seeing the Lord giues the blessing but rather giue the glorie vnto God and for his sake honouring the instrument Comforting our selues that hell shall not preuaile seeing God is the stronger Math 16. Luke 11. 22. 23. And no lesse then Heauen is the reward seeing God is Recompencer Thus is God the Authour of our conuersion But by what meanes doth he occomplish the same Doth he vse miracles to amaze or tortures to compell Doth hee vse Euthasiasmes to inspire or Dreames to reueale a worke vnto vs Surely no The holie Ghost saith God perswade Iapheth That is God incline the heart allure the minde of the Gentiles by convincing their conscieÌ„ces with the power of the truth framing their will and affections to embrace the same subduing their whole man to the obedieÌ„ce thereof As if the spirit of God had plainely taught vs That The Conuersion of a sinner is a perswasion of the minde to beleeue and inclining of the will affections to embrace the Lord IESVS And this shall appeare vnto vs by these circumstances 1. First by the Subiect of Conuersion Man 2. By the Matter and meanes of Conuersion Namely the word of GOD applyed and made essectuall by the operation of the spirit of God 3. By the Manner and order of a true Conuersion 4. And lastly by the Substance and Markes of true Conuersion Concerning the Subiect of conuersion Man and woman these consist of two parts 1. Of a corruptible bodie 2. Of a reasonable and immortall soule Of which Two the Bodie serues onely as an instrument to conuey the meanes of conuersion to the soule and to execute outwardly the effects of true conuersion and therefore is not properly the subiect of conuersion As being a spirituall work effected by a spirituall meanes and therefore fastning and working on a spirituall substance And this is the soule of Man which being Spirituall and eternall is therefore capable of this worke of the spirite and meanes of happie eternitie Notwithstanding because the bodie shall bee partaker with the soule of the fruite of Conuersion Namely conformitie and subiection to the spirite and eternall glorie Therefore as it cannot be separated from the soule in the worke of conuersion So it must be ordered by such meanes as it is subiect vnto thereby to further our conuersion And so to be as an instrument in the worke of Sanctification So also a partaker of the benefite thereof Hence is it that howsoeuer the minde cannot neyther ought to be forced by man as being beyond his reach and power yet the bodie being therefore subiected to the power of Man that by man it may further the conuersion of the soule is thereby also subiect to some compulsion from man Who in Gods stead is both to tender the meanes of Conuersion by the care vnto the Heart by the bodie vnto the minde which is the dutie of the Minister as also if neede require when the refractorie minde will detaine the body from the vse of the meanes is further euen to force the bodie by bringing it euen against the mindes will to heare the Word That so by the power therof eyther the rebellious minde may be reclaimed or at leastwise made inexcusable especially that in performing this dutie he may be free from the blood of his people or rather become a true nursing Father vnto them And this is properly the office of the Magistrate who though hee haue power euer life in the case of refractorie obstinate blaspheming of the Truth and desperate continuance in Atheisme and Heresie and therefore ought not to suffer cyther Idolater or Blasphemer either Atheist or damnable seducer of the people to a false worship any longer to breathe to the infection of others yet in the case of conuersion and bringing men to God hee is no â—â—rther to force â—â—e bodie then that still it may be seruiceable to the soule Leâ—iâ—g conuerted and also further the minde to be subdued by these spirituall weayons By which the Reason beeing captiuated and conscience perswaded and convinced and so the â—ill enclined and allured to embrace the Truth when once the hâ—â—rt shall endite a good matter and 〈…〉 with the loue of God then shall the tongue become the pen of a ready writer the outward man shall put cheerfully in execution what the â—â—ward man desireth and purposeth That so glorifying our GOD â—n bodie and soule which hee hath thus renued in this reasonable Sacrifice of the New-byrth we may in due season be crowned both bodies and Soules with that glorie in the newe Ierusalem which is aboue And therfore as this condemneth all Antichristian Tyrannie whereby all hope of sound Conuersion is vtterly cut off whilest by extremitie of torture the bodily life is depriued so also the negligence of the Christian Magistrate is iustly reproued in leauing the papist to his libertie or winking at him shewing extreame crueltie to his soule while hee pretends clemencie to his bodie And if the refractorie must bee compelled from a false worship to the meanes of a true Oh then faire be it froÌ„ the heart of the godly Magistrate to tolerate a false religion Is not this the way to prouoke the wrath of God that so hee may diuide vs in Iacob and so destroy vs in Israel And seeing the iust man must be a lawe to himselfe If then the bodie must be the meanes to conuey grace to the soule If it may further our entertainment of true conuersion Oh then let vs learne to subdue this enemie and beat downe this corruption 1. Let vs humble it by fasting 2. And not aduise with it in spirituall worship 3. Feare we the complement thereof 4. and rest wee at no hand in any ceremoniall deuotion of the same 5. Take we no care for the Flesh to satisfie the lusts thereof Rom. 18. And auoyde we all affectation in gesture c. with an intent to be obserued of men so shall we offer holie violence to the bodie in preuenting it ministerie to satisfie the lusts of the minde and thereby make it seruiceable to the soule as furthering the same in the worke of holines And thus is the outward man subiect to a kinde of violence not onely from others but euen from our selues Perswaded it cannot bee and therefore it must be forced Now for the soule of man The case hereof is otherwise Spirituall it is and therefore not subiect to outward violence And reasonable therefore only lyable to such a violence which rather ouercoms by perswasion theÌ„ forceth by persecution as rectifying the reasonable part not destroying the nature thereof as delighting the vnderstanding with the light that ouershadoweth it So convincing the conscience that it giues peace vnto it So reclayming the will and captiuating the Affections that it restores them to a most gracious libertie to performe a reasonable seruice vnto God This shall further appeare most euidently vnto vs
may dwell in the Tents of Shem This is the summe of the Blessing to dwell in the Tents of Shem. 1. That is to be ioyned vnto the Iewes both in the true worship of God as also in the priuiledges thereof 2. What is the true worship of God This is described vnto vs 1. by the subiect Shem who was the Father of the Iewes fignifying thereby vnto vs that the religion of the Iewes for substance is the true worship How shall this appeare Surely by these circumstances First Shem was the eldest Sonne not onely by Nature but by Grace Hee first in his Fathers house called on the Name of God The Iewes of him were also the first-borne First in the temporall Election first in the set worship of God and so also in the spirituall election And therefore seeing the truth is most Ancient the olde way is the true way Therefore the religion of the Iewes is the true worship of God Secondly That which was commanded of God and performed both for the substance and manner is the true Religion Such was the religion of the Iew wholly commaunded of God both for matter and manner enformed from Gods owne mouth Exod 20. Directed by his owne finger euen to the square and building of the Tabernacle And therefore the Religion of the Iewe was the true Religion And so all will worship is a false religion that which God onely commaunds is the truth onely Pet 2. 1. 19. Colloss 2. 23. Thirdly That which procures saluation to the performer is the truth Such is the religion of the Iewe As not onely pointing at Christ to come But applyâ—â—g Christ as come alâ—eady though not in the Flesh yet in power and efficacie as being a Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world Fourthly True godlines is not onely available for the life to come but euen for this life also Such was the religion of the Iewe so long as they walked after this rule so long the Lord blessed them and aduanced theyr temporall estate maruellously as hee promised Deutron 2â— Leuit 6. and accordingly abased them as they failed therein Fifthly And is not that the truth to which all must yeeld by which all must be directed Must not they returne vnto vs and not we vnto them Ierem 15. 12. Shall not all nations take hold of the skirt of a Iewe and say we will goe with you because the Lord is with you Zach 8. Must not Iapheth dwell in the Tents of Shem not Shem in the Tents of Iapheth Sixthly And shall not the Truth abide for euer Shall not the remnant of Israel be saued Shall not the Iewes though for a time cast off yet bee brought in againe And so the promise of God certaine Gods couenant with the Iewe euerlasting And so the originall truth the euerlasting truth The Iewes religion as most ancient so most permanent and perpetuall Seuenthly Was not the Iewe an abomination to the Aegiptian Is not that the truth which is hated of the world Behold then the true notes of the true Church and worship of God and 1. Trye we our selues by these whether we be in the faith or no Knowe wee not that Iesus Christ dwelleth in vs except we be reprobates 2. Cor 13. 5. 2. Discerne we wisely our estate by these that it is not so well with vs as happily wee may flatter our selues Ioh 8. Hee is not a Iewe which is a Iewe outward onely Rom 2. It is not the circumcision of the Flesh but the circumcision of the heart which God accepteth Rent wee therefore our hearts and not our garments and turne to the Lord our God whose mercies are euerlasting who loueth Truth in the inward parts And though he correct vs with the roddes of men yet will not take his sure mercies from vs Iapheah shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. And is the Church of God the Tents of Shem Howsoeuer afterward glorious in Shems posteritie both for number and outward magnificence yet now meane and contemptible as abyding in Tents Now little and almost invisible as confined to one Familie and not containing all thereof consisting onely of eight persons whereof the one was a Cast-away Beholde wee heere then the condition of the Church of God and therein consider wee further these necessarie Adiuncts thereof First It is a little Flocke Luk. 22. 32. for whom it pleaseth our heauenly Father to prouide a Kingdome though many are called yet fewe are chosen Matth 22. though without number in it scife yet in comparison of the reprobate but a little flocke euen as the gleaning of grapes after the Vintage Matth. 7. 1. Yea as signes and wonders so are they in the worlde 1. So is the good pleasure of our God who will haue mercie on whom hee will haue mercie 2. So narrow is the gate that fewe enter therein 3. So hard a saying it is to Flesh to hate it selfe to be borne againe to take vp the Crosse to become Fooles that we may be wise that no maruell if the wisedome of our Flesh be Enmitie against God that the most forsake Christ it will necessarily followe Ioh 6. Who will belieue our report which is so vnlikely so distastfull to corrupt reason And if not many Mightie many Noble c are chosen It is no wonder Because they will not with Marie choose the better part which shall not be taken away from them First Oh how vaine then is theyr conceit that dreame all shall be saued How fearfull is their course that so liue as vnlesse all bee saued it is impossible but that they must bee condemned Is it safe following the multitude seeing fewe shall be saued Will the example of great ones deliuer from Hell howsoeuer they may shelter vs from bodilie punishment Why then doe we make them our warrants to runne the broade way Why then doe wee aduance them aboue all that is called God as if theyr Lawes were absolute theyr authoritie vncontroulable Is it not better to obey God then man Must wee needes runne to Hell for companie Is it not enough to yeelde our bodies and goods which they gaue vs not Who so is wise let him consider these things First Let him feare him that can kill both body and soule 2. Let him not freat at the prosperitie of the wicked and yet giue vnto Caesar the thing which are Caesare 3. Let him be little in his owne eyes that so he may be contented with his portion though it be the Crppe of Affliction So it bee a proseruatiue from sinne a Badge of his Maister Christ a Pledge of his louing Father a spurre to perfection a procurer of an vncorruptible crowne 4. Let it not grieue him to be salsely charged with singularitie that hee is an odde-Fellow that he walkes alone that he is more nyce then needes that he is no good-Fellow No Friend to Caesar seditious pestilent This was the portion of the Saints This
Euen Prayer vnto God that he would hasten his worke in the blessing of Iapheth in the calling of the Gentiles 1. So must the Saints pray for the accomplishment of Gods will Prayer is the most effectuall meanes to preuaile with God So doth the Sonne of God teach vs to pray That the will of God may bee done 2. So haue the Saints practized vsually to obtaine Gods mercies 1. Sam 2. Iam 5. Ioh 14. Math 12. Math 6. 3. So haue they preuailed for the remoueall of his iudgements Ion 3. Esay â—8 37. Psalm 105. 4. And so hath God promised by this meanes euer to be found of vs both to deliuer vs out of euill Psal 50. 15. And to heape blessings vpon vs. And no maruell For 1. Is not Prayer that life of our Faith wherein we renue our right in Christ Iesus and so in him preuaile with God Ephes 6. 18. 19. for all things that make for our good Psal 34. 1. Cor 3. 2. And doth not Prayer sanctifie the blessing vnto vs that as we haue it in loue so wee may vse it to Gods glorie and therein laye vp a good foundation against the day of Christ 1. Tim 4. 5. 1. Timoth 6. 17. 3. Nay doth not our prayer comfort vs that though wee obtaine not what we desire yet we haue done Gods will and so shall haue better then we desire euen the grace of sweete Communion with our blessed God yea the grace of patience to waite his leysure yea the grace of Contentment in him aboue all things yea the grace of Supplie of that which shall enable vs in our wants yea the grace of aboundant recompence of our stay a double Restitution of whatsoeuer wee haue wanted yea an hundreth folde in this life an infinit recompence in heauen 2. cor 4. 17. 18 4. And shall not Israel that preuailes with God preuaile also with men Osee 11. 2. 3. Genes 32. Exod 16. Vse 1. Surely so we pray in Faith 1. 6. without doubting and Ignorance In Patience without wearysomnes submitting to the will of God Math 27. Galath 6. so our prayer be in loue to our God respecting his glory in loue to our selues desiring the best for vs and in loue to our neighbour without wrath or enuie so we pray in hope So contenting our hearts with the enioying of the present as that still we waite and begge for the things to come forgetting what 's behinde in respect of that 's before Phil 3. Howsoeuer the Lord neede not to be put in minde what hee will giue yet we must pray to put our selues in minde of what we haue need as also to approue our right for the supplie thereof Assuring our selues that the Lord will fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psal 25. 21. Psal 14. 5. And hee will certainely fill the hungrie with good things so they witnesse vnfainedly theyr wants by theyr earnestnes in begging and labour to bee found of GOD not hauing theyr owne righteousnes but cloathed with the righteousnes of IESVS CHRIST as well Praysing God for what they haue as begging what they want and submitting to Gods will for the manner of the supplie though being otherwise confident on God that he will certainly prouide Genes 22. If we be denied either wisely faulting our selues that we haue asked amisse or not faulting God howsoeuer who giueth how and when iâ— pleaseth him sufficient to our Faith though happily crossing â—ence reason Comforting our selues that the crossing of nature will be the triall and encrease of grace so that we doe still vse our spirituall weapon of Prayer thereby preuayle wee shall still with God howsoeuer we decrease in the flesh and who would not weaken such a treacherous and noysome enemie Can we better disgrace and abuse the same then when wee haue done our best therein yet not onely we craue a blessing from God thereon therein signifying it vtter inabilitie in it selfe to good but further also intreate the Lorde to pardon the best endeuouts and not to enter into iudgement with vs for our best seruices Psal 143. Oh how doth this vtterly condemne and crucifie the flesh Nay doth not heere a gracious hart wholly abase and denie himselfe that so hee may fully and whollie be interessed in the free mercies of God in Iesus Christ So doth Noah by prayer interesse his sonne Iapheth and his posteritie in the Couenant of grace and so by Faith doth hee prophesie of the Calling of the Gentiles And so from these words as a Prayer we come now to consider them as a Prophesie God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem That is The Lord shall in the acceptable time by the Ministerie of his Gospell through the mighty operation of his holy spirite encline and allure the heart of the Gentiles to returne vnto him by kissing the Lord Iesus and for their saluation relye onely on the merites of the promised Messiah For the better opening of which Prophecie consider wee briefly these particulars therein 1. The Author that must accomplish this great worke of the couersion of the Gentiles Namely the Lord our God God perswade 2. The manner and meanes whereby this conuersion is accomplished namely by perswasion and alluring the reasonable part God perswade Iapheth 3. The Parties to be conuerted or rather returned to the embracing of Iesus Christ namely Iapheths posterity eueÌ„ the GeÌ„tils 4. The Religion and Faith to which they are to be conuerted Namely the Religion of Shem and this is amplified First by the subiect of this Religion namely Shem signifying therein diuers especiall markes of true Religion As First in that heere the true worship of God is noted by the Tents of Shem as hauing it Agnomination from him who was the eldest in his Fathers house the father of the Iewes which were the first borne first in the Loue of God First in the simplicitie and puritie of diuine worship First in the outward endowment of the Mariage bed First in the priuiledges and loue tokens of the Bridegroome doth not this make to the confirmation of that excellent truth that Truth is most Ancient and so therein leades vs to an excellent mark of the true Church namely whose foundation is that first and most ancient Truth Secondly In that the Church of God is heere confined to the Tents of Shem who though he were the Father of that posteritie which afterward as a figure of the inward beautie of the true belieuers was enlarged in outward pompe multitude and beautie yet now in the greatest puritie and simplicitie of godlinesse which shee was to recouer and practise vnder Iesus Christ was neyther for multitude so populous nor for outward glorie and beauty so conspicuous Doth not this also leade vs to two other marks of the true Church of Iesus Christ namely that it is a little flocke in respect of those which are without And 2. that it is
It auoucheth the Conuersion of the Iewes Lastly it confirmeth that Iewe and Gentile shall be vnited together in one Visible CHVRCH Together with many particular Obseruations incident to these as appeareth by these particular Doctrines and Instructions following Obseruations in these Meditations are 1 GODS Decree ordereth second causes 2 Prayer the most effectuall meanes to accomplish Gods will for our good 3 God onely the authour of the Conuersion of a Sinner 4 The Conuersion of a Sinner is by perswasion of the sweet promises of the Gospell 5 The Faithfull haue onely right in Gods blessings 6 The Gentiles to be conuerted 7 The Posteritie of the Church to be respected and prouided for 8 Good Parents may haue a wicked Generation 9 The faithfull shall be recouered out of their greatest falles 10 The Iewish Religion True 11 The Church a little Flocke 12 The Church obscure and invisible in the world 13 The true Invisible Church consists onely of the Elect. 14 The Church of God moueable not tyed to any place 15 The Church weake and corruptible subiect to infirmities 16 The Church Militant in this life 17 The Church is the resting place and safe-gard of the Elect. 18 The Church a stranger and Pilgrime in this life 19 Constancie and Perseuerance a note of a true member 20 The Saints shall abide and dwell for euer 21 The Iew to be conuerted and finally gathered in 22 The Churches Vnitie and so perpetuitie and perfection 23 There is a Malignant church as well as a True 24 The Malignant church mingled with the true beleeuers 25 The wicked and Malignant shal be in subiection to the true THE BLESSING OF IAPHETH God perswade Iaphet that hee may dwell in the Tents of Shem. Genes 9. THAT these words may the better tend to our edification wee are to consider First the Occasion and Coherence of them Secondly the words themselues The Occasion is layd downe in the 7. former verses Namely 1. Noah his first sinne of Drunkennesse with the Occasion of it vers 20. 21. And therevpon his other sinne of Inciuilitie he lyes naked vncouered euē briutishly in the Tent. Secondly C ham his sinnes 1. Of beholding his Fathers Nakednes Not with griefe as hee should haue done but with a kinde of delight and derision thereof 2. His malice and crueltie in acquainting his brethren with this infirmitie of his Father Thereby both to make his aged and reuerend Father despised in the eyes of his Children and also to make them partakers with him in this sinne of reioycing at and deriding the corruption of the Ancient 3. The pietic of the other two Sonnes of Noah Shem and Iapheth discouered 1. In their courage and constancie that would not be drawne by his example to fellowship in euill 2. In their modestie that they would not so much as looke vpon their fathers nakednes as also 3. In their wisedome that by a strange gate of going backwards and putting a garment vppon their shoulders by this meanes without offence they performed a Christian and ciuill dutie of couering their Fathers nakednes Vers 23. Herevpon it followeth that Noah being thus fitted to sobrietie partly in that his Distemperature is well qualified by rest partly also his nakednes being couered as a figure no doubt also of his sinne couered and pardoned by the LORD Is saide to Awake from his wine that is frō his sinne that was caused thereby as appeareth plainely by that which followeth Namely because he not onely knewe what his younger Sonne had done vnto him wherevnto because hee was enabled by the spirite of Prophecie therfore his sin had not depriued him of the vse of that gift which not being repented of it must needs haue done for the present But further also as the Father of the Familie yea as the Prince and Iudge of the worlde euen in Gods stead he both executeth his Authoritie ouer his Sonnes and that in cursing this wicked Cham as also in Blessing the other two gracious Children orderlie First Shem as the eldest both in age and religion Blessed be the God of Shem and let Canaan be his Seruant therein bestowing a double blessing vpon Shem One vpon his soule that he might continue in the worship of IESVS CHRIST his GOD and Sauiour That the God of Shem being blessed of Shem constantly might continue to blesse Shem the father of the Iewes performing his faithfull promises vnto them euen to their last conuersion and restoring in the last dayes when All Israel shal be saued as it is writtē The delieuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlines from Iacob And this is my euerlasting Couenant with them when I shall take away theyr Sinnes 2. Shem is also blessed in his outward estate in that hee shall be Lord ouer his cursed brother his posteritie The true Church of God shall preuaile and ouercome all the enimies of the same Thus Noah hauing blessed his eldest sonne Shem partly in recompence of his present well-doing but especially as in Gods steed discouering the free loue of God in confirming an infinite reward farre beyond all proportion of an imperfect and finite obedience Proceedeth yet farther to blesse his other sonne Iapheth as being partner in the good action and therefore in equitie to be partaker of the recompence thereof And this blessing vpon Iapheth is not so much personall vnto himselfe that as he had begunne so he would dwell in the Tents of Shem that is continue in the true worship of God But because the holy Patriarke by the spirit of prophecie did foresee that the posteritie of Iapheth as fell out within few hundreth yeares after should fall from God to Idols Therefore hee not onely prayeth vnto God for the restoring of the Gentiles which were the posteritie of Iapheth to the sincere worship of GOD in IESVS CHRIST but prophetically also declareth therein the will of God that Iapheths seede should belieue in the Promised-seede and withall addeth the Ioynture of this new-married Bride vnto her Sauiour Namely that the belieuing Gentiles shall also be enlarged farre and neere vpon the face of the earth as rulers and conquerors of the world and all the enemies of the Church And let Canaan that is the posteritie of the wicked for euer be subiect vnto the seruants of Iesus Christ Thus is Iapheth also blessed by his father Noah being the mouth of God himselfe both declaring what was to come to passe concerning the posteritie of Iapheth euen the Gentiles confined especially in this parte of the world which wee inhabite called Europe and extending to all those nations in all partes of the world that are not eyther properly Iewes or of that cursed race of Cham scattered towards the South in Affrica c. As also auouching the certaintie thereof as by the riches of Gods mercie hath bene alreadie for this sixe hundred yeares accomplished and is daily persiting vntill the comming of the Lord