hearts bee on a better world that in the end wee may depart in peace with Simeon and reigne with CHRIST for ever in the world to come Ioseph had beene a brave Courtyer trained up and bearing sway in Pharaohs Court many yeeres together abounding in all wealth honour pleasure and prosperity yet all this while hee forgets not God he lived well and dyed well he is heavenly minded at his departure out of the world he is not now talking of his honours as Haman was the day before he dyed not talking of the injuries which his Mistris offered to him in casting him into prison and taking order for the revenge of it he is not now conferring with his brethren about the solemnizing of his funerall with what pomp they should carry him to the grave but now he is talking of matters belonging to the kingdome of heaven Though we live in never so prophane a place as irreligious as Aegypt as full of carnall entisements as Pharaohs Court yet let us keepe our integrity as Ioseph did let not the pleasures of the earth pull us from the joyes of heaven Obadiah kept his zeale and sincerity in Achabs Court Daniel in Nebuchadnezars Palace Nehemiah in the Kings buttery and at his table and there were rare and excellent Christians in Neroes house most of all they of Caesars house-hold they were more mindfull of the poore Saints of Philippi then others Let us not condemne them that be in heathenish and irreligious places GOD can preserve his pearles even in dunghills his roses among thornes hee will have a Rahab in Iericho a Lot in Sodom a Ioseph in Aegypt wheresoever wee bee let us keepe our selves unpolluted of the world 2. Here we are taught what must be the object of our talke of what matters we must be talking when death approacheth not of worldly matters but of heavenly as Ioseph was Elias was talking with Elisha about profitable matters when he was taken from him into heaven as they were walking and talking the fiery Charriot tooke him away Our Saviour was talking with his Disciples about matters belonging to the kingdome of GOD till the cloud tooke him away and Ioseph here dying is speaking not of those things appertaining to the earthly Court but to the Court of heaven Navita de ventis de tauris narrat arator every man for the most part both in his life time and in the time of death is speaking of those things which hee most mindeth the things that be most in the heart are most in the tongue A covetous miser is talking of his gold and silver houses and lands of the trash of the world even when he lyes on his death bed A drunkard will then bee talking of drinke an adulterer of fayre and beautifull women but a godly man will be talking of Gods matters as Ioseph was It is very like that Ioseph ere this time had made his will and set his outward estate at a stay therefore that doth not trouble him now his minde runs about better matters it is not good to deferre the making of our wills till we see no other way but death the last thing we talke of should be celestiall not terrestriall things 3. Wee must not bee too scrupulous about the place of our buryall Now no land is a type of heaven as the land of Canaan was before the comming of CHRIST Out of any Country on the earth yea out of the bottome of the Sea out of the Lions mouthes out of the fire wherein we are burnt to ashes for the name of Christ we shall have a comfortable passage into the kingdome of heaven yea our buryall with the wicked shall not prejudice our entrance into heaven Saint Peter sitting at the same table with Iudas when he was alive was not hurt by him much lesse should he have beene hindred out of heaven if hee had lien in the same grave with Iudas Though wee bee buryed among Thieves Traytors Idolaters Drunkards Murderers Adulterers c. If our lives have beene good that cannot keepe us out of heaven Yet if conveniently it may be superstition being avoyded as we lived with the godly so let us be buryed with them as we were companions with them in their life so let us be in death if it seeme good to the prouidence of God Ruth sayes to Naomi where thou art buryed I will be buryed and Ioseph would have his bones to lye with the bones of Abraham Isaac and Iacob So wee shall give notice to the world how deere the Saints were to us when they were alive Yet let not the place of our buryall trouble us at our dying day as some take too much thought for that wheresoever wee be buryed God will send his Angels at the latter day to gather our bodies from all the ends of the world and to carry them up into heaven Hee gave no commandement touching his flesh he knew that would be consumed before Then why should we pamper this flesh so much that is so soone brought to dust and ashes caro mea inimica mea onus meum laqueus meus paramus escam vermibus Let us subdue our bodies lest like horses they overthrow their Riders His bones were durable therefore hee gives a charge of them If hee had not looked for the Resurrection of those bones hee would not have beene so carefull for the translating of them into the land of Canaan Psal. 34.20 Ezek. 37.1 The bones of a dead man are scattered hither and thither tumbled out of one grave into another yet these shall rise and come to their place againe Bucers bones were burnt in Queene Maries dayes yet the same bones shall rise againe and be a witnesse against the enemies of the truth Not our bones alone but our flesh every part and member of our bodies shall be restored to us againe with these my eyes shall I see him the very palmes of Iezebels hands that were eaten up with dogges shall rise againe Let us not sing the Epicures song let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall dye Let us not give our selves wholly to pampering of our flesh and the fatting of our bones but let us employ all our members to GODS service in this life that we may be partakers in soule and body of his eternall glory in the life to come VERSE 23. BEfore of the Patriarcks now of the Lawgiver Where wee have 1. The commendation of his Parents faith 2. The commendation of his owne faith The faith of his Parents is commended by a worthy act of theirs the preservation of their Child which is amplified 1. By an attractive cause that drew them to it the beauty of the Child 2. By a retractive or disswasive cause that might have withdrawne them from it 1. The Kings commandement which in an heroicall magnanimity they feared not Moses Exod. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catachresticè he useth this word because his
meanes that as man by sin had deserved death so by the death of a man he should be redeemed from sin and death The necessity of Christs incarnation he proves first from the end of it He that by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation must be man Christ by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation ergo Christ was to bring many to glory This he could not do but by afflictions and namely by death it selfe for the Crosse must goe before the Crowne therefore it was requisite that in our humane nature he should first suffer It became this was most comely fit and convenient for him namely that God ver 9. which so graciously gave his Son for us that is God the Father by whose grace and mercy Christ died for us It became him for the better illustration of his owneglory for a more lively demonstration of his mercy and justice to the world of his mercy in not sparing his owne Son but giving him up to the death for us of his justice in punishing the sins of the world so severely in his owne Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These words are to be referred to Christ not to God the Father 1. They are affirmed of him in Scripture 1 Cor. 8.6 Col. 1.16 2. Before hee spake of his humiliation it was meet to premise something concerning his glory power and dignity 3. For so much as it is said he was to be perfected through afflictions by afflictions to mount up to glory that concerning his Deity was well premised that we might know it was no new glory which he took but that which hee had from all eternity as hee was GOD Ioh. 17.5 It became God the Father to perfect the Prince of our salvation through afflictions for whom are all things and by whom are all things after he had brought many children to glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made them willing by his holy spirit Wee are said also to be drawne Sed trahit sua quemque voluptas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Syntaxis might better be referred to CHRIST than to the Father otherwise the participle should have beene in the dative case to agree with the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then in the accusative case It ought to bee translated thus for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many Children to glory Children not friends but Children begotten by the word made the Sonnes of God by faith Iohn 1.12 knowne by the spirit Rom. 8.14 Not a few but many for he is a powerfull SAVIOUR many shall come from the East c. Not all men because all imbrace him not being offered to them Sundry were called to the feast that came not To glory in the kingdome of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some translate it Sanctifie because of the next Verse but the words are diverse To perfect CHRIST is said to bee perfected because after his suffering hee was glorified in his Humanity as well as in his Deitie CHRIST his afflictions are so farre from being a shame or ignominie to him that they bee solemne rites or sacred ceremonies whereby he was consecrated Bishop of the universall Church Through afflictions in the whole course of his life especially at his death and passion The Arch-duke the Captaine the leader in whose steps wee are to tread the Author of their salvation Acts 3.15 If CHRIST had not become man afflicted and put to death he could not have carryed men into the kingdome of heaven for a purgation must be made for the sinne of man by the fiery furnace of affliction and especially by death therefore it became Christ to be made man too though he were God GOD is the efficient and finall cause of all 1. There is nothing but it is by GOD the Host of heaven the Sunne Moone and Starres are by him the birds of the ayre the fishies of the Sea the beasts of the field the greene and flourishing coat that the earth hath is by him All men yea Angels even the Devils themselves are by him not as Devils .i. malicious accusers of the Saints but as they be invisible and immortall spirits all are by him nay to proceede a little further and yet to keepe our selves within compasse of sound Divinity sin it selfe is not without the providence of God it is not à Deo creante sed disponente he disposeth of all the grosse sins that be in the world to his owne glory as a wise Physition makes a good use even of poyson in his confections Furthermore as all things are by GOD so all for him all serve his holy will and blessed pleasure some unwillingly some willingly GOD makes Satan and his instruments to be for him whether they will or no but the faithfull are willingly for him and serve him with all cheerefulnesse Let us remember that wee our selves and all that we have is for God he made us he redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonne therefore we are his not our owne our wit wealth honour worship learning our soules our bodies our eyes tongues hands feete all are for him with all that wee have we must glorifie him Our tongues are our owne sayd the wicked that is false all that we have is Gods therefore all must be at his commandement The pot is for him that made it and the servant must be imployed about his Masters businesse he must be his masters man not his owne therefore as we were created by God so let us be wholly for him Now it became this high and mighty God for whom are all things and by whom are all things which worketh all as seemeth best to him to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many children to glory CHRIST brought them to glory which he could not doe but by enduring many afflictions 1 Here we see that CHRIST could not bring us to heaven without innumerable afflictions which our sinnes had deserved he himselfe knew no sin but he was afflicted for our sins And indeed he was wonderfully afflicted for them from his cradle to his grave A man of sorrowes as the Prophet termeth him he was borne not of a wealthy Lady but of a poore woman base and contemptible to the eyes of the world at his first comming he was not laid in a costly Cradle but in a Cratch not in a Chamber well furnished but in a Stable borne in Winter and in the night when he was an Infant banished into Egypt hee wrought as is thought in the trade of his Father and was a Carpenter he had not a hole to hide his head in women were faine to minister to him of their owne substance as he went up and downe preaching the Gospell he had not bags of silver and gold about him but was faine to send to the Sea for a peece of 20d.
God and one another in love in some calling or other The eye serveth one way for the benefit of the body the eare another way the hand another way and the foote the lowest part of the body serves too the service whereof is so necessary as that the body cannot be without it We may serve God to his glory and our owne comfort in the meanest calling that is and let us all so serve him in our severall places in this world that wee may raigne with him in the world to come The Apostle doth not say whereof no man ruled at the Altar It cannot bee denyed but that Ministers in some sort are rulers of the people obey them that have the oversight of you in the Lord yet our office must not puffe us up with pride we must remember it is a service yea a painefull and an honourable service He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke on us rather than honos prodesse rather than praesse 2 Cor. 4.5 Our selves your servants for CHRIST 's sake Yet it is not a base service as some imagine and in reproch they will say of a Minister hee serves at such a towne Wee grant we are servants yet in an high and honourable place we serve in the Church the house of God as stewards do in a Noble mans house we dispense to you the foode of life Therefore as all the household honours the steward so ought all the parish to honour the Minister VERSE 14. TO put it out of all doubt hee sheweth to what Tribe this Priest appertaineth he proves it by the common voice and testimony of all it is a cleere case all confesse it Of whom it is said the Lord said to my Lord sit thou on my right hand c. As the Sunne dispelling the clouds and darknesse of the night riseth in the morning and scattereth his beames over all the world So the Sonne of righteousnesse rose dispelling the foggie mists of the ceremoniall law and spreading the light of the Gospell over all the world Iudah both on his supposed fathers side Luk. 2.4 and on his mothers side Luk. 1.27 It seemes that Christ pertained to the Tribe of Levi too 1. Elizabeth was Maries Couzin she was Wife to Zacharie which was of the Tribe of Levi now they were to marry in their owne Tribes Sol They of the Tribe of Levi might take Wives out of other Tribes so as the inheritance were not transported out of the Tribe as 2 Chron. 22.11 yet the men not the women gave the denomination of the Tribe and the child was not said to be of that Tribe whereof his mother was but whereof his father was 2. Nathan was of the Tribe of Levi yet Christ came of him Luk. 3.31 It was not Nathan the Prophet but one of David's sonnes of that name 2 Sam. 5.14 It is manifest Christ was of the Tribe of Iudah the Sonne of David concerning which Moses Gods Scribe and Pen-man of that that was deputed to the Priest hood The Tribe is changed ergo the Priest-hood It pleased CHRIST to come of the Tribe of Iudah not for any holinesse that was in Iudah above the rest of the twelve Patriarchs Iudah himselfe committed incest with his daughter though unknowne to him at the least hee tooke her to be an Whore and lay with her but our Saviour made choice of this Tribe of his owne gracious goodnesse Though CHRIST descended of the Tribe of Iudah yet all of that Tribe were not sayed There are seald as many thousands of all other Tribes as of that and of that Tribe as Kings and others are noted to be wicked men Therefore wee must not flatter our selves in any outward prerogatives as the Papists doe They have a part of the coate wherein Christ went to be crucified some of the nailes wherewith hee was fastned to the Crosse they make pilgrimages to the Sepulchre of Christ c. All these are nothing to salvation Though thou couldest derive thy generation from Christ according to the flesh though thou haddest beene one of Christs brethren if possible lien in the same wombe yet that makes thee not the neerer to the kingdome of heaven Lay hold on Christ with a lively faith labour to say with Paul I live and yet not I but the Son of God liveth in mee then thou shalt be eternally saved Our LORD CHRIST is often honoured in Scripture with this title it may worthily bee adscribed to him He created us of nothing preserveth and upholdeth us being created hee bought us with his precious bloud when we were worse than nothing therefore justly is he our Lord. This we confesse in our Creede And in Iesus Christ our Lord this we professe in our prayers which end thus through Iesus Christ our Lord. Yet we use him not as our Lord yee call mee Master and Lord and yee doe well but then yee ought to behave your selves as dutifull and obedient servants to me Servants goe and come at the commandement of their Lord. I have servants under me sayes the Centurion I say to one goe and he goeth doe this and he doth it Doe we deale so with Christ our Lord hee sayes come not at the Ale-house there to sit quaffing and swilling till reason be buried in you yet we will be as drunken as Apes as wee use to speake Our Lord sayes your bodies are mine they bee my members and the temples of the Holy Ghost doe not prostitute them to Whores and Harlots yet we will do it Our Lord sayes one thing is necessary preferre the hearing of my Word before all worldly businesses yet if there be a Sermon in the Towne and a paltry faire a little from the Towne we will preferre the faire before the Sermon Christ shall speake to the walls for all us Our Lord sayes use my name reverently in all your talke yet we will make it as common as a Tennis ball and sweare by God and Christ at every word Is this to call Christ Lord Christ hath the name of our Lord and the Devill hath our service what a monstrous thing is this As in word we call Christ Lord so let our deeds shew us to be his servants we are bought with a price wee are not our owne but Iesus Christs therefore let us glorifie him in our Spirits and bodies which be his VERSE 15. THe second Argument is taken from the discrepant creation of Priests he that is made a Priest after an heavenly and Spirituall manner is greater then they that are made after an earthly and carnall manner our Saviour Christ is made after an heavenly and Spirituall manner they after an earthly and carnall manner therefore he is greater then they Hee makes an entrance into it by the cleerenesse and evidencie of the case More abundantly evident that the Leviticall Priesthood is gone and the Priesthood of Christ is come into the roome of it If after but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is
England is mine and shall any goe about to wring them out of his hands The King of Kings sayes vengeance is mine and wilt thou wrest Gods sword out of his hand Take heede how thou doest it lest thou beest found a fighter against God Say not such a one hath angred mee I will be even with him ô saucy Merchant wilt thou intrude thy selfe into Gods office The second branch of the testimony The greatest part of Interpreters are of opinion that the Apostle alleadgeth this to his purpose indirectly by the way of consequent If God will bee avenged on the enemies of his people much more on the enemies of his Sonne They thinke that to judge his people is to judge the enemies of his people for his peoples sake But this is alleadged directly and to judge is put for to punish The Lord shall judge his owne people even so many of them as revolt from him the living God to dumb and dead idols That is the scope of the whole Chapter as yee may see from Verse 15 to this place and Saint Paul citeth Verse 21. Rom. 10. to prove the rejection of the Iewes Though they be his owne people whom he hath honoured with the Word and Sacraments that have given up their names to him and taken upon them the profession of his holy truth yet if they fall from him he will severely punish them Therefore those men that have beene enlightned with the Spirit of grace that have had CHRIST IESUS revealed to them and yet contumeliously despise that spirit count the bloud of the Testament a prophane thing and tread the Sonne of God under their feete undoubtedly they shall drinke deepely of the cup of Gods vengeance for vengeance is Gods and he will powre it in full measure on them It cannot bee denyed but that God is exceeding mercifull his mercy reacheth to the clouds is higher than the heavens his mercy is over all his workes There is not halfe a Psalme of Iustice but an whole Psalme of his Mercy The foote of that song is this for his mercy endureth for ever yea he is the Father of mercies of a great number of mercies yet for all that hee is just too As mercy is his so vengeance is his he is a Iudge as well as a Father As he is wonderfull kind and beneficiall to his people when they serve him so he will judge his people when they depart from him David said concerning the government of his house and kingdome I will sing of Mercy and Iudgement Wee sing of Mercy but we let Iudgement goe like bad Musitions wee leave out one part of the song wee harpe much on the string of Mercy but we never meddle with the string of Iustice. Though wee sweare be drunken commit adultery steale secretly from our neighbours though we make small reckoning of his word raile on it and the Preachers too yet God is mercifull ready to forgive our sins I but remember likewise that vengeance is his and he will judge even his owne people especially if with an high hand they sinne against him hee will wound the hairie scalpe of them that goe on in their sins The Scripture records examples of Gods vengeance as well as of Gods Mercie He threw the Angels out of heaven when they sinned hee drowned the whole world for sinne he rained fire and brimstone on Sodome he made Iesabel a filthy adulteresse though a Queene to be cast out of a window and eaten up with dogs If we know the truth and make no conscience to live according to the truth if we cause his Gospell to be blasphemed by our wicked lives especially if wee choake the truth revealed to us set our selves against it and maliciously despise the spirit of grace whereby wee were in some measure sanctified then the vengeance of GOD will light heavy on us Therefore let us thinke as well on Gods Iustice as on his Mercy VERSE 31. OVt of this divine testimony the Apostle inferreth a fruitfull conclusion shewing what use we are to make of this doctrine it must cause us to feare God Almighty An horrible thing to fall suddenly when we little thinke of it and deepely too into the wine presse of Gods wrath so much the word doth import Into what into the hands of the living GOD. Why God hath no hands therefore we need not feare falling into them True indeed God hath no part or member of a body as we have for he is a spirit yet for our capacitie it is adscribed to him By the hands of God in this place is meant the wrath power and anger of God Almighty As a master sayes to his servant take heede how you come into my hands againe so it is a fearefull thing to fall into Gods hands What is this God A living God that lives for ever not a dead and dumbe Idoll therefore there is no escaping out of his hands if we fall into them For the better explication of it know that GOD hath two hands The one is Manus protegens into thy hands I commend my spirit It is a comfortable thing to fall into these hands The other is manus puniens and that is double the one as he is Pater castigans so David chose to fall into the hands of God the other as he is Iudex vindicans and so it is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands The wrath of a King sayes Salomon is as the roaring of a Lion what is the wrath of the King of Kings An earthly King may be appeased with rewards and requests but his wrath if he be once angry as a Iudge cannot be appeased Some by violence may snatch thee out of a Kings hand which is stronger than he none can deliver thee out of Gods hands if thou beest his prisoner once looke for no Gaole delivery Thou mayest run out of a Kings kingdome but there is no running from GOD whither shall I flye from thy presence in any corner of the earth hee will finde thee out yea though thou haddest wings to mount up into the heavens he can fetch thee downe An earthly King lives but for a time at the length hee dyes but GOD lives for ever Therefore it is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands Yet men little consider this they imagine it is nothing to fall into Gods hands A servant had rather fall into Gods hands by making a lye then into the hands of his master by speaking a truth A number of desperate persons had rather fall into Gods hands by swearing and forswearing then into the hands of an earthly judge We make no account of Gods hands tush God sees it not or if he regard it he is a kinde God it makes no matter for falling into his hands yet it is a fearefull thing for though he beare long with thee in wonderfull patience and long suffering yet he will make thee beare in the end Therefore let us not wittingly and willingly
are desirous to loade our selves with them they presse us downe and hinder us exceedingly in our race The Young man was so laden with his wealth that he could not follow Christ. Can a Bird flye when she is in a snare can a Man goe when he is fettered Riches are snares yea the devils snares which is a strong and cunning Fowler therefore beware how yee are intangled in them Ye may have riches and yet not be had of riches if they be weights and incumbrances Martha thou art cumbred about many things then away with them these Camels hardly go to heaven It had beene better for the Young Man to have parted with his riches than with CHRIST Many a rich Man is so pressed downe with his wealth with the cares of the world about Sheep and Oxen Silver and Gold as that he cannot goe to Church hee can finde no time to pray to read Scripture to occupie himselfe in heavenly meditations How can he run the race that leadeth to heaven If thy eye offend thee cut it out much more if thy riches offend thee if they clog thee in this race away with them it is better to goe a poore man to heaven than a rich man to hell If a man be pressed to death though it be with gold what gets he by it And if thou be pressed to eternall death though it be by thy golden riches what doth it advantage thee The Mariners Ion. 1.5 for the saving of their lives cast away their goods and with their owne hands hurled them into the sea and for the saving of our soules shall we not cast away our goods shall we suffer them to drowne us and that in everlasting perdition whatsoever presses thee downe cast it away If an Executorship Stewardship Lordship multitude of Farmes presse thee downe and make thee to have an ill conscience before God and Man too cast it away But we love our burthens too well we had rather lose heaven than them The third thing that presseth down is pleasure Luke 21.34 Surfetting and drunkennesse are great pressers We may run with drink and wine but not with drunkennesse When a mans belly is full he is unfit to run in a bodily race much more in the spirituall race Fasting and prayer are good for this race fornication and adultery are Heavie burthens to presse us downe Hos. 4.11 they take away the heart no heart to run 1 Tim. 5.6 The voluptuous person is dead while he lives That man in the Gospell said I have married a wife therefore I cannot come how much more will an adulterer say I have gotten a whore I must solace my selfe with her therefore I cannot come Let them runne that will I cannot runne the race of Christianity Therefore let us cast away every thing that presseth downe bee it never so neere or deere to us This universall particle is worthy to bee observed every thing Some flatter themselves in one thing or other In this the Lord bee mercifull unto mee as Naaman said Herod cast away many things but his sweet sin of Incest he would not cast away A drunkard will cast away any thing save his drunkennesse in this the Lord be mercifull unto me that I may take a cup of Nimis now and then A covetous miser will cast away any thing save his love of money In this the Lord be mercifull unto me that I may keepe my purse I will come to the Church but I will give nothing so neere as I can I but we must cast away everything that presseth downe lest we misse the gold of eternall glory My life sayes S. Paul is not deere unto me so as I may fulfill my course with joy and shall our pleasures and profits be so deere to us that they shall keepe us from fulfilling our course Let us cast every thing away rather than perish eternally But there is one thing which above all others we must strive to cast away .i. the sin this is ready to give us a fall at every turne it is inclusus hostis The Snaile carries his house with him but we carry our enemy with us The Snake of Originall sin is in our bosome wheresoever we become That doth so easily compasse us about As a paire of Compasses that compasse the whole Circle so doth this the whole man It compasses about our soules and bodies our eyes eares hands feet and is ready alwayes to molest and stop us in our race therefore away with it There be two compassers the one is Sathan he compasses the earth to and fro the other is our owne corruption that compasses all men on the earth We cannot utterly cast it off so long as wee live we cannot cast off the being of it but we may the dominion of it Though it bee in us let it not reigne in us though wee cannot ejicere let us dejicere Gods grace is sufficient for us as he said to S. Paul Let us pray to him for his grace that by little and little we may cast it off The foundation being layed he comes to the building it selfe and sets the admonition on it The race that we must run is illustrated by the efficient cause and the manner of our running He doth not say run you and I will sit still but let us run All must run Ministers and People Magistrates and Subjects We must not goe but run not creepe like Snailes but runne like Roes Our life is not compared to a sitting but to a walking or running yet we must not be like foolish runners that run themselves out of breath at the first Faire and softly goes farre Wee must not come in such a rash and heady zeale as that we runne quite out of the Church as some doe Let us run but wisely and discreetly What race not that which is set before us by the devill the race of pride envie hatred malice contention the race of drunkennesse uncleannesse c. but the race that is set before us by God the race of Christianity cleaving stedfastly to Christ and his Gospell 1 Cor. 9.24 By God Almighty Hee hath appointed to every one his race some a longer some a shorter Some have many crosses some fewer all have some Yet let us all run this race 3 How long must we run not for a while but to the end Not run while we be young men till our juvenilis ardor be a little over as many doe but though we be old Mnasons we must run still never cease running till we cease breathing I have finished my course sayes S. Paul We must never leave running till our course be finished 4 How must we run with patience This must be the staffe that we must walke withall and the principall leg that wee runne withall In patience possesse your soules The best man that is shall have one thing or other to exercise his patience withall Though David be a King he shall have a rayling Shimei we must
house and Temple Remember that our God is a God of peace let us be peaceable Wee have had the Title now to the effect the raising up of Christ from the dead elementia in collatione pacis potentia in suscitatione filij The party raised is set forth 1. By his Sovereignty 2. By his Name 3. By his Office For his Sovereignty He is our Lord. Ye call me Master and Lord. Not every one that sayeth to me Lord c. He created us He redeemed us He hath marryed us to Himselfe therefore we are to call Him Lord as Sarah did Abraham For His Name it is IESUS the onely SAVIOUR of the world There is no other name whereby wee can be saved but by the Name of IESUS Moses was the giver of the Law yet not he but Iosuah brought the people into Canaan So they be not the workes of the Law but Christ alone that carryes us into heaven the celestiall Canaan For His Office Hee is the Shepheard of the sheepe Cyrus my Shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where observe 1. What manner of Shepheard he is 2. How hee comes to bee our Shepheard If ye will know what manner of Shepheard he is he is a great one There be little Shepheards as the Rectours Curates of every Congregation but Hee is the great Shepheard 1. Great in the extent of the flocke the universall Shepheard of the whole Church throughout the world the Shepheard of Iewes and Gentiles so is none but he 2 Great in authority The sheepe are His Hee ownes them Simon feede my sheepe feede my lambes Peter as other Pastors feede them but the sheepe are Christs Iob had 7000. sheepe he had many Shepheards that kept them yet the sheepe were Iobs So Christ hath many thousands of sheepe in Christendome in the world Sundry Shepheards he places over them yet the sheepe are Christs not ours 3 Great in the charge which hee hath taken on him hee is the Shepheard of soule and body too the great Shepheard of our soules 1 Pet. 2. ult He hath care of body and soule too 4 Great in humility the King of Kings yet hee abased himselfe to be a Shepheard 5 Great in knowledge Iohn 10.3 6 Great in love and kindenesse Hee gave Himselfe for the sheepe 7 Great in power none can take them out of his hands All the Divells in hell all the wicked men on the earth cannot cozen him of one sheepe Be thankefull to God for this great Shepheard Of whom of the sheepe that is the righteous They are most fitly resembled to sheepe 1 Sheepe are humble Learne of Me I am humble and meeke 2 Sheepe are harmelesse be as innocent as Doves as harmelesse as sheepe 3 Sheepe are profitable for backe and belly 4 They are ruled by their Shepheard So whatsoever thou commandest us we will doe 5 Sheepe are lead into pastures and folds 6 They are obnoxious to many dangers to Wolves Briers Theives Dogges So many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of all Happy are the sheepe that have such a Shepheard But how came He to be Shepheard Sayd the chiefe Captaine with a great summe of money obteined I this burgeship But it cost Christ a greater summe even His bloud whereby the everlasting covenant is confirmed Acts 20.28 The wine in the Lords Supper is a lively representation of this bloud The wine is red So was the bloud of CHRIST the wine is powred out into the cup So the bloud of CHRIST was powred forth for our sinnes The grapes are pressed before there is any wine So was CHRIST Wine comforts a man hee hath given him wine to make him a glad heart So the consideration of the bloud of Christ that was shed for the remission of our sins is a singular comfort to the soules of Christians By this bloud He came to be the Shepheard of the Church and this is that bloud that ratifies GODS everlasting Covenant The Covenant I am thy GOD and the GOD of thy seede is an everlasting Covenant Such as the man is such is his bond and word It is good dealing with honest men A man may be bold to build on their word And such as GOD is such is His Covenant an everlasting GOD and an everlasting Covenant of His Kingdome there shall bee no end and of His Covenant there shall be no end As He is our GOD now So he will be for ever Let this stay us up when we are ready to faint in all distresses This is that great Shepheard of the sheepe which GOD hath brought againe from the dead But was hee not able to bring himselfe from the dead Yes verily He raised up this Temple Himselfe He presented Himselfe alive Acts 1.3 Yet in respect of His humanity GOD is sayd to have brought Him from the dead which He did after a glorious manner the Angels waiting on the Sepulcher the earth trembling the graves opening sundry of the Saints rising with Him and appearing to many Our Saviour truely dyed on the Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the breath went out of His body it was wrapt up in linnen cloathes layed in the Sepulcher there it continued three dayes and nights yet God brought Him againe from the dead Hee was seene of His Apostles and others fourty dayes together they beheld the print of the nailes in His hands and feet they eat and dranke with Him and looked on Him when Hee went into Heaven Even so the same God shall bring us againe from the dead The Head is risen therefore the members shall rise the first fruits are in the barne of Heaven therefore we that are the second fruits shall be gathered thither The husband is in Heaven therefore the wife shall be in Heaven Where I am they also that believe in mee shall bee there Hee brought CHRIST from the dead the third day there was an extraordinary reason in that because His Sacred body might see no corruption Our bodies corrupted with sinne must lye putrifying in the earth till the day of Iudgement Adventus Domini clavis resurrectionis then wee shall meete CHRIST in the ayre and bee translated with Him into His Kingdome of glory Christs resurrection is a pledge of ours VERSE 21. WEE have heard of the person to whom he prayes now to the thing for which he prayes It is perfection in all good workes the which is first set downe then amplified It is comprised in these words make you perfect c. Hee doth not say in faith but in workes workes are a demonstration of faith shew me thy faith by thy workes Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Their righteousnesse was to say not to doe Matth. 23.3 ours must be to say and doe too else wee shall not set a foote into the Kingdome of heaven Not every one that sayeth unto mee Lord Lord c. Therefore
abundance of rayne as made a gracious supply to the comfort of them all Saint Augustine writes of a certaine Barbarian servant which was made a Christian who never learned to read yet by three dayes prayers obteyned so much of God that he could read the bible to the admiration of those that were with him This should encourage us all to pray for our selves and others too Say on my mother sayd Salomon to Bathshebah I will not say thee nay So God by the secret inspiration of the spirit speakes to us say on my children I will not say you nay ascendit precatio descendit miseratio Wee have had the instrumentall cause now to the efficient which was Gods grace and mercy He doth not say your prayers shall merit my delivery but through your prayers I shall be given to you In the Greeke not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods free and undeserved goodnesse Prayer is a sacrifice well pleasing and acceptable to God I will lift up my hands as an evening sacrifice yet it is not meritorious When we have done all we can prayed as attentively as zealously as we can we are unprofitable servants and wee had need to pray to God to forgive the weakenesse of our prayers VERSE 23. THe second member of the conclusion is salutations sent to him from those which were with Saint Paul of whom the one is a prisoner the rest at libertie 24. The prisoner is Epaphras Hierom saies it is an Hebrew name Epaphras frugifer of spharah fructificare and indeed he was full of the fruits of righteousnesse by IESUS CHRIST Why may it not be a Greeke name he being a Grecian one of Colosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expono He was a Preacher and good expositour of Scriptures a faithfull Minister of CHRIST My fellow prisoner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuspide captus taken with the speare a captive in Warre So these were taken by the speare of Satan and Nero his bloudy instrument Before hee called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fellow servant now his fellow prisoner which is more for all his fellow servants were not his fellow prisoners Saint Paul gives him this as a more honourable title It is a greater dignitie to suffer for Christ then simply to believe in CHRIST It is no honour to bee fellowes in evill as Simeon and Levi were brethren in cruelty but in good and commendable things it is My fellow-Iudge my fellow-Bayliffe my fellow-Alderman especially fellow-prisoner in CHRIST IESUS To be Barabbas's fellow-prisoner is an ignominious thing but to be S. Pauls fellow-prisoner is a glorious thing Let us not be fellow-prisoners in the Divell as Traytors Thieves Murderers Iesuits but if we be fellow-prisoners in CHRIST IESUS let us rejoyce in it and glorifie God on that behalfe Vnto this may be applied the vulgar saying Est aliquid socios habuisse doloris It is a comfort to have a fellow-prisoner in a good cause They may pray together sing Psalmes together confer together edifie one another comfort one another Ieremie was alone in the Dungeon his sorrow was the greater S. Paul hath a fellow with him in prison at Rome his sorrow is the lesser VERSE 24. THe other that be at liberty are in number foure The first is Marcus Iohn was his Christen name Mark was his surname Saint Hierome interprets Mark to be sublimis High of Rum elevare To lift up he was lifted up by GOD to the Sacred Office of the Ministery There be three things that tend to his commendation 1. His consanguinity with Barnabas which was a Levite a great benefactour to the Church Saint Pauls especiall friend and is entituled the Sonne of Consolation he was his sitters Sonne 2. Is the piety of his Mother her name was Marie in whose house the Saints were assembled and prayed for Saint Peter when hee was in prison 3. His owne industry and forwardnesse in accompanying St. Paul and Barnabas whose Minister hee was yet there is one thing that is a staine in this faire cloth that is his departing from Paul and Barnabas He went not through with them in the worke left them in the plaine field and returned to Hierusalem which was an occasion of a great falling out betweene these two worthy Men. Neverthelesse by all probability he repented of it and became a more painefull labourer afterwards for at this present he was of good reputation in the Church else Saint Paul would not have set him in the forefront of his salutation The second is Aristarchus Mons operis amplioris sayes Hierome Har mons Magnaseh opus a Mountaine of a more ample worke he was of Macedonia and a Thessalonian he was Saint Pauls prison-fellow when he wrote to the Colossians but now at liberty The third is Demas Sileas sayes Hierome of Dum silere hee was dumbe and too much silent or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 popularis he was a popular Man a man-pleaser he loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Saint Paul sets a brand of infamy upon him Demas hath forsaken me and imbraced the present World But at this time he was in good account with Saint Paul otherwise he would not have done him so much honour as to place him before Luke Dorotheus reports he became an Idolatrous Priest and Cajetan cals him an Apostate But if this Epistle were written after the second to Timothie as it hath the after place then undoubtedly GOD gave him repentance he returned to CHRIST and to Saint Paul againe Insomuch as Ignatius reports that he was afterwards Bishop of Magnesia Howsoever that caveat may bee profitable for all Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall A great Starre fell from heaven the greatest of all may fall if GOD support them not with the hand of his Spirit Therefore let us all have an eye to our standing The fourth is Luke Ipse consurgens of Luz ipse Kum surgere And indeed he rose to great estimation in the Church he is low ultimus sed dignitate primus the last in place the first in dignitie He was a Syrian by Nation and of Antiochia Saint Paul his Disciple Hic est ille frater cujus laus est in Evangelio this is that brother whose praise is in the Gospell throughout all the Churches 2 Cor. 8.18 When Saint Paul sayes according to my Gospell he meanes S. Lukes Gospell He did Evangelizare calamo lingua he preached by his pen in writing a Gospell and the Historie of the Acts they be both eloquently written He preached also with his tongue as Epiphan recordeth in Dalmatia Galatia Italia Macedonia Nicephorus affirmes that he was an excellent painter another Apelles surely
that he might the better pittie us that be men that he might be a mercifull high Priest to us all and shall we be unmercifull one to another As the elect of God put on bowels of mercy Col. 3.12 We have a mercifull high Priest Let us be mercifull one to another It is a token of a wicked man of a reprobate to be unmercifull as that rich glutton was that saw Lazarus dayly at his gates and would have no compassion on him True Christians are mercifull as Christ is Iudas came howling to the high Priests and Pharises Oh I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud what is that to us say they See thou to that So such a neighbour is sicke in the Towne such a one is mourning for the death of his Children his Wife c. Such a poore man hath neither meat nor firing nothing to relieve himselfe and his Children withall what is that to us A lamentable thing There is a thorne in the foot that paines it and makes it to swell shall the head and hands say what is that to us We are members one of another and we have an head that is pittifull to us Let us be pittifull one to another that Christ may have pittie and compassion on us both in this world and in that which is to come This may be a singular comfort to us all They say he is happy that hath a friend in the Court especially if he be gracious with the King wee have a friend in the Court of heaven that is deepe in Gods bookes such a friend as hath a feeling of all our infirmities He and we are as Hippocrates twins weeping and laughing together Saul why persecutest thou me If we be sicke or grieved he is c. This was one speciall end why CHRIST assumed our nature that hee might the better have compassion on us in our calamities As the bowels of the true mother yerned when her Child should have beene cut in pieces so if wee bee in any affliction the bowels of CHRIST yerne towards us therefore let us sound forth the praises of CHRIST with a cheerefull heart that tooke our nature on him let us glorifie this our elder brother LORD and Saviour in this life that we may be glorified with himselfe in eternall glory in the life to come CHAP. 3. HItherto he hath entreated of the person of Christ shewing him to be God and man now he proceedeth to his offices As for his regall dignity it might bee perceived by that which he had already spoken of him that he was above the Angels themselves therefore he sayes little of his kingdome in his other two offices he is ample 1. They are propounded joyntly Verse 1. Then opened Severally and particularly 1. Hee begins with his prophesie which is contained in this Chapter and part of the next to Verse 14. Then with his Priesthood in the Chapter following About his prophesie there be two things 1. An admonition with all reverence to listen to this our Prophet 2. Reasons to induce us to it Within this Chapter there are foure The 1. is taken from his fidelity illustrated by a comparison betweene him and Moses à 2. ad 7. 2. From the testimony of the Holy Ghost who stirreth us up to listen to him where we have the allegation of the testimony à 7. to 11. an application of it Verse 12 13. The 3d. reason is taken from the fruit and commodity we shall have by it a society and fellowship with Christ verse 14. 4. From the punishment inflicted on them that contemne this Prophet to the end In the admonition there be two branches 1. A description of the persons that are to attend 2. Of the person to whom they must attend Vnde whereupon Seeing the Prophet and Doctor of the Church is the high and eternall God above the Angels and all creatures seeing in time he became man that by Gods grace he might taste death for all men therefore let us make an high account and estimation of him The parties admonished to listen to this Prophet and Teacher of the Church are described by their estate and condition and by the gracious benefits bestowed on them 1 For their condition they be brethren dulciter eos alloquitur not carnall but spirituall brethren He doth not call them brethren only because they descended of the Fathers and came of the seed of Abraham as he did but because they were brethren in the Lord Iesus Christ. By this sweet and loving title he doth insinuate himselfe into the Hebrewes and allures them to have a reverent opinion of Christ. Yea he cals them holy brethren such as are made holy by Iesus Christ the Holy one of God 1 Cor. 6.11 By nature we are unholy as well as others but Christ sanctifieth us and makes us holy We that bee Christians must not be unholy brethren brethren in evill as Simeon and Levi were but we must be holy brethren As GOD our Father is holy the Church our Mother is holy Christ our elder brother is holy the Angels our fellow-brethren are holy Heaven is an holy place so must we in some measure be holy Seeing you are holy and have all your holinesse from Christ listen to him 2 For their dignity Partakers together with the rest of the Saints of the Heavenly and glorious kingdome whereunto God in mercy hath called us by the preaching of the Gospell 1 Thes. 2.12 Now as GOD hath beene so gracious to you as to make you partakers of his owne kingdome purchased by the bloud of his Sonne so listen you with all reverence to him and cleave to him alone Of the heavenly calling that is Of the preaching of the Gospell whereby we are called to the kingdome of heaven whom God hath predestinated hee hath called The preaching of the Gospell is the bell whereby we are called to eternall glory As by the sound of a Trumpet the people were called together in the time of the Law so the Word is the silver Trumpet sounding in our eares whereby we are called to the Kingdome of Heaven Blessed are they that be partakers of this calling Such are we in England at this present day if we had eyes to see it and hearts to consider it But GOD cals and we refuse to come wisdome hath made ready her Feast she shath sent her maids into the streets to call us to her banquet but we passe not for it The King made a Supper for his Son sent and invited many to it but they made excuses and came not so GOD calleth us continually but some sit at home in their houses some ride abroad c. when God cals them to his kingdome As we are partakers of the heavenly vocation so let us make a precious account of it that we may be called out of the kingdome of darknesse into the kingdome of light and remaine with Christ for ever Then he comes to the admonition it selfe Consider not lightly as they
Kingdome of Heaven that we and our brethren glorifying CHRIST in this world may be glorified with Him in the world to come VERSE 14. THe reason of the Caveat is taken from the common estate and condition of Christians which is illustrated by a condition carefully to be observed by them They that are partakers of one Christ and of one Saviour ought to have a care of the Salvation one of an other and labour by the cable-rope of exhortation to pull one an other out of sin but we that professe the Gospell are partakers of one Christ therefore let us exhort one another and save one an others soule One member must respect an other If the foote be ready to fall into a ditch the hand must pull it up We are members of the same body whereof Christ is Head therefore we should keep one an other from the pit of sin They that be brethren that have one Father and Mother should be jealous of the good estate one of an other We are brethren in Christ he is the elder brother to us all therefore let us have a tender care of the salvation one of an other As we are partakers of Christ so let us participate the grace which we receive from Christ one to another They that passe not whether their brethren sinke or swim goe to heaven or to hell doe argue that they have no portion in Christ for if they had the preservation of all Christians would be deare unto them Let us exhort one an other daily because we are partakers of Christ. Here likewise wee behold the singular dignity of Christians they are partakers of Christ they are Christ's partners and fellowes There is a mutuall participation betweene Christ and us he partakes with us of flesh and bloud he takes the load of our sinnes on his back and beares them for us and we partake with him in all his benefits There is nothing that Christ hath but we have part of it his wisedome holinesse his righteousnesse is ours yea his kingdome is ours We are heyres yea coheyres with him of his kingdome As the man at the day of marriage sayes to his Wife with all my worldly goods I thee endow so the Lord Iesus our Husband that in mercy hath married us to himselfe endoweth us with all his goods by reason whereof being poore of our selves and worth nothing we become exceeding rich Christ is ours death life the world is ours O unspeakable prerogative vouchsafed to dust and ashes Let us walke worthy of this honour whereunto we are advanced being Christs partners let us not be the Devils partners Let us not partake with the Devill in sinne in blaspheming the name of GOD contemning of his Word in pride malice and other abominations but as we be partakers of Christ so let us participate of Christs vertue Let us be holy as he is holy humble as he is humble let us contemne this world with all the vaine pleasures that bee in it as hee did What fellowship is there betweene CHRIST and Belial If CHRIST be ours let not the Divell be ours This is good newes we are partakers of CHRIST therefore we may sleepe soundly on both Eares we need take thought for nothing Not so such a thought cannot be incident into Christs partners for we be partakers of Christ if we hold c. All interpreters with one consent referre this to faith and indeed it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.1 the beginning of that lively faith hope and confidence that we have in him which is as a sure foundation that cannot be shaken I do not deny but it is a good sence yet without any circumloquution or violence offred to the words it may fitly be translated if wee hold fast the beginning of the subsistence and being that we have in him For Hypostasis most properly doth signifie a subsistence according to the etymologie of the word If as we have begun by faith to have a being in Christ so wee hold fast this our being to the end growing up daily in him till wee come to a perfect age in Christ Iesus Christians must not needlesly doubt of their salvation Why doubtest thou ô man of little faith as Christ hath promised to us a kingdome so hee will undoubtedly performe his promise for there is not in him a shadow of turning We must say with Paul I am perswaded neither life nor death shall bee able to separate us from the love of CHRIST Yet we must distinguish between faith and presumption Christians must not set all at six and seven be not high minded but feare Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes A Child may feare to displease his father and yet not doubt of his fathers love As we have begun in Christ so let us continue in him Yee are they that have continued with me in my temptations therefore I appoint to you a kingdome Luk. 22.28 Be thou faithfull to the end Let us hold fast to the end the beginning of our subsistence in CHRIST Remember Lots Wife She begun well but ended ill So runne that yee may obtaine runne not your selves out of breath at the first never leave running till yee have the gole of eternall life We have begunne in sound and pure Religion let us not end in prophanenesse in Atheisme in Brownisme and Anabaptisme Let us hold our beginning fast and continue with CHRIST to the end let neither the slie temptations of Satan nor the sweete allurements of the flesh nor the dangerous baites of the world nor the stormy tempest of persecution if it should arise hereafter cary us from CHRIST but let us hold fast the beginning of our being in him and remaine firmely engraffed into him to the end VERSE 15. WHy what is that end to the which wee must hold out even so long as yee live and GOD speakes to you in the Ministery of the Gospell While it is said for that voice spoken to the Israelites appertaineth to us So long as the voice of God soundeth to us in the trumpet of the Gospell let us hold fast that being that we have in CHRIST take the time while the time serveth VERSE 16. SO much of the Application of the testimony of the caveat and the reason whereby it is enforced Now let us come to the commentary and explanation that the Apostle maketh of it In this he expoundeth foure branches of the testimony 1. Who they were that provoked God to anger 2. Who they were with whom God was angry 3. Who they were which by oath were excluded out of his rest 4. The cause why they were excluded In the latter end of the fifteenth Verse he made mention of the provocation First of all he shewes who they were that provoked God They that provoked him to anger are described 1. By the number of them they were some not all 2. By a gracious benefit contemned by them namely the word preached when they heard that is Almighty God
The just man falleth seven times a day Saint Paul would have the incestuous person restored It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the elect cannot sinne against the Holy Ghost neither doe all the reprobate sinne against the Holy Ghost They that sinne against the Holy Ghost must fall toti à toto in totum 1. The Elect fall but in part either in their understanding or their will they that commit this sinne fall wholly in their understanding and will too they obscure the light which they have received choke the good motions that were in them with their whole will might and maine runne against the truth they professed When Saint Paul was a persecutor he sinned in respect of his understanding upon ignorance but he did not persecute Christ with a malicious minde Peter fell upon infirmitie but not upon malice in his will in part but not in his understanding and will too They that commit the horrible sinne against the Holy Ghost are set with their understanding and will yea with all their forces against the truth Hence it is called blasphemia spiritus Mat. 12.31 because it is with the spirit and minde of man in soule and body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to fall voluntarilie with the Hebrew Greeke and Latinists procidere 2. They must fall à toto from all the former gifts not from some one part of the celestiall doctâ—ine and calling but from the whole body of the doctrine that concerneth salvation maliciously resisting it A man may fall on his knees yet not on the whole body So a man may fall from some one fundamentall point though not from the whole body of the heavenly calling as many Heretickes doe But these fall from the whole 3. They must fall in totum wholly and finally without recoverie The godly man sayes in the Prophet though I fall I shall ryse againe for the Lord putteth to his hand these fall and never rise again because God denyeth them his hand Then followes the punishment Where 1. The grievousnesse of it 2. The equitie of it They cannot be made new men again they were once new men at least in shew having lost that new Coate they cannot have another they cannot bee cast into a new mould againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an active Some expound it they cannot renew themselves so Erasmus Some understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that any Minister should renew them some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God should renew them because God cannot deny himselfe and that were an impotency rather then a power Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 2.13 Impossible because it is repugnant to the will of GOD Dei posse est velle non posse nolle Luk. 1.37 Mark 10.27 he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not meete not profitable not convenient but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to drive them into desperation Chrys. The Iesuits interpret it hard It is an hard matter for them to be renewed but it is not impossible Yet their owne glosse sayes non tantum difficile and Verse 8. their end is to bee burned they must burne for ever in hell Impossibile non difficile Difficile est quod quamvis cum labore fieri potest impossibile quod fieri non potest So they cannot bee renewed 1. It implies a weakenesse 2. A contradiction So that it is not only hard and difficult but impossible that God should renew them to repentance By Repentance is repugnant to the words Of all other sins men may repent but not of this 2 Tim. 2.25 Repentance is the gate whereby wee must enter into heaven the very doore and entrance is denyed to them therefore no mervaile though the house bee denyed to them If they could repent they might bee saved for at what time soever a sinner repenteth of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart the Lord will blot them out of his remembrance But it is impossible for them to repent their hearts are hardened And thou according to the hardnesse of thy heart that cannot Repent treasurest up to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Romans 2. ver 5. They have cast off GOD and GOD hath cast off them they may have an horror in the Conscience for their sinnes they may peradventure weepe howle and cry for them yet they doe not repent They are not pierced with true sorrow for sinne they grieve for the fearefull and endlesse torments which they are to sustaine for their sinnes but grieve not for sinne as it is sinne they are grieved that they are fallen into the hands of GOD as a judge but are not sorrowfull that they have offended him as a Father For any other sinne GOD may give Repentance unto men but for this hee will not Oh horrible sinne GOD may give Repentance for all other sinnes yet hee is not bound to doe it The King may pardon burglarie or for breaking into an house yet hee is not bound to it So GOD may give men Repentance for thefts murders adulteries drunkennesse c. Yet none can challenge this at his hands Therefore let none presume to commit any sinne whatsoever in hope of Repentance this is no good argument no sound conclusion in Divinitie they that sinne against the HOLY GHOST cannot repent therefore they that fall into any other sin may repent at their pleasure a man is not sure to have Repentance for foolish idle words for wicked and uncleane thoughts iâ— is in GODS hands the pearle of Repentance lies in his treasury Thou mayest bee stricken with the dart of sudden death while thou art sinning therefore let not the hope of Repentance bee as a loadestone to draw thee to sinne Repentance is a singular thing that will open the lap of Gods mercie and the doores of the kingdome of heaven too Manasseh had beene a monstrous Idolater yet upon repentance hee was received to mercy David had committed Adultery and Murder yet on repentance they were remitted the Thiefe on the Crosse had beene a bad liver all the dayes of his life yet upon repentance hee was taken into Paradise There were some that crucified CHRIST the Lord of life being pricked in their hearts for it were imbraced in the armes of mercy the Prodigall Son that had spent all his substance on harlots yet when he came to his father with that dolefull and penitent voice I have sinned against heaven and before thee his father fell on his neck and kissed him but they that sinne against the Holy Ghost can never repent and therefore can have no mercy neither in this life nor in that which is to come O fearefull sinne the Lord in mercy keepe us all from it If at any time wee have sinned as in many things we sinne all Let us pray to God that we lye not in our sinnes but that our hearts may quickly smite us for them as Davids did that wee may flye
and it is good for Preachers to draw their matter into a summe We have such a worthie High Priest as all the High-Priests in the Law were not worthy to be named with him the same day Then he comes to shew his magnificence Hee doth not say standeth as a Lord Earle Duke may stand by a King bare-headed but sitteth Indeed Act. 7.5 6. he is said to be standing on the right hand of God but then he is seene standing as ready to pull Stephen out of the jawes of his enemies He doth not sit at his foot-stoole but at his hand not at his left hand but on the right hand God the Father as Prince and Potentate sitteth on his throne and Christ sitteth by him Of that Majestie which excelleth the Majesty of all the Kings in the world either Majesty is put for Majesticall Prince to whom is due Majesty Iude 25. or it may be an Hebraisme the throne of the Majesty for a majesticall throne Not in earth but in heaven In the heavens where there bee many mansions and in them hee prepareth a place for us The High-Priests in the time of the Law sate in Moses chaire heere upon the earth but our High-Priest sitteth in Gods chaire in heaven and thinkes it no robbery to bee equall with God In this respect he is not only higher than all the Priests in the Law but higher than the Angels Here hee sitteth as a ruler for the welfare of his Church From hence it cannot be gathered that Christ's body is every where because Gods right hand is every where for this his sitting is restrained to a place namely to heaven Stephen saw him in heaven Acts 7.55 Love is an excellent vertue because it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole Law The Lords prayer carries away the bell from all prayers because that is the summe of all the prayers that can be made by all men in the world Here we have the summe of this large and famous epistle Therefore let it be reverently regarded and diligently marked by us all This may bee a singular comfort to us that wee have such a mightie High-Priest as hath all power in heaven and earth The High-Priests here on the earth were controlled by Kings and Princes Salomon deposed Abiathar and Saul put Abimelech to death but this our High-Priest is above all the Kings and Princes in the world they must all cast downe their Scepters at his feete hee can take the breath out of their nostrils when hee pleases In what an happy ease are we that have such a LORD protectour of the Church He may suffer us to be tryed as gold in the furnace of affliction but he will not suffer us to perish at the length he will deliver us out of the hands of all our enemies only let us have a care so neere as we can not to displease this our high-Priest As the people were obedient to the high-Priest in the time of the Law So let us be to our high-Priest in the time of the Gospell kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish from the way All Papists kisse the Popes feete yea Kings Princes and Emperours But let us all from the highest to the lowest in meekenesse and humility kisse this our high-Priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the Majestie in the heavens and he will defend us from all enemies whatsoever VERSE 2. THe second argument Those high-Priests were Ministers of an earthly Sanctuary this of an heavenly Ergo more glorious than they Of the Sanctuary The Greeke is Ambiguous of the masculine or neuter gender Some interpret it Minister of the Saints So indeed he is not the Angels alone but Christ Himselfe is our Minister O unspeakable honour Rather as the word is taken in this Epistle of the Holies that is of the Sanctuary the Holy of Holies Hebr. 9.12 and 24. The place where he Ministers is Heaven there he appeares in the sight of God for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publicus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui facit opus publicum So are the Angels Hebr. 1.14 the Magistrate Rom. 13.4 The third argument hee that hath the more worthy Sacrifice is the more worthy Priest Christ's sacrifice is more worthy Ergo. This sacrifice is set forth to us 1. Figuratively 2. Properly Figuratively it is resembled to a Tabernacle Some by Tabernacle understand heaven too as well as the Sanctuary but rather by it is meant the body of our Saviour Christ. 1. It is not like that in so few words he would use a tautology 2. The Tabernacle was for the Priests not for the High-Priests 3. The reason following Verse 3. doth evince that by the Tabernacle is signified the body of Christ wherewith hee did sacrifice It is an usuall thing to resemble the body to a Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 2. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. As a man dwelleth in an house or Tabernacle So doth the soule in the body And as God dwelt in the Tabernacle among the Iewes so doth the deity dwell in the humanity of Christ therefore it hath the name of a Tabernacle This similitude is fitly introduced by the Apostle As the high-Priest by the Tabernacle went into the Sanctum Sanctorum so Christ by his body offered on the Crosse went into heaven Hebr. 9.11 Hence it is that Christ's body is compared to a Temple Ioh. 2.21 to a vaile Heb. 10.20 This Tabernacle is illustrated by an adjunct and the efficient cause The other was but a counterfeit to this True is not opposed to false that was not a forged Tabernacle it was of Gods institution and made by his direction But it is called the true Tabernacle as Christ may be called the true David Salomon Melchizedec the true Manna that came from heaven Iohn 6.32 And as the picture of a man is nothing to the man himselfe So that Tabernacle was but a picture of this this is the true Tabernacle indeed The shadow of the Sun in the water is not the Sunne that is the true Sun that is in the firmament so that was but a shadow of this Tabernacle this is the true Tabernacle 2. It is illustrated by the efficient cause Moses Aholiab Bezaleel and other artificers pight that Tabernacle which were mortall men though they did it by Gods appointment this Tabernacle was framed immediately by God Himselfe the body of our Saviour Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost The name of a Minister is no base name seeing Christ being now in heaven doth not thinke scorne of it He was a Minister of the circumcision when he lived on the earth and he is a Minister of the Sanctuary now in heaven Therefore let none have a base opinion of the name and office of the Ministers Christ is the head Minister and we inferiour Ministers under him therefore let us be reverently regarded for his sake There by presenting of his owne sacred body
not be so shie of sin Though we live in drunkennesse uncleannesse pride covetousnesse yet wee may bee in the favour of God Indeed God is of wonderfull mercy hee is called the father of mercies in the plurall number not of Iustices There is a whole Psalme of his mercie and so not of his justice Yet wee must not imagine that his mercy can put his justice out of place To penitent sinners as the Publican was as Mary Magdalen was that Christ's feete with her teares he is mercifull but to them that continue in their sins hee will shew himselfe to bee just and powre down the vials of his wrath on them he cast off the Israelites his own chosen people for their abominable sins and doe you think that we shall escape which are but wild Olives and adopted Children in comparison of them There is no dallying with God if we continue not in his covenant he will reject us VERSE 10. YE have seene what it is not now consider what it is which hath three branches 1. A renovation of their hearts to keepe his lawes Verse 10. 2. An illumination of their understanding to know his will Verse 11. 3. The remission of all their sins against his Law and so consequently eternall happinesse Verse 12. He points out this New Testament much discrepant from the other which I will dispose As we say I ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner following So this is the Testament which I ordaine the Testament which I testate With the house of Israel under the which the house of Iudah is comprehended that is the whole Church In those dayes when Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse shall clearely shine in the preaching of the Gospell saith the LORD which is not as man that he should repent nor the Sonne of man that hee should lye I will put my Lawes In the Hebrew it is the singular number in the Greeke the plurall All my Lawes appertaining to the first and second table I will leave none of them out Into their minde the discoursing faculty of the minde whereby they shall conclude within themselves that it is the best course they can take to serve me That they may understand it Into their hearts that they may love embrace and keepe it Hebrew into the middest of them Not in Tables of stone as at the first but in the fleshie tables of their heart This is the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell 2 Cor. 3.3 and 6. God will not only put his Lawes into our eyes eares tongues hands feete In these parts the wicked may have the Law of God they may looke on the Scriptures talke of them heare Sermons c. but he will put them into our hearts and the heart shall set all the members of the body on worke He will write them there engrave them that they shall never be rased out nothing shall blot out that writing Then followes the conditions of the covenant on both parts as it is in all covenants On Gods behalfe he will be our God hee will protect and defend us provide all good things for us for this life and the life to come no enemy shall hurt us he will give us all things that bee good On our part we must be his people that is worship him depend on him by a lively faith live in obedience to him serve him and no other Happy is the people that have God for their Lord. God is a good God to us but we are an ungracious and unthankefull people to him VERSE 11. THe second branch of the covenant there shall bee then more plentifull knowledge then was in the time of the Law which is declared negatively and affirmatively The lesson taught by them is this know the Lord this shall not neede then earthly Schoolemasters may be removed and put up their pipes wee shall all have an heavenly Schoolemaster which is the Holy Ghost Ioh. 6.45 Ioh. 14.26 1 Ioh. 2.27 But what shall not one neighbour instruct an other in the time of the Gospell yes verily exhort one another edifie one another in your most holy faith Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos Augustine and others think that this is spoken of the Saints in heaven but the text will not suffer it Sol. 1. Then there shall not be so many particular ceremonies the signification whereof one should teach another as there were in the time of the Law 2. This is spoken not simply but comparatively The Holy Ghost shall bee powred downe in such plentifull measure upon all the light of the Gospell that was hidden under darke shadowes in the time of the Law shall now shine so brightly to all as that the teaching by friends and neighbours shall in a manner bee superfluous yet for all that this neighbour-like instruction one of another shall remaine still but there shall not be so great necessity of it as there was before The affirmative part If all shall know the Lord then there shall be no need to teach one another who the Lord is but all shall know the Lord ergo Which is confirmed by a distribution great and small shall know him ergo all shall know him Hee doth not meane the least in age for little infants and children are not now capable of the knowledge of God no more then theirs in the time of the Law but from the meanest in estate and condition to the highest Not Schollers alone and book-learned men shall know the Lord but even artificers Plowmen they that be least in the reputation of the world All all estates and conditions of men Or as much as lies in me that am the teacher all shall know me A Preacher teacheth in the Pulpit and all that bee in the Church may learne of him if they will The Sun shineth in the firmament and all may be comforted by it yet the bleared eyes are not It is their fault if all know me not Ob. 2. If all shall know the Lord then the Scriptures shall be unnecessary we shall all be taught by the Holy Ghost therefore wee need not the dead letter of the Scripture such a dumbe Schoolemaster as the Scripture is Sol. Yes verily for the Holy Ghost teacheth us by the Scripture he unfoldeth to us the meaning of the Scripture he instructed the Eunuch by the Scripture They might as well reason an excellent learned man shall teach in such a towne therefore the Schollers taught by him shall need no bookes The Scripture is the booke whereby God teacheth us therefore that still must bee turned over by us Our Saviour sendeth us to the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 Rom. 15.4 2 Pet. 1.19 1 Tim. 4.13 Object 3. If all shall know God then away with Schooles of learning and Vniversities to traine up men to the ministery in yea away with the ministery it selfe what need we any Ministers and Preachers in every towne to instruct us in the knowledge of the Lord Sol. Yes they are Gods mouthes by whom he
cannot agree with any thing that went before Some say it is an enallage of case the accusative put for the dative Some will have it to agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Verse and all the rest to bee included within a parenthesis as Iunius but that should be a wonderfull long parenthesis Rather something must be supplyed as it is usuall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of correction Not as if any thing were amisse simply evill in the ceremoniall Law A reformation properly to speake is of abuses there was no fault no abuses in the Law it selfe it was a good and an holy thing for the time but it is said to be reformed by Christ because hee did perfect that which was wanting in the ceremoniall Law hee actually introduced the justification and sanctification of the faithfull which the ceremoniall Law could not effect of and by it selfe And it may be termed the time of reformation because Christ abolished those old Ceremonies and sacrifices and brought better in their roome namely the sacrifice of his owne body once offered which was a thousand times more effectuall for the redemption of mankinde then all the sacrifices in the Law This is that blessed reformation which the Gospell bringeth All things have their time The Ceremoniall Law had her time and the Gospell hath his time Wee our selves have but our time some threescore yeeres and tenne and then we are gone Let us use our time well here that wee may live with Christ time out of time The Gospell is a time of reformation Christ then reformed the Law for our sakes and all things that were in the Old Testament old things are passed away and shall wee our selves remaine unreformed As Christ hath reformed the Law for our salvation so let us suffer him to reforme us Let all things now bee reformed among Christians Let us reforme our drunkennesse uncleannesse pride malice contentions our negligent comming to Sermons and all other vices that be among us that when the great time of reformation comes at the day of judgement we being thus reformed may enter into the holy Hierusalem and remaine with Christ for ever There is a formation a deformation and a reformation The formation was at the first Creation of the world then God put all things into a good forme and order he beheld all that hee had made and loe it was good yea exceeding good after that came a deformation by the fall of man and that put all out of order againe upon that a reformation was made 1. By a generall deluge that purged all the earth 2. By the Patriarcks after the floud 3. By Moses when the Law was published in writing 4. By our Saviour Christ and that is double the one at his first comming the other at the second The spirit of God here entreateth of the first So that the time of the Gospell is the time of reformation Now especially ought Christians to endeavour a reformation Every one will take on him to reforme the Church Weavers and Taylors will enterprize that The Church is out of order let that be reformed I but true reformation must begin at our selves there is a ruinated house to be repaired and reformed where will yee begin at the top or at the bottome will ye goe to the tiling of it before yee look to the ground selling of it if yee doe so you may quickly bring an old house on your heads He that will repaire an house must begin at the foundation so if yee will have a reformation reforme your selves first and in the reformation of your selves begin with the heart cast out the uncleane lusts the pride envy malice covetousnesse that lye lurking in the corners of your hearts afterwards reforme your eyes tongues hands and all the members of your body first wash the inside of the Cup and platter then the outside else yee will be but whited tombes and painted Sepulchers as the Pharisees were this is the best order in reforming First let every man strive to reforme himselfe the vices whereunto himselfe is given In the next place let him reforme his family after that let every one in his place labour to reforme the Towne wherein hee dwells to rid it of drunkards of idle persons to establish good orders in it for the credit of the Gospell professed by us This is the time of reformation let us all in the feare of God reforme our selves there shall not be a haire amisse in our head but we will reforme it if we have a spotted Coate or garment we will reforme it and shall wee our selves remaine unreformed while the time of reformation lasts let us reforme our selves death may seaze on us ere wee bee aware and then it will be too late to reforme Let us reforme our selves here that we may be Citizens of the heavenly Hierusalem hereafter Now followes the application of the type with all the particular branches of the same Wherein all of them are applyed to our Saviour Christ he is the marke at the which they all aimed the scope whereunto all must bee referred hee is the true High Priest prefigured by him in the time of the Law his body is the true Tabernacle by the which he entreth into the Holy of Holies the Sanctuary or holiest of all is heaven his bloud is the true bloud shadowed out by the bloud of all the sacrifices in the time of the Law Thus Christ is the end of the whole ceremoniall Law it was but as a Schoolemaster to send us to him But in this application to observe some order that might bee a light to us all in it two points are propounded to us 1. An application of the Tabernacle à Verse 11. to 21. 2. Of the rites belonging to it à 21. ad finem The Tabernacle is applyed to Christ. 1. As he is a Priest reconciling us to God ab 11. to 15. 2. As he is a testator making a gracious Will and Testament for us à 15. to 21. 1. The dignity of his Priest-Hood 2. A confirmation of it Verse 13. the dignity is set forth by the object Tabernacle Sacrifice In the application of the Tabernacle as he is a Priest there bee three points 1. The verity and truth of the Tabernacle 2. The service of it 3. The use and end of it VERSE 11. BBeing come farre excelling all the High-Priests in the time of the Law To us in the flesh manifesting himselfe to the world hee was an High-Priest in Gods eternall counsell from the beginning but now at his first comming into the world hee shewed himselfe in all his Spirituall pontificalibus to be an High-Priest Of what not of things present and before their eyes as they were Verse 9. but of things to come shadowed out by them Hebr. 10.1 of Iustification Sanctification and eternall Glorification in the life to come of these good things to come were the ceremonies of the Law
shadowes Not of bad things he is no High-Priest of evill things as Annas and Caiphas were but of good things that is of most excellent things the positive being put for the superlative A good worke that is a worthy worke he that findeth a Wife findeth a good thing that is an excellent thing Some think that by the first Tabernacle was signified the militant Church as by the second the Church triumphant Christ by the Church militant gathered by God not by man entred into heaven all went into heaven by the Church militant Some more speciall thing is here avouched of Christ. Some againe by it understand Heaven but that cannot bee for then by Heaven he should enter into heaven for V. 24. the Holy of Holies is expounded to be heaven But rather by this tabernacle was signified the body of Christ. As the High-Priest came into the first Tabernacle and by it passed into the Holy place So the deity of our SAVIOUR CHRIST came into his sacred humanity and by it entred into heaven Thus is CHRIST's body compared unto a Temple Ioh. 2. and to the vaile Heb. 10.20 As God dwelt in that Tabernacle of the Iewes so the deity dwelt in Christ's humanity bodily This Tabernacle is illustrated by the adjuncts and the efficient cause the adjuncts are two 1. A greater not in quantity but in quality as the King is greater than any in the Realme that is more worthy Christ was greater than Salomon not in stature or bignesse of body but in excellency the greatest of these is love that is the chiefest So Christ's body was a greater that is a farre more excellent Tabernacle That was perfect in his kinde being finished according to GODS direction but this is more perfect that could perfect nothing touching our salvation but only shadowed out things to come by and in this Tabernacle was perfected the worke of our redemption consummatum est The efficient cause is set downe negatively whereby the affirmative part may be easily collected Of men not of the like structure and fabricke that the other Tabernacle was that Tabernacle was made by the hands of Aholiaâ— and Bezaleel this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made by the hands of the Holy Ghost Hebr. 8.2 that Tabernacle was made of Wood Gold Silver hayre c. this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made of the flesh of the Virgin not by the copulation of a man but by the shadowing of the Holy Ghost a Tabernacle farre more glorious than that was There yee have the truth of the Tabernacle A thing come is better than that which is to come A child come into the world is more acceptable then one to come a feast come then one to come CHRIST was to come in the time of the Law now he is come Let us receive him with joy as old father Simeon did Hee is not a laick but a Priest not an inferiour but an High-Priest All were subject to the High-Priest in the time of the Law and let us submit our selves to Christ our High-Priest in the time of the Gospell Here we may see what they be that in truth deserve the name and title of good things Not silver and gold houses and lands Sheepe and Oxen faire houses large lands and ample possessions CHRIST at his comming brought none of these yet hee brought good things with him namely remission of sins the glorious robe of his owne righteousnesse to cover us withall faith and other graces of the spirit and habitation in his owne kingdome in the life to come these indeed are worthy the name of good things Projicimus nomen boni Seneca when we adscribe it to these inferiour things Why callest thou me good sayes Christ to the young man So why doe we call these earthly and transitory things good The onely good things are the spirituall blessings that Christ bringeth The greatest sort crave worldly goods but let us entreat the Lord to fill our store-house with these good things The Philosophers made three kindes of good things bona animi as wit and wisedome learning bona corporis as beauty strength bona fortunae as riches honours c. to speake the truth none of them all are good things they be good things that can make the parties good that have them these doe not Esau had a good wit could readily descant on Iacobs name yet he was no good man Iulian the Apostata had great variety of learning yet a vile man Haman had great honour his throne exalted above all yet hee a wicked man Og King of Bashan had strength Ahsalom beauty yet evill men Health is a good thing A man may come to Church heare service and Sermons which he cannot when he is sicke Wealth is good A man may bee liberall to all good uses laying up a good foundation against the time to come but these are not worthy to be named with those which we have in Christ. Therefore let us desire those good things that can make us good to engraft us into Christ in this life and make us heyres of his kingdome in the life to come Forsomuch as our Priest bringeth such excellent things with him let him be most welcome to us David said of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings much more let us say of Christ our High-Priest he is a good man he bringeth good tidings that by the bloud of his Crosse he hath reconciled us to God the Father hath obtained a generall pardon for all our sins he hath prepared a place for us in his own kingdome therefore let us receive him with all joy The High-Priest in the time of the Law could bring no such good newes hee only came with the bloud of a Goate Bullocke c. That was a representation of the bloud of CHRIST The Pope that challengeth to himselfe the title of an High-Priest in the time of the Gospell sendeth forth his pardons and indulgences but they are little worth they cannot free us from one sin it is Christ alone that is the messenger and author of all good things to us therefore let us skip for joy at his comming and embrace him with both armes As Christ's body is a Tabernacle So is ours 2 Pet. 1.14 2 Cor. 5.1 1. The name of a tent or Tabernacle imports a warfare Souldiers have their tents Abraham Isaac dwelt in tents the Iewes had the feast of Tabernacles Wee fight against Satan and his instruments in the tents of our bodies 2. There is a difference betweene a Tabernacle and an house for an house is made of solid matter Wood Stone c. A Tent is made of old clothes patched together so our bodies are not made of the Sun of the Starres of the firmament but of the earth which is a brittle thing 3. A Tent is weake easily pierced through so our body a knife a pin may pricke it a flie may choake it A Tent is quickly up and quickly downe So is our body wee
come suddenly and wee are gone againe in the turning of an hand though it bee the body of a Wise Salomon 〈◊〉 a strong Sampson a faire Absalom yet remember it is but a tent or Tabernacle the time is at hand sayes Saint Peter when I must lay downe this Tabernacle Wee know not how soone our bodies may be layd in the dust therefore let us not be too much in love with them Now as the Tabernacle in the time of the Law was kept neate cleane and handsome it might not bee polluted with any thing So let us keepe our bodies from all pollutions Let us not defile these our Tabernacles with drunkennesse fornication adulterie pride covetousnesse but let us reserve them as holy and undefiled for the Lord. VERSE 12. NOw to the service which is likewise applyed to our Saviour Christ where 1. What it is 2. Where offered 3. The efficacy of it There the High-Priest by the bloud of Goats and Calves went into the holy place here our High-Priest goes into heaven by his owne bloud therefore this service excelleth that When the High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies hee was to offer up a bullocke for his owne sins and a Goate for the sins of the people here hee useth the plurall number because they were iterated every yeare The High-Priest went in by other bloud Christ by his owne bloud It was an easie matter for him to take the bloud of a young bullock and of a Goate it cost him no great paine but our high-Priest was faine to shed his owne bloud before he could enter into heaven He went once every yeere into the Holy of Holies CHRIST went once for all into heaven and there he remaines till the day of judgement Where wee have a notable argument against his carnall presence in the last supper If Christ in respect of his body were here present so oft as the supper is celebrated then he should come and goe into heaven often but he went once into heaven and there must be till all things be restored Act. 3. Therefore he is not here on the earth bodily so oft as the supper is ministred The third thing in the Tabernacle was the use of the service that was in it that was onely to shadow out our redemption to bee accomplished by Christ but this our High-Priest being gone into heaven by the Tabernacle of his owne body and by his own bloud hath indeed wrought the worke of our redemption With much sweat and labour our redemption cost him deere In the Greeke having found out a rare pearle and invaluable Iewell not found before yet it doth also signifie acquirere idque labore nostro 〈…〉 Satan hell in whose bondage and slavery we were Not a temporal redemption as a man may bee rescued from his enemies and fall into their hands againe but an eternall one so as we are delivered from them for ever These words for us are not in the Greek yet they are well supplyed for Christ obtained no redemption for himselfe he was never in bondage to sin and Satan therfore he could not be redeemed Though Bellarmine defend that Christ merited the glory of his body and the exaltation of his name for himselfe yet no redemption Our SAVIOUR CHRIST by the one sacrifice of his owne bloud hath obtained eternall redemption for us therefore there needs no more sacrifice for our redemption Then away with the sacrifice of the masse which is propitiatory for the quicke and the dead For the Papists held it in time past but being forced to it by the light of Scripture they let goe that hold and affirme that it is only repraesentativum commemorativum applicativum of that sacrifice on the Crosse. Bellarmine defends it to bee a propitiatory sacrifice and so doth the councell of Trent The Iesuits say it is not that redeeming sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world yet it may availe for the remission of some particular sinnes with a relation to that redeeming sacrifice on the Crosse. They say it is the same with that on the Crosse it differs only modo that is a bloudy sacrifice this an unbloudy I but all the legall sacrifices instituted by God must cease after the oblation of this sacrifice whereby eternall redemption is obtained for us then this new forged sacrifice of the masse being a bird of their owne hatching must cease And howsoever they minse it affirming that it is but a commemoration and an application yet they hold still that it is propitiatory for sin as if a full propitiation was not made by Christ's sacrifice on the Crosse. Their opinion is this that it is not that redeeming sacrifice on the Crosse that could not be often done because Christ could not dye often yet by being a commemoration of that sacrifice and an application of it to us it doth obtaine remission of sins and is a propitiation for sin it is propitiatorium impetratorium still Propitiatory for the sins of them that be present and of them that bee absent alive and dead impetratory because it obtaineth not only spirituall benefits but also temporall So that this is the issue The Sacrifice of the masse is not that generall redeeming sacrifice that was offered on the Crosse yet being a commemoration and an application of it it is propitiatory for the sins which wee dayly commit So sayes the Counsell of Trent 1. Vnder the genus all the species are comprehended if that was a generall redeeming sacrifice taking away the sinnes of the world then it left no sinne untaken away They speake contraries If by that wee have a generall pardon of all sinnes then there is no speciall pardon for sins in the sacrifice of the Masse Col. 1.20 2. Was that sufficient to propitiate for sins or insufficient Surely they will say sufficient therefore there is no need of any helpe from the sacrifice of the masse Againe it is not propitiatory 1 Pet. 2.24 makes much against this propitiatory sacrifice 1. Not by a Priest but by himselfe 2. In his owne body not in the commemorative or applicatory sacrifice of his body 3. He left none hereafter to be taken away 4. All our sinnes Where on the Crosse not on any Altar where a commemoration should bee made of his sacrifice on the Crosse but on the Crosse it selfe The Idolaters offered the bloud of their Sons and Daughters to their Idolls but they would not offer their owne Christ hath entred into the holy place with his owne bloud by his owne stripes we are healed in his owne body he bare our sins by his own bloud he made a way into heaven for us he gave not the bloud of any of his servants but his owne bloud Oh how are wee beholden to CHRIST that spared not his owne bloud for us The love of Christ should constraine us We are redeemed sayes Peter not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of CHRIST as of a Lamb
undefiled we are bought with a price and that a deere price even the bloud of the Sonne of GOD. Our swearing drunkennesse c. these cost the bloud of the Sonne of GOD we are washed from them in the bloud of Christ and shall we wallow in them is not this the water said David for the which three worthy men ventured their lives he would not drinke of it though very thirsty So when we are provoked to sinne to drunkennesse covetousnesse adultery let us reason with our selves Indeed the water of these sins is sweete but did it not cost the bloud of CHRIST therfore away with it we think sin to be nothing yet all the Martyrs on the earth all the Angels in heaven could not have freed us from sin The Son of God must shed his bloud for it therefore let the consideration hereof bee a perpetuall bridle to restraine us from sin CHRIST 's bloud is the price of our redemption he sweat drops of bloud when hee was in his agony in the garden at the commandement of Pilat hee was extreamely whipped so that the bloud came exceedingly out of his holy body he had a Crowne of thornes platted on his head that made the bloud runne about his eares being nailed hand and foote to the Crosse the bloud came out in great measure a Souldier thrust him through with a speare and out of his side came water and bloud So that this our High-Priest redeemed us not with the bloud of beasts but with his owne bloud How then are wee to love CHRIST IESUS that spared not his heart bloud for us There was no bloud almost left in this immaculate Lamb he spent all for our sake Wee will love them that give their money for us and shall wee not love CHRIST that gave his bloud for us yet the love of Christ is not so deepely fixed in us as it ought to bee We love the trash of the world the pleasures of the flesh above Christ. This love of Christ should constraine us to forsake our sinnes Wilt thou make much of the knife that cut the throate of thy friend or father Sinne was the knife that cut CHRIST 's throate therefore let us hurle it away but this bloud of CHRIST by the which we are washed from our sinnes is little regarded for all that wee wallow in the mire of our sinnes forgetting the LORD that bought us as Saint Peter speaketh Wee are redeemed from our drunkennesse covetousnesse pride c. by the bloud of CHRIST therefore let us have no fellowship with these sins 2. Heaven is an holy place there dwells the holy God there bee the holy Angels and holy Saints they that remaine unholy shall never enter into it dogs enchanters c. are without By nature we are all unholy borne in sin conceived in iniquity pulling sinne to us with Cartropes and iniquity with Cords of vanity but wee are made holy by the spirit of Sanctification Such were some of you drunkards c. but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 They that continue in sin without repentance shall never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven Noah was once overtaken with Wine but he forsooke that sin David fell into adultery but hee washed it away with his teares Peter denyed Christ but he wept bitterly for it Manasseh left his idolatry Paul his persecuting of the Church of God Mary Magdalen her uncleannesse even so if through the corruption of our nature wee have beene carryed into any sin let us by repentance rise up out of it againe Let us strive to be holy in this world holy in heart in conversation that wee may enter into the holy Hierusalem in the world to come Follow peace and holinesse without which none can see God The wicked mocke at them that be holy I but except yee likewise be holy ye shall never reigne with Christ in the Holy Hierusalem 3. By CHRIST wee have a plenary redemption of soule and body out of the clawes of Satan As the Bird is in the fowlers net so were we in the Devills snare but we may say with them in the Psalme the net is broken and we are delivered yea wee are delivered eternally we shall never fall into that bondage againe The afflictions whereunto we are incident in this life are temporall but the redemption is eternall sicknesse poverty malevolent tongues imprisonment death it selfe is temporall our joy is eternall Let that comfort us in all the calamities of this life A burning agew the tooth-ach the stone lasts not alwayes but my joy in heaven shall be eternall here I may be in griefe for a time but there I shall reigne with Christ for ever Wee love them that obtaine a temporall redemption for us If a young man bee bound Prentise to an hard master for tenne or twelve yeeres and if one should buy out his apprentiseship and set him free would hee not take himselfe much beholding to him Wee were bound Prentises to Satan hee kept us in his snare at his will and pleasure being his bond men wee should have remained in hell fire world without end Now Christ Iesus hath redeemed us and made us the free men of God Cittizens of heaven how are we indebted to him If thou wert a Gallislave under the Turke and one should rid thee out of it wert thou not much obliged to him Christ hath brought us out of the gally of sinne and damnation therefore let us sound forth his praises all the dayes of our life Let us say with them in the Revelation worthy is the Lamb that was killed and hath obtained eternall redemption for us to receive all honour and glory and blessing for ever and ever VERSE 13. THat Christ by the shedding of his owne bloud hath obtained an eternall redemption for us is confirmed by an argument à pari à minore from the sacrifices of the Law to the sacrifice of Christ. 1. What they were 2. What was the fruit and effect of them If the bloud of Bulls and goates c. being an outward thing could sanctifie the flesh that was an outward thing then the bloud of Christ being a spirituall thing in force and power everlasting must needs sanctifie the conscience which is a spirituall and internall thing yea this rather than that for many respects as we shall see but the one ergo the other The Protasis is in this 13. Verse Because hee would enwrap the whole Ceremonial Law hee reckons up other sacrifices and rites then those which the High-Priest used when hee went into the Holy of Holies 1 Chron. 29. Verse 21. Among the rest he makes mention of one solemne ceremony whereunto the Iewes adscribed much Num. 19.1 A Red Cow was commanded to bee taken which was without spot and never accustomed to the yoke she was to be burnt to
shall we passe through it Christ himselfe will be our leader in it As hee is both the sacrifice and the Priest so he is the way and the guide the way Hee doth not say an High-Priest but simply a Priest because there is no other sacrificing Priest save CHRIST in the New Testament Not a small one but a great one great in person being God and man great in power for heaven and earth are his great in goodnesse and mercy that will have compassion on our weaknesse and if we happen to faint he will support us by the way For his superiority and preheminence over the house of God that is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 Moses was over the house of God yet as a servant Hebr. 3.5 Christ as the Lord and King the commander in the house he over a part of Gods house in Iudea Christ over the whole house dispersed over all the earth All Ministers in some sort are over the house of God Who is a faithfull servant that his Lord may make rule over his house that bee over you in the Lord 1 Thes. 5.12 So Moses was over the house Yet a great difference betweene them and Christ. A noble man is over his house and his steward is over his house Christ as the Lord and owner of the house wee as his stewards to give you your meat in due season A singular comfort to all that be of this house that such a one as Christ is over it Some houses have tyrannicall governours which scrape all to themselves and have no care of them in the house Christ is not such a one he hath a loving and fatherly care of all in the house Some householders would provide for their house and cannot they want ability Christ Iesus that is over this house is both able and willing to provide all things necessary for us Therfore let us be of good comfort we shall not want the thing that is good The Church is God's house All England is the Kings dominion White-Hall is his Chappell so all the world is Gods empire but the Church is his house therefore let us behave our selves wisely and religiously in the house of God Will any make the Kings house and Ale-house to quaffe and swill in A brothel-house to commit adultery in and shall we that be in the Church the house of God be drunkards adulterers wicked and lascivious livers As wee bee in Gods house so let us demeane our selves accordingly VERSE 22. HAving such a wise loving and mighty Priest let us come unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely to God by him by the invocation of his name asking boldly all things necessary for this life and the life to come as also let us draw neere to him by an holy life and blamelesse conversation They that make an outward profession and deny him in their lives are farre from him the others are neere and walke with God as Enoch Some interpret it Let us draw neere to that heavenly Sanctuary which is opened to us whereunto we draw neere with a true heart But especially this is to be understood of prayer This drawing neere is not so much with the feete of our bodies as with the feete of our soules The way whereunto is chalked out to us and wherein our High-Priest directeth us for it must have relation to all that went before Now we draw neere to heaven by prayer and an holy life A true heart voyd of hypocrisie and dissimulation for God heareth not hypocrites though they make never so goodly a shew and have never so glorious words 2. An assured faith which purifieth our hearts Act. 15.9 there must be no doubting in faith Iac 1.6 Though thou beest as tall a man as Saul yet thou art not the neerer to heaven but if thou sendest many prayers to heaven and hast thy conversation in heaven then thou drawest neere to heaven Being sprinckled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our hearts from an evill conscience There was a sprinckling water in the time of the Law made of the ashes of the red Cow wherewith the people were sprinckled Num. 19.9 their bodies were sprinckled with that but our soules must be sprinckled with the bloud of Christ. From an accusing conscience that our sins are washed away in the bloud of Christ. We should have no more conscience of sin Heb. 10.2 our consciences should no longer pricke us for sin because being justified by faith we have peace with God and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus This afterwards breedeth sanctification 1 Pet. 1.2 There be many false-hearted wretches in the world such as Iudas was that kissed Christ and betrayed him at the same time there bee many that pretend love to religion and yet have none in them such were those Ezek. 14.1 Such were the Pharisees whited tombes and painted Sepulchers such were the Sadduces that came with a notable glosse to our Saviour Christ and there is a number of Hypocrites at this day that maske under the Vizard of Religion He that made the heart knowes the heart and will one day discover them to their shame Therefore if we draw neere to God let it be with a true heart least hee say to us as to them this people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their hearts are farre from me If wee be falsehearted men though we carry never so glorious a shew God cannot abide us but if we be true-hearted men though there be many weakenesses and infirmities in us he will accept us in Christ Iesus Behold a true Israelite said Christ of Nathaneel There bee true Israelites and false false cloathes glasses clockes c. Faith is like the Moone sometimes at the full sometimes in the wane But seeing Christ hath merited our salvation God hath promised for Christ's sake to bestow a kingdome on us therefore let us not doubt of it That is to doubt of the sufficiency of Christ's merit and of the Word of God How shall wee come to this full assurance If our hearts bee sprinkled from an evill conscience by the bloud of Christ. By nature have we all bad consciences accusing us for sinne In many things we sinne all All those sinnes lye as an heavy loade on our consciences and make us to cry out ô my sinnes they will not suffer mee to bee quiet day nor night but being sprinckled in our hearts with the bloud of CHRIST we shall no more be vexed with the sting of an evill conscience because Christ hath dyed for all our sins Happy are they that be thus sprinckled Our hearts being sprinckled from an evill conscience our bodies must be washed with pure water It is not enough to have a good soule to God-wards though that is the chiefe but our bodies also must be washed with the pure water of the HOLY GHOST Our eyes must be washed from unchast lookes our eares from rash receiving of reports one against another our
hands from covetousnesse theft and rapine our feete from going to unlawfull places our tongues from reviling lying backe-biting slandering St. Peter at the first refused to have his feete washed by CHRIST but when hee understood the mystery of it hee cryed Lord not my feete alone but my hands and my head Ioh. 13.9 So let us entreat Christ to wash all the faculties of our soules and all the members of our body with this pure water that so we may reigne with him for ever VERSE 23. STill hee alludeth to the rites and ceremonies of the Law Hebr. 9.10 And washed according to the body We must be washed in soule before we can bee washed in body but hee makes a speciall mention of the washing of the body because it was more conspicuous and because hee now comes to an outward profession of the name of GOD which must bee declared by our bodies Some interpret this of baptisme which is the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. but they were baptized already and admitted into the Church and fellowship of the faithfull which some relinquished Verse 25. Therefore hee need not bid them draw neere by baptisme Rather it is to be understood of the HOLY GHOST who is oft in Scripture signified by water Ezek. 36.25 Ioh. 3.5 This is pure water indeed proceeding from a pure and holy spirit this surpasses all the waters in the Law whereof they were figures Let us keepe it with all our strength tooth and naile Let neither Satan nor any of his instruments let no boysterous windes of stormie persequutions drive us from it It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepe it so as we loose it not he doth not simply say hope but the confession of it Let us bee ready to make an open profession of the hope we have by Christ before all men whatsoever Not inclining one while this way another while that way but keeping alwayes one and perpetuall tenor Matthew 10. verse 32. Rom. 10.10 Not leaning on our owne wit wisedome or strength but upon the fidelity of God He that hath promised to us eternall salvation by Christ will accomplish it therefore let us hold fast the profession of the hope which wee have in him If wee had the word of a man only wee might bee wavering but we have the Word of God he doth not directly say God but he describes him by his attribute Many are washed with the water of baptisme that are not washed with this water as Simon Magus of whom it is said fonte quidem lotus sed non in pectore mundus except a man be borne of this water he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Therefore let us entreat the Lord to wash us with this water Let us say with the woman of Samaria yet more sensibly than she did Lord ever give us of this water then shall wee be cleane and fit for the Holy Hierusalem It is not enough to have hope as a precious jewell locked up in the Chest of our hearts but wee must also make a profession of it before the world Rom. 10.10 1 Pet. 3.15 We must professe before all men that we looke for salvation by CHRIST and by no other Whatsoever come of it we must keepe this our profession What went yee out into the wildernesse to see a reede shaken with the winde wee must not be wavering Reedes but Stones built on the Rocke CHRIST IESUS we must not be as meteors hanging in the ayre betweene heaven and earth we must not halt betweene two religions wee must not be wavering which way to take whether to be Papists Familists Schismatickes or of no religion but we must hold fast the profession of true religion to the end When many of Christ's Disciples departed from him he said to the twelve will yee also goe away to whom should we goe saies St. Peter Let us sticke to CHRIST and goe to none but him There be two things that hinder it feare and shame Of the former we have an evident example Ioh. 12.42 Many of the chiefe rulers believed in Christ but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him least they should bee put out of the Synagogue Men in times of persequution are afraid to loose their goods honour liberty life it is good sleeping in an whole skinne This terrifies them from any open profession of the name of CHRIST But let such remember that the fearefull are the first that have their portion in the lake Apoc. 21.8 Let nothing drive us from the profession of CHRIST our SAVIOUR let us not feare them that can kill the body but Him that can cast body and soule into hell fire This caveat is needfull in some places and time The other is shame CHRIST is poore in this world the Gospell is sometimes naked destitute of wealth and honour many afflictions attend on it the professours of it sometimes thrust to the walls In Iulians time none of the Christians were Captaines or had any office this makes many ashamed of it If the father be a poore man many a sonne is ashamed of him ashamed to owne him for his father so because the profession of CHRIST in some places hath nothing to grace it withall sundry are ashamed of it but Saint Paul sayes I am not ashamed of the Gospell of CHRIST Men will hold fast their purses and shall they not hold fast their profession of CHRIST Let us not bee ashamed of CHRIST how contemptible so ever he seeme to be lest he be ashamed of us before his father and his glorious Angels Why what should move us to it The Papists will have two pillars for hope to leane upon gratia Dei merita praecedentia sine meritis sperare aliquid non spes sed praesumptio est I but the grace and mercy of GOD is a sufficient pillar alone by it selfe the Apostle sayes not keepe the profession of your hope yee have many merits yee shall never fall but keepe it let no persequution remove you from it for he is faithfull that hath promised You are weake you stand to day and fall to morrow your enemies are many and mighty and there is no strength in you to resist them yet hold fast your hope for God is faithfull In him there is not so much as a shadow of turning Wee are unfaithfull wee promise and unpromise It is not so with him I know whom I have believed I have fought a good fight from henceforth is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse In all assaults and temptations let us not looke to our owne weakenesse for then we may stagger but to the promise of God and then we may be sure for as hee hath promised us a kingdome so hee will performe it Therefore let us hold the profession of our hope VERSE 24. LEt us set our mindes one on another Consider what their growth is in Christ what progresse they have made in Christianity Not to
by the sacrifice of his own body hath made satisfaction for our sins and hath reconciled us to God the Father that by his bloud alone wee have an entrance into the holy place this truth was revealed to them by the Holy Ghost this they once acknowledged and professed before all men but afterwards maliciously they oppugne this truth by blasphemous speeches rayling and reviling books and by all the force they can go about to suppresse it by fire and fagot treading under foote the Sonne of GOD and counting the bloud of the Testament as an unholy thing Paul was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the Lord Iesus Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee yet hee sinned not against the HOLY GHOST because hee did it on ignorance Peter sinned against his owne knowledge when hee denyed and forswore CHRIST yet he sinned not against the Holy Ghost because he did it on weakenes for the preservation of his life Malicious impugning of every truth of the Gospell is of the essence of the sinne against the Holy Ghost To malice a member of Christ a Preacher an Ambassadour of Christ as Ahab did Michâ—aiah is a grievous sinne a step to the sinne against the Holy Ghost yet not the sinne against the Holy Ghost That is a malicious oppugning of the truth it selfe As Saint Paul sayes of Alexander the Copper-smith that he resisted not his person but his preaching and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all his might Such a one was Iulian the Apostata that had beene a Christian baptised into the name of Christ in outward shew a zealous professour of the Gospell a publike reader in the Church of Nicomedia he and his brother Gallus together built a Temple to Mammas the Martyr This simulata Sanctitas proved duplex iniquitas Afterward in contempt of Christ and Christian religion he washed away his baptisme with bloud he was a scoffer and derider of Christ a cunning persequutor of the Gospell not by fire and sword but by sleights and devices because he thought open persequution would make Christianity more glorious In despight of the true God revealed to him in Scripture he worshipped the Gods of the heathen To the last gaspe hee spewed out malice against our Saviour Christ. When the arrow was in his side that gave him his deadly wound he took some of his own bloud into his hand threw it into the ayre and said Vicisti Galilaee c. and so dyed miserably Bellarmine sayes l. 2. de poen c. 15. there bee some among us that knowing the Scriptures and the Fathers yet sinne against their owne knowledge and that of malice to the truth But as for us we will not judge them An horrible sin Let us all take heed of it The damned commit not this sin for men may be damned for lesse sins If thou continuest in adultery unrepented thou mayest be damned nay the least sinne without repentance may throw us into hell but questionlesse they are damned that sin against the HOLY GHOST A sore punishment is reserved for them Therefore let us all beware of this sinne Let us bee thankefull to GOD for the Truth of the Gospell revealed to us let us make much of it Let us not quench the light of the spirit but nourish it in our hearts Let not the least thought against the truth finde any entertainment in us Let us never open our mouthes against it but blesse God for it and defend it by all possible meanes Let us say with that worthy Apostle we can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth yea let us be content if God shall see it good even to lay down our lives for the Truth Let us take heede how upon pride vaineglory or singularity we maintaine any opinion against the truth how upon malice we set our selves against the truth For by these degrees the Devill at the length may carry us into this fearefull sinne against the HOLY GHOST Let us not grieve the good Spirit of God any kinde of way but let us suffer our selves to be guided by him all the dayes of our lives that we never fall into this horrible sin nor be partakers of the punishment due to it but that wee may be preserved from it and all other sinnes and reigne with CHRIST our blessed SAVIOUR in the life to come There is an outward and an inward sanctification hee is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew which is one within Iudas seemed to be a Saint yet he was a Devill Let us entreat the Lord to sanctifie our hearts as well as our hands our soules and consciences as well as our tongues That is true sanctification that beginneth at the heart and from thence floweth to all the parts and members of the body What should we doe with a faire and beautifull Apple if the core be rotten A straw for an outward glorious profession and if there be no truth in the inward parts Therefore let us desire God to sanctifie us in soule spirit and body throughout VERSE 30. The second argument is taken from a divine testimony containing in it the nature of God Where 1. The allegation of the testimony 2. The Application of it In the allegation 1. The manner how 2. The matter of the testimony alleadged which hath two branches the one out of Verse 35. the other out of Verse 36. If GOD bee a just judge and a severe revenger of all impiety even among his owne people then those vile wretches must not thinke to escape that tread under foote the Sonne of God But God is such a one Ergo. Quà m verax potens sit They that bee Christians must bee acquainted with God they must know him of what nature and disposition he is ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Heb. 9.11 If sitting in the lappe of the Church we know not God our condemnation shall be the greater Where hath he said it In the Scripture Moses was the pen-man of that booke out of the which this testimony is desumed yet it is God that speaketh in that booke God spake by the mouth of David by the mouth of all his Prophets Art thou desirous to heare God speake as who would not bee glad to heare the King speake but art thou desirous to heare the King of Kings speake come to the Scriptures and there thou shalt heare him speaking Which ought to enflame us with a love of the Scriptures and cause us to read and heare them with al reverence because not man out God speaketh in them What sayes he he thunders with a vehement voice Vengeance and retribution are mine What may none revenge but GOD Surely no by his owne authority The Magistrate may revenge for he carryeth not the sword in vaine But his throne is Gods throne his sword Gods sword his vengeance Gods vengeance no private man may revenge The King sayes White-Hall is mine the Scepter and Crowne of
come on it what will O the magnanimous spirit of a right heroicall man resurrectio mortuorum fiducia Christianorum It is the principall pillar that Christians have to leane upon if we had hope only in this life of all others wee were most miserable Therefore let our faith bee firmely grounded in the resurrection as was the faith of Abraham the Father of the faithfull We have strong inducements thereunto 1. Is potentia dei idoneus est reficere qui fecit hee that made our bodies of nothing at the beginning can remake them when they are consumed to nothing 2. Is bonitas dei I am the GOD of Abraham of Isaac and Iacob that was spoken after they were dead though they were dead yet he was their God the God not of their soules only but of bodies too Absit ut Deus manuum suarum operam ingenii sui curam afflatus sui vaginam liberalitatis suae haeredem testimonii sui militem Christi sui sororem Spiritus sancti templum in aeternum destituat exitium Bee it farre from God to forsake the worke of his owne hands the care of his owne witt and invention let us make man after our Image the bladder or sheath whereinto he breathed the breath of life they heyre of his liberality the Souldier of his testimony that hath fought for him as well as the soule the sister and member of Christ the Temple of the Holy Ghost Be it farre from God that hee should leave this in eternall destruction As the soule and body have beene consorts in labours in this life so shall they be in rewards in the life to come 3. Exempla resurgentium the examples of them that have risen from the dead in the Old and New Testament Christ raised up three the one in domo which was the daughter of Iairus the other in feretro on the beere the widdowes Sonne of Naim the third in Sepulchro in the grave which was Lazarus when he began to stincke These are praeludia nostrae resurrectionis forerunners or pledges of our resurrection 4. Dulcis titulus mortis a sweete description of death It is but a sleepe I would not have you ignorant concerning them that are fallen asleepe Those that sleepe in IESUS will GOD bring with him LORD said they of Lazarus if hee sleepe hee shall doe well enough The dead are but asleepe they shall doe well enough Philip slept securely while Antipater was awake and the dead sleepe safely while God is awake the keeper of Israel that neither slumbers nor sleepes Therefore let us be firmely perswaded of the Resurrection as Abraham was hee believed that God was able to rayse up Isaac from the dead and let us believe that GOD can rayse us all from the dead Abraham was a good considerer At the first when God promised Isaac he considered not his owne body that was dead Now when he is to loose Isaac he considers that God was able to raise him up O heavenly consideration in all extremities let us consider the power of God as Abraham did Art thou grievously sicke yea even to death is there but a step betweene thee and death yet consider that God if it be his pleasure can set thee on thy legges againe Art thou fallen to poverty of a mighty rich man art thou become an exceeding poore man as Iob was yet consider that God is able to raise thee up againe Is thy Sonne or thy daughter dead is thy Wife or thy Husband dead is thy friend dead that was as thine owne soule Weepe not over much consider that God is able to raise them up from the dead they bee not amissi but praemissi they are gone into heaven before and we shall follow after Doest thou thy selfe dye is thy body layd in the grave doth it there putrifie to dust and ashes yet consider that God is able to raise thee up againe Say with that holy man I am sure my Redeemer liveth The consideration of Gods power must comfort us in all calamities We have had the Tragedy now to the Comedy Hereupon followed a joyfull event he did not receive him in a parable but truly and indeed he received him from the dead that is from the state of the dead in a parable he was not deceived in his expectation In a parable that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a figure sayes Chrysostome in a darke and obscure figure or as hee unfolds it more plainely afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an example in similitudine quadam as Henry Stephen expounds it quodam modo as Beza after a sort as it was in the translation before this In a parable in a similitude for all parables are similitudes Neerenesse to death is a lively type and figure of death whereupon it hath the name of death 2 Cor. 1.10 blessed be God that hath delivered us from so great a death Yet Saint Paul did not dye then So the neerenesse of death wherein Isaac was was a similitude of Death the Altar was built the wood laid on the Altar Isaac bound on the wood the fire was ready the knife was comming to his throat to kill him Therfore Abraham received him from the dead in a similitude Old Father Iacob received his Sonne Ioseph as it were from the dead he verily thought he had been torne in pieces by wild beasts yet at that time he was alive and ruler of the land of Aegypt Hezekiah received his life in a similitude from the dead for sentence of death was pronounced against him by Gods own mouth The Iewes in the provinces of Ahasuerus received their lives in a similitude from the dead The Kings letters were sent by Posts into all quarters to roote them out kill and destroy them all even Men Women and Children in one day S. Paul and all that were in the Ship with him received their lives in a similitude from the dead For all hope that they should bee saved was taken away Act. 27.20 The King and Queene and Prince that then was the Lords spirituall and temporall the Gentlemen of the lower house in them wee Protestants in England received our lives in a similitude from the dead at the powder treason Thirty seven barrels of Gunpowder were cunningly couched under the vault of the Parliament house Vaux the same morning had his match in his hand to set them on fire we were in the mouth of death in a manner as neere as Isaac but by Gods miraculous providence through the quicke apprehension of the wise and learned King wee were delivered as Isaac was which deliverance requires hearty thankesgiving to God Gods tryalls begin with a tragedy and end with a Comedy The Psalmist sayes of the faithfull Psal. 126. ult they went out weeping and carryed precious seed but they shall returne with joy and bring their sheaves with them So Abraham poore desolate Father went out weeping with his precious Sonne Isaac to be offered up but hee returnes
Righteous man a true dealing man So some as Zacheus had faith he wrought righteousnesse the one halfe of his goods he gave to the poore and restored foure fold where he had done wrong but now men make profession of faith but have no righteousnesse The first table hath eaten up the second Men will not sweare not commit adultery in some sort they will keepe the Lords day they will come to Church heare Sermons talke of religion but come to the duties of the second table they make no conscience of them they will lye cozen flatter dissemble oppresse the fatherlesse deale unkindly and unmercifully with widdowes grinde the faces of the poore wring from their neerest and deerest by hooke and crooke a manifest argument they have no faith Luk. 1.6 for a faithfull man is alwayes a righteous man and he that loves God will love his brethren else he is a lyar and all his religion is in vaine The very Turkes and heathen that never heard of Christ are more full of the workes of righteousnesse then we There is more upright and mercyfull dealing among them then among Christians therefore they shall rise up in judgement against us at the latter day wherfore let us ad vertue to our faith that as we are faithfull so we may be righteous in our dealings 3 They obtained the promises that is some particular promises made to them As the Israelites had the possesion of the Land of Canaan promised to them Caleb had a speciall portion in it Ios. 14.13 David obteyned the Kingdome promised to him Abraham a Son when he was an hundred yeers old but that generall promise concerning Christ and eternall happinesse in soule and body in heaven together they obteyned not yet they were faine to waite a long time for these promises and endured much in the meane season There is a Kingdome promised to us Luk. 12.32 By faith we shall obtaine this promise if we can be content by many tribulations as God hath appointed to enter into it 4. They stopped the mouthes of Lions Samson Iudg. 14.6 not with his cloake but by faith David 1 Sam. 17.36 Benaiah 2 Sam. 23.20 Dan. 6.23 we also by faith shal stop the mouth of that roaring Lion VERSE 34. THe violence of fire that is the force or power Dan. 3.27 If wee have faith no creature shall hurt us The mouthes of the Swords Swords have mouthes as the mouth devoureth so doth the edge of the Sword The Sword devoureth one as well as another sayd David The Israelites escaped the swords of the Aegyptians that were at their heeles ready to thrust them through if the red Sea had not made a passage for them David often declined the Speare of Saul wherewith he was purposed to fasten him to the wall Elias escaped the sword of Iesabel who had threatned to take away his life wee escaped the swords of the Spanyards in eighty eight If they had landed there had beene no mercy with them they would have put all to the sword For God put valour into them they were made strong for their weakenesse Isa. 38.9 Psal. 38.3 and 10. Was it not valiantly done of Abraham with the servants of his owne house to encounter with five Kings was it not valiantly done of little David a young stripling never acquainted with warre to fight with that huge Gyant Goliah that had beene a man of warre from his youth up did not our English men fight valiantly with their little ships against the huge ships of the Spanyards ours being but molehils to their mountaines This valour was of GOD who taught their fingers to fight and hands to warre Weaknesse is twofold in body and soule Hezekiah was brought to great weakenesse when lying on his death bed as he thought hee turned his face to the wall and wept taking his leave of the world yet God made him strong againe David was weake in soule and faint hearted when hee brake forth into this lamentable speech one day shall I perish by the hand of Saul but God made him strong againe Let us entreate him to strengthen the weakenesse of us all When we are sicke what doe we some which is monstrouse to speake send to the Divell for helpe to witches sorcerers c. but to speake the fairest then their is posting to the physitian pils potions all kinde of medicines must be received That is not amisse so as they come in the second place and wee trust not in the Physitians as Ala did The Physitian wee should seeke to in the time of weakenesse and sicknesse should be God Almighty with the eye of faith wee should looke up to him When all earthly Physitians have given us over hee can set us on our legs againe Faith is the best medicine for the recovery of health and strength Tents It is a metonymie put for armies As Gideon with his three hundred men vanquished the Midianites As Ionathan David Asa Iehosaphat c. did their enemies they were not able to stand before them When there be rumours of wars mustering preparing of Horses c. Let not our hearts be troubled faith is the best weapon if you have a strong and valiant faith one shall chase a thousand and tenne shall put ten thousands to flight Let us intreat the Lord to make our faith stronger to our dying day As the Psalmist speaketh of the Church Wonderfull things are spoken of thee thou Citie of GOD So wonderfull things are recorded of faith By that men remove mountaines cast out devils subdue kingdomes nothing is too hard for him that beleeveth All of us by faith shall subdue the kingdome of Satan which is stronger than all earthly kingdomes By faith we shall tread the devill under our feet therefore GOD strengthen the faith of us all Before we had their actions now follow their Passions 1. An enumeration of them 2. An amplification The enumeration is first generall then speciall generall some concerne name body Vers. 36. life 37. The speciall is their flight An amplification 1. By a commendation of the men 38. 2. By a commemoration of the events of their faith 1. Affirmative 39. Negative as the reason Vers. 40. VERSE 35. WOmen received their dead 1 Reg 17.18.23 2 Reg. 4.18.36 Their passions are of three sorts 1. the suffering of those things that goe before death and might provoke us to a defection from God 35.36 2 The kindes of death which they suffered 3. A miserable flying and hiding of themselves The miseries going before death are greater as racking lesser some appertaine to the name some to the body The first going before death is racking as many were under Antiochus in the time of the Maccabees Timpanum was an Instrument like our Rack whereunto the parties were straight tyed the nerves of their hands and feet stretched out their bodies also cruelly beaten even to death thus was Eleazar tormented 2 Mac. 6.30 The which is amplified by their Constancy not receiving deliverance
sayes S. Paul shall have troubles in the flesh Sometimes the wife hath a churlish Husband as Abigail had of Nabal Somtimes the Husband hath a crosse Wife as Iob had of his Sometimes they have both untoward children as Isaac and Rebekah had that made them weary of their lives We must looke for our afflictions in all conditions If we be not Bastards but Sonnes we cannot be without correction Let us intreat the LORD to give us faith wisdome and patience religiously to beare all his fatherly chastisements in this life that wee may have the inheritance of children in his eternall kingdome in the life to come Now follow two other arguments 1. From the lesse to the greater 9 10. 2. From the event and end of afflictions Verse 11. The first argument is 1. Propounded 2. Enforced Verse 10. it is propounded 1. Quoad terrestrem 2. Quoad coelestem patrem 1. If wee have quietly endured the chastisements of our earthly Fathers then much more should wee endure the castigations of our heavenly Father But wee have quietly endured the chastisements of our earthly Fathers Ergo. The assumption is set downe Verse 9. Then the force of the consequence is urged Verse 10. VERSE 9. FVrthermore Besides the consolation out of the Scripture even reason may move us to it Of our flesh the flesh is put for the body because it chiefely consisteth of flesh 1 Cor. 5.5 flesh and spirit are opposite Which corrected us when wee were Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 13.24 And we did not only take it patiently at their hands but wee reverenced them stood in awe of them were more loath to displease them revereri est cum timore honorem impendere Commonly those Parents are most reverenced of their Children that have wisely and orderly corrected them they that have layd the reynes on their neckes and suffered them to goe without correction are most despised and contemned of their Children afterwards Adonijah whom David would not displease displeased David afterwards Hee doth not say the mothers of our bodies they for the most part cocker their Children seldome or never correct them in wisedome and discretion but Fathers The Fathers are the greater correctours Shall wee not much rather subject our selves quietly to his castigations Father of Spirits From whom wee have the more principall part which is the soule or spirit We have our bodies also from him Thou hast fashioned me beneath in my mothers belly Yet these mediately by the seed of our Parents our spirits wee have immediately from God Num. 16.22.27 16. Zac. 12.1 Arist. l. 2. de gener animal c. 3. sayes that the soule comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extrinsecus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one God did not make the soule and another the body as the Manichees said He is the Father of our spirits ratione adoptionis regenerationis salvationis but here ratione creationis There is no comparison betweene these two Fathers 1. These are Fathers of one family of him is named the whole family Eph. 3.15 2. The name of earthly fathers are drowned in him Matth. 23.9 Children have no wit wisdome or experience therefore they submit themselves to their Fathers no more have we but from our heavenly Father Therefore let us subject our selves unto him Children are subject to many inordinate affections which makes them the more quietly to yeeld to the ordering of their Parents so are wee This is amplified by the benefit we reape by it and live Namely in his eternall kingdome being fitted for it by afflictions Though we submit our selves to the chastisements of our earthly Fathers wee cannot but live a while in this miserable world if wee beare his chastisements wee shall live for ever therefore let us doe it Soules are not a parcell of the Substance of God but created of God not traduced by the seede of our Parents Eccles. 12. Verse 7. Genesis 2.7 and 23. As the first mans soule came so doe all others 2. If they proceed from mortall seede they must be mortall and perish with the body Saint Augustine hath foure excellent bookes of it to Barnabas Petrus proselyt to Vincentius Victor 3. It comes either of the body of our Parents or of their soule if from the body it is mortall as that is if from the soule then either the Father conveieth his soule to his Sonne and hath none left himselfe or a part of his soule then the soule should be partible which a spirit is not Object Gen. 46.26 Exod. 1.5 There soules is put for persons Object Hebr. 7.9 Levi was in Abrahams loynes in respect of his body and soule too Christ only in respect of his body But Christ in this place is comprehended under Melchizedec not under Abraham Levi was there in respect of father and mother too Christ only in respect of his mother Object Then GOD should worke with fornicators and adulterers Sol. In the act of generation which is naturall not in the sin and violation of his Law A man steales seede and sowes his ground with it God sends him a good harvest yet God worketh not with his stealing When it is infused and how is scrupulous The soule is good when it is infused by God it is infected by the conjunction of it with the body As good wine put into a bad vessell A cleane man is infected if he come among Leapers VERSE 10. HEre he shewes the equity of the consequent by three dissimilitudes betweene our earthly and heavenly Father 1. They chastened us for a few dayes whyle we were Children during the time of our nonage when we come to mans estate they leave us to our selves they carry no longer such a strict hand over us as before Whereas the father of spirits hath a continuall care over us and holds us under his fatherly rod all the dayes of our lives Therefore we must never exempt our selves from his Chastisements 2. They doe it according to their owne pleasure which oftentimes is corrupt they erre in judgement and affection too Sometimes they correct for that they should not and leave that uncorrected which deserves correction oftentimes they correct in anger and fury doing that they repent of afterwards but Gods pleasure is alwayes good hee is most wise and knowes how to correct hee is not passionate and affectionate as these fathers are 3. They in chastening us oftentimes respect their owne ease and quietnesse their owne credite and commodity more than ours or if they correct us for our profit yet it is but for a temporall profit that we runne not into outrages in the world that we may lead a civill honest life among men that is the marke most Parents aime at Whereas the Father of spirits chasteneth us for our profit he himselfe standeth not in neede of us not only to make us civill men secundum moralem quandam honestatem but that we might be partakers of his holinesse that we might be holy in soule and body in
this life and Citizens of the holy Hierusalem in the life to come Peace ease health wealth worldly prosperity through the corruption of our nature and the malice of Satan makes us unholy Noah continued an holy man all the time of the floud when he was shut up in the Arke and tossed with the waters he no sooner came to the dry ground and planted a vineyard but in some sort became unholy being overtaken with wine We read of no filthinesse that David committed while he was persecuted by Saul when he came to his kingdome and had peace from all his enemies then he fell into adultery When a man hath his health and when hee is of a strong and lusty constitution of body he runs at randome seldome or never thinkes on God not with such zeale and sincerity as hee ought to doe on the other side it is adversity that through Gods goodnesse makes us holy men Hezekiah was better in his sicknesse than in his health Manasses chaines were a meanes to rid him of the chaines of sin when he was the King of Babels prisoner he became the Lords free man Davids long and tedious sicknesse there being no rest in his bones because of his sin did him much good it made him to say it is good for me that I was afflicted The sicknesse of the body engendreth the health of the soule perijssemus nisi perijssemus said Themistocles to his Wife and Children when they were banished and found extraordinary favour at the hands of strangers So wee may say if our outward man had not perished by sicknesse our inner man had perished In the time of health we are Martha's carryed away too much with the world Sicknesse makes us Maries to meditate more upon heavenly matters that causes us to pray and that with teares to turne our faces to the wall and take a farewell of the world as Hezekiah did to call our sins to remembrance as 1 Reg. 17.18 Therefore let us beare the chastisements of our wise and loving Father that we may be partakers of his holinesse in this life and of the holy Hierusalem in the life to come VERSE 11. THe event and issue of afflictions is amplified by a comparison of the times 1. He shewes the present asperity of afflictions then the future utility No Child takes pleasure in correction for the time it is irkesome and unpleasant but when he comes to yeeres of discretion he prayses God for it that he was not permitted to live as he listed but was kept within the bounds of piety So Gods chastisements are not joyous for the time to the flesh though the spirit then rejoyceth as some have clapt their hands for joy in the flames of fire yet to the flesh no affliction is comfortable sicknes imprisonment banishment death is not joyous Children cry out ô good Master good Father So wee cry out for paine Oh my head my backe c. Oh good Iesu Afterwards when the paine is removed the heart purged and they feele the comforts of the spirit It yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse Of an holy and righteous life lead in the feare of God it breeds quietnesse of conscience the peace that passeth all understanding It procures eternall rest and quietnesse in heaven where wee shall be free from all calamities 2 Cor. 4. pen. The time of affliction is the seeds time the harvest comes afterward as hee said of vertue amara radix dulcis fructus may most truly bee said of afflictions the beginning is as bitter as gall or worme-wood but the end shall bee sweeter than hony A sicke man will drinke bitter potions for health a Merchant will endure stormes and tempests for wealth A woman endures great paine and sore travell for the joy of a man Child A Husbandman will sow in winter that hee may reape in harvest so let us be willing to sow in teares in this life of affliction that we may reape in joy in the life of rest and quietnesse This fruit is amplified by a description of the persons to whom it brings this fruit non castigatis sed exercitatis by them we are exercised to all goodnesse God rewards us opportunè afterwards abundè fruit integrè of righteousnesse juste to them that be exercised One action makes not an exercise he is not a Souldier that hath fought once a wrastler that hath wrastled once a Marrinour that hath sayled once habitus acquiritur crebris actionibus So hee is not exercised with afflictions that hath beene once afflicted We must be exercised by many chastisements through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God God will exercise us dayly The body that wanteth exercise is corrupt and if we be not exercised with afflictions we shall grow naught There are two exercises for the faithfull the Scripture Hebr. 3.14 and affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Saint Chrysost. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercise makes a man valiant and invincible He that is not used to running cannot run well use makes perfectnes This might mitigate the paine of affliction it is but an exercise that God useth for our good In all afflictions let us not look so much on the time present as on the time to come All our comfort is in this word afterwards The cutting and lanching of a man the putting of long tents into the soare of a man is not joyous for the present but when the dead flesh is taken out the soare cured the health that comes afterwards bringeth joy eadem est ratio disciplinae qua medicinae No apprentiseship for the time is very joyous many of them work hard and fare hard they have many a heavy blow are weary of their lives thinke every yeere two till they be out of their Apprentiseship The joy comes afterwards when they be free men when they set up for themselves by Gods blessing some prove Mayors Aldermen or the chiefe men in the towne where they have served No childbirth is joyous for the present when a woman travaileth she hath sorrow but when she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world The seed time for the most part is not very joyous the husbandman endures much cold and raine and his seed for the present seemes to be lost when harvest comes then comes the joy So the seed of righteousnesse is sowen in affliction in this life the great joy shall be at the generall harvest in the life to come then all weeping and wayling shall bee cast out then we shall not know what sicknesse meanes then shall we have joyes that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither entred into the heart of man to conceive Let this bee as sugar to sweeten afflictions to us 2 Cor. 4. ult Now followes the conclusion of this point wherein hee exhorteth them to courage Ver. 12. to constancy Ver. 13. VERSE 12. WHerefore seeing the
profit of affliction is so great lift up the hands Manus sunt organa organorum they that be faint and of a feeble courage hang down their hands and have weake knees The knees sustaine the weight of the body he would have them to take heart to them to lift up their hands and to strengthen their knees that they may run the race set before them Runners stretch out their hands legs and knees too So must wee in this spirituall race VERSE 13. STagger not but goe firmely like stoute men make straight steps goe not awry rectos gressus facimus rectè credendo confitendo patiendo Now yee halt but ye are in the way if yee looke not to it ye may be carryed quite out of the way There is triplex obliquitas In intellectu affectu actione The people in Elias time halted betweene two opinions 1 Reg. 18.2 So some of the Hebrewes began to halt betweene two Religions Iudaisme and Christianisme The false Apostles and persecuting Iewes made them as it were to halt The ceremoniall law the Temple are of Gods institution shall we forsake them and believe in Christ crucified they that bee Christians are hated of all the world spoyled of their goods and lives too Wee will pause a little on the matter wee will consider with our selves whether it were best for us to be Christians or not This halting hee would have removed and wishes them to make straight steps to goe on manfully in the profession of the Gospell that no afflictions make them to halt As for us GOD be thanked for it we live not in the time of persecution as the Hebrewes did wee are not spoiled of our goods cast into prison constrained to flye our native Country carryed to the stake to be burnt for the name of CHRIST we have a Vertuous and Religious King that is a nursing Father to the Church yet the chastisements of the Lord are ryfe among us because wee are not bastards but Sonnes When the first borne were destroyed in Aegypt there was not one house of the Aegyptians but one dead in it There is scant one house among us but there is one sicke or afflicted in it A man can travell almost into no Country but hee shall finde a number sicke sometimes the man and Wife Children and servants downe at once Neither are they of the worser sort drunkards adulterers atheists c. but many of the better sort good professours sober godly and religious men that are thus visited Our heavenly father sees something amisse among us which causeth him to send forth his rods into so many places The Church of Corinth was an excellent Church yet St. Paul sayes for this cause namely a negligent and disorderly receiving of the Lords Supper many are weake sicke and sleepe among you The Lord sees us to bee rocked asleepe in security to bee negligent in prayer reading of Scripture comming to Church he sees the heavenly Manna of his Word the food of our soules to be loathed in all places men waxe too nise and dainty in hearing he sees the Sacraments not to be regarded men make small reckoning of these seales of faith For these causes many are weake and sicke among us yet let us not faint under these afflictions Let us lift up our hands that hang downe c. Let us consider who it is that striketh us it is the LORD said Eli c. It is not an unlucky conjunction of Planets they be not the dogge dayes which are the cause of these diseases they are not simply to be imputed to the weather or the time of the yeere It is the Lord that smiteth us and let him doe what seemeth him good Hee is our loving and mercifull Father in Christ Iesus hee will lay no more on us then hee will enable us to beare to our everlasting comfort in the end We are chastned by the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world Hee suffers the wicked oftentimes to live in jollity the rod of God is not upon them they are not in trouble as other men but hee Schooles his owne Children they shall seldome bee without some affliction or other least they should bee drowned in the pleasures of the world Therefore let us beare the chastisements of the LORD patiently for a short time in this life which is but a spanne long that wee may live with our heavenly Father in the life to come Hitherto he hath given a precept touching our selves how we our selves are with patience to runne the race set before us quietly enduring such chastisements as our father imposeth Now hee doth further enjoyne us to bee as trumpets to waken others to it that they may run together with us in the race of Christianity Where 1. An admonition 2. A reason for the enforcing of it Verse 18. In the admonition 1. A generall propounding of it Verse 14. 2. A particular unfolding of it In the generall propounding of it 1. The vertues commended to us peace and holinesse Then the reason for the enforcing of them of the latter especially VERSE 14. HE doth not say embrace peace when it comes to you and offers her selfe to you but though she runne away follow her lay hold on her and bring her whether she will or no. We must seeke peace instanter follow it generaliter with all prudenter in holinesse Not with some but all not with your friends alone but with your enemies too not only with them of the same Religion but with those that be of another Religion Bee at peace with their persons though not with their vices bee at peace with all what in thee lieth especially holinesse that is of absolute necessity bee not so greedy of peace that yee should forget holinesse holinesse of soule and body 1 Thes. 4.3 2 Cor. 7.1 Hereunto he inviteth us by the danger of the want of it without which no man be he never so wise learned honourable though he be a King he cannot be saved without holinesse shall see the Lord in his blessed and glorious kingdome in the life to come as a Citizen of the same kingdome Our Saviour was at peace with the Pharisees hee went to many of their houses to dinner hee was at peace with Caesar though he were a persecutor of the Church and payd tribute to him and wee may be at peace with all men throughout the wide compasse of the world with Atheists drunkards adulterers c. 1 Cor. 5.10 Yet here two cautions are to be observed 1. Wee must distinguish betweene peace and familiarity wee may bee at a generall peace even with the enemies of God but wee must not bee familiar with them There is danger in that All our delight must be on the Saints that be on the earth they must be our familiars 2. Wee may bee at peace with the persons of all but with the vices of none Bee at peace with a drunkard but not with his drunkennesse reprove that
shew thy dislike of that But we are so far from being at peace with all as that wee are not at peace with our neighbours with them that dwell in the same towne and professe the same Religion with us there is heart burning envy and malice strifes and contentions even among us nay some are so farre from being at peace with all men as that they are at peace with no man like Ishmael whose hand was against every man Wee are so farre from following of peace that wee will not accept of it when it is offered They seeke peace and we refuse it Such is our folly wee had rather be following the Lawyers to our cost and smart then to follow peace home to prevent Law Let us all bee followers of peace let us follow it let us seeke it by all meanes possible The hunter followes the deere though it run away so let us doe peace and lay hold on her whether shee will or no. Peace is a singular thing God is stiled the God of peace he is not called the God of faith c. 2. Mat. 5.9 he doth not say blessed are they that can talke gloriously of religion but blessed are the peace makers Why for they shall be called the Children of God They that be at peace are Gods Children they that live in strifes and contention are the Devils Children The envious man sowed tares hee it is that soweth the tares of discord and dissention 3. Wee are members one of another and shall we be at warre Ioseph would not have his brethren to fall out by the way We are brethren and have one elder brother which is Iesus Christ shall we fall out one with another and that upon every trifling occasion It is a wonder to see what jarres there are betweene the professours of the Gospell betweene neighbour and neighbour scant two in a towne that love heartily and sincerely There be two especiall things that hinder peace pride and covetousnesse Prov. 13.10 Pride is the Nurse of contention There is I proud and Thou proud I stout and Thou stout none will bend none will yeeld as Abraham did though he were better than us every kinde of way The second is Covetousnesse We are so much wedded to the world the valour of an halfe penny will make us to contend Why rather suffer yee not wrong If every man were content to put up a little wrong what peace would there be in the Towne how should it flourish to the credit of the Gospell and comfort of us all The second vertue is holinesse It might be objected if we follow peace with all men then we must bid holinesse adieu For some will not be at peace with us if we be holy I but if peace cannot be joyned with holinesse away with it doe not so follow peace as that ye should let holinesse goe Above all things lay hold on holinesse Apoc. 1.7 They shall see him when he comes to judgement but they shall not see him in his kingdome Or if they see him it shall be afar off as the rich man in hell saw Lazarus they shall not be partakers of his joy and glory Without learning without variety of tongues without riches honour beauty men may see the Lord but without holinesse none shall see him By nature we are all unholy comming of unholy parents borne and conceived in sin but we must be holy before we can goe to Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 Be ye holy as I am holy The kingdome of heaven is called the holy Ierusalem No uncleane or unholy thing can enter into it The Angels for their unholinesse were cast out of Heaven and shall we thinke that GOD will take unholy men into heaven A great number scoffe at holinesse O yonder goes an holy man Indeed if he be a whited Tombe and a painted Sepulchre whose holinesse for the most part consisteth in the laying open the unholinesse of others he is worthy to be despised But except we be all holy we shall never see heaven Let us be holy first in heart then in our eyes tongues hands feet and all the members of our body being truly holy we shall see the Lord to our eternall comfort Perfectly holy we cannot be in this world there will alwayes be some drosse cleaving to the best golden Candlesticke but let us be sincerely holy and we shall triumph with Christ for ever VERSE 15. THese two are particularly unfolded 1. Peace then holinesse Verse 16. For the preservation of peace they must take heed there be no Apostats nor backsliders among them Apostasie from true religion will breake the bond of Christian peace 1 A Caveat for the performing of it 2. A meanes for the fulfilling of it Watching one over another playing the Bishops and Overseers one of another Not 1 Pet. 4.15 busie-bodies in other mens matters Not onely that your selves fall not away but as much as lyeth in you that there be not one Apostata in the whole Church It is a metaphor from Travellours that lagge behinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Chrysostome By the grace of God in this place is not meant the everlasting love and favour of GOD but the Doctrine of the Gospell which he of his grace and goodnesse offereth to us 2 Cor. 6.1 Let none revolt from the truth of the Gospell but Continue in the grace of GOD. As a remedy for the effecting of it let no root of bitternesse c. Deut. 29.18 Any bitter root of Heresie of false and erroneous Doctrine as appeareth in Deut. Besides that any bitter rootes of malice and envie pride and ambition covetousnesse c. All these will breed strifes and quarrells among you therefore let them not spring up beate them downe so soone as they arise He perswades them to keepe them from springing up by two pernicious effects the one hath relation to themselves the other to others Trouble you as a multitude running upon you And by this meanes many shall be defiled for whose perdition you must answer One scabbed Sheepe infects an whole flocke 2 Tim. 2.17 1 Cor. 5.6 Iudas having fallen away from Christ came howling to the Pharisees and said I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud What is that to us say they looke thou to that So though some round about us fall from the Gospell to Popery Atheisme Brownisme it never toucheth us we are ready to say What is that to us am I my brothers keeper I verily according to our place and ability Let every one of us in that place wherin God hath set us take heed that no man fall away from the grace of God Let us all as much as lyes in us keepe them from falling especially let Pastors looke to their sheepe and Householders to them of their owne houses If a fayre and beautifull Apple fall from thy Tree thou art somewhat grieved at it and shall it not grieve us to see Trees fall out of Gods Orchard Sinne as ye see is a
offerebant antequam Aaron in Sacerdotium eligeretur Hier. trad Hebr. in Genesin So must wee in speciall manner bee consecrated to the Lord and as so many Nazarites serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Israel is my first borne though all the world bee mine All the world is Gods yet wee are his first borne What an honour is this A noble man hath many sonnes the yonger may goe a begging the elder hath all the land Among us there is never a yonger brother all elder brethren and shall all have the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven Let us be thankefull to GOD for it Israel was his even so wee being Gods first borne are his not our owne wee are bought with a price and must glorifie God in our spirits and bodies which are his The third point is the Stabilitie of the Church which are written in Heaven Not mentioned with the tongue which soone vanishes but written Littera scripta manet hee hath written us on the palmes of his hands wee are ever in his sight GOD needs no pen paper writing tables for helpe of memorie but this is spoken for our capacitie The Senatours of Rome were called Patres Conscripti because a Register was taken of their names A Captaine sets downe the names of his souldiers in a booke So GOD Almighty to shew what account hee makes of us hath our names written Where not in water not in loose papers not in the earth where peradventure they may be blotted out but in heaven whither none of our enemies can have accesse to race out our names In what Booke are our names written not of death but of life Whose the lambes booke of life Wee are not in the hands of an Angel but of CHRIST himselfe To what end A King takes the name of one of his owne subjects to preferre him to make him a Lord c God takes our names to preferre us to a Kingdome How shall wee know whether our names be written in heaven A posteriori not à priori 2 Tim. 2.19 First the Elect know Christ Ioh. 17.3 2. They beleeve in Christ Gal. 3.26 They are plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ they adde vertue to Faith This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrys. termeth it 1 Cor. hom 3. to conclude by workes I have workes therefore I have Faith I have Faith therefore I have Christ I have Christ therefore I have heaven Tà m certus esse debes de requie de foelicitate si mandata ejus custodieris quà m certus es de perditione si ea contempseris Ob. 1. Workes may bee hypocriticall 2. uncertaine 3. imperfect But being sincere they may assure us of our salvation A ring may be imperfect not fully perfected by the skill of the Artificer it may have a crack in it yet it assures us of the love of him that gave it so imperfect workes may assure us of Gods love and of the Kingdome of Heaven too issuing from the roote of unfained Faith Therefore unfaithfull doubting is excluded Let us make our calling and election sure by good workes then an entrance shall bee ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST Psal. 37.24 Yet wee must not dormire in utramque aurem I care not how I live I shall bee saved There may bee a Christian assurance but no unchristian securitie nusquam securitas sayes S. Bern in Psal. 15. Nec in coelo nec in paradiso nec in mundo In coelo cecidit Angelus sub praesentia Divinitatis in paradiso cecidit Adam in loco voluptatis in mundo cecidit Iudas in schola Salvatoris Let us never be high minded but feare with a reverent feare all the dayes of our lives I feare all my wayes said that holy man If you abuse this comfortable doctrine setting all at six and sevens then thou art most unsure As ye beleeve in Christ so be plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ and as your names are in heaven and ye looke for a place in heaven so live as Cittizens of heaven live not as earth-wormes alwayes groveling on the earth but live as men of another world by having your conversation in heaven 1 Here it is as cleere as the noone-day that the Catholicke Church consists onely of the elect Notwithstanding it is an axiome with Bellarmine Non solum praedestinati sed etiam reprobi ad ecclesiam pertinent A strange position indeed as Augustine distinguishes excellently well the wicked are Paleae inter frumentum In domo Dei sed non domus Dei de bapt cont Donat. l. 7. c. 12. Cant. 4.12 CHRIST's Spouse is a Garden enclosed a Spring shut up and a Fountaine sealed up Haec intelligere non audeo nisi in sanctis justis de bapt cont Donat. lib. 6. cap. 27. It a munitur sayes Greg. ut nullus reprobus ingrediatur Ecclesia est Templum aedificatum ex diis quos facit non factus Deus Aug. Tom. 3. Enchyr. ad Laur. c. 6. p. 172. A. Our blessed Saviour affirmes of the Church Ioh. 10.3 for it is the Church of the first-borne whose names are written in Heaven 2 It is evident that the elect cannot perish Non perit filius promissionis sed filius perditionis August De corr grat l. 2. cap. 9. The third person to whom we are come is the founder and defender of the Church Who is described by his nature and office For his nature he is God for his office a Iudge The Lord chiefe Iustice of all the world God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult and dare we be so bold as to come to him He is ignis consumens to the wicked ignis muniens to the godly Zach. 2.5 I a wall of fire round about Ierusalem to protect her from all her enemies All are come to God secundum praesentiam Whither shall I goe from thy face Secundum potentiam his power is over all none can avoide it but we are come to him Secundum bonitatem Happy is the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. He is Dominus omnium more peculiarly he is Deus fideliū The Philistims said God is come into the Host woe be to us but we are come to God and joy with us Not onely to God as he is a Father but as he is a Iudge too yea the Iudge of all High and low rich and poore just and unjust good and bad Iren. l. 1. c. 9. writes of some called Gnostici who had their name of knowledge which affirmed they were incomprehensibilis judicii The Iudge could not catch them at the latter day But he will finde them out A Writ shall be returned reperti sunt in baliva nostra We must all appeare either ad judicium discretionis or damnationis as S. August speaketh of Absolution being severed from the Goats or
no good with it you make your riches your enemies they will condemne you at the latter day If yee doe good with them you make them your friends and these good workes of yours will follow you at your dying day Yet some are so farre from doing of good that they doe hurt by secret counsell and perswasion Many are like rotten trees that doe no good till they dye they yeeld nor fruit while they stand when they bee cut downe they make a good fire to warme many withall So it may be there is good cheere at a rich mans buryall a dole then to refresh the poore withall that did little good while hee was alive Let us remember this Lesson to doe good and to distribute God is well pleased with such Sacrifices hee is so well pleased with them that hee will give us a Kingdome for them in the life to come Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome c. when I was hungry c. Therefore inherit the Kingdome prepared for you VERSE 17. AS they must doe good to all so especially to the Ministers that have the spirituall rule and government of them 1. How they must behave themselves to all in generall 2. what they must doe for him in speciall In the former the duties prescribed and certaine reasons for the enforcing of them The duties are Obedience and Submission It cannot bee denyed but that all of what condition soever must submit themselves to the ministerie of the word yea Kings Princes and Emperours because it is Gods Ordinance and in so doing they submit themselves to GOD which is no disparagement to the greatest of them all Yet touching matters of externall politie in the Church and Common-wealth all on the other side must bee subject to Kings and Princes they may prescribe constitutions even of Religion agreeable to the Law of GOD to Ministers and they must obey them Let every Soule bee subject to the Higher Powers Yet in the Essentiall points of the ministery all must subject themselves to the Rulers of the Church For a more full unfolding of the matter the duties we owe to these Spirituall Fathers are foure 1. Reverence in regard of their Office Alexander reverenced Iaddus Herod Iohn the Baptist. Obadiah called Elias Lord. My father said Iohash to Elisha If wee reverence them not the Word will not have so free a passage among us They that use their Pastours unreverently sin against God 2. Love Have them in exceeding love for their workes sake It is the best worke in the world the Saving of your Soules therefore love them for it You love the Fathers of your bodies that brought you into the world and will yee not love them that beget you with the Word of truth and bring you to a Kingdome Obad. ult 3. Obedience to their doctrine exhortations and admonitions Herod observed Iohn Baptist and did many things You will obey the prescript of the Physition for the health of your bodies though it be a bitter potion you take it well at his hands and will you not obey them that give you counsell for your soules though their reproofes be bitter their rebukes sharpe Tit. 1.13 as the qualitie of the sin requires yet accept of it if they tell you and that in love of your covetousnesse drunkennesse pride malice obey them in the reformation of those vices 4. Is Maintenance All Rulers must be maintained The King hath maintenance due from the people and so must the Minister You receive spirituall things from them and is it much if ye give them carnall They that served at the Altar lived on the Altar and shall not they that preach the Gospell live on the Gospell If the Preachers would preach to us and take nothing wee would like them well but wee grudge at their maintenance an Argument that wee feele not the sweetnesse of the Word of GOD. The Galathians would have plucked out their eyes to doe Paul good withall Wee thinke much to pull money out of our purses to doe him good withall In the feare of GOD if yee be good and religious people discharge the duties that GOD requireth to them that have the Spirituall government and oversight of you Why there bee two reasons to excite us to it the one taken from the matter of their worke the other from the manner of their working They are your watchmen therefore submit your selves to them love them regard them Not over your goods and bodies as the Magistrate is but over your Soules which are more precious not as the fowler watcheth for the bird to catch it and kill it but they watch for the preservation and eternall Salvation of your soules therefore submit your selves to them All Ministers have Curam Animarum none can bee a Minister without that charge Your Soules are subject to many enemies there bee innumerable devils that seeke to carry away your Soules As the henne watches for the chickens against the kite so doe they for you against the devill There be sundry Heretiques that go about to infect your Soules with the poyson of false doctrine Papists Anabaptists Schismatiques Priests and Iesuites Arrians Nestorians c. The Ministers watch for you against them There be sectaries that for small matters would draw you from the Church there be many dangerous sinnes that are ready to cut the throate of your Soules covetousnesse pride ignorance c. they keepe a watch over you and labour to bring you out of those sinnes Therefore esteeme highly of them make much of these watchmen This is illustrated by a spurre that pricks them to this watching they know they must be countable for your Soules therefore they watch over them Iacob gave account to Laban of every sheepe he had if any were lost or torne by the wild beasts hee required it at his hands hee made it good so wee must give an account to IESUS CHRIST the great Shepheard of every sheepe in our fold This makes us to watch carefully over your Soules Some are to give a single account We must all give account of our Stewardship as private persons for themselves alone some a double accompt as Magistrates Masters Fathers Ministers therefore wee had neede to looke to it to cast over our Bookes betimes in this life that our accompts may be joyfull in the life to come That wee may say Here am I and the children that thou hast given mee Here am I Lord IESU and the sheepe that thou hast given mee Suffer us to meddle with you to reprehend that which is amisse in you for we must give an accompt for you Therefore we cannot let you alone wee cannot nay wee must not permit you to sleepe in your sinnes wee must lift up our voices as trumpets to waken you because wee are to give accompt for you The second Reason is taken from the manner of their working they would gladly doe their worke with joy they would watch over you with
never looke backe but continue with him to the end That this is the native meaning of it is apparant by the words following wherein he corroborateth his exhortation For many deceivers are come into the world which will supplant you if they may therefore walke on stedfastly in the truth VERSE 7. 1. HE warnes them of false teachers 2. He armes them against them verse 8. In the warning 1. There is a signification that they become 2. A marke whereby to know them being come 3. An application of that marke For the former 1. There is the qualitie of them that be come they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 planing subtile cheating deceitfull fellowes they will deceive you with fine words and nise distinctions 2. Here is the quantitie of them They be not a few but many Many Beares many Lions many Foxes If they were but Waspes and Bees yet being many they might scare us and make us circumspect much more these 3. They be not to enter but are already entred 4. Into this wicked world which is a receptacle of good and bad I will give you a marke whereby ye shall discerne them They confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh and so subvert the very foundation of Christianity There be divers kindes of them Some deny that Christ is come in the flesh at all as the obstinate Iewes whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded Some confesse him to be come in a kinde of flesh yet not in true but in phantasticall flesh as Marcion whom Tertullian eloquently confuteth 1. The Angels appeared in true and solid flesh Abraham washed their feete they tooke Lot his wife and two daughters by the hand and lead them out of the city and doe ye thinke that the Sonne of God would dissemble and deceive the world with phantasticall flesh 2. He was borne of a woman he did not passe through a woman as water through a channel He came not out of her wombe transmeatorio but genitorio more not as one that passed through her but as one that was begotten of her The fruit of her wombe ut homines nascerentur ex Deo primò ex ipsis natus est Deus That men might be borne of God God was first borne of men We are commonly borne of a man and a woman He was singularly borne of a woman without a man 3. If his birth were phantasticall then his death was phantasticall then they are not to be blamed that killed him 4. If his humanity was phantasticall then we may justly imagine that his Deitie was phantasticall too Quomodo verax habebitur in occulto qui fallax repertus est in aperto How shall we beleeve him in that which is secret when he was deceitfull in that which is open Againe Some confesse him to have a true body but no soule as Apollinaris His Deity supplied that whereas he saith My soule is heavy even to the death Father into thy hands J commend my Spirit But let us acknowledge with thanksgiving to his Majestie that he is come in the flesh God manifested in the flesh seene of Angels beleeved on in the world ascended into glory Worthy then is the lamb that was borne and killed for us to receive all honour and glory praise power and might for ever Magna misericordia Domini nostri Iesu Christi Great is the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ. Factum esse eum propter nos in tempore per quem facta sunt tempora that he which made time would be made for us in time that he which made man would be made man least that should have perished which he made Then he applies the marke to them before mentioned This is a deceiver and an Antichrist But why doth he change the number Why doth he not say these be the deceivers and Antichrists Catharinus supposeth he doth it to point out the devill qui est verus primus maximus Antichristus who is the true first and chiefe Antichrist that needeth not the alteration of number is frequent in all Authors There were many Antichrists in the Apostles dayes as forerunners of that great Antichrist in time to be revealed That shall sit in the Temple of God and exalt himself above all that is called God VERSE 8. HItherto he hath warned them of false teachers now he armes them against them 1. He wisheth them vitare errorem to eschew their errors 2. Fugere communionem to flie their communion and society verse 10 11. In the former 1. The Caveat then the reasons the caveat look to your selves and looke narrowly too with both eyes with all the circumspection you can We must looke to others too For no man liveth to himselfe none must say with Cain Am I my brothers keeper We must looke to our brethren too yet first and principally to our selves because every one of us must give an account of himselfe to God A traveller must looke to him that travells with him but chiefely to himselfe we must rather be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops over ourselves then over others that is condemned by S. Peter yet some there be that spend more time in other mens Diocesses than in their owne in looking to others than to themselves Multi multò sciunt scipsos nesciunt alios inspiciunt seipsos negligunt Many know much and know not themselves they looke upon others and neglect themselves This caveat he doth enforce by 4. Reasons 1. A damno from the losse 2. A praemio from the reward in this v. 3. Ab incommodo from the discōmoditie 4. A commodo from the commodity in the next He doth not say ye but wee including himselfe in the number the best of us all have neede to be vigilant that we lose not the things for which we have wrought namely the joyes of heaven for the which we have wrought by prayer and fasting by reading of Scriptures by hearing of Sermons and divine Service by a patient suffering of divers afflictions and shall wee now through negligence lose them We must worke for the meate that endureth to life everlasting We must not be idle not unfruitfull in the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ. Wee must worke for heaven not to purchase it that hath Christ done with his owne precious bloud but to confirme it to our selves Goe worke in my Vineyard Worke out your salvation with feare and trembling But let us so worke that wee loose not our working be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the crowne of life Ye are they that have continued with me in my temptations therefore I appoint to you a Kingdome Without continuance no Kingdome A traveller loses his labour though hee have gone 40 or 50 mile if he goe not on to the end of his journey Marriners lose that which they have wrought unlesse they worke till they
come into the haven Runners lose the gold unlesse they runne to the end of the race So runne that ye may obtaine hold that which thou hast that another take not thy crown Ibi tu christiane fige cursus tui metā ubi christus posuit suam saith Ber. There O christian set down thy staffe where Christ set down his factus est obediens usque ad mortem he was obedient to the death so bee thou remember Lots wife she turned backe and was turned into a pillar of salt ut nos omnes condiret that she might be as a salting tub to season us all In Iacobs ladder the Angels were ascending and descending none were standing They that traveile by a wood full of theeves had neede to looke to themselves least they lose their purses we are among many spirituall theeves that will rob us if they can of the precious pearle of celestiall doctrine therefore let us looke to our selves that we lose not the things which we have wrought The second argument à praemio from the reward Let us looke to our selves not onely that we be no losers but that we may be gainers too that we may receive a full reward Why then they that begin well and continue not shall have some reward halfe a one though not a full one Resp. 1. They may have a reward among men in this world for a season the praise of men but they shall misse of that eternall reward in the world to come 2. the particle full hath reference not to the workers but to the reward it is a compleat a full reward fulnesse of glory in soule and body At his right hand is fulnesse of joy for ever the rewards wee have here are Semiplena halfe full this is plenum wholy full Hic jugulantur haeretici saith Catharinus qui mercedem bonorum operum negent here the heretiques throate is cut which deny the reward of good workes he fights with his owne shaddow he seekes a knife where there is no throate to cut for we that be Protestants acknowledge a reward for good workes and wee embrace that Axiom of Bellermines It is lawfull to doe good workes intuitu mercedis aeternae with an eye to an eternall reward reposed for them Moses chose rather to suffer adversitie with the children of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season why because he had respect to the recompence of the reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he looked from the aflictions to the reward Our Saviour for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame so may the members of Christ doe yet not tantum praecipuè yet not onely for that nor chiefely for that but that God may be glorified by our workes Nolo ad praemium diligere Deum saith Saint Augustine doe not love God onely so farre as thou mayest be rewarded and no further Ipse sit praemium tuum let him be thy reward I am thy exceeding great reward Neverthelesse we disclaime that Axiom of Bellermines that merces meritum are relatives Merces opus be relatives a reward and a worke but not merces meritum a reward and a merit God rewards our workes yet not for any merit in them but for his owne mercy For when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants for we have done no more than we ought to doe a debt can be no merit all that we doe is a debt Thou hast entred into a bond to pay an hundred pound thou payest it dost thou merit by it An Apprentise serves his master well during his Apprentiship doth he merit by it he was bound by obligation to doe it 2. No free gift is a merit eternall life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift of God feare not little Flocke it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome it is given we doe not merit it let every one of us say with Berniard meritum meum misericordia tua my merit is thy mercy But there is a reward even from our lame weake and imperfect workes in keeping of them there is great reward not onely a reward but a great reward too wherein God dealeth with us as a kinde father with his children hee allures us with rewards and that makes the worke more easie as Basil speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the consideration of the end of his journey refresheth the travellour the expectation of gaine that encourages the merchant and the spoyle the souldier Let us looke up with the eye of faith to this reward and it will be a Noah to comfort us in all our labours in this vaile of miseries VERSE 9. THe third argument ab incommodo from the great discommodity that ensueth upon it Whosoever of what quality and condition soever Transgresseth that holy commandement of persevering in the truth which we have received from the Father This is my beloved Sonne heare him and none but him And abideth not firmely and unmoveably In the doctrine of Christ the sole Saviour of the world For there is Salvation in no other and this doctrine is conteined in the Scripture Search the Scriptures they they be that testifie of me Hath not God that is his favour in this life nor shall he partake of his glory in the life to come he hath not God and so consequently he hath the devill therefore is in a most lamentable case The fourth from the commoditie He that abideth constantly to the end in the doctrine of Christ revealed in the Word he hath both the Father and the Sonne for they are inseparable they goe together hee that seeth the one seeth the other and he that hath the one hath the other neither is the holy Ghost excluded for the Father and the Sonne dwell in us by him therefore it standeth us all in hand to shut up our eares against false and erronious teachers and to persist in the doctrine of Christ delivered unto us Be no more children wavering and carryed about with every wind of doctrine by the deceit and craftinesse of men What went ye out into the Wildernesse to see a reede we must be stones not reedes and ye as living stones saith Saint Peter There be 4 principall pulbackes from the Doctrine of Christ the 1. is the glosing tongues of heretiques by their faire speeches and flattering they deceive the hearts of the simple The second is ease master pittie thy selfe it is good sleeping in a whole skinne now thou goest whether thou wilt if thou embrace Christ and his Gospell thou shalt be shut up in prison now thou eatest and drinkest of the best and farest deliciously every day then thou shalt bee fed with bread and water now thou lyest soft in fine bedding but then thou shalt endure more hardnesse for thou shalt lye in straw or on the bare boards