The Mystery of the Lords Supper, Sermon 5

The Mystery of the Lords Supper · Sermon 5

THE FIFT AND last Sermon, vponupon the preparation to the Lords Supper.

1. Cor. 11.28.

Let eueryevery man therefore, examine himſelfe; and ſo let him eate of this Bread, and drinke of this Cup, &c.

IN the doctrine of our triall, and due examination, the Apoſtle, as ye hauehave heard (vvel-beloued in Chriſt Ieſus) gaue vsus a ſpeciall commaund, that eueryevery one of vsus, ſhould try, and examine narrowly our ſelues: that is, that eueryevery man ſhould condiſcend, and enter into his owne conſcience, try, and examine the eſtate of his own conſcience, in what eſtate he findes it with God; and in what eſtate he findes it with his neighbour. Hee inioynes this triall to our ſelues, and cōmands, that eueryevery one of vsus ſhould take pains vponupon the true examination of our conſciences. Hee inioynes this work to vsus, why? Becauſe no p. 122man knoweth ſo much of me, as I doe my ſelfe; becauſe no man can be ſure of the eſtate of my conſcience, but I my ſelfe; becauſe no man can ſo diligently, nor ſo profitably try my conſcience, as I my ſelfe. Therefore, chiefely it behooueth eueryevery man, and woman, before they enter to the hearing of the word, before they giuegive their eare to the vvord, or their mouth to the Sacrament; it behoueth them to try, and examine their owne conſciences. Not, that the Apoſtle vvould ſeclude the triall of other men: for, as it is lawfull for mee, to try my ſelfe; ſo, no doubt, it is lawfull for my Paſtor to try mee. It is lawfull for other men, that hauehave a care ouer mee, to try, and examine me: but no man can doe this ſo profitably to mee, as I my ſelfe. And though wee had neuer ſo many tryers and examiners, all is nothing, if wee try not our ſelues. So, whether there be a ſecond, or a third tryer, and examiner, let our ſelues be one, and the firſt. And no doubt, the Apoſtles minde was this, To let vsus ſee clearlie, that hee that commeth to that Table, and hath not that knowledge, …or is not of that ability to try him-ſelfe, is a profane commer, cōmeth vncleanly; and therefore, muſt needs come to his owne deſtruction. Let eueryevery man therefore growe in knowledge, growe in vnderſtanding, growe in the ſpirit, that hee may be the more able, to try, and examine his owne conſcience.

To the end that ye may goe forward, & proceed in the worke of this triall, with the better ſpeed, and with the better fruits; in this examination, we laid down this order. Firſt of all, I ſhewed, what that is which we call a conſcience, and what is meant thereby. Next, I declared, for what cauſes yee ſhould put your conſciences to this triall, and narrow examination. And thirdlie, ſo farre as time ſuffered, I entred into the points, wherein eueryevery one of you ſhould try, and examine your owne conſciences. As for conſcience, that yee may call that definition to your memory, I will reſume it ſhortlie. We call a conſcience, a certain feeling in the hart, reſembling the righteous Iudgement of GOD, following vponupon a deed done by vsus, flowing frō a knowledge in the mind. A feeling, accompanied with a motion in the hart; a motion, either of feare, or ioy, trembling, or reioycing. I leaue the opening vp of theſe parts, to p. 123your memories, and I pray God, that they may be well ſanctified. I come next, to the cauſes, wherefore euerie one of you ſhould bee carefull in trying, and examining your owne conſciences. The firſt cauſe is, becauſe the Lord of heauen, hath his eye continually vponupon the conſcience: the eye of God, is neuer from the conſcience, and heart of man, as I proued to you by diuerſe places. Next, becauſe this God hath choſen his lodging, and hath ſet downe his throne, to make his reſidence in the conſcience: Therefore, that hee may dwell in cleaneneſſe, yee ought to hauehave a regard to his dwelling place. Thirdly, he is the Lord, yea, the only Lord of this conſcience, who hath power onelyonly to controle, who only hath power to ſaue, or to caſt away: therefore, that it may doe good ſeruice, to thy owne Lord, thou oughteſt to take heed to thy conſcience. And laſt of all, in reſpect that the health of thy ſoule, ſtandeth in the eſtate of thy conſcience, and if thy ſoule be in good health, thy bodie cannot bee ill: Therefore, in reſpect that the ſoule, and bodie, depend vponupon the eſtate of the conſcience, eueryevery one of you, ſhould carefully looke to your conſciences: I will not amplifie this, but leaue it to your memories: how the health of the ſoule, and welfare of the ſoule, ſhould be kept. Next, I come in the third, and laſt place to the points, in the which, euerie one of you, ſhould trie, and examine your conſciences. And as yee may remember, I ſet downe two points, wherein ye ought to put your conſciences in triall: Firſt, to know whether your conſciences were at peace with God, or not: Secondly, whether your conſciences, were in louelove, in charitie, and in amitie with your neighbour, or not: In theſe two points cheefly, yee muſt trie, and examine your ſelues. To know, whether ye bee at peace with God, or not, ye muſt firſt trie, whether yee be in the faith or not (as the Apoſtle ſaith) whether yee bee in the faith of Chriſt, or not: For being in the faith, and iuſtified thereby, on necesſitie, yee muſt hauehave peace with God. Then the next care muſt bee, to try your faith, and to ſee whether ye hauehave faith, or not. Faith can no waies be tried, but by the fruits: faith cannot be iudged on by me, that looke vponupon it only, but by the effects. Therefore, to try whether ye be in the faith or not, mark p. 124the fruits; Take heed to thy mouth, take heed to thy hand, take heede to thy words, and to thy deeds: for except thou glorifie God in thy mouth, and confeſſe to thy ſaluation, & except thou glorifie him alſo in thy deedes, & make thy holy life, a witnes of thy holy faith, all is but vaine, all is but meere hypocriſie: How a ſincere faith is knowen.Therefore to knowe the ſinceritie of thy faith, thou muſt take heede, that there be a harmonie, between thy hand, thy mouth, and thy hart, that there be a natural conſent, that thy doings preiudge not thy hart, that thy mouth preiudge not thy heart, but that mouth, and hand may teſtifie, the ſinceritie of the hart: If the heart, the hand, & the mouth, conſent, & agree in one harmonie together; No queſtion, that heart that breakes forth into ſo good fruits, is coupled with God; There is no queſtion, the light of thy actions, the beames and ſhining of thy life, ſhall make the name of thy good God, to bee glorified.

Therefore, the whole weight of our triall, ſtandes cheefely vponupon this point, to ſee whether wee bee in the fayth, or not; to trie and examine, whether Chriſt dwell in vsus by fayth, or not: for without fayth, there canne be no coupling, or conioyning betwixt vsus, & Chriſt; without faith, our hearts cannot bee ſanctified, and cleanſed; and without faith, we cannot worke by charitie: ſo all depends, on this onelyonly. And therefore that yee might the better vnderſtand, whether yee hauehave fayth, or no: I was ſomewhat the more exact in this matter, and I beganne to let you ſee, how the holy ſpirit createth faith, & works faith in your ſoules, hearts, and mindes: I began to ſhewe you, what order the holy ſpirit kept, in forming, and in creating this notable inſtrument, in your hearts, and mindes. Not onelyonly, how hee ingenders, and begins fayth, but alſo, how he intertaines it, how he nouriſheth it. And I ſhewed you, the externall means, and inſtruments, which hee vſeth to this effect: To beget faith in our ſoules, the holy ſpirit vſeth the hearing of the word, preached by him that is ſent, & the miniſterie of the Sacraments, as ordinarie meanes, and inſtruments: which ordinary meanes, are onelyonly then effectuall, when as the holy ſpirit, concurs inwardly in our hearts, with the word ſtriking outwardly in our eares, and with the Sacrament outwardly p. 125receiued: And except the holy ſpirit grant his concurrence to the word, and Sacrament; word, and Sacrament both will not worke faith. So, all depends, vponupon the working of this holy ſpirit: The whole regeneration of mankind, the renewing of the heart, and of the conſcience, depend on the power of the holy ſpirit; And therefore it behoueth vsus, carefully to imploy our ſelues, in calling vponupon God for his holy ſpirit. By the ſame means, and no other, that the holy ſpirit beg…ts faith in vsus, by the ſame meanes, hee nouriſheth, and augments that, which hee hath begotten: And therefore, as we got faith by the hearing of the word, ſo by continuall, and diligent hearing, we hauehave this faith augmēted, & nouriſhed in vsus. And from hence I tooke my exhortation, That if yee would hauehave that ſpirituall life nouriſhed in you, and if yee would hauehave a further aſſurance of heauen; of neceſſitie, yee muſt both continually, and diligently, heare the bleſſed word of God.

Now it reſteth, that eueryevery one of you carefully apply this doctrine to your owne ſoules, and enter into the triall of your owne conſciences, To ſee if this faith, as I ſpake, be begunne in your hearts, and mindes, or not: how farre, or how little, the holy ſpirit hath proceeded in that worke, trie with mee, and I with you. The firſt effect of the holy ſpirit, whereby yee may trie your mindes, whether yee be in the faith, o… not, is this: Reuolue in your memories, and remember, if at any time, it pleaſed the Lord, in his merciemercy, to turn the darkneſſe of your mindes into light, to cauſe that naturall darkneſſe, which was within you, to depart: Through the which darkneſſe, neyther had yee an eye, to ſee your ſelues, what you were by nature, nor yet had ye an eye, to ſee God in Chriſt, nor anie parte of his merciemercy. Examine I ſay, whether this darkneſſe of the naturall vnderſtanding, bee turned into light, by the working of the ſpirit, or not: If thou art become a childe of the light, a childe of the day; If thou art become (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) light in the Lord: If there bee this alteration made in thy minde; That whereas naturally before, it was cloſed vp in darkneſſe, whereas it was filled with vanities, and errors, wherens it was cloſed vp, in blindnes: If the Lord hath at anie time, inlightened p. 126the eye of thy minde, and made thee to ſee thine owne miſerie, to ſee the vglineſſe of thine owne nature, to ſee the heinous ſins, in the which by nature thou lieſt; If hee hath granted to thee, an inſight of thy ſelfe, in ſome meaſure; and on the other ſide, if hee hath granted thee the remedie, and hath giuen thee, an inſight of the merciemercy of God, in Chriſt Ieſus, if thou haſt obtained an inſight of the riches of his grace in Chriſt; No doubt, the holy ſpirit hath begunne a good worke worke in thee: A worke, which will bring forth repentance, which in his owne time, hee will perfect: So this is the firſt care, which yee ought to hauehave, and the firſt point, wherein yee ought to examine your minds, To ſee, if there bee any light in it, whereby, yee may know your miſerie, and hauehave an inſight of the free merciemercy of God, in Chriſt Ieſus. This being done, that thou findeſt a ſight of theſe two in thy minde, from thy minde goe to thy heart: and as thou haſt tryed thy minde, ſo try thy heart: And firſt, examine thine heart, if it bee altered, or not, that the will of it, bee framed, and bowed to GODs obedience, that thy affection bee turned into the life of God, and bee poured out on him, as it was poured out on vanities, on filthineſſe, and on the world before. Try, whether the ground of thy heart, and the fountaine from whence thy motions, and affections proceede, bee ſanctified, or not: for from a holy fountaine, holy waters muſt diſtill: from a holy fountaine, holy motions, holy cogitations, and ſanctified conſiderations, muſt flowe.

Trie then, and examine your hearts, if the ſpirit of God hath wrought any ſuch reformation, as I ſpeake of in your harts, or not. And that ye may perceiue the working of the holy Spirit the better in your hearts, and conſciences (for the holy Spirit hath his chiefe reſidence in your hearts) I will declare vntounto you, the firſt effect, that euer the holy ſpirit bringeth forth in the heart, in framing it, in mollifying it, and in bowing it, vntounto the obedience of God: You ſhall knowe the working of the holy ſpirit, by this effect: namely, if your mindes ſee, and behold, what is ill; ſee, and behold what is good; perceiue, and diſcerne your owne miſerie, and your ſinnes, which hauehave brought this miſerie p. 127vponupon you; and withall perceiue, and beholde, the riches of the merciemercy of God in Chriſt Ieſus: If as your mindes ſee theſe two, your hearts be reformed & prepared to louelove the ſight of them: and as you ſee in your mindes the mercy of God, and that in Chriſt, if yee hauehave hearts, to deſire mercy, if ye hauehave a thirſting, and earneſt deſire, to be partakers of mercy; where this deſire, and thirſt is, there the holy ſpirit is, hee hath no doubt, opened the heart: On the other ſide if, as thou ſeeſt merciemercy, thou ſeeſt thy miſerie; if, as thy mind ſeeth thy miſerie, it ſeeth alſo the fountaine, from whence thy miſerie floweth, to wit, from thine owne ſinnes; if then, thy hart alſo hate this, the holy ſpirit is there; if as thou ſeeſt ſinne, which is the cauſe of thy miſerie, with the eye, which is giuen thee in the minde; thou hateſt this ſinne with thy heart, no queſtion, the holy ſpirit is there: And as thou hateſt it, if alſo thou ſorrowe for it (for it is not enough to hate it, if thou lament not the committing of it, and with a godly ſorrowe deplore it) the holy ſpirit is there. And thirdly, if with thy lamenting, thou haſt a care, and a ſtudy to eſchew that ſin, (for what auailes it to lament, if, like a dogge, returning to his vomit, thou fall into that ſame gulfe againe?) Therefore, where there is an hatred of ſinne, a ſorrow for ſinne, a care, and a ſtudie to eſchewe ſinne; no queſtion, the holy ſpirit, hath opened the heart, and is working out that pretious inſtrument. Obſerue all this in a word, all the operation of the holy ſpirit, and working in the hart, and by this, examine thine heart: See, and perceiue, if the holy ſpirit hath entred ſo farre in thee, to worke in that hard heart of thine, an earneſt, and a diligent ſtudie, a carefull ſolicitude, continually to bee reconciled with the great God, whom thou haſt offended: Is there ſuch a thing, as a thirſt, as a deſire, to bee at amitie with him, whom thou haſt offended, to bee reconciled with the God of heauen, whom thou haſt offended by thy manifold tranſgresſions? where this care and ſtudy of reconciliation is, if this care, and ſtudy, of reconciliation bee in the heart, there is no doubt, but the heart that thirſteth for this reconciliation, is heartily content not onelyonly to renounce ſinne, to renounce all the impieties, that ſeparated thee frō God; but, the heart that is indued with this thirſt, p. 128wil be hartily content, to renounce it ſelfe, to caſt downe it ſelfe, as ſtubborne as it was before, to caſt downe it ſelfe, at the feete of the mightie God, and be wholly content, at all times after, to be ruled by his holy will: Not to follow it owne luſt, it owne will, and appetite, as it did before, but to reſigne it ſelfe, wholly into the handes of the mightie God, to bee ruled by his will, at his pleaſure, and to obey his commaundes. And except yee finde this diſpoſition in your owne hearts, To acquite your ſelues, to renounce your ſelues, it is a vaine thing for you to ſay, that yee hauehave a thirſt to bee reconciled: So, the greater thirſt of reconciliation that we hauehave, & the more that the care, & ſtudy ther of groweth, the greater that the apprehenſion of my miſerie, of the deep gulfes, and very hels (whereunto my ſoule is ſubiect) increaſeth in my ſoule the more earneſt would would I be, to bee reconciled: And to bee reconciled, I would not ſtand, for the renouncing, of the luſts of my heart, but I wold renounce my hart, & the obedience of the wil, & deſire: why? Becauſe I ſee I muſt die for euer except the Lord reconcile himſelf with me: I ſee the huge deepes, and oceans of all miſerie, into the which I ſhall …al in the ende, except in merciemercy, the Lord reconcile himſelfe with me. To eſchewe theſe miſeries, and inconueniences, is there any queſtion, but the hart, that hath any ſenſe, and is touched with them, will moſt willingly endeuour, to acquite it ſelfe? Againe, ſeeing the Lord hath taken paines, to deliuer mee out of that deepe miſerie, in the which I had drowned my ſelfe, and hath purchaſed my redemption, by ſo deere a price, not with golde, nor with ſiluer, or any droſſe on the earth, but by ſuch a wonderfull means, by ſuch a pretious price, and rich ranſome; Looking to the greatneſſe of our miſery, and to the greatnes of the price, whereby hee hath redeemed vsus, What heart is it, but would willingly renounce it ſelfe, to get a part of that redemption, and to be deliuered out of that hell, wherein wee are preſently, and wherein wee ſhall be in a greater meaſure heereafter, except wee bee reconciled? So then with this, there is ioyned a di…poſition in the heart, whereby the heart is willing in ſome meaſure, to renounce it ſelfe.

This leſſon is often taught vsus by p. 129our Sauiour Chriſt, wee muſt both take vp the croſſe, and renounce our ſelues alſo, before that wee canne follow him. The more that this thirſt groweth in the heart, the more this renouncing of our ſelues groweth in the heart: the more that this thirſt decayeth, and is diminiſhed in the heart, the more, wee cleaue to the world, the more wee louelove the fleſh, and the more are wee ruled and guided by them: So, eyther wee muſt nouriſh a thirſt of righteouſneſſe, a hunger of life euerlaſting, a thirſt of merciemercy, a hunger after that iuſtice, that is in Chriſt, or it is not posſible, that in any meaſure, wee can bee his diſciples.

Now to proceede: The heart, that after this manner is prepared, that with a thirſt to bee reconciled, is reſolued alſo to renounce it ſelfe, This heart, in the which there remaineth ſo earneſt a thirſt, is neuer fruſtrate of the expectation, is neuer diſappointed; But as the Lord hath imprinted in it, an earneſt ſtudie to be reconciled, and to lay hold on Chriſt: So in his mereie, hee grants vntounto that heart, the poſſesſion of merciemercy; hee puts that heart in ſome meaſure in poſſesſion of mercy, which it ſeeketh, in poſſesſion of Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, whom it ſeeketh: The which apprehenſion which it hath of Chr. the heart ſenſiblie feeleth, and apprehendeth in that peace, which hee giueth to the conſcience: So that the conſcience, which was terrified, exceedingly gnawen, and diſtracted before; by the approching of this peace, & of Chriſt with his graces, incontinent it is quieted, and pacified, there commeth a calmeneſſe, and ſoundneſſe into the heart, and all troubles, and ſtormes are remoued: with this peace, is conioyned a taſte of the powers of the world to come; The heart gets a taſte of the ſweetneſſe that is in Chriſt, of the ioy, which is in the life euerlaſting, which taſt is the onelyonly earneſt pennie of that full and perfect ioye, which ſoule, and bodie in that life ſhall inioye: And the earneſt penny (as yee know) muſt bee a part of the ſumme, & of the nature of the reſt of the ſumme: And therefore that earneſt penny of ioy, aſſures vsus, that when wee ſhall get poſſesſion of the whole ſumme, it it ſhal be a ſtrange ioy: And theſe documents lift vp the heart, and make it, not to linger, nor wearie in the expectation of that life: p. 130but being refreſhed now, and then, therewith, by ſo many earneſt pennies, they aſſure vsus, of the full fruition of that ioye, for the which in patience wee will ſuſtaine all troubles: So, as the holy ſpirit worket a thirſt in vsus, to bee with Chriſt, a thirſt of mercy, and reconciliation with him; The ſame holy ſpirit diſappointeth not that ſame expectation, and thirſt, but putteth the ſoule and heart in poſſesſion of Chriſt, by the which the conſcience is pacified, the heart is reioyced, and we get a taſte of the ſweetnes, and of the powers of that life to come: The ſenſible feeling of the which taſte, that paſſeth all naturall vnderſtanding, what doth it in my heart and conſcience? It worketh a wonderfull aſſurance, and perſwaſion, that God loueth mee: The feeling of his merciemercy, in the bowels of my heart, in the bottome of my conſcience, worketh a certaine aſſurance, and perſwaſion that he is my God, that he will ſaue me, for Chriſts cauſe, that the promiſe of merciemercy, which I durſt not apply vntounto my conſciēce before; now, by the feeling of mercy I dare boldly applie, and ſay merciemercy appertaineth to me; life, & ſaluation belongeth to me: For the conſcience being exceedingly terrified, and ſeeing nothing in God, but fire, and wrath, it is not posſible, but it muſt ſhe from him, it cannot approche to a conſuming fire. But from the time, that the conſcience getteth a taſte of this peace, mercy, and ſweetnes; how faſt ſoeuer it fled from the preſence of God before, now after this reconciliation, it will runne as faſt to him, and will poſſeſſe him, more and more fully. So the aſſurance, and perſwaſion of merciemercy, ariſeth from the feeling of merciemercy, in the hart, and conſcience. And except the heart feele it, and taſte it in ſome meaſure, no conſcience dare apply God and his merciemercy, to it ſelfe: I may be ſure in generall, that all my ſinnes are remiſſible, and that I may obtaine merciemercy, before I feele it: But, to applie this mercy, particularly to my ſelfe, vntill I feele a taſte of it, I dare not: So, this particular application, whereby wee claime God, and Chriſt, as a propertie to vsus, as if no man had title to him, but wee, and to call him my God, my Chriſt; and to claime his promiſes, as if no man had intereſt in them, but wee; This commeth of the ſence, and feeling of merciemercy, in the hart: p. 131and the more that this feeling grovveth, and the greater experience that we hauehave in our owne harts of this peace and mercy, the more increaſeth our faith and aſſurance. Our perſwaſion becommeth ſo ſtrong, that wee dare at the laſt ſay with the Apoſtle, What can ſeparate vsus from the louelove of GOD? Neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, ſhall be able to ſeparate me, from the louelove of GOD, which is in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord.

This particular application, which ariſeth (no doubt) vponupon the feeling, and ſenſe of merciemercy, is the ſpeciall difference, the chiefe mark, and proper note, wherby our faith, vvho are iuſtified in the bloud of Chriſt, is diſcerned from that generall faith of the Papiſts. Our faith, by this particular application, is not onelyonly diſcerned from the generall faith of the Papiſts, but it is diſcerned from all the pretended faiths of all the Sects in the world. For, the Papiſt dareth not apply the promiſe of merciemercy to his owne ſoule: he accounteth it preſumption, to ſay, I am an elect, I am ſaued, and iuſtified. And from whence floweth this? OnelyOnly from hence; That in their conſciences, they hauehave neuer felt merciemercy, they hauehave neuer taſted of the louelove, fauour, and ſweetnes of God. For, looke hovv faſt the conſcience flieth from GOD, before it gette the taſte of his ſweetneſſe; it runneth as diligently to him, and threatneth louelove on him, after that it hath gotten that taſte.

So, they, miſerable men, content themſelues with this generall faith, which is no other thing but an hiſtoricall faith, which groundeth onelyonly on the truth of GOD; whereby I knowe, that the promiſes of God, are true. But the Papiſts dare not come, and ſay, They are true in mee. Why? Becauſe they hauehave not felt it; and their harts are not opened. But our iuſtifying faith, as I told you, conſecrateth the whole ſoule, vntounto the obedience of God, in Chriſt.

So that it reſteth not onelyonly vponupon the truth of GOD, nor it reſteth not onelyonly vponupon the power of God, (though theſe be two chiefe pillars of our faith alſo) p. 132but eſpecially, and chiefely, it reſteth vponupon the mercy of God, in Chriſt. It reſteth alſo, vponupon the truth, and power of God; but eſpecially, vponupon the promiſe of grace, and mercy in Chriſt. The ſoule of the Papiſt, beeing deſtitute of the feeling and taſte of mercy, dare not enter into this particular application, & ſo he cannot be iuſtified. Yea, no doubt, ſo many of them, as are iuſtified in the mercy of God, get a taſte of this mercy & kindneſſe, before they depart this life. Thus farre concerning the effects.

Then yee hauehave onelyonly this to remember; The opening of the hart, the pacifying & quieting of the conſcience, they worke an aſſurance & a ſtrong perſwaſion of the mercy of God, in Chriſt. The more that the hart is opened, the more that the conſcience is pacified, the more that the taſte of that ſweetnes continueth, and remaineth, the more art thou aſſured of Gods mercy. So then, wouldeſt thou knowe whether thy faith be ſtrong, or not, vvhether thy perſwaſion of Gods mercy be ſure, or not? Looke to thy conſcience.

If thy conſcience be wounded, aſſuredly thou vvilt doubt: and if thou doubteſt, thou canſt not hauehave ſuch a ſtrong perſwaſion, as otherwiſe thou wouldeſt hauehave, if thy doubting were remooued. Not, that I will hauehave faith to be ſo perfect in this life, that there be alwaies no doubting ioyned with it; I require not that perfection: but, I ſay, that a wounded conſcience muſt euer doubt; and the more wee doubt, the leſſe is our perſwaſion. So, the more that thou woundeſt thy conſcience, the leſſe faith thou haſt. Then thou muſt come to this poynt; Keepe a ſound conſcience; entertaine peace in thy conſcience; & thou ſhalt keepe faith, and ſhalt hauehave thy perſwaſion in that ſame meaſure, that thou haſt of reſt and peace in thy conſcience: and the more that thy conſcience is at peace and reſt, the greater ſhal thy faith and perſwaſion be.

So, this ground is certaine; A doubting conſcience, cauſeth a weake faith; and the more the doubting in thy conſcience is, the weaker is thy faith. Then true it is, that the Apoſtle faith, That p. 133faith dwelleth in a good conſcience; that faith is locked, and cloſed vp in a good conſcience. So that if yee keepe a good conſcience, ye ſhall keepe a ſtrong faith: and if yee wound your conſciences, yee ſhall wound your faith.

Novv, to make this more ſenſible; How can I be perſwaded of his merciemercy, whoſe anger I feele kindled againſt me; and againſt whom, my conſcience ſheweth me, that I am guilty of many offences. No queſtion, ſo long as the ſenſe of his anger, & feeling of my offences remaineth, I cannot hauehave a ſure perſwaſion, that hee will be mercifull vntounto mee: but, when I get acceſſe vntounto his preſence, and a ſight that hee hath forgiuen mee, then I begin to be ſurely perſwaded. So then, keepe a good conſcience, and thou ſhall keepe faith; and the better that thy conſcience is, the ſurer vvill thy faith be.

Then, Exhortation.the whole exhortation that we gather from this point, dependeth vponupon this; That eueryevery one of you, in vvhat rank ſoeuer ye be, take heed vntounto your conſciences: for loſing it, yee loſe faith; and loſing faith, yee loſe ſaluation. Are ye in the ranke of great, and rich men? yee ought to take heed vntounto your conſciences: eſpecially, in reſpect that the Lord hath placed you in a higher calling. Ye hauehave many things wherein yee ought to controle your conſciences; ye ought to craue the aduiſe of your conſciences, before yee attempt any great worke, in reſpect that yee are bound in manifold duties to God, & to your inferioure.

And no doubt, if ſome great men had aduiſed well with their conſciences, ſuch diſſolutions had not fallen out in their owne houſes, ſuch oppreſsions of the poor, deadly feudes with men of their own rank, would not hauehave burſt forth in ſo high a meaſure. But the Lord, ſeeing them take ſo little care vntounto their conſciences, depriueth them of faith, and of the hope of mercy; and their end will be miſerable. Yee ſhall ſee, that the GOD of heauen, will make thoſe who liue ſo diſſolutely, ſpectacles of his iudgements vntounto the world; for, the Lord leaueth not ſuch men vnpuniſhed.

p. 134By their examples, it vvere very neceſſarie, that men of inferiour ranke ſhould take heede vntounto their conſciences: and therefore, iet eueryevery man, according vntounto his calling, examine his calling, by the rule of his conſcience.

Let the Iudges, before they giuegive, and pronounce foorth Iudgement, aduiſe vvith their conſciences, & the lavv thereof; and in Iudgement, not to follow their affections, but to follow the rule of their conſciences. Likevviſe, they that are of inferiour degree vntounto Iudges, let them controle their dooings, by their conſciences; and giuegive not the poore ſubiects iuſt cauſe to complaine on them. Let them not terrifie them, from the pleading of Iuſtice, by exorbitant prices, and extraordinarie kinde of dealings: but let them moderate all their actions ſo, that they agree vvith the rule of their conſciences; that ſo far as in them lyeth, Iuſtice ceaſe not. Likewiſe the Merchants; let not them looke ſo much, to this, or that, as to the conſcience that is in them; what in conſcience they may doe, according vntounto the meaſure of knowledge, that GOD hath placed in them; and whatſoeuer they doe, let them beware that they doe not againſt their knowledge.

I grant their knowledge, will not be ſo learned as it ſhould be; and this maketh many deformed actions: yet, let no man doe againſt his knowledge; but let eueryevery man doe, according vntounto the meaſure of knowledge wherewith God hath indued him. And, though it be not well reformed, yet do not any thing by gueſſe, but aduiſe well with thy conſcience, and follow thy knowledge: for, that which is done doubtingly, is ſinne. So, whatſoeuer thou dooſt, let not thy eye, thy hand, nor any member of thy body, doe againſt thy knowledge: for this is a ſteppe to that high ſinne againſt the holie Ghoſt.

This is the ready way to put all knowledge out of your mindes: for if men do againſt knowledge, and continue in doing againſt knowledge; at the laſt, they will become a maſſe of darkneſſe, the Lord will ſcrape out all knowledge out p. 135of their mindes, and all feeling of mercy out of their harts. Therefore let eueryevery man follow his knowledge: and according to the meaſure of his knovvledge, let his actions proceed.

It hath pleaſed the Lord, Faith is the free gift of God.to poure this liquor, this precious ointment into vsus: though we be earthly, and fraile veſſels, miſerable creatures, yet it hath pleaſed our gracious God, to poure ſuch a precious liquour into our harts and minds; and to credit ſuch a Iewell in our keeping, that by vertue thereof, wee may take hold on Chriſt; who is our iuſtice, our wiſedome, ſanctification, & redemption.

Though vvee be miſerable creatures, yet the Lord of his mercy hath a reſpect to vsus, in Chriſt, in giuing vsus this precious liquour, whereby our ſoules may be ſeaſoned to life euerlaſting. In this, that he poures it into our harts, we ſee cleerly, that it growes not in our harts, nor breedes not in our nature. No, this gift of faith, is not at mans commaund, nor vnderunder his arbitrement, as if it were in his power, to belieue, or not to belieue, as hee pleaſeth. It is the gift of God, poured downe freely, of his vndeſerued grace, in the riches of his merciemercy in Chriſt. That it is a gift, yee ſee clearlie, 1. Cor. 12.9. vvhere the Apoſtle ſaith; And to another, is giuen faith by the ſame ſpirit. As alſo, Philip. 1.29. For, vntounto you it is giuen for Chriſt, that not onelyonly yee ſhould belieue in him, but alſo ſuffer for his ſake. So faith is the gift of the holie Spirit: and this gift is not giuen to all men and women, as the Apoſtle plainly declareth; All hauehave not faith.

This gift, though it be giuen, it is not giuen to all, but is onelyonly giuen to the Elect: that is, to ſo many as the Lord hath appointed to life euerlaſting. This gift, where-euer it is, and in what hart ſoeuer it be, it is neuer idle, but perpetuallie working; and working well, by louelove, and charitie, as the Apoſtle affirmeth, Galat. 5.6. This gift, vvhere-euer it is, is not dead, but quick, and liuely, as the Apoſtle Iames teſtifieth, in his ſecond chapter.

And, to let you knowe whether it be liuely, and working, or not, there is no p. 136better meanes, then to looke vntounto the fruites, and effects that flowe from it. And therefore, that yee, by your owne effects, may be the more aſſured of the goodneſſe of your faith, I will giuegive you three ſpeciall effects to obſerue, by the which yee may iudge of the goodneſs of your faith.

Firſt, looke to thy hart, Certaine effects, whereby we may know if wee hauehave faith.and caſt thine eye on it: If thou haſt a deſire to pray, a deſire to craue mercy for thy ſinnes, to call vponupon Gods holy Name for mercy and grace: if there be ſuch a thing in thy hart, as a deſire to pray, if thy hart be inclined, and hath a thirſt to ſeeke after merciemercy, and grace; though the greateſt part of thine hart repine, & would drawe thee from prayer, yet aſſuredly, that deſire, that thou haſt in any meaſure to praier, is the true effect of the right faith. If thou hauehave a hart to pray to GOD, though this deſire be but ſlender, aſſure thy ſelfe, thy ſoule hath life: for prayer is the life of the ſoule, and maketh thy faith liuelie. And why? Prayer is Gods ovvne gift; it is no gift of ours; for if it vvere ours, it vvould bee euill: but it is the beſt gift, that euer God gaue man; and ſo it muſt bee the gift of his owne holy Spirit; and beeing his owne gift, it muſt make our faith liuely. Without this, thou art not able, nor thou dareſt not call vponupon him, in whom thou belieueſt not, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 10.14. For if I intreat him by prayer, I muſt truſt in him. Then prayer is a certaine argument of iuſtifying faith, and beliefe in GOD: for I cannot ſpeake to him, much leſſe pray to him, in whom I truſt not. And though the hart be not fully reſolued, and well diſpoſed, yet if there be any part of the heart that inclineth to prayer, it is a ſure gage, that that part belieueth.

The ſecond effect, wherby thou ſhalt knowe, whether faith be in thee, or not, is this: Obſerue, & aduiſe with thy ſelfe, if thy hart can be content to renounce thy rancour, to forgiue thy grudges, and that freely, for Gods cauſe. Canſt thou doe this? And vvilt thou forgiue thy neighbour, as freely as God hath forgiuen thee? Aſſuredly, this is an effect of the right ſpirit; for Nature could neuer p. 137giuegive that. There is nothing wherevnto Nature bendeth it ſelfe more, then to rancour, and enuy; and there is nothing, wherein Nature placeth her honour more greedily, then in priuy reuenge.

Now, if thy heart bee ſo tamed and brought downe, that it will vvillinglie forgiue the iniurie, for Gods cauſe, this is the effect of the right ſpirit. This is not my ſaying, it is the ſaying of Chriſt himſelfe, in the Euangeliſt Math. 6.14. where hee thus ſpeaketh; If yee doe forgiue men their treſpaſſes, your heauenly Father vvill alſo forgiue you. And in the fifteenth verſe, But if yee doe not forgiue men, their treſpaſſes, no more will your heauenly Father forgiue you your treſpaſſes.

So that Chriſt ſaith, Hee that forgiueth wrongs, ſhall hauehave wrongs forgiuen him: but hee that will reuenge his wrongs, wrong ſhall be reuenged vponupon him. Therefore, as thou wouldeſt bee ſpared of thy wrongs done vntounto the mightie GOD, ſpare thou thy neighbour. I will not inſiſt; examine vvhether yee hauehave faith, or not; examine it by prayer, examine it by the diſcharge of your owne priuie grudges: for, if yee want theſe effects, a hart full of rancor, a hart voide of prayer, is a hart faithleſs, and meet for hell.

The third effect of faith, is compaſsion. Thou muſt bow thy hart, & extend thy pitty, vntounto the poore members of Chriſt his body, and ſuffer them not to want, if thou hauehave: for, except yee hauehave this compaſsion, yee hauehave no faith. Examine your ſelues, by theſe three effects; and if yee finde theſe in any meaſure, though neuer ſo ſmall, you hauehave the right faith in your harts; the faith that ye hauehave, is true, and liuely: and aſſuredlie, GOD vvill be mercifull vntounto you.

This faith of ours, Our faith muſt be cō tinually nouriſhed, becauſe it is ioyned with doubting.though it be liuely, yet it is not perfect in this world; but eueryevery day, & eueryevery houre, it needeth a continuall augmentation, it craueth euer to be nouriſhed: for the which increaſe, the Apoſtles thēſelues, Luk. 17.5. ſaid, Lord increaſe our faith. And Chriſt himſelfe, commandeth vsus to pray, and ſay, Lord p. 138increaſe our faith: I belieue, Lord help my vnbeliefe. Then by Chriſt his own commaund, we plainly ſee, that this faith needeth continually to be nouriſhed, & helped; and it cannot be helped, but by prayer: therefore ſhould we alwaies continue in prayer. That this faith ſhould be helped; and that we ſhould be perpetually vponupon our guarde, in feare & trembling, to get it augmented, the terrible doubtings, the wonderfull pits of deſperation, into the vvhichwhich the deareſt ſeruants of GOD are caſt, doe dailie teach. For the beſt ſeruaunts of GOD, are exerciſed with terrible doubtings in their ſoules, with wonderfull ſtammerings; and they ſhal be brought at ſome times, as appeares in their owne iudgement, to the very brinke of deſperation. Theſe doubtings, & ſtammerings, lets vsus ſee, that this faith of ours, would be perpetually nouriſhed; and that wee hauehave need continually to pray for the increaſe of it. It pleaſeth the Lord at ſomtimes to let his ſeruaunts hauehave a ſight of them-ſelues, to caſt them dovvne, and to let them ſee how vgly ſinne is: It pleaſeth him to let them fall, into the bitterneſſe of ſinne; And to what end? Not that hee will deuoure them, and ſuffer them to be ſwallowed vp of deſtruction.

Though Hezekiah cryeth out, That like an hungry Lyon, the Lord is like to deuoure him, and bruiſe him in pceces; yet the Lord ſuffers him not to deſpaire. And though Dauid cry, I cannot away with this conſuming fire; I cannot endure the fire of the Lords Ielouſie; yet hee deſpaireth not. But the Lord caſteth his ſeruants very lowe. To what end? To the end that they may feele in their harts, & conſciences, what Chriſt ſuffered for them on the Croſſe, in ſoule and body. Yea, we would think, that there had been plaine colluſion, betwixt the Father, and the Sonne, & that his ſufferings had been no ſuffering, except we felt in our ſoules, in ſome meaſure, the hell vvhichwhich hee ſuſtained in full meaſure.

So, to the end that wee might cleerly vnderſtand the bitterneſſe of ſinne, that vvee might knovve how farre wee are p. 139indebted to Chriſt, who ſuffered ſuch torments for our ſinnes, and that vvee may be the more able to thank him, and to praiſe his holie Name, hee ſuffers his owne ſeruants to doubt, but not to deſpaire; hee forgiues their doubtings, he forgiues their ſtammerings, and in his owne time, hee ſupports them, & brings vsus vntounto the waters of life.

Theſe doubtings, Doubting and faith may lodge in one ſoule.as I hauehave often ſaid, may lodge in one ſoule, with faith; for doubting, and faith, are not directlie oppoſite: onelyonly faith, and deſpayre are oppoſite; and therefore, faith, and deſpaire, cannot both lodge in one ſoule. For, deſpaire ouerthroweth the pillars of hope; and where there is no hope, there can be no faith. But as for doubting, it may lodge, it vvill lodge, and hath lodged, in the ſoules of the beſt ſeruaunts that euer God had. Mark the ſpeech of the Apoſtle, Wee are alwaies in doubt, ſaith hee, but wee deſpaire not. So doubting, and faith, may lodge in one ſoule.

And from whence floweth this doubting? VVee knowe, that in the regenerate man, there is a remnant, corruption: for we hauehave not our heauen in this earth; though wee beginne our heauen heere, yet we get it not fully heere. And if all corruption vvere avvay, vvhat ſhould there vvant of a full heauen heere? So, it is onelyonly begunne in this life, and not perfected: therefore, there remaines in the ſoule, a great corruption, which is neuer idle, but continually occupied.

This corruption, is euer bringing foorth the birth of finne, more, or leſſe; eueryevery ſinne hurts the conſcience: a hurt conſcience impaireth the perſwaſion, and ſo comes in the doubting. For, there is not a ſinne that we commit, but it baniſheth light, and caſteth a myſt ouer the eye of our faith, whereby wee doubt, and ſtagger in our ſight: and were it not, that the Lord in his mercy taketh vsus vp, giueth vsus the gift of repentance, and maketh vsus eueryevery day, as oft as wee ſinne, to cry as oft for mercy, and ſo to repaire the loſſe that wee hauehave of faith, to repayre the loſſe that vvee hauehave of the feeling of merciemercy, we would p. 140wholly put out that ſame light. But it pleaſeth the Lord, though wee be eueryevery day ſinning, to giuegive vsus the gift of repentance; and by repentance, to repaire our faith; to repaire the ſenſe, and feeling of merciemercy in vsus, and to put vsus in that ſame ſtate of perſwaſion wherein wee were before. Therefore, if GOD beginne not, continue not, and end not with merciemercy, in that very moment that hee abſtracts his mercy from vsus, wee will decay. So wee muſt be diligent, in calling for mercy; wee muſt be inſtant continually, in ſeeking to hauehave a feeling of merciemercy. Thus much for the doubting.

Novv, howſoeuer it be ſure and certaine, A doubting and weake faith, is faith, & ſhal neuer decay.that the faith of the beſt children of GOD, is often ſubiect to doubting; yet it is as ſure and certaine, that it is neuer wholly extinct: albeit it were neuer ſo vveake, yet it ſhall neuer vtterlie decay, and periſh out of the hart, wherein it once maketh reſidence. This comfort & conſolation, the Spirit of God hath ſette downe in his vvord, to ſupport the troubled hart; That hovvſoeuer faith be weake, yet a weake faith is faith: and where that faith is, there will euer be merciemercy.

Yee hauehave in Romans 11.29. that The gifts, and calling of GOD, are vvithout repentance. But among all his gifts, that are of this ſort, faith is one of the chiefeſt: therefore it cannot be reuoked againe.

Yee hauehave in Iude 3. That faith vvas once giuen vntounto the Saints. Once giuen, that is, conſtantly giuen, neuer to be changed, nor vtterly taken from them. The Lord will not repent him of this gift: but the ſoule which he hath loued once, he will louelove perpetually.

It is true and certaine, that the ſparkles of faith, which are kindled in the hart, by the Spirit of GOD, may be obſcured & ſmothered for a long time; they may be couered with the aſhes of our owne corruption, and with our own ill deedes, and wickednes, into which we daily fall. It is true, that the effects of a liuely faith will be interrupted, and that thy luſts and affections will preuaile for a long time: ſo that when thou lookeſt p. 141on thy ſelfe, vponupon the Iudgements of God, that hang ouer thy ſoule and body, and when thou lookeſt vponupon thy diſſolute life, and on the anger of God, againſt this diſſolute life: In the minde, in the hart, and conſcience of him, that hath ſo ſmothered, and oppreſſed his faith, it will oft times come to paſſe, in his owne iudgement, hauing his eyes fixed on himſelfe onelyonly, that hee vvill thinke himſelfe to be a reprobate, to be an out-caſt, and neuer able to recouer mercy.

Where this corruption burſteth forth in this groſſe maner, after that the Lord hath called thee; looke how ſoone the Lord beginneth to vvaken thee againe, incontinent, thou fixeſt thine eyes vponupon thine owne life, and entreſt into a deepe conſideration, as well of the weight of thy ſinne, as of the weight of the wrath of GOD, which thou ſeeſt following thereupon, and art loath to remit theſe cogitations, to thinke vponupon the deepeneſſe of the merciemercy of God.

Reſting on theſe conſiderations, it cannot but come to paſſe, that in thine owne iudgement, thou art an out-caſt. And yet GOD forbidde it were ſo; for though theſe ſparks of the Spirit, be couered by the corruption that is vvithin thy ſoule, yet theſe ſparkles are not wholly put out.

And to let you ſee that they are not extinguiſhed, The ſparkles of faith though they be ſmothered, they are not wholly put out, nor are idle.though they break not forth in the outward effects, that the world may knowe thee to be a faithfull man, as heeretofore; yet theſe ſparkles are not idle, and thou ſhall finde them not to be idle in thee. As for confirmation of my Argument, that howſoeuer our bodies are let looſe to all diſſolution, after our effectuall calling within vsus in our ſoules: that yet the ſparkles are not idle; ye ſee, that though the fire be couered with the aſhes, yet it is a fire: there is no man will ſay, that the fire is put out, though it be couered. No more is faith put out of the ſoule, though it be ſo couered, that it neither giuegive heat, …or light outwardly.

An example of this, we hauehave cleerely in the Prophet Dauid, after his lamentation, in that Pſalme of Repentance, p. 142Pſalme 51.11. hee prayeth to GOD in theſe words, Caſt me not away from thy preſence. And what addeth he? And take not thy holy Spirit from mee. Had he not loſt the Spirit, by his adultery and murther? No: for he would not hauehave ſaid then, Take it not from mee: But, Reſtore it to mee.

It is true, that he vſeth the like in the verſe following, Reſtore mee to the ioy of thy ſaluation. Not that hee wanted the ſpirit wholly; but that the ſpirit lacked force in him, and needed ſtrengthening and fortification: it would be ſtirred vp, that the flame of it might appear. Therfore I ſay, in that Dauid ſpeaketh ſo plainely, after his adultery and murther, Take not that Spirit from mee; it is a certaine argument, that the faithfull hauehave neuer the ſpirit of God alwaies taken from them, in their greateſt diſſolutions. The ſecond point is this: How proue I that theſe ſparkles are not idle, though the outward effects be interrupted? As Dauid felt this in his conſcience, ſo eueryevery one of you, may feele it in your owne conſciences.

The Spirit of God, in mans hart, can not be idle; but theſe ſparkles, during the time that the body is let looſe to all diſſolutions, theſe ſparkles are accuſing thy diſſolution, are finding fault vvith thy manners: theſe ſparkles, ſuffer thee not to take the pleaſure of thy bodie, without great bitterneſſe, and continuall remorſe. And theſe ſparkles, where they are, will make the ſoule vvherein they dwell, to vtter theſe ſpeeches at one time or other, once in the twenty-foure houres; Alas, I am dooing the euill, vvhichwhich I vvould not doe, if I had power or ſtrength to reſiſt my affection: and if I might be maiſter of my affections, I would not for all the world, doe the euill which I doe. Againe, if I had power, to doe the good vvhichwhich I vvould doe, I vvould not leaue it vndone for all the vvorld.

So, theſe ſparkles, though they hauehave not ſuch force and ſtrength preſentlie, a… to reſiſt the affection, and abſtaine from dooing euill deedes, yet perpetually in the hart, they are finding fault with thy corruption, and ſuffer thee not to take p. 143thy pleaſure without paine: but laſt of all, force thee to vtter theſe ſpeeches; If I had ſtrength to reſiſt, I vvould not doe the euill vvhichwhich I doe. Where theſe ſpeeches are, no queſtion they are the words of a ſoule vvhichwhich the Lord hath begunne to ſanctifie: and beeing once ſanctified, in deſpight of the diuell, and of the corruption that is in vsus, this faith ſhall neuer periſh: but if the whole ſoule, without contradiction, vvith a greedie appetite and pleaſure, be carried to euill, and hath no ſorrow for it, that ſoule is in an ill eſtate; I can looke for nothing in ſuch a ſoule, but death, except the Lord of his great mercy preuent it.

But where this remorſe, and ſorrow, and ſuch ſpeeches are in the ſoule; that ſoule, in the time that God hath appointed, ſhall recouer ſtrength. The Lord ſhall neuer ſuffer thoſe ſparkles to bee vvholly taken away; but in his own time he ſhall fortifie them, and make them to breake out before the world, in good works. The Lord, in his owne time, will ſanctifie them, hee will ſcatter the aſhes of corruption, ſtirre vp the ſparkles, & make them to breake out into a better life then euer they did before; as ye may cleerely ſee, that Dauids repentance hath done more good to the Church of God, then if hee had neuer fallen. Thus far concerning the effects.

Though the effects of repentance bee interrupted, Similitudes, ſhewing that the ſparkles of faith, thogh they be couered, are not extinguiſhed.yet thoſe ſparkles are not extinguiſhed. For, there is no man will thinke, that the fire, vvhichwhich is couered with aſhes, is extinguiſhed; but beeing ſtirred vp in the morning, it will burne as cleerely, as it did the night before. There is no man wil think, the trees, that now in the time of Winter want leaues, fruit, and externall beauty, to be dead. There is no man will thinke, the Sunne to be out of the firmament, though it be ouerſhadowed with a clowd of darknes and miſt. There is great difference between a ſleeping diſeaſe, and death: for men are not dead, though they be ſleeping; and yet there is nothing liker vntounto death, then ſleep. As there is great difference betwixt a drunken man, and a dead man; ſo there is great odds, betwixt the faith that lieth hid for awhile, & vttereth p. 144not it ſelfe, and the light that is vtterly put out.

When we breake not forth into outvvard deedes, GOD forbid that vvee ſhold think, that theſe ſparkles are wholly extinguiſhed. Indeed, the ſoule which is viſited, after foule and heinous backſlidings from his calling, and againſt his knowledge, before this foule recouer the former beautie, it is in a ſtrange danger. For if the Lord ſuffer thy corruption to get looſe, in ſuch ſort, that it cary thee, as it will, and by all meanes poſsible, maketh thee to labour, to put out the ſparkles of regeneration; vvhen the Lord beginnes to challenge thee, or to make thee render an account of this life paſt, the ſoule of that man, when it is challenged, is in great danger.

So that, no queſtion, when the Lord beginnes to lay to your charge, your diſſolute life, the contempt and abuſe of your calling: aſſuredly, your ſoules are ſo neere to the brinke of deſperation, that there can be nothing neerer. For, vvilt thou looke to GOD? thou vvilt ſee nothing, but his anger kindled, as a fire againſt thee: wilt thou looke to thy ſelfe, thou wilt ſee nothing but ſinne prouoking his anger: thou wilt ſee the contempt, and abuſe of thy calling, enlarging his anger; thou wilt ſee nothing but matter of deſpaire.

And what is the beſt pillar, and ſureſt retreat, whereupon ſuch a ſoule, that is ſo neere to the brinke of deſperation, may repoſe? A ſure retreat, to repoſe on in higheſt tentations.I will ſhew you the helpe whereupon. When thou art aſſaulted, by all the greateſt tentations thou canſt imagine; when there is nothing before thee but death; when thou ſeeſt the diuill accuſing thee, thine own conſcience bearing him witnes againſt thee, thy life accuſing thee, and the abuſe of thy calling accuſing thee: whither ſhalt thou goe? Looke back againe to thy forepaſt experience, caſt ouer thy memorie, and remember, if God at any time, and in any meaſure, hath loued thee; if euer thou haſt felt the louelove and fauour of GOD in thy hart and conſcience. Remember if euer the Lord hath ſo diſpoſed thy hart, that as hee loued thee, thou louedſt him, & hadſt a deſire to obtaine p. 145him. Remember this, and repoſe thine aſſurance on this, that as hee loued thee once, he will louelove thee euer, and will aſſuredly reſtore thee to that louelove, before thou departeſt this life. The hart that felt once this louelove of God, ſhall feele it againe: and looke vvhat gift, or grace, or what taſte of the power of the world to come, that euer the Lord gaue to his creatures in this life, to that ſame degree of mercy, hee ſhall reſtore his creature, before it depart this life.

So the ſoule that is toſſed with high aſſaults, and great dangers; where preſent things will not helpe, it is neceſſary, that it hauehave recourſe vntounto things paſt, and keepe in memory the afore-paſt experience of mercy, which the Lord hath freely ſhewed towards that ſoule. This ſame memory ſhall be ſo pleaſant to the ſoule, that it ſhall ſtay it preſently from deſperation, and vphold it vntounto the time the Lord pacifie that hart, & giuegive comfort to that ſoule: which beeing done, that ſoule ſhall ſee, that hovv-ſoeuer GOD was angry, hee was angry onelyonly for awhile.

I ſpeake theſe things, not that I think that eueryevery one of you hath taſted of them; and yet in ſome meaſure, the ſeruaunts of GOD muſt taſte of them: and yee that hauehave not taſted of them, may taſte of them before yee die. And therefore, whether ye hauehave taſted, or not taſted of them, it cannot be but profitable for you, to look vp this leſſon in your harts, and remember it faithfully, that if the Lord at any time ſtrike at your harts, yee may remember, and ſay with your ſelues, I learned a leſſon, To looke backe vntounto my fore-paſt experience, A leſſon.and thereon to repoſe.

And though yee be not touched preſently your ſelues, yet when yee viſite them that are troubled in conſcience, let theſe things be propoſed to them as cō forts; and vſe them as medicines moſt meet to apply to the griefe of the inward conſcience, & ſo ye ſhal reape fruit of this doctrine, and poſſeſſe your ſoules in a good eſtate. Thus farre for the firſt poynt, vvherein eueryevery one of you ought to try and examine your ovvne conſciences.

p. 146The ſecond point is this, Of louelove, which is the ſecōd point of our triall.Try vvhether yee hauehave louelove towards your neighbour, or not. For as we are coupled with God, by faith; ſo by the band of louelove, we are coupled with our neighbour; and if yee want louelove, yee can hauehave no ſocietie with your neighbour: for, louelove is the chiefe & principall branch, that ſprings from the root of faith. LoueLove is that celeſtiall glew, that conioynes all the faithfull members, in the vnity of a myſticall body. And ſeeing that religion was inſtituted of God, to ſerue as a path-way, to conuey vsus to our chiefe felicity: and happy we cannot be, except wee be like vntounto our GOD; like vntounto him we can not be, except we hauehave louelove (For, as it is 1. Iohn 4.8. GOD is louelove.) So, ſeeing God is louelove it ſelfe, who-ſoeuer will reſemble him, muſt be indued vvith the oyle of louelove. This onelyonly one argument, teſtifieth to vsus, that this louelove is a principall head, vvhereunto, all things that are commaunded in religion, ought to be referred.

To ſpend long time in the praiſe of louelove, I hold it not neceſſarie, ſeeing the holy Scripture reſounds, in blaſing the commendations of it: but that we ſpeak not of any thing ambiguous, I will let you ſee, how this word is conſidered, & taken in the Scriptures. How the word louelove is taken in the Scriptures.LoueLove is conſidered, either as a ſpring or fountaine, from whence the reſt proceedes; that is, for the louelove, whereby we louelove God. And as louelove commeth firſt from God, and is poured by his holy Spirit into our harts: So it firſt redownds vpward, and ſtrikes backe vponupon himſelfe: for the louelove of GOD, muſt euer goe before the louelove of the creature.

Next, we take this word, for that louelove whereby wee louelove Gods creatures, our neighbours; and eſpecially them that are of the family of faith. And thirdly, It is taken for the deeds of the ſecond Table, which flowe from this louelove.

Now, when I ſpeake of louelove, I ſpeake of it, as in the ſecond ſignification; to wit, as it is taken for the louelove of our neighbour. The definitiō of louelove.And taking it ſo, I call louelove The gift of God, poured into the harts of men and women: by the which gift, we firſt louelove God, in Chriſt our Sauiour; p. 147and next, in God, & for Gods cauſe, we louelove all his creatures, but chiefly our bretheren, that are of the family of faith, the children of one common father with vsus. Wee will examine this definition; I ſay, Of our louelove toward God.firſt the louelove of God, as it commeth frō GOD, it returneth to God; as it comes downe from him, ſo it ſtrikes vpward to him againe. And is it not good reaſon? And why? Let thy hart fix thy louelove as long as thou wilt vponupon the creatures, thou ſhalt neuer be ſatiate, nor thy affection ſhall neuer be content, except thou lay hold on God: but if once thou louelove God in thy hart, and caſt thy affections vponupon him, & once takeſt hold on him, the longer thou loueſt him, the greater ſatietie and contentment ſhalt thou hauehave; thou ſhalt not thirſt for any other. For, as to the creatures, there is neuer a creature that God hath created, but it is ſtamped with his owne ſtamp, & eueryevery creature beareth his Image: and looking to the Image of God in the creature, ſhould it not draw thee to him, that thou fix not thy hart vponupon the creature? for his owne Image, in his creature, ſhould lead thee to himſelfe. And therefore, the more that thou knoweſt the creatures, and the greater varietie of knowledge that thou haſt of them, the more ſhold eueryevery particular knowledge of them, draw thee to God: & the more ſhouldeſt thou wonder at thy God, and knowe thy duty towards him. And, ſeeing that delight flovveth from knowledge, & eueryevery knowledge hath his owne delight; as the variety of knowledge, that ariſeth from the creatures, ſhould make the minde to mount vp, to the knowledge of God: ſo the variety of delights, that ariſe vponupon the diuerſitie of this knowledge, ſhould moue the hart vpward, to the louelove of God: and the hart getting hold of God, and beeing ſeiſed with the louelove of God, and the minde being occupied with the true knowledge of God; ſo ſoone as hart and mind is full of God, the hart is quiet, and the minde is ſatisfied. So that, the more this knowledge groweth in thy minde, the greater contentment thou haſt; and the more the louelove of God groweth in thy hart, the greater ioy & reioycing haſt thou in thy p. 148ſoule. And why? In God ye hauehave not only all the creatures, but ye hauehave himſelfe, beſides the creatures: and therefore, in God, ye hauehave all the knowledge and delight, that can ariſe of the creatures; and beſide the creatures, yee hauehave God himſelfe, vvho is the Creator. And ſo I ſay, The mind of man, can neuer quiet it ſelfe in the knowledge, nor the hart can neuer ſettle it ſelfe in the louelove of naked creatures; in reſpect they are flowing, & vanity, as Salomon calls them: But in the infinite God, rightly known, and earneſtly loued, the mind ſhal finde a ful reſt, and the hart ſhall hauehave a perfect ioy. For our affection is ſo inſatiable, that no finite thing thing will ſatisfie it; nor there can be no ſolide ſettling vponupon the thing that is tranſitory. So, the louelove ought to moūt vpward, firſt to God; in whoſe face, the hart ſhal find full and perfect ioy.

The ſecond Argument that I vſe, is this; Seeing there is onelyonly one precept left by our Maſter, in recommendation to be obſerued by vsus; namely, Of louelove towards our neighbour.That eueryevery one of vsus ſhould louelove another: therefore our wiſe Maſter, vnderſtanding wel, that where louelove vvas, there needed no more lawes: that the life of man, by louelove onelyonly, behooued to be moſt happy; left onelyonly the ſame, in chiefe recommendation, and takes vp the whole Law & Goſpel, in one word, LoueLove. And if the hart of man were indued with louelove, his life might be moſt happy, and bleſſed: for, there is nothing maketh this life happy, but the reſemblance, and likelihood that we hauehave with God. The neerer we drawe to God, the more bleſſed is our life; for there cannot be ſo happy a life, as the life of God. In the firſt Epiſt. of Iohn, 4.8. God is louelove: therefore, the more we are in louelove, the more neer we are to that happy life: for we are in God, & partakers of the life of God. When I ſpeake this, yee muſt not thinke, that louelove in God, and louelove in vsus, is one thing: for, louelove is but a quality in vsus, and it is not a quality in God. There is nothing in God, but that which is God; ſo louelove in God, is his owne eſſence: therfore, the more that ye grow in louelove, the neerer ye draw to God, & to that happy, & bleſſed life. For there is nothing more profitable, more agreeable, and cōuenient vntounto nature, then to louelove; and aboue all things, to louelove God. And p. 149therefore it is, that God, & his Angels, are moſt happy & bleſſed, becauſe they louelove all things, & deſire euer to do good. On the other ſide, there is nothing more vnhappy, nothing more noyſome, more hurtfull, and that eates vp nature more, then to burn with enuy and hatred: and therfore it is that the diuells are moſt miſerable, who torment themſelues vvith continuall malice and hatred; burning with a vehement appetite, to be noyſom to all creatures. So, as the life of the diuel is moſt vnhappy, becauſe he is full of enuy & malice; ſo our life wil be moſt happy, if we be full of louelove. I will no further ſpeake of louelove: OnelyOnly, if yee hauehave louelove, mark the effects of it, ſet down, 1. Cor. 13.4.5.6.7. verſes, which effects, if ye hauehave not in ſome meaſure, yee hauehave not true louelove.

I end heer. Concluſion, with an exhortatiō.Ye ſee in what points eueryevery one of you ought to be prepared: Yee muſt be indued with this louelove; & ye muſt be indued with faith; & if ye hauehave theſe, in any ſmall meaſure, goe boldly to the hearing of the vvord, & to the receiuing of the Sacraments. This is the preparation that we allow of. I grant, the Papiſts hauehave a preparation, farre differing from this, and therfore they can hauehave no warrant from the word of God. Laſt of all, ſeeing that we are commanded to try our ſelues; He that lacketh knowledge, cannot try himſelfe; A mad man cannot try himſelfe; A child cannot try himſelfe; therfore they ought not to come to the Lords Table. All theſe things being conſidered aright, he that hath faith, & louelove, in any kinde of meaſure, let him come to the Table of the Lord: And all theſe things ſerue, as wel for the hearing of the vvord fruitfully, as for the receiuing of the Sacrament. Therefore, the Lord of his mercy illuminate your mindes, and work ſome meaſure of faith, and louelove in your harts, that yee may be partakers of that heauenly life, offered in the vvord, and Sacraments; that yee may beginne your heauen heere, and obtaine the full fruition of the life to come: and that in the righteous merits of Chriſt Ieſus. To whom, with the Father, and the holie Ghoſt, be all honour, praiſe, and glory, both now, and for euer, Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · Robert Bruce, The Mystery of the Lords Supper (1614)