that a Christian Church too a Church of Christ and the sufferings of the people of God the rebukes of Christ though then the people of God had not the Title yet they had the Religion of Christ and albeit in outward expression and denomination they were not called Christians till long after at Antioch Acts 11.26 yet such they were really and in truth For Beleevers before Christs comming and since are admitted into the same Covenant of Grace because consigned by the same Sacraments not indeed in the same Signes but in the Spirituall thing signified 1 Cor. 10.3.4.5 And did all eat the same spirituall meat And did all drink the same spirituaell drink for they dranke of that spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the Wildernesse which did Scale the same promises though not so immediately as ours but under a covert of temporall things even ever since that Grant the Seed of the Woman c. Gen 3.15 and is the expresse affirmation of the Apostle Gal. 3.17 And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was foure hundred and thirty years after cannot disanull that it should make the promise of none effect which relateth to the same object Jesus Christ Heb. 13.8 Acts 3.25 4.12 for the same excellent purposes of mercy remission of sins reconciliation with God and life eternall So the Covenant was the same for substance though not for circumstance and fashion and so their Faith and Religion the same For Christ was the Lambe slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 So Aug. Epist 157. ad opt Eadem fides nostra illorum quoniam hoc illi crediderant futurum quod nos credimus factum And therefore here we may say with Saint Paul Rom. 11.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth of the riches both of the Wisedom and Knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out And with David Psal 40.5 Many O Lord my God are thy wouderfull works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbred But to this I have said somwhat before in the first Part and 8. Page and 1. Observ 8. To suffer with the people of God The people of God are eo nomine so far from being exempted from the common calamities of man-kind that they are the greatest sufferers of and sharers in them And if judgement begin at the House of God where shall the ungodly appear Gods People are a persecuted People But of this largely also before and more is to be said after 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esteeming That which put Moses on this choice was a well-grounded conviction of Conscience that it was a duty and a right enformed judgement for resolution and action without warranty and sufficient grounds of conviction is but perversnesse and obstinacy sin and impiety the mistaking of evill for good will necessarily inferr evill doing Hence sins are called the Works of darknesse Eph. 5.11 and Heathens darknesse ver 8. Walking in the vaenity of their minds Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Eph. 4.17.18 And the Apostle notes this when he tells us of the unbeleeving impenitent Jews They err in their hearts and so they have not known my wayes Heb. 3.10 and therefore he admonisheth them ver 12. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God And hence Minutius Faelix concludes Non minoris est seeleris Deum ignorare quam laedere Ignorance of God is as bad as Sacriledge Hos 5.4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God for the spirit of whordoms is in the midst of them and they have not known the Lord. On the contrary the right discerning and separating evill from good conduceth much to the eschewing of evill and doing good to deny the world and self and chuse Christ and Heaven And therefore the Apostles supplication for the Philippians Phil. 1.9.10.11 is that they may abound in all judgement To what end that they may approve or try things that are excellent and differ be able Christians to distinguish betwixt evill and good And to what are such abilities required that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and prayse of God And his Petition for the Colossians is to the same purpose Col. 1.9.10 For this cause we also since the day we heard it doe not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the Knowledge of his will in all wisedom and spirituall understanding That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the Knowledge of God As the bodily Eyes guides our feet so the understanding is the leader of the will and affections Hence those Prayers of David Psal 119.18.34.73 125. Open then mine Eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law Give me understanding and I shall keep thy lay yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandements I am thy Servant give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies And hence that Exhortation of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.20 In understanding be ye men otherwise ye will prove Children tossed too and fro still Children and never come to be perfect men Eph. 4.13.14 10. He had respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He first looked on the Duty now the Reward that to set him forward this to encourage and back him that as principall this as second to his choice that to leade and command this to fortifie and strengthen that as finis agentis his designe this as finis rei his happinesse and felicity See here and admire admire and acknowledge the great love of God to man who not onely gave us understanding to know our Duty but furnisheth with ayds and helps to further and assist us in our Duty he not onely teacheth us what to doe but supplies strength for to doe and affords means to preserve that strength he deals with us in those wayes which are most proper for us by threatnings and perswasions punishments and rewards Deut. 11.26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse The Lord knoweth our frame Psal 103.14 and so frameth all his dispensation accordingly he considers we are but men weak and impotent creatures and therefore he gives Grace Yet withall he considers that we are men
them 1 Peter 4.17 but they shall find a way to escape though with some difficulty and then the Apostles inference there is Observable And if it begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God and when their tryalls ends then vengeance begins and overtakes the ungodly For it follows Vpon them he shall rain snares fire c. vengeance shall meet them when they are pursuing revenge and destruction shall fall on them when they are prosecuting their designes of interest and passion with the greatest eagernesse and confidence 5. Sicut in Mari alii pereunt alii evadunâ— sic in judicio unus assumetur alius relinquetur This Passage a lively Emblem of the great day of accounts The Israelites shall be taken the Egyptians shall be left the sufferers here shall be Crowned then the proud persecuters here shall then also be the greatest sufferers then shall the difference be made betwixt the righteous and the wicked betwixt him that Sacrificeth c. 6. Observe here the temper and disposition of cruell Tyrants and Persecutors they proceed from one wickednesse to another and incorrigibly persist till they run upon their own ruine Here was mercy upon mercy declared to the Israelites judgement upon judgement extended and executed upon the Egyptians and in every mercy to the one a Miracle and in every judgement upon these a Miracle too and yet no mercy can provoke them to an imitation no judgements divert their malice no miracles of mercy or judgement work upon their enraged obdurate hearts Hardnesse of heart a certain fore-runner of vengeance Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardnes and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Beware we therefore of an evill heart Heb. 3.12.13 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin And pray we to God to give us a tender tractable corrigible spirit that we observe the wayes of his mercy and judgements Psal 107. ult Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. 7. But not onely the judgement but the Manner and Method of Gods proceeding with the Egyptians in judgement is very considerable The Plotters Orderers and Executioners of that Decree to Drown all the Male Israelitish Children are now by the Righteous Judge doomed to be swallowed up of the Sea As they measured to others they now receive from God Facinus mensura poenae according to mens sins so are their temporall punishments For either for the evill deeds they have done to others they suffer the same in kind As in Adoni-bezek who felt and confessed this legem talionis that exact Rule of Justice wherewith God punisheth offenders Iudges 1.7 And Adoni-bezek said Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and their great tees cut off gathered their meat under my Table as I have done so God hath requited me Pharaoh Decrees the Drowning of the Israelitish Males Exod. 1.22 All the First-born of Pharaoh c. Exod. 15.5 Seir rejoyced at the desolation of Jerusalem so shall I doe unto thee thou shalt be desolate O mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 35.15 Because Uriah fell by the Sword of David therefore the Sword must fall on Davids House 2 Sam. 12.10 The Chaldean spoylers shall be spoyled Habb 2.8 or else they suffer somthing which hath Analogy or Resemblance with their sins The Old World Drowned first in sin then in the Deluge Sodome first burning in lust then in fire Israel forsook God then God lest Israel they served not the Lord then the Lord made them serve Shishak 2 Chron. 12.6.7.8 which is expressed by the recitation of the judgement Jer. 5.19 And it shall come to passe when ye shall say Wherefore doth the Lord our God all these things unto us then shalt thou answer them Like as ye have forsaken me and served strange gods in your land so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours Solomon went not fully after God therefore he shall not have a full Kingdom he divided his heart betwixt God and Ashtaroth 1 Kings 11.5.6 therefore his Kingdom shall be divided 1 Kings 12.16 c. or else if they escape either or both of the former wayes of proceeding in judgement yet that there may be some Caracter in which men may Reade their sins in their judgements either the subject matter of the judgement and sin agreeth that wherein we have sinned and that wherewith we are punished As Adam sinned in eating the forbidden Fruit therefore he must eat the Fruits of the Earth in sorrow Thus was Korah and his accomplices served Numb 16. The Levites Wife to the twelve Tribes Judges 19. Elies Judgement 1 Sam. 3. 4. Davids 2 Sam. 24.10 c. Hezekiahs 2 Kings 20.12 c. So the Jews cry no King but Caesar is punished with no King and Caesar and their politick fears and jealousies which they strived to deposit and prevent by all craft and cruelty did fall upon them and their fears surprize them Iohn 11.48 For the Romans did come and take away both their place and Nation or else God to re-mind them that he will pay them in their own coyn that they must drink of that poyson which they filled for others doth often meet them in his judgements by such circumstances as may discover their sin and demerit the time and place of the punishment according with the time and place of the sin as that of the Spies Numb 14.33.34 And your Children shall wander in the Wildernesse forty years and bear your Wheredomes untill your carkeises be wasted in the Wildernesse After the number of the Dayes in which ye searehed the land even forty Dayes each Day for a Yeare shall ye heare your iniquities even forty Years and ye shall know my breach of promise That of Jezebel 1 Kings 21.23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord saying The Dogs shall eat lezebel by the Wall of Iezreel And 2 Kings 9.36 This is the Word of the Lord which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite saying In the portion of Iezreel shall Dogs eat the Fesh of Iezebel And the carcase of Iezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the Field in the portion of Iezreel so that they shall not say This is Iezebel 8. Here we have many hazards to passe Faith will make the passages easie and comfortable the great and last passe is Death which is as a Red Sea in our way to Heaven all the Art of Life is to learn to make this passage good and this we shall doe happily if we passe the time of our fojourning here in fear following
an Enthusiasme or immediate Revelation but such motives and inducements as were before recited which amounted onely to strong and high probabilities yet sufficient enough in an humble modest heart to produce Faith a certainty of adhaerence though not of evidence and this sufficient to produce acts and operations of Faith to provoke to the obedience of Faith A bruised Reed God will not break nor quench a smoaking Flax Mat. 12.20 if we have but Faith so much as a graine for a little Faith if sound is true Faith of mustard seed let the motives be what they will if this encline and promote obedience the least degree thereof is well pleasing to God he will accept without being furnished with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Armour of infallibilities and demonstration Nathaniels Faith had neither Enthusiasme nor demonstration but a Topick or Argument a paribus backed by an humane testimony or report John 1.48 and Christ approved this his Faith and rewarded it with an higher concession of grace ver 30.51 and so Christ accepted Thomas his Faith though enduced by senfible experiments John 20 28. whatsoever the instrument or beginning or motive of beleife be if that work by love and work in us a care and desire to find the truth humility in following and constancy in professing it this shall be our reasonable service of God The third Part the Prayer O Eternall Lord God in whom to beleeve is Eternall life give to us thy grace which may suppresse every motion of infidelity that there be not in us an evill heart of unbeleife and however we be not able to manage the shield of Faith yet perfect thou thy strength in our weaknesse making it mighty through thy power working in us to pull down strong holds cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowlege of God O holy Jesus the Eternall Word of the Father we beleeve thou hast the Words of Eternall Life Lord help thou our unbeleife and increase our Faith bring into captivity every thought to thine obedience that thy servants and followers may submit to thee our Lord and Master resigning our Vnderstandings to the Truth our Wills to the Goodnesse our Affections to the holinesse of thy Precepts and by Hope depending for satisfaction on thy precious promises O Immortall and all-glorious Spirit sanctifie unto us all those means and methods which are the preparatives and Introductions of Faith that they may be Instrumentall to Principle us in wholesome Doctrine to beget in us a love of the truth and obedience to thy Laws unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead and advance us to further degrees of Knowledge and spirituall Wisedom to the spirit of obsignation the confidence of hope and the assurance of thine eternall love and favour O holy blessed and glorious Trinity to whom belongeth the Kingdom the Power and the Glory throughout all Ages World without end Amen MOSES his Choice Heb. 11.24.25.26 By Faith Moses when he was come to Years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter c. MOses in his Infancy and Minority being saved and preserved by a miraculous mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in his Minority and riper Years preferred educated and advanced in Pharaohs Court when he had arrived at full maturity and strength of dayes he bethinks himself how to exercise his Princely perfections and accomplishments supposing God had been so good and gracious to him for some great and honourable ends and purposes of mercy and beleeving no better way to imploy those powers then in the service of God the interest and concerments of his Church and People and further conceiving God therefore had delivered him that he might be the Cheif and Principall Instrument of his glory in the Preservation of his Fathers House and the redemption of his Brethren according to the Flesh For By Faith c. The first Part. Q. But why should Moses desert and relinquish Pharaohs Court in which he was so Honourably Educated and Entertained Or why should he deny for so the Vulgar renders it the appellation and title of the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter who by her tender care and liberall bounty had obliged him Was it not both grosse ingratitude and great incivility thus to sleight her and her high respect Could he not at once be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter and be indeed the Child and Servant of God a Courtier and a Christian Did not Joseph the holy Patriarch before him live both magnificently and religiously in the same Egypt and enjoyed the dignities and wealth thereof And long after this was not Devout Esther Queen to Ahasuerus Daniel and his Associates Nobles to Nebuchadnezzar A. Doubtlesse had not Pharaoh and his Court been implacable and mercilesse Tyrants violent Persecutors of and incorrigible irreconcilable Enemies to the people of God Moses might still have resided in that Court and without any violence to his Religion possessed whatsoever Egypt afforded but in this juncture of time the case was otherwise to be stated then it was when Joseph Esther and Daniel had charge and command under Infidell Princes for these had liberty and opportunities to exercise their Religion to improve and manage their Royall Priviledges and immunities to the behoofe and advantage of their civill and sacred relations whereas Moses must either in a base and unworthy complyance joyn with the Egyptians to vex them whom God had wounded or in a dull sleepy security and Epicurean softnesse neglect the remembrance and afflictions of Joseph and stifle and choke that publike Spirit which God had endowed and enobled him withall for eminent and illustrious atcheivements for besides what is above mentioned Moses had sufficient Authority and Commission to enterprize and undertake the Deliverance of his Hebrew Brethren from the Egyptian Bondage a Command Call and Order from God the Lord of Lords the onely Supreme and so as Pharaohs cruelty did lessen Moses his Obligation of gratitude for he being a Publique Spirit and no pure self-lover every indignity and injury to his Brethren was so to him so Gods command did quite supersede all Obligations to Pharaoh his Daughter or Court both because they were but the Instruments of Gods providence who of Enemies made them Friends and Benefactors and so the highest Obligation was to the principall efficient God and also because a command from God to whom proud Pharaoh was but a mean Subject the Supreme of all doth null and voyd all Orders and Obedience to the Inferiour for though Religion doth not take away or disanull the tyes of Nature and Civility but rather enforce and perfect them yet where their Ruler and Offices are counter-checked by an expresse command or prohibition from God there it is Religion and Duty to wave them and observe the expresse The result then is this That if it come to this passe and point that our temporall preferments and possessions our naturall or civill
exemplary Piety Christ hath afforded himselfe and others examples to us that we for him to his glory and to others for their good might likewise be examples It was an excellent expression of Fulgentius in his African stile which he useth to shew the power of examples in Superiours Conversio potentium multùm militat acquisitionibus Christi that is The conversion of men in Authority and such are all those severall capacities fights powerfully for the possessions of Christ or it purchaseth much to Christ for such as these saith he it is in the 6. Ep. de Con. ad Theed either ruine many with themselves or else save and therefore either great punishments attend them if they prove Male imitationis laqueum Instruments of evill example or else great Glory if they be eminent in holy conversation For so he goes on applying this to that particular case he speaks on and holds a perfect Analogy in the other Quis non parvum c. Who will not despise and neglect his poor Cottage when he seeth a Senatour neglecting his stately and spatious Palaces for Christs sake Who will not forsake the World to purchase Heaven when he sees a Consull of Rome leaving all to follow Christ despise Earth and make provision for Heaven And now that the Example of these others and many since may draw us to an imitation of their Graces and Vertues and that we may be exemplary to others to provoke them let us addresse our selves to the great exemplar for grace and strength both to leade others who are under or equall to us and follow Christ and others who have gone before us For Hac itur ad superos this is the way walk in it even the way to him who is the way the truth and life And therefore let us Pray O Almighty and Soveraigne Power who by an infinite all wise goodnesse dost Governc all things in Heaven and Earth and hast and dost order all even the worst things for the glory of thy Name and the good of thy People Be thou favourable unto thy Church thy little Flocke be thou a refuge to it till all tyranny be over-past a sure defence and shield in peristous times to thy People that they may know how to be abased and how to abound how to be full and how to be hungry learne them in every state therewith to be contented Vnder Persecution make them resolved and joyfull under chastisements make them resigned and humble submissive and godly sorrowfull that they be sanctified to them under tryalls make them faithfull and constant considering and exercised thereby to bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse In prosperity and fulnesse make them moderate humble joyfull and thankefull abounding in every good worke make them great Examples of Piety provoking one another unto good works in an holy emulation And that both states and conditions of life may be blessed to them make them followers of Jesus Christ the Captaine of that holy profession to walke in the foot-steps of his most holy life though by unequall treadings and to be followers of the blessed Saints departed Patriarkes Judges Kings Priests Prephets Apostles Confessors Martyrs as they also of Christ that we may be partakers with them and those that follow us at the last of a glorious resurrection to eternall life Graent therefore gracious God that with all purpose of heart we cleave and adhaere to thee with satisfied and contented spirits in every state rely and depend on thee evidencing our faith by faithfull actions or constant sufferings At all times to yeeld a ready sincere obedience to all the commands of Christ And when it is our Childs portion to be repreached spoyled tormented for the name of Christ to possesse our soules in patience and to wait continually on him Make us to conforme to the Iustitutions and Disciplice of holy Iesus and pursue the wayes of godlinesse with all passion and perseverance that no worldly discouragements or sadnesses no worldly hopes nor carnall delights distract or disturbe us in the duties of our high calling but that we adde to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledge to Knowledge c. perfecting bolinesse in the feare of the Lord till we arrive with the Saints perfected at the perfection and glory with our Lord Iesus the author and fiuisher of our Faith to whom be glory now and for evermore Amen The Conclusion Confirmed and Continued Heb. 11.39.40 And these all having obtained a good report through Faith received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect ALL these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Abel till your late Predecessors of this last Age the Maccabces if the induction be good it must be Universall and therefore the Conclusion is Univerfall all both expressed and understood all beleevers the totum aggregatum the whole company of Beleevers and every single Individuall of that company have subsisted by Faith and by Faith onely Without Faith none could have pleased God by Faith all did Without Faith none could look for a City by Faith all did Therefore the Induction helds and proves the first Hypotheset Faith is the substance c. And without Faith it is impossible to please God c. For if there were another Principle of subsistence besides Faith if any other originall Instrument of pleasing God or if any one instance could be produced to evidence the other part of the contradiction viz. That it can be proved that any without Faith did hope c. or did please God then the producing of any such Principle Instrument or Instance would altogether invalidate the force of the Induction and it could not be Argumentative to conclude these Positions thus affirmatively asserted But now this Note of Universality all clears the proofs and makes the Iuduction firme and sure to all intents and purposes All who have subsisted c. have pleased God have done it by Faith and none can be brought from the beginning of the World till this present Day to the contrary Therefore Faith is the substance c. And without Faith it is impossible to please God And for a confirmation of both premises we have good evidence for all these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testimonio fidei probati were proved and tryed persons for their Faith and they carryed it and passed and were by an Instrument of approbation attested so to be and by speciall order their Faithfulnesse and Piety was recorded commended and proposed to Posterity for imitation and this order was both from God and his Church And therefore Bezae reades Testimonium adepti they obtained a full and just Testimoniall God and the Church of God freely gave it them and subscribed it Certainly they that honour God God will honour them 1 Sam. 2.30 for he will make their Names greater then that of Sons and Daughters they shall not onely enjoy the advantages of common rights and interests but those who who