as one by whoÌ„ al other things were begotteÌ„ And againe being the first begotten of all creatures in this name he condemneth the blasphemie of Seruetus which denyed him to be the sonne of God but onely in respect of his comming in fleash And that y apostle speaketh here of bringing into the world he meaneth not barely his natiuitie but as God gaue vnto Christ all the endes of the earth for his possession so the honourable setting of him in this authoritie he calleth it his bringing in into the world as appeareth because this is the glorie of this bringing that the Angels shall worship him And againe when he sayth the world he meaneth not this age of man but as he expoundeth it in the second chapter the worlde to come euen also as the Prophet Esaie called it that is the kingdome of Christ in the world through the preaching of the gospell And the worship with which the Angels shall worship him is that they shall haue from hencefoorth no such rule as before authorized in their owne persons from God but now they shall giue all glorie to christ Euen as we see in his natiuitie a great multitude of Angels sang Glorie be to GOD on high and in earth peace good will towards men because Christ was borne in the Citie of Dauid a sauiour vnto all people So in all his life in his death in his resurrection ascension and since his ascension there neuer appeared angel vnto man but to the praise of Christe and to ratifie all honour and worship due vnto him which ministerie of Angels because now so clearely it serueth Christ the Scripture is fulfilled Let all his Angels worship him And now that we haue seene the sense and meaning of this Scripture in some pointes I will more particularly applie it to our instruction It is saide first When he bringâ—… is his first begotten into the worlde which wordes meane as I said when in glorious triumph God lâ—…deth him into the possession of his kingdome And as the prophet saith wheÌ„ God giueth him his dâ—…n from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the endes of the land that â—…ll that dwell in the wildernesse may kneele besore him and his enimies may lick the dust Heere we must marke howe this hath beene accomplished and when wee knowe it if wee loue Christe let vs set foorth his excellent glorie This was especially doone no doubt in the crosse of Christe him selfe according as him selfe prayeth when he entreth vnto it Father glorisiâ—… thy sonne And Sainct Paule saith in it he hath spoyled principaitâ—…es powers and hath made open shewe of them and triumphed ouer them vpon his crosse A proofe of this wee sawe with our eyes when Christe vppon the crosse so wrought in the hearte of the Romane capâ—…eine that hee cryed aloude Truely this man was the sonne of GOD. When all the people behelde it that was done and smoâ—…e their brests and went backe when manie Saincts roase out of their graues and went into the holie Citie And not onely this worke was in men but that wee might know the vertue of his deathpearced euen into hell to bynde iudgement to the diuel and his Angels with eternal desperation and to witnesse it vnto his Church that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it To this end we sawe the earth did quake the stones were 〈◊〉 the Sonne was darkened the graues did open and this was the beginning of this kingdome The increasing and amplifying of this is the preaching of the same crosse that is of Christe crucified that it might be seene and heard in all the worlde which had also a glorious beginning in the Apostles of Christe whome God sanctified to that worke with excellent power and graces of the holie Ghoste so that notwithstanding the weakenesse of their persons yet their voice went into all landes and their wordes vnto the endes of the earth And boldely Sainct Paule witnessed of themselues that God had giuen them glorious weapons to fight withall weapons not carnall neither swoordes nor prisons as earthly princes haue to keepe their subiectes in feare but other weapons in deede more contemned of the worlde but yet made by God more mightie then al other weapons or engines to cast downe holdes For by our weapons sayth Saint Paule we cast downe mans imaginations and querie â—…ighe thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of Christ. And this not onely was for that age but as GOD is vnchaungeable in all his wayes so this is made his euerlastinge ordinaunce that the preaching of the Gospel shoulde be his mightâ—…e power to saue all that do beleeue And accordingly this coÌ„mission is giuen to all that are sent out in the name of Christ for the gathering together of the Sainctes for the work of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ tâ—…l we meete all together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe Sith this then is that spirituall pompe and those victorious chariots by which the Sonne of God is carried in triumph into the inheritance of the world they that haue eares to heare let them heare what it is to preache the Gospel of Christ and they that be called vnto it let them knowe what woorke they haue in hande and they that resist it shall at the last be consumed as they that be enimies to the glorie of Christ must needes be made his footestoole So that euerie one in the regard of so glorious a worke should humble himselfe to become a labourer in it yea the greater dignitie the more trauell it shoulde bring vnto it So that princes them selues haue no greater honour if we wil beleeue the Prophet Esaie then to licke the dust vnder the Churches feet By which speache the Prophet meaneth that the faithfull zealous kings which reigne vpon earth should with the perill of their crownes not feare to set out and giue all their strength to the Gospell of Christe by whiche the Lorde of Lordes is to be settled in his throne and he that ruleth for euer in the house of Iacob is to be crowned king The preaching of the Gospel is the preparation of his waye and the obedience vnto it is the honour of his reigne and what king hath too good a hand to ioyne in this nay what king whose spirite is in his nostrels and all his glorie is but a vading flower what king I say is worthie to be a doer in this worke but that it pleaseth this immortall and heauenly king of his free grace to accept his labour so that iustly they are iudged that are despisers of GOD and knowe not the Lord of hostes against whome they are proude Shall God proclame it with so loude a voice that when
No creature at all shal yelde his seruice vnto them the elememtes of the worlde shall seeme to melt away This state of miserie Christe entred into and sunke downe deepe in this confusion and who can expresse his sorrow Beeing full of goodnesse he had the reward of euil full of obedience he was punished as wicked full of faith yet had the reward of a sinner inheritour of all things and Lord of all yet nothing at al to doe him duetie the King of Kings and Lord of lordes yet made an outcast and abiect of the people the ruler of all and God of glorie yet compassed with shame and great confusion the authour of life yet wrapped in the chaynes of eternall death the onely begotten of his father and his best beloued yet cast off as a straunger and chasticed as an enimie the brightnesse of glorie and the beautie of the highest heauens yet crucified in dishonour and throwne downe into hell O picture of perfect wretchednesse and image of miserie howe iust cause founde he to crie out alowde My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee his whole bodie and nature like vnto vs altogether broken with the rewarde of sinne his soule powred out into all calamitie the wrath of his father and condemnation resting vpon him How truely may we here say and confesse the article of our faith He descended into hell How liuely do we see it perfourmed that the Prophet speaketh of The snares of death compassed me and the paines of hell tooke holde vpon me I found trouble and sorrow This was the cōpassion that he had towardes vs by whiche he suffered with our infirmities more then Aaron or all the priestes of the lawe coulde possibly haue done for vs If we could possiblie consider dearely beloued as we should we would gladly imbrace him as the high priest for euer of the new testament when we shal be made of one fashion with him throughe some measure of his afflictiō to feele the weight of our sinnes then we shall confesse what cause he had of complayning and how dearely hee hath bought the honour of the high Priest and Mediatour The Lord lighten the eyes of our minde that with open countenāce we may behold him who for our sakes endured such a death of the crosse wee shoulde not then need many exhortations the remembrance of the latter end would keepe vs safe from sinne But let vs now see what the Apostle further teacheth vs and while our sauiour Christe is in these greate extremities what fruite of well doing he hath learned by it It followeth And although he were the sonne yet learned he obedience by the things he suffored Lo dearly be loued this was no little profit of all his troubles he learned thereby how and what it was to obey his father that when these things rested all vpon him yet he could say in meekenesse of spirit Not my will my father but thy wil be done he might haue great boldnesse that his obedience was perfect The shame of the worlde the afflictions of the flesh the vexations of the minde the paines of Hell when these coulde make him vtter no other wordes but Father as 〈◊〉 wilt so let it be done what hope what faith did he surely build on that his obedience was precious in the sight of his father this example is our instruction We knowe then best how we loue the Lord when wee feele by experience what we wil suffer for his sake It is an easie thing to be valiant before the combate or to dreame of a good courage before the hart be tryed but in dede to be vnshaken in the midst of the tempest and to stand vpright when the ground vnder thee doth trēble this is to knowe assuredly thou art strong in deede and to say with boldenesse thou shalt neuer be moued this our Sauiour Christe might throughly glorie of The heauen earth and elementes they were all his enimies his Father in whome he trusted shewed him an angrie countenaunce he that fainted not but cryed stil Thy wil be done O Father he may be bold of his obedience there is no creature can make him falsifie his faith If this be the fruite of our afflictions the Apostle speaketh not without great occasion Account it for an exceding ioy when ye fall into sundrie troubles For what can bee more ioyful vnto the soule that is oppressed then to giue this in experience that neither hight nor deapth shall remoue him from the lord The glory of Abraham was exceeding great when he had sealed it with practise that he would forsake his countrie his kinred and his fathers house at the commaundemēt of God to go whether he would shew him then he knew by good proofe hee was made worthy of Christe when he could forsake Father mother house lande and all thinges to come vnto him The patience of Iob was not thoroughly knowen till all his goods were spoyled and he left exceedinge bare in that case when he spake so boldely Naked came I out of my moothers womb and naked shal I returne again the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away as the Lord wil so is it done the name of the Lord be praysed for euer Nowe might Iob be sure of the strong patience which should bring foorth hope that neuer should be confounded Our brethren before vs whiche so constantly haue holden the professiō of their faith that y flames of fire could not make it wauer they had a good witnesse that their election was sure when they might speake by experience that neither life nor death coulde remoue them from the loue of God. Thus the good grounde is knowen what it is when the heate can not scorche it nor bryers and thornes turne the good corne into weedes but thoroughe all stormes it will giue nourishment to the seede til it giue greater increase to Gods honour and glorie The best of vs all let vs thanke God for this profitable experience for before it come vnto vs we knowe not howe great the rebellion of the fleshe will be The Apostles of Christ they bragged not a little that they woulde neuer forsake their maister Christ he alone had the wordes of eternal life and they would not chaunge him for another they beleeued him they knewe him to be Christ the fonne of the liuing God and there was no other sauiour But when they sawe the swordes and staues the rulers offended the people in an vprore the crosse at hande their courage fell downe they forsooke him all and fled away Peter was not a litle stoute as himselfe was persuaded he would neuer forsake Christe though he should die for his name and for proofe of his courage he drewe his sword stroke so venterously that he had almoste slaine one he seemed to be at a point and fully resolued that he would not leaue his maister till the sworde shoulde diuide them but alas this boldnesse was
Ioh. 4. 23. Matt. 26. 27. 1. Cor. 14. 19. 1. Cor. 10. 27 Hebr. 13. 3. t. Cor. 1 21. Hebr. 10. 16 Rom. 1. â—…6 Luke 11. 27. Matth. â—…2 50 Iohn 6. What is a Sabboth days work Esal 40. 12. Matth. 6. 30 Psal. 104. 35 Psa. 104. 35. Prouerb Matt. 25. Gal. 2. 20 Psal. 132. 14 Esai 11. 10. Luke 1. 74. Col. 2. 〈◊〉 Deu. 5. 1. Ioh. 2. Amos. 8. 6. Apoca. 4. 1 Iob. 32. 22. 1. Cor. 3. 〈◊〉 Agg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esai 55. 10. Luk. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1. Cor. 4. 15. Iacob 1. 1â—… 1. Peter 2. 1 Prou. 20. 27 2. Cor. 10. 4. Iere. 3. 29. Iere. 5. 14. 2. Cor. 2. 16. Iere 23. 22. Mal. 2. 6. Esa. 49. 〈◊〉 Ephe. 6. 17. Apoca. 1. 16 19. 15. 1. Thes. 1. 23 Aba 3. 16. Esai 24. 16. Dan. 5. 6. Eze. 11. 13. Acte 5. 1. Our aâ—…ctions lesse then the strenâ—…h thâ—… 〈◊〉 2. Coi 5. 21. What wee must bee leeue of the true humanity of Christ. Iac. 1. 6. Ephe. 3. 12. Rom. 1. 16. Rom. 〈◊〉 15. 2. Tim. 1. 7. 1. Tim. 6. 19. Ephe. 2. 18. Psa. 14. 3. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Chap. 7. 24. Phil. 2. 18. Gal. 6. 1. Luk. 12. 37. Hebr. 2. 13. 〈◊〉 Cor. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 16. Dan. 4. 24. Hab. 3. 1. Leuit. 9. 7. The Papisticall offices offiicers Matt. 26. 4â—… Luk. 22. 41. Psal. 50. 15. Heb. 〈◊〉 12. Ro. 8. 38. 39. Esai 61. 3. Esa. 53. 5. Iaohn 5. 4. Gen. 4. 26. Mar. 1. 41. Mat. 6. 10. Rom. 7. 18. Iere. 10. 14. Rom. 8. 5. verse 16. 27 Luke 1. 38. 2. Pet. 2. 7. Exod. 32. 35. Iere 9. 2. Esai 22. 4. Rom. 9. 〈◊〉 Luke 21. 41 Mar. 3. 5. Luk. 23. 34. Nahum 1. 6 Psal. 29. 8. Psal. 119. 3 〈◊〉 Pet. 4. 3. Gen. 〈◊〉 8. Iob. 1. 2â—… Rom. 〈◊〉 39. 2. Cor. 4. 8. Abac. 3. 16. Col. 3. 3. 4. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Acte 17. 11. Iohn 〈◊〉 3â—… Iohn 1. 54. Ca. 4. 2. â— Peâ—… 3. 13. 1. Cor. 1. 14. Mar. 13. 10. Mar. 4. 11. 2. Cor. 4. 4. Prouer. 14. 6 Deut. â—…0 10. Ose. 6. 5. Esai 45. 19. Esa. 19. 10. Mat. 15. 8. Illirieus in normaroncilii Sleyd â–ª li 23. Kemp in exam concil Trident. â—…ess 4. câ—…n 〈◊〉 Psal. 19. 7. Pro. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 1. 16. Cusan ad Boaemos Epist. 2. Disti 40. Non nos in glosa Math. 7. 24. Vide pet Crâ—…â—…o 1. conc â—…o â—…o Ant on in sum Par â–ª 3. tit 21. Cap. 5. 33. q. 3. Ephe. 4. 14. 2. Cor. 14. 20 Luke 22. 25 Antichristian pride Mâ—…tt 7. â—…4 Mâ—…tt 16. 18. Ephe. 2. 20. Rom. 2. 18. Luke 2. 32. Iohn 4. Mat. 13. Act 13. 45. Actâ—… 13. 10. 1. Sa. 27. 21. Esai 40. 1. To the Reader Gentle reader I thought good in this vacaÌ„t place to set down an excellent speech vttered by the Authour of this book a litle before his death whereby thou maist clearely see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all suche as painefully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bed and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one Communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Iacob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there is no saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus christ And we haue all neede of the grace of god And for my part as concerning death I feele such ioy of spirite that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life The prayer which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lorde God whiche hast lest vnto vs thy holie worde to be a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holie spirite that out of the same worde we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all holie obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen Deering DEring in earthly life thy heauenly voice did teache The ruth of sinnes the trueth of endlesse grace And with thy voyce thy life conspired to preache The praise of God with longing to embrace The sweete delights wherin his Sainctes abound O blessed Organ of so noble sound When thou didst cry repentant griefe for sinne When with inspired breath from ghost diuine Thy mouth powrde forth what hart did feele within Thy deepe desire to drawe men to incline Their listening soules vnto the healthful word O happie they that turnd vnto the Lord. And when thou didst his mercie sweete proclame And dist with thankfull and deliteful voyce Set foorth the honour of his sauing name To quench dispaire and make the heart reioyce O happie hearers of so ioyful newes Vnhappie wretches that such ioyes refuse O happie thou and all that shall with thee Wel followe Him that ledde and is the way They followe well whome He hath blest to see The path and trust the guide that cannot stray Oh well he liued whom God did so apply Oh well he dyed that liues eternally Wee thank our God for thee and for thy life And for the good that he by thee hath wrought Thy speech thy trauaâ—…le in his seruice rise Thy writings left wherby we stil be taught And in thy death Gods holy name be blest O blessed dead that in the Lord doe rest FINIS T. N.
fraile life is such a bridle in their iawes to pull them back and death such a tyrant ouer thē to appall their courage that they haue no heart to doe as they would yet if they do rage as mad men not seeing their end yet God hath had mercie vpon vs turning their plague into our blessing and hath giuen vs but a shorte life least we should mourne too long so that whatsoeuer temptations we fall into yet but a verie little while the Lord wil deliuer vs from euill and all our troubles haue but a small reckoning to the hinderance of our glorie For it is but a while here that God hath made vs inferiour to Angels It followeth Thou hast crowned him with glory honour thou hast set him ouer the workes of thine hands thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his fete In all these words we learne the exceeding honour vnto which God hath raised his sonne Christe To be crowned with glorie and honour is to haue the excellencie of al dignitie giuē vnto him as the words folowing in the Apostle doe plainely expounde it where he saith In that he put all things in subiection vnder him he left nothing not subiect vnto him And in this according to the Prophet we must see our owne dignitie also as wee are Christes for this honour is not the naturall mans as all the miseries of our life can testifie but it is his that seeth him selfe to be Christs that can say as S. Paule saith I liue not now but Christe liueth in me ouer such a one the prouidence of God watcheth the Angels pitch their tents aboute him and he seeth great securitie in al his wayes Though the mounteines were moued or the seas did make a noyse yet the name of the Lord is his strong tower and he shall not be moued for GOD who hath made him Lord of all maketh that all things worke to him for the best If at any time hee seeme afflicted to the worlde it is but as a shewe or visard that seemeth feareful when the milde face of a man is vnderneath so these are but appearaunces without of a litle mourning when within is nothinge but a perpetuall ioy of the holie Ghoste S. Paule against those that are too much troubled to beholde our sufferings he sayth thus I graunt you we are wroung but we are not crushed in peeces wee are troubled but not at our wits end we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but we are not killed as if the Apostle should haue said vnto them ô you think vs in great bondage but our freedome is more then you are ware of And in an other place he notablie setteth out these afflictions of the godlie which the worlde thinketh to be so great that men shrinke backe and dare not looke on them I will tell you sayth Saint Paule we are as contemned persons but in deed honorable as dying but in deed aliue as men chastised but there is no death neere vs lamenting but in deede perpetually reioycing as poore men but in deede we make many other rich like men that had nothinge but in deede all the word is ours So we see howe this is true in vs euen now by faith and after this in full perfourmance of our inheritance with Christ in the resurrection of the iust thus euen in outward thinges we are partakers of Christes kingdome so that nothing can hurt vs Now touching y inward things y is a freedome of conscience aboue al things this we know if we be ingrassed into the bodie of Christ we be his he liueth in vs his victorie ouer al is ours we see it by faith all thing is in subiection vnder our feete Paule Apollo Cephas things present things to come life death the worlde it selfe all is ours the fayth of Christ exalteth vs hath made vs higher then the heauens In heauen and earth we haue no Lord but the Lord Iesus all things are vnder his feete our faith hath made vs one with him we are his and all is ours and no man can now beare rule ouer our faith except he wil beare rule ouer Christ by faith we are one with him his power is ours we reigne with him we are risen with him the world hath no more power ouer vs Wil one com to vs forbid vs flesh forbid vs whitmeat cōmand vs fish Heare it not it is the doctrine of diuels I speak not now of ciuil choyce of meates drinkes apparell c. We be Christs and all meats are ours Wil he say this garment is holie this day is fasting this relique is to be honoured this order is religious this crosse is defensiue against the diuell this Cake is thy Sauiour this masse is propitiatorie this worke is meritorious this pope is thy lawgiuer this church of Rome is the warrant of thy faith what shall wee say to such swine y lye wallowing in myre seke for righteousnesse in dounge and clay when Christ the sonne of God hath offered vs his righteousnes What shall we thinke of such seruile men who wil leade vs into bondage of euerie triflle whom Christ hath made rulers ouer all the world For what is it else to make me in bondage of things then to bring me in this feare of them I may not touche them I may not eate them I may not vse them that will make me holie this will defile me and such like Is this y voice of Paul To the cleane althings are cleane Is it the voice of Christ That which entreth in at the mouth defileth not the man. Is this the voice of the Apostle in an other place You be bought with a price be not the seruāts of men No dearely beloued if we haue fayth and be of Christ God our heauenly father hath giuen vs his owne Sonne sure with him he hath giuen vs all things we haue receiued the libertie of the children of God and the conscience of a Christian man is no more in the power of all the world but that is only sinne vnto him which is the breach of the lawe of god Now sith this is the state of a Christian man and thus all things are in subiection vnder his feete we see easily vpon what ground our sauiour Christ said that The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a pretious stone which if a man finde he will sell all that he hathe to buy it for all other riches of all dominions they haue their measure onely this treasure is infinite hath all thinges vnder it Now let euerie man boast himselfe as he will some of chariots some of horsses some of one thing some of an other but thou if thou wilt haue perfect ioy boast thy self of a Christian heart Neither the gorgeous chambers of any princes palace nor the riche iuell houses of the earth are comparable in glorie vnto this for what is
it to be garnished with golde and siluer and vaine sightes of a corruptible eye which in time consume and the rust and canker frett them away But in thine heart which Christ hath sāctified there is greater treasure then this If thou loke vpon the earth thine eyes are cleare to see from East to West and all is thine the stones in the streete are at league with thee and the beasts of the field are at peace with thee Let all the tyrants in the earth lift vp their handes against thee they shall not finde any thing vnder heauen to doe thee hurt all creatures are sworne to thy safetie it is not possible for man to breake their faithfulnesse they can do nothing vnto thee but good Loke also without the boundes and compasse of Heauen and Earth and with pure eyes thou seest greater thinges then these thou seest hell abolished death troden vnder feete the first sorrowe cast out into shame Saints Angels are in thy sight immortalitie hath lengthened thy dayes the glorie of God is before thee in a glasse He that can builde thee suche an other tabernacle let him be thy God and where else thou findest suche treasure there settle thy heart or if this only be the greatest reioyce only in this and pray for a sincere faith that thou mayest in deed see it and haue thy soule knit vnseparably vnto it that thou mayest greatly despise all other thinges say as the Prophet Dauid said What is man that thou art mindful of him And thus farre at this time Now let vs pray c. ¶ The ninth Lecture vpon part of the 8. verse vpon the 9. 10. verses 8 But we yet see not all things subdued vnto him 9 But we see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour which was made a litle inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death that by Gods grace he might tast death for all men 10 For it became him for whome are all these thinges and by whome are all these thinges seeing that he brought many children vnto glorie that he should consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions I Tolde you at the beginning that the Apostle in the first seconde chapter setteth purposely out the person of Christ how he is God man how he set out his godhead in y first chapter you heard vnto which hee addeth this earnest exhortation in the beginning of this chapter wherof also we haue already spoken Nowe in these woordes whiche wee haue read he beginneth the other parte of his purpose to teache that our Sauiour Christe is perfect man and taketh his occasion of the text before alledged which he applyed vnto Christe as chiefe and principall though it be ment also of all men for when he had so highly magnified man in consideration of mans present state a doubt is streight moued Howe can this bee sithe we see not these things yet subiect vnto him To this the Apostle aunswereth that it is alreadie accomplished in our Sauiour Christe who is beecome man for our sakes and through death hath gotten this glorie for vs so heere is a full declaration how this prophesie alledged is verified in man and a preperation to teach more at large how Christe is perfect man In the words of this eighth verse But now we see not yet all thinges subiect vnto him he moueth the doubt whiche is easily made against that Scripture whiche so highly extolled man and aunswereth thus vnto it In deed I graunt all things are not yet thus subiect vnto man but yet in Christe wee see this already accomplished for wee haue seene him made lower then Angels and yet againe exalted and crowned with glorie and honour euen as him selfe is witnesse All power is giuen mee in Heauen and in Earth and so hee is risen from the dead that death hath no more power ouer him for euer who beeing made man for vs in him it is accomplished that man is ruler ouer all the workes of God now in parte and after this fullie when our base bodies shal be chaunged and made glorious In this we see how he commeth to speake of the māhod of our sauiour Christ which after he declareth more at large For the suffering of death Some translate this Through the suffering of death as shewing the cause why God exalted him but neither is that so pertinent to the Apostles purpose nor his wordes doe so signifie but thus For the suffering of death that is to the end hee might suffer death So he sheweth the cause why Christ was made lower then Angels and that is because he might die for otherwise in the maiestie of his Godhead all death and all corrupion fall before him and nothing can stand in his sight but life glorie and immortalitie therefore to the end that that immortalitie and glorie of GOD might dye and death might come vnto him it must needes be that he should be humbled beneath Angels In the words that followe That by Gods grace he might taste of death for all men he sheweth here y cause why he dyed As this was the cause of abasing him that he might dye so this was y cause of his death that he might dye for vs that is that he might take our death vpon him so by him we might be deliuered from it Where he saith By the grace of God he sheweth that it was the free loue of God that gaue his sonne vnto vs no desert on our behalfe but when wee sought not after him then hee offered him selfe vnto vs and when we sate as the prophet saith in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death then a great light rose vp vnto vs to this end that we which are the Gentiles might prayse God for his mercie And where it is said that he might tast of death he calleth here To taste of death to haue in deede sense and feeling of the paines not diminishing the passion as a thing lightly touched but warranting the bitternesse and all the sorrow of it euen to the bottome of the graue and deathe to be tasted fealt in deed and saying For all he meaneth not by All good or badd whosoeuer they be but as Sainct Iohn plainely expoundeth it God gaue his sonne to die to the end that al that beleeue should not perish but haue life euerlasting So our Sauiour Christ saith All that beleeue are baptised shal be saued So thus farre the Apostle hath taught plainely both how the former prophesie is accomplished in Christ and is verified in euerie one of vs and he hath aptly begun to teache this doctrine that our Sauiour Christ is perfect man which in this Chapter I saide was his especiall purpose Now touching this greate excellencie of man whereof the Apostle hath spoken howe wee be made partakers of it a little further weighe it He hath spoken greate and maruelous thinges euen as the Prophet had saide Marueilous things
feare of death were al their life long subiect to bondage Two special vertues of y death of Christ are here set out one y he might vanquish the diuel an other y he might set his people at libertie which both thinges howe they were wrought in Christ in the wordes themselues we shal more plainely see Of the vanquishing of the diuel he sayth thus That by death he might abolish him who had the power of death The diuel hath the power of death that is he is the authour of it by his malicious nature he brought it into the wotlde for god made it noâ—… nor hath any delite in it neither it is good in his eyes nor was euer mentioned among the workes of his handes but from the diuell and of the diuell in the diuel it began and is and abydeth therefore in the Apocalypse his name is giuen him Abaddon that is the destroyer and as death is of him so for this cause also he is sayde to haue the power of it because through his manifold tentations he maketh men sinne by whiche death reigneth for so S. Paule sayth of Adam beeing seduced by the diuell By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer al men because all haue sinned this is it then that is said Christe vanquished him that had the power of death that is he abolished sinne and the condemnation of sinne which was the kingdome of the diuel and thereby triumphed ouer him So Saint Iohn sayth for this cause the sonne of God appeared that he might lose the workes of the diuel that is sinne death which are both of the diuel for sinne God condemneth of death he hath said I wil be thy destruction protesting he is author of neither of both And how hath our sauiour Christ done this Euen by death A mer uelous wisedome an vnspeakable mysterie such as could neuer haue bene fouÌ„d or done but by God alone for what els is death but the power of the diuel and the verie miserie of the worlde To make this the vanquishing of the diuel and the meanes to bring all happinesse vnto man what was it else but his excellent vertue who as Saint Paule sayth calleth things that are noâ—… aâ—… though they were and can raise vp light out of darknes And sure if al men should haue laide their heades together to wishe a plague to haue fallen vppon the diuel they coulde not all haue deuised such another that his glorie should be his shame his power should be his ouerthrowe his kingdome his vndooing What could the Prophet Dauid in all his zeale of GOD wishe more againste reprobate men traytours to Christ and to his Gospell then thus to wishe Let their deintiâ—… tables be snares to take them and let their prosperitie be their ruine Euen thus Christe hath vanquished the diuell and yet it is true that he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whome hee may deuoure and it is true that Iohn saith that he hath great wrath and maketh cruell warre againste the Church of Christ but it is as true his strength is all weakened and his power is broken that it can not hurte vs for Christe hath nowe ouercome him And as Saincte Iohn sayth The time is come in whiche the Prince of the worlde is cast out and Christe hath spoyled all principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them vppon his crosse But how is it then thou wilt saye that his assaultes are so fearefully described that he is sayd to be Prince of this worlde ruler of this darcknesse full of power and authoritie ouer fleash and bloud Because we should knowe no fleash is able to withstand him neither was it according to the power of mortall man that he was vanquished but onely Iesus Christe of the tribe of Iudah was the Lion to crushe him in peeces Wilt thou knowe then where and to whome the diuell is abolished Before Christ our heade and to all the faithfull that are members of his bodie Wilt thou knowe where and to whome the diuel is in ful power and ouercome Before the naturall man and to all those whiche in their owne strength seeke to resist him and therefore Sainct Paule when he had described him in all his greatnesse hee biddeth streight caste away the strength of fleshe and bloude and put on all the armour of God for onely by it we should stande vpright in the day of euill So the diuel is abolished to all those that haue the shield of faith to quenche his firie dartes that is to all those which beleeue onely in Christ to be partakers of his victorie The diuel is in full force to those that are 〈◊〉 trusting in their owne woorkes or in the libertie of their owne will. In that the diuel is saide to haue the power of death as in other places where he is called the God of the worlde the Prince of this darkenesse the Author of sinne wee must note this if we rest in sinne liue in errour and ignoraunce followe the lustes of the worlde or walke in all the wayes of death then let me feare for here is the kingdome of Sathan and my perill is nigh that I should be holden in it But if I be at couenaunt with my selfe to haue no pleasure but vtterly to hate these things if I like not to go in the pathes of death if I loue not the world nor the things of the worlde if I haue my delight in the word of God to vnderstand the mysterie of Christe and to be lightned with it if I hate sinne and all the enticements of it then may I hope I walke in the likenesse of our Sauiour Christ and all the power of Sathan is broken before me Where it is further said that Christe hath done this by his death that by death he ouercame him that had the power of death we see a cleare and manifest testimonie what maner of death Christe suffered euen that ouer which the diuell had his power the same death which is the rewarde of sinne by bearing it he ouercame it and he conquered no more then he submitted himselfe vnto for by death he ouercame death if he suffered no more but a bodily death he ouercame also but a bodilie death we shall all rise againe but in the condemnation of the sinne of our soule or if he haue ouercome death and the power of it both in our bodie and soule then Christ hath suffered the paines of it both bodie soule that we might rise again froÌ„ the bands of death and liue with him for euer For this is true by death he hath ouercome death and he hath broken the force of it no further then he hath felt the sting of it in him selfe Therefore this let vs holde and let vs so beleeue Christ bodie and soule was made a sacrifice for our sinnes so he saide himselfe My soule is exceeding
of health as Sainct Paule saith in which they might haue ben heard But god at the last hath visited vs this vanitie is scattered away I would y remēbrance of it were gon with it An other propertie is here attributed to Christ that he was faythfull that is constant and vnmoueable in his loue til he had finished our reconciliation a lesson vnto vs y loue should not faint within vs nor we be wearie with the labour and trauell of it for true it is loue is not an idle affection to say I would hee were well Or God helpe him but loue is painefull to helpe in time of neede and well willing that no paine can wearie it So S. Paul saith Eternall life is giuen to thē which looke for it in continuāce of wel doing And in another place he bideth vs not to be wery of wel doing for we shal reape the fruit of it not be wearie a thing dearely beloued cōfessed of al men yea the verie Gentiles knew it y all my well doing is nothing worth if at last I would leaue my brother in miserie not help him stil. But it is a thing practised of verie few when I haue once or twise traueled in my brothers cause not to be wearie but to helpe him stil this corruption of y world let vs take heede of it correct the frowardnes of our own nature Tell me I pray if I saw a man like to drowne in y mids of the Thames what if I came vnto him and brought him nigh to the shore and then lest him drowning by the banck side what good did I to him Sure no more then he that looked on and let him alone in the middes only I made him languish with a vaine hope whereby his death was the bitterer And tell me thou fainting wearie friende if Christ should haue done so with thee how great had beene thy miserie If he had endured for thee the paine of his birth the trauel of his life the affliction of his flesh the reproches of men the tentatiōs of the diuel then had left thee in bondage of death whiche thou couldst not escape what hadst thou beene the better Let vs learne then to be faithfull as he was faithfull endure to the ende in well doing I speake this with griefe to see y world how euerie man is left in his righteous cause faire words goodly countenances are not hard to gett but a faithfull heart to deliuer the iust out of trouble I haue seene it in Christ I haue not else found it in one Yet this I am sure of he that is faithful in this behalfe he is like vnto Christ and Christe liueth in him And thus farre of the last verses of this second Chapter Now let vs come to the third Therfore holie brethren partakers of the heauenly calling cōsider the Apostle high Priest of our professiō Christ Iesus Now y Apostle leaueth to make any further description of the persō of Christ wherof we haue heard beginneth a more particular declaration of his offices first how hee is our Prophet to the 14. verse of the next chapter And now let vs learne to be fruitefull hearers and this exhortatiō let it make vs wise that carefully diligently we may hearken and learne the my sterie of y Lord Iesu in which we be saued that we may haue the testimonie in our selues that we be y children of the Newe testament Therefore holy brethren c. Let vs marke diligently euerie woorde in this excellent exhortation for they are not onely a wise persuasion to moue vs to care and diligence in learning but the exhortation is so gathered out of the former doctrine that this one sentence is a plaine expositiō of all the doctrine taught before from the eleuenth verse to the end of the Chapter He saith first Therefore Or for this cause as if he would say Seeing it is so with vs seeing God hath receiued vs into this grace seeing such an excellēt prophet is giuē vnto vs let vs heare him So in the first worde he sheweth that this exhortation is according to his former doctrine Then he calleth them Holie alluding to that he spake in the eleuenth verse He that sanctifieth they that are sanctified are one to teach vs that we be holie that we are one with Christ and y by his spirit sanctifying vs we be receiued into his felowship He calleth them Brethren repeating that he taught in the 11. 12. verse that Christ hath taken our nature we are euen as his brethren fellow-heires with him in the kingdome of his Father and that this is the meaning of Brethren the words following declare Partakers of the heauenly calling these wordes shewe what brotherhood he speaketh of that is a heauenly brotherhood which we haue with Christe for Christ the sonne of God who hath brought downe heauenlie giftes hath imparted himselfe vnto vs made vs fellowes with him in these heauenly blessings first reuealing his fathers wil then defending vs from our enimies and at last presenting vs faultlesse before God abolishing the diuel and the feare of death of whiche heauenlie giftes he spake in the 12. 13. 14. 15. verses After he addeth The Apostle and high priest of our profession In these words he teacheth what offices he had before attributed to Christ in y texts alledged first y he is our prophet calling him by the name of Apostle that is the messinger of God to teach vs our profession verse 12 then y he is our priest to present vs before God as verse 13. And although as I haue often tolde you his kingdome is also manifestly proued by that is saide afore yet by this place I gather that the Apostle hath especially and of purpose onely taught this that Iesus Christ God and man is only our Prophet priest to declare and worke our saluation exhorting vs now to learne carefully so great a mysterie Now let vs consider further this exhortation to see what profitable thinges we haue to learne in it where we are first called Holie Brethren we may see in these wordes a good image of the Churche of Christe Brethren as is said noteth our vnitie with Christ our head by the participation of his spirit so the church is a people graffed into Christ y is made members of Christ and sanctified with his spirite This is our knowledge of the church which is true and catholique it is not in any obseruation of time of place of person but where this brotherhood is a people ioyned to the Lord Iesus and sanctified by him there is the church to talke of any places it is great follie Christ will not haue his Churche to be known by countrie or kinred or respect of persons but only by this that they are graffed in him and made a holy brotherhod And here let vs learn what is true holinesse euen to be made partakers of
mistrust vnto it If the Pope who is a seruaunt of seruants will sett vp an other throne of miserable bondage of ignominie of anger of cruel death let them feare before it who list to go vnto it for our parte we haue once accurssed both the Pope his throne and we will neuer more endanger our selues vnto the censure of it That which the Apostle here addeth last In time of neede he applieth to that which he spake so much of before To day noting as I tolde you thē that euen now while yet the Gospell is preached the opportunitie of time is in which we must be faithfull and inherit as it were the firste fruites of eternall life which time neglected cannot be called back againe though we should wish it with teares and therefore let vs regarde it now while it is offered knowinge this that God hath not ordeyned a throne of grace but for those which finde their helpe and comforte in due time And let vs pray that God would lightē our mindes that wee may be wise to knowe the time of our calling c. The 22. Lecture vpon the 1. 2. and 3. verses of the fifte Chapter 1 FOr euerie high priest is taken from among men and is ordeined for men in things perteining to God that he may offer both giftes and sacrifices for sinnes 2 Which is able sufficiently to haue cōpassion on them that are ignorant and that are out of the way because that he also is compassed with infirmitie 3 And for the sames sake he is bound to offer for sinnes as wel for his owne part as for the peoples YOV haue heard before how the Apostle hath taught that our Sauiour Christ is our greate highe priest and what maner of priesthood he hath euen such a priesthod by which him selfe is entred into the heauens and hath giuen grace vnto vs that do beleeue that through his vertue and power wee might also with boldnesse approche vnto God. This excellencie of Christ and his high priesthood the Apostle beginneth nowe to proue by comparing together Christ and Aaron For like as when he spake of his prophesie because there was no prophet in Israel so great as Moses and to whome God so familiarly appeared as vnto Moses therefore to proue the excellencie of Christe hee compared him with Moses So nowe in this matter of his priesthoode because there was no prieste comparable with Aaron ordeined of God as hee was with so singular honour so great promises so much reuerence of his people therefore hee compareth Christ with Aaron that by the difference it might more clearely appeare that Christ both must needes be an high priest and in honour alone farre aboue all other He beginneth his comparison thus For euerie high priest is takē from among men and is ordeined for men in things perteining to God that is those which are priests after the order of Aaron first in nature are their brethren men like vnto them selues subiect to all infirmities whiche the people are subiect vnto hauing nothing in them selues wherein especially to reioyce but is like vnto other men againe they execute their office and doe the worke appointed them not for themselues alone as men hauing a priuate businesse but in the name and for the benefite of the whole people that the fruite of their labour might redounde vnto manie and they serue the people in things apperteining to god A third propertie of that high priest was that hee came not before god in his own vertue but brought gifts and sacrifices with him for reconciliation by gifts he meaneth all oblations of thinges without life which apperteined to the sacrifices by sacrifices all beasts which were killed and offered according to the lawe An other thing required in the priestes of the old law which were after the order of Aaron the Apostle addeth in the second verse in these words Which is able sufficiently to haue compassion on thē which are ignorant and out of the way This propertie here spo ken of is compassion in feeling the sinnes and errours of the people as if they were his owne and hauing a continuall care howe to instruct them and teach them in the right way that they might caste from them all this corruption and bee reconciled vnto god After this hee sheweth the cause why this compassion was in him and how he was made so louing because that he also is compassed with infirmity that is had experience in his owne flesh how proue they were to sinne howe subiect to tentation how soone seduced from good to euil and how readie to fall from life to death of which infirmities he was so partaker that the smart and stinge of them was in his owne flesh and dayly he was wounded with his owne concupisence to doe the thinges that hee would not and therefore greeued with him selfe and hauing pitie on his brethren hee willinglie executed his Priestes office and did it gladly which he found by experience must be done of necessitie or no flesh should be saued and offered sacrifice in signe of the purging of their sinnes and reconciliation vnto God as the Apostle addeth in the thirde verse And for the sames sake he is boūd to offer for sinnes aswel for his owne parte as for the peoples and thus farre of this beginning of comparison betweene Christe and the priestes of the lawe setting nowe downe these properties of the Priest and after shewinge the greate excellencie that is in Christe aboue them Now in this we haue to learne manie profitable instructions First where he saith Euery high prieste is taken of men and appointed for men in things apperteyning to God we learne that no man can haue accesie or entrance vnto God but by a mediatour the Lorde woulde not then receiue the peoples gyftes their offeringes their vowes their prayers their thankes giuing what so euer it were no man in Israel were he neuer so holie had his accesse vnto God but by a mediatour nor he offered any thing vnto God but by the priest This was then their schoolemaister to leade them to the Messias without whome they knewe there was no agreement betweene God and them so that wee knowe they were taught in the same faith that wee be taught that man through sinne was once cast out from the presence of God and from thencefoorth for euer to dwell in his shame except some other woorke reconciliation for him for man had loste all his owne power and as Adam was so were all the Children of Adam All were gone out of the way they were all corrupte there was none that did good no not one An vnpossible thinge for all fleshe eueragaine to come into the presence of God without a mediatour in whome GOD would be againe reconciled This doctrine the Iewes were taught in their high prieste who onely entred before the Arke where was the signes of Gods presence and all people else forbidden to approche neere And as thus they
he kneeled downe fell vppon his face and so prayed vnto God. And as the cause of his prayers is here mentioned To be deliuered from death so the wordes of his prayer in the Gospel are like Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me meaning the death of his crosse to which he was condemned And as heere is mencioned his great and lowde crying so there the Euangelist saith he cried out with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and like as heere is said He prayed with weeping teares so there is witnessed that he was sorrowfull and greeuouslie troubled that his soule was heauie euen vnto deathe and that in a great agonie his sweate was like vnto drops of bloud a wofull kinde of weeping but suche was his compassion that we might haue sure hope and as heere is said he was deliuered from his feare so at that time when all his spirites were troubled the Angell came from heauen to bring him comfort These similitudes they are all so agreeable that it is euident the Apostle respected especially aboue other this part of his passion in which his perfecte loue and vnchaungeable affection toward vs shined in most fulnesse of beautie in that it was so seruent and so deepely rooted that neither feare nor trembling nor any anguishe of spirite could make him shake nor the force of death nor any bloudie sweates coulde pull it out of his bowels In this one sentence dearely beloued there is more for vs to learne then either eye hath seene or eare hath heard or all flesh in this life shal atteine vnto it is the depth of the glorious Gospell whiche the Angels doe desire to beholde But to note vnto you some thinges in which our faith may be strēthened we haue to learne by y example of our sauiour Christ in this place that in all temptations wee should approch vnto our God and make our complaints vnto him who is onely able and readier for to helpe vs He hath not forgot his promise that he hath made of old Cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil deliuer thee he is a place of refuge and of sure defence a strong tower against all assaults the righteous man that shall hasten vnto him hee shall be surely saued the author finisher of our fayth he is gone before vs we shal be surely partakers of y same mercie It skilleth not how great our temptations are into which we are fallen nor how manie in number the Lord will deliuer vs out of all It skilleth not how many our sinnes are nor howe great in our eyes that haue procured our troubles the Lord will scatter them as the cloudes from the heauens and they shall not turne away his louing countenance from vs Let vs looke on this patterne Iesus Christ that is set before vs it woulde crushe our fleshe in peeces to beare with him the weight of his afflictions from which he was deliuered and it would make our teares to be as drops of bloud to be partakers of so great anguishe of spirite as he susteyned and yet it was not so great but the comfort of the Angell sent from his father was much greater so that by prayer hee obteined a most excellent victorie and hath brused the serpents head and broken all his force and why should we then be discouraged If our sinnes be as crimson or if they bee red like skarlet yet they are the sinnes of our owne bodies but not ours only but also the sinnes of the world they rested all vpon Christ our Sauiour and yet he prayed for deliuerance and hath obteined and therfore we may say with boldnesse forgiue vs our trespasses If the loue of Christ were so greate to beare the sinnes of vs all of them euerie one hath gotten forgiuenesse how should not we that are laden but with our owne sinnes lift vp our heades into great assurance of hope and heare with ioyfulnesse the worde of promise I will be merciful to their vnrighteousnesse I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more And what though our afflictions are exceeding many that the whole head be sicke and the whole heart be heauie that from the sole of the foote vnto our heads there be nothing whole in our bodies but all wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption yet all this is nothing vnto his passions by whose stripes we are healed And these troubles are nothing vnto his mightie cryinges who was compassed about for our sakes with feares and horrors till his sweate was as drops of bloud and his bones bruised in his fleshe Then let the whips and scourges of our chasticement be grieuous let vs yet be beaten if the will of God so be with scorpions Christ in great compassion suffering with our infirmities hath borne yet a more heauie weight of iniquities and hath been deliuered So that if we obey we are partakers of his mercies we haue full persuasiō that neither death nor life nor Angels nor prin cipalities nor powers nor things prefét nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yea and greater boldnes then this if it be possible to dwell within vs the Apostle here hath offered it in Christ Iesu. If all the sinnes were vppon him and all sorrowes in his fleshe and yet from them all God hathe hearde his prayers why should we not be sure that our sinnes and sorrowes shal be done awaye why should we not be sure that God him selfe hath appointed vnto all that mourne in Sion as the Prophet saith to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirite of heauinesse Let vs therefore behold dearly beloued for he was woūded for our transgressiōs brokē for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vpon him these praiers are ours these supplicatiōs for vs auailable for moe sinnes then we are able to commit this is our victorie that shal ouercome the world euē our faith in al miseries and multitudes of woe we are not sunken so deepe in sorrow as he that for our sakes made prayers and supplications with strong cryings and with teares and was deliuered from his feare The second point that we haue here to learne in this example of our Sauiour Christe is to knowe vnto whome we should make our prayers in the day of trouble which the Apostle testifieth in these wordes that Christ made his prayers vnto him that was able to deliuer him from death a rule to bee kept of vs in al manner of our petitions and supplications whatsoeuer to make thē knowen vnto him that can graunt our request that is vnto God this rule was kept of the Church of God from the beginning When men were once turned from their Idols
but a blast of woordes When there was no remedie but Christ must be had to Caiphas Peter began to faint and to drawe behinde When the perill was more increased and they began to crie Crucifige Peter was more affraid and began to swaere he knewe him not so great infirmitie is in mortall flesh experience is the greatest warrant to knowe what it can beare It is our bounden duetie and the Lorde requireth it that we should determine with our selues in all things to approue ourselues the witnesses of his Gospell in patience in afflictions in necessities in stripes in tumults in labours in watchinges in fastinges in honour in dishonour in good report in shame in life in death and our comfort is greate when we be persuaded of these thinges that we woulde contemne them But howe violently the fleshe will fight against vs wee cannot well declare till we haue made the triall We therefore dearely beloued whom it hathe pleased God to keepe in heauinesse thorough many temptations wee haue here a salue against the woundes of sorrowe Our afflictions doe teach vs how farre we can obey the lord If in all griefe of bodie I can say with patiēce I haue held my peace O Lord because thou hast done it then I knowe y in all sorrowes of fleshe I haue glorified God and my heart reioyceth If my minde be ful of anguishe And sorrow so that all hope be faint within mee if I can say yet vnto my soule I will waite patiently for the Lordes leasure then I know assuredly God hath made mee obedient and he will heare my prayer so that this experience hath bred in mee the hope that shall neuer be confounded I may speake the woordes whiche the heauens shall seale vnto with euerlasting truth neither fire not sword not principalities nor power shall remoue mee from the loue wherewith God hathe loued mee a sure token of this saluation I haue found in mine afflictions when I trauelled in sorrowe both of the body and minde I found the grace to say O Lord do thy will this is no small cause why we should reioyce when God doth make vs worthie to feele the triall of our faith So dearly beloued faint not in your mournings but endure patientlye you know not the happinesse of that which seemeth your miserie let this be the first cause why we should be glad of temptations And to the end wee may helpe our common infirmities let vs learne yet more why it is good for vs to be brought low a most notable commoditie the Apostle reherseth where he writeth to the Romanes Those whom God hath foreknowen he hath also predestinate to be made likvnto the image of his sonne Loe my deare brethren these are the healthful counsels of the Lord toward vs that we shoulde be made like vnto his sonne Christ in many afflictions y at the last wee might be also like him in eternall glorie These are the riches of Gods vnsearcheable wisdome Death once reigned through sinne and he hath found a way to rise from it agaiue into greater glorie this victorie because it was too great for saint or angel to obtein he hath appointed it to be the worke of his onely begotten sonne who made it perfect in a most excellent conquest he hath taken vpon him our nature to make it strong and in his owne person he hath filled it with the fulnesse of miseries with all sorrowes of flesh with all anguish of minde with persecution with death with sinne with hell with condemnation and from all these by the mightie power of his godhead he is risen againe in our flesh ascended vp into glorie and sitteth on the right hand of Maiestie and of power beeing a mightie Sauiour vnto euerie one that shall follow him So that this is our glorie in all afflictions we are fashioned by them into the similitude of Christe and we are made like vnto him So it pleased God whē hee would bring many children into glorie to consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions and to make both him that sanctifieth and those that are sanctified all one that they that suffer with him should also reigne with him and they that die with him should also liue with him So wee when we feele many troubles to rest vpon vs we may say now we are like vnto Christ especially when we feele that greatest trouble fullest of bytter sorrow that is the minde oppressed it maketh vs specially like vnto him that we may say with Paul now we supplie in our flesh the remnaunt of the afflictions of Christ. Let me looke into y who le course of my life what so euer pleaseth me best health honour riches fauour authoritie friendship wife children in all these things I cannot yet beholde the liuely image of Christe Affliction and trouble a minde broken with remembraunce of sinne a troubled spirite these are the beginninges of greate reioycings with the horrours of death and a conscience burthened with the wrath of God heere light shineth out of darcknesse and hope out of despaite As I think my selfe furthest off from the Lord so in deede I am neerest vnto him and when I thinke my self fullest of confusion they y image of Christ is moste liuely within me The Lord may hide his face for a while for a moment in his anger as he did from Christe but he must needes returne vnto mee with euerlasting mercies for the image of his sonne is cleare within me A blessed sorrowe and woe ful of happinesse that fashioneth these dayes of my vanitie into the similitude of the age of Christ that with him at last I might reigne for euer A precious countenance it is in the sight of GOD that seemeth without beautie in the eyes of man and an vnspeakable treasure of ioy and gladnesse ingrauen in these vesselles that are but earth and ashes When Christe is the patterne whose similitude wee doe beare who can bee discouraged vnder the Crosse Wee are afflicted on euerie side but not in suche a straite that we are shut from hope we are in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but we perish not We are troubled in all things fightings without and terrours within but God that comforteth the abiects he will comfort vs Vnto this hee hath predestinate vs that wee should be like vnto his sonne in all afflictions and so be glorified with him in the day of honour Thus farre we haue heard two speciall causes why we ought to reioyce in all temptations the one that so we learne true obedience the other that by them we be made like vnto Christe Adde yet vnto these one third cause out of the Scripture whiche when you shall haue learned be bolde dearelie beloued in all the fire of the enimies For beholde in the trueth of Iesus Christe I dare be your warrant the greater are your afflictions the liker you are vnto Christe yea
vs If it were thus yet what is become of building religious houses of pilgrimage of numbering many prayers of their holie orders their garments their fasting c All these they let sink in their own shame with out defēce for these applied not the death of Christ vnto vs but in the merite of the worke they were commended But as these haue no colour of good defence so the excuse of the other is very vaine for how say they that the pope or priests applie the me rites of Christ seeing this application cannot stand by their owne confession without a real sacrificing of Christ For saith not y Apostle here that Christ did it by him selfe not onely making Christe the woorke but also the woorkman the price and the chapman the sacrifice sacrificer not al the world can giue any other recompence for sinne but him nor all the world can giue him but him self as both more plainly we shall heare afterwarde And here is expressely saide that he did it by him selfe with as great warrant giuing vnto him y doing as the thing done As wel and with as litle sinne we may choose another sacrifice as another sacrificer For by the same worde of God bothe are giuen to him a like And as there is not mentioned any other thing that euer could be offered so there is not named any other person that euer could offer this But as he is alone our king and alone spoiled principalities and powers vpon his crosse so he is alone our priest and alone he sacrificed vp his bodie once for all Now where it followeth in the Apostles words That he sitteth at the right hand of high maiestie we must first marke the change of wordes where it is vsually saide he sitteth on the right hand of god Here he saith on the right hand of the highest maiestie whiche is as it were an interpretation of the right hand of God signifying nothing else but the power and glorie of God giuen vnto the person of the mediatour according to that saying of Paule God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names Beside this seeing the right hand of God doth signifie his power wee must learne to be wise hearted not make vnto God a right hand or a left like vnto ours Wee know the commandement Thou shalt make vnto thy selfe no grauen image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth Let vs giue our obedience and confesse that God is incomprehensible not like to any thing which possibly our bodilie eyes can see And let vs not seeke vaine pretences that we might committe sinne and see it not to say I will make it for a remembraunce or the more to stirre vp our mindes make it howe thou wilt the precept is broken which saith thou shalt not make it And be thou well assured as long as S. Paules wordes shall betruer then thine so long it shall stand that if thou do make any similitude in the worlde to represent God Thou hast now turned the trueth of God into a lie changed the glorie of the incorruptible God to the likenes of the image of a corruptible creature and if accordingly God giue thee vp to a reprobate sense for this pride in thine owne wisedome he doth with thee but as he did with thy forefathers therfore take heede The cause why the Scripture attributeth vnto God eares and eyes and hands and feete it is because we are not able yet to comprehende any thing of Gods maiestie therfore the holie Ghost applieth speach to our infirmitie that we might by these woordes the Lord seeth heareth kepeth and ruleth al things that in him we might boldly trust Let not vs carrie away this great goodnesse of God into rebellion to leaue his glorie whiche we see onely by faith and make him handes and feete and gray haire like vnto a wretched bodie that is consumed with yeares But the time is past Let vs pray that it would please God our heauenly father to humble our hearts vnder the mightie power of his sonne Christ that wee may feare loue and obey him reioycing in the excellencie of glory that he hath giuen vnto vs who is the sonne of God and the Lord increase in vs our faith and hope that in the assurance of Gods loue our consciences may be at peace and in the reuelation of Gods glorie our hearts may be filled with ioy in the Lord which we be seech God to graunt vnto vs euen for his sonnes sake our only mediatour and aduocate Amen ¶ The third Lecture vpon the 4. 5. 6. and 7. verses 4 And is made so much more excellent then the Angels in as much as he hath obteyned a more excellent name then they 5 For vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my sonne this day begat I thee And againe I wil be his father and he shall be my sonne 6 And againe when he bringeth in his first begotten sonne into the worlde he saith And let all the Angels of GOD worship him 7 And of the Angels he saith He maketh his spirits his messingers and his ministers a flame of fire IN these wordes as I tolde you the Apostle beginneth to set out the person of our sauiour Christ by comparison with Angels and this comparison he maketh in many pointes as wee shall heare that the more cleare wee see it tho more effectually we might confesse his high Godhead and therefore aboue all thinges to set him alone called in the new testament the high Prieste and Prophet and King of his people And the first comparison here made is of the first title before giuen him that he is the naturall sonne of God begotten of the substance of his father whereby he must needs be one and equall with his father which name as no Angel hath it so no Angel is to be compared to him That thus the Apostle taketh the name of Sonne according to the dignitie of nature it is plaine in his owne wordes saying And is made so much more excellent c. verse 4. making his excellencie according to his name his name according to his excellēcie For otherwise the name of the sonne of God may be giuen to euery one of vs as God calleth Israel his first borne and all the elect the sonnes of God So the magistrates are sonnes of God and the Angels also the sonnes of God but we by adoption grace the magistrate because he executeth the iudgement of the Lord the Angels by creation none of vs according to the worthinesse of our owne nature But by nature substance eternitie as the Apostle here meaneth there is none the sonne of God but Christ alone And that thus Christ is the sonne of God he proueth it first out of the second psalme where it is said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten
thee Where the Prophet shewing causes why the whole world should not preuaile against Christ he saith because God had decreed it in his eternall counsell and proclamed it with this sentence Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee That is this day haue I declared that thou art my natural sonne meaning especially the time in which he made him knowen in the worlde by his wonderfull workes as S. Paule ment when he saide God was made manifest in fleash noting the power of the spirit working in him in his birthe life death resurrection and ascension So this day noteth not any particular time but all times in generall wherein God hath shewed his power in Christ as especially in the time he liued among vs And it see meth that the Apostle maketh manifest this sense of his wordes in that he addeth to the text alledged in the vi verse the time when it was fulfilled leauing this without any distinct time as that whiche apperteined to all times in which Christ should be shewed to be the sonne of God especially as I saide in his life and before or since as God sheweth his glorie in him So this sentence was true when he appeared to Abraham Iacob Moses to any of the patriarches or prophets or after his ascension when he appeared to Stephan to Paule or any other or whensoeuer he sheweth his power to defend his church vnto the end according to his owne promise I am with you to the latter end of the world And thus this word to day is takeÌ„ in that which is after alledged To day if ye will heare are his voice harden not your hearts And againe In the day of health I haue heard thee And in the day of saluatioÌ„ I haue succoured thee meaning no particular day but al the time that the word is preached vnto vs. It followeth I wil be his father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y sonne This is another texte to proue Christ the naturall sonne of god It is written in the seconde of Samuel the seuenth chapter and they are the wordes of God vnto Dauid by the Prophet Nathan to giue him a promise of the blessing of his seede after him which was begone in Solomon who built the temple and whome God so highly aduaunced in all wisedome richesse and honour that the Fatherly prouidence of God appeared ouer him as ouer an especiall chosen sonne All which as it was promised to Dauid so Dauid looked for the perfourmance of it in Christ and to be figured in Solomon his sonne after him whose temple was a figure of the Churche of Christe his riches a figure of the great graces of the spirite of Christe giuen to his Church his honour aboue all kinges a figure how kinges should submitt them selues to Christ and be nurlefathers and Queenes nurses to the Churche of Christe his wisedome a figure that in Christe should be hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge and finally he called by name the sonne of God in respect of his blessings as a figure of Christ who is the eternall sonne of his father in nature of his person And so the Apostle here alledgeth this place without any suche long exposition howe the place is meant because we should see in it that the people of Israel were not so ignorant of the Scriptures as we be but brought vp in the knowledge of the lawe and taught the vnderstanding of it euen from their â—…dell as we shoulde be And thus haue we heard this argument of the Apostle Christ hath a more honourable name then the Angels therefore he is more excellent then they Nowe also let vs see the manner of proofes here vsed He proueth Christe to be the naturall sonne of God by textes of Scripture witnessing 〈◊〉 he donâ—…eth that Angels are so because God in his scriptures neuer spake it for so he beginneth Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time c. The self same maner of proofe againe he vseth in the 13. verse following Because the scripture saide it not therefore he proueth it is not so making his argument negatiuely from authoritie of Scripture whiche in all thinges what soeuer man is required to do or know in matters of religion is euer a most certeine conclusion God spake it therfore we must doe it God spake it not therfore we haue nothing to doe with it And this argument must needes bee good so long as this word of the Lordo doeth endure What I commaund thee doe that only And so long as this is a iust condemnation of all our owne deuises who required these things at your hands And so long as this shal be true that our wisdome is folishnesse and we cannot doe well but when we bearken to the worde of God that shineth in our harts as in a dark place True it is and if we had but the wisedome of children we must needes see it that all particular lawes and orders with which we may be bound they are not set downe in precise words of Scripture but it is as true that the nature and propertie of euery lawe or order is so described that the worde of God as clearely is followed in it as if the wordes of the law were set downe in it For of all decrees to be made in his church hath not God said It must be without offence it must edifie it must bee comely and according to order and it must serue to the glorie of God. Now God hauing giuen grace into our heartes to iudge what soeuer we decree by these rules is not the word of God the warrant of it By such manifest proofe ofscripture the church of Christ doeth iustifie all that she doeth Thus the Apostle proueth heere his doctrine Thus we must do if we will bee the Apostles scholers Marke well this reason for it is worthy God said to Christ thou art my sonne therfore he is his sonne God said not so to any Angel therefore no Angel can take the name vnto him In like manner we will dispute with them God said The true worshippers should not go to mount Sion nor to Ierusalem but worship God in spirit and trueth Where said he go a pilgrimage or go visit the holie sepulchre God said Doe not obserue dayes and monethes and times and yeeres Where said he keepe vnto me Lent or Aduent imber weekes or Saincts Eeues God said vnto vs It is the doctrine of diuels to forbid marriage or to commaund to abstaine from meates Where said he eate now no fleash now no white meate let not the minister marrie God said Let euery soule be subiect to kings princes and the autho ritie of such men let it not be in his Apostles Where said he let the pope haue the gift of kingdomes bee exempt from authoritie of man weare a triple crowne and haue Lords and noble men vnder him God said Cursed 〈◊〉 he that addeth ought to his law or taketh
following on the contrarie parte the Apostle setteth downe what is the proper glorie of Angels that by plaine comparison this dignitie of Christ might more appeare and so of Angels he addeth that they be all ministring spirits sent out for the safetie of those whiche shall inherite saluation Where he calleth them ministring spirites according to the testimonie of Dauid before alledged He maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flâ—… of fire which bothe names spirites and ministers the one of nature the other of office he bringeth thus into the proper definition that they be ministring spirites And because the ministerie of any creature may be in diuerse things therefore to take away this vncerteintie wherein their ministerie should be hee addeth streight that they are ministers for the safetie of Gods electe So setting out a perfect definition of an Angel fully comprehending all that wee can or ought to knowe of those blessed spirites I for all their glorie is comprehended in the nature of a spirite and the prayse which continually they sing vnto God is comprehended in their ministerie for they are named ministers according to Gods ordinaunce and good pleasure so that with continuall praise and thankesgiuing and reioycing in the Lorde they doe their worke as after their example we make our prayer Thy will be done in earth us it is in Heauen Now vpon this definition of Angels and the former testimonies of the great glorie of the sonne of God our Sauiour Iesus Christ by good comparison the Apostles conclusion is plaine and manifeste that seeing our Sauiour Christ is so exalted euen aboue the angels in all the honour of a King a Priest a Prophet wee ought much more so to acknowledge him aboue Moses aboue Aaron aboue all Temple sanctuarie mercie seate and all ordinances of the lawe that he might be alone our onely health and saluation And thus hee finisheth this first Chapter in which I saide he setteth out the person of Christe according to his Godhead bodily dwelling within him Now touching the wordes what we haue to note of this where he saith to which of the angels saide he at any time I then sufficiently declared vnto you as God gaue me grace when I expounded the v. verse Likewise of Christes sitting at the right hand of God I spake more fully expounding the third verse Where it is here added Till I make thine enimies thy foote stoole The Apostle Sainct Paule speaking of this victorie of Christ he saith He shall abolish all rule and authoritie and power noting as he faith in an other place that we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers against worldly rulers of this darkenesse against spirituall wickednesse in high places wherein we see of what force and strength our enimies are And because he saith The last enimie shal be abolished which is death we see that there shall neuer want enimies to the Churche whereby wee shoulde be prouoked in regarde of our continuall daunger to be euer watchinge and because of our stronge enimies onely to put our truste in Christe And here I beseech you let our hearts be in out owne wayes and of our naturall life let vs learne wisdome least we be also vpbraided of our Sauiour Christ that we can discerne the face of the earth of the skie but we can not iudge of our selues what is right Tell me who of vs hauing a long iourney by many theeues and wilde beastes or passing the rockie seas in great and violent stormes though lie escape a place or two where no theefe is not aâ—…ye beaste hath molested him yet at euerie place of daunger his feare is still renued And thoughe he haue passed many highe surges and deepe gulphes of water yet at euerie waue hee is still affraide not carelesse because he hath passed farre but still carefull because there is more behinde and this wisedome we vse because we know we may as well fall toward our iourneyes end and as well bee drowned before the hauens mouthe as when we first began our daungerous voyage Euen so with the Church of Christ in which this day we confesse our selues to haue our portion from the first day of her peregrination in earth till her last entraunce into glorie there is a perpetuall hatred betweene the serpent and her head and betweene the seede of the serpent and her children in which strife euerie one of vs particularly haue our fight so that from our mothers wombe till we lie downe in the graue our life is a warrefare vpon earth No age no condition of life no day no night but brings his enimie with him and the same enimie armed with sinne and death as well against the man of an hundred yeares olde as against the childe that is newe borne and as well we may fall into condemnation through apostasie of old croked age as through concupiscence and pride of youth And if at any time we become secure like a carelesse people who haue our senses dulled with an idle dreame of peace it is not because webe out of danger but according to the parable in the gospel The strong man hath possessed aâ—… therfore al things seme to be so safe sure Let vs therefore be wise shake off the weight of this dull sluggishnes which presseth vs downe that with attentiue eares wee may willingely heare his louing counsell who one day will breake the strongest head of all our enimies Hee biddeth vs watche and pray because wee knowe not the day nor yet the houre and so much the rather let vs doe it because we stand not in danger of robbing or drowning or tearing with wilde beastes which yet would make vs affraide though death should end our miserie but we stand in daunger of greater calamities when death shal be abolished whether we shal be accursed in eternall fire or whether wee shal be the blessed of the Lorde And as the perill is great so we haue heard the enimies are strong and such as before whome we are verie cowards for be we otherwise neuer so valiaunt to indure paine to quarell to fight to despise any daunger as it is the manner of a great many ruffians in deed but men of good courage they would bee called bring mee one of them in battell against these enimies wee haue to striue against pride against concupiscence against idle games against all sinne and thou shalte see no boy no woman no sickeman so verie a cowarde he hath not the heart to strike one blowe but yeeldeth him selfe a slaue and is led away as an oxe to the slaughter-house Let vs therefore watch Let vs pray for in this dangerous battell in which these strong men are verie cowardes what can we do Euen let vs denie our selues and trust vnto him that sitteth on the right hand of his father and hee shall make all our enimies our footestoole And this word we must not lightly
righteousnes al the dayes of our life who is our only Sauiour to whom with the father the holie ghost be glorie for euer Amē The seuenth Lecture vpon the 1. 2. 3. 4. verses of the 2. chapter 1 WHerefore we ought diligently to giue heede to the things which we haue heard least at any time we runne out 2 For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euerie trangression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde 3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to bee preached by the Lorde and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him 4 God bearing witnesse thereto bothe with signes wonders and with diuerse miracles and giftes of the holie Ghost according to his owne will WE haue hearde before howe that the Apostle after he had sette it downe that Christ was the Prophet of the new Testament that we might truely giue him this glorie streight hee magnifieth his person by many titles and by comparison with Angels proueing vnto vs that he is verie GOD. Now to shewe more clearely for what purpose all those praises of Christ were rehearsed himselfe maketh his conclusion in the beginning of this second Chapter that therefore we should most carefully hearken vnto him alone And this is the first part of this Chapter before the Apostle came as I tolde you to proue that our Sauiour Christ is also perfect man In this exhortation first the Apostle setteth downe his doctrine then his reason by whiche he will persuade vs vnto it his doctrine is this That it behoueth vs now more carefully to hearken to the woordes of Christe then afore time it behoued our forefathers to hearken to the lawe of Moses For where he sayth We ought more diligently he maketh this comparison plainly with the fathers in the olde lawe in the second verse following And heere we must wisely consider why he sayth We ought to be more carefull then they not that they might remitt any care for expresly they are charged with all care to adde nothing to take away nothing to chaunge nothing not to depart neither to the right hand nor yet to the left but day and night at home and abroade to do always this to studie it continually without intermission as appeareth in Deut. 4. 6. 5. 32. 6. 6. 11. 18. 12. 32. 28. 14. Ios. 1. 8. 33. 6. many other places Nor it is not saide that we be more bound then they as thoughe the authoritie of God were changed but this is spoken after our sense because now Christ hath spoken by himselfe then by angels now plainely then in figures therefore we ought more carefully to hearken not that all care ought not to be in them as wel as in vs but because our punish ment shall be more then theirs euen as we shall be despicers of the greater grace After this the Apostle addeth his reason to persuade vs to this especiall carefulnesse aboue all other people to hearken to the voice of Christe and that is of the perill that insueth Least saith he we run out The Apostle vseth a Metaphore taken of olde tubbes which runne out at the ioyntes and can holde no liquour In such a phrase of speache one sayth of him selfe I am full of creuisses or little holes and I flowe out on this side and on that meaning thereby that euerie vaine thing whiche hee heard he would blab it out so wee if we take into vs the sweete wine of the word of Christ as into old bottels and broken vessels that it runne out againe we become then altogether vnprofitable all goodnesse falleth away and we be as water powred vpon the ground This Metaphore the woman of Tekoa vsed to Dauid when in describing an vtter desolation of the people she said We are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe And Dauid him self describing the extremitie of all miserie which was come vpon him he said I am like water powred out and all my bones are out of ioynt Likewise when he prayeth that all the plagues of God may fall vpon the wicked til they be consumed to nothing he sayth thus Let them mealt like the waters let them passe away So the Apostle noting the extreame perill and ine◅table death that is in neglecting the worde of Christe this glorious sonne of God he sayeth Take hede lest we be poured out meaning as water powred on the ground and is neuer after profitable any more And if you will see an example what this flowing away meaneth beholde the Iewes this day to whome it is threatened A despised people whose verie name is as a cursse so they haue flowed out and are come to ruine if their example doe make vs wise then this exhortation of the Apostle is not to vs in vaine It followeth in the second thirde verse For if the word spoken by Angels c. saluation In these words the Apostle aggrauateth his reason forceth it the more to feare the people He vseth to this end an argument of the comparison before made betweene Christ and the Angels that if the lawe giuen by angels were not broken without seuere punishment because it was giuen by such glorious spirites how much more shall we be punished if we despise this great saluatiō preached by the sonne of God That the lawe was giuen by Angels the scripture heere is plaine Moses saith of the deliuerie of it The Lord came with tenne thousand of Saincts And S. Paule sayth expressely the same Gal. 5. 19. And Saint Stephan likewise Act. 7. 53. And how can it be otherwise For when there was in the mounteine thunders lightenings tempestes fearefull sounds of a trumpet and the voyce of a man heard I am the Lord thy God that brought thee c. what could this bee but the ministerie of Angels For it must needes be true which our sauiour Christ sayth No man hath heard the voyce of God at any time Neither then could the maiestie of God speake but the voyce of his mouth would haue shaken vnto nothing bothe men and mounteine and all the elementes that were before him For howe can corruption stande in his presence If we doubt because of the wordes that the voyce sayth I am the Lord thy God And againe in the third of Exodus it saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaach the God of Iacob true it is that our Sauiour Christ then spake who is the God of glorie but he spake not in the voyce of his Godhead but in the likenesse of an Angel which he tooke vppon him For thoughe it be true that he tooke not the nature of angels nor was made one of them yet in his heauenly wisedome he tooke vppon him the likenesse of an Angel and according to that nature so spake wordes so that still this is true The lawe was giuen by
subiect to any creature and if it be Gods eternall counsell that it should neuer be submitted to any no not to Angels in whome else can wee trust or in what other thing can wee put confidence to haue any parte of this wrought for vs We are all as our fathers were men by nature of the olde world our bodies and mindes full of sinne holden vnder the condemnation of the diuell all creatures against vs and God him selfe hateing vs no way to renewe our age no man to chaunge our state no Angel but God hath giuen it to Christ alone Wil I say that I can alter mine owne wil to make it couet goodnes Or put power into the members of my bodie to serue righteousnesse Or doe the things in which is any merite to eternal life Or purchase againe Gods fauour which was remoued from me If I wil boast of any of these I speake too proud words for either man or Angel and say that this seconde worlde is made subiect vnto me all good will all righteousnesse al merite al pleasure in heauenly things al reconciliation all victorie ouer death all loue of God all hope to be short all that is good and all ioy of spirite is of this new world whereof Christ is king And whosoeuer shall thinke that any power of these things is in himselfe he is puffed vp into pride of heart suche as an Angel of Heauen should not beare vnpunished for not vnto Angels but vnto Christ these things are giuen What can we nowe thinke of these men that tell vs the sacraments giue vs grace the masse is propitiatorie for our sinnes our submitting our selues to the Churche of Rome shall saue vs the Pope if we follow him he can not erre Crosses Bells Candels Holie water Vestments Pilgrimage Pardons Reliques euerie one hath his vertue the number of prayers hathe his measure of reward flesh or fishe it hath his holines according to his time These men and all the louers of their Gospell which take away from Christ the only rule of the world wherof we speake and put it in subiection to fleshe and bloud and the elementes of the world what shall we say of them Shall we beleeue them Or shal they prospet Nay they haue plowed wickednesse and they shall reape iniquitie they haue wandered in errour and they shal eate the fruite of lyes Now if this be so that all flesh hathe no goodnesse in it that all his wisedome and trauell can renue no whit of the lost worlde or bring any light into horror and darknesse but all is of Christ what shall we yet do with wordes of louder blasphemie which they call workes of supererogation What shall we doe with the Pope himselfe who by generall voyce of all his Church is saide that he can dispense the abundance of merites whiche were in the virgin Marie and in all Saints by his bulls to applie them Confessis contritis that they shal haue days of pardon as manie as he will number Are they ashamed of these thinges Nay they are not ashamed but euen now they lende vs ouer whole volumes to shewe the fruite of pardons how good they are and of late haue sent vs a bull that we should haue experience howe they holde this doctrine And what shall we say of suche a one Surely dearely beloued euen as the Prophet sayth of the people of Israel His formeations are in his sight and his adulteries are betweene his breastes So his vncleanesse is manifest to all the worlde and his marke is in his forehead that hee might bee knowen to bee Antichriste And you dearely beloued when you talke with your friends who are not yet persuaded in the religion of Christ when they thinke that wee haue free wil or we may deserue by our works or Lent and fasting dayes are holie or flesh or fish doe please God or the signe of the crosse is good or censing and Musicke stirre vpp deuotion or any suche thing Doe but aske of them whether they thinke obedience loue deuotion forgiuenesse of sinnes puritie life grace and such other fruites of Gods spirite and his mercie aske I say whether they thinke them workes of the olde worlde corrupt by Adam or of the new restored by Christe If they be of the new God hath not giuen them neither to our prayers nor fasting not working nor day nor time nor meat nor crosse nor musick nor belles to be short no not to Angels but to Christ alone to be dispensed according to his will If thou were as good as an Angel or thy meate as good as Manna that fell from Heauen or â—…hy garments as precious as Aarons Ephod or thy censinges as sweete as the perfume of all the Tabernacle or the dayes that thou keptst were as honourable as the day in whiche Christ arose againe from the dead yet neither thou nor thy garmentes nor thy meate nor thy dayes can set one of thy feete in this world we speake of it is the kingdome of Christe and be hath done it alone according heere as this prophesie is plaine and manifest Now followeth this prophesie what it man that thou art mindful of him c. by these words the apostle pro ueth this kingdome of Christ both properly and of right to be his and also by faith through Gods spirite giuen vnto vs in our Sauiour Christ they haue this sense Was not thy glorie great inough O Lord in the worke of thy hands but y thou shouldest giue thy sonne to be made man in whom our nature should be so exalted that al power should be giuen to him in Heauen and in earth who by his death should abolish all enimitie against man that he might be crowned with glorie and maiestie and haue eternall life in his owne hand And all this according to the verie sense of the prophet and therfore here alledged as in deed it was to be a prophesie of our sauiour christ Of vs also it is ment thus The prophet considering both the great maiestie of God appearing in his works and the base and lowe estate of a frail man that such a God of so great maiestie should haue any respect of a fraile and wretched man he could not but thus humble him selfe What is man O Lord that thou shouldest regarde him Such thoughts dearely beloued let vs haue and with such secret counsels let vs nourish our fayth This is the meditation to which we are called in all the workes of God and for this cause God hath giuen vnto vs hearts of men full of reason iudgment that we should rightly consider of all his creatures When we see the heauens we cannot chose but confesse before them it was not the hande of man that set them vpp so high We knowe the shining light of the sunne it is not giuen vnto it from earth or earthly thing we are sure y earth is found our owne trauel hath found it so our eyes do see the
are spoken of thee thou Citie of God. There is neither Sunne nor Moone sea nor land golde nor siluer meate nor drinke no elementes of the worlde no obseruations of Moses lawe no traditions of men that is ouer man but man ruleth all and all is vnder his feete Here streight way bothe Iewe Gentile saith These be in deed golden promises but where are these honourable personages you speake of Are not we as our fathers were and doth not death deuour vs To this the Apostle aunswereth I graunt we do not yet see with our eyes how these thinges are but I say againe our eyes are no iudges in this case The glorie is not earthly and the kingdom is not of this world wherof we speak but the riches spirituall and of the spirituall man they are discerned Know thy selfe y by saith thou art Christs and he thine that he died for thee and thou liuest by him that thou art fleshe of his fleshe bone of his bone a member of his bodie and what soeuer is his is thine haue this faith and now come and see and thou shalt see all the glorie of the worlde lesse then the glorie of suche a man for thou seest Christe humbled in deede once that he might suffer death but euen then when he was in the shape of a seruaunt thou sawest him full of grace trueth euen as the onely begotten sonne of God thou sawest him soft of speache but of merucilous wisedome plaine in teaching but full of grace and power simple in countenaunce but of an inuincible courage of lowe degree but of excellent power of no account among men but great in miracles at which man was astonished Thus thou hast seene Christ euen when he was lowest highly exalted that thou hast no good cause to reason against thy dignitie though thine eye see not euen in this time all things subiect vnto thee but see further into our Sauiour Christ and thou shalt see more of thine owne honour Thou haste seene him in thy fleash raysed from the dead and in thy nature ascended into Heauen that man in his person might be crowned with glorie and honour we haue seene him carrie our fleash into the presēce of God his father and it is no more possible to take this glorie from vs as many as bee one with him then it is possible to pul away againe his personal humanitie from the person of his godhead This I see in Christ and know it in my selfe And what though yet a while the outward man be grieued Thou foole that which thou sowest it reuiueth not againe except it first dye a litle corne of wheate it can not haue vertue to becōe thirtie fourtie times better then it was beeing multiplied to so many all as good as it selfe bringing beside fruitfull increase of strawe and chaffe except it firste bee cast in the ground dye And how shouldest thou haue a change but if thou be first corrupt And how much art thou better then a graine of corne y thou mightest surely know whē through corruptiō thou shalt come into incorruption that thy glorie shal be then vnspekable althings shall serue thee to make thy life infinitely blessed more then it is Thy hope now if thou couldst inlarge it a thousand folde yet it shuld be greter thē thou cāst imagine thy faith if it could comprehend more assurance of immortalitie then y eye doth surely of y light of the sunne yet y shalt finde y fruite of it aboue al thy thoughts This thou seest if thou see Christe and this thou knowest to be thine if thou know thy self to be one with him And for thy sinns howsoeuer they cleaue vnto thy bones hate them as thou hatest hell for from thence they are and the diuel worketh them but care not for them for though they were heauie in weight and manie in number what then thou haste thy hope not in thine owne person but in the bodie of Christ into which thou art graffed and in which there is no ▪ spott nor blemish but perfecte righteousnesse euen before God and in him as all other things so sinne also is putt vnder thy feete and thou art ruler ouer◅t And thus farr of the doctrine of the Apostle heere taught vs in this his Exhortation Nowe let vs returne to his other purpose howe he teacheth the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe the first reason whereof is in these wordes That hee might tast of death for all For as to the end he might suffer death it was necessarie he should be humbled because death else could not come into his presence so suffering death that man might bee deliuered by that death it was necessarie that hee him selfe should be man for so were the iust iudgements of God he gaue man a lawe pronounced a curse to him that brake it therfore whē we had all trespassed we were fallen into the punishment of our sinne for y threatnings of God are not as the words of a man that can alter or by some intercession that they can be mitigated but with God there is no change nor shadow of change that whiche with him is once purposed was euer decreed and his words are not weake but what he hath threatened if we fal into his hands all the creatures of the worlde haue no helpe for thee So that this beeing decreed of God Cursed is he that abideth not in all things written in this booke all people must nedes say Amen And The soule that sinneth must nedes dye redemption from this there is none to be loked for but by suffering of it for y Lord had spoken it must be done so our Sauiour Christ sith he would deliuer vs he must be made man like vnto vs and in our nature dye the death Our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs but they were imputed vnto him The punishment of them is forgiuen vs but it was not forgiuen him Righteousnesse is freely giuen vs but it was not freely giuen him He obeyed the lawe of his father euery iot and euery title that he might fulfill all righteousnesse He bare the condemnation of hell and death that he might abolish it He tooke vppon him the guiltinesse of our sinnes and bare them in his owne bodie y he might nay le them vpon his crosse Whē it pleased God our heauenlie father of his greate mercie to accept the obedience of his lawe for our perfecte righteousnesse and to giue vnto it the recompence of eternall life and when it pleased God to accept this for a full punishment of all the sinnes of man if any man could bee found to beare it before God and ouercome it our Sauiour Christ craued no more but this the residue he perfourmed all in his owne bodie and by his eternall spirite ouercame it so that in him is life in him is righteousnes in him is immortalitie in him is the reconciled good wil of God and that excellent wisdōe
sorrowful euen vnto death at the entr◅e into it Saint Marke saith He beganne to be astonished at his griefe was ouerwhelmed with his sorrow in which agonies Saint Luke saith his sweat was as drops of bloud falling from him and God sent an Angel from heauen to strengthen him And can we thinke al this came vnto our sauiour Christ for feare of the death of the bodie His seruants that receiue of his fulnesse do they so easily despise this death that either they wish for it to be with Christ or they reioyce in the middes of it before the persecuter and did our sauiour Christ himself in whom is the fulnesse of the spirite so feare and tremble at the remembrance of it Did the Apostles sing in prison and went away reioycing when they were whipped scourged Did Paul glorie in so manie tribulations which he reckoneth vp and did our Sauiour Christ in the like paine crie with a fainting heart My God my God why hast thou forsaken me No dearly beloued it is not so but that which made Christ to tremble would haue crushed his Apostles in peeces and that which made him to sweat bloud so plentifully would haue made them sink into the bottom of hell and that which made him crie would haue holden both men and Angels vnder euerlasting wo and lamentation If then our Sauiour Christ were as the prophet saith like water powred out and all his bones out of ◅oynt if his hart were like wax mol ten in the midds of his bowell if his strength were dried vp like a potsherd and his toung cleaued vnto his iawes if he were brought with his sorowes into the dust of death fie vpon their blasphemous speaches cursed words which say he suffered nothing but bodily paine I would those which are Papistes among vs and in their simplicitie are deceiued with the errour of many I would I say they knewe the wickednes of this one point of their doctrine that they say the soule of Christ suffered nothing but onely for the bodies sake as our soules suffer when our bodies are weake or are sicke or die If God impute this their ignorance vnto them howe shal they be saued from the death of sinne and condemnation Do they not know what the scripture saith He bare our sinnes in his bodie he submitted himselfe to the death of them and by the wounds of his stripes we be healed Did our sinnes deserue only a bodily death or did they not deserue the second death which is the wrath of God holding bodie and soule in an euerlasting fire And how shall they escape it if they know not this death in the bodie of Christ by whose stripes they may see themselues healed Let them pray and let vs pray for them that if it be the will of God they may soone be conuerted know the vnspeakable loue of our Sauiour Christe who was accursed for our sakes suffered for vs not onlie the torments of his bodie but the anguishe of his soule and the wrath of his Father ▪ which wounded his flesh and spirit vnto death and would haue holden him in that condemnation for euer if he had beene no stronger then we that deserued it But because he was also the Sonne of God in whome the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily the eternall spirite that was within him did lose the chaines of death and hel and mightily arose vp from the power of Sathan of whiche it was impossible that hee should be holden and he hath left those his enimies the diuel death hel in ignominie and darcknesse and hath abolished them for euer and euer not to hurt vs any more worlde without end In this hope dearlie beloued is our delight and dwelling place and they that knowe not these sufferings of Christ our soules shall haue no pleasure in their counsels And thus farre of the firste benefite mentioned of the deathe of Christe that he hath abolished the diuel The second benefite is that we be set at libertie from the bondage of the feare of death For so the apostle sayth And should set them free as many a◅ with the feare of death all their l◅fe long were hold◅n i◅ bōdage In these wordes let vs now consider what bondage we were in without Christe ▪ and what libertie wee haue obteyned through him Without Christe all our life is a miserable bondage in feare and terrour of eternall condemnation to come vpon vs for our sinne in the day of death through Christe wee see our sinnes purged the diuell vanquished death and condemnation abolished and our selues in the libertie of the childrē of God to say Our father whiche art in heauen This is the difference of estate betwene the children of God and the children of this world And what miserie trow we then do the wicked of the world liue in There is in deede no peace vnto the wicked as the Lord hath said when in all their life is feare and terrour when they carrie in their breastes tormenting furies to holde them day and night in feare of endlesse destruction God hath don it and no doubt they feele it there is giuen vnto thē a spirit of bondage and of feare in which they tremble at their owne estate they are the children of the handemayde Agar borne in the bondage of her wombe and dwell in the deserte and are in mount Sinaie where is the burning fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and sounde of trumpet at which they tremble for they are without Christ and therfore must needes be in bondage and in the feare of death all their life But thou wilt say The wicked prosper reioyce in their dayes they are bound in no such bondage nor feare no such feare Thou canst not tell nor thou knowest not the heart of a wicked man howsoeuer hee boast in his substance and hath peace in his riches peraduenture there is a bitter remembrance of death ▪ within him When Pharaoh the proud tyrant had hardened his heart boasted exceedingly against the people of Israel yet he sawe no sooner the death of the first borne but he feared trembled as the leaues in the wildernes and I remember Solomon sayth There is in deede a way that a man thincketh streight and pleasant when the issues of it leade vnto death But what pleasure is that and what delight Solomo◅ addeth euen in that laughing the heart is sorrowfull and that mirth doth end in heauinesse they doe indeede strengthen them selues striue mer◅eilously to cast out feare sometime with one pastime somtime with an other but if they could cast it out as out of a cannon yet would it euermore returne againe and vexe their heart that so flieth from it Balaam would faine haue comforted himselfe with riches and honor which he loued so much yet was he not without feare but at the last it brake out and he spake Let my soule die
the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like vnto theirs So I beleeue it is with all these men of reprobate mindes that stoare vp violence and robberie in their palaces that fill their tables with drunkennesse their bodies with vncleannesse their mouthes with blasphemie they know it I think and euen as Iosua saide with all their hearts and with all their soules they knowe it that the righteous mans life is better then theirs they know that a groat wel gotten is better then a pound stolen that sobrietie is better then righteousnesse that the chaste bodie is more blessed then the adulterous fleshe that the mouth that praiseth God giueth a sweeter sounde then all their wicked talke and if they do know this would they neuer so faine ◅eare off their conseiēce as with a glowing y◅on yet sometime it awaketh them as out of a slepe they see a fearefull sight of death and bondage so that let vs not frett our selues because of the wicked nor be enuious at their prosperitie for neither their house nor lande nor hidden treasure can either take from their bodies their quartan agues nor this care from their minde that they should not feare at the remembrance of their sinne And if there be any that feareth least in whome the stronge man so possesseth al that the things he hath seme to be in peace yet for all that he is neuer the better no more then the stalled oxe is the better because he knoweth not that he is taken out to go to the slaughter-house but a souden death shal haue the greater feare and therfore dearly beloued seeing their condition though we make the best of it is yet extreme euil let not our lott be with theirs but with the righteous of whom the Apostle saith that they are seit free from the bōdage of the feare of death But you wil say where is this fredome for the righteous man is yet affeard to die not euerie one for Paule saide I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ no doubt God hathe so reuealed this hope to many sainctes that they despise the graue and death how be it I graunt this is rare and it is natural to all to be loath to lay downe this earthly tabernacle notwithstanding we are free from this bondage to feare at it as thoughe wee had no hope And though we die in bodie yet we are free from eternall death and no feare of it shal ouercome vs so this is our blessing not that we shal not die but that we shal not be holden in death and not that we shall not feare but that we shal not be ouercome with feare he is a true christiā man that nether refuseth to die nor yet sainteth for any feare of death for why should I repine to giue this bodie to death I must needes die because my bodie is full of sinne and I wil willingly die that I may be deliuered from this bodie subiecte vnto sinne I muste needes die because I am full of corruption whiche must be chaunged and I will willingly die because I would put on incorruption that I might see God I must needes dye because I beare the image of an earthlie man and I will willinglie die that I may bee like the heauenlie man Iesus Christe I must needs die because so is Gods ordinance and I will willingly die that I may shewe mine obedience to his wil for these causes I submit my selfe to the de cree of God who hath appointed for al men once to die and I am either not at all afraid of it or the feare of it is not much for I know the sting of it is gone the victorie of it is lost the curse of it is taken away that which remaineth is onelie profitable for vs for it shall bring an end of all our labours and giue vs vp into the hands of Iesu Christ. Thus it is now accomplished that heere is spoken that Christe hath set vs free from the bondage of the feare of death which dearely beloued if we wil learne knowe assuredly it wil worke great increase of grace it will chaunge our mindes more then wee are ware of when we are wise hearted to see in deede no doubt we shal be as bolde as Paul and say vnfeignedly We desire tobe dissolued and to be with Christe It followeth now in the 16 verse For he tooke not at all vpon him the Angels but he tooke vpon him the seede of Abraham These woordes are a further declaration of that he said He tooke parte of fleshe and bloud euen as other children This he maketh plaine thus He tooke not I say any nature of Angels but hee tooke the nature of Abraham and was of his seede naming Abraham bothe in respect of the promises which were first made personally to him and because by his name there was more weight to persuade the Iewes that hee was their Messias and by example the doctrine is more plaine and in dede it is verie plaine as other children tooke fleash so did he flesh I say not the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham And if the Apostle conclude all this of these wordes of the Prophet Beholde me and my children what may wee conclude and how boldely of the wordes of Matthew Abraham begat Isaak Isaak begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and so foorth till hee came to the virgin Marie of whome Christe was borne How faithfully may we beleeue it that hee was borne a man as other children were And how boldely may wee detest all the madnesse of Martion Maniche Nestorius Eutichus Apelles Apollinaris Ennomius Cerdo Valentinus the Pope him self and all their disciples who haue so many way es denied the true humanitie of Christe It followeth in the seuenteenth verse Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithful high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people In these words the Apostle sheweth an other necessarie cause why our Sauiour Christ was man that by experience of our infirmities hee might be mercifull and faithfull to worke the reconciliation betweene God and vs and so concludeth this disputation of his humanitie applying it now vnto his priesthood as before particularly he had done to his kingdome and prophefie These words He ought in all things to be like vnto his brethren which are repeated againe Cap. 4. 15. they are to be marked of vs that wee see how expreslie still the Apostle vrgeth that Christ is a verie naturall man altogether as we be except sinne like nature the same flesh like affections the same soule like properties of bodie the same hunger thirst and other desires And as he is now so we shal be our bodyes glorified as his nor his no more infinite or in manie places then ours shal be and
names it is plaine what storie is ment and we haue in it to learne first how great a crime it is to resist the minister of God for the name of that sinne God hath giuen vnto the place for a perpetuall remēbrance what the punishment of it hath beene and againe what it is to fall from our hope that we haue in Gods prouidence to mistrust him to feare that he wil faile vs for this is to tempt God with which sinne how highly he is displeased the name of the place to this day beareth witnes ▪ which Moses for that cause called tentation And heere againe let vs learne howe and in what case we may giue names vnto places and that is when the remembrance of the name is a putting vs in minde of some speciall worke of God towarde vs as in remembrance of the excellent vision that God gaue Iacob he caled the place Bethel When God gaue to Abraham the life of Isaak his sonne and saued him from sacrificing Abraham called the place Iehouah Iireh Likewise in remembrance of GODS punishments when he diuided the peoples tongues hee called the name of the place Babel When God destroyed from heauen the hoast of Israel with fire for remembraunce of the punishment they named the place Taberah Manie suche examples are in the Scripture good and profitable for vs to followe if we had hearts that feared God and had comfort in the remembraunce of all his workes but we haue leaf◅ that good worke of our forefathers and as time corrupteth all things so it hath here corrupted our manners In deede we giue names still vnto places but not now for any conscience toward God the better to remember his goodnesse towardes vs but we erecte thereby monumentes to our fleshe and make shrines of pride We do I am affraid as the prophet Dauid saith the wicked do think their houses their habitations shal continue for euer and cal their landes by their names We swell with vanitie and are puffed vp with pride in this hautinesse of heart wee giue names vnto our houses this boasting is not good and of suche high minded men the prophet saith They shal lie like sheepe in their graues death shal deuour them yea al their pompe with them of this let vs beware for it is a sinne that cleaueth fast vnto vs we are easily ledd with it otherwise if God giue vs humble heartes and mindes in the naming of our houses after our owne names or after other there is no hutt at all Now where it is saide They tempted God and proued him in the wildernesse where they saw his works fourty yeeres we must knowe the wildernesse was a terrible and fearefull place full of temptations where the people alwayes wanted sometime meat somtime drinke in feare of enimies in feare of serpentes in muche affliction but what of this yet if they tempt God they are rebellious against god For he that made the wildernesse and all the terrour of it is not his power ouer it to saue his sainct◅s No place no man no terrour must ouerthrowe our hope in Gods prouidence or if it do wee tempt God and prouoke him against vs therefore Dauid saide Though I walked through the vallie of the shadowe of death yet I would not feare because thou art with mee And let vs neuer deceiue our selues for if wee be not as Dauid was to trust still in God yea though he seemed to kill vs Surely let our dayes be neuer so peaceable yet euerie occasion will make vs fall from God. Solomon saith if we faint in the day of aduersitie our strength was neuer great and if with the Israelites we would murmur in the wildernesse with the Israelites we would also rebell euen in the lande of Canaan for they were no more obedient when they had peace when their lande flowed with milke and honie then when they were in the solitarie desert And let vs not looke vpon our fathers example but loke vpō our selues this day doth this peace of the Gospel make vs more thankful or more desirously to giue vs our selues to be seruants of the Lord then we were before whē we felt y prison houses hoat fires of idolatric the Lord knoweth he iudgeth and we are wise if our hearts be settled for no cause at all to leaue our obedience to God then we may be bolde and say with Iob If he wil kill vs let him not spare for we haue not denied the wordes of the holie one let it come that he sendeth Neither the wildernes nor fierie serpents nor yet y fruitful vines and pleasant springs of the land of Canaan shall separate betweene God and vs. And heere that God sayth he did xl yeres shew his woorkes vnto them he meaneth bothe Manna with which he ◅ed them from heauen their continuall leading with the pillour of cloude and pillour of fire and all other miracles whiche he did before them wherein appeareth the long suffering of God and as Paule sayth The riches of his bountifulnes great patience whiche is not ouercome with our sinnes but he once promised it vnto Abraham to giue a land vnto them and all the rebellion of his childrē could neuer falsifie his promise This ought to strengthen our faith to the forgiuenes of our sinnes we haue a couenant of God greater and better they y made with Abraham euen a couenant made in his only begotten Sonne through whom he hath said he is well pleased with vs and will remember out sinnes nor our iniquities any more And let vs not feare neither the greatnesse of our sinne nor the craf◅nes of our enimie but in a repenting and faithful heart trust vnto his promise that can not change his grace nor repent him of his mercie for euer And yet that wee should not be here secure and commit sinne without regarde as men that carrie away the grace of God to wantonnesse thinking any outward calling to be warrant enough of our election To take away the grosse opinion and make vs serch better whether we be the children of the couenaunt or no therfore he addeth that he was angrie with this generation and said It is a people that doe erre in their heartes for they haue not knowen my wayes c. testifying by this threatening that his promises were not to them onely in their birth that they were the children of Israel but much more in this if they walked in the steppes of the fayth of Abraham So all we this day saluation is promised vnto vs in Iesu Christe in a holie couenaunt whiche shall neuer be broken but God will make all our enimies our footestoole and will surely take vs into his glorie But let vs be wise to see whether the couenaunt is made with vs or no for as not all that were borne of Abraham were the children of Abraham so not all that professe the Gospell shall haue
from death and from the graue If our Sauiour Christe say If you loue mee keepe my commaundements who hath bewitched vs that we should not beleeue the trueth what meane wee to liue in all excesse of sinne and poure out our selues into riot and yet stil say we loue the Lord Surely dearely beloued one cause is of all an vnbeleeuing heart hath seduced vs Wee think wee eate of the secret Manna when in deede wee seede of asshes We can not see that God resisteth the proude his iudgements are high aboue our reach and therefore we will set vp our owne praise and striue for honour euen vnto death we feare not the shame that we cannot see We knowe not what the kingdome of heauen is neither can we knowe for our eye cannot see it our eare cannot heare it our heart cannot comprehend it neither hath the spirit of God reuealed it vnto vs. and when infidelitie hath thus couered vs it is no maruel though we heare in vaine It is easier for a Camel to creep◅ through a needels eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen for we cannot feare where we thinke there is no daunger we can not hope where we loke for no goodnes promises and threatenings are but blastes of wind where infidelitie hath taken away our wisdome let vs now looke into our selues search our heart and reines whether we stand in faith or no for behold this know and the spirite witnesseth it there is no ambitious minde aspiring to honour no vncleane and filthie concupiscence of adulterie no couetous desires of Gold and Siluer no sinful delights of worldly minded men no falling from God for these corruptible and vaine thinges but infidelitie is both roote and braunche the beginning and ending an vnfaithfull heart causeth all in all and let faith but dwell within thee to beleeue the word of trueth know there is glorie and honour and immortalitie and eternall life to those that patiently seeke the Lorde and indignation wrath and tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euerie man that doeth euill Knowe that the worlde is vanitie and all fleshe is grasse that righteousnesse is perfect blessing and the feare of God is happinesse beleeue this as thou beleeuest thine eyes to see the light of the Sunne or to discerne the darkenes of the night and thou shalt neuer fall were thy ◅ntations neuer so many thou shalt ouercome them till the diuell himselfe doe flie from thee let vs therefore pray and pray continually euen as the Apostles prayed O Lord increase our faith The woordes following heete In falling away from the liuing God they shewe bothe what it is to be vnfaithfull and what worke it hath in vs For to doubt when the Lord hathe spoken or mistrust what hee hathe promised it is to fall away from him and when we beginne in heart to wauer and call into question whether his worde shal be perfourmed or no we lay our selues open to the assaultes of sinne and soone fall away from the liuing God to our owne vanitie And this generall rule that infidelitie maketh vs fall from God wee must particularly applie to all the workes of our life that wee be not hardened as the Apostle saith with the deceipt of sinne If I fall into daunger and mistrust Gods prouidence and seeke worldly meanes and vnlawfull helpe of man for my deliuerance the prophet Ieremie curseth this infidelitie and sayth we withdraw our hearts from the lord If in maintenance of our common wealth we seeke only policies and doe that whiche is wisest with naturall men the Prophet Esay cryeth wo vnto suche for they fall away from God they looke not sayth he vnto the holie one of Israel nor seeke vnto the lord If I vse lying woordes or any deceipte in buying and selling thinking so to wax rich I am a lying merchaunt that am fallen from God and as Solomon saith The bread of deceit shal be sweete but for a while and then my mouth shal be filled with gra◅ell and therfore that we may not at last be ashamed and be guiltie of this great sinne to forsake the liuing God let vs take heede there bee not in anie of vs an euill heart of infidelitie It followeth now But exhort one an other daily while it is yet called to day As before the Apostle taught vs to beware of the sinne so like a wise teacher he telleth vs heere how wee shall doe it that is by daily exhorting one another So Sainct Paule when hee would persuade the Thessalonians to walke as children of the light and as in the day time he setteth out this rule vnto them Exhort one an other edifie one another and this is the discharge of that great commaundement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe as appeareth by the lawe that is written Thou shalt not hate thy brother from thine heart but thou shalt reproue him suffer him not to sinne Thus the Lord hath ordeyned and this duetie he wil aske at our hands in which he wil iustifie vs or else condemne vs Sainct Iames sayth He that conuerteth a sinner from going astray let him know it he shal saue a soule from death shall couer a multitude of sinnes Solomon sayth The fruite of the righteous is as a tree of life and he that winneth soules is wise And the Prophet Daniel in cleare and absolute words speaketh plainly They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne manie to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer This duetie I confesse is chiefly the ministers then the magistrates then the fathers and maisters who are all accordinge to their calling guiltie of bloud if men perish in their gouernement for want of instruction but yet this duetie is also cōmon to all and none excepted we ought all to edifie and exhort one another There is no excuse of ignorance there is none so simple but hath learned the royal law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In breach of this duetie who is so simple but he can sometime espie the sinne of his brother In this let him exhorte him after his skill for though hee haue receiued but one talent yet must hee occupie that else hee shal be condemned for a wicked and a faithlesse seruaunt Looke therefore vnto this and watch euerie one ouer his brother that he may confirme him in the grace of Christ. We haue often meetings for the comfort of our life and many brotherly feastinges are amoung vs Take heede we drinke not our wines in carued bolles and haue sweete musicke at our tables and none of vs as the Prophet sayeth remember the affliction of Ioseph that is I meane and none of vs care for the adulterie drunkennesse gluttonie blasphemie of his brethren for if our meetinges be
vs in the scripture â–ª their destruction therefore is our example to beware and to feare before the angrie iudgementes of God for their deathes were no common deaths but as Paule noteth souden and greate destructions as in one day when 23000 were slaine for their fornications againe a great multitude destroyed by fierie serpentes for murmuring against God and at other times the angel of God brought many plagues vppon them in which they perished theâ—… lieauâ—… iudgements were not executed of God nor written for vs that wee should forget them The prophet Dauid in the hundred and sixt psalme reherseth these and many other punishmentes of that people in consideration of all which he finally maketh this exhortation to vs al Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer and let all people say Amen praise ye the lord If Sainct Paule applie this to make it our instruction that we shoulde feare and flee farre from the like sinnes if the propher Dauid in the remembrance of these so many and so righteous iudgements do so earnestly prouoke vs to prayse the Lorde in all his noble actes and to shewe foorth his praises and to runne vnder the protection of his hand to be saued from our enimies why should wee lightly let goe these admonitions and not rather with faithfull hearts see what great things the Lord hath done and consecrate our selues to do his will who is the God of glorie if we doe not what hope can wee haue to escape his iudgements He that spared not his owne people the children of Abraham the naturall plants which he had planted howe should he spare vs that were straungers from his couenant and wilde oliue braunches which contrarie to our nature are by his loue graffed into the naturall oliue tree Let vs therefore beware by their harmes and the great iudgements which God hath executed in our eyes let them make vs feare before him and walke with reuerence in his ordinaunces and wayes It followeth nowe in the Apostle Towhom sware he that they should not enter into his rest was it not to those that obeyed not This is but a repetition of the other wordes of the prophet all to one purpose that by a double testimonie as it were wee might haue sure hope that the punishments of God shall not come if our rebellion do not pull it downe vppon vs for the promises of God are for euer true that at what time so euer a sinner do repent him of his sione the Lorde will also repent of all punishmentes whiche he threatned to bring vppon him neither can wee possiblie stumble and fall downe in our wayes except we be solde vnder our sinne to worke wickednes in his sight without repentance And thus farre the Apostle hauing clearely taught that sinne is all the cause of Gods anger Now in the latter end he saith further And we see that they could not enter for their â—…liefe in these wordes concluding what is the roote and founteine of all disobedience in vs and that is vnbeliefe infidelitie a heart that can not giue full credite to all the threatnings and promises of God of this by occasion of the Apostles woordes I spake vnto you in the former Lecture now that the Apostle repeateth it we may be sure as Paule sayth as it was not grieuous vnto him to tell vs the same thinge often so it is for our saftie often to heare it and therfore I say vnto you as I sayd before let there bee in none of you an euil heart of vnbeliefe for hence is the prouocation to all euill Bring a faithful heart which with an assured assent shall receiue the woord that is preached vnto thee and thou art armed with a stronge shielde which shall quench all the fierie darâ—…es of the diuel No man can beleue what things God hath reserued for his Saincts but hee must needes accompt all the worlde to be but dung to the ende hee may winne Christe No man can see what are the threateninges of Hell fire whiche is not quenched but hee will abhorre his sinnes more then hee abhorreth anie death and flee from them least they should bringe him to so great condemnation let vs then be armed that the darts of infidelitie do not wound vs and all the shoâ—… of other temptations they shal scarce strike through our eyelids true it is that our flesh is weak but an armour of proofe bringes it strong defence so we may be easily â—…educed with y 〈◊〉 decâ—…it of sinne but a liuely faith wil sone lighten our eyes that we shall not sleape in death Though the world be full of all euil concupiscence yet This is the victorie that euer commeth the world euen our â—…th And see I beeseech thee iudge of the first sinne of our first parents Adam and Eue and by one offence iudge all was not Eue ouercome by infidelitie and first did shee not dout of Gods threatnings before she eate of the Apple when God had saide yee shall dye the death did she not fall to halting and began with pâ—…aduenture shee could not tell well whether it were so or no and from this staggering fell shee not away to sinne and turned not till she fell into the wrath of God for euer â–ª did not Adam also follow her example and this corruption let vs be sure we haue taken from his loines and sucked from her breasts by it the diuel is strong against vs but let vs beware of it and be faithfull and his strength is broken The Lion of the tribe of Iudah hath ouercome the crooked serpent and by fayth in him wee shall surely liue This dearely beloued the Apostle heere doeth teach vs a blessed lesson if we can happily learne it and in which we shal be saued foreuer more and all our enimies shal be our footestoole And the Lorde graunt for his Christes sake that we may be made riche in all knowledge of his will and abounde in a great measure of faith that we may cleaue vnseparablie vnto God and vnremouablie to be ioyned as chaste virgines with a pure faith vnto his Sonne Christe And let vs pray c. The eyghteenth Lecture vpon the 1. 2. verses of the fourth Chapter 1 LET vs feare therfore least at any time by forsaking the promise of entering into his rest any of you shoulde seeme to be depriued 2 For vnto vs was the Gospel preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not theÌ„ because it was not mixed with faith in those that hearde it YOV haue hearde two especiall poinctes in whiche the Apostle doth amplifie this exhortation alledged out of the prophet To dâ—…r if you heare his voice harden not your heartes c. The first was that he saith To day therefore we ought not to foreslowe the time of our calling but take the occasion opportunitie while it is offered Say not vnto the Lorde when he knocketh 〈◊〉 and come
hande and foote back and side shall haue experience of his anger all the thoughts of their harts shal be wounded with death and so much the more vnspeakable because their bodyes shall feele and their minde knowe the immortalitie of death and euerlasting destruction that is vppon them whiche extreeme wretchednesse no horrour of darcknesse no weeping and gnashinge of teeth no gnawinge of conscience no eternall fire doth fully and inough set out vnto vs. But this we leaue to the reprobate men who euen to this day haue sould their heartes to conceiue mischiefe and it repenteth them not Let vs feare now in the day of health and better thinges are appointed for vs We shall heare an other voice Come ye blessed into eternall life possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning which voice shal enter depe and into all our members bring a sensible feeling of the loue of God and his greate glorie when with heart and minde wee shall see and knowe our inheritaunce with God in eternall glorie wherevnto if nowe we be raysed vp and the promises of God beginne with vs this vnspeakable and glorious hope so that our heartes be fast holden in the loue of it neuer to chaunge for worldly vanitie or rather shame woorse then vanitie for with what name shall we name it that is exalted against the Lorde if I say thus the woorde of God bee vnto vs wee haue sealed it that his word is liuing and entreth into the diuision of the soule and the spirite and we haue beene fruitfull hearers of all this longe exhortation which the Apostle hath made and ended to stirre vp his brethren faithfully to heare this prophet of God his sonne Iesus Christe and our sauiour who hath reuealed all his wil vnto vs And thus farre of this former parte of the Epistle in which we are taught that Christe is our only prophet but the time is paste Now let vs pray c. The xxj Lecture vpon the residue of the chapter the 14. 15. 16. verses 14 Seeing then that we haue a geat high priest which is entred into Heauen euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs holdefast our profession 15 For we haue not an hye Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all thinges temped in like sorte yet without sinne 16 Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of neede WE haue heard dearely beloued howe the Apostle hath taught that Christe is nowe our onely Prophet what care we should haue diligently and faithfully to harken vnto him if we will not be guiltie before God of great condemnation and iudgement The reasons are of the Apostle to proue him our onely Prophet first because God sending his onely begotten sonne into the worlde made man like vnto vs and reuealing the will of his father vnto vs the excellencie of his person inforceth vs to confesse that God ordeyneth him alone to be our Prophet Againe he was faithful in the house of God and then what nedeth any other prophet vnto vs thirdly he was more honourable then Moses in this office many wayes to be preferred afore him therfore no other Prophet is to bee ioyned with him Fourthly the Prophet Dauid said To day if you hear his voice c. which we must needes vnderstand to be a perpetuall prophesie and therefore accomplished in Christ whome we must heare if we wil beleeue and be saued Last of all the force strength of the word of God is such as it must needes warrant the maiestie of God in Christ the author of it and as n one other hath that glory so none to be our prophet but he alone vnto all those reasons he hath added as you haue heard ernest exhortatiōs to giue more weight vnto them for the better persuasion of his brethren to whome he writeth Nowe he beginneth the other principall point of this first part of the Epistle that is to proue that Christ is our only priest which disputation he continueth to the eleuenth chapter as we shal god willing heare He beginneth it firste with an exhortation as he vsed the like often before and as I saide to make vs more carefully regarde his woordes Sith thē we haue a great high priest who hath entred into heauen Iesus the sonne of God let vs hold this professiō the force of this exhortation is in the excellencie of the priesthood of Christe secretely compared with the priesthood of Aaron who was in nature their brother in person weake as other men in office earthly entring into a tabernacle made with hangs in vertue a figure of a better sacrificer himselfe not profiting at all but Christ is another highe priest in nature the sonne of GOD in qualitie great and full of glorie in office heauenly entering before God to be our mediatour in vertue holie and perfect himselfe to purge our sinnes This the Apostle noteth calling him high priest greate entring into heauen and the sonne of God and so much the more we are guiltie before him if we shal not holde fast and professe all his instruction and doctrine Now least we should thinke the Apostles exhortation is weake and that he taketh it for graūted which is in controuersie for he calleth our sauiour Christ high priest which yet it seemeth he hath not proued we must consider what hath beene spoken before and so we shall see good argumentes in this exhortation for the proof of his cause He hath taught him to be the sonne of God made man reuealinge vnto vs the counsell of his father purchasing a most glorious inheritance for vs and setting vs free from the bondage of the diuel in which wee were holden vnder the feare of death which things before witnessed of our Sauiour Christ and necessarily prouing him for the same cause to be our priest according to that trueth in the beginning of this disputation he calleth him our great highe priest So he beganne before the thirde chapter Consider holie brethren the Apostle and high priest of our profession not yet hauing particularly spoken of those offices but calling him by those names because according to the description of his person before made it must needes followe that he was both our priest and Prophet Another argument of his priesthood is that hee was here in earth afflicted as we be submitting him selfe to death from which he is risen and nowe ascended into heauen therefore he is our priest crucified for our sinnes risen for our iustification and making now Intercession for vs before God his father Thus we see vpon howe good warrant the Apostle in the beginning exhorteth them to acknowledge Christ their priest and thus muche touching this entraunce of the Apostle into this disputation and why he vseth such wordes Now touching the matter To teach that our sauiour Christ is our onely priest he first sheweth by the workes of
Christ in which we are to learne if God haue so loued vs we ought also to loue our brethrē to remember them that are oppressed as if we also were oppressed in bodie and to reioyce with those that do reioyce as if our owne hearts were filled with gladnesse a iust iudgement is vnto them all who hauing Christ such an example of loue cā yet notwithstanding hate their brethren And here we also learne whatsoeuer afflictions are yet are they lesse then the strength giuen vnto vs neither shall they euer turne the loue of God from vs for all afflictions without exception Christ suffereth with vs We see by Paule howe many howe greate howe aboue measure were his troubles by sea by lande of friendes of enimies in bodie in spirite yet calleth he them al the afflictions of Christe and his suffering Lazarus in all his pouertie sicknesse sores suffered nothing wherin Christ was not partaker of his griefe if the paines and miseries of patient Iob were nowe vppon any man euen Iob fealt nothing which Christ fealt not with him for while this mysterie is which is for euer that Christ is the head we the body how shuld the bodie be hurt and the head not touched with the paine of it Let vs not then care what crosses we beare for as there is none more shamefull then the crosse of Christe so all ours are accounted as his If we be poore sicke contemned imprisoned or whatsoeuer is the fruite of sinne God is not as man to turne his face from such children but we are the dearer in his sight cucric crosle sealeth the loue of Christ that he suffereth this with vs to the ende hee might neuer caste vs away euen as he was made sinne for vs who knewe no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Who nowe can be discouraged with the afflictions of his life or be enuious against the wicked man if wee see his dayes full of peace and prosperitie No no these be but broken weapons and can not enter to the hurt of our soule only let vs take heede of sinne that it reigne not nor haue any kingdome in vs for therein Christ hath taken no part and by it onely we are separate from him as by that with which he will haue no felowshippe And where it is heere saide that our Sauiour Christ was like vnto vs in all things except sinne it is a cleare place to teache vs what to beleeue of the true humanitie of our sauiour Christ leaue off foolish and vaine questions in which there is no edification dispute not of particular things this or that wherin thy foolishe minde may fall into heresie and thy foolish heart may take offence but beleeue it stedfastly that thou haste learned truely that in all things Christ was like vnto thee sinne only excepted if any thing bee spoken of his humanitie not agreeing with this it is false and to bee refused It foloweth now in the last verse Let vs therfore go with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace that we may obteine mercie finde grace to help in time of nede In these wordes the Apostle concludeth wherefore hee hath thus magnified the priesthood of Christe and what benefite we haue by it that is to go with boldnesse vnto the throne of God and knowe our selues assuredlie reconciled vnto him in consideration of which excellent vnspeakable benefite he maketh his conclusion by way of exhortation that wee might neuer bee slacke and slouthfull to receiue so great a blessing nor by any vnthankfulnesse shewe our vnworthnesse of it Now in these wordes are manie especiall good lessons for vs to learne firste were hee saith Let vs goe which exhortation hee groundeth vpon the former wordes that Christ as hee said is entred into the Heauens we must here learne to applie it to our selues all that Christe hath done as in deede he did it not for his owne cause but for ours and we learne how it belongeth vnto vs euen as it is wrought by Christe in our nature whose members we are And thus what so euer we can see in Christ that he hath done and what soeuer glorious promises are made vnto him let vs knowe our vnitie that we haue with him all blessings that they are ours If he haue ouercome sinne we haue also ouercome it If he haue vanquished death we haue vanquished it also If he haue risen from the dead wee shall rise also If hee haue ascended into Heauen we shall ascende If he sitt on the right hand of maiestie wee shall also be glorified and see God as he is for wee be ioyned all vnseparably vnto him as the head is ioyned vnto the bodie by the wonderfull mysterie of Gods wisdome who hath made him of our nature and giuen vnto vs of his spirite and in this felowship with him which he hath giuen vs there is nothing so greate but hee hath giuen vs with him the righteousnesse of all his woorkes and glorie of all his inheritaunce with him is ours and wee are also Lordes ouer all whether it be Paule or whether Appollo or whether it bee Cephas whether the world whether it be life or whether it be death whether things present or whether things to come all things are ours and we are Christes and Christe is Gods. Thus we must apple it and make it ours whiche Christ hath giuen vs euen as the Apostle saith of this that Christ is our high preist mediatour let vs therefore go vnto the throne of grace An other thinge wee must heere note that the Apostle exhorteth vs to goe with boldenesse teaching vs that a constant persuasion and good assuraunce of Gods fauour doe highly commende our prayers vnto God and without it we are like vnto the flouds and waues of the sea which are rouled vp and downe with the winde and our hope with God is frustrate Now this boldnesse which is thus necessarie for vs we must learne likewise both how we haue it and what it bringeth vnto vs how we haue it we canne no way better learne then by the Apostle him selfe who making againe this selfe same exhortation in the tenth chapter following saith thus Seeing we haue this great high priest the ruler ouer the house of God let vs go vnto him with a true hart ful persuasion of faith hauing our harts sprinkled frō an euil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water this is then the boldnesse with which we approche vnto God stedfastly to beleeue that with the bloud of Christ our mindes are washed frō impure thoughtes and our bodies from sinne This S. Paule also teacheth in plaine and manifest wordes in Christ saith he we haue this freedome and entrance with boldnesse through faith in him and in another place he saith this must needes be thus that by faith onely we should haue this accesse vnto God else saith hee the promise of God coulde
make his heart to melt in the middest of his bowels howe could his strength not be dryed vp like a potsharde and his tounge not cleaue vnto the iawes of his mouth Who hath beene euer so full of wo and who hath beene brought so lowe into the duste of death His vertues were vnspeakable and righteous aboue all measure yet was hee accompted among the wicked His temperauncie in perfecte beautie and his appetites bridled with all holie moderation yet they said of him behold a glutton a drinker of wine His behauiour honest without all reproofe and his couersation vnspotted yet they slaundered him as a friend of Publicans and sinners and reported him as a companion of theeues He loued the lawe of his father with such fulnesse of desire that he would not suffer one Io◅e not one title vnaccomplyshed and yet they accused him as an enemie vnto Moses a breaker of the lawe a subuerter of the Temple and a teacher of newe doctrines such as were not of god He harkened vnto his father in al humilitie and loued him with all his hart and with all his soule so y he was obediēt vnto him vnto death yea euen y death of y crosse yet they said of him presumptuously that hee blasphemed and robbed God of his honour He was an enimie of satan euen vnto death by death ouercame him that brought death into the world he hated him with so perfect hatred and held stedfast y enimitie that was betwene them vntil he had spoiled his principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in an euerlasting victorie yet horibly they reproched him by the name of Belzebub said he had a diuel and by the power of satā he wrought al his miracles O the depth of al abhominations the bottomles pit of all vncleanesse who could once haue thought so lothsōe a sinke to haue bene couered in the hart of man O God righteous in iudgement and true in worde is this it that the Prophet hath tolde before that the thoughtes of many heartes should be made open then create we beseech thee new heartes within vs and take not thy holy spirite for euer from vs. And you dearely beloued if these were the causes that Christ had to complaine then think not that his cryings were aboue his sorrowe to see so neere vnto his hart euen in his owne person innocēcy bla med vertue defaced righteousnesse troden downe holines prophaned loue despised glorie cōtemned honour reuiled all goodnesse ashamed faith oppugned and life wounded to death how coulde he yet absteine from stronge crying and teares when the malice of Satan had gotten so greate a conqueste If iust Lot dwelling among the Sodomites and seing and hearing such a wicked people vexed from day to day his righteous soule with their vngodly deedes what shall we think of Christ liuing in such a generation But O my brethren beloued of the Lord open the eyes of your faith and you shall see these things they were but the beginnings of sorow What shall we thinke was his griefe of minde for the Iewes his brethren that were thus powred out vnto wickednesse howe did his greate loue boyle in sorrowes of hart to see their destruction If Moses when he beheld y anger of God against his people in greate compassion of their miseryes prayed earnestly vnto the Lord Forgiue them O God or raze me out of the booke that thou hast written If Ieremie in fore seeing the captiuitie of Hierusalem had so great grief that he cryed out O that my head were ful of waters mine eyes a founteine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the stayne of the daughter of my people If Esay in like aboundance of loue bewailed his brethren that would needes perishe with these wordes of complaint Turne away from me I wil wepe bitterly labour not to comfort me because my people perish If Paul that most excellent Apostle haueing receiued but his portion of the great loue of Christe called God to witnesse that hee spake the trueth howe he had great heauine◅se and continuall sorrow of hart for his brethren and that for their sakes him selfe wished to be separate from Iesu Christ what manner of teares shall wee thinke were those which Christe him selfe poured out when he wept ouer Ierusalem what sorrow of minde whiche then interrupted his spceeches and made them vnperfect howe deepe was that angrie griefe printed in his bowels when hee behelde the blindenesse of the people and was sorrowfull for them what manner of affection was it that in the middest of so great reproches and mocks could neuer be chaunged but prayed stil Father forgiue them they knowe not what they doe If it be grieuous vnto vs to lose the thinge that is moste deare vnto vs in this earthly Tabernacle howe muche more did this sorrowe pearce euen through the bowels of our sauiour Christe to see man taken from him vnto destruction for whose sake he would so willingly sacrifice vp his life this is an other spectacle in which wee may beholde his greate dolour and anguishe to knowe the paines hee endured and the causes of his mightie cryinges But this also dearely beloued though it were exceeding yet it was not all no it was but a taste of griefe in comparison of the rest Beholde if you can his person here and see the residue and so you shall knowe the loue of god His griefe was exceding to see all vertue and godlynesse so troaden vnder feete and it was yet more infinite to beholde Satan to preuaile against man to his euerlasting condemnation No creature could euer beare such a perfect image of a man of sorrowe But the height and depth of all miseries was yet behinde the sinne that he hated he must take it vpon his owne bodie and beare the wrath of his father that was powred out against it This is the fullnesse of al paine that compassed him round about which no toung is able to vtter and no heart can conceiue This anger of his father it burned in him euen vnto the bottome of hell of the which anger the prophet speaketh Who can stand before his wrath or who can abide the fearcenes of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire the rocks are broken before him When the Prophet was not able to conceiue the weight of his anger and his voice cleaued vnto his mouth when he went about to vtter it the hardest of all creatures he tooke for example that the harde rocke did cleaue asunder at the sounde of his wordes And as is saide in an other place suche a voice as maketh the forlorne wildernesse to tremble A voice so ful of terrour in the eares and hearts of the wicked that the sonne shal be darkened at the sound of it and the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres of heauen shall fall away and the powers of heauen shal be shaken
if it should happen you to fall downe into hell Christe hath descended also you should then be moste like him in his agonies and bloudie sweates The third cause at this time which I will touch is this God sendeth vs sundry chasticementes and especiallie that which is moste grieuous of al other the anguish of spirite and affliction of the soule for this purpose that we should be warned in time how to turne vnto him be free from the plague when it commeth for the iudgements of God that are dayly preached vnto vs they pearce deepe into the heartes of the true beleeuers and the worde that they heare it woorketh mightilie in them more sharp in their eares then a two edged swoord it entreth thorough them euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and of the spirite and of the ioyntes and of the marrowe and examine all the thoughts and the intentes of the heart so that it is vnpossible that any part of them should be hidde but they are all open vnto iudgement and heare the voice of the Lorde Then their sinne is reuiued in the midst of their bowels their coÌ„science hath no rest they feele death working in their hearts and hel is before theÌ„ they see sinne on their right hande and Satan on their left shame vnder their feete and an angrie Iudge aboue them y world ful of destructioÌ„ without and a worme gnawing the heart within the poore sinner knoweth not what to do to hide him selfe it is impossible and to appeare it is intollerable then hee breaketh out into lowde cryinges O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death he giueth no rest vnto his eyes nor sleepe vnto his eyelids vntill hee finde him that is able to saue him from this wrath in his bedde by night he seeketh him whome his soule loueth in the streetes and open places he inquireth after him and after many dayes in whiche he cannot finde him Christ sheweth him selfe at the last a perpetual deliuerer a victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda in whome he hath strong saluation when hee hath mourned because of y plague that was before him Christ will approch neere and wipe away the teares from his eyes This y Prophet Abacuch setteth forth in his own person WheÌ„ I heard saith he the word of God my bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voice roâ—…nnesse entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might haue rest in the day of trouble Euen so dearely beloued it is with vs all The plagues of God because they are pronounced against iniquitie it maketh the childe of God to feare and tremble that so foreseeing the harme he might prepare him helpe and because of the destroyer seeke without wearines vnto the sauiour though he hide him selfe at the first the wounded spirite and troubled hart must nedes finde him-out A great cause of vnspeakeable gladnesse though wee seeme swalowed vp of pensiue sorrowe We are full of griefe but we are chastised of the Lord because we should not be coÌ„demned with the world we die with Christ but because we should liue with him wee lament and weepe but because that Christe might wipe away all teares from our eyes we are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake but because the life of Iesus should be made manifest in our flesh we beare about in our bodies the mortification of the Lord Iesus but because the life of Iesus might be manifest also in our bodies we haue anguishe of spirite and vexation of minde such as hath not bene from the beginning but for this cause that when souden destruction shall come vpon the carelesse world we might lift vp our heades and beholde our redemption at hande Let vs then be bolde and in patience possesse our soules for these causes we are nowe afflicted that wee might receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede for this cause we tremble and are affraide that after many praiers and supplications we might be deliuered from the things which we haue feared It followeth in the Apostle And beeing consecrate he was made the authour of saluation to all them that obey him In these wordes wee ate taught what 〈◊〉 and coÌ„moditie we haue through these bitter sufferinges of our Sauiour Christ and also by what meanes we are made partakers of it the fruite is eternall saluation the meanes to go vnto it is obedience in the first we learne that all promise and hope of life is in Christe alone hee hath alone the wordes of liâ—…e he is alone the breade of life the water of life the authour of life the word of life the tree of life the onlie life hee that beleeueth in him hee hath euerlasting life and he that dwelleth not in him shall see no life but the wrath of God abideth on him Take holde of Christ and take holde of life reach foorth thine hand to any other thinge and thou reachest vnto vanitie which cannot helpe Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christe alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and led euery creature into bondage If thou looke vnto the heauens there is but vexation and anguishe if thou looke vnto the earth there is but darknesse and sorrow if thou call vnto Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry vpon Angels they can not helpe thee if thou looke vnto thy workes they are all vncleane if thou truste in thy prayers the Lorde hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of al creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life but in Christ alone The elders the Angels the baestes and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christe Saluation is of him that sitteth vppon the throne and of the Lambe and altogether they cry Amen And if all the creatures which yet are excellent good are not of power to giue anie peece of this life then what shall we think of those people enimies to God and murderers of his Saincts which so long haue made vs beleeue that they haue life in them selues that they can forgiue vs our sinnes for yeares euen as they will manie or fewe that they can make sacrifices propitiatorie for vs y they can purge vs by purgatorie fiers that their Pilgrimages their pardons their vowes their holie orders and such other spiritual drunkennesse of their sicke braines that these be auailable to purchase life If they will not be reclaimed let vs rest in the counsels of our God and say with Iohn He that hurteth let him hurt still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still It is inough for vs that Christ is our life that our life is hid with Christe in God when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Now while we are in the dayes of our pilgrimage the way that wee must walke vnto this
remembreth by good accompts what things the Lord hath done for him how he hath blessed him from what present perils he hath saued him how againe him self hath bene euer vnthankfull vnworthy of the least of al Gods mercies yea by many speciall crimes deseruing wrath and anger which thoughtes doe worke in him a troubled spirite and pensiue soule so that not onely teares but the state of the whole bodie sheweth the griefe of his minde and not the bodie onely but in all his life it worketh great care much praying anger with our selues feare desire zeale punishment also that by iudging our selues we may preuent the iudgement of God it maketh vs detest our sinne and the remembrance of our sinne as in the Acts of the Apostles they burne their bookes of sorceries which were of great price value and as Saint Iude sayth They hate euen the coate spotted with the flesh and according to this is the amendement of their life with all loue and desire If they haue beene extortioners they will make restitution if they haue beene vsurers they will giue back increase if they haue giuen their handes and knees and members of their bodyes to the Popish Masse with all their strength now againe they will deteste it and make it knowen they hate their firste sinne this manner of repentance is stronge meate of perfect men The second point heere spoken of is faith toward God of which so much as may be apprehended of children is called milke as to beleeue that God the father of his greate loue gaue his onely begotten sonne Iesu Christe to be made man who in his bodie might fulfil all righteousnesse and beare the punishment of sinne which also by the power of his spirit he ourcame and hath gotten eternall redemption for all that shall beleeue But so to examine this faith wisely and according to Scripture that when we finde the beginning in God the father the work in God the sonne the applying and bestowing of it in the holie Ghoste and when we be wise so to distinguish these graces in euery person that yet wee diuide them not as taking away from the one vtterly what soeuer especially wee giue vnto the other this I say when we haue so learned that wee see all the glorie of sauing health is in God no merit or desert in man but that without the law the righteousnesse of God is laid open vnto vs witnessed by the law and by the prophets then we be perfect to fede of this strong meate that faith alone iustifieth Againe when we knowe that this is the gifte of God with whome there is no chaunge nor shadowe of chaunge but he is constant in his loue for euer whē faith hereof taketh boldnesse that nether heigth nor deapth nor life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor any creature shall euer be able to remoue me from the loue with whiche God hath looued mee this assured boldenesse is the meat of the man of God who is perfect in faith Likewise Baptisme the thirde thing here mentioned the milke of it is to knowe that by it they be sealed into the couenant of Gods grace and mercy which he hath to the fathers and their children but to knowe by this how to be baptised into the death of Christ that as he is rysen againe from the deade so wee should walke in newnesse of life that is to knowe that our Baptisme presenteth vnto vs the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes washed away with the bloud of Christe While as hee dyed and was buried for our sinnes so wee also should dye vnto sinne that it haue no more rule in our mortal body and as he rose againe from the deade so that death hath no more rule ouer him so we should after liue in newnesse of life offering vp vnto God our bodies and our soules who hath redeemed them and purchased them vnto him selfe To knowe all this according to the scripture is the perfect knowledge of our Baptisme Imposition of handes that was a solemne ceremonie vsed with prayer in whiche it was declared that the parties were accepted of GOD into his Church according to the faith of Christe whiche then they professed this was the milke which children had fead on But to see in it a free and bolde profession of faith before all men to be holden and a holy vowe or promise in whiche they bounde them selues to perpetuall holinesse by the laying on of handes as by a solemne othe to haue it witnessed of the Lord they were his children and to witnesse it in them selues they woulde abide the temples of the holie Ghoste to be short to promise a persourmaunce of all what so euer was hoped for in vs in the day of our baptisme this is the strong meate And this which this day ought to be practised as a thing verie profitable in the Churche of God it is miserably defaced by the Papistes for where it was in the Churche of God an vse that Christian children should be taught the principles of fayth which when they had wel learned and could giue a good accompt of their faith then in y open congregation with prayer and laying on of handes on their heades they were declared to be receiued as partakers of the graces and sacramentes of the church this good order the Papistes haue chaunged and made them a sacrament of confirmation onely by the Bishop to be ministred and by him to little children of no knwledge to whome hee giueth a newe Godfather or godmother which should speake for them when they cannot speak for them selues And whereas in the scripture this hath beene euer a ceremonie in solemne blessinges in sacrifices in admitting ministers in giuing spirituall giftes and no where vsed but onelie with prayer this order seemed base to them that knewe no end of their owne inuentions and they would needes haue crosses tapers oyle miters surplices c. without which there was with them no confirmation thus in this as in all thinges prophaning the holie ordinaunce of God. The resurrection of the bodie another poynte here mentioned was for Children that they might knowe their bodies should not die as the bodies of beastes to consume in earthe and not returne but that they shoulde rise againe at the latter daye and their owne bodies should be made immortall but in this also to see the glorie what a bodie it is whiche shall liue for euer which shal be made like to the body of Christ which shal be made able to stand in the presence and behold the glorie God of which shal be set free from sorrow care sicknesse death al aduersitie This mysterie which the Angels of God desire to behold when we can wisely see it know therefore we are here but pilgrimes and straungers another countrie is our owne whiche God hath made and not man in which we set our heart with all the delight and pleasure of it in this to reioyce this
the knowledge of God not onely by the heauens which declare his glorie nor by the firmament whiche sheweth his work nor by any of Gods creatures in which his eternall power and Godhead doth appeare shine and of which light all nations are made partakers but they are also lightened with his holye woorde which is a lanthorne to their feete and a light vnto their steppes and haue hearde his Gospell preached vnto them vnto the which they haue agreed that it is the word of life The second note of them is y they haue tasted of the heauenly gift the heauenly gift is the life and great saluation that is in Christe Iesu by whom we are reconciled which likewise our Sauiour Christ calleth the gift of god speaking to the woman of Samaria and this is that knowledge into which they are lightened by the gospel and this they do not only knowe but of this gifte they haue also tasted whiche is they haue gladly sometime receiued it and reioyced in it like as our Sauiour Christe describeth them by the parable of the stonie ground that incontinently with ioye they receiue the seede and which also he noteth in the Phariseis speaking of Iohn Baptist whiche was a shining lampe among them and they for a season did reioyce in his light The thirde note of these men is that they haue beene partakers of the holie ghost which is that many graces of the spirite of God haue beene giuen vnto them as these two aboue named y they are lightned with knowledge reioyce in their vnderstanding which is neither of flesh nor bloud nor of the will of man but of the holie ghost vnto these we may adde also others as y gift of miracles the gifts of toungs or any such that God hath distributed vnto these euen as he wil these things or any of them when they haue receiued to the praise of God glorie of his holie name they are made partakers of the holie ghost and they are blessed with heauenly blessing The fourth note is that they haue tasted the good word of God not much differing from that he first spake of that they were lightened that is that they had knowledge of God not onely by his creatures but muche more by his worde But heere naming the good word of God hee noteth especially the Gospell by comparison with the lawe as if he shoulde saye they haue knowen God not onely by his lawe which is fearefull to the sinner but by a more sweete vnderstandinge of the Gospel which saith Come vnto mee all you that labour and are laden so calling it the good worde as that which is glad tydinges of saluation and therefore also good because they haue tasted it good and ioyfull and haue seene the glorie of it as the greatest treasure that is giuen vnto man. The fifte and laste note heere set foorth is that they knowe and confesse that this Gospell hathe the ende eternall life and Christe is a mightie Sauiour who will keepe for euer those whome he hath purchased and hee nameth the worlde to come because the spirite hathe lightened them to see the latter ende of this corruptible worlde and to knowe assuredly that here they haue no dwelling citie but another habitation is made for Gods chosen not with mortall handes but euerlasting in Heauen and calling it the powers because it is made so strong in Christe Iesu that it can neuer be assaulted for all power is giuen vnto him in Heauen and in Earthe and hee hathe made that heauenlye Citie glorious for his Sainctes throughout all worldes Thus hath the Apostle described those persons whome he biddeth beware that these fall not backe to chaunge so greate glorie into endlesse shame for if they will turne these thinges vpside downe and the graces that they had receiued to Gods glorie abuse them to the reproche of his holy name it is vnpossible they should rise againe by repentance And thus farre of the persons what giftes they haue receiued wherein yet let vs vnderstand a great difference betweene these men which fall away and the giftes which are in Gods elect that cannot perishe nor euer sinne against the holye Ghoste First in the measure of grace that they haue receiued there is great difference or rather no comparison then their obedience according to this grace is nothing like The wicked are but lyghtened with the beginninges of the Gospell the electe are more instructed in the mysterie of Godlynesse The wicked haue but tasted of the life that is in Christe the Electe liue not them selues but Christe lyueth in them The wicked are but a little made partakers of the spirite by some giftes of grace that are within them the electe are watered so farre with the spirit that they to be baptised in the death of Christe to dye vnto sinne to liue vnto righteousnesse so that sinne shall not reigne in the mortall bodye The wicked haue but tasted the Gospell of Christe and his sauing health the electe are fedde with his mercyes and still they hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse see with exceeding â—…oy the height the bredth the length the depth of the mysterie of their redemption The wicked haue felt the world to come and haue for a little while delighted in it the elect haue their conuersation altogether and with great gladnesse loke from thence for a sauiour that this life is not deare vnto them but they will holde it foorth in their hands to all persecutions to finish the short course that they haue here with â—…oy These are great differences but the greatest is yet behinde the wicked they are straungers euen from y womb not ingraffed into the body of Christ nor haue any feeling of election in them selues but the godly are indued with faith and assured hope that if this earthly tabernacle be dissolued they haue a dwelling place with GOD himselfe who hath loued them this hope they delight in in this they liue in this they rest while this is assaulted they despise the worlde when this is vnshaken then is their sorrow but the wicked it is not so with them their hope is not this for their ioy is onely heere when they haue examined the secrets of their owne harts they shall rather finde that their bellie is their God for notwithstanding all the gifs of God that they haue receiued yet they want this measure of fayth by which they are persuaded that God is their God and their delight is all in the Lord alone And againe the obedience that they shewe in their life it is not to the true obedience that God requireth as their faith is no true faith for God requireth this alone that we loue him with all our hearte with all our soule with all our strength with all our vnderstanding and that we loue our neighbour as our selfe but this loue is not in them nor they haue not this end of all their works that they may