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
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.
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
either in soule or body but to remember him that of one made multitudes to spring out Therefore when thou art brought neuer so low either in soule or body by any miseries either inward or outward faint not but goe forward in the strength of the Lord thy God Particularly If God haue afflicted thee with pouerty that thou haue almost nothing to begin withall or for thy soule is thy knowledge in religion small thy meanes poore thy feeling of Gods fauour but weake yet faint not but lay fast hold on Gods power promise vse carefully the holy means God hath ordained remembring and relying on him who made millions grow out of one and assure thy self that as Iob saith Though thy beginnings be small yet thy later endes shall greatly encrease Secondly obserue here how old persons are called halfe dead or as good as dead that is true of them many wayes First their yeares and dayes limited them are as good as gone For suppose a man should be as sure to liue 100. yeares as the sunne is to runne all the day long his course and at night to goe downe Yet as when the sunne is past the height and drawing downward wee say it goeth fast downe and the day hasteth away So when a man is past his middle age when the sunne of his life is past the noonsteede he declineth daily and draweth fast away and the night of his life approacheth with hast and much horrour vnlesse he preuent it Secondly their strength vitall powers by which their life is continued and their soules and bodies kept together are so much weakened that they are almost extinguished whereby it comes to passe an olde man may feele a manifest defect in all powers of minde and body Thirdly sicknesses or diseases grow vpon them in olde age and as their strength faileth so the force of diseases is redoubled on them and looke what diseases haue lurked in their bodies which either naturally were bred in them or accidentally taken they now shew themselues more sensibly and the weaker a man is the stronger is his sicknesse In these three respects an olde man or woman is as good as dead The vse hereof is profitable First they must therefore be aduised to prepare themselues for death Euery man is to prepare I confesse then if euerie man especially they that be olde The young man may die the olde man must die the youngest cannot liue alwayes the olde man cannot liue long the aged mans graue is as it were made already his one foote is in it And this is not mans conceit alone but Gods own iudgement who as we see here calls an olde man as good as dead and that not so much in regard that he is sure to die as that he is neere it Therefore as euery man young or olde is to make ready because his time is vnknowne and no man is sure that hee shall liue to be olde and as the Psalmist singeth Euery man in his best estate is altogether vaenity Psal. 39.6 So especially he to whom God hath beene so gracious as to let him see olde age he should thinke of nothing but his end prepare euery day to die in the Lord. His gray haires his wrinkled skin his withered face his ill stomack his weak memorie his crooked body and the manifest most sensible alteration and decay of his whole state of minde and body should hourely all cry in his eares I am halfe dead I will therefore prepare to die in the Lord. It is therefore a miserable sight to see that those who of all men should be most willing to die are for the most part most desirous to liue And those who should be most readie to die are generally most ignorant most couetous and their hearts most of all wedded to the earth and earthly things Secondly olde persons must heere learne S. Pauls lesson 2. Corinth 4. That as the outward man perisheth so the inward man may be renued daily The outward man is the bodie the inward man is the soule and the grace of God in it They must therefore labour that as the strength of their bodies decay so the grace of GOD in their soules may quicken and reuiue But alas the common practice is contrarie For olde men haue generally so misspent their youthes and in their olde age are partly so backward partly so vnfit to learne religion that when they come to their death-beds they are then to be Catechised in the very principles of religion so that when as the body is halfe dead religion hath no being in them and when the body is a dying religion and grace scarce begins to liue in them such men cast all vpon a desperate point But let them that desire a ioyfull departure thinke of these thinges afore-hand and as yeares draw on and so draw life to his end and the body to the graue so let them weane their hearts from the world and lift them vp to GOD and so spend their last dayes in getting knowledge and in seruing God that when their bodies are weakest and fittest for the earth their soules may be the holiest and ripest for heauen To such men shall it neuer be discomfort to see their bodies halfe dead when for recompence thereof they finde their soules halfe in heauen Thus we see the roote or foundotion of this posterity how poore and weake it was Now let vs come to the greatnesse of it Thereof sprang as many in number c. This one olde couple Abraham and Sarah are made by Gods power the father mother of many nations and he and she of whom the world would haue pronounced they should not haue left a name vpō the earth haue now millions of childrē that sprang out of them Here we may learn That though GOD worke ordinarily according to the course of Nature which himselfe hath established yet that he is not bound to it nor will be hee bound it therefore there is no reason it should binde him Here we may see the power and prerogatiue of Gods Maiestie As in the beginning he made to be those things which were not so still he calleth things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 and turneth and altreth the state and nature of his creatures as pleaseth him He can take life from the liuing man and leaue him dead hee can giue life to the dead man make him liue againe So hath he dealt for the body and for the soule he hath beene no lesse wonderfull Saul of a bloudy persecuter he cā make a zealous Preacher Acts 9 euen a glorious instrument and a chosen vessell to carie his name vnto the Gentiles euen hee who thought to haue blotted out the name of Christ and all that call on that name from vnder heauen Acts 9.14 Rahab a harlot a cōmon woman yet by Gods work so far altred that her faith is here registred in the 31. ver amongst the most excellent
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
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
did the Gadarens there was set before them Christ Iesus the Lord of life and their hogges and cattell Now they prefer their hogges before Christ A most miserable and senselesse choice And is it not as ill with vs There is set before vs on the one side heauen and on the other side hell but men for the most part chuse hell forsake heauen Ciuill worldly men whose delight is all in riches they prefer earth before heauen the seruice of sinne which is the greatest slauerie before the seruice of GOD which is perfect freedome and glorious liberty of the Saints in light and thus doe all men without Gods speciall grace Whereupon Paul prayes in his Epistles for the Churches that God would giue vnto them the spirit of wisedome that they may be able to iudge betweene things that differ And this wisdom we must labour for that when these different things are set before vs we may make a wise choise otherwise we shew our selues to be like brute beasts without vnderstanding do quite ouerturne our owne saluation In the Ministerie of the word we haue life and death good euill set before vs as Moses said to the people Deut. 30.15 19. Let vs therfore endeuour our selues to chuse life by embracing and obeying the word of God so shall we followe both his precept and practice To suffer aduersity with the people of God Heere wee may obserue what is the ordinarie state and condition of Gods Church and people in this world namely to be in affliction and vnder the crosse Hence Paul saith That we must come to heauen through manifold afflictions Acts 14.23 The Lord knoweth what is best for his seruants and children and therefore he hath set downe this for a ground that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 Thus the Lord dealeth with his children for speciall causes for first all crosses as losse of goods friends liberty or good name they are meanes to stirre vp and awake Gods people out of the slumbring fit of sinne for the godly are many times ouertaken this way The wise virgines sleepe as well as the foolish Now afflictions rouze them out of the sleepe of securitie See this in Iosephs brethren who went on a long time without any remorse for selling their brother But when they were stayed in Egypt then they are rowzed vp and can say Genesis 42.21 This trouble is come vpon vs for selling our brother Secondly afflictions serue to humble Gods children Leuiticus 26.41 So the Church of God speaketh I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him Micah 7.9 Thirdly they serue to weane the people of God and to driue them from the loue of this world for if men might alwaies liue in ease they would make their heauen vpon earth which may not be And heerein GOD dealeth with his children like a Nurse when shee will weane her childe she layes some bitter thing vpon the pappes head to make the childe to loathe the pappe so the Lord to draw our hearts from the world and to cause vs to loue and seeke after heauen and heauenly things hee makes vs to taste of the bitternesse of affliction in tâ—is worlde Fourthly afflictions ferâ—e to make Gods children to goe out of themselues to seeke sincerely vnto GOD and to relie onely vpon him which in prosperity they will not doe This Paul confesseth of himselfe and others Wee saith hee receiued the sentence of death in our selues because wee should not trust in our selues but in God 2. Corinthians chapter 1. verse 9. So good King Iehosaphat when hee was compassed of his enemies Hee cried to the Lord and said Lord wee knowe not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chronicles chapter 20. verse 12. Yea the rebellious Iewes are heereby driuen to seeke the Lord whom in prosperity they forsooke as wee may see at large Psal. 107.6.12.13.19 Lastly afflictions serue to make manifest the graces of GOD in his children The Lord saith Iob knoweth my way and trieth me Iob 23.10 Deuteronomie 8.2 Remember all the way saith Moses to the Israelites which the Lord thy GOD ledde thee this fourtie yeares for to prooue thee and to knowe what was in thine heart Hence Iames calleth temptations the triall of faith Iames chapter 1. verses 2.3 And Paul makes patience the fruite of tribulation Romanes chapter 5. verse 3. For looke as the showers in the spring time cause the buds to appeare so doe afflictions make manifest Gods graces in his children Patience hope and other vertues lie close in the heart in the day of peace but when tribulation comes then they breake forth and shew themselues Hence wee learne that it is not alwayes a token of Gods wrath To suffer affliction If any man or people be laden with crosses it is no argument that therefore they are not the children of GOD for as Peter saith Iudgements begin at Gods house 1. Peter chapter 4. verse 17 and any crosse vpon a people family or particular persons if it bring forth the fruite of grace in them is a true signe they belong to GOD. Yea when men wander from God by an euill way these afflictions are meanes to call them home to GOD. Psalme 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray And they that forsake their sinne and returne to GOD in the time of affliction are certainly Gods people for the wicked man fretteth and murmureth against God when a crosse commeth and he cannot abide it But the godly man is humbled therby and it makes him more obedient in all duties vnto God This wee should consider for by an outward profession wee beare the world in hand that we are Gods children and therefore wee come to heare Gods word and to learn how to behaue our selues as beseemeth his children But if we would be knowen to be Gods children indeede then when any of Gods iudgements doe befallâ— vs wee must make this vse of them namely labour thereby to be humbled for our sinnes and to forsake our sinnes and to make conscience of all bad wayes for euer afterward and then wee shewe our selues to be Gods children indeede but if vnder the crosse or after the crosse wee be as dissolute as euer wee were and still followe our olde sinnes then wee cannot be iudged to be Gods people and children but rather a wicked and stubborne generation which the more they are corrected the worse they are like a stithy the more it is beaten the harder it is Let vs therefore by the vse of Gods iudgements shewe our selues to be Gods children so shall wee say with Dauid with much ioy and comfort It is good for vs that wee haue beene in trouble Psal. 119.71 Thus wee see what Moses chose now come wee to the thing he refused To enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season By pleasures of sinne wee must vnderstand the riches and dignitie that Moses
This besides the instance we haue in hand appeares plainly in Christes Apostles they were called by Christ to preach the Gospell to all the world and to plant his Church vniuersally and thereupon howsoeuer they were simple men before were furnished with extraordinary gifts of wisedome zeale knowledge and with this excellent grace of sauing faith which did sanctifie their other gifts for howsoeuer Iudas was numbred among them hauing been a Disciple yet he neuer came to the execution of the Apostleship but went astray from that ministration Acts 1.25 And in these later dayes when God restored his Gospell to light out of the darke myst of Popery hee raised vp extraordinarie men whom he endued with wisedome zeale and iudgement which gifts also he sealed vp in them by a liuely faith which they testified by their piety and godlinesse in life conuersation And this course he obserueth vsually in all those whom hee raiseth vp extraordinarily for the good of his Church This we must obserue to acquaint vs with a special difference betweene those whom God raiseth vp extraordinarily for speciall good and all arch heretiques and traytors that set vp themselues vnsent of God For many such wretches haue excelled in wisedome in worldly policy in zeale and authority whereupon they haue pretended and perswaded many that they were called of God But hereby especially they are to be discouered that they are voide of this rare gift of true sauing faith for look at their lyues and ordinarily for impiety they haue beene and are arch-diuels So that though they wanted not authority or outward zeale and wisedome yet they wanted faith which should purifie their hearts or else they would neuer haue liued in such notorious sinnes as they were discouered to doe And this is the triall which our Sauiour Christ directs vs vnto saying Ye shall knowe them by their fruites Math. 7.16 Let them therefore pretend what knowledge what zeale or authority soeuer they will if the fruits of faith appeare not in their lyues by obedience they are not called of God for the speciall good of his Church Thus much of these men in generall now wee come to entreate of them seuerally as they are propounded in the Text. THe first person here commended vnto vs is Gedeon the History of whose acts is laid down at large Iudges chap. 6. In his example note one point especially to acquaint vs with the manner which God vseth in begetting and encreasing true faith in the hearts of his children If we reade the Story we shal see that the Lord in the likenesse of an Angel called Gedeon once twice yea thrice to be a Iudge to his people But Gedeō greatly doubts of his calling therefore desires a signe of the Lord which God gaue him For the sacrifice which he offered was burned vp with fire from heauen yet still hee doubted and was in a greater feare then before euen of death it selfe but being confirmed by the Angell and set a-worke he brake down the Altar of Baall and built one to the true GOD and thereon offered sacrifice as God commaunded though with some feare And when the Midianites and Amalekites came armed against Israell hee is stirred vp by the spirit of God for their defence but yet still hee doubted of his calling and therefore againe asked a signe at Gods hands and had it and after that asked another which GOD also graunted Nowe hauing all these one in the necke of another at length hee knowes his calling and so goes in faith and defends Israell so that hee got the assurance of his calling by sundry particular signes and confirmations of his faith And though hee doubted greatly at the first yet after hee beleeues not onely that hee should bee a Iudge and Deliuerer of Gods people out of the hands of their enemies but this principally that God was his God and would giue vnto him euerlasting life Here then we haue a notable precedent of the manner of Gods working true and sound faith in the hearts of his children They receiue not this grace at once but by degrees God works it in them by little and little When a man is first called of GOD hee hath much doubting and feare but then God sends sundry helpes to weaken this feare and doubting and as they decrease so is faith encreased No man beleeues soundly at the first but weakely euen as he growes in yeares so he must grow in faith and the encrease of our faith is by continuance in the meanes and by experience of Gods loue and fauour And indeed the more faith encreaseth the more wee vse the meanes to grow therein and the more we delight in the meanes and at length after long experience of Gods mercy wee shall haue wrought in our hearts this gift of true liuely faith which shall be able to preuaile against all feare and doubting And thus much for the person of Gedeon The second person commended vnto vs is Barac of whom wee may reade Iudges 4. His Storie is large and plaine enough and therefore wee will not stand vpon it The third person is Samson of whom wee may also reade Iudges 13.14 c. Now touching Samson this question may well be asked how hee can be iustly commended for his faith seeing it may seeme hee killed himselfe Answere Samson did not kill himselfe for hee was called extraordinarily to be a Iudge ouer Israell for their defence and deliuerie out of the hands of the Philistimes Now when the Princes of the Philistimes were gathered together being his enemies and the enemies of God and his people hee cast the house downe vpon their heads to kill them therein because beeing blinde hee could not pursue them in battaile And therefore hauing them by Gods prouidence in his hands hee destroyed them as his calling was albeit hee lost his owne life in the same action Againe Samson in pulling downe the house purposed not directly and wilfully to kill himselfe but to aduenture his owne life by taking iust reuenge vpon his enemies and the enemies of God and therefore as Gods seruant he prayed first vnto God and so did no more thā the Souldier in the field ought to doe who bearing a louing minde towards his Countrey is content to aduenture his owne life for the destruction of his enemies in the defence of his Countrey and is resolued that if hee die in that defence hee dieth in his lawfull place and calling and dieth Gods seruant yea Gods Champion This did Samson and therefore may iustly be commended for his faith neither is this fact of his any disgrace but rather a notable commendation of his faith and an euidence of great zeale for Gods glory and of singular loue to his people The fourth person commended heere is Iephte of whom wee may reade Iudges 11. Iephte was the base sonne of Gilead borne of an harlot To be base borne is noted in Scripture as a matter of reproach and
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