justifie himselfe his owne cloathes would defile him This righteousnesse standeth in an exact conformity to the Law of God in that a man hath not committed neither is prone and inclined to commit any of the things which the Law doth forbid nor hath not omitted nor is not prone to omit any of the things which the Law doth command but is utterly free from all sinne of omission and commission and hath perfectly fulfilled the Law in all points and degrees Such a righteousnesse since Adams fall was never found but in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ Therfore the Apostle saith If righteousnesse were by the Law Christ were dead in vaine he meaneth that if God appointed us now to come to Heaven for Christs sake upon condition of our perfect fulfilling the Law it would be to no purpose for we should not be saved by his death and after he saith that the Law concludeth all under sinne that the promise through the faith of Iesus Christ may be given to them that beleeve and before he had said If there had beene a Law given which could have given life righteousnesse had beene by the Law so that there was not a Law given that could give life and therefore the Psalmist confesseth that in Gods sight there is no flesh righteous and S. Paul durst not stand to this righteousnesse which was his owne by the Law This Legall righteousnesse it would justifie if we had it but wee have it not for wee lost it in our first Parents in whom all sinned and all died all were made sinfull and mortall creatures and a sinfull mortall creature cannot possibly performe such a Law as was given to a sinnelesse and immortall creature Therefore wee must finde out another righteousnesse by which some men may be called righteous and by which Abel was righteous seeing that by this righteousnesse the Scripture testifieth that neither hee nor any other can be made righteous This is the righteousnesse of faith the righteousnesse of the Gospell the righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Jesus Christ even the righteousnesse of God without the Law and the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Jesus Christ Now there is a double righteousnesse taught in the Gospell The one is made ours by imputation and is not ours by inherencie wee never performed it our selves but another performed it for us and we have it imputed to us It is by S. Paul described thus A righteousnesse without workes imputed to the happy man not simply without workes for that is impossible because the Law cannot be fulfilled but by working according to its direction and unlesse the law be fulfilled there is no perfect righteousnesse but a righteousnesse without any workes of ours and therefore without the Law too for the Law accepteth of no righteousnesse but that which is wrought by our selves as it is said of Abraham that hee wrought not but did trust in him that justifies the ungodly Abraham wrought diligently and plentifully how then can it be said that he wrought not hee meaneth that he did not worke that by his owne workes hee might attaine this righteousnesse By this righteousnesse alone we are justified It is the perfect and exact righteousnesse of our Lord Jesus Christ accepted for us and put to our reckoning For he was our surety he tooke our nature hee bare our sinnes hee fulfilled our duty and bare our punishment and so satisfied Gods justice in our roome and is become The Lord our righteousnesse This is the one righteousnesse commended to us by the Gospell To this and this alone we must cleave for the obtaining of remission of sinnes and life eternall at the hands of God By merit of this are we pronounced just by God at his heavenly Tribunall and in the judgement of our owne consciences and hereafter shall be so pronounced openly at the last day to this S. Paul cleaved This the Gospell taught for therein is declared the righteousnesse of God from faith to faith But the Gospell telleth of another righteousnesse that is a companion of this alwaies at the same time and by the same meanes given that this is given and it is a quality inherent in us and wrought in us by the Spirit of God and floweth immediately from our faith The Apostle S. Paul doth describe it plainely saying that Wee must count our selves dead unto sinne but alive unto God and then saith Wee must not yeeld our members as weapons of unrighteousnesse unto sinne but as weapons of righteousnesse to God and saith Wee are become servants to righteousnesse and that wee must yeeld our members servants unto righteousnesse and againe must raigne by righteousnesse unto life eternall It is not the cause of our life but the way to it It is a vertue wrought in us by which we are made able to strive and indeavour and desire to keepe the Law A man till he be justified by faith and reconciled to God is estranged from the Lord and from the life of God and is an enemy in his minde and is dead in sinnes and loves sinne and will not leave it and out of a stiffe and strong bent of will to sinne cannot but serve sinne and will and resolve to continue serving it in one kinde or other Now this is also a righteousnesse of the Gospell and it differs from that of the Law in two things 1. In regard of the degree it is imperfect and defective failing in many things but it is upright and sincere allowes not its failings but with an upright desire striveth to perfection and is still labouring against its imperfections 2. It differs from the righteousnesse of the Law in use for the Law doth require this righteousnesse as an accomplishment of the Covenant of workes to justifie us before God by the merit and worth of it but the Gospell requireth this as an act of obedience alone to shew our thankfullnesse and to proove us truly justified before God because as it is said There is not a Law given which could give life seeing that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and whosoever goes about to put this righteousnesse into the use of justifying him before God I meane of attaining eternall life and remission of sinnes from God by vertue and worth of it that man cannot but be damned because he cannot have the imputed righteousnesse and the inherent both for that purpose If he trust to Christs righteousnesse he cannot trust to his owne if to his owne he cannot trust to Christs seeing S. Paul opposeth them as things contrary saying not having mine owne but Christs which were weakely spoken if a man could have both to the use of justifying yea he saith He that will be justified by the Law is fallen from grace and Christ is become of none effect unto him and by the Law he seekes to be justified that
that tie their horses to the rack-staves and fill themselves with drink or victuals Then his last good deed is he makes hast about his businesse to tell it and set it a foot for he would not eate till he had done his errand and then he effects his businesse fully for he rose up betimes in the morning and would not stay one day but with all speed returnes to let his Master see his good successe O that you servants would all be such servants faithfull diligent in your Masters affaires religious devout prayerfull thankfull on all occasions and carefull of the beasts and other goods committed to your charge and returne home when your businesse is dispatched Now faults in him the Lord shewes none as I said before for the cause then mentioned Benefits he had foure very great 1. That God gave him a godly Master 2. That God gave him favour in his eyes so that he trusted him with all he had 3. That God made him a true Christian for bond and free are all one to God And lastly that he prospered him and brought him safe and with good successe to his Masters house You that be servants pray for these blessings Beseech God to make you his free men and if God grant you favour and good successe in your journeys learne to be very thankfull for it And for his crosse it was this he was a servant to be a bond-man is a lesse desireable condition as Paul intreateth saying if thou maist be free use it rather but it is an easie crosse if a man can meete with so godly a Master and be accepted with him hence S. Paul saith care not for it you that must live by service grumble not at this crosse For your service is not a bondage for life but alone as apprentices for a certaine time or as hired servants from yeere to yeere murmure not at the meanenesse of your estate but frame as this man to be faithfull and godly and you may live as happily here and get as much glory in Heaven hereafter as your Masters * ⎠* THE ELVENTH EXAMPLE OF LOT his VVife and Daughters AFter the Example of Abraham and his Family wee come to those that lived in the same Age with him particular persons and whole Cities and peoples Among particular persons I will begin with Lot and then speake a word of his wife and daughters For himselfe when and of what Mother he was borne it is not recorded but wee have notice of his Father who was Haran the brother of Abraham who died before his Father in the Countrey of Mesopotamia The death of Lot is also concealed in Scripture so that we cannot acquaint you when he ended his daies nor where But in his life we must observe what good is found in him and what evill and secondly what things he met withall in his life both good and bad First for his goodnesse in generall he hath the testimony of the Holy Ghost by the pen of S. Peter that he was a righteous man It is said there that God delivered just Lot as also that righteous man dwelling amongst them vexed his righteous soule This is proofe enough of his goodnesse and it was necessary for the cleering of his name that the New Testament should testifie of his righteousnesse because the narration of his life in the old leaves him in such a case as would make the Reader afraid least hee had quite falne away from all goodnesse but Peters testimony is proofe enough that the committing of that great sinne did not take him of from the number of the righteous No sinne is so great but repentance wipeth it so cleane away that the offender is righteous and must be so esteemed notwithstanding the grievousnesse of his crime Now let each of us labour to get true righteousnesse that though this title be not bestowed upon him by the undeceivable pen of some Author of holy Writ yet hee may heare it pronounced by our blessed Saviour at the last day when standing on the right hand he may be blessed with the blessing of the righteous And let me be bold to turne my speech unto you that have beene and are the grievousest sinners If you lament your unrighteousnesse rest on Christs righteousnesse and hereafter studie righteousnesse in your lives you shall enjoy the happinesse of righteous men at last There is a seeming righteousnesse a meere Pharisaicall paint when a man carries himselfe blamelesly to men ward at least in respect of the grosser acts of evill This will save no man at the last nor comfort him in time of temptation there is a true and reall righteousnesse which will undoubtedly save them which can be so happie as to get it and of this true righteousnesse there are two sorts one of the Law it standeth in a perfect conformity of heart and life unto the exact rule of Gods Law And if there had beene a Law given which could have given life doubtlesse righteousnesse should have beene by the Law but now the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ may be given to them that beleeve So now we must have a righteousnesse by promise that is by the Gospell for that of the Law is too high for us And the righteousnesse of the Gospell is twofold one without us performed by our blessed Saviour for us as a surety paies the debt for the debters use and benefit by which we stand just before God and have our sinnes pardoned and are accepted to salvation When we have so seene our own misery as to goe quite out of our selves and rest alone upon Christ for all good things according to the promise The other is within us it is a gift bestowed upon and wrought in us by the Spirit of God alwaies and inseparably joyned with the former by which we are manifested to our selves and to others to be just and it standeth in a true desire and indeavour to know and leave every sinne forbidden by God and to know and doe all good workes required so that we still continue to humble our selves for our failings and to seeke unto God for pardon and helpe in and by Christ and his Spirit This righteousnesse of faith which denominates him in whom it is righteous you must all get else you shall never attaine eternall life It is a thing appointed of God in such perfection of goodnesse and wisdome that it cannot be found in any Hypocrite seeme he never so good and will surely be found in any upright hearted man be he never so weake never leave striving till you have gotten it and gotten certaine knowledge that you have it Dost thou in thy heart see and acknowledge thy selfe to be a cursed sinner by reason of thy corrupt nature that is derived to thee from Adams loynes and thy wicked life whereby thou thy selfe hast actually
fall the making of them after his owne Image in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse with a most beautifull strong swift healthie and comely body free from all danger of sicknesse death or other misery giving them dominion over all creatures planting so excellent a place for them as Paradise and granting them the use of all the trees and that of life and putting on them so pleasant a service as that of dressing and keeping the Garden besides the hope and assurance of Eternall life upon condition of their obedience of which Paradise it selfe and the tree of life were signes unto them For if wee should live the life of glory by obeying the Law so should they have done seeing they also were under the same Covenant of workes that we be under Now after their sinne God bestowed divers benefits on them The chiefe was the promise of a Saviour viz. The seede of the Woman to tread on the Serpents head that is to destroy the Divell and the workes of the Divell and to deliver them from the mischiefe which Satan sought to bring upon them By which words he did make the Covenant of grace with them and their Posterity providing a remedy equall to the disease and the meanes of revealing it to all in that be manifested it to them that they might teach it to their children and so one to another till all knew it and then making them Breeches and continuing their life and granting them children These be the benefits The miseries they felt were pronouncing a curse upon them adjudging them to an inavoidable necessity of naturall death to much sorrow in their life he by tilling the ground which should bring forth ill things to him and that with sweat and labour and shee by bearing children in sorrow and by being compelled by subjection to her husband then by casting them out of Paradise debarring them the tree of life and giving Caine over to kill his Brother better then himselfe which must needs be an heavie crosse to them which God did somewhat mitigate by giving them another godly sonne even Seth. This is their life their death followes Adam lived 900. yeares and for Eves death it is not mentioned how long shee lived for God hath not thought it fit to tell us the length of the life of any woman except Sarah in Scripture upon what consideration it is hard to guesse but sure it is to humble womankinde that because they were first in bringing in death deserved not to have the continuance of their lives recorded by Gods pen. So have I briefely runne over the first man and the first woman And now I will make use of all First from their Creation and the benefits bestowed upon them in and after their Creation let us learne to acknowledge God to be our Creator the Fountaine of our being and to submit our selves wholy to him in all things seeing we have received our being from him for in making them he made us in them and whatsoever benefits he gave him in Creation he gave them to us in him seeing if he had not cast them away we should not have wanted them Wee must not lesse praise God and be lesse thankefull for that happy estate because Adam forfeited it for his naughtinesse in sinning cannot diminish the goodnesse of God in granting to him and his so great a heape of pleasures here with certainty of Eternall life after Doe you not see that God made us all to happinesse and life in our first Parents fitting all things so that he might have stood and delivered over all those benefits unto us Let us not murmure against God for the punishment justly inflicted upon us in them and on them for the sinne committed by them especially wee must praise God for the promise of the seed of the Woman which now God hath performed to us by whom salvation and life was offered and tendered to all so that by the second Adam all might have received happinesse as they lost it by the first if the fault had not beene and were not meerely in themselves that have beene and are carelesse of Gods goodnesse neglecting to consider of his mercy to beleeve in him and to turne to him Secondly in Adams sinne let us all see our owne sinfullnesse and our mortality and misery in his misery For by one man sinne came into the world and by sinne death and so death passed over all This sinne is our sinne after a sort we must lament it and bewaile it and be humbled for it and in the sence of our wretchednesse runne to the promised seed to deliver us from sinne and death and to repaire the Image of God in us by the mighty worke of his Spirit which is as easie for him to doe as to create us just at the first and which he will as certainely performe for us if we seeke it as hee did then in our first making Againe let us learne to hate and loath sinne and Satan not to hearken to his suggestions but to beleeve Gods threats and submit to his Commandements let the husband resolve not to obey the voice of his wife against God let the wife take heed of drawing her husband to sinne let the husband rather reforme her then be corrupted by her O beware of thinking to get any thing by doing wickednesse disobedience will bring nothing in conclusion but misery and unhappinesse Let us take heed of flying from God and of excusing our faults and casting the blame upon others chiefely upon God himselfe as Adam did but let us rather confesse lament and trust in his mercy and implore it then dawbe and dissemble and thinke to escape by frivolous shifts and extenuations and especially learne not to be proud of apparell which is no better then a badge of our wicked rebellion and of our shamefull nakednesse Let us be the better for the things we know concerning Adam and Eve our first Parents Againe let us be carefull to follow them in all good deeds which they did O let us repent and beleeve in Christ hoping for life by him according to the Covenant of grace as they did when they had broken the Covenant of Workes For by trusting in Christ we shall goe to Heaven in the way of Evangelicall obedience standing in a resolution and indeavour not to sinne and a carefull humbling our selves and seeking pardon when we faile as sure as they or we should have done in the way of Legall obedience if they and we had remained innocent and God will as surely inable us to this Evangelicall obedience if we seeke to him for grace and the renewing of his Image in us as hee had inabled him to Legall and exact obedience In truth Christ hath made the way to life eternall as easie to us in the path of the Gospell as it was to him in the path of the Law for wee have grace to keepe us from loving and
good as dead at a 100 yeares old It is improbable that there should have beene so great difference of bodily strength betwixt the Father and the Sonne Now from Abraham forward the Holy Ghost maketh his story more large then that of former times We shall follow Gods pen and propound unto you this Father of the faithfull that by doing his workes you may shew your selves his children In him looke to his 1. Birth 2. Life 3. Death For his Birth he was the sonne of Terah borne as some thinke about the 200th yeere of the world some 352 yeeres after the floud but as some thinke 60 yeeres sooner about 1948 of the world and after the floud 298. For his life we will consider his carriage good and bad and the things that befell him good and bad Let us begin with his vertues and good deeds and observe him as an excellent patterne of all vertues and goodnesse that we may profit the better by considering his life more particularly Let us see what vertues and good deeds he practised towards God first and then towards man First for God hee is commended for faith Abraham saith the Author of the Hebrewes by faith called of God c. and Abraham by faith offered up so that faith he had and was called the friend of God as the Apostle S. Iames witnesseth now without faith no man can possibly please God or be his friend So had Abel as we shewed you before so had Noah so had Henoch so had all the godly at all times This grace is the cardinall grace the radicall grace that upon which all other graces grow as on their roote and on which they move as the doore upon its hinges Therefore you that would be called the children of Abram heires of the blessing of Abram come and compare your selves with him and see whether you be faithfull as he was to that end know that faith is the grace by which we beleeve things invisible and supernaturall concerning another life hereafter So the Apostle distinguisheth walking by faith from walking by sence or sight and Faith is said to be the Evidence of things not seene and ground of things hoped for Reason and naturall discourse will informe of things sensible and naturall concerning the present life but the things that are above sence and reason concerning a future life hoped for hereafter nothing doth informe us but faith and faith is that grace by which the soule beleeveth such things It hath three sorts of acts in regard of which it is stiled by three titles Faith of God Faith to God Faith in God Faith of God is that by which we beleeve that there is such a God as indeed he is All conceits of God are not of faith but those apprehensions of him which agree to his being and conceive him to be such as himselfe doth set forth himselfe to be and you shall see what Abraham beleeved concerning him 1. He beleeved that this God was one and but one as the Scripture witnesseth of him He worshipped God he called on the name of God he builded an Altar to God not to gods or more gods but to one God JEHOVAH 2. He beleeved that this one God was True Omnipotent able and willing to doe any thing that he should speake viz. that he was All-sufficient and faithfull as S. Paul witnesseth being fully perswaded that what he had spoken he was able also to performe and Heb. 11. that he was able to raise him from the dead 3. He beleeved that this one God was possessor and judge and therefore also Maker of Heaven and Earth And 4. That he was righteous and would doe righteousnesse in punishing the wicked that lived in sinne and in sparing and being favourable to the righteous man that did study to walke before him in a good conversation Now these be the principall things to be assented unto concerning God Secondly Abraham had faith to God that is he gave consent to all those things that God said because he said them which necessarily followeth from his acknowledgement of the truth power and All-sufficiency of God So doth the Author to the Hebrewes note that it was a land which after he should receive for an inheritance He beleeved that God would give him that land according to his promise and he beleeved above hope in hope that he should be Father of many Nations and it is said that God preached the Gospell unto him saying in thy seed which is Christ shall all Nations be blessed He beleeved that of his seed should come the Messiah which should free mankinde from the curse and make them partakers of the blessing So he beleeved Gods threats against Sodome that God would destroy it with fire Thirdly he believed in God 1. He trusted upon his mercy in the promised seede that for his sake not for the worth of his owne righteousnesse God would be mercifull to him and save him He beleeved in God and this faith was counted unto him for righteousnesse He was justified by this faith as the instrument he did not worke meaning in respect of justification he did not thinke to be pardoned and accepted for the workes sake but beleeved in him that justified those which in themselves be ungodly by justifying he meanes pardoneth their sinnes as it is said Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne for the promise was not made to him by the workes of the Law but the righteousnesse of faith that is the righteousnesse without workes as he described it before Now if you have this faith and all these acts of faith then you are Abrahams sonnes if not in vaine doe you lay title to his inheritance Therefore trie your selves and if you have this faith then know your selves happy if not you are farre from blessednesse you are still under the curse But secondly Abraham feared God True faith will bring forth the feare of God not the passion of feare nor slavish feare nor feare of flight but the feare of caution and warinesse a not daring to offend God as the Lord himselfe witnessed of him saying Now I know that thou fearest mee when thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Loe the feare of God is such a disposition of heart to God-ward out of the apprehension of his excellency and greatnesse and justice that will cause a man not to be bold to dare to omit any worke that Gods Commandement injoyneth him unto and so not to commit any thing that God condemneth I pray you consider have have you this vertuous feare of God Doe your hearts stand in awe of him so that you flie from the offending and displeasing of him as from the greatest of all evils those that have Gods feare before their eyes they are godly like Abraham those that have it not they are wicked as Abram thought the men of Gerar and Egypt to be O labour for
other and so persists impenitently For that is the last of all his sinnes he goes away quite from God and his Father ceaseth to continue a member of that family and of that Church gives over all outward shewes of religion turnes meere worldly and earthly and seekes to ease the smart of his conscience by building and busling in the world declaring a piece of vaine glory too by calling his City after the name of his first-borne as it were boasting of it that hee should have his sonne the Lord of a City of his owne name Henoch of Henoch A fearefull offence to persist still in impenitencie to cast of all shew of religion to excommunicate himselfe out of the Church and burie himselfe in vanity and worldlinesse so to stifle his owne conscience and deaden his owne heart more and more Now I have done with Caines carriage good and bad I come to the things that befell him good and bad First good you see God gave him a sonne and sonnes sonne and continued his life along time to give him space of repentance and set a mark upon him to save him from the violence of all men threatening to punish him seven-fold that is seven times as much as he had hurt Caine if any should kill him Seeing it pleased not God to tell us what this marke was with which hee noted this prime murtherer it is fondnesse in us to weary our selves with conjectures some think it was visible to all men but what I know not nor I am sure can any man else tell but it was the goodnesse of God to secure him of life who had deserved death for the Law of putting the murderer to death was not yet and God would not put Adam to so hard a taske as killing his owne sonne but would shew himselfe to be above Law in forbearing to doe that which he will not suffer a Magistrate to forbeare even putting to death of a wilfull murderer yea it was the great goodnesse of God to give him health and many children and childrens children and to grant him riches and prosperity in the world abundantly if it had beene possible to have drawne him to repentance yea it was a great benefit that God came gently to admonish him of his inward malice if it might have beene to have hindred the breaking of it out into murder and after it was done to come againe with this gentle second admonition if it had beene possible to have melted him and have drawne him to submissive humiliation So God vouchsafed him meanes to keepe him from sinne and to draw him out of sinne and time long enough to make use of those meanes and many benefits to allure him to make use of them thus good is God even to sinners and impenitent sinners to offer them meanes of repentance and acceptation upon their repentance and vouchsafe them store of good things for a long time notwithstanding their obstinatenesse in refusing to repent Now lastly let us consider Gods punishments viz. the evill things he met withall The first is sentencing him for his fault and laying open the greatnesse of it in saying What hast thou done thy Brothers blood cryeth to mee from the earth which hath drunk it in at thine hand Secondly hee curseth him from the earth that is in respect of the earth which shall not be halfe so fruitfull to him as before nor yeeld its increase as it had done for he doth not meane simply it shall yeeld no fruit but nothing so much nor so easily Lastly thou shalt be a fugitive a runnagate that is a man full of unquietnesse and terrours that canst have no rest nor peace in thine heart nor any content any where yea it signifieth a giving him over to cast off all goodnesse and leave him to himselfe to forsake his Fathers house and so a selling him over to profanenesse and utter impenitency Thus we have done with Caines life and for his death the Scripture vouchsafes not to mention it nor how long he lived but he lived a long time even to see the sonnes of Lamech who was the sixt generation from him and vaunted that if God would so avenge Caine he would be avenged more by which speech it is very probable that Caine was then alive So we have spoken all we have to speake of Caine. Now I will make some use of all First from that that was good in Caine I pray you learne at least to be as good as so bad a man was and therefore may sure be attained by naturall indeavours You see Caine did not give himselfe to runne idling about the world but submitted to his Fathers government so farre as to give himselfe to Husbandry O let no man turne himselfe into a cipher nay into an excrement that lives in the world to no purpose yea to bad purpose for hee shall not but doe naughtily that will doe nothing set your selves therefore to have and to follow some calling and employment Live not like those playfull creatures imperfect pictures of men but of such men the fitrest emblemes like apes and monkeys onely to skip up and downe and to make sport but live to bestow your selves in some profitable vocation for your owne and the common good If any say Caine was necessitated to it because there were no other to till the ground for them he being Adams first-borne I answer first I desire you should live somewhat better then Caine and doe good out of choice which perhaps he might doe out of necessity Secondly I answer that though you be not necessitated to any calling by want yet wisdome and a good conscience binde you for must you not submit to that of God In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate and to that of the Psalmist he shall eate the labour of his hands and to that of Paul which condemnes the inordinate walkers which wrought not at all and is it not wisdome to forbeare walking on a thorne hedge which Salomon saith the idle man doth and to prevent many occasions as the having no calling and being carelesse of it will surely bring I say againe then be as good as Caine have and follow some calling Againe looke that there be some at least outside of religion in you worship God and be not so much lovers of money as not to give him something even to be at cost for his worship in such kind as cost is now needfull as they were to performe a worship then required the cost notwithstanding Be not profane to neglect Gods Worship out of sleighting it be not niggards to put of God with as little as you can but give him of the fruits of your ground and now know that that is given to God which is given to the maintenance of his Ministers which performe his Worship and other instruments necessary to the performance of it as a fit place and the like O be as good as a
excessively to the world and put your selves in minde of a world that is to come and minde the things that are above and set your affections on them If you so performe workes of Gods Worship as that they weane you not from the world you doe them but hypocritically you have alone the forme and not the power of godlinesse Though a man use not violence yet if hee be excessively worldly the Word of God is choaked in him and will not bring forth the fruit of eternall life unto him Another sin of the old World is they abused Gods long-suffering and Noahs preaching and gat no manner of knowledge of the long threatned floud nor no care of amending their lives This is a fearefull thing to get nothing by Gods patience or by the labours of the Ministers whom he sends to teach and warne us This shewes that the Divell haâ—h blinded their eyes that sinne hath hardened the heart and that a man hath given over himselfe to the servitude of some lust this is a great wrong to Gods goodnesse and authority both and it brings severe punishments for in aggravating the sinnes of men it must needs aggravate the punishment also O brethren consider of your selves if you be not guilty of this sinne How long hath God beene striving to pull you out of your sinnes How much patience hath he shewed how much teaching have you heard and yet alas the old World got as much by Gods kindnesse to them as you doe and you no more then they Many of you know nothing of your miserable estate As little be you acquainted with the truths you are taught every day as they were with the floud that came upon them as little doth our preaching prevaile to worke you to amendment as did the preaching of Noah with them We may well comfort our selves in this that our successe is no worse then Noahs and also lament that it is no better Indeed you have not had so many yeeres preaching as the old World had but consider it with the proportion to your lives and you have more Then men used to live some seven eight or nine hundred yeeres Loe God gave them a Preacher a long time and at length determined the very yeere of the floud it shall be a hundred and twenty yeeres hence and so from yeare to yeare lesse as the yeeres went up Yee have lived and died many of you that be dead under the Ministery Indeed we cannot tell you the yeere of your death or bring you tidings of a floud of water to overflow you altogether but of a river of fire and brimstone to overflow and overwhelme you one after one wee can tell you from God and you feare this floud of brimstone no more then they did that floud of water O repent of your long impenitency and miserable unbeleefe and wilfull ignorance of Gods threats and other things that are continually taught you out of the Word And now cease to imitate this world of ungodly men but apply your selves to flie from the wrath to come and from the vengeance that must overtake all wilfull sinners I beseech you lay to heart the things you heare take notice of them beleeve them and set your selves to amend your lives and cast away all your sinnes which this old World did not but should have done be better I say be better then they were and let their wickednesse teach you some goodnesse When will it once be that you will know and beleeve the threats of God and his promises when will it once be that you will submit your selves to those that are as Noah was Preachers of righteousnesse and seeke to get the righteousnesse of faith which Noah would not have gotten himselfe if it had not beene the same that hee preached to others Now I pray you at last to exceede this generation of wicked men And these uses you must make of their wickednesse Now of Gods patience towards them in giving them all outward prosperity and long deferring the execution of his wrath and sending Noah by preaching and building the Arke to draw them to repentance learne first to praise God for the like long-suffering to us and using the like meanes to bring us to repentance and to life eternall It is the same God that ruled the world at those times who ruleth us also at this time and he discovers the same vertues in his governing O how patient is God now also how great care doth he take to leade us to repentance also How many outward benefits have wee This goodnesse of God towards them that perish whereby he tooke such order and care for them that they might have escaped perdition if they would have made use of his meanes is not sufficiently heeded nor observed Might not the world then have escaped both drowning and hell too if they would have hearkened to Noah and beleeved him and followed his instructions Did any thing but their owne wilfullnesse and heedlesnesse shut them out of the Arke and out of Heaven and thrust them downe into the Deluge and into Hell Brethren God magnifies his mercies to the vessells of wrath he doth labour to bring them out of their ill estate he hath not ceased for many yeares to intice them to repentance by his long-suffering Certainely this should magnifie Gods goodnesse to us and make us to applaud him exceedingly and acknowledge the brightnesse of his Justice in their future destruction O how just was God in the drowning of these men is hee not as just in the damning of the sinner now Lord be thou praised for thy mercy and forthy justice and let the one serve to cleare the other and both to commend thee Againe I pray you now the the second time to make a good use of Gods clemencie to you He sent but one Noah to all the world who yet is said to condemne the world He sends amongst you to every towne almost one to tell you of the judgement to come and to stirre you up to repentance Now be intreated to hearken and obey and to get you to the Arke Brethren wee doe here in Gods name offer you assurance of pardon of sinne and freedome from hell and death if you will accept it O let not our preaching be in vaine Come come into the Arke come into Christ by true faith into whom you are come by Baptisme in respect of outward profession The Arke was a figure of Christ and Baptisme is as it were the Arke O labour for the true Baptisme with the Spirit that you may shunne and escape the Deluge of Gods eternall wrath and vengeance Let us not preach to you in vaine as Noah did to the old world And present to your selves the hideousnesse of that plague O how did mens hearts ake within them how did horrour take hold upon them when they saw the waters rage so furiously O now did they find that in experience which they would not beleeve by Noahs preaching
told Abraham in her hearing that he should have a sonne by her at the time of life shee laughed at the promise of God as at a thing ridiculous and impossible saying After I am old shall I have pleasure and my Lord being old also for the Scripture saith Shee was old and it ceased to be with her after the manner of women See how when God promised a thing in nature and reason utterly impossible shee so farre forgat the Omnipotent power of God as to think sure it could never come to passe though God had promised it and the Angell reprooved her saying Shall any thing be impossible with God Thus the people of God doe sometimes stagger at the promise of God through unbeleefe when God saith one thing and reason saith the contrary they consult with flesh and bloud and credit their owne reason above the authority of God which speaketh to them This is a great fault and tendeth much to the dishonour of God as if his power were limited by the rules of reason or by the course of nature and did not exceede our reason and stand quite above the power of nature Wee must see this sinne in our selves labouring to be humbled at it but not discouraged for this weakenesse of faith may well stand with the truth of faith not he hath no faith at all who is many times troubled with doubting but he which yeelds to it and is overcome by it Wee must also strive to waxe strong in faith by putting our selves in minde of Gods Omnipotency and faithfullnesse as Sarah did at length for the Apostle witnesseth that shee judged him faithfull which had promised and those promises which we must labour stedfastly to beleeve are the promises of God to pardon our sinnes and write his Law in our hearts and to make us able to walke in his waies and crowne us at last with life and glory nonwithstanding our sinnes and imperfections Though the performance of these promises seeme to us as impossible as that a dry woman should be a mother yet we must labour to rest upon them because of the fidelity of him that hath promised to perfect his power in our weakenesse Another fault of Sarahs was this that once shee forgat her selfe to her husband and was full of anger and discontent wrongfully charging him to take her maides part against her saying My wrong he on thee for I have given my maide into thy bosome and now I am despised in her sight It was true that Hagar did sleight her too much but that Abraham was guilty of this fault by bearing out Hagar in it that was altogether false as his answer prooveth plainely for hee saith thy maide is in thine hand doe with her what thou wilt So Sarahs anger made her use false accusations against her husband Be humbled yee wives if you have chafed with your husbands and carried your selves injuriously towards them in words Sarah did this but she did it not oft it was this one time alone so farre as we read in other things shee behaved her selfe meekely and reverently O looke to your selves that you offend not continually in that thing wherein this good woman offended once alone and no more for this once was even too much keepe downe anger therefore and let it not breake out against your husbands And you husbands learne though your wives doe transgresse sometimes not to be harsh with them againe but heale their errours with the spirit of meekenesse as Abraham also did Shee must blame her selfe but shee may bee indued with grace for all this But another weakenesse of Sarah is that shee was somewhat too rough with Hagar insomuch that Hagar could not indure it for if shee was so violent in words with Abraham what doe you thinke her carriage was to the maide yea shee was something too earnest against Ishmael and her too when nothing would serve her but that she must have them both together cast out of doores For though God bad Abraham doe according to her words it followeth not thence that she was not overpassionate in it God for a misterie would have it done and yet Sarah might offend in doing it So good people are apt to be overharsh to them that wrong them and exercise too much bitternesse against them Another fault of Sarahs was that shee dissembled at her husbands request and that two severall times saying shee was his sister and so saying it that those to whom shee spake might thinke shee was none of his wife for that was the intention both of Abraham and Sarah It is a weakenesse in wives sometimes to be led by their husbands to doe that that is evill and to joyne with them in sinne Here Sarah hazarded her chastitie to content her husband to satisfie his feares she was like to have brought her selfe and others into a fearefull sinne This fault must be reformed by good wives amongst others and they must resolve not to sinne against God for their husbands sakes fearing his displeasure more then the danger of their husbands or their anger Indeede in laying nay to such motions of their husbands they must use reverence and do it in a calme and quiet manner but refuse they must being warned by the example of Sarah Sarahs last fault was that shee denied her laughter to the Angell when shee had sinned in laughing To lye in a passion for feare of blame denying that one hath done a thing which indeed one hath done that so one may escape reprehension or correction is a sinne to which mans nature is very subject springing from the want of the feare of God and from an excessive carnall love to ones selfe and desire of his owne temporall safety This fault you may reade Gen. 18.15 Reade it not to doe the like but to amend it and to be moved to repent of it if you have committed it Now then let us reflect upon our selves and consider of our owne carriage both to condemne the like faults in our selves and to beare with them in others without bitter censuring and so we shall profit by the knowledge of their evill deedes Now let us consider the benefits that Sarah enjoyed Shee had all those common benefits of health and strength and the like which God doth usually bestow upon all men but besides she enjoyed excellent benefits The first that God gave her faith and saving grace pardoned and passed by her offences and sanctified her and hath saved her soule notwithstanding her faults This is the mercy of mercies that God pleaseth to sanctifie and pardon and save a man for if he be sanctified he is pardoned and shall be saved what profit hath any one of other things if he want this and so be damned for ever after a little content enjoyed here Let us therefore labour to finde this goodnesse of God to us let us humbly pray him that made Sarah godly to make us so
to offer his soone or of Isaac in yeelding up himselfe to be offered were greater for a man doth likely love his life as well as he loveth his childe Now Abraham subdued his love of his sonne unto God and Isaac subdued the love of his life to God both notable patternes of sincere obedience This example you reade in Gen. 22.9 when Abraham and Isaac came to the place which God had appointed Abraham built an Altar laid on the woode and stretched forth his hand and tooke the knife to slay his sonne Isaac at that time was of such an age that he might have resisted his Father being old or have got himselfe free by flight from him but he gave up himselfe into his Fathers hands or rather into God hand and yeelded his throate to the stroake of the sacrificing knife Hereby it is apparent that he began to feare God betime in that he would not withhold himselfe from God as his Father did not withhold his sonne O that we could approve our Faith by the like effects of it even by a willing yeelding of our lives to him when he doth call for them and not refuse to die if he should call us unto it for his commandements sake God is the author and Lord of our lives and nothing is more agreeable to reason then that we should be content to give up life and all into his hands from whom we have received life and all things And surely in this case it shall be proved true which our Lord Jesus telleth in the Gospell whosoever will loose his life shall save it As Isaac was partaker of that great blessing wherewith the Lord rewarded Abraham for his obedience in offering of his sonne saying in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee Neither Father nor sonne you see were loosers by yeelding up the one his sonne the other his life into the hands of God But contrarily hee that will save his life shall undoubtedly loose his life for he must necessarily die at some other time as all other men and then his soule shall be lost together with his life because he loved not God better then his life and he that hateth not his owne life in comparison of God shall not be counted worthy of him Let us therefore see that our soules be so thoroughly subjected unto God if ever we desire to be counted the seede of Abraham and the brothers of Isaac But oh how farre short do very many of us come of this obedience for how should any man beleeve that we would readily part without lives for God which will not part with honour or goods or pleasure yea any of our sinnes at his commandement You be not Isaacs if you cannot be content to give up your lives to God how much lesse if you stand with him for other matters farre lesse then life This is the first part of Isaacs goodnesse to God-ward he became obedient to death Secondly he was devoute and religious given to all holy exercises by name to meditation and prayer principall exercises of piety and religious services of God for so it is noted Gen. 26.25 Hee builded an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. Loe here he worshipped God publikely by sacrifices and prayers and though it be not mentioned that he offered or prayed before an Altar at any other time as I remember yet this once naming of his piety is set downe to signifie his constant care in this duty his Father brought him up in it therefore he could say Where is the lambe Indeed the Lord hath abolished such kinde of Altars and such kinde of sacrifices now since the comming of Jesus Christ into the world and offering himselfe once for all as a propitiatory sacrifice to take away the sinnes of the world but yet now also we have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate that partake of those sacrifices Christ Jesus is our Altar who sacrifieth all those services which we offer up unto God by him and our sacrifices are spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ The offering of a contrite and broken heart God doth much esteeme the offering of praises and prayers the calves of our lips done unto God in the name of Christ are very pleasing unto him the presenting of our selves soules and bodies to him is exceeding delightfull yea with doing of good and distributing as with sacrifices God is greatly contented as S. Paul saith these are an odour of sweete savour a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God If a man retire himselfe and considering the death of Christ for sinne doe humbly present himselfe before God confessing his sinnes and judging himselfe for them and labour to lament them with hearty griefe before God as causes of the death of his sonne this is a gratefull sacrifice If hee praise God in the Name of Christ as for all other benefits so for the great blessing of redemption wrought by Christ this also doth give a sweete odour unto God if he even consecrate himselfe to God resolving to walke before him in all upright obedience praying for the Spirit of God to sanctify him that in all things he may please God no Bullocke or Ram can please the Lord so well If he set apart some portion of his wealth to God and give it to releeve the necessities of the Saints this is very sweete incense so that hee trust not in the merit of the worke as if it could deserve any thing for the worthinesse of it but trust alone in Christ for the acceptation of himselfe and it and all his services Would you confirme to your owne consciences that you be true Isaacs Aske your selves then doe you offer these burnt offerings if not you be not as Isaac childeren of the promise if yea you may assure your soules that you be O then study to abound in these services Againe it is noted that he called on the Name of God there and so it is noted Gen. 25.21 that Isaac intreated the Lord for Rebeccah his wife because shee was barren Hee prayed constantly to God for a childe in this also testifying his religiousnesse and his Faith So wee must be carefull to pray to God for all good things we neede for childeren if we want them for good successe in our callings and whatsoever else we neede or desire For God is the giver of all good things and hath commanded us in all things to make our requests knowne unto him and biddenus to pray continually and in all things give thankes so we are bound to pray as much as Isaac Therefore those that are carelesse of worshipping God in this duty according to that description of a wicked man written by David in the fourteenth Psalme they call not on the name of God are not surely the children of God as was Isaac but the children of Satan rather for the Spirit of God
have a little forme of godlinesse to forbeare some sins and doe some good things for your Parents sake This is to be an Esau even to enjoy the meanes of grace and salvation in a godly house and there to conforme a little outwardly and to abstaine from some sins out of respect to the Governours though you have no true conscience to God Search your hearts you wives children servants that are educated and live under the roofe of good men in the Church of God under good meanes and see your misery if you be no better than this man was And now labour to profit by the means of grace to get the truth of grace causing you to stand in awe of God and to depart from all wickednesse out of due obedience to his Majesty that it may be said of you these and these and all sins you resolve to leave not for sinister respects of this or that person or thing of a Father or the like but out of love to God and a true desire to honour him that hath taken you to be his people Thinke not well of your selves because some self respect or humane consideration keeps you from running into grosser sins but drive to imprint such a filiall regard to the living God in your hearts that may cause you to shun all wickednesse for the Lords sake and then you may comfortably say in your selves now I know I am a true member of the Church and not as Esau was at least then a rotten and a withering and a fruitlesse branch that bringeth forth leaves alone and no good fruit But let us more particularly search into Esau First in respect of his carriage of himselfe in respect of outward things then of his carriage for matters of religion and the things of God Thirdly His behaviour to his Parents Lastly to his brother For the first his life was very faulty in the manner of his orders for the world for in his younger time he gave himselfe wholly to hunting as it is said of him Gen. 25.27 The boyes grew up and Esau was a cunning Hunter a man of the field He meaneth a gallant fellow that gave himselfe to little else but the sport of hunting and was still in the field following that sport He was a rich mans son and his Father had great meanes and allowed him enough wherefore he cared not for any usefull kinde of living but followed sports and jollity and by name was a great hunter still in the fields to please himselfe in that humour Is not this also the common sin of many richer persons who as they had wealth given them to be fewell to idlenesse and voluptuousnesse give themselves over to sports and some to this of hunting and regard not to profit in any good study or profitable trade of life Esaus hunting may seeme not to have been according to our present custome with kennels of bounds but with bow and quiver as it is noted Chap. 25. But howsoever he was set wholly upon sports and sold himselfe to that kinde of delight leting goe other things of better note and use Surely then it is a sin to live voluptuously to have none other calling but pastimes and vaine sports to make that ones occupation that should be alone his recreation and to spend himselfe in such a trifling vaine thing that should be used as a triflle alone to refresh our selves after matters of greater consequence Nimrod was an hunter Ishmael was an archer Esau a field man you reade no such thing of Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob Why should you follow the patterne of those men whom the Scripture speaketh of with disgrace and not theirs rather who have an honourable name in the book of God I pray you call your selves to an account for your expence of time must we not answer to God how we have lived how we have bestowed our dayes and houres will this be a good answer I spent the day in hunting hawking carding dicing and so I did from time to time one day at one sport or merry meeting another at another but all in such toyes Can you bee so fond as to imagine or beleeve that God for this cause gave you wit sences lives health strength wealth and other like meanes of doing good See this fault now so many as are guilty and set your selves to a more profitable kinde of living or else the day will come when you shall bootlesly wish that you had never been O so lay out your life that the world and your selves may be the better for it Live as Abraham and Iacob did not as Esau follow some study follow some good husbandry Live as those that know there is another life after this and that there be more weighty and honourable things to doe than playing and sporting Take heed of bringing your selves into the number of those that are Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God If you say why Then do you condemne all use of sports as hunting fowling or the like I answer no. I doe not but I say let not this in a manner be the totall summe of your employment Have figures as well as cyphers in the number of your dayes let these kindes of exercises have some small quantity of time for your refreshment but spend your selves in better things or else you shall be censured with S. Iames his censure You have lived in pleasure upon earth and then I am sure you shall live in torment when you must leave the earth But another fault we have in Esau for the manner of his hunting ver 29. He came from the field and was faint he followed his pastime over-eagerly and excessively and knew not how to breake it off in due time till very hunger and faintnesse brought him home Sure reason will conclude that it must needs be folly and a sin to be so bound to some sport that one knowes not a due season of leaving it off but must run after it a long time together till faintnesse or hunger follow To be eager after pastimes and stay so long at them as if they were great matters even till extreame wearinesse and hunger take one off and rather compell than perswade him to leave this is an inordinate using of sports For these recreations are in the very wisdome of nature appointed alone to cheere up the minde when it is wearied with great imployments that it may be fitted the better for them afterwards and they are not to be followed for their own sakes as not being worthy to bee made any part of the end of a wise mans life Now he that follows them with so immoderate eagernesse and so long together makes it appeare that he doth not use them as their nature requireth and instead of fitting himselfe for better actions by them doth altogether unfit himselfe for any good action For what can he performe well that hath toiled himselfe in a toy till hee bee quite spent Learne I pray you
amongst them from their lusts that war in their members You see the loathsomenesse of this vice from the bad causes and effects of it Take notice therefore of your owne hearts and lives and see if none of you bee a quarellous and contentious person that is ready upon every occasion to strive with his brother and to breake forth into brawles and suits challenging that which is none of his and disquieting his brethren and himselfe A man may use legall meanes to get and keepe that which is rightfully due to him but he must not doe this in a froward manner with bitternesse and rage against his adversary but for the things that appertaine not to him in equity hee must make no striving at all otherwise he is a contentious man And because selfe-love maketh us so blinde that wee are apt to deceive our selves and to imagine we have good title to that which indeed belongs not to us wee must bee content to referre our selves willingly to other mens judgements and not stand upon our owne opinions I mean to other indifferent and uninterested persons whose judgements are like to bee clearer than our owne in things wherein themselves be not ingaged Let me therefore commend peace and concord let nothing bee done of strife in an humour to crosse and oppose another or to vexe and anger him If covetousnesse or envy rule in a mans heart hee will boile with contention and flame forth into debates and strifes but if he have an heart contented with his estate and charitably disposed to his brethren hee will then insue peace and follow after it For a just controversie may bee carried in a quiet and peaceable manner and so ought to be but be the cause of striving never so equall if the thing be carried tumultuously with bitter words and behaviour with railings swellings whisperings backbitings mutuall disgracing and upbraiding one another this is a signe of a naughty heart in whom the wisdome that is from below doth rule and beare sway Resolve therefore to follow peace with all men not striving but upon just cause and then also in a loving gentle and milde manner And so much for Isaacs contemporaries with whom his occasions gave him cause of intermingling I proceed now to Isaacs heire and successor that is to say Iacob * ⎠* THE EIGHTEENTH EXAMPLE OF IACOB THE word Iacob signifieth he holds the heele the reason of which name you may reade Gen. 25. 26. He and Esau were Twins born at one birth Esau was the first borne and when he was borne his brother came out after him and held him by the heele whence this name was given him Of Iacob we must shew three things as in former Examples His birth life and death Concerning his birth the time and parents were the same which we noted before of Esau the manner was as you have heard as if hee had wrestled with his brother for the birth-right even in the birth in which may seem to be signified the great stir that should be betwixt their Successours as well as themselves yea and betwixt the good and bad in all ages even those that are heires of the promise and those that be contemners of the promise For the Lord had foretold that two Nations were in Rebekkahs wombe which should be separated one from the other and in them the Lord did manifest the freedome of his Election seeing he chose the younger before the elder to inherite the promises and that before they had done good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might remaine or be firme not of workes but of him that calleth meaning that Gods intention of saving by his grace who freely calleth not of any workes in any person whether repenting beleeving or any other workes might be stedfast and stable No workes cause God to call one or to purpose to call one or not to call another but alone his good pleasure whereof though it be sure that God hath in himselfe just reason for he is a reasonable agent and doth all things and most understandingly yet he sees it not good to reveale to us any reason because he would make us see what subjection we owe to him that is to say to rest in his will as a sufficient reason to satisfie us God might have purposed to call and also have called all without any picking or choosing or preferring one before another but his purpose was according to election or choice he intended not to raise up all out of the miserable estate into which Adam brought all but alone some and in his choosing he might have left whom he tooke and contrarily but he would take some not all and these not those because in his wisdome he saw it fit and so great is his power and soveraignty that we ought to be contented with this reason God would have it so Gods Election is his purpose to call such and such leaving the rest and of this purpose we can give no other cause but this so it seemed good unto him though himselfe have such grounds of his choice within himselfe as it is fit for a wise agent to have for the ground of all his actions He that will not quiet himselfe thus in the matter of election shall entangle himselfe so that he will never bee loosed And so much of Iacobs birth Now for his life we will consider his vertues faults crosses benefits For his vertues we will speake of them first in generall and here two things are noted in him Gen. 25.27 Iacob was a plaine man and did dwell in Tents The word translated a plaine man signifieth a perfect or upright man It is of larger signification than that phrase of ours A plaine man for that in common speech noteth one that is simple and dealeth squarely and eavenly without fraud deceit guile or any tricks in his actions so may one be and have no great goodnesse in him But this word is used to denote an upright hearted man a truly and intirely godly man a perfect man that is good within as well as without and good in all things at all times and in all places one as well as another one that carefully follows all the Commandements of God not giving himselfe leave to swerve from any of Gods wayes at any time Perfection is that property in things by which they have all which is requisite for their due constitution There is a double perfection one of degrees unattainable in this life and it is when a man hath all the parts of obedience in the highest degree that the Law requireth of him this is a legall perfection without which no man can be justified before God by the Law and because no man can attain it therefore By the Law shall no flesh be justified but beleevers have it in Christ in whom they are made the righteousnesse or God and to whom righteousnesse without workes meaning workes of their own
blessing was this that he made him a godly man giving him true faith so that he did unfainedly beleeve in God and was a right godly and religious man For it is noted of him that he beleeved in God and was an heire with Abraham of the same promises both concerning the land of Canaan as a Type and heaven it selfe the thing figured by the land of Canaan So Iacob was a true servant of God and member of Christ and inheritour of heaven and from him the Church is many times called by the name of Iacob and Israel And this is the greatest good that can be found in this life in comparison of which all other benefits are of no value and without which other things are not sufficient to make a man happy though he should possesse them in never so great abundance for what will it advantage a man to win the whole world and lose his owne soule Now therefore we must learne most earnestly to seeke this benefit which God is ready to give to us as well as to him For Iacob was not godly by nature nor by any power of his owne but by the free grace of God and the mighty and saving worke of his owne blessed Spirit which Spirit he hath promised to all that aske even as undoubtedly as any tender hearted Father will give food unto his hungry childe that shall crave it at his hands Let no man be discouraged because of the corruption and naughtinesse of his nature for the same bad and depraved nature was found in Iacob that in himselfe seeing Iacob also was a son of Adam by corrupt nature a childe of wrath and heire of death as well as any other but God did circumcise his heart as well as his flesh and made him partaker of the divine nature by which he prevailed against the corruptions that are in the world through lust Wherefore let each of us take notice of his owne wickednesse and inability to make himselfe good and of his manifold sins and inability to procure pardon of them to himselfe and let him earnestly call upon God to worke true repentance and unfained faith in him and the Lord will graciously worke these things in him as well as in Iacob and will pardon his sins and sanctifie his soule and make him an inheritour of his heavenly Kingdome I beseech you therefore bury not your selves in the world and in the study of earthly things but Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and labour to come into the state of grace by meditating on the Gospell seeing your misery in your selves and endeavouring to turne unto the Lord. For in the Church no man is left destitute of grace but through his own default in neglecting the great salvation that is there offered unto him Againe those to whom the Lord hath pleased to shew the same goodnesse working in them true faith inabling them to beleeve in his mercy through Christ and to walke in his wayes with truth and uprightnesse of heart must learne to shew themselves exceeding thankfull to God for this mercy and strive to take comfort in it and to walke worthy of it Blesse God with constant and daily blessings that hath blessed thee with spirituall blessings in Christ and rejoyce in the riches of that inheritance to which thou are interessed and shalt possesse whatsoever wants afflictions crosses thou maist bee exercised withall yet be glad in the Lord and count thy selfe an happy man because the Lord hath granted thee that which may abundantly satisfie thy soule in the want of all outward things and support thee in all afflictions and miseries and countervaile and more then overweigh all manner of calamities Let not the rich man rejoyce in his riches nor the wise man in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength nor any man in any terrene thing he hath but Let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in this that he knoweth me saith the Lord. It is our duty to raise up our hearts so that no earthly adversity may coole or damp our prayers and dismay our hearts and fill us with anguish and grief and that no outward benefits may glut and satt our hearts and turne us away from taking comfort in this true and everlasting mercy God hath made us his owne given us faith sanctified us by his Spirit united us to his Son and caused us to see beleeve and embrace his promises What though we want wealth honour pleasure and these sensuall benefits He hath given us Wheate What though he feed us not with huskes He hath given us Gold What though he lade us not with dirt Hee hath given us himselfe and his Son What though he give us not the vanities of this life It is a sin for a godly man to be out of heart and comfortlesse because of any other want and any other crosse If God have granted you this chiefe benefit glory in it and thinke that you have gotten a good portion though your estate in the world be never so low and poore only be sure that your faith bee true by causing you to abound in those fruits of it which we shewed you before that it brought forth in Iacob Now I come to some lesse principall mercies flowing from this First he gave him the priviledge of the first-borne that Christ should come of him and that the visible Church should continue in his posterity That part of the dignity of the primogeniture to have Christ the blessed seed come of him cannot be bestowed upon any of us neither that to have a great Nation flow from our loines that shall be also the Church of God and a Nation in which true religion and piety shall be continued But to have our children godly and become members of the Church that we must earnestly desire and seeke for and that we may hope for and attaine if we pray earnestly for it and make our children as good as we can by bringing them up in the true knowledge and worshipping of God Further Iacob had the blessing given him First by his Fathers mistake when he tooke him for his eldest son Esau to whom he intended the blessing then after by his Fathers witting and deliberate pronouncing it upon him by the direction of Gods Spirit The former you may see pronounced upon him in Genesis where he saith God give thee of the dew of heaven and after God Almighty blesse thee and give thee the blessing of Abraham This blessing is the bestowing upon him all temporall benefits so far as they are subordinate to his spirituall and then spirituall benefits viz. all sorts of graces by which he may be happily guided to the possession of life eternall This is an excellent mercy to be freed from the curse of the Law and to be made partaker of the blessing of Abraham even that God shall love one take care of him and prosper him in all things hee takes in hand and conduct him
crosse Say then wast thou ever driven out of thine owne habitation to serve in a strange place and an hard master that wronged thee and used thee discurteously Wast thou ever in danger to have all thy goods taken from thee by an enraged man stronger than thy selfe and pursuing thee with a revengefull minde nor wast thou never in perill of thy life by a revengefull person armed with foure hundred souldiers nor wast thou never tormented with seeing thy sonnes murderers couzeners and robbers nor hast thou never lost a deare childe and thought him slaine by a violent death nor did never no son of thine commit incest with his mother in law if not see how favourable God hath been to thee above Iacob and praise love an honour him and make his gentlenesse an argument of turning and obeying for if thou compare thy sins with Iacobs there need be no doubt but that thine have been as great as his and thy repentance as little But it is our good not our sins that God lookes to in correcting as a Father corrects not a little childe for as great a fault so much as he doth a stronger Againe learne to beare the crosses thou hast with more patience and quietnesse of minde by comparing them with Iacobs crosses which have been more in number and more weighty and grievous Why doth any of you my Brethren take the matter so heavily that some childe of his is somewhat stubborne and ill disposed When none of them have committed murder incest rapine and such sins as Iacobs sons did commit Why doe you make such a stir at wrongs When none of you were ever so pursued by any foe as Iacob was by his brother and Father in Law Why doe you take on so for the ordinary and naturall death of a childe seeing none of you hath had such a childe torne by wilde beasts or some other like violence as Iacob conceived Ioseph to have miscarried Why doe you complaine of famine and of want When none of you hath suffered such a famine as compelled him to send so far as Iacob sent to Aegypt for Corne which is thought to be not much lesse than two hundred miles We complaine of ease If our so much lamented afflictions were laid in the ballance with Iacobs we should finde them very light and trifling businesses in comparison Want of looking about and observing the burdens that are fastened unto other mens shoulders causeth us to aggravate our owne so much in our owne conceits as that by making them seeme extraordinarily heavy wee even wilfully cast our selves into excessive sorrow for them But againe you that are yet at ease and have not tasted any so bitter a cup as Iacob did many must bee perswaded to take some paines with your owne hearts to make your selves thinke that some such crosses may befall you and therefore to prepare for them by resolving to beare them and praying God to sit you for them and sanctifie them to you Mans self-loving minde is willing to flatter it selfe with good hopes rather then to forewarne it selfe with wise warnings O I hope I shall never see my children my wife so naught I shall never finde such ill usage I hope Come hither vaine man and either give a good reason of thine hopes or else confesse them to be fruits of thine extreame folly and doting self-love Hath God ever promised thee that no such thing should befall thee I am sure thou canst shew no such promise Hast not thou deserved as much as Iacob to be severely chastened of God I am sure thou oughtest to say yes Doth not thy body soule name children lie abroad in as open a Sea and as tempestuous Here also thou oughtest to say yes and therefore shouldest also condemne these silken soft hopes of thine and say Well God may make me as afflicted as Iacob and therefore I will even expect the same or as bad and if they come I will beare them all seeing God and my ill deservings in them Yonder is a very towardly boy I love him dearely what if I should heare he were torne of beasts Lord if it be thy will let it not be so but if it be make me to beare it with quietnesse and why should I not so stoope to thy will in every thing yea I will doe it by thy grace If thou say I see many escape such crosses I answer and thou seest many afflicted with them and why maist not thou be amongst the number of those that suffer them as well as of those that escape them But lastly take heed of making over-bold with Gods favour as a wanton childe that presumes he shall not be whipt and therefore cares not almost what wanton and evill prankes he playes Doe you not see here that the Lord of heaven knowes how to whip his owne children throughly and to purpose You have not to deale with a foolishly pittifull Father that cannot finde in his heart to heare his children cry and see them smart and bleed No he can strike he can lay it on soundly he can make you roare and cry and bleed hee can doe it yea and he will doe it too if he finde that your conceit of his love and gentlenesse brings forth no better fruit in you than this that by presuming of it you are made more wicked Wherefore say to thy selfe if such abominable fancies arise foolish man that I am doe I so requite the Lords kindnesse Doe I put his clemency to this use Did he not cut and wound Iacobs soul Did he not handle him roughly even though we never reade that he did entertaine such presumptuous conceits How then will hee deale with me if I doe so exceedingly provoke him by so exceedingly abusing his goodnesse And so frame to condemne and blame thy wickednesse in having such motions and pray to God to worke in thine heart a reverend awe of his Majestie by making his justice and anger so terrible to thee as to make sin abominable that would insence that wrath and justice against thee * ⎠* THE TWENTIETH EXAMPLE OF IACOBS Wives FRom the Story of Iacob I proceed to his Wives and Children and so to other his contemporaries Iacob had foure Wives It was not his own seeking that his Wives grew to such a number for he was painfull and laborious and a chaste man that would very contentedly have satisfied himselfe with one woman But he was drawne into this way of Polygamy by severall occasions Now of his Wives the true and lawfull Wife was Rachel for her he agreed with her he espoused himselfe as it is like for we cannot thinke but that after his Father had promised to give her to him upon seven yeares service he would acquaint her with it and desire her good will and unlesse he had attained it the marriage would not have proceeded and been as it was solemnly celebrated to her hee bare singular affection and her alone he looked for Now for Rachel you
that had the conquered in their power having saved their lives did make their persons absolute slaves unto themselves making this law too that the children which they should beget bond-men and bond-women mixing together should be also bond-men So came the greatest number of slaves men yeelding themselves in battell made themselves servants for ever But it may seeme that debt was another cause when a man did owe more then he could pay his person and his children became the creditors servants that he might satisfie by labour what he was not able otherwise so it came in Quest Is it just or not to buy and sell and keepe servants I Answer at first sight it seemes harsh to use reasonable creatures like horses and to make merchandize of our owne flesh but God allowing his people Israel to have servants and buy and sell them of any saving their owne nation doth evidently shew the lawfulnesse of it for it would not stand with his justice to allow them a thing unlawfull Againe when S. Paul teacheth masters how to use their servants and doth not command to manumit them it is evident that it is lawfull to have and therefore also to buy and sell servants But it is a very commendable thing in Christians that they have as it were by a common consent laid downe this custome of bond-service and left it to the Turkes and Pagans So in this the Merchants offended not but if they did by any meanes perceive that Ioseph was a free-man as no doubt they did by his manner of carriage towards his brethren then they did greatly offend in buying and selling him If it be a sinne to buy stolne goods if one knew them to be such much more to buy and sell a free man if one have any probable reasons to declare his freedome as if he were a slave but it is usuall with Merchants to buy any thing that promiseth gaine without consideration how justly it be come by of them that sell it of which be you trades-men warned for thinke you what you please of it it is a fearefull sinne and makes you partakers of the same unjustice which was found in the seller So much of the Midianitish merchants that did bring Ioseph to Egypt Now of those with whom he had occasion to converse in Egypt First his master that bought him he was a man of principall place and command in Egypt his name was Potiphar his office was Prince of the slaughterers as the word signifies as we would call him Captaine of the Gaurd Princes of old have had about them even men that attended them continually as to defend them so to doe execution upon such as themselves appointed to die Such men had need of a discreet and prudent and stout man to be their Captaine this office was put upon Iosephs master it may seeme by his carriage that he was a man of an indifferent good nature we will note his faults his good deeds his crosses and his benefits For his faults First it carrieth a shew of a fault at least that having gotten a trusty steward and finding him both faithfull and prosperous he gave himselfe wholly over to his ease and tooke account or care of nothing but of his diet He would not appoint Ioseph what provision to make for his belly himselfe would looke to that to nothing else he would looke So it may seeme he was as we use to terme such persons a very belly-god that tooke thought for nothing but good fare If he had not beene too much given to his pallar he would have left the matter of his tabling to him as well as other things but that he which would brooke none other thoughts would himselfe have an eye to his meate it is a very probable proofe that he was too great a friend to his belly and over-loved fine and dainty fare A man of place might have found some higher and nobler businesse wherein to have imployed his freedome from domesticall cares then about the kitchin but such an epicure was Potiphar that his mind soared little higher then a beasts doth to please his tooth and pamper his flesh with delicacies And I pray you be there not many gentlemen Potiphars that leave all other affaires at randome and oversee nothing but that they may fare well Men of great state have little else to doe and will have little else but to cram themselves and shew themselves good trencher-men Businesses of any moment they neither doe nor will know how to doe but stuffe themselves with good victualls and to get them a stomacke is the maine matter of their life that they may eate a better meale and digest it better Such as give themselves to live in pleasure on earth and nourish themselves as in a day of slaughter are bidden by S. Iames to howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come upon them but for the most part they be growne so brawny-hearted that they would but laugh at Christ himselfe if he should bid them weepe yet if any amongst you be such that cares for no more but to give himselfe over to sports and feasting let him see how brutish he hath made himselfe and be sure that Heaven is still shut against Divesses and Hell is still open to receive them Next I should thinke it a reasonable exhortation to you that be Christians that if you have leisure or freedome from other worldly cares you would bestow your time better then this Aegyptian in some profitable study in reading chiefely the Scriptures and in a large bestowing your selves on exercises of piety and then in other fit knowledge or knowledges whereby you may be better able to doe your countrey service with comfort to your selves you must account with God for time If an idle word must come under a reckoning sure other no lesse idle wasting of time shall not be slipped over Live as those that know there is a God that he will call them to judgement that ill and unprofitable spending of time shall goe for a crime No man forbids you good fare and a convenient measure of recreation by lawfull sports but to make your lives nothing else but a chaining of breakefast dinner supper together with the linkes of divers kindes of sportes if this be not a ready way to Hell I professe I cannot find any in Scripture or in nature that will bring men thither doe you think that our Saviour spake the Parable of the rich glutton in vaine But another fault of his was that he beleeved his wives cunning slander against his servant Ioseph and was so wrath that instantly he cast him into prison very likely without calling him or at least patient hearing him to answer for himselfe Shee accused Ioseph to have inticed her and offered to ravish her the man beleeves his wife is in fierce wrath against innocent Ioseph and imprisons him It is a fault to receive a report or accusation against any man
as great account of such in prosperity as in adversity Now it might have beene to the Baker a benefit if his want of due knowledge had not unfitted him to make it usefull that he had three dayes warning to fit him for death There is no man that can promise himselfe life for the space of three dayes but so easy are we to make and beleeve promises of life to our selves unlesse we see the time of our life most inevitably determined that we will hardly set our selves to prepare heartily for death unlesse we be made to see that now before such a time we must needes die But it is our duty to looke for that and walke prepared for it that may come every houre must come within a short time for what is the longest life when once the conclusion of it is come upon us Againe it was a benefit to the Butler he both knew he must be delivered and was delivered out of prison and retured to his place of honour againe To have a comfortable deliverance out of crosses is a benefit that we can easily discerne to be great who doth not desire it rejoyce in it pray for it and applaud others for it It is therefore a great goodnesse of God to grant it indeed if one have beene caught by some affliction through wrongfull meanes when nothing worthy thereof hath beene done by him it is a favour of God to make his innocency knowne and so to grant him a happy escape but howsoever it is a mercy But you see here it is a common mercy be thankfull for it walke capable of it by being such as God hath ingaged himselfe unto to deliver them out of all adversity And most of all make a good use of your crosses and deliverances both that you may be better after a crosse and that your deliverance may deliver you also from sinne Hee that getteth not some more grace in adversity then he had before it came and doth not use that grace after to shew himselfe to have profited by his crosse comes out of a crosse none otherwise then a beast may scramble out of a ditch and to such an one a worse thing shall befall afterwards And so much for this couple Now we proceed to Pharaoh himselfe King of Egypt we consider in him the same things his good and bad deeds the good and bad occurrents that befell him First for his good deeds Pharaoh was indeed an Heathen and an Idolater but he seemeth to have beene a man of good wisedome and morall parts the good deeds recorded of him in Scripture are these First having dreamed a divine dreame I meane a dreame sent to him of God for some speciall purpose he used all the waies he could to come to the knowledge of it and was much troubled when he saw that he could not attaine the interpretation of it For a dreame was but a kind of riddle or similitude offered unto a man in his sleepe which did darkely and yet truely represent some truth necessary for him to know Indeed sometimes God did appeare to his servants in dreames without any such darke and obscure revelations and in expresse and plaine termes did tell them the things which they were to know as in the dreames of Abimelech and of Abraham but many times he appeared to them alone in similitudes yet so that he made them know the meaning easily as in Iosephs dreames and in Iacobs dreame of the ladder now such an enigmaticall dreame being offered unto Pharaoh he sought all meanes of getting the interpretation of it surely we should much more seeke to attaine the knowledge of the Scripture and desire to have some to interpret the same unto us where it is doubtfull and obscure And if we neglect to seeke the meaning of it we shall doe as much wrong to our selves as Pharoah should have done to himselfe if he had sleighted this dreame for then should his land have beene consumed by famine as well as other lands Therefore since God hath appointed you his written word for your instruction in matters concerning salvation as then he pleased by dreames to reveale what hee saw fit unto men see that you seeke to know the word of God as he sought to know these dreames Onely know this that often the wise men and men of repute in the world cannot tell you these things but some poore imprisoned and neglected Ioseph This is Pharaohs first good deed Nex when he heares of Ioseph he contemnes him not because hee was a poore servant and of low degree but is carefull to send for him and to consult with him and by this meanes attaineth to the knowledge of that which all his inchanters wise-men and diviners could not helpe him unto Surely it is a point of wisedome not to sleight men because of their outward meanenesse but without prejudice to conferre with them if we heare good of them and to be ready to hearken to their wise words Can any good come out of Nazareth saith Nathaniel prejudice against the meanes of Christs birth and education would have kept him from Christ if he had not followed Philips advise who bid him come and see It pleaseth God to triumph over the folly of men that will measure things by worldly greatnesse and to give them over to undoe themselves In Ieremies time the Priests and men of note were opposite to him so Christ was therefore neglected because he was the sonne of a Carpenter Take heede that you measure not men by their high place and worldly accoutrements God is often pleased to sleight great ones and to respect the meaner In this case learne wisedome of Pharoah and judge not by the appearance Thirdly when he saw the high wisedome that God had given to Ioseph he prefers him and makes him chiefe ruler of his Kingdome next under himselfe and commits into his hand the care of gathering corne in the yeeres of plenty to serve against the yeeres of famine Oh how desirable a thing is it in Princes to commend men to high place for their worth sake And how happy is that nation when not a mans either friends or money or flattery or ambitious insinuations of himselfe but his parts the abilities God hath given him and fitnesse to discharge an high place is the rule which the Prince doth follow in advancing men It shall procure a world of welfare to the state and comfort to the Prince to whom the Lord giveth so much wisedome as thus to dispence places of preferment But I speake to subjects wee must be helpefull to our Soveraigne Lord with our prayers that is all which our hands can reach unto A fourth thing is Pharaoh continued to favour Ioseph all his life long and for his sake shewd great respect unto his bretheren and to his Father sending for him willingly and saluting him curteously and planting him and his in the fruitfull place of his Kingdome and fittest for cattle
incest Laban The Scripture saith nothing of his birth or death His Parentage His life His civill vertues 1. He vouchsafe curteous entertainment unto Eliezer 2. He gave him an honest and good answer Neither by faire meanes nor by soule 3. He speedily dismissed him 4. Was loving to his sister made a feast to his neighbours and friends Gen. 29.21 22. 5. He lovingly entertained Iacob when he came unto him 6. Of his own accord he offered Iacob wages for his worke 7. He was willing to bestow his daughters upon him 8 He quickly laid downe his anger and made a covenant with him 9. He sheweth himselfe loving and kind to his daughters and grandchildren 10. He made a feast at the marriage of his daughter 11. He tooke notice of Gods blessing as the cause of his prosperity 12. He forbore what God forbad His faults 1. He was an Idolater 2. He loved Iacob in a worldly manner 3. He cousened Iacob 4. He looked doggedly upon him because he hindred his wealth though without any wrong 5. He pursued Iacob with an hostile minde 6. He falsely chargeth Iacob with stealing his Idols 3. His benefits 1. He had a good son in law 2. He was rich 4. His crosses 1. His daughters and grand children went far from him 2. He was troubled at Iacobs prosperity His death Iacobs children Reuben what it signifies Gen. 29.3 Simeon what it signifies Levi what it signifies Iudah what it signifies Gen. 30.18 Issachar what it signifies Zebulun what it signifies Dan what it signifies Nephthali what it signifies Gad what it signifies Asher what it signifies Ioseph what it signifies Benjamin what it signifies Dinah what it signifies Who she was No good thing is spoken of her Her faults 1. She went into the City to see the daughters of the countrey 2. A young man saw her and lay with her The sonnes Their common faults 1. All of them were bad except Ioseph and Benjamin Gen. 37.2 2. They all beguiled Hamor â—he Sichemite Gen. 35. Deceit is a great sin Prov. 6.10 18. 26.26 Rom. 3. 3. They all consented to the murder of the Sichemites 4. They hated their brother Ioseph 5. They lied cousened their old Father The use of all Their common goodnes 1. They all strove to comfort their Father in his great sadnesse 2. They were dutifull to him in going down to Egypt and not taking Benjamin with them 3. Their benefits 1. They had a godly Father and themselves were pillers of the true Church 2 God saved them all from a great danger 3. They had store of riches 4. Ioseph nourished them in the famine Their crosses 1. In danger from Esau when children 2. In danger at Shechem 3. Felt a famine and were roughly handled by Ioseph Reuben 1. His faults Gen. 35.22 1. He committed incest with his Fathers Concubine Incest is a great sin 1 Cor. 5. 2. His vertues 1. He wisely disswaded his Brethren from killing of Ioseph 2. He was fully minded to restore Ioseph to his Father againe 3 He grieved to see his hopes disappointed and Ioseph taken out of the pit 4 He sought to remove his Father from his stiffenes in refusing to send Benjamin into Aegypt His crosses His Father minded him of his incest on his death-bed 3. His benefits hee had divers sons Simeon and Levi their sinne double 1. The murder of the Sichemites Murder is a great sinne 2. They shewed no repentance when their Father told them of their fault Their punishment They lost part of the birth-right Levies death Iudah His faults 1. He left his Fathers house 2. He was led by his eye in marriage 3. He committed incest with his daughter in law Heb 13 4. 1 Cor. 6.9 4. He dissembled with his daughter in Law 5. He forgat his owne naughtinesse would have had Tamar burnt 6. Repented not of his whoredome but sought to redeeme his pledge His vertues 1. He returned at last to his Fathers house 2. He was somewhat humbled for his sinne 3. He carried himselfe well to his Father Gen. 43. 4. He faithfully kept promise with his Father 5. He did couragiously beare an evill accident His crosses 1. He had two very wicked sonnes His daughter in Law drew him to incest when he intended fornication onely 3. His sinne brake forth to his shame His benefits 1. He had very good naturall parts 2. Hee had a part of the birth-right setled upon him Potipher and his wife Shechem His faults 1. Hee looked lustfully on Dinah Gen. 34. Job 31.1 Mat. 5 29. 2. He enticed or forced her to naughtines or both 1 Cor. 6.18 2. What was good in him 1. He continued to affect her when hee had defloured her Deut. 22.28 29. 2. He acquaints his Father with his love to her and in treates him to speake to her Father for him 3. He stood not over-much upon matter of portion 4. He would have all things agreed upon before marriage 5. He was constant in his love to the end What betrothing is 3. His benefits He was his Fathers heire who was a great man His crosses 1 He prooved an occasion of the overthrow of his Father and his whole family and the Citie Hamor His faults 1. He was willing to be circumcized for a by end 2. He did not reproove nor correct his son for the wrong done to Dinah His vertues 1. He is willing to satisfie his sonne in point of marriage so farre as was fit 2. He deales well with his Subiects perswading them to be circumcised 3. Hee dealt well with Iacob plainely seeking his daughter and yeelding to equall conditions 3 His prosperity 1 His sonne was indifferently good 2. His Subiects were good 4. His crosse Himselfe and all his Family and City were murthered Hiram Hee was a good morall friend His friendship was 1. Lasting 2. Serviceable 3. Secret Yet he was a bad man Er and Onan the first was so wicked that God cut him off Onan was also wicked and cut off by God in his youth Tamar a very bad woman The Midianitish Merchants Gen. 37.25 Merchandize is commendable Pro. 23.4 Buying and selling of men the originall of it The iustice of it Potiphar Potiphar a great man His faults Chap. 39.6 1. Hee gave himselfe wholy over to his ease having a good steward James 5.1 2. He beleeved his wives cunning slander against his servant His good deeds 1. He observed his servants faithfulnesse and good successe nd loved and rewarded him for it Deut. 15.1 14. Prov. 27.18 Col. 4.1 Gal. 3.28 2. He did not take away Iosephs life in a rage His benefits Hee had an honourable office His crosses He had a lewd woman to his wife Potiphars wife No good in her Her faults 1. Shee was an adulterous woman 2. Impudent and earnest in her filthinesse 3. Most malicious Pharaohs Butler and Baker 1. Their good deeds 1. They bare their imprisonment patiently and cheerefully Gen. 40.7 2. They despised not Iosephs youth or meane
transgressed the Law of God Yes Dost thou confesse thy selfe altogether unable of thy selfe to satisfie for or deserve pardon of any of these sinnes or to conquer and overcome them in thy selfe Yes Dost thou acknowledge Jesus Christ to be a sufficient and perfect Saviour ready and able to pardon thee and heale thee and dost thou even labour and desire to rest upon his merits and his Spirit for pardon of sinne and true holinesse And dost thou hereupon put on a resolution and proceede in an indeavour to cast away all sinne and to worke all righteousnesse still confessing and lamenting â—hy faults and failings and renewing thy requests for pardon and grace and thy purposes of amendment Yes I say then to that soule amongst you that can truly make this answer to these questions that he is a righteous man according to the language of the Gospell not righteous with Legall righteousnesse for in that sence never was any found since our first Parents falling from the state of innocency one alone the Lord Jesus Christ excepted nor ever shall be to the last day but righteous with the righteousnesse of the Gospell perfectly justified in the sight of God and sincerely sanctified in himselfe yea though any such amongst you have many and strong corruptions divers times stirring in you and producing evill and wicked acts yet if he persist in lamenting them and renewing his repentance as often as he findeth himselfe an offender yet is he a just man yea if any have runne into most foule and grosse sinnes more then once yet if he have now cast away those sinnes and be returned againe to his purpose and indeavour of godly living he is a righteous man and shall be saved as was Lot So much for Lots goodnesse in generall Now I will speake of those particular good deeds which hee is commended for in Scripture First he left his owne Countrey and Fathers house with his Grand-father Terah and his Unkle Abraham this was a good deed and commendable Indeed if hee were then a meere young man not yet living as the Master of a family of himselfe but under the roofe of his Father then the commendation is not great for he might be then driven to it by the authority of his Grand-father rather then be lead by any faith in himselfe But I suppose he was then of age to make his owne choice of habitation and might if it seemed good unto him have stayed in Aram Naharaim as well as his Unkle Nahor did the Father of Rebekah for in the yeere of the World 2079 Abraham left his Countrey and in the yeere 2009 or thereabouts Sodome was consumed So betwixt the comming out of Mesopotamia and the conflagration of Sodome were but about thirty yeares but Lot had at that time two marriageable daughters therefore it is likely that himselfe was of a fit age at the time of his going out of the Countrey to choose whether he would have gone or staied Well Lot left his Countrey and so shewed himselfe a Pilgrim and stranger on earth together with Abraham for though he inherited not Canaan yet because he left the false gods which were served by his kindred in Mesopotamia to serve the true God which Abraham went to serve it prooveth that hee had faith in that God and was accepted to life You must all learne to be ready to forsake false gods and cleave to the true if ever you desire to inherit salvation Now the false gods that we are in danger to serve are the World and the things of the World and our selves Pleasure profit credit ease and the like these be your Idols these be the things that men in our times and Countries doe erect as it were stumbling blocks unto themselves the belly the backe the purse the profits and contents of this world these we seeke for more then for Gods favour these wee long for more then grace to get or keepe these we leave the waies of God we give our affections and thoughts more to these then unto God and will not obey his blessed Commandements farther then these wicked Idols will give us leave Now you can no more serve God and Mammon and the belly then you can serve God and Dagon or Ashtaroth or God by Iupiter and Iuno The Lord hath imployed mee now thirty yeares or thereabouts to call you from following these unhappy Idols at length rid your hands of them and doe the same thing in effect that Lot did when hee left his Countrey and came into the land of promise with Abraham But another good deed of Lots we reade of and that is he vexed his righteous soule from day to day with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites and it is said he was labouring against for so much the word in proper signification of it doth expresse He was burdened with it and even laboured under it as under a burden hee was also upon the rack with it He grieved so for it that hee would faine have amended it and not finding that possible it was a torture unto him to see it growing more and more This is a good thing to grieve at the common faults and sinnes I beheld the transgressour and was grieved Psal 119.158 and in another place Rivers of teares gush out of mine eyes because men keepe not thy Law If wee hate sinne if wee love the glory of God or the soules of men we must needs be grieved to see that done which our selves hate and which tendeth to Gods dishonour and the damnation of men If we grieve for sin we shall be preserved from the contagion of it and keepe our selves unspotted in the common pollution but if wee have not so much grace as to bewaile it we shall quickly shew our selves so weake as to fall to the imitating it at least in some degrees Yea the Prophet Ezekiel noteth that the mourners were marked out for deliverance as Noah was in the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha Now come let mee enquire of you my Brethren Doe you take the sinnes of others heavily doe they pierce your hearts with sorrow Are they burdens to you Ah how many doe rather rejoyce in seeing other mens evills in secret and joyne with them in the same excesse of riot are glad to see and heare lewdnesse from others and to joyne with them it What are these how farre from deserving to be called righteous But even of those that be righteous as wee hope there are some so farre inferiour are they to Lot in goodnesse though having farre better meanes then any Sodome affoorded they ought also to be better persons that few teares serve them and little sorrow is found in them for the common sinnes The common oathes cursing Sabbath-breaking which are every where rife doe not grieve them at all One little trifling losse or crosse hath made them more take on with sorrow then all the disorders of the Land It is but weake goodnesse that