them enough, that they leaue the rest behind to their children: what haue they more to craue [Page 112] from the Lord? They haue gotten their desire, they are not to looke that euer they shall bee pertakers of the felicitie of Gods chosen, their heart was neuer set vpon it, they haue receiued their con­solation The wic­ked haue receiued their con­solation on earth. on the earth, they haue no more to looke for. Wherefore our Sauiour pronounceth a feareful wo vpon them, and no meruaile; for miserable indeed is their condition, their consolation dies before they dye themselues; their com­forts forsakes them, before they go out of the world: and like the Gowrd ofIonas. Ionas withereth before their eyes: in their life they sate vnder the shadow of it, but in their death it is gone, and they finde no comfort in it. Well knew Dauid their misery, and therefore hee praies, Deliuer me O Lord from the men Psalme. of the world, who haue their portion in this life: that is, let mee neuer bee one of them. Wee haue therefore to marke, where-away the benefits of our affecti­ons doe carry vs, for if wee feele the Lords blessing, no doubt we shall finde it; and if the desire of our hearts bee [Page 113] aboue all things towards the Lord, such a desire I meane as vseth the meanes that may bring vs vnto him; for other­wise wicked Baalam will desire Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous! which he shall not obtaine. But let vs goe the right way to mercy, protesting with godly Dauid, O Lord I desire to do thy commandements, and then no doubt the Lord shall crowne vs with mercies and compassions at the last.

Thou shalt preuaile with men. I doe now here by my word (will the Lord say) inuest thee in this priuiledge, that no power of man shall be able to ouer­comeNo immu­nitie from affliction promised vnto vs. thee. Goe on therefore with cou­rage in thy iourney which I haue com­manded thee, and feare not any thing, that man is able to doe against thee. Wher it is to be marked, that the Lord promiseth not of his seruant any im­munitie from affliction: yea by the con­trary, the Lord fore-warnes, that men will make opposition to him; for where no opposition is made by men, how can there bee a priuiledge by Iacob? It is [Page 114] needfull we consider what it is that the Lord hath promised vnto vs, least look­ing for that which hee hath not promi­sed vs, we deceiue our selues. Many in the time of trouble make foule apo­stacie from Christ, and all because when they entred into the profession of Christian religion, they considered not they could not be his Disciples ex­ceptMany not cōsidering this, be­come apo­states in the time of trouble. they bare his Crosse; but foolishly lookt for some temporal ease, or world­ly commoditie in the following of Christ, which he neuer promised them. These are professors like to the Sama­ritans, who so long as the Iewish reli­gion flourished & was in honour, cau­sed also to be built a temple on a high mountaine of Samaria, named Garazin, Carol. Sigon. de repub. haeb. that in this they might not be inferiour to the Iewes. They boasted themselues to be the progeny of Ioseph, and wor­shippers of God also with them: but when they perceiued that the Iewes were cruelly afflicted for worshipping God, by Antiochus Epiphanes, and fea­ring least they should be also handled [Page 115] in the like manner, they changed their coate, affirming that they were not Isiaelites but Sidonians, and had built their temple, not vnto God, but Iupiter: thus a little winde seperates the chaffe and the corne, and a fierce tryall distin guisheth the counterfeit and true pro­fessor.

In like manner the ignorant Iewes,This made the Iewes stumble at Christ, be­cause they looked▪ or a temporal kingdome. because they vnderstood not the pro­mises made concerning the Messias, looked that Christ should haue resto­red vnto them their temporall King­dome, peaceably and free: whereof, when they saw themselues disappoin­ted, they were offended with him, and persecuted him to the death. It vvere therefore good for vs that wee should follow the counsaile of our Sauiour, & reckon with our selues in time, in what state of life we enter, when we enter in­to the profession of Christianitie, before Luk. 4. 18. we build a Tower let vs count the cost, whether we haue sufficient to performe it, least that when wee haue laid the founda­tion and not able to performe it, wee fall [Page 116] not vnder this shame, to be mocked of men, but bring vpon our selues a more fearefull wrath of God. For it had beene better not to haue knowne the way of righ­teousnesse, 2 P [...]. 2. 20 then after we haue knowne it, to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto vs, like dogs to the vomit, and like the sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire. If we could resolue in time, that they who will liue godly in Christ, Tim. must suffer persecution, and arme our selues before hand thereunto, recko­ning with our selues that of the Lords indulgence, we are spared euery day, wherein some notable crosse is not layd vpon vs, then certainely should we ac­count the lesse of trouble, when it comes vnto vs.

Wee haue here againe to consider the connexion of these words, because thou hast had power with God, thou shalt preuaile with men: and out of them yee may perceiue, that the Lord will haue this wrestling of Iacobs, wherein hee was exercised, immediately by the Lord, to bee a preparation vnto him [Page 117] against other tentations, which were to come by men. Wherein is shadowed vnto vs, how the Lord doth first pre­pare his children by wrestling with himselfe, before he send them out to en­counter with men, and so makes the inward exercises of their mindes, pre­parations, whereby they are made rea­dy the better to endure all outward troubles, that doe come from men.

CHAP. XXIII. The Lord by inward exercises of consci­ence, makes his children strong to en­dure outward troubles which come from men.

THis made Moses that he was not afraid of the face of Pharaoh, be­cause hee had seene first the face of God, for he saw (saith the Apostle) him Heb. 11. Pro. 19. 12 who was invisible. The Kings wrath (saith Salomon) is as the roaring of a Lion: but when the Lord vtters his wrath, then the heart and countenance [Page 118] of the greatest Monarch in the world, make him as high as Beltasar, shall faile him: he will neuer loose a good conscience for feare of the wrath of man, that knoweth the power of the wrath Esay. of God: Feare not the man whose breath is in his nosthrils: the most hee can do, & that by permission, is, he is able to kill the body, but let vs feare the Lord, who is able to cast both soul [...] and body into hell fire. This sustained aged Policarpus, a­gainst all the threatnings of the Pro­consull. Ignem minaris ad horam arsu­rum, Eus. lib. 4 cap. 16. & paulo post extinguendum, ignoras vero ignem illum futuri iudicij & aeterni They feare not much the wrath of man, who haue been hum­bled with the sense of the wrath of God. supplicij impijs reseruatum: Thou theat­nest mee (saith hee) with a fire which will burne for an houre, and shortly af­ter be quenched, but thou knowest not that fire of the judgement to come, re­serued for the wicked, which vvil burne for euer. It is the holy feare of God which banisheth out of our hearts the prophane feare of men, that we vvill not doe euill to offend the Lord; no, not for all the paines that can follow [Page 109] vs in this present life. And therefore the Lord in great mercy towards his children, doth sometimes exercise them with the sense of his wrath, and letteth them feele the sting of an accusing con­science, that so they may come out to the world, strong in the Lord against outward tentations, fully resolued ra­ther to displease men then the Lord, ra­ther to endure present punishments, than to cast themselues vnder danger of the wrath with is to come. And so are the children of God to reckon with themselues, that their inward wrestlings are preparatiues for outward troubles.

CHAP. XXIIII. It is a sinnefull curiositie to seeke to know that which God hath not taught vs.

NOW Iacob hauing receiued the blessing, proceedes in the confe­rence, and desireth to know the name [Page 120] of him who blessed him. No doubt but hee knew before that it was the Lord, otherwise he had not sought a blessing from him. It standeth not with the na­ture of faith, to pray to any in whom we Rom. beleeue not. By this question he attain­eth not to any new knowledge; for hee who blessed him refuseth to tell his name; but Iacob by calling the place Peniel, as afterwards followes plainely declares he knew it was the Lord. So then this asking importeth not that Ia­cob did not know it was the Lord that had giuen him the blessing, onely it de­clareth an earnest desire of Iacob to haue had a more familiar reuelation of the Lord to him: which I thinke hee did of a good minde and intention, such as Moses had when he desired to see the face of God. Yet ye see all our good intentions are not alway appro­ued of the Lord. With his good inten­tion there is joyned a peece of curiosi­tie, that hee will haue more knowledge of the majestie of God then the Lord thought expedient to communicate [Page 121] vnto him; otherwise the Lord had not denied it to him.

To seeke a greater perfection ofEspecially not to search out the diuine majestie, farther thē it is reuea [...] led to vs in the word. knowledge, where the Lord offers it, is very commendable, but to aspire to know that which God vvill not teach, and namely to search out that majesty farther then he pleaseth to reueale him­selfe. is curiosity and presumption, wor­thy to be damned, Hee that searches: Prou. Basil. de martyre Maman. Quantus sit Deus, & quae illius mensura, & qualis essentia, talia sciscitanti sunt periculosa ei qui rogatur complexa, & ta­lium medicina est silentium. To aske the quantitie & measure of God, or vvhat is his essence, such questions are pe­rillous to him that asketh, intricate to him that is asked at, and are best an­swered by silence. There bee names whereby the Lord expresseth himselfe to vs according to our capacitie, but as to his proper name, it is himselfe, it cannot bee comprehended. Why askest Iud. thou my name, which is wonderfull? And from this curiositie Iacob here by gods reproofe is restrayned. This sin with [Page 122] our nature wee haue drawne from our first father Adam, the knowledge wher­with God endued him contented him not, hee aspired higher, and sought to bee equall with God in the knowledge of good and euill. And that this poy­son from Adam is propagate to his posteritie, doth daily appeare among the common fruites of our corruption; for eyther wee are carelesse to learne those things, whereof the Lord hath offered himselfe a teacher: or else wee are curious searchers of those things, which the Lord hath kept secret and hidden from vs.

There are two points of knowledge2 Points of necessary knowledge most excellent and needefull for man; the first, to know God, and him whom he hath sent, for herein consists eternall life: the second is, to know our selues, andYet neg­lected by Adams sins who desi­red rather to eate of the tree of knowledge then of the tree of life. the state of our owne consciences. But such is the vanitie of the minde of man, that with Adam had rather eate of the tree of knowledge, then of the tree of life, and delighteth to bee well read in any booke rather then in the booke of [Page 123] his owne Conscience. And yee may marke in the carnall professors of this age, that if at any time they begin to speak of Theologie, then do they han­dle diuine things in a diuellish manner, altogether inexpert in the words of righ­teousnesse: and hauing no skill to speake the language of Canaan, eyther else they talke profanely vpon that which God hath reuealed, insisting most in points of doctrine least profitable for them, or then curiously they inquire for that which God hath concealed from them, not remembring that warning of Mo­ses, secret things are for the Lord, but Dent. things reuealed are for vs and our chil­dren.

This curious demaund of Iacob, isThis curi­ositie bri­dled, and reproued. answered vvith a gentle refusall, Why askest thou my name? The Interrogator striues to send Iacob within himselfe, that by a new tryal taken of his speach within his owne minde, hee might see how vnnecessary and vnprofitable his Petition was. After this manner it is customable to the Lord to rebuke the [Page 124] friuolous curiositie of his own children, that we may learne to be sober; and not presume aboue that which is written. In Rom. Ciril Ca­techi. 6. his quae de Deo dicuntur, maxima est sci­entia ignorantiam fateri; terrā inhabitas, & terrae fines ignoras, quo modo condito­rem terrae comprehendes? animam habes cuius facultates enumerare non vales, stel­las vides, quas numerare non potes, nume­ra prius illa, qu [...] vides, & tunc illum, qui nonapparet, enarra. In those things which concern the diuinitie, it is a great know­ledge to acknowledge our ignorance; thou dwellest in the earth, and knowest not the borders thereof, how then shalt thou comprehend him, who is maker of the earth? thou hast within thee a soule, the faculties whereof thou art not able to enumerate; thou seest the stars, and canst not tell the number of them: begin first, and reckon on those things which thou seest, and then, if thou canst, him that is not seene. Let vs therfore re­straine our selues from such idle specu­lations; & if others spare not to proue vs with the like of these rash & perillous [Page 125] questions, which I haue condemned, then remember with Basil, Taliū optima medicina est silentium.

CHAP. XXV. The Lord somtimes refuseth to giue that which his chidren seekes, that he may giue them other things more conueni­ent for them.

YEt it is to bee marked, that albeit he refuse to tell Iacob his name; yet hee refuseth not to giue Iacob his bles­sing. Sometime the Lord graunteth his children their desires, because hee sees it is for their weale. Other times hee refuseth them, and that also for their weale: but whether hee say yea or no to their petitions, hee workes alway in mercy towards them. He granted flesh to the children of Israel, because they sought it, but therewithall his wrath fell vpon them: of the which it is eui­dent that sometime he graunteth men their petitions, because he is angry with [Page 126] them. Others againe hee refuseth, be­cause he is mercifull to them, denying vnto them that which they craue, but graunting another thing, which is much more profitable for them; Mul­ti Aug. de vnit at. Eccl. cap. 19. Deo irato exaudiuntur, multis propi­tius Deus non tribuit, quod volunt, vt quod vtile est tribuat: The Apostle Paul being buffered by the Angell of Sathan, besought the Lord thri [...]e, that he might be deliuered from him, he receiued a refusall of that which hee sought, and yet the Lord left him notBernard. destitute of comfort: Saepe multos Deus non exaudit ad voluntatē, vt exaudiat ad Act. 1. salutem: In the first of the Acts, the Disciples aske a question of Christ: Wil [...] thou at this time restore the king­d [...]me to Israel? but what answere re­ceiue they? a plaine refusall: It is not for you to know the times and seasons: yet hee promiseth to them a better thing; But yee shall receiue power of the holy Ghost.

O happie exchange! let it be vnto vs O Lord, according to thy Word; [Page 127] denie vs O Lord any thing thou wilt,And this is a happy exchange, wherevnto we should [...] agree. but neuer deny vs thy holy spirit, that it may lead vs into all truth, so long as wee remaine here; and in the end may bring vs vnto the sight of thy ioyfull face. Let vs giue vnto the Lord this glory, that hee is our mercifull father, not onely when he graunteth, but euen when he refuseth some of those things which we desire. It may well stand, thatBodily sicknesse hath cha­sed many to their soules health. being diseased, thou dost seeke of the Lord bodily health, and seeke it too with this restriction, if it please him; and yet thou obtaine it not, the Lord thinking it good to keepe thee vnder a sicke body, to the end he may restore vnto thee health of thy soule; for so may ye read in the Gospell, that many being moued by bodily diseases, who otherwise were not minded to come vnto Iesus Christ, hath found in him health both of body and soule. It may also fall out, that thou dost seeke from the Lord temporall riches, and that conditionally, if it please him, for a be­nefit, that thou be not burdenous vnto [Page 128] others, and yet the Lord thinkes itRiches re­fused to some of Gods chil­dren, for their grea­ter good. more expedient to refuse thee, least riches should be a snare vnto thee; for vnto many they are but speciosa vincula quibus alligantur, & à quibus possidentur, magis quam possident. Beautifull bands wherewith they are bound, which theyCyp lib. 2 Epist. 2. possesse not, but are possessed of them. Thus their posteritie and riches be­comes their ruine, so corrupt is our na­ture that the same gifts, which should draw our hearts after the Lord, are al­lurements to turne them from him: Fa­cile enim cor humanum omnibus, quae fre­quentat, B [...]r. super Mat. 19. Ecce nos reliqui­mus om­nia. adhaeret adeo, vt vix, aut nun­quam sine amore valeant possideri: For the heart of man cleaueth very easily vnto that, wherewith it is acquainted, so that hardly or neuer can we possesse the things of this world, without im­moderate loue of them. And therefore the Lord in great mercy take them from vs, that they do not take vs from him. Let vs therefore commit the suc­cesse of our prayers to the Lord, let vs not presume to limite the Holy One of [Page 129] Israel, being alway comforted with this, that if the Lord deny vs that which we would haue, hee shall giue vs another thing which is more expedient for vs.

CHAP. XXVI. How Iacob shewes himselfe thankfull to God for the benefits receiued in two things.

THe conference between the Lord and Iacob being ended, Moses now makes mention of Iacobs thankfulnes, which he declareth in two things: first he impones such a name to the place, as might stand for a perpetuall memo­riall of Gods familiar apparition vnto him. And next hee rendreth himselfe obedient, not regarding any danger, that might be before him, trusting vnto the word of the Lord, hee goeth with courage forward in his iourney.

[Page 130]First I say hee impones a name to the place, and calleth it Peniel, the face of God, he giueth the reason, because I haue seene the face of God, and my life is preserued. Seeing the Lord (will hee say) hath showne mee this mercy, that I haue seene his face and am not con­founded, I will neuer burne it in vn­thanfulnesse;Such thāk­fulnes be­comes the children of God. and therefore that it may be remembred of the posteritie, I call this place by the name Peniel. It be­commeth (saith the Psalmist) vpright men to be thankfull. Seeing all goodPsal. things come of God, it is good reason the praise of all should returne vnto him: As the waters that come secretly from the Sea through the veines of thePro. earth, return againe in their troghs pub­likely vnto it, so euery good thing which the secret blessing of God hath conuay­ed vnto vs, by publike praise should againe returne vnto him. If wee haue gotten comfort from the LORD, we should giue vnto the Lord his glorie. And it is the manner of the children of God, they cannot rest contented, [Page 131] when God hath refreshed them with his mercies, till the Lord get his [...] praise. And hereof it commeth that they erect publike monuments & me­morials, or at the least send out publike thanksgiuing for these mercies, which God priuately and secretly hath besto­wed vpon them.

But as to the wicked, they swal ow vp the benefits of God in vnthankfullThe great vnthank­fulness [...] o [...] the [...] obliuion: if the Lord increase then wealth and prosperitie, they sacrifice to their owne net, as though their proui­dence and wit had done it: and if hee doe preserue them from dangers, they impute their deliuerance to their idoll, they make their mouth to k [...]sse their hand as if their owne arme had saued them. Thus are they like vnto that salt sea, whereinto Iordan floweth, it swalloweth vp all the water of Iordan, but waxeth no greater, neither yet doth the salt and bitter waters thereof become sweeter, for all that the wicked receiue from the LORD, their old scent remayneth in them, they are not the better, neither is [Page 132] their hart enlarged to praise him. They doe take from the Lord without giuing againe, like barren and vnprofitable ground, that deuoureth seede and ren­ders nothing: And therefore is neere vn­to cursing, whose end is burning. LearneHos. 6. therefore O man to be thankfull to thy God, euery benefit that thou hast re­ceiued, that encreaseth not thy thank­fulnesse, shall assuredly encrease thy iudgement. Qu [...]m enim beneficia accepta Chris. de Sacerd. lib. 4. meliorem non reddunt, is certè etiam gra­uius supplicium commeretur: He whom benefits receiued maketh not the bet­ter, doth assuredly thereby demerite heauier punishments.

We are next to consider, how it isHow it is that the sight of God terri­fies man seeing he is the God of comfort that Iacob accounts it a great mercy, that he hath seene God, and yet his life preserued. Seeing the Lord is the God of comfort, how is it his presence should bring a terrour vnto men? it is his coun­tenance that makes glad the hart: when he hides his face the creature is trou­bled; but when he sends forth his spirit, they are created, and the face of the [Page 133] earth is renued. When thou didst hide thy Psal. 104. 29. face (saith Dauid) I was sore troubled. How is it then that Iacob here should say that the sight of the face of God causeth death, and that his countenance should confound man? Adam in Pa­radise in the state of innocency was fa­miliar with God, he saw and heard the Lord, & was comforted: from whence then commeth this change, that man cannot see the Lord and liue? Surely the fault is not in the Lord, his counte­nance is the wel-spring of life: hee is The cause of this is not in the Lord but in our sins. the father of light, and the God of all con­solation. The fault is in vs, in our sinfull and peruerted nature. Faultie & weake eyes cannot behold the light without paine, not for any euill which is in the light which is good and comfortable, but for the infirmitie which is in them­selues. And sinfull men cannot see the Lord without feare, not for any fault in the Lord who is merciful and gracious, but for that peruerse disposition, which sinne hath wrought in our selues. This made the Israelites to tremble, whenExod. [Page 134] they heard him, and made that holy Prophet Esay cry out, woe is me, whenEsay. 6. he saw but a similitude, and represen­tation of his Maiesty. And who then may abide that Maiestie in it selfe?

These three pillars of the Church,Sin there­fore is to be remo­ued, if we would see the Lord with ioy. Peter, Iames, & Iohn, fell downe to the ground, astonished at a small manifesta­tion of his glory: the brightnesse of his glorious face, shining like the Sunne, confounded them: & how then should they beare the glory of his diuinitie? And in vs it is this same sinfull nature, which only hinders vs from the sight & familiarity of our God. What then shall we do, but embrace the counsaile of the Apostle S. Iohn? Whosoeuer hath this 1 Ioh. 3. hope in himselfe (namely to see God) purgeth himselfe, euen as God is pure. We must remoue our sinnes, and draw the powers of our soules to some neerer conformitie with the Lord, if so be wee hope to dwell with him. For without peace and sanctification, none can see the Heb. 12. Lord.

But here againe it is to bee asked, [Page 135] how sayes Iacob he saw the face of god;In what sense saith Iacob, hee saw the face of God. seeing the Lord gaue Moses this an­swere when hee sought a sight of his face? No man can see me and liue: and we know that Iohn the Baptist saith, No man hath seene God at any time, but the sonne, who is come from the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed him. How is it then I say, that Iacob here saith, I haue seene God face to face.

I answere, that this is spoken in com­parison of other visions and reuelati­ons made to Iacob before: his mean­ing is no other but that hee had now seene the Lord, by a more excellent and notable manner of apparition, then euer he had seene before. And where Moses is said to haue seene the Lord face to face, this is only spoken in com­parison of Moses with other Prophets, who had not so cleare a reuelation of the Majestie of God, as Moses had: this is euident out of the Lords owne words. If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you, I will be knowne to him by a vision, and speake to him by a dreame: my [Page 136] seruant Moses is not so: who is faithfull in all my house, to him will I speak mouth to mouth, not in darke wordes, and hee shall see the similitude of the Lord. Yea, let no man thinke, because of theseNeuer any man on the earth, saw the Lord as he is. words, that any of the Fathers saw the Lord as hee is; thou canst not see the Sunne as it is. Hee that a farre off lookes to the sea, sayes truely that hee hath seene the sea: but what is it that hee sees, in respect of that which hee seeth not? Yea wee cannot see a mor­tall man as he is; and how then shall wee see the Lord, as hee is? If the Fa­thers had seene the Lord as he is, then all the fathers had seene him one man­ner of way; because God in himselfe, is one, simple, and vndiuided essence: but they saw him many manner of wayes, in diuers so [...]mes, and apparitions. To Iacob hee appeared in a siery bus [...]; to the Israelites in a cloude; to Elias in a soft and calme ayre; to Esay in another manner of vision: all which doe proue that hee shewed not himselfe, neyther did they see him as hee is, but onely in [Page 137] such manner of manifestation, as the Lord thought most expedient for the time.

But what speake I of the sight ofNeither shall wee see the Lord in the heauen as he is, and why? GOD on the earth? wee shall not see him as hee is in the heauens. For euen those holy Angles which stand about his Throne, are described vnto vs, couering their faces with their two wings, witnessing thereby, that there is a God, of a more infinite glory; then they are able to comprehend. And no meruaile: for euery Creature, Man or Angell, is finite: a vessell of limited and definite bounds. Now sure it is, that no finite thing can comprehend that which is infinite, that peace of God, promised vnto vs, passeth all vnderstand­ing: and these things prepared for vs, are such, as the 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 [...]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 Lord1 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 [Page 139] be filled perfectly with that presence,It shall be a perfect sight in respect of vs. 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 [Page 140] 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 sin [...]s ve­stros. A good measure, prest and run­ning ouer, saith our Sauiour, shall beeLuke. then giuen into your bosomes.

Secondly, that sight of God, that in2 It shall be an imme­diate sight. 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 [Page 141] 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 hastenNo sight of God in heauen ex­cept first we see him in earth. And here­unto there things are required. 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 cannotThe light of his word. 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 be­ginPsal. 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 [Page 142] light shining in darknesse, therewithallPet. joyning to the Lords prayer, Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy law.

Secondly, we must remember, thatA simili­tude and cōformitie with God. 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, [...]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 [Page 143] cordis parturbatus, auertit se à luce iu­stitiae, August. serm. 18. 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 August. serm. 10. 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, there3 Attention and consi­deration. 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 circūmact [...]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 [Page 144] 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 hath mercy vpon vs. These are the principall helpes, whereby the sight of God is begun in earth, which will be perfected in heauen.

CHAP. XXVIII. The other thing wherein Iacob shewes his thankefulnesse, is his obedience.

[Page 145]THe other thing wherein Iacob vt­tereth his thankfulnes, is in the o­bedience he giues to the Lords calling, walking on in the journey, which God commanded him. Without this the o­ther had beene nothing: for except we obey & serue the Lord in our callings, doing that which is commaunded vs, wherein can wee be thankfull to him? and truely there is no better token that we haue beene refreshed by the coun­tenance of God, who is the strength of his people, then this, if with boldnesse and spirituall courage, we follow him, where away he cals vs, albeit we should finde neuer so many impediments be­fore vs.

But it is to be marked, Moses saith,Iacob his wound makes him not giue ouer the journey. he halted as he went on in his journey. This is the meruailous working of the Lord no doubt, that Iacob being hurt in the night, & his thigh-bone disjoyn­ted; yet walkes vpon it in the morne, and the hurt, which he receiued of the Lord, hinders him not, nor stayes him [Page 146] from going forward in the journey, which was enjoyned him by the Lord. We haue shewed you before, how the children of God in their wrestlings do in such sort preuaile, that they get no victory without a wound; who is able to say, that hee hath in such sort fought against Sathan and sin, but oftentimes hee hath beene buffeted by Sathan, andAnd the wounds which the Godly re­ceiue in the spiritu­all combat make them stronger, and more circūspect. wounded by sinne. Yet such is the gra­tious dispensation of the Lord, that as Iacobs hurt made him not giue ouer the journey, but rather confirmes him to go forward with greater boldnesse, now halting on one thigh, then before when hee went straight vpon both: so the Lord doth so dispence the spiritu­all battailes of his Children, that out of their manifold falles, buffets, and wounds, which they receiue in this war­fare, hee workes in them a greater ha­tred of sinne, and loue of righteousnes; a greater attention and circumspection in all their wayes, and a greater feruen­cy and zeale to run out the race which is set before them, and to renue the [Page 147] battaile against Sathan and sinne.

And this wee may see cleerely inExample hereo [...] in Dauid & Peter. Dauid, who after his adultry & mur­ther, being renued by repentance, [...]iseth againe with a greater hatred of sinne, and more earnest desire of mercy, than euer he had before. And did not Peters fall bring forth in like manner the like fruits in him, that hee sheddeth teares now more aboundantly, then at any time before? hee now stands boldly to confesse the Lord Iesus before the Counsell, whom before he had denied before a D [...]msell; and in all the rest of his life he shewes himselfe an example of godly zeale, labouring to confirme his brethren by a good conuersation, whom before hee had offended by his stumbling and falling. Thus the Lord by some one sinne, wherein hee susse­reth his children to haue experience of their weakenesse, wakeneth them to a narrower inquisition of their sins; for a light paine in the head men runne not to the Phisitian, nor to the water for a light spot in their garments: but if the [Page 148] defiling be great, then we doe take oc­casion thereat to wash away euen the smallest spot that is in them. So the godly, when oftentimes they passe ouer small sinnes without remorse, the LordThis com­meth not of any goodnes in vs, but of the Lord his maruellous dispensati­on. permits them to fall into greater, that so they may be moued to mourning, & hasten to an earnest reformation of all.

Where wee are not to thinke that this commeth of any goodnesse that is in vs, or in sin which we haue brought forth, but of the excellent wisdome and goodnesse of God: Deus etiam sum­mus Aug. ad Boniface. lib. 3. cap. 7. est medicus, qui benè nouit vti enim malis, For God is that great Phisitian, who can vse to good euen those things which are euill. And it doth (saith the same Father) more aduance the glory of Gods goodnesse, etiam de malis bene facere, quam mala esse non sinere, euen to draw good out of euill, rather then that he should suffer euill not to be. Thus the Lord our God maketh all things serue and worke for the best to them that loue him: so as euen the wounds which we receiue in spiritual wrestlings [Page 491] may well worke in vs a greater humi­liation but shall not confound vs, so that we leaue off the race and course to our heauenly Canaan. Wherein if we cannot alway runne in the strength of the spirit with Eliah, yet let vs by Gods grace endeauour to halt forward with Iacob, at least creepe forward to­wards our heauenly Father, as his little babes & children, who are but yet lear­ning to walke, proceeding alway from strength to strength, till we appeare be­fore the face of our GOD in Sion: whereunto the Lord that is the author and finisher of our Faith, the beginner & perfecter of our saluation, bring vs of his great mercy in Christ Iesus. To whom with the Father, & the holy Spirit, be all praise, honour and glory for euer and euer.

Amen.

CHAP. II. The Priuiledges of a Christian, cannot be knowne of them who doe not possesse them.

WEe know. If you ponder the A­postles words, you shall finde, [Page 9] that by an Emphasis he restraines this knowledge to the Children of God, excluding Worldlings and Naturalists from it. The spirituall man discerneth all things: but hee himselfe is iudged of no man. A naturall man cannot vnderstand 1 Cor. 2. 14. 15. the things that are of God. The Gospel is Wisedome indeed; but Wisedome a­mong them that are perfect. Euery Ar­ticle1 Cor. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 2. 6. of our faith, and point of Christi­an Doctrine: euery priuiledge of a Christian is a Mistery: therefore no meruaile that the Gospell bee foolish­nesse to the naturall man, who perish­eth. And this doth draw vs to consider that the excellent things of Christia­nitie can be knowne of none, but of those that possesseth them. The value, or rather vanitie of earthly Iewels, hath beene better knowne of some that ne­uer enjoyed them, then of them who possessed them: but the Iewels of gods kingdome, such as Peace, Righteous­nesse, Ioy in the holy Ghost, can be known of none but of the Christian only, who enjoyes them. The new Name giuen to [Page 10] the Christian, who can know but heeReu. 2. 17. that hath it? and none can know what is the sweetnes of hid Manna, except hee tast it: therefore saith the Psalmist, Tast and consider how gracious the Lord Psal. 34. 8. is, telling you that the graciousnesse of the Lord cannot be considered by him who neuer di [...] tast it. If you goe to speak to a vvorldling of inward Peace, of spirituall Ioy, or of the Priuiledges of a Christian, you shall seeme to him a Barbarian, or one that speaketh a strange language, which he vnderstan­eth not; or if he himselfe speak of them which he sees learnedly hearing or rea­ding; yet shall hee speake like a Bird, vtte [...]ing voyces vvhich shee vnderstan­deth not. As the bruit Beast knoweth not the excellency of mans life, and therefore delighteth it selfe vvith Hay and Prouender seeking no better, be­cause it knoweth no better: So the na­turall man knoweth not the excellen­cy of a Christian, and therfore disdainesAct. 26. 24 him, counting him a foole, a mad man, and the off-scum of the world: hee [Page 11] taketh the dongue of the earth in his1 Cor. 4. 13 armes for his inheritance, let him brook the portion of Esau, that the fatnesse of Gen 27. 39 the earth may be his dwelling place: let his wine and his wheat abound to him,Psal. 4. 7. hee cares for no more, he knowes not vvhat it is, to haue his soule made glad with the countenance of God. This is your miserable condition, O ye wretch­ed Worldlings, ye are cursed with the curse of the Serpent; yee creepe, as itGen. 3. were on your bellyes, and licke the dust of the earth all the dayes of your life; yee haue not an eye to looke vp toGal. 3. 1. heauen, nor a hart to seeke those things which are aboue: most fearefull is your estate; vvee warne you of it, but it is the Lord vvho must deliuer you from it.

This resolute knowledge is the mo­therResolute knovvledge is the mo­ther of pa­tience. of spirituall courage, constancie and patience: therefore the Apostle vrgeth it in this place, that the Chri­stian may be made thereby strong and patient in tribulation; and indeed what needes hee feare in the euill day; yea, [Page 12] though the earth should be remoued,Psal. 42. and the Mountaines fall into the mid­dest of the sea: vvho knoweth that the Lord sitteth on his throne, hauing theReu. 4. whole vvorld, as a glassie Sea before him, gouerning all the walterings, chan­ges, and euents of things therein, to the good of them that loue him? Oh that we had prosited so much in the schoole of Christ all our dayes, that without any doubting, or making any excepti­on, vvee could beleeue this vvhich here the Apostle layeth for a most sure ground of comfort, that so vvee might chaunge all our thoughts and cares in­to one; namely, how to grow in the loue of God, that in a good conscience vve might say to the Lord vvith Peter, Lord thou knowest I loue thee. And as the rest of our feares, griefes, and temp­tations, which many times doe so com­passe vs, that to our judgements vvee can see no out-gate: cast all the burthenPsal. 37. of them vpon the Lord, who careth for vs; and hath giuen vs this promise for a Premunire: All comes for the best. [Page 13] The Souldier with courage entreth in­to the battell, vnder hope to obtaine the victorie: the Marriner with bold­nesse committeth himselfe to the stor­mie Seas, vnder hope of vantage: and euery man hazardeth in his calling; and yet are they all but vncertaine ventu­rers, and know not the end: But the1. Cor. 9. 26. Christian, runnes not as vncertaine; but as one sure to obtaine the Crowne: for he knows that the God of peace shall shortly Ro. 16. 20. tread Sathan vnder his feete.

What then? shall he not with courage enter into that battell, wherein hee is made sure ere euer hee sight, that all the Warriers of Iesus shal become more Ro. 8. 27. Exo. 14. 13 then Conquerours through him? If wee will onely stand still, we shall see the sal­uation of the Lord. Gedion and his three hundred, fought against the great Host of Midian without feare, because heIud. 7. 19. was sure of victorie. Dauid made hast and ran to encounter with Goliah, be­cause1. Sam. 17. 48. hee was perswaded, the Lord would deliuer him into his hands. The Israelites spared not to enter into the [Page 14] flood of lorden, because they saw the Ark [...] of God before them, diuiding theIos. 3. 16. waters: And shall onely the Christian stand astonished in his temptations, notwithstanding the word of God goe before him to resolue him that whatso­euer fall out shall worke for the best vnto him? The Lord increase vs, & make vs abound more and more in loue of our God; for perfect loue casteth ou [...] fear. The Lord strengthen our Faith, that through these misty clowdes of afflic­tions, which now compasseth vs, wee may see that comfortable end which the light of God hath discouered vnto vs.

But wee are to beware of the subtile sleights of Sathan, who to the end, hee may spoile vs of this comfort in troubleIudge not of Gods working before the end, for that doth greatly im paire our comfort. endeauoureth by many meanes, either to quench this light of God in our minds; or else to darken and obscure it by the precipitation of our vnbeleeu­ing hearts, carrying vs headlong to iudge of the works of God, by their beginnings; and to measure our selues [Page 15] in trouble, by our present estate and condition, not suffering vs to tarrie while we see the end: whereof it comes to passe that our hearts beeing tossed to and fro with [...], like trees of the Forrest shaken with the winde: in our necessities, we hasten to be our owne prouisors: in our dan­gers, we will be our owne deliuerers: & euery way we become the caruers of our own condition: we haue so much the more to beware of this precipitati­on, because the dearest seruants of God haue fallen through it into fearefull sinnes against the Lord their God, and breed great vnquietnesse vnto them­selues. When Dauid was in extreamePsa. 116. anger in the wil [...]ernesse of Maon, hee said in his feare that all men were liers. O what a blasphemy! that euen the promises of God, made to him by Sa­muel the Lords Prophet, were but lies: and how many times thought hee (in his other troubles) that God had for­got to bee mercifull, and had shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure? But [Page 16] when hee saw the end, then was hee compelled to accuse himselfe, to giue glorie to God, and to say: I should haue beene dumbe, and not opened my Psal. 77. 9. Psal. 39. 9. mouth, because thou didest it: I said it in my feare, but now I see, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Psal. 116. Saints. A [...] this precipitation made Da­uid to stumble and fall, so will it carry vs also to the like inconuenience too, except we beware of it: For if we shold looke to Lazarus in the dongue hill,Luk. 19. 19 full of Byles and sores, hauing no com­fort, but from the dogges, and com­pare him with the Rich man cloathed in purple, and faring daintily euerie day. What can wee iudge, but that Lazarus is the most miserable of the two? yet tarrie while the Lord haue ended his worke, and Lazarus hee conueyed to Abrahams bosome, and the rich glutton be gone to his place, then shall truth appeare manifestly, All things worke together for the best to them that loue God. Let vs learne therefore to mea­sure the euent of things, not by their [Page 17] present condition, but by the predicti­on of Gods word. Let vs cleaue to his Promise, and waite on the Vision which Abac. 2. 3. hath his owne time appointed, it shall speak at the last, and shall not lie: though it tar­ry, let vs waite for it, it shall surely come, and not stay. Let vs goe into the Sanctu­ary of God, and consider the end; there shall we finde and learne, that there is Psa. 37. 37 no peace to the wicked, howsoeuer they flourish for a time? and that it can not bee but well with them that feare the Lord. Marke the vpright man, and behold the iust; for the end of that man is peace: but the transgressours shall be de­stroyed together, and the end of the wic­ked shall be cut off: So both in the trou­bles of the Godly, and prosperitie of the wicked, are vve bound to suspend our iudgement, till we see the end.

CHAP. III. Many working instruments of contrary qualities and intentions in the world, yet agrees all in one end.

[Page 18] ALl things worke together. O what a sing [...]lar [...] hath the Christian, that not onely Afflictions, but all things whatsoeuer workes for the best: and not onely so, but they worke together for the best to him. Many working instruments is there in the world, their course is not one, they communicate no counsels, yea their in­tentions oftentimes are contrary, yet the Lord brings all their wayes to this one end, To the good of them that loue him. Where euer they be, in regard of place: what euer they be, in regard of persons: what euer their purposes be; howsoeuer disagreeing amongst them­selues; yet such is the power and pro­uidence of that supreame Gouernour our heauenly Father, that All of them workes together to the good of them that loue him: and herein doth his power & wisdome appeare more clearly, then in the tempering of this great vniuerse, making Elements of so contrary qua­lities, to meete together, and agree in [Page 19] one pleasant harmony. For the illustra­tion of this, let vs mark but one exam­ple for all: Iacob sends his sonne Ioseph Gen. 37. to Dothan to visite his brethren; his brethren cast him into the pit, Ruben relieues him; the Merchants of Midian buy him, and sell him againe to Poti­phar, his Mistresse accuses him, his ma­ster condemnes him, the Butler (after long ingratitude) recommends him, and Pharaoh exalts him. O what instru­ments are here! and how many hands are about this one poore man of God? but how doth the Lord direct them all? yea, besides their owne intention to further Iosephs aduancement in Egipt, for his owne good, and the good of his Church. But now to the particulars.

There is nothing in the world, whichAll the workes of God, are for the best to his chil­dren. workes not for our weale: All the works of God, all the stratagems of Sa­than, all the imaginations of man, are for the vveale of Gods Children, yea, out of the most poysonable things, as sinne and death, doth the Lord draw healthfull and medicinall preseruatiues [Page 20] to them that loue him.

All the wayes of the Lord (saith Da­uid) are Mercy and Truth. Mark what hee saith, and make not thou an excep­tion,Psal. 25. where God hath made none: All, none excepted. But be thou strengthen­ed in Faith, and giue glory to God, say­ing with the patient Iob, Albeit the Lord Iob. 13. 15 would slay me, yet will I trust in him.

Sometimes the Lord walkes in the way of anger, seeming angry with his Children, and to walke stubbornely a­gainst them, vvhich hath mooued them to poure out the like of these pittifull Lamentations. The arrowes of the Al­mightie are vpon me (saith Iob) the ve­nime Iob. 6. 4. whereof doth drinke vp my Spirit, and the terrours of God sight against me: Thou sets me vp as a marke against thee, and makest me a burthen to my selfe. Thy Ps 88. 7. 15 indignation lyeth vpon me (saith Dauid) Yea, from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours, doubting of my life. For felicity, Esa. 38. 17 I haue had bitter griefe, (saith Ezechia) for the Lord, like a Lyon, brake my bones, so that I chattered like a Swallow, and [Page 21] mourned like a Doue. I am troubled on euery side (saith the Apostle) hauing 2 Cor. 7. 5 fighings without and terrors within: And yet in all these, the Lord hath a secret way of mercy, wherein hee walkes and workes for the comfort of his children; which albeit for the present we cannotIob. 13. 24 perceiue, and can see no other often­times, but that the Lord hath taken vs for his enimies: yet in the end we shall be compelled to acknowledge it, and confesse with Dauid, O good was it for Psal. 119. me, ô Lord, that euer thou correctedst me: Therefore also, said the Apostle, The2 Th. 1. 10 Lord is meruailous in his Saints, and the Apostle cryeth out, O the [...] Ro. 11. 35. of the riches both of the Wisedome and Knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out! His glory is great when he work­eth by meanes; his glory is greater when he worketh without meanes: but his glory shineth most brightly when hee worketh by contraries.

It was a great worke that hee did open the eies of the blind; but greater, [Page 22] that hee did by application of spittleThe Lord workes by meanes, without meanes, & by contra­ries, and then is his glory grea­test. and clay: such meanes as are mee­ter to put out the eyes of the seeing man, then to restore the sight of a blind man. So he wrought in the first Cre­ation, causing light to shine out of Darknesse: So also in the worke of Redemption: for by cursed death, he brought happy life: by the Crosse, he obtained the Crowne: and thorow shame hee went to Glory: And this same order, the Lord keepes yet in the worke of our second Creation, which is our regeneration; hee casteth downe, that hee may raise vp; he kils and hee makes aliue: he wounds, and hee will bind vp: he wounds and he will heale: hee accuseth his Children of sinnes, that so they may get remission of their sinnes: he troubleth their consciences, that so he may pacifie them: and in a word, the me [...]nes which hee vseth in working, are contrary to the worke it selfe, which he intends to performe to­wards his Children. He sent a fearefull darknesse on Abraham, but afterward [Page 23] communicated vnto him a ioyfull light. hee wrestled with Iacob, and shooke him too and fro; but in the end blessed him: he stroke the Apostle Paul with blindnesse, and then opened his eyes, that he might know the Lord Iesus: he frownes for a while vpon his owne, as Ioseph did vpon his Brethren; but inGen. 43. the end with a louing affection shal he imbrace them: hee may seeme angry at thy praiers, as he put backe the pe­tition of the woman of Cana [...]n; but atMat. 15. 22 length, will graunt a fauourable answer vnto them: therefore let vs now learne to possesse our soules in patience: let the Lord worke by any meanes it plea­seth him: It is enough that wee know, All the wayes of God (yea euen when he dealeth most hardly with his chil­dren) are mercy and tends to the good of those that loue him.

CHAP. IIII. All Sathans stratagems, worke for the best to the godly.

[Page 24]ANd as to Sathans stratagems, it is also out of doubt that they work for the 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, thatHovv Sa­tans temp­tations for sin, doth good to the christi­an. 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. E [...]ery accusation of the consci­ence for by-past sins, is a preseruatiue to the child of God, to keepe him from [Page 25] 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 shalShall I heare and trust the enimie of my soule, that hath deceiued me so of­ten? Rom 6. 2. 1 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 inti [...]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 [Page 26] 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 for1. Cor. 20. 12. 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,1. Co. 12. 7 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, [Page 27] 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 out­shootethHow as­slictions are profi­table to a Christian. 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 Iudg. 14. 14. out of the eater: So can no Worldlings vnderstand, that tribulation bringeth out Rom. 5. 3. Patience: and that our light and momen­tary 2 Cor. 4. 17 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 He. 11. 25. [Page 28] the pleasure of sinne, which indure but for a season. For as Moses, the mediator ofEx. 15. 15. 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 forlorneLuk. 15. 12 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 Lam. 3. 27 [...] youth. And Dauid confessed; It was Psal. 1. 19. [Page 29] good for him, that hee was afflicted. Yea, (saith our Sauiour) Euery branch that Ioh. 15. 2. 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 s [...]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 rot [...], so the wicked feares not God (saith thePsal. 55. Psalmist) because they haue no chan­ges. And Moab keepes his sent (saith theIer. 44. 11. 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 [Page 30] 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 [Page 31] our bodyes seeme to bee consumed, yet are they but sowne like graines of Wheate, into the field and husbandry of the Lord, which must dye before they be quickned; but in the day of har­uest, shall spring vp againe most glori­ous, and shall be restored by the same holy spirit, who now dwels in them: and as to our soules they are releeued our of this house of seruitude, and that they may depart and turne to him from whom they came: therefore haue IDeath compared to the red sea, wherin the Egipti­tians were drowned, and the Is­raelits wēt through to Canaan. Rom. 8. compared death to the red sea, wherein Pharaoh & his Aegiptians were drow­ned, and sanck like a stone to the bot­tome, but the Israelites of God, went through to their promised Canaan: So shall death bee vnto you, O miserable Infidels! whose eyes the God of this world hath so blinded, that no more then the blinde Egiptians can you see the light of God, that shineth in Go­shan, that is, his Church, although you bee in it: to you I say, your death shall bee a sea of Gods vengeance, wherein yee shall bee drowned, and shall sincke [Page 32] with your sinnes, heauier then a Mil­stone about the neck of your soule, to presse you downe to the lowest Hels. But as to you, that are the Israelites of God, yee shall walk through the valley of death, and not neede to bee afraide, because the Lord is with you; His staffe Psal. 13. and his rod shall comfort you: Albeit the terrours of Hell, the horrour of the Graue, the gultinesse of sinne, stand a­bout thee like mountaines, threatning to ouerwhelme thee; yet shalt thou goe safe through to the land of thine inhe­ritance, where with Moses and Meri­am, Exo. 15. 11 and all the Children of God, euen the Congregation of the first borne, Thou shalt sing prayses ioyfully to the God of thy Saluation. And thus we see how that not onely our present afflictions, but Sathan, Sinne, and Death are made to worke for the best, to them that loue the Lord.

CHAP. VI. How the plots and imaginations of men worke for the best to the Christian.

NOw in the last roome concerning, the imaginations of men against vs, wee shall haue cause to say of them in the end, as Ioseph said to his brethe­ren, You did it vnto mee for euill but the Lord turned it vnto good. The whole Historie of Gods Booke, is as a cloude of manifold witnesses, concurring alto­gether to confirme this truth: I con­tent my selfe therefore for all, to bring one. When Dauid was going forward in the battaile against Israel, with A­chish King of Gath, vnder whom hee soiourned for a while, in the time of his banishment) the remnant Princes of the Philistines, commanded him to goe backe; and this they did for the worse to disgrace him, because they distrusted him: but the Lord turned it to him for the best: Consider Dauids [Page 34] estate now, and ye shall see him set be­twixt too great extreamities. If he had gone backe of his owne accord, the Philistines might haue blamed him & handled him as an enimie: if hee had come forward, hee should haue beene guiltie of the bloud of Israell, and espe­cially of Saul the Lords annointed; who was slaine in that battaile.

In this strait the wit of man can find him no out-gate, but the prouident mer­cy of God deliuers him in such sort, that no occasion of offence is giuen to Saul and his people, because Dauid came not against them: neither yet could the Philistines condemne him, because hee went back by their commaund. So no­table a benefit did Dauid receiue euen by that same deede, wherein his eni­mies thought they had done him a no­table shame: and it should learne vs in our straitest extreamities whereunto men can driue vs, to depend on the Lord, and euer then to hope for an out­gate, when we see none. For such is thy prouidence O Lord, whereby in mercy [Page 35] thou watchest ouer those euils that are intended against them, that by thee they are turned into good to them.

And here we haue further to consi­der,If this comfort belong to euery member, much more to the whole body and state of the Church. that seeing this is the priuiledge of euery one that loues the Lord; much more must it appertaine to the whole Church of God. It is the portion of Abraham, being the father of the faith­full, and one of Gods children, I will blesse them that blesse thee, and curse them that curse thee: and shall it not be­long (thinke wee) to all the congrega­tion of the first borne? will not the Lord be a Wall of fire round about Ieru­salem, Zac. 2. 5. and the glory in the midst of her? will he not keepe her as the apple of his eye? Zac. 12. 2. Shall not Ierusalem be as a cup of poyson, vnto all her enimies, and a heauie stone? Yea surely all that lift vp themselues shall be torne, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it, the weapons made against her shall not prosper, & euery tongue that shall rise against her in judgement shall bee condemned. This is the heritage of the [Page 36] Lords seruants, & the portion of them who loue him. For the Church is theGen. 7. 18. Arke of God, which may mount vp higher as the waters increaseth, but cannot bee ouerwhelmed: the bush which may burne but cannot be con­sumed:Exod. 3. 2. the house built on a rock whichMat. 7. 15. may bee beaten with the winde and raine, but cannot be ouerthrowne.

The Lord who changeth times andEnimies of Gods church looke to their ende. seasons, who takes away Kings and sets vp Kings, hath reproued Kings for his Churches sake: and he gouerneth all the kingdomes of the earth in such sort that their risings & fallings, their chan­ges and mutations are all dispensed for the good of his Church: for there is but one of two sentences, wherein all the Iudges of the world may iudge of themselues, & see cleerly their end. Ei­therEster. 4. 14 that which Mordecai said to Ester, who knowes if for this thou art come to the Kingdome, that by thee deliuerance might come to Gods people? Or else that which Moses in Gods name sayd to Pharaoh (the first oppressor of Gods [Page 37] Church in his adolescency) I haue set thee vp to declare my power, because thou exaltest thy selfe against my people. How miserable then are they who when they are highest abuseth their power, to hold the people of God lowest.

Haue they not cause to feare least the Lord haue set them vp against him, as an object of his power and Iustice? if we will marke the course of the Lords proceeding euer since the beginning of the world, we shall finde that as he or­ders the state of earthly power, for the accomplishment of his wil, concerning his Church; so euermore a blessing fol­lowes them, who are instruments of her good: and by the contrary, an ineuita­ble curse followes them who are the in­struments of her euill.

When the Lord concluded to bring his Church from Canaan, to sojourne in Aegipt, he sent such a famine in Ca­naan, as compelled them to forsake it: but made plenty in Aegipt by the hand of Ioseph, whom the Lord sent before as a prouider for his Church? and by [Page 38] whom Pharaoh was made so fauourable to Iacob, that he was allowed to dwell in Goshen: but when such time came that hee would translate his Church from Aegypt to Canaan, then hee alte­red Pharaohs countenance; hee raised vp a new king which knew not Ioseph, and turned the Aegyptians harts away from Israell, so that they vexed Israell, and caused them to serue by cruelty: and all this the Lord did, to the end his people should become weary of Ae­gipt, and inforced by violence to make forward to Canaan, whereas otherwise (as it well appeares) if they had beene dandled as in the beginning, they would haue neglected the promised land, and contented themselues with Onions and Flesh-pots of Aegipt. Thus Pharaoh by his obstinacy brings on himselfe, his iust deserued punishment; & the Lord workes to his people their vndeserued deliuerance: and afterward, when the sins of his people drew to that ripenes, that they had caused their dayes to draw neere, and were come to their [Page 39] terme; the Lord stirred vp the king of Babell, as the rodde of his wrath, andEzec. 22. 4 staffe of his indignation, he sent him to the dissembling Nation, and gaue him a charge against the people of hisEsay. 10. 5. wrath, to take the spoyle and the pray, and to tread them vnder feet like mire in the streets; and then that the Lord might be auenged of the sins of Isra­ell, hee subdued all kingdomes round about them vnder the king of Babell, that no stop or impediment should be in their way to hold off the iudgement from them: But yet againe, when the Lord had accomplished all his workes vpon Mount Sion, and the appoyntedEsa 10. 12. time of mercy was come, and the 70. yeares of Captiuitie was expired, then the Lord visited the proud heart of theThe go­uernment of the whole earth alte­red for the Churches sake. King of Ashur; and for his Churches sake, hee altered againe the gouerne­ment of the whole earth, translating the Empire to the Medes and Persians, that Cyrus the Lords annoynted might performe to his people the promised deliuerance.

[Page 40]All which, should learne vs in the greatest changes and alterations which can fall out in the world, to rest assu­red, that the Lord will worke for the good of his Church, though the earthPsal. 42. should bee moued and the mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea, yea, though the waters thereof rage and be troubled, yet there is a Riuer vvhose streames shall make glad the Cittie of our good God, in the middest of it, and therefore it shall not bee moued; yea, they who should bee as nursing fathers and Mothers to the Church of God, may forsake her and become her eni­mies: but assuredly they shall perish; and comfort and deliuerance shall ap­peare vnto Gods people out of ano­ther place. The Lord for a while may put the bridle of bondage in the Phi­listines hands to humble the IsraelitesEsay. 12. 1. for their sins, but it shal be taken from them: and the day shall come, wherein wee shall with ioy draw water out of the Wels of saluation, and prayse the Lord saying: Though thou wert angry [Page 41] with me, thy wrath is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Yea, Sion shall cry out and shout for ioy, for great is the holy one of Israell in the midst of her: and there­fore in our lowest humiliations, let vs answere our Aduersaries: reioyce not against me, oh mine enimie, though I fall, I shall rise: and when I shall sit in darknesse, the Lord is a light vnto me: I will beare the wrath of the Lord; be­cause I haue sinned against him, vntillMich. 7. 8. he shall pleade my cause, and execute iudgement for mee, hee will bring me forth to the light, and I shall see his righteousnesse: then hee that is mine enimie, shall looke vpon it, and shame shall couer him who said to mee, What is the Lord thy God?

CHAP. VII. What is a Christians best.

WHat is the Lord thy God? Now shall he be trodden vnder, as the mire in the street: yea so let al thine eni­mies perish O Lord! [Page 42] For the best. This best, is no other thing, but that pretious saluation pre­pared to be showne vs in the last time, reserued in the heauens for vs, and whereunto wee are reserued by the power of God through Faith; where­of we learne that our best estate is not yet wrought so as it is accomplished; it is onely in the working, saies the A­postle, and therefore wee are not to1. Pet. 1. 5. looke for it in this life.

There is a great difference between the godly and the wicked: the one in­ioyes their best in this life, the other lookes for it, and are walking toward it: For if it should be demaunded, when a wicked man is at his best? I wouldThe wic­ked man is at his best, when hee comes first into the world. Iob. 3. 12. answere, his best is euill enough; but then a wicked man is at his best, when hee comes first into the world; for then his sinnes are fewest, his iudge­ment easiest. It had bene good for him, that the knees had not preuented him, but that he had died in the birth: for as a Riuer which is smallest at the begin­ning, increaseth as it proceeds by the [Page 43] accession of other waters into it, till at length it bee swallowed vp into the deepe; so the wicked, the longer hee liueth, waxeth euer worse and worse: de­ceiuing, 2 Tim. 3. 1 and being deceiued (saith the Apostle,) proceeding from one euill to worse (saith Ieremie,) till at length heIer. 9. 3. bee swallowed vp in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. AndReu. 19. 20. this the Apostle expresseth most sig­nificantly, when he compares the wic­ked man vnto one gathering a treasure, wherein he heapes vp wrath to him­selfe, against the day of wrath; For euen as the Worldling, who euery day cast­eth in money into his treasure, in few yeares multiplies such a summe, the par­ticulars whereof he himselfe is not able to keepe in minde; but when he brea­keth vp his Boxe, then he findeth in it sundry sorts of Coyne, whereof he had no remembrance: Euen so is it andA warning for impe­nitent sin­ners. worse, with thee, O impenitent man, who not onely euery day, but euery houre and moment of the day, doest multiply thy transgressions, and desile [Page 44] thy conscience, hoording vp into some dead work or other: to what a reckning thinkest thou, shall thy sinnes amount in the end though thou forget them as thou cōmittest them? Yet the Apostle telleth thee, that thou hast layde them vp in a treasure, and not onely so, but with euery sinne, thou hast gathered a portiō of wrath proportionable to thy sin, which thou shalt perfectly know in that day, vvherin the Lord shall breake vp thy treasure, and open the booke of thy conscience, and set thy sinnes in order before thee: then shall thine owne Psa. 50. 18. wickednesse correct thee: and turning backe, shall reproue thee: then shalt thou know and behold, that it is an euill thing Ier. 2. 19. and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God: And shalt be astonished to see such a multitude of witnesses standing vp against thee; then shalt thou perceiue that these sinnes which thou hast cast behinde thy backe, the Lord hath set them in the light of his Psal. 90. 8. countenance, and then woe shall be vnto thee, for the Lord shall turne thine [Page 45] owne wayes vpon thy head, when thou hast accomplished the measure of thine iniquitie: the Lord shall giue thee to drinke of the cup which thou hast fil­led with thine owne hand, and shal dou­ble his stripes vpon thee, according to the multitude of thy transgressions.

CHAP. VIII. The Christian is not at his best now: it is the working onely.

BVt as to the children of God, if you will aske, when they are at the best? I answere, praised bee God, our worst is ended, our good is begun, our best is at hand: as our Sauiour said to his Kinsmen, so may we say to the Worldlings; your time is alway, but my Iohn. 6. 7. time is not yet come. We are at the worst immediately before our conuersion, for our whole life till then, was a walking with the Children of disobedience in the broad way that leads to damnati­on, and then were wee at the worst, [Page 46] vvhen vvee had proceeded furthest in the way of vnrighteousnesse, for then vvere wee furthest from God. Our best beganne in the day of our recalling, wherin the Lord by his word and ho­ly spirit, called vpon vs, and made vs turne our backs vpon Sathan, and our face toward the Lord, and so caused vs part company with the Children of disobedience; among vvhom vvee had our conuersation before: then we came home with the penitent forlorne, to our fathers familie; but they went for­ward in their sins to judgement: That was a day of diuision betwixt vs and our sinnes: In that day (with Israell) we entred into the borders of Canaan, into Gilgall, & there were circumcised, and the shame of Egypt was takenIos. 5. 9. from vs, euen our sinne, vvhich is our shame indeede, and which vvee haue borne from our mothers wombe: the Lord graunt that we may keepe it for euer in thankfull remembrance: and that wee may count it a double shame to returne againe to the bondage of [Page 47] Egipt, to serue the Prince of darknesse in Bricke and Clay; that is, to haue fel­lowship any more with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse, but that like the redeemed of the Lord, wee may walke Psal. 84. 7. from strength to strength, till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion.

Alwayes this difference of estatesThe diffe­rence of the godly & wicked cōcerning their best, should learne vs comfort & patience. of the godly and wicked should learne vs patience: let vs not seeke that in the earth, which our gracious God in his most holy dispensation, hath reserued for vs in the heauen: let vs not be like the foolish Iewes, who loued the place of their banishment in Babell better than their home: for here wee are not at our best, now our life is hid with 1 Iohn. 3. the Lord, and wee know not yet what wee shall be, but wee know when he shall ap­peare, wee shall bee like him: the Lord shall carry vs by his mercy and bring vs Exo. 15. 13 in his strength to his holy habitation. Hee shall plant vs in the mountaine of hisEsay. 35. inheritance, euen the place which hee hath prepared, and Sanctuary which he hath established: then euerlasting ioy [Page 48] shall be vpon our heads, and sorrow and mourning shall slie away from vs for euer. And now till the Lord hath accom­plished his work vnto vs, let vs not faint, because the vvicked flourish: nei­therPsal. 7. thinke we haue cleansed our hands in vaine because they prosper, they are to bee pittyed rather then enuyed: let them eate and drinke and bee merry; sure it is, they will neuer see a merrier day then that they see presently: they haue enjoyed their heauen in the earth: they haue receiued their consolation in this life, and haue gotten their portionLuke. 19. in this world. Oh what tongue can ex­presse their misery! And yet as Samuel How mise­rable are the wicked who haue their hea­uen in the earth. mourned for Saul, when God rejected him: and Ieremy wept in secret for the pride of his people, that would not re­pent of their sinnes, how can wee but take vp a bitter lamentation for many of you, whom in this time of grace, wee see to bee strangers from grace? Wee vvish from our hearts, ye were not like the kinsmen of Lot, who thought hee vvas scorning, when he told them of a [Page 49] iudgement to come; and therefore for no request would goe with him out of Sodome, but tarried while the fire of the Lords indignation consumed them. But rather as Sara followed Abraham from Calde to Canaan, so you would take vs by the hand, and goe forward with vs from hell to heauen.

But alas, The lustes of the flesh, holds you captiue, your sinnes hath blinded you, and the Loue of the world doth bewitch you; but all of them in the end, shall deceiue you: For All the labour vnder the Sun, is but vanitie and vexa­tion Ec. 2. 17. of spirit.

When you haue finished your taske, you shall bee lesse content then yee were at the beginning: you shall be as one wakened out of a dreame, who in his sleepe thought he was possessor of many things, but when hee awaketh, behold he hath nothing, Like that rich man, who said in his securitie, Now my soule thou hast much good for many dayes: and euen vpon the next day vvas re­ducted to greater pouertie then that [Page 50] dispised Lazarus, that hee had not so much as a drop of cold water to coole his tongue with: then shall you lament, we haue wearied our selues in the way of iniquitie, and it did not profit vs. A­las, how shall I learne you to bee wise? The Lord when he created man, set him in a roome aboue all his creatures; and now degenerate man, sets euery creature in his heart aboue the Lord. O fearefull ingratitude. Doe you so re­ward the Lord, yee foolish people and vn­wise? There is nothing which you conceiue to be good; but when you want it you are carefull to seeke it: when you haue it, you are carefull to keepe it; onely you are carelesse of the Lord Iesus, though he be that incom­parable iewell, that brings light in darkenesse, life in death, comfort in trouble, mercie against all iudgement; you should set him as a signet, on your heart, as an ornament on your head; & put him on as a glorious attire, that gets you place to stand before God. But what paines doe you take to seeke [Page 51] him? what assurance haue you, that ye are in him, or what mourning do you make, because ye are strangers from him? Can yee say that the tenth of your thoughts and wordes are imploy­ed vpon him? Alas, how long will you wander after vanities, and follow lies? Will ye for euer forsake the fountaine of liuing waters, and digge to your sel­ues broken pits, that can hold no wa­ter? O consider this (in time) yee that Psa. 50. 22. forsake the Lord, least he teare you in pee­ces and there be none to deliuer you.

CHAP. IX. All things worke to the worst, to the wicked.

THe last lesson wee obserue in this part of the verse, is this: as All things worke for the best, to them that loue the Lord, so all things worke for the worst to the wicked: there is no­thing so cleane, which they defile not, nothing so excellent which they abuse [Page 52] not. Make Saul a King, and Balaam a Prophet, and Iudas an Apostle, their preferments shall be their 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 Psal. 69. 22 2. Cor. 5. 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 fol­lowethThe secōd part of the verse, is the persons to whom the former comfort belongeth. the second part of the Verse, [Page 53] 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.Our calling comes frō Gods pur­pose, and carries vs to the de­termined glory.

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 [Page 54] 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, [Page 55] 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 in1 Kin 1. 14 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 [Page 57] 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 theBy your disposition in this life, each man hath to consider of his euer­lasting weale or woe. 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 [Page 58] 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 shalbe 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 [Page 59] 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 his purpose: Thirdly, the euident token ac­cording to Gods calling, which is the loue of God. The purpose of God, concer­ning thy saluation, thou maist know by thy calling: and if againe thou wilt try thy calling, try it by the loue of God, which thou finds in thee. And of these three, I will now speake briefly.

CHAP. XI. What comfort wee haue in this, that our saluation is grounded on the Lords vn­changeable purpose.

ACcording to his purpose. Here you see then how the Apostle draw­eth our Calling from the purpose of God: and so when hee will comfort vs vvith the certaintie of our saluation, he leads vs out of our selues, vp to the Rocke that is higher then wee, hee teacheth vs to cast our Anchor within the vaile, and to fasten our soules vpon that vn­changeable Purpose of God. It is most expedient for the Children of God, to mark this, because the manifold chan­ges wee finde in our selues, doe often­times interrupt the peace of our minds, that the Lord our God hath in such sort dispensed our Saluation, that the ground thereof is laide in his owne immutable Purpose, but the markes, to­kens and pledges hee placeth in them, [Page 61] after their Calling, for whom it was or­dayned. The tokens are changeable, as we our selues in whom they are are changeable: but the ground holds fast, being laid in the vnchangeable God, in whom can be no shadow of alterati­on: and this should comfort vs against our daily vicissitudes, changes, defects, and temporall desertion; our faith may faint, our spirituall life may languish, our hope hoouer, our harts in praying fall downe like the infeebled hands of Moses, yet let vs not despaire, no change in vs can alter the Lords vnchangeable Purpose, he vvho hath begun the work in vs, will also perfect it. Because I am Mal. 3. 6. not changed (saith the Lord) therefore is it that yee, O Sonnes of Iacob, are not consumed. Our salua­tion is ney­ther in part nor in the whole, as­cribed to our merits.

This purpose of God is called other­waies, The will of God, and the good pleasure of his will: and it doth learne vs, to giue to the Lord the praise which is due to him, namely the praise of the whole worke of our saluation, should bee ascribed to the good pleasure of his [Page 62] will onely, and not to our foreseene me­rits: that poyson of pride, which Sa­than powred in our first parents, wher­by hee prouoked them to aspire, to be equall with God, doth yet appeare in their posteritie, the corrupt heart of man euer ayming at this, eyther in part or in whole, to haue the praise of salua­tion ascribed to himselfe, and so would start vp in the roome of God, vsurping that glory which belongeth to the Lord, and hee will not giue to another: then the which no Sacriledge more fearefull can be committed against the Lord. O man! content thee vvith that which the Lord offers thee, and let that alone, vvhich the Lord reserueth to himselfe, My peace (saith the Lord) I giue vnto you, but my glory I will not giue to another. It is enough, that the saluation of the Lord is thine, but as for the glory of saluation, let it re­maine to the Lord, hee is for this cal­led the Father of Mercy, because mer­cy is bred in his owne bosome: ma­ny causes without himselfe found hee [Page 63] moouing and procuring him to execute Iustice: but a cause moouing him to shew mercy, found hee neuer, saue one­ly the good pleasure of his will. There­fore saith the Apostle, The Lord hath called vs with an holy calling, not accor­ding to our workes but according to his purpose and grace. Surely except the Lord had reserued mercy for vs, vvee had beene like Sodome and Gomor­rha, but it hath pleased him in his mer­cy, of the same lumpe of clay, to make vs Vessels of honour, whereof he hath made others vessels of dishonour; and who is able sufficiently to thinke of so great a benefit? Therefore let the re deemed of the Lord, cry out with a lowder voyce then Dauid, O Lord what Psal. 8 are wee, that thou hast beene so mindfull of vs? Not vnto vs O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giue the glory: for thy louing kindenesse and for thy truths sake, for our Saluation commeth of god that sitteth vpon the throne, and of the Lambe: to thee therefore be praise and honour, and glory, for euer and euer.

CHAP. XII. Two callings, outward, and inward.

TO them that are called. The purpose of God, which is sufficient in it selfe, is made knowne and manifest to vs by his Calling: for our Calling is a declaration of the decree of our Electi­on, and as it were the secret voice of God, bringing from the Heauens to our soules, this comfortable message, That wee are the sonnes of God. Now wee must know that Gods Calling is twofold: one outward, which is com­mon also to the wicked, & of it speakes our Sauiour, Many are called, but f [...]w are chosen: The other inward and effe­ctuall, proper only to the godly, whom the Lord is purposed to saue. And this will learne vs to consider of three sorts of men in the world, wherof some are not called at all, some called, but not chosen, some chosen, and there­fore are called to be sanctified, iustified, [Page 65] and Glorified. Yee that will take a right view of all mankinde, shall findeAll the world stands in three Cir­cles, & that none are happy, ex­cept they who are within the third. them as it were standing in the three circles; they onely being happie who are within the third. In the outmost Circle are all those on whom the Lord hath not vouchsafed so much as an outward calling; and here stands the greatest part of the world. In the mid­dlemost Circle, which is much narrow­er, are all those which are partakers of Gods outward calling by the word & Sacraments, And in the third circle, which is of smallest compasse in re­gard of the rest, stands those who be­side the outward calling of God by his word, are called also inwardly and effectually by his holy Spirit. These are Christs little flocke, the fewe cho­sen, the communion of saints, the Lords third part, so to speake with Zacharic; Zach. 13. 9 the two parts shall be cut off and die, but The third will the Lord sine as siluer and gold: of them will the Lord say, This is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God, It is a great steppe in­deede, [Page 66] that we are brought from the vttermost Circle vnto the second, but it is not sufficient to saluation, yea ra­ther they who stand in the second Cir­cle, hearing the voice of God call them to repentance, and yet harden their hearts, and will not follow the Lord, may looke for a more fearefull con­demnation, than they who are in the vtmost ranke of all. Waightie are all those warnings of our Sauiour: Sodome and Gomorah shall be in an easier estate in the day of iudgement, then they to whom the Lord hath spoken by his worde, but they would not receiue it; and that double stripes are for him that knowes his Masters will, and doth it not. Content not your selues therefore with this, that you are brought within the compasse of this visible Church, and made partakers of an outward Cal­ling, that ye haue bene baptized in the name of Iesus, and communicated at his holy table; for not euerie one that sayes Lord, Lord shall enter into his kingdom, except ye find also the Lords [Page 67] inward and effectuall Calling, that the arme of his grace hath drawne you within the compasse of this third circle, and so brought you to be of his owne third part, and set you downe among the generation of them that seeke the face of God, and therfore forsakes their sinnes, that they may finde him.

CHAP. XIII. Of the inward Calling.

THen wee see this excellent pri­uiledge is restrained to them who are called inwardly, and therefore let vs yet a little consider it. This inward Calling is the Communication of Christs sauing grace, vvhereby the minde is inlightened, the heart purified by faith, the affections sanctified, and the whole man reformed. For as the Lord by his Gospell offers to his chil­dren righteousnesse and life, so by his holy spirit he giues them that iustify­ing Faith, and openeth their hearts to [Page 68] receiue that Grace which is preached and proclaimed to them in the Gospel, So then this worke of our Calling, is altogether the Lords: It is his praise2 Cor. 4. that hee cals things which are not, and makes them to be: the Lord that com­maunded light to shine out of dark­nesse, hath giuen to our mindes the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Christ Iesus: hee it is that creates in vs a new heart, and puttethPsal. 41. a new spirit into our bowels, that vvee may walke in his statutes. The Lord promised that hee would call many of the Gentiles to the spiritual Ierusalem,Ez. 11. 19. to suck out the milke of the breasts of her consolation, and be delighted with the brightnesse of his glory: shall IEsa. 66. cause others to bee fruitfull (saith the Lord) and remaine barren my selfe? and this his gracious promise hath he most abundantly performed in our dayes; his name be praised therefore.

As this worke is onely the Lords,This in­ward cal­ling is the arme of God, choosing out in the world his own elect. so he restraines it onely to them who are his owne. The outward Calling is [Page 69] extended to all; but the inward calling makes a particular seperation of a few from the remnant: where it is wonder­full to see the distinction which is made betwixt man and man in all rankes and estates, by this effectuall calling of two Brethren, as Iacob and Esau: of two Prophets, as Moses and Balaam: of two Kings, as Dauid and Saul: of two Apostles, as Peter and Iudas: of two theeues, the one is taken, the other reiected, and thus the arme of the grace of God, goes through to euerie corner of the earth, according to his pleasure, culling out by his word, from among the remnant of the world, those who belong to his Election.

This grace of God, it enters in a Land, and not into euery Cittie: it en­ters into a Cittie, but not into euery Fa­milie: yea it will enter into a Familie, and [...]et not come to euery person of the Familie, or husband and wife, of Maisters and Seruants, of Parents and Children, of Brethren and Sisters, of­tentimes the one is taken, the other is [Page 70] left: It came to Iericho, and chose outWhereof it comes that the Gospell where it is preached makes a great diffe­rence be­twixt man and man. Zacheus. It came to Philipi, and weiled out Lidia and the Iaylor: It came to Nero his court, and not to himselfe; It entred into the familie of Narcissus, and yet past by Narcissus himselfe; It is the worke of God, and merueilous in our eies. The Gospell is preached to many, but the blessing brought by the Gospell, lights onely vpon the children of grace: And hereof ariseth this day­ly distinction, which we see betweene man and man, all heare alike, but all haue not Faith, all are not edified alike: Some forsake their sins, and followes the Lord, others forsaking the Lord, walkes on in their sinnes. As the Lord gouerneth the raine, and makes it fall vpon one Cittie, and not vpon another: so hee dispenseth the dew of his grace, that hee makes it droppe downe vpon one heart, and not vpon another. And of this I would wish that so many of you as yet are strangers from Grace, should learne to know your miserable state: What a fearefull thing is this, [Page 71] that God hath conuerted so many inHow the hart wher­on grace descends not now in this time of grace is accursed. the Cittie wherein thou dwellest, yea perhaps many in the familie wherein thou remainest, and yet his grace ne­uer lighted vpon thee, but thou art left in thy olde sinnes? Consider it right­ly, I pray you. If the Lord should do to you as hee did to Israel, in the daies of Achab, causing it to raine for three yeares & a halfe on all the lands about you, but not vpon your Land, would you not conceiue in it a sensible curse of God vpon you? O Hypocrite, thou that canst discerne the face of the skie, and take vp the tokens of Gods anger in the creature, canst thou not discerne the state of thine owne soule, nor ap­prehend this for a sensible curse, that thirty or forty yeares, the showers of sauing and renewing grace, hath de­scended vpon the people round about thee, but neuer vpon thy selfe? thou possessest thy old sins and keepest still a hard, a barren, and a fruitlesse heart. What shall I say to thee? to cut thee off from all hope of mercie, and so [Page 72] send thee to despaire; I haue not that in commission: the Lord hath his owne time of calling, and can when he will, of Saul a persecutor, make Paul a Preacher. But one thing I can certifie [...]hee of: so long as thou a [...]t in that state mourne if thou vvilt, thou hast much cause of mourning; for if this effectuall calling by grace, goe by thee in time to come, as it hath done in time beganne, it is an euident declaration, that thou art a man reserued to wrath, and not ordained to mercie.

CHAP. XIIII. In the inward calling, the Lord begins at the illumination of the minde.

NOw that this Calling flowing from Election, may bee yet made sure to our Consciences for our greater comfort, let vs marke the manner of the Lords proceeding into it and so gather vp some tokens whereby vvee may discerne it. As in the first creation, [Page 73] the Lord began at the light; so in the second Creation he begins at the il­lumination of the minde: For wee can neither know the Lord to feare and loue him, neyther yet our selues and our sinnes aright, till the Lord vvho commanded light to shine out of dark­nesse, shine also into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of GOD in the face of Iesus Christ: and this light of God, disco­uers to vs so many workes of darknes, wherewith in ignorance wee defiled our Consciences, that wee begin to be ashamed of our selues, in the sight of God; yea, our very flesh trembleth for feare of his iudgements, and vvee crie out with Iob, Now my eye hath Iob. 42. seene the Lord, therefore I abhorre my selfe. And thus the Lord proceeds from the minde to the heart, working intoHe work­eth moti­ons of sor­row and contrition in the hart. it such a contrition and godly sorrow, as causeth repentance vnto saluation, whereby the heart that was senselesse before, being dead in sinne and tres­passes, begins now to stir and moue▪ as [Page 74] 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 Act. 24. 25 shall wee doe that wee may bee saued? These motions, meltings and prickings of the hart, wrought in the [...]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 mustHe work­eth a re­spondence and answe ring of the hart to his calling and a follow­ing of the Lord. 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 [Page 75] 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 answeredPsal. 27. O Lord I will seeke thy face. If the Lord commaund the Christian answereth, O Lord, quicken me according to thy lo­uing Ps. 119. 18 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 Ps. 119. 39 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. [Page 76] 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 Magdal [...]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 L [...] Loue speakes with the tongue of eue [...] 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 fi [...]st affection that Faith procreateth and sanctifieth, [Page] 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 [...]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 forci­ [...], 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 [Page 79] 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 likePsal. 42. 1. complaints. As the Hart brayes for the riuers of water, so panteth my soule [...] thee, O my God: O wh [...]n [...] I come & appeare before the presence of my God? my soule desireth after the Lord, as the Psal. 143. Phil. 1. Reu. 22. thirstie land, for I would be dissolued & be with the Lord: therefore come, euen [Page 81] 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 desi [...]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 posses [...]e the goods of her husband, regards not, albeit she neuer see himselfe. The Iewes are blamed, because they called on th [...] 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 Christian bee condemned for louing the gifts of God, more then the giuer. Let vs therefore beware of this fearefull ingratitude. Wee may in­deede reioyce in all the gifts the Lord hath giuen vs, and they should thank­fully [Page 82] be receiued: but, alwaies with a protestation, that nothing giuen vnto mee here, bee allowed vnto me for my portion, and inheritance; and that no contentment euer comes to our hearts, till wee obtaine the full fruition of our louing husband Christ Iesus.

If the Loue of men compelled the Apostle to say to the Corinthians, it is not yours, but you I seeke, how much more should the Loue of GOD com­pell vs to say to our Lord, It is not thy gift, but thy selfe O Lord I long for: thou art the portion of my soule: If thou would [...]t giue mee all the workes of thine hands, yet shall I neuer haue com­fort nor contentment, except thou giue me thy selfe: therefore O thou whom Cant. 2. 6. my soule loueth, shew mee where thou feedest, where thou lyest at noone, for why should I bee as shee that turnes aside to the flockes of thy companions? Blessed is hee that hungers and thirsteth for thy righteousnesse, for hee shall behold the face of his God, and bee filled with his Image; for in his presence is the [Page 83] fulnesse of ioy, and at his right hand, there are pleasures for euermore.

CHAP. XVII. Second triall of Loue.

THe second triall of holy Loue, is Obedience, and a care to serue and honour the Lord in all estates and cal­lings. Preachers must bee tried by this rule, Peter louest thou mee? feede my flocke. Gouernours and counsellors in your callings, must be tryed by this: Can yee say with the godly gouernour Dauid, I loue the Lord? then will yeePsal. 119. also say with him, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits. How shall I shew to the Lord my Loue? and what shall I doe in my time, for the aduancement of his glorie? If you loue the Lord then bee nursing Fathers to his Church; be faithfull aduancers of his kingdome, wise prouisours to re­moue the stumbling blockes that hin­der the course of his Gospell: If yee [Page 84] loue the Lord. Stand vp with Dauid and say, Doe I not hate them, O Lord that hate thee? and doe I not earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee? Surely I hate them with vnfained hatred, as if they were my vtter enimies. I [...] yee honour the Lord as Dauid did, the Lord shall blesse you as he did Da­uid. Dauid sware vnto the Lord, that he would not rest, till he found out a place for the Lord, euen an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob. And the Lord sweares againe to Dauid that of the fruite of his bodie hee would set vpon his Throne to raigne after him. But if other­waies there be nothing in you, but a care to stablish your selues and your houses, with the neglect of the glorie God; then remember the curse of Sheb­na, and not the blessing of Eliachim, Esay. 22. shall be vpon you: you shall not bee fastned as a nayle in a sure place, but shall Psal. 140. be rowled and turned away like a Ball: The Lord shall driue thee from thy station, and out of thy dwelling place shall he destroy thee; for the wicked [Page 85] shall not haue their desire; his thoughts shall not bee performed, neither shall he be established on the earth, but euill shall hunt him to destruction: the Lord shall take thee, and pluck thee out of thy Tabernacle, and roote thee out of the land of the liuing: and ge­nerally all of you in your callings, re­member the value of your ChristianPsal. 52. 4 loue, must be tryed by the same touch­stone; not by your words, but by your deedes. If any loue me (saith Christ) [...] him keep my commaundements. But here also the hypocrisie of this age is cleere­ly discouered: In word they pretend the loue of God, but indeede, they grieue him with their transgressions: as the Iewes, they called him king, and bowed their knees before him, but sp [...]t in his face, and buffeted him: So the bastard Christians of this age, call Christ their Lord, and bow their knee before him, yet they c [...]ucisie him, and trample his blood of the Couenant vnder their feete: they kisse him and betrai [...] him with Iudas. It is but a Scepter of Re [...]d [Page 86] they yeeld and graunt to him, for they giue him no command [...]ment ouer their affections: wherefore great is the con­trouersie which the Lord hath this day with the men of this generation.

CHAP. XVIII. The last tryall of Loue.

THe last tryall of Loue, whereof I will speak at this time (leauing ma­ny other) is Bountifulnesse. Loue (saith the Apostle) is Bountifull. Experience prooues this: euery Louer is a bounti­full [...]ower on them whom he loues. Yee loue your backes and spare not to cloath them, yea with excessiue ap­parell: yee loue your bellyes, and ther­fore are bountifull daily to them in feeding them: ye loue your Children, and therefore lets them want nothing that is needefull for them: yea, yee loue your beasts, and yee bestow large ly on them; onely you say, you loue the Lord, but wherein are you boun­tifull toward him? It is true, that in no­thing can a man be profitable to the Al­mighty, [Page 87] saith Iob. But are there no works which should so shine before men, that by them our heauenly Father may bee glorified? Though works can bee no merits, yet are they your witnesses of your Loue towards the Lord: Though your goodnesse extend to the Lord, yet where is your delight that should bee in his Saints, and excellent ones vpon earth? Where is your compassi­on and loue toward the brethren? Are not the men of this age like the Fig­tree, that haue faire leaues, but not so much as one Fig to giue Iesus in his hunger, hauing the shew of Godli­nesse, 2 Tim. 3. 5 but hath denied the power thereof, rendring words enough, but not any fruits at all to adorne the glorious gos­pell of our Lord Iesus. And so (if wee might proceede) euery tryall of Loue should discouer the hypocrisie and ba­stard Christianitie of the most part of professors of this age. But being for­ced at this time, to conclude, I turne me toward you (whom I know haue set your hearts to seeke the Lord) that [Page 88] I may leaue my last blessing behinde me vnto you, being no more purposed [...]o speake to you, from this place: to you, and to euery one of you who can say with Peter, in a sincere Conscience Lord thou knowest I loue thee: to you here, in the name of God, I ratifie this priuiledge; All things shall worke toge­ther for the best vnto you. Faint not therefore I beseech you, in the course of Godlinesse▪ but be strong in the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, stand fast in the power of his might, praying to the Lord continually, that hee would sta­blish that which hee hath wrought in you, and bring it forward to perfection.

And now I commend you to that Grace of God, which is able to build you farther, and to gi [...]e you inheritance among them that are Sanctified in Christ Iesus: to whom, with the Fa­ther, and the holy Spirit, be all honour, praise and glory, for euer.

Amen.

CHAP. I. Of the feruent 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 wee eate: the last handled first.

AS the soule of a Christian longeth for nothing more then to be fully vnited with the Lord Iesus; so doth he greatly account of euerie meane, where­by this vnion is aduanced. The Apostle S. Paul was so inflamed with the loue [Page 2] of Christ that in comparison of him, he este [...]med all other things to be but doung, and euerie thing an aduantage that might serue to conioyne him wi [...]h Christ: for albeit the nature of man abhorreth nothing more then death (yea euen the soule of the godly desires not to lay aside the body, if it might stande with the Lords dispensation, which the Apostle is not ashamed to protest of himselfe: We would not (saith2. Cor. 5. 4 he) be vncloathed, but would be cloathed vpon, that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life.) Yet did the loue of Christ so far ouercome him, that he was con­tent through the valley of death to fol­low his Lo [...]d, yea most desirous to bePhil. 1. 23. dissolued by death, in so much as hee knew it to be a meane to conioyne him neerer vnto Christ.

And herein he stands vp to witnesse vnto vs, that vnlesse wee haue a most feruent desire to participate of this ho­ly Sacrament, which the Lord hath in­stituted to seale vp and increase our spirituall Communion with him; wee [Page 3] are manifestly conuinced to be such, as in whom their is no loue of the Lord Iesus: If we will not goe with him toThey will not [...]uffer with him on mount Caluarie; who re­fuse to bā ­quet with him in his parlour. eate and drinck in his Parlour at Ieru­salem, it is not likely that we will fol­low him out of the Cittie, bearing his reproach to bee crucified with him on mount Caluarie. The Apostle is de­sirous to goe through death that hee might come to Christ: and it was the notable word of that auncient Ignatius, the scholler of Christs best beloued Disciple Saint Iohn. Nihil visibilium Euseb. li. 3. Cap. 36. moror, nihil inuisibilium modo Christum acquiram. I stand (said hee) vpon no­thing visible, nor inuisible, I care not what torments come vpon me, so that I enioy Christ Iesus: and will not wee then (casting away all impediments) come ioyfully forward to this holy Table, wherein our blessed Sauiour communicates himselfe vnto vs, and wherevnto this day so louingly he in­uites vs? Now hee standes at the doore, and he knocks, offering to come in &Reu. 3. 20. suppe with them who will open vnto him. [Page 4] Now the maister shall say to his Dis­ciples: Take re and eate, this is my bodie. Ma. 26. 16 Now saies the bridegroome to his friends, Eate O my friends, and make Cant. 5. 1. you merrie my welb [...]loued. Now doth the Angel intimate that proclamation, which hereafter will be resounded with greater ioy from heauen: Let vs be glad Reu. 19. 7. and reioyce, for the marriage of the Lambe is come. And now the Sauiour calles vpon sinners with outstretched armes: Come to me all ye who are wearie Mat. 11. 28. and laden, and I will refresh you.

Those diseased creatures who lay at the poole of Bethesda, wayted diligent­ly on the occasion, when they should step downe into the water: for he that first stepped in, after the Angell had troubled the water, was made whole, whatsoeuer his disease was: Praysed be God, though we haue not now those waters of Siloam, wherein with thatIohn. 5. 8. blind man wee may cure our bodily diseases; wee haue the waters of thatIohn. 9. 7. Shiloh, of the which whosoeuer drinks shall not thirst any more: these are [Page 5] the waters of life, that are able to cureGene. 49. 10. Ioh. 1. 14. At Siloam poole, on­ly hee was healed who first stepped downe, not so at Shiloh his Table. all our spirituall infirmities, the benefit is not restrained to one that first sits downe at his Table, but is extended to all those who make themselues readie to come vnto him. Let vs not therefore neglect so faire an occasion of grace, but let vs vp & arise, let the Bride make her selfe readie, and go foorth to meete the Bride-groome. Let vs begin in this wildernes to eate the fruits of our pro­mised Canaan, which is aboue: Let vs open to the King of glory that knocks: let vs go to our sauiour that cries come, and ioyfully communicate with our Lord, who commaunds Take and eate, this is my body. For here is giuen the greatest gift, and that in the most ex­cellent manner, that God hath to giue on earth vnto the sonnes of men: for here he giueth it, as it were with both his hands, that is, not onely by his word, but also by his Sacrament, onely take heede to this warning, let a man trie himselfe and so let him eate.

There is danger in hearing of the [Page 6] word, and therefore our Sauiour fore­warnes vs: Take heede how you heare. Ther is danger also in communicating: in the preceeding verse the Apostle forewarned vs of it; He that eates of this Luk. 8. 18. bread, and drinks of this cup of the Lord vnworthely, is guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord. In the subsequent verse hee forewarnes vs also of the dan­ger. He that eates and drinkes vnworthe­ly, eateth and drinketh his owne damnati­on. And in this interiected verse, which now by the grace of God wee haue to handle, hee sheweth vs the way how to eschew them both, and therefore let vs harken the more attentiuely vnto it.

This precept hath two parts: in the first we are commaunded to try before we eate; in the second wee are com­maunded to eate af [...]er triall. Before we communicate; he requires triall; and after triall hee commands to commu­nicate: and so he encounters with two sorts of men, whereof the one eates of this bread and tryes not; and these faile against the first: the other tries them­selues, [Page 7] but eates not of this bread, and these faile against the second; both of them are here corrected by the Apo­stles precept. In handling whereof, we begin first at the last part, that such as are resolued to bide away, if it please God, may bee made willing to come: and then by God his grace, we shall re­turn to the first, that such as are willing to come, may bee instructed how they should communicate.

And so let him eate. It is not then asWee are bound by Gods cō ­maund to eate at this table. ye may perceiue, left free vnto men to communicate or abstaine from the Communion, as they please; but we are bound by a commaundement to eate and drinke at this Table. Doe this (said our Sauiour) in remembrance of mee. Our first father Adam failed in eating of that tree of knowledge of good and euill, whereof God forbade him to eate; but many of his sonnes failes in refu­sing to eate of that tree of life, where­of God commaunds them to eate. In their words they condemne the fact of their fathers, because they were Sicut [Page 8] omniū parentes, ita omniū peremptores, & Bernard. prius peremptores quam parentes: peri­shers of their posteritie [...]re euer they were parents; and in their deede they are dayly imitators of their folly. It was a punishment vnto Adam to be debar­red from the tree of life, and it is but a pastime to many of his foolish poste­ritie to debarre themselues from it.The Apo­statate man will eate where God for­bids him. & will not eate where God com­mands him

Thus stands the corrupt nature of man still in contrarie termes with the Lord, And the children fulfilles the measure of their fathers iniquitie: where God forbids man to eate, there will he eate, and where the Lord commaunds him to eate, there will he not eate. The Serpent spake from the earth: albeit ye eate of that tree (which God hath forbidden) yee shall not dye, and man hearkened vnto it. The Lord Iesus speakes from heauen, come and eate ofMat. 24. 12 Because the seducer is beleeued & not the Sauiour. the tree of life, and yee shall liue; but man will not heare him. O silly and fearefull Rebellion, the Seducer is be­leeued, and the Sauiour is not belee­ued. This day wisdome hath prepared [Page 9] his Table, hee cals vpon you all: Come and eate of my meate, and drinke of the Prou. 9. 5. wine that I haue drawne: hee that find Pro. 8. 34. eth me findeth life, and shall obtaine the fauour of the Lord; but hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule, and all that hate mee loue death. Thus are wee louingly called, and fairely fore­warned, and all those are made inexcu­sable that wil none of his counsell, they will not eate of this bread, but shall eat of a worse: For they shall eate of the Pro. 1. 30. 31 fruite of their owne way, and bee filled with their owne deuises, their paths shall tend vnto death, because they refuse to lay hold on the tree of life.

CHAP. II. Ignorance the mother of all Recusancie to communicate. The Reasons of di­uers refusals 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.

WHat euer bee the pretented ex­cuse of these recusants, ignorance is the mother of their sinne, and there­fore may I say that vnto them, which the Lord Iesus said vnto that Samari­tane woman: If thou knew the Gift of Ioh. 4. 10. God, and who it is that sayes to thee, giue mee drinke, thou wouldst haue asked of him, and hee would haue giuen thee the water of life. This sweet gradation of our Sauiour his words: If thou knew, thou wouldest aske, if thou asked I would giue, euidently poynts out the sinne of these men to bee (as I haue saide) the Daughter of Ignorance; whereas out [Page 11] of doubt, if they knew the gift that is giuen them here by God, they would answere with those Iewes, Lord euer­more Ioh. 6. 34. giue vs this bread, and with that Samaritane woman, when shee was better informed, Lord euermore giue me Ioh. 4. 15. of that water to drinck that I thirst no more.

But that wee may deale particularlySome re­suie to com municate because they know not they excellencie of this Sa­crament. with such as refuse, wee are to know that albeit this their rebellion pro­ceeds of ignorance, yet they who re­fuse, are of sundrie rancks, some knows not the vtilitie and excellencie of this Sacrament: these thinke they may bee Christians good enough, although no Communicants: they looke to this Table with naturall eyes, they iudge of it by things which they see, and so de­spise it, because after their reckoning, they haue better replenished tables at home. These are like Naaman the Sy­rian,These are foolish like Naanam the Syrian 2 King. 5. 10. 12. who came to Elisha to be cured of his leprosie; hee was commaunded to goe and wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan, which at the first hee disdained [Page 12] to doe: are not (said he) Aabanah and Pharpar [...]iuers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israell? he contemned the meanes commaunded by the Pro­phet; he went away in displeasure, and his leprosie went with him; but after­ward, when hee reuerently vsed the meanes prescribed vnto him, hee was made cleane of his leprosie. Wherein wee are taught, not to despise the or­dinance of God, although it seeme ne­uer so base vnto naturall iudgement: It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching, to saue them who beleeue,1 Cor. 1. 21. and he hath in like manner appointed this Sacrament for communication of his Christ to them who are his.

Let a man therefore be content to take saluation out of the hand of God, by such meanes as hee in his wisedome hath concluded to giue it: No world­ling will refuse treasure of gold, al­though it were giuen him in a Boxe of Wood; nor pretious Pearles presented to him in a purse of Leather: and wee see that noble personages disdaine not [Page 13] take infeftments of stately buildings, and faire inheritances, by acceptation of a contemptible little peece of earth and stone: and shall a Christian refuse so excellent a gift, because it is giuen by so small a meane? far be it from vs, that wee should examine the ordinance of God, but rather that wee prepare our selues in faith and feare to obey it: let vs not looke to the meanes, but to the blessing by Gods promise annexed to the meanes; to the gift more then to the manner of giuing. In this banquet we must learne to exercise our faith, not to satisfie our sences, it is no ban­quet for our bodie: if so the Lord had intended it, he could haue furnished his Table with the delicatest things, and made thee a banquet farre exceeding that which Ahasuerus made to theEst. 1. 3. Princes and gouernours of his prouin­ces: For all the Foules of the ayr [...] and Psa. 50. 10 beasts that feede on mountaines and fields are his. He may commaund as his owne all the creatures of his three store hou­ses, the Ayre, the Earth, and the Sea, [Page 14] but here the lesse wee see, the more weThe lesse we see in this Table the more we are bound to belecue. are bound to belecue. Say with vnbe­lecuing Naaman, what better is this Bread and Wine then other Bread and Wine? such blasphemies somtime hath fallen out of the mouthes of ignorants, whose darknesse wee shall (God wil­ling) discouer by the light of Gods word he [...]reafter: for the present, my conclusion to the Recusant is, that if as thou pretend, thou be a louer of Christ; then wilt thou esteeme euerie new to­ken of his loue, a new benefit vnto thee, and what euer he puts in thine hand as a pledge of himselfe, in that respect it shall bee deerer vnto thee, then all the world beside.

Others againe there are, who knows both the v [...]ilitie, and excellencie of this holy Sacrament, and yet refuse to com­municate (but as they thinke) with a reason, pretending that it is not con­tempt but reuerence of the Sacrament, which makes them to abstaine. To whom I answere, that there is no ex­cuse in the world can warrant a man to [Page 15] bide backe from Christ Iesus, when he cals vpon him: for what art thou able to alleadge? want of preparation? the1 If it bee want of preparati­on, the fault is their own. fault is thine owne: for since the mar­riage of the Lambe is come, and thou art warned thereunto, why doest thou not make thy selfe ready, and remoue the impediments? And yet if thou al leadge that common excuse of the ig­norant multitude, that thou art at va­riance2 If it be va­riance with their neighbour they ex­cuse one sinne, by another. with thy neighbour, by reason of some iniuries done to thee, not as yet repayed by him▪ nor to be borne withall and disgested by thee▪ what dost thou, but by a singular subtiltie of Sa­than, excuse one sinne by another? as if one would teach thee to wash away the spots of thy face with puddle wa­ter, were not that in stead of cleansing, to make thy selfe more vncleane? and thou while as thou wilt iustisie thy con­tempt of God his calling, by alledging thy vnsanctified affection and hart that cannot forgiue, dost no other thing, but make thy selfe guilty of a double rebellion, as one that will not discharge [Page 16] thy Christian duety neyther to God nor man.

Consider I pray thee, the excuses pretended by those who were bidden to the Marriage of the great king, and compare them with thine: one of them said, I haue bought a Farme and will goe Mat. 22. 4. see it: Another said, I haue bought fiue yoke of Oxen, and must goe proue them: And the third said, I haue married a Wife and may not come. The worst of their excuses is better then thine, and yet were they all repelled: the vse of husbandry and marchandise and the dutie that a man oweth vnto his wife, are sometime lawfull, albeit not to be preferred before that dutie we owe vn­to Iesus Christ: but that thou shouldstThey who excuse their re­cusancie because of variance are further conuinced liue at variance with thy neighbour, & carry within thee a heart that cannot forgiue, 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?

[Page 17]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, theyIoh. 16. 33 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 [Page 18] 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 Psal. 7. 26. mowen, vnder whom, they may flourish; but should bee to the wicked like that Westerly winde which draue those Lo­custsEx. 10. 13. 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, Mat. 6. 15. 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, [Page 19] 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 IewesThey who doe so, pre­fer Barra­bas before Christ. 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 Ile renounce my will, I will renounce my part of Christ, and communion with him; forRenoun­cing their communi­on with Christ, be­fore they renounce their own wicked will. 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 [Page 20] not that in it he might communicate himself to thee? how canst thou then ex­cuse thy selfe, & say thou hast [...]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, whatGe. 24. 53. 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 God2 Cor. 5. 20 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 [Page 21] against you, that wee haue called you, and yee refused to come.

O man! what wilt thou doe for thyThey loue not Christ who wil­fully refuse to com­municate. 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 Ge. 25. 30 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 ownGe. 22. 20 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 1 Ioh. 3. for thy father, but art of the race of wicked Cain, that hated his Brother vnto the death. Assuredly [Page 22] 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, a [...] 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 [Page 23] 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 in­toIn this Sa­crament are things of sundry kindes which must be di­stinguished this fearefull sinne, wee are to know that this Sacrament is not a simple thing, but a compound, wherein are things of sundry kindes which must be distinguished, and so the word of dis­cerning imports that secret. There are here things of sundry sorts, wee must discerne euery thing in the owne kind: so our Sauiour taught vs, and after him his Apostles? and this truth the aun­cient Fathers haue deliuered vnto vs, Eucharistia (said Irenaeus) ex duabus re­bus Iren. li. 4. cont. Val. Cap. 43. constat, terrena & coelesti. The Eu­charist consists of two kind of things, [Page 24] the one earthly, the other heauenly; And Augustine, calleth it visibile sig­num, inuisibilis graciae: the visible signe of invisible grace. And Macarius cal­lethMacar. hom. this Bread and Wine [...], Examplaria figurae, seu Typi carnis & sanguinis Christi. Resemblances, figures and Types of the Body and Bloud of Christ Iesus. Now it is sure, that a Type, Patterne, or figure must euer bee distinguished from that, whereof it is a figure. This Sacrament then be­ing a compound thing must be consi­dered, not as a simple, but as a com­pound thing: If it bee asked whether a man be earthly or heauenly, because hee is a compound creature? It must bee answered by a distinction. If it be asked how a Christian, being on the earth, the Apostle saith that hee hath his Conuersation in the Heauens? it must be answered by a distinction: and if also it be asked whether this Sacra­ment bee an earthly or an heauenly thing, how the signe is giuen, and how the thing signified: how Christ Iesus [Page 25] is in heauen, and yet present in the Sa­crament? All these I say must be an­swered by distinction: Sursum est Do­minus Aug. in 10. cap. 7 Tract. 29 (said Augustine) sed etiam hic est veritas Dominus: corpus enim Do­mini in quo resurrexit vno loco esse po­test, veritas eius vbi (que) diffula est. Our Lord is aboue in heauen, yet here also is our Lord, as hee is the truth; for the body of our Lord, in which hee arose from death, can bee but in one place, but his truth is diffused into euery place. And againe, Ibat per id quod ho­mo erat, & manebat per id quod Deus: ibat per id quod vno loco erat, & mane­bat per id quod vbi (que) erat: Hee went hence by that which was man, he stay­ed by that which was God: hee went away by that which was but in one place, hee stayed by that which was in all places. And againe: Ascendit su­per omnes coelos corpore non recessit ma­iestate: He ascended aboue all the hea­uens in his body, but hee departed not hence in his Maiestie. And Cyrill inCiril. ca. tech. 14. like manner: Non enim quia nunc non [Page 26] adest in carne ex eo putes, quod spiritu medio hic non adsit: Thinke not that with his spirit he is not here amongst vs, because hee is not now amongst vs with his bodie. Thus yee see we must vse a distinction.Yet are they so to be distin­guished that we destroy not their vnion.

And yet albeit we are forced here to acknowledge the sundrie natures of things compound, and consider them in their owne kinds: wee must for all that take heed to the wonderfull vnion, and Sacramentall coniunction that is betweene them, which is so strait, that vnto the receiuer, they are inseparable, for the which also the earthly thing receyues the name of the heauenly. And this must also be considered, least on the other hand separating those things which God hath conioyned, we make this Bread and this Wine but na­ked and bare signes, and so iustly incur that blame, which our aduersaries vn­iustly would lay vpon vs: and in like manner this punishment which here the Lord threatens against them who are euill discerners.

CHAP. III. Three rules to be obserued in the right descerning the Lords bodie. First, that euerie thing in this sacrament be taken in his owne kinde. Who failes in this and how. Secondly that this sacrament bee vsed according to Christs institution. How the Papists faile in this. Thirdly, that this sacrament bee vsed to right ends, and those ends set downe. The con­clusion of the first part of the precept.

VVE are therfore to consider, that for the right discerning of the Lord body, these three rules are to bee obserued: first, that in this sacrament we take vp euerie thing in the owne na­ture, and kinde. Next that we vse euery one of them in the manner appointed by Christ, and with that reuerence that is due vnto them. And thirdly, that this Sacrament be celebrated vnto the right ends, for which our Sauiour appointed it.

[Page 28]Against the first, failes both Pa­pists and bastard professors: Papists are euill discerners, because they take the signe for the thing signified; the earthly thing for the heauenly: The men of Lystra were euill discerners, when they tooke Paul and Barnabas for Iupiter and Mercurius, Gods inAct. 4. 12. their account; and therfore would haue worshipped them as Gods: but (in this light) farre blinder are they, who will adore a creature insteade of the creator, and that with the same kinde of worship [...] which by their owne confession is due to God onely. They alleadge for their error the wordPapists are euill dis­cerners and why. of truth: Iesus Christ speaking (say they) of the bread, called it his body; wee say in like manner, that this bread is Christs bodie, but sacramentally: b [...]t deny that the bread is transubstan­tiate into the verie naturall bodie of Christ, as they against the principles of faith and nature, falsely affirme. It is strange to see what backward peruerse handlers of holy scripture, these men [Page 29] bee: where they should sticke to the letter, they inforce an allegorie to serue their purpose. What plainer Historie then that which Moses hath: God made two great lights: the greater to Gen. 1. 16. rule the day, the lesser to rule the night: yet is this place violently wrested when out of it they will gather, that the Pa­pall dignitie, which as they say) God hath appointed to rule ouer the spiri­tualtie, is g [...]eater then the regall; and that the Pope by as many degrees ex­celleth the Emperour, as the Sunne excells the Moone. And againe, where the Spirit of God vseth a figure, there they sticke to the Letter, These words according to the Letter: Mandant fla­gitium, commaund an impietie: And therefore by Augustines rule, shouldAug. de d [...]ct. chri stiana. lib 3, cap. 16 be esteemed figuratiue: Si praeceptiua loquutio est, aut flagitium, aut facinus vetans, aut vtilitatem & beneficentiam iubens, non est figurata loquutio: si autem flagitiū vel facinus videtur iubere, aut v­tilitatē aut beneficentiam vetare, figurata loquutio est (nisi manducaueritis (inquit [Page 30] Christus) carnem [...]ilij hominis facinus iu­bere videtur) figura est ergo praecipiens passioni domini esse communicandum & suauiter & vtiliter recondendū in memo­ria, quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa sit. If a speech of precept, either fo [...]bid some sinne, or heynous deede, or else commaund a profitable or a good deed then it is no figuratiue speech; but if it seeme to commaund a sin or heynous deede, or forbid a profitable and honest action, then it is a figuratiue speech: vnlesse thou [...]ate of the flesh of the son of Man (saith Christ) here hee seemes to commaund a hainous action, and ther­fore it is a figure commanding vs to communicate with Christs passion, and sweetly and profitably to lay this vp in our memorie, that his [...]lesh was crucifi­ed for vs. And after this maner also the perpetual phrase of the holy spirit doth teach vs to interpret them, when he cals circumcision, the couenant; the Lambe, the Passeoue [...]; Baptisme, the Lauer of regene [...]ation; the Wine, the cup of the new Testament; In all these they [Page 31] are forced to acknowledge a figure: Onely here, This is my bodie, they will ad here to the letter. The learned and godly fathers, haue with vs also acknow­ledged this for a Sacramentall speech: so Tertul. Expounds, Hoc est corpus me­um, Tert. li. 4 con. Mar id est, [...]igura corporis mei: This is my bodie, that is, the figure of my bo­dy. And againe: Dominus pane corpus Aug. in Psal. 3. suum repraesentat: God represents or resembles his body by bread. And Au­gustine said in like maner: Non dubita­uit dicere hoc est corpus meum, cum sig­num daret corporis sui. He doubted not to say, This is my body, when he gaue onely a signe of his bodie. And againe, Iudam adhibuit ad conuiuium, in quo cor­poris & sanguinis sui figurā commend [...]uit discipulis. Christ admitted Iudas to his supper, in which he commended to his disciples the figure of his body and blood. As Iesus Christ is called a stone, and called bread: so is this bread cal­ledBer. in [...]ss. Ma­riae. Ser. [...] his bodie, and that saies Bernard is per significationem non proprietatem, by signification, not that properly it is so.

[Page 32]And as for carnall professors, they are also euill discerne [...]s, because they esteeme lesse of this Bread and Wine then they ought, putting no difference betweene it and common bread and wine, whereas it is not so indeed; for in all the world there is not the like of This bread and this wine, except in the like action: it is changed by the ordi­nance of Christ, and vertue of his insti­tution: not changed in the substance, but in the vse and end: Panis (enim) Iren. cont Ualent. lib. 4. cap. 34. terrenus percipiens vocationem Dei, iam non communis panis est, sed Eucharistia: for that earthly receiuing Gods ap­pointment, is now no common bread, but the Eucharist. The Lord who cal­leth things that are not, and makethHow the Bread and Wine are changed. them to bee, doth here appoint this bread and this wine to a farre more excellent vse, then that whereunto they serue by nature. As wax stamped with the seale of a King, in substance differs not from other wax; and yet for value is much more excellent, and may not be vnreuerently handled, with out con­tempt [Page 33] of the king; so this bread though in substance it differ not from other bread, yet concerning the vse it is sepe­rate, and much more precious then any other Bread in the world: being now appointed by God to bee a signe and a seale, & an exhibiting instrument of Christ his bodie, and therefore cannot bee profaned, nor abused without con­tempt of Christ I [...]sus.

Against the second condition required2 Rule. in the right discerning of the Lords body, Papists faile in like manner, be­cause they peruert Christs institution, and vse not this sacrament as hee com maunded: for, seeing our Sauiour is the ordayner of this Sacrament (saies Cyprian) [...]ti (que) id nos facere oportet quod Cyp. lib. [...] Epist. 3. Christus fecit, et quod faciendum manda­uit. Of truth, wee ought to doe tha [...] which Christ did, and which he com­manded vs to do. And Ambrose writ­ing vpon this same place, saith plainly: Indignum est domino, misterium hoc ali­ter celebrare, quam ab eo traditum est. I [...] is an indignity to our Lord, to celebrate [Page 34] this mystery otherwise then hee deli­uered it. Christ ordained it a sacramentPapists faile a­gainst this rule, be­cause they perue [...]t Christs institution for the communication of himselfe to the faithfull at the Table; they haue turned it in [...]o a sacrifice for the oblati­on of Christ to his Father on an alter. Iesus brake the bread and gaue it: but they, if they break the bread, they giue it not, and if they giue it, they breake it not. In their daily Masse, the Priest bre [...]kes the bread, he abuses the words of Christ secretly whispering them, ac­cipite, comedite: he bids others take & eat, but giues them nothing, & when he giues, he stops it whole in the mouthes of the people and breakes it not. Thus most sacrilegiously they alter our sauiour his sacred institution, as though of purpose they had concluded to bee contrary to him. Besides this, they with­draw f [...]om the people the vse of the cup, and so mutilate the holy sacra­ment:Sacrilegi­ously they abstract the vse of the cup from the people. a horrible sacriledge in like ma­ner, yet ratified by the decree of that haereticall Councell of Trent. Si quis dixeret ex dei praecepto: vel de necessitate [Page 35] salutis esse, omnes et singulos Christi fi­deles, Consil. Trent. vtram (que) speciem Eucharistae, sume­re debere Anathema sit. If any man a­uouch that it is by Gods commaunde­ment, or vpon neces [...]itie of our Salua­tion, that all Christs faithfull people should receiue the [...]ucharist vnder both kinds, let him bee accursed: To whom it contents vs at this time to oppose the decree of their owne Pope: Gelasius: Comperimus, quod quidam De conse▪ dist. 2 cap Compe­rimus. sumpta tantummodo corporis sacri porti­one, a calice sacraticruoris abstineant: qui proculdubio, quoniam nescio qua super­stitione docentur, astricti aut integra sa­menta percipiant, aut ab integris, arcean­tur; quod diuisio vnius eiusdem (que) misterij sine grandi non sit sacrilegio. Wee vnder­stand, that certaine receiuing onely the portion of Christs body, abstaine from the cup of his sacred blood: which men (because vndoubtedly they are trained vp in some kinde of superstiti­on) let them bee inforced either to re­ceiue the whole sacrament, or to be re­strayned from the whole, because this [Page 36] diuiding of one and the same mysterie, cannot bee without great Sacriledge. In this [...] [...]mong themselues, which way I pray you sh [...]ll the poore people tu [...]ne the [...]? The councell cur­ses all them, who [...]ffirme this Sacra­ment should be [...] with bread and wine. The Pope sa [...]es plainly it is supe [...]stition, and sacriledge, to giue the one without the other, and commands that eyther we abstaine from both, or retaine both together. If ye follow the counsell, the Pope shal condemne you; if you follow the Pope, the Councell shal accurse you: but, curse as th [...]y [...], the Lord shal blesse them, who in faith communicate at his holy Table accor­ding to his institution; and the curse of God shal not faile to cleaue vnto them, surer then the leprosie of Naaman to Gehesi, yea their part shall bee taken out of the booke of life, who dare pre­sumeReu. 22. 19. to change the ordinance of God. The Apostle hath deliuered vnto vs, that which he receyued from the Lord, how not onely hee tooke the bread, [Page 37] blessed it, and brake it, and gaue it: but that in like manner hee tooke the cup, and gaue also to his Dis [...]iples: What boldnesse is it then to take f [...]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 faile3 Rule. who vse not this Sacrament to the right endes; which a [...]e especially two. The first is the commemoration of ChristsThe first end of this sacrament is a thank­full com­memora­tion of Christs death. death and p [...]ssion, with thanksgiuing: for the which also the G [...]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 [Page 38] 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, re­mēbring 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 crucifiedZach. 12. 10. before our eyes) as often shall wee [...]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, [Page 39] wherewith the aduersaries would ex­cuseErrour of concomi­tance dis­prooued. their dis [...]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? SoEzec. 28. 3 may wee aske of them, are yee wiser then Christ? will yee amend his insti­tution? This assertion takes away oneConcomi­tance de­stroies the first end of this Sacra­ment. 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 [Page 40] bee a meanes of the communication ofThe secōd end of this Sacrament is the com munica­tion of Christ to them who are his. Christ to all them vvho are his, for the sealing vp of our spirituall vnion with him, ideo enim sacramētū 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 cōmunion 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,In this sa­crament Christ is truely ex­hibit and giuen. 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 [Page 41] 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 al­beitYet Christ is not re­ceiued of euery one who recei­ueth the bread. For there is a great difference betweene communi­cation and accepta­tion. 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 [Page 42] 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 affi [...]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 The wic­ked care not Christ in the sa­crament Ioh. 6. 54. Aug. in Ioan. cap. 6. Tract. 26. 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 sacramentū, omni homini ad vitam, nulli ad exitium. [...], Qui non manet in Christo, & in quo non manet Christus, proculdubio non manducat spi­ritualiter earnem, nec bibit sanguinē eius, licet visibiliter premat dentibus Sacra­mentum sanguinis et corporis eius. The wicked who beleeue not, may with Iu­das eate: Panera Domini, non panem [Page 43] 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, thatThey re­fuse a great gift w [...]o refuse to commu­nicate. 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 po [...]tion in Dauid, neyther inheritance 2 Sam. 20. 1. 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 take yee heede how ye come: he saith not simplie, let a man eate, but let a man try himselfe, and so let him eate. This warning then of the Apostle, stands in the entrie of this holy action, like that Cherubin armed with a sword in theGen. 3. 24 entry of Paradice: yet not to hold out the Sonnes of Adam, but onely to ter­rifie vs, that wee presume not to draw nere without sanctification. And here­in doth our Lord Iesus discouer his wonderfull loue towards vs; who be­fore he inuite vs to eate and drinke at [Page 45] his table, doth first of all instruct vs how we should doe it▪ Absalom called his younger Brother Ammon to a ban­quet, onely of purpose to slay him, hee prepared delicate meate and drinke a­boundant'y for him, but concealed the danger. It is not so with our elder bro ther, he calls vs here to a banquet no [...] of purpose to slay vs, but to saue vs; [...] is no way willing, we should make th [...]s Table a snare to trappe our selues to damnation▪ which he hath ordeined a [...] a meane of our Saluation: and therfore before hand forewarnes vs of the dan­ger, that we may eschew it.

It is pittie to see how the great mul­titude runne to this holy Sacrament without tryall & examination of them selues, and all because they heare of a bread of life, which heere is exhibited to the Communicants at this holy Ta­ble: it is verie true, that great thinges are exhibited heere indeed, but thou shouldest first of all enquire of thy selfe, who art thou? what interest thou hast in this Communion? and whether [Page 46] or no thou be one of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine? for if thou in thy person be a profane & vn­sanctified creature, thy touching of these holy things may defile them, andHag. 2. 14. make thee guiltie of the contempt of them, but shall not benefit thee; yea a greater curse then that which Elisha [...]. kin. 7. 2. pronounced on the vnbeleeuing Sama­ritane Prince, shall light vpon thee: thou shalt see the Table of the Lord, and heare of the plentie of the bread of life therein communicate, but shall not eate of it: Let a man therefore trie himselfe, & so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup.

For as this Sacrament is a holy and excellent thing, so should they who celebrate it, bee holy, and seperate per­sons. It should not bee receiued with common hands, that is, with earthly harts, and vnsanctified affections. The Pharises would not eat their commonLu. 11. 38. meate with vnwashed hands, and that was but superstition, but heere to wash before we eate, both our hands and our [Page 47] head with Peter, yea, to wash as Ieremy Iohn. 13. 9 Ierem. 4. 14. exhorts vs, Our hearts from our wicked­nesse, is deuotion, and good Religion both commended and commaunded by the word of God: Otherwise feare­full is that warning of our Sauiour. If I wash thee not, thou shalt haue no part with mee. To the vncleane all things are vncleane, for euen their consciences are defiled.

CHAP. V. Vnreuerent 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.

THe Lord hath neuer suffered vn­punished the vnreuerent looking to, or handling of the holy signes of his1. Sam. 6. presence. Them of Bethshemesh looked vnreuerently into the Ark, & the Lord1. Sam. 21. slew fifty thousand of them. Uzza [Page 48] touched vnreuerently the Arke, and the Lord in like manner strook him instantly to death; Abimelech would not giue to Dauid the hallowed bread of proposition, but conditionally, that the young men, who were with him were sanctifyed. No vncircumcised man might eate of the pascall Lambe, vnder paine of death, and such as wereEx. 12. 48. circumcised, being vncleane, behooued to abstaine till they were clensed, ac­cording to the law; yea, such of them, as were cleane did not eate without foure daies preparation, for the Lord com­maundedExo. 12. 6. them, to take the Lambe the tenth day, and not to slay it till the foureteenth day at night, that all the space betweene, they might the better prepare themselues to that holy action. Neither will the Lord any other way be familiar with vs, except we be sancti­fied. Before the Lord came downe on Mount Sinai to giue his law to Israel, hee appointed them three dayes of pre­paration, wherein to sanctifie them­selues.Exo. 19. 9. The Lord appeared to Moses in [Page 49] the fiery bush, but reuealed not his will vnto him, till hee put off his shoes: I will be sanctified (saith the Lord) in all that draw neere vnto me. The Lord will not take a wicked man by the hand, nor haue fellowship with theExod. 3. 5. Throne of iniquitie? his eye is so pure, that hee can behold no iniquitie, vn­lesseAbac. 1. 13 we put off our worldly thoughts and sinfull affections, whereby we haue troad in the vncleane wayes of sin: it is not possible that the Lord can bee fa miliar with vs.

All these stand vp as examples, war­ning vs to draw neere to this holy acti­on in assurance of Faith, sprinckled in our hearts, from an euill Conscience: Here is a Sacrament more excellent then the Passeouer; here is bread more holy then that Shew-bread; here are the tokens of Gods presence, more glorious then the Arke; here the Lord commeth downe, and saluation vnder his wings▪ not to sound by Angels the precepts of his Law on Sinai, but to scale vp by his Spirit the promises of [Page 50] his Gospell to the inhabitants of Sion; shall wee then presume to come to this holy Table without sanctification? Or if we will, may wee not looke assuredly1 Cor. 11. for iudgement? The Corinthians were stricken with death and sundry diseases, because they discerned not the Lords body, & that which is most feareful of al, he that came to the marriage, wating his wedding garment, was he not takenMat 22. 13 from the banquet Table, and cast into the place of vtter darknesse? and shall we looke to escape the like iudgement, if we fal into the like contempt of God?

Prepare thy selfe, oh Israell, to meet thy God: let vs search and trye our wayes: let vs lift vp our hands with our hearts vnto God in the heauens. If wee be this day come to the Lord with our Lam. 3. 14 1 Sam. 7. 4 heart, let vs put away our strange Gods, (which are our sinnes) from among vs: let vs with Iosephs Brethren, make rea­dyGen. 33. our presents, sith we haue no better thing then our heart: let vs sacrifice our hearts to the Lord, and that in the best estate that possible wee can get it; [Page 51] for the Lord our God is a great king. Cursed is he that hath a male in his stock, Mal. 1. 14. and voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord. Beware therefore we offer not that which is lame and torne to the Lord, a diuided heart, a halting heart betweene two; an vnpenitent heart, is neyther a meete Sacrifice to offer vnto the Lord, nor a meete vessell wherein to receiue that holy thing, which here the Lords offers vnto thee.

CHAP. VI. Not to put new wine into olde vessels. Comfort for 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 break­ing1 Cor. 10. 16 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 ofIoh. 19. 40 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,Mat. 9. 17. far lesse will any man put the ordinary [Page 53] 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 receiue2 Cor. 5. 17. it with earthly harts: Euery man that is in Christ should become a new Creature: Reu. 19. 9. 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 [Page 54] 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: Mal. 3. 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 thatPsal. 19. 7. the law of the Lord is perfect, no drosse in it, but like siluer fined seauen timesPsal. 12. 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 [Page 55] by the same Malachie, The Lord will Mala. 3. 3. fine the sonnes of Leui, and purifie them as gold & siluer, that they bring offerings to him in righteousnesse: And with thisThe tryall here com­manded, is a search­ing out of our imper­fections. 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 sin­nersLuk. 5. 32. to repentance.

Thou then, who after examination, shalt finde thy selfe a miserable and yet a penitent sinner; say not with Peter [Page 56] Lord depart from mee, for I am aLuke. 5. 8. sinfull man: but so much the rather goe to him and crie with Dauid, haue Psal. 51. 1. 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. 1. Tim. 1. 15 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 Esai. 1. 16 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 Ber. in cāt Ser. 23. 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, [Page 57] and whereof thou earnestly desirest to be releeued, crying with that holy A­postle: O miserable man that I am, who Rom. 7. 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. Mat. 11. 29 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, Ber. Epi. 72. quod non solum onerat, sed portat omnem cui portandum imponitur.

Where for our farther comfort, let vs consider what manner of Guestes [Page 58] these were, whom the great King com­maunded to bring into his banquettingBanquet­ters there were the poore, the maimed, the blind. 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 &Math. 22. Math. 12. 20. Esay. 42. 3. 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, that2. Cor. 8. 9 Luk. 5. 31. 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 [Page 59] 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 Ps. 146. 8. 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 com­parison1. Pet. 1. 12. 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 Heb. 5. 12. Zach. 12. 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, [Page 60] yet must wee not dispayre, but goe to Iesus, who giueth sight to the blinde, and pray to him: Lord open our eyes Psal. 146. Psal. 119. 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 Psal. 13. in death. Comfortable then is that mes sage sent by the Lord Iesus to the Church of Laodicea, I know that thou Reu. 3. 18. 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 mise­riesEph. 3. 20 chase vs to him, who of his aboun­dant mercy, is able to fulfill all our ne­cessities, aboue all that wee can aske or thinke.

[Page 61]But now to returne, and speake ofThis tryall is not that daily and ordinary trial requi­red in all our actions 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 greatPsal. [...]9. 12 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 Psal. 16. 7. made his reynes to teach him in the night. [Page 62] 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 Psal. 119. 59 (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 Cyp. lib▪ 2 Epist. 2 Psal. 4. 4. 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 newPsal. 73. 13 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 [Page 63] 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 lamentedMiserable is their estate, who liue vvith­out dayly tryall. the sencelesse slupiditie of this genera­tion: in all their affaires, they vse con­sideration, & bring to account and rec­l [...]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. TheyThey are like Achi­tophell, who put his house in order, but not his soule. 2 Sam. 7. 1 23 are wise like Achitophell: hee put his [Page 64] 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, TheIere. 2. 19. 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 Psal. 90. 8. Psa. 50. 21 Lord set them in order before him that did them. Hee shall manifest his inward [Page 65] 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,But a sin­gular & ex traordina­rie triall, is required before cō ­munion. and therefore requires a singular and extraordinary tryall, farre aboue that which euery day we are to take of our selues: for if (as I said) the Iewes had assigned to them the space of foure daies for preparation, before they eate their Passeouer, what shall we doe that haue to celebrate a more excellent misterie? they searched diligently eue­ry corner of their house, to see that no leauen were in it; but more diligentlie should we search euery corner of our hearts, that no knowne leauen of wic­kednesse & maliciousnesse be left in it, which wee haue not purged and cast [Page 66] out by repentance: Then shall wee find that euery new sight of our seluesEuery new sight of our selues discouers new cor­ruption. shall discouer a new corruption; for the heart of man is a great deepe, and de­ceitfull aboue all things; manie Cham­bers of corruption are in it. If we haue entred into one, and seene the abhomi­nations which are there, thinke not for that wee haue entred in all. No doubt the Prophet Esay knew before that he was a sinfull man, but a new vision of the Maiestie of God brought him to a deeper insight of his owne vncleane­nesse, and made him to crie out, woe is me, for I am vndone: Because I am a Esay. 6. 5. man of polluted lips, and mine eyes haue seene the King, the Lord of Hostes: I haue seene (saith Iob) The Lord, there­fore Iob. 42. 6. doe I now abhorre my selfe. And this I speake, that none of vs thinke a new triall vnnecessary, but that euen ye, who through grace haue bene accusto­med euerie morning to chastice your selues, and euerie euening to examine your hearts in your beds, may be war­ned: to you also belongeth this precept, [Page 67] Let a man try himselfe, and so let him eate.

CHAP. VII. What a laborious work is enioyned a man when hee is commanded 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.

VVHich shall appeare more eui­dently, if thou ponder this pre­precept, Try thy selfe: it is a restlesse and laborious work, that here is inioy­ned to thee, thou art set to a task which may hold thee exercised all the dayes of thy life. The Lord by this precept will haue euery thing that is in man, brought vnder examination; Man as hee is the workmanship of God, is e­uerie way so meruailous, that no mer­uaile the Philosophers called him a little world: Augustine in his Estima­tion, [Page 68] accounted man a greater miracle then all the miracles that euer were wrought among men: but as he is per­uerted by sinne, and become the work­manship of Sathan, hee is so fraughtedIam. 3. 6. with iniquitie, that Saint Iames cals one member of his body, a world of wicked­nesse, and if in the tongue onely, which is but a small member of the body there is so much wickednesse, that the Spirit of God, who giueth names to things as they are, calleth it a world of wickednes, what shall we think of the rest? what bottomlesse depth of iniqui tie must there bee in the fountaine, when there is so much in the streame? and therefore I say hee had need to be full of eyes within and without, that will practise this precept of the Apo­stle, Let a man trye himselfe.

For if ye shall begin to take a viewMan being well tried shall ap­peare a new found world of wiekednes. of your minde, and consider how farre it is enlightned, and what naturall dark­nesse yet remayneth in it, how many bands of strange cogitations at seuerall times soiourne in it? some flowing [Page 69] from the loue of the World, and herFoure bands of cogitatiōs which op­presse the minde. deceitfull pleasures, intending to steale our hearts after them: some from the roote of concupiscence, and her inor­dinate Lusts, that oftentimes violently oppresse vs: and some from the roote of bitternesse, raysing wonderfull com­motions and perturbations within vs, reeling too and fro by courses, in our swelling and restlesse mindes, raging like waues of the Sea, carryed with fu­rious windes, besides infinite armies of other vaine and idle cogitations, whereof wee cannot tell from whence they come, nor whether they goe: and if from the minde they proceed to the heart, which is the seate of the affecti­ons: & take a particular view of them, how our loue and our hatred, our feare and our confidence, our ioy and our griefe, our care and our contentment are renewed, and framed according to that word, which is the rule of righte­ousnesse. And if againe, yee goe to try the affections, and see how the mem­bers of your bodyes are imployed asRom. 6. [Page 70] weapons of righteousnes in the seruice of God, if yee haue made a Couenant Iob. 31. 1. with your eyes or not, that they regard not vanitie, or if negligently yee let them stand open as windowes, at the which death enters euery moment into your soules; and if yee haue learned to take heede to your lips, that yee sinne not Psal. 39. 1. with your tongue; if yee shall also take a time to consider the ignorances of your youth, and sinnes of your old age: if I say, yee looke vnto all these which yet are few in regard of many moe we haue to looke vnto, what shal appeare, but a new found world of wickednesse dicouered vnto thee? which most iust­ly may make thee ashamed, and com­pellPsal. 19. 12 thee to cry out with Dauid, O Lord who knoweth the errours of his life, Lord cleanse me from my secret sinnes, and keepe me from presumptuous sinnes, that so I may bee made cleane from much wic­kednesse: yea, thou shalt wish with Iere­mie, O that my head were full of water, Iere. 9. 1. and mine eyes fountaines of teares, that all the whole day long I might with EzekiahEs. 38. 15. [Page 71] recount my sinnes, in the bitternesse of my heart; and all the night cause my bed Psal. 6. to swim, and water my couch with teares, for the manifold transgressions, wherwith I haue offended the Lord my God.

And now because this tryall of our selues is so necessary, let vs here re­member that there are two things with­out which wee cannot profite in this work of tryall. The one is the Spirit of God: the other the Word of God. As to the first, man by nature is so blinded with selfe Loue, that hee ac­counts his owne deformitie, beauty, and his bondage libertie: what viler bon­dage then the Seruitude of sinne? O quam multos Dominos habet, qui vnum non habet (said Ambrose) and yet man vnregenerate counteth it his libertie to liue vncontrolled in the seruice of his lusts, to doe what hee will: what liber­tie againe so excellent as to be the free­man of God; Seruire Deo est regnare: and yet foolish man, accounts the obe­dience of Gods Law (which is the law of libertie) a seruitude, and the Com­mandements [Page 72] of God he esteemes as bonds, wherwith he will not be bound, walking the footsteps of other Rebels before him: hee cryes out Let vs Psal. 2. 3. breake their bonds, and cast their cords from vs. It vvas not the disease of the Laodiceans onely to account them­seluesReuel. 3. happy, vvhen indeed they were miserable; it is the naturall disease of all the Sons of Adam, for euery mans way seemeth good in his owne eyes.Pro. 16. 2. A pittifull blindnes that death should raigne ouer man, and man not feele it; that strange Lords who can claime no right vnto him, should tirannize ouer him, and hee not endeauour to vvith­stand it; and that Sathan should leade him away in Captiuitie, bound with chaines, euen the cords of sinne, blin­der then Zedekiah, hauing his eyes pul­led out, and man should not lament for it, But where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty and freedome, there is a knowledge and detestation of sinne, and a sighing to God for deliuerance from the Bondage. The Prophet [Page 73] Ezechiel could not see the abhominableEzec. 8. 9. idolatries of the house of Israell, till the Lord taught him to digge through the wall: but we shall be farre lesse able to see the vile abhominations that are in our owne hearts, vntill the spirit of the Lord digge through & demolish that thick and hard wall of induration, that naturallie hideth vs from the sight of our sins, and keepeth vs in blindnesse vnder Sathans bondage.

The other thing whereby we are to proceede in this tryall, is the word of God; for euery thing that is imperfect, must be tryed by another not by it self: gold is tryed by the fire & touch stone, the weight of a thing is tryed by the ballance, and the spots of the face are tryed by the glasse. Thus euery imper­fectEuerie im­perfect thing must be tried by an other then it selfe. thing that is tryed, is tryed by a­nother not by it selfe. As to the law of God, it is a most perfect rule, by which God will haue men and their actions tryed; but it is to be tryed by no other then it selfe. If any man will trie scrip­ture, he must with the Nobles of Beraea, Act. 17. 11 [Page 74] trie it by the scripture, so then the word serueth vnto vs as a touchstone for our tryall, as a glasse for discouery of our spots, & as the ballance of the sanctu­arie, wherein we must bee weighed, inRom. 16. the last day the secrets of all hearts will be iudged by the Gospell, and therefore it were good that in time wee did iudge our selues by it; some trie themselues by it, some t [...]ye themselues by them­selues, supposing they are such indeed, as they haue conceiued themselues to be: some againe measure themselues by others, speciallie with such as in their opinion are behind them, not with such as in light and grace doe farre ex­cell them, like that Pharisie, who whenLuk. 18. 11. hee came to examine himselfe before God, thought he was good enough, be­cause he was not like the Publican, wherein hee was also miserablie decei­ued, for suppose he spake the truth yet spake it ignorantlie, as Caiaphas saide, that one behooued to die for the peo­ple: hee was not like the Publican in­deede, the Publican was much better [Page 75] then hee, for hee came to the temple, humble, and penitent, and went home to his house iustified, whereas the Pha­risie puft vp with a conceit of his own righteousnesse, and iustifying himselfe, went away out of the Temple more guiltie then he came. In the tryall ther­fore of thy selfe make not thy neigh­bours disposition thy rule, least thou in like manner be deceiued.

And yet if thou wouldst profit byHow wee may profit by compa­ring our selues with others. the example of others, remember it is a great follie to thinke that thou art religious enough, because in religion some are behind thee, and not rather to bee displeased with thy wants, when thou seest so many before thee enrich­ed aboue thee in all spirituall grace, and haue profited more then thou in the mortification of their sinfull lusts: hau­ing out run thee further in the way of Gods commaundements, then that o­therIoh. 20. Disciple ouer-ran Peter vnto Christs Sepulchre, to learne his resur­rection. It is pittie that the Sonnes of men in worldlie things can looke to [Page 76] those who are aboue them, thinking they haue little, because they haue not so much as others, yet in spirituall things, they should looke to others, that are inferior to them, and so easily stand content with the little beginning of re­ligion they haue, because there be ma­ny, who in their iudgement haue not so much; whereas certainly if we could try our selues by the right rule, wee should finde that as yet wee are farre from that which wee should bee, and therefore haue more neede then that holy Apostle, To forget that which is behinde, & indeauour our selues to that Phil. 3. 4. which is before: following hard toward the marke for the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus.

We haue therfore heere yet fartherIt is not enough that past­ors & Eld­ers try vs, we must try our selues. to obserue, that seeing the Apostle commaunds vs to try our selues, wee thinke it not enough that others try vs, and giue vs their approbation; we must also try our selues. The Pastors may try thy knowledge, and thinke it good enough, thy superiors may try thy con­uersation, [Page 77] and finde it vnreprouable of1. Cor. 2. 11 man: But thou must try thy owne con­science, for no man knowes the things of Ecclesi. 37 14. a man saue the spirit of man; the minde of a man will shew him more sometime then seauen watchmen that are in a tower. When this sacrament was first institu­ted, there were twelue who communi­cated with the Lord Iesus, and one of them was a Diuell, and a traiterous hy­pocrite: the remnant knew him not, & therefore could not reproue him, but that made not Iudas the better man; yet the fault which man could not finde out, the Lord discouered it: one of you (said he) will betray me. Thinke it not therefore enough albeit vnchallen­ged of man, thou maiest sit downe at the Lords table. Remember the king will come, & take a view of the Guests, euen he who is the God of the Spirits of all flesh, and to whom the secrets ofOther men can­not know whether thou come to the Ta­ble as a Iohn or as a Iudas. the heart are manifest. Iosaphats gar­ment cannot hide Achab from him, hee is not blinde like Isaac, that hee should bee deceiued to take one for another; [Page 78] therefore try thou thy selfe, how thou commest to this holy table, whether as Iohn louing Iesus, and beloued of him, or as Iudas betraying Christ, and accursed of him: for as Christ fore­tolde them, that one of them was a Diuell, so the Apostle hath foretolde vs, that many will eate and drinke vn­vnworthily at this holy table; who they are, wee know not, yet are they known to the Lord; let euery one of vs striue to purge one, euerie man trie himselfe, and wash his hart from his wickednes,Let euery man ther­fore aske for him­selfe: is it I Lord. and so shall we be all cleane; let euery man aske for himselfe with the Disci­ples, is it I Lord? am I one of them that comes to betray thee? to crucifie thee againe, & to tread the blood of the new Testament vnder my feete? let vs neuer rest til we haue gotten the Lords certificate in our consciences, and that after due triall of our selues, wee come not as Hypocrites, vnpenitent and vn­beleeuing Atheists, but as diseased and poore sinners, to seeke the Lord Iesus, the Sauiour of the world: for if wee doe so, then shall we get that answere [Page 79] which the Angell gaue to the two Maries, feare not ye, because ye seeke Iesus, who was crucified: we shall eate at this Table and be satisfied, & shall goe away, not without feare indeede, but hauing our feare tempered with great ioy, because we found the Lord.We should try our selues, and not other men.

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,This re­proues them who before cō ­munion try [...]aults done to them, more then sins done by 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 [Page 80] stoppe all the passages and wayes of God his accesse vnto them: for now their affections are exalted so high byEsay. 40. 3. 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 Leu 19. 17 not hate thy brother in thy hart, but shalt reproue him. It is hatred and not Loue, [Page 81] 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 filthyZach. 3. garments, that is, if vvee haue cast off the old man, vvhich is corrupt through [Page 83] deceiuable lusts. And next, if we haueEph. 4. 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 d [...]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 2 Cor. 6. 14 Ro. 13. 12. 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 ne­cessitieIam. 1. 17. the change must bee vpon our [Page 84] part. It is written of the Lionesse, thatOtherwise no commu nion with the Lord. 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 sentBasil Hexam. hom. 7. d [...]scerne her adultery. And Basile in his Hexameron writes, that the Vipe [...] a most pernicio [...]s kind of Serpent be­fore his copulation with that Sea-fish called Mu [...]aena, doth fi [...]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 wo [...]se then a Beast indeede, except hee cast off the filthy sl [...]e of his olde sinnes, that hee may bee ioyned with the Lord, for by nature wee ar [...] 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 [Page 85] that Ester was presented to Ahasue­rus, Est. 2. 12▪ 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 to2, Cor. 12. 2. purifie our heart, that we may be pre­sented as a chast spouse vnto him?Without Diuorce­ment from our olde sinnes, no marriage with the Lambe.

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 toPsal. 4. 5. 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) [Page 86] 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 itNot a ge­nerall con­fession, but a par­ticular in­quisition should bee made of our sinnes 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 is none of vs all but wee haue in vs our owne Idol, whereunto many times we do seruice, to the great offence of God. And albeit, this nar­row tryall of our sins shall discouer to vs a wonderfull disco [...]dance betweene our nature and the most holy law of the Lord, yet let vs not be discouraged, considering that wee are best in the eyes of God, when we are worst in our owne eyes, and most acceptable2. King 21. 29. to him, when we are most displeased with our selues. The Lord was mooued euen with Achab his temporall humi­liation: seest thou not (said he to Eliah) [Page 87] how Achab is humbled before mee: because hee submitteth himselfe before mee, I will not bring that euill which thou hast spoken in his daies: and will not then the Lord much more bee mooued with the true humiliation of his owne Seruants? No doubt, if wee1. Pet. 4. cast downe our selues before the Lord he shall lift vs vp, if wee humble our selues, he shall exalt vs. If we iudge our 1. Cor. 11. 31 Psal. 34. 18 selues, we shall not be iudged of the Lord: for the Lord is neare to them that are contrite, & will saue such as are afflicted in spirit. But if wee come before the Lord in the presumption of our minds and not touched with the sence of our sinnes, then shall hee execute thatIere. 2. 35. Esay. 2. 12. fearefull threatning vpon vs, I will enter into iudgement with thee, because thou sayest I haue not sinned: though thou wert high, & exalted like the Caedars of Lebanon, and the Oakes of Bashan, proud and hautie in thy conceit, the Lord shall abase thee, and bring thee low, for hee is the Lord that resisteth 1. Pet. 5. 5. the proud, & giueth grace to the humble.

[Page 88]The other poynt of our tryall and preparation, stands in putting on that three-fold Christian disposition; that towards our God wee bee holy and heauenly minded; towards our neigh­bour louing, righteous and mercifull; and as concerning our selues, that wee be sober and lowly, for so the grace of God, which hath appeared, teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and Tit. 2. 11. wordly lusts, and should liue godly, righ­teously, and soberly in this present world. This is our wedding garment, euen that pure, fine, and shining linnen, which is Reu. 19. 8. the righteousnesse of the Saints. A Gar­ment not partie coloured like Iosephs, Ge. 37. 23. but compact of many vertues & graces of Christ Iesus. These be his badges and Cognisances, whereby vvee areCol. 3. 12. knowne to bee his: the putting on of these, is the putting on of Christ; for his grace translateth vs out of nature, and transformeth vs into his image by his owne spirit.

And first as concerning our dis­position towards God, it should not [Page 89] onely be holy (as I haue said) but also heauenly: for since wee call him our Father which is in heauen, vvee must see vvhat heauenly disposition vve haue to goe after him: and whether wee be weary of our absence from the Lord, like Dauid weary of his dwelling inPsal. 120. Phil. 1. 23 the Tents of Keder, and desire with the Apostle to remoue out of the bo­dy, that wee may dwell with the Lord: for here is not the place of our rest. The best of our life vpon earth (except it be the little tast of that hid Manna, wherewith the Lord now and then comforteth our soules in this barren Wildernesse) it is but like the life of that forlorne Sonne, who hauing bani­shed himselfe from his fathers house, vvas driuen to fill his belly vvith the huskes, that was giuen to the Swine, & oftentimes could not get them. Wee haue experience enough of the vanitie of worldly comforts, wherein there is no contentment; would to God vvee could also learne with that prodigall Son to be think our selues, and conclude [Page 90] to make home againe to our fathers house, in whose face is the fulnesse of Psal. 16. 11 ioy: surely the least of them that dwell in our Fathers house haue bread e­nough, they are filled with the fatnesse of his house, and receiue drinck out of the riuers of his pleasures: what plea­sure then should it be to vs to liue here in this strange Land, where our soules are almost dead for hunger?

There is no greater thankfulnesse that man can shew to the Lord, then to declare in his affection, that he can­not liue vvithout the Lord, nor rest con­tent, so long as hee is absent from him. The Lord in the vvorke of creationGen. 1. neuer rested till hee had made man, and man can doe no lesle of duty then pas­sing by all Gods Creatures, to resolue with himselfe; I vvill neuer rest till I enioy the Lord. The Soule of man should bee like that Doue of Noah, vvhich being sent forth from the arke, found no rest to the sole of her foot, vntill she returned againe to him that sent her: and indeed without the Lord [Page 91] where can wee rest? Goe thy way withOur soules cannot rest but in him. Salomon and proue all the goodnesse of the children of men, which they in­ioy vnder the Sunne, thou shalt findeEccl. 2. 3. it is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit, whatsoeuer man clea [...]eth to, beside Ie­houah the true subsisting Lord, it is but a lying vanitie, which hath not in it that substance and certaintie, which man imagineth, yea man (without God)Psal. 39. 5. in his best estate is altogether vanitie, and his wisest actions are but a disqui­eting of himselfe in vaine. It is a godly saving of Augustine, which the word of God and experience taught him; F [...]isli nos Domine ad t [...], & semper in­quietum August. est cor nostrum, don [...] requi [...]at in te; thou madest vs O Lord vnto thy selfe, and our heart is euer vnquiet till it rest in thee. The wicked vvho are strangers from the wombe, pretend in their countenance vvhat they will, yet euen in laughter their heart is sad, forPro. 14. 13 Esa. 48. 22 there is no ioy nor peace to the wicked, (saith my God) their heart is moued as the Trees of t [...]e Forrest shaken with the Esay 7. 2. [Page 92] Winde. As the point of the Marriners compasse, so long as it is not direct to the North, trembles continually; so the spirit of the wicked (not set vpon the Lord) is neuer quiet, but tossed too and fro with restlesse perturbations, which in a part presently he feeles, but shall better perceiue it, when he goeth out of the body. For tribulation and Rom. 2. anguish shal be on the soule of euery man that doth wickedly: this is the portion of them that forsake God, and wander after vanitie. It is good therefore for vs to draw neere vnto God, saying with Dauid, whom haue I in the heauen but Psal. 73. thee? and I haue desired none in the earth with the. The Lord worke this heauen­ly disposition in vs.

And now to helpe forward ou [...] Two things pro fitable to help vs to this hea­uenly dis­position. earthly minds vnto it, we haue to con­sider both the time & space, when and where our Sauiour did institute this sa­crament. The place is recorded by Saint Luke, to haue beene an vpper Parlour: the consideration of the place (saith Nazianzin) doth some way [Page 93] warne vs that wee should celebrate1 Consider­ation of the place wherein this Sacra­ment was first insti­tuted. this holy sacrament with high & hea­uenly affections. When God gaue the law, hee came downe from heauen to the top of Sinai, and Moses went vp from the plaine to it, and so (saieth he) had familiar conuersatiō with the Lord: and heere as the Lord commeth down as low as he can in this Sacrament for our capacitie, it becōmeth vs to mount vp as high as pos [...]ible we can in our affections, if so be wee be desirous to meete the Lord, otherwise if the Lord shall abide in his glorie, and inacces­sible light, and if man shall lye still in the darke dungeon of this base and earthly minde, what familiar meeting can there be, betweenne God and man? And as to the time, Saint Iohn witn [...]s­seth2 Consider­ation of the time. that our Sauiour ordeined this sa­crament when he was to goe out of the world to his father; wherin said Au­gustine: August. in Ioan. Spes membris in Capite data, quod essent in illo transeunte sine dubio sequutura. Yea, not onelie should it nourish our hope, that where hee is [Page 94] there once we shall be, but should wa­ken our affection and desire to goe af­ter him: we should eate and drinke at this holy table, not as if we were here to remayne, but should celebrate this supper like a passeouer, standing asThe time warneth vs to cele­brate this supper like a Pasteo­uer. pilgrimes and our loynes gi [...]ded vp, hauing our staues in our hands readie to follow our Lord, who is gone into heauen before vs: and euerie day of our communion should bee a new de­parting of our hearts out of this world, vnto our heauenly Father; yea, wee should receiue this meate from the Lord, with that wa [...]ning which the Angel gaue to Eliah in the wildernesse:1. Kin. 19. 7. vp and [...]ate, for thou hast yet a great iourney to goe. This bread is giuen vs, that in the strength thereof, wee may walk forward the way, which is before vs, not that wee should lie downe and rest vs in this vvildernesse, as if we had now attained to the end of our iourney. The Angell wakened Eliah twice slee­ping vnder the Iuniper, twice he touch­ed him, and twice he bad him, vp eate [Page 95] and walke; at length hee rose and vval­ked in the strength of that bread forty dayes: But alas, our securitie is grea­ter then his, many a time hath the Lord warned vs of the iourney that is before vs: many a time hath hee proposed heauenly food vnto vs, and now against this day the Lord reneweth his mercy towards vs. The Lord vvaken vs, and graunt at the length, that wee may rise and walke, following the Lord, till we appeare before the face of our God in Sion.

But of all other meanes, the mostBut most of all the meditation of the loue of God is profita­ble to vvorke in vs this hea uenly dis­position. forcible to rauish our hearts after the Lord, is a deepe meditation of the loue of God towards vs. The Apostle pro­testeth it is a loue that passeth know­ledge; the height & breadth, the length and depth vvhereof, none is able to comprehend; he that at one time cryed out; Come and I will tell you what God Eph. 3. 18. Psa. 66. 16 Psal. 139. hath done to my soule, is compelled ano­ther time to confesse: O Lord my God, thou hast made thy wonderfull works so many, that none can count in order to thee [Page 96] the thoughts towards vs, I would de­clare and speake of them, but they are more then I am able to expresse. And yet although vvee bee lesse able then the Elephant at one draught to drinkIob. 30. 18 vp the Riuer of Iordaine, let vs bee content with the wearyed Passen­ger, willingly to take in so much as may refresh vs; we cannot measure the waters of the Sea in our fist, nor num­ber the stars of heauen; and how then shall vvee number his mercyes which are aboue all his workes? shall vveePsa. 145. 9 therefore not looke to them, nor be­hold that glory of God which shineth in them: Though we cannot compre­hendIt is not a light medi­tation of this loue, that will raise vp our hearts. his incomprehensible loue (yea blessed are wee if it shall comprehend vs) let vs notwithstanding earnestly and feruently meditate vpon it, not by starts and vanishing motions: for as a Candle doth not at the first receiue light from the fire, were it neuer so blowne, but if for a time it bee holden constantly to the fire, it is at the length enlightened: so it is not vanishing [Page 97] meditations that will warme our harts vvith the Loue of God; but if wee shall continue without wearying to exercise our thoughts vpon this great loue that the Lord hath borne towards vs; it shall happely fall out at length, that the powers of our Soule shall bee in­flamed with his loue, and vve shall find the sauour of death in euery thing that smelleth not of his loue.

No greater Loue then this (sayethNeuer such a loue shewed as Iesus hath shewed vnto vs. our Sauiour) can bee shewed among men, then that a man should bestow his life for his friends: but that which man is not able to shew, our Lord Iesus God and man hath shewed to his chil­drenIoh. 15. 13 his good will: for the Loue hee bore to vs, hee gaue himselfe in a sacri­fice for our sinnes on the Crosse, euen when wee vvere his enimies, and hath here in this Sacrament giuen himselfe a food and nourishment vnto vs: for so that disciple beloued of him doth testifie; When Iesus knew that his houre Iohn. 13. 1 was come, that hee should goe out of the world vnto his Father, forasmuch as hee [Page 98] loued his owne, vnto the end hee loued them: therefore did hee institute this Sacrament, that therein he might com­municate himselfe to them. O wonder­fullStronger then the loue of Io­nathan to Dauid. loue, stronger then the loue of Io­nathan to Dauid! When Ionathan and Dauid, were forced to part company because of Sauls Tyranny, Ionathan 1 Sam. 20. gaue Dauid his Garment, his Girdle, and his Armour: he had no better, and could giue no better, and so with ma­ny teares and mutuall imbracings de­parted from him: but our blessed Sa­uiour before hee remoued his corpo­rall presence from vs, gaue his life to redeeme our life from the death: hee sent out bloudie sweat aboundantly, as the witnesses of his burning loue to­wards vs, hee powred out an euerlast­ingIohn. 17. prayer to his father for vs, he hath left behinde him, in his last will, his peace for our portion: hee hath giuen vs his spirit for a Comforter, his Word for a warner, and this Sacrament for a spirituall foode, vntill his second com­ming againe. No meruaile his spouse inCant. 5. 9. [Page 99] the Canticles praised his loue to be farOr the loue of a mother to her Chil­dren. aboue the loue of women: for though in some of them the naturall strength of affection bee so great, that it makes them indure the painefull bearing and bringing vp of their children with the milke of their breasts, yet what is that comparable to this? nothing indeede. Such a Loue as here our Sauiour hath discouered towards vs, is not to bee found againe in the world: for where­as mothers (saith Chrisostome) eytherChrisost. serm. de corpore Christi. commit their Children to Nurses, or else brings them vp vpon the milke of their owne breasts: Iesus Christ feeds vs not with the milke of another, but with his owne flesh and his owne bloud. Necessitie sometime hath com­pelled the Mother to eate her owne Children, but we neuer read that com­passion hath moued the mother to giue her owne flesh to preserue her Chil­dren, that they should not dye in fa­mine. But our Lord Iesus is that kinde Pelican, that sendeth out his owne bloud to nourish his young; and all [Page 100] 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 eui­dentlyA proofe of Christs wonderfull loue to­wards vs. out of his owne comfortable saying to his Disciples, I haue greatly desired to eate this Passeouer with you. O word full of consolation▪ sundryLuke. 22. 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 [...]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 [Page 101] 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 Cyp. lib. 2 Epist. 3. 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 theBer. in E­piph. ser. 1 father sent him, Quasi saccum plenum [Page 102] 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 spirituallWhat a notable comfort we haue heere, that this ban­quet begū in earth, shall be fulfilled in heauen. 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 [Page 103] is that word of our Sauiour: it shall be Luk. 22. 16 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 foun­taineIona. 2. 8. Iere. 2. 13. 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. TheCan. 5. 8. 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, &Can. 1. therefore with the rest of the Virgins we runne not after him. Eliah touched1. Kin. 19. 19 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 alsoRom. 5. [Page 104] 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.World­lings, who tarry from Christ, if they were touched with the sence of this loue, woud for­sake all & follow 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 1. Sam. 19. 13 should become amongst the Prophets. The woman, who had liued before a li­centiousWomen would be changed like Mary Magdalen life, would now change it with [Page 105] Mary Magdalene: shee had beene a great sinner in the Cittie, but became an example of Repentance to all theLuke. 7. 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 receiptAnd sinfull men should be changed like Ma­thew the Publican. 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 [Page 106] 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 members with the head, so it seales vp the com­munion of the members among them­selues: for this bread whereof we eate, is of many graines of wheate made vp into one bread; and the wine is the iuyce of many berryes, collected and vnited into one, to teach vs that all [Page 107] the Communicants at this holy Table, how many soeuer they bee, ought to agree together in one, like members of one body, as hauing one Father, one Faith, one Baptisme, one Inheri­tance; as Brethren quickned all by one and the selfe same spirit, (which is not to bee found againe in all the world, except in this excellent brother-hood)Without Loue wee cannot bee of the com­munion of Saints. as wee cannot bee ioyned to the head without faith, so can wee not bee knit to the members without Loue. Stones and timber cannot make vp a building till they be ioyned, and sundry peeces of mettall cannot bee melted in one work without fire; no more can Chri­stians be vnited in one mysticall body without Loue, and therefore our Saui­our at the celebration of this Sacra­ment recommended Loue to his Dis­ciples,Ioh. 13. 34 by a new Commaundement, which hee so called, because it should neuer waxe olde: yea, so much doth he account of it, that he will accept no ser­uice wee owe to himselfe, without that duty of loue we owe to our brethren. [Page 108] If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leaue thy offering, goe thy way, and first be reconciled to thy bro­ther, then come and offer thy gift. Of this it is euident, that without Loue to our brethren, we can doe no acceptable ser­uice to the Lord.Of the effects by which our loue shold be tryed.

In this therefore, let vs trie and ex­amine our selues, what compassion finde we in our hearts toward our bre­thren: what willingnesse to doe them the good wee can, what loue to beare one anothers burthen: what readinesse to forgiue when we are offended: what humblenesse of minde to aske them forgiuenesse against whom wee haueGal. 6. 10. sinned, practising these precepts: While yee haue time doe good to all men. And againe forbeare one another, forgiue one Eph. 4. another, euen as God for Christs sake for­gaue you. The Maiestie of God (sup­pose first offended) did first seeke manReadinesse to forgiue rare to bee found. to bee reconciled with him; and shall man that hath offended thinke euill to seeke his Brother to bee reconciled [Page 109] with him? but alas are these fruites of Godlinesse now to bee found amongst men? if thou seeke them thou shaltMich. 7. 1 finde them, as the Sommer gatherings, or as the grapes of a Uintage cut downe; though thy soule desire to eate the fruite thereof, thou shalt not finde it:Psal. 12. for the good man is perished out of the earth, such as are Christians byChristians liue now like Iewes and Sama­ritans of old. name, they liue like Iewes, and the Sa­maritans of whom it is written that they might not conuerse together: to forbeare and forgiue one another, to them are precepts of an vncouth lan­guage, which they vnderstand not: as a sparkle of fire easily kindles a heape of powder, so a small offence remoueth all their affections: they are not slow vnto wrath like the Lord, and far lesse like him in readinesse to forgiue. As men (saith Lactantius) are mortall, so As men are mortall so should their anger bee. should their anger bee mortall: our Sa­uiour saith, the Sunne should not goe downe vpon our wrath: the Apostle commaunds vs to bee Children con­cerning anger and maliciousnesse, who [Page 110] as they doe not deepely co [...]eiue it, so they do not long retaine it, but are shor­ly familiar with them, with whom they were a little before offended: but as it vvas doubted of Sylla, Sylla ne prior, an Sylla iracundia sit extincta, so is it out of all doubt, that in many vipers of this age, anger dieth not, till they die them­selues.

And as for doing of good to theirReadinesse to doe good to others is as rare. neighbors and brethren, they liue in the world like monsters, or like those Gyants, The sonnes of Anack: they a­lone will be Lords of the earth, as if the world were made for them onely, or they at the least were borne for them­selues. Churlish like Nabal, shall I take (said hee) my bread and my flesh, and giue vnto Dauid? all that they haueProfessors liues like the sonnes of Anack, churlish Naball, or the rich glutton. they account so to be theirs, as if they had not receiued it, or were not the Lords stewards, bound to distribute to the necessities of his Saints; the rich gluttons, they vse it as a morsell for their owne mouth: Now my soule thou hast enough for many dayes, let Lazarus [Page 111] finde as he may: they thinke with Cain, they are no keepers of their Brethren; That which dieth let it die. These andZac. 11. 9. many moe are the common and seene corruptions of this age: wherein we are to examine our selues, how farre the re­newing grace of the Lord hath made vs to depart from them, and what ho­ly loue we haue put on: For hee that 1. Ioh. 4. 8. loueth not, knoweth not God, because God is loue; and he that loueth not his Bro­ther whom he hath seene, how can hee loue God whom he hath not seene? here­by wee know that wee are translated from death to life, because wee loue the Bre­thren. And thus much vve are content to haue touched of our disposition to­ward our neighbour.

Now last of all concerning our dis­position in our selues, let vs bee sober, esteeming basely of our selues, highly of the Lords mercie, hungring and thirsting for his saluation, and in verie deed the more we shall consider how God hath magnified his holy name by his meruailous mercies towards vs, the [Page 112] more shall wee bee compelled to cast downe our selues before him in all hu­militie and submission of our spirits. When Dauid promised to Mephiboseth 2. Sam. 9. that hee would shew him kindnesse for Ionathan his fathers sake; Mephiboseth humbled himselfe to the ground and saide, what is thy seruant that thou shouldest looke to such a dog as I am? but here the Lord our God, not onely promiseth vnto vs kindnesse for his Sonne Christ Iesus sake, but presently performes it, and inuesteth vs againe vvith our Fathers inheritance, which vve forfaited in Adam: and where we vvere of our owne nature, but deade dogs, vncleane creatures, dead in sinne and trespasses; Now behold what loue Ephe. 2. 1. Ioh. 3. 1. the Father hath shewen vs: Hee hath made vs partakers of this heauenly vo­cation, as to be hi [...] sonnes and his hei­res; and shall not wee then in our very hearts bee humbled before him, ac­knowledge our great vnworthinesse and his excellent mercies. Let vs con­fesse vvith Godly Iacob, I am not wor­thy [Page 113] (O Lord) of the least of all thyLike Ia­cob & the Centurion the womā of Canaan and Eliza­beth. mercies, and let euery one of vs say with the Centurion, I am not worthy Lord, that thou shouldest enter vvithin my roofe. Let vs vvith the vvoman of Ca­naan, acknowledge our owne roome, if the Lord should giue vs but the be­nefit of vvhelps & dogs, that is, should suffer vs to goe vnder our maisters Table, and eate of the crummes that fall from it, yet were it more then any way we haue deserued, and how then are we bound to haue our hearts and our mouthes filled continually with the praises of our God, who hath be­stowed vpon vs his greatest mercies, when we were not vvorthy of the least; and hath set vs downe as Sonnes and Daughters and Heires at the Table of his children, that were not vvorthy as dogs and whelps to creepe vnder it? haue vve not cause to crie out with Dauid, O Lord what is man that this manner of way thou art mindfull of him? Psal. 8. Luke. 1. Elizabeth maruailed that Mary came to visite her, and in the humility of her [Page 114] heart cryed out: Whence commeth this Our humi­liation ne­cessarily required. for effect­ing our vnion with God. that the mother of my Lord should come vnto mee? but we haue more cause to maruell at the maruailous mercies of the Lord, for what are we that the fai­rest among the Children of men should be delighted with our loue, and our Lord should come to visit the base estate of his Seruants, & communicate himselfe, his light, his life, and his grace vnto vs? Let no man thinke that I haue multiplied these places of scripture vvithout a cause. The beginning of the diuision betweene vs and the Lord, slowed from the pride of our nature; & vnlesse vve humble our selues, and bee content in our minde to sit lower then dust and ashes, by reason of our sin it is not possible vve can bee vnited with the Lord, This is the councell that in fevv vvords, Michah giueth vnto vs,Mich. 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee; surely to doe iustly, and to loue mercie, & to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God. The Lord is indeed a most high God, [Page 115] yet he is nearest vnto them, and they goe soonest vp vnto him, who are least in their owne eyes, and tremble at his words.With this humiliati­on, wee should haue also an hun­gring for the Lords saluation.

And beside this inward humiliation arising of the sence of our own vnwor­thinesse, let vs come with a hunger & thirst of the Lord his righteousnesse & saluation: For he will satisfie the hungry, but the full he sendeth away emptie: one­ly they that haue the spiritual appetite, hunger & thirst, are meete to be com­municantsLuk. 1. 53. at this holy table. As that oyle multiplyed by Elisha, ceased not so long as the widdow had any vessell wherein to receiue it: so shall neuer that oyle of grace decay, but be multi­plyed and increased vnto all that with open and inlarged hearts are ready to receiue it. Thou therefore, who art more ready to faint for spirituall hun­ger then was Ionathan, come hether, put out the hand of faith, eate of this hony & make thee full; and thou thatFor the Lord fil­leth the hungry & strengthēs them who are ready to faint. art sicke (with the Spouse in the Can­ticles) for the loue of Iesus, come he­ther [Page 116] and the Lord shall stay thee with the flagons of his wine. Art thou al­most dead like that Egyptian, the Ser­uant of an Amalekite, whom Dauid found in the fields, take and eate of this bread, and thy Spirit shall returne a­gaine vnto thee? But alas, where is this spirituall appetite to be found amongst vs? the deadnes of our hart is lamenta­ble, wee see not our wants; wee see not his beauty; wee smell not his oynt­ments; wee tast little of his goodnesse, and therefore we make not hast to run after him. Dauid mourned ouer the2. Sam. 3 33. dead body of Abner, but alas (if wee could) wee haue much more cause to mou [...]ne ouer our dead soules. Oh that there were in vs that holy desire which Dauid protesteth to haue beene in him: My soule fainteth for the salua­tion Psal. 42. of God: As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters, and thirstie ground de­sireth raine, so my soule panteth after the liuing God. Blessed are they who hunger Math. 5. and thirst for his righteousnesse, for they shall bee satisfied.

[Page 117]These onely are the guests and ban­quetters that shall eate of the delicates which here hee hath prepared, and whose soule shall bee delighted with his fatnesse. These shall goe from this Table, as Moses came downe from Mount Sinai, & his countenance chan­ged. They shall arise with Eliah, and walke on in the strength of this bread all the whole dayes of their pilgrimage. They shall goe on in their way with Sampson, eating of the hony which they haue found. They shall depart from this Table, as the two Maryes did fromLuk. 18. 4. the Sepulcher with great ioy. These shall goe home to their owne houses, iustified with the Publican, reioycing because they haue found a treasure, and hath felt the sweetnesse of this Manna: they shall not bee able to conceale this great ioy from Israell, but shall be for­ced2. King. 7. to tell euery Nathaniell whom they meete: We haue found the Messiah. AndIohn. 1. in all time to come their soule shall cleaue to the Lord without separation,1. Cor. 7. 35. more straightly then the men of Iudah [Page 118] and Ierusalem cleaued vnto Dauid their2. Sam. 5. King. They shall say to the Lord, as Elizeus said to Eliah; As the Lord liueth, 2. King. 2. 2. and as thy soule liueth, I wil not leaue thee, and with Peter, whither O Lord, shall Iohn. 6. 68. I goe from thee, seeing thou hast the words of eternall life? The Lord worke this spirituall disposition in vs for Iesus Christs sake, to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, be all honour, praise and glory for euer.