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
with all his heart and soule and might and for that hee is preferred afore all Kings afore or after him not that Iosias could fulfill the lawe perfectly as it required but it is meant of the endeuour of his heart and life by which he straue with all his might to serue God as well as he could his exsample is ours We professe religion wee must looke that our hearts affect it we professe a turning from sinne we must take heed it be not formall and from the lips but from the heart So when we practice any duty of religion whether we pray or heare the word or receiue the Sacrament this is the sacrifice that we can offer we must not doe them coldly and carelesly but with zealous affection and resolution from the heart Otherwise if we serue God for fashion sake and our hearts are on the world and our owne lusts wee offer the sacrifice of cursed Cain and we with our formall religion shall goe to him But let vs offer the sacrifice of Abell that is though it be neuer so little yet let it be the best wee can and all we can and God will accept vs as he did Abell And thus the Parent should giue God his best childe the young man his best yeares euery man his best part which is his heart And thus we follow the steps of holy Abell who offred to God the best sacrifice he had This was the fruite of his faith euen so that Parent that young man that professor that hath true faith will do so likewise Hitherto of the first effect of Abels faith It followeth By the which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous This is the second effect of Abels faith wherby it is commended 1. For the meaning By faith hee meanes sauing faith which makes a man iust before God and no other For whereas he had said afore that by faith our Elders had obtained a good report He proues that general by this exsample of Abell therefore that sauing faith which was meant there is also meant here These wordes set downe two benefits which Abell had by his sauing faith First he was iust by it Secondly God testified that he was so For the first Abels faith made him iust and righteous not because his faith was an excellent quality of that vertue in it selfe as to make him iust but because it was an instrument whereby he apprehended and applied to himselfe the righteousnesse of the Messias to come whereby hee might stand iust before God This was his righteousnesse which he had by faith for hee trusted not to any holinesse of his owne though it is out of question hee knew he was the sonne of that man who once was perfectly righteous but the trust and confidence of his heart was in the righteousnesse of that blessed seed which God had promised should breake the serpents head This Promise he knowing beleeued it applied it to himselfe and this faith made him righteous Here we learne a worthy lesson of Christianity namely that the true and the vndoubted way to heauen is a holy and liuely faith in Iesus Christ for this faith makes a man righteous that righteousnesse opens him the gate of heauen To this end saith the Apostle Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God but by whō through our Lord Iesus Christ. For the vse of this doctrine we must renue our former exhortation which indeed cannot be too often presled to the conscience There is none of vs so vile none so profane but we desire saluation If we do then we must tread the beaten way to it For we are not borne heires of it neither can we come thither by chaunce but there is a way that must be taken that way is but one all other are misleading by-waies Again that way must be taken in this life else it is too late Now this way is to be a iust righteous man With this neuer man failed and without this neuer man attained to saluation for No vncleane thing can come into the kingdome of heauen Neuer was man iustified there which was not iust before and that must be here begun which in heauen is to be perfected In this life therefore wee must seeke to be iust Now our owne good workes will not serue to make vs iust for they are all vnable to indure the trial of Gods iustice And if we stand to them and they proue not able to satisfie Gods iustice then in stead of sauing vs they will condemne vs. Therefore with Abell let vs go out of our selues deny our selues and cleaue onely to Christs righteousnes in life death this is the way that neuer will deceiue vs. But some wil say We walke in this way I answer He that walketh in a way may be traced by his steps so then shew your steps of holinesse of deuotiō of charity c. these must shew your faith leaue these steps behinde you and then your faith is good Thus did holy Abell beleeue thou it acknowledge it and follow thou after him and renounce all by paths which the Papists or thy own braine imagineth Let this one doctrine sinke into thy heart in steade of many and let not the diuell strake it out For if thou walke in this way my soule for thine it will bring thee to heauen if not at the last day this doctrine will condemne thee because it shewed thee this way and thou wouldest not walke in it Secondly obserue He saith Abell was approued and accepted of God How proues hee that Because his workes pleased God as who say his workes cannot please God vnlesse his person do therfore in that his works do thence he concludeth that his person did it is the reason of the holy Ghost and therefore infallible In the framing of this reason the holy Ghost teacheth vs a great point of our religion namely that first a mans person must please God afore his actions can And after the person then the actions This is plaine in these words for it is said he first obtained witnesse that hee was righteous himselfe and then God testified of his gifts So likewise more plainely Genesis 4. 4 God had respect first to Abell and then to his offring So that the truth is manifest No worke pleaseth God afore the worker do This being so hath excellent vses First it ouerthroweth a maine pillar of Romish religion Iustification by workes For how can a man be iustified by his workes when hee himselfe must be iust afore the works can be Vnlesse hee be iust his workes be wicked if they be wicked afore his person be iust how can they then iustifie him And if the person bee once iust what needes it then to be again iustified by works Good works make not a man good but a good man makes a worke good shall that work that a man made good return againe make the man good 1. That is absurd in reason And 2.
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
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
God 1. Sam. 2.31 therefore the Lord threateneth the destruction both of him and his familie and according as the Lord had threatened so it came to passe For when the Israelites fought with the Philistims Chap. 4.11 his two sonnes were slaine and hear the hearing of the newes fell downe and brake his necke Now if this be so what shall we say of our owne nation and people amongst whom it is as cōmon to dishonour God as euer it was amongst the Papists or Pagans partly by light vsing of his holy titles and taking his name in vaine and partly by swearing and open blasphemie and sometime euen by abhominable periurie Nay it is many mens rule that they may sweare dissemble lie forsweare for aduantage These sinnes are some of them rise in all sorts of people and hardly shall you talke with a man that doth not by vaine othes dishonor God yea it is so common that children so soone as they can crawle or lispe out a word the first thing they can speake is to curse or sweare and take Gods name in vaine whereby God is dishonoured euery way so as it is a wonder that the earth doth not open swallow vp many men quicke for their swearing and blasphemy And wheras Gods Iudgements are often grieuously inflicted vpon vs in many places of the Land we may perswade our selues that among other sinnes it is for our blasphemie and taking Gods name in vaine And if it be not speedily redressed it is to be feared lest God will raine downe his iudgements vpon vs and in his wrath sweepe vs all away and take away the father with the childe the good with the bad because there is no reformation of so vile and yet so needlesse a sinne To be called their God Obserue here further that Abraham Isaac and Iaacob could all of them say God is my God Now that which these worthy Patriarchs could say of themselues we must euery one of vs in our own persons labour for for their exāple is must be a rule for vs to follow We therfore must labour for this assurāce by Gods grace to say as these holy Patriarchs did say The true Iehoua is my God and of this I am resolued vndoubtedly assured in mine own cōscience Qu. How shal we be able to say vnfainedly God is my God Ans. By becomming his seruants and people in deed truth for to him who is one of Gods people God is alwaies his God But how shall wee become Gods true seruants Answ. By setting our hearts vpon the true God and giuing them wholly vnto him and to his seruice and restraining our selues from all occasions of sinne because sinne displeaseth him Quest. But how shall a man set his heart wholly on God Answ. This hee doth when he loueth him aboue all and feareth him aboue all and aboue all things is zealous for GOD glorie when hee hath full confidence in Gods word and promises and is more grieued for displeasing God than for all things in the world besides Or more plainly thus then a man doth set his heart on God when his heart is so affected that when God commands he is alwaies ready to obey So the Lord saith Hos. 2.23 I will say to them that were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God And in the Psalmes the Lord saith Psalm 27.8 Seeke ye my face Then the holy mans heart as an Eccho giueth answer I seeke thy face O God And such a one is the heart of him that is indeede the seruant and childe of God one of Gods people For he hath prepared for them a city These words are a reason of the former proouing that God was not ashamed to be called their God because hee prepared a citie for them And indeede this shewes euidently that God was greatly delighted with them rather than ashamed of them for had he beene ashamed of them hee would haue shut them out of his presence Herein therefore he declared his loue and fauour that by preparing this citie he procured that they should liue in his sight for euermore Hence wee learne that hee which hath God for his God hath all things with him according to the common prouerb Haue God haue all And on the contrary Lacke God and lacke all And therfore Dauid saith Psal. 145.15 Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. Other things which here might be added haue bin handled before Abrahams Faith Verse 17. By faith Abraham offered vp Isaac when hee was tempted and hee that had receiued the promises offered his onely begotten sonne 18. To whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seede be called 19. For he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort IN the former verses wee heard the faith of Abraham Isaac and Iaacob commended iointly together Now the holy Ghost returneth to the cōmendation of their faith seuerally And first he beginnes with Abrahams faith wherof he had formerly propounded two works or actions 1 His going out of his own Countrey 2 His abode in a strange Land Now here followeth the third which is the most notable worke of all wherin his faith shines most gloriously and his example herein is vnmatchable The particular points herein are these 1 The worke of his faith is plainely laid down in his offering vp of Isaac 2 The same worke of faith is notably commended by three speciall arguments to wit 1 by three great impediments that might haue hindred this worke of faith as we shall see in their place v. 17 18. 2 by his victory ouer these impediments v. 19. 3 by the issue of this temptation and his worke of faith therein in the end of the 19. verse For the first The fact of Abrahams faith here commēded is this That he offered vp Isaac his sonne It may first of all be demanded How Abraham could offer vp his son by faith considering it is against the law of nature the law of God for a man to kill his own sonne which Abraham must doe if he did offer him vp in sacrifice vnto God For answer hereunto we need goe no further than the Story Gen. 22. where we may see hee had a ground for his faith for though the generall commandement be Thou shalt not kill yet he had a speciall commandement Abraham kill thy sonne by vertue of that he did it did it in by faith But if that be so then therupon riseth another a greater doubt namely How can these 2. commandements stand together one being contrary to the other Ans. Here a special point is to be obserued namely that whensoeuer two cōmandements are so ioyned that a man cannot practice both but doing the one the other is broken then one of thē must giue place to the other For howsoeuer all Gods commandements binde the conscience yet some binde it more