then his Preservation God gratifies her Religious good Nature with larger bounties she had also the delight and comfort to Suckle and Swadle him and not onely by connivence or permission but by speciall Favour and Commission from Pharaohs Daughter not upon her own proper costs and charges but with a certain Honourable Salary and Stipend and with full expectation of high preferment in Pharaohs Court for a surplusage So true is that of the Apostle Eph. 3.20 God is able to doe exceeding abunndantly above all that we can aske or think And the Psalmists supposition is here in some sence affirmatively true When his Father and Mother forsook him then the Lord took him up Psal 27.10 for Moses his Parents durst not take notice of him neither was there any to look for or after him but a timerous Damosell who yet but looked at a distance God took the care then upon himself who is a present help when all other second auxiliaries faile to all distressed persons but above all others to exposed Infants Their Angels in Heaven when no Guardians on Earth doe alwayes saith our Saviour Mat. 18.10 behold the Face of my Father stand before and about him as his Guard continually to attend and wait for Orders towards their protection and preservation And as he appointeth his noble Hosts to be their Overseers and Assistants so he maketh the most honourable among men to be the instruments of his good providence Kings shall be their Nursing Fathers and Queens their Nursing Mothers as was here in effect demonstrated and was in some part proved and experienced by David and so by him witnessed and attested Psal 22.9.10.11 4. The experience of Gods mercifull dispensations and gracious dealings is a great ayd and assistance to our Faith and a strong and powerfull encouragement for our chearfull dependance on Gods good providence It was an experiment which satisfied Peters scruple removed his error and prejudice and produced that determination and conclusion of Faith Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 And it was an Argument of sense which fetched that answer and confession of Faith from Thomas My Lord and my God But as it is an help to Faith so it is the settlement and strength of hope and obedience former favours provoke us to thankfulnesse in prosperity and good dayes and encline us to confidence and resolution in adversity in dangerous and difficult times take a proofe and instance of both Josephs rejection of his Mistrisse her solicitations was grounded on his Masters favour and Gods goodnesse in his former deliverance and present preferment Gen. 39.8.9 Behold my master c. as if he had said Such an unworthy complyance and condiscention as she moved was both a sin against God and an iniustice against Pharaoh the former an act of irreligion the latter of ingratitute both a great wickednesse When Benhadad was in straits and knew not which way to turn himself his Servants counselled him to joyn with them in a submission to Ahab King of Israel and the motive to this their counsell and his acceptance and all their submission was this Behold now we have heard that the Kings of the House of Israel are mercifull Kings c. 1 Kings 20.31.32 Doubtlesse it is a good Argument God hath been found in this and such emergencies when we sought unto him therefore let us seek again to him he hath heard when we called therefore let us call again David frames such an Argument when from an induction of mercies he concludes a continuation The Lord that delivered c. 1 Sam. 17.34.35.36.37 And Saint Paul from the former experience of mercies builds his future hopes of a succession 2 Cor. 1.8 9.10 So true is that of the same holy Apostle Rom. 5.4.5 Patience worketh experience and experience hope not an hypocriticall presumption which hath the luck alwayes to be bafled but a grounded dependance which maketh not ashamed as all hypocrites shall be when their vain confidences fayl them which alwayes obtains either what it expects or better or more and is therefore a rejoycing hope because an obtaining ver 2. or which is more pertinent Because the love of God is shed abroad c. ver 5. former receipts of mercies hath produced in our hearts an assurance that God loveth us and if so then we know that all things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 3.28 and none but such God loves so as to reward And this made the Psalmist use that Exhortation Tast and see that the Lord is good c. Psal 34.8 and that solemn and sacred Protestation I will remember the years c. Psal 77 10.11.12.13 5. Acts of nature and reason if performed in Faith are taken in and converted into Religion Moses Parents did an act of naturall affection in Faith as was before cleared and so they were not onely naturall but religious and faithfull for so doing and the ground hereof is That as not the opus operatum not the doing of a work of Religion is a duty abstractedly and simply considered removed from all adjuncts and circumstances for even the most wicked transgressors may doe that which for the substance of the work is Religious and yet they are not Religious in doing it because of a defailance in the right manner of performing as in Jehu his Zeale the Pharisees Prayers the Hypocrits Almes for they doe them not in ayme respect and order to God and his Laws but to other ends and purposes as is expressed Hos 7.14.16 Zach. 7.5 so the most common acts of life of nature and civility may become acts of Faith and holy Religion if they be duely circumstantiated done spiritually and divinely with relation and reference unto God obedience and submission to his will for it is the manner of doing and the end which differenceth and distinguisheth holy and prophane actions acts of Faith and acts of Reason of Grace and Nature and therefore those acts which materially are naturall and ciuill rationall and morall if performed with a desire a care and conscience to please God they are formally and truely Religious and Christian as the Philippians Contribution sent by Epaphroditus is called a Sacrifice acceptable a Sacrifice acceptable because done to him with an Eye and respect to God the liberality was to Paul the Sacrifice the Service to God and this sauctified it and adopted it into an holy office or an act of Faith Aug. lib. 19. de Civ Dei cap. 25. throughout 6. To denominate an act a duty of Faith it is sufficient to walk and move according to that degree and measure of light we have received and to beleeve proportionably to the evidence of the Revelation That which stayed Moses his Parents their Faith and for which they were reputed faithfull was not a clear Philicall or Mathematicall demonstration for this carries its evidence so strongly along with that it commands and forceth assent neither was it
endearments be either inconsistent with or prejudiciall to our holy profession any lets or hinderances to us in the discharge and performance of the duties of Piety or Charity the love of God and Man then we are by all means to quit and dis-own them we must come out of Babylon though our Interests be there if we cannot stay but we must partake of their sins we must forsake Egypt if she distresse the People of God and our precious Faith for we cannot serve God and Mammon Christ and Belial Q. But what is there such a power and faculty in man to refuse or choose what he will And if so then doth not this power necessarily inferr a freedom in the will of man A. Certainly man is a free Agent in all his exercises and operations and what he doth not freely he doth not as a man but as a horse and mule which have no understanding and we are forbidden to be such Psal 32.10 for it is naturall for the will of man to move freely rationally and deliberately and this freedom or liberty of the will is an essentiall of humanity and the proper act of that freedom is Election which is exposed both to coaction and compulsion Voluntas non cogitur for that which is compelled is against the will and that which is against the will is not willed It is true the will may be letted changed and the commanded actions thereof compelled that is those inferiour faculties which are moved by the will but the immanent actions of the will that is to deliberate will and choose cannot be so and also to necessitation and determination to one For if the will be determined by the Physicall and speciall influence of outward causes then morives were in vain reason in vain deliberation in vain all perswasions and threats in vain but therefore are these used because man hath a power of Election that he may deliberate and act indifferently and either doe or not doe or doe this or the contrary For what exercise have we of our wills if we act not voluntary And how act we voluntarily if we be necessitated absolutely And to what end and designe are those terrors and promises of the Lord the danger we shall incurr by our disobedience and the reward we shall reape by our obedience if they be not as rationall motives and have not with them a persuasive efficacy It is true indeed that the will often mistakes and errs in her choyce putting bitter for sweer evill for good and one the contrary But this proceeds not from any forfeiture of what was naturall to the will and all or certainly very few excepted confesse that Adam had true and entire liberty but from the corrution of nature or the naturall faculty depraved which is a contracted contagion whereby we are averse and indisposed to good we are refractory and rebellious to the very Laws of Nature as well as of Grace of right Reason as holy Religion and we are prone and strongly enclined to observe and follow the desires and delights of the carnall sensitive appetite and to satisfie the lusts of the flesh for the understanding is full of ignorance and darknesse during this state of corruption of pride and contradiction against all sacred and saving truth the will is full of enmity and opposition against that which is good the conscience full of impurity and sophystry the heart of folly and madnesse of infidelity and hypocrysie and therefore no wonder if every imagination fancy and conception of the heart be unto evill and that continually Yet even in these aptnesses inclinations and prejudices the will moves freely and acts by choyce For as Angels and good Spirits by a most free agency doe good and nothing but good because their understandings are taken up with the contemplation and satisfaction and their affections with the desires and delight of good onely So Devills and wicked men long and thirst pursue and prosecute sin by chusing the evill and refusing the good having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Ephes 4.18 and so allowing and approving of sinne and wickednesse So that whether the object be chosen good or evill the will acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by deliberation and with indifferency though that the good is chosen be from the causality of Faith and influences of spirituall Grace that evill from the corruption of Nature either transmitted and passed over to us by carnall propagation or contracted by vitious habits customes and education and this properly concerns not the liberty of the Agent but onely expresseth the reasons causes and motives for which he thus exerciseth and manageth his liberty It was from Nature that Moses chused or made a choyce it was by Faith he made this choyce He chused rather to suffer affliction c. Q. But what doth Faith Catechise and direct men rather to suffer affliction Can sufferings be the objects of our desires and longings Or are afflictions in numero eligibilium matters worthy of our election and complacency A. Doubtlesse they are in some degree and measure though not of themselves yet secondarily in respect of their uses as they relate either to the prevention of a greater threatned and demerited impendant evill or as they conduce to some present or future good For sometimes they are Fatherly corrections to avoyd the wrath and severity of dis-inheriting When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.32 and that is an happy temporall judgement which barrs an Eternall a desireable chasticement which wards off future condemnation Sometimes they are Instructions It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes Psal 119.71 and to receive Instruction is highly appetible and that with the most ingenuous and noble as well as holy and religious spirits Sometimes they are preparatives for Glory having not onely a purging but also a purifying quality 2 Cor. 4.17.18 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of Glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Sometimes they are discoveries of the truth of the inward parts of our sincerity That the tryall of our Faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto prayse and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 that though they be sharp and biting yet have they in them somewhat of the bonum jucundum but indirectly and by consequence For we are to count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations Knowing this that the trying of your Faith worketh patience James 1.2.3 much of
simul oriuntur simul moriuntur here in via at least yet Faith is the first-born and according to the Law of Primogeniture and Birth-right it layes the claim and title to Heaven and gives the jus ad rem Legall Right thereto though the actuall possession thereof the jus in re be from Faith perfected by Works And hence in Scripture account howsoever Faith and Obedience are Philosophically two distinct habits they are the same in as much as true Christian Faith is Obedientiall not meerly Notionall and all Christian Obedience is an emanation of Faith For there we find one and the same Word denoting both Infidelity and Disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes unbeleif Acts 14.2 But the unbeleeving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evill affected against the Brethren John 3.36 He that beleeveth on the Son hath Everlasting life and he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Sometimes disobedience undutifulnesse obstinacy Ephes 3.2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Col. 3.6 For which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience 1 Pet. 3.20 Which somtimes wore disobedient when once the long suffering of God wayted c. So not providing for our Family which in strictnesse of Language is an act of disobedience because an omission of a prescribed duty is yet made by the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.8 a bad peice of Infidelity and men are said to be absurd and wicked because they have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not onely barely to assent but also to obey Galat. 3.1 and true sineere conversion is stiled Faith to God ward 1 Thes 1.8.9.10 and the keeping of the Commandements and Faith are inseparably conjoyned Apoc. 14.12 And then the Exhortation will be seasonable What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder what God hath joyned in praecept let no man separate either in Dispute Discourse or Practice For 7. We find Rahabs Faith working by love and her love demonstrated by her Hospitality She received the Spies in peace which the Apostle St James 2.25 urgeth as an instance to demonstrate her Faith to be true and truely Christian Zacheus upon his profession of Faith promised restitution and vowed liberality The Convert therefore on the Crosse even in those dying minutes beleeved and through Faith confessed Christs innocency and his own guilt and in great charity both reproves and exhorts his fellow sufferer If we pretend to Faith and have not Repentance towards God and love towards the Brethren as the Apostle in another case so here our Faith is in vain we are yet in our sins The love of the Brethren is a good expression of our love to God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ If we receive our Lord by Faith we will well-come and receive with kindnesse the people whom he hath chosen for his portion and Inheritance and if we love God as the Soveraigne we must joyntly love them whom he loveth and to whom he communicateth some share and measure of his fulnesse 1 John 4.20.21 If a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a lyar For he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And this Commandement have we from him that he who loveth God love his Brother also And no better or clearer expression of love then Hospitality and honourable and liberall entertainment of strangers and exiles and therefore Brotherly love and Hospitality are conjoyned as the antecedent and the consequent Heb. 13.1.2 But 8. Her Faith made her faithfull to God and his Church having undertaken this Profession she will hold it fast neither to desert it nor to comply with its opposite and enemy If we fall away from our holy Profession though but by some secret complyance to the contrary we are not so faithfull nor so clear as we ought to be our Faith is not fincere at least suspitious and Rahabs Zeale will either convince us of coldnesse or luke-warmnesse in a good cause 9. Rahab perished not because she upon Treaty with the Spies had made her Conditions and Articles Wicked faithlesse men are noted to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who will prevaricate with their Word and Promise though solemnly Covenanted Rom. 1.31 Faith is to be kept and Covenants to be observed even with Hereticks and Heathens such was Rahab at the Treaty Thus the Israelites kept touch with the Gibeonites Joshua 9.18.19 And the Children of Israel smote them not because the Princes of the Congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel And all the Congregation murmured against the Princes But all the Princes said unto all the Congregation We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel now therefore we may not touch them And because after they and the House of Saul did prevaricate God severely punished them 2 Sam. 21.5.6 And they answered the King The man that consumed us and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the Coasts of Israel Let seven men of his Sons be delivered unto us and we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul whom the Lord did chuse And the King said I will give them So he punished the perfidious Moabites 2 Kings 3.5 34. and the falshood of Zedechiab Ezech. 17 19. 10. She perished not but not onely she even her Relatives shared in this happinesse God blesseth the faithfull and mercifull man in his Relations and Posterity The Generation of the Righteous shall be blessed Never any destruction so totall so universall but a residue escaped Isay 10.20.21 And it shall come to passe in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the House of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the holy One of Israel in truth The remnant shall return even the remnant of Iacob unto the mighty God Rev. 7.3 Hurt not the Earth neither the Sea nor the Treet till we have Sealed the Servants of our God in their Foreheads The Third Part. OAlmighty God and most mercifull Father the giver of all grace and Author of all goodnesse who delightest not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and live Turn thee unto us and turn us unto thee and so shall we be turned Convert thou us and so shall we be converted O let us not any longer goe a whoring after our own imaginations nor be led by the deceitfulnesse of sin but having Faith to God-ward we may turn from Idols to serve thee the living God and to wait for thy Son from Heaven and in the mean time receive and welcome him in our