Evangelical Sacrifices, Text 3 – Title page 4
THE PROSPEROVS BVILDER.
Ios. 6. 10.
Cursed be the Man before the Lord, that riseth up, and builds this Citie Iericho: He shall lay the foundation of it in his First-borne, and in his youngest Son set up the Gates thereof.
THE words are a terrible denunciation of a curse; of the man of God Ioshua, wherein you have the Curse generally set downe. Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth to build this Citie Iericho, and then a specification in particular, wherein the Scope of the words.Curse stands; the two branches of the Curse are these, Hee shall lay the foundation of it in his First-borne, and in his youngest Son set up the Gates thereof. It shall be with the rasing out of his posterity. So that the Text is nothing else but a terrible denunciation under a curse of the destruction of the family of that person, that should labour to build up Iericho againe. I will not speake much of Cursing or Blessing, being not pertinent to my purpose; onelyonly to give a touch of it. As in Blessing there are three things considerable, that come neer one another; there is a Blessing, a Prayer, and a Prophesie; the Prayer is for a blessing to come, the Prophesie, is of the certainty of it, that it shall bee, the Blessing is an efficacious application of the thing to the person. I mean those three, because the one gives light to the other. So it is likewise in Cursing, there is a Prayer, that God would poure forth his vengeance upon the enemies of the Church, and a propheticall Prediction that God will doe it, and a Cursing, when it comes from a qualified person, that is lead by a better Spirit then his owne (for every one is not fit to cast these bolts;) Cursing is an efficacious application of the curse to the person. When a man is (as it were) the declarative instrument, whereby God workes, and brings the curse upon the person; so that we must account a curse to be a wondrous deepe thing. The persons qualified for cursing or blessing, they are Parents, either politick, as Magistrates, or Parents naturall, to curse or blesse their children, as we see in Noah, Cursed be Cham, &c. Or else Parents spirituall, whose office it is indeed especially, to blesse, or curse. It is a greater matter then the world takes it for, a blessing, or a curse, especially from a spirituall Father. The Apostles that were spirituall Fathers of the Church, they begun their Epistles with blessings, and so the Prophets and Patriarkes.
Therefore wee should regard the blessing, Blessing of Ministers to be regarded.that God gives by his Ministers: Some are ready to runne out before the blessing, as not esteeming either blessing or curse. Luther a man of great parts, and grace, saith of himselfe; That if a man of God should speake any thing terrible to him, and denounce any thing against him, hee knew not how to beare it, it would be so terrible. The Iesuits themselves, amongst the rest one De Lapide, he saith, The Priest cannot sooner come into the Pulpit, but if there bee a Noble-man there, downe he fals, and all looke for the blessing of the Priest. The Devill is alwayes in extreames, either to drive people to superstition, or else to prophanenesse, and Atheisme, either to regard the blessing of those whom they should not regard, or not to regard any blessing at all; not to regard that good men should pray for them, or their Children; if the Devill can bring men to Hell, by either ex…reames, he hath his will. As for the blessing of Rome we expect it not; and for their curse, wee need care no more for it, then an armed man, needs to ca…e for a headlesse arrow, or for a Childs Pot-gun. But those men that come in the name of God, and are qualified duplicate page duplicate page with callings to pray, and to blesse, their prayers and blessings are highly to bee esteemed, and so likewise their curses. I would it were more esteemed, it would bee a meanes to convey Gods blessing more then it is. Cursed be the Man before the Lord.
Take this Caution by the way; though Iosua were a man of God, hee was a mixt person; he was both a Magistrate, and in some sort a Minister: As we say of Kings, they are mixt persons, they are Keepers of both tables; Custodes utriusque tabulae.there is more in the supreme Magistrate, then is common. Every one must not take upon him to curse upon every motion of the flesh; for here it is not (as one of the Ancients saith well) The wrath of a man in commotion, and furie; but the sentence of a man in a peaceable temper, who is the Conveyer of Gods curse; it is passive here, as well as active.
In the New Testament we are commanded to blesse, and not to curse. It is a common fault, upon every distemper to fall a cursing, and oft times it lights as an Arrow shot upwards upon the head of the Curser: wee are people of Gods blessing, all true Believers, and wee should delight in blessing, having felt the blessing of God our selves upon our soules, we should be moved to blessing; both by way of gratitude to those that are our superiours, and have done us good, that God would blesse them: and by way of amity, and friend-ship to those that are under us, or about us; and by way of mercy to our very enemies; we should pray for, and blesse our very enemies themselves, as our Blessed Saviour praied for themthat cursed him. This should be our ordinary disposition, wee should be all for blessing. As for curses wee must take heed, that wee direct them not against any particular person, we have Not to curse particular persons.no such warrant, though the Primitive Church pronounced a curse against Iulian, a notable Enemy: And Saint Paul, he cursed Alexander the Copper-smith; but for us this time, the safety way is to pronounce all those curses in the Psalmes, and else where in Scripture, upon the implacable, and incorrigible enemies of the Church, the whole body of the malignant Church, and so we should not erre. I will not dwell longer upon this Argument, only I thought good to remember you to regard the blessing, of those that have the Spirit of God to blesse, especially that have a calling to doe it, and to take heed of cursing. But to come to the particulars. Cursed be the Man before the Lord.
That is, let him be cursed indeed, that that is done before the Lord is truly, and solemnly done: this was a solemn Curse, a heavie Curse, & it did truely light upon him. And let him be cursed before the Lord, however the world blesse him, as a man cannot doe such a thing, as to build a Citie, but the world will commend a man for doing such a thing, but it is no matter for the worlds commendation, if a man set upon a cursed cause, so much for the phrase, Cursed be the Man before the Lord; that is, hee is truely, and solemnly cursed and cursed before the Lord, though men blesse him. That riseth, and builds this Citie Iericho.
That is the cause why he should be cursed? because he would build that Citie, that God Why God would not have Iericho built againe.would have to bee a perpetuall monument of his Iustice. Why would not God have Iericho built againe?
God would not have it built up, partly, because hee would have it a perpetuall remembrance of his goodnesse, and mercifull dealing As a monument of Gods mercy and justice.with his people, passing over Iordan, and comming freshly into Canaan: for wee are all subject to forget; therefore it is good to have dayes set apart for remembrance, and somewhat to put us in mind, as they had many things in old time to helpe memory. If this Citie had beene built againe, the memory of it would have beene forgotten, but lying al waste and desolate, the Passengers by would askethe cause, as God speakes of his owne people: what is the reason that this Citie lies thus? and then it would give them occasion, of speaking of the mercy of God to his people. And likewise it would give occasion to speake of the justice of God against the idolatrous Inhabitants, whose sins were grown ripe: God foretold in Genesis, that the sins of the Amorites was not yet ripe: but now their sins were ripe, they were Idolaters.
And likewise it was dedicate to God, as the 2. It was dedicate to God.first fruits, being one of the chiefe mother Cities of the land, it was dedicate, and consecrated to God, as a thing severed, it was to bee for ever severed from common use. There are two wayes of severing things from common use, one by way of destruction, as here the Citie of Iericho: Another by way of dedication, as the Gold of Iericho. God would have this Citie severed from common use, as a perpetuall Monument, and remembrance of his mercy, and justice.
And likewise hee would have it never built 3 For terrour to the rest of the people.up againe, for terrour to the rest of the Inhabitants: For usually great Conquerours set up some terrible example of justice to terrifie others: Now this being one of the first Cities, after their passing over Iordan: God would have the destruction of it to strike terrour, together with this sentence of a curse, upon all that should build it againe for ever.
And then that this terrible sentence might 4 To draw others to come in.be a meanes to draw others, to come in to Gods people to joyne with them, and submit, and prevent their destruction, seeing how terribly God had dealt with Iericho. Many such reasons may bee probably alleaged: but the maine reason of reasons, that must settle our 5 God would have it so.consciences, God would have it so. Iosu…, he was but Gods Trumpet, and Gods instrument to denounce this curse. Cursed be the man before the Lord, that shall build up this Citie Iericho, wee must rest in that. I will goe over the words, and then make application afterwards to the occasion.
I come to the specification of the Curse, wherein it stands. Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne.
If any man will bee so venturous to build it The specification of the curse. 1 King. 16. 34.up againe, as one Hiel did, in 1 King. 16. 34. If any man will be so audacious, he shall doe it with the perill of the life of his first begotten; and if he will not desist then, he shall finish the Gates of it, hee shall make an end of it with the death of his younger Sonne. It is Gods custome, to denounce a threatning of a curse 3 God threatneth before he strike.before he execute it. It is a part of Gods mercy, and of his blessing, that he will curse onelyonly in the threatning: for therefore he curseth, that hee might not execute it: and therefore he threatneth, that hee might not smite, and when he smites, he smites that hee might not destroy, and when he kils the body, it is that hee might not destroy the soule, as 1 Cor. 11. 32. Therefore some of you are weak, and sick, and 1 Cor. 11. 32some sleepe, that you might not bee condemned with the world. Thus God is mercifull, even till it comes to the last upshot, that men by their rebellions provoke him; Gods merciemercy strives with the sins of men. Marke here the degrees of it, first God threatens the Curse, Cursed be the man. And then in the particulars, he begins with the eldest Sonne. First there is a threatning, and when the execution comes, he takes not all his Sons away at once, but begins with the Eldest; and if that will not doe, he goes to the youngest.
This carriage of God, even in his threatnings, To move us to turne to him.it should put us in mind of Gods mercy; and likewise it should move us to meet God presently, before any peremptory decree be come forth (as wee shall see afterward:) for if wee leave not sinning, God will never leave punishing: Hee might have desisted in the death of his first Son: but if that will not be, God will strike him in his youngest Son, and sweepe away all betweene: for so wee must understand it, that both elder, and younger, and all should die.
Now for the judgement it selfe. He shall lay the foundation thereof, in his First-borne.
There is some proportion between the Punishment proportionable to the sin.judgement, and the sin. The sin was to raise up a building, a cursed Citie contrary to Gods will: The punishment is in pulling dow ea mans owne building: for Children (according to the Hebrew word) are the building, the Pillars of the house; and since he would rais… up a foundation, and building contrary to Gods mind, God would pull up his foundation. Cities are said to have life, and to grow, and to have their pitch, and then to die like men: And indeed they doe, observing onelyonly a proportion of time, they are of longer continuance: but otherwise Cities live and grow, and die, and have their period as men have. Now he that would give life to a Citie, that God would have buried in its owne ruines, God would have his sonnes die, hee would have his sons (as it were) buried under the ruins of that Citie, that he would build in spight of God, that would give life to that Citie that was cursed. Oft times we may reade our very sins in our punishments, there is some proportion. But to goe on to the particulars. He shall lay the foundation in his First-born.
A heavie judgement; because the First-borne, Death of the First-borne a great judgement.as you know he saith of Reuben, he was his strength, and he was King, and Priest in the Family: the First-borne had a double portion; hee was redeemed with a greater price (as wee see in Moses Law) then other sonnes. It was a heavie judgement to have his First-borne smitten in this fashion, to be taken away.
If any aske why God was so severe, that hee Why God sometimes punisheth parents in their children.did not punish Hiel in himselfe, but take away his children, it may seeme against reason.
But we must not dispute with God: for wee must know that God hath the supream power, of life and death.
Then we must know againe, that children …re part of their Parents, God punisheth the parents in their children: and it is a heavier punishment oft times in their esteeme, then in themselves: for they thinke to live, and continue in their children; now when they see their children tooke away, it is worse then death; men oft times live, to see things worse …hen death, as those that see their children killed before them, as Zedechias, and Mauritius the Emperour: for indeed it is a death oft. A man dies in every child, this man hee died in his eldest son, and he died in his youngest son; he died in regard of the apprehension of death, it was more sharpe in apprehension, then when he died himselfe. So it is a heavie judgement to be stricken in our children: God when hee wil punish, he punisheth oft times in posterity; As we see it was the most terrible judgement of all upon Pharaoh, that in his First-borne, God drew them all to let Israel goe out, when He smote their First-borne: It is a heavie judgement for a man to be stricken in his First-born, either when they are dissolute, and debauch▪ ed, and lawlesse, (for God hath judgements for the soule, as well as for the body) or else when they are taken out of the world.
But thirdly, which is very likely another reason that moved God (that we may justifie God, in all our sentence, that we give of him) hee tooke them away, because they imit… their father in ill; and God hath a liberty … strike when he will, when there is cause; and whom hee will, he will spare for so many Generations.
You will say, why doth he light on such … Quest.Generation? and why not on such a place?
It is his liberty, and prerogative, when … Answ.deserve it, and hee lights upon one, and … upon another: we must not quarrel with God, but leave him to his liberty; it is a part of … prerogative, Who art thou oh man that dis… test? Why God, when all are equally … strikes one, and not another, why he exec… judgements in one age, and not in another: there may bee reasons given of it, but it is … mysterie that must not be disputed; but I cannot stand on these things. Hee shall lay the foundation thereof in his First-borne, and in his youngest Sonne set up the Gates thereof.
This terrible sentence wee see executed … 1 King. 16. 34. In Achabs time, there was 1 King. 16. 34.one so venterous, as to build Iericho againe. There is an accent to be set upon that, that it was in Achabs time. Hiel would needs build Iericho againe, and why should hee build it? Hiel no doubt saw it a wondrous commodious place to found a Citie, being near to Iordan: And then he saw, and considered that it was accounted a famous thing to be founder of a …itie. And then no doubt he thought, that …hab would not only permit him to doe it, but …ould gratifie him: wicked Ahab, which had …ld himselfe to worke wickednesse; that was … abhominable Idolater himselfe, and coun…nanced Idolatry, and had set up the false …orship of B…al; it was likely enough in his …me that Iericho should bee built; and there…ore no doubt, but he did it partly to insinuate …imselfe with Ahab. And to shew how little …e cared for Iosua's, or Iehova's threatning, as …sually such impudent persons that are grown up with greatnesse, that have sold themselves to be naught, that have put off all humanity, and modesty; they are fittest to carry wicked, and desperate causes, being agreeable to them: so this wicked person was a fit man to doe this, and he thought to please Ahab by it.
Man is a strange crea…ure, especially in greatnesse of riches, or place, &c. A piece of earth that will be puffed up, if he have flatterers, and sycophants about him, and a proud heart withall; hee will forget, and dare the God of heaven, and trample under foot all threatnings, and menaces whatsoever. As this wicked Hiel, rather then he will misse of his will, hee will breake through thick, and thin, and redeeme the fulfilling of his will, with the losse of his owne soule, and of his children, his First-borne, and his last, and all, Mens mihi pro regno, let a man be happy in his will, hee cares not for all the world; if he may have his will, … all goe upon heapes: this is the nature of ma… One would thinke that this threatning migh… have scarred a man that had loved himselfe, … his posterity: but nothing would keepe hi… hee would venture upon it, as wee see in … place, 1 King. 16. Thus wee have passed ov… the words.
To come to handle the words by way of The words handled by way of Analogie.Analogie, how they may agree to other thing… by way of proportion, and in a spirituall mysticall sense.
There are divers degrees of men, that venter upon curses, and thereupon grow to be cursed Men build Iericho againe.themselves, even as this man ventered upon the building of Iericho, so there be many tha… doe the like in a proportionable kind. I shall name some few.
God did determine, that the Iewish Ceremonies By retaining Iewish Ceremonies.should determine, and have an end and period: Now in Saint Pauls time, there were many that would put life into them, and joyne them with the Gospel. Saint Paul tels them, Christ shall profit you nothing: Those are they that build Iericho againe, that revive, and put life into that, that God hath determined should never revive againe. When the Iewish Ceremonies were honourably interred, and laid in their graves, these men would raise them out of their graves againe, and so venter upon Gods curse, and bee excluded from Christ. These are one sort of men, that raise Iericho againe. And so afterwards in the Church, …here were those that would build up Iericho, …hat would still retaine Iewish Ceremonies, …nd Heathenish in the Church, and some at the …irst with no ill minds. But then afterwards, as Augustine complaines, they so pestered the August.Church, with Iewish and Heathenish Ceremonies, that the Iewes condition was better then theirs; for these things should have beene buried. Gerson, that had many good things in him, though he lived in ill times: Oh saith he, good Augustine, Dost thou complaine of those times? what wouldest thou have said, if thou hadst lived now? What is Popery, but a masse of Iewish, and heathenish Ceremonies, besides some Blasphemies that they have? I speake concerning what they differ from ours, which are decent and orderly; what a masse of Ceremonies, and fooleries have they, to mislead men that are taken away with fancies to distaste the truth of God, and to have respect to fancies, to outward pompe, and gorgeous things, rather then the Gospel? These men build up Iericho againe, and bury the Gospel as much as they can.
There are another sort of men, that raise up 2 By reviving old heresies.Iericho, that revive all the heresies that were damned to Hell, by the ancient Councels. The heresie of Pelagius, was damned to Hell by the ancient Councels: The Affrican Councels, divers of them, divers Synods (wherein Augustine himselfe was a partie) they condemned Pelagius heresie. Are there not men now abroad, that will revive these heresies? And there must be expected nothing, but a curse, where this prevailes: for they are opinions cursed by the Church of God, that have bi… lead by the Spirit of God heretofore, such opinions I meane, as speake meanly of the grace of God, as if it were a weak thing, and advance the strength of Free-will, and make an Idoll of that; And so under the commendation, and setting up of nature, are enemies of grace: These are those that build up Iericho.
There are a company that build up Iericho 3 By breaking statutes and wils.likewise, persons that wil venter upon the … of Founders of Colledges, &c. those that have left Statutes, and Testaments, and Wils, established, and sealed them with a curse, as it were against the Breakers of them; yet some make no more bones of breaking these, either Statutes or Wils, then Sampson did of breaking his coards; as if they would venter upon the curse of former times, and persons that very likely were led by the Spirit of God, and could say Amen to their curses, as if they were nothing like Hiel, that would venter upon the terrible curse of Iosua, come what would, hee would breake through all.
But the Iericho especially, that a world of 4 By upholding Popery.people goe about to build againe, is Popery. How many have yee to build up the wals of Iericho againe in this kind? But to make this a little clearer, because the occasion leads to this something, I will be the larger in it.
How came they to build these wals of Iericho? Quest.by what meanes came this Religion, that is so opposite to the Religion of the Scripture, this Religion, that was gathered by the Coun cell of Trent into one Sea (as it were) that whosoever drinkes of it dies, as it is in the Revelation: how comes this Religion? how crept it into the world?
I could be long to shew that it came by degrees, Answ. How Popery sprang up.while the Husband men slept, then the Devill sowed his tares by Hereticks, and such like: It grew by degrees. And then the world was scarred, and terrified with shewes, and fancies; as with the succession of Peter, that is a meere fancie; and then they were frighted with Excommunications, the terrible sentence of the Church. And then againe it is a kingdome of darkenesse, Poperie is; by little and little they brought in Ignorance, not only of the Scriptures, but of other things, they had their prayers in an unknowne tongue, forbidding the Scriptures, and the like. In the night they might doe what they would, when they had put out the Candle; when they had buried the knowledge of the word of God, they might bring in any heresie, many wayes they came in.
Now the preaching of the Gospel, is the How it is pulled downe.meanes to pull downe these wals of Iericho, it is the going about the wals of Iericho: By the preaching of Luther, and others, the wals have fallen, though not utterly: yet notwithstanding, in the last hundred yeares there hath beene a great ruine of Popery.
What meanes have they now to build the wals againe? How they bestir themselves: Quest.there is a new sect of Iesuits, that are the spirit of the Devill for knowledge, and industry, it is a strange project they have now to build up the wals of Iericho againe, and 3. things they have in their project, and these are, to set up the Pope againe, and a Catholike King under him, as he is the Catholike Head of the Church: and to set up the Councell of Trent in the … vigour: these are the maine projects they labour to set up, and so to build Iericho againe this way, and what cou…se doe they take?
The Devill hath a thousand wiles, I cannot Answ. How this Jeri cho is built againe.reckon all the Instruments of Sathan, who can tell all his wiles? They goe about to build the wals of Iericho againe among other wayes,
By shutting out of all light, by their terrible Inquisition, a most cruell thing; by the tyrannie of this Inquisition they shut out a… light of Gods truth in all places, where Po… pery is established.
Then againe they have all Sathans arts to build up Iericho, by slanders, and lies; they labour to estrange the hearts of people, what they can against the truth of Religion; and therefore they raise all the lies, and slanders they can; nay and they will not suffer so much as a Protestant Writer to bee named; but the …ame of such a one say they bee blotted out… …hen they have their Index Purgatorius, to …urge all, that savour of truth, that favour our …ause. And then they have their Dispensations. And (to cut off other things, for where should … end?) indeed their policie is almost endlesse …n this kind, they have the quintessence of their …owne wit, and of Sathans, to sharpen them in this kind.
They deale as the Magicians of Egypt, when Moses came to doe wonders, they imitated him in all the rest, except in one: so they strengthen themselves much in imitating the Protestants. Wee labour to build the wals of Ierusalem, they imitate us in building the wals of Iericho. We preach, to shake off drowsinesse, and they fall a preaching. Wee print, and they print. Wee publish bookes of devotion, they goe beyond us. Wee set out books of Martyrologie, to shew the cruelty of them, and they have lost much by that; hereupon they do so too, and aggravate things, and adde their owne lies. So by imitating our proceedings, wherein we have gained upon them, they like the Egyptian Magicians doe the like, and God hardens their hearts, as he did Pharaoh's, by the Magicians.
Againe, by labouring to make divisions, between Kings and their subjects, what they can in those places, where their Religion hath not obtained ground, that they may get a party they cherish division like the Devill, they divide and rule.
It was Iulians policie, to provide that n… Christian should beare any office in the war… to be Captaine, &c. So if the Iesuits and Papists may have their will, no man that is opposite to them, shall have any place; those th… shall have the place to manage offices, and suc… like, shall be those that incline to them: th… they bring to passe, if they can; and so … Captaines in the wars, &c. As Iulian the Apostate, he cared not for Iudaisme, but did wh… he did, out of spight to the Christians: so … the most of their plots thus they worke … way or other. I say there is no end of their plots, only it is good to know them; for so we may the better prevent them.
How shall the building up of Iericho be stopped, seeing they goe about it so: and indee… Quest.they have built much of late yeares, and ha… raised up their wals very high, and labo… what they can to stop the building of Ierus… lem?
The way to stop this Iericho, that it nev… Answ. How to stop the building of this Iericho.goe up againe, is the judicious knowledge … Popery, that it is a Religion contrary to the blessed truth of God. God hath left us hi… Testament, his Will, wherein he hath be que… thed us all the good that wee can challenge from him. Now this Religion is contrary … our Fathers will; and they know it we… 1 Knowledge of their tenents.enough, and therefore they build their co…s upon mens devises, and not upon divine …th. They know if people come to know the …estament, that they should loose, and there…re they labour to suppresse knowledge, and …xtinguish it; wee should labour to know the …ontroversiall truths betweene us, and them, …nd to have the knowledge of the Scriptures: …or knowledge is a notable meanes to streng…hen us; there are none that know Popery; …hat will be deceived by it.
And then, together with the knowledge of 2 Of their practise 2 …im. 4.…heir tenents, to know their courses, and pra…tises, and policie, in 2 Tim. 4. They shall pre…aile no longer (saith Saint Paul) for their mad…esse shall be made manifest. Why shall they not prevaile any longer? their madnesse shall bee manifest: so that the manifesting of the madnesse of men, is the cause why they shall prevaile no longer. It were good to know al their …ndermining tricks, and all the policie of the Iesuits, and Papists, that lay their traines a farre off, that they may be the lesse seene: As the Spider gets into a corner, that she appear not; so themselves will not appeare; but they draw women, and other licentious persons, and they have greater then them too: so they lay their traines a farre off, that they may have their will: It is good to know their devilish practises, that so their diabolicall madnesse may be manifest, that so they may prevaile no longer: for undoubtedly, if their courses were laid open, there is no man that loves his owne safety, and the safety of the Kingdome but would hate them.
Another way to stop the building of Ieric… is to have young ones instructed. I would Parents 2 To instruct young ones in grounds of divinity.would have more care of catechising▪ and others in their places, would have more care of grounding young ones in the ground of Religion. Popery labours to overthrow that: for the worshipping of Images, it is directly against the second Commandement, and they are só guilty of it, that they take it away in some of their bookes. The young… sort that are the hope of the succeeding Church should be well grounded in Religion: that that is right, will discover that that is crooked, it would make them impregnable against all Popish solici ations.
The neglect of this, is the cause why many Gentlemen, and of the Nobility; the neglect of their education by those that should over looke them, hath made them fit for Iesuits▪ and Priests to work on, having ripe wi…s otherwise; And al because of the Atheisme of those that have neglected their breeding, and filled their heads with other vanities, it hath beene the ruine of many families in this Kingdome; therefore it is good to season younger yeares with the knowledge of the grounds of Religion.
And in all the darke corners of the land to 3 To set up lights in darke place.set up lights that may shine; for these Owles fly in the darke, they cannot endure the light of the Gospel by any meanes, they see the …reath of Gods mouth is too hot for them, and …ey must be consumed at length by that, by …e preaching of the Gospel; not with the word, but with the sword of Christs mouth, …ntichrist must especially be consumed; and …ey know this by experience, therefore they …bour under hand (they will not bee seene in …; but oft times others are Instruments more …en they are aware) to stop the preaching of …e Gospel, by all the policie they can.
Againe (as I said before) Popery is a King…ome 4 To cherish good learning.of darkenesse, and nothing will undoe … but light: therefore wee should labour to …errish all good learning; it is a notable …eanes to assist against Popery. Iulian knew …at well enough: therefore he would not suf…er Parents to send their children to Schoole, …ut to be brought up in Ignorance: And so …apists would have a neglect of learning, that …ight helpe this way.
And because they labour to reigne in divi…on, let us labour to unite our selves, and not 5 To labour for Vnity.…reakeupon small matters, but to joyne toge …her with one shoulder, as one man, against …hat malignant Generation; and marke those …mong us, that are the causes of division, as the Apostle saith, Marke them, they serve not Christ, but their owne bellies, they serve their …wne turnes that reigne in division. Let us la…our as much as may be, if wee will joyne …rongly against the enemies of God, and his Church, to unite our forces together, and no… to entertaine slight matters of breach on… from another.
And with these, let us joyne our prayers to 6 To be thankefull.God, and our thankesgiving; wee are not thankefull enough, that God hath brought us out of the Kingdome of darkenesse; not only out of the darkenesse of sin, and Sathan; b… from the darkenesse of Poperie. We have no… beene thankefull to God for that Deliveran… in Queene Elizabeths time, out of the Egyptia… darkenesse, and the Deliverance in our la… Kings time, and deliverances in later times▪ wee are not thankefull enough; and we beg… to shew it, in not making much of Religion▪ and growing in further, and further obedienc… of Religion. Is this our thankefulnesse t… God? what doth Religion hurt us? are … not beholding to God for our Religion, and t… Religion for our peace, and Deliverance … hath not God witnessed the truth of our Religion from Heaven by Deliverances? hath no… God beene with us strangely, by the confusio… of the plots of others? and how doe wee … quite it? by growing to a luke-warme temper. A luke-warme temper is odious in th… sight of God. I would thou wert hot or cold, saith Christ. The best Religion in the world is odious, if it be cold; God will not indure us t… joyne the Arke and Dagon, Christ and Belial. Certainely, if we doe, God will spue … all out; it will be the confusion of the Church d State; and yet this is the thankefulnesse …at we give to God, for the Gospel of peace, …at wee have beene so much beholding to …im for.
Therefore it is good to take occasions, as …ee have one ministred this day, to call to …ind the former dealing of God to us, in the …un-powder-treason, and other Deliverances; …hich wee have had severall occasions upon …is day to speake of. And (to come neerer …ur selves) let us stirre up our hearts to thank…ulnesse, which is the maine end of this day; …nd among the rest for our gracious Prince, …hat God hath delivered him as the 3. Chil…ren in the fierie Furnace, they were kept, and …reserved untouched of the fire: so God hath …reserved him in the fiery Furnace. The not …eing thankefull for these things, will bee a …eanes for God to lay us open to his, and our …nemies. Therefore let us make use of this …ay, especially to stirre us up to thankfulnesse. To goe on.
For the building of the wals of Iericho 7 To set against our corruptions.what should I speake of Popery, and the like? We should labour to overthrow that Iericho. All of us have vowed in Baptisme, to fight against the world, and the Devill, and the maine Enemy of all that is within us, that is our flesh: we could not be hurt by them, wee betray our selves, as Sampson betrayed himselfe to Dali…ah. Those that are baptised, and especially that have renewed their vowes by solemn fasting, and renewed their Covenant, in taking the Communion; as there are none of us all▪ but have vowed against our corruptions, and sins, in Baptisme, and have renewed their solemne vowes in the Communion, and in publike fasting: Well, when wee goe about to strengthen our corruptions, and the corruptions of the times, in the places where we live; what doe we goe about? to build the wals of Iericho againe: what doe we goe about, but to strengthen that that God hath cursed? There is nothing under Heaven so cursed, as this corruption of ours, that is the cause of all the curses of the creatures; of all the curses that ever were, or shall bee, even to the last curse, Goe yee Cursed to eternall destruction. This Pride, and Sensuality, and secret Atheisme, and Infidelity, that we cherrish, and love more then our owne soules; this is that, that many goe about to build, and oppose all the wayes that are used to pull downe Iericho: and ha…e nothing so heartily, as the motions of Gods Spirit, and the meanes that Gods Spirit hath sanctified, to pull downe these wals of Iericho.
Must not this be a cursed Indeavour, when wee goe about to build, that that wee our selves have vowed to pull downe? when wee goe about to raise that, that we have formerly destroyed by our owne vowes? As Saint Paul saith, Gal. 2. If I againe build the things I have destroyed, I make my selfe a transgressor. Indeed when we goe about to build the things that we have vowed their destruction, wee make our …lves transgressors.
Let us take notice of the wondrous poyson, …nd rebellion of the corruption of our hearts …n this kind. Hath not the Lord threatned …urse upon curse, against many particular sins? …ursed is the man that cals evill good, and good …vill; have we not many that doe so? In Deu…ronomie there is curse upon curse, to those …hat mislead others. And in the New Testa …ient there is curse upon curse: Saint Paul …hreatneth, that such and such shall not enter …nto the Kingdome of Heaven; yet not with…tanding the Curse, we goe about to build Ieri…ho againe, to set up that that God hath pronounced a Curse upon.
Wee cry out against Popery, and well wee may, when the Scripture directs curses against their particular opinions, as where it …aith, If an Angell from Heaven, shall teach other doctrine, let him be accursed. The Coun… cell of Trent hath cursed those that s…y tradi tions are not of equall authority with the Scriptures, and so they set curse against curse. Wee wonder at them, that they are not af aid of the curse of God, nay to countercurse God as it were; when he curseth disobedience, to curse the practise of obedience to him. And then there is a curse to those that shall adde or take away from the Scripture. Saint Iohn seales the whole Scripture with a Curse. Cursed is hee that adds, or takes away, &c. Now they adde to the Scripture that that is no Scripture; and they take away what they list, as the second Commandement, and the Cup in the Sacrament, I say wee wonder at them, tha… they will run upon the curses, that they wil be stricken through with so many curses, more then Absalom with Iavelins, or Acha… with stones, Cursed is hee that worshippeth graven Im… ges; besides particular things that are cursed in Scripture: Wee wonder at them that they are so desperately blind to run on. But are no… wee as ill? are there not many curses in the Scripture, and denunciations of being excluded from the Kingdome of God, against the courses that are taken by many men? and ye… wee venter on it. Will a negative Religion bring any man to Heaven, to say he is no Papist, nor no Schismatick? No, certainly, therefore prophane persons that maintain corruptions, and abuses, and abhominations, against the light of conscience, and nature, and Scriptures, they raise up Iericho againe, and they are under a curse.
Let mee aske any one why Christ came? Application concerning the feast of the nativity.The Apostle saith (and they will be ready to say) To dissolve the cursed workes of the Devill▪ It should seeme by many notwithstanding, especially at these times, that he came to establish the workes of the Devill: for what good we doe in the Ministerie, in three quarters of a yeare, it is almost undone in one quarter; At the time when wee pretend great honour to Christ, wee live as if he came to build up the …ursed wals of Hell, to breake loose all. Whereas hee came to destroy the workes of …e Devill: Hee came to redeeme us out of the …ands of our enemies, that wee might serve him …ithout feare, in holinesse and righteousnesse all the …ayes of our life, He came to redeeme us from …ur vaine conversation: nay, many live as if …ee came to give liberty to all conversation. …s not this to raise Iericho? to raise a fort for …athan, to enter into our soules, and keep pos…ession in us? to beat out God, and his Spirit? …o fight against our knowne salvation, when we reare up courses contrary to Christs comming in the flesh, and to the end of Christs dying for us, which was to free us from our …aine conversation, and to redeeme us from the world, that we should not be lead as slaves to the customes of the world.
Therefore let us consider what we do, what To consider our course of life.…our course of life is, if it be a proceeding, and …edification, and building up our selves more, and more to Heaven, a growing in knowledge, and in holy obedience, to the divine truths we know; if it be a pulling downe of sinne more and more, a going further, and further out of the Kingdome of darkenesse, and a setting our selves at a gracious liberty to serve God; oh! it is a happy thing, if it be so: if our life be a taking part with Christ, and his Spirit, and his Ministerie, to grow in grace and piety; oh! it is an excellent thing when wee grow better; the longer wee live in the world, and this cursed Iericho, the corruption of nature (which if wee cherrish, will bee the cause of an eternall curse after) if it goe downe, and we r…ine it more, and more, and we suffer the word to beat downe the forts of Sathan, those strong Imaginations, &c. But if our life be nothing else but a living answerable to our lusts; that as wee are dead, and cursed by nature, so wee make our selves twise dead, a hundred times dead by sinne, and bring curse upon curse by our sinfull conversation; wee are then under Gods broad seale cursed. Wee are all borne accursed, til we get out of the state of nature, to free us from which, Christ became a curse; if wee get not out of this, but goe on, and feed our vanity, and corruption, what will bee the end of it, but an eternall cursr afterwards? Therefore let us consider what we doe, when we maintaine, and cherish corruptions, and abuses in our selves, and others; We build that that God hath cursed, wee build that that wee have vowed against our selves.
And how will God take this at the houre of death? thou that art a carelesse drowsie hearer of the word of God, and a liver contrary to the word of God; how will God take this at thee, at the houre of death, when thy conscience will tell thee, that thy life hath beene a practise of sin, a strengthning of corruption? The old Adam that thou hast cherished, it will stare, and looke on thee with so hideous a looke that it will drive thee to despaire. For conscience will tell thee, that thy life hath bin a strengthning of pride, of vanity, of covetousnesse, and of other sins, thy whole life hath beene such; and now when thou shouldst looke for comfort, then thy corruptions, which thou shouldest have subdued, they are growne to that pitch, that they will bring thee to despaire, without the extraordinary mercy of God to awaken thy heart by repentance. Why therefore should we strengthen that that is a curse, and will make us cursed too? and will make the time to come terrible to us, the houre of death, and the day of judgement? How shall men thinke to hold up their faces, and heads at the day of judgement, whose lives have beene nothing else, but a yielding to their owne corruption of nature, and the corruptions, and vanities of the times, and places they have lived in? that have never had the courage to plead for God, that have beene fierce against God, Who ever was fierce against God, and prospered? When men make their whole life fierce against God, against the admonitions of his word, and Spirit, and their whole life is nothing but a practise of sinne; how can they thinke of death, and judgement without terrour?
Now it were wisedome for us, to carry our selves so in our lives, and conversations, that the time to come may not bee terrible, but comfortable to thinke of; that wee may lift up our heads with joy, when wee thinke of death, and judgement: but when we doe nothing but build Iericho; when we raise up sin, that wee should ruine more, and more, what will the end of this be, but despaire here, and destruction in the world to come?
You may shake off the menaces, and threatnings Christs sentence unavoidable.of the Ministers, as Hiel shooke off I… suah's; he was an austere, singular man, and it is a long time since Iericho was cast downe, and God hath forgotten; hath hee so? hee found that God had not forgotten. So there are many that thinke, that words are but wind of men, opposite to such, and such things: but though our words may bee shooken off now, and the word of God now in the preaching, may be shooke off; yet it will not when it comes to execution. When wee propound the curse of God against sinfull courses, you may shake off that curse: but when Christ from Heaven shall come to judge the quick, and the dead, and say, Goe yee cursed, that were borne cursed, that have lived cursed, that have maintained a cursed opposition to blessed courses; that have not built up your owne salvation, but your corruptions, you that loved cursing, Goe yee cursed to Hell fire, with the Devill and his Angels for ever: will you shake off that? No, no, howsoever our ministeriall in r…aties, may be shaken off: yet when God shall come to judge the quicke, and the dead, that eternall threatning shall not be shaken off. Therefore I beseech you, consider not so much what wee say now, but what God will make good then, What wee bind on earth, cut of the warrant of Gods booke, Shall be bound in Heaven, and God will say Amen, to that wee say agreeable to his word.
Thinke not light of that wee speake: for To tremble at Gods word.God will make good every word, hee is Iehovah, he will give being to every word. Hee is not only merciemercy, but justice (we make an Idol of him else) and wee must fea…e him in his justice. He loves to dwell with such as are of a contrite Spirit, that tremble at his word.
It is said of David, that when Vzzah was stricken, he trembled. Hiel, and such kind of persons regard not the threatnings of God, but goe on, and treasure up wrath. It is a signe of a wicked man to heare the menaces, and threatnings, and not to tremble. To end all with two places of Scripture; saith Moses, He that heares these things, and blesseth himselfe, my wrath shall smoke against him. Gods wrath shall smoake, and burne to hell against such a one as blesseth himselfe, that knowes he is cursed under the seale of God, that doth ill, and yet hee blesseth himselfe in doing ill: therefore take heed of that, adde not that to the rest, Gods wrath will smoake against such a one. And you know what Saint Paul saith, Rom. 2. If thou goe on and treasureup wrath, thou buildest Iericho, that thou hast vowed the destruction of. Every time thou takest the Communion, thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath. For there will be a day of the manifestation of the just wrath of God, and then these things will be laid to thy charge.
Let us every one labour to get out of the state of nature, to breake off our wicked lives, and to get into Christ the blessed seed, and then we shall be blessed, we shall be made free, free from the curse of nature, and of sin. Let us renew our Covenants against all sinne, and make conscience to bee lead by the Spirit of Christ, that wee may gather sound Evidence every day, that wee are in Christ, and so out of the Curse.
THE SVCCESSEFVLL SEEKER. In tvvo Sermons, on PSALME 27. 8.
BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine, RICH. SIBBS. Doctor in Divinity, Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE.
1 CHRON. 16. 11.
Seeke yee the Lord, and his strength: seeke his face continually.
LONDON, Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne, at the Royall Exchange, and R. Harford, at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row. 1639.