the paths of holinesse and righteousnesse for then we have assurance that we shall passe from Death to Life through Death to Eternity 2 Tim. 4.7.8 I have fought a good sight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is layd up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing The Third Part. ALmighty God which did safely leade thy people Israel through the Red Sea Behold see we beseech thee we are people be thou our God and guide for our help standeth in thy name leade us by the still Waters in the paths of righteousnesse for thy names sake And though the Devill and the World pursue our Soules with deadly hatred yet send out thy truth and light let them leade us and bring us to thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacle and when we walk through the Valley of the shadow of death let thy right hand uphold us for our Souls followeth hard after thee let our passage to the Heavenly Canaan though through many tribulations be easie peaceable religious and comfortable that we be not condemned with the World but we may passe from death to life from Egypt to Canaan from the World to thee the lover and Saviour of Soules And to this end make us to passe the time of our sojourning here in fear that whatsoever may happen to us in the way yet at the end we may so passe the Waves of this troublesome World that we may come into the land of everlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen IERICHO Taken Heb. 11.30 By Faith the Walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven dayes VVE have done with the Acts and Sufferings of Moses Now follows the feats of Ioshuah his Successor and of Israel under his conduct For then By Faith the Wall of Iericho fell down c. The first Part. The full Historicall Relation is Penned Joshuah 6. and is plain beyond exception that which is to be examined may be What use the Hebrews to whom the Apostle presseth this for an instance could make hereof seeing these events were miraculous and extraordinary and they had no assurance God would work extraordinarily and miraculously for them Could they fancy without high pride and presumption that the Seas should divide themselves into a Passage for them or that fenced Cities should fall down as their approaches or upon their Beseigings And the right determining of the case thus stated may be this It is true we cannot expect may not demand what in particular their Faith obtained because they had a promise from God for these whereas we have no such Promises and therefore cannot aske them in Faith Rom. 14.23 which alwayes pre-supposeth either expresse Praecept or Promise in such cases But in generall we know That what we aske beleeving we shall receive that is what we ask by warrant and allowance of Gods Word which is the potent assurance evidence and record for our Faith If any extraordinary Revelation be indulged then we may pretend to the like extraordinary successes because Gods power is still the same alwayes infinite and when he will actuate as I may speak that Power then Credenti omnia possibilia nothing is impossible to a Beleever without an hyperhole or excesse of expression nothing which is an Object of Faith and so far as it is so nothing for which we have a promise provided we keep within that compasse and the tenure thereof for God hath restrained and stinted our desire in Earthly things and prescribed bounds and limits to our Petitions concerning them It is true for our spiritualities we have an absolute word of Promise as large as can be desired That our Faith can conquer Hell and purchase Heaven which is indeed every thing which can be hoped for so that if we will not lose and cast away our selves God will save us in despight of all opposition and all the powers of darknesse But for our Temporalities the Promise is conditionall made up with exceptions and proviso's which confines our petitions to suite for them under a clause of submission and expediency in ordine ad spiritualia for we have his concessions and grant for them onely for so much and so long as may tend to his glory and serve for our spirituall concernments and interests The Second Part. 1. Iericho fell as the sounds and Alarums of c. The Enemies of Gods Church shall fall and not be able to arise not by the force of Armes or prevalency of the Sword or any other humane assistances but by the Voyce of his Messengers and the Preaching of his Word sounding like a Trumpet by them and the Prayers of his People God sheweth himself the Almighty by giving efficacy and strength to his word to cast down every thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowlodge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ a Cor. 10.4.5 and to the spirituall weapons of his Church prayers and tears he doth great and wonderfull things for her not by force or an Army but by his Spirit Zach. 4.6 And when Anti-Christ shall be confounded and destroyed God to shew the irresistable power of his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will reduce bring him to nothing when he is in his Pontificalibus his greatest height of pride consume him with his word for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of great efficacy Heb. 4.12 sharper then any two-edged Sword like Samuels Sword to cut Agag in pieces that he appear no more to hew a way through all opposion and cut down all opposers God needs not will not have his Cause Managed by a standing Army Religion alwayes loseth by the Sword of Violence and Force is both unnecessary and improper for the meek temper of Christian Profession That Cause is very bad which hath nothing but an Arm of Flesh to justifie it and a few impertinent excuses as insufficient to sanctifie the designe As Adams Figg Leaves were to hide his nakednesse And the reason is given by the Captain of our Profession My Kingdom is not of this World Iohn 18.36 is neither erected nor established by Worldly Power those Arts of fraud and force which are practised for a worldly Kingdom 2. Though God might have done this immediately by himself yet he takes in the Ministery and Hands of the Priests In the great Affaires of his Church God brings about his own work by them God the Efficient they the Labourers and Work-men under him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 co-workers under workers to him who labor under him 1 Cor. 3.9 15.10 his Ministers under him for his people 2 Cor. 3.6 Christs Embassadors in his absence and by his Commission to negotiate the Affaires of his Kingdom 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you By us we pray you in Christs
the honestum that the tryall of your Faith might be precious c. 1 Pet. 1.7 The Apostles adjudged their sufferings honourable Acts 5.41 and therefore they rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Add to this they consorm us to Christ our Head the Prince of sufferings who by his sufferings hath sanctified and enobled all ours but they are most of all of the utile they are infinitely profitable to prevent the greatest evills and to procure and secure the greatest good and if they be in some degree all these both joyous and honourable and profitable then also they must be eligible not simply and absolutely for so they are not because mala poenae evills for sin or the evills of punishment contrary to Nature but comparatively and upon supposition not as the matter of our first but second and sometimes better choyce when they are received as Medicines taken as tryalls of the most eminent graces of humility contentation meeknesse stedfastnesse and Faith and when managed to the use and exercise of these or when applyed as assurances of after felicities and thus even Death it selfe may be desired as a determination of humane imperfections and miseries as an Introduction to a new and more excellent life Thus Elias prayed that God would take away his life 1 Kings 19.4 not positively or peremptorily for he fled for it's safety but conditionally rather then Baal should seem to prevaile against God rather then he see the whole designe of Ahab and Jezabell acted with all sury and cruelty upon the Prophets of the Lord. And Saint Paul knew not what to chuse in that strait Life or Death yet his desire was rather to depart because thereby he should obtain to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 and we long to be cloathed c. 2 Cor. 5.4 and we are willing rather to be absent in the body and to be present with the Lord ver 8. And this was the case of Moses his choyce it was not through passion but with deliberation with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather the act was neither purely voluntary nor involuntary but mixt as Patients take bitter Pills and Potions rather then they will languish and consume suffer one part of the body to be Cauterized or amputated and cut off rather then the whole perish as Mariners in a Storme at Sea will rather lose their goods then lives and Moses did this the rather because he esteemed his and their sufferings the sufferings of Christ Q. But how were they the sufferings or reproch of Christ Was Christ then exhibited in the flesh Or could he suffer who had no flesh to suffer in Or could Pharaoh reproch him whom he knew not whose Person was without his reach and no way subject to his power A. Doubtlesse their sufferings here have the appellation of the reproch of Christ upon the same account that Saint Pauls reproches are stiled the afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 for as Christ could not suffer personally before he assumed our Nature and took our flesh so neither was it possible for him to suffer after the Resurrection of his Flesh and that his Body was Glorified For on the Crosse his sufferings had their determination and period with that Consummatum est It is finished Iohn 19.30 And Saint Paul tells us Christ being raysed from the Dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 and if not Death then no penalties or miseries which are but either the Harbingers and Fore-runners or Attendants and Followers of Death So that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one Christ before his Incarnation and after his Glorification suffers and is reproched not in his Personall capacity as he was during his residence on Earth but in his politick capacity and in this consideration he was from all Eternity Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever and he suffers and did alwayes suffer when any part of his Body suffereth As therefore in Moses and his Hebrews Christ mysticall was reproched so in Saint Paul and the then Church of Christ he was mystically afflicted Christ ever did and now doth suffer in his Members he ever did and still doth count their afflictions his own God did so Isay 63.9 and still doth so witnesse that Voyce from Heaven Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me uttered by Christ and ver 5. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest in his Members For he that toucheth them toucheth the Apple of his Eye Zach. 2.8 for he is the Head of his Body the Church and the Head is sensible of the sufferings of the Body nay the Church is expresly called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ He saith not Ita Christi but Ita Christ us unum Christum appellans caput corpus Aug. de pecc mer. lib. 1. cap. 31. so is Christ so is the whole consisting of Head and Members the denomination is taken not from the subordinate Members of the Body but from the supreme the Head so is Christ that is Christ mististicall And that this is the genuine meaning of this place may be concluded from that we find expressed Gal. 3.16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made He saith not And to Seeds as of many but as of one And to thy Seed which is Christ And therefore this most significantly and comfortably doth denote and ascertain unto us that close union and conjunction betwixt Christ the Head and the Church his Bady and from thence results that sympathy and compassion of Christ in the sufferings and injuries of his people and servants Now that the beleeving Hebrews for otherwise this would not have been argumentative to them had also this perswasion there are besides the fore-mentioned two places in the Old Testament convincingly to demonstrate it That place where David in spirit called Christ Lord Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord c. My Lord indeed fiducially and obedientially but not exclusively for it is plain he was Lord over the Collective Body the whole Israel of God a Ruling Lord over his People whereof David was but one though a Chiefe one And as David thus gives us an account of his Faith That he expected a Messias and beleeved that that Messias was the Head of the People the Lord of the aggregated of Israel so he assures us that that persuasion was a part of the Jewish Creed for that whole Israel esteemed and adjudged that all projects and defignes to prosecute and oppresse the Peoof God were conspiracies and associations against the Lord and against his Anoynted Psal 2.2 Moses therefore did chuse both Religiously and Prudently because he esteemed his and his Brethrens sufferings the reproch of Christ a choice not of Faction but Faith because of a state
well as their goods will easily make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience even to deny the Lord that bought them It is our Duty to be most watchfull where we are most weak and therefore most subject to be overcome to find out our own tempers which way our hearts are set and affected whether more apt to be seduced or afrighted and to be carefull that neither false hopes nor foolish fears make us either so base or so mean that we unworthily either decline or desert our Christian calling 2. Moses before feared and fled from Pharaoh now he fears him not Peter once denyed Christ after he boldly confesses him Our Faith is not alwayes at the same intention or height not alwayes a like active and operative neither doth God at all times afford the same supplyes and assistances of Grace Great reason therefore to Watch and Pray c. even to solicit the God of our strength that when the Enemy pursueth our Faith fayl not we may be strong in the Lord and the might of his power Having put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devill Eph. 6.10 till the 20. 3. Moses at the first feared because God had not as yet Authorized him to this Enterprize Whatsoever is not of Faith is fin If we cannot shew Gods Commission for what we attempt we rebell against God we must have his Authority either in expresse words or certain consequence a clear Revelation or strong Reason from it Neither will a pretence of a good intention serve the turn this is but a deeper fallacy For we must try all things and hold fast to what is good 1 Thes 5.21 4. Moses first feared the time which God had assigned for Israels Deliverance was not yet come When that set time came he feared not When God will have his own work finished he supplies a commensurate power and strength to manage and effect it God hath his time and we must wait Psal 62.1 And somtimes he appears not till all seems to be at a losse he commonly with holds till the Bondage of Bricks be doubled we must not limit him to the time and means of Deliverance that so the whole Glory thereof may redound to him Look not then in streights and servitude at the present state and condition of affayres the seeming indispositions and improbabilities of successe stay Gods leisure if he be pleased to change the Scene all obstacles shall then be removed all means shall be successefull the counsell of the Lord shall stand seeming prejudices shall be furtherances when the time is come Pharaohs rage and fury shall advance and hasten the expedition If we impose on God or will prevent him by taking our own time and following our own wayes then all designes shall be basted and blasted If Moses upon his own Head take upon him the Deliverance of Israel then retro sublapsa referri all will goe wrong But if he fly and wait till he receive Orders from Heaven then every designe shall take and every encounter be a Victory 5. Moses fled when he feared To rush head-long into dangers and to provoke Tyrants when neither strength to resist to make the enterprize prudent nor Authority to warrant to make it Religious is a temptation It was both Wisedom and Piety in David to decline Sauls fury 1 Sam. 21.1 22.1 27.1 and to save himself from Absalom's Conspiracy as in Moses here to preserve himself at present and reserve himself for a better opportunity Thus Elijah provided for his life 1 Kings 19.3 So Vrijah the Prophet ler. 26.21 And when Jehoiakim the King with all the mighty men and all the Princes heard his words the King sought to put him to death but when Urijah heard it he was afraid and fled and went into Egypt So our Saviour himself Mat. 2.14 When he arose he took the youg child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt John 8.59 Then took they up stones to cast at him but Jesus hid himself and went out of the Temple going through the midst of them and so passed by And so he licensed his Disciples Mat. 10.23 But when they persecute you in this City flee ye into another So Paul Acts 9.23 And after that many dayes were fulfilled the Jews took counsell to kill him Ver. 25. Then the Disciples took him by night and let him down by the Wall in a Basket 6. This is the best remedy in a straitned condition To have God before our Eyes to look upon the invisible when we come to such a pinch as Elisha's servant 2 Kings 6.15 that we know not which way to turn and we cry for sear Alas how shall we doe then are we to Pray to the Lord look up unto him by Prayer and so our Eyes shall be opened to see the mountain full of Horses and Chariots to find God a present help And we shall receive this comfortable return as Elisha's servant did ver 16. Fear not for he that is with us are more then they that be with them This was Davids course and his confidence Psal 16.8.9 I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope 7. Moses his Faith was grounded on two sure Principles Gods all sufficiency and truth he was assured not onely that God could but he would shew strength with his Arme to scatter the proud in the imaginations of his heart and to put down the mighty from his seat And this also he would effect either by weak and contemptible means an Army of insectiles of Beasts of the Field or by a more glorious power his Angels God commends this consideration to his People Isay 51. from the 9. ver to the 17. And this also he commanded Isay 41. from the 10. to the 21. 8. God by his Son Jesus Christ hath brought us out of Egypt delivered us from the Powers of darknesse tyranny of Satan the commanding and condemning strength of sin that we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1.74.75 9. It s the Devills Method to assault us every way Pharaohs Court a temptation on one hand his Power on the other If Satan cannot gain us by fair promises and plausible pretenses he will use threats and menaces to force us to his obedience If he cannot oblige he will attempt to compell provided we ought to be both for his love and hatred that his dainties allure us not and his hostility storme us not from our integrity and innocency 10. True Valor is founded on Piety we are therefore resolute because Religious The commonly reputed currant Valour is temerity or animosity and somtimes folly and madnesse And the mistaken mis-called Honour is most times basenesse all times sin Man-like attempts are alwayes rationall and Christian
stead be ye reconciled to God Never object against them That they are but men subject to like passions since Christ hath made them his Commission-Officers this is enough to stop all cavills God alwayes made use and still doth of such Earthen Vessels that the power may be of God And as he made use of a select order of men the Priests so still he doth not any cut of the Flock hand over head but some separated for this office to got in and out before his People neither can it be reasonable to pretend The People are gifted as well as they and so they may Officiate Grant it though it rarely prove so and God forbid their gifts should be either envied or denyed But yet they have not Authority and that is as requisite to a subordinate Officer as ability and the Reason is Because God will have Order observed even in his Church take it in which sense you please And as it would be a mad confusion in the Common-wealth for every one who had or rather should onely pretend to have or but barely fancy that he had sufficient knowledge of the Law to take upon as a Iudge to determine the case passe sentence and exercise jurisdiction So would it be in the Church if every conceited Zealot or able Schollar or cathechised Brother should presume to gather a Congregation For if this Objection of theirs have any force it would have served the Israelites to excuse them for their attendance on their Priests in the expedition or any other of their Church observations Every Israelite almost might have pretended they could doe as much as the Priests did here they could kill a Lambe and rost it and eat it as well as they they could kill a Bullock and burn it as well as they yet they durst not And when any of them did they payd for their presumption Numb 16. for they knew though they could carry and sound the Trumpets yet they knew not that God would gratifie their officiousnesse they had reason not to beleeve but to suspect the event They knew they could kill a Lambe but that Lambe would not be a Passcover the Priests Hand must be there to make it so They knew they could kill a Bullock but they could not consecrate it a Burnt Offering to the Lord that the Priests were to doe a sweet savour to him Levit. 1.2.3 c. let the instruments or means be never so unlikely to proud carnall reasoners or the easily deceived and deluded Vulgar yet if God order and make use of the Instruments for our good it were madnesse to dispute our selves out of their profit and question his Instrument And if he commands us the use of the means it were Rebellion to resist and contempt to neglect them It was exstream folly in Naaman to come to Elisha for his Counsell and then in anger to quarrell with it with an Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damasens better then all the Waters of Israel May I not wash in them and be clean So he turned and went away in a rage 2 Kings 5.12 and therefore his servants took him up sharply for it ver 13. And his servants came neer and spake unto him and said My Father If the Prophet had bid thee d ee some great thing wouldest thou not have done it how much rather then when he saith to thee Wash and be clean Christ will have his Disciples to cast their Net into the Sea when he intended to fill the Vessell with Fishes Though he raysed up Lazarus from the dead by a Miracle yet he will call in his Friends to assistance to loose his napkin and take off his grave clothes Iohn 11.44 In the Ministery of the Gospel though God give the increase yet Paul is to Plant and Aposte to Water Though the People may shout before Jericho yet the Priests have the charge of the Ark and Trumpets 3. God would not have this work of Faith one dayes work onely they must Beseige it seven dayes It is not enough to doe well for a while and give over we must hold out our Christian race till we obtain fight till we be Crowned The promised reward Rom. 2.7 is to the patient continuers in well-doing who hold out and that onely upon hopes The crown of life is reserved for the faithfull unto death Christs Throne is demised and granted to the over-commer And salvation is appointed for the endurer unto the end 4. Iericho a sinfull City whose iniquities were ripe and fore neither the watchfulnesse and valor of Inhabitants and Souldiery within nor the works and warlike fortifications without could defend it from the battery of but seven sounding Trumpets of Rams Horns and the onely shout of the Israelitish Campe. When Nicephorus Phocas Cedren Hist pag. 542. had built a spacious and strong Wall about his Palace to secure it and himself in it in the Night he heard a Voyce crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O King though thou buildest up to the Clouds the Palace will not be secure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin within will ruine it and all within it Nothing subverts a glorious Church and flourishing State private Persons and their Estates and Families but the wickednesse of them that dwell in the former and the Personall crimes of the other Psal 107.33.34 He turneth Rivers into a Wildernesse and the Water springs into dry ground A fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Nay sin is of so destructive a nature that it spoyls dishonours and overthrows a good cause when wicked men take the right side then retro sublapsa referri then we see that side loft and perish by the criminousnesse of the managers A good Cause will never sanctifie the wickednesse of the Undertakers They were vain and lying words The Temple of the Lord c which the Jews confided in Ier. 7.4 such a pretence could not consecrate their evill doings nor prevent their judgements ver 3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 as long as we incorrigibly persist in our wicked wayes never think to cover and secure our selves under the pretence of the Temple of the Lord If we would have the Temple of the Lord to be a glory and to reside among us a good Cause to goe on and prosper then the respective pretenders must be holy and good men If we would have our Church and State to stand their Walls and Bulwarks Laws and Constitutions to hold out and be undemolished then let us adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Decree is already gone all shall be taken away root and branch Mat. 21.42.43 sin within being the prevailing party will last all down and as nationall sins have this destructive power over the whole so particular personall sins over parts and parcells thereof private Estates and Families Many men call their houses by their Names and their inward thoughts are that they shall continue for ever
so in an ordinary saving Faith a little if sound will receive a blessing to encrease and multiply a power to remove evill habits out of the soule contracted by evill Education or Example by naturall corruption or complyance with sinfull customes and plant and seed holinesse there which if it be diligently manured and managed all tares weeded out as they bud will fructifie to maturity We have a promise for it Mat. 25.29 Habenti dabitur to him that Husbands well even the least Talent he shall receive an addition and a plentifull one too for he shall have abundance upon every improvement shall receive more that he shall have over-plus a sufficient stock of grace to employ and turn his hand with and serve all his uses 3. Rahab a Cananite a stranger from the Covenant of Promise an Alien from the Common-wealth of Israel is now admitted and received into that Society and Communion and made partaker of the same Grace and Hope with Abraham and Sarah by her Faith She was one of the Primitiae Gentium an earnest of the after calling of the Gentiles that they should be no more strangers and forreiners but fellow Citizens Ephes 2.3 an exact discovery of that great Mistery of Christ that the Gentiles should he fellow heires and of the same Body c. And so it is expresly mentioned of this Rahab That she became an Israelite indeed Iosh 6.25 where she is said to dwell in Israel untill this day for she was Allied to the noblest descent and extraction being Married to Salmon who begat Boaz of Rachab Mat. 1.5 the Progenitors of David and of whom Christ came according to the Flesh So that here we may affirmatively conclude with Saint Peter Acts 10.34.35 Of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him And with Saint Peter 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandements of God And Gal. 5.6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love 4. Rahab beleeved and therefore separated her self from the company and communion of her hardened fellow Citizens and joyned her self to the society of Gods people and yet she was none of those sensuall separatists spoken of by Saint Jude 19. who walked not with the Church of God but after their own ungodly lusts heaping to themselves Teachers choosing and carving for themselves without the Order of Gods Church and taking them on heaps either confusedly or unsatisfactorily when they have their own choice being never contented put off one to day and another to morrow and so if possible in infinitum and all this from a malignant humor an itching in the eare 2 Tim. 4.3 nor those Pharisaicall separatists who divide themselves from the Body of Christ either upon a vain supposition of Pride that they are holier and the rest prophaner and therefore Procul ô proeul ite come not neer them stand far from them or upon as bad of uncharitablenesse as if the Congregation were not holy and they good soules are afraid to receive infection from it as if the true service of the true God could be unholy and poysonous because some of the servants in that duty are false and wicked For how can their supposed ir-reall it matters not in this case but I will suppose it reall nakednesse touch and defile me when I abhor it for it self piety it and pray against it in them and I onely joyn and communicate with them in that which is confessedly good But she was an holy separatist who forsook the service of false Gods and betook her self to the Worship of the true God her Idolatrous Worship she exchanged for the true and divided not from the Cananites quasi homines as men but from their sins For doubtlesse she desired and wished their conversion and it is a most just and lawfull separation to depart from all iniquity and to keep themselves unspotted from the World James 1.27 Rev. 18.4 And I heard another Voyce from Heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues 2 Cor. 6.14.15.16.17 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbeleevers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidell And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will rective you and such was her separation whereas dayly experience doth evidence That the other humerous separatists are the greatest manuonists designers plotters and contrivers for the World in the whole World and the greediest unsatiable pursuers of the things of the World devourers not onely of Widows Houses but of Kingdoms Inheritances holy things mixing and confounding all with most Heathenish Worldly Policies not considering that the love of this World is enmity with God 5. It was Rahab the Heathen the Gentile house-wife who was the Harlot Rahab the Beleever the Convert is joyned to an Israelite in chast and holy Wedlock Fornication is a Work of the Flesh a pollution of our Bodies Marriage is honourable in all Those may justly suspect their Faith and distrust their conversion who indulge and allow themselves in those unclean satisfactions of the Flesh and Heathenish pollutions Reade that one Law of God Deut. 23.17.18 There shall be no Whore of the Daughters of Israel nor a Sodomite of the Seâ—t of Israel Thou shalt not bring the hire of a Whore or the price of a Dog into the House of the Lord thy God for any Vow for even both these are an abomination unto the Lord thy God Consider what Saint Paul presseth 1 Cor. 6.15.16.17.18 Know ye not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Member of an Harlot God forbid What know ye not that he which is joyned to an Harlot is one Body for two saith he shall be one Flesh But he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit c. And remember that direfull judgement Revel 21.8 But the fear full and unbeleeving and the abominable and murderers and whoremâ—ngers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyar shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 6 Rahab beleeved and was saved True Faith is the saving grace Infidelity the damnable sin because Faith is alwayes attended with Obedience Infidelity is still followed with Impenitency Indeed Faith and Obedience like Hippocrates Twins
be burnt neither shall the flames kindle upon thee Isay 43.2 Againe know assuredly That if by Mortification and true Repentance thou quench the fiery burning flames of sinfull lusts and concupiscences thou shalt escape the scorching flames of Hell fire the portion of the wicked Psal 11.6 and the everlasting burnings thereof These are the great deliverances the lesser they follow but very considerable ones too For it follows They escaped the edge of the Sword the Destroying Bloody Sword passing through a Land This may be exemplified in severall instances David senced off the stroke of Sauls Sword 1 Sam. 26. Elijah the Sword of Ahab 1 Kings 19. Elisha the whole strength of the King of Syriahs Army 2 Kings 6. But when they could not escape thus then they proved Valiant and Victorious for so well were they exercised and experienced that as it is expressed soon after They waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the Armies of Aliens Neque comitatu legionibus sucoincti communem cum multis Victoriam sed nuda virtute animi singularem de perfidis retulerunt triumphum Ambrose lib. 1. Off. cap. 35. Not by multitudes and numbers but by cleare resolution and gallantry Both which are evidenced in Ioshua Gideon and the succeeding Iudges In David Asa Ichosaphat Kings of Iudah 1 Sam. 14. 2 Chron. 14.12.13 30.24 If God arise the most terrible preparations deepest policies and best furnished strength proves invalid Psal 68.1 Isay 8.9.10 But here is one Deliverance more which though we have over-leapt yet we must not passe by it for its the ground of all the fore-going And that is this Out of weaknesse were made strong Some indeed Expound it Of bodily frailties and infirmities they have recovered from dangerous and tormenting diseases whereof Hezekiah is a strong proofe Isay 38. Convaluit de infirmitate A deadly distemper had seized on him and nothing but Faith and the Prayer of Faith prevailed for his recovery this saves the sick Iames 5.15 Maet 8.13 But I conceive it may justly be understood of all kind of desperate straites dissiculties and hazards when they were at a losse not knowing which way to turne Faith findes them a way directed and established them So Iunius enclines and therefore because so the word is used Rom. 4.20 reads thus the words In rebus infirmissimis divinitus fuerunt confirmati When all was thought to be gone and the businesse done Faith fayled them not but supplyed them with hope resolution and courage And so Saint Chrysostome refers this to the reduction of the Iewes out of the Babilonish Captivity which was when their ease was desperate if we look onely at their then condition their state and juncture of affaires which the Church also Celebrated accordingly and acknowledged Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned againe the Captivity of Zion we were like them that Dreame And so Theophilect in loc applying hereunto Ezekiels Vision of the Dead Bones Ezek. 37.1.2 c. But Lastly The last Enemy Death is yet to be destroyed And this also Faith hath done and that not by the Faith of the stronger party but of the weaker Vessell For it thus lyes Women received their dead raysed to life againe weak women strong in Faith obtained great favours witnesse the widow of Sarephath or Sarepta 1 Kings 17.22 Luke 4.26 for although this high favour might seem to be the immediate effect of Elijahs Prayer and this vertue to proceed from his Devotion yet the widows Faith acted her part and concurred in the production of this effect And herein her Faith was evident that it obliged her with her small stock and pittance to supply the Prophets present necessity being assured that God even in that Famine would releive her and recompence her Charity So that her Faith was the Causa protataretica the externall moving and primitively provoking Cause that which both moved Elijah to entercede and enclined God to be more favourable to his Petition even because she through her Faith working by love was subjectum capax a proper subject to receive such a mercy And this also is seconded and confirmed by the Shunamites Son twice received Once when life was given him 2 Kings 4.17 And then again when restored to her in the 36.37 Versos after Death her Charitable Devotion issuing from Faith obtained this double Concession This the Psalmist declareth Psal 116.8 For thou hast delivered my Soule from Death mine Eyes from teares and my Feet from falling And Saint Paul experimented 2 Cor. 1.9.10 But we bad the sentence of Death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which rayseth the Dead Who delivered us from so great a Death and doth deliver In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us But good Works have usually the fate to be mis-interpreted good men to be flandered and a good cause to be persecuted and hated Because I follow that which good is saith David therefore evill men pursue me with deadly hatred And the Apostle fully satisfies us herein in that positive definition or Aphorisme They that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution that is from absurd and unreasonable men The world hated Christ and hated all his it persecuted them and still persecutes them In the World ye shall have tribulation was our Saviours prediction to his Disciples not as they are single Persons but as Disciples And hereupon it follows That eminent Professors are eminent Sufferers famous as well for their Passive as Active Obedience and Recorded as well as made glorious by their patience and perseverance in their most shamefull and painfull executions Q. But who were these others Were they distinct Persons from the former mentioned Worthics or the same A. Indeed many conceive those others to relate to the severall Prophets succeeding Samuel who was before nominated and particularly instance in Micaiah 1 Kings 22.25.26.27 who was smitten by the false Prophet Zedekiah and after imprisoned by Ahabs order unto Amen the Governour of the City And in Ieremiah who for the same imaginary Malignancy suffered the like punishment for the latter part of it Ier. 38.6 And in Zachariah 2 Chron. 24 2â— And in Isaiah whom the Jows report to have been sawne asunder or in pieces by expresse order from Manasses And those who are said here to have wardred c. are upon this way supposed to be David who is said to be hunted by Saul as a Partridge in the Mountaines 1 Sam. 26.20 And Elijah who upon Jezebels threatning fled to Beer-sheba 1 Kings 19.3 And of those Prophets which Obediah concealed 1 Kings 18.3 Yet with some other Interpreters I rather beleeve That the Apostle was more methodicall in his Induction then thus to goe back and forth off and on And these Reasons seems thus to perswade me 1. The Apostle had formerly spoken of David Samuel and the Prophets and after the mention of them this Relative Particle others follows so that this others seems
mentiris Achille c. And Aeneas resolves Dido was Nobly Borne from her honourable respects Tanti talem genuere Parentes And the perswasive to Ascanius for high attempts was fetcht from his Alliance Te Pater Aeneas avnuculus excitet Hector As for the Jewes any who is acquainted with the History of the Old Testament will finde them to be great honourers of their Families and Tribes and so the Maccabees and these Hebrews And therefore the Apostle useth here this holy fraud to catch them with those Arguments which would take and please Et prodesse volunt delectare and profit them And here also I crave pardon to interpose a conjecture which is That Job that Magnus Victoriaerum Dei artifex great Pattern of Piety though honourably remembred and enrolled by God himself in the Book of Life Ezek. 14. as one of the three eminently righteous Persons is yet omitted in this Catalogue for this reason Because he was none of the Jewish Race or Hebrew Line and so his Example would not have been so pertinent and effectuall And to come yet somewhat more home as these Hebrews had the practise and experience of the former Ages to establish their Faith so have we and more too and therefore greater reason have we not to be moved at the sufferings of Christians nor to be ashamed of Christ Crucified and to performe our whole Baptismall Covenant in as much as we have the advantage of what examples they had and besides the Patternes of the Apostles and Apostolicall men famous in their Generations We have the Acts or rather upon perusall of that Book the sufferings of the Apostles and we have Tradition all along handing out to us the Christian Acts and sufferings of Confessors Martyrs and severall Religious People ever since for the space of 1600. years and all attested by Historians of undoubted fidelity especially those of the first six Centuries Hence set dayes were customarily and by Order Appointed for the solemne Celebration of the Acts and sufferings of those Primitive Saints in the Christian Church the Apostles and some Apostolicall as I said Persons not so much for their honour certainly not for religious worship of them by Invocation Oblations c. but for our Imitation and to blesse God for such Instruments of his glory and our good For that their sufferings were for this end Saint Paul is expresse The suffering of an eminent principall member redounds to the good of the whole body Col. 1.24 tends to its edification and confirmation Phil. 1.12 For although Christ proposed himselfe to us for the grand Exemplar Learne of me And follow me yet we could no otherwise follow Christ but as the Boy Ascanius followed his Father Non-passibus equis by an uneven motion we cannot follow him regularly but we trip and stumble and often fall for he could not sin and it is he must lift us up And as his Example is too high so his lesson is too hard we cannot transcribe the Copy but with blurring and crooking in and out nay we shall be so far short that we shall doe nothing like unlesse he leade us by the hand and even then our hand may be easily known by its foulnesse as when he takes not by the hand to hold we fall the errors of our feet may be easily marked and so though Christ be a more high and sure being an infallible Patterne for imitation then any or all other holy men amassed together yet the Examples of these who were subject to the like passions as we are more suitable for our conviction and condition because we cannot doe or suffer as Christ did neither for the manner or measure For in him all fulnesse dwels And the Spirit was given to him without measure John 3.34 but we may doe and suffer as holy men did before us for to them as well as to us and to us as well as to them the Spirit is given by measure and God accepts according to what a man bath and not what he hath not And hereupon this practise hath been observed to commemorate the holy Saints in Scripture especially for they are infallibly such as a duty of that part of the Communion of Saints as an help by their Example for our instruction and consolation Thus much by the way and the digression hath been long and tedious yet because as Travellers sometimes goe out of the was to fetch in Provision for their supplies and comfort and this course though it retard the way yet makes it pleasant especially to those who have long Stages So because this digression may be both delightfull and profitable I have insisted the longer and brought in some additionall supplies for a further refreshment But now to returne The way of God in the dispensation of temporalls so far at is discoverable is various sometimes he takes one way sometimes another as is evident in the precedent Presidents Pascimur hic patimur God sometimes cherisheth and favoureth his Children sometimes he frownes on them corrects and chastens them and that by sharpe rebukes sometimes he suffers his little Flock to wander and to walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death sometimes again he gathers them he feeds them in a green Pasture and leads them forth besides the Waters of comfort Christianity is compared to a warsare and that is not a condition of ease but of trouble hardnesse and hazard and so a Christian must have his Armour even the whole Armour of God and he must endure hardnesse as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ The Church of God is compared to a Ship which though somtimes she goe smoothly and calmly yet for the most part she is unquiet as the Element she moves upon and many times she is tossed too and fro with strong gusts and tempests and either by the violence of the Wind and the siercenesse of the surging Seat in danger to sinke or to ground on Sands or split on Rocks or spring a leake and so be swallowed and devoured and the Disciples of Christ are the Mariners and Passengers in this Ship and sometimes in these great tempests Christ the Master sleepeth till the Disciples by Prayer awake him and then he ariseth and rebaketh the Wind and the Sea and there is a great calme Saint Chrysostome compares the life of a Christian to a Webb so marvelously woven and made up of trouble and comfort that though the longer threads reaching from our Birth to our Death be all of trouble yet the weft interjected is all of comfort So that from hence it is apparent That these their troubles and sufferings are not the effects of Gods vindicative justice acts of revenge and so properly punishments as a crosse or dangerous passage by Sea is not an Exile to a Mariner though it be to a Malefactor that flyes that way but it is in his Calling and Trade a Traffique and Taske but effects of love acts of Discipline For Poena in suo
formali denotat quid intrinseco malum Every Punishment is truely from a Sentence of condemnation And there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 And we are judged by the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.32 His judgements on the World are indeed the Sentence of a Judge condemnatory His judgement to the Righteous castigatory they are chastened as by a Father or cured as by a Medicine from a Physician Iob 36.9.10 Then he sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded He openeth also their care to discipline and commandeth that they returne from iniquity Augustine cap. 124. in Ev. Ioh. gives us three grounds of this Gods proceeding with them Ad demonstrationem debitae miserie vel ad emendationem labilis vitae vel ad exercitationem necessariae patientiae and the Righteous are to make one of these uses of them according to the quality and nature of the dispensation For if they be under Persecution from men for Christ and his Gospels sake which is properly to beare his Crosse then this is a tryall of our Faith and Christian Graces and because it conformes us to Christ Phil. 3.10 it carries its joy and comfort along with it he that thus suffers hath abundant matter of joy Acts 5.41 and yet ground of humility to us because it shewes That when we have done or suffered what we can we are but unprofitable servants it s a state we have deserved to passe though not from them under whose hand we passe if temptations or tryalls immediately sent by God then they have the same ends in respect of God inflicting them to humble us for our demerits and to demonstrate how far we are from deserving any thing from God and how insufficient in our selves to secure our selves Yet in respect of us they have not the same use for we the Patients are not herein as in the former to borrow our consolation from the temptation or tryall it selfe but from our deportment and demeanour under this tryall if by the Grace of God we can sanctifie him in our hearts and glorifie him in this behalfe by justifying God condemning our selves Psal 51.4 Dan. 9.7 Psal 39.9 blessing God Iob 1.21 submitting to him 1 Sam. 3.18 but if chastisements from God then they are evidences we have sinned against him and he is displeased with us and they are severities for our cure and amendment and from these we cannot derive any comfort but much ground of godly sorrow and all the comfort we can here depend on is in a continued subsequent and present holy use of them to this end of Reformation Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby In summe then The wicked in their wicked enjoyments and fulnesse are not happy though visibly prosperous because there is a sentence of wrath and vengeance irreversibly decreed against them and the righteous in their saddest calamities though seemingly miserable yet really are not because they have strong inward consolations and great assurances of a Crowne of Glory And who will not adventure and endure for a Crowne especially when they have security that for the adventure and a little sufferings they may obtaine and having obtained it for ever enjoy it in a most peaceable possession Most excellently and truely Lactantius to this purpose lib. 6. cap. 22. Sicut ad verum malum per fallacia bona sic ad verum bonum per fallacia mala pervenitur Counterfeit good things are the harbingers and fore runners of reall evills and conceited evill things makes way for truely good And as this consideration affords plentifull matter to the righteous Patient of instruction and comfort Non si male nunc olim sic erit so it yeild great occasion of terrour to the thriving triumphing impenitent who is reserved onely and fatted for the day of slaughter For upon this supposition That judgement begins at the House of God the Apostle draws that to them sad dismall and terrible influence What shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel 1 Peter 4.17.18 a judgement so fearfull and terrible that he seems afraid clearly to expresse and yet by that Interrogation gives sufficient notice of it for this Interrogation is the same in effect with that Position of another Apostle Vengeaxce is mixe saith the Lord I will repay And it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.30.31 You see then here how forcible and prevalent examples especially of those we honour or ought to honour and that not onely of Christ himself whose example ought not onely to be an Argument to perswade which force other examples of holy men hath but it is a certain rule to direct which power the others absolutely and abstractedly hath not John 13.4 1 John 2.6 Hence that of Bernard Quid vobis cum virtutibus qui virtutem Christi ignoratis ubi num quaeso verae prudentiae nisi in Christi Doctrina ubi vera temperantia nisi in Christi vita ubi vera fortitude nisi in passione that is What have you to doe with vertuous conversation who know not the vertues of Christ For where I pray you can true wisedom and knowledge be found but in the Doctrine of Christ Where true temperance and moderation but in the life of Christ True valour and magnanimity but in the Passion and Death of Christ His Life and Death was not onely an Example but a Directory to us how to live godly and justly and soberly as the former sort of these others here prementioned in this praecision and how to die honourably and to suffer patiently as the second sort of these others did Let the Life then and Death of Christ be our Rule to direct us in every estate and condition and let Christs example and the examples also of others be as arguments and enducerments to encline and move us more forcibly and effectually to follow his directions and rules of holy living and dying and let us also be exemplary in our lives and conversations and by our exemplary living adorne the Gospel of Jesus Christ provoking one another unto good works that even others seeing our good works may glorifie God in the day of visitation that we be not onely burning lights having zeale within but shining also holding forth our light to others Especially this concerns Magistrates who have a civill relation to their inseriours To Pastors who have a spirituall affinity with and neernesse to their Flock And Parents who have a naturall tie to their Children our eivill spirituall and naturall Fathers as they are to be respectively honoured so they are to walk as worthy of honour And not onely in relation to their own welfare but to the good of those under their charge whereunto they powerfully administer by
them 1 Peter 4.17 but they shall find a way to escape though with some difficulty and then the Apostles inference there is Observable And if it begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God and when their tryalls ends then vengeance begins and overtakes the ungodly For it follows Vpon them he shall rain snares fire c. vengeance shall meet them when they are pursuing revenge and destruction shall fall on them when they are prosecuting their designes of interest and passion with the greatest eagernesse and confidence 5. Sicut in Mari alii pereunt alii evadunâ— sic in judicio unus assumetur alius relinquetur This Passage a lively Emblem of the great day of accounts The Israelites shall be taken the Egyptians shall be left the sufferers here shall be Crowned then the proud persecuters here shall then also be the greatest sufferers then shall the difference be made betwixt the righteous and the wicked betwixt him that Sacrificeth c. 6. Observe here the temper and disposition of cruell Tyrants and Persecutors they proceed from one wickednesse to another and incorrigibly persist till they run upon their own ruine Here was mercy upon mercy declared to the Israelites judgement upon judgement extended and executed upon the Egyptians and in every mercy to the one a Miracle and in every judgement upon these a Miracle too and yet no mercy can provoke them to an imitation no judgements divert their malice no miracles of mercy or judgement work upon their enraged obdurate hearts Hardnesse of heart a certain fore-runner of vengeance Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardnes and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Beware we therefore of an evill heart Heb. 3.12.13 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin And pray we to God to give us a tender tractable corrigible spirit that we observe the wayes of his mercy and judgements Psal 107. ult Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. 7. But not onely the judgement but the Manner and Method of Gods proceeding with the Egyptians in judgement is very considerable The Plotters Orderers and Executioners of that Decree to Drown all the Male Israelitish Children are now by the Righteous Judge doomed to be swallowed up of the Sea As they measured to others they now receive from God Facinus mensura poenae according to mens sins so are their temporall punishments For either for the evill deeds they have done to others they suffer the same in kind As in Adoni-bezek who felt and confessed this legem talionis that exact Rule of Justice wherewith God punisheth offenders Iudges 1.7 And Adoni-bezek said Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and their great tees cut off gathered their meat under my Table as I have done so God hath requited me Pharaoh Decrees the Drowning of the Israelitish Males Exod. 1.22 All the First-born of Pharaoh c. Exod. 15.5 Seir rejoyced at the desolation of Jerusalem so shall I doe unto thee thou shalt be desolate O mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 35.15 Because Uriah fell by the Sword of David therefore the Sword must fall on Davids House 2 Sam. 12.10 The Chaldean spoylers shall be spoyled Habb 2.8 or else they suffer somthing which hath Analogy or Resemblance with their sins The Old World Drowned first in sin then in the Deluge Sodome first burning in lust then in fire Israel forsook God then God lest Israel they served not the Lord then the Lord made them serve Shishak 2 Chron. 12.6.7.8 which is expressed by the recitation of the judgement Jer. 5.19 And it shall come to passe when ye shall say Wherefore doth the Lord our God all these things unto us then shalt thou answer them Like as ye have forsaken me and served strange gods in your land so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours Solomon went not fully after God therefore he shall not have a full Kingdom he divided his heart betwixt God and Ashtaroth 1 Kings 11.5.6 therefore his Kingdom shall be divided 1 Kings 12.16 c. or else if they escape either or both of the former wayes of proceeding in judgement yet that there may be some Caracter in which men may Reade their sins in their judgements either the subject matter of the judgement and sin agreeth that wherein we have sinned and that wherewith we are punished As Adam sinned in eating the forbidden Fruit therefore he must eat the Fruits of the Earth in sorrow Thus was Korah and his accomplices served Numb 16. The Levites Wife to the twelve Tribes Judges 19. Elies Judgement 1 Sam. 3. 4. Davids 2 Sam. 24.10 c. Hezekiahs 2 Kings 20.12 c. So the Jews cry no King but Caesar is punished with no King and Caesar and their politick fears and jealousies which they strived to deposit and prevent by all craft and cruelty did fall upon them and their fears surprize them Iohn 11.48 For the Romans did come and take away both their place and Nation or else God to re-mind them that he will pay them in their own coyn that they must drink of that poyson which they filled for others doth often meet them in his judgements by such circumstances as may discover their sin and demerit the time and place of the punishment according with the time and place of the sin as that of the Spies Numb 14.33.34 And your Children shall wander in the Wildernesse forty years and bear your Wheredomes untill your carkeises be wasted in the Wildernesse After the number of the Dayes in which ye searehed the land even forty Dayes each Day for a Yeare shall ye heare your iniquities even forty Years and ye shall know my breach of promise That of Jezebel 1 Kings 21.23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord saying The Dogs shall eat lezebel by the Wall of Iezreel And 2 Kings 9.36 This is the Word of the Lord which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite saying In the portion of Iezreel shall Dogs eat the Fesh of Iezebel And the carcase of Iezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the Field in the portion of Iezreel so that they shall not say This is Iezebel 8. Here we have many hazards to passe Faith will make the passages easie and comfortable the great and last passe is Death which is as a Red Sea in our way to Heaven all the Art of Life is to learn to make this passage good and this we shall doe happily if we passe the time of our fojourning here in fear following