therefore go to God by earnest prayer to giue vs his spirit to worke true faith in our hearts and to make vs of a true beliefe And secondly seeing men may be Christians in profession and Atheists in practice let vs all looke narrowly to our selues and ioyne with our profession Conscience and obedience for else the more we know God the worse we are It may please God after to giue vs better mindes but as yet we are no better then deniers of God and though wee come neere God in profession and in his outward seruice yet indeede we are farre from him because wee want that true faith which must professe God not in iudgement alone but in practice and that will bring vs neere vnto God for hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is And thus much for the first thing to be beleeued by him that will come to God and please him The second is And that He is a rewarder of them that seeke him It is a notable sentence and one of the most comfortable in the booke of God and containes the second thing to be beleeued The parts are naturally two 1. How a man doth seeke God 2. How God rewards them that seeke him For the first A man truly seeketh God by doing foure actions First a man must forsake himselfe goe out of himselfe and as it were loose himselfe in his owne iudgement when he intends to seeke God If any aske how that may be I answer Thus A man must labour to see his sinnes fully and distinctly and in sight thereof be cast downe in himselfe as a man is when hee seeth his debts then let him looke into himselfe and see if hee can finde in himselfe any ability to pay those debts or any meanes in the world to satisfie Gods â—ustice and purchase pardon And if vpon due examination he finde none at all no not the least nor any thing in himselfe but an accusing and raging conscience Let him then fall out of all loue with himselfe nay hate and abhorre himselfe and his owne basenesse and lastly let him despaire of his owne saluation in or from himselfe and thus doing he forsakes himself denieth himselfe and euen looseth himselfe And thus necessarily must he do to himselfe that will set his heart to seeke the Lord. For God will be found of none that hope to finde helpe at any hand but his they therfore that seeke God but will seeke themselues too do iustly loose both God and themselues Secondly he that will seeke God aright when hee hath lost himselfe must hunger in his heart and soule not after wealth and honours ease or pleasures but after the fauour and mercy of God in Christ for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and one drop of Christes bloud to wash away the guilt and staine of his defiled and sinfull soule must be dearer to him then all the pompe and glory of tenne worlds Looke how a hungry soule hungers after meate and a faintie soule thirsteth after drinke so must his soule hunger after Gods mercy and thirst for Christs bloud and these are necessary For as a man that vndertakes a long iourney must be prouided of meate and drinke so hee that vndertakes the iourney to goe seeke the Lord must haue this prouision for the diet of his poore soule Gods mercies and Christes merits and he that seeks without a soule hungring after these may seeke long and finde nothing Thirdly if he will truly seeke God he must not goe in euerie path but take the true liuing way which Christ hath consecrated by his bloud nor take any guide but trust to Christs spirit alone to be his guide nor make many mediators or messengers to God but make Christ alone to God the Father Wee must therefore goe to him and yeeld vp our selues to be taught and guided by him leaue our sute to be preferred by him we must not looke to come to God by running on pilgrimages to this or that Saints picture or bones or to our Lady of Loreto Many haue sought God in these but who euer found him Nay alas thou maist lodge in her forged tabernacle at Loreto all thy life and lie in hell for all that when thou art dead and maist kisse all the Saints pictures and bones and haire and all their reliques in Spaine and Italy and all cannot get thee one sight of Gods fauourable countenance Nor againe must we looke to come to God by our good works though we are to doe them they are good markes in the way and good euidences of a right way but they cannot open heauen and let thee in And therefore when thou hast done all thou canst thou must forsake them all in matter of iustification and comming to God Onely thou must goe to God by Christ and cleaue to him alone hee is the doore the way the truth the life and certainly neuer man found God that sought him not in Christ alone And when Popish deuises and distinctions haue done all they can men will be found liers and Christ to speak truth saying No man commeth to the Father but by me Lastly when all these are done then must thou beleeue that God is become thy mercifull Father in Christ and is reconciled vnto thee in him for there is no feare but if thou seeke God in Christ thou shalt finde him and when thou hast done the three former things thou maist safely and assuredly beleeue that thou hast truly sought God And after all these if thou haue not firme and liuely faith thou doest not secke God For as it is impossible without faith to please God so is it impossible without faith to finde God Thus if a man lose himselfe long after Gods mercy take Christ alone for his guide and mediator and stedfastly beleeue his reconciliation with God by Christ then he seekes God aright and to this seeking belongs a reward and blessing Now then if this be to seeke God here is some light giuen to a great question Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church and their doctrine truely catholique or erroneous and failing in fundamentall points For answer Can that be a true Church which doth not bring her children to seeke God or that catholique doctrine which teacheth not her children to seeke God the right way but sends them into 1000. by-wayes Surely if this be to seeke God then search all the Popish Doctors and almost all their Writers and see whether a man be not taught to seeke God quite in another walke Which way of theirs whether is ordinarily bring the seekers to God or no we leaue to Gods mercifull iudgement But for our selues as we see we haue the true liuing way the sure and infallible way by Christ to God by the Sonne to the Father let vs reioice in the comfort of so rich a mercie and be thankfull to the Lord for reuealing himselfe vnto vs and opening vnto vs the true way to him and to his
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
be afarre off this is the worke of true faith This was in Noah wrought in him a reuerence and so would it in vs if it were in vs. When men crie fire fire wee stirre wee runne wee tremble but God crieth in his word the fire of hell the fire of his wrath and wee care not wee stirre not wee leaue not our sinnes wee are not moued with reuerence as Noah was therefore it is more then manifest that holy faith is wanting in the world which Noah had The second motiue stirring vp this reuerence in him was the consideration of Gods wonderfull mercie to him and his family in sauing them This mercy seemed so wonderfull to him both for that hee knewe it was vndeserued knowing himselfe a sinnefull man and therfore not able to merit Gods fauour and being priuy to himselfe of his owne manifolde imperfections and also vnexpected for he neuer thought to haue been spared alone in an vniuersall destruction therefore he wondred with reuerence at so great a mercy Thus Gods mercies doe not onely winne a mans heart to loue God but euen to feare him with much reuerence this Dauid proueth Psalm 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou maist be feared as though he had said thy great mercies to thy children O Lord do make them conceiue a reuerent estimation of thee This made Dauid cry out in a holy passion How excellent are thy mercies O Lord Psal. And as Gods childreÌ„ wonder at the excellencies of Gods mercies vnto them so also at their owne basenesse and vnworthinesse Thus doth holy Dauid 2. Sam. 7.18 who as hee was a man of much faith so was he full of excellent meditations and reuerent speeches of God which are the true effects of faith when God had set him in his kingdome hee saith Who am I O Lord and what is my house that thou hast brought me hither And 1. Chron. 29.14 But who am I saith he and what is my people that wee should offer thus vnto the Lord And doubtlesse euen so said Noahs blessed soule often vnto the Lord and to it selfe Who am I O Lord and what is my family that we should be chosen out of so many thousands and be saued when all the world perisheth Let vs apply this to our Church and State If any Nation haue cause to say thus it is England God hath deliuered vs out of the thraldome of spirituall Egypt and led vs out not by a Moses but first by a childe then by a woman and giuen vs his Gospell more fully and freely and quietly then any kingdom so great in the world and still deliuereth vs from the cursed plots of the Pope and tyrannous inuasions of the Spaniard who thought to haue marked vs in the foreheads with the brand of infamie and to haue done to vs as they haue done to other nations whom they haue conquered but God from heauen fought for vs and ouerthrew them in their owne deuises yea the Lord put his hooke in his nosethrils and his bridle in his lips and caried him backe againe with shame and reproach Wee are vnworthy of such a mercy if our soules doe not often say vnto God O Lord what are we and what is our people that thou shouldst be so wonderfull in thy mercies vnto vs And particularly this must teach euery Christian to be a carefull obseruer of the fauours mercies that God vouchsafes to his soule or body to him or his and the consideration of them must make him daily be moued with reuerence and reuerent thoughts of Gods Maiestie still as the Lord is more and more mercifull vnto him to beare still the more feare and reuerence vnto him for the same The last motiue of this Reuerence in Noah was the consideration of Gods power and wisedome both in the Iudgement vpon the world and in the mercy vpon him for first in the Iudgement it was wonderfull that God would chuse so weake an element as water to destroy vanquish the huge Giants of those dayes but therein appeared first Gods power that by so weake meanes can cast downe his enemies And againe his wisedome that as an vniuersall wickednesse had polluted the whole world so a floud of water should wash the whole world Secondly the mercy was also wonderful that God should chuse to saue Noah by so strange a meane as an Arke which should swim on the waters For Noah thought if the Lord will saue me he will either take me vp into heauen as hee did Henoch a little before or else make me build a house vpon the top of the highest mountaine But the Lord will saue him by no such meanes but by an Arke wherein appeared first Gods power that would saue him by so weake a meanes as might seeme rather to destroy him For Noah must lye and swim in the midst of the waters and yet be saued from the waters and the Arke mâ—st saue him which in all reason if the Tempests had cast it against the hard rockes and mountaines or vpon the strong Castles and houses of the mightie Giants would haue beene broken in pieces and so it had but that God himselfe was the Maister and Pilot in that voyage And secondly Gods wisedom shone cleerly in this means because God would haue him saued not in such sort as the world might not see it as it would haue beene if hee had beene taken vp into heauen or into the aire but would haue him saued in an Arke that so alâ— the wicked men as they â—ere a dying in the water or expecting death vpon the tops of the hills might see him liue and be saued to their more torment and to their greater shame who would not beleeue Gods word as he did For as the wicked in hell are more tormented to see the godly in the ioyes of heauen so doubtlesse were the wicked of that age to see Noah saued before their eies The view of this power wisdom of God herein made Noah giue great reuerence to Gods Maiestie And no lesâ—e ought it to worke in the hearts of all true hearâ—ed English men and faithfull Christians For did not the Lord restore establish the Gospell to our nation by a child and by a woman and in her time when all other Princes were against her coÌ„trary to the rules of policy and did not God in our late deliuerance ouerthrow our enemies not so much by the power of man as by his owne hand Did not he fight from heauen Did not the starres and the winds in their courses sight against that Sisera of Spaine Let vs therefore with blessed Noah staÌ„d amazed to see Gods mercies with reuerence feare magnifie his great and glorious name And thus we haue the three motiues that moued in Noah this Reuerence of God the consideration first of his great Iudgement on the sinfull world 2. Of his great mercy in sauing him 3. Of his admirable power and wisedome shewed both
men to some particular estate and duty in Family Church or Common-wealth as when a man is called to be a Magistrate Minister Master of a familie Lawyer Physician c. Thirdly God calleth some men to some priuate Personall duty which he designeth not to others but to be done by them alone Such a calling had hee assigned him Matthew 19.21 that would needes be perfect Goe sell all that thou hast c. Now the calling of Abraham in this place is to be referred to this third kinde For it was a priuate and personall calling to leaue his Country his kindred his lands his possessions and to goe seeke another and to be the Father of the faithfull and to receiue the couenant and this dutie belongs to none but who shal personally by name be called vnto it Yet all these three callings may concuâ—re in one as here in him For he was called to be a Christian for the generall and a gouernour of a great family for the particular calling but that that is in this place vnderstoode is this extraordinarie and personall calling to leaue his Country And in it we are to consider three circumstances 1. Who was called 2. When 3. How he was called For the first Abraham was called the sonne of Terah but neither his father Terah nor his brother Nahor were called but Abraham alone But it may worthily be demaunded why God should not call his Father and his kindred there can be no aunswere but this that the Apostle giueth Rom. 9.18 God hath mercy on whom he will and withholdeth it from whom he will He calleth Isaak and refuseth Ismael loueth Iacob and hateth Esau taketh Abell and leaueth Cain euen because he will and for no cause that wee know But why then calls hee Abraham and not his kindred Is not that partiality I answere he is tied to none hee might refuse all therefore the meruaile is that he calls any But why some and not other why Abraham and not his kindred no reason can be giuen for Gods Iudgements are wonderful But as that that is impossible with man is possible with God Math. 19.26 So that that is iniustice or partiality with man is iustice with God And it is extream folly and intolerable presumption for vs to weigh Gods actions in the balance of our shallow reason For the second But when was Abraham called for the time there are two circumstances worth the obseruation First Abraham was called to this dignity when he liued in Idolatrie with his Fathers So saith Ioshua 24.2 Thus saith the Lord Your Fathers dwelt beyond the floud in old time euen Terah the father of Abraham and serued other Gods If Abraham was called by God when he was an Idolater then it is apparant hee had not purchased Gods fauour by his workes Where we learne that the whole worke of a mans saluation is to be ascribed to Gods meere mercy who as the Prophet saith was found of them that sought him not Esay 65.1 Abraham neuer dreamed of the true God nor of any new couenant of grace and saluation when God called him And so when Paul was going armed with bloudy furie and his furie armed with commissions and authoritie against the Saints then God from heauen called him and of a persecuter made him the principall instrument of his glory Acts 9.2 c. Therefore to apply this to our selues If God haue vouchsafed vs the same grace and taken vs to be his people and made a couenant of saluation with vs which in former times haue beene sinners of the Gentiles wee must learne here to see whence this fauour is and therefore to ascribe nothing to our selues but giue all the glory vnto God And particularly for euery one of vs If God haue been so mercifull to any of vs as when we were Popish or superstitious with our Parents or kindred to open our eyes and bring vs home to his holy truth or when wee weltred in wickednesse and sensuality with the profane world to touch our hearts and to call vs to grace and sanctification let vs often remember and freely acknowledge this his vndeserued mercie and say with the holy Prophet Vnto thâ—e belongeth mercy but vnto vs open shame Secondly for the time when Abraham was called It was when hee was 75. yeeres of age or there-abouts as is manifest in the Storie Genesis 12.4 therefore wee see that God for a long time let him lie in his blindnesse and idolatrie ere he called him It is more then likely that Abraham in that meane time liued ciuilly followed learning other ciuill courses and in that time it is likely he attayned to that measure of knowledge in Astronomie and other learning for which he is renowned in olde Writers But this was the first time that he was called to know and serue the true God in his true seruice Heere wee learne that though a man perseuere in his sinnes for a long time and passe his best yeeres in vanitie without repentance and thereby be in a grieuous and fearefull estate yet true beleeuers and men penitent must not therefore iudge them cast-awayes For Gods mercy calls a man in his old age and toucheth the heart when it pleaseth him Christ in the Parable calls some at the 11. houre Mat. 20.6 and so God calleth men to grace in their old age We must therfore spare these sharp vnsauourie censures which som vnaduisedly cast vpon such men for charity thinketh not euil 1. Corinth 13 where it may thinke or suppose any possibibility of good But contrariwise pray for them and hope of their conuersions because we know that at what time soeuer a sinner repents of his sinne God will forgiue him Ezek. 18.27.28 And yet for all this men must not presume to liue carelesly in their sinnes for that is desperately to tempt God but must follow the holy Counsell of Salomon Eccles. 12.1 To remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and to turne vnto God when they haue meanes least God take away the meanes and with the meanes his fauour from them Abraham was not called till he was olde but when hee was called hee harkened and obayed So must thou when God calls thee by afflictions or by his word then answere and obay as Abraham did or else Abrahams calling in his old age will be little comfort to thee Thus much for the time Thirdly for the manner of his calling it is laied downe in the Storie of Genesis to be in an earnest kinde of Counsell Goe out saith God from thy kindred and from thy Fathers house vnto the land that I will shew thee Where it is to be obserued he saith not barely Goe or come forth but hee amplifieth and vrgeth it with many wordes and circumstances If any aske why God did so when hee might haue giuen the commaundement in one word I answer the reason is that Abraham might haue cause more seriously to consider of Gods calling and to
is the right time for a man to shew his faith when there is in himselfe no cause of beleeuing Obiect But when a man is in this case he cannot beleeue Answ. Indeede to beleeue then is a wonderfull hard thing and a miracle of miracles But yet this is the propertie of true faith so to doe and if there bee but one dramme of true faith in the heart that despaires howsoeuer it may for a time lie hidde as dead yet at the length it will make him to hope and waite for mercy and life at the hands of Almightie GOD. And therefore if it shall please GOD at any time to lay a torment vpon our consciences so as wee shall striue with the wrath of GOD thinking that hee hath cast vs away yet for all that then we must beleeue GODs promises and set before vs his mercies and therewith refresh vs. And if this faith were not the childe of GOD many sundry times were in a most miserable case the Lord therefore hath most mercifully prouided to helpe him by the grace of faith When a man is past all hope of life he must then beleeue and hope for life as the Israelites did in the red sea for preseruation And vndoubtedly this is a comfortable signe of grace if a man in the horrour of conscience can shewe forth the least sparke of true faith Fourthly note the effect and issue of this faith They passed through the red sea We say vsually that water fire be vnmercifull creatures and therefore the naturall man feares them both but the Israelites faith makes them not to feare the water but it makes them bold euen to passe thorough the sea The like we may see for fire in the 3. children Dan. 3.16.23 who were not affraid of the hot burning ouen but were as bold in it as out of it Rauenous wilde beasts are terrible vnto men but faith makes a man not to feare them and therefore Daniel feares not the Lyons though hee were throwen into their denne to bee deuoured Dan. 6.22 Great is the fruite and force of faith it takes from a man the feare of those creatures which by nature are most terrible And here wee see a cause why the holy Martyrs of God died most cheerefully A man would thinke it strange that one should goe into the fire reioycing as many of them did but the reason is Because they had faith in their hearts which taketh away the feare of the most fearefull creatures But if it bee so may some say that the Israelites by faith went through the redde sea not fearing the water why may not we that beleeue now doe the same for wee haue the same faith that they had Answ. Wee haue indeede the same faith and yet wee cannot passe through waters as they did For their faith rested on two promises first on this made to Abraham I will bee thy God and the God of thy seed SecoÌ„dly on a particular promise made to Moses For when he coÌ„manded him to goe through the red sea withall he made a promise to keepe and preserue them and this they beleeued and so went through Now howsoeuer we haue iustifying faith hauing the same generall promise yet we haue not the like particular promise That if wee passe through the red sea God will be with vs and saue vs. And therefore if any man shall aduenture to doe so let him looke for nothing but death for it is not an action of faith but of presumption And therefore Peter sunke when hee would needs walke vnto Christ vpon the sea hauing no such hold vpon Gods speciall promise as here they had and the Egyptians following presumptuously were drowned Wherfore let vs here be warned not to attempt to doe extraordinary workes without Gods special warrant for a particular faith requires a particular promise besides the generall promise of God in Christ. Further let vs here obserue a wonderfull worke of Gods mercy and power When these seruants of God were brought into extremitie of danger so as they were in a desperate case for their temporall life yet then the Lord findes a way of deliuerance And indeede if a man consider aright of it hee must needes acknowledge that these Israelites were in a pittifull case for they had the red sea before them and mountains on each side and themselues hindred from flight by their bag and baggage and with their children and the huge hoste of Pharaoh behinde them so as to mans reason there was nothing but present death to bee looked for yet the Lord in mercy to saue them makes a way where there was no way and opens them a gappe to life when naturall reason could lay before them nothing but violent death Which shewes the wonderfull mercy of God to his owne people and seruants And the like thing we may read of in Dauid when he abode in the wildernesâ—e of Maon for there Saul followed him and he and his men compassed Dauid and his men round about 1. Sam. 23.26 27. Now what hope of deliuerance was there for Dauid Ans. Surely this only Dauid was the seruant of God the Lord preserued him that hee might rule his people after Sauls death and therfore he escapeth though wonderfully for a messenger comes to Saul and bids him haste for the Philistims inuaded the Land and so Saul returned from pursuing Dauid and went against the Philistims Hence we learne this generall rule that in the extremitie of all danger God hath meanes to preserue and saue his owne children and people Which must teach vs to commend our case to GOD and to rest on him in all dangers for when our case is desperate in our sight then are we fittest for Gods helpe Let vs therefore in such cases learne to practice our faith and then especially to cast our selues vpon GOD. This Iehosaphat did most notably for beeing assaulted with the huge armies of the Moabites Ammonites c. he praied vnto the Lord most feruently saying 2. Chron. 20.12 Lord there is no strength in vs wee knowe not what to doe but our eies are towards thee and thus doing was preserued for God will in no extremitie forsake them that trust in him The red sea In many places of the olde testament it is called the sea of rushes Psal. 106.7 9. Or the sea of sedges Ier. 49.21 It is a corner of the Arabian sea that parteth Egypt and Arabia Those which haue seene it in trauell say it hath no other colour than all other seas haue Why then is it called the red sea Answ. To omit many supposed causes hereof ther be two especially for which it is so called 1 Because of the red sand for both the bottome of the sea and the shoare are full of redder sande than ordinarily is else-where 2 Some thinke it is called the redde sea by reason of the sedges and bul-rushes which growe much at the sea side and bee of a redde colour which by reflection may
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
It is needlesse For the man is good alreadie else the worke could not haue beene good Wee may therefore say workes are rather iustified by the person of a man then his person by the works and it is a most vaine thing to looke for Iustification from that which thou thy selfe must first iustifie afore it be iust if wee had no other reasons against iustification by workes but this this were sufficient Secondly hence we learne that till a man bee called and his person iustified and sanctified all that euer hee doth is sinne 1. His common actions his eating drinking sleeping walking talking are all sinnes Yea 2. The workes of his calling his labor in the same though neuer so iust equal and vpright 3. Further his ciuill actions namely the practice of ciuill vertues his outward grauitie meekenesse sobrietie temperance quietnesse vprightnesse and all outward conformitie are all sinnes Yea more then all this his best actions namely his practicing of the parts of Gods worship or his deeds of charitie his praier his hearing the word his receiuing the sacraments his giuing of almes they are all sinnes vnto him if hee haue not a belieuing and penitent heart yea such sinnes as shall condemne hâ—m if hee had no other Obiect This should seeme strange diuinity that the most holy actions as praier c. should be damnable sinnes I answer they are in themselues holy and good and as farre forth as God hath commanded them yet in the doer they are sinnes because hee doth them from a fowle vnholy heart for the same action may be holy in it selfe and in regard of God the author of it and yet a sin in him that is the doer of it As cleere water pure in the fountaine is corrupted or poisoned by running through a filthy and polluted channell so are euen the best actions sinnes as euen the preaching of the word to a minister whose heart is not cleansed by faith and his person accepted of God it is a sin vnto him and if he repent not shall be his condemnation Cain sinned not onely in hating and murthering his brother in lying and dissembling with God but Cain sinned also euen in offering sacrifice And Abels sacrifice had beene a damnable sinne but that his person was iustified before God And the reason of all this is good for nothing in the worke is able to make an action acceptable to God but onely the acceptation of the person by Christ. This being so it stands vs euery one in hand to looke to our selues and to labour aboue all things for faith and repentance that so our persons may be accepted righteous before God and thereby our actions accepted also If it be a miserable thing that all thy actions euen holy actions should be sinnes then labour to be iustified for that onely can make thy workes accepted if not then though thou labour neuer so much to be approued in the world set neuer so glorious a shew vpon thy workes to the eyes of men they are all abhominable sinnes in the sight of God and at the day of iudgement they shall goe for no better Preach and teach all thy life long nay giue thy life to die for religion Giue all thy goods to the poore depriue thy flesh of all delights build Churches Colledges Bridges High-wayes c. and there may come a poore shepheard and for his keeping of his sheepe be accepted when thou with all this pompe of outward holinesse maist be reiected And why this only because he had faith thou hast none his person was iustified before God and thine is not Therefore let this be my counsell from Abell Labour not so much to worke glorious workes as that which thou doest doe it in faith Faith makes the meanest worke accepted and want of faith makes the most glorious worke reiected for so faith the Text. Abell must be accepted else his sacrifice is not Thus wee see Abell was iust and God so accounted him The second point is That God gaue testimonie hee was so In these words God giuing testimonie What testimonie it was that God gaue of Abell and his gift it is not expressed in the word and so it is not certaine but it is very likely that wheÌ„ he Cain offred God in speciall mercy sent fire from heauen and burnt vp Abels sacrifice but not Cains for so it pleased the Lord often afterward when he would shew that he accepted any man or his worke he answered them by fire from heauen So he burnt vp the first sacrifice that Aaron offred Leuit. 9.24 So he answered Salomon 2. Chron. 7.1 And so Elias 2. Kings 18.28 And so it is likely that he gaue this testimonie that he accepted Abell and his offring This was a great prerogatiue that Abell and the Fathers in the old testament had We haue not this but wee haue a greater for wee haue that that is the substance and truth and body of this For wee haue also the fire of God that is his spirit comes downe into our hearts euery day not visibly but spiritually and burnes vp in the heart of a beleeuer his sinnes and corruptions and lights the light of true faith that shall neuer be put out The vse hereof is this As no sacrifice in the old law pleased God but such as was burnt by fire from heauen sent downe either then or afore so our sacrifices of the new Testament that is our inuocation of Gods name our sacrifice of praise our duties of religion our workes of mercy and loue neuer please God vnlesse they proceede from a heart purged by the fire of Gods spirit that is from a beleeuing and repentant heart both which are kindled and lighted and daily continued by that fire of Gods spirit Therefore it is that Paul saith 1. Tim. 1.4 That loue must come out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained The duties of religion and works of loue comming from this purged heart ascend into the presence of God as a smoake of most acceptable sacrifices and are as a sweet perfume in the nosethrils of the Lord. Now of what did God thus testifie Of his gift It may here be asked at the first how can Abell giue a gift to God hath the Lord neede of any thing and are not all things his I answer God is soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth and all creatures yet hath hee so giuen his creatures vnto man to vse as that they become mans owne and so he may esteeme vse them and being mans a man may in token of his thankfulnes return them again to God especially seeing God accepts them being so offred as most free gifts This sheweth vs first the wonderfull mercy of God that whereas we can offer him nothing but his owne he vouchsafeth to accept a gift offred of his owne euen as though we had of our owne to offer 2. See here a difference betwixt the sacrifices of the old and
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
come for they were not performed for many yeeres after as shall appeare in the particulars Particularly they were these three First the great and iust wrath which God had conceiued against the sinfull world for the vniuersall corruption and generall sinfulnesse therof Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse to that wicked age and as S. Peter saith 1. Epistle 3.11 The very spirit of Christ preached in him but they contemned both him and the spirit by which hee spake and made a mocke of him and all his holy admonitions and solaced themselues in all their sinfull pleasures without feare or respect of God or man pleasing themselues in their owne defiled wayes promising to themselues safety and security But behold This Noah whom they esteemed a base and contemptible man vnworthy of their company to him is reuealed how short their time is and that they must be cut off in the midst of their iollity Gods children whom wicked men doe thinke and speake of with great contempt doe know full well the miserable state of such men and the fearefull dangers hanging ouer them when the wicked men themselues are farre from thinking of any such matter The second thing which God reuealed to Noah was that he would saue him and his family from perishing by the waters which he would bring vpon the world His faith was not in vaine God rewarded it with a singular preseruation Thus dealt he alwayes with his children deliuering Lot out of Sodome Gen. 19. Rahab out of Hierico Ioshua 6.22 The Kenits from the Amalekits 1. Sam. 15. and here Noah out of that generall destruction And this God afore-hand reueales vnto him for his greater comfort and security that when signes and strange tokens did foretell and shew that still the destruction was neerer and neerer still Noah might comfort himselfe in the assurance of that mercifull promise which God had made him of his deliuerance and of his family also for his sake The third thing reuealed to him was the meanes whereby he should be saued from the vniuersall floud namely by an Arke which for his more assurance hee is bid to make himselfe that so at euery stroke he gaue he might remember this mercifull promise of his God vnto him For as euery stroke in the making of the Arke was a loude sounding Sermon vnto that sinfull generation to call them to repentance so was it also an assurance vnto Noah of his deliuerance Of which Ark of Noahs obedience in making it we shall hereafter speake at large And thus much concerning the ground of Noahs faith which was a warning or reuelation from God Now followeth a second point namely the commendation of his faith or a description of the excellencie thereof by diuers and singular effects Moued with reuerence The first effect of his faith is It moued in him a reuerence or a reuerent feare of that God that spake to him and of his iustice towards sinne and sinners and of his mercie towards him In this effect we are to consider two points 1. The ground of this reuerence 2. The occasions or motiues of it The ground whence this reuerence sprang was his true and sauing faith for the holy Ghost first tells vs of Noahs faith afterwards of this reuerent feare he had of God and his great workes Where we learne that whosoeuer is endued with sauing faith is also touched with feare and reuerence at the consideration of God and his glorious workes whether they be works of his power his wisedome his mercy or his iustice or of all together For the first Dauid could not see the workes of Gods power in the creation Psalm 8. But when he looked vp and beheld the heauens the workes of Gods hands the moone and the starres which he had ordained hee forthwith fell into a reuerence and admiration of Gods mercy to man for whom and whose vse he made them all For the second the same Dauid could not enter into consideration of Gods wisedome in the admirable frame of mans body Psal. 139.13 c. but he presently falls into a reuerence and admiration thereof in most excellent and passionate words Thou possessest my reines thou coueredst me in my mothers wombe I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made Meruailous are thy workes and that my soule knoweth right well My bones are not hid from thee though I was made in a secret place yet thy eyes did see my substance when I was without forme and in thy booke were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned though there were none of them before How deere therefore are thy counsels to mee O God! Thus we see how this holy King cannot content himself with any tearmes to expresse his religious and reuerent conceite of Gods Maiestie For the third Gods mercifull workes to his Church and children haue alwayes beene considered-of by good men with great reuerence And What shall I giue vnto the Lord saith Dauid for all his benefites poured on mee Psalm 116.12 But especially the Iudgements of God haue beene alwaies entertained of Gods children with much reuerence and admiration Blessed Dauid saith My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgements Psal. 119.120 How would this noble King haue trembled and been afraid if he had beene a priuate man And how glorious is God and his workes of iudgements whereat euen Kings themselues doe tremble And the Prophet Habbacuk saith that when hee but heaâ—d of Gods iudgements to come his belly trembled his lips shooke rottennesse entred into his bones Habba 3.16 And thus Noah here hearing of Gods iust wrath against the sinfull world and of his purpose to ouerthrowe all liuing flesh by water was moued with great feare and reuerence at this mighty worke of God and from the view of this his great and iust iudgement his faith made him arise to a more earnest consideration of the Maiestie of God By all which it is more then apparant that true faith wheresoeuer it is worketh a holy feare and reuerent estimation of God and of his workes and of God in and by his workes whereby on the contrary side it followeth that therefore to thinke basely or ordinarily of God to thinke scornefully of his workes or to denie his power and his hand in the great workes either of mercie or iudgement done in the world is an argument of a profane heart and wanting true faith The vse of this doctrine discouers the profanenesse and the great want of faith that ordinarily is in the world And that appeares by two euidences the first is to mens owne consciences the other is to the view and sight of all the world First men may see in themselues a profane heart and voide of faith by this euidence For doth a man in his heart thinke basely of God his power his iustice or his mercies Doth he either doubt of them or granting them doth hee thinke of them without feare and amâ—zement
of it The author and first deuiser For Noah made not this Arke of his owne head but as we heard before he was warned of God to doe it And hee was the first practicer for God himselfe performed all those seruices vnto Noah in the Arke else it had neuer saued him This being so It is the more griefe to see that worthy calling so abused and debased as it is the most of them that practice it being profane vngodly and dissolute men Such men should remember God made the first ship and God was the first Master and the first Mariner the first Pilot the first gouernour of a ship and they should labour to be like him This is one of those fewe callings which may say God himselfe was the first deuiser and practicer of it All callings cannot say so why then should they so farre forgette whom they succeede Indeede vppon the seas and in distresses they will make some profession of religion but let them come a-shore what swearing what whoring what drunkennesse amongst them But let them be afraid to be so profane which hold the place which once God himselfe held or else let them know they are vnworthy of so good a calling And thus we see the reason and the meanes how the Ark could saue him and his houshold namely because God did gouerne it In the next place obserue the end and vse of the Arke It was to saue this holy man and his houshold Learne here that Gods seruants in common calamities haue safety For God himselfe giueth them security and prouideth deliuerance Thus was it euer When God proceedeth in iudgement against Hierusalem for the sinnes thereof hee marketh the godly in their foreheads namely such as mourne and cry for the abhominations which are done against God Ezech. 9.4 When Sodome must be destroyed righteous Lot and his family must be drawen out nay the Angell can doe nothing till he be safe Genesis 19.16.22 When the destroying Angell went ouer the land of Egypt and destroyed the first borne in euery house of the Egyptians the Israelites dwelling amongst them hee past ouer all the Israelites whose doores were sprinkled with the bloud of the Paschall Lambe Exodus 12.13 And euen so hee whose heart and soule is sprinkled with the bloud of Iesus Christ the Lambe of God no calamity can do him hurt nay when others are smitten he shall be deliuered The vse of this doctrine is to our Church and State Wee haue by Gods mercy long enioyed Peace and the Gospell and both vnder a gracious gouernment and with these manie other blessings Yet speake truth and the sinnes of our times call for a floud as in Noahs time and sure a floud of tribulation must come one way or other For this was alwaies the state of Gods Church now peace now persecution Peace abused causeth trouble and calamities Therefore as we haue so long had peace and ease so assuredly looke for a floud what it will be or when knoweth no man onely he who will send it the righteous and almighty God How then shall wee doe when the floud of tribulation is vpon vs There is no way but one Beleeue in Christ Iesus settle thy heart in true faith repent of thy sinnes get Gods fauour and forgiuenesse and then when the floud comes Gods prouidence shall affoord thee one way or other an Arke of safetie and deliuerance Sprinkle thy soule now with Christes bloud by faith and true repentance and the destroying Angell of Gods wrath shall passe ouer thee and thy houshold Thirdly obserue the largenesse of Gods bounty Not onelie Noah shall be saued but with him his houshold also Why the Lord did so there be diuers reasons First for the Propagation and multiplication of the world after the floud If any obiect Noah and his wife might haue serued for that end I answere they were olde for hee was 600. yeeres olde when the floud came and though hee liued 300. yeeres after the floud Genesis 9.28 Yet reade wee not of any children that he had If any further obiect The first world was begun and multiplied by two alone Adam Eue no more why then should there be so many for the beginning of the second world I answere God did so in the beginning to shew that all mankinde came of one bloud Acts. 17.26 and that in regard of body or birth there is no difference originally betwixt man and man which also was obserued euen in the second beginning For though the world was multiplied by three brethren Shem Cham and Iapheth Yet those three were not strangers but all sonnes to one man Noah so that as at first by Adam and Eue so after from Noah and his wife came all men in the world But in the beginning of the second world there must needes be more lines then one because now the blessed seede was promised whose line and kindred must needes be kept distinct frō all other vntil his incarnation Againe there was more cause now why the world should be speedily replenished then at the beginning For first the earth had some glory and beauty left it after the first curse so that it was still a most pleasant and delightfull habitation to Adam and Eue. But now by the second curse in the floud all her beautie was gone she and all her glory was ouerrunne spoyled and defaced so that it had beene a miserable habitation for Noah and his wife if they had beene without company Secondly the earth being much defaced and the vertue of it almost quite perished by the floud had now more neede to be recouered by the hands and helpe of many mens labours And to this purpose the Scripture saith Gen. 9.19 10.32 that the earth was diuided amongst the three sonnes of Noah And they liued not all together but ouerspread the earth And least the beasts which then were many should ouergrowe the world therefore God would haue the earth speedily replenished to that end Noah his wife had neuer a seruant in the Ark but only such as should haue children their 3. sonnes and their wiues And thus the multiplication of mankind is the first cause why God saued Noahs children The second cause It is likely that as himselfe was a righteous man so they of his family were more orderly and religious then others of that wicked Age for good men make conscience of teaching their families as Abraham Gen. 18.18 And seeing Noah is commended for a iust good man doubtlesse he did carefully instruct his houshold therefore it is to be supposed that all or the most of them were holy and righteous persons fearing God Thirdly though all of them were not righteous yet they were all of the family of righteous Noah and therfore for his sake they were saued all being his children or his childrens wiues For the righteous mā procureth blessings not on himself alone but on all that belong vnto him dwel with him or are in his
righteous of our selues yet hauing Christs righteousnesse imputed to vs are made thereby partakers of Gods loue and for the worthinesse of that righteousnesse of his so made ours shall be glorified in heauen And thus now at last we haue found that true and that only righteousnesse which can make a man as it did Noah righteous in Gods sight Now it remaines to make vse of it First here wee learne how foulely our nature is defiled with sinne and stayned with corruption the staine whereof cannot be washed away with all the water in the world no nor with the bloud of all creatures no not couered with the righteousnesse of all men and Angels but onely with the righteousnesse of God And that sonne of God also if he will apply that righteousnesse vnto vs and make it effectuall must become man and liue and die and rise againe for vs. A meruailous thing is it and â—orthy of our often consideration that all the Angels and men in the world cannot make one sinner righteous but that Gods sonne must needes doe it And that our sinnes are so hideous as nothing can hide the filthinesse thereof from the eyes of Gods Iustice but onely the glorious mercy seate of Christs righteousnesse This may therefore teach vs how to esteeme of our selues and our owne natures Furthermore See here the great goodnesse of God to man God put perfect legall righteousnesse in Adams heart in his creation he receiued it for himselfe and vs and lost it for himself and vs. God in mercy purposing to restore man thus by himselfe lost and cast away giues him another and a better righteousnesse then before But because he saw man was so ill a keeper of his owne Iewels he trusts not him with it but sets that righteousnesse in the person of Christ Iesus and commits it to him to keepe Who as he truly knowes the full value and excellencie thereof and as he deerely loues vs So he will most safely keepe it for vs and clothe vs with it in his Fathers presence at the last day A point of vnspeakable comfort to Gods children to consider that their saluation is not in their owne keeping where it might againe be lost but in a safe hand where they shall be sure to finde and haue it when they haue most need of it and to remember that their righteousnesse being in Christ they cannot lose it For though they sinne and so lose often the comfort of a good conscience for a time yet they then lose not their righteousnesse which is then in Christ and to consider that when in this world they sustaine losses or iniuries or lose all they haue vpon the earth that yet their righteousnesse the riches of their soules is then in heauen full safe in Christs keeping and shall neuer be lost This should make vs learne to know Christ more and more and to giue him the loue and affections of our very hearts that so we may be able to say with blessed Paul 2. Timoth. 1.12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day Lastly if there be such a communion betwixt Christ and a beleeuer that our sinnes were made his and his righteousnesse made ours This may teach vs patience and minister vs comfort in all outward afflictions or inward temptations because it is certaine all our sufferings are his and hee is touched with all the wrongs done to vs. When hee was in heauen he calls to Saul Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and at the last day Math. 25.45 Whatsoeuer either good or euill was done to any of his children he saith was done to himselfe and accordingly it shall be rewarded as done to him And thus wee haue taught that true righteousnesse which iustifies a sinner and made Noah righteous and we see the vse of that worthy doctrine And in this first point we haue the longer insisted because it is one of the fundamentall points of Christian religion Hetherto of the first point namely what that righteousnesse is which is here spoken of The 2. point to be coÌ„sidered in these words is that this righteousnesse is that righteousnesse Which is by Faith It is so called because faith is the proper instrument created in the soule of man by the holy Ghost to apprehend that righteousnesse which is in the person of Christ nor can it be any waies else either apprehended or applied and therefore it is worthily called that righteousnesse which is by faith that is which by faith is made a mans owne or whereunto a man hath title by his faith Here therefore two points offer themselues to our obseruation 1. That true faith apprehends properly this true righteousnesse 2. That onely faith can doe it For the first it is proued by apparant euidences of Scripure S. Paul tells the Galathians 3.14 They receiued the promise of the Spirit by faith And S. Iohn saith That as manie as receiued Christ to them hee gaue power to be called the sonnes of God And least any man should thinke that to receiue Christ is not to beleeue in Christ he addeth Euen to as many as beleeue in his name Iohn 1.12 And therefore faith is fitly compared to a hand that takes hold on a garment and applieth it to the body being naked or to a beggars hand that takes or receiues a Kings almes so faith in a mans soule takes hold on Christs righteousnes which is the mercifull and liberall almes of the King of heauen and applieth it to the poore and naked soule of the beleeuer If any man aske how can faith apply Christ to the beleeuer I answer as a man being in his corrupt nature hath nothing to doe with Christ So contrariwise when the holy Ghost hath wrought faith in his heart by a supernaturall operation then wee are to know that as faith is the proper instrument to apprehend Christ So is Christ and his righteousnesse the proper obiect for faith to work vpoÌ„ For though it apprehend apply all other promises which God makes to our soules or bodies yet most properly and principally and in the first place it apprehends the promise of saluation and the righteousnesse of Christ. Now for the particular manner how faith doth thus we are to know that though it be spirituall inuisible and so not easily expressed to sense yet is it done as properly by faith as a garment is by the hand taken and applied to the body or a plaister to a sore If any aske further But when may a man know whether his faith haue apprehended and applied Christs righteousnesse to his soule or no I answere when hee beleeueth particularly that Christes righteousnesse is his righteousnesse and hath reconciled him to God and shall iustifie him in Gods presence then doth faith worke his true and proper worke for this cannot be done but by faith and where faith is this must needes be done
the first fruit of their faith The second fruite of their faith is noted in these words And beleeued them where by beleeuing wee must vnderstand not so much the act of faith for that was noted before as the growth and encrease of their faith for the word imports a confirmation of their hearts and a resolution in assurance of the promises made vnto them which is not vnusuall in Scripture for Paul prayeth for the Churches who had true knowledge faith and loue that they might encrease and abound therein more and more Ephesians 3.16.17 Philippians 1.9.11 Colossians 1.9.11 Heere then wee may obserue in the example of these Patriarches that it is the duty and property of euery true beleeuer to goe forward and encrease in faith till hee come to a full perswasion and assurance in Gods promises All the giftes of GOD and therefore faith are the Lords talents and euery true beleeuer is the Lords seruant called to occupie therewith Now GOD hauing put his talent into any mans hand doth require the encrease thereof as the Parable shewes Luke 19.13 And this Paul teacheth for praying for the Ephesians that they may goe on and be strengthened by the spirit in the inner man Ephesians 3.16 he signifieth that hee that doth truly beleeue in Christ must goe on from grace to grace till hee be a tall man in Christ as a childe groweth from yeare to yeare till hee come to bee a strong man The nature of faith is like vnto fire which will not goe out so long as wood or other fewell is put vnto it but will take holde thereof and growe vnto a greater flame and so will faith growe vp to a full perswasion in all those that conscionablie apply themselues to the Worde and Prayer But goes the case thus with vs in the matter of faith Nay verily generally it is farre otherwise for many among vs haue no regard of faith at all but thinke they may liue as they lust their good meaning will serue the turne others and those not a fewe are so farre from going forward in faith that they are euery day worse and worse and still goe backward more and more A third sort wee haue that will heare the word and receiue the Sacraments but yet their growth in grace is verie slender they stand at a stay and profit little Now howsoeuer it may be thought but a small fault not to profit in Religion yet vndoubtedly it is a fearefull Iudgement of GOD when the hearers of the word in any congregation are daily taught and doe not profit thereby and therefore the holy Ghost noteth those women to be laden with sinne which are euer learning and yet neuer are able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2. Timoth. 3.7 If a childe lately borne like not well nor growe when it hath good keeping the common saying is that it is a Changeling So if a man heare the word of God and doe not encrease in knowledge faith and obedience wee may most truly say of him that hee is a spirituall Changeling and therefore to auoide this fearefull iudgement of God we must first labour for faith hauing faith encrease therein and in other graces of God till we come to be strong men in Christ. It is here said that those Patriarchs encreased in faith But it may be demaunded how and by what meanes they did attaine hereto Answer In the booke of Genesis we may finde three wayes whereby they were confirmed in the faith and did growe vp in grace The first meanes was from God himselfe for when he had made his couenant with Abraham mercifully renuing the same during his life as occasion serued sundry times he stayed not there suffering it to die with Abraham but when Abraham was dead God renued his couenant with Isaac and Rebecka and with Iacob also after them Now the tongue of man cannot vtter what a wonderfull furtherance it was vnto their faith to haue the Lord himselfe to renue his gracious promises vnto them The second meanes of encreasing their faith was their holy conuersing one with another for the manner of the Patriarchs was to teach and instruct their children and to nurture them vp in the true worship and feare of God by which meanes they did not only implant Gods promises in the hearts of their children but were themselues confirmed in the same for hee that teacheth another from a feeling heart greatly strengtheneth his owne soule Now God himselfe doth testifie this thing of Abraham saying I knowe him that he will commaund his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement Now looke what Abraham herein did to Isaac that no doubt did Isaac vnto Iacob The third meanes to encrease their faith was from each one to himself for they gaue themselues often times in their owne persons to muse meditate vpō the promises of God so it is said of Isaac that he went out to pray or to meditate in the field towards euening and wee may perswade our selues it was concerning this and other promises of God and the accomplishment thereof And wee neede not to doubt but that Abraham and Iaacob did the like These are the means by which these godly Patriarchs were strengthened in their faith All which must be marked of vs diligently and put in practice for the cause why we heare the word often and yet profit little by it is chiefly this because the meanes by which men should growe vp in faith are so slenderly vsed among vs. For the first meanes which is on Gods behalfe to man is through his great and vnspeakable mercy plentifully affoorded in many parts of the Land in the holy Ministerie of the gospell wherin Gods gratious promises of mercy are opened and applied to mens hearts and his iudgements against sinne are sharpely denounced to driue men to lay holde on Gods mercy in Christ. But if wee regard the second meanes which is mutuall instruction of father to childe of master to seruant and of one neighbour to another together with mutuall conference about that we are taught Or else if wee regard the third meanes which is priuate meditation vpon Gods word and promises taught vnto vs which meditation is to a Christian soule like the chewing of the cudde vnto a beast for as chewing the cudde turnes that which was eaten into true feeding so doth holy meditation make Gods word and promises spirituall refreshing by digesting them in the heart If I say wee take a viewe of these two latter wee shall finde them seldome vsed of very many or not at all Blessed be God we neede not to doubt but there bee some who vse these meanes with care and reuerence but alas these some are very fewe And because this duty is so slackly performed hence it is that though the couenant of mercy in Christ be oft repeated yet men reape little profit by it So that we
steward ouer them for the good disposing of them to the glory of God and the good of his Church alwaies remembring this rule of the Prophet Dauid Psal. 62.10 If riches increase set not thy heart on them He saith not If riches increase refuse thē but set not thy heart on them and thus much of these Questions Now this practice of the Patriarchs is as necessarie for vs in these dayes as euer it was for the cause why we profit little after much hearing of Gods word is this we haue not behaued our selues like Pilgrimes and strangers in this world but the cares of the things of this life haue choaked it vp Math. 13 2◠that it could take no ground nor roote in our hearts when we haue heard the word wee remember it not because our hearts and the affections thereof are set on the pleasures and commodities of the worlde Wee therefore must shake off this filthy sinne and learne to behaue our selues like Pilgrimes and strangers not intangling our selues with the things of this life but vsing them as though we vsed them not so as they be no hinderance to the growth of Gods graces in vs. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seeke a Country In the former verse was set downe the constancie of Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iacob in the faith Now in the 14.15 and 16. verses the holy Ghost proceedeth to amplifie and inlarge the commendation of their perseuerance in the faith for the scope of all these verses is to proue that all these particularly were constant in the faith vnto the end The proofe is made by one substantiall reason the summe whereof is this Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iacob sought for their Country which was heauen and therefore they were constant in the true faith But some may thinke that this reason is not substantiall for men may seeke for heauen that neuer had true sauing faith As Balaam desired that his end might be like the end of the righteous Numb 23.10 wherewith no doubt he desired the state of the righteous after this life I answere that this desire of Balaams was not grounded vpon any constant perswasion nor settled resolution but vpon some sodaine motion Secondly though he desired to die the death of the righteous yet he would not liue the life of the righteous hee had no delight to walke in the way to come to that end which they walked in without which no man ordinarily can come to it Yet further some will say Many shall seeke as our Sauiour Christ saith to enter in at the straite gate of the kingdome of heauen and shall not be able Luke 13.24 Therefore to seeke for heauen is no sufficient argument of true faith Answer True indeede many shall seeke to come to heauen and shall not be able to enter because they seek when the dore of mercy is shut and when the day of grace is past for there is a time of grace wherein the Lord will be found Now if men seeke him not in this time though they seeke him neuer so long after yet they shall not finde him But the seeking of these Patriarchs was a sound and constant seeking and so a notable fruite of their true faith For 1. they sought a heauenly Country 2. they sought it in due time not for a brunt but through the whole course of their liues 3. they went the right way denying themselues and their estate in this life as being strangers vpon earth and they were willing to forsake all things in this world to attaine heauen esteeming it as their true dwelling place and their eternall rest Now more particularly the holy Ghost diuideth this reason into two parts handleth the same seuerally 1. he proueth that they sought a Country in this verse and 2. that this Country which they sought was heauen it selfe verse 15.16 For the first part that they sought a Country is thus proued They which say they are Pilgrimes and strangers they shew plainly that they seeke a Country But Abraham Isaac and Iacob saide of themselues that they were Pilgrimes and Strangers Therefore they shew plainly that they seeke a Country The first part of this reason is euident in it selfe for hee that saith hee is a Pilgrime and a stranger in any place sheweth plainly that hee is forth 〈◊〉 his owne Countrey and therefore seeketh one The second part of the reason is assumed from their confession in the end of the former verse and confessed that they were Pilgrimes and strangers on the earth from whence the conclusion is laid downe in this 14. verse that therefore these Patriarchs sought a Country In this reason obserue first that the Author of this Epistle had diligently read the History of Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iacob penned by Moses in the booke of Genesis and in reading had obserued that which they particularly confessed of themselues in many places of that booke namely that they were Pilgrimes and strangers yea also hee gathered from their confession this most heauenly meditation that therefore they were not in their owne Country but sought another These three thinges then the Author of this Epistle vsed about the holy Scriptures Reading meditation and obseruation Whence we learne that all Gods Ministers and those which prepare themselues to the worke of the Ministerie are diligently to reade and study the holy Scriptures and to meditate therein No doubt the Author of this Epistle was an Apostle and had most notable giftes by vertue of his calling and yet hee bestowed paines in viewing the particular words of Abraham Isaac and Iacob recorded by Moses in the booke of Genesis Daniell also was an extraordinarie Prophet yet as wee may reade Daniel 9.2 hee studied with admirable diligence the prophecies of Ieremie and Ezekiel And Timothie though he were a Disciple Acts 16.1 and well learned yet Paul chargeth him to giue attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine 1. Timothie 4.13 And Ezekiel is commaunded to eate the role and to fill his belly with it Ezekiel 3.3 And Saint Iohn likewise is commaunded to eate vp the little booke Reuelations 10.9.10 which thing he did all which strongly inforce the former duty shewing that Gods seruant in the Ministerie must as it were eate vp Gods booke that in iudgement and vnderstanding he may digest as farre as is possible the deepe things of God and the hardest places of the Scripture here must he lay his foundation and hither haue recourse frō all other writing whatsoeuer in any matter of doubt This direction is most necessary for the Schooles of the Prophets and for all Gods Ministers and yet notwithstanding the contrary practice beareth sway in the world For in the Popish Vniuersities most of their diuines apply themselues to study the bookes of certaine schoole-men and the Expositors or Commenters thereupon These are applied day and night though they be both many and large and full of needlesse quiddities and oftentimes they be also
some lesse because some are greater and some lesser than others Whence this rule may be set down that when 2. Comm. of God crosse one another so as a man obeying one breakes another then a man must preferre the greater As for example this is Gods Comm. Honour God commanded in the first table Again the 5. Comm. saith Honor Parents Magistrates Now if parents or magistrates cōmand any thing the doing wherof would dishonor God being contrary to the first table then the 5. Comm. giueth place vnto the first and a man must rather disobey magistrates and parents than dishonour God for the maine duties of the first table take place before the maine duties of the second And therfore Christ saith If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple meaning that if father or mother wife or childrē would drawe vs frō God we must hate them rather then disobey God Againe a commandement ceremoniall and a commandement of loue and mercy concurre together and it so falleth out that they should be both kept and cannot in this case therefore the ceremoniall Law of the first table must giue place to the Law of Charitie and Loue in the second table Because the ceremonies are the inferiour duties of the first but charity and mercy the principal duties of the second table for example the Lord inioyneth vs in the fourth cōmandement to rest on the Sabaoth day Now it falls out that my neighbours house is on fire vpō the Sabaoth day whether then may I labour with my neighbour that day to saue his house Answ. I may for the strict obseruation of rest on the Sabaoth day is a ceremonie but the quenching of fire in my neighbours house is a work of mercy and a maine duty of the second table and therfore must take place before a ceremonial duty of the 1. table Thirdly God hath giuen vs ten commandements containing all ordinary duties both of piety and of mercy yet if God giue vs a particular and speciall commaundement contrary to any of the ten that must stand and the ordinarie commaundements must giue place and yeeld vnto it as for example the second commaundement forbiddeth any man to make any grauen Image yet Moses by a speciall cōmandement made a brasen serpent in the wildernesse to be a figure of Christ. So the sixt cōmandement Thou shalt not kill is an ordinary cōmandement and bindeth the conscience of euery man to obay the same yet God comes with a special cōmandement to Abraham saith Abraham kill thy son therefore the ordinary commandement of the 2. table giueth place for the time And so goe all the cōmādements thou shalt do thus thus vnlesse God cōmand otherwise for God is an absolute Lord and so aboue his owne Lawes hee is not bound vnto them but may dispence with them and with vs for the keeping of them at his will and pleasure And thus was Abraham warranted to sacrifice his Sonne namely by vertue of a speciall and personall commaundement to himselfe alone But if Abraham had not had this particular commaundement the sacrificing of Isaac had beene vnlawfull and abhominable for the killing of a man is a hainous sinne much more is the killing of a mans owne sonne without a speciall commaundement for that is against nature and therefore the Lord by Ieremie doth seuerely condemne the Iewes for burning their sonnes and daughters in sacrifice Ier. 7.31 without any warrant from him though it may be they would pretend their imitation of Abraham in the sacrificing of Isaac yea and to shew his detestation of that fact he changeth the name of the place calling it the valley of slaughter verse 32 and in the new Testament it is vsed to signifie hell Math. 5.29.30 And because this sinne is so odious it is rather to be thought that Iephte did not kill his daughter in sacrifice to the Lord as some thinke hee did especially being a man commended for his faith by the holy Ghost but hereof we shall speake when we come to his example verse 32. Thus we see Abraham had ground for this fact to doe it by faith euen Gods speciall commaund But here it will be said that Abraham did not offer vp his sonne indeede for though he had bound him and laid him on the Altar yet when he lifted vp the knife to haue killed him the Angell staid his hand and suffered him not Gen. 22.11.12 How then can it be true which is here said that he offered him vp for the writer of a Story must make true reports but it seems the writer hereof is deceiued in the very principall point affirming Isaac was offered when in truth he was not Answer God is the Author and inditer of this Storie and in Gods sight and estimation he was offered though not in the worlds and therefore it is so said in regard of Gods acceptance because Abrahams purpose was to haue done it and if hee had not beene staide hee had done it Where we note a point of speciall comfort to wit that God in his children and seruants doth accept the will for the deede so S. Paul saith 2. Corinth 8.12 If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not speaking of their releeuing of the poore he telleth them that GOD regardeth not so much a mans worke as the heart wherewith hee doth the work And therefore the poore widowe in the Gospell Luk 21.3 is saide by our Sauiour Christ to haue cast more into the treasurie though it were but two mites then many rich men that cast in great aboundance more in heart not in substance This serueth to stay the heart of many a man that is found bruised in conscience for seeing his weake obedience and the greatnesse of his sinnes past he begins to call his election into question now what must a man doe in this case Answer Surely he must goe on forward in obedience and endeauour himself to continue therein and then though he faile many times through infirmity yet for his endeauour GOD will accept of him and be pleased with the same This doctrine is very comfortable to a distressed conscience but yet it must not make any man bolde to sinne for many abuse this Doctrine and say that though they liue in sinne yet God will accept of them for they loue GOD in their heart But they deceiue themselues for this mercifull dealing of God in accepting the will for the deede is onely towards those that endeauour themselues sincerely to leaue their sinnes to beleeue in God and to walke in obedience but such as flatter themselues lying in their sinnes God will not be mercifull vnto them Deut. 29.19.20 Here further it may well be demaunded How Abraham could take Isaac and binde him and lay him on the altar to haue
them otherwhile his holy Angels brought them messages from GOD and sometime they had his will reuealed vnto them by dreames and visions all which were notable helpes and meanes both to beginne and to encrease faith in them but Ioseph wanted all these meanes or at least many of them For reade his whole Historie and you shall not finde that either Angell appeared vnto him or else that GOD by dreames and visions spake vnto him and no meruaile For hee liued out of the visible Church where GODs presence was in superstitious and Idolatrous Egypt and yet for all this hee is heere matched in the matter of faith with the three worthie Patriarchs It is then a good question how Ioseph should come by this faith Answer We must knowe this that though he had not the like extraordinarie meanes with the Patriarches yet he wanted not all meanes for in his younger dayes hee was trayned vp in his Father Iacobs family and by him was instructed in the wayes of God and in the practice of religion and in his later dayes also he had the benefit of his Fathers company and instructions in Egypt Now Iacob was not an ordinarie Father but a notable Patriarch and an holy Prophet in whose family God had placed his visible Church in those dayes wherin Iacob was the Lords Prophet and Minister Now Ioseph both in his young age and also after his Father came to Egypt did heare and learne of him the wayes of God and by that meanes came to this excellent faith for which he is so commended here and matched with his Fathers the holy Patriarchs Hence we learne that the preaching of Gods word by his Ministers though extraordinarie meanes as reuelations and visions be wanting is sufficient to bring a man to faith yea to such a faith as the three Patriarchs had Indeede in the ministerie of the word hee which speaketh vnto vs is but a man as others are but yet the word which he deliuereth is not his own but the mighty word of God and looke what is truly pronounced by him vnto vs out of Gods word the same is as certainly sealed vnto vs by his spirit as if God himselfe from heauen should extraordinarily reueale the same And howsoeuer in former times men had visions and dreames and Angels from God himselfe to reueale his will vnto them yet this Ministerie of Gods word in the new Testament is as sufficient a meanes of the beginning and encreasing of true faith as that was then This plainly confuteth all those that neglect or contemne the Ministerie and preaching of the word looke for extraordinarie reuelations and for visions dreames for the begetting and encrease of faith and grace in their hearts But our Sauiour Christ doth notably checke all such in the Parable of the rich man by the words of Abraham to Diues saying of Diues brethren that they had Moses and the Prophets if they will not heare them neither will they beleeue though one should come from the dead againe Verse 31 insinuating that if a man will not beleeue by the preaching of the word there is nothing in the world will make him to beleeue neither reuelations nor visions no not the words of them that rise againe from the dead Secondly the consideration of the sufficiencie of Gods ordinance in the holy Ministerie to beget and to encrease true faith must stirre vs vp to all care and diligence not onely to heare the word of God preached vnto vs but to profit by it both in knowledge and obedience and thus much for the first point The second point to be handled is the commendation of Iosephs faith by two actions thereof to wit 1. His mention of the departure of the children of Israell out of Egypt 2. His commaundement concerning his bones Of both which we will speake briefely because the speciall points herein were handled in the former verse For the first Ioseph when hee died made mention of the departing of the children of Israell that is out of Egypt into Canaan Here we may obserue a most notable worke of faith it makes a man to keepe in memory the mercifull promises which God hath made vnto him This is it which commends Iosephs faith for a liuely faith That being about to die he remembreth this mercifull promise of God made to his fore-fathers touching their posterity to wit that after they had cōtinued as seruants in a strange Land 400. yeares they should then haue a good issue and a happy deliuerance and be brought into the Land of Canaan Gen. 15.13 This is a notable work of faith as may appeare by two notable effects hereof in the life of a Christian For first by this remembrance of Gods mercifull promises the seruant of God at all times and in all distresses and extremities doth finde comfort vnto his soule This brings to his memory the wonderfull goodnesse and mercy of God by which he is comforted When Dauid was in a most desperate case so as he cried out by reason of affliction and temptation Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will hee shew no more fauour Is his mercy cleane gone doth his mercy faile for euermore Psal. 77 with such like most fearefull speaches How did he then comfort himselfe in this distresse Answ. Surely by remembring the works of the Lord and his wonders of olde and by meditating in all his workes and gracious acts which he had done for him So likewise in another place in great anguish of spirit he saith to his soule Why art thou cast down my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Psalm 43.5 Yet in the next words hee thus stayes himselfe Waite on God for I will yet giue thankes vnto him he is my present help and my God How came Dauid to say so in this distresse Answer By meanes of faith which doth reuiue and refresh the dead heart of man by bringing to his remembrance the mercifull promises of God Saint Paul pressed with corruption cried out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Yet in the next words he saith I thanke my God through Iesus Christ our Lord Then I my selfe in my minde serue the Law of God c. How come the latter words to followe on the former Answer In the first words indeede he is cast downe with the view and sight of his naturall corruption which drew him headlong into sinne but yet the later words are a remembrance of the mercifull deliuerance from sinne which GOD had wrought in him by Christ and therefore hee breaketh out to this saying I thanke my God through Iesus Christ c. Secondly the remembrance of Gods promises serueth to be a meanes to keepe a man from sinne for mans nature is as readie and prone to sinne as fire is to burne when fewell is put to it But when by faith hee calls to minde Gods mercifull promises especially those which are
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
did it not so much as burne their garments or the haire of their heads to cause the same to smel And the like is his goodnesse towards all his seruants Dauid saith The Lord preuented him with liberall blessings that is when Dauid neuer asked such blessings at Gods hand euen then did the Lord bestowe his liberall blessings vpon him as namely this when Dauid was following his Fathers sheepe and walking in his calling he neuer dreamed of any Kingdome yet thence the Lord took him to be King ouer his people Israell So the Israelites hauing been 70. yeares in captiuity neuer thought of returne and yet then were they deliuered and their deliuerance was so strange and miraculous that they were like them that dreame Psal. 126.1 When Peter was cast into prison by Herod and committed to foure quaternions of Souldiers to be kept the Angel of the Lord came and awoke him as he slept and led him out of prison past the watches and through the iron gate and then left him Now this deliuerance was so strange vnto him that he knew not whether it was true but thought he had seene a vision From hence it is that God hath made this gracious promise vnto his Church to answer before they call and to heare while they speake Isay 65.24 So endlesse is his mercy and his goodnesse so vnspeakeable towards his seruants that if they cleaue vnto him vnfainedly they shall finde his bounty farre surpassing all that they could aske or thinke The consideration hereof serues to stirre vp euery one of vs in our places to cleaue vnfainedly vnto the true God with all our hearts by faith in due reuerence and obedience If a seruant were to choose his Master and among an hundred should heare of one that besides his wages would giue vnto his seruants gifts which they would not think of this seruant would forsake all the rest to com vnto this one Behold the Lord our God is this bountifull master who doth not only keep couenant with his seruāts in a full accomplishment of his promises but is exceeding gracious preuenting them with liberall blessings aboue all that they can wish for thēselues wherfore let vs forsake all our bad Masters the world the flesh and the diuell in the seruice of sinne and resigne our selues with full purpose of heart to serue this our good GOD to the end of our dayes There is no man liuing that can haue such cause of true ioy in heart as Gods seruants haue for God shewes more kindenesse vnto them then they can aske or thinke of And take this for truth also there be none that thus giue themselues to serue God faithfully with all their harts but before they die they shal finde this to be true that God is a most mercifull GOD and his goodnesse endlesse towards them aboue their deserts Secondly this endlesse mercy of GOD must mooue vs all to repent vs of our sinnes and to trust in him for the pardon of them be they neuer so many or haynous for they can neuer reach to the multitude of his mercies Though they be in number like the sand of the sea they must not dismay vs from comming to him but considering that his goodnesse is endlesse and his mercy is ouer all his workes we must come vnto him for the pardon of our sinnes For GOD is mercifull to performe his promise yea and beyond his promise to doe for vs more than wee can thinke of Many indeede abuse this mercie of GOD by presuming thereon to goe on in sinne but such deceiue themselues For God will not be mercifull vnto them Deut. 29.20 It is the penitent person that shall finde mercy The sixt effect of their faith is in these words Escaped the edge of the sword The words in the originall are thus Escaped the mouth of the sword which is the Hebrew phrase in the olde Testament and heere followed by the Pen-man of this Epistle and before where he calleth the word of God a two mouthed sword Heb. 4.12 hereby meaning as it is translated a two edged sword This effect must be vnderstood of two worthy Prophets Elias and Elizeus for Elias wee may reade that when he had slaine Baals Priests 1. Kings 19.1 Iezabel the Queene threatened to kill him which he hearing fled into the wildernesse and thence was led to Mount Horeb and there escaped by meanes of his faith And for Elizeus wee may reade that when he disclosed the King of Syriah his counsell to the King of Israel 2. Kings 6. hee was compassed about in Dothan the city where he lay with a huge hoast of Assyrians but praying to the Lord the Lord smote the hoast with blindnesse and so the Prophet led them in safetie to Samaria So then the meaning of this effect is that when these seruāts of God were in distresse danger of death they denied themselues and their owne helpe by faith relied vpō God vnfainedly frō the bottom of their hearts so found deliuerance with God frō the perill of death First here wee learne that God prouides for the safetie and deliuerance of his seruants in the extremitie of peril and danger when both might and multitude are against them This point we haue touched in diuers examples before and therefore doe here onely name it Secondly in that these men in the extremity of danger beleeued and so escaped the edge of the sword we learne that when we are in greatest danger so as we see no way to escape euen then wee must put our trust in the true God and he will saue vs. This wee must doe not onely for the safety of our body but more especially for the saluation of our soule Put the case a man were in despaire of his saluation and that hee sees legions of diuels compassing him about to take him away what must this man doe in this case Answ. Looke what Elias and Elizeus did the same thing must hee doe hee must not lie dead in desperation yielding thereto but at the very same time when such terrors oppresse him hee must by faith lift vp his heart to God and put all his trust and confidence in him thorough Christ. And if hee can this doe hee may assure himselfe that hee shall as certainly escape these fearefull terrors of conscience and the torments of hell as Elias Elizeus did the edge of the sword for let a man put his whole trust in God and whatsoeuer his troubles bee God will deliuer him Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuers him out of them all Psal. 34.19 Indeed wee must not limit God for time or manner of deliuerance but waite on GOD by faith accounting his grace sufficient till deliuerance come And thus much of the sixt effect The seauenth effect of their faith is this Of weake were made strong Or thus Of weake were restored to health This must bee vnderstood of Hezekias a worthy king of
Christ and thereupon rest our soules Thus did these beleeuers in this place And this faith did Iob notably testifie when GOD had taken from him children goods health yea and all that he had yet then he said Iob 13.15 Though he kill me yet will I trust in him And so must wee endeuour to doe if that case befall vs for when all worldly helpes and comforts faile vs this promise of life in Christ will be a sweet and safe refuge for our soule Being destitute afflicted and tormented Here the Apostle amplifieth their misery in their wādring estate by three degrees of crosses which did accompany the same First they were destitute of all temporall blessings secondly they were afflicted both in body and minde Thirdly tormented that is euill entreated These are added for a speciall cause to shew that these seruants of God were laden with afflictions They were banished driuen to extreme pouerty they were depriued of all their goods and of all society of men they were afflicted in body and in minde and euill entreated of all men no man would doe them good but all men did them wrong whereby we see that euen waues of miseries ouerwhelmed them on euerie side Hence wee learne that Gods seruants may be ouerwhelmed with manifolde calamities at the same instant being pressed down with crosses in goods in body minde friends and euery way This was Iobs case a most worthy seruant of God he was afflicted in body in friends goods childrē which was greatest of all he wrestled in cōscience with the wrath of God Iob 13.16 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest mee to possesse the iniquities of my youth And the like hath beene the state of many of Gods children Psal. 88.3.7 My soule is filled with euils thou hast vexed me with all thy waues c. Question How can this stand with the truth of Gods word wherein are promises of all manner of blessings both temporall and spirituall to those that feare him Deut. 28. 1 2 c. If thou obey the voyce of the Lord thy GOD all these blessings shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee blessed in the Citie and in the field in the fruite of thy body and of thy ground and cattell Psal. 34.10 They that seeke the Lord shall lacke nothing that is good For Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 And therefore Dauid compareth the godly man to the tree that is planted by the water side which bringeth forth much fruite and is greene and well liking Psalme 1.3 How then comes this to passe that Gods owne seruants should be thus oppressed and laden not with one calamity or two but with sundry and grieuous afflictions at the same time Answer True it is the Scripture is full of gracious promises of temporal blessings vnto Gods children but they are conditionall and must be vnderstoode with an exception to this effect Gods children shall haue such and such blessings vnlesse it please God by afflictions to make triall of his graces in them or to chastise them for some sinne so that the exception of the crosse for the triall of grace or chastisement for sinne must be applied to all promises of temporall blessings And hence it comes to passe that the most worthy renowned seruants of God for their faith are said to be afflicted and in miserie For his promises of temporall blessings are not absolute but conditionall All things are theirs as Paul saith 1. Cor. 3.21 and they shall haue honour wealth fauour c. vnlesse it please God to proue their faith or to chastice their sinnes by crosses and afflictions Question How can Gods seruants be able to beare so many and grieuous crosses at once seeing it is hard for a man to beare one crosse patiently The answere is heere laid downe to wit by faith for many and grieuous were the miseries that lay on these seruants of God and yet by beleeuing the promise of life in the Messias they were enabled to beare them all This is a soueraine remedy against immoderate griefe in the greatest distresse and vndoubtedly the flouds of affliction shall neuer ouerwhelme him that hath his heart assured by faith of the mercy of God towards him by Iesus Christ. This made Dauid say He would not feare euill though he should walke through the valley of the shadow of death Psal. 23.4 and Paul speaking of tribulation anguish famine persecution yea and death it selfe saith In all these we are more then conquerers through him that hath loued Rom. 8.37 And from this faith it was that hee was able to endure all estates to be hungry to want c. Phil. 4.12 13. If this be true that Gods children may be afflicted with manifolde calamities at once then the opinion of naturall and vngodly men is false who iudge him to be wicked and vngodly whom God ladeth with manifolde calamities This was the iudgement of Iobs three friends and the ground of all their disputation against him that because God had laid so great and so many crosses vpon him therfore he was but an hypocrite And this is the rash iudgement of naturall men in our dayes especially vpon those that make profession of religion when Gods hand of triall or correction lies vpon them they presently censure them for hypocrites but this is a wretched opinion for Gods dearest children may be pressed downe with manifold calamities Secondly seeing faith in Christ will support the soule vnder manifolde crosses be they neuer so grieuous wee must labour in the feare of God to haue our hearts rooted and grounded in this faith and when afflictions come we must striue to shew forth the fruite and power of it by bearing them patiently And thus much of the seuerall branches of affliction in this last example of beleeuers VERSE 38. Whom the world was not worthy of they wandred in the wildernesse and mountaines and dens and Caues of the earth IN these words the holy Ghost doth answere to a secret obiection or surmise which a naturall mā might cōceiue against the beleeuers spoken of before For it being said that they wandred vp and downe Some man might thinke thus no meruaile though they wandred vp and down for it may be they were not worthy to liue in the worlde This the holy Ghost doth flatly denie and auoucheth the cleane contrary of them to wit that they wandred vp and downe by faith and the Lord caused them so to doe because the world was not worthy of them they were too good to liue in the world In this answere to this surmise wee may obserue what is the opinion of naturall men concerning the children of God to wit that they are not worthy to liue in the world but the earth whereon they tread is too good for them This hath beene is and will be the worldes estimation of Gods children Matthew chapter 24. verse 9 Ye shall be hated of all