and condition wherein Christ his Lord was interested and concerned yet Moses had not onely this motive of Faith to perswade him to this choice but he had another also and that a powerfull one For he had respect also to the recompence of the Reward that is beleeved the Deliverance of his People was approching and they should receive the promised Inheritance the Land of Canaan a Type and Figure of Heaven Q. But what doth Faith Eye temporall Objects or are temporalties as well as spiritualties taken into the cognizance of Faith or is that true Faith which moves for either of these respects could Moses fight the Lords Battells and look for Pay or Recompence Is not this to be a mercinary Souldier no Voluntiere or rather thus to act Is it not to love our selves and the reward not the Lord and his Service Is it not to serve him for Hire not for Duty A. Indeed it is most true That the Glory of God should be both the prime mover and ultimate end of all actions which are truely Religious because all Religion is to be terminated in God yet our immortall soules whose chiefe felicity and complement is the Union and fruition of God may deservedly challenge our secondary and subordinate thoughts and respects both because that in these respects we ayme at God who is our perfection and reward and also because our respects are regular when we take in the intermediate end with order and respect to the last and chiefest For in this case we overlook our selves by Eying an higher and more glorious Object And for this we have warranty both from those Precepts which enstruct us to seek the Kingdom of God to lay up a sure Foundation of good works For the hope of the Eternall Reward to strive with all care to secure our Election Luke 16.9 1 Cor. 9.24 Tit. 2.12.13 Colos 3.23 and also from those great presidents who have practised before us Moses here in this place Saint Paul Phil. 3.11.12 If by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead Not as though I had already attained either was already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus Our Saviour Christ that grand Exemplar Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God And also from good Reason for Qui uult finem nult media and è contra now God commands the means faith and the end of that is salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your soules He commands holinesse of life and the end of that is Eternall life Rom. 6.22 an happy end is a great provocation and encouragement to action and for this end God proposeth to us that most blessed and comfortable end The result is this That to act meerly propter mercedem for an hire is slavish and self-ish but to doe ex intuitu mercedis to look upon the Reward as an incitement and comfort is a most usefull help and so morally necessary to piety and devotion 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Col. 3.24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is layd up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing The Second Part. 1. By Faith For Flesh and Blood would have perswaded Moses to a contrary choice to continuance and residence in Pharaohs Court and if he had consulted with worldly men concerning his Designe if they disliked his Person he would be censured and derided as weak and unpolitick if they had a kindnesse for him they would rebuke him as Peter did our Saviour upon a somwhat like account Be it far from thee Lord This shall not be unto thee Mat. 16.22 But Faith adviseth not with Flesh and Blood neither resolves with the men of this world No it adviseth with the Word of God and resolves with the Church of God and therefore that which the World so much admires and fancies the gallantry and splendor of a Princes Court the Title and Dignity of his Sonne and Favourite the Treasures of his Exchequer he did with great resignation and freedom relinquish and forsake And which is yet more that the World most dislikes and abhorrs poverty persecution ignominy slavery he did with much cheerfulnesse embrace for then he left the powerfull prevailing party and sided with an afflicted and despised people vexed and oppressed with arbitrary impositions and inhumane servitudes See what Faith can doe it can overcome the World it can count all things but losse to be found in Christ It is Faith and nothing but Faith that sets a just estimate and value of things not because currant but because worthy that distinguished betwixt truth and appearances substantiall and fantastick happinesses and so makes a Christiam esteem and adjudge the persecutions of an holy Church an higher preferment then the promotions of a tyrannicall Court that more then Heathenish Law of self-preservation is superseded by Christ Mat. 10.33 Whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven And ver 37.38.39 He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it and so abolished by that Law of Faith which he prescribed 2. By Faith because done in obedience to that Law and Rule of Faith which the Captain and High Priest of our profession had enacted and ordered The main difference betwixt that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 1.3 the Work of Faith which is the fincere observation of Christ precepts and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.15 the work of the Law written in our hearts which is the dictates of a naturall conscience and the common notions of humanity betwixt an act of Grace and that of Nature that the oue is done onely rationally the other obedientially the one is a faculty the other a duty that we performe as man a rationall creature made by God and so his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other as a Christian a devout sworn servant of Jesus Christ who hath brought into captivity every thought even the most rationall most excellent thought or suggestion of Nature to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor.
simul oriuntur simul moriuntur here in via at least yet Faith is the first-born and according to the Law of Primogeniture and Birth-right it layes the claim and title to Heaven and gives the jus ad rem Legall Right thereto though the actuall possession thereof the jus in re be from Faith perfected by Works And hence in Scripture account howsoever Faith and Obedience are Philosophically two distinct habits they are the same in as much as true Christian Faith is Obedientiall not meerly Notionall and all Christian Obedience is an emanation of Faith For there we find one and the same Word denoting both Infidelity and Disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes unbeleif Acts 14.2 But the unbeleeving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evill affected against the Brethren John 3.36 He that beleeveth on the Son hath Everlasting life and he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Sometimes disobedience undutifulnesse obstinacy Ephes 3.2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Col. 3.6 For which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience 1 Pet. 3.20 Which somtimes wore disobedient when once the long suffering of God wayted c. So not providing for our Family which in strictnesse of Language is an act of disobedience because an omission of a prescribed duty is yet made by the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.8 a bad peice of Infidelity and men are said to be absurd and wicked because they have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not onely barely to assent but also to obey Galat. 3.1 and true sineere conversion is stiled Faith to God ward 1 Thes 1.8.9.10 and the keeping of the Commandements and Faith are inseparably conjoyned Apoc. 14.12 And then the Exhortation will be seasonable What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder what God hath joyned in praecept let no man separate either in Dispute Discourse or Practice For 7. We find Rahabs Faith working by love and her love demonstrated by her Hospitality She received the Spies in peace which the Apostle St James 2.25 urgeth as an instance to demonstrate her Faith to be true and truely Christian Zacheus upon his profession of Faith promised restitution and vowed liberality The Convert therefore on the Crosse even in those dying minutes beleeved and through Faith confessed Christs innocency and his own guilt and in great charity both reproves and exhorts his fellow sufferer If we pretend to Faith and have not Repentance towards God and love towards the Brethren as the Apostle in another case so here our Faith is in vain we are yet in our sins The love of the Brethren is a good expression of our love to God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ If we receive our Lord by Faith we will well-come and receive with kindnesse the people whom he hath chosen for his portion and Inheritance and if we love God as the Soveraigne we must joyntly love them whom he loveth and to whom he communicateth some share and measure of his fulnesse 1 John 4.20.21 If a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a lyar For he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And this Commandement have we from him that he who loveth God love his Brother also And no better or clearer expression of love then Hospitality and honourable and liberall entertainment of strangers and exiles and therefore Brotherly love and Hospitality are conjoyned as the antecedent and the consequent Heb. 13.1.2 But 8. Her Faith made her faithfull to God and his Church having undertaken this Profession she will hold it fast neither to desert it nor to comply with its opposite and enemy If we fall away from our holy Profession though but by some secret complyance to the contrary we are not so faithfull nor so clear as we ought to be our Faith is not fincere at least suspitious and Rahabs Zeale will either convince us of coldnesse or luke-warmnesse in a good cause 9. Rahab perished not because she upon Treaty with the Spies had made her Conditions and Articles Wicked faithlesse men are noted to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will prevaricate with their Word and Promise though solemnly Covenanted Rom. 1.31 Faith is to be kept and Covenants to be observed even with Hereticks and Heathens such was Rahab at the Treaty Thus the Israelites kept touch with the Gibeonites Joshua 9.18.19 And the Children of Israel smote them not because the Princes of the Congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel And all the Congregation murmured against the Princes But all the Princes said unto all the Congregation We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel now therefore we may not touch them And because after they and the House of Saul did prevaricate God severely punished them 2 Sam. 21.5.6 And they answered the King The man that consumed us and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the Coasts of Israel Let seven men of his Sons be delivered unto us and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul whom the Lord did chuse And the King said I will give them So he punished the perfidious Moabites 2 Kings 3.5 34. and the falshood of Zedechiab Ezech. 17 19. 10. She perished not but not onely she even her Relatives shared in this happinesse God blesseth the faithfull and mercifull man in his Relations and Posterity The Generation of the Righteous shall be blessed Never any destruction so totall so universall but a residue escaped Isay 10.20.21 And it shall come to passe in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the House of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the holy One of Israel in truth The remnant shall return even the remnant of Iacob unto the mighty God Rev. 7.3 Hurt not the Earth neither the Sea nor the Treet till we have Sealed the Servants of our God in their Foreheads The Third Part. OAlmighty God and most mercifull Father the giver of all grace and Author of all goodnesse who delightest not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live Turn thee unto us and turn us unto thee and so shall we be turned Convert thou us and so shall we be converted O let us not any longer goe a whoring after our own imaginations nor be led by the deceitfulnesse of sin but having Faith to God-ward we may turn from Idols to serve thee the living God and to wait for thy Son from Heaven and in the mean time receive and welcome him in our
THE CATALOGVE OF THE Hebrevv Saints Canonized by St. Paul Heb. 11th Further Explained and Applied Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets c. James 5.10 Take my Brethren the Prophets for an Example Ambr. l. 1. Off. c. 25. Exempla majorum proponimus quae neque obscuritatem afferunt ad intelligeadum neque ad tractandum versutias Sit igitur nobis vita majorum disciplinae speculum non calliditatis commentarium imitandi reverentis non disputandi aâ—â—â—â—ia Idem Orat. de side Resurrect Vivant Patriarchae c. Vivemus nos si gesta moresque majorum voluerimus imitari Miremur eorum praemia imitemur obsequia praedicemus gratiam Newcastle Printed by S. B. 1659. MOSES his Minority Heb. 11.23 By Faith Moses when he was Borne was hid three Moneths of his Parents because they saw he was a proper Child and they not afraid of the Kings Commandement JOsephs Death Concluded the former Part and the Saered Story of those most holy Men which the Spirit of God hath Recorded and Commended to Posterity for the space of 2368. Years for so many are computed from the Birth of the World till Josephs Death And this Second Part begins with Moses his Birth and a Narrative of the signall Providences which not long after occurred For By Faith Moses c. The first Part. As Moses his Preservation from the Tyranny of the Egyptian Edict and Inquisition Exod. 1.15 was a most eminent work of the Divine-all-ruling Providence so was it a most heroicall and Religious Act of his both affectionate and holy Parents For though Nature not assisted by any other guide will sufficiently enstruct Parents both to desire and endeavour and is therefore often found to be very ingenious to contrive wayes for the preservation of their Issue Yet Religion both sharpens those desires which threatned and apprehended hazards might either dull or divert and also seconds and backs those endeavours which might be stopped and stayed with an infidell perswasion and an unbeleeving beleife of an impossible event Nature is full of jealousies and fears and so apt to make men doubtfull and remisse Religion is made up of hope and ingenuity and renders Men clear confident and resigned For Faith in emminent dangers both superadds resolution to the scrupulous and faint wishings and wouldings of false and fearfull and also diligence and constancy to the recoyling and revolting indeavours of the same trayterous and declining nature Nature will not hold out unlesse Religion command in cheife terrors and threats in the losse of life or estate will lay her off and cow her unlesse the auxiliaries of grace be called in for assistance and when both these concur in this subordination the effect is not onely a work of Nature but an act also of Faith And this seems to be the case betwixt Moses and his Parents here affection and humanity told them they should endeavour his preservation and the way for that was by his concealement Religion goes higher and commanded them thus to doe and also assured them that what they did thus in obedience to her dictates should prosper and succeed according to their affectionate desires and inclinations Nature set forth the enterprize Faith kept it a foot Nature saith This I would doe Faith saith Goe on and prosper Nature is right set and never sayles when she is subject to the counsels and commands of Grace 2. But Faith not well grounded is either a fancy and delusion or rashnesse and presumption and therefore it was not sufficient to denominate this their concealement an act of Faith because the concealers were perswaded and therefore presumed that it would take and prove according to their expectation for a strong persuasion may be a strong and strange delusion a fantasticke Faith is but the beleeving a lye 2 Thes 2.11 unlesse also they had sufficient Motives and Arguments to bottome and found that perswasion and confidence 3. Now that Moses his Parents had such supports and grounds for their concealement we have these following enducements and considerations to evidence to us and secure our Faith that what they did was done as the Apostle here declares by Faith Look then upon this contrivance with the Eye of Faith and you will finde by searching into the rule of Faith that it was a commanded work and designe of Faith For 1. Consider it in thesi that must needs be looked on as an effect and production of Faith which hath an expresse revelation from Heaven for its foundation and Gods truth and goodnesse for its warranty and security Now Moses his Parents knew the Propheticall praedictions of dying Israel and Joseph the former recorded Gen. 48.21 the latter Gen. 50.25 and both of them relating to the Hebrews Deliverance the accomplishment whereof they fully beleeved and apprehended as approaching and drawing nigh 2. Consider it in hypothesi that the set time was come for the Hebrews Deliverance and that Moses should be preserved that he might be the Deliverer of his Brethren they had high and cogent Arguments to engage their beleife For the former They knew that Pharaohs rage was neer the height and his tyranny almost at the full and that God would declare his Power in restraining and suppressing Pharaohs Exod. 9.16.17 that it was Gods usuall Method to leade captivity captive to confound the policies of Tyrants when they seem to them most prudent and to subdue their power when they appeare most potent to themselves and most terrible to his persecuted people and withall That God was a fure and present refuge in due time of trouble Psal 9.9.10 and Psal 46. And for their confirmation besides these contemplative they had experimentall grounds For de facto God through the Religious temper of the Hebrew Midwives and the motions of compassion and common humanity in some neighbouring Egyptians had preserved many Hebrew Infants from that barbarous Massacre which Pharaoh had projected and by his cruel Edicts ordered and therefore it was very obvious for Moses his Parents from those received axiomes and attested experiments of Gods goodnesse to draw conclusions of mercy towards themselves and their tender Infant and particularly to apply them to themselves in his behalfe For the latter That Moses should be preserved for his Brethrens Deliverance besides what was contained and folded up in the generall Propositions of holy Faith Moses his Parents though we have no expresse speciall Revelation in that Record that they had had some more distinct and clear Declaration from God which St. Steven Acts 7.20 seems to report when he tells us that Moses was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the vulgar reades Gratus Deo Tremel Dilectus Deo and the Genevah enclines to this and then this expression is Argumentatively full to our purpose Thus God at Moses his Birth did represent to his Parents and they accordingly did apprehend in him somewhat extraordinary for which he would deliver and preserve him then God manifested he should be his
then his Preservation God gratifies her Religious good Nature with larger bounties she had also the delight and comfort to Suckle and Swadle him and not onely by connivence or permission but by speciall Favour and Commission from Pharaohs Daughter not upon her own proper costs and charges but with a certain Honourable Salary and Stipend and with full expectation of high preferment in Pharaohs Court for a surplusage So true is that of the Apostle Eph. 3.20 God is able to doe exceeding abunndantly above all that we can aske or think And the Psalmists supposition is here in some sence affirmatively true When his Father and Mother forsook him then the Lord took him up Psal 27.10 for Moses his Parents durst not take notice of him neither was there any to look for or after him but a timerous Damosell who yet but looked at a distance God took the care then upon himself who is a present help when all other second auxiliaries faile to all distressed persons but above all others to exposed Infants Their Angels in Heaven when no Guardians on Earth doe alwayes saith our Saviour Mat. 18.10 behold the Face of my Father stand before and about him as his Guard continually to attend and wait for Orders towards their protection and preservation And as he appointeth his noble Hosts to be their Overseers and Assistants so he maketh the most honourable among men to be the instruments of his good providence Kings shall be their Nursing Fathers and Queens their Nursing Mothers as was here in effect demonstrated and was in some part proved and experienced by David and so by him witnessed and attested Psal 22.9.10.11 4. The experience of Gods mercifull dispensations and gracious dealings is a great ayd and assistance to our Faith and a strong and powerfull encouragement for our chearfull dependance on Gods good providence It was an experiment which satisfied Peters scruple removed his error and prejudice and produced that determination and conclusion of Faith Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 And it was an Argument of sense which fetched that answer and confession of Faith from Thomas My Lord and my God But as it is an help to Faith so it is the settlement and strength of hope and obedience former favours provoke us to thankfulnesse in prosperity and good dayes and encline us to confidence and resolution in adversity in dangerous and difficult times take a proofe and instance of both Josephs rejection of his Mistrisse her solicitations was grounded on his Masters favour and Gods goodnesse in his former deliverance and present preferment Gen. 39.8.9 Behold my master c. as if he had said Such an unworthy complyance and condiscention as she moved was both a sin against God and an iniustice against Pharaoh the former an act of irreligion the latter of ingratitute both a great wickednesse When Benhadad was in straits and knew not which way to turn himself his Servants counselled him to joyn with them in a submission to Ahab King of Israel and the motive to this their counsell and his acceptance and all their submission was this Behold now we have heard that the Kings of the House of Israel are mercifull Kings c. 1 Kings 20.31.32 Doubtlesse it is a good Argument God hath been found in this and such emergencies when we sought unto him therefore let us seek again to him he hath heard when we called therefore let us call again David frames such an Argument when from an induction of mercies he concludes a continuation The Lord that delivered c. 1 Sam. 17.34.35.36.37 And Saint Paul from the former experience of mercies builds his future hopes of a succession 2 Cor. 1.8 9.10 So true is that of the same holy Apostle Rom. 5.4.5 Patience worketh experience and experience hope not an hypocriticall presumption which hath the luck alwayes to be bafled but a grounded dependance which maketh not ashamed as all hypocrites shall be when their vain confidences fayl them which alwayes obtains either what it expects or better or more and is therefore a rejoycing hope because an obtaining ver 2. or which is more pertinent Because the love of God is shed abroad c. ver 5. former receipts of mercies hath produced in our hearts an assurance that God loveth us and if so then we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 3.28 and none but such God loves so as to reward And this made the Psalmist use that Exhortation Tast and see that the Lord is good c. Psal 34.8 and that solemn and sacred Protestation I will remember the years c. Psal 77 10.11.12.13 5. Acts of nature and reason if performed in Faith are taken in and converted into Religion Moses Parents did an act of naturall affection in Faith as was before cleared and so they were not onely naturall but religious and faithfull for so doing and the ground hereof is That as not the opus operatum not the doing of a work of Religion is a duty abstractedly and simply considered removed from all adjuncts and circumstances for even the most wicked transgressors may doe that which for the substance of the work is Religious and yet they are not Religious in doing it because of a defailance in the right manner of performing as in Jehu his Zeale the Pharisees Prayers the Hypocrits Almes for they doe them not in ayme respect and order to God and his Laws but to other ends and purposes as is expressed Hos 7.14.16 Zach. 7.5 so the most common acts of life of nature and civility may become acts of Faith and holy Religion if they be duely circumstantiated done spiritually and divinely with relation and reference unto God obedience and submission to his will for it is the manner of doing and the end which differenceth and distinguisheth holy and prophane actions acts of Faith and acts of Reason of Grace and Nature and therefore those acts which materially are naturall and ciuill rationall and morall if performed with a desire a care and conscience to please God they are formally and truely Religious and Christian as the Philippians Contribution sent by Epaphroditus is called a Sacrifice acceptable a Sacrifice acceptable because done to him with an Eye and respect to God the liberality was to Paul the Sacrifice the Service to God and this sauctified it and adopted it into an holy office or an act of Faith Aug. lib. 19. de Civ Dei cap. 25. throughout 6. To denominate an act a duty of Faith it is sufficient to walk and move according to that degree and measure of light we have received and to beleeve proportionably to the evidence of the Revelation That which stayed Moses his Parents their Faith and for which they were reputed faithfull was not a clear Philicall or Mathematicall demonstration for this carries its evidence so strongly along with that it commands and forceth assent neither was it
an Enthusiasme or immediate Revelation but such motives and inducements as were before recited which amounted onely to strong and high probabilities yet sufficient enough in an humble modest heart to produce Faith a certainty of adhaerence though not of evidence and this sufficient to produce acts and operations of Faith to provoke to the obedience of Faith A bruised Reed God will not break nor quench a smoaking Flax Mat. 12.20 if we have but Faith so much as a graine for a little Faith if sound is true Faith of mustard seed let the motives be what they will if this encline and promote obedience the least degree thereof is well pleasing to God he will accept without being furnished with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Armour of infallibilities and demonstration Nathaniels Faith had neither Enthusiasme nor demonstration but a Topick or Argument a paribus backed by an humane testimony or report John 1.48 and Christ approved this his Faith and rewarded it with an higher concession of grace ver 30.51 and so Christ accepted Thomas his Faith though enduced by senfible experiments John 20 28. whatsoever the instrument or beginning or motive of beleife be if that work by love and work in us a care and desire to find the truth humility in following and constancy in professing it this shall be our reasonable service of God The third Part the Prayer O Eternall Lord God in whom to beleeve is Eternall life give to us thy grace which may suppresse every motion of infidelity that there be not in us an evill heart of unbeleife and however we be not able to manage the shield of Faith yet perfect thou thy strength in our weaknesse making it mighty through thy power working in us to pull down strong holds cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowlege of God O holy Jesus the Eternall Word of the Father we beleeve thou hast the Words of Eternall Life Lord help thou our unbeleife and increase our Faith bring into captivity every thought to thine obedience that thy servants and followers may submit to thee our Lord and Master resigning our Vnderstandings to the Truth our Wills to the Goodnesse our Affections to the holinesse of thy Precepts and by Hope depending for satisfaction on thy precious promises O Immortall and all-glorious Spirit sanctifie unto us all those means and methods which are the preparatives and Introductions of Faith that they may be Instrumentall to Principle us in wholesome Doctrine to beget in us a love of the truth and obedience to thy Laws unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead and advance us to further degrees of Knowledge and spirituall Wisedom to the spirit of obsignation the confidence of hope and the assurance of thine eternall love and favour O holy blessed and glorious Trinity to whom belongeth the Kingdom the Power and the Glory throughout all Ages World without end Amen MOSES his Choice Heb. 11.24.25.26 By Faith Moses when he was come to Years refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter c. MOses in his Infancy and Minority being saved and preserved by a miraculous mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in his Minority and riper Years preferred educated and advanced in Pharaohs Court when he had arrived at full maturity and strength of dayes he bethinks himself how to exercise his Princely perfections and accomplishments supposing God had been so good and gracious to him for some great and honourable ends and purposes of mercy and beleeving no better way to imploy those powers then in the service of God the interest and concerments of his Church and People and further conceiving God therefore had delivered him that he might be the Cheif and Principall Instrument of his glory in the Preservation of his Fathers House and the redemption of his Brethren according to the Flesh For By Faith c. The first Part. Q. But why should Moses desert and relinquish Pharaohs Court in which he was so Honourably Educated and Entertained Or why should he deny for so the Vulgar renders it the appellation and title of the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter who by her tender care and liberall bounty had obliged him Was it not both grosse ingratitude and great incivility thus to sleight her and her high respect Could he not at once be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter and be indeed the Child and Servant of God a Courtier and a Christian Did not Joseph the holy Patriarch before him live both magnificently and religiously in the same Egypt and enjoyed the dignities and wealth thereof And long after this was not Devout Esther Queen to Ahasuerus Daniel and his Associates Nobles to Nebuchadnezzar A. Doubtlesse had not Pharaoh and his Court been implacable and mercilesse Tyrants violent Persecutors of and incorrigible irreconcilable Enemies to the people of God Moses might still have resided in that Court and without any violence to his Religion possessed whatsoever Egypt afforded but in this juncture of time the case was otherwise to be stated then it was when Joseph Esther and Daniel had charge and command under Infidell Princes for these had liberty and opportunities to exercise their Religion to improve and manage their Royall Priviledges and immunities to the behoofe and advantage of their civill and sacred relations whereas Moses must either in a base and unworthy complyance joyn with the Egyptians to vex them whom God had wounded or in a dull sleepy security and Epicurean softnesse neglect the remembrance and afflictions of Joseph and stifle and choke that publike Spirit which God had endowed and enobled him withall for eminent and illustrious atcheivements for besides what is above mentioned Moses had sufficient Authority and Commission to enterprize and undertake the Deliverance of his Hebrew Brethren from the Egyptian Bondage a Command Call and Order from God the Lord of Lords the onely Supreme and so as Pharaohs cruelty did lessen Moses his Obligation of gratitude for he being a Publique Spirit and no pure self-lover every indignity and injury to his Brethren was so to him so Gods command did quite supersede all Obligations to Pharaoh his Daughter or Court both because they were but the Instruments of Gods providence who of Enemies made them Friends and Benefactors and so the highest Obligation was to the principall efficient God and also because a command from God to whom proud Pharaoh was but a mean Subject the Supreme of all doth null and voyd all Orders and Obedience to the Inferiour for though Religion doth not take away or disanull the tyes of Nature and Civility but rather enforce and perfect them yet where their Ruler and Offices are counter-checked by an expresse command or prohibition from God there it is Religion and Duty to wave them and observe the expresse The result then is this That if it come to this passe and point that our temporall preferments and possessions our naturall or civill
10.5 as the elect of God holy and beleved and so his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Ephes 2.10 that is done in respect and regard to our selves this with reference and relation to God This indeed is that which both constitutes and denominateth an act the work of Faith that it is both truely done and truely said to be done by Faith that it is done in obedience to God submission to his will and in order to his glory The same act for the substance may be both morall and spirituall that which differenceth them is the manner and end of doing for some good things are done by a common light of Reason and with a freedom and ingenuity of Spirit and those are heroicall noble actions and it's generosity some with respect to humane society neighbour-hood and conformity to the Laws of that place where they live and these are civill morall actions and it's civility or policy some are with sincere affections to God and obedience to his will and word and those are Divine Spirituall actions and it's Faith and Religion which enjoyns and requires these Aug. lib. 19. de civit Dei cap. 25. throughout 3. But this act of Moses was both morally good for when he was at years he undertook the cause of the oppressed it was heroically good for then also his Reason was at the full and he did work freely and generously it was spiritually good because then also he knew it was the will of his God and he did it faithfully Reason told him the enterprize was both just and honourable and so morally good reason conducted by religion ascertain'd him it was both just honourable and holy and so divinely good And therefore it is added When he was at years 4. When he was at years when his reason was ripe and his faith active and stirring or come to maturity full forty years of age Acts 7.23 For had Moses refused those offers of Pharaohs Daughter c. in his Infancy and tender age it might have been interpreted folly and childishnesse or if after in his minority and lesse discerning age weaknesse and inexperience or if upon the perswasions of his Parents this at the best would be called good Nature at the worst be taken for Indiscretion or vain glory and so still he might be supposed to refuse he knew not what nor why And very likely thus or some one of these wayes it was censured at Court and he esteemed a rash unfortunnate fellow that stood in his own light and hindered his own preferment But as Luther in another case aliter Romae c. so here they were of one Opinion at Court it was thought otherwise in Heaven For Moses was now of a very discerning Spirit being in full height and vigor both of body and mind a great observer of causes and of great abilities to distinguish and separate betwixt the precious and the vile having all advantages to improve his judgement and sufficient opportunities to ballance every thing aright to take and make an exact account of wisdom and folly of a moment and Eternity so that this act of his reprobation and election was not conjecturall upon peradventures or surmises but prudentiall not upon any humane consideration of case pleasure profit or honour c. but upon conviction of conscience not of a scrupulous conscience guided by light and undiscussed Arguments not througly weighed or not right set with an even hand neither by an erronious mistake of good for had nor an opinionative complyance with the examples and conceits of others but of conscience rightly enformed walking exactly according to it's Rule Jesus Christ our Lord would have engagers and subscribers to his Discipleship and Government to ponder and to consider before hand what they are resolving whether they can endure the contempts and hatreds of the world the common attendants of his service whether they can be content to follow and take part with that persecuted Prince the King of sufferings and his little Flock his despised sequestred plundered Subjects les = t in the conclusion they prove like that ridiculous Husband who begun to built without proportioning the charges and his abilities or comparing the expences and his revenues Good Works ought also to be well done with sober advise and religious prudence lest they lose their value and degenerate into indiscretions rashnesse or heat of spirit and therefore the circumstance of time is signanter dictum is taken for a further proof of Moses his Faith When he was at years For 1. Youth is suspected and commonly if that Age produce any good Fruit it soon decayes and if it follow not the vanities of the World it is much under restraint And therefore Aristotle resolves That a young man was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fit hearer of the severer precepts of morality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because usually with them passion and vanity rules all and commands in chief and with them there is an impetus or fervor their passions are violent and head-strong 2. As this clause was added to shew it was a dis-passionate act not moved thereto by any youthfull heat or incitation so it was unprejudicate directly contrary to those prejudices his Education might have infused into him Passion and prejudice are two great tyrants and where these sway Reason and Religion are excepted or exiled and youth is most subject to passion and Education most apt to beget and breed a prejudice and so these words may seem to be inserted both to denote that as this act of Moses was no passionate fit or pange of Youth so it could not be an effect of his Education for this should have biassed him the other way as being all his minority trayned up in Pharaohs Court and tutored in the Egyptian Learning Strange it was his Piety should thus crosse his Education that in the confluence of worldly satisfaction if they deserve that expression he should contemplate the excellencies and perfections of the Eternall Reward For Quod semel est imbuta c. Education especially unto what also we are naturally inclined as all are to folly and vanity hath a great influence on our after dispositions and conversations And those sollies we have been acquainted with in our softer Age we after fancy and dote on and therefore to move in a direct opposite course to Nature and it 's second Education which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new acquired Nature whereby sin and the world takes possession on us must needs argue great strength of Religion and holy affections by reason of that received Rule intus existens c. and this was Moses his case 3. Had Moses done this in his old Age it might have been conceived dulnesse or policy or dotage and therefore also might these words be used For we reade of severall Princes indeed who have deposited their Robes of Majesty surrendred their Crowns and become reclase Hermits yet this course of
it Did not the whole Congregation also observe it A. Thus Moses by Authority from God as the Chief Magistrate of the Jewish Common-wealth commanded it to be Celebrated and by his Example did encourage the People to its Observation And so some renders the Word in the most common notion Fecit he made the Passeover he from God Instituted this Office and caused it to be Celebrated As good Josiah after long dis-use and discontinuance kept the Passeover 2 Chron. 35.1 that is by Authority he restored and commanded the Observation Others as the Vulgar Reade it Celebravit he Celebrated For thus also it is used 2 Chron. 35.16.17.18 So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day to keep the Passeover and to effer burnt offerings upon the Altar of the Lord according to the Commandement of King Josiah And the Children of Israel that were present kept the Passeover at that time and the Feast of unleavened Bread seven dayes And there was no Passeover like to that kept in Israel from the dayes of Samuel the Prophet neither did all the Kings of Israel keep such a Passeover as Josiah kept and the Priests and the Levites and all Judah and Israel that were present and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem where keeping of it is the observing of it Moses kept it by commanding the Priests by preparing and offering the people by attending and observing it And so it is distinctly observed of Iosiah he kept that is he commanded both Priest and People to doe their respective Duties in keeping it in the second sense that 's in Celebrating it 2 Chron 35.1 compared with the 2.3.7 8. Verses which further appears by that Clause Put the holy Ark in the house which Solomon the Son of David King of Israel did build it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders serve now the Lord your God and his people Israel ver 3. Where as Iunius observes He gave license and commission to perform it not clancularly but conspicuously and publikely as if he had said Ne amplius foris aut per demos Doe it not privately as you find an opportunity but in the publique appointed place from which you were by Tyranny formerly restrained the Temple being shut up and the Publique Worship interdicted or suppressed and concluded within private Walls but doe it Solemnly with the greatest pomp and most eminent manner according to the Writing of David and Solomon ver 4. So then Facere Pascha iâ— proper to Moses and Iosiah to give order that the Worship of God be observed Parare immolare seu mactere Pascha To kill to flay and rost the Passeover and offer that belongs peculiarly to the Priests and Levites Edere Celebrare peragere Pascha To Eat Celebrate and observe the Passeover belongs joyntly and severally to Moses the Priests and Levites and whole Israel to Prince Priest and People a Chron. 35.17 The Second Part. 1. It s a speciall act of holy Faith to observe Gods Institutions Rites and Ordinances though the killing of a Lamb and the Ceremonies of that Service might seem contemptible and ridiculous or at least no way essicacious or usefull to carnall reasoners who judge by Flesh and Blood yet Moses will see this whole service performed well he knew that it is not the materiall parts of a Sacrament or Institution which makes it an holy Duty but the efficient the Authority of the Institution and our obedience to it And it is the greatest expression of Faith to obey God in his lowest Orders Moses further did know That Sacraments and Divine Institutions communicate and derive their vertues not from themselves simply and abstractedly considered but from the wisedom of God commanding them and his blessing and goodnesse attending the Religious obedientiall performance of them and that though God had not so tyed himself and his blessings to them that he cannot doe otherwise yet he hath so resolved that commonly he will not blesse nor shew himself in mercy but by them at lest he will not be mercifull to the contradicters and blasphemers who neglect contemn and vilifie them and so impenitently perfist neither doth God our Heavenly Father give his blessings upon the bare formall use of them but the obedientiall and dutifull which is the keeping of them in Faith because these externall exercises and offices work not Physically by a strong and irresistible influence and causality as naturall causes produce their effects but morally according to the qualifications and capacities of the patient or subject Thence that usuall expression that their work is upon a patient non ponentem obicem who makes a religious application of their proper ends and uses things of themselves usefull and helpfull as all those are and so far onely are necessary and upon this account for the attainment any designed end lose their vertue when neglected sleighted or formally and dully performed but if diligently and faithfull imployed then they prove very successefull towards their end and the parties receive great benefits and advantages by them as might be severally instanced in each Christian Institution But I shall onely endeavour to clear it from that place of Saint Paul Rom. 2.25 which will serve both for a proof and illustration Circumcision saith he verily profiteth Circumcision an externall outward Right and Ordinance in the Iewish Church verily profiteth or is profitable as the Scripture is profitable that which doth much advantage a Christian soule toward the reformation of his life and perseverance in newnesse of life and holy obedience if rightly made use of but if he either dis-useth or abuseth as many doe and have done witnesse Saint Peter 2 Pet. 3.16 which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction they lose the happy furtherances and ayds of this very profitable instrument So Circumcision is profitable to forward and further and so by perfect analogy our Christian Institutions and Sacraments as Baptisme and the Euchaerist Catechising Confirmation Liturgy conference c. their walking with God if they observe it according to the tenor of the Institution which was to be an obligation of obedience to God the Institutor if not it becomes null and voyd to them because of their ingratitude and unworthinesse The Sacraments c. then are as helps Auxiliaries God the efficient his preparing preventing and assisting grace the cause of our conversion and perseverance And hence the position of the Schooles Deus solum producit gratiam ad presentiam Sacramentorum and they are such helps if rightly used to which God will concurr with his Grace to make their uses good and effectuall And so Paraeus interprets this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it profiteth that is usum à Deo promissum praesâ—â—t it performs and fulfills that use promised by God all which is fully confirmed from the 27. verse Shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law judge thee who by
things of good report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4.8 For though it be true that a good report and opinion of men be no good foundation to build upon yet it is a good stone in the building and he that intends to rayse a faire Structure must not onely have a good Foundation that is for the most part invisible but he must have faire stones which alwayes appear a good report is a good mans comfort not his confidence that wherein he may rejoyce not that whereunto he must trust and he will seek it not so much that he may find it as it may follow him not because he affects it but deserves it Sequi debet gloria non appeti It is servile to Court a good name it is dessolute to contemne it But though these all obtained a good report yet they obtained not the Promises God having provided c. Not the Promises that is not the objects or things Promised or rather the full draugth of what was represented in those Promises For indeed Promises they had and they received what was Promised in particular reference unto themselves as it is above expressed ver 33.34 But the generall Promife or that happinesse which concerned them as a community or whereof they were participate as a full body or society with all Beleevers from Abel to the end of the World with all these their Predecessors and all their Successors in the holy Faith they received not inasmuch as this consisted in a state of perfection which they could not receive till they were incorporated into the society of Beleevers under the Dispensation of the Gospel and New Testament for whom it was chiefly and principally intended without whom none of all these were in a capacity to receive this perfect consummation and blisse So that here the enquiry will be First What was the Promise which they received not What the provision made for us What the full perfection of all both them and us But because one Resolution will satisfie all these Demands and Interrogatories And the clearing any one of the three will be the decision and finall determination of the rest Therefore I shall return onely one Answer to the Quaeries yet in order thereunto I shall give you the severall conjectures and judgements which I find in this instance declare what I conceive most rationall and satisfactory allowing to others the same liberty which I challenge to my selfe to take what they like best or ought to doe according to the Rules of Art and Religion And there are foure severall Opinions in this Point The first and in my conceit the worst as being meerly conjecturall and phantasticall is the received interpretation and common Tenet of the present Romish Doctors who affirme That these received not the promise because immediately after death they were not received into Heaven But as they fancy the separated foules of these faithfull ones departed into a subterraneous place bordering upon the confines of Hell or rather the upper or higher Region of Hell which they call Limbus Patrum where they were in durance and detained Prisoners untill Christs Ascention into Heaven whereupon having received their liberato and dismission they were received and admitted into the Seat of Glory Whereas Beleevers under the Gospel have an higher Priviledge thereby even to passe immediately after their departure into Heaven This is their Resolution But in truth what measures or degrees of felicity these all received by Christs Ascention or what immunities or liberties is not the postulate or matter of inquiry here For it will be granted that they received larger favours then before were indulged to or allowed them and that thereby their joyes and felicities were encreased and multiplyed For if the Angels themselves obtained by Christs comming into the World an addition and augmentation of light and knowledge and so consequently of glory and happinesse as the Apostle very positively assirmes they did Eph. 3.10 that new c. then we need not scruple to give to the Soules of Beleevers some accidentall measures and increments of felicity thereby neither can it be any prejudice to the Faith to acknowledge that God would and did perfect their beatitudes and blisse at divers times and in different degrees for their blisse was not completed simul semel altogether and at once and that the most eminent principall and noblest perfection was reserved for this great solemnity of Christs Resurrection and Ascention And yet further it may be granted as very probable that the degrees of future happinesse shall be proportioned to the measures and degrees of Grace and Revelation which God hath respectively and in severall successions imparted to his Church And if so then it will follow That as confessedly God hath exhibited greater abundance of Revelation and Grace unto the Beleevers under the Gospel then to those under the Law so those shall be partakers of higher Formes or Sears of happinesse then these all could Neither doe these liberall concessions any whit advantage the Romanists perswasion or conceit because they no way conclude or infer their Position for they peremptorily exclude the Soules of these all from Heaven and not onely so but keep them under restraint confine shut them up in under ground Vaults and Cells not far from Hell And this Position we reject as contrary to an Old Testament Revelation Eccl. 12.7 the spirit returns unto God who gove it Which words of the Wise Man though they doe not in terminis terminantibus expresse Language determine whether their Soules return to God mediately or immediately upon their separation yet the context makes the meaning plain and the Text a clear proof of their immediate return for as the dust immediately after the departure of the Soule returns to what it was even so the Soule after its divorce from the Body returns immediately to its Creator And this is also agreeable to Gods just and gracious dealings with his chosen in all Generations to reward the work of Faith labour of love patience of hope to order and appoint to Travellers when at their Journyes end their resting place To Runners when their Course is finished the Prize To Crown his Souldiers who have fought the good fight of Faith with Glory To receive his Servants when they performed their duty and done their work into his presence and to enter them into their Masters joyes settle and possesse his Children of their Inheritance which resting Place Prize Crown of Glory Glorious Presence Joyes and Inheritance hath been purchased and bought and so demised and granted to the these all in this place as well as to the succeeding Generations For although then Christ had not actually suffered and so they not actually ransomed yet even then he being the Lambe slain before the Foundation of the World Legally or in the Eye of the Law or rather of the just Judge and Soveraigne Lord he did suffer and they were Redeemed inasmuch as God had Decreed that satisfaction made