come out then they murmure against God despaire of his providence and are ready to exclaime against God This was the Israelites fault and thus often times they tempted God in the wildernesse If they wanted water to quench their thirst withall then they must needs dye God was not able to provide them water If they wanted bread So they did likewise and in a pelting chafe were ready to stone Moses and Aaron Then they would back againe to Aegypt then they wished themselves dead as if the same God that had miraculously beyond the expectation of men provided for them heretofore was not able to doe so still So when some told them of the walled townes that were in the land of Canaan of the mighty Gyants that were in the Country in comparison of whom they were but Grasse-hoppers then they brake forth into this exclamation God is not able to bring us into this land wee and our Children shall perish in this wildernesse They had seene with what a strong hand God had brought them out of Aegypt how miraculously he divided the red Sea that the waters stood as a wall on both sides till they safely passed over yet for all that when they were in any difficulty then God was no body of no power or willingnesse to doe for them This was a vile tempting of God which highly displeased him But there is no reason why we should thus tempt God casting off the hope and confidence we have in him He is subject to no changes yesterday and to day the same for ever Men may change but God changes not a man may be strong to day and weake to morrow whole to day and sick to morrow rich now and poore afterwards alive now and dead a while after a man may love us this houre and hate us the next as Amnon did his sister therefore we may make a question of the helpe of man But God is one and the same continually not a shadow of turning in him his arme is never shortned the welspring of his mercy and goodnesse is never dryed up Therefore in all distresses let us trust in him though all worldly meanes fayle us in sicknesse and health in poverty and wealth in death and life let him be our pillar to leane upon The Prince that would not believe the plenty that GOD had promised was troden to death 2 Reg. 7.17 and the carkasses of these men that thus tempted God fell in the wildernesse therefore let us beware of incredultie As Faith is the best vertue so infidelitie is the greatest vice CHRIST could doe nothing among his owne kinsfolke because of their unbeliefe Shall any thing bee impossible with God Indeed that which he wills not that he cannot doe it is his will that CHRIST in respect of his humanity should be in heaven till the day of judgement therefore he cannot doe this make his body to be here on the earth The Papists set Gods omnipotency on the tainters and stretch it too farre as some bad clothiers deale with cloath But if God have once given us his faithfull promise to doe this or that let us believe it though all the world say nay to it God had promised to bring them into the land of Canaan though there were never so many blockes in the way they should have depended on this promise So God hath promised us the kingdome of heaven feare not little flocke it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the kingdome Luke 12.32 though now and then through weakenesse we fall into sinne though Satan and his instruments rage though we be sicke dye be buryed our bodyes consumed to dust and ashes yet let us certainely know wee shall have this kingdome This is amplified by an excellent meanes which they had to pull them out of this infidelity which was a continuall view and contemplation of the wonderfull workes of God although they saw my workes in the Hebr. they saw the Aegyptians drowned in the red Sea and themselves safely walking through it they saw the cloudy pillar conducting them day and night water gushing out of a stonie rocke Manna descending from heaven that the clothes on their backes and shooes on their feet did not waxe old many yeares together they might have felt with their hands the power and goodnesse of GOD protecting them yet they would not believe in him whereas the sight of Gods former workes should strengthen our faith in all future calamities That use did David make of the workes of GOD. The LORD delivered mee from the clawes of the Beare and pawes of the Lion therefore hee will deliver mee from this Philistim GOD was gracious to mee in such a sicknesse therefore hee will be in this GOD provided for mee when I was a child and could not shift for my selfe therefore hee will provide for me being a man growne GOD preserved mee in such a plague and pestilence therefore I will depend on him still when I was in such an extremity GOD helped me therefore he will helpe me still God delivered England in the yeare one thousand five hundred eightie eight therefore if England serve him hee will deliver it still When Queene Elizabeth the mirrour of the world was taken away we looked for a wofull day yet God gave us a joyfull day after it therefore alwayes let us trust to him let the sight of his wonderfull workes dayly before our eyes be as oyle to nourish the lampe of our faith that it never dye The last circumstance appertaining to this sinne is the time how long it continued they tempted and proved him 40. yeares though they saw his workes These words in the Hebr. are coupled with that which followeth 40. yeares was I grieved with that generation Yet there is no jarre betweene Paul and David for these two are convertible and depend the one on the other They be both true they tempted God 40. yeares and he was grieved with them 40. yeares If they tempted him 40. yeares then he must needs be grieved with them and if God was grieved with them 40. yeares then they tempted him so long so that the one cannot be separated from the other They dwelt in this sinne a long time and would not bee plucked out of it VERSE 10. THe punishment of the sinne Gods wrath was kindled against them In the end after hee had borne the burden of their sinnes many yeares together his wrath did breake out against them for it They were irksome and tedious to me I could beare them no longer after that I had striven with them fortie yeares when there was no remedy I cast them off God is grieved similitudinariè That rebellious that obstinate generation Hee was not grieved with their Children but with them The Children doe not smart for the fathers faults if they make not their fathers sins their own sinnes Their Children went into the land of Canaan though they did not Least it should seeme to be a griefe or anger without reason
a carnall delight these cannot so well looke for Gods protection If thou goest upon Gods calling behold he will support thee in thy going Every word in this calling might be as a dagger to the heart of Abraham Out of thy Country kindred c. yet Abraham did not draw the necke out of the collar he obeyed God This obedience is illustrated by the place from whence he went from his owne Country and by the place to the which he went He went tam animo quà m corpore But at this time when hee was called hee had no inheritance in it 2. As a blind man that cannot tell where he goes God told him he would shew it him but as yet he had not shewed him when GOD called him hee knew neither the name of the place nor the Scituation of it This was a mervailous exercise of his faith 1. A mans native country is sweet and pleasant to all nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos ducit immemores non sinit esse sui Vlysses was very desirous to see the smoake of his country Shall I leave my Country that hath beene as a mother to bring mee into the world and to nourish mee in it A man in conscience by the Law of nature is bound to his owne country 2. Here I am among my kinsfolke and acquaintance there I shall bee among strangers as an Owle among birds to bee wondred at 3. Here I have plenty of all things I know not what I shall finde there A bird in the hand is better then two in the bush 4. This Country I know that I know not God hath not revealed to mee so much as the name of it and shall I goe to it nay soft a while it is good tarrying in mine owne rest 5. Here I may goe up and downe quietly In my travelling I shall meet with many dangers Therefore it is good sleeping in an whole skinne Shall I obey this vision I will not doe it Abraham admits of none of these consultations but obeys God calling him I am sure my God is able to keepe me in what corner of the world soever I am for all the world is his and I am sure hee will keep me for he loves me as the apple of his own eye Therfore come on it what will I will obey Gods calling O admirable faith without faith he could never have done it Let us leave all if God calls us to it It is not simply unlawfull to travell GOD commands no unlawfull thing He commanded Abraham to travell It is not necessary a man should bee like a Snayle alwayes carrying his house on his backe that becomes a woman rather than a man There is a time when a man may leave his owne Country and travell into strange Countries yet great circumspection is to be had in it 1. A man must be called to it wee must doe nothing without a calling Not as if every one should expect such a calling as Abraham had by Gods immediate voice We have our callings but mediate If a man be employed in an Ambassadge to a forrein Prince he hath a calling to leave his Country for a time If a man cannot live in his owne Country and can more conveniently maintaine himselfe and his charge in another he may goe to it so as he make not shipwracke of Religion If a man abound in wealth and be desirous of tongues arts and sciences in another Country he hath a calling to it Et sic in reliquis 2. Wee must take heede that our families in the meane season be not neglected he that careth not for them of his house is worse than an infidell A man under pretext of travelling may not runne away from his Wife and Children 3. Wee must have no sinister respect in it Dinahs gadding abroad lost her her Virginity We must not make travelling a cloake to cover theft murder adultery and other grosse and notorious vices God can finde us out in all places for whither shall we flye from his presence 4. We must not imagine our travelling to be meritorious as pilgrimages were in former times they should merit heaven by going to the holy land by visiting the Sepulcher at Hierusalem c. whereas when wee have gone all the world over wee are unprofitable servants 5. Let us take heed in travelling that wee travell not away faith and good conscience wheresoever we become let us keepe our selves undefiled of the superstitions and corruptions that be in other countries Let us keepe our religion safe and sound that the least cracke be not found in it Wee make a faire travelling if wee travell in the Devils cloakes A great sort of young Gentlemen rashly and unadvisedly by travelling are like the Scribes and Pharises they compassed Sea and land to make a proselyte and when they had made him they made him threefold more the child of the Devill so they by their travelling make themselves threefold more the Children of the Devill greater swearers and blasphemers fornicators and adulterers then they were before They went out Protestants and come home Papists they went out religious and returne Atheists Travelling is a dangerous thing Let us not take it on us unlesse wee bee some way or other called to it as Abraham was He went not alone he carryed his old father his nephew Lot and it is like sundry others whose names particularly are not expressed No doubt for the world he was exceeding well in Chaldea it is very like hee had a convenient house to dwell in sweete Gardens and pleasant Orchards droves of Cattell and flockes of Sheepe great store of pastures and arable grounds about his house faire household stuffe c. Would it not grieve a man to part with all these and to goe he knew not whither yet Abraham leaves all at GODS appointment so must we all doe We must tread in the steps of our father Abraham We in England God be thanked are well seated by report of travellers it is one of the fattest ylands on the earth here wee live quietly under the reigne of a religious King wee have all things fit and convenient about us yet if God should call us out of our owne Country let us be content to forsake all as Abraham did We are tenants at will ad voluntatem domini all that wee have is at Gods disposition and let him dispose of us where it pleaseth him If we leave all at Gods appointment wee are no loosers by it we shall have an hundred fold even in this world and in the world to come life everlasting Abraham was a great gainer by his going out of his Country God made him a great man afterwards he was able with his owne household servants to wage battell with five Kings and conquered them God blessed him with abundance of Gold and Silver Sheep Camels Oxen c. Hesters banishment was an occasion of a kingdome to her and some have lived better in exile then in
Aegypt greater in glory and perpetuity The reason is rendred Hee did not looke on their present but future estate Genesis 15. Verse 1. They should be greatly rewarded in the life to come therefore he would be one of them Mockes and taunts banishment imprisonment losse of goods burning at the stake for the name of Christ these are greater riches than all the treasures in the world without Christ and so let them bee esteemed of us al after these follows heaven and at the taile of them comes hell in that respect it is the greater 2 Cor. 4.17 for this light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us an eternall weight of glory The councell of Trent Bellar. Stapleton and our English Iesuites in their annotations on this place doe falsely father this assertion on us that wee teach it to bee unlawfull benè operari intuitu mercedis whereas wee hold no such opinion It is a meere slander of theirs We confesse there is a reward layd up for the godly and wee may lawfully looke up to it yet in that our looking two things are to be observed 1. We must not respect that Solùm nor praecipuè it must neither be the only thing nor the chiefe thing that sets us on worke The principall motives to good workes must be Gods glory and the love of Christ. GOD hath created all for his owne glory our light must so shine before men that they seeing our good workes may glorifie our Father in heaven I will abstaine from sinne because it dishonours GOD. I will adorne the Gospell with good workes because they glorifie God 2. The love of Christ must constraine us thereunto As he hath dyed for my sins so I will dye to sinne 3 The consideration of our owne duty must presse us to it All that wee can doe is a debt which wee owe unto our GOD therefore wee must alwayes bee paying our debt to our lives end The 4th is that rich and ample reward reserved for us which is as a bell to toll us to good workes this we may respect but it is not the chiefest thing propounded to us in well doing The Philosophers could say that nuda virtus is to be desired so God is to bee loved and served for himselfe alone without any other by-consideration They that doe good workes only for the reward are mercenary as a labourer will not doe a dayes worke unlesse hee may have a shilling and they that have no respect to the reward that regard it not at all are unthankefull to God who hath prepared a reward for us Let us looke to the reward by the which he allures us as a father doth his Children to well doing but let that neither bee the sole nor principall marke wee ayme at but the glorifying of our heavenly father for whose glory we were created and redeemed 2. Let us expect a reward for our well doing yet not upon merit but upon promise Paul being ready to dye looked at the reward from henceforth there is layd up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse But what Crowne not which hee had merited but which GOD had promised and for his promise sake would give to him This is the surmise of some Papists that merces meritum bee relatives though promissum merces are relatives yet merces meritum are not Wee looke for a reward because God hath promised it not because wee have merited it for when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants Otherwise let us be bold to cast up our eyes to the reward Christ himselfe had respect to the recompense of the reward Hebr. 12.2 and we that be Christians may imitate him in that Though a child have a poore man to his Father that is not able to leave him a Groate yet he is bound to honour him but much more if hee be a rich man and willing to leave him a fayre inheritance Our father is rich hee will reward us with a kingdome therefore let us the rather serve and honour him great is your reward in heaven behold I come and my reward is with me Here wee meete with many crosses in our mindes bodies goods name in our Wives Children Cattell here are many occasions of weeping but let us cheerefully endure them all One day we shall be taken up into that place where all teares shall bee wiped away from our eyes for ever Let us looke to this recompense of reward VERSE 27. THe second notable thing in Moses is a necessary crosse imposed on him which is amplified by a corrumpent and a conservant cause of it The corrumpent was the fiercenesse of the King which he feared not the conservant was the sight of God standing by him The greatest part of Interpreters expound it of Moses departing out of Aeyypt when hee carryed the people with him then and in the dispatchall of his message and office he feared not the fiercenesse of the King but contemned it That is true yet it seemes not to be the proper meaning of the place 1. Then the Apostle should invert the order which hitherto he hath not done nor hereafter doth in this Chapter hee should set the departure out of Aegypt before the Institution of the Passeover 2. This departure out of Aegypt is included Verse 29. it should be now unseasonable to speake of it 3. Then Moses did not forsake Aegypt but hee went as a Conquerour out of Aegypt They that forsake a Country leave it for some cause in regard whereof they cannot safely tarry in the Country Therfore it is rather to be referred to the flight of Moses when after the killing of the Aegyptian he left Aegypt and fled into the land of Midian This might seeme to have proceeded from infidelity yet the power of faith is to be seene in it Moses perceiving that now the King being incensed against him and the Israelites as yet not acknowledging him for their deliverer there was no convenient time to prosecute his office therefore he flieth for a season committing himselfe to the providence of GOD and expecting a better opportunity for the delivering of the Israelites in the meane season by faith he forsaketh Aegypt for a time There is one only thing that opposeth itselfe to this Interpretation Here it is said that he feared not the fiercenesse of the King yet Exod. 2.14 it is as cleere as the noone day that he feared it and fled upon it 1. The participle may be rendred in the praeterpluperfect-tense as Verse 31. by faith Moses forsooke Aegypt having not feared the fiercenesse of the King namely in killing the Aegyptian according to his commission received from God not that he feared it not afterwards 2. Though hee feared a little at the first yet that feare was allayed afterwards in a couragious magnanimity he forsook Aegypt and feared not the fiercenesse of the King in pursuing after him It may be this fierce Lion will sent messengers after me
St. Augustine for calling them brethren That learned father deplores their case before the people doleamus illos fratres tanquam fratres let us lament them brethren as brethren Velint nolint fratres nostri sunt whether they will or no they are our brethren tunc esse desinent fratres nostri quando desierint dicere pater noster then they shall cease to be our brethren when they cease to say Our Father Stand apart sayes the Hypocrite come not neere me I am holyer than you So say some holy ones among us namely the brethren of the separation So they style themselves an unbrotherly title disdaining us for their brethren they are not so good brethren as we wish they were like ungracious children having forsaken their mother neither indeed will they say Pater noster with us for it is piaculum with them to say the LORDS Prayer yet for all that they shall be our brethren professing the same GOD the father of us all and the same CHRIST the SAVIOUR of us all Wee will not utterly discard them though they discard us VERSE 8. THat for the gratulation Now to the supplication Where 1. The manner of it Then the matter of it 10. For the manner it is not by the way of command 8. But of entreatie 9. Why doth he not command Because he wanted authoritie No he had sufficient power to doe it not fearefully but boldly he had not a little but much boldnesse not usurped but committed to him from CHRIST he had boldnesse not to request but to enjoyne Not that which was inconvenient but that which was convenient Ministers may be bold in the execution of their office 1. Quia Deus imperat because GOD commandeth it Ierem. 1.17 be not afraid of their faces he addes a forcible reason least I destroy thee before them And thou Sonne of man feare them not neither bee afraid of their words though thornes be with thee and thou remainest among Scorpions feare not their words nor be afraid of their lookes 2. Quia ipsi ministri pro hoc or ant because it is that which the Ministers themselves begge by earnest prayers at the hands of GOD. Now O Lord behold their threatnings and grant unto thy servants with all boldnesse to speake thy word Pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints and for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth with all boldnesse to publish the secret of the Gospell Shall they pray for it and not practise it 3. Officii dignitas id postulat the dignity of their office doth require it an Embassadour may speake boldly We are the Embassadours of God the King of Kings we are in CHRISTS stead Therefore let us be bold 4. Protectio Dei ad hoc animat Gods protection may encourage us unto it Behold I have made thee a defenced citty an yron pillar and walls of brasse against the whole land against the kings of Iudah and the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof against the people of the land CHRIST holdeth the seven starres in his right hand and none shall dash us out of his hand 5. Admirationem apud ipsos inimicos procurat it procures admiration even with the very enemies When they saw the boldnesse of Peter and Iohn they mervailed the high Priest and the whole counsell This made Luther so famous among all The Pope himselfe and the Emperour could not but admire him This made Elias bold with Achab Iohn Baptist with Herod Liberius with Constantius Chrysostome with Arcadius and Eudoxia Ambrose with Theodosius which moved him to give him this commendation Solus Ambrosius dignus episcopi nomine only Ambrose that hath dealt so roundly with me is worthie the name of a Bishop Let us all be bold and couragious in our places with wisedome and discretion but not saucie and impudent as some are 2. Ministers have authority not only to entreat but to enjoyne The King hath his Injunctions and wee under God and the King have ours We may enjoyne you to leave your rash needlesse and unadvised swearing your prophanations we may enjoyne you to honour your Fathers in Church and common-wealth to live in peace and love and unitie one with another and he that despiseth these things despiseth not men but God But what to enjoyne Quod ad rem pertinet sayes the vulgar interpreter that which concernes the matter Sed hoc nihil ad rem nothing to the purpose Cajetan finds fault with that circumlocution affirming as the truth is that in the Greek there is but one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod decens est conveniens which is decent and convenient we have no authority to enjoyne you any unlawfull and inconvenient thing to goe to Masse where CHRIST is offered up daily by a Priest because by one sacrifice once offered and that by himselfe alone hee hath perfected for ever them that are to be sanctified to conspire against Princes to kill kings if in our opinions they be Heretikes heresie makes no divorce betweene Man and Wife much lesse betweene the King and his Subjects so farre as God enjoynes you we enjoyne but no further VERSE 9. HEe hath produced his authority and shewne his commission yet hee layes it aside and falls to entreatie Where 1. The motive of it 2. A description of the party entreating The motive is love Yet for loves sake I rather beseech thee for the love of God towards us all in CHRIST for the love I beare to thee for the love thou bearest to me for the love I beare to Onesimus thy servant and my Sonne let the cords of all those loves draw thy affection to him Love hath a greater attractive force then feare the love of CHRIST constraineth us sayes the Apostle Lydia being but a woman by her loving eloquence constrained Paul and Silas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shee used a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the most forcible argument with the Logitians if the people bee perswaded of the Preachers love his preaching shall be more availeable he may wind himselfe into their affections Studeto magis amari quà m metui strive rather to be loved then feared Pontifices Christi non dominorum metu sed patrum honore veneramur the Bishops of CHRIST we doe not feare as stately Lords but honour as loving Fathers the love of a father will make a good natured child doe any thing What doth he for loves sake he rather beseeches then commands suspendite verbera producite ubera suspend your blowes produce your dugges pectora lacte pinguescant non typho turgeant let your breasts swell with milke not your hearts with pride Christus non fulminans tonans sed in praesepi vagiens tacens in cruce salvavit humanum genus CHRIST not thundring and lightning but weeping and holding his
have done pares in peccato shall be pares in supplicio Why should God spare us more than them We are his people So they We sit in the lap of the Church So they We have the preaching of the Gospell So they Verse 2. We the Sacraments So they They were baptized in the red Sea they eate of the same spirituall meat and they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10.34 Therefore if we be guiltie of the like sinne we must looke for the like punishment The ancient Israelites went very farre towards the land of Canaan In many things obedient to the voice of God they journyed and stayed at his appointment they had sent spies that viewed the Country No doubt many of them were in fight of it they were on the borders setting a foot on it yet because they were incredulous stubborne rebellious and disobedient to God they were destroyed in the wildernesse and so came short of that rest both of the land of Canaan the figure of this rest and some of them it is to bee feared of heaven too prefigured by it they came saies Saint Chrys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us therefore take heede it be not so with us Would it not grieve you that bee Merchants to see a ship fraught with rich merchandise miscarry in the haven Alasse hath it passed the raging waves blustering windes terrible tempests so many miles on the Sea and is it cast away in the haven what a pittifull thing is this So wee may begin well goe out of Sodome with Lots wife follow God a great while as they did in the wildernesse some tenne twentie thirtie or fortie yeeres yet be banished out of the kingdome of heaven Therefore let us not flatter our selves in our faire beginnings but let us runne the wayes of Gods Commandements to the end forget the things that are behind but presse on to the marke that is before though as old disciples as Mnason yet let us study this to our dying day how to enter into this rest It is something to beginne well to goe towards heaven but that is not all Lots wife went out of Sodome Demas once embraced Christ. If thou goest to London you will not stay at Romford but goe till thou comest to that famous city Therefore let us all look to our selves as we have begunne so let us proceede and never cease to our dying day I forget the things that are behinde and follow hard to the marke Let us not stand bragging what wee have beene what we have done how many miles we have gone towards heaven but let us runne the wayes of GODS Commandements to the end as David Those that are travellours are subject to falling you are travelling to the heavenly Ierusalem therfore be not secure but take paines in the rowing of the ship of your soules to the haven of eternall rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the same example Vivitur legibus non exemplis all examples are not to bee followed Phil. 3.17 There be exempla imitabilia declinabilia If any good examples be set before your eyes follow them The faith of Abraham the uprightnesse of Noah the sincerity of David the patience of Iob the constancy of Paul the humility of the blessed Virgin Mary c. But if bad examples follow not them follow not Noah in his drunkennesse David in his adulterie and murder Peter in his denyall nor the Israelites in their obstinacie and disobedience to GOD in the Wildernesse for the which they were excluded out of the land of rest Away with those naughty examples of Lots Wife Absalom Iesabel Ananias and Saphira c. Come out sayes God of Babylon Let us not follow the wicked in their wickednesse least wee follow them to hell Let us believe God and his Word let us walke in an holy obedience to all his Commandements then believing in Christ and bringing forth the fruits of a true and lively faith when the reprobate shall bee in hell with the rich glutton wishing for a drop of water to coole their tongues we shall bee in Abrahams bosome and rest from all sorrow for evermore VERSE 12. THe second reason to excite us to this study is taken from the power and Majesty of the Word that commandeth this lesson to bee studied As it was to bee to the ancient Israelites So is it to us God often mooved them by Moses Iosua and Caleb and others to march on valiantly in the wildernesse as sure as God is in heaven yee shall have the promised land but they contemned this Word Num. 14. Therefore they were destroyed So will GOD deale with us for his Word is as mighty now as ever it was This is that study which God in his Word injoyned to you and hath often excited you thereunto beware how yee contemne this Word It is no dallying with edge tooles this sword of the Spirit is sharper than any two edged sword and will either open the soares of your soules that they may bee healed or it will wound you to death everlasting therefore despise it not but as God commanded you in his Word so study to enter into his rest 1. The nature of the Word is set downe then illustrated and confirmed For the nature it hath two qualities Many things are lively that are not mighty There is life in a little child but no great might in him the Word is not so As it is lively so it is mighty The Word of God is not a dead Word it hath life in it There is some wine and drink that is dead we can feele no life in it as it goes down our stomack the Word of God is lively Aqua-vita and no auditour but shall feele it to bee lively in him either to salvation or destruction They are called lively Oracles by St. Stephen Act. 7.38 There is life in it it begets us to a Spirituall life in this world and to an eternall in the world to come It is also a mighty or powerfull Word Ierome translates it evidens as if he read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty There are sundry potions that bee mighty in operation purge mightily and cary away a great deale of corruption out of the body but none so as the word of God it purgeth us from Idolatry ignorance superstition prophanenesse from swearing cursing and banning from drunkennesse fornication and adultery c. It is a mighty purger and sweepes a great deale of filthinesse out of the soule and if it purge thee not it will kill thee as a medicine if not worke upwards or downewards it will kill the man so the Word will mightily clense thee or mightily confound thee These qualities are confirmed 1. Comparatively then simply by the effects thereof Now he setteth forth the power of it comparatively It is sharper Of a more cutting nature not then a blunt sword but a
and not in his heart It hath beene an ancient custome in the Church of Rome to sweare by Saints and by their relikes But consuetudo sine veritate erroris est vetustas Cypr. l. 2. ep 3. The laying on of the hand on a Bible or a testament when we sweare This may bee excused for properly to speake wee doe not sweare by the Bible it is only an obtestation as the words of this bible are most true so is that which I sweare and it is an outward token whereby wee declare to the world that wee sweare by him which is the authour of the Bible or because in this booke are contained the promises and threatnings of the LORD to them that sweare truly and against them that sweare falsely so among the heathen they touched the altar when they swore yet they swore by him whom they worshipped on that altar for they would lift up their hands to heaven when they swore denoting by that bodily gesture of theirs that they did sweare by God alone who made the heavens We may sweare by God primariò principaliter but we may sweare by the creatures Secundariò This is but a meere shift and fond evasion Zephan 1.5 for they sware by the Lord primarily by malchum secondarily yet God was offended with them Besides there is none greater than man but God The Angels are creatures as well as we they are our fellow-servants and one fellow-servant must not sweare by another therefore we that be creatures must sweare only by the Creatour 3. Here wee see what a reverent estimation wee are to have of an oath it must be the end of contradiction after men have sworne wee should be as mute as fishes not have a word to say An oath was sacred among the heathen 1 Sam. 30.15 Abimelech and Phicol his Captaine were satisfied when they had Isacks oath Gen. 21.22 but with us small credit is to be given to oathes the oath of a Christian is no sure foundation to build upon Iesabel had false witnesses at her elbow to condemne Naboth withall the Pharisees had two false witnesses in a readinesse to sweare against our SAVIOUR CHRIST And now a dayes such is the corruption among Christians that small credit is to be given to many mens oathes for they say it is an easie matter in London and I would to God it were not in the country to procure men to sweare to what they will So that now a dayes an oath is rather the beginning then the end of controversies whereupon so many perjuries are found in the land a manifest argument that Atheisme growes among us The foole that is the wicked man sayes in his heart there is no God and I thinke many sweare by God if there be a God but all false swearers shall one day know to the terrour of their conscience that there is a God who will be avenged on them for abusing his name Let an oath be such an holy thing with us that there may be no more controversie after we have sworne Then why should we doubt of our salvation God hath bound himselfe by oath and promise to bring us to his kingdome and shal wee bee as reeds wavering with the winde I for our salvation dependeth in some sort on our workes pendet ex certitudine operum quae conjectu ralis atque imperfecta certitudo est It dependeth on works not as causes but as inseparable effects of faith not upon their dignity or perfection but upon their being with faith Be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the crowne of life I but who can tell whether he shall persevere to the end or not We may be good to day and bad to morrow Noah David Peter fell Yes we may be comfortably sure of our perseverance for hee that hath begun a worke in us will finish it to the day of Christ and though we fall yet we shall rise againe for the Lord putteth to his hand whom he once loveth hee loveth to the end and never forsakes them till hee have brought them to his kingdome Onely let us not bee rocked a sleepe in the cradle of security but work out our salvation with feare and trembling VERSE 17. Ἐφ ' ῷ̔ wherein in the which thing or in the which oath or for the which cause God did it willingly not by constraint none could enforce him to it More abundantly then was necessary for his bare word had beene enough save that the weakenesse of man required it See here GODS dealing with us after the manner of men To shew that is to make a lively and evident demonstration Vnto the heyres of promise not to Abraham alone but to all the faithfull The immutability which cannot be transposed or altered Not of his promise but counsell arguing that it was no sudden or fickle promise but such as proceeded from wise and deliberate counsell and the counsell or decree of God standeth for ever That of Hezekiahs and the Ninevites had a secret condition unlesse he had prayed earnestly for life and the others repented Ier. 18.7 8. or it was rather a commination then the pronuntiation of a decree or counsell Interposuit se as if CHRIST the Mediatour had made this oath and interposed himselfe in it betweene the father and us for the greater ratifying of it Oecumen Annexed to his promise Here we have the dignity of the godly they are heyres not of a Knight of a Lord a Duke c. but of God and the promises that is of the joyes of heaven which GOD hath promised to them in his word The kingdome of heaven belongs to Children not to servants the faithfull are the Children of God and joynt heires with Christ so that the inheritance of the celestiall Canaan pertaines to them how then dare you despise the lest of the heyres of promise 2. This may comfort us against the crosses of this life Art thou a poore man hast no money in thy purse to relieve thy selfe and thy family withall as Peter and Iohn had not hast thou not a bed to rest thy weary body on nor an house to hide thine head in as Christ had not the foxes have holes and the birds of the ayre have nests but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head yet faint not neither be discouraged for thou art an heyre of promise and shalt one day have a full fruition of the heavenly inheritance prepared from before the foundations of the world were laid The heyre of a Gentleman is kept under Tutors and Governours in the time of his nonage but as soone as that is expired he is at liberty and free from all so though we be the heyres of God yet in the time of our minority and nonage in this world we are kept under many austere masters yet the day of our redemption drawes nigh when as all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and we shall have full
and holy men yet let us strive in some sort to attaine to that holines which is in him Thou canst not bee so rich as such a man is wilt thou therefore labour for no riches at all A Scholler cannot write so well as his sample shall hee not therefore endevour to come as neere his sample as hee can So wee cannot attaine that holinesse that is in CHRIST shall wee therefore not imitate it Yes wee must bee an holy nation a royall Priest-hood a people zealous of good workes Learne of mee said CHRIST for I am humble and meeke So learne to bee holy as he is holy As the oyle powred on Aarons head stayed not there but ranne downe to his beard yea to the very skirts of his clothing So the heavenly oyle of holinesse powred on Christ our high-Priest must be conveyed to all yea to the lowest that be in the Church Thou art none of Christs if thou beest not holy as he is But alas for the most part we are unholy yea even we that professe ourselves to be the members of Christ. A great number that would seeme to belong to Christ that have Christ and his Gospell in their mouthes but are impure unholy prophane in their lives beastly drunkards that stincke of drink wheresoever they become filthy adulterers like fed horses neighing after their neighbours wives covetous misers meere mucke wormes that scarce believe there is any heaven but in this world We should be Saints in some measure as Christ the Saint of Saints is but a lamentable case we are Devills in our conversations we should be Eagles mounting up into heaven where Christ our high-Priest and Saviour is but we are Swine wallowing in the puddle of all iniquity As Christ is holy so let us endeavour to be in some poore measure else wee shall never set foote into the kingdome of heaven It is called the holy Ierusalem no dogs enchanters Whoremongers uncleane persons that bee not sanctified by the Holy Ghost shall come into it therefore let us be holy as Christ our high-Priest is that being partakers of his holinesse we may be partakers of his glory in the life to come Christ was a simple man all the treasures of wisedome were hid in him he was wiser than Salomon then any politicke Achitophel then any Matchiavel whatsoever yet a simple man He would not imploy his wits and wisdome about such things as might be hurtfull to any So Iacob was a plaine man and Nathaneel a true Israelite in whom there was no guile Such must all Christians bee though GOD have given them never so sharp a wit so reaching a head never so great wisedome experience and learning yet they must not use it to the hurt of any but to the good of all so neere as they can We must bee harmelesse as Christ wise as Serpents yet as innocent as Doves Yet a number there be that have the Serpentine wisdome and want the Dove-like simplicity they thinke they cannot be wise men unlesse they be crafty and hurtfull men they are more like the Devill then Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devill hath a plaguie wit a subtile pate of his owne but hee never doth any good with it but all the mischiefe he can so doe those that are the Devills brood they have wit and wisedome enough the children of this world are wiser c. but what good doe they with it Nay what hurt how dangerous be they in a towne or a Country we must so live that wee be harmelesse as Christ was Yet a pittifull thing it is we are altogether set upon hurt we are harmefull and not harmelesse persons as CHRIST was There be two kindes of harmefull men in the Church covered with the Cloake of Christianity the one open the other close and secret and yet not so close but that God can disclose them and make their treacheries knowne to all the world the one are Foxes the other are Wolves the one Serpents the other Beares and Lions Some there bee that blush not to offer open harme and violence to their neighbours Such a one as Iesabel was that slew Naboth and tooke away his Vineyard all the world might see the injurie Such are they that grinde the faces of the poore that wring house and land from them and as Zidkiah smite their brother on the face that all may see the blow these be impudent wretches yet few of these Owles dare appeare in the glorious Sun shine of the Gospell Now men are waxen not more religious but more cunning they will be no hurtfull persons they doe no harme to any not openly perhaps yet secretly not above hand but under hand As he said I will kill Ismael and no man shall see it We will undermine the Preacher supplant our neighbours doe hurt and mischiefe in a towne and no man shall see it These are worse than the other those dogs are worst that will bite before they barke and the Serpent that lyeth in the greene grasse destroyes more than those that bee in high wayes a man may espie the one sooner than the other These are like Iudas that would kisse Christ at the same instant when hee betrayed him these will speake faire to a mans face and yet by secret perswasions by politicke devices by alienating the affections of others cut his throat behinde his backe A vile generation of Vipers yet all their plotting consulting their devising of mischiefe is knowne to him that knowes all secrets who will one day reveale them to their open shame before God and his Angels unlesse they repent fie upon this dealing let us labour to bee harmelesse as our Saviour Christ is It is an easie matter to bee harmefull if we will sell our selves to the Devill Let us strive to doe good to all but harme none neither openly nor secretly by word nor deed by our selves not by others We that bee Christians must bee good men as Barnabas was full of good workes as Dorcus was but not bad men hurtfull men full of evill workes Let us all so carry our selves in the Towne and Country where we dwell that it may bee affirmed of us we are harmelesse as Christ was Yet as we reade of one that was famous for nothing but for burning Diana's Temple so some are famous for nothing but for the hurt they have done and doe dayly they doe not only no good themselves but disswade others from doing of good As Christ is undefiled so must we be These are they that have not defiled their garments that have not defiled themselves with women Though we live in a filthy and defiled world yet we must not bee defiled with it Like the Sun that shineth on a dunghill yet is not polluted with the dunghill so though we live in the dunghill of the world yet wee must not be defiled with it wee must bee undefiled from covetousnesse drunkennesse pride malice envy and other sins that reigne amongst
better of it to be coupled in the same yoke with him 1. He tells them what they are not Wee are not of the withdrawing Either the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be supplyed after the manner of the Grecians or the noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of the Hebrewes we are not the Children of the withdrawing to the destruction of our soules but we are the Children of faith to the conservation of our soules in this Sea of miseries wherein we are tossed 1. Here wee learne that when the Preacher hath occasion to terrifie the wicked hee must comfort the godly least they take it to themselves and bee discouraged So Hebr. 6.9 1 Thes. 5.4 2 Thes. 2.13 Many weake consciences are soone cast downe and ready to apply that to them which the Preacher never meant of them therefore we must use this wise and heavenly discretion that the Apostle doth 2. Here we see that good Christians must be no withdrawers of themselves Wee must withdraw our selves from the wicked come out come out my people from the middest of them We must not withdraw our selves from the Church of God because of some pretended spots in her as the sectaries doe but we must withdraw our selves from Gods enemies There is a time also when we must withdraw our selves from the company of our friends into our secret chambers and pray to God as Daniel did But in the time of persecution we must not withdraw our selves through infidelity and run out of the field wherein God hath set us We may read of some with-drawers Ioh. 6.66 Demas was a withdrawer so was Iulian the Apostata but let not us be such Let us say with them Ioh. 6.68 to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Iosua would be no withdrawer choose yee whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord Ios. 24.15 Saint Peter would be no withdrawer though all forsake thee yet will not I he did deny him for a time and withdrew himselfe but he wept bitterly for it and stood better to his tackling If the storme and tempest of persequution should arise let us not withdraw our selves and refuse to suffer for CHRIST but let us sticke to him all the dayes of our life Yee are they that have continued with me in my temptations CHRIST loves continuers Be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the Crowne of life Let nothing make us to withdraw our selves from CHRIST but let us cleave stedfastly to him in this world that wee may reigne and triumph with him in the world to come CHAP. XI IN the substance of that exhortation derived out of the doctrine of CHRIST 's Priest-Hood three severall vertues were commended to us the first faith the second hope the third love Now followeth a particular explication of all these Faith is painted out to us in this Chapter Hope in the twelfth Love with the fruits thereof in the thirteenth This Chapter hath two principall parts a definition of faith and an illustration of it 1. By Example 2. By instance Verse 3. It is defined Verse 1. Where the nature of it is expressed It makes them existent not onely in intellectu but also in corde voluntate It is a full perswasion that wee shall have these things which we hope for nay it puts us into a reall possession of them VERSE 1. FAith is the evidence of things which are not seene The holy and celestiall Hierusalem where there is no Sunne but is enlightned with the glory of the Lamb continually where there is no night crying or weeping where all teares shal be wiped from our eyes for ever cannot be seene with mortall eye yet faith makes it evident to us even in this life The blessed and glorious Trinity GOD the Father Sonne and HOLY GHOST cannot be seene no man hath seene GOD at any time yet faith makes GOD visible to us standing by us in all afflictions Our SAVIOUR CHRIST the King of the Church and mediatour of mankinde clothed with our nature sitting at the right hand of GOD in all glory and Majestie cannot now be seene of us Stephen saw him when hee was on earth but that was extraordinary now we cannot see CHRIST in his glory yet by faith we see him and know that so soone as we are dissolved we shall be with him The holy and celestiall Angels that are our guaâ—dians that hold us in their hands that sing prayses to God continually in heaven cannot now bee seene of us yet by faith we see them and are assured that they will take our soules at our dying day and carry them into heaven The spirits of just and perfect men of Adam Eve Isaak Moses David of the Patriarkes and Prophets of the blessed Virgin Mary Saint Paul Saint Peter of the Apostles and Martyrs cannot as yet be seene of us but by faith we know they are in heaven and we our selves one day shall be with them Wee cannot now see or apprehend the joyes of heaven no eare hath heard them no eye hath seene them they cannot enter into the heart of man yet by faith they are evident to us The resurrection of the body cannot now bee seene wee see many carryed to the Church and Church-yard to be buryed but we see none rise again yet by faith it is evident to us so that we can say with Iob our Redeemer liveth and with these eyes shall wee see him and no other for us Faith is an excellent eye The eye of the Eagle is very sharp and piercing shee can see from heaven to earth she can espie her prey a farre of she and her birds can look on the Sun but the eye of faith is farre more piercing that sees Christ the Sun of righteousnesse and by it we looke into the Sanctuary of heaven and behold what is there Some write of one Lynceus that he could see an hundred thirty thousand paces off but wee by the eye of faith can see further this one eye is better than all Argos his eyes Howsoever the eyes of our bodyes waxe dimme let us entreat the Lord to preserve this eye to make it brighter and brighter every day Faith is the evidence of things not seene Let us make much of this evidence If wee have an evidence whereby we hold our lands we will shew it to some Lawyer to see of what validity it is we will keepe it safe under locke and key Let us examine this our evidence of faith if there bee a cracke in it let us seeke to have it amended and let us take up that prayer of the Apostles Lord encrease our faith Lord strengthen the eye of our faith that even on earth we may see heaven VERSE 2. HEre is an illustration of it 1. Ab exemplis 1. In generall If for this faith our fathers were well reported of then this is the true faith but our fathers were well reported of
their owne countrey as Themistocles Howsoever God dealeth with us in this world wee shall have an abundant recompence in the life to come therefore let us goe whithersoever Gâ—d shall call us as Abraham did he that forsaketh not father and mother houses and lands nay he that hateth them not for Gods sake is not worthy of him VERSE 9. 1. THe manner of his abode 2. The cause of it 1. Factum the fact 2. Motivum the motive that stirred him to it The land of promise which was so called because it was promised to him by God and that often Hee went not backe againe in a discontented minde but though hee found few outward encouragements to tarry yet hee stayes by it The manner of his abode is set forth 1. By the quality of the place 2. By the forme of his habitation How did he abide in this land not as a Lord and master in it but as a stranger it was a strange Country to him he had no house no land in it no not the breadth of a foot hee was faine to buy a piece of ground to bury his Wife in It was inhabited by a strong and mighty nation that were meere strangers to him This might have shaken his faith Is this the Country that I and my seed shall have what likelihood is there of it yet by faith he abode in it wayting for the accomplishment of Gods promise 2. What was the manner of his dwelling in it he dwelt not in a stately and magnificent Citty in a strong and defenced Castle in a costly and sumptuous house not in a Tower the height whereof reached to heaven as the Tower of Babell did not in one tent but in many remooving his tent hither and thither He dwelt in tents that were soone set up and soone pulled downe againe partly because he might be at Gods call ready to remove when hee would have him as indeed Abraham was a continuall flitter partly also because hee knew his seed should goe into Aegypt and the time was not yet come when he should have a full possession of the land of Canaan Therefore in the meane season he contented himselfe with Tents In commemoration whereof they had the feast of Tents or Tabernacles Yet he kept great hospitality in his Tent a poore house yet a rich house keeper hee sate of purpose daily at his Tent doore as a bell to toll strangers and passengers to him It was wont to be said golden Chalices and wooden Priests so now a dayes it may bee said golden houses wooden house keepers a great house a large house yet little meat in it It may be sufficient for themselves strangers nay neighbours seldome drinke of their cup a great sort of brave chimneys but little smoake in them many a Noble mans house scant smoakes once in a yeere Cornelius a Captaine had no stately house yet his almes were great Gaius had no glorious house yet an hoast to the whole Church wheresoever we dwell though in a Tent or booth yet let us doe good with that which wee have as Abraham did our house shall be the better blessed for it Abraham dwelt in a Tent yet GOD protected him from all enemies and dangers Wee never read that thieves brake into his Tent and spoyled him of that which he had In a tempest thundering and lightning the Tent was not set on fire It is better to bee in a poore cottage under Gods wing than in a magnificent Pallace without his favour Ahaziah dwelt in a sumptuous building yet hee got a fall that cost him his life Michah had a strong house yet the Danites came and tooke all in his house Lot had an house in Sodom Abraham had but a Tent yet Abraham was safer in his Tent then Lot in his house GOD kept Daniel in the Lions denne the three Children in the fiery furnace Ionah in the Whales belly hee preserved Abraham in his Tent and hee will for ever keepe his Children in the meanest Cottage in the world The manner of his dwelling in the land of promise is illustrated by his companions not he alone but Isaac and Iacob Whether he and they dwelt together in Tents at the same time cannot bee defined If wee respect Abrahams age they might for hee lived after Isaac was borne seventy five yeeres and after Iacob was borne fifteene yeeres yet whether that be the meaning of the Holy Ghost or not I dare not affirme they in their time dwelt in Tents as Abraham did in his time because the promise was made to them all to Abraham and his feed They were intailed in the promised land with their father The Canaanites had Cities and beautifull houses to dwell in Abraham Isaac and Iacob dwelt in Tents the wicked may have fairer dwellings in this world then the godly Now wee have sumptuous and magnificent buildings immediately after the floud they erected a Tower the height whereof reached to heaven The Canaanites had townes and Cities that were walled up to heaven Ahab had his Ivory pallace Nebuchadnezar his stately Babel There are many gay buildings in all places but as CHRIST said of marriage from the beginning it was not so What manner of house did Adam and Eve dwell in Abraham Isaac and Iacob these worthy and renowned Patriarcks dwelt in Tents and incommemoration hereof there was instituted among the Iewes a feast of Tents and Tabernacles which was kept with great solemnity by the space of seven dayes they sate in Boothes Let us not be too carefull nor too curious about our dwellings Our Saviour Christ the Lord of all had not an house to hide his head in at his dying day he commended his mother to Saint Iohn who tooke her home to his house There is as free a passage to heaven out of a poore beggarly Cottage as out of a Kings Pallace Let us not spend too much cost about our earthly houses but labour to build up our selves as houses to God in this life that when we must remove out of these buildings be they greater or lesser we may be received up into that house that is made without hands in the life to come GOD doth not immediately performe his promises hee will exercise our faith and patience in the expectation of them This land was Abrahams now by promise yet his seed had not the possession of it many hundred yeares after yet Abraham by faith waited for it he that believeth will not make hast Wee must not be too hasty but tarry Gods leysure So the heavenly Canaan the kingdome of heaven is ours by promise feare not little flocke it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the kingdome yet we must passe through many tribulations into this kingdome Let us with patience beare them all and at the length though it be at a long runne first wee shall bee sure to be partakers of it for heaven and earth shall passe but not one title of Gods Word shall fall to
it CHRIST the Saviour of the world was promised to them that he should come of Abrahams seed but as yet he was not come the kingdome of heaven whereof the land of Canaan was a type was promised to them but as yet they received it not yet they believed certainely that they should have them and dyed in that faith Faith is an evidence of things that are not seene The victory over sinne death and the Divell is promised to us we shall bee more than conquerors yet sinne gives us many a fall the Divell assaults and tempts us death seaseth on us and takes us away yet let us believe Gods promise As yet we have not received the resurrection yet believe it nor the kingdome of heaven yet believe it and dye in that beliefe though thou kill me I will believe in thee The affirmative 2. Though they received them not yet they saw them not neere hand but farre off not with the eye of the body but of the soule which is faith Abraham in the birth of Isaac saw CHRIST In thy seed that is in CHRIST shall all nations be blessed Isaac was borne of a woman which by the course of nature was never like to have Children so was CHRIST of a Virgin that never knew man In the oblation of Isaac he saw the oblation of Christ on the Crosse. When Isaac bore the wood wherewith he should be burnt hee saw Christ bearing his owne Crosse when he saw Isaac bound on the Altar he saw Christ fastened to the Crosse. So the Israelites afterwards saw CHRIST afarre off in the Paschall Lamb and the rest of the sacrifices but blessed are our eyes wee as yet see the kingdome of heaven but afarre off but one day we shall see God face to face 3. They were perswaded they should have them and dyed in that perswasion they saluted them as Marrinors espying the shoare afarre off skip for joy hoping shortly to bee at it so these seeing the celestiall Canaan afarre off rejoyced at it and embraced it with the armes of faith So we must rejoyce at the sight of death as Simeon and Paul 4. They confessed themselves strangers here Whereby it is apparent they looked for a Country in heaven and dyed in faith expecting that Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Citizens that have a râ—ght and interest in the City may goe up and downe boldly strangers are fearefull standing at the curtesie of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that come as wanderers from another people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without house and home They confessed it 1. By deeds by their dwelling in tents 2. In words before all men It is not to be extended to the Patriarcks before the floud for some of them as Enoch dyed not It is to be restreyned to them after the floud Hee doth not say all these were rare and excellent men beautified with singular graces of GODS spirit deepe in his bookes therefore they were exempted from death there is none that hath that priviledge Death is a Cup whereof all must drinke there is no man living but shall see death Wise Solomon godly David that was a man after Gods owne heart is dead strong Samson faire Absalom wealthy Nabal is dead Lazarus dyed and the rich man also dyed and was buryed Beggars dye and Kings dye Have I not said yee are Gods yet yee shall dye as men It is well observed by Saint Augustine that it fell out by the providence of GOD that the verb morior should not be declined after the same manner that other verbs of that kinde be orior ortus est morior mortuus est to declare that death signified by it cannot be declined Mors non cogitur abesse sed cogitur non obesse Death cannot hurt the godly it is rather a benefit to them yet they dye This we can all say nothing so certaine as Death yet we make no use of it for all that we bathe our selves in the pleasures of sin we are set on the merry pinne we follow the world so earnestly so greedily as if we should live for ever We are like the fishes that are skipping and leaping in the water and yet by and by are taken in the Net We know that the Net of Death is continually spread for us all yet we are as jocund as if no net were laid for us It is said Eccles. 7.4 That the living shall lay it to heart Wee talke of Death wee carry Death about with us we see it daily in other men Almost every weeke a buryall in many Townes yet wee live as if we should never dye Damocles the Parasite was set in Dionysius chayre he had all the honour and pleasure that could be devised but when hee considered the sword hanging by a slender horsehayre over his head hee tooke delight in nothing Death as Gods sword hangs over our head continually it is senibus prae foribus adolescentibus in insidiis The staffe of death stands before the doore of old folkes and it may steale on young men ere they bee aware yet we regard it not It causeth us not to have our conversation in heaven but we are as great earth wormes as if we should never dye All these dyed but how did they dye in the faith All dye but all dye not in the faith 1 Thes. 4.16 some dye in CHRIST and some live to the world and dye in the world Achitophel dyed but it was not in faith hee dyed a malecontent in a proud conceit of his wit and wisedome that his counsell should not bee followed which was wont to bee reputed as an oracle from heaven Iudas dyed but it was in desperation in infidelity not in faith he could not be perswaded that his sins were washed away in the bloud of CHRIST and therefore tooke a rope and hanged himselfe Cain dyed but not in faith for he cryed my sin is greater than can be forgiven Happy are they that dye in faith The Scripture doth not simply say blessed are the dead but that dye in the Lord. Iob dyed in the faith I am sure my Redeemer liveth Old Father Simeon dyed in the faith with CHRIST in his armes LORD now lettest thou thy servant Saint Paul dyed in the faith the time of my departure is at hand From henceforth A sweet thing to dye in the faith All that dye quietly to the eye of the world dye not in the faith The Psalmist sayes of the wicked there are no bands in their death Good men may have sore temptations when they lye on their death beds through the distemperature of the braine and the vehement paine of the body they may deliver some fearefull and impatient speeches savouring of infidelity as Iob did in his pangs and yet for all that dye in the faith Live in the faith bee plentifull in the fruits of faith and thou shalt bee sure to dye in the faith It is the
greatest commendation that can be given of any that they dyed in the faith Whyle we live we are in the field and battle wee may receive many a wound from sin and the Devill but being dead we are conquerors have Crownes on our heads and palmes in our hands as it is in the Revelation Doth such a man live in the faith as Cornelius did when his prayers and almes deeds proceeding from faith went up into remembrance before God that is a thing to be rejoyced in yet such a man may have many a fall as David and Peter had Is it reported truly of any that he dyed in the faith such a man made a godly end that is the height of all commendation Wee cannot well praise a faire day before night because many stormes may be in it neither can wee give a man his full and perfect commendations till hee be dead Therefore this is registred of these fathers tanquam fastigium laudis the very top and crest of their praise that they dyed in the faith All good men have the like confession 1 Chron. 29.15 2 Cor. 5.6 Gen. 23.4 Abraham was a mighty rich man Gen. 24. Yet but a stranger and pilgrim David was a King yet but a stranger Hast thou faire houses large lands and ample possessions art thou a rich Clothyer a wealthy Merchant a Gentleman a Knight a Lord yet acknowledge thy selfe to be but a stranger there is a time when thou must part with all yea with a kingdome if thou hast it The very heathen confessed this The oratour could say natura dedit nobis non habitandi locum sed commorandi divorsorium this world is but an Inne it is no dwelling house Now if wee bee strangers on the earth as we must all confesse our selves to be then let us carry our selves as strangers 1. A stranger is no medler in the Country wherein he is he takes â—hat which is requisite for him hee lookes to his owne businesse but he doth not interpose himselfe in the affaires of the common-wealth he leaves them to those that be of the Country A stranger must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the heathen said Even so being strangers in the world let us meddle no more with the world then needs must But wee are drowned in the world our mindes are on the world all the weeke all the yeere long we meddle little with the Scripture with prayer heavenly meditations we are altogether in and about the world 2. Strangers must not thinke to beare sway in the Towne and Country where they dwell the naturall inhabitants will not digest that Gen. 19.9 the Sodomites could not endure that Lot should bee a King among them So we being strangers in the world must not make account to domineere in it to have all men at our controll wee must be content to be underlings here that wee may bee aloft hereafter the faithfull are often put to the wall and the wicked are Lords over them This we must take patiently because wee are strangers 3. Strangers and Pilgrims are wont to be abstemious 1 Pet. 2.11 a stranger a Travellour if he be a wise man doth not set his mind on feasting and banquetting hee takes a morsell and so away So being strangers here we must lead a sober life take no more of the world then will serve us for our journey wee must reserve our feasting till wee come to that place where wee shall eate bread with Abraham Isaac and Iacob 4. Strangers must looke for no great love for the most part they are hated in the Country where they bee and they are wished to be out of it even so the world loveth her owne we are not of the world we are men of another world therefore mervaile not though wee find little friend-ship in the world Dogges will faune on them that be of the house but they will barke at strangers flye in their faces and be ready to pull them downe so because we are strangers to the wicked no marvell though they barke at us and bite us now and then 5. Strangers have a longing desire to be at home If an English man bee in Spaine Turkie India hee thinks every day two till he be in England oh that I were with my Wife and Children with my friends and neighbours at home So being strangers in this world let us not make too great account of it let us desire to be at home in our heavenly Hierusalem let us say with Saint Paul I desire to be dissolved and to bee with CHRIST which is best of all But a number of us say in our hearts of the world as St. Peter of the Mount we are well here I would to God I might never goe from hence 6. Strangers do not hartily love that Country wherin they be they may love it in some sort but nothing to their owne Country so being viatores wee may take viaticum but let us not love the world let us use it as if we used it not This world must be as wormewood to us in respect of the joyes of heaven we may use silver and gold houses and lands but let us not love them Let the heavenly Canaan our native Country have all our love 7. If a stranger come to an Inne he looks about him and sayes this is a fayre Inne here I have a goodly Chamber I fare well for my mony but this is no place for mee to tarry in so wee should think and say of the world I have a convenient dwelling meat and drink enough I thank God I want nothing but this is not my place of abode I am but a stranger here all these things I must forgoe I would to God that this were deepely engraven in the hearts of us all that wee did effectually consider wee were strangers on the earth We say we are strangers but we live as Lords We say with that rich man Luk. 12. Soule eate drinke and bee merry thou hast goods laid up for many yeares Our lives and deeds bewray that wee thinke nothing lesse than that we be strangers A strange thing that strangers should be so bewitched with a strange Country as wee are with the earth VERSE 14. HEE insisteth in the proofe of the latter effect they seeke a Country out of the world therefore they are strangers Where 1. What manner of City it was which they sought 2. The reward for seeking of it The confirmation of it is by a collection deduced out of their owne confession They that confesse themselves to be strangers on the earth doe give notice to all the world that they look for a permanent Country in heaven and so dyed in that faith but these confesse themselves c. Ergo. Such base such contemptible things of this world manifest it to all With a fervent desire not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where they shall abide for ever This world then is not our Country Socrates is highly commended for his answer being demanded
what Country man he was he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundanus The whole world is my Country all Countries are alike to me Yet in truth wee have no Country in the world England is not our Country Heaven properly to speake is our Country as Christ sayes call no man father here on earth so call no Country your Country on the earth Now heaven is our Country so we must seeke it it is worth the seeking and we cannot have it without seeking seeke the kingdom of God We must seeke it by prayer reading of Scripture hearing of Sermons by godly and fervent desire of the heart by heavenly meditations Our whole life ought to be a continuall seeking of heaven but alas we seeke for silver and gold Sheep and Oxen houses and lands and let heaven goe we are like Aesops dogge that snatched at the shadow and lost the substance We seeke more for shadowes then for the substance all the weeke long we are seeking of the world and scant on the Lords Day no day in the weeke doe we seeke heaven VERSE 15. THis is illustrated 1. By a declaration of the Country which they sought 2. By the fruit and reward of their seeking Object They professed themselves strangers because they were out of their soile the land of Chaldea Sol. That cannot be the Country which they had longed after for if their minde had run on that they had opportunity and time enough to returne in they had leysure but they would not take it 1. He shewes what Country it was not which they sought VERSE 16. 2. WHat it was which is first described comparatively then plainly pointed out with the finger The reward 1. A favour or prerogative in this life 2. In eternall happinesse in the life to come Exod. 3.15 he is the God of the whole world in generall he is the God of the wicked for temporall blessings of the faithfull for spirituall and eternall He that is the God of the whole world is now the God of three men Chrys. It is a glory to servants to have a denomination from their Lords and Masters I am servant to such a Noble man but it is no honour for a Lord to say I am the master of such a poore man such a beggarly fellow is my servant yet God glorieth of us that hee is our God Master and Father He makes this a piece of his style as if a puissant Prince would be called the King of Pigmies He hath prepared Hebr. 13.14 Ioh. 14.2 They doe not merit it GOD in mercy prepares it for them When Vide Matth. 25.34 God prepares many excellent things for us in this world but none comparable to this He prepared the world as an house furnished for man at the first We can but prepare temporall houses for our Children Some by this City understand the Church which though it bee on the earth is called heavenly because her chiefest part Christ her head is in heaven and her conversation is in heaven Hyperius But they were in the lap of the Church already within the walls of that City they needed not to seeke that which they had Heaven then is better than earth it is better by many degrees Men chuse that which they thinke to be best we choose earth rather than heaven therefore in our opinion that is the better What fooles what dolts be we men are ready to change for the better who would not change a beggars cottage for a Kings Pallace a patcht Cloak for a Princes robe We say heaven is the better yet we are loath to change our dwelling on earth for it by our good wills we would tarry here still We say heaven is a better country then this but we would faine continue in the earth still Many a Child is ashamed of his Father when hee comes to great honour We were base and ignominious wretches yet God was not ashamed of us If a great man have a kinswoman that is poore yet if a faire and beautifull woman haply he will not be ashamed of her We are all fowle and black by reason of sin yet God is not ashamed of us and shall we one of another A King is not ashamed of a beggar and shall one beggar be ashamed of another Shall one earthen Pot though it be a little guilt and tipt with silver be ashamed of another earthen Pot Though thou beest a rich man and hast more silver and gold than thy brother yet be not ashamed of him thou art earth as well as he yee are Pots of one Potter Constantine was not ashamed of the Bishops the Angels are not ashamed of us they acknowledge themselves to be our fellowes and brethren and shall we be ashamed one of another Though he be never so poore a man if he believe in Christ be not ashamed of him 2. As God is not ashamed of us so let us not be ashamed of him though Christ be afflicted here on earth yet let us not be ashamed of him and his Gospell for if we be he will be ashamed of us when he commeth with his holy Angels How doth it appeare he is not ashamed of us because he disdaineth not to be called our God He doth not say to be called their Lord and Master but God I thank my God that we read often This comprehendeth all good things for this life and that to come happy are the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. The Lions shall be hungerbit but they that have God for their Lord shal want nothing that is good This may strengthen us against poverty sicknes and all calamities against sin Satan and death it selfe Will any child feare want that hath a rich and loving father our God our Father is rich heaven and earth are his he is most loving he tenders us as the apple of his eye therefore wee can want nothing that is good The Lord is our God our shield Protectour and defender therefore let us feare nothing If God be on our side who can be against us Nay this may comfort us against death it selfe From this one word our Saviour proves the resurrection he is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him Though we dye God is our God he will raise us up againe at the latter day and translate us into his kingdome This may be a pillar of comfort for us to leane upon that God is our God By what token doth he shew himselfe to be our God because he hath prepared a City God is an excellent preparer Hee prepared the world as an house well furnished against the comming of man into it he prepared a Table for the Israelites in the wildernesse he gave them water out of a stony rocke and Manna from heaven he prepared a kingdome for Hester when she was a poore banished maide hee prepared a Whale for Ionah when he was cast into the
one that is thy junior thy inferiour lifted up in wealth honour and dignity above thee grudge not at it it is Gods doing be contented with it 3. Here we have a patterne in old father Iacob how to behave our selves at the time of death when wee see and heare death knocking at our doores then especially we must be occupied in heavenly duties we must not be cursing but blessing as Iacob was then above all other times we must be worshipping of God praying to him praysing and magnifying him for his mercies as Iacob was upon our beds and upon our staves Though we be weake and impotent wee must be glorifying of God when Hezekiah received that message set thine house in order for thou must dye then hee turned his face to the wall and prayed earnestly to the Lord. When our Saviour was going out of the world he was blessing his Disciples and here Iacob is blessing and praysing to his dying day so must we be We must not then be swearing cursing and banning quaffing and swilling as many be like the Epicures let us eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye Then we must be preparing of our selves for a better life where we shall remaine for ever The neerer the time approcheth that a tenant must goe out of his farme the more carefull he will be to improve it to his best commodity the lesser time that a man is to enjoy money lent to him the greater advantage he will make of it if hee can even so when we perceive wee must depart out of the farme of this world let us use it most to Gods glory and seeing God hath lent us our life as a summe of money to be payd to him praestituto die the neerer the day of payment comes the more conscionably and diligently let us be in the use of it to the honour of God and our owne profit When the steward in the Gospell saw that he was to goe out of his office he makes the best of it he can so let us doe of our life when we are to part with it They that be actours in a Comedy or Tragedy will have a speciall eye to the last act that they may have a joyfull plaudite of the people So this life being as a stage whereon wee play our part let us chiefely look to the last act at our departure out of the world that it may be joyfull to our selves and all those that be round about us our whole life should bee a continuall glorifying of GOD but especially the closing up of our life with death that wee may leave a testimony behind us of that lively faith which wee have in the Lord Iesus Let us be praying meditating blessing talking of heavenly matters to the last gaspe VERSE 22. IN Ioseph there be two things 1. A memorandum given to the Israelites 2. A Charge for the removing of his bones which were both lively demonstrations of his faith Hee presaged his death Gen. 50.24 either by the nature or quality of his disease or by divine revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing to his end Memoriae prodit brought to memorie Out of Aegypt often promised by God which he had received from his fathers he makes a certaine prediction of it He bound them with an oath Gen. 50.25 Not so much for feare of Idolatry lest the Aegyptians should worship him when he was dead as Chrys. in Genesin and August de mirabilibus Sacrae Script l. 1. c. 15. they had opportunity to doe it before his bones were removed but to confirme the faith he had in the promises of God he was so sure that they should have the land of Canaan as that hee would have his bones carryed away before-hand 2. Because the land of Canaan was a type of heaven he would be there buryed 3. Because in life and in death he would be with the godly Rhemists the translation of reliques or Saints bodies and the due regard and honour wee ought to have to the same are proved hereby Bel. l. 2. de reliquiis Sanct. c. 3. upon this example concludeth non ergo superstitiosum neque novum est transferre ossa Sanctorum 1. The Israelites were bound by oath to translate his bones not so they 2. They kept not those bones to shew to the people or to carry them about on festivall dayes but they buryed them Ios. 24.32 3. Those were translated into the land of Canaan because it was a type of heaven So is no speciall Country now Therefore that is no president Ioseph a great man the ruler of Aegypt yet dieth death over-rules us all The rich man dyed as well as poore Lazarus It is appointed to all once to dye He rubbed their memories put them in remembrance of their departure out of Aegypt whereupon the booke of Exodus hath his name containing the departure of the Children of Israel You are well seated here in the land of Aegypt you are planted in Goshen the fattest of the land It is like for my sake ye shall finde favour for a time yet set not up your staffe here but remember yee must depart hence the land of Canaan is your Country promised to Abraham Isaac and Iacob let your mindes run on that land As for this world it is a kind of Aegypt flowing with all pleasures and profits yet let us know that this is no place of abode for us we must depart from hence The time of my departure is now at hand sayes St. Paul 2 Tim. 4.6 Luk. 9.31 If he had need of such a Memorandum much more we for this end Philip had his Vsher who daily said to him memento Philippe te esse mortalem The Israelites were too much wedded in their affections to Aegypt they desired to be againe with their Onyons and such like fare as they had in Aegypt We are all too much in love with this wretched world it likes us as well as the Mount did St. Peter Many wish that they might make Tabernacles here for ever yet let us all know that this is no abiding place wee must all depart eximus è vita tanquam è theatro Farmers from their farmes Gentlemen Knights Lords from their beautifull houses yea Kings must depart out of their Pallaces A voice came from heaven to Nebuchadnezar Oh King thy kingdome is departed from thee Let us seriously thinke of this departure of ours When a Travellour comes to his Inne hee lookes about him and sayes here is a fayre Inne here I have a brave Chamber and I have plenty of all things for my money yet this is not my home I must not tarry here I must depart even so though we have the world at will and all things as heart can wish beautifull houses large lands ample possessions yet here is no place to abide in we must depart leave all goe away with a Coffin and a winding sheete Let us use this world as if wee used it not let our
like that Moses went in first they followed after as Iosephus writeth he as the Captaine they as Souldiers conducted by him Not by the witt devise and policie of their owne by the observation of the course of the Moone the constellation of starres or conjuction of planets but by faith Not they passed over by swimming by sayling by taking Ship c. but above art and nature they passed through They went not in a little way but passed through it Not a little shallow river but the great and deepe Sea Which by the colour might also strike a terrour into them being red as the fire terrifies men by the rednesse of it It was a corner of the Sea that parteth Arabia and Aegypt called red because the sand there was redder than in other places How not being somewhat wet at the least their feete and ancles but as if they had bin on the dry and firme land Exod. 14.22 This is adscribed to their faith At the beginning their faith was weake they cryed out like desperate persons without hope Exod. 14.11 but when they heard the promise of the Lord that he had said it when they saw the pillar of a cloud as a token of Gods presence with them when they beheld the waters driven backe by the rod of Moses then committing themselves wholly to the Lord they enter boldly into the red Sea This was a lively manifestation of their faith A weake faith at the first may prove a strong faith at the last 1 Sam. 27.1 Peter on the Sea There be three especiall things that commend their faith in it 1. That at Gods Word they would believe it hee said they should goe through the Sea they give credit to it Hath God spoken it Let us rest quietly in his word 2. The waters were on both sides on the right hand and on the left they might be in a continuall feare least they shold fall on them and overwhelme them yet through faith they go on and feare nothing 3. The Aegyptians followed them into the red Sea even there they were at their heeles this might have scared them Though we be not drowned in the Sea yet the Aegyptians may cut our throats and kill us in the Sea but through faith they likewise overcome that This was a supernaturall work if they had not had faith they could never have done it Faith is the best weapon to fight withall in all dangers the best bridge to passe over any river yea the Sea it selfe a coate of Maile in all battels All of them had not faith no doubt there were some unbelievers among them which went over for company and fashion sake for the saving of their lives they would venter with the rest but they had not a true and sound faith in the promise of God 1 Cor. 10.5 yet the fact hath the denomination of the better part There were many that believed therfore it is attributed to faith for the faithfuls sake the unfaithfull were kept from drowning The wicked in temporal blessings fare the better for the godly Every man must live eternally by his own faith but the unfaithfull in temporall blessings may fare the better for the faithfull The LORD blessed Potiphar for Iosephs sake It is like some bad ones were in the Ship some prophane Marriners wherein St. Paul sayled to Rome yet they were all preserved for Pauls sake So here the unbelieving Israelites were saved from drowning for the believers the world hates the godly and cannot abide to be in their company yet they escape many dangers for their sake This should cause them to make more of them than they doe Through faith the people went over Iordan the three Children walked in the middest of the fire Daniel continued safe in the Lions den Ionah came out of the Whales belly The nature of faith it leapeth over difficulties and followes God Through faith David said by the power of God I will leap over a wall If a man have the Kings passe-port he may passe all England over but if a man have faith he may passe all the world over through fire and water thicke and thinne Here we see that all creatures are servants to Gods Children all worke for them The Sun stood for Iosua The Starres fought for the Israelites against Sisera The fire durst not touch the three Children and here the water of the Sea is as a wall on both sides of the Israelites till they bee over If God bee with us who can be against us If the Lord of the house bee on our side will not all the serving men yea all creatures shall be on our side In the Israelites the Sea forgets her nature in the Aegyptians she exercised her nature 1. The cause of their destruction 2. The destruction it selfe Whereof the Aegyptians taking tryall why may not we passe through the Sea as well as they Why should it not give place to us as well as to them The Lord had hardened their hearts and they likewise went into the Sea Exod. 14.5 But what was the issue of it They were swallowed up by the Sea The waters turned backe on them they were all drowned not one escaped ut ne nuncius cladis domum reverteretur When the breath was out of their bodies the Sea cast up their carkasses againe and the Israelites saw them on the shoare wherby they might be the better perswaded they were dead and should trouble them no more Iosephus addeth that there fell raiâ—â— from heaven thundering and lightning The enemies of the Church may insult over it for a time as the Aegyptians made the Israelites their slaves and kept them in cruell bondage but at the lenght they shall drinke of the Cup of Gods wrath Iesabel was cast out of a window and eaten up with Dogs Herod was eaten up with wormes Sennacherib was slaine by his owne Sonnes The Aegyptians were overwhelmed in the red Sea Most of the Persecutors in Q. Maryes daies as Mr Fox reporteth came to a wretched and lamentable end Some ranne mad some stuncke above the ground while they were alive The rod may be aloft but it shall be hurled downe and cast into the fire Let this be our comfort we shall one day be conquerors over them all The Lord doth not onely meete with them but oftentimes in justice he serves them with the same sauce Iezabel spilt Naboths blood in the end her bloud was licked up with Dogs As Adonibezech had done unto 70. Kings so God rewarded him Iud. 1.7 The Aegyptians drowned the Children of Israel now they are drowned Some of the traytors that thought to have blowne us up with gun-powder were destroyed with gun-powder themselves Plutarke writeth of Hercules and Theseus that whom they sacrificed had sacrificed whom they hurled into the Sea had hurled into the Sea whom they thrust through with the Sword had thrust through with the Sword Let them take heed what tortures they put the godly unto the
hearts ô that I had beene in the dayes of Abraham of David of the Prophets I but we are in more happy dayes if we had eyes to see them and hearts to make use of them Now God having provided better things for us we should bee the better Those Children should bee more dutifull for whom their father provides best Our heavenly father hath provided best for us therefore let us live more obediently to him But we are worse than they In the last dayes shall come perillous times sinne most abounds in these last dayes wherein God hath beene more bountifull to us then to them in times past The grace of God hath abounded and sin doth super abound What unkinde wretches are we as God in mercy hath provided better for us so let our lives bee better that wee may bee in some measure answerable to the goodnesse of the Lord. CHAP. XII IN the former Chapter we had a Catalogue of faithfull men and women now followes the use we are to make of it they must be as spurres to pricke us forward to the like The scope of this Chapter is that in hope of eternall happines reserved for us in the heavens we should patiently beare the afflictions of this life and persevere in the profession of Christianity to the end It hath two parts 1. That we our selves should couragiously runne the race set before us and fight manfully under Christ's banner to Ver. 14. 2. That we should bee as trumpets to waken and stir up others thereunto In the former 1. A propounding of the admonition Ver. 1 2. A pressing and an enforcing of it In the propounding of it 1. The foundation whereupon it is built 2. The propounding of the admonition 3. The strengthning of it The foundation is double 1. Ponit currendi incitamentum which is the examples of the faithfull in the former Chapter 2. removet impedimentum the casting away of all impediments that hinder them in the race VERSE 1. WHerefore to make use of the examples which wee have had and not to suffer them to passe from us without some profit Wee also as well as they Let us draw in the same yoke with them Not you exempting himselfe but us including himselfe in the number Having So great a cloude of witnesses set about us 1. A cloud is above us so these holy men are above us in faith patience and other vertues yet we must labour to come as neere them as we can 2. A cloud is thick and hath a great deale of raine in it so these are many a world of witnesses a cloud of witnesses 3. A cloud is darke so these were darkened with afflictions though they gave light by their vertues 4. A cloud compasseth a Towne City or Country so we are compassed about with these witnesses on every side wheresoever wee turne us we shall see some to imitate 5. And it may be he alludeth to the cloud which was a direction to the Israelites for their journeys Exod. 13.21 So these examples must be our direction With so great of men and women before the floud and after in Aegypt and in the promised land Witnesses 1. Ministers are witnesses Act. 1.8 2. Martyrs 3. All Christians these by their sufferings have witnessed that they looke for an eternall rest so must you doe Seeing so many have run this race before us broken the yce for us that have witnessed to us the power and efficacy of faith let us not think much to follow them though it be a rugged path yet it is a beaten path therefore let us goe in it All examples are written for our learning It is a true speech that Saint Ambrose hath amplius proficitur exemplo quà m admonitione he renders three reasons of it 1. Non potest putari difficile quod jam factum est it is a greater motive to heare that a thing is done then that it ought to be done 2. Probatum est therefore wee may safely doe it This is an approved medicine such and such have taken it and it hath done them good this will encourage any to receive it 3. Religiosum est that hath beene transmitted to us jure hareditario from so many of our godly ancestours therefore wee are to make a profitable use of the examples of holy men that have gone before us these are for us as Saint Paul speaketh This cloud of witnesses is for our imitation It would grieve a man to walke in a way alone I onely am left said Elias If we were alone in this race we might be loath to run it but we are not alone we have a cloud of witnesses a great number that have broken the ice before us and that run with us at this present day we are compassed about with one cloud of witnesses in the Old Testament with an other in the New The blessed Virgin Mary all the Apostles and many excellent men and women with a third cloud of witnesses in the Primitive Church Many worthy Martyrs that have gone through many tribulations into the kingdome of Heaven Therefore having so many fellow runners let us cheerefully run the race set before us If we were all alone it might be some discomfort wee are not alone wee have great company and good company too If a man have good company to London though the way be foule it will encourage him to goe We have good company to the celestiall Ierusalem a cloud of witnesses to goe with us Therefore though the way bee somewhat unpleasant to flesh and bloud yet let us take it though we fare hard by the way yet wee with all our company shall have good cheere at our journeyes end we shall eate of the hidden Mannah and of the tree of life that growes in the middest of the Paradise of God The impediments to be removed are two the one without the other within He doth not say let us lessen it get companie to helpe us to beare it but let us cast it quite away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnem molem every weight not some part but the whole burthen They that run will have nothing to trouble them so neere as they can they will cast off all even their very clothes oftentimes to their very shirts So in this our spirituall race we must be as light as may be therefore we must cast away every thing that presseth downe c. They may be reduced to these three Heads honour riches pleasure Daniel ran with honour Dan. 2.48 David with a kingdome but if honour hinder us if it bee a burthen that wee cannot travell with it to the heavenly Ierusalem away with it Moses refused the kingdome of Egypt CHRIST refused to be made a King because it was a clog to him and would hinder him in his Office Latimer cast away a Bishoprick The second thing that presseth downe is riches In themselves they are not weights but wings Abraham was a rich man yet ran yet many times howsoever we
better the other worse after their afflictions Whom he loveth he whom thou lovest is sick said Martha to our Saviour meaning Lazarus And scourgeth if a rod will not serve the turne hee takes a whip Marke 5.29 That woman had a whip If a lesser affliction will not draw us to him and pull us out of our sinnes hee sends a greater Whom he receiveth into his love and favour in this life and into his kingdome in the life to come Afflictions are as Gods tooles that make us fit stones for the heavenly Ierusalem Wee have had a text of Scripture out of the Old Testament which spake to us lovingly as to children Now S. Paul makes a Commentary of it inducing us to a patient suffering of Gods corrections by three forcible arguments 1 From the necessity of correction 2. From the excellency of the person that correcteth us Vers. 9.10 Set forth by a comparison 1. What these Fathers be to us 2. What they doe to us 3. From the fruit of correction V. 11. 1. What it is for the present 2. What it will be in the time to come VERSE 7. THE necessity of correction is set forth 1. Affirmatively then Negatively affirmatively shewing what commodity we shall reape if we receive correction negatively declaring the in commodity of not receiving it 8. Not onely if ye take it but endure it so long as your heavenly Father shall strike A childe must not limit his Father so many stripes shalt thou give me and no more he must referre himselfe to the wisdome and discretion of his Father so must wee endure whatsoever our Heavenly Father shall impose on us though it be a sharpe and a long chastening we must endure it We read of a woman that had an issue of bloud twelve yeeres and had spent all on the Physitians Wee reade of another woman that was bound by Sathan eighteene yeeres and of a man diseased in his feet thirty eight yeeres yet they endured it so must we doe though it be hard for flesh and bloud If we have an ague a weeke a moneth a quarter a whole yeere we must endure it If it continue three sixe tenne yeeres wee must endure it Iob lost seven thousand Sheepe three thousand Camels five hundred yoke of Oxen yet he endured it he was deprived of seven Sons and three Daughters at a clap yet he endured it his owne body was full of boyles from the Crowne of his head to the soales of his feet hee sate scraping himselfe in ashes yet he endured it his wife provoked him to shorten his paine to curse GOD and dye yet he would not he still endured it Thou speakest like a foolish woman c. He was an Adamant against all afflictions so must we be we must endure all There be two reasons to excite us to it both set downe by S. Paul 1 Cor 10.13 1. No temptation happens to us but that which is incident to men Other men have endured as much as we The Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles yea Christ himselfe We are not alone there are many thousands that draw with us in the yoke Yea Christ himselfe suffers with us Saul Saul why persecutest thou me therefore let us endure it 2 God is faithfull and will not suffer us to bee tempted above that which wee are able he knowes whereof we be made he is as loath to afflict us as we are to be afflicted he doth not willingly punish the children of men It goes to the heart of a tender Father to beate his childe the water stands in his eyes it grieves him to doe it So is it with our Heavenly Father hee is full of pitty and compassion therefore let us endure his chastening how bitter soever it seemes to bee If we do then God offers himselfe to us as unto sons you are my sons I will acknowledge you for mine now ye are my sons now I will be your Father No son but will deserve it at one time or another though he be never so good a childe For children will forget themselves and our bloud is soone stirred even so the best of Gods children will deserve it In many things we sin all the just falleth seven times a day and God in justice must strike though not in fury as we doe Which he proveth by a common custome among men if they be not carried more by affection than judgement they will doe it Oftentimes good fathers forget themselves in it and become fooles but ordinarily what son is there whom the Father chasteneth not No son but the Father chasteneth him so no good man or woman but must be chastened by GOD. VERSE 8. 2 THE necessity of correction is set forth negatively which is amplified by the generality of it All. Before the Law under the Law after the Law Are partakers Some one way some another some in one measure some in another some in soule some in body name goods Some have a long sicknesse some a short Is there any that never had Febriculam Bastards spurius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semen nothus quasi ignotus Iud. 11.1 It is an ignominious thing to be a bastard Bastards are despised by all many brands of infamy are set on them by the Law 1 A Bastard properly is not a son Abraham was Pater when he had Ishmael but not filii Pater till he had Isaac So that he cannot inherit his Fathers lands unlesse he be made legitimate by act of Parliament 2 A bastard may be advanced to no Office in Church or Common-wealth without speciall license favour and dispensation If we be without correction we are bastards Seest thou a man that hath no crosse in himselfe wife children cattell his little finger doth never so much as ake thou mayest safely say yonder goes a bastard he is none of Gods childe Iob 21.9 Psal. 73.4 Here we see the lot of all Gods children not one is exempted The Grammarians say From this generall rule are excepted these that follow Here we have a rule in Divinity that admits no exception All are partakers of correction all that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution There is not any one that can claime a priviledge This is Christs cup and we must all drinke of it hee hath begun in it and we must all pledge him If thou beest Gods childe thou must be corrected Whatsoever thy place bee in the world whether thou beest Magistrat or Subject Minister or people high or low rich or poore yea Kings themselves have their afflictions Mariage is a sweet state the best Wine that ever was was at a Mariage even Wine of CHRIST's owne making yet maried folkes must looke for their afflictions This Rose hath many pricking thornes about it bona vincula nuptiarum sayes S. Ambrose de Virg. l. 3. sed tamen vincula bonum conjugium sed tamen à jugo tractum nubit plorat parturit agrotat de Virg. l. 1. Such