an Enthusiasme or immediate Revelation but such motives and inducements as were before recited which amounted onely to strong and high probabilities yet sufficient enough in an humble modest heart to produce Faith a certainty of adhaerence though not of evidence and this sufficient to produce acts and operations of Faith to provoke to the obedience of Faith A bruised Reed God will not break nor quench a smoaking Flax Mat. 12.20 if we have but Faith so much as a graine for a little Faith if sound is true Faith of mustard seed let the motives be what they will if this encline and promote obedience the least degree thereof is well pleasing to God he will accept without being furnished with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Armour of infallibilities and demonstration Nathaniels Faith had neither Enthusiasme nor demonstration but a Topick or Argument a paribus backed by an humane testimony or report John 1.48 and Christ approved this his Faith and rewarded it with an higher concession of grace ver 30.51 and so Christ accepted Thomas his Faith though enduced by senfible experiments John 20 28. whatsoever the instrument or beginning or motive of beleife be if that work by love and work in us a care and desire to find the truth humility in following and constancy in professing it this shall be our reasonable service of God The third Part the Prayer O Eternall Lord God in whom to beleeve is Eternall life give to us thy grace which may suppresse every motion of infidelity that there be not in us an evill heart of unbeleife and however we be not able to manage the shield of Faith yet perfect thou thy strength in our weaknesse making it mighty through thy power working in us to pull down strong holds cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowlege of God O holy Jesus the Eternall Word of the Father we beleeve thou hast the Words of Eternall Life Lord help thou our unbeleife and increase our Faith bring into captivity every thought to thine obedience that thy servants and followers may submit to thee our Lord and Master resigning our Vnderstandings to the Truth our Wills to the Goodnesse our Affections to the holinesse of thy Precepts and by Hope depending for satisfaction on thy precious promises O Immortall and all-glorious Spirit sanctifie unto us all those means and methods which are the preparatives and Introductions of Faith that they may be Instrumentall to Principle us in wholesome Doctrine to beget in us a love of the truth and obedience to thy Laws unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead and advance us to further degrees of Knowledge and spirituall Wisedom to the spirit of obsignation the confidence of hope and the assurance of thine eternall love and favour O holy blessed and glorious Trinity to whom belongeth the Kingdom the Power and the Glory throughout all Ages World without end Amen MOSES his Choice Heb. 11.24.25.26 By Faith Moses when he was come to Years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter c. MOses in his Infancy and Minority being saved and preserved by a miraculous mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in his Minority and riper Years preferred educated and advanced in Pharaohs Court when he had arrived at full maturity and strength of dayes he bethinks himself how to exercise his Princely perfections and accomplishments supposing God had been so good and gracious to him for some great and honourable ends and purposes of mercy and beleeving no better way to imploy those powers then in the service of God the interest and concerments of his Church and People and further conceiving God therefore had delivered him that he might be the Cheif and Principall Instrument of his glory in the Preservation of his Fathers House and the redemption of his Brethren according to the Flesh For By Faith c. The first Part. Q. But why should Moses desert and relinquish Pharaohs Court in which he was so Honourably Educated and Entertained Or why should he deny for so the Vulgar renders it the appellation and title of the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter who by her tender care and liberall bounty had obliged him Was it not both grosse ingratitude and great incivility thus to sleight her and her high respect Could he not at once be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter and be indeed the Child and Servant of God a Courtier and a Christian Did not Joseph the holy Patriarch before him live both magnificently and religiously in the same Egypt and enjoyed the dignities and wealth thereof And long after this was not Devout Esther Queen to Ahasuerus Daniel and his Associates Nobles to Nebuchadnezzar A. Doubtlesse had not Pharaoh and his Court been implacable and mercilesse Tyrants violent Persecutors of and incorrigible irreconcilable Enemies to the people of God Moses might still have resided in that Court and without any violence to his Religion possessed whatsoever Egypt afforded but in this juncture of time the case was otherwise to be stated then it was when Joseph Esther and Daniel had charge and command under Infidell Princes for these had liberty and opportunities to exercise their Religion to improve and manage their Royall Priviledges and immunities to the behoofe and advantage of their civill and sacred relations whereas Moses must either in a base and unworthy complyance joyn with the Egyptians to vex them whom God had wounded or in a dull sleepy security and Epicurean softnesse neglect the remembrance and afflictions of Joseph and stifle and choke that publike Spirit which God had endowed and enobled him withall for eminent and illustrious atcheivements for besides what is above mentioned Moses had sufficient Authority and Commission to enterprize and undertake the Deliverance of his Hebrew Brethren from the Egyptian Bondage a Command Call and Order from God the Lord of Lords the onely Supreme and so as Pharaohs cruelty did lessen Moses his Obligation of gratitude for he being a Publique Spirit and no pure self-lover every indignity and injury to his Brethren was so to him so Gods command did quite supersede all Obligations to Pharaoh his Daughter or Court both because they were but the Instruments of Gods providence who of Enemies made them Friends and Benefactors and so the highest Obligation was to the principall efficient God and also because a command from God to whom proud Pharaoh was but a mean Subject the Supreme of all doth null and voyd all Orders and Obedience to the Inferiour for though Religion doth not take away or disanull the tyes of Nature and Civility but rather enforce and perfect them yet where their Ruler and Offices are counter-checked by an expresse command or prohibition from God there it is Religion and Duty to wave them and observe the expresse The result then is this That if it come to this passe and point that our temporall preferments and possessions our naturall or civill
Hearts and affections with Peace that when he shall return to make inquisition for blood transgression and sin we may by him and that league and Covenant of Peace concluded with thee in him be delivered from wrath to come and for him receive forgivenesse of sins and Inheritance among them who are sanctified by Faith in him O let us not have our portion with unbeleevers nor our part with the disobedient for then we shall certainly perish but think upon us O Lord for good that we may be saved with that remnant who have their Robes washed and whitned in the blood of the Lambe who have separated themselves from the children of Belial and Table of Devills and keep themselves unspotted from the World and so both they and we may be presented in our Bodies our Soules and Spirits holy blamelesse and undefiled at the comming of our Lord. Holy God keep as from the contagion of sin and sinners preserve us in thy truth and love in the Vnity and Communion of thy one true holy Catholique Church that having the Seale of Gods Servants in our Forcheads we may cry and sing eternally Salvation to our God who fitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe Amen The CONCLUSION Heb. 11. from the 32. verse to the end of the Chapter And what shall I say more for the time would faile me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Iephthah of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets Who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousnes obtained promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons c. THe Apostle now coms to a Conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a preâ—â—â—on cutting short his Discourse and cursorily casting up the residue of the Faithfull which were to be inserted in this Catalogue even all the Succession of Beleevers who lived from the time of the Judges ruling under God in Israel till that present Age wherein he Wrote to these Hebrews nominating onely some shortly touching their works and patience intimating onely and hinting at others by their acts and sufferings by which we may guesse and conjecture at their Names and Persons And having thus compleated his Designe and Canon he gives a full Testimoniall and Certificate of approbation in the two last Verses both of these thus in the close either expressed or alluded to and of those foregoing whom he had honoured with a larger Narrative and more distinctly and aithfully insisted on and more amply commended I shall therefore here leave my former Method in the respective Observance of the Apostle and summarily and briefly run over these subsequent Examples and Presidents of Faith as they lye here in their severall order contracted and so follow his Abridgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the words following in course And what shall I more say If these Hebrews be of tractable and teachable Spirits enough is said already to establish and strengthen them in the holy Faith and what needs more then enough sufficient is said what is more is ex abundantia The time would faile me c. An Hyperbolicall expreson importing thus much So numerous is the company of the Faithfull Ancients and so many their Faithfull Actions in the holy Registery that a full enumeration of them and what is Recorded of and concerning them would exceed the bulk of an Epistolar Exhortation and Remonstrance and rise into a large and exact History These here mentioned will serve strongly to make good the Induction and thereby prove the Position Faith is the substance of things hoped the evidence of things not seen c. and therefore it is unnecessary altogether to enlarge further and therefore also take them more succinctly and compendiously Thus your Painters being to deliniate a Croude or a Thronged Multitude doe not take them whole and in full but draws them out by the Pole and presents you nothing but the tops and crowns of their Heads amassing their bulks altogether Gideon whose faithfull expedition is Recorded Judges 6. and 7. whose stratagem with the number of three hundred men struck a Panick fear into the numerous Mideanitish Army that they Fled and killed each other Baracks Prowesse and Faith was manifested That with a small inconsiderable Body he durst encounter and did totally Rout the vast and well-provided Army of Sisera King Iabins Captain Generall Iudges 4. and 5. Samson follows whose Faith was greater then his admired and renowned strength admired it was because it lay in those excrescences of his Body his Heires which in other Men are of the least use and most weaknesse Renowned it was to a Proverb and deservedly for without any offensive or defensive Weapons by his bare Arme of Flesh he tore in pieces a Lyon like a Kid Iudges 14.5.6 when his Hands were bound he brake the Cords like scorched Flax and being loosed with the law-bone of an Asse flew a thousand Men Iudges 15.14 c. when he was Beseiged and immured by the Philistines he carried away the Gates of the City with the two Posts Barr and all Iudges 16.3 and by leaning upon the two middle Pillart of the House the whole Fabrick dissolved Iudges 16.30 Iephthah is the last mentioned of the Iudges though he was before Samson as Barack was before Gideon who notwithstanding was first here nominated You may finde the History of his Resolution and Noble Attempts against the Ammonites in the defence of Israel Iudges 11. I shall referre you to the Text and leave them after a not very impertinent Digression and two Practicall Observations The Digression aimes at a Fact of Samsons and Iephtha's and depends on these following Quaeries 1. Whether Samson in that his last mentioned Enterprize was not Felo de se guilty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of selfe-murder which not onely the Rule of Faith but reason it selfe condemns as sinfull and unnaturall Arist lib. 5. Eth. cap. 11 But to wave some mens conjectures Saint Augustines Answer seems to me most cleare who accounts this inter beroica an extraordinary act proceeding from an extraordinary motion of Gods Spirit in no wise or case imitable For saith he lib. 1. de Civitate Dei cap. 21. Spiritus latenter hoc jusserat he had a secret or private Order for it And more fully cap. 26. of that Book Non humanitas deceptus sed divinitus jussus nec arrans sed obediens It was not a crime but duty in him And he adds this reason Cum Deus jubet seque jubere sine ullis ambagibus intimat quis obedientiam in crimen vocet quis obsequium pietatis accuset If God command and clearly intimates his command this supersedes the guilt and absolves it from disobedience 2. Concerning Iephtha's Vow Whether it in it selfe were rash Whether he executed this rash Vow and in the Execution thereof did sin against the Law of God This in Saint Augustines judgement is Magna ad dijudicandum difficilima Quaestio Tom. 4. quaest sup Iud. lib. 7. cap. 49. a great
THE CATALOGVE OF THE Hebrevv Saints Canonized by St. Paul Heb. 11th Further Explained and Applied Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets c. James 5.10 Take my Brethren the Prophets for an Example Ambr. l. 1. Off. c. 25. Exempla majorum proponimus quae neque obscuritatem afferunt ad intelligeadum neque ad tractandum versutias Sit igitur nobis vita majorum disciplinae speculum non calliditatis commentarium imitandi reverentis non disputandi aâ—â—â—â—ia Idem Orat. de side Resurrect Vivant Patriarchae c. Vivemus nos si gesta moresque majorum voluerimus imitari Miremur eorum praemia imitemur obsequia praedicemus gratiam Newcastle Printed by S. B. 1659. MOSES his Minority Heb. 11.23 By Faith Moses when he was Borne was hid three Moneths of his Parents because they saw he was a proper Child and they not afraid of the Kings Commandement JOsephs Death Concluded the former Part and the Saered Story of those most holy Men which the Spirit of God hath Recorded and Commended to Posterity for the space of 2368. Years for so many are computed from the Birth of the World till Josephs Death And this Second Part begins with Moses his Birth and a Narrative of the signall Providences which not long after occurred For By Faith Moses c. The first Part. As Moses his Preservation from the Tyranny of the Egyptian Edict and Inquisition Exod. 1.15 was a most eminent work of the Divine-all-ruling Providence so was it a most heroicall and Religious Act of his both affectionate and holy Parents For though Nature not assisted by any other guide will sufficiently enstruct Parents both to desire and endeavour and is therefore often found to be very ingenious to contrive wayes for the preservation of their Issue Yet Religion both sharpens those desires which threatned and apprehended hazards might either dull or divert and also seconds and backs those endeavours which might be stopped and stayed with an infidell perswasion and an unbeleeving beleife of an impossible event Nature is full of jealousies and fears and so apt to make men doubtfull and remisse Religion is made up of hope and ingenuity and renders Men clear confident and resigned For Faith in emminent dangers both superadds resolution to the scrupulous and faint wishings and wouldings of false and fearfull and also diligence and constancy to the recoyling and revolting indeavours of the same trayterous and declining nature Nature will not hold out unlesse Religion command in cheife terrors and threats in the losse of life or estate will lay her off and cow her unlesse the auxiliaries of grace be called in for assistance and when both these concur in this subordination the effect is not onely a work of Nature but an act also of Faith And this seems to be the case betwixt Moses and his Parents here affection and humanity told them they should endeavour his preservation and the way for that was by his concealement Religion goes higher and commanded them thus to doe and also assured them that what they did thus in obedience to her dictates should prosper and succeed according to their affectionate desires and inclinations Nature set forth the enterprize Faith kept it a foot Nature saith This I would doe Faith saith Goe on and prosper Nature is right set and never sayles when she is subject to the counsels and commands of Grace 2. But Faith not well grounded is either a fancy and delusion or rashnesse and presumption and therefore it was not sufficient to denominate this their concealement an act of Faith because the concealers were perswaded and therefore presumed that it would take and prove according to their expectation for a strong persuasion may be a strong and strange delusion a fantasticke Faith is but the beleeving a lye 2 Thes 2.11 unlesse also they had sufficient Motives and Arguments to bottome and found that perswasion and confidence 3. Now that Moses his Parents had such supports and grounds for their concealement we have these following enducements and considerations to evidence to us and secure our Faith that what they did was done as the Apostle here declares by Faith Look then upon this contrivance with the Eye of Faith and you will finde by searching into the rule of Faith that it was a commanded work and designe of Faith For 1. Consider it in thesi that must needs be looked on as an effect and production of Faith which hath an expresse revelation from Heaven for its foundation and Gods truth and goodnesse for its warranty and security Now Moses his Parents knew the Propheticall praedictions of dying Israel and Joseph the former recorded Gen. 48.21 the latter Gen. 50.25 and both of them relating to the Hebrews Deliverance the accomplishment whereof they fully beleeved and apprehended as approaching and drawing nigh 2. Consider it in hypothesi that the set time was come for the Hebrews Deliverance and that Moses should be preserved that he might be the Deliverer of his Brethren they had high and cogent Arguments to engage their beleife For the former They knew that Pharaohs rage was neer the height and his tyranny almost at the full and that God would declare his Power in restraining and suppressing Pharaohs Exod. 9.16.17 that it was Gods usuall Method to leade captivity captive to confound the policies of Tyrants when they seem to them most prudent and to subdue their power when they appeare most potent to themselves and most terrible to his persecuted people and withall That God was a fure and present refuge in due time of trouble Psal 9.9.10 and Psal 46. And for their confirmation besides these contemplative they had experimentall grounds For de facto God through the Religious temper of the Hebrew Midwives and the motions of compassion and common humanity in some neighbouring Egyptians had preserved many Hebrew Infants from that barbarous Massacre which Pharaoh had projected and by his cruel Edicts ordered and therefore it was very obvious for Moses his Parents from those received axiomes and attested experiments of Gods goodnesse to draw conclusions of mercy towards themselves and their tender Infant and particularly to apply them to themselves in his behalfe For the latter That Moses should be preserved for his Brethrens Deliverance besides what was contained and folded up in the generall Propositions of holy Faith Moses his Parents though we have no expresse speciall Revelation in that Record that they had had some more distinct and clear Declaration from God which St. Steven Acts 7.20 seems to report when he tells us that Moses was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the vulgar reades Gratus Deo Tremel Dilectus Deo and the Genevah enclines to this and then this expression is Argumentatively full to our purpose Thus God at Moses his Birth did represent to his Parents and they accordingly did apprehend in him somewhat extraordinary for which he would deliver and preserve him then God manifested he should be his
and hard Quaestion And therefore I shall not be Magisterially affirmative determining positively either in the negative or affirmative But I shall declare my thoughts and grounds thereof and unusquisque abundet sensu suo and let every one chuse what he judges most probable The Answer if most Voyces carry it will I suppose passe in the affirmative Yet Iunius upon this place argues That Iephthah did not Sacrifice his Daughter but onely emanicipated her and consecrated her a Nazarite vnto the Lord and so he reads the words dis-junctively Erit Iebovae aut offeram illud holocaustum it shall be Lords not and but or I will offer it c. that is as he himselfe expounds I will consecrate it to God and if it be proper or legall for a Sacrifice I will offer c. And agreeable and with consonancy hereunto he reades what we commonly render lament ad confabulandum to talke with But I conceive with submission to better judgements and with leave of that great Person in the Church of God that this exposition doth not at all acquit Jephthah from the suspition of temerity and rashnesse in his Vow but rather deeply charge and accuse him For his Vow was in generall Quodcunque as he himselfe reades it whatsoever and if so how could he have performed either part of the dis-junction if an uncleane Beast had first been represented to him after his returne not the former part of it in any sense Erit Iehovae for in his sense he could not have devoted it to God to be a perpetuall Nazarite Neither according to some others sense or rather fancies could he have immured and Cloystered it up that it should not Marry and be a perpetuall Votary of Virginity and much lesse could he performe the latter part of the dis-junction offer it for an Holocaust And the exception Si aptum fuerit is gratis dictum there is nothing in the Text to ground that conditionall clause and so by this Word whatsoever In injuriam Dei aliquid non solum illicitum verum etiam conremptibile socundum legem immundum vovisse videtur as Aug. if it be to be taken in the large extent as nothing appears to the contrary For that reason which is alledged Nobis persuadet vera illius fides c. Heb. 11. he is Recorded a Beleever and therefore we are not to beleeve any sush grosse fault of him The same Saint Augustine fully answers loco cit assuring the holy Scriptures not onely Records the Faith but the Faults of Beleevers as he instanceth and proveth also in Gideon whose fault was certainly inexcusable and yet he as well as Iephihah is in the List and Roll And thus then he resolves it Quia sancta Scriptura quorum sidem atque justitiam veraciter laudat non hinc impeditur eorum etiam peecata si qua notit oportere judicat notare veraciter For that other Reading of the Word in the fortieth Verse grant that it signifies as is pretended to parlee or to talke yet it may signifie to speake or talke of as well as talke with And so Iunius applyes it Iudges 5.11 confabulentur de justis operibus or justitias our Translation with Hieromes Narrentur justitia rehearse the righteous acts or as others Celebrate and then as the sense is good and clearer they shall speake or talke of the righteous acts not with so the construction here will be currant also they went to talke of not with that is they went Annually to celebrate and performe solemnly those Rites and Ordinances which were appointed for her Memoriall That such there were appeares from the 39. Verse and that Clause seems to declare it a perpetuall established Right or Ordinance which was not to determine with her life but was to continue after However this will mar some mens conjectures from this Reading that we never Reade in the Old Testament of any Cloystered for Virgins or that Virginity was a more Honourable or more Religious state then chast Wedlock And so I marvaile whence some of the Jewish Doctors affirme That Iephthah made his Daughter an House out of the City where he kept her recluse and shut up from all Society when as the Targum Reades it as we doe to lament and so they Interpret the Lethannoth and somtimes they Interpret the Word to speake of or report concerning and somtimes transitively to celebrate and confesse Others Reade the words joyntly as by a Conjunction copulative and. thus it shall surely be the Lords and I will offer c. or more plainly it shall be Lords I will offer c. or rather for an Offering And if this hold which is the most received Reading then we may consequently with the Targum render the Lethannoth in the 40. Ver. to lament And according to this construction it is most evident that the condition of the Promise or Vow was to offer it for a burnt Offering to the Lord Now a burnt Offering did necessarily require the Death of the thing or subject matter so offered Levit. 1. in severall Verses of that Chapter and that Iephthah did accordingly performe this Vow and observe the condition expresse termes carry it beyond all exception in the 39. Verse where it is said He did with her according to his Vow But that which to me most strongly confirmes this Opinion is Iephtha's own Declaration in the 35. ver and Profession I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot goe backe which was as much as to say My Vow is irrevocable I cannot commute it I cannot avoyd it For to take away all doubts let us remember there were two sorts of Vowes There was a singular Vow without an Anathema or Interdict and what was thus Vowed might be redeemed by an apprizement or valuation either according to the worth of the thing vowed or according to the ability of the Person vowing as you may Reade Levit. 27.1.2 c. till 13. c. And there was a more solemne strict Vow with an Anathema or Interdict seconding and attending it and for such as this there was no Redemption every such devoted must die ver 28.29 Like our Law of Mortmaine in some respects it cannot revert or returne to the first Donor or Vower upon any account And that this Vow of Jephtha's was of this latter sort is plaine for the words of the Vow Erit Jehovae the forme of Devotion by Anathema They who desire the question more fully canvassed let him consult Ludovici Capelli diatrib de vot Iephthe The Observations now follow 1. Hence we Learne how farr we are to imitate these Patternes The holy Scriptures holds forth the Faith of Gods People for our imitation yet withall shewes their faults for our caution The holy Spirit is that faithfull witnesse who approves their good deeds but will not in any wise justifie their evill Be ye followers therefore of them yet onely as they are followers of Christ Iesus In the same Mapp
life they begun not till they had well-nigh finished their course when the negotiations and transactions of State was a burden when the multiplicity of businesses had tyred them or the variety of pleasures surfetted or spent them But Moses was now in his prime most able both to undertake and under-goe weighty employments as after he did and to receive what content any worldly delight could afford at his best both to endure hardnesse and enjoy softnesse 4. From this Observation let us learn this Instruction to be wise in time to employ our choysest opportunities our best strength and vigor of body and spirit for the purchase and possession of the Eternall Inheritance God will have the prime of our years devoted to his service while we have marrow in our bones and life in our senses and clearnesse in our spirits Mal. 1.8 If ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill and if ye offer the lame and sick is it not evill offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts and then also to encrease in knowledge and spirituall understanding not to be children carried away with every wind of Doctrine or with the togish garish vanities of the world but to be men approving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.18 the things that are excellent that we embrace not Nubem pro Junone a vain empty shadow of comfort for reall solid substantiall happinesses gaudy fantastick appearances like Caligula's Banquet to please the Eye not to satisfie Nature in stead of the Heavenly Reward that so we may fix our desires there where true joyes are to be found being skilfull in the word of righteousnesse that we endeavour to be as Moses was of full age that is perfect such as by reason of use have our senses exercised to discern both good and evill Heb. 5.13.14 For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the Word of Righteousnesse for he is a Babe But strong meat belongeth unto them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evill For this commended and approved his Faith that he did this when he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great in years and discretion great in knowledge and learning great in temper and moderation great in fame and favour at Court and therefore it was an act of great Faith to refuse to be called the Son of Pharâ—ohs Daughter 5. He refused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or denied and he refused not in complement and civility to gain the reputation of being modest humble and moderate an Art which self-seeking ambitious spirits have learned and exercised seeming to decline that which they most passionately fancy and labor for and by under-hand and secret contrivances most greedily prosecute neither in cunning and policy that he might be more earnestly follicited to accept what he had plotted and gaped for another Art which ambition also hath found out to deceive the World neither was it an humour of discontent or desire of change accompanied with an overgrown troublesome Zeale for then this act had been either designe or pretence an handsome piece either of hypocrifie or civility But he refused as upon serious and sober consideration so in truth and singlenesse of Heart a direct proper work of self-deniall and so a clear evidence of his Faith True piety and contempt of this World is not a bare naked pretence set forth in a demure look or holy language but an effectuall mortification of all Worldly motions contrary to justice and charity a not daring to venture on any unlicensed artifice a serious fixed endeavour of exact walking not to value any transitory thing at an higher rate then the Rule of Faith and Law of Christ hath set upon them that they be currant to us not upon the old vulgar account of interest or self-preservation to purchase or preserve an Estate with an evill Conscience but upon the new reformed account of love to God and our Neighbour Indeed men may usurpe and assume the Title and Appellative of Saints to themselves and yet be so far from observing the self-denying Ordinance of Christ Mat. 16.24 that they strictly lay hold on every advantage which shall fall in their way and if none be tendered they will cast about all wayes to find one and upon any discovery chase and follow the wayes of unrighteousnesse with all passion and eagernesse by all indirect and unlawfull wayes some of these pretenders following the way of Cain some of Balaam some of Corah some of Achan some of Gehazi some of Ahab some of Judas c. whereas indeed there is no surer Title to Heaven then contempt of the World no better assurance that we are in the Faith then our overcomming the World 1 John 2.15.16.17 Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him For all that is in the World the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the World And the World passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever And 1 John 5.4 For whatsoever is born of God overcommeth the World and this is the Victory that evercommeth the World even our Faith No stronger proof that we are true Israelites indeed then that we forsake Egypt and come out of Babylon that we are Disciples then that we deny our selves the advancement of our interests the satisfaction of our passions and take up our crosse unite our selves to the body of Beleevers and persevere in their Communion in despight of all temptations and follow Christ as a Law-giver in his Precepts and a Leader by his example both for obedience unto and patience under his Fathers will 6. For a season the pleasures of sin are short the punishment is long Sin may be sweet for a while but it is sharp for ever And who would hazard a lasting pain for a little pleasure or be tickled either into a Disease or unto Death An optares malam scabiem quod scalpendi sit altqua voluptas Eras Epic. It were madnesse to be in love with a Leprosie or Itch for the pleasure of scratching to lose everlasting pleasures and the fulnesse of joy for a transitory delight nay a meer out-side formall delight without all inward content and satisfaction for the whole World and every thing in it is but a Scheeme a shadow an appearance an empty nothing in two Apostles judgements 1 Cor. 7.31 And they that use this World as not abusing it for the fashion of this Word passeth away 1 John 2.17 And the world passeth away and the lust there but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 7. Of Christ Moses then was a Christian and then God had a People God had alwayes a Church and
who is so ready at every turn to serve them Nec non pios c. sed cupides avaros facere This indeed were to make men not godly but Mammonists not holy but worldly 6. Manet dissimilitudo passorum etiane in similitudine passionum The severall demeanors of the sufferers makes a clear difference betwixt the righteous and the wicked Mal. 3.18 So the wicked fret murmure Psal 59.15 and repine and sometimes fall into open blasphemy sometimes into secret hatred of God instances enough of this kind The Righteous humbleth himselfe betaketh himselfe to Prayer and Prayses and considers that he is punished far lesse then he deserved examines himselfe how the case stands betwixt God and his soule and he looketh unto the Hand that smites him and takes his Crosse kindly either as a correction because he hath sinned or as a caveat not to sin or as a tryall of his Faith And so Super totam materiam that Father resolves that though good and evill be common both to the good and evill yet both are not alike affected with them in themselves nor respected by God in them A Righteous Person is neither passed up with prosperity nor abased with adversity An evill man is insolent and cruell in an high condition is mad or desperate in a low Estate The evills which the good suffers alwayes betters and reformes him An evill man Felicitate corrumpitur is first corrupted then poysoned with good things Prov. 1.32 impunity is the saddest punishment and Gods wrath is at the height when he will not afflict againe when he will strike no more Isay 1. J. Marima est ira cum Deus non irascitur saith Saint Hierom For then God leaves him to himselfe useth no further methods to reclaime him and then he and his sin thrives till judgement be executed against them Indeed this Father shewes in the soure next following Chapters particular instances of Gods Wisedom Justice Power and Goodnesse in permitting the Righteous to be troubled and the great advantages they may receive thereby But I shall onely propose to your consideration Jobs case and offer to your observation the series and contrivances of Providence in Joseph Reseue Sale Advancement his after Imprisonment and againe his high Preferment and how in every or all of these you may see Gods Justice in afflicting his Wisedome in ordering those alternative sorrows and joyes his mercy in moderating his Brethrens rage and his griefes his power removing and his goodnesse in rewarding and even by this uncouth way providing for the necessities and releife of his Father and Brethren who sold him But now to draw to a conclusion of this so long insisted on Observation The Apostle seems here to perswade these Hebrews to run with patience the race set before them and to take joyfully whatseever shall befall them in their way to Heaven by an Argument taken from their fore-fathers demeanor and behaviour in the like case and Gods gracious dealing with them which may be resolved into this or such like Dilemma In this your present juncture of Affaires and Persecution either your Deliverance is expedient for Gods glory and your good or not If the former be supposed and so resolved or in the affirmative then certainly as God in his time prefixed by his infinite wisedom did deliver and save your Ancestors so if the time be come will he deale with you even deliver you though a miracle be required for the effectuating this mercy For though God useth a liberty in the circumstances of your deliverance as to the time quality and manner thereof yet he keeps close and sure to the substance of that Rule he hath prescribed to himselfe he will never faile nor forsake them that trust in him the patient expectation of the Righteous shall finde what they waite and attend for He that beleeveth shall not be confounded He that hopeth shall not be ashamed that is bafled in his expectation If the negative part of the dilemma be conceited then from the same Presidents you have these encouragements and arguments There is nothing happened you but what hath befalne your holy Fathers Gods dearest Children He loved them when he chastised them he now chastiseth and yet loveth you though the good hand of God did not deliver them yet the good Spirit of God sustained them so will it you 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it They weited on Gods leisure so should you Faith will teach you to doe so In all changes the most changeable unsetled times he setled and composed their spirits though not their states In all sorrows his comforts refreshed them In all necessities his presence supported them In all difficulties his grace was sufficient for them and what he was to them he will be the same to you for he changeth nor if you be to him what they were faithfull And now me thinks the Argument runs not onely à pari but à fortiori not onely in this respect that this Father of mercies hath a more tender and indulgent respect for you then them having provided better things for you then for them as it is in the last Verse of this Chapter but also upon another account you have stronger motives to a faithfull attendance on God then they for they had onely Promises and Prophesies to live upon to nourish and cherish their Faith you have not onely what they had even their Promises and Prophesies for they were Written for your Instruction 1 Cor. 10.11 and they belonged to you as well as to them Acts 2.39 but you have new Promises and new Prophesies of better things and which is more you have the examples and practices of all Beleovers from the beginning of the World till this present day and so besides Promises and Prophesies you have experiments to strengthen your Faith and how powerfull examples and experiments are to provoke imitation especially when the experiments are of the best sort and the examples drawn from them whose memory we most honour as of our Ancestors a short digression will easily demonstrate Certainly examples are Rhetoricall Sillogismes have a strong perswasive Power both with men of great judgement and weaker parts for they insinuate especially if they jumpe with mens inelinations more easily and purchase more kindly mens affections then down right reason argument or demonstration and are hereby a Topicke more apt to gain imitation then precepts backt with the most cogent reason to procure obedience For the obligingnesse of a bare Precept is either from the authority of the commander and men are naturally rebells uitimur in vetitum or the reasonablenesse of the duty and ' it s the hardest thing to effect considering how men are inclined to be drawn by sensuall
on the Crosse to his justice should be as available to them as to us and the merits of Christs death as imputable to them as to us And upon that account God accepted these all as his Redeemed ones Even as an honest Creditor will release his Debtor when a faithfull Solvent Surety or undertaker makes satisfaction or gives security to content and according to desire and demand And as Jesus Christ was yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. so the vertue of his death is Eternall both à parte ante and à parte post is from and to all Eternity But besides all this premised we have expresse Evidence for our Plea and Cause for the precedent Verses of this Chapter where it is set down in plain Language that some of these all had passed from Earth to Heaven and particularly instanced in Enoch and Elijah and it s said of Abraham that he looked for a City and that sure was a free Priviledged Place conspicuous eminent and glorious not a close dark hole or Prison and of the Patriarkes that they aymed at Patriam Caelestem an Heavenly Country and that jam tum illis paratum even then prepared for them Heb. 11.10.16 And hereupon Haymo thus concludes Nunc verò quiescunt in animae in heatudine Regui Caelestis ineffabili laetitia perfruontes It seems this conceit of the present Romaniscs was not at that time a Catholike truth or else he was mistaken The second is that of some of the Ancient Fathers who referr this common perfection to be received solely to the day of the Resurrection supposing That no Soules enter into Heaven or enjoyes the beatificall Vision till the day of the generall Resurrection But although the souls be extinguished at the time of their separation from the Body yet they did lye in seeret receptacles in a profound or deep sleep untill the Resurrection doing nothing suffering nothing in the mean time but onely the delay of their Glory For so some of them conceive That Heaven shall not be opened till the day of Judgement unlesse to a few priviledged persons And of this opinion was Irenous Iust Martyr Tertull. August Ambrose Iohn 22. and the Greeke Church still maintains it The Text upon which they ground this perswasion is Apoc. 6.9.10.11 I saw under the Altar the soules of them that wore slain for the Word of God c. Indeed there are severall Expositions of this place Some making it Allegoricall Others Figurative c. Whatsoever the true meaning is Certainly the Text strongly proves the Immortality of the humane Soules by their subsistence after separated But whether their Conclusion let others judge Indeed some later Divines have moderated the supposition Neither with the Romanists dooming their soules to inferior Vaults if not infernall Nor placing in severall resting receptacles yet withall allowing them no residence in Heaven the Throne of Gods Glory But they pretend they are carried into Abrahams bosome or which is all one with them to Paradise thus distinguishing Paradise from Heaven which distinction they attempt to prove from these following places of holy Scripture First from Luke 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise From which words they thus argue how concludingly let others examine That Paradise must needs import a Place or Seate of blessednesse because it is promised as a mercifull reward and favour and this reward the enjoyment of the society of Iesus yet Heaven it cannot be because that Kingdom of blisse was not opened till Christ made the first entry and took Possession thereof at his Ascension when he was solemnly inaugurated intoch is Kingly Office And so they Expound Christs descent into Hell to signifie a state of separation or common receptable of Spirits so that with them both are Seats of Glory but the one far excelling the other And this they in the second place strengthen from 2 Cor. 12. supposing Saint Paul had two Revelations One When he was caught up into the third Heaven The other When into Paradise which say they was the place from whence Laezarus his soule was called back But that the chief and highest degree of blisse is reserved for the last day they infer from Mat. 13.43 and 25.34 2 Tim. 4.8 But the now common received opinion which is all I adde by way of censure is That all the soules of the saints departed goe straightwayes to Heaven upon their separation To this purpose compare Heb. 10.19 with Heb. 12.22.23.24 which words seem to have this sense The spirits of the just could not be perfect unlesse they were in Heaven enjoying the society of God Christ and the Angels and by enjoyment of these their being in Heaven is concluded So 2 Cor. 5.1 If our Earthly Tabernacle c. then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have immediately thereupon a building of God c. as soon as the Tabernacle is dissolved Otherwise the Apostle would not have said we have but we hope or expect and to expect is but in reference to a reversion to have supposes Possession For here we hope for Heaven we have it not and here we desire we may have For so it follows ver 2. In this we groane c. Yet we would not have desired to be uncloathed ver 4. but upon this account and assurance That as soon as we were uncloathed we would be cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life And further yet We are willing to be absent from the Body that we might be present with the Lord ver 8. of the same Chapter Hence St. Paul saith Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ And St. Stephen when he dyed thus Prayed Lord Iesus receive my spirit Acts 7.59 and he Prayed so because he beleeved for this was a Prayer of Faith Iesus would receive his Spirit But super totam materiam we shall anon find as hath been proved and shall be further that waving the supposition upon which this second judgement is given it yet comes neer the mark and the truth if it be not the truth it selfe And therefore we passe to the third The third is that which is commonly asserted by most of the Writers of the Reformed Churches who apprehend this promise to relate to Christs Incarnation and with these the words are thus Paraphrased they obtained not the promises that is The promised Messas had not in their times assumed the humane nature and become flesh So Beza Non obtinuerunt they obtained not that is Eminus viderunt Christum they looked for Christ to come they saw him as Abraham afar off So Major Non sunt consecuti promissionem viz. promissum semen mulieris the promised Seed of the Woman And so Calvin Iunius Piscator and certainly their judgement herein is true the dispensation under Christ more glorious then that under the Law and greater perfections received and better provision made by Christs comming then was before insomuch that our Saviour affirmeth
you have both the Maine Sea represented wherein you may safely Sayle And you have the dangerous Rocks and Shelves of Sands Delineated that you may avoide So the holy Writ doth deeypher and approve what is exemplarily good in those God is pleased to instance in That their light might so shine before men that they see their good works c. That whatsoever things are lovely or of good report if there be any vertue or if any prayse to think on them Phil. 4.8 and it sets forth their infirmities and prejudices that we may learne to beware of them that we presume not too much on our own abilities or on former assistances lest God substract his Grace from us and leave us in our own hands and then indeed we shall be in a sad and miserable condition Therefore let us in all humility be jealous and suspitious of our hearts least they be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and consider our selves as the Apostle fore-warnes Galat. 6.1 And let us thus reason with our selves these though honoured with an infallible Testimoniall a Testimoniall from Heaven for their Faith have fallen therefore let us feare and walke circumspectly and be alwayes on our guard Gedeon made an Ephah of Gold Sampson defiled himselfe with Concubines Iephthah probably Vowed rashly and performed it more sinfully If these fell so grossely let not us flatter our selves with a conceit that we cannot sinne but rather frequently and feriously consider and re-minde the Apostles Exhortation Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Secondly We may learne hence to pay our Vowes unto the Lord This Saint Augustine hath afforded us Habet hie error aliquam laudem fidei quia Deum timuit ut quod voverat redderet c. If any err in the simplicity of his heart fearing truely lest he should offend God as Iephthah feared to break his Vow and provoke him I dare not conclude him wicked but shall rather with St. Augustine pitty and pray for his innocent mistake God when he declares that he will not be mercifull to them who offend of malitious wickednesse doth thereby intimate that an innocent errour and a well-meaning mistake may obtaine mercy If God did not take us with our pre judices and frailties what would become of us how could we escape but blessed be our good God who will receive the weake in Faith he commends that to us and that shews he will doe it he remembers that we are but flesh and in the midst of judgement remembreth mercy towards them who sincerely feare him The next in the Roll is David who in his Person was an eminent and illustruous Instrument of Gods glory and his Peoples good and therefore had that high Prerogative granted besides the Charactar of his Faith to be a Type of Christ And yet I conceive that David is here to be undestood in his Politick capacity as he was the Chiefe King of Israel and so under David the Apostle comprehends and by David understands all the whole Succession of Pious Kings and Princes who were Nursing Fathers to Israel By the way I shall shortly re-minde you of one great remarkeable evidence of his Faith among many that when he had but small subsistence for himselfe yet he carefully and bountifully provided for the House of God when he was in great want a shame to those who in their great fulnesse let Gods Service sterve and his Place of Worship decay and straits yet nothing must be wanting such was his Zeale to Gods House and Worship You shall finde the Record 1 Chron. 22.14 Now behold in my trouble as our commonly used Translation in my poverty as the Genevah Bible in my affliction as Junius in his trouble poverty and affliction he was Zealous to promote and advance Gods Service He would put his Arme as farr as it could stretch he would not draw back upon common Pleas or pretences and as much as he could he would doe good to the House of the Lord. The last expressely nominated is Samuel and as under David was comprehended all holy Kings so under Samuel is contained all holy Prophets who is supposed first to Plant and Erect that Society and then to Rule and Governe it from 1 Sam. 10.5 10. And for this reason because he was the Founder and the Rector or President of that Colledge Saint Peter reckoned the ordinary discent of the Prophets from him saying Yea and all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after Acts 3.24 And upon the same score here it is said Samuel and the Prophets Caetera de genere hoc adeo sunt multa loquacem delassere valent ue te moror audi quo rem deducam You have seen the men Now see their works as were the men such was their strength their strength in undertaking and performing noble Attempts and Acts and their strength in under-going and holding out against all not onely difficulties and dangers but also all sorts of sufferings and losses Their works follow them which hath both purchased for them glory in Heaven but also procured for them a never dying name and memory on Earth O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd up for them that feare thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the Souns of Men Psal 31.19 glory and honour enough even to satisfie the most boundlessely ambitious spirit But to begin with their Works which thus followed them Though it cannot be verified That every one of these mentioned Worthies did all the mighty Works which are here Related yet it is true of all of them that they did some one or other of these noble Acts or what was equivalent for worth or excellency to them For Suppose that through Faith all of them did not subdue Kingdoms yet some many of them did as the Isaelites under the Conduct of Joshuah and the Iudges Iosh 11.12 c. and Iudges throughout and David 2 Sam. 8.1 c. reduced thirty one Kingdoms in the Land of Canaan subjecting them to their Laws and Governing them accordingly And this was thus applicable to these present Hebrewes if before the Israelites could be peaceably Possessed of Canaan and setled there they must encounter many difficulties then Per varios casus per tot diserimina terum then they may conclude it to be their condition not to be secure that they should find no opposition in their way to Heaven many enemies to stop them in their way and these not sleight or contemptible but Potent as well as Numerous and if through Faith then not by frand and force the Weapons of the true Israel of God are Spirituall and the War they manage against the rebell world to reforme not to ruine it is Spirituall and so hath the truth and denomination of an holy war 2 Cor. 10.4 for they subdued Kingdoms not by injustice but by Righteousnesse Thus it follows They wrought righteousnesse not by