glorie And thus much for the first point How we must seeke God The second is How he is a rewarder of them that seeke him I answer God rewards them that seeke him First by offring himselfe graciously to be found of them that seeke him for he neuer hides himselfe nor turnes away from the soule that seeketh him but rather turnes to him and meetes him that comes to him hee is that good Father which saw the prodigall Sonne afarre off and met him and receiued him Luke 16. Yea rather is it true that He is found of them that sought him not then euer sought by any that found him not And hereby God much magnifieth his grace and mercy to mankinde in being so assuredly found when men seeke him For in this world it is not so All men seeke the face of the Prince saith Salomon true but all men finde it not No. Accesse to great men is not so easie they and their fauour are so inclosed that men may long seeke afore they finde either them or it but God here is not so inclosed as he will not be seene nor spoke to hee is found of them that seeke him And as hereby hee honoureth himselfe so hee highly rewardeth his seruants for there is no greater contentment to a subiect then to perceiue his seruice pleaseth his Prince nor greater ioy then to finde his gratious fauour when they seeke it Let then this practice of the great God of heauen First of all teach the great ones of this world to be willing to be found when they are sought vnto thereby shall they honour themselues and cheere vp the hearts of their people who seeke vnto them And againe it may be a rich comfort to the poore ones of this earth who when they see they must long looke and waite and pray and pay and seeke the face and fauour of great men and cannot finde may then remember yet they haue a God who will not shut the dore vpon them will not turne away will not keepe secret will not feare them away with a rough answer or a sower looke but hath this honourable and princely grace He wil be found of them that seeke him Secondly hee rewardeth them that seeke him by bestowing his loue and fauour on them not onely he but his fauour shall be found of all that seeke him It is Gods fauour that Gods children seeke and his fauour they shall be sure to finde This is no small reward vnto them for in this world a man thinkes he hath enough if he haue the Princes fauour And therefore it was the cōmon phrase in old time Let me finde grace or fauour in the eyes of my Lord the King So speake Gods children vnto the Lord. It is not wealth nor honours we seeke-for at Gods hand but let vs finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord our God and so they doe what-euer they finde in this world Thirdly he rewardeth them not with his naked fauour but with the most gracious testimonies thereof that can be which are two Forgiuenesse of their sinnes and eternall life and glory with himselfe This is all a Prince can doe to his subiect who hath offended him To forgiue him the fault and remit the punishment and to aduance him to honour This doth the Lord to all that seeke him he forgiues them the debt they owe him whereby life and soule and all was forfaited to him and giues them also life euerlasting So plentiful a reward is giuen them from that God vnder whose wings they are come to trust Fourthly hee rewardeth them with the beginnings of heauen and happinesse euen in this world A good conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost the comfort whereof is more euen in the bitterest affliction then all the pleasures and contentments in the world Lastly with the appurtenances of heauen and of eternall life namely the good blessings of this life a competent portion whereof God giueth his children in this world as tokens of his fauour and as rewards of their seruice and seeking him Now as this place doth ayme at all these rewards so principally and directly the holy Ghost meaneth eternall life as though hee had said Hee that commeth to God must stedfastly beleeue that God is able and most willing to reward all that come to him with a better reward then this worlde can yeeld euen with eternall life and glory for his sonnes sake But then will some obiect God rewardeth vs therefore we merit therefore good works deserue I answere this place indeede is grosly abused by the Papists for that purpose but we are to know the truth is farre otherwise for God rewardeth men for two causes First for his promise sake and that is for his owne sake for it was his owne goodnesse that made him promise and no former debt he owed to man Againe hee rewardeth our good works not for our merits for they are nothing but of death and curses but for Christ and his merits for their worthinesse are our good workes rewarded So then here are two causes of Gods rewarding and yet mans merits are neither of both and so the argument is nought That God rewardeth therefore we merit for God doth it for other causes Thus these spiders gather poison out of this flower but let vs sucke the honey for this notable sentence hath excellent vse First if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him then not of them that seeke him not Who seeke not God wicked and vngodly men seeke him not but rather seeke to auoide him and his seruice this sentence therefore is heauie against them For when they heare it their conscience answereth But wee seeke not God Therefore wee can looke for no reward from him Doest thou seeke the world then must the world be thy rewarder Doest thou seeke to please thy selfe then must thou reward thy selfe And if thou wilt please the diuell by liuing in sinne then must hee be thy pay-maister alas pitifull and fearefull will these rewards be Againe if God reward none but them that seeke him here appeares the reason why so many Papists die in our religion and with vs cleaue to Christes merits alone when they come to die because their conscience then tells them that by their pilgrimages reliques will-worships and manie more of their courses ordinarie in Poperie they did neuer seeke God but themselues their owne honour gaine and credite and full well knew they that there is no reward due for such seruice and therefore by their practice they make it a true saying that It is good liuing a Papist but dying a Protestant Secondly if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him Then wee see it is most true which the Apostle saith It is not in vaine to serue God 1. Cor. 15.58 for God is a rewarder of them that seeke and serue him Therefore the Atheist and profane men of this world who say It is in vaine to serue God and what profit
keeping of it is a doubling of the sin Dauid in his anger had sworn to slay Nabal and all the men in his family for denying reliefe vnto his seruants 1. Sam. 25.22 This was a rash oath and therfore afterward when hee was preuented by Abigails good counsell hee blesseth God for it and breakes his oath which hee had made vers 32. Quest. 2. What if a man take an oath and yet afterward in consciēce doubts of the lawfulnes of that which he hath sworne to do what must be don in this case Ans. So long as he doubteth hee must defer the performāce of it For he that doth a thing doubtingly condemnes himselfe in the thing he doth because he doth it not of faith and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Quest. 3. What if a man be vrged by feare to take an oath must hee afterward keepe it As for example a man is taken of theeues now wanting money they charge him on paine of death to fetch them money and they binde him hereto by an oath what must bee done in this case considering there must such great care bee had in keeping of an oath Answ. So long as the thing which hee is bound by oath to doe respecteth his priuate dammage onely he must keep his oath yet so as he declare his case to the Magistrate because their course is against the common good now the Magistrate hearing of it is according to equity to prouide for his defence for the safety of his goods A second point to be considered in Rahabs preseruation is this Rahab escaped a common danger but not without all meanes onely staying her selfe on the bare promise of the Spies but as shee beleeued in the true God so shee vsed meanes whereby shee might bee sure of her preseruation and that is this Shee bindes the Spies by an oath to saue her life and to spare her houshold also shee keepes within and ties the corde of red threed in her windowe according to their mutuall couenant Thus shee vseth meanes for her temporall safety and so haue other of GODs children done in like case When King Hezekiah 2. Kings 20.6 was sicke hee was certified by the Prophet from GOD that hee should liue fifteene yeares longer yet hee neglected not the meanes whereby he should be healed and liue for hee applied dry figges to his byle and vsed foode and raiment for his bodily life during the whole space of those fifteene yeares So the Apostle S. Paul in his voyage by Sea to Rome was assured by a vision that none of them that were with him should perish but all come safe to land and yet when the Mariners would haue gone out hee tels the Centurion that vnlesse those staied in the ship that so they might vse the ordinary means they could not be safe Now as it fareth temporally for the saving of the body so is it in the spirituall case for the salvation of the soule men must vse means to come by grace so to salvation But many in this regard be great enemies to their owne soules they say God is mercifull and Christ is a Saviour I hope he will saue me yet they wil not vse the means to come to saluation But if we would be saued thē with our inward faith we must ioyn the obseruatiō of the outward ordinary means whereby God vseth to saue mens soules as namely the hearing of Gods word calling vpon God by prayer and the receiuing of the sacraments that thereby our sinfull lyues may bee amended and our faith strengthened This must bee remembred of vs for they that contemne or neglect the means despise the grace and mercy of God offered therein and therfore Paul saith of the Iewes when they put the Gospel from them that they did iudge themselues vnworthy eternall life Act. 13.46 It followeth With them that disobeyed That is with the people of Iericho Quest. How did they disobey Ans. Thus When Iosuah and the people came vnto them and offered them peace if so be they would becom their tributaries and seruants the inhabitants of Iericho would not yield vnto thē but set themselues against the people of Israel and so against God in that they would not vndertake that estate which God offered vnto them and therefore they are here esteemed disobedient Hence we learne that if it shall please God at any time to put vs out of these temporary benefits which we enioy in goods and possessions wee must bee contented with Gods will and prouidence and seeke to obey God therein The inhabitants of Iericho pay deerely for their disobedience in this case God sets the Israelites as Lords over them and because they will not yield to become their seruants they die for it Dauids practice was commendable in this case for when he was put out of his owne Kingdom by his owne sonne hee murmured not but said thus If I shall finde fauour in the eies of the Lord he will bring me againe but if he say thus I haue no delight in thee beholde here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies 2. Sam. 15.25 26. In other countries we see Cities and Townes spoyled and sacked what must the people doe Answ. They must submit themselues to the Lords pleasure knowing that he permitteth it who may doe what he will And so if it shall please God to bring vs into the like case as to suffer our enemies to haue dominion ouer vs and to dispossesse vs of our places we must submit our selues to Gods good pleasure when wee see no helpe by lawfull meanes wee must not murmure or rebell for that is but to disobey as the people of Iericho did and so shall we be destroyed as they were And thus much for the second point The third thing to be considered in this example is the testimony of her faith in receiuing the Spies peaceably This was a notable worke of faith as Saint Iames noteth Iam. 2.25 and the more commendable because shee receiued them into her house and entertained them yea shee preserued them in danger of her owne life for shee did it contrary to the pleasure of the State vnder which shee liued But against this may be obiected first that shee lyed in this fact for when the King of Iericho's messengers came to search for the Spies whom shee had hid in the top of her house shee said to the messengers they were gone another way Now how can it bee a good worke which was don with lying especially to our Superior who hath power to aske vs and to whom wee are double bound to speake the truth Answ. Wee must knowe that the worke was good which shee did and a worke of mercy to preserue Gods people although shee failed in the manner of doing it shee receiued them by faith though shee shewed distrust in lying for their safetie It was a notable worke of Rebecca Gen. 27. to cause her sonne Iacob to
Sacraments of the new Testament In their sacrifices they gaue something to God and therefore they are call'd gifts in our Sacraments we receiue daily grace from God 3. In that the sacrifices of the old Law are call'd gifts we must know that it is typicall and hath excellent significations vnto vs. 1. It signifieth that the Messias should be giuen of God freely for the saluation of his elect and that Christ the Messias should willingly giue himselfe to be a redeemer 2. It signifieth that euery man that lookes for saluation by Christ must giue himselfe to God and all that is in him So Paul exhorteth Rom. 6.13 Giue your selues vnto God and your members weapons of righteousnesse When we giue any thing to a man we make him Lord of it If we then giue our soules and bodies to the Lord we must giue them so as that they may obay and serue him and be ruled by him and serue for his glory howsoeuer he shall vse them We professe religion and make great shewes but to giue our selues in obedience to God is the life of religion But contrary is the course of the world For most professers are giuen vp to sin and sathan their bodies giuen to drinking gaming vncleannesse iniustice their soules to enuying hatred malice reuenge lust pride selfe-loue God hath nothing except it be a face but that will not serue the turne he will haue all body and soule for he made all and he hath redeemed all We go against equity Christ gaue his body and soule for vs why should not we giue ours againe to him Againe this gift is not as other gifts for here all the profit redounds to the giuer the glory indeede is his but the gaine and profit is our own Why then should we withhold our selues from God it argueth we know nor feele not what Christ hath giuen vs for if we did if we had 10000. liues we would thinke them all too little for him And thus much of the first second effect of Abels faith the third followeth By which Abell being dead yet speaketh The 3. effect whereby Abels faith is commended is laide downe in these words Concerning the meaning whereof there is some difference which is briefely to be examined Some thinke the words should be thus translated By which also Abell being dead is yet spoke of making the meaning to be that by his faith he obtained a good name to all posterities but it seemes this cannot stand for two causes First because that is already affirmed of Abell and all the rest in the second verse that through faith they had obtained a good report which therefore might seeme needlesse so soone to be repeated againe Secondly for that afterward Christs bloud Abels being compared together it is not said that Christs bloud is better spoken of then Abels but that it speaketh better things thē Abels did Therfore the words are rightly trāslated Now for the true sense of them it is likely the holy Ghost here hath relation to the story whence it is taken where vpō Cains murder God saith to him The voice of thy brothers bloud crieth to me from the earth and why crieth it Namely for vengeance against so monstrous a murder and crieth to all men to behold it and to abhor the like and so after a sort he continueth to speak to this day So that the words in the true full sense of them do import these two points 1. That Abell spake when he was dead 2. That in a sort Abell still speaketh For the first Abell spake and cried when he was dead but how not with a vocall speech but the phrase is figuratiue and imports thus much as if the Lord had said to Cain thou hast kill'd thy brother closely and it may be hast hid him in the sand or buried him and thinkest no man knoweth of it but thou must know Cain this thy fact is as euident to me as if Abell had told me I know thou kill'd him and if thou wonder how I knowe I tell thee his bloud told me for it cried in my eares yet it crieth out against thee for though Abell be dead his bloud yet speaketh As this is true of Abels so of all mens bloud and as of bloud so of all other oppressions though done by neuer so great men Murders oppressions and all wrongs done to Gods children they cry to God against the oppressors though the poore oppressed men dare scarce name them they neede not for their bloud doth yea euen their very teares cannot be shed but God takes them vp and puts them in his bottle and will know who shed them Thus bloud crieth against them that shed it yea teares crie against them that cause them This affordeth vs a double instruction First here it is apparant that God seeth and knoweth the sinnes of men though the men be neuer so mighty or their sinnes neuer so secret For though men conuay them neuer so closely and labour to hide them with all the meanes that wit of man can deuise yet the very dead creatures cry out and do proclaime the sinnes and sinners in the eares of God as fully as the voices of liuing men can discouer any thing vnto men Priuy oppressions and goods gotten by deepe deceipt lie hid to the world But the stone out of the wall shall crie and the beame out of the timber shall answer it Woe be to him that buildeth his house with bloud and erects a Citie by iniquitie as though hee had said God knoweth euery stone and euery piece of timber in their stately houses which they haue gotten by deceite or oppressing of the poore Priuy conspiracies and plots of treason are laid against Princes and Magistrates and often in so secret manner as in mans reason is not possible to be discouered But God hath many wayes to finde them out and they neuer scape his priuie search and therefore the holy Ghost aduiseth Curse not the King no not in thy thought nor the great ones in thy bedchamber for the fowle of the heauen shall carie thy voice and that which hath wings shall declare the matter So that whatsoeuer is plotted neuer so priuily or conspired in the secret closets of vngodly men God knowes it and hath meanes enow to disclose it to the world And in our daily experience God magnifieth himselfe mightily in reuealing murders For bring the murtherer before the dead corps and vsually it bleedeth or giueth some other testimonie whereby it speaketh euen as Abels bloud did This is the murtherer Nay more for Abels bloud spake to God but here euen to men also And of this its hard to giue any reason at all but the secret and immediate hand of God thereby shewing himselfe to know all secret sinnes to be able to disclose them by strange meanes The vse of this doctrine is to feare all men from sinning though they thinke it possible to conceale their
goeth out The vse is to teach vs what a faith we haue For if wee measure all Gods commaundements by our naturall affections our faith is but a shadow and hypocrisie But if wee consult not with flesh and bloud but rest and rely on Gods word and giue absolute obedience to his coÌ„maundements then our faith is such as Abrahams was In the next place Some may meruaile why the Lord should commaund him so hard a matter and lay so straâ—te a commaundement vpon him as to leaue his Country and liuing which seemed vnreasonable his kindred which was vnnaturall I answer the reason is not that God delighteth in vnreasonable or vnnatural courses or in laying heauie burdens vpon his children But he did it for good and holy ends as First to proue Abraham and to see what was in him As a friend is noâ— tried in ordinarie but in great matters so it is knowne who is Gods friend in matters of difficultie Hereby therefore God made the faith and obedience of his seruant to shine more gloriously Againe to breake the corruption of his heart for our wicked natures loue peace and ease and welfare and hearts desire but God will crosse those courses and send vs troubles many wayes that so hee may pull downe the height of our corruptions and humble vs to his owne hand The vse is to teach vs to make true vse of our afflictions and of those many hard crosses that must fall vpon vs in our course of seruing God namely to know that they are sent from God not as a hard-hearted or cruell Iudge but as a wise and mercifull Father who wisheth our good and who will so blesâ—e vnto vs the hardest and heauiest crosses that befall vs in our liues if we receiue them in patience faith that we shall say with Dauid Psalm 119.72 It is good for vs that we haue been in trouble for thereby we haue learned to know God and our selues better Thirdly whereas Abraham at Gods commaundement goeth out of his Country into another we learne that it is not vnlawfull for a Christian man to goe out of his owne Country and trauaile into another and there to abide for some or for a long time Prouided his causes be good and iust as namely these which follow First if he haue a particular commaundement of God as here Abraham had Secondly if hee haue a lawfull calling of the Church or State whereof he is a member as if he be sent to a generall Councel or be sent as Ambassadour either to stay for a time or to stay there as Lieger Thirdly if it be for the safety of his life in a good cause So Moses Exod. 2.14.15 fled into the land of Midian and there stayed when Pharaoh sought his life And Christ himselfe fled with his Father and Mother into Egypt from the furie of Herod Math. 1. The like may be said for them that to preserue their liberty flie from the cruelty of their Creditors who will not take honest and reasonable satisfaction of a surety for another man or of a childe for the Fathers debts But in no case for them who trauaile in purpose to defeate their Creditors or thereby to deliuer themselues from payment of their due debts being able to pay Of both these wee haue example in Dauid his followers Dauid himselfe was faine to flie for his life from Saulâ— vniust cruelty and therefore went and dwelt amongst the Philistims 1. Sam. 27.1.2 And 1. Sam. 22.2 there cam to Dauid such as were in trouble and in debt and these were with him in all his trauaile and persecutions Now doubtlesse had they beene vngodly men who had not cared how they came into debt noâ— how they paid it Dauid would neuer haue beene their Prince as that Text saith he was Fourthly if it be for the maintenance of pure religion and keeping a good conscience This hath Christs warranty Mat. 10.23 When they persecute you in one Citie flie vnto another For this cause many of our fore-fathers in the former age were faine to flie into Germanie Swwitzerland to Geneua And for these causes diuers of other Nations doe repaire to this Nation and are here entertained Fiftly if it be for the getting or encreasing of any good learning and lawfull knowledge especially diuine knowledge for matter of religion Thus the Queene of Saba went ouâ— of the inmost parts of Africa to Ierusalem in Asia to see and heare Salomon 2. Kings 10. and for that cause shee is highly commended by Christ himselfe Math. 12.42 Thus may yong men trauell for learning or the tongues especially such as intend thereby to fit themselues for publike seruice so it be with safetie of religion and securitie of conscience Sixtly if it be for the practice of a mans lawfull calling as for trafficke and thus Merchants may and do lawfully trauaile into all Nations and haue their Factors there resident prouided they lose not their soules to gaine for their bodies their trauailing is allowed by Christ in the Parable where he saith The Kingdome of heauen is like a Merchant man that seekes good pearles Math. 13.45 Seauenthly if it be to receiue and take possession of any goods or lands lawfully descended or fallen vnto a man in another Nation as sometime it doth This seemes to be allowed by Christ in the Parable where he saith A certain noble man went into a far Country to receiue for himselfe a kingdome and so to come againe Luke 19.12 In a word if it be vpon any good and sufficient cause allowable in good reason and not contrary any part of Gods word But as for such as leaue their Countries and trauell into other Either vpon leuitie to see strange sights and fashions Or being malefactors flie from their due punishment Or being in debt go away to deceiue their Creditors Or being vaine-glorious to make themselues knowen Or being at enmitie to fight combats or to kill their enemie All these and all such like can haue no comfort in their trauailes for they send themselues God sent them not they are out of Gods protection because they goe without his warrant And as many of them as goe away to escape the hand of the Magistrate let them be assured they shall not escape the hand of God In the fourth place here is a comfort for all such as are banished from their owne natiue Countries for God and his Gospels sake For here Abraham the Prince of Patriarkes was a banished man and liued in a strange Country the greater part of all his life Let such men therefore take patiently what God laieth vpoÌ„ them for it is not their misery or mishap alone but hath beene common to Gods children in all ages Againe Christ himselfe pronounceth them blessed who suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for though they be exiles from their owne kingdome or tossed vp downe the kingdomes of the earth yet theirs is the kingdom of heauen Math. 5.10 Lastly though
into our house that is giuen to stealing we trust him as long as hee is in our sight but if he be out of our sight we thinke euer he is stealing So if men see the meanes of Gods prouidence they will take his word and trust it but else God must excuse them they may not trust him further then they see him And if the Commaundements of God sound to their content and tend to their profit they will obay them but if not they will cast them behinde their backe at least they will make a pause at the matter and take their owne time And if Gods wayes seeme pleasant and profitable they will walke in them or else they will leaue them and walke in their owne And hence is it that men in distresses runne to Wizards and Wise-men others deale fraudulently and deceitfully others worke on the Sabaoth day and thus by indirect and vnlawfull dealing they labour to inrich themselues and to bring their purposes to passe And why all this but because Gods commaundements doe not sound to their purpose nor tend to their profit and therefore they will not obay them If these men had beene in Abrahams case they would neuer haue gone out not knowing whither to goe but they would haue argued the matter with God and haue thought it good wisedome to pause well afore they leaue a certaintie for an vncertaintie But contrariwise Abraham thought it foolishnesse to reason with God and therefore performed absolute obedience and for this cause hee and his faith are renowned to this day namely 3000. yeares after him and shall be till the worlds end This was the obedience of faith and this to doe is to be true subiects to Gods Kingdome If the King call a man from his owne liuing to come to himselfe and to the Court who will not leaue what he hath of his owne and trust his word So who will not leaue his owne wisedome and relie on the promise and word of God and obay his commaundements though there seeme at the first no profit can come thereby Thus shall wee be sure both to haue sufficient for this world and shall also be true children of faithfull Abraham Hitherto of the first example of Abrahams Faith VERSE 9. By faith he abode in the land of Promise as in a strange Country as one that dwelt in Tents with Isaak and Iacob heires with him of the same Promise HEre is the second example of Abrahams faith and the fift in order and is concerning Abrahams abiding or dwelling in that land whereinto God had called him and this he also did by faith As he went out of his owne Countrey and came into Canaan by the power and leading of his faith So by the same faith hee abode and dwelt in the same Land The parts are two 1. The Action of Abrahams faith in the ninth verse 2. The Reason of that his so doing in the tenth The action in the ninth verse is spoken of two wayes 1. It is laide downe to bee his a biding in the Lande of Promise 2. It is amplified by two circumstances 1. The manner how he dwelt there in two points 1. As a Stranger or in a strange Country 2. As one that dwelt in Tents and not in houses 2. The persons with whom with Isaac and Iacob Heires with him of the same Promise The first point in order is his dwelling in the land of Canaan called here the land of Promise By faith he abode in the land of Promise Canaan is now called the land of Promise because it was promised in the verse afore-going as we then heard so that the meaning is he abode in that Land which was promised him when he came out of his owne Country Which Country Abraham knew not by name when he left his own nor till he came thither but then God told him This is the Land I will giue thee and thy seede Genesis 12.7 In this Land thus promised Abraham dwelt and remained the rest of his life which was a hundreth yeeres In this Action of Abraham are three particular points 1. He dwelt in Canaan 2. That Canaan was the Land of Promise 3. He dwelt there by faith For the first Concerning Abrahams dwelling in Canaan diuers questions may be moued First how it is true that he abode or dwelt there seeing it is apparant in the Story he dwelt in Egypt Gen. 12.10 and in Gerar. Gen. 20.1 I answer The meaning is not that he stayed there euery day of his life but that he liued and died there and made it the place of his residence and ordinary habitation whereunto he alwaies resorted againe if any occasion drewe him abroade And further hee went not into Egypt but vpon such special cause as could not be otherwise helped as vpon a famine or such like Genesis 12.10 Then there came a famine in the Land therefore Abraham went downe into Egypt to soiourne there Where it appeares first that the cause was extraordinarie secondly that hee went not to make any dwelling but to soiourne there for a time and then to repaire home againe Where wee learne that as a man is not to depart out of that Land where God hath appointed him to dwell but vpon good and sufficient causes So when those causes cease which drewe him out hee is not to stay longer from home but to repaire againe to the place of his ordinarie dwelling God would haue a man dwell at home and it is leuitie and a token of an vnconstant minde and a running-heade for a man to desire to bee alwayes abroade Birdes flie abroade but so as they may come to their neasts at night So men should endeuour as much as may be to take fewe occasions of being from their dwellings and when they needes must to let it be for as short a time as may be For as it is a signe of a light woman Prouerbs 7.11 Her feete cannot abide in her house So is it of an vnstayde man Vpon euerie occasion to bee caried from home We must therefore followe holy Abraham who is heere commended for abiding or dwelling in the Country which God had giuen him Againe this practice of Abrahams faith condemnes the wandring begger to be an vnfaithfull and vngracious generation Our Land by the abuse of our peace and plenty is full of such Aske them where they dwell their answere is They haue small dwelling but looke into the matter and they haue the largest dwelling of all for they dwell euery where all abroad they count it bondage to be tied to one Towne or dwell in one Parish and thinke it freedome and libertie to dwell euery where These are Carerpillers of a Common-wealth and the greatest robbers of the poore that are Common Theeues steale from rich men but these steale from the poore they get that from men which the true poore should haue No good comes to Church nor Common-wealth by these men but much hurt to both For a
that when temptations shal come we may be found sound and stedfast in the triall Thus much of the nature of Abrahams temptation now followe the circumstances to be considered therein And first of the time when Abraham was tempted Hereof we may reade Genesis 22.1 After these things saith Moses God did proue Abraham The wordes will admit a double reference But this I take to be most proper and fitte for that place to wit that after God had made most excellent promises vnto Abraham and giuen him most wonderfull blessinges and priuiledges then hee tempted him Hence we learne this notable lesson That those people in Gods Church which receiue from God more graces then others must look for more tentations This we shal see to be true in Christ Iesus the head of the Church for when hee was Baptized and had receiued the holy Ghost Matthew 3 in the forme of a Doue and had this voyce of GOD the Father pronounced vpon him that he was his well-beloued sonne in whom hee was well pleased then presently followeth this that hee was led into the wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell Matthew 4.1 Luke 4.1 being full of the holy Ghost as Luke saith So likewise when God had testified of Iob that hee was an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill Iob 1.8 then Satan tooke occasion thereby to tempt him as in all the whole course of that booke wee may plainely see wherein are set downe most wonderfull temptations and trialls wherby hee was prooued So Iacob must wrestle with the Angell Genesis 32.24.28 and by the power of GOD ouercome GOD himselfe This was a notable prerogatiue To preuaile with the Lord but yet he must preuaile with his foile Verse 31 and at the same time and euer after drawe one of his legges after him euen to his dying day Saint Paul was rapt vp into the third heauen into Paradise and heard words which cannot be spoken yea which are impossible for man to vtter yet least hee should be exalted out of measure through aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto him a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2. Corinthians 12. Verse 7 God will honour him with reuelations but yet Satan shall haue leaue to buffet and beate him as it were blacke and blew In all which wee may see that to whom GOD vouchsafeth a a greater measure of grace to them hee appointeth singular trialls and temptations aboue other men And the reason is First because Gods graces doe better appeare in temptations then out of them as golde is best tried in the fire and thereby proued most pure and perfect Secondly temptations serue to abase the seruant of God and to bring him downe in his owne conceite that hee be not proude of those thinges that are in him or puffed vp with conceite that there is more in him then indeede there is This wee sawe in Paules example Hee was buffeted of Satan lest hee should be exalted with aboundance of Reuelations Wee may see a type heereof in worldly affaires The best shippe that floateth on the Sea when it carieth in it most precious Iewels is ballaced with grauell or sand to make it sinke into the water and so sayle more surely least floating too high it should be vnstable euen so dealeth the Lord with his seruants when hee hath giuen them a good measure of his graces then doth hee also lay temptations vpon them to humble them lest they should be puffed vp in themselues The second circumstance to bee considered in this temptation is the greatnesse thereof It was the greatest that euer was for aught we reade of That God should commaund him to kill his owne sonne For if God had tolde Abraham that his sonne Isaac must haue died it would haue beene verie grieuous and sorrowfull newes vnto him and yet more grieuous if hee had tolde him that hee should haue died a bloudy death But yet this was most grieuous of all that Abraham himselfe with his owne hand should sacrifice his owne sonne nay his onely sonne and that which is more hee must kill his onely childe in whom the promise was made that in him should his seede be called this must needes be a great wound vnto his heart and yet to augment his griefe hee must not doe it presently nor where he would but goe three dayes iourney in the wildernesse During which time Satan vndoubtedly wrought mightily vpon his naturall affections to disswade him from obedience which could not chuse but be farre more greeuous vnto his soule Out of the greeuousnesse of this temptation wee may learne this lesson that GOD in tempting a man doth sometime proceede thus farre Not onely to crosse his sinnes and corruptions but euen to bring him to nothing in regard of humane reason and naturall affections For this commaundement Abraham kill thy sonne might haue made Abraham if hee had consulted with flesh and bloud euen distracted in himselfe and without reason not knowing which way to turne himselfe And accordingly let all GODS children especially such as haue the greatest graces looke for such temptations as shall lay their humane reason sâ—at vpon the ground and bring them to this point euen vtterly to denie themselues The third Circumstance in this Temptation is this What Abraham did when hee was tempted the Text telleth vs that by faith hee offered vp Isaac being tempted Abraham being thus tempted whether hee would obay GODS Commaundement or not obayes GOD in offering vp his soone and yet layes holde vpon Gods promise made in him For wee must knowe that Abraham had a promise of blessing in Isaac and being now commanded to kill Isaac he did not now cast off his hope and desperately thinke it could not be performed if this commandement were obeyed but by the great power of faith he both obeyes the commandement and yet still beleeues the promise For so saith the text By faith he offered vp Isaac Therefore in the very action of killing Isaac hee beleeued the promise that Isaac should liue And this was the excellency of Abrahams faith For if God should with his owne voyce bidde a man kill his sonne it may be some would be found that would doe it but to doe it and still to beleeue a contrary promise made before betokeneth the vertue of an admirable faith In this circumstance we may learne a good instruction to wit in all temptations that befall vs still to hold fast the promises of God Thogh in the diuels purpose they tend to the loosening of our holde and in all common reason we haue good cause to let them goe yet for all that wee must neuer let goe but still hold the promise fast and rather let goe all reason in the world than Gods promise And this is not onely true faith but euen the excellency of faith For example Gods promise is Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten
in the first place Heere then wee see in this order of dignitie that the first blessing of life euerlasting belongs to Iacob Esau must haue his blessing but in the second place Heere obserue these two thinges First Iacob is receiued into Gods couenaunt and Esau put by Iacob gets the principall blessing and Esau loseth it but what are these thinges so for Iacobs desert or for the default of Esau Nay verily The good pleasure of GOD is the chiefe cause heereof for touching the blessing if wee reade the Historie wee shall see that Esau at his Fathers commaundement went and hunted and tooke the paines and got his Father venison and tolde him nothing but truth But Iacob neuer went to hunt but gets a Kid dressed and comes to his Father with it and while hee talkes with his Father doth foully gloase and lie so that in all reason it might seeme that Esau deserued the better blessing yet GOD will haue it otherwise and the principall blessing belongs to Iacob Wherein wee may note that Gods speciall loue to man whereby hee receiues him into his couenaunt is not grounded on mans behauiour but on his owne good will and pleasure Secondly in that Iacob heere had the principall blessing wee learne that the counsell of GOD doth ouerrule the will of man For Father Isaac had purposed to haue blessed Esau with the chiefest blessing but yet Gods counsell was contrarie and the same ouer-rules Isaacs will For though Isaac had cause to suspect that it was not Esau both because hee came so soone as also for that the voice was apparant not to be Esaus but Iacobs voice yet Gods counsell ouer-ruled his will and when hee came to handle his sonnes handes hee could not discerne betweene a Kiddes skinne and the skinne of a man what 's the cause heereof Surely it was Gods will and counsell that Iacob should haue the chiefest blessing and therefore hee ouer-rules Isaacs will and blindes his senses and makes him to blesse Iacob with the chiefest blessing The consideration heereof is profitable vnto vs for it is a receiued opinion with many at this day that GOD did purpose to saue all men Now when question is made Why then are not all men saued They answer because men will not though God will But this opinion is erroneous for it makes mans will to ouer-rule GODs counsell as if they should say GOD willeth it not because men will it not or else which is worse God willeth it but it commeth not to passe because man will not doe it But Gods will and counsell is the highest and chiefest cause of al looke whatsoeuer he willeth that bringeth he to passe and because all men are not saued therfore we may safely thinke and say that God did neuer decree to saue all men Now further more particularly of Iacobs blessing first it may be asked How could Iacob bee blessed seeing hee came dissemblingly and lying to his father Answ. Wee must knowe that howsoeuer Iacob sought the blessing by fraude yet he might bee blessed for he failed not neither did amisse in seeking for the blessing but onely in the manner of seeking it it was his duty to seeke it though not after that manner which hee did hee should rather haue staied that leisure and time wherein God had caused Isaac to haue blessed him without his sinne in seeking it Secondly consider the manner how Iacob receiues his fathers blessing namely in his elder brother Esaus garment Here we may see a notable resemblance of Gods maner of blessing vs When wee looke for a blessing at Gods hand wee must not come in our owne garments in the rotten ragges of our owne righteousnes but we must put on Christs garment the long white robe of his righteousnes And so comming vnto God as Isaac said of the sauor of Esaus garments which Iaacob had put on Gen. 27.27 28. Behold the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field God giue thee therefore of the dewe of heauen and the fatnesse of the earth and plenty of wheate and wine So will God say vnto vs that the righteousnesse of Christ which wee haue put on by faith is a sweet smelling sauor in his nosthrils Ephes. 5.2 Now seeing all the blessings we enioy come to vs in Christ and our acceptance with God is in his righteousnes we therefore must labour to put on Christ euery day by becoming new creatures we must seeke to resemble him in knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse so shall our assurance increase of Gods blessings vpon vs more and more Lastly marke that howsoeuer Iaacob was blessed otherwise than Isaac had purposed yet after the blessing is pronounced it must needes stand for so when Esau came Isaac said vnto him I haue blessed Iacob therefore hee shall be blessed Eph. 27.33 Euen so the Ministers of Gods word in the assembly of the Church who haue power to pronounce Gods blessings vpon the people howsoeuer they be but weake men and may be deceiued beeing subiect to error as other men are yet when they pronounce Gods blessing vpon their congregation in the ministery of the word if they doe it in sinceritie of heart and vprightnesse of conscience that blessing shall stand And so on the contrary looke whom they curse for iust cause out of Gods word their curse shall stand Further as Isaac blessed but knewe not whom so the Ministers of God in the dispensation of the word they must blesse Gods people thogh they know not who they are particularly that doe receiue it Thus much of Isaacs blessing Iacob Now I come to his blessing of Esau for hee also was blessed as the Text saith yet in the second place albeit he were the elder brother Quest. How could Esau be blessed at all seeing Isaac had but one blessing Answ. Esau was only blessed with temporall blessings and not with spirituall Obiect But some wil say Esau was a bad man wicked now it is said that to the impure all things are impure how then could the bestowing of tēporal things be blessings to him An. Temporall things bestowed on the wicked are blessings no blessings they are blessings in regard of God that giues them but they are no blessings in regard of men that receiue them and vse them amisse Quest. How came it to passe that Esau beeing the elder brother looseth his birth-right and blessing both how came it to be Iaacobs Answ. The cause was his profanenesse as wee may see and read in the next chapter where it is said Heb. 12.16 that he solde his birth-right for a portion of meate euen for a messe of redde broth and beeing so profane as to contemne so high an honour hee must bee content to haue his blessing in the second place And hence we may obserue a good instruction There is many a yong man in these our daies baptized as Esau was circumcised and liuing in the Church as hee did in Isaacs house who
valiantly and beate downe our enemies on euery side Lastly heere wee may learne what a vaine thing it is to trust in outward worldly meanes The walls of Iericho were both strong and high and hard it had beene to haue ouerthrowen them by ordinary meanes but yet we see it proued but a vaine thing to trust vnto them as the men of Iericho did for they found but little reliefe and defence in them for the Lord layes them flat to the ground and so the people of Israell went straight forward and tooke the Citie So likewise it is a vaine thing to trust to mans strength or in the strength of an horse or in the number of men or in riches or in gifts of wisedome and learning or in any other outward ordinary meanes whatsoeuer the reason is because God can ouerturne them with the least breath of his mouth This must admonish vs that howsoeuer we vse ordinarie meanes of our preseruation and helpe yet euer wee must cast our whole care on GOD and put all our confidence in him for helpe and safety for without him all other outward meanes are nothing but vaine helpes For vaine is the help of man And thus much for the fact it self Further this fact is set out vnto vs by two circumstances to wit by the meanes which they vsed and by the time which they obserued for this exploit For the first when they come to Iericho this strong Citie which they must needes subdue or else they could not this way enter and possesse the Land they do not goe about to ouerturne the Citie by vndermining battering or scaling the walls but according to Gods appointment they go one by one in order round about the Citie walls day by day for one weeke space and on the seauenth day they compasse it seuen times during all which time they kept great silence saue onely that seauen Priests sounded vpon seauen trumpets of Rammes-hornes before the Arke till Iosuah bade them shout Now in common reason a man would iudge this rather to be some childish sport then a means to fling downe these great walls Nay consider it well and it may seeme a course tending rather to ouerthrowe themselues then the walls of Iericho for they marched not in battell ray as though they would pitch a field against the people of Iericho or lay siege to their Citie but they went in length one before another so as they might compasse the Citie about Now if the men of Iericho should haue come forth and made assault vpon them in all likelihood the Israelites had been ouerthrowen so weake and feeble were the meanes And yet the Lord for waighty causes prescribes this course vnto them to wit 1. Heerby to try the faith of his people whether they will beleeue his promises or no when they are enioyned to vse weake and feeble meanes and in mans reason foolish Secondly to make manifest in the weakenesse and insufficiencie of the meanes his owne all-sufficient power and wisedome for the furtherance of his glory for through weakenesse is Gods power made perfect 2. Corinthians chapter 12. verse 9. Hence our Sauiour Christ when hee was to cure the man that was borne blinde tempers clay of spittle and layes it to his eyes Iohn chapter 9. verse 6 A meanes in cōmon reason rather fit to make a man blinde then to recouer his sight and yet Christ vseth it for the furtherance of Gods glory in the manifestation of his Diuine power whereby the people might knowe hee was able in himselfe to doe whatsoeuer he would Now looke what course the Lord here takes for the battering of the walles of Iericho the like he vseth in ouerthrowing the kingdome of the diuell the spirituall Iericho especially in the new testament For after Christs ascension when he intended to destroy the Kingdome of darkenesse vnder which all the nations sate he sets apart a fewe fisher-men simple persons wāting worldly wit policy neither did hee put a sword of flesh into their hands but the word of God into their mouthes and thus sent them to dispossesse the diuell out of all the world and to batter downe the kingdome of darkenesse by their preaching And now in these later daies wherein the Antichristian kingdome of the Pope had spread it selfe through all places almost God vsed the same weake meanes to ouerthrow it For hee set apart a silly Monke and indues him with gifts to preach the truth by which meanes the kingdome of Antichrist receiued a greater wounde than if tenne Princes had set themselues against it And strange it is to see how GOD ouerturneth all the stratagems deuised against his Church and how hee vanquisheth the power of sinne by the weake meanes of the Gospel preached and by the praiers of the Church than which to the world nothing seemes more feeble or foolish The consideration hereof is of speciall vse for it may be wee shall see Kings and people of great power and number to make reuolt from the Gospel of Christ and to fall to Antichrist embracing popery hereat indeede wee must be grieued but yet withal here is good cause of comfort vnto vs for wee must knowe that Satans kingdome must bee battered downe not so much by the power of Kings as by the breath of GODs mouth not so much by the sword of flesh as by the sword of the spirit So it is said that the man of sinne euen Antichrist must bee abolished not by the power of Princes yea let all the princes potētates in the world do their best for him yet his kingdome must downe in Gods good time for God will consume him with the breath of his mouth and abolish him by the brightnesse of his comming 2. Thes. 2.8 that is by the preaching of the word in the mouthes of his Ministers who are men voyde of all worldly power and policie Yet further obserue the meanes They walke about the walles of Iericho seuen daies together If men should attempt the like enterprise at this day in all likelihood it would cost them their liues for now there are deuised such instrumēts of warre I mean great ordinance field pieces that will kill afar off vndoubtedly if ther had bin such instruments of war in this city the Israelites could not so safely haue compassed the walles so many daies together Whereby it appeares more than probable that in those daies there were no gunnes knowen no not amongst the heathen which at this day are so rise amongst Christians Whence may be gathered that these later daies are perillous times for now mens heads are set to deuise more hurtfull meanes against the life of man than euer the sauage heathen knew For beside the inuention of gunnes which put downe all euidence of prowesse and valour seene in Ancient warres our age exceedes in contriuing such strange kindes of poysons as were neuer knowen in former times For men haue now deuised poyson of that sort that will
priuat reuenge and so it maketh nothing against lawfull warre For what though a priuate man may not reuenge himselfe nor make warre yet that hindereth not but that a Magistrate who beares the sword may lawfully vse it Againe it is friuolous to imagine that resisting is onely by a weapon for the chiefe resistance that God respecteth is in the heart and affection And a priuat man may resist that is breake this commandement by vnlawful resistance though he carry no weapon and the publike person breake it not though he make warre Obiect 2. Secondly they obiect the prophecy of Isay who speaking of the kingdome of Christ vnder the Gospel saith That then they shall turne their swords into scithes and their spears into mattocks therfore say they there must be no warre vnder the Gospel Ans. That Prophecy signifies that in Christs kingdom there must be great loue and peace wonderfull concord among all the true seruants of God But here they take aduantage say If this be so what then needeth any warre Ans. We must knowe that as there bee two kindes of Kingdomes a spirituall kingdome and a politicke so there be two kindes of peace spirituall and politicke Spirituall peace is inward in the Church and politicke peace is outward in the common wealth Spirituall peace i◠begun and preserued by spirituall meanes of grace in the ministery of the Church but warre is an ordinary meanes for the establishing and preseruing of politicke peace Secondly hence wee learne that Gods people may make warre not onely by way of defence but also in assault vpon their enemies that according to Gods word For here it is said that Gedeon Sampson Dauid the rest by faith subdued Kingdoms making warre against them by way of assault and not in defence onely Indeede speciall care ought to bee had that offensiue warre in assaulting an enemie be made vpon iust good grounds one speciall ground or cause is heere implied in this worke of faith to wit the recouery of iust right in matters of importance for the Kingdoms of Canaan were giuen to the Israelites by God himselfe and for the recouery of them they made warre by way of assault So when Lot was taken Captiue by Keder-laomer the Kings of the Nations Abraham Lots kinsman gathers his seruants together and pursues the Kings and ouertaking them destroyed them for the recouerie of Lot and his goods Other respects there be for which offensiue warre in assault may be made but because they are not heere mentioned I will not propound them The second fruite of their faith is this they wrought righteousnesse that is some of these men in their places wherein God had set them gaue to euery man his owne This working of righteousnesse consists in two things First in giuing rewards to such as deserued them Secondly in inflicting due punishment according to mens deserts In both these the men before named did all excell but especially two of them Dauid and Samuel for Dauid it is a wonder to see how righteous he was for when he was anointed King in Sauls steed and Saul reiected how did hee behaue himselfe towards Saul Did hee seeke Sauls blood No But when Saul hunted him as the hunter doth the Partridge Dauid euen then gaue himselfe to studie and practice righteousnesse yea when Saul was fallen into his hands both in the Caue and asleepe in the campe 1. Samuel chapter 24. verses 5 6. c. and chapter 26. verses 7 8 he would not touch him nor suffer others to doe him hurt because hee was the Lords anointed yea so righteous was Dauid towards Saul that his heart smote him for cutting off but the lappe of his coate Therefore Dauid is heere commended especiallie for this effect of faith the working of righteousnesse To apply this vnto our times If this be a fruite of faith thus to worke righteousnesse then what may be saide of the Church of Rome and of the Popish sort among vs They pretend the auncient faith and none must be so good beleeuers and Catholikes as they but how doe they shewe this their faith Is it by the practice of righteousnesse Doe they giue to euery one his due Nay verily but they set themselues to worke the ruine of Kingdomes that ioyne not with them in religion This witnesse their manifolde diuellish plots against our State from time to time This did not Dauid no not against Saul though hee were reiected of God and also most vniustly sought his death But they haue many times sought the death of the Lords anointed ouer vs whereby they declare their state to all the world that they haue no sparke of true faith at all for true faith will make a man practice righteousnesse and innocencie And therefore we may iudge of them and all their adherents that be of this mind to allow such practices that they haue none other but the faith of diuels which is to beleeue the word of God to be true This the diuels do with trembling And as their faith is diuellish so are the fruites thereof namely treachery and falshood such as the diuel most approues But we must learne that true faith is especially commended by these fruites The study and practice of innocency and the maintaining of peace in Christian estates for true faith and treachery and contention wil no more stand together than light and darknesse Secondly Samuel also wrought righteousnesse as appeareth by his protestatio before all Israel whē he gaue vp his office of gouernment ouer them vnto Saul 1. Sam. 12.3 Behold saith hee heere am I beare record of mee before the Lord and before his anointed whose Oxe haue I taken or whose Asse haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong to or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it Now as these two Samuel and Dauid were famous for this fruite of faith in working righteousnesse So likewise were the Iudges and Prophets before named in their places carefull of this vertue and did practice the same partly in rewarding the good and partly in punishing the wicked But some will say To worke righteousnesse cannot be a fruit of faith for the very Heathen which neuer heard of Christ by the light of nature haue done Iustice and are highly commended by Heathen Writers for the same Now that which the Heathen can doe by the light of nature is not thus to be extolled as a fruite of faith Answer True it is the Heathen haue done many workes of iustice but we must wisely consider that euery iust worke is not a fruite of faith vnlesse it be done by a righteous person in obedience to God and for his glory But in all these the Heathen failed in their workes For though the things they did were good in themselues yet seeing the Heathen were corrupt trees remaining in the sinfull state of corrupt nature their workes
and lip-faith and to be endued with true sauing faith whereby we may profitably heare the word and receiue the sacraments and so enioy Gods most excellent promises in Christ. Men may lie and be deceiued but God is truth it selfe and cannot lie and therefore as he hath made his promise of life to beleeuers and to no other so will hee surely accomplish the same to them and to no other Wherefore if we loue our soules and desire life let vs get into our hearts the grace of faith And thus much of the third effect of their faith The fourth and fift effects which I will handle together are these Stopped the mouths of Lions Quenched the violence of the fire For the fourth Whereas some of these persons are said to haue stopped the mouthes of Lions it is to be vnderstood of Daniel as appeareth in the 6. Chapter of that booke For Daniel through the malice of others that incensed the Kings wrath against him was cast into the denne of hunger-bit Lions But Daniel euen then beleeued in the Lord and put all his trust in God and for this cause the Lord by his angel stopped the mouthes of the Lions and as it were sealed vp their pawes that they could not hurt him The fift effect in quenching the violence of the fire must bee vnderstood of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the companions of Daniel which three as we may read Dan. 3. refused to worship the golden image which Nabuchadnezzar had set vp For which cause they were cast into an hot burning Ouen but they put their trust in God and claue fast vnto him in obedience euen to the hazzard of their lyues Whereupon the Lord by his omnipotent power did most miraculously preserue them by staying the rage of the fire contrary to the nature thereof that it had no power ouer their bodies nay it did not burne the haire of their heads nor cause their garments to smell And therefore they are said to haue quenched the violence of it because it had no power ouer them thogh it burned most fiercely but was to them as though it had been quite put out and quenched Now ioyn these two effects together they affoord vs good instructions First here wee learne how to behaue our selues in time of danger and at the point of death Euen as these foure men did so must we from the bottome of our hearts forsake our selues and put all our trust in Christ. This did Daniel when he was in the Lions den and this did the 3. Children in the hot fiery furnace And this hath beene alwaies the auncient practice of Gods children in all ages At the very point of death and in the extremitie of all danger they rested themselues wholly vpon the mercifull promises of the true God The time wil come vpon vs all wherein wee shall be called to the practice of this duty for we must all passe the doore of death once lie in the pangs thereof Now what shall we doe when we lie halfe dead gasping panting for breath able to speake to no man nor to heare any speaking to vs when all comfort of the world failes vs Surely we must then at that very instant labour to leaue our selues and this world and yeeld vp our selues by faith into the hands of GOD and cleaue fast vnto Christs Passion from the bottome of our hearts and he will surely deliuer vs from the danger stopping the mouth of Satan that roaring Lion quenching the fire of hell that it shall not touch vs. But some will say if this be all we must doe then all is well for this I can soone doe when time serues and therefore I will take no care till then Answer Beware of spirituall guile for it will be found a most hard matter for a man to rely and cast himselfe wholly vpon Christ in the houre and pang of death For then aboue all times is the diuell busie against vs then will the conscience stir if euer and the body being tormented the soule must needes be wonderfull heauie This we may see by the state of our Sauiour Christ in his agony and passion and therefore wee must not reckon so lightly of this duty Question But if it be so hard a thing how could Daniell and the three children doe it Answer They were prepared for it for they rested vpon God in the time of peace and so were enabled to rely vpon him in time of perill Euen so if we would beleeue in God when wee die then shew forth our faith we must while we liue put our trust in him and shew it by obedience for rare it is to finde a man that liues in vnbeliefe to shew forth faith at his end And therefore while wee haue health strength and peace wee must labour to beleeue and then shall wee finde the comfort of it in time of perill and of death Secondly from these two effects of faith wee obserue further that Gods diuine prouidence doth firmely rule and gouerne the whole world Ordinarily God gouernes the world by secundarie causes setting one creature ouer another and ordaining one to doe this thing and another that and accordingly they worke but we must not thinke that God is bound to any of these meanes but is most free to vse them or not to vse them Ordinarily he executeth this or that punishment by this or that creature and so by meanes conuayes his blessings but yet he can work without them as here we see For he preserues his creatures against the ordinary meanes as Daniel from the Lions whose nature is to deuoure and against the nature of fire he saued the three children in the fire So that God worketh by meanes but yet freely because he can work at his pleasure either without or against meanes and his powerfull hand sauing against meanes shewes his ruling and disposing prouidence ouer all things Thirdly by these effects of their faith wee learne that Gods goodnesse and mercy towardes beleeuers is farre greater and more vnspeakeable than euer he promised or they could exspect This point is carefully to be considered of vs all for it is of singular extraordinary vse especially in time of perill and trouble and yet we see it is the plaine truth of God and therefore Paul giues thanks and praise vnto God who is able to do for vs exceeding aboundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke Daniel put his trust in the Lord when he was in the Lions den and what doth he obtaine for his labour the Lord neuer promised to stop the Lions mouthes neither did Daniell euer presume vpon that deliuerance and yet the Lord saued him And so the three childrē though they made no account of their liues because God had not promised to keep them frō burning yet they com out in safety For God in mercy so quenched the heat of the fire vnto thē that thogh it burnt to death those that cast them in yet
did it not so much as burne their garments or the haire of their heads to cause the same to smel And the like is his goodnesse towards all his seruants Dauid saith The Lord preuented him with liberall blessings that is when Dauid neuer asked such blessings at Gods hand euen then did the Lord bestowe his liberall blessings vpon him as namely this when Dauid was following his Fathers sheepe and walking in his calling he neuer dreamed of any Kingdome yet thence the Lord took him to be King ouer his people Israell So the Israelites hauing been 70. yeares in captiuity neuer thought of returne and yet then were they deliuered and their deliuerance was so strange and miraculous that they were like them that dreame Psal. 126.1 When Peter was cast into prison by Herod and committed to foure quaternions of Souldiers to be kept the Angel of the Lord came and awoke him as he slept and led him out of prison past the watches and through the iron gate and then left him Now this deliuerance was so strange vnto him that he knew not whether it was true but thought he had seene a vision From hence it is that God hath made this gracious promise vnto his Church to answer before they call and to heare while they speake Isay 65.24 So endlesse is his mercy and his goodnesse so vnspeakeable towards his seruants that if they cleaue vnto him vnfainedly they shall finde his bounty farre surpassing all that they could aske or thinke The consideration hereof serues to stirre vp euery one of vs in our places to cleaue vnfainedly vnto the true God with all our hearts by faith in due reuerence and obedience If a seruant were to choose his Master and among an hundred should heare of one that besides his wages would giue vnto his seruants gifts which they would not think of this seruant would forsake all the rest to com vnto this one Behold the Lord our God is this bountifull master who doth not only keep couenant with his seruāts in a full accomplishment of his promises but is exceeding gracious preuenting them with liberall blessings aboue all that they can wish for thēselues wherfore let vs forsake all our bad Masters the world the flesh and the diuell in the seruice of sinne and resigne our selues with full purpose of heart to serue this our good GOD to the end of our dayes There is no man liuing that can haue such cause of true ioy in heart as Gods seruants haue for God shewes more kindenesse vnto them then they can aske or thinke of And take this for truth also there be none that thus giue themselues to serue God faithfully with all their harts but before they die they shal finde this to be true that God is a most mercifull GOD and his goodnesse endlesse towards them aboue their deserts Secondly this endlesse mercy of GOD must mooue vs all to repent vs of our sinnes and to trust in him for the pardon of them be they neuer so many or haynous for they can neuer reach to the multitude of his mercies Though they be in number like the sand of the sea they must not dismay vs from comming to him but considering that his goodnesse is endlesse and his mercy is ouer all his workes we must come vnto him for the pardon of our sinnes For GOD is mercifull to performe his promise yea and beyond his promise to doe for vs more than wee can thinke of Many indeede abuse this mercie of GOD by presuming thereon to goe on in sinne but such deceiue themselues For God will not be mercifull vnto them Deut. 29.20 It is the penitent person that shall finde mercy The sixt effect of their faith is in these words Escaped the edge of the sword The words in the originall are thus Escaped the mouth of the sword which is the Hebrew phrase in the olde Testament and heere followed by the Pen-man of this Epistle and before where he calleth the word of God a two mouthed sword Heb. 4.12 hereby meaning as it is translated a two edged sword This effect must be vnderstood of two worthy Prophets Elias and Elizeus for Elias wee may reade that when he had slaine Baals Priests 1. Kings 19.1 Iezabel the Queene threatened to kill him which he hearing fled into the wildernesse and thence was led to Mount Horeb and there escaped by meanes of his faith And for Elizeus wee may reade that when he disclosed the King of Syriah his counsell to the King of Israel 2. Kings 6. hee was compassed about in Dothan the city where he lay with a huge hoast of Assyrians but praying to the Lord the Lord smote the hoast with blindnesse and so the Prophet led them in safetie to Samaria So then the meaning of this effect is that when these seruāts of God were in distresse danger of death they denied themselues and their owne helpe by faith relied vpō God vnfainedly frō the bottom of their hearts so found deliuerance with God frō the perill of death First here wee learne that God prouides for the safetie and deliuerance of his seruants in the extremitie of peril and danger when both might and multitude are against them This point we haue touched in diuers examples before and therefore doe here onely name it Secondly in that these men in the extremity of danger beleeued and so escaped the edge of the sword we learne that when we are in greatest danger so as we see no way to escape euen then wee must put our trust in the true God and he will saue vs. This wee must doe not onely for the safety of our body but more especially for the saluation of our soule Put the case a man were in despaire of his saluation and that hee sees legions of diuels compassing him about to take him away what must this man doe in this case Answ. Looke what Elias and Elizeus did the same thing must hee doe hee must not lie dead in desperation yielding thereto but at the very same time when such terrors oppresse him hee must by faith lift vp his heart to God and put all his trust and confidence in him thorough Christ. And if hee can this doe hee may assure himselfe that hee shall as certainly escape these fearefull terrors of conscience and the torments of hell as Elias Elizeus did the edge of the sword for let a man put his whole trust in God and whatsoeuer his troubles bee God will deliuer him Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuers him out of them all Psal. 34.19 Indeed wee must not limit God for time or manner of deliuerance but waite on GOD by faith accounting his grace sufficient till deliuerance come And thus much of the sixt effect The seauenth effect of their faith is this Of weake were made strong Or thus Of weake were restored to health This must bee vnderstood of Hezekias a worthy king of
Iuda who as we may read 2. Kings 20. beeing sore sicke euen vnto death was restored to health and obtained of GOD the lengthening of his daies for the space of fifteene yeares Which wonderfull recouery hee obtained by meanes of his faith which hee shewed in time of his sicknesse by a prayer he made vnto God the substance wherof stood in these two things First beeing very sicke hee praied for the pardon of his sinnes This appeareth by his thanksgiuing vpon his recouery Isay 38.17 where hee confesseth that God had cast all his sinnes behinde his backe Now looke for what hee gaue thanks that no doubt hee had before begged of God in praier Secondly hee made request vnto GOD for prolonging of his daies for some reasons which did concerne himselfe and this hee also prayed for in faith Now the reasons moouing him to pray for longer life were these First hee had then no issue to succeed him in his Kingdome and therefore hee praied for life to beget a childe which might sit vpon his throne after him And the ground of this praier was this GOD had made a particular promise vnto Dauid and Salomon 1. Kings 8.25 that they should not want issue after them to sit vpon the Throne of Israel so that their children tooke heede to their way to walke before the LORD as Dauid did Now King Hezekiah knowing this promise had regard hereunto and building himself hereon his conscience bearing him witnesse that hee had walked before the Lord vprightly hee praies for issue to succeed him and for that cause he desires strength of body and length of daies This appeareth notably by his praier 2. King 20.3 Lord saith he I beseech thee now remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart The summe of his praier is this All the kings succeeding Dauid and Salomon which walke in Gods commandements shall haue issue to sit on their thrones after them Now from hence he praies thus Oh Lord I haue walked before thee in truth and sincerity of heart and hereupon the conclusion followes grant me issue to sit vpon my throne after me and therefore life and health to accomplish the same Secondly he praied that he might liue to glorifie God in that weighty calling wherein God had placed him ouer his people This appeareth likewise by his thanksgiuing vnto the Lord vpon his recouery where hee saith Isay 38.20 â—he Lord was ready to saue me therefore wee will sing my song all the daies of our life in the house of the Lord. Thus by his worthy praier hee shewed forth his faith notably by vertue whereof beeing sicke vnto death hee obtained of the Lord the prolonging of his daies for the space of fifteene yeares And so we see to whom this seauenth effect of faith is to be referred Here we are taught a speciall duty for the recouery of our health in the time of sickenesse to wit before wee vse the ordinary meanes of Physicke wee must according to this example first put our faith in practice by humbling our selues for our sinnes past confessing them truely vnto God and praying for pardon from a resolute purpose of heart to lead a newe life and also by intreating health of God and his good blessing vpon the meanes which we shall vse for our recouery Thus haue other of Gods seruants done beside Hezekias When Dauid was grieuously sicke the principal thing he did was this practice of faith in humbling his soule before God for his sinnes and intreating earnestly the pardon of them as we may see Psa. 6. 38. This is the principal thing which in those Psalms is propounded of Dauid And so the Apostle counsels Iam. 5.14 15 Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and what must they doe Surely first pray for him and then as the custome was in those daies anoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord. And the praier of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp againe and if hee haue committed any sinne it shall be forgiuen him And here we must be admonished to beware of the bad practices of the world in this case the most men in their sickenesse first seeke to the Physicians and if that faile them they send for the Minister This was King Asa his practice for which hee is branded to all posteritie that beeing diseased in his feete hee sought vnto Physicians and not vnto the Lord 2. Chron. 16.12 though otherwise hee had good things in him as 1. King 15.14 And many do farre worse who seeke to witches and inchanters when they or theirs are in such distresse but this is to forsake God and to seeke help of the diuel like to Ahaziah who sent to Baalzebub the God of Ekron to know of his recouery when he was sicke vpon a fall 2. Kings 1.2 This should be far from all Gods children for as Ahaziahs sickenesse became deadly through his sending to Baalzebub so vndoubtedly many diseases become incurable by the bad and preposterous dealing of the Patient who either vseth vnlawfull meanes or lawfull meanes disorderedly or trusting therein Wee therefore in this case must remember our duty in the practice of faith as Hezekiah did The eight fruit of faith is this Waxed valiant in battell This effect may well bee vnderstood of all the Iudges before named and of all the good Kings in Iuda and Israel But yet there be two especially to whom wee may more peculiarly referre it to wit Samson and Dauid For Samson he by meanes of faith came to be so mighty Iudg. 15.15 that with the Iawe bone of an asse he slew a thousand Philistims And for Dauid he likewise was so incouraged by faith that with the same sling wherewith he kept his fathers sheepe which was but a slender weapon for warre hee encountred with Goliah that huge Philistim and hit him with a stone in the forehead and slew him Both these facts were the fruits of their faith which made them bolde to encounter with these mighty enemies In this effect of their faith first wee may obserue that true fortitude and manhood right valour and courage comes from true faith It must bee graunted that many heathen men had great strength and courage but indeed it was but a shadow of true valour for right valour coms from a beleeuing heart And therefore it is said that these Iudges and Princes of Israel waxed strong in battell by faith Secondly Doth true faith make men valiant in battell Then should the preaching of the word bee set vp and maintained as well in the Campe and Guarison and among Souldiers on the Seas as in Cities and Townes of peace For the preaching of the word is the meanes of this faith which giues valour in battell to them that fight in a good cause Hence it was that the Lord inioyned by Moses that when the people of Israel went out to battell the Priests
aime at the Ministers life then with the consent of his flocke he may goe apart for his owne safetie for a time So it was with Paul when the Ephesians were in an vproar about their Diana Paul in zeale would haue entred in among them but the Disciples suffered him not Act. 19.30 This they did for Pauls safetie and the good of the Church for they knew those Idolaters would haue beene most fierce against Paul And so ought euery particular Church to haue speciall care of the life of their Minister Other cases there be in which he may flie but I will not stand to recite all because there bee so many circumstances which may alter the case as well respecting his enemies as himselfe and his people making that vnlawfull at one time to some persons which to others or at another time may be lawfull Secondly whereas it is said These seruants of God wandred vp and downe wee doe learne that a man may lawfully go from place to place and trauell from countrie to country if so be he goe in faith as these men did Againe their going was to keepe faith and a good conscience and for the same ende may any man lawfully trauell from place to place But when men goe not in faith nor yet for this ende the better to keepe a good conscience there vndoubtedly their trauell is not lawfull By this then we haue iust cause to reprooue the badde course of many wanderers among vs as first of our common beggars whose whole life is nothing else but a wandring from place to place though not in faith nor for coÌ„science sake but they finde a sweetnesse in their idle kind of life and therfore they wander because they would not worke Now this their course hauing no other ground but loue of idlenesse and contempt of paines in a lawfull calling cannot be but greatly displeasing vnto God who inioynes that euery man should walke in some lawfull calling and eate his owne bread This they doe not and therefore the curse of God pursueth them for generally they are giuen vp to most horrible sinnes of iniustice and vncleannesse they walke inordinately for they range not themselues into any families but liue liker brute beastes than men they are not members of any particular congregation but excommunicate themselues from all churches and so liue as though there were no God no Christ nor true religion And herein we may see Gods hand more heauy vpon them that they take all their delight in that course of wandring which in it owne nature is a curse a punishment Secondly we may here also iustly reprooue the course of some others among vs who will needs be trauellers not for religions sake for that were commendable if they had such neede nor yet by vertue of their calling which were lawfull but onely for this ende to see fashions and strange countries and they refraine not from such places as Rome Spaine c. wherein that cruell Inquisition will hardly suffer any to passe with safetie of a good conscience But shall we thinke that this their trauell is commendable No surely for the ende of lawfull trauell is the preseruation of faith and a good conscience â—r the bond of some lawfull calling Now these men trauelling vpon no such grounds but onely vpon pleasure how shal we think they will stand to the truth when they thrust themselues into such needlesse danger and triall The crazed consciences of many at their returne shew sufficiently the badnesse of that course Further note the state of these beleeuers for their attire it was of sheep skins and goate skins The like may be obserued in other famous Prophets and seruants of God Eliiah wore a garment of haire and thereby was knowen 2. King 1.8 And so did Iohn Baptist Matth. 3.4 Yea the false Prophets went so arraied that they might the rather be respected of the people Zach. 13.4 And our Sauiour Christ saith The false Prophets shall come in sheeps cloathing like the true Prophets when as indeede they are rauening Woolues Now the true Prophets of God went thus basely attired that not onely by word and doctrine but also in life in conuersation they might preach repentance vnto the people And indeede euery Minister of the Gospell ought to bee a light vnto his people both in life and doctrine and he that preacheth well and doth not liue according to his doctrine buildes with the one hand and pulls downe with the other Now whereas these seruants of God went vp and downe in such base attire as sheepe skinnes and goat skinnes it was for pouerties sake beeing depriued of friends goods house and lands and so destitute of prouision for better attire In their example wee may note that Gods seruants and children may bee brought to extreame pouerty and necessitie so as they shall want ordinary foode and raiment and bee faine to couer themselues with beasts skinnes This was the poore state and condition of godly Lazarus Yea Christ Iesus for our sakes did vndergoe a meane estate for he had not a place whereon to lay his head and at his death hee had not so much ground of his owne as might serue for a buriall place but was laid in Iosephs toombe which is a great comfort to any childe of God in like distresse For why should any be dismayed with that estate which Christ Iesus and his deerest seruants haue vndergone for his example Heere some may aske how this can stand with that saying of Dauid I haue beene young and am olde yet I neuer saw the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging bread Psalm 37. verse 25. Answer Dauids saying may be taken two wayes first as his owne obseruation in his time For he saith not The righteous is neuer forsaken but that hee neuer sawe it and indeede it is a rare thing to see the righteous forsaken Secondly which I take to be Dauids meaning the righteous man is neuer forsaken and his seed too For if God lay a temporall chasticement on any of his seruants suffering them to want yet hee forsaketh not his seede after him but renueth his mercie towards them if they walke in obedience before him he may make triall of godly Parents by want but their godly children shal surely be blessed so that this hindereth not but that the godly may be in want Further whereas they are said to goe vp and downe in Sheepes skinnes and Goates skinnes we must vnderstand that they did it by faith From whence we learne that when all temporall blessings faile then the childe of God must by faith lay hold vpon Gods gracious promises of life eternal and stay himselfe thereon This point must be remembred carefully for say we should want all kind of temporall benefits must we thereupon despaire and thinke that God hath forsaken vs God forbid nay when all meanes faile and the whole world is against vs yet then we must lay holde vpon the promise of life eternall in
actions 1 The hiding of Moses their childe when he was borne 2 Their courage and boldnesse in that action in not fearing the Kings commandement Of their hiding of him we will first intreat generally and then come to the circumstances thereof In generall Their hiding of the childe was this They kept him close and vnknowen to the Egyptians for three moneths space because the King had giuen commaundement and charge to all his people that they should drowne euery man-childe born among the Hebrewes Exod. 1.22 In this action of their faith we may obserue some speciall points First Moses was to be a worthy Prophet and Captaine or guide vnto the people of Israell and therefore howsoeuer other men-children were drowned vpon the cruell commaund of Pharaoh yet the Lord prouides for him so soone as he is borne that he shal be hid and so preserued from the tyrannie and rage of Pharaoh Whence wee learne that God in the middest of all persecution doth euermore preserue the seede of his Church There be two estates of Gods Church in the world the first is quiet and peaceable when the Gospell is publikely professed taught and receiued without hostile opposition as by Gods great mercy it is in our Church at this day The second is an hidden estate when as it cannot shew it selfe visible but the open profession of the Gospel is suppressed by the rage of the enemie the diuell and by wicked cruell men that be his instruments Thus GOD suffereth his Church somtimes to be shadowed and in these times many of his deere children to be slaine put to death for the sins of his Church yet so as that alwaies he preserues the seede of his Church When Isay had shewed the Iewes the fearefull desolation of their Land that the Cities should be wasted without inhabitant their houses without man yet then he saith There shall be a tenth in it and the holy seede shall be the substance or vnderprop thereof Verse 13. God doth not deale with his Church as hee doth with the enemies thereof hee but loppes off the branches in his Church when as hee stockes vp the roote of the enemies Isay chapter 27. verses 7 8. When hee visited Sodome and Gomorrah hee destroyed them vtterly out of the earth but the Lord doth euer keepe fast the seede of his Church that when the storme of persecution is blowen ouer his Church may spring and flourish afterward Here some may say Seeing God purposed to make Moses such a worthy man ouer his people why did he not by some wonderfull powerfull and mighty manner preserue him against the rage of Pharaoh Answer God indeede was able to haue sent a legion of Angels for his preseruation or to haue done it after some strange visible manner but yet he would not for we must knowe and remember that it is Gods pleasure to shew his power in weak means He can preserue euery seruant of his from all kinde of iniurie but he will not alwaies doe so When Christ himselfe our Sauiour was in his infancie persecuted by Herod God his Father was then able to haue preserued him in Iudea and to haue ouerthrowen his persecutor by manie legions of Angels yet hee would not but onely vseth the poore helpe of Ioseph and Marie with the ordinarie weake meanes of flight and all this hee did that hee might be glorified in the weakenesse of his seruants for when all meanes faile then doth hee magnifie his power and prouidence in preseruing those that trust in him And thus much of this Action in generall The circumstances to be considered in the hiding of Moses are foure 1. The time when hee was hid the Text saith When hee was borne Moses as wee saide must be afterward a notable seruant and a worthy instrument of GOD whereby hee would worke the deliuerance of his people out of the bondage of Egypt and yet we see he is faine to be hid so soone as he is borne Hence wee learne that those that be the seruants of GOD and are in speciall fauour with him must looke for trouble and affliction in this life from the cradle to the graue from the day of their birth to the houre of their death Moses is in danger of his life by Pharaoh so soone as hee is borne And so was our Sauiour Christ by Herod when hee was but a babe whereupon his Parents fled with him into Egypt for his safety And aunswerable to their infancie was the rest of their life full of danger full of trouble And as it was with them so is it with others 2. Timothie chapter 3. verse 12 Hee that will liue godly must suffer persecution and hee that will be Christes Disciple must take vp his Crosse euery day and followe him Luke 9.23 This is a point which all of vs must marke wee must not looke to haue ease and ioy in earth It is enough for vs to enioy that after this life If Christ himselfe carie his crosse out of the gate we then with his disciples must take vp our crosse and followe him euery day The 2. circumstance to bee considered is this How long was Moses hid namely three moneths Question Why was he hid no longer Answer Because they could not for it is likely there was search for him and therefore they made a basket of reed and dawbed it with slime and pitch and laid the childe therein and put it among the bul-rushes by the riuers brinke Thus did the Parents aduenture the childes life for the sauing of their owne wherein we may see a great want and weakenesse in their faith for they kept their childe a while by faith but afterward cōmitted him to the dangers of the waters of wilde beasts and fowles of the aire So that it is plaine their faith was weake and mingled with feare and with some doubting For in keeping the childe three moneths they shew forth liuely faith but when as they expose him to danger for their owne safety heerein they bewray some want of loue and weakenesse of faith and yet we see they are heere commended for their faith Which sheweth plainely that if a man haue true and sound faith though it be but weak yet God in mercy will take knowledge of it and commend it passing by the weakenesse of it yea and vnto that faith will giue the promises of life euerlasting made in Christ The third circumstance to bee considered is this Who it was that kept Moses three moneths In Exodus it is said that his mother kept him but here it is said his parents kept him where the holy Ghost includes his father also How can both these be true Answ. Wee must knowe that the Mother was the chiefe doer in this worke and the father though he was not a doer yet he gaue his consent Now we must remember that consent is a kinde of doing whether it be in good things or in euill for when Saul did but
keepe the persecutors clothes that stoned Stephen Act. 7.58 whereby he signified his consent thereupon hee confesseth himselfe to bee guiltie of his death Act. 22.20 Lastly obserue the Cause or rather the Occasion that mooued the Parents to saue their childe It was a notable comlinesse and beautie which did appeare in the body of the childe when hee was borne This mooued them to reason thus with themselues Surely God hath giuen such beautie and comelinesse vnto this childe that it is very likely he will vse him hereafter to be some notable instrument of some great worke we therefore will keepe him aliue This point must be marked of vs for beside their natural affection this also was a motiue to make the parents saue their childe Hence wee may learne that those whom God will imploy aboue others in some speciall seruice for his owne glory are vsually endowed with some speciall gift aboue others yea many times with outward grace and comelinesse in the body For this beauty in Moses body moued his parents to seeke to saue his life they perswade themselues that God had not imprinted that in him for nought Saul wee know was made King ouer Israel and it is noted that the Lord had giuen him a goodly stature for hee was higher than any of the people from the shoulders vpward So Dauid had a good countenance and a comely visage for the Lord purposed to make him king ouer Israel Now as he did excell his brethren in beauty and comelinesse so he was to be far aboue them in this special seruice of God in gouerning his people Hence we learne first that comelinesse and beautie is a gift of God Secondly that those which excell others in these gifts of nature must looke also that answerably they excell them in holinesse and zeale in the seruice of God and doing good vnto men as Moses and Dauid did But alas wretched is the practice of these times for commonly those which haue comlinesse and beauty aboue others doe vse it as a bait occasion vnto all sin naughtinesse as to whoredome and lasciuiousnesse that heereby they may more fully satisfie their own wretched and fatanicall lusts but this must carefully be looked vnto of all such as haue the gifts of nature in more excellent manner then others For if they vse them or rather abuse them to be meanes of sinne and to set forth the pride and vanity of their hearts they haue much to answer for vnto God at the dreadfull day of Iudgement Hath God giuen thee beauty comelinesse and doest thou vse it as a baite to ensnare others for the satisfying of thy lust then looke vnto it thou euill seruant for thou doest not hide but consume thy Masters talent imploying it to his dishonour therefore it shall be taken from thee and in stead thereof thou shalt haue vglinesse and deformity and so in soule and body be tumbled into hell with vncleane spirits And thus much of the first action of their faith with the circumstances thereof The second action whereby the faith of Moses Parents is commended vnto vs is this They did not feare the Kings commaundement These words must not be vnderstoode absolutely and simply but with limitation For manie places of Scripture are spoken simply which must bee vnderstoode with respect as when it is said Math. 11.18 Iohn came neither eating nor drinking that is not eating nothing at all but eating little and Christ saith Math. 10.34 He came not to bring peace but the sword that is as Luke expounds it Luk. 12.51 rather debate than peace And so in this place Moses parents feared not the Kings commandement that is they did not feare it ouermuch or wholly or onely or so much as others did in the like case Here then first we may learne how farre forth we must obey superiours and magistrates we must obey them not simply but in the Lord Ephes. 6.1 that is in all their lawful commands but when they commaund things euill and vnlawfull then we must stay our selues lest obeying them we rebell against God For this wee haue sufficient warrant in this place as also in the Apostles who beeing commanded Act. 4.18 19. that in no wise they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus answered Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God iudge ye And the midwiues of Egypt are commended of the holy Ghost Exod. 1.17 for sauing the yong children aliue against the Kings commandement And the three men of the Iewes Shadrach Meshach and Abednego are renowmed with all posterity for disobeying the commandement of Nebuchadnessar Dan. 3.16 17. of worshipping the golden Image By which examples we may see plainely that our obedience to men must be in the Lord onely Neither is our refusing to doe their vnlawfull commaunds any disobedience indeede because the fift commandement in this case ceaseth to binde and giues place to the commandements of the first table which are greater as wee shewed before v. 17. Secondly see here this godly boldnesse in not ouermuch fearing the Kings commandement is made a worke of faith whence we learne that true faith in the promises of God doth serue to moderate a mans affections There is no man but if he be left to himselfe he will goe too farre in the sway of his affections experience sheweth that many through anger and ioy haue lost their liues some for feare haue forsaken religion and sorrow hath cost many a man his life Yea any affection if it be not moderated and stayed will bereaue a man of his senses and make him a beast and no man But behold the vse and power of true faith It serueth to mitigate a mans affection so as if a man be angry it shall be with moderation and so wee may say of feare ioy hatred or any other affection faith will asswage and stay the rage thereof For vndoubtedly Moses parents might haue beene ouerwhelmed with feare of Pharaohs tyrannie and cruelty but that God gaue thē faith which did moderate this feare There is none of vs but if wee looke well into our selues wee shall see that we are excessiue in many affections sometime in feare sometime in anger sometime in sorrow and such like Now would we know how to bridle these strong passions Then get true faith it is the meanes whereby a man may moderate and stay the rage of his affectiōs so as they shall not break out into extremitie Is a man angrie why if hee haue faith hee will bridle his anger Is he sorrowfull yet it is in measure and so for the rest faith will rule them all and yet extinguisheth none Which should greatly prouoke vs to labour for true faith seeing it is of such vse and power in the stay of our affections Verse 24. By faith Moses when he was come to age refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter 25. And chose rather to suffer aduersitie with
get his fathers blessing for so God had determined and yet shee failed in the manner Quest. But how could this worke be good being faulty in the manner of doing it Ans. It might for Rebecca's person stood righteous before God in Christ. Now the worker beeing acceptable vnto God the worke must needs be good also and though the worker failed in the circumstances yet the euill of the worke was couered in the obedience of Christ and so the goodnes of it was approoued and the fault thereof couered The vse of this doctrine is two-folde first it shews that the works of Gods children are partly good and partly bad euen the best works they doe are imperfect Secondly this shewes the true meaning of Saint Iames when hee saith that Rahab was iustified by her works hereby he means that by her works she declared her selfe to be iust For that shee was not iustified by her works appeareth plaine because the worke which shee did was faulty in the manner and not perfectly good and therfore could not be answerable to the perfect iustice of God But some will further say that this concealing of the Spies and lying to the Kings messengers was a worke of Treachery against her owne country and therefore was a notorious fault and so no worke of faith Answ. Treachery indeed is as great villany as one man can practice against another and therefore ought to bee abhorred and detested of all men but yet wee must knowe that Rahab in this place is no Traytor For she had a plaine Certificat in her conscience that the Land of Canaan and the citie Iericho were giuen by the Lord to the people of Israel and that they were the right Lords thereof and should enioy them so that she hid the Spies not in treachery but in faith Thus wee see her facte The duties which wee learne hence are these First it is said that this harlot Rahab beeing by calling an Hostesse and a Victualler receiued the spies peaceably Hence Inn-keepers are taught their dutie First if they will shew themselues faithfull they must haue special regard and respect vnto such guests of theirs as be the seruants of GOD and feare him This was the worke of Rahabs faith towards the spies of Gods people Dauid makes this the property of euery godly man That in his eyes a vile person is contemned but hee honoureth them that feare the Lord Psalme 15. verse 4 And therefore if Inn-keepers will shewe themselues godly they must so doe And to encourage each one heereto our Sauiour Christ makes this notable promise Matthew chapter 10. verse 41 Hee that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward and hee that receiueth a iust man in the name of a iust man shall receiue a iust mans reward And if any shall giue to one of these little ones to drinke a cuppe of colde water onely in the name of a Disciple Verily I say vnto you hee shall not lose his reward Also Strangers are heere taught that in seeking places for their abode they must make choyse to bee with those that feare the Lord so GOD directs these spies to doe And when Christ sent his Disciples to preach he bade them Mathew chapter 10. verse 11 when they entred into a Citie To enquire who is worthy in that Citie and there to abide till they departed But alas these duties are little performed especially the first For Inn-keepers and such as entertaine Strangers doe make most of those that giue themselues to ryote and good fellowâ—hip they are best welcom that spend most in gaming drinking and lasciuiousnesse These might learne otherwise of Rahab who did better though she had beene an harlot Thirdly In-keepers must here learne that when a man comes into their house if he be no malefactor they must giue him protection Thus Rahab doth heere to the spies of the Israelites euen with the danger of her owne life The like also we may reade of Lot for when two Angels in the likenesse of men came into his house and the men of Sodome would haue had them out Lot besought them to let them alone Gen. 19.8 And his reason is because they came vnder the shadow of his roofe Againe hence we may learne another generall duty to wit that a Christian man in the time of persecution danger is not to discouer his fellow brethren or to detect them but must rather indanger his owne life by concealing them for their preseruation This was practiced by good Obadiah when Iesabel killed the Lords Prophets he hid them by fifties in a Caue which if it had been knowen would haue cost him his life And so did the Apostles and brethren in the Primitiue Church when the Iewes would haue slaine Paul in Damascus the brethren tooke him by night and let him downe through the wall in a basket to saue his life Acts 9.25 And since those times in the History of the Church vnder the Gospell wee may finde that when the Christians were vrged by persecuters to reueale their brethren they rather chose to lay down their owne lyues then to betray their brethreÌ„ into their enemies hands And this is true loue indeede such as the holy Ghost commendeth When a man will giue his life for his brother 1. Iohn 3.16 Lastly whereas Rahab receiued the spies peaceably wee note that it is a speciall fruite of faith to be peaceable and kinde The holy Ghost repeating the fruites of the spirit names Peace and meeknesse among them Now this peace is when a man is kinde and peaceable to all but especially to those that â—e of the houshold of faith And vndoubtedly it is a fruite of faith which the Prophet Isay fore-told should be vnder the Gospel Isay 11.6 that then the Wolfe should dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie with the Kid signifying that howsoeuer men by nature were as sauage as Wolues yet beeing conuerted to the Kingdome of Christ they should become gentle as Lambs being kinde and peaceable one to another This peaceablenesse is especially to be shewed in the place and calling where a man liues for there did Rahab shew forth hers when the spies came vnto her And where this is truly in outward action there is faith in the heart it is a good token that a man is at peace with God when he liues peaceably with men Which being so we must learne not to giue place to our heady affections but must rather bridle the rage of malice and anger and endeuour to liue peaceably with all especially with those that be members of Gods Church And thus much of this example The Iudges Faith VERSE 32. And what shall I say more For the time would be too short for me to tell of Gedeon of Barac and of Samson and of Iephte Also of Dauid and Samuel and of the Prophets Which through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse c. HItherto the Author of this Epistle hath