look for a Citie which is aboue As remēbring that our greatest safetie in this life is but to dwell in Tents euen as strangers and Pilgrimes in this vale of miserie The Church is a Soiourner and dweller in Tents Shee hath here no abyding Citie She is absent from the Lord And therefore Is as A Stranger and Pilgrime in the World So were the fathers of our faith of olde they dwelled in Tents and wandered vp and downe seeking for a Citie to dwell in So hath the Church trauelled from Citie to Citie from one Nation to another By this meanes the sound of the Gospell is gone through the world All nations haue bene conuinced the Saints haue bene gathered the elect meruellously protected their faith increased and preserued to things not seen their flesh hath bene humbled and their sanctification perfited And can they looke for better of the worlde then to be handeled as Strangers Can they desire better then to be vsed as Strangers That so they may vse the world as a stranger and hunger after their Countrey which is aboue That so beeing changed from Vessell to Vessell they might graciously decline the sinnes of the wicked And thereby also be deliuered from theyr iudgements Whence we may learne 1. As what to iudge of those that set vp their rest in this life promising and plotting here for perpetuall residēce 2. So to trie our right in heauē by our account of and entertainmēt vpon earth Namely that we vse the world as strangers and are vsed therein as strangers Surely If wee set not our harts vpon these things but are contented with the portion that our God doth allot vs If wee can learne to want as well as to aboūd are willing to part with all rather thē to part with Heauē esteeming each in it true worth as the blessing of God so vsing it holily soberly to the glorie of the Giuer our owne fitting to grace yet esteeming the best as dung in respect of Iesus Chr If we can impart plētifully to the necessity of our brother forgo cheerfully for the aduancement of Gods worship If we do not enuie the prosperitie of the wicked yet reioice in the prosperitie of the Saints If we are enuyed minted euē in the least portion in this life So that the least is thought too much that goes beside the worldes mouth If wee bee accounted Signes and wonders in the worlde and are made spectacles to Men and Angels If wee be esteemed singular and like no bodie Men not fit for societie not worthie to liue If as the world would faine be rid of vs so we are desirous to be rid of it groaning daily vnder the burden of our sinne and yet bearing patiently such afflictions as serue to purge our corruption yet so that wee see by faith our finall deliuerāce earnestly sigh to put off this body of sinne By these marks we shall know that we are Strangers in the world By these wee may be sure that we are Citizens with the Saints And so shall we dwell in the Tents of Shem not only continue constant in the sinceritie of religion but also dwell in the house of God for euer euen in that house which is not made with hands but eternall in the heauens So it followeth God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem. 1. Though wee are strangers in the world and to the same yet we are not strangers and passengers in the Church Here we dwell if we be liuely mēbers if they went out from vs they were none of vs The true member of Christ Iesus dwelleth in the Church not Inneth for a day and so is gone but abideth and continueth constant vnto the ende He that is planted in the house of God abideth in the Courts of the house of God It is not enough to haue a taste of the heauenly gift It is not sufficient to begin in the spirite for such may ende in the flesh and fall away without recouery To reioyce in Gods word for a season and to bring forth righteousnes as the morning deaw this is the proprietie of Pharisies and the iust chalenge of hypocrites and Apostataes And is there not great reason why wee should be constant in the worship of the Almightie Is not our God eternall and therefore will haue continuall seruice Doth he not binde vs hereto with euerlasting bonds of loue Doth he not further and enable vs by continuall means giuing vs his Spirit to abide with vs for euer prouiding a Mediator to make continuall intercession for vs promising a crowne if we continue to the ende 1. Oh how vaine then is their confidence that thinke they may be too holie how fearfull theyr condition that esteeme it great wisedome to abate in sinceritie as if theyr former zeale courage were follie and rashnes How ought the Saints to trye their sincerity by their abiding in Gods house How ought they to labour constancie and perseuerance to the ende Surely 1. if they shall be setled in iudgement that they can neuer be sufficiently holy because the greatest measure in this life is too short If the Lorde measure it by his iustice If they shall be faithfull in the practise and power of godlines proposing Iesus Christ to be the patterne and reward of weldoing leuelling it by the word not by examples or custome If they shall haue respectly to all Gods Commandements not claiming immunity frō the least nor dispairing to attaine the greatest As desiring and purposing more then possibly they can doe and yet doing more then the ordinary seruice though it be of the most righteous and vain-glorious Pharisie If they shall bee watchfull ouer theyr wayes redeeming the time and neglecting no occasions to make sure theyr election If they doe labour vnfainedly the conuersion of theyr brethren and be thankfull vnto God as he renues his mercies giuing him onely the glorie of all his gifts as finding themselues vnprofitable Seruants And so quickening theyr Faith in the merites of of theyr Sauiour shall encrease in knowledge and abound in practize renuing their obedience by daily repentāce and purging out corruption by suffering afflictions willingly If they can wayt with patience the recompence of the tewarde howsoeuer by Faith they see and lay holde thereof If they are prepared to theyr ende and haue theyr Accounts ready fearing themselues most when they haue greatest graces and resting most on God when all sence doth faile them If they can vse the world as a Stranger not entangling themselues therewith and yet by theyr Christian libertie enioy a right therein If they can forget what is behinde and followe hard to what is before not thinking they haue attained or comprehended but as they are comprehended of CHRIST IESVS vntill the Lord in them be all in all Thus if they shall behaue themselues If these markes
receiue the end of thy Faith which is the saluation of thy soule Thus must thou assure thy selfe that thou art not a reprobate 1. Cor. 1◠5. 6. But where is this Malignant Church to be found Surely reprobate Cam suckes of the same breasts with chosen Abel both Shem and Cham are nourished in the same Familie and preserued in the same Arke The Lord is the Sauiour of all men but especially of those that doe beleeue 1. Tim. 4. The malignant Church is sorted euen with the Elect and chosen Generation The hypocrite and true beleeuer make one Militant Church The Tares must grow vp with the wheat vntill the time of haruest least in plucking vp the tares we plucke vp the wheat also and there must be deceiuers to try and purge the Elect Yea to assure the Saints that the house doth of right appertaine to them when those that are in the Church shall willingly goe out thereof howsoeuer for a time they haue roosted therein that it may appeare they were neuer truely of vs. Shall not the hypocrite hereby be made inexcusable Must he not be beat with many stripes because he knowes his masters wil doth it not Doth not the admirable power wisdom of God appeare in ordering these two contraries in the same fold that ech may further other to their contary end Shall not the iustice of God be made glorious in seuering the Sheep frō the Goats at that great day That vnto the Lord alone may be ascribed the glory of all his works And therefore as this serueth to reprooue such as dreame of such a Church in this life which may be free from this mixture because it is onely proper to the Church tryumphant to haue all her vessels holy vnto the Lord to haue euery member truely sanctified So it also condemneth those which shroude themselues vnder pretence of this mixture assuming therefore their state to be good because they are onely members of the visible Church They are Professors They will come to the Church They are Christians they heare the Word partake of the Sacraments c. Haue not those which haue boasted of greater matters bene truly interressed in more glorious outward priuiledges yet not withstanding heard that fearefull voyce I know you not depart from mee ye workers of iniquitie Hath not the court which is without the Temple bene cast out and giuen to the Gentiles Haue they not troden vnder-foot the holy Citie Haue sinners in Sion liued afraid Hath not shame come vpon the Hypocrites could they bee able to dwell with the deuouring fire could they indure the euerlasting burning because the common priuiledges be abused Surely as we may not leaue a Church because of this mixture lest we also depriue our selues of the true speciall priuiledges thereof So we must not content our selues onely with the outward euidence lest in the day of reckning we be foūd too light And therefore labour wee so in the Church that we may bee also true and liuing starres euen liuely members and true branches of the Vine CHRIST IESVS And that we shall doe if not despising and reiecting the outward meanes as the word Sacraments because the hypocrite abuseth them vpon pretence of reuelation or a more Spirituall worship Wee doe not yet rest and content our selues heerewith but rather try all things by the blessed Spirit praying in the Spirit and vnderstanding by the Spirit what the Letter deliuereth and by the grace of the Spirit abiding in the Spirit and not onely in the outward man still hungring in the spirit after the best graces and walking by Faith and not by sinne ayming aboue all at the glory of our GOD and endeuouring that our whole spirits and soules bodyes may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of out Lord IESVS Thus may wee approue our selues to haue chosen the better part Thus may wee discerne our selues to be chosen to the better part not to loue the world though wee must needs be in it Not to be of the hypocrites though in the same Church wee are conuersant with them Comforting our selues that as there is a time that the sonne of the bondwoman shall be cast out so while yet it is our Lot to abide in the flocke to be troubled and tryed with this viperous generation Yet shall Canaan be but a seruant to Iapheth The Hypocrite so long as he abides in the Church is subiect to the true Beleeuer All his gifts shall serue onely for the good of the Elect though for his owne further condemnation Though hee should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare Rayment as the clay He may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Hath he knowledge for any other end but to confound others though himselfe be a cast away Doe his gifts abused serue to any other end then for a touch-stone whereby to trie and compare the gifts of the elect that they may not rest in any outward gifts but onely vpon IESVS CHRIST Is he not the purse-bearer for the good of the Church doing good for vaine-glorie or by respects that so hauing his reward already he may be excluded the reward to come Is he any other then a stoole to dresse foode for the children well may hee licke his Fingers hee may haue a taste and glimpse thereof but his Stomacke is ouer-cloyed with the loue of the worlde It is enough to taste and it will be too much that hee hath tasted And is hee not in the day of trouble a seruant to the Elect Doth hee not prooue a ransome for the iust Is hee not for his prosperitie and vaine-glorie the obiect of the enemies malice Him they enuie for the pride of his holie Mountaine Him they thirst after for his pompe and riches And while they are rifling him doe not the righteous escape Is not that desire of the wicked satisfied Is not Gods purpose accomplished for the purging of his Church for the preseruation of his chosen Lo thus Canaan is a seruant vnto Iapheth And therefore 1. let this serue to humble the Hypocrite in his greatest pompe hee is no better then a slaue for the Churches good So that the more hee enioyeth the greater shall be his condemnation And let this comfort the Elect in theyr greatest abasing their greatest Enemies shall serue theyr turne And can the LORD then faile them or forsake them Onely be wee wise not to loose our right let vs not despise the Hypocrites gifts because hee abuseth them Neither let vs cloase with him in his shewes and yeelde our selues to be measured by his line least now hee insult and reioyce in our flesh and so bring vs into bondage But in the Name of GOD stand wee fast ' in the libertie which CHRIST hath purchased for vs and bee wee not Seruants vnto men but to winne them to Christ So shall Canaan still bee a
blacke and many times Inuisible to the carnall eye at least wise subiect to contempt in the world as wanting the outward complement and ornament of the strumpet Lastly In that the Church is heere confined to the Tents of Shem who beeing the first borne and the portion of God and therein a figure of that true and onely portion which the Lorde from all Eternitie hath set apart to saluation to shewe forth the riches of his glorious grace Namely the Elect Doth not this plainly teach vs that the Elect only are properly the true Church of God but the Hypocrite onely in shew and as we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by representation c. abusiuely Thus are wee led by this consideration to discerne the substance and true members of the Church of Iesus Christ And Secondly In that this Religion of Shem is amplified by the qualitie and condition therof when it is called the Tents of Shem heerein the holy Ghost doth expresse vnto vs a six-folde condition of the Church of God in this life 1. That it is a place of abiding and shelter for rest and protection c. as is a Tent which in those dayes was the best and most conuenient meanes for the comfort and protection of mankinde therein deciphering vnto vs the benefites of the Church of God Namely that it is the place both of refreshing and protection that wherein wee receiue ease to our mindes and supplie to our wants and protection from danger and iniuries Secondly howsoeuer the cursed posteritie of Cham and Canaan are saide to builde Citties and dwell in them thereby expressing their affection to this life desire of constant enioying the happines thereof most deceitfull and transitorie yet the Saints of God are commended vnto vs to remaine in Tents which being Habitations not onely weake and sleight in comparison but moueable also vpon euery sudden occasion and especially vsed in military affayres Doth therein shadowe out vnto vs three other conditions of the Church of God in this life Namely 1. That it is Imperfect 2. And subiect to manie infirmities 3. That it is Militant heere on Earth as beeing to fight the fight of Faith 4. That it is also a Stranger and soiourner in this wretched worlde hauing heere no abiding Citie but looking for a Citie which is aboue not made with hands but eternall in the heaueÌ„s 5. Lastly In that the Church is heere saide to lye in Tents which being to be remoued from one part to another and thereby to be pitched in whatsoeuer place conuenient Doth not this also poynt out vnto vs two other conditions of the Church militant in this life Namely that shee is not tyed locally to any certaine place but remooueable for the contempt of the Gospell from one Nation to another and 6. that by this meanes shee is dispearsed ouer the face of the Earth So that in euery Nation whosoeuer feare God shall be accepted of him Thus by this Metaphore of Tents are wee led to the consideration of the true conditions of the visible Church in this life Lastly That wee may also know who are the true members of this Church the holy Ghost pointeth out these vnto vs when hâ—e saith that he may dwell in the Tents of Shem signifying by this phrase of dwelling that hee is a true member that dwelleth and abydeth constantly in the Church of God not making it his Inne for a Night Much lesse vsing it as his Theatre for delight but vsing it as his dwelling and mansion continually Yet so as hee remembers it to be but his Summer-parlor or rather his moueable Tent And therefore so resoluing constancie of abode here as that still he be preparing to that durable house in Heauen so keeping residence in this his moueable Tent as that hee be readie yea desirous to remoue to that Citie of God the new Ierusalem which shall neuer be remoued And These are the particulars that are contained in this prophecie Of which by Gods grace I will entreat briefly plainly in their order And first of the first Author and meanes of true conuersion This is heere auouched to be the Lord onely God perswade Iapheth God is the onely Author of the conuersion of a sinner This is that prerogatiue that he chalengeth proper to himselfe Prou 31. Ezech 11. Zechiel 36. Hebr 7. 9. 2. Tim 2. 23. This doe the Saints willingly and thankfully attribute vnto him Ierem 10. Ierem 30. 1. Lament 5. Psal 80. Ps 49. And surely First Who is able to bring light out of darknes but God onely 2. Who able to dissolue the works of the diuell but the Almightie God Hebr 2. Luke 11. 3. Who able to forgiue an infinite debt but an infinite power 4. Who was able to satisfie an infinite wrath but an infinite Deitie 5. Who would haue sent God to dye but God alone 6. Who could haue raised vp man from the dead but onely God 7. Who giues the blessing to the Word the ordinary meanes of conuersion but the mighty God 8. Who searcheth and moueth the heart without which there can be no true conuersion but onely God Ierem 17. o. 9. How could our conuersion be free if God were not the Author of it 10. How could it be constant if the mightie God did not keepe vs 1â— How could we know the truth thereof but by the spirit of God Rom 8. 1. Cor 2. 12. Who can doe more then create a thing of nothing but onely God Ephes 2. 4. 5. c. Let then mans free will keepe silence that Gods Free-loue may bee aduanced And let mans power bee confounded that Gods power may be exalted Let none dispaire in his greatest Impotencie seeing it is God that conuerteth Neyther let the greatest gifts presume seeing God conuerteth of nothing If the poore receiue the Gospell Blessed is hee that is not offended And if heauen suffers violence by the ignorant and conteÌ„ptible Let the many Noble and mightie acknowledge theyr destruction to bee of themselues Seeke we vnto God in his Word the ordinarie meanes of our conuersion And pray wee that God will set vp his King vppon his holy hill of Syon that hee would thrust foorth labourers into his Vineyarde that the Haruest may come in and Iapheths posteritie may dwell in the Tents of Shem. Maruell wee not that the Word hardens many seeing God must giue the blessing thereto and therefore adioyne we to the outward Ministerie thereof conscionable preparation before and examination after the meanes by prayer and Meditation with our God that hee may giue the increase to what hath bene sowne Abuse wee not the patience of GOD in not hearing when hee calls least after when wee crie hee will not heare vs but to day let vs heare his voyce and not harden our hearts Heb 3. Psal 95. Neither let vs stumble at the infirmities of the vessell