For he being a righteous man in that wicked age wherein all the world weltred in wickednesse and walking before God in great holinesse when no man cared for religion hee had this speciall fauour from God that when hee purposed to destroy the world for their sinne hee first of all reuealed to righteous Noah that purpose of his So that these words haue reference to the reuelation which Noah had from God in the 6. of Genesis For this message came not from God by any Prophet for wee know none in those euill dayes except Noah himselfe but either by the Ministerie of an Angell or else by immediate reuelation from God himselfe and this fauour he receiued from God not for any cause in the world but because he was a holy and righteous man From hence wee may learne diuers excellent instructions First whereas God maketh choise of Noah to reueale vnto him his counsell and his iudgements to come wee learne that this is a prerogatiue which God bestoweth on such as feare him he reuealeth his counsels to them in a speciall manner whether they be purposes of Iudgements vpon his enemies or of mercies vnto his Church Thus dealt he with Abraham Gen. 18.19 Shall I saith God hide from Abraham the thing that I will doe which thing was the destruction of Sodome and her sisters And so when the Sodomites liued in wanton carelesnesse and put farre from them the euill day then Abraham knew from God their destruction was at hand And as in that for is it generally true in all his great workes that the Lord God will doe nothing but he reueales his secrets to his seruants the Prophets Amos 3.7 Now this is not a prerogatiue of Prophets alone or of such as were extraordinary men as Abraham was but the secrets of the Lord are amongst such as feare him Psalme 25.14 All that feare the holy name of God are Gods friends and of his Counsaile and therefore not Abraham onely is called the friend of God Iames 2.23 But of all true beleeuers saith Christ Iohn 15.14.15 You are my friends If you doe what I commaund you henceforth I call you not seruants but friends for the seruant knoweth not what his Maister doth but all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne vnto you As if he had said I will communicate and impart my secrets vnto you as one friend doth vnto another as farre as shall be fit for you to know And the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 2.15 A faithfull and a holy man discerneth into the deepe counsailes of God which are reuealed vnto them as much as concerneth their saluations and sometimes more as here vnto Noah who was fore-warned of God of things then not seene This prerogatiue of Gods children is to be vnderstoode with some cautions First that this is more proper to Prophets and holy Ministers of God then to ordinary Christians Secondly that it was more ordinary in the old testament then now in the dayes of the Gospell If any obiect Then the state of the Church afore Christ was better then it is now vnder Christ I answere Not so for first we are recompenced by hauing the Scriptures perfect and complete which they had not and by hauing the substance of their shadowes and the performance of their promises in which respects our state is farre more excellent then theirs And secondly for this particular I answere they indeede had more ordinarie reuelation of matters personall and priuate and not directly touching saluation but of such things as are generall and doe necessarily concerne saluation wee in the time of the new Testament haue more euident demonstration and more full reuelation then they had afore Christ. For exsample particular mercies to some faithfull men or particular iudgements on Gods enemies whether particular men or whole kingdomes were after reuealed to godly men in those dayes as here to Noah but saluation by the Messias and the manner how the Messias should saue his Church is more fully and plainly reuealed now then in those dayes Out of which consideration ariseth the third caution which is that reuelations of Gods will to be expected now vnder the Gospell are ordinarily nothing else but these the true meaning of Scripture a discerning of true Scripture from forged of true Sacraments from supposed of true doctrine from false of true Pastors from false Prophets These such like as farre forth as they are necessary to saluation all true and faithfull beleeuers which out of an humbled heart by deuoute prayer doe seeke it at Gods hand are sure to haue reuealed vnto them from God But as for other purposes of God of personall and particular matters or what shall be his blessings or what his iudgements to these and these men families Cities or Kingdomes or when or how he will change States or translate kingdomes Or by what extraordinarie meanes hee will haue his Gospell propagated or a declining Church or State vpholden these we are not to expect nor easily to belieue any that shall say such things are reuealed vnto them And yet wee tye not the Lord in such straite bonds but that hee may sometime extraordinarily reueale his purpose therein to some his selected seruants yet prouided that that reuelation be examined and allowed of the Church But as for such things as concerne immediatly the saluation of our soules Gods spirit doth most comfortably reueale them vnto vs in our prayers in his word and in his Sacraments of all which it is most true that the secrets of God are amongst them that feare him The vse of this doctrine is double for instruction and for exhortation For our instruction here we learne how to answere the Church of Rome they aske vs how doe wee know true religion from erroneous or true Scripture or Sacraments from forged We answere first by it selfe by sight and sense of the excellencie thereof as we know gold from brasse or siluer from lead But what if the brasse or tinne be gilded ouer I then answere secondly wee can know gold from brasse and siluer from tinne by the sound and smell and hardnesse to endure and by the operation so there is a spirituall sound of the Scriptures in the eares of a Christian a spiritual comfort and taste in true religion a spirituall operation in holy mens hearts of the true Sacraments But what if false Prophets come in sheepes cloathing and by lying wonders seeme to giue the same sound taste smell vertue and operation vnto their forgeries or at least chalenge it and say that theirs is true I answere lastly Then we know true Religion true Scripture true Sacraments true Prophets true Doctrines from false by a holy and supernaturall reuelation from Gods spirit which by euident and powerfull demonstration assureth vs what is true and what is false for the substance of saluation And this spirit is giuen to all that in true humility doe seeke it in holy prayer and in a
in the Iudgement and the mercy Hitherto of the first effect It followeth Prepared the Arke The 2. effect of Noahs faith wherby it is coÌ„mended is that he vpon a coÌ„mandement receiued froÌ„ God as we heard before doth make build an Ark wherin to saue himself his family CoÌ„cerning this Ark much might be spoken out of the book of Gen but it is not to our purpose which is no more in this Chapter but to shew the obedience and practice of faith and therein the excellencie of it Now the point here to be spoken of is not the matter nor the measure nor the proportion nor the fashion nor the vses of the Arke all which in the 6. Chapter of Genesis are fully described but the action and obedience of Noah in preparing it as God bad him whereof the holy Ghost in Genesis 6.22 saith Noah did according to all that God had commaunded him euen so did he Now in this action of Noahs faith diuers points of great moment are to be considered First why did God bid Noah make an Arke 120. yeeres before the floud when hee might haue built it in three or foure yeeres The answere is God did so for diuers causes some respecting the sinfull world as that they might haue longer time and more warnings to repent euery stroke of the Arke during these 120. yeeres being a loude Sermon of repentance vnto them Againe that they might be without excuse if they amended not and lastly that their iniquities might be full and their sinnes ripe for vengeance But of all these we will not speake because they concerne not Noah of whose faith we are onely to speake let vs therfore touch only those causes which concerne Noah And in regard of him the Lord did thus that he might try his faith and patience and exercise other graces of holinesse in him Thus God dealeth with his seruants alwayes hee exerciseth them many and strange wayes in this world He led the Israelites in the deserts of Arabia fourty yeeres whereas a man may trauell from Rameses in Egypt to any part of Canaan in fourty dayes and this God did to humble them and try them and to know what was in their heart Deut. 8.2 God promised Abraham a sonne in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12.3 But he performed it not of 30. yeeres after Gen. 21.2 He gaue Dauid the kingdome of Israel and anointed him by Samuel 1. Sam. 16.13 But he attained it not of many yeeres after in the meane time was persecuted and hunted by Saul as a flea in a mans bosome or as a Partridge in the mountaines 1. Sam. 24.15 and 26.20 And thus God exercised him both in that and other his promises as he saith Psal. 40.1 In waiting I waited on the Lord and Psal. 119.82 Mine eyes faile for waiting for thy promise O when wilt thou comfort me Thus God dealt with them and thus in some measure hee deales with all his children to humble and to try them and to know what is in their hearts for that in these cases men doe alwaies shew themselues and their dispositions When men enioy all things at their will and wish who cannot make a faire profession but where men are long deferred and kept from that is promised and they expect and are so long crossed in their expectations then they appeare in their owne colours And as God dealt with them so will he one way or other doe with vs if wee be his seruants hee will at some time of our life or other lay some such affliction vpon vs as may try vs and our faith and our patience and our humility For if we be hypocrites and haue no true graces but onely a shew this will discouer it and if we haue true and sound faith and patience this will make them shine like orient pearles in their true and perfect beauty Secondly as God bad Noah build an Arke so long time before any neede of it so he did without denying or gainesaying So saith the story in Genesis He did according to all that God commaunded him And thus the holy Ghost saith here He being warned of God by faith prepared the Arke Where we learne That where true faith is there followeth true obedience to euery commaundement of God insomuch as a godly beleeuing man no sooner heareth any duty to be commaunded of God but hee thinks his soule and conscience is tied to obedience and this is the nature of true faith And it is as impossible to be otherwise as it is for fire hauing fewell not to burne Acts 15.9 Faith purifieth the heart namely from carelesse disobedience to Gods word for if from any corruption at all then from it especially because it is most contrary to the purenesse of true faiâ—h This being so sheweth vs not any fault in our religion as the Papists slander vs but the want of our religion and the want of true faith in the world for there is almost no obedience to Gods commaundements For first Turkes Iewes acknowledge not the Scriptures and the Papists haue set aside Gods commaundements to set vp their owne And few Protestants haue the feeling of the power of true religion nothing indeed but a bare profession but it must be a feeling of the power of it which produceth due obedience And alas wee see men obay not Gods commaundements God saith Sweare not by my name vainely keepe my Sabbath Where is there a man of many that feareth to breake these Alas there are more mockers of such as would keepe them then carefull and conscionable keepers of them How truly said Christ When the sonne of man commeth shall hee finde faith on the earth It is likely therefore these be the dayes wherin we may wait for the coÌ„ming of Christ for the generall want of obedience sheweth the generall want of faith But this obedience of Noah is better to be considered of for it was very excellent extraordinary there being many hindrances that might haue stopped him in the course of his obedience and haue perswaded him neuer to haue gone about the making of the Arke As first the great quantity of the Ark amounting to many thousands Cubits a work of huge labour great charge Againe the length of his labour to last 120. yeeres It is a tedious thing and troublesome to mans nature to be euer in doing and neuer to haue done Thirdly the building of it was a matter of much mockery to the world for it signified 1. the destroying of the whole world 2. the sauing of him and his These things were taunted at by the worldly wise men of that sinful age and he was loudly laught at by many a man to thinke all the world should perish but much more if all perished to imagine that he and his should be deliuered Lastly the building of the Arke was a harsh thing to nature and naturall reason in many respects for First that all the
keepe the persecutors clothes that stoned Stephen Act. 7.58 whereby he signified his consent thereupon hee confesseth himselfe to bee guiltie of his death Act. 22.20 Lastly obserue the Cause or rather the Occasion that mooued the Parents to saue their childe It was a notable comlinesse and beautie which did appeare in the body of the childe when hee was borne This mooued them to reason thus with themselues Surely God hath giuen such beautie and comelinesse vnto this childe that it is very likely he will vse him hereafter to be some notable instrument of some great worke we therefore will keepe him aliue This point must be marked of vs for beside their natural affection this also was a motiue to make the parents saue their childe Hence wee may learne that those whom God will imploy aboue others in some speciall seruice for his owne glory are vsually endowed with some speciall gift aboue others yea many times with outward grace and comelinesse in the body For this beauty in Moses body moued his parents to seeke to saue his life they perswade themselues that God had not imprinted that in him for nought Saul wee know was made King ouer Israel and it is noted that the Lord had giuen him a goodly stature for hee was higher than any of the people from the shoulders vpward So Dauid had a good countenance and a comely visage for the Lord purposed to make him king ouer Israel Now as he did excell his brethren in beauty and comelinesse so he was to be far aboue them in this special seruice of God in gouerning his people Hence we learne first that comelinesse and beautie is a gift of God Secondly that those which excell others in these gifts of nature must looke also that answerably they excell them in holinesse and zeale in the seruice of God and doing good vnto men as Moses and Dauid did But alas wretched is the practice of these times for commonly those which haue comlinesse and beauty aboue others doe vse it as a bait occasion vnto all sin naughtinesse as to whoredome and lasciuiousnesse that heereby they may more fully satisfie their own wretched and fatanicall lusts but this must carefully be looked vnto of all such as haue the gifts of nature in more excellent manner then others For if they vse them or rather abuse them to be meanes of sinne and to set forth the pride and vanity of their hearts they haue much to answer for vnto God at the dreadfull day of Iudgement Hath God giuen thee beauty comelinesse and doest thou vse it as a baite to ensnare others for the satisfying of thy lust then looke vnto it thou euill seruant for thou doest not hide but consume thy Masters talent imploying it to his dishonour therefore it shall be taken from thee and in stead thereof thou shalt haue vglinesse and deformity and so in soule and body be tumbled into hell with vncleane spirits And thus much of the first action of their faith with the circumstances thereof The second action whereby the faith of Moses Parents is commended vnto vs is this They did not feare the Kings commaundement These words must not be vnderstoode absolutely and simply but with limitation For manie places of Scripture are spoken simply which must bee vnderstoode with respect as when it is said Math. 11.18 Iohn came neither eating nor drinking that is not eating nothing at all but eating little and Christ saith Math. 10.34 He came not to bring peace but the sword that is as Luke expounds it Luk. 12.51 rather debate than peace And so in this place Moses parents feared not the Kings commandement that is they did not feare it ouermuch or wholly or onely or so much as others did in the like case Here then first we may learne how farre forth we must obey superiours and magistrates we must obey them not simply but in the Lord Ephes. 6.1 that is in all their lawful commands but when they commaund things euill and vnlawfull then we must stay our selues lest obeying them we rebell against God For this wee haue sufficient warrant in this place as also in the Apostles who beeing commanded Act. 4.18 19. that in no wise they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus answered Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God iudge ye And the midwiues of Egypt are commended of the holy Ghost Exod. 1.17 for sauing the yong children aliue against the Kings commandement And the three men of the Iewes Shadrach Meshach and Abednego are renowmed with all posterity for disobeying the commandement of Nebuchadnessar Dan. 3.16 17. of worshipping the golden Image By which examples we may see plainely that our obedience to men must be in the Lord onely Neither is our refusing to doe their vnlawfull commaunds any disobedience indeede because the fift commandement in this case ceaseth to binde and giues place to the commandements of the first table which are greater as wee shewed before v. 17. Secondly see here this godly boldnesse in not ouermuch fearing the Kings commandement is made a worke of faith whence we learne that true faith in the promises of God doth serue to moderate a mans affections There is no man but if he be left to himselfe he will goe too farre in the sway of his affections experience sheweth that many through anger and ioy haue lost their liues some for feare haue forsaken religion and sorrow hath cost many a man his life Yea any affection if it be not moderated and stayed will bereaue a man of his senses and make him a beast and no man But behold the vse and power of true faith It serueth to mitigate a mans affection so as if a man be angry it shall be with moderation and so wee may say of feare ioy hatred or any other affection faith will asswage and stay the rage thereof For vndoubtedly Moses parents might haue beene ouerwhelmed with feare of Pharaohs tyrannie and cruelty but that God gaue thē faith which did moderate this feare There is none of vs but if wee looke well into our selues wee shall see that we are excessiue in many affections sometime in feare sometime in anger sometime in sorrow and such like Now would we know how to bridle these strong passions Then get true faith it is the meanes whereby a man may moderate and stay the rage of his affectiōs so as they shall not break out into extremitie Is a man angrie why if hee haue faith hee will bridle his anger Is he sorrowfull yet it is in measure and so for the rest faith will rule them all and yet extinguisheth none Which should greatly prouoke vs to labour for true faith seeing it is of such vse and power in the stay of our affections Verse 24. By faith Moses when he was come to age refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter 25. And chose rather to suffer aduersitie with
it And this is the name which commonly is gotten in the world because men first seeke not a good name with God but that good name which is obtained by faith will stand continue all a mans life and at his death leaue behind it a sweet perfume abideth for euer in the world to come Secondly this maintaines the excellencie of our religion against Atheists and all enemies of it which esteeme call it a base contēptible religion of which cā folow no credit nor estimation But see their malice is here controlled our religion is a most glorious excellent professiō it is the high way to get true credit estimation it makes a mā honorable in the sight of God men for by it our Elders obtained a good report which continueth fresh to this day In the fourth place Were they wel reported of for their faith therefore their faith was not hid in their hearts but manifested in their liues for the world cannot see nor commend them for their faith but for the practice of faith Here it is plaine that men must not be content to keep their faith close in their hearts but they must exercise the fruites of it in the world and then both these together will make a man truly commendable Thy faith approues thee vnto God but the practice of it is that that honours thee and thy profession in the world Lastly in that faith was that which approued our Elders vnto God here is a storehouse of comforts for all true professors of this faith Art thou poore thy faith doth make thee rich in God Art thou simple and of meane reach thy faith is true wisedome before God Art thou any way deformed faith makes thee beautifull vnto God Art thou weake feeble or sicke thy faith doth make thee strong in God Art thou base in the world and of no account thy faith makes thee honourable in the sight of God and his holy Angels Thus thou art poore and foolish and deformed and sicke and base in the world but marke how God hath recompensed thee he hath giuen thee faith whereby thou art rich and beautifull wise and strong honorable in heauen with God say therfore with Dauid the lot is fallen vnto thee in a faire ground and thou hast a goodly heritage Namely thy faith which thou wouldest not change for all the glory of the world Faith is the true riches the sound strength the lasting beauty the true wisedome the true honour of a Christian man therefore take thy selfe 10000. times more beholden vnto God then if hee had giuen thee the vncertaine riches the crafty and yet foolish wisedome the decaying strength the vanishing beauty the transitory honour of this world If thou hast true faith thou art sure to haue many enemies 1. The wicked of the world will neuer brooke thee but openly or priuily hate hurt thee Thē the diuel is thy sworn enemie how canst thou deale with so powerfull an enemie and all his wicked instruments Here is sound comfort if thou hast faith thou hast God thy friend labour therefore for this true faith and then care not for the diuel and all his power Night and day sleeping and waking by land sea thou art safe and secure the diuel cannot hurt thee thy faith makes thee accepted of God and brings thee within the compasse of his protection That same little sparke of faith which is in so narrow a compasse as thy heart is stronger thē all the power and malice of sathan As for the malice which his instruments wicked mē in this world shew against thee in mocks and abuses much lesse care for them for their nature is to speake euill and cannot doe otherwise looke not therfore at them but looke vp into heauen by the eye of thy soule where thy faith makes thee beloued and approued of God himselfe and honourable in the presence of his holy Angels And thus much of the second action or effect of faith the third followeth VERSE 3. Through faith wee vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which wee see are not made of things which did appeare IN this verse is contained the third action or effect of faith namely this Faith makes a man to vnderstand things beyond the reach of mans reason This third effect is set out in these words by the instance of a notable exsample namely of the Creation of the world 1. By the word of God 2. Of nothing both which that wee may the better vnderstand let vs consider of the words as they lye in order Through faith 1. By faith in this place as I take it is not meant that sauing faith which iustifies a man before God but a generall faith wherby a man imbraceth Christian religion or wherby a man beleeueth the word of God in the doctrine of the law and the Gospel to be true My reason is because a man that neuer had iustifying and sauing faith and is no member of the catholike Church nor childe of God may haue this gift To beleeue that God by his word made the world of nothing Therefore I thinke that this is an action of a generall and not of sauing faith We vnderstand That is Whereas there are many things beyond the reach of reason and therefore by reason cannot be apprehended or vnderstood yet by vertue of this faith a man is brought to vnderstand them and to beleeue them to be true Now then whereas generall faith brings vnderstanding of many things which reason cannot reach vnto here such as be students in humane learning which labour to attain to the deepenesse and perfection of it are taught with their trauell in humane studies to haue care to ioyne faith and knowledge of religion For there are many things which our vnderstanding by reason cannot conceiue and many truthes which Philosophy cannot reach vnto nay many also which it denies but faith is able to perswade and demonstrate them all and it inlightens the mind and rectifies the iudgement when as Philosophy hath left the mind in darknesse and the iudgement in error Now in whom sound knowledge in Philosophy and this faith in religion do concurre together he is a man of a most rectified iudgement and of a deepe reach in the greatest matters but separate faith from humane knowledge and he will stumble at many truthes though hee had the wit of all the Philosophers in his owne head For exsample that God should make the world of nothing that it should haue beginning ending that God should be eternall and not the world that mans soul being created is immortal These many other truths reasō cānot see therfore Philosophy wil not admit but ioin faith to it then that crooked vnderstanding is rectified made to beleeue it It is therfore good counsel to ioyn both these together Religion hinders not humane learning as some fondly thinke but is
world yea and the first of all that had this true faith as the onely meanes of his saluation For as for Adam he afore his fall had not this faith neither should it haue saued him but when the first meanes failed him then came this faith as the second and more effectuall meanes of his saluation But Abell was neuer in possibility to be saued by any thing but by this faith And therefore Abels faith hath the first place of commendation and that in this verse Abels faith is here commended for three things 1. In that hee offred by it a greater sacrifice then Cain 2. By it he obtained testimonie with God 3. By it dead Abell yet speaketh The 1. effect of Abels faith is thus set down by the H. Ghost By faith Abel offred vnto God a greater sacrifice then Cain The ordinary Exposition of those words is this that Cain and Abell comming to offer there was no difference in the matter of their sacrifice but onely in the manner of offring in that Abell offred by faith and so did not Cain This Exposition though it be good yet it fits not the scope of this place nor the fourth of Gen. The right sense therefore seemes to be this Abell hauing faith this faith moued him to testifie his thankfull heart to God This hee did by offring vnto God the best and costliest sacrifice that he could namely the first fruites and fattest of his sheepe Whereas vnbeleeuing Cain hauing no loue to testifie vnto God brought onely of the fruite of his ground not of the best as Abel did but whatsoeuer cam first to hand This being the true meaning of the whole let vs come to the particular points laid down in this effect and they are three 1. That Cain and Abell offred that is serued God 2. That they offred Sacrifices 3. That Abell offred a better then Cain The first point containes their seruice in generall the second their seruice in particular the third the difference of their seruice wherein especially will appeare the excellencie of Abels faith First Abell and Cain the two first brethren in the world offered sacrifice to the true God How learned they this for they had no Scripture it was penned many yeeres after namely by Moses first of all I answer When their Parents Adam and Eue had fallen God gaue them of his infinite goodnesse a couenant of grace that the seede of the woman should breake the serpents head Genes 3.15 Wee doubt not but our first Parents receiued this couenant and beleeued the promise and this their faith taught them how to worship the true God aright You wil say thus Adam Eue learned of God but how came this to Cain Abell I answer When they had beene thus instructed of God Adam as a faithfull seruant of God taught the same religion and deliuered the same doctrine to his children and by it they were taught what to whom and in what manner to offer sacrifice And thus they did it neither by Scripture nor reuelation nor their own inuention but by the instruction of their Parents Hence let all Parents learne a lesson of Adam the first parent that was in the world namely to procure the good of their children he nourtered his children excellently 1. He prouided for them til they came to age 2. Then he left them not but appointed them their callings For one was a husbandman and the other a Shepheard 3. Not thus onely but he taught them to worship the true God both in their callings in the practice of religion and therefore he taught them to offer sacrifice in way of thankfulnesse vnto God all this did Adam So must thou do with the children which God hath giuen thee 1. Prouide for them carefully till they be of age take â—eed they miscarie not any way for want of things needfull 2. So bring them vp as that they may be apt to liue in some godly calling whereby to serue God and to doe good in his Church and that calling thou must appoint him according to the fitnesse of his gifts Adam appointed them not both one calling but diuerse callings according to the diuersity of their gifts and thou must see it be a lawfull and honest calling for so are both these Then 3. the greatest matter of all these teach them religion and the true manner of fearing worshipping God that as by the two first thy child may liue well in this world so by this he may be made an heire of the kingdome of heauen Adam was the first father father of vs all let all then follow him in this practice if we follow him in one follow him in both Diuerse wil be as careful for their bodies for their callings as Adam was but how few are as carefull to teach them religion for the prefermeÌ„t of their soules to life eternall But parents must haue care of both these else they shal answer for their child at the day of iudgemeÌ„t though he perish in his own sin yet his bloud wil God require at the Fathers hands For God made him a father in his room and he discharged not the duty of a father vnto their child Secondly in that Cain offered as well as Abell Hence we learne diuerse instructions 1. It is a common opinion that if a man walke duly and truly in his calling doing no man harme but giuing euery man his owne and so doe all his life long God will receiue him and saue his soule but the truth is this If men do thus it is good and commendable and they must be exhorted to continue but if they stand vpon this for saluation they cast away their soules For mark here Cain was a man that walkt in an honest calling and more then that he tooke paines laboured in it which all men doe not which haue honest callings And more then all these when Abell offred hee came and worshipped God also and hee did outwardly in such sort as no man could blame him but onely God that saw his heart And for all this yet is he a wicked Cain and that is all that the word of God giues him 1. Iohn 3.12 Then it is manifest that to walke in a mans calling iustly and vprightly doing no man harme wil not serue the turne Cain did it and yet was cursed wee must then goe further then Cain else wee shall goe with Cain to the place where he is Reason not with thy selfe I worke hard and follow my calling I hurt no man thus could Cain reason and yet but cursed Cain Thou must then beside these get that that Cain did not Learne in thy conscience to see and feele thy sinne to be grieued for it so as thou maist say My sicknesse my pouerty my crosses grieue me but nothing so much as my owne sinnes these trouble me aboue all this griefe swalloweth vp all the rest And there is another thing which I seeke aboue all not
gold siluer or promotion but reconciliation with my God and his fauour in Iesus Christ If thou hast these two then thou goest beyond Cain then shalt thou stand before God with Abell and be accepted Remember these two humiliation for sinne and desire of reconciliation these two is the summe of religion If thou hast these thou art blessed with Abell if not cursed with Cain howsoeuer thou liuest in the world If thou say Cain kill'd his brother and so would not I doe for all the world I will do no man hurt in body or goods This will not serue for it is said that God had no respect to Cain afore he kill'd his brother euen when he offred his sacrifice and therefore this duty is most necessary and there is no shifting it off 2. Cain offred as well as Abell yea Cain offred afore Abell as it is manifest in Genesis 4.3 And yet Abels sacrifice was better when it came to the proofe and was accepted not Cains which came first Hence we learn that a man may be more forward then many other in many outward duties of religion and yet not be accepted of God Another may be not so forward to the duty and yet when hee comes be better accepted Whence comes this what is forwardnesse in good duties a fault Nothing lesse but hence it is he that outwardly is most forward may come in hypocrisie without faith the want whereof makes his forwardnesse nothing worth Many such haue we in our Church great frequenters of places and exercises of religion and yet they come but as Cain did or it may be in worse intents Thy forwardnesse is to be commended but take this with thee also Care not so much to be first at the SermoÌ„ or to be there oftner theÌ„ other as to goe with true faith repentance a heart hungâ—ing for grace if not boast not in thy forwardnes Cain offred afore Abell yet not accepted so there may com an Abell after thee bring faith with him be accepted wheÌ„ thou with thy hypocriticall forwardnes shalt be reiected as Cain was Thirdly did Cain offer as wel as Abel Hence we learn that the Church militant is a mixt coÌ„pounded coÌ„pany of men not of one sort but true beleeuers hypocrites mingled together as here in the very infancy of the Church here was a Cain worshipping in shew as wel as Abell that worshipped in truth So was it in the infancy so in her perpetual growth so shal it be in the last age of the church the good shal neuer be quite separated froÌ„ the bad vntil Christ himself do it at the last iudgement Goates shall alwaies be mingled amongst the sheepe till Christ the great shepheard do separate them himselfe Math. 25.34 And he that imagineth a perfect separation till then imagineth a fancy in his braine and such a Church as cannot be found vpon the earth This being so let no man therfore be afraid to ioyne himself to the visible Church neither let any that are in it go out of it because the bad are mingled with the good for so it hath been alwaies euer wil be he then that wil go out of a Church because there be hypocrites in it must go out of the world for such a Church is not fouÌ„d but triuÌ„phant in heaueÌ„ Fourthly 〈◊〉 that Cain Abel offred hence we learne that the Church of God which truly professeth his name hath been euer since the beginning of the world For this Church was in the houshold of AdaÌ„ wheÌ„ there was no more but it in the world for sacrifice to God is a sign of the Church yea beside the sacrifice they had a place appointed where Adam his family came together to worship God For so much Cain intimateth Gen. 4.14 16. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord that is not onely out of his fauour protection but from the place of his solemne seruice where he wonted to manifest his special presence to his childreÌ„ seruing him and therfore Cain as being excomunicate complaines verse 14 because he must leaue it Thus the Church hath been froÌ„ the beginning therfore is truly call'd Catholike The Papists abuse this place notoriously for whereas the Church hath been so antient they argue therfore it is aboue the Scripture yea that we could not know it to be Scripture but by the antient testimonie of the Church We must know the Scripture is two wayes to be considered 1. As it was written penned by holy men and so it is later then the Church for Moses was the first penman of Scripture but secondly as it is the word of God the substance sense and truth therof is much more antient theÌ„ the Church yea without the word of God there can be no Church For without faith is no Church because the Church is a coÌ„pany of beleeuers and without the word it is no faith therfore no word no faith no faith no Church So then the Scripture was afore the Church but penned after Thus we see that Cain and Abell offered Now secondly what offred they sacrifices Sacrifices were vsed in the worship of God for two ends 1. When a sacrifice was offred especially of beasts when a man saw the bloud of the beasts poured out it put him in mind of his own sins and the desert of them taught him to say thus Eue as this creature is here slain his bloud distils drops away so my sins deserue that my bloud should be sâ—â—ed and my soule be drenched in hell for euer This creature can die but one death for it sinneth not but my sins deserue both the 1. and 2. death Secondly sacrifices serued to put theâ—â— in minde of the Messias to come and the slaying of the beasts shewed them how the Messias should shed his bloud giue his life for the â—irâ—s of the people These are the 2. principal ends of sacrifices for these 2. ends did Cain Abel offer Cain in hypocrisie and for fashion sake Abell in truth conscience and sinceritie As it was in the old sacrifices so is it in our Sacraments of the new Testament whereof the sacrifices were all types 1. In baptisme sprinkling of the water serues to shewe vs how filthily we are defiled with our owne sinnes 2. It signifies the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ vpon the heart of a sinner for his sanctification from sinne 2. In the supper the breaking of the bread signifies 1. how we should be broken in humiliation for our sinne and the pouring out of the wine how our bloud and life should be shed and poured out for our sinnes if wee had that that we deserue And secondly they represent vnto vs how the body of Christ was broken his bloud poured out for our sinnes which he was content to suffer vnder the wrath of his Father for our sakes so that we see both the sacrifices and
hee will take heede what he doth and that God heareth him hee will temper his tongue and that God beholdeth all his dealings in the world hee will take heede how hee borroweth lendeth buieth or selleth and what hee doth in all his actions and the very cause of all carelesnesse in these and all other duties in the world is because men are perswaded God seeth them not To vrge vs therefore to this excellent dutie we haue First Gods Commaundement Walke before mee and be vpright saith God to Abraham and in him to all the children of his faith Againe wee haue the examples of Gods children who are renowned for the obedience of this Commaundement Henoch here after him Abraham and after him Dauid who testifieth of himselfe I will walke before God in the land of the liuing Thirdly as it is both commaunded by precept and practiced by exsample so the proofe of it is most comfortable to all that practice it for it will make them prosper in all they goe about For as hee that is alwaies in the Kings presence and companie cannot but bee in his fauour and therefore cannot but succeede well in all his affaires so hee that walkes with God cannot but prosper in whatsoeuer hee sets his heart and hand vnto Blessed Abraham found this most true when he assured his seruant whom he sent to prouide Isaac a wife in a long and doubtfull and dangerous iourney The Lord before whom I walke will send his Angell with thee and prosper thy iourney and euen so may euery child of God say with confidence The Lord before whom I walke will send his Angell with mee and prosper mee in my proceedings Fourthly this walking with God is a good meanes to make a man beare the crosse with patience For if hee be perswaded that God seeth how wrongfully he is persecuted or oppressed and that Gods prouidence is alwayes present so as no affliction can com vnto him but by his appointment and againe that his prouidence disposeth of all things to his good how can he but receiue with patience that portion of afflictions which God shall lay vpon him For as hee that walkes with the King who dare offer him wrong so he that walkes with God what euill can touch him This is Iosephs argument to his brethren when they were discomforted and feared he would punish them after their Fathers death Feare not saith he for am not I vnder God as though he had said Doe not I walke in Gods presence and acknowledge my selfe vnder his power and that God when you thought euill against me disposed it to good where the ground of Iosephs reason is that he walking with God his affliction turned to his good Lastly this is a meanes to bring a man to make conscience of all sinne in thought word and deede and in all his dealings when he perswades himselfe to walke in the presence of God When Ioseph was allured to sinne by his Mistresse his answere was How shall I commit this great wickednesse and so sin against God The bridle that restrained him was the feare of that God in whose presence he walked And because hee walked with God he would not walke with her in her wicked way and because he kept a holy company with God therefore he would not keepe her company nor be allured by her temptations So then seeing this way of walking with God is euery way so excellent and so profitable let vs learne it not in iudgement and knowledge onely to be able to talke of it which is soone learned but in conscience and practice as dutifull children doe before their parents so let vs in a heauenly awe a child-like reuerence walke before God labouring for a true perswasion of his presence and prouidence to be alwayes ouer vs and our whole liues The want hereof is the cause of all sinne And if we doe thus walke with God and so please him as Henoch here did then shall wee be sure though not after the same manner that Henoch was yet in soule first and afterwards in soule body both to be translated into eternall life But if we will not walke this way with Henoch in this life let vs neuer looke to liue in heauen with him but assure our selues that as the way of holinesse is the way to glory so the way of wickednesse is the way to eternall perdition And thus much of the second degree But without faith it is impossible to please God These words containe the third degree or the third part of the reason And this degree consists of a generall Maxime or Canon of Diuinitie and the holy Ghost first layeth it downe and then because it is one of the waightiest principles in religion he proueth it substantially in the words following In the Canon it selfe let vs first examine the meaning and then vnfold the manifold vse of it Without faith By faith is meant here the same faith as afore namely true sauing faith in the Messias And without this sauing faith It is impossible to please God Impossible how not in regard of the absolute infinite and indeterminable power of God which hath no limits but his owne will but in regard of that order of the causes and meanes of saluation set downe by God in his word which is this 1. Man by sinne hath displeased God 2. God must be pleased againe else a man cannot be saued 3. He that will please God must please him in Christ the Mediator else he cannot therefore he that wil please God and be saued must needes beleeue in Christ. And thus by this order it is impossible We denie not but in regard of Gods absolute power hee could saue a man without faith as hee can lighten the world without the sunne But as if he keepe that order of nature which his owne wisedome hath appointed it is impossible to giue light to the world without the sunne so if he keepe that order for saluation which his own Iustice hath appointed it is impossible to please God without faith in Christ. So then the meaning is laide downe and now appeares the strength and force of the holy Ghosts argument Hee that will be saued and come to heauen must first please God But without faith it is impossible to please God Therefore without faith no man can be saued nor come in heauen and by consequent therefore Henoch being taken into heauen must needes be taken away by faith Now the vse of this Canon rightly vnderstood is manifold and of great profit First here wee learne that faith is simply and absolutely necessarie to saluation and most necessary of all other giftes and graces of God whatsoeuer And though many be required yet amongst all holy graces this is the principall and more necessarie in some respects then any other For howsoeuer hope and loue and zeale and many other graces of God are required to make the state of a Christian complete 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
at the punishment belonging vnto them How can this be but that howsoeuer he graunts there is a God yet he is not perswaded that God hath power to reuenge the coÌ„tempt of his laws therfore he neuer feares nor shrinks at the remembrance of him nor flieth at all from his reuenging hand but ploddeth on in sin without feare Thirdly man by nature denieth Gods iustice for the iustice of God is to winke at sinne in no man but to condemne and punish it wheresoeuer he findes it by inflicting the curses of the law vpon it But man denieth this iustice for though he sinne against Gods law and his conscience tell him of it yet hee perswades himselfe there is no curse nor punishment due for it at least that he shall escape it nay though hee see neuer so many before him punished for the same sinne yet our nature is so blinde and so corrupt hee thinks for all that it shall not light on him And it is lamentable yet most true that the God of the ignorant men is a meere Idoll a God made all of mercy and which hath no iustice in him at all their sins they carelesly lay all on Christ and say God is mercifull and in this conceite they care not how ignorantly how loosely how profanely they liue and their hearts neuer haue a reuerent and awefull thought of the iustice of God These are the pitifull imaginations that all men by Nature haue of God All these may be proued by euident Scriptures The first in the Psalme where Dauid brings in the wicked saying to themselues God hath forgotten he hides his face he will not see he will not regard The second by the blasphemy of Rabsakeh who vttred with his tongue that which all mens hearts think by nature What God can deliuer you out of my hand The third Esay proues apparantly where hee tells vs that the wicked say Wee haue made a couenant with death and with hell are we at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs. Thus both Scripture and plaine demonstrations proue this to be true That euery man by nature denieth Gods presence power and iustice and therfore is by nature a plaine Atheist not beleeuing that God is God indâ—ede Now furthermore there are 4. sorts of people that put in practice this Atheisme First suâ—h as are not ashamed to say openly Is there a God or no and dare dispute the question and at last auouch there is none but that all matters concerning God and his worship are nothing but deuises of politique men to keepe simple men in awe and to make fooles faine but these themselues are fooles of all fooles and the diuell deuised that impious conceite to keepe them in miserable blindnesse There haue beene such fooles in all ages yet in old time as Dauid saith These fooles did but say in their hearts But now the fooles of these last rotten ages are ripe in their folly and they dare say with their mouthes There is no God These are Monsters in nature and diuels incarnate worse then the diuell himself for he in iudgement neuer was an Atheist These are to be marked hated worse then Toads Adders and if such a one can be conuicted by any lawful euidence if euer Heretike or Traytor deserued death such a one deserues tenne deaths as being a Traytor to God to mankinde and to Nature her selfe And though these wretches say there is no God yet make they a God of themselues sacrificing all their affections to their pleasure and their profit The second sort are such as acknowledge and worship a God but a false God These haue beene in all Countries and in most ages as Histories doe shew some worshipping the sunne some the moone some starres some beasts birds fishes some dead Idols of wood or stone or metall And of this sort no better are some in these Churches where the true God is worshipped for the Apostle saith Couetousnesse is idolatry for if a mans heart be set wholly on riches then the wedge of gold is his God And to other whose affections are all on pleasure their belly is their God Let these men hold in iudgement as they can their practice I am sure proclaims Atheisme The third sort are such as worship the true God but in a false manner and of these there are 3. principall sorts First Turkes Secondly Iewes who hold the true God but denie the Trinity of persons and the deity of Christ. Thirdly the true Papist holds in word one God the Trinity of persons as wee doe but looke at their doctrine and if their words haue any naturall meaning they denie it for if the second person be true Christ then hath hee two natures Godhead and Manhood but by their fained Transubstantiation they quite take away the truth of the Manhood And againe Christ hath three offices hee is the True King Priest and Prophet of his Church and if he be not so he is not Christ But the Papists doctrine in plaine words and necessarie consequence denieth them all as hath beene often proued vnto their shame and published to the world and they neuer yet to this day could or durst answere it for if they doe they shall soone either heare of vs againe or else we will recant it But till then it appeares that their God is by their doctrine not the true God but an Idoll for he that denieth the Sonne denieth the Father also as saith S. Iohn The fourth sort of Atheists are such as acknowledge and worship the true God and worship him in true manner for the outward worship but in their liues and deedes denie him And these are not to be sought for in Turkie or Iurie or Italy for all Churches are full of such Protestant Atheists Italy may haue more Atheists in iudgement then wee but these hypocrites and Atheists in life are here also those tares we haue amongst our corn Of these speakes the Apostle that they professe to know God but denie him in their works Let this seeme no wonder that such men be called Atheists for the Apostle saith plainely He that careth not for his family is worse then an Infidell Whereby it appeares a man may be a professour of the Gospel or a Christian in profession and an Infidel or Atheist in his practice it is certaine let any man professe what he will if his life be nought his religion is a false religion in him Now then to shut vp this point with the vse thereof If this be true that there are so many sorts of Atheists that almost the world is full and that we are all so by nature then first let vs see how hard a matter it is to beleeue in God aright and if no man come to God but he that beleeueth God aright then we see it s no maruel though so fewe come to God Let vs
Then assuredly his heart is voide of true faith and farre from the life and power of religion For assuredly where God is knowen and beleeued there that mans heart though hee be a King cannot once thinke of God without a reuerence of his Maiestie and an admiration at his greatnesse and his owne basenesse therefore the want of this argueth a want of true religion and true faith in mens hearts Secondly this profanenesse discouers it selfe to the world by want of reuerence to Gods workes Let the Lord send vnseasonable weather or famines or plagues or any strange signes in heauen or in earth forthwith they are but fooles that cry out Behold the finger of God the hand of God No this is nature and is produced by naturall causes Ill weather comes from the starres famines from ill weather and mens couetousnesse Plagues from famines or from ill aires or else by apparant infection from another place But cannot Nature and naturall meanes haue their place vnlesse they haue Gods place God ouerthroweth not them why should they ouerthrow God Yet thus it is in the world and thus God is robbed of his glory and he is but a simple fellow which is moued with reuerence at sight of such things or begins to magnifie Gods power and iustice in them This is too apparant to be denied for haue wee not now as great causes of feare as can be Noah heard of water and wee heare that fire is to destroy the worlde and yeâ— where is hee that is mooued with reuerence as Noah was and yet Noah could saye The floud shall not be these 120. yeeres but who can say and proue that this world shal not be destroyed by fire within these 120. yeeres And till the floud came they had doubtlesse many otheâ— plagues which were fore-runners of the generall destruction all which as they came Moued Noah vnto reuerence and so wee in this age doe see the great workes of Gods Iudgements vpon men vpon families vpon townes vpon countries and whole kingdomes and wee feele his heauie hand in many sharpe strokes but who and where are they whose hearts feare God the more and doe tremble in the consideration of his Iudgements Nay alas amongst many it is but a matter of mockerie so to doe This is not the fault of our religion but the want of it for if men truly knew and beleeued in God they could not thinke nor speake of God nor looke at his workes but with feare and reuerence For as our feare of God is so is our faith little feare of God little faith and no feare at all no faith at all Let therefore all men shew their religion by their feare of God and let euery Christian acknowledge God in his workes England hath beene faulty herein in one point especially Wee haue had great plagues which haue taken away many thousands in short time wherein God hath shewed himselfe mighty against our sinnes But Gods hand would not be seene nor acknowledged but onely nature and naturall causes But let England take heede that God send not a plague so generall and so greeuous that euen the most profane men euen the sorcerers of Egypt if they were here doe acknowledge that it is the finger of God and so giue God that due reuerence which in his ordinary visitations he hath not Thus wee see the ground whence this reuerence in Noah sprang namely his faith Now let vs see the occasions or considerations in Noahs heart that made him feare The ground wherupon he feared was true faith for else he had not beene capable of any feare or reuerence of God but the occasions which stirred vp this feare in him were some things else Now if we looke to humane reasons Noah had no cause at all to feare as he did For first the Iudgement was farre off 120. yeeres after and common reason saith its folly to feare any thing so farre off but its time enough to feare when it is neere at hand Againe he was one single man and the world was full of wise and mighty men they all heard of it yet none of them feared therefore their exsample might preuaile with him to keepe him from feare and to make him secure and carelesâ—e with the rest for exsamples are strong especially when they are so generall Thirdly the strangenesse of the Iudgement threatned was such as might driue any man in reason from fearing it at all For first who would euer beleeue that God would drowne all the world with water such a thing neuer had beene and therefore how could it be And againe If all should be drowned who would thinke that Noah should escape and none but he These three considerations being wayed in the ballance of mans reason would haue kept Noah from fearing or beleeuing this word of God But behold the power of faith it goeth beyond all humane reach fixeth it selfe fast on Gods word and therfore he not only beleeueth it but hath furthermore his heart possessed with a great reuerence of Gods Maiestie vpon this message And there were three motiues stirring him vp vnto this Reuerence First the consideration of Gods strange Iudgement vpon the sinfull world to see that his wrath was so prouoked that he should bring so vnwonted a plague so strange both for the nature of it a floud of water to drowne men whereas generally all men can auoide the violence of that element for the measure of it so great as it should drown all the world and destroy all men Now that which this Iudgement of God wrought in Noah the same effect should Gods Iudgements worke in vs namely they should moue vs with reuerence For as Christ saith Our dayes are like Noahs As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall the dayes be before the comming of Christ Mathew 24.37 These dayes are as wicked men are as couetous as cruell as malitious as voluptuous and yet as secure as they then were as full of sinne and yet as dead in sinne as they were then Therefore Noah looked for a floud 120. yeeres after and who can tell whether our world shall last so long a time or no At least wee may safely say whatsoeuer the world doth there is no man liueth but within farre lesse time then 120. yeeres is assured to be throwen to hell by a floud of Gods wrath at his death vnlesse in the meane time hee repent and yet alas where is hee that is moued with reuerence at consideration hereof The wicked man may escape the water of a floud but hee cannot scape the fire of hell hee cannot escape death hee cannot escape the last Iudgement These are to come yet they are sure why then doe not men feare as Noah did hee feared 120. yeeres afore it came We can indeede tremble a little at a present Iudgement as when fire breakes out when waters ouerflowe when the plague destroyeth or when famine consumes but to tremble at a Iudgement threatned though it
it was a meanes to saue them another way euen to saue their soules for it taught them many things First it was an assurance of Gods loue vnto their soules for if hee was so carefull to saue their bodies from the floud they thereby assured themselues hee would be as good vnto their soules which they knew to be farre more pretious and excellent Secondly it shewed them how to be saued For as they saw no safety nothing but present death out of the Arke So it taught them that out of Gods Church and out of Gods fauour no saluation could be expected and so it taught them to labour to be in Gods fauour and members of his true Church Thirdly they saw they were saued from the floud by faith and obedience For first Noah beleeued Gods word that the floud should come then he obayed Gods commaundement and made the Arke as hee was commaunded And thus he and his by beleeuing obaying were saued through the Arke and without these the Arke could not haue saued them This taught them more particularly how to be saued namely by beleeuing God and obaying God and else no saluation For when they saw their bodies could not be saued without them It assured them much lesse could their soules be saued without faith and obedience Lastly this deliuerance by the Arke was a pawn vnto them from God assuring them of saluation if they beleeued in the Messias For seeing God so fully performed his promise vnto them for their bodily deliuerance vpon their beleeuing they therby might assure themselues he would performe his promise of saluation vnto them vpon their faith and true obedience Moreouer it strengthned their faith For when euer after any promise of God was made vnto them or any word of God came vnto them they then remembred Gods mercy and faithfulnesse vnto them in their deliuerance by the Arke and therefore beleeued Vnto these and many other spirituall vses did the Arke serue vnto Noah and to his houshold as many of them as were beleeuers But what is this to vs Indeede the Arke serued them for a temporall deliuerance it saued their liues therefore they also had reason to make spirituall vse of it But it saued not vs it serued vs to no vse corporall therefore how can wee make any spirituall vse of it I answere though wee had no corporall vse of the Arke yet there ariseth an excellent spirituall vse out of the consideration of it The Arke of Noah and our baptisme are figures correspondent one to the other that that Noahs Arke was to them Baptisme is to vs. Thus teacheth S. Peter 1.3.20.21 To the Arke of Noah the figure which now saueth vs euen Baptisme agreeth The same that S. Paul here ascribeth to the Arke S. Peter ascribeth to Baptisme The Arke saued them Baptisme saueth vs. Now the resemblaâ—ce betwixt these two figures hath two branches First as it was necessary for them that should be saued in the floud to be in the Arke and out of the Arke no possibility to escape So is it for them that will haue their soules saued to be in Christ and of his Church they must be mysticall members of Christ and visible members of his Church and out of Christ and his Church no possibility of saluation That this is true for Christ S. Peter proueth apparantly Acts 4.12 Among men there is no name giuen vnder heauen whereby to be saued but the name of Iesus Christ neither is there saluation in any other And that this is true for the Church he prooueth Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued See how such as are to be saued must ioyne themselues to the Church when they see where it is and all this is signified taught in Baptisme For the outward vse of Baptisme makes vs members of the visible Church the inward powerfull vse of Baptisme makes vs members of Christ himselfe The vse and consideration hereof should make vs all more carefull to be true members of Christ of his Church by making not onely a bare profession of religion but by seeking to be incorporate into Christ by faith and true repentance for this must saue vs when nothing els can As they that were out of the Arke no gold nor siluer could buy out their safetie no lands nor liuings no houses nor buildings no hilles nor mountaines nothing in the world nor the whole world it selfe could saue them but being out of the Arke they perished So if a man be out of Christ out of his Church no gold nor siluer no honour nor glory no wit nor policy no estimation nor authoritie no friendâ— nor fauour no wisdome nor learning no hilles of happines nor mountaines of gold can saue his soule but hee must perish in the flood of Gods eternall wrath For as it prooued folly in them that trusted to their high houses or catcht hold on the hils if they were out of the Arke so will it prooue much greater folly to them that shall trust to any meanes of saluation if they be out of Christ. And contrariwise as they that were in the Arke were sure to bee saued doe the waters windes and weathers stormes and tempests all they could so that still the more the waters rose the Arke rose also and was euer higher than they and the higher it was carried by the violence of the waters the safer it was from the danger of hils and rockes and so in the midst of danger they were out of danger and were saued in the midst of the water So he that is once truely in Christ is sure of saluation nothing can hinder it flouds of calamities may assault him and humble him but they hurt not his saluation hee is in the Arke he is in Christ nay the gates of hell shall not ouerthrowe him but through all the waues of the diuels malice through all tempests of temptations the blessed Arke of Christes loue and merits shall carrie him vp and at last conuay him to saluation this is the blessed assurance of all them that are truely baptized into Christ. But as for such as out of their prophanenesse either care not to be in Christ or contemne Baptisme let theÌ„ assure theÌ„selues they be out of the Arke they perish certainly This is the 1. part of the resemblance The second is this Noahs body going into the Arke hee seemed therein a dead man going into a graue or a tombe to be buried for he was buried in the Arke the Arke in the waters he depriued of the fresh airâ— gladsome light yet by Gods appointment it was the means to saue Noah which in all reason seemed to be his graue if Noah will be saued he must goe into this graue So they that will escape hell and damnation by Christ the true Arke of holinesse must be buried and mortified in their flesh and fleshly lusts and there is no way to come
liue by faith in all our actions from one day to another meditating daily on Gods promises and beleeuing them and relying on them and applying the generalls to our owne selues and practicing faith by making conscience of sinne and inuring our selues to patience and long suffering Thus doing we shall be children of faithfull Abraham who first by faith left his owne Country and then by faith also dwelt still in the Land of Canaan And thus much for the action of his faith Hee abode in the Land of Promise Now followe the circumstances of the action which are two 1. The manner how 2. The Persons with whō The manner is laid downe in two points 1. As a stranger 2. As one that dwelt in tents The first point for the manner is laide downe in these words As in a strange Country The meaning is he esteemed it a strange Country to him and accounted himself a stranger in it Against which it may be obiected that he was familiarly acquainted with Mamre Aner and Eshcol three great mighty men of that Country then he they were confederates together Gen. 14.13 therfore it seemes he liued not like a stranger in the Country Some answere that these three were not Cananites but neere a-kinne to Abraham and had other names but the Text is plaine in that place that Mamre was an Amorite and the other two were his brethren Therefore the answere is that in all likelyhood they three were Proselites and that by Abrahams godly perswasions they had renounced Idolatry and were come to the knowledge of the true God and that they ioyned with Abraham in the worship of the true God and so were his conuerts whereupon Abraham as he might lawfully conuersed with them as his familiar friends And hereof there are two Inducements First it is said Gen. 14.13 that they were confederates with Abraham and it appeared so by their deedes for they ioyned their powers and assisted him in the warre against the the Kings Gen. 14.24 Secondly it is said Gen. 14.13 That Abraham dwelt on the Land of Mamre he was his Tenant or Farmour Now it is more then likely Abraham would not haue so farre beene beholden to them but that they were true Christians and of his owne religion Therefore this hinders not but hee might be a stranger notwithstanding vnto the body of the people and that it is true that Abraham saith of himself vnto some of them Gen. 23.4 I am a stranger and Soiourner amongst you But it may be then demanded Why did Abraham liue amongst them as a stranger and in that Land as a Soiourner I answer the reasons were diuers First he had title giuen to that Land but no possession he therefore contented himselfe with that that God gaue him and chalenged not any possession all the dayes of his life but bought or borrowed of Mamre the place where he liued and dwelt Gen. 14.13 and of the Hittites a place of buriall Gen. 23.3 c. This may teach all men not to be too hasty in seeking for that that it may be is their right let not men prescribe their owne times nor be their owne caruers but leaue their affaires to Gods disposing and enter no further then they see God goeth afore them Abraham must be a stranger in his owne land and thou sometime must be content for a time to be a stranger to that which is thine owne Secondly they were all of them for the most part heathen Idolaters amongst whom Abraham would not conuerse but as sparingly as might be Now if Abraham would be a stranger in his own Country rather then liue familiarly with Idolaters It sheweth how little faith and lesse conscience they haue who can be content to liue in the midst amongst Idolaters where they haue nothing to doe and can conuerse with them in all familiarity without any scruple of conscience Abraham made himselfe a stranger at home to auoide Idolatry but they will make themselues at home in a strange Country to intangle themselues in Idolatry these men will hardly proue the children of Abraham These reasons Abraham himselfe had in this his so doing There is a third a more spirituall or mysticall reason and that reason God had in making Abraham liue in Canaan as a stranger Namely to teach all Christian men their duty to the worlds end Abraham is the Father of the faithfull Rom. 4.11 And this is our honour to be the children of Abraham we must therfore follow our Father in his faith and in the practice of it we must liue in this world as Pilgrimes and Strangers euen in the midst of all our peace prosperity of all our liberty riches lands and possessions yea of all our friends worldly acquaintance If it seeme strange how this can be I answere the practice of it consists in six actions First we must not bathe our selues in the pleasures of this world Pilgrimes take but little delight in their iourneyes because they thinke themselues not at home This is S. Peters argument Dearely beloued as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule 1. Pet. 2.11 For too much delight in fleshly pleasures smothers the grace of God in vs and le ts loose all sinnes and giues life vnto all corruptions Secondly we must vse this world as though we vsed it not that is euen the necessary comforts delights thereof they be the very words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7.31 For so the Pilgrime when he passeth through a strange Country hath not his minde troubled with looking or thinking on the goods or cōmodities of that Country where he is but vsing as much thereof as is necessary for him all his thoughts are on his owne Country So should we when we are in our best estates in our greatest iollity in the midst of our wealth and abundance of pleasures cast our mindes from them haue our thoughts euen then conuersing in heauen where is the place of our abode This is likewise the Apostles exhortation Philipp 3.20 Worldly men make their belly their God that is drowne themselues in carnall pleasures so farre as they forget any other God any other heauen But we must not doe so our conuersation must be in heauen from whence wee looke for our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Thirdly wee must haue a serious care and endeuour to please God for all the earth is his and wee are but soiourners in his sight therfore as the Pilgrime is carefull to please the Lord of the Country by whose leaue he trauels through it so must we be to please the Lord seeing as God saith Leuit 25.23 The land is his and we are but strangers and soiourners with him And hereunto adde a fourth which is neere a-kinne vnto it We must cast all our care on God seeing that he is Lord of the earth we are but Pilgrimes and Soiourners Dauid saith Psal. 24.1 The earth is the Lords and all that therein is
God hath appointed to the vse whereof hee hath annexed his promises of helpe against sinne Let them therefore lay Gods word and promises vnto their consciences in holy and frequent meditations Let them carefully vse the meanes God hath appointed hearing and reading his word receiuing the holy Communion earnest and frequent Prayer crauing also the prayers of others and let them sharpen these holy exercises by fasting watching holy conferences with others visitations of others afflicted like themselues oft reuealing their estate to their godly Pastors Let them continue thus doing and rest confidently on the word and promise of God with the stedfast foote of faith and they shall see that olde Sarah shall haue strength to conceiue that is that their poore soules shall receiue strength to tread vpon Sathan to conquer their corruptions to conceiue bring forth many worthy fruites of holinesse to their ioy and comfort in their later experience as Isaac was to Sarah in her elder age The next doctrine we may here learne is That whereas Sarah by her faith in Gods promise conceiues and brings forth therefore children are the immediate blessing of the Lord for Sarah bare Isaac not by any ordinary strength or power of nature but through faith shee receiued strength to conceiue c. Neither is this so in her onely wherein there was a miraculous worke of Gods power but in all Some are indeede barren by constitution and these cannot conceiue vnlesse by Gods power as Sarah did But some haue no children who in all naturall reason might conceiue For as God gaue the Lawe and thereby a gift and power to encrease and multiply Genesis 1.22 So he reserued the execution of it to himself and power to alter or dispense to adde or diminish as it pleaseth him Therefore saith the Psalmist Psal. 127.3 Lo children are the inheritance of the Lord and the fruite of the wombe is his reward And speaking of them Psal. 128.4 he saith Loe thus shall he be blessed that feareth the Lord. The vse is to teach Parents therefore to bring them vp as Gods blessings and not onely to giue them corporall necessities for so they doe their beasts but to nurture them in holy Discipline by sowing the seedes of Religion in their hearts If this they want they haue nothing though you leaue them Earledomes And heerein is the saying true Better vnborne then vntaught The Lawe and power to encrease and multiplie is giuen to beastes in their kinde as well as to vs Genesis 1. verse 22. Therefore vnlesse wee doe more then prouide for their bodies wee differ little from them but make them know GOD and so wee make them fellowes with the Angelles If Parents did thus it cannot bee expressed what blessinges would come thereby to Church and Common-wealth Thirdly and lastly let vs heere knowe and learne that this holy Matron Sarah figureth vnto vs mysticallie the spirituall Hierusalem the Church of GOD. Allegoâ—ies are charily and sparingly to bee taught else much vnsounde Doctrine may cumber mennes consciences but this is sound and sure for it is the Apostles Galath 4.23 c. By Agar and Sarah other things are meant for these two mothers are two Testaments Agar shee which gendreth vnto bondage Sarah Hierusalem which is free and from aboue and is the mother of vs all Now the resemblance betwixt naturall Sarah the wife of Abraham and mysticall Sarah the spouse of Christ the Church of God stands in this that as she not by power in her selfe but by Gods power and faith in his promise bare Isaac So the Church our mother bringeth forth children to God onely by the power of Gods word and spirit And therefore as Isaac is called the childe of Promise and said to be borne by promise Galath 4.23 So men regenerate and borne to the Church are said not to be borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Iohn 1.13 And S. Iames saith 1.18 God of his owne will begat vs with the word of truth Thus the word of God the will that is the spirit of God these two together beget children to the Church The vse is to teach vs all to honour the Church as our mother but to worship God alone who is the father of our soule The Church cannot make her selfe our mother noâ— vs her children when she will but it is God that must speake the word and then we are made he must beget vs by the power of his spirit and ministerie of his word And further let vs learne heere what account wee are to make of Gods holy word which is the immortall seede of our regeneration whereby wee are made Gods children and heires of immortality Thus much of the two first effects of her faith The third is laid downe in the next verse which because it is much stoode vpon by the holy Ghost we will put it off till then being therefore worthy our deeper consideration And now followeth in the end of this verse the fift and last point which is the Ground of her faith Because she iudged him faithfull which had promised The foundation whereon she built this her faith that she should haue a sonne being barren and past age was not the bare promise of God so much as the conceite or opinion shee had of him that promised For promises are not of value so much by the things promised though neuer so great or excellent for they may promise much who can performe nothing or though they can yet wil recall their word in lightnesse and inconstancie as by the worthinesse of the party promising We say in this world we had rather haue some mens word then other mens bond and rather haue a little promised of some then much of others Now such was the Iudgement that Sarah helde of him that promisâ—â— namely GOD She iudged him faithfull which had promised Faithfull that is shee iudged him Able willing to accomplish what-euer hee promised to her So that the Grounds of our faith in God and all his promises must be a sure apprehension and knowledge of these two things in God 1. His ability to make good what-euer passeth him in word 2. His carefulnesse to doe it when hee hath said it Some wil promise any thing though their abilities stretch not to performe others are able enough but haue no care of their word But both these are in God all-sufficient ability and most carefull willingnesse So Sarah iudged of God and therefore shee beleeued against reason and so must wee doe if wee will beleeue Gods word aright Wee may reade and heare and knowe Gods word and haue the points therein swimming in our heads but if wee will constantly beleeue with our hearts his blessed promises in our consciences feare his threatnings we must be fully perswaded of these two to be in him So are wee taught by Christ the wisedome of God in the Lords Prayer afore wee pray for
the fundamentall points of religion of God of the Creation the Fall the immortalitie of the Soule the two Couenants of workes by the Lawe of Grace by the Mediator and such other substantiall points touching God his Word Sacraments Law Gospel Praier good Workes c. as the Scriptures and the Creeds and Catechismes out of the scripture doe yeeld vnto vs. Herein the case of the common people of all nations is miserable In Poperie their Clergie is so fat and full they will not In our Churches the Ministerie a great part of it so poore and ill prouided for they cannot teach Betwixt both the people of the world do perish for lacke of knowledge for how can they but perish that die not in faith How can they die so that liue not in faith And how can they euer haue faith that haue no knowledge seeing knowledge is the foundation of faith Therefore it needes the helpe of those that may and the praiers of all that our Church may haue Teachers and our people Catechisers for without learning the Catechisme it is impossible to learne religion Secondly when wee haue got knowledge and so laid the foundation then must we learne the promises of God for saluation and we must hide them in our hearts as the Iewels of life and saluation We must beleeue them to be true and effectuall to all that will take hold of them and wee our selues must therefore take hold of them and apply them to our soules Thirdly after both these wee must conforme our selues throughout heart and life vnto the holy lawes of God we must leaue all bad waies and vngodly courses though they be neuer so deare vnto vs or so commoÌ„ in the world and must make conscience of all sinne and endeauour to doe all duties to God and man The first of these is the ground of faith the second is faith it selfe the last the fruit and effect of it and an assured testimony of it to God to his Church and to a mans owne conscience And to doe these three things is to walke in the olde and holy way consecrated by Christs blood and troden in by all the holy Fathers and Popery nor any other religion can appoint so â—aâ—e so sure nor so direct a way Thus liued Abraham Sarah Isaac and Iaacob and after this course they died in faith and now liue in glory and so shall we with them if wee will liue in faith as they did but else we may long looke for heauen before wee come there Indeed God can make a man that liued not in faith die in faith but the matter is not what he can doe but what is his ordinary course that is this They that liue in faith die in faith Therfore let vs take the ordinary course and repent and turne betimes and liue the life of faith and leaue late repentance to them that thinke it but a sport to venture a soule that course may speed but this course is sure to speed he that liues in sin may happe to die in faith but he that liues in faith is sure to die in faith and to liue in glory for euer Secondly obserue how it is said All these died in faith not some but all Abraham the father and the roote and with him the wife the child and the grand-child behold a true noble blood a holy kinred a blessed generation worthy is Abraham of all the honour hee hath who was the roote of such a noble and blessed brood And worthy are Isaac and Iaacob of so good a father who stained not their blood by forsaking their faith but held it as they receiued it and liued and died in it Let this teach vs first if we bee fathers to shine before our children in a holy religion true faith and good life and it is great hope that our wiues and children will follow vs in the same Secondly if wee be sonnes to looke which of our fore-fathers and auncestors imbraced the most holy religion and to choose and liue and die in their faith Most of our yong Papists can say no more for their religion but this my father and grand-father were of that religion But they must looke to all their fore-fathers Isaac and Iaacob would not be of their great grand-fathers Nahors or Terahs religion but of their father Abrahams and Abraham himselfe would not be of his father Terahs or his grand father Nahors religion but he went vp a great deale higher to his fore-fathers to the tenth generation Noah and Shem and imbraced their religion So that we see it is nothing to say I am of my fathers or grand-fathers religion vnlesse first I prooue that theirs was of God and then hee is a Noble Christian man which knowing that will not forsake it but will liue and die in it Thirdly see here true honour and gentry is to liue and die in the true faith and holy religion of our auncestors here is the fountaine of honour to doe as these did Abraham perceiues he is wrong and erred with his fathers hee therefore leaues his fathers and grand-fathers religion goeth vp higher and takes a better Isaac his sonne makes himselfe heire not of his land alone but of his fathers religion also Iaacob the grand-childe follows both and dieth in faith with them Behold here Iaacob a true gentleman in blood his holinesse and religion is in the third descent Let vs all learne to adorne our gentilitie and nobilitie with these ensignes of true honour And let all them that shame to staine their blood by treasons or misdemeanors shame also to let their forefathers religion holinesse or vertues faile in them but let them all so liue in them that with Iaacob they may die in their fathers faith Lastly obserue how it is said they died in faith they afore liued in it but now their principall commendation is they died in it Let vs learne here to hold on in a good course when we haue entred into it for constancy and continuance is the true commendatioÌ„ he that dieth in faith is he that receiues the crowne To this ende let vs stirre vp our selues with the Apostles exhortation Galath 6.9 Let vs not be weary of well doing for in due time we shall reape if wee faint not And further let this teach vs all to choose that faith to liue in with these holy Patriarchs that wee may boldly die in It is a true obseruation that Poperie is a good religion to liue in but ours to die in The Papists vsurpe this saying and turne it the contrary way but they haue as much right to it as the thiefe to the true mans purse The liberty the pardons dispensations sanctuaries the pompe and outward glory of their Church and their fasting outward austerities beeing fowle and fained hypocrisies and indeede open licentiousnesse these and many things more may allure any naturall man in the world to liue in their religion but when they come to die then
obey And thus much of the third fruite of the Patriarchs faith The fourth fruite of their faith followeth And confessed that they were strangers and Pilgrimes on the earth Heerein we are to consider diuers points 1. The Text saith They confessed that is they professed openly what they were and what their religion was and that not onely amongst themselues but before the face of Gods enemies and heathen men Gen. 23.4 Abraham tolde the people of the Land of Canaan that he was a stranger and a forrainer among them And when Iacob came before Pharaoh hee confessed that both his dayes the dayes of his Fathers were dayes of Pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 Now affirming so openly that they were strangers in those Countries they intimated a plaine deniall and dislike of the religion and idolatry of those heathen Countries and proclaimed themselues to be of another religion so that this is true which here is said of them that they made confession and profession of their estate and their faith and that to the enemies of God Hence we learne that we are not to be ashamed of that holy profession of Christian religion to which wee are called Our calling is to professe the Gospell and religion of Christ now to many it is a reproach ignominie but we must learn this special lesson by the example of these men that howsoeuer the world iudge of Christ and his religion yet we hauing entred into this holy profession and being called hereunto must neuer be ashamed of it much lesse denie or forsake the same In the primitiue Church it was a cōtemptible thing both among the Iewes Grecians to be a Christian to the one the Gospell was a stumbling blocke to the other a laughing-stocke 1. Corin. 1.23 And yet Paul professed openly that hee was not ashamed of that holy Gospell Rom. 1.16 And so it ought to be with vs we professe Christes religion and therefore wee must not be ashamed of it Some there be that knowe but little yet haue a good minde to religion but when they see some do nothing else but make a mocke and a iest of religion they are thereby daunted and held back from the open profession and embracing of it But if we looke to be saued by faith as these men were we must learne by their example not to be ashamed of the profession of Christianitie whereto wee are called but must followe this notable example of Abraham and the Patriarchs who were not ashamed nor afraid to testifie their profession among the Heathen whensoeuer any occasion was offered for whosoeuer is ashamed of Christ in this world Christ will be ashamed of him at the day of Iudgement be-his Father in the world to come Luke 9.26 To goe further These Patriarchs professe two things 1. That they were strangers 2. That they were Pilgrimes A stranger is one that hath his abode not in his owne but in a strange Country though he trauaile not And a Pilgrime is one that is going through a forraine Country to his owne home Abraham Isaac Iacob were strangers because they dwelt as strangers in Tents not in their owne Countries where they were borne but in that strange Country whither God had called them and they were Pilgrimes because they were alwaies ready to goe thence whithersoeuer GOD would call them and in all places wheresoeuer they were still they waited on God and sought to him for the kingdome of heauen Now this was not proper to these Patriarchs but is also common to all Christians that looke to be saued by the same faith for Dauid long after them cōfesseth vnto God Psal. 39.12 that he is a Stranger and a Pilgrime or soiourner with him as all his Fathers were And euen we also must followe their faith in the practice of this profession dwelling here on the earth we must testifie professe our selues to be both Strangers and Pilgrimes But how will some say shall we be answerable to this profession Answer For the practice hereof we must doe these 3. things 1. We must vse this world and the things therof as though we vsed them not 1. Cor 7.31 The temporall blessings we here enioy wee must so vse as though they were not ours but as strangers doe onely for the present occasion but we must not set our hearts thereon And the rather to perswade vs heereunto let vs consider the practice of these godly Patriarchs They had the promise of the Land of Canaan distinctly absolutely so as no man in the world hath more right to any thing that he possesseth then they had to this Land yet when they came into it they enioyed it and all things therein as strangers and possessed nothing but did euen buy ground to bury their dead in And so must wee vse the things that wee haue in this world for our houses we must vse them as Strangers doe an Inne and for our goods we must vse them as Pilgrimes doe other mens goods where they stay for a night we must so vse them alwaies as being ready and willing to leaue them the next morning or at any time when God shall call vs away Secondly we must cast off all things in this world that may any whit hinder vs in our iourney to the kingdome of heauen like vnto good trauailers who will carie nothing with them in the way but that which may further them to their iourneyes end and if any thing hinder them in the way they will cast it from them and rather lose it then be hindred from their home But what is that which is burdensome vnto vs in this our iourney to heauen This S. Paul sheweth when he saith 2. Tim. 3.6 that certaine simple women are laden with sinne Behold sinne is that that ladeth v◠and the Author to the Hebrewes calleth sinne the thing that hangeth on so fast and presseth vs downe Heb. 1◠1◠Therefore if we will be good trauellers and pilgrimes towards the kingdome of heauen wee must take heed of all sinne for that will hold vs downe that we cannot goe one step forward but will draw vs backeward vnto hell for the way is straite that leadeth vnto life and the gate narrow and few there be that can enter into it Math. 7.13 He that would come hither must come with an humble and pure heart for the gate will not suffer any that is laden with sinne to enter therein The prowd man whose heart is puffed vp with pride and the couetous man whose heart is enlarged with desire of gaine the ambitious man who i◠with childe with worldly pompe state and the luxurious and voluptuous man who fats himselfe with earthly and carnall pleasures all these are growen too big to enter into this straite gate But the meeke in spirit who lead an humble and innocent life these shall tread this path though it bee narrow and enter in at this doore though it be straite And therefore we must cast off
euery sinne by the practice of true repentance and so make our selues fit pilgrimes for the way to heauen Thirdly we must learne contentation of heart in euery estate of life which God shall send vpon vs we must bee contented as well in sickenesse as in health in pouerty as in plentie in trouble as in peace and in good report and ill report and in all estates of life and death A pilgrime in his way taketh all things patiently that befall him and if he be iniuried any way he puts it vp quietly without seeking reuenge or making complaint till hee come home where he knowes hee shall haue audience and redresse Euen so must we behaue our selues in this our pilgrimage to heauen in hope of that redresse and rest we shall haue we must beare all things patiently that befall vs in this life which is the way and doing these three things we shal become good pilgrimes and strangers in this world Here two questions offer themselues to be considered First if euery man both in profession and practice must shew himselfe to bee a pilgrime and stranger in this world Whether then is it not a good estate of life for a man to contemne the world and all things in it and to betake himselfe to perpetuall beggerie and voluntary pouertie Answ. The world in Scripture is taken diuers waies first for the corruptions and sinnes in the world and these must be contemned by all meanes possible yea that is the best religion which teacheth best how to contemne these and he the best man who most forsakes them in what calling soeuer he liues Secondly for temporal blessings as money lands wealth sustenance and such like outward things as concerne the necessarie or conuenient maintenance of this naturall life And in this sense the world is not to bee contemned for in themselues these earthly things are the good gifts of God which no man can simply contemne without iniurie to Gods disposing hand and prouidence who hath ordained them for naturall life The Papists esteeme it an Angelical state of perfection approaching neere to the state of glory when a man forsaketh all and betakes himselfe to voluntarie pouertie as begging Friers do But indeed it is a meere deuice of mans braine and hath no warrant in Gods word which decreeth thus that he that will not labour in some lawfull calling shall not eate Obiect But here they will say that our Sauiour Christ speaking to the young rich man bade him goe and sell all that he had and giue to the poore and hee should haue treasure in heauen Mar. 10. Answ. That commandement was not ordinarie but speciall belonging to that yong man It was a commandement of triall giuen to him onely as this was to Abraham when God said Abraham kill thy sonne Gen. 22.2 And the reason of that commandement was peculiar to him namely to shew him his corruption and to discouer his hypocrisie Againe howsoeuer the yong man was commanded to sell all yet he is not commanded to giue all but onely thus Sell all giue to the poore 2. Obiect Againe they obiect that Christ himselfe was a beggar and his Disciples also and had nothing of their owne but went vp and downe the world as beggars and liued of that which others ministred vnto them Answ. This is a meere forgerie and cannot be proued out of the word of God The bagge which Iudas carried doeth prooue the contrary for he was as it were the steward in Christs family who looked to their prouision and to their contribution to the poore as may be seene Ioh. 13.27 28 29. Yea Christs Disciples though they left the present vse of their houses and places yet they gaue not ouer their title and possession in them for Christ went to Peters house where he healed his wiues mother Math. 8.14 And after the time of Christs passion Peter and the other Disciples returned to their ships againe and became fishers for a time For Christ Iohn 21. after his resurrection appeared to them while they were fishing 2. Quest. Whether may a man lawfully seeke to bee rich seeing we must professe our selues to bee pilgrimes and strangers in this life Ans. Riches are taken two waies 1. for things sufficient 2. for aboundance For the first by things sufficient I meane things necessarie and meete for a mans estate to maintaine him and his family and thus a man may seeke to be rich for so wee are taught to pray in the fourth Petition Giue vs this day our daily bread that is things meete and needfull for the day From whence I reason thus That which wee may lawfully aske at Gods hands wee may lawfully seeke for But we may lawfully aske of God all things necessary to this life Therefore wee may lawfully vse the meanes to attaine vnto them And this Agurs praier sheweth also Giue me not pouertie nor riches feede mee with food conuenient for me Where wee see it is requisite a man should labour for things necessary to this life Now because mans corrupt nature is so gripple that hee would not bee contented with the whole world though it were all his therfore we must learne this rule of contentation for worldly things namely to followe the counsell and example of wise and godly men who are neither couetous nor riotous but rest contented with that which is sufficiēt As for the wearing of apparel we haue no speciall rule nor precept in Gods word and therefore our direction must bee the example and fashion of the most graue and godly in that calling whereof wee are whose president must be our direction in all cases wherof we haue no precept nor rule in Gods word But if riches bee taken in the second sense for aboundance aboue that which is competent and sufficient then it is not lawfull for a man to seeke to bee rich for proofe hereof we haue the plaine testimony of the word of God Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.8 9. When we haue food and raiment wee must therewith be contented for they that will bee rich fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Where the Apostle dooth not simply condemne a rich estate but rather the desire to be rich that is a desire to haue more than is necessarie for the maintaining of a mans estate Yet this is the common sinne of the world men are so couetous that they wil not be contented with that which is enough but still toyle and moyle for more till they haue gotten so much vnder their hands as would honestly and sufficiently maintaine ten men of their estate and calling But all such are condemned by the testimony of the holy Ghost in the place afore named Quest. What if God giue abundance to a man by lawfull meanes what must such a man doe Answ. When God sendeth riches in aboundance to any man hee must thinke himselfe to be appointed of God as a
remember his sinnes but with dislike and detestation being grieued with them and angry with himselfe for them or else to teach others how to auoide them And as this kinde of Forgetfulnesse is a good vertue so there is also a vertuous and good Remembrance namely to be mindefull of that which may please God as of Gods Iudgements to be humbled thereby and of his Mercies to bee thankefull vnto Almightie God for them and of his Commandements to become obedient to his will These things therefore we ought to imprint by diligence in our memories Secondly here obserue God calleth them out of their owne countrie and biddeth them liue in the land of Canaan as strangers and pilgrimes and so they doe abiding there without any purpose to returne nay they are not mindfull of their former home Hence wee are taught to bee constant in that calling whereunto God hath called vs. It is a fearefull sinne for a man to goe backe from that calling in which God hath placed him When the Israelites abode not patiently and constantly with God in the wildernesse but desired to shake off the calling of God to returne to Egypt there to sit by the flesh-pots againe they had Gods hand vpon them grieuously as we may read at large Psalm 78. Lots wife for looking backe when shee was commanded to the contrary was fearefully and strangely punished beeing turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19.26 And our Sauiour Christ saith Luk. 9.62 No man that putteth his hand to the Lords plough and looketh backe againe is apt to the kingdome of God As though he had said He that starteth from the plough is not fit for the field no more is he that shifteth from his calling fit for Gods seruice To apply this to our selues God hath called vs to professe Christian religion whence wee are called Protestants We therfore must professe the same constantly and hold it fast without wauering or doubting euen without beeing mindefull of that spirituall Egypt of darkenes and superstition whence we are deliuered much more without turning to any other this beeing the true religion which is grounded on Gods word Againe in this our calling of Christianitie wee haue vowed vnto God for our selues to renounce the flesh the world and the deuill Now this beeing our calling as wee haue promised and vndertaken it so wee must obey it in our liues fighting manfully euery day against the world the flesh and the diuell For if wee professe religion in word and doe not obey it in deed we make our selues vnfit for the kingdome of heauen But alas men are like to the Swine that returneth to the puddle thogh he be washed neuer so cleane and to the Dogge that returneth to his vomite for most men do but serue the flesh the world and the lusts thereof therein is their ioy and their hearts ease take away these things from them and take away their liues so farre are they from seeking the kingdome of heauen as these Patriarchs did Thus much for the first part of the reason Now followeth the second part which is this But they sought not a place in earth and therefore the conclusion followeth That they desire a countrey which is heauen in these words But now they desire a better But some will say the Patriarchs were dead many hundred yeares before this was written How then can they be now said to desire a countrey Answ. The Author of this Epistle here obserueth and followeth the manner of them that write Histories who speake of things past long agoe as though they were now present Now it is said they desired a better countrey These Patriarchs had laid before them two countries the Land of Canaan and the kingdome of Heauen and of these two they might choose whether they would to be their portion and inheritance vpon which they would bestow their hearts Now they esteemed heauen though it was to come better than Canaan though present and therefore made choice of heauen and longed for it Where we learne that as we must be thankefull to God for all his blessings so among them all wee should choose the best This Dauid doth for beeing put to choose whether hee had rather liue in safe-guard and in solace with the wicked and vngodly than in base estate and in great danger neere to Gods sanctuarie He saith Psal. 84.10 Hee had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of his God than to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse And Salomon is highly cōmended by the holy Ghost 1. King 3.10.11 for choosing a wise and vnderstanding heart before riches and honour Moses also as we shal see afterward had his choyce whether he wold liue gloriously at ease in Pharohs court or with the Church of God in aduersitie now Moses hauing the gift of discerning refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Which holy examples doe all teach vs that when God setteth before vs diuers sorts of his blessings wee in spirituall wisdome must make choyce of the best On the contrary Esau had this choyce set before him his brothers red broth and his birth-right but he chose the worse therefore in the new Testament the holy Ghost noteth him with this marke to be profane Esau for his labour And the Gaderens also are branded with a note of infamie to all ages for choosing their hogs before Christ and his saluation And the like choyce is set before vs euery day for God of his mercy in the preaching of the word for his part doth set forth vnto vs Christ Iesus crucified and in him remission of sinnes and saluation Now on the other side commeth the diuell and setteth before vs all sorts of vaine pleasures and delights shewing to euery man those sinnes to which he is giuen and with them all the profits or pleasures that vsually accompany such sinnes Now most men hauing this choyce set before them doe leaue the true and substantiall blessings of God and come to Sathans painted Pageants and there make choyce of sin with those base companions that doe attend her This is too apparant to be denied for howsoeuer the word of God be preached vnto vs and we doe heare the same yet wee preferre the vanities and pleasures of the sinnefull world before Christ crucified making no account of him nor of our owne saluation by him in comparison of the present profits and pleasures of sinne But wee must pray to God to giue vs spirituall wisedome and the gift of discerning that now when God sets before vs thinges so farre differing we may haue grace to discerne betweene them and withall to preferre and make choise of the best and to refuse the worst But as for them that are so mad in their choise that they now preferre sinne before the blessings of God in Christ they shal see the day when they would
sonne into the world that whosoeuer beleeued in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now when we are in the extremitie of all temptations we must still hold fast this promise and venture our soules vpon the truth of it This was Abrahams practice for in this temptation Gods meaning was to trie Abraham and to see what he would doe Now Abraham hee holdes fast the promise and yet obeyes God though all the reason in the earth cannot tell how that promise and that commandement could stand together But this was Abrahams faith though I know not nor reason knoweth not yet God knoweth and therefore seeing I haue his commandement I wil obey it and seeing I haue his word and promise I will beleeue that also and neuer forsake it And euen thus must we striue to doe in al temptations whatsoeuer yea euen in those that come from Satan which are full of malice and all violence In our heart and conscience wee must still hold and beleeue the promise of God and this is euer the surest and safest way to get the victory ouer Satā To hold that Gods promise shal be performed though wee knowe not how but rather see the contrary And though in humane reasoning it bee a note of ignorance and want of skill to sticke alwaies to the conclusion and question yet in spirituall temptations and trialls this is sound diuinitie Alwaies to hold Gods promise and to sticke fast to that conclusion and not to follow Satan in his Arguments neither suffer him by any meanes to driue vs from it Further in that this fact of offering vp Isaac was onely Abrahams triall we may obserue that it did not make him iust before God but onely serued to proue his faith and to declare him to be Iust. And therefore whereas Saint Iames saith Iam. 2.21 That Abraham was iustified through workes when he offered his sonne Isaac vpon the altar His meaning is that Abraham did manifest himselfe to bee iust before God by offering vp his sonne and not that by this fact Abraham of a sinner was made iust or of a righteous man was made more iust For indeede good workes doe not make a man iust but onely doe prooue and declare him to bee iust Thirdly God gaue Abraham this commandement Abraham kill thy sonne but yet he concealed from him what was his purpose and intent herein for God meant not that Abraham should kill his sonne indeede but onely to trie what he would doe whether he would still beleeue and obey him or not Where we see that God who is trueth it selfe reueales to Abraham his will but not his whole will whence ariseth this question Whether it be lawfull for a man according to this example of God when he tels a thing to another to conceale his meaning in whole or in part For answer hereunto we must knowe there are two extremities both which must be auoided in this case 1 That a man must alwaies expresse all that is in his minde 2 That in some cases a man may speake one thing and thinke another speaking contrary to his meaning But this later is no way lawfull and the other is not alwaies necessarie Wee therefore must hold a meane betweene both to wit that in some cases a man may conceale his whole meaning saying nothing though they bee examined namely when the concealing thereof doeth directly stand with the glory of GOD and the good of his brother Thus godly Martyrs haue done for beeing examined before tyrants where and with whom they worshipped GOD they haue chosen rather to die than to disclose their brethren and this concealing of their mindes was lawful because it touched immediately the glory of God and the good of his Church Secondly a man may conceale part of his minde but that must bee also with these two caueats First that it serue for Gods glory Secondly that it bee for the good of GODs Church Thus did Ionas conceale the condition of mercy from the Niniuites when he preached destruction vnto them saying Within fortie daies and Niniuie shall be destroyed though it is euident by the euent that it was Gods will they should bee spared if they did repent But that Condition God would haue concealed because it would not haue beene for the good of the Niniuites to haue knowen it sith the cōcealing of it caused them more speedily and earnestly to repent But out of these cases a man being called to speake must declare the whole trueth or else hee sinnes greatly against Gods commandement forsaking the property of the godly Psal. 15.2 And thus much of the first impediment of Abrahams faith The second impediment to Abrahams faith is contained in these words Offered his onely begotten sonne We knowe that the loue of Parents descends to euery childe naturally but especially to the onely begotten vpon whom beeing but one all that is bestowed which when there are many is diuided among them And therefore in all reason this might greatly hinder Abrahams obedience That God should command him to offer his sonne yea his only begotten sonne But yet by faith hee ouercommeth this temptation breakes through this impediment and offers vp his onely sonne Where wee note that true faith will make a man ouercome his owne nature Loue is the strongest affection in the heart especially from the father to the childe euen his onely childe And a man would thinke it impossible to ouercome this loue in the parent vnlesse it were by death there beeing no cause to the contrary in the childe But yet beholde Abraham by faith subdued this speciall loue which he bare to his onely childe God himselfe testified of Abraham that his loue to Isaac was great Gen. 22.2 and yet by faith hee ouercommeth this his loue This point is carefully to be marked as declaring the great power of true sauing faith for if faith can ouercome created and sanctified nature then vndoubtedly the power thereof will inable man to ouercome the corruptions of his nature and the temptations of the world for it is an harder thing to ouercome our nature which wee haue by creation than to subdue the corruption thereof which comes in by transgression And hence such excellent things are spoken of faith it is called the victorie that ouercommeth the world 1. Iohn 5.4 And God is saide by faith to purifie the heart faith strengtheneth the heart Acts 15.9 And through faith we are kept by the power of God vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1.5 Is this the power of faith to ouercome nature and the corruptions thereof then howsoeuer religion be receiued and faith professed generally among vs yet vndoubtedly there is little true faith in the world for euen among the professours thereof how many be there that subdue the sinnes of their liues and suppresse the workes of their wicked nature surely very few Now where corruption beareth sway and sin raigneth there sound faith cannot be for if faith were sound in men it would purifie
their hearts and cleanse the corruptions thereof and bring forth obedience in life Secondly this power of true faith in mans heart must teach vs not to content our selues with a generall faith and knowledge in religion but to goe further and to get a sound faith that may purifie the heart at least in some true measure for sauing faith will cleanse a man in euery part of soule and body strengthen his soule in temptation Quest. Here it may be asked how it can be truly saide that Isaac was Abrahams onely begotten sonne seeing Ismaell was also his sonne and was borne before Isaac as is euident Gen. 16 I answere two wayes first that Ismaell by Gods appointment was put out of Abrahams house for it was the expresse commaundement of God to put forth the bond-woman and her sonne Gen. 21.10 and so was made no childe of Abraham Secondly Ismaell was his childe indeede yet not by Sarah but by Agar a bond woman and so was as I may say base borne whereupon he is reputed for no sonne but Isaac is the onely begotten lawfully which may be an Item to beware of the bed defiled seeing such off-spring is so debased with the Lord. Now followeth the third impediment of Abrahams faith which is also a notable circumstance whereby the same faith is commended and it is taken from the person of Abraham in these wordes who had receiued the promises The meaning of the words WHO This must be referred to the person of Abraham of whom the holy Ghost here speaketh Receiued the promises That is by faith for when God made his promises vnto Abraham he did not onely heare them but which is the principall point of all hee beleeued them and applied the same effectually vnto his owne soule so much doth the word receiued import Now it is saide that hee receiued not one promise but the Promises plurally for these causes first because God hauing made one maine promise vnto him touching Christ did repeate and renue the same diuers times Secondly because GOD had made diuers particular promises vnto him as first that he would be his God and the God of his seed Gen. 17.7 Secondly that he would giue him a childe in his olde age Gen. 17.16 Thirdly that vnto him and his seed he would giue the Land of Canaan for euer Gen. 13.15 Fourthly that in Isaac he would blesse all the Nations of the earth Genesis 21.12 And because the receiuing of Gods promises in generall could seeme no great impediment to Abrahams worke of faith therefore the holy Ghost annexeth his receiuing of a particular promise in Isaac in the 18. verse To whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seede be called Which might seeme impossible to stand with the doing of this worke in sacrificing his sonne and therefore the consideration of it in Abraham must needes bee a great impediment to him in this worke for he goes about to kill Isaac in obedience to Gods commaund in whose life he beleeued to receiue the blessings promised of God Here then obserue a most wonderfull impediment to Abrahams faith which aboue all might haue hindred him from obeying God for how could hee choose but reason thus with himselfe God hath made vnto me many gracious promises and that which is more he hath saide That in my sonne Isaac the same must he accomplished and in him all the nations of the earth must be blessed Now then if I shall kill and sacrifice my sonne how shall these promises bee accomplished And reason in this case would say I see no way but that the promise is gone and all hope lost But what doth Abraham in this case for all this hee doth sacrifice his sonne and that by faith still beleeuing and holding assuredly that though Isaac were sacrificed and slain yet in him should all the nations of the earth be blessed Here then we note this speciall point wherein the faith of Abraham doth notably appeare That when Abrahams case in respect of enioying the promise of GOD might seeme desperate and void of all hope and comfort then he beleeueth for when Isaac was dead in all reason he could haue no hope of the accomplishing of Gods promises vnto him because they were made to him in Isaac Isaac was the man in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed and yet when all hope is past in mans reason then good Abraham set his heart to beleeue This practice of Abraham must be a patterne for vs to obserue and followe all our liues long in the matter of our saluation if it fall out that wee shall doubt of our saluation and feele many thinges in vs that would carie vs to despaire when wee are in this case and feele no comfort then let vs call to minde Abrahams practice who beleeues Gods promise when the foundation thereof is taken away euen so let vs doe at the same instant when the promise of GOD seemes to be frustrate and wee haue no hope of the accomplishment thereof then wee must cast our soules vpon it For we must not onely beleeue when wee feele comfort in our consciences concerning GODS mercies but euen then when God seemes to stande against vs and when wee feele in our soules the very gall of hell then I say wee must beleeue In Paules daungerous voyage towards Rome when hee was in the shippe with the Mariners and Centurion there arose a great tempest and neither sunne nor starres appeared for many dayes so that as the Text saith All hope that they should bee saued was taken away Actes 27.20 Now what saith Paul in this extremitie of danger Now I exhort you to bee of good courage for there shall bee no losse of any mans life saue of the Shippe onely Verse 22. and so perswaded them to take bread Euen so when our case falles out to be this that either by reason of sinne and of the temptation of Satan or else by reason of some outward calamities and troubles wee feele our soule as it were ouerwhelmed with sorrow and euen entring into destruction and can neither see as it were light of sunne or starre then wee must set before vs Gods promises and labour to beleeue the same So Dauid beeing in great affliction and grieuous temptation saith thus of himselfe Psal. 77.2 7 8 9 10 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ranne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort Yet at the very same instant hee prayed When his spirit was full of anguish and though hee seemed as it were to despaire when hee said Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour Is his mercy cleane gone Doth his promise faile for euermore And hath God forgotten to be mercifull c. Yet he checkes himselfe and saith This is my death and my weakenesse Euen so euery true member of Gods Church in the extremitie of all temptations and in the time of desperation is bound
his life and when he dieth he shal be able to worship praise God On the other side take notice of it he that liues in couetousnes in profanenesse in fornication and wantonnes for the most part so dies Come to a couetous man at his death and talke with him and you shall finde nothing in him ordinarily but rauing talking about his bargaines his billes and indentures other worldly things And so wee may say of other lewd liuers looke what minde they had while they were liuing that shall you find most in their mouthes while they are dying which shewes plainely that as men liue so they die But some will say that oftentimes the godly man raues and speakes lewdly and it may be profanely before his death Ans. It is true indeed the best man is not freed from any kind of bodily sicknesse but is subiect to them as well as the wicked as to burning feuers and such like by the violence and rage of which diseases they are often driuen to raue to speake fondly and sometimes lewdly yea it may be profanely But what is that to the purpose for thogh a godly man for the time of his fit cannot expresse the grace of his heart but rather the corruption of his nature yet whē he hath recouered himselfe he is sory for the same is then ready willing to praise God with all his heart So that if wee would die well as Iacob did praising God then let vs lead our liues as he did namely by faith and the direction of his word and promises Then come death when it will and how it will wee may indeede be sore assaulted by sickenesse and temptation but yet we shall neuer be ouercome for God is faithfull that hath promised an issue to his children in temptatiō 1. Corinth 10.13 Lastly whereas Iacob worshipped God at his death Here we learne that sound zeale will neuer decay Many men haue zeale indeede but it comes onely from the strength and soundnesse of their bodily constitution and looke as strength decaies so doth that kind of zeale But sound zeale will not decay and weaken with the body but as Dauid saith of the righteous Psal. 92.13 15. will flourish like a palme tree and growe like a Cedar in Libanon it shall still bring forth fruit in a mans age and flourish This wee see was true in Iacob for though he were old and feeble with sicknesse yet he sheweth forth sound zeale in his heart at the houre of his death Euen so will it be with vs that professe religion if zeale be sound in our hearts it will shew it selfe and the older wee are the more fruits of grace wee shall bring forth and then shew forth more true zeale than in yonger yeares For though bodily strength decay yet sound zeale will neuer decay but when strength faileth then will zeale flourish if it bee sound like to the palme tree which will bud and sprout though the roots of it bee cut off Wherefore if wee would shew forth zeale in our age we must get soundnesse of it in our youth for that will put forth it selfe in the time of death And thus much of Iacobs example Iosephs Faith VERSE 22. By faith Ioseph when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gaue commandement of his bones WEe haue heard in the former verses the seuerall examples of the faith of the three Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Iacob Now in this verse the holy Ghost setteth downe the example of Iosephs faith The words in this verse are plaine and easie neede no exposition They are a plaine and briefe summe of the ende of the 50. Chapter of Genesis Let vs therefore come to the points of doctrine and instructions which are to bee learned and gathered forth of the words First note in generall the great resemblance of this example with the former of Ioseph a godly sonne with Iacob a godly father for both of them shew forth their faith when they die For it is said of both By faith when hee died So that in ground and circumstance of time they both agree Herein we may obserue first that the good examples of Superiours vvhether they be ciuill or Ecclesiasticall are of great force to bring other men on and to make them forward in the duties of religion their zeale as Paul saith to the Corinthians in the case of almes prouoketh many Iacob the father beeing a worthy Prophet and Patriarch giuing an holy and blessed example vnto Ioseph and his children doth shew forth at his death most notable behauiour wherein hee worthily expresseth the trueth of his faith Now his example works with Ioseph and he in his death behaues himselfe in the same manner that his godly father did before him and therfore superiours must look to all their sayings and doings carefully that they may bee worthy examples to their inferiours to drawe them on in religion and in the feare of God Secondly hence inferiors also must learne to follow the godly holy and religious examples of their gouernours and superious whether they be ciuill or Ecclesiasticall as we may see in this place Ioseph doth imitate the godly example of his father Iacob Hereof Saint Paul giueth straite charge vnto the Philippians saying Brethren be followers of me and looke on them which walke so as ye haue vs for an example Phil. 3.17 And in the next Chapter exhorting them to honest conuersation hee biddes them doe those things which they had heard receiued and seene in him But are these duties practiced among vs bee the elder sort teachers of good things to the yonger doe the yonger follow their elders in wel-doing nay verily but such are our times too many among vs both those that giue and those which follow good examples are as signes wonders as the Prophet speaketh they are made a reproach a by-word among men and are foully disgraced by odious tearmes Isay 8.18 But this indeede is a practice of Ismael that mocked Isaac Genesis 21. ver 9. And we againe must vndoubtedly know that vnlesse it be reformed that hand of God which hath beene stretched out against vs in manie fearefull iudgements will not be pulled backe but stretched out still till it bring vs to destruction for God will not suffer his ordinances to be contemned and his holy ones to be abused hee looketh for better fruites at our hands and therefore wee must learne of these godly Patriarches both to giue and to followe good examples In the example of Ioseph more particularly wee are to obserue two points 1. Iosephs faith 2. The actions of his faith whereby it is commended For the first it is saide that by faith Ioseph when hee died c. Ioseph for ought wee finde in Scripture had not such meanes to come by faith as his Auncestors had before him For the three Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob had otherwhiles the appearance of GOD vnto
might haue had in Pharaohs Court and Kingdome Which are called the pleasures of sinne not because they were so in themselues for so they were the good giftes of GOD but because Moses could not enioy them in Pharaohs Court without liuing in sinne for hee must haue refused the societie of Gods Church and people and so haue beene a stranger from the couenant which God made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and with his seed after them if he would haue beene sonne to Pharaohs daughter Heere then the holy Ghost setteth downe two notable reasons which induced Moses to refuse these honours and dignities First because they were the pleasures of sinne And secondly because hee should enioy them but for a season The first reason affordeth vnto vs many notable points worthie our consideration 1. Here we learne that riches honour and dignity seuered from true religion are nothing but the pleasures and profites of sinne This was Moses iudgement as the holy Ghost here testifieth and it is the plaine truth of God as Salomon after lamentable experience disputeth and proueth at large concluding of riches honour pleasures and all earthly things separated from the feare of God that they are nothing else but meere vanity and vexation of spirit And Paul saith To the impure all things are impure his meate drinke and apparell which in themselues are otherwise the good giftes of God The consideration hereof is of great vse for first it lets vs see what is the state of these men which lay aside religion and good conscience and betake themselues wholly to the world to get riches and preferment most men are of this disposition and such indeede are onely counted wise For let there be speech tending to a mans commendation vsually this is the first matter of his praise that hee is a substantiall wealthy man and one that lookes well to himselfe as though riches or honour were a mans chiefe happinesse But howsoeuer the world iudgeth of these men yet hereby we may see and knowe that their case is miserable For without religion the feare of God their riches and honour are but the pleasures and profits of sin and therefore the more they heape vp riches after this sort not regarding Christ nor his Gospel the more they heape vp to themselues the treasures of sinne and consequently the greater condemnation for worldly treasures seuered from religion are but the Mammon of iniquity which causeth damnation Hence Christ said vnto his Disciples vpon occasion of the young rich man that it was as easie for a great Camell to goe through the eye of a needle as for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen that is such a rich man as sets his heart to get riches and honour not regarding the religion of Christ. Whence also in another place he pronounceth this fearefull sentence against them Woe be to you that are rich for you haue receiued your consolation Luke 6.24 They therefore that lay aside religion and giue themselues wholly to seeke gaine and honour are before God most wretched and miserable and the longer they continue in this course the more miserable they are for the more sinne they heape vp and so the deeper shall be their condemnation Wherefore if any of vs haue beene thus minded heeretofore let vs now leaue this course as most dangerous to our soules for what will it profit a man to gaine the whole world if he lose his soule 2. Hence we must all learne especially they that haue any measure of wealth more or lesse to ioyne with the vse of our riches the feare of God and the practice of true religion for seuer these asunder and riches are nothing else but sinfull pleasures It is a good conscience which rectifieth the owner in the right vse of his honour treasures but without that he pollutes the blessings of God which he enioyes and they being polluted shal turne to his greater woe A man would haue thought that King Belshazzer had beene an happy man when hee kept his royall feast dranke wine in golden bowles before a thousand Princes that were vnder him and before his Concubines but the end of that his iollity may shew vs the nature of such prosperity For so soone as he saw the fingers of a mans hand writing vpon the wall he became quite confounded in himselfe his countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the ioints of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against the other What comfort had he now from all his riches pleasures So Diues while he liued might seeme for his wealth and riches to be happy yet all this did him little good for hee had but his pleasure for his life time Luke 16.25 and after this life his soule went downe to hell A worldly man would iudge the rich man in the Gospell a most happy man that saide vnto his soule by reason of his great aboundance of outward wealth Luke 12.19 Soule soule thou hast much goods laide vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy fill yet because herewith he wanted religion a good conscience and the feare of God this sentence was denounced against him Oh foole this night will they fetch away thy soule thâ—n whose shall these things be Wherefore vnlesse wee will wilfully cast away our owne soules let vs sanctifie our interest in all earthly blessings by a sincere endeuour in all things to shew forth the feare of God with the keeping of faith a good conscience and let vs begin with this as Christ saith First seeke Gods Kingdome and his righteousnesse Mathew chapter 6. verse 33. Let vs hereby seeke to haue our hearts acceptable vnto God and then all things shall be cleane vnto vs. Thirdly are riches and honour being seuered from true religion but the pleasures of sinne then vndoubtedly all recreations all sports and pastimes seuered from religion a good conscience are much more the pleasures of sin This Salomon knew wel for speaking of such mirth hee calls laughter madnesse and to ioy hee saith What is it that thou doest Eccles. chapter 2. verse 2. Oh then how manifolde be the sinnes of all sorts of men for who almost doth not neglect religious duties for matters of sport and pleasure Wherefore if wee desire ioy indeede in any worldly things let vs first lay the foundation in our owne hearts by getting and keeping true faith and a good conscience Secondly whereas Moses refuseth dignitie and honour onely for this Because they would bee vnto him the pleasures of sinne heere wee are taught in what manner and order wee ought to enioy worldly riches and honour Moses practice heere must be our direction wee must enioy them and vse them with thankfulnesse to GOD so farre forth as they will further vs in the course of religion and true godlinesse But if the case stande thus That wee cannot enioy them both togetheâ— then
fiue foolish virgins did but get the oyle of grace into the vessels of our hearts Knowledge in the word is a coÌ„mendable thing but not sufficieÌ„t to make vs stand in the day of triall We therfore must labour for true sauing graces especially for this to haue our hearts rooted and grounded in the loue of God through faith whereby we are assured that God is our father in Christ and Iesus Christ our redeemer and the holy Ghost our comforter and sanctifier This assurance of faith will stablish our hearts in all estates come life come death wee neede not feare for nothing shall be able to separate vs from this loue of God in Christ Iesus And thus much of the coherence of this verse with the former Now to the words Others also were racked c. Heere the holy Ghost begins to propound the fruites of faith for which this last ranke of beleeuers are commended vnto vs. And they are not such famous exploites as the former but nine seuerall kindes of sufferings vnto all which wee must remember to apply this clause by faith from the 33 verse as thus Through faith they endured racking mocking and so for all the rest Out of these effects in generall wee may learne two things First a singular fruite of faith for which it is heere so highly commended in this last ranke of examples to wit that by it the childe of GOD is enabled to beare whatsoeuer the Lord shall lay vpon him The torments wherewith mans body may be afflicted are manie and terrible and yet be they neuer so many nor so terrible true sauing faith will make the childe of GOD to beare them all for the honour of Christ. The effects of faith before set downe were many and singular but vndoubtedly this strength of patience which it giueth vnder the greatest torments for Christes sake is one of the principall This Paul doth notably testifie in this profession Romanes chapter 8. verses 38 39. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angelles nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Oh singular power of faith which so firmely vnites the beleeuer vnto Christ that no torments in the world no not all the power of Satan and his Angels can separate them asunder Question How doth faith worke this indissoluble power in cleauing vnto Christ Answere After this manner It is the property of faith to perswade the conscience of Gods loue and fauour in Christ and vpon this perswasion the heart begins to loue God againe Now by this loue doth faith worke and make a man able to beare all torments that can be inflicted for religions sake for Loue suffereth all things 1. Cor. 13.7 euen that loue wherewith one man loueth another how much more then shall this loue wherewith we loue God in Christ make vs to suffer any thing for his names sake Hence it is that loue is said to be strong as death and the coales therof are fierie coales and a vehement flame yea much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drowne it that is grieuous persecutions and torments cannot extinguish the same Nay such is the power of loue to GOD when it is feruent that it makes a man so zealous of Gods glory that if there were no other way to glorifie God than by sufferings the childe of God would rather yeeld himselfe to endure the torments of the damned than suffer God to lose his glory This wee may see in Paul Rom. 9.3 I would wish my selfe saith he to be separate from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh that is the Israelites meaning for the aduancement of Gods glory in their calling and saluation Such zeale likewise we may see in Moses for thinking that God should lose his glory if the Israelites were destroyed he prayes the Lord to pardon their sinne But if thou wilt not then saith hee raze me out of the booke which thou hast written This being the fruite of faith To make a man able and willing to suffer any thing for Christs sake we must heereby be moued to labour for true faith for tribulation may come nay some affliction will come on euery childe of God more or lesse Now without faith wee shall neuer be able to glorifie God vnder the crosse The iust must liue by faith in this estate Heb. 10.38 as here they endure racking burning hewing asunder c. and all by faith Secondly out of all these sufferings heere endured by faith note the minde and disposition of vngodly men towards Gods Church and people they are most bitterly bloudily bent against them for here they put in execution vpon Gods children whatsoeuer cruelty the diuell could suggest into their hearts And this hath beene their disposition and behauiour not onely before Christes incarnation but also euer since as may appeare by the manifolde strange tortures deuised against Christians in the Primitiue Church and both then and since inflicted vpon them Beholde it in the Church of Rome especially in their late Inquisition whereby beside the cruell racking of the conscience by vniust inquiries they put the Protestants to most cruell torments The consideration of this cruell disposition in the wicked against the godly is of speciall vse First it proues vnto vs that the religion which by Gods mercy we professe contained in the bookes of the olde and new Testament is no politique deuice of man but the sacred ordinance of the euerliuing God For if it were the inuention of man it would so fit their humour and accord with their nature that generally it would be loued and embraced and not one of an hundred would mislike it But we see it is generally detested This Sect is euery where spoken against Acts 28.22 naturall men reiect it and persecute it and the professours of â—t vnto the death This they doe because true religion is contrary to their nature as light is to darknesse and condemnes those wayes and courses which they best like of This reason shall iustifie true religion to be Gods owne ordinance euen to the conscience of the worldly Atheist his diuellish malice against it proues Gods diuine truth to be in it Secondly doe the wicked hate the godly because of their religion and profession then on the contrary wee must learne to loue religion because it is religion and the professours of it for their professions sake This is Christs instruction to loue a disciple because he is a disciple Mat. 10. Indeede wee must loue all men but especially those that embrace the Gospell of Christ and be of the housholde of faith for all such are brethren hauing one Father which is God and brethren ought to loue one another But alas this lesson is not learned for the world generally is giuen to mocking and scoffing
the matter of their mocking is religion and the professers thereof This ought not to be so for howsoeuer men may faile both in knowledge practice yet the professers of religion should not be so despised This abuse is growen to such a height that many refraine the diligent hearing of the word preached least they should be mocked But let these mockers know that heerein they shake hands with the diuell and with the persecuters of Gods Church for mocking is a kinde of persecution Young Christians should not be so dealt with but rather encouraged for the aduancement of the Kingdome of Christ. Thus dealt our Sauiour Christ with those that gaue any testimonie of the sparkes of grace when the young man said He had from his youth kept Gods commaundements the Text saith Iesus beheld him and loued him Marke 10.21 and hearing a Scribe answer discreetly he said vnto him Thou art not farre from the Kingdome of God Marke chapter 12. ver 34 Now we must be followers of Christ and walke in loue iudging and speaking the best of all professours accounting none for hypocrites till GOD make their hypocrisie knowen It is a note of a Christian to loue a man because hee loues religion on the contrarie to hate a man because hee is a Christian is a note of a persecuter and an enemie to Christ. And thus much in generall Now wee come in particular to the seuerall kindes of sufferings which these beleeuers endured by faith the first whereof is racking in these words others also were racked or as some translate it And others were beaten with clubbes For the words in the originall will beare either translation and both of them fitly agree to this kinde of suffering For in these times the enemies of GODs Church vsed to set the bodies of them that were to be tormented vpon rackes and engines whereon they stretched out euery ioynt and then did beat the whole body thus racked with clubs till the party were starke dead An example of this kind of suffering we haue in Eleazer a Iewe 1. Mac. 6. who vnder Antiochus was first racked and then beaten on euery part of his body vnto the death because he refused to eat swines flesh But some will say This cannot be any commendation of faith to be racked and beaten to death for malefactors and traytors are so vsed Ans. To preuent this obiectiō the holy Ghost addeth these words and would not be deliuered or would not accept deliuerance to shewe that this suffering was a notable commendation of true faith The meaning of the words is this That whereas some Iewes in the olde Testament were condemned to death for their religion by persecutors and yet had life and libertie offered vnto thē if they would recant and forsake their religion This proffer of life they refused and would not be deliuered vpon such a condition In this example of faith we are taught to hold fast true religion and to preferre the enioying of it before all the pleasures and commodities in the world yea before life it self This point Paul vrgeth in sundry exhortations saying Let him that thinketh he standeth take heede lest hee fall 1. Co. 10.12 forbidding vs to preserue our outward peace by communicating with idolaters And againe Stand fast in the faith 1. Cor. 16.13 Yea this is one maine point that Paul vrgeth to Timothy in both his Epistles to keepe faith and a good conscience And our Sauiour Christ in one of his parables Math. 13.44 compares the kingdom of heauen to a treasure hid in the field which when a man findeth hee hideth it goes home sels al he hath to buy the field Wherby he would teach vs that euery ones duty who would enioy the Kingdom of heauen is this In regard of it to forgoe and forsake all things else esteeming them to bee drosse and dongue as Paul did Philip. 3.8 What though a man had all the riches and pleasures of the world al things else for this life that his heart could wish yet if he want religion and a good conscience all he hath is nothing for so he wants the loue and fauour of God shall lose his soule for the ransome whereof all the world can doe nothing Wherefore we must hereby be admonished to haue more care to get and maintaine true religion and a good conscience than any thing in the world besides Now because nature will iudge it a part of rashnesse to refuse life when it is offered therfore to preuent this conceit against these beleeuers the holy Ghost sets downe a notable reason of this their fact to wit They refused deliuerance that they might receiue a better resurrection Many interpreters vnderstand these words of the resurrection at the day of iudgement simply as though the holy Ghost had said These Martyrs therefore refused to be deliuered from death because they looked to receiue at the day of iudgement a greater measure of glory euen for this that in obedience to God for the maintenance of true religion they were content to lay downe their liues This no doubt is the truth of God that the more wee humble our selues in suffering for the name of Christ in this life the greater shall our glory bee at the generall resurrection for our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 And yet as I take it that is not the meaning of these words but their resurrection at the last day is here tearmed better than the temporall deliuerance offered vnto them For beeing in torments on the racke they were but dead men and when life was offered vnto them it was as it were a kinde of resurrection and in regard of the enemies of the Church a good resurrection but for that they would not lose the comfort of resurrection to life at the last day Here then are two resurrections compared together The first is a deliuerance from temporall death the second is a rising to life euerlasting at the last day of iudgement Now of these two the later is the better and that in the iudgement of Gods seruants and Martyrs So then the true meaning of these wordes is this These seruants of God refused deliuerance from temporall tortures and punishments because their care and desire was that their bodies might rise againe to life euerlasting at the day of iudgement which rising againe to life at that day they iudged farre better than to rise to a temporall life for a while in this world This reason wel obserued may teach vs these two speciall duties First to be carefull aboue all things for assurance in our consciences as these seruants of God had that our bodies shall rise againe to life euerlasting at the last day True it is wee make this confession with our mouthes among the articles of our Faith but we must labour to bee setled and resolued effectually in our hearts that
scourged The fourth is Bonds and imprisonment The fift is stoning verse 37 They were stoned The sixt is this They were hewen asunder These were all worthy fruits of faith being endured for religions sake but the particular points might heere be obserued haue beene handled before and therefore I pasâ—e them ouer The seauenth kinde of suffering is this they were tempted These words by the change of a letter in the originall may be reade thus They were burned And some doe so translate it thinking that they that writ or copied out this Epistle at the first did put one letter for another Their reason is because examples of grieuous punishments are mentioned both before and after this and therfore they thinke this should be burning which is a sore and grieuous death But wee may safely and truly reade the words thus They were tempted conceiuing heereby that they were enticed and allured by faire promises of life to forsake their religion So the same word is vsed by Saint Iames saying Euery man is tempted when hee is drawen away by his owne concupiscence and is entiâ—ed Iames 1.14 If any aske why this kinde of triall in tempting should bee placed among such cruell torments I answere because it is as great a triall as any can be For it is as dangerous a temptation to ouerthrow religion and a good conscience as any punishment in the world This appeares plainly in Christs temptations by the Diuell for in those three Satan bewraies his malice and craft against Christ and his Church most notably Now Satan not preuailing with the two first makes his third and last assault from the glory and dignity of the world for shewing vnto Christ all the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them hee saith All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Math. 4.9 Indeede Christes holy heart would not yeeld vnto it but that it was a grieuous temptation appeares by Christs answeres For in the former temptations he onely disputed with Satan out of Scripture but when this temptation comes Christ bids him as it were in passion auoide Satan signifying thereby not onely his abhorring of that sinne but also the danger of that assault by the world And indeede these temptations on the right hand as wee may call them will most dangerously creepe into the heart and cause shipwracke of faith and a good conscience All Dauids troubles and persecutions could not bring him to so greeuous sins as did a little ease rest A huge great Armie cannot so soone giue entrance to an enemie into a Citie as riches and faire promises neither can bodily torments so soone preuaile against a good conscience as will worldly pleasures and faire promises In regarde whereof wee must take heede that wee bee not deceiued by the world for the view of the glory and pompe thereof will sooner steale from a man both religion and good conscience then any persecution possibly can do And indeede who doe so oft change their religion when trialls come as they that haue the world at will The eight example of suffering is this They were slaine with the sword There can be nothing saide of this which hath not beene spoken in the former examples and therefore I omit it The ninth and last example of suffering is this They wandred vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and Goates skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented That is being either banished or constrained by flight to saue their liues they wandred vp and down in base attire and were destitute of ordinary foode and comfort and so in great affliction and torment Heere wee see these seruants of GOD were driuen from their owne Country friends and families by persecution Whence we obserue that in time of persecution a Christian man may lawfully flie for his safety if hee be not hindred by the bond of priuate or publique calling For these seruants of God here coÌ„mended for their faith did flie when they were persecuted and that by faith therfore the action is lawfull as I might prooue at large but that I haue spoken of it heeretofore VVhen our Sauiour Christ knewe that the Pharisies heard of the multitude of Disciples which he made Ioh. 4.1.3 hee left Iudea where they had greatest iurisdiction and came into Galile for his safety The Prophet in the old testament did fly as Elias from Iezabel 1. King 19.3 And so did the Apostles in the new and that by Christs direction Math. 10.23 Obiect 1 But some will say Persecution is the hand of God therfore no man may flie from it for so he should seeme to flie from God himselfe Ans. Wee must consider persecution two waies first as it is the hand of God secoÌ„condly as it is the worke of the wicked enemies of Gods Church For them God vseth sometimes aâ— instruments in laying his hand vpon his Church either for chastisement or for triall Now a Christian being persecuted for the truth and hauing libertie to flie cannot bee said to flie from Gods hand vnlesse he went away contrary to Gods command as Ionas did beeing sent to Niniue and beside he knowes that is impossible But his intent is to flie from the wrath of his enemies to saue his life for the further good of Gods Church Again the reason is not good To say persecution is the hand of God therefore a man may not flie from it For so might a man conclude that nonâ— ought to flie from sicknesse or from warre both which a man may doe with a safe conscience not beeing hindred by some speciall calling Obiect 2 But euery one is bound to testifie his faith religion before his enemies and therefore may not flie in persecution Answ. True indeede a Christian man must so testifie his faith if he bee called thereto of God but if God giue him liberty and opportunitie to flie then he will not haue him at that time to iustifie his religion by that meanes Obiect 3 But if it be lawfull to flie how then comes it to passe that some of Gods children when they might haue fled would not but haue stood to iustifie their profession vnto death Ans. We must iudge reuereÌ„tly of theÌ„ thinke they did it by som special instinct motioÌ„ of Gods spirit as appeareth by their patience constancy in their greatest torments Examples hereof wee haue in our English Acts and Monuments in men worthy of notable commendations for their constancy and zeale for the truth of the Gospel Quest. If flight in persecution may bee an action of faith Whether may not the minister of Gods word fly in time of persecution Answ. There be some cases wherein the Minister may lawfully fly 1 When that particular Church and congregation ouer which he is placed is dispersed by the Enemies so as he hath no hope to gather and call them back againe then no doubt hee may flie till his congregation be gathered againe 2 If the persecutors doe specially
our selues and to lay it to our owne consciences and then no doubt we shall finde it to be a word of power able to reforme both the misdemeanour of our liues and the errours of our mindes Now to the reason more particularly Wee must be constant in the faith because we are compassed about with so great a cloude of witnesses Heere the ancient Fathers of the olde Testament which in the former chapter were commended vnto vs for their faith are compared to a cloude and then to a cloude compassing vs. Lastly to a cloude of witnesses They are compared to a cloude as I take it by allusion to the cloud which directed and led the Israelites in the wildernesse for when they came from Egypt and were 40. yeares in the Desert of Arabia all that while they were directed by a pillar of cloud by day Exod. 13.21 Now looke as this cloud guided the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt to the Land of Canaan so doth this companie of famous beleeuers direct all the true members of Gods Church in the new Testament the right way from the Kingdome of darknesse to the spirituall Canaan the kingdome of heauen And this is the true cause why these worthy beleeuers are compared to a cloud Mark further they are called a cloud but what a cloude namely compassing vs. A compassing cloud they are called by reason of the great company of beleeuers so as which way soeuer a man turnes him hee shall see beleeuers on euery side and they are said to compasse vs because they giue vs direction in the course of Christianity as the cloud did the Israelites in the wildernesse Now wheras the whole company of beleeuers is called a cloud compassing vs heere is answered a cōmon obiection of temporizers which argue thus against religiō There are so many kindes of religion now a-dayes that no man can tell which to be of and therefore it is good to be of no religion till we be certified which is the true religion This carnall reason is here answered for howsoeuer in som things there be variety of opinions in Gods Church yet for the substance of religion all agree in one For the company of beleeuers in this world resembles a cloud that goes before vs shewing vs the right way which we are to walke in to the Kingdome of heauen Secondly in that these ancient beleeuers are called a cloud compassing vs we are taught that as the Israelites did follow the cloud in the wildernes frō the Land of Egypt to Canaan so must we follow the example of these ancient beleeuing fathers Prophets to the kingdom of heauen It is a strange thing to see how the Israelites followed that cloud They neuer went till it went before them and when it stood still they stood still also though it were 2. yeares together and when it began to moue they moued with it So in the same maner must we set before our eyes for a pattern of life the worthy examples of beleeuers in the old Testament for whatsoeuer was written was written for our learning We must therfore be followers of them in faith obedience and other graces of God and so shall we be directed to life euerlasting in the spirituall Canaan the kingdom of heauen And yet we must not follow thē absolutely For all of thē had their infirmities som of thē had their grieuous faults wherby they were tainted their cōmendation somwhat blemished but we must follow them in the practice of faith other graces of God The cloud that guided the Israelites had two parts a light part a dark The Egyptians who were enemies to Gods people had not the light part before them but the dark part so following that they rushed into the red sea were drowned whē as the Israelites folowing the light part went through in safety Euen so these beleeuers had in them two things their sins which be their darke part which if we follow we cast our soules into great danger destruction and faith with other graces of God which are their light part which we must follow as our light which if we doe carefully it will bring vs safe to the Kingdome of heauen So Paul bids the Corinthians be followers of him yet not absolutely in euery thing but as he followes Christ and so must we follow the Fathers as they went on in faith in Christ. Further they are a cloud of witnesses that is a huge multitude of witnesses And they are so called First because by their owne bloud they confirmed the faith which they professed Secondly because they did all confirme the doctrine of true religion whereof they were witnesses partly by speaches and partly by actions in life and conuersation And so is euery member of Christ a witnesse as the Lord often calls the beleeuing Israelites his witnesses Quest. How came this to passe that these beleeuers should bee Gods witnesses Answere Surely because they testified the truth and excellencie of Gods holy religion both in word and action in life and conuersation Now seeing these in the olde Testament were Christs witnesses First hereby all ignorant persons must be stirred vp to be carefull to get faith and to learne true religion If any thing will moue a man to become religious this will for out of all the world God will chuse faithfull men to be his witnesses to testifie of his religion vnto others If a man were perswaded that some worthy mighty Prince would vouchsafe to call him to beare witnesse of the truth on his side he would be wonderfull glad thereof and take it for a great honour to him How much more then ought wee to labour for knowledge faith and obedience in true religion that we may become witnesses vnto the Lord our God if it be a dignity to be witnesse to an earthly Prince oh then what a great prerogatiue is this for a silly sinfull man to becom a witnesse to the truth of the euerliuing God who is King of Kings whose word needes no confirmation This must make vs al to labour for knowledge for faith and for the power of religion but if we wil remaine stil in our ignorance and neuer labour for knowledge then shall these seruants of God that beleeued in the olde Testament stand vp and witnesse against vs at the day of iudgement for they had not such meanes as we haue and yet they became most faithfull witnesses Secondly this must teach vs to be careful that as in word we professe Christ so indeed we may confesse him expressing the power of his grace in vs. For by this true confession of Christ we are made his witnesses but when wee confesse Christ in word onely and yet in life practice denie him then we are vnfaithful witnesses for we say vnsay In an earthly court if a mā should one while say one thing another while another thing he would not be accepted for a
home-borne traytor seekes to deliuer the heart into the possession of Satan and so to defraud God of his right Againe the heart is mans Treasury from whence come all actions good and badde now if it bee well kept and guarded the Lord will dwell in thy heart and thence will proceede the issues of life but if it bee left open for corruption to enter and take place then is it made an habitation for the diuell If a citie were besieged about by bloody enemies the inhabitants thereof would set watch and ward in euery place to keepe out the enemie so wee hauing originall sinne as a fierce enemie compassing vs about for to work our destruction some way or other must labour to haue our hearts guarded with a watch of grace that our corruption may not let in Satan there to dwell or to haue any abode But will some say how shall we get a watch that may thus keepe our hearts Answ. Wee must labour that the word of God may dwell plentifully in our hearts and there as the scepter of Christ to be held vp by the grace of faith ruling our wills and affections bringing into subiection euery thoght to the obedience of Christ. In such a heart Christ dwells who is stronger than Satan and here can neither corruption set open the doore to Satan nor Satan enter but all things are in safetie Also the actions that proceede hence shall be the issues of life beeing holy and pleasing vnto God And thus much of the second point The third duty to bee performed for our continuance in the faith is this Wee must runne with patience the race that is set before vs. In these words the holy Ghost borroweth a comparison from the games of men that did runne a race and thus we may conceiue it The race that the Holy Ghost propounds vs to runne is the race of Christian Religion the parties that must runne in this race are all Christians men or women high or lowe not one excepted the price and crowne for which we runne is euerlasting glory the iudge of the runners is the Lord himselfe who hath appointed this race vnto euery Christian in this life who also will giue the reward to euery one that runneth well In this comparison wee may obserue many good instructions First in that Christian religion is compared to a race We are taught that euery one that professeth religion must goe forward therein growing in knowledge faith piety and in euery grace of God He that runnes a bodily race must neither stand still nor goe backward for then then he shall neuer get the price but still goe forward to the race ende So must euery Christian goe forward in grace following hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God If wee care not for eternall life then we may take our ease and let grace alone but if wee tender our owne saluation wee must goe on in the graces of religion as a runner doth goe forward in his race This beeing wel obserued would rowze vp our drowzie Christians that make no progresse in religion Secondly this resemblance of Christianity to a race teacheth vs al to striue to go one before another in knowledge faith and holy obedience thus runners doe that run a bodily race Also in the world the manner of men is to labour and striue to goe one before another in riches preferment in fine apparell and in all bodily delights now shall men striue to bee first in these transitory things and shall wee neglect our duty about these spirituall graces wherein the more we excell the more acceptable wee are to God and shall bee more glorious in the world to come Thirdly seeing Christianity is a race wee must remember to be constant therein till we come to the ende of our faith euen the saluation of our soules It hath beene the manner of our people to turne in religion with the State and Time and yet to this day many thousands come to our assemblies that would turne to Popery if that abhomination should be set vp againe for say they It was a merry world when that religion was vp But this is not the property of good runners If wee would haue the crowne of life we must hold true religion constantly vnto the death Lastly like good runners we must minde our way and haue our hearts set vpon the ende of our race which is euerlasting life Each ordinary traueller is very inquisitiue of his way and all his care is to goe the neerest way he can to his iourneys ende Behold wee are trauellers and our iourney is to heauen we must therefore endeauour to goe the straightest way we can to come to life euerlasting neither must we make delaies in this way but vse all helpes to further vs herein for the matter is of great importance whereabout we goe Here some will say We like this well but true religion hath alwaies many enemies and fewe hearty friends besides if a man run this way hee must runne alone and suffer also many crosses and reproaches Answ. This is most true and therefore the holy Ghost addeth That wee must runne this race with patience We must not be discouraged because of these crosses and afflictioÌ„s but labour with patience to beare that part of affliction what euer it bee that shall light vpon vs in our iourney This is Christs counsell to his Disciples Luke 21.19 Possesse your soules in patience as if hee should say If you would saue your soules you must labour to beare all crosses that fall on you with patience In the parable Luk. 8.15 They that receiue the seed in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruite But how with patience Euery one that heares Gods word makes conscience thereof shall haue enemies to scoffe and mock and to afflict him which the diuell sets a-worke to hinder the growth of the word in his heart but must he therefore cease to bring forth fruite no hee must bring forth fruite with patience And so must we doe in the race of true religion for crosses afflictions and mockings will come but these stormes must not turne vs backe nay the more they beate vpon vs the more must we arme our selues with patience by which wee shall be able to beare them all And thus much for this third duty as also of the exhortation vnto Constancie in the faith after the example of all these godly Fathers FINIS The Printers Aduertisement CHristian Readers in most part of these printed Books yee shall finde the faults heereunder set downe already amended to your hands onely in some fewe of the Copies wherein they past vs vnespied they had neede to be corrected with your Penne viz. Page 160 line 20 sinne for sonne p 358 line 24 they iolly for the iolly p. 359 line 30 Ismael for Israel And in all the Copies there is a vvrong Title escaped in the Page 384 viz. Moses faith for Moses Parents faith Exod. 33.15 1. Cor. 10.6 Heb. 10.38 2. Cor. 5.7 1. Pet. 1.9 Gal. 3.3 2. Tim. 4.10 1. Ioh. 3. â—â— Heb. 6. 1. Pet. 1.7 Phil. 5.14 Luke 1.79 a Ier. 22.15 c. to the end b 1. King 11.11 1. Sam. 2.30 Psal. 37.4 Heb. 11.5 Verse 10. Verse 24. c. Heb. 12.39 The Coherence Verse 1. Math. 3.17 Acts. 4.12 Psal. 16.6 Math. 12.36 Gen. 1.31 Gen. 2.25 3.21 Iohn 1.3 Rom. 5.1 Apoc. 21.27 Chap. 12.24 Genes 4.10 Psal. 56.8 Habbak 2.11 Eccles. 10.20 Psal. 116.115 Luke 21.19 Reu. 6.10 2. Example Henoch Verse 5. 1. Cor. 15.20 1. Cor. 15.20 2. Kings Genes 3.19 Gen. 5.24 Verse 6 Genes 5.22 Amos 3.3 Gen. 17.1 Psal. 116.9 Genes 24.40 Genes 50.20 Genes 39.9 Acts. 15.9 Psal. 2. Micha 6.7.8 2. Timoth. 3.16.17 1. Timoth. 4.4.5 Deut. 17.17 18.19 Psal. 2. 1. Timoth. 3.2 c. Exodus 20. Math. 7.12 1. Cor 10.31 1. Cor. 14.26 1. Cor. 10.24 Gen. 22. Exod. 11.2 Math. 11.29 Iohn 13.13.14 15. Heb. 4.16 7.25 10.22 Psal. 10.11.12 13. Esay 36.18.19 c. Esay 28.15 Psal. 14.1 1. Iohn 2.23 Tit. 1.16 1. Timoth. 5.8 Malach. 3.14 Psal. 73.13 c Verse 17. Verse 1. Verse 28. Psal. 116.11 Verse 11. Verse 12. Psal. 31.19 Luke 16. Psal. 139. Iohn 8.41 44. Rom. 6.20 Psal. 17.14 Luke 16.25 Luke 4.6.7 Iohn 8.44 Gen. 3.4.5 3. Exsample of Noah Commaundements 3. 4. 1. Kings 6.15.16 1. Thess. 2.20.21 2. Cor. 12 2 1. 2. Cor. 2.15.16 2. Cor. 3.18 Deut. 32.33 Gen 18.19 Gen. 24.63 Ioh. 8.56 Gen. 12.8 â—2 9 33.10 1. Sam. 15.23 Isay 66.3 Prou. 30.8 Psal. 1.2 Luke 2.51 Phil. 4 11. Exod 20.12 2. Tim. 2 2â— Num. 21.8.9 Gen. 20.7 2. Chro. 32.31 1. Pet. 1.16 Leuit. 10.1.2 Iohn 3.16 Math. 8.9 Num. 6.23 Luke 24.50 Leuit. 19.31 Isa. 8.19.20 Math. 1. Gen. 33.3 Gen. 18.17.18.19 Amos 3.7 Luke 16. Isa. 6.11 Exodus 2.3 Exod. 2.3 1. Sam. 10.23 1. Sam. 16.12 1. King 8.3 Psal. 110.2 Psalm 16. Phil. 3.14 Math. 21.19 Gen. 18 3â— Philip. 1.10 Eccles. all ouer Titus 1.15 Math. 19.24 Dan. 5.1.3 Mat. 5. 1. Pet. 4.14 Mat. 19.29 Philip· 28 29. Math. 5.11 Exod. 3 1â— Exod. 11.8 Dan. 9. Psal. 42.11 Gen. 5.22 Gen. 39.9 Exod. 12.27 Exod. 23.18 Leuit. 3.4 2. Chr. 35.12 Exod. 12.13 1. Cor. 5.7 Math. 26.18 Luke 22.7 11. Math. 26.28 1. Cor. 10.4 1. Cor. 5.7 Luke 22.49 Numb 21. Verse 8. Isay 37.26 1. Cor. 10.4 Numb 20.11 Ezek. 9.4 Psal. 32.7 Exod. 14 11 12. Exod. 14. â—â— 2. Kings 9.35.36 Acts 12.23 Isa. 54.17 Genesis 17.2 and 18.18 Ephe. 6.16 Psalm 3.6 Iosh. 6.20 Ephe. 2.12 Gen. 17.27 Exod. 18 1â—.12 Iude 4. Deut. 29.19 20. Hebr. 12 1. Math. 1.5 Iosh. 2.20 Iosh. 29.10 11. Iosh. 2.11 Marke 10.17 Iosh. 6.22 Heb. 6.17.18 Ioh. 2.18 21. Gal. 4.22 Iudges 6.12.14.16 Math. 8.3 Gen. 14. 1. Iohn 3.7 Pro. 20.7 1. Cor. 6.9 Math. 7.12 â— Rom. 13.7 Ephes. 3.20 Psal. 21.3 Acts 12.4 Deut. 20.2.3 â— Kings 17. 2. Kings 4. 1. Cor. 15.20 Acts 17.28 Cant. 8.6 Exod. 32.32 Iohn 1.12 Heb. 4.2 Rom. 15.4 Exod. 14.20 Isa. 43.9.10 12 Dan. 6.10