The Mystery of the Lords Supper, Sermon 4

The Mystery of the Lords Supper · Sermon 4

p. 93THE FOVRTH 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.

THough the doctrine of our triall, and due examination (well-beloued in Chriſt Ieſus) ought to goe before the doctrine, and receiuing of the Sacrament: yet notwithſtanding, ſeeing that preparation is alwaies, at all times, as well neceſſary for the hearing of the ſimple word, as for the receiuing of the viſible Sacrament; (for no man can heare the word of God fruitfully, except in ſome meaſure he prepare his ſoule, and prepare the eares of his hart, how to hear) therefore the doctrine of preparation, and due examination, muſt come in it ovvne place, and be very neceſſary for cuery one of you. The Apoſtle, in the words vvhichwhich we hauehave read, deliuereth his counſaile, and giueth his aduiſe; and not onelyonly giues his aduiſe, but giues his admonition, and commaund, That we ſhould not come to the Table of the Lord, That we ſhould not come to the hearing of the word, raſhly: but that eueryevery one of vsus, ſhould come to this holy worke, with reuerence; that wee ſhould prepare, and ſanctifie our ſelues in ſome meaſure. And ſeeing we go vntounto the King of heauens Table, it becomes vsus to put on our beſt array. In a word, hee deliuereth the whole doctrine, and matter of this preparation, when he ſaith; Let eueryevery man, and let eueryevery woman, try and examine themſelues. As if he would ſay, Let eueryevery one of you, try and examine your ſoules. That is, try the eſtate of your owne harts, and condition of your owne conſciences. Marke and behold, in vvhat eſtate you heart is with GOD, and in what eſtate your conſcience is with your neighbour.

He bids not your neighbour to try you, hee bids not your companion to try your hart; but he biddes your ſelfe, in perſon, to try your owne conſcience; hee biddes p. 94your ſelfe, try your owne hart; becauſe none can be certaine of the eſtate of your hart, or of the condition of your conſcience, but your ſelfe.

Now, he excludes not others from the tryall of you neither (for it is lawfull for the Paſtor to try you) but others cannot try you ſo narrowly, as ye your ſelues may; for no man can know ſo much of mee, as I know of my ſelfe. No man can be certaine of the eſtate of your hart, and condition of your conſcience; & yet you your ſelues may be certaine of it. As for others, men may iudge of your hart, and conſcience, according to your works, and effects; and except your works & effects bee very wicked, and altogether vitious, we are bound in conſcience, to iudge charitably of your harts and conſciences. Therefore, there is none ſo meet to try the ſpirit of a man, to try the hart, or conſcience of a man, as is the man himſelfe.

Now, The heads to be intreated in this Sermons.that this tryall may be the better made, ye hauehave firſt to vnderſtand what it is that ye ſhould try: What ye call a conſcience, which the Apoſt. commands you to try. Next, ye are to conſider, for what reaſons & cauſes ye ſhold try your cōſciences.

Thirdly, and laſt of all; ye are to knowe in what chiefe points yee ſhould try, and examine your conſciences. Then, that wee ſpeake not vntounto you of things vnknowen, it is neceſſary for eueryevery one of you (ſeeing there is none of you that lacketh a conſcience) to vnderſtand what a conſcience is: and as neerely as GOD ſhall giuegive mee grace, I will bring you to the vnderſtanding, and knowledge of a conſcience.

I call a conſcience, Definition of conſcience, with the expoſition of the paits therof.a certaine feeling in the hart, reſembling the iudgement of the liuing GOD, following vponupon a deed done by vsus, flowing from a knowledge in the minde, accompanied with a certaine motion in the hart, to wit, feare, or ioy, trembling, or reioycing. Now, we will examine the parts of this definition. I call it firſt of all, a certaine feeling in the hart; for, the Lord hath left ſuch a ſtampe in the hart of eueryevery man, that he doth not that thing ſo ſecretly, nor ſo quietly, but hee makes his owne hart to ſmite him, and to ſtrike him: hee makes him to feele in his owne hart, whether he hath done well, or ill.

The Lord hath placed this feeling in the hart; why? Becauſe the eyes of God, looke not ſo much vponupon the outward countenance, p. 95and exterior behauiour, as vponupon the inward hart. For he ſaith to Samuel, in the firſt booke, 16.7. The Lord beholds the hart. So, 1. Chron. 28.9. hee ſaith to Salomon, The Lord ſearcheth all harts, and vnderſtands all imaginations, and thoughts. Alſo Ieremy 11.20. The Lord tries the reins and the hart. And the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 4.5. ſaith, The Lord ſhall lighten things that are hid in darknes, and make the counſels of the hart manifeſt. So, in reſpect that the Lord will chiefely hauehave to doe with the heart, therefore in the hart hee placeth this feeling, which is the chiefe part of conſcience.

I ſay next, that this feeling reſembleth the iudgement of God: for, this feeling was left, and placed in our ſoules for this end and purpoſe, that we might hauehave a domeſticall, and familiar iudgement within our ſelues, to reſemble, and deſcribe, the ſecret, and inuiſible iudgement of the high God; A particular iudgement, to goe before that generall iudgement, in that generall and great day, where eueryevery man ſhal be iuſtified, or condemned, according to the particular iudgement, that is within his owne conſcience. In the meane time, this conſcience is left in vsus, to arreſt vsus in this life; thereby, as it were, to eaſe the liuing God, at that laſt Iudgement. For the bookes of our own conſciences, in that laſt day ſhal be opened; & eueryevery man ſhal receiue, according to the report of the decree that is within his ovvne conſcience: therefore I ſay, that our conſcience reſembles the iudgement of GOD.

The third thing that I ſay, is this; It followeth vponupon a deed done by vsus: our conſcience, nor our hart ſtrikes vsus not, before the deede be done; our hart ſtrikes vsus not, before the euill deed be committed: no, it goes not before the deed; but the ſtroke of the conſcience, and feeling of the hart, followes immediatly vponupon the deed, in ſuch ſort, that the deed is no ſooner done by thee, but thy conſcience applyes it to thy ſelf, and giues out the ſentence againſt thy ſelfe: therefore, I ſay, It is a feeling, following vponupon a deede done by vsus.

And next I ſay, flowing from a knowledge in the minde; for except the conſcience hauehave information, and except the heart knovve, that the deede vvhichwhich is done, is euill; the hart, nor the conſcience can neuer count it to be euill: therefore p. 96knowledge muſt goe before the ſtroke of the conſcience: thy hart can neuer feele that to be euill, which thy minde knoweth not to be euill.

So, knowledge muſt euer goe before feeling, and according to the meaſure of thy knowledge, according to the nature, and qualitie of thy knowledge, accordingly ſhall the teſtimonie and ſtroke of thy conſcience be. For a light knowledge, a doubting, and vncertaine knowledge, makes a light, and ſmall ſtroke: as on the other part, a holy and ſolid knowledge, drawne out of the word of God, maketh a heauy ſtroke of the conſcience. So the conſcience muſt anſwere to the knovvledge. If we hauehave no other knowledge, but the knowledge which wee hauehave by nature, and by the light & ſparks which are left in nature, our conſcience will anſwer no further, but to that knowledge: but if beſide the light of nature, we hauehave a knowledge of God in his word, & a knowledge of God by his holy ſpirit, working in our harts; our coſciences wil then go further, & excuſe, or accuſe vsus, according vntounto the light that is in the word. So that the conſcience is not acquired, or obtained, at what time we are enlightened, by the working of the holie Spirit, and hearing of the word of GOD: but, our conſcience is borne with vsus, is naturall to vsus, and is left in the ſoule of eueryevery man & woman: & as there are ſome ſparks of light left in nature, ſo there is a conſcience left in it; and if there were no more, that ſame light that is left in thy nature, ſhall be enough to condemne thee. So, the conſcience is not gotten, or begun at the hearing of the word, or at that time, when we begin to reforme our ſelues, by the aſsiſtance, and renuing of the holy Spirit: but eueryevery man by nature hath a conſcience, & the Lord hath left it in our nature; and except that this conſcience be reformed, according to the word of God, that ſame naturall conſcience ſhall be enough to condemne thee eternally: therefore, I ſay, flowing from a knowledge of the minde. Laſt of all, I ſay, accompanied with a certaine motion of the hart: and wee expreſſe this motion, in feare, or ioy, trembling, or reioycing. In very great feare, if the deede be exceeding heynous, and the ſtroke of the conſcience be very heauy; then the conſcience neuer taketh reſt, for guiltineſſe will euer dread. But if the deede be p. 97honeſt, godly, and commendable, it maketh a glad hart, and maketh the hart euen to burſt out into ioy. So, to bee ſhort in this matter (for I purpoſe not to make a common place of it) yee ſee, that in euerie conſcience, there muſt be two things: Firſt, there muſt be a knowledge; & next, there muſt be a feeling: whereby, according to thy knowledge, thou applyeſt vntounto thine owne hart, the deed done by thee. So that, as the word it ſelfe teſtifieth, it ariſeth of two parts: of knowledge, according whereunto it is called ſcience; and of feeling, according whereunto, the Con is added, and it is called Conſcience. Then the word cōſcience, ſignifieth knowledge, with application.

This conſcience, To what vſes the Lord hath appointed the conſcience to ſerue in the ſoule of of man.the Lord hath appointed to ſerue in the ſoule of man, for many vſes: to wit, he hath appointed eueryevery one of your conſciences, to be a keeper, a wayter on, a carefull attender vponupon eueryevery action done by you. So that, that action can not be, ſo ſecretly, ſo quietly, nor ſo cloſely conueied, but will thou, nill thou, thy conſcience ſhall beare a teſtimonie of it; thy conſcience ſhall be a faithfull obſeruer of it; and one day, ſhall bee a faithfull recorder of that action. So, the Lord hath appointed thy conſcience to this office, that it attends; and waits vponupon thee in all thy actions. 2Likewiſe, the Lord hath appointed thy conſcience, and placed it in thy ſoule, to be an accuſer of thee; ſo that when thou dooſt any euill deed, thou haſt a domeſticall accuſer within thine ovvne ſoule, 3to finde fault with it. Hee hath alſo placed it in thy ſoule, to be a true and ſtedfaſt witneſſe againſt thee; yea, the teſtimonie of the conſcience, reſembles not onelyonly a teſtimony, or witneſſe; but the conſcience is as good as tenne thouſand witneſſes. 4The conſcience alſo is left in the ſoule, to doe the part of a Iudge againſt thee, to giuegive out ſentence againſt thee, and to condemne thee: and ſo it doth; for our particular iudgement, muſt goe before the generall, & vniuerſall iudgement of the Lord at that great day. 5And what more? Hee hath left thy conſcience within thee, to put thine owne ſentence in execution againſt thy ſelfe. This is terrible: hee hath left it within thee, to be a very torture, and tormenter to thy ſelfe; and ſo to put thine owne ſentence in execution vponupon thy ſelfe. Is not this a matter more then wonderful, p. 98that one, and the ſelfe ſame conſcience, ſhall ſerue to ſo many vſes in a ſoule; as to be a continuall obſeruer, and marker of thy actions; an accuſer; tenne thouſand vvitneſſes; a Iudge; a Sergeant, and Tormentor; to execute thine ovvne ſentence againſt thy ſelfe? ſo that the Lord needs not to ſeeke a Sergeant, out of thine owne ſoule to arreſt thee, for thou ſhalt hauehave all theſe within thy ſelfe, to make a plaine declaration againſt thy ſelfe. Take heede to this: for there is neuer a word of this ſhall fall to the ground; but either yee ſhall finde it to your comfort, or to your euerlaſting woe. And this ſecret, and particular iudgement, that eueryevery one of you carries about you, abideth ſo ſure, and ſo faſt within you, that do what ye can, if yee would imploy your whole trauaile to blot it out, thou ſhalt neuer get it ſcraped out of thy ſoule. If ye were as malicious, and were becom as wicked, as euer any incarnate diuell vvas vponupon the earth, yet ſhall yee neuer get this conſcience altogether extinguiſhed out of thy ſoule: but will thou, nill thou, there ſhall as much remaine of it, as ſhal make thee inexcuſable in the great day of the generall Iudgement.

I grant, thou maiſt blot out all knowledge out of thy minde, and make thy ſelfe become euen as a blinde man. I grant alſo, that thou maiſt harden thy hart, ſo that thou wilt blot out all feeling out of it, ſo that thy conſcience will not accuſe thee, nor finde fault with thee, but thou ſhalt hauehave a delight in dooing euill, vvithout a remorſe: but I deny, that any degree of wickednes in the earth, ſhall bring thee to this poynt, that thou maiſt do euill without feare; but ſtill, the more that thou dooſt euill, and the longer that thou continueſt in euill dooing, thy feare ſhall bee the greater: yea, in deſpight of the diuell, & in deſpight of all the malice of the hart of man, thy feare ſhall remaine. And though they would both conſpire together, they ſhall not be able to baniſh that feare, but that gnawing of the conſcience, ſhal euer remaine, to teſtifie, that there is a day of Iudgement. I grant alſo, that there ſhall be a viciſsitude, and that feare ſhall not alwayes remaine, but ſhall be ſometimes turned into ſecuritie; neyther ſhall that ſecurity alwayes abide, but ſhal be turned againe into feare: ſo that it is not poſſible, to get this feare wholly extinct; but p. 99the greater that the ſecuritie is, the greater ſhall thy feare be, when thou art wakened. Thirdly, I grant, that this feare ſhall bee blinde; for from that time, a man by euill dooing, hath baniſhed knowledge out of the minde, and feeling out of the heart, what can remaine there, but a blind feare? When men hauehave put out all light, and left nothing in their nature, but darkneſſe, there can nothing remaine but a blinde feare. So I grant, that the feare is blinde: for neither knowe they from whence that feare commeth, vvhat progreſſe it hath, whereunto it tendeth, where, nor when, it ſhall end: therefore, they that are this way miſledde in their ſoules, or all men in the earth, they are moſt miſerable. For as long as thou maiſt keep in thy mind, a ſpark of this knowledge, & ſpirituall light, in the which thou maiſt ſee the face of GOD in Chriſt, wherein thou maiſt ſee a remedy, in the death and paſsion of Chriſt, & wherein thou maiſt ſee the bowels of mercy, offred in the bloud of Chriſt; if thou hauehave anie ſparke of this light (albeit it were neuer ſo little) to direct thee, and albeit this knowledge were neuer ſo much wounded, yet there is mercy enough for thee in Chriſt: but if thou cloſe vp all the windowes of thy ſoule, and of thy hart, and make them to become palpable darknes, that thou neyther knoweſt frō whence the terror comes, nor yet perceiueſt any remedy, that is the miſery of all miſeries.

We hauehave many things in generall to lament, concerning the eſtate of this our Country, Applicatiō.wherein we liue. Alſo particularly, There is not one of you, but hauehave great cauſe to take heed to your conſciences now, while yee hauehave time; that yee baniſh not altogether this light, which is yet offered vntounto you, and whereof ſome ſparks yet remain. For I ſee the moſt part of men, runne headlong to baniſh the ſparke of light that is in them, and will not reſt, ſo long as there is any ſparke of it left, vntill it be vtterly baniſhed. And when they hauehave done ſo, alas, what can follow, but a blinde and terrible feare in their conſciences, vvhichwhich they can neuer get extinguiſhed; a feare vvithout remedie; a growing feare, and not a decaying feare; a feare that will deuoure them wholly at the laſt. Therefore, eueryevery one of you be carefull of this light that is within you; take heede, that the foule affections of your harts, dravve p. 100not your bodies after them; ſee, at the leaſt, that thoſe affections baniſh not this light. And, ſo long as the Lord offers you this light, in time craue, that of his mercy, hee vvould giuegive you the grace to imbrace it, to take a nevv courſe, and yet to amend your liues, vvhile time is giuen you.

The body ſhall leaue the ſoule, and the ſoule ſhall leaue the bodie; but the conſcience ſhall neuer leaue the ſoule: but vvhether ſo-euer the ſoule goeth, to the ſame place ſhall the conſcience repaire; and looke in vvhat eſtate thy conſcience is, when thou departeſt out of this life, in the ſelfe ſame eſtate ſhall it meet thee in the great Day. So that if thy conſcience was a tormentor to thee at the time of thy death, if thou gette it not then pacified, it ſhall be alſo a tormentor to thee, in that generall Iudgement. Therefore, this matter vvould bee vvell vveighed, and euerie one of you ſhould ſtudie to hauehave a good conſcience, that vvhen the ſoule is ſeuered from the body, leauing your conſcience at reſt, and peace with God, it may be reſtored vntounto you, & meet you againe, with as great peace and quietnes.

Thus farre concerning conſcience, what it is. I beſeech the liuing Lord, ſo to ſanctifie your memories, that ye may keep theſe things; and that eueryevery one of theſe things may be ſo imprinted in your harts, that ye may be mindful of them, all your liues.

The ſecond thing that we are to ſpeake of, is this: We are to conſider wherfore we ſhould try our conſciences; for what cauſes we ſhould examine our own ſoules and cōſciences. I wil declare the reaſons briefly. It behooueth eueryevery one of you to try your conſcience. Why? Becauſe the Lord will make his reſidence, in no other part of the ſoule, but in the conſcience: Hee hath appointed his dwelling to be in the hart of man, and in the will, and conſcience of man; and therefore it becomes you, to make his dwelling place cleane, & to take heeed vntounto your harts.

Next; though the Lord of heauen made not his reſidence there: yet, in reſpect the eye of GOD is an all-ſeeing eye, and able to pearce throgh the very thickneſſe of mans fleſh, how darke and groſſe ſoeuer it be, and to enter into the very ſecret corners of thy conſcience; (for vntounto the all-ſeeing eye of GOD, the moſt ſecret p. 101corner of the conſcience, is as cleare and manifeſt, as any outward, or bodily thing in the earth, can be to the outward eye of the body): In reſpect therefore that this eye is ſo pearcing, and that hee caſts his eye onelyonly vponupon our harts, it behooueth vsus to try our harts.

Thirdly, hee is the Lord of the conſcience. There is no Monarch on earth, that hath any ſoueraigntie or lordſhippe ouer the conſcience: onelyonly the GOD of heauen, onelyonly Chriſt Ieſus, King of heauen and earth, is Lord of the conſcience, hee hath power onelyonly to ſaue and loſe. Therefore, vvhen thou commeſt to this Sacrament of the Lords Table, thou oughteſt carefully to looke vntounto thy conſcience, to try and examine the ſtate of it.

Laſt of all, vvhichwhich is a chiefe reaſon; It behooueth thee to prooue thy conſcience, becauſe the welfare and health of thy ſoule, dependeth vponupon thy conſcience. If thy conſcience that is within thy ſoule, be well, if it be at peace and reſt, thy ſoule is vvell; if thy conſcience be in a good eſtate, thy ſoule muſt needs be in a good eſtate; if thy conſcience bee in good health, of neceſsity thy ſoule muſt be in good health; for the good health, & happineſſe of the ſoule, dependes vponupon a good conſcience: therefore, it concerneth eueryevery one of you, to try well your conſciences.

There vvas neuer any lavv made, or deuiſed, that forbade vsus to hauehave a care of our healths; it is lawfull for vsus to ſeeke ſuch things as may procure, and preſerue it: but the health of thy ſoule, ſtandeth in the health of thy conſcience, and in preſeruing thereof: therefore, by all lawes, thou oughteſt to attend thy conſcience. If thou keepe thy conſcience wel, thy ſoule is in health; and if thy ſoule be in health, let troubles come what will vponupon thy bodie, thou wilt indure them all; but if thy ſoule be diſeaſed with an euill conſcience, thou ſhalt not be able to beare out the leaſt trouble that ſhall come vntounto thy bodie: vvhereas, if the conſcience were at reſt, and in good health, that trouble could not happen vntounto thy bodie, but the ſtrength of a good conſcience vvould beare it out. Then hauehave yee not reaſon, and more then reaſon, to take heed to your conſciences, to try, and examine your conſciences, in vvhat eſtate p. 102and diſpoſition they ſtand?

Now, Certaine leſſons to be learned, by which a man may preſerue health in his ſoule & cō ſcience.becauſe it is a fruitleſſe thing to tell you, that health is neceſſarie, and not to ſhew the vvay how this health may be obtayned and preſerued; therfore to keep your conſciences in quiet, & good health, I will giuegive you theſe few leſſons. Firſt of all, bee ſure, that yee retaine ſtedfaſt, a perſwaſion of the merciemercy of GOD, in Chriſt Ieſus; examine vvhen thou lyeſt downe, and examine when thou riſeſt vp, in what eſtate thou art with God; whether thou maiſt looke for mercy at his hands, or not.

Art thou perſwaded of mercy? Aſſure thy ſelfe thy conſcience is in a good eſtate, thou haſt health in thy ſoule; for, by the keeping of faith, the conſcience is preſerued, as ſaith the Apoſtle, 1. Tim. 1.19. Keepe this perſwaſion, preſerue it vvhole and ſound, hurt it not, bring not thy ſoule into doubting, ſtay not, nor hinder thy perſwaſion, if thou deſire to keep health in thy ſoule: for, if thou doubt, or any way diminiſh thy perſwaſion, and aſſurance, aſſuredlie, thy aſſurance cannot ſo ſoon be hindered, nor diminiſhed, but at that very inſtant, ſhall follow the diminiſhing of the health of thy ſoule; yea, it cannot be, but in that very article of time, ſhall follow the hurt of thy conſcience; for faith will not dwell, but in a whole conſcience. Therefore, at what time thou dooſt any thing againſt thy conſcience, at that very time, thou loſeſt a degree of thy perſwaſion of the mercy of God: and vntill ſuch time as thou fall downe at the feet of Chriſt, and obtaine merciemercy for that wicked deed, purchaſe peace at his hands, and repaire thy perſvvaſion, thou ſhalt euer doubt of merciemercy, and vvant health in thy conſcience. Then this is the firſt leſſon, to keepe health in your ſoules, To be perſwaded of merciemercy.

The ſecond leſſon to keepe a good conſcience, or to keepe health in thy ſoule, is this; Yee muſt flie, eſchew, and forbeare, vvhatſoeuer may trouble the health of your ſoule, whatſoeuer may trouble the quietneſſe, & peaceable eſtate of your conſcience: caſt it out, forbeare it, and eſchew it. This generall is good. But let vsus ſee vvhat it is that troubles the quiet eſtate of the conſcience. OnelyOnly ſinne; nothing but an euill nature. Therefore vvee muſt of neceſsitie, to keepe health in our p. 103ſoules, forbeare and eſchew ſinne; we muſt flie and auoyde ſin. It is not poſsible, that ye can both keepe a good conſcience, and ſerue the affections of your hart: & therefore, to keepe peace & health in thy ſoule, thou muſt take leaue of thy luſts; thou muſt renounce the luſts, and affections of thy hart, and thou muſt not doe as thou waſt wont to doe: thou muſt not be giuen to the ſeruice of thine affections, and of thine appetite, to put them in execution, as thou haſt formerly done. But in-caſe thine affections, or luſt commaund thee to doe any thing, what is thy part? Thou muſt try, how far this may ſtand with the good will of God; and how far that affection which commaunds thee, may agree with the law of God. Is there ſuch a harmonie, as that, that thing which thine affection commaunds thee, may ſtand with Gods law, and holy will? Then no queſtion, it is a ſanctified affection, thou maiſt put it in execution. But after this tryall, if thou finde thine affections to be exorbitant, & out of rule, carying thee from God, & againſt his law, beware of it, reſiſt it, put it not in execution; for if thou fulfill the will of thine affections, what pleaſure can it bring with it? It may well bring a flattering pleaſure in the entrie, but it cloſeth euer with a bitter remorſe in the end. Then to eſchew this bitter remorſe, ſhould yee not all try your affections? Yee muſt examine and try them by the ſquare of Gods lavv; yee muſt ſee how farre they agree with his law, and how fatre they diſſent from it; & ſo farre as they are diſſonant from that law, let eueryevery man deny himſelfe, renounce his affections: and ſo, this triall beeing taken in this manner, by thy ſelfe, it ſanctifieth thine affections, maketh Chriſt to lodge in thy ſoule, maketh thy conſcience to be at reſt. And the holy Spirit this way, maketh both bodie, and ſoule, to bee in good health, and to reioyce. Then flie from ſinne. This is the ſecond leſſon.

The third leſſon is this; Studie to doe well. Wouldeſt thou keepe health in thy ſoule? Study to do better and better continually: At the leaſt, hauehave a purpoſe in thy ſoule & hart, to doe better daily; which is the laſt leſſon. Seeing that when we ſtudie to do beſt, & that the iuſt man, that is, the moſt holy man, falleth ſo often as 7. times a day, yea rather, 70. times ſeauen times, p. 104what is thy part in theſe ſlips, and ſnares? Though thou fal, as thou canſt not eſchew to fall, lie not ſtill there; ſleepe not there where thou haſt faln: it is a ſhame to ſleepe there, therefore ariſe againe. And hovv ſhouldeſt thou riſe? By lifting vp thy ſoule, and running to the Fountaine of grace and mercy; by repayring to Chriſt Ieſus, to obtaine mercy for thy ſoule; and to craue, that hee would ſend out of himſelfe, that meaſure of peace, that may put thy conſcience at reſt, & reſtore thy ſoule to health. So, lie not where thou falleſt, but incontinent ariſe, & craue mercy; and in obtayning mercy, thou ſhalt repaire thy fal, thou ſhalt amend thy life by repētance, & by repentance thou ſhalt get peace, thou ſhalt hauehave thy conſcience at reſt, and get health to thy ſoule. Now keep this rule, if thou deſireſt to keepe thy ſoule in health: look that thou ſleep not in ſinne, as Dauid did: lie not ſtill vvhen thou art faln, and ſo fall from one ſinne, to another; as from adultery, to murther, from murther, to the next, &c. As commonly, if a man ſleepe in ſin, and riſe not in time, one ſin wil draw on another; for there is no ſin alone, but alwaies the greater, and more heynous that the ſinne is, it hath the greater, and worſe ſinnes wayting on it. Therefore, when yee fall, delay not to ariſe, but repaire to the fountaine of merciemercy, and ſeeke grace in time: runne to prayer, run to the Church of God, whereſoeuer it be, whether in the fielde, or in the towne: runne to Chriſt Ieſus, and craue mercy of him, that yee may hauehave peace in your conſciences; and ſo by theſe meanes, eueryevery one of you ſhall preſerue health in your ſoules. By theſe meanes, ye ſhall learne what difference is, betwixt this liuing word of mercy, and grace, which ſounds in our religion; and that ſlaying letter, that kills the ſoule of eueryevery one that heares it; I meane that Idolatrous doctrine, of that dumbe Maſs.

I mention this vntounto you, becauſe I ſee, that many in theſe dayes are fallen to it, and the Lord is beginning to abſtract his grace, and mercy from this Country, for the contempt of this quickning vvord, which hath ſo cleerely ſounded heere, & which our country-men, for the greateſt part (running headlong to the diuell in a dumbe guiſe) trauaile vtterly to baniſh. Is not this a miſerable thing, that ſo fevv of you hauehave eyes to conſider, and diſcerne, p. 105of the time of peace, mercy, and grace, which is ſo aboundantly offred? The Lord of his mercy, giuegive you eyes in time.

Thus far concerning the reaſons, wherefore eueryevery one of you ſhould try and examine your owne conſciences: and this triall ought not to be for a day, or for a yeere; but it ought to be eueryevery day, and eueryevery yeere of thy whole life. For that conſcience that ſhould reſt for euer with the liuing God, that conſcience, which muſt euer behold the face of the Sonne of God, it cannot be ouer-well cleanſed; wee cannot looke ouer-narrowly to it. The more curious we be in ſearching out of this conſcience, we are the better occupied: I ſpeak of our own conſciences, I ſpeak not of our neighbours.

Thirdly, I come to the points, In what points wee ſhould examine our conſciences.wherein eueryevery one of you ſhould try and examine your ſelues. EueryEvery one of you ought to try & examine your cōſciences in two things: Firſt, whether thou be at peace with God, who is the Lord of heauen, or not. Next, examine thy conſcience, whether thou art in louelove & amity with thy neighbor, or not. Wouldeſt thou know, whether thy conſcience be at vnity & peace with God, or not? Thou ſhalt know it this way; The God of heauen, can hauehave no ſocietie nor company with that ſoule, which is alwaies vncleane, that is eueryevery way defiled; no, hee cannot.

Now, I ſpeake not ſo preciſely, that I make a ſoule to be fully ſanctified, & perfectly holy in this life: no, in this life, there are wonderfull iniquities, groſſe ſinnes, & great faults, where-with, euen the righteous are defiled: but this is my meaning; There is no ſoule can be at any peace with God, or wherewith the Lord can hauehave any ſocietie, but in ſome meaſure it muſt bee ſanctified, and made holy. For God cannot make reſidence in a ſoule, that is alwaies as a ſlinking dunghill; and therfore of force, in ſome meaſure it muſt be ſanctified: there muſt be ſo much made cleane in one corner, or other, of that ſoule, wherin the Lord of heauen, by his holy Spirit, may make his reſidence.

Now, let vsus ſee wherby the ſoule is ſanctified. Peter, Act. 15.9. ſaith, That the ſoule of man is purified by faith; that the hart of man is purged by faith. So, faith openeth and purgeth the hart. By faith in Chr. Ieſus, and in the merits of his bloud, we hauehave p. 106peace with God: Beeing iuſtified by faith, we hauehave peace towards God, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 5.1. Now then, this point commeth in, That yee are to proue your ſelues, whether ye be in the faith, or not; as the Apoſtle ſaith, 2. Cor. 13.5. Proue your ſelues, vvhether ye are in the faith. Examine if your ſoules be ſeaſoned with this faith; for if ye hauehave not faith in Chriſt, Chriſt is not in you; and if Chriſt be not in you, yee are in an euill ſtate, ye are in the eſtate of the reprobate, and damned. So eueryevery one ought to looke carefully, and ſee if he hauehave a beliefe in the bloud of Chriſt, or not: whether hee belieue to obtaine mercy by his merits, and ſanctification by his bloud, or not. For if thou hauehave no meaſure of this faith, thou haſt no meaſure of peace with GOD, by reaſon our peace with God, is ingendered and groweth dailie more and more by true faith in Chriſt.

Novv this faith, vvhere it is true, where it is liuely, and couples the heart vvith GOD, as I hauehave alreadie ſaid, it muſt breake foorth in voord and deede, it can by no meanes bee held in, but it vvill break forth. It muſt breake out in word, in glorifying the God of heauen, who hath forgiuen vsus our ſinnes; it muſt break forth in word, by giuing a notable confeſsion of thoſe ſinnes wherein vvee hauehave offended him. It muſt breake out in deed, in doing good works, to teſtifie to the world, that thing which is within thy hart; to teſtifie to the world, that thou, who haſt this faith, art a new man; that by thy good example of life and conuerſation, thou maiſt edify thy brethren, the ſimple ones of the Church of God; and that, by thy holie life, thou maiſt drawe ſinners to repentance; that they ſeeing thy good light, may bee compelled to glorifie GOD in thee.

Then, in the firſt poynt of triall, let vsus looke to theſe three; to the hart, to the mouth, to the hand. Take heed that there be a harmonie betwixt theſe three; for, if the hart be inwardly coupled with God, there is no doubt, but the mouth vvill outvvardlie glorifie him; and if thy hart and mouth bee renevved, and bee one, of neceſsitie thou wilt expreſſe it in thy conuerſation. There muſt bee an agreement betwixt the heart and the hand, thy conuerſation muſt bee changed with p. 107the heart, and be holy, honeſt, and godly, as the heart is: So that if thy conuerſation be good, it is a ſure token, that thou art at one with God: but if thy conuerſatiō bee not good, ſpeake what thou wilt, thy heart is but defiled; this true, and liuelie faith, hath no place in it. Then wouldeſt thou know, when thou art at one with God? When thy conuerſation, thy heart, and thy mouth ſay all one thing, then without queſtion, thou haſt the worke of fayth, wrought by the holy ſpirit in thy heart, which maketh thee to bee at peace with God. This is the firſt poynt, wherein yee ſhould trie your ſelues.

The next point, is louelove: yee muſt trie, whether ye be in louelove, and charitie with your neighbours, or not: for, as thou art not coupled with God, but by the hand of faith; ſo thou art not coupled with thy neighbour, nor ioyned with any member of Chriſt in this world, but by the hand of louelove, amitie, and charitie. Take away louelove, thou art not a member of this bodie: for louelove is the maiſter ſinnowe, and couples all theſe members of Chriſts bodie together, and makes them to growe vp, in a ſpiritual, and myſticall vnitie: louelove, is the onelyonly marke, whereby the children of Chriſt, and members of Chriſts bodie, are knowen from the reſt of the world: louelove is that holy oyle that refreſheth our ſoules, & makes vsus like vntounto God; and the more we growe in louelove, the more God by his ſpirit dwelleth in vsus, for God is louelove: So that except in ſome meaſure, louelove towards thy neighbour, dwel in thy heart, thou canſt hauehave no ſocietie with thy neighbour, and far leſſe with God. If the manners of men were examined by this rule, wee ſhould finde a multitude of godleſſe people in this countrie, who hauehave their hearts raging with malice, one againſt another: and where the diuell and the malicious ſpirite dwell, there is no place for the holy ſpirit. And although the Lord hath gone about by all meanes posſible, early, and late, to inſtruct them, and to infuſe into them this pretious louelove, and amitie towards God, & their neighbour, and ſo to alter their conditions: Yet they will not ſuffer themſelues to be wakened, vntil the great vengeance, and malediction of God fal vponupon them: This louelove, this honeſt, and godly conuerſation floweth alwaies from the roote of fayth. So that if thy heart hauehave faith in any meaſure, be it neuer ſo little, in that ſame p. 108meaſure, thou muſt hauehave louelove towards thy neighbour: & this louelove is neuer idle, but is vttering it ſelfe, in one effect or other: And in reſpect that faith is the ground whereupon all the reſt dependes, and in reſpect, that this fayth is ſuch a Iewell, as without the which it is not posſible for any of you to pleaſe God, without which, all your deedes are abhomination before him, without the which you are in the greateſt miſerie (w^th miſerie is ſo much the more terrible, in that you are ignorant of it) Is it not good reaſon, that ye know, and vnderſtand, how this faith is firſt wroght & thē nouriſht, in your ſouls, by the holy ſpirit? that ſeeing how it is created, & the mā ner how it is brought about, ye may examine your cōſciences, & ſee whether ye be in the faith or not. My purpoſe was to hauehave inſiſted longer on this matter, then this time will ſuffer. Now therefore, as time wil permit, and GOD ſhall giuegive grace, I will let you vnderſtand, how the H. ſpirit imployes his trauaile in the heart & minde of man, & what paines the holy Ghoſt taketh in creating, and forming this Iewell of fayth in your ſoules: Yet, before I enter this work, to let you ſee the trauailes of the ſpirit of God, in working of this fayth in your hearts: It is neceſſarie, and more then neceſſarie, that yee vnderſtand, firſt your owne miſerie, and infirmitie: and that yee knowe, how the Lord was induced to recouer you, out of your old eſtate, and to recreate you, who were loſt, by the fall of your father Adam.

Then to conſider of this matter more deepely, I offer to your remembrances this ground: That man vniuerſally, and eueryevery one particularly, being corrupted, being loſt, and that by our firſt fathers fall (for if there were no more, but that ſame firſt faulte and ſinne of his, wee are all of vsus iuſtly condemned, to a double death both of bodie, and ſoule for euer) Man, thus vniuerſally, and particularly, being vtterly loſt, without any hope at all of recouery left in his ſoule, without any ſenſe of the recouery of that fromer eſtate, or repairing of that Image which hee had loſt through ſinne, long before; hee beeing I ſay loſt by this ſinne, and left in this deſperate eſtate in himſelf: what doth God? The euerliuing God, only wiſe, whoſe waies are vnſearchable, hath found out a way, how that man, this way p. 109loſt, yet hee may bee ſaued: heerein hee ſought counſell, from whom? Not from any creature, but hee counſelled with himſelfe; The perſons of the Trinitie tooke counſell of them ſelues, one God was moued to ſeeke counſell from himſelfe, only moued in himſelfe: for hee had not an externall principall without himſelfe to induce him. So, he ſeeking this counſaile at himſelfe, and being moued in himſelfe thereto: As Epheſ. 1.9. what doth hee? when all men ſhould hauehave died for euer, it pleaſed him of his infinite merciemercy, to ſelect out of all, and to elect a certaine number, out of the loſt race of Adam, that ſhould hauehave periſhed for euer. In this his counſell and decree, moued I ſay of himſelfe, and ſeeking counſell from himſelfe only, he ſelects a certaine number, out of this rotten race, which certaine number, hee will hauehave ſanctified, hee will hauehave iuſtified, hee will hauehave glorified: And therefore to bring to paſſe the worke of their ſaluation: what doth hee? hee appointes his owne naturall ſonne (for hee had but one naturall ſonne) hee appointes the ſecond perſon of the Trinitie, his owne naturall ſonne, God, in power, glory, and maieſtie, as high as himſelfe, equall with God the father in all things, hee appoints him to worke this worke, to bring to paſſe this worke of our redemption, and eternall ſaluation (This is but the myſterie of it, in ſome meaſure diſcloſed). And therefore in the fulnes of time, (for hee diſpenſeth all things according to his wiſdome) at ſuch time as hee appointed, hee makes his ſonne to come downe, to ſeiſe himſelfe in the wombe of the Virgin, to take on our fleſh, to take on the likenes of ſinne; hee tooke not on ſin, but he tooke on the likenes of ſinne: what call I that likenes? our fleſh is the likeneſſe of ſinne: he tooke on our fleſh, and nature, the likenes of ſin, which was perfectly ſanctified, the verie moment of his conception, in the verie wombe of the Virgin: Hee tooke on this fleſh, that in this fleſh, and nature, ſin might be baniſhed, and caſt out of vsus foreuer: And whereas we ſhould all of vsus hauehave gone one way (for there was no exception of perſons by nature) Chr. Ieſ. our ſauiour, hath elected vsus: & according as his father in his ſecret election, before the beginning of the world, had elected vsus; the ſame Chr. Ieſus in his owne time, calleth vsus, and maketh p. 110vsus partakers, of that ſaluation, which he hath purchaſed, & he repaires not only that image which was loſt in our forefather Adam: he placeth vsus, not in a terreſtriall paradiſe, where Adam was placed at the beginning (and what more could hauehave bin ſought by vsus?) but he giues vsus a far more excellent image, thē we loſt, he placeth vsus in a more high, & in a more celeſtial paradiſe, thē we loſt: For ſo much the more heauēly is the paridiſe w^ch he giues vsus, as the 2^d Adam is more excellent then the firſt, and as the ſon of God, & God himſelfe, is farre aboue any creature, that euer was; man, or Angell. Therfore it comes to paſſe, that by the benefit of the ſecond Adam, Chr. Ieſus our Sauior, the ſon of God (whereas had we remained in that Image, wherin our forefather was firſt created, wee ſhould hauehave ſettled our ſelues in the earth for euer, wee could not hauehave craued a beter paradiſe then an earthly paradiſe, for earthly Tabernacles) By benefit of the ſonne of God, I ſay, it commeth to paſs, that we are plucked vp, out of the earth, to the heauen & to a heauenly paradiſe. And what hauehave wee to doe with heauen? Are wee not made of the earth, to returne to the earth? Becomes not an earthly paradiſe an earthly bodie? yet the Lord in his mercy, ſendeth downe his ſonne, to draw vsus vp, out of the earth, to the heauen. This is ſo high a thing that it cannot bee eaſily conſidered. For this drawing of vsus, to a heauenly paradiſe, is a thing, more then could hauehave beene thought on. That wee ſhould liue the life of Angels in heauen: how could the heart of man, thinke on this? yet it pleaſed the liuing Lord, in the great riches, and bowels of his merciemercy, and in the exceeding greatnes, of the power of his merciemercy towards vsus (The Apoſtle in that Epiſtle to the Epheſians, cannot get words enow to expreſſe this, he knowes not how to begin, nor how to end, when hee ſpeakes of the riches of that merciemercy. And if yee looke well into that Epiſtle to the Epheſians, yee ſhall finde more high, and excellent ſtiles, giuen to the riches of that mercy, in that Epiſtle, then in any other part of the Scripture) It pleaſed him I ſay, of his own mercy, not to giuegive vsus ſimply the Image which wee loſt, nor to leaue vsus, in this earth: but it pleaſed him, to giuegive vsus a better Image, and beſide that, to place vsus in heauen, there to remaine with him for euer.

Now, reſteth his merciemercy and grace p. 111heere? No: But that this ſaluation, which hee hath alreadie purchaſed, and brought about, by his ſonne, our Sauiour, Chriſt Ieſus, that it might be wholly accompliſhed, hauing nothing wanting in it: As hee redeemed vsus, in his owne perſon perfectly; So, he makes this ſame redemption to come to our knowledge, and make vsus ſure of it in our conſciences: and to this end, what doeth hee? As by his death, he purchaſed our full redemption, ſo hee makes it knowen vntounto vsus, hee intimates it vntounto vsus; by our inward calling, letting vsus both finde, and feele in our hearts, what hee did in his bodie for vsus. For our Lord when hee makes his ſeruants, to proclaime this redemption, and to intimate it to our conſciences, hee workes this Iewell of faith in our ſoules, which aſſures vsus, that the ſon of God, hath died for vsus: For what could it auaile vsus, to ſee our redemption, to ſee our ſaluation, and our life, a farre off, if a way were not found out, & a hand, and meanes giuen vntounto vsus, whereby wee may apprehend that ſaluation, and applie it to our ſelues. What can it auaile a ſicke man, to ſee a drugge in an Apothecaries ſhoppe, except hee may hauehave it, and apply it to his ſicke bodie? So, to the ende that this worke of our redemption, and ſaluation, may bee fully, and freely accompliſhed: looke, how freely, hee hath giuen his onelyonly ſonne, to the death of the croſſe for vsus; as freely hath hee found out this way, and meanes, and offered vsus this hand, whereby wee may take hold on Chriſt, and applie him to our ſoules: This meanes, to conclude, is faith: There is not a way, nor an inſtrument in the Scriptures of God whereby we can applie Chr. to our ſoules, but only the inſtrument of faith: therfore, fayth cannot be enough cōmended. Turn to faith, & it will make thee turne to God; & ſo, conioyne thee with God, & make all thine actions, well pleasſing vntounto him: There is no good actiō that we do, though it ſeeme neuer ſo good, before the world, but it is abhomination before God if it be not done in fayth, and will forward our condemnation: hauing fayth, all the creatures of god, are ſeruiceable vntounto vsus, they muſt all conſpire to the furtherance, of the worke of our ſaluation: As on the contrarie, wanting fayth, there is none of the creatures of God, but ſhall bee enemies vntounto vsus, and conſpire to our damnation: p. 112For fayth conioynes vsus, with the God of heauen, and makes vsus heauenly: This Iewell of faith, ſeaſons all the gifts, & graces, which God giueth vntounto vsus: All the riches of the earth, is of no value to my ſoule, without fayth. And what auailes it any man, to hauehave all the knowledge, and wiſdome in the earth, without fayth? For the diuell hath all this knowledge, and is not the better. What auailes it me, to conquer all the Monarches, kingdomes, and whole riches in the earth: what can all theſe auaile my ſoule? Nothing but accuſe mee, if I want fayth. Therefore, all the benefits, and gifts of God, without faith auail nothing, but to augment our miſery: All the gifts, and graces of God are abuſed, without fayth: Fayth onelyonly makes thee to vſe the benefits, and graces of God rightly: Fayth onelyonly ſhould bee ſought, kept, and intertained, heere in this life: hauing fayth, all the reſt of Gods graces, are profitable vntounto thee, for this Iewell keeps them al in order, & makes them al fruitful; whereas, wanting this iewel, there is nothing here on earth, but it wil teſtifie againſt thee.

Let vsus then ſpeak of this faith, how it is wroght in you: I take my groūd out of the Euangeliſt Iohn, How faith is created in our ſoules.6.44. where our Sauiour ſaith, No man canne come to me, except the Father which hath ſent mee, drawe him: In the which words, we ſee cleerely, that except wee bee drawen, except wee bee compelled, except we be thruſt, except of vnwilling, wee bee made willing, by God the father, it is not posſible for vsus to come to his ſonne: What is the reaſon of this, that the ſpirit of God muſt drawe vsus, and make vsus willing, or euer wee come to God? Becauſe, by nature wee are, not only wounded, and launced by ſinne, and iniquitie, but as the Apoſtle ſheweth, Epheſ. 2.1. wee were wholly dead, in treſpaſſes and ſinnes: yea, obſerue, how voide any dead bodie is, of a naturall life, ſo voide are our ſoules (though they be liuing the naturall life) ſo voide are they, of the life of God, of that heauenly and ſpirituall life, whereunto, wee in this life doe aſpire: vntill ſuch time, that the ſpirit of God draw our harts, and mindes, that is quicken, our harts, and mindes. No, it is not a drawing as wee commonly ſpeake, it is a very quickning of a dead thing: It is a quickning of that thing, which was voide of the life of the ſpirit. Then except the ſpirit of God p. 103drawe vsus, that is, quicken vsus, with that ſpirituall, and heauenly life, it is not posſible for vsus, to come to heauen. And except hee nouriſh this life, which hee hath begunne, it is not posſible, that wee canne ſtand in this life: So the ſpirit of God, is ſaid to drawe vsus, that is, to beginne this life in vsus, and by the ſame holy ſpirit, to continue, and nouriſh this life in vsus. Now by the drawing of the ſpirit, our ſoules are quickned: and by the drawing of the ſpirit, I vnderſtand no other thing, but the framing, and creating of fayth in our ſoules which makes vsus new creatures. Now let vsus ſee, what order the ſpirit of GOD keepeth, in drawing vsus, and informing, and creating this faith, in our ſoules: Firſt of all, I diuide the ſoule, into no more parts then commonly it vſeth to bee diuided, that is, into the heart, and the minde. Our minde then being a cloud of darkneſſe, altogether blinde naturally, there being nothing in that minde of ours; but vanitie, error, and ignorance, whereby wee vaniſh away, and can neuer long continue in any good reſolution, or purpoſe; What doth the ſpirit of God? The firſt worke, that euer the ſpirit of God doth, he taketh order with the minde: and what doth hee to the minde? he baniſheth darkneſſe, he chaſethout vanitie, and blindnes, that naturally lurketh in the mind; and inſteed of this darknes, he placeth in the minde, a light, a celeſtiall, and a heauenly light, a light which is reſident in Chriſt Ieſus only: Then, the ſpirit chaſeth out that cloude of miſte, & darknes, and placeth light in the minde. And what worketh he by this light? We getting this inward, and heauenly light in the minde, & a ſanctified vnderſtanding, incontinent hee makes vsus to ſee God: not only as he is God the creator of the world; but alſo as hee is God the redeemer, and hath redeemed vsus in his ſon Chriſt Ieſus. Now before I obtaine this light, what is my heart, & mind doing? There is not one of you, but hauehave experience, as I my ſelfe hauehave, in what eſtate the heart, and minde is, before that this light enter: The minde lieth drowned in blindneſſe, and the heart is hardned, and they both conſpire together in vice, to ſette vp an Idoll in ſtead of God, a domeſticall and inuiſible Idoll: what ſort of Idoll is that? No doubt, ſome worldly, or fleſhly affection, or other: this p. 114is ſette vp, in the throne of thy heart; and on this Idoll, thou beſtoweſt the ſeruice of thy whole heart, of thy whole minde, of thy whole ſoule, and bodie: So, that the ſeruice both of the ſoule, and bodie, which ſhould be beſtowed vponupon God only, is imployed vponupon that Idoll, which is ſet vp in thy heart, that is, in the place of God, in the ſteed of the moſt high God: And thou art more addicted, to the ſeruice of that Idoll, then euer thou waſt, to the ſeruice of the liuing God: yea, vntill ſuch time, that this Idoll of ours bee baniſhed, and that this blindnes, whereby this Idoll is ſerued, be taken away, there is not one of you, but are ſeruants to one luſt or other; & thy ſoule, that ſhould bee conſecrated to the ſeruice of the liuing GOD, is imployed vponupon one affection, or other, vponupon ſome worldly or fleſhly luſt, of thine owne: But from the time, that the Lord beginneth to ſcatter the cloudes of our naturall mindes, and vnderſtandings, and beginneth to chaſe away this thicke miſt, of the darke ſoule, and placeth therein, ſome ſparke of heauenly light, which floweth out of Chr. and whereas we were children of the night, and darkneſſe before hee makes vsus to be light in the Lord, and to be children of the light, and of the day. Then we ſee, that all the things in the world, beſides the liuing God, are vanities, deceiueable allurements, vnconſtant ſhadowes, fleeting, and flowing without any abiding: and and then wee ſee, that our hearts, and our mindes, were ſette on euill continually. Then wee beginne to abhor that Idoll, and to ſeeke to ſerue God only. Now except the Lord of his merciemercy, and goodnes, place in vsus this light, vntill ſuch time as we get ſome glimmering of this light, wee canne neuer ſee our own vanitie, nor yet ſee God.

This then is the firſt worke of the ſpirit, hee baniſheth darkneſſe, and errors, and placeth light in our mindes. Now this firſt worke of the ſpirit, is tearmed oftentimes in the Scripture, vnderunder the name of fayth: for the minde hath it owne aſſent, and perſwaſion in the owne kinde, as well as the heart hath: and therefore the minde beeing illuminate, & ſeaſoned with this light, the aſſenting, and knowledge in the ſame minde, is called faith. The Apoſtles, and Euangeliſts, giuegive to this knowledge, the name of fayth: for from the time, that p. 115thou once haſt an eye to ſee God, & whom he hath ſent, Chriſt Ieſus, when once thou getteſt a ſight of him, and acceſſe to him, if it were no more then in the minde, it is called faith.

But wee muſt not ſtand ſtill heere: If faith goe no further then the minde, it is not the faith that wee are ſeeking. For the faith that iuſtifieth, and doth vsus good, muſt open the hart, as well as it openeth the minde; it muſt baniſh that Idol and affection out of the hart, and in ſteed therof, place a throne for Chriſt Ieſus. So, that except the good ſpirit of God, goe further then the minde, and baniſh this Idol, as vvell out of our hearts, as out of our mindes, we hauehave not that iuſtifying faith, wherby we may looke for mercy. Yea, the ſpirit of GOD muſt not onelyonly ſtay at the inlightening of thy mind, but it muſt mollifie this hart of thine, and change thine affections. And vvhereas thy affections were wicked, and euill, Gods Spirit muſt change thy will: and he neuer can change thy will, except he make the ground of thy hart good, that it may be ſet on God, and bring forth good fruit aboundantly to the owner.

And what teacheth this? This teacheth you to ſeeke for an honeſt hart, and to ſeeke inſtantly, while yee obtaine it. For, what auaileth it any man, to knowe vvhat is good, or what is euill, except hee hauehave a way ſhewed him, how hee ſhall eſchew the euill, & a meanes giuen him, to make himſelfe partaker of the good?

Is not this an idle, and vnprofitable knowledge to mee, to ſee a farre off, and to knowe that this is good for me, when I finde not a meanes, how to be partaker of that good, that it may be eſpecially good to mee? Is it not an idle knowledge alſo, to perceiue that this is ill for mee, that it vvill doe mee hurt if I doe it; and yet, that ſame verie thing I vvill doe, and no other?

So the Spirit of GOD, linketh theſe two together in this worke; and as hee reformes the minde, hee reformes alſo the hart, and makes you to be partakers of that good, which yee ſee; and to eſchew that euill which ye perceiue. And this is the ſecond worke of the Spirit, Not onelyonly to preſent a thing to thee, but to make it thine in effect. For, howbeit the minde would doe his part neuer ſo well, and let p. 116thee ſee that Chriſt is thine, and preſent him to thee neuer ſo often; yet if thy hart be not reformed, that will, and crooked affection that is in thy hart, will preferre it ſelfe to Chriſt, and vvill make thee to account all but folly, in reſpect of that Idol.

And therefore, it were an idle, and a fooliſh thing for mee to ſee my ſaluation, except I get grace to be partaker of it: and what auailes it thee, to ſee the works of the diuell, to ſee thine owne ſinnes, that ſlay thee, except thou get grace to eſchew them? And ſo the ſecond worke of the ſpirit, is this, Hee enters into the hart, hee daunteth the hart, and wonderfully changeth it, making the wil of it obedient: hee mollifies the affection, which was hard before, in ſuch ſort, that it is made to poure out thy affection in ſom meaſure, on the liuing God, wheras it was poured out on one Idol or other of thine owne before. Then, except the hart will do his part, as the mind doth his part, the whole ſoule is not conſecrate to God: for God hath not made the ſoule, that the hart ſhould ſerue thee, and the mind only ſhold ſerue him; but thy ſeruice is then only acceptable to God, when thou conſecrateſt thy hart, as well as thy minde to him.

Now, A ſimilitude of the apprehenſion of the corporall foode, to illuſtrate the ſpirituall.this matter is ſo cleare, that it needeth not to be illuſtrated by ſimilitude: yet to make it more plaine vntounto you, I vvill ſhew you by a ſimilitude, that the apprehenſion of the minde is not enough, except yee get the apprehenſion of the hart alſo. In corporall things, in meat & drink, which ſerue for the vſe of your bodies, there muſt be of this meat and drinke, two ſorts of apprehenſions: and as there is two ſorts of apprehenſion, of the meat and drinke, that is the foode of the body: ſo there is two ſorts of apprehenſion of the body, and bloud of Chriſt Ieſus, which is our meate and drinke ſpirituall. Of meat and drinke corporall, there is an apprehenſion by the eye, and by the taſte: that while the meate is preſent vntounto you on the Table, your eye taketh a view of that meat, diſcerneth it, and maketh choice of it: and not onelyonly the eye, but alſo the taſte diſcerneth the meat, and the taſte approouing it, that is called the firſt apprehenſion.

Now, vponupon this which is the firſt, the ſecond apprehenſion followeth: that is, after p. 117that ye hauehave chewed that meat, ſwallowed it, & ſent it to your ſtomack, where it digeſteth, and conuerteth into your nouriture; then in your ſtomack, ye get the ſecond apprehenſion. But if your eye like not that meat, neither your taſte like it, the ſecond apprehenſion followeth not; for thou wilt ſpet it out againe, or reiect it, preferring ſome other meat vntounto it, that thou likeſt better. That meat which thou likeſt not, enters neuer into thy ſtomack, and ſo it can neuer be conuerted into thy nouriſhment: for, it is onelyonly the ſecond apprehenſion of the meat, that is the cauſe of the nouriſhment of the body, in our corporall foode; ſo that if yee chew not this meat, and ſwallow it, it feeds you not; then it is onelyonly the ſecond apprehenſion that nouriſheth our bodies.

It is euen ſo in ſpirituall things (ſo farre as they may be compared) in the foode of Chriſt Ieſus, who is the life, and nouriture of our ſoules and conſciences. There muſt be two ſorts of apprehenſion of Chriſt Ieſus. The firſt apprehenſion is, by the eye of the minde; that is, by our knowledge, & vnderſtanding: for, as the eye of the body, diſcerneth by an outward light; ſo the eye of the minde, diſcerneth by an inward, and renewed vnderſtanding, whereby wee get the firſt apprehenſion of Chriſt.

Now, if this firſt apprehenſion of Chriſt like vsus well, then the next followeth: Wee beginne to caſt the affection of our harts on him; we hauehave good will to him: for all our affections proceed from our will, and our affections beeing renewed, and made holy, wee ſette them wholly vponupon Chriſt. We louelove him; and if we louelove him, we take hold on him, we eate him, and digeſt him; that is, we apply him to our ſoules: and ſo, of this louelove, and liking of him, the ſecond apprehenſion doth follow. But if we hauehave no will to him, if wee hauehave no louelove, nor liking of him, what doe we? Then we reiect him, and preferre our owne Idol, and the ſeruice of our own affections, to him; and ſo the ſecond apprehenſion followeth not. Wee cannot digeſt him; and if wee digeſt him not, that ſpirituall life cannot growe in vsus: for marke, in vvhat place the eye ſerues to the bodie, in the ſame roome, ſerueth knowledge, and vnderſtanding to thy ſoule: and looke in vvhat place, thy hand, and thy mouth, thy taſte, and thy ſtomack, ſerue vntounto thy body, in that p. 118very place, ſerue the hart, and affections to thy ſoule.

So that, as our bodies cannot be nouriſhed, except our hands take, and our mouthes eate the meate, whereby the ſecond apprehenſion may follow: likewiſe, our ſoules cannot feede on Chriſt, except we hold him, and imbrace him hartilie, by our wills, and affections. For we come not to Chriſt, by any outward motion of our bodies, but by an inward motion, and apprehenſion of the hart. For God finding vsus all in a reprobate ſenſe, he brings vsus to Chriſt, by reforming the affection of our ſoules, by making vsus to louelove him. And therefore, the ſecond apprehenſion, wherby wee digeſt our Sauiour, will neuer enter into our ſoules, except, as hee pleaſeth the eye, ſo he pleaſe the will, and the affection alſo.

Now, if this come to paſſe, that our wills & affections, are wholly bent vponupon Chriſt; then, no doubt, vvee hauehave gotten this Iewell of faith. HaueHave yee ſuch a liking in your minds, and ſuch a louelove in your harts of Chriſt, that ye will prefer him, before all things in the world? then, no queſtion, faith is begun in you.

Now, How faith is nouriſhed and entertained in vsus.after a thing is begunne, there is yet more required: for though this faith be formed in your mindes, in your harts, and ſoules, yet that is not enough; but that which is formed, muſt be nouriſhed; and hee who is conceiued, muſt be entertained and brought vp: or elſe, the louelove that is begunne in mee, by the holy ſpirit, except by ordinary meanes it be daily entertained and nouriſhed, it will decay: except the Lord continue the working of his holie Spirit, it is not poſsible that I can continue in the faith.

And how muſt we nouriſh, and continue faith in our ſoules? Two manner of waies. Firſt, wee nouriſh faith begunne in our ſoules, by hearing of the word; not of euerie word, but by hearing of the vvord of God preached: and not by hearing of eueryevery man, but by hearing the word preached by him that is ſent. For this is the ordinarie means wherunto the Lord hath bound himſelfe; hee will work faith, by the hearing of the word, and the receiuing of the Sacraments. And the more that thou heareſt the vvord, and the oftner that thou receiueſt the Sacraments, the more thy faith is nouriſhed.

p. 119Now, it is not onelyonly by hearing of the word, & receiuing of the Sacraments, that we nouriſh faith. The word, and the Sacraments, are not able of themſelues to nouriſh this faith in vsus, except the working of the holy Spirit be conioyned vvith their miniſtery. But the word, and the Sacraments, are ſaid to nouriſh faith in our ſoules, becauſe they offer, and exhibite Chriſt vntounto vsus, who is the meat, the drink, and life of our ſoules: and in reſpect that in the word and Sacraments, wee get Chriſt, who is the foode of our ſoules, therefore the word and Sacraments, are ſaid to nouriſh our ſoules. As it is ſaid, Acts 2.42. The Diſciples of Chriſt, continued in the Apoſtles doctrine, and fellowſhippe, and breaking of bread, and prayers; by theſe means, entertaining, augmenting, and nouriſhing the faith that was begunne in them. Then the holy Spirit begets this faith, works this faith, creates this faith, nouriſheth, and entertaineth this faith in our ſoules, by hearing of the word preached, and by the receiuing of the Sacraments: which are the ordinary meanes, whereby the Lord nouriſheth vsus, and continueth this ſpirituall foode with vsus. For, obſerue by what meanes the ſpirituall life is begun, by the ſame meanes, it is nouriſhed, and entertained; as this temporall life is entertained and nouriſhed, by the ſame meanes, whereby it is begun.

Then ſeeing by theſe meanes, Concluſion, with an exhortatiō.the holy Spirit begets this vvorke of faith in our ſoules: It is our dutie to craue, that hee would continue the worke which hee hath begunne. And for this cauſe, we ſhould reſort to the hearing of the vvord, when it is preached, and to the receiuing of the Sacraments, when they are miniſtred, that we may be fedde in our ſoules to life euerlaſting.

But alas, wee are come to ſuch a loathing diſdaine, or reiecting of heauenly foode in this Countrey, that where men in the beginning, would hauehave gone, ſome twentie miles, ſome fortie miles, to the hearing of this vvord: they vvill ſcarcelie novv, come from their houſes, to the Church, and remaine there but one houre to heare the vvord, but rather abide at home. VVell, I ſay, too much vvealth vvith-drawes their hearts; and the aboundance of this vvord, ingenders ſuch a loathſomneſſe, that it is a rare thing to p. 120finde out any, that hauehave that thirſt, and deſire to heare the vvord, as they vvere wont to hauehave in the beginning.

And for thoſe that are in higher places, they will heare it ſildome, or not at all: for they cannot indure to heare the thing that accuſeth them, and conuicts them, and therefore they auoyde it. But they ſhould not doe ſo, they ſhould not ſhunne Chriſt, nor abſtaine from …is vvord that accuſeth them: but they ſhould heare the vvord; and as the vvord accuſeth them, they ſhould accuſe themſelues alſo; that thereby, they may come to a confeſsion of their ſinne, and obtaine mercy for the ſame.

So, vvhen Chriſt accuſeth thee, thou ſhouldeſt not runne from him; but thou ſhouldeſt draw neere to him; thou ſhouldeſt threaten kindneſſe of him, and, as it vvere, make a breach, and forcible entry into his kingdome. It is not the way, vvhen thy ſinnes touch thee, and when Chriſt accuſeth thee, to runne from him: no, thou ſhouldeſt then turne to him, thou ſhouldeſt confeſſe thy ſinne, cry Peccaui, and ſeeke mercy: and after that thou haſt obtained mercy, this word ſhal becom as pleaſant to thee, and thou ſhalt take as great delight to come to the hearing of it, as euer thou delightedſt to flie from it before. But alas! our lothſomneſſe and diſdaine is growen to ſuch an height, that truly, I am moued to belieue firmly, that the Lord hath concluded, that we ſhal not enter into his reſt, & that onelyonly for the great contempt of his mercy, and grace, which is now ſo richly offred. For why? God can not deale otherwiſe with vsus, then hee dealt with our fore-fathers, the Iſraelites, for the negligence of his vvord, vvhichwhich was but then obſcurely preached: for then it was farre from the incarnation of Chriſt; and the farther that it was from his incarnation, the vvord was euer the more obſcurely preached, vnderunder darke types, and ſhadowes. Yet notvvithſtanding, the Fathers that heard that word preached, and belieued it not, they periſhed all in the Wilderneſſe, except two; as ye hauehave ſometime heard out of this place.

And if they, for the contempt of ſo dark a light periſhed: much more muſt yee, that are their children periſh, for the contempt of the ſunne of righteouſnes, who is riſen ſo plainely, and ſhineth ſo cleerely p. 121now, in the preaching of the Goſpell; except the Lord in his mercy preuent you; and except ye preuent his Iudgements, by earneſt ſeeking; and except ye ſeeke a feeling, and ſeeke inward ſenſes, that ye may ſee, & feele, the grace that is offered; craue againe, that he will ſanctifie your harts by repentance, that yee may repent you of your ſinnes, and lead an honeſt, & a godly conuerſation, in all time to come; that both body and ſoule may be ſaued in the great day of the Lord. The Lord worke this in your ſoules, that ye may ſeeke merciemercy; and ſeeking mercy, yee may obtaine mercy; and in mercy, ye may lay hold on Chriſt, and that for his righteous merits. To whom, with the Father, and the holie Ghoſt, be all honour, praiſe, and glorie, both now, and euer. Amen.