owne strength But when we are assaulted by the diuel the world and our owne flesh then we shal find that to resist is a harder matter then we dreamed of for as possible as it is for water to burne or fire to put out it selfe so possible is it for vs of our selues to resist sin insomuch as it is a thousand to one but that at euery assault our nature yeelds Now if it be so hard to rule ouer one sin how shal we do against that sea of temptations that ouerwhelmeth a Christian life this doctrine teacheth thee how namely to stick to thy faith and it wil doe it for thee for if it be the substance of the things thou hopest for which yet neuer were much more wil it yeeld vnto thee spirituall strength substance to make thee stand in all temptations When thou art tempted then call to minde Gods promises beleeue them that is apply them to thy selfe and be resolued that they were made shall be performed euen to thee theÌ„ though thou haue no more power of thy self then fire hath to cease to burne yet whilst thou doest thus thou shalt feele thy soule spiritually strengthned against all temptations feeling the experience of this deny theÌ„ thine own strength magnifie the power that God hath giuen vnto true faith Againe though now we are most of vs quiet vnder our owne vines and figtrees yet we know not how soon the hand of the Lord may be vpon any of vs in pouerty sicknesse imprisonment banishment losses famines or how it pleaseth him how shal a poore Christian stand and buckle himselfe to beare these I answer true sauing faith resting on the word of God beleeuing the promises not formally but truly wil put such substantiall spirituall strength into him as that at first though he bow vnder it yet shal he be able to recouer himself again buckle himself to go forward in his profession shal follow Christ manfully with this his crosse This wonderful power hath God giuen to sauing faith both to resist temptations and to vndergoe all crosses And thus much of the first action or effect of faith the second foloweth VERSE 2. For by it our Elders were well reported of THis verse containeth the second effect of sauing faith which is that faith is a meanes whereby a beleeuer is approued of God This verse hath speciall relation to the fift verse For that that is said here of all the Elders in generall is there affirmed specially of Enoch namely that hee was reported of to haue pleased God Let vs first search the true meaning of the words Elders That is all such men as liuing vnder the old testament beleeued in Christ amongst which though all be vnderstood yet some were more excellent in faith obedience then others so more honorable and of higher estimation with God and men and of them it is specially vnderstood Now concerning these Elders it is further said that they were well reported of hereby are meant three things 1. That God approued and allowed of them 2. That God did approue of them because of their faith in the Messias 3. That God gaue a testimony and declared that hee approued of them For the 1. it may be asked How were they approued of God Ans. Christ the sonne of God is he in whom the Father is well pleased Now they beleeuing in Christ their sinnes were laid on him and made his by imputation and contrariwise his holinesse obedience and satisfaction were imputed to them and by the same imputation made theirs Now that being theirs God being so well pleased with Christ could not but also for Christs sake approue of them If this seeme hard vnto any I make it plain by this comparison Looke as Iacob a yonger brother puts on Esaus garment the elder brother in it was takeÌ„ for Esau obtained his fathers blessing patrimony which by himselfe he could not haue got euen so we are as younger brethren Christ is our elder brother we haue no right nor title to our fathers blessing nor to the kingdome of heauen wee must put on the robe of perfect righteousnesse which is the garment of Christ our elder brother we standing clothed with 〈◊〉 purchase our fathers fauour and with his fauour his bleâ—â—â—ng and his blessing is the right and title to euerlasting life And thus by Christ they were approued Secondly for what were they approued The text saith By faith not because faith is an action of a sanctified minde and a good grace of God for so are humility loue feare of God al which are graces of the sanctifying spirit as faith is but because it is a worthy instrument in the heart of the beleeuer which apprehends and applieth to the soule that righteousnesse of Christ by which he is iustified thus it being the hand and instrument of their iustification by it it is said they were approued 3. The text addeth that God did not onely approue of them but that he testified and made it manifest to all the world that he did so And this testimony God gaue of them 1. In his word 2. In their owne consciences The truth of the first is manifest in that not onely in this chapter but often also in the old testament God hath mâ—de such honourable mention and giuen such honourable titles vnto many of these Elders calling Abraham the friend of God 2. Chron. 20.7 And Dauid a man after Gods own heart â— Sam. 13.14 and them all his anointed and deare chosen children Psalm 105.15 Thus God hath testified of them in his word 2. God testified it to their owne consciences in that hee gaue them his spirit inwardly to assure their coÌ„sciences that he did accept them in the Messias to come and thus these elders receiued a testimonie both outward to all the world inward to their consciences that God in Christ approued and loued them so the sense is plaine the vse hereof manifold 1. In that it is said these Elders were approued by faith here wee learne what is the olde and ancient way the right and straight way that hath no by-wayes to life euerlasting namely this only To rely on the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sin this is the way wherein all the ancient Elders walked to heauen this is the way that God hath opened made vnto his Court it is the Kings high way the beaten way common to euery one that knowes how to walke in it deceiued none that euer went in it beside which there is no other Seeing then God hath consecrated it our Elders haue trode this way before vs let vs folow them that so we may attain that kingdom wherto it hath brought them If any yet doubt whether this be the way or no the spirit of God puts it out of doubt Esay 30.21 First affirming peremptorily This is the way Secondly bidding vs therefore walke in the same This is
Then assuredly his heart is voide of true faith and farre from the life and power of religion For assuredly where God is knowen and beleeued there that mans heart though hee be a King cannot once thinke of God without a reuerence of his Maiestie and an admiration at his greatnesse and his owne basenesse therefore the want of this argueth a want of true religion and true faith in mens hearts Secondly this profanenesse discouers it selfe to the world by want of reuerence to Gods workes Let the Lord send vnseasonable weather or famines or plagues or any strange signes in heauen or in earth forthwith they are but fooles that cry out Behold the finger of God the hand of God No this is nature and is produced by naturall causes Ill weather comes from the starres famines from ill weather and mens couetousnesse Plagues from famines or from ill aires or else by apparant infection from another place But cannot Nature and naturall meanes haue their place vnlesse they haue Gods place God ouerthroweth not them why should they ouerthrow God Yet thus it is in the world and thus God is robbed of his glory and he is but a simple fellow which is moued with reuerence at sight of such things or begins to magnifie Gods power and iustice in them This is too apparant to be denied for haue wee not now as great causes of feare as can be Noah heard of water and wee heare that fire is to destroy the worlde and yeâ— where is hee that is mooued with reuerence as Noah was and yet Noah could saye The floud shall not be these 120. yeeres but who can say and proue that this world shal not be destroyed by fire within these 120. yeeres And till the floud came they had doubtlesse many otheâ— plagues which were fore-runners of the generall destruction all which as they came Moued Noah vnto reuerence and so wee in this age doe see the great workes of Gods Iudgements vpon men vpon families vpon townes vpon countries and whole kingdomes and wee feele his heauie hand in many sharpe strokes but who and where are they whose hearts feare God the more and doe tremble in the consideration of his Iudgements Nay alas amongst many it is but a matter of mockerie so to doe This is not the fault of our religion but the want of it for if men truly knew and beleeued in God they could not thinke nor speake of God nor looke at his workes but with feare and reuerence For as our feare of God is so is our faith little feare of God little faith and no feare at all no faith at all Let therefore all men shew their religion by their feare of God and let euery Christian acknowledge God in his workes England hath beene faulty herein in one point especially Wee haue had great plagues which haue taken away many thousands in short time wherein God hath shewed himselfe mighty against our sinnes But Gods hand would not be seene nor acknowledged but onely nature and naturall causes But let England take heede that God send not a plague so generall and so greeuous that euen the most profane men euen the sorcerers of Egypt if they were here doe acknowledge that it is the finger of God and so giue God that due reuerence which in his ordinary visitations he hath not Thus wee see the ground whence this reuerence in Noah sprang namely his faith Now let vs see the occasions or considerations in Noahs heart that made him feare The ground wherupon he feared was true faith for else he had not beene capable of any feare or reuerence of God but the occasions which stirred vp this feare in him were some things else Now if we looke to humane reasons Noah had no cause at all to feare as he did For first the Iudgement was farre off 120. yeeres after and common reason saith its folly to feare any thing so farre off but its time enough to feare when it is neere at hand Againe he was one single man and the world was full of wise and mighty men they all heard of it yet none of them feared therefore their exsample might preuaile with him to keepe him from feare and to make him secure and carelesâ—e with the rest for exsamples are strong especially when they are so generall Thirdly the strangenesse of the Iudgement threatned was such as might driue any man in reason from fearing it at all For first who would euer beleeue that God would drowne all the world with water such a thing neuer had beene and therefore how could it be And againe If all should be drowned who would thinke that Noah should escape and none but he These three considerations being wayed in the ballance of mans reason would haue kept Noah from fearing or beleeuing this word of God But behold the power of faith it goeth beyond all humane reach fixeth it selfe fast on Gods word and therfore he not only beleeueth it but hath furthermore his heart possessed with a great reuerence of Gods Maiestie vpon this message And there were three motiues stirring him vp vnto this Reuerence First the consideration of Gods strange Iudgement vpon the sinfull world to see that his wrath was so prouoked that he should bring so vnwonted a plague so strange both for the nature of it a floud of water to drowne men whereas generally all men can auoide the violence of that element for the measure of it so great as it should drown all the world and destroy all men Now that which this Iudgement of God wrought in Noah the same effect should Gods Iudgements worke in vs namely they should moue vs with reuerence For as Christ saith Our dayes are like Noahs As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall the dayes be before the comming of Christ Mathew 24.37 These dayes are as wicked men are as couetous as cruell as malitious as voluptuous and yet as secure as they then were as full of sinne and yet as dead in sinne as they were then Therefore Noah looked for a floud 120. yeeres after and who can tell whether our world shall last so long a time or no At least wee may safely say whatsoeuer the world doth there is no man liueth but within farre lesse time then 120. yeeres is assured to be throwen to hell by a floud of Gods wrath at his death vnlesse in the meane time hee repent and yet alas where is hee that is moued with reuerence at consideration hereof The wicked man may escape the water of a floud but hee cannot scape the fire of hell hee cannot escape death hee cannot escape the last Iudgement These are to come yet they are sure why then doe not men feare as Noah did hee feared 120. yeeres afore it came We can indeede tremble a little at a present Iudgement as when fire breakes out when waters ouerflowe when the plague destroyeth or when famine consumes but to tremble at a Iudgement threatned though it
deuoure the lesse Dogges will eate diuerse kindes of creatures if they can come by them These things are manifest and some of them be common sports in the world Now whence comes this feareful disorder in nature that one creature should deuoure another came it from the creation was the world ordained in this state that one creature should eate vp another the greater feed vpon the lesse no but sin brought this cōfusion our sin caused this pitiful massacre of all creatures one by another Let vs therfore at these sights be humbled for our sinne which caused so fearefull a disorder when thou seest thy Hawke flie so fiercely and so cruelly murder a seely bird thy Hound the Hart Hare or Connie then as God hath giuen thee leaue in good order measure and manner thus to deale with the creatures and therefore thou maist take delight in it so withall make this vse of it Whence comes this it was not so from the beginning When sinne was not in the world these would all haue lodged in one cage and cabbin and one neuer haue offred to haue eaten another my sinne caused this iarre and this disorder betwixt these two creatures This should humble a man because of his sinne and restraine his life frō too much liberty and his affection from too much delight in these kind of pastimes Againe when we see the cruelty of the Foxe the Wolfe the Beare toward the sheepe and other creatures Blame not too much the cruelty of the beasts for this was not in them at their creation but thy sinne made them thus cruell one against another Turne then into thy selfe and be ashamed of it and blame not so much the cruelty in them as thine owne sinne which caused it in them Againe some creatures are vnperfect some in parts of their body some in some senses and some are loathsome vgly to behold and some are venomous and hurtfull to the world Whē thou seest it consider whence is this They were not thus created for God ordained that is made all creatures in perfect order But this comes from thy sinne enter into thy selfe and acknowledge this and be humbled for it and do not so much contemne this creature for his imperfection nor loath him for his deformity nor hate him for his venome as contemne and loathe and hate thine owne sinnes which were the cause of all these Lastly some take great delight in faire buildings make no vse of them but for delight and pleasure but if they cōsider wel they haue no such cause it was not so at the creation Adam in his innocencie had a more sumptuous Palace ordained for him namely the Paradise of heauen and earth and yet trees were not cut in pieces nor the earth had her stones rent out of her bowels for the building of it Thy sinne it was that destroyed this Palace and sinne hath caused the necessitie of these buildings How then canst thou glory in thy buildings wilt thou glory in thy shame Canst thou be proud of these when thy sinne bereft thee of a better As therefore thy house is a comfort strength security and delight vnto thee so adde this one vse also let it in this consideration be a cause to humble thee for thy sinne The disorder that sin hath brought into the world might be shewed in more particulars but these may suffice being those of whom we haue most common vse and therefore do most commonly abuse To conclude this point I say vnto all men Doest thou see what disorder is now in the world in thy apparell meate recreations buildings Seest thou the confusion vanity corruption of all creatures the variance dissension and hatred of creatures amongst themselues Canst thou see all this and either not regard it at all or else take delight in it This is a cursed and abhominable delight If a rich man should consume all his wealth or throw it all on heapes and then desperately set his house on fire hath he any cause of ioy to see this If he sit still at this you will say he is senselesse but if he laugh at it he is madde So God created man rich in all blessings put him into the Palace of the world garnished this house of the world with exceeding beauty his meate his apparell his recreation his house were all excellent and glorious he made all other creatures amongst which there was nothing but concord loue agreement vniformity comelinesse and good order Now man by sinne fell by his fall not onely spent all his riches that is defaced the glory of his owne estate but also set his house that is the world on fire that is defaced the beauty of heauen and earth brought confusion corruption vanity deformity imperfection monstrous disorder on all creatures set all the world together by the eares one creature at variance and deadly hate with other so that one creature doth fight teare wound destroy and eate vp another O cursed damnable sinne of man that hath so shamefully disordered that heauenly order wherein God created all things at the beginning◠and miserable men are we which can sit still see this and not be moued but if we reioyce and delight in it certainly then a spirituall madnesse hath bewitched our soules Let vs therefore stirre vp our selues and looke about vs and seeing all the world on a fire about vs namely flaming in contention hatred and all disorder let vs for our parts seeke to quench it which because wee cannot therefore lament and bewaile it but much more lament and be humbled for our sinne which kindled this fire of disorder in the world Hitherto of the manner of the Creation By the word of God The third point is by what means The Text answereth the world was ordained in that excellent order by the word of God By this word is meant 1. Not any vocall word as if the Lord should speake vnto the creatures Nor secondly the substantiall word of the Father the second person although I confesse that by him were made all things Yet I take it it is not so meant in this place but rather as Moses doth Gen. 1. when he saith that in the creation God said It is in both places a comparison taken from a Prince who bids his seruants doe this and they doe it presently The Lord in this place is like a Prince he hath his word whereby he commaunded the world to be made That word I take it is his will for Gods willing of any thing is an effectuall commaunding of it to be done yea it is the doing of it for his willing of a thing to be is more then all the commaundements of all men in the world For if he doe but will it the thing is done what euer it be whereas all the world may commaund and yet it is no neerer From hence I take it this is manifest to be the surest sense for this place God willed the being
coÌ„pany At Abrahams request had there bin but 10. righteous men in Sodome all had beene spared for their sakes Gen. 18.32 When Ioseph dwelt in Egypt all Putiphars house and all in it though hee were a heathen man were blessed for Iosephs sake Gen. 39.5 When Lot was deliuered out of Sodomes destruction the Angels asked him Hast thou any sonnes in law that they might haue beene saued for his sake Gen. 19.12 When Paul and 276. soules with him suffred shipwracke and were all in present danger of drowning God saued Paul and for his sake all the rest God gaue him the liues of all that were with him in the ship Acts 27.24 And so here Noahs children and their wiues are spared for Noahs sake Let this encourage all men to serue God in truth and vprightnesse seeing thereby they shall not make themselues alone blesâ—ed but bring downe Gods blessing euen on their houses children and posterities yea the very places where and the people with whom they dwell shall fare the better for them And thus we see the causes reasons why not Noah alone but euen his houshold were also saued In the fourth place let vs obserue how the holy Ghost saith that Noah built the Arke not for the sauing of himselfe but of his houshold and it is so said for two causes First to shew that Noah though he were the head gouernour yet was one of the houshold for in the word houshold himselfe is comprehended Maisters and Fathers though they be gouernours yet must thinke themselues members of the houshold so will they haue more care thereof when they esteeme themselues members of the body and parts of the whole Secondly to teach vs what care Noah had for his family euen so great as hee prepared the Arke to saue them withall Here is an example of a worthy Maister of a houshold and yet all this was but for a temporall deliuerance Now if hee was so carefull for their bodily safety how much more was he to saue them from hell and damnation which he knew to be an eternall destruction of both soule and body Therefore doubtlesse as he was a diligent Preacher of righteousnesse to that sinfull world so principalâ—y a diligent Preacher and Prayer and Catechiser of his owne family that so he might make them Gods seruants and deliuer them from the eternall fire of hell Noahs example is to be a patterne to all Parents and Fathers of families to teach them care not onely for the bodies bodily welfare of their families but especially for their soules and spirituall welfare And if they be bound by all bonds of nature and religion to prouide for the bodies of their children let reason iudge how much more straightly they are tied to looke to their soules But S. Paul saith He that prouideth not temporall things necessary for his family is worse then an Infidel 1. Timo 5.8 Then what is he who prouideth nothing for their soules Surely his case is extremely fearefull Therfore when thou hast prouided meat apparell a calling and mariage house liuing for thy child think not thou hast done and so maist turne them off The world may take them thus But God will not take them so at thy hands No the greater duty remaines behind thou must prouide for their soules that they may know God feare his name Thou must with Abraham Gen. 18.19 Teach thy family that they may walke in the wayes of God I know Abraham saith God that he will do it And surely God will know all such as do so By doing thus men shal make their houses Churches of God as here Noahs was it would be far better with our Church State if men did so Ministers in the Church Iustices in the Country should haue much lesse to do if Maisters of families would do their duties But to goe further let vs see more particularly what this houshold was that was thus saued by the Arke First it was a family of foure men foure women not men or women alone but both and consisting of as many women as men Thus God would haue one sexe to loue another and one to think themselues beholden to the other the beginning of the first world was by one man one woman Of the second by foure men and foure women but alwaiâ—â— equall And here also God would teach men not to contemne the other though the weaker sexe for God saued as many of them from the vniuersall floud as he did men Secondly how many were they in all but eight persons Of the whole world no more were saued A miserable spectacle See what sinne can doe It can bring many Millions to eight persons in a short time See what it is to offend God Let vs not then glory in our multitudes but glory in this that we know and serue God for otherwise if our sinnes cry out to him against vs he can easily make vs fewe enow Thirdly what were these eight persons not one seruant amongst them all there were none but Noah and his wife his three sonnes and their wiues It is meruailous that here were none of Noahs seruants Some thinke he had none and that the simplicity of those dayes required no attendance but that each one was seruant to him selfe And they seem to gather it out of Gen 7.1 where God biddeth Noah Enter thou all thine house into the Arke And when they entred they are recounted in the seauenth verse to be none but himselfe his wife and his children therefore say they in Noahs house there were no seruants But why might not Noah haue seruants as well as Abraham and Lot had doubtlesse he had But behold a wonderfull matter Noahs owne seruants would not beleeue his preaching but chose rather to liue loosely with the world perish with it then to liue godly with their Maister and be saued with him This was and wil be true in all Ages that in a wicked age or in a wicked towne a Maister shal not be able to gouerne his owne seruants but the streame of common wickednesse and ill examples of other men doth draw them from the obedience of their Maisters They can readily alledge for themselues we wil not be vsed more hardly then other mens are we will not be tied to our houres bound to so many exercises we will do as others do Thus would Noahs seruants do and perished with the world So hard a thing is it for a good man to haue good seruants in such times or places where wickednes raigneth And thus wee haue seene in some sort How the Arke saued Noah and his houshold and what this houshold of his was Now besides this end and vse of the Arke we are further to know that whereas this sauing of them was but a corporall deliuerance from a temporall death this Arke hath also a spirituall vse which we may not omit for as many of Noahs family as were true beleeuers
for examples wee haue too many To som God saith Leaue thy priuate care which is for none but thy selfe be a Magistrate and vndertake the publike care of the common-wealth but they as though they were born for themselues will not imploy themselues in publike seruice To some God saith Leaue thy ease and thy care of worldlie credit and vndertake the teaching of my people and care not for the contempt of that calling so thou maist saue soules but their carnall carnall credit and ease is more deere vnto them then Abrahams kindred is to him they will not forsake them These and all that doe so may make what shew they will but they are not children of Abraham seeing they want his faith and they want in his faith because they faile in his obedience they must therfore learne to yeeld when God calleth and not to stand vpon such base allegations of wordly matters when Abraham left Country and kindred to obay God Secondly such men as respect not Gods calling but look what the swinge of their natures or the course of the wicked world carie them vnto they presently yeeld and obay not regarding whether it be Gods calling or no. Three sorts of men are most faulty in this kinde First such as are content to grow in wealth either by oppression as vsurie or extortion or by craft and dissembling or by any other such indirect course whereby their brother is hurt looking onely at gaine but not regarding whence it comes Secondly such as liue by dicing carding or by playes and Enterludes thinking any trade lawfull that brings in wealth or that gets money neuer caring whether God allow the calling or no. Thirdly such as liue in no calling but spend their time in eating drinking sleeping and sporting because they haue liuings of their owne and lands left by their parents All these and all such like doe obay indeede but whereunto not vnto Gods calling for alas he neuer called them to these courses but hath often recalled them from it therefore this is the obedience not of faith but of corruption and of the world which is a plaine disobedience vnto God For as the wisedom of the flesh or the world is foolishnesse with God Rom. 8 so obedience to the flesh or the world is disobedience and rebellion against God All such men must know that they are not the children of Abraham because they are not children of his faith Nor can they be heires of his faith because they practice not his obedience for Gods calling and no other rule for our liues must Christian men admit When he calleth they must obay and when he calls not or allowes not a course of gayning or a trade of life though all the world allowed it we must not follow it this will honour them and their profession before God Abrahams faith iustified him before God but his obedience iustified his faith obedience saith Samuel 1. Sam. 25.22.23 is better then sacrifice but disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft Therefore let all Christians approue their faith by their obedience hanging on Gods mouth and attending on Gods calling for directions of their whole life and resolue with Dauid Psal. 119.105 Thy word is a lanterne to my feete and a light to my pathes When Kings may not liue but by this light of Gods calling and Gods word it is shamefull presumption for ordinary men to frame their liues by lights of their owne making In the second place out of Ahrahams obedience let vs marke By what meanes obayed he by faith Learne here the true nature of true faith it brings forth true obedience where euer it is and therefore Christian obedience is called the obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 And these two cannot be seperated no more then light from the sunne or heate from fire For as the sunne naturally and necessarily giues light and the fire heate no lesse doth true faith yeeld true obedience to Gods commaundements Which being so it teacheth vs for the vse First how our Church and doctrine are slaundered by the Papists who please themselues in saying Wee looke to be saued by sole faith and without workes For we teach that though a man be iustified without respect to his workes yet no man was euer iustified whose faith did not bring forth good and holy workes and wee teach that none is heire of Abrahams faith which is not also of his obedience Therefore God will reward their lying tongue Secondly this teacheth vs that Abrahams faith is rare in these dayes Many make profession of Abrahams religion but it seemes they are as farre deceiued as the Iewes were Iohn 8.39 The Iewes would be Abrahams children because they were of his flesh and men now will be so because they are of his profession but both are farre wide for wee must be children of faithfull Abraham But if we will be like him in faith we must be like him in obedience also when God calls vs to any duty we must forsake our owne natures and denie our owne affections and crosse our owne corruptions to follow Gods calling and to doe our duties So shall wee be true children of Abraham when we are like our Father in his best vertues Thus wee see his obedience laied downe generally Particularly In his Obedience there are laid downe three points 1. The matter of his obedience all which are layde downe directly in the Text. 2. The end of his obedience all which are layde downe directly in the Text. 3. The manner of his obedience all which are layde downe directly in the Text. For the matter of his obedience it followeth in these words To goe out into a place c. The particular matter wherein Abrahams obedience cōsisted was this At Gods commaundement he went out of his owne Country into another for one which hee should inherite he left that which he did inherite Heere many points of good instruction may be learned First see here the power and strength of true faith It was a wonderfull hard thing for Abraham to do thus For first hee was well striken in yeeres 75. yeeres olde Young men delight to be stirring but men growen into yeeres doe loue to settle themselues as birdes in their nests and it is grieuous vnto them to think of remouing or taking long iournies Secondly he must leaue his owne Country where hee was bred borne and brought vp which all men generally doe loue by nature Thirdly hee must leaue his goods and lands and liuings which no doubt were great for hauing liued so long in his natiue Country and being born as he was his estate doubtlesse was very great Fourthly he must leaue his acquaintance with which hee had liued all his life yea his owne kindred and must goe liue amongst strangers These foure considerations were so manie hindrances to his obedience and strong temptations to make him haue looked backward but such is the power of his faith hee is commaunded of God therefore hee obayeth and
that God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This is Gods promise and it shall neuer be changed Now therefore howsoeuer my case be heauie and desolate yet God is able to comfort me and to bring my soule out of hell and from this case of desperation therefore though he kill me I will trust in him and I will vse all holy meanes whereby I may ouercome this hard and grieuous temptation So if it shall please God to call vs to suffer any thing for the name of Christ and his holy profession flesh and bloud we know is weake and Nature will make this obiection that life is sweete what course therefore shall we take we must doe as Abraham here doth vnto the certainty of Gods promise we must adioine his power and reason thus God hath made this promise that he will be with them that suffer any thing for his owne names sake and I knowe that hee is able to deliuer me and though he will not yet he can make me able to beare it therefore I will patiently suffer and abide whatsoeuer his holy hand shall lay vpon me Thirdly is a man so troubled with some sinne that he cannot get out nor ouercome it Then also let him set before him this fact of Abraham and vnfainedly endeuour to doe heereafter For that which is past let him labour to beleeue this promise of God At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne hee will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance And for the time to come being first resolued that God can inable him to leaue his sinnes let him striue by good meanes to leaue his sinne auoiding the occasions of it and praying against it and this will be as a cable-rope to drawe him out of the pit of sinne This course wee must take and this doe in euery hard case that shall befall vs. And thus much of the meanes whereby Abraham induced himselfe to obey God The third and last reason whereby Abrahams faith is commended vnto vs is the issue and euent thereof in these words From whence he receiued him also after a sort From whence that is from death After a sort or as it may be read in some shewe This is said because Isaac in the thought and purpose of Abraham was but a dead man for Abraham was fully resolued with himselfe vpon Gods commaund to haue sacrificed him yea hee had gone so farre as to put the sacrificing knife vnto his sonnes throate and had slaine him indeede had not the Angell of God staid his hand and therefore when the Angell said Lay not thy hand vpon the childe neither doe any thing to him euen then did Abraham in some shew receiue Isaac from death Here we learne diuers points 1 That whosoeuer shall rest on Gods prouidence and good pleasure euen in cases of extremitie when he shall be out of all hope with himselfe shall at the last haue a good issue This wee see to bee true by Abrahams example in this place As wee said before he himselfe no doubt had rather haue died ten thousand times than to haue Isaac slaine in whom the promise was made but yet beleeuing Gods promise that that should neuer change hee rests himselfe on Gods good pleasure and prouidence and goes on in obedience and so in the end receiued a blessed issue This is very cleerely set downe vnto vs in the History recorded by Moses For when Abraham had gone three daies iourney in the wildernesse and had built an Altar then Isaac said vnto Abraham Gen. 22.7 Father here is the fire and the wood but where is the lambe for the burnt offering Then Abraham said My sonne God will prouide him a lambe for a burnt offering Vers. 8. And thus yeelding himselfe to Gods good pleasure and prouidence he receiued his sonne againe as a dead childe restored to life So when we are in cases of extremitie when all goes against vs and when we can see no hope of any good issue or ende and all good meanes seeme to faile vs if wee can then cast our selues on Gods prouidence and rowle our selues vpon God we shall haue comfort in the ende and a good issue out of all Wee doe all of vs in word acknowledge Gods prouidence but whē wee come to the pinch that wee fall into cases of extremitie then wee vse vnlawfull meanes and doe not with Abraham cast our selues vpon God but seeke helpe of the diuell and wicked men But all such persons must looke for a cursed issue They therefore that feare the Lord beeing put to any plunge or extremitie must cast themselues vpon God wholly and waite for his good time and pleasure and then will the issue be both ioyous and comfortable vnto their soules Here some circumstances of this fact are to bee considered out of the larger story The first is this What did God vnto Abraham at this time when he was about to kill his sonne Answ. God now gaue him a commandement to stay his hand and not to slay his sonne By vertue whereof Abraham staies his hand God before commanded him to goe three daies iourney in the wildernesse and there to sacrifice his sonne Hereupon Abraham goes but now beeing come to the place hauing bound his sonne and is ready to cut his throat God bids him stay his hand and then also Abraham obeyeth God and doeth not kill his sonne Here we see Abraham is at Gods commande and as wee say at his becke Hee doeth not follow his owne will and pleasure but when God calles he is wonderfull pliable to doe Gods commaund whatsoeuer it bee one way or other This practice of Abraham must bee a looking glasse for vs wherein to see what manner of persons wee ought to be Looke what God commaunds vs to doe that wee must doe and what hee forbids vs that wee must not doe But this is a rare thing to bee found in these daies our practice generally is contrary for in our liues wee followe our owne humors and affections neuer regarding what God doth either will or nill But if wee will be Abrahams children we must follow Abrahams practice in this place For the sonnes of Abraham will doe the workes of Abraham Iohn 8.39 Good seruants will come and goe doe and vndo at their Lords pleasure and forget themselues to obey their masters And so must it be with vs if we call God our good Lord and master Luk. 6.46 The second circumstance to bee considered is the time when Abraham receiued his sonne from death to wit at the very same time when his knife was at his sons throate and he himselfe ready to offer him vp for a sacrifice vnto the Lord at that same instant God spake vnto him by his Angell from heauen and said Abraham stay thy hand Gen. 22.10 This circumstance is worth the marking for God lets
and lip-faith and to be endued with true sauing faith whereby we may profitably heare the word and receiue the sacraments and so enioy Gods most excellent promises in Christ. Men may lie and be deceiued but God is truth it selfe and cannot lie and therefore as he hath made his promise of life to beleeuers and to no other so will hee surely accomplish the same to them and to no other Wherefore if we loue our soules and desire life let vs get into our hearts the grace of faith And thus much of the third effect of their faith The fourth and fift effects which I will handle together are these Stopped the mouths of Lions Quenched the violence of the fire For the fourth Whereas some of these persons are said to haue stopped the mouthes of Lions it is to be vnderstood of Daniel as appeareth in the 6. Chapter of that booke For Daniel through the malice of others that incensed the Kings wrath against him was cast into the denne of hunger-bit Lions But Daniel euen then beleeued in the Lord and put all his trust in God and for this cause the Lord by his angel stopped the mouthes of the Lions and as it were sealed vp their pawes that they could not hurt him The fift effect in quenching the violence of the fire must bee vnderstood of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the companions of Daniel which three as we may read Dan. 3. refused to worship the golden image which Nabuchadnezzar had set vp For which cause they were cast into an hot burning Ouen but they put their trust in God and claue fast vnto him in obedience euen to the hazzard of their lyues Whereupon the Lord by his omnipotent power did most miraculously preserue them by staying the rage of the fire contrary to the nature thereof that it had no power ouer their bodies nay it did not burne the haire of their heads nor cause their garments to smell And therefore they are said to haue quenched the violence of it because it had no power ouer them thogh it burned most fiercely but was to them as though it had been quite put out and quenched Now ioyn these two effects together they affoord vs good instructions First here wee learne how to behaue our selues in time of danger and at the point of death Euen as these foure men did so must we from the bottome of our hearts forsake our selues and put all our trust in Christ. This did Daniel when he was in the Lions den and this did the 3. Children in the hot fiery furnace And this hath beene alwaies the auncient practice of Gods children in all ages At the very point of death and in the extremitie of all danger they rested themselues wholly vpon the mercifull promises of the true God The time wil come vpon vs all wherein wee shall be called to the practice of this duty for we must all passe the doore of death once lie in the pangs thereof Now what shall we doe when we lie halfe dead gasping panting for breath able to speake to no man nor to heare any speaking to vs when all comfort of the world failes vs Surely we must then at that very instant labour to leaue our selues and this world and yeeld vp our selues by faith into the hands of GOD and cleaue fast vnto Christs Passion from the bottome of our hearts and he will surely deliuer vs from the danger stopping the mouth of Satan that roaring Lion quenching the fire of hell that it shall not touch vs. But some will say if this be all we must doe then all is well for this I can soone doe when time serues and therefore I will take no care till then Answer Beware of spirituall guile for it will be found a most hard matter for a man to rely and cast himselfe wholly vpon Christ in the houre and pang of death For then aboue all times is the diuell busie against vs then will the conscience stir if euer and the body being tormented the soule must needes be wonderfull heauie This we may see by the state of our Sauiour Christ in his agony and passion and therefore wee must not reckon so lightly of this duty Question But if it be so hard a thing how could Daniell and the three children doe it Answer They were prepared for it for they rested vpon God in the time of peace and so were enabled to rely vpon him in time of perill Euen so if we would beleeue in God when wee die then shew forth our faith we must while we liue put our trust in him and shew it by obedience for rare it is to finde a man that liues in vnbeliefe to shew forth faith at his end And therefore while wee haue health strength and peace wee must labour to beleeue and then shall wee finde the comfort of it in time of perill and of death Secondly from these two effects of faith wee obserue further that Gods diuine prouidence doth firmely rule and gouerne the whole world Ordinarily God gouernes the world by secundarie causes setting one creature ouer another and ordaining one to doe this thing and another that and accordingly they worke but we must not thinke that God is bound to any of these meanes but is most free to vse them or not to vse them Ordinarily he executeth this or that punishment by this or that creature and so by meanes conuayes his blessings but yet he can work without them as here we see For he preserues his creatures against the ordinary meanes as Daniel from the Lions whose nature is to deuoure and against the nature of fire he saued the three children in the fire So that God worketh by meanes but yet freely because he can work at his pleasure either without or against meanes and his powerfull hand sauing against meanes shewes his ruling and disposing prouidence ouer all things Thirdly by these effects of their faith wee learne that Gods goodnesse and mercy towardes beleeuers is farre greater and more vnspeakeable than euer he promised or they could exspect This point is carefully to be considered of vs all for it is of singular extraordinary vse especially in time of perill and trouble and yet we see it is the plaine truth of God and therefore Paul giues thanks and praise vnto God who is able to do for vs exceeding aboundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke Daniel put his trust in the Lord when he was in the Lions den and what doth he obtaine for his labour the Lord neuer promised to stop the Lions mouthes neither did Daniell euer presume vpon that deliuerance and yet the Lord saued him And so the three childrē though they made no account of their liues because God had not promised to keep them frō burning yet they com out in safety For God in mercy so quenched the heat of the fire vnto thē that thogh it burnt to death those that cast them in yet
Peter exhorts the Christians to haue their conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of them as of euill doers might by their good workes which they should see glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1. Pet. 2.12 And he bids godly wiues so walke that their husbands may be wonne without the word by beholding their pure conuersation which is with feare 1. Pet. 3.1.2 And Paul bids the Philippians to walke blamelesse in the middle of a wicked and crooked nation as lights in the middle of the world Phil. 2.15 that those which were to be conuerted by their good conuersation might be wonne to the truth GOD sent a floud vpon the world for the greeuousnesse of mans sinnes Now why doth hee not still send more flouds are not men now as wicked as they were then Yes vndoubtedly man for his part deserues it now as well as they did then and therfore our Sauiour Christ saith as it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be in the dayes of the sonne of man so that euery day we deserue a new floud but yet the Lord stayes the execution of his iudgements for a time that his elect may bee gathered and conuerted And so soone as that is done heauen and earth shall goe together and God will not stay one moment for all the world besides So that euery nation and people in the world haue benefit by Gods children because for their sakes doth the Lord stay his wrath and deferre his iudgements euen the great iudgement of fire wherewith the world shall be consumed at the last day These things the world should take notice of as well to moue them to repentance of their sinnes whereby they are made vnworthy the presence of a godly man as also to perswade them to better behauiour and cariage towards the godly by whom they are so many wayes blessed The holy Ghost addeth that they wandred in wildernesse and mountaines and donnes and Caues of the earth These were desolate places and not inhabited and yet for the wickednesse of the world GOD will haue these beleeuerâ— here to wander Wee must not thinke that they betooke themselues voluntarily to this solitary life but onely vpon necessity being constrained by persecution to flie into the wildernesse for the sauing of their liues and the keeping a good conscience This serues to descry vnto vs the blinde errour of many ages afore vs wherein it hath beene thought and is by Papists at this day to bee a state of perfection to liue a Monke or Hermite out of all societies in some desert place and there to spend the whole life in contemplation onely that voluntarily and they magnifie this estate so much that heereby they thinke to merit eternall life at the hands of God But these beleeuers did neither voluntarily nor with opinion of merit betake themselues to this solitarie life but on necessity And indeede this kinde of life hath no warrant in Gods word for euery Christian is a member of two Kingdomes of Christs Kingdome of grace and of that particular state where he dwelleth and by reason heereof hath a two-folde calling a temporall and a spirituall calling In both of which he must walke diligently so long as hee can doing the duties both of a childe of God and of a member of that common-wealth where hee liueth Now when a man goes voluntarily to leade a solitary life he forsakes his temporall calling altogether and performes the other but negligently for hee withdrawes himselfe from many duties of piety whereby the people might be furthered to God-ward which none can do with a good conscience Further obserue the places where they are constrained to wander to wit in Wildernesse Caues and Dennes places where wilde beasts haue abode and recourse and yet heere they liue when as men will not suffer them to liue among them Where note that many times more mercy may be found among wilde and sauage beasts than with some men so mercilesse are the wicked when God forsakes them and leaues them to themselues The Lions entreate Daniel better than Darius Courtiers and seruants doe Daniel chapter 6. And Lazarus findes more kindenesse with the dogges at Diues gates then with him and all his family besides Luke chapter 16. verse 21. The consideration whereof must teach vs to nippe sinne in the head at the beginning and not to suffer it to growe for if it get a head and raigne in vs it will make vs worse than brute or sauage beasts and cruell as the Diuell himselfe as wee may see in the worldes vsage of these beleeuers Thus we see the state of true beleeuers vnder many and greeuous miseries which wee must well obserue to arme our selues against the times of aduersities which GOD may sende vpon vs. VVee must not iudge it a cursed estate to bee vnder the Crosse for heere wee see the faith of his seruants is commended for suffering nine seuerall kindes of miseries If wee shall thinke that these were but a fewe wee must knowe that in them the holy Ghost setteth down the state of his Church vnto the end for these things were written for ensamples vnto vs. And therefore if calamities come and such miseries befall vs as doe driue vr toward distrust as though God had forsaken vs we must remember that God did not forsake these his children in their calamities and therefore also will not forsake vs. And thus much for this last example VERSE 39. And these all through faith obtained good report and recei-not the promise THe holy Ghost hauing set down at large a worthie and notable Catalogue of examples of faith in sundry beleeuers that liued from the beginning of the world to the time of the Maccabees doth now for a further commendation of their faith rehearse the same things that before he had said in the 2. and 13. verses of this chapter In saying that by faith they all receiued good report his meaning is that they did beleeue in the true Messias and looked for saluation in him alone whereupon they were approoued of God himselfe who gaue testimonie hereof partly by his word and partly by his spirit in their consciences and partly by his Church by all which they were commended and assured to be Gods seruants And yet notwithstanding this good report they receiued not the promise that is the promise of Christs incarnation in their daies They receiued Christ truely by faith and so saw his day but his actual incarnation in the flesh they liued not to see Whereas it is said That by faith they obtained testimony Here first obserue that there is nothing in man that makes him acceptable to God but faith onely GOD regards no mans person hee accepts not of a man because he is a King or because he is wise or rich or strong c. But if a man beleeue then the Lord is ready to giue testimony of him that hee likes well of him In regard