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
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
corporall presence it is sufficient if wee haue true faith for that makes him present much more comfortably then it might be his bodily presence would be vnto vs. If any man aske how this can be I answer The faith of the receiuer knoweth best and yet reason can say something in this case for suppose a man looke earnestly vpon a starre there are many thousand of miles betwixt his eye the star yet the starre and his eye are so vnited together as that the starre is after a sort present to his eye So if we regard locall distance we are as farre from Christ as earth is from heauen but if we regard the nature of Faith which is to reach it selfe to Christ where euer he be in that regard Christ is present and why should not this be so for if the bodily eye so feeble and weake can reach so farre as to a starre and ioyne it to it selfe and so make it present why should not much more the piercing eye of the soule reach vp to Christ make him present to the comfortable feeling of it selfe Thirdly here wee learne how to behaue our selues in a strange temptation whereby God vseth to exercise his children The Lord after that he hath receiued his children into his fauour coÌ„tinueth not alwaies to manifest that fauour vnto them but often times puls back the feeling of it for a time that afterward hee may shew it againe in more comfortable manner vnto them and that they may afterward more sensibly feele it and more earnestly loue it and more carefully labour to keepe it when they haue it Now for the time of this eclipse of the fauour of God he not onely darkeneth his loue but makes them feele also such a measure of his wrath as that they will often thinke themselues castawayes from the fauour of God Dauid and Ioâ— were often exercised with this temptation as appeareth by their most lamentable bitter coÌ„plaints yea Dauid doubts not Psal. 77.9 to chalenge the Lord that he hath forgotten to be gratious and hath shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure And Iob chap. 13.26 complaines to the Lord that He writeth bitter things against him and makes him to possesse the sinnes of his youth words as it may seem of men forsaken of God and indeed so for that time they thought of themselues If it please the Lord thus to deale with vs so as we feele nothing else but his wrath wrastling with our consciences neither can think otherwise by present feeling but that God hath forsaken vs what should we do in this pitifull case should we despaire as reason would bid vs no but take this course Call to mind Gods mercifull promises and his ancient former loue and cast thy selfe vpoÌ„ that loue though thou canst not feele it When thou hast most cause to despaire then labour against it When thou hast no reason to beleeue then beleeue with all thy power For remeÌ„ber the power prerogatiue of thy faith It beleeues not things that are manifestly appeare so much as such things that are not haue no being So then when Gods fauour seemes to be lost and to haue no being to thee then is Gods fauour a fit obiect for thy faith which beleeues those things that are not Let al the diuels in hell set themselues against thy poore soule and if thou holdest fast this faith they cannot all make thee sinke vnder it for when the diuel saith Thou hast lost Gods fauour by faith a man answereth though Gods fauour be lost vnto my feeling yet to my faith it is not My faith giues it a being so long say what thou wilt I will neuer feare that it is lost When God puls back his fauour and fights against thee with his wrath do as Iacob did Gen. 32.27.29 Wrestle with God though thou haue but one legge that is though thou haue but one little sparke of faith fight with that little faith lay hold by it on God and let him not go vntill he hath blessed thee in turning again vnto thee his fauorable countenance and say with Iob 13. euen in the very heate of thy temptation O Lord though thou kil this body and flesh of mine yet will I trust in thee for euerlasting life yea though Gods anger should seeme to encrease yet for all that take faster hold and faint not for faith will neuer faile thee it will restore Gods loue when it seemes lost it wil set it before thine eyes when it seemes to be hid For marke well but this one reason if faith will giue life euerlasting a being and make it present to thy soule which indeede yet neuer had being to thee how much more can it giue a being to Gods fauour and make it present to thy soule which once had indeed hath still a being and was neuer lost indeede but onely to a mans feeling Thus true faith is able to answer this temptaation whether it come in life or in the pangs of death Fourthly whereas faith is call'd an euidence hence wee learne that the nature of faith stands not in doubting but in certainty assurance The Romish doubting of the essence of faith is as contrary to true faith as darknesse to light for faith is an euidence of things hoped for that is it coÌ„uinceth the iudgemeÌ„t by vnfallible arguments knowing as certainly the truth of the promises of the things hoped for as that God is God But Rome wil needs ioin faith doubting which in deed fight like fire and water and can neuer agree together in euery respect but one wil in the end destroy the other Obiection But it seemeth doubting is a part or at least a companion of faith for we doubt as wel as beleeue who is so faithful that doubteth not Answer We do so but what then we should not for God coÌ„mands vs to beleeue not to doubt therefore to beleeue because it is commanded of God is a vertue and if it be a vertue then to doubt is a vice faith doubting are both in a good man but faith is a work of grace and of the spirit Doubting is a work of the flesh a piece of the corruption of the old man Fiftly if faith be a substance of things hoped for much more is it a substance to the beleeuer if it giue those things a being which aâ—e out of him much more doth it giue a permanent being vnto the beleeuer himselfe strengthning him to stand continue in al assaults So Heb. 3.14 Faith is that whereby a beleeuer is sustained vpholden so that indeed we may fitly say Faith is the spiritual substance and the spiritual strength of a Christian man and according to the measure of his faith such is the measure of his spirituall strength This coÌ„sideration hath diuers comfortable vses but especially two 1. When any of vs are out of the reach of a temptation so long are we confident of our
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
hitherto intreated Now here and sâ— forward to the end of this chapter is set downe a third order of examples of faith namely of such as liued from the time of the giuing of the Law to the time of the raigne of the Maccabees This 30. verse containes the first example of this ranke namely the example of Iosuahs faith of those that went with him into Canaan And their faith is commended vnto vs by a notable fact of theirs the causing to fall the walls of Iericho the History whereof we may reade at large Iosuah 6. The summe of it is this Whereas the Israelites came vnto Canaan and could not enter into the Land by reason of the strength of Iericho by which they must needs passe nor could win it by reason of the huge walls of Iericho the Lord promiseth to deliuer Iericho into their hands onely the people must doe this they must compasse-about the walls seauen daies carie the Arke of the Lord with them sounding with Rammes hornes and showte and so the walls should fall downe Now the Lord hauing made this promise vnto them the Israelites and specially Iosuah obey his commaundement and beleeue his promise and thus doing by faith the walls of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed-about seauen doyes Indeed the power of GOD was the principall cause of this ruine of the walls but yet because vpon their beleeuing GOD shewed this power therefore is the downfall of them ascribed to their faith Here are many notable points to be learned 1. Whereas the Text saith By faith the walls of Iericho fell downe wee may obserue the wondeâ—full power of true faith Iosuah and the Israelites beleeued Gods promises that hee would ouerturne the walls of Iericho and as they beleeued so it came to passe So our Sauiour Christ saith Matthew 17.20 If a man had but as much faith as a graine of mustard-seed he shall say vnto the mountaine remooue hence and it shall remoue and nothing shall be vnpossible vnto him signifying that by the power of true faith such things as are impossible to mans reason shall be brought to passe if God haue promised them as we see in this place the mighty walls of Iericho fall downe by faith which to mans reason is impossible So the Lord promised to Abraham That he should be the Father of many Nations yea that all the Nations of the earth should be blessed in him This was strange but Abraham beleeued it and as hee beleeued so it came to passe for many Nations descended from him and after the time of Christes ascension when all the Nations of the world were called to the light of the Gospell they were blessed in Christ the promised Seede of Abraham and therefore is hee called the Father of the faithfull in all Nations And to come vnto our selues To miserable men it may seeme a strange thing that the power of the diuell and the strength of the flesh should be ouercome in vs yet let a man beleeue this promise of God God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that who so beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3.16 I say let him beleeue this effectually and hee shall finde by faith the Kingdome of sinne Satan in his heart and conscience weakned euery day more and more And therefore S. Iohn saith not without cause This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith 1. Iohn 5.4 2. Here obserue that among the causes of the change ouerthrowe of Townes Cities Kingdomes this is one namely faith in Gods promises Many men haue written of the change of Kingdoms do giue diuers reasons therof But most of them omit the principall and that is faith by vertue whereof many times Kingdomes and Townes are brought to ruine and ouerthrow God promised to Abraham to his seed that he would giue theÌ„ the land of Canaan for their inheritance now they beleeued this promise heere wee see it comes to passe as they beleeued Iericho by faith is ouerturned the rest of their Cities the people of CanaaÌ„ dispossessed So that we see faith in Gods promises is a means to Gods people to ouerturn cities kingdoms that are enemies to Christ and to his Gospell God hath made a promise vnto his Church that the whore of Babylon Reuel 18.2 that is the Kingdome of Antichrist shall flourish for a while but after it shall be destroyed yea such a ruine shall come vnto it that the Kings of the earth and all great men and Marchants shall bewaile the destruction thereof Now this promise being receiued by faith and beleeued of Gods Church shall vndoubtedly come to passe It is in some part verified already for we see some Kingdomes and people haue renounced the cursed Doctrine and tyrannie of Rome and many Christian Princes haue alreadie shaken off the Popes yoke yea and this promise shall come to passe daily more and more Let all the Kings of that sort doe what they can and let the people set themselues neuer so much against Gods Church yet Babylon shal downe for God hath promised so to his Church and his Church beleeueth the same and therefore by their faith it shall be brought to passe in despite of the diuell Thirdly here we learne that when any City Towne or Kingdome is to make warre either in defence of themselues or in lawfull assault vpon their enemies a speciall meanes for good successe heerein is true faith Christian policie is a commendable thing in this case but if policy be seuered from faith it is nothing Faith in Gods promises of protection and assistance doth farre surpasse all worldly wisedome And therefore good King Iehosaphat when he was to fight against the huge Armies of the Moabites and Ammonites giues this counsell to his people 2 Chron. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured Beleeue his Prophets and ye shall prosper giuing a most notable instruction and shewing that the best help for our defence is faith in God whereby we rest vpon his word and promise that hee will helpe vs yet this taketh not away the vse of meanes but it giues the blessing and efficacie vnto them Faith wee knowe is called a shield among the spiritual armour of God whereby a man awards the blowes of Satan and though that be the principal vertue of it yet is it also a notable shield to defend men euen against their outward visible enemies a most strong engine aginst theÌ„ to work their ouerthrow Hence Dauid saith He will not be afraid for tenne thousand of the people that should beset him round about They therefore that would defend themselues against their enemies yea and ouercome them in lawful assault must embrace obay true religion with Christian policy ioyn faith in Gods promises for by faith we make God our Captain throgh him we shal do
must needes be corrupt fruite as cōming from them For an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit The heart is the fountain of euery action now their hearts were corrupt being destitute of faith which purifies the heart and therefore their workes must needes be sinfull Againe they did not their workes in obedience for they were guided onely by the light of nature and knew not God aright nor his commaundements And lastly they propounded not the glory of GOD as the end of their workes but the praise of men their owne profit or some such end But these worthy persons doe not onely such things as were iust in themselues but they doe them in faith in obedience and for Gods glory and so please God Now seeing these renowned Princes and Iudges haue their faith commended vnto vs by their practicing of righteousnesse we must learne to follow them within the compasse of our calling doing Iustice and righteousnesse in such things as cōcerne vs. There be many reasons set down in Gods word to perswade vs heereunto As first for this end hath God caused the Gospell to be published Tit. 2.12 The sauing grace of God hath appeared but to what end To teach vs that we should denie vngodlinesse and liue soberly and righteously that is that wee might doe Iustice. Vnlesse therefore we worke righteousnesse we make the Gospel a vaine word vnto vs. Secondly we desire to be counted iust before God and men and it would grieue vs if we should be otherwise thought of but if wee would be iust indeede both before God and man then we must work righteousnesse for as S. Iohn saith He that doth righteousnesse is righteous Thirdly there is no man set ouer a family but he either doth or ought to endeuour to bring a blessing vpon his family But this he cannot doe vnlesse he worke righteousnesse and doe Iustice for Salomon saith He that walketh in his integrity is iust and blessed shall his children be after him Lastly we doe all of vs desire to escape hell well then we must remēber to practice righteousnes for the Apostle saith no vnrighteous mā that is none practicing vnrighteousnes shall enter into the kingdom of heauen So that within the compasse of our calling we must all endeuour to do Iustice. Here some will aske How shall I do Iustice and worke righteousnesse Answer For the doing of it wee must remember to practice these rules that follow 1. That which is both the word of God and the rule of Nature We must do to all men as we would they should do vnto vs this is the Law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour Christ Now the square for all our actions must be the word of God and Gods word giues this directiō Do thou to thy neighbor as thou in thy reason cōscience thinkest he should do to thee if thou wert in his case and he in thine The 2. rule is that which Paul teacheth vs saying Giue vnto euery man that which is their duty tribute to whom tribute belongeth c. That which Gods word our cōscience the wholesome lawes of the realme binde vs vnto that wee must giue vnto euery man The 3. rule is this Euery man within the compasse of his calling must not onely intend and labour for his owne good but for the common good in that Church and common wealth wherein he liueth The blinde would out of their carnall mindes haue learned this for a rule Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all and this is many a mans practice hee will labour diligently in his calling but all is for himselfe But he that propoundeth onely this end in his calling to benefit himself alone dealeth vniustly both towards the Church and common wealth in which he liueth who ought to haue a part of his care with himselfe The 4. rule is taught vs also by S. Paul Defraud or oppress no man in any matter This rule concerneth our manner of dealing in cōmon affairs In all our traffick bargains as we would benefit our selues so wee must seeke to benefit those with whom wee deale This rule is very necessary to be learned for this is the cōmon practice of men in their traffique To vse all meanes whereby they may defraud others so that they get vnto themselues they care not how it come But in the feare of God let vs remember that the practice of iustice to which wee are all bound standeth in this that we defraud or oppresse no man in any thing And thus much of this second fruit of their faith The third fruit effect of these mens faith is this They obtained the promises By promises we must not vnderstand the maine promise cōcerning the Messias comming for that they obtained not as yet for as it appears v. 39 they receiued not that promise for Christ was not incarnate in their time But by Promises are here meant certaine speciall particular promises made vnto them alone and not common to all so that the meaning of these words is this They obtained the benefit and accomplishment of those particular promises that God made vnto them This effect is specially to be vnderstood of Cale◠and Dauid for Cale◠entred into the land of Canaan and there enioyed his possession according to Gods promise made vnto him Ios. 14. So Dauid had a particular promise made vnto him that he should be king ouer Israel this he long waited for and resting herein he was not onely anointed King but in due time actually made King ouerall Israell Whereas these worthy men by faith obtained these promises Hereby wee may bee directed to see the true cause why after so long preaching of the word and often receiuing of the sacraments men reape so little profit especialally considering that God hath made a promise of grace and saluation by meanes of his word and sacraments Hence therefore wee must learne that the word of God preached and the sacraments receiued are vnprofitable not because God altereth his will having promised his blessing in these meanes for herein the will of God is vnchangeable but the cause is the great measure of vnbeleefe in those which heare and receiue They therefore profit not because they receiue them without faith For howsoeuer men say they haue faith yet the workes of their lyues and their estate in sinne after long hearing shew plainely they haue none at all Take a vessell that is close stopped and cast it into a riuer or into the sea yet it receiues no water because it hath no place of entrance Euen so bring a man that wants faith to the word and sacraments wherein God hath promised the fulnesse of his grace yet he receiues none because his heart is closed vp through vnbeleefe This is it which makes the heart like a stopped vessell which hath no entrance for Gods grace Wee therfore in the feare of God must labour to haue our hearts purged from this vnbeleefe
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
witnesse but rather be excepted against as altogether vnworthy and so would prooue a discredit to his friends cause a shame to himself so it is with vs in Christs cause if we professe in word deny indeed we discredit Christ and his profession shame our selues for euer And therfore we must be carefull not only in word and iudgement but in life conuersation to make a true constant confession of Christ and of his truth And thus much for the exhortation Now followeth the 2. point to be obserued in this verse namely the manner how Gods Church people may put in practice this worthy exhortation of the holy Ghost To be constant in the faith And this consists in three duties 1. They must cast away that which presseth downe 2. They must cast away that sin that hangeth so fast on or sin which so readily doth compasse vs about 3. They must run the race that is set before them with patience Whosoeuer in Gods Church either Iew or Gentile can performe these 3. things shall be able no doubt to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost cōtinue cōstant in the faith vnto the end Of these 3. in order The 1. thing then to be done is this We must cast away that which presseth down or thus Cast away the waight or burthen for so much the word in the originall signifieth euen that burthen which so presseth down the poore Christian that he cannot goe on forward in the course of godlinesse and Christianity By burthen or weight here we must vnderstand 5. things 1. The loue of this temporall life 2. Care for earthly things 3. Riches temporal wealth 4. Worldly honour preferments 5. Worldly delights and pleasures All these are things which lie heauy on mans soule as weighty burthens which presse it downe especially then when the soule should lift vp it self to seek heauenly things So in the Parable of the Sower riches pleasures cares for the things of this life are called thornes which choake the word of God in a mans heart and make it vnfruitfull And surfetting drunkennes are said to be things which oppress the heart and make it heauy And easie it were to shewe by many testimonies that all these fiue things do press down the heart especially then when it should be lifted vp in the seeking of heauenly things Now in this that these 5. things are waighty burdens we may learne first what is the cause that in these our daies euery where the Gospel of Christ being published preached expoūded takes so little place in mēs hearts whether we regard knowledge vnderstanding or affection and obedience For Gods word is a word of power mighty in operation how comes it to passe then that the ground is barren where it is cast why makes it not men learned religious Ans. Surely in euery place where the word of God is preached especially among vs these fiue things possess the hearts of men exercise all the thoghts of the minde and affections of the heart From whence it commeth to passe that after long preaching there is little fruit or profit either for knowledge or obedience for where the heart is pressed downe with the waight of these earthly things there the word of God can take no place nor bring forth fruit And this is generally true among vs though we heare Gods word from year to year and thereby might increase in knowledg obediēce if we would yet in many there is little shew of either and the cause is in these worldly cares which take place in our hearts For this is a most certaine truth that so long as our hearts are addicted to the greedy seeking after these earthly things honour pleasures c. so long will the ground of our hearts bee barren The good seed of Gods word may be sowen therein but little fruit shall come thereof saue briers and weeds which will increase our damnation Again whereas the loue of tēporal life care of earthly things c. are sore burdens pressing downe a mans heart from heauen to earth and making it heauy and sad and dead in regard of all spirituall exercises and contemplations Hereby we are taught oftentimes to giue our selues to eleuate and lift vp our mindes and hearts to God partly by meditation in his word partly by inuocation on his name and partly by thanksgiuing And to doe these things the better we must remember to set apart some speciall time euery day for this speciall worke so as we may say with Dauid Psal. 25.1 Lord I lift vp my heart vnto thee Dauid was well acquinted with this exercise and so was Daniel for both of them vsed this as we may read Psa. 55.17 Euening and morning saith Dauid and at noone wil I pray make a noyse And Daniel vsed to pray vnto God 3. times a day wherein he would heartily vnfainedly call vpon God with thanksgiuing And great reason we should do so for wee liue in this world wherein are innumerable waighty things which press down our hearts frō looking vp to heauen therfore we must often practice our selues in holy meditatiō prayer vnto God that so we may lift vp our soules vnto God from the things of this world To vse a fit cōparisō we know that those who keep clocks if they would haue the clock stil going must once or twice a day winde vp the plūmets which cause the wheels to go about because they are still drawing downward Euen so seeing our hearts haue plummets of lead which are worldly cares and desires to press them down from seeking vp to heauen we must doe with our hearts as the clock-keeper doth with his plummets winde them vp vnto God euery day for this ende must set apart some particular time to do the same in holy duties Why doth God command the 7. day to be sanctified and set apart from all bodily exercises worldly cares vndoubtedly it is for this end to cause men to eleuate their hearts from all wordly things to seeke the things aboue else if the minde should be alwaies pressed down with worldly cares it could neuer attain to heauēs ioys He that hath not cōsciēce on the Lords day to lift vp his heart to heauen by prayer and hearing Gods word with meditation theron cannot possibly haue any soundnes in religion nor his heart firmely settled on heauenly things Thirdly whereas the holy Ghost saith That the Hebrewes must cast away the weight that presseth downe Here wee are taught in what manner and how farre forth wee must vse the things of this life as riches honours and lawfull pleasures yea and all temporall blessings whatsoeuer namely so farre forth as they will further vs in the course of religion and in the exercises of godlinesse and vertue and no further But finding by experience that these temporall things be a burden vnto vs pressing vs downe and making vs vnfit for