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
of all creatures and according as he willed they presently were and that his will was his word here mentioned Here then first marke a speciall point that sets out the glorie of this Creator hee vsed no labour no motion no paines no seruants no instrument no meanes as men do He onely spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created Psal. 148.5 This shewes how glorious a God he is and his power how omnipotent it is who at his owne will and word produced such a glorious frame of heauen and earth so many 1000. sorts and kinds of creatures in their order and due place Dauid most seriously considered of this when hee made the 104. Psalme as appeareth if we reade it Wee ought also so deepely to meditate of this his glorious power manifested in this miraculous creation as that we seeing it may acknowledge with the Psalmist Psal. 115.3 Our God sitteth in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will 2. Did the Lord make all things by his word learne wee then for our instruction thus much Euer when we see what is Gods will concerning our selues in any crosse or affliction whatsoeuer let vs subiect our selues to it and beare it because it comes from so mighty a God as whom there is no resisting For see he that commaunded all the world to be and it presently was so and nothing could disobay then if he commaund any crosse to seise vpon thee wilt thou resist him Nay rather take Saint Peters holy counsell 1. Pet. 5.5 Humble thy selfe vnder this so mighty hand of God that he may exalt thee in due time If thou then see his crosse comming towards thee meete it receiue it with both hands beare it with both shoulders if he will humble thee resist not thou for when againe he pleaseth to exalt thee all the diuels in hell are not able to resist him It followeth So that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare The fourth last point is the matter whereof the world was made the Text saith The things that we see that is all the world were made of things neuer seene that is of a flat nothing which here is said not to be seene or not to appeare because how can that appeare or be seene which is not So the meaning is when there was nothing in the world then God made the world to be This is the strangest thing of all in this fourth effect For it is not so strange that the world should be created in excellent order or that God should make it by his word as that hee should make it of nothing Reason denies it Phylosophie disputes against it as absurd and neuer will yeeld vnto it but here is the power of faith manifest for it makes vs beleeue and know it is so Hence we learne 1. If he created the world and vs of nothing then he can preserue vs also by nothing that is without meanes or by weake meanes or contrary to meanes he that did the one can do the other for the same reason is of both This is a speciall point of our religion Not to tye Gods prouidence vnto meanes Men vse neuer to acknowledge it but with meanes but that is no worke of faith But wee ought not onely to see Gods prouidence when we see no meanes but euen when other meanes are against vs then to see it is a point of faith and that is our duty though it be hard Giue men health wealth liberty peace let them be guarded about with Gods blessings then they will magnifie the prouidence of God but take these away and lay vpon them penurie sicknesse or any crosse then they rage and raile and distrust yea blaspheme and say No prouidence no God And thus God is beholden to the meanes for else men would flatly deny him But this argues the want of faith For had we that faith in vs whereby we beleeued stedfastly that God made all the world without meanes that faith would also perswade vs that he can preserue vs being made though meanes be wanting or though they be against vs. This we may make vse of whether wee be in necessitie and would be relieued or in any perill and would be succoured or in what extremitie soeuer when meanes doe faile vs. Secondly if he made all things of nothing then he is able also in respect of his promises made in Christ To call such things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 As a man by nature is the childe of wrath and of the diuell he is able to make him a seruant of God and childe of grace This may teach vs 1. Not to despaire of any mans saluation though hee seeme almost past all grace for God can make any thing of nothing and therefore can put grace into that heart wherein afore was none And 2. this is a comfort to all them which through weaknesse of faith cannot perswade themselues of their election For suppose thou be full of wants and imperfections hast a rebellious and froward heart What then Remember God made thee once a creature of nothing hee can now againe make thee a new creature of nothing he created thee without meanes he can saue thee though neuer so many meanes doe seeme to be against thee And thus much of these three effects of faith and consequently Of the first part of this Chapter containing a description of faith in generall Abels Faith VERSE 4. By Faith Abell offred vnto God a greater sacrifice then Cain by which he obtayned witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts By which faith hee also being dead yet speaketh THe second part of the Chapter containeth an illustration and proofe of the former description by a rehearsall of the most excellent patternes and exsamples of faith which flourished in the Church of the old Testament These exsamples be of two sorts 1. Such as are set downe seuerally one by one from the 4. verse to the 32. 2. Such as are set downe ioyntly many together from thence to the end The exsamples set down seuerally are of two sorts 1. Such as were naturall Israelites and borne members of the Church visible 2. Such as were not naturally members but strangers from the Church of God till they were called extraordinarily Exsamples of such as were members of the visible church are also of 2. sorts 1. Such as liued about the flood or 2. After the flood First of such as liued afore or about the time of the flood there bee three faithfull men whose faith is here recorded 1. Abell before 2. Enoch before 3. Noe both before after All these three in order These excellent most worthy exsamples are all grounded on some place of the old testament and are continued from the beginning of the world almost to Christs incarnation for he beginneth with Abell which is so neere the beginning that he was the second good man that liued in the
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.
though they all haue their seuerall commendations in the word Yet of none of them all is it saide in the whole Scripture as it is heere said of faith that without it it is impossible to please God And no meruaile for it is the roote and ground of all other graces and giues them their life and being for therefore doth a man feare God therefore doth he loue God therefore is he zealous for Gods glory because hee beleeueth that God loueth him in Christ the redeemer Now then if faith be thus necessary then it followeth that those that liue in ignorance and so haue no sound faith but a foolish presumption are in a miserable case for how-euer they may flatter themselues with conceites of their deuotions and good meanings and good intents it is faith with which they must please God and nothing can without it It stands them therefore in hand to lay-off ignorance and presumption and labour for a sound and sauing faith and that will bring them to the fauour of God And againe as for such as haue receiued grace to beleeue seeing faith is of such necessitie and that they hauing faith must needes haue knowledge they therefore must looke and examine by their knowledge whether their faith be a sound faith or no for herein many that haue knowledge deceiue themselues and thinke they haue true faith when they haue not Now if any man would knowe whether his faith be sound and sauing or no It is knowne by this If it purifie the heart for so saith S. Peter That God by faith did purifie the hearts of the profane and filthy Gentiles If then thy faith doe not purifie thy heart and cleanse thy life and cause thee to abound in good workes it is no sound nor sauing faith it is but a generall faith it is but an historicall knowledge and cannot saue the soule hee therefore that vpon examination of his heart and life findeth his faith to be such let him not content himselfe but turne his generall faith into a sauing faith which in this world will purifie his heart and at the last day will saue his soule And this must euery man the rather doe because what knowledge or what other gifts of God soeuer any many hath without faith in Christ all are nothing for it is faith that seasoneth them all and makes both them and the person himselfe to please God Secondly if it be impossible without faith to please God then here wee see the fond and foolish hypocrisie of the world who will please God by other meanes some thinke if they be glorious in the world either for their wealth or their wit or their honour or their authority or their learning they presently bring themselues into a fooles Paradise and because the world makes account of them and they please themselues therefore they thinke it certaine they must needes please God But alas though all the world admire them and they be neuer so farre in loue with themselues He that sits in heauen laugheth them to scorne For not all the pompe and glory nor all the millions and mountaines of gold in the world can please the Lord for one of the least of their many thousand sinnes wherewith they haue prouoked him Let these men aske Nabuchadnezzer if his pompous pride or Achitophel if his actiue head and crafty wit or Absalom if his golden lockes or Iezabell if her painted face and courtly attire or Naball if his flockes of sheepe or the Philosophers if their naturall learning if all of these or any of these did euer please God Nay alas they all haue found and felt that without faith it is impossible to please God Thirdly it is the opinion not of the Turke alone in his Alcaron but of many other as ill that euery man shall be saued by his owne religion if he be deuout therein be hee Turke Iewe or Christian Papist or Protestant But this is a ground and rule of Atheisme and appeares here to be most false for no saluation without pleasing of God and without faith it is impossible to please God therfore no religion can saue a man but that which teacheth a man rightly to beleeue in Christ and consequently to please God But euery religion teacheth not to beleeue in Christ some not at all and some not aright and therefore it is impossible for such a religion to saue a man Againe be a man what hee can be vnlesse he be within the couenant of grace he cannot be saued But hee cannot be within the couenant but by faith therefore no man can bee saued by any meanes but by true faith nor in any religion but that which teacheth true faith Here therefore not onely Turkes and Iewes are excluded but this also sheweth many Papists and many carnall Gospellers in our Church how short they come of that religion which must saue their soules For this is the conceite of the most men that if they doe some good workes which carie a faire shew to the world as liberality to learning or charity to the poore straight they thinke they haue leaue to liue as they list and God is bound to forgiue their sinnes and to giue them heauen and this they imagine though they knowe not what it is to beleeue in Christ or to repent of their sinnes One of this religion came to the Prophet Micha in his dayes and asked him this question vttring that plainely which all such men thinke in their hearts Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the high God shall I come before him with thousands of Rams and tenne thousand riuers of oile Hee makes the question and would faine make answere himselfe nay hee goeth further and offers more Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression and the fruite of my body for the sinne of my soule But the Prophet answers him shewing him his follie and how little God regards such workes without a contrite heart Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and walke with thy God Marke how that answere fits this example of Henoch Hee pleased God he walked with God and was taken away So answereth the Prophet if thou wouldest please thy God and come to heauen by his fauour neuer stand vpon thousands of Rams and Riuers of oile vpon thy gay and glorious workes but humble thy selfe and walke with thy God No walking with God saith Micha no pleasing of God what is it but all one as if hee had said Without faith it is impossible to please God Here then is no disallowance of good workes but of workes without faith and true repentance which though they be neuer so faire and flourishing yet is it impossible that without faith they should please God Hereby it is also manifest that all the vertues of the heathen and the workes of such men as either knowe
be afarre off this is the worke of true faith This was in Noah wrought in him a reuerence and so would it in vs if it were in vs. When men crie fire fire wee stirre wee runne wee tremble but God crieth in his word the fire of hell the fire of his wrath and wee care not wee stirre not wee leaue not our sinnes wee are not moued with reuerence as Noah was therefore it is more then manifest that holy faith is wanting in the world which Noah had The second motiue stirring vp this reuerence in him was the consideration of Gods wonderfull mercie to him and his family in sauing them This mercy seemed so wonderfull to him both for that hee knewe it was vndeserued knowing himselfe a sinnefull man and therfore not able to merit Gods fauour and being priuy to himselfe of his owne manifolde imperfections and also vnexpected for he neuer thought to haue been spared alone in an vniuersall destruction therefore he wondred with reuerence at so great a mercy Thus Gods mercies doe not onely winne a mans heart to loue God but euen to feare him with much reuerence this Dauid proueth Psalm 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou maist be feared as though he had said thy great mercies to thy children O Lord do make them conceiue a reuerent estimation of thee This made Dauid cry out in a holy passion How excellent are thy mercies O Lord Psal. And as Gods childreÌ„ wonder at the excellencies of Gods mercies vnto them so also at their owne basenesse and vnworthinesse Thus doth holy Dauid 2. Sam. 7.18 who as hee was a man of much faith so was he full of excellent meditations and reuerent speeches of God which are the true effects of faith when God had set him in his kingdome hee saith Who am I O Lord and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither And 1. Chron. 29.14 But who am I saith he and what is my people that wee should offer thus vnto the Lord And doubtlesse euen so said Noahs blessed soule often vnto the Lord and to it selfe Who am I O Lord and what is my family that we should be chosen out of so many thousands and be saued when all the world perisheth Let vs apply this to our Church and State If any Nation haue cause to say thus it is England God hath deliuered vs out of the thraldome of spirituall Egypt and led vs out not by a Moses but first by a childe then by a woman and giuen vs his Gospell more fully and freely and quietly then any kingdom so great in the world and still deliuereth vs from the cursed plots of the Pope and tyrannous inuasions of the Spaniard who thought to haue marked vs in the foreheads with the brand of infamie and to haue done to vs as they haue done to other nations whom they haue conquered but God from heauen fought for vs and ouerthrew them in their owne deuises yea the Lord put his hooke in his nosethrils and his bridle in his lips and caried him backe againe with shame and reproach Wee are vnworthy of such a mercy if our soules doe not often say vnto God O Lord what are we and what is our people that thou shouldst be so wonderfull in thy mercies vnto vs And particularly this must teach euery Christian to be a carefull obseruer of the fauours mercies that God vouchsafes to his soule or body to him or his and the consideration of them must make him daily be moued with reuerence and reuerent thoughts of Gods Maiestie still as the Lord is more and more mercifull vnto him to beare still the more feare and reuerence vnto him for the same The last motiue of this Reuerence in Noah was the consideration of Gods power and wisedome both in the Iudgement vpon the world and in the mercy vpon him for first in the Iudgement it was wonderfull that God would chuse so weake an element as water to destroy vanquish the huge Giants of those dayes but therein appeared first Gods power that by so weake meanes can cast downe his enemies And againe his wisedome that as an vniuersall wickednesse had polluted the whole world so a floud of water should wash the whole world Secondly the mercy was also wonderful that God should chuse to saue Noah by so strange a meane as an Arke which should swim on the waters For Noah thought if the Lord will saue me he will either take me vp into heauen as hee did Henoch a little before or else make me build a house vpon the top of the highest mountaine But the Lord will saue him by no such meanes but by an Arke wherein appeared first Gods power that would saue him by so weake a meanes as might seeme rather to destroy him For Noah must lye and swim in the midst of the waters and yet be saued from the waters and the Arke mâ—st saue him which in all reason if the Tempests had cast it against the hard rockes and mountaines or vpon the strong Castles and houses of the mightie Giants would haue beene broken in pieces and so it had but that God himselfe was the Maister and Pilot in that voyage And secondly Gods wisedom shone cleerly in this means because God would haue him saued not in such sort as the world might not see it as it would haue beene if hee had beene taken vp into heauen or into the aire but would haue him saued in an Arke that so alâ— the wicked men as they â—ere a dying in the water or expecting death vpon the tops of the hills might see him liue and be saued to their more torment and to their greater shame who would not beleeue Gods word as he did For as the wicked in hell are more tormented to see the godly in the ioyes of heauen so doubtlesse were the wicked of that age to see Noah saued before their eies The view of this power wisdom of God herein made Noah giue great reuerence to Gods Maiestie And no lesâ—e ought it to worke in the hearts of all true hearâ—ed English men and faithfull Christians For did not the Lord restore establish the Gospell to our nation by a child and by a woman and in her time when all other Princes were against her coÌ„trary to the rules of policy and did not God in our late deliuerance ouerthrow our enemies not so much by the power of man as by his owne hand Did not he fight from heauen Did not the starres and the winds in their courses sight against that Sisera of Spaine Let vs therefore with blessed Noah staÌ„d amazed to see Gods mercies with reuerence feare magnifie his great and glorious name And thus we haue the three motiues that moued in Noah this Reuerence of God the consideration first of his great Iudgement on the sinfull world 2. Of his great mercy in sauing him 3. Of his admirable power and wisedome shewed both
it was a meanes to saue them another way euen to saue their soules for it taught them many things First it was an assurance of Gods loue vnto their soules for if hee was so carefull to saue their bodies from the floud they thereby assured themselues hee would be as good vnto their soules which they knew to be farre more pretious and excellent Secondly it shewed them how to be saued For as they saw no safety nothing but present death out of the Arke So it taught them that out of Gods Church and out of Gods fauour no saluation could be expected and so it taught them to labour to be in Gods fauour and members of his true Church Thirdly they saw they were saued from the floud by faith and obedience For first Noah beleeued Gods word that the floud should come then he obayed Gods commaundement and made the Arke as hee was commaunded And thus he and his by beleeuing obaying were saued through the Arke and without these the Arke could not haue saued them This taught them more particularly how to be saued namely by beleeuing God and obaying God and else no saluation For when they saw their bodies could not be saued without them It assured them much lesse could their soules be saued without faith and obedience Lastly this deliuerance by the Arke was a pawn vnto them from God assuring them of saluation if they beleeued in the Messias For seeing God so fully performed his promise vnto them for their bodily deliuerance vpon their beleeuing they therby might assure themselues he would performe his promise of saluation vnto them vpon their faith and true obedience Moreouer it strengthned their faith For when euer after any promise of God was made vnto them or any word of God came vnto them they then remembred Gods mercy and faithfulnesse vnto them in their deliuerance by the Arke and therefore beleeued Vnto these and many other spirituall vses did the Arke serue vnto Noah and to his houshold as many of them as were beleeuers But what is this to vs Indeede the Arke serued them for a temporall deliuerance it saued their liues therefore they also had reason to make spirituall vse of it But it saued not vs it serued vs to no vse corporall therefore how can wee make any spirituall vse of it I answere though wee had no corporall vse of the Arke yet there ariseth an excellent spirituall vse out of the consideration of it The Arke of Noah and our baptisme are figures correspondent one to the other that that Noahs Arke was to them Baptisme is to vs. Thus teacheth S. Peter 1.3.20.21 To the Arke of Noah the figure which now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth The same that S. Paul here ascribeth to the Arke S. Peter ascribeth to Baptisme The Arke saued them Baptisme saueth vs. Now the resemblaâ—ce betwixt these two figures hath two branches First as it was necessary for them that should be saued in the floud to be in the Arke and out of the Arke no possibility to escape So is it for them that will haue their soules saued to be in Christ and of his Church they must be mysticall members of Christ and visible members of his Church and out of Christ and his Church no possibility of saluation That this is true for Christ S. Peter proueth apparantly Acts 4.12 Among men there is no name giuen vnder heauen whereby to be saued but the name of Iesus Christ neither is there saluation in any other And that this is true for the Church he prooueth Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued See how such as are to be saued must ioyne themselues to the Church when they see where it is and all this is signified taught in Baptisme For the outward vse of Baptisme makes vs members of the visible Church the inward powerfull vse of Baptisme makes vs members of Christ himselfe The vse and consideration hereof should make vs all more carefull to be true members of Christ of his Church by making not onely a bare profession of religion but by seeking to be incorporate into Christ by faith and true repentance for this must saue vs when nothing els can As they that were out of the Arke no gold nor siluer could buy out their safetie no lands nor liuings no houses nor buildings no hilles nor mountaines nothing in the world nor the whole world it selfe could saue them but being out of the Arke they perished So if a man be out of Christ out of his Church no gold nor siluer no honour nor glory no wit nor policy no estimation nor authoritie no friendâ— nor fauour no wisdome nor learning no hilles of happines nor mountaines of gold can saue his soule but hee must perish in the flood of Gods eternall wrath For as it prooued folly in them that trusted to their high houses or catcht hold on the hils if they were out of the Arke so will it prooue much greater folly to them that shall trust to any meanes of saluation if they be out of Christ. And contrariwise as they that were in the Arke were sure to bee saued doe the waters windes and weathers stormes and tempests all they could so that still the more the waters rose the Arke rose also and was euer higher than they and the higher it was carried by the violence of the waters the safer it was from the danger of hils and rockes and so in the midst of danger they were out of danger and were saued in the midst of the water So he that is once truely in Christ is sure of saluation nothing can hinder it flouds of calamities may assault him and humble him but they hurt not his saluation hee is in the Arke he is in Christ nay the gates of hell shall not ouerthrowe him but through all the waues of the diuels malice through all tempests of temptations the blessed Arke of Christes loue and merits shall carrie him vp and at last conuay him to saluation this is the blessed assurance of all them that are truely baptized into Christ. But as for such as out of their prophanenesse either care not to be in Christ or contemne Baptisme let theÌ„ assure theÌ„selues they be out of the Arke they perish certainly This is the 1. part of the resemblance The second is this Noahs body going into the Arke hee seemed therein a dead man going into a graue or a tombe to be buried for he was buried in the Arke the Arke in the waters he depriued of the fresh airâ— gladsome light yet by Gods appointment it was the means to saue Noah which in all reason seemed to be his graue if Noah will be saued he must goe into this graue So they that will escape hell and damnation by Christ the true Arke of holinesse must be buried and mortified in their flesh and fleshly lusts and there is no way to come
liue by faith in all our actions from one day to another meditating daily on Gods promises and beleeuing them and relying on them and applying the generalls to our owne selues and practicing faith by making conscience of sinne and inuring our selues to patience and long suffering Thus doing we shall be children of faithfull Abraham who first by faith left his owne Country and then by faith also dwelt still in the Land of Canaan And thus much for the action of his faith Hee abode in the Land of Promise Now followe the circumstances of the action which are two 1. The manner how 2. The Persons with whō The manner is laid downe in two points 1. As a stranger 2. As one that dwelt in tents The first point for the manner is laide downe in these words As in a strange Country The meaning is he esteemed it a strange Country to him and accounted himself a stranger in it Against which it may be obiected that he was familiarly acquainted with Mamre Aner and Eshcol three great mighty men of that Country then he they were confederates together Gen. 14.13 therfore it seemes he liued not like a stranger in the Country Some answere that these three were not Cananites but neere a-kinne to Abraham and had other names but the Text is plaine in that place that Mamre was an Amorite and the other two were his brethren Therefore the answere is that in all likelyhood they three were Proselites and that by Abrahams godly perswasions they had renounced Idolatry and were come to the knowledge of the true God and that they ioyned with Abraham in the worship of the true God and so were his conuerts whereupon Abraham as he might lawfully conuersed with them as his familiar friends And hereof there are two Inducements First it is said Gen. 14.13 that they were confederates with Abraham and it appeared so by their deedes for they ioyned their powers and assisted him in the warre against the the Kings Gen. 14.24 Secondly it is said Gen. 14.13 That Abraham dwelt on the Land of Mamre he was his Tenant or Farmour Now it is more then likely Abraham would not haue so farre beene beholden to them but that they were true Christians and of his owne religion Therefore this hinders not but hee might be a stranger notwithstanding vnto the body of the people and that it is true that Abraham saith of himself vnto some of them Gen. 23.4 I am a stranger and Soiourner amongst you But it may be then demanded Why did Abraham liue amongst them as a stranger and in that Land as a Soiourner I answer the reasons were diuers First he had title giuen to that Land but no possession he therefore contented himselfe with that that God gaue him and chalenged not any possession all the dayes of his life but bought or borrowed of Mamre the place where he liued and dwelt Gen. 14.13 and of the Hittites a place of buriall Gen. 23.3 c. This may teach all men not to be too hasty in seeking for that that it may be is their right let not men prescribe their owne times nor be their owne caruers but leaue their affaires to Gods disposing and enter no further then they see God goeth afore them Abraham must be a stranger in his owne land and thou sometime must be content for a time to be a stranger to that which is thine owne Secondly they were all of them for the most part heathen Idolaters amongst whom Abraham would not conuerse but as sparingly as might be Now if Abraham would be a stranger in his own Country rather then liue familiarly with Idolaters It sheweth how little faith and lesse conscience they haue who can be content to liue in the midst amongst Idolaters where they haue nothing to doe and can conuerse with them in all familiarity without any scruple of conscience Abraham made himselfe a stranger at home to auoide Idolatry but they will make themselues at home in a strange Country to intangle themselues in Idolatry these men will hardly proue the children of Abraham These reasons Abraham himselfe had in this his so doing There is a third a more spirituall or mysticall reason and that reason God had in making Abraham liue in Canaan as a stranger Namely to teach all Christian men their duty to the worlds end Abraham is the Father of the faithfull Rom. 4.11 And this is our honour to be the children of Abraham we must therfore follow our Father in his faith and in the practice of it we must liue in this world as Pilgrimes and Strangers euen in the midst of all our peace prosperity of all our liberty riches lands and possessions yea of all our friends worldly acquaintance If it seeme strange how this can be I answere the practice of it consists in six actions First we must not bathe our selues in the pleasures of this world Pilgrimes take but little delight in their iourneyes because they thinke themselues not at home This is S. Peters argument Dearely beloued as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule 1. Pet. 2.11 For too much delight in fleshly pleasures smothers the grace of God in vs and le ts loose all sinnes and giues life vnto all corruptions Secondly we must vse this world as though we vsed it not that is euen the necessary comforts delights thereof they be the very words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7.31 For so the Pilgrime when he passeth through a strange Country hath not his minde troubled with looking or thinking on the goods or cōmodities of that Country where he is but vsing as much thereof as is necessary for him all his thoughts are on his owne Country So should we when we are in our best estates in our greatest iollity in the midst of our wealth and abundance of pleasures cast our mindes from them haue our thoughts euen then conuersing in heauen where is the place of our abode This is likewise the Apostles exhortation Philipp 3.20 Worldly men make their belly their God that is drowne themselues in carnall pleasures so farre as they forget any other God any other heauen But we must not doe so our conuersation must be in heauen from whence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Thirdly wee must haue a serious care and endeuour to please God for all the earth is his and wee are but soiourners in his sight therfore as the Pilgrime is carefull to please the Lord of the Country by whose leaue he trauels through it so must we be to please the Lord seeing as God saith Leuit 25.23 The land is his and we are but strangers and soiourners with him And hereunto adde a fourth which is neere a-kinne vnto it We must cast all our care on God seeing that he is Lord of the earth we are but Pilgrimes and Soiourners Dauid saith Psal. 24.1 The earth is the Lords and all that therein is
The same Dauid coÌ„fesseth Psal. 39.12 He is a stranger before God a soiourner as all his Fathers were therupon desireth God to heare his prayer hearken to his cry not to keep silence at his teares as though he had said Inasmuch as I soiourne with thee thou art to heare my complaint For as a Soiourner cares nor lookes for nothing but depends on them for all things with whom he soiournes so must we cast all our care on God for he careth for vs he is our Landlord wee are his Farmours and Tenants wee hold the earth from him by no lease for yeares but at his will and it is lent vs let vs therefore but haue care to please this our Landlord and care for nothing Fiftly wee must giue continuall thankes and praise to God for his good blessings wee receiue in this world for all are his and wee are but strangers Thus did all Gods Saints in olde time Iacob Hee was lesse then the least of Gods mercies But especially there is one memorable example of Dauid and the Church in his dayes 1. Chronicles 29.13.14.15.16 When hee had prepared abundantly for the building of the Temple hee prostrated himselfe before God and in his owne name and the peoples saide thus Riches and honour come of thee therefore our God wee thanke thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that wee should offer vnto thee for all is thine and of thine owne haue wee giuen thee for wee are strangers before thee and soiourners as all our Fathers were Thankfulnesse beseemes all men especially strangers Therefore as Pilgrimes doe thankfully accept the fauours shewed them in a strange Country So must we all the blessings God giues vs in this world where we are but strangers Sixtly and lastly we must hasten to the kingdome as a Pilgrime doth to his iourneyes end or to his owne Country and till he can is alwaies thinking of it and sighing after it So must we who are not dwellers but soiourners in these houâ—es of clay long after heauen and as S. Paul saith he did coâ—et to remoue from hence and to dwell with the Lord. Strangers â—re not to take such pleasure in foraine Countries as to forget their owne So Christians must not be so in loue with this world as to forget or neglect the world to come If they do â—hey are vnworthy of it and shew themselues not strangers â—s Abraham here was but men of this world who haue their â—ortion in this life Psal. 17.14 In performing these six actions men shew themselues â—rangers in this world And thus must we doe euen in the â—idst of all worldly prosperitie if wee looke â—uer to enioy the glory of a better And thus doing we shall be children of faithfull Abraham who dwelt in the land of Canaan as in a strange Country As one that dwelt in tents The second point for the manner how Abraham dwelt in Canaan is that he built himselfe no houses nor made Orchards or Gardens but dwelt in tents or tabernacles which were such houses as now are vsed in warre and are yet called by the same name Tents or Pauilions whose matter is not wood nor stone but cloth stuffe or skinnes and are easily reared and soone taken downe and when a man departeth he may cary his house with him That Abraham did thus appeares in the Stories written of him He came to Bethell and there pitched his tent Gen. 12.8 and Gen. 13.18 he remoued his tent and 18.1 God appeared vnto him as he sate in his tent dore and 18.9 being asked where Sarah was answered shee is within in the tent and these tents are called his place Gen. 18.33 and his house 24.2 Out of all which places it is plaine that he dwelt in tents and that not onely at his first comming when he had not time to build him an house but euen all the dayes of his life after his comming into the land of Canaan But why did Abraham dwell in tents and not in houses was it because then there were no houses Not so For there were Cities built euen afore the floud Gen. 4.17 Cain built a Citie no meruaile therefore if there were many after as Sodome and all her sisters And though it appeares not they digged into the earth for naturall stone yet had they Bricke which they made themselues Genesis 11.3 and surely the world which built the huge tower of Babell Gen. 11. would not stick to build themselues houses Nor can it be said that those Cities Sodome Gomorrah and the rest were nothing but a multitude of Tents together For we read Genes 19.3 that Lot dwelling in Sodome receiued 2. Angels into his house and in the 4. verse that the Sodomites came and enuironed his house round about to take them thinking they had been men and when Lot refused to deliuer them that they pressed sore vpon the house to haue broken vp the doore but all this might haue bin spared if it had bin nothing but a tent which a childe may cut in peeces with a knife It is manifest then that there were houses in those daies Why then did Abraham build none was it because he was poore could not Nor so for contrariwise Gen. 12.5 Hee carried with him from his owne countrey all the substance he possessed And what that was is particularized Gen. 13.2 He was very rich in cattell in siluer and in gold His riches were both great of the best So theÌ„ he could but would not But why would he not Was it vpon a prowd humour or in a conceited singularitie because he would not bee like other men but haue a singular way of his owne No Abraham was none of those who allow nothing but that that is done of themselues and who thinke nothing good if it be ordinarie for he was a holy man and famous for his faith So then none of these were the reasons of this his so doing The reasons then why Abraham and other holy Patriarchs vsed to dwell in tents and not to build them houses were of two sorts Ciuill and Holy The Ciuill or Politicke respect that they had was this They holding themselues Gods seruants did depende on his word and therefore did submit themselues to goe vp and down the world whither soeuer God did call theÌ„ Being then to remooue euery day they knew not when nor whither it was therefore both the fittest and cheapest to dwell in tents which were soone pitched vp and soone taken downe Neither neede it to seeme strange that they could liue for cold in those poore thin tents all the yeare long for the country and climate there was alwaies temperate enough for cold and rather inclining to too much heate The Holy or religious respect was this They held theÌ„selues but strangers vpon earth therfore would not build themselues cities or houses as looking or caring to liue vpon earth but dwelled in tents as seeming desirous
vs but seeke it in the sincere worship of God and that will minister such comfort in this life and such glory in heauen as hath a foundation and will neuer faile vs. Further this must put vs in minde of the holy Kings aduise which is to remember our Creator in the daies of our youth Eccles. 12.1 Seeing this world is so vncertaine and our life hath so weake a foundation as wee are not sure to liue to come to olde age euery man therefore is to heare the conclusion of all which is to feare God and keepe his commandements and this the sooner the better For else for a little foolish and vaine pleasure transitorie which hath no foundation we shall venter the loosing of that glorious citie which hath a sure foundation It followeth in the description Whose maker and builder is God The second point in the description of this citie is that God was the maker builder or author of it These two words are both one and therefore it is a needlesse labour of some that would distinguish betwixt them for the meaning is God made that is prepared the glory of heauen and he built it as though he should say Heauenly Ierusalem is a glorious citie and no maruell though it be so for God made it And if you will needs that beeing a city it must be built be it so for God is the builder of it This doctrine is euident in the Scriptures Psal. 136.5 God by his wisdome made the Heauens And here is another maine difference betwixt this world and the glory of heauen The Cities of this world were built by man but Heauen by God himselfe The arte and skill of men built the cities of the earth and sometime the couetousnesse or other corruption of man as is manifest in the beginning for Cain a couetous cruell and ambitious man built the first citie in the world but holy and good men haue not the honour to bee builders of this City No they are Citizens of it but God onely is the author and builder of it No man may doubt hereof because this third heauen is inuisible for the Angels also are inuisible and yet Gods creatures Besides our Creed teacheth that God is Creator of all things visible and inuisible If wee doubt why God made it seeing hee made all things for man and man in this world hath no sight nor vse of it The answer is God made it for two ends First to be his owne glorious palace not wherein he would confine his beeing or his presence but wherein he would make his glorie most apparant and wherein his glory should in a sort dwell In which regards it is called his throne Esay 66. And in our Lords praier wee say by Christs owne teaching that God our father is in heauen Therefore as Princes builde themselues palaces to shewe their power and puissance and to magnifie themselues and to bee fit habitations for their greatnesse So God made the third heauen to be the throne of his glory Secondly hee had also a respect herein to his creatures for hee made that heauen therein to reueale his maiestie and glory to his reasonable creatures Angels and Mâ—â— and by shewing them his glory to glorifie them For in Gods presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psalm 16. vltim And in this sense is it true that God made all things for man as man for himselfe namely all things either for his soule or body or both either for his vse in this life or in the other And so the third heauen was made for mans vse not in this life but in the life to come for his soule vntill the last iudgement and after that for both soule body Hence we learne diuers instructions First in that the third heauen which neuer was seene with the eie of man is here positiuely affirmed to be made by God Wee learne that therefore it is one of Gods creatures and not eternall as some hold and goe about to prooue thus God is eternall but hee must bee in some place and heauen is the seate and place of God therefore it is coeternall with God But I answere from Gods word that though heauen bee the seate and throne of Gods glory and where hee manifesteth and magnifieth his glory yet is it not the place of his substance and beeing for that is infinite and incomprehensible and it is against the Christian faith to imagine the Godhead to bee comprehended or contained in any place 1. Kings 8.27 The heauens yea the heauens of heauens cannot comprehend thee O Lord how much more vnable is this house that I haue built Nor is it materiall that we knowe not on what day it was created or that it is not named amongst the workes of the creation For the same is true of the Angels also and it pleased Gods wisedome for speciall causes to name no creatures particularly in the creation but visible whereas wee knowe both from our Creeds and Gods word it selfe that hee is the creator of all things both visible and inuisible Therefore though wee knowe not what day the third heauen was made yet is it sufficient that here is said It was made and built by God himselfe Whereupon it necessarily followeth it is a creature and not coeternall with the Godhead Secondly here appeares the weakenesse of one of the commonest arguments vsed for the defence of the Vbiquitie and Consubstantiation Christ say they is present bodily in the Eucharist and they prooue it thus Christ is in heauen and hee is God But heauen is euery where for God is euery where and where God is there heauen is as where the King is there the Court is Therefore Christ may be in the Sacrament and yet be in heauen notwithstanding I answer the ground is false Heauen is not euery where for then it is in Hell which to affirme is absurditie confusion and impietie Indeede Gods presence is euery wher and where his presence is there is his power as where the Kings presence is there is also his power and authoritie and there may be any seate or course of Iustice and so where he is the Court is But if you take the Court for some one of his chiefe houses then the saying is not true But contrariwise as the Kings power is wheresoeuer his presence is and yet hee may haue one house more sumptuous and magnificent than all the rest which may bee called his Court by an excellency aboue other and that Court is not alwaies where the King is but in some set and certaine place and not remoueable So Gods power and glory is euery where and yet his most glorious Court the third heauen is not euery where but in his limited and appointed place where Gods glory shineth more than in any other place Againe if heauen properly taken be euery where then it is God himselfe for that that is euery where must needes be deified and indeede some to maintaine this opinion
haue said little lesse But if the holy Ghost may moderate this disputation hee plainely tells vs here That God is the maker builder of it Therfore assuredly it is not God but one of Gods creatures Thirdly and lastly let vs obserue the description of heauen included in these two words maker and builder God made it that is it is one of his creatures hee made it as well as the rest and he builded it that is as the word signifieth made it with arte or he bestowed skill and wisdome vpon it For though we may not imagine any substantiall difference betwixt these two words for matter yet in signification they differ and so farre wee are to obserue it Here then wee learne that the third Heauen is like a peece of worke wherein an excellent workeman hath spent his arte and shewed his skill that is that the highest heauen is a most glorious place and surpasseth all other creatures of God in glory and excellency so farre as therein shineth the glory skill and wisedome of the Creator more than in any other creature In which regard it is no maruell though the Holy Ghost say in another place That the eie hath not seene nor the eare heard nor mans heart conceiued what God hath there prepared for them that loue him 1. Corinth 2.9 And Saint Paul himselfe though hee had the honour to be taken vp into this third heauen and to see and heare the glory which is there yet afterwards could not he expresse the glory hee had seene And this was figured in the Temple of Ierusalem which was the mirrour and beauty of the world for the building whereof God both chose the skilfullest men and endued them also with extraordinary gifts namely Bezaleel and Aholiab Now as thereby that Temple was the most excellent piece of worke that euer was in this world made by man so the highest heauen which was mystically prefigured in Salomons Temple is the most excellent of all the workes of God The vse of this doctrine is not to be omitted First if that bee so excellent and glorious a place wee must all labour to come thither for aboue all things it seemes worthy to be sought for People come out of all places of the countrey to dwell in great townes and rich cities and men labour to be free-men there and to haue their children free in them and euen the greatest men will haue their houses either in or neere them that so though they will not alwaies dwell in them yet they may soiourne in them at their pleasures now and then And why all this but because first they are places beautifull and many waies pleasant to the eie Secondly full and frequented with the best company Thirdly replenished with aboundance of all things needfull for mans life for necessitie comfort and delight Fourthly they enioy many priuiledges and freedomes And lastly all this is most true of such cities where the King keepes his Court. If this bee so then how is heauen to bee sought for Behold here a goodly citie a citie of God whereof London Paris Rome Venice nay Ierusalem are scarce shadowes the true Ierusalem the ioy of the whole earth nay the ioy of the world and the glory of all Gods creatures made immediately with the hand and built with the skill and cunning of God himselfe The Princes of the world euen of Rome it selfe wondred at the beauty and were amazed at the magnificence of Ierusalems city Temple yet it was but a type and figure hereof For that had indeed the glory of the world vpon her But the new Ierusalem hath the glory of God vpon her Reu. 21.4 Shall we then seeke to dwell in the cities of this world and not labour to come to heauen Are they any way excellent wherein heauen is not much more to be desired Are they beautifull and is not it the beauty of the world Read the 21. chapter of the Reuelation and suppose that the beauty of it were but outward and worldly and sensible to humane capacitie yet is it farre more excellent than euer any was in this world And is not there the company of the deitie of Christs humanity of the holy Angels and all good men And is not there aboundance of whatsoeuer belongs to perfect happinesse And is not there freedome from the diuell sinne and death And is it not the Court of God the King of glory Then why doe we not sigh and grone and long to be free-men of this glorious citie And though we cannot come to it as long as wee liue in this world yet why doe wee not striue to come as neere it as may bee In this world when a man cannot dwell in the heart of a Citie yet he will rather dwell in the suburbs than hee will not be neere it and beeing there he knowes he can soone steppe into the citie So let vs in this life come as neere heauen as wee may let vs get into the suburbs and dwell there The suburbs of heauen is Gods true Church on earth where his word is freely knowen and preached and his holy Sacraments administred and therein God truely serued Let vs associate our selues to this Church and liue according to the holy lawes thereof This is the suburbs of heauen so shall we be ready to enter into the glorious city it selfe when the Lord calles vs. And as this is for our selues so if wee loue our children or care for their aduancement let vs make them free-men of that citie whose maker and builder is God So shall we bee sure to haue comfort and ioy of them here and with them in heauen But if wee will haue them free-men in heauen wee must make them Gods apprentizes on earth they must serue out their time else they get no freedome This time is all their life Men are deceiued that let their children bee the diuels slaues here and thinke to haue them free in heauen let vs then binde our children prentizes to God that is make them his seruants here then assuredly as in their repentance and regeneration here they are borne free-men of heauen so after this life they shall inioy the freedomes and priuiledges of that heauenly citie which was made and built by the wisdome of God Lastly here wee see how true it is that Dauid teacheth Psalm 15.4 No vile person can come in heauen And no maruell for if men thus and thus defamed cannot be free men in the Cities on earth built by men is it likely that sinners and profane men that care not for repentance regeneration for they bee the vile men shall be admitted into that city whose maker and builder is God It is the holy citie no vncleane thing can enter into it Reuel 21. It is Gods holy mountaine how shall vngodlinesse ascend thither Psalm 15.1 It is the newe Ierusalem how shall the olde man that is sinnefull corruption get into it Wee must therefore cast off the olde man
steward ouer them for the good disposing of them to the glory of God and the good of his Church alwaies remembring this rule of the Prophet Dauid Psal. 62.10 If riches increase set not thy heart on them He saith not If riches increase refuse thē but set not thy heart on them and thus much of these Questions Now this practice of the Patriarchs is as necessarie for vs in these dayes as euer it was for the cause why we profit little after much hearing of Gods word is this we haue not behaued our selues like Pilgrimes and strangers in this world but the cares of the things of this life haue choaked it vp Math. 13 2◠that it could take no ground nor roote in our hearts when we haue heard the word wee remember it not because our hearts and the affections thereof are set on the pleasures and commodities of the worlde Wee therefore must shake off this filthy sinne and learne to behaue our selues like Pilgrimes and strangers not intangling our selues with the things of this life but vsing them as though we vsed them not so as they be no hinderance to the growth of Gods graces in vs. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seeke a Country In the former verse was set downe the constancie of Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iacob in the faith Now in the 14.15 and 16. verses the holy Ghost proceedeth to amplifie and inlarge the commendation of their perseuerance in the faith for the scope of all these verses is to proue that all these particularly were constant in the faith vnto the end The proofe is made by one substantiall reason the summe whereof is this Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iacob sought for their Country which was heauen and therefore they were constant in the true faith But some may thinke that this reason is not substantiall for men may seeke for heauen that neuer had true sauing faith As Balaam desired that his end might be like the end of the righteous Numb 23.10 wherewith no doubt he desired the state of the righteous after this life I answere that this desire of Balaams was not grounded vpon any constant perswasion nor settled resolution but vpon some sodaine motion Secondly though he desired to die the death of the righteous yet he would not liue the life of the righteous hee had no delight to walke in the way to come to that end which they walked in without which no man ordinarily can come to it Yet further some will say Many shall seeke as our Sauiour Christ saith to enter in at the straite gate of the kingdome of heauen and shall not be able Luke 13.24 Therefore to seeke for heauen is no sufficient argument of true faith Answer True indeede many shall seeke to come to heauen and shall not be able to enter because they seek when the dore of mercy is shut and when the day of grace is past for there is a time of grace wherein the Lord will be found Now if men seeke him not in this time though they seeke him neuer so long after yet they shall not finde him But the seeking of these Patriarchs was a sound and constant seeking and so a notable fruite of their true faith For 1. they sought a heauenly Country 2. they sought it in due time not for a brunt but through the whole course of their liues 3. they went the right way denying themselues and their estate in this life as being strangers vpon earth and they were willing to forsake all things in this world to attaine heauen esteeming it as their true dwelling place and their eternall rest Now more particularly the holy Ghost diuideth this reason into two parts handleth the same seuerally 1. he proueth that they sought a Country in this verse and 2. that this Country which they sought was heauen it selfe verse 15.16 For the first part that they sought a Country is thus proued They which say they are Pilgrimes and strangers they shew plainly that they seeke a Country But Abraham Isaac and Iacob saide of themselues that they were Pilgrimes and Strangers Therefore they shew plainly that they seeke a Country The first part of this reason is euident in it selfe for hee that saith hee is a Pilgrime and a stranger in any place sheweth plainly that hee is forth 〈◊〉 his owne Countrey and therefore seeketh one The second part of the reason is assumed from their confession in the end of the former verse and confessed that they were Pilgrimes and strangers on the earth from whence the conclusion is laid downe in this 14. verse that therefore these Patriarchs sought a Country In this reason obserue first that the Author of this Epistle had diligently read the History of Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iacob penned by Moses in the booke of Genesis and in reading had obserued that which they particularly confessed of themselues in many places of that booke namely that they were Pilgrimes and strangers yea also hee gathered from their confession this most heauenly meditation that therefore they were not in their owne Country but sought another These three thinges then the Author of this Epistle vsed about the holy Scriptures Reading meditation and obseruation Whence we learne that all Gods Ministers and those which prepare themselues to the worke of the Ministerie are diligently to reade and study the holy Scriptures and to meditate therein No doubt the Author of this Epistle was an Apostle and had most notable giftes by vertue of his calling and yet hee bestowed paines in viewing the particular words of Abraham Isaac and Iacob recorded by Moses in the booke of Genesis Daniell also was an extraordinarie Prophet yet as wee may reade Daniel 9.2 hee studied with admirable diligence the prophecies of Ieremie and Ezekiel And Timothie though he were a Disciple Acts 16.1 and well learned yet Paul chargeth him to giue attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine 1. Timothie 4.13 And Ezekiel is commaunded to eate the role and to fill his belly with it Ezekiel 3.3 And Saint Iohn likewise is commaunded to eate vp the little booke Reuelations 10.9.10 which thing he did all which strongly inforce the former duty shewing that Gods seruant in the Ministerie must as it were eate vp Gods booke that in iudgement and vnderstanding he may digest as farre as is possible the deepe things of God and the hardest places of the Scripture here must he lay his foundation and hither haue recourse frō all other writing whatsoeuer in any matter of doubt This direction is most necessary for the Schooles of the Prophets and for all Gods Ministers and yet notwithstanding the contrary practice beareth sway in the world For in the Popish Vniuersities most of their diuines apply themselues to study the bookes of certaine schoole-men and the Expositors or Commenters thereupon These are applied day and night though they be both many and large and full of needlesse quiddities and oftentimes they be also
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
suffer for Christs sake Blessed are you saith Christ when men reuile you and speake all manner of euill sayings against you for my names sake c. And S. Peter saith If yee bee railed vpon for my names sake blessed are ye And lest any should doubt how this can be Christ shewes wherein this blessednesse consists saying He that forsaketh houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or childrē or lands for my names sake shall receiue an hundred fold more and shall inherit eternall life A most worthy promise assuring vs that no man loseth by suffering for Christs sake for hee shall be rewarded an hundred fold ouer In stead of earthly friends and worldly comforts he shal haue the loue and fauour of God shed abroad in his heart which will bee an ouer-flowing fountaine of comfort for soule and body for euer farre more worth than the wealth and treasures of all the kingdomes in the world A smal springing fountaine we know is better to an house than a hundred Cisternes full because of continuall supply from the springing fountaine when the Cisterns will be spent Behold the loue of God in Christ with other spiritual graces shall be in all that suffer for the name of Christ as liuing streames flowing vnto life eternall when as the cisterns of all worldly pleasures and treasures shal be spent and dried vp 2 By suffering afflictiō for Christs sake wee are made conformable vnto him in his humilitie that so we may bee made like vnto him after this life in glory So Paul saith Our light affliction causeth vnto vs an eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 And againe it is a true saying If we be dead with Christ we shall also liue with him If we suffer we shall also raigne with him 2. Tim. 2.11 12. This assurance can no worldly riches giue and therefore wee may boldly say that the suffering of reproach for Christ his sake is greater riches than the treasures of a whole kingdome 3 To suffer for Christ his sake is a token of Gods speciall loue and therefore S. Paul biddes the Philippians Not to feare their aduersaries which is a token of saluation vnto them and that of God because it is giuen to you saith he for Christ that you should not onely beleeue but suffer for his sake Wherfore if suffering for Christ haue a promise of blessednes if it make vs conformable vnto Christ be a signe of Gods special loue then is it to be esteemed aboue the riches and honours of the whole world Are afflictiōs for Christ to be esteemed aboue the treasures of a kingdome then we must all learne to reioyce in the troubles and wrongs which we suffer for Christs sake So did the Apostles Act. 5.41 They departed from the councell reioycing in that they were counted worthy to suffer affliction for his name And S. Paul brags hereof greatly saying I beare in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6.17 And looke as these seruants of God reioyced in their sufferings for Christ so likewise must we labour for the same heart and affections in the like case for who would not reioyce to be made partaker and possessor of the treasures of a kingdome Well the rebuke of Christ is greater riches than the treasures of a kingdome This lesson is of great vse for howsoeuer many among vs come to heare Gods word yet there be many also that scoffe and mocke at religion and at the Gospel of Christ and the professors thereof whereby the most are hindred in profession and many daunted and quite driuen backe But wee must here learne not to bee discouraged by these mockes Indeede we must take heed we giue them no iust occasion to mocke vs and then if we be scoffed at we shal neuer be hurt by it nay though that be farre from their intent yet in mocking vs they doe vs great honour For the word of God that cannot lie is this that to suffer affliction for Christ his sake is greater honour and riches than the treasures of a kingdome And if Moses his iudgement be good which God himselfe doth here commend then we are happy and blessed in enduring these mockes and scoffes for Christ. Secondly wee must here learne instruction for the time to come We haue for a long time through the great goodnesse of God enioyed peace and wealth with the Gospel of Christ but vndoubtedly these daies of peace will haue an ende they cannot last alwaies Gods people must passe through the fierie furnace of affliction Well when this is come vpon vs how shall wee be able to beare it Surely we must now learne to be of this opinion that Moses was of we must iudge it to bee the greatest honour and riches that can be to suffer affliction for Christ his sake and this will be the ground of all constancy courage and Christian boldnesse in the day of trial For he that is of this mind wil neuer feare affliction nor reproach for Christ his sake nay he will be so farre from fearing it that he will reioyce and triumph therein Further whereas it is said Esteeming the rebuke of Christ here marke the rebuke of Gods church and people is called the rebuke of Christ. The people of God in Egypt were laden with reproaches and rebukes and behold Christ accounts it his rebuke and the holy Ghost so calls it Where learne this That Christ esteemeth the reproach and affliction of his Church as his owne affliction When Saul went to persecute the brethren at Damascus Act. 9.2 4 Christ Iesus calls to him from heauen saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Saul went to persecute the Christians and yet our Sauiour Christ taketh it vnto himselfe And after his conuersion he saith 2. Cor. 4.10 Euery way wee beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus And againe Let no man put me to businesse for I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6.17 This is a point of speciall vse First hence we learne that Christ hath a speciall care of his Church and Children in that he iudgeth their afflictions to be his owne afflictions and therefore he can no more forget or leaue off to helpe them in distresse than deny himselfe Secondly here is a speciall comfort for Gods children that be in affliction their afflictions are not their owne alone but Christs also he is their partner and fellow sufferer This may seeme strange but it is most true Christ puts as it were his shoulders vnder our afflictions and takes them to himselfe as though they were his owne than which what can be more comfortable For though thou thy selfe cannot beare it yet trust vndoubtedly that Christ who beares with thee wil giue thee strength to vndergoe it vnto victory Thirdly if the afflictions of a Christian bee the afflictions of Christ then it is a fearefull sinne for any man to mocke or reproach his brother
Peter exhorts the Christians to haue their conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of them as of euill doers might by their good workes which they should see glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1. Pet. 2.12 And he bids godly wiues so walke that their husbands may be wonne without the word by beholding their pure conuersation which is with feare 1. Pet. 3.1.2 And Paul bids the Philippians to walke blamelesse in the middle of a wicked and crooked nation as lights in the middle of the world Phil. 2.15 that those which were to be conuerted by their good conuersation might be wonne to the truth GOD sent a floud vpon the world for the greeuousnesse of mans sinnes Now why doth hee not still send more flouds are not men now as wicked as they were then Yes vndoubtedly man for his part deserues it now as well as they did then and therfore our Sauiour Christ saith as it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be in the dayes of the sonne of man so that euery day we deserue a new floud but yet the Lord stayes the execution of his iudgements for a time that his elect may bee gathered and conuerted And so soone as that is done heauen and earth shall goe together and God will not stay one moment for all the world besides So that euery nation and people in the world haue benefit by Gods children because for their sakes doth the Lord stay his wrath and deferre his iudgements euen the great iudgement of fire wherewith the world shall be consumed at the last day These things the world should take notice of as well to moue them to repentance of their sinnes whereby they are made vnworthy the presence of a godly man as also to perswade them to better behauiour and cariage towards the godly by whom they are so many wayes blessed The holy Ghost addeth that they wandred in wildernesse and mountaines and donnes and Caues of the earth These were desolate places and not inhabited and yet for the wickednesse of the world GOD will haue these beleeuerâ— here to wander Wee must not thinke that they betooke themselues voluntarily to this solitary life but onely vpon necessity being constrained by persecution to flie into the wildernesse for the sauing of their liues and the keeping a good conscience This serues to descry vnto vs the blinde errour of many ages afore vs wherein it hath beene thought and is by Papists at this day to bee a state of perfection to liue a Monke or Hermite out of all societies in some desert place and there to spend the whole life in contemplation onely that voluntarily and they magnifie this estate so much that heereby they thinke to merit eternall life at the hands of God But these beleeuers did neither voluntarily nor with opinion of merit betake themselues to this solitarie life but on necessity And indeede this kinde of life hath no warrant in Gods word for euery Christian is a member of two Kingdomes of Christs Kingdome of grace and of that particular state where he dwelleth and by reason heereof hath a two-folde calling a temporall and a spirituall calling In both of which he must walke diligently so long as hee can doing the duties both of a childe of God and of a member of that common-wealth where hee liueth Now when a man goes voluntarily to leade a solitary life he forsakes his temporall calling altogether and performes the other but negligently for hee withdrawes himselfe from many duties of piety whereby the people might be furthered to God-ward which none can do with a good conscience Further obserue the places where they are constrained to wander to wit in Wildernesse Caues and Dennes places where wilde beasts haue abode and recourse and yet heere they liue when as men will not suffer them to liue among them Where note that many times more mercy may be found among wilde and sauage beasts than with some men so mercilesse are the wicked when God forsakes them and leaues them to themselues The Lions entreate Daniel better than Darius Courtiers and seruants doe Daniel chapter 6. And Lazarus findes more kindenesse with the dogges at Diues gates then with him and all his family besides Luke chapter 16. verse 21. The consideration whereof must teach vs to nippe sinne in the head at the beginning and not to suffer it to growe for if it get a head and raigne in vs it will make vs worse than brute or sauage beasts and cruell as the Diuell himselfe as wee may see in the worldes vsage of these beleeuers Thus we see the state of true beleeuers vnder many and greeuous miseries which wee must well obserue to arme our selues against the times of aduersities which GOD may sende vpon vs. VVee must not iudge it a cursed estate to bee vnder the Crosse for heere wee see the faith of his seruants is commended for suffering nine seuerall kindes of miseries If wee shall thinke that these were but a fewe wee must knowe that in them the holy Ghost setteth down the state of his Church vnto the end for these things were written for ensamples vnto vs. And therefore if calamities come and such miseries befall vs as doe driue vr toward distrust as though God had forsaken vs we must remember that God did not forsake these his children in their calamities and therefore also will not forsake vs. And thus much for this last example VERSE 39. And these all through faith obtained good report and recei-not the promise THe holy Ghost hauing set down at large a worthie and notable Catalogue of examples of faith in sundry beleeuers that liued from the beginning of the world to the time of the Maccabees doth now for a further commendation of their faith rehearse the same things that before he had said in the 2. and 13. verses of this chapter In saying that by faith they all receiued good report his meaning is that they did beleeue in the true Messias and looked for saluation in him alone whereupon they were approoued of God himselfe who gaue testimonie hereof partly by his word and partly by his spirit in their consciences and partly by his Church by all which they were commended and assured to be Gods seruants And yet notwithstanding this good report they receiued not the promise that is the promise of Christs incarnation in their daies They receiued Christ truely by faith and so saw his day but his actual incarnation in the flesh they liued not to see Whereas it is said That by faith they obtained testimony Here first obserue that there is nothing in man that makes him acceptable to God but faith onely GOD regards no mans person hee accepts not of a man because he is a King or because he is wise or rich or strong c. But if a man beleeue then the Lord is ready to giue testimony of him that hee likes well of him In regard
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
that God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This is Gods promise and it shall neuer be changed Now therefore howsoeuer my case be heauie and desolate yet God is able to comfort me and to bring my soule out of hell and from this case of desperation therefore though he kill me I will trust in him and I will vse all holy meanes whereby I may ouercome this hard and grieuous temptation So if it shall please God to call vs to suffer any thing for the name of Christ and his holy profession flesh and bloud we know is weake and Nature will make this obiection that life is sweete what course therefore shall we take we must doe as Abraham here doth vnto the certainty of Gods promise we must adioine his power and reason thus God hath made this promise that he will be with them that suffer any thing for his owne names sake and I knowe that hee is able to deliuer me and though he will not yet he can make me able to beare it therefore I will patiently suffer and abide whatsoeuer his holy hand shall lay vpon me Thirdly is a man so troubled with some sinne that he cannot get out nor ouercome it Then also let him set before him this fact of Abraham and vnfainedly endeuour to doe heereafter For that which is past let him labour to beleeue this promise of God At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne hee will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance And for the time to come being first resolued that God can inable him to leaue his sinnes let him striue by good meanes to leaue his sinne auoiding the occasions of it and praying against it and this will be as a cable-rope to drawe him out of the pit of sinne This course wee must take and this doe in euery hard case that shall befall vs. And thus much of the meanes whereby Abraham induced himselfe to obey God The third and last reason whereby Abrahams faith is commended vnto vs is the issue and euent thereof in these words From whence he receiued him also after a sort From whence that is from death After a sort or as it may be read in some shewe This is said because Isaac in the thought and purpose of Abraham was but a dead man for Abraham was fully resolued with himselfe vpon Gods commaund to haue sacrificed him yea hee had gone so farre as to put the sacrificing knife vnto his sonnes throate and had slaine him indeede had not the Angell of God staid his hand and therefore when the Angell said Lay not thy hand vpon the childe neither doe any thing to him euen then did Abraham in some shew receiue Isaac from death Here we learne diuers points 1 That whosoeuer shall rest on Gods prouidence and good pleasure euen in cases of extremitie when he shall be out of all hope with himselfe shall at the last haue a good issue This wee see to bee true by Abrahams example in this place As wee said before he himselfe no doubt had rather haue died ten thousand times than to haue Isaac slaine in whom the promise was made but yet beleeuing Gods promise that that should neuer change hee rests himselfe on Gods good pleasure and prouidence and goes on in obedience and so in the end receiued a blessed issue This is very cleerely set downe vnto vs in the History recorded by Moses For when Abraham had gone three daies iourney in the wildernesse and had built an Altar then Isaac said vnto Abraham Gen. 22.7 Father here is the fire and the wood but where is the lambe for the burnt offering Then Abraham said My sonne God will prouide him a lambe for a burnt offering Vers. 8. And thus yeelding himselfe to Gods good pleasure and prouidence he receiued his sonne againe as a dead childe restored to life So when we are in cases of extremitie when all goes against vs and when we can see no hope of any good issue or ende and all good meanes seeme to faile vs if wee can then cast our selues on Gods prouidence and rowle our selues vpon God we shall haue comfort in the ende and a good issue out of all Wee doe all of vs in word acknowledge Gods prouidence but whē wee come to the pinch that wee fall into cases of extremitie then wee vse vnlawfull meanes and doe not with Abraham cast our selues vpon God but seeke helpe of the diuell and wicked men But all such persons must looke for a cursed issue They therefore that feare the Lord beeing put to any plunge or extremitie must cast themselues vpon God wholly and waite for his good time and pleasure and then will the issue be both ioyous and comfortable vnto their soules Here some circumstances of this fact are to bee considered out of the larger story The first is this What did God vnto Abraham at this time when he was about to kill his sonne Answ. God now gaue him a commandement to stay his hand and not to slay his sonne By vertue whereof Abraham staies his hand God before commanded him to goe three daies iourney in the wildernesse and there to sacrifice his sonne Hereupon Abraham goes but now beeing come to the place hauing bound his sonne and is ready to cut his throat God bids him stay his hand and then also Abraham obeyeth God and doeth not kill his sonne Here we see Abraham is at Gods commande and as wee say at his becke Hee doeth not follow his owne will and pleasure but when God calles he is wonderfull pliable to doe Gods commaund whatsoeuer it bee one way or other This practice of Abraham must bee a looking glasse for vs wherein to see what manner of persons wee ought to be Looke what God commaunds vs to doe that wee must doe and what hee forbids vs that wee must not doe But this is a rare thing to bee found in these daies our practice generally is contrary for in our liues wee followe our owne humors and affections neuer regarding what God doth either will or nill But if wee will be Abrahams children we must follow Abrahams practice in this place For the sonnes of Abraham will doe the workes of Abraham Iohn 8.39 Good seruants will come and goe doe and vndo at their Lords pleasure and forget themselues to obey their masters And so must it be with vs if we call God our good Lord and master Luk. 6.46 The second circumstance to bee considered is the time when Abraham receiued his sonne from death to wit at the very same time when his knife was at his sons throate and he himselfe ready to offer him vp for a sacrifice vnto the Lord at that same instant God spake vnto him by his Angell from heauen and said Abraham stay thy hand Gen. 22.10 This circumstance is worth the marking for God lets
him alone three whole daies in great perplexity and Abraham goes forward according to Gods commād euen to lay his knife to his sonnes throat Here then we see what is the Lords dealing with his seruants Hee lets them alone for a long season in temptation and pittifull distresse and at the length when it comes euen to the extremitie and when the knife is as it were at the throate then hee shewes himselfe and brings comfort vnto them The Spouse in the Canticles which is the Church of God or a true Christian soule whether you will for it is true both in the generall and particular Cant. 3.2.3 Shee seekes Christ euery where in the streetes and open places but shee findes him not then shee goes to the watch-men which are Gods ministers and there inquires after him whom her soule loued and they cannot tell her where shee might finde him so that now all hope of finding him might seeme to be past but when shee was a little from them then shee found him and Christ comes to her when shee was most in feare not to haue found him at all The people of Israel were many yeares in bondage in Egypt and when the time came that Moses was sent of God to fetch them thence and to be their guide and deliuerer when he had brought them out and carried them to the red sea then came Pharaoh with a huge armie after them to destroy them Exod. 14.25 Before they had beene in great affliction and bondage but nowe they were quite past all hope of recouery for they had before them the redde sea and on each side of them great hilles and mountaines and behinde them the huge hoast of Pharaoh and therefore they cried out vnto Moses who then by GODs commaundement did diuide the redde sea and made it drie land and deliuered them through the middest of the redde sea but as for their enemies Pharaoh and all his hoast the Lord drowned them in the middest thereof So for our selues when God shall exercise any of vs in cases of extremitie wee must looke to bee so dealt withall at Gods hand Hee will let vs alone for a time and neuer helpe vs till the last pinch and therefore we must waite for his good pleasure with patience for this he will doe to trie vs to the full and to make manifest the graces of God wrought in vs. The third circumstance to be considered is this In what manner did Abraham receiue his sonne from the dead This we may read of Gen. 22.13 Hee must take a Ramme that was caught behinde him in a bush and offer him in stead of Isaac so Isaac is saued and the Ramme is sacrificed and slaine Now whereas Abraham offered Isaac in sacrifice to God and yet Isaac liueth and the Ramme is slaine in his stead Hence some gather this vse and we may profitably consider of the same to wit that the sacrifices which wee offer vnto God now vnder the Gospel must be liuing sacrifices for Isaac he was offered in sacrifice to God yet he liued and died not but the Ramme is slaine for him So must we offer our selues in sacrifice vnto God not dead in sinne but liuing vnto God in righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus shall we offer vp our selues liuing sacrifices vnto God when as we consecrate our selues vnto Gods seruice and obey him in our liues and callings And looke as vnder the Law the burnt offerings were burnt all to smoake and ashes so must wee in our liues wholly and altogether giue our selues vnto God and renouncing our selues be nothing to the world but wholly dedicated to God Neither must wee come vnto him in our sinnes for sinne makes our sacrifice dead lame halt and blinde which God doth abhorre but wee must bring our selues liuing sacrifices vnto God as Paul saith Ro. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God Hence also some gather that this sacrificing of Isaac was a signe and type of Christs sacrifice vpō the crosse For as Isaac was sacrificed and liued so did Christ though he died yet rose againe and now liueth for euer but because it hath no ground in this place though it be true which is said of both therefore I will not stand to vrge the same And thus much of this third reason whereby Abrahams faith is commended with the circumstances thereof and consequently of all the examples of holy Abrahams faith Isaacs Faith VERSE 20. By faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau concerning things to come IN the three former verses the holy Ghost hath particularly commended the faith of Abraham Now in this verse hee proceedes to set downe vnto vs the faith of Isaac particularly also Wherein we are to marke these foure points First a blessing wherwith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau Secondly the cause of this blessing that is his faith Thirdly the parties blessed which are Iacob and Esau Fourthly the nature and matter of this blessing in the end of the verse Concerning things to come Of these in order First for the blessing That we may knowe the nature and quality of it wee must search out the kindes of blessings how many they be In Gods word wee finde three kindes of blessings 1. whereby God blesseth man Now God blesseth man by giuing vnto him gifts and benefits either temporall or spirituall and so he blessed all his creatures in the beginning but especially man The 2. kinde of blessing is that whereby man blesseth God and this man doth by praising God and giuing thankes vnto him who is the Author of all blessings So Paul saith Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ Ephes. 1.3 beginning his Epistle with this kinde of blessing that is by praising God And so Zachary after the birth of his sonne and the receiuing of his sight hee sings vnto God this song of praise Blessed be the Lord God of Israell Luk 1.68 that is praise and thanksgiuing be vnto the Lord c. The third kinde of blessing is that whereby one man doth blesse another and vnder this kinde we must vnderstand Isaacs blessings in this place Now further this kinde of blessing whereby one man blesseth another is either priuate or publike A priuate blessing is that whereby one priuate man whatsoeuer he be in his place prayes to God for a blessing vpon another And this is common to all men for euery man may blesse another that is pray to God for a blessing vpon another but especially it belongeth to Parents thus to blesse their children by praying to GOD for a blessing vpon them And therefore the Commaundement goes thus Honour thy fa-thy father and thy mother that they may prolong thy dayes in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Exod. 20.12 Now