A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 2 · Sermon 27

A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture · Collection of sermons 2 · Sermon 27

p. 341THE WHITE STONE. THE XXVII. SERMON.

APOC. 2.17.

And I will give him a white ſtone.

Right Honourable, Right Worſhipfull, &c.

IT was the manner of the Thracians to reckon up all the happy dayes of their life, and marke them in a booke or table with a white ſtone: whereunto the Poet alluding ſaith, aaPerſ. ſatyr.Hunc Macrine diem numera meliore lapillo.

May it pleaſe God by his Spirit to imprint thoſe myſteries in your hearts, which are engraven upon this ſtone, I doubt not but this day, in which I am to deſcribe unto you the nature of it, will prove ſo happy, that it ſhall deſerve to bee ſcored up with the like ſtone. For this white ſtone is a certaine token and pledge of preſent remiſſion of ſinnes, and future admiſſion into Chriſts kingdome. Whereof through divine aſſiſtance, by your wonted patience, I will ſpeake at large; after I have refreſhed the characters in your memory of my former obſervations upon this Scripture, which ſetteth before all that overcome in the threefold chriſtian warre,

1 Forraine, againſt Sathan.Recapitulat.

2 Civill, againſt the world.

3 Servile, againſt fleſhly luſts; three boones or ſpeciall gifts:

p. 3421 Hidden Manna, a type of ſpirituall conſolation.

2 A white ſtone, the embleme of juſtification.

3 A new name, the impreſe of glorification.

There is

1 Sweetneſſe in the hidden Manna.

2 Comfort in the white ſtone.

3 Glory in the new name.

The ſweetneſſe of the hidden Manna wee taſted,

1 In the myſticall meaning of the Word.

2 In the ſecret power of the Sacrament.

3 In the unutterable comfort of the Spirit. And now I am to deliver unto you in the next place the white ſtone.

In the handling whereof, I will levell at thoſe three ſcientificall queſtions mentioned bybbAriſtot. analyt. poſt l. 2. c. 1. foreign. Notand quod ſit referti ad an ſit, ubi de accidente quaeritur, quia accidentis eſſe eſt meſſe. Ariſtotle in his bookes of demonſtration.

Diviſ.foreign, An ſit, aut quod ſit.

foreign, Quid ſit.

foreign, Propter quod ſit.

Firſt, whether there be any ſuch white ſtone.

Secondly, what it is.

Thirdly, to what end it is given, and what uſe wee are to make of it for our inſtruction, correction, or comfort.

Firſt, of the An ſit, foreign, whether there be any ſuch ſtone or no. There hath beene for many ages, a great queſtion De lapide Philoſophico, of the Philoſophers ſtone, to which they aſcribe a rare vertue to turne baſer metals into gold: but there is no queſtion at all among the ſincere profeſſours of the Goſpell, De lapide theologico, of the divine ſtone in my text, which yet is far more worth, and of greater vertue than that. For that (if we have any faith in Alchymy) after much labour, and infinite coſt, will turne baſe metall into gold; but this will undoubtedly turne penitent teares into pearle, and drops of blood ſhed for the teſtimony of the Goſpell, into rubies and hematites to beſet our crowne of glory. With this ſtone, as a ſpeciall love-token, Chriſt aſſureth his deareſt ſpouſe, thatccRom. 8.28.Rom 8:28 all things ſhall turn to her good, and worke together for her endleſſe happineſſe. Hee that hath this white ſtone, ſhall by the eye of faith ſee it ſuddenly turne all temporall loſſes into ſpirituall advantages, all croſſes into bleſſings, all afflictions into comforts. What though ſome heretickes or profane perſons have no beliefe of this white ſtone, no more than they have of that ddMat. 13.46.Matt 13:46pearle of great price, which the Merchant ſold all that hee had to buy? What though ſome have beene abuſed by counterfeit ſtones like to this? ſhall wee not therefore regard this, or ſeeke after it? This were all one as if an expert Gold-ſmith ſhould refuſe to look after pure gold, becauſe ſome ignorant Merchant hath beene cheated with ſophiſticated alchymie ſtuffe for gold: or if a skilfull Jeweller ſhould offer nothing for an orient Diamond, becauſe an unskilfull p. 343Lapidary hath beene coriſened with a Corniſh or Briſtow ſtone in ſtead of it. The miſtaking of any other man ſhould not take off the edge of our deſires to gaine an invaluable jewell, but whet our diligence the more, to obſerve more accurately the notes of difference betweene the true and counterfeit ſtone, upon which I ſhall touch anon, after I have convinced our Romiſh ſceptickes, by evidence from the nature of faith, the profeſſion of Gods Saints, the teſtimony of the Spirit, and undeniable ſignes and effects, that all that are called by the word effectually, have this white ſtone in my text given unto them, whereby they are aſſured of their preſent eſtate of grace, and future of glory.

Doct. 1 The faith of GodseeTit. 1.1.Titus 1:1 Elect is not a bare aſſent to ſupernaturall verities revealed in Scripture, which may bee in a Reprobate, and is in theffJam. 2.19.Jas 2:19 Devils themſelves: Thou beleeveſt there is one God, thou doeſt well, the Devils alſo beleeve and tremble: but a divine grace, whereby being fully aſſured of Gods favour to us, wee truſt him with our ſoules, and wholly rely on him for ſalvation, through the merits of his ſonne. The ſure promiſes of the Goſpell are like a ſtrong cable, let downe to a man in a deepe pit or dungeon, on which hee doth not onelyonly lay hand by faith, but hangeth and reſteth himſelfe upon it, and thereby is drawne out of darkeneſſe, to ſee and poſſeſſe the inheritance of the Saints in light. To beleeve the communion of Saints, is not onelyonly to bee perſwaded that there is a communion of Saints in the world, remiſſion of ſinnes in the Church, reſurrection of the fleſh at the laſt day, and life everlaſting in heaven: but to bee aſſured by faith, that wee have an intereſt in this communion, benefit by this remiſſion, and ſhall partake the glory of this reſurrection, and the happineſſe of life everlaſting. They who had beene ſtung by fiery ſerpents, and were healed by looking upon the brazen ſerpent, did not onelyonly beleeve that it had cured many, but that it would cure them. Here the Logicians rule holdeth, Medicina curat Socratem, non hominem; phyſicke is not given to mans nature to cure the ſpecies, but to every man in individuo to heale his perſon: and to every ſicke ſoule that applieth unto it ſelfe the promiſes of the Goſpell, Chriſt ſaith,ggMat. 9.22.29Matt 9:22Matt 9:29 Bee it unto thee as thou beleeveſt, thy faith hath made thee whole, goe in peace. Hereupon SainthhFides dicit; aeternabona repoſita ſunt; ſpes dicit, mihi tepoſita ſunt; charitas dicit, ego curro poſt ea. Bernard bringeth in the three divine graces, Faith, Hope, and Charity, ſinging as it were a catch, and taking the word one from another; Faith beginneth, ſaying, everlaſting treaſures are layd up in heaven; Hope followeth, ſaying, they are layd up for mee; Charity concludeth, I will ſeeke after them. And verily no man by a generall Romiſh credulity, but by a ſpeciall faith in Chriſt, can ſay with Job, My redeemer; with David, My ſalvation; with the Spouſe, My beloved, with the bleſſed Virgin, My Saviour; with Thomas, My Lord and my God: much leſſe can hee warrant theſe poſſeſſives with a ſcio; iiJob 19.25.26.27.Job 19:25Job 19:26Job 19:27I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I ſhall ſee him ſtand up at the laſt day upon the earth: and though after my skinne, wormes deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh I ſhall ſee God: whom I ſhall ſee for my ſelfe. And,kkPſal. 45.11.12.Ps 45:11Ps 45:12 I know that thou favoureſt me, thou upholdeſt mee in my integrity, and fetteſt me before thy face for ever. And,llRom. 8.28.Rom 8:28 Wee know that all things worke for the beſt to them that love God. We know that whenmm2 Cor. 5.1.2 Cor 5:1 our earthly tabernacle is diſſolved, wee ſhall have an eternall in the heavens. nn1 Joh. 2.5.1 John 2:5Wee know that wee are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we p. 344love the brethren. Opinion and ſcience, a conjecturall hope and an aſſured beliefe, as much differ as a ſhaken reed and a well growne oake, which no winde can ſtirre.

To know any thing, ſaithooL. 1 poſterior c. 2. Scire eſt cauſam rei cognoſcere, & quod illius cauſa ſit, & quod res illa aliter ſe habere non poſſet. Ariſtotle, is to know the cauſe, and that this cauſe is the cauſe of ſuch an effect, and that the thing it ſelfe cannot bee otherwiſe than wee conceive of it: in which regard the Greeke Etymologiſt deriveth foreign, becauſe opinion waggeth and inclineth the mind by probabilities on both ſides; but ſcience faſteneth it, and maketh it ſtand unmoveable.

With theſe texts of ſcripture, attributing knowledge of ſalvation to all beleevers, our Trent Merchants are manifeſtly gravelled, and ſticke in the mud: yet they endevour to boye up their ſunke veſſell by a diſtinction of a double knowledge,

1 By common faith.

2 By ſpeciall revelation.

They yeeld that ſome, who have been admitted to Gods privie Councell by ſpeciall revelation, have been aſſured of their crowne of glory; but they will by no meanes grant that beleevers can attain to this certainty by their common faith: yet ſuch is the clearneſſe of the texts above alledged, for the point in queſtion, that they eaſily, like the beames of the ſunne, breake through this popiſh miſt. For Job ſpeaketh not of any ſpeciall ſecret revealed unto him, but of the common article of all our faith, concerning the reſurrection of the fleſh; I know that my Redeemer liveth, and hee ſhall ſtand up, and I ſhall ſee him with theſe eyes. And what David ſpeaketh of his knowledge of Gods favour, and ſtedfaſt beliefe of his future happineſſe,ppAd Monim. l. 1. …uſtus ex fide vivens, fiducialiter dicit, credo videre bona domini in terra viventium. Fulgentius applyeth to every beleever; The juſt man living by faith, ſpeaketh confidently, I beleeve that I ſhall ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the land of the living. And S. John aſcribeth this knowledge, not to any ſingular revelation, but to charity, the common effect of faith: We know that we are paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren: whereupon S.qqTract. 5. in ep. Joh. Nemo interroget hominem, redeat ad cor ſuum, ſi ibi invenerit charitatem, ſecurus ſit, quia tranſiit à morte ad vitam. Auſtin giveth this ſage advice; Let no man enquire of man, let him have recourſe to his owne heart; if he find there charity, let him reſt aſſured that he is paſſed from death to life. And S. Paul joyneth all the faithfull with him, ſaying, We know that all things worke for the beſt to them that love God: and, There is layd up a crown of righteouſneſſe, which the righteous Judge ſhall give mee at that day, and not to mee onelyonly, but to all them alſo that love his appearing. In like manner SaintrrEp. ex regiſt. l. 6. Hac fulti certitudine, de ejuſdem redemptoris noſtri miſericordiá nihil ambigere, ſed ſpe debemus indubitatâ praeſumere. Gregory impropriateth not this aſſurance to himſelfe, or ſome few to whom God extraordinarily revealeth their ſtate hereafter, but extendeth it to all, making it a common duty, not a ſpeciall gift; ſaying, Being ſupported with this certainty, wee ought nothing to doubt of the mercy of our Redeemer, but bee confident thereof, out of an aſſured hope. By the coherence of the text in the eighth to the Romans, we may infallibly gather, that all that walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit, and have received the firſt fruits thereof, and the teſtimony within themſelves, are the Sonnes of God, know that all things worke together for their good. Have wee not all received the ſpirit of adoption? doe we not come to God as children to a moſt loving father? doe wee not daily, in confidence of his love, cry, Abba Father? If ſo, then p. 345the Apoſtle addeth farther, that the Spirit teſtifieth to our ſpirit, that we are the ſonnes of God. And leſt any hereticall doubt caſt in might trouble the ſpring of everlaſting comfort, as if we were indeed made ſonnes for the preſent, but might forfeit our adoption, and thereby loſe our inheritance, the Apoſtle cleareth all in the words following (v. 17.) If ſonnes, then heires, heires of God, and joynt heires with Chriſt. God adopteth no ſonne whom he intendeth not to make his heire, neither can any that is borne of him ceaſe to be his ſonne, becauſe the ſſ1 Pet. 1.23. Being borne againe, not of corruptible ſeed, but of incorruptible.1 Pet 1:23ſeed of which he is borne is incorruptible, and this ſeed ſtill remaineth in him. 1 John 3.9. Whoſoever is borne of God doth not commit ſinne, for his ſeed remaineth in him. There are three means of aſſurance among men:

1 Earneſts.

2 Seales.

3 Witneſſes.

In bargaines earneſts, in deeds ſeales, in trialls witneſſes.

Firſt, to ſecure ſummes of money or bargaines we take earneſts of men, or ſome pledge: behold this ſecurity given us by God, even the tt2 Cor. 1.22.2 Cor 1:22earneſt of his Spirit in our hearts. On which words St.uuChryſoſt. in ſecund. ad Cor. hom. l. 3. foreign. Chryſoſtome thus plainely gloſſeth, He ſaith not the Spirit, but the earneſt of the Spirit, that thou mayſt be every way confident: for if he meant not to give thee the whole, he would never have given this earneſt in preſent. For this had beene to loſe his earneſt, and caſt it away in vaine.

Secondly, to confirme all grants, licences, bonds, leaſes, teſtaments and conveyances, ſeales are required: behold this confirmation alſo, Epheſ. 1.13. In whom ye are ſealed by that holy Spirit of promiſe. and 4.30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are ſealed to the day of redemption. Whether we ſpeake of the ſeale ſealing, or the ſeale ſealed, we have both. For we are ſealed by the Spirit of grace as by the ſeale ſealing, and by the grace of the Spirit as the ſeale ſealed, that is, printed upon us. In reference to which place Daniel xxChamierus de fid. l. 10. c. 13. Sigillorum varii ſunt gradus: alia ſimpliciter ad rei pertinent certitudinem indefinité; ſic Reges ſigillis ſuis muniunt diplomata, ſic contrahentes ſigillis ſchedam ſuam muniunt: ſed alia ſpectant perſonae certitudinem quae obſignari dicitur, id eſt, ſigno peculiari inſigniri, ut eo ſciat ſe in numerum eorum aſcriptum ad quos tale aliquod jus pertinet, ut cum Rex Equitibus ſuis torques concedit, ut procerto habeat ſe Equites eſſe.Chamierus rightly noteth, that there are ſeales put to things for their confirmation, and certaine ſignes or badges anſwerable to ſeales given to perſons at their inveſtiture, as a collar of S's, and a blew ribbon, with a George, to the knights of the Garter, &c. We have both theſe ſeales, ſigillum rei by the Sacrament, and ſigillum perſonae by the Spirit, which ſealeth us to the day of our redemption.

Thirdly, to prove any matter of fact in Courts of juſtice, witneſſes are produced: behold this proofe of our right and title to a kingdome in heaven; proofe (I ſay) by witneſſes beyond exception, the holy Spirit and our renewed conſciences: The Spirit it ſelfe beareth witneſſe with our Spirit, that wee are the children of God, Rom. 8.16. On which words St. Chryſoſtome thus enlargeth himſelfe,yyChryſoſt in epiſt. ad Rom. c. 8. foreign.Rom 8 If a man, or an Angel, or an Archangel had promiſed thee this honour to be the Sonne of God, thou mighteſt peradventure have made ſome doubt of it: but now when God himſelfe giveth thee this title, p. 346commanding thee to call him Abba, Father, who dare queſtion thy title? If the King himſelfe pricke a Sheriffe, or ſend him the Garter, or the Seale, what ſubject dare gaineſay it?

Laſtly, as the Planets are knowne by their influence, and the Diamond by his luſtre, and the Balſamum by his medicinall vertue, and the ſoule by her vitall operations: ſo the gift here promiſed is moſt ſenſibly knowne by the effects:

1 Exceeding love.

2 Secure peace.

3 Unſpeakable joy.

4 Invincible courage.

He that is not certain that he hath or ever ſhall receive any benefit by another, or comfort in him, loveth but a little. He that was condemned to die, and cannot tell whether he hath a pardon for his life or no, can be at no peace: he that heareth glad tidings, but giveth little credit to them, rejoyceth but faintly: he who hath no aſſurance of a better life, will be adviſed how he parteth with this. But the Saints of God and Martyrs of Jeſus Chriſt are exceedingly enflamed with the love of their Redeemer, in compariſon whereof they eſteeme all things as dung: they enjoy peace that paſſeth all underſtanding, they are raviſhed with ſpirituall joy, they ſo little paſſe for this preſent life, that they are ready not onelyonly to be bound but to dye for the Lord Jeſu; they rejoyce in their ſufferings, they ſing in the middeſt of the flames, they lie as contentedly upon the racke as upon a bed of doune, they prove maſteries with all ſorts of evill, they weary both tortures and tormentors, and in all are more than Conquerours: therefore they know aſſuredly how they ſtand in the Court of heaven; they feele within them what Chriſt hath done for them; they have received already the firſt fruits of heavenly joyes, and doubt not of the whole crop; they hauehave received the earneſt, and doubt not of their full pay; they have received the ſeales, and doubt not of the deeds of their ſalvation; they have received the teſtimonie of the Spirit, and doubt not of their adoption; they have received the white ſtone in my text, and doubt not of their abſolution from death, and election to a kingdome in heaven.

What doe their dying ſpeeches, that ought to live in perpetuall memory, import leſſe?

Firſt St.yy2 Tim. 4.6, 7, 8.2 Tim 4:62 Tim 4:72 Tim 4:8 Pauls: I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith: Henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous Judge ſhall give mee at that day.

Secondly ofzzHieron. l. de viris illuſtribus. Utinam fiuar beſtus quae mihi praeparatae ſunt, quas & oro veloces mihi eſſe ad interitum, & alliciam ad comedendum me, ne ſicut & aliorum Martyrum non audeant corpus attingere. Quod ſi venire noluerint, ego vim faciam ut devorar. Ignoſcite mihi filioli, quid mihi profit ego ſcio, nunc incipio eſſe Diſcipulus Chriſti: nihil de iis quae videntur deſiderans, ut Jeſum Chriſtum inveniam; ignis, crux, beſtiae, confractio oſſium, membrorum que diviſio, & totius corporis contritio, & omnia tormenta Diaboli in me veniant, tantum ut Chriſto fruar; & cum ardore paſcendi rugientes audiret leones, ait frumentum Chriſti ſum, dentibus beſtiarum molar, ut panis mundus inveniar. Ignatius. When he heard the Lions roare for hunger, to whom he was ſuddenly to be caſt as a prey: O that I were with the beaſts that are prepared for me, whom I deſire quickly to make an end of me: if they p. 347refuſe to touch my body (as through feare they have abſtained from the bodies of other Saints) I will urge and provoke them to fall upon mee: Pardon me, children, I know what is good for mee, now I begin to bee Chriſts diſciple, deſiring none of thoſe things which are ſeene: that I may finde Jeſus Chriſt, welcome fire, croſſe, beaſts, teeth, breaking of my bones, tearing aſunder of my members, grinding to powder of my whole body; let all the torments which the Devill can deviſe come upon mee, to the end, or ſo that I may enjoy Jeſus my love. I am Chriſts corne, and preſently I ſhall bee ground with the teeth of wilde beaſts, that I may bee ſerved in as fine manchet at my Lords table.

Thirdly, of Babylas: Returne to thy reſt, O my ſoule, for the Lord hath rewarded thee: I ſhall now walke before the Lord in the land of the living.

Fourthly, of Conſtantine the great:**Euſeb. de vit. Conſtant. l. 4. c. 6. foreign. Now I know my ſelfe to bee truely happy, I have now attained the true light, and none but my ſelfe underſtandeth, or can apprehend what happineſſe I am made partaker of.

Fiftly, of SaintaaBernardus moriens dixit, Duplici jure retinet Dominus meus regnum coelorum, haereditate patris, & merito paſſionis; altero ipſe contentus, alterum mihi donavit. Author. vit. Bern. l. 1. c. 22. Bernard: My Lord hath a double right to the kingdome of heaven; by inheritance, and by purchaſe; by inheritance of his Father, and purchaſe of his owne blood: with the former right himſelfe is contented, the latter he hath given unto me: I am not worthy, I confeſſe, neither can I by mine owne merits obtaine the kingdome of heaven, but reſt upon that intereſt which I have in the merit of Chriſts paſsion.

Sixtly, of Luther: bbVit. Luther.Receive my ſoule, Lord Jeſu; though I bee taken from this life, and this body of mine bee layd downe, yet I know certainely that I ſhall remaine with thee for ever, neither ſhall any bee able to pull mee out of thy hand.

Seventhly, of Juel: ccHumfred. in vitâ Juelli.A crowne of righteouſneſſe is layd up for me; Chriſt is my righteouſneſſe, this is my day, this day let mee quickly come unto thee, this day let mee ſee thee Lord Jeſu.

You have heard what wee are to ſay in anſwer to the firſt queſtion, An ſit? whether there be any ſuch white ſtone? The ſecond ſcientificall queſtion is, Quid ſit? what this white ſtone is? And becauſe the Logicians diſtinguiſh of,

1 Quid nominis.

2 Quid rei:

the quiddity, as they ſpeak, of the name and of the thing: Firſt, I will declare the Quid nominis, what the word ſignifieth, or to what the metaphor alludeth; Nam de hoc calculo varii ſunt Doctorum calculi. Although all who have brought ſweet lights to illuſtrate this dark propheſie, make it very cleare that the white ſtone is a Metaphor, and the gift a myſtery; yet as Manna is ſaid to have relliſhed according to the ſeverall appetites of them that had eaten it, ſo this white ſtone in the myſticall ſignification appeareth divers to each Interpreters fancy: and though a white ſtone, even in the bottome of a river, may eaſily be diſcerned; yet not when the water is troubled, as here it is.

Some by it underſtand corpus glorificatum, a glorified body: and therein note foure properties,

1 Solidity.

2 Candour.

3 Rotundity.

4 Splendour.

p. 348The ſolidity in the white ſtone, ſay they, repreſenteth the impaſſibility: the candour, the clarity and beauty: the roundneſſe, the agility: the luſtre or ſplendour, the ſubtility and glory of the Saints bodies raiſed from the duſt. ThusddAquin. in Caten. Aquinas, who taketh his hint from Rupertus, and hee from Beda.

Others underſtand by the white ſtone, the grace of the ſpirit, which reneweth our mindes, making them pure and white, that is, innocent before God: ſoeeJunius in Apoc. Gratiam ſpiritus quae imbuit novis moribus, & mentes puras & candidas, id eſt, innocentes reddit coram Deo. Junius, Aretius, Chytreus, Piſcator, and Matheſius.

Others interpret claritatem nominis, an illuſtrious name, or the honour and title of a conquerour; either becauſe, asffSextus Sen. bib. ſanct. Calculo albo praenotabantur, quo à caeteris diſcernerentur. Sixtus Senenſis noteth, the dayes in which the Romanes gained any ſignall victory, were entred into their Faſti or regiſters with a white ſtone: or becauſe they who overcame, and had the better in the Olympicke games or races, received for their guerdon aggAretas in Apoc foreign. white ſhining ſtone.

hhVeg. in Apoc. Deus per Chriſti opera, ſeu calculos computatorios, omnium hominū rationem ſubducit.Vegus goeth a way by himſelfe, taking this white ſtone for a white counter, and yeeldeth this reaſon of his interpretation: Becauſe God, ſaith hee, caſteth all mens ſalvation by Chriſts workes and merits; and all that hope to cleare with him for the infinite debts of their ſinnes, muſt reckon upon them, or elſe they will fall ſhort in their accounts. Behold Saul propheſieth, Balaam bleſſeth, and a Jeſuite delivereth Proteſtant doctrine.

iiComent. in Apoc.Primaſius and Victorinus will have this white ſtone to be alba ge…a, a white gemme, or gliſtering jewell or pearle, like that in the Goſpell, which the rich Merchant man ſold all that he had to buy: but the word in the originall is not foreign, or foreign, but foreign, a ſtone uſed in foreign in giving ſentences, or making decrees. The Judges among the Romanes, when they acquitted any man, caſt in a white ſtone into an urne or pot, according to that of the Poet:

Mos erat antiquis niveis atriſ que lapillis,

His damnare reos, illis abſolvere culpâ.

And likewiſe the Citizens of Rome in chooſing their Magiſtrates, wrote his name to whom they gave their voice, in a white ſtone. By alluſion to which two cuſtomes, I conceive the Spirit in this place promiſeth to every one that ſhall overcome the luſts of the fleſh, by the Spirit; the aſſaults of the Devill, by faith; and the perſecutions and troubles of the world, by his conſtancy, calculum abſolutorium, & ſuffragatorium, an infallible token of his abſolution from death, and election to a crowne of life; an aſſurance of preſent juſtification, and future glorification.

Thus I take the Quid nominis to bee cleare: the greateſt controverſie is about the Quid rei; what that gift or grace is; what that ſigne or token, what that proofe or teſtimony, whereby our preſent eſtate of grace, and future of glory are ſecured unto us.

Some gheſſe not farre off the truth; That it is teſtimonium renovatae conſcientiae, the teſtimony of a renewed conſcience. For as the eye in a glaſſe by reflection ſeeth it ſelfe looking; ſo the conſcience by a reflection upon it ſelfe, knoweth that it knoweth God, and beleeveth that it beleeveth in Chriſt, and feeleth that it hath a new feeling, ſenſe, and life. The eye of p. 349faith in the regenerate ſeeth himſelfe ſealed to the day of redemption, and obſerveth the print of the ſeale in himſelfe, and the image of the heavenly which it beareth. I ſhall ſpeake nothing to diſparage this teſtimony of conſcience, which affordeth to every true beleever ſingular contentment in life, and comfort in death. The nearer the voice is, the briefer and more certainely wee heare it; and therefore wee cannot but diſtinctly take that depoſition for us, which conſcience ſpeaketh in the eare of the heart. And yet wee have a nearer and ſurer voice to ſettle our heart in the knowledge of our ſpirituall eſtate, the teſtimony of Gods Spirit, which is nearer and more inward to our ſoules, than our ſoules to our bodies: and the witneſſe thereof may be as great, or a greater joy to us, than if God had ſent an Angell to us, as hee did to Daniel, to ſhew unto us that wee were beloved of him: or an Archangel, as hee did to the VirginkkLuke 1.28.Luke 1:28 Mary, to ſalute us, Haile thou that art highly favoured of God. If any demand, as ſhee did, not out of any doubt, but out of a deſire of farther information, quomodo? that is, how doth the Spirit teſtifie to our ſpirits that we are the ſonnes of God? To ſpeake nothing of elevations of Spirit, and raptures, and ſpeciall revelations, which are not now ſo frequent, and ſo certaine as in former ages; I anſwer, The Spirit teſtifieth this unto us two manner of wayes, by

Motions, or Words.

Effects, or Deeds.

By words; ſo are the expreſſe words of SaintllProlog card. vert. 1. Dicuntur tibi verba quaedam arcana intrinſecus, ut dubitare non poſsis quin juxta te fit. Cyprian, As when lightning breaketh the cloud, and the ſuddaine ſplendour thereof doth not ſo much enlighten as dazle the eyes: ſo ſometimes thou art touched with I know not what motion, and feeleſt thy ſelfe to bee touched, and yet ſeeſt not him that toucheth thee; there are inwardly ſpoken unto thee certaine ſecret words, ſo as thou canſt not doubt that hee is neare thee, even within thee, who doth ſolicite thee; yet doth hee not let thee ſee him as hee is. Theſe ſecret words SaintmmSerm. 1. in annunc Hoc eſt teſtimonium quod perhibet Spiritus ſanctus, dimiſſa ſunt tibi peccata tua. Bernard uttereth, This is the teſtimony or record which the Spirit beareth unto thee; Thy ſinnes are forgiven thee. I take it the meaning of the words of theſe Fathers is not that the holy Ghoſt doth ſound theſe formall words in our bodily eares, but that as God oncenn1 Kin. 19.121 Kgs 19:12 ſpake in a ſtill ſmall voice, ſo in it ſtill hee ſpeaketh to the faithfull, by the Spirit, verbis mentalibus, by mentall words or notions: by which hee continually inciteth us to good, reſtraines us from evill, forewarneth us of danger, and comforteth us in trouble. And whileſt wee liſten to theſe notions, or rather motions of the ſpirit within us, wee heare this teſtimony often and diſtinctly. But when wee give eare to the motions of the evill Spirit, and entertaine him, and delight in his ſociety, and thereby grieve and deſpite the Spirit of grace; hee being thus grieved by us, ſpeaketh no more words of comfort in us, but withdrawes his gracious preſence, and leaveth us in horrour of conſcience, and darkneſſe of minde. In this time of ſpirituall deſertion, wee thinke wee have loſt this white ſtone, though indeed wee have not loſt it, but it is hid from us for a while: for afterwards wee ſhall finde it, having firſt felt the Spirit moving upon the waters of our penitent teares; and in our powring out our ſoules before God, aſſiſting us with ſighes and groanes that cannot be expreſſed: then after we renewing our covenant with him, our ſins are p. 350blowne away like a thicke miſt: and light from heaven breaketh in againe upon us, and with this light aſſurance, and with aſſurance peace, and with peace joy in the holy Ghoſt.

Yea, but a weake Chriſtian may yet demand, How may I bee aſſured that my ſtone is not a counterfeit? that my gold is not alchymy? that my pearle is not glaſſe? that my Edenis not a fooles Paradiſe? that this teſtimony in my ſoule is not a ſuggeſtion of Sathan to tempt mee to preſumption, and thereby drowne mee in perdition? The Spirit of God commanding mee tooo1 Joh. 4.1. Beleeve not every ſpirit, but try the ſpirit whether they are of God.1 John 4:1 Try the Spirits whether they are of God or no, implyeth that there are Spirits which are not of God: how then may I certainly know that this motion within mee is from the good, and not rather from the evill Spirit? By this, if it accord with the word, and the teſtimony of thine own conſcience: but if it vary from either, thou haſt juſt cauſe to ſuſpect it. If any Spirit ſhall tell thee that thou art lockt in the armes of Gods mercy, and canſt not fall from him, though thou huggeſt ſome vice in thy boſome, and letteſt looſe the reines to ſome evill concupiſcence; give that Spirit the lye, becauſe it accordeth not with the word of God, teſtifying expreſſely, thatppEph. 5.5.Eph 5:5 no whoremonger, nor uncleane perſon, nor covetous man, which it an Idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of God, and of Chriſt. For the grace of God that bringeth ſalvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world. Againe, if any Spirit tell thee that thou art rich in ſpirituall graces, and lackeſt nothing, when thine owne Spirit teſtifieth within thee, that thou art blinde, and naked, and miſerable, and poore, beleeve not that Spirit. For the Spirit of God is a conteſt with our ſpirit,qqRom. 8.16.Rom 8:16 foreign, Hee beareth witneſſe with our ſpirit that wee are the ſonnes of God: and when they both ſweetly accord, we may without preſumption conclude with SaintrrTract. 22. in Joh Veritas pollicetur, qui credit habet vitam aeternam, ego audivi verba Domini, credidit infidelis cum eſſem, factus ſum fidelis; ſicut ipſe monuit tranſii de morte ad vitam; in judicium non venio, non praeſumptione meâ ſed promiſsione ipſius. Auſtine; The truth promiſeth, whoſoever beleeveth in mee hath eternall life: I have heard the words of the Lord, I have beleeved; whereas I was before an Infidell, I am now made faithfull, and according to his promiſe, have paſſed from death to life, and ſhall come into no condemnation. It is no preſumption to ground aſſured confidence upon Chriſts promiſe. Hereunto let us adde the teſtimony of the effects of ſaving grace. As the teſtimony of the Spirit confirmeth the teſtimony of the Word, ſo the effects of ſaving grace confirme both unto us. Theſe Saint Bernard reckoneth to bee,

Hatred of ſinne.

Contempt of the world.

Deſire of heaven.

Hatred of our unregenerate eſtate paſt, contempt of preſent vanities, deſire of future felicity.

And doubtleſſe if our hatred of ſinne bee univerſall, our contempt of worldly vanities conſtant, and our deſire of heavenly joyes fervent, wee may build upon them a ſtrong perſwaſion, that we are in the favour of God, becauſe we hate all evill; that we are eſpouſed to Chriſt, becauſe wee are divorced from the world; and that heaven belongeth unto us, becauſe wee p. 351long for it. Howbeit theſe ſeeme to bee rather characters of chriſtian perfection, than common workes of an effectuall vocation. Though wee arrive not to ſo high a degree of Angelicall, rather than humane perfection, yet through Gods mercy wee may bee aſſured of our election by other more eaſie and common workes of the Spirit in us, I meane, true faith, ſincere love of goodneſſe in our ſelves and others, hungring and thirſting after righteouſneſſe, ſtriving againſt our fleſhly corruptions, godly ſorrow, filiall feare, comfortable patience, and continuall growth in grace and godlineſſe. Tully writeth ofllCic. Verr. 5. Syracuſe, That there is no day through the whole yeere ſo ſtormy and tempeſtuous, in which they have not ſome glympſe of the ſunne: neither undoubtedly after the travels of our new birth are paſt, is there any day ſo overcaſt with the clouds of temptation, in the ſoule of a Chriſtian, in which the Sunne of righteouſneſſe doth not ſhine upon him, and ſome of theſe graces appeare in him. For if hee decay in one grace, hee may increaſe in another; if hee finde not in himſelfe ſenſible growing in any grace, hee may feele in himſelfe an unfained deſire of ſuch growth, and godly ſorrow for want of it; and though hee conquer not all ſinne, yet hee alloweth not himſelfe in any ſinne; and though he may have loſt the ſenſe, yet not the eſſence of faith; and though hee bee not aſſured in his owne apprehenſion of remiſſion of ſinnes, yet hee may bee ſure of his adheſion to God, and relying upon him for the forgiveneſſe of them, with a reſolution like that of Job, Though he kill me, yet will I put my truſt in him. And this is the ſumme and effect of what our Chriſtian caſuiſts anſwere to the ſecond queſtion, Quid ſit, what is the white ſtone, whereby, as a certaine pledge, grace and glory are ſecured unto us.

The third queſtion yet remains, Propter quid ſit, to what end this white ſtone is given.

In the maine point of difference betweene the reformed and the Romane Church, concerning aſſurance of ſalvation, that wee bee not miſ-led, wee muſt diſtinguiſh of a double certainty:

The one of the ſubject, or of The perſon.

The other of the object: or of The thing it ſelfe.

The certainty of the one never varieth, becauſe it dependeth upon Gods election: the certainty of the other often varieth, becauſe it dependeth upon the vivacity of our faith. Even as the apple in the eye of many creatures waxeth and waineth with the Moone; and asttSolin. Poly-hiſt. c. 56. Uniones quoties excipiunt matutini aeris ſemen, fit clarius margaritum; quoties veſpertini, fit obſcurius. Solinus writeth, that the Margarite is clearer or duskier, according to the temper of the aire, and face of the skie, in which the ſhell-fiſh openeth it ſelfe: ſo this latter aſſurance waxeth and waineth with our faith, and is more evident, or more obſcure, as our conſcience is more or leſſe purged from dead workes. If our faith be lively, our aſſurance is ſtrong; if our faith faile, our aſſurance flagges, and in ſome fearfull temptation is ſo farre loſt, that wee are brought to the very brinke of deſpaire; partly to chaſten us for our former preſumption, partly to abate our ſpirituall pride, and humble us before God, and in our owne ſpirits; but eſpecially to improve the value of this jewell of aſſurance, and ſtirre us up to more diligence in uſing all poſſible meanes to regaine it, and p. 352keep it more carefully after we have recovered it. By the cauſes of Gods taking away of this white ſtone from us, or at the leaſt hiding it out of our ſight for a while, wee may gheſſe at the reaſons why hee imparteth it unto us.

1. Firſt, to endeare his love unto us, and enflame ours to him. For how can wee but infinitely and eternally love him, who hath aſſured us of infinite joyes, eternall ſalvation, an indefeizable inheritance, everlaſting habitations, and an incorruptible crowne?

2. Secondly, to incourage us to finiſh our chriſtian race, through many afflictions and perſecutions for the Goſpels ſake; which we could never do if this crowne of glory were not hung out from heaven, and manifeſtly exhibited to the eye of our faith, with aſſurance to winne it by our patience.

3. Thirdly, but eſpecially, to kindle in us a moſt ardent deſire, and continuall longing to arrive at our heavenly countrey, where wee ſhall poſſeſſe that inheritance of a kingdome, which is as ſurely conveighed unto us by the Word and Sacraments, as if Almighty God ſhould preſently cauſe a ſpeciall deed to bee made, or patent to bee drawne for it, and ſet his hand and ſeale to it in our ſight.

To knit up all that hath beene delivered, that it may take up leſſe roome in your memory, and bee more eaſily borne away; let mee entreat you to ſet before your eyes the cuſtome of the Romanes, in the entertainment of any great perſonage, whom after they had feaſted with rare dainties ſerved in covered diſhes, at the end of the banquet they gave unto him an Apophoreton, or Carry-away, as they called it; that is, ſome jewell or piece of coine with his name engraven on it, or ſome ſpeciall poeſie. Such entertainment is promiſed in my text, and performed on this holy Table: Chriſt who is both Hoſte and feaſt, biddeth you to his hidden Manna in the Sacrament, and tendereth to every one of you a white ſtone, with your new name written in it, for your Apophoreton. What remaineth, but that by particular examination, and fervent prayer, and ſpeciall faith, and intention of devotion, yee prepare your ſtomacks for theſe covered diſhes, and the hidden Manna; and after you have fed upon it, receive the white ſtone of abſolution, and keepe it ſafe by you, and have it alwayes in your eyes? Let not your importunate clients ſo treſpaſſe upon your time, but that you reſerve alwayes ſome golden moments in every day, and eſpecially on the Lords day, to bee clients to God. So peruſe other writings and Records, that you forget not to ſearch the deeds and evidences of your owne ſalvation: before you give learned counſaile to others, to ſecure and cleare their titles to their lands on earth, aske you counſaile of the ſpirit; and with David, uuPſal. 119.24Ps 119:24make Gods ſtatutes your counſailers, to ſecure your title to a kingdome in heaven. Make your election, whereof the white ſtone in my text is a cleare evidence, ſure unto your ſelves, by the markes which I have deſcribed unto you, hatred of ſinne, and contempt of the world, and deſire of heaven; ſecure it to your ſoules by the life of your faith, and ſtrength of your hope, and ardency of your love, and extremity of your hunger and thirſt for righteouſneſſe, and your earneſt ſtrife and moſt vehement fight againſt all your corruptions, by your deepe ſorrow for your ſinnes, carefull watching over all your wayes, ſonnelike feare of diſpleaſing your heavenly father, univerſall conformity to his will, and humble ſubmiſſion to his rod, with continuall p. 353growth in grace, and mending your pace towards heaven, the nearer you come to your journyes end. So ſhall you overcome the devill by your faith, the world by your hope, the fleſh by your ſpirituall love, ſinfull joyes by your godly ſorrow, carnall ſecurity by your watchfull care and filiall feare, dreadfull croſſes by your comfortable patience, and dangerous relapſes by your proficiencie in godlineſſe, and all ſorts of temptations by your conſtant perſeverance: And thus overcomming, Chriſt will make good his promiſe unto you, ſet before you the hidden Manna, and give you this white ſtone, which none ſhall be able to take away from you; and lay you all, as ſo many pretious ſtones, in thexxApoc. 21.19.Rev 21:19 foundation of the heavenly Jeruſalem, deſcending from God: To whom, &c.