seeing the Lord giues the blessing but rather giue the glorie vnto God and for his sake honouring the instrument Comforting our selues that hell shall not preuaile seeing God is the stronger Math 16. Luke 11. 22. 23. And no lesse then Heauen is the reward seeing God is Recompencer Thus is God the Authour of our conuersion But by what meanes doth he occomplish the same Doth he vse miracles to amaze or tortures to compell Doth hee vse Euthasiasmes to inspire or Dreames to reueale a worke vnto vs Surely no The holie Ghost saith God perswade Iapheth That is God incline the heart allure the minde of the Gentiles by convincing their conscieÌ„ces with the power of the truth framing their will and affections to embrace the same subduing their whole man to the obedieÌ„ce thereof As if the spirit of God had plainely taught vs That The Conuersion of a sinner is a perswasion of the minde to beleeue and inclining of the will affections to embrace the Lord IESVS And this shall appeare vnto vs by these circumstances 1. First by the Subiect of Conuersion Man 2. By the Matter and meanes of Conuersion Namely the word of GOD applyed and made essectuall by the operation of the spirit of God 3. By the Manner and order of a true Conuersion 4. And lastly by the Substance and Markes of true Conuersion Concerning the Subiect of conuersion Man and woman these consist of two parts 1. Of a corruptible bodie 2. Of a reasonable and immortall soule Of which Two the Bodie serues onely as an instrument to conuey the meanes of conuersion to the soule and to execute outwardly the effects of true conuersion and therefore is not properly the subiect of conuersion As being a spirituall work effected by a spirituall meanes and therefore fastning and working on a spirituall substance And this is the soule of Man which being Spirituall and eternall is therefore capable of this worke of the spirite and meanes of happie eternitie Notwithstanding because the bodie shall bee partaker with the soule of the fruite of Conuersion Namely conformitie and subiection to the spirite and eternall glorie Therefore as it cannot be separated from the soule in the worke of conuersion So it must be ordered by such meanes as it is subiect vnto thereby to further our conuersion And so to be as an instrument in the worke of Sanctification So also a partaker of the benefite thereof Hence is it that howsoeuer the minde cannot neyther ought to be forced by man as being beyond his reach and power yet the bodie being therefore subiected to the power of Man that by man it may further the conuersion of the soule is thereby also subiect to some compulsion from man Who in Gods stead is both to tender the meanes of Conuersion by the care vnto the Heart by the bodie vnto the minde which is the dutie of the Minister as also if neede require when the refractorie minde will detaine the body from the vse of the meanes is further euen to force the bodie by bringing it euen against the mindes will to heare the Word That so by the power therof eyther the rebellious minde may be reclaimed or at leastwise made inexcusable especially that in performing this dutie he may be free from the blood of his people or rather become a true nursing Father vnto them And this is properly the office of the Magistrate who though hee haue power euer life in the case of refractorie obstinate blaspheming of the Truth and desperate continuance in Atheisme and Heresie and therefore ought not to suffer cyther Idolater or Blasphemer either Atheist or damnable seducer of the people to a false worship any longer to breathe to the infection of others yet in the case of conuersion and bringing men to God hee is no â—â—rther to force â—â—e bodie then that still it may be seruiceable to the soule Leâ—iâ—g conuerted and also further the minde to be subdued by these spirituall weayons By which the Reason beeing captiuated and conscience perswaded and convinced and so the â—ill enclined and allured to embrace the Truth when once the hâ—â—rt shall endite a good matter and 〈…〉 with the loue of God then shall the tongue become the pen of a ready writer the outward man shall put cheerfully in execution what the â—â—ward man desireth and purposeth That so glorifying our GOD â—n bodie and soule which hee hath thus renued in this reasonable Sacrifice of the New-byrth we may in due season be crowned both bodies and Soules with that glorie in the newe Ierusalem which is aboue And therfore as this condemneth all Antichristian Tyrannie whereby all hope of sound Conuersion is vtterly cut off whilest by extremitie of torture the bodily life is depriued so also the negligence of the Christian Magistrate is iustly reproued in leauing the papist to his libertie or winking at him shewing extreame crueltie to his soule while hee pretends clemencie to his bodie And if the refractorie must bee compelled from a false worship to the meanes of a true Oh then faire be it froÌ„ the heart of the godly Magistrate to tolerate a false religion Is not this the way to prouoke the wrath of God that so hee may diuide vs in Iacob and so destroy vs in Israel And seeing the iust man must be a lawe to himselfe If then the bodie must be the meanes to conuey grace to the soule If it may further our entertainment of true conuersion Oh then let vs learne to subdue this enemie and beat downe this corruption 1. Let vs humble it by fasting 2. And not aduise with it in spirituall worship 3. Feare we the complement thereof 4. and rest wee at no hand in any ceremoniall deuotion of the same 5. Take we no care for the Flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof Rom. 18. And auoyde we all affectation in gesture c. with an intent to be obserued of men so shall we offer holie violence to the bodie in preuenting it ministerie to satisfie the lusts of the minde and thereby make it seruiceable to the soule as furthering the same in the worke of holines And thus is the outward man subiect to a kinde of violence not onely from others but euen from our selues Perswaded it cannot bee and therefore it must be forced Now for the soule of man The case hereof is otherwise Spirituall it is and therefore not subiect to outward violence And reasonable therefore only lyable to such a violence which rather ouercoms by perswasion theÌ„ forceth by persecution as rectifying the reasonable part not destroying the nature thereof as delighting the vnderstanding with the light that ouershadoweth it So convincing the conscience that it giues peace vnto it So reclayming the will and captiuating the Affections that it restores them to a most gracious libertie to performe a reasonable seruice vnto God This shall further appeare most euidently vnto vs
and disavowing confidence in the greatest by submitting the blessing thereof vnto our God that so giuing God the glory of his mercies hee may enlarge himselfe vnto vs to the making of vs meete to be vessels of glorie And thus are the Saints Lords of the earth And thus is the Church of IESVS CHRIST spread farre and neere ouer the face thereof That not onely the God of them may be blessed by one Nation at Ierusalem but that Iapheth also may be enlarged and diffused to dwell in the Tents of Shem that the Gentiles being dispersed farre and neere might receiue the Gospel and also being Conuerted might Conuert their Brethrem euen all the Nations vpon the face of the earth GOD enlarge IAPHETH So then Iapheth must bee perswaded and enlarged aswell as Shem. The Gentiles must bee conuerted aswell as the Iewes And why Surely God hath so decreed it from all Eternitie and reuealeth the same by his eternall Word long before the accomplishment thereof Hee accomplisheth it in particulars as pledges of a more plentifull Haruest and he permitteth obstinacie to come vpon the Iew that the wilde Oliue might be engraffed So in the fulnesse of time was this harnest brought in in part by the Husbandmen of the Lord IESVS and in the fulnesse of time shall the fulnesse of the Gentiles be brought in that the remnant of the cast-away Israel may be reaped in with glory And are not the wayes of God most equall herein Shall not the winde blow where it pleaseth Hath God any respect of persons Is not God the Lord of all the earth Was not the blood of Christ auaileable to saue euen a thousand worlds Must not the Church to this end be a Traueller vpon the face of the earth shall not the sound of the Word goe to the ends of the world Must we not pray for all sorts because God will haue some among all sorts to be saued Is not this our little sister that hath no breasts yet shall giue sucke Is not this the barren that shall bring foorth and haue more children then the married wife Are not these the infinite number which none could reckon which should stand before the Throne and the Lambe with long white robes and Palmes in their hands Thus shall the Gentiles imbrace the Gospel 1. And is not the word of God Yea and Amen Is not Iapheth perswaded and the Kingdome of Christ enlarged among vs Hath it not a long time rested in the tabernacles of Iapheth 2. And was it remooued from the tents of Shem that so it bee planted in the inhabitants of Iapheth Oh then let let vs consider that Shem is to be replanted 3. Let vs desire the restoring and reclaiming of the first born 4. Let vs feare the casting off of the Little sister seeing the elder was cast off and is to be recalled 5. And let vs looke for the remoueall of the Gospel from one nation to another where it is not retained with conscience profit And if God will not forsake vs till wee forsake him take heede then we put not from vs the word of life And what if we be preparing a place in Virginea or Ireland to receiue the same 6. These must haue a calling and we a cooling for the time that we may be prouoked to zeale euen by foolish and forlorne nations and recouer our first loue by extending it to our brethren That as the falling of one Nation may bee the raising of another so this revniting of the Gospel may bring in the number of the Elect that so our war-fare being finished our glory may begin neuer to haue an end Thus shall Iapheth bee perswaded to dwell in the moueable tents of Shem that Shem and Iapheth may dwell for euer in full and constant happinesse But some will say what neede Iapheth to bee perswaded to dwell in the Tents of Shem who already was a member with Shem of the true Church as performing the duties of pietie to God and men Wee answere that the holy Ghost not onely entendeth the person of Iapheth as desiring his continuance particularly in the true worship of God but especially hath reference to Iapheths posteritie as foreseeing their declination from true Religion to Idolatrie which fell out not long after and therefore directing the Spirit of holy Noah not onely as a Father to desire the returne of his posteritie to the Church of Christ but especially as the mouth of God to pronounce their restitution in the ages to come Whence wee learne many notable Lessons As first that godly parents and beleeuers ought not onely to haue care for the present but also for the future estate of their posteritie the true Church of God that so it may abide in the Faith of IESVS CHRIST So do they imitate GOD who prouides for Eternitie so doe they approoue their Faith when they see a far off so do they testifie their loue which abides for euer 1. Cor. 13. So doe they manifest their hope in the full accomplishment of the Elect So do they further the propagation of the Church to her perfect consummation Communion in heauen To this end are they commanded to declare the will of GOD vnto their children To this end did they set vp Monuments of Gods speciall loue and memorials of his will and fauour not only to testifie their thankefulnesse for the present but to teach the Generations to come that the people which were to bee created should prayse the Lord. And if they were worse then Infidels that prouided not for the outward estate of their posteritie where is then their Faith that neglect the soules of their successors Oh what a curse then is Barrennesse and depriuation of posteritie How much greater a plague to make wicked our posteritie by preposterous worldly prouision and neglect of Spirituall Legacies How happy those parents that sendssuch wicked seed before thē But thirce vnhappy they that reioyce in their wickednesse prouoking them by euill example to imitation of euill and applauding euill imitation vnder pretence of ligitimation as if to differ from them in sinne were to bee degenerate and bastards How can they call GOD their Father that neglect to bee nursing fathers to his Church either caring for their owne as if the time to builde Gods house were not yet come and therefore they neglect the restoring of it or else lay it further desolate as eclipsing their glorie and confounding their pleasures Oh where shall such Iulians appeare that seeke to repaire Babylon againe and deriding the poore members of CHRIST that they must suffer affliction doe therefore adde affliction to affliction and cry downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Surely though Abraham know vs not and Israel hath forgotten vs yet the Keeper of Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe He is our Father and will haue compassion on vs and
purpose in this refining and purging of him not iustifying his friends who charged him wrongfully to be onely plagued for his sinnes Yet iustifying his God who not onely might thus deale with him as being his creature but ought so to deale with him in mercie to make him more conformable to his Creator And had not the Lord his end herein Did not iust Iob come forth of the furnace more purely and gloriously shalt not thou also being purged be graciously deliuered And shall not thy greatest falles further thee thereunto as making thee more humble more hunger after Christ And what then can separate thee sroÌ„ the loue of God in IESVS CHRSIT Who is more ready to receiue thee then thou to run vnto him who inuites thee to him who will keepe thee in him that so thy falles shall make thee more wise not to relie on thy selfe nor any other broken reed but to roote thy selfe more firmely on the Rocke and so grow more constantly in grace that still walking in feare of thy selfe thon mayst walke in the faith of thy Sauiour and so trusting in the Lord thou shalt neuer be remooued And that thou mayst haue an vndoubted euidence hereof Behold what followeth Iapheth shall dwellin the Tents of Shem. Though Shem for a time be reiected that Iapheth may be gathered in though the Iewes be cast off that the Gentiles may come in yet when the fulnes of the Gentiles shal be accomplished then shall Shem returne againe to the true worship of God and howsoeuer the Iew hath stumbled a long time at the Crosse of Christ yet shall hee at length so embrace the Lord IESVS that the glory and zeale of his profession shall allure and receiue the scatterings of the Gentiles who after the fulnesse is come in shall either remaine to bee called or being called and yet dispoyled of the outward beautie of their profession shall now take holde of the skirt of him that is a Iew and bee prouoked by his zeale to ioyne with him in the power of Religion that so there may be one shepheard and one sheepfold prepared to meet the Bridegroome when he shall appeare in glory So then If Iapheth shall dwell in the Tents of Shem the Iewes shall then haue a full and glorious conuersion before the second comming of the Lord IESVS And why not principally at Ierusalem the old place of their worship though not in the pride of the holy mountaine which is destroyed yet in the power of the Spirit raigning in the midst of his enemies and in that pure language seruing the Lord with one consent Shall not the Lord be as able to plant in the Iew againe as he was able in his roome to plant in the Gentile for a time Must not the Iewe bee prouoked by the Gentile to embrace the Messiah euen as the Gentile was prouoked by the falling of the Iew. And haue wee not dayly experience of the Iewes comming in againe Doth not the Lord euery day giue pledges hereby of a fuller haruest Are not these Haruengers and Fore-runners of the great Armies of the Lord And can the day of the Lord IESVS be accomplished till this Word bee fulfilled Doe not all the Prophets beare witnesse hereunto Shall not the Lord be glorified in the saluation of the first borne must not Iew and Gentile make vp one bodie of CHRIST and worshippe the Lord IESVS in one Spirit Shall not the restoring of the Iewes prepare the Gentiles to meete the Lord IESVS in the cloudes Is not this that new Ierusalem that holy Citie which comes downe from God out of Heauen prepared as a Bride trimmed for her Husband Which though for a time in regard of her present state of Apostasie sâ—e turne an enemie for the Gentiles sake to occasion their calling yet sâ—eing shee is eternally beloued for the Father sake Can her imquitie make the election and Faith of God of none effect Nay rather shal it not make for the further reuelation of Gods free loue towards his children in receiuing them againe into mercie euen as the prodigall sonne when in regard of their present state they appear most vnworthy therof And is this obstinacie any other but in part till the fulnes of the Gentiles be come in so that the remnant of the election shall certainely be gathered in Shall not this restoring of the Gentiles be the reuiuing of the world restoring newe glory and beautie vnto the the same when as the Iew and Gentile shall ioyne together in the pure worship of God Thus shall the Redeemer come vnto Sion and vnto them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob saith the Lord. Esay 59. 20. Thus Iacob shall hereafter take roote and Israel shall florish and grow and the world shal be filled with fruit Esay 27. 6. In those dayes will the Lord make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iuda he wil put his law into their inward parts write it in their hearts and he will be their God and they shal be his people Yea he will forgiue that iniquitie and remember their sins no more Though he haue forsaken them for a season yet in euerlasting compassions will hee gather them againe Esay 54. 8. Doth not the Lord gloriously figure out their returne by their deliuerance out af Egipt and returne out of the captiuiof Babylon So that though Israel shall remaine many dayes without a King and without a Prince and without an offering and without an Image and without an Ephod and without a Seraphin Yet afterward shall the children of Israel come out and seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their King and shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Hosea 3. 4. 5. Loe this hath the Lord promised and shall he not make it good shall not this receiuing of the Iewes confirme and forerunne the most comfortable doctrine of the resurrection As being shadowed out most liuely hereby Reuel 21. 2. Ezech 37. Esay 29. 18. 19. Which as it iustly condemneth our base and odious account of that holy Nation and also reprooueth our cruell dealing towards them so it teacheth vs to pray heartily for their Conuersion and to vse all holy meanes for the effecting thereof praysing God for the labours of our holy Countreymen and others to this end and reioycing in those gracious pledges of this vndoubted blessing Tremellius and many others Comforting our selues that our posteritie shall enioy more glorious times of the Gospel when Iew and Gentile shall ioyne together and worship the Lord with one shoulder assuring our selues that this great comming in of the Iew cannot bee farre off seeing the fulnesse of the Gentiles is well-neere come in And preparing our selues in this fulnesse of the Gentiles to greater troubles which doeth and will certainely arise by this Apostasie of the Gentile And yet in patience possessing our soules seeing the end wil not yet be
It auoucheth the Conuersion of the Iewes Lastly it confirmeth that Iewe and Gentile shall be vnited together in one Visible CHVRCH Together with many particular Obseruations incident to these as appeareth by these particular Doctrines and Instructions following Obseruations in these Meditations are 1 GODS Decree ordereth second causes 2 Prayer the most effectuall meanes to accomplish Gods will for our good 3 God onely the authour of the Conuersion of a Sinner 4 The Conuersion of a Sinner is by perswasion of the sweet promises of the Gospell 5 The Faithfull haue onely right in Gods blessings 6 The Gentiles to be conuerted 7 The Posteritie of the Church to be respected and prouided for 8 Good Parents may haue a wicked Generation 9 The faithfull shall be recouered out of their greatest falles 10 The Iewish Religion True 11 The Church a little Flocke 12 The Church obscure and invisible in the world 13 The true Invisible Church consists onely of the Elect. 14 The Church of God moueable not tyed to any place 15 The Church weake and corruptible subiect to infirmities 16 The Church Militant in this life 17 The Church is the resting place and safe-gard of the Elect. 18 The Church a stranger and Pilgrime in this life 19 Constancie and Perseuerance a note of a true member 20 The Saints shall abide and dwell for euer 21 The Iew to be conuerted and finally gathered in 22 The Churches Vnitie and so perpetuitie and perfection 23 There is a Malignant church as well as a True 24 The Malignant church mingled with the true beleeuers 25 The wicked and Malignant shal be in subiection to the true THE BLESSING OF IAPHETH God perswade Iaphet that hee may dwell in the Tents of Shem. Genes 9. THAT these words may the better tend to our edification wee are to consider First the Occasion and Coherence of them Secondly the words themselues The Occasion is layd downe in the 7. former verses Namely 1. Noah his first sinne of Drunkennesse with the Occasion of it vers 20. 21. And therevpon his other sinne of Inciuilitie he lyes naked vncouered euē briutishly in the Tent. Secondly C ham his sinnes 1. Of beholding his Fathers Nakednes Not with griefe as hee should haue done but with a kinde of delight and derision thereof 2. His malice and crueltie in acquainting his brethren with this infirmitie of his Father Thereby both to make his aged and reuerend Father despised in the eyes of his Children and also to make them partakers with him in this sinne of reioycing at and deriding the corruption of the Ancient 3. The pietic of the other two Sonnes of Noah Shem and Iapheth discouered 1. In their courage and constancie that would not be drawne by his example to fellowship in euill 2. In their modestie that they would not so much as looke vpon their fathers nakednes as also 3. In their wisedome that by a strange gate of going backwards and putting a garment vppon their shoulders by this meanes without offence they performed a Christian and ciuill dutie of couering their Fathers nakednes Vers 23. Herevpon it followeth that Noah being thus fitted to sobrietie partly in that his Distemperature is well qualified by rest partly also his nakednes being couered as a figure no doubt also of his sinne couered and pardoned by the LORD Is saide to Awake from his wine that is frō his sinne that was caused thereby as appeareth plainely by that which followeth Namely because he not onely knewe what his younger Sonne had done vnto him wherevnto because hee was enabled by the spirite of Prophecie therfore his sin had not depriued him of the vse of that gift which not being repented of it must needs haue done for the present But further also as the Father of the Familie yea as the Prince and Iudge of the worlde euen in Gods stead he both executeth his Authoritie ouer his Sonnes and that in cursing this wicked Cham as also in Blessing the other two gracious Children orderlie First Shem as the eldest both in age and religion Blessed be the God of Shem and let Canaan be his Seruant therein bestowing a double blessing vpon Shem One vpon his soule that he might continue in the worship of IESVS CHRIST his GOD and Sauiour That the God of Shem being blessed of Shem constantly might continue to blesse Shem the father of the Iewes performing his faithfull promises vnto them euen to their last conuersion and restoring in the last dayes when All Israel shal be saued as it is writtē The delieuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlines from Iacob And this is my euerlasting Couenant with them when I shall take away theyr Sinnes 2. Shem is also blessed in his outward estate in that hee shall be Lord ouer his cursed brother his posteritie The true Church of God shall preuaile and ouercome all the enimies of the same Thus Noah hauing blessed his eldest sonne Shem partly in recompence of his present well-doing but especially as in Gods steed discouering the free loue of God in confirming an infinite reward farre beyond all proportion of an imperfect and finite obedience Proceedeth yet farther to blesse his other sonne Iapheth as being partner in the good action and therefore in equitie to be partaker of the recompence thereof And this blessing vpon Iapheth is not so much personall vnto himselfe that as he had begunne so he would dwell in the Tents of Shem that is continue in the true worship of God But because the holy Patriarke by the spirit of prophecie did foresee that the posteritie of Iapheth as fell out within few hundreth yeares after should fall from God to Idols Therefore hee not onely prayeth vnto God for the restoring of the Gentiles which were the posteritie of Iapheth to the sincere worship of GOD in IESVS CHRIST but prophetically also declareth therein the will of God that Iapheths seede should belieue in the Promised-seede and withall addeth the Ioynture of this new-married Bride vnto her Sauiour Namely that the belieuing Gentiles shall also be enlarged farre and neere vpon the face of the earth as rulers and conquerors of the world and all the enemies of the Church And let Canaan that is the posteritie of the wicked for euer be subiect vnto the seruants of Iesus Christ Thus is Iapheth also blessed by his father Noah being the mouth of God himselfe both declaring what was to come to passe concerning the posteritie of Iapheth euen the Gentiles confined especially in this parte of the world which wee inhabite called Europe and extending to all those nations in all partes of the world that are not eyther properly Iewes or of that cursed race of Cham scattered towards the South in Affrica c. As also auouching the certaintie thereof as by the riches of Gods mercie hath bene alreadie for this sixe hundred yeares accomplished and is daily persiting vntill the comming of the Lord
Euen Prayer vnto God that he would hasten his worke in the blessing of Iapheth in the calling of the Gentiles 1. So must the Saints pray for the accomplishment of Gods will Prayer is the most effectuall meanes to preuaile with God So doth the Sonne of God teach vs to pray That the will of God may bee done 2. So haue the Saints practized vsually to obtaine Gods mercies 1. Sam 2. Iam 5. Ioh 14. Math 12. Math 6. 3. So haue they preuailed for the remoueall of his iudgements Ion 3. Esay â—8 37. Psalm 105. 4. And so hath God promised by this meanes euer to be found of vs both to deliuer vs out of euill Psal 50. 15. And to heape blessings vpon vs. And no maruell For 1. Is not Prayer that life of our Faith wherein we renue our right in Christ Iesus and so in him preuaile with God Ephes 6. 18. 19. for all things that make for our good Psal 34. 1. Cor 3. 2. And doth not Prayer sanctifie the blessing vnto vs that as we haue it in loue so wee may vse it to Gods glorie and therein laye vp a good foundation against the day of Christ 1. Tim 4. 5. 1. Timoth 6. 17. 3. Nay doth not our prayer comfort vs that though wee obtaine not what we desire yet we haue done Gods will and so shall haue better then we desire euen the grace of sweete Communion with our blessed God yea the grace of patience to waite his leysure yea the grace of Contentment in him aboue all things yea the grace of Supplie of that which shall enable vs in our wants yea the grace of aboundant recompence of our stay a double Restitution of whatsoeuer wee haue wanted yea an hundreth folde in this life an infinit recompence in heauen 2. cor 4. 17. 18 4. And shall not Israel that preuailes with God preuaile also with men Osee 11. 2. 3. Genes 32. Exod 16. Vse 1. Surely so we pray in Faith 1. 6. without doubting and Ignorance In Patience without wearysomnes submitting to the will of God Math 27. Galath 6. so our prayer be in loue to our God respecting his glory in loue to our selues desiring the best for vs and in loue to our neighbour without wrath or enuie so we pray in hope So contenting our hearts with the enioying of the present as that still we waite and begge for the things to come forgetting what 's behinde in respect of that 's before Phil 3. Howsoeuer the Lord neede not to be put in minde what hee will giue yet we must pray to put our selues in minde of what we haue need as also to approue our right for the supplie thereof Assuring our selues that the Lord will fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psal 25. 21. Psal 14. 5. And hee will certainely fill the hungrie with good things so they witnesse vnfainedly theyr wants by theyr earnestnes in begging and labour to bee found of GOD not hauing theyr owne righteousnes but cloathed with the righteousnes of IESVS CHRIST as well Praysing God for what they haue as begging what they want and submitting to Gods will for the manner of the supplie though being otherwise confident on God that he will certainly prouide Genes 22. If we be denied either wisely faulting our selues that we haue asked amisse or not faulting God howsoeuer who giueth how and when iâ— pleaseth him sufficient to our Faith though happily crossing â—ence reason Comforting our selues that the crossing of nature will be the triall and encrease of grace so that we doe still vse our spirituall weapon of Prayer thereby preuayle wee shall still with God howsoeuer we decrease in the flesh and who would not weaken such a treacherous and noysome enemie Can we better disgrace and abuse the same then when wee haue done our best therein yet not onely we craue a blessing from God thereon therein signifying it vtter inabilitie in it selfe to good but further also intreate the Lorde to pardon the best endeuouts and not to enter into iudgement with vs for our best seruices Psal 143. Oh how doth this vtterly condemne and crucifie the flesh Nay doth not heere a gracious hart wholly abase and denie himselfe that so hee may fully and whollie be interessed in the free mercies of God in Iesus Christ So doth Noah by prayer interesse his sonne Iapheth and his posteritie in the Couenant of grace and so by Faith doth hee prophesie of the Calling of the Gentiles And so from these words as a Prayer we come now to consider them as a Prophesie God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem That is The Lord shall in the acceptable time by the Ministerie of his Gospell through the mighty operation of his holy spirite encline and allure the heart of the Gentiles to returne vnto him by kissing the Lord Iesus and for their saluation relye onely on the merites of the promised Messiah For the better opening of which Prophecie consider wee briefly these particulars therein 1. The Author that must accomplish this great worke of the couersion of the Gentiles Namely the Lord our God God perswade 2. The manner and meanes whereby this conuersion is accomplished namely by perswasion and alluring the reasonable part God perswade Iapheth 3. The Parties to be conuerted or rather returned to the embracing of Iesus Christ namely Iapheths posterity eueÌ„ the GeÌ„tils 4. The Religion and Faith to which they are to be conuerted Namely the Religion of Shem and this is amplified First by the subiect of this Religion namely Shem signifying therein diuers especiall markes of true Religion As First in that heere the true worship of God is noted by the Tents of Shem as hauing it Agnomination from him who was the eldest in his Fathers house the father of the Iewes which were the first borne first in the Loue of God First in the simplicitie and puritie of diuine worship First in the outward endowment of the Mariage bed First in the priuiledges and loue tokens of the Bridegroome doth not this make to the confirmation of that excellent truth that Truth is most Ancient and so therein leades vs to an excellent mark of the true Church namely whose foundation is that first and most ancient Truth Secondly In that the Church of God is heere confined to the Tents of Shem who though he were the Father of that posteritie which afterward as a figure of the inward beautie of the true belieuers was enlarged in outward pompe multitude and beautie yet now in the greatest puritie and simplicitie of godlinesse which shee was to recouer and practise vnder Iesus Christ was neyther for multitude so populous nor for outward glorie and beauty so conspicuous Doth not this also leade vs to two other marks of the true Church of Iesus Christ namely that it is a little flocke in respect of those which are without And 2. that it is
if we consider in the second place the meanes of true Connersion Namely the Word of God assisted by the blessed Spirit which in that it consists of two partes to wit the Lawe and the Gospell Howsoeuer by the Law we are brought to a sight of sinne and so thereby prepared to Conuersion and as it were entred therein as beeing cast out of our selues and cast vpon IESVS CHRIST yet by the sweete promises of the Gospell wee are allured and perswaded to beleeue in the Lord IESVS which is the very worke and perfection of our true Conuersion So are our hearts more and more suppled and broken through the loue of CHRIST shead abroad in our hearts So are we bound vnto our GOD with the cords of loue as that we attaine a most glorious libertie of the sonnes of God So are wee led captiue vnder sinne that in the inward man we delight in the law of God So are we subiect to Afflictions as that wee are more then Conquerours ouer them So is Death the end of our sinne and entrance to our glorious libertie Thus doth the Word discouer the estate of our conuersion thus doth it allure and satisfie vs in the whole processe and consummation thereof And doth not the manner of our Conuersion auouch as much that it is by perswading and mollifying of our hearts Doth not the Lorde himselfe allure and inuite vs to embrace these meanes proffering vs wares with money wooing of vs to open vnto him by testimonie of his patience and pledges of his loue stretching out his hands vnto vs all the day long And those not emptie but dropping downe myrthe and tendering most invaluable riches the rather to allure vnto him Doth not wisedome invite vs to a Feast and allure vs with her delicates Doth not the Lord preuent vs with his grace that we may be plentifull in good works Doth he not allure vs to holinesse when he imputes the righteousnesse of his Sonne vnto vs and not onely accounts that ours which hee freely giues but accepts that to be his which by our corruption is defiled Doth not the Lord offer parley Come let vs reason together Hath hee bene a wildernes vnto vs Nay what could hee haue done vnto vs which he hath not done Thus doth the Lord perswade and allure our Conuersion And are not his Ministers led by the same spirit Doe they come vnto vs with a rod or not rather with the spirite of meekenes Are they not his Embassadors to treat with vs Nay his Orators to beseech vs to be reconciled vnto God Are they not ready so to wooe vs that they not only are contented to deliuer the Gospell vnto vs but euen theyr owne soules so deare are we vnto them so little deare is their life vnto them in regarde of preaching the Gospell that we may be saued Are they not our fathers to beget vs in all loue and compassion to be the children of God Are they not our Noursing-mothers to dandle and suckle vs as new-borne babes with the milke of the Gospell that wee may growe vp thereby Are they not our shepheards to leade vs into the greene pastures to dresse and tenderly looke to vs as the tender lambes of Iesus Christ Are they not Gods fisher men to allure vs as with a bayte thereby not to constraine vs by force but to catch vs with a wile And doe they not in all this perswade vs reasonable men by most reasonable and tractable meanes to a matter most reasonable euen to returne vnto God For to proceede now to the substance of our conuersion and thence to proue this manner of our Calling by Alluring as also the equitie thereof Is our Conuersion any other then a restoring vs to that estate which heretofore we enioyed in Adam and lost by the malice of Sathan And ought there to bee any thing more acceptable vnto vs then to come foorth of Darknes into a maruellous light to be deliuered from bondage yea from bondage of Sathan vnto the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God to be pluckt out of the horrible pit and aduanced to the highest Heauens to be made Lords of all who before were vassalls vnto all To be at peace with all who before had all against vs. Such is our conuersion Is there any thing more reasonable Is it not most reasonable and equall that God should haue his will who hath decreed our conuersion that he should enioy the seruice of his creature which is obtained by conuersion that he should be loued of his children that are so made by conuersion Is it not meet conuenient that we should be holie as our God is holie that to eternall happines wee should be made meete by perfect holines Ought not members of the body to haue the like 〈◊〉 Ought not citizens of the same heauenly Ierusalem to be of one minde Nay ought not fellow-heirs of the same kingdom be of the same nature of the like beautie and glorie Such are we with Iesus Christ and such are wee made by conuersion And is it not most equall that the Lord Iesus should haue what hee hath purchased at so deere a rate 1. Pet 1. 1. Cor 6. Lastly what true marke is there of our cōuersion which doth not owne this truth that we were not compelled but perswaded allured therunto Haue wee peace of conscience and so are at peace with God who could haue procured this vnles God had giuē it how could wee haue receiued this vnlesse the minde had bene allured and nourished with the loue of God no entertainment of Gods loue but by ouercomming the heart with loue No true euidence of Gods loue vnto vs but by out loue vnto him againe No sound euidence of our loue vnto our God but by our readinesse to forsake all for his sake but by our delight in the excellent inlarged heart towards them not by constraint but of a ready minde 1 Pet 5. 3. 4. So much we loue our God as we desire his continuall presence and perpetuall fruition of his blessed society By this do we know that we are of God that we come boldly to begge or rather chalenge his promise that we will not be saide nay but are answered in our chiefe desires Thus God freely promiseth and offereth meanes to vs not deseruing it that so we may not be discouraged but rather inuited to embrace the same And because Gods loue is free therefore it preuailes vpon the most vnlikely deliuering the captiue giuing sight to the blinde swallowing vp dispaire in mercie and crowning corruption in glorie And because he maketh vs partakers of y e diuine nature therfore also he enables vs freely to loue him and cheerfully to obey him to runne the way of his Commandements after hee hath set our hearts at libertie yea he maketh our feet like Harts feet so that by the helpe of our God we leape ouer a wall yea hee giueth
the Iew must come in and Antichrist must be destroyed And then let vs lift vp our heads Because our saluation draweth nigh Euen so hasten thy Worke O God for the glory of thy great Name Thus shall the Iew bee gathered to the Gentile and so they shall bee one sheepe-fold and one Shepheard Thus shall Shem be restored that Iapheth may dwell in his Tents so though the Church consists of Iew Gentile yet shal both dwel in the same tents contentions shal cease the partition wall shal now surely downe that both Iew and Gentile may serue God in one pure language and worship their God with one shoulder Behold now the Churches VNITIE and consent though differing in the fleâ—h yet still agreeing in Spirit though diuided for a time yet at length againe so compact and knit together as that as one man it shall be ready to meet their Sauiour and for euer to be with him This the God of Vnitie in his good time shall accomplish and that by one Baptisme to vnite them by one Word to engâ—affe them againe by one spirit to incline them by one faith to confirme them that so they may bee one body though consisting of many members seruing one God and Father of al through the gift of IESVS CHRIST their alone and all sufficient Sauiour And threfore though outward Vnitie can be no certaine note of a true visible Church where in there must be heresies that the faithfull may be tryed wherein there must be hypocrites to prouoke to soundnesse and sinceritie especially where veritie is excluded or miserably corrupted As it falleth out in the Romish Synagogue which must necessarily therefore fayle as wanting this pillar of Trueth as being a kingdome fearefully diuided against it selfe Yet when the Lord in mercy shall ioyne both Iew and Gentile together by one bond of Truth euen to kisse the blessed Sonne of righteousnesse then shall they bee also of one minde and heart consenting happily together in the pure worship of the Lord and so waiting very wisely their Masters second comming to Iudgement euen as they sweetly continued together in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer to confirme their holy entertainement of the Lord IESVS first comming in mercie So faithfull is the Lord to performe hereby his promise that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against this little flocke so wise to confirme our Faith in the accomplishment of this promise to waite vpon the Lord for the performance of all the promises that are reuealed in the word that so we might bee made meete for the inioying of them and by the power of Faith lay hold of eternall life THE SECOND PART THE SVBIECTION OF CANAAN And let Canaan be his seruant WELL thus haue wee heard the nature and properties of the True visible and militant Church Thus haue wee also discerned the Priuiledges thereof Now let vs consider further of the Church malignant It followeth And let Canaan be his seruant That is Seeing Canaan is the sonne of the bond-woman and therefore must haue no inheritance with the sonne of the free woman howsoeuer he may for a time abide in the familie and enjoy both outward communion and priuiledges with the sons of Adoption Yet let Canaan bee seruant to Iapheth and to his posteritie the malignant Church shall be in subiection to the true though for a time the hypocrite may prouoke and insult ouer the true member yet shall this both serue for the good of his Saints to purge out their drosse and prouoke them to perfection and when their war-fare is accomplished all their enemies shal be brought in subiection Psal 72. So then first it appeareth that there is as well a Cham to mocke and curse that he may be accursed as a Shem to blesse that he may be blessed as well a Cain to murther that hee may heape vp damnation to himselfe as there is an Abel to offer vp an acceptable sacrifice and so bee made a sacrifice that he may be freed from corruption that he may be so crowned with incorruption and eternall glorie not the Familie of our Sauiour CHRIST himselfe shal be free from a Iudas â—tray or to betray his master that he may offer vp his soule a sacrifice for sinne and performe a plentifull redemption for his mysticall body A malignant Church there hath bene and must be to the worlds end It is the decree of the mightie God that some shall be on the left hand euerlastingly appointed to bee vessels of wrath And therefore the fall of man is also determined and so disposed that the malignant Church may bee left in that estate which it hath willingly chosen and may be ripened thereunto by refusing or abusing the meanes of saluation And therefore vaine is that dreame that al shal be saued vainer their conceit that though in their daily practises they are hastening to destruction yet still they are confident their estate is as good as any their hearts are good they meane well they are but flesh and blood the Lord is mercifull And will the Lord be mercifull to presumptuous sinners If the heart be good will not the fruit be according can we gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles Surely no They are of their father the deuil because they doe his works they are led captiue at his will into all maner of wickednes And therefore his seruants they are to whom they obey he will pay them their wages euen the wages of sin the second death And therefore if thou wilt know that thou art not of this accursed race diue not into the secrets of God say If thou art damned thou canst not do withal It is in vaine to striue against Gods will in vaine to wash thy hands in innocency But in the Name of God goe to the reuealed word and therein discerning what thou art by nature labour by the power thereof to feele this thy woâ—ull condition yea to feele it a burden that thou canst no way endure and so hunger thou after Iesus Christ to be eased thereof apply him by faith for the acceptance of thy person into the fauour of thy God and put him on by faith that so thou mayst be renued in the spirit of thy minde towalke worthy of so great saluation yet stil labor how to be found in him not hauing thine owne righteousnesse that so renuing thy repentance dayly for former failings thou mayst receiue continuall vertue from this fonntain to the daily cleansing of thy polluted nature to enable thee daily to more constant obedience that so thou mayst grow vp in him which is the head into all holines in the feare of God when thou hast finished all things yet standing fast in him that thou mayst with patience expect the recompence of the reward patience may bring forth the perfect worke in the tryal of thy Faith that so thou maist
receiue the end of thy Faith which is the saluation of thy soule Thus must thou assure thy selfe that thou art not a reprobate 1. Cor. 1◠5. 6. But where is this Malignant Church to be found Surely reprobate Cam suckes of the same breasts with chosen Abel both Shem and Cham are nourished in the same Familie and preserued in the same Arke The Lord is the Sauiour of all men but especially of those that doe beleeue 1. Tim. 4. The malignant Church is sorted euen with the Elect and chosen Generation The hypocrite and true beleeuer make one Militant Church The Tares must grow vp with the wheat vntill the time of haruest least in plucking vp the tares we plucke vp the wheat also and there must be deceiuers to try and purge the Elect Yea to assure the Saints that the house doth of right appertaine to them when those that are in the Church shall willingly goe out thereof howsoeuer for a time they haue roosted therein that it may appeare they were neuer truely of vs. Shall not the hypocrite hereby be made inexcusable Must he not be beat with many stripes because he knowes his masters wil doth it not Doth not the admirable power wisdom of God appeare in ordering these two contraries in the same fold that ech may further other to their contary end Shall not the iustice of God be made glorious in seuering the Sheep frō the Goats at that great day That vnto the Lord alone may be ascribed the glory of all his works And therefore as this serueth to reprooue such as dreame of such a Church in this life which may be free from this mixture because it is onely proper to the Church tryumphant to haue all her vessels holy vnto the Lord to haue euery member truely sanctified So it also condemneth those which shroude themselues vnder pretence of this mixture assuming therefore their state to be good because they are onely members of the visible Church They are Professors They will come to the Church They are Christians they heare the Word partake of the Sacraments c. Haue not those which haue boasted of greater matters bene truly interressed in more glorious outward priuiledges yet not withstanding heard that fearefull voyce I know you not depart from mee ye workers of iniquitie Hath not the court which is without the Temple bene cast out and giuen to the Gentiles Haue they not troden vnder-foot the holy Citie Haue sinners in Sion liued afraid Hath not shame come vpon the Hypocrites could they bee able to dwell with the deuouring fire could they indure the euerlasting burning because the common priuiledges be abused Surely as we may not leaue a Church because of this mixture lest we also depriue our selues of the true speciall priuiledges thereof So we must not content our selues onely with the outward euidence lest in the day of reckning we be foūd too light And therefore labour wee so in the Church that we may bee also true and liuing starres euen liuely members and true branches of the Vine CHRIST IESVS And that we shall doe if not despising and reiecting the outward meanes as the word Sacraments because the hypocrite abuseth them vpon pretence of reuelation or a more Spirituall worship Wee doe not yet rest and content our selues heerewith but rather try all things by the blessed Spirit praying in the Spirit and vnderstanding by the Spirit what the Letter deliuereth and by the grace of the Spirit abiding in the Spirit and not onely in the outward man still hungring in the spirit after the best graces and walking by Faith and not by sinne ayming aboue all at the glory of our GOD and endeuouring that our whole spirits and soules bodyes may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of out Lord IESVS Thus may wee approue our selues to haue chosen the better part Thus may wee discerne our selues to be chosen to the better part not to loue the world though wee must needs be in it Not to be of the hypocrites though in the same Church wee are conuersant with them Comforting our selues that as there is a time that the sonne of the bondwoman shall be cast out so while yet it is our Lot to abide in the flocke to be troubled and tryed with this viperous generation Yet shall Canaan be but a seruant to Iapheth The Hypocrite so long as he abides in the Church is subiect to the true Beleeuer All his gifts shall serue onely for the good of the Elect though for his owne further condemnation Though hee should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare Rayment as the clay He may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Hath he knowledge for any other end but to confound others though himselfe be a cast away Doe his gifts abused serue to any other end then for a touch-stone whereby to trie and compare the gifts of the elect that they may not rest in any outward gifts but onely vpon IESVS CHRIST Is he not the purse-bearer for the good of the Church doing good for vaine-glorie or by respects that so hauing his reward already he may be excluded the reward to come Is he any other then a stoole to dresse foode for the children well may hee licke his Fingers hee may haue a taste and glimpse thereof but his Stomacke is ouer-cloyed with the loue of the worlde It is enough to taste and it will be too much that hee hath tasted And is hee not in the day of trouble a seruant to the Elect Doth hee not prooue a ransome for the iust Is hee not for his prosperitie and vaine-glorie the obiect of the enemies malice Him they enuie for the pride of his holie Mountaine Him they thirst after for his pompe and riches And while they are rifling him doe not the righteous escape Is not that desire of the wicked satisfied Is not Gods purpose accomplished for the purging of his Church for the preseruation of his chosen Lo thus Canaan is a seruant vnto Iapheth And therefore 1. let this serue to humble the Hypocrite in his greatest pompe hee is no better then a slaue for the Churches good So that the more hee enioyeth the greater shall be his condemnation And let this comfort the Elect in theyr greatest abasing their greatest Enemies shall serue theyr turne And can the LORD then faile them or forsake them Onely be wee wise not to loose our right let vs not despise the Hypocrites gifts because hee abuseth them Neither let vs cloase with him in his shewes and yeelde our selues to be measured by his line least now hee insult and reioyce in our flesh and so bring vs into bondage But in the Name of GOD stand wee fast ' in the libertie which CHRIST hath purchased for vs and bee wee not Seruants vnto men but to winne them to Christ So shall Canaan still bee a