way to vndergoe a burden of contempt and hatred Insomuch as many good men are afraid to be either Magistrates or Ministers for first wicked men must needs hate them because the one is to rebuke and the other to punish their faults And againe euen good men are too respectlesse of them that are in these places for the most part neither yeeld them that reuerence nor reward that is due vnto them but often times a man for all his paines and care taken for Church or common-wealth is recompenced with hatred enuie grudges euill words and slanderous reportes In this case the comfort is this that though a man be in the world neither regarded nor rewarded as his desert is yet the Lord seeth what hee doth and is a plentifull rewarder of all that seek serue him and therefore especially of them who not onely themselues serue him in his chiefe places of seruice but also doe winne many other to seek and serue God Fiftly if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him then doubtlesse he is a reuenger of them that hate him for he that can mightily reward his followers can also mightily be reuenged of his enemies These two are the two parts of a Kings power To be able highly to aduance his friends and mightily to punish his enemies therefore principally this belongs to the King of Kings This sentence therefore is a thunderbolt of a most fearefull threatning against all impenitent sinners assuring them that if they persist to profane Gods holy name by their carelesse sinning against him they shall be sure to finde and feele him a powerfull reuenger of them that hate him Thus he promiseth himselfe Deuter. â—2 40.41.42 I lift vp my hand to heauen and I say I liue for euer If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on my enemies and reward them that hate me Where also note how the same phrase is vsed for as here the Apostle saith God is a rewarder of them that seeke him So in Deuteronomie A rewarder of them that hate him If any obiect how these two can stand together for a man had as good hate him as seeke him if the same reward belong to both I answere A reward but not the same reward belongs vnto them Theeues and murderers are iustly rewarded when they die for their facts and the King rewards a good seruant when hee aduanceth him to honour They that seeke God are rewarded with mercies and fauours aboue their desert they that hate God are rewarded with vengeance and torments according to their desert and this shall all wicked men and enemies of God be as sure to finde as euer any that sought God obtained mercie But worldly men will say we hate not God wee are no Iewes nor Turkes we are christened come to the Church according to the law as good subiects should doe I answer neither doe Turkes nor Iewes hate God if this be all for they denie not the Godhead but acknowledge it and are circumcised and liue more strictly in their deuotions then most Christians Here is therefore more required or else we shall make them also good friends with God But a man may hate God and be neither Turke nor Iew hee may acknowledge Christ and the Trinitie and yet hate God For as Christ saith He that is not with me is against mee and hee that gathereth not with me scattereth So is it here Hee that seeketh not serueth not and loueth not God hateth God for there is no man can know God but he must needes either for his mercies loue him or else hate him for his iustice against sinne and sinners Againe Christ bids vs If you loue me keepe my Commaundements If then to keepe Gods commandements be a sign of one that loues God it is a sign that one loues not God when hee hath no care to keepe them By which two places it appeares that whosoeuer makes not conscience of sinne is Gods enemie and that God so reputes him therefore let this feare euery man from liuing carelesly in his sinne and driue him to true repentance for else let him assure himselfe God is not so plentifull a rewarder of them that seeke him but he is as powerfull a reuenger vpon those that hate him Lastly if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him wee learne the great difference betwixt Gods seruice and the diuels The diuels seruants are fed with faire words but get nothing the diuell is able to giue them nothing but Gods seruants as wee see heere are plentifully rewarded God is a rewarder of them that seeke him but the diuell is a deceiuer of them that serue him But will some say There is none so mad to be the diuels seruants I answere Hee that doth any mans worke is either his seruant or his slaue but euery sinfull wicked man doth the diuels worke for sinne is the diuels worke therefore all impenitent sinners are the diuels seruants It is Christes argument to the Iewes You are of your Father the diuell for the workes of your Father you will doe murthers and lies are his workes you liue in these sinnes and doe these workes therefore you are his seruants Againe the holy Ghost teacheth vs that whosoeuer committeth sinne and liueth therein without repentance the same is the seruant of sinne Now sinne is but the bawde or broker to the diuell they that are the seruants of sin sinne preferres them to the diuell and so they become his seruants therefore whosoeuer is the seruant of sinne is by that meanes the slaue and seruant of the diuell also Which if it be true it will fall out vpon the reckoning that the diuell hath more seruants in the world then God hath which is so much the more lamentable in as much as he deludeth all his seruants and is not able to reward them nor to giue them any good thing But will some say this is nothing so for contrariwise who haue the honours pleasures and wealth of this life who haue hearts ease and the world at will but such men I answere True it is commonly so but haue they those from Sathan No not the least of them all but all from God for euery man is Gods childe by creation and some by grace to euery one of his children he ordaines and giues a portion but to his children by grace a double portion both here and in heauen The wicked men they will not feare nor serue him therefore they haue no part nor portion in heauen but here they haue it So saith Dauid there are some men which are men of this world and haue their portion in this life these mens bellies God filleth with his hidden treasures they and their children haue enough and leaue the rest for their children after them Where it is manifest that wicked men haue their parts and portions of Gods blessings in this world and that all their
though they all haue their seuerall commendations in the word Yet of none of them all is it saide in the whole Scripture as it is heere said of faith that without it it is impossible to please God And no meruaile for it is the roote and ground of all other graces and giues them their life and being for therefore doth a man feare God therefore doth he loue God therefore is he zealous for Gods glory because hee beleeueth that God loueth him in Christ the redeemer Now then if faith be thus necessary then it followeth that those that liue in ignorance and so haue no sound faith but a foolish presumption are in a miserable case for how-euer they may flatter themselues with conceites of their deuotions and good meanings and good intents it is faith with which they must please God and nothing can without it It stands them therefore in hand to lay-off ignorance and presumption and labour for a sound and sauing faith and that will bring them to the fauour of God And againe as for such as haue receiued grace to beleeue seeing faith is of such necessitie and that they hauing faith must needes haue knowledge they therefore must looke and examine by their knowledge whether their faith be a sound faith or no for herein many that haue knowledge deceiue themselues and thinke they haue true faith when they haue not Now if any man would knowe whether his faith be sound and sauing or no It is knowne by this If it purifie the heart for so saith S. Peter That God by faith did purifie the hearts of the profane and filthy Gentiles If then thy faith doe not purifie thy heart and cleanse thy life and cause thee to abound in good workes it is no sound nor sauing faith it is but a generall faith it is but an historicall knowledge and cannot saue the soule hee therefore that vpon examination of his heart and life findeth his faith to be such let him not content himselfe but turne his generall faith into a sauing faith which in this world will purifie his heart and at the last day will saue his soule And this must euery man the rather doe because what knowledge or what other gifts of God soeuer any many hath without faith in Christ all are nothing for it is faith that seasoneth them all and makes both them and the person himselfe to please God Secondly if it be impossible without faith to please God then here wee see the fond and foolish hypocrisie of the world who will please God by other meanes some thinke if they be glorious in the world either for their wealth or their wit or their honour or their authority or their learning they presently bring themselues into a fooles Paradise and because the world makes account of them and they please themselues therefore they thinke it certaine they must needes please God But alas though all the world admire them and they be neuer so farre in loue with themselues He that sits in heauen laugheth them to scorne For not all the pompe and glory nor all the millions and mountaines of gold in the world can please the Lord for one of the least of their many thousand sinnes wherewith they haue prouoked him Let these men aske Nabuchadnezzer if his pompous pride or Achitophel if his actiue head and crafty wit or Absalom if his golden lockes or Iezabell if her painted face and courtly attire or Naball if his flockes of sheepe or the Philosophers if their naturall learning if all of these or any of these did euer please God Nay alas they all haue found and felt that without faith it is impossible to please God Thirdly it is the opinion not of the Turke alone in his Alcaron but of many other as ill that euery man shall be saued by his owne religion if he be deuout therein be hee Turke Iewe or Christian Papist or Protestant But this is a ground and rule of Atheisme and appeares here to be most false for no saluation without pleasing of God and without faith it is impossible to please God therfore no religion can saue a man but that which teacheth a man rightly to beleeue in Christ and consequently to please God But euery religion teacheth not to beleeue in Christ some not at all and some not aright and therefore it is impossible for such a religion to saue a man Againe be a man what hee can be vnlesse he be within the couenant of grace he cannot be saued But hee cannot be within the couenant but by faith therefore no man can bee saued by any meanes but by true faith nor in any religion but that which teacheth true faith Here therefore not onely Turkes and Iewes are excluded but this also sheweth many Papists and many carnall Gospellers in our Church how short they come of that religion which must saue their soules For this is the conceite of the most men that if they doe some good workes which carie a faire shew to the world as liberality to learning or charity to the poore straight they thinke they haue leaue to liue as they list and God is bound to forgiue their sinnes and to giue them heauen and this they imagine though they knowe not what it is to beleeue in Christ or to repent of their sinnes One of this religion came to the Prophet Micha in his dayes and asked him this question vttring that plainely which all such men thinke in their hearts Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the high God shall I come before him with thousands of Rams and tenne thousand riuers of oile Hee makes the question and would faine make answere himselfe nay hee goeth further and offers more Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression and the fruite of my body for the sinne of my soule But the Prophet answers him shewing him his follie and how little God regards such workes without a contrite heart Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and walke with thy God Marke how that answere fits this example of Henoch Hee pleased God he walked with God and was taken away So answereth the Prophet if thou wouldest please thy God and come to heauen by his fauour neuer stand vpon thousands of Rams and Riuers of oile vpon thy gay and glorious workes but humble thy selfe and walke with thy God No walking with God saith Micha no pleasing of God what is it but all one as if hee had said Without faith it is impossible to please God Here then is no disallowance of good workes but of workes without faith and true repentance which though they be neuer so faire and flourishing yet is it impossible that without faith they should please God Hereby it is also manifest that all the vertues of the heathen and the workes of such men as either knowe
be so then hee called all men effectually Answer We must vnderstand the Apostle according to his meaning for Romans 11.15 he expounds himselfe shewes what he meanes by the world saying That the falling away of the Iewes is the reconciling of the world which cannot be vnderstoode of men in all the ages but in the last age of the world after Christs ascension wherein God offered to all the world life euerlasting by Christ. Further Rahab is here noted by a notorious vice shee is called a harlot whereby shee was infamous among the men of Iericho Certaine of the Iewes which are enemies to the new Testament say That the Author of this Epistle and S. Iames doe great wrong vnto Rahab for calling her an harlot for say they in Iosuah shee is called but a Tauerner or Hostesse Answer Wee must knowe that the word which is vsed in Iosuah signifieth two things a Tauerner and an harlot Now take the word properly as it is generally vsed in the olde Testament and then most commonly it is put for an harlot And therefore in the new Testament Rahab hath no wrong done her by this title For it is the thing that Iosuah intended to shew what a one shee had beene and therefore in speaking of her to the spies hee bids them goe into That harlots house Iosuah 6.22 vsing such an Article as implies that shee had beene infamous and notorious in that kinde And yet we must not thinke that she playd the harlot after shee had receiued grace to beleeue but long before for faith purifieth the heart neither will it suffer any sinne to raigne therein She is called a harlot therefore in regard of her life past for which shee was infamous among the men of Iericho before her calling to the faith Quest. How could she beleeue being a harlot in former times for it is said That neither fornicators nor adulterers shall inherite the Kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 6.9 Answere That is true according to the Law but the Gospell giues this exception vnlesse they repent And so are all legall threatnings to be vnderstood in the word of God In this circumstance of the person and in the quality of her sinne we may note the endlesse mercy of God towards sinners for he hath vouchsafed to call most notorious and grieuous sinners to the state of saluation as Isay saith The Lord is very ready to forgiue Isay 55.7 yea with the Lord is plentifull redemption Psal. 130.7 This appeares by vouchsafing mercy to Rahab a notable harlot and as he dealeth with Rahab here so hath he shewed like mercy to other notorious sinners King Manasses had sold himselfe to Idolatry and witchcraft and had shed innocent bloud exceeding much and caused Iudah to sinne 2. Kings 21 6 16 for which he was led captiue yet when he humbled himselfe and prayed God was intreated of him 2. Chron. 33.13 And Paul saith of himselfe When he was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppresser he was receiued to mercy though he were the head of all sinners that Christ might first shew on him all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto euerlasting life 1. Tim. 1 13 16. The consideration of this exceeding mercy of God towards sinners is of great vse First it armeth a poore soule against despaire whereinto the diuell would draw it vpon the view of the multitude and greatnesse of his sinnes for many reason thus My sinnes are so haynous so many and so vile that I dare not come to God neither can I be perswaded of the pardon of them But behold heere the endlesse mercy of God in forgiuing sinnes to them that repent though they be like crimson and scarlet and neuer so many This must comfort the wounded soule and encourage all touched hearts to repent and to sue to the Lord for mercy and pardon Secondly it must moue euery one of vs now to begin to repent if we haue not repented heretofore and if wee haue begun to doe it more earnestly for God is most mercifull and with him is plentifull redemption Yet wee must beware that we take not occasion heereby to liue in sinne because God is mercifull for this is to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse which Saint Iude makes a brand of the vngodly and a signe of the reprobate who as the Apostle there saith are appointed to condemnation yea this is a despising of the bountifulnesse of God which should leade them to repentance and heereby they heape vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath Romanes chapter 2 verses 4 5. Let vs therefore remember this counsell of Paul Shall wee sinne that grace may abound God forbid Wee must all but especially young men take heede of this course for if wee blesse our selues in our heart and say wee shall haue peace though we liue in sinne God wil not be mercifull vnto vs but his wrath shall smoke against vs. Further note that howsoeuer shee was a sinner and a most infamous harlot yet when shee repents God doth honour and grace her with the title of a beleeuer and that among those most renowned beleeuers that euer liued before Christ euen to be one of that cloude of witnesses in whoÌ„ faith is commended to the Church for euer Hence also it is that Saint Matthew reckons her in the Genealogie of Christ to be one of his predecessours when as Amasia Achas and such like who for ought wee knowe did neuer repent are not once named Herein wee may see Gods wonderfull mercy in honouring sinners if they doe repent The consideration whereof must mooue vs not onely to learne the doctrine of Repentance and to haue it in our mouthes but to labour that it may be settled in our hearts that wee may shewe forth the power thereof in our liues All of vs desire honour and reputation among mâ—n Well if wee would be honoured indeede wee must repent and then God himselfe will honour vs neither haue our sinnes made vs so infamous as by our repentance God shall make vs honourable Further concerning the partie How could Rahab come by faith seeing shee liued out of the Church where the word was neuer preached vnto her Answere If wee reade the Storie wee shall finde that shee came to beleeue by a report of Gods meruailous acts for when the Lord deliuered the Israelites out of Egypt through the red sea and drowned Pharaoh therein with all his â—oast as they went further he deliuered the Kings of the Nations into their hands as Og the King of Baashan with the Kings of the Amorites and Amalekites Now the report heereof came to the people of Iericho whereupon they were strikâ—n with a wonderfull great feare And howsoeuer the men of Iericho made no other vse of it but to arme and prepare themselues to resist and beate backe the Israelites yet this report wrought further with Rahab and
many Parents is farre otherwise for whereas they should first seeke vnto the Lord and come to his Prophet they either runne first to the ordinary meanes of physicke or being worse disposed seeke help of wizards blessers by their charmes and sorceries forsaking GOD and running to the Diuell Indeede the vse of lawfull meanes is not to be discommended simply but this preposterous course is blame-worthy and depriues many of Gods blessing in the meanes That they seeke helpe of Physick before they haue sought to the Lord in this holy practice of faith Quest. But how can the parents faith benefit the childe Answ. It cannot procure vnto it eternall life for euery one must bee saued by his owne faith in Christ. And yet the childe receiues many a good blessing at Gods hand by meanes of the Parents faith as namely the benefit of the couenant of grace in the seales thereof besides the fruition of many temporall blessings as life it selfe in this place The consideration hereof must mooue all parents aboue all things to labour for true faith for by the practice hereof they shall be able to bring the greatest blessing vpon themselues and their children and vpon the lawfull meanes which they shall vse for their good Say the Lord shall lay his hand vpon children and seruants in a family what must parents and masters doe Surely the best way for helpe is the practice of faith in true humiliation for sinne and prayer to God for mercy and for a blessing vpon the meanes which they shall vse In all societies this is true that by the faith of the gouernors many curses are remooued and many blessings procured God sends his Iudgements among vs daily and we knowe not when other moe shall befall vs but for the remoueall and preuēting of them we must giue our selues to true humiliation and praier and so shal we finde the Lords mercy towards vs as these two women did And thus much of this tenth fruit of faith and of them all seuerally Now from them all ioyntly together obserue this speciall point That faith is such a grace of God as doth bring downe from heauen vpon euery beleeuer all Gods blessings that are needfull for him Who is hee that desires not to bee made partaker of GODs blessing◠needfull for him both in soule and body Well the onely way and meanes hereto is to get a true and liuely faith and to put the same in practice in all such duties as God shall require at our hands The worthy men before named obtained al the former most wonderfull blessings by meanes of their faith By it they scaped the edge of the sword they quenched the violence of the fire waxed mighty in battel c. as wee haue heard Now if faith be such a notable grace of God then aboue all things in this world let vs labour for it We must not content our selues with lip-faith and so presume vpon Gods mercies but wee must labour for a true and liuely faith in Christ which may purifie our hearts and bring forth fruit in our lyues Here are strong motiues to perswade vs hereunto for what doe wee desire riches honour or fauour and grace in the world would wee haue health and strength nay the fauour of God which is all in all then looke to get true faith for in the practice thereof thou shalt obtaine of God all needfull blessings both temporall and spirituall Many toyle themselues exceedingly by worldly meanes to get temporall blessings as health wealth honour c. and yet neuer attaine thereto because they seeke them not by faith I confesse naturall men get many good things but to them they are no blessings because they want faith both in getting and keeping of them for they lay all religion aside and toyle themselues wholly in worldly meanes This course the childe of God must beware of Say that a Prince bids one of his seruants goe to his Treasurie and there inrich himselfe with Iewels with gold and siluer and with whatsoeuer he lacketh what will this man doe Surely first hee will call for the keyes wherby he may vnlocke the doors and chests for else he can get nothing Behold in the Ministerie of his word God shewes vs his full treasury wherin wee may inrich our selues with all his blessings Now wee must not with the foole runne without the key but labour first for true faith which is that key whereby Gods heauenly treasures are opened vnto vs and we must be sure that we haue a sound key that is a true and sound faith which may strongly turn about the lockes of Gods treasury For this is most certaine he that doth vnfainedly beleeue shall neuer want any thing either in body or soule that is good for him to haue Euery one will say hee beleeues but the truth is that true faith is rare for mens hearts are not purified nor their lyues changed but they remaine as sinnefull as ever they were which causeth Gods iudgements to be rife among vs. Wherefore as we desire our owne good both in soule and body so let vs labour for true faith and shewe forth the power of it in our lyues And thus much of these Iudges and Prophets and of the fruits of their faith Beleeuers vnder the Maccabees VERSE 35. Others also were racked and would not bee deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection IN these words the author of this Epistle proceedes to the fourth order of Examples of faith contained in this Chapter wherein as in the former lastly handled hee proceedes briefly heaping vp in fewe words many worthy exāples of faith cōcealing the names of the parties onely setting downe those things for which their faith is commended vnto vs. And this fourth and last order of examples comprehendeth such beleeuers as liued vnder the regiment of the Maccabees and afterward to the comming of Christ. For of beleeuers in former times it cannot be vnderstoode because there is a manifest distinction put betweene these beleeuers and the former Iudges Kings and Prophets in these words others also whereby it is plaine that heere he propounds examples of beleeuers different from those which hee mentioned before And it is also plaine that these beleeuers liued before the comming of Christ. For howsoeuer the Christians in the Primitiue Church were racked scourged and tormented after this sort yet of them this place cannot be vnderstoode because they enioyed the promise of the Messias but these heere mentioned enioyed not that promise in their dayes but wayted for it by faith and therein died Verse 39. And indeede in the time of the Maccabees the Church of the Iewes was wonderfully persecuted by Antiochus about two hundred yeares before Christ as we may see 2. Maccabees 4. and 6. chapters Question Where had the Author of this Epistle this large narration of these strange persecutions seeing they are not registred in the bookes of the olde Testament Answere Wee may iudge that hee
sinnes from the world for this is one of the strongest and commonest encouragements that men take to liue in a sinne If they thinke it likely to be concealed But here they see how false a ground that is For if they can conceale it from men yet can they not from God and if God know it then can he reueale it to the world when it pleaseth him Againe whereas Abels bloud cried when he was dead It teacheth vs that God had a care of Abell both liuing and dead for it were nothing to say his bloud cried if God heard not that cry But it s apparant he heard it for he reuenged it and punished Cain when Abell was dead and could not reuenge it himselfe And this care God hath not ouer Abell alone but ouer all his children and as the Psalmist saith Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints that which is vile and of no regard in the world is pretious with God Tyrants make hauocke of the Church and kill them vp by heapes but God records vp euery one and will not faile to reuenge it when they are dead For if God haue bottles for the teares of his seruants surely much more hath he bottles for their bloud The vse whereof is to teach vs in all extremities of danger or distresse to learne patience yea though we be sure to die yet as Christ saith To possesse our soules with patience For we haue one wil heare the cause and reuenge our quarrell when we are gone So that if wee be patient wee loose nothing but if wee be impatient wee get nothing Let vs therefore hold our tongues for the wrong done to vs crieth loude enough to God for reuenge who will heare it as assuredly as he did Abels And thus wee see how Abell spake then euen after he was dead The second point is Hee speakes also yet and that three wayes First his faith yet speaketh because it admonisheth all men euery where who either heare or reade this story to become such as Abell was namely true worshippers of the true God for in Abels example it prouokes all men to be like him because it assureth them of the same regard and reward with God that Abell had and so Abels faith is a neuer dying Preacher to all Ages of the Church Here wee learne that the holy Examples of Gods children are reall teaching and loude preaching to other men For there is a double teaching namely in word or deede It belongs to the Minister to teach in word and to all men to teach by their deedes and good examples And if the Minister teach not thus also it is the worse both for him and his hearers It sufficeth not for him to teach by vocall Sermons that is by good doctrine but withall by reall Sermons that is by good life His faith his zeale his patience his mercy and all other his vertues must speake and cry call to other men to be like vnto him which if he practice carefully in his life as Abell did then shall his vertues speake for him to all posterities when he is dead Againe Abell though dead may be said to speake because howsoeuer his body be dead yet in soule and spirit hee liueth with God in heauen And thus the word speaketh may be vnderstoode because it is here opposed to death by which he being dead yet speaketh that is being dead in body yet liueth in soule which life with God was obtained vnto by his true and sauing faith Thirdly hee may be said to speake yet as all other Gods Martyrs are said to crie in the Reuelation from vnder the altar How long Lord holy and true doest thou not auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth As this is true of all Martyrs so specially of Abell the first Martyr of all which words are not spoken neither by him nor them vocally with vttrance of voice but it is so said to signifie what feruent desire the seruants of God haue in heauen of the full manifestation of Gods glory in their bodies and of an vtter abolishment of sinne in the whole world Which their desire they doubtlesse vtter to God in a more excellent manner then in this world wee can vtter any thing with our voice and thus Abell speakes yet and shall speake till the worlds end Hitherto of the first Example the Example of Abell The second is of Henoch in these words By faith Henoch was translated that he should not see death neither was he found for God tooke him away for before he was translated he was reported of that hee had pleased God c. THe second example of faith is taken also out of the old world before the floud and it is of Henoch the seauenth from Adam to whom strange and miraculous things befell by reason of his faith Let the meaning of the words be first examined By Faith That is by his confidence in the Messias or his sauing faith he was taken away Taken away That is from earth to heauen not by an ordinary worke but miraculously as is euident by the next words That he should not see death That is that he should not feele death nor any dissolution of soule and body and therefore his taking away was miraculous For to be taken away by death is an ordinarie worke but to be taken away and yet not die that is miraculous and extraordinary and such was Henochs So then the substance of these words is thus much Henoch hauing this grace from God to beleeue stedfastly in the Messias to come was likewise honoured with this high prerogatiue To be taken into heauen without tasting of death further was taken away to the end that he might not die Thus we haue the meaning Now concerning this translation of Henochs there are two opinions Some thinke hee was translated in soule onely and not in body and they say he died in the translation so as his soule onely was taken vp into heauen and his body slept in the earth Though this appeares false at the first sight yet let vs see their reasons and what they can say for themselues Their first reason is this No mortall body vnglorified can enter into heauen but there is no mention of his glorification therefore his body could not come in heauen Answer It is certaine it was glorified ere it came in heauen If they reply it is not mentioned I answere it followeth not that therefore it was not for euery circumstance of euery action is not mentioned For many circumstances of actions must necessarily be supposed such a one was this Againe the glorification of his body is here plainly enough implied where it is said he was translated that he should not see death Now if his body sawe not death it was made immortall which is a speciall part of glorification Their second reason Christ was the first that euer entred into heauen both in
glorie And thus much for the first point How we must seeke God The second is How he is a rewarder of them that seeke him I answer God rewards them that seeke him First by offring himselfe graciously to be found of them that seeke him for he neuer hides himselfe nor turnes away from the soule that seeketh him but rather turnes to him and meetes him that comes to him hee is that good Father which saw the prodigall Sonne afarre off and met him and receiued him Luke 16. Yea rather is it true that He is found of them that sought him not then euer sought by any that found him not And hereby God much magnifieth his grace and mercy to mankinde in being so assuredly found when men seeke him For in this world it is not so All men seeke the face of the Prince saith Salomon true but all men finde it not No. Accesse to great men is not so easie they and their fauour are so inclosed that men may long seeke afore they finde either them or it but God here is not so inclosed as he will not be seene nor spoke to hee is found of them that seeke him And as hereby hee honoureth himselfe so hee highly rewardeth his seruants for there is no greater contentment to a subiect then to perceiue his seruice pleaseth his Prince nor greater ioy then to finde his gratious fauour when they seeke it Let then this practice of the great God of heauen First of all teach the great ones of this world to be willing to be found when they are sought vnto thereby shall they honour themselues and cheere vp the hearts of their people who seeke vnto them And againe it may be a rich comfort to the poore ones of this earth who when they see they must long looke and waite and pray and pay and seeke the face and fauour of great men and cannot finde may then remember yet they haue a God who will not shut the dore vpon them will not turne away will not keepe secret will not feare them away with a rough answer or a sower looke but hath this honourable and princely grace He wil be found of them that seeke him Secondly hee rewardeth them that seeke him by bestowing his loue and fauour on them not onely he but his fauour shall be found of all that seeke him It is Gods fauour that Gods children seeke and his fauour they shall be sure to finde This is no small reward vnto them for in this world a man thinkes he hath enough if he haue the Princes fauour And therefore it was the cōmon phrase in old time Let me finde grace or fauour in the eyes of my Lord the King So speake Gods children vnto the Lord. It is not wealth nor honours we seeke-for at Gods hand but let vs finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord our God and so they doe what-euer they finde in this world Thirdly he rewardeth them not with his naked fauour but with the most gracious testimonies thereof that can be which are two Forgiuenesse of their sinnes and eternall life and glory with himselfe This is all a Prince can doe to his subiect who hath offended him To forgiue him the fault and remit the punishment and to aduance him to honour This doth the Lord to all that seeke him he forgiues them the debt they owe him whereby life and soule and all was forfaited to him and giues them also life euerlasting So plentiful a reward is giuen them from that God vnder whose wings they are come to trust Fourthly hee rewardeth them with the beginnings of heauen and happinesse euen in this world A good conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost the comfort whereof is more euen in the bitterest affliction then all the pleasures and contentments in the world Lastly with the appurtenances of heauen and of eternall life namely the good blessings of this life a competent portion whereof God giueth his children in this world as tokens of his fauour and as rewards of their seruice and seeking him Now as this place doth ayme at all these rewards so principally and directly the holy Ghost meaneth eternall life as though hee had said Hee that commeth to God must stedfastly beleeue that God is able and most willing to reward all that come to him with a better reward then this worlde can yeeld euen with eternall life and glory for his sonnes sake But then will some obiect God rewardeth vs therefore we merit therefore good works deserue I answere this place indeede is grosly abused by the Papists for that purpose but we are to know the truth is farre otherwise for God rewardeth men for two causes First for his promise sake and that is for his owne sake for it was his owne goodnesse that made him promise and no former debt he owed to man Againe hee rewardeth our good works not for our merits for they are nothing but of death and curses but for Christ and his merits for their worthinesse are our good workes rewarded So then here are two causes of Gods rewarding and yet mans merits are neither of both and so the argument is nought That God rewardeth therefore we merit for God doth it for other causes Thus these spiders gather poison out of this flower but let vs sucke the honey for this notable sentence hath excellent vse First if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him then not of them that seeke him not Who seeke not God wicked and vngodly men seeke him not but rather seeke to auoide him and his seruice this sentence therefore is heauie against them For when they heare it their conscience answereth But wee seeke not God Therefore wee can looke for no reward from him Doest thou seeke the world then must the world be thy rewarder Doest thou seeke to please thy selfe then must thou reward thy selfe And if thou wilt please the diuell by liuing in sinne then must hee be thy pay-maister alas pitifull and fearefull will these rewards be Againe if God reward none but them that seeke him here appeares the reason why so many Papists die in our religion and with vs cleaue to Christes merits alone when they come to die because their conscience then tells them that by their pilgrimages reliques will-worships and manie more of their courses ordinarie in Poperie they did neuer seeke God but themselues their owne honour gaine and credite and full well knew they that there is no reward due for such seruice and therefore by their practice they make it a true saying that It is good liuing a Papist but dying a Protestant Secondly if God be a rewarder of them that seeke him Then wee see it is most true which the Apostle saith It is not in vaine to serue God 1. Cor. 15.58 for God is a rewarder of them that seeke and serue him Therefore the Atheist and profane men of this world who say It is in vaine to serue God and what profit
is there that we haue kept his Commaundements are heere conuinced to be liers against the truth Then seeing it is so let this admonish vs all to seeke and serue God in all truth and sinceritie knowing wee serue him who will reward it Nothing more encourageth a man to serue his Lord and King then to see that his paines are regarded and his seruice rewarded nor more discourageth a man then the contrarie If therefore God did euer forget anie that serued him let vs bestowe seruice elsewhere and thinke him vnwoorthie to be sought to but if contrariwise hee neuer forgot nor deceiued nor disappointed anie that serued him then is hee most worthie to haue the seruice both of our soules and bodies Dauid indeede once said In vaine haue I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocencie But he was then in a strong temptation as himselfe there confesseth but afterwards when he went into the sanctuarie of God and searched the truth of the matter he confesseth he was deceiued And therefore as in the first verse hee had acknowledged that God was good to Israel so in the last he concludeth that it is good for him to draw neere vnto God and so though the temptation was very vehement yet as faith appeared in the beginning so it had victory in the end and testified that God is good to all that seeke him Another time also for he was a man of many sorrowes and temptations being in some extreame distresse his corruption so preuailed that he said All men are liers Whatsoeuer Samuel or God or Nathan and other Prophets haue told me of Gods loue and mercy and of his promises and prouidence and fatherly care I see it is all false and nothing so Now surely if Dauid or all the Kings in the world can proue this then God is not worthy to be sought after but great men thinke they may say any thing especially when they are moued as Dauid here was But when Dauid entred into himselfe considered the words he had so presumptuously vttred vpon better aduise hee confesseth and writes it vp for all posterities to Gods glory and his owne shame that it was in passion I said in my feare all men are liers This he said in his haste or in his feare but vpon aduise in the next verse hee confesseth Gods benefits were so many and so great to him as hee cannot tell what to render to the Lord for them And in another place he crieth out in admiration O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee and put their trust in thee euen before the sonnes of men Wee see then that merciful promise of Christ is euer made good Seeke and ye shal finde Math. 6. None euer sought God but found Wee may seeke our owne pleasures and liue loosely and be deceiued and heare that fearefull question What profit haue ye now of these things Rom. 6. What reward but shame and sorrow but if we seeke God aright we neuer loose our labour Let vs therefore seeke God let the hand of our hearts knocke at Gods mercie gate in Christ and wee shall not goe away without a reward The prodigall childe fled from his Father spent all and lost his fauour but he no sooner said I will returne and humble my selfe to my Father but he found him and wan his Fathers fauour againe So let vs but offer our selues to seeke God God vnderstandeth our thoughts long before he will meet vs and receiue vs and giue vs a reward Thirdly as God rewardeth them that seeke him so all that seeke him None misse him all finde that seeke Great ones haue not accesse and the poore kept out but all receiued as they come no difference but the more carefullie anie seeke the more welcome are they Heere let Princes and Great men learne their duties at God by whose grace and permission they are what they are First let them thinke it vnbeseeming their greatnesse to let any serue them without a reward and a staine to their honour not to let well deseruing subiects finde their fauour Let them not daunt their hearts by not regarding them and their paines but let them encourage them to serue them by looking at them by good countenances and good speeches and by rewarding euery one according to his worth All great men should esteeme this as one of the pearles of their Crownes to haue it said of them Such a one is a rewarder of them that serue him Againe let them learne to dispence their fauour according to reason and not affection onely God is indifferent and equall to all that seeke him so let Princes be for that is true honor iustice to reward each one as he deserues And that hee may finde the best who doth best this will make euery one striue who should be first and forwardest in all seruiceable duties Further this must teach them not to despise them that are vnder them in this world for howsoeuer the state of this world requires that difference of persons else it cannot stand it is nothing so with God nor in the world to come For there the subiect the seruant the poore man may chalenge his part in Gods fauour as well as the best nay whosoeuer seeketh the most carefully shall finde the best reward Moreouer here is a comfort to the poore and the meaner sort of men who are appointed by God to be vnderlings in this world Seeke they fauour here and finde it not worke they here and doe their duties and are not rewarded Let them learne to seeke God who will assuredly both regard what they doe and abundantly reward it Fourthly seeing God is a rewarder of them that seeke him here is a comfortable encouragement against two great impediments which hinder many a man from seruing God First to seeke God is but a matter of mockerie to profane men for let a man set his face to Ierusalem there are presently Samaritanes which for that cause will hate and mocke him Let a man set his heart to seeke God by hearing the word more carefully praying to God instructing his family or keeping the Sabbaoth more carefully then afore and forthwith he is the laughing stocke and the byword to profane men but loe here is comfort The God whom thou seekest will reward thee and that so richly that thou wilt thinke thy selfe well recompenced both for thy seruice and their mockes In this world men care not who thinke or speake euill of them so the Prince like them and shall it not encourage vs to seeke God though the world mocke vs seeing so doing we please God and so farre doe please him as he will highly reward vs Those therefore that fall from religion for those mockers it appeares they seeke not to please God but men Secondly for a man that is a Magistrate or a Minister to doe his duty carefully is the high
it This sanctification is called inward righteousnesse Now the Church of Rome saith A man may be iustified by this But it is not so as appeares by these reasons First this righteousnesse is in this life imperfect and that is proued by the Apostle where he saith VVee doe here knowe but in part 1. Corinth 13.12 Therefore our vnderstanding is but in part regenerate and as it so consequently all other parts or powers of our soule are but in part regenerate and in them all we are partly spirit and partly flesh Galath 5.17 Therefore if our sanctification be imperfect it cannot iustifie vs. Againe this righteousnesse is mingled with sinne and vnrighteousnesse and from this mixture comes the combat betwixt the flesh and the Spirit spoken of Galath 8.17 For these two are contrary one to the other If it be mingled with sinne then it cannot make vs righteous no nor the works of grace that come from it though God in mercy reward them And though as S. Iames saith They iustifie our faith and make vs iust before men Iames 2.21 Yet can they not iustifie vs before Gods Iustice nor at the barre of the last Iudgement will they passe for payment S. Paul saith 1. Corinth 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified that is I haue so walked in my calling since I was an Apostle and Minister of the Gospell as I am not priuie nor guilty to my selfe of any negligence therein If he dare not stand to that to be iustified by iâ— who dare take hold when he refuseth Againe no man can doe any perfect good workes vnlesse hee be perfectly iust For how can perfection come out of imperfection But no man can be perfectly iust in this sinfull body as is proued in the first reason therfore his works here in this life cannot be such as may make him righteous But it may be obiected Though our workes haue some defects in them yet Gods mercy accepts them for righteous and iust and therefore they may iustifie vs. I answere As Gods mercy accepts them so must his Iustice be satisfied also but they being imperfect cannot satisfie his Iustice for Gods infinite Iustice requires perfect satisfaction But as for our best workes as they are done by vs weigh them in the balance of Gods Iustice and they are so light as they deserue damnation yet in Gods mercy in Christ their defects are couered and they are reputed good workes and are rewarded but we incroach vpon Gods mercy and abuse his Iustice if therefore wee imagine they should deserue Gods mercy or be able to iustifie vs in his sight Thus then seeing Legall righteousnesse faileth vs let vs come to Euangelicall Euangelicall righteousnesse is that that is reuealed in the Gospell and should neuer haue beene reuealed if that of the Law could haue saued vs. But when it not by defect in it but default in our selues could not then God in mercy affordeth vs another in the Gospell Euangelicall righteousnesse is that that is in Christ Iesus his it is that must make a man righteous before God But this Christ was an extraordinary person consisting of two natures Godhead Manhood And accordingly hee hath a double righteousnesse in his holy person First as he is God he hath in his nature the righteousnesse of God and that is vncreated and infinite and therefore incommunicable and so none is nor can be righteous by it Secondly there is in Christ a righteousnesse of his humanity and this though it be finite and created yet is it beyond measure in comparison of the righteousnesse of man or Angell So saith S. Iohn 3. God giueth not him the Spirit by measure This righteousnesse of Christ as man or Mediator consisteth in two things 1. In the purity of his nature 2. In the perfection of his obedience The first branch of our Mediators righteousnesse is the holinesse of his humanity which was perfectly sanctified in his conception by the powerfull operation of the Godhead and this was done at the first instant of his conception in the virgins wombe From this purity of nature proceeded his obedience which was as perfect as his nature was pure and so pure a nature made a plaine way to perfect obedience And therefore as his conception was free from sinne originall so was his whole life from the least sinne actuall Now the Mediators obedience was double Actiue Passiue And both these he performed in his owne person His Passiue obedience was his passion or suffering of whatsoeuer the Iustice of God had inflicted on man for sinne whether for soule or body The Actiue obedience of the Mediators person was his perfect fulfilling of the morall Law in all duties to God or man in thought word or deede and all this for vs in our steade and on our behalfe And here is true righteousnesse for where the nature of anie person is perfectly pure and the obedience perfect the righteousnesse of that person is perfect And I saye all this was done by him for vs hee suffered all that wee should haue suffered and suffered not hee did that which wee should haue done and did not And this is that righteousnesse by which a sinner is made righteous before God For seeing legall cannot it is this that must And now wee haue found that righteousnesse by which Noah and all holy men were made and counted righteous namely that that is resident in the holy person of Iesus Christ the Mediator And yet this is aboue and beyond all reason that one should be iustified by anothers righteousnesse and the doctrine though it be of God and grounded neuer so strongly on Gods word yet hath it enemies and is mightily oppugned by the Church of Rome Therefore let vs first proue it and then answere the obiections to the contrarie Wee proue it thus First from plaine Scripture 1. Corinth 3.24 Hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him What can be said plainer he was made sinne for vs and wee righteousnesse by him Therefore as Christ was no sinner in his owne person but our sinnes were laid vpon him and so he was made a sinner by our sins so though we be not righteous in our owne persons yet hauing â—hrists righteousnesse imputed to vs we are made righteous by his righteousnesse Againe the righteousnesse that must saue vs must be the righteousnesse of man and God as in the aforenamed place it is said that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ. But no mans owne righteousnesse can make him the righteousnesse of God nor can Gods righteousnesse be the righteousnesse of man therefore it remaineth that onely Christ being both God and man hath in him that righteousnesse which may make a man the righteousnesse of God Thirdly the Scripture saith Christ is the end of the Law to all that beleeue Rom. 10.3 The end of the Law that is not the taker away
The same Dauid coÌ„fesseth Psal. 39.12 He is a stranger before God a soiourner as all his Fathers were therupon desireth God to heare his prayer hearken to his cry not to keep silence at his teares as though he had said Inasmuch as I soiourne with thee thou art to heare my complaint For as a Soiourner cares nor lookes for nothing but depends on them for all things with whom he soiournes so must we cast all our care on God for he careth for vs he is our Landlord wee are his Farmours and Tenants wee hold the earth from him by no lease for yeares but at his will and it is lent vs let vs therefore but haue care to please this our Landlord and care for nothing Fiftly wee must giue continuall thankes and praise to God for his good blessings wee receiue in this world for all are his and wee are but strangers Thus did all Gods Saints in olde time Iacob Hee was lesse then the least of Gods mercies But especially there is one memorable example of Dauid and the Church in his dayes 1. Chronicles 29.13.14.15.16 When hee had prepared abundantly for the building of the Temple hee prostrated himselfe before God and in his owne name and the peoples saide thus Riches and honour come of thee therefore our God wee thanke thee and praise thy glorious name But who am I and what is my people that wee should offer vnto thee for all is thine and of thine owne haue wee giuen thee for wee are strangers before thee and soiourners as all our Fathers were Thankfulnesse beseemes all men especially strangers Therefore as Pilgrimes doe thankfully accept the fauours shewed them in a strange Country So must we all the blessings God giues vs in this world where we are but strangers Sixtly and lastly we must hasten to the kingdome as a Pilgrime doth to his iourneyes end or to his owne Country and till he can is alwaies thinking of it and sighing after it So must we who are not dwellers but soiourners in these houâ—es of clay long after heauen and as S. Paul saith he did coâ—et to remoue from hence and to dwell with the Lord. Strangers â—re not to take such pleasure in foraine Countries as to forget their owne So Christians must not be so in loue with this world as to forget or neglect the world to come If they do â—hey are vnworthy of it and shew themselues not strangers â—s Abraham here was but men of this world who haue their â—ortion in this life Psal. 17.14 In performing these six actions men shew themselues â—rangers in this world And thus must we doe euen in the â—idst of all worldly prosperitie if wee looke â—uer to enioy the glory of a better And thus doing we shall be children of faithfull Abraham who dwelt in the land of Canaan as in a strange Country As one that dwelt in tents The second point for the manner how Abraham dwelt in Canaan is that he built himselfe no houses nor made Orchards or Gardens but dwelt in tents or tabernacles which were such houses as now are vsed in warre and are yet called by the same name Tents or Pauilions whose matter is not wood nor stone but cloth stuffe or skinnes and are easily reared and soone taken downe and when a man departeth he may cary his house with him That Abraham did thus appeares in the Stories written of him He came to Bethell and there pitched his tent Gen. 12.8 and Gen. 13.18 he remoued his tent and 18.1 God appeared vnto him as he sate in his tent dore and 18.9 being asked where Sarah was answered shee is within in the tent and these tents are called his place Gen. 18.33 and his house 24.2 Out of all which places it is plaine that he dwelt in tents and that not onely at his first comming when he had not time to build him an house but euen all the dayes of his life after his comming into the land of Canaan But why did Abraham dwell in tents and not in houses was it because then there were no houses Not so For there were Cities built euen afore the floud Gen. 4.17 Cain built a Citie no meruaile therefore if there were many after as Sodome and all her sisters And though it appeares not they digged into the earth for naturall stone yet had they Bricke which they made themselues Genesis 11.3 and surely the world which built the huge tower of Babell Gen. 11. would not stick to build themselues houses Nor can it be said that those Cities Sodome Gomorrah and the rest were nothing but a multitude of Tents together For we read Genes 19.3 that Lot dwelling in Sodome receiued 2. Angels into his house and in the 4. verse that the Sodomites came and enuironed his house round about to take them thinking they had been men and when Lot refused to deliuer them that they pressed sore vpon the house to haue broken vp the doore but all this might haue bin spared if it had bin nothing but a tent which a childe may cut in peeces with a knife It is manifest then that there were houses in those daies Why then did Abraham build none was it because he was poore could not Nor so for contrariwise Gen. 12.5 Hee carried with him from his owne countrey all the substance he possessed And what that was is particularized Gen. 13.2 He was very rich in cattell in siluer and in gold His riches were both great of the best So theÌ„ he could but would not But why would he not Was it vpon a prowd humour or in a conceited singularitie because he would not bee like other men but haue a singular way of his owne No Abraham was none of those who allow nothing but that that is done of themselues and who thinke nothing good if it be ordinarie for he was a holy man and famous for his faith So then none of these were the reasons of this his so doing The reasons then why Abraham and other holy Patriarchs vsed to dwell in tents and not to build them houses were of two sorts Ciuill and Holy The Ciuill or Politicke respect that they had was this They holding themselues Gods seruants did depende on his word and therefore did submit themselues to goe vp and down the world whither soeuer God did call theÌ„ Being then to remooue euery day they knew not when nor whither it was therefore both the fittest and cheapest to dwell in tents which were soone pitched vp and soone taken downe Neither neede it to seeme strange that they could liue for cold in those poore thin tents all the yeare long for the country and climate there was alwaies temperate enough for cold and rather inclining to too much heate The Holy or religious respect was this They held theÌ„selues but strangers vpon earth therfore would not build themselues cities or houses as looking or caring to liue vpon earth but dwelled in tents as seeming desirous
remember his sinnes but with dislike and detestation being grieued with them and angry with himselfe for them or else to teach others how to auoide them And as this kinde of Forgetfulnesse is a good vertue so there is also a vertuous and good Remembrance namely to be mindefull of that which may please God as of Gods Iudgements to be humbled thereby and of his Mercies to bee thankefull vnto Almightie God for them and of his Commandements to become obedient to his will These things therefore we ought to imprint by diligence in our memories Secondly here obserue God calleth them out of their owne countrie and biddeth them liue in the land of Canaan as strangers and pilgrimes and so they doe abiding there without any purpose to returne nay they are not mindfull of their former home Hence wee are taught to bee constant in that calling whereunto God hath called vs. It is a fearefull sinne for a man to goe backe from that calling in which God hath placed him When the Israelites abode not patiently and constantly with God in the wildernesse but desired to shake off the calling of God to returne to Egypt there to sit by the flesh-pots againe they had Gods hand vpon them grieuously as we may read at large Psalm 78. Lots wife for looking backe when shee was commanded to the contrary was fearefully and strangely punished beeing turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19.26 And our Sauiour Christ saith Luk. 9.62 No man that putteth his hand to the Lords plough and looketh backe againe is apt to the kingdome of God As though he had said He that starteth from the plough is not fit for the field no more is he that shifteth from his calling fit for Gods seruice To apply this to our selues God hath called vs to professe Christian religion whence wee are called Protestants We therfore must professe the same constantly and hold it fast without wauering or doubting euen without beeing mindefull of that spirituall Egypt of darkenes and superstition whence we are deliuered much more without turning to any other this beeing the true religion which is grounded on Gods word Againe in this our calling of Christianitie wee haue vowed vnto God for our selues to renounce the flesh the world and the deuill Now this beeing our calling as wee haue promised and vndertaken it so wee must obey it in our liues fighting manfully euery day against the world the flesh and the diuell For if wee professe religion in word and doe not obey it in deed we make our selues vnfit for the kingdome of heauen But alas men are like to the Swine that returneth to the puddle thogh he be washed neuer so cleane and to the Dogge that returneth to his vomite for most men do but serue the flesh the world and the lusts thereof therein is their ioy and their hearts ease take away these things from them and take away their liues so farre are they from seeking the kingdome of heauen as these Patriarchs did Thus much for the first part of the reason Now followeth the second part which is this But they sought not a place in earth and therefore the conclusion followeth That they desire a countrey which is heauen in these words But now they desire a better But some will say the Patriarchs were dead many hundred yeares before this was written How then can they be now said to desire a countrey Answ. The Author of this Epistle here obserueth and followeth the manner of them that write Histories who speake of things past long agoe as though they were now present Now it is said they desired a better countrey These Patriarchs had laid before them two countries the Land of Canaan and the kingdome of Heauen and of these two they might choose whether they would to be their portion and inheritance vpon which they would bestow their hearts Now they esteemed heauen though it was to come better than Canaan though present and therefore made choice of heauen and longed for it Where we learne that as we must be thankefull to God for all his blessings so among them all wee should choose the best This Dauid doth for beeing put to choose whether hee had rather liue in safe-guard and in solace with the wicked and vngodly than in base estate and in great danger neere to Gods sanctuarie He saith Psal. 84.10 Hee had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of his God than to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse And Salomon is highly cōmended by the holy Ghost 1. King 3.10.11 for choosing a wise and vnderstanding heart before riches and honour Moses also as we shal see afterward had his choyce whether he wold liue gloriously at ease in Pharohs court or with the Church of God in aduersitie now Moses hauing the gift of discerning refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Which holy examples doe all teach vs that when God setteth before vs diuers sorts of his blessings wee in spirituall wisdome must make choyce of the best On the contrary Esau had this choyce set before him his brothers red broth and his birth-right but he chose the worse therefore in the new Testament the holy Ghost noteth him with this marke to be profane Esau for his labour And the Gaderens also are branded with a note of infamie to all ages for choosing their hogs before Christ and his saluation And the like choyce is set before vs euery day for God of his mercy in the preaching of the word for his part doth set forth vnto vs Christ Iesus crucified and in him remission of sinnes and saluation Now on the other side commeth the diuell and setteth before vs all sorts of vaine pleasures and delights shewing to euery man those sinnes to which he is giuen and with them all the profits or pleasures that vsually accompany such sinnes Now most men hauing this choyce set before them doe leaue the true and substantiall blessings of God and come to Sathans painted Pageants and there make choyce of sin with those base companions that doe attend her This is too apparant to be denied for howsoeuer the word of God be preached vnto vs and we doe heare the same yet wee preferre the vanities and pleasures of the sinnefull world before Christ crucified making no account of him nor of our owne saluation by him in comparison of the present profits and pleasures of sinne But wee must pray to God to giue vs spirituall wisedome and the gift of discerning that now when God sets before vs thinges so farre differing we may haue grace to discerne betweene them and withall to preferre and make choise of the best and to refuse the worst But as for them that are so mad in their choise that they now preferre sinne before the blessings of God in Christ they shal see the day when they would
sonne into the world that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now when we are in the extremitie of all temptations we must still hold fast this promise and venture our soules vpon the truth of it This was Abrahams practice for in this temptation Gods meaning was to trie Abraham and to see what he would doe Now Abraham hee holdes fast the promise and yet obeyes God though all the reason in the earth cannot tell how that promise and that commandement could stand together But this was Abrahams faith though I know not nor reason knoweth not yet God knoweth and therefore seeing I haue his commandement I wil obey it and seeing I haue his word and promise I will beleeue that also and neuer forsake it And euen thus must we striue to doe in al temptations whatsoeuer yea euen in those that come from Satan which are full of malice and all violence In our heart and conscience wee must still hold and beleeue the promise of God and this is euer the surest and safest way to get the victory ouer Satā To hold that Gods promise shal be performed though wee knowe not how but rather see the contrary And though in humane reasoning it bee a note of ignorance and want of skill to sticke alwaies to the conclusion and question yet in spirituall temptations and trialls this is sound diuinitie Alwaies to hold Gods promise and to sticke fast to that conclusion and not to follow Satan in his Arguments neither suffer him by any meanes to driue vs from it Further in that this fact of offering vp Isaac was onely Abrahams triall we may obserue that it did not make him iust before God but onely serued to proue his faith and to declare him to be Iust. And therefore whereas Saint Iames saith Iam. 2.21 That Abraham was iustified through workes when he offered his sonne Isaac vpon the altar His meaning is that Abraham did manifest himselfe to bee iust before God by offering vp his sonne and not that by this fact Abraham of a sinner was made iust or of a righteous man was made more iust For indeede good workes doe not make a man iust but onely doe prooue and declare him to bee iust Thirdly God gaue Abraham this commandement Abraham kill thy sonne but yet he concealed from him what was his purpose and intent herein for God meant not that Abraham should kill his sonne indeede but onely to trie what he would doe whether he would still beleeue and obey him or not Where we see that God who is trueth it selfe reueales to Abraham his will but not his whole will whence ariseth this question Whether it be lawfull for a man according to this example of God when he tels a thing to another to conceale his meaning in whole or in part For answer hereunto we must knowe there are two extremities both which must be auoided in this case 1 That a man must alwaies expresse all that is in his minde 2 That in some cases a man may speake one thing and thinke another speaking contrary to his meaning But this later is no way lawfull and the other is not alwaies necessarie Wee therefore must hold a meane betweene both to wit that in some cases a man may conceale his whole meaning saying nothing though they bee examined namely when the concealing thereof doeth directly stand with the glory of GOD and the good of his brother Thus godly Martyrs haue done for beeing examined before tyrants where and with whom they worshipped GOD they haue chosen rather to die than to disclose their brethren and this concealing of their mindes was lawful because it touched immediately the glory of God and the good of his Church Secondly a man may conceale part of his minde but that must bee also with these two caueats First that it serue for Gods glory Secondly that it bee for the good of GODs Church Thus did Ionas conceale the condition of mercy from the Niniuites when he preached destruction vnto them saying Within fortie daies and Niniuie shall be destroyed though it is euident by the euent that it was Gods will they should bee spared if they did repent But that Condition God would haue concealed because it would not haue beene for the good of the Niniuites to haue knowen it sith the cōcealing of it caused them more speedily and earnestly to repent But out of these cases a man being called to speake must declare the whole trueth or else hee sinnes greatly against Gods commandement forsaking the property of the godly Psal. 15.2 And thus much of the first impediment of Abrahams faith The second impediment to Abrahams faith is contained in these words Offered his onely begotten sonne We knowe that the loue of Parents descends to euery childe naturally but especially to the onely begotten vpon whom beeing but one all that is bestowed which when there are many is diuided among them And therefore in all reason this might greatly hinder Abrahams obedience That God should command him to offer his sonne yea his only begotten sonne But yet by faith hee ouercommeth this temptation breakes through this impediment and offers vp his onely sonne Where wee note that true faith will make a man ouercome his owne nature Loue is the strongest affection in the heart especially from the father to the childe euen his onely childe And a man would thinke it impossible to ouercome this loue in the parent vnlesse it were by death there beeing no cause to the contrary in the childe But yet beholde Abraham by faith subdued this speciall loue which he bare to his onely childe God himselfe testified of Abraham that his loue to Isaac was great Gen. 22.2 and yet by faith hee ouercommeth this his loue This point is carefully to be marked as declaring the great power of true sauing faith for if faith can ouercome created and sanctified nature then vndoubtedly the power thereof will inable man to ouercome the corruptions of his nature and the temptations of the world for it is an harder thing to ouercome our nature which wee haue by creation than to subdue the corruption thereof which comes in by transgression And hence such excellent things are spoken of faith it is called the victorie that ouercommeth the world 1. Iohn 5.4 And God is saide by faith to purifie the heart faith strengtheneth the heart Acts 15.9 And through faith we are kept by the power of God vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1.5 Is this the power of faith to ouercome nature and the corruptions thereof then howsoeuer religion be receiued and faith professed generally among vs yet vndoubtedly there is little true faith in the world for euen among the professours thereof how many be there that subdue the sinnes of their liues and suppresse the workes of their wicked nature surely very few Now where corruption beareth sway and sin raigneth there sound faith cannot be for if faith were sound in men it would purifie
of the bloud of the Paschal Lamb which was a notable rite ceremony vsed in this first Passe-ouer after this māner The bloud of euery Lamb was put into a bason sprinkled with a bunch of Hysope vpon the doore posts of euery mans house among the Iewes Now this rite did not continue alwaies but was peculiar proper to this first passe-ouer kept in Egypt at the institution thereof being then practiced but not after in regard of that speciall deliuerance then at hand wherof it was an assurance for it signified vnto them that the Angel of the Lord cōming to destroy the first born of Egypt seeing that bloud so sprinked should passe ouer their houses and touch none of their first borne of man nor beast This end of the sprinkling of this bloud is here likewise set down in these words Lest he that destroyed the first born shold touch them He that is the Angell of the Lord who was sent to destroy the first born throughout all Egypt both of man and beast saue onely of those who had their door posts sprinkled with bloud And thus much for the meaning of the words First obserue what the H. ghost saith of this fact of Moses in ordaining the Passe-ouer namely that he did it by faith Hence we learne that the Sacraments of the new Testament must be celebrated in faith for herein we are to seek to be acceptable to God as Moses was The L. supper in the new Testament succeedeth the Passe-ouer in the olde for that was a signe to the Iews that Iesus Christ the immaculate Lamb of God should afterward be sacrificed for their sinnes and this is to vs a signe of Christ already sacrificed Now look as that was ordained receiued vnder the Law so must this be administred receiued vnder the Gospell But in the olde Testament Moses celebrates the Passe-ouer through faith enioines the Israelites so to doe therefore accordingly must wee by faith celebrate and receiue the Lords supper vnder the Gospel Cains sacrifice was fruitlesse to him and odious to God because he offered not in faith no lesse were all other faithlesse sacrifices euen so euery Sacrament and spirituall sacrifice receiued or offered in time of the Gospell is vnprofitable to man and vnacceptable vnto GOD if it be not receiued in faith In euery Sacrament wee receiue some thing from God as in euery sacrifice we giue some thing to God In the Lords supper as the minister giues the bread and wine into the hand of the receiuer so the Lord God giues his sonne vnto their hearts Now if faith be wanting Christ crucified is not receiued for faith is the hand of the soule without which there is no receiuing of Christ his benefits but contrariwise a heauy and feareful sinne heaping vp Gods wrath against vs. Hereby we learne how sundry sorts of people sin most grieuously against God for many come to receiue the Lords supper who are altogether ignorant in the nature vse thereof not knowing what the sacrament meaneth yet because it is a custom in the church they will receiue at least once a yeare though they know nothing therein as they ought Now such persons must know they ought to come in faith which they cannot do because they want knowledge and therefore in receiuing it so they commit a grieuous sin so indanger their own soules because they receiue it vnworthily And this is not the fault of young ones onely but of many whose yeares might shame them for their ignorance if they were not past all feeling of spirituall wants A second sort there are who receiue the Lords supper say they will doe so because they haue faith But these are like the former for their faith is nothing but honest dealing among men thinking that if they bring that to the L. Supper though they haue no more yet all is well The greatest sort are of this minde taking fidelitie for true faith it is a plaine point of popery so common as almost in euery place men do embrace it But these deceiue themselues for another kinde of faith is required of those that receiue the Lords supper worthily namely such a faith wherby we doe not onely beleeue the remission of sins in Christs blood but also are assured that the bread wine receiued worthily are signes and seales of the same blessing exhibited vnto vs by Christ. He that comes onely in a good meaning deceiues himselfe receiues to his condemnatiō And yet alas many euen of the ancient sort haue no other faith but their good meaning A third sort there are who yet goe further and knowing the vanitie of this opinion that a mans fidelitie in his dealing with men should bee his faith to commend him vnto God they hold know that true faith is to beleeue their owne saluation in the blood of Christ and these are to bee commended in respect of the former But herein they faile that comming to receiue they bring not with them a liuely faith for it is not only required in a communicant that hee professe the faith of Christ aright but a worthy receiuer must looke to his owne heart that his faith therein be a liuing faith such as worketh by loue and shewes it selfe by obedience Now herein many that haue good knowledge doe grieuously offend That howsoeuer they make a shew of faith in an orderly and religious carriage of thēselues on the Cōmuniō day yet whē that time is a little past they returne to their former sinnes againe neuer els hauing any care nay not so much as making any shew of laying away their sinnes saue onely at the receiuing of the Lords supper And thus do too many of those who make a faire profession These men bring faith in profession but yet their faith is dead for if it were a liuely faith it would purifie their hearts cause a change in them from euil to good and from good to better euery day more and more But blessed be God by whose mercy it comes to passe that there are some in his Church who come with such a faith and thereby communicate acceptably to God and fruitfully to themselues Yet wee must confesse they are but fewe in comparison But as for all the other three sorts of people they sinne grieuously because they bring not the hand of a liuely faith to receiue those things which their God offereth vnto them Wee therefore in this example are admonished to celebrate receiue the Lords supper in such sort as Moses did namely in faith and that not in an idle or dead but in a liuely faith which may both before and after the receiuing of this sacrament bring forth good fruits to the reforming of our liues in continuall obedience for Gods glory and our owne comfort and saluation in Christ. 2 Obserue further Moses ordained and made the Passe-ouer We may not thinke that Moses killed all the lambes that were
keeping of it is a doubling of the sin Dauid in his anger had sworn to slay Nabal and all the men in his family for denying reliefe vnto his seruants 1. Sam. 25.22 This was a rash oath and therfore afterward when hee was preuented by Abigails good counsell hee blesseth God for it and breakes his oath which hee had made vers 32. Quest. 2. What if a man take an oath and yet afterward in consciēce doubts of the lawfulnes of that which he hath sworne to do what must be don in this case Ans. So long as he doubteth hee must defer the performāce of it For he that doth a thing doubtingly condemnes himselfe in the thing he doth because he doth it not of faith and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 Quest. 3. What if a man be vrged by feare to take an oath must hee afterward keepe it As for example a man is taken of theeues now wanting money they charge him on paine of death to fetch them money and they binde him hereto by an oath what must bee done in this case considering there must such great care bee had in keeping of an oath Answ. So long as the thing which hee is bound by oath to doe respecteth his priuate dammage onely he must keep his oath yet so as he declare his case to the Magistrate because their course is against the common good now the Magistrate hearing of it is according to equity to prouide for his defence for the safety of his goods A second point to be considered in Rahabs preseruation is this Rahab escaped a common danger but not without all meanes onely staying her selfe on the bare promise of the Spies but as shee beleeued in the true God so shee vsed meanes whereby shee might bee sure of her preseruation and that is this Shee bindes the Spies by an oath to saue her life and to spare her houshold also shee keepes within and ties the corde of red threed in her windowe according to their mutuall couenant Thus shee vseth meanes for her temporall safety and so haue other of GODs children done in like case When King Hezekiah 2. Kings 20.6 was sicke hee was certified by the Prophet from GOD that hee should liue fifteene yeares longer yet hee neglected not the meanes whereby he should be healed and liue for hee applied dry figges to his byle and vsed foode and raiment for his bodily life during the whole space of those fifteene yeares So the Apostle S. Paul in his voyage by Sea to Rome was assured by a vision that none of them that were with him should perish but all come safe to land and yet when the Mariners would haue gone out hee tels the Centurion that vnlesse those staied in the ship that so they might vse the ordinary means they could not be safe Now as it fareth temporally for the saving of the body so is it in the spirituall case for the salvation of the soule men must vse means to come by grace so to salvation But many in this regard be great enemies to their owne soules they say God is mercifull and Christ is a Saviour I hope he will saue me yet they wil not vse the means to come to saluation But if we would be saued thē with our inward faith we must ioyn the obseruatiō of the outward ordinary means whereby God vseth to saue mens soules as namely the hearing of Gods word calling vpon God by prayer and the receiuing of the sacraments that thereby our sinfull lyues may bee amended and our faith strengthened This must bee remembred of vs for they that contemne or neglect the means despise the grace and mercy of God offered therein and therfore Paul saith of the Iewes when they put the Gospel from them that they did iudge themselues vnworthy eternall life Act. 13.46 It followeth With them that disobeyed That is with the people of Iericho Quest. How did they disobey Ans. Thus When Iosuah and the people came vnto them and offered them peace if so be they would becom their tributaries and seruants the inhabitants of Iericho would not yield vnto thē but set themselues against the people of Israel and so against God in that they would not vndertake that estate which God offered vnto them and therefore they are here esteemed disobedient Hence we learne that if it shall please God at any time to put vs out of these temporary benefits which we enioy in goods and possessions wee must bee contented with Gods will and prouidence and seeke to obey God therein The inhabitants of Iericho pay deerely for their disobedience in this case God sets the Israelites as Lords over them and because they will not yield to become their seruants they die for it Dauids practice was commendable in this case for when he was put out of his owne Kingdom by his owne sonne hee murmured not but said thus If I shall finde fauour in the eies of the Lord he will bring me againe but if he say thus I haue no delight in thee beholde here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies 2. Sam. 15.25 26. In other countries we see Cities and Townes spoyled and sacked what must the people doe Answ. They must submit themselues to the Lords pleasure knowing that he permitteth it who may doe what he will And so if it shall please God to bring vs into the like case as to suffer our enemies to haue dominion ouer vs and to dispossesse vs of our places we must submit our selues to Gods good pleasure when wee see no helpe by lawfull meanes wee must not murmure or rebell for that is but to disobey as the people of Iericho did and so shall we be destroyed as they were And thus much for the second point The third thing to be considered in this example is the testimony of her faith in receiuing the Spies peaceably This was a notable worke of faith as Saint Iames noteth Iam. 2.25 and the more commendable because shee receiued them into her house and entertained them yea shee preserued them in danger of her owne life for shee did it contrary to the pleasure of the State vnder which shee liued But against this may be obiected first that shee lyed in this fact for when the King of Iericho's messengers came to search for the Spies whom shee had hid in the top of her house shee said to the messengers they were gone another way Now how can it bee a good worke which was don with lying especially to our Superior who hath power to aske vs and to whom wee are double bound to speake the truth Answ. Wee must knowe that the worke was good which shee did and a worke of mercy to preserue Gods people although shee failed in the manner of doing it shee receiued them by faith though shee shewed distrust in lying for their safetie It was a notable worke of Rebecca Gen. 27. to cause her sonne Iacob to
most notorious which was foretold by Daniel in his Prophecy Dan. 11.36 and is recorded in the books of the Maccabees To come to the times of the Gospel The Primitiue Church after the ascension of Christ in the first 300. yeares suffered ten most bloody grieuous persecutiōs betwixt each of which shee yet had some times of peace and as it were respite to breath in And after the tenth persecutiō ended the Lord raised vp the good Emperour Constātine who broght peace welfare vnto the church But soone after him the heresie of Arrius raised vp by the diuell brought as grieuous persecutions vpon the church as euer the Pagans did beeing a most blasphemous heresie denying the eternall deity of Christ and of the holy Ghost and it preuailed in the Church for 80. yeares Not long after the suppression of that heresie began the idolatry and tyrannie of Antichrist to preuaile in the Church for many hundred yeares And now about some fourescore yeares agone the Lord in mercy raised vp worthy instruments by whose meanes hee deliuered his Church from that idolatry and blindnesse yet so as still the church hath felt the bloody hand of Antichrist in grieuous persecutions All which shewes this to be most true that the outward state of Gods Church is interchangeable hauing one while peace and another while grieuous persecution To apply this to our selues God hath planted his Church among vs in this land and for many yeares together hath blessed vs with prosperity and peace which in great mercy hee hath giuen vs as a reward of the faith of his seruants which are among vs and during this time wee haue had great freedome and liberty in Gods holy ministery for the word praier sacraments But we must knowe that the state of Gods Church for peace and trouble is interchangeable as day and night for light and darkenesse Wherefore we must be aduertised to look vnto our selues for our estate in peace must not last alwaies these golden daies will haue an ende and troubles and afflictions will vndoubtedly come Indeede God onely knoweth what kinde of afflictions shall befall and the particular time thereof but that they shall come in the time appointed of God we may resolue our selues by the reasons following First the tenour of the Law is this that the curse doth follow the transgression so that when any man family or people liue in the breach of Gods commandements they must looke for Gods iudgements to bee powred vpon them Now we may too truely assume that this our nation and people abound with grieuous sinne in all estates For in the ciuill estate to omit manifold practices of oppression Where is iustice without bribery or bargaining without fraud and deceit And in the ministery beside many abuses where is that care which ought to be for the building of Gods Church And for the body of our people beside grosse ignorance and superstition what fearfull blasphemy whoredome swearing and Sabbaoth-breaking doth every where abound beside fearefull Atheisme which is a mother of abhominations whether we respect naturall Atheisme whereby many deny God by their workes or learned Atheisme in some who dispute against the truth of God reuealed in his word All these and many other sinnes among vs crie lowd for GODs iudgements vpon vs euen for that fearefull iudgement the remooueall of Gods kingdome in the Gospel of peace Secondly consider what manner of persons of place and note both in Church and common wealth God takes from vs by death even in their best time are they not such as excelled among vs for great wisdom and learning and for true piety and good conscience now howsoeuer this may seeme but a small thing in the eyes of many yet vndoubtedly it is a forerunner of Gods iudgements for the righteous perish and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come Isa. 57.1 Thirdly God hath set his fearefull iudgements among vs and about vs warre and sword in our neighbour nations which also hath beene oft shaken at vs also famine and pestilence throughout our owne Land by intercourse and long continuance Leuit. 26. Now this is the truth of God that when God sendes his iudgements vpon a people if they doe not repent one iudgement is but the forerunner of another more grieuous and terrible than the former But little or no repentance appeares among vs nay rather we fall away more and more and so stand still in daunger of more fearefull iudgements Lastly it is vsuall with God thus to deale with his own seruants as he doth sometime reward their faith and obedience with peace so otherwhiles he wil trie their faith by affliction Thus he dealt with his seruant Iob though there were none for piety like him in his time through all the world Now God hath his seruants among vs for the triall of whose faith we may perswade our selues some tribulation shall come vppon vs For all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer tribulation 2. Tim. 3.12 This being so that our peace shall be turned into trouble as by the former reasons which directly fasten themselues vpon our Church and state may euidently appear let vs then here learne our dutie First wee must cast with our selues what may bee the worst that can befall vs when triall and persecution shall come This is the counsell of our Sauiour Christ to those that would follow him constantly as good disciples they must as good builders consider of the cost before they laie the foundation and like good Warriers consider of their strength before they goe out into the field lest they leaue off turn back like fooles and cowards Luk. 14.28 c. We by Gods mercy doe now professe the true religion of Christ with hope to be saued thereby therefore wee must cast with our selues what our religion may cost vs and see before hand what is the worst thing that may befall vs for our profession of Christ and his Gospel If wee haue not done this at the beginning of our profession we must now doe it for Better late than neuer lest going on securely without this account making we shamefully forsake Christ when triall comes In former times the constant profession of Christ hath cost men losse of friends losse of goods and liberty yea the losse of their hearts blood and the same case may befall vs. Wherefore wee must cast with our selues and see whether wee bee willing to suffer the losse of goods and friēds yea the losse of our liues for the defence of Christs true religion Againe as this estate of the Church must mooue vs to make this account for resolution in suffering so it must teach vs to labour for those sauing graces of Gods spirit which may inable vs to stand fast in all temptations troubles persecutions We must not content our selues with blazing lamps as the
Peter exhorts the Christians to haue their conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of them as of euill doers might by their good workes which they should see glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1. Pet. 2.12 And he bids godly wiues so walke that their husbands may be wonne without the word by beholding their pure conuersation which is with feare 1. Pet. 3.1.2 And Paul bids the Philippians to walke blamelesse in the middle of a wicked and crooked nation as lights in the middle of the world Phil. 2.15 that those which were to be conuerted by their good conuersation might be wonne to the truth GOD sent a floud vpon the world for the greeuousnesse of mans sinnes Now why doth hee not still send more flouds are not men now as wicked as they were then Yes vndoubtedly man for his part deserues it now as well as they did then and therfore our Sauiour Christ saith as it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be in the dayes of the sonne of man so that euery day we deserue a new floud but yet the Lord stayes the execution of his iudgements for a time that his elect may bee gathered and conuerted And so soone as that is done heauen and earth shall goe together and God will not stay one moment for all the world besides So that euery nation and people in the world haue benefit by Gods children because for their sakes doth the Lord stay his wrath and deferre his iudgements euen the great iudgement of fire wherewith the world shall be consumed at the last day These things the world should take notice of as well to moue them to repentance of their sinnes whereby they are made vnworthy the presence of a godly man as also to perswade them to better behauiour and cariage towards the godly by whom they are so many wayes blessed The holy Ghost addeth that they wandred in wildernesse and mountaines and donnes and Caues of the earth These were desolate places and not inhabited and yet for the wickednesse of the world GOD will haue these beleeuerâ— here to wander Wee must not thinke that they betooke themselues voluntarily to this solitary life but onely vpon necessity being constrained by persecution to flie into the wildernesse for the sauing of their liues and the keeping a good conscience This serues to descry vnto vs the blinde errour of many ages afore vs wherein it hath beene thought and is by Papists at this day to bee a state of perfection to liue a Monke or Hermite out of all societies in some desert place and there to spend the whole life in contemplation onely that voluntarily and they magnifie this estate so much that heereby they thinke to merit eternall life at the hands of God But these beleeuers did neither voluntarily nor with opinion of merit betake themselues to this solitarie life but on necessity And indeede this kinde of life hath no warrant in Gods word for euery Christian is a member of two Kingdomes of Christs Kingdome of grace and of that particular state where he dwelleth and by reason heereof hath a two-folde calling a temporall and a spirituall calling In both of which he must walke diligently so long as hee can doing the duties both of a childe of God and of a member of that common-wealth where hee liueth Now when a man goes voluntarily to leade a solitary life he forsakes his temporall calling altogether and performes the other but negligently for hee withdrawes himselfe from many duties of piety whereby the people might be furthered to God-ward which none can do with a good conscience Further obserue the places where they are constrained to wander to wit in Wildernesse Caues and Dennes places where wilde beasts haue abode and recourse and yet heere they liue when as men will not suffer them to liue among them Where note that many times more mercy may be found among wilde and sauage beasts than with some men so mercilesse are the wicked when God forsakes them and leaues them to themselues The Lions entreate Daniel better than Darius Courtiers and seruants doe Daniel chapter 6. And Lazarus findes more kindenesse with the dogges at Diues gates then with him and all his family besides Luke chapter 16. verse 21. The consideration whereof must teach vs to nippe sinne in the head at the beginning and not to suffer it to growe for if it get a head and raigne in vs it will make vs worse than brute or sauage beasts and cruell as the Diuell himselfe as wee may see in the worldes vsage of these beleeuers Thus we see the state of true beleeuers vnder many and greeuous miseries which wee must well obserue to arme our selues against the times of aduersities which GOD may sende vpon vs. VVee must not iudge it a cursed estate to bee vnder the Crosse for heere wee see the faith of his seruants is commended for suffering nine seuerall kindes of miseries If wee shall thinke that these were but a fewe wee must knowe that in them the holy Ghost setteth down the state of his Church vnto the end for these things were written for ensamples vnto vs. And therefore if calamities come and such miseries befall vs as doe driue vr toward distrust as though God had forsaken vs we must remember that God did not forsake these his children in their calamities and therefore also will not forsake vs. And thus much for this last example VERSE 39. And these all through faith obtained good report and recei-not the promise THe holy Ghost hauing set down at large a worthie and notable Catalogue of examples of faith in sundry beleeuers that liued from the beginning of the world to the time of the Maccabees doth now for a further commendation of their faith rehearse the same things that before he had said in the 2. and 13. verses of this chapter In saying that by faith they all receiued good report his meaning is that they did beleeue in the true Messias and looked for saluation in him alone whereupon they were approoued of God himselfe who gaue testimonie hereof partly by his word and partly by his spirit in their consciences and partly by his Church by all which they were commended and assured to be Gods seruants And yet notwithstanding this good report they receiued not the promise that is the promise of Christs incarnation in their daies They receiued Christ truely by faith and so saw his day but his actual incarnation in the flesh they liued not to see Whereas it is said That by faith they obtained testimony Here first obserue that there is nothing in man that makes him acceptable to God but faith onely GOD regards no mans person hee accepts not of a man because he is a King or because he is wise or rich or strong c. But if a man beleeue then the Lord is ready to giue testimony of him that hee likes well of him In regard