is alwayes Victorious whether he Conquer by Prowesse or by Patience If Faith teach not his Hand to fight yet it will teach his Body to suffer it either acts wonderfully or endures nobly And there is as much gallantry nay truely more because greater magnanimity in cheerfull undergoing of hardnesse then involuntary undertaking For undertakers and very forward ones too many times faint and flag and give over whereas a sufferer shews his resolution and clears all suspition of falshood or inconstancy to his undertaking Indeed a true Beleever is the same in every contingency and state of affaire and is equally resolved and disposed both for prosperity and adversity and when most afflicted his Faith is most glorious for then it appears in those eminent Graces of humility meeknesse resignation c. which otherwise perhaps had been obscured And so it is of very faithfullnesse that God suffereth the faithfull to suffer even that the tryall of their Faith might be much more precious then Gold though tryed with fire 1 Peter 1.7 The Devill and the World opposeth to them the Passengers Argument to Christ on the Crosse If thou be the Son of God come downe from the Crosse c. Mat. 27.40 And is it not a notable reply to answer with Christ in Prayer by Faith Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me yet not my will but thine be done It was a weaknesse in Gideon to argue thus with the Angel If the Lord be with us why then it all this befallen 〈◊〉 Judges 6.13 A strange reasoning to a considering man to conclude God doth net love because the World hates this certainly is an infirmity in Faith and David acknowledgeth so much though withall he acknowledgeth himselfe to have been overtaken with it and so continued until he neut into the House of God and diligently enquired after the wayes of Gods Providence and there he found though the depth of his judgements are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out what was obvious and legible That no successe or prosperity of the wicked hath power enough to make them happy or entitle them to Gods favour no adversity or crosse emergent can make without any sullen Stoicisme a godly man miscrable Psal 73. Because and his Reasons are strong the wicked man in his best estate hath no hold hat what will fayle him when be most needs and need he must but the Godly hath a strong hold which as long as he is godly will be a Sanctuary and Protection to him his dependance and hope in God who never fayleth them who trust in him Saint Paul gives us an experiment of this truth That God loves when he chasteneth for we are saith he 2 Cor. 4.8.9 perplexed that may very well be and frequently it is so because of impendent or incumbent sadnesses and disasters but not in dispaire for we live by Faith and our hope is an anker of the soule both sure and stedfast Persecuted we may be we must be Ye shall have tribulation saith Christ Iohn 16.33 Shall suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 forsaken ye cannot be For what can separate us from the love of God in Christ Romans 8.39 Cast downe humbled 2 little but not destroyed not cast off or rejected and this condition is so farr from being miserable that it is honourable and comfortable The former is expressed in the 10.11.14 Verses The latter in the 16.17.18 Verses Nay an Ancient goes yet higher Quanto quis severius patitur tazto melius coronabitur the greater their crosses the more glorious shall be their crownes the more their crosses the more their crownes And agreeably to this the Schoolemen have assigned and assured to the Martyrs the largest share and measure in the accidentalls of Eternall blisse what is over and above the essentialls belonging to them Aquinas Suppl per 3. qu. 96. art 12. How true this supposition is that there are such accidentalls of beatitude and that they are belonging to Martyrs I define not yet I beleeve this to be among the Piè Credenda But this I am sure of is an infallible Divine Truth That whether God chastise his Children with Rods as he doth every Son or cherish them with externall additions whether they be in adversity or prosperity he is equally a Father to them in both estates and equally a Father of mercies Hebr. 12.5 c. to them And as in all so chiefly in these dispensations he hath ends and purposes of Infinite Wisedome and Goodnesse and God is pleased by these unpleasant Providences to manifest his own glorious Attributes and his servant eminent Graces So they prove excellent Methods to set forth Gods glory and set forward mans salvation for hereby God makes known his infinite Power and Wisedome by bringing light out of darknesse good out of evill extracting Cordialls and Restoratives out of Poyson curing desperate distempers by corrections his infinite goodnesse suffering the Bush to burne but not to wast and consume the Body to smart but the Soule to joy the Body to be weak but the Spirit strong in the Lord and in the power of his might sustaining their infirmities and supporting in their greatest sadnesses even to a Miracle Vt intelligeritis neminem esse qui ant sine ratione velit poename subire aeut tormenta siue Deo possit sustinere saith Minutius Faelix Oct. None would suffer those torments Christians did unlesse they had good grounds for it neither indeed could any suffer them unlesse he had a good God an Almighty Father to hold him up and succour him And yet as the same Ancient Quod corporis vitia sentimus patimur non est poenae militia est Their sufferings are not truely punishments they are exercises and conquests over the World the malice of men and corruptions and rebellions of lust and nature But besides this The patient submission and resignation of Gods servants under the Crosse discovering Graces which otherwise would be concealed and unknown Had not Job contested with and baffled the Devills policy and pretences by his dependance on God in the greatest miseries the Devill could invent or inflict his Faith and fincerity had been either under suspition or under a Cloud his constancy and adhaerence to God in those great conflicts and tryalls both cleared and experimented his innocency for in such exigents the case is cleared That God is beleeved loved and obeyed in and for himselfe without any mereinary servile respects Christ is followed for his Doctrine not his Loaves The innocent sufferer that endures for Gods sake all the evills of the World cannot be suspected to drive a secular designe it is evident he seeks for Heaven and the enduring substance in that continuing City Times of suffering times of tryall then we are Christs probationers whether we be fit to be admitted into the society and number of his Disciples then Christs Souldiers and whether we be fit to be listed into the Roll and taken into their
and condition wherein Christ his Lord was interested and concerned yet Moses had not onely this motive of Faith to perswade him to this choice but he had another also and that a powerfull one For he had respect also to the recompence of the Reward that is beleeved the Deliverance of his People was approching and they should receive the promised Inheritance the Land of Canaan a Type and Figure of Heaven Q. But what doth Faith Eye temporall Objects or are temporalties as well as spiritualties taken into the cognizance of Faith or is that true Faith which moves for either of these respects could Moses fight the Lords Battells and look for Pay or Recompence Is not this to be a mercinary Souldier no Voluntiere or rather thus to act Is it not to love our selves and the reward not the Lord and his Service Is it not to serve him for Hire not for Duty A. Indeed it is most true That the Glory of God should be both the prime mover and ultimate end of all actions which are truely Religious because all Religion is to be terminated in God yet our immortall soules whose chiefe felicity and complement is the Union and fruition of God may deservedly challenge our secondary and subordinate thoughts and respects both because that in these respects we ayme at God who is our perfection and reward and also because our respects are regular when we take in the intermediate end with order and respect to the last and chiefest For in this case we overlook our selves by Eying an higher and more glorious Object And for this we have warranty both from those Precepts which enstruct us to seek the Kingdom of God to lay up a sure Foundation of good works For the hope of the Eternall Reward to strive with all care to secure our Election Luke 16.9 1 Cor. 9.24 Tit. 2.12.13 Colos 3.23 and also from those great presidents who have practised before us Moses here in this place Saint Paul Phil. 3.11.12 If by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead Not as though I had already attained either was already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus Our Saviour Christ that grand Exemplar Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God And also from good Reason for Qui uult finem nult media and è contra now God commands the means faith and the end of that is salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your soules He commands holinesse of life and the end of that is Eternall life Rom. 6.22 an happy end is a great provocation and encouragement to action and for this end God proposeth to us that most blessed and comfortable end The result is this That to act meerly propter mercedem for an hire is slavish and self-ish but to doe ex intuitu mercedis to look upon the Reward as an incitement and comfort is a most usefull help and so morally necessary to piety and devotion 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Col. 3.24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is layd up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing The Second Part. 1. By Faith For Flesh and Blood would have perswaded Moses to a contrary choice to continuance and residence in Pharaohs Court and if he had consulted with worldly men concerning his Designe if they disliked his Person he would be censured and derided as weak and unpolitick if they had a kindnesse for him they would rebuke him as Peter did our Saviour upon a somwhat like account Be it far from thee Lord This shall not be unto thee Mat. 16.22 But Faith adviseth not with Flesh and Blood neither resolves with the men of this world No it adviseth with the Word of God and resolves with the Church of God and therefore that which the World so much admires and fancies the gallantry and splendor of a Princes Court the Title and Dignity of his Sonne and Favourite the Treasures of his Exchequer he did with great resignation and freedom relinquish and forsake And which is yet more that the World most dislikes and abhorrs poverty persecution ignominy slavery he did with much cheerfulnesse embrace for then he left the powerfull prevailing party and sided with an afflicted and despised people vexed and oppressed with arbitrary impositions and inhumane servitudes See what Faith can doe it can overcome the World it can count all things but losse to be found in Christ It is Faith and nothing but Faith that sets a just estimate and value of things not because currant but because worthy that distinguished betwixt truth and appearances substantiall and fantastick happinesses and so makes a Christiam esteem and adjudge the persecutions of an holy Church an higher preferment then the promotions of a tyrannicall Court that more then Heathenish Law of self-preservation is superseded by Christ Mat. 10.33 Whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven And ver 37.38.39 He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it and so abolished by that Law of Faith which he prescribed 2. By Faith because done in obedience to that Law and Rule of Faith which the Captain and High Priest of our profession had enacted and ordered The main difference betwixt that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 1.3 the Work of Faith which is the fincere observation of Christ precepts and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.15 the work of the Law written in our hearts which is the dictates of a naturall conscience and the common notions of humanity betwixt an act of Grace and that of Nature that the oue is done onely rationally the other obedientially the one is a faculty the other a duty that we performe as man a rationall creature made by God and so his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other as a Christian a devout sworn servant of Jesus Christ who hath brought into captivity every thought even the most rationall most excellent thought or suggestion of Nature to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor.
rationall creatures and therefore proposeth rationall methods to engage us to accept his Grace rationall punishments and rewards because we are to deal with a righteous Judge Who will render to every man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternall life But unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6.7.8 11. It s the Observation of Theoph. Moses accounted it a sin not to suffer with the people of God and unlesse it were a sin not to be sensible of the sins and sufferings of his Flock God would not have caused a mark to be set Ezek. 9.4 nor upbrayded and threatned their either dulnesse or hardnesse of heart who grieved not for the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 nor the Apostle required us to be kindly affectioned and this to be expressed as in others so in this Duty to weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 12. I shall adde one more from Haymo Quando quisque c. in suffering times and condition look and remember the promised reward and these Texts Mat. 5.10.11.12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you falfly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4.16.17.18 For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are not seen are Eternall Promises though alwayes necessary yet most usefull in extremities The Third Part. O Lord God of infinite excellencies and mercies who sent thine onely Son holy Jesus to redeem us from an intollerable servitude the commanding and condemning power of sin and to teach us an holy Religion to despise the world the pomps and vanities thereof and the sinfull desires of the flesh strongthen us by thy grace that as we would accept of thy Son for our Saviour so we may follow him as our teacher refusing the glories and treasures of this Egypt this land of darknesse wherein all things shall be forgotten choosing the better part which shall not be taken from us esteeming our Adoption to be called the Sons of God the highest honour the mercies of God and merits of Christ the most desireable treasury the Kingdom of Heaven the best Inheritance the glory and joyes of Heaven the onely satisfactory pleasures the most happy exchange to give or lose all for the fruition of Christ make us to covet the best things And to this end make us wise and prudent in our choice to be men in understanding to approve what is excellent being filled with all spirituall understanding not to be ashamed to suffer for well doing to count it all joy when we are called to endure affliction with the People of God and to beare in our bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus Sanctifie them to us by thy grace attend them with thy spirit and reward them with thy glory Satisfie our Soules that we may tast and see how gracious the Lord is even in those his dispensations and fill them with the apprehensions of the excellencies and preciousnesse of the promises in Jesus Christ that we may resolve with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth we desire besides thee That like as the Hart c. Break O Lord we pray thee the powers infatuate the policies of the persecutors of thy Church Bring her out of Egypt and leade thy People by the Hands of Moses and Aaron Sanctifie all their sufferings and conduct them to the heavenly Canaan to live with their Lord unto all Eternity to whom be honour and power might majesty and dominion for ever Amen MOSES his Courage Heb. 11.27 By Faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible MOses had before mastered the false hopes of Egypt now he is to encounter with the foolish fears thereof and having quit himself of the right hand assaults of the World its allurements objects promises he is now to conquer the left hand temptations threatnings force and fury of Pharaoh and his Host the Gyants and Sons of Anak and by Faith in Christ he is in all these more then Conqueror For the Discourses and Reasoning of Faith first taught him to sleight Pharachs Court then his Power First to conquer himself and Fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit and then his and the people of Gods enemy It first instructed him with Piety and then furnished him with Resolution and Courage For By Faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King c. The first Part. Moses did twice forsake Egypt The first time was as was last Recorded When at forty Years old he fled into Midian Exod. 2.15 The second time was when that after Egypt was smitten in every quarter he and the whole Body of the Israelites departed thence And upon this difference of time a question ariseth which time the first clause here in the Text relates unto Some will have the former to be referred unto here as Iun. Paral. lib. 3. because the Apostle in this Historicall computation strictly observeth the circumstance and order of time through all the fore-going and subsequent instances And it 's clear Moses celebrated the Passe-over before the second time which yet is after related here in the following verse and therefore it cannot relate to this unlesse we invert the Order And also because in the 29. ver the Peoples departure out of Egypt is set by it self as a severall and distinct instance of Faith from this here Others conceive it to be meant of the second time for if the former were here considered the Apostles Position here seems to contradict the Historicall Natration Exod. 2.14 where it is said He feared and fled Others as the most judicious Calvin understand it of both times tam de priore quam secundo For though it be said that at the first he feared yet this fear was a fear of prudence he had not strength to oppose Pharaoh and so he could not he had not as yet sufficient authority and so he might not not of difference or the event that God would not preserve him from Pharaoh if he used the most safe course for his preservation and reserved himself for a
so in an ordinary saving Faith a little if sound will receive a blessing to encrease and multiply a power to remove evill habits out of the soule contracted by evill Education or Example by naturall corruption or complyance with sinfull customes and plant and seed holinesse there which if it be diligently manured and managed all tares weeded out as they bud will fructifie to maturity We have a promise for it Mat. 25.29 Habenti dabitur to him that Husbands well even the least Talent he shall receive an addition and a plentifull one too for he shall have abundance upon every improvement shall receive more that he shall have over-plus a sufficient stock of grace to employ and turn his hand with and serve all his uses 3. Rahab a Cananite a stranger from the Covenant of Promise an Alien from the Common-wealth of Israel is now admitted and received into that Society and Communion and made partaker of the same Grace and Hope with Abraham and Sarah by her Faith She was one of the Primitiae Gentium an earnest of the after calling of the Gentiles that they should be no more strangers and forreiners but fellow Citizens Ephes 2.3 an exact discovery of that great Mistery of Christ that the Gentiles should he fellow heires and of the same Body c. And so it is expresly mentioned of this Rahab That she became an Israelite indeed Iosh 6.25 where she is said to dwell in Israel untill this day for she was Allied to the noblest descent and extraction being Married to Salmon who begat Boaz of Rachab Mat. 1.5 the Progenitors of David and of whom Christ came according to the Flesh So that here we may affirmatively conclude with Saint Peter Acts 10.34.35 Of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him And with Saint Peter 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandements of God And Gal. 5.6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love 4. Rahab beleeved and therefore separated her self from the company and communion of her hardened fellow Citizens and joyned her self to the society of Gods people and yet she was none of those sensuall separatists spoken of by Saint Jude 19. who walked not with the Church of God but after their own ungodly lusts heaping to themselves Teachers choosing and carving for themselves without the Order of Gods Church and taking them on heaps either confusedly or unsatisfactorily when they have their own choice being never contented put off one to day and another to morrow and so if possible in infinitum and all this from a malignant humor an itching in the eare 2 Tim. 4.3 nor those Pharisaicall separatists who divide themselves from the Body of Christ either upon a vain supposition of Pride that they are holier and the rest prophaner and therefore Procul ô proeul ite come not neer them stand far from them or upon as bad of uncharitablenesse as if the Congregation were not holy and they good soules are afraid to receive infection from it as if the true service of the true God could be unholy and poysonous because some of the servants in that duty are false and wicked For how can their supposed ir-reall it matters not in this case but I will suppose it reall nakednesse touch and defile me when I abhor it for it self piety it and pray against it in them and I onely joyn and communicate with them in that which is confessedly good But she was an holy separatist who forsook the service of false Gods and betook her self to the Worship of the true God her Idolatrous Worship she exchanged for the true and divided not from the Cananites quasi homines as men but from their sins For doubtlesse she desired and wished their conversion and it is a most just and lawfull separation to depart from all iniquity and to keep themselves unspotted from the World James 1.27 Rev. 18.4 And I heard another Voyce from Heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues 2 Cor. 6.14.15.16.17 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbeleevers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that beleeveth with an Infidell And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will rective you and such was her separation whereas dayly experience doth evidence That the other humerous separatists are the greatest manuonists designers plotters and contrivers for the World in the whole World and the greediest unsatiable pursuers of the things of the World devourers not onely of Widows Houses but of Kingdoms Inheritances holy things mixing and confounding all with most Heathenish Worldly Policies not considering that the love of this World is enmity with God 5. It was Rahab the Heathen the Gentile house-wife who was the Harlot Rahab the Beleever the Convert is joyned to an Israelite in chast and holy Wedlock Fornication is a Work of the Flesh a pollution of our Bodies Marriage is honourable in all Those may justly suspect their Faith and distrust their conversion who indulge and allow themselves in those unclean satisfactions of the Flesh and Heathenish pollutions Reade that one Law of God Deut. 23.17.18 There shall be no Whore of the Daughters of Israel nor a Sodomite of the Seâ—t of Israel Thou shalt not bring the hire of a Whore or the price of a Dog into the House of the Lord thy God for any Vow for even both these are an abomination unto the Lord thy God Consider what Saint Paul presseth 1 Cor. 6.15.16.17.18 Know ye not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Member of an Harlot God forbid What know ye not that he which is joyned to an Harlot is one Body for two saith he shall be one Flesh But he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit c. And remember that direfull judgement Revel 21.8 But the fear full and unbeleeving and the abominable and murderers and whoremâ—ngers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyar shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 6 Rahab beleeved and was saved True Faith is the saving grace Infidelity the damnable sin because Faith is alwayes attended with Obedience Infidelity is still followed with Impenitency Indeed Faith and Obedience like Hippocrates Twins
Hearts and affections with Peace that when he shall return to make inquisition for blood transgression and sin we may by him and that league and Covenant of Peace concluded with thee in him be delivered from wrath to come and for him receive forgivenesse of sins and Inheritance among them who are sanctified by Faith in him O let us not have our portion with unbeleevers nor our part with the disobedient for then we shall certainly perish but think upon us O Lord for good that we may be saved with that remnant who have their Robes washed and whitned in the blood of the Lambe who have separated themselves from the children of Belial and Table of Devills and keep themselves unspotted from the World and so both they and we may be presented in our Bodies our Soules and Spirits holy blamelesse and undefiled at the comming of our Lord. Holy God keep as from the contagion of sin and sinners preserve us in thy truth and love in the Vnity and Communion of thy one true holy Catholique Church that having the Seale of Gods Servants in our Forcheads we may cry and sing eternally Salvation to our God who fitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe Amen The CONCLUSION Heb. 11. from the 32. verse to the end of the Chapter And what shall I say more for the time would faile me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Iephthah of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets Who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousnes obtained promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons c. THe Apostle now coms to a Conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a preâ—â—â—on cutting short his Discourse and cursorily casting up the residue of the Faithfull which were to be inserted in this Catalogue even all the Succession of Beleevers who lived from the time of the Judges ruling under God in Israel till that present Age wherein he Wrote to these Hebrews nominating onely some shortly touching their works and patience intimating onely and hinting at others by their acts and sufferings by which we may guesse and conjecture at their Names and Persons And having thus compleated his Designe and Canon he gives a full Testimoniall and Certificate of approbation in the two last Verses both of these thus in the close either expressed or alluded to and of those foregoing whom he had honoured with a larger Narrative and more distinctly and aithfully insisted on and more amply commended I shall therefore here leave my former Method in the respective Observance of the Apostle and summarily and briefly run over these subsequent Examples and Presidents of Faith as they lye here in their severall order contracted and so follow his Abridgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the words following in course And what shall I more say If these Hebrews be of tractable and teachable Spirits enough is said already to establish and strengthen them in the holy Faith and what needs more then enough sufficient is said what is more is ex abundantia The time would faile me c. An Hyperbolicall expreson importing thus much So numerous is the company of the Faithfull Ancients and so many their Faithfull Actions in the holy Registery that a full enumeration of them and what is Recorded of and concerning them would exceed the bulk of an Epistolar Exhortation and Remonstrance and rise into a large and exact History These here mentioned will serve strongly to make good the Induction and thereby prove the Position Faith is the substance of things hoped the evidence of things not seen c. and therefore it is unnecessary altogether to enlarge further and therefore also take them more succinctly and compendiously Thus your Painters being to deliniate a Croude or a Thronged Multitude doe not take them whole and in full but draws them out by the Pole and presents you nothing but the tops and crowns of their Heads amassing their bulks altogether Gideon whose faithfull expedition is Recorded Judges 6. and 7. whose stratagem with the number of three hundred men struck a Panick fear into the numerous Mideanitish Army that they Fled and killed each other Baracks Prowesse and Faith was manifested That with a small inconsiderable Body he durst encounter and did totally Rout the vast and well-provided Army of Sisera King Iabins Captain Generall Iudges 4. and 5. Samson follows whose Faith was greater then his admired and renowned strength admired it was because it lay in those excrescences of his Body his Heires which in other Men are of the least use and most weaknesse Renowned it was to a Proverb and deservedly for without any offensive or defensive Weapons by his bare Arme of Flesh he tore in pieces a Lyon like a Kid Iudges 14.5.6 when his Hands were bound he brake the Cords like scorched Flax and being loosed with the law-bone of an Asse flew a thousand Men Iudges 15.14 c. when he was Beseiged and immured by the Philistines he carried away the Gates of the City with the two Posts Barr and all Iudges 16.3 and by leaning upon the two middle Pillart of the House the whole Fabrick dissolved Iudges 16.30 Iephthah is the last mentioned of the Iudges though he was before Samson as Barack was before Gideon who notwithstanding was first here nominated You may finde the History of his Resolution and Noble Attempts against the Ammonites in the defence of Israel Iudges 11. I shall referre you to the Text and leave them after a not very impertinent Digression and two Practicall Observations The Digression aimes at a Fact of Samsons and Iephtha's and depends on these following Quaeries 1. Whether Samson in that his last mentioned Enterprize was not Felo de se guilty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of selfe-murder which not onely the Rule of Faith but reason it selfe condemns as sinfull and unnaturall Arist lib. 5. Eth. cap. 11 But to wave some mens conjectures Saint Augustines Answer seems to me most cleare who accounts this inter beroica an extraordinary act proceeding from an extraordinary motion of Gods Spirit in no wise or case imitable For saith he lib. 1. de Civitate Dei cap. 21. Spiritus latenter hoc jusserat he had a secret or private Order for it And more fully cap. 26. of that Book Non humanitas deceptus sed divinitus jussus nec arrans sed obediens It was not a crime but duty in him And he adds this reason Cum Deus jubet seque jubere sine ullis ambagibus intimat quis obedientiam in crimen vocet quis obsequium pietatis accuset If God command and clearly intimates his command this supersedes the guilt and absolves it from disobedience 2. Concerning Iephtha's Vow Whether it in it selfe were rash Whether he executed this rash Vow and in the Execution thereof did sin against the Law of God This in Saint Augustines judgement is Magna ad dijudicandum difficilima Quaestio Tom. 4. quaest sup Iud. lib. 7. cap. 49. a great
be burnt neither shall the flames kindle upon thee Isay 43.2 Againe know assuredly That if by Mortification and true Repentance thou quench the fiery burning flames of sinfull lusts and concupiscences thou shalt escape the scorching flames of Hell fire the portion of the wicked Psal 11.6 and the everlasting burnings thereof These are the great deliverances the lesser they follow but very considerable ones too For it follows They escaped the edge of the Sword the Destroying Bloody Sword passing through a Land This may be exemplified in severall instances David senced off the stroke of Sauls Sword 1 Sam. 26. Elijah the Sword of Ahab 1 Kings 19. Elisha the whole strength of the King of Syriahs Army 2 Kings 6. But when they could not escape thus then they proved Valiant and Victorious for so well were they exercised and experienced that as it is expressed soon after They waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the Armies of Aliens Neque comitatu legionibus sucoincti communem cum multis Victoriam sed nuda virtute animi singularem de perfidis retulerunt triumphum Ambrose lib. 1. Off. cap. 35. Not by multitudes and numbers but by cleare resolution and gallantry Both which are evidenced in Ioshua Gideon and the succeeding Iudges In David Asa Ichosaphat Kings of Iudah 1 Sam. 14. 2 Chron. 14.12.13 30.24 If God arise the most terrible preparations deepest policies and best furnished strength proves invalid Psal 68.1 Isay 8.9.10 But here is one Deliverance more which though we have over-leapt yet we must not passe by it for its the ground of all the fore-going And that is this Out of weaknesse were made strong Some indeed Expound it Of bodily frailties and infirmities they have recovered from dangerous and tormenting diseases whereof Hezekiah is a strong proofe Isay 38. Convaluit de infirmitate A deadly distemper had seized on him and nothing but Faith and the Prayer of Faith prevailed for his recovery this saves the sick Iames 5.15 Maet 8.13 But I conceive it may justly be understood of all kind of desperate straites dissiculties and hazards when they were at a losse not knowing which way to turne Faith findes them a way directed and established them So Iunius enclines and therefore because so the word is used Rom. 4.20 reads thus the words In rebus infirmissimis divinitus fuerunt confirmati When all was thought to be gone and the businesse done Faith fayled them not but supplyed them with hope resolution and courage And so Saint Chrysostome refers this to the reduction of the Iewes out of the Babilonish Captivity which was when their ease was desperate if we look onely at their then condition their state and juncture of affaires which the Church also Celebrated accordingly and acknowledged Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned againe the Captivity of Zion we were like them that Dreame And so Theophilect in loc applying hereunto Ezekiels Vision of the Dead Bones Ezek. 37.1.2 c. But Lastly The last Enemy Death is yet to be destroyed And this also Faith hath done and that not by the Faith of the stronger party but of the weaker Vessell For it thus lyes Women received their dead raysed to life againe weak women strong in Faith obtained great favours witnesse the widow of Sarephath or Sarepta 1 Kings 17.22 Luke 4.26 for although this high favour might seem to be the immediate effect of Elijahs Prayer and this vertue to proceed from his Devotion yet the widows Faith acted her part and concurred in the production of this effect And herein her Faith was evident that it obliged her with her small stock and pittance to supply the Prophets present necessity being assured that God even in that Famine would releive her and recompence her Charity So that her Faith was the Causa protataretica the externall moving and primitively provoking Cause that which both moved Elijah to entercede and enclined God to be more favourable to his Petition even because she through her Faith working by love was subjectum capax a proper subject to receive such a mercy And this also is seconded and confirmed by the Shunamites Son twice received Once when life was given him 2 Kings 4.17 And then again when restored to her in the 36.37 Versos after Death her Charitable Devotion issuing from Faith obtained this double Concession This the Psalmist declareth Psal 116.8 For thou hast delivered my Soule from Death mine Eyes from teares and my Feet from falling And Saint Paul experimented 2 Cor. 1.9.10 But we bad the sentence of Death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which rayseth the Dead Who delivered us from so great a Death and doth deliver In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us But good Works have usually the fate to be mis-interpreted good men to be flandered and a good cause to be persecuted and hated Because I follow that which good is saith David therefore evill men pursue me with deadly hatred And the Apostle fully satisfies us herein in that positive definition or Aphorisme They that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution that is from absurd and unreasonable men The world hated Christ and hated all his it persecuted them and still persecutes them In the World ye shall have tribulation was our Saviours prediction to his Disciples not as they are single Persons but as Disciples And hereupon it follows That eminent Professors are eminent Sufferers famous as well for their Passive as Active Obedience and Recorded as well as made glorious by their patience and perseverance in their most shamefull and painfull executions Q. But who were these others Were they distinct Persons from the former mentioned Worthics or the same A. Indeed many conceive those others to relate to the severall Prophets succeeding Samuel who was before nominated and particularly instance in Micaiah 1 Kings 22.25.26.27 who was smitten by the false Prophet Zedekiah and after imprisoned by Ahabs order unto Amen the Governour of the City And in Ieremiah who for the same imaginary Malignancy suffered the like punishment for the latter part of it Ier. 38.6 And in Zachariah 2 Chron. 24 2â— And in Isaiah whom the Jows report to have been sawne asunder or in pieces by expresse order from Manasses And those who are said here to have wardred c. are upon this way supposed to be David who is said to be hunted by Saul as a Partridge in the Mountaines 1 Sam. 26.20 And Elijah who upon Jezebels threatning fled to Beer-sheba 1 Kings 19.3 And of those Prophets which Obediah concealed 1 Kings 18.3 Yet with some other Interpreters I rather beleeve That the Apostle was more methodicall in his Induction then thus to goe back and forth off and on And these Reasons seems thus to perswade me 1. The Apostle had formerly spoken of David Samuel and the Prophets and after the mention of them this Relative Particle others follows so that this others seems