hee worshipped vpon the ende of his staffe Yet further there may be a question moued about the words for if wee reade the Historie in Genesis it is there saide that Iacob worshipped towards the end or toppe of his bed Genesis 47. Now there is great difference betweene these two To worshippe on the toppe of his staffe and on the toppe of his bed How therfore can they stand together Ans. They may stand wel together and be both true for when Iacob was about to giue vp the Ghost and was ready to die hee raised vp himselfe vpon his pillowe towards the beds head and thereon rested his body Now because his body was weake and feeble hee staide himselfe also vpon his staffe and thus comparing the places together we see there is no repugnancie in them Againe this wee must knowe that the same sentence of Scripture may be diuersly read in diuers places of Scripture without any impeachment to the truth certainty or perfection of Scripture for when the holy Ghost speaketh the same thing often yet in different tearmes as in this place the diuersity of wordes doth enlarge or open the sense and meaning but no way corrupt or depraue the same And thus much for the words Now to come to the fact it self in Iacobs worship three circumstances are to be considered 1. The occasion 2. The time 3. The manner of it The occasion of Iacobs worship heere spoken of as we may reade Genesis 47 was this when the time drew neere that Iacob must die hee called for his sonne Ioseph and chargeth him deepely That hee should not burie him in Egypt when hee was dead but that hee should carie him thence and burie him in the buriall of his Fathers Ioseph consents vnto his Fathers request and yet Iacob for certaintie makes him to sweare that hee shall doe so and Ioseph sware vnto him Now vpon this issue that Iacob had with Ioseph the Text saith That Israell worshipped towards the beds â—ead that is hee praised GOD and gaue thankes vnto him for this benefite that hee should be buried with his Fathers Abraham and Isaac And yet this benefite did not so much concerne himselfe as his children for the carying of his bones thither was to be a token and pledge and a certaine assurance vnto them that the Land of Canaan should be theirs and that God would bring them thither againe In this circumstance obserue a notable dutie belonging vnto Fathers and Masters of families they must in their life time haue care of their posteritie and vse all meanes to helpe them and benefite them in the faith not onely while they are aliue but also after they are dead after the example of this holy Patriarch and when they haue obtained this benefite for them they must be glad in their hearts and reioyce and thereupon take occasion to praise the Lord as Iacob did in this place 2. Circumstance The manner how hee worshipped Which is set downe in these words on the end of his staffe This circumstance is worth the marking for good Iacob by reason of the weakenesse of his body and olde age was not able to come forth of his bed and kneele downe or prostrate himselfe but raiseth himselfe vp vpon his pillowe towards his beds head and by reason of feeblenesse being not yet able to sit vpright he doth leane and beare himselfe vpon his staffe Heere wee learne that wee must not onely worship GOD with our soules and hearts but with our bodies also for GOD hath created both and therefore will be worshipped in both 1. Corinthians 6. verse 20. Olde Iacob might haue excused himselfe that by reason of the weakenesse of his body hee was not able to adore GOD with any bodily reuerence but yet wee see hee leanes vpon his staffe and so making supply to his bodily weakenesse adoreth GOD with his bodie Question In what kinde of gesture then must we worship God with our bodies Answere The word of GOD doth not prescribe any by way of limitation For sometimes our Sauiour Christ prayed kneeling Luke chapter 21. verse 41 sometimes groueling Matthew chapter 26. verse 59 sometime standing Iohn chapter 11. verse 41 as also did the Apostles And the Scripture approoueth the Publican who stoode a-farre off and prayed Luke chapter 18. verse 13. Elias also 1. Kings chapter 18. verse 42 is saide to pray with his head betweene his legges so that wee haue no certaine forme prescribed vs onely this wee must vse that gesture which may best set forth and declare our humble heart and holy affection vnto God Here then is confuted an opinioÌ„ of those which thinke that a man may worship God with his heart yet worship images with his body that he may bee present at idolatrous worship yet keep his heart vnto God But Iacobs behauiour in this place doth both confute and condemne them for he thought his body as due to God as his soule and therefore worshipped God with both 3. Circumstance The time when hee worshipped God thus namely when he was dying euen then he worshipped God In this circumstance we may note diuers things First here behold the bad practice of the world for many men when they are dying now-adaies are so farre from following Iacobs example in worshipping and praising God that then they are faine to call for men to teach them how they should worship God hauing spent the former part of their life carelesly in regard of their soules following worldly profits and pleasures neuer thinking of their duty to God till they die But what a fearefull course is this that men should thus brutishly goe on from day to day not knowing how to worship God Well all such as loue their owne soules and would be like to godly Iacob or as our Sauiour Christ said to Nathaniel would be true Israelites Ioh. 1.47 the naturall sonnes of old Israel indeede they must haue care so to liue in this world that they may worship God when they die therfore they must not deferre but learne betime the knowledge and feare of God that when death comes they may bee able to shewe forth and practice the same It is a lamentable thing to coÌ„sider how the diuel bewitcheth mens hearts so as they liue in the world as though they should neuer goe out of it neuer caring for religion till the day of death come vpon theÌ„ then it is too late to learne But this is to followe Esau and not Iacob who is therefore condemned by the holy Ghost 2 Againe in this that Iacob worshipped God at his death we learne this That as men liue so they die for the most part Iacob was brought vp in Gods worship therein liued all his life long and looke as hee liued so he died for when he died hee worshipped God resting his body on the end of his staffe This same truth is verefied now and shal be for euer let a man worship God through the course of
A CLOVD OF FAITHFVLL WITNESSES LEADING TO THE HEAVENLY CANAAN Or A Commentarie vpon the 11. Chapter to the Hebrewes preached in Cambridge by that Godly and iudicious Divine M. William Perkins Long expected and desired and therefore published at the request of his Executours by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson Preachers of Gods Word who heard him preach it and wrote it from his mouth PHIL. 3.17 Looke on them that so walke as yee haue vs for an example HEB. 13.8 VVhose faith followe considering what hath beene the end of their conuersation AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Leo. Greene. 1607. To the Noble and vertuous Gentlemen Sir Iohn Sheaffield Knight and M. Oliuer S. John Sonnes and Heires to the Right Honourable Edmond Lord Sheaffield Lord President of the North and Oliuer Lord S. Iohn Baron of Bletsho grace and peace THe gracious promises of God Honourable and most worthy Gentlemen made to the holy Patriarchs touching the Land of Canaan were singular comfort to the belieuing Israelites in their bondage of Egypt And the renuing of the same by the hand of Moses whose words God confirmed by so many miracles must needes augment their ioy aboundantly although their bonds at that time encreased But the pledge of Gods presence in the cloudie pillar whereby he led them in the wildernesse both night and day did so farre exceede all his promises for matter of consolation that euen Moses himselfe desired rather to be detained from the promised Land than depriued of the comfort of that his presence in the waie If thy presence sayth hee goe not before vs bid vs not depart hence Now these things being ensamples vnto vs and euident types of our estate who liue vnder the Gospel shew apparantly that howsoeuer Beleeuers bee greatly cheered in their spirituall trauell by the gratious promises which God in Christ hath made vnto them yet this their ioy is much increased by the viewe of those that haue gone before them in the waie of faith who are vnto them as a Cloude of Witnesses or a cloudie Pillar For howsoeuer the truth of God be the only ground of sound consolation yet because we are a-kin to Thomas and will not beleeue vnlesse wee see and feele therfore it is that by the example of Beleeuers wherin is some sensible euidence of the comfort of Gods truth we are farre more cheered than by the promise it selfe alone Heere then beholde what great cause wee haue to cast our eyes vpon this Cloude of Witnesses which the ho-Ghost hath erected as a pledge of his presence a direction to all those that shall followe their steps in the practice of faith til the worlds end Shall Moses affect that Cloude so much which led them only the waie to a temporall inheritance and shall not we much more be rauished with delight in this Cloude which leades vs to the kingdome of heauen In al estates the Iust must liue by faith For We walk by faith and not by sight And what is the hope happinesse of a Christian man but to receiue at last the saluation of our soules which is the end of our faith and period of this walke But any faith will not support vs herein some begin in the Spirit who end in the Flesh going out with Paul for a while but at length returne with Demas to the world neither can they doe otherwise for Apostasie is the Catastrophe of Hypocrisie He that would deceiue in his profession is vsually deceiued of his saluation Wherfore this shal be our wisedom to see to our soules that our faith as the beloued Apostle sayde of loue be not in word and tongue but in deed and in truth And for our better direction in trying the truth of our faith we haue here many notable precedents in this Cloud of Witnesses consisting of most worthy Beleeuers in all ages before CHRIST'S incarnation all which shewed the life of faith by their workes and we in them may see how to put our faith in practice Now the rather must we attende hereunto because in all estates we must practice faith For Without faith it is impossible to please God And what estate of life cā possible befall vs wherin we haue not a liuely patterne and forerunner leading vs the way to Heauen within the compasse of this Cloud Art thou a King or Magistrate beholde DAVID HEZECHIAS and the Iudges art thou a Courtier Looke on MOSES art thou a Martiall-man Beholde SAMSON DAVID IOSVAH Heere is ENOCH NOE and the Prophets for Ministers the Patriarches for Fathers SARA and the Shunamite for mothers ISAAC and IOSEPH for children Heer is ABEL for Shepheards and RAHAB for victuallers Heere are some that liued in honour in peace and plenty some in want some in sicknesse but most of all in persecution because therein is the greatest tryall of faith So that which way soeuer we turne vs if wee walke by faith we haue heere some faithfull witnesse to goe before vs. And to cleare their steps the better to our sight that so we may follow hard towards the mark without wandring we haue heere a notable light in this learned Commentarie which we must confesse is much obscured for lacke of the refining hand of the godly Author himselfe but now seeing that shining light is quenched vse this our Lampe it is fed with such oyle as wee receiued in the Lords Sanctuarie from that Oliue Tree whence many a one did fill his vessell And being importuned to expose the same for the Common good wee haue presumed to place it vnder the shelter of your Honourable names beseeching God it may helpe to guide your feete in the way of peace The religious precedents of your Honourable Parents Right Noble and hopefull Gentlemen must perswade you much to be sound and constant in the faith for declining in religion brings staine of honour and decay euen of temporall portion But labour you to encrease in grace and trust the Lord with your outward greatnesse Honour him and hee will honour you delight in him and hee will giue you your holy hearts desire his faithfulnesse will bee your shielde to the griefe of those that enuie your happinesse But beware of bad example and euill counsell which are the bane and poyson of younger yeares Walk with God like Enoch vse the world as Abraham did and followe Moses in the matters of delight forsaking them when they become the pleasures of sinne So shall you obtaine good reporte and your memories shal be blessed with your Posterities like these faithfull Witnesses NOVEMBER 10. 1607. Yours in the LORD to be commanded WILLIAM CRASHAVV THO. PIERSON A Commentarie vpon the 11. Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes VERSE 1. Now Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things not seene COncerning Faith 2. points are necessary to be knowne of euery Christian the
doctrine the practise of it the whole doctrine of faith being grounded and gathered out of the word of God is comprised in the Creede commonly called the Apostles Creede which being already by vs expounded it followeth in order next after the doctrine to lay downe also the practise of faith for which purpose wee haue chosen this 11. chapter to the Hebrewes as being a portion of Scripture wherein the saide practise of faith is most excellently and at large set downe This chapter depends on the former thus We may reade in the former chapter that many Iewes hauing receiued the faith and giuen their names to Christ did afterward fall away therefore towards the end of the chapter there is added a notable exhortation tending to perswade the Hebrewes to perseuer in faith vnto the end as also to suffer patiently what euer shall befall them in the profession of it and to vrge the exhortation there are diuerse reasons not needefull to be alleadged for they concerne not the present purpose Now in this chapter hee continues the same exhortation and the whole chapter as I take it is nothing else in substance but one reason to vrge the former exhortation to perseuerance in faith and the reason is drawne from the excellencie of faith for this chapter doth diuers waies set down what an excellent gift of God faith is his whole scope therfore is manifest to be nothing else but to vrge thē to perseuer continue in that faith proued at large to be so excellent a thing indeed he could not bring a better argument to moue them to loue and hold fast their faith then by perswading them of the excellencie of it For common reason bids vs not onely chuse but hold fast that that is excellent Out of this coherence we may learn in a word that perseuerance in faith is a matter not of ordinarie necessitie nor of mean excellēcy to the vrging wherof the author of this epistle vseth so large so forcible an exhortation in so much as whereas ordinary exhortations occupy the roome of one or some few verses this is continued through diuers chapters The parts of this whole chapter are two 1. A generall description of Faith from the first verse to the fourth 2. An illustration or declaration of that description by a large rehearsall of manifold examples of ancient and worthy men in the old testament from the 4. verse to the end Of these two in order The description of Faith consists of three actions or effects of faith set downe in three seuerall verses The first effect in the first verse Faith makes things which are not but only are hoped for after a sort to subsist and to be present with the beleeuer The 2. is in the 2. v Faith makes a beleeuer approued of God The 3. in the 3. verse Faith makes a man vnderstand beleeue things incredible to sense and reason Of these effects in order Now Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene This first verse containes the first effect in the description of faith wherein first let vs see the true meaning of the words Secondly what instructions they do naturally yeeld vnto vs. For the meaning wee must examine the words seuerally Now faith Faith in the word of God is specially of three sorts Historicall Miraculous Iustifying or sauing faith 1. Historicall faith is not only a knowledge of the word but an assent of the heart to the truth of it and this faith is generall not onely to all men good and bad but euen to the diuels thēselues Iames. 2.19 Thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well the diuels also beleeue it tremble Now he that will beleeue out of the Scripture there is one God he will beleeue historically any thing in the Scriptures 2. Miraculous or the faith of miracles which is An inward perswasion of the heart wrought by some speciall instinct of the holy Ghost in some man whereby hee is truly perswaded that God will vse him as an instrument for the working of some miracles this also is generall both to elect and reprobate Iudas had it with the rest of the Apostles 3. Sauing commonly call'd Iustifying faith which is A speciall perswasion wrought by the holy Ghost in the heart of those that are effectually called concerning their reconciliation and saluation by Christ. Of these three sorts of faith the third is principally meant in this place And although in the description ouer all the chapter there are some things that agree to other faith then it yet I say the generall scope in this chapter is principally of that faith that saues a man It becomes vs therefore to learne carefully the instructions that concerne the practice of this faith for it is no lesse then a sauing faith Secondly it is said This faith is the ground or substance for the word signifieth both The meaning is things hoped for as yet are not and so haue no being nor substance Now faith that beleeues the promises and applieth them that faith giues to these things which yet are not after a sort a substance or subsistence in the heart of the beleeuer so that that thing which neuer had nor yet hath a being in it selfe by this faith hath a being in the heart of the beleeuer this I take to be the true meaning Thirdly it followeth of what things this faith is the ground or substance namely of things hoped for and things not seene And these be of two sorts either in regard of the Fathers of the old testament alone or of them and vs both Of the first sort were these two 1. The incarnation of Christ. 2. The publishing of the Gospell both to Iew and Gentile in a glorious manner both these were hoped for of them but we haue seene them to them they had a being only in faith to vs a being in themselues Now vnto the fathers of the olde testament their faith gaue these two things a being in their hearts and soules though they came not to passe many hundreth yeeres after There are other things which we hope for as wel as they which are to come and not seene in respect of vs both and they be sixe 1. Iustification standing in the remission of sinnes 2. Sanctification in this life 3. The perfection and accomplishment of our sanctification after this life 4. The Resurrection of the body and revniting it with the soule 5. Glorification of body and soule 6. Life euerlasting and glory with God in heauen These they saw not with the eye of the body neither do we yet they hoped for them and so do we they had no being in themselues to them neither haue they as yet to vs but this true sauing faith gaue to them giues to vs and will giue to euery beleeuer whilst the world lasteth such a certaine assurance of them that they seeme present to vs
It is needlesse For the man is good alreadie else the worke could not haue beene good Wee may therefore say workes are rather iustified by the person of a man then his person by the works and it is a most vaine thing to looke for Iustification from that which thou thy selfe must first iustifie afore it be iust if wee had no other reasons against iustification by workes but this this were sufficient Secondly hence we learne that till a man bee called and his person iustified and sanctified all that euer hee doth is sinne 1. His common actions his eating drinking sleeping walking talking are all sinnes Yea 2. The workes of his calling his labor in the same though neuer so iust equal and vpright 3. Further his ciuill actions namely the practice of ciuill vertues his outward grauitie meekenesse sobrietie temperance quietnesse vprightnesse and all outward conformitie are all sinnes Yea more then all this his best actions namely his practicing of the parts of Gods worship or his deeds of charitie his praier his hearing the word his receiuing the sacraments his giuing of almes they are all sinnes vnto him if hee haue not a belieuing and penitent heart yea such sinnes as shall condemne hâ—m if hee had no other Obiect This should seeme strange diuinity that the most holy actions as praier c. should be damnable sinnes I answer they are in themselues holy and good and as farre forth as God hath commanded them yet in the doer they are sinnes because hee doth them from a fowle vnholy heart for the same action may be holy in it selfe and in regard of God the author of it and yet a sin in him that is the doer of it As cleere water pure in the fountaine is corrupted or poisoned by running through a filthy and polluted channell so are euen the best actions sinnes as euen the preaching of the word to a minister whose heart is not cleansed by faith and his person accepted of God it is a sin vnto him and if he repent not shall be his condemnation Cain sinned not onely in hating and murthering his brother in lying and dissembling with God but Cain sinned also euen in offering sacrifice And Abels sacrifice had beene a damnable sinne but that his person was iustified before God And the reason of all this is good for nothing in the worke is able to make an action acceptable to God but onely the acceptation of the person by Christ. This being so it stands vs euery one in hand to looke to our selues and to labour aboue all things for faith and repentance that so our persons may be accepted righteous before God and thereby our actions accepted also If it be a miserable thing that all thy actions euen holy actions should be sinnes then labour to be iustified for that onely can make thy workes accepted if not then though thou labour neuer so much to be approued in the world set neuer so glorious a shew vpon thy workes to the eyes of men they are all abhominable sinnes in the sight of God and at the day of iudgement they shall goe for no better Preach and teach all thy life long nay giue thy life to die for religion Giue all thy goods to the poore depriue thy flesh of all delights build Churches Colledges Bridges High-wayes c. and there may come a poore shepheard and for his keeping of his sheepe be accepted when thou with all this pompe of outward holinesse maist be reiected And why this only because he had faith thou hast none his person was iustified before God and thine is not Therefore let this be my counsell from Abell Labour not so much to worke glorious workes as that which thou doest doe it in faith Faith makes the meanest worke accepted and want of faith makes the most glorious worke reiected for so faith the Text. Abell must be accepted else his sacrifice is not Thus wee see Abell was iust and God so accounted him The second point is That God gaue testimonie hee was so In these words God giuing testimonie What testimonie it was that God gaue of Abell and his gift it is not expressed in the word and so it is not certaine but it is very likely that wheÌ„ he Cain offred God in speciall mercy sent fire from heauen and burnt vp Abels sacrifice but not Cains for so it pleased the Lord often afterward when he would shew that he accepted any man or his worke he answered them by fire from heauen So he burnt vp the first sacrifice that Aaron offred Leuit. 9.24 So he answered Salomon 2. Chron. 7.1 And so Elias 2. Kings 18.28 And so it is likely that he gaue this testimonie that he accepted Abell and his offring This was a great prerogatiue that Abell and the Fathers in the old testament had We haue not this but wee haue a greater for wee haue that that is the substance and truth and body of this For wee haue also the fire of God that is his spirit comes downe into our hearts euery day not visibly but spiritually and burnes vp in the heart of a beleeuer his sinnes and corruptions and lights the light of true faith that shall neuer be put out The vse hereof is this As no sacrifice in the old law pleased God but such as was burnt by fire from heauen sent downe either then or afore so our sacrifices of the new Testament that is our inuocation of Gods name our sacrifice of praise our duties of religion our workes of mercy and loue neuer please God vnlesse they proceede from a heart purged by the fire of Gods spirit that is from a beleeuing and repentant heart both which are kindled and lighted and daily continued by that fire of Gods spirit Therefore it is that Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.4 That loue must come out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained The duties of religion and works of loue comming from this purged heart ascend into the presence of God as a smoake of most acceptable sacrifices and are as a sweet perfume in the nosethrils of the Lord. Now of what did God thus testifie Of his gift It may here be asked at the first how can Abell giue a gift to God hath the Lord neede of any thing and are not all things his I answer God is soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth and all creatures yet hath hee so giuen his creatures vnto man to vse as that they become mans owne and so he may esteeme vse them and being mans a man may in token of his thankfulnes return them again to God especially seeing God accepts them being so offred as most free gifts This sheweth vs first the wonderfull mercy of God that whereas we can offer him nothing but his owne he vouchsafeth to accept a gift offred of his owne euen as though we had of our owne to offer 2. See here a difference betwixt the sacrifices of the old and
in the Iudgement and the mercy Hitherto of the first effect It followeth Prepared the Arke The 2. effect of Noahs faith wherby it is coÌ„mended is that he vpon a coÌ„mandement receiued froÌ„ God as we heard before doth make build an Ark wherin to saue himself his family CoÌ„cerning this Ark much might be spoken out of the book of Gen but it is not to our purpose which is no more in this Chapter but to shew the obedience and practice of faith and therein the excellencie of it Now the point here to be spoken of is not the matter nor the measure nor the proportion nor the fashion nor the vses of the Arke all which in the 6. Chapter of Genesis are fully described but the action and obedience of Noah in preparing it as God bad him whereof the holy Ghost in Genesis 6.22 saith Noah did according to all that God had commaunded him euen so did he Now in this action of Noahs faith diuers points of great moment are to be considered First why did God bid Noah make an Arke 120. yeeres before the floud when hee might haue built it in three or foure yeeres The answere is God did so for diuers causes some respecting the sinfull world as that they might haue longer time and more warnings to repent euery stroke of the Arke during these 120. yeeres being a loude Sermon of repentance vnto them Againe that they might be without excuse if they amended not and lastly that their iniquities might be full and their sinnes ripe for vengeance But of all these we will not speake because they concerne not Noah of whose faith we are onely to speake let vs therfore touch only those causes which concerne Noah And in regard of him the Lord did thus that he might try his faith and patience and exercise other graces of holinesse in him Thus God dealeth with his seruants alwayes hee exerciseth them many and strange wayes in this world He led the Israelites in the deserts of Arabia fourty yeeres whereas a man may trauell from Rameses in Egypt to any part of Canaan in fourty dayes and this God did to humble them and try them and to know what was in their heart Deut. 8.2 God promised Abraham a sonne in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12.3 But he performed it not of 30. yeeres after Gen. 21.2 He gaue Dauid the kingdome of Israel and anointed him by Samuel 1. Sam. 16.13 But he attained it not of many yeeres after in the meane time was persecuted and hunted by Saul as a flea in a mans bosome or as a Partridge in the mountaines 1. Sam. 24.15 and 26.20 And thus God exercised him both in that and other his promises as he saith Psal. 40.1 In waiting I waited on the Lord and Psal. 119.82 Mine eyes faile for waiting for thy promise O when wilt thou comfort me Thus God dealt with them and thus in some measure hee deales with all his children to humble and to try them and to know what is in their hearts for that in these cases men doe alwaies shew themselues and their dispositions When men enioy all things at their will and wish who cannot make a faire profession but where men are long deferred and kept from that is promised and they expect and are so long crossed in their expectations then they appeare in their owne colours And as God dealt with them so will he one way or other doe with vs if wee be his seruants hee will at some time of our life or other lay some such affliction vpon vs as may try vs and our faith and our patience and our humility For if we be hypocrites and haue no true graces but onely a shew this will discouer it and if we haue true and sound faith and patience this will make them shine like orient pearles in their true and perfect beauty Secondly as God bad Noah build an Arke so long time before any neede of it so he did without denying or gainesaying So saith the story in Genesis He did according to all that God commaunded him And thus the holy Ghost saith here He being warned of God by faith prepared the Arke Where we learne That where true faith is there followeth true obedience to euery commaundement of God insomuch as a godly beleeuing man no sooner heareth any duty to be commaunded of God but hee thinks his soule and conscience is tied to obedience and this is the nature of true faith And it is as impossible to be otherwise as it is for fire hauing fewell not to burne Acts 15.9 Faith purifieth the heart namely from carelesse disobedience to Gods word for if from any corruption at all then from it especially because it is most contrary to the purenesse of true faiâ—h This being so sheweth vs not any fault in our religion as the Papists slander vs but the want of our religion and the want of true faith in the world for there is almost no obedience to Gods commaundements For first Turkes Iewes acknowledge not the Scriptures and the Papists haue set aside Gods commaundements to set vp their owne And few Protestants haue the feeling of the power of true religion nothing indeed but a bare profession but it must be a feeling of the power of it which produceth due obedience And alas wee see men obay not Gods commaundements God saith Sweare not by my name vainely keepe my Sabbath Where is there a man of many that feareth to breake these Alas there are more mockers of such as would keepe them then carefull and conscionable keepers of them How truly said Christ When the sonne of man commeth shall hee finde faith on the earth It is likely therefore these be the dayes wherin we may wait for the coÌ„ming of Christ for the generall want of obedience sheweth the generall want of faith But this obedience of Noah is better to be considered of for it was very excellent extraordinary there being many hindrances that might haue stopped him in the course of his obedience and haue perswaded him neuer to haue gone about the making of the Arke As first the great quantity of the Ark amounting to many thousands Cubits a work of huge labour great charge Againe the length of his labour to last 120. yeeres It is a tedious thing and troublesome to mans nature to be euer in doing and neuer to haue done Thirdly the building of it was a matter of much mockery to the world for it signified 1. the destroying of the whole world 2. the sauing of him and his These things were taunted at by the worldly wise men of that sinful age and he was loudly laught at by many a man to thinke all the world should perish but much more if all perished to imagine that he and his should be deliuered Lastly the building of the Arke was a harsh thing to nature and naturall reason in many respects for First that all the
men to some particular estate and duty in Family Church or Common-wealth as when a man is called to be a Magistrate Minister Master of a familie Lawyer Physician c. Thirdly God calleth some men to some priuate Personall duty which he designeth not to others but to be done by them alone Such a calling had hee assigned him Matthew 19.21 that would needes be perfect Goe sell all that thou hast c. Now the calling of Abraham in this place is to be referred to this third kinde For it was a priuate and personall calling to leaue his Country his kindred his lands his possessions and to goe seeke another and to be the Father of the faithfull and to receiue the couenant and this dutie belongs to none but who shal personally by name be called vnto it Yet all these three callings may concuâ—re in one as here in him For he was called to be a Christian for the generall and a gouernour of a great family for the particular calling but that that is in this place vnderstoode is this extraordinarie and personall calling to leaue his Country And in it we are to consider three circumstances 1. Who was called 2. When 3. How he was called For the first Abraham was called the sonne of Terah but neither his father Terah nor his brother Nahor were called but Abraham alone But it may worthily be demaunded why God should not call his Father and his kindred there can be no aunswere but this that the Apostle giueth Rom. 9.18 God hath mercy on whom he will and withholdeth it from whom he will He calleth Isaak and refuseth Ismael loueth Iacob and hateth Esau taketh Abell and leaueth Cain euen because he will and for no cause that wee know But why then calls hee Abraham and not his kindred Is not that partiality I answere he is tied to none hee might refuse all therefore the meruaile is that he calls any But why some and not other why Abraham and not his kindred no reason can be giuen for Gods Iudgements are wonderful But as that that is impossible with man is possible with God Math. 19.26 So that that is iniustice or partiality with man is iustice with God And it is extream folly and intolerable presumption for vs to weigh Gods actions in the balance of our shallow reason For the second But when was Abraham called for the time there are two circumstances worth the obseruation First Abraham was called to this dignity when he liued in Idolatrie with his Fathers So saith Ioshua 24.2 Thus saith the Lord Your Fathers dwelt beyond the floud in old time euen Terah the father of Abraham and serued other Gods If Abraham was called by God when he was an Idolater then it is apparant hee had not purchased Gods fauour by his workes Where we learne that the whole worke of a mans saluation is to be ascribed to Gods meere mercy who as the Prophet saith was found of them that sought him not Esay 65.1 Abraham neuer dreamed of the true God nor of any new couenant of grace and saluation when God called him And so when Paul was going armed with bloudy furie and his furie armed with commissions and authoritie against the Saints then God from heauen called him and of a persecuter made him the principall instrument of his glory Acts 9.2 c. Therefore to apply this to our selues If God haue vouchsafed vs the same grace and taken vs to be his people and made a couenant of saluation with vs which in former times haue beene sinners of the Gentiles wee must learne here to see whence this fauour is and therefore to ascribe nothing to our selues but giue all the glory vnto God And particularly for euery one of vs If God haue been so mercifull to any of vs as when we were Popish or superstitious with our Parents or kindred to open our eyes and bring vs home to his holy truth or when wee weltred in wickednesse and sensuality with the profane world to touch our hearts and to call vs to grace and sanctification let vs often remember and freely acknowledge this his vndeserued mercie and say with the holy Prophet Vnto thâ—e belongeth mercy but vnto vs open shame Secondly for the time when Abraham was called It was when hee was 75. yeeres of age or there-abouts as is manifest in the Storie Genesis 12.4 therefore wee see that God for a long time let him lie in his blindnesse and idolatrie ere he called him It is more then likely that Abraham in that meane time liued ciuilly followed learning other ciuill courses and in that time it is likely he attayned to that measure of knowledge in Astronomie and other learning for which he is renowned in olde Writers But this was the first time that he was called to know and serue the true God in his true seruice Heere wee learne that though a man perseuere in his sinnes for a long time and passe his best yeeres in vanitie without repentance and thereby be in a grieuous and fearefull estate yet true beleeuers and men penitent must not therefore iudge them cast-awayes For Gods mercy calls a man in his old age and toucheth the heart when it pleaseth him Christ in the Parable calls some at the 11. houre Mat. 20.6 and so God calleth men to grace in their old age We must therfore spare these sharp vnsauourie censures which som vnaduisedly cast vpon such men for charity thinketh not euil 1. Corinth 13 where it may thinke or suppose any possibibility of good But contrariwise pray for them and hope of their conuersions because we know that at what time soeuer a sinner repents of his sinne God will forgiue him Ezek. 18.27.28 And yet for all this men must not presume to liue carelesly in their sinnes for that is desperately to tempt God but must follow the holy Counsell of Salomon Eccles. 12.1 To remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and to turne vnto God when they haue meanes least God take away the meanes and with the meanes his fauour from them Abraham was not called till he was olde but when hee was called hee harkened and obayed So must thou when God calls thee by afflictions or by his word then answere and obay as Abraham did or else Abrahams calling in his old age will be little comfort to thee Thus much for the time Thirdly for the manner of his calling it is laied downe in the Storie of Genesis to be in an earnest kinde of Counsell Goe out saith God from thy kindred and from thy Fathers house vnto the land that I will shew thee Where it is to be obserued he saith not barely Goe or come forth but hee amplifieth and vrgeth it with many wordes and circumstances If any aske why God did so when hee might haue giuen the commaundement in one word I answer the reason is that Abraham might haue cause more seriously to consider of Gods calling and to
this commaundement was personally directed to Abraham and concernes not vs as it did him yet it hath his force and vse euen to vs. For though we are not to goe out of our Country and leaue our liuings and habitations yet we must doe that that is proportionable hereunto That which is commanded to Salomons wife is to all Christians Harken O daughter and consider incline thine eare forget thy owne kindred and thy Fathers house so shall the King take pleasure in thy beauty Psalm 45.10.11 This wife of Salomon is the soule of euery Christian the spouse of Christ the true Salomon who by nature is daughter to heathen Pharaoh that is to sinne corruption and wrath but being maried to Christ must forget her owne kindred and Fathers house that is their owne nature and naturall affections and carnall desires and then shall Christ our King and spirituall husband take pleasure in vs and reioice to doe vs good And this is the chiefe trauailing of all and most acceptable to God when a man goeth out of himselfe and denieth his owne desires to obay God and to serue Christ Iesus Thus we see the matter of his obedience Now followeth the end Which he should after receiue for inheritance The second particular in his obedience is the End why he went out of his owne Country namely to inherite another that is the land of Canaan called else-where the land of Promise because God promised it vnto him and to his â—eed Now Abraham at Gods commaundement went out of his owne Country into this place to inherite it and to take possession of it But it may be obiected He inherited it not yea furthermore Stephen saith Act. 7.4 God brought him in but gaue him no inheritance in it no not the bredth of a foote I answere though Abraham did not inherite it personally himselfe yet he may be said to inherite it two wayes 1. Sacramentally or Mystically 2. In his posteritie First Sacramentally thus The land of Canaan is to be vnderstoode not onely as a Country of Asia fruitfull and fertile and plentifull of all good things wherein the onely visible Church was confirmed till Christs comming But further as a Type of the heauenly Canaan where the triumphant Church raignes in glory with God And thus Abraham did in his owne person inherite it for he was translated from this world after his death into the glory of heauen And in that respect the glory of heauen is rather called the bosome of Abraham Luke 16 then of any other the Patriarkes both for the excellencie of his faith as also for that the promise of inheriting the land of Canaan was first of all personally made to him which because he enioyed not he was recompenced with the fruition of the true Cannaan From hence we learne a notable doctrine That God in performing of his promises giueth not oftentimes the verie particular thing promised but something equiualent or proportionable to it or else better Thus in the fift commaundement obedient children are promised by God long life as a reward for honouring their Parents Now when hee takes them away in their best age as hee did Iosias 2. Kings 22.10 hee giueth them eternall life which is not onely proportionable but farre exceeding the thing promised So heere hee promiseth Abraham the land of Canaan but when it comes to the performance hee giues him a better euen the true Canaan the kingdome of heauen The vse heereof is to teach vs wisedome for the true discerning of Gods mercifull performance of his promises for he performeth them not alwayes one way vnto his children sometime he giueth the very particular thing promised as vnto the children of Israel their deliuerance out of Egypt vnto Hezekiah the restoring of his health and such like Sometime he giueth not it but something which shall be as good or better vnto his children as when they are in some great danger and craue deliuerance or in some necessitie and haue promise of supply God oftentimes deliuereth them not but giueth them patience and feeling of his fauour in such sort as is many degrees more comfortable vnto them And herein God heareth their prayers and performeth his promise to them to their full contentation Secondly Abraham inherited Canaan in his posterity For though God promised it to himselfe when he was 75. yeeres olde Gen. 12.4 and to him and to his seede Gen. 15.7 Yet neither he nor his immediate seede enioyed it but his posteritie the Israelites 430. yeares after the promise as S. Paul proueth Galath 3.17 And so Abraham inherited it in his posteritie which is a part of him and they inherited it many hundreth yeares euen vntill the comming of Christ. As afore we learned that God in the performance of his promises giueth not alwayes the thing promised so heere let vs learne that he doth not alwayes performe them to the same parties and yet most truly performeth them If therefore God doth not to our selues nor in our times accomplish his promises or prophecies we must not be impatient but waite in patience For as the holy Prophet saith The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake and not lie though it tarie waite for it it shall surely come and shall not stay Habba 2.3 To this end Dauid also most diuinely saith Psalm 97.11 Light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart See light and ioy belongs vnto them but how It is sowen that is it is in hope and expectation and not alwayes in fruition Therefore as the Husbandman casts his seede into the earth and is content to stay almost a full yeere without it or any profit of it and yet is patient all that while because he is sure it will come bring encrease with it So must wee waite patiently on the Lord and know that whatsoeuer he hath promised we or ours after vs shall be sure to enioy it And though we doe not what great matter is it if our children doe For we know that oftentimes the Father soweth and dieth ere the haruest and so the sonne reapeth So for Gods great and gracious promises which are sowen vnto the Fathers if themselues do not their children are sure to reape the comfortable haruest of performance And thus we see how Abraham inherited the land of Canaan which is called the land of Promise because it was so long and so often promised to so many great Patriarkes In the second place it is to be obserued when God promised this vnto Abraham euen then when the land of Canaan was possessed by many mighty Kings So that it may be here further doubted how Abraham could take any comfort in this promise seeing it was at that day held by almost 40. Kings greater and lesse as we may see in Ioshua Chap. 10.11.12 and further The people were many and strong the Cities were strong walled and full of huge Giants Numb 13.28.29 Yet for all this he
the first fruit of their faith The second fruite of their faith is noted in these words And beleeued them where by beleeuing wee must vnderstand not so much the act of faith for that was noted before as the growth and encrease of their faith for the word imports a confirmation of their hearts and a resolution in assurance of the promises made vnto them which is not vnusuall in Scripture for Paul prayeth for the Churches who had true knowledge faith and loue that they might encrease and abound therein more and more Ephesians 3.16.17 Philippians 1.9.11 Colossians 1.9.11 Heere then wee may obserue in the example of these Patriarches that it is the duty and property of euery true beleeuer to goe forward and encrease in faith till hee come to a full perswasion and assurance in Gods promises All the giftes of GOD and therefore faith are the Lords talents and euery true beleeuer is the Lords seruant called to occupie therewith Now GOD hauing put his talent into any mans hand doth require the encrease thereof as the Parable shewes Luke 19.13 And this Paul teacheth for praying for the Ephesians that they may goe on and be strengthened by the spirit in the inner man Ephesians 3.16 he signifieth that hee that doth truly beleeue in Christ must goe on from grace to grace till hee be a tall man in Christ as a childe groweth from yeare to yeare till hee come to bee a strong man The nature of faith is like vnto fire which will not goe out so long as wood or other fewell is put vnto it but will take holde thereof and growe vnto a greater flame and so will faith growe vp to a full perswasion in all those that conscionablie apply themselues to the Worde and Prayer But goes the case thus with vs in the matter of faith Nay verily generally it is farre otherwise for many among vs haue no regard of faith at all but thinke they may liue as they lust their good meaning will serue the turne others and those not a fewe are so farre from going forward in faith that they are euery day worse and worse and still goe backward more and more A third sort wee haue that will heare the word and receiue the Sacraments but yet their growth in grace is verie slender they stand at a stay and profit little Now howsoeuer it may be thought but a small fault not to profit in Religion yet vndoubtedly it is a fearefull Iudgement of GOD when the hearers of the word in any congregation are daily taught and doe not profit thereby and therefore the holy Ghost noteth those women to be laden with sinne which are euer learning and yet neuer are able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2. Timoth. 3.7 If a childe lately borne like not well nor growe when it hath good keeping the common saying is that it is a Changeling So if a man heare the word of God and doe not encrease in knowledge faith and obedience wee may most truly say of him that hee is a spirituall Changeling and therefore to auoide this fearefull iudgement of God we must first labour for faith hauing faith encrease therein and in other graces of God till we come to be strong men in Christ. It is here said that those Patriarchs encreased in faith But it may be demaunded how and by what meanes they did attaine hereto Answer In the booke of Genesis we may finde three wayes whereby they were confirmed in the faith and did growe vp in grace The first meanes was from God himselfe for when he had made his couenant with Abraham mercifully renuing the same during his life as occasion serued sundry times he stayed not there suffering it to die with Abraham but when Abraham was dead God renued his couenant with Isaac and Rebecka and with Iacob also after them Now the tongue of man cannot vtter what a wonderfull furtherance it was vnto their faith to haue the Lord himselfe to renue his gracious promises vnto them The second meanes of encreasing their faith was their holy conuersing one with another for the manner of the Patriarchs was to teach and instruct their children and to nurture them vp in the true worship and feare of God by which meanes they did not only implant Gods promises in the hearts of their children but were themselues confirmed in the same for hee that teacheth another from a feeling heart greatly strengtheneth his owne soule Now God himselfe doth testifie this thing of Abraham saying I knowe him that he will commaund his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement Now looke what Abraham herein did to Isaac that no doubt did Isaac vnto Iacob The third meanes to encrease their faith was from each one to himself for they gaue themselues often times in their owne persons to muse meditate vpō the promises of God so it is said of Isaac that he went out to pray or to meditate in the field towards euening and wee may perswade our selues it was concerning this and other promises of God and the accomplishment thereof And wee neede not to doubt but that Abraham and Iaacob did the like These are the means by which these godly Patriarchs were strengthened in their faith All which must be marked of vs diligently and put in practice for the cause why we heare the word often and yet profit little by it is chiefly this because the meanes by which men should growe vp in faith are so slenderly vsed among vs. For the first meanes which is on Gods behalfe to man is through his great and vnspeakable mercy plentifully affoorded in many parts of the Land in the holy Ministerie of the gospell wherin Gods gratious promises of mercy are opened and applied to mens hearts and his iudgements against sinne are sharpely denounced to driue men to lay holde on Gods mercy in Christ. But if wee regard the second meanes which is mutuall instruction of father to childe of master to seruant and of one neighbour to another together with mutuall conference about that we are taught Or else if wee regard the third meanes which is priuate meditation vpon Gods word and promises taught vnto vs which meditation is to a Christian soule like the chewing of the cudde vnto a beast for as chewing the cudde turnes that which was eaten into true feeding so doth holy meditation make Gods word and promises spirituall refreshing by digesting them in the heart If I say wee take a viewe of these two latter wee shall finde them seldome vsed of very many or not at all Blessed be God we neede not to doubt but there bee some who vse these meanes with care and reuerence but alas these some are very fewe And because this duty is so slackly performed hence it is that though the couenant of mercy in Christ be oft repeated yet men reape little profit by it So that we
must learne to follow this notable practice of these godly Patriarchs and looke what meanes they vsed for the increase of their faith the same also must we vse and that diligently so shall we grow and increase and waxe strong in faith as they did The third fruit of their faith is this And receiued them thankefully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the originall signifieth to salute and that not onely by speach but any way else as by imbracing c. and therefore in this place is not vnfitly translated And receiued them thankefully that is they tooke them kindly at Gods hands This is a notable fruit of faith whereby they are commended that seeing the promises of God afarre off did yet take them most kindly at Gods hands But here wee must consider how they tooke them kindly namely by doing 2. things 1. By an action of their heart 2. By an action of their life The action of their heart was this that howsoeuer the promise was not accomplished in their daies yet they were woÌ„derfully glad therof for our Sauiour Christ said to the Iewes Your father AbrahaÌ„ reioyced to see my day he saw it was glad It did Abrahams heart good to see Christ afarre off and so we may safely thinke of Sarah Isaac and Iaacob that their hearts were also rauished with ioy to heare the wonderfull promise of God concerning the Messias and to thinke of the most ioyful performance which they knew should follow in due time Secondly they tooke this promise kindly by the practice of their life for when they came to any strange place as wee may often read in the story there they built vp altars offered sacrifice vnto God and called on his name All which they did to testifie their inward ioy thankful acceptance of Gods promises in Christ and of the promised Land thogh neither were accoÌ„plished in their daies Now as touching our selues the same maine promises of God that were made to Abraham Isaac and Iaacob hath the Lord made and continued vnto vs nay we haue the same already accoÌ„plished we see the same verified more euidently and plainely than any of the Patriarchs did Which being true our duty is to take the same much more thankefully and kindly at Gods hands than they did or could doe because we haue more light and knowledge in the promises of God than euer the Patriarchs had But wee haue iust cause to bewaile the daies and times wherein we liue for whereas we should take the promises of God most ioyfully and kindly the case is farre otherwise For generally it may be said of our nation and people that in regard of the mercies and promises of God wee are an vnkinde people And that this is true for the most part in all of vs if weâ— will but a little examine the matter we shall find too apparant by many euidences for first let any of vs be brought to a place where we may behold some vaine Enterlude or Showe a man would not thinke how wonderfully we are rauished therewithall so as we could find in our hearts to spend whole daies in beholding them But let vs be brought to heare the Gospel of Christ his holy word preached and taught as it was vnto Abraham Isaac Iaacob wherein they much reioyced and there we sit heauy and drowsie so as the Word seems loathsome vnto vs one houre is so tedious as we hardly hold it out without sleeping and if it passe the houre a little O how impatiently our nature takes it All which shew plainly that we haue no such ioy to heare of Christ and his mercifull promises as these godly Patriarchs had so that we are both hard hearted vnkind altogether insensible of so great fauours of our God towards vs. Secondly consider mens behauiour in Gods worship It is euident that the greatest part of people worship God but in formall shew for fashions sake These godly Patriarchs Abraham c. built altars in euery place where they came and offered sacrifice vnto God to signifie their kindnesse willing heart towards God for his promises But now men worship God formally not in way of thankefulnes but either because the Law coÌ„pels them to it or else because it is a custome and order which must be kept For proofe thereof take some one of the common sort aske him why he commeth into the congregation he will say he commeth to doe as other men doe but what they doe he knoweth not or what he himselfe ought to doe he cannot tel nor careth much to know Others also come to worship God but aske them how they doe it they will say by saying ouer the ten Commandements the Lords praier and the beleefe But if the word be either preached or read they regard it not thinking that all Gods worship stands in the repeating of those three things Which sheweth that they worship God but for fashion sake and with little more than a plaine lip-labour Another sort there are which come neere to God with their lips but their hearts are farre from him for though their bodies be present in the congregatioÌ„ yet their hearts are wandring about their worldly businesse or the works of sinne so that we may truly say God is not worshipped with faith in the heart And therefore wee are an vnkinde people and quite degenerate from the faith of our fore-fathers these holy Patriarchs who receiued Gods promises so kindly and thankfully Thirdly we haue the word of God daily preached and taught vnto vs but how many be there that make conscience of obeying the same in their liues and callings Men doe come and heare and should learne but when they come home they doe sâ—at contrary to that which is taught Now there can be no greater vnthankfulnesse nor vnkindnesse towards Gods then this that men should heare and not obey for disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft nay the Lord himselfe saith that he that maketh no conscience of obedience in his life is in his actions of Gods worship no more acceptable vnto God then a murtherer is when he kills a man Wherefore seeing obedience is so rare to be found among vs and disobedience aboundeth euery where it is a plaine argument that we take not the promises of God kindly nor thankfully at his hands for if we did we would at least endeauour our selues to doe what God commaunds in his Law and desireth in his Gospell and so be thankfull vnto GOD for his mercies shewing forth our thankfulnesse by our obedience So that it standeth vs in hand euery man to looke vnto himselfe for his owne part seeing God hath giuen vs his Gospell the meanes of our saluation that therefore wee receiue and embrace the same least God doe either take the same from vs or vs from it for we may be sure that the one of these two will followe if we do daily heare and make no conscience to
not for himselfe but for our sakes Now further God tempteth men three waies first by Iudgements and Calamities in this world so the Lord saith to the Israelites Deut. 8.2 Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God ledde thee this fortie years in the wildernesse for to humble thee for to prooue and to know what is in thy heart That iourney might haue beene gone in forty daies but God did lead them in it forty yeares to prooue and trie by this vnwoonted calamity whether they would obey him or not So likewise God suffered false prophets and Dreamers of dreames to come among the people for this ende To prooue them and to know whether they loued the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule Deut. 13.3 Now this first kinde of temptations by outward Iudgements is most grieuous when the Lord laieth his own hand vpon his seruants so heauily as they shal thinke themselues to bee quite forsaken In this temptation was Dauid as we may reade at large Psal. the 6 and Psal. 38 and Iob being afflicted not onely outwardly in body but inwardly in minde crieth out that the arrowes of the Almighty were in him Iob 6.4 and through the whole chapter hee bewaileth his grieuous estate by reason of this temptation Secondly God tempteth his seruants by withdrawing his graces from them and by forsaking them in part and this kinde of temptation is as grieuous as the former herewith was good King Hezekias tempted for as wee may reade God left him to a sinne of vaine glory and the end was to try him and to proue all that was in his heart 2. Chron. 32.31 Thirdly God tempteth his seruants by giuing vnto them some strange and extraordinarie commaundement As in the Gospell when the young man came to our Sauiour Christ and asked him what good thing hee might doe to haue eternall life Math. 19.16 Christ biddeth him goe and sell all that he had and giue to the poore This commaundement had this vse to be a commaundement of triall vnto the young man whereby God would proue what was in his heart that the same might be manifest both to himselfe vnto others And vnder this kinde we must comprehend this temptation of Abraham for when God said Abraham offer vp thy sonne in sacrifice it was not a commaundement requiring actuall obedience for GOD meant not that Abraham should kill his sonne but onely of triall to see what he would doe And these are Gods temptations whereby he proueth his seruants Yet farther the temptations of God whereby he tempteth his children haue two ends 1. they serue to disclose and make euident the graces of God that be hidden in the hearts of his seruants so S. Iames saith My brethren count it exceeding great ioy when ye fall into diuers tentations Iames 1.2 The reason followeth Knowing that the triall of your faith bringeth forth patience verse 3. Where we see this end of temptation set down To manifest the gift of patience wrought in the heart And Saint Peter saith to the Church of God That they were in heauinesse through manifolde tentations that the triall of their faith being much more precious then golde that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found vnto their praise and honour and glory at the appearing of the Lord Iesu 1. Peter 1.6.7 Where temptations haue this vse to make manifest the soundnesse of mens faith in GOD as the fire doth proue the golde to be good and precious So in this place The temptation of Abraham serueth for this end to make manifest his notable faith and obedience vnto GOD with a reuerend feare of his Maiestie as the Lord himselfe testifieth saying Now I knowe that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Genesis 22.12 Meaning this Now I haue made thy faith and loue and feare of mee so manifest that all the worlde may see it and speake of it Secondly Gods temptations serue to manifest hidden sinnes and corruptions partly to a mans owne selfe and partly to the world And for this end God tempted Hezekias For being recouered of his sicknesse after that the King of Ashur his great enemie was vanquished especially when the Embassadours of the King of Babell came to enquire of the wonders which were done in the Land God left him that hee might see his sinnes and the corruptions of his nature as pride and vaine-glory wherewith hee was puffed vp at the comming of the Embassadours to him And thus hee who little thought that pride and vaine-glory could haue taken such holde on him perceiuing how his heart was lift vp in him was doubtlesse much humbled at the sight of this his so great corruption for when the Prophet came vnto him he submitted himselfe to the word of reproofe Isay 39.8 First wheras Abraham the seruant of God was tempted that is was prooued and tried by God himselfe Here wee are taught that if we perswade our selues to be the seruāts of God as Abraham was then wee must looke to haue temptations at Gods owne hand for his example is a patterne for vs and therefore in him wee must see that which we must looke to haue for it could not be needfull for Abraham but it may be also needfull to vs. In regard wherof Saint Peter counteth it as a thing necessarie that men should fall into sundry temptations that the triall of their faith might be vnto their praise So that in this life we must looke for triall and the more glorious our faith is and the more like to our father Abrahams the more trialls shall we vndergoe Againe seeing we must be tried therefore euery one of vs must labour for soundnesse of grace in our hearts as of faith repentance hope and of the loue of God though they be but little in measure for we must come to triall it must appeare whether wee be hotte or colde Now if we haue not soundnesse of grace in vs in the time of triall then looke as drosse consumeth in the fire when as golde commeth out more cleere so shall hypocrisie formalitie and all temporizing profession come to nothing in the middest of tentation when sound grace and a good conscience shall passe through and shine more pure and perfect after than before Thirdly considering wee are to looke for trials and temptations from God therefore we must be carefull to remember and practice that counsell of Christ to his Disciples before his passion Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation Math. 26.41 And because they were carelesse in practicing this dutie therefore they fell into temptation especially Peter fell most grieuously by denying his master Wee must perswade our selues that the same commandement is giuen to vs for God will prooue vs by temptations to make manifest the corruptions that bee in our hearts wee therefore considering our owne estate must pray for Gods assisting and strengthning grace
his life and when he dieth he shal be able to worship praise God On the other side take notice of it he that liues in couetousnes in profanenesse in fornication and wantonnes for the most part so dies Come to a couetous man at his death and talke with him and you shall finde nothing in him ordinarily but rauing talking about his bargaines his billes and indentures other worldly things And so wee may say of other lewd liuers looke what minde they had while they were liuing that shall you find most in their mouthes while they are dying which shewes plainely that as men liue so they die But some will say that oftentimes the godly man raues and speakes lewdly and it may be profanely before his death Ans. It is true indeed the best man is not freed from any kind of bodily sicknesse but is subiect to them as well as the wicked as to burning feuers and such like by the violence and rage of which diseases they are often driuen to raue to speake fondly and sometimes lewdly yea it may be profanely But what is that to the purpose for thogh a godly man for the time of his fit cannot expresse the grace of his heart but rather the corruption of his nature yet whē he hath recouered himselfe he is sory for the same is then ready willing to praise God with all his heart So that if wee would die well as Iacob did praising God then let vs lead our liues as he did namely by faith and the direction of his word and promises Then come death when it will and how it will wee may indeede be sore assaulted by sickenesse and temptation but yet we shall neuer be ouercome for God is faithfull that hath promised an issue to his children in temptatiō 1. Corinth 10.13 Lastly whereas Iacob worshipped God at his death Here we learne that sound zeale will neuer decay Many men haue zeale indeede but it comes onely from the strength and soundnesse of their bodily constitution and looke as strength decaies so doth that kind of zeale But sound zeale will not decay and weaken with the body but as Dauid saith of the righteous Psal. 92.13 15. will flourish like a palme tree and growe like a Cedar in Libanon it shall still bring forth fruit in a mans age and flourish This wee see was true in Iacob for though he were old and feeble with sicknesse yet he sheweth forth sound zeale in his heart at the houre of his death Euen so will it be with vs that professe religion if zeale be sound in our hearts it will shew it selfe and the older wee are the more fruits of grace wee shall bring forth and then shew forth more true zeale than in yonger yeares For though bodily strength decay yet sound zeale will neuer decay but when strength faileth then will zeale flourish if it bee sound like to the palme tree which will bud and sprout though the roots of it bee cut off Wherefore if wee would shew forth zeale in our age we must get soundnesse of it in our youth for that will put forth it selfe in the time of death And thus much of Iacobs example Iosephs Faith VERSE 22. By faith Ioseph when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gaue commandement of his bones WEe haue heard in the former verses the seuerall examples of the faith of the three Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob Now in this verse the holy Ghost setteth downe the example of Iosephs faith The words in this verse are plaine and easie neede no exposition They are a plaine and briefe summe of the ende of the 50. Chapter of Genesis Let vs therefore come to the points of doctrine and instructions which are to bee learned and gathered forth of the words First note in generall the great resemblance of this example with the former of Ioseph a godly sonne with Iacob a godly father for both of them shew forth their faith when they die For it is said of both By faith when hee died So that in ground and circumstance of time they both agree Herein we may obserue first that the good examples of Superiours vvhether they be ciuill or Ecclesiasticall are of great force to bring other men on and to make them forward in the duties of religion their zeale as Paul saith to the Corinthians in the case of almes prouoketh many Iacob the father beeing a worthy Prophet and Patriarch giuing an holy and blessed example vnto Ioseph and his children doth shew forth at his death most notable behauiour wherein hee worthily expresseth the trueth of his faith Now his example works with Ioseph and he in his death behaues himselfe in the same manner that his godly father did before him and therfore superiours must look to all their sayings and doings carefully that they may bee worthy examples to their inferiours to drawe them on in religion and in the feare of God Secondly hence inferiors also must learne to follow the godly holy and religious examples of their gouernours and superious whether they be ciuill or Ecclesiasticall as we may see in this place Ioseph doth imitate the godly example of his father Iacob Hereof Saint Paul giueth straite charge vnto the Philippians saying Brethren be followers of me and looke on them which walke so as ye haue vs for an example Phil. 3.17 And in the next Chapter exhorting them to honest conuersation hee biddes them doe those things which they had heard receiued and seene in him But are these duties practiced among vs bee the elder sort teachers of good things to the yonger doe the yonger follow their elders in wel-doing nay verily but such are our times too many among vs both those that giue and those which follow good examples are as signes wonders as the Prophet speaketh they are made a reproach a by-word among men and are foully disgraced by odious tearmes Isay 8.18 But this indeede is a practice of Ismael that mocked Isaac Genesis 21. ver 9. And we againe must vndoubtedly know that vnlesse it be reformed that hand of God which hath beene stretched out against vs in manie fearefull iudgements will not be pulled backe but stretched out still till it bring vs to destruction for God will not suffer his ordinances to be contemned and his holy ones to be abused hee looketh for better fruites at our hands and therefore wee must learne of these godly Patriarches both to giue and to followe good examples In the example of Ioseph more particularly wee are to obserue two points 1. Iosephs faith 2. The actions of his faith whereby it is commended For the first it is saide that by faith Ioseph when hee died c. Ioseph for ought wee finde in Scripture had not such meanes to come by faith as his Auncestors had before him For the three Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob had otherwhiles the appearance of GOD vnto
but they vtterly contemne all other estates of life in regard of their owne And this is the common sinne of the whole world for at earthly preferments men wil stand amazed but seldome shall you finde a man that is rauished with ioy in this that he is the childe of God as Moses did But his practice must be a president for vs to followe we must learne to haue more ioy in being the sonnes of God then to be heires of any worldly Kingdomes and to take more delight in the grace of adoption through Iesus Christ then in the sonship of any earthly Prince It is a great prerogatiue to be heire to a King or Emperour but yet to be the childe of God goes farre beyond it euen aboue comparison For the sonne of the greatest Potentate may be the childe of wrath but the childe of God by grace hath Christ Iesus to be his eldest brother with whom he is fellow heire in heauen hee hath the holy Ghost also for his comforter and the Kingdome of heauen for his euerlasting inheritance And therefore wee must learne of Moses from the bottome of our hearts to prefer this one thing To be the child of God before all earthly things either pleasures riches or any other prerogatiues whatsoeuer Now more particularly in this fact of Moses note two circumstances 1. The manner how 2. The time when he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter For the first his refusall was not in word but in deede for if we reade the whole History of Moses wee shall not finde that either he spake to Pharaoh or to his daughter or to any other to this effect that hee would not be her heire nor called her sonne but we finde that hee did it in deede for when he came to age he left the Court oftentimes and went to visite his brethren to comfort them to defend them and to take part with them And hence we must learne not so much to giue our selues to knowe and to talke of matters of religion as to doe and practice the same both before God and men This did Moses It is the common fault of our age that we can be content to heare the doctrine of religion taught vnto vs yea many will learne it and often speake thereof but fewe there be that make conscience to doe the things they heare and speake of But let vs learne of Moses to put those things in practice which wee learne and professe and in silence doe them for the fewer words the better vnlesse our deedes be answerable If any of vs were to walke vpon the top of some high mountaine we would leaue off talking and looke vnto our steps for feare of falling Behold when we enter the profession of Christianity wee are set vpon an high mountaine for the way of life is on high and Christianity is the high calling of God We therefore must be wise as Salomō saith Pro. 15.24 look wel to our cōuersation hauing a straite watch ouer all our waies through the whole course of our life euen to the end of our daies not stand so much on speaking talking as on doing for the doer of the worke shal be blessed in his deed Iam. 1.25 This is the thing we must looke vnto as the only ornament of our profession declaring that we haue the power of godlinesse but if deeds be wanting our religion is vaine we are like the Fig-tree which Christ cursed hauing leaues but no fruite The 2. circumstance to be considered is the time when he refused this honour namely when he came to be a man of yeares and discretion A man in cōmon reason would iudge thus of Moses fact Moses hath rare fortune offered him he might haue bin sonne heire to a Princesse surely this is a rash fact of his void of cōsideration to refuse it vndoubtedly he far ouershot himselfe herein either through rashnesse or ignorance But to preuent such carnall surmises the spirit of God sets down this circumstance of time saying that he did not refuse it in his youth but when hee was come to age that is to perfect yeares of discretion and by reason thereof must needes haue consideration and iudgement to know what he did then did he refuse this honour to bee Pharaohs daughters sonne and heire In the seuenth of the Acts wee shall see that he was fortie yeares olde when he did this And therefore this is true which is here said that when he was come to age and staiednesse then he refused this honour for fortie yeares is a time not onely of ripenesse for strength but of staiednesse in iudgement and discretion Out of this circumstance we learne two points 1 That it is a common fault of yong years to be subiect to inconsideration and rashnes for Moses did not refuse the honour of Pharaohs daughter when hee was young lest it should seeme to bee a point of rashnesse but when hee was come to age as the text saith insinuating that if hee had done it when hee was young it might haue beene esteemed but a rash part and done in some hastie passion of youth Euery age of man hath his faults this is the fault of youth to bee heady and rash in their affaires for want of consideration and experience And therefore all young persons must haue care of these sinnes of youth and watch the more against them because they are so incident to their yeares Now the way to auoyde them is to follow Christs example Luk. 2.52 to labour to growe as in yeares so in wisdome and grace and to obey the counsell of Paul to Timothy 2. Timoth. 2.22 to flie the lusts of youth following after iustice faith charitie and peace with all that call vpon the name of the Lord with a pure heart Secondly this circumstance of time noting Moses deliberate staiednesse in this fact doeth plainely aduertise vs what is or should bee the vertue of olde age and the ornament of yeares namely staiednesse discretion wherby I meane not only that naturall temper of affection which olde age bringeth with it but such religious discretion whereby men of yeares doe all things in faith so as their workes may be acceptable and pleasing vnto God For when a man is grown in yeares hath had experience obseruation in the Church of God he must not onely haue a generall knowledge and wisdome but a particular wisdome whereby he may doe in faith whatsoeuer hee takes in hand and therein please God But alas this may be spoken of olde men in these daies that in regard of this wisdome they are very babes a thing greatly disgracefull to their condition For Paul biddes the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14.20 that they should not be children in vnderstanding but of ripe age yea and he forbiddes the Ephesians Eph. 4.14 to be children stil wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine Whereby we may see that aged persons do
witnesse but rather be excepted against as altogether vnworthy and so would prooue a discredit to his friends cause a shame to himself so it is with vs in Christs cause if we professe in word deny indeed we discredit Christ and his profession shame our selues for euer And therfore we must be carefull not only in word and iudgement but in life conuersation to make a true constant confession of Christ and of his truth And thus much for the exhortation Now followeth the 2. point to be obserued in this verse namely the manner how Gods Church people may put in practice this worthy exhortation of the holy Ghost To be constant in the faith And this consists in three duties 1. They must cast away that which presseth downe 2. They must cast away that sin that hangeth so fast on or sin which so readily doth compasse vs about 3. They must run the race that is set before them with patience Whosoeuer in Gods Church either Iew or Gentile can performe these 3. things shall be able no doubt to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost cōtinue cōstant in the faith vnto the end Of these 3. in order The 1. thing then to be done is this We must cast away that which presseth down or thus Cast away the waight or burthen for so much the word in the originall signifieth euen that burthen which so presseth down the poore Christian that he cannot goe on forward in the course of godlinesse and Christianity By burthen or weight here we must vnderstand 5. things 1. The loue of this temporall life 2. Care for earthly things 3. Riches temporal wealth 4. Worldly honour preferments 5. Worldly delights and pleasures All these are things which lie heauy on mans soule as weighty burthens which presse it downe especially then when the soule should lift vp it self to seek heauenly things So in the Parable of the Sower riches pleasures cares for the things of this life are called thornes which choake the word of God in a mans heart and make it vnfruitfull And surfetting drunkennes are said to be things which oppress the heart and make it heauy And easie it were to shewe by many testimonies that all these fiue things do press down the heart especially then when it should be lifted vp in the seeking of heauenly things Now in this that these 5. things are waighty burdens we may learne first what is the cause that in these our daies euery where the Gospel of Christ being published preached expoūded takes so little place in mēs hearts whether we regard knowledge vnderstanding or affection and obedience For Gods word is a word of power mighty in operation how comes it to passe then that the ground is barren where it is cast why makes it not men learned religious Ans. Surely in euery place where the word of God is preached especially among vs these fiue things possess the hearts of men exercise all the thoghts of the minde and affections of the heart From whence it commeth to passe that after long preaching there is little fruit or profit either for knowledge or obedience for where the heart is pressed downe with the waight of these earthly things there the word of God can take no place nor bring forth fruit And this is generally true among vs though we heare Gods word from year to year and thereby might increase in knowledg obediēce if we would yet in many there is little shew of either and the cause is in these worldly cares which take place in our hearts For this is a most certaine truth that so long as our hearts are addicted to the greedy seeking after these earthly things honour pleasures c. so long will the ground of our hearts bee barren The good seed of Gods word may be sowen therein but little fruit shall come thereof saue briers and weeds which will increase our damnation Again whereas the loue of tēporal life care of earthly things c. are sore burdens pressing downe a mans heart from heauen to earth and making it heauy and sad and dead in regard of all spirituall exercises and contemplations Hereby we are taught oftentimes to giue our selues to eleuate and lift vp our mindes and hearts to God partly by meditation in his word partly by inuocation on his name and partly by thanksgiuing And to doe these things the better we must remember to set apart some speciall time euery day for this speciall worke so as we may say with Dauid Psal. 25.1 Lord I lift vp my heart vnto thee Dauid was well acquinted with this exercise and so was Daniel for both of them vsed this as we may read Psa. 55.17 Euening and morning saith Dauid and at noone wil I pray make a noyse And Daniel vsed to pray vnto God 3. times a day wherein he would heartily vnfainedly call vpon God with thanksgiuing And great reason we should do so for wee liue in this world wherein are innumerable waighty things which press down our hearts frō looking vp to heauen therfore we must often practice our selues in holy meditatiō prayer vnto God that so we may lift vp our soules vnto God from the things of this world To vse a fit cōparisō we know that those who keep clocks if they would haue the clock stil going must once or twice a day winde vp the plūmets which cause the wheels to go about because they are still drawing downward Euen so seeing our hearts haue plummets of lead which are worldly cares and desires to press them down from seeking vp to heauen we must doe with our hearts as the clock-keeper doth with his plummets winde them vp vnto God euery day for this ende must set apart some particular time to do the same in holy duties Why doth God command the 7. day to be sanctified and set apart from all bodily exercises worldly cares vndoubtedly it is for this end to cause men to eleuate their hearts from all wordly things to seeke the things aboue else if the minde should be alwaies pressed down with worldly cares it could neuer attain to heauēs ioys He that hath not cōsciēce on the Lords day to lift vp his heart to heauen by prayer and hearing Gods word with meditation theron cannot possibly haue any soundnes in religion nor his heart firmely settled on heauenly things Thirdly whereas the holy Ghost saith That the Hebrewes must cast away the weight that presseth downe Here wee are taught in what manner and how farre forth wee must vse the things of this life as riches honours and lawfull pleasures yea and all temporall blessings whatsoeuer namely so farre forth as they will further vs in the course of religion and in the exercises of godlinesse and vertue and no further But finding by experience that these temporall things be a burden vnto vs pressing vs downe and making vs vnfit for
mens constitution may help forward this feare yet many times it comes from an accusing conscience as a fruit of sinne And the way to remooue it is here to be learned namely to doe as Moses did that is labour to bee resolued of Gods presence with vs and prouidence ouer vs and this wil arme vs against al satanicall and foolish feare For if God be on our side who can be against vs to do vs harme Againe the Souldier by his place and calling ought to be a man of courage for els the state of his life and the thought of his enemies will much affright him Now how may he become courageous They vse to sound the drumme and trumpet for this ende and it must be granted they be good incitements prouocations vnto battell but when it comes to the point of danger these cannot giue heart Others vse against the battell to fill themselues with wine and to make thēselues valiant by strong drinke This indeede may make them senselesse and so desperate But the true way is to become Christian souldiers knowing and fearing God and with their bodily armour to bring also the shield of faith wherby their hearts may be assured that God hath called them to that fight that he is present with them to couer their heads in the day of battell This will make them to take heart and courage to themselues and to become truly valorous though by nature they be weake and timorous Thirdly who knows whether God will bring vs to this triall either to lay down our liues or forsake his truth for he may iustly take from vs these golden daies of peace for our ingratitude Now if such times come vpon vs what shall we doe Shall wee denie the faith of Christ God forbid But how shall we stand out in such a triall Surely we must follow Moses and labour to see him that is inuisible by faith This will make vs couragious and without feare in Gods cause remēbring this also that among those which are reckoned to goe downe to hell the fearefull man is one Reuel 21.8 who dares not stand to the truth of God but for feare of men denies it Let vs therefore now begin to settle our hearts in the assurance of Gods prouidence and protection that so when triall comes wee may be bold in the case of God Him that is inuisible That is God who is a most simple essence voyd of all composition or corporall substance for God is a spirit Iohn 4.24 and therefore inuisible and not subiect to mans senses But some will say God is said to haue head heart hands and feete with other parts of mans body and therefore he is visible Answ. The holy Ghost so speaketh in scripture of God by way of resemblance of him vnto man that we might the better thereby conceiue of his works for therefore are the parts of mans body ascribed vnto God in scripture that we might know he doth such workes by his diuine power as man doth by the parts of his body Man sheweth his strength and valour in his arme and by resemblance vnto man God is said to haue an Arme to note out his power and valiant actes And so God is said to haue eies because wee should conceiue that by his infinite wisdome he seeth all things more cleerely than man doth any thing at noone day with his bodily eies And so of the rest But Moses is said to talke with God face to face and to see his backe parts Exod. 33.11 23. Answ. This imports not that he saw the substance of God but onely that God did after a familiar manner reueale himselfe vnto him and in some resemblance shewe him his glory so farre forth as Moses was able to behold it for the text is plaine My face can not be seene There shall no man see me and liue vers 20. Here wee learne that when wee pray to God wee must not conceiue of him by any forme or image in our minds for so we make an idoll of God Quest. What then must we doe for how will some say can I pray to him and not thinke of him Answ. When wee thinke of God or pray vnto him wee must conceiue of him in our mindes as hee hath reuealed himselfe in scripture that is by his workes and by his properties wee must thinke in our mindes of an eternall essence most holy wise c. who made all things and gouernes them by his mighty power For euery image to resemble God by either to the minde or to the eie is a plaine lie making him visible who is inuisible as saith the Prophet Hab. 2 18 The image what profiteth it for it is a teacher of lies Which flatly ouerthroweth the opinion and practice of the Romish Church who resemble the true God euen God the father and the holy Trinitie in images what else doe they herein but make a lie of God But the Papists say they deuise no image to resemble God in but onely such whereby hee hath shewed himselfe as the scripture testifies as the father like an old man the sonne as he was incarnate and the holy Ghost like a doue Math. 3.16 Answ. Wee must not conceiue of those formes of an old man or of a doue to haue beene euer any images of the father or of the holy Ghost but onely signes and pledges for a time whereby those persons did then manifest their presence Now there beeing an expresse commandement against all representation of God by images not excepting those very shapes whereby it pleased God for a time to signifie his presence it must needes be idolatrous presumption to make any image of God or of the Trinitie And indeed God being inuisible as the text saith it is impossible to make any true image or resemblance of him VERSE 28. By faith hee ordained the Passeouer and the effusion of blood lest hee that destroyed the first borne should touch them IN the former verses the author of this Epistle hath shewed vnto vs the notable faith of Moses by two worthy acts 1 His refusing to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter 2 His departing out of Egypt Now here in this verse he commends his faith vnto vs by a third action which is the ordination or celebrating of the Passeouer This verse is the summe of the 12. Chapter of Exodus the effect whereof is this After that God had sent nine seuerall plagues vpon the Land of Egypt which were occasions to harden Pharaohs heart at last he sends Moses to certifie Pharaoh that vnlesse he would let the people go he would send a tenth plague which should bee more grieuous to them than all the former euen the slaughter of all the first borne in Egypt both of man and beast Yet Pharaohs heart was not softened neither did he let the people goe Therefore Moses departeth from him and according to Gods commandement assembles the Elders of Israel together and causeth them to kill euery
man a lambe of a yeare olde to eate it roste with fire and to take the blood and sprinkle it vpon the doore cheekes and vpon the postes of their houses for a signe vnto them that the Angel of the Lord seeing the blood sprinkled vpon their doores should passe ouer them and touch none of their first borne neither man nor beast This is the summe and meaning of that history Now let vs come to the consideration of this fact more particularly and first to the meaning of the wordes of this verse because there is some difficultie in them Through faith he ordained the Passeouer The Passe-ouer here named may be thus described It is one of the Sacraments of the olde Testament seruing for a signe to the people of Israell both of their temporall deliuerance from the bondage of Egypt and from the slaughter of the first borne and also of their spirituall deliuerance from euerlasting death by the sacrifice of Christ Iesus the immaculate Lambe of God Touching this description first I call it one of the Sacraments of the old Test because they had beside this Circumcision another ordinary Sacrament Next I say It serued for a signe to the people of Israel to shew that it was properly a sacrament vnto them For it is of the nature of a sacrament to signifie seale vp some blessing of God to his people now that the Passe-ouer did so is plaine where the Lord calls it a signe or token of deliuerance vnto them But som will say this Passe-ouer was a sacrifice for so it is called This is the sacrifice of the Lords Passe-ouer And Thou shalt not offer the bloud of my sacrifice with leauened bread c. Ans. It is called a sacrifice because it was killed also the bloud thereof was sprinkled som parts of it as the fat with the two kidneies were burnt in sacrifice to the Lord. For when Iosias kept that famous Passe-ouer with all the people the Priests that slew the Passe-ouer and sprinkled the bloud thereof did first take away that which was to be consumed with fire and then gaue to the people according to the diuisions of their families as Moses appointed Now in regard of these properties of a sacrifice which were in the Passe-ouer it is truly called a sacrifice And yet more properly it was a Sacrament because it was a visible signe of speciall blessings from the Lord. But what did this Sacrament of the Passe-ouer signifie Answer It did signifie a double deliuerance one temporall as well from the destroying Angell as also from the bondage of Egypt The other spirituall from the curse of the Law and from the wrath of God The first is plaine where the Lord saith The bloud being sprinkled vpon the doore posts shall be a token for you that I will passe ouer you And verse 17. Ye shall keepe the feast of vnleauened bread for that same day will I bring your Armies out of the Land of Egypt And touching the second that it was a signe of a more heauenly deliuerance from the bondage of sinne Satan Paul telleth vs plainely when as hee saith Christ our Passe-ouer is sacrificed for vs giuing vs to vnderstand that the Paschall Lambe in the olde Testament was vndoubtedly a true signe of the true Paschall Lambe Christ Iesus to which purpose Iohn Baptist saith Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.29 Where he calleth Christ the Lambe of God making there an opposition betweene him and the Paschall Lamb of Moses which may be called the Paschall Lambe of men for herein also they differ The Paschall Lambe was separated by men though by Gods appointment but Christ the true Lambe of God was set a part before all worlds by God the Father And thus wee see briefly what this Passe-ouer is It followeth Ordained the Passe-ouer The word translated ordained signifieth He made or did celebrate for the better vnderstanding whereof wee must haue recourse to the Euangelists Matthew setteth downe Christs speach to his Disciples about the Passe-ouer which he kept with them a little before his passion thus My time is come I will make my Passe-ouer at thine house Now S. Luke repeating the same Storie mentioneth first the killing and then the eating of it by which two words he explaneth what Christ meant by making which here is translated ordaining the Passe-ouer to wit first the killing preparing of the Paschall Lamb and then the eating of it as the Lord◠Sacrament But this is a strange kind of speach wil som say how can the Passe-ouer be killed or eaten seeing properly the Passe-ouer is nothing else but the act of the Angell passing ouer the houses of the Israelites when he smote the first borne in euery house of the Egyptians Ans. The phrase is improper yet it must not seeme strange because it is vsuall in Scripture entreating of the Sacraments sometime to giue the name of the signe to the thing signified as 1. Cor. 5.7 Christ is called our Passe-ouer and on the other side to giue the name of the thing signified to the signe as in this place he ordained the Passe-ouer that is the Paschall Lambe which was a sign of the Angels passing ouer their houses So This is my body that is a sign of my body The rock was Christ. The reason of these figuratiue speeches whereby one thing is put for another is the Sacramentall vnion of the signe with the thing signified which yet is not naturall according to place either by change of the signe into the thing signified or by including the thing signified in the sign or fastning it vpō it but respectiue analogicall by reason of that agreement proportion which is betweene the signe the thing signified which stands in this that look when the outward signe is presented to the outward senses at the very same time the thing signified is thereby as by certaine visible words presented to the mind And indeede looke what coniunction is between words the things spoken of in the mind of the vnderstanding hearer the same is betweene sacramentall signes and the things signified in the mind of a discerning receiuer But when words of sense are spoken to the eare the vnderstanding mind doth therwith apprehend the thing spoken of And euen so the minde of the discerning receiuer doth inwardly apprehēd the thing signified and apply it to his soule when the sacramentall sign is presented to the outward sense And this cōiunction ariseth not from the nature either of the signe or the thing signified but frō the institution of the Lord. The meaning then of the holy Ghost here is this That Moses by faith did ordaine and appoint the killing and eating of the Paschall Lamb which was the sign of the passing ouer of the Lords Angell when the first borne in Egypt were slaine It followeth And effusion of bloud that is the sprinkling