earthly respects Therefore how ever they are strangers here that they cannot be here long and they have soules that are of an everlasting continuance yet because their affections and the bent of their soules are all here they account themselves at home here and here they plant themselves and their posterity therefore though in some sence they be strangers yet not in that sence that the children of God are Every Christian is borne from above and borne to things above and hee is a stranger here All his course from his new birth till he come to the possession of his inheritance in heaven it is nothing but a travailing he never sits down but is alway in his motion and passage Every good work is a step of his way he is in motion still he takes degrees from better to better from grace to grace from knowledge to knowledge till he come to his home Let us make a tryall of our selves how our affections stand to these things whether our hearts bee weaned from earthly things undoubtedly if we have imbraced Christ we shall use the world as though wee used it not We shall be transformed into the Image of Christ and he used the things of this world as a stranger only to comfort him in the way we shall have the same mind that he had We shall carrie our selves as strangers as those that hope for a country in heaven Therefore I will name some particulars to shew the condition and carriage of a stranger First of all a stranger is travailing to another country to joyne both in one for the one followes the other he that is a stranger that apprehends what he is and apprehends that he hath a countrie to goe to hee travailes toward it A stranger that is travailing homeward he is content with his present condition for he knowes he shall have better at home In Iere. 45. God by Ieremy speakes to Barâ—…ch a good man I will destroy all these things and dost 〈◊〉 seeke great things for thy selfe If a Christian did consider Iam going to heaven to God what do I seeking great things here which God will destroy What will become of heaven and earth and all things here ere long And if the time be long ere heaven and earth be destroyed yet what will become of me ere long I shall be turned to earth and shall I seeke great things here upon earth Shall I not be content with my portion certainely a stranger is content with his present portion he that is a traveller when he comes to his Inne if perhaps things be not so cleane if his usage bee not so good he thinkes it is but a night and away it is no great matter this is not the maine he will not be over much discontent and quarrell at any unkind usage in the way for he knowes he shall have better usage when he comes home Therefore as he will bee content with little be it what it will be he knows it is not the maine So he will be patient if he meete with unkind usage hee will not stand quarrelling by the way and so hinder himselfe in his journey he will be patient in the injuries and wrongs in this life If a Prince be mis-used in another country he is contented and thinkes with himselfe I have a country where I shall be more respected and therefore he beares it the more willingly So a Christian is a King he is an heire and being a stranger he shall meete with dogges in this world as who doe dogs bark at but at strangers now being strangers we must looke for dogged usage It is no wonder that dogs barke at strangers it is their kind they consider it is the disposition of wicked men to doe so they doe but their kind Would a man have dogs not to barke and would we have wicked men that have evill tongues not to scorne that they know not to doe otherwise is to forget their kinde A Christian knowes they doe but their kind he pitties them and he doth not stop his journey and his course for it He will not be scorned out of his religion by a company of prophane spirits hee will not be laughed out of his course he knowes what he doth better than they they are madde and fooles he knowes it and they shall know it themselves ere long He knowes that he is in a serious judicious course that he can approve and they cannot theirs therefore he will not be scorned out of his course Thus faith in Christ makes him that is a stranger here content and patient He whose soule hath imbraced Christ is contented with any thing any thing is sufficient to his soule that is filled with better things Nothing will content a covetous earthly man a man of the earth such men think themselves at home they make a league with hell and death the men of the world they thinke they shall live here alway but a Christian that imbraceth a better life with Christ in happinesse to come he knowes he shall not be here long hee is here but as a stranger and shall shortly bee at home and therefore he is contented with any thing Likewise the knowledge of this that we are strangers and pilgrims it will make a man not only content and patient but thankfull for any kindnesse he finds in this world that God sweetens his absence from heaven and his pilgrimage on earth what that God should love me so not only to give me heaven but to give me contentments on the earth to sweeten my way to heaven what a mercy is this He is thankfull for any contentment hee is thankfull to the world to those that doe any thing for him that afford him any courtesie here that may helpe him in his pilgrimage and make it lesse troublesome and cumbersome to him All the Saints in former time were wondrous thankfull for that they had for what can a travailer look for but discourtesies and hard usage and if he find any thing better he will be thankfull certainely it is more then I â—…ooked for saith he When a man is bent toward heaven hee cannot but looke for hard â—…sage from the world We see when Christ did but look toward Ierusalem the Samaritans â—…ad enough they began to maligne him why his face was toward Ierusalem So when base worldlings see that a man will to heaven and leave their company and courses they cannot digest this A man of an ill conscience when hee sees another oppose that course that he resolved to sticke to he sees he confutes his course he sees his face is toward heaven and therfore labours to disgrace him As the wench said to Peter Thou speakest as one of Galile thy speech bewrayes thee So when a man is going toward heaven every base person the veriest rascall of all hath pride enough to scorne Religion So wee see they make not much of the world nor the world
that be when every one shall be glorious himselfe and shall put downe the Sunne in glory in his body and soule and when there shall be such a world of them so glorious If every Starre be beautifull how beautifull are all in their lustre when so many Saints shall be gathered together they shall be farre more glorious then the Sunne in his Majestie and this glory is reserved till all be gathered together God said of the creatures severally they were good but when hee looked on them together they were exceeding good so the severall soules of Christians are glorious but at the day of Judgement when all shall be gathered together there shall be an exceeding glory It is reserved I say for the gathering together of the Saints when Christ who is the head shall have gathered all by his word and ministery out of this sinfull world which are scattered here and there then they shall come to perfect glory Then there shall be perfect union betweene the body and soule then there shall be a perfect union betweene us and all that are dead together then there shall be a perfect union betweene us and Christ then we shall have the perfect fruition of God of Angels of all the blessed company in heaven Oh! what a blessed time will this be and this shall be at the glorious appearing of Christ. Christ shall appeare in glory himselfe as verily as he appeared in his first comming and wee shall appeare with him in glory Why should wee doubt of it is not that which is greater done already hath not God himselfe become man hath not God dyed and God beene abased in his first comming Is not that more wonder then that man should become like God in his second comming whether is greater for God to become man or for men to be raised out of their graves and become glorious certainely this is the lesser why should we doubt of it Let us rayse our hearts with this that as verily as he came in abasement to worke our salvation so verily hee shall come and rayse us to glory and this is a lesser worke then the former But to come nearer to make some further use of this surely these are maine points and should bee oft thought on O! that the hearts of Christians were exercised with them Could wee be dead either for grace or comfort if wee did oft thinke of this with application Let us oft warme our selves with these things let us bring our selves to the light let us thinke of the blessed times to come could we be unfruitfull This made Saint Paul adjure Timothy and the Thessalonians I beseech you by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ c. I shall need no greater argument to presse you then as verily as Christ shall come in glory and as you shall be gathered to him so heare what I say So Saint Paul chargeth Timothy 1 Tim. 6. 13. I charge thee before Christ who at his comming c. Keepe this Commandement This will moove a mans conscience and carry him to duty if nothing else will Let us thinke seriously Christ will come with thousands of his Angels in glory and majestie and all shall be glory then there shall be nothing but glory glorious in his company glorious in himselfe glorious in his enemies he shall trample them under his feet by a glorious confusion there shall be nothing but glory in heaven and earth then And wee shall come to the same glory the Spouse shall partake of the glory of her husband Let us thinke of this it will quicken and inspire all our courses with a spirituall kind of light to all actions it will enliven and quicken them And it will put a kind of manner upon all our actions that they shall be acceptable to God For how should wee performe all that comes from us All should be done in sincerity and constantly and abundantly chearefully readily and willingly for God requires these qualifications in what wee doe now what stirres us up to do all in this manner acceptably to God but this consideration What stirres us up to doe things sincerely to Christ He will appeare in glory therefore let us doe things that may stand with his judgment It is no matter what the reprobates of the world judge let us doe things so as wee may stand before Christ at that day A Christian studies to arraigne himselfe before Christ that he may doe that that may approve him to him that shall be his judge ere long And so let us hold out we shall receive a reward what will make us constant but this what makes a man sowe his seed that he scarcely can spare but the hope of a harvest what makes a man runne but the victory and the Crowne so what makes a man worke but the hope of reward be constant for in him yee shall receive the reward if yee faint not And so for abounding in good workes your labour is not in vaine in the Lord what made Saint Paul presse the abounding in good workes Finally my brethren be stedfast and unmooveable alâ—…y abounding in the work of the Lord why for your labour is not in vayne in the Lord your bodies shall rise againe ere long in glory when Christ shall appeare you shall appeare and be glorious with him Therefore abound in the worke of the Lord sow to the Spirit and you shall reape glory they that sow sparingly shall reape sparingly What mkes men abound in workes of mercy and love but this appearing of Christ If their love be perfect they have comfort in this appearing and if they abound in mercy Christ will appeare in mercy to them And so for chearefulnesse that God also requires in every action what inlargeth the heart of a man in Gods worke what puts fire into his affections but this that Christ will come and appeare in glory ere long that he will come and crowne every good worke that we shall not loose a good word that hath beene spoken in a good cause not the least good action not a cup of cold water but all shall stand on our reckoning at that day when Christ shall come to be 〈◊〉 in his Saints This makes us doe things sincerely constantly abundantly and chearefully I beseech you consider from what ground these things come for these are principles that should be grounds of faith they are pregnant and spred themselves through the whole course of a Christians life and therefore are worthy to be thought often on Againe why doth God reveale these things before hands that wee shall appeare in glory in our body and soule in our whole man As it shewes us our duty and the manner ofit so it is a ground of comfort in all estates A Christian may thinke Now my life is a hidden secret life I passe under censures it is thus in the world and thus with me well there will a time come the time of Resurrection that will make amends
good that is good there is not any ill so strong as God is good but every ill must come under the government of God The Devill himselfe nor the vile heart of man cannot goe out of his rule yet may runne out of his Commandements but then it runs into his Iustice hee may goe against the revealed will of God but then hee runs into his secret will there is no Ill Ill in that degree that God is good but every Ill is in somewhat and from somewhat and for somewhat that is good as it is over-ruled by God The crucifying of Christ which was the worst action that ever was yet it tended to the greatest good viz. the salvation of mankind So this giving to the Beast of these ten Thrones by these ten Kings it was a sinne and a punishment of their sinne but it was for a good end as wee shall see afterward if the time will give leave This should teachus absolute dependance and subjection to this great God they need feare no creatures that feare God they need feare no Devill nor Turke nor Pope nor all the lims of them for God is the absolute Monarch of the world he can doe what hee will and if God be on our side who can be against us It is said that hee is a wise Politician that can make his owne ends out of his enemies designes The great Governour of heaven and earth can doe so He can put a hooke into the nostrils of the Leviathans of this world and can draw them and rule them as hee pleaseth they may doe many things but it shal be all to accomplish his ends and purposes they shall doe his will God put it into the hearts of these Kings to fulfill his will Hee put it into their hearts to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast and so they did submit themselves to Antichrist for a great while In the next place it is expressed how this came They Gave their Kingdomes to the Beast Wee are to see how farre faulty these Kings were and how farre faulty the Pope the Beast was to whom they gave their Kingdomes For it may be objected that these men they did but obey God for hee put it into their hearts and for the Pope they offered their Kingdomes to him and who would not receive offered Gold But here is a deale of devillish deceit for first God gave them over to themselves and they gave themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast what then was sinfull in them This to give their Kingdomes to the Beast This they betrayed their Kingdomes Here is a wrong to God a wrong to themselvs and a wrong to their Subjects A wrong to God whose Vice-gerents they were did he give them their Kingdomes to give them to his Enemy to give them to the Beast and by consequence to the Devill Doth God raise up men to rule that they should enthral themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast to give them to Gods Enemies No Kings raigne by Him The Pope saith by mee Is their constitution of men No Kings raigne by God they derive their authority from him It is he that hath power over Kings Dan. 2. They raigne not if he will and they may rule â—…f he will by his will permitting else no man can raigne By mee Kings raigne If then they reigne by him it is a treason against God to betray the Kingdomes that hee hath given them into the hands of his Enemies It is a wrong to Christ whereas they should kisse the Sonne by kisses of subjection as Princes use to doe in the Eastern Countries to fall downe and kisse their Soveraignes toes they doe in this the cleane contrary Here is a wrong to themselves they betray their owne authority that when God hath made them Kings to rule they will bee slaves and it is a great sinne for a man not to maintain his standing as it is well observed by his Majestie who if ever Prince did doth vindicate himselfe and challenge his regall authority and it shall continue and make him live even to the worlds end It is the greatest sinne for a man to betray himselfe Every man is to maintaine that place and standing that God hath set him in These ten Hornes they wronged themselves and their place God made them Kings over their people and they become slaves to an Antichristian Priest It was a great wrong to their Subjects kingdomes we know follow their Kings and if Ieroboam make Israel to sinne all Israel will quickly sinne diseases come from the head if the head be naught there will bee a disease in the body ere long A greater stone being tumbled downe from a Hill it carries lesser stones along with it so great Kings when they fall themselves they draw their Kingdomes after them therefore the phrase of the Scripture is God put into their hearts to give not onely themselves but their Kingdomes to the Beast for commonly the Idoll of the people is their King and being led by sense and not by faith they feare him more then they feare God and their owne restraint more then they feare Hell and so they come to this damned Religion by depending upon him therefore it is a wrong to the people knowing they are so slavish by nature and wanting faith are fearing terrour led by the present command of their King Thus it was a wrong in these Kings every way But the Pope the Beast what was too blame in him He did but take that which was offered him They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast I answer Indeed hee tooke that which was offered him but he did abuse these Kings hee abused the Christian world Hee had no title to these Kingdomes but was a fraudulent Possessor of them because hee came to them by a slight Hee raised himselfe to the Popedome by the ruines of the Empire for upon the divisions of the Empire the Emperour having enemies in the East hee was faine to rest in Constantinople and thereupon Rome being much neglected at last was over-run by the Gothes and Vandals and the Pope taking occasion of the absence of the Empeâ—…our set up himselfe thus raising himselfe by â—…e ruâ—…nes of the Empire and then hee being â—…stablished set up Pepine Father of Charles the Great and put downe Childerick who being 〈◊〉 weake Prince he deposed and set the other 〈◊〉 that he might gratifie him so so hee colâ—…ogued with Princes And then againe hee wan respect and authority from the Hornes by diabolicall and 〈◊〉 courses For first hee abused their underâ—…andings keeping them from the Scriptures â—…nd then he abused their affections and drew â—…em this way and that way with toyes They â—…ave him great matters and he gave them Inâ—…ulgences and Pardons consecrated Grains â—…nd such like things Then againe hee would oft force them to â—…ield by Excommunications and many false â—…itles of Peters Successor and Peters Chaire so by the terrour and dread of
por ion in them and not bee transformed to a spirituall state and frame of soule to love and delight in holy things and to despise that which is contrary And when he is in such a state what is all the world to him What cares he for riches or pleasures or honours when the soule sees incomparable better things Whom have I in heaven but thee and what doe I desire on earth in comparison of thee saith David When hee had a little meditated of the vanity of earthly things and saw the goodnesse of God to his children It is good for mee to draw neere unto God It is a speech of conviction the soule is convinced that it is good and best to draw neare to God in holy meanes and in holy duties to keep close to him and then it cries out whom have I in heaven but thee Therefore let us never rest in such a knowledge of holy things as doth not convince us of the goodnesse of them and of our interest in them so farre as may draw and worke upon our affections to imbrace those things When we finde our hearts and affections wrought on that holy things as they are excellent in themselves so they have an answerable place in our hearts that as they are holy and high and best so they have a high place in our hearts then a man is in the estate of a Christian or else a man may very well doubt of his estate when he can heare of heaven and happinesse and of the excellency of the children of God that they are heires of heaven c. and his heart bee not affected with these things he may well question himselfe doe I believe these things here are rich and precious promises but where is my precious faith to close with and to imbrace these things doe I believe them If Idoe how is it that I am no more affected with them and so let us stand in the meditation of the excellencies of Religion so long till our hearts be affected and warmed with them This will follow affections a desire to thinke oft of them as David joynes both together Oh! how doe I love thy law it is my meditation continually That that a man loves hee oft thinks of that stirres up love and love makes him oft consider of it and when it is thus with a man hee is in such 〈◊〉 condition as these holy Patriarchs fit to live and die by his faith They saw them and were perswad of them and imbraced them Therefore I say we may know whether we have this spirituall light whether wee have true faith or no if we have these imbracings if wee be so perswaded of them that wee imbrace them with delight and desire and love and joy if we make choyse of them and esteeme them highly and cleave constantly to that which is revealed to us then it is a divine light and perswasion because wee imbrace them Certainely there is nothing in religion divine unlesse the affections bee carried with it True faith carries the whole soule to whole Christ out of a mans whole selfe It carries the understanding to see and the will to chuse and to cleave it carries the affections to joy and delight and love it carries all Therefore those that when holy things 〈◊〉 discovered they have not a high esteem of them that they priâ—…e them not above earthly things that they cleave not to them with a disesteeme of other things that they joy not in them as their best portion that they doe not imbrace them there is no true faith at all for where there is true faith there is this imbracing God hath made the soule as I said for these heavenly things and when the soule and they close together there is a sweet imbracing then the soule is raysed above it selfe the soule is quieted and stilled and satisfied There is nothing in the world else will better the soule but the imbracing of these things nothing else will beautifiâ—… and adorne the soule in Godâ—… sight our soules are made forthem our desires are made to imbrace them our love and oâ—… joy to delight in them our wills to cleave to them and â—…ke choyse of them above other things We abuse our soules they are not made 〈◊〉 close and graspe with the world they are noâ—… made for thâ—…se things that are baseâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selves we abase our soules A coveâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himselfe wo sethan â—…is 〈◊〉 he is called the world because hee hath nothing in him better than the world If we imbrace Christ and the promises of salvation the things of anotherlife the imbracing of these rayseth the soule to bee excellent like the things and it doth 〈◊〉 and rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the heavic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middle pâ—…int of the earth and light bodies rest 〈◊〉 to their 〈◊〉 So the soule it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith resting in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule â—…rying it to the thing it is made for 〈◊〉 these holy men in all the â—…yles and 〈◊〉 bles of tho world in all confusions thâ—… soules of these blessed 〈◊〉 rested in Christ. We may say of all earthly things as 〈◊〉 hath this sentence of them Micah 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence here is not your rest so we may say to the soule concerning riâ—…hes and honours and friends here is 〈◊〉 yours rest You were not made to imbrace and to cleave to these things Our rest is in Christ and in the good things we have by him These good 〈◊〉 imbraced him with their whole soule This shewes that many men have not faith they know not what it meanes Where there is trâ—…e faith there is alway love and joy and delight in the things believed it carries the soule with it In what measure we apprehend the goodnesse of a thing in that measure our love is to it In what measure wee apprehend the greatnesse and fitnesse of a thing in that measure our affections are carried to it The understanding reports it to the affections of love and liking and they are naturally carried to that which the soule makes report of to bee usefull the understanding makes them follow it therfore it is a signe our understandings are not perswaded our eyes are not opened when wee love not good persons and good things when wee cleave not to them above all things Those that do not imbrace and cleave in their will and affections to good things let them say what they will they doe not believe If there were but a light conjecture in men if there were but a guessing that there were such a happinesse and that there were such horrible â—…orments for sinners that live in sinne they would live otherwise then they doe Therefore deadnesse in the affections discovers Atheisme in the judgment and heart it shewes there is unbeliefe for how is it possible that a man
as some idle persons doe in a bravery we are but strangers here and we must be gone c. Though I say they doe not speake thus as some doe that never thinke so yet notwithstanding their carriage bewrayes it their course and company and conversation shewes that indeed they confesse themselves pilgrims and strangers Now the order of the words is this strangers and pilgrims there is little difference betweene these two Strangers shewes our absence from home that we are abroad in another country that we are in another place And Pilgrims shewes our carriage to our country our going home a pilgrim or traveler is he that is going homeward They confessed themselves that they were not at home but they were going toward that that was their home toward heaven to that Citty whose builder and maker was God himselfe Wee are strangers to shew what we are here on earth In regard of heaven we are strangers on 〈◊〉 and not meere strangers that rest and doe nothing but such strangers as are passing home toward their country we are strangers and pilgrims on earth the one implies our absence the other implies our moving to the place of our abode The points considerable are first this Thâ—…s Gods children upon earth here are strangers and pilgrims They are not at home but are travelling toward their country The second is this that They prosesse themselves to be so They know they are so and they confesse that they are so they are not ashamed of it For the first It is the disposition of him that hath truly interest in better things though but in faith and hope to bee a stranger and a pilgrim in regard of all things here below And this followes the other for where the eyes of the understanding are opened and a man is perswaded there is an imbracing of better things as our proper good things there is a considering of all other things as things that doe not belong to us in a manner we are strangers When faith apprehends Christ and heaven and happinesse to be our own and our country to be above faith apprehending and grasping these things and imbracing them at the same time it is to be supposed and necessarily followes that we are strangers It followes out of the necessity of the thing it selfe for upon the very consideration that a man is an heire of heaven that he hath another country and condition out of the necessitie of the thing it selfe though there were no other reason for it the affections of the soule will be closed up as it were to other things and he will consider of other things in an inferiour condition as they are For the things though they bee good in their kind and order both the things above and the things below yet there being such a difference in these good things and the things here below the contentments here on earth being so meanely good and so short in continuance and so weake in their satisfaction of the soule that they cannot bee possessed together with the blessed assurance of better things but with the affections of strangers and pilgrims this followes I say from the nature of the thing that in whose eyes heavenly things are great in his eyes earthly things are meane They are accounted as they are secondary meane things of the way to help him forward home If a man were on the top of a great mountaine he would see the things below to be very little and the things above would appeare greater to him so when the soule is raised up to see great things though they be a farre off as these did with the eye of faith at the same time his soule looking to things below must needs apprehend them to be little in quantity as indeed they are If a man were in body lift up to heaven and should looke upon the earth what were the earth but a pooresilly point the whole earth iâ—… selfe much more a mans owne possession so when the soule is lifted up to heaven by faith which sets a man in heaven before his time when it looks from thence to the earth and earthly things it must of necessity consider them as they are to bee poore meane things Therefore this followes that being perswaded of the promises that is of the good things promised in religion in the word of God to earthly things they were strangers and pilgrims He that is from home and hath another home which he is not at he is a stranger but Christians have another home For first they are bred from heaven they are borne from heaven they are borne in Ierusalem that is from above they are borne in the Church by the seed of the word and spirit now as they are from heaven so their 〈◊〉 is to heaven againe for every thing naturally riseth as high as it springeth As we say of water it mounts as high as the head of it is so our affections mount as high as the spring of them is Now a Christian being borne from heaven he tends to that in his affections that is his country It is his country because his father is there in his glory and his Saviour is there and a great part of his kindred are there the soules of perfect men and the glorious Angels in a most glorious manner though they be in their attendance upon the earth there is his country his Citie his house there is his happinesse his home I shall not need therefore to prove that the godly are strangers If heaven be his country earth must needs be the place of his pilgrimage there is no question but that followes It is said here they were pilgrims and strangers upon earth Vpon earth Because where ever a Christian is if it be upon any place upon earth he is a stranger and a pilgrim if he be in his owne house he is upon earth and therefore he is a stranger in his owne house if he be in his owne possession he is upon earth and therefore he is a stranger in his own possession As David confessed though he were a King I am a stranger and a pilgrim here as all my fathers were 1 Chron. 29. 15. A King in his kingdome is upon Gods earth and therefore he is a stranger in his own kingdome here As Austin saith very well quisque domus suae c. every man is a stranger in his owne house wee are strangers here on earth therefore It is not any condition on earth that exempts a child of God from being a stranger when the greatest Kings in the world have confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims so that all Christians of what condition Ioever they are from the highest to the meanest they are all strangers upon earth it is a cleare point And it must needs be so for the head of Christians was a stranger his love made him a stranger for he left his fathers bosome his love drew him
from heaven to earth and here he conversed as a stranger he dwelt in his body here as a tabernacle which he layd aside for a while to work the worke of out redemption and then after to dwell in it for ever He was the prime stranger of all strangers he that makes us all strangers here and Citizens of heaven he was a stranger on earth He was not indeed a stranger for hee was Lord of heaven and earth yet in regard of his state of exaltation that was to come after in regard of dispensation he was here as a servant he lived here as a stranger And indeed he was as strangely used for hee came among his owne and his owne knew him not as it is in Iohn 1. he was not knowne among his owne Countrie men the Iewes hee was a stranger on earth He conversed with us here and was among us as a stranger you see how his speech and carriage and conversation on earth it was as a strangers He was talking alway of his fathers house and of the kingdome of heaven When he speakes of the estate of the Church which is the only company of people here in whom God rules by his spirit yet because they are ordained for the kingdome of heaven he calls them strangers here and termes them by that that they are ordained to All his minde was of the kingdome of heaven we see after he was risen the matter of his discourse as the Gospell tells it was of the kingdome of heaven he talked of things that belonged to the kingdom of God all his speeches were that way and his comparisons were fetched that way The kingdome of heaven is like to such a thing and such a thing And all his worke was to draw men from the earth As it was his grand work to redeem men from the earth that is from hell and from their cursed condition so the matter of his teaching was answerable to his work to draw men to heaven all the paines that he tooke before and after his death till he was taken into heaven it tended that way He came from heaven to earth to wooe us to be a spouse to himselfe he came from heaven into a strange countrie to take us for his spouse to take our nature and in our nature to winne us to die for us he carried himselfe as a stranger every way he regarded not earthly things Now answerable to our head Christ must all Christians bee in their affections and dispositions we must be conformable to him we must be strangers as he was All that looke to die in the faith of Christ and to be happy for ever they must witnesse their believing and loving of better things by an answerable carriage to all things here below they must have the affection of strangers and travailers Faith doth enforce this It is the nature of the soule from a principle and ground of nature that when the soule is carried up one way it is shut another when it cleaves unto and imbraceth better things when it is open to heaven the point of the soule is shut to the earth and wee looke upon these things as strangers and pilgrims only for necessary use These holy men the Patriarchs were strangers Strangers in their owne esteeme As Abraham and Iacob they confesse they were sojourners and David though he were a King yet he saith he was a stranger as all his fathers were So all the Patriarchs they professed themselves to be strangers and sojourners and they did it not in word only but in deed they shewed it by dwelling in tabernacles and tents poore things fit for strangers heaven was their house Tabernacles are moveable weak things that have no foundation So they knew their life was like a tabernacle here And their manner of life shewed what they looked for they carried themselves as those that hoped and looked for better things They were strangers in their dispositions they affected things above and cared no more for these things then for necessary use to helpe them to serve God in their places and those that are strangers in their dispositions they desire to be at home Againe they were strangers in GODS esteeme God termed them so and so it is with all that believe in Christ when we once believe and are new creatures new borne to a better inheritance presently at the same time we are strangers here Strangers likewise in the esteeme of the world The world used them as strangers strangely When a man leaveth the world and cleaveth to God presently the world setteth on him by reproaches and all they can because they think he will disgrace them by his change therefore they labour to make him as black as they may that way they use all strangely that breake from them God will have it so because he will have his children not to love the world therefore he will have the world hate them So they are strangers in that respect they think it strange that they doe not as they did formerly that they doe not as they doe wicked men thinke it strange that they runne not with them into the same excesse of ryot so they are strangers in the esteem of wicked men So they are strangers in regard of their place heaven is their hope they are begotten to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. they live in a place where they are strangers they are every way strangers But you will say wicked men are strangers and pilgrims too I answer they are indeed so for in regard of the shortnesse of their lives and the uncertaintie of the things they injoy for they out-live all their happines here they are snatched hence before they bee aware therefore they are but travellers here but they goe from ill to worse yet in regard of their affections they are no strangers but account themselves at home from a spirit of infidelity and pride and earthlinesse Therefore they are called men of the earth and those that dwell on the earth in the Revelation because they looke no furtherthen the earth and here they roote and fix their affections upon this earth they do not fix their hearts and affections upon the things above they looke not after them they care not for them they value them not nor esteeme them Therefore answerable to their thoughts and bent of their soule and mind is their discourse their speech and carriage and thereupon they are called men of the earth and called the world because they love nothing but the world they are as it were changed into the things they love they are earth as the Prophet saith Oh earth earth c. and they are the world because their affection of love joynes them to these earthly things The Church in the Revelation is called heaven but the beast is said to rise out of the earth for that which bred the carnall religion of Popery it was nothing but earth and
The Spirit of God in every Christian saith come and that is not in vaine the desires of the Spirit of God must be fulfilled therefore he shall come and the Spirit of God stirres up our spirits to say come There are all kind of proofes arguments for it It is an Article of our faith it is laid here for a ground and therefore I will not inlarge my selfe in it but come to the next point Christ will appeare and We shall also appeare with him in glory We shall appeare and appeare with him and appeare in glory with him Christ himselfe his glory is in some sort hid now for though he be King of the Church yet wee see what enemies are in the Church and Satan ruffles in the Church a great while and the nearer he is to his end the more he rageth so that Christs glory seemes to be hid but Christ then shall appeare and his Church shall appeare with him in glory Why shall wee appeare with Christ and be glorious with him I answere this is cleare partly because it is Christs will in Iohn 17. Father I will that where I am they may be also It is Christs last Testament that we should be where he is and be glorious with him and Christs will must be fulfilled Againe consider what we are to Christ how neare wee are brought to him and then this will be cleare that when Christ shall appeare in glory we must appeare with him for Christ is our Husband and we are his Spouse when Christ comes to be glorious therefore his Spouse must be glorious now is but the time of contract the time of the marriage solemnity shall be at the appearing of Christ therefore when he shall appeare we shall appeare with him in glory Christ in his owne person distinct from his Church is now glorious as a head but Christ mysticall is not glorious Christ mysticall suffers there are many members that are not yet called Some are abased some are not brought to the fold And Christ hath a care of his mysticall body as of his naturall body and as that is glorious in heaven so hee will bring all his members to be one glorious body He gave his naturall body to redeeme his mysticall body therefore as he is glorious in that in heaven so hee will be glorious in his mysticall body in every beleeving soule at the last when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints as the Apostle saith 2 Thess. 1. Hee is glorious in himselfe now then he will be glorious in his Spouse And then from the ground of predestination Rom. 8. We are predestinate to be conformed to Christ that he might be the first borne among many brethren Now Christ being glorious and we being predestinate before the world was to be like unto Christ first in abasement to be abased for him that was abased for us to suffer for him that suffered for us and to be conformed to him in grace there must be a time to be conformed to him in glory From the ground of Election there must be a state of glory our glory must be revealed when Christ shall come and appeare I will presse no more reasons that we must be glorious at the second comming of Christ as well as himselfe Wherein stands this glory To cleare this point a little I will not be long in it because indeed this glory is such as eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man The Apostles speake not much of it they speak of it in negative tearms by denying imperfections It is an inheritance incorruptible immortall c. And when it is resembled to earthly things it is compared to a banket to a marriage c. But this glory it shall be in body in soule in the whole man In soule there shall be the knowledge of those mysteries of salvation that now wee are ignorant of Now wee are in the Grammar schoole but that shall be as the University Then we shall know things more clearely we shall see God face to face and then our soules shall be raised to be capable of more knowledge and grace Now the vessell of our soule is not capable to know that that we shall then they are not capable as they shall be in heaven Saint Paul himselfe was not capable therefore when he was taken up into the third heavens least he should be proud of his revelations he was faine to be abased Wee are not capable we cannot know the glory of heaven in a full measure now but then God shall inlarge the heart and sanctifie it that we shall have strong spirits and holy understandings and affections to understand holy things we shall know God face to face There shall be a proportion betweene the glorious things in heaven and our soule there shall be a heavenly soule for a heavenly place where as yet it is not so I forbeare to shew the particulars of the glory of the body the Apostle Paul sets it downe 1 Cor. 15. It shall be a spirituall body it shall be guided by the Spirit and the body it shall not then need meats and drinks but God shall be all in all Now our life at the best is fed and cloathed by the creatures then all shall be taken out of God himselfe God himselfe shall be All in all The presence of God and of Christ our Saviour shall supply all that we have now other wayes Now comfort is conveyed from this creature and from that but whatsoever comfort we have now dropped by the creatures we shall then have all in him and in fulnesse and for evermore So we shall be glorious in soule and body And in our whole man the Image of God and Christ shall be perfectly restored we shall be like Christ reserving the difference between the head and the members reserving the difference of a naturall Sonne and of sonnes adopted he shall be more glorious then we we shall be glorious as much as we are capable off in all fulnesse of joy and grace and dominion over the creature in freedome from ill and readinesse to good we shall be glorious sons of God I need not to be long in unfolding these things When shall this be When he shall appeare saith the Apostle we shall also appeare with him in glory It is carryed indefinitely to stoppe curiosity there is no time set downe but when hee shall appeare c. In a word when all the Elect shall be gathered together It is not meet that our bodies and soules should be glorified till all Gods people be gathered together As in a family they doe not sit downe till all the servants be come in and then they sit downe together so in this great family of God the Saints in heaven and earth there shall not be perfect glory till all be gathered and saved And then what a blessed time will
breaking out of desires They are the breath and vapour of the soule Let us consider what is set highest in our soules what we desire most of all Oh! a Christian soule that hath tasted of the loving kindnesse of the Lord accounts it better then life it selfe It is not Corne and wine and oyle he desires but Lord shew me the light of thy countenance The desires of his heart are large to serve God and to doe good more then for the things of the world He desires earthly things but as instruments for better things and this is the desire of every sanctified soule in some measure Let us hence make a use of convinction of the folly of base men that live in the Church and yet come not so farre as Balaam that come not so farre as those that shall goe to hell They turne over all Religion to a Lord have mercy upon us and Christ dyed for us and we hope we have soules to God ward as good as the best and to a few short broken things They turne Religion to compendiums to a narrow compasse and make the vvay to it wide and broad and complaine of Preachers that they straiten the way to heaven This is the disposition of worldlings whereas alas there must be a righteousnesse that must exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises there must be a righteousnesse from an inward principle there must be a strong constant desire of righteousnesse more then of any thing in the world before we can be assured of our interest and part with Gods people Let us take heed that we delude not our selves this way But to come to an use of direction How may we so carry our selves as we may have a spring of blessed desires a spring of holy desires that may comfort us that we may have our interest and portion in the state of Gods people That we may have these desires let us desire of God the spirit of revelation desires follow discovery for desires are the vent of the soule upon the discovery of some excellency it beleeves Therefore let us beg of God the spirit of revelation to discover the excellent estate of Gods people And because this is given in the use of meanes let us present our selves with all diligence under such means as where we may have somewhat of the Kingdome of God that the riches of Christ being unfolded our desires may be carryed to such things for there is never any discovery of holy and good and gracious things to a Christian soule but there are new desires stirred up Our soules are like a mill that grinds what is put into it so the soule it workes upon the things that are put into it if it have good desires and good thoughts put into it by good meanes used and by prayer it feeds upon them let us alway therefore be under some good meanes that good thoughts may be ministred unto us that may stirre up gracious desires for the soule to worke upon Let us be in good company Saul among the Prophets we see hee prophesied and the heart is kindled and enflamed when we are among those that are better then our selves especially if their hearts be inlarged to speake of good things but to come nearer That we may have holy and gracious and constant desires let us take notice and make tryall continually of the state and frame of our soules which way for the present they are carryed in what current our desires run If they runne the right way to heavenly things it is well if not take notice what drawes and diverts and turnes the streames of our desires the false way let us thinke what the things be and the condition of those things that drawes our desires downe and make us earthly and worldly whether the pleasures or profits or honours of this life The way to have better desires is to weane our selves from these things by a constant holy meditation of the vanity of these things that the soule is carryed after Salomon to weane his heart from these desires from placing too much happinesse in these things he sets them before him and saith they were vanity and vexation of spirit Let us set them before us as nothing as they will be ere long Heaven and earth will passe away the world will passe away and the concupiscence and lust of it Let us consider the basenesse ficklenes and uncertainety of things that our soules are carryed after and this will be a meanes to weane them from them And the soule being weaned from earthly things it will run amaine another way Let us study therefore to mortifie our base affections and study it to purpose to cut off the right hand and to pull out the right eye spare nothing that God may spare all that God may have mercy upon us and spare us let us spare nothing These lusts they fight against our soules And as I said before feed our soules minister unto them better thoughts continually Those that are governours of those that are yong season them while they be yong with good things for while the soule is not filled with the world and while covetousnesse and ill lusts have not wrought themselves into the soule good things and good desires are easily rooted and planted and grow up in the soule As letters graven in the body of a tree they grow up with the tree and the fruit of the tree growes up with the tree and therefore the twigs breake not with the greatnesse of the weight of it because they grow up together so plant good things in those that are yong inure them to know good things to hate ill wayes plant in them blessed desires and inure them to holy exercises and good duties that good exercises may grow up with them as the fruit wth the tree We see what 〈◊〉 hard matter it is to convert an old man to draw the desires of a carnall worldly man to heaven when we speak of good things to him his soule is full of the world what is in his brain the world what is in his heart the world So he is dry and exhausted of all good things and that that is in him is eaten up with the world It is a great improvidence in those that governe youth that they labour not that their desires may be strong to the best things And let us all both young and old labour for heavenly wisedome that when good things are ministred to us from without or good motions stirred up by the Spirit of God to close with them and not to quench those motions and resist the Spirit but to imbrace those motions and cherish them till they come to resolutions and purposes and actions If we have a motion stirring us up to repentance let us ripen it till it come to perfect repentance till we repent indeed and have turned from all our evill wayes and turne to God with full purpose of heart
confederate without there be a likenesse or an agreement there must be more word then on to a Covenant though Gods grace doe all yet wee must give our consent and therefore the Covenat is exprest under the title of marriage in marriage there must be a consent of both parties In reconciliation betweene a King and subjects that are fallen out when they are Rebels there must be an accepting of the pardon and a promise of new subjection So then if God be our God there will bee grace given to take him for our God to give him homage as a King to give him our consent as to our Spouse thou shalt be my God and I will cleave to thee as to my Lord and Husband Can two walke together saith the Prophet and not be friends there can bee no friendship with God except there be somewhat wrought in us by his Spirit to make us fit for friendship that we may looke on him as an object of love and delight if wee looke on him as an object of hatred what termes of friendship can there be Now that we may looke on him as an object of love fit for converse with him hee must make us such by consent and yeelding to him by framing the inward man to his likenesse that so there may a peace be maintained with him you see the ground of it of necessity it must be so Well to come to the tryalls but let me first adde this to the former whomsoever God is a God to it is knowne specially by spirituall and eternall favours a man cannot know certainely that God is his God by outward and common things that cast-awayes may have for a cast-away may have Ishmaels blessing and Esaus portion blessings of the left hand common graces To know undoubtedly therefore that God is our God must be by peculiar matters for those whose God God is are a peculiar people a holy nation severed from others First of all then know what the Spirit of God saith to thy soule for they that are Gods have his Spirit to reveale to their spirits the secret and hidden love of God but if the voyce of the Spirit be silent in regard of testimony goe to the worke of the Spirit but goe to the peculiar worke of the Spirit For though the Spirit may be silent in regard of his testimony yet there are some workes or other of the Spirit in a man whereby hee may know that God is his God As the Spirit of God workes in some sort a proportion in him unto God and none can know better what God is to him then by searching of his owne heart what hee is backe againe to God for as God saith to him by his Spirit thou art mine so they say to God thou art mine Let us then come to the tryall by our carrying our selves to God Can we say with David Whom have I in heaven but thee or what is there in earth in comparison of thee when the conscience can tell us that we make God our treasure and our portion above all earthly things then wee make him our God A Christian singleth our God above all things in the world for his happinesse Lord thou art mine whatsoever wealth is mine or riches mine or friends mine I stand not upon that but thou art mine A rich man runneth to his wealth and make flesh his arme he runneth to friends to beare him out in ill causes but a true Christian that hath God for his God he may know it by this he singleth out God for his portion runnes to him in all extremities Lord thou art mine this is a signe that God hath said to his soule first I am thy salvation How can the soule appropriate God to himselfe how can he say as Thomas did My Lord and my God except the Lord have spoken peace to the soule before and have said I am thy salvation It is a signe we have made God our God when wee prize him and value him above all the world and when with Saint Paul Phil. 3. wee count all things dung and drosse in comparison of Jesus Christ our Lord what we will doe most for that is our God if wee will doe most for God he is our God if we doe most for pleasures they are our God if wee doe most for riches breake oâ—…r rests and cracke our consciences for them that is our God In a word whatsoever we value highest that is our God Examine what affections wee have to God for it is affection that makes a Christian single out some few that we are most offending in As first for feare it may shame us all indeed a Christian upon his best resolutions is better but the ordinary carriage of men is they feare men more then God they feare every thing more then him that they should feare above all For instance is the retyred carriage of men to God such as their carryage is to the eye of the world will not they doe that in secret ofttimes that they will not doe openly in secret they will commit this or that sinne and thinke who seeth there are secret abominations in the closet of their hearts they will not feare to doe that in the eye of God that they feare to doe in the eye of a child of sixe yeares old that is of any discretion Is this to make God our God when wee feare the eye of a silly mortall creature more then the eye of God that is tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne that is our Judge is God our God the whiles undoubtedly when God is made our God there is an awe of the eye of heaven upon a man in all places therefore this is the condition of the Covenant Walke before mee or walke as in my sight how doe wee walke before God as in his sight when there is such a great deale of difference in our carriage secretly and before the eyes of men when wee labour more to approve our carriage to men then we make conscience of our spirits to God This may shame us even the best of us who are in Covenant with God and have made God our God we have cause to be abased for this and surely one of the best wayes to make Gods children abased and humbled is to compare the different proportion of their carriage how they carry themselves to men whom they respect and to outward things in the world and how they carry themselves to God if God be our God there will be an universall feare and care to please God in all times and in all places because hee is every-where darkenesse and light are all one to him Trie your selves therefore by this affection if we make God our God wee will feare him above all for there being such a distance betweene God and us He the mighty God and we creatures whose breath is in our nostrils there can no other way be a Govenant of peace betwixt us but with much reverence
the knowledge of being in a good estate 1 To humble us Quest. Answ. How to know Gods children in losse of assurance Psalme 73. Vsually Gods children have particular perswasion Quest. Answ. If perswasion be not supernaturall 1 There will not be obedience 2 No holding out 3 No fruitfulnes Quest. Answ. Perswasion wrought by the spirit Quest. Answ. How the spirit perswades The manner of working this perswasion 1. Sweetly 2. strongly A strong work to perswade the soule Deut. 29. Use. To labour for spirituall perswasion 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. To begge the spirit Luke 11. Use. To desire God to perswade us God perswades with enlightning Evidence that we are not perswaded Faith makes much of what it hath Imbracing followes perswasion Triall of our estate by imbracing 2. Branches of faith To trie our està te by our affections Faith carries the whole soule The soule made for heavenly things Love of earthly things abaseth the soule What quiets the soule Micah 2. Want of faith scene by want of affections How to know nature is corrupted To shame our selves in want of affections To pray for affections Quest. Answ. What affections imbrace good things Gen. 17. 3. Quest. Answ. How this imbracing is wrought 1. By supernaturall knowledge To let goe other things Keepe the affections tender To meditate of Gods love in Christ. The excellency and necessitie of the good we hope for The hopefulnesse of them Iohn 17. Case Sol. Why the affections of Gods children are somtimes dead Scope of the words Difference betweene pilgrims and strangers Doct. Gods people strangers on earth Christians borne anew from heaven Heaven a Christians Country 1 Chron. 29. 15. August Christ a stranger on earth Iohn 1. We must have affection of strangers The Patriarchs strangers 1. In their owne esteeme Psal. 39. 12. 2. In Gods esteeme 3. In the worlds esteeme Object Answ. Wicked men how strangers here The carriage oâ—… him that is a stranger 1. He is going toward his country 2. Hee is contented Jerem. 45. 3. Patient 4. Thankefull The way to heaven smoother to some 5. He is glad of company 6. They minde their journies end 7. Though he step out of his way he comes in againe 8. He provides for all incumbrances 9. Inquires of the way 10. He useth things as they may help in his journey Indifferent things Apparent sins I Peter 2. 11. Hâ—… values not himselfe by outward things Dependance of the words A Christian dead how Life of a Christian hidden Psal 73. 7. Object Answer Question Answer 2 Cor. 4. Question Answer Iohn 17. 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rom. 8. Quest. Answer 1 Cor. 15. Quest. Answer Simile 1 Tim. 6. 13. 2 1 Pet. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Simile Simile Simile Iohn 14. 1. Quest. Answer Revel 1. Act. 9. 1 Cor. 15. Rom. 5. 1. Quest. Answer Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Thess. 4. Observ. 1. The righteous die as well as the wicked Vse 1. To improoveâ—… the short time of life Vse 2. To use the world moderatly Observ. 2. The soule continues after death Life of the soule double 1 Reason It crosses the desires of the bodie 2 Reason It operates most in the bodies weakenesse 3 Reason It projects for the time to come Vse To use our soules to the end they were given Worldly men out live their happinesse Observ. 3. Great difference between the death of the godly and the wicked 1 The godly happy in life 2 In death 1 In disposition 2 In condition * See the Sermons on Philip 3. 21. 3 After death Three degrees of life Vse Who truly wise Godly mans end what Vse 2. To labour to partake of this happinesse Righteous man who A wicked man may know the happy estate of Gods children Reason 1. To justify God in their condemnation Reason 2. To restraine their malice Degrees of wicked men Vse Not to refuse all that ill men say Vse 2. To go beyond wicked men in our desires Difference of desires in true Christians others 1 They are notâ—… constant 2 They are not from an inward principle 5 They are not growing desires Cant. 1. 6 They are not strong Desires the best character of a christian 7 They desire happines not holinesse Wicked men desire not heaven aright Simile Conviction of such as come short of Balaam Directionshow to have holy desires 1 Beg the spirit of revelation Simile See what hinders good desires To â—…cherish good motions To renewe our covenants Question Answer Quest. Answer Why men want comfort in death Objection Answer When God accepts the will for the deed Objection Answer God leaves not good desires Gal. 2. Zach. 13. Gen 15. 1. Psal. 84. 1. The Arke a figure of Baptism in divers respects 2. Parts of the Text. 2. Parts of Baptisme The Devill carries to extreames Men prone to give too much to outward worship Psal. 50. Isay 1. Isay ult Reason outward performances easie and glorious 2. They dawbe Conscience Vse To performe inward service 2 Tim. 3. Vse 2. Ministers duty Christ the foundation of the Covenant of Grace Observ. There must be somewhat in us to make use of that is in Christ. Reas. 1. From the nature of the Covenant Reas. 2. Where agreement is there is a like disposition Vse To search our hearts for the evidence of our estate Covenant of grace why so called Demand of conscience proceedes from the answer of it Good conscience what Three degrees of a good conscience A troubled good Conscience 2. A peaceable good Conscience 3. A gracious good Conscience Heb. 13. Double ground of comfort Quest. Ans. How to know a good Conscience though troubled 1. If it answer God in trouble 2. By allowing Gods truth 3. By acknowledging Gods goodnesse Psal. 73. Quest. Ans. A man may know when he doth things graciously Ans. How to know what we doe from a good Conscience 1. It answeres towards God 2. From an inward principle Object Ans. Why Children are Baptised Simile Baptisme binds when we come to yeares Covenant in Baptisme Those that live in sins against Conscience renounce their Baptisme Exhortation to get this answer of a good Conscience Marke 9. Cant. 6. Psal. 51. How to get the answer of a good Conscience To make use of our Baptism 1. Against temptations to sin 2. In temptations to discouragment Ier. 3. 2. To distrust Comfort from the answer of a good Conscience Levit. 26. Verse 5. Psal. 41. Gal. 4. Psal. 109. Colos. 3. Simile Prov. 12. 18.
of greatest importance do so sweetly set before our eyes that recompence of reward reserved for us in heaven that I hope many of that brood of travellers the generation of those that seekâ—… Gods face and favour here on earth shall find them a great helpe to the finishing of their course with Ioy and others shall be wakened that are too ready to slumber and forget whither they are going to strive to enter in at the strait gate and not to content themselves with a lazy Balaams wish which Reader let us seeke from him who onely gives the blessing to whose Grace I commenâ—… thee resting still Thine in the hearty desire of thy Spirituall welfare Arthur Jackson THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE REVEL 16. 14. For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which goe forth to the Kings of the earth LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS REVEL 17. 7. For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast untill the Word of God shall be fulfilled THE occasion of this daies solemnity hath beene long and well known and we have often in this place spoken of it and it were a thing not unseasonable for the day to set out in its lively colours that facinorous act which will scarcely bee credible to posterity it exceeds my conceit to set it out in the right colours I have therefore taken a text tending that way and serving for our present purpose It pleaseth our blessed Saviour out of his love to his Church not only to give directions what to doe and what not to doe what to believe and what not to believe but to foretell likewise al future calamities that so the Church might be fore-armed and might not be surprised with terror upon the sight of some sudden or strange accident as especially the flourishing estate of Antichrist Hee therefore foretels all both the beginning the growth the strength the proceeding and at last the destruction of that Man of Sin The Church in this world is alwayes under some prophesie it is alwayes under somewhat that is unfulfilled for untill wee come to heaven there is not an accomplishment of all prophesies This Booke is a setting downe of prophesies of future events to the end of the world This Chapter sets out in lively colours the state of the Pontificality the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome the Pope and not the state of Rome under the Heathen Emperours It sets downe likewise the judgement of God in this life upon this Beast and upon the Whore that sits upon the Beast The description is large in the former part of the Chapter it would take up a great deale of time to unfold that but because I have divers other things to speake of I will passe that by The judgement of God upon the Beast and Whore is set downe partly in the verse before the Text The ten Hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire for God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast c. Here the Iudgement is set downe what it is and by whom it shall be by the ten Hornes that is the ten Kings and secondly what they shall doe and that is set downe in order First these ten Hornes these ten Kings Western Kings They shall hate the Whore Hatred is the beginning of all actions that are offensive for it is the strongest and stiffest affection of ill as love is the strongest of good affections They shall hate the Whore It is not only anger but hatred They shall make her desolate and naked that is the second degree they shall leave her they shall strip this Strumpet of her ornaments and strength whereby she set out her selfe They shall eat her flesh that 's the third that is what they have given her before to inrich her withall that which made her in such well liking that which commended her that whâ—…ch is her living the riches of the Popes Clergie gotten most of it by ill meanes they shall take from her But that is not all but there is a higher degree then all this They shall burne the Whore with fire So that in the foregoing verse you see is set downe what the Iudgement is and who shall bthe Executioners of this judgement But why must all this come to passe Hee riseth to the highest cause God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree with one consent to give their kingdomes to the Beast God afterwards put into their minds to hate the Beast So that in this verse is the severity and the mercy of God his justice and his goodnesse His severity in putting into the hearts of these Kings to agree with one consent to give up their kingdomes to the Beast A great Iudgement so to besot them but here is a limitation of that severity at last till the time come untill the Word of God shall bee fulfilled that is untill they shall cease to be thus deluded by the Bishop of Rome and then they shall begin to hate the Whore as much as ever they were deluded by her and shall eate her flesh and consume her with Fire For the explication of these words they being somewhat hard I will spend a little time to unfold them And first I must shew who is this Beast For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast The Beast is mentioned in three places in the Revelation in the ninth Chapter there is mention of the Beast comming out of the bottomlesse Pit and in the 13. of the Beast that rose out of the Sea and here in this 17. of a scarlet coloured Beast having seven heads and ten hornes The Beast in a word is the state of Rome sometime under the heathenish Emperours sometime under the Pontificality the Question is whether the Beast here spoken of bee the state of Rome under the Roman persecuting Emperours before Christianity prevailed much or the state of Rome under the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome I answer undoubtedly it is here meant of the state of Rome as it is upheld the Whore The Beast that Beast For it is meant here of one that seduced by lying miracles of one that should come in a mysterie of one that should deale with fornication and such courses Now heathenish
Court As the Devill is a Lyar and a Murtherer so is this Sonne of the Devill who is led by the Spirit of the Dragon in disposition they are alike In course of life they are alike The Dragon is said to draw the third part of the stars of heaven downe to the earth that is to draw men which were as the stars of heaven to make them deny their Religion So this Dragon this Pope the instrument and vassal of Sathan hee drawes the third part of the stars from heaven and hee drawes men from the love of the truth by preferment and honour men that are learned men that are otherwise of excellent parts hee drawes them from heaven to earth that is hee drawes them from the knowledge of the truth and goodnesse to earth and lower then earth too if they do not repent even to hell it selfe from whence hee came Thus I might goe on to shew that this Beast is Rome under the Pontificality and not Rome under the Heathen Emperours likewise that this Beast is acted lead and guided by the spirit of the Dragon by reason of the resemblance which it holds parallel with him in these and other things So much for explication of this Beast But why is the state of Rome called the Beast Daniel first knew the great Empires the one of Babylon called a Lyon the Persian Monarchy a Bear the Grecian a Leopard but here in this Chapter is a strange Beast that hath all the cruelty and fiercenesse of all those Monarchies Called therefore a Beast for her fiercenesse and cruelty Gods Church they are sheepe and lambes Christ himselfe the Lambe of God the opposite Church of Antichrist a Beast acruel Beast If you go to plants Gods Church are lilies the opposite kingdome are thornes If you goe to Fowles Gods Church are Doves Turtles mild and gentle the opposite Church are Eagles and birds of prey But I say they are called Beasts for their cruelty The state of Rome under those heathenish Emperours was a Beast and in those ten persecutions the Emperours are rightly called Beasts so likewise Rome Papall is a Beast Our Religion true Religion entertained makes of Beasts men the true knowledge of Christ alters their natures turnes Lyons into Lambes as the Prophet saith Isa. 11. But the Popish religion it makes of men beasts makes them worse then themselves For these Gun powder-traytors many of them as they were by birth Gentlemen so their dispositions were gentle and mild divers of them not of the worst dispositions only that bloody Religion made them worse then their nature was So I say Papall Rome is a Beast and popish religion makes men beasts Well I will not inlarge my selfe in the uses of this point because I shall speake of it afterward if the time will give me leave only this have nothing to doe with this Beast keep out of her pawes keepe out of her clawes A Lion or a cruell Beast may seeme to bee calme for a while but a Lyon will as we say shew a Lyons trick once a yeare Meddle not therefore with this Beast it is a Beast so much for that what the Beast is the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast Whose The Angell sets down in the verse before the ten Horns the ten Kings the ten western Kings whether it be a certaine number for an uncertain or whether it be a certain number I wil not dispute of now but take it so as it cannot be disputed against a certain number for an uncertaine A number of the VVesterne Kings gave up their kingdomes for a while to the Beast untill the Word of God should bee fulfilled But marke the phrase God put it into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast Wil God put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast why then the Pope of Rome need not pretend Constantines donation that he 300. yeares after Christ gave unto them many territories about Rome But they may depend upon a higher donation God put it into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast Here is a higher title then the donation of Constantine But we must know that this is not meant as if God gave him a right by putting into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast but God seeing these ten Hornes these ten Kings to be in a sinfull estate who deserved to be left of him and to bee given up to further illusion and by with-drawing his grace to give them up to the occasions of sin to this seducing Beast and Whore he put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast But this must be a little cleared Is God the Author of sinne God put it into their hearts he did not only rule the events but he put into their hearts c. I answer The phrases of the Scripture are well enough knowne in this kind God gave them up to a reprobate sense Rom. 1. 12. The falling of the people from Rehoboam it is said it was of the Lord And God bad Shemei rayle divers such phrases there are in the Scripture How must these bee understood thus Not that God doth allow or command any thing that is evill much lesse that hee doth infuse any evill into men so that when it is said he put these things into their hearts here is neither an outward command nor an inward infusion what is it then Here is a finding of them in an evill and sinfull estate and God useth that evil and mischiefe and wickednesse that he finds to his owne end and purpose He infuseth no malice or evil but finding of it he useth it to his owne particular end and purpose makes way and vent for it upon particular occasions These ten Kings he infuseth no love of superstition into them but finding them evill and not as they should be Subjects of his kingdome and misliking his sweet government it was just with God to give them up to be slaves to the Beast by consequence to the Devill himselfe that spake and wrought by the Beast So I say God tooke away the impediments and opened a way to their evill disposition He used their evill disposition to this or that particular thing even as a Workeman that finds an ill piece of timber he makes not the timber ill but when he finds it ill hee useth it to his owne good purpose and as a man it is Luthers comparison as a man that moves a Horse that is lame hee doth not put lamenesse into the Horse but useth him to his owne purpose being lame so God finding these men evill in the generall he directs this ill into particular courses to worke it selfe this way and not that in this particular action not in that For God although he be not the
Author of evill yet he is the Orderer of it and he determines and directs it both to the object and also to that end which he pleaseth In a word consider sinne in three distinct times before the commission in it and upon the performance Before God doth not command it nor infuse it but disallow and forbid it In the sinne he permits it to be done how by substracting of his grace in not working then by offering occasions that are good in themselves And thirdly by tradition by giving men up to Sathan as here the Beast is given up to Sathan and the Kings were given up to the Beast So that God gives men up by substraction of his grace and by tradition and then he doth uphold them in the committing of sinne upholds the powers And when it is done applies them to this particular and not to that particular In the doing of it hee limits it he sets the bounds of it both for the time of it as also for the measure of it as here in the Text Thus long shall the ten Kings give up their Crownes to the Beast and thus farre shall they goe untill the time come that the Word of God shal be fulfilled so hee limits sinne in the committing of it both for the measure and also for the time The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the backe of the righteous Thus you see the meaning of the words God will put into their hearts that is by withdrawing of his grace which they deserved by their sinfull courses and offering to them this Man of sinne this Beast which shall come with such efficacies of errour so that his grace being with-drawne and they given up to the Devill to Sathan and the Beast they shall without doubt be deluded and seduced but with this limitation untill the time come that the Word of God shall be fulfilled I might be large in this point but it is not so sutable to the occasion onely somewhat must be said for the unfolding of the Text So much therefore for that God put into their hearts to fullfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast They agree all unto it and therefore it was not a thing done by force Rome and the heathen Emperours did compell men did overcome men by force of Armes these agree it was a voluntary and a free act in them necessary it was in regard of Gods judgement but it was free and voluntary in regard of themselves for with one consent they gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast Thus having unfolded the meaning wee come to observe some truths and conclusions that doe arise out of the words I will not mention all or the most that might bee observed but only some speciall God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast Here first of all from this ariseth Gods speciall providence in Ill in the greatest evill that can be there is his speciall providence apparent God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast Observe here many acts of his Providence the with-drawing of his grace the giving them up to Sathan and to ill occasions the presenting them with good occasions which meeting with an ill disposition makes them worse for good occasions meeting with an ill disposition makes it worse makes it rage the more as the stopping of a torrent makes it rage and swell the more as also the limitation of all this untill his Word shall be fulfilled thus in this worke Heaven and Earth and Hel meet in one action Thus it was in that great action of the crucifying of our blessed Saviour there is the action of God in giving his Sonne to be a sweet Sacrifice and the action of Iudas and the Devill in him betraying of Christ and the action of the Souldiers in crucifying him Saint Augustine in the unfolding of this point of the Providence of God in Evill observes how many may concur in one action God without blame man without excuse God without blame he finds men ill and leaves men deserving to bee left hee takes away his grace and as a Iudge gives men up to Sathan Man without excuse because man workes willingly They with one consent gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast That is the first The second is this that the will of man may be swayed by divine governance and yet notwithstanding work most willingly and freely Here God puts into their hearts to do this and yet they willingly and with one consent gave their Crownes to the Beast God first hath his Providence in ill and then that providēce is such that it doth not rob man of his liberty because God finding man in an ill course he forceth him not to this or that particular ill but directs him only The hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of waters A Man when hee findeth a River of water hee doth not make the streame but only makes way that it may runne this or that way as it pleaseth him so God finding the hearts of Kings or the hearts of any as the Rivers of water Hee opens vent that they should run this and not that way that they should be given to this and not to that here is the action of God and yet the free liberty of man But how could this bee free when they ◅ould not avoid it I answer they were not privie to Gods directing they worked not in conscience of Gods moving but they followed their owne ◅usts and will Betweene Gods worke and Mans will there is alwayes sinne God never workes immediatly in Mans will for Mans will is free but Mans sinfull Free-will is the ◅ext cause in sinne Although God put it in◅o their hearts yet hee found them sinfully disposed And then the judgement is not bound or ◅yed The hearts of these Kings told them that they might give their Crownes or not give them to the Beast their judgement saw they had reason to doe it though their judgement were corrupt so a sinner sees reason to doe this or that and although it bee corrupt reason yet it moves him at that time his judgement is not bound up but God lets his judgement be free though hee take away his heavenly light and so hee judges perversely That 's the second The third is That it is a terrible judgement of God to be given up to a mans owne will to leave a man to his owne consents It is here spoken by way of judgement That God put it into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast And indeed so it is a terrible judgement There are some objections to be taken away for the clearing of this weighty point How is it a judgement or a punishment when it is voluntary They willingly gave up their Kingdomes I answer the more voluntary and free a man is in sinne the more and greater the judgement is and as when sinne is
in his time that is it is as sure to fall as if it were fallen already the word of God hath said so the power of man cannot hinder it He that put it into the heads hearts of the Kings to betray their Kingdomes he shall also put it into their hearts and heads to hate and burn the Whore with fire at the last It must be so the Angell said it was done as if it were done already it is as sure as if it were done therefore let us never take scandall at the flourishâ—…ng state of the enemies of the Church abroad let us never dislike our Religion for that Babylon is fallen the time will come when it shall be done Heaven hath concluded it and earth cannot hinder it no nor Hell neither God hath said it and shall not he doe it It is the word of him that is Lord of his word because hee is Lord of hosts and Lord of the Creatures It is the word of him that is Lord of Lords that is Lord of heaven and earth Lord of all things He hath said that Babylon is fallen and therefore it must be so he being Governour and Lord of all things and of his word too that can make all things prove serviceable to his purpose Let us comfort our selves therefore as if it were present and not take offence at the state of the Beast and the Whores flourishing but present him to your selves as hee is set out in the Text see him growing see him rising see him decaying and at last see him cast into the bottomlesse pit to burne in the Lake of fire for ever It is you see the word of God from heaven that he is fallen and cast into the earth as a Milâ—…one and shall never â—…ise againe He shall never quicken againe Heathen Rome was quickned by Papall Rome the Pope quickned the former Beast But there shall never be Beast after this Rome and therefore he is said in this Chapter To goe into destruction that is he and his state and all without repentance shall so go into destruction that there shall never be other Beast And that that shall helpe this destruction forward shall bee the course that themselves take God as he hath decreed their destruction so hee hath appointed that their owne plots which they have devised for their owne maintenance shall turne to their confusion Doe you not thinke that the ruine of the Pope will be by the Iesuits who are growen by their pressing themselves and by their pragmaticall medling into Princes affaires by their drawing and assuming all busines to themselves and by their striving and bringing all to their profession to such hatred of the world that even these meanes which they themselves take will be the meanes of the overthrow and downefall of Popery As the counsell of Achitophel was the meanes to infatuate him so their owne courses will cause their own overthrow In the Powder-treason they thought they had been made for ever but God turned their wickednesse upon their owne heads And now in these later times we may see that God takes his cause into his owne hands and you know who spake it by observation Hamans wife If thou begin to fall thou shalt not prevaile but shalt surely fall before him so if God take the matter into his owne hands as hee hath done already let them feare For they shall surely fall and not prevaile untill he hath wrought his worke in Sion untill he hath thorowly purged his Church they shall prevaile there is a little time alotted them but it is nothing let us see by the eye of faith what this Book saith of them that they shall be destroyed and let us looke on the courses they themselves take which wil cause their destruction was there ever any thing that weakned Popery so much as this desperate attempt that we now celebrate this day Indeed if wee goe to an ignorant Papist and tell him what doctrine they teach and what upholds their doctrine tell him of the Powder treason aske him concerning the traytors he will mince the matter oh they were unfortunate Gentlemen c. But how did Sixtus Quintus mince the matter when they had successe in the massacre in France when many thousands of people weâ—…e slâ—…ine against the Law slaine under pretence of being married and bidden to a marriage He was so farre from disallowing the act as that he caused it to be pictured in his Palace So if these had achieved this they had not been unfortunate Gentlemen they had beene made they had beene sainted as some of them are Saint Garnet S. Devill if the Devill himselfe will helpe them and further Popery hee shall be sainted and if they be never so base yet for their Rebellion and destruction of Kings they shall be sainted by them will not this provoke men to hate the Beast and the Whore to make her desolate and naked and to eat her flesh and to burne her with fire Well the time is past I cannot finish the Text as I thought to have done To speake to the particular occasion I need not it is yet fresh And what should we speake of the Gunpowder-treason the Iesuits and Priests having the Devill for their Mid-wife they are big of such like plots Hell Rome and Sathan and the Iesuits those Frogs of the Bottomlesse pit they are full of devising such attempts But I rather thought to speak against Popery against the Beast and her Religion at this time then Rhetorically to amplifie that act of theirs when indeed we are ready to have a new one continually for they are alwayes plotting and devising I meane those Iesuits Our comfort is to looke to the Scripture to looke here what shall bee the end of these Frogs and of the Beast ere long they shall be cast into the burning Lake Let us blesse God that we live under this government of so Gracious a Prince that hath more weakned the Pope by his learned Writings then ever any Prince did So much for this time THE RVINE OF MYSTICALL IERICHO A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE IOSH. 6. 10. And it came to passe when the people heard the sound of the Trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout that the Wall fell downe flat c. LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. THE RVINE OF MYSTICALL IERICHO HEB. 11. 30. By faith the Wals of Iericho fell downe after they had beene compassed about seven dayes THIS Verse suites somewhat to the occasion therefore I have made choâ—…se of it at this time This Chapter containes the triumph of Faith in the hearts and soules of
he himselfe overcame Sathan and triumphed over him as it is Colos. 2. He lead him in triumph hee triumphed over Sathan himselfe and he will triumph over Sathan in all his members as hee over-came Sathan in himselfe so hee will overcome in us all For stronger is he that is in us then he that is in the world The Spirit of God as he is in us is stronger then Sathan not only Christ our glorious Captaine overcame him and is now in Heaven but the Spirit of God in us weak creatures with faith laying hold upon the word of God is stronger then he that is in the world he is stronger then the Devill and all that are against us But besides Sathan there is in us much opposition that must be subdued before we come to Canaan as we saw before in 2 Cor. 10. those reasonings and sophistries proud high thoughts all must be brought downe because Sathan doth joyne with these and if it were not for enemies within us Sathan could not prevaile over us as it was Dalilah that betraied Sampson or else the Philistines could not have hurt him so it is with our owne corruptions there be these wals within us these betray us to Sathan he could not hurt us but that wee â—…etray our selves Now by little and little all these wals â—…hall fall not all at once as the wals of Ieriâ—…ho did but they shall molder in pieces by litâ—…le and little God by degrees will perfect the worke of mortification and sanctification â—…ill hee make us take his Son Christ like our Husband and Head that wee may be fit for so glorious a Head But to come to the particular occasion Besides other enemies that are betweene us and Heaven Sathan is powerfull and effectuâ—…ll and strong in the Kingdome of Antichrist And by all meanes that Church which is opposite to Christ hath studied to build up wals to build up Iericho and to stop the Church of Christ to hinder it what they could Now what wals have they built up As Pharaoh said Let us deale wisely how wittily have they gone to worke to overthrow the Church of God in all times and to set up themselves and their owne Kingdome It were a large discourse it would take up the whole time to shew their policie and the plots they have had to give an instance in a few How strongly have they built up wals in their owne conceit when they had got the whole world almost into subjection to them before Luthers time all the world followed them They had used the matter so that Kings themselves had betrayed their very Crownes to them they had betrayed their Kingdomes they were rather Vassals to them then Kings they had gotten the temporall sword into their hands as well as the spirituall And they had raised up to themselves a bloody Inquisition to suppresse all light of truâ—…h as soone as ever it sparkled out all beames of truth were stopped with their bloody Inquisition they thought they had fenced themselves safe enough Then againe they had disabled all the Kings and Princes of Christendome And then because the Pope would ingage Princes to him to strengthen the wals higher and to make them stronger the young sonnes of Princes hee would make them Cardinals And then hee would arrogate to himselfe a power absolute to dispense in case of marriage and oathes and such like And besides what plots have they had for the counterfeiting of Authors for falsifying of Authors purging out true Authors that they might have none give witnesse against them what tricks have they to keepe people in ignorance because it is a Kingdome of darkenesse the Bible they must have God hath preserved that but they would have it in an unknowne tongue And what other devises to abuse the people withall How have they fenced themselves by applying themselves to humour all sorts of people For even as the Devill enlargeth his Kingdome by applying himselfe to the cursed sinfull disposition of men so doth the Pope here upon earth apply himselfe to the â—…infull disposition of all sorts of men There â—…re no kind of men but they have a baite in Popery For loose Libertines there are stewes For others that are of a more reserved and severe disposition there are Monasteries For superstitious persons there they have a world of ridiculous Ceremonies devised to themselves of their owne braine and never used in the Primitive Church For those that are covetous they have the riches of the world in their owne hands they have had at least before more then they now have For proud ambitious persons they have honours of all sorts For the people they have many carnal liberties for them And for all the senses of the body they have something to delight them to draw people from the power of Religion to carnall outward worship So they have studied and whetted their wits all the wayes that might bee to apply themselves to the dispositions of all sorts of men whatsoever that so they might strengthen the wals of Iericho I might be large I give you but a taste Well but what hath God done God hath infatuate and overthrowne their wals and by weake meanes Luther a poore Monke with a Trumpet of Rams-hornes with his preaching and with his writing you see how he shooke the wals of Rome how much they have lost within the last hundred yeares the last age the last Centurie of yeares they have lost a great part of this Westerne part of the world that they had in slavery before and how by weak meanes as you heard by the preaching of the Gospel by Learning and Knowledge It is no wonder that the Devill hates Knowledge and Learning as Luther saith well Hee hates the quils of Geese because they are Instruments to write against them Hee hath a Kingdome of darkenesse and Hell and the Pope is a King of darkenesse Now when the light of Knowledge the light of the Word of God the ordinance of God when preaching came these poore Trumpets did shake the Church of Rome As wee see in England the wals of Iericho fell downe by what mâ—…anes by a Child in manner King Edward the sixt and after by a woman and if the word of God had gone on in like proportion in other places Popery had beene lower then it is So wee see then that as high as they built and as much as they fortified though they bee not wholly cast downe yet they are shaken and that by weake meanes Now the way to effect this that these wals may fall down more and more It must be by the spiritual meanes that God will use wee must use the meanes that God hath appointed us poor contemptible meanes Trumpets of Rams hornes the preaching of the Word the discoverie of the truth and by this meanes we shall more and more gaine upon them And undoubtedly let them but give free liberty to the preaching of
in the â—…ane time before a man come to enjoy and â—…eive what hee looks for Faith gives God 〈◊〉 glory of all his attributes the glory of his â—…th he hath spoken and therefore hee will â—…ke it good The glory of his wisedom that 〈◊〉 hath found out such a course for us to walke 〈◊〉 The glory of his mercy that hee hath â—…de such promises to such wretches so all â—…er attributes faith gives glory to therfore â—…od glorifies faith and the speciall act of â—…ith is waiting If I tarrie long waite thou â—…nd we have need of patience Faith stirs up â—…tience to helpe and assist it as wee see here â—…ese waited seven dayes Remember thereâ—…re to exercise faith in continuall dependance â—…pon God take heed of being short spirited â—…ough God deferre the rewarding of the â—…ighteous and the punishment of the Wicâ—…ed yet hold out still hee that hath promiâ—…d will come in time and make good that that â—…e hath said in due time Give God the glory â—…f appointing the fittest time Hee is the best â—…iscerner of opportunities Our times are in â—…is hand all kind of times therefore let us deâ—…end upon him for that only labour to have a â—…trong spirit of faith that wee may waite his good leisure And to helpe us doe but consider what if wee waite a few yeares what is that to Eternitie I might inlarge the point what great matters faith will doe both in heaven and earth every way Wee see here faith shakes the very earth God he is the Lord of heaven and earth The earth is the Lords because these wals were built upon Gods earth we see here one puffe of God blowes them all down and faith laying hold upon this casts them downe though faith doth it not immediatly yet God doth it because he is laid hold on by faith Let us labour therefore to have faith above all other graces It is the Mother Grace it is the Grace that is the spring of all Graces if we woâ—…ld have patience and hope and love and perseverance and constancie together let us labour to have faith strengthened and to feed our faith the more let us looke to the word of God make it familiar to us the Spirit goes together with the word to strengthen and increase our faith and that being strengthned all is strengthned whatsoever Now the way to try whether we have this faith or no not to speake largely of the point but as the Text leads me is if we humbly attend upon the meanes that God hath appointed though they seeme base to carnall reason As how doe we know that these Israelites had faith when they went about the wals of Iericho because they have humbled themselves to use the base means that God had appointed though they were very unlikely Naaman out of the pride of his heart saith he what are the waters of Iordan have not wee waters that can doe as much but if the servants had not beene wiser then the Master hee had gone home a Leaper as he came so when men hear the word preached they thinke cannot wee reade good bookes at home and for the Sacrament it is a poore Ordinance what is there but wine and bread and such like Take heed of a proud heart God will have weaker meanes to try us whether we will humble our selves to his vvisedome or no vvhere there is true faith it will be carefull to use all good meanes or else it is a tempting of God and not a trusting of him when wee doe not use the meanes that he hath sanctified And where there is faith as there will bee a carefull use of all meanes so there wil be a care in the use of meanes not to depend upon the meanes but to trust in God There will bee a joyning of both together faith doth not take away the use of means nay he that is most certaine of the end should strive to be most careful of al means used to that end There ought no man to be more diligent in using the means then he that is most certaine of the end because hee is incouraged to use the meanes knowing that he shall not beat the aire that he shall not loose his labour so if we by faith lay hold upon God for the destruction of Antichrist and that God would subdue our corruptions and that they shall fall before the Spirit by little and little if by faith we lay hold upon this that God will perfect the good worke hee hath begun in the use of good meanes this will stirre us up to use all means with chearfulnesse and constancie There are none that are more carefull of the means then those that are most sure of the issue Those that are carelesse of the meanes let them pretend what they will they are presumptuous persons they have no faith for that will stirre us up to use the meanes and in the use of meanes to depend upon God so carefull is faith to use the meanes as if without them God would doe nothing and yet in the meanes it is so carefull to depend upon God as if the means could not doe any thing without God Thus faith walkes betweene the means and the great God Let us goe on constantly in living the life of faith and using all the blessed means that God hath sanctified God haâ—…h sanctified the preaching of the Word to beat downeal these spirituall wals let us goe on all our life time and at length the last Trump shall sound another Trumpet shall sound and then not only the wals of Iericho but the wals of heaven and earth shall fall downe and then wee shall enter into that heavenly Canaan both body and soule In the meane time let us exercise faith and to quicken our faith the more let us have those blessed times in the eye of our soule let us see them as present It is the nature of faith to apprehend things to come as present let us see heaven and earth on fire see Christ coming to judgement let us see â—…ll the wals downe the Graves open whatsoeâ—…er opposeth and stands betweene us and gloâ—…y see all gone let us see our selves at the â—…ight hand of Christ and triumphing in heaâ—…en For the Scripture speakes of that that is â—…o come as if it were past Wee sit in heavenly â—…laces with Christ and we are saved by faith and â—…ee are glorified Thus the Spirit of faith â—…eakes of the glorious times to come when â—…ll enemies shall be trodden under foot Saâ—…han and all enemies whatsoever shall goe to their place the opposite Church shall bee no longer when the last Trump shall blow wee shall all stand together at the right hand of Christ and be for ever glorious with Him THE VNPROSPEROVS BVILDER A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall
Lord will I seeke therefore I am incouraged to pray to thee In the words are contained GODS Command and Davids Obedience Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke Gods warrant and Davids worke answerable the Voice and the Ecchoe the Voice Seeke mâ—… face the rebound backe againe of a gracious heart Thy face Lord will I seeke When thou saidst it is not in the originall iâ—… only makes way to the sense passionate speeches are usually abrupt seeke my face thy fâ—… Lord will I seeke The first thing that I will observe from the incoâ—…ragement is that God shews himselfe to his understanding creature God begins you see seeke my face he muâ—… open his meaning and shew himselfe first God comes out of that hidden light that hee dwels in and discovers himselfe and his will to his creature especially in the word It is our happinesse now that we know the mind and meaning of God What is the ground of this what need God stoope thus There is the same ground for it as that there is a God these things goe in an undivided knot God The reasonable understanding creature and Religion that ties that creature to God a discovery of God what that Religion shall be For in the entercourse betweene God and Man man can doe nothing except he hath his warrant from God It is extreme arrogance for man to devise a worship of God Doe we thinke that God wil suffer the creature to serve him as hee pleaseth No that were to make the creature which is the Servant to be the Master It belongs to the Master or Lord to appoint the service what Master or Lord will bee served according to the liberty and wisedome and will of his servant And shall â—…he great God of Heaven and earth bee worshipped and depended upon as man pleaseth or from any incouragement from himselfe shall not hee designe his owne worship hee that singles out his owne worke makes himselfe master in that therefore God begins with this command seeke my face and then the heart answereth thy face Lord will I seeke God must first discover his mind of necessity to the creature Scriptures might be forced hence to shew the dutie owing from the creature Man to God for the creature must have a ground for what â—…he doth it must not be will worship Infringit c. It is a rule it weakens the respect of obedience that is done without a cause though a man doth a good deed yet what reason what ground have yee for this and that wee may doe things upon ground God must discover himselfe therefore he saith Seeke my face It may bee objected that every thing proclaimes this to seeke God though God had not spoken nor his word every creature hath a voice to say seeke God all his benefits have that voice to say seeke God whence have we them If the creature could speake it would say I serve thy turne that thou mayest serve God that made thee and me as the Prophet saith the rod and chastisement hath a voice Heare the Rod and him that smiteth every thing hath a voice We know Gods nature somewhat in the creature that he is a powerfull a wise 〈◊〉 just God we see it by the works of creation and providence but if we should know his nature and not his will towards us his commanding will what hee will have us doe and his promising will what he will doe for us exceâ—… wee have a ground for this from God the knowledge of his nature is but a conâ—…ed knowledge it serves but to make us unexcusable as in Rom. 1. it is proved at large It is too confused to be the ground of obedience unlesse the will of God bee discovered before therefore we must know the mind of God And that is the excellencie of the Church of God above all other people and compâ—…nies of men that wee have the mind and will of God what heere quiâ—… of us by way oâ—… dutie to him and what he will doe to us as a liberall and rich God These two things which are the maine are discovered what wee looke for from God and the dutie wee owe backe gaine to God these are distinctly opened in the word you see here God beginâ—… with David seeke yee my face Indeed God is a God of order in this subordination of God and the creature it is fit that God should begin it is Gods part to command and ours â—…o obey This point might be inlarged but it is a point that doth but make way to that that followes therefore I will not dwell upon it Againe in this first part Gods command or warrant seeke yee my face you see here God is willing to be knowne He is willing to open and discover himselfe God delights not to hide himselfe God stands not upon state as some Emperours doe that think their presence diminisheth respect God is no such God but he may bee searched into Man if any weakenesse be discovered wee can soone search into the depth of his excellencie but with God it is cleane otherwise the more we know of him the more we shall admire him None admire him more then the blessed Angels that see most of him and the blessed Spirits that have communion with him therefore hee hides not himselfe nay hee desires to be knowne and all those that have his Spirit desire to make him knowne Those that suppresse the knowledge of God in his will what he performes for men and what he requires of them they are enemies to God and of Gods people they suppresse the opening of God cleane contrary to Gods meaning seeke my face I desire to be made knowne and lay open my selfe to you Therefore we may observe by the way that when wee are in any darke condition that a Christian finds not the beames of God shining on him let him not lay the blame upon God as if God were a God that delighted to hide himselfe oh no it is not his delight he loves not strangenesse to his poore creature it is not a point of his policie hee is too great to affect such poore things No the fault is altogether in us we walke not worthy of such a presence wee want humility and preparation If there be any darkenesse in the creature that he finds God doth not so shine on him as in former times undoubtedly the cause is in himselfe for God saith seeke my face he desires to open himselfe but it is a point that I will not be large in We see hence likewise that Gods goodnesse is a Communicative spreading goodnesse That is peculiar to God and to those that are lead with the Spirit of God that are like him they have a communicative diffsive goodnesse that loves to spread it selfe Seeke my face I am good in my selfe but I desire to shine on you to impart my goodnesse to you If God had not a communicative spreading goodnesse hee
would never have created the world the Father Sonne and Holy-ghost were happy in themselves and enjoyed one another before the world was but that God delights to communicate and spread his goodnesse there had never beene a Creation nor a Redemption God useth his creatures not for defect of power that he can do nothing without them but for the spreading of his goodnesse and thereupon comes all the subordination of one creature to another and all to him Oh that we had hearts to make way for such a goodnesse as God would cast into us if wee were as wee should be Gods goodnesse is a spreading imparting goodnesse It is a common distinction there is the goodnesse of the Fountaine and the goodnesse of the Vessell that is our goodness because we contain somewhat in us that is good the goodnesse of the creature that is but the Channell or the Cisterne but the goodnesse of God is another manner of goodnesse the goodnesse of the Fountaine The Fountaine begs not from the River the Sunne borrowes not light from the Candle God begs not goodnesse from the creature Ours is a borrowed goodnesse but his is a communicative goodnesse seek my face that I may impart my goodnesse The Sun delights to spread his beames and his influenâ—… in inferiour things to make all things fruitfull such a goodnesse is in God as is in a Fountaine or in the brest that loves to ease it selfe of milke I note it that wee may conceive aright of God that is more willing to bestow good then we are to aske it hee is so willing to bestow it that he becomes a Sutor to us seeke yee my face he seekes to us to seeke him It is strange that heaven should seek to earth yet so it is Whence comes this in God the at ribute oâ—… goodnesse the spreading goodnesse in his 〈◊〉 ture that he desires to impart and to commâ—…nicate himselfe There is no envie in God he hath none above him and therefore he labours to make al good There is a mysterie in it but if some bee 〈◊〉 good the fault is in themselvs as it is a prerogative in him to make some more and some leâ—… good so there is a fault in them that I 〈◊〉 no better it is my owne fault The prerogative belongs to God we must not search into that but every man may say I might have beene better and more enlarged I did not seeke his face that hee might take occasion to â—…nlarge himselfe towards me would wee be like our heavenly Father let us labour to have large affections to have a spreading goodnesse Two things make us very like God thâ—… much concerne this point To do things freely of our selves and to doe them farre To communicate goodnesse and to communicate it faâ—…e to many The greater the fire is the further it burnes the greater the love is the further it extends and communicates it selfe There are none more like God then those that communicate what good they have to others and communicate it as farre and remote as they can to extend it to many Our Saviour Christ you see what a world were beholding to him Heaven and earth were beholding to him and the nearer a man comes â—…o Christ the more there is a kind of felfeâ—…eniall to doe good to others Saint Paul had 〈◊〉 great measure of Christ in him he was conâ—…ent to bee bestowed for the good of the Church the care of all did lie upon him A â—…ublike mind is Gods mind a publike mind is a mind that loves to do good freely and largeâ—…y to others therefore God saith seeke my face that I may have better opportunity to empty my goodnesse to you Seeke my face that is seeke my presence the face is the glasse of the soule wherein we see the mind of a man seeke my face that is seeke my mind seeke my presence as wee shall see afterward I will speake no more of that point Gods warrant or command but goe on My heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seeke Here is the worke and obedience My heart said unto thee c. Davids heart was set in a good and sanctified frame by God it was betweene God and his obedience The heart is betweene God and our obedience as it were an Embassadoâ—…r it understands from God what God will have done and then it layes a command upon the whole man The hear and conscience of man is partly divine partly humane it hath some divinity in it especially if the man be a holy man God speakes and the heart speakes God speakes to the Heart and the Heart speakes to us And oft times when we heare conscience speaking to us we neglect it and as Saint Augustine said of himselfe God spake often to me and I was ignorant of it When there is no command in the word that the heart directly thinkes of as indeed many prophane carelesse men scarce have a Bible in their houses God speakes to them thus conscience speakes to them some broken command that they learne against their wils they heed it not but David did not so God said Seekeyee my face his heart answers thy face Lord will I seeke The heart lookes upward to God and then to it selfe My heart said It said to thee and then to it selfe First his heart said to God Lord I have incouragement from thee thou hast commanded that I should seeke thy face so his heart looked to God and then it speakes to it selfe Thy face Lord will I seeke It looks first to God and then to all things that come from it selfe My heart said it said of that point concerning the thing thou saidst seeke my face My heart said to thee David saw God in all his commandements Thou saidst to me seeke my face My heart said to thee I know the command is from thee I have to deale with thee in the command and incouragement and in the warrant I looke not to the words but to thee the authority and strength of them comes from thee My heart said to thee thy face Lord will I seeke Betweene the answer of David and Gods command and warrant the heart comes to thinke seriously upon the command and then to enjoyne the dutie This is to be considered because there is no knitting of these two together but by the heart the serious consideration of the heart when God faith seeke my face he answers I will seeke thy face How comes this returne The soule considers the ground of the returne before the returne A man when he doth any thing hee doth it from the principles of a man a holy man when hee doth a thing he doth it from the principle of a holy man and what is the principles and foundation of the practise of a holy man a sanctified understanding to tell him what God hath said and what he hath promised and wherein God hath discovered himselfe Well when the heart knowes
that once the heart hath enough from heaven-ward it hath enough from heaven God hath said and promised it then the heart by a worke it hath of it selfe speaks to it selfe and to the whole man to seeke God The heart will not stoop without reason the heart of an understanding man but when it sees the command first seeke my face then it answers thy face Lord will I seeke So that this command of God and this incouragement and warrant from God Seeke yee my face it was in Davids heart it was written and set and grafted in his heart and then his heart being awed with the command of God God hath said thus the heart goes again to God thou hast said thus Lord Thy face will I seeke See the depth of Davids speech when hee faith Lord thy face will I seeke It came from his heart root not only from the heart but from the heart grounded upon the command and incouragement of God Seeke my face there is the ground the heart digesting this thorowly this is Gods Command I understand it and understand it from God I see the authority from whence itcomes therfore I wil stirre up my selfe Thy face Lord will I seek I shall have occasion to speake somewhat of it afterwards in the next thing his obedience therefore I goe on Thy face Iehovah will I seeke Here is his returne againe to God that he will seeke the face of God I will seeke thy face in all my necessities then I will seeke to thee and in all thine ordinances I will seeke to thee whereinsoever thy presence is discovered thy presence is in all places especially in thine ordinances thy presence is in all times especially in the time of trouble and need in all times of need I will seeke to thee in all exigences I will seeke unto thee and in all thiâ—…e ordinances wherein I may find thee I know I may meet with thee there thou givest thy people meetings in thine ordinances it is thy walke therefore thy face Lord will I seeke where I may be sure to meet thee in thine owne way and ordinances So much for the meaning Thy face Lord will I seeke Here is first of all an Application and obedience from Application they be words of particular Application Thy face will I seeke God had given him a ground Seeke yee my face his heart makes the Application Thy face I will seeke applying the generall incouragement to himself in particular So that you may observe hence that The ground of all obedience of all holy entercourse with God is a Spirit of Application Applying the truths of God though generally spoken to our selves in particular It is spoken here in the plurall number Seeke yee my face but the generall implies the particular as London is in England Seeke yee my face all yee that are the people of God but I am one of them what though I be not named that tenent in Popery is against sense when a man is condemned by the law is his name in the law It is against such a fact hee is a Malefactor And so the particular is included in the generall Seeke yee my face David knew that reason taught him that and not Religion Now the ground of Application of divine truths to our selves in particular is this that the truth of God setting aside some circumstantiall things that arise sometimes to particular persons that sometimes limit the command to one person or the promise to one person cut off those distinctions all comfortable truths agreeto Gods people in all ages while there is a Church in the world Al truths are eternall truths die not as men doe David is dead and Moses is dead but this truth is not dead Seeke yee my face Paul is gone and Peter is gone we are the Davids and the Mose's the Peters and the Pauls now those truths that were good to them are good to us Whatsoever was written before was written for our comfort There is an eternall truth that runs through all ages of the Church that hath an everlasting comfort God hath framed the Scriptures not to be limited to the times wherin they were written as the Papists idly speak Bellarmine and others as if they were occasionall things that the Scriptures were written by occasion of such and such men and concerned only those times but the Scriptures were written for all times and it concernes a times to apply all truths to themselves setting aside those circumstances that are applyed to particular men which are easie to discern in Heb. 13 that that was said to Iosua Ios. 1. the Apostle applies it to the Church in his time and to all Bee not afraid I will not faile thee nor forsake thee it is a generall truth And Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse that whosoever beleeves as Abraham is a sonne of Abraham These truths are universall and concerne every one as well as any And so many other places of Scripture The promise of the blessed seed the beleeving of it runs from the beginning of the world in all ages to the comming of Christ. All other promises were but an inlargement of that that was the Mother-promise that is the ground of Application that the generall truths agree to all the Churches The truth of God is the portion of every child of God he may claime every promise and ought to follow the direction of every command The reason is because al the Church of God are Heires alike Heires of the Promise Children of Abraham Heires of salvation they have interest in Christ-alike in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen in whom all the promises have their making and their performance And by reason that there is an indifferent equality in regard of the maine things of all the children of God they have interest alike in all the benefits by Christ in all truths in all substantiall duties to God and all favours from God that is the ground of the equity of Application But if you will have the ground of the necessity of it nature will shew that for the truths are food if food bee not taken what good doth it doe without application The word of God is a sword what will a sword doe if it hangs up in a mans Chamber or if it be not used when the enemy approacheth The Application of the sword of the Spirit gives the vertue to it it is to no purpose else divine truths are physick if it be not applyed what use is there of physick There is a necessity if wee will obey God of a Spirit of Application there is nothing that will doe good but by application neither in nature nor in grace There must bee a virtuall application at least the heavens worke upon the earth there is no Application bodily the heavens are too high but there is a virtuall Application there comes light in and influence to these inferiour bodies therefore we
therefore they labour to be voluntarie It is a good saying there is no vertue in men that doe things against their wils for that is vertue and grace that comes from a man from his owne principles from cheerfulnesse God loves a cheerfull giver I might inlarge this but I doe but take it as it may strengthen the point our obedience to God it must be pliable and cheerfull and voluntary Againe obedience if it be true it is perfect and sincere looking to God Thy face Lord will I seeke we must eye God in it and Gods commandement and not have a double eye wee must not looke to our own selves it must be perfect obedience that is opposite to that which is hypocriticall that is the best perfection for the perfection of degrees is not to be attained here but this perfection of soundnesse is to be laboured for as wee see here it was a sound obedience Thy face Lord will I seeke I will not seeke thy favours and blessings so much as thy face It was perfect obedience as perfection is opposed to unsoundnesse It was likewise a professed obedience before all the world in spight of Satan Thy face will I seeke let the devill and the world doe what they can let others doe as they will but as Iosua saith If you will worship other Gods if you will fall away doe But I and my house will serve the Lord what if his house will not serve the Lord If my house will not serve the Lord I will So wee should all be of Iosua's mind I and my house will serve the Lord let the world goe which way it will In blessed Saint Pauls time oh saith he There are many of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping who are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation who mind earthly things What doth Paul in the meane time oh but our conversation is in heaven we swim a contrary way we care not to let the world know it our conversation is another way So our obedience must not only be present and pliable and perfect but a professed obedience that is to breake through all the oppositions of the Devill and the world with an invincible resolution to bâ—…eak through all difficulties and scandals and examples of great persons and of this and that if we will goe to God and say truely Lord thy face will I seeke Let other men seeke what they will let them seeke the face and favour of others thy face will I seeke thou shalt be in stead of all to me as indeed hee is Againe as it is a professed so it is a continued a perpetuall obedience hee is resolved for the time to come Thy face will I seek not onely now and then turne my back upon thee afterwards but I will seeke thy face till I see thee in heaven I see thy face in thine ordinances in the word in thy people where two or three bee gathered thou are among them I will see thy face as I may till I see it in heaven so here is a perpetuall resolution Thy face I will seeke Lastly theâ—…e is one thing more in this obedience and answer to Gods command that his answer to God is an answerable answer that is the answer and obedience is sutable to the command Gods command was seeke my face his answer is thy face Lord will I seeke So the point is that Our obedience to God must be proportionable to that that is commanded It must not be this or that devised by men when the Lords eye is on you in this place and gives you a charge to doe thus the obedience must be sutable when he saith seeke my face wee must obey thy face Lord will wee seeke Therefore it may in some poor sense be compared to an Eccho we returne obedience in the same kind the Spirit of God teacheth the children of God to doe so to answer God in al the things hee doth I know not a better evidence of a child of God then this answering Spirit How shall I know that God loves me I love him againe therefore I know hee hath loved me first it is an undoubted argument How shall I know that God hath chosen mee I chuse him Whom have I in heaven but thee and what is there in earth in comparison of thee It is an undoubted Argument shall I be able to single out God to be instead of all to me and hath not hee chosen me first Can there bee any thing in the Current that is not in the Spring before It is impossible I know God I looke on him as my father certainly he hath shined on me first I have said to him thou art my God certainly he hath said before thou art my servant If I say to him thou art my God certainly he hath said before I am thy salvation hee hath begun for this is the order God begins he saith Seeke my face then if wee have grace to returne answerable obedience to God Thy face Lord will I seeke when thou biddest me Lord I will love thee I will chuse thee and delight in thee thou shalt bee my God if we have this returning spirit back againe we cannot have a better argument that God loves us then by answering Gods course This is that that Saint Peter hath in 1 Pet. 3. that that doth all in Baptisme it is not the washing of the filth of the body but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the answer or the demand of a good conscience but answer is better the answer of a good conscience cleanseth in Baptisme What is that In Baptisme dost thou beleeve saith the Minister in God the Father Almighty I doe beleeve that was the answer dost thou beleeve in God the Son I doe beleeve dost thou beleeve the Forgivenesse of sins the Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting I doe beleeve dost thou renounce the Devill and his workes I renounce them that is the answer of a good conscience where that is from the heart there God hath spoken to that heart before and there is obedience to purpose Thy face will I seeke it is that that brings comfort not the washing of the water it is not the eating of the bread and drinking the wine and hearing the word of God when there is not the answer of a good conscience when we say we beleeve and we will doe this to doe it indeed Lord I will beleeve I will goe out of the Church with a purpose to practise what I heare Here is the answer of a good conscience when wee mingle what we heare with faith and labour to practise it or else it will doe no good Our obedience must be sutable and answerable as I said before if it be a direction to follow it if it be a command to obey it if it be a threatning to feare it if it be a comfort a promise to rest upon it Let
God now in Christ's For there is enmity betweene the nature of God and the nature of man of sinfull man but that Christ hath taken our nature now and made it lovely to God and God lovely to us Christ Emanuell God and man God with us hath made God and us friends therefore now we must go to God in that Emanuel in Christ that Ladder that joynes heaven and earth together See Gods face shining in Christ his gracious face and this will incourage us to go to God together with our wants goe not to absolute God a god without a mediator for then God is a consuming fire In the next place when we goe to God and seeke to God be sure to seeke his favour and grace in the first place If we want any particular thing protection or direction or comfort in distresse goe not for that in the first place but let us see in what tearmes God and we are let us be sure that reconciliation and peace be made For if we seeke to God in our particular wants and have not made our peace before but have sought to other gods to men and to our shifts God may say you seeke to me Goe to the gods you have served to the great men you have served to the riches you have trusted unto goe to your shifts Therefore first make peace and reconciliation with God before you seeke other things If a man have offended a great person he doth not goe and seeke particular favours till first he have made peace and taken up the quarrell Let us take up the quarrell between God and us by repentance and a promise of new obedience get reconciliation that way and then seeke for particular favours after For what if God give you particular favours if they bee not from his grace and favour what will they doe us good What will all that a reprobate wretch hath doe him good What will his favours his riches and honours and preferments doe him good when he dies when hee shall conflict with the anger of God when he shall see hell before him and see heaven shut Hee seeth he hath all from a generall providence and as a reward for his care in this world God answereth him with a civill inlargement for his civill obedience but he hath his reward heaven he hath not hee cared not for it what will all doe without the love of God in Christ therefore I beseech you let us first seeke the favour and mercy of God in Christ. And then for particular things goe to him as the exigence is for in God there is a supply for all turnes and that is the ground of seeking for our seeking it must be a wise seeking now it were not wise unlesse there were a supplie in God for every want whatsoever it is If the creature could doe any thing without God we should upon good ground make that God If any thing could raise us without God I mean to comfort we might seeke to them and make them God upon good reason but what can they doe In anger God may let a man enjoy favours as the fruits of his displeasure but what can they doe without him They can doe nothing Therefore it must be the supreame cause the highest cause the great wheele that turnes every little inferiour wheele in the world they turne with the great wheele of divine providence and goodnesse therefore goe to him as the first cause Againe in seeking the favour of God we must search our consciences to come with pure and cleane hearts to God to seeke him If we regard iniquity in our hearts God will not heare our prayers Wee come to God with a purpose to offend him if we come not with a purpose to leave our sins why do we come God will not regard our prayers We must come with pure consciences to God as it is excellently set downe Psal. 24. 3. Who shall assend into thy hill O Lord who shall stand in thy holy place He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart And then he saith after This is the generation of them that seeke him those that have cleane hands and a pure heart Thou hast foule hands thou art a briber a corrupter thou hast an impure heart thou art a filthy creature thou hast lived in such and such sins cleanse thy hands and thy heart This is the generation of them that seeke him If a man seeke the pure and holy GOD with an uncleane heart and uncleane hands if he be corrupt in his hands and in his heart that is the fountaine he may seeke God long enough before hee finde him and if he see GOD it is in anger Againe if we would seeke the face and favour of God let us study the word hard study the promises as I said before bind him with his own word thou hast said thus I alleage thy owne word Iacob when he wrastled with God Genesis 32. then he saw God he called the place Penuell that is the face of God because of seeing God Vpon wrastling when the heart by faith wrastleth with God by the promise Lord thou hast done this though I feele no comfort yet I will rest upon thee that place will bee Penuell The face of GOD will bee there GOD will shew himselfe And let the extremity be what it will seeke God in extremity alleage the Word of God in extremity What word have you for extremity In the mountaine God will bee seene His face will be seene in the mount that is when there is no other help whatsoever God is a present helpe in trouble Psal. 46. He is the God that comforteth the abject that none else can comfort And he that is in darknesse and sees 〈◊〉 light let him trust in the name of the Lord. And though I were in the valley of the shaddow of death if the Lord be with me I will trust in him Psal. 23. And though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee saith Iob. In extremity seeke God then and find out words and promises then as the Scripture is large in that kind for then there is most need of seeking God Lord if thou help not now none can help And this is the difference betweene a true Child of God and another in the time of extremity Saul seekes to the witch but David seekes to God as here Lord thy face will I seeke Many things upbraided David no question with his sinne and the affliction he was in Thou seeke God thou hast offended him and now thou indurest some signe of his displeasure a heavie case beloved somtimes especially in the time of extremity then conscience saith I am in extremity and withall God followes mee with such and such sins a guiltie conscience meetes me in my prayers to God and upbraids me thou hast done so and so that if there be not faith and a word of God to lay hold on in extremity
the covenant betweene God and â—…em was made before they have given up â—…emselves to GOD and committed their â—…ules to God before for a Christian gives â—…p himselfe every day he commits himselfe â—…ule and body continually to God as a blesâ—…ed sacrifice of a free-will offering so hee â—…arns to die daily daily labours to live in the â—…state he would die in he ought to doe thus â—…nd many Christians doe thus therefore notwithstanding these distempers the covenant â—…etweene GOD and the soule remaines still â—…nd he dies in faith It is said here they all diâ—…d in faith he saith not they all died in feeâ—…ing A man may die in faith and yet not die â—…n feeling and sometimes the strongest faith â—…s with the least feeling of Gods love Feeâ—…ing may be reserved sometimes for heaven â—…et notwithstanding wee must not take it so as 〈◊〉 there were no feeling where there is faith for there was never faith yet but upon the â—…ouch of faith the soule drew some strength â—…nd some inward feeling though it be not discerned of the soule in regard of the immodeâ—…ate desire of the soule to have more yet there is alway so much feeling and strength and comfort that supports the soule from despaire take the childe of GOD at the worst Therefore when I speake of feeling I speak of a glorious demonstration that God sometimes takes away from his children They died in faâ—…th though not alway in feeling of 〈◊〉 they died in faith though not alway by a faiâ—… death or in a comely manner outwardly 〈◊〉 the applause of the world it is no matter for that they all died in faith and that is sufficient It is the desire of Gods Children that they may dye in faith and die in Christ as they have lived in faith and lived in Christ. Faiâ—… is a blessed grace by it we live by it we stand by it we conquer and resist by it we indure by it we die by it we do all those worthy matters we doe in spight of the devill and his kingdome this is that excellent grace of faith by which we live and by which we die These all died in faith For they lived as they died and died as they lived It is a usuall generall rule as men live so they die he that lives by faith dies by faith he that lives prophanely dies prophanely If we suffer the devill to lead us and abuse us all the time of our life we must thinke God in just judgement will give us up that he shall delude us and abuse us at the houre of death Carnall confidence disposeth men to thinke they shall step our of their filthy blasphemous course of life out of their sinfull cursed condition to leape to heaven presently it is no such matter Alas heaven it must be entred into on earth there must bee a fiting and preparing time on earth for heaven we must looke to die as we live There is but one example of a man that died by faith that did not live by faith that is the good thiefe and yet that little time of life we see how fruitfull it was but the rule is all that will die in faith must live in faith and usually men are affected and disposed and their speeches and carriage are on their death bed as they were when they lived GOD in just judgment giving them up to that course Many wish that they may live in popery and enjoy the liberty of that carnall religion but they would not die by that religion they live by that religion and die by ours when they have had the sweetnesse and liberty that is given them there to sin and then open all in confession and be cleane and then sin againe and such easie courses they have that betrayes thousands of soules to damnation Now this is their course when conscience is awakened they flie to savation by CHRIST if they understand any thing at all or else they die desperate if they looke to be saved by that religion as they live by it if we look to die by faith we must live by it These all died in faith not having received the promises For God promised them Canaan and they died many hundred yeares before their posterity came into Canaan hee promised them Christ and they died long before Christ came he promised them heaven and they entred not into heaven till death so they received not the promises that is they received not the things promised for else they received the promise but not that that was promised they received not the type Canaan not the things typified Christ and heaven This is added as a commendation of their faith that though they received not the things that they looked for yet notwithstanding they had such a strong faith that they continued to live by faith and died in faith The promises here are taken for the blessed things promised This should teach us this lesson that Gods promises are not emptie shells they are reall things And then whatsoever God promiseth it is not barely propounded to the soule but in a promise it is wrapped up in a promise hee gives us not emptie promises nor naked things but hee gives us promises of things which we must exercise our faith in in depending upon him for the performance of them till we be put in possession For here all the blessings they looked for is wrapped up in the name promises they received not the promises the meaning is they received not Canaan they received not Christ in the flesh not life everlasting Now the believing soule it lookes upon all the good things that it looks for from God not nakedly but as they are involved and wrapped and lapped up in promises it must have a word for it it looks to GODS word For the soule looks not now immediately as it shall doe in heaven it looks not to God and to Christ directly but it lookes to Christ and heaven and happinesse as it is in a promise It dares not expect any thing of God but by a promise Alas the guiltie soule how dares it look God in the face but by a promise except he have ingaged himselfe by promise and he hath ingaged himselfe by promise that he will doe it he hath pawned his faithfulnesse that he will doe it and then the soule lookes to the promise and in that it looks to Christ and grace and heaven and happines and all good things A presumptuous idle person that knowes not what God is that he is a consuming fire he rusheth into Gods presence Faith dares not go to God but first it pleads his word to him it pleads his promise to him it lookes on God by a promise The very phrase inforceth this upon us that we should make great account of the promises because we have all good wrapped in them The promises are the swadling clouts Christ and Heaven is wrappped in them And when wee have a promise let
sees more comfort and joy and matter of benefit and blessing to the soule in the promises and in the word of God then in Isaac that is then in the dearest thing in our owne account that we have that the faithfull soule had rather part with all then with God it will not part with his promises for all that is in the earth not for the dearest thing in this world Isaac shall goe rather Then for their light to goe by it was but little what a little light had they Answ. Promises they saw things in types and glasses a few promises and what was that they sought A heritage farre off Wee on the contrary have all set nearer hand that may helpe us but wee have a weaker faith One would thinke it should greatly help us to lead our lives till we come to heaven for that that we believe is nearer heaven is nearer how little a time is betweene us and the day of judgment how little a time betweene us and the glory that is to be revealed For the clouds that we have betweene they are none in comparing our light with theirs How many promises have we discovered before hand we have Christ come in the flesh and risen again we have the Gentiles called and all these things we have light upon light we have larger promises and a larger unfolding of divine truths the Canon is inlarged the Bible is enlarged more than it was then there are many books added and the New Testament Now how doth it come to passe that we see not so well as they nor so strongly as they I answer the reason is this their light was lesse but their sight was stronger we have more light and lesse sight we have things nearer but our sight is weaker the more shame for us A strong eye may see a farre off by a little light When a weake eye cannot see so farre by a greater light The eye of their soule the eye of faith was stronger and more light some the spirit of God was stronger in Abraham but his light of revelation was lesser he had fewer promises for he desired to see Christs day and saw it not So it is with Christians sometimes when there is a great strength of faith yet it may be there is not so much light a weake Christian may have more light but he hath a weaker eye and he in that respect sees better then a stronger To a stronger God doth not discover to him so much outwardly sometimes sutable to his inward Gods dispensations are diverse in this kind Now to helpe our sight to heaven this sight of faith that wee may every day ascend with the eye of our soules with this blessed sight Let us take heed of the God of this world Satan that hee doe not with the dust of the world dimme our sight what is the reason that many cannot see the glorious things of GOD The God of this world saith the Apostle hath blinded their eyes hee casts dust in their eyes they are covetous they are blind in their affections they have darke soules The soule when it is lead by affections and lusts when the affections will not suffer it to see it covers the eyes of it And then the outward things of the world they are cast into the eyes we must take heed of these inward and outward lets take heed of Sathan that he doe not with outward objects bewitch us For as it is in prospective glasses you know such glasses some are of that nature they represent to a man things that are a farre off as if they were neare so faith it is a kind of prospective glasse it presents to the soule by reason of this super naturall light things that are farre off as if they were neare Now as God hath his prospective glasses to see a farre off so the Devill hath prospective glasses that when things are neare he makes them seene a farre off as such glasses there are too when death and danger and damnation are neaâ—…e When a man carries the sentence of damnation in his bosome when he carries a stayned defiled conscience the devill with his prospective glasse makes him see death and destruction as a farre off I may live so many yeares and enjoy my pleasure and my will Now this is but a false glasse the devill abuseth them for your life is but a death and when we begin to live we begin to die why should we account therefore of the time to come death and life goe in equall pace one with another everyday we live so much is taken from our life and then the cutting off of all is uncertaine let us take heed that Satan blind us not And withall desire God to open our eyes every day to take the scales from the eye of our soules that we may see the promises that we may see Christ that we may see God shining on us in Christ that he would take away the vaile from the things by exposition that he would open the truth to us by his Ministers and that hee would take away the vaile from our hearts that our hearts may joyne with the things That when by ministeriall meanes the things are cleare that there may not be a vaile of infidelity on our hearts but that our hearts may sweetly joyne with them Let us begge daily that GOD would take away the things that hinder inward and outward that we may see the things a farre off that we may not be as Peter saith mop eyed that wee cannot see a farre off but that we may set heaven before our eyes and the judgement and the happinesse to come that we may see and view and eye those things by faith and that wee may square our lives answerable Then againe to helpe our sight of Christ and happinesse let us get a fresh sight of our corruption and sinne every day let us every day look on that terrifying object of our corruption of nature hang it in the eye of our soules as an odious object to humble us Let us see every day what a corrupt heart we carry about us see how odious these things are to God how it offends him see how it exposeth us to the wrath of God if he should take us in the middest of our sinnes and corruptions let us have these things fresh in our eyes every day and that will cleare our sight Men are loath to looke in the booke of their consciences because they are loath to be disturbed from their pleasures Let us see what need we stand in of Christ the view of our corruptions will make us glad to see a better object it will make us turne our eyes to CHRIST to the promises and all things that we have by Christ we shal be glad to look to him What is the reason we have no more delight to see the glorious things afarre off We see not the dimension of our corruptions for then
love is discovered to us the more we shall love him Therefore let us be constant in attending upon good meanes we shall alway heare something that will either strengthen our faith in the promises of God or shew us our duty to God againe we shall have something discovered whereby the spirit will bee effectuall to help this imbracing Let us go to reading and hearing with this scope and intention Now I come to heare I come to have my soule wrought on I come to heare some message from heaven to heare some good thing to draw my minde from the world and worldly things and upon hearing our duty to God to walke lowly in thankefulnesse for those good things that wee have and that wee hope for in another world It is no wonder that men lose their affections that are carelesse in the use of meâ—…nes and if they loose them will they not loose all The best man living if he be care lesse in using the meanes of salvation and give himselfe to the world altogether or to his calling things not in themselves unlawfull his affections will be dead he shal loose them for God hath ordained that our affections should be quickned by heavenly meanes and GOD knoweth better than wee our selves that hath sanctified these meanes to this purpose In attending upon the meanes we shall heare a discovery of good things and heare comforts and have our light strengthened by new discovery of new Scripture or by old Scriptures lively applyed something to increase the life of our perswasion at every Sermon and reading good bookes and by every good company and that which increaseth knowledge and perswasion makes our affection and imbracing stronger I beseech you let us take these courses or else all is to no purpose the maine thing in religion is the will and affections and when the wil and affections are wrought on the worke is done in the matter of grace And there is no other way to know whether the former worâ—… of the understanding and perswasion bee effectuall and to purpose or no but this to know whether the will choose and cleave to good things and whether our affections joy and delight in them there is the tryall of the maine worke The worke indeed is especially in the judgment when it heares soundly and supernaturally of the ills that are to bee avoyded and of the good things that are to be imbraced buâ—… where is the tryall of the judgement but when it carries the whole soule with it when it carries the sterne of the soule with it Now that which is immediate to our soules is our affection of joy and delight and the the like Therefore let us take to heart these things and never think we are any thing in religion till our hearts and affections be wrought upon till our knowledge be such as may sway that whole inward man Againe consider the excellency of these good things that we have discovered to us in the Gospell that are the object of our imbracing together with the necessity of them that without them we are wretched creatures there is no hope for us Let us every day consider what ground of hope wee have though the things be not yet possest whether the things be true that we hope for whether they bee confirmed to be true or no and how we rest on them for let things be never so excellent and necessary unlesse the soule conceive of them as things attainable as things belonging to us all is to no purpose this effect of imbracing will not bee wrought in the soule Therefore consider more and more the hopefulnes of them that may help this imbracing A Christian when he believes and hopes for that happines that shall be revealed to him the things promised what a world of grounds of hope hath he for it hee hath the word of God for an inheritance immortall and 〈◊〉 he hath the will of Christ Father I will thâ—… where I am they may bee Ioh. 17. his prayer to his father is his will and his will must be performed for he lives for ever to make good his own legacy to his Church And he is now in heaven preparing that happinesse for us that we so imbrace with faith And he hath left us here his spirit to be a pledge that he will come againe he hath left his spirit and hath taken our flesh to heaven to strengthen our hope that this shall follow Our flesh is in heaven in him already and his spirit is in earth in 〈◊〉 as a mutuall depositum in trust betweene him and us and all to strengthen the hope of that happinesse that is reserved Besides the Seale of the Sacrament the end of which is to cherish hopefulnesse of Christ and of all the good we have by him His oath is added to his promise that all things might be immutable and unchangeable of the forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting c. Now especially when we find our hearts 〈◊〉 sinke downward and not to have that life 〈◊〉 they should have by meditating on these things of their excellency and necessitie and to conceive in Scripture the grounds of hope of them it will quicken us Adde likewise for our owne interest what worke of the spirit we have and then what singular promises we have that where GOD hath begun he will make an end For why is the worke of the spirit called an earnest but that God will make good the bargaine Consider what worke of the spirit we have for whatsoever is spirituall is eternall in a man what joy is spirituall what love is spirituall what knowledge is spirituall it shall be made up in perfection it shall never be taken away See then how the spirit seales us by the worke of it and what earnest wee have in peace of conscience and the work of it This will cherrish hope for that is part of this imbracing to imbrace them with faith and hope And this should be a daily course to work upon the affections to estrange them from all things and from the meditation of all things else And as I said before to consider the love of God to us and to love him again And consider likewise the hopefulnesse of good things that nothing in the world is so made good to us as the things of a better life the things of grace and glory And God hath borrowed from all assurance amongst men terms to shew the assurance of the good things we have in hope and faith The pledge of the spirit the earnest of the spirit the seale of the spirit the witnesse of the spirit What termes are there used among men that may confirme any thing that you have not used to strengthen this supernaturall assurance of these supernaturall good things GOD herein succours our weakenesse knowing how prone we are to call these things into question And consider especially our owne unworthinesse our vilenesse and basenesse that we deserve none of
away his goods are not of that place so in all confusions of the world a Christian hath good things of another world the good things he carries with him are not subject to losses or crosses they are not subject to the misusing of the world when all things shall bee on fire a Christian hath his treasure laid up in heaven in a place where no earthly creature hath power of it it is not subject to any ill and that make him in all estates contented and patient Let heaven and earth goe together a Christian when hee hath imbraced better things a Christian thinks himselfe a stranger that is going home therefore in all his life he carries himselfe as a stranger To goe on a little further A travailer in his way must of necessitie have refreshings by the way or else he will faile therefore sometimes he sings and somâ—… suseth other refreshings Now what saith David Thy statutes have beene my song in the house of my pilgrimage that is when I want other comforts they are my song my joy and delight A travailer must needs have comforts that may revive him in his â—…ainting he must have some pleasant walks for meditation Let us therefore when wee grow weary refresh our selves in walking in holy meditation take a turne there to thinke of the vanity of all earthly things and how soone they come to an end and of the excellency and eternity of our glorious condition and estate when we come home and then think of the helps and comforts by the way and such like The Art of divine meditation is an Art for this end that since wee are all travailers that wee are from home and that we are going home we may walke in wisdome Let us learne that art to feed and strengthen our soules with such meditations as may cleare them by the way to set some time apart when we grow dull and indisposed in religion then let us think how to cherrish and refresh our soules with those excellencies that are indeed above our comprehension our hearts cannot conceive of it it is set out in the word of God to our conceite but as it is wee cannot conceive here what is reserved for us when wee shall come home therefore let us doe as travellers often thinke of home and what is at home for us and that will make us when we are in the way and any comfort would draw us out of our way to think O these are good comforts but this is not my home I have betterat home then this and this will stay mee from home Therfore the crosse is necessary for travailers that they may know they are not at home that they may imbitter his comforts This consideration that he is not at home and that this is not his country as it will keepe a Christian from temptations so it will draw him on to constancy in his love and in going on for a travailer sits not downe to stay there hee thinkes here I am and home I must goe and I shall not come home by sitting here So the oft thinking of home it will both sweeten our troubles and likewise the comforts that wee meete with in this world it will make us that wee shall not bee ensâ—…ared with them because though they be comfortable things yet alas what are these these indeed are fit to make a man forget home to forget heaven as a man that sees goodly things goodâ—…e houses these things saith hee are they that make a man unwilling to goe out of the world But he that is assured of a country and knowes that he hath a better home then all these earthly things that are shaddowes and vanity he thinkes these are very goodly things but what are these to that that is reserved and if I sit downe by these if a travailer sit down by delights and gaze upon things by the way when shall he come home Let us think oft of home there are many uses to thinke and meditate of that blessed day this among the rest that it drawes us on forward and forward still that we shall not sit quiet but goe on still and not rest till we come home And the nearer we are home the more busie and the more chearefull wee should bee as a traveller when he comes neare home hee is more chearefull when hee hath home in his eye when he sees the smoake of his country he rejoyceth As these Patriarchs they saw the promises a farre off As men when they see the toppes of steeples and houses they thinke now wee have them continually in our eye we see some thing of home and the nearer they come the more they see and the nearer they come still the more they see so the longer a Christian lives the nearer and nearer he comes home if he understand himselfe and have any assurance in any degree it makes him more joyfull towards his end Thus it was with Gods people when they were nearer their end then they sung sweetly the Swannes song and then they were inlarged in their spirits as Iacob when he was dying we see what a will he made what legacies to his children And Ioseph when he was dying and Moses the man of God The song of Moses and David the sweete singer of Israel The last words of David what sweete words they were And Saint Paul when he was to go out of the world I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me the crowne of righteousnesse c. And our blessed Saviour toward his end wee see how heavenly he was in his prayer And good Simeon Lord now let thy servant depart in peace c. when he had grasped Christ once he was loath to live any longer so it should be with Christians as it is with travellers the nearer they are home the more and more comfortable they should be still It is a shame for old men to feare when they come neare their end when they are neare the haven then to feare It is as if a man in a storme should feare the haven or a man that travâ—… and sees a Citie to be afraid of his own house whereas hee should rejoyce and thinke hee is nearer his happinesse then other men as Saint Paul tels the Romans your salvation is nearer now then when you first believed So we should thinke our salvation and happinesse in heaven is nearer now then when we first believed and therfore the lesse time we have to travaile here with incumbrances in the way to heaven the more joyfull we should be The nearer wee are to death the nearer to our preferment the nearer to our country and our home These are the advised thoughts of a Christian and when other thoughts come into a man when he is stricken in yeares surely they are not in him as a Christian but as he is weak and wants faith and assurance of salvation Oh let us therefore
for all for this sickenesse of body and disquiet of mind and all annoyance and adversity and it is revealed before hand for our comfort that there shall be such a time that wee may make use of it that we may ground our patience upon it When Saint Paul exhorts to patience saith hee The Lord is at hand and Saint Iames saith The Iudge standeth at the doore Let us be patient in infamies and sufferings it will bee otherwise ere long Christ is at hand Againe that wee might continually be breathing out thankefulnesse to God Our whole life should be spent in thankefulnesse to God Even as the Angels in heaven that stand in the presence of God and the blessed spirits in heaven they spend that vigour that is in them they spend all that is in them in praising God in thanks and laud to God and sing Glory glory so before-hand knowing that ere long we shall appeare with Christ and appeare in glory let us thank him before hand As Saint Peter saith Blessed be God that hath begotten us againe to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. reserved in heaven for us Let us blesse God before-hand as if we were in heaven already Certainely if we hope to be with those that shall sit in heavenly places in heaven to prayse God we will begin it on earth for the life of heaven is begun on earth we are Kings now we are Priests now wee are conquerours now we are new creatures now we must praise God and begin the imploiment of heaven now for what they do perfectly that we begin to do In heaven we know there is no ill company we will abstaine from it now there is no defilement of sinne wee will conforme our selves to that estate wee hope for There is nothing but praising of God as much as may be wee will warme our hearts with the moditation of what God hath done what he doth and what he hath reserved for the time to come with that we have in hope The best things of a Christian especially are in hope for that which we have by Christ principally is not in this world therefore considering that the best things that Christ died for are in hope let us rejoyce in hope and in rejoycing have our hearts inlarged with praysing of God for that we hope for And be comforted in all the changes of this life all the changes for the time to come and in death it selfe which is the last change are not all degrees to make way for that glorious appearing with Christ for the soule at death goes to heaven and the body shall come after why should wee be loath to die when death is nothing but a change from misery to happinesse a change from the danger of sinning to an impossibility of sinning from a vale of misery to a place of happinesse from men to God from sinfull persons that trouble our peace and quiet to better company in heaven from actions that are sinfull to actions altogether free from sinne It is a glorious and blessed change every way wee shall have better company better place better imployment all glorious then till the time come that all the Elect be gathered together and then body and soule shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thess. 4. Why then should we feare changes when all changes shall end in that that is better Is a labouring man loath to have his hire or a weary man loath to have rest is a King loath to be crowned is a partie contracted loath to have the marriage consummate why should wee bee loath to die Wee should be ashamed of our selves that we have bin so long in the Schoole of Christ and yet have not learned to unloose our affections from earth to beter things that wee stand in feare of death that makes way to the glory of the soule now and the eternall glory of body and soule after In a word wee are exhorted in the beginning of the Chapter to have our minds in heaven where Christ is and wee are exhorted after the text to mortifie our earthly members two necessary duties to have our conversation in heaven before we be there and to mortifie our earthly members to dye in our affections to earthly things before wee dye indeed would wee have strength put into our soules to performe both these Let us oft meditate of the things that are betweene these verses Let us consider that we are dead so we should bee more lively to God Consider that our life is hid with Christ that Christ shall appear ere long and wee with him in glory Wee should raise our thoughts to be with Christ and draw our souls up to Heavenly things for the more our affections are upwards the lesse they will bee below our affections are finice the more we spend them on heavenly things the lesse they will run on earthly As a man in a trance his thoughts are taken up with one matter that he is dead to other things so the soule which is taken up with the glory to come and with Christ it is dead to earthly things only it takes them for necessary use as having use of them in our travell but it useth the world as if it used it not And this issues from this principle that wee shall ere long appeare with Christ in Glory There is no man but will drowne himselfe too much with the things of the world that hath not this to raise up his soule I shall appeare ere long with Christ in glory and then these things will be consumed The last point is how these depend one upon another that because Christ shall appeare in Glory therefore we I will touch it a little because it is a point of faith that helpes our judgement a little It is a ground of Divinity that whatsoever is in us that are members it is in our head first for God is first and then Christ mediator and then we whatsoever is good is in us or shall be to us it is in Christ first He is justified from our sinnes for he was our surety for sinne hee was abased for them first therefore hee shall appeare then without sin to Glory Our sin was but imputed to Christ he became our surety for sin and he must be abased therefore we cannot bee glo rious here because of our corruptions Christ was surety for our sinnes in his first comming now his resurrection shewed that hee had satisfied for our sinnes the second time he shall appear in glory why are we justified from our sins because Christ our surety was acquitted We ascend gloriousâ—… to heaven where is the ground of it he ascended first and we ascend for him and in him We sit in heavenly places why because he is in heaven before hand as the Husband takes up a place for his wife why doth she goe into the countrey and take it up after because her husband hath gone before and taken it Our
ascension riseth from his and our sitting at the right hand of God from his And so at the day of judgement our being glorious it comes from his He then shall appeare in glory as the head and husband of his Church and shall shine upon all his members He as the Sun shall cast a lustre and beauty and glory upon all that are his and then they shall reflect that glory they have from him upon him againe and he upon them againe so he shall be glorious in them and they in him but the ground of all is he is first in glory he shall appeare in glory and then we in him I speake this the rather because I would have humble consciences to make use of it in times of desertion when God seemes to bee a God that hides himselfe when they find no life nor comfort yet if they have but grace to believe they may comfort themselves in this well I have it but from Christ and he is perfect in glory he is ascended and I shall ascend and rise and be glorious because hee is so Put case now I feele no such matter it is no matter I live by faith in Christ that hath all in fulnesse and what hee hath done for me hee will doe in me if I believe in him Let a troubled soule comfort it selfe with this it is as impossible that he should be damned that believes in Christ as that Christ should be damned because hee believing in Christ is one with him and as verlly as Christ is in heaven hee shall bee there for Christ rose for all his The little finger lives the same life as the hand or the foot doth so a weake christian that hath little grace he lives by the same faith in Christ that is in glory as well as they that are stronger Let us strive and fight with this encouragement as S. Paul saith fight the good fight of Faith Oh! but shall we be alwayes fighting and striving No saith hee lay hold of eternall Life and then wee may well fight against doubts and despaire Let us therefore labour to fight so that we may lay hold on eternall life which Christ keepes for us and keeps us for it and ere long we shall partake of that wee hope for FINIS THE REDEMPTION OF BODYES In one Funerall Sermon upon PHIL. 3. 2â—… BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE 1 COR. 15 44. It is sowne a naturall Body it is raised a spirituall body LONDON Printed by E. Purslow for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1639. THE REDEMPTION OF BODIES PHIL. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile Body that it may bee fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe THE Apostle was now in prison yet hee had a spirit of glory resting upon him for he speakes as if he were entred into Heaven as if he were there before his time and therefore in Chap. 1. saith he I desire to bee dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And I account all dung in comparison of Christ as he saith in this Chap. and here in the former verse Our conversation is in Heaven from whence we looke for the Saviour Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodyes c. God reserves abundance of comforts to the fittest times as we see here in Saint Paul in this place Now he brings in his owne example to good purpose as opposite to false Christians and false â—…eachers that he had mentioned before There are many walke of whom I have told you oft c. they are enemies to the crosse of Christ that mind earthly things c. verse 18. But saith hee our conversation is in heaven he regards not which way they went hee tooke an opposite course to the world and swims against the stream As we see the stars they have a motion of their own opposite to the motion that they are carried with So S. Paul had a motion of his owne opposite to the course of the world their end is damnation but our conversation is in Heaven A christian hath his conversation in Heaven while hee is on earth hee rules his life by the lawes of heaven There are alway in the visible Church some that walke contrary wayes who make their Belly their God whose end is 〈◊〉 There were some that were christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…achers of Christians many of them yet he saith their end is damnation their God is their belly carnall Christians say wee have all 〈◊〉 the sacrament c. Alas we may all partake of this common privilege and yet our end may be damnation St. Paul looked on them with a a spirit of compassion I tell you weeping So it may be with us in our Gosheâ—… here there may be a spirit of cast-awayes in many and in the abundance of meanes there may bee many dead souls But S. Paul regards not what their course was for saith he our conversation is in Heaven From whence we looke for the Saviour c. That shewes why his conversation was in heaven because his Saviour was in heaven and therefore his hope was in heaven Where the treasure is the heart will be Having entred into this blessed discourse he goes on still who shall change our vile bodies and fashion them like his glorious body He brings it in by way of answering an objection If our conversation be in heaven why are our bodies yet subject to such afflictions and basenesse in this world It is true they are but the time shall come that Christ shall change these vile bodies of ours and fashion them like to his glorious body I but this requires a great deale of power and strength and we see not how it may be Therefore saith he he shall doe it by that almighty power whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe therefore he shall subdue death the last enemy he will not doe it perhaps according to thy fancy and conceit but according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things to himselfe we must not regard our weake conceits in great matters but Gods power yee erre saith Christ to the Pharisees not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Saint Paul then in these words and in the verse before sets downe three reasons why his course is opposite to the course of wicked men in his time First my City is in heaven and my conversation is answerable I take a contrary course for I am a citizen of another City And then another reason is his hope and expectation of a Saviour from heaven the Lord Iesus Hope faith which is the ground of hope carry up the soule where the thing hoped for is Our conversation is in
heaven wee hope for a Saviour from thence The third reason is from the condition of the body how ever it was now for the present He shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body Who shall change our vile body You see here the Apostle having set himselfe upon a holy and heavenly meditation he could not satisfie himselfe but goes from point to point setting downe his present holy conversation grounded upon his future hope of a blessed state to come Christ shall change our vile body Our bodies are vile and our bodies here is the point then that The best mens bodies in this world are vile Vile in regard of the matter whence they are taken the earth from the dust the fairest body is but well coloured dust base and vile from the beginning from the wombe base in the whole life base in death most base after death They are base I say in the beginning But especially base in our life our bodies are base in regard of labour Man is borne to labour in this world as the sparkes flie upward God would humble the body of every man with labour or else those that have not the labour of men here shall have the labour of devils hereafter The best body of the best Saints are condemned to labour Vile likewise in regard of sicknesse and diseases which grow out of the body so that be it kept never so warme and tenderly yet as the wormes grow out of the very wood and consumes the wood that breeds it so diseases grow out of and come from the body There is a fight and conflict betweene moysture and heate till the one prey upon the other and consume it In regard of sickenesse therefore they are vile bodies In regard likewise of disposing the soule the worst way for take all tempers of the body they incline the soule to some sinne or other to some ill disposition or other Choller inclines it to intemperate anger Melancholy to distrust and darkenesse of spirit The Sanguine inclines it to liberty and loosenesse c. Phlegme to deadnesse and dulnesse of spirit So our base bodies make the soule dull it becomes an unfit instrument whereby the soule cannot worke as it would an unfit house the body is oft times a darke house sometimes a house that drops in with moist diseases a house that lets in water and so consumes it to rottennesse sometimes it is a house fired by hote diseases it is thus indisposed and therefore a vile body A vile body likewise that when it is thus indisposed there is no comfort in the earth that can comfort it for all the foundation of comfort in this world is the health of this poore body A Kingdome nay all the Kingdomes in the world will not comfort a man if his body be not in tune and alas how soone is this body out of tune An instrument that hath many strings is soone subject to be out of tune and there are many strings in the body how many turnings how many instruments doth the soule use if any be out of tune the musicke is hindred it becomes an unfit instrument in this regard it is a vile body In regard likewise of the necessities of nature this body is vile in this world I speake not of what comes from the body in which respect it is base and vile but how many things doth this vile body stand in need of man in that respect is the basest creature in the world he is b-holding to the wormes he is beholding to nature to feed him in health in sickenes the body needs patching up and piecing by this creature and by that so it is a vile body in regard of the necessities of it in health in sickenesse in youth in age It is vile in life I need not stand on this It is more vile in death in the houre of death then it is base and vile indeed can wee indure the sight of our dearest friends how noysome is their presence after death and the most exquisite temper is the most vile and noysome of all those that are most delicately fed and most beautifully faced are most offensive and this is the condition of all That head that wore a Crowne those hands that swayed a Scepter those braines and that understanding that ruled many Kingdomes all are subject to death yea and to basenesse after death as well as those that are poorer And then they are vile bodies because they are subject to all manner of deaths the bodies of Gods Saints have beene cast out to the fowles of the Ayre the poore Martyrs how many wayes have they tasted of death These bodyes are subject to all manner of deaths to variety of deaths therefore they are vile bodies And then they are vile after death as wee were taken out of dust at the first so we returne to dust againe and if these bodies be not transformed to be like the glorious body of Christ they are most vile of all The spirit of despayre the spirit of anger that is in reprobate persons how doth it disfigure their faces one may see their shame their griefe their despayre in their very lookes so their bodies are most vile and dishonourable but I speake of Gods Children I say here in this world in regard that they come of parents that are miserable and sinfull Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery Iob 14. 1. Man that is borne of a woman of a weake miserable sinfull woman in this respect it is a vile body And in all the passages of our life in respect of labour and paine and sickenesses and diseases and likewise for indisposing the soule that it is an instrument to ill and in death it selfe more vile then in life and after death most of all vile So you see they are vile bodies every way To make some use of this If this be so considering what the condition of our body is here let this abate the pride of the greatest let them consider when they looke upon their gay apparell what doth these garments hide when great Magistrates and others have their purple on let them consider what doth this glorious garment cover nothing but dust a vile body why should wee be proud then of our bodies or of any ornament of our body seeing it is a vile body Againe if our bodies be vile and base why should wee spend the strength of our soules in searching to satisfie the lusts of so vile a body and so make our soules nothing else almost but stewards to proule how to content how to cloath and how to feed this body as it is the study of many idle vaine persons almost all the day long to give contentment to the craving lusts of this vile body they make even an idoll of this poore base piece of flesh and sacrifice the best of their thoughts and the best of their studies
body of our blessed Saviour now in heaven is wondrous beautifull and so shall our bodyes be how deformed soever they be now Let us not stand therefore upon any present deformity of our bodyes now with yeares or sicknesse or other meanes they shall not alway be so we shall have beautifull bodyes Nay more then so the third indowment is we shall have glorious bodyes as we see Christ in the mount when hee was transfigured and Moses and Elias were with him his body was glorious they could hardly behold him And Christ in Revel 1. he appeares as the Sunne in his full strength his body is wondrous glorious now in Heaven and so hee is represented there If the very representation of him while he was upon earth was so glorious in the mount what is it in Heaven S. Paul could not endure the light that shined to him Act. 9. So shall our Bodies bee like the glorious Body of Christ. What a glorious time will it be when the glorious body of Christ shall appeare and all the Saints shall appeare in glory what a reflexion of beauty and glory will there be one shining upon another when Christ shall come to be glorious in his Saints Oh! the glory of the body of Gods children it shall put downe all created glory all the glory of the Sunne and Moone and all the glory of these inferiour bodies are nothing to the glory of the body of a Christian that doth abase his body here for Christ and the Churches sake You see then these bodies shall be perfect and beautifull and glorious bodies in regard of the Iustâ—…e of them And likewise in the fourth place they shall be immortall bodies bodies that shall never die unchangeable bodies there shall be no altoration no death no sicknesse all teares shall be wiped from our eyes they shall be immortall bodies that shall never die as Saint Peter saith Wee shall have an inheritance undefiled immortall c. This is cleare therefore I will not stand in the inlarging of it In the next place our bodies shall be powerfull and vigorous now they are weake as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. Our bodies are â—…wen in weakenesse but then they shall be able to ascend and descend they shall be strong even as the body of Christ wee shall have strong bodies as all imperfection so all weaknesse shall be taken away In the sixth place they shall be spirituall bodies that is they shall not stand in need of meat and drinke and sleepe and refreshings as now they doe but Christ will be all in all to them he will be instead of meat and drinke cloathes yea and in stead of the Ordinances that we stand in need of here the Word and Sacraments he will be all in all And our bodies shall be spirituall in another regard because they shall be subject to the spirit whereas now our very spirits are flesh because the flesh rules and tyrannizeth over them so our soules follow our bodies the soule of a carnall man is flesh but then out flesh our bodies shall be spirituall not that they shall be turned into spirits that is not the meaning but spirituall bodies obedient and obsequious to the very guidance of the soule to a sanctified and glorious soule these shall be the indowments of our bodies They shall be perfect bodies beautifull glorious shining bodies immortall unchangeable bodies powerfull strong and vigorous bodies ready to moove from place to place and spirituall bodies they shall stand in need of no other helpe and they shall be obedient altogether to the spirit You see now how these vile bodies draw away our soules then all imperfections shall be taken away wee shall have purged bodies and purged soules Thus you see wherein the glory of the body shall consist Let us therefore often seriously thinke of these things and let me renew my former exhortation let us be content to make our bodies here vile for Christs sake that they may be thus glorious Let us abase them in labour and paines in our calling in suffering we doe no more then he did for us first Was not his body first vile and then glorious and doe we thinke that our bodies must not be vile before they be glorious not onely vile whether we will or no but we must willingly make them vile we must be willing to be disgraced for Christs sake to carry his death about us to die daily in the resolution of our soules How was he abased before he was glorious hee tooke on him our bodies at the worst not in the perfection as it was created but hee tooke the body of man now fallen Againe what paines did hee take in this body and how was he disgraced in this body that sacred face was spit upon those blessed hands and feet were nayled to the Crosse that blessed head that is revereâ—…ced of the Angels it was crowned with thornes How was his body every way in all the parts of it abased and made vile for us he neglected his refreshings for us it was meate and drinke to him to doe good If he became vile for us if he abased his body for us certainely wee should be ashamed if wee be not content that our bodies should be made vile for him that afterwards they may be made like his glorious body Away with these nice Christians that are afraid of the wind blowing on them or the Sunne shining upon them that are afraid to doe any thing or to suffer any thing and so in sparing their bodies destroy both body and soule Consider whoever thou art this is not a life for thy body this present life is a life for the soule we come now to have the Image of God in our soules in this life especially and to have in our soules the life of grace here but the life and happinesse of our body is for this second comming of Christ the glory of the body this life is not a time for the body doe what wee can it will be a vile body cherish it set it out how thou canst those painted sepulchres that would out-face age and out-face death and by colours and complexion c. hide those furrowes that age makes in the face they are but vile and age and death will be too good for them to dust they will Why should we regard our bodies this life is not for them though we 〈◊〉 dainty of them Let us use this body here so as it may be glorious in the world to come we should suffer our soules to rule our bodies and to doe all here that both body and soule may be glorious after For indeed all that the body hath here it is beholding to the soule for why therefore should it not be an instrument for the soule in holy things doth not the soule quicken it hath it not its beauty from the soule when the soule is gone out of the body where is the life where is the
them the Spirit of God sanctifying their soules and bodies stirring them up to holy duties guiding and leading and mooving them to holy actions they may from the sanctifying Spirit that is an earnest to them know what shall become of their bodies Hee hath given us the earnest of the Spirit To confirme this there is an excellent place in Ro. 8. 10 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his If Christ bee in you the body is dead c. It is a vile body it as good as dead it hath the sentence of death already it is dead in regard it is sentenced to death for sinne as a malefactor that hath his sentence But the Spirit is life in regard of righteousnesse What then if the sanctifying Spirit of Christ dwell in you Hee that raised Iesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies The same Spirit that sanctifies these soules of ours our bodies and quickens them to holy duties the same Spirit shall raise our bodies As the same Spirit that sanctified the blessed masse of the body of Christ that he carryed and raised his body the same Spirit that sanctifies our soules shall raise our bodies The Spirit of God when hee hath begun to sanctifie us he never leaves us hee goes along in all changes in life in death to the grave as God said to Iacob I will be with thee there The Spirit of God he will mold our dead bodies and make them like the glorious body of Christ the Spirit of God never leaves our soules or bodies Therefore if wee find the earnest of the Spirit if we find the worke of the Spirit or the comfort of the Spirit which is the tearme the Scripture gives Ioy in the Holy-Ghost and peace of conscience together with the Spirit sanctifying us especially in the time of trouble when God sees his Children have most need they have the earnest of the Spirit the beginnings of grace and joy the beginnings of heaven upon earth by this they may know as the first fruit is so likewise is the harvest as the earnest is even so is the bargaine as wee have it now in our soules so we shall also have it in our bodies and soules hereafter These three grounds Saint Paul hath why his hope of heaven was a good hope wee groane for it and wee are wrought for it wee are fitted for it There is no man can hope to be glorious in his body but his soule must be fitted for it it must be a fit jewell for so glorious a casket a fit inhabitant for so glorious a Temple as the body shall be the body shall be fitted for the soule and the soule for the body they are wrought for it And then hee hath given us the earnest of the Spirit What need I quote further evidences the Scripture being thus pregnant I beseech you often consider your desires whether you be content to live here alway or no to satisfie the vile lusts of your body or whether you desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ when you have done the worke that God sent you for into the world if wee be content to abase our selves for God here who hath provided so much glory for us hereafter and when the time comes we can desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ it is a good signe if wee have the beginnings of the new creature yee are wrought for it that our soules are fitted for a glorious body we have the earnest of the Spirit the same Spirit that sanctifieth our soules and that quickens our soules with joy and peace the same Spirit shall raise our bodies Comfort your selves you that are Christians though you bee weake with this that if you have but the earnest of the Spirit undoubtedly you shall have a glorious house instead of this tabernacle of dust Christ will change these vile bodies that they shall be fashioned like his glorious body I beseech you therefore oft thinke of this think of the time to come comfort your selves with things to come In 1 Thess. 4. Saint Paul would have us talke one to another often of this this should be the matter of our conference not onely the state of the Church and our owne estate here but how it shall be with us when we are gone hence how it shall be with us world without end hereafter we should conferre and speake and oft meditate and thinke of these things What can be grievous what can be over burdensome to that soule that knowes it hath the pledge and earnest of glory hereafter How doth it quicken the soule to any indeavour when once we know that how soever we abase our selves here yet we shall have glorious bodies hereafter It will quicken us to any indeavour to any thing for Christ therefore let us oft thinke of our estate to come let us set our thoughts foreward to the time to come Let faith make the times to come present and that will make us heavenly minded What made Saint Paul converse as if he were in heaven faith made the estate to come present and hope which is grounded on faith it lookes to Christs comming to change our vile bodies so faith and hope they make the soule looke upward they make it heavenly minded Our soules are dull and our bodies are dull in this world but as Iron if it be touched with a Load stone up it will so if wee get faith and hope to looke foreward what shall be done to us for the time to come the spirit of faith and hope if it touch the soule will carry our dull bodies and our dead soules upward Therefore let us cherish our faith and hope by often meditation of the blessed estate to come and thinke of these two things of the excellent estate of our bodies and soules then for if our bodies shall then be glorious like the body of Christ our soules much more the inhabitant which is the speciall part the soule shall be much more glorious Let us thinke oft of this glory as it is described in the Word it transcends our thoughts wee cannot thinke high enough of it and our interest and assurance of it And daily search our selves whether our hope be good or no that we have sound evidence that our title is good to glory Let us examine our selves by those signes I named before Where are our desires what worke hath the Spirit of God in us how doe we use these bodies of ours As we use them now wee must looke they shall be used hereafter Let our tongues be our glory now and they shall be glorâ—…ous tongues afterward to praise God in heaven their bodies that have beene glorious here shall be glorious in heaven Wee may read our estate to come by that we are here those that carry themselves basely and filthily and dishonourably here we may know what will become of them hereafter Let us oft thinke of the estate
consists other creatures wanting understanding to discerne a better good out of then in themselves their life being their good desire only the continuance of their owne beeing without society and fellowship with others But man having the knowledge of God the Creator of heaven and earth but especially of God the Redeemer providing for him a second beeing better then his first understandeth that his best and chiefest good dependeth more in him then in himselfe and because his happinesse standeth in acquaintance and fellowship with this God which is the chiefe good he desireth a communion with him that he may partake of his good This communion and fellowship of man with God was first founded on a Covenant of workes made with Adam in Paradise if he did obey and did not eat of the forbidden fruit he should have life both for himselfe and his posterity the which Covenant because God would not have forgotten hee afterward renewed in the delivery of the ten Commandements requiring from man obedience to them in his owne person exactly at all times perpetually promising life on the obedience and threatning death and cursing if hee continued not in every thing the law required to doe But this fellowship being placed in mans owne freedome and having so weake a foundation he lost both himselfe and it so that now by the first Covenant of workes Adam and all his posterity are under a curse for we cannot fulfill the law that requireth personall obedience perfect obedience and exact obedience hee that continueth not in all is cursed The Law then findeth us dead and killeth us it findeth us dead before and not onely leaves us dead still but makes us more dead Now after this fall mans happinesse was to recover againe his communion and fellowship with God and therefore we must have a new Covenant before wee can have life and comfort God must enter into new conditions with us before wee can have any communion with him God therefore loving man doth after the breach of the first agreement and Covenant when Adam had lost himselfe by his sinne and was in a most miserable plight as ever creature was in the world falling from so great a happinesse into wondrous misery hee raysed him up and comforted him by establishing a second a new and better Covenant laying the foundation of it in the blessed seed of the woman Christ the Messiah who is the ground of this new Covenant and so of our communion and fellowship with God without whom there can be no intercourse betweene God and us in love and because this Covenant vvas almost forgotten therefore now in Abrahams time God renewed it to Abraham in this place I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee c. There are foure periods of time of renevying this Covenant first from Adam to Abraham and in those first times of the vvorld those that were under the Covenant vvere called the sonnes and daughters of God the children of the promise and the covenant of grace was called a promise of the blessed seed Secondly from Abraham to Moses and then it was called a covenant and they the children of the covenant I will establish my Covenant A covenant is more then a promise and a more solemne thing because there be Ceremonies The third period of renewing the covenant of grace was from Moses to Christ and then it was more cleare when as to the covenant made with Abraham who was sealed with the Sacrament of Circumcision the Sacrament of the Pascall Lambe was added and all the Sacrifices Leviticall and then it was called a Testament that differeth a little from a Covenant for a Testament is established by blood it is established by death so was that but it was onely with the blood and death of Cattle sacrificed as a Type But now to Christs time to the end of the world the covenant of grace is most cleare of all and it is now usually called the new Testament being established by the death of Christ himselfe and it differs from a Covenant in these respects First a Testament indeed is a covenant but something more it is a covenant sealed by death the Testator must die before it can be of force so all the good that is conveyed to us by the Testament it is by the death of the Testator Christ Gods covenant with us now is such a covenant as is a Testament sealed with the death of the Testatour Christ for without blood there is no redemption without the death of Christ there could be no satisfaction and without satisfaction there could be no peace with God Secondly a Testament bequeatheth good things meerely of love it giveth gifts freely A covenant requireth some thing to be done in a Testament there is nothing but receiving the Legacies given In covenants ofttimes it is for the mutuall good one of another but a Testament is meerely for their good for whom the Testament is made to whom the Legacies are bequeathed for when they are dead what can they receive from them Gods Covenant now is such a Testament sealed with the death of Christ made out of love meerely for our good for what can God receive of us all is legacies from him and though hee requireth conditions requireth faith and obedience yet he himselfe fulfilleth what he asketh giveth what he requireth giveth it as a Legacie as we shall see afterward Thus you see that the communion and fellowship of man with God must either be by a covenant of workes or by a covenant of grace And we must distinguish exactly betweene these two covenants and the periods of them When the covenant of workes was disanuled by ours sinnes because we could not fulfill the Law exactly and perpetually God will have a new Covenant if wee beleeve in Christ we shall have everlasting life Now if wee sticke to the one we must renounce the other if it be of faith it is not of workes and if it be of workes it is not of faith This was excellently signified by Ioshua and Moses Ioshua bringeth the people to Canaan and not Moses Moses doth not bring any to heaven it must be Ioshua the Type of the true Jesus that must bring them through Iordan to Canaan This was typified also in the Arke there was the Law the Covenant of workes in the Arke but the propitiatory the Mercy-seate was above the Arke above the Law and from thence God made all his Answers to signifie to us that we can have nothing to doe with the Law without the Propitiatory Christ is the Propitiatory the Mercy-seate in Christ God heareth us he makes all his Answers in the Propitiatory Christ. Therefore when the question is of salvation how wee have title to heaven Not by the merit of workes for then we reverse the Covenant of grace but our title is meerely by Gods mercy in Christ apprehended by faith The evidence indeed to prove our faith to be a true faith is from
workes but the title we have is onely by Christ onely by grace Here we must appeale from Sinai to Sion from the Law to the Gospell from Moses to Christ we must flie with Ioab to the homes of the Altar that must be our refuge flie to Christ in the Covenant of grace and wee shall not be pulled from thence as Ioab was from the Altar there let us live and die Remember I say that the Covenant of grace is distinct in the whole kind from the Covenant of workes yet this They are both in the Church and both taught one subordinate to the other As thus The Covenant of workes is taught to shew us our failing that seeing our owne disability to performe what the Law requireth we may be forced to the new Covenant of grace And therefore saith Paul By the Law I am dead to the Law It is an excellent speech by the Law I am dead to the Law by the Covenant of workes I am dead to the Covenant of workes that is by the Lawes â—…acting of me exact and perpetuall obedience in thought word and deed I come to see that I cannot fulfill it and therefore am dead to the Law that is I looke for no salvation for no title to heaven by that and therefore he saith the Law was added for transgression why was the Law added to the promise of salvation by Christ made here to Abraham why was the Covenant of workes added in the wildernes afterwards it was for transgression to increase the sense of transgression that wee by the Law might see what we should doe and what we have not done and that we are by that come under a curse and so might flie to the promise of grace in Christ. I have stood the longer in the clearing of this because it is a maine point But to come to that which I specially intend the words as I said before containe therenewing of this blessed and gracious agreement betweene God and man to Abraham the father of the faithfull I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee The words you see containe a Covenant and here are all things all the Articles and circumstances that agree to any Covenant whatsoever Here are the parties both that makes the Covenant and that are covenanted with Here is the substance of the Covenant and the qualities of the Covenant and the condition of the Covenant The party making the Covenant is God I will be thy God God is the party covenanting God indeed is both the party covenanting and the substance of the Covenant I will be a God to thee they fall both together in one It is a most sweet signe of Gods great love that he will stoope so low as to make a Covenant with us to be our God to be himselfe all in all to us For consider but both these parties God and we the Creator and the creature the immortall God and mortall man the glorious God and dust and afhes the holy God and sinfull-man the great King of heaven and earth and Rebels and traytours as wee are For him to condescend so low as to make a Covenant with us to enter into Termes and Articles of agreement with us it is a wondrous signe of his gracious mercy and love what can we but hope for from so gracious a God But I shall have occasion to touch that afterward The parties covenanted with are Abrahamâ—…d â—…d his seed his seede by promise The substance of the Covenant is I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee The qualities of the Covenant are first it is a sure Covenant I will establish my Covenant Secondly it is an everlasting Covenant I will establish my Covenant for an everlasting Covenant Thirdly it is a peculiar Covenant I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee and thy seed that is onely betweene me and thee and thy seed not with the refuse of the world but onely with thy seed by promise onely beleevers whether Iewes or Gentiles Fourthly it is a most free Covenant it was made to Abraham whom God called out of Vr of the Chaldees out of an idolatrous nation out of an idolatrous family Even as it was at the first most freely made to Adam in Paradise when he was in a most desperate estate when he was as low as hell in a manner ready to sinke into de spaire then the Seede of the woman was promised so here it was freely made to good Abraham First the love of God was free to him when he call'd him being an idolatour and then it was freely renewed afterward when hee was good as wee shall see anon And lastly It is a Covenant consisting most of spirituall things it is a spirituall covenant I meane especially promising spirituall favours although the other things as appendices of the maine are likewise meant For after that the covenant was made to Abraham and his posterity they endured many afflictions after the promise was renewed to Iacob wee know hee fled from his brother Esau to whom the Covenant of grace was not made and yet of Esau presently came Duke such a one and Duke such a one and poore Iacob was faine to flie for his life in regard of the promise So that I say it must be specially of spirituall blessings These are the qualities of the Covenant It is a sure an everlasting a peculiar and a most free Covenant ayming specially at spirituall things And then lastly you have the condition of the Covenant and that though it is not exprest yet it is implyed I will be thy God and the God of thy seede therefore thou shalt take me for thy God carry thy selfe to me as to thy God c. It is usuall in other places of Scripture where mention is made of this Covenant to imply the condition required on our parts sometimes both the Covenant and condition are mentioned together as in Zach. 13. last I will say saith God It is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God the one springeth from the other when God is a God to any he makes the heart to answer thou shalt be my God and I will be thine alwayes This is the condition on our part that we make with God in this Covenant to take him for our God to be his people and his pecuilar ones I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Though these words I will be a God to thee and to thy seed be the last words of the Text yet being the substance of the Covenant I thinke it shall be best to speake of that before I speake of the qualities of the Covenant or any thing else I will be thy God This is the Covenant in the Messiah but first what is it to be a God I answer To be a God take it in
miserable creatures are all such when they shall say friends have forsaken me wealth hath forsaken me and health hath forsaken me terrours lay hold upon me the wrath of God hath over-taken me but they cannot say God is my God oh such are in a miserable case in a fearefull estate indeed nay suppose they have all these suppose they could say they have a vvorld of riches they have inheritances they have friends c. yet if they cannot say God is my God all is vanity the whole man is this to have God to be our God this is the whole man to feare God keep his Commandements Eccles. 1â—… lâ—…st If a man have all the world and have not God for his God all is but vanity and vexation of spirit never rest therefore till wee can proove our selves to be in the Covenant of grace till we can say God is my God But secondly when wee have found God to be our God then make this use of it a use of resolution is God my God then I will resolve to please him though all creatures bee against me this was their resolution in the 4. Micah Every Nation walketh in the name of his God but we will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever resolve with Ioshuah and others to please God whosoever saith the contrarie to walke after the Commandements of God whatsoever others do or say In all discouragements from men or Devils let us set this as a buckler God is my God Arme our selves with resolution against all feares and threatnings of men of men of terrour against the Arme of flesh they say they will doe this and this I but God is my God all that they doe they must doe in his strength Arme our selves with this against the power and gates of hell feare not the Devill if wee feare man or Devill more then God feare them so as to doe any thing to displease God we make them God If our conscience rightly tells us that what is to be done by us is the will and command of God and that herein I serve God wee need not feare any opposer but oppose this as an Armour of proofe against all creatures against all discouragements whatsoever And certainely experience telleth us and approoveth it to be true that nothing can dismay a man that doth things in conscience to God and knowes God will beare him out in it though not from danger in this world and yet for the most part he doth that too those that are the stoutest men for God are oftentimes most safe alwayes freed from inward dejection yet God disposeth of it so as that he that keepes a good conscience shall alwayes be a King and rule over the world and therein hee performes his promise whatsoever discouragements hee endureth outwardly yet no discouragement can cast downe that soule that lookes to God In his conscience hee knowes that he takes God to be his that hee serveth him and that it shall goe well with him at last that God will be Alsufficient to him and this rayseth him above all makes him rule and raign over his enemies and be a terror to those that doe him hurt Againe if God be our God then let this stop all base and covetous desires after earthly things if God be our portion why should we grapple too much after the world then what need we cracke our consciences and breake our peace for the mucke of the world is not God our portion is he not rich enough is not hee Lord of heaven and earth hath not hee promised that hee will not faile us nor forsake us I am thy exceeding great reward saith God to Abraham is not this enough what doth Satan for us when hee getteth us to crack our consciences by griplenesse after earthly things hee promiseth thou shalt have this and that but I will take God from thee as he did Adam in Paradise thou shalt have an Apple but thou shalt loose thy God All his solicitations to base and earthly courses tend to nothing else but to take God from us Now when God is our God and he hath promised to be our portion let it be sufficient for us let us not for the displeasing of him take any condition from Satan or the world upon any termes Againe if so be wee know this for a truth that God is our God then let it be a use of exhortation to stir us up to keep and maintaine and cherish acquaintance and familiarity with him as it is in Iob. 22. Acquaint thy self with God if we be acquainted with him now hee will be acquainted with us in time of sorrow in the houre of death therefore cherish acquaintance with him wheresoever wee may meete with God be there much bee much in aring inreceiving the Sacrament in praying to him and making our suits known to him in all our necessities be much in the society of Saints God hath promised to be there therefore cherish the society of all that are good what a friendly course doth God take with us he seekes for our acquaintance and therefore giveth us his Ordinances the Word and Sacraments sendeth his messengers the good motions of his Spirit to our hearts to leave the world and vanities of it to make us out of love with bad courses and joyne with him in friendship and familiarity oh let us make use of these blessed meanes checke not these good motions but yeeld unto them and obey them grieve them not the Spirit is sent to make God and us friends who were enemies grieve not the Spirit entertaine his motions that we may be acquainted with God But doe we doe so truly no indeed if God will be our God to save us and let us live in our swearing and lying and deceiving and in other base courses wee would be content with him upon these tearmes but to be our God so that wee must serve him and love him and feare him and joy in him above all and have nothing in the world without his favour then let him take his favour to himselfe wee will have none of it though men speak it not with their mouths to the world yet the inward speech of their hearts is to this purpose if wee must bee the people of God upon these tearmes to renounce our pleasures and profits let him bee a God to whom he will for us if he will save us then welcome his favour we will bee glad of his acquaintance otherwise we will have none of it what is the speech of the world but this these men when they shall at the day of judgement clayme acquaintance with God and say Lord Lord open to us wee have knowne thee in the streetes c. what will God say depart from me you workers of iniquity I know you not you were acquainted with me indeed outwardly in the ministery of my word but you kept not an inward and spirituall familiarity with me in my
seed shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed That 's the fundamentall promise all other promises the promise of the Land of Canaan the promise of the multiplying his seed as the starres of Heaven they were all but accessary this is the grand promise in thy seed in Christ shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed So it is a sure Covenant because it is established in the Messiah Christ God-man And Christ being God and man is fit to be the foundation of the Covenant betweene God and man for he is a friend to both parties as man hee will doe all that is helpefull for man and as God he will doe nothing that may derogate from God and so being God and being God and man he brings God and man together comfortably and sweetly and keepeth them together in a sure and firme agreement For first of all hee takes away the cause of division that was betweene God and us because by his sacrifice and obedience he did satisfie Gods wrath and that being satisfied God and us are at peace and friendship for God till then though he bee a fountaine of goodnesse yet he was a fountaine sealed the fountaine was stopped by sinne but when there is a satisfaction made by Christ and we believing on him the satisfaction of Christ is made ours it is a sure Covenant because it is established in Christ the blessed seed And as it is a sure Covenant so thirdly it is an everlasting Covenant I will make an everlasting Covenant with thee so it is set downe here Everlasting in these respects For when wee are in Christ and made one with him by faith hee having satisfied Gods wrath for us and made him peaceable then God is become our father and he is an everlasting father his love to us in Christ is like himselfe immutable For even as Christ when hee tooke upon him our nature he made an everlasting Covenant with our nature married our nature to himself for ever and never layeth aside his humaine nature so he will never lay aside his misticall body his Church As Christ is God-man for ever so misticall Christ the Church is his body for ever As Christ will not lose his naturall so he will not lose his misticall body I will marry thee to my selfe for ever saith God in the Prophet so then it is everlasting in respect of God hee being Immutable I am God saith he Mal. 3. 6. and I change not and Christ the foundation of the covenant is everlasting And then againe it is everlasting in regard of us because if wee bee not wanting to our selves wee shall bee for evermore in Grace heere and in Glory for ever the fruites of Grace in us that is the work of the Spirit it is everlasting for howsoever the graces we have be but the first fruits of the spirit yet our inward man growes more and more till grace end in glory till the first fruits end in a harvest till the foundation bee accomplished in the building God never takes away his hand from his owne worke Everlasting also in regard of the body of Christians God makes a covenant with one and when they are gone with others alwayes God will have some in Covenant with him he will have some to be a God to when we are gon so long as the world continueth So that we see it is in every respect an everlasting covenant God is everlasting Christ is everlasting the graces of the spirit are everlasting When we are dead he will be a God unto us as it is said I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob their God when they were dead he is the God of our dust of our dead bodies he will raise them up for they are bodyes in Covenant with him I am the God of whole Abraham and not of a piece therefore his body shall rise againe It is an everlasting Covenant That is the third quality Lastly it is a peculiar Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seed All are not the children of Abraham but they that are of the faith of Abraham God is in Covenant only with those that answer him that take him for their God that are a peculiar people It is not glorying in the flesh but there must be somewhat wrought that is peculiar before we can be assured we are of Abrahams seed and in Covenant with God And we may know that we are Gods peculiar by some peculiar thing that wee can doe what peculiar thing canst thou doe to speak a little of that by the way thou lovest and art kind but saith Christ what peculiar thing canst thou doe A heathen man may be kind and loving but canst thou overcome revenge canst thou spare and doe good to thine enemies canst thou trust in God when all means faile what is the power of the spirit in thee doth it triumph in thee over thy naturall corruption canst thou doe as Abrams did hee left all at Gods command canst thou doe that if need should be canst thou leave children and wife and life and all at Gods command Canst thou sacrifice Isaac as he did canst thou more trust in the promise of God then in the dearest thing in the world yea then in thy own feeling of grace whatsoever is not God canst thou be content to be without canst thou relye upon God when he appeareth to be an angry God Abraham knew that there was more comfort in the promise than in Isaac if thou have comfort in the promise more than in any thing else then thou art one of Abrahams seed thou hast sacrificed thy Isaack never talke of Abraham else never thinke that thy portion is great in God be what thou wilt by profession if there be no particular thing in thee which is not in a naturall man if thou art covetous as gripple for the world as very a drudge in thy calling as licentious in thy course as carnall men are thou art none of Gods peculiar ones thou art none of Abrahams seed Gods people have somewhat peculiar that the world hath not It is a peculiar Covenant Thus you see the qualities of this Covenant it is a free Covenant a sure Covenant stablished in the blessed seed the Messiah it is an Everlasting Covenant and it is a peculiar Covenant To make some vse of this in a word Heere then you see is another Spring of blessed comfort opened to a Christian. If hee findeth God though this assurance bee little to be his God in regard of peculiar favours let him remember it is an everlasting favour his love is everlasting the foundation is everlasting the graces of the spirit are an everlasting spring alwayes issuing from Christ our head grace is never drawne dry in him God is our God to death and in death and for ever all things in the world will faile us friends will faile us all comforts will faile us life will faile us ere long but this