Sermons Upon the Lords Supper, Sermon 5
THE FIFT AND LAST SERMON, VPPON THE PREparation to the Lords Supper, preached the 2. day of March. 1589.
1. COR. 11. 28. Let eueryevery man therefore examine him ſelf, and ſa let him eate of that breade, and drinke of that cup. &c.
INTO the Doctrine of our triall and due examination; the Apoſtle, as ȝee heard, (weilbeloued in Chriſt Ieſus) hee gaue vsus a ſpeciall command, that eueryevery ane of vsus, ſuld trye and examine narrowlie our ſelfis; that is, that eueryevery man ſuld condiſcend, and enter into his awn conſcience, try and examin the eſtait of his awin conſcience; in quhat eſtait hee findes it with God, and in quhat eſtate he finds it with his neighbour: hee inioynes this tryal to our ſelfes, and commands that eueryevery ane of vsus, ſuld take paines vponupon the true examination of our conſciences; hee injoyns this warke to vsus, quhy? Be reaſon na man knawes ſa meekle of me as I do my ſelfe; be reſon, na man can be ſure of the eſtait of my conſcience, but I my ſelfe; be reaſon na man can ſa diligentlie, nor ſa profitably try my conſcience, as I my ſelfe: therfore chiefly it becomes every man, and woman, or ever they enter to the hearing of the worde, or giuegive eare to the worde, or their mouth to the Sacrament: It becomes thame to trye and examin their awin conſciences. Not that the Apoſtle walde ſeclude the tryal of vther men: for as it is leaſume to me to try my ſelfe, ſa na doubt it is leaſume to my Paſtour to try me: It is leaſume to vther men that hes a care ouer mee, to try and examine me: but na man can do this, ſa profitably to me, as I my ſelfe: and ſuppoſe we had neuer ſa mony examiners, and triers, all is loſt, gif we try not our ſelfs: Swa, quhither there be a ſecond or a third trier: let our ſelfe be the firſt, and let our ſelfe be ane: And na dout the Apoſtles mind hes bene this to let vsus ſee clearlie, that he or ſhe that comes to that table, and hes not that knawledge, nor is not of that ability to try thame ſelfes, are prophane commers, comes vncleanly as dogs, and therfore man come to their awn deſtruction. Let eueryevery man therefore grow in knaweledge, growe in vnderſtanding, growe in the Spirite, that hee may bee the mair able to trie and examine his awin conſcience.
To the end that ȝe might ga fordward, and proceede in the worke of this triall with the better ſpeede, and with the better fruits: Into this examination we laid downe this ordour. Firſt of all, wee lute ȝou ſee, quhat is that, quhilk wee call a conſcience, and quhat is meaned therby: Nixt, we lute ȝou ſee for quhat cauſes ȝe ſuld put ȝour conſciences to this trial and narrow examination: & thirdlie, ſa far as time ſuffered, we entered into the points, quhereinto eueryevery ane of ȝou ſuld try and examine ȝour awin conſciences. As to conſcience, that ȝee may call that difinitioun to ȝour memorie; I will reſume it ſhortlie. Wee call a conſcience, a certaine feeling in the heart, reſembling the righteous judgement of God, following vppon a deed done be vsus, flowing of knawledge in the minde: A feeling accompanied with a motioun in the heart, a motioun, ather of feare or ioy, of trembling or rejoyſing. I leaue the opening vpp of thir pairts to ȝour memories; and I pray God, that they may be weill ſanctified. I come nixt to the cauſes, quherefore euerie ane of ȝou, ſuld bee carefull in trying and examining ȝour awin conſciences. The firſt cauſe is; becauſe the Lorde of heauen, hes his eie continuallie vponupon the conſcience; the eie of God, comes neuer off the conſcience and heart of man; as I prooued to ȝou, be ſundrie places. Nixt, be reaſon this God hes choſen his ludgeing, and hes ſett downe his throne, to make his reſidence in the conſcience: Therefore, that hee may dwell in cleaneneſſe, ȝou aught to hauehave a regard to his dwelling place. Thirdlie, hee is the Lord: Ȝea, the onelie Lorde of thy conſcience, quha hes power onelyonly to controle; quha onelie hes power to ſaue, or to tine: therfore, that it may doe good ſeruice to thy awn Lord, thou aught to take tent to thy conſcience. And laſt of all, in reſpect, that the health of thy ſaull, ſtands in the eſtait of thy conſcience; and gif thy ſaull bee in good health, thy bodie cannot be euill: Therefore in reſpect, that ſaull and bodie, dependes vppon the eſtait of the conſcience; euerie ane of ȝou, ſuld carefullie looke to ȝour conſciences. I will not amplifie this, but remits the matter to ȝour memories: howe the health of the ſaull, and weilfair of the ſaull, ſuld be keeped.
Nixt, I come in the thrid and laſt rowme, to the points, into the quhilk euerie ane of ȝou, ſuld try and examine ȝour conſciences: And as ȝe remember, I ſet down twa points, quhere into it behoues ȝou to put ȝour conſciences to triall. Firſt, to knaw quhether ȝour conſciences wes at peace with God, or not: ſecondlie, quhether ȝour conſciences wes in louelove, in charitie, & in amitie with ȝour neighbour, or not: Into thir twa points chieflie, ȝee mann try and examine ȝour ſelfis. To ken quhether ȝee bee at peace with God or not, ȝe mann firſt try, quhether ȝe be in the faith, or not: (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes) quhether ȝee bee in the faith of Chriſt or not: For, being in the faith, and juſtified thereby; of force ȝee mann hauehave peace with God, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes. Then the nixt cair mann be to try ȝour faith, and to ſee quhether ȝe hauehave faith, or not. Faith can na waies be tryed, but be the fruits: faith can not be judged on be mee, that lookes on it at the leaſt, but be the effects: Therefore to try quhether ȝee be in the faith, or not: take tent to the frutes: take tent to thy mouth, take tent to thy hand, take tent to thy wordes, and to thy deedes. For, except thou glorifie God in thy mouth, and confes to thy ſaluation: and except thou glorifie him alſo in thy deedes, and make thine haly life to teſtify of thy halyHow ane ſinceare faith is …w in faith, all is but vaine, all is but meer hypocriſie. Therefore to knaw the ſynceritie of thy faith, thou mann take tent, that there be ane harmony betwixt thy hand, thy mouth, and thy hart: that there bee a mutuall conſent, that thy doings prejudge not thy hart, that thy mouth prejudge not thy hart: but that mouth and hand, may teſtifie of the ſynceritie of the heart. Gif the heart, the hand, and the mouth, conſent and agree in ane harmonie together: Na queſtion, that hart that breakes foorth in ſa good frutes, is coupled with God: there is na queſtion, the light of thy actions, the beames and ſhyning of thy life, ſall make the name of thy good God to bee glorified. Therefore the haill weight of our tryall ſtands chieflie vponupon this point: to ſee quhether wee bee in the faith, or not: to examine quhether Chriſt dwels in vsus bee faith, or not: For without faith, there can bee na coupling, nor conjoining betwixt vsus and Chriſt: without faith our hart can not be ſanctified and clenged: and without faith we can not worke bee charitie: ſa all depends on this onlie. And therefore that ȝe might the better vnderſtād quhether ȝe hauehave faith or not: I gaid ſomequhat mair highly in this matter, and I begoud to lat ȝou ſee, how the haly Spirit creats faith, & workes faith in ȝour ſauls, harts, and mindes. I begouth to let ȝou ſee, quhat order the halye Spirite keeped, in forming and in creating this notable inſtrument in ȝour harts and mindes: Not only how he ingenders and begins faith, but alſwa how he interteinis it, how hee nouriſhes it: and we lute ȝou ſee, the externall meanes and inſtrumentes quhilk he vſis to this effect. To beget faith in our ſauls, the halie Spirit vſes the hearing of the worde preached, bee him that is ſent; & the miniſterie of the Sacraments, as ordinarie meanes and inſtrumentes: quhilk ordinare meanes are onelie then effectual, quhē as the haly Spirit concurs inwardly in our hearts, with the worde ſtriking outwardlie in our eare: and with the Sacrament outwardlie receaued. And except the haly Spirit grant his concurrance to the word, and to the Sacrament; word and Sacrament wil not work faith. Swa, all depends vponupon the working of this haly Spirit. The haill regeneration of mankinde, the renewing of the hart and of the conſcience, depends on the power of the haly Spirit: and ther fore it becoms vsus cairfully, to imploy our trauails, in incalling for his haly Spirit. Be the ſame means and na vther, that the halie Spirite begets faith in vsus; bee the ſame meanes he nouriſhis and augments that, quhilk he hes begotten. And therfore, as wee get faith bee hearing of the word; ſa be continuall and diligent hearing, we hauehave this faith augmented, and nouriſhed in vsus. And heir I drew out my exhortation, that gif ȝe wauld hauehave that ſpirituall life nouriſhed in ȝou, and gif ȝe wald hauehave a farder aſſurance of heauen: on force ȝe mann baith continuallie and diligentlie, heare the bleſſed worde of God.
Now it reſts that eueryevery ane of ȝou cairfullie applye this doctrine to ȝour awin ſaulls, and enter into the tryall of ȝour awin conſciences: to ſee, gif this faith, as I ſpake, bee begunne in ȝour hearts and minds, or not: How far, or how little the halie Spirit hes proceeded in that wark, try with mee, and I with ȝou. The firſt effect of the haly Spirite, quhereby ȝee may try ȝour minde, quhether it bee in the faith, or not; is this: Reuolue in ȝour memories, and remember, gif at ony time, it pleaſed the Lord in his merciemercy to turne the darcknes of ȝour minde vntounto light, to make that darcknes quhilk wes within ȝou to depart. Be the quhilk darknes, nather had ȝee ane eie to ſee ȝour ſelfis, quhat ȝee war bee nature: nor ȝet had ȝee ane eie to ſee God in Chriſt, nor ony part of his merciemercy. Examine I ſaye, quhether gif this darcknes of the naturall vnderſtanding, be turned into light, be the working of the Spirit, or not: Gif thou art become a childe of the light, a childe of the day: Gif thou art become as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, light in the Lord: Gif there be this alteration maid in thy minde, that quhere naturallye off before, it was cloſed vp in darcknes; quhere it was filled with vanities and errours; quhere it was cloſed vp in blindnes: gif the Lorde hes at onye time, enlightened the eie of thy minde, and maide thee to ſee thine awin miſerie, to ſee the vgglines of thin awin nature: to ſee they hainous ſinnes, in the quhilk be nature thou lyes: Gif he hes granted to thee, ane inſight of thy ſelf in ſome meaſure: and vponupon the vther ſide, gif hee hes graunted thee ane out-gait: and hes giuen thee ane inſight of the merciemercy of God in Chriſt Ieſus: gif thou hauehave gotten ane inſight of the riches of his grace in Chriſt: Na doubt, the halie Spirit hes begun a good warke in thee: A wark, quhilk will bring foorth repentance, quhilk in his awin time hee will perfite. Sa this is the firſt cair that ȝe aught to hauehave, and the firſt point quherin ȝe aught to examine ȝour mindes: to ſee gif there be any light in it, quhereby ȝe may knaw your miſery, and hauehave a inſight of the mercy of God in Chriſt. This being doone, that thou findes a ſight of thir twa in thy minde; fra thy minde, ga to the heart, and as thou hes tryed thy minde, ſa try thine hart. And firſt examine the hart, gif it bee altered or not: gif it be in ony ſort reformed or not, that the will of it bee framed and bowed to Gods obedience: that the affectioun bee turned in the luif of God, and bee powred out on him, as it wes powred out on vanities, on filthines, and on the warlde off before. Try quhither the ground of the hart, and the fountaine quherfra the motions and affections proceeds; be ſanctified, or not: For of ane haly fountaine, halie waters mann diſtill: of ane halye fountaine, halie motions, halie cogitations, and ſanctified conſiderations mann flow.
Try then and examine ȝour heart, gif the ſpirit of God hes wrought ony ſik reformation (as I ſpake off) in the hart or not: And that thou may take vp the working of the halie Spirit, the better in thy hart and conſcience, quhilk makis chieflie reſidence in the hart: I ſall lay before thee the firſt effect, that euer the halye Spirite brings foorth in thy hart: in framing it, in mollifying it, and in bowing it to the obedience of God. Thou ſall knaw the working of the haly Spirit, bee this effect: to wit, gif, as thy minde ſeeis, and behaldes quhat is ill, ſeeis and behaldes quhat is good, ſeeis and behaldes thine awin miſerie, and thy ſinnes that hes caſten thee in this miſerie: and ſeeis and behalds the riches of the merciemercy of God in Chriſt: Gif as thy mind ſeeis thir twa, thy hart be reformed and prepared, to louelove the ſight of thame. As thou ſeeis in thy mind, the merciemercy of God, & that in Chriſt: gif thou hes ane hart to deſire merciemercy: gif thou hes ane thirſt and earneſt deſire, to bee pertaker of merciemercy: quhere this deſire and thirſt is, there the halie Spirit is, he hes, na doubt, opened the hart. VponUpon the vther ſide, becaus, as thou ſeeis merciemercy, thou ſeeis thy miſerie: gif as thy minde ſeeis the miſerie, ſeeis the fountain quherefra thy miſery flows a to wit, fra thine awin ſins, gif then thyne heart alſo hates this; the halie Spirite is there. Gif as thou ſeeſt ſinne, quhilk is the cauſe of thy miſerie, with the eye quhilk is giuen thee in thy minde; thou hateſt this ſinne with thy heart: na queſtion, the halie Spirite is there. And as thou hateſt it, gif alſo thou ſorrow for it, (for it is not aneugh to hate it, gif thou lament not the committing of it, & with a godlie ſorrowe deplore it:) the halie Spirite is there. And thirdlie, gif with thy lamenting, thou hauehave a care and a ſtudie to eſchew that ſinne; for quhat auailes it to lament; gif like a dogg, returning to his vomit▪ thou fall in that ſame golfe againe. Therefore, quhere there is ane hatrent of ſinne, a ſorrowe for ſinne, a care and a ſtudie to eſchewe ſinne: na queſtioun, the halie Spirite hes opened the heart, and is working out that precious inſtrument. Take vpp all this in a worde, take vp all the operation of the haly Spirite, and working in the heart in a word▪ and bee this examine thy heart. See and perceaue, gif the halie Spirite hes entred ſa farre with thee, to worke in that hard heart of thine, an erneſt, a diligent ſtudy, a carefull ſolicitude, continually to be reconciled with the gret god, quhom thou hes offended: Is there ſick a thing, as ane thirſt and ane deſire to be at amitie with him, quhom thou hes offended, to be reconciled with the God of heauen, quhom thou hes offended be thy manifald tranſgresſions: quhere this care, and ſtudy of reconciliation is: Gif this care & ſtudy of reconciliation be in the heart; there is na dout, but the hart that thirſts for this reconciliation is hartelie content, not onlie to renounce ſin, to renounce al the impieties, that ſeucred thee fra God: but the hart that is indewed with this thirſt, will bee hartely content, to renounce it ſelfe, to caſt downe it ſelfe, for als ſtubborne as it wes off before, to caſte down the ſelf at the feete of the mightye GOD, and bee healilie content, in all times comming, to be ruled be his halie will: Not to followe the awin luſt, the awin will and appetite, as it did off before; but to reſigne the ſelf healilie in the handes of the mightie God, to bee ruled be his wil at his pleaſure, and to obey his appetite. And except ȝe find this diſpoſitioun in ȝour awin heart, to quite ȝour ſelfis, to renounce ȝour ſelfis; it is a vaine thing, to ȝou to ſpeake, that ȝee hauehave a thirſt to bee reconciled. Sa, the greater thirſt of reconciliatiō that we hauehave. And the mair that this ſtudy grow is, the greater that the apprehenſion of my miſerie, of the deep gulfis & very hels (quherunto my ſaull is ſubiect) growes in my ſaull, the mair earneſt wald I be to be reconciled: & to be reconciled, I wald not ſtand, for the renuncing of the luſts of my hart; but I wald renoūce my hart, & the obedience of the wil & appetit of it▪ Quhy? becaus I ſee, I mann die for euer, except the Lorde reconcile him ſelf with mee. I ſee the huge deepes & oceans of all miſery, in the quhilk I ſal fal in the end, except in merciemercy, the Lord reconceile him ſelf with mee. To eſchew thir deepes and inconueniences, is there ony queſtion, but the hart that hath a ſenſe, and is touched with thame; wil maiſt willingly quite the ſelf. Againe, ſeing the Lorde hes tane paines to deliuer mee out of that deepe miſery, in the quhilk I drowned my ſelf, and hes purchaſed my redemption bee ſick a coaſtlie price: not with golde, nor with ſiluer, or ony draffe in the earth: but be ſick a wonderful way, be ſick a pretious price, and rich ranſome: Looking to the greatnes of our miſery, and to the greatnes of the price, quhereby hee hes redeemed vsus: quhat hart is it, but it willinglie walde renunce the ſelfe, to get a part of that redemption, and to be deliuered out of that hell, quherein wee are preſentlie, and quherein wee will be in a greater meaſure eſter this, except we be reconciled. Swa then, with this choſe, there is joined a diſpoſition in the heart, quherby the hart is willing in ſome meaſure, to renunce the ſelfe. This leſſon is oft tauld ouer to vsus bee Chriſt, in his Euangell: We mann ather take vp a croſſe and renounce our ſelfis alſo, or wee cannot follow him. The mair that this thirſt growes in the heart, the mair this renouncing of our ſelfis growes: the mair that this thirſt decayes, and is diminiſhed in the heart, the mair cleaue wee to the warld, the mair cleaue we to the fleſh, and the mair are we ruled and guided be thame. Sa, ather mann wee nouriſhe a thirſt of righteouſnes, a hunger of life euerlaſting, a thirſt of merciemercy, a hunger of that juſtice that is in Chriſt; or it is not poſſible that in any meaſure, we can bee diſciples to him.
Now I ga fordward: The heart that efter this ſorte is prepared, that with a thirſt to be reconciled, is diſpoſed alſo to renounce the ſelf: this heart into the quhilk there lyes ſa earneſt a thirſt, is neuer fruſtrat of the expectation: that gree die heart is neuer diſapointed: but as the Lorde hes imprented in it, ane earneſt ſtudie to bee reconciled, and to get a grip of Chriſt: Sa in his mercy he grants vntounto that hart the poſſeſſion of merciemercy, hee puts that heart in ſome meaſure, in poſſeſſioun of the mercye quhilke it ſeekes, in poſſeſſioun of Chriſt Ieſus him ſelf, quhom it ſeekes. The quhilk apprehenſioun of Chriſt, the heart ſenſiblye feels and gripes, in that peace, quhilk he giues to the conſcience: ſa that the conſcience quhilk wes terrified, exceedinglie gnawen, and diſtracted off before; be the incomming of this peace, and of Chriſt with his graces; incontinent it is quieted & pacified: there comes a calmnes and ſoundnes in the heart, and all troubles and ſtormis are remoued. With this peace is conjoined, ane taiſt of the powers of the warld to come. The heart gets a taiſt of the ſwetnes that is in chriſt of the joy, whilk is in the life euerlaſting, quhilk taiſt is the only arlis-pēny, of that full and perfite joy, quhilk ſaull and bodie in that life ſhall enioy. And the arlispennie (as ȝee knaw) mann be a part of the ſowme, and of the nature of the reſt of the ſowme. And therefore, that arlispenie of joy aſſures vsus, that quhen wee ſall get poſſeſſion of the haill ſowme, it ſall bee a ſtrange joy. And thir documents halds vp the heart, and makes it not to linger, nor wearie in the expectation of that life: but being refreſhed now and then therewith, be ſa mony arlis pē nies: they aſſure vsus of the full fruition of that joy, for the quhilk in patience wee will ſuſtein all troubles. Swa, as the halie Spirite workes a thirſt in vsus, to be at Chriſt, a thirſt of mercy and reconciliation with him: the ſame halie Spirit diſapoints not that ſame expectatioun, nor thirſt; but puts the ſaull and hart in poſſeſſion of Chriſt: bee the quhilk the conſcience is pacified, the heart is rejoiced, and we get a taiſt of the ſweetnes, and of the powers of that life to come. The ſenſible feeling of the quhilk taiſt, that paſſes all natural vnderſtanding, quhat dois it in my hart and conſcience? It workes a wonderfull aſſurance and perſwaſioun that God loues mee. The feeling of his merciemercy in the bowels of my heart, in the bottome of my conſcience, works a certain aſſurance and perſwaſion, that he is my God, that he will ſaue me for Chriſts cauſe; that the promiſe of mercy, quhilk I durſt not for my life applye to my conſcience off before; now bee the feeling of merciemercy, I dare baldly apply, and ſay: merciemercy apperteins to mee, life and ſaluation apperteins to mee.
For the conſcience being exceedingly terrified, and ſeeing na thing in God but fire and wraith: it is not poſſible, but it mann flee fra him: it can not approch to ane conſuming fire: but fra time the conſcience get a taiſt of this peace, mercy, & ſweetnes; Looke how firſt it fled fra him off before: now efter this reconciliation it will runne als faſt to him, and wil poſſes him, mair and mair, fullie. Sa the aſſurance and perſwaſion of merciemercy, ryſes of the feeling of merciemercy in the heart and conſcience. And except the hart feele it, and taſte it in ſome meaſure: I dare not, nor na conſciēce dare for the life, apply God and his merciemercy to the ſelf. I may be ſure in generall, that all my ſinnes are remiſsable, and that I may come be merciemercy, or I feele it: but to apply this merciemercy in particular to my ſelfe, quhill I feele a taiſt of it firſt, I dar not. Swa, this particular application, quhereby we claime God, and Chriſt as propertie to vsus, as gif na man had title to him but wee, and to call him my God, my Chriſt, and to claime his promiſes, as na man had entres to them but wee: this comes of the ſenſe and feeling of merciemercy in the heart: And the mair that this feeling growes, & the farder experience, that wee hauehave in our awin hart of this peace and merciemercy, the greater growes our faith and aſſurance: Our perſwaſion becoms ſa ſtrong, that we dar at laſt come out with the Apoſtle and ſay: Quhat can twin mee fra the luif of God? Nather death, nather life, nather Angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, is able to ſeperate mee fra the louelove of God, quhilk is in Chriſt. This particular application, quhilk ryſes (na doubt) vponupon the feeling and ſens of merciemercy, is the ſpecifik difference, the cheef mark and proper note, quhereby our faith, quha ar juſtified in the blood of Chriſt, is diſcerned fra that generall faith of the Papiſtes. Our faith bee this particular application, is not onlye diſſcerned fra the generall faith of the Papiſtes, but it is diſcerned fra all the pretended faithes, of all the ſectes in the warld. For the Papiſt dare not applye the promis of mercy to his awin ſaul, he compts it preſumptiō to ſay, I am ane elect, I am ſaued and juſtified. And quherfra flowes this I pray ȝou? Only fra this, that in their conſcience, they hauehave neuer felt merciemercy, they hauehave neuer taſted of the luif, fauour, and ſweetnes of God: For, looke how faſt the conſcience fleeis fra God, before it get the taiſte of his ſweetnes: It runnes als diligentlie on him, & threapes luife on him, efter that it hes gotten that taiſt. Swa, they miſerable bodies contents thame with this generall faith, quhilk is na vther thing, bot ane hiſtoricall faith, that leanes only on the treuth of God, quherby I knaw that the promiſes of God are true: Bot the Papiſt dare not come, and ſay: they are true in mee; quhy? becaus hee hes not felt it, and the hart of him is not opned. But our juſtifieng faith, as I tauld ȝou, conſecrates the haill ſaul, to the obedience of God in Chriſt. Sa that it reſts not only vponupon the truth of God, nor it reſts not only vponupon the power of God: ſuppoſe thir be twa chiefe pillars of our faith alſwa: but ſpeciallie and chieflie, it reſts vponupon the merciemercy of God in Chriſt: it reſts alſo vponupon the truth and power of God, but ſpeciallie vponupon the promiſe of grace and merciemercy in Chriſt. The ſaull of the Papiſt, being deſtitute of the feeling and taiſt of merciemercy, dare not enter in this particular application, and ſwa hee can not be juſtified. Ȝea: na doubt, ſa mony of them as are juſtified, in the mercy of God gets a taiſt of his merciemercy, and kindnes, or thay die. This far concerning the effects.
Then ȝe hauehave onelyonly this to remember, the opening of the heart, the pacifiyng, & quieting of the conſcience; they worke ane aſſurance and a ſtrong perſwaſion of the merciemercy of God in Chriſt: The mair that the heart bee opened, the mair that the conſcience be pacified, the mair that the taiſt of that ſweetnes continue and remaine, the mair art thou aſſured of his merciemercy. Swa then, wald thou knaw, quhither thy faith be ſtrong or not, quhither thy perſwaſion of Gods merciemercy, be ſtarke or not? Take tent to thy conſcience; gif thy conſcience bee hurt, aſſuredly thou will doubt; and gif thou doubt, thou can not hauehave ſicke a ſtrong perſwaſioun, as vtherwayis thou wald hauehave, gif thy doubting were away. Not that I wil hauehave faith to be ſa perfit in this life, that there be alwaies na doubting joined with it. I clame not to that perfection: but I ſay that ane hurt conſcience mann ever doubt, and the mair wee dout, the les is our perſwaſion: Swa the mair thou hurt thy conſcience, the leſſe faith thou hes. Then thou mann come to this point: Keepe mee a ſound conſcience; intertaine peace in thy conſcience, and thou ſall keepe faith, and ſal hauehave thy perſwaſion in that ſame meaſure, that thou hes of reſt and peace in thy conſcience: & the mair that thy conſcience bee at peace and reſt, the greater ſall thy faith and perſwaſioun be. Sa this ground halds faſt, ane doubting conſcience, makes a weake faith; and the mair the doubting in the conſcience bee, the weaker is the faith. Then the Apoſtle lies not; quha ſays, that faith dwels in a good conſcience, that faith is locked and cloſed vpp in a good conſcience: Sa that gif ȝee keepe a good conſcience, ȝe ſal keepe a ſtrong faith; and gif ȝee hurt ȝour conſcience, ȝee ſall hurt ȝour faith. Nowe to make this mair ſenſible: How cann I bee perſwaded of his merciemercy, quhais anger I feel kendled againſt me, & againſt whom my conſcience ſhewes me to bee giltie of manie offences. Na queſtion, ſa lang as the ſenſe of his anger, and feeling of my offences bides; I cannot hauehave a ſtarke perſwaſion, that he will be mercifull to me: but quhen I gett acceſſe to his countenance, and ane ſight that hee hes forgiuen me; then I begin to be perſwaded. Sa keepe a good conſcience, and thou ſall keepe faith; and the better that thy conſcience be, the ſtarker mann thy faith be.
Then the hail exhortation that we gather…xhortation on this point, dependes vponupon this: That euerie ane of ȝou, in quhat rancke ſa euer ȝee bee; take tent to ȝour conſcience: for looſing it, ȝe looſe faith; and loſing faith, ȝee looſe ſaluation. Bee ȝee in the ranke of great men, ȝee aught to tak tent to ȝour conſciences: Speciallie, in reſpect, that the Lord hes placed ȝou in ane great calling: Ȝee hauehave mony thinges, quherein, ȝe aught to controle ȝour conſciences. Ȝee aught to craue the aduiſe of ȝour cōſcience, or euer ȝe put ȝour hand to onie warke: In reſpect ȝee are bound in manifauld duties to God, and to ȝour inferiours: And na doubt, gif ſome of our great men had aduiſed weill, theſe diſſolutions had not fallen out into their awn bodies. Thir oppresſions of the poore, thir deadlie feids, with their awin companions, walde not burſt out in ſick ane heigh meaſure, gif they had aduiſed weil with their conſciences. But the Lorde, ſeeing thame take ſa little tent to their conſciences, hee ſpoyles thame of fayth, and of the hope of merciemercy: and out of queſtion, ȝee fall ſee their end miſerable; Ȝee ſall ſee thame ſpectacles of the judgements of God: they that hes eies to behauld it, ſall ſee the God of heauen, make thir men, quha gais ſa diſſolutly to wark, ſpectacles of his judgemēts to the warld: For the Lord leaues not ſic men vnpuniſhed. Be theyr example, it were verie neceſſare, that men of inferiour rancks ſuld take tent to their conſciences: and therefore, let euerie man, according to his calling, examine his calling, bee the rule of his conſcience. And ſpeciallie, this becoms ȝou that are judges; It becoms ȝou, before ȝe pronounce, and gif forth judgment, to aduiſe with ȝour conſcience and law thereof, and in judgement, not to folow ȝour affection, but to follow the rule of ȝour conſcience. Likewayis, ȝee that are of inferiour ranks to Iudges, and ȝee that are aduocats, controlle ȝour doings be ȝour conſcience, and giuegive not the leages nor ſubjects of this Countrey, juſt cauſe to complaine on ȝou: terrifie tham not, fra the pleading of juſtice be exorbitant prices, and extraordinair kind of doing: but moderate al ȝour actions ſa, that they agree with the rule of ȝour conſciences; that ſa farre as in ȝou lies, juſtice ceaſe not. This that I ſpeake to thame, I ſpeake to ȝou of the Merchand eſtait alſo: See that ȝee looke not ſa meekle, to this or that, as to the conſcience that is in ȝou; quhat in conſcience ȝee may doe, according to the meaſure of knawledge, that God hes placed in ȝou: and quhatever ȝee doe; beware, ȝee doe not againſt ȝour knawledge. I graunt ȝour knaweledge will not bee ſa learned, as it ſuld be and this makes mony deformed actions; Ȝit lat not a man doe againſt his knaweledge: but let euerie man doe according to the meaſure of knawledge, quherwith God hes indued him: And ſuppoſe it be not weil reformed, ȝit or thou do be ges, be aduiſed with thy conſcience, and followe thy knawledge: For that quhilk is done doubtinglie, is ſinne. Swa, quhateuer thou doe; let not thy eie, thy hand, nor ony member of thy bodie, do againſt thy knawledge: For this is a ſtep to that heigh ſinne againſt the halie Spirit. This is the readie way, to put all knawledge out of ȝour mind. For gif mē do againſt knawledge, & continue in doing againſt knawledge: at laſt, they will become a maſſe of darkneſſe, the Lorde will ſcrape all knawledge out of their minde, and all feeling of merciemercy out of their heart, giff they feele it not better: Therefore, eueryevery ane of ȝou, follow ȝour knawledge, and according to the meaſure of ȝour knawledge, let ȝour actions proceed.
It hes pleaſed the Lorde, to poure thisFaith is the free gift of God. liquour, this precious ointment in vsus; ſuppoſe we be earthly and lame veſſels, miſerable creatures; ȝit it hes pleaſed our gratious God, to poure ſic a precious liquor in our hearts and minds, and to concredite ſick ane jewell in our hands and keeping, that bee the vertue of this liquour, we may tak hauld on Chriſt, quha is our juſtice, our wiſedoome, ſanctificatioun, and redemption. Suppoſe we be miſerable creatures, ȝit the Lord of his merciemercy, hes a reſpect to vsus in Chriſt, in giuing vsus this precious liquour, quherby our ſauls may bee ſeaſoned to life euerlaſting. In this, that he powres it in our hearts, we ſee clearelie, that it growes not in our hearts, nor breeds not in our nature. Na, this gift of faith, is not at mans cōmand, nor vnderunder his arbitrament: as gif it lay in his hand to beleeue, or not to beleeue, as he pleaſes. It is the gift of GOD, poured downe freelie of his vndeſerued grace, in the riches of his merciemercy in Chriſt. That it is a gift, ȝee ſee clearelie, 1. COR. 12. 1. quhere the Apoſtle ſayis; and to an vther is giuen faith bee the ſame ſpirit: as alſo, PHIL. 1. 21. quhere hee ſayis: For vntounto ȝou it is giuen for Chriſts cauſe, that not onelie ȝee ſuld beleeue in him, but alſo ſuffer for his ſake. Sa faith is the gift of the halie Spirit: and this gift is not giuen to all men and women, as the Apoſtle plainelie declares: All hes not faith. This gift, ſuppoſe it be giuen, it is not giuen to all, but is onelyonly giuen to the elect, that is, to ſa mony as the Lord hes appointed to life euerlaſting. This gift, quhere euer it is, and in quhat heart ſoeuer it bee, it is neuer idle, but perpetuallie working, and working weil by louelove and charitie, as the Apoſtle ſayth. GAL. 5. 6. This gift, quher euer it bee, is not dead, but quicke and liuelie, as the Apoſtle IAMES ſaith, in his ſecond Chapter. And to let ȝou knawe, quhither it be liuely and working or not, there is not a waye, but to looke to the fruits and effects that flowes fra it: And therefore that ȝee, be ȝour awin effectes, may be the mair aſſured of the goodnes of ȝour faith: I will giuegive ȝou three ſpeciallCertaine effects quhere by ane may knaw, gif we hauehave faith. effects to looke on, be the quhilk ȝe may judge vppon the goodneſſe of ȝour faith. Firſt of all, looke to thy heart, and caſt thine eie on it: Gif thou hes a deſire to pray, a deſire to craue mercy for thy ſinnes, to incall vponupon Gods halie name for merciemercy and grace: gif there be ſick a thing in thy heart, as ane deſire to praie, gif there be ony peece of thine heart inclined, and hes a thirſt to ſeek efter merciemercy and grace: ſuppoſe the greateſt part of thy heart repine, and wald draw thee fra prayer: ȝit aſſuredlie that deſire that thou hes in ony meaſure to prayer, is the true effect of the right faith. Gif thou hauehave a hart to pray to God, ſuppoſe this deſire be but ſclender, aſſure thy ſelf thy ſaull hes life: for prayer is the life of the ſaull, and maks the faith liuelie; for why? Praier is Gods awin gift; it is not our gift, for gif it were ours, it wald be euill. But it is the beſt gift that ever God gaue man, and ſa it mann be the gift of his awin haly Spirit; and being his awin gift, it mann make our faith liuelie. Beſide this, thou art not able, nor thou dare not call vponupon him, in quhom thou beleeues not, as the Apoſtle ſaith. ROM. 10. 14. For gif I intreat him be praier, I mann truſt in him. Then praier is a certaine argument of iuſtifying faith and beleife in GOD: For I cannot ſpeake to him; let bee to pray to him, in quhome I truſt not: And ſuppoſe the heart be not fullie reſolued, and weill diſpoſed; ȝit gif there be ony part of the heart that inclines to praier, ſticke bee it; it is a ſure gadge, that that part beleues. The ſecond effect, wherby thou ſal knaw, quhither faith bee in thee or not, is this; looke and aduiſe with thy ſelfe, gif thy heart cann bee content, to renounce thy rankour, to forgiue thy grudges, and that freelie for Gods cauſe: may this be done be thee? and will thou forgiue thy neighbour, as freely as God hes forgiuen thee? aſſuredlie, that is the effect of the right Spirit; for nature could neuer giuegive that. There is nathing, quherevnto nature bends the ſelfe mair, nor to rankour and enuie; and there is nathing, quherein nature places her honor mair guckedly, nor in priuie reuengement. Now gif thy hart bee ſa tamed and brought downe, that it wil willinglie forgiue the injurie for gods cauſe; that is the effect of the right Spirite: This is not my ſaying; it is Chriſts ſaying, MAT. 6. 14. quhere hee ſaith: gif ȝee do forgiue men their treſpaſſes, ȝour heauenlie father wil alſo forgiue ȝou; and 15. verſe: but gif ȝee do not forgiue men their treſpaſſes, na mair wil ȝour heauenlie Father forgiue ȝou ȝour treſpaſſes. Sa wald Chriſt ſay; he that forgiues wrangs, ſall get wrangs forgiuen him; but he that wil reuenge his wrangs, wrang ſal be reuenged vppon him. Therefore, as thou wald bee ſpared in thy wrangs, doone to the mightie God; ſpare thou thy neighbour. I will not inſiſt; examine quhither ȝe hauehave faith or not; examine it be prayer, examine it bee the diſcharge of ȝour awin priuie grudges; for gif ȝee want thir effects: Ane heart full of rankour, an hart voyd of praier, is ane heart faithleſſe, and meet for hell. The third effect of faith is compasſion; thou mann bowe thy heart, and extend thy pitie, vponupon the pure members of Chriſts bodie, and ſuffer thame not to lacke gif thou hauehave: for except ȝee hauehave this compasſioun, ȝee hauehave na faith. Examine ȝour ſelfs bee thir three effects, and gif ȝee finde thir in onie meaſure; how beeit, it were neuer ſa ſmall▪ ȝou hauehave the right faith in ȝour hart, the faith that ȝou hauehave, is true and liuelie, and aſſuredly God will be mercifull to ȝou.
This faith of ours, ſuppoſe it be liuely, ȝit it is not perfect in this warld, but euerieOur faith man be continually nuriſhed, becauſe it is ioyned with douting. day, and eueryevery houre, it craues a continuall augmentatioun, it craues euer to be nuriſhed: for the quhilk increaſe, the Apoſtles thame ſelfis, LVK. 17. 5. incalled and ſaid: Lorde increaſe our faith. And our maiſter commaunds vsus to pray, and ſay, Lorde increaſe our faith, I beleeue, Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe. Then Chriſts commaund lats vsus ſee clearely, that this faith, miſters continually to bee nuriſhed and helped, and it cannot be helped, but be praier: ſa we ſuld alwayis continue in praier. That this faith ſuld be helped, and that wee ſuld bee perpetuallie vppon our garde, in feare and trembling to gett it augmented: the terrible doubtings, the wonderful pits of deſparatioun, into the quhilk, the deareſt ſeruaunts of God are caſten, dois clearelie teach: For the beſt ſeruants of God, are exerciſed with terrible doubtings in their ſaules, with wonderfull ſtammerings, and they will bee brought at ſomtimes, as appears in their awin judgement, to the verie brinke of deſperatioun. Thir doubtings and ſtammerings lets vsus ſee, that this faith of ours wald bee perpetuallie nuriſhed, and that wee hauehave neede, continuallie to pray for the increaſe of it. It pleaſes the Lorde, at ſomtimes, to let his ſeruants hauehave a ſight of thame ſelfes, to caſt thame downe, and to let thame ſee, how ouglie ſinne is: It pleaſes him, to let thame fall in the bitterneſſe of ſinne, and to quhat end? Not that he wil deuour thame, or ſuffer tham to be ſwallowed vp be deſperation. Suppoſe EZEKIAH cries out, that like an hungrie lyon, the Lord is like to deuour him, & bruiſe him in peces: ȝit the Lord ſuffers him not to diſpair. And ſuppoſe DAVID cry, I cannot away with his conſuming fire, I may not bide the fire of the Lordes ielouſie; ȝit he diſpairs not: But the Lord caſts his ſeruants very low; to quhat end? To the end, that they may feele in their hearts and conſciences, quhat Chriſt ſuffered for thame in the ȝarde, and on the croſſe, in ſaull and bodie: Ȝea, wee wald thinke, that there had bene plaine colluſion betwixt the Father and the Son, and that his ſuffering had bene na ſuffering: except we felt in our ſauls in ſom meſure, the hell quhilk hee ſuſteined in full meaſure. Swa to the effect, that wee might clearelie vnderſtand the bitternes of ſin, that we might knaw, how far wee are addetted to Chriſt, quha ſuffered ſicke torments for our ſinne, and that we may be the mair able to thank him, and to praiſe his halie name: hee ſuffers his awin ſeruants to dout, but not to diſpair: he forgiues thir doutings, he forgiues thir ſtam rings, and in his awn time, hee ſupports tham, and brings vsus to the waters of life.
Thir doubtings, as I hauehave oft ſpoken, may ludge in ane ſaul with faith; for douting & faith, are not extreamly opponed; Onelie faith and diſpair, are extreamelieDoubting and fayth may ludge in ane ſaule. opponed: and therfore, faith and diſpair, can not baith ludge in ane ſaule; for diſpair cuts the pillers of hope, and quher there is na hope, there cann bee na faith. But as to doubting, it mann ludge, it will ludge, and hes ludged in the ſaules of the beſt ſeruants that euer God had. Looke to the Apoſtle, we are alwayis in doubt, ſaith he, but we diſpair not. Sa, douting and faith may ludge in an ſaul: & quherfra flowes this doubting? We knaw, that in the regenerat man, there is a remnant corruptioun: For wee gett not our heauen in this earth: ſuppoſe we beginn our heauen heere, wee get it not fullie heere: And gif all corruption were away, quhat ſuld there reſt, but a full heauen heere? Sa it is onelie begun in this life, and not perfited; therefore there remains in the ſaul, a great corruptioun, quhilk is neuer idle, but continuallie occupied. This corruption is euer bringing foorth the birth of ſinn, part leſſe, part mair; euerie ſin hurts the conſcience; ane hurt conſcience, impairs the perſwaſion, and ſa comes in the doubting. For there is not a ſinne that we commit, but it banniſhes light, & caſts a ſlough ouer the eie of our faith, quherby, wee doubt and ſtammer in our ſight. And were not the Lord of his mercy taks vsus vp, giues vsus the gift of repentance, and maks vsus eueryevery day, als oft as we ſin, to cry als oft for mercy, & ſa to repair the loſſe that wee hauehave of faith, to repair the loſſe quhilk we hauehave of the feeling of merciemercy, we wald gang on, and halely put out that ſame light. But it pleaſes the Lorde; ſuppoſe we be euerie day ſinning, to giuegive vsus the gift of repentance; & be repentance, to repaire our faith, to repaire the ſenſe and feeling of merciemercy in vsus, and to put vsus in that ſame eſtait of perſwaſion, quherein we were off before. Therefore, gif God beginn not, continue not, and ende not with merciemercy: in that ſame moment, that he abſtracts his merciemercy fra vsus, we will decaye. Swa, ȝee mann bee diligent incallers for merciemercy: ȝe mann be inſtant continuallie, in ſeeking to hauehave a feeling of merciemercy. This far for the doubting.
Now, howſoeuer it be ſure and certain that the faith of the beſt children of GodA doubting and a weak faith, is faith and ſall neuer heali… decay. is ſubject to doubting: ȝit it is als ſure & certaine, that it is neuer healilie extinguiſhed, albeit it were neuer ſa weak, ȝit it ſall neuer vtterlie decay and periſh out of the hart, quherein it makes ains reſidence. This comfort and conſolation, the Spirite of God hes ſet downe in his word, to hald vp the troubled hart: that howſoeuer faith bee weake, ȝit a weake faith, is faith: and quhere that faith is, there mann euer bee merciemercy. Ȝee hauehave in ROM. 11. 29. that the giftes and calling of God, are without repentaunce. But amang all his giftes that are of this ſort, faith is ane of the cheefeſt, therfore it can not be reuoked againe. Ȝee hauehave in IVDE 3. that faith is ains giuen to the ſaints: ains giuen: that is, conſtantly giuen, neuer to bee changed, nor vtterlye tane fra thame. The Lorde will not repent him of this gift, but the ſaul quhilk he hes luifit ains, he will luif perpetually▪ It is true and certaine, that the ſpoonks of faith quhilk are kindled in the hart be the Spirite of God; certaine it is, they may be ſmored for a lang time: they may bee couered with the aſſes of our awin corruption, and with our awin ill deeds and wickednes, in the quhilk we fall: it is true, that the effects of a liuelie faith wil be interrupted, and that thy luſts and affections will preuaile for a lang time: Sa that quhen thou lookes on thy ſelf, vponupon the judgements of GOD that hangs on ſaull and bodie, and quhen thou lookes vponupon thy diſſolute life, and on the anger of God agains this diſſolute life: In the minde, in the hart and conſcience of him that hes ſa ſmored and oppreſſed his faith, it will oft times come to pas in his awin judgement, hauing his eies fixt on him ſelf onlie: that he will thinke him to be a reprobate, to be ane affcaſt, and neuer able to recouer merciemercy. Quhere this corruption burſtis furth in gros maner, efter that the Lord hes called thee: Look howe ſone the Lorde beginns to walken thee again: incontinent, thou fixes thine eies vponupon thine awin life, and enters in a deepe conſideration, als weill of the grauity of thy ſinne; as of the weight of the wrath of God, quhilk thou ſeeis following thereon; and is ſalaith to remit thy cogitation, to pans vponupon the deepnes of the merciemercy of God; ſtanding fixt in this cōſideration, it can not bot come to pas in thy awin judgement, bot thou art ane aff-caſt: And ȝit God forbid it wer ſa, for ſuppoſe they ſponks of the ſpirit be couered, be the corruption that is within thy ſaul, ȝit they ſponks ar not halily put out
And to let ȝou ſee, that they are not put out, ſuppoſe they burſt not foorth in the outwarde effectes, that the warlde mayThe ſponks of faith ſuppoſe they be ſmored, they are not halilie put out, no… are not idle. knaw thee to bee ane faithfull man as it wont to doe; ȝit thir ſpoonkes are not idle, and thou ſall finde thame not to bee idle in thee. As for the confirmation of my argument, that howſoeuer our bodies bee lowſed to all diſſolutioun, efter our effectuall calling within vsus in our ſauls, and that ȝit the ſpoonks are not idle, ȝee ſee, that ſuppoſe the fire bee couered with the aſſes; ȝit it is a fire: there is na man will ſay, that the fire is put out ſuppoſe it bee couered: Na mair is faith put out of the ſaull, ſuppoſe it be ſa couered, that it nather ſhawe hewe nor light outwardlie. Example of this wee hauehave clearlie in DAVID: Efter his lamentatioun in that pſalme of repentance. PSAL. 51. 11. he prayes to God in thir terms: Caſt mee not away from thy preſence: And quhat ſubjoines hee? And tak not thine halie ſpirit from mee. Had he not loſt the Spirit, be his adultery and murther? Na: for hee walde not hauehave ſaide then, take it not from mee, but reſtore it to mee. It is true, he vſis ſick faſhion of language, as PSAL. 51. 12. he ſayes: Reſtore to mee the joy of thy ſaluation: not that he lacked the Spirit healilie; but that the Spirit lacked force in him, and miſtered ſtrengthening and fortification: It wald bee ſteered vp, that the flame of it might appeare. Therefore I ſaye, in reſpect DAVID ſayes ſa clearlie, efter his adulterie and murther; take not that Spirite from mee: it is a certaine argument, that the faithfull hes neuer the Spirite of GOD alwayes tane fra thame, in thair greateſt diſſolutions. The ſecond point is this; How proue I that thir ſpoonks are not idle, ſuppoſe the outward effects bee interrupted. As DAVID felt this in his conſcience, ſa eueryevery ane of ȝou may feele it in ȝour awin conſciences. The Spirit of God in mans heart can not bee idle, but thir ſpoonkes, in the mean time that the bodie is caſtin lowſe to all diſſolutions, thir ſpoonkes are accuſing thy diſſolution, are finding fault with thy manners: thir ſpoonkes ſuffers thee not to take the pleaſure of thy body, without great bitterneſſe, and continuall remorſe. And thir ſpoonkes quhere they are, they will make the ſaull quherein they dwel, to vtter thir voces, at ane time or vther; ains in the twentie fowre howres: Allas, I am dooing the ill quhilk I wald not doe, gif I hadd power or ſtrength to reſiſt my affectioun, and gif I might be maiſter of my affection, I wald not for all the warld do the ill quhilk I do. Againe, gif I had power to do the good quhilk I wald doe, I walde not leaue it vndoone for all the warld. Swa thir ſpoonkes, ſuppoſe they hauehave not ſick force and ſtrength preſentlie, as to reſiſt the affection, and to halde the ill turnes vndone; ȝit perpetuallie in the heart, they are finding fault with thy corruption: and ſuffers thee not to take thy pleaſure without paine: but laſt of all makes thee to vtter thir voces: Gif I had ſtrength to reſiſt, I walde not doe the ill quhilk I do. Quhere thir voces are, na queſtioun, they are the voces of a ſaull, quhilk the Lorde hes begun to ſanctifie: and being ains ſanctified, in deſpite of the Diuell, and of the corruption that is in vsus, this faith ſhall neuer periſh: But gif the haill ſaull without contradictioun, with a greedie appetite and pleaſure bee caried to ill, and hes na ſorrow for it: that ſaull is in ane ill eſtait: I can look for nathing to ſick a ſaull but death; except that the Lord preuent tham. But quhere this remorſe and ſorrowe, and ſick voces are in the ſaull; that ſaul in the time that God hes appointed, ſall recouer ſtrēgth: The Lord ſall neuer ſuffer they ſpoonkes to be halilie tane awaye, but in his awin time he ſall fortifie tham, & make thame to breake out before the warlde in good warks. The Lord in his awin time, he wil ſanctifie tham: he wil ſcatter the aſſes of corruption, ſteir vp the ſponkes, & make tham to breake out in a better life, nor euer they did before: as ȝe may clearly ſee that DAVIDS repentance hes done mair good to the Kirk of God, nor gif he had neuer fallē. Thus far cōcerning the effects
Suppoſe the effects of repentance bee interrupted, ȝit they ſpoonks are not extinguiſhed. For, there is na man will thinke, that the fire quhilk is coueredSimilitudes ſhewing that the ſpoonks of faith, ſupoſe they be couered are not extinguiſhed. with aſſes, is extinguiſhed; but being ſtirred vp in the morning, it will burne als clearlie, as it did in the night before. There is na man will compt the treeis, that nowe in the time of winter, wants leaues, fruit, and externall beautie to be dead: there is na man wil coūt the Sun to be out of the lift; ſuppoſe it be ouercled with a clud of darknes & miſt: There is a great differēce, betwixt a ſleepry diſeaſe, and death; for men ar not dead, ſuppoſe they be ſleepand; and ȝit there is nathing lyker to death nor ſleepe. As there is great ods, betwixt a drunken man and a dead man: ſa there is great odds betwixt the faith that lurks for a quhil, and vtters not the ſelfe, and the light that is vtterlie put out. Quhen wee burſt not foorth in outward deeds; GOD forbid that we ſuld thinke, that thir ſponkes are halelie extinguiſhed: Indeed the ſaul that is viſited efter foule defectiouns fra his calling, & againſt his knawledge; or this ſaul recouer the former beauty; it is in a ſtraunge daunger. For gif the Lord ſuffer thy corruption to get looſe, in ſik ſort, that it carie thee as it will, and bee all meanes posſible, make thee to labour, to put out the ſpoonke of regeneration. Quhen the Lord beginnes to challenge thee, or to gar thee rander a compt of thy bygane life: the ſaull of that man, quhen it is challenged, is in great daunger. Sa that, na queſtioun, quhen the Lord begins to lay to ȝour charge, ȝour diſſolute life, the contempt and abuſe of ȝour calling: Aſſuredlie ȝour ſauls are ſa neere to the brinke of deſperation, that there can bee nathing nearer. For, will thou look to God, thou will ſee nathing bot his anger kendled, as ane fire againſt thee: Will thou looke to thy ſelfe, thou will ſee nathing, bot ſinne prouoking his anger: thou will ſee the contempt and abuſe of thy calling, multiplying his anger: thou will ſee nathing, bot matter of diſpaire. And quhat is the beſt pillar & ſureſt retreat, quherupon ſick a ſaul thatA ſu…e ret…eat▪ to rep…ſe on, in higheſt …ent…tions. is ſa neere to the brinke of deſperation, may repoſe? I will giuegive thee ane helpe quhereupon, quhen thou art aſſaulted be all high tentations thou may repoſe: quhen there is na thing before thee bot death, quhen thou ſeeis the Diuell accuſing thee, thine awin conſcience bearing him witnes againſt thee, thy life accuſing thee, and the abuſe of thy calling accuſing thee, quhere ſall thou ga? Ga back ouer againe, to thy bygane experience, caſt ouer thy memorie, and remember, gif God at ony time, in onye ſort hes loued thee: gif euer thou hes felt the louelove and fauour of God in thy heart and conſcience: Remember gif euer the Lorde hes ſwa diſpoſed thy heart, that as hee loued thee, thou loued him: and had a deſire to get him. Remember on this, and repoſe thine aſſurance on this: that as he loued thee ains, hee will louelove thee ay, and will aſſuredlie reſtore thee to that louelove, or thou die. The heart that felt ains this louelove of God, ſall feele it againe: And look quhat gift, or grace, or quhat taiſt of the power of the warlde to com, that euer the Lord gaue to his creatures in this life: to that ſame degree of merciemercy, hee ſall reſtore his creature or euer it depart this life. Sa the ſaull that is toſſed with high aſſaultes, and great dangers: quhere preſent things will not helpe, it is neceſſare, that it hauehave recourſe to bigane things, and keepe in memorie, the bigane experience of merciemercy, quhilk the Lorde hes freely ſhawen toward that ſaul. This ſame memory ſalbe ſa pleaſant to the ſaull, that it ſal ſtay it preſently fra deſperation, & vphauld it vntounto the time, the Lord pacifie that hart, and giuegive comfort to that ſaul: quhilk being done, that ſaull ſall ſee, that howſaever hee was angry, he was angry onelyonly for a quhile.
I ſpeake thir things, not that I thinke, that eueryevery an of ȝou hes taiſted of tham:A leſſon. and ȝit in ſome meaſure, the ſeruants of God mann taiſt of thame, and ȝe that hes not taiſted of thame, may taiſt of thame or ȝee die. And therefore, quhither ȝee hauehave taiſted or not taiſted thame: It cannot be, but profitable for ȝou, to lock vp this leſſon in ȝour hearts, and remember on it faithfully, that gif the Lord at onie time, put at ȝour hearts, ȝe may remember, and ſay with ȝour ſelfs; I gat a leſſon, to gang backe to my bigan experience, & thereon to repoſe. And ſuppoſe, ȝe be not put at preſently ȝour ſelfs; ȝit, quhen ȝee viſite thame that are troubled in conſcience; let thir things be proponit to tham as comforts, & vſe tham as medicaments maiſt meet to apply to the greif of the inward conſcience: and ſa ȝe ſal make ȝour fruit of this doctrine, & poſſes ȝour ſauls in a good eſtaite. This far for the firſt point, quherin eueryevery ane of ȝou aught to try and examine ȝour conſciences.
The ſecond point is this, try quhitherOf louelove quhilk is the ſecond point of ou… triall. ȝe hauehave louelove towards ȝour neighbour, or not: for as we are coupled with God bee faith; ſa be the band of louelove, we are coupled with our neighbour: & gif ȝee want louelove▪ ȝee can hauehave na ſocietye with ȝour neighbour. For louelove is the chief & principall branch, that ſprings of the root of faith. LoueLove is that coeleſtial glew, that cō joins al the faithful members, in the vnity of ane myſticall bodie. And ſeing that religion wes inſtituted of God, to ſerue as ane pathway to cōuoy vsus to our chief felicitie: and happie we can not be, except we be like vntounto our God: like vntounto him we can not be, except we hauehave louelove: For as it is ſet down 1. IOH. 4. 8. God is louelove; Sa, ſeeing God is louelove it ſelfe, quhaſaeuer will reſemble him, mann be indued with the oile of louelove. This only ane argument teſtifies to vsus, that this louelove is ane principal butt, quherunto al things that are cō manded in religion, aught to be referred To ſpend lang time in the praiſe of louelove, it ſal be na wayes neceſſare, ſeing the haly ſcripture reſoūds, in blaſing the commendation of it: bot that we ſpeake not of a thing ambiguous, we ſall lat ȝou ſee, how this word is conſidered and tane inHow the word louelove is tane in the Scriptures. the ſcriptures. LoueLove is conſidered, ather as a ſpring and fontain, quherfra the reſt proceeds: that is, for the louelove, quhereby we louelove God. And as louelove coms firſt fra God, & is powred be his halie Spirit in our harts: ſa, it firſt redounds vpward, & ſtrikes back vponupon him ſelfe: for the louelove of God mann euer ga before the louelove of the creature. Nixt, we take this word for that louelove, quhereby we louelove Gods creatures, our neighbours, & ſpecially them that are of the family of faith. And thridly it is tane, for the deedes of the ſecond table, quhilk flowes fra this louelove. Nowe, quhen I ſpeake of louelove, I ſpeak of it as in the ſecond ſignificatioun: to wit, as it is tane for the louelove of our neighbour: And taking it ſwa, I call louelove the gifte ofThe defini…on of louelove. God, powred in the harts of men & women: be the quhilk gift, we firſt louelove god in Chriſt our ſauiour; & nixt in God, & for Gods cauſe, we louelove al his creatures: bot chiefly our brethren, that ar of the familie of faith, the children of ane common father with vsus. We will examine this definition. I ſay, firſt the louelove of God, as itOf our lo… towards God. coms fra God, it returnes to God: as it coms down fra him, ſa it ſtrikes vpwarde to him againe: & is it not good reaſon? for quhy? Let thy heart fixe thy louelove als lang as thou will vponupon the creaturs, thou ſall neuer be ſatiat, nor thy affection ſall neuer be content, except thou get a grip of God. But gif ains thou louelove God in thy hart, & caſt thy affections vponupon him, and get ains a grip of him: the langer thou louelove him, the greater ſatiety & con tentment ſall thou hauehave: thou ſall not thirſt for ane vther. For, as to the creatures, there is neuer a creature that God created, but it is ſtamped with his awin ſtamp, and eueryevery creature beares his Image: and looking to the image of God in the creature, ſuld it not draw thee to him, that thou fixe not thy hart vponupon the creature: for his awin image in his creature, ſulde lead thee to him ſelfe. And therefore the mair that thou knawes the creatures; the greater varietie of knawledge that thou hes of the creatures, the mair ſuld eueryevery particular knawledge of thame drawe thee to God, and the mair ſuld thou wonder of thy God, and knaw thy duety towards him. And ſeeing that delite flowes of knawledge, and that eueryevery knawledge, hes the awin delite with it: as the varietie of knawledge that riſes vponupon the creatures, ſuld make the minde to mount vp to the knawledge of God: ſa the varietie of delites, that riſes vponupon the diuerſitie of this knawledge, ſulde moue the heart vpwarde, to the louelove of God: and the hart getting a grip of God and being ſeaſed with the louelove of God: and the minde being occupied with the true knawledge of God; ſa ſone as heart and mind is full of God, the hart is quiet and the minde is ſatisfied. Sa that the mair this knawledge grows in thy mind, the greater contentment hes thou, & the mair the louelove of him growes in thy hart, the greater joy and rejoiſing hes thou in thy ſaull. For quhy? In God ȝe hauehave not only all the creatures: but ȝee hauehave himſelf, beſide the creatures: And therfore in God, ȝe hauehave al the knawledge & delite that can riſe of the creatures: and beſide the creatures, ȝe hauehave God himſelfe quha is the Creator. And ſwa I ſay, the mind of man, can neuer quiet the ſelfe in the knawledge, nor the heart cann neuer ſettle the ſelfe in the louelove of naked creaturs, in reſpect they ar flowing & vanitie, as SALOMON cals thame: but in the infinite God, rightlie knawin, and earneſtlie loued; the mind ſall ſee a full reſt, and the heart ſall hauehave a perfite ioy. For our affection is ſa inſatiable, that na finit thing will ſatisfie it, nor there can bee na ſolide ſetling vponupon the thing that is tranſitorious. Sa the louelove aught to ſtrike vpward, and redound firſt to God, in quhais face, the heart ſall find full and perfite ioy.
The ſecond argument that I vſe, is this:Of louelove towards our neighbour. ſeeing there is only an precept left be our maſter in recōmēdatiō to be obſerued be vsus, to wit; that eueryevery ane of vsus ſuld louelove anvther: Therfore our wiſe maſter, vnderſtanding well, that quhere louelove was, there miſterd na ma laws: that the life of man, be louelove only behoued to be maiſt happy, left only the ſame in chief recommendation, and taks vp the hail law & euangell in a word, LoueLove. And gif the hart of man were indued with louelove, his life might bee maiſt happy and bleſſed: For there is nathing maks this life happy, but the reſemblance & likelyhood that wee hauehave with God. The nerer we draw to God, the mair bleſſed is our life; for there cannot be ſik a happy life, as the life of God. Now ſayis IOH. in his 1. epiſt. 4. 8. God is louelove; therfore, the mair we draw neere to louelove, the mair neer ar we to that happy life: for we are in God, & partaker of the life of God. Quhen I ſpeak this, ȝe mann not thinke, that louelove in God, & louelove in vsus, is an thing; for louelove is but a quality in vsus, & it is not a quality in God; there is nathing in God but that quhilk is God; ſa louelove in God, is his awin eſſence: Therefore, the mair ȝee grow in louelove, the neerer ȝe draw to God, and to that happye and bleſſed life. For there is nathing mair profitable, mair agreeable and conuenient to nature, nor to louelove; and aboue al things to louelove God: And therefore it is, that God and his Angels are maiſt happy & bliſt, becauſe they louelove all thinges, and deſires ever to doe good. On the vther ſide, there is nathing mair vnhappy, nathing mair noyſum, mair hurtfull, and that eats vpp nature mair, nor to burn with envie and hatred, And heirfore it is, that the deuils ar maiſt miſerable, quha torments thame ſelues with continual mallice and hatred, burning with ane vehement appetite, to bee noyſum to all creatures. Sa as the life of the Deuill is maiſt vnhappy, becauſe hee is full of envie and malice: Siclike our life mann be maiſt happy, gif wee be full of louelove. To ſpeake of louelove I will na farder: Onelie gif ȝe hauehave louelove, marke the effects of it, ſet downe 1. COR. 13. 4. 5. 6. 7. verſ. quhilk effectes, gif ȝee hauehave not in ſome meaſure, ȝee hauehave not true louelove.
I end heere, ȝee ſee in quhat points, eueryevery ane of ȝou aught to be prepared; ȝeConcluſion with an exhortation mann bee indued with this louelove, and ȝee mann bee indued with faith: and gif ȝee hauehave thir in onie ſmal meſure; gang baldly to the hearing of the word, and to the receauing of the Sacrament. This is the preparation that we allow of: I grant, the Papiſtes hes a preparatioun, but nathing like to this, and therefore they cann hauehave na warrand of the word of God. Laſt of all, ſeeing wee are commanded to try our ſelfs: he that lacks knawledge, cannot try himſelfe: A furious man cannot try himſelfe: A childe cannot try himſelf: therefore they aught not to com to the Table. All thir things being weill conſidered; he that hes faith & louelove in ony kind of meaſure, let him come to the Table. And all thir things ſeruis, als weil for the hearing of the word fruitfully, as for the receuing of the Sacrament. Therefore, the Lord of his merciemercy illuminate ȝour mindes, and worke ſome meaſure of faith and louelove in ȝour hearts: that ȝee may be partakers of that heauenly life, offered in the worde and Sacraments: that ȝe may begin ȝour heauen heere, and get the full fruition of the life to come, and that in the righteous merits of Chriſt Ieſus: To quhom with the Father, and the halie Ghaiſt, be all honor, praiſe, and glorie, for nowe and euer:
Amen.
End of the text · Robert Bruce, Sermons Upon the Lords Supper (1591)