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
pangs of death which nature trembles and quakes at faith considerâ—… of them as the pangs of Child birth Every birth is with pangs now what is death but thâ—… birth to immortality the birth of glory we die to be borne to glory and happinesse All our life time wee are in the wombe of the Church and here we are bringing forth glory now death I say it is the birth day of glory and a birth is with paine faith sees it is 〈◊〉 birth day it sees that presently upon it theâ—… shall be joy as with a woman after shee hath brought a man child into the world so it comforts it selfe against the pangs of death Again faith sees them short and sees the glory after to be eternall it is a little darke passage to an eâ—…nall glorious light Then for the dissolution and parting of â—…o friends soule and body faith sees that â—…is but for a whâ—…le and then that that parting 〈◊〉 a bringing in a better joyning for it brings â—…e soule immediately to her beloved our Saâ—…our Christ Iesus and faith sees that it is not â—…g till body and soule shall be reunited aâ—…ine for ever and they shall bee for ever with 〈◊〉 Lord. And then for friends faith sees indeed â—…at we shall part with many sweete friends â—…t saith faith we shall have better friends we â—…e to GOD we goe to the soules of perâ—…ct men we goe to innumerable company of â—…ngels wee goe to better company a great â—…ale And for all the imployments we have here â—…we have below faith sees that there wil be â—…rcise in heaven we shall praise God with â—…gels and all the blessed and glorious comâ—…ny of heaven So consider what you will â—…at is bitter and terrible in death faith conâ—…ers it it sees an end of it and opposeth to it â—…tter things because notwithstanding death â—…ts off many comforts yet it brings better 〈◊〉 is a blessed change it is a change for the betâ—…r every way faith sees that there is a betâ—…r place better company better imployment â—…tter liberty all better And which is more 〈◊〉 die in faith is to die in assurance that all is ours as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 death is ours Paul is yours Christ is yoâ—… death is yours This is our comfort whenâ—… dayes shall be closed up with death faith bâ—…lieves that death is ours that is it is for 〈◊〉 good for as I said it brings us to our wishâ—… haven it brings an end to all misery an 〈◊〉 our sinnes an end to our paine an end to 〈◊〉 vexations an end to our discomforts and to 〈◊〉 scandalls here below an end to all the temptâ—…tions of Satan The Lord will wipe all teares frâ—… our eyes then And it is the beginning of â—…pinesse that shall never end So indeed faiâ—… sees that the day of death is better than tâ—… day of birth when we come into misery 〈◊〉 not so good as when we go out of misery 〈◊〉 enter into happinesse This is to dye in faith 〈◊〉 the time past to see the forgivenesse of alâ—… 〈◊〉 sinnes to see the sting pulled out And for 〈◊〉 present to look to Christ ready to receiveâ—… soules and to see him present with us to coâ—…fort us to strengthen us against the pâ—…ngs 〈◊〉 death And for the time to come by â—…aith 〈◊〉 over-look the grave to over looke death 〈◊〉 all and to see all conquered in Christ 〈◊〉 our selves in heaven already with Christ 〈◊〉 thus a Christian being upheld with this grâ—… he ends his dayes in faith This should stirâ—… us up if this be so to 〈◊〉 this grace of faith above all graces to get â—…rance that we are in Christ Iesus that so 〈◊〉 may live with câ—…mfort and end our dayâ—… with comfort and live for ever happy in the â—…ord It is only faith and nothing else that â—…ill master this King of feares this gyant that â—…bdues all the Kings of the earth to him This â—…onster death hee out faceth all nothing can â—…ut face him but faith in Christ and that will â—…aster him As for your glorious speeches â—…f Pagans and morall civill men they are â—…ut flourishes vaine emptie flourishes their â—…earts give them the lie Death is a terrible â—…ing when it is armed with our sins and when 〈◊〉 is the messenger of Gods wrath and citeth â—…s before God it is the end of happinesse and â—…he beginning of torment When we looke â—…pon it in the glasse of the law and in the â—…lasse of nature it is the end of all comforts it â—…s a curse brought in by sinne It is a terrible â—…hing nothing can conquer and master it but â—…aith in Christ. Oh let us labour therefore to get it while wee live and to exercise it â—…hile we live that we may live every day by â—…aith It is not any faith that we candie by it must 〈◊〉 a faith that we have exercised and tryed â—…efore it is a tryed a proved faith that wee must end our dayes by For alas when death comes if we have not learned to live by faith before how can wee end our dayes in faith He that while he lives will not trust God with his children that will not trust God with his soule he that will not trust God with his estate but will use ill means and put his hand to ill courses to gaine by he that will not trust 〈◊〉 for his inheritance that will not cast his brâ—… upon the waters and trust GOD to see 〈◊〉 gaine he that will not doe this while he livâ—… how shall he trust God for body and soule 〈◊〉 all in death he cannot doe it It must beâ—… faith that is daily exercised and tryed wherâ—… by we must commit our soules to God wâ—… we dye that wee may dye in that faith tâ—… we may be able to say all the dayes of 〈◊〉 life I had experience of Gods goodnesse 〈◊〉 depended upon him and I have found him 〈◊〉 in all his promises I committed my selfe anâ—… my wayes to him and I found him good aâ—… gracious in blessing me I found him giving 〈◊〉 a good issue and now I am strengthened there by to trust GOD that hath beene so true 〈◊〉 mee all my life time I will trust him 〈◊〉 with my soule that hee will never failâ—… mee Let us all labour for this faith for thoâ—… it cannot be said of us that we die rich or thâ—… we die great in the world perhaps wee may die a violent death as there be diverse diseases that leade the body into distempers it 〈◊〉 no matter how we die distempered and in any estate so it may be said of us we die in ableâ—…sed faith But it may be objected that all Gods children die not in faith because some die raging and distempered and in such fits But we must know that they die in faith not with standing all that for then they are not â—…em selves
that You know Gods manner of working is in contrary estates when we die faith sees life when we most apprehend our sins faith sees the forgivenesse of sinnes when we are in the greatest mystery faith hath so quicke a sight that it sees happinesse and glâ—…y through all It sees a farre off notwithstanding the interposing of any thing contrary by flesh and bloud Faith is sometimes called tast and by the name of other senses but especially by the name of sight As in sight there is both the light outward and a light in the eye and the application of the light in the eye to the object so in faith there is a light in the things revealed a promise and discovery of it by the light of the Gospell and an inward light in the soule answerable to the inward light in the eye for a dead eye sees nothing and a quick living eye sees nothing without the light of the ayre So there is a double revelation by the word and by the spirit the spirit works an eye of faith in the soule and then it discovers to it the things of God They saw them a farre off God created a new eye in the soule a new sight which they had not by nature for even as the natural eye cannot see things that are invisible so the naturall man cannot see the things of God which are seene not by a naturall but by a supernaturall eye eye hath 〈◊〉 seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared 〈◊〉 his children 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The eye there-therefore that must see things a farre off it must bee a supernaturall eye and the light that must discover them must be the light of Gods truth for reason cannot see the resurrection of the body and the life to come and such glorious things as the word of God reveales to us If you aske why this sight of faith is so necessary this supernaturall sight I answer nothing can be done in religion without the supernaturall eye of the soule nothing at all for a man may see heavenly things with a naturall eye and be never a whit the better a man may see the joyes of heaven he may heare much of heaven and happinesse and forgivenesse and thinke oh these are good things but yet notwithstanding he doth not see these things with a supernaturall eye he doth not see these things to be holy and gracious and to be fit for him he wisheth them with conditions but not with the altering of his disposition As a man may see an earthly thing with a heavenly eye because he sees God in it and there is somewhat of God in it to lead him to see him so a man may see heavenly things with a carnall eye as Balaam wished to die the death of the righteous A carnall man may be ravished with heavenly things but he must look upon them as things sutable or else all is to no purpose How doth faith see this how comes faith to have this strength Because faith sees things in the power of God it sees things in the truth of God he 〈◊〉 Iehovah he gives being to things therefore as God Almighty gives being to things in their time when they are not so faith in his promises sees that these things will bee it sees things in the truth of God in the promise of God there it hath these eyes to see a farre off It selfe is wrought by the mighty power of God in the soule for it is a mighty power for the soule to neglect the things it sees to neglect riches and honours and pleasures and to stand admiring of things that it sees not for a man to rule his course of life upon reasons which the world sees not because there is a happinesse to come and a God that he believes in c. It is a mightie power that plants such a grace in the heart faith is wrought by the mighty power of GOD. As it selfe is wrought by the power of God so it layes hold upon the power of God that the promises shall be performed In all the promises it sees and layes hold on the mighty power and truth of God and therefore it hath such an eye Our duty then is to labour to have our faith cleare to have this eye of faith to have a strong faith a strong sight When is the sight of faith strong When it is as the faith of these Patriarchs was There are three things that make a strong sight that makes us conceive that he sight of faith is a strong sight When the things are farre of that we see then if the eye see them it is a strong sight a weake eye cannot see a farre off Secondly when there are clouds betweene though the things be neare yet when there are clouds betweene to breake and pierce through them there must be a strong sight Then thirdly when there is but a little light when there are many obstacles in the middest and to breake through all by a little light to seethings remote here is a strong eye and this was the sight of these blessed men they had a strong eye For the things they looked on were remote a farre off diverse thousands of yeares they saw Christ by faith the soule mounted up on the wing of faith it flew over many thousands of yeares in a moment and see Christ the Messias and see heaven it selfe typi fied in Canaan So swift is the eye of faith it mounts over all in a moment As the eye of the body in a moment can looke to the vâ—…sible heavens so a strong faith it sees Christ in heaven And then betweene them and that they looked to what difficulties were there Blessed Abraham who was a type of Christ how many difficulties had he besides other of the Patriarchs We see God commanded him to slay his sonne a command one would thinke against reason against affection against hope it was faith against faith as it were It was against reason in the eye of flesh Now in this case to strive against all these difficulties what a many clouds must Abraham breake through here against sense and against affection hee must hope against hope hee must have faith against faith he must deny affection hee must goe and take his only begotten son Isaac and he must be the executioner and butcher himselfe and slay him for a sacrifice Here must be a strong faith in the power of God that must see God raysing Isaac from the dead as he did after a sort for when he was bound for a sacrifice ready to bee slaine he caused a Ramme to be taken in the thicket and to be offered and Isaac escaped It was a strong faith to breake through all these Indeed blessed Abraham saw more excellency and power in the work of God then in his beloved Isaac So faith that is strong it
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
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
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
of greatest importance do so sweetly set before our eyes that recompence of reward reserved for us in heaven that I hope many of that brood of travellers the generation of those that seekâ—… Gods face and favour here on earth shall find them a great helpe to the finishing of their course with Ioy and others shall be wakened that are too ready to slumber and forget whither they are going to strive to enter in at the strait gate and not to content themselves with a lazy Balaams wish which Reader let us seeke from him who onely gives the blessing to whose Grace I commenâ—… thee resting still Thine in the hearty desire of thy Spirituall welfare Arthur Jackson THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE REVEL 16. 14. For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which goe forth to the Kings of the earth LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS REVEL 17. 7. For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast untill the Word of God shall be fulfilled THE occasion of this daies solemnity hath beene long and well known and we have often in this place spoken of it and it were a thing not unseasonable for the day to set out in its lively colours that facinorous act which will scarcely bee credible to posterity it exceeds my conceit to set it out in the right colours I have therefore taken a text tending that way and serving for our present purpose It pleaseth our blessed Saviour out of his love to his Church not only to give directions what to doe and what not to doe what to believe and what not to believe but to foretell likewise al future calamities that so the Church might be fore-armed and might not be surprised with terror upon the sight of some sudden or strange accident as especially the flourishing estate of Antichrist Hee therefore foretels all both the beginning the growth the strength the proceeding and at last the destruction of that Man of Sin The Church in this world is alwayes under some prophesie it is alwayes under somewhat that is unfulfilled for untill wee come to heaven there is not an accomplishment of all prophesies This Booke is a setting downe of prophesies of future events to the end of the world This Chapter sets out in lively colours the state of the Pontificality the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome the Pope and not the state of Rome under the Heathen Emperours It sets downe likewise the judgement of God in this life upon this Beast and upon the Whore that sits upon the Beast The description is large in the former part of the Chapter it would take up a great deale of time to unfold that but because I have divers other things to speake of I will passe that by The judgement of God upon the Beast and Whore is set downe partly in the verse before the Text The ten Hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire for God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast c. Here the Iudgement is set downe what it is and by whom it shall be by the ten Hornes that is the ten Kings and secondly what they shall doe and that is set downe in order First these ten Hornes these ten Kings Western Kings They shall hate the Whore Hatred is the beginning of all actions that are offensive for it is the strongest and stiffest affection of ill as love is the strongest of good affections They shall hate the Whore It is not only anger but hatred They shall make her desolate and naked that is the second degree they shall leave her they shall strip this Strumpet of her ornaments and strength whereby she set out her selfe They shall eat her flesh that 's the third that is what they have given her before to inrich her withall that which made her in such well liking that which commended her that whâ—…ch is her living the riches of the Popes Clergie gotten most of it by ill meanes they shall take from her But that is not all but there is a higher degree then all this They shall burne the Whore with fire So that in the foregoing verse you see is set downe what the Iudgement is and who shall bthe Executioners of this judgement But why must all this come to passe Hee riseth to the highest cause God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree with one consent to give their kingdomes to the Beast God afterwards put into their minds to hate the Beast So that in this verse is the severity and the mercy of God his justice and his goodnesse His severity in putting into the hearts of these Kings to agree with one consent to give up their kingdomes to the Beast A great Iudgement so to besot them but here is a limitation of that severity at last till the time come untill the Word of God shall bee fulfilled that is untill they shall cease to be thus deluded by the Bishop of Rome and then they shall begin to hate the Whore as much as ever they were deluded by her and shall eate her flesh and consume her with Fire For the explication of these words they being somewhat hard I will spend a little time to unfold them And first I must shew who is this Beast For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast The Beast is mentioned in three places in the Revelation in the ninth Chapter there is mention of the Beast comming out of the bottomlesse Pit and in the 13. of the Beast that rose out of the Sea and here in this 17. of a scarlet coloured Beast having seven heads and ten hornes The Beast in a word is the state of Rome sometime under the heathenish Emperours sometime under the Pontificality the Question is whether the Beast here spoken of bee the state of Rome under the Roman persecuting Emperours before Christianity prevailed much or the state of Rome under the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome I answer undoubtedly it is here meant of the state of Rome as it is upheld the Whore The Beast that Beast For it is meant here of one that seduced by lying miracles of one that should come in a mysterie of one that should deale with fornication and such courses Now heathenish
Author of evill yet he is the Orderer of it and he determines and directs it both to the object and also to that end which he pleaseth In a word consider sinne in three distinct times before the commission in it and upon the performance Before God doth not command it nor infuse it but disallow and forbid it In the sinne he permits it to be done how by substracting of his grace in not working then by offering occasions that are good in themselves And thirdly by tradition by giving men up to Sathan as here the Beast is given up to Sathan and the Kings were given up to the Beast So that God gives men up by substraction of his grace and by tradition and then he doth uphold them in the committing of sinne upholds the powers And when it is done applies them to this particular and not to that particular In the doing of it hee limits it he sets the bounds of it both for the time of it as also for the measure of it as here in the Text Thus long shall the ten Kings give up their Crownes to the Beast and thus farre shall they goe untill the time come that the Word of God shal be fulfilled so hee limits sinne in the committing of it both for the measure and also for the time The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the backe of the righteous Thus you see the meaning of the words God will put into their hearts that is by withdrawing of his grace which they deserved by their sinfull courses and offering to them this Man of sinne this Beast which shall come with such efficacies of errour so that his grace being with-drawne and they given up to the Devill to Sathan and the Beast they shall without doubt be deluded and seduced but with this limitation untill the time come that the Word of God shall be fulfilled I might be large in this point but it is not so sutable to the occasion onely somewhat must be said for the unfolding of the Text So much therefore for that God put into their hearts to fullfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast They agree all unto it and therefore it was not a thing done by force Rome and the heathen Emperours did compell men did overcome men by force of Armes these agree it was a voluntary and a free act in them necessary it was in regard of Gods judgement but it was free and voluntary in regard of themselves for with one consent they gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast Thus having unfolded the meaning wee come to observe some truths and conclusions that doe arise out of the words I will not mention all or the most that might bee observed but only some speciall God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast Here first of all from this ariseth Gods speciall providence in Ill in the greatest evill that can be there is his speciall providence apparent God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast Observe here many acts of his Providence the with-drawing of his grace the giving them up to Sathan and to ill occasions the presenting them with good occasions which meeting with an ill disposition makes them worse for good occasions meeting with an ill disposition makes it worse makes it rage the more as the stopping of a torrent makes it rage and swell the more as also the limitation of all this untill his Word shall be fulfilled thus in this worke Heaven and Earth and Hel meet in one action Thus it was in that great action of the crucifying of our blessed Saviour there is the action of God in giving his Sonne to be a sweet Sacrifice and the action of Iudas and the Devill in him betraying of Christ and the action of the Souldiers in crucifying him Saint Augustine in the unfolding of this point of the Providence of God in Evill observes how many may concur in one action God without blame man without excuse God without blame he finds men ill and leaves men deserving to bee left hee takes away his grace and as a Iudge gives men up to Sathan Man without excuse because man workes willingly They with one consent gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast That is the first The second is this that the will of man may be swayed by divine governance and yet notwithstanding work most willingly and freely Here God puts into their hearts to do this and yet they willingly and with one consent gave their Crownes to the Beast God first hath his Providence in ill and then that providēce is such that it doth not rob man of his liberty because God finding man in an ill course he forceth him not to this or that particular ill but directs him only The hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of waters A Man when hee findeth a River of water hee doth not make the streame but only makes way that it may runne this or that way as it pleaseth him so God finding the hearts of Kings or the hearts of any as the Rivers of water Hee opens vent that they should run this and not that way that they should be given to this and not to that here is the action of God and yet the free liberty of man But how could this bee free when they ◅ould not avoid it I answer they were not privie to Gods directing they worked not in conscience of Gods moving but they followed their owne ◅usts and will Betweene Gods worke and Mans will there is alwayes sinne God never workes immediatly in Mans will for Mans will is free but Mans sinfull Free-will is the ◅ext cause in sinne Although God put it in◅o their hearts yet hee found them sinfully disposed And then the judgement is not bound or ◅yed The hearts of these Kings told them that they might give their Crownes or not give them to the Beast their judgement saw they had reason to doe it though their judgement were corrupt so a sinner sees reason to doe this or that and although it bee corrupt reason yet it moves him at that time his judgement is not bound up but God lets his judgement be free though hee take away his heavenly light and so hee judges perversely That 's the second The third is That it is a terrible judgement of God to be given up to a mans owne will to leave a man to his owne consents It is here spoken by way of judgement That God put it into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast And indeed so it is a terrible judgement There are some objections to be taken away for the clearing of this weighty point How is it a judgement or a punishment when it is voluntary They willingly gave up their Kingdomes I answer the more voluntary and free a man is in sinne the more and greater the judgement is and as when sinne is
good that is good there is not any ill so strong as God is good but every ill must come under the government of God The Devill himselfe nor the vile heart of man cannot goe out of his rule yet may runne out of his Commandements but then it runs into his Iustice hee may goe against the revealed will of God but then hee runs into his secret will there is no Ill Ill in that degree that God is good but every Ill is in somewhat and from somewhat and for somewhat that is good as it is over-ruled by God The crucifying of Christ which was the worst action that ever was yet it tended to the greatest good viz. the salvation of mankind So this giving to the Beast of these ten Thrones by these ten Kings it was a sinne and a punishment of their sinne but it was for a good end as wee shall see afterward if the time will give leave This should teachus absolute dependance and subjection to this great God they need feare no creatures that feare God they need feare no Devill nor Turke nor Pope nor all the lims of them for God is the absolute Monarch of the world he can doe what hee will and if God be on our side who can be against us It is said that hee is a wise Politician that can make his owne ends out of his enemies designes The great Governour of heaven and earth can doe so He can put a hooke into the nostrils of the Leviathans of this world and can draw them and rule them as hee pleaseth they may doe many things but it shal be all to accomplish his ends and purposes they shall doe his will God put it into the hearts of these Kings to fulfill his will Hee put it into their hearts to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast and so they did submit themselves to Antichrist for a great while In the next place it is expressed how this came They Gave their Kingdomes to the Beast Wee are to see how farre faulty these Kings were and how farre faulty the Pope the Beast was to whom they gave their Kingdomes For it may be objected that these men they did but obey God for hee put it into their hearts and for the Pope they offered their Kingdomes to him and who would not receive offered Gold But here is a deale of devillish deceit for first God gave them over to themselves and they gave themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast what then was sinfull in them This to give their Kingdomes to the Beast This they betrayed their Kingdomes Here is a wrong to God a wrong to themselvs and a wrong to their Subjects A wrong to God whose Vice-gerents they were did he give them their Kingdomes to give them to his Enemy to give them to the Beast and by consequence to the Devill Doth God raise up men to rule that they should enthral themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast to give them to Gods Enemies No Kings raigne by Him The Pope saith by mee Is their constitution of men No Kings raigne by God they derive their authority from him It is he that hath power over Kings Dan. 2. They raigne not if he will and they may rule â—…f he will by his will permitting else no man can raigne By mee Kings raigne If then they reigne by him it is a treason against God to betray the Kingdomes that hee hath given them into the hands of his Enemies It is a wrong to Christ whereas they should kisse the Sonne by kisses of subjection as Princes use to doe in the Eastern Countries to fall downe and kisse their Soveraignes toes they doe in this the cleane contrary Here is a wrong to themselves they betray their owne authority that when God hath made them Kings to rule they will bee slaves and it is a great sinne for a man not to maintain his standing as it is well observed by his Majestie who if ever Prince did doth vindicate himselfe and challenge his regall authority and it shall continue and make him live even to the worlds end It is the greatest sinne for a man to betray himselfe Every man is to maintaine that place and standing that God hath set him in These ten Hornes they wronged themselves and their place God made them Kings over their people and they become slaves to an Antichristian Priest It was a great wrong to their Subjects kingdomes we know follow their Kings and if Ieroboam make Israel to sinne all Israel will quickly sinne diseases come from the head if the head be naught there will bee a disease in the body ere long A greater stone being tumbled downe from a Hill it carries lesser stones along with it so great Kings when they fall themselves they draw their Kingdomes after them therefore the phrase of the Scripture is God put into their hearts to give not onely themselves but their Kingdomes to the Beast for commonly the Idoll of the people is their King and being led by sense and not by faith they feare him more then they feare God and their owne restraint more then they feare Hell and so they come to this damned Religion by depending upon him therefore it is a wrong to the people knowing they are so slavish by nature and wanting faith are fearing terrour led by the present command of their King Thus it was a wrong in these Kings every way But the Pope the Beast what was too blame in him He did but take that which was offered him They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast I answer Indeed hee tooke that which was offered him but he did abuse these Kings hee abused the Christian world Hee had no title to these Kingdomes but was a fraudulent Possessor of them because hee came to them by a slight Hee raised himselfe to the Popedome by the ruines of the Empire for upon the divisions of the Empire the Emperour having enemies in the East hee was faine to rest in Constantinople and thereupon Rome being much neglected at last was over-run by the Gothes and Vandals and the Pope taking occasion of the absence of the Empeâ—…our set up himselfe thus raising himselfe by â—…e ruâ—…nes of the Empire and then hee being â—…stablished set up Pepine Father of Charles the Great and put downe Childerick who being 〈◊〉 weake Prince he deposed and set the other 〈◊〉 that he might gratifie him so so hee colâ—…ogued with Princes And then againe hee wan respect and authority from the Hornes by diabolicall and 〈◊〉 courses For first hee abused their underâ—…andings keeping them from the Scriptures â—…nd then he abused their affections and drew â—…em this way and that way with toyes They â—…ave him great matters and he gave them Inâ—…ulgences and Pardons consecrated Grains â—…nd such like things Then againe hee would oft force them to â—…ield by Excommunications and many false â—…itles of Peters Successor and Peters Chaire so by the terrour and dread of
Excommunicaâ—…ion hee awed them Againe he wrought by subtilty joyning with one Prince against another setting one against another And if hee joyned with any party he had such a slight that hee would be sure to make him a slave to the Papacie one way or other or else hee would excommunicate him and then before they should bee absolved they must either pay a great summe of money or else they must goe such a voyage or set such men or such on such an Enterprise And then againe hee gave dispensations to sell soules and so men might doe what they would they should have Pardon otherwise they should have Excommunication And then againe hee had preferments for the Sonnes of the Hornes Cardinals places for their second Sons that they should be great Princes he had high places for them Then againe hee layed his foundation on false grounds He would be universall Bishop and the Church could not erre and al of them must fetch and determine of their matters from him and appeale must be made to none but to him and in certaine cases none could satisfie the Conscience but him So that hee greatly raised his authority by these false and cousening meanes and all that yielded to him were a deluded company of people that were deluded by the false and subtill courses that he tooke And therefore although they gave their Kingdomes to him yet he possessed them by a fraudulent ritle the meanes he used were diabolicall They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast till the word of God should be fulfilled Well wee see here the Iudgement of God upon the Christian world It was not onely a Iudgement upon these Kings as they were Kings but God punished the peoples sinne in the slavery of these Kings to the Beast See here the Iudgement of God upon Kings and Princes for not esteeming as they should doe the glorious Gospel of Christ for they both Princes and people had it but they esteemed it not but delighted in untruths therefore God gave them up to believe lies We are not therefore over-much to pitty our Ancestors though they deserve pitty yet wee excuse them over much this way for certainly God is just in his Iudgement who seeing them delight in lies more then in his truth tooke away his grace and gave them up to this Beast that they should give up their authority both Prince and people to him And because they would not be ruled by Gods will thinking themselves wiser then he He appointed them to be ruled by one that should bee ruled by the Devill For the Devill was in the Pope and who would serve the Devill if hee knew it But because they would not yield unto Christs sweet government therefore he gave them over to a government fit for them even to be governed by the Beast I beseech you take notice of this point when we entertaine not the glorious Gospel of Christ the good word of God that word that declares salvation unto us and which is an Instrument to worke grace in us to fit us for heaven that word that is the seed and the food of our new Birth the Evidence of our Inheritance that good word which is the greatest Iewell under heaven when we doe not value that it is the greatest errour that can be and it is just with God to give us up to this and to that errour if not unto Popery yet unto some one errour that the Devill is in and contrary to the Spirit of God Doe yee thinke if a Master should see his servant take ill courses and would not doe according to his appointment and admonition that he would not leave him to take his owne course and so let him do his owne will that thereby he might see his folly in not being ruled by him So it is just with God when hee sees that wee doe not make much of his Gospel of his soule-saving Gopel that we will not have that alone but Traditions with it and that besides Christ wee must have other Mediators as if Christ were not rich enough It is just with God to give both Prince and people up to the Beast Let us therefore make much of the Gospel what moved God to give up the Easterne Empire those glorious Churches in Saint Iohns time unto the Turke nothing but this they did not value the Gospel What moved God to give up those Western Kings to Romish Antichrist for those two the Turke and Pope are twins they had their beginning at once about 700. yeares after Christ what moved this But only when God had dealt graciously with them at the first and gave them his truth to save their soules which is the most comfortablest thing in the world to have God discover what he meanes to do with us and what he would have us to doe when he discovered his will to them and saw them leave his will saw them leave Gold and take Drosse prefer the traditions and wisedome of men before the wisedome of God it was just with him to give them up to beleeve lies They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast marke the limitation here untill until the word of God should be fulfilled I see I cannot make an end of the Text a little further and so I will conclude Here is an Vntill here is a stop the Devill and the Beast had their time to seduce the Kings and the Kings had their time to bee seduced and to give up their Kingdomes but God hath his time Christ hath his time Christ gives his enemies time and then takes time himselfe Vntill the time that the Word of God shall be fulfilled We see here then a mixture of mercy with justice that after God had given them up justly not only the Easterne Empire but also the Western Kings to the Pope yet notwithstanding here is an Vntill God limits Ill not only for the measure of it but also for the time of it God at length turnes the streame of things so that these Kings that were thus abused and baffeled by this Man of sinne this Beast at last they grow wise by the inâ—…nct of God and hate the Beast as much as ever they loved her So then this is the point That the same God that by divine Providence gave way to these Kings to abuse the doctrine of the Gospell and that gave way to these people that were unthankefull to yield themselves in such slavery to the Pope yet notwithstanding in mercy God at the last put into the hearts of these Kings to with-draw their necks from this yoke and to put their necks under Christs yoke This Vntill hath had a beginning many yeare agoe for wee know to omit other Kings of other Countries King Henry the Eight of famous memory take him without those things we cannot upbraid now he was a man of great and excellent parts as hee was of great vices Hee was an excellent instrument of Christ to unhorse the Pope to shake off his government
Lord will I seeke therefore I am incouraged to pray to thee In the words are contained GODS Command and Davids Obedience Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke Gods warrant and Davids worke answerable the Voice and the Ecchoe the Voice Seeke mâ—… face the rebound backe againe of a gracious heart Thy face Lord will I seeke When thou saidst it is not in the originall iâ—… only makes way to the sense passionate speeches are usually abrupt seeke my face thy fâ—… Lord will I seeke The first thing that I will observe from the incoâ—…ragement is that God shews himselfe to his understanding creature God begins you see seeke my face he muâ—… open his meaning and shew himselfe first God comes out of that hidden light that hee dwels in and discovers himselfe and his will to his creature especially in the word It is our happinesse now that we know the mind and meaning of God What is the ground of this what need God stoope thus There is the same ground for it as that there is a God these things goe in an undivided knot God The reasonable understanding creature and Religion that ties that creature to God a discovery of God what that Religion shall be For in the entercourse betweene God and Man man can doe nothing except he hath his warrant from God It is extreme arrogance for man to devise a worship of God Doe we thinke that God wil suffer the creature to serve him as hee pleaseth No that were to make the creature which is the Servant to be the Master It belongs to the Master or Lord to appoint the service what Master or Lord will bee served according to the liberty and wisedome and will of his servant And shall â—…he great God of Heaven and earth bee worshipped and depended upon as man pleaseth or from any incouragement from himselfe shall not hee designe his owne worship hee that singles out his owne worke makes himselfe master in that therefore God begins with this command seeke my face and then the heart answereth thy face Lord will I seeke God must first discover his mind of necessity to the creature Scriptures might be forced hence to shew the dutie owing from the creature Man to God for the creature must have a ground for what â—…he doth it must not be will worship Infringit c. It is a rule it weakens the respect of obedience that is done without a cause though a man doth a good deed yet what reason what ground have yee for this and that wee may doe things upon ground God must discover himselfe therefore he saith Seeke my face It may bee objected that every thing proclaimes this to seeke God though God had not spoken nor his word every creature hath a voice to say seeke God all his benefits have that voice to say seeke God whence have we them If the creature could speake it would say I serve thy turne that thou mayest serve God that made thee and me as the Prophet saith the rod and chastisement hath a voice Heare the Rod and him that smiteth every thing hath a voice We know Gods nature somewhat in the creature that he is a powerfull a wise 〈◊〉 just God we see it by the works of creation and providence but if we should know his nature and not his will towards us his commanding will what hee will have us doe and his promising will what he will doe for us exceâ—… wee have a ground for this from God the knowledge of his nature is but a conâ—…ed knowledge it serves but to make us unexcusable as in Rom. 1. it is proved at large It is too confused to be the ground of obedience unlesse the will of God bee discovered before therefore we must know the mind of God And that is the excellencie of the Church of God above all other people and compâ—…nies of men that wee have the mind and will of God what heere quiâ—… of us by way oâ—… dutie to him and what he will doe to us as a liberall and rich God These two things which are the maine are discovered what wee looke for from God and the dutie wee owe backe gaine to God these are distinctly opened in the word you see here God beginâ—… with David seeke yee my face Indeed God is a God of order in this subordination of God and the creature it is fit that God should begin it is Gods part to command and ours â—…o obey This point might be inlarged but it is a point that doth but make way to that that followes therefore I will not dwell upon it Againe in this first part Gods command or warrant seeke yee my face you see here God is willing to be knowne He is willing to open and discover himselfe God delights not to hide himselfe God stands not upon state as some Emperours doe that think their presence diminisheth respect God is no such God but he may bee searched into Man if any weakenesse be discovered wee can soone search into the depth of his excellencie but with God it is cleane otherwise the more we know of him the more we shall admire him None admire him more then the blessed Angels that see most of him and the blessed Spirits that have communion with him therefore hee hides not himselfe nay hee desires to be knowne and all those that have his Spirit desire to make him knowne Those that suppresse the knowledge of God in his will what he performes for men and what he requires of them they are enemies to God and of Gods people they suppresse the opening of God cleane contrary to Gods meaning seeke my face I desire to be made knowne and lay open my selfe to you Therefore we may observe by the way that when wee are in any darke condition that a Christian finds not the beames of God shining on him let him not lay the blame upon God as if God were a God that delighted to hide himselfe oh no it is not his delight he loves not strangenesse to his poore creature it is not a point of his policie hee is too great to affect such poore things No the fault is altogether in us we walke not worthy of such a presence wee want humility and preparation If there be any darkenesse in the creature that he finds God doth not so shine on him as in former times undoubtedly the cause is in himselfe for God saith seeke my face he desires to open himselfe but it is a point that I will not be large in We see hence likewise that Gods goodnesse is a Communicative spreading goodnesse That is peculiar to God and to those that are lead with the Spirit of God that are like him they have a communicative diffsive goodnesse that loves to spread it selfe Seeke my face I am good in my selfe but I desire to shine on you to impart my goodnesse to you If God had not a communicative spreading goodnesse hee
come to heaven they must bee a generation of Seekers Heaven is a generation of Finders of Possessors of Enjoyers Seekers of God but here we are a generation of Seekers wee want somewhat that we must seeke when we are at best we want the accomplishment of our happinesse It is a state of seeking here because it is a state of want we want something alway But to come more particularly to this seeking the face of God or the presence of God The presence of God and the face of God where is it to be sought for Know that first for a ground The presence of God it is every where but that is not the thing here purposed There is a face and presence of God iâ—… every thing in every creature therefoâ—… every creature hath the name of God some times a Rock because as God is strong soâ—… Rock is strong So likewise a shield as a shieâ—… defends so God defends us there is somâ—… resemblance of God in the creature therefore God hath the name of the creature but thâ—… is not here meant The presence of God meant here is that presence that hee shewes in the time of need and in his ordinances Hee shewes a presence in need and necessity that is a gracious presence to his children a gracious face As in want of direction hee shewes his presence of light to direct them In weaknesse hee shews his strength In trouble and perplexity he will shew his gracious and comfortable presence to comfort them In perplexity he shewes 〈◊〉 presence to set the heart at large answerable to the necessity there is a presence So in need God is present with his children to direâ—… them to comfort them to strengthen them if they need that And in the issue of all busines there is a presence of God to give a blessing for there is a presence must be even to the end of things when we have all wee would have yet God must give a blessing so you see there is a presence of God answerable to the necessity of man as it hath reference to this place Thy face will I seeke to direct me by thy heaâ—…enly light when I know not what to doe as â—…ehosaphat said we know not what to doe but our â—…yes are towards thee And so in weakenesse when we have no strength of our owne then goe to God to seeke the face of God that he would be present with us So when wee are comfortlesse goe to God that comforts the abject The God of all comfort goe to him for his presence for helpe And when wee are troubled in our hearts about successe what will become of such and such a businesse goe to GOD that gives successe and issue to all Thus we see a presence of God answerable to every necessity of man There is a gracious presence of God likewise in his ordinances that is the chiefe presence next to heaven the presence in Gods Ordinances that is in the unfolding of the word in the administration of the Sacraments in the communion of Saints Indeed in the Ordinances God is graciously present Where two or three are gathered together I will be in the midst of them Therefore in Rev. 1. It is said that Christ walks in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes that is in the middest of the Church There is a gracious presence of of Christ in the middest of the Candlesticks he takes his walkes there Christ hath a speciall presence in his Church in the ordinances and that David aymes at here too not onely I will seeke thy face introuble and necessitie when I need any thing from thee but Thy face will I seeke in all thine ordinances to inable me for the other For it is in vaine for a man to thinke to seeke God in his necessity and exigence if he seeke not God in his ordinances and doe not joy in them So you see where the face and presence of God is to be sought in necessities of all kinds and in the ordinances Now in our seeking the presence or face of God there is foure or five things that I will touch the heads of First of all seeking implyes observance seeke my face that is observe me respect me as a God Thy face I will seeke I will bee a follower of thee As in English an observer is a follower a creature It is a proud word as if man could make a man of nothing And indeed they are creatures in that kind they are raysed of nothing To seeke a man is to observe him there is a notable place for it Prov. 29. 26. Many seeke the rulers favour In the Greeke translation the Septuagint the word is to observe and respect a man which is translated seeking Many observe the ruler but every mans judgement commeth from the Lord. You see those that thinke to rise by the favour of such or such a man they will be his followers as I said and observe him they studie men as those that rise by favour that way they study not bookes so much as men what may delight such a man what hee respects surely they will serve him at every turne A base Atheist makes a man his god that he may rise he will deny God and the motions of Conscience and honesty and all to observe the face of a great man whom hee hopes to rise by but a true Christian observes the great God the greatest preferment comes from him so it signifies to observe In Psalme 62. there you shall see the ground of observation is that power belongs to God I have heard once nay twise Hee heard it twise by the meditation of it by going over it in his heart againe I have heard once nay twise that is I thoâ—…ght againe and againe on it that is hearing of it oft We may heare a truth a hundred times that is by meditating of it I have heard once nay twice that power belongs to God that is riches and power to advance a man Atheisticall men thinke all belongs to the creature but power belongs to God That is one thing that is meant by seeking diligent observing of GOD and respect to him and his will and commandements in all things If so be that a person of great place should say observe me and I will prefer you I hope men would bee ready enough they need no more words Here is the Atheisme of our hearts God saith I will doe all good for you the greatest preferment is to bee the child of GOD here and the heire of heaven after What preferment is there to that of Christianity and he saith seeke my face observe me respect me let the eye of your soules be to me as it is in the Psalme As the eyes of a mayd are toward the hand of her Mistris The obedience of a servant is toward the eye of the Commander so the obedience of a Christian is toward the
Canaan and of heaven the benefits by Christ is the upshot of all this They died in faith He doth not say how otherwise they died because it is not materiall whether they died rich or poore great or meane God takes no great notice of that nor a Christian takes no great notice of it They died in faith Whether they died a violent or a peaceable death it is no matter they died blessed in that they died in faith They died in faith which in other phrases is to dye in the Lord to sleepe in the Lord because whosoever dies in faith dies in Christ. Faith lifts them up to Christ and they steepe in Christ. It is a happy thing to dye in Christ Now those that die in faith they die in Christ Blessed are those that dy in the Lord they rest from their labours saith the Apostle All these died in faith They continued in faith to death and then they ended their dayes in faith When death closed up the eyes of their bodies then with the eye of faith they looked upon Christ upon God in Christ reconciled to them the point is cleare that The grace of faith it is such a grace that it carries a Christian through all the passages of this life It inableth him to hold oâ—…t to the end to suffer those things that he is to suffer and in the end by it he dies and when all things else leave him in death when riches leave him when friends leave him when honour and great places leave him when his life sences leave him when all leave him yet faith will never leave him till it have put him in full possession of heaven and then it ceaseth when it hath done the worke it hath to doe which is to bring us to heaven then it is swallowed up in vision and sight and hope into fruition and enjoying of the thing hoped for It is a blessed grace that stands by us and goes along with us and comforts us in all the passages of this life and even in death it selfe in those darke passages it never forsakes us till it have put us in possession of heaven All these died in faith What is it to die in faith To die in faith as I said is to die in the Lord by faith and it lookes to the Time Past. Present To come To the time past to die in faith is to die in assurance of the forgivenesse of sins when by faith and repentance we have pulled oâ—…t the sting of sins past for faith looks upon Christ and Christ hath taken the sting of death in his owne body and death ever since hath beene stinglesse and harmelesse to his members he hath disarmed it death had nothing to doe to kill Christ now seizing upon him who should not have died who was our suretie death hath lost his sting so that to die in faith is to die in assurance of forgivenesse of sinnes past by Christ. For the present in the present instant of death to die in faith is to see God reconciled to us in Christ and with the eye of Stephen to see Christ ready to receave our soules to see Christ sitting at the right hand of God to breake through all that is betweene to see our selves sitting at the right hand of God in heavenly places with Iesus Christ This is to die in faith to see our selves there with our head where wee shall bee ere long Faith makes things to come present To die in faith is to die in assurance of that blessed salvation presently even at that instant of time at the parting of soule and body that Christ will receive our soules that are redeemed with his precious bloud that cost him so deare he will not suffer the price of his bloud to miscarry Faith apprehends that Christ will goe downe with us to the grave as God said to Iacob feare not to goe downe into Egypt I will goe with thee so God would not have us feare to goe down into the grave those darke cels and dungeons God will goe downe with us Our flesh shall rest in hope because Christ our surety was raysed out of the grave and sits in heaven in glory and majesty therefore our flesh rests in hope as it is Psalme 16. 5. Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption therefore our flesh rests in hope till the resurrection because GOD did not suffer his holy one to see corruption this is to dye in faith And for the time to come to die in faith is by faith to overcome all the horrour of death Death is a terrâ—…ble thing and of all the passages wherein we have occasion to use faith it is most exercised in death It requires more to die in faâ—…th then to live in faith for then the soule it lookes to the horrour of the grave it sees nothing there but dust and rottennesse It lookes to the panges of death sense and nature doth And likewise the soule so farre as it hath nothâ—…ng but nature in it it looks to the dissolution of two friends the body and the soule who have been long coupled together and their parting is bitter And then it looks to the parting with friends here with whom they have lived lovingly and sweetely In death nature sees an end of all imployment in this world of all the comforts of this life c. and therefore it is a terrible thing Now to die in faith is to die in conquering all these with a spirit above all these What doth faith in the houre of death It over-comes all these and all such like For when the soule by faith considers the horrour of the grave as the chambers of death faith considers they be but resting places for the body that it sleepes there a while till the day of the resurrection and then they meete againe And it considers that the flesh rests there in hope of a glorious resurrection and faith sees a time of restoring as Saint Peter saith There shall be a day of restoring of all things There is a day of refreshing and restoring to come when those eyes where with wee now looke up to heaven and those feeâ—…e that carry us about our callings and about the exercisâ—… of religion and those hands that have beene lift up to God that body that hath beene the vessell of the soule shall be restored thoâ—…gh it be turned to dust and rottennesse Faith seetâ—… the faithfulnesse of God that God in Christ hath taken these bodies of ours in trust 〈◊〉 know whom I have believed 2 Tim. 1. 12. and be is able to keepe that I have committed to him I have committed to him my soule my body my whole salvation I know he is able to keep that I have committed to him And I knâ—… that my Redeemer liveth saith Iob it was his comfort in all extremity that he should see him with his very same eyes And then for the
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
manner is by removeing contratraries and moving the heart and drawing it With the word of man God enters into the very will and affections for as hee made the soule and framed it so hee knowes how to worke upon it and to draw it sweetly by reasons but yet strongly that it may be carried to the things revealed GOD at the same time workes strongly by carrying the soule and sweetly with reasons For God first comes into the soule by divine light by reasâ—… â—…nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit â—…o draw the soule to these reasons without this we never yeeld to those reasons but stand â—…ut in rebellion GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the â—…ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it and â—…he sutablenesse to our condition and the reasons of it how they agree to our nature hee doth not force the soule but doth it with reasons and arguments sweetly And â—…e doth it strongly that the soule when it is perswaded would not for all the world bee of another mind it is so strong that the perswasion and â—…he promises are stronger then the temptations of Saran and the corruptions of the â—…esh or then the candals of the world that nothing â—…an separate us from Christ nothing can drive â—…s from our faith and hope the perswasion is â—…et so strongly upon the soule because it is a divine perswasion It is a strong worke to perswade the soule For the spirit of God When it brings a light into the soule it brings agreat many graces with it when it shines upon the soule and discovers better things it brings other graces â—…o perswade and to imbrace the things it discovers As it is an infinite mercy and goodnesse of God to discover to our soules such excellent things as we may be perswaded of as if 〈◊〉 estate to be such as indeed it is above our 〈◊〉 prehension in this world neither eye hath 〈◊〉 nor â—…are heard nor hath entred into the heart 〈◊〉 man the things that God hath prepared for 〈◊〉 that love him so likewise it is Gods infinite worke of power to frame the soule to be perswaded of this it is as mâ—…ch power to 〈◊〉 the soule to this perswasion as it is mercy 〈◊〉 discover them in a manner there is such 〈◊〉 ward rebellion and distrust in the soule 〈◊〉 ling these truths into question as if theâ—… things were too good to be true Considerâ—… our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse 〈◊〉 the excellency of these things laying theâ—… together the unbelieving heart of man 〈◊〉 prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes 〈◊〉 can hardly conceive that there are such thinâ—… for Gods children except the heart be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tily wrought on unlesse together with 〈◊〉 swasion there be some worke in the soule whence it may gather by the work of the spirit that they are those to whom such good things belong because the spirit of God hath singâ—…ed them out and set his seale and stampe on them above other men by some evidenceâ—… of grace It is another manner of worke then the world takes it to be For as I said before together with the Scripture there must a spirit of perswasion goe there is a secâ—…et messengeâ—… goes with the outward peech both of the preacher and of the Scripture or else all the â—…guments will not be to purpose they will be â—…f no efficacy As the Israelites they had arguments and â—…otives enow to perswade them of Gods love â—…nd care to them yet notwithstanding GOD â—…ave them not a heart Deut. 29. In Christs â—…me what miracles did they see yet their â—…earts were hardned because God together â—…ith his shining in the outward meanes did â—…ot subdue the rebellion of their wiâ—… and afâ—…ections and therefore the more they saw â—…he more they were hardned the Scribes and â—…harisees and some of their desperate folâ—…owers Well then considering that the spirit doth â—…his great worke let us labour that our knowâ—…edge may be spirituall that our perswasion of divine truth in generall and our part and â—…ortion in divine truth that it may bee spirituâ—…ll for as Saint Paul divinely and excellentâ—…y sets it downe 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. that as no â—…an knowes the things that are in man but the spiâ—…it that is in man so no man knowes the things of Gods word divine truths nor his part and porâ—…ion and interest in them but by the spirit of God If wee bring the Engine of our owne â—…it and parts to Gods truth â—…o sermons and â—…ookes wee may never be the better if wee â—…ome not with a spirituall intention with â—…everent and humble hearts and implore the â—…eaching of the spirit that together with the revelation of the word there may beeâ—… 〈◊〉 ving of the vaile by the spirit that vvith 〈◊〉 outwâ—…rd teaching there may bee the inwarâ—… teaching of the spirit that with the 〈◊〉 opening the â—…are there may be the opening 〈◊〉 the hearâ—… that he that hath the key of 〈◊〉 may open and inoline and perswade the 〈◊〉 that hee may perswade Iaphet as the Scripâ—… phrase is It is facâ—…legious presumption to come 〈◊〉 holy places and to set upon holy duties 〈◊〉 heare or read the word of God without 〈◊〉 ting up our hearts to God for his holy 〈◊〉 We cannot plow without his Heifer Can 〈◊〉 know the mind of God without the 〈◊〉 God What arrogancy is this to thinâ—… 〈◊〉 be saved and the spirit never tell us with 〈◊〉 word so but it is only a presumpâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a sacrilegious surpation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods glory The spirit of God knowâ—… 〈◊〉 things are in God towards us and reveales 〈◊〉 our spirits Gods inward love to us The 〈◊〉 â—…eacheth us to know the things that are 〈◊〉 God Wee only know the good that Gâ—… meanes us by his owne 〈◊〉 and therefore let us labour every day more and more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall and heavenly minded And above all things to make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our desires as it 〈◊〉 Luke 11. to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit he will give his holy spirit to them that 〈◊〉 it it is the best and the chiele gilt of all 〈◊〉 this makes our knowledge heavenly our 〈◊〉 swasion heavenly and sound and constant in â—…e and death And this spirit carries the whole soule with it this spirit makes us like the word of GOD because it is spirituall it makes us so and we love it in our inward man and consent to it and joy in it Whereas naturally there is inward rebellion in the greatest Scholler in the world against the word of God the heartriseth against divine truths they are as opposite as fire and water as heaven and hell The proud heart of man slights the promises of mercy as nothing to petty things of the world it slights the comforts of the word to carnall comforts and the Commandements of GOD in respect of the commandements of men The proud man
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
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
workes but the title we have is onely by Christ onely by grace Here we must appeale from Sinai to Sion from the Law to the Gospell from Moses to Christ we must flie with Ioab to the homes of the Altar that must be our refuge flie to Christ in the Covenant of grace and wee shall not be pulled from thence as Ioab was from the Altar there let us live and die Remember I say that the Covenant of grace is distinct in the whole kind from the Covenant of workes yet this They are both in the Church and both taught one subordinate to the other As thus The Covenant of workes is taught to shew us our failing that seeing our owne disability to performe what the Law requireth we may be forced to the new Covenant of grace And therefore saith Paul By the Law I am dead to the Law It is an excellent speech by the Law I am dead to the Law by the Covenant of workes I am dead to the Covenant of workes that is by the Lawes â—…acting of me exact and perpetuall obedience in thought word and deed I come to see that I cannot fulfill it and therefore am dead to the Law that is I looke for no salvation for no title to heaven by that and therefore he saith the Law was added for transgression why was the Law added to the promise of salvation by Christ made here to Abraham why was the Covenant of workes added in the wildernes afterwards it was for transgression to increase the sense of transgression that wee by the Law might see what we should doe and what we have not done and that we are by that come under a curse and so might flie to the promise of grace in Christ. I have stood the longer in the clearing of this because it is a maine point But to come to that which I specially intend the words as I said before containe therenewing of this blessed and gracious agreement betweene God and man to Abraham the father of the faithfull I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee The words you see containe a Covenant and here are all things all the Articles and circumstances that agree to any Covenant whatsoever Here are the parties both that makes the Covenant and that are covenanted with Here is the substance of the Covenant and the qualities of the Covenant and the condition of the Covenant The party making the Covenant is God I will be thy God God is the party covenanting God indeed is both the party covenanting and the substance of the Covenant I will be a God to thee they fall both together in one It is a most sweet signe of Gods great love that he will stoope so low as to make a Covenant with us to be our God to be himselfe all in all to us For consider but both these parties God and we the Creator and the creature the immortall God and mortall man the glorious God and dust and afhes the holy God and sinfull-man the great King of heaven and earth and Rebels and traytours as wee are For him to condescend so low as to make a Covenant with us to enter into Termes and Articles of agreement with us it is a wondrous signe of his gracious mercy and love what can we but hope for from so gracious a God But I shall have occasion to touch that afterward The parties covenanted with are Abrahamâ—…d â—…d his seed his seede by promise The substance of the Covenant is I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee The qualities of the Covenant are first it is a sure Covenant I will establish my Covenant Secondly it is an everlasting Covenant I will establish my Covenant for an everlasting Covenant Thirdly it is a peculiar Covenant I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee and thy seed that is onely betweene me and thee and thy seed not with the refuse of the world but onely with thy seed by promise onely beleevers whether Iewes or Gentiles Fourthly it is a most free Covenant it was made to Abraham whom God called out of Vr of the Chaldees out of an idolatrous nation out of an idolatrous family Even as it was at the first most freely made to Adam in Paradise when he was in a most desperate estate when he was as low as hell in a manner ready to sinke into de spaire then the Seede of the woman was promised so here it was freely made to good Abraham First the love of God was free to him when he call'd him being an idolatour and then it was freely renewed afterward when hee was good as wee shall see anon And lastly It is a Covenant consisting most of spirituall things it is a spirituall covenant I meane especially promising spirituall favours although the other things as appendices of the maine are likewise meant For after that the covenant was made to Abraham and his posterity they endured many afflictions after the promise was renewed to Iacob wee know hee fled from his brother Esau to whom the Covenant of grace was not made and yet of Esau presently came Duke such a one and Duke such a one and poore Iacob was faine to flie for his life in regard of the promise So that I say it must be specially of spirituall blessings These are the qualities of the Covenant It is a sure an everlasting a peculiar and a most free Covenant ayming specially at spirituall things And then lastly you have the condition of the Covenant and that though it is not exprest yet it is implyed I will be thy God and the God of thy seede therefore thou shalt take me for thy God carry thy selfe to me as to thy God c. It is usuall in other places of Scripture where mention is made of this Covenant to imply the condition required on our parts sometimes both the Covenant and condition are mentioned together as in Zach. 13. last I will say saith God It is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God the one springeth from the other when God is a God to any he makes the heart to answer thou shalt be my God and I will be thine alwayes This is the condition on our part that we make with God in this Covenant to take him for our God to be his people and his pecuilar ones I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Though these words I will be a God to thee and to thy seed be the last words of the Text yet being the substance of the Covenant I thinke it shall be best to speake of that before I speake of the qualities of the Covenant or any thing else I will be thy God This is the Covenant in the Messiah but first what is it to be a God I answer To be a God take it in
is an everlasting covenant which will not faile It is a point of comfort in the losse of friends in the losse of estate in this world If I lose friends yet I cannot lose God if hee be mine he is mine for ever a friend now and a friend ever my portion now and my portion for ever whatsoever God takes away hee never takes away himselfe and in him I have all that is taken away all the comfort that hee doth still derive to mee by friends hee resumeih to himselfe it is not perished with the party he can immediately by himselfe convey whatsoever comfort was derived to me by others he is God Al-sufficient that is put the case all the world were taken away not only friends but the sun the light the earth food and rayment all as it shall be at the day of judgement if all bee taken away yet I have him yet I have him that made all that supporteth all cannot he doe all in a more excellent manner is not he Al-sufficient though I lose all things else It is a point of wondrous comfort God knew it well enough therefore he laboureth to stablish the heart of the father of the faithfull good Abraham here with this instead of all I am God Alsufficient and I will be thy God Againe if this be so that God will be a God to us for ever let us comfort our selves hence in all the unfaithfull dealings of men they are friends to day and enemies to morrow but God is my God and whom he loveth hee loveth to the end An ingenuous spirit certainely esteemeth it the greatest crosse in the world and if any thing will whet a man to heaven this is one that those whom hee trusteth will prove false and at length deceive him Man is but man in the ballance hee is lighter then vanity but he that is in Covenant with God his promise and love and faithfulnesse never faileth A Christian in all the breaches of this world hath this comfort that he hath a sure God to trust to hee that hath not God to trust to and is unfaithfully dealt withall in the world what a wretched man is hee this was Davids comfort when he was beset with calamities and miseries all tooke from him and the people were ready to stone him he trusted in the Lord his God I come to the extent of it To thee and to thy seed after thee Why doth he make the Covenant with his seed as well as with himselfe I answer we apprehend favours and curses more in our seed ofttimes then in our selves and it will humble a man to see calamities on his posterity more then on himselfe and a man more rejoyceth to see the flourishing of his seed them of himselfe It is said that Iosiah did dye in peace though he dyed a bloody death because hee saw not the ruine of his house and family which was worse then death God saw how Abraham apprehended and valued seed when hee said what wilt thou give me since I am childlesse therefore God intending a comfortable enlargement of the covenant of Grace to Abraham extends it to his seed I will be the God of thy seed It is a great blessing for God to bee the God of our seed it is alluded to by S. Peter in the new Testament The promise is made to you and to your Children But what if they have not Baptisme the seal of the Covenant That doth not prejudice their salvation God hath appointed the sacraments to be seales for us not for himselfe hee himselfe keepeth his Covenant whether we have the seale or no so long as we neglect it not therefore we must not thinke if a childe dye before the sacrament of baptisme that God will not keepe his Covenant they have the sanctity the holinesse of the Covenant You know what David said of his childe I shall goe to it but it shall not returne to me and yet it dyed before it was circumcised You know they were 40 yeers in the wildernes and were not circumcised therefore the sacrament is not of absolute necessity to salvation So he is the God of our children from the conception and birth But how can God bee the God of our children when they are borne in corruption Children of wrath Can they bee Children of wrath and the Children of God both at one time I answer yes both as one time for even as in civill matters in our city here a man may be a free-man of the city and yet be borne lame or leprous or with some contageous disease this hindreth not his freedome so the children of a believing father and mother may bee freemen of the city of God and in the covenant of grace and yet be tainted with originall sin that over-spreadeth the powers of the soul notwithstanding Whence we see a ground of baptizing infants because they are in the Covenant To whom the Covenant belongs the seal of it belongs but to infants the Covenant belongs therefore the seale of it Baptisme belongeth to them If circumcision belonged to them then Baptisme doth but circumcision belonged to them for the eighth day they were circumcised therefore Baptisme belongeth to them Anabaptisticall spirits would not have children baptized if they believe not why then were the Children of the Iewes circumcised They were circumcised because they were in Covenant and is not the Covenant of grace enlarged wherein doth the new Covenant differ from the old but among many other things in the enlargement of it there is now a new people the Gentiles in Covenant that were not before new Priests new sacrifices new sacraments all is new in the covenant of grace if all be enlarged in the covenant why should we deny the seale of the covenant to them in the new that had it in the old even children It is sencelesse The Scripture to meete with such applyeth baptisme to them and circumcision to us to shew that in the covenant of grace they are all one in effect 1 Cor. 10. All they were baptized under the cloud and S. Paul saith 1 Colos. Wee are circumcised with circumcision without hands We are circumcised and they were baptized to shew I say that all are one in Christ. Christ is all one yesterday to day and the same for ever yesterday to them that were under the law and to day to us under the Gospell and for ever to posterity and therefore if Children had interest in Christ then so they have now This is cleare and undeniable God is the God of our Children This should bee an encouragement to parents to bee good if not for love of themselves and their owne soules yet for their Children and posterity sake that God may do good to their children for them they cannot deserve worse of their children then to bee naught themselves How many examples are there in Scripture that God plagued and punished the children for the fathers sinnes though in the maine matter hee will not
doe it sometimes because he is gracious and good he will be good to the children though their parents bee naught as Ioshua and Caleb came into Canaan though their parents were rebels and died in the wildernesse Yet it is a discomfortable thing when parents are naught they may looke that God should punish their sin in their Children There is a great deale of care taken by carnall parents here in the City and every where too but in the City especially by covetousnesse a reigning sin they will not make God their God but the wedge of Gold to be their God They labour to make their children great if they can leave them rich men great men in a parish to beare office to come to honour that is their maine endeavour for this they drudge and neglect heaven and happinesse But alas what is this Thou mayst leave them much goods and the vengeance of God with them thou maist leave them much wealth and it may be a snare to them it were better thou hadst left them nothing Looke into the state of the City those that are best able in the City doe they not rise of nothing and they that have bin the greatest labourers for these outward things that they may call their lands after their owne names God hath blowne upon them and all hath come to nought in a short time because they have not made God their portion Of all things parents should labour to leave them God for their God to leave them in Covenant with him lay up prayers in heaven for them lay the foundation there sowe prayers there that may be effectuall for them when you are gone And this likewise should bee a comfort to poore Christians that have not much to leave their children I can leave my childe nothing but I shall leave him in Covenant with God for God is my God and alwayes hath bin and ever will be he will bee the God of my seed I shal leave him Gods blessing and a little well gotten goods that the righteous hath is better then a great deale ill gotten God addeth no sorrow with that There is no fearefull expectation another day as there is of that which is ill gotten when the father and childe shall meet in hell and curse one another when the sonne shall say to the father you insnared your selfe to make me happy and that turned to my ruine this shall make wicked wretches curse one another one day A poore Christian that cannot say he hath riches to leave his children yet he can say God is my God and I am sure he will be their God though I have but little to leave them else I shall leave them Gods blessing Good parents may hope for a blessing upon their children because God is their God and the God of their seed For the sacrament a word The Sacrament is a seale of this Covenant that God is our God in Christ and wee are his people God to his word addeth seales to help our faith what a good God is this how willing is hee to have us believe him one would thinke that a word from him a promise were enough but to his promise hee addeth a covenant one would think a covenant were enough but to that hee addeth seales and to them an oath too I have sworne to David my servant Thus hee stoopes to all conditions of men he condescendeth so farre to use all these meanes that hee may secure us You know that a promise secures us if it be from one that is an honest man wee say that wee are sure to have it because of his promise but when wee have his Covenant then wee are assured more because there is somewhat drawne Now wee have Gods covenant and his seale the sacrament and then his oath If we will take him for our God and renounce our wicked courses wee shall lose nothing by it wee shall part with nothing for God but we shall have it supplied in him If we lose honour wealth or pleasure we shall have it abundantly in him What doe we heare in the sacrament doe we come only to receive his love to us No we make a covenant with God in the Sacrament that hee shall be our God and wee promise by his grace to lead new lives hence forth wee have made a Covenant with God at first in Baptism now we renew it in taking the Sacrament and it is fit for if he renew his covenant oft to us in love to be ours we should renew ours oft with him to take him to be our God Seaven times in Gen. he renewed his covenant to Abraham because hee would have him trust what hee said then we should seven times that is oft come to the Sacrament and renew our Covenant with him to take him for our God and remember what tiâ—… to sin after the receiving the sacrameÌ„â—… Sins against conscience break off a covenant renewed sin hath an aggravation now you that mean to receive if you sin willingly after 't were better you had not received what makes adultery worse theÌ„ fornication saith Mal T was the wife of thy covenant adultery breaks the covenaÌ„t of marriage it is worse then fornication where there is not a covenant So you have made á covenant with God in your Baptisme and now you come to renew it if you sinne now it is an aggravation of the sinne it is adulterie it is disloyaltie against God Remember therefore that we doe not onely take here Gods kindnesse sealed in the Sacrament but we repromise back againe to lead new lives All must resolve by his grace to obey him henceforward and to take him for our God The way therefore will be to put this into the condition of your promise now and prayer after Lord I have promised this but thou knowest I cannot performe the promise I have made and the condition thou requirest of my selfe but in the Covenant of grace thou hast said that thou wilt make good the condition thou hast promised to give the spirit to them that aske him thou hast promised to Circumcise my heart thou hast promised to teach me thou hast promised to delight over me for good thou hast promised to Wash me with cleane water thou hast promised to put thy feare in my heart thou hast promised to write thy Law in the affections I would feare thee and love thee and trust in thee and delight in thee thou knowest I cannot fulfill the conditions thou art able and willing thou art as able to make me doe these things as to command me to doe them Thus we should desire God to give the grace that he requires in the use of the meanes for that must not be neglected we must attend upon the Ordinances use the parts that are given us and in that to him that hath shall bee given thou shalt not need any necessary good to bring thee to heaven if thou wilt clayme the promise of the covenant in the use of