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
of it The author and first deuiser For Noah made not this Arke of his owne head but as we heard before he was warned of God to doe it And hee was the first practicer for God himselfe performed all those seruices vnto Noah in the Arke else it had neuer saued him This being so It is the more griefe to see that worthy calling so abused and debased as it is the most of them that practice it being profane vngodly and dissolute men Such men should remember God made the first ship and God was the first Master and the first Mariner the first Pilot the first gouernour of a ship and they should labour to be like him This is one of those fewe callings which may say God himselfe was the first deuiser and practicer of it All callings cannot say so why then should they so farre forgette whom they succeede Indeede vppon the seas and in distresses they will make some profession of religion but let them come a-shore what swearing what whoring what drunkennesse amongst them But let them be afraid to be so profane which hold the place which once God himselfe held or else let them know they are vnworthy of so good a calling And thus we see the reason and the meanes how the Ark could saue him and his houshold namely because God did gouerne it In the next place obserue the end and vse of the Arke It was to saue this holy man and his houshold Learne here that Gods seruants in common calamities haue safety For God himselfe giueth them security and prouideth deliuerance Thus was it euer When God proceedeth in iudgement against Hierusalem for the sinnes thereof hee marketh the godly in their foreheads namely such as mourne and cry for the abhominations which are done against God Ezech. 9.4 When Sodome must be destroyed righteous Lot and his family must be drawen out nay the Angell can doe nothing till he be safe Genesis 19.16.22 When the destroying Angell went ouer the land of Egypt and destroyed the first borne in euery house of the Egyptians the Israelites dwelling amongst them hee past ouer all the Israelites whose doores were sprinkled with the bloud of the Paschall Lambe Exodus 12.13 And euen so hee whose heart and soule is sprinkled with the bloud of Iesus Christ the Lambe of God no calamity can do him hurt nay when others are smitten he shall be deliuered The vse of this doctrine is to our Church and State Wee haue by Gods mercy long enioyed Peace and the Gospell and both vnder a gracious gouernment and with these manie other blessings Yet speake truth and the sinnes of our times call for a floud as in Noahs time and sure a floud of tribulation must come one way or other For this was alwaies the state of Gods Church now peace now persecution Peace abused causeth trouble and calamities Therefore as we haue so long had peace and ease so assuredly looke for a floud what it will be or when knoweth no man onely he who will send it the righteous and almighty God How then shall wee doe when the floud of tribulation is vpon vs There is no way but one Beleeue in Christ Iesus settle thy heart in true faith repent of thy sinnes get Gods fauour and forgiuenesse and then when the floud comes Gods prouidence shall affoord thee one way or other an Arke of safetie and deliuerance Sprinkle thy soule now with Christes bloud by faith and true repentance and the destroying Angell of Gods wrath shall passe ouer thee and thy houshold Thirdly obserue the largenesse of Gods bounty Not onelie Noah shall be saued but with him his houshold also Why the Lord did so there be diuers reasons First for the Propagation and multiplication of the world after the floud If any obiect Noah and his wife might haue serued for that end I answere they were olde for hee was 600. yeeres olde when the floud came and though hee liued 300. yeeres after the floud Genesis 9.28 Yet reade wee not of any children that he had If any further obiect The first world was begun and multiplied by two alone Adam Eue no more why then should there be so many for the beginning of the second world I answere God did so in the beginning to shew that all mankinde came of one bloud Acts. 17.26 and that in regard of body or birth there is no difference originally betwixt man and man which also was obserued euen in the second beginning For though the world was multiplied by three brethren Shem Cham and Iapheth Yet those three were not strangers but all sonnes to one man Noah so that as at first by Adam and Eue so after from Noah and his wife came all men in the world But in the beginning of the second world there must needes be more lines then one because now the blessed seede was promised whose line and kindred must needes be kept distinct frō all other vntil his incarnation Againe there was more cause now why the world should be speedily replenished then at the beginning For first the earth had some glory and beauty left it after the first curse so that it was still a most pleasant and delightfull habitation to Adam and Eue. But now by the second curse in the floud all her beautie was gone she and all her glory was ouerrunne spoyled and defaced so that it had beene a miserable habitation for Noah and his wife if they had beene without company Secondly the earth being much defaced and the vertue of it almost quite perished by the floud had now more neede to be recouered by the hands and helpe of many mens labours And to this purpose the Scripture saith Gen. 9.19 10.32 that the earth was diuided amongst the three sonnes of Noah And they liued not all together but ouerspread the earth And least the beasts which then were many should ouergrowe the world therefore God would haue the earth speedily replenished to that end Noah his wife had neuer a seruant in the Ark but only such as should haue children their 3. sonnes and their wiues And thus the multiplication of mankind is the first cause why God saued Noahs children The second cause It is likely that as himselfe was a righteous man so they of his family were more orderly and religious then others of that wicked Age for good men make conscience of teaching their families as Abraham Gen. 18.18 And seeing Noah is commended for a iust good man doubtlesse he did carefully instruct his houshold therefore it is to be supposed that all or the most of them were holy and righteous persons fearing God Thirdly though all of them were not righteous yet they were all of the family of righteous Noah and therfore for his sake they were saued all being his children or his childrens wiues For the righteous mā procureth blessings not on himself alone but on all that belong vnto him dwel with him or are in his
liue by faith in all our actions from one day to another meditating daily on Gods promises and beleeuing them and relying on them and applying the generalls to our owne selues and practicing faith by making conscience of sinne and inuring our selues to patience and long suffering Thus doing we shall be children of faithfull Abraham who first by faith left his owne Country and then by faith also dwelt still in the Land of Canaan And thus much for the action of his faith Hee abode in the Land of Promise Now followe the circumstances of the action which are two 1. The manner how 2. The Persons with whō The manner is laid downe in two points 1. As a stranger 2. As one that dwelt in tents The first point for the manner is laide downe in these words As in a strange Country The meaning is he esteemed it a strange Country to him and accounted himself a stranger in it Against which it may be obiected that he was familiarly acquainted with Mamre Aner and Eshcol three great mighty men of that Country then he they were confederates together Gen. 14.13 therfore it seemes he liued not like a stranger in the Country Some answere that these three were not Cananites but neere a-kinne to Abraham and had other names but the Text is plaine in that place that Mamre was an Amorite and the other two were his brethren Therefore the answere is that in all likelyhood they three were Proselites and that by Abrahams godly perswasions they had renounced Idolatry and were come to the knowledge of the true God and that they ioyned with Abraham in the worship of the true God and so were his conuerts whereupon Abraham as he might lawfully conuersed with them as his familiar friends And hereof there are two Inducements First it is said Gen. 14.13 that they were confederates with Abraham and it appeared so by their deedes for they ioyned their powers and assisted him in the warre against the the Kings Gen. 14.24 Secondly it is said Gen. 14.13 That Abraham dwelt on the Land of Mamre he was his Tenant or Farmour Now it is more then likely Abraham would not haue so farre beene beholden to them but that they were true Christians and of his owne religion Therefore this hinders not but hee might be a stranger notwithstanding vnto the body of the people and that it is true that Abraham saith of himself vnto some of them Gen. 23.4 I am a stranger and Soiourner amongst you But it may be then demanded Why did Abraham liue amongst them as a stranger and in that Land as a Soiourner I answer the reasons were diuers First he had title giuen to that Land but no possession he therefore contented himselfe with that that God gaue him and chalenged not any possession all the dayes of his life but bought or borrowed of Mamre the place where he liued and dwelt Gen. 14.13 and of the Hittites a place of buriall Gen. 23.3 c. This may teach all men not to be too hasty in seeking for that that it may be is their right let not men prescribe their owne times nor be their owne caruers but leaue their affaires to Gods disposing and enter no further then they see God goeth afore them Abraham must be a stranger in his owne land and thou sometime must be content for a time to be a stranger to that which is thine owne Secondly they were all of them for the most part heathen Idolaters amongst whom Abraham would not conuerse but as sparingly as might be Now if Abraham would be a stranger in his own Country rather then liue familiarly with Idolaters It sheweth how little faith and lesse conscience they haue who can be content to liue in the midst amongst Idolaters where they haue nothing to doe and can conuerse with them in all familiarity without any scruple of conscience Abraham made himselfe a stranger at home to auoide Idolatry but they will make themselues at home in a strange Country to intangle themselues in Idolatry these men will hardly proue the children of Abraham These reasons Abraham himselfe had in this his so doing There is a third a more spirituall or mysticall reason and that reason God had in making Abraham liue in Canaan as a stranger Namely to teach all Christian men their duty to the worlds end Abraham is the Father of the faithfull Rom. 4.11 And this is our honour to be the children of Abraham we must therfore follow our Father in his faith and in the practice of it we must liue in this world as Pilgrimes and Strangers euen in the midst of all our peace prosperity of all our liberty riches lands and possessions yea of all our friends worldly acquaintance If it seeme strange how this can be I answere the practice of it consists in six actions First we must not bathe our selues in the pleasures of this world Pilgrimes take but little delight in their iourneyes because they thinke themselues not at home This is S. Peters argument Dearely beloued as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule 1. Pet. 2.11 For too much delight in fleshly pleasures smothers the grace of God in vs and le ts loose all sinnes and giues life vnto all corruptions Secondly we must vse this world as though we vsed it not that is euen the necessary comforts delights thereof they be the very words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7.31 For so the Pilgrime when he passeth through a strange Country hath not his minde troubled with looking or thinking on the goods or cōmodities of that Country where he is but vsing as much thereof as is necessary for him all his thoughts are on his owne Country So should we when we are in our best estates in our greatest iollity in the midst of our wealth and abundance of pleasures cast our mindes from them haue our thoughts euen then conuersing in heauen where is the place of our abode This is likewise the Apostles exhortation Philipp 3.20 Worldly men make their belly their God that is drowne themselues in carnall pleasures so farre as they forget any other God any other heauen But we must not doe so our conuersation must be in heauen from whence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Thirdly wee must haue a serious care and endeuour to please God for all the earth is his and wee are but soiourners in his sight therfore as the Pilgrime is carefull to please the Lord of the Country by whose leaue he trauels through it so must we be to please the Lord seeing as God saith Leuit 25.23 The land is his and we are but strangers and soiourners with him And hereunto adde a fourth which is neere a-kinne vnto it We must cast all our care on God seeing that he is Lord of the earth we are but Pilgrimes and Soiourners Dauid saith Psal. 24.1 The earth is the Lords and all that therein is
friends or childrens bodies cast into the earth to feede wormes burnt by fire or eaten by fishes reason saith they are gone they can neuer be againe We haue Gods word and assured promise The dead shall rise with their bodies shall they rise Esay Wee must therefore beleeue it if we will be of the faith of Sarah God said to her Age and barronnesse shall haue a childe she beleeued it He saith to vs Dust and rottennesse shall liue againe nay hee hath often said it and shall not our faith acknowledge the voice of our God and beleeue it as she did But let vs come to personall promises as hers was for this is generall God hath promised grace and pardon to euery penitent and beleeuing soule yet no man is partaker of the sweetnesse hereof without the bitternesse of many temptations to the contrary giuing him occasions of doubting and often euen of despairing of Gods fauour What must a man doe in this case euen beleeue though he feele no reason why to beleeue and hope aboue hope Such was Abrahams and Sarahs faith And for it as they were registred in the Storie of Genesis so both here and in the Romanes Chap. 4. remembred againe and commended for it Now suppose that thou after thy comming to God by faith repentance fall into temptations of desertion wherein to thy feeling Gods heauy hand wrath hath seized on thee the diuell layeth thy sins to thy charge tels thee thou art a damned wretch for thou wert euer an hypocrite and neuer hadst faith that therfore God is thy enemy In this case wherein in reason or in feeling there is not the least hope of saluation what must thou doe despaire God forbid For that is the downfall into hell No but hope when there is no hope keepe faith when there is no feeling And to strengthen vs herein remember the faith of Iob tried and sifted so as fewe haue beene who though the arrowes of the almighty stucke in him and the venome thereof drunke vp his spirits Iob 6.4 Yet euen then he beleeued and would not giue ouer nor let goe his hold and said Though thou bring me to dust yet will I not forsake thee no though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee So in the furie of temptations when the venome of Gods wrath seemes to drinke vp our spirits then must we beleeue and in the pangs of death when God seemes ready to kill vs then must wee trust in him In such cases is the life of faith to be shewed when reason and feeling say God is a terrible Iudge faith must say he is a mercifull Father In our health and welfare and feeling of Gods fauour this exhortation may seeme tedious but if wee belong to GOD if it be not past already the time is sure to come when this doctrine will bee needefull for the best of vs all Thus we see the excellencie of this womans faith which is the more commended by reason of these two so great hinderances Now follow the effects of her faith which are diuerse some laide downe in this verse and some in the next Receiued strength to conceiue seede And was deliuered of a childe In these words are two effects First by power of her faith shee was inabled to conceiue which afore she did not though there were the same reasons in nature why she should Secondly shee was deliuered of a childe in her olde age and that childe was Isaac who is therefore called the promised seede and the childe of the promise Out of the consideration of these two we may learne diuerse good instructions for seeing they are so neere a-kin in their natures wee will speake of them both ioyntly together First here we may see that nothing is so hard or difficult which God hath promised but faith can compasse it and bring it to performance Christ bâ—d the blinde see the lame to goe he spake they beleeued and they were healed So here God promiseth a barren olde woman a childe shee beleeueth and loe she conceiueth and brings forth a Sonne The vse of this doctrine is for two sorts of people First many in our Church being ignorant when they are moued to learne religion answere Alas they are simple or not booke-learned or they are dull and heauy witted or they be olde and weake and therefore they can learne nothing or if they doe they cannot remember it But heere is nothing but vaine excuses For they want not wit to learne religion if they haue wit to buy and sell to knowe a faire day from a foule good meate from ill deere from cheape Winter from Sommer If they haue wit to practice the ciuill actions of the world they haue wit enough to conceiue the grounds of religion and to get so much knowledge as may suffice for a ground of that faith which will saue their soules So that they want nothing but grace and diligence to vse the meanes To them therfore here is matter of good aduice Let such a man learne but one promise of God out of the holy Scripture as this Seeke first the Kingdome of God and all things else shall be giuen vnto you Math. 6.33 or this Cast all your care on him for he careth for you 1. Pet. 5.7 or this He that coÌ„meth vnto me I cast him not away Iohn 6.37 or but this Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde Math. 7. Let him learne but one of these when they haue learned it beleeue it and let their soules daily feede on that faith And they shall see what will followe euen a wonderfull blessing vpon that poore beginning This their faith will so content and please their hearts that it will vrge them forward to get more and will make them both desirous capable of more knowledge and grace and will make them euen hunger and thirst after knowledge and grace whereas he that knoweth no promise nor beleeues it contents himselfe in ignorance and errour And this shall euery one finde that will carefully vse the meanes that God appoints and will begin to learne but one lesson at the first For as olde barren Sarah beleeuing Gods promise conceiues and brings forth So olde simple plaine dull Country-men beleeuing but one promise of Gods word shall conceiue and bring forth daily more and more blessed fruites of knowledge and grace Secondly others who haue made better proceedings in religion doe see their sinnes and doe much bewaile them but they cannot ouercome their corruptions yea many there are to whom their sinnes and inward corruptions are more greeuous and burdensome then all bodily wants or miseries in the world yet see they not how to conquer their corruptions but alas are oftentimes foiled by them to their great discomfort Let these men know the want of faith is the cause hereof for that they doe not sufficiently ruminate and consider the promises of God made in that behalfe nor vse the meanes
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
to receiue Gods commaund and to goe at his call These be the significations of the Passe-ouer which wee must remember to make good vse of in the course of our liues And thus much of the first branch of this act of Moses faith in ordaining the Passe-ouer The second branch of this worke is this And the effusion of bloud that is the sprinkling of the bloud of the Lambe vpon the posts of their houses and vpon the doore cheeks which was a token to the Israelites that the destroying Angell should not strike the first borne of the Israelites either man or beast In mans reason this may seeme to be a weake simple meanes yet God ordaines it to preserue all the first borne among the Israelites And thus the Lord vseth to deale that his people through the weakenesse of the meanes might be brought to acknowledge God to be their protectour and defender When the Israelites were stung with the serpents a man would haue thought it had beene the best way for their curing to haue giuen them cunning Surgeons but the Lord ordaines onely a dead serpent of brasse which they must looke vp vnto and be cured A weake meanes it was and yet the Lord vseth it because hee would haue them to giue all the glory vnto him and not to ascribe the same either to themselues or to the meanes Further this sprinkling of the bloud vpō the doore cheeks and the posts of their houses had a notable signification namely of the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ vpō the doors of our hearts to which Peter alludeth 1. Peter 1.2 Through the obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ. And Dauid when he saith Sprinkle me with Hisope and I shall be cleane Dauid knew well that the bloud of beasts could not take away sinne and therefore no doubt by his sauing faith he had an eye to the bloud of the Messias vnder legall tearmes Whence we are taught this lesson that as the Israelites with their bodily hands did sprinkle the bloud of the Paschall Lamb vpon their doore cheeks the posts of their houses so by the hand of faith euery one of vs must sprinkle the bloud of Christ vpon our owne hearts which we shall then doe when we doe not onely in generall beleeue that Christ is a Sauiour and Redeemer but particularly that hee is a Redeemer vnto vs and that the merits of his death and the benefit of his bloud are ours Obiect But some will say If this be so then all is well for I doe beleeue this Answer Heerein very many deceiue themselues thinking that they haue faith when indeede they haue none For looke vnto their wayes and see into their hearts by their liues and it wil easily appeare that they haue nothing in them but ignorance security presumption in sinne Now such men are deceiuers of their owne soules for after this sprinkling followeth sanctification and rising from dead workes to newnesse of life so that they that liue in sinne and yet say they haue faith deceiue themselues For if a mans heart be sprinkled with the bloud of Christ through faith it will change his life conscience and make him a new creature for Christes bloud is a cleansing and purifying bloud insomuch as where it is truly sprinkled it certainly cleanseth Hebrewes 9.14 And thus much of this ceremonie of sprinkling Now followeth the end of both these actions in these words Lest he that destroyed the first borne should touch them Let vs examine the words in order First by the destroyer is meant the Angell of God as wee may see in the Storie Exod. 12.19 who at midnight smote all the first borne of Egypt both of man and beast Where by the way wee may take a view of the wonderfull power and strength of Gods Angels and also of their admirable swiftnesse and readinesse in doing the will of God that in one night euen at midnight one of them could passe through the Land of Egypt and kill all the first borne of man and beast in euerie place of the Egyptians The like we may see in the destruction of Senacheribs host by one Angell in one night The first borne that is both of men and beasts So it is in the Story Exod. 12.29 But being so it may not vnfitly be demaunded How this Passe-ouer could be a Sacrament when as euen the beasts of the Israelites had benefit by it for they were spared by reason of this sprinkling of the blood of the Paschall Lamb Answer That hindreth not why it should not be a Sacrament For wee must consider this Passe-ouer two wayes First as a meanes of temporall deliuerance and so the beasts had benefit by it Secondly as a signe and seale of our spirituall deliuerance from hell by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God Iesus Christ which is the thing signified and so it is a Sacrament for mans saluation and thus the beasts had no benefit by it The water that flowed from the rock in the wildernesse was a Sacrament and the beasts drank of the water but yet they did not partake of the Lords Sacrament for wee must consider that water two wayes first as a meanes to quench thirst and consequently as an outward benefit to preserue the life of the creature so the beasts had a benefit by it but cōsider it as a signe seale of the water of life and so their beasts had no benefit by it but onely the belieuing people It followeth Should touch them Here is the very vse and ende of both the former actions That the angel might not hurt them but passe by the Israelites houses Here consider a notable point concerning Christ the true Passeouer namely that they which haue their hearts sprinkled with his blood shal be preserued from euerlasting damnation and not onely so but hereby they shall haue deliuerance from all temporall iudgements in this life so farre forth as they are curses hurtful vnto thē So we may read before the destruction came to the city of the Iewes the angel of God went through the citie with a writers ink-horne to set a marke vpon those that did mourne and crie for their sinnes And Dauid saith the righteous man standeth vpon a rocke so as the floods of many waters shall not come neere him This is a point of great vse and the consideration hereof should mooue all persons that haue beene carelesse in religion now to become carefull and desirous to haue their hearts washed in the blood of Christ those also which haue any care must haue double care hereof for they haue freedome and securitie both in temporall and eternall iudgements Obiect But many of Gods deare children are taken away in common iudgements Answ. True but yet they are neuer hurt thereby but the iudgement and affliction is sanctified vnto them because they haue their hearts sprinkled with the blood of Christ. And as for those
hitherto intreated Now here and sâ— forward to the end of this chapter is set downe a third order of examples of faith namely of such as liued from the time of the giuing of the Law to the time of the raigne of the Maccabees This 30. verse containes the first example of this ranke namely the example of Iosuahs faith of those that went with him into Canaan And their faith is commended vnto vs by a notable fact of theirs the causing to fall the walls of Iericho the History whereof we may reade at large Iosuah 6. The summe of it is this Whereas the Israelites came vnto Canaan and could not enter into the Land by reason of the strength of Iericho by which they must needs passe nor could win it by reason of the huge walls of Iericho the Lord promiseth to deliuer Iericho into their hands onely the people must doe this they must compasse-about the walls seauen daies carie the Arke of the Lord with them sounding with Rammes hornes and showte and so the walls should fall downe Now the Lord hauing made this promise vnto them the Israelites and specially Iosuah obey his commaundement and beleeue his promise and thus doing by faith the walls of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed-about seauen doyes Indeed the power of GOD was the principall cause of this ruine of the walls but yet because vpon their beleeuing GOD shewed this power therefore is the downfall of them ascribed to their faith Here are many notable points to be learned 1. Whereas the Text saith By faith the walls of Iericho fell downe wee may obserue the wondeâ—full power of true faith Iosuah and the Israelites beleeued Gods promises that hee would ouerturne the walls of Iericho and as they beleeued so it came to passe So our Sauiour Christ saith Matthew 17.20 If a man had but as much faith as a graine of mustard-seed he shall say vnto the mountaine remooue hence and it shall remoue and nothing shall be vnpossible vnto him signifying that by the power of true faith such things as are impossible to mans reason shall be brought to passe if God haue promised them as we see in this place the mighty walls of Iericho fall downe by faith which to mans reason is impossible So the Lord promised to Abraham That he should be the Father of many Nations yea that all the Nations of the earth should be blessed in him This was strange but Abraham beleeued it and as hee beleeued so it came to passe for many Nations descended from him and after the time of Christes ascension when all the Nations of the world were called to the light of the Gospell they were blessed in Christ the promised Seede of Abraham and therefore is hee called the Father of the faithfull in all Nations And to come vnto our selues To miserable men it may seeme a strange thing that the power of the diuell and the strength of the flesh should be ouercome in vs yet let a man beleeue this promise of God God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that who so beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3.16 I say let him beleeue this effectually and hee shall finde by faith the Kingdome of sinne Satan in his heart and conscience weakned euery day more and more And therefore S. Iohn saith not without cause This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith 1. Iohn 5.4 2. Here obserue that among the causes of the change ouerthrowe of Townes Cities Kingdomes this is one namely faith in Gods promises Many men haue written of the change of Kingdoms do giue diuers reasons therof But most of them omit the principall and that is faith by vertue whereof many times Kingdomes and Townes are brought to ruine and ouerthrow God promised to Abraham to his seed that he would giue theÌ„ the land of Canaan for their inheritance now they beleeued this promise heere wee see it comes to passe as they beleeued Iericho by faith is ouerturned the rest of their Cities the people of CanaaÌ„ dispossessed So that we see faith in Gods promises is a means to Gods people to ouerturn cities kingdoms that are enemies to Christ and to his Gospell God hath made a promise vnto his Church that the whore of Babylon Reuel 18.2 that is the Kingdome of Antichrist shall flourish for a while but after it shall be destroyed yea such a ruine shall come vnto it that the Kings of the earth and all great men and Marchants shall bewaile the destruction thereof Now this promise being receiued by faith and beleeued of Gods Church shall vndoubtedly come to passe It is in some part verified already for we see some Kingdomes and people haue renounced the cursed Doctrine and tyrannie of Rome and many Christian Princes haue alreadie shaken off the Popes yoke yea and this promise shall come to passe daily more and more Let all the Kings of that sort doe what they can and let the people set themselues neuer so much against Gods Church yet Babylon shal downe for God hath promised so to his Church and his Church beleeueth the same and therefore by their faith it shall be brought to passe in despite of the diuell Thirdly here we learne that when any City Towne or Kingdome is to make warre either in defence of themselues or in lawfull assault vpon their enemies a speciall meanes for good successe heerein is true faith Christian policie is a commendable thing in this case but if policy be seuered from faith it is nothing Faith in Gods promises of protection and assistance doth farre surpasse all worldly wisedome And therefore good King Iehosaphat when he was to fight against the huge Armies of the Moabites and Ammonites giues this counsell to his people 2 Chron. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured Beleeue his Prophets and ye shall prosper giuing a most notable instruction and shewing that the best help for our defence is faith in God whereby we rest vpon his word and promise that hee will helpe vs yet this taketh not away the vse of meanes but it giues the blessing and efficacie vnto them Faith wee knowe is called a shield among the spiritual armour of God whereby a man awards the blowes of Satan and though that be the principal vertue of it yet is it also a notable shield to defend men euen against their outward visible enemies a most strong engine aginst theÌ„ to work their ouerthrow Hence Dauid saith He will not be afraid for tenne thousand of the people that should beset him round about They therefore that would defend themselues against their enemies yea and ouercome them in lawful assault must embrace obay true religion with Christian policy ioyn faith in Gods promises for by faith we make God our Captain throgh him we shal do
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
owne strength But when we are assaulted by the diuel the world and our owne flesh then we shal find that to resist is a harder matter then we dreamed of for as possible as it is for water to burne or fire to put out it selfe so possible is it for vs of our selues to resist sin insomuch as it is a thousand to one but that at euery assault our nature yeelds Now if it be so hard to rule ouer one sin how shal we do against that sea of temptations that ouerwhelmeth a Christian life this doctrine teacheth thee how namely to stick to thy faith and it wil doe it for thee for if it be the substance of the things thou hopest for which yet neuer were much more wil it yeeld vnto thee spirituall strength substance to make thee stand in all temptations When thou art tempted then call to minde Gods promises beleeue them that is apply them to thy selfe and be resolued that they were made shall be performed euen to thee theÌ„ though thou haue no more power of thy self then fire hath to cease to burne yet whilst thou doest thus thou shalt feele thy soule spiritually strengthned against all temptations feeling the experience of this deny theÌ„ thine own strength magnifie the power that God hath giuen vnto true faith Againe though now we are most of vs quiet vnder our owne vines and figtrees yet we know not how soon the hand of the Lord may be vpon any of vs in pouerty sicknesse imprisonment banishment losses famines or how it pleaseth him how shal a poore Christian stand and buckle himselfe to beare these I answer true sauing faith resting on the word of God beleeuing the promises not formally but truly wil put such substantiall spirituall strength into him as that at first though he bow vnder it yet shal he be able to recouer himself again buckle himself to go forward in his profession shal follow Christ manfully with this his crosse This wonderful power hath God giuen to sauing faith both to resist temptations and to vndergoe all crosses And thus much of the first action or effect of faith the second foloweth VERSE 2. For by it our Elders were well reported of THis verse containeth the second effect of sauing faith which is that faith is a meanes whereby a beleeuer is approued of God This verse hath speciall relation to the fift verse For that that is said here of all the Elders in generall is there affirmed specially of Enoch namely that hee was reported of to haue pleased God Let vs first search the true meaning of the words Elders That is all such men as liuing vnder the old testament beleeued in Christ amongst which though all be vnderstood yet some were more excellent in faith obedience then others so more honorable and of higher estimation with God and men and of them it is specially vnderstood Now concerning these Elders it is further said that they were well reported of hereby are meant three things 1. That God approued and allowed of them 2. That God did approue of them because of their faith in the Messias 3. That God gaue a testimony and declared that hee approued of them For the 1. it may be asked How were they approued of God Ans. Christ the sonne of God is he in whom the Father is well pleased Now they beleeuing in Christ their sinnes were laid on him and made his by imputation and contrariwise his holinesse obedience and satisfaction were imputed to them and by the same imputation made theirs Now that being theirs God being so well pleased with Christ could not but also for Christs sake approue of them If this seeme hard vnto any I make it plain by this comparison Looke as Iacob a yonger brother puts on Esaus garment the elder brother in it was takeÌ„ for Esau obtained his fathers blessing patrimony which by himselfe he could not haue got euen so we are as younger brethren Christ is our elder brother we haue no right nor title to our fathers blessing nor to the kingdome of heauen wee must put on the robe of perfect righteousnesse which is the garment of Christ our elder brother we standing clothed with 〈◊〉 purchase our fathers fauour and with his fauour his bleâ—â—â—ng and his blessing is the right and title to euerlasting life And thus by Christ they were approued Secondly for what were they approued The text saith By faith not because faith is an action of a sanctified minde and a good grace of God for so are humility loue feare of God al which are graces of the sanctifying spirit as faith is but because it is a worthy instrument in the heart of the beleeuer which apprehends and applieth to the soule that righteousnesse of Christ by which he is iustified thus it being the hand and instrument of their iustification by it it is said they were approued 3. The text addeth that God did not onely approue of them but that he testified and made it manifest to all the world that he did so And this testimony God gaue of them 1. In his word 2. In their owne consciences The truth of the first is manifest in that not onely in this chapter but often also in the old testament God hath mâ—de such honourable mention and giuen such honourable titles vnto many of these Elders calling Abraham the friend of God 2. Chron. 20.7 And Dauid a man after Gods own heart â— Sam. 13.14 and them all his anointed and deare chosen children Psalm 105.15 Thus God hath testified of them in his word 2. God testified it to their owne consciences in that hee gaue them his spirit inwardly to assure their coÌ„sciences that he did accept them in the Messias to come and thus these elders receiued a testimonie both outward to all the world inward to their consciences that God in Christ approued and loued them so the sense is plaine the vse hereof manifold 1. In that it is said these Elders were approued by faith here wee learne what is the olde and ancient way the right and straight way that hath no by-wayes to life euerlasting namely this only To rely on the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sin this is the way wherein all the ancient Elders walked to heauen this is the way that God hath opened made vnto his Court it is the Kings high way the beaten way common to euery one that knowes how to walke in it deceiued none that euer went in it beside which there is no other Seeing then God hath consecrated it our Elders haue trode this way before vs let vs folow them that so we may attain that kingdom wherto it hath brought them If any yet doubt whether this be the way or no the spirit of God puts it out of doubt Esay 30.21 First affirming peremptorily This is the way Secondly bidding vs therefore walke in the same This is
though they all haue their seuerall commendations in the word Yet of none of them all is it saide in the whole Scripture as it is heere said of faith that without it it is impossible to please God And no meruaile for it is the roote and ground of all other graces and giues them their life and being for therefore doth a man feare God therefore doth he loue God therefore is he zealous for Gods glory because hee beleeueth that God loueth him in Christ the redeemer Now then if faith be thus necessary then it followeth that those that liue in ignorance and so haue no sound faith but a foolish presumption are in a miserable case for how-euer they may flatter themselues with conceites of their deuotions and good meanings and good intents it is faith with which they must please God and nothing can without it It stands them therefore in hand to lay-off ignorance and presumption and labour for a sound and sauing faith and that will bring them to the fauour of God And againe as for such as haue receiued grace to beleeue seeing faith is of such necessitie and that they hauing faith must needes haue knowledge they therefore must looke and examine by their knowledge whether their faith be a sound faith or no for herein many that haue knowledge deceiue themselues and thinke they haue true faith when they haue not Now if any man would knowe whether his faith be sound and sauing or no It is knowne by this If it purifie the heart for so saith S. Peter That God by faith did purifie the hearts of the profane and filthy Gentiles If then thy faith doe not purifie thy heart and cleanse thy life and cause thee to abound in good workes it is no sound nor sauing faith it is but a generall faith it is but an historicall knowledge and cannot saue the soule hee therefore that vpon examination of his heart and life findeth his faith to be such let him not content himselfe but turne his generall faith into a sauing faith which in this world will purifie his heart and at the last day will saue his soule And this must euery man the rather doe because what knowledge or what other gifts of God soeuer any many hath without faith in Christ all are nothing for it is faith that seasoneth them all and makes both them and the person himselfe to please God Secondly if it be impossible without faith to please God then here wee see the fond and foolish hypocrisie of the world who will please God by other meanes some thinke if they be glorious in the world either for their wealth or their wit or their honour or their authority or their learning they presently bring themselues into a fooles Paradise and because the world makes account of them and they please themselues therefore they thinke it certaine they must needes please God But alas though all the world admire them and they be neuer so farre in loue with themselues He that sits in heauen laugheth them to scorne For not all the pompe and glory nor all the millions and mountaines of gold in the world can please the Lord for one of the least of their many thousand sinnes wherewith they haue prouoked him Let these men aske Nabuchadnezzer if his pompous pride or Achitophel if his actiue head and crafty wit or Absalom if his golden lockes or Iezabell if her painted face and courtly attire or Naball if his flockes of sheepe or the Philosophers if their naturall learning if all of these or any of these did euer please God Nay alas they all haue found and felt that without faith it is impossible to please God Thirdly it is the opinion not of the Turke alone in his Alcaron but of many other as ill that euery man shall be saued by his owne religion if he be deuout therein be hee Turke Iewe or Christian Papist or Protestant But this is a ground and rule of Atheisme and appeares here to be most false for no saluation without pleasing of God and without faith it is impossible to please God therfore no religion can saue a man but that which teacheth a man rightly to beleeue in Christ and consequently to please God But euery religion teacheth not to beleeue in Christ some not at all and some not aright and therefore it is impossible for such a religion to saue a man Againe be a man what hee can be vnlesse he be within the couenant of grace he cannot be saued But hee cannot be within the couenant but by faith therefore no man can bee saued by any meanes but by true faith nor in any religion but that which teacheth true faith Here therefore not onely Turkes and Iewes are excluded but this also sheweth many Papists and many carnall Gospellers in our Church how short they come of that religion which must saue their soules For this is the conceite of the most men that if they doe some good workes which carie a faire shew to the world as liberality to learning or charity to the poore straight they thinke they haue leaue to liue as they list and God is bound to forgiue their sinnes and to giue them heauen and this they imagine though they knowe not what it is to beleeue in Christ or to repent of their sinnes One of this religion came to the Prophet Micha in his dayes and asked him this question vttring that plainely which all such men thinke in their hearts Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the high God shall I come before him with thousands of Rams and tenne thousand riuers of oile Hee makes the question and would faine make answere himselfe nay hee goeth further and offers more Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression and the fruite of my body for the sinne of my soule But the Prophet answers him shewing him his follie and how little God regards such workes without a contrite heart Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and walke with thy God Marke how that answere fits this example of Henoch Hee pleased God he walked with God and was taken away So answereth the Prophet if thou wouldest please thy God and come to heauen by his fauour neuer stand vpon thousands of Rams and Riuers of oile vpon thy gay and glorious workes but humble thy selfe and walke with thy God No walking with God saith Micha no pleasing of God what is it but all one as if hee had said Without faith it is impossible to please God Here then is no disallowance of good workes but of workes without faith and true repentance which though they be neuer so faire and flourishing yet is it impossible that without faith they should please God Hereby it is also manifest that all the vertues of the heathen and the workes of such men as either knowe
holy and frequent vse of Gods word and Sacraments and to none else And surely if the Papists were as well acquainted with the spirit of God as they are with their owne forged reuelations they would neuer denie it By force of this testimonie a Christian man knoweth as assuredly as that God is God that the Pope as now he is and as hee exerciseth his place and power cannot be the true Vicar of Christ And that Poperie as it is now established by the Councell of Trent and taught by the most learned of their side cannot be the true religion nor the safest way to heaueÌ„ And when question is what is the meaning of this place there is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus If all the world should say the contrary a Christian man will know and beleeue there are no more Mediatours to God but Christ or of that place that Christ was offred for our sinnes once for all that ther is no sacrifice can purchase vs pardon but his let Papists colour the matter by vnsound distinctions as much as they can the same might be shewed in diuers other points and places And if any aske how this can be I answere Noah was warned of God of things not seene So Gods children are warned and assured of God of such things as concerne their saluation though they be things beyond sense and reason Gods secrets doe belong vnto them The vse of exhortation is that if God warne his children of his Will reueale his secrets to them this should moue and excite vs to become truly and indeede Gods seruants for we serue not a Lord that is strange and austere vnto vs that will not giue vs a good looke or a faire word nay hee is so farre from that that he calls vs to his holy Counsell and makes vs knowe his secrets and communicates his owne selfe vnto vs by his blessed Spirit and by that Spirit reuealeth vnto vs many excellent mysteries of saluation which the carnal and profane men of the world neuer dreame of In the second place let vs obserue that Noah being thus warned of God in this particular matter as he had beene formerly warned taught of saluation by a Messias to come beleeueth not onely the generall promise of saluation but also this particular promise of his preseruation and deliuerance Out of which his practice we may learne two things First that faith is a supernaturall worke of God in those mens hearts that haue it That it is a worke of God it appeareth in that it alwayes acknowledgeth and beleeueth Gods word that it is supernaturall it appeareth in that it apprehendeth and beleeueth whatsoeuer Gods word deliuereth be it neuer so incredible to reason or sense But how doth God worke this faith By his word for as God is the author and worker of faith so God hath appointed a meanes whereby he workes it and that is his Word which word of God is the onely ordinarie outward meanes to worke faith And that word of God is two wayes to be considered either as reuealed by God himselfe as to Noah heere or else being written by God is either preached by his Ministers or read by a mans selfe in want of preaching and these are all one and are all meanes ordained of God to work faith and that not onely to begin it where it is wanting but to augment it where it is begun Which being so it must teach vs all not onely with speciall care and reuerence to heare the word by whomsoeuer it is preached but also to heare it read yea to reade it our selues with all diligence So doing it will worke out and make perfect in vs that holy faith which will make vs blessed in our selues and accepted of God as it did Noah in this place Secondly heere wee learne what is the whole Obiect of faith or what is all that that faith beleeueth namely nothing but Gods word and all and euery word of God So that faith hath two obiects differing not in nature but in degree principall and inferiour The principall obiect of true faith is the promise of saluation by Christ. The inferiour obiect thereof are all other particular promises of safety deliuerance prouidence helpe assistance comfort or what other benefit soeuer is made either to the whole Church and so inclusiuely to any particular man or which are personally made vnto him For sauing faith beleeueth not onely the graund promise of saluation but all other promises either of spirituall or corporall blessings which are subordinate to the great Promise and doe depend of it and are therefore apprehended by the same faith So Noah heere had alreadie apprehended the maine Promise of saluation by the Messiah and had hid it in his heart and afterward when this particular promise of his deliuerance was made by the same faith he laid hold on it also And it is good reason that faith should doe so for if it apprehend the greater promise then no maruell though it take hold of all other inferiour promises which are but dependances vpon the principall By this that hath beene saide it appeareth that wee are wrongfully charged by them who say we teach that sauing faith beleeueth onely saluation by Christ or apprehendeth only the promise of saluatioÌ„ in Christ for we say teach It apprehendeth also other particular promises euen the promises of outward and temporall blessings as appeareth in this exsample of Noah Lastly in that Noah a faithfull man is heere warned of God of the dangers ensuing that so he may auoid them we may learne the louing care that God hath ouer them who haue a care to feare and serue him Thus dealt hee with his children in all ages for their comfort and preseruation to encourage all men to serue God in truth and vprightnesse as here Noah did for so doing they may assure themselues of Gods care and prouidence ouer them euen then when his wrath smokes against the sinnes of the world and that furthermore in all exigents and extremities hee will â—each them either from his word or by the counsell of some others of his children or else by his owne secret inspiration what they are to do and what course to take for their safetie and deliuerance How often shall a Christian man finde in the course of his life that God put into his minde to answere thus or thus or to foresee this or that by which his so doing he escaped som great danger so that though not in the same manner as Noah was all faithfull men do daily finde that they are warned by God of such things as doe concerne them But what were those things whereof Noah was warned from God The text saith Of the things which were as yet not seene This hath not relation to the time when the holy Ghost wrote these words but when God gaue the warning to Noah for then they were not seene but were to
or abrogater of the law but the fulfiller of it as the abrogater of the Ceremonial so the fulfiller of the Morall law If he fulfilled the Law for whom was it not for himself For as the Messiah was not slain for himself Dan. 9.26 so he obayed not the Law for himselfe For whom then for all that beleeue Therefore Christ doing it for them they fulfill the Law in Christ and so Christ by doing and they by beleeuing in him that doth it doe fulfill the Law Now if it be not amisse to say We doe in Christ fulfill the law No more is it to say Wee are made righteous by Christes righteousnesse though it be his and not ours but onely by faith Let vs then see in the second place what the Church of Rome obiect against it They first obiect thus As a man cannot be wise by another mans wisedome nor rich by another mans riches nor strong by another mans strength So can he not be righteous by another mans righteousnesse I answer The comparison is not alike For one man hath no propriety in another mans wisedome strength or riches but we haue a right and proprietie in Christes righteousnesse Againe the wisedome of one man cannot be the wisedom of another because they are two persons fully and equally distinct but it is not so betwixt Christ and a sinner for euery beleeuer is spiritually and yet truly and really conioyned to Christ and they make one mysticall body Christ being the head and euery true beleeuer being a member of that body and therefore that which is his righteousnesse may be also truly ours His because it is in him and ours because we are knit to him For by reason of this mysticall vnion betwixt him and vs all blessings of saluation in him as in the head are diffused into vs as his members or branches yet are as properly still in him as is the braine in the head of a man And thus though in sense and reason this cannot be yet by faith and Gods spirit the righteousnesse of Christ is made ours Secondly they obiect If this be so then God iustifieth wicked men but God will not doe so it is against the nature of his holinesse and Iustice. And againe hee that iustifieth the wicked is abhominable to God Prou. 17.15 therefore God will not doe so himselfe We answere The ground is good but the collection is vntrue God will not iustifie a wicked man that is true but that therefore a man cannot be iustified by Christs righteousnesse is false For God doth not iustifie him that lieth rotting in his former sinnes and weltring in his olde corruption but him that beleeueth in Christ and repenteth of his sinnes And that man in his faith is iustified and in his repentance sanctified and so he is made a new man yea as S. Paul saith He that is in Christ is a new creature 2. Corinth 5.17 For as it is in the first conuersion God turneth nor saueth no man against his will but first makes him willing by his owne work alone and then conuerteth and saueth him with his owne free will working together with Gods grace So is it in the work of Iustification God iustifieth no wicked man but makes him first iust and righteous in and by Christ and then accounts him so But then will some say the sinner hath no righteousnesse but that of Christs and that is in Christ and not in himselfe therefore he hath none in his owne person how then can he be any thing but a wicked man still I answer that is not true that is first affirmed The beleeuing sinner hath more righteousnes then that that is in Christ. That which iustifieth him is in Christes person But the sinner when he is iustified is also sanctified by the mighty work of Gods grace and so he is made a holy man and doth good and holy workes because he is in Christ though his sanctification be imperfect To this end saith S. Peter Acts 15.9 Faith purifieth a mans heart for it is impossible a man should beleeue and so be iustified but hee must also be sanctified in his heart and life Thus a sinner is iustified by Christs righteousnesse inherent in Christ himselfe and sanctified by Christs righteousnes diffused from Christ into the sinner And therfore his Iustificatiō is perfect because that that iustifieth him is still in Christ but his sanctification imperfect because that that sanctifieth vs is in our selues the one imputed to vs the other infused and inherent Againe I answere that if we take it in the sense of Scripture It is true that God iustifieth a wicked man For S. Paul saith Rom. 4. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnesse See God iustifieth the vngodly but how euen as we heard before not him that is vngodly after but afore he be iustified him that by nature and in himselfe is vngodly God iustifieth by working in him faith and repentance by which of an vngodly man he is made a man iustified and sanctified Their last obiection is If a sinner be righteous by Christs righteousnesse then Christ is a sinner by his sinnes for ther is the same reason of both But Christ is no sinner but the holy of holiest and S. Paul saith He knew no sinne 1. Cor. 5. and himself for himselfe chalengeth his enemies Which of you can reproue me of sinne If then our sins cannot make him a sinner no more can his righteousnesse make vs righteous I answer Here we graunt all if they speake the words of the Scripture in the sense of the Scripture for Christ was a true and reputed sinner in the sight of Gods Iustice as hee that becomes surety for another is a debter in his roome or as he that vndertakes for a man body for body must answer for him his owne body for his so in all reason and iustice Christ though hee had no sinnes of his owne yet being our surety and vndertaking for vs and standing in our steade our sinnes are iustly accounted his And as for these places many more like they are all vnderstood of personall sins from all which and the least contagion thereof he was perfectly free And therefore the same place that saith He knew no sin that is in for his owne person knew not what sinne was saith also that for vs in our stead he was made euen sin it selfe that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Thus Christ in himselfe more righteous then all men Angels In our steade is a reputed sinner and by the same reason we most vnrighteous in our selues are clothed with Christs righteousnesse and thereby are reputed righteous And as Christ though no sinner in himselfe by being a sinner in our steade and hauing our sinnes imputed vnto him became subiect to the wrath of God and bare it euen to death it self So we though not
righteous of our selues yet hauing Christs righteousnesse imputed to vs are made thereby partakers of Gods loue and for the worthinesse of that righteousnesse of his so made ours shall be glorified in heauen And thus now at last we haue found that true and that only righteousnesse which can make a man as it did Noah righteous in Gods sight Now it remaines to make vse of it First here wee learne how foulely our nature is defiled with sinne and stayned with corruption the staine whereof cannot be washed away with all the water in the world no nor with the bloud of all creatures no not couered with the righteousnesse of all men and Angels but onely with the righteousnesse of God And that sonne of God also if he will apply that righteousnesse vnto vs and make it effectuall must become man and liue and die and rise againe for vs. A meruailous thing is it and â—orthy of our often consideration that all the Angels and men in the world cannot make one sinner righteous but that Gods sonne must needes doe it And that our sinnes are so hideous as nothing can hide the filthinesse thereof from the eyes of Gods Iustice but onely the glorious mercy seate of Christs righteousnesse This may therefore teach vs how to esteeme of our selues and our owne natures Furthermore See here the great goodnesse of God to man God put perfect legall righteousnesse in Adams heart in his creation he receiued it for himselfe and vs and lost it for himself and vs. God in mercy purposing to restore man thus by himselfe lost and cast away giues him another and a better righteousnesse then before But because he saw man was so ill a keeper of his owne Iewels he trusts not him with it but sets that righteousnesse in the person of Christ Iesus and commits it to him to keepe Who as he truly knowes the full value and excellencie thereof and as he deerely loues vs So he will most safely keepe it for vs and clothe vs with it in his Fathers presence at the last day A point of vnspeakable comfort to Gods children to consider that their saluation is not in their owne keeping where it might againe be lost but in a safe hand where they shall be sure to finde and haue it when they haue most need of it and to remember that their righteousnesse being in Christ they cannot lose it For though they sinne and so lose often the comfort of a good conscience for a time yet they then lose not their righteousnesse which is then in Christ and to consider that when in this world they sustaine losses or iniuries or lose all they haue vpon the earth that yet their righteousnesse the riches of their soules is then in heauen full safe in Christs keeping and shall neuer be lost This should make vs learne to know Christ more and more and to giue him the loue and affections of our very hearts that so we may be able to say with blessed Paul 2. Timoth. 1.12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day Lastly if there be such a communion betwixt Christ and a beleeuer that our sinnes were made his and his righteousnesse made ours This may teach vs patience and minister vs comfort in all outward afflictions or inward temptations because it is certaine all our sufferings are his and hee is touched with all the wrongs done to vs. When hee was in heauen he calls to Saul Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and at the last day Math. 25.45 Whatsoeuer either good or euill was done to any of his children he saith was done to himselfe and accordingly it shall be rewarded as done to him And thus wee haue taught that true righteousnesse which iustifies a sinner and made Noah righteous and we see the vse of that worthy doctrine And in this first point we haue the longer insisted because it is one of the fundamentall points of Christian religion Hetherto of the first point namely what that righteousnesse is which is here spoken of The 2. point to be coÌ„sidered in these words is that this righteousnesse is that righteousnesse Which is by Faith It is so called because faith is the proper instrument created in the soule of man by the holy Ghost to apprehend that righteousnesse which is in the person of Christ nor can it be any waies else either apprehended or applied and therefore it is worthily called that righteousnesse which is by faith that is which by faith is made a mans owne or whereunto a man hath title by his faith Here therefore two points offer themselues to our obseruation 1. That true faith apprehends properly this true righteousnesse 2. That onely faith can doe it For the first it is proued by apparant euidences of Scripure S. Paul tells the Galathians 3.14 They receiued the promise of the Spirit by faith And S. Iohn saith That as manie as receiued Christ to them hee gaue power to be called the sonnes of God And least any man should thinke that to receiue Christ is not to beleeue in Christ he addeth Euen to as many as beleeue in his name Iohn 1.12 And therefore faith is fitly compared to a hand that takes hold on a garment and applieth it to the body being naked or to a beggars hand that takes or receiues a Kings almes so faith in a mans soule takes hold on Christs righteousnes which is the mercifull and liberall almes of the King of heauen and applieth it to the poore and naked soule of the beleeuer If any man aske how can faith apply Christ to the beleeuer I answer as a man being in his corrupt nature hath nothing to doe with Christ So contrariwise when the holy Ghost hath wrought faith in his heart by a supernaturall operation then wee are to know that as faith is the proper instrument to apprehend Christ So is Christ and his righteousnesse the proper obiect for faith to work vpoÌ„ For though it apprehend apply all other promises which God makes to our soules or bodies yet most properly and principally and in the first place it apprehends the promise of saluation and the righteousnesse of Christ. Now for the particular manner how faith doth thus we are to know that though it be spirituall inuisible and so not easily expressed to sense yet is it done as properly by faith as a garment is by the hand taken and applied to the body or a plaister to a sore If any aske further But when may a man know whether his faith haue apprehended and applied Christs righteousnesse to his soule or no I answere when hee beleeueth particularly that Christes righteousnesse is his righteousnesse and hath reconciled him to God and shall iustifie him in Gods presence then doth faith worke his true and proper worke for this cannot be done but by faith and where faith is this must needes be done
some lesse because some are greater and some lesser than others Whence this rule may be set down that when 2. Comm. of God crosse one another so as a man obeying one breakes another then a man must preferre the greater As for example this is Gods Comm. Honour God commanded in the first table Again the 5. Comm. saith Honor Parents Magistrates Now if parents or magistrates cōmand any thing the doing wherof would dishonor God being contrary to the first table then the 5. Comm. giueth place vnto the first and a man must rather disobey magistrates and parents than dishonour God for the maine duties of the first table take place before the maine duties of the second And therfore Christ saith If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple meaning that if father or mother wife or childrē would drawe vs frō God we must hate them rather then disobey God Againe a commandement ceremoniall and a commandement of loue and mercy concurre together and it so falleth out that they should be both kept and cannot in this case therefore the ceremoniall Law of the first table must giue place to the Law of Charitie and Loue in the second table Because the ceremonies are the inferiour duties of the first but charity and mercy the principal duties of the second table for example the Lord inioyneth vs in the fourth cōmandement to rest on the Sabaoth day Now it falls out that my neighbours house is on fire vpō the Sabaoth day whether then may I labour with my neighbour that day to saue his house Answ. I may for the strict obseruation of rest on the Sabaoth day is a ceremonie but the quenching of fire in my neighbours house is a work of mercy and a maine duty of the second table and therfore must take place before a ceremonial duty of the 1. table Thirdly God hath giuen vs ten commandements containing all ordinary duties both of piety and of mercy yet if God giue vs a particular and speciall commaundement contrary to any of the ten that must stand and the ordinarie commaundements must giue place and yeeld vnto it as for example the second commaundement forbiddeth any man to make any grauen Image yet Moses by a speciall cōmandement made a brasen serpent in the wildernesse to be a figure of Christ. So the sixt cōmandement Thou shalt not kill is an ordinary cōmandement and bindeth the conscience of euery man to obay the same yet God comes with a special cōmandement to Abraham saith Abraham kill thy son therefore the ordinary commandement of the 2. table giueth place for the time And so goe all the cōmādements thou shalt do thus thus vnlesse God cōmand otherwise for God is an absolute Lord and so aboue his owne Lawes hee is not bound vnto them but may dispence with them and with vs for the keeping of them at his will and pleasure And thus was Abraham warranted to sacrifice his Sonne namely by vertue of a speciall and personall commaundement to himselfe alone But if Abraham had not had this particular commaundement the sacrificing of Isaac had beene vnlawfull and abhominable for the killing of a man is a hainous sinne much more is the killing of a mans owne sonne without a speciall commaundement for that is against nature and therefore the Lord by Ieremie doth seuerely condemne the Iewes for burning their sonnes and daughters in sacrifice Ier. 7.31 without any warrant from him though it may be they would pretend their imitation of Abraham in the sacrificing of Isaac yea and to shew his detestation of that fact he changeth the name of the place calling it the valley of slaughter verse 32 and in the new Testament it is vsed to signifie hell Math. 5.29.30 And because this sinne is so odious it is rather to be thought that Iephte did not kill his daughter in sacrifice to the Lord as some thinke hee did especially being a man commended for his faith by the holy Ghost but hereof we shall speake when we come to his example verse 32. Thus we see Abraham had ground for this fact to doe it by faith euen Gods speciall commaund But here it will be said that Abraham did not offer vp his sonne indeede for though he had bound him and laid him on the Altar yet when he lifted vp the knife to haue killed him the Angell staid his hand and suffered him not Gen. 22.11.12 How then can it be true which is here said that he offered him vp for the writer of a Story must make true reports but it seems the writer hereof is deceiued in the very principall point affirming Isaac was offered when in truth he was not Answer God is the Author and inditer of this Storie and in Gods sight and estimation he was offered though not in the worlds and therefore it is so said in regard of Gods acceptance because Abrahams purpose was to haue done it and if hee had not beene staide hee had done it Where we note a point of speciall comfort to wit that God in his children and seruants doth accept the will for the deede so S. Paul saith 2. Corinth 8.12 If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not speaking of their releeuing of the poore he telleth them that GOD regardeth not so much a mans worke as the heart wherewith hee doth the work And therefore the poore widowe in the Gospell Luk 21.3 is saide by our Sauiour Christ to haue cast more into the treasurie though it were but two mites then many rich men that cast in great aboundance more in heart not in substance This serueth to stay the heart of many a man that is found bruised in conscience for seeing his weake obedience and the greatnesse of his sinnes past he begins to call his election into question now what must a man doe in this case Answer Surely he must goe on forward in obedience and endeauour himself to continue therein and then though he faile many times through infirmity yet for his endeauour GOD will accept of him and be pleased with the same This doctrine is very comfortable to a distressed conscience but yet it must not make any man bolde to sinne for many abuse this Doctrine and say that though they liue in sinne yet God will accept of them for they loue GOD in their heart But they deceiue themselues for this mercifull dealing of God in accepting the will for the deede is onely towards those that endeauour themselues sincerely to leaue their sinnes to beleeue in God and to walke in obedience but such as flatter themselues lying in their sinnes God will not be mercifull vnto them Deut. 29.19.20 Here further it may well be demaunded How Abraham could take Isaac and binde him and lay him on the altar to haue
that God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This is Gods promise and it shall neuer be changed Now therefore howsoeuer my case be heauie and desolate yet God is able to comfort me and to bring my soule out of hell and from this case of desperation therefore though he kill me I will trust in him and I will vse all holy meanes whereby I may ouercome this hard and grieuous temptation So if it shall please God to call vs to suffer any thing for the name of Christ and his holy profession flesh and bloud we know is weake and Nature will make this obiection that life is sweete what course therefore shall we take we must doe as Abraham here doth vnto the certainty of Gods promise we must adioine his power and reason thus God hath made this promise that he will be with them that suffer any thing for his owne names sake and I knowe that hee is able to deliuer me and though he will not yet he can make me able to beare it therefore I will patiently suffer and abide whatsoeuer his holy hand shall lay vpon me Thirdly is a man so troubled with some sinne that he cannot get out nor ouercome it Then also let him set before him this fact of Abraham and vnfainedly endeuour to doe heereafter For that which is past let him labour to beleeue this promise of God At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne hee will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance And for the time to come being first resolued that God can inable him to leaue his sinnes let him striue by good meanes to leaue his sinne auoiding the occasions of it and praying against it and this will be as a cable-rope to drawe him out of the pit of sinne This course wee must take and this doe in euery hard case that shall befall vs. And thus much of the meanes whereby Abraham induced himselfe to obey God The third and last reason whereby Abrahams faith is commended vnto vs is the issue and euent thereof in these words From whence he receiued him also after a sort From whence that is from death After a sort or as it may be read in some shewe This is said because Isaac in the thought and purpose of Abraham was but a dead man for Abraham was fully resolued with himselfe vpon Gods commaund to haue sacrificed him yea hee had gone so farre as to put the sacrificing knife vnto his sonnes throate and had slaine him indeede had not the Angell of God staid his hand and therefore when the Angell said Lay not thy hand vpon the childe neither doe any thing to him euen then did Abraham in some shew receiue Isaac from death Here we learne diuers points 1 That whosoeuer shall rest on Gods prouidence and good pleasure euen in cases of extremitie when he shall be out of all hope with himselfe shall at the last haue a good issue This wee see to bee true by Abrahams example in this place As wee said before he himselfe no doubt had rather haue died ten thousand times than to haue Isaac slaine in whom the promise was made but yet beleeuing Gods promise that that should neuer change hee rests himselfe on Gods good pleasure and prouidence and goes on in obedience and so in the end receiued a blessed issue This is very cleerely set downe vnto vs in the History recorded by Moses For when Abraham had gone three daies iourney in the wildernesse and had built an Altar then Isaac said vnto Abraham Gen. 22.7 Father here is the fire and the wood but where is the lambe for the burnt offering Then Abraham said My sonne God will prouide him a lambe for a burnt offering Vers. 8. And thus yeelding himselfe to Gods good pleasure and prouidence he receiued his sonne againe as a dead childe restored to life So when we are in cases of extremitie when all goes against vs and when we can see no hope of any good issue or ende and all good meanes seeme to faile vs if wee can then cast our selues on Gods prouidence and rowle our selues vpon God we shall haue comfort in the ende and a good issue out of all Wee doe all of vs in word acknowledge Gods prouidence but whē wee come to the pinch that wee fall into cases of extremitie then wee vse vnlawfull meanes and doe not with Abraham cast our selues vpon God but seeke helpe of the diuell and wicked men But all such persons must looke for a cursed issue They therefore that feare the Lord beeing put to any plunge or extremitie must cast themselues vpon God wholly and waite for his good time and pleasure and then will the issue be both ioyous and comfortable vnto their soules Here some circumstances of this fact are to bee considered out of the larger story The first is this What did God vnto Abraham at this time when he was about to kill his sonne Answ. God now gaue him a commandement to stay his hand and not to slay his sonne By vertue whereof Abraham staies his hand God before commanded him to goe three daies iourney in the wildernesse and there to sacrifice his sonne Hereupon Abraham goes but now beeing come to the place hauing bound his sonne and is ready to cut his throat God bids him stay his hand and then also Abraham obeyeth God and doeth not kill his sonne Here we see Abraham is at Gods commande and as wee say at his becke Hee doeth not follow his owne will and pleasure but when God calles he is wonderfull pliable to doe Gods commaund whatsoeuer it bee one way or other This practice of Abraham must bee a looking glasse for vs wherein to see what manner of persons wee ought to be Looke what God commaunds vs to doe that wee must doe and what hee forbids vs that wee must not doe But this is a rare thing to bee found in these daies our practice generally is contrary for in our liues wee followe our owne humors and affections neuer regarding what God doth either will or nill But if wee will be Abrahams children we must follow Abrahams practice in this place For the sonnes of Abraham will doe the workes of Abraham Iohn 8.39 Good seruants will come and goe doe and vndo at their Lords pleasure and forget themselues to obey their masters And so must it be with vs if we call God our good Lord and master Luk. 6.46 The second circumstance to bee considered is the time when Abraham receiued his sonne from death to wit at the very same time when his knife was at his sons throate and he himselfe ready to offer him vp for a sacrifice vnto the Lord at that same instant God spake vnto him by his Angell from heauen and said Abraham stay thy hand Gen. 22.10 This circumstance is worth the marking for God lets
finger cut off from his place is of no vse so a man liuing out of his calling and out of his place is of no vse in the body politique Happy will it be with our Church State when we haue such lawes and such execution of them as that this disorder may be reformed euery man confined to his owne dwelling none suffred to liue in our Kingdome who is not of som Parish for let vs be assured so many wandring beggers so many blemishes in our gouernment Thirdly Abrahams dwelling in this Land being a fruite of his faith teacheth vs it is no good token but an ill signe for a man to be vncertaine in his dwelling It is the fashion of many men if they trauaile they neuer lodge at one place twise and for their dwelling it is not certain but now in the North now in the South now in this Parish now in that now in this iurisdiction now in another Sometime in the Citie sometime in the Countrey Who be these But either such as be in debt and purpose to deale ill with their Creditors or that are malefactors and heereby labour to auoide the censure of Authoritie or else they be Papists which by this meanes labour to lurke vnseene and to escape the law as many of them doe either by skipping out of one Parish Diocesse Countie or Prouince into another and so auoiding the authoritie of all or else by lurking in great Cities and so lying as Soiourners and not as Parishioners vnseene or vnmarked in so great multitudes Let our Authoritie take the more carefull notice of such men the more craftily they labour to creepe from vnder it and let such men knowe they discouer themselues the more by this practice to bee vnfaithfull either to GOD or Men or both seeing that GOD heere commendes Abraham for dwelling or staying in that place which GOD had appointed him And so much for this question Againe it may heere be demaunded How Abraham might lawfully dwell in Canaan seeing it was then Idolatrous It may seeme that therefore it is not vnlawfull for men to dwell in Popish or Idolatrous Countries I answere Abraham did not so vpon any priuate motion nor for any worldly cause but vpon speciall warrant and calling from God otherwise his so doing had not beene iustifiable therefore that practice of his cannot be a warrant for any to doe the like without the like cause and calling But how could Abraham be preserued from the contagion of Idolaters liuing amongst them I answere First God that called him thither did there preserue him Againe Abraham liued in the Country but conuersed not with the people at all but in some necessary and ciuill affaires and by this meanes hee escaped the danger of infection Where we may learne that if any man would liue in such places without hurt to their conscience let them first be sure that they haue a calling and warrant from God to liue in those Countries Secondly let them conuerse with Idolaters warily and sparingly and so shall they preserue themselues from the occasions of euill as Abraham did who abode in an Idolatrous Country and so though not without danger yet without hurt to his religion Thus wee see Abraham dwelt in the Land of Canaan Now secondly this Land is called the Land of Promise that is the Land formerly promised him by GOD when hee called him out of his owne Countrey And it is likely that the Apostle doth not heere first of all call it so but that it was knowen generally amongst the Patriarkes by that name and that Abraham himselfe did first of all so call it who when hee looked vpon it and considered the fruitfulnesse and excellency of it did euermore remember and call to minde this Land is promised to me this is mine by promise And herein he rested and satisfied himselfe though he had not the possession of it Heere wee may see the excellencie of true faith which depends vpon the promises of God though they be vnperformed A Land of promise contents Abraham hee leaues the possession to his posteritie It is hard to finde such faith in the world It is Land in possession which wee looke for A Land of promise cannot content vs but let vs labour to practice faith and to take comfort in the promises of God and leaue the performance to Gods appointed time Thirdly he dwelt in this Land by faith And no meruaile for had it not beene by faith hee would neuer haue dwelt there where he had not so much as a roome for his Tent to stand in but hee must borrow it nor to burie his dead in but hee must buy it This was against reason yet by faith hee dwelt there as afore by faith he left his owne which was also against reason Where still the power of faith is magnified to bee such as it will carie a man ouer all impediments of obedience and will giue him victorie not against one but against all obiections and power to performe not one but many things contrary to carnal wisedom Wee must heere learne to examine whether wee haue a true and sound faith or no. If wee haue then wee must not doe some one or fewe actions in faith or die in faith but wee must liue by faith the whole course of our liues Wee must walke by faith and not by sight saith the Apostle 2. Corinthians 5.7 So saith hee of himselfe Galathians 2.20 I liue by the faith in the Sonne of God he saith not hee hopes to die in that faith but he liues by it And in the former place â—e saith not wee must set a step or two but wee must walke by faith which argueth a continued action and therefore it is that Saint Peter saith Gods children are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation 1. Peter 1.5 In which words two thinges are spoken of faith the first is affirmed namely that faith preserueth a man to saluation through all hindrances either of inward temptations or outward crosses which the diuell or the world can lay in his way This preseruation is one of the greatest workes in the world and therefore it is worthily ascribed to God the power of God preserueth vs but through faith The second is implyed that therefore we must labour to keepe that faith euermore with vs which must keepe vs and to cherish and preserue that that must preserue vs to saluation Dauid was an excellent practicioner hereof no man was more tried and tossed then he yet he euer drew neere vnto God Psal. 73.28 Indeede sometime he said all men were liers but that was in his feare Psal. 116.11 And againe I am cast out of thy sight but that was in his haste Psal. 31.22 that is when the force of some passion or the violence of some temptations did carie him headlong but otherwise he euer liued the life of faith So must wee not thinke to liue in sensuality and die in faith but to