corporall presence it is sufficient if wee haue true faith for that makes him present much more comfortably then it might be his bodily presence would be vnto vs. If any man aske how this can be I answer The faith of the receiuer knoweth best and yet reason can say something in this case for suppose a man looke earnestly vpon a starre there are many thousand of miles betwixt his eye the star yet the starre and his eye are so vnited together as that the starre is after a sort present to his eye So if we regard locall distance we are as farre from Christ as earth is from heauen but if we regard the nature of Faith which is to reach it selfe to Christ where euer he be in that regard Christ is present and why should not this be so for if the bodily eye so feeble and weake can reach so farre as to a starre and ioyne it to it selfe and so make it present why should not much more the piercing eye of the soule reach vp to Christ make him present to the comfortable feeling of it selfe Thirdly here wee learne how to behaue our selues in a strange temptation whereby God vseth to exercise his children The Lord after that he hath receiued his children into his fauour coÌ„tinueth not alwaies to manifest that fauour vnto them but often times puls back the feeling of it for a time that afterward hee may shew it againe in more comfortable manner vnto them and that they may afterward more sensibly feele it and more earnestly loue it and more carefully labour to keepe it when they haue it Now for the time of this eclipse of the fauour of God he not onely darkeneth his loue but makes them feele also such a measure of his wrath as that they will often thinke themselues castawayes from the fauour of God Dauid and Ioâ— were often exercised with this temptation as appeareth by their most lamentable bitter coÌ„plaints yea Dauid doubts not Psal. 77.9 to chalenge the Lord that he hath forgotten to be gratious and hath shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure And Iob chap. 13.26 complaines to the Lord that He writeth bitter things against him and makes him to possesse the sinnes of his youth words as it may seem of men forsaken of God and indeed so for that time they thought of themselues If it please the Lord thus to deale with vs so as we feele nothing else but his wrath wrastling with our consciences neither can think otherwise by present feeling but that God hath forsaken vs what should we do in this pitifull case should we despaire as reason would bid vs no but take this course Call to mind Gods mercifull promises and his ancient former loue and cast thy selfe vpoÌ„ that loue though thou canst not feele it When thou hast most cause to despaire then labour against it When thou hast no reason to beleeue then beleeue with all thy power For remeÌ„ber the power prerogatiue of thy faith It beleeues not things that are manifestly appeare so much as such things that are not haue no being So then when Gods fauour seemes to be lost and to haue no being to thee then is Gods fauour a fit obiect for thy faith which beleeues those things that are not Let al the diuels in hell set themselues against thy poore soule and if thou holdest fast this faith they cannot all make thee sinke vnder it for when the diuel saith Thou hast lost Gods fauour by faith a man answereth though Gods fauour be lost vnto my feeling yet to my faith it is not My faith giues it a being so long say what thou wilt I will neuer feare that it is lost When God puls back his fauour and fights against thee with his wrath do as Iacob did Gen. 32.27.29 Wrestle with God though thou haue but one legge that is though thou haue but one little sparke of faith fight with that little faith lay hold by it on God and let him not go vntill he hath blessed thee in turning again vnto thee his fauorable countenance and say with Iob 13. euen in the very heate of thy temptation O Lord though thou kil this body and flesh of mine yet will I trust in thee for euerlasting life yea though Gods anger should seeme to encrease yet for all that take faster hold and faint not for faith will neuer faile thee it will restore Gods loue when it seemes lost it wil set it before thine eyes when it seemes to be hid For marke well but this one reason if faith will giue life euerlasting a being and make it present to thy soule which indeede yet neuer had being to thee how much more can it giue a being to Gods fauour and make it present to thy soule which once had indeed hath still a being and was neuer lost indeede but onely to a mans feeling Thus true faith is able to answer this temptaation whether it come in life or in the pangs of death Fourthly whereas faith is call'd an euidence hence wee learne that the nature of faith stands not in doubting but in certainty assurance The Romish doubting of the essence of faith is as contrary to true faith as darknesse to light for faith is an euidence of things hoped for that is it coÌ„uinceth the iudgemeÌ„t by vnfallible arguments knowing as certainly the truth of the promises of the things hoped for as that God is God But Rome wil needs ioin faith doubting which in deed fight like fire and water and can neuer agree together in euery respect but one wil in the end destroy the other Obiection But it seemeth doubting is a part or at least a companion of faith for we doubt as wel as beleeue who is so faithful that doubteth not Answer We do so but what then we should not for God coÌ„mands vs to beleeue not to doubt therefore to beleeue because it is commanded of God is a vertue and if it be a vertue then to doubt is a vice faith doubting are both in a good man but faith is a work of grace and of the spirit Doubting is a work of the flesh a piece of the corruption of the old man Fiftly if faith be a substance of things hoped for much more is it a substance to the beleeuer if it giue those things a being which aâ—e out of him much more doth it giue a permanent being vnto the beleeuer himselfe strengthning him to stand continue in al assaults So Heb. 3.14 Faith is that whereby a beleeuer is sustained vpholden so that indeed we may fitly say Faith is the spiritual substance and the spiritual strength of a Christian man and according to the measure of his faith such is the measure of his spirituall strength This coÌ„sideration hath diuers comfortable vses but especially two 1. When any of vs are out of the reach of a temptation so long are we confident of our
Christ and thereupon rest our soules Thus did these beleeuers in this place And this faith did Iob notably testifie when GOD had taken from him children goods health yea and all that he had yet then he said Iob 13.15 Though he kill me yet will I trust in him And so must wee endeuour to doe if that case befall vs for when all worldly helpes and comforts faile vs this promise of life in Christ will be a sweet and safe refuge for our soule Being destitute afflicted and tormented Here the Apostle amplifieth their misery in their wādring estate by three degrees of crosses which did accompany the same First they were destitute of all temporall blessings secondly they were afflicted both in body and minde Thirdly tormented that is euill entreated These are added for a speciall cause to shew that these seruants of God were laden with afflictions They were banished driuen to extreme pouerty they were depriued of all their goods and of all society of men they were afflicted in body and in minde and euill entreated of all men no man would doe them good but all men did them wrong whereby we see that euen waues of miseries ouerwhelmed them on euerie side Hence wee learne that Gods seruants may be ouerwhelmed with manifolde calamities at the same instant being pressed down with crosses in goods in body minde friends and euery way This was Iobs case a most worthy seruant of God he was afflicted in body in friends goods childrē which was greatest of all he wrestled in cōscience with the wrath of God Iob 13.16 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest mee to possesse the iniquities of my youth And the like hath beene the state of many of Gods children Psal. 88.3.7 My soule is filled with euils thou hast vexed me with all thy waues c. Question How can this stand with the truth of Gods word wherein are promises of all manner of blessings both temporall and spirituall to those that feare him Deut. 28. 1 2 c. If thou obey the voyce of the Lord thy GOD all these blessings shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee blessed in the Citie and in the field in the fruite of thy body and of thy ground and cattell Psal. 34.10 They that seeke the Lord shall lacke nothing that is good For Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 And therefore Dauid compareth the godly man to the tree that is planted by the water side which bringeth forth much fruite and is greene and well liking Psalme 1.3 How then comes this to passe that Gods owne seruants should be thus oppressed and laden not with one calamity or two but with sundry and grieuous afflictions at the same time Answer True it is the Scripture is full of gracious promises of temporal blessings vnto Gods children but they are conditionall and must be vnderstoode with an exception to this effect Gods children shall haue such and such blessings vnlesse it please God by afflictions to make triall of his graces in them or to chastise them for some sinne so that the exception of the crosse for the triall of grace or chastisement for sinne must be applied to all promises of temporall blessings And hence it comes to passe that the most worthy renowned seruants of God for their faith are said to be afflicted and in miserie For his promises of temporall blessings are not absolute but conditionall All things are theirs as Paul saith 1. Cor. 3.21 and they shall haue honour wealth fauour c. vnlesse it please God to proue their faith or to chastice their sinnes by crosses and afflictions Question How can Gods seruants be able to beare so many and grieuous crosses at once seeing it is hard for a man to beare one crosse patiently The answere is heere laid downe to wit by faith for many and grieuous were the miseries that lay on these seruants of God and yet by beleeuing the promise of life in the Messias they were enabled to beare them all This is a soueraine remedy against immoderate griefe in the greatest distresse and vndoubtedly the flouds of affliction shall neuer ouerwhelme him that hath his heart assured by faith of the mercy of God towards him by Iesus Christ. This made Dauid say He would not feare euill though he should walke through the valley of the shadow of death Psal. 23.4 and Paul speaking of tribulation anguish famine persecution yea and death it selfe saith In all these we are more then conquerers through him that hath loued Rom. 8.37 And from this faith it was that hee was able to endure all estates to be hungry to want c. Phil. 4.12 13. If this be true that Gods children may be afflicted with manifolde calamities at once then the opinion of naturall and vngodly men is false who iudge him to be wicked and vngodly whom God ladeth with manifolde calamities This was the iudgement of Iobs three friends and the ground of all their disputation against him that because God had laid so great and so many crosses vpon him therfore he was but an hypocrite And this is the rash iudgement of naturall men in our dayes especially vpon those that make profession of religion when Gods hand of triall or correction lies vpon them they presently censure them for hypocrites but this is a wretched opinion for Gods dearest children may be pressed downe with manifold calamities Secondly seeing faith in Christ will support the soule vnder manifolde crosses be they neuer so grieuous wee must labour in the feare of God to haue our hearts rooted and grounded in this faith and when afflictions come we must striue to shew forth the fruite and power of it by bearing them patiently And thus much of the seuerall branches of affliction in this last example of beleeuers VERSE 38. Whom the world was not worthy of they wandred in the wildernesse and mountaines and dens and Caues of the earth IN these words the holy Ghost doth answere to a secret obiection or surmise which a naturall mā might cōceiue against the beleeuers spoken of before For it being said that they wandred vp and downe Some man might thinke thus no meruaile though they wandred vp and down for it may be they were not worthy to liue in the worlde This the holy Ghost doth flatly denie and auoucheth the cleane contrary of them to wit that they wandred vp and downe by faith and the Lord caused them so to doe because the world was not worthy of them they were too good to liue in the world In this answere to this surmise wee may obserue what is the opinion of naturall men concerning the children of God to wit that they are not worthy to liue in the world but the earth whereon they tread is too good for them This hath beene is and will be the worldes estimation of Gods children Matthew chapter 24. verse 9 Ye shall be hated of all
nations for my names sake Iohn chapter 16 verse 2 They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke hee doth God good seruice Acts chapter 22. verse 22 Away say the Iewes of Paul with such a followe from the earth it is not meete that he should liue And hence hee saith of himselfe and the other Apostles 1. Corinthians chapter 4. verse 13 They were made the filth of the worlde and the off-scouring of all things In the time of the persecuting Emperours in the Primitiue Church when any common calamity befell the people or State as famine dearth pestilence or such like they straight-way imputed it to the Christians saying That they and their wicked religion were the cause thereof And though wee haue religion maintained among vs yet the poore seruants of God finde the like welcom in the world for thus the wicked censure them euery where That they are dissembling hypocrites and none so bad and vile persons as they are Now if any man aske how comes it to passe that the world should slander them so and thinke so vilely of them Answer First because they be taken out of the world in regard of state and condition in grace Ioh. 15.19 therefore the world hateth them Ioh. 15.19 Secondly the world knowes them not 1. Ioâ— 3.1 and therefore speakes euil of them Iude 10. Thirdly the wicked measure others by themselues and therefore despise the godly that ioyn not with them 1. Pet. 4.3 Lastly there is a secret enmitie betweene the seed of the wicked the seede of the Church 1. Ioh. 3.12 the wicked are of that euill one the diuell and therefore must needes hate the godly who are borne of God So that when wee shall see or heare that vngodly persons shall in any such sort abuse the children of God we must not maruell nor be troubled at it for it is no newe thing it hath been from the beginning but we must pray that God would open their eies that they might turne from their sinnes to repentance and then no doubt they will change their conceit and alter their behauiour towards them as Paul did Gal. 1.13 15. Act. 9.1 26. To come to the words more particularly the Holy Ghost saith The world was not worthy of them that is the company of vngodly liuers without Christ and voyde of grace were not worthy the societie of these holy ones for this cause did the Lord take them from among them Here note a singular fruite of true faith it brings a man to that estate and giues him that excellency that hee is more worth than the whole world I meane by the whole world the estate of all those that liue in the world out of Christ. If then a man would haue true and stable dignity let him labour for true faith for faith hath this priuiledge to aduance a beleeuer to true honour excellency And therefore our Sauiour saith As many as receiued him by faith to them he gaue power or prerogatiue to bee the sonnes of God We take it for a great prerogatiue to be the childe of an earthly prince and so it is but to be the sonne of God who is King of Kings is a preheminence and dignitie aboue all dignities and no tongue can expresse the excellency therof For what more can a man desire than to bee heire of glory in life euerlasting and yet true faith bringeth this to a beleeuer It is an excellent dignity to be matched with Angels and no prince in the world by all humane wit or power can attaine vnto it but yet the childe of God can being ioyned to God by faith in Christ wherby in some sort he is aboue the Angels themselues for our nature in Christ is aduanced aboue the nature of angels Honours and dignities in Politicke or ciuill estates are the good gifts of God and his owne ordinances wherby men are in higher places and in account are aboue another but yet all the dignity honour and pompe of the world seuered from that dignitie which faith bringeth to the beleeuer is nothing worth Indeed if worldly preheminence be ioyned with faith it is a great and excellent prerogatiue for faith makes it acceptable vnto God but seuer faith from worldly dignities and what are they but vanitie of vanities which will turne to the greater condemnation of him that enioyeth them If a man haue fauour in the Court and yet want the Kings fauour it is nothing and such are all temporall dignities without Gods fauour for at his indignation they vanish away Now his fauour without faith can no man haue for he that commeth vnto God must beleeue vers 6. Here all these that are in place aboue others either by birth or speciall calling must learne aboue all things to labour for the dignity of faith When wee haue such things wherein we delight wee desire continuance of them Behold the dignity of faith is euerlasting and besides it sanctifies all ciuill dignities and makes the owners of them glorious acceptable both before God and man when as otherwise without faith they are nothing and they that haue them can doe nothing but abuse them Againe the holy Ghost saith The world was not worthy of these men for another cause and that is this Euery Christian man by his faith brings many blessings among those parties and to that place where he liueth now the world deserues no such blessings and therefore is vnworthy of the persons by whom they come Question How doe Christians bring blessings to places where they liue Answere First by their presence for as GOD saide to Abraham the Father of the faithfull Thou shalt be a blessing Gen. 12.3 so is it with all beleeuers Laban confesseth that hee perceiued that the Lord had blessed him for Iacobs sake Gen. 30.27 And Potiphar sawe that Ioseph was a blessing in his house For the Lord made all that he did to prosper Gen. 39.2.3 While Lot was in Sodome the Angell could not destroy it Gen 19.22 And if there had beene tenne beleeuers in Sodome the Lord would haue spared all for tennes sake Gen. 18.32 Now bringing good things and keeping backe Gods iudgements by their presence they are thereby blessings Secondly they are blessings by their prayers Abraham prayed for Abimelech Gen. 20.17.18 and God healed him and his family of barrennesse At Moses prayer Gods iudgements were taken from Egypt Exod. 7.12.13.30 and his wrath appeased toward his people Exod. 32.11 14. And some thinke that Stephens prayer at his death for his persecuters was one meanes for mercy vnto Saul that then consented to his death Acts 7 60. and 8.1 Thirdly they bring blessings vpon a place by their example for when men shall see godly persons walking before them in the feare of GOD and making conscience of all manner of sinne it is a speciall meanes to cause others to turne from their wicked wayes to newnesse of life And therefore
deuoure the lesse Dogges will eate diuerse kindes of creatures if they can come by them These things are manifest and some of them be common sports in the world Now whence comes this feareful disorder in nature that one creature should deuoure another came it from the creation was the world ordained in this state that one creature should eate vp another the greater feed vpon the lesse no but sin brought this cōfusion our sin caused this pitiful massacre of all creatures one by another Let vs therfore at these sights be humbled for our sinne which caused so fearefull a disorder when thou seest thy Hawke flie so fiercely and so cruelly murder a seely bird thy Hound the Hart Hare or Connie then as God hath giuen thee leaue in good order measure and manner thus to deale with the creatures and therefore thou maist take delight in it so withall make this vse of it Whence comes this it was not so from the beginning When sinne was not in the world these would all haue lodged in one cage and cabbin and one neuer haue offred to haue eaten another my sinne caused this iarre and this disorder betwixt these two creatures This should humble a man because of his sinne and restraine his life frō too much liberty and his affection from too much delight in these kind of pastimes Againe when we see the cruelty of the Foxe the Wolfe the Beare toward the sheepe and other creatures Blame not too much the cruelty of the beasts for this was not in them at their creation but thy sinne made them thus cruell one against another Turne then into thy selfe and be ashamed of it and blame not so much the cruelty in them as thine owne sinne which caused it in them Againe some creatures are vnperfect some in parts of their body some in some senses and some are loathsome vgly to behold and some are venomous and hurtfull to the world Whē thou seest it consider whence is this They were not thus created for God ordained that is made all creatures in perfect order But this comes from thy sinne enter into thy selfe and acknowledge this and be humbled for it and do not so much contemne this creature for his imperfection nor loath him for his deformity nor hate him for his venome as contemne and loathe and hate thine owne sinnes which were the cause of all these Lastly some take great delight in faire buildings make no vse of them but for delight and pleasure but if they cōsider wel they haue no such cause it was not so at the creation Adam in his innocencie had a more sumptuous Palace ordained for him namely the Paradise of heauen and earth and yet trees were not cut in pieces nor the earth had her stones rent out of her bowels for the building of it Thy sinne it was that destroyed this Palace and sinne hath caused the necessitie of these buildings How then canst thou glory in thy buildings wilt thou glory in thy shame Canst thou be proud of these when thy sinne bereft thee of a better As therefore thy house is a comfort strength security and delight vnto thee so adde this one vse also let it in this consideration be a cause to humble thee for thy sinne The disorder that sin hath brought into the world might be shewed in more particulars but these may suffice being those of whom we haue most common vse and therefore do most commonly abuse To conclude this point I say vnto all men Doest thou see what disorder is now in the world in thy apparell meate recreations buildings Seest thou the confusion vanity corruption of all creatures the variance dissension and hatred of creatures amongst themselues Canst thou see all this and either not regard it at all or else take delight in it This is a cursed and abhominable delight If a rich man should consume all his wealth or throw it all on heapes and then desperately set his house on fire hath he any cause of ioy to see this If he sit still at this you will say he is senselesse but if he laugh at it he is madde So God created man rich in all blessings put him into the Palace of the world garnished this house of the world with exceeding beauty his meate his apparell his recreation his house were all excellent and glorious he made all other creatures amongst which there was nothing but concord loue agreement vniformity comelinesse and good order Now man by sinne fell by his fall not onely spent all his riches that is defaced the glory of his owne estate but also set his house that is the world on fire that is defaced the beauty of heauen and earth brought confusion corruption vanity deformity imperfection monstrous disorder on all creatures set all the world together by the eares one creature at variance and deadly hate with other so that one creature doth fight teare wound destroy and eate vp another O cursed damnable sinne of man that hath so shamefully disordered that heauenly order wherein God created all things at the beginning◠and miserable men are we which can sit still see this and not be moued but if we reioyce and delight in it certainly then a spirituall madnesse hath bewitched our soules Let vs therefore stirre vp our selues and looke about vs and seeing all the world on a fire about vs namely flaming in contention hatred and all disorder let vs for our parts seeke to quench it which because wee cannot therefore lament and bewaile it but much more lament and be humbled for our sinne which kindled this fire of disorder in the world Hitherto of the manner of the Creation By the word of God The third point is by what means The Text answereth the world was ordained in that excellent order by the word of God By this word is meant 1. Not any vocall word as if the Lord should speake vnto the creatures Nor secondly the substantiall word of the Father the second person although I confesse that by him were made all things Yet I take it it is not so meant in this place but rather as Moses doth Gen. 1. when he saith that in the creation God said It is in both places a comparison taken from a Prince who bids his seruants doe this and they doe it presently The Lord in this place is like a Prince he hath his word whereby he commaunded the world to be made That word I take it is his will for Gods willing of any thing is an effectuall commaunding of it to be done yea it is the doing of it for his willing of a thing to be is more then all the commaundements of all men in the world For if he doe but will it the thing is done what euer it be whereas all the world may commaund and yet it is no neerer From hence I take it this is manifest to be the surest sense for this place God willed the being
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
way to vndergoe a burden of contempt and hatred Insomuch as many good men are afraid to be either Magistrates or Ministers for first wicked men must needs hate them because the one is to rebuke and the other to punish their faults And againe euen good men are too respectlesse of them that are in these places for the most part neither yeeld them that reuerence nor reward that is due vnto them but often times a man for all his paines and care taken for Church or common-wealth is recompenced with hatred enuie grudges euill words and slanderous reportes In this case the comfort is this that though a man be in the world neither regarded nor rewarded as his desert is yet the Lord seeth what hee doth and is a plentifull rewarder of all that seek serue him and therefore especially of them who not onely themselues serue him in his chiefe places of seruice but also doe winne many other to seek and serue God Fiftly if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him then doubtlesse he is a reuenger of them that hate him for he that can mightily reward his followers can also mightily be reuenged of his enemies These two are the two parts of a Kings power To be able highly to aduance his friends and mightily to punish his enemies therefore principally this belongs to the King of Kings This sentence therefore is a thunderbolt of a most fearefull threatning against all impenitent sinners assuring them that if they persist to profane Gods holy name by their carelesse sinning against him they shall be sure to finde and feele him a powerfull reuenger of them that hate him Thus he promiseth himselfe Deuter. â—2 40.41.42 I lift vp my hand to heauen and I say I liue for euer If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on my enemies and reward them that hate me Where also note how the same phrase is vsed for as here the Apostle saith God is a rewarder of them that seeke him So in Deuteronomie A rewarder of them that hate him If any obiect how these two can stand together for a man had as good hate him as seeke him if the same reward belong to both I answere A reward but not the same reward belongs vnto them Theeues and murderers are iustly rewarded when they die for their facts and the King rewards a good seruant when hee aduanceth him to honour They that seeke God are rewarded with mercies and fauours aboue their desert they that hate God are rewarded with vengeance and torments according to their desert and this shall all wicked men and enemies of God be as sure to finde as euer any that sought God obtained mercie But worldly men will say we hate not God wee are no Iewes nor Turkes we are christened come to the Church according to the law as good subiects should doe I answer neither doe Turkes nor Iewes hate God if this be all for they denie not the Godhead but acknowledge it and are circumcised and liue more strictly in their deuotions then most Christians Here is therefore more required or else we shall make them also good friends with God But a man may hate God and be neither Turke nor Iew hee may acknowledge Christ and the Trinitie and yet hate God For as Christ saith He that is not with me is against mee and hee that gathereth not with me scattereth So is it here Hee that seeketh not serueth not and loueth not God hateth God for there is no man can know God but he must needes either for his mercies loue him or else hate him for his iustice against sinne and sinners Againe Christ bids vs If you loue me keepe my Commaundements If then to keepe Gods commandements be a sign of one that loues God it is a sign that one loues not God when hee hath no care to keepe them By which two places it appeares that whosoeuer makes not conscience of sinne is Gods enemie and that God so reputes him therefore let this feare euery man from liuing carelesly in his sinne and driue him to true repentance for else let him assure himselfe God is not so plentifull a rewarder of them that seeke him but he is as powerfull a reuenger vpon those that hate him Lastly if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him wee learne the great difference betwixt Gods seruice and the diuels The diuels seruants are fed with faire words but get nothing the diuell is able to giue them nothing but Gods seruants as wee see heere are plentifully rewarded God is a rewarder of them that seeke him but the diuell is a deceiuer of them that serue him But will some say There is none so mad to be the diuels seruants I answere Hee that doth any mans worke is either his seruant or his slaue but euery sinfull wicked man doth the diuels worke for sinne is the diuels worke therefore all impenitent sinners are the diuels seruants It is Christes argument to the Iewes You are of your Father the diuell for the workes of your Father you will doe murthers and lies are his workes you liue in these sinnes and doe these workes therefore you are his seruants Againe the holy Ghost teacheth vs that whosoeuer committeth sinne and liueth therein without repentance the same is the seruant of sinne Now sinne is but the bawde or broker to the diuell they that are the seruants of sin sinne preferres them to the diuell and so they become his seruants therefore whosoeuer is the seruant of sinne is by that meanes the slaue and seruant of the diuell also Which if it be true it will fall out vpon the reckoning that the diuell hath more seruants in the world then God hath which is so much the more lamentable in as much as he deludeth all his seruants and is not able to reward them nor to giue them any good thing But will some say this is nothing so for contrariwise who haue the honours pleasures and wealth of this life who haue hearts ease and the world at will but such men I answere True it is commonly so but haue they those from Sathan No not the least of them all but all from God for euery man is Gods childe by creation and some by grace to euery one of his children he ordaines and giues a portion but to his children by grace a double portion both here and in heauen The wicked men they will not feare nor serue him therefore they haue no part nor portion in heauen but here they haue it So saith Dauid there are some men which are men of this world and haue their portion in this life these mens bellies God filleth with his hidden treasures they and their children haue enough and leaue the rest for their children after them Where it is manifest that wicked men haue their parts and portions of Gods blessings in this world and that all their
goeth out The vse is to teach vs what a faith we haue For if wee measure all Gods commaundements by our naturall affections our faith is but a shadow and hypocrisie But if wee consult not with flesh and bloud but rest and rely on Gods word and giue absolute obedience to his coÌ„maundements then our faith is such as Abrahams was In the next place Some may meruaile why the Lord should commaund him so hard a matter and lay so straâ—te a commaundement vpon him as to leaue his Country and liuing which seemed vnreasonable his kindred which was vnnaturall I answer the reason is not that God delighteth in vnreasonable or vnnatural courses or in laying heauie burdens vpon his children But he did it for good and holy ends as First to proue Abraham and to see what was in him As a friend is noâ— tried in ordinarie but in great matters so it is knowne who is Gods friend in matters of difficultie Hereby therefore God made the faith and obedience of his seruant to shine more gloriously Againe to breake the corruption of his heart for our wicked natures loue peace and ease and welfare and hearts desire but God will crosse those courses and send vs troubles many wayes that so hee may pull downe the height of our corruptions and humble vs to his owne hand The vse is to teach vs to make true vse of our afflictions and of those many hard crosses that must fall vpon vs in our course of seruing God namely to know that they are sent from God not as a hard-hearted or cruell Iudge but as a wise and mercifull Father who wisheth our good and who will so blesâ—e vnto vs the hardest and heauiest crosses that befall vs in our liues if we receiue them in patience faith that we shall say with Dauid Psalm 119.72 It is good for vs that we haue been in trouble for thereby we haue learned to know God and our selues better Thirdly whereas Abraham at Gods commaundement goeth out of his Country into another we learne that it is not vnlawfull for a Christian man to goe out of his owne Country and trauaile into another and there to abide for some or for a long time Prouided his causes be good and iust as namely these which follow First if he haue a particular commaundement of God as here Abraham had Secondly if hee haue a lawfull calling of the Church or State whereof he is a member as if he be sent to a generall Councel or be sent as Ambassadour either to stay for a time or to stay there as Lieger Thirdly if it be for the safety of his life in a good cause So Moses Exod. 2.14.15 fled into the land of Midian and there stayed when Pharaoh sought his life And Christ himselfe fled with his Father and Mother into Egypt from the furie of Herod Math. 1. The like may be said for them that to preserue their liberty flie from the cruelty of their Creditors who will not take honest and reasonable satisfaction of a surety for another man or of a childe for the Fathers debts But in no case for them who trauaile in purpose to defeate their Creditors or thereby to deliuer themselues from payment of their due debts being able to pay Of both these wee haue example in Dauid his followers Dauid himselfe was faine to flie for his life from Saulâ— vniust cruelty and therefore went and dwelt amongst the Philistims 1. Sam. 27.1.2 And 1. Sam. 22.2 there cam to Dauid such as were in trouble and in debt and these were with him in all his trauaile and persecutions Now doubtlesse had they beene vngodly men who had not cared how they came into debt noâ— how they paid it Dauid would neuer haue beene their Prince as that Text saith he was Fourthly if it be for the maintenance of pure religion and keeping a good conscience This hath Christs warranty Mat. 10.23 When they persecute you in one Citie flie vnto another For this cause many of our fore-fathers in the former age were faine to flie into Germanie Swwitzerland to Geneua And for these causes diuers of other Nations doe repaire to this Nation and are here entertained Fiftly if it be for the getting or encreasing of any good learning and lawfull knowledge especially diuine knowledge for matter of religion Thus the Queene of Saba went ouâ— of the inmost parts of Africa to Ierusalem in Asia to see and heare Salomon 2. Kings 10. and for that cause shee is highly commended by Christ himselfe Math. 12.42 Thus may yong men trauell for learning or the tongues especially such as intend thereby to fit themselues for publike seruice so it be with safetie of religion and securitie of conscience Sixtly if it be for the practice of a mans lawfull calling as for trafficke and thus Merchants may and do lawfully trauaile into all Nations and haue their Factors there resident prouided they lose not their soules to gaine for their bodies their trauailing is allowed by Christ in the Parable where he saith The Kingdome of heauen is like a Merchant man that seekes good pearles Math. 13.45 Seauenthly if it be to receiue and take possession of any goods or lands lawfully descended or fallen vnto a man in another Nation as sometime it doth This seemes to be allowed by Christ in the Parable where he saith A certain noble man went into a far Country to receiue for himselfe a kingdome and so to come againe Luke 19.12 In a word if it be vpon any good and sufficient cause allowable in good reason and not contrary any part of Gods word But as for such as leaue their Countries and trauell into other Either vpon leuitie to see strange sights and fashions Or being malefactors flie from their due punishment Or being in debt go away to deceiue their Creditors Or being vaine-glorious to make themselues knowen Or being at enmitie to fight combats or to kill their enemie All these and all such like can haue no comfort in their trauailes for they send themselues God sent them not they are out of Gods protection because they goe without his warrant And as many of them as goe away to escape the hand of the Magistrate let them be assured they shall not escape the hand of God In the fourth place here is a comfort for all such as are banished from their owne natiue Countries for God and his Gospels sake For here Abraham the Prince of Patriarkes was a banished man and liued in a strange Country the greater part of all his life Let such men therefore take patiently what God laieth vpoÌ„ them for it is not their misery or mishap alone but hath beene common to Gods children in all ages Againe Christ himselfe pronounceth them blessed who suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for though they be exiles from their owne kingdome or tossed vp downe the kingdomes of the earth yet theirs is the kingdom of heauen Math. 5.10 Lastly though
not onely beleeues and obayeth but as God promised so he went to it and tooke possession and died in this faith that God would performe his promise and that his posteritie should inherite it all as afterward indeede they did euen from Moses to Christ. If it be asked how this could be the answere is that Abraham knew that God was King of Kings and had the world and Kingdomes of the world in his hand and disposition and therfore assured himselfe that hee could bring to passe what hee had promised and make good his word notwithstanding all such impediments to the contrarie And as hee beleeued it came to passe his posterity came to it entred as conquerers vpon this gift of God and by the power of God so amazed all these Kings and their people as some submitted as the Gibeonits and they that did not were all slaine and their Countries conquered as we may reade at large in the booke of Ioshua all the Stories whereof are briefly comprehended by Dauid in fewe words where he saith We haue heard with our eares our Fathers haue tolde vs how thou O Lord droue out the heathen with thy hand and planted them in how thou destroyed the people and made them grow Psal. 44.1.2 Out of which we learne two instructions First that the change of States and alteration of Kingdomes or common-wealths are in Gods hand and that he can turne them one way or other as it pleaseth him To this purpose saith Dauid in the fore-named Psalme verse the fourth They inherited not the land by their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them but thy right hand and thy arme and the light of thy countenance because thou didst fauour them This must teach vs to pray earnestly in our daily prayers for the good estate of this Kingdome wherein we liue and of that worthy Prince and Queene vnder whose gouernment wee haue beene so long and so liberally blessed For the welfare and prosperity the certainty and security of it and her is not in our policie might munition ships not in the strength of our nauie nor in the power of our armour nor in the chiualrie of our people nor in the wisedome of our Councell though for all these we are a people honoured of our friends and feared of our enemies But in the mighty hand of our God who as Daniel saith beareth rule ouer the Kingdomes of the earth and giueth them to whomsoeuer he will Dan. 4.22 Seeing therefore the King of heauen in the giuer and establisher the remouer and changer of Kingdomes of the earth let vs assure our selues that the prayers of Elisha are the Horses and Chariots of Israell 2. Kinges 13.14 And surely if Elisha for his prayer was acknowledged by the King himself to be his Father then doubtlesse the godly Ministers and such other in our Church as pray daily for the peace of our Ierusalem are worthy to be accounted good children of our Church and worthy members of our State Secondly here we learne what is the ruine of Kingdomes and ouerthrow of estates namely sinne and vngodlinesse This is most apparant in the present example For why did God take this land from the Cananites and giue it to Abraham and his seede the Stories of the olde Testament answere nothing but sinne In Deuteronomie Moses chargeth the Israelites that they doe not after the abhominations of the heathen Cananites For saith he because of their abhominable sinnes God did cast them out before you Deut. 18.9.12 And why did not God instantly giue it to Abraham to inherite after the promise euen because the wickednesse of these Amorites was not then full Gen. 15.16 that is their sinnes were not then ripe For we must know that though God be the absolute and soueraigne Lord of all Kingdomes and may dispose them as hee will yet he rather exerciseth his Iustice then his power and neuer ouerturneth any State but vpon cause of their apparant sinfulnesse Nor can the Amorites or Cananites pleade herein any hard measure For the same God dealt afterward in the same Iustice with his owne people giuing the Kingdome of Iudah to the Chaldeans and Israel to the Assyrians and the cause is laid downe most memorably in the Storie When the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God and walked after the fashions of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before them and did secretly things that were wicked and made Images and serued Idols and though God warned them by his Prophets yet would they not obay but hardned their neckes and so finally left all the commandements of God then the Lord was exceeding wroth with Israel and cast them also out of his sight 2. Kings 17. from the seauenth verse to the 19. Thus sinne is able to ouerturne Kingdomes be they Cananites Israelites or whosoeuer Let this teach vs all to looke to our liues make conscience of all sin especially great capitall crying sins for the sinnes of a people are wormes and Cankers eating out the life and strength of a coÌ„mon-wealth And let our State and gouernment learne here to look to the reformation of our people especially for great sinnes For open profanenesse or vncleanenesse or oppressions or iniustice or extortions or cruelties and exactions all these or any of these sinnes raigning in a State are able to ouerturne the best established Kingdome on the earth and will at last doe power and policie what they can make the land spewe out her inhabitants and in the meane time let the wily wits of men iudge as they list it will proue true that the sinfull and profane man is the worst and the godly and conscionable man the best friend to a State and best subiect in a Kingdome Thus much for the second point in Abrahams obedience namely the end of it The third and last point is the manner of his obedience which followeth in these words And he went out not knowing whither he went The manner of this his leauing his Country in mans reason would seeme strange nay the world will condemne it for plaine foolishnesse for a man to leaue a certainty for an vncertainty But it may here be doubted how the Apostle can here say that he knew not whither he went seeing these words are not in the Storie of the olde Testament doth not that practice allow traditions beside Scripture I answer first We refuse no traditions which are agreeable to the Scripture and analogie of faith but such as are agreeable to one of these wee receiue them though not as Scripture Secondly if the Apostles in the new Testament doe adde any thing in any Story which is not in the olde as S. Paul doth the manner of the Sorcerers of Egypt Iannes and Iamâ—res 2. Timoth. 3.8 that circumstance by them so added is to be holden as Scripture and no tradition because they hauing the same spirit of God which the Writers of the olde Testament had haue inserted it
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
of the Iewes nation whose faith is here remembred Shee was the wife of Abraham the grand Patriarch of the Age betwixt the Flood and the giuing of the Lawe And of her we read this storie amongst other Gen. 18.13 God by his Angel appearing to her husband and her made a promise that within the yeare they should haue a sonne both heard it and both laughed to heare it Abraham in ioy and admiration and therefore was not reproued shee in doubtfulnesse and a conceipt of almost impossibilitie and was for it sharpely reprooued of the Angel Yet behold this Sarah that eueÌ„ now laughed to heare such a promise as beeing a fond conceipt and meere impossible yet afterward beleeueth and in so good a measure as her faith is here registred to all posterities In her example we may learne a good lesson It was a bad thing in Sarah to laugh at Gods word though it seemed neuer so high aboue her conceipt But it was good commendable that shee correcteth her fault and testifieth her amendment by beleeuing Wee all followe Sarahs fault but fewe her repentance Many in our Church are mockers of our religion and of the Ministers and professors thereof and all religion that standeth not with their humours is no more regarded of them than toyes or deuises and they are counted fooles or hypocrites that thinke otherwise But alas these men know not how vile a sinne they commit while they laugh at Gods word For if her fault was such who laughed at that that seemed to her almost impossible and yet without any profanenesse what shal become of them that out of their carnalitie and fleshly profanenesse do make but a sport at all Gods ordinances promises and commandements and at all religion more than serueth their owne turne Let such men be warned to cease mocking and lay aside reuiling of others and begin in soberly and seriously to beleeue else they will finde it sharpe kicking against the pricke and dangerous playing with edge-tooles Furthermore Sarah that laughed in doubting yet withall beleeues This teacheth vs that true faith is ioyned alwayes with doubting in all Gods children If any obiect that followeth not here for she first doubted and then beleeued when she doubted she beleeued not and when she beleeued she doubted not I answere It is not so but the contrary as I will proue For Sarah was no Infidell vtterly to denie and gaine-say Gods word when shee heard it but onely finding it in all reason impossible shee therefore presently yeelded not to it but laughed at it as a matter past ordinary course yet withall she regarded who spake it namely God and therefore forthwith iudged it possible with God though impossible in reason and so at last constantly beleeued it yet stil her reason gaine-saying it so that she neuer doubted so but that she in some part beleeued it And when she beleeued it most stedfastly yet shee something doubted of it reason saide it could not be faith saide it might be Therefore as when reason ouer-ruling yet shee had some sparkes of faith So when her faith was predominant there remained some reliques of doubting for as reason cannot ouerthrowe true faith so the best faith in this world cannot fully vanquish reason This is the doctrine of Gods word Mark 9.24 Iesus bidding the father of the childe possessed to beleeue and then his childe should be dispossessed he answered crying with teares Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe There is faith and vnbeliefe in one soule at one time in one action vpon one obiect and what is vnbeliefe but doubting or worse And Christ often reproueth his Disciples for their doubting and calls them O ye of little faith and yet all know that that they then had true faith yea S. Peter himselfe most famous for his faith is reproued in the same words O thou of litle faith wherefore didst thou doubt He had a little faith therefore some faith a little faith therefore much doubting therefore it is apparant a man may haue in his soule at once both faith and doubting yea commonly we haue a graine of mustard-seede or a mite of faith and a mountaine of doubting The vse of â—his doctrine First discouereth the nakednesse of many professing themselues Christians who care not how they liue yet say they beleeue in Christ and looke to be saued by him Aske how they know it they answer they know no other Aske when they began they say they did euer so Aske if they doubt they answere they would be ashamed so to doe But alas heere is nothing but ignorance and presumption Our religion can neuer be disgraced by such men for they haue it not they knowe it not for if they did they would shame to answere so These men haue no faith at all for where it is doubting doth alwaies shewe it selfe And hee that knowes hee beleeues knowes also hee doubts and the more hee beleeues the more hee knoweth and feeleth his doubting for where these two are they are alwaies opposite and shewe their contrary natures the one is the spirit the other is flesh and corruption And these saith the Apostle doe lust one against another Galath 5.17 He therefore that thinketh he is wholly spirit and hath no flesh or â—orruption in him is nothing but corruption and he that imagineth he hath perfect faith and no doubting hath no faith at all in him but carnall presumption Secondly here is comfort to all such as haue faith grace and yet are daily troubled with temptations let not such be dismayed though they finde in themselues much doubting and diffidence For Sarah beleeued and yet she doubted yea notwithstanding all her doubting she beleeued so excellently as her faith is here made a patterne to all holy Maâ—rones for euer He therefore that is euen buffeted by Sathan with teÌ„ptations of doubting let not him be dismayed as though he had no faith but let him be assured his doubting doth not bewray it selfe but that faith makes the opposition and therefore let him striue with teares and prayers to God and say Lord I beleeue helpe thou my vnbeliefe Thus we see the person who Sarah but what is the action which she did It is implied in these words Through faith Sarah c. Her action is she beleeued This vertue of faith and this action of beleeuing is the matter of all this chapter These holy men and women had other holy vertues but their faith is that alone which is here commended Now particularly for Sarahs faith heere is one notable thing to be obâ—erued the very same word of God which she beleeued and for beleeuing wherof she is here registred at â—he same she also laughed but behold her faith is recorded her laughing is not her faith is coÌ„mended her fault silenced In which holy merciful practice of God we learn First that God accepteth true faith though it be attended with many infâ—â—mities As a King is content to giue a begger â—n almes
Scripture one of her feathers Yet we must know that all or any kinde of eloquence is not permitted to a Christian Minister For S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 2.13 Wee speake the words of God not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth coÌ„paring spirituall things with spirituall things So that there is a holy a sanctified a spirituall eloquence an eloquence fit for spirituall things and that eloquence must be vsed As the Israelites might marie the Midianite women whom they had taken in warre but not til they had purified them Numb 31.18.19 And more plainly and particularly Deut. 21.11.12.13 Moses explaneth what that purifying is And thou shalt bring her home into thine house and shee shall shaue her head and pare her nailes and put off the garment shee was taken in and then thou maist marie her So humane eloquence must be brought home to diuinitie and be pared and shaued with spirituall wisedome and then may lawfully and profitably be vsed For our more speciall direction heerein these cautions may be obserued First the more naturall it is and the lesse affected the more commendable is it in the doer and more profitable to the hearer Secondly it must be graue sober and modest remembring the height and holinesse of the place a man stands in and of the worke he doth Therefore it must not consist in telling strange tales or vsing such gestures or words manner or matter as may moue laughing and smiling in the Auditors There may be wit in such doing but it can hardly be the sanctified and spirituall eloquence which S. Paul there speakes of Thirdly it must be such as may be a helpe and not a hinderance to the vnderstanding of Gods word for it is a damosell to Diuinitie but not her Mistresse Gods word therefore must not bow and bende to her much lesse be wrung and wrested to her but she to Gods word It must in a word be such as may most liuely purely plainly and significantly expresse the meaning of Gods word Therefore a man must endeuour that all his speech be in one language at least in such as his hearers vnderstand for else if he speake the body of his speech in one and peece out the members in other which the people vnderstand not hee may indeede in his owne spirit speake mysteries but to the hearer he speaketh parables And to his owne vnderstanding he may preach well but the hearer is not edified as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 14.2.17 Therefore let not eloquence be a hinderance to the vnderstanding of the hearers which GOD hath ordained to be a helpe and furtherance And with these or such like qualifications eloquence may be vsed with good warrant and much profit And for cautions or qualifications heerein hardly can any man set-downe better rules then euery mans conscience will vnto himselfe Thirdly inasmuch as the holy Ghost here and else-where vseth so much Rhetoricke Diuines may learne where the fountaine of Christian eloquence is namely in the Scriptures of the olde and new Testament Which being compiâ—ed by the wisdome of God wee are to assure our selues they containe in them true wisdome of all sorts Precepts of Rhetorick I confesse are to be learned out of other books which purposely doe â—each them but the practice of those rules in examples can be no where better than in Moses the Prophets and the Euangelists And this must needes follow vpon that that hath already beene granted For if we yield that Rhetoricke is good and lawfull and practiced in the scripture then it must needs followe that it is there practiced in the best manner for shall the Diuinitie there taught be the soundest the Historie there reported the truest the conclusions of Philosophie Astronomy Geometrie Arithmeticke Cosmographie and Physicke there deliuered the surest the Musicke there practiced the exactest the Logycke there practiced the sharpest the Lawes there enacted the iustest and shall not the Rhetoricke there practiced bee the purest Surely if Moses had written a booke of his owne as he was a meere man and as he was Moses brought vp in Egypt or Paul writ a booke as hee was a Pharisie and Doctor of the Law they would both haue beene full of all excellent learning for Paul was brought vp at the foote of Gamaliel Acts 22.3 And Moses was exceedingly learned in all the learning of the Egyptians and mighty in word and deed Acts 7.22 Shall they then bee the Secretaries of the most high God the fountaine of wisdome and learning and shall not their bookes bee filled with the most excellent learning in all kinds Doubtlesse who euer searcheth it shall finde it to be so Seeing therefore Eloquence is lawfull and that Preachers may lawfully vse it let them also knowe where to haue it let them study Gods Bookes and there they shall finde not onely Diuinitie but knowledge and learning of all sorts and that most exquisite and as excellent patternes and presidents of Eloquence as are to bee found in any Authors in the world And let them if they would preach with spirituall power and eloquence looke how Moses the Prophets our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles preached for to follow them is the true way Thus wee see the manner here vsed by the holy Ghost in these two comparisons to describe the greatnesse of this her posteritie Now the matter in them contained is that here is the performance of one of the greatest promises made to Abraham The promise is Genes 22.17 I will surely blesse thee and greatly multiply thy seede as the starres in the heauen and as the sands by the sea shoare There is the promise and beholde here the performance in the very same wordes and that most true and effectuall For at the time when the holy Ghost wrote these words the Israelites were multiplied to many millions yea to a number past number So that here we learne God is true in all his promises bee they neuer so great or wonderfull If hee speake the word if the promise passe him it is sure Heauen and earth shall rather passe away than any one piece of his promise shall faile The vse is to teach vs first to beleeue God when hee promiseth what-euer it bee for hee is worthy to bee beleeued who neuer failed to performe what he promised He promised these Millions to Abraham when hee had but one childe nay when he had neuer a one Genes 15.8 And Abraham beleeued Such a faith was excellent indeede and deserues eternall commendation as here it hath Let vs be children of this faithfull Abraham and the rather seeing wee see the performance which he sawe not Wee thinke it a disgrace if wee bee not beleeued especially if wee doe vse to keepe our word Let vs then knowe thereby what dishonour it is to the Lord not to beleeue him which neuer failed in the performance to any creature Secondly we must here learn of God to be true and faithfull in our
they all know and some confesse it is surest and safest to die in our religion Let vs therefore cheerefully and comfortably liue in that religion and faith wherein wee may so boldly die that euen our aduersaries confesse it to be safest Now follow the foure effects and fruits of their faith The first is this that They receiued not the promises but saw them afarre off By Promises we vnderstād first the promises of the Land of Canaan Secondly the spirituall promises of the kingdome of Christ. These they did not receiue that is fully thogh in part they did for true faith doth alwaies receiue apprehend and apply vnto it selfe truely though not fully the thing promised God said hee would giue them the Land of Canaan but they did not fully enioy and possesse it So likewise the Messias was promised vnto them but they neuer saw his comming in the flesh and yet they beleeued Gods promise and died in that faith Where wee may see the inuincible force of their faith that cleaued fast vnto the promise of God euen vnto death though they neuer enioyed the things promised in this life which plainely condemnes our age of vnbeleefe for we haue more accomplished vnto vs than euer they had Abraham neuer saw Christ but afarre off yet wee haue him exhibited in the flesh we see and knowe hee liued and died rose againe and ascended and now makes continuall intercession for vs and we haue the true sacraments which shall last for euer pledges of him and of life euerlasting by him And for temporall promises wee haue farre more accomplished vnto vs than euer he had But though wee goe before Abraham in the fruition of Gods promises yet we come farre behinde him in beleefe for faith worketh by loue and loue is seene in true obedience but generally this is too true men make no conscience of obedience which sheweth vndoubtedly that there is little sound faith among vs. And it may be feared that these notable men Abraham Isaac and Iaacob shall stand in iudgement against vs to our further condemnation for they neuer receiued the accomplishing of Gods promises and yet they beleeued but we doe see the same fulfilled exhibited vnto vs and yet we will not beleeue But saw them afarre off Here is the propertie of their faith and the power of it the promises were afarre off and yet they saw them The phrase here vsed is borrowed from Mariners who beeing far on the sea cannot descrie towns and coasts afarre off but only by help of some tower or hie place which their eie will sooner discerne thogh it be afarre off And so Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iaacob beeing long before the day of Christs incarnation could not other waies see Christ but afarre off by the eie of faith in the promises of the Messias for this is the propertie of faith to make a thing absent to be present after a sort Faith beeing the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Here then wee may learne a difference betweene the Church in the olde Testament and in the newe Wee in the newe Testament haue greater measure of knowledge more liuely discerning of the Messias and a clearer light of vnderstanding in the mystery of our saluation by Christ than the Church had vnder the olde Testament howsoeuer they excelled in faith yet in the knowledge and discerning of Christ they were inferiour vnto vs. And therfore the Lord made this promise to the time of the Gospel long before that thē the earth shall be ful of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea And Saint Paul prooues this performed when he affirmeth of the Church of the new Testament 2. Corinth 3.18 But all wee as in a mirrour behold the glory of the Lord with open face And Christ Ioh. 6.45 They shall be all taught of God If this bee true that knowledge should so abound in the time of the Gospell then all ignorant persons of this latter age of the world must knowe that they haue much to answer for at the day of iudgment for God in the new testament hath made his Church to abound in knowledge so that their ignorance for which they thinke God will hold them excused shall be a bill of inditement against them at the last day to their further condemnation because the light of the Gospell is so clearely and plentifully reuealed in these dayes that whereas the most excellent Patriarchs of all could then but see Christ afarre off the most simple may now see him neere vnto them Again where is more knowledge there should be more obedience therefore it concerneth all those that professe themselues to be Christians submit themselues to heare and learne the word of God taught vnto them not content themselues with bare knowledge though it be neuer so much But withall to bring forth the fruites of obedience in their liues cōuersations For though Abraham Isaac and Iacob in regard of faith did goe farre before vs yet seeing we haue more knowledge then they had in the Messias we must labour to becom like vnto them in the obedience of our liues Their faith was stronger then ours but our obedience should be greater then theirs because wee haue more cause to belieue then they S. Paul saith We all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face And the end thereof is this that we may be transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. So that the more knowledge wee haue the more sanctification wee ought to haue and the more hatred of sinne more obedience to Gods commaundements But the more is the pitie the case goeth farre otherwise with the world for euen many among vs that are no Students by profession haue great and commendable knowledge in religion But where is the fruite hereof in holy obedience to the Lawes of God God by calling hath made vs a pleasant vine but the sower Grapes of sinne are our ordinarie fruite they be the Grapes of gall as Moses saith For Atheisme blasphemie contempt of Gods word and worship with open profaning of Gods Sabaoth doe euery where abound to omit the hainous crimes against the second table as oppression adultery and bloud touching bloud for all which wee may iustly feare that the Lord will either remoue his Candlesticke from vs and so of a Church and people of God make vs no Church or else sweepe vs away by some fearefull iudgement as with the besome of destruction because we withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 For better it were not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse then to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto vs let vs therefore ioyne with our knowledge obedience that so wee may shew forth our faith in doing the duties of pietie vnto God and of brotherly loue and Christianity vnto our brethren Thus much of
God 1. Sam. 2.31 therefore the Lord threateneth the destruction both of him and his familie and according as the Lord had threatened so it came to passe For when the Israelites fought with the Philistims Chap. 4.11 his two sonnes were slaine and hear the hearing of the newes fell downe and brake his necke Now if this be so what shall we say of our owne nation and people amongst whom it is as cōmon to dishonour God as euer it was amongst the Papists or Pagans partly by light vsing of his holy titles and taking his name in vaine and partly by swearing and open blasphemie and sometime euen by abhominable periurie Nay it is many mens rule that they may sweare dissemble lie forsweare for aduantage These sinnes are some of them rise in all sorts of people and hardly shall you talke with a man that doth not by vaine othes dishonor God yea it is so common that children so soone as they can crawle or lispe out a word the first thing they can speake is to curse or sweare and take Gods name in vaine whereby God is dishonoured euery way so as it is a wonder that the earth doth not open swallow vp many men quicke for their swearing and blasphemy And wheras Gods Iudgements are often grieuously inflicted vpon vs in many places of the Land we may perswade our selues that among other sinnes it is for our blasphemie and taking Gods name in vaine And if it be not speedily redressed it is to be feared lest God will raine downe his iudgements vpon vs and in his wrath sweepe vs all away and take away the father with the childe the good with the bad because there is no reformation of so vile and yet so needlesse a sinne To be called their God Obserue here further that Abraham Isaac and Iaacob could all of them say God is my God Now that which these worthy Patriarchs could say of themselues we must euery one of vs in our own persons labour for for their exāple is must be a rule for vs to follow We therfore must labour for this assurāce by Gods grace to say as these holy Patriarchs did say The true Iehoua is my God and of this I am resolued vndoubtedly assured in mine own cōscience Qu. How shal we be able to say vnfainedly God is my God Ans. By becomming his seruants and people in deed truth for to him who is one of Gods people God is alwaies his God But how shall wee become Gods true seruants Answ. By setting our hearts vpon the true God and giuing them wholly vnto him and to his seruice and restraining our selues from all occasions of sinne because sinne displeaseth him Quest. But how shall a man set his heart wholly on God Answ. This hee doth when he loueth him aboue all and feareth him aboue all and aboue all things is zealous for GOD glorie when hee hath full confidence in Gods word and promises and is more grieued for displeasing God than for all things in the world besides Or more plainly thus then a man doth set his heart on God when his heart is so affected that when God commands he is alwaies ready to obey So the Lord saith Hos. 2.23 I will say to them that were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God And in the Psalmes the Lord saith Psalm 27.8 Seeke ye my face Then the holy mans heart as an Eccho giueth answer I seeke thy face O God And such a one is the heart of him that is indeede the seruant and childe of God one of Gods people For he hath prepared for them a city These words are a reason of the former proouing that God was not ashamed to be called their God because hee prepared a citie for them And indeede this shewes euidently that God was greatly delighted with them rather than ashamed of them for had he beene ashamed of them hee would haue shut them out of his presence Herein therefore he declared his loue and fauour that by preparing this citie he procured that they should liue in his sight for euermore Hence wee learne that hee which hath God for his God hath all things with him according to the common prouerb Haue God haue all And on the contrary Lacke God and lacke all And therfore Dauid saith Psal. 145.15 Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. Other things which here might be added haue bin handled before Abrahams Faith Verse 17. By faith Abraham offered vp Isaac when hee was tempted and hee that had receiued the promises offered his onely begotten sonne 18. To whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seede be called 19. For he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort IN the former verses wee heard the faith of Abraham Isaac and Iaacob commended iointly together Now the holy Ghost returneth to the cōmendation of their faith seuerally And first he beginnes with Abrahams faith wherof he had formerly propounded two works or actions 1 His going out of his own Countrey 2 His abode in a strange Land Now here followeth the third which is the most notable worke of all wherin his faith shines most gloriously and his example herein is vnmatchable The particular points herein are these 1 The worke of his faith is plainely laid down in his offering vp of Isaac 2 The same worke of faith is notably commended by three speciall arguments to wit 1 by three great impediments that might haue hindred this worke of faith as we shall see in their place v. 17 18. 2 by his victory ouer these impediments v. 19. 3 by the issue of this temptation and his worke of faith therein in the end of the 19. verse For the first The fact of Abrahams faith here commēded is this That he offered vp Isaac his sonne It may first of all be demanded How Abraham could offer vp his son by faith considering it is against the law of nature the law of God for a man to kill his own sonne which Abraham must doe if he did offer him vp in sacrifice vnto God For answer hereunto we need goe no further than the Story Gen. 22. where we may see hee had a ground for his faith for though the generall commandement be Thou shalt not kill yet he had a speciall commandement Abraham kill thy sonne by vertue of that he did it did it in by faith But if that be so then therupon riseth another a greater doubt namely How can these 2. commandements stand together one being contrary to the other Ans. Here a special point is to be obserued namely that whensoeuer two cōmandements are so ioyned that a man cannot practice both but doing the one the other is broken then one of thē must giue place to the other For howsoeuer all Gods commandements binde the conscience yet some binde it more
to beleeue the promises of God and indeede that is the fittest time for faith to shew it selfe in for faith as wee haue before heard is the ground of things hoped for and the subsisting of things which are not seene Now further it is said Abraham receiued Gods promises that is hee applied them to his owne soule and conscience and beleeued them and made them his owne by faith This is a notable point and worthy the marking God made his promises to Abraham now Abrahā he doth not onely heare and learne the promises but applies thē to himselfe and by faith makes them his owne And thus ought wee to doe with all the gratious promises made in Christ. But the manner of our daies is farre otherwise for when the mercifull promises of God are laid downe vnto vs in the ministerie of the word wee are content to heare and it may be to learne and know the same But where is the man to bee found that will apply them to his own◠conscience and by faith make them his owne Men commonly are like vnto way-faring men or trauellers on the sea that passe by many goodly faire buildings rich townes and Islands which when they behold they admire and wonder at and so goe their way without making purchase of any of them And thus deale the most men with Gods mercifull promises In the ministery of the word God laies open vnto them his rich mercies and bountifull promises in Christ and men approoue thereof and like them well whereupon many doe willingly apply themselues to know the same but for all this they wil not receiue them by faith and so apply them to their owne soules But we must take a better course and when we heare of the promises of God made vnto vs in Christ wee must not content our selues with a bare knowledge of them but labour to beleeue them and apply them vnto our selues to our soules and consciences and so by faith make them our owne As it is said of Abraham and in him of all the faithfull The blessing of Abraham came on the Gentiles thorough Iesus Christ that wee might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith Gal. 3.14 Further obserue the holy Ghost setteth down that particular promise which God made to Abraham in his son Isaac To whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seed be called Gen. 21.12 Rom. 9.7 In which places it is said that in Isaac should his seede be called The meaning whereof is plaine and thus much in effect Ismael shall not be thy sonne heire but Isaac is the childe which shall be thy heire hee it is in whom I will accomplish the promises of life and saluation made to thee From the words thus explaned first wee must obserue Pauls collection gathered from Gods dealing with those two persons Romanes 9.7 namely that God before all worlds hath chosen some men to saluation in his eternall counsell to manifest the glory of his grace and hath refused and reiected others leauing them vnto themselues to shew forth his Iustice vpon them This Doctrine is gathered out of this place after this manner Such as is Gods practice and dealing towards men in time such was his eternall counsell and decree for as God before all time determined to deale with men so in time hee dealeth with them Now Gods practice and dealing with Isaac and Ismaell is this Ismaell is vouchsafed to bee made partaker of temporall blessings but yet he is cut off from the spirituall couenant of grace and Isaac is the man that must receiue the Couenant and by vertue thereof be made partaker of life euerlasting And so accordingly it is with others GOD hath decreed to chuse some men to saluation and these are admitted into the Couenant others he hath decreed to reiect and they are cut off from the Couenant and from life euerlasting These two persons Isaac Ismaell are two types of these two sorts of people whō God doth elect and reiect Isaac representeth those that are chosen to saluation who become the true members of Gods Church and Ismaell is a type of those that are reiected Now in regard of this different dealing of God with mankinde chusing some and refusing others wee must all put in practice Saint Peters lesson with feare and trembling euen carefull aboue all giue all diligence to make our election sure 2. Peter 1.10 for all be not elected to saluation but some are reiected all be not Isaacs but some are Ismaelites If all were elected and chosen to saluation then no man needed to care for it but seeing some are reiected and neuer vouchsafed to come within the Couenant indeed therfore it standeth vs greatly in hand to take the good counsell of the Apostle and to giue all diligence to make our election sure Secondly whereas it is said Not in Ismael but in Isaac shall thy seed be called Wee may note the state of Gods Church in this worlde in regard of the different sorts of men that liue therein For Abrahams family was GODs Church in those daies and therein were both Isaac and Ismael though both his children yet farre differing in estate before God Ismael indeede was borne in the Church and there brought vp taught and circumcised but yet he was without the Couenant in Gods sight Now Isaac was not onely borne and brought vp in the Church and circumcised but also receiued into the Couenant and herein differed farre from Ismael for hee is that sonne of Abraham in whom God will continue the Couenant of grace vnto life euerlasting to his posteritie And so it is with GODs Church at this day in it there bee two sorts of men one which are baptized and brought vp in the Church heare the word and receiue the Sacraments but yet are not saued because they haue not the promise of the couenant effectually rooted in their hearts The other sort are they which beeing baptized in the Church heare the word effectually and receiue the Lords supper worthily to their saluation because God doth establish his Couenant in their hearts This difference is plaine in Scripture in the parables of the draw-net Math. 13. of the Sower and of the tares as also by Christs behauiour at the last iudgement Math. 25.32 seuering the sheep from the goates both which liue together in the Church And by Saint Paul who speaking of those which are borne and brought vp in the Church saith that some are children of the flesh some children of the promise Rom. 9.8 This beeing so that euery one which liues in the Church is not of the Church that is is not a true member of the Church and the true childe of Abraham it must make vs all carefull to vse all holy meanes whereby wee may be fully assured that the Couenant of grace belongs vnto vs for it is not enough for vs to dwell in the Church to heare the word and to receiue the sacraments for so did Ismael and
yet neuer was saued vnlesse therewithall wee haue the couenant of grace belonging vnto vs and the assurance thereof sealed in our consciences by Gods holy spirit Againe consider who spake these words But in Isaac shall thy seed be called Wee shall finde in Genesis 21.12 it was God himselfe Let it not saith God vnto Abraham be grieuous in thy sight for the childe and for the bond-woman in all that Sarah shal say vnto thee heare her voice which was to cast out the bond-woman and her sonne Ismael For saith GOD in Isaac shall thy seede be called Here obserue a notable practice of Abraham as a good direction how we ought to iudge of all those that liue in the Church submitting themselues outwardly to the ministerie and regiment thereof Abraham here hath two sonnes Isaac and Ismael he circumciseth them both and instructs them both for he taught all his houshold to knowe God and to feare and obey him Gen. 18.19 hee iudgeth them both to be in one state in regard of Gods couenant though they were not but that difference is made by God Abraham doth not on his own head and by his own will put Ismael out of the Church which was in his family but God bids him put him out and then he put him out and not before till such time he kept him in and held him to be within the couenant as well as Isaac was Euen so must we deale towards those that liue in the church secret iudgement must bee left to God and till God manifest the contrary in the iudgement of charity wee must holde them all elect This is the practice of Saint Paul in all his Epistles writing to the Corinths 1. Corinth 1.2 he calls them all sanctified and to the Galatians Gal. 1.2 hee calles them all elect speaking so in the iudgement of charitie although he knew that among them there were many profane and wicked men and though hee reprooue many great errors and hainous sinnes amongst them And thus much of the first argumēt wherby Abrahams faith is commended vnto vs namely the great impediments which might hinder the same Now followeth the second Argument or reason wherby his faith is commended to wit Abrahams victory ouer these impediments or the meanes whereby he ouercame them and induced himselfe to obey GOD in these words VERSE 19. For he considered or reasoned that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead HEre is the true cause that made Abraham to offer his sonne and yet beleeue the promise that in him his seed should be called Wee may perswade our selues that Abraham had rather haue died himselfe if it might haue stood with the will of God than to haue sacrificed his sonne How then doth he induce himselfe to offer him vp Ans. By this which is here set downe he reasoned that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead Here are diuers points to be considered of vs First obserue the text saith not that Abraham murmured or reasoned against God but reasoned with himselfe that God was able to raise vp his sonne againe and thereby induced himselfe to sacrifice his sonne vnto God Hence wee learne that when God laies vpon vs any hard commandement wee must not plead the case with God or murmure against him but with all quietnesse and meekenesse obey This is a notable grace of God commended vnto vs by God himselfe In rest and quietnesse saith God Isay 30.15 shall be your strength in quietnesse and confidence shall yee bee saued Many thinke it impossible to endure or doe some things which God imposeth on his children But our spirituall strength stands in these two in silence or rest and in quietnesse by these wee shall be enabled When Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord which hee had not commaunded There went out a fire from the Lord and deuoured them so they died before the Lord. Now when Aaron their father asked Moses a cause hereof Moses saide It was that which the Lord spake he would be glorified in all that came neere him which when Aaron heard the Text saith He heide his peace and said not a word so Dauid behaued himselfe in the case of distresse I helde my peace and saide nothing because thou Lord diddest it And this is a speciall point for vs to learne and practice wee must not grudge or repine at Gods hard commaundements nor pleade the case with him but in all quietnesse and silence obay God in all that he saith vnto vs. Againe whereas it is said that Abraham reasoned that God was able c. Here we learne that it is a necessary thing for a man that beleeues to haue good knowledge in Gods word that when a temptation comes against his faith by knowledge and reasoning out of Gods word hee may be able to put backe the same for all our reasoning in matters of faith must be grounded on the word so doth Abraham in this place against this strong temptation reason out of Gods word to stay himselfe so that knowledge in the word of God is necessary to him that beleeues And therefore that Doctrine of the Church of Rome is erronious and here condemned which saith that if a man become deuout beleeue as the Church beleeueth though he knowe not what the Church beleeueth yet this faith will saue him but this is a meere deuice of their owne and hath no ground in the word of God for as we see heere knowledge in the word is necessary for him that hath true sauing faith But what is Abrahams argument whereby hee moues himselfe to obay God Surely this Hee reasoned that God was able to raise vp Isaac from the dead One part of his reason he takes for graunted which heere hee conceales for this promise was made vnto him In Isaac shall thy seede be called Now this he takes for graunted that God will neuer change his promise From whence hee reasoneth thus God is able to raise vp Isaac my sonne from the dead to life againe and therefore I will sacrifice my sonne according to his commaundement for this I knowe certainly that in Isaac shall my seede be called seeing God hath promised that as well as he commaundeth this other In this example wee see a meanes set downe vnto vs to enduce vs to obey God in all hard and difficult cases imposed by God which is a point to be considered carefully of euery one of vs. For say that any of vs shall be so touched in conscience for our sinnes that we euen despaire of our owne saluation what must we doe in this case wee must take Abrahams course and dispute with our selues for our selues we must drawe our arguments from the promise of God and from the power of God we must ioyne the promise and power of GOD together As for example thus wee must say God hath made this promise this I haue heard and I doe beleeue it
Parents prolong their childrens dayes by blessing them that is by teaching and instructing them in religion and by praying vnto God for a blessing vpon them that hee would blesse them Secondly there is a publike kinde of blessing which is done by the minister of GOD in the name of God And after this sort Melchisedech blessed Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings Heb. 7.1 and without all contradiction saith the Author of this Epistle the lesse is blessed of the greater Verse 7 Further these publike kinde of blessings are of two sorts either ordinarie or extraordinarie An ordinarie kinde of publike blessing is that which is pronounced and vttered out of Gods word by an ordinary minister vpon the people Example of this we haue in the ordinary Priests in the olde Testament whose duty was in the seruice of God to blesse the people before their departing And the forme of blessing which they should vse is prescribed vnto them by Moses after this manner from the Lord Thus shall ye blesse the children of Israell and say vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face to shine vpon thee and be mercifull vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace Where wee see the manner of the Priest was to blesse the people not in his owne name but in the name of God stretching out his hand ouer the heads of the people This kinde of blessing was then ordinarie and yet some way figuratiue signifying vnto them the blessings which Christ Iesus the Mediatour God and man should not onely pronounce but euen giue vnto the Church in the new Testament which our Sauiour accordingly performed to his disciples at his Ascension For the Story saith When he was risen againe he led them to Bethania where he ascended and lift vp his hands and blessed them And S. Paul declareth this blessing of Christ more at large saying Ephes. 4.8.11.12 Christ ascended on high led captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ. Where we see that our Sauiour Christ did not onely pronounce a blessing vpon his Church but was also the author thereof from God his father And as the Priestes in the old testament had an ordinary kinde of blessing the people so the ministers of GOD in the newe Testament they haue the same in substance for the ministers may blesse their people two waies First by praying vnto GOD for them Secondly by pronouncing a blessing vpon them according to GODs holy word A forme of this blessing wee haue from the Apostle Saint Paul who blessed the Corinthians after this sort The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion or fellowshippe of the holy Ghost be with you all 2. Corinthians 13.13 Secondly an extraordinary kinde of blessing is when an extraordinary Prophet or seruant of GOD doth set downe and pronounce a blessing vnto any and foretelleth their estate from GOD. Thus did Noe blesse his two sonnes Shem and Iaphet Gen. 9.25 26 27. and pronounced a curse vpon wicked Canaan This hee did not as an ordinary father but as an extraordinarie Prophet not onely praying for a blessing vpon his two sonnes but also foretelling them what should be their condition or estate afterward So in this place whereas Isaac blesseth Iaacob and Esau it is no priuate blessing but a publike and yet indeede not an ordinary publike blessing but extraordinary by telling vnto Iaacob and Esau before hand what should be their particular estates and conditions and what blessings they should haue from GOD both in this life and in the life to come For wee must not here conceiue of Isaac as an ordinary father but as a holy Patriarch and Prophet of the Lord and an extraordinarie man foreseeing foretelling by the spirit of prophecie the particular estate of his two sonnes and also what particular blessings they and their posteritie should receiue from God The meaning then of these words Isaac blessed Iaacob Esau is this that Isaac beeing a Prophet an extraordinary man and a famous Patriarch did by the spirit of Prophecie foresee and set down and tel before hand what should be the particular estate of his two sonnes Iaacob and Esau and as hee did foretell it so likewise hee praied vnto God that the same might come to passe as it did afterward And thus much for the meaning Nowe though this were an extraordinary kinde of blessing which Isaac vsed yet from hence we may all of vs learne an ordinary duty for looke as Isaac blessed his two sonnes so wee by his example must learne to abstaine from all wicked speeches as cursing and banning and exercise our tongues in blessing not making them the instruments of sinne to curse and reuile as many doe for vengeance is mine saith the Lord Hee must curse that hath absolute power and authoritie to inflict the same when hee will But wee are not absolute Lords ouer any man or any creature and therefore we must remember Saint Peters lesson 1. Pet. 3.9 Wee must not render euill for euill nor rebuke for rebuke But contrariwise blesse and he rendreth a reason Knowing that wee are thereunto called to bee heires of blessing Farre be it from vs therfore to open our mouthes to curse either men or any of Gods creatures and indeede vile and abhominable is the practice of many who exercise their tongues in cursing and banning not onely men but also other creatures of God But let such as feare God both learne and practice the contrary The second point to be considered is the cause of this blessing to wit Isaacs faith By faith Isaac blessed Iaacob and Esau. Here first wee are to consider how Isaacs faith blessed Iaacob and Esau surely thus He did most notably gather together all the promises of God made to him and to his two children which were specially three First I will be thy God and the God of thy seed 2. God had promised that he and his seed should possesse the promised Land of Canaan 3. That his two children should be two mighty Nations and that the elder should serue the younger Now Isaac doth not consider these blessings a-part one from another but hath them all in memory and on them all receiuing them by a liuely faith he builds his blessings for by faith in these promises hee did certainly fore-see what should be the future estate of his two sonnes and accordingly doth hee pronounce particular blessings vpon them both But it may be thought that Isaac did not blesse his sonnes by faith for if we reade the History in Genesis wee shall see that he blessed them by errour and was deceiued therein for hee was purposed to haue blessed Esau onely
them otherwhile his holy Angels brought them messages from GOD and sometime they had his will reuealed vnto them by dreames and visions all which were notable helpes and meanes both to beginne and to encrease faith in them but Ioseph wanted all these meanes or at least many of them For reade his whole Historie and you shall not finde that either Angell appeared vnto him or else that GOD by dreames and visions spake vnto him and no meruaile For hee liued out of the visible Church where GODs presence was in superstitious and Idolatrous Egypt and yet for all this hee is heere matched in the matter of faith with the three worthie Patriarchs It is then a good question how Ioseph should come by this faith Answer We must knowe this that though he had not the like extraordinarie meanes with the Patriarches yet he wanted not all meanes for in his younger dayes hee was trayned vp in his Father Iacobs family and by him was instructed in the wayes of God and in the practice of religion and in his later dayes also he had the benefit of his Fathers company and instructions in Egypt Now Iacob was not an ordinarie Father but a notable Patriarch and an holy Prophet in whose family God had placed his visible Church in those dayes wherin Iacob was the Lords Prophet and Minister Now Ioseph both in his young age and also after his Father came to Egypt did heare and learne of him the wayes of God and by that meanes came to this excellent faith for which he is so commended here and matched with his Fathers the holy Patriarchs Hence we learne that the preaching of Gods word by his Ministers though extraordinarie meanes as reuelations and visions be wanting is sufficient to bring a man to faith yea to such a faith as the three Patriarchs had Indeede in the ministerie of the word hee which speaketh vnto vs is but a man as others are but yet the word which he deliuereth is not his own but the mighty word of God and looke what is truly pronounced by him vnto vs out of Gods word the same is as certainly sealed vnto vs by his spirit as if God himselfe from heauen should extraordinarily reueale the same And howsoeuer in former times men had visions and dreames and Angels from God himselfe to reueale his will vnto them yet this Ministerie of Gods word in the new Testament is as sufficient a meanes of the beginning and encreasing of true faith as that was then This plainly confuteth all those that neglect or contemne the Ministerie and preaching of the word looke for extraordinarie reuelations and for visions dreames for the begetting and encrease of faith and grace in their hearts But our Sauiour Christ doth notably checke all such in the Parable of the rich man by the words of Abraham to Diues saying of Diues brethren that they had Moses and the Prophets if they will not heare them neither will they beleeue though one should come from the dead againe Verse 31 insinuating that if a man will not beleeue by the preaching of the word there is nothing in the world will make him to beleeue neither reuelations nor visions no not the words of them that rise againe from the dead Secondly the consideration of the sufficiencie of Gods ordinance in the holy Ministerie to beget and to encrease true faith must stirre vs vp to all care and diligence not onely to heare the word of God preached vnto vs but to profit by it both in knowledge and obedience and thus much for the first point The second point to be handled is the commendation of Iosephs faith by two actions thereof to wit 1. His mention of the departure of the children of Israell out of Egypt 2. His commaundement concerning his bones Of both which we will speake briefely because the speciall points herein were handled in the former verse For the first Ioseph when hee died made mention of the departing of the children of Israell that is out of Egypt into Canaan Here we may obserue a most notable worke of faith it makes a man to keepe in memory the mercifull promises which God hath made vnto him This is it which commends Iosephs faith for a liuely faith That being about to die he remembreth this mercifull promise of God made to his fore-fathers touching their posterity to wit that after they had cōtinued as seruants in a strange Land 400. yeares they should then haue a good issue and a happy deliuerance and be brought into the Land of Canaan Gen. 15.13 This is a notable work of faith as may appeare by two notable effects hereof in the life of a Christian For first by this remembrance of Gods mercifull promises the seruant of God at all times and in all distresses and extremities doth finde comfort vnto his soule This brings to his memory the wonderfull goodnesse and mercy of God by which he is comforted When Dauid was in a most desperate case so as he cried out by reason of affliction and temptation Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will hee shew no more fauour Is his mercy cleane gone doth his mercy faile for euermore Psal. 77 with such like most fearefull speaches How did he then comfort himselfe in this distresse Answ. Surely by remembring the works of the Lord and his wonders of olde and by meditating in all his workes and gracious acts which he had done for him So likewise in another place in great anguish of spirit he saith to his soule Why art thou cast down my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Psalm 43.5 Yet in the next words hee thus stayes himselfe Waite on God for I will yet giue thankes vnto him he is my present help and my God How came Dauid to say so in this distresse Answer By meanes of faith which doth reuiue and refresh the dead heart of man by bringing to his remembrance the mercifull promises of God Saint Paul pressed with corruption cried out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Yet in the next words he saith I thanke my God through Iesus Christ our Lord Then I my selfe in my minde serue the Law of God c. How come the latter words to followe on the former Answer In the first words indeede he is cast downe with the view and sight of his naturall corruption which drew him headlong into sinne but yet the later words are a remembrance of the mercifull deliuerance from sinne which GOD had wrought in him by Christ and therefore hee breaketh out to this saying I thanke my God through Iesus Christ c. Secondly the remembrance of Gods promises serueth to be a meanes to keepe a man from sinne for mans nature is as readie and prone to sinne as fire is to burne when fewell is put to it But when by faith hee calls to minde Gods mercifull promises especially those which are
of the bloud of the Paschal Lamb which was a notable rite ceremony vsed in this first Passe-ouer after this māner The bloud of euery Lamb was put into a bason sprinkled with a bunch of Hysope vpon the doore posts of euery mans house among the Iewes Now this rite did not continue alwaies but was peculiar proper to this first passe-ouer kept in Egypt at the institution thereof being then practiced but not after in regard of that speciall deliuerance then at hand wherof it was an assurance for it signified vnto them that the Angel of the Lord cōming to destroy the first born of Egypt seeing that bloud so sprinked should passe ouer their houses and touch none of their first borne of man nor beast This end of the sprinkling of this bloud is here likewise set down in these words Lest he that destroyed the first born shold touch them He that is the Angell of the Lord who was sent to destroy the first born throughout all Egypt both of man and beast saue onely of those who had their door posts sprinkled with bloud And thus much for the meaning of the words First obserue what the H. ghost saith of this fact of Moses in ordaining the Passe-ouer namely that he did it by faith Hence we learne that the Sacraments of the new Testament must be celebrated in faith for herein we are to seek to be acceptable to God as Moses was The L. supper in the new Testament succeedeth the Passe-ouer in the olde for that was a signe to the Iews that Iesus Christ the immaculate Lamb of God should afterward be sacrificed for their sinnes and this is to vs a signe of Christ already sacrificed Now look as that was ordained receiued vnder the Law so must this be administred receiued vnder the Gospell But in the olde Testament Moses celebrates the Passe-ouer through faith enioines the Israelites so to doe therefore accordingly must wee by faith celebrate and receiue the Lords supper vnder the Gospel Cains sacrifice was fruitlesse to him and odious to God because he offered not in faith no lesse were all other faithlesse sacrifices euen so euery Sacrament and spirituall sacrifice receiued or offered in time of the Gospell is vnprofitable to man and vnacceptable vnto GOD if it be not receiued in faith In euery Sacrament wee receiue some thing from God as in euery sacrifice we giue some thing to God In the Lords supper as the minister giues the bread and wine into the hand of the receiuer so the Lord God giues his sonne vnto their hearts Now if faith be wanting Christ crucified is not receiued for faith is the hand of the soule without which there is no receiuing of Christ his benefits but contrariwise a heauy and feareful sinne heaping vp Gods wrath against vs. Hereby we learne how sundry sorts of people sin most grieuously against God for many come to receiue the Lords supper who are altogether ignorant in the nature vse thereof not knowing what the sacrament meaneth yet because it is a custom in the church they will receiue at least once a yeare though they know nothing therein as they ought Now such persons must know they ought to come in faith which they cannot do because they want knowledge and therefore in receiuing it so they commit a grieuous sin so indanger their own soules because they receiue it vnworthily And this is not the fault of young ones onely but of many whose yeares might shame them for their ignorance if they were not past all feeling of spirituall wants A second sort there are who receiue the Lords supper say they will doe so because they haue faith But these are like the former for their faith is nothing but honest dealing among men thinking that if they bring that to the L. Supper though they haue no more yet all is well The greatest sort are of this minde taking fidelitie for true faith it is a plaine point of popery so common as almost in euery place men do embrace it But these deceiue themselues for another kinde of faith is required of those that receiue the Lords supper worthily namely such a faith wherby we doe not onely beleeue the remission of sins in Christs blood but also are assured that the bread wine receiued worthily are signes and seales of the same blessing exhibited vnto vs by Christ. He that comes onely in a good meaning deceiues himselfe receiues to his condemnatiō And yet alas many euen of the ancient sort haue no other faith but their good meaning A third sort there are who yet goe further and knowing the vanitie of this opinion that a mans fidelitie in his dealing with men should bee his faith to commend him vnto God they hold know that true faith is to beleeue their owne saluation in the blood of Christ and these are to bee commended in respect of the former But herein they faile that comming to receiue they bring not with them a liuely faith for it is not only required in a communicant that hee professe the faith of Christ aright but a worthy receiuer must looke to his owne heart that his faith therein be a liuing faith such as worketh by loue and shewes it selfe by obedience Now herein many that haue good knowledge doe grieuously offend That howsoeuer they make a shew of faith in an orderly and religious carriage of thēselues on the Cōmuniō day yet whē that time is a little past they returne to their former sinnes againe neuer els hauing any care nay not so much as making any shew of laying away their sinnes saue onely at the receiuing of the Lords supper And thus do too many of those who make a faire profession These men bring faith in profession but yet their faith is dead for if it were a liuely faith it would purifie their hearts cause a change in them from euil to good and from good to better euery day more and more But blessed be God by whose mercy it comes to passe that there are some in his Church who come with such a faith and thereby communicate acceptably to God and fruitfully to themselues Yet wee must confesse they are but fewe in comparison But as for all the other three sorts of people they sinne grieuously because they bring not the hand of a liuely faith to receiue those things which their God offereth vnto them Wee therefore in this example are admonished to celebrate receiue the Lords supper in such sort as Moses did namely in faith and that not in an idle or dead but in a liuely faith which may both before and after the receiuing of this sacrament bring forth good fruits to the reforming of our liues in continuall obedience for Gods glory and our owne comfort and saluation in Christ. 2 Obserue further Moses ordained and made the Passe-ouer We may not thinke that Moses killed all the lambes that were
it may be asked who they were that heere passed through by faith The answere is the Israelites But some will say wee reade in the Historie that when the people came to the red sea they were wonderfully afraide and murmured against Moses saying That it had beene better for them to haue liued in the bondage of Egypt then to come into the Desart and there die Now how can they murmure impatiently and fearefully and yet passe through by faith Answere At the first indeede they murmured when they saw the danger they were in hauing the huge Armie of Pharaoh following them and the red sea before them and hills and mountaines on each side But howsoeuer they murmured at the first yet when Moses spake words of comfort vnto them in the name of the Lord bidding them not to be afraid c and when he held vp his rod and entred into the red sea before them then they followed him by faith and heereupon the holy Ghost giues vnto them the title of true beleeuers Heere we may learne that true faith in Gods children is mingled with vnbeliefe The Israelites faith was true faith but yet it was very imperfect and weake for if it had beene perfect sound faith they would neuer haue murmured nor haue beene impatient and fearefull But looke as it is in nature so it is in grace In nature we cannot passe from one contrary to another but by the mixture of the contraries As in light and darknesse the one doth not followe the other immediatly but first there is a mixture of them both in the dawning of the day and closing of the night and so it is in other contraries euen in those which concerne the soule Vnbeliefe is a sinne faith is a vertue and grace contrary to it Now vnbeliefe cannot be expelled by faith before there be a mixture of them both and so when faith preuaileth vnbeliefe decayeth neither can faith be euer perfect because it is euer mingled more or lesse with vnbeliefe This plainely ouerthrowes the opinion of the Church of Rome who say that after a man is regenerate and beleeues there is nothing in him that God can hate For they imagine that he is so throughly sanctified that there is nothing in him which may properly be called a sinne but here we see their doctrine is false seeing faith vnbeliefe are alwaies mingled together Secondly as it falls out with faith so it is with the rest of Gods graces looke as faith is not perfect but mixed with vnbeliefe so are all other graces of God whatsoeuer The feare of GOD is not perfect in a man nor the loue of God for the feare of GOD is mingled with the feare of men and the feare of GOD for his mercy is mingled with the feare of GOD for his iudgements And heereby many are deceiued for when they feare GOD for his punishments they thinke themselues to be most miserable and voyde of grace but they deceiue themselues For there is no man vpon the earth that feareth GOD onely for his mercies and doth not feare GOD also for his punishments in part for Gods graces in this life are euer mingled with their contraries And therfore to imagine that a man may feare GOD for his mercies onely and not for iudgements also is to conceiue of such a man as none is nor can be in this life for the best feare that is in any man liuing is a mixt feare Further when Moses had spoken words of comfort vnto them the vnbelieuing and fearefull Israelites do stir vp their hearts to belieue So wee accordingly must labour and striue against that in-bred vnbeliefe which is in vs for euery man hath innumerable sinnes in him that resist faith and if they bee not checked and suppressed they will master his faith but hee that would haue faith to continue and last must striue against natural vnbeleefe as the Israelites do in this place and as the man in the Gospel Mark 9.24 when hee said to Christ Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe knowing that his vnbeleefe did suppresse his faith And so did the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ when they prayed Lord increase our faith Luk. 17.5 And Dauid beeing oppressed with deadnesse of heart stirres vp his faith saying Why art thou cast down my soule c. waite on God Psalm 42. v. 11. For he that hath faith is troubled with vnbeleefe and the more it troubles him the lesse he beleeueth vnlesse hee striue against it manfully 2. Quest. But how many of the Israelites beleeued and went ouer by faith Ans. Not all for Paul saith With many of them God was not well pleased for they were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse 1. Cor. 10.5 Which shewes that all that passed ouer had not true faith for some beleeued and by the force of their faith all went ouer safely Hence wee note this which hath beene often taught vs that an vngodly man receiueth many temporal benefits by the societie of Gods people which beleeue as here the vnbeleeuing Israelites had this benefit to goe through the redde sea safely by reason of those that beleeued And in the former example the brute beasts were freed frō killing by the Angel because they belonged to the host of the Lords people Now shall a brute beast haue benefit by beeing with GODs people and shall not a man much more Yes vndoubtedly for so wee may reade that for Pauls sake all the Mariners and Souldiers that were in the Shippe were saued from drowning Act. 27.24 This point must perswade euery one of vs to make choyce of the godly for our societie and company with whom we liue and conuerse for by them we reape many benefits and freedome also from many heauy iudgements The third point is this When did the Israelites beleeue This circumstance is worth the marking They beleeued when they passed through the redde sea for they beleeued not onely in generall that GOD was their GOD as hee had promised to their fathers but they beleeued that GOD would bee with them and giue them life in the middle of the redde sea A notable point They beleeued as it were in the middle of their graues for so might the redde sea be well called that GOD would giue them life euerlasting and preserue them safely through the sea and from their enemies In their example wee are taught the same dutie to doe as they here did The childe of GOD in this life hath innumerable causes of desperation and sometimes his owne conscience wil take part with Satan in charging the soule to bee in state of damnation In this heauie case what must bee done Surely at this time when a man is a cast-away in himselfe he must euen then beleeue beeing in hell as it were hee must beleeue that God will bring him to heauen It is nothing for a man to beleeue in prosperitie and peace but in time of desperation to beleeue that is a most worthy faith and indeede then
Saul persecuted Dauid but his end was to kill himselfe with his own sword 1. Samuel 30.4 And Iesabell she persecutes the Prophets children of God but her end was this the dogs did eate her flesh The whole stock of the Herods were great enemies to Christ But their name was soone rooted out and Herod called Agrippa that slew Iames and persecuted Peter was eaten vp of wormes Many great Emperours in the primatiue Church were persecuters but they died desperatly And Iulian for one once a Christian died blaspheming Christ casting his bloud vp towards heauen cried Thou hast ouercome ô Galilean thou hast ouercome And to come neerer these times what reward from God the persecuters of the Church haue had we may reade in the booke of Acts monuments which was penned for that purpose And to come to these our daies the whole band of those that call thēselues leaguers in Fraunce Italy Spaine c. like the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ismaelites Moab and the Agarims c. Psal. 83.5 6 they vow the destruction persecution of Gods Church but yet Gods Church stands he so cōtriues the matter that they draw swords against thēselues slay poyson one another Herein doth God graciously make good his promise to his Church that the weapons made against her shal not prosper And Zachary 12.3 there is a prophecie of the Church in the new Testament the Lord saith He wil make Ierusalem that is his Church an heauy stone for all people that lift it vp shal be torn though all the people of the earth be gathered against it where the Prophet setteth down notably what shal be the condition of those that persecute Gods Church the more they persecute her the more they shall haue Gods hand against them to confound them Dan. 2.34 there is mention made of a stone hewen out of a rocke without hands which smote the image vpon the feete which were of yron clay brake them to peeces By that stone is meant the kingdom of Christ which shall dash in peeces the kingdomes of the earth which set themselues against Christ and his kingdome For Christ must raigne till hee haue put all his enemies vnder his feete so that destruction is the ende of the enemies of Gods Church For the hand of the Lord shall bee knowen among his seruants and his indignation against his enemies Isay 66.14 And thus much of the 2. circumstance Now in this whole fact of the Israelites passing thorough the red sea towards the Land of Canaan there is a notable thing signified namely Baptisme So Paul saith The Israelites were baptized vnto Moses in the sea 1. Cor. 10.2 Yet wee must remember it was not ordinary Baptisme but extraordinary neuer administred before and neuer shall be so again for ought we know The Minister of this Baptisme was Moses an extraordinary Minister as the Baptisme was extraordinary The outwarde signe was the red sea or rather the water of the redde sea The departing of the children of Israel out of Egypt thorough the redde sea signifieth the departing of the children of GOD out of the kingdome of darkenesse from the power of sin and Satan And the drowning of Pharaoh with all his hoste in the redde sea signified the subduing of the power of all spirituall enemies with the pardon and death of sinne which stands partly in the abolishing of sinne and partly in newnesse of life And to this alludeth the Prophet Micah saying He will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea Micah 7.19 As if he should say Looke as God subdued Pharaoh and all his hoste in the bottome of the sea so will he cast and put away the sinnes of his people From this we learne two points 1 That the Baptisme of infants hath warrāt in Gods word howsoeuer some mē be of a contrary opinion for here we see all the Israelites were baptized in the sea and among them no doubt were many children If it be said this baptisme was extraordinary and is no ground for ours Answ. True it was extraordinary for the manner but yet herein the matter and substance and the thing signified is ordinary and the end all one with ours and therefore the baptizing of infants in the red sea is some warrant for the baptisme of infants in the Church now adaies Secondly here we may learne another instruction As the Israelites went through the red sea as through a graue to the promised land of Canaan so we must know that the way to the spirituall Canaan euen the kingdome of heauen is by dying vnto sinne This is a speciall point to bee considered of euery one of vs we professe our selues to be Christians wee heare Gods word and receiue the sacraments which are the outward badges of Christians and we perswade our selues of life euerlasting after death wel if we would haue that to be the ende of our iourney then we must take the Lords plaine way in this life which is to die vnto all our sinnes So it is said they which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes thereof where this duty is inioyned to euery Christian hee must crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh and not liue in sinne For a man cannot walke in sinne and so runne the broad way to hell and yet waite for the kingdome of heauen these two will not stand together and therefore if we would walke worthy the calling of Christianitie wee must haue care that all our sins whether they bee of heart or life little or great new or olde may be mortified and abolished Many will for a time become ciuill and seeme to be religious especially when they are to receiue the Lords supper but when that time of the sacrament is past then they returne to their old custome in sinning againe wherby it appeares that their change was but in shew to blind the eies of men And doe we not each Sabbaoth professe our selues good Christians and seeme to glory in it by keeping this day with such solemnitie But alas as soone as that day is past many some euen this day runne into all ryot This is not Christianity this is not the way to heauen but if euer we thinke to come to Canaan we must kill and bury our sinnes we must die vnto them or else we shal neuer come to the ende of Christianity namely eternall life And thus much of this circumstance and also of the example it selfe Iosuahs Faith VERSE 30. By faith the walls of Iericho fel down after they were compassed about seuen daies FRom the beginning of this chapter to this 30. verse we haue heard two sorts of examples of faith the first of beleeuers from the beginnning of the world to the flood The second of such as were from the time of the floode to the giuing of the Lawe in Mount Sina and of both these we haue
be so then hee called all men effectually Answer We must vnderstand the Apostle according to his meaning for Romans 11.15 he expounds himselfe shewes what he meanes by the world saying That the falling away of the Iewes is the reconciling of the world which cannot be vnderstoode of men in all the ages but in the last age of the world after Christs ascension wherein God offered to all the world life euerlasting by Christ. Further Rahab is here noted by a notorious vice shee is called a harlot whereby shee was infamous among the men of Iericho Certaine of the Iewes which are enemies to the new Testament say That the Author of this Epistle and S. Iames doe great wrong vnto Rahab for calling her an harlot for say they in Iosuah shee is called but a Tauerner or Hostesse Answer Wee must knowe that the word which is vsed in Iosuah signifieth two things a Tauerner and an harlot Now take the word properly as it is generally vsed in the olde Testament and then most commonly it is put for an harlot And therefore in the new Testament Rahab hath no wrong done her by this title For it is the thing that Iosuah intended to shew what a one shee had beene and therefore in speaking of her to the spies hee bids them goe into That harlots house Iosuah 6.22 vsing such an Article as implies that shee had beene infamous and notorious in that kinde And yet we must not thinke that she playd the harlot after shee had receiued grace to beleeue but long before for faith purifieth the heart neither will it suffer any sinne to raigne therein She is called a harlot therefore in regard of her life past for which shee was infamous among the men of Iericho before her calling to the faith Quest. How could she beleeue being a harlot in former times for it is said That neither fornicators nor adulterers shall inherite the Kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 6.9 Answere That is true according to the Law but the Gospell giues this exception vnlesse they repent And so are all legall threatnings to be vnderstood in the word of God In this circumstance of the person and in the quality of her sinne we may note the endlesse mercy of God towards sinners for he hath vouchsafed to call most notorious and grieuous sinners to the state of saluation as Isay saith The Lord is very ready to forgiue Isay 55.7 yea with the Lord is plentifull redemption Psal. 130.7 This appeares by vouchsafing mercy to Rahab a notable harlot and as he dealeth with Rahab here so hath he shewed like mercy to other notorious sinners King Manasses had sold himselfe to Idolatry and witchcraft and had shed innocent bloud exceeding much and caused Iudah to sinne 2. Kings 21 6 16 for which he was led captiue yet when he humbled himselfe and prayed God was intreated of him 2. Chron. 33.13 And Paul saith of himselfe When he was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppresser he was receiued to mercy though he were the head of all sinners that Christ might first shew on him all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto euerlasting life 1. Tim. 1 13 16. The consideration of this exceeding mercy of God towards sinners is of great vse First it armeth a poore soule against despaire whereinto the diuell would draw it vpon the view of the multitude and greatnesse of his sinnes for many reason thus My sinnes are so haynous so many and so vile that I dare not come to God neither can I be perswaded of the pardon of them But behold heere the endlesse mercy of God in forgiuing sinnes to them that repent though they be like crimson and scarlet and neuer so many This must comfort the wounded soule and encourage all touched hearts to repent and to sue to the Lord for mercy and pardon Secondly it must moue euery one of vs now to begin to repent if we haue not repented heretofore and if wee haue begun to doe it more earnestly for God is most mercifull and with him is plentifull redemption Yet wee must beware that we take not occasion heereby to liue in sinne because God is mercifull for this is to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse which Saint Iude makes a brand of the vngodly and a signe of the reprobate who as the Apostle there saith are appointed to condemnation yea this is a despising of the bountifulnesse of God which should leade them to repentance and heereby they heape vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath Romanes chapter 2 verses 4 5. Let vs therefore remember this counsell of Paul Shall wee sinne that grace may abound God forbid Wee must all but especially young men take heede of this course for if wee blesse our selues in our heart and say wee shall haue peace though we liue in sinne God wil not be mercifull vnto vs but his wrath shall smoke against vs. Further note that howsoeuer shee was a sinner and a most infamous harlot yet when shee repents God doth honour and grace her with the title of a beleeuer and that among those most renowned beleeuers that euer liued before Christ euen to be one of that cloude of witnesses in whoÌ„ faith is commended to the Church for euer Hence also it is that Saint Matthew reckons her in the Genealogie of Christ to be one of his predecessours when as Amasia Achas and such like who for ought wee knowe did neuer repent are not once named Herein wee may see Gods wonderfull mercy in honouring sinners if they doe repent The consideration whereof must mooue vs not onely to learne the doctrine of Repentance and to haue it in our mouthes but to labour that it may be settled in our hearts that wee may shewe forth the power thereof in our liues All of vs desire honour and reputation among mâ—n Well if wee would be honoured indeede wee must repent and then God himselfe will honour vs neither haue our sinnes made vs so infamous as by our repentance God shall make vs honourable Further concerning the partie How could Rahab come by faith seeing shee liued out of the Church where the word was neuer preached vnto her Answere If wee reade the Storie wee shall finde that shee came to beleeue by a report of Gods meruailous acts for when the Lord deliuered the Israelites out of Egypt through the red sea and drowned Pharaoh therein with all his â—oast as they went further he deliuered the Kings of the Nations into their hands as Og the King of Baashan with the Kings of the Amorites and Amalekites Now the report heereof came to the people of Iericho whereupon they were strikâ—n with a wonderfull great feare And howsoeuer the men of Iericho made no other vse of it but to arme and prepare themselues to resist and beate backe the Israelites yet this report wrought further with Rahab and
therefore the Lord forbade A bastard to enter into the congregation of the Lord to beare any office vnto the tenth generation Deuteronomie chapter 23. verse 2 So ignominious is this kinde of birth by the iudgement of Gods spirit vnto that party on whom it falls For this sinne of fornication doth not onely hurt the persons committing it but euen staines the children base borne to the tenth generation Yet howsoeuer Iephte was base borne and so suffered for it great reproach heere wee see hee is commended vnto vs for his faith among the most worthy beleeuers that euer were Indeede besides Iephte wee shall not finde the like example in Scripture Yet in Iephte wee may see that howsoeuer it be a reproachfull thing to be borne of fornication yet that doth not hinder but the party so borne may come to true faith and so to the fauour of God and to life euerlasting Such persons as are base borne vpon viewe of that reproach which the Scripture fasteneth vpon them might take occasion to thinke miserably of themselues even that God had reiected them but this example serues to shewe that it hindereth not but that they may come into the fauour of God and by faith get honor of God to countervaile that discredit which they haue by their base birth Further whereas wee commonly say that such as are base borne are wicked persons here wee see the contrary in Iephte and therefore wee must not for this cause condemne any for wicked or vngodly Indeed the Lord hath branded this estate with reproach that men should shun the sinne of fornication the more Againe whereas Iephte is here commended for his faith we may probably gather that their opinion is not true who hold that Iephte sacrificed killed his owne daughter For beeing commended here for his faith certain it is he had knowledge in Gods will and word and therefore we must not thinke but that he knewe God would neuer accept of such a vowe by the performance whereof hee should commit wilfull and most vnnaturall murder This his faith shewes that it was not his intent to kill the first person that met him out of his house for by the light of nature hee might know that God would neuer accept thereof and therefore it is not like he so made his vow for this faith and such a vow cannot stand together But some will say the text is plaine Iudg. 11.31 that He vowed to offer for a burnt offering the thing that cam out of the doores of his house to meet him when he came home Ans. It is so indeed in some translations It shall be the Lords And I wil offer it c. But the words in the originall may as well bee translated thus It shall bee the Lords or I will offer it c. And this later translation is more sutable to the circumstances of the place for this was Iephtes meaning that whatsoeuer met him first he would dedicate it to God if it were a thing that might bee sacrificed then his purpose was to offer it vnto the Lord in sacrifice Quest. But if he did not kill her why did he then so lament for her Ans. Because by his vowe he was to dedicate her to God and so shee was to liue a Nazarite all her life long which must needs be a very bitter thing to him who had no childe but her it beeing so great a reproach and in some sort a curse in those daies to want issue I speake not here how well or ill Iephte did in making her a Nazarite But this may no way bee admitted That beleeuing and godly Iephte should aduisedly kill his owne daughter Vndoubtedly hee could not thinke that God would bee pleased with such an abhominable sacrifice Thus much for these persons the rest I passe ouer because this story is plaine and large in Scripture The Faith of the Iudges and Dauid VERSE 33 34 35. Which thâ—ough faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lions Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the Armies of the Aliants The women receiued their dead raised to life IN these wordes the Apostle propounds vnto vs ten seueral fruits of faith the nine first whereof are the particular actions of the parties spoken of in the former verse and they are here related for the commendation of their faith The first is Subduing of Kingdomes which serues chiefly for the commendation of the faith of the foure Iudges there named and of Dauid For as wee may read in the bookes of Iudges and of Samuel all these subdued Kingdoms as the Canaanites Iudg. 4. the Midianites Iudg. 6. the Philistims Iudg. 15. and 16. 2. Sam. 8.1 the Ammonites Iudg. 11. Moabites Aramites 2. Sam. 8.2.6 Now how did they ouercome and subdue them The Text saith by faith which wee must not not thus vnderstand as though onely by the very acte of faith they subdued kingdoms But the meaning of the holy Ghost is that they beleeued the promises which God made vnto them of deliuering these kingdomes into their hands and according to their faith God accomplished his promises vnto them and so they subdued Kingdomes by faith In this worke of faith we may learne two things first that it is lawfull for Christians in the newe Testament to make warre for that which may be done in faith is lawfull for Gods seruants but warre may bee made in faith for these seruants of God subdue kingdomes in warre and that by faith and therefore it is lawfull for Christians vpon iust cause to make warre The Anabaptists of Germany say It is not lawfull for a Christian vnder the Gospel to carry a weapon or to make warre But this one place of scripture if there were no moe is alone sufficient to prooue the lawfulnesse of warre vnder the Gospel if it be vsed according to Gods will word When the Souldiers came to Iohn Baptist and asked him What they should doe hee bids them not leaue off their calling but this Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Luk. 3.14 And our Sauiour Christ reporteth of a Centurion which was captaine of a Band when he came to haue his sonne healed that hee had not found such faith in Israel And hee was not a Centurion onely afore he beleeued but euen afterward when Christ commended his faith yet did he not dislike his calling The like may be said of Cornelius Act. 10. All which shew plainely that vpon iust causes Christians may lawfully make warre Ob. 1. But to defend their opinioÌ„ they obiect som places of scripture as Mat. 5.39 Resist not euill saith Christ therefore say they a man may not wear a weapon nor vse a sword lest those make him to resist and so to breake this commandement of Christ. Ans. That place must bee vnderstood of
Iuda who as we may read 2. Kings 20. beeing sore sicke euen vnto death was restored to health and obtained of GOD the lengthening of his daies for the space of fifteene yeares Which wonderfull recouery hee obtained by meanes of his faith which hee shewed in time of his sicknesse by a prayer he made vnto God the substance wherof stood in these two things First beeing very sicke hee praied for the pardon of his sinnes This appeareth by his thanksgiuing vpon his recouery Isay 38.17 where hee confesseth that God had cast all his sinnes behinde his backe Now looke for what hee gaue thanks that no doubt hee had before begged of God in praier Secondly hee made request vnto GOD for prolonging of his daies for some reasons which did concerne himselfe and this hee also prayed for in faith Now the reasons moouing him to pray for longer life were these First hee had then no issue to succeed him in his Kingdome and therefore hee praied for life to beget a childe which might sit vpon his throne after him And the ground of this praier was this GOD had made a particular promise vnto Dauid and Salomon 1. Kings 8.25 that they should not want issue after them to sit vpon the Throne of Israel so that their children tooke heede to their way to walke before the LORD as Dauid did Now King Hezekiah knowing this promise had regard hereunto and building himself hereon his conscience bearing him witnesse that hee had walked before the Lord vprightly hee praies for issue to succeed him and for that cause he desires strength of body and length of daies This appeareth notably by his praier 2. King 20.3 Lord saith he I beseech thee now remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart The summe of his praier is this All the kings succeeding Dauid and Salomon which walke in Gods commandements shall haue issue to sit on their thrones after them Now from hence he praies thus Oh Lord I haue walked before thee in truth and sincerity of heart and hereupon the conclusion followes grant me issue to sit vpon my throne after me and therefore life and health to accomplish the same Secondly he praied that he might liue to glorifie God in that weighty calling wherein God had placed him ouer his people This appeareth likewise by his thanksgiuing vnto the Lord vpon his recouery where hee saith Isay 38.20 â—he Lord was ready to saue me therefore wee will sing my song all the daies of our life in the house of the Lord. Thus by his worthy praier hee shewed forth his faith notably by vertue whereof beeing sicke vnto death hee obtained of the Lord the prolonging of his daies for the space of fifteene yeares And so we see to whom this seauenth effect of faith is to be referred Here we are taught a speciall duty for the recouery of our health in the time of sickenesse to wit before wee vse the ordinary meanes of Physicke wee must according to this example first put our faith in practice by humbling our selues for our sinnes past confessing them truely vnto God and praying for pardon from a resolute purpose of heart to lead a newe life and also by intreating health of God and his good blessing vpon the meanes which we shall vse for our recouery Thus haue other of Gods seruants done beside Hezekias When Dauid was grieuously sicke the principal thing he did was this practice of faith in humbling his soule before God for his sinnes and intreating earnestly the pardon of them as we may see Psa. 6. 38. This is the principal thing which in those Psalms is propounded of Dauid And so the Apostle counsels Iam. 5.14 15 Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and what must they doe Surely first pray for him and then as the custome was in those daies anoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord. And the praier of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp againe and if hee haue committed any sinne it shall be forgiuen him And here we must be admonished to beware of the bad practices of the world in this case the most men in their sickenesse first seeke to the Physicians and if that faile them they send for the Minister This was King Asa his practice for which hee is branded to all posteritie that beeing diseased in his feete hee sought vnto Physicians and not vnto the Lord 2. Chron. 16.12 though otherwise hee had good things in him as 1. King 15.14 And many do farre worse who seeke to witches and inchanters when they or theirs are in such distresse but this is to forsake God and to seeke help of the diuel like to Ahaziah who sent to Baalzebub the God of Ekron to know of his recouery when he was sicke vpon a fall 2. Kings 1.2 This should be far from all Gods children for as Ahaziahs sickenesse became deadly through his sending to Baalzebub so vndoubtedly many diseases become incurable by the bad and preposterous dealing of the Patient who either vseth vnlawfull meanes or lawfull meanes disorderedly or trusting therein Wee therefore in this case must remember our duty in the practice of faith as Hezekiah did The eight fruit of faith is this Waxed valiant in battell This effect may well bee vnderstood of all the Iudges before named and of all the good Kings in Iuda and Israel But yet there be two especially to whom wee may more peculiarly referre it to wit Samson and Dauid For Samson he by meanes of faith came to be so mighty Iudg. 15.15 that with the Iawe bone of an asse he slew a thousand Philistims And for Dauid he likewise was so incouraged by faith that with the same sling wherewith he kept his fathers sheepe which was but a slender weapon for warre hee encountred with Goliah that huge Philistim and hit him with a stone in the forehead and slew him Both these facts were the fruits of their faith which made them bolde to encounter with these mighty enemies In this effect of their faith first wee may obserue that true fortitude and manhood right valour and courage comes from true faith It must bee graunted that many heathen men had great strength and courage but indeed it was but a shadow of true valour for right valour coms from a beleeuing heart And therefore it is said that these Iudges and Princes of Israel waxed strong in battell by faith Secondly Doth true faith make men valiant in battell Then should the preaching of the word bee set vp and maintained as well in the Campe and Guarison and among Souldiers on the Seas as in Cities and Townes of peace For the preaching of the word is the meanes of this faith which giues valour in battell to them that fight in a good cause Hence it was that the Lord inioyned by Moses that when the people of Israel went out to battell the Priests
comes to passe simply without his will howsoeuer many things bee done against his reuealed will yet without his absolute will can nothing come to passe Hee worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will doing himselfe those things that bee good and willingly permitting euill to bee done by others for good ends But what did God here prouide foresee for vs Ans. A better thing that is God in his eternall counsell prouided a better estate for his Church in the newe testament than he did for beleeuers in the olde Hence we learne that as God hath his generall prouidence whereby he gouerneth all things so also hee hath his speciall and particular prouidence whereby in all things hee prouides and brings to passe that which is best for his Church For in the olde testament God prouided that for his Church which was meete for it But considering that the Church in the new Testament in som respects was to haue a better estate than the Church in the olde testament had therefore he prouides for it a better state And looke as in his eternall wisdome he foreseeth what is best for all estates and times so in his prouidence doth he accomplish and effect the same For vs. That is for the Church in the newe testament where note that Gods Church and the state thereof in the new Testament is better than it was in the old before the comming of Christ. The holy Ghost here speakes this plainely and therefore we need no further proofe therof Qu. How should it be better with the Church now thā it was then Ans. True it is that God gaue the couenant of grace in the beginning to our first parents in Paradise the summe whereof was this The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head And this couenant did God renue and reuiue vnto his Church from time to time in all ages vnto this day Both circumcision and the Passeouer were seales of this couenant as well as our Sacraments bee so that in substance they differ not the free gift of grace in Christ belonged to them as well as vnto vs. The beleeuing Iewes in their Sacraments did eate the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke with vs as the Apostle witnesseth 1. Corinthians chapter 10. verse 3 and beleeuers then obtained the same eternall life that wee doe now by faith And yet if wee regarde the manner of administring the couenant of grace in Gods Church vnto the people of God Heerein doth the Church of the new Testament farre surpasse the Church of GOD in the olde and indeede heerein consists the preheminence of the Church vnder the Gospell which stands in fiue things especially First in the olde Testament spirituall and heauenly were propounded vnto the Church vnder temporall and earthly blessings This is plaine by Gods dealing with the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob for the Lord promised vnto them the temporal blessings of the Land of Canaan vnder which hee signified the gift of life euerlasting in the Kingdome of heauen But in the new Testament life euerlasting is plainly promised to the beleeuer without any such type or figure Secondly in the old Test. Christ was shewed signified vnto them in ceremonies rites and types which were in number many and in signification some of them dark and obscure but now these types and ceremonies are abolished the shadowe is gone and the substance come and in steade of darke signes and figures wee haue two most plaine and sensible Sacraments More plainely the couenant of grace in the olde Testament was sealed by the bloud of Lambs as signes of the bloud of Christ but now to his Church in the new Testament Christ himselfe hath sealed his Testament by his owne bloud Thirdly in the olde Testament all the knowledge they had was in the Law and their vnderstanding in the Gospel was obscure and very slender but in the new Testament not onely the Law is made manifest but also the supernaturall knowledge of the Gospell Fourthly the Law was onely committed and published to one nation and people but the Gospell is spred and preached to all the world And lastly the Church in the olde Testament beleeued in Christ to come but now the Church beleeues in Christ which is already come exhibited in all which respects the Church in the new Testament doth exceed the Church of the olde Now where the Text saith God prouided a better thing for vs we must not vnderstand it of all these prerogatiues but onely of the first and last touching the actuall exhibiting of Christ in the flesh as Christ also imports Luke 10.23 24 Blessed are the eyes which see that ye see for I tel you many Prophets and Kings haue desired to see those things ye see and haue not seene them Which things we must vnderstand of the incarnation of Christ. And that this is such a prerogatiue to the new Testament appeareth by olde Simeon who when hee had seene Christ in the Temple as it was promised to him sang vnto God this song Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation as if he should say I haue now Lord liued long enough let mee now depart in peace seeing now I haue seene thy Christ my Sauiour where wee see hee makes it a matter of full contentment vnto his soule which the beleeuers vnder the Law saw not Hence we must learne our duty for if our state be now better then the state of the olde Testament was and if wee enioy priuiledges denied to Gods ancient seruants before and vnder the Law then vndoubtedly we ought to striue to go before them in grace and obedience for euery mans accounts shal be according to his receites He that receiues fiue talents must make account to returne moe than hee that receiues two where GOD is more aboundant in his mercy there he lookes for answerable thankfulnesse and obedience Wee goe beyond the auncient Church in fiue things and therfore we must stirre vp our hearts to be answerable in grace and obedience going beyonde them But if for all this wee come short of them in these things then surely our case is fearefull and our punishment shall be the greater for they that had lesse prerogatiues shall be witnesses against vs if they goe beyonde vs in obedience That they without vs might not be made perfect that is might not be fully glorified Heere is the reason why Christ was not exhibited in their dayes Indeede all true beleeuers before Christ were iustified and sactified and in soule receiued to glory before vs yet perfected in soule and body both they must not be before vs but wee must all be perfected together Now his will herein hee bringeth thus to passe All must be perfected in Christ But he will not haue Christ to come and suffer till the fullnesse of time came in these last dayes Heb. 1.2 as
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
sinnes and the infusion of inward righteousnesse standing in hope and charity especially And the second wherby of a good man one is made better and more iust and this they say may proceede from the merite of a mans owne workes of grace and hereby they hold a man stands righteous before God But looke how it standes with grace in vs in this life so likewise shal it stand with the same graces at the last day if they bee imperfect now and so not able to iustifie vs before GOD they shall also be found imperfecte then to that purpose and effecte But now they are imperfect as hath beene shewed and therefore cannot then stand for our righteousnesse vnlesse we will imagine that God will then accept of an imperfect Iustice. Wherefore their Doctrine is erroneous a doctrine of all terrour and desperation for who dare aduenture the saluation of his soule vpon his owne righteousnesse Wee denie not but that God accepteth of our sanctification yet not as the matter of our iustification vnto life that onely is the obedience and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ accepted of God for vs and made ours by faith for that alone is aunswerable to the rigour of the Law Thirdly this also sheweth the errour of those who hold that concupiscence or originall sinne is not a quality but an essence or substance liuing and subsisting by it selfe For here wee see a plaine difference betweene a mans body and soule and originall sinne that compasseth them else the holy Ghost would not bid vs to cast off this sinne for that which is of the substance of man cannot by man bee cast off And to make this more plaine we must knowe that in man descending from Adam there be three things 1. The substance of his soule and body 2. The powers and faculties in them both 3. The corruption or bad disposition in those powers and faculties whereby a man is vnconformable to the will of his Creator and prone to that which is euill And this third thing is it which is here spoken of different from mans substance and faculties and so is not a substance in man or mans nature corrupted but an ill disposition therein Fourthly hence also wee learne what a regenerate man doth most feele in himselfe namely originall sinne the corruption of his nature for that hangs on fast and hinders him in the practice of all good duties This Paul knew well and therefore confesseth that hee saw another Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the Law of sinne which was in his members Rom. 7.23 This caused him to leaue vndone the good which he would haue done and to do the euill which he would not doe Verse 19. And Dauid felt the same thing when he saide I will runne the way of thy commaundements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Why doth Dauid speak of the enlarging of his heart Surely he felt in himselfe this originall sinne which did streicten his good affections so as hee could not put them forth so much as hee would toward the Law of God And when hee saith Psal. 51.12 Stablish me oh Lord by thy free spirit he would giue vs to vnderstand that by originall corruption hee was restrained of his Christian liberty and hindred in all good affections holy actions and heauenly meditations which causeth him to pray for liberty and freedome by the spirit So that it is plaine the seruant of God feeles this corruption clogging and hindering him from all good duties 1. This serues to admonish all secure persons which neuer felt sinne to bee a clogge or burthen vnto them of their fearfull and dangerous estate For to euery childe of God originall corruption is a grieuous burthen Now conferre with a natural man and aske him what imperfections and wants he feeles in himselfe his answer is he neuer was hindered by any corruption in all his life he neuer felt doubting or want of loue either to God or to his brethren he feeles no pride of heart no guile or hypocrisie nor vaine-glory c. If wee take these men vpon their words they are Angels among men but indeede they are blinde and ignorant and wonderfully deceiued by Satan for all Gods seruants in this life doe continually bewaile the corruption of their nature crying out against originall sinne that it hinders them in doing the good things which they would doe and causing them to doe that euill which they would not These men therefore that are neuer troubled with corruption but to their owne thinking haue grace at will are in a fearefull case their mindes are still blinded and their hearts hardned they are dead in sin abiding in darknesse vnto this houre And if they goe thus on to death they shall finde that sinne will vnvizor himselfe and then they shall knowe what sinne meanes and finde the terrour and feele the burthen of it when it is too late like the foolish virgines that knew what the want of oyle meant when the doores were shut Secondly this shewes vnto vs what is the state and condition of the childe of God in this life He is not heere a Saint feeling no corruption perfectly sanctified freed from all sinne but such a one as feeles the burthen of corruption hindering him in his Christian course vnder which hee sighes and groanes labouring by all good meanes to bee disburthened and to cast it off It is indeede a matter of great comfort for a man to feele Gods graces in himselfe as faith loue repentance sanctification and such like but no childe of GOD can alwayes or alone feele the comfort of grace most commonly hee shall be troubled with sinne if he be Gods childe Now if feeling it hee dislike himselfe and striue to bee eased of it this is a sure argument of his happy estate Fiftly this commaundement to cast away sinne that presseth downe teacheth euery childe of GOD to labour earnestly for the gouernment and direction of Gods spirit for wee haue within vs originall corruption that like an armed man besets vs about and hindereth vs in euerie good thing wee take in hand Wee must therefore pray vnto GOD daily that hee would guide vs by his good spirit for by reason of the corruption of our nature and the deceitfulnesse of sinne wee shall vtterly faile vnlesse Gods spirit gouerne vs both in the thoughts of our hearts in the words of our mouthes and the actions of our liues This Dauid knew well and therefore prayeth to the Lord for his good spirit to leade him into the Land of Righteousnesse Psal. 143.10 Lastly seeing wee haue this corruption of nature in vs wee must keepe our hearts with all diligence and set watch and ward about them So Salomon saith Counterguard thy heart my sonne Prouerbs 4.23 Why doth Salomon giue this commandement Surely for special cause for euery man while he liues on earth is compassed about with his owne corrupt nature which like a