be afarre off this is the worke of true faith This was in Noah wrought in him a reuerence and so would it in vs if it were in vs. When men crie fire fire wee stirre wee runne wee tremble but God crieth in his word the fire of hell the fire of his wrath and wee care not wee stirre not wee leaue not our sinnes wee are not moued with reuerence as Noah was therefore it is more then manifest that holy faith is wanting in the world which Noah had The second motiue stirring vp this reuerence in him was the consideration of Gods wonderfull mercie to him and his family in sauing them This mercy seemed so wonderfull to him both for that hee knewe it was vndeserued knowing himselfe a sinnefull man and therfore not able to merit Gods fauour and being priuy to himselfe of his owne manifolde imperfections and also vnexpected for he neuer thought to haue been spared alone in an vniuersall destruction therefore he wondred with reuerence at so great a mercy Thus Gods mercies doe not onely winne a mans heart to loue God but euen to feare him with much reuerence this Dauid proueth Psalm 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou maist be feared as though he had said thy great mercies to thy children O Lord do make them conceiue a reuerent estimation of thee This made Dauid cry out in a holy passion How excellent are thy mercies O Lord Psal. And as Gods childreÌ„ wonder at the excellencies of Gods mercies vnto them so also at their owne basenesse and vnworthinesse Thus doth holy Dauid 2. Sam. 7.18 who as hee was a man of much faith so was he full of excellent meditations and reuerent speeches of God which are the true effects of faith when God had set him in his kingdome hee saith Who am I O Lord and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither And 1. Chron. 29.14 But who am I saith he and what is my people that wee should offer thus vnto the Lord And doubtlesse euen so said Noahs blessed soule often vnto the Lord and to it selfe Who am I O Lord and what is my family that we should be chosen out of so many thousands and be saued when all the world perisheth Let vs apply this to our Church and State If any Nation haue cause to say thus it is England God hath deliuered vs out of the thraldome of spirituall Egypt and led vs out not by a Moses but first by a childe then by a woman and giuen vs his Gospell more fully and freely and quietly then any kingdom so great in the world and still deliuereth vs from the cursed plots of the Pope and tyrannous inuasions of the Spaniard who thought to haue marked vs in the foreheads with the brand of infamie and to haue done to vs as they haue done to other nations whom they haue conquered but God from heauen fought for vs and ouerthrew them in their owne deuises yea the Lord put his hooke in his nosethrils and his bridle in his lips and caried him backe againe with shame and reproach Wee are vnworthy of such a mercy if our soules doe not often say vnto God O Lord what are we and what is our people that thou shouldst be so wonderfull in thy mercies vnto vs And particularly this must teach euery Christian to be a carefull obseruer of the fauours mercies that God vouchsafes to his soule or body to him or his and the consideration of them must make him daily be moued with reuerence and reuerent thoughts of Gods Maiestie still as the Lord is more and more mercifull vnto him to beare still the more feare and reuerence vnto him for the same The last motiue of this Reuerence in Noah was the consideration of Gods power and wisedome both in the Iudgement vpon the world and in the mercy vpon him for first in the Iudgement it was wonderfull that God would chuse so weake an element as water to destroy vanquish the huge Giants of those dayes but therein appeared first Gods power that by so weake meanes can cast downe his enemies And againe his wisedome that as an vniuersall wickednesse had polluted the whole world so a floud of water should wash the whole world Secondly the mercy was also wonderful that God should chuse to saue Noah by so strange a meane as an Arke which should swim on the waters For Noah thought if the Lord will saue me he will either take me vp into heauen as hee did Henoch a little before or else make me build a house vpon the top of the highest mountaine But the Lord will saue him by no such meanes but by an Arke wherein appeared first Gods power that would saue him by so weake a meanes as might seeme rather to destroy him For Noah must lye and swim in the midst of the waters and yet be saued from the waters and the Arke mâ—st saue him which in all reason if the Tempests had cast it against the hard rockes and mountaines or vpon the strong Castles and houses of the mightie Giants would haue beene broken in pieces and so it had but that God himselfe was the Maister and Pilot in that voyage And secondly Gods wisedom shone cleerly in this means because God would haue him saued not in such sort as the world might not see it as it would haue beene if hee had beene taken vp into heauen or into the aire but would haue him saued in an Arke that so alâ— the wicked men as they â—ere a dying in the water or expecting death vpon the tops of the hills might see him liue and be saued to their more torment and to their greater shame who would not beleeue Gods word as he did For as the wicked in hell are more tormented to see the godly in the ioyes of heauen so doubtlesse were the wicked of that age to see Noah saued before their eies The view of this power wisdom of God herein made Noah giue great reuerence to Gods Maiestie And no lesâ—e ought it to worke in the hearts of all true hearâ—ed English men and faithfull Christians For did not the Lord restore establish the Gospell to our nation by a child and by a woman and in her time when all other Princes were against her coÌ„trary to the rules of policy and did not God in our late deliuerance ouerthrow our enemies not so much by the power of man as by his owne hand Did not he fight from heauen Did not the starres and the winds in their courses sight against that Sisera of Spaine Let vs therefore with blessed Noah staÌ„d amazed to see Gods mercies with reuerence feare magnifie his great and glorious name And thus we haue the three motiues that moued in Noah this Reuerence of God the consideration first of his great Iudgement on the sinfull world 2. Of his great mercy in sauing him 3. Of his admirable power and wisedome shewed both
nations for my names sake Iohn chapter 16 verse 2 They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke hee doth God good seruice Acts chapter 22. verse 22 Away say the Iewes of Paul with such a followe from the earth it is not meete that he should liue And hence hee saith of himselfe and the other Apostles 1. Corinthians chapter 4. verse 13 They were made the filth of the worlde and the off-scouring of all things In the time of the persecuting Emperours in the Primitiue Church when any common calamity befell the people or State as famine dearth pestilence or such like they straight-way imputed it to the Christians saying That they and their wicked religion were the cause thereof And though wee haue religion maintained among vs yet the poore seruants of God finde the like welcom in the world for thus the wicked censure them euery where That they are dissembling hypocrites and none so bad and vile persons as they are Now if any man aske how comes it to passe that the world should slander them so and thinke so vilely of them Answer First because they be taken out of the world in regard of state and condition in grace Ioh. 15.19 therefore the world hateth them Ioh. 15.19 Secondly the world knowes them not 1. Ioâ— 3.1 and therefore speakes euil of them Iude 10. Thirdly the wicked measure others by themselues and therefore despise the godly that ioyn not with them 1. Pet. 4.3 Lastly there is a secret enmitie betweene the seed of the wicked the seede of the Church 1. Ioh. 3.12 the wicked are of that euill one the diuell and therefore must needes hate the godly who are borne of God So that when wee shall see or heare that vngodly persons shall in any such sort abuse the children of God we must not maruell nor be troubled at it for it is no newe thing it hath been from the beginning but we must pray that God would open their eies that they might turne from their sinnes to repentance and then no doubt they will change their conceit and alter their behauiour towards them as Paul did Gal. 1.13 15. Act. 9.1 26. To come to the words more particularly the Holy Ghost saith The world was not worthy of them that is the company of vngodly liuers without Christ and voyde of grace were not worthy the societie of these holy ones for this cause did the Lord take them from among them Here note a singular fruite of true faith it brings a man to that estate and giues him that excellency that hee is more worth than the whole world I meane by the whole world the estate of all those that liue in the world out of Christ. If then a man would haue true and stable dignity let him labour for true faith for faith hath this priuiledge to aduance a beleeuer to true honour excellency And therefore our Sauiour saith As many as receiued him by faith to them he gaue power or prerogatiue to bee the sonnes of God We take it for a great prerogatiue to be the childe of an earthly prince and so it is but to be the sonne of God who is King of Kings is a preheminence and dignitie aboue all dignities and no tongue can expresse the excellency therof For what more can a man desire than to bee heire of glory in life euerlasting and yet true faith bringeth this to a beleeuer It is an excellent dignity to be matched with Angels and no prince in the world by all humane wit or power can attaine vnto it but yet the childe of God can being ioyned to God by faith in Christ wherby in some sort he is aboue the Angels themselues for our nature in Christ is aduanced aboue the nature of angels Honours and dignities in Politicke or ciuill estates are the good gifts of God and his owne ordinances wherby men are in higher places and in account are aboue another but yet all the dignity honour and pompe of the world seuered from that dignitie which faith bringeth to the beleeuer is nothing worth Indeed if worldly preheminence be ioyned with faith it is a great and excellent prerogatiue for faith makes it acceptable vnto God but seuer faith from worldly dignities and what are they but vanitie of vanities which will turne to the greater condemnation of him that enioyeth them If a man haue fauour in the Court and yet want the Kings fauour it is nothing and such are all temporall dignities without Gods fauour for at his indignation they vanish away Now his fauour without faith can no man haue for he that commeth vnto God must beleeue vers 6. Here all these that are in place aboue others either by birth or speciall calling must learne aboue all things to labour for the dignity of faith When wee haue such things wherein we delight wee desire continuance of them Behold the dignity of faith is euerlasting and besides it sanctifies all ciuill dignities and makes the owners of them glorious acceptable both before God and man when as otherwise without faith they are nothing and they that haue them can doe nothing but abuse them Againe the holy Ghost saith The world was not worthy of these men for another cause and that is this Euery Christian man by his faith brings many blessings among those parties and to that place where he liueth now the world deserues no such blessings and therefore is vnworthy of the persons by whom they come Question How doe Christians bring blessings to places where they liue Answere First by their presence for as GOD saide to Abraham the Father of the faithfull Thou shalt be a blessing Gen. 12.3 so is it with all beleeuers Laban confesseth that hee perceiued that the Lord had blessed him for Iacobs sake Gen. 30.27 And Potiphar sawe that Ioseph was a blessing in his house For the Lord made all that he did to prosper Gen. 39.2.3 While Lot was in Sodome the Angell could not destroy it Gen 19.22 And if there had beene tenne beleeuers in Sodome the Lord would haue spared all for tennes sake Gen. 18.32 Now bringing good things and keeping backe Gods iudgements by their presence they are thereby blessings Secondly they are blessings by their prayers Abraham prayed for Abimelech Gen. 20.17.18 and God healed him and his family of barrennesse At Moses prayer Gods iudgements were taken from Egypt Exod. 7.12.13.30 and his wrath appeased toward his people Exod. 32.11 14. And some thinke that Stephens prayer at his death for his persecuters was one meanes for mercy vnto Saul that then consented to his death Acts 7 60. and 8.1 Thirdly they bring blessings vpon a place by their example for when men shall see godly persons walking before them in the feare of GOD and making conscience of all manner of sinne it is a speciall meanes to cause others to turne from their wicked wayes to newnesse of life And therefore
in the Iudgement and the mercy Hitherto of the first effect It followeth Prepared the Arke The 2. effect of Noahs faith wherby it is coÌ„mended is that he vpon a coÌ„mandement receiued froÌ„ God as we heard before doth make build an Ark wherin to saue himself his family CoÌ„cerning this Ark much might be spoken out of the book of Gen but it is not to our purpose which is no more in this Chapter but to shew the obedience and practice of faith and therein the excellencie of it Now the point here to be spoken of is not the matter nor the measure nor the proportion nor the fashion nor the vses of the Arke all which in the 6. Chapter of Genesis are fully described but the action and obedience of Noah in preparing it as God bad him whereof the holy Ghost in Genesis 6.22 saith Noah did according to all that God had commaunded him euen so did he Now in this action of Noahs faith diuers points of great moment are to be considered First why did God bid Noah make an Arke 120. yeeres before the floud when hee might haue built it in three or foure yeeres The answere is God did so for diuers causes some respecting the sinfull world as that they might haue longer time and more warnings to repent euery stroke of the Arke during these 120. yeeres being a loude Sermon of repentance vnto them Againe that they might be without excuse if they amended not and lastly that their iniquities might be full and their sinnes ripe for vengeance But of all these we will not speake because they concerne not Noah of whose faith we are onely to speake let vs therfore touch only those causes which concerne Noah And in regard of him the Lord did thus that he might try his faith and patience and exercise other graces of holinesse in him Thus God dealeth with his seruants alwayes hee exerciseth them many and strange wayes in this world He led the Israelites in the deserts of Arabia fourty yeeres whereas a man may trauell from Rameses in Egypt to any part of Canaan in fourty dayes and this God did to humble them and try them and to know what was in their heart Deut. 8.2 God promised Abraham a sonne in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12.3 But he performed it not of 30. yeeres after Gen. 21.2 He gaue Dauid the kingdome of Israel and anointed him by Samuel 1. Sam. 16.13 But he attained it not of many yeeres after in the meane time was persecuted and hunted by Saul as a flea in a mans bosome or as a Partridge in the mountaines 1. Sam. 24.15 and 26.20 And thus God exercised him both in that and other his promises as he saith Psal. 40.1 In waiting I waited on the Lord and Psal. 119.82 Mine eyes faile for waiting for thy promise O when wilt thou comfort me Thus God dealt with them and thus in some measure hee deales with all his children to humble and to try them and to know what is in their hearts for that in these cases men doe alwaies shew themselues and their dispositions When men enioy all things at their will and wish who cannot make a faire profession but where men are long deferred and kept from that is promised and they expect and are so long crossed in their expectations then they appeare in their owne colours And as God dealt with them so will he one way or other doe with vs if wee be his seruants hee will at some time of our life or other lay some such affliction vpon vs as may try vs and our faith and our patience and our humility For if we be hypocrites and haue no true graces but onely a shew this will discouer it and if we haue true and sound faith and patience this will make them shine like orient pearles in their true and perfect beauty Secondly as God bad Noah build an Arke so long time before any neede of it so he did without denying or gainesaying So saith the story in Genesis He did according to all that God commaunded him And thus the holy Ghost saith here He being warned of God by faith prepared the Arke Where we learne That where true faith is there followeth true obedience to euery commaundement of God insomuch as a godly beleeuing man no sooner heareth any duty to be commaunded of God but hee thinks his soule and conscience is tied to obedience and this is the nature of true faith And it is as impossible to be otherwise as it is for fire hauing fewell not to burne Acts 15.9 Faith purifieth the heart namely from carelesse disobedience to Gods word for if from any corruption at all then from it especially because it is most contrary to the purenesse of true faiâ—h This being so sheweth vs not any fault in our religion as the Papists slander vs but the want of our religion and the want of true faith in the world for there is almost no obedience to Gods commaundements For first Turkes Iewes acknowledge not the Scriptures and the Papists haue set aside Gods commaundements to set vp their owne And few Protestants haue the feeling of the power of true religion nothing indeed but a bare profession but it must be a feeling of the power of it which produceth due obedience And alas wee see men obay not Gods commaundements God saith Sweare not by my name vainely keepe my Sabbath Where is there a man of many that feareth to breake these Alas there are more mockers of such as would keepe them then carefull and conscionable keepers of them How truly said Christ When the sonne of man commeth shall hee finde faith on the earth It is likely therefore these be the dayes wherin we may wait for the coÌ„ming of Christ for the generall want of obedience sheweth the generall want of faith But this obedience of Noah is better to be considered of for it was very excellent extraordinary there being many hindrances that might haue stopped him in the course of his obedience and haue perswaded him neuer to haue gone about the making of the Arke As first the great quantity of the Ark amounting to many thousands Cubits a work of huge labour great charge Againe the length of his labour to last 120. yeeres It is a tedious thing and troublesome to mans nature to be euer in doing and neuer to haue done Thirdly the building of it was a matter of much mockery to the world for it signified 1. the destroying of the whole world 2. the sauing of him and his These things were taunted at by the worldly wise men of that sinful age and he was loudly laught at by many a man to thinke all the world should perish but much more if all perished to imagine that he and his should be deliuered Lastly the building of the Arke was a harsh thing to nature and naturall reason in many respects for First that all the
goeth out The vse is to teach vs what a faith we haue For if wee measure all Gods commaundements by our naturall affections our faith is but a shadow and hypocrisie But if wee consult not with flesh and bloud but rest and rely on Gods word and giue absolute obedience to his coÌ„maundements then our faith is such as Abrahams was In the next place Some may meruaile why the Lord should commaund him so hard a matter and lay so straâ—te a commaundement vpon him as to leaue his Country and liuing which seemed vnreasonable his kindred which was vnnaturall I answer the reason is not that God delighteth in vnreasonable or vnnatural courses or in laying heauie burdens vpon his children But he did it for good and holy ends as First to proue Abraham and to see what was in him As a friend is noâ— tried in ordinarie but in great matters so it is knowne who is Gods friend in matters of difficultie Hereby therefore God made the faith and obedience of his seruant to shine more gloriously Againe to breake the corruption of his heart for our wicked natures loue peace and ease and welfare and hearts desire but God will crosse those courses and send vs troubles many wayes that so hee may pull downe the height of our corruptions and humble vs to his owne hand The vse is to teach vs to make true vse of our afflictions and of those many hard crosses that must fall vpon vs in our course of seruing God namely to know that they are sent from God not as a hard-hearted or cruell Iudge but as a wise and mercifull Father who wisheth our good and who will so blesâ—e vnto vs the hardest and heauiest crosses that befall vs in our liues if we receiue them in patience faith that we shall say with Dauid Psalm 119.72 It is good for vs that we haue been in trouble for thereby we haue learned to know God and our selues better Thirdly whereas Abraham at Gods commaundement goeth out of his Country into another we learne that it is not vnlawfull for a Christian man to goe out of his owne Country and trauaile into another and there to abide for some or for a long time Prouided his causes be good and iust as namely these which follow First if he haue a particular commaundement of God as here Abraham had Secondly if hee haue a lawfull calling of the Church or State whereof he is a member as if he be sent to a generall Councel or be sent as Ambassadour either to stay for a time or to stay there as Lieger Thirdly if it be for the safety of his life in a good cause So Moses Exod. 2.14.15 fled into the land of Midian and there stayed when Pharaoh sought his life And Christ himselfe fled with his Father and Mother into Egypt from the furie of Herod Math. 1. The like may be said for them that to preserue their liberty flie from the cruelty of their Creditors who will not take honest and reasonable satisfaction of a surety for another man or of a childe for the Fathers debts But in no case for them who trauaile in purpose to defeate their Creditors or thereby to deliuer themselues from payment of their due debts being able to pay Of both these wee haue example in Dauid his followers Dauid himselfe was faine to flie for his life from Saulâ— vniust cruelty and therefore went and dwelt amongst the Philistims 1. Sam. 27.1.2 And 1. Sam. 22.2 there cam to Dauid such as were in trouble and in debt and these were with him in all his trauaile and persecutions Now doubtlesse had they beene vngodly men who had not cared how they came into debt noâ— how they paid it Dauid would neuer haue beene their Prince as that Text saith he was Fourthly if it be for the maintenance of pure religion and keeping a good conscience This hath Christs warranty Mat. 10.23 When they persecute you in one Citie flie vnto another For this cause many of our fore-fathers in the former age were faine to flie into Germanie Swwitzerland to Geneua And for these causes diuers of other Nations doe repaire to this Nation and are here entertained Fiftly if it be for the getting or encreasing of any good learning and lawfull knowledge especially diuine knowledge for matter of religion Thus the Queene of Saba went ouâ— of the inmost parts of Africa to Ierusalem in Asia to see and heare Salomon 2. Kings 10. and for that cause shee is highly commended by Christ himselfe Math. 12.42 Thus may yong men trauell for learning or the tongues especially such as intend thereby to fit themselues for publike seruice so it be with safetie of religion and securitie of conscience Sixtly if it be for the practice of a mans lawfull calling as for trafficke and thus Merchants may and do lawfully trauaile into all Nations and haue their Factors there resident prouided they lose not their soules to gaine for their bodies their trauailing is allowed by Christ in the Parable where he saith The Kingdome of heauen is like a Merchant man that seekes good pearles Math. 13.45 Seauenthly if it be to receiue and take possession of any goods or lands lawfully descended or fallen vnto a man in another Nation as sometime it doth This seemes to be allowed by Christ in the Parable where he saith A certain noble man went into a far Country to receiue for himselfe a kingdome and so to come againe Luke 19.12 In a word if it be vpon any good and sufficient cause allowable in good reason and not contrary any part of Gods word But as for such as leaue their Countries and trauell into other Either vpon leuitie to see strange sights and fashions Or being malefactors flie from their due punishment Or being in debt go away to deceiue their Creditors Or being vaine-glorious to make themselues knowen Or being at enmitie to fight combats or to kill their enemie All these and all such like can haue no comfort in their trauailes for they send themselues God sent them not they are out of Gods protection because they goe without his warrant And as many of them as goe away to escape the hand of the Magistrate let them be assured they shall not escape the hand of God In the fourth place here is a comfort for all such as are banished from their owne natiue Countries for God and his Gospels sake For here Abraham the Prince of Patriarkes was a banished man and liued in a strange Country the greater part of all his life Let such men therefore take patiently what God laieth vpoÌ„ them for it is not their misery or mishap alone but hath beene common to Gods children in all ages Againe Christ himselfe pronounceth them blessed who suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for though they be exiles from their owne kingdome or tossed vp downe the kingdomes of the earth yet theirs is the kingdom of heauen Math. 5.10 Lastly though
not onely beleeues and obayeth but as God promised so he went to it and tooke possession and died in this faith that God would performe his promise and that his posteritie should inherite it all as afterward indeede they did euen from Moses to Christ. If it be asked how this could be the answere is that Abraham knew that God was King of Kings and had the world and Kingdomes of the world in his hand and disposition and therfore assured himselfe that hee could bring to passe what hee had promised and make good his word notwithstanding all such impediments to the contrarie And as hee beleeued it came to passe his posterity came to it entred as conquerers vpon this gift of God and by the power of God so amazed all these Kings and their people as some submitted as the Gibeonits and they that did not were all slaine and their Countries conquered as we may reade at large in the booke of Ioshua all the Stories whereof are briefly comprehended by Dauid in fewe words where he saith We haue heard with our eares our Fathers haue tolde vs how thou O Lord droue out the heathen with thy hand and planted them in how thou destroyed the people and made them grow Psal. 44.1.2 Out of which we learne two instructions First that the change of States and alteration of Kingdomes or common-wealths are in Gods hand and that he can turne them one way or other as it pleaseth him To this purpose saith Dauid in the fore-named Psalme verse the fourth They inherited not the land by their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them but thy right hand and thy arme and the light of thy countenance because thou didst fauour them This must teach vs to pray earnestly in our daily prayers for the good estate of this Kingdome wherein we liue and of that worthy Prince and Queene vnder whose gouernment wee haue beene so long and so liberally blessed For the welfare and prosperity the certainty and security of it and her is not in our policie might munition ships not in the strength of our nauie nor in the power of our armour nor in the chiualrie of our people nor in the wisedome of our Councell though for all these we are a people honoured of our friends and feared of our enemies But in the mighty hand of our God who as Daniel saith beareth rule ouer the Kingdomes of the earth and giueth them to whomsoeuer he will Dan. 4.22 Seeing therefore the King of heauen in the giuer and establisher the remouer and changer of Kingdomes of the earth let vs assure our selues that the prayers of Elisha are the Horses and Chariots of Israell 2. Kinges 13.14 And surely if Elisha for his prayer was acknowledged by the King himself to be his Father then doubtlesse the godly Ministers and such other in our Church as pray daily for the peace of our Ierusalem are worthy to be accounted good children of our Church and worthy members of our State Secondly here we learne what is the ruine of Kingdomes and ouerthrow of estates namely sinne and vngodlinesse This is most apparant in the present example For why did God take this land from the Cananites and giue it to Abraham and his seede the Stories of the olde Testament answere nothing but sinne In Deuteronomie Moses chargeth the Israelites that they doe not after the abhominations of the heathen Cananites For saith he because of their abhominable sinnes God did cast them out before you Deut. 18.9.12 And why did not God instantly giue it to Abraham to inherite after the promise euen because the wickednesse of these Amorites was not then full Gen. 15.16 that is their sinnes were not then ripe For we must know that though God be the absolute and soueraigne Lord of all Kingdomes and may dispose them as hee will yet he rather exerciseth his Iustice then his power and neuer ouerturneth any State but vpon cause of their apparant sinfulnesse Nor can the Amorites or Cananites pleade herein any hard measure For the same God dealt afterward in the same Iustice with his owne people giuing the Kingdome of Iudah to the Chaldeans and Israel to the Assyrians and the cause is laid downe most memorably in the Storie When the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God and walked after the fashions of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before them and did secretly things that were wicked and made Images and serued Idols and though God warned them by his Prophets yet would they not obay but hardned their neckes and so finally left all the commandements of God then the Lord was exceeding wroth with Israel and cast them also out of his sight 2. Kings 17. from the seauenth verse to the 19. Thus sinne is able to ouerturne Kingdomes be they Cananites Israelites or whosoeuer Let this teach vs all to looke to our liues make conscience of all sin especially great capitall crying sins for the sinnes of a people are wormes and Cankers eating out the life and strength of a coÌ„mon-wealth And let our State and gouernment learne here to look to the reformation of our people especially for great sinnes For open profanenesse or vncleanenesse or oppressions or iniustice or extortions or cruelties and exactions all these or any of these sinnes raigning in a State are able to ouerturne the best established Kingdome on the earth and will at last doe power and policie what they can make the land spewe out her inhabitants and in the meane time let the wily wits of men iudge as they list it will proue true that the sinfull and profane man is the worst and the godly and conscionable man the best friend to a State and best subiect in a Kingdome Thus much for the second point in Abrahams obedience namely the end of it The third and last point is the manner of his obedience which followeth in these words And he went out not knowing whither he went The manner of this his leauing his Country in mans reason would seeme strange nay the world will condemne it for plaine foolishnesse for a man to leaue a certainty for an vncertainty But it may here be doubted how the Apostle can here say that he knew not whither he went seeing these words are not in the Storie of the olde Testament doth not that practice allow traditions beside Scripture I answer first We refuse no traditions which are agreeable to the Scripture and analogie of faith but such as are agreeable to one of these wee receiue them though not as Scripture Secondly if the Apostles in the new Testament doe adde any thing in any Story which is not in the olde as S. Paul doth the manner of the Sorcerers of Egypt Iannes and Iamâ—res 2. Timoth. 3.8 that circumstance by them so added is to be holden as Scripture and no tradition because they hauing the same spirit of God which the Writers of the olde Testament had haue inserted it
they all know and some confesse it is surest and safest to die in our religion Let vs therefore cheerefully and comfortably liue in that religion and faith wherein wee may so boldly die that euen our aduersaries confesse it to be safest Now follow the foure effects and fruits of their faith The first is this that They receiued not the promises but saw them afarre off By Promises we vnderstād first the promises of the Land of Canaan Secondly the spirituall promises of the kingdome of Christ. These they did not receiue that is fully thogh in part they did for true faith doth alwaies receiue apprehend and apply vnto it selfe truely though not fully the thing promised God said hee would giue them the Land of Canaan but they did not fully enioy and possesse it So likewise the Messias was promised vnto them but they neuer saw his comming in the flesh and yet they beleeued Gods promise and died in that faith Where wee may see the inuincible force of their faith that cleaued fast vnto the promise of God euen vnto death though they neuer enioyed the things promised in this life which plainely condemnes our age of vnbeleefe for we haue more accomplished vnto vs than euer they had Abraham neuer saw Christ but afarre off yet wee haue him exhibited in the flesh we see and knowe hee liued and died rose againe and ascended and now makes continuall intercession for vs and we haue the true sacraments which shall last for euer pledges of him and of life euerlasting by him And for temporall promises wee haue farre more accomplished vnto vs than euer he had But though wee goe before Abraham in the fruition of Gods promises yet we come farre behinde him in beleefe for faith worketh by loue and loue is seene in true obedience but generally this is too true men make no conscience of obedience which sheweth vndoubtedly that there is little sound faith among vs. And it may be feared that these notable men Abraham Isaac and Iaacob shall stand in iudgement against vs to our further condemnation for they neuer receiued the accomplishing of Gods promises and yet they beleeued but we doe see the same fulfilled exhibited vnto vs and yet we will not beleeue But saw them afarre off Here is the propertie of their faith and the power of it the promises were afarre off and yet they saw them The phrase here vsed is borrowed from Mariners who beeing far on the sea cannot descrie towns and coasts afarre off but only by help of some tower or hie place which their eie will sooner discerne thogh it be afarre off And so Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iaacob beeing long before the day of Christs incarnation could not other waies see Christ but afarre off by the eie of faith in the promises of the Messias for this is the propertie of faith to make a thing absent to be present after a sort Faith beeing the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene Here then wee may learne a difference betweene the Church in the olde Testament and in the newe Wee in the newe Testament haue greater measure of knowledge more liuely discerning of the Messias and a clearer light of vnderstanding in the mystery of our saluation by Christ than the Church had vnder the olde Testament howsoeuer they excelled in faith yet in the knowledge and discerning of Christ they were inferiour vnto vs. And therfore the Lord made this promise to the time of the Gospel long before that thē the earth shall be ful of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea And Saint Paul prooues this performed when he affirmeth of the Church of the new Testament 2. Corinth 3.18 But all wee as in a mirrour behold the glory of the Lord with open face And Christ Ioh. 6.45 They shall be all taught of God If this bee true that knowledge should so abound in the time of the Gospell then all ignorant persons of this latter age of the world must knowe that they haue much to answer for at the day of iudgment for God in the new testament hath made his Church to abound in knowledge so that their ignorance for which they thinke God will hold them excused shall be a bill of inditement against them at the last day to their further condemnation because the light of the Gospell is so clearely and plentifully reuealed in these dayes that whereas the most excellent Patriarchs of all could then but see Christ afarre off the most simple may now see him neere vnto them Again where is more knowledge there should be more obedience therefore it concerneth all those that professe themselues to be Christians submit themselues to heare and learne the word of God taught vnto them not content themselues with bare knowledge though it be neuer so much But withall to bring forth the fruites of obedience in their liues cōuersations For though Abraham Isaac and Iacob in regard of faith did goe farre before vs yet seeing we haue more knowledge then they had in the Messias we must labour to becom like vnto them in the obedience of our liues Their faith was stronger then ours but our obedience should be greater then theirs because wee haue more cause to belieue then they S. Paul saith We all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face And the end thereof is this that we may be transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. So that the more knowledge wee haue the more sanctification wee ought to haue and the more hatred of sinne more obedience to Gods commaundements But the more is the pitie the case goeth farre otherwise with the world for euen many among vs that are no Students by profession haue great and commendable knowledge in religion But where is the fruite hereof in holy obedience to the Lawes of God God by calling hath made vs a pleasant vine but the sower Grapes of sinne are our ordinarie fruite they be the Grapes of gall as Moses saith For Atheisme blasphemie contempt of Gods word and worship with open profaning of Gods Sabaoth doe euery where abound to omit the hainous crimes against the second table as oppression adultery and bloud touching bloud for all which wee may iustly feare that the Lord will either remoue his Candlesticke from vs and so of a Church and people of God make vs no Church or else sweepe vs away by some fearefull iudgement as with the besome of destruction because we withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 For better it were not to haue knowen the way of righteousnesse then to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto vs let vs therefore ioyne with our knowledge obedience that so wee may shew forth our faith in doing the duties of pietie vnto God and of brotherly loue and Christianity vnto our brethren Thus much of
yet neuer was saued vnlesse therewithall wee haue the couenant of grace belonging vnto vs and the assurance thereof sealed in our consciences by Gods holy spirit Againe consider who spake these words But in Isaac shall thy seed be called Wee shall finde in Genesis 21.12 it was God himselfe Let it not saith God vnto Abraham be grieuous in thy sight for the childe and for the bond-woman in all that Sarah shal say vnto thee heare her voice which was to cast out the bond-woman and her sonne Ismael For saith GOD in Isaac shall thy seede be called Here obserue a notable practice of Abraham as a good direction how we ought to iudge of all those that liue in the Church submitting themselues outwardly to the ministerie and regiment thereof Abraham here hath two sonnes Isaac and Ismael he circumciseth them both and instructs them both for he taught all his houshold to knowe God and to feare and obey him Gen. 18.19 hee iudgeth them both to be in one state in regard of Gods couenant though they were not but that difference is made by God Abraham doth not on his own head and by his own will put Ismael out of the Church which was in his family but God bids him put him out and then he put him out and not before till such time he kept him in and held him to be within the couenant as well as Isaac was Euen so must we deale towards those that liue in the church secret iudgement must bee left to God and till God manifest the contrary in the iudgement of charity wee must holde them all elect This is the practice of Saint Paul in all his Epistles writing to the Corinths 1. Corinth 1.2 he calls them all sanctified and to the Galatians Gal. 1.2 hee calles them all elect speaking so in the iudgement of charitie although he knew that among them there were many profane and wicked men and though hee reprooue many great errors and hainous sinnes amongst them And thus much of the first argumēt wherby Abrahams faith is commended vnto vs namely the great impediments which might hinder the same Now followeth the second Argument or reason wherby his faith is commended to wit Abrahams victory ouer these impediments or the meanes whereby he ouercame them and induced himselfe to obey GOD in these words VERSE 19. For he considered or reasoned that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead HEre is the true cause that made Abraham to offer his sonne and yet beleeue the promise that in him his seed should be called Wee may perswade our selues that Abraham had rather haue died himselfe if it might haue stood with the will of God than to haue sacrificed his sonne How then doth he induce himselfe to offer him vp Ans. By this which is here set downe he reasoned that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead Here are diuers points to be considered of vs First obserue the text saith not that Abraham murmured or reasoned against God but reasoned with himselfe that God was able to raise vp his sonne againe and thereby induced himselfe to sacrifice his sonne vnto God Hence wee learne that when God laies vpon vs any hard commandement wee must not plead the case with God or murmure against him but with all quietnesse and meekenesse obey This is a notable grace of God commended vnto vs by God himselfe In rest and quietnesse saith God Isay 30.15 shall be your strength in quietnesse and confidence shall yee bee saued Many thinke it impossible to endure or doe some things which God imposeth on his children But our spirituall strength stands in these two in silence or rest and in quietnesse by these wee shall be enabled When Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord which hee had not commaunded There went out a fire from the Lord and deuoured them so they died before the Lord. Now when Aaron their father asked Moses a cause hereof Moses saide It was that which the Lord spake he would be glorified in all that came neere him which when Aaron heard the Text saith He heide his peace and said not a word so Dauid behaued himselfe in the case of distresse I helde my peace and saide nothing because thou Lord diddest it And this is a speciall point for vs to learne and practice wee must not grudge or repine at Gods hard commaundements nor pleade the case with him but in all quietnesse and silence obay God in all that he saith vnto vs. Againe whereas it is said that Abraham reasoned that God was able c. Here we learne that it is a necessary thing for a man that beleeues to haue good knowledge in Gods word that when a temptation comes against his faith by knowledge and reasoning out of Gods word hee may be able to put backe the same for all our reasoning in matters of faith must be grounded on the word so doth Abraham in this place against this strong temptation reason out of Gods word to stay himselfe so that knowledge in the word of God is necessary to him that beleeues And therefore that Doctrine of the Church of Rome is erronious and here condemned which saith that if a man become deuout beleeue as the Church beleeueth though he knowe not what the Church beleeueth yet this faith will saue him but this is a meere deuice of their owne and hath no ground in the word of God for as we see heere knowledge in the word is necessary for him that hath true sauing faith But what is Abrahams argument whereby hee moues himselfe to obay God Surely this Hee reasoned that God was able to raise vp Isaac from the dead One part of his reason he takes for graunted which heere hee conceales for this promise was made vnto him In Isaac shall thy seede be called Now this he takes for graunted that God will neuer change his promise From whence hee reasoneth thus God is able to raise vp Isaac my sonne from the dead to life againe and therefore I will sacrifice my sonne according to his commaundement for this I knowe certainly that in Isaac shall my seede be called seeing God hath promised that as well as he commaundeth this other In this example wee see a meanes set downe vnto vs to enduce vs to obey God in all hard and difficult cases imposed by God which is a point to be considered carefully of euery one of vs. For say that any of vs shall be so touched in conscience for our sinnes that we euen despaire of our owne saluation what must we doe in this case wee must take Abrahams course and dispute with our selues for our selues we must drawe our arguments from the promise of God and from the power of God we must ioyne the promise and power of GOD together As for example thus wee must say God hath made this promise this I haue heard and I doe beleeue it
therefore the Lord forbade A bastard to enter into the congregation of the Lord to beare any office vnto the tenth generation Deuteronomie chapter 23. verse 2 So ignominious is this kinde of birth by the iudgement of Gods spirit vnto that party on whom it falls For this sinne of fornication doth not onely hurt the persons committing it but euen staines the children base borne to the tenth generation Yet howsoeuer Iephte was base borne and so suffered for it great reproach heere wee see hee is commended vnto vs for his faith among the most worthy beleeuers that euer were Indeede besides Iephte wee shall not finde the like example in Scripture Yet in Iephte wee may see that howsoeuer it be a reproachfull thing to be borne of fornication yet that doth not hinder but the party so borne may come to true faith and so to the fauour of God and to life euerlasting Such persons as are base borne vpon viewe of that reproach which the Scripture fasteneth vpon them might take occasion to thinke miserably of themselues even that God had reiected them but this example serues to shewe that it hindereth not but that they may come into the fauour of God and by faith get honor of God to countervaile that discredit which they haue by their base birth Further whereas wee commonly say that such as are base borne are wicked persons here wee see the contrary in Iephte and therefore wee must not for this cause condemne any for wicked or vngodly Indeed the Lord hath branded this estate with reproach that men should shun the sinne of fornication the more Againe whereas Iephte is here commended for his faith we may probably gather that their opinion is not true who hold that Iephte sacrificed killed his owne daughter For beeing commended here for his faith certain it is he had knowledge in Gods will and word and therefore we must not thinke but that he knewe God would neuer accept of such a vowe by the performance whereof hee should commit wilfull and most vnnaturall murder This his faith shewes that it was not his intent to kill the first person that met him out of his house for by the light of nature hee might know that God would neuer accept thereof and therefore it is not like he so made his vow for this faith and such a vow cannot stand together But some will say the text is plaine Iudg. 11.31 that He vowed to offer for a burnt offering the thing that cam out of the doores of his house to meet him when he came home Ans. It is so indeed in some translations It shall be the Lords And I wil offer it c. But the words in the originall may as well bee translated thus It shall bee the Lords or I will offer it c. And this later translation is more sutable to the circumstances of the place for this was Iephtes meaning that whatsoeuer met him first he would dedicate it to God if it were a thing that might bee sacrificed then his purpose was to offer it vnto the Lord in sacrifice Quest. But if he did not kill her why did he then so lament for her Ans. Because by his vowe he was to dedicate her to God and so shee was to liue a Nazarite all her life long which must needs be a very bitter thing to him who had no childe but her it beeing so great a reproach and in some sort a curse in those daies to want issue I speake not here how well or ill Iephte did in making her a Nazarite But this may no way bee admitted That beleeuing and godly Iephte should aduisedly kill his owne daughter Vndoubtedly hee could not thinke that God would bee pleased with such an abhominable sacrifice Thus much for these persons the rest I passe ouer because this story is plaine and large in Scripture The Faith of the Iudges and Dauid VERSE 33 34 35. Which thâ—ough faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lions Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the Armies of the Aliants The women receiued their dead raised to life IN these wordes the Apostle propounds vnto vs ten seueral fruits of faith the nine first whereof are the particular actions of the parties spoken of in the former verse and they are here related for the commendation of their faith The first is Subduing of Kingdomes which serues chiefly for the commendation of the faith of the foure Iudges there named and of Dauid For as wee may read in the bookes of Iudges and of Samuel all these subdued Kingdoms as the Canaanites Iudg. 4. the Midianites Iudg. 6. the Philistims Iudg. 15. and 16. 2. Sam. 8.1 the Ammonites Iudg. 11. Moabites Aramites 2. Sam. 8.2.6 Now how did they ouercome and subdue them The Text saith by faith which wee must not not thus vnderstand as though onely by the very acte of faith they subdued kingdoms But the meaning of the holy Ghost is that they beleeued the promises which God made vnto them of deliuering these kingdomes into their hands and according to their faith God accomplished his promises vnto them and so they subdued Kingdomes by faith In this worke of faith we may learne two things first that it is lawfull for Christians in the newe Testament to make warre for that which may be done in faith is lawfull for Gods seruants but warre may bee made in faith for these seruants of God subdue kingdomes in warre and that by faith and therefore it is lawfull for Christians vpon iust cause to make warre The Anabaptists of Germany say It is not lawfull for a Christian vnder the Gospel to carry a weapon or to make warre But this one place of scripture if there were no moe is alone sufficient to prooue the lawfulnesse of warre vnder the Gospel if it be vsed according to Gods will word When the Souldiers came to Iohn Baptist and asked him What they should doe hee bids them not leaue off their calling but this Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages Luk. 3.14 And our Sauiour Christ reporteth of a Centurion which was captaine of a Band when he came to haue his sonne healed that hee had not found such faith in Israel And hee was not a Centurion onely afore he beleeued but euen afterward when Christ commended his faith yet did he not dislike his calling The like may be said of Cornelius Act. 10. All which shew plainely that vpon iust causes Christians may lawfully make warre Ob. 1. But to defend their opinioÌ„ they obiect som places of scripture as Mat. 5.39 Resist not euill saith Christ therefore say they a man may not wear a weapon nor vse a sword lest those make him to resist and so to breake this commandement of Christ. Ans. That place must bee vnderstood of
and lip-faith and to be endued with true sauing faith whereby we may profitably heare the word and receiue the sacraments and so enioy Gods most excellent promises in Christ. Men may lie and be deceiued but God is truth it selfe and cannot lie and therefore as he hath made his promise of life to beleeuers and to no other so will hee surely accomplish the same to them and to no other Wherefore if we loue our soules and desire life let vs get into our hearts the grace of faith And thus much of the third effect of their faith The fourth and fift effects which I will handle together are these Stopped the mouths of Lions Quenched the violence of the fire For the fourth Whereas some of these persons are said to haue stopped the mouthes of Lions it is to be vnderstood of Daniel as appeareth in the 6. Chapter of that booke For Daniel through the malice of others that incensed the Kings wrath against him was cast into the denne of hunger-bit Lions But Daniel euen then beleeued in the Lord and put all his trust in God and for this cause the Lord by his angel stopped the mouthes of the Lions and as it were sealed vp their pawes that they could not hurt him The fift effect in quenching the violence of the fire must bee vnderstood of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the companions of Daniel which three as we may read Dan. 3. refused to worship the golden image which Nabuchadnezzar had set vp For which cause they were cast into an hot burning Ouen but they put their trust in God and claue fast vnto him in obedience euen to the hazzard of their lyues Whereupon the Lord by his omnipotent power did most miraculously preserue them by staying the rage of the fire contrary to the nature thereof that it had no power ouer their bodies nay it did not burne the haire of their heads nor cause their garments to smell And therefore they are said to haue quenched the violence of it because it had no power ouer them thogh it burned most fiercely but was to them as though it had been quite put out and quenched Now ioyn these two effects together they affoord vs good instructions First here wee learne how to behaue our selues in time of danger and at the point of death Euen as these foure men did so must we from the bottome of our hearts forsake our selues and put all our trust in Christ. This did Daniel when he was in the Lions den and this did the 3. Children in the hot fiery furnace And this hath beene alwaies the auncient practice of Gods children in all ages At the very point of death and in the extremitie of all danger they rested themselues wholly vpon the mercifull promises of the true God The time wil come vpon vs all wherein wee shall be called to the practice of this duty for we must all passe the doore of death once lie in the pangs thereof Now what shall we doe when we lie halfe dead gasping panting for breath able to speake to no man nor to heare any speaking to vs when all comfort of the world failes vs Surely we must then at that very instant labour to leaue our selues and this world and yeeld vp our selues by faith into the hands of GOD and cleaue fast vnto Christs Passion from the bottome of our hearts and he will surely deliuer vs from the danger stopping the mouth of Satan that roaring Lion quenching the fire of hell that it shall not touch vs. But some will say if this be all we must doe then all is well for this I can soone doe when time serues and therefore I will take no care till then Answer Beware of spirituall guile for it will be found a most hard matter for a man to rely and cast himselfe wholly vpon Christ in the houre and pang of death For then aboue all times is the diuell busie against vs then will the conscience stir if euer and the body being tormented the soule must needes be wonderfull heauie This we may see by the state of our Sauiour Christ in his agony and passion and therefore wee must not reckon so lightly of this duty Question But if it be so hard a thing how could Daniell and the three children doe it Answer They were prepared for it for they rested vpon God in the time of peace and so were enabled to rely vpon him in time of perill Euen so if we would beleeue in God when wee die then shew forth our faith we must while we liue put our trust in him and shew it by obedience for rare it is to finde a man that liues in vnbeliefe to shew forth faith at his end And therefore while wee haue health strength and peace wee must labour to beleeue and then shall wee finde the comfort of it in time of perill and of death Secondly from these two effects of faith wee obserue further that Gods diuine prouidence doth firmely rule and gouerne the whole world Ordinarily God gouernes the world by secundarie causes setting one creature ouer another and ordaining one to doe this thing and another that and accordingly they worke but we must not thinke that God is bound to any of these meanes but is most free to vse them or not to vse them Ordinarily he executeth this or that punishment by this or that creature and so by meanes conuayes his blessings but yet he can work without them as here we see For he preserues his creatures against the ordinary meanes as Daniel from the Lions whose nature is to deuoure and against the nature of fire he saued the three children in the fire So that God worketh by meanes but yet freely because he can work at his pleasure either without or against meanes and his powerfull hand sauing against meanes shewes his ruling and disposing prouidence ouer all things Thirdly by these effects of their faith wee learne that Gods goodnesse and mercy towardes beleeuers is farre greater and more vnspeakeable than euer he promised or they could exspect This point is carefully to be considered of vs all for it is of singular extraordinary vse especially in time of perill and trouble and yet we see it is the plaine truth of God and therefore Paul giues thanks and praise vnto God who is able to do for vs exceeding aboundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke Daniel put his trust in the Lord when he was in the Lions den and what doth he obtaine for his labour the Lord neuer promised to stop the Lions mouthes neither did Daniell euer presume vpon that deliuerance and yet the Lord saued him And so the three childrē though they made no account of their liues because God had not promised to keep them frō burning yet they com out in safety For God in mercy so quenched the heat of the fire vnto thē that thogh it burnt to death those that cast them in yet
Iuda who as we may read 2. Kings 20. beeing sore sicke euen vnto death was restored to health and obtained of GOD the lengthening of his daies for the space of fifteene yeares Which wonderfull recouery hee obtained by meanes of his faith which hee shewed in time of his sicknesse by a prayer he made vnto God the substance wherof stood in these two things First beeing very sicke hee praied for the pardon of his sinnes This appeareth by his thanksgiuing vpon his recouery Isay 38.17 where hee confesseth that God had cast all his sinnes behinde his backe Now looke for what hee gaue thanks that no doubt hee had before begged of God in praier Secondly hee made request vnto GOD for prolonging of his daies for some reasons which did concerne himselfe and this hee also prayed for in faith Now the reasons moouing him to pray for longer life were these First hee had then no issue to succeed him in his Kingdome and therefore hee praied for life to beget a childe which might sit vpon his throne after him And the ground of this praier was this GOD had made a particular promise vnto Dauid and Salomon 1. Kings 8.25 that they should not want issue after them to sit vpon the Throne of Israel so that their children tooke heede to their way to walke before the LORD as Dauid did Now King Hezekiah knowing this promise had regard hereunto and building himself hereon his conscience bearing him witnesse that hee had walked before the Lord vprightly hee praies for issue to succeed him and for that cause he desires strength of body and length of daies This appeareth notably by his praier 2. King 20.3 Lord saith he I beseech thee now remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart The summe of his praier is this All the kings succeeding Dauid and Salomon which walke in Gods commandements shall haue issue to sit on their thrones after them Now from hence he praies thus Oh Lord I haue walked before thee in truth and sincerity of heart and hereupon the conclusion followes grant me issue to sit vpon my throne after me and therefore life and health to accomplish the same Secondly he praied that he might liue to glorifie God in that weighty calling wherein God had placed him ouer his people This appeareth likewise by his thanksgiuing vnto the Lord vpon his recouery where hee saith Isay 38.20 â—he Lord was ready to saue me therefore wee will sing my song all the daies of our life in the house of the Lord. Thus by his worthy praier hee shewed forth his faith notably by vertue whereof beeing sicke vnto death hee obtained of the Lord the prolonging of his daies for the space of fifteene yeares And so we see to whom this seauenth effect of faith is to be referred Here we are taught a speciall duty for the recouery of our health in the time of sickenesse to wit before wee vse the ordinary meanes of Physicke wee must according to this example first put our faith in practice by humbling our selues for our sinnes past confessing them truely vnto God and praying for pardon from a resolute purpose of heart to lead a newe life and also by intreating health of God and his good blessing vpon the meanes which we shall vse for our recouery Thus haue other of Gods seruants done beside Hezekias When Dauid was grieuously sicke the principal thing he did was this practice of faith in humbling his soule before God for his sinnes and intreating earnestly the pardon of them as we may see Psa. 6. 38. This is the principal thing which in those Psalms is propounded of Dauid And so the Apostle counsels Iam. 5.14 15 Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and what must they doe Surely first pray for him and then as the custome was in those daies anoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord. And the praier of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp againe and if hee haue committed any sinne it shall be forgiuen him And here we must be admonished to beware of the bad practices of the world in this case the most men in their sickenesse first seeke to the Physicians and if that faile them they send for the Minister This was King Asa his practice for which hee is branded to all posteritie that beeing diseased in his feete hee sought vnto Physicians and not vnto the Lord 2. Chron. 16.12 though otherwise hee had good things in him as 1. King 15.14 And many do farre worse who seeke to witches and inchanters when they or theirs are in such distresse but this is to forsake God and to seeke help of the diuel like to Ahaziah who sent to Baalzebub the God of Ekron to know of his recouery when he was sicke vpon a fall 2. Kings 1.2 This should be far from all Gods children for as Ahaziahs sickenesse became deadly through his sending to Baalzebub so vndoubtedly many diseases become incurable by the bad and preposterous dealing of the Patient who either vseth vnlawfull meanes or lawfull meanes disorderedly or trusting therein Wee therefore in this case must remember our duty in the practice of faith as Hezekiah did The eight fruit of faith is this Waxed valiant in battell This effect may well bee vnderstood of all the Iudges before named and of all the good Kings in Iuda and Israel But yet there be two especially to whom wee may more peculiarly referre it to wit Samson and Dauid For Samson he by meanes of faith came to be so mighty Iudg. 15.15 that with the Iawe bone of an asse he slew a thousand Philistims And for Dauid he likewise was so incouraged by faith that with the same sling wherewith he kept his fathers sheepe which was but a slender weapon for warre hee encountred with Goliah that huge Philistim and hit him with a stone in the forehead and slew him Both these facts were the fruits of their faith which made them bolde to encounter with these mighty enemies In this effect of their faith first wee may obserue that true fortitude and manhood right valour and courage comes from true faith It must bee graunted that many heathen men had great strength and courage but indeed it was but a shadow of true valour for right valour coms from a beleeuing heart And therefore it is said that these Iudges and Princes of Israel waxed strong in battell by faith Secondly Doth true faith make men valiant in battell Then should the preaching of the word bee set vp and maintained as well in the Campe and Guarison and among Souldiers on the Seas as in Cities and Townes of peace For the preaching of the word is the meanes of this faith which giues valour in battell to them that fight in a good cause Hence it was that the Lord inioyned by Moses that when the people of Israel went out to battell the Priests
these our bodies be they neuer so miserably tormented here shall one day rise to life and glory by Iesus Christ. All the true Martyrs of Christ knewe and were resolued of this and this it was that made them so confident in their sufferings And if wee can attaine vnto it we shall finde great vse hereof both in life and death For our lyues this will moue vs to embrace true religion from our hearts and in all things to indeauour to keep a good conscience This Paul testifieth Act. 24.15 16 for hauing made profession of his hope in the resurrection both of iust and vniust he saith And herein I endeauour my selfe to haue alwaies a cleere conscience both towards God and towards men And for death this perswasion also is of great vse for it will notably stay the heart against the naturall feare of death It is a wonder to see how terrible the thoughts of death are to many a one Now this feare ariseth hence that they are not in heart resolued of their resurrection to life and glory at the last day for if they were they would endeuour themselues with patience and with comfort to vndergoe the pangs thereof though neuer so terrible Secondly hence we must learne so to leade this temporall life that when we are dead our bodies may rise againe to life eternall These Martyrs are a notable precedent herein vnto vs for they are so resolute to holde that course of life which hath the hope of glory that they will rather lose temporall life then leaue that course And indeede this duty is so necessary that vnlesse we order wel this temporall life we can neuer haue hope to rise to glory Quest. How should we leade this temporall life that we may rise to glory after death Answer This S. Iohn teacheth vs Reuel 20 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power Wee must therefore labour earnestly to haue our part heerein This first resurrection is spirituall wrought in the soule by the holy Ghost causing him that is by nature dead in sinne to rise to newnesse of life whereof whosoeuer is truly partaker shall vndoubtedly rise to glory For they that are quickned in Christ frō the death of sin are made to sit together in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2.5.6 Naturall death may seuer soule body for a time but it can neuer hinder the fruition of eternall life Wherefore as we desire this life which is eternall when we are dead so let vs frame our naturall liues to die vnto sinne while we are aliue Verse 36. And others haue beene tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and prisonment The second kinde of suffering wherewith the seruants of God were then tried is mocking Touching the which we may obserue diuers points First whence it came No doubt it came from vngodly persons that were enemies to Gods Church true religion for here it is made a part of the triall of Gods Church by the enemies thereof Heere then beholde the state of mockers and scoffers at the seruants of God they are heere accounted wicked wretches and enemies to God and to his truth So Saint Iude speaking of certaine false Prophets which were crept into the Church calls them vngodly men Iude 4 which hee prooues afterward by their black mouth in euill speaking verse 8.10 And Ismaell is accounted a persecuter by the holy Ghost for mocking Isaac Galatians chapter 4. verse 29. And Dauid reckoning vp the degrees of sinners makes the chaire of the scornfull the third and highest Psalme 1.1 All these places shew the haynousnesse of this sinne and therefore if any of vs young or olde high or lowe haue beene ouertaken with it heeretofore let vs now repent and leaue it for it is odious in Gods sight Thou that art a scoffer mayst flatter thy selfe and thinke all is well let the matter prooue how it can words are but winde But knowe thy case is fearefull for as yet thou wantest the feare of God and art an enemie to Christ and his religion and one day thou shalt be iudged not onely for thy wicked deedes but for all thy cruell speakings Iude verse 15. Secondly whereas these seruants of God were tried by mockings it shewes that Gods Church in this world is subiect to this affliction It is not a thing newly begunne in this age of ours but hath beene alwayes in Gods Church from the beginning Genesis chapter 21. verse 9 Ismaell mocked Isaac and Isay brings in Christ complaining thus Isay chapter 8. verse 18 Beholde I and my children whom the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israell And Ieremie saith I am in derision daily euery one mocketh me Ieremie chapter 20. verse 7 Yea our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse when hee was working the blessed worke of mans redemption was euen then mocked by the spitefull Iewes Mat. 27.41 And Paul was mocked of the Athenians for preaching Christ and the resurrection Acts 17.18 Now if this haue been the estate of Christ our head of his most worthy Prophets and Apostles to be mocked scorned then must no child of God at this day think to escape for if they haue done this to the green tree what wil they doe to the dry Wherefore if we belong to Christ we must prepare for it and arme our selues with patience to vndergoe this triall The Disciple is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord. If they haue called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of the house Mat. 10.24 25 Thirdly whereas these seruants of God were tried by mockings and did endure the same by faith here we learn how to behaue our selues when we are subiect to mocking and derision especially for religions sake We must not returne mock for mock and taunt for taunt but with meeknesse of heart learne to beare the same When Christ was vpon the Crosse the Iewes most shamefully mocked him yet euen then did Christ pray for them And the same was Dauids behauiour as we may reade notably Psal. 38. verse 12 13 14 When his enemies spake euill of him what did hee Did hee raile on them againe No Hee was as a deafe man and heard not and as a dumbe man which openeth not his mouth euen as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofes This was a rare thing in Dauid that he could thus bridle his affections in the case of reproach but read the 15. verse and wee shall see the cause Hee trusted in the Lord his God also hee considered the hand of God in their reproaches as 2. Samuel chapter 16. ver 10 and these things made him silent This example we must looke vpon and learne hereby with patience to possesse our soules vnder reproach The third kinde of suffering is Scourging They were not onely mocked for religion but also whipped and
our selues and to lay it to our owne consciences and then no doubt we shall finde it to be a word of power able to reforme both the misdemeanour of our liues and the errours of our mindes Now to the reason more particularly Wee must be constant in the faith because we are compassed about with so great a cloude of witnesses Heere the ancient Fathers of the olde Testament which in the former chapter were commended vnto vs for their faith are compared to a cloude and then to a cloude compassing vs. Lastly to a cloude of witnesses They are compared to a cloude as I take it by allusion to the cloud which directed and led the Israelites in the wildernesse for when they came from Egypt and were 40. yeares in the Desert of Arabia all that while they were directed by a pillar of cloud by day Exod. 13.21 Now looke as this cloud guided the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt to the Land of Canaan so doth this companie of famous beleeuers direct all the true members of Gods Church in the new Testament the right way from the Kingdome of darknesse to the spirituall Canaan the kingdome of heauen And this is the true cause why these worthy beleeuers are compared to a cloud Mark further they are called a cloud but what a cloude namely compassing vs. A compassing cloud they are called by reason of the great company of beleeuers so as which way soeuer a man turnes him hee shall see beleeuers on euery side and they are said to compasse vs because they giue vs direction in the course of Christianity as the cloud did the Israelites in the wildernesse Now wheras the whole company of beleeuers is called a cloud compassing vs heere is answered a cōmon obiection of temporizers which argue thus against religiō There are so many kindes of religion now a-dayes that no man can tell which to be of and therefore it is good to be of no religion till we be certified which is the true religion This carnall reason is here answered for howsoeuer in som things there be variety of opinions in Gods Church yet for the substance of religion all agree in one For the company of beleeuers in this world resembles a cloud that goes before vs shewing vs the right way which we are to walke in to the Kingdome of heauen Secondly in that these ancient beleeuers are called a cloud compassing vs we are taught that as the Israelites did follow the cloud in the wildernes frō the Land of Egypt to Canaan so must we follow the example of these ancient beleeuing fathers Prophets to the kingdom of heauen It is a strange thing to see how the Israelites followed that cloud They neuer went till it went before them and when it stood still they stood still also though it were 2. yeares together and when it began to moue they moued with it So in the same maner must we set before our eyes for a pattern of life the worthy examples of beleeuers in the old Testament for whatsoeuer was written was written for our learning We must therfore be followers of them in faith obedience and other graces of God and so shall we be directed to life euerlasting in the spirituall Canaan the kingdom of heauen And yet we must not follow thē absolutely For all of thē had their infirmities som of thē had their grieuous faults wherby they were tainted their cōmendation somwhat blemished but we must follow them in the practice of faith other graces of God The cloud that guided the Israelites had two parts a light part a dark The Egyptians who were enemies to Gods people had not the light part before them but the dark part so following that they rushed into the red sea were drowned whē as the Israelites folowing the light part went through in safety Euen so these beleeuers had in them two things their sins which be their darke part which if we follow we cast our soules into great danger destruction and faith with other graces of God which are their light part which we must follow as our light which if we doe carefully it will bring vs safe to the Kingdome of heauen So Paul bids the Corinthians be followers of him yet not absolutely in euery thing but as he followes Christ and so must we follow the Fathers as they went on in faith in Christ. Further they are a cloud of witnesses that is a huge multitude of witnesses And they are so called First because by their owne bloud they confirmed the faith which they professed Secondly because they did all confirme the doctrine of true religion whereof they were witnesses partly by speaches and partly by actions in life and conuersation And so is euery member of Christ a witnesse as the Lord often calls the beleeuing Israelites his witnesses Quest. How came this to passe that these beleeuers should bee Gods witnesses Answere Surely because they testified the truth and excellencie of Gods holy religion both in word and action in life and conuersation Now seeing these in the olde Testament were Christs witnesses First hereby all ignorant persons must be stirred vp to be carefull to get faith and to learne true religion If any thing will moue a man to become religious this will for out of all the world God will chuse faithfull men to be his witnesses to testifie of his religion vnto others If a man were perswaded that some worthy mighty Prince would vouchsafe to call him to beare witnesse of the truth on his side he would be wonderfull glad thereof and take it for a great honour to him How much more then ought wee to labour for knowledge faith and obedience in true religion that we may become witnesses vnto the Lord our God if it be a dignity to be witnesse to an earthly Prince oh then what a great prerogatiue is this for a silly sinfull man to becom a witnesse to the truth of the euerliuing God who is King of Kings whose word needes no confirmation This must make vs al to labour for knowledge for faith and for the power of religion but if we wil remaine stil in our ignorance and neuer labour for knowledge then shall these seruants of God that beleeued in the olde Testament stand vp and witnesse against vs at the day of iudgement for they had not such meanes as we haue and yet they became most faithfull witnesses Secondly this must teach vs to be careful that as in word we professe Christ so indeed we may confesse him expressing the power of his grace in vs. For by this true confession of Christ we are made his witnesses but when wee confesse Christ in word onely and yet in life practice denie him then we are vnfaithful witnesses for we say vnsay In an earthly court if a mā should one while say one thing another while another thing he would not be accepted for a
witnesse but rather be excepted against as altogether vnworthy and so would prooue a discredit to his friends cause a shame to himself so it is with vs in Christs cause if we professe in word deny indeed we discredit Christ and his profession shame our selues for euer And therfore we must be carefull not only in word and iudgement but in life conuersation to make a true constant confession of Christ and of his truth And thus much for the exhortation Now followeth the 2. point to be obserued in this verse namely the manner how Gods Church people may put in practice this worthy exhortation of the holy Ghost To be constant in the faith And this consists in three duties 1. They must cast away that which presseth downe 2. They must cast away that sin that hangeth so fast on or sin which so readily doth compasse vs about 3. They must run the race that is set before them with patience Whosoeuer in Gods Church either Iew or Gentile can performe these 3. things shall be able no doubt to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost cōtinue cōstant in the faith vnto the end Of these 3. in order The 1. thing then to be done is this We must cast away that which presseth down or thus Cast away the waight or burthen for so much the word in the originall signifieth euen that burthen which so presseth down the poore Christian that he cannot goe on forward in the course of godlinesse and Christianity By burthen or weight here we must vnderstand 5. things 1. The loue of this temporall life 2. Care for earthly things 3. Riches temporal wealth 4. Worldly honour preferments 5. Worldly delights and pleasures All these are things which lie heauy on mans soule as weighty burthens which presse it downe especially then when the soule should lift vp it self to seek heauenly things So in the Parable of the Sower riches pleasures cares for the things of this life are called thornes which choake the word of God in a mans heart and make it vnfruitfull And surfetting drunkennes are said to be things which oppress the heart and make it heauy And easie it were to shewe by many testimonies that all these fiue things do press down the heart especially then when it should be lifted vp in the seeking of heauenly things Now in this that these 5. things are waighty burdens we may learne first what is the cause that in these our daies euery where the Gospel of Christ being published preached expoūded takes so little place in mēs hearts whether we regard knowledge vnderstanding or affection and obedience For Gods word is a word of power mighty in operation how comes it to passe then that the ground is barren where it is cast why makes it not men learned religious Ans. Surely in euery place where the word of God is preached especially among vs these fiue things possess the hearts of men exercise all the thoghts of the minde and affections of the heart From whence it commeth to passe that after long preaching there is little fruit or profit either for knowledge or obedience for where the heart is pressed downe with the waight of these earthly things there the word of God can take no place nor bring forth fruit And this is generally true among vs though we heare Gods word from year to year and thereby might increase in knowledg obediēce if we would yet in many there is little shew of either and the cause is in these worldly cares which take place in our hearts For this is a most certaine truth that so long as our hearts are addicted to the greedy seeking after these earthly things honour pleasures c. so long will the ground of our hearts bee barren The good seed of Gods word may be sowen therein but little fruit shall come thereof saue briers and weeds which will increase our damnation Again whereas the loue of tēporal life care of earthly things c. are sore burdens pressing downe a mans heart from heauen to earth and making it heauy and sad and dead in regard of all spirituall exercises and contemplations Hereby we are taught oftentimes to giue our selues to eleuate and lift vp our mindes and hearts to God partly by meditation in his word partly by inuocation on his name and partly by thanksgiuing And to doe these things the better we must remember to set apart some speciall time euery day for this speciall worke so as we may say with Dauid Psal. 25.1 Lord I lift vp my heart vnto thee Dauid was well acquinted with this exercise and so was Daniel for both of them vsed this as we may read Psa. 55.17 Euening and morning saith Dauid and at noone wil I pray make a noyse And Daniel vsed to pray vnto God 3. times a day wherein he would heartily vnfainedly call vpon God with thanksgiuing And great reason we should do so for wee liue in this world wherein are innumerable waighty things which press down our hearts frō looking vp to heauen therfore we must often practice our selues in holy meditatiō prayer vnto God that so we may lift vp our soules vnto God from the things of this world To vse a fit cōparisō we know that those who keep clocks if they would haue the clock stil going must once or twice a day winde vp the plūmets which cause the wheels to go about because they are still drawing downward Euen so seeing our hearts haue plummets of lead which are worldly cares and desires to press them down from seeking vp to heauen we must doe with our hearts as the clock-keeper doth with his plummets winde them vp vnto God euery day for this ende must set apart some particular time to do the same in holy duties Why doth God command the 7. day to be sanctified and set apart from all bodily exercises worldly cares vndoubtedly it is for this end to cause men to eleuate their hearts from all wordly things to seeke the things aboue else if the minde should be alwaies pressed down with worldly cares it could neuer attain to heauēs ioys He that hath not cōsciēce on the Lords day to lift vp his heart to heauen by prayer and hearing Gods word with meditation theron cannot possibly haue any soundnes in religion nor his heart firmely settled on heauenly things Thirdly whereas the holy Ghost saith That the Hebrewes must cast away the weight that presseth downe Here wee are taught in what manner and how farre forth wee must vse the things of this life as riches honours and lawfull pleasures yea and all temporall blessings whatsoeuer namely so farre forth as they will further vs in the course of religion and in the exercises of godlinesse and vertue and no further But finding by experience that these temporall things be a burden vnto vs pressing vs downe and making vs vnfit for