The Way to True Peace and Rest, Sermon 10
THE TENTH SERMON VPONUPON ISAIAH, CHAPTER 38.
15 What shall I say? For he hath said it to me, and he hath done it: I shall walke weaklie all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule.
16 O Lord, to them that ouerliue them, and to all that are in them, the life of my spirit shall be knowne: that thou causest me to sleepe, and hast giuen life to me.
IN our last Sermon, (welbeloued in Christ Iesus) the King returned to his wonted griefe,Repetition. and tooke vp his old lamentation againe, vttering his trouble in these words: My habitation is departed and transported from me; as if he should say, my life is ready to depart, death is instant, and my remouing is at hand: he sheweth the maner of his remouing by two similitudes, the one similitude is taken from a shepheards tent, the other from a Weauer and his web. As to the first, looke in what maner we se the sheepheard tents flitted and remoued, after the same manner I see my life to be flitted and remoued. In the which we are taught, not to settle our standing here, nor to fixe our anker here, but that we may be ready to remoue, because we are vnderunder warning, and know not what houre the Lord wil call on vsus. There is none yt is sure that he must change habitation, and is out of doubt in his conscience that he is to remoue, that will settle his heart in that place which he is not able to keepe; but being assured that he shall remoue, he will send his houshold stuffe and substance before him. If this be true in earthly things, how much more ought we, seeing the Lord giueth vsus leasure, to send our substance before vsus? And as it is true that the heart followeth the substance, let both hart and substance be sent to heauen, where they may both meete vsus to our comfort. Be rich in God, be rich in good workes, and that kind of substance shall be able to convoy thee, and shall serue & stand in stead to thee both in heauen and earth. The second comparison was taken from the Weauer and his web, and the effect of it is this: as the Weauer bringeth his web to the off cutting, so, would the King say, I see I hauehave brought this miserable life of mine to the off-cutting, I hauehave procured my suddaine and vntimely death by mine euil life, I hauehave hasted this messenger. It is true, that all the diseases of the body, and the chiefe diseases of the soule flow from sinne. And as death entred by sinne, so by multiplication of sinne, dea…h is hastened; sinne shorteneth our life, sinne maketh our dayes euill, sinne maketh them full of griefe and sorrow, sinne inuolueth vsus in a thousand cares, sinne wrappeth vsus in infinite vnprofitable labours: Sinne weakneth our body by deceiueable pleasures, sinne vexeth our minde with such terrors as cannot be expressed. Abeit if this good King had occasion to say, that his euill spent life spurred him to his death, what may our yong nobility say? if it be true that one sinne, blood, cutteth the halfe of the dayes, as the Psalmist sayth; how much more shall an heape of sinnes concurring in one p…rson shorten the dayes? The sacrilegious blasphemer, and the bloudy adulterer, and infinite more other sinnes, concurring in one person, shall not these shorten this miserable life? The thing which they feare most, & would willingliest eschue, that same thing (such is their iudgement,) they runne headlong on. As to the prophane multitude, ye see these two vices, gluttony and drunkennesse, whereby they d…aw on themselues sudden death: and there is neuer a man, but he is subiect vntounto one sinne or other, which shorteneth the threed of his life, and draweth on that which he would eschue: Well, I will not insist in these occasions of death; take heede whether ye walke in mercy, or in your owne sinnes. If ye walke in your owne sinnes, of all iudgements it is the most terrible to be left to your selfe: now merciemercy is offered, and therefore ye that would be translated from death to life, vse this time diligently. In the second part of that exercise I shewed you the rage and fury of his sicknesse, we did let you see the weight of his feuer was so great, that it made him thinke that God was a deuouring Lion, readie to bruise all his bones to powder: It made him to looke that both soule and bodie should be taken from him that day ere night. We shewed that these voyces could not flow frō a temporall paine only, but there behoued to be a fire in the soule, a further paine then could come of any bodily disease in the earth. Of all troubles that come vntounto man, the trouble of conscience is the greatest; & of all other troubles this is the chiefest, when besides a sight of sinne, there is a touch of …he insupportable anger & indignation of the liuing God. It appeareth by these voyces, that the King felt a touch of this wrath, whereby God appeareth to be a consuming fire. It is the custome of God to bring his children into these extremities, that feeling the pangs of hell, they may see how precious the death of Christ ought to be vntounto them: How farre they are bound vntounto him, what is the dutie they owe vntounto him that went betwixt them and so bitter a punishment. This kind of extremitie teacheth vsus how easie it is for the Lord to represse the pride of the flesh, and to beate downe this wantonnesse of our filthie nature. This glorious King in the space of 12. houres is brought to the ports of the graue and of desperation in a manner: So ye see how easie it is for the Lord to bring the proudest flesh low, and to do this he needeth not fire nor sword, nor any other instrument but such as we hauehave within our selues: he is able to make our owne darlings to be our greatest tortures: For we carrie within vsus either one viper or other which shall destroy the soule, except the Lord preuent in merciemercy. Last of all, we shew how this King in his greatest extremitie behaued himselfe, notwithstanding God appeareth to be a fire to his soule, yet he retireth to the same God: and where he might not by words vtter the griefe and trouble of his heart when the benefite of his speech was taken from him, yet he ceasseth not, but he sigheth and maketh his moane, counterfeiting the Doue, the Swallow and the Crane, he chattereth and lifteth vp his eyes, vsing all such gestures: so long as he had his tongue he prayeth, and the words are few which he speaketh, but they are sententious; It hath oppressed, refresh me, or weaue me out. As if he would say, The force of this disease and furie of this feuer is so great, that it ouercometh all force of nature: Therefore, seeing nature will auaile nothing, I flie to the God of nature to whom it is easie to support nature, and of this God I craue health and continuance of my daies; I craue that as he hath begun, so he would weaue out this web to the glorie of his name and comfort of his Church. Frō this last part we shewed you two things; we marked first these contrarie voyces into which the seruants of God burst foorth in their greatest troubles, vttering sometimes words full of doubting, and sometimes full of confidence. In the 15. verse God appeareth to hauehave bene a consuming fire and a raging Lion to him. In the 14. verse, he maketh his recourse to the same God, and suppose he threatned him, yet he reposeth vponupon him. VponUpon this we did let you see, first, that doubting and confidence may hauehave place both in one and the selfesame soule: There was neuer a seruant of God but had experience of this: yea it is proper to the children of God to be subiect to this doubting, suppose in merciemercy they be kept from desperation. For seeing this faith of ours as long as we are here is imperfect, how is it possible that anie faithfull soule weighing their faith with that perfection which is in God, to whom nothing is pleasant but that which is perfect, how is it possible, I say▪ but that soule must doubt? As the faithfull againe see the Scriptures and looke to that perfection that is required therein, looke to the progresse and increase of faith that is required therein, and see on the other side their great wants, how farre we are from this progresse, how is it possible but the soule must doubt? Againe, laying aside this trial, and looking downe vponupon our behauiour to these sinnes that are in our flesh, and to the lusts whereunto our hearts are inclined, and to the angrie face of God against sinne, how is it possible but we must doubt? Therefore I conclude, There is neuer a seruant of God but in their soules they had this doubting; looking on themselues they doubted, looking on the mercy of God in Christ Iesus they beleeued. That notable vessell acknowledged himselfe to be subiect to this doubting. 1. Cor. 4.8. where he saith, We are alwaies in affliction, but not in distresse, we doubt, but we despaire not. That good vessell acknowledged doubting, onelyonly he denieth despaire: He granteth that this doubting hath place in the soule with faith, but not despaire; seeing despaire cutteth the pillars of our hope, and consequently of our faith: Therefore it cannot remaine in the soule with faith. VnderUnder doubting he comprehendeth all other errours, stammerings and wrastlings whereby the soule is troubled, wrastling betweene hope & despaire: But all these imperfections are freely pardoned in the righteous merits of Christ, or else there were no place of saluation for vsus. I wished those who knew this, to cōfort themselues with it; & they that had not experience of this, to remember the lesson that they might make vse thereof, if at any time it shall please the Lord to assault them with these terrible visitations. The last lesson that we gathered of the last part was this: We learned of this King to make our recourse to God in our greatest anguish of body and soule, and when the benefite of our speech and tongues are taken from vsus, that we cannot pray to God in distinct language, yet not to leaue off, but make recourse vntounto him by sighing of the heart, by lifting vp of eies, by continuall groning, moning and lamentation; that in these things God may be glorified: for it is true, the Lord knoweth the meaning of thy sigh and sob, as well as thou knowest this language which I speake. And how is this? because they are raised by his owne Spirit, and are the works of his owne Spirit: and I pray you, knoweth he not the meaning of his owne Spirit? Therefore when the benefit of the tongue is taken from you, that ye may not praise him with your tongue, then let eueryevery member of the body and soule concurre to praise him as long as there is any of them free. There is none exempted from these troubles, there is none can enter into the kingdome of heauen, except first he taste of these troubles: There is no estate, Emperour, King, or Prince, that looketh for life, but he must enter in that narrow way. Only they that are appointed for damnation walke in the broad way, but terrible is the narrownesse that abideth them in the end. They hauehave a short time of largenesse to be recompensed with euerlasting straitnesse: Therefore their estate is rather to be lamented then enuied. Alwaies, ye that make you for the citie that hath her foundations, & for the kingdome that cannot be shaken, ye should not be wearie to go forward in the narrow way, but what euer trouble he hath laid vponupon the soule or bodie, let vsus take it in patience; for these are the pledges of merciemercy, such as make conformitie betweene vsus and Christ Iesus, in whom onelyonly is true comfort and saluation. Thus farre we proceeded in our last exercise.
Diuision.Now, in that which I hauehave read, he entreth into the second part of the song. And first, he bursteth out of hand (as it were) into the praise of God, then after he sheweth the benefite which he hath receiued, and the wonderfull comfort which he hath gotten of God. And in respect that this comfort did flow from the word of promise, he taketh occasion in the 16. verse to praise the word of God: And in the 17. ver. he noteth the time when he fell into this disease, and in the end of that verse he letteth vsus see the maner how he was deliuered.
Now to returne to the 15. verse, I say, while as the King is musing and pawsing vponupon the greatnesse of the benefite, rauished in an admiration of the wonderfull works of God, he cannot containe himselfe, but he bursteth foorth in these voyces of praise and thanksgiuing: What shall I say? A patheticke and cutted kind of speech, signifying that his heart was so stuft and swolne, his tongue would not serue him to expresse the matter. What shall I say? As if he would say, Where shall I borrow any words to expresse the matter? Where shall I borrow praise, that I may answer so great goodnesse and kindnesse as I hauehave found in my particular, in this God of mine? I turned not so soone vntounto him, and the teares distilled not so soone from mine eyes, but he accepted my person, he granted my health, and promised me his fauourable and mercifull protection all the rest of my dayes. How am I able to meete these benefits in word, much lesse in deed? Yea, it is not possible to the tongue to vtter that which the heart thinketh. But suppose I cannot as I would, I shall praise thee as I may, and as thou hast giuen me the grace.
A notable kinde of thanksgiuing learned of his predecessor Dauid, who when he was in like case,Three things that the King granteth in his thanksgiuing. vsed the like forme of praise, saying: What shall I render to God for all his benefits? A forme of praise wherein this good King granteth three things: first he granteth this ingeniously, that the benefit which he receiued was free, freely bestowed on him without any procurement of his: Yea, he acknowledged that he procured the quite contrarie. Secondly, he granteth that he hath nothing in himselfe to meete this benefit: yea not one word, much lesse a deed, yea scarsly is he able to render praise for it. Thirdly, he testifieth that suppose he may not in such measure as his heart would, and as the worthinesse of the benefit required, burst foorth in the praise of this great God, yet he would not be idle. And surely, suppose he speaketh few words, yet in these few he giueth the signes of a more thankfull heart, then if he had spoken a cart full of words, or vttered millions of words. It is not the babling of the tongue that the Lord looketh to; but he looketh and hath an eie to the inward disposition of the heart, he looketh to the constitution of the spirit, because he is a Spirit. And therefore the Lord liketh of this Kings heart, suppose his words would not serue him.
Since those corporall sacrifices in the old law ceassed, there is not a spirituall sacrifice more acceptable to God then is the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing:Sacrifice of thanksgiuing hauehave succeeded to corporall sacr…fices of the law. for the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing sanctifieth not only thy person, but all the benefits which the Lord bestoweth on thy person. For that which is true in meate and drinke, is true in all the rest of the benefits which are pledges of his mercy in Christ Iesus. Now the Apostle testifieth in the 4 to Timothie, first Epist. 4. verse, that thanksgiuing sanctifieth our meate and drinke, and maketh it both holy and wholsome. As this is true in these creatures, so it is true in all the rest of the benefits and blessings of God.
In thanksgiuing three things are to be marked.So when I looke on this thanksgiuing, I am mooued, yea I am compelled to marke three things in it; first, I am mooued to marke the wonderfull goodnesse of God. Secondly, our horrible ingratitude. Thirdly, the great arrogancie of the enemies of God, the Papists. First then I say, ye may easily see the goodnesse of God in this forme of praise, who when he may require our life, our soule and bodie, and the whole actions of our life for his benefits, yet he is content with a simple kind of praise and thanksgiuing; in such sort that if ye heart be good, suppose we babble with words, yet it is acceptable to him. As this sheweth his kindnesse and wonderfull merciemercy on his part: so on our part it sheweth our horrible ingratitude, that albeit little will content our God, yet we will not bestow that little on him; it cometh neuer in our mind to thinke it, much lesse to do it in deed. So this is an intollerable ingratitude vponupon our part. This ingratitude maketh it come to passe, that we possesse his benefits with an euill conscience. This maketh it come to passe, that the curse of God hangeth ouer all your riches, which curse ye either see in your daies, or else it is seene after you in your prodigall posteritie: And this is onelyonly by reason ye are vnthankfull to God for his benefits. I am assured (and this ground cannot deceiue me,A good conscience thanketh God euer for his benefits.) there is none of you that hath purchased any benefit in a good conscience, but ye will thanke God for it: for a good conscience will neuer shake off the memory of God altogether. So when ye forget to thanke God, it is an euident argument that the benefit is purchased in an euill conscience: For the which cause the curse of God is hanging ouer your riches. Which appeareth either in your time, or suppose the Lord be long-suffering, in your posteritie. Then to testifie that the benefits are well come by, be thankfull to God for them, and purchase nothing but that whereof ye hauehave a sure warrant in your conscience. Now the third thing that I am mooued to marke, I say, this letteth vsus see the horrible arrogancy of the Papists, who thinke that they can not onelyonly be thankfull for his benefits in word, but also they are able to do him one good turne for another in deede; and when after their māner they hauehave satisfied him, they make a superplus, which they call works of supereroga…ion. Those their works of supererogation are a superlatiue follie and madnesse which cannot be expressed; that whereas the best seruants of God found in experience, that by word they were not able to satisfie him, they thinke by their deeds to satisfie his infinite goodnesse. But I leaue them, and go forward.
He sheweth in the next words the greatnesse of the benefit, and he taketh it vp briefly vnderunder two words,The King sheweth the greatnesse of the benefit receiued. after this manner: He hath said it, and himselfe hath done it: he said it in his promise, he did it in keeping of his promise; he both said and did it himselfe, that the whole glorie of the worke might appertaine to him: he said it freely, for I procured the contrary; he kept it as freely: for the Lord is true, suppose all the world be false. Ye see how properly he taketh vp vnderunder these two words, the merciemercy and truth of God; the merciemercy of God in promising, the truth of God in keeping and pe…forming of his promises: The mercy of God in promising freely, for he is debter to no man, and therefore whatsoeuer he promiseth, he promiseth freely: for there is none of vsus can make claime to any better condition, then the naturall branches might hauehave made claime to; and if ye list to reade of their naturall inclination, ye hauehave many places of Scripture:Deut. 32. Exed. 32. Isa. 48. and in speciall I send you to Deuter. 32. Exod. 32. Isaiah 48. For there speaking of the Iewes, the Lord saith, I foreknew thy stubbornnesse, I saw the sinewes of thy necke were of brasse, and thy face of yron, I foresaw that thou wouldst remaine false and vnfaithfull: yet notwithstanding I made my promise freely vntounto thee, and as freely as I made it, I kept it as feely. It is I, it is I, saith he in the 43. of Isaiah,Isa. 43. that putteth away thine iniquities: it is I, that for mine owne name sake calleth not thy sinnes to memorie. If this be true in the naturall branches, how much more is it true in vsus? Then we hauehave nothing to lay betwixt vsus & the iudgements of God, but his merciemercy freely offered vsus in the bloud of Christ Iesus. It is God, saith he, that hath done this: As if he would say, all the rest are lyars; onelyonly God is true, and ere he faile in one iot of that he saith, he is able to make the world turne vpside downe, and to inuert the order of nature, as ye may see in the former part of the Chapter, in bringing backe of the Sunne by ten degrees. And therefore this teacheth vsus, that there lacketh not in God neither a power nor a will; onelyonly on our part there lacketh an hand, an instrument to receiue and belieue the promises: And therefore suppose there be carts full of promises, and as sure promises that there can be nothing surer, it is not possible that these promises can auaile any thing, except the Spirit prepare a way for himselfe, except the Lord create in the soule faith. Therefore all your care and diligence should stand in this, to craue that with the hearing of the word, the Lord would conioyne the working of his Spirit: that faith being wrought, and the heart being opened fully, we may leane and repose stedfastly on the faithfull promises of God.
An effect which issued out of the benefit.In the end of the verse, he sheweth a blessed and happie effect which issued out of this notable benefit: he saith, I shall henceforth all the rest of my yeares walke, ouerpassing the bitternesse of my soule: As if he would say, by this benefit, the griefe of my conscience and the terrors and troubles of my soule are remoued. He maketh no mention of the rest of the benefits, of the health of his bodie, of his sure and prosperous estate, which was both promised and giuen vntounto him. But he touched that which troubled him most, the griefe of his conscience was the thing that troubled him most, and therefore he maketh mention onelyonly of it. This bitternesse made such a deepe impression in his soule, that in ye 17. verse he calleth it bitter bitternesse, he hath no words to expresse this bitternesse, what euer it was. Where the iudgements of God make such a print in the soule, it is long ere sinne can blot it out: and so long as the memory of the iudgement remaineth, it is easie to be thankfull, it is easie to go forward in doing some part of our duty, it is easie to stand in aw yt we fall not into the hands of God; but when we blot out this memory, we returne to that same puddle out of the which we were deliuered. Therefore I commend to you to craue of God a sanctified memory, that ye may kepe fresh the iudgements of God which either ye hauehave seene in others, or felt in your owne bodies, that the feeling of these iudgements, may serue you to be thankfull to him, and may make you to stand in aw; and beware to fall into the hands of a consuming fire.
Now, this King finding this benefite so sweete,The sweetnes of the benefite, maketh him to burst forth into the praise of the word, first in generall next in particular. he is compelled to burst forth in the praise of the word of God, which brought forth so good an effect: And first he praiseth it generally from the good it doeth vntounto all men: Then he prayseth it in particular, from his owne particular experience & comfort which he receiued in his owne person. This doctrine is necessary and notable for these times. First, then he praiseth the word, from the good it worketh in all flesh; By these things (sayth he) men liue: that this, by the force of these words it commeth to passe, that we enioy the benefite of this naturall life, wherby we liue in this body vponupon earth: For the Lords word calleth on things that are not, as though they were, and his word maketh them to be. By his word he created heauen and earth, by his word he gaue man life and breath, and whatsoeuer is necessary to him: By his word he assigned to him the earth, the seasons and bounds of his habitation: To this end that man being created according to the image of God, he might seeke God; and no doubt, he is not farre from eueryevery one of vsus: For as the Apostle sayth, Act. 17. In him we liue, moue, and hauehave our being. And as this is true in this naturall life, so is it as true in the entertainment of this life: for by the benefit of this word we are sustained. For our life standeth not onelyonly in meate and drinke,Math 4. but in eueryevery word that proceedeth out of the Lords mouth, Mat. 4. that is, in eueryevery thing wherunto the Lord giueth power to nourish: For it is the Lords word that giueth power to nourish vsus. And suppose meate and drinke were remoued, the Lord is able to make stones to nourish vsus. This good King acknowledged this good effect to come of the word, and therefore he praiseth the word.
Now, after he had praised it from the generall effect, he goeth forward, and praiseth it from his owne particular experience, and he saith in the conclusion of these things: The life of my soule standeth; that is, in thy saying and doing, in thy truth and mercy, in thy promising, and keeping thereof, standeth the life of my soule: as if the King would say: Not onelie hauehave I this naturall life which I liue in this miserable bodie, by the benefite of the word, but I hauehave a more precious life, the life of my soule and spirit, which discerneth me from the rest of mankind, which putteth me in a better estate then the rest of the world, which maketh mine heauen to begin here, which neuer shall end. For as there is a life and death of the body, so there is a life and death of the soule. The life of the body may be conioyned with the death of the soule, and the death of the body, may stand with the life of the soule. The life of the body standeth in the presence of the soule; the life of the soule standeth in the presence of the Spirit of life. Except the soule be borne againe by the Spirit of life, ye shall neuer see the face of God; before the soule be quickned by the Spirit of life, it remaineth a dead carion, dead in sinne, dead in the lusts of the flesh (as the Apostle saith) Ephes. 2. Colos. 2. And consequently, there remaineth but a carriō, both in soule & body: the soule being as void of a spirituall and heauenly life, as a carion is of a naturall life. The words of the Apostle in that place, & in sundry places are, Dead in sinne, dead in trespasses, and in the vncircumcised lusts of the flesh: Where death hath place, life must be wholly extinguished; and where death hath place, there can neither be halfe life, quarter life, nor a breath of life: But so it is, that death hath place in our soule by nature: Therefore by nature there cannot be so much as a sparke of that heauenly life in it. And if there be not so much as a sparke of life in it, where is that halfe or quarter life whereof the Papists speake? They will not hauehave it dead, but lamed or crooked: The Apostle saith in plaine tearmes, that it is dead; and therefore that spirituall life must be wholly put out, and consequently, all kind of will to good, and all sight of God in Christ is banished away; & this death of the soule remaineth perpetually in vsus, vntill such time that the participation of the Spirit of life, which is in the body of Christ Iesus, free vsus from the law of sinne and from the law of death which is in our owne nature. Rom. 8.
Now would ye know whether your soule liueth or not?How a man shall know if the Spirit of life be begun in him. Would ye perceiue whether this Spirit of life be begun in you or not? I will giuegive you certaine effects, whereby ye may examine the life of the soule. There are many effects giuen vsus in the Scriptures; as namely, Gala. 6. But I leaue them, & choose three speciall effects, whereby eueryevery one may discerne of the life of the soule. There is first, that inward peace of conscience. There is next, that ioy and reioycing vnderunder trouble. There is thirdly, a louelove of God, a louelove of vertue, and an hatred of vice: where euer any of these three hath place, there the soule liueth, where thou findest thy conscience refreshed, and thy soule recreate from the great terrors & manifold pangs of sinne, no question the soule liueth: for this is the effect of the right Spirit, and this is the right peace whereof the world is ignorant, that passeth all naturall vnderstanding. The more thou makst this peace to grow, ye more thou liuest in thy soule. The more this peace groweth, the more sinne decayeth, the more thou castest out all that baggage of sin, that troubleth the quiet estate of the conscience. In a word, the onelyonly thing that troubleth the soule, that disquieteth the conscience, and that we hauehave to cast out, is sinne: For sinne is the onelyonly thing that seuereth vsus from God, in whom there is onelyonly true peace and quietnesse to be found. Therefore our exercise should chiefly stand in this, to expell this enemy and monster sinne, and to possesse that sauing iuice and wholsome peace that passeth all vnderstanding.
The second effect, whereby we may know that the soule liueth, is the ioy and reioycing vnderunder trouble. For we know by experience, that trouble of it owne nature, cannot bring forth this ioy, but bringeth forth the contrary effects, as sadnesse, heauinesse and sorrow. Now, where the Spirit is so disposed that we reioyce vnderunder trouble, this is a sure argument of the blessed Spirit, the Spirit of life, which onelyonly quickneth the soule; and this ioy maketh vsus not onelyonly to reioyce in trouble, but to glory also, as sayth the Apostle: For surely the crosse of Christ is our onelyonly ioy, & the shame of Christ is our onelyonly honour. Hereby we perceiue the great glory that the Lord hath called vsus to, that not onelyonly he maketh vsus to beleeue his word: but to suffer for him also: onelyonly ye hauehave to take heede to your troubles: For this ioy accompanieth not all troubles, but onelyonly those troubles that are suffred for Christs cause, for righteousnesse sake, & are vnderserued. For those troubles that are deserued, the like ioy is not to be found in them.
The third effect, whereby we may know that the soule liueth, is the louelove of God, and hatred of euill: Where this louelove is kindled in the soule, where we beginne to know God, to louelove him and to taste of him, (for it is not possible that we can louelove him, except we hauehave a taste of his sweetnesse) this louelove make vsus like to God, for God is louelove, (as Iohn saith.) If louelove dwell in thine heart, God dwelleth in thine heart, and this louelove is a sure pledge of the life of the soule; where this louelove is, of necessity also there must be a hatred of euill.
Now trie and examine, if the Spirit of life hath wrought these effects in thy soule in any measure, if it were neuer so small: it is a sure argument that this life is begunne, and the life which God hath begunne, he will perfect it. If the louelove of God were neuer so litle, and the hatred of euill were neuer so little: if any of these effects were but in a small measure, ye may be sure that Christ dwelleth in your hearts by faith, and that the soule liueth. Ye that feele this, (as I would that ye all felt it) prease to nourish and strengthen this life; not weary in well doing, but go forward in working the works of the Spirit. Sow not in the flesh, go not forward in the lusts and appetites thereof: for ye may learne of the Apostle, what aduantage this labour bringeth: to wit, shame and confusion, death of the body, and death of soule. Rom. 6. But on the contrary, go forward in nourishing of the Spirit, and in well doing. Sow in the Spirit, and as the Apostle sayth, ye shall reape an euerlasting and incomprehensible life.
This Spirit then is said to be nourished and corroborate in our hearts,How the Spirit is said to be nourished in vsus, & how he is said to be banished. when we nourish the light and knowledge of God in Christ Iesus, when we edifie our selues in our most holy faith, and continue in the exercise of prayer: As by the contrary we banish this light of the good Spirit, and by our euill doing we banish the knowledge of God in Christ, whē we put out this light, diminish our perswasion, and leaue off the exercise of prayer: For by the same meanes whereby the soule liueth, they being remoued, the soule dieth. Therfore those that would liue this way, they ought to nourish the knowledge of God, they ought to be exercised in well doing, in hearing of Gods word, in edifying them in their most holy faith, and in continuall crauing of grace and mercy by prayer.
Now the King sayth, he hath this life, and he hath experience of the good word in this (for I take this to be a different life from the other, whereof he spake before, to wit, this is the life of the soule, which proceedeth of the word of promise,) for this word is the power of God to saluation, to all them that beleeue. Rom. 1. Set your hearts, saith Moses, Deut. 32, vponupon this word, for it is not a vaine word; it is your life and felicity. The words which I speake (sayth our Master, Iohn, 6.) are Spirit & life; And from, this Iohn calleth him the word of life, the bread of life. Peter saith, whom shall we go to? for in thee are the words of life. It is he that hath life in himselfe, Iohn, 5. From this also it is said, 1. Cor. 15. that as the first Adam was made a liuing soule,1. Cor. 15. so the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit: and by reason we are made participant of this spirit, by the ministery of his word, therefore it is called the word of the Spirit; & by the same reason we that are his Ministers are counted the Ministers of the Spirit, as the Apostle calleth vsus, 2. Cor. 3. They that would reade further of the praise of this word, I remit them to the 19. Psalme, where the properties of this word are exactly set downe. I will end here.
Who so looketh vponupon the precious effects of this word, and on the other side, looketh vponupon our vnhappy behauior; I am assured, it would astonish any Christian heart, to behold how the Lord can suffer our contempt so long as he doth. For formerly, whereas there was skarsly crummes of this bread of life to be had in this countrie, men sought it out diligently, and ran to hauehave it with such zeale, that they compassed both sea and land, they spared neither trauell nor cost; but forcibly as it were, thronged and thrusted in, and made irruption in this kingdome: But now when it hath pleased the Lord to offer vntounto vsus great plentie of this foode, we so despise the bountie and liberality of this good God, that we turne this great grace and merciemercy of his, into iudgement and vengeance vponupon our owne heads. And as to the greatest part of the multitude, they disdain it so spitefully, that they had rather embrace the leauen of the Pharisies, and draw them to that company where they can hauehave no other foode, but songes, maskes, mummings, and vnknowne Languages: And so thinke to feed their soules by the mockery of God.
Now as to the Gentlemen, Earles, Lords, and Barrons, they are so drunken with sacrilegde, that ere they will part with these goods, they had rather part with the life of their soule; yea, when it cometh to this, that the word cannot be entertained but by their expences, they make no choyse, but had rather lose their soules an hundred times, ere they would bestow a halfepenny vponupon the Church. This is true in the greatest part: so it is the Lord that wonderfully continueth the light amongst vsus, that keepeth a face of a ministery in Scotland. There is no good entertainment, but a very great pouerty in the most part of the Ministery. See then if the iudgement of God pronounced, 2. Thes. 2. goeth not fast forward, who hath giuen vsus ouer, as appeareth, to be deceiued by the mighty power and working of the Diuell; in such sort, that euerie man striueth, who shall put his appetites furthest in execution. Oh! vnhappy and wrathfull countrey, that hath so abused the merciful calling and great benignitie of God; it is a wonderfull thing to looke vponupon this matter, and to consider our great ingratitude. The more that knowledge groweth, the more conscience decayeth, as if conscience and knowledge could not both rest in one breast: looke to the workes of all men, it appeareth that the bringing in of light hath banished conscience which was in the time of darknesse. What can be the cause of this, that as light groweth, the effect of light decayeth? It is a thing that passeth the vnderstanding of man, and the end of it shall be more then terrible. Is it not more then wonderfull, that the more that this Countrey is watered with the sauing and heauenly dew, the more our hearts are hardened? What must this bring forth? It must bring forth at the last, an eternall consumption, which consumption must be so much the greater, the greater that our contempt is: For it is not possible, but that ground which is so oft refreshed with raine and dew, and yet bringeth foorth no other thing but thornes and bryars, but at the last it must be burnt vp. How is it possible that thornes that are prouided for the fire, but they must be consumed by the fire? And seeing our deedes testifie that we are nothing but thornes, of necessitie we must be burnt vp, except the Lord worke otherwise then I hauehave any expectation: For the longer that iudgement is delayed, it shall be heauier when it lighteth, seeing the contempt is so great. …herefore the Lord giuegive you grace, that as ye know there is a Hell and eternity of paine, and as ye would eschue it, so ye may take vp a new course of life. But this cannot be, except the Lord worke it by his holy Spirit, except he forget our sinnes, and assure vsus of the remission of them in the blood of Christ. And therefore, I hauehave to craue with you, and ye with me, that this may come to passe, that in the bowels of his merciemercy we may eschue that terrible damnation, from the which the Lord preserue vsus, for Christ Iesus his Sonnes sake. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all honour and praise, now & for euer. Amen.