After that he hath received a general, & a temporal faith in Gods heavenly word, and his most merciful promises of everlasting life contained therein, by the power of the spirit of God, fhe 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, they which 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 ⟨p. 13⟩them: they which are not bidden to this •east, may see the meats, handle them, and •ast of them, to feel how good they are: but •hey must not eat and feed of them. The first resemble the elect, which truly eat, digest, and 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 and virtue in them, to strengthen them, and 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, than 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 ⟨p. 14⟩the spirit, which is the true eye salve, and do• plainly behold this sun of righteousness they enjoy his presence, they effectually feel his comfortable heat to quicken an• revive them.
After that hee hath receiued a generall, & a temporal faith in Gods heauenly word, and his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life contained therein, by the power of the spirite of God, fhe 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 tast? I expresse it thus, after the meaning of Gods word. Suppose a banket prepared, in which are many sweete, and pleasaunt, and dainty meates: At this banquet, they which are the bidden guests, they must be set downe, they see the meates, they tast them, they chawe them in their mouthes, they digest them, they are nourished, fed, and strengthned by ⟨p. 13⟩them: they which are not bidden to this •east, may see the meates, handle them, and •ast of them, to feele how good they are: but •hey must not eate and feede of them. The first resemble the elect, which truely eate, digest, and are nourished by Christ vnto euer•asting life, because they haue great aboundance of the vitall heate of Gods holy spirit in them, and doe feele sensibly his grace and vertue in them, to strengthen them, and guide them. The second sort truly resemble the reprobates; which neuer in truth enioy Christ, or any of his benefites appertaining to saluation: but onely see them, and haue in their heartes a vanishing, but no certaine 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 benefites, than those men haue of the Sunne, which see onely a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day, before it riseth. gContrarywise, the elect, they haue the day-star, euen the sonne of righteousnes, Iesus Christ, rising in their hearts; the day spring from an high doth visite them, the glorie of God doth rise vpon them: they haue their eies annointed with the ointment of ⟨p. 14⟩the spirite, which is the true eie salue, and do• plainely behold this sonne of righteousnes they inioy his presence, they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken an• reuiue them.
- fH•b. 6. 4. Math. 13. 20.
- g2. Pet. •. 14. 1. Joh. •. •. Luke 1. […]. Esa. 60. […].2. Pet. •. 14. 1. Ioh. •. •. Luke 1. 〈…〉. Esa. 60. 〈…〉.
