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
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
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
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
EVANGELICALL SACRIFICES In xix Sermons 1. Thankfull commemorations for Gods mercy in our great deliverance from the Papists powder-plot 2. The successefull seeker 3. Faith Triumphant 4. Speciall preparations to fit us for our latter end in foure Funerall Sermons 5. The faithfull Covenanter 6. The demand of a good Conscience 7. The sword of the wicked 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 The third Tome Published and perused by D. Sibbs owne appointment subscribed with his hand to prevent imperfect Copies after his decease ROMANS 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service 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 1640. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDVVARD Viscount MANDEVILL and his LADY ANNE his Pious Consort increase of GRACE Right Honourable A Pious Christian whilst upoÌ„ earth takes his time to doe his taske he is or would be all in grace and all to duty well knowing that the time is short the worke great the wages sure and that the best improvement of parts and talents will bring in the master the greatest advantage and himselfe the present and most lasting comforts This is the fruit of a well led life to advance God in glory and a Christian in comfort such as serve God in fulfilling his will must to heaven carry their graces with them enter into their masters joy if they be eminent in profession or publike in place leave behind them their example or some other monumeÌ„t to the world of their fidelity in their places happy such servants that can thus imploy their times and improve their talents This was the endeavour of that shining and burning lampe D. Sibbs the author of this work which I now make bold to present unto your Honours such holy and usefull truths were delivered by him in his life time that the judicious conceive may prove very profitable unto the Church being published after his death I conceive thus of the man what he did in his ministery in publike or in his conference in private it was done aptly pithily and profitably his art was to hide his art to say much in few words he did not desire to cloud his matter from his hearers or to walk so long about any one text till errors were vented or his auditors tired you shall find him to be himselfe one constant to his own principles al along the treatise here you have no new errors broached or old truths deserted but opened maintained and honoured the glory of teachers expectation of hearers and recompence of readers Having found this to bee your Honours honour and let it still be to content your selves with humble knowledge cordial respect vitall expressions of received truths that you are not in number with those that change their judgments and I feare their religion as they do their frinds and fashions being coÌ„stant in inconstancie and that with you it is not truths for persons but persons for truth I doubt not the admittance of these Sermons unto your respect patronage my only request is that as the authour did honour you so these labours of his now made publike may bee as so many divine beames holy breathings and celestiall droppings to raise up your spirits to hate the dominion of the Beast to helpe forward the ruine of mysticall Jericho and all other Vnprosperous buildings and builders that you may become Successefull seekers gayning faith Triumphant to acquaint you with the Hidden life that at length you may obtaine the redemption of your bodies knowing that Balaams wish is not enough unles the faithfull Covenanter take you into covenant with himselfe this alone yeelding to you the demand of a good conscience which shall bee your defence against the Sword of reproach These I leave with you and you with God and rest Your Honours at command IOHN SEDGVVICK To the Reader SO precious the remembrance should be of GODS thoughts of mercy to us-ward when he delivered us from that hellish plot of the Gunpouder Treason that if there were nothing else to commend this Treatise to us the first Sermons here presented to us which were preached upon that occasion may justly procure it a ready and hearty welcome When GOD workes such wonders for a Church and people as that was it is not enough to praise GOD for the present and to rejoyce greatly in the great salvation He hath wrought for them yea the more a people are in such a case affected for the present the more inexcusable they must needs be if afterward they slight and disregard it and that because their former joy prooves they were throughly convinced of the greatnesse of the mercy and so discovers their following ingratitude to bee the more abominable whence it was that when Ionathan put his Father Saul in mind how David killed Goliah and thereby had wrought a great deliverance for them to the end he might no longer seeke his ruine that had beene the meanes of so much good to GODS people withall hee wished him to consider that he himselfe stood by an eye-witnesse of that Noble exployt of Davids and was then mightily affected with joy when he saw that formidable Gyant fall under his hand Thou sawest it sayth he and did'st rejoyee 1 Sam. 19. 5. intimating how inexcusable it would be if he should forget that deliverance concerning which himselfe had beene so wondrously affected when it was done As therfore we have great cause to bewaile the generall decay of mens thankfulnesse for this great deliverance at â—…e first discovery of that cursed plot â—…r mouthes were filled with laughter and our tongue with singing all the Land over and every man could say The Lord hath done great things for us whereof wee are glad as Psal. 126. 2 3. and yet now scarce one amongst many is affected with it as in former times so have we also great cause to blesse GOD for the holy alarms of Gods Watchmen wherby they have endeavored to stirre up those that are fallen from their first joy and so amongst the rest for these of Reverend D. SIBBS the Author of them wherein he hath so feelingly set forth the misery of that Antichristian â—…ondage from which we were delivered 〈◊〉 that Deliverance that methinkes he â—…hat reades them with due care must â—…eeds find his heart rowsing up it selfe â—…s Deborah did Awake awake Deborah â—…wake awake utter a song Iudg. 5. 12. As for the other Sermons which in this third Tome be stiled Evangelicall Sacrifices which are published together with these you shall find them no lesse profitable then these though in divers other respects The most of them tend to fit Christians for their latter end a worke
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
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
God hath the supream power of life and death Then we must know againe that children â—…re part of their Parents God punisheth the parents in their children and it is a heavier punishment oft times in their esteeme then in themselves for they thinke to live and continue in their children now when they see their children tooke away it is worse then death men oft times live to see things worse â—…hen death as those that see their children killed before them as Zedechias and Mauritius the Emperour for indeed it is a death oft A man dies in every child this man hee died in his eldest son and he died in his youngest son he died in regard of the apprehension of death it was more sharpe in apprehension then when he died himselfe So it is a heavie judgement to be stricken in our children God when hee wil punish he punisheth oft times in posterity As we see it was the most terrible judgement of all upon Pharaoh that in his First-borne God drew them all to let Israel goe out when He smote their First-borne It is a heavie judgement for a man to be stricken in his First-born either when they are dissolute and debauch ed and lawlesse for God hath judgements for the soule as well as for the body or else when they are taken out of the world But thirdly which is very likely another reason that moved God that we may justifie God in all our sentence that we give of him hee tooke them away because they imitâ—… their father in ill and God hath a liberty 〈◊〉 strike when he will when there is cause and whom hee will he will spare for so many Generations You will say why doth he light on such 〈◊〉 Generation and why not on such a place It is his liberty and prerogative when 〈◊〉 deserve it and hee lights upon one and 〈◊〉 upon another we must not quarrel with God but leave him to his liberty it is a part of 〈◊〉 prerogative Who art thou oh man that disâ—…test Why God when all are equally 〈◊〉 strikes one and not another why he execâ—… judgements in one age and not in another there may bee reasons given of it but it is 〈◊〉 mysterie that must not be disputed but I cannot stand on these things Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne and in his youngest Sonne set up the Gates thereof This terrible sentence wee see executed 〈◊〉 1 King 16. 34. In Achabs time there was one so venterous as to build Iericho againe There is an accent to be set upon that that it was in Achabs time Hiel would needs build Iericho againe and why should hee build it Hiel no doubt saw it a wondrous commodious place to found a Citie being near to Iordan And then he saw and considered that it was accounted a famous thing to be founder of a â—…itie And then no doubt he thought that â—…hab would not only permit him to doe it but â—…ould gratifie him wicked Ahab which had â—…ld himselfe to worke wickednesse that was 〈◊〉 abhominable Idolater himselfe and counâ—…nanced Idolatry and had set up the false â—…orship of Bâ—…al it was likely enough in his â—…me that Iericho should bee built and thereâ—…ore no doubt but he did it partly to insinuate â—…imselfe with Ahab And to shew how little â—…e cared for Iosua's or Iehova's threatning as â—…sually such impudent persons that are grown up with greatnesse that have sold themselves to be naught that have put off all humanity and modesty they are fittest to carry wicked and desperate causes being agreeable to them so this wicked person was a fit man to doe this and he thought to please Ahab by it Man is a strange creaâ—…ure especially in greatnesse of riches or place c. A piece of earth that will be puffed up if he have flatterers and sycophants about him and a proud heart withall hee will forget and dare the God of heaven and trample under foot all threatnings and menaces whatsoever As this wicked Hiel rather then he will misse of his will hee will breake through thick and thin and redeeme the fulfilling of his will with the losse of his owne soule and of his children his First-borne and his last and all Mens mihi pro regno let a man be happy in his will hee cares not for all the world if he may have his will 〈◊〉 all goe upon heapes this is the nature of maâ—… One would thinke that this threatning mighâ—… have scarred a man that had loved himselfe 〈◊〉 his posterity but nothing would keepe hiâ—… hee would venture upon it as wee see in 〈◊〉 place 1 King 16. Thus wee have passed ovâ—… the words To come to handle the words by way of Analogie how they may agree to other thingâ—… by way of proportion and in a spirituall mysticall sense There are divers degrees of men that venter upon curses and thereupon grow to be cursed themselves even as this man ventered upon the building of Iericho so there be many thaâ—… doe the like in a proportionable kind I shall name some few God did determine that the Iewish Ceremonies should determine and have an end and period Now in Saint Pauls time there were many that would put life into them and joyne them with the Gospel Saint Paul tels them Christ shall profit you nothing Those are they that build Iericho againe that revive and put life into that that God hath determined should never revive againe When the Iewish Ceremonies were honourably interred and laid in their graves these men would raise them out of their graves againe and so venter upon Gods curse and bee excluded from Christ. These are one sort of men that raise Iericho againe And so afterwards in the Church â—…here were those that would build up Iericho â—…hat would still retaine Iewish Ceremonies â—…nd Heathenish in the Church and some at the â—…irst with no ill minds But then afterwards as Augustine complaines they so pestered the Church with Iewish and Heathenish Ceremonies that the Iewes condition was better then theirs for these things should have beene buried Gerson that had many good things in him though he lived in ill times Oh saith he good Augustine Dost thou complaine of those times what wouldest thou have said if thou hadst lived now What is Popery but a masse of Iewish and heathenish Ceremonies besides some Blasphemies that they have I speake concerning what they differ from ours which are decent and orderly what a masse of Ceremonies and fooleries have they to mislead men that are taken away with fancies to distaste the truth of God and to have respect to fancies to outward pompe and gorgeous things rather then the Gospel These men build up Iericho againe and bury the Gospel as much as they can There are another sort of men that raise up Iericho that revive all the heresies that were damned to Hell by the ancient Councels The heresie of
nature so wee make our selves twise dead a hundred times dead by sinne and bring curse upon curse by our sinfull conversation wee are then under Gods broad seale cursed Wee are all borne accursed til we get out of the state of nature to free us from which Christ became a curse if wee get not out of this but goe on and feed our vanity and corruption what will bee the end of it but an eternall cursr afterwards Therefore let us consider what we doe when we maintaine and cherish corruptions and abuses in our selves and others We build that that God hath cursed wee build that that wee have vowed against our selves And how will God take this at the houre of death thou that art a carelesse drowsie hearer of the word of God and a liver contrary to the word of God how will God take this at thee at the houre of death when thy conscience will tell thee that thy life hath beene a practise of sin a strengthning of corruption The old Adam that thou hast cherished it will stare and looke on thee with so hideous a looke that it will drive thee to despaire For conscience will tell thee that thy life hath bin a strengthning of pride of vanity of covetousnesse and of other sins thy whole life hath beene such and now when thou shouldst looke for comfort then thy corruptions which thou shouldest have subdued they are growne to that pitch that they will bring thee to despaire without the extraordinary mercy of God to awaken thy heart by repentance Why therefore should we strengthen that that is a curse and will make us cursed too and will make the time to come terrible to us the houre of death and the day of judgement How shall men thinke to hold up their faces and heads at the day of judgement whose lives have beene nothing else but a yielding to their owne corruption of nature and the corruptions and vanities of the times and places they have lived in that have never had the courage to plead for God that have beene fierce against God Who ever was fierce against God and prospered When men make their whole life fierce against God against the admonitions of his word and Spirit and their whole life is nothing but a practise of sinne how can they thinke of death and judgement without terrour Now it were wisedome for us to carry our selves so in our lives and conversations that the time to come may not bee terrible but comfortable to thinke of that wee may lift up our heads with joy when wee thinke of death and judgement but when we doe nothing but build Iericho when we raise up sin that wee should ruine more and more what will the end of this be but despaire here and destruction in the world to come You may shake off the menaces and threatnings of the Ministers as Hiel shooke off Iâ—…suah's he was an austere singular man and it is a long time since Iericho was cast downe and God hath forgotten hath hee so hee found that God had not forgotten So there are many that thinke that words are but wind of men opposite to such and such things but though our words may bee shooken off now and the word of God now in the preaching may be shooke off yet it will not when it comes to execution When wee propound the curse of God against sinfull courses you may shake off that curse but when Christ from Heaven shall come to judge the quick and the dead and say Goe yee cursed that were borne cursed that have lived cursed that have maintained a cursed opposition to blessed courses that have not built up your owne salvation but your corruptions you that loved cursing Goe yee cursed to Hell fire with the Devill and his Angels for ever will you shake off that No no howsoever our ministeriall in râ—…aties may be shaken off yet when God shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that eternall threatning shall not be shaken off Therefore I beseech you consider not so much what wee say now but what God will make good then What wee bind on earth cut of the warrant of Gods booke Shall be bound in Heaven and God will say Amen to that wee say agreeable to his word Thinke not light of that wee speake for God will make good every word hee is Iehovah he will give being to every word Hee is not only mercie but justice we make an Idol of him else and wee must feaâ—…e him in his justice He loves to dwell with such as are of a contrite Spirit that tremble at his word It is said of David that when Vzzah was stricken he trembled Hiel and such kind of persons regard not the threatnings of God but goe on and treasure up wrath It is a signe of a wicked man to heare the menaces and threatnings and not to tremble To end all with two places of Scripture saith Moses He that heares these things and blesseth himselfe my wrath shall smoke against him Gods wrath shall smoake and burne to hell against such a one as blesseth himselfe that knowes he is cursed under the seale of God that doth ill and yet hee blesseth himselfe in doing ill therefore take heed of that adde not that to the rest Gods wrath will smoake against such a one And you know what Saint Paul saith Rom. 2. If thou goe on and treasureup wrath thou buildest Iericho that thou hast vowed the destruction of Every time thou takest the Communion thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath For there will be a day of the manifestation of the just wrath of God and then these things will be laid to thy charge Let us every one labour to get out of the state of nature to breake off our wicked lives and to get into Christ the blessed seed and then we shall be blessed we shall be made free free from the curse of nature and of sin Let us renew our Covenants against all sinne and make conscience to bee lead by the Spirit of Christ that wee may gather sound Evidence every day that wee are in Christ and so out of the Curse THE SVCCESSEFVLL SEEKER In tvvo Sermons on PSALME 27. 8. 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 CHRON. 16. 11. Seeke yee the Lord and his strength seeke his face continually 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 Successefull SEEKER PSAL. 27. 8. When thou saidst seeke yee my face my Heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seeke IN the former Verse David begins a prayer to God Heare oh Lord have mercy upon me and answer mee This Verse is a ground of that prayer Seeke yee my face saith GOD the heart answers againe Thy face
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
acknowledge that they have Our covetousnesse and greedinesse of that that wee have not and yet would have it makes us that wee doe not see that we have already Wee all looke forward wee would have more and more and are not thankefull for the present grace The Patriarchs were not so they wanted many things that they desired heartily to have and yet they comforted themselves and died in faith though they did not receive the promises They saw them afarre off They saw them afarre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them c. This is the order of Gods spirit first to open the eye to see and by sight to perswade and upon perswasion to stirre up the heart and affections to imbrace for good things are brought into the soule through the understanding by the spirituall sight of the understanding and from that into the will and affections by imbracing the things wee know this is GODS course daily therefore he saith they first saw them and then were perswaded of them and then imbraced them They see them afarre off Indeed they saw them a farre off they were not fulfilled till many yeares and generations after yet they see them By what eye By the eye of faith faith makes things present though in themselves they be farre off It is the nature of faith to make things that are absent to be present to the believing soule and it affects the soule somewhat as if it were present Wee know things worke not upon the soule but as present a danger that is many yeares to come it affects not the soule unlesse it be apprehended as present nothing affects the soule but as present Now there are two wayes of things being present One is when the things themselves be present that is when we shall be in heaven and enjoy Christ and all the joyes of heaven then the things are present themselves And then there is a presence of faith when faith apprehends the things promised to us as present faith makes the things present in somesort not in all respects for then faith were all one with vision and possession but in regard of certainty they are present and in regard of sound comfort therefore God gives other graces betweene faith and possession to strengthen and enable faith that it doe not sinke in the worke between faith and the full possession of the good things we believe we have patience and hope and many other sweete graces but all dispose the soule comfortably to waite for the accomplishment of the things beleeved Now though the presence of faith affect not so much as the presence of sight yet it doth affect What is the reason that a holy man is so much affected with heavenly things hee feeles no more joy many times than a wicked man It is the nature of faith that so represents them to him and sets before his eyes the excellencie of the things that hee sees them as present Faith hath her eye faith hath her sences faith hath feete of her owne whereby shee goes to Christ faith hath armes of her owne to graspe and to claspe Christ. Faith hath eares of her owne to heare the word of God and believe it faith hath eyes of her owne and what kinde of eyes to seethings afarre off to see things invisible to see things within the vayle to see things that are upward things that sence and reason can never reach unto Reason sees more then sence but faith sees more than reason Faith sees the resurrection of the body faith sees the glory in heaven that all the eyes in the world cannot see Faith correcteth the errour of reason reason corrects the errour of sense They saw him afarre off with the blessed eye of faith Faith hath an eye that sees a farre off it sees things remote both intime and place It sees things farre off inplace faith sees things in heaven it sees Christ there it sees our place provided for us there it sees God reconciled there by it we see our selves there because we shall be there ere long faith sees all this it breakes through and looks through all it hath most piercing beames the eye 〈◊〉 faith And it workes in an instant it goes 〈◊〉 heaven in a moment and sees Christ. And for distance of time the eye of faith it sees things past and things to come It seeâ—… things past it sees the creation of the â—…ld it sees the redemption of us by Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 sees our sinnes there punished in Christ our suâ—…ety it sees us crucified with Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 sees all discharged by him Faith seeâ—… 〈◊〉 the Sacrament when we take the bread 〈◊〉 hath recourse presently to the breaking of 〈◊〉 body of Christ and the shedding of the bloâ—… of Christ. Then Christ is crucifyed 〈◊〉 us 〈◊〉 dies to us when we believe Christ was 〈◊〉 fied for us and died for us faith makes it present And so for the time to come faith hath 〈◊〉 eye that lookes a farre off it sees the resuâ—…ction of the body and life everlasting 〈◊〉 sees the generall judgement it sees eternall happinesse in heaven it sees things afarâ—… oâ—… It is the Evidence of things not seene What is the reason of it It makes things not otherwise seene be seene and presently seene it gives a being to things It is a strange power that faith hath faith is the eye of the sanctified soule it is the light of the soule In the darke though things have a coloâ—… and a lustre in them yet till light coâ—…e to make them cleare they are all as if they 〈◊〉 not they are not seene but when the light discovers them then those things that were impossible to bee seene and had in them collour and lustre they come to be actually seene So it is wiâ—…h faith there is the happinesse of a Christian there is glory and grace reason it seeth not this here is a night of all these things if there be not light in the eye of faith now when there comes the promise of God as a light discovering them and the eye of faith to see all this then here is an evidence of the things a cleare sight of them which without faith are as excellent things in the night that no eye can see Faith is a further light a light beyond all a supernaturall heavenly light and sight it sees beyond all other eyes beyond the eye of the body or beyond the other eye of the soule which is reason Now this worke of faith is called sight among other respects for this that sight is the most capacious and comprehending sence it apprehends its object quickly and sight it works upon the affections so faith hath a quick eye sight it pierceth through the darke things of the world it pierceth through contraries Gods children though they see their estate oft times contrary to the promise as if God did not regard them yet they breake through
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
of them therfore they are contented and thankfull if they find better for what can a stranger looke for but strange usage in a strange place And therefore we see in Scripture how thankfull they were even for refreshings for meate and drinke our Saviour Christ was knowne by breaking of bread he used to be thankfull In all things give thanks They saw the favour and love of GOD in a crum of bread and in a drop of refreshing in any kind oh here is a blessed God that hath given us these comforts in the way The Saints of GOD are wondrous thankefull for the comforts of their pilgrimage the comforts of this life And this should make us more thankfull because all mens pilgrimages are not alike 〈◊〉 do we not see the life of some more cumber some some live in a great deale of want some live in a great deale of opposition more than others do others goe in a smoothâ—… way to heaven God sees his childrens weakenes he sees they have not strength and if in pittie he keepes them that they shall not encoâ—… with opposition but lead them a better way then others it is speciall matter of thankfulnesse to God and men too He that is a stranger he is glad of any good company oh if he meete with a man of his owne countrie hee is a man alone for him so it is with a Christian that walkes in the way to heaven with him hee is comforted much in it A stranger hee hath his prime intention home to his country and what he doth in the way it is in vertue of his prime intention though he doth not in every particular action that he doth thinke of it A travailer when he rides on the way he doth not think of home in every step I but he doth that that he doth in vertue of his prime intention when he first set out and calls to remembrance oft times as he goes home he thinkes of his jouâ—…es and by the way I observe this note of some weake Christians that thinke they are not heavenly minded except they doe nothing but think of heaven and heavenly things that is but a weake and â—…lly conceit It should be our thought in the morning our thoughts should open with that it should be the key to open the morning the thought of this course what will become of us ere long in heaven but then all that we doe should be in vertue and strength of that prime intention to please God and to go to heaven though we think not alway of the present businesse yet it is good as much as may bee to quicken our indeavour And hence it is that there is another propertie of a stranger that is going to a place perhaps he may step out of the way yet not withstanding by vertue of his first intention he gathers himselfe home-ward againe if he take other matters in hand he gathers home still though he go out of his way in he comes he considers this is not my way So a child of God sometimes he diverts and turnes aside yet notwithstanding he considers doth this way lead to God ward to heaven ward be these actions Christian actions are they the way to heaven if he see they be not though he have stepped awrie he comes in again and is gathering homeward Though he may perhaps forget himselfe a little a traveller yet his bent is homewards So a Christian man though perhaps in some particular he may forget himselfe yet he is alway gathering home his bent is home and his course is godly Take a Christian perhaps he may step awrie but his course is godly and hee labours to recover himselfe and if a traveller stay at any time by the way he makes amends afterwards by making more hast So doth a Christian if we consider him with his affections loose to good things yet he recovers himselfe againe and sets upon religious actions and courses with more violence of spirit and recovers his former losse againe A traveller and stranger he provides before hand for all incumbrances he knows though he meete not with troubles yet he may therfore he will be sure to goe with weapons and he will goe with that that may sustaine him by the way Religion teacheth a man to gather out of the word of GOD comforts before hand and munition before hand to carry with him put the case he never use them he may have cause to use them and then if he have them noâ—… what will become of him he lies open to adversaries by the way Therefore there is a spirit in a Christian an instinct that stirres him up he will be reading the word of God and good books and hearing the word this I may have use of at such a time this I will lay up for such an occasion put the case that such an occasion come not hee looseth nothing he seasoneth his soule in the mean time and prepares it for worse things if worse come Woe to those that have not layd up strength and comfort against evill times before hand If a man goe to sâ—…a and be not provided before hand if he take a journey and be not provided before hand then when a storme comes what a case is he in It pleaseth God to teach us by these resemblances heavenly things therefore because they are fit means to convay holier things unto us it is good to take this help that God affords us considering that he shewes us by these shaddowes better things When we travaile and are going on in our journey towards heaven it is good to consider higher things it is a good meditation therefore to goe on a little further A traveller and stranger is inquisitive of the way whether he be in the way or out of the way he askes not at randome that doth not content him whether hee goe West or North or South or East it doth not content him to aske where lies my country Eastward c No but hee will aske the particular townes and particular turnings and windings how he may avoyd going out of his way and which is the right way and he will aske upon every occasion because he knowes if he goe but a little out of his way it will bee a long time ere he shall recover it and he will be ashamed to come backe againe and the more he goes out of the way the more trouble it is to come backe againe So it is with a Christian he doth not only desire to know in generall but he desires to have daily direction what shall I doe in such a case of conscience and in such a case how shall I overcome such a temptation if I meete with it And so he is willing to have daily direction how to walke with God day by day that he goe not out of his way in any thing For even as every step that a man takes is a part of his journey so every
action of a mans life it is a part of his journey to heaven and therefore he is willing to have direction for every step that he may walke step upon step upon good ground therefore he goes upon good grounds of a good conscience in the duties of Christianity he wil have sound conviction what is good and what is true in religion what religion is true that he may venture his soule upon and what use he may make of his particular calling what hee may doe with a safe conscience and what not and what he may not doe that he will not meddle with and what is cleare to his conscience that he will doe So every step he takes though it be in his particular calling it helpes him forward As Saint Paul saith in the Epistle to the Colossians of servants that they serve God in serving their master so a poore servant in his drudgery may serve God So in our ordinary professions we are in the way to heaven if they be sanctified by prayer before hand and do it in conscience and obedience to God that hath set us in this way There are two callings our generall and particular calling and we shew religion that is our generall calling in our particular calling as wee are placed in this or that calling and what we doe in either of these callings is the way to heaven Now the care of a Christian is that he be well advised what to doe and on what ground And even as a traveller considers of things by the way as they make to his end to further his journey or hinder his journey he looks to heaven as his country that he hopes for and therfore he doth not tangle himselfe with any more than may help him home if they hinder him once away they go if they may help him he takes them A Christian in his travaile in the way to heaven considers of things that may fall out by the way as they may help and further him to heaven If I find that things though they be indifferent in themselves if they trouble me in my way to heaven it may be they are not so to another but they are to me though another can do it yet I must consider whether I can do it and find my selfe inlarged to heaven as at other times if not away with it it is not indifferent to me because it hinders my journey to heaven A wise traveller will venture upon things and courses as they serve or hinder the maine though they bee things perhaps that hee cannot over-well spare yet if they trouble him in his journey off they go that he may be more expediâ—…e and right in his way I wonder at the boldnes of many that professe themselves religious and yet dare ven ture upon any thing Vndoubtedly if they did search their owne hearts they could not but say that such courses doe dead and dull them and make them forget religion that such company is not safe to keepe I find my selfe the worse by it why should I venture upon any thing that may stop and hinder or coole and dead me in my way to heaven If a man be wise he will consider of things as they help or hinder him to that As for sinnes whereof we are convicted it is the Apostles counsell Heb. 12. he puts it out of all question we must cast off all that burden that presseth downe c. A traveller will not have a burden upon him The sin that hangs so fast on we must labour to mortifie to kill our lusts and corruptions more and more and never leave till wee have cast them off these things are undenyable I spake before of things in themselves indifferent and to other men in different if they have a larger measure of wisdome but for corruptions and sins they fight against the soule they fasten us to the world therefore above all things wee must cast off them As Saint Peter saith excellently in 1 Pet. 2. I beseech you brethren as pilgrims and strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against your soules Insinuating that pilgrims and strangers should altogether abstaine from lusts from the cherishing of carnall lusts for these fight against the soule they fight against the comforts of the soule against the graces of the soule and against the eternall well being of the soule The more a man cherrisheth base lusts the more it damps his comforâ—… and grace and weakens his assurance of life everlasting they fight against all good in the soule therefore let us abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule That is cleare all confesse that But the other that I spake of before carefulnesse of things indifferent if we find them not so to us till we get more mastery of our selves we must even be carefull of our liberties and not give our selves those liberties that others doe if we find they hinder us in particular Yet with a secret concealing of it not to entangle the consciences of other men who perhaps may use those things with lesse hinderance then we doe A wise Christian will be warie in that kind If he find the things of the world to hinder him he will not have his heart eaten up with the world nor eaten out with lawful things being therefore to prepare for a better life and to do Gods busines he will only take the things of this life as they may make for a better life and be a furtherance of him to his home he winds home by all meanes he useth all advantages to come nearer to God and whatsoever hinders him he labours to avoyd Againe he that accounts himselfe a stranger here he doth not value himselfe by outward things saith teacheth a man when he is an heire of heaven not to value himselfe by earthly things he thinks himselfe a stranger in his owne house as David did though he were a King as I said every Christian is a stranger at home hee values not himselfe by his honours nor dignity nor by the things that hee hath here nor he doth not disvalue himselfe by poverty or disgrace he knowes he is a stranger he is going home therefore he values himselfe by that he hath at home Christians are Kings and heires they esteeme not or disesteeme of themselves by what they have here below they account them as things in the way that God gives them if they bee good to sweeten their pilgrimage if they be ill to sharpen their journey It is necessary that God should give them these things good things to sweeten their journey and if they loyter in their way to heaven then that they should have crosses to drive them homeward In all confusions in the world faith teacheth a man to stand as a man upon a rocke immoveable because he is a stranger if any thing fall out in the Citie or place where a stranger is he carries his owne Iewels and things about him and so goes
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
labour to get assurance of another a better country for what made these holy men confesse themselves strangers and pilgrims here They saw the promises a farre off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and in that measure they were assured of a better condition they carryed themselves as strangers and pilgrims here To wind up all in a word you see here their disposition I beseech you make this text your patterne to be molded into you see how these blessed men long agoe lived in faith when their light was lesse then ours is and they died in faith and will welcome us when we shall come to heaven we shall goe to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the rest of the Patriarchs and holy men It will bee a blessed time when all the blessed men that have gone before shall welcome us to heaven If we looke to be happy as they are we must live as they did and die as they did though we cannot so strongly as they did see that with the eye of faith that no eye else can see yet let us desire God to perswade us of these truths more strongly then the devill of our own lusts shall perswade us to the contrary let us desire God to set on his truths so strongly that all other things may not hinder us that we may imbrace them with our best affections of love of desire of contentment that we may witnesse all this by our demeanour to earthly things by our base esteem of them and carry our selves as pilgrims and strangers on earth If we do thus live in faith and die in faith we shal live with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven eternally FINIS THE HIDDEN LIFE In two Funerall Sermons upon COL 3. 3 4. 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 JOHN 3. 2. Beloved now yee are the Sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what wee shall bee 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 HIDDEN LIFE COLLOS 3. 3 4. For yee are dead your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shal yee also appeare with him in glory THE dependance of these words in a word is this The Apostle after he had laid the grounds of some Doctrines hee doth frame the building of a holy life and conversation It is in vaine to believe well unlesse a man worke accordingly hee that lives against his faith shall be damned as he that believes against it Thereupon in this Chapter hee comes to raise their affections to be Heavenly minded and stirres them up to subdue what soever is contrary to Heavenly mindednesse And because it is a duty of great moment to be heavenly minded and to subdue base affections he inserts weighty reasons betweene If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And among other reasons theâ—… 〈◊〉 this yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God And therupon he forceth seeking of the things that are above and the mortifying of earthly members For the duties of Christianity â—…e to be applyed two wayes to be heavenly affected to subdue that which is contrary to be heavenly minded to mortifie our earthly members Now how shall we doe both For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God c. You see the first proposition yee are dead with whom with Christ in God A Christian is dead many wayes He is dead to the law to the morall law he lookes not to have comfort and salvation by it by the law he is dead to the law and so flyes to Christ. A Christian is dead also to the ceremonâ—…ll law now in the glorious lustre of the Gospell what have we to doe with those 〈◊〉 element that were for Children A ceremoâ—… disposition is opposite to the glory and lustre of the Gospell as the Apostle speakes in the former Chapter He is dead likewise to sinne having communion with Christ when he dyed for sinne hee is dead to sinne He that hath communion in the death of Christ hath the same affection to sinne that Christ had Christ hated it infinitely when he suffered for it so every Christian thinkes that Christ dyed for my sinnes and by union with Christ he hath the same affection to it he is dead to it And because this is but an inchoation and beginning a Christian is not perfectly dead to sinne hee stands in need of afflictions and in regard of afflictions he is dead they must help the worke of mortification And because no affliction can sufficiently worke mortification but death it self which is the accomplishment of mortification we are dead in respect of death it selfe which is the accomplishment of all though we live here for a time we are dead in regard of the sentence that is passed on us as wee say a man is dead when the sentence is passed on him in that respect wee are dead men for our life is but a dead life besides the sentence that is passed upon us death siezeth upon us in the time of our life in sicknesses c. And so they prepare us to death thus and many other wayes we are dead The second proposition is Our Life is hid with Christ in God We are dead and yet we have a life A Christian is a strange person hee is both dead and alive he is miserable and glorious he consists of contraries he is dead in regard of corruption and miseries and such like but he is alive in regard of his better part and he growes two wayes at onâ—… it is a strange thing that a Christian doth hee growes downewards and upwards at the same time for as he dyes in sin and misery and naturall death approaching so he lives the life of grace and growes more and more till he end in Glory This life is said to be a hidden life It is hid with Christ in God The life of a Christian which is his glorious spirituall life it is hid among other respects It is hid to the world to worldly men because a Christian is an unknown man to them because they know not the Father that begets therefore they know not them that are begotten as S. Iohn saith they know not the advancement of a Christian he is raysed into a higher ranck then they Therefore as a beast knowes not the things of a man no more doth a carnal man in any excellency know the things of the spirit for they are spiritually discerned therefore it is a hidden life in the eyes of the world a wordly man sees not this life in regard of the excellency he passeth scornes and contempts of it of folly and the like A Christian in respect of
his happy life is a stranger here and therefore hee is willing to passe through the world and to be used as a stranger It is a hidden life likewise ofttimes not only to worldlings but in regard of the children of God themselves because by reason of some infirmities that are in the best of Gods children they are apt to judge amisse harshly and rashly one of another Likewise by reason of those calamities that are common to all men alike they are afflicted as others and have sicknesses and are contemned more then others and by reason of this the children of God often censure those that have the beginnings of spirituall life in them It is hid from them It is hid likewise from themselves for often Gods children know not themselves in temptation in their nonage in the beginning of their conversion in the time of desertion and spirituall slumber and sleepe Grace seemes to bee dead in them and then they know not that they have this spirituall life especially if this desertion bee joyned with outward abasement they call their estate into question as in Psal. 73. 7. and in diverse places of Scripture Gods children oftimes by reason of their inquisition and search they raise clouds whereby they conceale from their owne eyes their owne life Partly through distemper of body and partly by distemper of spirit there are clouds raysed betweene them and their happinesse that they cannot see their spirituall life But especially it is hid in regard of common infirmities wanting gifts that others have that have not a dramme of grace sometimes that live to please men and looke altogether to the outside they doe that many times to pleasemen better then a Christian. Sometimes God himselfe hides himselfe out of wisedome and mercy to us when he sees that we carry not our selves so reverently as we should And this reason may bee sufficient of Gods dispensation God will have it so partly for the further hardning of wicked persons and for tryall for if all were laid open in this excellent estate of a Christian who should try their patience who would not be a Christian for the comfort and for the sence and feeling Oh but this is not so a Christian hath a life but it is a hidden life therefore God will try whether men will live by faith or sence whether they will have their wayes now or no or whether they will depend upon that glorious life that God will reveale in time to come and to exercise and strengthen faith God will have it so that this life shall bee now hid that we may live by the promises though wee have no feeling at all that we may perswade our selves in the greatest desertions and extremities yet I have a hidden Life in Christ though I have little influence and manifestation of it in mee yet I have a glorious life in my head and I live now by Faith till I come to live by sight This is one reason Wee should not therefore take offence wee must not judge of Christians by outward shew and appearance as CHRIST saith wee should not judge of our selves by outward appearance nor of the Church The Whore of Babylon hath more painting and setting out in all glorious shewes it being an outside religion then the true spouse of Christ whose glory and beauty is within doth it follow therefore that shee is the true Church Oh no for the beauty of the wife of Christ it is a hidden beauty shee is glorious within a stranger doth not meddle with the joy of the Church Christians have a name indeed and a stone that none know but them that have it It is hidden Mannah we must not judge of the Church or of Christians by outward appearance wee shall bee deceived in that Our Life is hid with Christ the spring of all spirituall life The Life of a Christian is a secret life it is a peculiar life it is a safe life It is secret because it is hid as I said Gods children are secret ones they are not knowne to the world nor to themselves oft-times But ordinarily faith in them breakes through the Cloud and unmaskes God himselfe and sees Gods Fatherly face though hee hide himselfe They have a promise to lay hold upon and they acknowledge him to be their Father and wrastle with him it is a secret Life but it is not so secret but that Faith ses into it it pierceth the Vayle and sees a glorious Life there Faith will see Gods glorious countenance Faith makes it a glorious Life though it bee secret therefore let us not judge our selves nor others by appearance And it is also a sure life it is hid with Christ in God marke on what grounds it is sure First it is hid in Heaven no enemy can come there the Divell comes not there since he first lost it and was cast out It is safe in regard of the place it is hidde in Heaven And it is safe because it is hid in Christ who purchased it with his blood who hath trampled upon all opposite powers over death and hell it selfe it is hid in heaven and in him who hath overcome all opposite power therefore it is a safe life And it is hid with Christ in God Christ is in the bosome of God Christ mediator it is hid with Christ in God hee is the store-house of this life it is hid with him If any can rob God then they may rob our Life from us for it is hid with Christ in God it is a sure life therefore Oh! but we may lose it though it bee sure in respect of God Nay saith S. Peter Wee are begotten againe to an inheritance immortall and reserved for us in Heaven and wee are kept by the power of God to salvation It is kept for us and we are kept to it God hath prepared it for us and prepared us for it so it is a most sure life especially because Christ lives for ever with whom it is It is hid with Christ in God It is likewise a peculiar life only to Gods people for they only have union and communion with Christ and therefore he saith here your life is hid with Christ in God It is likewise a glorious life for it is hid with Christ who is the glory of God and he saith in the next Verse when Christ who is our life shall appeare we shall appeare with him in Glory It is a glorious life but of that I shall speake in the next verse Wee see then that our life is hid in Christ and what kind of life this is it is a secret sure peculiar glorious life Alas we are ready to judge of our selves by the present and not to thinke it a glorious life but hee saith it is hidden for us Light is sowne for the righteous it doth not appeare for the present A garden hath seeds sowne and hearbs but in the winter there is no difference betweene it and a
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
predestinate to be his members he is the sonne of Gods love wee are beloved in him hee is full of grace of his fulnesse we recieve grace for grace hee rose and we shall rise because hee rose first Hee ascended into Heaven by vertue of his ascention wee shall ascend into heaven too Hee sits at the right hand of God inglory and by vertue of his sitting we sit there together with him in heavenly places Whatsoever is graciously or glo riously good that is in us it is first in our blessed and glorious Saviour Therefore let us looke to him and be thankfull to God for him when we thanke God for our selves let us thanke God first for giving Christ who is the patterne to whom wee are conformed Let us give thanks for him as S. Peter doth Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ if he had not bin his Father hee had not bin ours Wee cannot stand before God of our selves but in one that is perfect in himselfe God-Man Therefore when we blesse God for grace and glory that belongs to us let us blesse him for giving Christ that in him we are happy he conformes us in grace here and in glory hereafter in body and soule to our glorious Saviour And as it is a ground of thankfulnesse to God for Christ so it yeelds us a rule for meditation when we would thinke of any thing in our selves let us goe to our head to Christ in whom we have all we have and that wee hope to have of his fulnes we receive not only grace for grace but glory for glory of all the glory he hath we have answerable to him and surely it is a transforming meditation to think of Christs glory and to see our selves in him to thinke of grace in Christ and of our interest in grace in him we must not thinke of him as an abstracted head severed from us but thinke of his glory and our glory in him and by him he is glorious and we shall be glorious likewise Againe you see here that how soever our bodyes are vile for the present yet they shall not be so for ever they shall be glorious bodyes like to CHRISTS Body the point then is that As Christ is the patterne of the glory of our body so our body undoubtedly shall bee glorious as his body is This vile body shall bee glorious even like Christs glorious Body I need not stand to proveit I proved it before What should this affoord us Then ◅let us use them to a glorious end let us not use these base bodyes to base purposes Let every member of this vile body while we live here bee a weapon of a sanctified soule a weapon of righteousnesse ready to doe good Let us put honour upon these bodyes that shall be thus honoured let us use them for honourable purposes Let us lift up our eyes to Heaven let us reach forth our hands to good workes let our feet that have carried us to ill heretofore carry us to the service of God for these very vile Bodyes shall bee glorious bodyes The very same eyes that have bin lift up to God in prayer those very hands that now are instruments of good workes those very knees that are humbled to God in prayer and those feet that have carried us to holy exercises and those spirits that are wasted and spent in holy meditation even these this vile body that is thus holily used shall be a glorious body therfore let us use it answerably And labour to lay it downe with honour in the dust to leave it with a good report to the world considering it shall be so glorious afterward Doe those thinke of this that use their bodyes for base purposes whose eyes are full of Adultery whose hands are full of rapine whose feet carry them to base places where they defile themselves whose bodyes every member is a weapon and instrument of sinning against God How can these dare to thinke of that glorious day wherein our vile bodyes shal be made like the glorious body of Christ can they hope that those hands and those feet of that body shall be made glorious that have bin defiled that have bin instruments to make others likewise sinne can such a body looke for glory let us not deceive our selves this vile body indeed shall be a glorious body I but it must bee used accordingly unlesse wee have a presumptuous hope This body shall bee glorious this very vile body this corruptible shall put on incorruption the same body as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. I believe the resurrection of this body as we say in the Creed S. Paul pointed to his own body this body this mortall shall put on immortality If this body shall be glorious how base soever it be in this world then againe let us honour poore Christians though we see them vile and base and honour aged Christians and deformed alas looke not on them as they are but as they shall be as they are in the decree of Christ and as they shall bee ere long by the power of Christ hee will make them like his glorious body Let us not despise weake or old or deformed persons these vile bodies shall be glorious those that died in martyrdome whose bodies were cast into the fire and cast to wild beasts c. they shall be glorious bodyes The Emperour Constantine wold kisse the very holes of the eyes of those that had their eyes pulled out that had bin martyrd So even our vile bodyes when they are used in the service of God in suffering they shall bee glorious bodyes let us honour our bodyes or theirs that suffer for Christ. S. Paul made it his plea and a ground of his confidence because his body was vile for Christ. I Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ and I carry in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus The dying of Christ that the life of Christ might bee manifest He carried Christs marks in his body making this an argument of respect that he was a prisoner so when any are abased for Christs sake let us think these are such as shall have glorious bodies how ere they are esteemed of the world But to enlarge the point a little further these bodyes shall be made like the body of Christ. Wherein shall this Glory of our bodyes consist Especially in these six indowmēts our bodies be now vile and perhaps imperfect they want a member a sence or a limbe our bodyes then shall be perfect even as Christs body is Those martyrs that have bin dismembred shall then have perfect bodyes Let us not bee asrayd to lose a limbe or a joynt for Christ or a good cause if our bodyes bee made vile for Christ they shall be made perfect afterward Then again our Bodyes then shall be beautiful Adam in his innocency had such a beauty in his body that the very creatures reverenced him he was awfull to the very creatures so the
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
is in heaven as it were before his time What is death to him The end of all misery of all sin of body and soule it is the beginning of all true happinesse in both This I might shew at large but I have spoken somewhat of this point out of another Text. They are happy in their death for their death is precious in Gods sight the Angels are ready to doe their attendance to carry their soules to the place of happinesse They are happy in their death because they are in the Lord when death severs soule and body yet notwithstanding neither soule nor body are severed from Christ They die in the Lord therefore still they are happy Much might be said to this purpose and to good purpose but that the point is ordinary and I hasten to presse things that I thinke will a little more confirme it They are blessed in death And blessed after death especially for then we know they are in heaven waiting for the resurrection of the body There is a blessed change of all for after death we have a better place better company better imployment all is for the better There are three degrees of life The life in the wombe this world heaven The life in the wombe is a kind of imprisonment there the child lives for a time The life in this world it is a kind of inlargement but alas it is as much inferiour to the blessed and glorious life in heaven as the life in the wombe is narrower and straiter and and more base then this life wherein wee behold the blessed light and enjoy all the sweet comforts of this life They are happy after death then the Image of God is perfect in the soule all graces are perfected all wants supplied all corruptions wrought out all enemies subdued all promises accomplished waiting their time for the resurrection of the body and then body and soule shall sit as Judges upon the wretches that have judged them on earth and they shall be both together for ever with the Lord. I might enlarge the point much it is a comfortable meditation And before I passe it let us make some use of it If godly men be blessed and happy not onely before death in the right and title they have to heaven but in death because then theâ—… are invested into possession of that that makes them every way happy Therefore this may teach us who are truly wise A wise man is he that hath a better end then another and works to that end A true Christian man he hath a better end then any worldling his end is to be safe in another world and hee works and carries his forces to that end Let my last end be like his saith Balaam insinuating that there was a better end inregard of condition and state then he had aymed at A gracious man his end is not to be happy here his end is to enjoy everlasting communion with God in the heavens and hee frames all his courses in this world to accomplish that end and he is never satisfied in the things that make to that end A worldling he hath no such end he hath a naturall desire to be saved as wee shall see afterwards but a man may know that it is not his end for hee workes not to it He is not satisfied in prouling for this world he is not weary of getting wealth hee is not satisfied with pleasure so that his end is the things of this life Therefore let him be never so wise he is but a foole for he hath not the true end nor workes to it Wicked men are very fooles in the manner of their reasoning for they will grant that there is a happy estate of godly men in death and after death better if it be so why doe they not worke and frame their lives to it Herein they are fooles because they grant one thing and not another which must needs follow they doe beleeve there is such a happinesse to Gods children and yet seeke not after it If there be such a blessed estate of Gods children in death and after death I beseech you let us carry our selves so as that wee may be partakers of that happinesse let us labour to be righteous men labour to be in Christ to have the righteousnesse of Christ to be ours to be out of our selves in Christ in Christ in life in Christ in death and at the day of Judgment in Christ not having our owne righteousnesse as the Apostle saith but his righteousnesse and then the righteousnesse of grace and of a good conscience will alway goe with the other For this makes a righteous man to be in Christ and to have his righteousnesse and to have his spirit and the beginnings of the new creature in us Let us labour to be such as may live and die happily and blessedly and be for ever happy So much for that third point That which I intend mainly to dwell on is the last and that is this that Even a wicked man a wretched worldling may see this hee may know this happinesse of Gods people in death and for ever and yet notwithstanding may continue a cursed wretch Balaam here wishes Oh that I might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like his It was a strange speech of such a man as this was that his soule should be rapt up in this manner but indeed Balaam was scarse himselfe hee scarce understood what he said no more then the beast that carryed him But God will sometimes even stirre up the hearts of wicked men to a sight and admiration of the excellent estate of Gods children why For diverse reasons Among the rest for this that he may convince them the more of their owne rebellion when they see a more excellent estate then they are in if they will not take the course to partake of it Therefore at the day of Judgement it will justifie the sentence of damnation upon such wretches and they may pronounce selfe condemnation upon themselves Oh! what a terrour will it be when they shall thinke I had a better estate discovered I heard of it in the ministery of the Word and Gods Spirit revealed an excellent estate and I might have gotten it if I had improoved the blessed meanes that God made me partaker of and now I am shut out for ever and ever from communion in that estate To convince wretched men I say and to justifie the just sentence of damnation upon them that their hearts may goe with the sentence at the day of Judgement God thus enlightens them oftentimes that they see better courses if they had grace to take them What a thing is this that a wicked man should see such an estate and not take it And what serves that knowledge for but to damne them the more This is the estate of many men that live in the bosome of the Church and
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
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
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.
say the Sunne is in the house and in the place we are in though there bee only his influence there But there must bee application of divine truth to the soule it must be brought neere the soule before the soule can moove There is a necessity of Application from a principle of nature to make it our owne Now as in nature there is a power in the soule to worke out of the food that that is good for every member which we call a digestive power and faculty that applies and asâ—…milates the meat and nourishment we take to every part There be fibra sucking veines that suck out of the meat strength for this and that purpose So there is in the soule of every Christian and holy man there is a spirituall sucking there is a drawing assimilating digesting Spirit that digests and drawes out nourishment out of the booke of God that is fit for him that hee can say this is mine this is for me I want comfort and strength and direction here it is I want light here it is I am weake here is supply for it so there is a digestive power by the Spirit of God in every Christian to suck and to draw out of the word that that is fit for all purposes and turnes and he can apply the word upon every occasion as if it be a command hee obeyes it if it be a threatning hee trembles at it if it be comfort he rests in it if it be a direction hee followes it likewise Hee applies it answerable to the nature of the word whatsoever it is his heart is moulded answerable to the word by reason of the Spirit of Application As there is a ground of the Application of the word and a necessity of it so there is a principle of Application that is the Spirit of God in the hearts of the children of God teaching their spirits to draw wholsome truths fitting to themselves and none but the children of God can doe it that have the Spirit of God they cannot apply the word of God aright False Application of the word of God is the cause of all mischiefe sometimes when those that apply the law should apply the Gospel and on the contrary when those that should apply the law sinfull secure persons apply the Gospel Many times poore distressed persons that comfort belongs to Oh comfort my people they apply the Law that belongs not to them in that case false application is the ground of mischiefe therefore the Spirit of God is the principle of Application of divine truths according to the exigence and estate of Gods people Therefore wee should be stirred up to beg the Spirit of Application to maintaine our communion and entercourse with God that we may apply every thing duely and truly to our selvs our own foules all is to no purpose else if we do not apply it if it be not brought home to our soules and digested throughly in our hearts wee must say this is from God and this belongs to me when we heare truths unfolded to say of our selves this concernes me and say not this is a good portion and a good truth for such a one and such a one but every one take out his owne portion this is for me God saith Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke with a spirit of Application If wee doe not as indeed it is the fault of the times to heare the word of God loosely wee care not so much to heare the word of God as to heare the gifts of men wee desire to heare fine things to increase notions we delight in them and to heare some empty creature to fasten upon a storie or some phrases by the by alas you come here to heare duties and comforts if you be good and sentences against you if you be naught wee speak Gods threatnings to you that will wound you to hell except you pull them out by repentance It is another manner of matter to heare then it is took for Take heed how you hear saith Christ so we had need for the word that we hear now shall judge us at the latter day thereupon wee should labour for a spirit of Application to make a right use of it as we should Therefore those humble soules that are cast downe in the sight and sense of their sins they must apply the sweet and blessed comforts of the Gospel such as are contrite in spirit Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavie laden c. Those on the other side that goe on in a course of sin and will not be reclaimed let them consider what Moses saith Deut. 29. If a man goe on and blesse himselfe my wrath shall smoake against such a man and burne to hell I will not remove my wrath from him till by little and little I take my good spirit from him and let him goe with some temporall comforts and then bring him to hell I will curse him in his blessings hee shall have blessings but he shall be cursed in all that he doth and all things shall bee in wrath and anger that shall burne to hell Such like places let such men apply to themselves there is no comfort at all to men that live in sin wittingly and willingly If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not heare my prayer If a man 〈◊〉 me ordinance of God hearing and good means His prayer shall be abhominable Hee that will 〈◊〉 heare the Law his prayer is abhominable The applying of these things would make men bethinke themselves and turne to God when he considers what part of the word belongs to him and makes a right Application If we make not a right Application of Gods truths this mischiefe will come ofit we 〈◊〉 hour God and his bounty hath God beene so bountifull as to give us so many instructions and such promises and shall not we 〈◊〉 them our own what is the end of the ministery but to spread before us the unsearchable riches of Christ they are yours if you will take them when you have not a spirit of Application and are not in case to take them they are lost Gods bounty is discredited The Devill rejoyceth when hee seeth what excellent things are laid open in the Church of God in the ministery what sweet promises and comforts but here is no body to take them and lay hold on them Like a table that is richly furnished and there is no body comes and takes it it makes the Devill sport it rejoyceth the enemy of mankind when we loose so great advantage that wee will not apply those blessed truths and make them our own There is no greater delight to Sathan then for us to refuse those dainties that God hath provided for us what can rejoyce an enemy more then to see courtesies refused He sees that all the