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
may dwell in the Tents of Shem This is the summe of the Blessing to dwell in the Tents of Shem. 1. That is to be ioyned vnto the Iewes both in the true worship of God as also in the priuiledges thereof 2. What is the true worship of God This is described vnto vs 1. by the subiect Shem who was the Father of the Iewes fignifying thereby vnto vs that the religion of the Iewes for substance is the true worship How shall this appeare Surely by these circumstances First Shem was the eldest Sonne not onely by Nature but by Grace Hee first in his Fathers house called on the Name of God The Iewes of him were also the first-borne First in the temporall Election first in the set worship of God and so also in the spirituall election And therefore seeing the truth is most Ancient the olde way is the true way Therefore the religion of the Iewes is the true worship of God Secondly That which was commanded of God and performed both for the substance and manner is the true Religion Such was the religion of the Iew wholly commaunded of God both for matter and manner enformed from Gods owne mouth Exod 20. Directed by his owne finger euen to the square and building of the Tabernacle And therefore the Religion of the Iewe was the true Religion And so all will worship is a false religion that which God onely commaunds is the truth onely Pet 2. 1. 19. Colloss 2. 23. Thirdly That which procures saluation to the performer is the truth Such is the religion of the Iewe As not onely pointing at Christ to come But applyâ—â—g Christ as come alâ—eady though not in the Flesh yet in power and efficacie as being a Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world Fourthly True godlines is not onely available for the life to come but euen for this life also Such was the religion of the Iewe so long as they walked after this rule so long the Lord blessed them and aduanced theyr temporall estate maruellously as hee promised Deutron 2â— Leuit 6. and accordingly abased them as they failed therein Fifthly And is not that the truth to which all must yeeld by which all must be directed Must not they returne vnto vs and not we vnto them Ierem 15. 12. Shall not all nations take hold of the skirt of a Iewe and say we will goe with you because the Lord is with you Zach 8. Must not Iapheth dwell in the Tents of Shem not Shem in the Tents of Iapheth Sixthly And shall not the Truth abide for euer Shall not the remnant of Israel be saued Shall not the Iewes though for a time cast off yet bee brought in againe And so the promise of God certaine Gods couenant with the Iewe euerlasting And so the originall truth the euerlasting truth The Iewes religion as most ancient so most permanent and perpetuall Seuenthly Was not the Iewe an abomination to the Aegiptian Is not that the truth which is hated of the world Behold then the true notes of the true Church and worship of God and 1. Trye we our selues by these whether we be in the faith or no Knowe wee not that Iesus Christ dwelleth in vs except we be reprobates 2. Cor 13. 5. 2. Discerne we wisely our estate by these that it is not so well with vs as happily wee may flatter our selues Ioh 8. Hee is not a Iewe which is a Iewe outward onely Rom 2. It is not the circumcision of the Flesh but the circumcision of the heart which God accepteth Rent wee therefore our hearts and not our garments and turne to the Lord our God whose mercies are euerlasting who loueth Truth in the inward parts And though he correct vs with the roddes of men yet will not take his sure mercies from vs Iapheah shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. And is the Church of God the Tents of Shem Howsoeuer afterward glorious in Shems posteritie both for number and outward magnificence yet now meane and contemptible as abyding in Tents Now little and almost invisible as confined to one Familie and not containing all thereof consisting onely of eight persons whereof the one was a Cast-away Beholde wee heere then the condition of the Church of God and therein consider wee further these necessarie Adiuncts thereof First It is a little Flocke Luk. 22. 32. for whom it pleaseth our heauenly Father to prouide a Kingdome though many are called yet fewe are chosen Matth 22. though without number in it scife yet in comparison of the reprobate but a little flocke euen as the gleaning of grapes after the Vintage Matth. 7. 1. Yea as signes and wonders so are they in the worlde 1. So is the good pleasure of our God who will haue mercie on whom hee will haue mercie 2. So narrow is the gate that fewe enter therein 3. So hard a saying it is to Flesh to hate it selfe to be borne againe to take vp the Crosse to become Fooles that we may be wise that no maruell if the wisedome of our Flesh be Enmitie against God that the most forsake Christ it will necessarily followe Ioh 6. Who will belieue our report which is so vnlikely so distastfull to corrupt reason And if not many Mightie many Noble c are chosen It is no wonder Because they will not with Marie choose the better part which shall not be taken away from them First Oh how vaine then is theyr conceit that dreame all shall be saued How fearfull is their course that so liue as vnlesse all bee saued it is impossible but that they must bee condemned Is it safe following the multitude seeing fewe shall be saued Will the example of great ones deliuer from Hell howsoeuer they may shelter vs from bodilie punishment Why then doe we make them our warrants to runne the broade way Why then doe wee aduance them aboue all that is called God as if theyr Lawes were absolute theyr authoritie vncontroulable Is it not better to obey God then man Must wee needes runne to Hell for companie Is it not enough to yeelde our bodies and goods which they gaue vs not Who so is wise let him consider these things First Let him feare him that can kill both body and soule 2. Let him not freat at the prosperitie of the wicked and yet giue vnto Caesar the thing which are Caesare 3. Let him be little in his owne eyes that so he may be contented with his portion though it be the Crppe of Affliction So it bee a proseruatiue from sinne a Badge of his Maister Christ a Pledge of his louing Father a spurre to perfection a procurer of an vncorruptible crowne 4. Let it not grieue him to be salsely charged with singularitie that hee is an odde-Fellow that he walkes alone that he is more nyce then needes that he is no good-Fellow No Friend to Caesar seditious pestilent This was the portion of the Saints This
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