Canaan and of heaven the benefits by Christ is the upshot of all this They died in faith He doth not say how otherwise they died because it is not materiall whether they died rich or poore great or meane God takes no great notice of that nor a Christian takes no great notice of it They died in faith Whether they died a violent or a peaceable death it is no matter they died blessed in that they died in faith They died in faith which in other phrases is to dye in the Lord to sleepe in the Lord because whosoever dies in faith dies in Christ. Faith lifts them up to Christ and they steepe in Christ. It is a happy thing to dye in Christ Now those that die in faith they die in Christ Blessed are those that dy in the Lord they rest from their labours saith the Apostle All these died in faith They continued in faith to death and then they ended their dayes in faith When death closed up the eyes of their bodies then with the eye of faith they looked upon Christ upon God in Christ reconciled to them the point is cleare that The grace of faith it is such a grace that it carries a Christian through all the passages of this life It inableth him to hold oâ—…t to the end to suffer those things that he is to suffer and in the end by it he dies and when all things else leave him in death when riches leave him when friends leave him when honour and great places leave him when his life sences leave him when all leave him yet faith will never leave him till it have put him in full possession of heaven and then it ceaseth when it hath done the worke it hath to doe which is to bring us to heaven then it is swallowed up in vision and sight and hope into fruition and enjoying of the thing hoped for It is a blessed grace that stands by us and goes along with us and comforts us in all the passages of this life and even in death it selfe in those darke passages it never forsakes us till it have put us in possession of heaven All these died in faith What is it to die in faith To die in faith as I said is to die in the Lord by faith and it lookes to the Time Past. Present To come To the time past to die in faith is to die in assurance of the forgivenesse of sins when by faith and repentance we have pulled oâ—…t the sting of sins past for faith looks upon Christ and Christ hath taken the sting of death in his owne body and death ever since hath beene stinglesse and harmelesse to his members he hath disarmed it death had nothing to doe to kill Christ now seizing upon him who should not have died who was our suretie death hath lost his sting so that to die in faith is to die in assurance of forgivenesse of sinnes past by Christ. For the present in the present instant of death to die in faith is to see God reconciled to us in Christ and with the eye of Stephen to see Christ ready to receave our soules to see Christ sitting at the right hand of God to breake through all that is betweene to see our selves sitting at the right hand of God in heavenly places with Iesus Christ This is to die in faith to see our selves there with our head where wee shall bee ere long Faith makes things to come present To die in faith is to die in assurance of that blessed salvation presently even at that instant of time at the parting of soule and body that Christ will receive our soules that are redeemed with his precious bloud that cost him so deare he will not suffer the price of his bloud to miscarry Faith apprehends that Christ will goe downe with us to the grave as God said to Iacob feare not to goe downe into Egypt I will goe with thee so God would not have us feare to goe down into the grave those darke cels and dungeons God will goe downe with us Our flesh shall rest in hope because Christ our surety was raysed out of the grave and sits in heaven in glory and majesty therefore our flesh rests in hope as it is Psalme 16. 5. Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption therefore our flesh rests in hope till the resurrection because GOD did not suffer his holy one to see corruption this is to dye in faith And for the time to come to die in faith is by faith to overcome all the horrour of death Death is a terrâ—…ble thing and of all the passages wherein we have occasion to use faith it is most exercised in death It requires more to die in faâ—…th then to live in faith for then the soule it lookes to the horrour of the grave it sees nothing there but dust and rottennesse It lookes to the panges of death sense and nature doth And likewise the soule so farre as it hath nothâ—…ng but nature in it it looks to the dissolution of two friends the body and the soule who have been long coupled together and their parting is bitter And then it looks to the parting with friends here with whom they have lived lovingly and sweetely In death nature sees an end of all imployment in this world of all the comforts of this life c. and therefore it is a terrible thing Now to die in faith is to die in conquering all these with a spirit above all these What doth faith in the houre of death It over-comes all these and all such like For when the soule by faith considers the horrour of the grave as the chambers of death faith considers they be but resting places for the body that it sleepes there a while till the day of the resurrection and then they meete againe And it considers that the flesh rests there in hope of a glorious resurrection and faith sees a time of restoring as Saint Peter saith There shall be a day of restoring of all things There is a day of refreshing and restoring to come when those eyes where with wee now looke up to heaven and those feeâ—…e that carry us about our callings and about the exercisâ—… of religion and those hands that have beene lift up to God that body that hath beene the vessell of the soule shall be restored thoâ—…gh it be turned to dust and rottennesse Faith seetâ—… the faithfulnesse of God that God in Christ hath taken these bodies of ours in trust 〈◊〉 know whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1. 12. and be is able to keepe that I have committed to him I have committed to him my soule my body my whole salvation I know he is able to keep that I have committed to him And I knâ—… that my Redeemer liveth saith Iob it was his comfort in all extremity that he should see him with his very same eyes And then for the
pangs of death which nature trembles and quakes at faith considerâ—… of them as the pangs of Child birth Every birth is with pangs now what is death but thâ—… birth to immortality the birth of glory we die to be borne to glory and happinesse All our life time wee are in the wombe of the Church and here we are bringing forth glory now death I say it is the birth day of glory and a birth is with paine faith sees it is 〈◊〉 birth day it sees that presently upon it theâ—… shall be joy as with a woman after shee hath brought a man child into the world so it comforts it selfe against the pangs of death Again faith sees them short and sees the glory after to be eternall it is a little darke passage to an eâ—…nall glorious light Then for the dissolution and parting of â—…o friends soule and body faith sees that â—…is but for a whâ—…le and then that that parting 〈◊〉 a bringing in a better joyning for it brings â—…e soule immediately to her beloved our Saâ—…our Christ Iesus and faith sees that it is not â—…g till body and soule shall be reunited aâ—…ine for ever and they shall bee for ever with 〈◊〉 Lord. And then for friends faith sees indeed â—…at we shall part with many sweete friends â—…t saith faith we shall have better friends we â—…e to GOD we goe to the soules of perâ—…ct men we goe to innumerable company of â—…ngels wee goe to better company a great â—…ale And for all the imployments we have here â—…we have below faith sees that there wil be â—…rcise in heaven we shall praise God with â—…gels and all the blessed and glorious comâ—…ny of heaven So consider what you will â—…at is bitter and terrible in death faith conâ—…ers it it sees an end of it and opposeth to it â—…tter things because notwithstanding death â—…ts off many comforts yet it brings better 〈◊〉 is a blessed change it is a change for the betâ—…r every way faith sees that there is a betâ—…r place better company better imployment â—…tter liberty all better And which is more 〈◊〉 die in faith is to die in assurance that all is ours as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 death is ours Paul is yours Christ is yoâ—… death is yours This is our comfort whenâ—… dayes shall be closed up with death faith bâ—…lieves that death is ours that is it is for 〈◊〉 good for as I said it brings us to our wishâ—… haven it brings an end to all misery an 〈◊〉 our sinnes an end to our paine an end to 〈◊〉 vexations an end to our discomforts and to 〈◊〉 scandalls here below an end to all the temptâ—…tions of Satan The Lord will wipe all teares frâ—… our eyes then And it is the beginning of â—…pinesse that shall never end So indeed faiâ—… sees that the day of death is better than tâ—… day of birth when we come into misery 〈◊〉 not so good as when we go out of misery 〈◊〉 enter into happinesse This is to dye in faith 〈◊〉 the time past to see the forgivenesse of alâ—… 〈◊〉 sinnes to see the sting pulled out And for 〈◊〉 present to look to Christ ready to receiveâ—… soules and to see him present with us to coâ—…fort us to strengthen us against the pâ—…ngs 〈◊〉 death And for the time to come by â—…aith 〈◊〉 over-look the grave to over looke death 〈◊〉 all and to see all conquered in Christ 〈◊〉 our selves in heaven already with Christ 〈◊〉 thus a Christian being upheld with this grâ—… he ends his dayes in faith This should stirâ—… us up if this be so to 〈◊〉 this grace of faith above all graces to get â—…rance that we are in Christ Iesus that so 〈◊〉 may live with câ—…mfort and end our dayâ—… with comfort and live for ever happy in the â—…ord It is only faith and nothing else that â—…ill master this King of feares this gyant that â—…bdues all the Kings of the earth to him This â—…onster death hee out faceth all nothing can â—…ut face him but faith in Christ and that will â—…aster him As for your glorious speeches â—…f Pagans and morall civill men they are â—…ut flourishes vaine emptie flourishes their â—…earts give them the lie Death is a terrible â—…ing when it is armed with our sins and when 〈◊〉 is the messenger of Gods wrath and citeth â—…s before God it is the end of happinesse and â—…he beginning of torment When we looke â—…pon it in the glasse of the law and in the â—…lasse of nature it is the end of all comforts it â—…s a curse brought in by sinne It is a terrible â—…hing nothing can conquer and master it but â—…aith in Christ. Oh let us labour therefore to get it while wee live and to exercise it â—…hile we live that we may live every day by â—…aith It is not any faith that we candie by it must 〈◊〉 a faith that we have exercised and tryed â—…efore it is a tryed a proved faith that wee must end our dayes by For alas when death comes if we have not learned to live by faith before how can wee end our dayes in faith He that while he lives will not trust God with his children that will not trust God with his soule he that will not trust God with his estate but will use ill means and put his hand to ill courses to gaine by he that will not trust 〈◊〉 for his inheritance that will not cast his brâ—… upon the waters and trust GOD to see 〈◊〉 gaine he that will not doe this while he livâ—… how shall he trust God for body and soule 〈◊〉 all in death he cannot doe it It must beâ—… faith that is daily exercised and tryed wherâ—… by we must commit our soules to God wâ—… we dye that wee may dye in that faith tâ—… we may be able to say all the dayes of 〈◊〉 life I had experience of Gods goodnesse 〈◊〉 depended upon him and I have found him 〈◊〉 in all his promises I committed my selfe anâ—… my wayes to him and I found him good aâ—… gracious in blessing me I found him giving 〈◊〉 a good issue and now I am strengthened there by to trust GOD that hath beene so true 〈◊〉 mee all my life time I will trust him 〈◊〉 with my soule that hee will never failâ—… mee Let us all labour for this faith for thoâ—… it cannot be said of us that we die rich or thâ—… we die great in the world perhaps wee may die a violent death as there be diverse diseases that leade the body into distempers it 〈◊〉 no matter how we die distempered and in any estate so it may be said of us we die in ableâ—…sed faith But it may be objected that all Gods children die not in faith because some die raging and distempered and in such fits But we must know that they die in faith not with standing all that for then they are not â—…em selves
nature so wee make our selves twise dead a hundred times dead by sinne and bring curse upon curse by our sinfull conversation wee are then under Gods broad seale cursed Wee are all borne accursed til we get out of the state of nature to free us from which Christ became a curse if wee get not out of this but goe on and feed our vanity and corruption what will bee the end of it but an eternall cursr afterwards Therefore let us consider what we doe when we maintaine and cherish corruptions and abuses in our selves and others We build that that God hath cursed wee build that that wee have vowed against our selves And how will God take this at the houre of death thou that art a carelesse drowsie hearer of the word of God and a liver contrary to the word of God how will God take this at thee at the houre of death when thy conscience will tell thee that thy life hath beene a practise of sin a strengthning of corruption The old Adam that thou hast cherished it will stare and looke on thee with so hideous a looke that it will drive thee to despaire For conscience will tell thee that thy life hath bin a strengthning of pride of vanity of covetousnesse and of other sins thy whole life hath beene such and now when thou shouldst looke for comfort then thy corruptions which thou shouldest have subdued they are growne to that pitch that they will bring thee to despaire without the extraordinary mercy of God to awaken thy heart by repentance Why therefore should we strengthen that that is a curse and will make us cursed too and will make the time to come terrible to us the houre of death and the day of judgement How shall men thinke to hold up their faces and heads at the day of judgement whose lives have beene nothing else but a yielding to their owne corruption of nature and the corruptions and vanities of the times and places they have lived in that have never had the courage to plead for God that have beene fierce against God Who ever was fierce against God and prospered When men make their whole life fierce against God against the admonitions of his word and Spirit and their whole life is nothing but a practise of sinne how can they thinke of death and judgement without terrour Now it were wisedome for us to carry our selves so in our lives and conversations that the time to come may not bee terrible but comfortable to thinke of that wee may lift up our heads with joy when wee thinke of death and judgement but when we doe nothing but build Iericho when we raise up sin that wee should ruine more and more what will the end of this be but despaire here and destruction in the world to come You may shake off the menaces and threatnings of the Ministers as Hiel shooke off Iâ—…suah's he was an austere singular man and it is a long time since Iericho was cast downe and God hath forgotten hath hee so hee found that God had not forgotten So there are many that thinke that words are but wind of men opposite to such and such things but though our words may bee shooken off now and the word of God now in the preaching may be shooke off yet it will not when it comes to execution When wee propound the curse of God against sinfull courses you may shake off that curse but when Christ from Heaven shall come to judge the quick and the dead and say Goe yee cursed that were borne cursed that have lived cursed that have maintained a cursed opposition to blessed courses that have not built up your owne salvation but your corruptions you that loved cursing Goe yee cursed to Hell fire with the Devill and his Angels for ever will you shake off that No no howsoever our ministeriall in râ—…aties may be shaken off yet when God shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that eternall threatning shall not be shaken off Therefore I beseech you consider not so much what wee say now but what God will make good then What wee bind on earth cut of the warrant of Gods booke Shall be bound in Heaven and God will say Amen to that wee say agreeable to his word Thinke not light of that wee speake for God will make good every word hee is Iehovah he will give being to every word Hee is not only mercie but justice we make an Idol of him else and wee must feaâ—…e him in his justice He loves to dwell with such as are of a contrite Spirit that tremble at his word It is said of David that when Vzzah was stricken he trembled Hiel and such kind of persons regard not the threatnings of God but goe on and treasure up wrath It is a signe of a wicked man to heare the menaces and threatnings and not to tremble To end all with two places of Scripture saith Moses He that heares these things and blesseth himselfe my wrath shall smoke against him Gods wrath shall smoake and burne to hell against such a one as blesseth himselfe that knowes he is cursed under the seale of God that doth ill and yet hee blesseth himselfe in doing ill therefore take heed of that adde not that to the rest Gods wrath will smoake against such a one And you know what Saint Paul saith Rom. 2. If thou goe on and treasureup wrath thou buildest Iericho that thou hast vowed the destruction of Every time thou takest the Communion thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath For there will be a day of the manifestation of the just wrath of God and then these things will be laid to thy charge Let us every one labour to get out of the state of nature to breake off our wicked lives and to get into Christ the blessed seed and then we shall be blessed we shall be made free free from the curse of nature and of sin Let us renew our Covenants against all sinne and make conscience to bee lead by the Spirit of Christ that wee may gather sound Evidence every day that wee are in Christ and so out of the Curse THE SVCCESSEFVLL SEEKER In tvvo Sermons on PSALME 27. 8. BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE 1 CHRON. 16. 11. Seeke yee the Lord and his strength seeke his face continually LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. The Successefull SEEKER PSAL. 27. 8. When thou saidst seeke yee my face my Heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seeke IN the former Verse David begins a prayer to God Heare oh Lord have mercy upon me and answer mee This Verse is a ground of that prayer Seeke yee my face saith GOD the heart answers againe Thy face
full and our joy shall bee full by Christ who is our life So then we see we have in Christ the second Adam whatsover wee lost in the first roote Whence did we draw sinne and misery by union with the first Adam we have damnation we have the wrath of God we have corruption opposite to sanctification we have terrours and horrour of conscience By the second Adam and union with him we have a spring of life and peace and all that we lost in Adam and more then all we lost he being God-man The sinne of the first Adam was the sinne of a man the obedience of the second Adam was the obedience of God-man which raiseth us to life everlasting Rom. 5. So that there is more comfort in the life we have by Christ then there is discomfort in our death by Adam We see then hence that in all our deadnesse and dulnesse and want of grace there is a spring in our nature God hath given Christ God-man that there should be a treasure in him for all the Church that we may fetch supply out of our nature He is fit to be our life for our nature in him is united to the Godhead therefore Christ is a fit fountaine to derive grace to beleevers because mans nature in him is advanced by being united to the second person he is God-man able to derive all grace and comfort and righteousnes whatsoever Shall the first Adam derive unrighteousnesse discomfort and misery that was a man shall not Christ God-man derive righteousnesse and comfort and joy and peace and whatsoever is good undoubtedly he shall Therefore in all want of grace in all temptations and assaults let us goe to the fountain to the fulnesse of grace to the fulnesse of Gods love in Christ Christ God-man is our life As when we are cold we come to the fire so when we are dull-hearted let us come to this quickening spirit And to this end let us be stirred up to use those meanes wherein Christ will be effectuall whereby as by veines the blood of this spirituall life is conveyed as the Word and Sacraments the Communion of Saints and all sanctified meanes whereby the life of grace and comfort may be conveyed to us let us never be out of such wayes and courses as where by Christ derives this life of grace and let us take heed of those that are contrary But how shall I know saith a weake soule that finds little comfort and peace and little sanctification and is besieged with troubles and is doubtfull and knowes not whether his sinnes be forgiven or no how shall I know whether Christ be my life or no I answer that the life of Christ is but now begun in us and it is very little at the first There is nothing lesse then grace at the beginning The life of Christ is conveyed to us from Christ voluntarily not by necessity Hee gives the will and the deed according to 〈◊〉 therefore we must know that we have more or lesse comfort and more or lesse grace as he pleaseth He brings all to heaven in all ages that have the true life of grace though he make a difference and give to some more and to some lesse because he is a head that flowes into his members not out of nature but of his owne pleasure And a Christian soule that hath union with Christ that hath a being and station in him may know it there are alway some pulses from this heart as we know there is some life by the beating of the pulses so Christs dwelling in the heart is knowne by these pulses there will be striving against corruption and complayning of it Nature and corruption will not complaine against corruption coâ—…ption will not strive against corruption there will be sighing and groaning which is seconded with a constant indeavour to grow better it is not a flash these pulses beating in the soule of a true Christian shew that there is the life of grace in him that Christs dwells in his heart And this oft times doth more appeare in the greatest temptations Take a Christian at the worst his heart sighs to God to recover him he is sick and yet he hopes in Christ Christ in the greatest desertion is his life who was also our paterne when he was at the lowest My God my God So a Christian at the lowest he hath a spirit of prayer though it may be he cannot pray distinctly yet he can sigh and groane and God heares the sighs of his owne Spirit alwayes Therefore when these pulses beate in him in the greatest temptations hee may know that Christ lives in him Sometimes Christ in respect of this life in this world reserves himselfe to the chiefe occasion as some great affliction of the outward man In 2 Cor. 4. We see there when the body of Saint Paul was afflicted when it was abased by many afflictions The life of Christ was most manifested in him God reserves to poore Christians that now live in peace and quiet the greatest feelings and manifestations of Christs living in them till some great crosse till the houre of death till a time of need The life of Christ is most manifest in the time of abasement By the way therefore let us not avoid crosses for Christs sake avoid not any abasement though it be imprisonment or death the more our outward man is abased if it be for Christs sake the more this life of Christ this blessed life this peace that passeth understanding and this joy in the Holy-ghost is increased we shall feele our absolution and justification the more This life of Christ is most manifested when wee honour him most by suffering for him Therfore let us avoid no crosse for him Christ who is our life Shall appeare There are two appearings wee know of Christ his first appearing and his second appearing His first appearing was to worke our salvation his second shall be to accomplish and finish what he hath begun to worke His first appearing was to redeeme our soules from death his second shall redeeme our bodies from the corruption of the 〈◊〉 so his second appearing shall be to accomplish all the good that he came to doe and to worke by his first As verily therefore as Christ is come in his first appearing so verily and certainly he shall appeare the second time And as it was the description of holy men before his first comming to wayte for him To wayte for the consolation of Isâ—…ael so Christians now those blessed soules that have the report of this they waite for the comming of Christ. There were all kind of witnesses then of his first comming Angels men women shepheards the Devils themselves The Trinitie from heaven witnessed of him so for his second comming there are witnesses Christ himselfe saith hee will come The Angels say This Iesus that ye see goe up shall come againe It is an Article of our faith that he shall come
to come and of our interest in it and both these together the excellency of the estate and our interest in it without deceiving of our soules what life will it put into all our carriage what will be grievous to us in this world when our soules are thus settled Oh let us spend a few dayes fruitfully and painfully here amongst men and doe all the good we can and use these bodies of ours to all the happy and blessed services we can why wee shall have glory more then we can imagine Let it comfort us in the houre of death what death soever we die or are designed to Now you know the sickenesse is abroad and alas those bodies especially are vile bodies that are under the visitation so then that their dearest friends dare not come neare them yet let this comfort us they are vile bodies for a time put case wee die the death that may hinder the comforts of this life Those that die in much honour and pompe and have their bodies imbalmed doe all what they can with the body it will come to dust and rottennesse it will be vile in death or after death at one time or other and those that die never so vile and violent a death for Gods sake those that die of this base death that they are deprived of much comfort yet let it comfort them Christ will transforme their vile bodies to be glorious They talke much of the Philosophers stone that it will change metals into gold here is the true Stone that will change our vile bodies to be glorious Let us die never so base or violent a death let us comfort our selves in our owne death if it be thus with us and in the death of our friends these vile bodies when they are most vile in death they shall be made like the glorious bodie of Christ. Let us oft thinke of these things FINIS BALAAMS VVISH In one Funerall Sermon upon NVMB. 23. 10. BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE PRO. 13. 4. The soule of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing LONDON Printed by E. Purslow for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1639. BALAAMS VVISH NUMB. 23. 10. Let me dye the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his THe false Prophet Balaam goes about to curse where God had blessed but God reveales his wonders in his Saints by delivering of them and keeping them from dangers when they never thinke of them they never thought they had such an enemy as Balaam The Church of God is a glorious company and the great God doth great things for it so long as they keepe close to him their state is impregnable as wee may read here neither Balak nor Balaam that was nired to curse them could prevaile but the curse returnes upon their own head These words I have read to you they are Balaams desire Balaams acclamation Diverse questions might be moved concerning Balaam which I will not stand upon but come directly to the words wherein are considerable these things First that the righteous men die and have an end as well as others Secondly that the state of the soule continues after death it was in vaine for him to desire to dye the death of the righteous but in regard of the subsistence of the soule Thirdly that the estate of righteous men in their end is a blessed estate because here it was the desire of Balaam oh that I might dye the death of the righteous Fourthly there is an excellent estate of Gods people and they desire that portion oh let mee dye the death of the righteous These are the foure things I shal unfold which discover the intendment of Balaam in these words For the first I wil touch it briefly so go on The righteous dye and in the same manner outwardly as the wicked doe For Christ in his first comming came not to redeeme our bodies from death but our soules from damnation his second comming shall be to redeeme our bodyes from corruption into a glorious liberty Therefore wise men dye as well as fooles those whose eyes and hands have beene lift up to God in prayer and whose feet have carried them to the holy place as well as those whose eyes are full of adultery and whose hands are full of blood they dye all alike in manner alike ofttimes it is the same in the eye of the world Death comes upon good and bad but to the good for their greater glory for the shell must be broken before they come to the pearle death it fits them for the blessed life after the body lying a while in the grave the soule being in the hands of God and death now it makes an end of sinne that brought in death and it makes us conformable to the son of God our elder brother that dyed for us The point is pregnant and full of gracious and serious meditations It should enforce this excellent duty that considering we have no long continuance here therefore while we are here to doe that wherefore we come into the world As a factor that is sent into a place to provide such goods before hand let us consider that here we are sent to get into a state of Salvation to get out of the state of nature into the state of grace to furnish our soules with grace to fit us for our dissolution to come let us not forget the main end of our living here considering we cannot be here long let us doe the worke that God hath put into our hands quickly and faithfully with all our might And let it enforce moderation to all earthly things the time is short therefore let those that use the world be as if they used it not c. Those friends that have bin joyned together will part therefore let us use our bodies and soules so that we may present them both comfortably to God Let us begge of God to make a right use of this fading condition But I hasten The second point is this that The estate of the soule continues after death For here he wisheth to die the death of the righteous not for any excellency in death but in regard of the subsistence and continuance of the soule after death Scripture and reason and nature enforceth this that the soule hath a subsistence of it selfe distinct from the life it communicates to the body There is a double life a life proper to the soule and the life it communicates to the body now when the life it communicates to the body is gone to dissolution it selfe hath a life in heaven And indeed it is in a manner the whole man for Abraham was Abraham when he was dead when his soule was in heaven and his body in the grave it is the
Conscience Upon the preventing of an objection and removing their false confidence hee positively sets downe what that is that doth save in Baptisme saith he it is the answer of a good Conscience The Scope of the words should have moved the holy Apostle to have said thus not the putting off the filth of the Body but the putting off the filth of the soule but instead of that hee sets downe the act of the soule which is an answer of a good Conscience to God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ. Where first of all you must know this for a ground indeed it is a hard place of Scripture I will only take that that I think fittest and rayse what observations I think fit for you that out of that you must know for a ground that There is a Covenant of Grace Since God and Man brake in the Creation there is a Covenant which we call a Covenant of Grace God hath stooped so low hee hath condescended to enter into tearmes of Covenant with us Now the foundation of this Covenant is that God will bee our God and give us grace and glory and all good in Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant Christ is the foundation of the Covenant the Mediator of the Covenant a friend to both to God as God to man as man God and man in himselfe and by office such is his office as to procure love and agreement betweene God and man He being the foundation of the Covenant there must be agreement in him Now Christ is the foundation of the Covenant by satisfying Gods justice else God and wee could never have come to good tearmes nor conscience could ever have bin satisfyed For God must bee satisfyed before conscience bee satisfied Conscience else would thinke God is angry and he hath not received full satisfaction and conscience will never bee satisfied but with that that God is satisfied with God is satisfied with the Death of the Mediator so conscience being sprinkled with the blood of Christ applying the death of Christ conscience is satisfied too Now what doth shew that the death of the Mediator is a sufficient sacrifice and Satisfaction The Resurrection of Christ for Christ our surety should have laine in the grave to this day if our sinnes had not bin fully satisfied for Christ is the foundation of the Covenant of grace by his humiliation and by his exaltation whereof the resurrection was the first degree Now in this as in other covenants there is the party promising making the Covenant and the parties that answer in the Covenant God promises life everlasting forgivenesse of sins through the death of Christ the Mediator we answer by faith that we relye upon Gods mercy in Christ this is the answer of conscience Now this sound answer of conscience it doth save us because it doth lay hold on Christ that doth save us Christ properly saveth us by his death and passion An argument of the sufficiency of his salvation was his resurrection hee is now in Heaven triumphing but because there is somewhat in us that must lay hold of this salvation it is attributed to that that is the instrument of salvation that is to the answer of a good conscience Now this answer of a good conscience doth afford us this observation that There must bee something in us before wee can make use of what good is in God or Christ. In a Covenant both parties must agree there must bee somewhat wrought in us that must answer or else we cannot clayme any good by the promises in Christ or by any good that Christ hath wrought that is the answer of a good conscience Or else Christ should save all if there were not the answer of a good conscience required that only Gods elect children have But to shew the reasons of this that there must on our part be this answer The reason is partly from the nature of the Covenant there must bee consent on both sides or else the Covenant cannot hold there are Indentures drawn between God and us God promiseth all good if wee believe and rest on Christ we again rest upon Christ and so have interest in all that is good There is a mutuall engagement then in the Covenant God engageth himselfe to us and wee engage our solves to God in Christ and where this mutuall engagement is there the Covenant is perfect as here there is the answer of a good conscience That is the first reason then from the nature of the Covenant there must bee this answer The second reason that there must be somewhat in us is because when two agree there must bee a like disposition Now there must bee a sanctifying of our Nature from whence this blessed answer comes before that God and wee can agree There must bee a correspondency of disposition of necessity this must bee for wee enter into tearmes of friendship with God in the Covenant of Grace Now friends must have the same mind there must be an answering Now this answer is especially faith when we believe and from Faith sanctified obedience that is called the resti pulation or engagement of a good conscience to God when the promise is made wee engage our selves to believe and to live as christians Now from this that there must be an answer in us an engagement on our part I beseech you let us in generall therefore know that wee must search our own hearts for the evidence of our good estate in Religion let us not so much search what Christ hath done but search our owne hearts how wee have engaged our selves to God in Christ that we believe and witnesse our believing that wee lead a life answerable to our Faith renounce all but Christ. This mutuall engagement is in the forme in Baptisme that was used by the Apostles and by the ancient Church for wee know that in the ancient Church that they that were Baptized they were questioned doe you believe I doe believe Doe you renownce the Flesh and the World and the Divell I doe renounce them These two questions were made now when they answered this question from a good conscience truly faithfully and sincerely then they had right in all the good things by Christ. Something alway therefore in the Church was required on our part Not that wee answer by our owne strength for it is the Covenant of grace why is it a Covenant of grace not onely because the things promised are promised of grace but because our part is of grace likewise we beleeve of grace and live holily of grace every good thought is from grace it is by grace that we are that we are All is of grace in the new Covenant meerely of grace God requires not any answering by our strength for then he should require light of darknesse and life of death There is nothing good in us he requires obedience that he may worke it when he requires it For his commands in
EVANGELICALL SACRIFICES In xix Sermons 1. Thankfull commemorations for Gods mercy in our great deliverance from the Papists powder-plot 2. The successefull seeker 3. Faith Triumphant 4. Speciall preparations to fit us for our latter end in foure Funerall Sermons 5. The faithfull Covenanter 6. The demand of a good Conscience 7. The sword of the wicked BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE The third Tome Published and perused by D. Sibbs owne appointment subscribed with his hand to prevent imperfect Copies after his decease ROMANS 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1640. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDVVARD Viscount MANDEVILL and his LADY ANNE his Pious Consort increase of GRACE Right Honourable A Pious Christian whilst upoÌ„ earth takes his time to doe his taske he is or would be all in grace and all to duty well knowing that the time is short the worke great the wages sure and that the best improvement of parts and talents will bring in the master the greatest advantage and himselfe the present and most lasting comforts This is the fruit of a well led life to advance God in glory and a Christian in comfort such as serve God in fulfilling his will must to heaven carry their graces with them enter into their masters joy if they be eminent in profession or publike in place leave behind them their example or some other monumeÌ„t to the world of their fidelity in their places happy such servants that can thus imploy their times and improve their talents This was the endeavour of that shining and burning lampe D. Sibbs the author of this work which I now make bold to present unto your Honours such holy and usefull truths were delivered by him in his life time that the judicious conceive may prove very profitable unto the Church being published after his death I conceive thus of the man what he did in his ministery in publike or in his conference in private it was done aptly pithily and profitably his art was to hide his art to say much in few words he did not desire to cloud his matter from his hearers or to walk so long about any one text till errors were vented or his auditors tired you shall find him to be himselfe one constant to his own principles al along the treatise here you have no new errors broached or old truths deserted but opened maintained and honoured the glory of teachers expectation of hearers and recompence of readers Having found this to bee your Honours honour and let it still be to content your selves with humble knowledge cordial respect vitall expressions of received truths that you are not in number with those that change their judgments and I feare their religion as they do their frinds and fashions being coÌ„stant in inconstancie and that with you it is not truths for persons but persons for truth I doubt not the admittance of these Sermons unto your respect patronage my only request is that as the authour did honour you so these labours of his now made publike may bee as so many divine beames holy breathings and celestiall droppings to raise up your spirits to hate the dominion of the Beast to helpe forward the ruine of mysticall Jericho and all other Vnprosperous buildings and builders that you may become Successefull seekers gayning faith Triumphant to acquaint you with the Hidden life that at length you may obtaine the redemption of your bodies knowing that Balaams wish is not enough unles the faithfull Covenanter take you into covenant with himselfe this alone yeelding to you the demand of a good conscience which shall bee your defence against the Sword of reproach These I leave with you and you with God and rest Your Honours at command IOHN SEDGVVICK To the Reader SO precious the remembrance should be of GODS thoughts of mercy to us-ward when he delivered us from that hellish plot of the Gunpouder Treason that if there were nothing else to commend this Treatise to us the first Sermons here presented to us which were preached upon that occasion may justly procure it a ready and hearty welcome When GOD workes such wonders for a Church and people as that was it is not enough to praise GOD for the present and to rejoyce greatly in the great salvation He hath wrought for them yea the more a people are in such a case affected for the present the more inexcusable they must needs be if afterward they slight and disregard it and that because their former joy prooves they were throughly convinced of the greatnesse of the mercy and so discovers their following ingratitude to bee the more abominable whence it was that when Ionathan put his Father Saul in mind how David killed Goliah and thereby had wrought a great deliverance for them to the end he might no longer seeke his ruine that had beene the meanes of so much good to GODS people withall hee wished him to consider that he himselfe stood by an eye-witnesse of that Noble exployt of Davids and was then mightily affected with joy when he saw that formidable Gyant fall under his hand Thou sawest it sayth he and did'st rejoyee 1 Sam. 19. 5. intimating how inexcusable it would be if he should forget that deliverance concerning which himselfe had beene so wondrously affected when it was done As therfore we have great cause to bewaile the generall decay of mens thankfulnesse for this great deliverance at â—…e first discovery of that cursed plot â—…r mouthes were filled with laughter and our tongue with singing all the Land over and every man could say The Lord hath done great things for us whereof wee are glad as Psal. 126. 2 3. and yet now scarce one amongst many is affected with it as in former times so have we also great cause to blesse GOD for the holy alarms of Gods Watchmen wherby they have endeavored to stirre up those that are fallen from their first joy and so amongst the rest for these of Reverend D. SIBBS the Author of them wherein he hath so feelingly set forth the misery of that Antichristian â—…ondage from which we were delivered 〈◊〉 that Deliverance that methinkes he â—…hat reades them with due care must â—…eeds find his heart rowsing up it selfe â—…s Deborah did Awake awake Deborah â—…wake awake utter a song Iudg. 5. 12. As for the other Sermons which in this third Tome be stiled Evangelicall Sacrifices which are published together with these you shall find them no lesse profitable then these though in divers other respects The most of them tend to fit Christians for their latter end a worke
Law in things that touch not upon his nature as his truth and purity c. doth In things that touch his nature hee should deny himselfe if hee should dispense God cannot lie because truth is naturall to him God cannot doe any thing that is unfit for his nature but for things that are out of him he is Lord of dayes hee is Lord of goods and life hee hath a right to dispense here as we see in the taking away the Egyptians Iewels and the like they were outward things But for those things that are intrinsecall in God hee cannot command that which is contrary to his truth and nature other things belong to his Soveraignty but that by the way They were to compasse the wals seven dayes if they had made an end before the seventh day the wals had never fallen down howsoever there was no power in their going about to effect that yet God would not worke the effect till hee was waited on in all the seven dayes The meanes appointed by God must be used and so long as God will have them used there must be a depending and waiting upon God all the time To give a little further light to that I touched before you will aske why God useth meanes and doth not worke immediatly why hee did not cast downe these wals by his owne will and pleasure Besides that I said before God useth second causes not for defect of power but for demonstration of his goodnesse and for the trial of our obedience and the like therefore being Lord of Hosts hee hath multiplicity of rancks of creatures which he useth to effect those things that hee could doe himselfe if it pleased him therefore let such questions cease it pleased God so to doe The last point is this It was by Faith in the use of meanes that the Wals of Iericho fell downe If they had not depended upon God in their going about seven dayes the wals had stood still It was by faith they did it and it was a great faith that using such a ridiculous stratagem as this to goe about the wals with Rams-hornes they should thinke the walls would fall It might shake their Faith and likewise expose them to the scorne of those of Iericho within therefore it was a great faith in them Not that all had faith for certainely divers of them were unbeleeving persons But Ioshua their Captaine and some others of them had faith and al of them had hope of the best It was faith that believed this in this unlikelihood of second causes for there is the strength of faith when second causes are weake then faith is strong Abrahams faith was the stronger by reason there was more indisposition in the second causes in Sara's wombe to conceive a child for her wombe was dead in the course of nature shee could not conceive therefore it is said by Saint Paul Rom. 4. He being strong in faith gave glory to God strong faith gives glory to God So here was a strong faith because the meanes were weake or none at all for these meanes had nothing in themselves to work such a glorious effect as this that the falling of the wals should follow it was but a meanes adjoyned that it should be done by such a poore thing as this it was the strength of faith But was it the strength of faith in it selfe could faith do this Oh no but that which that faith laies hold on doth that faith is said to doe God honours the grace of faith by terming that to be done by it that he doth himselfe for it was the power of God the goodnesse of God to them and the justice of God against the sins of these people that overturned the wals of Iericho faith it was but an empty hand to lay hold upon this power it was the grace whereby they went out of themselves and denied themselves and gave glory to God in accomplishing the truth of his word and his wisedome and power and justice So God did it but it is said to be done by faith because as I said God honours faith thus much What strength God and Christ hath when faith laâ—…es hold on them faith hath that strength because it builds upon them faith sets a man upon God and Christ and upon the truth of God Hereupon it comes to be so victorious conquering a grace as it is because it caries us to that that doth all by faith they did this But here were other graces likewise that sprang from faith that helped them also There was a great deale of patience to goe about after that silly fashion with Rams-hornes seven dayes together here was patience and perseverance and hope But as I said before because faith doth enliven all other graces it gives life to all and stirs up all therefore that is named In the whole Chapter the exercise of other graces is attributed to faith because they draw strength from that to quicken them all and to stir them all to their several offices strengthen faith and strengthen all other graces whatsoever Thus you see we have briefly gone over these foure maine things Now let us by way of proportion raise them higher and make use of them to other things To give a little touch The wals of Iericho represent to us many things The Kingdome of Sathan in generall the power of the Devil in himselfe and in his instruments who hinders what he can our comming out of Egypt to Canaan he labours to come betweene us and Heaven to hinder us all he can by all means He hath wals of many kinds the strength of Tyrants the subtiltie of Hereticks What a world of adoe was there to bring Israel out of Egypt God was put to it as it were to worke so many Miracles to bring that poore despised people out of Egypt to bring them through the Red Sea when they were in the wildernesse what ado was there to bring them thence what opposition and then when they came to Iordan what Miracles were wrought the division of the waters by the Arke comming through and then the first the frontier Towne that was as it were the key to let in all and to stop all Iericho the first towne for the entrance into Canaan there was opposition made when they would have entred into Canaan It is no easie thing to come out of Egypt and to enter into Canaan it is a mighty worke to bring a poore Christian out of the Kingdome of Sathan to bring him out of spirituall Egypt through the Wildernesse of this life 〈◊〉 bring him through Iordan those waves of death to put him into Heaven to bring him at length to his owne countrey to Canaan because there is spirituall wickednesses stand in the way both in regard of Sathan himselfe and in regard of the instruments hee useth But Christ came to destroy the workes of the Devill as it is said 1 Ioh. 3. 8. and
doing such a thing but it is no matter for the worlds commendation if a man set upon a cursed cause so much for the phrase Cursed be the Man before the Lord that is hee is truely and solemnly cursed and cursed before the Lord though men blesse him That riseth and builds this Citie Iericho That is the cause why he should be cursed because he would build that Citie that God would have to bee a perpetuall monument of his Iustice. Why would not God have Iericho built againe God would not have it built up partly because hee would have it a perpetuall remembrance of his goodnesse and mercifull dealing with his people passing over Iordan and comming freshly into Canaan for wee are all subject to forget therefore it is good to have dayes set apart for remembrance and somewhat to put us in mind as they had many things in old time to helpe memory If this Citie had beene built againe the memory of it would have beene forgotten but lying al waste and desolate the Passengers by would askethe cause as God speakes of his owne people what is the reason that this Citie lies thus and then it would give them occasion of speaking of the mercy of God to his people And likewise it would give occasion to speake of the justice of God against the idolatrous Inhabitants whose sins were grown ripe God foretold in Genesis that the sins of the Amorites was not yet ripe but now their sins were ripe they were Idolaters And likewise it was dedicate to God as the first fruits being one of the chiefe mother Cities of the land it was dedicate and consecrated to God as a thing severed it was to bee for ever severed from common use There are two wayes of severing things from common use one by way of destruction as here the Citie of Iericho Another by way of dedication as the Gold of Iericho God would have this Citie severed from common use as a perpetuall Monument and remembrance of his mercy and justice And likewise hee would have it never built up againe for terrour to the rest of the Inhabitants For usually great Conquerours set up some terrible example of justice to terrifie others Now this being one of the first Cities after their passing over Iordan God would have the destruction of it to strike terrour together with this sentence of a curse upon all that should build it againe for ever And then that this terrible sentence might be a meanes to draw others to come in to Gods people to joyne with them and submit and prevent their destruction seeing how terribly God had dealt with Iericho Many such reasons may bee probably alleaged but the maine reason of reasons that must settle our consciences God would have it so Iosuâ—… he was but Gods Trumpet and Gods instrument to denounce this curse Cursed be the man before the Lord that shall build up this Citie Iericho wee must rest in that I will goe over the words and then make application afterwards to the occasion I come to the specification of the Curse wherein it stands Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne If any man will bee so venturous to build it up againe as one Hiel did in 1 King 16. 34. If any man will be so audacious he shall doe it with the perill of the life of his first begotten and if he will not desist then he shall finish the Gates of it hee shall make an end of it with the death of his younger Sonne It is Gods custome to denounce a threatning of a curse before he execute it It is a part of Gods mercy and of his blessing that he will curse onely in the threatning for therefore he curseth that hee might not execute it and therefore he threatneth that hee might not smite and when he smites he smites that hee might not destroy and when he kils the body it is that hee might not destroy the soule as 1 Cor. 11. 32. Therefore some of you are weak and sick and some sleepe that you might not bee condemned with the world Thus God is mercifull even till it comes to the last upshot that men by their rebellions provoke him Gods mercie strives with the sins of men Marke here the degrees of it first God threatens the Curse Cursed be the man And then in the particulars he begins with the eldest Sonne First there is a threatning and when the execution comes he takes not all his Sons away at once but begins with the Eldest and if that will not doe he goes to the youngest This carriage of God even in his threatnings it should put us in mind of Gods mercy and likewise it should move us to meet God presently before any peremptory decree be come forth as wee shall see afterward for if wee leave not sinning God will never leave punishing Hee might have desisted in the death of his first Son but if that will not be God will strike him in his youngest Son and sweepe away all betweene for so wee must understand it that both elder and younger and all should die Now for the judgement it selfe He shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne There is some proportion between the judgement and the sin The sin was to raise up a building a cursed Citie contrary to Gods will The punishment is in pulling dow ea mans owne building for Children according to the Hebrew word are the building the Pillars of the house and since he would raisâ—… up a foundation and building contrary to Gods mind God would pull up his foundation Cities are said to have life and to grow and to have their pitch and then to die like men And indeed they doe observing onely a proportion of time they are of longer continuance but otherwise Cities live and grow and die and have their period as men have Now he that would give life to a Citie that God would have buried in its owne ruines God would have his sonnes die hee would have his sons as it were buried under the ruins of that Citie that he would build in spight of God that would give life to that Citie that was cursed Oft times we may reade our very sins in our punishments there is some proportion But to goe on to the particulars He shall lay the foundation in his First-born A heavie judgement because the First-borne as you know he saith of Reuben he was his strength and he was King and Priest in the Family the First-borne had a double portion hee was redeemed with a greater price as wee see in Moses Law then other sonnes It was a heavie judgement to have his First-borne smitten in this fashion to be taken away If any aske why God was so severe that hee did not punish Hiel in himselfe but take away his children it may seeme against reason But we must not dispute with God for wee must know that
God hath the supream power of life and death Then we must know againe that children â—…re part of their Parents God punisheth the parents in their children and it is a heavier punishment oft times in their esteeme then in themselves for they thinke to live and continue in their children now when they see their children tooke away it is worse then death men oft times live to see things worse â—…hen death as those that see their children killed before them as Zedechias and Mauritius the Emperour for indeed it is a death oft A man dies in every child this man hee died in his eldest son and he died in his youngest son he died in regard of the apprehension of death it was more sharpe in apprehension then when he died himselfe So it is a heavie judgement to be stricken in our children God when hee wil punish he punisheth oft times in posterity As we see it was the most terrible judgement of all upon Pharaoh that in his First-borne God drew them all to let Israel goe out when He smote their First-borne It is a heavie judgement for a man to be stricken in his First-born either when they are dissolute and debauch ed and lawlesse for God hath judgements for the soule as well as for the body or else when they are taken out of the world But thirdly which is very likely another reason that moved God that we may justifie God in all our sentence that we give of him hee tooke them away because they imitâ—… their father in ill and God hath a liberty 〈◊〉 strike when he will when there is cause and whom hee will he will spare for so many Generations You will say why doth he light on such 〈◊〉 Generation and why not on such a place It is his liberty and prerogative when 〈◊〉 deserve it and hee lights upon one and 〈◊〉 upon another we must not quarrel with God but leave him to his liberty it is a part of 〈◊〉 prerogative Who art thou oh man that disâ—…test Why God when all are equally 〈◊〉 strikes one and not another why he execâ—… judgements in one age and not in another there may bee reasons given of it but it is 〈◊〉 mysterie that must not be disputed but I cannot stand on these things Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne and in his youngest Sonne set up the Gates thereof This terrible sentence wee see executed 〈◊〉 1 King 16. 34. In Achabs time there was one so venterous as to build Iericho againe There is an accent to be set upon that that it was in Achabs time Hiel would needs build Iericho againe and why should hee build it Hiel no doubt saw it a wondrous commodious place to found a Citie being near to Iordan And then he saw and considered that it was accounted a famous thing to be founder of a â—…itie And then no doubt he thought that â—…hab would not only permit him to doe it but â—…ould gratifie him wicked Ahab which had â—…ld himselfe to worke wickednesse that was 〈◊〉 abhominable Idolater himselfe and counâ—…nanced Idolatry and had set up the false â—…orship of Bâ—…al it was likely enough in his â—…me that Iericho should bee built and thereâ—…ore no doubt but he did it partly to insinuate â—…imselfe with Ahab And to shew how little â—…e cared for Iosua's or Iehova's threatning as â—…sually such impudent persons that are grown up with greatnesse that have sold themselves to be naught that have put off all humanity and modesty they are fittest to carry wicked and desperate causes being agreeable to them so this wicked person was a fit man to doe this and he thought to please Ahab by it Man is a strange creaâ—…ure especially in greatnesse of riches or place c. A piece of earth that will be puffed up if he have flatterers and sycophants about him and a proud heart withall hee will forget and dare the God of heaven and trample under foot all threatnings and menaces whatsoever As this wicked Hiel rather then he will misse of his will hee will breake through thick and thin and redeeme the fulfilling of his will with the losse of his owne soule and of his children his First-borne and his last and all Mens mihi pro regno let a man be happy in his will hee cares not for all the world if he may have his will 〈◊〉 all goe upon heapes this is the nature of maâ—… One would thinke that this threatning mighâ—… have scarred a man that had loved himselfe 〈◊〉 his posterity but nothing would keepe hiâ—… hee would venture upon it as wee see in 〈◊〉 place 1 King 16. Thus wee have passed ovâ—… the words To come to handle the words by way of Analogie how they may agree to other thingâ—… by way of proportion and in a spirituall mysticall sense There are divers degrees of men that venter upon curses and thereupon grow to be cursed themselves even as this man ventered upon the building of Iericho so there be many thaâ—… doe the like in a proportionable kind I shall name some few God did determine that the Iewish Ceremonies should determine and have an end and period Now in Saint Pauls time there were many that would put life into them and joyne them with the Gospel Saint Paul tels them Christ shall profit you nothing Those are they that build Iericho againe that revive and put life into that that God hath determined should never revive againe When the Iewish Ceremonies were honourably interred and laid in their graves these men would raise them out of their graves againe and so venter upon Gods curse and bee excluded from Christ. These are one sort of men that raise Iericho againe And so afterwards in the Church â—…here were those that would build up Iericho â—…hat would still retaine Iewish Ceremonies â—…nd Heathenish in the Church and some at the â—…irst with no ill minds But then afterwards as Augustine complaines they so pestered the Church with Iewish and Heathenish Ceremonies that the Iewes condition was better then theirs for these things should have beene buried Gerson that had many good things in him though he lived in ill times Oh saith he good Augustine Dost thou complaine of those times what wouldest thou have said if thou hadst lived now What is Popery but a masse of Iewish and heathenish Ceremonies besides some Blasphemies that they have I speake concerning what they differ from ours which are decent and orderly what a masse of Ceremonies and fooleries have they to mislead men that are taken away with fancies to distaste the truth of God and to have respect to fancies to outward pompe and gorgeous things rather then the Gospel These men build up Iericho againe and bury the Gospel as much as they can There are another sort of men that raise up Iericho that revive all the heresies that were damned to Hell by the ancient Councels The heresie of
be over much cast downe peace will preserve you And if we doe not seeke the face of God now when we may enjoy his presence weâ—… shall never see his face in glory hereafter 〈◊〉 must now be acquainted with him or else we shall not when we would Therefore as we may injoy the presence of God in his Ordinances so in all our affaires let us seeke his face and blessing let us have what we have and doe what we doe in his blessing and assistance and not in the strength of wit and shifts Let us do what we do by divine strength and in confidence of his blessing That that we do by his strength we may expect his blessing on we cannot doe so by our shifts Let us in ure our selves in these courses and we shal find much peace and by long acquaintance with God we shall be able to commit our soules to him we shall be able to looke him in the face at the houre of death He that lookes God iâ—… the face often in prayer and seeking him may looke death in the face These things may be made effectuall if your hearts be prepared as the Scripture phrase is And because I mentioned preparing that is a word in Scripture that is set before seeking Rehoboam did not thrive he did not prepare his heart to seeke God Iehosaphat was blessed of God hee prepared his heart to seeke the Lord. Therefore let us come prepared to seeke God prepare our hearts to seeke him Thinke when I goe to the congregation I goe to seeke Gods face therefore come in humility and subjection And in all the courses of our lives let all of us prepare and set our hearts in frame to seeke God in all things and let us set upon nothing that we cannot depend on him for assistance and looke to him for a blessing And when wee cannot injoy his favour and blessing in any thing we were as good be without it as have it This is the way to have our wills in all things Christ the truth it selfe hath left â—…s this one sweete promise Seeke yee first the kingdome of God He speakes there of seeking our owne good what is the best thing wee should seeke for Seeke ye first the kingdome of God of grace and of glory the favour of God and the fruit of his favour grace Seeke those best things in the first place what then It is the way to have all things else as farre as they are for our good But we would have more we thinke if we seeke to God and depend upon Gods divine principles and rules it is a way to beggery and disgrace Oh no It is the way to have our owne desire in all things as farre as is for our good Let us seeke first the kingdome of God that God may rule and raigne in us and we shall raigne in the kingdome of God For other things God will bring it to passe I know nothow they shall be cast upon us He that is fâ—…ll for heaven and happinesse GOD will make him full for the world and successefull as much as he sees 〈◊〉 to bring him to heaven if God see any thing that would hinder him he must leave that to his wisdome Therefore let us labour to bee able from truth of heart to returne to the commandement and promise of God this sweete and gracious answer of the holy man David when God saith generally or particularly Seeke my face Thy face Lord will I seeke FINIS FAITH TRIVMPHANT In five Sermons on HEB. 11. 13. By The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE LUKE 7. 50. And hee said to the woman thy faith hath saved thee goe in peace LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. FAITH TRIVMPHANT HEBR. 11. 13. These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seene them afarre off they were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth THis Chapter is a little booke of Martyrâ—… it discovers the life and death of the holy Patriarchs and by what meanes Gods Children are brought into possession of that that they have an interest and right unto upon earâ—…h it is by faith by faith we do and suffer all that we doe and suffer all that God hath ordained us to goe through till he have brought us and invested uâ—… to heaven which is prepared for us In the former part of the Chapter there is an induction the instances of perticular blessed Patriarchs and after he had named diverse particulars he summes them up in this generall All these died in faith In this verse there is First the generall set downe All these died in faith And then the particular unfolding of this They received not the promises having scene them a-farre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on earth He sets downe their faith particularly hereby setting down what might hinder it and yet did not hinder it the not receiving of the promises They received not the promises and yet they beleeved the promises that is the things promised they were afarre off and yet they saw them They saw them that is the first degree They were perswaded of them that is the second They imbraced them that is the third They confessed they were pilgrims and strangers that is the fourth All these died in faith There is one faith from the beginning of the world as there is one Christ one salvation so there is one uniforme faith for the saving of our soules wee hope to bee saved by Iesus Christ as they were I doe but touch that Then againe here is implied a continuance and perseverance in faith All those died in faith that is they lived in faith and by saith till they died and then they died in faith Faith first makes a Christian and then after he lives by faith it quickens the life of grace and then he leades his life by that faith he continues in it till he come to death which is the period of all and then he dies by that faith But of perseverance to the end and the helps to it I spake at large upon another occasion therefore I omit it All these died in faith Faith carried them along all their life time till death it selfe Now that faith that helped them through all the difficulties of this life that faith by which they lived in that faith they died They dyed in faith In the faith of the Messias infaith of Canaan in faith of heaven For the Patriarchs they had not Canaan till many hundred yeares after it was a type of heaven they had not Christ till some thousands of yeares after So they died in faith of Christ of
the covenant betweene God and â—…em was made before they have given up â—…emselves to GOD and committed their â—…ules to God before for a Christian gives â—…p himselfe every day he commits himselfe â—…ule and body continually to God as a blesâ—…ed sacrifice of a free-will offering so hee â—…arns to die daily daily labours to live in the â—…state he would die in he ought to doe thus â—…nd many Christians doe thus therefore notwithstanding these distempers the covenant â—…etweene GOD and the soule remaines still â—…nd he dies in faith It is said here they all diâ—…d in faith he saith not they all died in feeâ—…ing A man may die in faith and yet not die â—…n feeling and sometimes the strongest faith â—…s with the least feeling of Gods love Feeâ—…ing may be reserved sometimes for heaven â—…et notwithstanding wee must not take it so as 〈◊〉 there were no feeling where there is faith for there was never faith yet but upon the â—…ouch of faith the soule drew some strength â—…nd some inward feeling though it be not discerned of the soule in regard of the immodeâ—…ate desire of the soule to have more yet there is alway so much feeling and strength and comfort that supports the soule from despaire take the childe of GOD at the worst Therefore when I speake of feeling I speak of a glorious demonstration that God sometimes takes away from his children They died in faâ—…th though not alway in feeling of 〈◊〉 they died in faith though not alway by a faiâ—… death or in a comely manner outwardly 〈◊〉 the applause of the world it is no matter for that they all died in faith and that is sufficient It is the desire of Gods Children that they may dye in faith and die in Christ as they have lived in faith and lived in Christ. Faiâ—… is a blessed grace by it we live by it we stand by it we conquer and resist by it we indure by it we die by it we do all those worthy matters we doe in spight of the devill and his kingdome this is that excellent grace of faith by which we live and by which we die These all died in faith For they lived as they died and died as they lived It is a usuall generall rule as men live so they die he that lives by faith dies by faith he that lives prophanely dies prophanely If we suffer the devill to lead us and abuse us all the time of our life we must thinke God in just judgement will give us up that he shall delude us and abuse us at the houre of death Carnall confidence disposeth men to thinke they shall step our of their filthy blasphemous course of life out of their sinfull cursed condition to leape to heaven presently it is no such matter Alas heaven it must be entred into on earth there must bee a fiting and preparing time on earth for heaven we must looke to die as we live There is but one example of a man that died by faith that did not live by faith that is the good thiefe and yet that little time of life we see how fruitfull it was but the rule is all that will die in faith must live in faith and usually men are affected and disposed and their speeches and carriage are on their death bed as they were when they lived GOD in just judgment giving them up to that course Many wish that they may live in popery and enjoy the liberty of that carnall religion but they would not die by that religion they live by that religion and die by ours when they have had the sweetnesse and liberty that is given them there to sin and then open all in confession and be cleane and then sin againe and such easie courses they have that betrayes thousands of soules to damnation Now this is their course when conscience is awakened they flie to savation by CHRIST if they understand any thing at all or else they die desperate if they looke to be saved by that religion as they live by it if we look to die by faith we must live by it These all died in faith not having received the promises For God promised them Canaan and they died many hundred yeares before their posterity came into Canaan hee promised them Christ and they died long before Christ came he promised them heaven and they entred not into heaven till death so they received not the promises that is they received not the things promised for else they received the promise but not that that was promised they received not the type Canaan not the things typified Christ and heaven This is added as a commendation of their faith that though they received not the things that they looked for yet notwithstanding they had such a strong faith that they continued to live by faith and died in faith The promises here are taken for the blessed things promised This should teach us this lesson that Gods promises are not emptie shells they are reall things And then whatsoever God promiseth it is not barely propounded to the soule but in a promise it is wrapped up in a promise hee gives us not emptie promises nor naked things but hee gives us promises of things which we must exercise our faith in in depending upon him for the performance of them till we be put in possession For here all the blessings they looked for is wrapped up in the name promises they received not the promises the meaning is they received not Canaan they received not Christ in the flesh not life everlasting Now the believing soule it lookes upon all the good things that it looks for from God not nakedly but as they are involved and wrapped and lapped up in promises it must have a word for it it looks to GODS word For the soule looks not now immediately as it shall doe in heaven it looks not to God and to Christ directly but it lookes to Christ and heaven and happinesse as it is in a promise It dares not expect any thing of God but by a promise Alas the guiltie soule how dares it look God in the face but by a promise except he have ingaged himselfe by promise and he hath ingaged himselfe by promise that he will doe it he hath pawned his faithfulnesse that he will doe it and then the soule lookes to the promise and in that it looks to Christ and grace and heaven and happines and all good things A presumptuous idle person that knowes not what God is that he is a consuming fire he rusheth into Gods presence Faith dares not go to God but first it pleads his word to him it pleads his promise to him it lookes on God by a promise The very phrase inforceth this upon us that we should make great account of the promises because we have all good wrapped in them The promises are the swadling clouts Christ and Heaven is wrappped in them And when wee have a promise let
sees more comfort and joy and matter of benefit and blessing to the soule in the promises and in the word of God then in Isaac that is then in the dearest thing in our owne account that we have that the faithfull soule had rather part with all then with God it will not part with his promises for all that is in the earth not for the dearest thing in this world Isaac shall goe rather Then for their light to goe by it was but little what a little light had they Answ. Promises they saw things in types and glasses a few promises and what was that they sought A heritage farre off Wee on the contrary have all set nearer hand that may helpe us but wee have a weaker faith One would thinke it should greatly help us to lead our lives till we come to heaven for that that we believe is nearer heaven is nearer how little a time is betweene us and the day of judgment how little a time betweene us and the glory that is to be revealed For the clouds that we have betweene they are none in comparing our light with theirs How many promises have we discovered before hand we have Christ come in the flesh and risen again we have the Gentiles called and all these things we have light upon light we have larger promises and a larger unfolding of divine truths the Canon is inlarged the Bible is enlarged more than it was then there are many books added and the New Testament Now how doth it come to passe that we see not so well as they nor so strongly as they I answer the reason is this their light was lesse but their sight was stronger we have more light and lesse sight we have things nearer but our sight is weaker the more shame for us A strong eye may see a farre off by a little light When a weake eye cannot see so farre by a greater light The eye of their soule the eye of faith was stronger and more light some the spirit of God was stronger in Abraham but his light of revelation was lesser he had fewer promises for he desired to see Christs day and saw it not So it is with Christians sometimes when there is a great strength of faith yet it may be there is not so much light a weake Christian may have more light but he hath a weaker eye and he in that respect sees better then a stronger To a stronger God doth not discover to him so much outwardly sometimes sutable to his inward Gods dispensations are diverse in this kind Now to helpe our sight to heaven this sight of faith that wee may every day ascend with the eye of our soules with this blessed sight Let us take heed of the God of this world Satan that hee doe not with the dust of the world dimme our sight what is the reason that many cannot see the glorious things of GOD The God of this world saith the Apostle hath blinded their eyes hee casts dust in their eyes they are covetous they are blind in their affections they have darke soules The soule when it is lead by affections and lusts when the affections will not suffer it to see it covers the eyes of it And then the outward things of the world they are cast into the eyes we must take heed of these inward and outward lets take heed of Sathan that he doe not with outward objects bewitch us For as it is in prospective glasses you know such glasses some are of that nature they represent to a man things that are a farre off as if they were neare so faith it is a kind of prospective glasse it presents to the soule by reason of this super naturall light things that are farre off as if they were neare Now as God hath his prospective glasses to see a farre off so the Devill hath prospective glasses that when things are neare he makes them seene a farre off as such glasses there are too when death and danger and damnation are neaâ—…e When a man carries the sentence of damnation in his bosome when he carries a stayned defiled conscience the devill with his prospective glasse makes him see death and destruction as a farre off I may live so many yeares and enjoy my pleasure and my will Now this is but a false glasse the devill abuseth them for your life is but a death and when we begin to live we begin to die why should we account therefore of the time to come death and life goe in equall pace one with another everyday we live so much is taken from our life and then the cutting off of all is uncertaine let us take heed that Satan blind us not And withall desire God to open our eyes every day to take the scales from the eye of our soules that we may see the promises that we may see Christ that we may see God shining on us in Christ that he would take away the vaile from the things by exposition that he would open the truth to us by his Ministers and that hee would take away the vaile from our hearts that our hearts may joyne with the things That when by ministeriall meanes the things are cleare that there may not be a vaile of infidelity on our hearts but that our hearts may sweetly joyne with them Let us begge daily that GOD would take away the things that hinder inward and outward that we may see the things a farre off that we may not be as Peter saith mop eyed that wee cannot see a farre off but that we may set heaven before our eyes and the judgement and the happinesse to come that we may see and view and eye those things by faith and that wee may square our lives answerable Then againe to helpe our sight of Christ and happinesse let us get a fresh sight of our corruption and sinne every day let us every day look on that terrifying object of our corruption of nature hang it in the eye of our soules as an odious object to humble us Let us see every day what a corrupt heart we carry about us see how odious these things are to God how it offends him see how it exposeth us to the wrath of God if he should take us in the middest of our sinnes and corruptions let us have these things fresh in our eyes every day and that will cleare our sight Men are loath to looke in the booke of their consciences because they are loath to be disturbed from their pleasures Let us see what need we stand in of Christ the view of our corruptions will make us glad to see a better object it will make us turne our eyes to CHRIST to the promises and all things that we have by Christ we shal be glad to look to him What is the reason we have no more delight to see the glorious things afarre off We see not the dimension of our corruptions for then
the eye sees the heart imbraceth in good And in what measure our eye sight of heavenly things is clearer and our perswasion stronger in that measure our imbracing is lovely and full of joy and delight Therefore let us labour to grow in knowledge in supernaturall spirituall knowledge and that our perswasion may be stronger every day more and more for answerable to that our affections will grow and will be carried to the things discovered And there is nothing more effectuall to commend knowledge to us then this that it is a meanes to work a holy and heavenly disposition and temper in us especially if it be spirituall And let us meditate upon what wee seeme to know and are perswaded of let us dwell upon things still to work them upon the will and affections let us dwell upon them till our hearts bee warmed well with the things knowne and that we professe our selves to be perswaded of And joyne with it an enquiry upon the soule are these things so doe I know these things and am I perswaded of these things that they are so how is my disposition answerable then am I so affected as I should be is my love so hote and my joy so working and spiritly and quicke as it should or no and hereupon take occasion to stirre up our selves and to checke our owne soules Alas that I should have such things discovered and that I should see such things in such a strong perswasion in the booke of God and professe my selfe to be perswaded of these things and yet be so dead at all times And if we find our affections any thing working that wee are disposed to imbrace these things then wee cannot but be in an excellent temper and blesse God that vouchsafed together with the excellency of the things themselves to shew us our portion by his holy spirit to enlighten our understandings and to perswade us let us blesse God for this for it is a worke above nature And withall because the soule cannot close with and imbrace these things but it must let loose other things for you know in imbracing there must bee a letting goe of those things that were formerly within the gripe if we would gripe these things in our affection and will we must have them only we must not think to graspe the world and them together the things here below and them together as wee shall see after in that point they accounted themselves strangers to earthly things Therefore this is one way to come to this imbracing to come to the sight of the vanity and insufficiency of all things in comparison of Christ and the happinesse wee have by Christ. To see in matter of judgment the insufficiencie of workes and merit and such like in the matter of justification the insufficiency of all such trash as the popish religion abuseth the world withall And so in matter of conversation to see the insufficiency and empâ—…nesse and vanity yea the vexation of all things besides these good things here offered the good things that Gods spirit offers to the eye of our soules that he offers to our wills and affections what are all to these and effectually thinke so thinke what should draw a mans affections after it beauty or strength consider what will become of these ere long And then withall consider the excellency of the estate of the body and soule in heaven if we carry our selves as wee should doe and preserve our selves in our spirituall condition let us lay these things together and then wee shall see how infinitely the one is beyond the other If it be for honour and favour of the world consider the vanity of them and how short a time wee may enjoy them and the things themselves are subject to alteration And withall consider the constant excellency of the favour of GOD in Christ Iesus which will comfort us in life in death and for ever And so for riches and possessions in this world consider how soone all here must be left and how the soule is larger then all these things if wee had a thousand times more abundance then we have and that our soules that are more large and more excellent they are not made for these things but for better and what use we shal have of better things when these faile the soule being immortall and eternall This will make us let goe earthly things in our affections and hold them in their place in a secondary place as things serviceable in the way to heaven and not to graspe them in our affections for then they pierce the soule to death and damnation And if we would be affected as we should be to good things let us keepe our affections tender and keepe them cleare from the guilt of any sinne that may work feares and doubts for together with sin goes feares and doubts they are bred in sinne naturally therefore if we would maintaine this imbracing oh let us keepe our soules as we keepe our understandings cleare so keepe our affections tender by all meanes and keepe our consciences unspotted that so our affections of joy and delight and love may bee ready prest to good things even to the best things Another way is in particular to meditate of the love of Christ the love of GOD in Christ and of his imbracing of us For wee must know that our imbracing is upon perswasion of Gods imbracing of us We imbrace not the promises of Christ as a man imbraceth a dead post that cannot returne imbraces to him againe this imbracing of Christ and heaven it is a mutuall imbracing and it is a second reflexive imbracing wee imbrace God and Christ because we find God in Christ imbracing our soules first in the armes of his love therefore we imbrace him again in the armes of our affections because we find Christ imbracing us in the armes of his affections Therefore let us attend upon the meanes upon private reading of the word and upon the ministry for what are the ministers but to contract Christ and the soule together they are friends of the Bridegroome to discove CHRISTS love to us and his lovelinesse his lovelinesse in himselfe his riches in himselfe and his love to us to allure us againe to CHRIST the ministery is for this end especially to draw Christ and the foule together And what is the Scripture in the intent and scope of it but to discover to us the excellen ciâ—… of Christ and the good things we have by him his love good intention to our soules Now hearing these things in the ministery they are effectuall together with the spirit to draw our affections backe againe to him And naturally wee cannot but love those that love us Now when we are perswaded of Gods love tous in Christ and Christs love to us God having made our soules for love to himselfe and friendship with himselfe and the nearest and sweetest conjugall friendship now therefore the more his
labour to get assurance of another a better country for what made these holy men confesse themselves strangers and pilgrims here They saw the promises a farre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and in that measure they were assured of a better condition they carryed themselves as strangers and pilgrims here To wind up all in a word you see here their disposition I beseech you make this text your patterne to be molded into you see how these blessed men long agoe lived in faith when their light was lesse then ours is and they died in faith and will welcome us when we shall come to heaven we shall goe to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the rest of the Patriarchs and holy men It will bee a blessed time when all the blessed men that have gone before shall welcome us to heaven If we looke to be happy as they are we must live as they did and die as they did though we cannot so strongly as they did see that with the eye of faith that no eye else can see yet let us desire God to perswade us of these truths more strongly then the devill of our own lusts shall perswade us to the contrary let us desire God to set on his truths so strongly that all other things may not hinder us that we may imbrace them with our best affections of love of desire of contentment that we may witnesse all this by our demeanour to earthly things by our base esteem of them and carry our selves as pilgrims and strangers on earth If we do thus live in faith and die in faith we shal live with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven eternally FINIS THE HIDDEN LIFE In two Funerall Sermons upon COL 3. 3 4. BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE 1 JOHN 3. 2. Beloved now yee are the Sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what wee shall bee LONDON Printed by E. Purslow for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1639. THE HIDDEN LIFE COLLOS 3. 3 4. For yee are dead your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shal yee also appeare with him in glory THE dependance of these words in a word is this The Apostle after he had laid the grounds of some Doctrines hee doth frame the building of a holy life and conversation It is in vaine to believe well unlesse a man worke accordingly hee that lives against his faith shall be damned as he that believes against it Thereupon in this Chapter hee comes to raise their affections to be Heavenly minded and stirres them up to subdue what soever is contrary to Heavenly mindednesse And because it is a duty of great moment to be heavenly minded and to subdue base affections he inserts weighty reasons betweene If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And among other reasons theâ—… 〈◊〉 this yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God And therupon he forceth seeking of the things that are above and the mortifying of earthly members For the duties of Christianity â—…e to be applyed two wayes to be heavenly affected to subdue that which is contrary to be heavenly minded to mortifie our earthly members Now how shall we doe both For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God c. You see the first proposition yee are dead with whom with Christ in God A Christian is dead many wayes He is dead to the law to the morall law he lookes not to have comfort and salvation by it by the law he is dead to the law and so flyes to Christ. A Christian is dead also to the ceremonâ—…ll law now in the glorious lustre of the Gospell what have we to doe with those 〈◊〉 element that were for Children A ceremoâ—… disposition is opposite to the glory and lustre of the Gospell as the Apostle speakes in the former Chapter He is dead likewise to sinne having communion with Christ when he dyed for sinne hee is dead to sinne He that hath communion in the death of Christ hath the same affection to sinne that Christ had Christ hated it infinitely when he suffered for it so every Christian thinkes that Christ dyed for my sinnes and by union with Christ he hath the same affection to it he is dead to it And because this is but an inchoation and beginning a Christian is not perfectly dead to sinne hee stands in need of afflictions and in regard of afflictions he is dead they must help the worke of mortification And because no affliction can sufficiently worke mortification but death it self which is the accomplishment of mortification we are dead in respect of death it selfe which is the accomplishment of all though we live here for a time we are dead in regard of the sentence that is passed on us as wee say a man is dead when the sentence is passed on him in that respect wee are dead men for our life is but a dead life besides the sentence that is passed upon us death siezeth upon us in the time of our life in sicknesses c. And so they prepare us to death thus and many other wayes we are dead The second proposition is Our Life is hid with Christ in God We are dead and yet we have a life A Christian is a strange person hee is both dead and alive he is miserable and glorious he consists of contraries he is dead in regard of corruption and miseries and such like but he is alive in regard of his better part and he growes two wayes at onâ—… it is a strange thing that a Christian doth hee growes downewards and upwards at the same time for as he dyes in sin and misery and naturall death approaching so he lives the life of grace and growes more and more till he end in Glory This life is said to be a hidden life It is hid with Christ in God The life of a Christian which is his glorious spirituall life it is hid among other respects It is hid to the world to worldly men because a Christian is an unknown man to them because they know not the Father that begets therefore they know not them that are begotten as S. Iohn saith they know not the advancement of a Christian he is raysed into a higher ranck then they Therefore as a beast knowes not the things of a man no more doth a carnal man in any excellency know the things of the spirit for they are spiritually discerned therefore it is a hidden life in the eyes of the world a wordly man sees not this life in regard of the excellency he passeth scornes and contempts of it of folly and the like A Christian in respect of
common field but when the sunne shines and appeares then the hearbs appeare in their lustre so it is with a Christian there is light and immortality and happinesse sowne for him when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare then we shall appeare with him in glory As wee may say of all things below they have a hidden life the plants and the flowers in the winter they live by the roote and when the Sunne appeares then they also appeare with the Sunne in glory So it is with the Righteous they have a hidden life it is hid now in the roote in their head in this life when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare when the spring comes when the resurrection comes then we shall appeare with him in glory and so I come to speak of that verse When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee appeare also with him in Glory Our life is now hid our happinesse is vayled over there are many things betweene us and our life but shall it alwayes bee so Oh no When Christ who is our Life shall appeare wee shalt appeare also with him in Glory hee meets with a secret objection The parts here to be stood on are these First Christ hee is our Life hee shall appeare in Glory as our Life This is taken for granted it is a supposed truth When Christ who is our Life shall appeare it is taken for granted that he shall appeare in glory The next thing is that wee shall appeare likewise with Christ. Christ shall appeare and wee And then the consequence how these depend one upon another because Christ appears in Glory therefore we when Christ who is our life shall appeare The Apostle cannot mention Christ without an addition of comfort and the Christian soule loves Christ it sees such matter of comfort and such righteousnesse in him that it cannot thinke of Christ without a comfortable addition of Lord Saviour Life Hope Glory c. Christ carryes with him all comforts hee is food the bread of life the water of life all that is good to the soule therefore the Apostle gives this sweet addition Christ out life How is Christ our life He is every way the cause of the Life of Grace and of Glory And not only so the cause but the roote and spring in whom it is wee have it from Christ and in Christ wee have it in Christ as a root and from Christ as a working cause and by Christ as a Mediator For Christ procured Life at Gods hands by his Sactifice and Death Wee have it in Christ as a head from him as a cause together with both the other persons and through him as Mediator who by his death made way to life appeasing the wrath of God so we are reconciled and pardoned by the death of Christ. Christ is not only our Life so but as the matter of our life that wee seed on when hee hath wrought spirituall life in us then the Soule lives by Faith in Christ still and seedes upon him hee is our life because wee feed on him for as food nourisheth the body so the Soule being every day set on by fresh temptations and afflictions and troubles and fresh discomforts the Soule of necessity is forced to looke to Christ every day and to feed upon Christ to feed upon his blood afâ—…esh which runnes conti nually for hee is a Mediator for ever and he is in Heaven to make good that hee hath done by his death and wee looke upon him every day and feed on him and so hee maintaines the life he hath begun Christ is our life thus More particularly for memorie sake Christ when by faith wee have union with him once as we can have no communion without union with him when wee are one with him once by faith wee have life from Christ the life of reconciliation in law opposite to our death in law and in sentence for by nature we are all dead and damned as soone as we are borne for our owne sins and the sins of our first parents wee are dead in sentence Now by Christ there is a reversion of this sentence Christ by his obedience and suffering hath satisfied his father so by our union with Christ wee are alive in sentence we are absolved in GODS court of justice for hee will not punish sin twice And then after the life of justification being justified by faith we have the life of sanctification and holinesse for GOD out of his love when he hath pardoned our sin he gives his spirit as the best fruit of his love and we having our consciences absolved and acquitted by the spirit of GOD through the obedience of Christ wee love GOD. GOD so loveth us when he is appeased by Christ that the barre being taken away our sinnes being pardoned and the sluce of mercy open there is way made for another life the life of sanctification by the spirit upon pardon of our sinnes he gives the spirit and we feeling that love have love wrought in us to him againe and that love stirs up every Christian to obedience In the next place after he hath acquitted us by his Alsufficient satisfaction being God and Man and hath given us his spirit there is another life the life of comfort which is the life of our life in peace of conscience and joy unspeakable and glorious this life issues from the former for when we find our conscience appeased that God saith to our soules hee is their salvation and find a newnesse wrought in our nature by the spirit of God and some strength to obey him then we begin to have a sweet peace as the Children of God find in themselves and joy unspeakable and glorious This is the life of this life having union with Christ and his Righteousnesse and spirit wee have this peace which is the way to Glory and the beginning of it For besides that Christ is our life in Glory afterwards in this life he is our life Answerable to our servile feare as wee are dead in law we have a life in justification As wee are dead in nature so we have a life in sanctification wee are dead in despaire and runne into terrours of Conscience so wee have a life in joy and peace But all those in this life are imperfect because there is only an union of Grace here till wee come to the union of Glory in Heaven and then at the day of judgement there will bee a perfect justifying of us wee shall not only be acquitted in our conscience as we are now but wee shall bee acquitted before Angels and Divels and Men and Christ will acknowledge us these are they for whom I dyed these are they for whom I made intercession in Heaven we shall be acquitted there and there wee shall be acknowledged And then the life of sanctification that is now in part shall then be perfect and likewise the peace that now passeth understanding shall then bee
for all for this sickenesse of body and disquiet of mind and all annoyance and adversity and it is revealed before hand for our comfort that there shall be such a time that wee may make use of it that we may ground our patience upon it When Saint Paul exhorts to patience saith hee The Lord is at hand and Saint Iames saith The Iudge standeth at the doore Let us be patient in infamies and sufferings it will bee otherwise ere long Christ is at hand Againe that wee might continually be breathing out thankefulnesse to God Our whole life should be spent in thankefulnesse to God Even as the Angels in heaven that stand in the presence of God and the blessed spirits in heaven they spend that vigour that is in them they spend all that is in them in praising God in thanks and laud to God and sing Glory glory so before-hand knowing that ere long we shall appeare with Christ and appeare in glory let us thank him before hand As Saint Peter saith Blessed be God that hath begotten us againe to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. reserved in heaven for us Let us blesse God before-hand as if we were in heaven already Certainely if we hope to be with those that shall sit in heavenly places in heaven to prayse God we will begin it on earth for the life of heaven is begun on earth we are Kings now we are Priests now wee are conquerours now we are new creatures now we must praise God and begin the imploiment of heaven now for what they do perfectly that we begin to do In heaven we know there is no ill company we will abstaine from it now there is no defilement of sinne wee will conforme our selves to that estate wee hope for There is nothing but praising of God as much as may be wee will warme our hearts with the moditation of what God hath done what he doth and what he hath reserved for the time to come with that we have in hope The best things of a Christian especially are in hope for that which we have by Christ principally is not in this world therefore considering that the best things that Christ died for are in hope let us rejoyce in hope and in rejoycing have our hearts inlarged with praysing of God for that we hope for And be comforted in all the changes of this life all the changes for the time to come and in death it selfe which is the last change are not all degrees to make way for that glorious appearing with Christ for the soule at death goes to heaven and the body shall come after why should wee be loath to die when death is nothing but a change from misery to happinesse a change from the danger of sinning to an impossibility of sinning from a vale of misery to a place of happinesse from men to God from sinfull persons that trouble our peace and quiet to better company in heaven from actions that are sinfull to actions altogether free from sinne It is a glorious and blessed change every way wee shall have better company better place better imployment all glorious then till the time come that all the Elect be gathered together and then body and soule shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thess. 4. Why then should we feare changes when all changes shall end in that that is better Is a labouring man loath to have his hire or a weary man loath to have rest is a King loath to be crowned is a partie contracted loath to have the marriage consummate why should wee bee loath to die Wee should be ashamed of our selves that we have bin so long in the Schoole of Christ and yet have not learned to unloose our affections from earth to beter things that wee stand in feare of death that makes way to the glory of the soule now and the eternall glory of body and soule after In a word wee are exhorted in the beginning of the Chapter to have our minds in heaven where Christ is and wee are exhorted after the text to mortifie our earthly members two necessary duties to have our conversation in heaven before we be there and to mortifie our earthly members to dye in our affections to earthly things before wee dye indeed would wee have strength put into our soules to performe both these Let us oft meditate of the things that are betweene these verses Let us consider that we are dead so we should bee more lively to God Consider that our life is hid with Christ that Christ shall appear ere long and wee with him in glory Wee should raise our thoughts to be with Christ and draw our souls up to Heavenly things for the more our affections are upwards the lesse they will bee below our affections are finice the more we spend them on heavenly things the lesse they will run on earthly As a man in a trance his thoughts are taken up with one matter that he is dead to other things so the soule which is taken up with the glory to come and with Christ it is dead to earthly things only it takes them for necessary use as having use of them in our travell but it useth the world as if it used it not And this issues from this principle that wee shall ere long appeare with Christ in Glory There is no man but will drowne himselfe too much with the things of the world that hath not this to raise up his soule I shall appeare ere long with Christ in glory and then these things will be consumed The last point is how these depend one upon another that because Christ shall appeare in Glory therefore we I will touch it a little because it is a point of faith that helpes our judgement a little It is a ground of Divinity that whatsoever is in us that are members it is in our head first for God is first and then Christ mediator and then we whatsoever is good is in us or shall be to us it is in Christ first He is justified from our sinnes for he was our surety for sinne hee was abased for them first therefore hee shall appeare then without sin to Glory Our sin was but imputed to Christ he became our surety for sin and he must be abased therefore we cannot bee glo rious here because of our corruptions Christ was surety for our sinnes in his first comming now his resurrection shewed that hee had satisfied for our sinnes the second time he shall appear in glory why are we justified from our sins because Christ our surety was acquitted We ascend gloriousâ—… to heaven where is the ground of it he ascended first and we ascend for him and in him We sit in heavenly places why because he is in heaven before hand as the Husband takes up a place for his wife why doth she goe into the countrey and take it up after because her husband hath gone before and taken it Our
heaven wee hope for a Saviour from thence The third reason is from the condition of the body how ever it was now for the present He shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body Who shall change our vile body You see here the Apostle having set himselfe upon a holy and heavenly meditation he could not satisfie himselfe but goes from point to point setting downe his present holy conversation grounded upon his future hope of a blessed state to come Christ shall change our vile body Our bodies are vile and our bodies here is the point then that The best mens bodies in this world are vile Vile in regard of the matter whence they are taken the earth from the dust the fairest body is but well coloured dust base and vile from the beginning from the wombe base in the whole life base in death most base after death They are base I say in the beginning But especially base in our life our bodies are base in regard of labour Man is borne to labour in this world as the sparkes flie upward God would humble the body of every man with labour or else those that have not the labour of men here shall have the labour of devils hereafter The best body of the best Saints are condemned to labour Vile likewise in regard of sicknesse and diseases which grow out of the body so that be it kept never so warme and tenderly yet as the wormes grow out of the very wood and consumes the wood that breeds it so diseases grow out of and come from the body There is a fight and conflict betweene moysture and heate till the one prey upon the other and consume it In regard of sickenesse therefore they are vile bodies In regard likewise of disposing the soule the worst way for take all tempers of the body they incline the soule to some sinne or other to some ill disposition or other Choller inclines it to intemperate anger Melancholy to distrust and darkenesse of spirit The Sanguine inclines it to liberty and loosenesse c. Phlegme to deadnesse and dulnesse of spirit So our base bodies make the soule dull it becomes an unfit instrument whereby the soule cannot worke as it would an unfit house the body is oft times a darke house sometimes a house that drops in with moist diseases a house that lets in water and so consumes it to rottennesse sometimes it is a house fired by hote diseases it is thus indisposed and therefore a vile body A vile body likewise that when it is thus indisposed there is no comfort in the earth that can comfort it for all the foundation of comfort in this world is the health of this poore body A Kingdome nay all the Kingdomes in the world will not comfort a man if his body be not in tune and alas how soone is this body out of tune An instrument that hath many strings is soone subject to be out of tune and there are many strings in the body how many turnings how many instruments doth the soule use if any be out of tune the musicke is hindred it becomes an unfit instrument in this regard it is a vile body In regard likewise of the necessities of nature this body is vile in this world I speake not of what comes from the body in which respect it is base and vile but how many things doth this vile body stand in need of man in that respect is the basest creature in the world he is b-holding to the wormes he is beholding to nature to feed him in health in sickenes the body needs patching up and piecing by this creature and by that so it is a vile body in regard of the necessities of it in health in sickenesse in youth in age It is vile in life I need not stand on this It is more vile in death in the houre of death then it is base and vile indeed can wee indure the sight of our dearest friends how noysome is their presence after death and the most exquisite temper is the most vile and noysome of all those that are most delicately fed and most beautifully faced are most offensive and this is the condition of all That head that wore a Crowne those hands that swayed a Scepter those braines and that understanding that ruled many Kingdomes all are subject to death yea and to basenesse after death as well as those that are poorer And then they are vile bodies because they are subject to all manner of deaths the bodies of Gods Saints have beene cast out to the fowles of the Ayre the poore Martyrs how many wayes have they tasted of death These bodyes are subject to all manner of deaths to variety of deaths therefore they are vile bodies And then they are vile after death as wee were taken out of dust at the first so we returne to dust againe and if these bodies be not transformed to be like the glorious body of Christ they are most vile of all The spirit of despayre the spirit of anger that is in reprobate persons how doth it disfigure their faces one may see their shame their griefe their despayre in their very lookes so their bodies are most vile and dishonourable but I speake of Gods Children I say here in this world in regard that they come of parents that are miserable and sinfull Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery Iob 14. 1. Man that is borne of a woman of a weake miserable sinfull woman in this respect it is a vile body And in all the passages of our life in respect of labour and paine and sickenesses and diseases and likewise for indisposing the soule that it is an instrument to ill and in death it selfe more vile then in life and after death most of all vile So you see they are vile bodies every way To make some use of this If this be so considering what the condition of our body is here let this abate the pride of the greatest let them consider when they looke upon their gay apparell what doth these garments hide when great Magistrates and others have their purple on let them consider what doth this glorious garment cover nothing but dust a vile body why should wee be proud then of our bodies or of any ornament of our body seeing it is a vile body Againe if our bodies be vile and base why should wee spend the strength of our soules in searching to satisfie the lusts of so vile a body and so make our soules nothing else almost but stewards to proule how to content how to cloath and how to feed this body as it is the study of many idle vaine persons almost all the day long to give contentment to the craving lusts of this vile body they make even an idoll of this poore base piece of flesh and sacrifice the best of their thoughts and the best of their studies
body of our blessed Saviour now in heaven is wondrous beautifull and so shall our bodyes be how deformed soever they be now Let us not stand therefore upon any present deformity of our bodyes now with yeares or sicknesse or other meanes they shall not alway be so we shall have beautifull bodyes Nay more then so the third indowment is we shall have glorious bodyes as we see Christ in the mount when hee was transfigured and Moses and Elias were with him his body was glorious they could hardly behold him And Christ in Revel 1. he appeares as the Sunne in his full strength his body is wondrous glorious now in Heaven and so hee is represented there If the very representation of him while he was upon earth was so glorious in the mount what is it in Heaven S. Paul could not endure the light that shined to him Act. 9. So shall our Bodies bee like the glorious Body of Christ. What a glorious time will it be when the glorious body of Christ shall appeare and all the Saints shall appeare in glory what a reflexion of beauty and glory will there be one shining upon another when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints Oh! the glory of the body of Gods children it shall put downe all created glory all the glory of the Sunne and Moone and all the glory of these inferiour bodies are nothing to the glory of the body of a Christian that doth abase his body here for Christ and the Churches sake You see then these bodies shall be perfect and beautifull and glorious bodies in regard of the Iustâ—…e of them And likewise in the fourth place they shall be immortall bodies bodies that shall never die unchangeable bodies there shall be no altoration no death no sicknesse all teares shall be wiped from our eyes they shall be immortall bodies that shall never die as Saint Peter saith Wee shall have an inheritance undefiled immortall c. This is cleare therefore I will not stand in the inlarging of it In the next place our bodies shall be powerfull and vigorous now they are weake as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. Our bodies are â—…wen in weakenesse but then they shall be able to ascend and descend they shall be strong even as the body of Christ wee shall have strong bodies as all imperfection so all weaknesse shall be taken away In the sixth place they shall be spirituall bodies that is they shall not stand in need of meat and drinke and sleepe and refreshings as now they doe but Christ will be all in all to them he will be instead of meat and drinke cloathes yea and in stead of the Ordinances that we stand in need of here the Word and Sacraments he will be all in all And our bodies shall be spirituall in another regard because they shall be subject to the spirit whereas now our very spirits are flesh because the flesh rules and tyrannizeth over them so our soules follow our bodies the soule of a carnall man is flesh but then out flesh our bodies shall be spirituall not that they shall be turned into spirits that is not the meaning but spirituall bodies obedient and obsequious to the very guidance of the soule to a sanctified and glorious soule these shall be the indowments of our bodies They shall be perfect bodies beautifull glorious shining bodies immortall unchangeable bodies powerfull strong and vigorous bodies ready to moove from place to place and spirituall bodies they shall stand in need of no other helpe and they shall be obedient altogether to the spirit You see now how these vile bodies draw away our soules then all imperfections shall be taken away wee shall have purged bodies and purged soules Thus you see wherein the glory of the body shall consist Let us therefore often seriously thinke of these things and let me renew my former exhortation let us be content to make our bodies here vile for Christs sake that they may be thus glorious Let us abase them in labour and paines in our calling in suffering we doe no more then he did for us first Was not his body first vile and then glorious and doe we thinke that our bodies must not be vile before they be glorious not onely vile whether we will or no but we must willingly make them vile we must be willing to be disgraced for Christs sake to carry his death about us to die daily in the resolution of our soules How was he abased before he was glorious hee tooke on him our bodies at the worst not in the perfection as it was created but hee tooke the body of man now fallen Againe what paines did hee take in this body and how was he disgraced in this body that sacred face was spit upon those blessed hands and feet were nayled to the Crosse that blessed head that is revereâ—…ced of the Angels it was crowned with thornes How was his body every way in all the parts of it abased and made vile for us he neglected his refreshings for us it was meate and drinke to him to doe good If he became vile for us if he abased his body for us certainely wee should be ashamed if wee be not content that our bodies should be made vile for him that afterwards they may be made like his glorious body Away with these nice Christians that are afraid of the wind blowing on them or the Sunne shining upon them that are afraid to doe any thing or to suffer any thing and so in sparing their bodies destroy both body and soule Consider whoever thou art this is not a life for thy body this present life is a life for the soule we come now to have the Image of God in our soules in this life especially and to have in our soules the life of grace here but the life and happinesse of our body is for this second comming of Christ the glory of the body this life is not a time for the body doe what wee can it will be a vile body cherish it set it out how thou canst those painted sepulchres that would out-face age and out-face death and by colours and complexion c. hide those furrowes that age makes in the face they are but vile and age and death will be too good for them to dust they will Why should we regard our bodies this life is not for them though we 〈◊〉 dainty of them Let us use this body here so as it may be glorious in the world to come we should suffer our soules to rule our bodies and to doe all here that both body and soule may be glorious after For indeed all that the body hath here it is beholding to the soule for why therefore should it not be an instrument for the soule in holy things doth not the soule quicken it hath it not its beauty from the soule when the soule is gone out of the body where is the life where is the
them the Spirit of God sanctifying their soules and bodies stirring them up to holy duties guiding and leading and mooving them to holy actions they may from the sanctifying Spirit that is an earnest to them know what shall become of their bodies Hee hath given us the earnest of the Spirit To confirme this there is an excellent place in Ro. 8. 10 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his If Christ bee in you the body is dead c. It is a vile body it as good as dead it hath the sentence of death already it is dead in regard it is sentenced to death for sinne as a malefactor that hath his sentence But the Spirit is life in regard of righteousnesse What then if the sanctifying Spirit of Christ dwell in you Hee that raised Iesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies The same Spirit that sanctifies these soules of ours our bodies and quickens them to holy duties the same Spirit shall raise our bodies As the same Spirit that sanctified the blessed masse of the body of Christ that he carryed and raised his body the same Spirit that sanctifies our soules shall raise our bodies The Spirit of God when hee hath begun to sanctifie us he never leaves us hee goes along in all changes in life in death to the grave as God said to Iacob I will be with thee there The Spirit of God he will mold our dead bodies and make them like the glorious body of Christ the Spirit of God never leaves our soules or bodies Therefore if wee find the earnest of the Spirit if we find the worke of the Spirit or the comfort of the Spirit which is the tearme the Scripture gives Ioy in the Holy-Ghost and peace of conscience together with the Spirit sanctifying us especially in the time of trouble when God sees his Children have most need they have the earnest of the Spirit the beginnings of grace and joy the beginnings of heaven upon earth by this they may know as the first fruit is so likewise is the harvest as the earnest is even so is the bargaine as wee have it now in our soules so we shall also have it in our bodies and soules hereafter These three grounds Saint Paul hath why his hope of heaven was a good hope wee groane for it and wee are wrought for it wee are fitted for it There is no man can hope to be glorious in his body but his soule must be fitted for it it must be a fit jewell for so glorious a casket a fit inhabitant for so glorious a Temple as the body shall be the body shall be fitted for the soule and the soule for the body they are wrought for it And then hee hath given us the earnest of the Spirit What need I quote further evidences the Scripture being thus pregnant I beseech you often consider your desires whether you be content to live here alway or no to satisfie the vile lusts of your body or whether you desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ when you have done the worke that God sent you for into the world if wee be content to abase our selves for God here who hath provided so much glory for us hereafter and when the time comes we can desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ it is a good signe if wee have the beginnings of the new creature yee are wrought for it that our soules are fitted for a glorious body we have the earnest of the Spirit the same Spirit that sanctifieth our soules and that quickens our soules with joy and peace the same Spirit shall raise our bodies Comfort your selves you that are Christians though you bee weake with this that if you have but the earnest of the Spirit undoubtedly you shall have a glorious house instead of this tabernacle of dust Christ will change these vile bodies that they shall be fashioned like his glorious body I beseech you therefore oft thinke of this think of the time to come comfort your selves with things to come In 1 Thess. 4. Saint Paul would have us talke one to another often of this this should be the matter of our conference not onely the state of the Church and our owne estate here but how it shall be with us when we are gone hence how it shall be with us world without end hereafter we should conferre and speake and oft meditate and thinke of these things What can be grievous what can be over burdensome to that soule that knowes it hath the pledge and earnest of glory hereafter How doth it quicken the soule to any indeavour when once we know that how soever we abase our selves here yet we shall have glorious bodies hereafter It will quicken us to any indeavour to any thing for Christ therefore let us oft thinke of our estate to come let us set our thoughts foreward to the time to come Let faith make the times to come present and that will make us heavenly minded What made Saint Paul converse as if he were in heaven faith made the estate to come present and hope which is grounded on faith it lookes to Christs comming to change our vile bodies so faith and hope they make the soule looke upward they make it heavenly minded Our soules are dull and our bodies are dull in this world but as Iron if it be touched with a Load stone up it will so if wee get faith and hope to looke foreward what shall be done to us for the time to come the spirit of faith and hope if it touch the soule will carry our dull bodies and our dead soules upward Therefore let us cherish our faith and hope by often meditation of the blessed estate to come and thinke of these two things of the excellent estate of our bodies and soules then for if our bodies shall then be glorious like the body of Christ our soules much more the inhabitant which is the speciall part the soule shall be much more glorious Let us thinke oft of this glory as it is described in the Word it transcends our thoughts wee cannot thinke high enough of it and our interest and assurance of it And daily search our selves whether our hope be good or no that we have sound evidence that our title is good to glory Let us examine our selves by those signes I named before Where are our desires what worke hath the Spirit of God in us how doe we use these bodies of ours As we use them now wee must looke they shall be used hereafter Let our tongues be our glory now and they shall be glorâ—…ous tongues afterward to praise God in heaven their bodies that have beene glorious here shall be glorious in heaven Wee may read our estate to come by that we are here those that carry themselves basely and filthily and dishonourably here we may know what will become of them hereafter Let us oft thinke of the estate
whole man And it discovers indeed that it hath a distinct life and excellency in it selfe by reason that it thwarts the desires of the body when it is in the body Reason if there be no grace in the soule that crosseth the inclination of the body grace much more And we see oft-times when the outward man is weake as in sicknesse c. then the Understanding Will and affections the inward man is most sublime and rapt unto heaven and is most wise Take a man that hath been besotted all his life time that hath beene drunke with the pleasures of a carnall life that hath beene a covetous wretch an earth-worme that enjoyes not heaven but lives as his wealth and lusts carry him in slavery yet at the houre of death when hee considers that he hath scraped together and considers the way that his lusts have lead him and that all must leave him now he begins to be wiâ—…e and speakes more discreetly hee can speake of the vanity of these things and how little good they can doe Indeed many way the most men are not wise untill that time therefore the soule of it selfe hath a distinct being because when the body is lowest it is most refined and strong in its operations Likewise it appeares by the projects that it hath of the time to come the soule especially of men that are of more elevated and refined spirits it projects for the time to come what shall become of the Church and Common-wealth what shall become of posterity and of reputation and credit in the world Certainly unlesse there were a subsistence of it selfe it would never looke so much before hand and lay the grounds of the prosperity of the Church and Common-wealth for the time to come I will not stand further on it but rather make some use of it Let us know which is our best part namely the soule that hath a being after death that we doe not imploy it to base uses for which it was not made nor given us doe we thinke that these soules of ours were made and given us to scrape wealth to travell in our affections to base things worse then our soules are they not capable of supernaturall and excellent things are they not capable of grace and glory of communion with God of the blessed stampe of the Image of God Let us use them therefore to the end that God gave them And let us not deserve so ill of our soules as to betray them to cast them in the dirt to lay our Crowne in the dust This is our excellency what can keepe our bodies from being a deformed loathsome thing if the soule be taken away yet so we abase this excellent part oft times we abase it to serve the base lusts of the body which is condemned to rottenesse What is the life of most men but a purveying and prouling for the body The lusts of the body set the wit and affections on worke to proule for it selfe what a base thing is this Were our soules given us for this end and especially considering this that our soules are immortall that they shall never die but be for ever let us not altogether spend this precious time that is given us to save our soules and to get the Image of God stamped upon them I say let us not spend this precious time in things that will leave us when our soules shall live still let us not carry the matter so that our soules shall out-live our happinesse All worldlings and base creatures they out-live their happinesse for where do they plant it in the base things of this life all their life long they are prouling for those things that they must leave when they die whereas their soules shall not die but everlastingly subsist What a misery is this that these soules of ours shall have a being when the things wherein we placed our happinesse and abused our soules to gaine them they shall have an end The soules of such men that seeke the things of this life shall have a being in eternall misery Indeed so it is for these soules of ours the same degree they have in excellency if they be used as they should if we doe not abase them the same degree they shall have in basenesse and misery if wee abuse them and make them slaves to earthly things For as the Devils the same degree they had of excellency when they were Angels the same degree they have in misery now they be Devils The more excellent the creature is when it keepes its excellency the more vile it is when it degenerates so these soules of ours that next to Angels are the most excellent creatures of God the more excellent it is if it get the Image of God stamped upon it and the new creature and have the life of grace the more cursed is the state of the soule if it subsist to everlasting misery It were happy if the soules of such creatures were mortall that labour for a happinesse in this life Oh! that we would thinke of this Most men in the bosome of the Church which is lamentable to thinke they live as if they had no soules They overturne the order that God hath set that hath given us our bodies to serve our soules they use all the strength and marrow of their wits all the excellencies in their soules for the base satisfaction of the lusts of the body so much for that point The third is that There is a wide broad difference betweene the death of the godly and of the wicked The godly are happy in their death for here we see it is a matter desirable This caitiffe this wretched man Balaam Oh! saith he Let me die the death of the righteaus and let my last end be like his It being the object of his desire it is therefore certainly precious the death of the righteous And indeed so it is holy and gracious men they are happy in their life while they live they are the sonnes of God the heirs of heaven they are set at liberty all things are theirs they have accesse to the Throne of grace all things worke for their good they are the care of Angels the Temples of the Holy-Ghost Glorious things are spoken of these glorious creatures even while they live But they are more happy in their death and most happy and blessed after death In their death they are happy in their disposition and happy in condition Happy in their disposition what is the disposition of a holy and blessed man at his end His disposition is by faith to give himselfe to God by which faith he dies in obedience he carries himselfe fruitfully and comfortably in his end And oft times the nearer he is to happinesse the more he layes about him to be fruitfull Besides his disposition he is happy in condition for death is a sweet close God and he meet grace and glory meete he
is in heaven as it were before his time What is death to him The end of all misery of all sin of body and soule it is the beginning of all true happinesse in both This I might shew at large but I have spoken somewhat of this point out of another Text. They are happy in their death for their death is precious in Gods sight the Angels are ready to doe their attendance to carry their soules to the place of happinesse They are happy in their death because they are in the Lord when death severs soule and body yet notwithstanding neither soule nor body are severed from Christ They die in the Lord therefore still they are happy Much might be said to this purpose and to good purpose but that the point is ordinary and I hasten to presse things that I thinke will a little more confirme it They are blessed in death And blessed after death especially for then we know they are in heaven waiting for the resurrection of the body There is a blessed change of all for after death we have a better place better company better imployment all is for the better There are three degrees of life The life in the wombe this world heaven The life in the wombe is a kind of imprisonment there the child lives for a time The life in this world it is a kind of inlargement but alas it is as much inferiour to the blessed and glorious life in heaven as the life in the wombe is narrower and straiter and and more base then this life wherein wee behold the blessed light and enjoy all the sweet comforts of this life They are happy after death then the Image of God is perfect in the soule all graces are perfected all wants supplied all corruptions wrought out all enemies subdued all promises accomplished waiting their time for the resurrection of the body and then body and soule shall sit as Judges upon the wretches that have judged them on earth and they shall be both together for ever with the Lord. I might enlarge the point much it is a comfortable meditation And before I passe it let us make some use of it If godly men be blessed and happy not onely before death in the right and title they have to heaven but in death because then theâ—… are invested into possession of that that makes them every way happy Therefore this may teach us who are truly wise A wise man is he that hath a better end then another and works to that end A true Christian man he hath a better end then any worldling his end is to be safe in another world and hee works and carries his forces to that end Let my last end be like his saith Balaam insinuating that there was a better end inregard of condition and state then he had aymed at A gracious man his end is not to be happy here his end is to enjoy everlasting communion with God in the heavens and hee frames all his courses in this world to accomplish that end and he is never satisfied in the things that make to that end A worldling he hath no such end he hath a naturall desire to be saved as wee shall see afterwards but a man may know that it is not his end for hee workes not to it He is not satisfied in prouling for this world he is not weary of getting wealth hee is not satisfied with pleasure so that his end is the things of this life Therefore let him be never so wise he is but a foole for he hath not the true end nor workes to it Wicked men are very fooles in the manner of their reasoning for they will grant that there is a happy estate of godly men in death and after death better if it be so why doe they not worke and frame their lives to it Herein they are fooles because they grant one thing and not another which must needs follow they doe beleeve there is such a happinesse to Gods children and yet seeke not after it If there be such a blessed estate of Gods children in death and after death I beseech you let us carry our selves so as that wee may be partakers of that happinesse let us labour to be righteous men labour to be in Christ to have the righteousnesse of Christ to be ours to be out of our selves in Christ in Christ in life in Christ in death and at the day of Judgment in Christ not having our owne righteousnesse as the Apostle saith but his righteousnesse and then the righteousnesse of grace and of a good conscience will alway goe with the other For this makes a righteous man to be in Christ and to have his righteousnesse and to have his spirit and the beginnings of the new creature in us Let us labour to be such as may live and die happily and blessedly and be for ever happy So much for that third point That which I intend mainly to dwell on is the last and that is this that Even a wicked man a wretched worldling may see this hee may know this happinesse of Gods people in death and for ever and yet notwithstanding may continue a cursed wretch Balaam here wishes Oh that I might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like his It was a strange speech of such a man as this was that his soule should be rapt up in this manner but indeed Balaam was scarse himselfe hee scarce understood what he said no more then the beast that carryed him But God will sometimes even stirre up the hearts of wicked men to a sight and admiration of the excellent estate of Gods children why For diverse reasons Among the rest for this that he may convince them the more of their owne rebellion when they see a more excellent estate then they are in if they will not take the course to partake of it Therefore at the day of Judgement it will justifie the sentence of damnation upon such wretches and they may pronounce selfe condemnation upon themselves Oh! what a terrour will it be when they shall thinke I had a better estate discovered I heard of it in the ministery of the Word and Gods Spirit revealed an excellent estate and I might have gotten it if I had improoved the blessed meanes that God made me partaker of and now I am shut out for ever and ever from communion in that estate To convince wretched men I say and to justifie the just sentence of damnation upon them that their hearts may goe with the sentence at the day of Judgement God thus enlightens them oftentimes that they see better courses if they had grace to take them What a thing is this that a wicked man should see such an estate and not take it And what serves that knowledge for but to damne them the more This is the estate of many men that live in the bosome of the Church and
consists other creatures wanting understanding to discerne a better good out of then in themselves their life being their good desire only the continuance of their owne beeing without society and fellowship with others But man having the knowledge of God the Creator of heaven and earth but especially of God the Redeemer providing for him a second beeing better then his first understandeth that his best and chiefest good dependeth more in him then in himselfe and because his happinesse standeth in acquaintance and fellowship with this God which is the chiefe good he desireth a communion with him that he may partake of his good This communion and fellowship of man with God was first founded on a Covenant of workes made with Adam in Paradise if he did obey and did not eat of the forbidden fruit he should have life both for himselfe and his posterity the which Covenant because God would not have forgotten hee afterward renewed in the delivery of the ten Commandements requiring from man obedience to them in his owne person exactly at all times perpetually promising life on the obedience and threatning death and cursing if hee continued not in every thing the law required to doe But this fellowship being placed in mans owne freedome and having so weake a foundation he lost both himselfe and it so that now by the first Covenant of workes Adam and all his posterity are under a curse for we cannot fulfill the law that requireth personall obedience perfect obedience and exact obedience hee that continueth not in all is cursed The Law then findeth us dead and killeth us it findeth us dead before and not onely leaves us dead still but makes us more dead Now after this fall mans happinesse was to recover againe his communion and fellowship with God and therefore we must have a new Covenant before wee can have life and comfort God must enter into new conditions with us before wee can have any communion with him God therefore loving man doth after the breach of the first agreement and Covenant when Adam had lost himselfe by his sinne and was in a most miserable plight as ever creature was in the world falling from so great a happinesse into wondrous misery hee raysed him up and comforted him by establishing a second a new and better Covenant laying the foundation of it in the blessed seed of the woman Christ the Messiah who is the ground of this new Covenant and so of our communion and fellowship with God without whom there can be no intercourse betweene God and us in love and because this Covenant vvas almost forgotten therefore now in Abrahams time God renewed it to Abraham in this place I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee c. There are foure periods of time of renevying this Covenant first from Adam to Abraham and in those first times of the vvorld those that were under the Covenant vvere called the sonnes and daughters of God the children of the promise and the covenant of grace was called a promise of the blessed seed Secondly from Abraham to Moses and then it was called a covenant and they the children of the covenant I will establish my Covenant A covenant is more then a promise and a more solemne thing because there be Ceremonies The third period of renewing the covenant of grace was from Moses to Christ and then it was more cleare when as to the covenant made with Abraham who was sealed with the Sacrament of Circumcision the Sacrament of the Pascall Lambe was added and all the Sacrifices Leviticall and then it was called a Testament that differeth a little from a Covenant for a Testament is established by blood it is established by death so was that but it was onely with the blood and death of Cattle sacrificed as a Type But now to Christs time to the end of the world the covenant of grace is most cleare of all and it is now usually called the new Testament being established by the death of Christ himselfe and it differs from a Covenant in these respects First a Testament indeed is a covenant but something more it is a covenant sealed by death the Testator must die before it can be of force so all the good that is conveyed to us by the Testament it is by the death of the Testator Christ Gods covenant with us now is such a covenant as is a Testament sealed with the death of the Testatour Christ for without blood there is no redemption without the death of Christ there could be no satisfaction and without satisfaction there could be no peace with God Secondly a Testament bequeatheth good things meerely of love it giveth gifts freely A covenant requireth some thing to be done in a Testament there is nothing but receiving the Legacies given In covenants ofttimes it is for the mutuall good one of another but a Testament is meerely for their good for whom the Testament is made to whom the Legacies are bequeathed for when they are dead what can they receive from them Gods Covenant now is such a Testament sealed with the death of Christ made out of love meerely for our good for what can God receive of us all is legacies from him and though hee requireth conditions requireth faith and obedience yet he himselfe fulfilleth what he asketh giveth what he requireth giveth it as a Legacie as we shall see afterward Thus you see that the communion and fellowship of man with God must either be by a covenant of workes or by a covenant of grace And we must distinguish exactly betweene these two covenants and the periods of them When the covenant of workes was disanuled by ours sinnes because we could not fulfill the Law exactly and perpetually God will have a new Covenant if wee beleeve in Christ we shall have everlasting life Now if wee sticke to the one we must renounce the other if it be of faith it is not of workes and if it be of workes it is not of faith This was excellently signified by Ioshua and Moses Ioshua bringeth the people to Canaan and not Moses Moses doth not bring any to heaven it must be Ioshua the Type of the true Jesus that must bring them through Iordan to Canaan This was typified also in the Arke there was the Law the Covenant of workes in the Arke but the propitiatory the Mercy-seate was above the Arke above the Law and from thence God made all his Answers to signifie to us that we can have nothing to doe with the Law without the Propitiatory Christ is the Propitiatory the Mercy-seate in Christ God heareth us he makes all his Answers in the Propitiatory Christ. Therefore when the question is of salvation how wee have title to heaven Not by the merit of workes for then we reverse the Covenant of grace but our title is meerely by Gods mercy in Christ apprehended by faith The evidence indeed to prove our faith to be a true faith is from
spoken therefore of those that are of yeares of discretion we leave infants to the mercie of God Those therefore that are at yeares of discretion must have grace to answer the Covenant of grace by beleeving and renouncing To come therefore to our selves We that will answer to the Covenant made in baptism must perform it especially that that we then Covenanted what was that we answered that we would beleeve doest thou beleeve I beleeve every Article of the faith and doe you renounce the Devill and all his works I doe Therefore unlesse now we beleeve in Christ and renounce the Devill we renounce our Baptisme it doth us no good There are diverse kinds of people that overthrow their owne Baptisme Those that live in sins against conscience they doe renounce their baptisme in some sort those that feed their corruptions for in baptisme we are consecrated in soule and body to God we are given up to him we are not our owne his name is called on us we are called Christians therefore our eyes are not our owne our hands are not our owne our thoughts and affections are not our owne there must be a renouncing and a denyall of all sinne as farre as it is contrary to Christs spirit Those therefore that labour to feed their corruptions what doe they else so farre but renounce their baptisme and under the Livery of Christ serve the enemie of Christ the Devill that they should renounce Those that feed their eies with seeing of vanity and their â—…ares with filthy discourse those that suffer their feet to carrie them to places where they infect their soules those that instead of renouncing their corruptions feed them and their hearts tell them they cherish those corruptions they should renounce by baptisme what shall we think of these and yet they think to be saved by Christ. God is mercifull and Christ died when they live in a continuall renouncing of baptisme For a use therefore of exhortation if so be that this be the effectuall baptisme the chiefe thing that we ought to stand on this answer of a good conscience then I beseech you let us all labour for this eccho for this answer when God saith seeke yee my face to answer thy face Lord will I seeke When he saith I will be your God to answer we will be thy people when he saith in the Ministery beleeve to answer Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe let us labour to eccho this holie eccho is the answer in the Covenant of grace This answer of our faith is set downe in Scripture alway when it speaks of the estate of those that are in the Covenant of grace it is mentioned on our part that we take God for our God and Christ for our Christ My beloved is mine and I am my beloveds there is a mutuall owning of both sides Therefore if we would answer the Covenant of grace let us worke our hearts to answer when we heare in the Ministry and in the Covenant of grace answer Lord I desire to beleeve this And when there is any thing commanded let our hearts answer and desire God to bow our inward man to obedience that we may be plyable Let us labour to have that free spirit that holy David prayes for Psal. 51. That was stopped by reason of his sin for when we renew sins against conscience we stop the mouth of our prayers that we cannot goe to God we stop the mouth of conscience that we cannot goe boldlie to God therefore he had then lost that freedome of spirit Let us labour to be plyable to the spirit readie to answer God in all that we are exhorted to and to yeeld the obedience of Faith to all the Promises that is the state of those that are in the Covenant of Grace there is the answer of a good Conscience Therefore let us resolve to take this course if we would attaine the answer of a good Conscience First of all labour that our consciences may be convinced of the ill that is in us that we may have a good troubled conscience first that we may know thorowly what our estate by nature is And then labour in the second place to have prace and then rayse and renew our purpose to serve God in all things and to trye the truth of this let us put interrogatories to our selves let us aske our selves doe I beleeve doe I not daube with my heart doe I obey doe I willingly cast my selfe into the mold of Gods word and willingly obey all that I heare doe I not deceive my selfe let us propound these interrogatories God is greater then our conscience if we answer God with reservations I will answer God in this and not in this I will yeeld to religion as farre as it may stand with my owne lusts and advantage this is not the answer of a good conscience What is done to God must be done all what is done zealously and religiously hath respect to all Gods Commandements and promises to one thing as well as an another If our hearts tell us there are reservations from false grounds here is not the answer of a good conscience Therefore let us search our selves and propound questions to our selves whether we beleeve and obey or no and from what ground wee doe it And let us make use of our Baptisme upon all occasions as thus Satan hath two wayes of tempting One is he tempts to sinne and then he tempts for sinne to accuse our consciences to make a breach betweene God and us that we dare not looke upon God when he tempts us or our corruptions move us or the world by allurements would draw us to any sinne let us thinke of our Baptisme and the answer we have made there and make use of it is this agreeable to the promise I made surely I have renounced this shall I overthrow my owne promise I make conscience to make good my promise to men and shall I breake with God I have promised to God to renounce the flesh the world and the Divell to renounce all these corruptions Let us have these thoughts when we are solicited to sinne when proud nature would have us set up the banner of pride I have renounced these proud affections I shall overthrow my baptisme if I yeeld And so for the enlarging of our estates or for getting up to honour to please mens humours to breake the peace of my conscience these things we have renounced the world and the vanities of it in our Baptisme The life of many is nothing but a breach of their vow and Covenant in Baptisme How will they looke at the houre of death and the day of judgement that God should keepe his promise with them to give them life everlasting when they never had grace to keepe touch with him notwithstanding their ingagements in Baptisme and their so often repeating it at the Communion and their renewing of their vowes when they
have beene sick How can we looke for performance on Gods part when we have not had grace to performe our part but our whole life hath beene a satisfying of our base lusts Let us make that use in temptations to sinne let us fetch arguments against sinne from our Baptisme from the answer that we made then for we must make good now that that was made then or else it is in vaine Againe when we are solicited by Satan to be discouraged let us consider that we are baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost and consider that the promise is made whensoever we repent without any expection of time nay though we have broke with God for Satan will use that as a chiefe weapon thou hast fallen thou hast fallen yet as it is Ieremiah 3. Though a man will not take his wife after a breach yet God transcends us hee is God and not man therefore after breaches if wee yet answer his command and his promise for the command of beleeving is upon us while we live if we beleeve and confesse our sins we shall have mercie if we come cast our selves upon Christ. Therefore after relapses let not Satan abuse them to make us despaire Baptisme is a seale of our faith and faith is enjoyned us all the dayes of our life all this time of life is a time of grace and we are commanded to repent and beleeve Let not Satan therefore discourage us after sinne let us goe to our Baptisme it is a seale to us of faith and repentance whensoever we beleeve and repent When we are solicited to distrust in God for the things of this life any way as if God cared not for us let us consider that we have answered that we beleeve in God the Father Almightie therefore he is our Father he knowes what is good for us and he loves us he is an Almightie God it is an article of our faith that we have answered to let us make it good upon all temptations in that kind Dothnot God care for us he had an Arke for Noah in the worst times when the flood overwhelmed the whole World So if there be the answer of a good Conscience he will have an Arke for his Noah's to save and protect and defend us he is a Father Almightie Let us know the grounds of our Religion the Articles of our Faith the grounds and foundation of our Faith let us consider the good things promised there and consider withall that wee have all ingaged our selves to beleeve those things and to make use of our faith upon all occasions Those that cannot read if they have no other let them looke on these two Bookes the Booke of their Baptisme and the Booke of conscience they would be sufficient to instruct them some people pretend Ignorance consider what thou art Baptised to the grounds of Religion consider there what thou hast renounced consider in particular whether this thing that thou art moved to be Gods or the Divells command and answer Satan and thy lusts by not answering of them give them their answer and tell them a good conscience must answer Gods command and promise but they must have their answer by denyall by this answer of a good conscience Those that cannot read and are not learned let them make use of the learning of their Baptisme There is a world of instruction and comfort a treasurie of it in Baptisme I dare be bold to say if any Christian when he is tempted to any sinne to despaire or discouragement if he consider what a sollemne promise he hath made to God in Baptisme it would be a meanes to strengthen his Faith and to arme him against all temptations There is no man sinnes but there is a breach with God first in wronging the promise hee hath ingaged himselfe to in Baptisme Wee all that are heere have beene Baptised let us learne to make more Conscience of this Blessed Sacrament then wee have done and let us labour to have the answer of a good conscience at all times What a comfort is it when our hearts and Consciences makes a gracious answer to God in believing and obeying and in renouncing all Gods and our enemies What a comfort is such a Conscience It will uphold us in sicknesse in death and at the day of judgement in all ill times in this life A Conscience that hath answered God by believing his promises and hath renewed the Covenant to obey God in all things what a wondrous peace hath it Let the Devill object what he can let our unbelieving hearts object what they can yet notwithstanding if it bee a renewed sanctified Conscience it can out of the privity of its owne act say I have believed I have cast my selfe upon Gods mercy in Christ I have renounced these motions and suggestions and courses and though I bee overcome with temptations yet I heartily hate them What a comfort is this Conscience it is either the greatest friend or the greatest enemy in the world It is the chiefest friend when it is privy to it selfe of this resolute answer that it hath obeyed God in all things then Conscience is our friend it speakes to God for us at all times Then againe at the houre of death what a comfort it is that we have this answer of a good conscience especially at the day of judgement when we can looke God in the face a sincere heart a Conscience that hath laboured to obey the Gospell and to keepe Covenant with God it can looke God in the face for what in the covenant of grace goes for perfect obedience but sincerity and truth God requires that when the heart can say with Hezekias Lord thou knowest that I have walked perfectly before thee Lord I have believed and laboured to expresse it in my life and conversation though with much weakenesse yet in truth This sincerity will make us looke God in the face in the hour of death and at the day of judgement and in all troubles in this life A Christian that hath the answer of a good Conscience hee hath Christ to be his Arke in all deluges Christ saves us not only from hell and damnation but in all the miseries of this life If any thing come upon us for the breach of Gods Covenant as God threatneth Levit. 26 to send warre and famine c. For the breach of his Covenant what a comfort is it then for such as have kept the Covenant For then God hath an arke for such in ill times for every deliverance in evill times it comes from the same ground as the deliverance from hell doth why doth God deliver me from hell and damnation because he loves me in Christ and that moves him to deliver me in evill times if I keepe a good Conscience and that love that gives mee Heaven gives me the comforts of this life if I labour to have this answer
the deed 2 102 Who are truly wise 2 83 Word sâ—… Tremble Christians course opposite to the world 2 39 World how to be used 2 75 Workes see covenant Z How to know God is our God by our Zeale 2 128 FINIS Artis est celare artem Non ex personis probamus fidem sed ex fide personas Tertul. Novemb 5. Ioshua 6. 1 King 16. 34. Numb 14. Doct. 1. Men naturally trust to somewhat Rom. 10. Issue of false confidence dangerous 2 Cor. 10. 3 things in man by nature 1 False reasonings 2 Proud thoughts 3 Fore-casts of danger Vse Trial of our trust Observ. 2. God overturnes vaine confidence in the creature Proverb 6. Isay 50. Vse Ier. 20. Observ. 3. God dothit by weake meanes Reason That God may have the glory Digression Quest. Answ. Observ. 4. It is by faith in the use of means Rom. 4. Quest. Answ. Faith said to doe that which God doth Why only faith is named 1 Kingdom of Sathan resembled by wals of Iericho 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Coloss. 2. 2 Our owne corruptions 3 The Kingdom of Antichrist Luther Edward 6. The means to cast down the wals of mystical Iericho 1 The preaching of the word Quest. Answ. How to prevent the building the wals of spiritual Iericho 1 2 2 Thess. 2. 3 4 5 6 How to prevent our own destruction Ezek. 17. Isay 10. Gen. 15. Vse To set against Popery by faith Luther To set against our corruptions by faith Quest. Why God doth not subdue corruption at 〈◊〉 Answ. Quest. Answ. How to strengthen faith in the fall of our corruptions Iudg. 5. 3 4 Difference betweene Christians and others To labour for faith To try if vve have faith Scope of the words Blessing of Ministers to be regarded Custodes utriusque tabulae Not to curse particular persons Why God would not have Iericho built againe As a monument of Gods mercy and justice 2. It was dedicate to God 3 For terrour to the rest of the people 4 To draw others to come in 5 God would have it so The specification of the curse 1 King 16. 34. 3 God threatneth before he strike 1 Cor. 11. 32 To move us to turne to him Punishment proportionable to the sin Death of the First-borne a great judgement Why God sometimes punisheth parents in their children Quest. Answ. 1 King 16. 34. The words handled by way of Analogie Men build Iericho againe By retaining Iewish Ceremonies August 2 By reviving old heresies 3 By breaking statutes and wils 4 By upholding Popery Quest. Answ. How Popery sprang up How it is pulled downe Quest. Answ. How this Jeri cho is built againe Quest. Answ. How to stop the building of this Iericho 1 Knowledge of their tenents 2 Of their practise 2 â—…im 4. 2 To instruct young ones in grounds of divinity 3 To set up lights in darke place 4 To cherish good learning 5 To labour for Vnity 6 To be thankefull 7 To set against our corruptions Application concerning the feast of the nativity To consider our course of life Christs sentence unavoidable To tremble at Gods word Observ. God shewes himselfe to the understanding creature Man must not appoint how to serve God The knowledge of God by the creatures insufficient Observ. 2. God is willing to be known That God doth not shine on us is our owne fault Observ. 3. Gods goodnes communicative Or else he had not created the world Gods willingnesse to bestow his goodnesse Quest. Answ. No envie in God Two things wherein we are like God August Observ. The ground of obedience application 1 Gods truth belongs to all 2 Ground of necessitie of application A principle of Application Vse To beg the spirit of application Deut. 29. Danger of not applying the word 1 We dishonour God 〈◊〉 We rejoyce the Devill 3 We injure our selves We seeke God by his strength Davids obedience 1 Present 2 Pliable Psal. 110. Act. 4. 3 Perfect or sincere 4. Professed or resolute 5 Perpetuall Observ. Obedience to God sutable to his command 1 Pet. 3. To alleage the promise to God 1. In trouble Psal. 50. 2 In want 3 For acceptation Prov. 3. Prov. 13. 1 Pet. 4. Psal. 119. Nehem. 1. Psal. 119. What implied by seeking Ground of seeking Christians are seekers Psalme 24. Presence of God 1. Every where In the creatures 3 In necessitie 4 In the issue of all 5 In the Ordinances Revel 1. In seeking Gods face there is 1. Observance Prov. 29. 26. Psalme 62. 2 Dependance 3 Seeke Gods favour Psalme 4. To pray to him 5 To seeke him in his ordinances Use. Direction to seeke Gods face 1. Know him and our selves To know God in Christ. 2. Seeke Gods favour first 3 With pure consciences Psalme 66. Psalme 24. 3. Gen. 32. Seeke God in extremity Psal. 46. Psal. 23. Difference of men in extremitie To seeke God in his ordinances Prov. 1. To seeke God betimes Psalm 63. Incouragements to seeke Gods face Philip. 4. One faith from the beginning of the world Perseverance in faith Doct. Faith carries a Christian through all the passages of his life Quest. Answ. To die in faith what 1 In respect of the time past 2 The time present Psal. 16. 5. 3 The time to come Faith overcomes all that is terrible in death The horror of the grave 2 Tim. 1. 12. The pangs of death Parting of soule and body Losse of friends Company and imployment 1 Cor. 3. 16. Use. To labour for faith Death terrible Object Answ. Christians die in faith notwithstanding distempers Christians may want feeling As men live so they die God deales with men by promises Faith lookes on God by the promise Why he saith promises Promises to be oft thought on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser. God doth not reveale all things at all times To comfort all ages of the Church To be thankfull for what wee have Vnthankefulnesse Order of Gods Spirit working The eye of faith Things affect as present What kind of eye faith hath Faith sees afarre off 1 In regard of place 2. Time 1. Past. 2. To come Sight of faith quicke Things requisite to sight 1 Cor. 2. 10. 11. Quest. Answ. Sight of faith necessary Quest. Answ. Faith lookes to Gods power and truth Use. To labour for strong sight of faith Quest. Answ. Three things in a strong sight 1 When the thing seene is farre off 2 When there are clouds betweene 3 When there is little light To helpe the sight of faith 1 Take heed that Satan blind not Simile 2 Desire God to open our eyes 3 Get a sight of corruption Perswasion followes sight Sight convinceth Especially with taste Perswasion supernaturall Perswasion what Degrees to perswasion 1 Conjecture 2 Opinion 3 Knowledge from argument 4 Perswasion from authority of the speaker And some experience Degrees in this perswasion 1. In generall 2. Particular Spirituall perswasion necessary Quest. Answ. Sound perswasion is with particular interest Conviction double Quest. Answ. Particular perswasion sometimes weake God suspends
the knowledge of being in a good estate 1 To humble us Quest. Answ. How to know Gods children in losse of assurance Psalme 73. Vsually Gods children have particular perswasion Quest. Answ. If perswasion be not supernaturall 1 There will not be obedience 2 No holding out 3 No fruitfulnes Quest. Answ. Perswasion wrought by the spirit Quest. Answ. How the spirit perswades The manner of working this perswasion 1. Sweetly 2. strongly A strong work to perswade the soule Deut. 29. Use. To labour for spirituall perswasion 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. To begge the spirit Luke 11. Use. To desire God to perswade us God perswades with enlightning Evidence that we are not perswaded Faith makes much of what it hath Imbracing followes perswasion Triall of our estate by imbracing 2. Branches of faith To trie our està te by our affections Faith carries the whole soule The soule made for heavenly things Love of earthly things abaseth the soule What quiets the soule Micah 2. Want of faith scene by want of affections How to know nature is corrupted To shame our selves in want of affections To pray for affections Quest. Answ. What affections imbrace good things Gen. 17. 3. Quest. Answ. How this imbracing is wrought 1. By supernaturall knowledge To let goe other things Keepe the affections tender To meditate of Gods love in Christ. The excellency and necessitie of the good we hope for The hopefulnesse of them Iohn 17. Case Sol. Why the affections of Gods children are somtimes dead Scope of the words Difference betweene pilgrims and strangers Doct. Gods people strangers on earth Christians borne anew from heaven Heaven a Christians Country 1 Chron. 29. 15. August Christ a stranger on earth Iohn 1. We must have affection of strangers The Patriarchs strangers 1. In their owne esteeme Psal. 39. 12. 2. In Gods esteeme 3. In the worlds esteeme Object Answ. Wicked men how strangers here The carriage oâ—… him that is a stranger 1. He is going toward his country 2. Hee is contented Jerem. 45. 3. Patient 4. Thankefull The way to heaven smoother to some 5. He is glad of company 6. They minde their journies end 7. Though he step out of his way he comes in againe 8. He provides for all incumbrances 9. Inquires of the way 10. He useth things as they may help in his journey Indifferent things Apparent sins I Peter 2. 11. Hâ—… values not himselfe by outward things Dependance of the words A Christian dead how Life of a Christian hidden Psal 73. 7. Object Answer Question Answer 2 Cor. 4. Question Answer Iohn 17. 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rom. 8. Quest. Answer 1 Cor. 15. Quest. Answer Simile 1 Tim. 6. 13. 2 1 Pet. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Simile Simile Simile Iohn 14. 1. Quest. Answer Revel 1. Act. 9. 1 Cor. 15. Rom. 5. 1. Quest. Answer Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Observ. 1. The righteous die as well as the wicked Vse 1. To improoveâ—… the short time of life Vse 2. To use the world moderatly Observ. 2. The soule continues after death Life of the soule double 1 Reason It crosses the desires of the bodie 2 Reason It operates most in the bodies weakenesse 3 Reason It projects for the time to come Vse To use our soules to the end they were given Worldly men out live their happinesse Observ. 3. Great difference between the death of the godly and the wicked 1 The godly happy in life 2 In death 1 In disposition 2 In condition * See the Sermons on Philip 3. 21. 3 After death Three degrees of life Vse Who truly wise Godly mans end what Vse 2. To labour to partake of this happinesse Righteous man who A wicked man may know the happy estate of Gods children Reason 1. To justify God in their condemnation Reason 2. To restraine their malice Degrees of wicked men Vse Not to refuse all that ill men say Vse 2. To go beyond wicked men in our desires Difference of desires in true Christians others 1 They are notâ—… constant 2 They are not from an inward principle 5 They are not growing desires Cant. 1. 6 They are not strong Desires the best character of a christian 7 They desire happines not holinesse Wicked men desire not heaven aright Simile Conviction of such as come short of Balaam Directionshow to have holy desires 1 Beg the spirit of revelation Simile See what hinders good desires To â—…cherish good motions To renewe our covenants Question Answer Quest. Answer Why men want comfort in death Objection Answer When God accepts the will for the deed Objection Answer God leaves not good desires Gal. 2. Zach. 13. Gen 15. 1. Psal. 84. 1. The Arke a figure of Baptism in divers respects 2. Parts of the Text. 2. Parts of Baptisme The Devill carries to extreames Men prone to give too much to outward worship Psal. 50. Isay 1. Isay ult Reason outward performances easie and glorious 2. They dawbe Conscience Vse To performe inward service 2 Tim. 3. Vse 2. Ministers duty Christ the foundation of the Covenant of Grace Observ. There must be somewhat in us to make use of that is in Christ. Reas. 1. From the nature of the Covenant Reas. 2. Where agreement is there is a like disposition Vse To search our hearts for the evidence of our estate Covenant of grace why so called Demand of conscience proceedes from the answer of it Good conscience what Three degrees of a good conscience A troubled good Conscience 2. A peaceable good Conscience 3. A gracious good Conscience Heb. 13. Double ground of comfort Quest. Ans. How to know a good Conscience though troubled 1. If it answer God in trouble 2. By allowing Gods truth 3. By acknowledging Gods goodnesse Psal. 73. Quest. Ans. A man may know when he doth things graciously Ans. How to know what we doe from a good Conscience 1. It answeres towards God 2. From an inward principle Object Ans. Why Children are Baptised Simile Baptisme binds when we come to yeares Covenant in Baptisme Those that live in sins against Conscience renounce their Baptisme Exhortation to get this answer of a good Conscience Marke 9. Cant. 6. Psal. 51. How to get the answer of a good Conscience To make use of our Baptism 1. Against temptations to sin 2. In temptations to discouragment Ier. 3. 2. To distrust Comfort from the answer of a good Conscience Levit. 26. Verse 5. Psal. 41. Gal. 4. Psal. 109. Colos. 3. Simile Prov. 12. 18.