that once the heart hath enough from heaven-ward it hath enough from heaven God hath said and promised it then the heart by a worke it hath of it selfe speaks to it selfe and to the whole man to seeke God The heart will not stoop without reason the heart of an understanding man but when it sees the command first seeke my face then it answers thy face Lord will I seeke So that this command of God and this incouragement and warrant from God Seeke yee my face it was in Davids heart it was written and set and grafted in his heart and then his heart being awed with the command of God God hath said thus the heart goes again to God thou hast said thus Lord Thy face will I seeke See the depth of Davids speech when hee faith Lord thy face will I seeke It came from his heart root not only from the heart but from the heart grounded upon the command and incouragement of God Seeke my face there is the ground the heart digesting this thorowly this is Gods Command I understand it and understand it from God I see the authority from whence itcomes therfore I wil stirre up my selfe Thy face Lord will I seek I shall have occasion to speake somewhat of it afterwards in the next thing his obedience therefore I goe on Thy face Iehovah will I seeke Here is his returne againe to God that he will seeke the face of God I will seeke thy face in all my necessities then I will seeke to thee and in all thine ordinances I will seeke to thee whereinsoever thy presence is discovered thy presence is in all places especially in thine ordinances thy presence is in all times especially in the time of trouble and need in all times of need I will seeke to thee in all exigences I will seeke unto thee and in all thiâ—…e ordinances wherein I may find thee I know I may meet with thee there thou givest thy people meetings in thine ordinances it is thy walke therefore thy face Lord will I seeke where I may be sure to meet thee in thine owne way and ordinances So much for the meaning Thy face Lord will I seeke Here is first of all an Application and obedience from Application they be words of particular Application Thy face will I seeke God had given him a ground Seeke yee my face his heart makes the Application Thy face I will seeke applying the generall incouragement to himself in particular So that you may observe hence that The ground of all obedience of all holy entercourse with God is a Spirit of Application Applying the truths of God though generally spoken to our selves in particular It is spoken here in the plurall number Seeke yee my face but the generall implies the particular as London is in England Seeke yee my face all yee that are the people of God but I am one of them what though I be not named that tenent in Popery is against sense when a man is condemned by the law is his name in the law It is against such a fact hee is a Malefactor And so the particular is included in the generall Seeke yee my face David knew that reason taught him that and not Religion Now the ground of Application of divine truths to our selves in particular is this that the truth of God setting aside some circumstantiall things that arise sometimes to particular persons that sometimes limit the command to one person or the promise to one person cut off those distinctions all comfortable truths agreeto Gods people in all ages while there is a Church in the world Al truths are eternall truths die not as men doe David is dead and Moses is dead but this truth is not dead Seeke yee my face Paul is gone and Peter is gone we are the Davids and the Mose's the Peters and the Pauls now those truths that were good to them are good to us Whatsoever was written before was written for our comfort There is an eternall truth that runs through all ages of the Church that hath an everlasting comfort God hath framed the Scriptures not to be limited to the times wherin they were written as the Papists idly speak Bellarmine and others as if they were occasionall things that the Scriptures were written by occasion of such and such men and concerned only those times but the Scriptures were written for all times and it concernes a times to apply all truths to themselves setting aside those circumstances that are applyed to particular men which are easie to discern in Heb. 13 that that was said to Iosua Ios. 1. the Apostle applies it to the Church in his time and to all Bee not afraid I will not faile thee nor forsake thee it is a generall truth And Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse that whosoever beleeves as Abraham is a sonne of Abraham These truths are universall and concerne every one as well as any And so many other places of Scripture The promise of the blessed seed the beleeving of it runs from the beginning of the world in all ages to the comming of Christ. All other promises were but an inlargement of that that was the Mother-promise that is the ground of Application that the generall truths agree to all the Churches The truth of God is the portion of every child of God he may claime every promise and ought to follow the direction of every command The reason is because al the Church of God are Heires alike Heires of the Promise Children of Abraham Heires of salvation they have interest in Christ-alike in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen in whom all the promises have their making and their performance And by reason that there is an indifferent equality in regard of the maine things of all the children of God they have interest alike in all the benefits by Christ in all truths in all substantiall duties to God and all favours from God that is the ground of the equity of Application But if you will have the ground of the necessity of it nature will shew that for the truths are food if food bee not taken what good doth it doe without application The word of God is a sword what will a sword doe if it hangs up in a mans Chamber or if it be not used when the enemy approacheth The Application of the sword of the Spirit gives the vertue to it it is to no purpose else divine truths are physick if it be not applyed what use is there of physick There is a necessity if wee will obey God of a Spirit of Application there is nothing that will doe good but by application neither in nature nor in grace There must bee a virtuall application at least the heavens worke upon the earth there is no Application bodily the heavens are too high but there is a virtuall Application there comes light in and influence to these inferiour bodies therefore we
EVANGELICALL SACRIFICES In xix Sermons 1. Thankfull commemorations for Gods mercy in our great deliverance from the Papists powder-plot 2. The successefull seeker 3. Faith Triumphant 4. Speciall preparations to fit us for our latter end in foure Funerall Sermons 5. The faithfull Covenanter 6. The demand of a good Conscience 7. The sword of the wicked BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE The third Tome Published and perused by D. Sibbs owne appointment subscribed with his hand to prevent imperfect Copies after his decease ROMANS 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1640. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDVVARD Viscount MANDEVILL and his LADY ANNE his Pious Consort increase of GRACE Right Honourable A Pious Christian whilst upoÌ„ earth takes his time to doe his taske he is or would be all in grace and all to duty well knowing that the time is short the worke great the wages sure and that the best improvement of parts and talents will bring in the master the greatest advantage and himselfe the present and most lasting comforts This is the fruit of a well led life to advance God in glory and a Christian in comfort such as serve God in fulfilling his will must to heaven carry their graces with them enter into their masters joy if they be eminent in profession or publike in place leave behind them their example or some other monumeÌ„t to the world of their fidelity in their places happy such servants that can thus imploy their times and improve their talents This was the endeavour of that shining and burning lampe D. Sibbs the author of this work which I now make bold to present unto your Honours such holy and usefull truths were delivered by him in his life time that the judicious conceive may prove very profitable unto the Church being published after his death I conceive thus of the man what he did in his ministery in publike or in his conference in private it was done aptly pithily and profitably his art was to hide his art to say much in few words he did not desire to cloud his matter from his hearers or to walk so long about any one text till errors were vented or his auditors tired you shall find him to be himselfe one constant to his own principles al along the treatise here you have no new errors broached or old truths deserted but opened maintained and honoured the glory of teachers expectation of hearers and recompence of readers Having found this to bee your Honours honour and let it still be to content your selves with humble knowledge cordial respect vitall expressions of received truths that you are not in number with those that change their judgments and I feare their religion as they do their frinds and fashions being coÌ„stant in inconstancie and that with you it is not truths for persons but persons for truth I doubt not the admittance of these Sermons unto your respect patronage my only request is that as the authour did honour you so these labours of his now made publike may bee as so many divine beames holy breathings and celestiall droppings to raise up your spirits to hate the dominion of the Beast to helpe forward the ruine of mysticall Jericho and all other Vnprosperous buildings and builders that you may become Successefull seekers gayning faith Triumphant to acquaint you with the Hidden life that at length you may obtaine the redemption of your bodies knowing that Balaams wish is not enough unles the faithfull Covenanter take you into covenant with himselfe this alone yeelding to you the demand of a good conscience which shall bee your defence against the Sword of reproach These I leave with you and you with God and rest Your Honours at command IOHN SEDGVVICK To the Reader SO precious the remembrance should be of GODS thoughts of mercy to us-ward when he delivered us from that hellish plot of the Gunpouder Treason that if there were nothing else to commend this Treatise to us the first Sermons here presented to us which were preached upon that occasion may justly procure it a ready and hearty welcome When GOD workes such wonders for a Church and people as that was it is not enough to praise GOD for the present and to rejoyce greatly in the great salvation He hath wrought for them yea the more a people are in such a case affected for the present the more inexcusable they must needs be if afterward they slight and disregard it and that because their former joy prooves they were throughly convinced of the greatnesse of the mercy and so discovers their following ingratitude to bee the more abominable whence it was that when Ionathan put his Father Saul in mind how David killed Goliah and thereby had wrought a great deliverance for them to the end he might no longer seeke his ruine that had beene the meanes of so much good to GODS people withall hee wished him to consider that he himselfe stood by an eye-witnesse of that Noble exployt of Davids and was then mightily affected with joy when he saw that formidable Gyant fall under his hand Thou sawest it sayth he and did'st rejoyee 1 Sam. 19. 5. intimating how inexcusable it would be if he should forget that deliverance concerning which himselfe had beene so wondrously affected when it was done As therfore we have great cause to bewaile the generall decay of mens thankfulnesse for this great deliverance at â—…e first discovery of that cursed plot â—…r mouthes were filled with laughter and our tongue with singing all the Land over and every man could say The Lord hath done great things for us whereof wee are glad as Psal. 126. 2 3. and yet now scarce one amongst many is affected with it as in former times so have we also great cause to blesse GOD for the holy alarms of Gods Watchmen wherby they have endeavored to stirre up those that are fallen from their first joy and so amongst the rest for these of Reverend D. SIBBS the Author of them wherein he hath so feelingly set forth the misery of that Antichristian â—…ondage from which we were delivered 〈◊〉 that Deliverance that methinkes he â—…hat reades them with due care must â—…eeds find his heart rowsing up it selfe â—…s Deborah did Awake awake Deborah â—…wake awake utter a song Iudg. 5. 12. As for the other Sermons which in this third Tome be stiled Evangelicall Sacrifices which are published together with these you shall find them no lesse profitable then these though in divers other respects The most of them tend to fit Christians for their latter end a worke
other things that stand between us and heaven all the wals of Iericho all opposition let us set upon them with a spirit of faith in the use of meanes for hee that hath overcome for us as I said will by little and little overcome in us These corruptions of ours shall fall before the Spirit of God by little and little And as Hamans wife could tel him If thou begin to fall before that people thâ—… shalt certainly fall so if the worke of Grace be begun in us that corruptions begin to fall undoubtedly and certainly they shall fall they cannot stand before the Spirit For grace is in growing and corruption is in decaying continually in a Christian. Why doth not God all at once subdue these wals of Iericho in us but by little and little God will exercise our faith and patience wee are Warriers here in this world our life is a warfare and he will exercise grace in us hee â—…ill have us combate with enemies these inâ—…ard enemies among the rest Againe he will let us see what he hath done â—…r us If we were not exercised with enemies â—…e should not be thankfull sufficient for victoâ—…e over the Devill When we have bin vexed â—…ith the Devills temptations then blessed be God and Christ that at last these troubles are â—…ased How much are wee beholding to Christ that hath freed us from the danger of â—…hese we are only annoyed with the trouble â—…his will make us thankfull when wee have â—…arted This keepes us likewise from soule devourâ—…g sins lesse infirmities in us keepe us from â—…ide and securitie God hath many ends â—…ut to cut off other things because the point 〈◊〉 large I only give a taste Let this comfort us that the wals of Ierichoâ—…hat â—…hat is to say whatsoever opposeth us in â—…ur comming out of the state of nature and â—…ur entrance into the state of heaven whatsoeâ—…er opposition is between shall fall Therfore â—…et us strengthen our faith in the use of means How shall we strengthen our faith this way Faith is strengthened by the knowledge of â—…he attributes of him whom we lay hold upon â—…hose power doth all the more wee know â—…im the more wee shall trust him Let us laâ—…our to know God in Covenant to be our Faâ—…her and to know Christ as he is in his nature and offices what he is to us to know his wisedome and power and truth that there may be a bottome for faith to build on the more wee grow in spirituall knowledge the more wee shall grow in faith and the more wee grow in faith the more we shall grow in other graces whereby we overcome all our enemies that set against us Againe let us make use of all former experience to strengthen faith Hath God begâ—…n the worke doe the wals of Iericho begin to fâ—…ll He that hath begun a good worke will finish it to the day of the Lord. Let us take in trust the time to come by experience of Gods truth for the time past for the worke of the Spirit is a continued worke The Spirit of God in subduing our corruptions he would not have begun if he had meant to have left off and interrupted the worke The Spirit suffers us to fall sometimes but it is to teach us to stand better afterward he turnes our very fals and slips to our good Let us strengthen faith therfore from former experience as David did we have overcome the Beare and the Lyon therefore let us set on the Philistine And as Ioshua set his foot on the necks of the tenne Kings and said Thus shall the Lord thy God destroy all thine enemies so hath the Spirit of God set his foot as it were upon some corruptions thus shall God deale with all corruptions and temptations at length and never leave the blessed government of us till hee have subdued all Let us rise from one experiâ—…ent to another to strengthen faith God is â—…like in all truths You know in Iudges 5. saith â—…he holy woman Deborah So let all thine eneâ—…ies perish The heart of that blessed woman â—…as as it were enlarged prophetically when â—…ne fals they shall all fall there is like reason See how gloriously Hannah in her Song enlargeth her faith by Gods power and goodnesse â—…ecause she had experience in her selfe so exâ—…erience in our selves or others will-inlarge â—…ur faith to looke for greater matters stil from â—…ur gracious powerfull God thus we ought â—…o labour to strengthen our faith And the third thing to helpe faith in all spiâ—…ituall oppositions that we meet with is daily â—…xercise in using it to make it brighter contiâ—…ually every day by working with it upon â—…ur enemies And in the state of Grace to live by it both for this present life to depend upon God for all things and likewise for necessary grace As the Disciples when they were enjoyned a hard dutie Lord increase our faith say they they goe to exercise their faith upon it If that be increased all is increased And so in our callings exercise it by dependâ—…ng upon God for strength and successe Saith Peter to Christ Lord at thy word I will cast out the Net though it were very unlikely it should doe any good they had fished all day and catched nothing but yet he would wait and goe on still At thy word I will cast out the Net He did it and the Net brake with the multitude of fish Let us exercise our faith in daily obedience to God depend upon him in the use of meanes And learne this to wait in the exercise of our faith as they that went about the wals of Iericho they did it seven dayes Put case they had done it sixe and no more the wals had stood still He that hath ten miles to goe and goes but nine she shall never come to his journies end When God hath set downe such a time so long thou shalt waite and use the meanes and depend upon me by faith in the use of the meanes if we be short spirited and lengthen and strengthen not our faith in the use of the meanes wee shall never attaine our desire therefore let us labour to wait Here is the difference betweene Christians and others there is no man but he would be happy if so be it were not for this waiting If a wicked man should see Hell open would hee commit sinne if hee should see it present If hee should see Heaven open and Christ comming with his reward with him hee would be godly there is not the vilest wretch in the world but hee would be so if these things were present but because it is only discovered in the word of God and faith must beleeve and wait for the reward and faith must waite all the time of our life here is the trial So that a Christian differs nothing from a worldly man but in a Spirit of faith and waiting and continuance of that faith
say the Sunne is in the house and in the place we are in though there bee only his influence there But there must bee application of divine truth to the soule it must be brought neere the soule before the soule can moove There is a necessity of Application from a principle of nature to make it our owne Now as in nature there is a power in the soule to worke out of the food that that is good for every member which we call a digestive power and faculty that applies and asâ—…milates the meat and nourishment we take to every part There be fibra sucking veines that suck out of the meat strength for this and that purpose So there is in the soule of every Christian and holy man there is a spirituall sucking there is a drawing assimilating digesting Spirit that digests and drawes out nourishment out of the booke of God that is fit for him that hee can say this is mine this is for me I want comfort and strength and direction here it is I want light here it is I am weake here is supply for it so there is a digestive power by the Spirit of God in every Christian to suck and to draw out of the word that that is fit for all purposes and turnes and he can apply the word upon every occasion as if it be a command hee obeyes it if it be a threatning hee trembles at it if it be comfort he rests in it if it be a direction hee followes it likewise Hee applies it answerable to the nature of the word whatsoever it is his heart is moulded answerable to the word by reason of the Spirit of Application As there is a ground of the Application of the word and a necessity of it so there is a principle of Application that is the Spirit of God in the hearts of the children of God teaching their spirits to draw wholsome truths fitting to themselves and none but the children of God can doe it that have the Spirit of God they cannot apply the word of God aright False Application of the word of God is the cause of all mischiefe sometimes when those that apply the law should apply the Gospel and on the contrary when those that should apply the law sinfull secure persons apply the Gospel Many times poore distressed persons that comfort belongs to Oh comfort my people they apply the Law that belongs not to them in that case false application is the ground of mischiefe therefore the Spirit of God is the principle of Application of divine truths according to the exigence and estate of Gods people Therefore wee should be stirred up to beg the Spirit of Application to maintaine our communion and entercourse with God that we may apply every thing duely and truly to our selvs our own foules all is to no purpose else if we do not apply it if it be not brought home to our soules and digested throughly in our hearts wee must say this is from God and this belongs to me when we heare truths unfolded to say of our selves this concernes me and say not this is a good portion and a good truth for such a one and such a one but every one take out his owne portion this is for me God saith Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke with a spirit of Application If wee doe not as indeed it is the fault of the times to heare the word of God loosely wee care not so much to heare the word of God as to heare the gifts of men wee desire to heare fine things to increase notions we delight in them and to heare some empty creature to fasten upon a storie or some phrases by the by alas you come here to heare duties and comforts if you be good and sentences against you if you be naught wee speak Gods threatnings to you that will wound you to hell except you pull them out by repentance It is another manner of matter to heare then it is took for Take heed how you hear saith Christ so we had need for the word that we hear now shall judge us at the latter day thereupon wee should labour for a spirit of Application to make a right use of it as we should Therefore those humble soules that are cast downe in the sight and sense of their sins they must apply the sweet and blessed comforts of the Gospel such as are contrite in spirit Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavie laden c. Those on the other side that goe on in a course of sin and will not be reclaimed let them consider what Moses saith Deut. 29. If a man goe on and blesse himselfe my wrath shall smoake against such a man and burne to hell I will not remove my wrath from him till by little and little I take my good spirit from him and let him goe with some temporall comforts and then bring him to hell I will curse him in his blessings hee shall have blessings but he shall be cursed in all that he doth and all things shall bee in wrath and anger that shall burne to hell Such like places let such men apply to themselves there is no comfort at all to men that live in sin wittingly and willingly If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not heare my prayer If a man 〈◊〉 me ordinance of God hearing and good means His prayer shall be abhominable Hee that will 〈◊〉 heare the Law his prayer is abhominable The applying of these things would make men bethinke themselves and turne to God when he considers what part of the word belongs to him and makes a right Application If we make not a right Application of Gods truths this mischiefe will come ofit we 〈◊〉 hour God and his bounty hath God beene so bountifull as to give us so many instructions and such promises and shall not we 〈◊〉 them our own what is the end of the ministery but to spread before us the unsearchable riches of Christ they are yours if you will take them when you have not a spirit of Application and are not in case to take them they are lost Gods bounty is discredited The Devill rejoyceth when hee seeth what excellent things are laid open in the Church of God in the ministery what sweet promises and comforts but here is no body to take them and lay hold on them Like a table that is richly furnished and there is no body comes and takes it it makes the Devill sport it rejoyceth the enemy of mankind when we loose so great advantage that wee will not apply those blessed truths and make them our own There is no greater delight to Sathan then for us to refuse those dainties that God hath provided for us what can rejoyce an enemy more then to see courtesies refused He sees that all the
come to heaven they must bee a generation of Seekers Heaven is a generation of Finders of Possessors of Enjoyers Seekers of God but here we are a generation of Seekers wee want somewhat that we must seeke when we are at best we want the accomplishment of our happinesse It is a state of seeking here because it is a state of want we want something alway But to come more particularly to this seeking the face of God or the presence of God The presence of God and the face of God where is it to be sought for Know that first for a ground The presence of God it is every where but that is not the thing here purposed There is a face and presence of God iâ—… every thing in every creature therefoâ—… every creature hath the name of God some times a Rock because as God is strong soâ—… Rock is strong So likewise a shield as a shieâ—… defends so God defends us there is somâ—… resemblance of God in the creature therefore God hath the name of the creature but thâ—… is not here meant The presence of God meant here is that presence that hee shewes in the time of need and in his ordinances Hee shewes a presence in need and necessity that is a gracious presence to his children a gracious face As in want of direction hee shewes his presence of light to direct them In weaknesse hee shews his strength In trouble and perplexity he will shew his gracious and comfortable presence to comfort them In perplexity he shewes 〈◊〉 presence to set the heart at large answerable to the necessity there is a presence So in need God is present with his children to direâ—… them to comfort them to strengthen them if they need that And in the issue of all busines there is a presence of God to give a blessing for there is a presence must be even to the end of things when we have all wee would have yet God must give a blessing so you see there is a presence of God answerable to the necessity of man as it hath reference to this place Thy face will I seeke to direct me by thy heaâ—…enly light when I know not what to doe as â—…ehosaphat said we know not what to doe but our â—…yes are towards thee And so in weakenesse when we have no strength of our owne then goe to God to seeke the face of God that he would be present with us So when wee are comfortlesse goe to God that comforts the abject The God of all comfort goe to him for his presence for helpe And when wee are troubled in our hearts about successe what will become of such and such a businesse goe to GOD that gives successe and issue to all Thus we see a presence of God answerable to every necessity of man There is a gracious presence of God likewise in his ordinances that is the chiefe presence next to heaven the presence in Gods Ordinances that is in the unfolding of the word in the administration of the Sacraments in the communion of Saints Indeed in the Ordinances God is graciously present Where two or three are gathered together I will be in the midst of them Therefore in Rev. 1. It is said that Christ walks in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes that is in the middest of the Church There is a gracious presence of of Christ in the middest of the Candlesticks he takes his walkes there Christ hath a speciall presence in his Church in the ordinances and that David aymes at here too not onely I will seeke thy face introuble and necessitie when I need any thing from thee but Thy face will I seeke in all thine ordinances to inable me for the other For it is in vaine for a man to thinke to seeke God in his necessity and exigence if he seeke not God in his ordinances and doe not joy in them So you see where the face and presence of God is to be sought in necessities of all kinds and in the ordinances Now in our seeking the presence or face of God there is foure or five things that I will touch the heads of First of all seeking implyes observance seeke my face that is observe me respect me as a God Thy face I will seeke I will bee a follower of thee As in English an observer is a follower a creature It is a proud word as if man could make a man of nothing And indeed they are creatures in that kind they are raysed of nothing To seeke a man is to observe him there is a notable place for it Prov. 29. 26. Many seeke the rulers favour In the Greeke translation the Septuagint the word is to observe and respect a man which is translated seeking Many observe the ruler but every mans judgement commeth from the Lord. You see those that thinke to rise by the favour of such or such a man they will be his followers as I said and observe him they studie men as those that rise by favour that way they study not bookes so much as men what may delight such a man what hee respects surely they will serve him at every turne A base Atheist makes a man his god that he may rise he will deny God and the motions of Conscience and honesty and all to observe the face of a great man whom hee hopes to rise by but a true Christian observes the great God the greatest preferment comes from him so it signifies to observe In Psalme 62. there you shall see the ground of observation is that power belongs to God I have heard once nay twise Hee heard it twise by the meditation of it by going over it in his heart againe I have heard once nay twise that is I thoâ—…ght againe and againe on it that is hearing of it oft We may heare a truth a hundred times that is by meditating of it I have heard once nay twice that power belongs to God that is riches and power to advance a man Atheisticall men thinke all belongs to the creature but power belongs to God That is one thing that is meant by seeking diligent observing of GOD and respect to him and his will and commandements in all things If so be that a person of great place should say observe me and I will prefer you I hope men would bee ready enough they need no more words Here is the Atheisme of our hearts God saith I will doe all good for you the greatest preferment is to bee the child of GOD here and the heire of heaven after What preferment is there to that of Christianity and he saith seeke my face observe me respect me let the eye of your soules be to me as it is in the Psalme As the eyes of a mayd are toward the hand of her Mistris The obedience of a servant is toward the eye of the Commander so the obedience of a Christian is toward the
that You know Gods manner of working is in contrary estates when we die faith sees life when we most apprehend our sins faith sees the forgivenesse of sinnes when we are in the greatest mystery faith hath so quicke a sight that it sees happinesse and glâ—…y through all It sees a farre off notwithstanding the interposing of any thing contrary by flesh and bloud Faith is sometimes called tast and by the name of other senses but especially by the name of sight As in sight there is both the light outward and a light in the eye and the application of the light in the eye to the object so in faith there is a light in the things revealed a promise and discovery of it by the light of the Gospell and an inward light in the soule answerable to the inward light in the eye for a dead eye sees nothing and a quick living eye sees nothing without the light of the ayre So there is a double revelation by the word and by the spirit the spirit works an eye of faith in the soule and then it discovers to it the things of God They saw them a farre off God created a new eye in the soule a new sight which they had not by nature for even as the natural eye cannot see things that are invisible so the naturall man cannot see the things of God which are seene not by a naturall but by a supernaturall eye eye hath 〈◊〉 seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared 〈◊〉 his children 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The eye there-therefore that must see things a farre off it must bee a supernaturall eye and the light that must discover them must be the light of Gods truth for reason cannot see the resurrection of the body and the life to come and such glorious things as the word of God reveales to us If you aske why this sight of faith is so necessary this supernaturall sight I answer nothing can be done in religion without the supernaturall eye of the soule nothing at all for a man may see heavenly things with a naturall eye and be never a whit the better a man may see the joyes of heaven he may heare much of heaven and happinesse and forgivenesse and thinke oh these are good things but yet notwithstanding he doth not see these things with a supernaturall eye he doth not see these things to be holy and gracious and to be fit for him he wisheth them with conditions but not with the altering of his disposition As a man may see an earthly thing with a heavenly eye because he sees God in it and there is somewhat of God in it to lead him to see him so a man may see heavenly things with a carnall eye as Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous A carnall man may be ravished with heavenly things but he must look upon them as things sutable or else all is to no purpose How doth faith see this how comes faith to have this strength Because faith sees things in the power of God it sees things in the truth of God he 〈◊〉 Iehovah he gives being to things therefore as God Almighty gives being to things in their time when they are not so faith in his promises sees that these things will bee it sees things in the truth of God in the promise of God there it hath these eyes to see a farre off It selfe is wrought by the mighty power of God in the soule for it is a mighty power for the soule to neglect the things it sees to neglect riches and honours and pleasures and to stand admiring of things that it sees not for a man to rule his course of life upon reasons which the world sees not because there is a happinesse to come and a God that he believes in c. It is a mightie power that plants such a grace in the heart faith is wrought by the mighty power of GOD. As it selfe is wrought by the power of God so it layes hold upon the power of God that the promises shall be performed In all the promises it sees and layes hold on the mighty power and truth of God and therefore it hath such an eye Our duty then is to labour to have our faith cleare to have this eye of faith to have a strong faith a strong sight When is the sight of faith strong When it is as the faith of these Patriarchs was There are three things that make a strong sight that makes us conceive that he sight of faith is a strong sight When the things are farre of that we see then if the eye see them it is a strong sight a weake eye cannot see a farre off Secondly when there are clouds betweene though the things be neare yet when there are clouds betweene to breake and pierce through them there must be a strong sight Then thirdly when there is but a little light when there are many obstacles in the middest and to breake through all by a little light to seethings remote here is a strong eye and this was the sight of these blessed men they had a strong eye For the things they looked on were remote a farre off diverse thousands of yeares they saw Christ by faith the soule mounted up on the wing of faith it flew over many thousands of yeares in a moment and see Christ the Messias and see heaven it selfe typi fied in Canaan So swift is the eye of faith it mounts over all in a moment As the eye of the body in a moment can looke to the vâ—…sible heavens so a strong faith it sees Christ in heaven And then betweene them and that they looked to what difficulties were there Blessed Abraham who was a type of Christ how many difficulties had he besides other of the Patriarchs We see God commanded him to slay his sonne a command one would thinke against reason against affection against hope it was faith against faith as it were It was against reason in the eye of flesh Now in this case to strive against all these difficulties what a many clouds must Abraham breake through here against sense and against affection hee must hope against hope hee must have faith against faith he must deny affection hee must goe and take his only begotten son Isaac and he must be the executioner and butcher himselfe and slay him for a sacrifice Here must be a strong faith in the power of God that must see God raysing Isaac from the dead as he did after a sort for when he was bound for a sacrifice ready to bee slaine he caused a Ramme to be taken in the thicket and to be offered and Isaac escaped It was a strong faith to breake through all these Indeed blessed Abraham saw more excellency and power in the work of God then in his beloved Isaac So faith that is strong it