of mans redemption 2. the typing figuring of it by the ceremonies of the Law Leviticall sacrifices 3. The merite efficacie of it And last that very act it selfe when his body was at Golgotha affixed to the Crosse. Now althogh this act of his suffring was in the last time yet in the decree and ordinance of GOD it was from the beginning In the ceremonies of the Law he was typically slain before their eies the merite and efficacie of his death extended the selfe to all that was safe from the beginning and doth extend to all that shall be safe to the end of the world These words of the promise of taking away sinne and iniquity being narrowly looked into you will finde they containe these necessary points that thou must know and beleeue in this comfortable Article of the remission of sinnes as heere you are led to consider 1. the Author of the benefite I will take them away sayth the Lord. Sin being the offence of God none hath power to forgiue or take away his offence but himselfe And whereas God is the Author of this benefite then hath it these properties First it is sure Secondly perfect Thirdly it is vnchangeable and neuer commeth vnder revocation Thy memory may forget thy sinnes for a while and cast them vp againe thy conscience may loose feeling of them and cast them vp againe But if God take them away they shall neuer meet thee neither to thy shame heere nor condemnation after this A necessary point of tryall for men to examine what way they are made quite of their bypast sinnes For although thou haue drowned them in oblivion and put them away in forgetfulnes yet are they not soundly taken away till GOD take them away that thou be able to say God for Iesus Christ his sake hath forgiuen me them Secondly in these words is pointed out vnto vs the meanes by which remission of sins is obtained and that is cleare by ioyning these words with the former He said before I will graue the Stone I will sinke it deeply I will lay great weight of suffering vpon the back of my Sonne What then shall follow vpon it this same gracious effect I laide this great burden of pain vpon him that I may take off the great burdens of iniquity The meane is then whereby remission of sins is purchased his bloody Passion the grauing of the Stone his painfull sufferings If you aske at Iohn in his first Epistle and first Chapter how men are freed of their sinnes he will answere you The Blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes If you aske at Peter in his first Epistle and first Chapter how and by what meanes we are redeemed he will tell you not with gold nor siluer but with the precious Blood of the Sonne of God And if there were no more but this Sinners are sent to rest vpon Iesus Christ and his Blood because it is the onelie meane of our reliefe which GOD himselfe hath devised and found out I wil saith he graue the Stone and by that meanes take away all thy iniquitie He that wold present to Gods eye any other thing meritorious of the remission of his sinnes but this graven Stone Iesus Christ crucified he must remaine comfortleffe if it were for no other way but this he misknoweth that way of his peace which GOD himself hath devised and appointed Thirdly in these wordes of the promise wee are to consider of the persons to whom belongeth this great benefite of taking away their iniquitie And it is heere said The iniquity of all the Land A generall to be restrained to the Church and people of God the eyes of whose faith as was said of before shal be fastened vpon this Stone Thus saith Esay in his 33 Chapter The people that dwell therein meaning of the Church shall haue their sins forgiuen And in his 62 Chapter They shal be called an holy people the redeemed of the Lord a citie soght out and not forsaken By the Arke of Noah which was a type of the Church It was told vs none would bee safe but they that are within the compasse of the Church And now the builder of the Church saw this and therefore made a good prayer for his son Iaphet God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Sem that is make him a member of the Church to whom this promise is made I will take away all thy iniquitie Fourthly to make this comfort that is in the promise of remission of sinnes firme sure he doth not giue to sin the common word of sin but hee giueth it a name more expressing the weight of it and calleth it iniquitie Wherein he would allure vs to apprehend the comfort of the promise this way Let no man by reason of his sinne iniquitie despaire when he considereth these two things First It is I saith the Lord of hostes that am the doer that taketh away iniquity come and reason with me Albeit thy sinnes be many and great is it not easie to mee to take them away I that said to Light and to all the rest of the Creatures let them bee I that can fold vp the heauens as a garment cannot I make thy iniquities passe away Esay was lamenting his impuritie and crying Woe is me But how easie was it to the Lord to send him comfort when an Angell with a slight came to him with a coale taken from the Altar touching his lips telling him that his sin was taken frō him The thief that did hang on the right side of Christ had experience of this who hauing vttered but a few words of remors for his sin his iniquitie was instantly taken away his soul made ready for the Paradise of God 2. As looking to God the Author of this work men should not despair So considering the medicine how pretious it is how can sinners distrust go away comfortlesse here is a stone deeply grauen much blood shed And whereas one drop of that precious blood being the Blood of GOD might haue bin a ransome for all the world behold streames of blood flowing frō him that thou may euer therein as it were bath thy soule And although thy sins were neuer so great yet heere is the medicine so large it goeth beyond and aboue all Last of all you would mark here the phrase of speaking vsed heere I will saith the Lord take away the iniquity of the Land In the former Chapter speaking to Iehoshua he said to him I haue caused thy iniquity to passe from thee God is said to take away our sinnes when for the merite and suffering of his Sonne he accounteth of them as if they had neuer beene committed And to ingraue this consolation in the hearts of penitent and beleeuing sinners divers phrases and sundry forms of speeches are vsed by God in Scripture
am his childe need not to feare Secondly nothing can come to me that is euill because I am Christs and he will suffer no euill as euill to come neere thee Thirdly nothing comming to me can separate me from the loue of God in Iesus Christ. The third thing pointed at in these words of the comparison is the sweet repast that the members of Christ find in him and this is expressed by two trees the Fig-tree and the Vine The one is meat and the other is drinke the meat is sweet the drink is comfortable So all the members of Christ haue in him and by him sweet repast and feeding not onely for necessity but also for delectation not onely meat for their hunger but Physick and medicine for all their sicknesses and diseases If any man sayth Christ to the Church of Laodicea open vnto me when I knock I will come in vnto him and suppe with him and he with me where by supping is signified two things First the great familiaritie of the Christian soule with Christ. Secondly the feeding and nourishment of the soule with Christ and vpon his Passion and merite Heere by comparison frō earthly things our feeding vpon him is resembled He is to vs both the Fig-tree and the Vine meat and drinke He is compleat and perfite nourishment to the soule 2. he is to vs the Fig-tree no fruit so sweet to the bodily taste As the apprehension of Iesus Christ and his merites to the forgiuenes of sin is sweet to the soule he is to vs the Vine-tree No such strength or refreshment can come of the Wine to a wearied and languishing body as is the strength and comfort which commeth of the Blood of Christ to a wearied soule loadened with the burden of sin Thirdly he is to vs the Fig-tree and the Vine both meat and medicine meate to feed vs medicine to cure our disease And therefore vsing this same comparison the Church saith to him in the second Chapter of the Canticles Stay me with thy flagons and comfort me with thy apples for I am sick of Loue. The vses of this point of doctrine are first Seeke thy perfection in Christ onely and rest vpon him as thy onely and perfect Saviour in whom is thy perfect nourishment and all that thou standest in need of that in so doing thou mayst be able to meet that heauenly Oracle of the Father sounded from Heauen As he hath said he is my welbeloued Son in whom I am well pleased so thou mayst say In him my soule hath perfect contentment and satisfaction Secondly seeing nothing heere that concerneth the bodie and nourishment thereof can sufficiently shaddow out the sweetnes that is in CHRIST and of the food which the soule findeth in him And seeing he offereth himselfe to you in his Word and Sacraments Then learne to beleeve not because we say out of his Word it is so But because you your selues haue tasted and felt how sweet the Lord is And as the Queen of Seba comming to see Salomon found her sight to goe beyond all the report that she had receiued so if you your selues taste you shall finde the sweetnesse that is in CHRIST to bee aboue all that is reported thereof What sweetnes is in the Cup None but they that drinke truely of it can tell when the soule drinketh by faith the Blood of IESVS CHRIST to the full remission of sins and perfect reconciliation with God Thirdly the sicknesses and diseases of the soule are many but here is medicine for all Hardnesse of heart a great disease There is nothing to soften it but this medicine being bathed in the Blood of IESVS CHRIST that was shed for thy sins Spirituall sopor and drowsinesse is a great disease of the soule nothing so powerfull to waken it as to drinke of this wine euen the Blood of IESVS CHRIST The too quick and sharpe sense of sinne is a sicknes in the soule that may make a man very sad and dolorous there is nothing to restore him but these flagons this medicine of the death and sufferings of IESVS CHRIST Ardent thirst and desire to be rid of trouble yea and sometimes to bee dissolued is a paine in the soule O but sayth the Church stay me with thy flagons In the apprehension of Christ and his merits we rest contented with the gratious dispensation of our God Thus they that are members of the spirituall kingdome of Christ they find into him sweet comfortable repast and feeding And Christ is to them the Vine and the Figtree And now in the dayes of the preaching of the Evangell and ministring the Sacraments thereunto annexed is verified in our sight that which the Church sayth in the second Chapter of the Canticles The figtree putteth forth her greene figges and the Vines with their tender grapes giue a good smell Arise my loue my faire one and come away Let vs not shift nor make excuses but being so fairely invited let vs come to the Supper of the great King when all things are ready all that wee stand in need of or may render vs perfite delight Let each one of vs say with the Church there and say with the earnestnes of our soule Lord let vs heare thy voice for it is sweet let vs see thy face for it is comely There is a word heere yet that we would be remembred of lest any man should thinke this a doctrine of too great libertie as thogh we had no more adoe but come eat of Christs fruite and no fruit were ◅raued of vs no As Christ is compared to these trees so are we also in the Scripture compared to trees and to the Vinetree to the Fig-tree vpon which should grow fruit to the glory of him who hath called vs. These two cannot stand nor agree together that thou shouldest eat of the sweet figs of Christ and drinke of his comfortable wine And in his hunger offer him nothing but sowre grapes in his thirst giue him vineger and for food gall that is to meet all his desires of thy holy conversation with no other thing but with new sins and daylie offences by which he is continually grieued Remember therefore the Lord seeketh good fruit of you as trees planted in his owne garden If ye be like that fig-tree in the 13. Chapter of Luke that notwithstanding all the paines that is taken vpon it still remaineth barren and will yeeld no fruit at last there will passe from him a commandement to cut thee downe and in what Airth the tree falleth there it lyeth If it fall to the North it lyeth in the North if to the South it lyeth in the South Looke in what estate death overtaketh thee in that same estate shalt thou remaine for euer If thou fall in the cold North voide of that warming heat of the consolation of Iesus Christ in a cold and comfortles estate
proper effect thereof which is to transferre take away the sins of the people Of the suffrings of Christ there is heere two words 1. they were according to the determinat counsell and appointment of his Father for speaking of them he sayth I graue the grauing of this Stone 2. his suffrings were weighty and grievous if ye consider first the hand that laide them on it was the Hand of God angrie for the sinnes of man If yee consider next the manner and measure there was no light nor superficiall doing heere but it was a profound and deepe sinking and ingraving As for the first word albeit in the suffrings of Christ there were many agents and instruments The Deuils malice the Iewes rage Iudas treason Pilate his seeblenesse in yeelding to their vnreasonable desire the souldiers spight of whom he suffered many things yet this remaineth alwayes firme and sure Nothing befell vnto him but according to the determinate counsell and decree of his Father The Apostles althogh they were a long time very blind in the matter of his Kingdome and vnderstood not that his way to triumph was by the Crosse yet after his ascension hauing receiued according to his promise the Holy Ghost looke to the testimony that they gaue of his sufferings in the 4 of the Acts speaking to God in their prayer they say Against thy holy Child IESVS whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together but what to doe to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done Then heere is the Father giuing CHRIST to this suffering and CHRIST giuing himselfe which would be well marked and considered of vs for otherwise wee can haue no solide comfort of his Crosse. The Father giuing him he whose providence stretcheth it selfe to the meanest things of the earth without whose will a sparrow whereof two are solde for a farthing falleth not to the ground Thinke yee that without his speciall will and decree one drop of that blood which was more precious then all the Creatures of the world could fall to the ground CHRIST that sayth truely of himselfe The Father and I am one and If I please I may call for Legions of Angels to defend me from the malice of men Thinke ye that the power of the deuill or man could haue made him subiect to such pain if he had not willingly submitted himselfe to it That ye may therefore haue comfort in his suffring heare him tell you No man taketh my life from me but I yeeld it heartily and lay it downe willingly for your sake It is a great providence of God that ruleth the worke of his Sonnes suffering according to his determinate Counsell that heereby thou may learne to bow the knees of thy soule and worship him As GOD almighty who hauing made man of nothing was able when he had lost himselfe to finde out the way of his safety 2. As GOD infinitly wise that found out a way how his iustice might be satisfied and man also saued and so you may haue recourse to him still as that Fountaine of all good the streames of whose mercie are euer flowing and can neuer be dryed vp for heere mayst thou reason with the Apostle He that without thy knowledge and deseruing gaue his owne Sonne to indure such suffring for thee if thou hast gotten his Sonne and if thou be in him what can he deny thee that thou shalt aske in his Name But let vs consider in this word Behold I sayth the Lord of hostes doe graue the grauing of this Stone The weight and gravitie of the suffering of CHRIST In this worke of mans redemption there was no collusion betwixt the Father and the Sonne But the Father laying him before him as the obiect of his wrath by reason of our sinnes the burdens whereof he tooke vpon him he spareth him not he striketh at him and woundeth him deep and to the heart with the weapons of his wrath and iudgement and hee leaueth him not vntill his Iustice bee satisfied to the full he forbeareth him not nor suffereth him to get vp his Head till he hath payed the last farthing of the debt and say vpon the Crosse consummatum est The pleasure that our first Parents tooke in sinning hee payed well for them by paines and suffering For their wandring and lustful eyes lusting after that forbidden fruite his eyes shed many teares Their heads were lifted vp in pride against God his Head was crowned with a crown of thornes to the effusion of his Blood for their delicacie in their taste hee got vineger in his thirst to drinke But all this may be thought but external for their drinking of the cup of sin to the impoysoning of their soule he had a cup set to his Head of the hot wrath and anger of God which made him cry out Father if it be thy will let this cup depart frō me This is a doctrine would be marked of vs to tell vs 1. that man hauing sinned there is no remeed but the Iustice of God must be satisfied to the full Which satisfaction man not being able to make himselfe God taketh it of his own Son And therefore it is a cōfortles doctrine that would haue thee turne thy eyes any other way or would put in any thing betwixt the eye of thy soule that perfect satisfaction that he hath taken of his own Son for thee Secondly Christs suffering to the full the Hand of God lying vpon him and his wrath to the extremitie which made him a heauie soule yet his Fathers loue was not separat from him that oracle remained alwayes true He is my beloved Son his soule was neuer far from God but he is able in his greatest agonie to say My God my God And the like of this shall neuer come to passe in any man that shal be sent to suffer for his own sins for in Gods brest there is no spark of loue nor favor toward them that is an absolute sentence which can admit no mitigation Go ye to the devil his angels in their brest there is no spark of trust to say My God but a perpetuall desperation an eternall separation of the soule from God And therfore if the rich glutton is broght in being in hell pitying the souls of his brethren vpō earth Learne much more euerie one while it is time to pity your owne soules Heare Moyses and the Prophets heare Christ himselfe and while his Armes are stretched out runne vnto him that he may hide thee from the wrath of God saue thee from that place of torment where there is no cōfort nor end of paine Thirdlie all these suffrings of Christ althogh they are infinite in weight yet are they finite in time and therfore the loue of his Father and his hard handling
the voice of the world nor of any thing that is in the world that will bring quietnes It is the voice of IESVS CHRIST come from Edom with his red garments dyed in his Blood that quieteth the heart saying peace be vnto thee And no rest to a disquieted soule till she come to take vp this voice and say I know it is the voice of my beloued The great end of Christs comming in the world was to deliuer men from feare and put them to rest Before this peace come to a man where can hee turne him or what way can hee looke but he hath cause of great feare If he looke vp he hath cause of great feare is not God his enemy Is it not a fearefull thing to fall in his hands who is a consuming fire The man that is not in Christ and partaker of this peace how dare he looke to God If he looke below hath he not matter of feare for hell enlargeth it selfe and openeth the mouth wide If he looke behinde him hath he not matter of feare for then is the multitude of his by-past sinnes following him like an armie If he looke before him hath hee not matter of feare for O how fearefull is death to a man that is not reconciled with God If he looke to the creatures either aboue or beneath what hath he but matter of feare for how can they be in friendship with him who is not in friendship with their GOD and Creator But a man comming to Iesus Christ and by a true faith ingraft in him as a branch in the stock He hath peace within that passeth vnderstanding When he looketh to God in Christ he is his Father and so he is at peace with him his Father to whom he may safely trust commit himselfe to whom in his end and at his death he may say Father into thy hands I commit my spirit When he looketh to hell it troubleth not his peace because there is registrat in his soule this sentence infallible There is no condemnation to me that am in Iesus Christ. When he looketh to his sins they may appeare as Pharaohs hoste to follow him but they shal neuer overtake him The Lord hath drowned them in the bottomlesse depth of his mercie When he looketh to death death troubleth not his peace death can no◅sting him death can not take his peace from him But by death shall he come to a more full possession of his peace if he looke to the Angels they are his guard if he looke to the inferiour creatures they are his seruants and in league and covenant with him And so as it is said heere of the subiects of a peaceable worldly Kingdome Euery man shall call his neighbour vnder his Vine and vnder the Fig-tree so that man that is a subiect of the spirituall Kingdome of Iesus Christ he may say I will lay me downe quietly and rest in peace for thou art my Lord and my God thou hast reconciled me to thy Father Since thou art with me I feare not the world the flesh sinne nor the deuill Now for as much as all men are such louers of externall peace that rather or men dwell vnder a King and in a Kingdome where there is daylie found bellicous instruments the trumpet and the drumme the thundering of the canon the pitifull cry of them that are put to the edge of the sword they would choose rather with the losse of their commoditie to goe and dwell where they may haue peace And many vpon this same respect haue changed their residence Let vs learne this point of wisdome for our soule that we may say rather then we liue vnder the noise of the Law and thunder of the threatnings of it the noise of Gods Iudgement the fearefull cry of our conscience we will rather goe and choose to dwell in this Kingdome and bee subiects of this King where there is such peace and rest Happie is hee that is alreadie a subiect of this Kingdome seek to draw to it for there is no true rest peace nor tranquillity but heere The second thing pointed at heere of the subiects of this Kingdome is their safetie and protection and that is figured by lying vnder the shadow of a tree a vine or a fig-tree As the two former are conioyned The Lord forgiueth sinne vpon which followeth ioy and peace of heart so whom the Lord forgiueth and to whom he giueth peace them he taketh as his owne in his protection so that they rest safely vnder the shadow of his wings These the Prophets conioyneth in his 84 Psalme The Lord is a Sunne and shield to his owne by the one signifying that he is comfort and ioy to his owne and by the other signifying that he is their safety protection all they vpon whom hath shined the beames of the louing countenance of God to whom God hath showne his pleasant face they liue vnder his tuition in security against all dangers and assaults The same two as conioyned are comfortably expressed in the words of the 27. Psal. The Lord is my light and my saluation he hath shined vpon me like a bright Sunne Then followeth his security by reason of this divine protection Whō shall I feare when the wicked euen my enemies come against me they stumbled and fell though an hoste should come against me I will not feare though warre should be raised yet in this will I trust He that dwelleth in the secret of the most high hee shall rest vnder the shaddow of the Almightie And to tell how sure this protection is he bringeth in example of one of the most fearefull dangerous euils that can come to man that is the pestilence And to expresse the terror of it he giueth it many names it is called the fearefull pestilence it is called the snare of the Fowler it is called the feare of the night and the arrow that slieth by day And yet there is promised to the man that trusteth in God safetie and protection in the midst of the rage of the plague From this particular he would draw a generall he that resteth in the secret of the most high he who is a member of this Kingdome of Iesus Christ he dwelleth in safetie he lyeth vnder the shadow of his owne tree free from all sort of euill But this appeareth to bee against common sense and experience for they who haue inward peace haue not alwayes outward quietnes And the dearest children of God haue beene and are subiect to great outward mutations and troubles How standeth this doctrine of their protection and safety from outward euils with their day lie experience in the contrair may not a godlie man die by the sword by famine by pestilence Doth a mans Religion and the feare of God put a man in that assurance that he may say I can not feare the sword famine nor pestilence For answer to
day a new tune a new forme some new and vncouth point of Doctrine at least deliuered in an new and vncouth forme They weary of hearing and haue no pleasure in it to whom let this serue for answere There are in the Word many repetitions of one and the selfe-same thing and they are not idle nor in vaine For 1. the repetitions of the Word serue to helpe thy vnderstanding and confirme thy knowledge 2. Althogh thy knowledge and vnderstanding were good yet is not thy memory weake and ill able enough to reteine ill but to let good things slip through The repetition therefore of the Word serueth to helpe thy memory and strengthen the same 3. Albeit thou would say I vnderstand well enough and my memorie is good enough yet who is able to say my affection is good enough and the obedience of my will is good enough And al 's long as they are not conforme repetition of the same points of the Word is needfull and thy affections hath need dayly to be beaten by the same hammer of the Word till they be brought vnder obedience But for these who weary in hearing because of repetition and would each day heare some new thing Let this be an answere Albeit thou heare euery day that same thing and this day that same thing which thou heard the last day yet thou hearest euery day a new thing insomuch as at euery hearing thou gettest sometimes a new exhortation to an old vertue sometimes a new threatning for an old sinne a new advertisement to learne the old lessoun of repentance All which shall so bee put in the accompts of God against thee as new that if thou shall remaine the olde man euery hearing bringing on a new hardnesse shall induce a new conviction and procure at Gods hands an new and further Iudgement To this attention and hearing are called not only Iehoshua himselfe but the text sayeth his fellowes that sate before him for they are men wondred at By the fellowes of Iehoshua may be vnderstood the whole Church and people of God for all both Priest and people are called to be auditors of the voice of God and of this Sermon the subiect wherof is the Messias in him yee know there is no exception of persons There is not one way for the Priest and another way for the people But one common way of saluation to all and that is in the same Messias The Priest is said to heare two wayes First heare the Worde from GOD as that Worde by which hee looketh to be safe himselfe Secondly so heare from GOD as he who must be Gods mouth againe to the people to deliuer to them evidently and faithfully his Oracles The people are so to heare and embrace as there is no way of safety to soule and body but this which is proponed from the Mouth of God Let not therefore the Priests say It is enough for vs if we instruct the people and tell them what they should doe no thou must sit downe and learne and heare thy selfe if thou thy selfe would be saued Neither let the people say Let the Priests or the Preachers who haue their maintenance thereby seeke the knowledge of these mysteries If thou bee seeking eternall life to thee it is spoken Search the Scriptures it is they that beare testimony of IESVS CHRIST and in him onely is life to be sought and found By the fellowes of Iehoshua may be vnderstood the rest of the Priests that were fellow-labourers with him And as they come in called to hearing vnder this stile and title of Iehoshua his fellowes it is to tell vs that albeit Iehoshua was high Priest and in that place a Type of IESVS CHRIST to come yet hee was not set there that in pride he should lift vp himselfe aboue his brethren but remember they were fellowes in that same worke of God with him The Popish pride is Deuilish his vsurped singularity he hath not of Peter whose successor he will needes be he calleth himselfe a fellow elder with the rest And the Pope will be a god on earth to giue Law to all the rest Albeit it may be thought meet for orders cause that some preside in the reformed Church of God yet they would remember Presbyters are to them as the rest of the Priests were to Iehoshua of whom it is said thou thy fellowes And three things in this kinde of superiority would euer be eschewed 1. Pride for God setteth vp no man that he should swell in conceit that is the brood of the Devill 2. Tyrannie or dominion over their brenhren and the Lords inheritance Thirdly idlenes for they are not set there to looke to themselues and the enlarging of their owne estate but to looke to the flock and people which IESVS CHRIST hath redeemed by his Blood That from the Preface we may come to the words themselues marke the last words wherein these fellowes of Iehoshua are called men of wonder or men wondred at If ye reteine the first interpretation vnderstanding by the fellows of Iehoshua all the faithfull people of God then is there heere a certaine description of the Church and people of God vsed also in other places of Scripture Esay hath it in his eight Chapter 18 verse Behold I and the children which the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israel And the people and children of God are called men of wonder or wondred at that is men contemned and despised of the World yea they are wondred at in their conversation doing as mad men that should follow a course by the rest of the World and not to goe on with them drinking in all sort of sinne with greedines Moyses in leauing the honours and pleasures of the Court of Pharaoh and choosing rather to be afflicted with the people of God was hee not heerein a man greatly wondred at For men to account all folly in respect of IESVS CHRIST is not this to the worldly-wise a matter of wonder The mortification of the flesh The contrition and dolor of the heart for sinne The teares of repentance are they not to the prophan of the World matters of wonder It is indeed in it selfe a matter wonderful comming frō the rich mercie and bountie of God which indeed of vs is to be admired that any should be taken out of the rotten race of Adam and entred in this way that leades to the Kingdome of Heauen It is vnto the prophane of the World a matter of wonder to behold this separation not that herein they obserue Gods goodnes but that all things seeme strange to them which savour not of the flesh and of this present World But let each one heere as it were stand wondring at others The naturall and fleshly man wondring at the doings of the Children of God The renewed man that hath receiued illumination from aboue wondring
heere his faith flourisheth and bringeth forth brotherly kindnes or then they are more estranged from him being not of that society yet here his faith flourisheth bringing forth euen toward them Charity Hee that this way flourisheth he is imped in the Stock IESVS CHRIST he that flourisheth not he is saith the Apostle blind and cannot see farre off Hee hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old sinnes THE SECOND SERMON ZECHARIAH 3. Chap. 9. and 10. verses 9 For behold the Stone that I haue laid before Ioshua vpon one stone shall be seuen eyes behold I will engraue the grauing thereof sayeth the Lord of hostes and I will remooue the iniquity of that land in one day 10 In that day saith the Lord of hostes shall yee call euery man his neighbour vnder the Vine and vnder the fig-tree IN these last two Verses are set downe fiue excellent points concerning the Messias First a new Name giuen vnto him and it is a name of strength and firmenesse whereas the former two appeared names of weakenes a Branch and a Servant This is a name of strength and solidity he is a Stone and a Stone laide downe by the hand of GOD himself Secondly a new picture prefiguring of this Stone vpon this Stone shal be 7 eyes 3. A proper word of the suffrings of IESVS CHRIST whereas his father is brought in saying And I will ingraue the grauing thereof sayth the Lord of hostes 4 The comfortable fruit and effect of his passion in the remission of sins I will saith the Lord remooue the iniquity of the Land in one day 5. The great tranquillitie and peaceable estate that the subiects of this Kingdome shall inioy vnder this gratious King set downe in a borrowed speech In that day shall euery man call his neighbour vnder the Vine and vnder the fig-tree The first point is of this new Name giuen to the Messias he is now called a Stone and a Stone laide by Gods owne hand A Stone vpon which whosoeuer is not solidely builded he shall breake the neck of his soule and perish eternally This name was giuen to him of before by Esay in his 28 Chapter Behold sayth the Lord I lay in Sion a Stone a tryed Stone a sure foundation hee that beleeueth shall not make haste And the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle and second Chapter brings in the Lord speaking of him Behold in the same maner Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner Stone elect and precious he that beleeueth in him shall not be cōfounded This Stone Gods hands laide before Iehoshua to signifie that the ground and foundation of the heavenly Ierusalem is IESVS CHRIST 2. He laide him before Iehoshua the high Priest who serued in the Leviticall sacrifice First to signifie that the eye of their faith should be perpetually toward him 2. That all that seruice and daylie shedding of blood should so respect him that vnles it be builded on this ground the Messias the Lambe to be slaine his Blood that is onely able to pacifie the wrath of God if all be not laide vpon this Altar and vpon this stone which God himselfe hath laide downe it is all but foolish and in vaine We must heere a little examine the reasons of this Name giuen to the Messias both in the Old and New Testament which may be taken vp this way First he is called a Stone because hee is the maine scope of all Scripture whatsoeuer was formerly prefigured to the Patriarches by stones or a stone is in him truely fulfilled and accomplished We read in the 28 Chapter of Genesis of a stone that the Patriarch Iacob being weary in his Iourney laid his head vpon and sleeping there he saw that heauenly vision of the Ladder the one end whereof touching the ground the ◅oppe of it reached to the Heauen wherevpon he saw ascending and descending the Angels of God This Stone is CHRIST vnto whom we are sent in all our wearines to lay our head vpon him and there to rest Cast thy care vpon God and he shall provide for thee commit thy way to him Although this Stone vnto the World appeare to be but a hard resting place yet there is soft resting vpon it He that casteth his care vpon him and reposeth vpon this Stone he shall find him first a ready accesse to heaven a Ladder whose top reacheth to Heauen CHRIST himselfe is that Ladder Secondly he that casteth his care vpon him and reposeth vpon him shall find the Angels ready to minister vnto him Thirdly he that resteth this way and casteth his care vpon him shall find by him strength to prevail against all the mutations and tedious things of the world It is a word serving 1. to slay in vs faithlesse care 2. to direct vs the right way to seek rest and ease to our soules against both tormenting cares and cruciating feares And 3 heere is our great comfort that the writing on this Stone are euen these same words of God spoken to Iacob in his wearisome Iourney for he that layeth his head this way and committeth himselfe to God through IESVS CHRIST he shall euen read vpon this Stone these comfortable words I am with thee I will keepe thee I will not leaue thee vntill I haue done that which I haue spoken vnto thee A second Stone we reade of in Exod. 17 Chapter when Moyses praying for Israel that they might prevaile against Amalek he being wearyed his hands waxing heavy they tooke a Stone and put it vnder him and he sate thereon And Aaron and Hur supporting his hands his hands were stedfast vntill the going down of the Sunne This Stone hath also a representation of IESVS CHRIST who is called heere The Stone that the Lord hath laide Our prayers must be vpon this Stone founded vpon this ground vpon Iesus Christ his Commandement his merite or els they are but weake and feeble and can do no good If our faith take fast hold on him and our hearts be lifted toward him then doe we prevaile against Amalek the deuill the world and the flesh But when our faith waxeth feeble and our heart falleth downward then doe they prevaile against vs. And of the example of Moyses wee are to make these vses First to consider that by reason of the great burden of flesh and corruption which we carrie we are subiect to great wearinesse in the best and most spirituall exercises Secondly meanes of wakening and stirring vp would be vsed Aaron at the one hand and Hur at the other a Sermon this day another the next day the Word at the one hand the Sacramentat the other hearing sometime conference at another And all such means would be vsed to hold vp the heart that growes faint and feeble in spirituall exercises Thirdly although there be much wearinesse many imperfections great infirmitie
yet heere is the supply of all Art thou set vpon the right Stone vpon Iesus Christ hee shall make thee ouercome it may be with fighting combat euen to the going downe of the Sunne to the end of thy life yet in the end thou shalt prevaile And as the going downe of the Sun is Ioyfull to the man that hath beene wearied in the fields with labour all day long for then he goeth to his rest So shall the Lord make the latter end of his owne ioyfull after their wearisome combat in this life they shall then rest from their labors and be in glory for euer A third stone or rock we read of Num. 20. chap. In the day whē the people wanted waters were ready to perish for thirst Moyses striking that rock with his rod forthwith there came abundāce of water wherof the people drank and were satisfied we cannot erre in the signification of this stone for the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 10 cha giues vs the same in expres words affirming that this stone or rock is Iesus Christ. And hereby are we informed of these things 1. that al mankind should haue perished for euer And for them not a drop of refreshment could haue beene found if the Lord himselfe had not demonstrate and pointed out this Rock euen IESVS CHRIST his Sonne Secondly from him flowes rivers of spiritual waters euen abundance of consolations to refresh the weary heart Thirdly as Moyses got no water from the Rock till he touched it with his Rod So must thou stretch out the Rod of thy Faith and therewith touch CHRIST or els thou canst draw no vertue from him althogh he be a Rocke for abundance of spirituall waters in him yet he is not so called as though he were hard intractable and that it were hard to get any good from him No he is meek and gentle easie to be entreated Thogh he be a Rock yet the smallest touch of Faith will draw healing vertue from him Althogh the Rod of thy Faith be weake and smal like a bruised reed yet he will not breake the bruised reed nor extinguish the smoaking flax Stretch out thy withered hand and touch him with thy weake faith thou shalt draw waters of refreshment and comfort from him Fourthly we reade in the 4 Chapter of Iehoshua of a heape of stones which Ioshua set vp in a testimony that Israell had past with dry foot thorow Iordane These stones are also a representation of IESVS CHRIST tovs who is set vp as a great signe of God to vs by whom we haue passage to eternall life by him we shall escape all dangers by him shall we goe with dry foote without feare through the valley of death and shal be brought to that Land of rest euen that promised Land Feare not saith he little flocke It is my Fathers will to giue you the Kingdome Fiftly we reade in the first booke of Samuel and 17 Chapter of a stone wherewith David killed Goliah This stone also hath a representatiō of IESVS CHRIST who hath overthrowen the Devill led captivity captiue bound that strong one And it is hee in whose strength we are able to prevaile Sixtly in the second Chapter of Daniel we reade of a stone was hewed out of the mountaine without hands wherein there is proper resemblance of his nativity and manner of bringing foorth in the World being brought from the Wombe of the Virgine without the company of man by the worke of the Holy Ghost It is not my purpose to digresse Let it therefore be sufficient that all these places haue beene mentioned to make out this first reason wherefore IESVS CHRIST is called a Stone Euen because in him is truely fulfilled all which by a stone or stones in the old Testament was prefigured The second reason why IESVS CHRIST is called a Stone is Because he is that Rocke vpon which his Church is founded and builded This the Apostle telleth vs in the first to the Corinthians and 3 Chapter Another foundation can no man lay then that which is already laide that is IESVS CHRIST Let the Papists abuse as they please it is of himself he meanes when speaking to Peter he saith Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock that is vpon me that am the Rocke will I build my Church vpon which shee being builded the gates of Hel shall not prevaile against her The words of the confession of Peter referres vs to CHRIST himself Thou art saith he the Son of the liuing God Vpon him the Sonne of the liuing God who is God made man in time is founded and builded the Church It is of him that these words of Dauid are to be vnderstood in the 118 Psal. The stone which the builders refused is made the head of the corner He is in his birth Daniel his Stone hewen out of the mountaine without hands In his passion he is this grauen Stone of Zacharie all full of eyes In his résurrectiō he is Esay his Stone a Stone laid in Sion that whosoeuer beleeues in him shal not be confounded He is to vs the rock of our faith that fundament wherevpon the true Church and euery member thereof is built This reason would be well considered whereby 1. ye may perceiue that this hath beene of before the craft and malice of the Deuill to make them who by profession were the builders of the House of GOD misknow the foundation and neglect the principall Stone of the building Was not Caiphas and his Priests the professed builders for the time and what did they they reiected with despight and cast away Iesus Christ so that Barrabbas was of more accompt in their eyes then he But in his resurrection hee was lifted vp and declared to bee the chiefe Stone of the building This same craft and malice of the deuill doth still rage in the world Is it not to be seene in the Antichristian Church making them to reiect and cast aside the chief Stone foundation of the building euen Iesus and to build vpon the foolish inventions and traditions of men a building althogh it appeare to rise high yet shall it be Babell it shall come to confusion Let it be farre from vs to thinke that flesh and blood can bee sufficient for the Church to build vpon There is no foundation but this pointed by the Finger of God Behold the Stone that I haue laide the same is Iesus Christ the Lord. Secondly as the Church in generall is a building set vpon this Stone foundation so euery member of the Church is a builder And he would take heed how he buildeth The instrument of thy building is Faith he cannot build that wanteth Faith hauing Faith build vpon the right ground let thy Faith take hold of Iesus Christ. The more thou growest in Faith the faster thou art built vpon
faithfull who allured with this sweete savour draw neere to him are blessed of him and their hearts are lifted vp with the Song of blessing and thankes-giuing to him againe By these seuen eyes may also be heere vnderstood a number finite for infinite of Christian men and women that with cleare light and sauing knowledge shall see by faith embrace apprehend Christ the Messias Saviour of the world in that knowledge of him they shal be safe My righteous Seruant sayth Esay in his 53. Chapt. through the knowledge of him shall lustify many This is life eternall to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. And heere let the number of seuen be still as the number of perfection To signifie vnto vs all that euer shal be saued They shal be safe by no other way but this by fixing the eyes of their soules vpon this Stone that is heere laide downe that is by receiuing and embracing by faith IESVS CHRIST And heere it is properly said their eyes shal be vpon him It is not said the eyes of many nor the mouthes and tongues of many Many are hearers whose hearing will be vnprofitable And as for the mouthes and tongues of men not all that say Lord Lord shall enter in the Kingdome but surely all that haue their eyes vpon him the eyes of their minde and faith fast fixed this way they shal be safe It is of this blessed and sauing sight that Simeon speaketh in his song Now let thy servant go in peace because my eyes haue seene my saluation And then hee sayth of him whom thou hast prepared a light to the Nations With this kinde of sight Abraham saw the day of his Saviour and reioyced in it And blessed are they who beleeue and neuer saw sayth our Master to Thomas that is neuer saw him in his flesh with their bodily eyes but the eyes of their soule are fixed vpon him Then vpon this Stone shal be seuen eyes The eyes of all that euer attained or shall attaine to life and salvation Adam was safe in this sight of him promised to him Abraham was safe by this sight Of Israel Paul sayth they all did eate the same spiritual meate and drinke that same spiritual drink The Prophets they searched in to know of his afflictions and the glory that should follow The Apostles in all their doctrine will tell you There is no name giuen vs vnder heaven wherein to bee saued but the Name of IESVS The Martyrs with this sight were cōtent with their blood to seale that trueth which they professed And so there is no way of saluation but this onely by fastening the eyes of thy faith vpon this IESVS CHRIST This was figured of old in the brasen Serpent It was lifted vp in the wildernesse that the people might looke to it and by looking to it and trusting to Gods promise they were cured so by fastning the eyes of thy soule vpon IESVS CHRIST the promised Redeemer thou art spiritually made whole and restored to life This point wold be marked telling vs 1 the great desire wee should haue to see him with this spirituall sight which bringeth with it rest contentment Secondly it is a sight not gotten without striuing and overcomming of such impediments as shall hinder vs to come by it Zacheus had a desire to see CHRIST but there was two great impediments The one without himselfe the other in himselfe without him the great preasse of the multitude In himselfe the lownesse of his stature He sets himselfe ye see in his great desire to see Christ against these impedimēts To eschue the multitude he runneth before and because of his low stature he taketh the helpe of a tree that grew by the way and climmeth vpon it and that not onely the eyes of Zacheus body but of his soule was fixed vpon IESVS CHRIST appeareth that the Lord sayth to him This day saluation is come to thy house thou art made the child of Abraham that is thou hast seene me with that same sort of sight wherewith Abraham saw me and my day and reioyced therein Thus must thou striue with the impediments that would hinder thee to come to the sight of IESVS And they are many both within and without thee The great helpes giuen of God whereby thou may overcome these impediments are the word and Sacraments heare diligently receiue reverently And thus way shalt thou attaine to that sauing sight of him Thirdly thou that attainest to this sauing sight of IESVS CHRIST In him thou shalt see all these things 1. perfite satisfaction for thy sinnes 2. thy perfite reconciliation with God 3. perfite deliuerie from hell and the power of the deuill 4. Thou wilt see and feele in him perfite rest and ease to the conscience and a ready way and passage for thee to enter in the Kingdome of heauen As we are to be carefull to come by this sight so must we be carefull to grow in it forasmuch as perfection is with-holden from vs in this life The man whom CHRIST restored to his sight in the 8 chapt of Marke was restored by degrees At his first touching he saw but obscurely men walking like trees at his second touching he saw clearely So shall this same IESVS CHRIST doe with thee that waitest on him for the illumination of the eyes of thy minde Hee shall cure thee by degrees and at the end of thy life shall so cleare thy eyes that thou shalt see the heauens ready open to receiue thy soule The word of God is the hony of God out of the rockes And Dauid cals it sweeter then the hony and the hony combe Put forth thy rod of faith and taste of the sweetnesse of it Let thy hearing be mixed with faith And thou shalt find by the word and gracious promises thereof thy sight cleared so that after diligent hearing thou shalt be able to say Now I see better then of before my owne salvation my life laid vp in Iesus Christ and my happines in him Ionathan being feeble faint put forth his rod and tasted of the hony that dropped from the rocks his eyes that before were dim waxed cleare Let faint wearied hearted sinners taste of this sweet hony of the promises of God it shall cleare their sight and make them see better their saluation in IESVS CHRIST then of before The third generall point set down in these words is about the suffrings of IESVS CHRIST The word expressing his suffring is this Behold I will ingraue the grauing thereof sayth the Lord of hostes Which albeit they be taken by some men to be spoken of the Nativity of CHRIST God himselfe being the immediat framer and former of his Body in the wombe of the Virgin yet they doe most properly concerne his Passion as appeareth of the wordes immediatly following subioyned vnto his suffring The
could well subsist because he was to get vp his head and to wrestle out from vnder all this paine and grief And heerein is offered to vs a great word of comfort that seeing all the troubles that wee sustaine in this life are finite both in weight and time For what is our life but a moment And the Lord who afflicteth vs knoweth our mould and our shape that we are but dust Then although the Lord to thy sense intreate thee hardlie yet he is still to thee a louing Father in regard of that glorious end that he hath appointed for thee whervnto momentanean troubles shall succeed an infinite weight of Ioy and glory As the gravitie of Christ his sufferings is pointed at in the inflictor God himselfe so also in the phrase of speaking whereby his suffring is imported it is not a light nor superficiall going over but a deep sinking and graving so deepe that of him are the wordes of Ieremy to be vnderstood Consider yee that passe by if there be any dolour like vnto my dolour The wordes of Dauid in the 129 Psal. The plowers haue drawne deep furrowes vpon my back And the words of Esay in his 50 Chapter I giue my backe to the smiters and my cheekes to them that plucked off the haire The deepe ingrauing of this Stone look to it this way The thornes making impression in his Head the scourges making deepe furrowes in his backe the nailes piercing his hands and feete the souldiers speare going through his side to his Heart so that water and blood came forth And yet a deeper ingraving then all this the plough of the wrath of God went deeply through his Soule made so deep a furrow that he did sweat Blood for water Now looke to and consider the grauen Stone and therein see great matter of feare there being heere the most fearefull declaration of Gods wâ—…ath against sin that euer was giuen great mater of loue being herein The greatest declaration of loue that could be offered to mankinde Secondly he was so deeply grauen that although his paine and suffering be away and ended yet the print of his suffering is not away but remaineth fresh in the eyes of his Father as meritorious for all them that shal be safe Thirdly hee was so grauen that he might take vs and graue vs vpon his brest vpon the palmes of his hands neuer to be forgetfull of vs but to present vs blamelesse before his Father Let the suffrings therefore and Crosse of IESVS Christ be drawne in our hearts not lightly nor superficially but deeply grauen that we may say with the Apostle We desire to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified The fourth thing mentioned in these verses is the happy fruite and effect that followeth vpon the suffering of IESVS CHRIST it is expressed this way I will sayth the Lord remoue the iniquity of the Land in one day The grauing of Christ although painfull to him for a time yet pleasant and comfortable to his Church for euer For it is by reason of his sufferings that God his Father hath giuen this declaration I wil take away and put forth of my remembrance the iniquity and sinnes of all that repent beleeue in him his stripes were many his grauing deep his sufferings infinite in weight although not in time Therefore though thy sinnes were neuer so many and thy iniquities neuer so great they are all wel payd for Thou being in him needest not to feare death hell nor condemnation In the words expressing this benefite of taking away the peoples sinnes two things are to bee marked The one is of the perfection of the worke All sinne and iniquitie shal be taken away And the other is of the circumstance of time in that day As for the first there is promised heere the perfect taking away of sin and iniquity And how doth this agree with the manifold complaints of the Saints in the Scripture of the abiding of iniquitie and with the experience euen of these who beleeued remission of sinnes and taking away of iniquities in the Blood of Iesus Christ. Doe not the Saints in Scripture complaine of sinne cry out vnder the burden of sinne craving daylie the renovation and purgation of their heart And who hath not reason with Dauid to say If I should reckon my iniquities they are moe in number then the haires of my head And who knoweth the errours of his life Hath there beene and is there manifold sinnes euen in the best children of God how doth God then performe this promise saying that the day of his Sonnes death shal be a day wherein he will take away all the sin and iniquitie of his people for answer to this When God is said in Scripture to take away the sinne and iniquity of his people two things are imported The one is that which hath the proper respect of sinne which accuseth and condemneth vs before God the guiltinesse of it that is taken away And so to take away sinne is to forgiue sin to cover sin not to impute sin In the meane time there remaineth in the corrupt nature of man the mater of sinne the nourishments of sinne sinfull concupiscences wherewith the Elect of God haue a daylie strife not suffring this remnant sin to reigne in their mortal bodies Secondly by the words of this promise is imported that the remission of thy sinnes that great benefite acquired by the death of Christ is full absolute and perfect although the renovation be not as yet perfect His merite taketh away all the guiltinesse of thy sin so that thou art free of condemnation althogh at the first all corruption be not mortified slaine into thee So that both these are the speeches of a renewed man the one of the assurance of faith there is no condemnation to me the other of the complaint of sin the flesh lusteth against the spirit and this holdeth them in a continual exercise striuing to a daylie mortification till in end sin as it is perfectly forgiuen so it may be perfectly slaine and abolished and left as a carcase without motion life or senses The other worde heere is of the circumstance of time God saith he will do this in one day And the day meant of heere is the day of the slaughter and sacrificing of his Sonne It may then bee demanded was there no remission of sinnes till the day of his death Is he not that that Lambe spoken of in the Apocalypse 13. that was slaine from the beginning was not the sinnes of faithfull Patriarches Prophets and Servants of GOD taken away in the vertue of that same Blood althogh the day of the actuall shedding of it was not as yet come For laying open this matter ye must consider about the suffring of Iesus Christ four things 1. The ordaining of it by God the Father as the mean