a citie also and the best on earth are but shadowes of it And it may shame them that are drowned in the pleasures and delicacies of earthly cities and care not nor looke after the city of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem as it is called Heb. 12.22 But alas it seemes they care not for this shame for where is securitie wantonnesse profanenesse oppressions so coÌ„mon as in these great cities And as in the Apostles times the countrey towne Berea was more zealous and religious than the rich and stately citie of Thessalonica Acts 17.11 So is it generally to this day especially at such places in the countrey where teaching and knowledge is But let such cities know that as they haue better meanes more comforts and their very name should put them in minde and make them in loue with heauen so they shall receiue greater damnation Lastly Cities are places of freedome and all such great places haue some notable priuiledges therefore men desire to be free in such places as is to bee seene in London Rome Venice c. Euen the greatest persons will bee content to be free of them and many seeke it and pay deer for it or at least worke a long time for it But heauen is the City of cities the perfection of beauty and true happinesse therefore let euery one that desires either honour or happinesse labour and striue to be a free-man of heauen and neuer rest till he know hee be And let those that liue in cities when they are admitted free-men as daily some are remember what a blesâ—ednes it will be if they can bee admitted free-men of the glorious Citie which is aboue and how little that shall auaile them if they want this which was the hope and ioy of Abraham and all holy men To goe further This Citie which Abrahams faith waited for is described by two points 1. That it hath a foundation 2. That the maker and builder was God For the first Heauenly Ierusalem hath a foundation such a one as no city in this world hath by this phrase the holy Ghost insinuates vnto vs what be the properties of heauen which be two 1. The state of heauen is vnchangeable 2. Euerlasting and eternall First the state of the Elect in heauen their glory there is not subiect to corruption or the least alteration as appeareth in that notable and loftie description of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 21.14 and from the 10. verse to the 21 It hath a great wall and high 12. gates 12. Angels for Porters and the wall had 12. foundations of 12. sorts of most excellent pretious stones and the wall it selfe was Iasper and the citie pure gold like crystall The state of it is shadowed by pretious stones and gold to signifie as well the durablenesse as the excellency therof And in the 15. Psalme vers 1. it is called the mountaine of Gods holines Hills are hardly remoued and therefore Dauid saith that Mount Zion cannot bee remooued but remaineth for euer Psal. 125.1 Now if that be true of Mount Zion in this world which must needes bee taken either literally for the state of the visible Church which cannot be vtterly ouerthrowen or mystically for the state of Gods grace which in this world cannot totally finally be lost I say if this Mount Zion standeth fast and cannot be remoued how much more true iâ— it of the state of glory in heauen and of the triumphant Church and of heauenly Zion that it is so vnchangeable so durable so vnremoueable that it cannot be shaken but standeth fast for euer And in this respect well may the Apostle say here It hath a foundation which the holy Ghost in the Reuelation saith to haue 12. foundations Secondly the state of the Elect in heauen is not onely sure but euerlasting that is without end Psal. 37.18 the Inheritance of holy men is perpetuall And therfore S. Peter 1.1.4 saith that the inheritance reserued in heauen for vs is immortall not fading away It fades not away there is the vnchangeablenesse It is immortall there is the eternity of it And this is meant by hauing a foundation for in this world so much the longer doth any thing endure as the foundation is stronger Therefore seeing the heauenly city hath such a foundation no maruell though it indure for euer Now put these two together and they shew the perfect excellency of that city which is both vnchangeable and eternall Where we learne the great difference betwixt the state of that world and this present world wherin we liue in the body For what is there in this world so excellent so pâ—etious so costly so artificiall but is subiect both to alteration and in the ende to dissolution The longest day hath his night and the longest life endeth in death after many miseries and tossings the longest Empires and mightiest Monarchies had their period after many mutations the stateliest and strongest cities ended in ruine after many ciuill broiles massacres and other miseries So that no glory no strength no happinesse nothing at all is there in this world that is either constant or perpetuall but subiect to vtter dissolution in the end and in the meane time to pittifull alterations So weake a foundation hath this world and the best things in it But contrariwise the glory of heauen hath such a foundation as it is both vnchaâ—geable and eternall The consideration of this difference hath manifold profitable vse First we may see how reasonable the counsell of the Apostle is 1. Tim 6. â—7 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and put not their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God For what a misery and vanity is it to trust in that that is vncertaine and therefore will deceiue them The Apostle tells them what to doe namely Doe good and be rich in good works and be ready to distribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundatioÌ„ against the time to come that they may obtain eternal life that is that they so speÌ„d their riches in holines charity that they may 〈◊〉 the ende attaine heauen which is the Citie that hath a foundation and who would not spend riches which are so vncertaine for heauen which is so certaine a glory Secondly this must teach vs to followe the Counsell of Christ Iesus Math. 6.19.20 Lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth where moth and canker corrupt theeues steale but in heauen where is neither canker moth theefe nor any other corruption Euery man naturally must haue his treasure and that is it whereon hee sets his heart now that is vnworthy of a mans heart which will bee lost wee knowe not how soone But let vs make heauen our treasure the glory whereof is both eternall and vnchangeable Againe seeing nothing here is certaine wee must learne to seeke sound comfort where it may be had Seeke it in this world and it will faile
this commaundement was personally directed to Abraham and concernes not vs as it did him yet it hath his force and vse euen to vs. For though we are not to goe out of our Country and leaue our liuings and habitations yet we must doe that that is proportionable hereunto That which is commanded to Salomons wife is to all Christians Harken O daughter and consider incline thine eare forget thy owne kindred and thy Fathers house so shall the King take pleasure in thy beauty Psalm 45.10.11 This wife of Salomon is the soule of euery Christian the spouse of Christ the true Salomon who by nature is daughter to heathen Pharaoh that is to sinne corruption and wrath but being maried to Christ must forget her owne kindred and Fathers house that is their owne nature and naturall affections and carnall desires and then shall Christ our King and spirituall husband take pleasure in vs and reioice to doe vs good And this is the chiefe trauailing of all and most acceptable to God when a man goeth out of himselfe and denieth his owne desires to obay God and to serue Christ Iesus Thus we see the matter of his obedience Now followeth the end Which he should after receiue for inheritance The second particular in his obedience is the End why he went out of his owne Country namely to inherite another that is the land of Canaan called else-where the land of Promise because God promised it vnto him and to his â—eed Now Abraham at Gods commaundement went out of his owne Country into this place to inherite it and to take possession of it But it may be obiected He inherited it not yea furthermore Stephen saith Act. 7.4 God brought him in but gaue him no inheritance in it no not the bredth of a foote I answere though Abraham did not inherite it personally himselfe yet he may be said to inherite it two wayes 1. Sacramentally or Mystically 2. In his posteritie First Sacramentally thus The land of Canaan is to be vnderstoode not onely as a Country of Asia fruitfull and fertile and plentifull of all good things wherein the onely visible Church was confirmed till Christs comming But further as a Type of the heauenly Canaan where the triumphant Church raignes in glory with God And thus Abraham did in his owne person inherite it for he was translated from this world after his death into the glory of heauen And in that respect the glory of heauen is rather called the bosome of Abraham Luke 16 then of any other the Patriarkes both for the excellencie of his faith as also for that the promise of inheriting the land of Canaan was first of all personally made to him which because he enioyed not he was recompenced with the fruition of the true Cannaan From hence we learne a notable doctrine That God in performing of his promises giueth not oftentimes the verie particular thing promised but something equiualent or proportionable to it or else better Thus in the fift commaundement obedient children are promised by God long life as a reward for honouring their Parents Now when hee takes them away in their best age as hee did Iosias 2. Kings 22.10 hee giueth them eternall life which is not onely proportionable but farre exceeding the thing promised So heere hee promiseth Abraham the land of Canaan but when it comes to the performance hee giues him a better euen the true Canaan the kingdome of heauen The vse heereof is to teach vs wisedome for the true discerning of Gods mercifull performance of his promises for he performeth them not alwayes one way vnto his children sometime he giueth the very particular thing promised as vnto the children of Israel their deliuerance out of Egypt vnto Hezekiah the restoring of his health and such like Sometime he giueth not it but something which shall be as good or better vnto his children as when they are in some great danger and craue deliuerance or in some necessitie and haue promise of supply God oftentimes deliuereth them not but giueth them patience and feeling of his fauour in such sort as is many degrees more comfortable vnto them And herein God heareth their prayers and performeth his promise to them to their full contentation Secondly Abraham inherited Canaan in his posterity For though God promised it to himselfe when he was 75. yeeres olde Gen. 12.4 and to him and to his seede Gen. 15.7 Yet neither he nor his immediate seede enioyed it but his posteritie the Israelites 430. yeares after the promise as S. Paul proueth Galath 3.17 And so Abraham inherited it in his posteritie which is a part of him and they inherited it many hundreth yeares euen vntill the comming of Christ. As afore we learned that God in the performance of his promises giueth not alwayes the thing promised so heere let vs learne that he doth not alwayes performe them to the same parties and yet most truly performeth them If therefore God doth not to our selues nor in our times accomplish his promises or prophecies we must not be impatient but waite in patience For as the holy Prophet saith The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake and not lie though it tarie waite for it it shall surely come and shall not stay Habba 2.3 To this end Dauid also most diuinely saith Psalm 97.11 Light is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart See light and ioy belongs vnto them but how It is sowen that is it is in hope and expectation and not alwayes in fruition Therefore as the Husbandman casts his seede into the earth and is content to stay almost a full yeere without it or any profit of it and yet is patient all that while because he is sure it will come bring encrease with it So must wee waite patiently on the Lord and know that whatsoeuer he hath promised we or ours after vs shall be sure to enioy it And though we doe not what great matter is it if our children doe For we know that oftentimes the Father soweth and dieth ere the haruest and so the sonne reapeth So for Gods great and gracious promises which are sowen vnto the Fathers if themselues do not their children are sure to reape the comfortable haruest of performance And thus we see how Abraham inherited the land of Canaan which is called the land of Promise because it was so long and so often promised to so many great Patriarkes In the second place it is to be obserued when God promised this vnto Abraham euen then when the land of Canaan was possessed by many mighty Kings So that it may be here further doubted how Abraham could take any comfort in this promise seeing it was at that day held by almost 40. Kings greater and lesse as we may see in Ioshua Chap. 10.11.12 and further The people were many and strong the Cities were strong walled and full of huge Giants Numb 13.28.29 Yet for all this he
hitherto intreated Now here and sâ— forward to the end of this chapter is set downe a third order of examples of faith namely of such as liued from the time of the giuing of the Law to the time of the raigne of the Maccabees This 30. verse containes the first example of this ranke namely the example of Iosuahs faith of those that went with him into Canaan And their faith is commended vnto vs by a notable fact of theirs the causing to fall the walls of Iericho the History whereof we may reade at large Iosuah 6. The summe of it is this Whereas the Israelites came vnto Canaan and could not enter into the Land by reason of the strength of Iericho by which they must needs passe nor could win it by reason of the huge walls of Iericho the Lord promiseth to deliuer Iericho into their hands onely the people must doe this they must compasse-about the walls seauen daies carie the Arke of the Lord with them sounding with Rammes hornes and showte and so the walls should fall downe Now the Lord hauing made this promise vnto them the Israelites and specially Iosuah obey his commaundement and beleeue his promise and thus doing by faith the walls of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed-about seauen doyes Indeed the power of GOD was the principall cause of this ruine of the walls but yet because vpon their beleeuing GOD shewed this power therefore is the downfall of them ascribed to their faith Here are many notable points to be learned 1. Whereas the Text saith By faith the walls of Iericho fell downe wee may obserue the wondeâ—full power of true faith Iosuah and the Israelites beleeued Gods promises that hee would ouerturne the walls of Iericho and as they beleeued so it came to passe So our Sauiour Christ saith Matthew 17.20 If a man had but as much faith as a graine of mustard-seed he shall say vnto the mountaine remooue hence and it shall remoue and nothing shall be vnpossible vnto him signifying that by the power of true faith such things as are impossible to mans reason shall be brought to passe if God haue promised them as we see in this place the mighty walls of Iericho fall downe by faith which to mans reason is impossible So the Lord promised to Abraham That he should be the Father of many Nations yea that all the Nations of the earth should be blessed in him This was strange but Abraham beleeued it and as hee beleeued so it came to passe for many Nations descended from him and after the time of Christes ascension when all the Nations of the world were called to the light of the Gospell they were blessed in Christ the promised Seede of Abraham and therefore is hee called the Father of the faithfull in all Nations And to come vnto our selues To miserable men it may seeme a strange thing that the power of the diuell and the strength of the flesh should be ouercome in vs yet let a man beleeue this promise of God God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that who so beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3.16 I say let him beleeue this effectually and hee shall finde by faith the Kingdome of sinne Satan in his heart and conscience weakned euery day more and more And therefore S. Iohn saith not without cause This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith 1. Iohn 5.4 2. Here obserue that among the causes of the change ouerthrowe of Townes Cities Kingdomes this is one namely faith in Gods promises Many men haue written of the change of Kingdoms do giue diuers reasons therof But most of them omit the principall and that is faith by vertue whereof many times Kingdomes and Townes are brought to ruine and ouerthrow God promised to Abraham to his seed that he would giue theÌ„ the land of Canaan for their inheritance now they beleeued this promise heere wee see it comes to passe as they beleeued Iericho by faith is ouerturned the rest of their Cities the people of CanaaÌ„ dispossessed So that we see faith in Gods promises is a means to Gods people to ouerturn cities kingdoms that are enemies to Christ and to his Gospell God hath made a promise vnto his Church that the whore of Babylon Reuel 18.2 that is the Kingdome of Antichrist shall flourish for a while but after it shall be destroyed yea such a ruine shall come vnto it that the Kings of the earth and all great men and Marchants shall bewaile the destruction thereof Now this promise being receiued by faith and beleeued of Gods Church shall vndoubtedly come to passe It is in some part verified already for we see some Kingdomes and people haue renounced the cursed Doctrine and tyrannie of Rome and many Christian Princes haue alreadie shaken off the Popes yoke yea and this promise shall come to passe daily more and more Let all the Kings of that sort doe what they can and let the people set themselues neuer so much against Gods Church yet Babylon shal downe for God hath promised so to his Church and his Church beleeueth the same and therefore by their faith it shall be brought to passe in despite of the diuell Thirdly here we learne that when any City Towne or Kingdome is to make warre either in defence of themselues or in lawfull assault vpon their enemies a speciall meanes for good successe heerein is true faith Christian policie is a commendable thing in this case but if policy be seuered from faith it is nothing Faith in Gods promises of protection and assistance doth farre surpasse all worldly wisedome And therefore good King Iehosaphat when he was to fight against the huge Armies of the Moabites and Ammonites giues this counsell to his people 2 Chron. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured Beleeue his Prophets and ye shall prosper giuing a most notable instruction and shewing that the best help for our defence is faith in God whereby we rest vpon his word and promise that hee will helpe vs yet this taketh not away the vse of meanes but it giues the blessing and efficacie vnto them Faith wee knowe is called a shield among the spiritual armour of God whereby a man awards the blowes of Satan and though that be the principal vertue of it yet is it also a notable shield to defend men euen against their outward visible enemies a most strong engine aginst theÌ„ to work their ouerthrow Hence Dauid saith He will not be afraid for tenne thousand of the people that should beset him round about They therefore that would defend themselues against their enemies yea and ouercome them in lawful assault must embrace obay true religion with Christian policy ioyn faith in Gods promises for by faith we make God our Captain throgh him we shal do
valiantly and beate downe our enemies on euery side Lastly heere wee may learne what a vaine thing it is to trust in outward worldly meanes The walls of Iericho were both strong and high and hard it had beene to haue ouerthrowen them by ordinary meanes but yet we see it proued but a vaine thing to trust vnto them as the men of Iericho did for they found but little reliefe and defence in them for the Lord layes them flat to the ground and so the people of Israell went straight forward and tooke the Citie So likewise it is a vaine thing to trust to mans strength or in the strength of an horse or in the number of men or in riches or in gifts of wisedome and learning or in any other outward ordinary meanes whatsoeuer the reason is because God can ouerturne them with the least breath of his mouth This must admonish vs that howsoeuer we vse ordinarie meanes of our preseruation and helpe yet euer wee must cast our whole care on GOD and put all our confidence in him for helpe and safety for without him all other outward meanes are nothing but vaine helpes For vaine is the help of man And thus much for the fact it self Further this fact is set out vnto vs by two circumstances to wit by the meanes which they vsed and by the time which they obserued for this exploit For the first when they come to Iericho this strong Citie which they must needes subdue or else they could not this way enter and possesse the Land they do not goe about to ouerturne the Citie by vndermining battering or scaling the walls but according to Gods appointment they go one by one in order round about the Citie walls day by day for one weeke space and on the seauenth day they compasse it seuen times during all which time they kept great silence saue onely that seauen Priests sounded vpon seauen trumpets of Rammes-hornes before the Arke till Iosuah bade them shout Now in common reason a man would iudge this rather to be some childish sport then a means to fling downe these great walls Nay consider it well and it may seeme a course tending rather to ouerthrowe themselues then the walls of Iericho for they marched not in battell ray as though they would pitch a field against the people of Iericho or lay siege to their Citie but they went in length one before another so as they might compasse the Citie about Now if the men of Iericho should haue come forth and made assault vpon them in all likelihood the Israelites had been ouerthrowen so weake and feeble were the meanes And yet the Lord for waighty causes prescribes this course vnto them to wit 1. Heerby to try the faith of his people whether they will beleeue his promises or no when they are enioyned to vse weake and feeble meanes and in mans reason foolish Secondly to make manifest in the weakenesse and insufficiencie of the meanes his owne all-sufficient power and wisedome for the furtherance of his glory for through weakenesse is Gods power made perfect 2. Corinthians chapter 12. verse 9. Hence our Sauiour Christ when hee was to cure the man that was borne blinde tempers clay of spittle and layes it to his eyes Iohn chapter 9. verse 6 A meanes in cōmon reason rather fit to make a man blinde then to recouer his sight and yet Christ vseth it for the furtherance of Gods glory in the manifestation of his Diuine power whereby the people might knowe hee was able in himselfe to doe whatsoeuer he would Now looke what course the Lord here takes for the battering of the walles of Iericho the like he vseth in ouerthrowing the kingdome of the diuell the spirituall Iericho especially in the new testament For after Christs ascension when he intended to destroy the Kingdome of darkenesse vnder which all the nations sate he sets apart a fewe fisher-men simple persons wāting worldly wit policy neither did hee put a sword of flesh into their hands but the word of God into their mouthes and thus sent them to dispossesse the diuell out of all the world and to batter downe the kingdome of darkenesse by their preaching And now in these later daies wherein the Antichristian kingdome of the Pope had spread it selfe through all places almost God vsed the same weake meanes to ouerthrow it For hee set apart a silly Monke and indues him with gifts to preach the truth by which meanes the kingdome of Antichrist receiued a greater wounde than if tenne Princes had set themselues against it And strange it is to see how GOD ouerturneth all the stratagems deuised against his Church and how hee vanquisheth the power of sinne by the weake meanes of the Gospel preached and by the praiers of the Church than which to the world nothing seemes more feeble or foolish The consideration hereof is of speciall vse for it may be wee shall see Kings and people of great power and number to make reuolt from the Gospel of Christ and to fall to Antichrist embracing popery hereat indeede wee must be grieued but yet withal here is good cause of comfort vnto vs for wee must knowe that Satans kingdome must bee battered downe not so much by the power of Kings as by the breath of GODs mouth not so much by the sword of flesh as by the sword of the spirit So it is said that the man of sinne euen Antichrist must bee abolished not by the power of Princes yea let all the princes potētates in the world do their best for him yet his kingdome must downe in Gods good time for God will consume him with the breath of his mouth and abolish him by the brightnesse of his comming 2. Thes. 2.8 that is by the preaching of the word in the mouthes of his Ministers who are men voyde of all worldly power and policie Yet further obserue the meanes They walke about the walles of Iericho seuen daies together If men should attempt the like enterprise at this day in all likelihood it would cost them their liues for now there are deuised such instrumēts of warre I mean great ordinance field pieces that will kill afar off vndoubtedly if ther had bin such instruments of war in this city the Israelites could not so safely haue compassed the walles so many daies together Whereby it appeares more than probable that in those daies there were no gunnes knowen no not amongst the heathen which at this day are so rise amongst Christians Whence may be gathered that these later daies are perillous times for now mens heads are set to deuise more hurtfull meanes against the life of man than euer the sauage heathen knew For beside the inuention of gunnes which put downe all euidence of prowesse and valour seene in Ancient warres our age exceedes in contriuing such strange kindes of poysons as were neuer knowen in former times For men haue now deuised poyson of that sort that will
The same Dauid coÌ„fesseth Psal. 39.12 He is a stranger before God a soiourner as all his Fathers were therupon desireth God to heare his prayer hearken to his cry not to keep silence at his teares as though he had said Inasmuch as I soiourne with thee thou art to heare my complaint For as a Soiourner cares nor lookes for nothing but depends on them for all things with whom he soiournes so must we cast all our care on God for he careth for vs he is our Landlord wee are his Farmours and Tenants wee hold the earth from him by no lease for yeares but at his will and it is lent vs let vs therefore but haue care to please this our Landlord and care for nothing Fiftly wee must giue continuall thankes and praise to God for his good blessings wee receiue in this world for all are his and wee are but strangers Thus did all Gods Saints in olde time Iacob Hee was lesse then the least of Gods mercies But especially there is one memorable example of Dauid and the Church in his dayes 1. Chronicles 29.13.14.15.16 When hee had prepared abundantly for the building of the Temple hee prostrated himselfe before God and in his owne name and the peoples saide thus Riches and honour come of thee therefore our God wee thanke thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that wee should offer vnto thee for all is thine and of thine owne haue wee giuen thee for wee are strangers before thee and soiourners as all our Fathers were Thankfulnesse beseemes all men especially strangers Therefore as Pilgrimes doe thankfully accept the fauours shewed them in a strange Country So must we all the blessings God giues vs in this world where we are but strangers Sixtly and lastly we must hasten to the kingdome as a Pilgrime doth to his iourneyes end or to his owne Country and till he can is alwaies thinking of it and sighing after it So must we who are not dwellers but soiourners in these houâ—es of clay long after heauen and as S. Paul saith he did coâ—et to remoue from hence and to dwell with the Lord. Strangers â—re not to take such pleasure in foraine Countries as to forget their owne So Christians must not be so in loue with this world as to forget or neglect the world to come If they do â—hey are vnworthy of it and shew themselues not strangers â—s Abraham here was but men of this world who haue their â—ortion in this life Psal. 17.14 In performing these six actions men shew themselues â—rangers in this world And thus must we doe euen in the â—idst of all worldly prosperitie if wee looke â—uer to enioy the glory of a better And thus doing we shall be children of faithfull Abraham who dwelt in the land of Canaan as in a strange Country As one that dwelt in tents The second point for the manner how Abraham dwelt in Canaan is that he built himselfe no houses nor made Orchards or Gardens but dwelt in tents or tabernacles which were such houses as now are vsed in warre and are yet called by the same name Tents or Pauilions whose matter is not wood nor stone but cloth stuffe or skinnes and are easily reared and soone taken downe and when a man departeth he may cary his house with him That Abraham did thus appeares in the Stories written of him He came to Bethell and there pitched his tent Gen. 12.8 and Gen. 13.18 he remoued his tent and 18.1 God appeared vnto him as he sate in his tent dore and 18.9 being asked where Sarah was answered shee is within in the tent and these tents are called his place Gen. 18.33 and his house 24.2 Out of all which places it is plaine that he dwelt in tents and that not onely at his first comming when he had not time to build him an house but euen all the dayes of his life after his comming into the land of Canaan But why did Abraham dwell in tents and not in houses was it because then there were no houses Not so For there were Cities built euen afore the floud Gen. 4.17 Cain built a Citie no meruaile therefore if there were many after as Sodome and all her sisters And though it appeares not they digged into the earth for naturall stone yet had they Bricke which they made themselues Genesis 11.3 and surely the world which built the huge tower of Babell Gen. 11. would not stick to build themselues houses Nor can it be said that those Cities Sodome Gomorrah and the rest were nothing but a multitude of Tents together For we read Genes 19.3 that Lot dwelling in Sodome receiued 2. Angels into his house and in the 4. verse that the Sodomites came and enuironed his house round about to take them thinking they had been men and when Lot refused to deliuer them that they pressed sore vpon the house to haue broken vp the doore but all this might haue bin spared if it had bin nothing but a tent which a childe may cut in peeces with a knife It is manifest then that there were houses in those daies Why then did Abraham build none was it because he was poore could not Nor so for contrariwise Gen. 12.5 Hee carried with him from his owne countrey all the substance he possessed And what that was is particularized Gen. 13.2 He was very rich in cattell in siluer and in gold His riches were both great of the best So theÌ„ he could but would not But why would he not Was it vpon a prowd humour or in a conceited singularitie because he would not bee like other men but haue a singular way of his owne No Abraham was none of those who allow nothing but that that is done of themselues and who thinke nothing good if it be ordinarie for he was a holy man and famous for his faith So then none of these were the reasons of this his so doing The reasons then why Abraham and other holy Patriarchs vsed to dwell in tents and not to build them houses were of two sorts Ciuill and Holy The Ciuill or Politicke respect that they had was this They holding themselues Gods seruants did depende on his word and therefore did submit themselues to goe vp and down the world whither soeuer God did call theÌ„ Being then to remooue euery day they knew not when nor whither it was therefore both the fittest and cheapest to dwell in tents which were soone pitched vp and soone taken downe Neither neede it to seeme strange that they could liue for cold in those poore thin tents all the yeare long for the country and climate there was alwaies temperate enough for cold and rather inclining to too much heate The Holy or religious respect was this They held theÌ„selues but strangers vpon earth therfore would not build themselues cities or houses as looking or caring to liue vpon earth but dwelled in tents as seeming desirous
kill a man not presently but a weeke or a moneth or a quarter of a yeare after as appeares by the confession of those that haue giuen themselues to studie and practice such hurtful deuises And it is worth the marking that the principall inuentors and practicers of such hurtfull inuentions haue been of the Romish religion The second circumstance to be obserued is the Time of this exploite It was not on any of the first sixe daies but on the seuenth and that after they had that day compassed the citie about seuen times then when the Priests blew the trumpets and all the people showted as Iosuah bade them the walles of Iericho fell downe for this was the time which God had appointed for this exploit The reason why God appointed seuen daies and seuen times cōpassing on the seuenth day is not reuealed vnto vs in the word of God and therefore wee may not curiously prie into it nor yet as some doe hence gather that seuen is a perfect number But from the consideration of the very time wherein the walles fell downe wee may learne this that if we would haue God to accomplish his promises vnto vs we must waite for that time season which he hath appointed we must not thinke that God wil accomplish them when we appoint But we must beleeue Gods promise and also waite his good leisure and then will it come to passe The Israelites compassed about Iericho one day and the walles neuer stirre yea they doe so sixe daies together and sixe times more on the seuenth day yet they stand fast The reason is Because Gods appointed time was not yet come But on the seuenth day when they had compassed them about the seuenth time all the people gaue vp the showt then they fel down because that was the particular set time wherein God would accomplish his promise Further whereas they compasse about the walles seuen daies together it must needes be that they went about them on the Sabbaoth day for that was one of the seuen Now here a doubt ariseth for this was a seruile worke vpon the Sabbaoth contrary to Gods commandement which inioyned so strict a rest vpon the Sabbaoth day that they might not kindle a fire thereon how then could they lawfully compasse the city on the Sabbaoth day Answ. All Gods commandements in the morall lawe must be vnderstood with this exception Thou shalt doe thus and thus vnlesse I the Lord command thee otherwise for God is an absolute Lord and so aboue the Lawe and therefore may lawfully commaund that which the Lawe forbiddeth In the second commandement he saith Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. And yet Moses by Gods speciall appointment set vp a brasen serpent which was a figure of Christ. Vpon such a speciall command Abraham lawfully offers to kill Isaac the Israelites at their departure spoyle and robbe the Egyptians and Iosuah with the people here compasse the walles of Iericho on the Sabbaoth day Rahabs Faith VERSE 31. By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them which obeyed not when shee had receiued the Spies peaceably IN this verse the holy Ghost proceedes further in declaring the power of faith and for this ende commends vnto vs the faith of Rahab The words contain the summe and abbridgement of the second and sixt chapters of Iosua the meaning of them is plaine The points herein to be considered are three 1. The person beleeuing to wit Rahab 2. The reward of her faith giuen by Iosuah Shee perished not but was preserued in the destruction of Iericho 3. The testimonie of her faith so called by Saint Iames chapter 2. verse 25 and set down in the end of this verse When shee had receiued the spies peaceably For the person Rahab was a woman of Canaan dwelling in Iericho as wee may reade Iosuah 2 there shee liued and had her abode shee was no Israelite but a forrainer in regard of her birth and a Stranger from GODs Church How then comes it to passe that she is commended for her faith and here put into the Catalogue of these renowned beleeuers Why are not the rest of the Cananites preferred to this honour as well as shee Answere Wee must knowe this that from the beginning of the world to the time of Christes ascension the Church of God was small sometime shut vp in some fewe families as from the floud to the giuing of the Law and after limited to a small Kingdom and people in the Land of Canaan where the Lords people dwelt During which time all other Nations and people of the world besides this little company were no people of God but strangers from the couenant of promise and as Pau◠saith Without God in the world And howsoeuer Gods Church was thus shut vp as it were in a corner yet now and then it pleased God to reach out his mercifull hand to some of the heathen calling them into his Church and receiuing them into his couenant and they are called in the newe testament Proselytes In Abrahams family his bond-men and seruants were circumcised and made members of the Church of GOD. And in Moses dayes Iethro Moses father in Law a Priest of Midian obtained this at Gods hands to be ioyned vnto Gods Church and so was Ruth the Moabite Ruth 1.16 and Naaman the Assyrian 2. Kings 5.17 and as some think Nabuchadonozer Daniel 4.3 but that is not so certaine And so was the Eunuch of Ethiopia Candaces the Queene of Ethiopias chiefe gouernour Acts 8.27 Now as God in mercy dealt with these so did he in like mercy call Rahab the harlot aboue all the people of Iericho for they trusted to their strong walls and therefore died but Rahab beleeued that the God of Israell was the true God and so had mercy shewed vnto her Now after the time of Christes ascension God dealt more bountifully with the world for he sent the light of his Gospell into all Nations and as the Scripture saith their sound went through all the earth and their words to the ends of the world Rom. 10.18 The consideration of this limited estate of the Church of God for so long a time serues to discouer vnto vs the errour of those that maintaine and hold vniuersall calling of all and euery man to the state of grace and saluation but if that were so then in former ages the Gentiles would haue beleeued whereas we see that before the ascension of Christ the Church of God was but a small remnant among the people of the Iewes onely and not one of tenne thousand beleeued among the Gentiles Now if all men had beene effectually called then all would haue receiued the promise of the Gospell but many Nations in former ages neuer heard of Christ and therefore there was neuer in all ages a generall effectuall calling of all men Obiect Paul saith God reconciled the world vnto himselfe by Christ 2. Cor. 5.19 and if that
keeping of it is a doubling of the sin Dauid in his anger had sworn to slay Nabal and all the men in his family for denying reliefe vnto his seruants 1. Sam. 25.22 This was a rash oath and therfore afterward when hee was preuented by Abigails good counsell hee blesseth God for it and breakes his oath which hee had made vers 32. Quest. 2. What if a man take an oath and yet afterward in consciēce doubts of the lawfulnes of that which he hath sworne to do what must be don in this case Ans. So long as he doubteth hee must defer the performāce of it For he that doth a thing doubtingly condemnes himselfe in the thing he doth because he doth it not of faith and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Quest. 3. What if a man be vrged by feare to take an oath must hee afterward keepe it As for example a man is taken of theeues now wanting money they charge him on paine of death to fetch them money and they binde him hereto by an oath what must bee done in this case considering there must such great care bee had in keeping of an oath Answ. So long as the thing which hee is bound by oath to doe respecteth his priuate dammage onely he must keep his oath yet so as he declare his case to the Magistrate because their course is against the common good now the Magistrate hearing of it is according to equity to prouide for his defence for the safety of his goods A second point to be considered in Rahabs preseruation is this Rahab escaped a common danger but not without all meanes onely staying her selfe on the bare promise of the Spies but as shee beleeued in the true God so shee vsed meanes whereby shee might bee sure of her preseruation and that is this Shee bindes the Spies by an oath to saue her life and to spare her houshold also shee keepes within and ties the corde of red threed in her windowe according to their mutuall couenant Thus shee vseth meanes for her temporall safety and so haue other of GODs children done in like case When King Hezekiah 2. Kings 20.6 was sicke hee was certified by the Prophet from GOD that hee should liue fifteene yeares longer yet hee neglected not the meanes whereby he should be healed and liue for hee applied dry figges to his byle and vsed foode and raiment for his bodily life during the whole space of those fifteene yeares So the Apostle S. Paul in his voyage by Sea to Rome was assured by a vision that none of them that were with him should perish but all come safe to land and yet when the Mariners would haue gone out hee tels the Centurion that vnlesse those staied in the ship that so they might vse the ordinary means they could not be safe Now as it fareth temporally for the saving of the body so is it in the spirituall case for the salvation of the soule men must vse means to come by grace so to salvation But many in this regard be great enemies to their owne soules they say God is mercifull and Christ is a Saviour I hope he will saue me yet they wil not vse the means to come to saluation But if we would be saued thē with our inward faith we must ioyn the obseruatiō of the outward ordinary means whereby God vseth to saue mens soules as namely the hearing of Gods word calling vpon God by prayer and the receiuing of the sacraments that thereby our sinfull lyues may bee amended and our faith strengthened This must bee remembred of vs for they that contemne or neglect the means despise the grace and mercy of God offered therein and therfore Paul saith of the Iewes when they put the Gospel from them that they did iudge themselues vnworthy eternall life Act. 13.46 It followeth With them that disobeyed That is with the people of Iericho Quest. How did they disobey Ans. Thus When Iosuah and the people came vnto them and offered them peace if so be they would becom their tributaries and seruants the inhabitants of Iericho would not yield vnto thē but set themselues against the people of Israel and so against God in that they would not vndertake that estate which God offered vnto them and therefore they are here esteemed disobedient Hence we learne that if it shall please God at any time to put vs out of these temporary benefits which we enioy in goods and possessions wee must bee contented with Gods will and prouidence and seeke to obey God therein The inhabitants of Iericho pay deerely for their disobedience in this case God sets the Israelites as Lords over them and because they will not yield to become their seruants they die for it Dauids practice was commendable in this case for when he was put out of his owne Kingdom by his owne sonne hee murmured not but said thus If I shall finde fauour in the eies of the Lord he will bring me againe but if he say thus I haue no delight in thee beholde here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies 2. Sam. 15.25 26. In other countries we see Cities and Townes spoyled and sacked what must the people doe Answ. They must submit themselues to the Lords pleasure knowing that he permitteth it who may doe what he will And so if it shall please God to bring vs into the like case as to suffer our enemies to haue dominion ouer vs and to dispossesse vs of our places we must submit our selues to Gods good pleasure when wee see no helpe by lawfull meanes wee must not murmure or rebell for that is but to disobey as the people of Iericho did and so shall we be destroyed as they were And thus much for the second point The third thing to be considered in this example is the testimony of her faith in receiuing the Spies peaceably This was a notable worke of faith as Saint Iames noteth Iam. 2.25 and the more commendable because shee receiued them into her house and entertained them yea shee preserued them in danger of her owne life for shee did it contrary to the pleasure of the State vnder which shee liued But against this may be obiected first that shee lyed in this fact for when the King of Iericho's messengers came to search for the Spies whom shee had hid in the top of her house shee said to the messengers they were gone another way Now how can it bee a good worke which was don with lying especially to our Superior who hath power to aske vs and to whom wee are double bound to speake the truth Answ. Wee must knowe that the worke was good which shee did and a worke of mercy to preserue Gods people although shee failed in the manner of doing it shee receiued them by faith though shee shewed distrust in lying for their safetie It was a notable worke of Rebecca Gen. 27. to cause her sonne Iacob to
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