it was a meanes to saue them another way euen to saue their soules for it taught them many things First it was an assurance of Gods loue vnto their soules for if hee was so carefull to saue their bodies from the floud they thereby assured themselues hee would be as good vnto their soules which they knew to be farre more pretious and excellent Secondly it shewed them how to be saued For as they saw no safety nothing but present death out of the Arke So it taught them that out of Gods Church and out of Gods fauour no saluation could be expected and so it taught them to labour to be in Gods fauour and members of his true Church Thirdly they saw they were saued from the floud by faith and obedience For first Noah beleeued Gods word that the floud should come then he obayed Gods commaundement and made the Arke as hee was commaunded And thus he and his by beleeuing obaying were saued through the Arke and without these the Arke could not haue saued them This taught them more particularly how to be saued namely by beleeuing God and obaying God and else no saluation For when they saw their bodies could not be saued without them It assured them much lesse could their soules be saued without faith and obedience Lastly this deliuerance by the Arke was a pawn vnto them from God assuring them of saluation if they beleeued in the Messias For seeing God so fully performed his promise vnto them for their bodily deliuerance vpon their beleeuing they therby might assure themselues he would performe his promise of saluation vnto them vpon their faith and true obedience Moreouer it strengthned their faith For when euer after any promise of God was made vnto them or any word of God came vnto them they then remembred Gods mercy and faithfulnesse vnto them in their deliuerance by the Arke and therefore beleeued Vnto these and many other spirituall vses did the Arke serue vnto Noah and to his houshold as many of them as were beleeuers But what is this to vs Indeede the Arke serued them for a temporall deliuerance it saued their liues therefore they also had reason to make spirituall vse of it But it saued not vs it serued vs to no vse corporall therefore how can wee make any spirituall vse of it I answere though wee had no corporall vse of the Arke yet there ariseth an excellent spirituall vse out of the consideration of it The Arke of Noah and our baptisme are figures correspondent one to the other that that Noahs Arke was to them Baptisme is to vs. Thus teacheth S. Peter 1.3.20.21 To the Arke of Noah the figure which now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth The same that S. Paul here ascribeth to the Arke S. Peter ascribeth to Baptisme The Arke saued them Baptisme saueth vs. Now the resemblaâ—ce betwixt these two figures hath two branches First as it was necessary for them that should be saued in the floud to be in the Arke and out of the Arke no possibility to escape So is it for them that will haue their soules saued to be in Christ and of his Church they must be mysticall members of Christ and visible members of his Church and out of Christ and his Church no possibility of saluation That this is true for Christ S. Peter proueth apparantly Acts 4.12 Among men there is no name giuen vnder heauen whereby to be saued but the name of Iesus Christ neither is there saluation in any other And that this is true for the Church he prooueth Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued See how such as are to be saued must ioyne themselues to the Church when they see where it is and all this is signified taught in Baptisme For the outward vse of Baptisme makes vs members of the visible Church the inward powerfull vse of Baptisme makes vs members of Christ himselfe The vse and consideration hereof should make vs all more carefull to be true members of Christ of his Church by making not onely a bare profession of religion but by seeking to be incorporate into Christ by faith and true repentance for this must saue vs when nothing els can As they that were out of the Arke no gold nor siluer could buy out their safetie no lands nor liuings no houses nor buildings no hilles nor mountaines nothing in the world nor the whole world it selfe could saue them but being out of the Arke they perished So if a man be out of Christ out of his Church no gold nor siluer no honour nor glory no wit nor policy no estimation nor authoritie no friendâ— nor fauour no wisdome nor learning no hilles of happines nor mountaines of gold can saue his soule but hee must perish in the flood of Gods eternall wrath For as it prooued folly in them that trusted to their high houses or catcht hold on the hils if they were out of the Arke so will it prooue much greater folly to them that shall trust to any meanes of saluation if they be out of Christ. And contrariwise as they that were in the Arke were sure to bee saued doe the waters windes and weathers stormes and tempests all they could so that still the more the waters rose the Arke rose also and was euer higher than they and the higher it was carried by the violence of the waters the safer it was from the danger of hils and rockes and so in the midst of danger they were out of danger and were saued in the midst of the water So he that is once truely in Christ is sure of saluation nothing can hinder it flouds of calamities may assault him and humble him but they hurt not his saluation hee is in the Arke he is in Christ nay the gates of hell shall not ouerthrowe him but through all the waues of the diuels malice through all tempests of temptations the blessed Arke of Christes loue and merits shall carrie him vp and at last conuay him to saluation this is the blessed assurance of all them that are truely baptized into Christ. But as for such as out of their prophanenesse either care not to be in Christ or contemne Baptisme let theÌ„ assure theÌ„selues they be out of the Arke they perish certainly This is the 1. part of the resemblance The second is this Noahs body going into the Arke hee seemed therein a dead man going into a graue or a tombe to be buried for he was buried in the Arke the Arke in the waters he depriued of the fresh airâ— gladsome light yet by Gods appointment it was the means to saue Noah which in all reason seemed to be his graue if Noah will be saued he must goe into this graue So they that will escape hell and damnation by Christ the true Arke of holinesse must be buried and mortified in their flesh and fleshly lusts and there is no way to come
of all creatures and according as he willed they presently were and that his will was his word here mentioned Here then first marke a speciall point that sets out the glorie of this Creator hee vsed no labour no motion no paines no seruants no instrument no meanes as men do He onely spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created Psal. 148.5 This shewes how glorious a God he is and his power how omnipotent it is who at his owne will and word produced such a glorious frame of heauen and earth so many 1000. sorts and kinds of creatures in their order and due place Dauid most seriously considered of this when hee made the 104. Psalme as appeareth if we reade it Wee ought also so deepely to meditate of this his glorious power manifested in this miraculous creation as that we seeing it may acknowledge with the Psalmist Psal. 115.3 Our God sitteth in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will 2. Did the Lord make all things by his word learne wee then for our instruction thus much Euer when we see what is Gods will concerning our selues in any crosse or affliction whatsoeuer let vs subiect our selues to it and beare it because it comes from so mighty a God as whom there is no resisting For see he that commaunded all the world to be and it presently was so and nothing could disobay then if he commaund any crosse to seise vpon thee wilt thou resist him Nay rather take Saint Peters holy counsell 1. Pet. 5.5 Humble thy selfe vnder this so mighty hand of God that he may exalt thee in due time If thou then see his crosse comming towards thee meete it receiue it with both hands beare it with both shoulders if he will humble thee resist not thou for when againe he pleaseth to exalt thee all the diuels in hell are not able to resist him It followeth So that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare The fourth last point is the matter whereof the world was made the Text saith The things that we see that is all the world were made of things neuer seene that is of a flat nothing which here is said not to be seene or not to appeare because how can that appeare or be seene which is not So the meaning is when there was nothing in the world then God made the world to be This is the strangest thing of all in this fourth effect For it is not so strange that the world should be created in excellent order or that God should make it by his word as that hee should make it of nothing Reason denies it Phylosophie disputes against it as absurd and neuer will yeeld vnto it but here is the power of faith manifest for it makes vs beleeue and know it is so Hence we learne 1. If he created the world and vs of nothing then he can preserue vs also by nothing that is without meanes or by weake meanes or contrary to meanes he that did the one can do the other for the same reason is of both This is a speciall point of our religion Not to tye Gods prouidence vnto meanes Men vse neuer to acknowledge it but with meanes but that is no worke of faith But wee ought not onely to see Gods prouidence when we see no meanes but euen when other meanes are against vs then to see it is a point of faith and that is our duty though it be hard Giue men health wealth liberty peace let them be guarded about with Gods blessings then they will magnifie the prouidence of God but take these away and lay vpon them penurie sicknesse or any crosse then they rage and raile and distrust yea blaspheme and say No prouidence no God And thus God is beholden to the meanes for else men would flatly deny him But this argues the want of faith For had we that faith in vs whereby we beleeued stedfastly that God made all the world without meanes that faith would also perswade vs that he can preserue vs being made though meanes be wanting or though they be against vs. This we may make vse of whether wee be in necessitie and would be relieued or in any perill and would be succoured or in what extremitie soeuer when meanes doe faile vs. Secondly if he made all things of nothing then he is able also in respect of his promises made in Christ To call such things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 As a man by nature is the childe of wrath and of the diuell he is able to make him a seruant of God and childe of grace This may teach vs 1. Not to despaire of any mans saluation though hee seeme almost past all grace for God can make any thing of nothing and therefore can put grace into that heart wherein afore was none And 2. this is a comfort to all them which through weaknesse of faith cannot perswade themselues of their election For suppose thou be full of wants and imperfections hast a rebellious and froward heart What then Remember God made thee once a creature of nothing hee can now againe make thee a new creature of nothing he created thee without meanes he can saue thee though neuer so many meanes doe seeme to be against thee And thus much of these three effects of faith and consequently Of the first part of this Chapter containing a description of faith in generall Abels Faith VERSE 4. By Faith Abell offred vnto God a greater sacrifice then Cain by which he obtayned witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts By which faith hee also being dead yet speaketh THe second part of the Chapter containeth an illustration and proofe of the former description by a rehearsall of the most excellent patternes and exsamples of faith which flourished in the Church of the old Testament These exsamples be of two sorts 1. Such as are set downe seuerally one by one from the 4. verse to the 32. 2. Such as are set downe ioyntly many together from thence to the end The exsamples set down seuerally are of two sorts 1. Such as were naturall Israelites and borne members of the Church visible 2. Such as were not naturally members but strangers from the Church of God till they were called extraordinarily Exsamples of such as were members of the visible church are also of 2. sorts 1. Such as liued about the flood or 2. After the flood First of such as liued afore or about the time of the flood there bee three faithfull men whose faith is here recorded 1. Abell before 2. Enoch before 3. Noe both before after All these three in order These excellent most worthy exsamples are all grounded on some place of the old testament and are continued from the beginning of the world almost to Christs incarnation for he beginneth with Abell which is so neere the beginning that he was the second good man that liued in the
a citie also and the best on earth are but shadowes of it And it may shame them that are drowned in the pleasures and delicacies of earthly cities and care not nor looke after the city of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem as it is called Heb. 12.22 But alas it seemes they care not for this shame for where is securitie wantonnesse profanenesse oppressions so coÌ„mon as in these great cities And as in the Apostles times the countrey towne Berea was more zealous and religious than the rich and stately citie of Thessalonica Acts 17.11 So is it generally to this day especially at such places in the countrey where teaching and knowledge is But let such cities know that as they haue better meanes more comforts and their very name should put them in minde and make them in loue with heauen so they shall receiue greater damnation Lastly Cities are places of freedome and all such great places haue some notable priuiledges therefore men desire to be free in such places as is to bee seene in London Rome Venice c. Euen the greatest persons will bee content to be free of them and many seeke it and pay deer for it or at least worke a long time for it But heauen is the City of cities the perfection of beauty and true happinesse therefore let euery one that desires either honour or happinesse labour and striue to be a free-man of heauen and neuer rest till he know hee be And let those that liue in cities when they are admitted free-men as daily some are remember what a blesâ—ednes it will be if they can bee admitted free-men of the glorious Citie which is aboue and how little that shall auaile them if they want this which was the hope and ioy of Abraham and all holy men To goe further This Citie which Abrahams faith waited for is described by two points 1. That it hath a foundation 2. That the maker and builder was God For the first Heauenly Ierusalem hath a foundation such a one as no city in this world hath by this phrase the holy Ghost insinuates vnto vs what be the properties of heauen which be two 1. The state of heauen is vnchangeable 2. Euerlasting and eternall First the state of the Elect in heauen their glory there is not subiect to corruption or the least alteration as appeareth in that notable and loftie description of the heauenly Ierusalem Apoc. 21.14 and from the 10. verse to the 21 It hath a great wall and high 12. gates 12. Angels for Porters and the wall had 12. foundations of 12. sorts of most excellent pretious stones and the wall it selfe was Iasper and the citie pure gold like crystall The state of it is shadowed by pretious stones and gold to signifie as well the durablenesse as the excellency therof And in the 15. Psalme vers 1. it is called the mountaine of Gods holines Hills are hardly remoued and therefore Dauid saith that Mount Zion cannot bee remooued but remaineth for euer Psal. 125.1 Now if that be true of Mount Zion in this world which must needes bee taken either literally for the state of the visible Church which cannot be vtterly ouerthrowen or mystically for the state of Gods grace which in this world cannot totally finally be lost I say if this Mount Zion standeth fast and cannot be remoued how much more true iâ— it of the state of glory in heauen and of the triumphant Church and of heauenly Zion that it is so vnchangeable so durable so vnremoueable that it cannot be shaken but standeth fast for euer And in this respect well may the Apostle say here It hath a foundation which the holy Ghost in the Reuelation saith to haue 12. foundations Secondly the state of the Elect in heauen is not onely sure but euerlasting that is without end Psal. 37.18 the Inheritance of holy men is perpetuall And therfore S. Peter 1.1.4 saith that the inheritance reserued in heauen for vs is immortall not fading away It fades not away there is the vnchangeablenesse It is immortall there is the eternity of it And this is meant by hauing a foundation for in this world so much the longer doth any thing endure as the foundation is stronger Therefore seeing the heauenly city hath such a foundation no maruell though it indure for euer Now put these two together and they shew the perfect excellency of that city which is both vnchangeable and eternall Where we learne the great difference betwixt the state of that world and this present world wherin we liue in the body For what is there in this world so excellent so pâ—etious so costly so artificiall but is subiect both to alteration and in the ende to dissolution The longest day hath his night and the longest life endeth in death after many miseries and tossings the longest Empires and mightiest Monarchies had their period after many mutations the stateliest and strongest cities ended in ruine after many ciuill broiles massacres and other miseries So that no glory no strength no happinesse nothing at all is there in this world that is either constant or perpetuall but subiect to vtter dissolution in the end and in the meane time to pittifull alterations So weake a foundation hath this world and the best things in it But contrariwise the glory of heauen hath such a foundation as it is both vnchaâ—geable and eternall The consideration of this difference hath manifold profitable vse First we may see how reasonable the counsell of the Apostle is 1. Tim 6. â—7 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and put not their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God For what a misery and vanity is it to trust in that that is vncertaine and therefore will deceiue them The Apostle tells them what to doe namely Doe good and be rich in good works and be ready to distribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundatioÌ„ against the time to come that they may obtain eternal life that is that they so speÌ„d their riches in holines charity that they may 〈◊〉 the ende attaine heauen which is the Citie that hath a foundation and who would not spend riches which are so vncertaine for heauen which is so certaine a glory Secondly this must teach vs to followe the Counsell of Christ Iesus Math. 6.19.20 Lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth where moth and canker corrupt theeues steale but in heauen where is neither canker moth theefe nor any other corruption Euery man naturally must haue his treasure and that is it whereon hee sets his heart now that is vnworthy of a mans heart which will bee lost wee knowe not how soone But let vs make heauen our treasure the glory whereof is both eternall and vnchangeable Againe seeing nothing here is certaine wee must learne to seeke sound comfort where it may be had Seeke it in this world and it will faile
any thing to bee resolued of Gods power and will to heare and helpe vs. He is our Father therefore carefull and willing he is in heauen and therefore able to heare vs and to giue vs all thinges Math. 6.9 And the same commendation here giuen to Sarah is also giuen to Abraham Rom. 4 21. He doubted not but beleeued aboue hope c. being fully assured that he which had promised was also able to doe it The vse hereof vnto vs is double First to aduise and guide vs for our promises not to be too recklesse as some are what we promise but to consider aforehand and if it be beyond our power not to speake the word for Christian mens words must not be vaine and if we haue promised any thing lawfull and in our power to be carefull to performe it Thus to doe is to be a faithfull man and is a good signe of a holy man and Gods childe prouided this be so First of all towards God that wee make conscience of performing the great vow wee made in our baptisme and all other serious holy purposes of our heart made to God For otherwise hee that breakes his vowe to God carelesly by liuing profanely hee may in worldly policy keepe â—is word but he cannot doe it in conscience The Church of Rome is foully faulty in this point making no conscience of breaking promise and faith with vs or any of our religion their nakednesse herein is discouered in the face of all Christendome let them that are wiâ—e be warned of it They make great ostentation of their vowes and of their care to performe them aboue any other religion but it appeares hereby to be vile hypocrisie For if they were conscionably and not politikely and formally carefull of their vowes of chastity pouerty others made to God they could not but be likewise carefull of their promises made to men for the one of these is the fountaine aâ—d roote of the other But the neglect of the one sheweth the formality and hypocrisie of the other Let all that feare God learne to make conscience of both these in their religion and seruice of God and in all their dealings with men in the world that so the world may iudge vs faithfull men when we haue promised Secondly let vs here learne how to helpe and strengthen our weake faith in the great promises of God Wee haue a promise of saluation Whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall not perish but haue life euerlasting Of our resurrection Dan. 12. They thaâ— sleepe iâ— the dust shall rise againe Of our glorification Philip. 3.21 The Lord Iesus shal change our vile bodies and make them like to his owne glorious body Of a new world 2. Pet 3.13 We looke for new heauens and a new earth according to his promise These be as S. Peter calls them great and pretious promises 2. Pet. 1.4 And surely it must be a great pretious faith that can constantly beleeue these No better helpes of our faith can there be then often and seriously to consider of the mercy and power of him that made them if he be willing and able what can let the performance of them Let vs thereforâ— often say with holy Paul Faithfull is hee which hath promised who will also doe it 1. Thess. 5 and with Sarah here We iudge him faithfull which hath promised Now followeth the last effect in the next verse And therefore sprang there of one euen of one which was as dead as many as the starres of the skie in multitude and as the sands of the seashore which are innumerable The third and last effect of Sarahs effect is that by this sonne Isaac whom she conceiued brought forth by faith she had a wonderfull great issue and a posterity almost without number This effect consists not of it selfe but depends vpon the former Her faith gaue her strength to conceiue Isaac though she were barren and to bring him forth though she were olde and weake and so her faith brought him out by whom shee was made the mother of many millions of men The matter of this third effect is the multitude of men that came of Abraham and Sarah by Isaac This posterity or multitude is described by two arguments 1. By the beginning or roote of it One that was as dead 2. The quantity or greatnesse laid downe 1. Generally to be a multitude and innumerable 2. Particularly by two comparisons 1. As many as the starres in the skie 2. As the sands by the seashore The first point is the roote and beginning of this multitude in these words And therefore sprang there of one euen one that was as dead One that is one woman Sarah or at the most one couple Abraham and Sarah And this one was no better then dead Not dead properly and fully for none are so dead whose soules and bodies are not separate but as dead that is as good as dead or halfe dead meaning that they were altogether vnfit for generation of children the strength of nature being decayed in them Abraham being 100. and Sarah 90. yeares olde And if this be true of Abraham who was past age how much more is it of Sarah who was both past age and was also barren in her best age Here we are to note and learne many things First Multitudes came of one See here the powerfull and yet the ordinary workes of God to reare vp goodly huge buildings vpon small and weake foundations So did he in the beginning and euer since Indeede he made at the first thousands of starres because they must be no more then at the first they were and millions of Angels intending they shall not multiply he could also haue made millions of men in a moment he would not but onely one couple Adam and Eue. And of them came the infinite race of mankinde When sinne had made an end of that world hee founded not the second that yet continueth vpon a thousand couples but by three men and their wiues hee multiplied the whole race of mankinde which since haue growen from three to millions of millions And so here of one olde man and a barren olde woman spring innumerable multitudes This God doth to magnifie his owne power in the eyes of the sonnes of men and so he did also in matters heauenly The number of Christians since Christ that haue grown to millions began in a poore number at the first For when Christ himselfe was ascended the number of knowen beleeuers was but 120. Acts 1.15 The consideration hereof should teach vs all these duties First not to measure God by our lengthes nor to tye him to our rules but to esteeme of his power and might as we see it deserues and to entertaine high and honourable thoughts of him his Maiestie who can reare vp so great workes vpon so poore foundations Secondly not to despaire of our selues or our estates though we think our selues neuer so weak so poore so sick
did the Gadarens there was set before them Christ Iesus the Lord of life and their hogges and cattell Now they prefer their hogges before Christ A most miserable and senselesse choice And is it not as ill with vs There is set before vs on the one side heauen and on the other side hell but men for the most part chuse hell forsake heauen Ciuill worldly men whose delight is all in riches they prefer earth before heauen the seruice of sinne which is the greatest slauerie before the seruice of GOD which is perfect freedome and glorious liberty of the Saints in light and thus doe all men without Gods speciall grace Whereupon Paul prayes in his Epistles for the Churches that God would giue vnto them the spirit of wisedome that they may be able to iudge betweene things that differ And this wisdom we must labour for that when these different things are set before vs we may make a wise choise otherwise we shew our selues to be like brute beasts without vnderstanding do quite ouerturne our owne saluation In the Ministerie of the word we haue life and death good euill set before vs as Moses said to the people Deut. 30.15 19. Let vs therfore endeuour our selues to chuse life by embracing and obeying the word of God so shall we followe both his precept and practice To suffer aduersity with the people of God Heere wee may obserue what is the ordinarie state and condition of Gods Church and people in this world namely to be in affliction and vnder the crosse Hence Paul saith That we must come to heauen through manifold afflictions Acts 14.23 The Lord knoweth what is best for his seruants and children and therefore he hath set downe this for a ground that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 Thus the Lord dealeth with his children for speciall causes for first all crosses as losse of goods friends liberty or good name they are meanes to stirre vp and awake Gods people out of the slumbring fit of sinne for the godly are many times ouertaken this way The wise virgines sleepe as well as the foolish Now afflictions rouze them out of the sleepe of securitie See this in Iosephs brethren who went on a long time without any remorse for selling their brother But when they were stayed in Egypt then they are rowzed vp and can say Genesis 42.21 This trouble is come vpon vs for selling our brother Secondly afflictions serue to humble Gods children Leuiticus 26.41 So the Church of God speaketh I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him Micah 7.9 Thirdly they serue to weane the people of God and to driue them from the loue of this world for if men might alwaies liue in ease they would make their heauen vpon earth which may not be And heerein GOD dealeth with his children like a Nurse when shee will weane her childe she layes some bitter thing vpon the pappes head to make the childe to loathe the pappe so the Lord to draw our hearts from the world and to cause vs to loue and seeke after heauen and heauenly things hee makes vs to taste of the bitternesse of affliction in tâ—is worlde Fourthly afflictions ferâ—e to make Gods children to goe out of themselues to seeke sincerely vnto GOD and to relie onely vpon him which in prosperity they will not doe This Paul confesseth of himselfe and others Wee saith hee receiued the sentence of death in our selues because wee should not trust in our selues but in God 2. Corinthians chapter 1. verse 9. So good King Iehosaphat when hee was compassed of his enemies Hee cried to the Lord and said Lord wee knowe not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2. Chronicles chapter 20. verse 12. Yea the rebellious Iewes are heereby driuen to seeke the Lord whom in prosperity they forsooke as wee may see at large Psal. 107.6.12.13.19 Lastly afflictions serue to make manifest the graces of GOD in his children The Lord saith Iob knoweth my way and trieth me Iob 23.10 Deuteronomie 8.2 Remember all the way saith Moses to the Israelites which the Lord thy GOD ledde thee this fourtie yeares for to prooue thee and to knowe what was in thine heart Hence Iames calleth temptations the triall of faith Iames chapter 1. verses 2.3 And Paul makes patience the fruite of tribulation Romanes chapter 5. verse 3. For looke as the showers in the spring time cause the buds to appeare so doe afflictions make manifest Gods graces in his children Patience hope and other vertues lie close in the heart in the day of peace but when tribulation comes then they breake forth and shew themselues Hence wee learne that it is not alwayes a token of Gods wrath To suffer affliction If any man or people be laden with crosses it is no argument that therefore they are not the children of GOD for as Peter saith Iudgements begin at Gods house 1. Peter chapter 4. verse 17 and any crosse vpon a people family or particular persons if it bring forth the fruite of grace in them is a true signe they belong to GOD. Yea when men wander from God by an euill way these afflictions are meanes to call them home to GOD. Psalme 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray And they that forsake their sinne and returne to GOD in the time of affliction are certainly Gods people for the wicked man fretteth and murmureth against God when a crosse commeth and he cannot abide it But the godly man is humbled therby and it makes him more obedient in all duties vnto God This wee should consider for by an outward profession wee beare the world in hand that we are Gods children and therefore wee come to heare Gods word and to learn how to behaue our selues as beseemeth his children But if we would be knowen to be Gods children indeede then when any of Gods iudgements doe befallâ— vs wee must make this vse of them namely labour thereby to be humbled for our sinnes and to forsake our sinnes and to make conscience of all bad wayes for euer afterward and then wee shewe our selues to be Gods children indeede but if vnder the crosse or after the crosse wee be as dissolute as euer wee were and still followe our olde sinnes then wee cannot be iudged to be Gods people and children but rather a wicked and stubborne generation which the more they are corrected the worse they are like a stithy the more it is beaten the harder it is Let vs therefore by the vse of Gods iudgements shewe our selues to be Gods children so shall wee say with Dauid with much ioy and comfort It is good for vs that wee haue beene in trouble Psal. 119.71 Thus wee see what Moses chose now come wee to the thing he refused To enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season By pleasures of sinne wee must vnderstand the riches and dignitie that Moses
doctrine the practise of it the whole doctrine of faith being grounded and gathered out of the word of God is comprised in the Creede commonly called the Apostles Creede which being already by vs expounded it followeth in order next after the doctrine to lay downe also the practise of faith for which purpose wee haue chosen this 11. chapter to the Hebrewes as being a portion of Scripture wherein the saide practise of faith is most excellently and at large set downe This chapter depends on the former thus We may reade in the former chapter that many Iewes hauing receiued the faith and giuen their names to Christ did afterward fall away therefore towards the end of the chapter there is added a notable exhortation tending to perswade the Hebrewes to perseuer in faith vnto the end as also to suffer patiently what euer shall befall them in the profession of it and to vrge the exhortation there are diuerse reasons not needefull to be alleadged for they concerne not the present purpose Now in this chapter hee continues the same exhortation and the whole chapter as I take it is nothing else in substance but one reason to vrge the former exhortation to perseuerance in faith and the reason is drawne from the excellencie of faith for this chapter doth diuers waies set down what an excellent gift of God faith is his whole scope therfore is manifest to be nothing else but to vrge thē to perseuer continue in that faith proued at large to be so excellent a thing indeed he could not bring a better argument to moue them to loue and hold fast their faith then by perswading them of the excellencie of it For common reason bids vs not onely chuse but hold fast that that is excellent Out of this coherence we may learn in a word that perseuerance in faith is a matter not of ordinarie necessitie nor of mean excellēcy to the vrging wherof the author of this epistle vseth so large so forcible an exhortation in so much as whereas ordinary exhortations occupy the roome of one or some few verses this is continued through diuers chapters The parts of this whole chapter are two 1. A generall description of Faith from the first verse to the fourth 2. An illustration or declaration of that description by a large rehearsall of manifold examples of ancient and worthy men in the old testament from the 4. verse to the end Of these two in order The description of Faith consists of three actions or effects of faith set downe in three seuerall verses The first effect in the first verse Faith makes things which are not but only are hoped for after a sort to subsist and to be present with the beleeuer The 2. is in the 2. v Faith makes a beleeuer approued of God The 3. in the 3. verse Faith makes a man vnderstand beleeue things incredible to sense and reason Of these effects in order Now Faith is the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene This first verse containes the first effect in the description of faith wherein first let vs see the true meaning of the words Secondly what instructions they do naturally yeeld vnto vs. For the meaning wee must examine the words seuerally Now faith Faith in the word of God is specially of three sorts Historicall Miraculous Iustifying or sauing faith 1. Historicall faith is not only a knowledge of the word but an assent of the heart to the truth of it and this faith is generall not onely to all men good and bad but euen to the diuels thēselues Iames. 2.19 Thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well the diuels also beleeue it tremble Now he that will beleeue out of the Scripture there is one God he will beleeue historically any thing in the Scriptures 2. Miraculous or the faith of miracles which is An inward perswasion of the heart wrought by some speciall instinct of the holy Ghost in some man whereby hee is truly perswaded that God will vse him as an instrument for the working of some miracles this also is generall both to elect and reprobate Iudas had it with the rest of the Apostles 3. Sauing commonly call'd Iustifying faith which is A speciall perswasion wrought by the holy Ghost in the heart of those that are effectually called concerning their reconciliation and saluation by Christ. Of these three sorts of faith the third is principally meant in this place And although in the description ouer all the chapter there are some things that agree to other faith then it yet I say the generall scope in this chapter is principally of that faith that saues a man It becomes vs therefore to learne carefully the instructions that concerne the practice of this faith for it is no lesse then a sauing faith Secondly it is said This faith is the ground or substance for the word signifieth both The meaning is things hoped for as yet are not and so haue no being nor substance Now faith that beleeues the promises and applieth them that faith giues to these things which yet are not after a sort a substance or subsistence in the heart of the beleeuer so that that thing which neuer had nor yet hath a being in it selfe by this faith hath a being in the heart of the beleeuer this I take to be the true meaning Thirdly it followeth of what things this faith is the ground or substance namely of things hoped for and things not seene And these be of two sorts either in regard of the Fathers of the old testament alone or of them and vs both Of the first sort were these two 1. The incarnation of Christ. 2. The publishing of the Gospell both to Iew and Gentile in a glorious manner both these were hoped for of them but we haue seene them to them they had a being only in faith to vs a being in themselues Now vnto the fathers of the olde testament their faith gaue these two things a being in their hearts and soules though they came not to passe many hundreth yeeres after There are other things which we hope for as wel as they which are to come and not seene in respect of vs both and they be sixe 1. Iustification standing in the remission of sinnes 2. Sanctification in this life 3. The perfection and accomplishment of our sanctification after this life 4. The Resurrection of the body and revniting it with the soule 5. Glorification of body and soule 6. Life euerlasting and glory with God in heauen These they saw not with the eye of the body neither do we yet they hoped for them and so do we they had no being in themselues to them neither haue they as yet to vs but this true sauing faith gaue to them giues to vs and will giue to euery beleeuer whilst the world lasteth such a certaine assurance of them that they seeme present to vs
owne strength But when we are assaulted by the diuel the world and our owne flesh then we shal find that to resist is a harder matter then we dreamed of for as possible as it is for water to burne or fire to put out it selfe so possible is it for vs of our selues to resist sin insomuch as it is a thousand to one but that at euery assault our nature yeelds Now if it be so hard to rule ouer one sin how shal we do against that sea of temptations that ouerwhelmeth a Christian life this doctrine teacheth thee how namely to stick to thy faith and it wil doe it for thee for if it be the substance of the things thou hopest for which yet neuer were much more wil it yeeld vnto thee spirituall strength substance to make thee stand in all temptations When thou art tempted then call to minde Gods promises beleeue them that is apply them to thy selfe and be resolued that they were made shall be performed euen to thee theÌ„ though thou haue no more power of thy self then fire hath to cease to burne yet whilst thou doest thus thou shalt feele thy soule spiritually strengthned against all temptations feeling the experience of this deny theÌ„ thine own strength magnifie the power that God hath giuen vnto true faith Againe though now we are most of vs quiet vnder our owne vines and figtrees yet we know not how soon the hand of the Lord may be vpon any of vs in pouerty sicknesse imprisonment banishment losses famines or how it pleaseth him how shal a poore Christian stand and buckle himselfe to beare these I answer true sauing faith resting on the word of God beleeuing the promises not formally but truly wil put such substantiall spirituall strength into him as that at first though he bow vnder it yet shal he be able to recouer himself again buckle himself to go forward in his profession shal follow Christ manfully with this his crosse This wonderful power hath God giuen to sauing faith both to resist temptations and to vndergoe all crosses And thus much of the first action or effect of faith the second foloweth VERSE 2. For by it our Elders were well reported of THis verse containeth the second effect of sauing faith which is that faith is a meanes whereby a beleeuer is approued of God This verse hath speciall relation to the fift verse For that that is said here of all the Elders in generall is there affirmed specially of Enoch namely that hee was reported of to haue pleased God Let vs first search the true meaning of the words Elders That is all such men as liuing vnder the old testament beleeued in Christ amongst which though all be vnderstood yet some were more excellent in faith obedience then others so more honorable and of higher estimation with God and men and of them it is specially vnderstood Now concerning these Elders it is further said that they were well reported of hereby are meant three things 1. That God approued and allowed of them 2. That God did approue of them because of their faith in the Messias 3. That God gaue a testimony and declared that hee approued of them For the 1. it may be asked How were they approued of God Ans. Christ the sonne of God is he in whom the Father is well pleased Now they beleeuing in Christ their sinnes were laid on him and made his by imputation and contrariwise his holinesse obedience and satisfaction were imputed to them and by the same imputation made theirs Now that being theirs God being so well pleased with Christ could not but also for Christs sake approue of them If this seeme hard vnto any I make it plain by this comparison Looke as Iacob a yonger brother puts on Esaus garment the elder brother in it was takeÌ„ for Esau obtained his fathers blessing patrimony which by himselfe he could not haue got euen so we are as younger brethren Christ is our elder brother we haue no right nor title to our fathers blessing nor to the kingdome of heauen wee must put on the robe of perfect righteousnesse which is the garment of Christ our elder brother we standing clothed with 〈◊〉 purchase our fathers fauour and with his fauour his bleâ—â—â—ng and his blessing is the right and title to euerlasting life And thus by Christ they were approued Secondly for what were they approued The text saith By faith not because faith is an action of a sanctified minde and a good grace of God for so are humility loue feare of God al which are graces of the sanctifying spirit as faith is but because it is a worthy instrument in the heart of the beleeuer which apprehends and applieth to the soule that righteousnesse of Christ by which he is iustified thus it being the hand and instrument of their iustification by it it is said they were approued 3. The text addeth that God did not onely approue of them but that he testified and made it manifest to all the world that he did so And this testimony God gaue of them 1. In his word 2. In their owne consciences The truth of the first is manifest in that not onely in this chapter but often also in the old testament God hath mâ—de such honourable mention and giuen such honourable titles vnto many of these Elders calling Abraham the friend of God 2. Chron. 20.7 And Dauid a man after Gods own heart â— Sam. 13.14 and them all his anointed and deare chosen children Psalm 105.15 Thus God hath testified of them in his word 2. God testified it to their owne consciences in that hee gaue them his spirit inwardly to assure their coÌ„sciences that he did accept them in the Messias to come and thus these elders receiued a testimonie both outward to all the world inward to their consciences that God in Christ approued and loued them so the sense is plaine the vse hereof manifold 1. In that it is said these Elders were approued by faith here wee learne what is the olde and ancient way the right and straight way that hath no by-wayes to life euerlasting namely this only To rely on the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sin this is the way wherein all the ancient Elders walked to heauen this is the way that God hath opened made vnto his Court it is the Kings high way the beaten way common to euery one that knowes how to walke in it deceiued none that euer went in it beside which there is no other Seeing then God hath consecrated it our Elders haue trode this way before vs let vs folow them that so we may attain that kingdom wherto it hath brought them If any yet doubt whether this be the way or no the spirit of God puts it out of doubt Esay 30.21 First affirming peremptorily This is the way Secondly bidding vs therefore walke in the same This is
the way walke in it Our Elders obayed this commaundement of the spirit and walking in this way found the end of it euerlasting life If we would attaine the same end of the iourney we must walke the same way But the world will say this is a needlesse exhortation for we walke this way we deny our selues and looke to be approued of God onely by Christ but it is strange to see how men deceiue themselues Can a man walke in a way and not leaue marks steps behind him euen so he that walks in this way follow him you shal see steps of his continuall dying vnto sinne liuing vnto holinesse insomuch that a man that followeth him marketh the course of his life in this way may euidently say See where hee hath cast off left behind him this that sin see where he hath taken vp caried with him these those vertues graces of God Marke here is a print of his faith here is a print of his hope here are prints of his loue And thus may a child of God be followed traced all the way to heauen euen vntil he come to his death which is the gate of heauen How mightily theÌ„ are they deceiued which think they haue walked all their liues in this way and yet there is not one step to be seene for assuredly this way is so beatâ—n and troden that no man euer trode in it since the world began but he left behind him manifest visible steps that all men that would looke at him might see he had gone that way As therfore we all desire to come to heauen as we professe we walk in the way thither so let vs be as carefull to leaue behind vs our steps namely tokens prints of our faith our hope and loue which if we do then mark the excellent vse of those steps 1. They testifie vnto all that see them that we walked the right way to heauen and secondly they wil serue for marks directions for theÌ„ that shal walke in the same way after vs. By the 1. we shal leaue an honorable testimony of our selues behind vs by the 2. we shall moue other to magnify gods name to whoÌ„ our steps haue bin marks directions helps furtherances in the way to heauen Secondly for what were these Elders approued for their faith for nothing else Amongst these Elders Sampson was wonderfull in strength Salomon in wisedome Ioshua in courage Moses in learning many of them in the honour and pompe of the world in beauty riches and other externall gifts and the most of them all in long life yet not for one or all of these are any of them saide to be regarded of God but it is plainely said that for their faith God did approue them Here then learne what is the thing amongst all things that must make vs acceptable vnto God euen this To deny our selues and to rest vpon the mercy of God in Christ this wil do it nothing else Hast thou streÌ„gth so had Golias as wel as Sampson hast thou beauty so had Absalom as wel or more theÌ„ Dauid hast thou wisdom so had Achitophel thogh not like Salomon yet aboue ordinary men hast thou riches Esau was richer theÌ„ Iacob hast thou liued long so did Cain Ismael as wel as Isaak hast thou many childreÌ„ so had Ahab as wel as Gedeon hast thou learning the glory of nature so had the Egyptians as well as Moses for there Moses learned it All these thou maist haue yet be a vile person in the sight of God so far from being approued of God as that he wil not vouchsafe vnlesse it be in his anger once to regard or looke at thee hast thou therefore any of those outward gifts it is not to be contemned it hath his vse thanke God for it and and vse it well and vse it so as by it thou maist be approued amongst men but stand not to it before God for though it be wisedome or learning or neuer so excellent a gift it cannot purchase the fauour acceptation of God but true faith is able to please God both in this life and especially at the day of Iudgement This doctrine first confuteth the error of some grosse Papists who hold and write that many Philosophers for their good vse of the light of Nature for their deepenesse of learning and for their ciuill liues are now Saints in heauen a most manifest and shamefull vntruth and here as manifestly confuted for was Salomon not accepted for all his wisedome and shall Socrates was Moses not accepted for all his learning how then should Aristotle if faith made all of them accepted and nothing but faith how is it possible they should be accepted which neuer heard of faith nay I say more If many a man that liueth in the Church as deepe it may be in humane learning as they and of great knowledge also in the whole doctrine of Religion which they neuer knew and yet could not nor euer shall be accepted of God onely for want of this sauing faith How absurd is it 〈◊〉 imagine saluation for them which neither had sparke of faith nor knowledge of Christ Let vs theÌ„ hold that as there is no name whereby to be saued but onely the name of Christ so no meanes to be saued by that Christ but onely faith euen that faith for which these Elders were accepted of God Secondly this excellencie of faith aboue all other gifts shewes the vanity of the world so carefull earnest in seeking honour riches credit wisedom learning all which can but make them esteemed and approued to the world and so carelesse and negligent in getting true faith which will both approue a man vnto the world and make him honorable in the eyes of the Lord God Thirdly by this doctrine the Popish doctrine is iustly condemned which teacheth that a man is iustified by his works and that faith is not the most excellent of Gods graces Here we are taught other diuinitie for that for which a man is accepted by that he is iustified But for their faith onely were they accepted therfore iustification is only by faith Againe that which makes a man accepted of God that must needs be the most excellent thing of all For God which is goodnesse it selfe regardeth that that is the best but God esteemed theÌ„ only for their faith therfore it is the chief of all graces of God in regard of making a man accepted of God Fourthly here is a patterne and president for Gods children how to bestow measure out their loue estimation in the world God loued Salomon more for his faith then for all his glory and wisedome and esteemed more of Moses for his faith theÌ„ for all his learning So deale thou with thy wife thy child thy seruant thy friend with all men Hast thou a wife neuer so beautifull louing honest thrifty neuer so toward
with all his heart and soule and might and for that hee is preferred afore all Kings afore or after him not that Iosias could fulfill the lawe perfectly as it required but it is meant of the endeuour of his heart and life by which he straue with all his might to serue God as well as he could his exsample is ours We professe religion wee must looke that our hearts affect it we professe a turning from sinne we must take heed it be not formall and from the lips but from the heart So when we practice any duty of religion whether we pray or heare the word or receiue the Sacrament this is the sacrifice that we can offer we must not doe them coldly and carelesly but with zealous affection and resolution from the heart Otherwise if we serue God for fashion sake and our hearts are on the world and our owne lusts wee offer the sacrifice of cursed Cain and we with our formall religion shall goe to him But let vs offer the sacrifice of Abell that is though it be neuer so little yet let it be the best wee can and all we can and God will accept vs as he did Abell And thus the Parent should giue God his best childe the young man his best yeares euery man his best part which is his heart And thus we follow the steps of holy Abell who offred to God the best sacrifice he had This was the fruite of his faith euen so that Parent that young man that professor that hath true faith will do so likewise Hitherto of the first effect of Abels faith It followeth By the which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous This is the second effect of Abels faith wherby it is commended 1. For the meaning By faith hee meanes sauing faith which makes a man iust before God and no other For whereas he had said afore that by faith our Elders had obtained a good report He proues that general by this exsample of Abell therefore that sauing faith which was meant there is also meant here These wordes set downe two benefits which Abell had by his sauing faith First he was iust by it Secondly God testified that he was so For the first Abels faith made him iust and righteous not because his faith was an excellent quality of that vertue in it selfe as to make him iust but because it was an instrument whereby he apprehended and applied to himselfe the righteousnesse of the Messias to come whereby hee might stand iust before God This was his righteousnesse which he had by faith for hee trusted not to any holinesse of his owne though it is out of question hee knew he was the sonne of that man who once was perfectly righteous but the trust and confidence of his heart was in the righteousnesse of that blessed seed which God had promised should breake the serpents head This Promise he knowing beleeued it applied it to himselfe and this faith made him righteous Here we learne a worthy lesson of Christianity namely that the true and the vndoubted way to heauen is a holy and liuely faith in Iesus Christ for this faith makes a man righteous that righteousnesse opens him the gate of heauen To this end saith the Apostle Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God but by whō through our Lord Iesus Christ. For the vse of this doctrine we must renue our former exhortation which indeed cannot be too often presled to the conscience There is none of vs so vile none so profane but we desire saluation If we do then we must tread the beaten way to it For we are not borne heires of it neither can we come thither by chaunce but there is a way that must be taken that way is but one all other are misleading by-waies Again that way must be taken in this life else it is too late Now this way is to be a iust righteous man With this neuer man failed and without this neuer man attained to saluation for No vncleane thing can come into the kingdome of heauen Neuer was man iustified there which was not iust before and that must be here begun which in heauen is to be perfected In this life therefore wee must seeke to be iust Now our owne good workes will not serue to make vs iust for they are all vnable to indure the trial of Gods iustice And if we stand to them and they proue not able to satisfie Gods iustice then in stead of sauing vs they will condemne vs. Therefore with Abell let vs go out of our selues deny our selues and cleaue onely to Christs righteousnes in life death this is the way that neuer will deceiue vs. But some wil say We walke in this way I answer He that walketh in a way may be traced by his steps so then shew your steps of holinesse of deuotiō of charity c. these must shew your faith leaue these steps behinde you and then your faith is good Thus did holy Abell beleeue thou it acknowledge it and follow thou after him and renounce all by paths which the Papists or thy own braine imagineth Let this one doctrine sinke into thy heart in steade of many and let not the diuell strake it out For if thou walke in this way my soule for thine it will bring thee to heauen if not at the last day this doctrine will condemne thee because it shewed thee this way and thou wouldest not walke in it Secondly obserue He saith Abell was approued and accepted of God How proues hee that Because his workes pleased God as who say his workes cannot please God vnlesse his person do therfore in that his works do thence he concludeth that his person did it is the reason of the holy Ghost and therefore infallible In the framing of this reason the holy Ghost teacheth vs a great point of our religion namely that first a mans person must please God afore his actions can And after the person then the actions This is plaine in these words for it is said he first obtained witnesse that hee was righteous himselfe and then God testified of his gifts So likewise more plainely Genesis 4. 4 God had respect first to Abell and then to his offring So that the truth is manifest No worke pleaseth God afore the worker do This being so hath excellent vses First it ouerthroweth a maine pillar of Romish religion Iustification by workes For how can a man be iustified by his workes when hee himselfe must be iust afore the works can be Vnlesse hee be iust his workes be wicked if they be wicked afore his person be iust how can they then iustifie him And if the person bee once iust what needes it then to be again iustified by works Good works make not a man good but a good man makes a worke good shall that work that a man made good return againe make the man good 1. That is absurd in reason And 2.
It is needlesse For the man is good alreadie else the worke could not haue beene good Wee may therefore say workes are rather iustified by the person of a man then his person by the works and it is a most vaine thing to looke for Iustification from that which thou thy selfe must first iustifie afore it be iust if wee had no other reasons against iustification by workes but this this were sufficient Secondly hence we learne that till a man bee called and his person iustified and sanctified all that euer hee doth is sinne 1. His common actions his eating drinking sleeping walking talking are all sinnes Yea 2. The workes of his calling his labor in the same though neuer so iust equal and vpright 3. Further his ciuill actions namely the practice of ciuill vertues his outward grauitie meekenesse sobrietie temperance quietnesse vprightnesse and all outward conformitie are all sinnes Yea more then all this his best actions namely his practicing of the parts of Gods worship or his deeds of charitie his praier his hearing the word his receiuing the sacraments his giuing of almes they are all sinnes vnto him if hee haue not a belieuing and penitent heart yea such sinnes as shall condemne hâ—m if hee had no other Obiect This should seeme strange diuinity that the most holy actions as praier c. should be damnable sinnes I answer they are in themselues holy and good and as farre forth as God hath commanded them yet in the doer they are sinnes because hee doth them from a fowle vnholy heart for the same action may be holy in it selfe and in regard of God the author of it and yet a sin in him that is the doer of it As cleere water pure in the fountaine is corrupted or poisoned by running through a filthy and polluted channell so are euen the best actions sinnes as euen the preaching of the word to a minister whose heart is not cleansed by faith and his person accepted of God it is a sin vnto him and if he repent not shall be his condemnation Cain sinned not onely in hating and murthering his brother in lying and dissembling with God but Cain sinned also euen in offering sacrifice And Abels sacrifice had beene a damnable sinne but that his person was iustified before God And the reason of all this is good for nothing in the worke is able to make an action acceptable to God but onely the acceptation of the person by Christ. This being so it stands vs euery one in hand to looke to our selues and to labour aboue all things for faith and repentance that so our persons may be accepted righteous before God and thereby our actions accepted also If it be a miserable thing that all thy actions euen holy actions should be sinnes then labour to be iustified for that onely can make thy workes accepted if not then though thou labour neuer so much to be approued in the world set neuer so glorious a shew vpon thy workes to the eyes of men they are all abhominable sinnes in the sight of God and at the day of iudgement they shall goe for no better Preach and teach all thy life long nay giue thy life to die for religion Giue all thy goods to the poore depriue thy flesh of all delights build Churches Colledges Bridges High-wayes c. and there may come a poore shepheard and for his keeping of his sheepe be accepted when thou with all this pompe of outward holinesse maist be reiected And why this only because he had faith thou hast none his person was iustified before God and thine is not Therefore let this be my counsell from Abell Labour not so much to worke glorious workes as that which thou doest doe it in faith Faith makes the meanest worke accepted and want of faith makes the most glorious worke reiected for so faith the Text. Abell must be accepted else his sacrifice is not Thus wee see Abell was iust and God so accounted him The second point is That God gaue testimonie hee was so In these words God giuing testimonie What testimonie it was that God gaue of Abell and his gift it is not expressed in the word and so it is not certaine but it is very likely that wheÌ„ he Cain offred God in speciall mercy sent fire from heauen and burnt vp Abels sacrifice but not Cains for so it pleased the Lord often afterward when he would shew that he accepted any man or his worke he answered them by fire from heauen So he burnt vp the first sacrifice that Aaron offred Leuit. 9.24 So he answered Salomon 2. Chron. 7.1 And so Elias 2. Kings 18.28 And so it is likely that he gaue this testimonie that he accepted Abell and his offring This was a great prerogatiue that Abell and the Fathers in the old testament had We haue not this but wee haue a greater for wee haue that that is the substance and truth and body of this For wee haue also the fire of God that is his spirit comes downe into our hearts euery day not visibly but spiritually and burnes vp in the heart of a beleeuer his sinnes and corruptions and lights the light of true faith that shall neuer be put out The vse hereof is this As no sacrifice in the old law pleased God but such as was burnt by fire from heauen sent downe either then or afore so our sacrifices of the new Testament that is our inuocation of Gods name our sacrifice of praise our duties of religion our workes of mercy and loue neuer please God vnlesse they proceede from a heart purged by the fire of Gods spirit that is from a beleeuing and repentant heart both which are kindled and lighted and daily continued by that fire of Gods spirit Therefore it is that Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.4 That loue must come out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained The duties of religion and works of loue comming from this purged heart ascend into the presence of God as a smoake of most acceptable sacrifices and are as a sweet perfume in the nosethrils of the Lord. Now of what did God thus testifie Of his gift It may here be asked at the first how can Abell giue a gift to God hath the Lord neede of any thing and are not all things his I answer God is soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth and all creatures yet hath hee so giuen his creatures vnto man to vse as that they become mans owne and so he may esteeme vse them and being mans a man may in token of his thankfulnes return them again to God especially seeing God accepts them being so offred as most free gifts This sheweth vs first the wonderfull mercy of God that whereas we can offer him nothing but his owne he vouchsafeth to accept a gift offred of his owne euen as though we had of our owne to offer 2. See here a difference betwixt the sacrifices of the old and
sinnes from the world for this is one of the strongest and commonest encouragements that men take to liue in a sinne If they thinke it likely to be concealed But here they see how false a ground that is For if they can conceale it from men yet can they not from God and if God know it then can he reueale it to the world when it pleaseth him Againe whereas Abels bloud cried when he was dead It teacheth vs that God had a care of Abell both liuing and dead for it were nothing to say his bloud cried if God heard not that cry But it s apparant he heard it for he reuenged it and punished Cain when Abell was dead and could not reuenge it himselfe And this care God hath not ouer Abell alone but ouer all his children and as the Psalmist saith Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints that which is vile and of no regard in the world is pretious with God Tyrants make hauocke of the Church and kill them vp by heapes but God records vp euery one and will not faile to reuenge it when they are dead For if God haue bottles for the teares of his seruants surely much more hath he bottles for their bloud The vse whereof is to teach vs in all extremities of danger or distresse to learne patience yea though we be sure to die yet as Christ saith To possesse our soules with patience For we haue one wil heare the cause and reuenge our quarrell when we are gone So that if wee be patient wee loose nothing but if wee be impatient wee get nothing Let vs therefore hold our tongues for the wrong done to vs crieth loude enough to God for reuenge who will heare it as assuredly as he did Abels And thus wee see how Abell spake then euen after he was dead The second point is Hee speakes also yet and that three wayes First his faith yet speaketh because it admonisheth all men euery where who either heare or reade this story to become such as Abell was namely true worshippers of the true God for in Abels example it prouokes all men to be like him because it assureth them of the same regard and reward with God that Abell had and so Abels faith is a neuer dying Preacher to all Ages of the Church Here wee learne that the holy Examples of Gods children are reall teaching and loude preaching to other men For there is a double teaching namely in word or deede It belongs to the Minister to teach in word and to all men to teach by their deedes and good examples And if the Minister teach not thus also it is the worse both for him and his hearers It sufficeth not for him to teach by vocall Sermons that is by good doctrine but withall by reall Sermons that is by good life His faith his zeale his patience his mercy and all other his vertues must speake and cry call to other men to be like vnto him which if he practice carefully in his life as Abell did then shall his vertues speake for him to all posterities when he is dead Againe Abell though dead may be said to speake because howsoeuer his body be dead yet in soule and spirit hee liueth with God in heauen And thus the word speaketh may be vnderstoode because it is here opposed to death by which he being dead yet speaketh that is being dead in body yet liueth in soule which life with God was obtained vnto by his true and sauing faith Thirdly hee may be said to speake yet as all other Gods Martyrs are said to crie in the Reuelation from vnder the altar How long Lord holy and true doest thou not auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth As this is true of all Martyrs so specially of Abell the first Martyr of all which words are not spoken neither by him nor them vocally with vttrance of voice but it is so said to signifie what feruent desire the seruants of God haue in heauen of the full manifestation of Gods glory in their bodies and of an vtter abolishment of sinne in the whole world Which their desire they doubtlesse vtter to God in a more excellent manner then in this world wee can vtter any thing with our voice and thus Abell speakes yet and shall speake till the worlds end Hitherto of the first Example the Example of Abell The second is of Henoch in these words By faith Henoch was translated that he should not see death neither was he found for God tooke him away for before he was translated he was reported of that hee had pleased God c. THe second example of faith is taken also out of the old world before the floud and it is of Henoch the seauenth from Adam to whom strange and miraculous things befell by reason of his faith Let the meaning of the words be first examined By Faith That is by his confidence in the Messias or his sauing faith he was taken away Taken away That is from earth to heauen not by an ordinary worke but miraculously as is euident by the next words That he should not see death That is that he should not feele death nor any dissolution of soule and body and therefore his taking away was miraculous For to be taken away by death is an ordinarie worke but to be taken away and yet not die that is miraculous and extraordinary and such was Henochs So then the substance of these words is thus much Henoch hauing this grace from God to beleeue stedfastly in the Messias to come was likewise honoured with this high prerogatiue To be taken into heauen without tasting of death further was taken away to the end that he might not die Thus we haue the meaning Now concerning this translation of Henochs there are two opinions Some thinke hee was translated in soule onely and not in body and they say he died in the translation so as his soule onely was taken vp into heauen and his body slept in the earth Though this appeares false at the first sight yet let vs see their reasons and what they can say for themselues Their first reason is this No mortall body vnglorified can enter into heauen but there is no mention of his glorification therefore his body could not come in heauen Answer It is certaine it was glorified ere it came in heauen If they reply it is not mentioned I answere it followeth not that therefore it was not for euery circumstance of euery action is not mentioned For many circumstances of actions must necessarily be supposed such a one was this Againe the glorification of his body is here plainly enough implied where it is said he was translated that he should not see death Now if his body sawe not death it was made immortall which is a speciall part of glorification Their second reason Christ was the first that euer entred into heauen both in
body and soule and for proofe thereof they bring S. Paul where he saith Christ is the first fruits of them that sleepe Answer True indeede of them that sleepe that is of all that die for Christ entred into heauen both in body soule first of all them but Henoch neuer died as the Text here auoucheth therefore that place hinders not but Henoch might be in heauen in his body before Christs humane flesh ascended thither Thirdly they argue out of Saint Iohn No man hath ascended into heauen but he that descended the sonne of man which is in heauen But say they this sonne of man is not Henoch but Christ therefore none but Christ ascended bodily into heauen Answer That place is not meant of corporall ascending but of vnderstanding mysticall and heauenly things no man ascendeth to the full knowledge of heauenly Misteries but Christ alone who descended from heauen from the bosome of his Father And thus we see this opinion hath no strength of Argument to rest vpon but wee may safely hold notwithstanding any thing that can be said against it that Henoch was translated both in body and soule And if any man yet doubt how he could be takē vp in body before he was glorified Wee are to know though he died not yet his body was changed as those men shall be which shall be found aliue at the last day The second opinion is that Henoch was taken vp in soule and body into Paradise some say the heauenly but the most the earthly Paradise and there liues in his mortall and corruptible body and must afore the last day come againe in his body with Elias and fight against Antichrist and when by their doctrine they haue ouercome him hee shall by violence kill them and so they shall die Martyrs And this is the generall receiued opinion of the most Papists But it is a meere conceit and a dreame and there is no ground for it but good argument against it For first as for the Earthly Paradise it was defaced by the flood nor doe we read that euer man was in it but Adam And some of their owne fables tell vs that Seth went to the gates of Paradise when his father Adam was sicke to get some Physicke out of Paradise for his father but hee could not get in Nor doe we finde any mention of it afterwards So that it is likely in all reason that it was defaced by the vniuersall flood And if they meane he was translated into the Heauenly Paradise I answer thither can no vncleane thing come but a mortall body is vncleane and themselues say hee was taken away in his mortall body and in it shal come againe and die Therefore Henoch hauing a mortall and vnglorified bodie cannot be in the highest heauens into which nothing can enter which is not glorified and made immortall If they alleadge Ecclesiasticus 44.16 Enoch pleased God and was translated into Paradise c. I answer we neede not call in question the authoritie of the booke nor answer that it is not in the Canon of faith For the text is corrupted wilfully by some that shewed thēselues in the Latine too bold with the text both there and elsewhere for in the Greeke originall there is no such matter as Paradise but the words are these Enoch pleased God and was translated for an example of repentance to the generations And thus we see this opinion is euery way erroneous and hath no shadow of reason in it nor for it Seeing therefore both these opinions are to bee refused let vs in few words set downe the true and Orthodoxall iudgement of the Church out of the Scriptures in the olde and new testament And it is this That this holy man by Gods special fauour to him was assumed into heauen both body and soule his soule beeing perfectly sanctified and his body glorified in the instant of his translation and there he remaineth in glory expecting the generall resurrection and the full glorification of all Gods elect Out of this translation of Henoch we may learne First that there is a life euerlasting prepared of God for his children wherein they shall liue for euer both in soule body for hereof hath God giuen vs most euident testimonies both here in Enoch and afterward in Elias Elias a Iew Enoch none Enoch in the first world Elias in the second Enoch before the flood Elias after Enoch vncircumcised Elias circumcised Enoch married Elias vnmarried and both were assumed into heauen in soule and body and are there to this day and tarry for vs till the ende of the world assuring vs that our soules liue for euer that our bodies thogh they die shall rise againe to life Here therefore wee haue a notable ground for that last but not the least article of our faith where we professe to belieue life euerlasting Secondly in this example we learne that God is not tied to the order of Nature The order which God established set downe concerning all men after Adams fall is this Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne By vertue of this decree all men are to die as sure as they once liue and when that time appointed by God is come all the world cannot saue one man but accordingly die he must But here notwithstanding we see God that tied man to this order is not tied himselfe Enoch and Elias are exempted they die not their bodies neuer turned to dust such is the power of God ouer the order of Nature in all naturall actions Thirdly whereas the Papists holde that all the Fathers who died before Christ were in Limbus a place out of heauen and came not in heauen till Christ fetcht them thence and carried them with him at his ascension Here wee learne it is most false forged For here we see Henoch and afterwards Elias were in heauen both in body and soule many hundred yeares before Christs Incarnation whereby as also by many other euidences that might be brought it is apparant that Limbus Patrum is nothing but a deuise of that hereticall Church of Rome Hitherto hath the holy Ghost auouched the translation of Henoch Now hee proueth substantially that he was taken away Neither was hee found for God had taken him away And for his proofe he first laieth downe his ground then he thereupon frameth his argument consisting of diuers degrees of demonstration The ground is the plaine and euident testimonie of the old Testament in Genesis where the words are these Henoch was not found or not seene for God tooke him away Against this ground being the very wordes of the olde Testament no man can take exception And heere in a word let vs all marke the high and soueraigne authoritie of Gods word which euen the holy Ghost himselfe vouchsafeth to alledge for the confirmation of his owne words It had beene sufficient that the holy Ghost here affirmed Enoch to be taken away but we see
he proues it out of the old Testament so also did the Apostles and Christ himselfe all their doctrine Let this teach all men to giue due reuerence to the holy Scriptures let teachers alledge them let hearers receiue them farre aboue all humane testimonies seeing the holy Ghost himself vouchsafeth to confirme his owne words by the authority thereof Secondly hauing laide this ground the holy Ghost frames his argument to proue that Henoch was taken away by faith and it consisteth of many degrees of euidence For before he was taken away he was reported of that he had pleased God But without faith it is impossible to please God The degrees of the argument are these 1. God himselfe tooke Henoch away 2. Before he was taken away he pleased God 3. But without faith no man can please God Therefore Henoch by faith was taken away The first degree That Henoch was taken away and was not found any more in this world hath beene sufficiently spoken of already The second degree is that afore hee was taken away hee pleased God which is not barely affirmed but it is further added that hee was reported of or he receiued testimonie that he pleased God Now this report or testimonie is taken out of the storie of Genesis where it is affirmed of Enoch that hee walked with God which walking with God is an assured testimonie that hee pleased God for as the Prophet Amos saith Can two walke together vnlesse they be agreed therefore in as much as Henoch walked with God it is proofe sufficient that hee pleased God and because hee pleased God therefore God tooke him away So that here are two distinct points in this second degree First that Henoch pleased God Secondly that there is a report or a testimonie giuen of him that hee did please God In the first let vs obserue three speciall points of instruction First in that Henoch before hee was taken away pleased God let vs learne that whosoeuer lookes to haue his soule translated into heauen at his death and both body soule at the resurrection must before hand in this life learne to please God they must seeke to please God not when the time of the translation is come but before as here it is saide Henoch did If any man demaund How shall I please God My answere is this Adam pleased GOD by keeping the Lawe but now that is past that power is lost wee must nowe please God by direction from the Gospell namely by faith in Christ and true repentance together with a holy life which must necessarilie accompanie true faith and repentance thus God is pleased And this must we not deferre till our death but doe it in our liues nor can we looke to be inheritours of the kingdome of glory as now Henoch is vnlesse before hand wee be in the kingdome of grace by pleasing God as Henoch did It is lamentable to see men not care for saluation til death and then they begin to please God but alas God will not be so pleased They begin to learne how to please God when they haue so long displeased him as there is then feare they can neuer please him but that man liueth and dieth with comfort of whom it may be said as here of Henoch before hee was taken away hee pleased God Againe whereas hee came not in heauen till hee pleased God this discouers the madnesse of sinfull men who will looke for heauen and yet will leaue no sinne but flatter themselues therein But let all impenitent men here take knowledge that they come not in heauen till they please God let them therefore cease pleasing themselues and their corruptions by liuing in sinne and learne to please God by a holy life And further In this point marke how nothing brought Henoch to heauen but his pleasing of God Hee was rich for hee was one of the greatest on the earth hee was royallie descended for hee was the seauenth from Adam in the blessed line hee was learned for hee had the sixe first Patriarkes to teach him sixe such Tutors as neuer man had and it is likely hee had a comely strong and actiue body But see all these brought him not to heauen no he pleased God and was therefore taken away Let this teach vs not to rest in wealth beauty strength honour humane learning nor all these put together without the feare of God for some of them may please thy selfe and some may please other men but God must bee pleased afore thou come in heauen if thou wert as good as Henoch Therefore vnto all thy outward blessings adde this To please God by faith and repentance Then as thy pleasing of men may make thee happy in this world so thy pleasing of God shall translate thee from earth to heauen Thus wee see Henoch before hee was translated pleased God Secondly as hee pleased God and else could not haue beene translated so it is added hee was so reported of or there was such a testimonie of him That proofe or testimonie is here concealed but it is recorded in the storie of Genesis where it is said Henoch walked with God which as we heard before was an assured testimonie that God was well pleased with him But what is this hee walked with God how can a man â—e saide to walke with God The meaning is That Henoch liued a godly righteous and innocent life in this world â—or to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse is to walke with God And further his heart was possessed of two perswasions or resolutions which were the inducements drawing him to this holy life First that hee was alwayes in Gods presence and that God is alwayes readie to dispose of all thinges to his good Againe that God did see trie and discerne all his wordes and deedes yea his cogitations and thoughts and the whole course of his life These were the holy resolutions of Henoch and these made him lead a holy life This lesson is worth learning and this example worthy to be followed of vs all our dutie is with Henoch to walke with God in this life if wee purpose to liue with God in heauen and wee walke with God by leading holy and vnblameable liues in holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards man But if wee thinke this hard to doe wee must labour to be resolued on these grounds First that God and his prouidence is euer present with vs to dispose of vs alwaies to his glory and of all other things to our good Secondly that as wee are in Gods presence so God seeth vs and all our thoughts words and workes bâ—rgaines and dealings and will iudge them all When these two perswasions possesse our hearts it cannot be but wee shall liue godly and feare to offend God for as a childe is dutifull and obedient in his Fathers presence so when a man is perswaded he is in Gods presence it cannot but make him dutifull When a man is perswaded that God seeth him
be afarre off this is the worke of true faith This was in Noah wrought in him a reuerence and so would it in vs if it were in vs. When men crie fire fire wee stirre wee runne wee tremble but God crieth in his word the fire of hell the fire of his wrath and wee care not wee stirre not wee leaue not our sinnes wee are not moued with reuerence as Noah was therefore it is more then manifest that holy faith is wanting in the world which Noah had The second motiue stirring vp this reuerence in him was the consideration of Gods wonderfull mercie to him and his family in sauing them This mercy seemed so wonderfull to him both for that hee knewe it was vndeserued knowing himselfe a sinnefull man and therfore not able to merit Gods fauour and being priuy to himselfe of his owne manifolde imperfections and also vnexpected for he neuer thought to haue been spared alone in an vniuersall destruction therefore he wondred with reuerence at so great a mercy Thus Gods mercies doe not onely winne a mans heart to loue God but euen to feare him with much reuerence this Dauid proueth Psalm 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou maist be feared as though he had said thy great mercies to thy children O Lord do make them conceiue a reuerent estimation of thee This made Dauid cry out in a holy passion How excellent are thy mercies O Lord Psal. And as Gods childreÌ„ wonder at the excellencies of Gods mercies vnto them so also at their owne basenesse and vnworthinesse Thus doth holy Dauid 2. Sam. 7.18 who as hee was a man of much faith so was he full of excellent meditations and reuerent speeches of God which are the true effects of faith when God had set him in his kingdome hee saith Who am I O Lord and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither And 1. Chron. 29.14 But who am I saith he and what is my people that wee should offer thus vnto the Lord And doubtlesse euen so said Noahs blessed soule often vnto the Lord and to it selfe Who am I O Lord and what is my family that we should be chosen out of so many thousands and be saued when all the world perisheth Let vs apply this to our Church and State If any Nation haue cause to say thus it is England God hath deliuered vs out of the thraldome of spirituall Egypt and led vs out not by a Moses but first by a childe then by a woman and giuen vs his Gospell more fully and freely and quietly then any kingdom so great in the world and still deliuereth vs from the cursed plots of the Pope and tyrannous inuasions of the Spaniard who thought to haue marked vs in the foreheads with the brand of infamie and to haue done to vs as they haue done to other nations whom they haue conquered but God from heauen fought for vs and ouerthrew them in their owne deuises yea the Lord put his hooke in his nosethrils and his bridle in his lips and caried him backe againe with shame and reproach Wee are vnworthy of such a mercy if our soules doe not often say vnto God O Lord what are we and what is our people that thou shouldst be so wonderfull in thy mercies vnto vs And particularly this must teach euery Christian to be a carefull obseruer of the fauours mercies that God vouchsafes to his soule or body to him or his and the consideration of them must make him daily be moued with reuerence and reuerent thoughts of Gods Maiestie still as the Lord is more and more mercifull vnto him to beare still the more feare and reuerence vnto him for the same The last motiue of this Reuerence in Noah was the consideration of Gods power and wisedome both in the Iudgement vpon the world and in the mercy vpon him for first in the Iudgement it was wonderfull that God would chuse so weake an element as water to destroy vanquish the huge Giants of those dayes but therein appeared first Gods power that by so weake meanes can cast downe his enemies And againe his wisedome that as an vniuersall wickednesse had polluted the whole world so a floud of water should wash the whole world Secondly the mercy was also wonderful that God should chuse to saue Noah by so strange a meane as an Arke which should swim on the waters For Noah thought if the Lord will saue me he will either take me vp into heauen as hee did Henoch a little before or else make me build a house vpon the top of the highest mountaine But the Lord will saue him by no such meanes but by an Arke wherein appeared first Gods power that would saue him by so weake a meanes as might seeme rather to destroy him For Noah must lye and swim in the midst of the waters and yet be saued from the waters and the Arke mâ—st saue him which in all reason if the Tempests had cast it against the hard rockes and mountaines or vpon the strong Castles and houses of the mightie Giants would haue beene broken in pieces and so it had but that God himselfe was the Maister and Pilot in that voyage And secondly Gods wisedom shone cleerly in this means because God would haue him saued not in such sort as the world might not see it as it would haue beene if hee had beene taken vp into heauen or into the aire but would haue him saued in an Arke that so alâ— the wicked men as they â—ere a dying in the water or expecting death vpon the tops of the hills might see him liue and be saued to their more torment and to their greater shame who would not beleeue Gods word as he did For as the wicked in hell are more tormented to see the godly in the ioyes of heauen so doubtlesse were the wicked of that age to see Noah saued before their eies The view of this power wisdom of God herein made Noah giue great reuerence to Gods Maiestie And no lesâ—e ought it to worke in the hearts of all true hearâ—ed English men and faithfull Christians For did not the Lord restore establish the Gospell to our nation by a child and by a woman and in her time when all other Princes were against her coÌ„trary to the rules of policy and did not God in our late deliuerance ouerthrow our enemies not so much by the power of man as by his owne hand Did not he fight from heauen Did not the starres and the winds in their courses sight against that Sisera of Spaine Let vs therefore with blessed Noah staÌ„d amazed to see Gods mercies with reuerence feare magnifie his great and glorious name And thus we haue the three motiues that moued in Noah this Reuerence of God the consideration first of his great Iudgement on the sinfull world 2. Of his great mercy in sauing him 3. Of his admirable power and wisedome shewed both
to life euerlasting but this For thy soule cannot liue whil'st thy sinnes the olde man that is thy corruptions doe liue but they must die be buried and then thy soule liueth and whilst they liue thy soule is dead and farre from the life of grace which is in Christ Iesus All this is affirmed at large in Romanes 6.3.4 Where we may see apparantly that we must by baptisme die with Christ be buried with him else we cannot be saued by him our corruptions our sinnes which are the olde man must die and be buried that the new man that is the grace and holines of Christ may liue in vs and our soules by it he that thus dieth not neuer liues he that thus is not buried neuer riseth to true life Thus mortification of sin is the way to heauen and death the way of life eternall he that is not thus mortified in his corruption let him neuer looke to be quickned to grace or glory If this be so we may then see what a miserable world we now liue in wherin mortification of sin is a thing vnknown not a man of many that can tell what it is nay grace is dead and holinesse is mortified and I feare buried also but the old man raignes Corruption liues and sinne flourisheth Mortifying of Christ by our sinnes is common but mortifying of sinne is sildome seene For Christ is betrayed crucified and killed in a sort by the sinnes of men What a fearefull change is this Christ should liue in vs and we endeuour to crucifie him againe sinne should be crucified but it liueth in vs. But if wee will haue Christ to saue vs then must wee mortifie the body of our sinne For he that will liue when he is dead must die while he is aliue And he that will be saued by his baptisme must looke that baptisme worke this effect in him To make him die and be buried with Christ that afterwards hee may rise and raigne with Christ. And then shall Baptisme saue vs as the Arke saued faithfull Noah and his houshold And thus much for the first end vse of the Arke the second followed By the which he condemned the world Here is the second end why Noah prepared the Arke To the condemnation of the world that then was For by it not by his faith as some would reade it he condemned that wicked generation both to a temporall destruction of their bodies and to an eternall Iudgement in hell In the words there are two points to be considered 1. Who are condemned The world 2. Whereby By Noahs Arke For the first it may be asked what is meant by the world S. Peter answereth 2. Ep. 2.5 The world of the vngodly that is that generation of sinfull men who liued in the dayes of Noah whom also in the 1. Epistle 3.20 hee calleth disobedient and their more particular sinnes are disclosed and recorded by Moses Gen. 6.45 to be monstrous abuse of holy mariage vnnaturall lusts cruelties and oppressions an vtter neglect of Gods seruice and Sabbaoth and an extreame prophanenesse and dissolutenesse in euery kinde And this corruption was not priuate or personall but vniuersall through all estates sexes and ages This world of the vngodly this whole race of wicked and disobedient men were condemned But how was that world condemned by Noah Thus God vouchsafed them 120. yeeres to repent in and appointed Noah to preach vnto them during that time to call them to repentance But they beleeued not God nor Noah but continued in their disobedience and grew in their vngodlinesse therefore when that time was expired God performed his word spoken by Noah brought the floud vpon them destroyed them all and condemned in hell as many of them as died in impenitencie and vnbeliefe And thus that wicked world was condemned according as Noah in his Ministerie had foretold them Here we may learne First what the world of this age is to looke for vnlesse there be repentance For to speake but of our selues in this Nation Haue not we had the Gospell 30. yeeres and more and with it peace and much prosperity Haue not we had a goodly time giuen vs to repent What is our duty but with reuerence to see and acknowledge this goodnesse of God to take hold of this merciful opportunity this time of grace and this day of saluation If wee doe not and make no account of the Gospell what can we looke for but to be condemned as that world was Looke at the meanes and opportunities which these dayes affoord and they be as golden dayes as euer were since Christs or as euer can be expected till his comming againe But looke at the profanenesse and carnality and security of this age euen ouer all Christendome and this is the Iron age these be the euill dayes and so euill as nothing can be expected but a riuer of brimstone and a floud of fire to purge it The dayes of the comming of the sonne of Man which I take to be these dayes shall be like saith Christ Math. 24.37 vnto the dayes of Noah And surely in security and profanenesse they are like and therefore in all reason they must be like in punishment Wee must therefore take warning by them and shake off this security which possesseth all mens hearts and waite for the Lord in watching and prayer and thinke euery day may be the last day of this world at least the last day of our liues and let vs prepare for it and liue in the expectation of it Otherwise if our sinfulnesse growe on a little further nothing can we looke for but to be condemned in an vniuersall iudgement as that world was Let vs therefore be take our selues to a more serious seruing of God that the Lord when he commeth may finde vs so doing Secondly in that the whole world that then was was thus destroyed and condemned and as wee heard afore onely Noah and his houshold saued wee learne that it is not good nor safe to follow the multitude Noah was here a man alone he held and beleeued against all the world and yet his iudgement and his beliefe was true and all the worlds false and accordingly he saued when they were all condemned It is meruaile therefore the Church of Rome should so much stand vpon numbers and multitude for the gracing of of their religion For it euer was and euer will be a weake argument If multitudes might euer haue beene alledged then vnto Noah especially to whom it might haue beene said Who art thou that pretendest to be wiser then all men and to know more then all the world Thou that hast a faith by thy selfe and hast no man to beare thee company thinke not that all Adams posterity all the children of holy Henoch and Methusalem are all deceiued but thy selfe alone Would not these and such like obiections haue discouraged any man Yet behold the force of faith Noah had Gods word for it and therefore
Canaan that is a temporall inheritance hee lookes further for a City in heauen This he did out of his faith for hee knowing that Canaan was but a type of heauen therefore in consideration of the earthly Canaan hee arose to a consideration of the heauenly and in the promise of the earthly apprehended the heauenly This is the true and Christian vse of all Gods blessings giuen in this life in them to behold better things laid vp in heauen and shadowed in the other Men vse for their vse spectacles in reading but they take no pleasure in looking vpon them but at other things by and through them So should Christians through all temporall blessings looke at spirituall and eternall which are promised and shadowed vnder the temporall Thus doth Christ himselfe teach vs in the very order of the Lords praier directing vs to pray for temporall blessings first in the fourth petition and then for eternall in the fift and sixt as though that the one were introductions and passages to the other And this made the Prophets so ordinarily couer spirituall blessings vnder temporall and put temporall deliuerances for spirituall and confusedly oftentimes one for another because that the holy men of the olde Church did neuer rest in view of any temporall promise or blessing but ascended to the contemplation of higher things in them How pittiful then is the practice of worldly men who vse Gods blessings so as they daily abuse and peruert them vsing meate to gluttony raiment to pride learning to vaine-glory speech to flatterie wit to deceipt authoritie to reuenge callings to oppression whereas they are all giuen to be helps in Gods seruice and furtherances in religion and meanes to helpe vs towards heauen These men looke at Gods gifts with the eie of reason and no further but if they looked at them with the eie of faith as Abraham did it would teach them to make a heauenly and spirituall vse of them as he did Lastly in the generall state of the reason and of Abrahams practice obserue how he hauing promise of CanaaÌ„ waited for heauen Now no man waiteth for any thing but that which he hath hope of nor hopeth truly and properly for any thing but that which he hath assurance of for hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.5 Noâ— worldly hope for that hath deceiued no more than euer trusted it But Hope in God neuer deceiued man nor went any away disappointed that hoped in God Therfore here it is apparant that hope of heauen goeth with assurance and this assurance must be particular to the beleeuer as the beleefe and faith is But the Papists say This is true indeed of Abraham hee had not only hope but euen full assurance but that came by extraordinary reuelation So that this is a rare example his particular reuelation is no generall warrant to vs. We answer from S. Paul Rom. 4.11 that Abraham is the father of the faithfull and that his faith is a patterne for all Christians to follow for else why doth the Apostle so farre extoll set forth that faith of his aboue 1300. years after his death shall it be only for his commendation and not for our imitation also Therefore euery man that will walke in the steps of holy Abraham may come with him to that measure of faith that he may waite for heauen with assurance to enioy it Now let vs come to the particular description of that heauen which Abraham thus waited for A Citie hauing a foundation whose maker and builder is God The description hath three parts 1. It is said to be a Citie 2. That hath a foundation 3. That God made and built it For the first Abraham by his faith waited for heauen But for which For there are three heauens or differences of heauen in the scripture The first that wherein we liue and breath birds flie and clouds mooue The second that wherein the starres are The third is that that is aboue them both and is invisible the seat of Gods glory where God reuealeth his Maiestie in speciall manner to men and Angels This heauen Abraham waited for For as for the first he liued in it And for the second he knew it as well as most men for it is credibly thought he was a notable Astronomer So that it was the third and highest heauen hee waited for which hee knewe this world could not giue him and therefore expected it in another Now this heauen which was Abrahams hope is called a Citie A Citie properly is a place for the habitation of men compassed with walles and distinguished by streetes and houses Now properly heauen or the estate of holy men in heauen is not a city but as elsewhere in the scripture it is called a house a tabernacle a temple an inheritance a kingdome so is it here called a city namely for the resemblance it hath therunto which consisteth specially in foure points 1 A Citie hath many houses greater lesse and for all sorts So in heauen also there are many mansions Ioh. 14.2 Places of glory for all men none neede to feare that hee shall not haue fulnesse of ioy and perfect happinesse A Citie is built and at first was ordained to this end that many citizens might liue together in concord and amitie So the kingdome of heauen is a heauenly city where the Saints of God shall liue in perfect peace and loâ—e with fulnesse of ioy euery one in himselfe and each one in another 3 The goodnesse or excellency of a City consists in this To haue good lawes good Magistrates to execute them and good people performing subiection and obedience Therefore the kingdome of heauen is the most perfect Citie wherein Gods lawes are the onely lawes and they shall be written in mens hearts where each one is a sufficient gouernour of himselfe yet all subiect to God and their God vnto them all in all 4 A City is a place where generally are all necessaries and comforts for mans life one part of the countrey hath this commoditie another that but in the citie are all either brought into it or of it selfe So in heauen are all parts of perfection and all complements of happinesse to make the state of Gods children there infinitely blessed Such a glorious place is the Citie that was Abrahams hope Now for the vse hereof First Is heauen such a City Here is a notable comfort to the poore and plaine countrey-man who liues in the simplicity of the countrey life tilling the ground or keeping cattell and it may be neuer sawe or at the least neuer tasted of the pleasures and delights of cities If he serue God and keepe a good conscience here is his happinesse hee shall be citizen in the high and heauenly Ierusalem that City which was the hope of the holy men of God in all ages Secondly this may teach Citizens in the great populous and pompous cities of this world to labour also to be Citizens in heauen for that is
vs but seeke it in the sincere worship of God and that will minister such comfort in this life and such glory in heauen as hath a foundation and will neuer faile vs. Further this must put vs in minde of the holy Kings aduise which is to remember our Creator in the daies of our youth Eccles. 12.1 Seeing this world is so vncertaine and our life hath so weake a foundation as wee are not sure to liue to come to olde age euery man therefore is to heare the conclusion of all which is to feare God and keepe his commandements and this the sooner the better For else for a little foolish and vaine pleasure transitorie which hath no foundation we shall venter the loosing of that glorious citie which hath a sure foundation It followeth in the description Whose maker and builder is God The second point in the description of this citie is that God was the maker builder or author of it These two words are both one and therefore it is a needlesse labour of some that would distinguish betwixt them for the meaning is God made that is prepared the glory of heauen and he built it as though he should say Heauenly Ierusalem is a glorious citie and no maruell though it be so for God made it And if you will needs that beeing a city it must be built be it so for God is the builder of it This doctrine is euident in the Scriptures Psal. 136.5 God by his wisdome made the Heauens And here is another maine difference betwixt this world and the glory of heauen The Cities of this world were built by man but Heauen by God himselfe The arte and skill of men built the cities of the earth and sometime the couetousnesse or other corruption of man as is manifest in the beginning for Cain a couetous cruell and ambitious man built the first citie in the world but holy and good men haue not the honour to bee builders of this City No they are Citizens of it but God onely is the author and builder of it No man may doubt hereof because this third heauen is inuisible for the Angels also are inuisible and yet Gods creatures Besides our Creed teacheth that God is Creator of all things visible and inuisible If wee doubt why God made it seeing hee made all things for man and man in this world hath no sight nor vse of it The answer is God made it for two ends First to be his owne glorious palace not wherein he would confine his beeing or his presence but wherein he would make his glorie most apparant and wherein his glory should in a sort dwell In which regards it is called his throne Esay 66. And in our Lords praier wee say by Christs owne teaching that God our father is in heauen Therefore as Princes builde themselues palaces to shewe their power and puissance and to magnifie themselues and to bee fit habitations for their greatnesse So God made the third heauen to be the throne of his glory Secondly hee had also a respect herein to his creatures for hee made that heauen therein to reueale his maiestie and glory to his reasonable creatures Angels and Mâ—â— and by shewing them his glory to glorifie them For in Gods presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psalm 16. vltim And in this sense is it true that God made all things for man as man for himselfe namely all things either for his soule or body or both either for his vse in this life or in the other And so the third heauen was made for mans vse not in this life but in the life to come for his soule vntill the last iudgement and after that for both soule body Hence we learne diuers instructions First in that the third heauen which neuer was seene with the eie of man is here positiuely affirmed to be made by God Wee learne that therefore it is one of Gods creatures and not eternall as some hold and goe about to prooue thus God is eternall but hee must bee in some place and heauen is the seate and place of God therefore it is coeternall with God But I answere from Gods word that though heauen bee the seate and throne of Gods glory and where hee manifesteth and magnifieth his glory yet is it not the place of his substance and beeing for that is infinite and incomprehensible and it is against the Christian faith to imagine the Godhead to bee comprehended or contained in any place 1. Kings 8.27 The heauens yea the heauens of heauens cannot comprehend thee O Lord how much more vnable is this house that I haue built Nor is it materiall that we knowe not on what day it was created or that it is not named amongst the workes of the creation For the same is true of the Angels also and it pleased Gods wisedome for speciall causes to name no creatures particularly in the creation but visible whereas wee knowe both from our Creeds and Gods word it selfe that hee is the creator of all things both visible and inuisible Therefore though wee knowe not what day the third heauen was made yet is it sufficient that here is said It was made and built by God himselfe Whereupon it necessarily followeth it is a creature and not coeternall with the Godhead Secondly here appeares the weakenesse of one of the commonest arguments vsed for the defence of the Vbiquitie and Consubstantiation Christ say they is present bodily in the Eucharist and they prooue it thus Christ is in heauen and hee is God But heauen is euery where for God is euery where and where God is there heauen is as where the King is there the Court is Therefore Christ may be in the Sacrament and yet be in heauen notwithstanding I answer the ground is false Heauen is not euery where for then it is in Hell which to affirme is absurditie confusion and impietie Indeede Gods presence is euery wher and where his presence is there is his power as where the Kings presence is there is also his power and authoritie and there may be any seate or course of Iustice and so where he is the Court is But if you take the Court for some one of his chiefe houses then the saying is not true But contrariwise as the Kings power is wheresoeuer his presence is and yet hee may haue one house more sumptuous and magnificent than all the rest which may bee called his Court by an excellency aboue other and that Court is not alwaies where the King is but in some set and certaine place and not remoueable So Gods power and glory is euery where and yet his most glorious Court the third heauen is not euery where but in his limited and appointed place where Gods glory shineth more than in any other place Againe if heauen properly taken be euery where then it is God himselfe for that that is euery where must needes be deified and indeede some to maintaine this opinion
haue said little lesse But if the holy Ghost may moderate this disputation hee plainely tells vs here That God is the maker builder of it Therfore assuredly it is not God but one of Gods creatures Thirdly and lastly let vs obserue the description of heauen included in these two words maker and builder God made it that is it is one of his creatures hee made it as well as the rest and he builded it that is as the word signifieth made it with arte or he bestowed skill and wisdome vpon it For though we may not imagine any substantiall difference betwixt these two words for matter yet in signification they differ and so farre wee are to obserue it Here then wee learne that the third Heauen is like a peece of worke wherein an excellent workeman hath spent his arte and shewed his skill that is that the highest heauen is a most glorious place and surpasseth all other creatures of God in glory and excellency so farre as therein shineth the glory skill and wisedome of the Creator more than in any other creature In which regard it is no maruell though the Holy Ghost say in another place That the eie hath not seene nor the eare heard nor mans heart conceiued what God hath there prepared for them that loue him 1. Corinth 2.9 And Saint Paul himselfe though hee had the honour to be taken vp into this third heauen and to see and heare the glory which is there yet afterwards could not he expresse the glory hee had seene And this was figured in the Temple of Ierusalem which was the mirrour and beauty of the world for the building whereof God both chose the skilfullest men and endued them also with extraordinary gifts namely Bezaleel and Aholiab Now as thereby that Temple was the most excellent piece of worke that euer was in this world made by man so the highest heauen which was mystically prefigured in Salomons Temple is the most excellent of all the workes of God The vse of this doctrine is not to be omitted First if that bee so excellent and glorious a place wee must all labour to come thither for aboue all things it seemes worthy to be sought for People come out of all places of the countrey to dwell in great townes and rich cities and men labour to be free-men there and to haue their children free in them and euen the greatest men will haue their houses either in or neere them that so though they will not alwaies dwell in them yet they may soiourne in them at their pleasures now and then And why all this but because first they are places beautifull and many waies pleasant to the eie Secondly full and frequented with the best company Thirdly replenished with aboundance of all things needfull for mans life for necessitie comfort and delight Fourthly they enioy many priuiledges and freedomes And lastly all this is most true of such cities where the King keepes his Court. If this bee so then how is heauen to bee sought for Behold here a goodly citie a citie of God whereof London Paris Rome Venice nay Ierusalem are scarce shadowes the true Ierusalem the ioy of the whole earth nay the ioy of the world and the glory of all Gods creatures made immediately with the hand and built with the skill and cunning of God himselfe The Princes of the world euen of Rome it selfe wondred at the beauty and were amazed at the magnificence of Ierusalems city Temple yet it was but a type and figure hereof For that had indeed the glory of the world vpon her But the new Ierusalem hath the glory of God vpon her Reu. 21.4 Shall we then seeke to dwell in the cities of this world and not labour to come to heauen Are they any way excellent wherein heauen is not much more to be desired Are they beautifull and is not it the beauty of the world Read the 21. chapter of the Reuelation and suppose that the beauty of it were but outward and worldly and sensible to humane capacitie yet is it farre more excellent than euer any was in this world And is not there the company of the deitie of Christs humanity of the holy Angels and all good men And is not there aboundance of whatsoeuer belongs to perfect happinesse And is not there freedome from the diuell sinne and death And is it not the Court of God the King of glory Then why doe we not sigh and grone and long to be free-men of this glorious citie And though we cannot come to it as long as wee liue in this world yet why doe wee not striue to come as neere it as may bee In this world when a man cannot dwell in the heart of a Citie yet he will rather dwell in the suburbs than hee will not be neere it and beeing there he knowes he can soone steppe into the citie So let vs in this life come as neere heauen as wee may let vs get into the suburbs and dwell there The suburbs of heauen is Gods true Church on earth where his word is freely knowen and preached and his holy Sacraments administred and therein God truely serued Let vs associate our selues to this Church and liue according to the holy lawes thereof This is the suburbs of heauen so shall we be ready to enter into the glorious city it selfe when the Lord calles vs. And as this is for our selues so if wee loue our children or care for their aduancement let vs make them free-men of that citie whose maker and builder is God So shall we bee sure to haue comfort and ioy of them here and with them in heauen But if wee will haue them free-men in heauen wee must make them Gods apprentizes on earth they must serue out their time else they get no freedome This time is all their life Men are deceiued that let their children bee the diuels slaues here and thinke to haue them free in heauen let vs then binde our children prentizes to God that is make them his seruants here then assuredly as in their repentance and regeneration here they are borne free-men of heauen so after this life they shall inioy the freedomes and priuiledges of that heauenly citie which was made and built by the wisdome of God Lastly here wee see how true it is that Dauid teacheth Psalm 15.4 No vile person can come in heauen And no maruell for if men thus and thus defamed cannot be free men in the Cities on earth built by men is it likely that sinners and profane men that care not for repentance regeneration for they bee the vile men shall be admitted into that city whose maker and builder is God It is the holy citie no vncleane thing can enter into it Reuel 21. It is Gods holy mountaine how shall vngodlinesse ascend thither Psalm 15.1 It is the newe Ierusalem how shall the olde man that is sinnefull corruption get into it Wee must therefore cast off the olde man
either in soule or body but to remember him that of one made multitudes to spring out Therefore when thou art brought neuer so low either in soule or body by any miseries either inward or outward faint not but goe forward in the strength of the Lord thy God Particularly If God haue afflicted thee with pouerty that thou haue almost nothing to begin withall or for thy soule is thy knowledge in religion small thy meanes poore thy feeling of Gods fauour but weake yet faint not but lay fast hold on Gods power promise vse carefully the holy means God hath ordained remembring and relying on him who made millions grow out of one and assure thy self that as Iob saith Though thy beginnings be small yet thy later endes shall greatly encrease Secondly obserue here how old persons are called halfe dead or as good as dead that is true of them many wayes First their yeares and dayes limited them are as good as gone For suppose a man should be as sure to liue 100. yeares as the sunne is to runne all the day long his course and at night to goe downe Yet as when the sunne is past the height and drawing downward wee say it goeth fast downe and the day hasteth away So when a man is past his middle age when the sunne of his life is past the noonsteede he declineth daily and draweth fast away and the night of his life approacheth with hast and much horrour vnlesse he preuent it Secondly their strength vitall powers by which their life is continued and their soules and bodies kept together are so much weakened that they are almost extinguished whereby it comes to passe an olde man may feele a manifest defect in all powers of minde and body Thirdly sicknesses or diseases grow vpon them in olde age and as their strength faileth so the force of diseases is redoubled on them and looke what diseases haue lurked in their bodies which either naturally were bred in them or accidentally taken they now shew themselues more sensibly and the weaker a man is the stronger is his sicknesse In these three respects an olde man or woman is as good as dead The vse hereof is profitable First they must therefore be aduised to prepare themselues for death Euery man is to prepare I confesse then if euerie man especially they that be olde The young man may die the olde man must die the youngest cannot liue alwayes the olde man cannot liue long the aged mans graue is as it were made already his one foote is in it And this is not mans conceit alone but Gods own iudgement who as we see here calls an olde man as good as dead and that not so much in regard that he is sure to die as that he is neere it Therefore as euery man young or olde is to make ready because his time is vnknowne and no man is sure that hee shall liue to be olde and as the Psalmist singeth Euery man in his best estate is altogether vaenity Psal. 39.6 So especially he to whom God hath beene so gracious as to let him see olde age he should thinke of nothing but his end prepare euery day to die in the Lord. His gray haires his wrinkled skin his withered face his ill stomack his weak memorie his crooked body and the manifest most sensible alteration and decay of his whole state of minde and body should hourely all cry in his eares I am halfe dead I will therefore prepare to die in the Lord. It is therefore a miserable sight to see that those who of all men should be most willing to die are for the most part most desirous to liue And those who should be most readie to die are generally most ignorant most couetous and their hearts most of all wedded to the earth and earthly things Secondly olde persons must heere learne S. Pauls lesson 2. Corinth 4. That as the outward man perisheth so the inward man may be renued daily The outward man is the bodie the inward man is the soule and the grace of God in it They must therefore labour that as the strength of their bodies decay so the grace of GOD in their soules may quicken and reuiue But alas the common practice is contrarie For olde men haue generally so misspent their youthes and in their olde age are partly so backward partly so vnfit to learne religion that when they come to their death-beds they are then to be Catechised in the very principles of religion so that when as the body is halfe dead religion hath no being in them and when the body is a dying religion and grace scarce begins to liue in them such men cast all vpon a desperate point But let them that desire a ioyfull departure thinke of these thinges afore-hand and as yeares draw on and so draw life to his end and the body to the graue so let them weane their hearts from the world and lift them vp to GOD and so spend their last dayes in getting knowledge and in seruing God that when their bodies are weakest and fittest for the earth their soules may be the holiest and ripest for heauen To such men shall it neuer be discomfort to see their bodies halfe dead when for recompence thereof they finde their soules halfe in heauen Thus we see the roote or foundotion of this posterity how poore and weake it was Now let vs come to the greatnesse of it Thereof sprang as many in number c. This one olde couple Abraham and Sarah are made by Gods power the father mother of many nations and he and she of whom the world would haue pronounced they should not haue left a name vpō the earth haue now millions of childrē that sprang out of them Here we may learn That though GOD worke ordinarily according to the course of Nature which himselfe hath established yet that he is not bound to it nor will be hee bound it therefore there is no reason it should binde him Here we may see the power and prerogatiue of Gods Maiestie As in the beginning he made to be those things which were not so still he calleth things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.17 and turneth and altreth the state and nature of his creatures as pleaseth him He can take life from the liuing man and leaue him dead hee can giue life to the dead man make him liue againe So hath he dealt for the body and for the soule he hath beene no lesse wonderfull Saul of a bloudy persecuter he cā make a zealous Preacher Acts 9 euen a glorious instrument and a chosen vessell to carie his name vnto the Gentiles euen hee who thought to haue blotted out the name of Christ and all that call on that name from vnder heauen Acts 9.14 Rahab a harlot a cōmon woman yet by Gods work so far altred that her faith is here registred in the 31. ver amongst the most excellent
beleeuers that haue bin in the world Let this teach vs whē we see our own sins how hideous monstrous they be yet not to despaire And whē we see other men liue in extream dissolutenes yet not to iudge of them before the time but euen then with hope and comfort remember that God who quickneth the dead and calleth things that are not as though they were And in that hope let vs perswade our selues that he may quicken our dead hearts and reuiue vs by his grace And therefore in that hope let vs raise vp our selues to vse all holy meanes of Gods Word Sacraments and Prayer which if we carefully and continually doe wee shall see wonders wrought in vs that as they saide of Paul This man preacheth the faith which afore he destroyed and therefore glorified God for him Galath 1.22.23 So shall men say of vs This man hates the profanenesse that afore he liued in and loues the religion that afore hee mocked Such miracles will the Lord worke in vs if with faith and diligence wee vse the holy meanes that so all that see vs shall Glorifie GOD for vs. Thus wee see generally how great the issue and posterity of Sarah was But it is more particularly inlarged by two comparisons As many as the starres in the skie or as the sands by the sea shore which are innumerable His comparisons are two One taken from the heauens as many as the starres in the skie The other from the earth as the sands in the Sea And these two are vsed by the holy Ghost being things of incredible number to expresse the multitude of the Israelites that came all from Sarah Not but that other things also are of as great number as the drops of water dust of the earth hairs of mens heads c but these two are most common and prouerbiall phrases whereby to expresse a multitude And againe the starres of the skie are rather named then any other because God himself in the beginning pleased to vse it to Abraham when he had neuer a childe Gen. 15.8 God caried Abraham forth in the night and bad him count the starres if he could and said so shall thy seede be And Moses afterwards vseth the same comparison Deut. 10.22 Our Fathers went downe into Egypt 70. persons and now the Lord hath made vs as the starres of the skie in multitude Now because all men are not Astronomers as Abraham and Moses were and that ignorant men might say they can perceiue no such matter in the starres Therefore hee vseth another comparison which euery Country-man may discerne how innumerable they be namely the sands of the Sea-shore And least any should say I dwell in the mid-land Country and neuer saw the sea sand and am ignorant and so cannot iudge of the starres therefore to put him out of doubt the holy Ghost assures him in the end of the verse that they are both innumerable that is not in themselues or to God but in regard of man and mans skill vnable to be counted Concerning these two comparisons let vs obserue the manner or the phrase of speech in them vsed Secondly the matter in them intended For the first wee are to knowe that the speech is not proper but figuratiue For properly they were not as manie as the starres or as the sands neither are the starres or sands innumerable but it is a figure called by the Rhetoricians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an excesse of finenesse of speech or an excessiue elegancie And as it is ordinarie in all Writers and euen in common speech so it is not refused by the holy Ghost but vsed both heere and in the two forenamed places and the like also of the same nature but in other phrases in other places as Saint Iohn 21.25 I suppose saith hee if all the sayings and doings of Christ were written the world could not containe the bookes that would be written Meaning they would be exceeding many and more then would be needefull for saluation And Deuteronomie 9. verse 1. Moses saith That the Cities of the Canaanites were great and walled vp to heauen Meaning that they were very high and so high as was possible for Cities walles to be and as was impossible to haue beene scaled in all mennes reason had not GOD fought for them These and such like are common in the Scripture and seeing wee allowe that libertie to all Writers and to our selues in common speeche no reason to denie it to the Scripture which was written for all mens vnderstanding and therfore in such phrases as are vsuall and ordinarie with all men And the like liberty is heere taken also in another figure as many as the sands by the shore of the sea the word properly signifieth and soundeth the lippe of the Sea Now the sea hath no lippe but it is a speech taken or borrowed from man or beast who haue lippes and the sea shore resembleth a lippe For looke what a lippe is to them the shores are to the sea as the two lippes doe inclose the mouth so the two shores on both sides doe inclose the Sea which lieth as in a mouth betwixt them From hence we may learne profitable instructions First that therefore Rhetoricke is a warrantable good and lawfull Art and it ariseth thus That which the holy Ghost practiceth must needes be not onely not euill but good and warrantable But the holy Ghost vseth and practiceth Rhetoricke heere and in many places else of the Scripture Therefore it is a good and lawfull Arte. The proposition is vndoubted the assumption is cleare both by these places and almost the whole body of the Scripture many of Saint Pauls Epistles many of Christes owne Sermons Saint Iohns Gospell many of the Prophets especially Esayah haue as much and as elegant Rhetoricke in them as any VVriters in the vvorlde and beside all other vertue and Diuine power in them doe euen for figures and ornaments of Arte match any Oratours that haue vvritten in the Greekes or Latines Nor would it bee anie hard taske to vndertake to prooue and illustrate euery approued rule of Rhetorick out of some part of Scripture Now if it be lawfull to practice the rules of Rhetorick then is it lawfull also to collect those rules together to pen them and to make an Art of them They therefore that holding the contrary doe say or teach or write it is vnlawfull goe against the streame and common practice of the Scripture and rules of common reason Secondly heere it is apparant that in preaching Gods word it is lawfull and warrātable for a Minister to vse Rhetoricke and eloquence And the reason is good for that which the holy Ghost vseth in penning of the Scripture the same may Gods Ministers vse also in preaching the same They therefore that denie that liberty to Ministers are too rough and rugged and pull out of the hand of the Ministers one of his weapons out of the wings of the
words and promises God spake plainly and deceaued not Abraham and after at the time performed it So must we deale plainely and simply in our words and bargaines and thinke that to deceiue and ouer-reach by craftie words and double meanings and equiuocall phrases are not beseeming Christianity And we must make conscience of a lie else we are like the diuell and not God Also a Christian man must take heede what how and to whom he promiseth but hauing promised he must performe though it be losse or harme to himselfe if it be not wrong to God or to the Church or State Wrong to himselfe must not hinder him from performance Christian mens words must not be vaine they should be as good as bonds though I know it is lawfull and very conuenient in regard of mortality to take such kind of assurances Lastly Abraham had the promise his seed should bee so Gen. 15.8 And here we see it is so but he himself saw it not so that Abraham had the promise and we the performance So Adam had the promise of the Messias but wee see it performed The Patriarkes and Prophets the promise of the calling of the Gentiles but we see it performed See heere the glory of the Church vnder the New Testament aboue the olde This must teach vs to be so much better then they as God is better to vs then hee was to them and to excell them in faith and all other vertues of holinesse or else their faith and their holy obedience shall turne to our greater condemnation which haue had so farre greater cause to beleeue and obey God and so farre better means than they Which if it be so then alas what will become of them who come behinde them nay haue no care to followe them in their faith nor holinesse nor any duties of holy obedience Thus much for the Example of this holy womans faith and of the commendation thereof Now before he come to any more particular examples of faith the holy Ghost giues a generall commendation of the faith of all those ioyntly which are spoken of already VERSE 13. All these died in faith and receiued not the promises but saw them afarre off and beleeued them and receiued them thankefully and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrimes on the earth HItherto the Holy Ghost hath particularly commended the faith of diuers holy beleeuers Now from this verse to the 17. hee doth generally commend the faith of Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iaacob together yet not so much their faith as the durance and constancy of their faith Particularly the points are two 1. Is laid downe their constancy and continuance All these died in faith 2. That constancy is set fourth by foure effects 1. They receiued not the promises but saw them afarre off 2. They beleeued them 3. Receiued them thankefully 4. Professed themselues strangers and pilgrimes on the earth The first point touching these beleeuers is that as they begun so they held on as they liued so they died in faith All these died in faith The trueth of the matter in the words may be referred to all afore going sauing Enoch who died not yet he continued also constant in his faith and in that faith was taken vp but as for Abel and Noah they died in faith Yet I take it that principally and directly the holy Ghost intended no more than these foure I named and my reason is because the particular effects in this verse and the points whereby this their constaÌ„cy is amplified in the three verses followwing adoe all agree especially with these foure and not so properly with Abel or Noah so that I take he meaneth by all these all these men that liued in the second world since the flood All these died in faith that is in assurance that the promises made vnto them should bee performed in Gods good time These promises were principally these two 1. Saluation by the Messias 2. The possession of the Land of Canaan In this faith they died that is they held it through all asâ—aults and temptations to the contrary euen to the last gaspe and died therein In this their practice is commended vnto vs a most worthy lesson of Christianitie namely that wee must so liue that we may die in faith Many say they liue in faith and it is well if they doe so but the maine point is to die in faith There is none so ill but howsoeuer he liues yet hee would die well If hee would die well hee must die in faith For miserable is the death that is without faith And herein faith and hope differ from other graces of God Loue ioy zeale holinesse and all other graces are imperfect here and are perfected in heauen but faith and hope are perfected at our deaths they are not in the other world for there is nothing then to be beleeued nor hoped for seeing we then doe inioy all things but as they are begunne in our life at our regeneration so they be made perfect when wee die and they shine most gloriously in the last and greatest combate of all which is at the houre of death So that the death of a Christian which is the gate to glory is to die in faith Besides as life leaues vs death finds vs and as death leaues vs the last iudgement finds vs and as it leaues vs so wee continue for euer and euer without recouerie or alteration Now to die in faith is to die in an assured estate of glory and happinesse which is that that euery man desireth therfore as we all desire it so let vs die in faith and we shal attaine vnto it Saint Paul tels vs 1. Corinth 15.55 Death is a terrible serpent for he hath a poisoned sting Now when we die we are to encounter with this hideous and fearefull serpent He is fearefull euery way but especially for his sting that sting is our sinne and this sting is not taken away nor the force of it quenched but by true faith which quencheth all the fierie darts of the diuell Ephes. 6. If therefore wee would bee able to encounter with this great enemie in the conquering of whom who stands our happinesse and by whom to be conquered is our eternall miserie wee must then so arme our selues with faith that wee may die in faith for hee that dieth in faith that faith of his kils his sinnes and conquers death but he that dieth without faith death and sin seize on him and his sinnes liue for euer and his miserie by them Now if we would die in faith we must liue in faith else it is not to be expected For so these holy Patriarchs liued long in this faith wherein they died For their holy liues shewed plainely that they liued in that faith which the Apostle saith doth purifie our hearts Act. 15.9 Now if wee would liue in true faith the meanes to attaine it set downe by Gods word are these First wee must labour to get knowledge of
God would not be called in speciall manner the God of vnfaithfull men but rather would bestowe such a special fauour vpon Beleeuers but that fauour did God vouchsafe to these three Patriarchs therefore doubtlesse they liued and died in that holy faith In that it is said God was not ashamed to be called their God Here first we learn that God doth not vouchsafe his mercie equally to all men but some men haue more prerogagatiue in his fauours and mercies then others Kings make choise among all their subiects of some men whom they wil prefer to be of their counsel or guard to whom they will giue speciall countenance and dispence their fauours more liberally then to all Euen so God among all Abrabrahams kindred maketh choise of these three persons Abraham Isaac and Iacob to bestowe on them such speciall honour as he vouchsafed not to any of their fore-fathers afore them nor posterity after them No meruaile therfore though he bestowe not his speciall mercy vpon all seeing he dispenceth not his inferiour fauours vnto all alike And yet for all this he is no accepter of persons for hee onely is properly said to be an accepter of persons that preferreth one before another in regard of some quality in the person but God vouchsafed this honour vnto these three only of meere mercy and good will and not for any thing he respected in them This confuteth the conceite and errour of many men broached abroad in this age that God doth equally loue all men as they are men and hath chosen all men to saluation as they are men and hath reiected none for say they it standeth with equity and good reason that the Creator should loue all his creatures equally and this opinion they would build vpon the generall promise made to Abraham because that in him God said all the nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 22.18 But we must vnderstand that All is not alwaies taken generally but sometime indefinitely for many and so Paul speaking of this couenant of grace in Christ saith The Lord made Abraham a father of many nations Rom. 4.17 where repeating the couenant recorded by Moses he putteth many for all Againe graunt that Abraham were the father of all nations and that in him All the kindreds of the earth were blessed Yet it followeth not that therefore God should loue all men equally alike for he may loue the faithfull of all nations yet not loue all men in all nations for in his bountifull mercy in Christ he preferreth some before others And this answer seems the better because we may haue some reason to thinke that God will saue of euery nation some but no ground to imagine he wil saue all of any nation much lesse all of euery nation 2. Here we may see that God honoureth those his seruants that honour him as hee saith to Ely the Priest 1. Sam. 2.30 Which is a point to be marked diligently for this God is the glorious king of heauen and earth yet he abaseth himselfe is content to be named by his Creature aduancing them by abasing himselfe to be called their God the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Where we may apparantly see rather then God wil not haue them honoured that honour him he wil abase himself that they therby may be honored Hence we may learn many things First that all that professe religion truly must inure themselues to go through good report and ill report and in all estates to be content for Gods honours sake as Paul saith I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry to abound to haue want Thus spake that holy man of God so must we all endeauour to say accordingly to practice And the reason is good because if a man honor God howsoeuer he be contemned or not regarded in the world yet God wil honour him esteeme highly of him that will proue the way to all true honour as it hath done euen in this world to all that tried it Secondly hence we learne which is the true way to get sound honor amongst men namely to honor God Good estimation in the world is not to be contemned for the Lord cōmandeth all inferiours to honour their superiours wherby he also bindeth euery mā to preserue his own dignity Now God honoureth them that honor him therfore the surest way to get true honour among men is this Let a man first lay his foundation well begin with God set all the affections of his heart thoughts on this To honor God Quest. How may a man honor God Answ. By forsaking the rebellious waies of sin vngodlines walking in the way of righteousnesse through the course of his life This doth God take to be an honour vnto his high Maiestie And when a man doth this vnfainedly then God will honour him euen among men so far forth as shal be for his good for God hath all mens hearts in his hād wil make them to honour those that honour him so S. Paul saith If any man therefore purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell vnto honour not onely in glory eternall after death but also in grace and fauour with Gods Church This confuteth the opinion and condemneth the practice of many who would faine haue good report in the world and be spoken well of by all men but what course I pray you take they to come by this good name They doe not begin with God and lay their foundation by honouring him but they striue to please men whether it bee by doing well or ill they care not their onely care is to please all for that is their rule and resolution all must be pleased and because most men are ill they rather choose oftentimes to doe ill than they will not please the greater sort But he that beginneth to get honour by pleasing men beginneth at a wrong ende for by the testimony of the holy Ghost in this place the way to get sound approbation before men is first to beginne with God and to honour him Thirdly if God wil honour them that honour him then by the contrary consider what a miserable case many a man is in For those that dishonour God God will dishonour them againe as wee may see at large and very plainely in the example of Elie and his two sonnes for them that honour me saith the Lord vnto him I wil honour and they that despise me shall be despised 1. Sam. 2.30 And in Zacharie wee may reade that the man that by blasphemie theft or periurie dishonoureth God the flying curse of the Lord shall enter into his house and remaine in the middest thereof and consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Zach. 5.4 And because Elie did more honour his children than
him alone three whole daies in great perplexity and Abraham goes forward according to Gods commād euen to lay his knife to his sonnes throat Here then we see what is the Lords dealing with his seruants Hee lets them alone for a long season in temptation and pittifull distresse and at the length when it comes euen to the extremitie and when the knife is as it were at the throate then hee shewes himselfe and brings comfort vnto them The Spouse in the Canticles which is the Church of God or a true Christian soule whether you will for it is true both in the generall and particular Cant. 3.2.3 Shee seekes Christ euery where in the streetes and open places but shee findes him not then shee goes to the watch-men which are Gods ministers and there inquires after him whom her soule loued and they cannot tell her where shee might finde him so that now all hope of finding him might seeme to be past but when shee was a little from them then shee found him and Christ comes to her when shee was most in feare not to haue found him at all The people of Israel were many yeares in bondage in Egypt and when the time came that Moses was sent of God to fetch them thence and to be their guide and deliuerer when he had brought them out and carried them to the red sea then came Pharaoh with a huge armie after them to destroy them Exod. 14.25 Before they had beene in great affliction and bondage but nowe they were quite past all hope of recouery for they had before them the redde sea and on each side of them great hilles and mountaines and behinde them the huge hoast of Pharaoh and therefore they cried out vnto Moses who then by GODs commaundement did diuide the redde sea and made it drie land and deliuered them through the middest of the redde sea but as for their enemies Pharaoh and all his hoast the Lord drowned them in the middest thereof So for our selues when God shall exercise any of vs in cases of extremitie wee must looke to bee so dealt withall at Gods hand Hee will let vs alone for a time and neuer helpe vs till the last pinch and therefore we must waite for his good pleasure with patience for this he will doe to trie vs to the full and to make manifest the graces of God wrought in vs. The third circumstance to be considered is this In what manner did Abraham receiue his sonne from the dead This we may read of Gen. 22.13 Hee must take a Ramme that was caught behinde him in a bush and offer him in stead of Isaac so Isaac is saued and the Ramme is sacrificed and slaine Now whereas Abraham offered Isaac in sacrifice to God and yet Isaac liueth and the Ramme is slaine in his stead Hence some gather this vse and we may profitably consider of the same to wit that the sacrifices which wee offer vnto God now vnder the Gospel must be liuing sacrifices for Isaac he was offered in sacrifice to God yet he liued and died not but the Ramme is slaine for him So must we offer our selues in sacrifice vnto God not dead in sinne but liuing vnto God in righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus shall we offer vp our selues liuing sacrifices vnto God when as we consecrate our selues vnto Gods seruice and obey him in our liues and callings And looke as vnder the Law the burnt offerings were burnt all to smoake and ashes so must wee in our liues wholly and altogether giue our selues vnto God and renouncing our selues be nothing to the world but wholly dedicated to God Neither must wee come vnto him in our sinnes for sinne makes our sacrifice dead lame halt and blinde which God doth abhorre but wee must bring our selues liuing sacrifices vnto God as Paul saith Ro. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God Hence also some gather that this sacrificing of Isaac was a signe and type of Christs sacrifice vpō the crosse For as Isaac was sacrificed and liued so did Christ though he died yet rose againe and now liueth for euer but because it hath no ground in this place though it be true which is said of both therefore I will not stand to vrge the same And thus much of this third reason whereby Abrahams faith is commended with the circumstances thereof and consequently of all the examples of holy Abrahams faith Isaacs Faith VERSE 20. By faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau concerning things to come IN the three former verses the holy Ghost hath particularly commended the faith of Abraham Now in this verse hee proceedes to set downe vnto vs the faith of Isaac particularly also Wherein we are to marke these foure points First a blessing wherwith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau Secondly the cause of this blessing that is his faith Thirdly the parties blessed which are Iacob and Esau Fourthly the nature and matter of this blessing in the end of the verse Concerning things to come Of these in order First for the blessing That we may knowe the nature and quality of it wee must search out the kindes of blessings how many they be In Gods word wee finde three kindes of blessings 1. whereby God blesseth man Now God blesseth man by giuing vnto him gifts and benefits either temporall or spirituall and so he blessed all his creatures in the beginning but especially man The 2. kinde of blessing is that whereby man blesseth God and this man doth by praising God and giuing thankes vnto him who is the Author of all blessings So Paul saith Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ Ephes. 1.3 beginning his Epistle with this kinde of blessing that is by praising God And so Zachary after the birth of his sonne and the receiuing of his sight hee sings vnto God this song of praise Blessed be the Lord God of Israell Luk 1.68 that is praise and thanksgiuing be vnto the Lord c. The third kinde of blessing is that whereby one man doth blesse another and vnder this kinde we must vnderstand Isaacs blessings in this place Now further this kinde of blessing whereby one man blesseth another is either priuate or publike A priuate blessing is that whereby one priuate man whatsoeuer he be in his place prayes to God for a blessing vpon another And this is common to all men for euery man may blesse another that is pray to God for a blessing vpon another but especially it belongeth to Parents thus to blesse their children by praying to GOD for a blessing vpon them And therefore the Commaundement goes thus Honour thy fa-thy father and thy mother that they may prolong thy dayes in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Exod. 20.12 Now
in the first place Heere then wee see in this order of dignitie that the first blessing of life euerlasting belongs to Iacob Esau must haue his blessing but in the second place Heere obserue these two thinges First Iacob is receiued into Gods couenaunt and Esau put by Iacob gets the principall blessing and Esau loseth it but what are these thinges so for Iacobs desert or for the default of Esau Nay verily The good pleasure of GOD is the chiefe cause heereof for touching the blessing if wee reade the Historie wee shall see that Esau at his Fathers commaundement went and hunted and tooke the paines and got his Father venison and tolde him nothing but truth But Iacob neuer went to hunt but gets a Kid dressed and comes to his Father with it and while hee talkes with his Father doth foully gloase and lie so that in all reason it might seeme that Esau deserued the better blessing yet GOD will haue it otherwise and the principall blessing belongs to Iacob Wherein wee may note that Gods speciall loue to man whereby hee receiues him into his couenaunt is not grounded on mans behauiour but on his owne good will and pleasure Secondly in that Iacob heere had the principall blessing wee learne that the counsell of GOD doth ouerrule the will of man For Father Isaac had purposed to haue blessed Esau with the chiefest blessing but yet Gods counsell was contrarie and the same ouer-rules Isaacs will For though Isaac had cause to suspect that it was not Esau both because hee came so soone as also for that the voice was apparant not to be Esaus but Iacobs voice yet Gods counsell ouer-ruled his will and when hee came to handle his sonnes handes hee could not discerne betweene a Kiddes skinne and the skinne of a man what 's the cause heereof Surely it was Gods will and counsell that Iacob should haue the chiefest blessing and therefore hee ouer-rules Isaacs will and blindes his senses and makes him to blesse Iacob with the chiefest blessing The consideration heereof is profitable vnto vs for it is a receiued opinion with many at this day that GOD did purpose to saue all men Now when question is made Why then are not all men saued They answer because men will not though God will But this opinion is erroneous for it makes mans will to ouer-rule GODs counsell as if they should say GOD willeth it not because men will it not or else which is worse God willeth it but it commeth not to passe because man will not doe it But Gods will and counsell is the highest and chiefest cause of al looke whatsoeuer he willeth that bringeth he to passe and because all men are not saued therfore we may safely thinke and say that God did neuer decree to saue all men Now further more particularly of Iacobs blessing first it may be asked How could Iacob bee blessed seeing hee came dissemblingly and lying to his father Answ. Wee must knowe that howsoeuer Iacob sought the blessing by fraude yet he might bee blessed for he failed not neither did amisse in seeking for the blessing but onely in the manner of seeking it it was his duty to seeke it though not after that manner which hee did hee should rather haue staied that leisure and time wherein God had caused Isaac to haue blessed him without his sinne in seeking it Secondly consider the manner how Iacob receiues his fathers blessing namely in his elder brother Esaus garment Here we may see a notable resemblance of Gods maner of blessing vs When wee looke for a blessing at Gods hand wee must not come in our owne garments in the rotten ragges of our owne righteousnes but we must put on Christs garment the long white robe of his righteousnes And so comming vnto God as Isaac said of the sauor of Esaus garments which Iaacob had put on Gen. 27.27 28. Behold the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field God giue thee therefore of the dewe of heauen and the fatnesse of the earth and plenty of wheate and wine So will God say vnto vs that the righteousnesse of Christ which wee haue put on by faith is a sweet smelling sauor in his nosthrils Ephes. 5.2 Now seeing all the blessings we enioy come to vs in Christ and our acceptance with God is in his righteousnes we therefore must labour to put on Christ euery day by becoming new creatures we must seeke to resemble him in knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse so shall our assurance increase of Gods blessings vpon vs more and more Lastly marke that howsoeuer Iaacob was blessed otherwise than Isaac had purposed yet after the blessing is pronounced it must needes stand for so when Esau came Isaac said vnto him I haue blessed Iacob therefore hee shall be blessed Eph. 27.33 Euen so the Ministers of Gods word in the assembly of the Church who haue power to pronounce Gods blessings vpon the people howsoeuer they be but weake men and may be deceiued beeing subiect to error as other men are yet when they pronounce Gods blessing vpon their congregation in the ministery of the word if they doe it in sinceritie of heart and vprightnesse of conscience that blessing shall stand And so on the contrary looke whom they curse for iust cause out of Gods word their curse shall stand Further as Isaac blessed but knewe not whom so the Ministers of God in the dispensation of the word they must blesse Gods people thogh they know not who they are particularly that doe receiue it Thus much of Isaacs blessing Iacob Now I come to his blessing of Esau for hee also was blessed as the Text saith yet in the second place albeit he were the elder brother Quest. How could Esau be blessed at all seeing Isaac had but one blessing Answ. Esau was only blessed with temporall blessings and not with spirituall Obiect But some wil say Esau was a bad man wicked now it is said that to the impure all things are impure how then could the bestowing of tēporal things be blessings to him An. Temporall things bestowed on the wicked are blessings no blessings they are blessings in regard of God that giues them but they are no blessings in regard of men that receiue them and vse them amisse Quest. How came it to passe that Esau beeing the elder brother looseth his birth-right and blessing both how came it to be Iaacobs Answ. The cause was his profanenesse as wee may see and read in the next chapter where it is said Heb. 12.16 that he solde his birth-right for a portion of meate euen for a messe of redde broth and beeing so profane as to contemne so high an honour hee must bee content to haue his blessing in the second place And hence we may obserue a good instruction There is many a yong man in these our daies baptized as Esau was circumcised and liuing in the Church as hee did in Isaacs house who
but they vtterly contemne all other estates of life in regard of their owne And this is the common sinne of the whole world for at earthly preferments men wil stand amazed but seldome shall you finde a man that is rauished with ioy in this that he is the childe of God as Moses did But his practice must be a president for vs to followe we must learne to haue more ioy in being the sonnes of God then to be heires of any worldly Kingdomes and to take more delight in the grace of adoption through Iesus Christ then in the sonship of any earthly Prince It is a great prerogatiue to be heire to a King or Emperour but yet to be the childe of God goes farre beyond it euen aboue comparison For the sonne of the greatest Potentate may be the childe of wrath but the childe of God by grace hath Christ Iesus to be his eldest brother with whom he is fellow heire in heauen hee hath the holy Ghost also for his comforter and the Kingdome of heauen for his euerlasting inheritance And therefore wee must learne of Moses from the bottome of our hearts to prefer this one thing To be the child of God before all earthly things either pleasures riches or any other prerogatiues whatsoeuer Now more particularly in this fact of Moses note two circumstances 1. The manner how 2. The time when he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter For the first his refusall was not in word but in deede for if we reade the whole History of Moses wee shall not finde that either he spake to Pharaoh or to his daughter or to any other to this effect that hee would not be her heire nor called her sonne but we finde that hee did it in deede for when he came to age he left the Court oftentimes and went to visite his brethren to comfort them to defend them and to take part with them And hence we must learne not so much to giue our selues to knowe and to talke of matters of religion as to doe and practice the same both before God and men This did Moses It is the common fault of our age that we can be content to heare the doctrine of religion taught vnto vs yea many will learne it and often speake thereof but fewe there be that make conscience to doe the things they heare and speake of But let vs learne of Moses to put those things in practice which wee learne and professe and in silence doe them for the fewer words the better vnlesse our deedes be answerable If any of vs were to walke vpon the top of some high mountaine we would leaue off talking and looke vnto our steps for feare of falling Behold when we enter the profession of Christianity wee are set vpon an high mountaine for the way of life is on high and Christianity is the high calling of God We therefore must be wise as Salomō saith Pro. 15.24 look wel to our cōuersation hauing a straite watch ouer all our waies through the whole course of our life euen to the end of our daies not stand so much on speaking talking as on doing for the doer of the worke shal be blessed in his deed Iam. 1.25 This is the thing we must looke vnto as the only ornament of our profession declaring that we haue the power of godlinesse but if deeds be wanting our religion is vaine we are like the Fig-tree which Christ cursed hauing leaues but no fruite The 2. circumstance to be considered is the time when he refused this honour namely when he came to be a man of yeares and discretion A man in cōmon reason would iudge thus of Moses fact Moses hath rare fortune offered him he might haue bin sonne heire to a Princesse surely this is a rash fact of his void of cōsideration to refuse it vndoubtedly he far ouershot himselfe herein either through rashnesse or ignorance But to preuent such carnall surmises the spirit of God sets down this circumstance of time saying that he did not refuse it in his youth but when hee was come to age that is to perfect yeares of discretion and by reason thereof must needes haue consideration and iudgement to know what he did then did he refuse this honour to bee Pharaohs daughters sonne and heire In the seuenth of the Acts wee shall see that he was fortie yeares olde when he did this And therefore this is true which is here said that when he was come to age and staiednesse then he refused this honour for fortie yeares is a time not onely of ripenesse for strength but of staiednesse in iudgement and discretion Out of this circumstance we learne two points 1 That it is a common fault of yong years to be subiect to inconsideration and rashnes for Moses did not refuse the honour of Pharaohs daughter when hee was young lest it should seeme to bee a point of rashnesse but when hee was come to age as the text saith insinuating that if hee had done it when hee was young it might haue beene esteemed but a rash part and done in some hastie passion of youth Euery age of man hath his faults this is the fault of youth to bee heady and rash in their affaires for want of consideration and experience And therefore all young persons must haue care of these sinnes of youth and watch the more against them because they are so incident to their yeares Now the way to auoyde them is to follow Christs example Luk. 2.52 to labour to growe as in yeares so in wisdome and grace and to obey the counsell of Paul to Timothy 2. Timoth. 2.22 to flie the lusts of youth following after iustice faith charitie and peace with all that call vpon the name of the Lord with a pure heart Secondly this circumstance of time noting Moses deliberate staiednesse in this fact doeth plainely aduertise vs what is or should bee the vertue of olde age and the ornament of yeares namely staiednesse discretion wherby I meane not only that naturall temper of affection which olde age bringeth with it but such religious discretion whereby men of yeares doe all things in faith so as their workes may be acceptable and pleasing vnto God For when a man is grown in yeares hath had experience obseruation in the Church of God he must not onely haue a generall knowledge and wisdome but a particular wisdome whereby he may doe in faith whatsoeuer hee takes in hand and therein please God But alas this may be spoken of olde men in these daies that in regard of this wisdome they are very babes a thing greatly disgracefull to their condition For Paul biddes the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14.20 that they should not be children in vnderstanding but of ripe age yea and he forbiddes the Ephesians Eph. 4.14 to be children stil wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine Whereby we may see that aged persons do
suffer for Christs sake Blessed are you saith Christ when men reuile you and speake all manner of euill sayings against you for my names sake c. And S. Peter saith If yee bee railed vpon for my names sake blessed are ye And lest any should doubt how this can be Christ shewes wherein this blessednesse consists saying He that forsaketh houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or childrē or lands for my names sake shall receiue an hundred fold more and shall inherit eternall life A most worthy promise assuring vs that no man loseth by suffering for Christs sake for hee shall be rewarded an hundred fold ouer In stead of earthly friends and worldly comforts he shal haue the loue and fauour of God shed abroad in his heart which will bee an ouer-flowing fountaine of comfort for soule and body for euer farre more worth than the wealth and treasures of all the kingdomes in the world A smal springing fountaine we know is better to an house than a hundred Cisternes full because of continuall supply from the springing fountaine when the Cisterns will be spent Behold the loue of God in Christ with other spiritual graces shall be in all that suffer for the name of Christ as liuing streames flowing vnto life eternall when as the cisterns of all worldly pleasures and treasures shal be spent and dried vp 2 By suffering afflictiō for Christs sake wee are made conformable vnto him in his humilitie that so we may bee made like vnto him after this life in glory So Paul saith Our light affliction causeth vnto vs an eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 And againe it is a true saying If we be dead with Christ we shall also liue with him If we suffer we shall also raigne with him 2. Tim. 2.11 12. This assurance can no worldly riches giue and therefore wee may boldly say that the suffering of reproach for Christ his sake is greater riches than the treasures of a whole kingdome 3 To suffer for Christ his sake is a token of Gods speciall loue and therefore S. Paul biddes the Philippians Not to feare their aduersaries which is a token of saluation vnto them and that of God because it is giuen to you saith he for Christ that you should not onely beleeue but suffer for his sake Wherfore if suffering for Christ haue a promise of blessednes if it make vs conformable vnto Christ be a signe of Gods special loue then is it to be esteemed aboue the riches and honours of the whole world Are afflictiōs for Christ to be esteemed aboue the treasures of a kingdome then we must all learne to reioyce in the troubles and wrongs which we suffer for Christs sake So did the Apostles Act. 5.41 They departed from the councell reioycing in that they were counted worthy to suffer affliction for his name And S. Paul brags hereof greatly saying I beare in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6.17 And looke as these seruants of God reioyced in their sufferings for Christ so likewise must we labour for the same heart and affections in the like case for who would not reioyce to be made partaker and possessor of the treasures of a kingdome Well the rebuke of Christ is greater riches than the treasures of a kingdome This lesson is of great vse for howsoeuer many among vs come to heare Gods word yet there be many also that scoffe and mocke at religion and at the Gospel of Christ and the professors thereof whereby the most are hindred in profession and many daunted and quite driuen backe But wee must here learne not to bee discouraged by these mockes Indeede we must take heed we giue them no iust occasion to mocke vs and then if we be scoffed at we shal neuer be hurt by it nay though that be farre from their intent yet in mocking vs they doe vs great honour For the word of God that cannot lie is this that to suffer affliction for Christ his sake is greater honour and riches than the treasures of a kingdome And if Moses his iudgement be good which God himselfe doth here commend then we are happy and blessed in enduring these mockes and scoffes for Christ. Secondly wee must here learne instruction for the time to come We haue for a long time through the great goodnesse of God enioyed peace and wealth with the Gospel of Christ but vndoubtedly these daies of peace will haue an ende they cannot last alwaies Gods people must passe through the fierie furnace of affliction Well when this is come vpon vs how shall wee be able to beare it Surely we must now learne to be of this opinion that Moses was of we must iudge it to bee the greatest honour and riches that can be to suffer affliction for Christ his sake and this will be the ground of all constancy courage and Christian boldnesse in the day of trial For he that is of this mind wil neuer feare affliction nor reproach for Christ his sake nay he will be so farre from fearing it that he will reioyce and triumph therein Further whereas it is said Esteeming the rebuke of Christ here marke the rebuke of Gods church and people is called the rebuke of Christ. The people of God in Egypt were laden with reproaches and rebukes and behold Christ accounts it his rebuke and the holy Ghost so calls it Where learne this That Christ esteemeth the reproach and affliction of his Church as his owne affliction When Saul went to persecute the brethren at Damascus Act. 9.2 4 Christ Iesus calls to him from heauen saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Saul went to persecute the Christians and yet our Sauiour Christ taketh it vnto himselfe And after his conuersion he saith 2. Cor. 4.10 Euery way wee beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus And againe Let no man put me to businesse for I beare in my body the markes of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6.17 This is a point of speciall vse First hence we learne that Christ hath a speciall care of his Church and Children in that he iudgeth their afflictions to be his owne afflictions and therefore he can no more forget or leaue off to helpe them in distresse than deny himselfe Secondly here is a speciall comfort for Gods children that be in affliction their afflictions are not their owne alone but Christs also he is their partner and fellow sufferer This may seeme strange but it is most true Christ puts as it were his shoulders vnder our afflictions and takes them to himselfe as though they were his owne than which what can be more comfortable For though thou thy selfe cannot beare it yet trust vndoubtedly that Christ who beares with thee wil giue thee strength to vndergoe it vnto victory Thirdly if the afflictions of a Christian bee the afflictions of Christ then it is a fearefull sinne for any man to mocke or reproach his brother
in regard of his profession and religion for mocking is persecution Gal. 4.29 with Gen. 21.9 And that reproach which is cast vpon a Christian is cast vpon Christ and Christ takes it as done vnto himselfe the persecutor wounds Christ Iesus through the sides of a poore Christian which is a feareful thing For in so doing he sets himselfe against the Lord Iesus he kickes against the prickes and if he so continue hee must needes looke for some fearefull ende for who hath euer beene fierce against the Lord and hath prospered Iob. 9.4 Wherefore if any of vs be guiltie of any sinne in this kind let vs repent for vnlesse wee turne our condemnation will be remedilesse Againe the afflictions of the Israelites are here said to be their sufferings for Christ where note that though Christ his comming were then afarre off yet the Israelites then knewe of Christ for else they could not suffer for him This confuteth those which holde that euery man may be saued by his owne religion whatsoeuer it be if hee liue ciuilly and vprightly therein Their reason is taken from the Iewes who they say had onely the knowledge of outward ceremonies and so were saued But that opinion is here disprooued for the Iewes knew Christ and professed him or else they would neuer suffer for him and therefore they were saued by him and not by their obedience to outward ceremonies And thus much of the reason which mooued Moses to make such a choyce as hee did Now in the ende of the verse is added a reason why Moses was of this strange iudgement to think the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt namely because he had respect to the recompence of reward That is he often set his eie to behold and his heart to consider how God had made a promise of life euerlasting after this life vnto all those that obeyed him and trusted in him in this life for the enioying whereof hee preferred that estate wherein he might liue in the feare of God though it were a state of reproach before all other whatsoeuer Where wee see what it is that will bring a man to esteeme affliction with the feare of God better than the treasures pleasures of an earthly kingdome namely as we set the bodily eie to behold the affliction so we must lift vp the eye of the minde of faith to behold the recompence of reward that is the state of glory in heauen prepared for Gods children Thus did the Christian Hebrewes in the primitiue Church Hebrewes 10.37 They suffered with ioy the spoiling of their goods A very hard thing but yet most true for it is the word of GOD And the reason is rendred They knew in themselues how that they had in heauen a better and more enduring substance And our Sauiour Christ endured the Crosse and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him Hebrewes 12.1 that is in consideration of that ioy in glory whereto hee should be aduanced himselfe and bring all his members This we must make vse of for if wee will liue godly in Christ Iesus wee must suffer affliction This flesh and bloud will not yeeld vnto and therefore to perswade vs to suffer with ioy we must with Moses haue respect to the recompence of reward Wee must say thus to our soules The day will come wherein wee shall haue euerlasting life in the Kingdome of heauen if wee now serue and feare him Shall wee not then for his sake be content to suffer a short affliction seeing the greatest of them are not woorthie of the glorie that shall bee reuealed Romanes chapter 8. verse 18. Question But why doth the holy Ghost call euerlasting life a reward Answere It is not so called because Moses did procure it and deserue it at Gods hand by the dignitie of his workes in suffering for sure no man can merit any thing at Gods hands The case is plaine For Christ as hee is man consider his manhoode a-part from his Godhead could not merit any thing at Gods hands for he that would merit of God by any worke must doe three things 1. He must doe the worke of himselfe and by himselfe for if hee doe it by another the other meriteth and must haue the reward and praise of the worke Secondly hee must doe it of meere good will and not of dutie for that which is of duty cannot merit because a man is bound to doe it 3. The worke done to merit must be of that price and dignity that it may be proportionable to life euerlasting which is the reward Now though Christ as he is man be aboue all men all Angels in grace and dignity yet consider his manhoode a-part from his Godhead and hee could not doe a worke with these three properties For first the workes done of the manhoode were not done of it selfe but from that fulnesse of the spirit wherewith hee was endued Secondly Christ as man is a creature and so considered his workes are of duty to the Creator and so cannot merit Thirdly Christs workes as man simply considered are finite and so could not merit infinite glory Question How then did Christ merit at Gods hands Answere Partly by meanes of Gods promise made in the Law which was this Doe this and thou shalt liue but properly and chiefely because hee was not a meere man onely but withall true and very God for because his obedience both in his life and death though performed in his manhoode was the obedience of him that was God and man euen from the infinite excellencie of the person whose it is it becomes meritorious In his manhood hee obayed the Law and suffered for our sinnes but the dignity thereof came from his Godhead for hee that did these workes for vs was both God and man Now if Christ considered as man onely cannot merit then much lesse can any other man merite at Gods hands And therefore Moses though hee were a worthy man yet because hee was but a man and a sinnefull man also he could not by any worke deserue life euerlasting at Gods hands But life euerlasting is called a reward in the Scripture because it is the free gift of God promised by GOD to his children in Christ for this end to allure and drawe them on in obedience And it must not seeme strange that wee say a reward is a free gift for so it may be as we shall see by comparing two places of Scripture together to wit Matthew 5.44 with Luke 6.32 For whereas Mathew saith If you loue them that loue you what reward haue you Saint Luke repeating the same thing saith What thanke haue you or as the word signifies what fauour or free gift haue you Secondly there may be another cause rendred why life euerlasting is called a reward to wit not in regard of the worke done but in regard of the worker considered in Christ for Christes merit makes life euerlasting to be a
our selues and to lay it to our owne consciences and then no doubt we shall finde it to be a word of power able to reforme both the misdemeanour of our liues and the errours of our mindes Now to the reason more particularly Wee must be constant in the faith because we are compassed about with so great a cloude of witnesses Heere the ancient Fathers of the olde Testament which in the former chapter were commended vnto vs for their faith are compared to a cloude and then to a cloude compassing vs. Lastly to a cloude of witnesses They are compared to a cloude as I take it by allusion to the cloud which directed and led the Israelites in the wildernesse for when they came from Egypt and were 40. yeares in the Desert of Arabia all that while they were directed by a pillar of cloud by day Exod. 13.21 Now looke as this cloud guided the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt to the Land of Canaan so doth this companie of famous beleeuers direct all the true members of Gods Church in the new Testament the right way from the Kingdome of darknesse to the spirituall Canaan the kingdome of heauen And this is the true cause why these worthy beleeuers are compared to a cloud Mark further they are called a cloud but what a cloude namely compassing vs. A compassing cloud they are called by reason of the great company of beleeuers so as which way soeuer a man turnes him hee shall see beleeuers on euery side and they are said to compasse vs because they giue vs direction in the course of Christianity as the cloud did the Israelites in the wildernesse Now wheras the whole company of beleeuers is called a cloud compassing vs heere is answered a cōmon obiection of temporizers which argue thus against religiō There are so many kindes of religion now a-dayes that no man can tell which to be of and therefore it is good to be of no religion till we be certified which is the true religion This carnall reason is here answered for howsoeuer in som things there be variety of opinions in Gods Church yet for the substance of religion all agree in one For the company of beleeuers in this world resembles a cloud that goes before vs shewing vs the right way which we are to walke in to the Kingdome of heauen Secondly in that these ancient beleeuers are called a cloud compassing vs we are taught that as the Israelites did follow the cloud in the wildernes frō the Land of Egypt to Canaan so must we follow the example of these ancient beleeuing fathers Prophets to the kingdom of heauen It is a strange thing to see how the Israelites followed that cloud They neuer went till it went before them and when it stood still they stood still also though it were 2. yeares together and when it began to moue they moued with it So in the same maner must we set before our eyes for a pattern of life the worthy examples of beleeuers in the old Testament for whatsoeuer was written was written for our learning We must therfore be followers of them in faith obedience and other graces of God and so shall we be directed to life euerlasting in the spirituall Canaan the kingdom of heauen And yet we must not follow thē absolutely For all of thē had their infirmities som of thē had their grieuous faults wherby they were tainted their cōmendation somwhat blemished but we must follow them in the practice of faith other graces of God The cloud that guided the Israelites had two parts a light part a dark The Egyptians who were enemies to Gods people had not the light part before them but the dark part so following that they rushed into the red sea were drowned whē as the Israelites folowing the light part went through in safety Euen so these beleeuers had in them two things their sins which be their darke part which if we follow we cast our soules into great danger destruction and faith with other graces of God which are their light part which we must follow as our light which if we doe carefully it will bring vs safe to the Kingdome of heauen So Paul bids the Corinthians be followers of him yet not absolutely in euery thing but as he followes Christ and so must we follow the Fathers as they went on in faith in Christ. Further they are a cloud of witnesses that is a huge multitude of witnesses And they are so called First because by their owne bloud they confirmed the faith which they professed Secondly because they did all confirme the doctrine of true religion whereof they were witnesses partly by speaches and partly by actions in life and conuersation And so is euery member of Christ a witnesse as the Lord often calls the beleeuing Israelites his witnesses Quest. How came this to passe that these beleeuers should bee Gods witnesses Answere Surely because they testified the truth and excellencie of Gods holy religion both in word and action in life and conuersation Now seeing these in the olde Testament were Christs witnesses First hereby all ignorant persons must be stirred vp to be carefull to get faith and to learne true religion If any thing will moue a man to become religious this will for out of all the world God will chuse faithfull men to be his witnesses to testifie of his religion vnto others If a man were perswaded that some worthy mighty Prince would vouchsafe to call him to beare witnesse of the truth on his side he would be wonderfull glad thereof and take it for a great honour to him How much more then ought wee to labour for knowledge faith and obedience in true religion that we may become witnesses vnto the Lord our God if it be a dignity to be witnesse to an earthly Prince oh then what a great prerogatiue is this for a silly sinfull man to becom a witnesse to the truth of the euerliuing God who is King of Kings whose word needes no confirmation This must make vs al to labour for knowledge for faith and for the power of religion but if we wil remaine stil in our ignorance and neuer labour for knowledge then shall these seruants of God that beleeued in the olde Testament stand vp and witnesse against vs at the day of iudgement for they had not such meanes as we haue and yet they became most faithfull witnesses Secondly this must teach vs to be careful that as in word we professe Christ so indeed we may confesse him expressing the power of his grace in vs. For by this true confession of Christ we are made his witnesses but when wee confesse Christ in word onely and yet in life practice denie him then we are vnfaithful witnesses for we say vnsay In an earthly court if a mā should one while say one thing another while another thing he would not be accepted for a
that God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This is Gods promise and it shall neuer be changed Now therefore howsoeuer my case be heauie and desolate yet God is able to comfort me and to bring my soule out of hell and from this case of desperation therefore though he kill me I will trust in him and I will vse all holy meanes whereby I may ouercome this hard and grieuous temptation So if it shall please God to call vs to suffer any thing for the name of Christ and his holy profession flesh and bloud we know is weake and Nature will make this obiection that life is sweete what course therefore shall we take we must doe as Abraham here doth vnto the certainty of Gods promise we must adioine his power and reason thus God hath made this promise that he will be with them that suffer any thing for his owne names sake and I knowe that hee is able to deliuer me and though he will not yet he can make me able to beare it therefore I will patiently suffer and abide whatsoeuer his holy hand shall lay vpon me Thirdly is a man so troubled with some sinne that he cannot get out nor ouercome it Then also let him set before him this fact of Abraham and vnfainedly endeuour to doe heereafter For that which is past let him labour to beleeue this promise of God At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne hee will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance And for the time to come being first resolued that God can inable him to leaue his sinnes let him striue by good meanes to leaue his sinne auoiding the occasions of it and praying against it and this will be as a cable-rope to drawe him out of the pit of sinne This course wee must take and this doe in euery hard case that shall befall vs. And thus much of the meanes whereby Abraham induced himselfe to obey God The third and last reason whereby Abrahams faith is commended vnto vs is the issue and euent thereof in these words From whence he receiued him also after a sort From whence that is from death After a sort or as it may be read in some shewe This is said because Isaac in the thought and purpose of Abraham was but a dead man for Abraham was fully resolued with himselfe vpon Gods commaund to haue sacrificed him yea hee had gone so farre as to put the sacrificing knife vnto his sonnes throate and had slaine him indeede had not the Angell of God staid his hand and therefore when the Angell said Lay not thy hand vpon the childe neither doe any thing to him euen then did Abraham in some shew receiue Isaac from death Here we learne diuers points 1 That whosoeuer shall rest on Gods prouidence and good pleasure euen in cases of extremitie when he shall be out of all hope with himselfe shall at the last haue a good issue This wee see to bee true by Abrahams example in this place As wee said before he himselfe no doubt had rather haue died ten thousand times than to haue Isaac slaine in whom the promise was made but yet beleeuing Gods promise that that should neuer change hee rests himselfe on Gods good pleasure and prouidence and goes on in obedience and so in the end receiued a blessed issue This is very cleerely set downe vnto vs in the History recorded by Moses For when Abraham had gone three daies iourney in the wildernesse and had built an Altar then Isaac said vnto Abraham Gen. 22.7 Father here is the fire and the wood but where is the lambe for the burnt offering Then Abraham said My sonne God will prouide him a lambe for a burnt offering Vers. 8. And thus yeelding himselfe to Gods good pleasure and prouidence he receiued his sonne againe as a dead childe restored to life So when we are in cases of extremitie when all goes against vs and when we can see no hope of any good issue or ende and all good meanes seeme to faile vs if wee can then cast our selues on Gods prouidence and rowle our selues vpon God we shall haue comfort in the ende and a good issue out of all Wee doe all of vs in word acknowledge Gods prouidence but whē wee come to the pinch that wee fall into cases of extremitie then wee vse vnlawfull meanes and doe not with Abraham cast our selues vpon God but seeke helpe of the diuell and wicked men But all such persons must looke for a cursed issue They therefore that feare the Lord beeing put to any plunge or extremitie must cast themselues vpon God wholly and waite for his good time and pleasure and then will the issue be both ioyous and comfortable vnto their soules Here some circumstances of this fact are to bee considered out of the larger story The first is this What did God vnto Abraham at this time when he was about to kill his sonne Answ. God now gaue him a commandement to stay his hand and not to slay his sonne By vertue whereof Abraham staies his hand God before commanded him to goe three daies iourney in the wildernesse and there to sacrifice his sonne Hereupon Abraham goes but now beeing come to the place hauing bound his sonne and is ready to cut his throat God bids him stay his hand and then also Abraham obeyeth God and doeth not kill his sonne Here we see Abraham is at Gods commande and as wee say at his becke Hee doeth not follow his owne will and pleasure but when God calles he is wonderfull pliable to doe Gods commaund whatsoeuer it bee one way or other This practice of Abraham must bee a looking glasse for vs wherein to see what manner of persons wee ought to be Looke what God commaunds vs to doe that wee must doe and what hee forbids vs that wee must not doe But this is a rare thing to bee found in these daies our practice generally is contrary for in our liues wee followe our owne humors and affections neuer regarding what God doth either will or nill But if wee will be Abrahams children we must follow Abrahams practice in this place For the sonnes of Abraham will doe the workes of Abraham Iohn 8.39 Good seruants will come and goe doe and vndo at their Lords pleasure and forget themselues to obey their masters And so must it be with vs if we call God our good Lord and master Luk. 6.46 The second circumstance to bee considered is the time when Abraham receiued his sonne from death to wit at the very same time when his knife was at his sons throate and he himselfe ready to offer him vp for a sacrifice vnto the Lord at that same instant God spake vnto him by his Angell from heauen and said Abraham stay thy hand Gen. 22.10 This circumstance is worth the marking for God lets