After that he hath received a general, and a temporary faith in Gods heavenly word, & his most merciful promises of everlasting life contained therein, by the power of the spirit of God,f he cometh to have a taste in his heart of the sweetness of Gods mercies, and a rejoicing in consideration of the election, adoption, justification, and sanctification of Gods children. But what is this taste? I express it thus, after the meaning of Gods word. Suppose a banquet prepared, in which are many sweet, and pleasant, and dainty meats. At this banquet, such as are the bidden guests, they must be set down, they see the meats, they taste them, they chaw them in their mouths, they digest them, they are nourished, fed, and strengthened by them: they which are not bidden to this feast, may see the meats, handle them, and taste of them, to feel how good they are• but they must not eat and feed of them. The first resemble the elect, which truly eat, digest, & are nourished by Christ unto everlasting life, because they have great abundance of the vital heat of Gods holy spirit in them, and do feel sensibly his grace & virtue in them, to strengthen them & guide them. The second sort truly resemble the reprobates; which never in truth enjoy Christ, or any of his benefits appertaining to salvation: but only see them, and have in their hearts a vanishing, but no certain or sound feeling of them; so that they may be changed, and strengthened, and guided thereby. To use another similitude. The reprobates have no more feeling, and enjoying of Christ and his benefits, then those men have of the sun, which see only a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day, before it riseth. gContrariwise, the elect, they have the day-star, even the Sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ, rising in their hearts; the day spring from an high doth visit them, the glory of God doth rise upon them: they have their eyes anointed with the ointment of the Spirit, which is the true eye salve, and do plainly behold the sun of righteousness; they enjoy his presence, they effectually feel his comfortable heat to quicken and revive them.
After that he hath receiued a generall, and a temporarie faith in Gods heauenly word, & his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life cōtained therin, by the power of the spirit of God,f he commeth to haue a tast in his heart of the sweetnes of Gods mercies, and a reioycing in consideration of the election, adoption, iustification, and sanctification of Gods children. But what is this taste? I expresse it thus, after the meaning of Gods word. Suppose a banquet prepared, in which are many sweet, and pleasant, and daintie meats. At this banquet, such as are the bidden guests, they must be set downe, they see the meates, they taste them, they chaw them in their mouthes, they digest them, they are nourished, fed, and strengthened by them: they which are not bidden to this feast, may see the meats, handle them, and taste of them, to feele how good they are• but they must not eate and feede of them. The first resemble the elect, which truly eate, digest, & are nourished by Christ vnto euerlasting life, because they haue great aboundance of the vitall heat of Gods holy spirit in them, and doe feele sensibly his grace & vertue in them, to strengthen them & guide them. The second sort truly resemble the reprobates; which neuer in truth enioy Christ, or any of his benefits appertaining to saluation: but only see them, and haue in their hearts a vanishing, but no certen or sound feeling of them; so that they may be changed, and strengthened, and guided thereby. To vse another similitude. The reprobates haue no more feeling, and enioying of Christ and his benefits, then those men haue of the sunne, which see onely a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day, before it riseth. gContrariwise, the elect, they haue the day-starre, euen the Sunne of righteousnes, Iesus Christ, rising in their hearts; the day spring from an high doth visit them, the glorie of God doth rise vpon them: they haue their eyes annointed with the oyntment of the Spirit, which is the true eye salue, and doe plainly behold the sonne of righteousnes; they enioy his presence, they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken and reuiue them.
- fHeb. 6.4. Mat. 13.20.
- g2. Pet. 1.14 1. Joh. 2.8. Luk. 1.27. Esa. 60. 1,2.2. Pet. 1.14 1. Ioh. 2.8. Luk. 1.27. Esa. 60. 1,2.
