to leane upon is superiour to him greater than he CHRIST trusted in GOD the Father therefore in respect of his humanity he is inferiour to the Father These words whether deduced out of Isai. 12.2 or out of Psalme 18.2 are fitly applyed to CHRIST Chasah I will flye to him as to a strong tower and Castle That song in Isaiah is sung by the whole Church and so consequently by CHRIST the head of the Church The 70. have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Psalme though David speakes it of himselfe that for all the fury of his adversaries hee would trust in God of whose goodnesse hee had comfortable experience by his deliverance from the house of Saul as in the title yet being a type of Christ figuratively hee speaketh also of him Sundry things in that Psalme cannot be applyed to David as Verse 43. and that Verse 7. Whereas at the passion of Christ the earth quaked Our Saviour Christ in his bitter agony in the garden trusted in God and when he hung on the crosse he knew that though God seemed to forsake him for a time yet hee would deliver him out of all and assume him into his kingdome thus he still put his trust in GOD. If he did trust in God in all calamities from whom the Deitie was never separated much more ought we miserable men in all adversities trust in God Some trust in Charets and some in Horses but let us remember the name of the Lord our God and trust in him Cursed be he that maketh flesh his arme Let us not put our trust in riches though our barnes be never so full of corne our coffers of gold and silver Let us not trust in our strength in the multitude of our men in our walled townes and defenced castles Let us not put our trust in the fortitude of this good yland that is compassed about with the Seas Let us not put our trust in our friends When we be sicke let us not put our trust in the Physitions as Asa did not trust in our pollicie as Achitophel but let us alwayes in all difficulties put our trust in GOD hee is able and willing to plucke us out of all dangers Hee delivered the Israelites from the red Sea Daniel from the the Lions Peter from the fury of Herod Hee can and will preserve us from all the devils of hell the gates of hell shall never prevaile against us Happy are they that put their trust in him he is a sure friend that will never faile them The fourth argument to prove the humanity of Christ is taken from the relatives The Father and the children are of one nature Christ is the Father we his children ergo This is at large amplified by the Apostle 1. He that makes himselfe equall with the rest of the faithfull and of the servants and children of God is a man as they be but Christ makes himselfe equall with the rest of the faithfull of the servants and children of God Ergo. 2. Hee that receiveth children as a gift from God is inferiour to GOD that gave him these children but CHRIST receiveth children as a gift from GOD ergo he is inferiour to GOD which cannot be but in respect of his humanity Ergo he is man as well as GOD. He produces an other testimony Isa. 8.18 That this testimony is to be applyed to the Messiah is evident by many places in that chapter where he is called Immanuel 2. That v. 14. is expounded of Christ in sundry places of the New Testament as Luk. 2. Rom. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 3. Though this was true in the Prophet himselfe and in his Disciples yet it is verified likewise of Christ of whom the Prophet was a Type Behold this argues his prompt and ready obedience presenting himselfe to the Lord so Christ was obedient to God the Father even to the death yea of the Crosse. By children are meant servants followers attendants upon any 1 Sam. 21.4 Acts 4.25 Ioh. 21.5 by them are signified the faithfull which as children and servants waited on Christ and attended to his voice as children doe to the voice of their Father All the faithfull in the world by whose ministery soever turned are Christs children he the chiefe Father we secondarily they are his children principally ours instrumentally It is CHRIST that begets us though not now in his owne person yet by the Ministers and Preachers who are our Fathers under Christ and we their Children GOD the Father gave him those children 1. By the administration of baptisme 2. Then by the working of his Spirit and the powerfull preaching of his word Ioh. 17.9.6 Ioh. 6.37 Iohn 10.29 Properly to speake they are given to no Prophet nor Minister but to Christ alone That they be as signes and wonders agreeth well to Christ and all the faithfull Christ was despised so are we Ioh. 15.18 1 Cor. 4.9 to 14. S. Paul might have had more pregnant testimonies for the confirmation of Christs humanity than these be yet he made choice of these partly because peradventure they were applied by the Rabbins and the Iewes themselves to the Messiah partly because these set forth to us the mercy of God towards us and our honour and dignity that we should be Christ's brethren that he and we should be in a manner equall coupled together in one yoke This is true in the Prophets and in CHRIST too the preachers of the Word have children given them of the Lord. The Prophets in their time had their children the Apostles theirs and we ours Saint Paul begat Onesimus in his bonds GOD gave Lydia as a child to Saint Paul in opening her heart and causing her to beleeve Yea many Nations were given to S. Paul GOD gave those three thousand soules as a great company of children to St. Peter And the Lord by the ministry of the Word gives us children at this present day You are our children and therefore you ought to love and honour us What childe will raile on his Father they be Bastards that endeavour to pluck out their Parents eyes yet some doe on the Ministers their spirituall fathers This also may be affirmed of Christ he is our brother and our father too he is the right and proper father of the faithfull whom he begetteth by the word of truth and they that are truly begotten by the word are Christs children whom the Father gave to him from all eternity before all times and whom in time he giveth to him daily by the preaching of the Gospell to the worlds end 1 We have not these children of our selves simply by our preaching be it never so powerfull It is GOD that gives them to us Children are the inheritance of the Lord so these spirituall children Let us praise God for them A Father rejoyces in his children so may and doe Preachers in their Children 2 There is no Father but will protect his Children as much as lieth in him hee will bee content to
he shewes the equity of it they were a blind ignorant and perverse people that would not heare mee therefore I was worthily grieved with them They are a vagrant and wandring people straying out of the way He doth not say they have erred but erre continually erring ever Not in their outward lives and conversations only but in their heart which carryeth the whole man after it there hee points out the fountaine of this sin the corruption of their hearts If the heart be blind the whole man must needs be blind Wayes that is my lawes and commandements These bee the wayes wherein wee ought to walke or my workes quia per ea ad nos venit to impart his benefits to us and to open himselfe to us They had meanes enough to come to the knowledge of my wayes my servant Moses and others were ever teaching of them but they willingly continued ignorant and would not know my wayes For this cause I have cast them off this is that corruption which is in us all by nature an ignorance of the will of God that carries us from Gods wayes to the Devils wayes Ephes. 4.17 18. Yet there is in men a double ignorance the one is simplex insita the other is composita affectata All by nature erre and are drowned in ignorance Paul saw at Athens an inscription on an Altar ignoto deo but many of them if God send the candle of knowledge amongst them skip for joy and imbrace it with both armes Others though they live in those places where the light shineth before their eyes where there is continuall preaching yet they remaine ignorant still some through carelesnesse and negligence not regarding it others even upon will and stomacke they close up their eyes and will not see the light Such were many of these Israelites they would not know the wayes of God A fearefull thing to live in the Church where God is preached and not to know him VERSE 11. WHereupon God proceeds to a definitive sentence against them which he ratifieth with an oath Seeing they be such an obstinate people hee doth not say but sweare not in sport and merriment but being much moved hot and angrie against them for their sinnes If they shall enter Constructio est defectiva ad modum irati qui truncat verba sua it is a passionate speech when a man is so moved as that hee cannot bring forth his words an usuall Aposiopesis Something must be supplyed If they shall enter into my rest let mee be counted no GOD let mee never be believed hereafter The suppressing of these imprecations doth argue that they should bee seldome used by us So did Abram Gen. 14.22 Christ Mar. 8.12 Saul 1 Sam. 14.44 whereas we in our anger cannot containe our selves but furious speeches come by and by out of our mouthes If I be not even with him I pray God I may sinke where I stand never enter into the kingdome of heaven c. We should not be so rash in producing of them God as ye see sweares so may wee doe if we could keepe our selves within those limits that he did 1. God sweares seldome the Scripture doth not bring him in swearing often at every word as we doe 2. When God sweares it is by himselfe by no creature wee sweare by bloud wounds fire bread cheese c. 3. It is a matter of weight that makes God sweare he doth not sweare upon every trifling occasion as wee doe it was a matter of importance that made him sweare now even the establishing of his justice that men should beware how they provoke him by their sinnes 4. God sweares not rashly in heat and choller as wee doe if our bloud be stirred then wee sweare vengeably Though it be here said hee sware in his wrath yet it was a just and advised anger not a cholericke furie as ours is There bee two things that make God sweare the one is the confirmation of his mercie and gracious promises to his Children Hebr. 6.17 The other is the strengthning of his justice and threatnings against the wicked as in this place and let us beware when God sweares If the King doe not only say such a man shall dye but sweares to it then there is little hope of life for him God hath not only said but sworne that all contemners of his word that harden their hearts against it shall perish eternally Therefore there is no dallying let us looke to it An horrible sinne that wrings an oath from God It is called his rest because he in his eternall counsell prepared it for them and promised it to them long agoe and it was he that brought them into that rest This rest is double 1. The Land of Canaan which is called a rest in regard of their continuall toyles and turmoyles in the wildernesse where they were alwayes molested with flitting up and down but when they came into this land they should rest Heere they rested under their Vines and Figtrees hence it hath the name of rest 2. By it also is meant the Kingdome of Heaven where wee shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob for ever Now were all they that dyed in the wildernesse excluded from that rest too no. Moses never came into the Land of Canaan yet he came into the Kingdome of Heaven I dare not say that all that were overwhelmed with the flood went to hell nor that all were deprived of the celestiall Canaan that missed of the earthly but the wicked persisting in their sinnes without repentance undoubtedly lost both The cause why they were deprived of this rest was their stubborne contempt of God in his Servant Moses speaking to them from time to time He perswaded them by a true and lively faith to depend upon God assuring them that as he had promised them the Land of Canaan so what difficulty soever came he would one day put them into a peacefull possession of the Land but they would not beleeve it when any thing crossed them then they would goe to Aegypt againe Therefore let us take off that sinne that we be not partakers with them of the punishment As Christ said behold a greater than Salomon is heere So say I of the ministery of the Gospell a greater than Moses is heere If the ancient Israelites lost the land of Canaan and some of them the Celestiall Canaan too for despising Moses and for murmuring against him and grieving him how shall we escape that contemne Christ the Apostle and High Priest of our profession which is so farre greater than Moses as the Sonne and heire of the house is above the servant in the house Christ spake by Saint Paul and the rest of the Apostles in their time and he speaketh by us which are His Ambassadours at this day therefore harden not your hearts against his preaching least he shut you out of his rest but reverently embrace his preaching let Christ enter into your hearts by His Word
and Spirit that ye may have rest and peace of conscience in this life and be received up into his everlasting rest where ye shall never be molested any more in the life to come Now followes the application of the former testimony wherein 1. A naration of the use that we are to make of it 2. A further declaration or exposition of it à 16. to the end In the use 1. An admonition 2. A reason In the admonition 1. A disswasion from the poyson of infidelity that was the bane and destruction of the Israelites 2. A perswasion to a mutuall exhorting and stirring up one of an other which may be a counter-poyson against infidelity In the disswasion the manner and the matter of it VERSE â—â— 1 FOr the manner he gives them a caveat to take heede of it See to it it is a dangerous vice therefore beware of it 2 Hee drawes them to the embracing of this caveat by a loving title given to them One brother should be carefull of the good of an other I count you as my brethren in the Lord Iesus having all one Father and one elder brother Christ Iesus therfore I could not but in love give you this watchword And what is the substance of it whereof should they take heed sooner or later at no time they must forsake Christ. There is no time for them that be on the Sea to make shipwracke especially when they bee neere the haven you have begun long agoe to give up your names to CHRIST continue with Him and forsake Him at no time In any of you For mine owne part I love you all and would be loath that any of you should perish What he doth not say an evill eye an evill tongue an evill hand but an evill heart that is the fountaine of all And least they should be ignorant what kinde of evill heart hee meaneth hee addeth of infidelity that is according to the Hebrew phrase an evill unfaithfull heart that is possessed with infidelity as the hearts of the Israelites were What to doe what will infidelity cause us to doe it will produce a lamentable effect if we looke not to it it will make us depart from the living God to leave His campe and to goe to the enemies campe that is the nature of the Word From whom from God to men from him that liveth for ever to them that continue but a while this is the horrible sin of infidelity these fruites it hath therefore let it be eschewed by us all The conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 7. is to be referred hither as if all the rest had beene included in a parenthesis Wherefore as the HOLY GHOST sayd to them of old time so say I to you now beware that the same unfaithfull heart bee not in you that was in them 1 Heere we are taught that we of the new testament must make use of the examples that bee in the old Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning Rom. 15.4 Hence it is that Noahs flood wherein the whole world was drowned that the destruction of the Sodomites the overthrow of Tyre and Sydon Lots Wife and such like are mentioned in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles and Saint Paul in this place will have them to beware of infidelity which was the overthrow of their fathers We reade the Scriptures cursorily to be acquainted with the History that we may be able to talke of it but we make not that profitable use of them for the reformation of our lives as we ought to doe If any in the time of the Law have beene punished for any sin let us take heede of that sin 2 Whereas the Apostle chargeth us especially to take heede of an evill and unfaithfull heart it gives us to understand that every Christian is to looke most carefully to his heart It is good to set a watch over our eyes hands feete tongues but chiefely for to set a watch over our hearts Keep thy heart with diligence omni custodia The heart carries all the body as the great wheele in a clocke doth the whole clocke therefore let us all have an eye to it that it bee in good temper Out of the heart come Murders Adulterie all kinde of mischiefes therefore let us take heede to our hearts It is a folly to goe about to stop the streame if the fountaine remaine unstopped A beautifull apple is not worth a straw if it be rotten at the Core The roote of the tree is especially regarded by every good husband that there be no wormes in it otherwise it is a folly to looke to the branches Let us that be Christians sift and examine our hearts let us labour to purge and clense them especially let us take heede that the worme of infidelity which will cause us to depart from God be not breeding in them That is the maine point that he aymeth at Infidelity is a grievous sin As faith is the greatest vertue so infidelity is the greatest vice Christ could doe nothing among His owne brethren for their unbeliefe sake Matth. 13. ult Infidelity is a barre to keepe out Gods blessings Our Saviour after His Resurrection reproved the eleven Apostles for their infidelity Marke 16.14 The Holy Ghost shall rebuke the world of sin because they did not believe in Christ Iohn 16.9 The Iewes were cut off for their infidelity and we that bee Christians stand by faith Rom. 11.20 The noble man that would not believe Gods promise was trodden under feet in the gate 2 Reg. 7.17 The ancient Israelites whom God brought with a mighty arme out of Aegypt perished in the wildernesse for their infidelity and never set a foote into the promised land Therefore take heed there be not in any of you an unfaithfull heart shall we not believe God shall we make him a lyer hath he said it and shall He not do it Let us not upon the sight of every difficulty murmure against God as the Israelites did and cast away the hope wee have in His mercy and power but let us at all times and in all extremities trust in Him Let us never depart from Christ Iesus which is the high and living God as the Israelites did Will ye also goe away sayd Christ to his Apostles no sayes Saint Peter in the name of the rest Lord whither shall we goe thou hast the words of Eternall life There is no name under heaven whereby we can be saved but the name and power of Christ. Therefore let us not depart from Christ to Moses to circumcision and other Iewish ceremonies to seeke salvation by the observation of the law but as wee have begun to fight as Souldiers under Christs banner so let us continue fighting to the end Let us never depart from this our Captaine Let not the assaults of Satan the allurements of the world honour riches preferment let not the sweet pleasures of the flesh carry us away from Christ
sharpe not with one edge but two which pierceth more speedily and throughly with two mouthes The edge of a sword is as a mouth that biteth Isai. 49.2 Ephes. 6.17 Apoc. 1.16 it is said to have two edges in respect of the two testaments Aug. de civ Dei Not sharper then some but any Let all the swords in the world be put together and they are nothing to this Piercing as water and oyle to the dividing asunder bearing downe all that is in the way as a floud doth Of soule and spirit that is of the inferiour and superiour part of the minde the affections and understanding Isai. 26.9 1 Thes. 5.23 And of the joynts and marrow Some Greeke copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the members of the body Nothing so firmely compacted and united together as joynts so hard as bones so deepe as the marrow that lyeth hid in the bones but it passeth through all Goliah's sword not like to this David sayd of that none to it but none to this LORD give it to us This sword can hew in peeces the most stonie flintie and rockie heart in the world to see what blindnesse in the understanding what frowardnesse in the affections it will lay the heart open and bewray the secret filthinesse and all the sluttish corners of sinne that be in it When the Preacher is a speaking the word doth so pierce the harts of the hearers as that many in the Church imagine that the Preacher is acquainted with their sins What doth this man know of my drunkennes of my adultery of my backbiting of my oppression the Word so ransakes their hearts as that they think the Preacher knows their particular sinnes wheras he speakes in generall and the spirit by the Word doth so dive into their harts as that it summons them before God his tribunall seate and makes them cry guiltie so powerfull is the Word Plato said a Poet was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is not so It is said of Pericles that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suada the goddesse of eloquence sessitavit in ejus labris and hee left Aculeos behinde him The infinite and admirable wisedome of GOD Almighty is couched in the Word and it leaves its effects behinde in the hearts of the auditors You shall finde it to be a lively and mighty Word one way or other either to save you or to condemne you It is lively and mighty in the good and bad The one it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Isai. 11.4 Ezek. 11.13 Act. 5.1 It is lively and mighty in the godly to kill sin within them to rayse them up unto newnesse of life to be as a wing to carry them to heaven Was it not mighty in David making him cry peccavi In Iosiah making his heart to melt in Manasseh when of the most horriblest Idolater that was ever heard of it made him a zealous worshipper of the true God in Zacheus when it made him to forsake his oppression and to restore fourefold in Mary Magdalen when it cast out seven Devills out of her in those three thousand soules when pricked in their hearts they went to the Apostles in the Citie of Samaria when it made them to abjure Simon Magus and to lysten to Saint Philip Was it not mighty by twelve men over all the world when it subdued by their Ministerie all nations to CHRIST in us by making us leave swearing covetousnesse adulterie drunkenesse c. and renewing us to the likenesse of CHRIST in righteousnesse and true holinesse it is a mighty word There may be a darke and misty morning the Sun comes scatters the mist cleares the ayre and makes it a bright day So the whole world was shadowed with the mist of blindnesse and â—he fogge of sin the word comes forth like the Sunne and introduces the knowledge of CHRIST and of his Gospell into all the world O mighty word Let us all acknowledge the power of this wonderfull word who is able to stand before this mighty word It is lively and mighty too even in the very reprobate Somtimes they may bee sencelesse and have no feeling of the cutting of the Word as those in Ieremiah nay they may even scoffe at the Word preached as the Pharisees did Luke 16.14 their consciences may be seared up and feele not the sword when it cutteth as they that be in a lethargie they may inwardly fret and fume be in a pelting chafe with the Preacher for reproving sins as Achab with Micajah and Iesabel with Elias yet but like madd dogges that sit biting of the chaine wherewith they are tyed but not break the chaine So they may snap at the Preacher and the Word but they themselves have the hurt yet for all that at one time or other God will make them to feele the power of his Word and the strength of this mighty arme of his Did not Belshazzar quake and were not his joynts loosed and his knees smote one against another when hee saw the hand writing upon the wall Did not the very officers themselves wonder at CHRIST did not the very enemies wonder at the boldnesse of Peter and Iohn Acts 4.13 was not Herod moved with Saint Iohn Baptist's preaching Marke 6.20 did not Felix tremble when Saint Paul discoursed of righteousnesse and judgement to come Acts 24. ver 25. was not Agrippâ— made an halfe Christian by Saint Pauls preaching Act. 26.28 did not the very Devill crye in the maide these are the servants of the most high God Act. 16. The preaching of the word makes the Devill himselfe to quake for it batters the walls of his kingdome and makes him fall like lightning from heaven Luk. 10.18 This should cause us to come with all reverence to the hearing of this lively and mighty word if it save us not out of all question it will condemne us it is like the raine that comes not in vaine if it bring not up flowers it will weeds Therefore let us pray to God to blesse this word to us that it may be the savour of life unto life not to death to any of us all 1. This should cause us to stand in a reverent awe of the word of God When yee come to a Sermon doe not thinke yee come to heare musicke to delight your selves withall to heare a man that hath a sweete and delectable voyce as the people sayd of Ezekiel that yee come to heare an eloquent oration finely penned by a flowing Rhetorician to tickle the eare withall that yee come to heare the song of some Syren to â—ull you asleepe that ye come to heare the word of a King that is able to inflict some corporall punishment on you if you doe not obey it but yee come to heare the Word of the King of Kings that is able to cast soule and body into hell if yee disobey it yee come not to heare a man There is
forsake mee the Lord will take me up sayes the Psalmist Even then at the houre of death hee will command his Angels to take our soules and carry them up into Abrahams bosome there to praise him for ever world without end CHAP. 5. IN the latter end of the former Chapter was contained a transition to the Priest-Hood of CHRIST now he enters into the discourse of it wherein he is very ample because many excellent points of celestiall doctrine be comprized in it 1. A proposition concerning the Priest-hood from the first Verse to the eleaventh evinced by a comparison betweene the High Priest and him 2. A large explication of it wherein 1. An entrance to the explication by a new exordium preparing them to it Verse 11. to the end of the sixth Chapter 2. The explication it selfe Chap. 7.8 and 9. The proposition concerning the Priest hood is set downe 1. Generally by an enumeration of the qualities required in a Priest in the foure former Verses 2. An Application of them to Christ from the fifth Verse to the eleavenâ—h In the setting downe of the proposition in generall these circumstances are unfolded to us 1. His affinitie with the people 2. The end why the Priest is ordained 3. The object whereabout he is occupied 4. One principall poâ—nt wherein it doth chiefly consist 5. The manner how he executes his office with a fellow feeling of the infirmities of his brethren ratified by the cause having himselfe an experience of the same infirmities Which is confirmed by an effect whereunto he is bound 6. His calling to his office illustrated by an example In the Application of it 1. He shewes that Christ hath a lawfull calling to his office as the Priests had which is confirmed by two divine testimonies 2. That hee is faithfull in the execution of his office 1. In respect of the things he was to doe with God 2. In regard of that which hee did for us which he concludeth with the repetition of the calling the foundation of all Before he comes to the explication of the proposition he prepares them to it by a new preface shewing the difficultie of the matter and the dulnesse of the hearers Which he prooveth by the effects they that have beene a long time at Schoole and have profited little are dull hearers but you have beene a long time at Schoole and profited little Ergo you are dull hearers For wee have neede to teach you your A. B. C. againe which he illustrateth by a similitude first set downe Then unfolded with both the branches belonging to it The conjunction For is not alwayes copulativa but sometimes inchoativa set for a grace and ornament in the beginning of a sentence yet it may have this coherence with the former having a great and a loving High Priest let us goe with boldnesse to the throne of Grace for this our high Priest hath all things that appertaine to an High Priest as shall appeare by the particulars Not one or two but all every one not one exempted Aaron Eleazar Iehojadah Iehosuah yea Melchizedec himselfe though his father and mother are not expressed in Scripture yet hee was taken from among men So was our SAVIOUR himselfe being made of a Woman and found in the true shape and similitude of a man Not only every inferiour Priest but every High Priest the Highest of all was taken from among men God taketh him by the hand separateth him from among his brethren and setteth him in a chaire of dignity above them all Hee was not taken ex volatilibus that he might not mount up above others not ex reptilibus because he should not be too much glewed to the earth not ex piscibus then in another element not ex angelis then he could not converse familiarly with his brethren nor have compassion on their infirmities but the High Priest was taken from among men he is a man as others be When God had brought all Creatures before man he found not an helpe meete for him So God thought it not meete to make an High Priest for men but among men All Ministers and Preachers are taken from among men it did not seeme good to the wisedome of GOD to call Angels to this office The Angell appeared to Philip and sent him to instruct the Eunuch but the Angell did not teach him himselfe It was not an Angell that preached CHRIST to Cornelius but Saint Peter that was a man as hee himselfe was As CHRIST tooke not on him the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham So GOD hath not appointed Angels Preachers but men wee have this treasure in earthen vessels The Preachers that bring the pearle of the word are vessels of earth as you your selves be And take heede that yee doe not contemne them GOD hath honoured them with an high and magnificent office therefore doe not you dishonour them A number thinke basely of the Ministers because they be but men as they are A father is but a man yet the child honours him yea though he be a man growen himselfe as Salomon did Bathshebah A Master is but a man yet the servant though elder and stronger then he reverences him The Maior and Bayliffes of a Towne are but men yet the whole corporation yeelds honour to them Iustices of Peace are but men yet feared in regard of their places A King is but a man taken from among men and dyes as other men yet wee doe not despise him because he is a man So though the Preacher be a man as others be it may be a weake and poorer man yet in regard of that office wherunto God hath exalted him to be his Ambassadour and steward to be his arme to pull you up to the kingdome of heaven hee is to bee reverenced by you all God hath taken us from among men to carry men into his owne kingdome therefore love and honour us To what use For the salvation of men God by a man will save men not for himselfe alone but for other men he is not ordained for beasts for the building of houses the tilling of ground the making of Cloath but to build up men to life everlasting to breake up the fallow hearts of men and to sow the immortall seed of the word in them Not ordained for Angels but for men the good Angels need him not the bad Angels shall have no benefite by him He is ordained for the saving of men not of Angels not for rich men alone but also for poore not onely to tell meane men of their duties but great men too whatsoever their authoritie bee in the world So is the Magistrate ordained of God Rom. 13.4 therefore the distinction followeth in things that are to bee done with God the one in temporalibus the other in spiritualibus the one is occupied about the goods names and bodies of men the other about the soules of men Hebr. 13.17 The Ministers office is to preach the Word to teach the
and barly in the due time of the yeare ye praise God for it and will ye not blesse him for the heavenly raine that falleth on your selves to make you fruitfull to eternall life ô magnifie God for this raine without the which ye should be as parched ground pittifull to behold 2. As this raine by the goodnesse of God falls on you so let it not passe by you as water running from the rockes and stones but drinke it in that it may cause you to encrease in all vertue The raine doth no good on rockes and stones because they cannot receive it in If your hearts be as stone hardened in sinne though ye have never such plentie of this raine it will doe you no good therefore drinke in the raine of the Word of God that falls on you at every Sermon let not the profitable instructions passe from you ponder them and lay them up in your heart as the Virgin Mary did let them not slip from you so soone as you are out of the Church doores but keepe the raine that God sendeth you if it bee not a ground raine that goes into the bowels of the earth it is to small purpose and if the raine of the Word doe not sinke into the bottome of your hearts if it goe no further then your eares you shall reape small benefit by it therefore drinke in this raine that it may be fruitfull to you all 3. None can well drinke but they that thirst after drinke if the ground be not thirsty it will not drinke in the raine If it be full already the raine lieth aloft and makes ponds that are noy some to men So if ye be full already of the cares of the world the pleasures of the flesh or a windy conceit of your selves saying we are rich wee stand in neede of nothing then the raine of the Word cannot enter into you Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Though yee have never so much preaching yet hunger after the Word of God he that is full despiseth an hony-combe a full man regards not a feast but an hungry man is content with meane fare though ye have never so many sweet Sermons yet if yee be full though they be as pleasant as an hony combe yee will not care for them therfore bring thirsting soules to every Sermon when this raine is powred downe on you that yee may drinke it in to the salvation of you all 4. The more raine the ground hath the more fruit it ought to yeeld the oftner that any people hath had the raine of the Word of God falling on them the more plentifull should they bee in good workes to whom much is given of them much shall bee required you in this towne have had much raine therefore much is required of you 5. As it hath the raine often so it must bring forth fruit meete for them by whom it is dressed the more dressing the more fruit as we looke from our trees and grounds the dressers are to bee respected ye must love them by whom God dresseth and tilleth you yee must have them in singular love for their worke sake yee must not bring forth such fruit as shall grieve the dressers Hebrewes 13. Verse 17. As yee have this heavenly raine in most plentifull measure so bring forth fruits answerable to it leaves will not serve the turne CHRIST cursed the figtree that had nothing but leaves on it good words a glorious talking of Religion is not sufficient a shew of godlinesse is not enough but we must have the power of it as GOD hath sent us this raine in abundance so let us bee abundant in the fruits of righteousnesse let us be full of good workes then will GOD blesse us with the increase of his graces in this life and with eternall happinesse in the life to come God make us all such blessed ground VERSE 8. THere is also a cursed ground Let us beware wee bee not like it They that increase not but decrease and goe backward are in a miserable case Where 1. The nature and quality of the ground 2. Gods Iudgement on it The earth which for all the raine it had doth not bring forth only no fruit meete for the dressers but pernicious thornes and bryars it is a reprobate earth reproved disallowed of all cast away no man regards it He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innuens ejectionem praeter naturam emittens velut abortum Is nigh unto cursing What neere and not cursed indeed as hee that is neere hanging is not hanged neere drowning is not drowned Not so God may defer his vengeance for a time but their damnation sleepeth not they are very neere it and shall have it in the end A man sees a ship neere sinking doth it therefore follow that it sinkes not Though at that time when hee sees it it is but a sinking yet it may sinke afterwards So these men at this time are neere unto cursing yet they shall be cursed afterwards indeed therefore he speakes peremptorily in the next words whose end is to be burned Every man curseth such an earth and these men are cursed wretches As husband-men burne such an earth as bringeth forth nothing but thornes and bryars saepe etiam steriles incendere profuit agros atque levem stipulam crepitantibus urere flammis So God the true Husbandman will cast this cursed ground which brings forth thornes and bryars whereby they pricke as much as in them lies Christ Iesus Himselfe and the Holy Ghost too into that furnace of fire where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cast into the fire how much more such bad trees as these It is one thing for a ground to bring forth bad corne an other thing to bring forth bryars Cockle darnel and weeds are hurtfull but thornes and bryars are worst of all 1. They cumber the ground if they were away some profitable thing might spring in their roome 2. If any corne or flowers happen to sprout forth out of the ground where thornes are they choke them and will never suffer them to come to any maturity 3. They pricke those that handle them and make the bloud runne about their fingers so the wicked doe not only hinder the growth of good things but they pricke both God and men As the Canaanites were as pricks in the Israelites sides and thornes in their eyes So are these to God and his Children they raile on good men and are ready to doe them all the mischiefe they can As Ahab hated Micajah so doe they they cannot abide sober and good men their hatred stayes not here but it is converted against God himselfe they set their mouthes against heaven they rayle on Christ and his Gospell they blaspheme the Holy Ghost they persequute the truth to the end If they doe it on ignorance as Saint Paul did
speaketh to us by whom hee revealeth the knowledge of his Majesty to us Christ knew there should be plentie of knowledge at his comming yet he bade his Apostles goe and teach all nations The Lord opened the heart of Lydia yet it was by Saint Pauls preaching the Lord catechized the Eunuch yet it was by Saint Philip the Lord added three thousand soules to the Church yet it was by Saint Peter How can they heare without a Preacher These be the Schoole-masters by whom God teacheth us to the end of the world The head Master of a Schoole doth not take away the Vshers Saint Augustine tract 3. in 1. Iohann Si unctio docet de omnibus nos sine causa laboramus Let us put you all over to the annointing then they might reply why doest thou write this Epistle to us why doest thou teach us nos extrinsecus admonemus magister intùs est qui docet Matth. 23.8 Nos abusivè magistri appellamur Neither doth hee send downe the HOLY GHOST on them in the similitude of cloven tongues as he did on the Apostles at the beginning they must be brought up in Schooles and Vniversities to attaine to the knowledge of the tongues and the right interpretation of the Scripture Paul mentions it as a blessing that he was brought up at the feete of Gamaleel hee disputed in the Schoole of Tyrannus but hee never wished the Schoole of Tyrannus to be pulled downe This doth declare to us the wonderfull abundance of knowledge that shall bee in the time of the Gospell above that which was in the time of the Law yet there bee a number of ignorant persons in the lap of the Church like them that knew not whether there was an Holy Ghost or no They have a confused knowledge of God but they doe not know him so distinctly in CHRIST as they ought to doe they have the more to answer for that living in so great light are still overwhelmed with darkenesse like to Tantalus up to the chin in water and yet drie like carelesse and negligent Schollers that have beene long at Schoole and learn't nothing the fault is not in God who gives them the meanes but in themselves that neglect the meanes 2. As wee have greater knowledge so greater obedience is required of us The servant that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes Wee know much and practise little therefore our condemnation shall bee the greater at the latter day VERSE 12. THe third branch of the new covenant is remission of sins In sence it agreeth with the Hebrew only the Apostle following the seventie hath for our further comfort enlarged it by the addition of one clause which is not in the Hebrew The first part of Verse is not in the Hebrew In my Sonne CHRIST IESUS I will be mercifull to their unjust and unrighteous dealings to all the injuries they have offered me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faults in manners when as we swarve from the marke of the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in generall signifies all transgressions of the Law He useth many words to signifie to us that all our sinnes by what names soever they be called are forgiven us In acquittances we use to put in words enow for the declaration of a full discharge So doth the Lord when he acquitteth us of all our sinnes whether they be unrighteousnesse slips or violations of the Law they bee all forgiven hee professeth hee will remember them no more hee will cast them behinde his backe rase them out of the booke of his remembrance If wee minde to be revenged of a man wee say well I will remember thee I will one day pay thee home for it but God will not so much as remember our sinnes Oh blessed thing The just man falls seven times a day yet GOD will not remember his falls Hee remembred the sin of Amalek and of some hee sayes their sins shall be written with a penne of a diamond and sealed up in a bagge but he will keepe no register of our sins they shall bee quite forgotten Hee doth not say because they by their workes of penance have made satisfaction to my justice for their sinnes therefore I will remit them I will doe it of my sole mercy and goodnesse for my owne sake c. Object Was he not mercifull to the sinnes of the people in the time of the Law Sol. The forgivenesse of sins is now more cleerely manifested to us To them it was shadowed out by sacrifices and washings but now the Lamb is come offered on the Crosse whose bloud purgeth us from all sin This is a comfortable covenant the heavenly triacle and hony of the soule Our sins are innumerable besides our blasphemies besides the abhominable drunkennesse and whoredome that is amongst us our greedy scraping in the dunghill of the earth seldome or never lifting up our hearts to heaven wee sin daily in our best actions we sin in preaching of the Word for who preaches with such wisedome sincerity and zeale as he ought to doe wee sin in hearing our mindes oftentimes are on wooll-gathering our bodies in the Church our hearts on our Sheep and Oxen we heare more like Iudges to censure Gods Ambassadour than as Schollers to learne of him wee sinne in praying no sighes no groanes no fervency in our prayers no Amen at the end of them wee sin in giving of our almes wee give rather for vaine glory then for Gods glory we sin in our dayly talke and conferences one with another in them we seeke the ostentation of our own witte and learning not the edification one of another Who can cleere himselfe of pride wee are proud of our wit wealth beauty learning yea some are proud of nothing Good Lord then if God should call us into the counting house for our sins alas what shall we doe we cannot answer him one for a thousand and the least sinne deserves eternall death Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy thought if one evill thought remaine unforgiven we are in a miserable case Against all these let us hold up the buckler of this new covenant of the remission of our sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins are bitter accusers In what a pittifull case was Caine who said my sinne is greater than can bee forgiven what a howling kept Iudas O I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud what makes men to hang themselves as Achitophel did to drowne themselves to lay violent hands on themselves save that they cannot be perswaded of the forgivenesse of their sins Therefore let us blesse God for this covenant and let us entreat him to seale in our hearts a comfortable perswasion of the remission of our sinnes dayly more and more VERSE 13. HEre followes a collection inferred on the former testimony which he gathereth out of the word new it hath his force from the contraries New and Old cannot stand together
continue with Christ in our Temptations 675 Testament in what the Old and New testaments are equall 54. in what the New Testament is better than the old 294. A threefold difference betweene the Old and New Testament 318 319. the forcivenesse of sinne more clearely manifested in the New Testament than in the Old 324. it is the more comfortable covenant ibid. c. A Testament defined 362 Christs Testament twofold 362 Throne A twofold Throne 190. how we may goe boldly to Gods Throne 191. Thornie ground is neere to cursing 222 223 Tithes the taking of them an Argument of Greatnesse 259. whether Tithes be a perpetuall maintenance of the Ministery 260. They are perpetuall 261. what is ceremoniall and what perpetuall in Tithes 263 the difference betweene sacrifices and Tithes ibid. c. who must pay Tithes 265. whereof ibid. whether it be a sinne not to pay Tithes where the custome is not to doe it 267 whether they may give them to a bad minister ibid. hee that robbeth the minister of Tithes robbeth God 268 Tongue three things that may comfort us against an evill tongue 544 545. the persecution of the tongue a grievous persecution 545 Tryall vid. Temptations 474 Gods Tryalls begin with a Tragedy and end with a Commedy 481 V VAile Christs flesh called a Vaile 404. this Vaile is called A way A New way a Living way 404 405 Visitation It is twofold of Iudgement In Mercy 89 Vniversality It is no necessary note of the Church 451 452 Vnprofitable things may be sayd to be unprofitable two wayes 288 Vnregen the workes of the Vnregenerate please not God 444 Vowes what Vowes be lawfull 262 W. WAnder A wandring life is an uncomfortable life 533 Warning God warnes before hee warres 446 448 449 Warre It is lawfull on conditions 248 249. causes of it 249. sundry condemne it ibid by nature there is warre betweene God and us 253. God warnes before he warres 446.448 449. wals in warres are not the strongest munition 514 Water the Holy Ghost is called water 409 Waver we must not waver in our profession 409 Way how Christ is the way the Living way 405 Weakenesse it is twofold 528 Whoremongers God will Iudge and that many wayes 613 Will Gods will how revealed when and by whom 52 53. he accepts the Will for the Deede 475 Women Origens invective against them 662. S. Pauls and S. Iohns prayse of them 663 Word that Gods Word is never without fruite 141. we must take heede of Contemning the Word 179. the Word is a Lively Word ibid. Mighty and Powerfull 180. This power of the Word is set forth 1 Comparatively 2 Simply 180 181. It is lively 1 In the good 2 In the bad 181 this should gaine our Reverence to it 182 183 this before all other writings is to be propounded to the people by the preacher 183 the Word is a heart searcher 184. the Word is a Touchstone 205 the Word compared to Raine 220 the want of the Word miserable ibi we should be therefore thankefull ibid World It is of Gods making and therefore to be esteemed 57 what is meant by the World to come 87 88 In this world there is nothing but changing 278. whatsoever is worldly we must not bee too much in love with it 328 329 It is not eternall 371 the world is not the Saints Country 469 we are out of this world two wayes 625 Workes why called dead workes 207 Not meritorious 227 230 their proper end 228 one special good worke is to minister to the necessities of the Saints ib. our good workes shal not be forgotten 229. our best workes are defiled with some sinne 252 253. sinnes called dead workes 356. dead things and dead workes compared 357. sinnes well so called 357 358 the workes of the unregenerate please not God 444. the prayse of good Workes 628 the next way to be famous is to be full of good Works 692 examples 693 FINIS The Scriptures occasionally handled in this Booke either by way of Exposition Allusion or Reconciliation Lib. Cap. Vers. Page Genesis 2 2 149 Â 6 6 293 Â 22 2 473 Â 42 15 239 Â 48 16 576 Â 50 25 488 Exod. 2 14 503 Â 35 5 30 Â 40 20 331 Levit. 16 2 338 Num. 11 18 128 Â 19 1 2 354 355 1 Sam. 15 11 293 Â 21 9 180 2 Sam. 7 14 62 1 King 8 9 331 2 King 5 18 538 Â 20 3 584 585 1 Chro. 5 10 331 Iob 19 25 11 Psal. 12 4 545 Â 45 7 66 Â 91 7 685 Â 105 25. with the summe of the whole Psalmes 70. Â 110 1 74 Prov. 4 23 135 Â 26 11 61 Eccles. 12 12 680 Cant. 4 12 582 Esay 8 18 104 Â 9 6 390 Â 46 3 59 Â 53 3 98 Â 57 20 21 9 Mala. 3 8 268 Mat. 5 16 18 231 Â Â 24 27 Â Â 34 238 Â 10 3 41 693 Â 12 31 417 Â 16 18 118 Â 18 10 576 Â 27 4 113 Luke 1 74 11 356 Â 8 18 78 Â 14 33 430 Â 24 26 362 Iohn 5 17 150 Â 12 26 6 Â 13 34 670 Â 14 6 405 Â Â 9 677 Â 20 28 11 Acts 2 17 18 55 Â 9 4 189 Â 12 15 576 Â 15 36 681 Â 20 28 355 356 Â 21 13 687 Rom. 1 10 684 Â 2 5 217 Â 4 5 14 Â 8 8 443 Â Â 17 56 Â Â 26 298 1 Cor. 3 11 119 Â 9 5 609 Â 11 1 128 Â 13 1 15 16 Â Â Vlt. 13 2 Cor. 5 10 211 375 Â Â 20 54 Â 7 1 316 Â 8 12 30 Â Â 18 44 Â 11 22 26 25 Gal. 3 28 26 Â 4 4 117 Â Â 7 56 Â 6 10 16 228 Ephes. 4 5 209 Â Â 14 677 Â Â 26 27 Philip. 3 12 15 584 Â Â 13 158 Coloss. 1 16 58 Â 3 12 27 Â Â 23 30 1 Thes. 5 13 632 2 Thes. 1 8 339 Â 3 17 49 1 Tim. 2 5 587 Â 3 1 699 Â Â 4 5 608 609 Â 5 17 24 2 Tim. 1 24 701 Â 3 16 124 Â 4 15 423 Titus 1 6 608 609 Heb. 3 13 62 Â 5 4 280 Â 8 1 62 Â 9 27 211 Â 10 29 218 Â 13 17 39 Iam. 4 13 213 681 Â 5 16 41 42 1 Pet. 5 8 109 2 Pet. 2 22 61 1 Ioh. 2 27 67 Â 5 16 418 Revel 3 4 302 Â Â 11 188 Â 7 4 452 Â 14 4 302 Â 18 4 435 Â 22 12 445 FINIS A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE OF St. Paul to PHILEMON THis Epistle hath beene questioned as well as others yea above others There were some in St. Chrysostomes St. Ambrose and Saint Hieromes time that would have it to be quite wiped out of the sacred Canon two motives induced them to it the brevitie of it for the manner
the levitie of it for the matter A short thing not worth the reading then away with the LORDS prayer with some of the small Prophets Abdie Nabum Sephonie Who art thou that despisest the day of small things Zach. 4.10 There was a little Citie and a wise poore man in it So here is a little Epistle and a wise poore man in it namely Onesimus whom God made rich in faith and in the graces of the spirit Our little Sister sayes the Church must not be contemned He that made the Camell and the Elephant made the Ant and the Bee too The same God is Author of little Epistles as well as of great they be all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired from above by God God made Pella as well as Hierusalem Lot said of Zoar is it not a little one Let my soule fly thither and live this Epistle is but a little one yet fly hither and your soule shall live Ye shall find much heavenly foode in it the shorter the way is the sooner it may be gone the shorter the Epistle is the sooner it may be read therefore read it to the comfort and instruction of you all The second thing that displeased them was the levitie of it for the matter of the Epistle trifling things are handled in it 1. It was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for one man that good Shepheard left 99. sheepe in the Wildernesse and sought up one One soule is to bee saved being more worth than a world One man is Gods Image and our brother therefore not to be neglected 2. For a base man 1. A servant CHRIST tooke on him the forme of a servant In saeculo there is great difference betweene a Master and a servant In Christo equall CHRIST died for servants as well as for masters Saul sought his fathers Asses and should not Saint Paul seeke up Gods servant 2. A fugitive the prodigall sonne was a fugitive yet his father embraced him Saint Paul reduced him à fugâ from his flight and caused him to flie to Christ with the wing of faith he lost his earthly master and found an heavenly master as Saul seeking Asses lighted on a kingdome 3. A thiefe he stole from his Master I but he did not continue a thiefe Saint Paul was a blasphemer and a persecutour the good thiefe was with CHRIST in Paradise the young man which Saint Iohn commended to the Bishop became a thiefe a master thiefe yet Saint Iohn went to him in his owne person and reduced him to CHRIST againe this thiefe became a good Spirituall thiefe one of those that did rapere regnum Caelorum therefore this Historie is worth the reading 2. There be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it matters of small importance as Verse 22. he is sollicitous for his lodging so he is for his cloake and Christ sent messengers to provide a lodging for him therefore away with the Gospell of St. Luke and the 2. to Timothie In this Epistle is to be considered 1. The gate or entrance into it 2. The house it selfe or substance of the Epistle Verse 4. An entrance is made into it by a wise a Christian a loving an eloquent salutation where 1. The persons concurring in it 2. The blessings wished in it 3. The persons are saluting or saluted the person saluting is described by his owne name by his masters badge or Liverie His name is Paul his Hebrew name was Saul he was an Hebrew of the Tribe of Benjamin King Saul and hee were of one Tribe Paul is a little name and being the Apostle of the Gentiles hee takes most delight in that Saint Hierome supposeth he tooke this name of Sergius Paulus the proconsull tanquam à primo ecclesiae spolio as of the first spoile among the Gentiles which he tooke out of the Devils mouth as Scipio was called Africanus of Africk which he subdued and Metellus Creticus Creete which he conquered so he was called Paul of Sergius Paulus whom he converted There may be some probabilitie of it but Saint Augustins interpretation is rather to be embraced Paulus i. e. modicus pusillus de Saulo Paulus de superbo modicus immò minimus as he interprets his owne name minimus apostolorum 1 Cor. l5 9 It is nomen humilitatis a name of humilitie in that we must all be Pauls having a base and lowly opinion of our selves In the next place he is described by his masters badge or livery not the Apostle of Iesus Christ but the prisoner of Iesus Christ which is greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there can bee no greater thing to glorie of than this Some may be the Apostles of IESUS CHRIST as Iudas was yet not the prisoner of Iesus Christ the Apostles themselves gloried in this that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. He uses this title to mollifie the heart of Philemon and to make it more inclinable to his suit for Onesimus hee must needs have an heart of iron that denies the request of a poore prisoner and the prisoner of Iesus Christ. There bee vincti diaboli vincti Iesu Christi Zedekiah was a prisoner bound in chaines by the King of Babel He was imprisoned for rebellion not for religion Barabbas was a famous prisoner as we say famosum scortum He was against Christ not for Christ. The good thiefe on the Crosse was a prisoner yet not for Christ but for his owne evill deeds we receive worthie of that we have done though Christ in mercy had compassion on him The Iesuits have alwayes boasted of their bonds imprisonment and martyrdome as they did in Wisbich Castle in Fremingam Castle and in other places they were vincti Papae non Christi The Popes not Christs prisoners All Queene Elizabeths dayes all KING Iames his dayes all King CHARLES his dayes never any was imprisoned or put to death simplie for Religion if they could have kept their fingers out of treason they might have kept their neckes out of the halter I would they would listen to that of Cyprian ardeant licet flammis what though they give their bodies to be burnt though they be cast to Wild beasts non erit illa fidei Corona sed paena perfidiae non religiosae virtutis exitus gloriosus sed desperationis interitus that is not the Crowne of Faith but the punishment of perfidiousnesse not the glorious end of religious vertue but the miserable destruction of desperation The Donatists complained of their persecution as the Brownists and Sectaries doe amongst us but as Saint Augustine told them yee suffer non propter Christum sed contra Christum persecutionem patimini non à nobis sed à factis vestris CHRIST was whipped that was persecution CHRIST whipped some out of the Temple that was no persecution Sarah beat Hagar and the Apostle calls that no persecution Ismael mocked Isaac and that hee calls a persecution Quid
we are not the Angels Ministers This is thy gracious goodnesse towards us thy name be blessed for it for ever and ever Whether he have appointed to every one of us a particular Angell or not let us not be too curious in the discussing of it this is comfortable for us that wee have many Angels to Minister to us Their Angels saies CHRIST of those that believe in him not their Angell not one Angell but many carryed Lazarus his soule into Abrahams bosome 3. What an unspeakable comfort is this for us What a Tower of defence against Satan and his Angels The Devill compasseth the earth to and fro hee walkes up and downe like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure and there be many 1000s of devils there were a legion in one man These by Gods permission raise up tempests stirre up extraordinary windes blow downe houses Nay if God did not bridle them they would quickly teare us all in pieces but let this be our castle to flye unto as there be bad Angels to hurt us so there be good Angels to defend us There were Charrets and horse-men of fire round about Elisha and the Angels of God though we cannot see them with our eyes pitch their Tents round about us these be stronger than the Devill and his angels because they never sinned and have God on their side In the time of Popery the people were much deluded with the walking of spirits they durst not go through a Church-yard in the night for feare of them Sundry are afraid of Fairies and of ill spirits that haunt their houses no doubt but the evill angels are busie in all places yet let us feare none of them all we are guarded with the celestiall guard of holy Angels that are able to protect us from them all especially Christ Iesus is on our side which is above all Angels he sits at Gods right-hand hath all power in heaven and earth he will preserve us from all dangers in this life and bring us to his everlasting Kingdome in the life to come 4 Seeing that God hath ordained the Angels to be ministring-spirits for our sakes which undoubtedly looke carefully to their charge seldome or never are they absent from us some or other are present with us continually Let us do nothing that may grieve these Heavenly Spirits let the Women be covered because of the Angels So let not us sweare and blaspheme the Name of God c. because of the Angels Men would blush to commit filthinesse in the presence of an honourable Personage the Angels are alwayes present with us therefore even in respect of them let us absteine from sin CHAP. 2. IN the former Chapter the Author as in a Glasse shewed the Deity of CHRIST and both simply and absolutely ratified it Now he applies it to them to whom he writeth Where 1. An application 2. A transition to his humanity In the Application 1. the Vse 2. the Reasons whereby it is pressed 1. From the incommodity 2. From the punishment set forth by a comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forsomuch as CHRIST the Author of the Gospell is not onely above the Angels but is the high and eternall God being the naturall Son of the everlasting Father and engraven forme of his Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we ought So then it is not left to our discretion we are tied with the bond of necessity to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intend our mindes that the things may be imprinted in our hearts and practised in our lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more aboundantly We should abound more in hearing attention and practice than they did in the time of the Law we should excell them by a more rare and singular attention for though the things are the same yet the party is not the same by whom they are delivered It is not enough to heare Sermons every weeke which is good and commendable but we must yeeld a diligent attention to the things that we heare we especially now in the time of the Gospell when God speaketh to us by his owne Son The people were bound to heare attentively in the time of the Law when the Prophets of God spake to them but much more are we when the Son of God the Prince of Prophets the Prophet of the Prophets speakes to us All Samaria gave heed to Simon Magus that bewitched them and lead them to the Divell and shall not we give heed to Iesus Christ that labours to carry us to Heaven Doe not onely heare but attend to that which ye heare Take heed how ye heare whether loosely or carefully profitably or unprofitably Lydia attended to the things that Paul spake Acts 16.14 We must not only heare the Preacher but attend to the things which he uttereth An Infant doth not only take the dug into his mouth but he sucketh at it and that with greedinesse So we must not onely lye at the big of the Word but we must suck sweet doctrines and heavenly instructions from it The ground that receives not the seed into it will never be fruitfull if it lye aloft and be not hidden in the bowels of the earth it can never yeeld fruit so when the seed of the Word is sowne if we doe not marke it and lay it up in our hearts hide it within us as David did the birds of the Ayre that is the divels that flie up and downe in the Church will pick it up and run away with it Therefore let us diligently give heed to the things which we heare hearing is good and they be commended that heare yet that is not sufficient a diligent attendance must be given to that which we heare When Christ reades a Divinity Lecture to us we that be his Schollers must attend to it It is said of the people that they hung on Christ watching the words that came from his mouth ready to receive them before they came so with all care and diligence we must hang on the Preacher marke his words and be ready to receive them into our eares and hearts even before they are delivered so eager should we be of the Word Especially now in the time of the Gospell what attention is there in the Starre-Chamber when the Lords of the Privie Counsell speake But if either the Prince or the King himselfe make an Oration then there is wonderfull attention In the time of the Law the Prophets spake which indeed were of Gods counsell by whom God revealed his will to the people but now the Prince of peace the everlasting Counsellor the Kings owne Sonne that lay in his owne bosome in whom all the treasures of wisdome are hid speaketh to us Therefore let us listen with all diligence to the things which he speaketh And how doth Christ now speak Not daily from Heaven as he did to Saul but by the mouth of his Ambassadours He that heareth you heareth me will ye have an experience of Christ that
with all reverence Secondly a strengthning of the charge by an argument which he disputeth by the example of their fathers Where first the sinne of their fathers then the punishment of the sinne Their sin is set downe first generally then particularly with the circumstances belonging to it of the place where it was committed the persons by whom the nature and quality of the sin amplified by the meanes they had to call from it the time how long they continued in this sinne The punishment is double 1. GODS wrath and displeasure 2. A definitive sentence proceeding from it an exclusion of them out of his rest VERSE 7. SEeing we have such a rare and excellent Prophet as is not as a servant but as the Sonne in the house of GOD let us attend to him and for so much as faith makes us to be of this house and hope is as a pillar for the susteining of us in it let us beware of infidelity that pulls downe the house and shuts up the doore against this Prophet that he cannot enter in into us Now because hee was to make a commemoration of the stubbornnesse and contumacie of the ancient Israelites which in time rejected this Prophet and would not heare him very wisely for offending of the Hebrews he delivers it in the words of the Holy Ghost rather then of his owne They would peradventure have kicked against his reproofe but they durst not spurne at the reprehension of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost long agoe by the mouth of David provoked the people to lysten to CHRIST the true Prophet of the Church therefore let us all attend to him The Author of this Epistle was not ignorant that David was the penman or Authour of this Psalme for he himselfe affirmeth Hebr. 4.7 yet he doth not say as David speaketh but as the Holy Ghost saith whereby he gives us to understand that the Holy Ghost the third person in the glorious Trinity speaketh in the Scriptures the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 this heavenly spirit did breath them into those worthy instruments which he used Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost The Manichees sayd that the evill GOD was the Author of the Old Testament and the good GOD of the new yet the Holy Ghost spake in the Old Testament This then is the prerogative of the sacred Scripture above other wrytings In other books men speake but in this God speaketh In other writings Tullie Seneca Plato Aristotle Plutarch speaketh who indeed were wise and learned men but in the bookes of holy Scripture the Holy Ghost speaketh which is the fountaine of all wisdome In them the servants speake in this the LORD speaketh In them the subjects in this the Prince The Holy Ghost speaketh in the bookes of Moses of the Psalmes of the Prophets in the bookes of the New Testament yet such is the blindnesse of our understanding and the corruption of our nature that we preferre humanity before Divinity the writing of men before the writings of God the Moone before the Sunne wee had rather be reading of humane Authors then of these heavenly books wherein the HOLY GHOST speaketh to us Now if yee will heare his voice as God hath commanded you to doe Deut. 18.18 Then harden not your hearts Thus it is as cleere as the noone day that the Spirit of God gives an evident testimony of our Saviour CHRIST To day In the time of the Gospell The law was as the night this as the day While he speaketh to us 2 Cor. 6.2 CHRIST spake in Moses time in Davids time he spake in his owne person on the earth and he speakes in the Ministerie of the Gospell to the worlds end The Gentiles that were not as yet of CHRISTS fold heare the voyce of CHRIST Ioh. 10. but CHRIST is now in heaven therefore the voyce of the Preachers is the voyce of CHRIST He doth not say to morrow post it not off till to morrow but heare it To day while it may be heard VERSE 8. WHat then He doth not say stop not up your yeares we must not doe that neither but it is in vaine for the eare to heare if the heart bee hardned therefore first he beginneth with the heart God opened the heart of Lydia The heart is the principall thing which GOD requireth in the hearing of the Word In vaine doe wee heare with our eares if our hearts bee not opened therefore sayes the Holy Ghost harden not your hearts GOD hardeneth the hearts of men and men harden their owne hearts He hardned the heart of Pharaoh and Deut. 2.30 GOD hardneth not only permissivè but also activè the LORD hath a kinde of act in it his providence is in it He gave up the Gentiles unto their owne lusts Rom. 1.24 Hee sendeth the wicked strong delusions to believe lies He did not only suffer Pharaohs heart to be hardned but he hardned it indeed How Not infundendo malitiam by infusing evill into our hearts for they be as pots full of all impiety already GOD needs not nay GOD cannot it is repugnant to his nature to put any evill into us yet hee doth not harden onely subtrahendo gratiam though that bee one meanes but by having an operation in the action yet so as he is free from the least imputation of sinne As hardnesse of heart comes from GOD it is a punishment of sin of our former contempt of his grace and mercie offered to us as it proceedeth from our selves it is a sinne yea an horrible sinne To conclude we first contemne that grace which should soften our hearts and then God hardens them We our selves properly to speake are the hardners of our own hearts GOD gives us his sacred word as a trumpet to waken us out of sinne he sends us his Ministers and Preachers as bells to toll us to the kingdome of heaven they will us in GODS name to believe in CHRIST to forsake our sinnes be they never so neere or deere unto us we for all that harden our hearts that those heavenly admonitions cannot enter into them Let God say what hee will let him preach by his Embassadours we will still continue in unbeliefe and dwell in our sinnes we say with them in the Gospell we will not have this man to reigne over us Sinne shall be our King Lord and Master CHRIST IESUS shall not rule us by his word and Spirit This is the hardnesse of heart that is in us by nature Oh Hierusalem how often would I have gathered thy children together and yee would not Matth. 23.37 The LORD sent his Prophets early and late 2 Chron. 36.16 and in Zach. 7.12 there is a wonderfull example to this purpose This hardnes of heart reigneth exceedingly at this present day yea even in those townes where there is most plentifull preaching Therefore let us intreat the LORD to give us a new heart to take from us
this heart of stone and give us an heart of flesh let us desire him by the dew of his spirit to mollifie our hearts that the heavenly doctrines exhortations and admonitions delivered to us may sinke deepely into our hearts and make a conversion of us that our hearts may melt as Iosiah's did at the hearing of the law Nothing can enter into that which is hard if the ground be hard it cannot receive the seede if the Waxe be hard it cannot take the impression of any seale and so long as our hearts remaine hard they cannot receive the immortall seed of the word nor the print of the Spirit which is GODS seale Wherefore let us be suiters to God to soften our hearts daily more and more Above all evills the Lord deliver us from hardnesse of heart for that is the ready way to hell When yee be at Sermons harden not your hearts against the vices that are reproved but tremble at the word of GOD bee grieved for your sins open the doores of your hearts to the Lord Iesus which standeth knocking at them with the hammer of his word that he may come and suppe with you in this life and you dine and suppe with him in the life to come From this hardnesse of heart he disswadeth them by the fearefull judgement of God that fell upon their fathers for it which he propounds first generally In the provocation Hebr. Meribah in the chiding and contending when the fathers chode and contended with Moses which Saint Paul calls an exacerbation or provocation because God by that was provoked to anger in so much as he became very bitter in words and deeds towards the Israelites Doe not you dance after that Pipe and walke according as they did Temptation Hebr. Massah which is expounded afterwards It is a question among interpreters to what place of the Old Testament Saint Paul heere alludeth Some referre it to that Numb 14. Where after the returne of the Spies they despaired of entring into the Land of Canaan and murmured against GOD and Moses Others to that Exod. 17. where water came out of the rock whereas before they murmured for want of water There may be some allusion to both places for the one place hath her name of the contending and tempting and is called Massah and Meribah and in the other place is contained the forme of the oath that God used Neverthelesse it were fittest to expound it generally of the stubborne and contumelious behaviour of the Israelites in the wildernesse then of any one particular temptation 1. Because he names no particular place but the wildernesse in generall 2. Because the tempting he speaketh of here lasted the whole forty yeeres 3. The word day is often taken in Scripture not for any set and prescript time but for an indefinite time a continuance of time Ioh. 8.56 Psalm 25.5 all the time that the temptation lasteth Psalm 50.15 As to day in the former verse was largely taken So here 4. Num. 14.22 It is apparant that they tempted him many times Then he describeth it by all particular circumstances belonging to it 1. By the place where this sinne was committed in the wildernesse where they were subject to innumerable dangers scarsitie of meat and drinke to the invasion of wild beasts compassed with enemies on every side yet the LORD was as a wall of fire round about them hee carryed them on Eagles wings he suffered none to doe them any wrong but reproved Kings for their sakes Notwithstanding in this place where they were continually under the wings of GODS protection they tempted him and provoked him to wrath as if the Child should scratch the nurses face when hee is in her armes VERSE 9. 2. THe parties that committed this offence were their Fathers of whom they much gloried and boasted Our fathers eat Manna in the wildernesse God made a covenant with our fathers that he would bee their God and they should bee his people The oracles of God were committed to our fathers God talked familiarly with our fathers our fathers were deepe in Gods bookes If we doe as our fathers did we cannot doe amisse I but our fathers must not alwayes bee a rule for us to follow your father 's tempted CHRIST in the wildernesse so must not you doe your father 's resisted the HOLY GHOST so must not you your father 's killed the Prophets your fathers were often ready to stone Moses so must not you The Papists at this day are the Iewes Apes they are likewise wedded to their fathers Our fathers were of this Religion therefore we will be of it our father 's kissed the Popes feete ergo Our Fathers cast off the yoke of CHRIST therefore wee will doe the same our fathers would be joynt Saviours with Christ they would merit heaven therefore we will doe the like our father 's worshipped they knew not what so we will doe But Saint Paul gives us a better rule be yee followers of me as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 If our fathers followed CHRIST let us follow them otherwise let them goe alone thy father drowned himselfe and wilt thou drowne thy selfe too The Father of lights must bee preferred before the fathers of darknesse the Father of heaven before the fathers on earth If we delight in antiquity let us do as the ancient of dayes prescribeth us let us not dote with our fathers and goe to hell with our fathers Children must bee content to heare of their fathers sinnes for the better avoyding of them If any raile of our fathers that bee dead spew out their poyson against them disgrace our fathers where there is no cause or rake up the infirmities of our fathers a◠out of graves we have just cause to be moved at it but if any in the feare and zeale of GOD admonish us of our fathers grosse and notorious offences that we stumble not at the same stones and breake our neckes as they did wee are to take it in good part and profit by it to that end doth the Apostle here make a commemoration of their fathers sinnes but doe not you tempt me as they did The quality of their sinne was a tempting and proving of him probaverunt that is causâ curiositatis exquisiverunt an possem facere Num. 11.18 God is tempted diverse wayes 1. If having meanes we neglect them fondly flying to the supposed providence of GOD if CHRIST having a paire of staires to come downe by should have cast himselfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple he had tempted GOD. Many that be sicke would faine be well but they are resolute to use no physicke many would gladly fare well have sufficient for themselves their Wives and Children but they will not labour nor take paines that is a tempting of God 2. Men tempt God when having had evident proofe and manifest experience of his wisedome power mercy and goodnesse yet if they be driven into any streights and see no present meanes to
but as faithfull souldiers let us continue with Him to the end If we goe from Him we depart from our owne life and throw our selves into death and destruction Therefore let us tarry with Him Let us believe this our Prophet and never depart from Him VERSE 13. NOw as a Sovereigne remedy against infidelity and hardnesse of heart he prescribeth a mutuall exhortation unto them that will be as a trumpet singing in our eares to keepe us out of the sleepe of sin Call one to another as Souldiers doe in the battell Still hee persisteth in the same metaphor As souldiers when they be in the fight and conflict call one to another saying ô be of good cheere play the men start not aside cleave to your company be not afrayd of enemy the victory shall be ours So we that be CHRIST's Souldiers must stirre up and provoke one another Cast not off your confidence that ye have in CHRIST let neither Satan nor any of his instruments pull you from Christ the author and finisher of your salvation be not faint hearted but hold out to the end This mutuall exhortation one of another is amplified three kind of wayes 1. By the time when it is to be performed 2. By the occasion which is not to be neglected 3. By the end for the which it is worthy to be practised The time when is not once or twise but daily 1. We are forgetfull of heavenly matters therefore we have need to be put in mind of them every day 2. We are dull and slow in practise of them lazie horses that will scarcely go therfore we must be put forward with the spurre of dayly exhortation As Christ sayd concerning the forgiving of our brother that wee must forgive him 77. times so it may be affirmed of the exhorting of our brethren we must exhort them 77. times we must be continually exhorting them Many thinke if they have called on their brethren once or twice to pray to goe to Church c. they have done their duty I have told him of it often I will speake no more to him of it I but thou must exhort him every day That which is not effected to day may be effected to morrow gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed sape cadendo Therefore exhort him every day if thou doest no good on him yet he is left without excuse and thy reward is with God 2 To this duty of exhortation he stirreth us up by the opportunity of the time which he wishes us to lay hold of What is this day Some interpret it of the time of the Gospell which hath the name of day in regard of the great light that is in it whereas the time of the Law may be compared to the night in comparison of it But I take that to be curious Others expound this day to be the whole course of our life which in respect of the brevity of it is termed by one Diecula While our life lasteth which is but short let us exhort one another That is good counsell yet I take it not to be the direct meaning of the place By day he meaneth that gracious time wherein God stretcheth forth his armes to us in the ministery of his Word to call us unto his Kingdome We are to take the opportunity offered to us and not let it slip walke while yee have the light while our peace lasteth that we may conveniently goe one to another while we have the Scripture amongst us whereby we may learne how to exhort one another while GOD speaketh unto us by His ambassadours from whose mouth we may have instructions for a wise execution of this duty while the candle of truth shineth among us let us be carefull to exhort one another in these peaceable dayes in this flourishing time of the Gospell let this Christian duty be performed by us all 3 The third is the danger that will ensue if exhortation be omitted hardnesse of heart will grow and so our brethren shall bee incureable The which hardnesse of heart is amplified by the efficient cause of it the deceitfulnesse of sinne carrying us like a thiefe out of the way and leading us to destruction that is the nature of the word There be many to deceive us 1. We deceive our selves Iames 1. 1 Iohn 1.8 2. The Divell that sly serpent deceiveth us 3. Sin deceiveth us and that she doth three kind of wayes 1. by putting on the visard of vertue Adultery is but a tricke of youth a sweet sin that may easily bee borne withall covetousnesse is but thrift and good husbandry every man must have a care of his owne estate swearing is the part of a Gentleman of a generous and heroicall spirit they be nice fellowes base minded men that will not sweare there is no life in them drunkennesse is good fellowship they be misers that wil not spend a penny in an Ale-house we mault-men are the only companions in the world Thus we are coosened by sin 2 Sinne deceiveth us by shrouding it selfe under the coate of Gods mercy But let us not be so afrayd of sin God is mercifull he will wincke at such light sinnes as these be we shall never be called into GODS counting house for them whereas he is a severe punisher of sin even in his owne children 3 Sinne deceiveth us by custome in sinning Many sins at the first we were afrayd to commit our consciences checked us for them but in processe of time being inured to them we commit them without feare or shame A custome in sinning makes sin at the length seeme to be no sin The children of the Lacedemonians being used to stripes had no feeling of stripes and after we have beene used to sin we have no sence or feeling of sin Thus especially we come to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin our owne consciences feared up with an hot iron Therefore for the avoyding of this let us exhort one an other dayly that the fire and heat of exhortation may cause our hearts to melt and so keepe us from being hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin Exhortation if it be used in time will be as a trumpet to waken our selves and others out of sin Saint Paul and Barnabas went from towne to towne exhorting the brethren Acts 14.22 Exhort one an other and edifie one another 1 Thes. 5.11 have compassion on some putting difference and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire Iude verse 22.23 But alas this duty is neglected every one for himselfe and God for us all Am I my brothers Keeper I will looke to my owne soule as well as I can what have I to doe with my brothers soule Let not us that be Christians have such a thought in us Let us as the Scripture willeth us exhort one an other dayly labour to preserve one an other from being hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin and let us be as Bells to toll one another to the
much questioning now who stands to day If such a one preach I will come to Church if such a one I will not stirre a foote out of doores for it There be diversities of gifts but heare all good Preachers for yee come not to heare man but God yee come to a sword and that a sharpe one Balaams Asse started at the Angels sword and shall not wee feare at Gods sword When that Parasite Damocles had the tyrant Dionysius sword hanging over his head he quaked and when we be at Sermons Gods sword hangs over our heads therefore let us heare with trembling Vpon whom shall my spirit rest Even on him that trembles at my word 2. Seeing it is such a mighty word let us take heede how wee jest with it Sundry there be that will make themselves merry with the Scriptures as they sit at table as they walke together and ride by the high way side they will snatch a sentence out of the Bible to exercise wit withall like Iulian that gave a Christian a boxe of eare and then bade him turne the other cheeke to take another for so scoffingly said he did your master CHRIST command you to doe it is ill jesting with edge tooles The word of God is a sharp toole sharper than any two edged sword therefore use it reverently in all your speeches make not your selves merry with that lest God make you sorry afterwards Will you jest with the writings of a King that learned King Iames whom the Lord in mercy set over us hath many excellent bookes in print dare any of you jest with a sentence taken out of them and shall we sport our selves with the sacred writings of the King of Kings Isack sported himselfe with Rebeccah his Wife God hath given thee many blessings a loving Wife besides many other earthly delights sport thy selfe with them after an holy and religious manner but sport not thy selfe with the Word of God if thou doest it will byte thee ere thou beest aware 3. This graphicall description of the Word of GOD should enflame us with a love of it it should cause us to preferre this above all other bookes in the world There is wit in Seneca Plutarch in Tully in Saint Aug. Chrys. Ierome Bernard yea many excellent pearles of learning to be found in them but not worthy to be named the same day with the Bible For there is an unspeakable Majesty in the Word of God to waken thee up being dull and drowsie to all good dutyes to comfort thee in all afflictions to make thee a new Creature in Christ Iesus Therefore Saint Augustine after he was converted professed of himselfe avidissimè arripui venerabilem stylum spiritus tui Aug. Conf. lib. 7. cap. 21. Illic potissimùm quaerenda est sapientia ubi staltitia titulus apparet Therefore let it be greedily affected by us all let us spend lesse time in other bookes and more in this 4. Seeing it is such a lively mighty and piercing Word let the Preachers especially propound this to the people they shall do more good with one sentence of Gods Word then with thousands of Poets and Philosophers c. those may delectare but these will inflammare did not our hearts burne within us when he expounded the Scripture by the way Those will tickle the eare but these will kindle a fire in the heart that cannot be quenched those will make the people to say of thee when they are gone a fine man hee hath a sweet and eloquent tongue but the proofes of Scripture will make them to say Oh mighty and powerfull man The Philosophers sayes Lactant. have many excellent precepts yet no pondus in them quia sunt humana authoritate majori i. divina curent therefore no man believes them quia tà m se hominem esse putat qui audivit quà m ille qui praecepit we cannot aliunde suadere de rebus fidei quà m ex literis fidei Tertul. At the Councell of Nice there was a Philosopher of singular note for learning that disputed with the Bishops there assembled about three hundred and eighteene he had so many cunning evasions that tanquà m anguis lubricus hee alwayes wound away At length an ancient man which was no Minister but a good professour takes him in hand he encounters with him only in the name of CHRIST and with the naked Word of God the Philosopher was overcome and yeelded the bucklers to him saying to his Schollers donec verbis mecum res gesta est verba verbis apposui ubi verò pro verbis virtus processit ex ore dicentis non potuerunt resistere verba virtuti nec homo adversari Deo Virtus crucifixi in Paulo fuit omnibus poetis philosophis rhetoribus potentior As David sayd of Goliahs sword may be sayd most truly of this there is none to the Word of God I will fight with that in every Sermon But what manner of Word is this that is so lively and mighty in operation Not the word that God speakes immediately with his owne mouth from Heaven as he thundered at the giving of the Law but the word that he speaketh by the mouth of his Embassadours Rom. 10.8 1 Cor. 1.21 1 Pet. 1.25 Though a weake man hath the handling of this sword yet because the Spirit of God striketh with it it will give a sound blow This word is a Discerner a Critick that judgeth soundly and narrowly as Aristarchus and Aristophanes leave nothing unsearched 1 Cor. 14.24 Luc. 2.35 As the Prophet Elisha revealed to the King of Israel whatsoever was done in the King of Syria his privie Chamber so the word of God doth discerne the most secret thoughts of our hearts the thoughts and intents of the heart that is The first conceptions which are as children of the mind the cogitations which delight and consent have apprehended and are ready to bring into practice The consideration hereof should cause us to have a reverent regard of the word of God and to stand in awe of it When ye come to a Sermon ye come to a diligent and narrow Searcher that can lay open all the secret sins that ye have committed your adulteries oppressions backbitings and slanderings thefts your beastly drinking in Tavernes and Alehouses Behold a man that hath told me all that ever I have done said the woman of Samaria and I say behold you are now hearing of that word that will tell you all that you have done You come to heare that which shall judge you at the latter day therefore heare not drowsily loosely carelesly negligently Take heed how you heare If it be not a sword to kill sin in you to mortifie the members of the old Adam in you it will be a sword to kill you everlastingly A strange thing there hath beene wonderfull plenty of preaching in this Land yet small profiting by it and why because wee have not the reverent estimation of the word of God
Testament is made There is no Mediatour besides him Mediatour quasi medius dator Of the New Testament which is farre different from the Old Covenant or Testament for it consisteth on better promises Hebrewes 8. ver 6. By the meanes of death that death being or comming betweene for the redeeming of us from the punishments due to the transgressions and the price wherewith he redeemed us from them was his owne bloud If CHRIST his death doth redeeme us from all transgressions then there needs no sacrifices for sin after his death Yes say the Iesuites one to be a representation of that on the Crosse. I but you say that the sacrifice of the Masse and that on the Crosse are all one in substance differing only in the forme and manner Now if Christ be really present in the Masse how can the Masse bee a representation of him And that manner is opposite to the Scriptures for the Scripture sayes he is only offered up with bloud Your unbloudy sacrifice is no sacrifice In the former covenant whereas we for our part were not able to performe that which belonged to us GOD performed his part but we could not doe ours It is unseasonable here to dispute whether CHRIST delivered them that lived in the time of the Law for by the Old Testament is meant the Old Covenant not the time of the Old Testament Therefore it is opposed to the New Testament In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were for the sins of them that were under the Old Testament That they which are called namely effectually as well internally by the spirit as externally by the word 1 Cor. 1.2 24. Rom. 8.30 Not only heare it but receive it namely by faith The promise The full fruition whereof they should receive hereafter in the meane season the Holy Ghost is as a Seale and earnest penny of it Ephes. 1.13 2 Cor. 1.22 It is not a thing merited by our workes but a gracious inheritance promised to us CHRIST is the right and principall heire Hebr. 1.2 we are secondary heyres with him and by him Rom. 8.17 Not a fading inheritance as these be but that lasteth for ever CHRIST is the sole Mediatour 1 Tim. 2.5 Ioh. 16.23 Apoc. 8.3 Let us not cry with those Idolaters ô Baal heare us but aske the Father in his Sons name and say ô CHRIST heare us Who prevailes more with the King then the Kings Son Let us not leave the Sonne and goe to servants There is a double calling the one externall alone by the outward sound of the word the other externall and internall too not by the Trumpet of the Word alone ringing in the eare but by the voice of the Spirit also perswading the heart and moving us to goe to Christ. Of this calling spake our SAVIOUR CHRIST no man commeth to me except the Father draw him namely by his spirit as well as by his word Iudas was called hee was not a professour alone but a Preacher of the Gospell Simon Magus was called he believed and was baptized Herod was called he heard Iohn Baptist sweetely and did many things that he willed him Sundry at this day come to Church heare Sermons talke of Religion that doe not answere Gods call Therefore let us entreat the Lord to call us effectually by his blessed Spirit out of our sinnes to holinesse and newnesse of life If wee be thus called we shall receive the eternall inheritance which CHRIST hath purchased for us Let us be suiters to God that he would make us partakers of this calling that makes an alteration of us 1 Cor. 6.9 11. If wee were Idolaters as Manasseh to call us out of our superstition and idolatry if persecutors as Paul to call us out of our persecuting if wee are Adulterers as David to call us out of our uncleannesse if drunkards out of our drunkennes if covetous oppressours as Zacheus was to call us out of our oppression and make us new Creatures in Christ Iesus It is not a purchase bought with the money of our owne merits but an inheritance bequeathed to us by the last Will and Testament of our Saviour Christ Luk. 22.29 and I appoint unto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me The inheritances that bee in the world seeme faire and glorious it is a goodly thing to have the inheritance of a great Gentleman of a Knight Lord Earle Duke but a Kings inheritance surpasseth all yet these are but strawes to this inheritance These inheritances may bee taken from us while wee bee here Mephibosheth's lands were given away to Tsibah and Naboth lost his Vineyard though it was the inheritance of his fathers When Death comes then we must forgoe all houses and lands all that our fathers left us But this inheritance is eternall wee can never be deprived of it we shall enjoy it world without end Therefore let us seeke to have an assurance of this inheritance in our hearts and consciences If a man be sure to be a Lords heyre though hee is in misery yet he will endure it we are sure to have an eternall inheritance by Christ let us therefore abide patiently the miseries of this short life VERSE 16. THere must needs be carryed as a true and an infallible report it must be sure and certaine that the Testatour is dead Where 1. The axiome 2. The proofe or illustration of it Verse 17. Here wee see it was necessary CHRIST should dye Ought not CHRIST to suffer these things and to enter into his glory Luk. 24 26. why not because the Devill would have it to be so not that the rage and fury of the Pharises should bee satisfied not because Iudas would but because God the Father in singular love to mankinde had so ordained in his eternall counsell and because Christ was willing to dye for us Can mankinde bee saved no otherwise but by my death then here am I take me I will dye for them ô the wonderfull love of Christ Here the Testatour would live still if he might and then the legataries should never have their legacies our testatour might have lived still if he would being the Lord of life yet that we might have our legacy hee would dye ô unspeakable love Let it bee imprinted on our hearts that it may constraine us to leave all sins VERSE 17. NOw followes the proofe or illustration of the axiom A Testament is thus defined by Vlpianus Est declaratio voluntatis nostrae de eo quod fieri volumus post mortem Is of force Is firme After the Testatour is dead both because hee may alter it at his pleasure and the goods remaine all still in the Testatours hands it is testamentum ambulatorium usque ad mortem The Testament of our SAVIOUR CHRIST is a good Testament It is partly nuncupativum as it was pronounced by himselfe when hee was alive partly Scriptum as it was after committed to
hath borne the sinnes of us all therefore let us not feare death 2. It is but a sleepe Lord if hee sleepe then shall hee doe well enough Men are refreshed after sleepe so we after death Apoc. 3.14 13. There bee two benefits which wee shall receive by death 1. Wee shall rest from our labours Here wee are like Noahs Dove wee can finde no rest either day or night wee shall rest from the workes of our calling Now indeed wee are early up in the morning sit up late at night and eate the bread of carefulnesse all the day long but then wee shall rest from that toiling and moiling wee shall rest from the workes of piety and Religion All that wee shall doe then will bee to sing Hallelujahs to our blessed redeemer Wee shall rest from sinne wee shall no longer cry out like tyred Porters Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of death We shall rest from all miseries and sicknesses cry out no more my head my head nor complaine of troubles in our selves Wives Children or servants Wee shall rest from weaknesses and infirmities Now wee eate drinke sleepe c. but then wee shall eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God and never hunger or thirst any more 2. Their workes follow them our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. The almes of Cornelius the garments of Dorcas the Centurions Synagogue a Cup of cold water given in CHRIST 's name shall be rewarded so that we may sing like a Swanne before our death as St. Paul did 2 Tim. 4.8 henceforth there is layd up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give mee at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing 4. Comfort against death is a glorious resurrection Iob 19.25 26.27 Phil. 3. Christ's glorious body Our bodies putrifie in the earth yet there is not an end of them We have praeludia in the Old and New Testament the Widow of Sareptas Son raysed up by Elias the Sonne of the Shunamitish Woman by Elisha In the New Testament Christ raised up three the one in domo Iairus daughter the other in feretro on the Beare the Widdowes Sonne of Naim the third in Sepulchro that was Lazarus which had lyen foure dayes and began to stincke all which are pledges of our resurrection The same God that raised them up will raise us up at the last day Death goes not alone there is one that followes her and that is judgement Iudgement either of absolution for the godly come yee blessed of my Father or of condemnation for the wicked goe yee cursed into c. If there were no judgement after death the godly of all others were most miserable and if no judgement the ungodly were the happiest men But let us know that after death comes a judgement one way or other salvation or damnation We must all appeare before the judgment seate of Christ c. The drunkard must give an account of his drunkennesse the covetous man how he hath imployed his riches we must give an account of our oppressions thefts secret or open of our negligent comming to Church and contempt of the Word of God Let this cause us with a narrow eye to looke into our lives let us judge our selves in this world that wee bee not condemned hereafter Yet there bee a number in the Church that thinke it a scare Crow and make a mocke at this judgement as the Athenians did at the resurrection Acts 17.32 they will believe the Assizes at Bury and in other places but count this a tale of a tub Felix though a wicked man trembled at it Let us all tremble at the naming of this judgement Let it be a meanes to pull us from sin and to make our peace with God in this world that we may stand without trembling before the Sonne of man Iudgment followes upon the neck of death either come thou blessed or goe thou cursed The good thiefe the same day he dyed was with Christ in Paradise that was his judgment the rich man the same day he dyed was in hell in torments that was his judgement Wherefore whilest wee have time let us repent while God giveth us a breathing time on the face of the earth for when death commeth it is too late then there is no mercy but judgement to be expected While we be alive Christ knocketh at the doore of our hearts with the hammer of his Word if we will open to him he will sup with us and we shall sup with him in the kingdome of glory but if now we shut him out and will not suffer him to enter he will shut us out and though we cry Lord Lord with the foolish Virgins he will not open to us VERSE 28. AT the which offering he dyed To take away not existentiam peccati but reatum dominium paenam Of many Matth. 26.28 he dyed for all sufficienter What is CHRIST dead and gone then wee shall never see him againe Yes he shall appeare in the heavens with his mighty Angels Without sinne Why the first time he appeared without sinne for He knew no sinne I but then hee came with his fraile body to offer up for sinne Verse 26. Now he shall appeare with no more sacrifice for sinne Then he came as a Lamb to be slaine for sin now as a King and a Lion Then he came as a Priest with a sacrifice to offer now as a Iudge to sit on the Throne To the salvation of the godly but to the damnation of wicked and reprobate men Here is another argument against the Masse Men may as well dye often ordinarily as Christ be offered up often As this is an unmoveable truth that a man ordinarily dies but once So this is a firme position in Divinity that CHRIST can be but once offered properly But to whom shall the day of Iudgement be comfortable to them that are weary of the loade of sin and looke for their deliverer Phil. 3.20 Tit. 2.13 2 Pet. 3.12 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window for the comming of her Sonne So we the spirituall mother brethren and sisters of Christ must looke out at the window of our hearts for him A Woman lookes for her Husband and we look to our money our Sheepe and Oxen but we looke not for Christ. It is to be feared if he were a comming we would entreat him to tarry still and say with the devills why art thou come to torment us before the time hee is our deliverer let us looke for him as faithfull servants for their masters and say come LORD IESU come quickly The second comming of CHRIST is here notably described 1. He shall come potenter because it is said he shall appeare 2. Innocenter without sinne 3. Finaliter to them that looke for him 4. Vtiliter to salvation He
it is committed after the receipt of the knowledge of the truth Their punishment is described 1. By a substraction of the remedy against sin there remaines no more sacrifice for it analysis 27 2. By a position of the grievous punishment it selfe which is a fearefull expectation of two things of judgement as of the antecedent of fire as of the consequent described by the quality of it and by an effect of devouring whom the adversaries of Christ for they are the fewell of this fire analysis 28 The confirmation of it by two arguments 1. A Christ's Law but the one ergo the other Where 1. The protasis of the comparison shewing what befell to the former 2. The apodosis what shall befall the latter In the protasis 1. The fault 2. The punishment The fault is a despising not every transgressing of Moses Law The punishment is death amplified by the severity of it without mercy and the equity of it because the party is condemned by two or three witnesses In the apodosis there is an inversion of these two analysis 29 1. The grievousnesse of the punishment which in all equity must exceed the other in as much as Christ is greater than Moses the Lord and master of the house then a servant in the house 2. The haynousnes of the sin in respect of two most glorious and worthy persons contemned by them God the Son and God the Holy Ghost In the Sonne there be two speciall things the mysterie of his incarnation for that they tread under foote the Son of God which was God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 the Saviour and redeemer of the world The mystery of his passion for that they count the bloud of the Testament an unholy thing Which ingratitude is amplified by a benefit bestowed on them though they had beene sanctified by that bloud For the Holy Ghost is the instructor and comforter of the Church that reveales the will of God to men They despise the spirit of grace therefore they are worthy of sore punishment VERSE 1. THe ceremoniall Law not the morall that containeth substantiall dutyes that sheweth sin to us but is no shadow of any thing in Christ to come A dark an obscure delineation Of Iesus Christ and all his benefits of justification sanctification and redemption purchased by him bonagratiae gloriae A lively picture of them as we have in the time of the Gospell wherein Christ is painted out and crucified before our eyes A shadow is a resemblance of a body utrumque repraesentat umbra in communi imago in particulari When yee see a shadow yee may truly say there is a body yet it is but a generall resemblance of a body 1. A shadow cannot fight 2. Not eate 3. Not speake 4. Not walke but accidentally Yee cannot perceive in a shadow the distinct parts and members of a body the eyes the face hands armes feete c. only the shadow tells you there is a body but an image hath the whole lineaments and proportion of the body in it In it ye may behold the severall parts and dimensions of the body So in the Law they had a sight of Christ yet it was darkely in a shadow Wee have the very expresse forme and image of Christ with all his benefits they had Christ in an obscure picture drawne at the first in darke lines wee have him as in a lively picture graced with most lightsome and excellent colours Abraham saw the day of Christ and was glad yet hee saw him a farre off and at a little crevis we see the sunne of righteousnesse cleerely shining before our eyes they saw him as in a winter day we see him in a bright summers day Blessed are the eyes that see that which we see for Kings and Prophets have desired to see those things which wee see and have not seene them The Law did shadow out Christ by whom wee are justified and redeemed from our sins it did not justifie and redeeme us The same specie though not numero the same in substance as Goates Sheep Heifers c. and offered up alwayes with the same rites and ceremonies they offered them up regulariter the same according to the Law frequenter indesinenter yet inefficaciter Never though they bee iterated ten thousand times c. no hope of salvation by the sacrifices of the Law They the Priests immediately and all the people mediately by the hands of the Priest Yeerely hee seemes to allude especially to that sacrifice which the High-Priest offered yeerely for all Israel when he went into the Sanctum Sanctorum that of all others was most solemne for himselfe his household and the whole land Levit. 16. Sanctifie the heart or conscience Though they might give them an outward kinde of sanctification Or perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word Sacraments prayer cannot perfect no perfection till wee come to heaven That came to it As Schollers to the Master to be taught and directed by it Whereas all that come to CHRIST by faith obtaine true Sanctification Hebrewes 7.25 salvation is not by the Law but by Iesus Christ. But herein is condemnation sayes Christ light is come into the world but men love darkenesse more than light Wee live in wonderfull light yet the workes of darkenesse are too rise among us drunkennesse envy strife emulations c. A great number of us are in the Pharisees case are we also blind Christ said to them if ye were blind ye should have no sin but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth We see much yet we practise little therefore our sins multiplyed by us in this great light shall testifie against us at the latter day I feare me this sentence may be inverted the godly in time of the Law had the substance and we have the shadow there is almost nothing but shadowes among us A shadow of knowledge of zeale love holinesse wee have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof Therefore as we live in greater light so let our light shine before men that they seeing our good workes we and they may glorifie our Father in this life and bee glorified of him in the life to come Our Sacraments may sanctifie us instrumentally they may be as instruments whereby God conveyeth Sanctification to us In respect whereof Baptisme is called the washing of the new birth they may sanctifie us significantly as signes of our sanctification nay as seales of it but they cannot sanctifie us as principall efficient causes of our Sanctification Now it is CHRIST alone that thus sanctifieth us and clenseth us from all our sinnes for this cause sanctifie I my selfe Hee is the onely fountaine of our sanctification neither the sacrifices in the Law nor our Sacraments in the time of the Gospell can in this sense procure to us the sanctification of our soules that wee may be fit for the heavenly Hierusalem VERSE 2. SOme coppies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make it
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
adversitie and prosperity too Though wee bee not thrust out of our houses spoyled of our goods banished the Country clapt up into prison carryed to the stake for the profession of the Gospell yet if wee belong to CHRIST wee shall alwayes have our Crosses All that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persequution If any will be my Disciple let him take up his Crosse. God will exercise us one way or other either he will send us sicknesse or stirre up some rayling Shimeis against us he will evermore be trying of our faith Therefore we have need of patience It is as needfull as our meat and drinke Patience is the foode and nourishment of the soule Therefore the Lord in mercy give patience to us all From hence some conclude that good workes are necessary to salvation Patience is a good worke The Apostle avouches that it is necessary not only ratione praesentiae being good workes they cannot bee separated from faith sed ratione relationis ad salutem for here hee doth not simply say that patience is necessary but with a reference to eternall life that yee might receive the promise Wee grant good workes are necessary to salvation none can be saved without them but how not as meritorious causes of salvation that is CHRIST alone which hath purchased heaven for us with his owne bloud but necessary as fruit for a tree and the way for a passenger to goe by to his house and Country Good workes are the way to heaven and so necessary for us all to walke in In that respect we have need of patience of vertues and good workes VERSE 37. HEre is a remedy against impatiencie taken from the shortnes of the time wherein we are to suffer Thou callest for patience thou wouldest have us to be patient in our afflictions but how long shall we continue in them To that he answers parvum quà m quà m the ingemination of the word augmenteth the signification of it as Toboth Toboth Raagnoth Raagnoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee that is the Lord Iesus Christ and deliver you out of all your miseries I he will come but it may be long first Nay he will make no tarrying If wee bee in any kinde of affliction wee thinke the time long though it be never so short As the Saints in the Apoc. 6.10 cry how long Lord So if wee be sicke we say how long Lord how long will it be ere this sicknesse be removed from me how long shall we endure the taunts of the wicked how long shall Christians in some Countries suffer banishment imprisonment losse of goods how long shall the Devill and his instruments tyrannize over them but a very little while even the turning of an hand the twinckling of an eye in respect of eternity What is tenne or twenty yeeres calamity if it should be so long What is thirtie eight or fortie yeeres as Ioh. 5. a man was so long diseased in his feete what is this to life everlasting who would not fight a while that he might have the victorie who would not take physike a while that he might be whole our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glory Therefore let the shortnesse of our suffering comfort us hee that should come will come in his due and convenient time GOD comes to deliver us three kinde of wayes 1. By plucking us out of the temptations in this world as hee did Saint Paul out of the mouth of the Lion the Emperour of Rome 2. By our particular death he takes us out of the world by death and then there is an end of all our sorrow 3. By his comming at the generall judgement that is not long behold I come quickly Then shall we both in our bodies and soules in heaven where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes for ever Let us be of good comfort yet a very little while and the Lord will come graciously to us one way or other VERSE 38. THe second pillar for sustaining them in afflictions is Faith Where 1. The excellency of Faith 2. The application of it Verse 39. The excellency is 1. Set downe then illustrated Beemunatho Every man must live by his owne faith he cannot live by the faith of another In the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by my faith that is by faith in me which is all one Here we see whereby a Christian lives not by the ayre as Camelions doe not by love as we use to say not simply by his meat and drinke by that indeed through Gods blessing the body liveth but the soule lives by faith Gal. 2.20 and they that want faith are dead even while they live as Saint Paul speaketh of the widdow A just holy and righteous man lives by faith I know whom I have believed Wee know what joy is laid up for us in heaven therefore we beare patiently all the afflictions of this present life We doe not only live by faith at our first conversion and justification as Saint Paul disputeth in his Epistle to the Romans but all the dayes of our life we live by faith Therefore let us entreat the Lord to encrease our faith that in all calamities we may live by it in this world and live without it in his kingdome in the world to come This is illustrated by the contrary but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall have no pleasure in him So the Seventy have it The Hebrew in words is much different from it yet in sence they are all one Gnuphlah hee makes himselfe a tower whose heart is not upright in him He trusts to himselfe not to God that is he withdraweth himselfe from the Lord and if his heart bee not upright in him then God hath no pleasure in him But wee need not busie our selves in the reconciling of these places for Saint Paul doth not of purpose alleadge it as the Prophets testimony but only useth the words of the Scripture in them to commend faith to them If any with-draw himselfe by infidelity and thinke it a better course to sleepe in an whole skinne then to suffer any thing for Christ and his Gospell My soule Either it may be spoken in the person of the Apostle or in the person of GOD neither any good Christian nor GOD Himselfe will take any pleasure in such a one but hee is rather detested of God and man therefore let us live by faith and not withdraw our selves by infidelity VERSE 39. THen followes an application of it to the Hebrewes which is partly negative partly affirmative Though I have spoken of some unfaithfull persons that with-draw themselves or depart from the living God yet I would not have you imagine that I meane you that I put you into that black bill nay you are of another stamp you are birds of another feather yea he includes himselfe in their number that they might conceive the
for this faith Ergo. Elders whom we are to reverence which went before us and lived longer than we Reported of adorned by the testimony of God and man the testimony of the Lord is pure As the Father testified of Christ this is my beloved Sonne So also of Noah that he was a just and upright man and one that walked with God Abraham the friend of God Moses the meekest man upon the earth David a man after Gods owne heart hast thou not considered my servant Iob how none is like him in the earth an upright and just man one that feareth God and escheweth evill Of Nathaneel Christ said behold indeed an Israelite in whom there is no guile This also got them a goodreport among men all their famous exploits were done by faith Verse 29. A good name is above Gold and silver it is greatly desired of all but all take not the right course of getting it Some thinke to get them a name by building as they that set up the tower of Babel they imagine to be famous by sumptuous buildings some by hunting as Nimrod some by drinking as Fâ—cidius some by whoring as Hercules some strive to get them a name by their courteous behaviour as Absalom did by a counterfeit kinde of kindnes towards all some by liberality and house keeping and I would there were moe of them some by their great variety of learning but all these misse the marke they begin at a wrong end The best foundation for a good name is faith she will leave a sweete savour behinde her wheresoever she become she will procure us favour with God and man when the name that the wicked have gotten shall rot the faithfull shall be had in perpetuall remembrance therefore let us all beg faith at the hands of God that we may be renowned in this world and eternally famous in the world to come VERSE 3. SEcondly it is illustrated by an instance in one particular which is famous by this we understand the world was made of things not seene therefore faith is the evidence of them Ages or times The world mas made in time hath continued in time and shall end in time Omnibus numeris absolutus no commoditie no pleasure wanting To this end that we might all understand c. We believe the Scriptures as Agrippa did they tell us that the world was made by GOD. In principio creavit Deus therefore we believe the creation of the world Aristotle held that the world was eternall Plato that GOD made the heavens and Angels but the Angels made the bodies of men and beasts but we by faith understand that God made the world yea that all creatures were of his making and that without him nothing was made he made the high and celestial Angels the Sun Moone and the whole host of heaven birds of the ayre fishes of the Sea all trees men and beasts on the earth and all these did he make by his owne bare word he commanded and they were created let there be a firmament and there was one let there be a Sea birds and it was so only he paused and deliberated at the making of one creature which was man because he was to be his vicegerent and a King over all creatures By his omnipotent word all were made And of what was the world made what timber what stones had God to make this building withall Surely nothing yet hee made it Not so much as any atomes even materia prima was made of him he found it not in the world before O mighty and puissant God! Let us all feare him that made heaven and earth O how wonderfully am I made said David of himselfe much more of the whole world how wonderfully was the world made of nothing The world came not by chance or fortune it was framed by no earthly artificers Aholiab Bezaleel made the Tabernacle Hyram the Temple God the world and this did he make principally for sinfull man All creatures were made for us the Sun Moone Birds Fishes c. that we might freely eat of all yea the Angels were in a sort made for us that they might be ministring spirits for our salvation Therefore let us praise God all the dayes of our lives that made the glorious pallace of the world for us Now as the world was made so it must have an end 2 Pet. 3. therefore notwithstanding all the pleasure and wealth of this world let us use it as if wee used it not for the glory thereof fadeth away they waxe old as doth a garment Therefore let us lay up our treasures in a better world From hence the Iesuites make this collection we must believe the world was made out of nothing though wee doe not see it so we must believe that the body of CHRIST is corporally in the Lords Supper though we cannot see it But they might see there is a different reason Wee believe the world was made of nothing though we see it not because the Word of God hath avouched it God's Word never teacheth us that the body of CHRIST is in the Sacrament corporally but in heaven therefore there is no cause why we should believe it VERSE 4. NOw hee returnes to the examples 1. At large then summarily Verse 32. before the floud and after before the entrance into Canaan and after 1. A commendation of Abels fact 2. An approbation of it In the former 1. What it was that gave a relish to his sacrifice 2. To whom it was offered 3. The eminencie of it Caine had the more worthy name Caine acquisitio as if she had gotten the Messiah Abel vanity or weeping 2. He had the worthyest trade bread is the staffe of life 3. He was the first borne 4. He built a City Yet Abel is preferred before him A fuller sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kissed Caines sacrifice was voyd of faith therefore empty Cain tooke absque delectu Abel chose 2. Corne was not so lively to represent CHRIST as Sheepe and Lambes 3. His more sparing Abels more plentifull rather better for his faith By the which faith not sacrifice as Verse 2. and in the end of this Verse The second thing is the approbation 1. In his life 2. After his death In life internall in his owne heart and conscience that he was righteous believing in the Messiah externall either by word Gen. 4 4. or by action as Levit. 9.24 1 Reg. 18.38 1 Chron. 21.26 2 Chron. 7.1 Some have beene of opinion that Adam was damned because he is left out of the catalogue of the faithfull but if none should be saved save those that be in this calender few should be saved The salvation of Adam and Eve may bee concluded by probable reasons rendred by Irenaeus Epiphan Chrys. Aug. 1. It is not like that GOD would cast away the first man that he made the first borne is greatly beloved Seldome doth any father disinherit his first borne Adam was the first that God
either to try us withall or to humble us for one thing or other 2 The Testimony of thine owne conscience if that accuse thee weepe if that excuse thee laugh that which they speake is either true or false if in be true mourne for it and amend it if it be false rejoyce in it Matth. 5.11 3 Christs example must be never out of minde An ancient Father professeth of himselfe that when hee remembred that prayer of Christs he could not find in his heart to be revenged of any It was as a bridle to restraine him from revenge So as oft as we thinke on these words consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners let them be a Bull-warke to us against evill tongues Did he that was no sinner endure and shall not we that be sinners endure ill speeches There is none that can challenge a priviledge from ill tongues Kings themselves are faine to swallow up many an ill word The persecution of the tongue is a grievous persecution to tender hearts more grievous than that of the hand Mocks and taunts goe to the heart of men and discourage many In all these let us consider our Saviour Christ that endured such contradiction of sinners he had a loade of contumelious speeches lay'd on him yet he endured them Let Christs enduring make us to endure and let them not hinder us in the race of Christianity Let us take heed we be not accessary to his persecution Some there be that are never well but when they be speaking ill of others Their mouthes are like Mils that cannot grinde without foule water A dangerous Plurisy it were well that they were let bloud of that vaine Come say they Let us smite Ieremie with the tongue Let us keep our hands off but let us lay on loade with our tongues This they thinke they may lawfully doe Our tongues are our owne who shall controll us Nay they be not your owne 1 Cor. 6.19 Of every idle word ye must give an account much more of every rayling and back-byting word The tongue is an unruly evill but labour to rule it As we sit at Table by the Chimney side let us not speak ill but sound forth the praises of GOD for CHRIST's comming into the world S. Iames sets two brands on him 1. He is a Coosener whom doth hee deceive not another but himselfe 2. His religion is vaine he may thinke highly of himselfe yet he is a vaine man Some take a liberty to themselves to speake ill of those that be not as they are so holy so religious as they thou shouldest rather pray for them than speak ill of them Acts 26.29 S. Paul wished that Agryppa and all that were then present were he was but he did not raile on them no more must we If defects be in any pray for the supply of them but speake not ill of them behinde their backs Let us remember that in sinning against the brethren we sin against Christ let not one member persecute another let Ismael doe it but let not Isaac doe it Let us all arme our selves against malevolent tongues let us never dreame to live without ill words Nay S. Luke sayes Woe be to you when all men speake well of you Let us alwayes remember this Item of the Holy Ghost Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners that his example may be as Aqua-vitae to keepe us from fainting VERSE 4. NOw followes the second argument which is taken from a defect in their former affliction We have endured many things already Heb. 10.32 Why doest thou speake to us of enduring more I but ye have not come to the last stroake yee have lost your goods but not your lives for Christ and his Gospell as many have done and you peradventure may doe hereafter As Christ hath shed his bloud for you so must you bee content to doe the like for him if he call you to it Matth. 23.35 Vnto bloud that is unto death Such a one seekes my bloud that is my life Bloud-sucker His bloud be on as and our children that is let us be answerable for his death It is so called because in a violent death there is an effusion of bloud We must never thinke we have resisted enough to our dying-day Phil. 3.13 Striving against sin Some interpret it against the sin of the persequutors labouring by threatnings and promises to draw you from Christ. Rather against sinne in yourselves which is as Cable-rope to pull afflictions on you Though God impose them on you or suffer them to befall you for his Gospell There be Cutters sad Hacksters desperate Ruffians that will resist to bloud they will challenge one another into the field and it may be see the heart-bloud one of another but this is in the Devils cause not in Christs cause Let us resist in the defence of Christ and his Gospell to the bloud Christ hath shed his bloud for us and shall not we shed ours for him Many of the Heathen have given their bloud for their Countrey and shall not wee give it for Christ and the Church for the confirmation of it in the faith of Christ Though we have stood out a long time in Christs quarrell resisting the enemies of the Gospell yet let us not set downe our staffe Let us never think wee have resisted enough till wee have resisted to bloud Christ gave us our bloud Christ redeemed our bloud Christ hath prepared heaven for us that be flesh and bloud therefore it cannot be spent better than in his service But as for us we yeeld our selves Captives to sin we throw downe the bucklers and suffer him to over-master us there is no striving against sin We strive one with another every Towne is full or unneighbourly strifes and unbrotherly contentions We strive not against sin Sin is the greatest enemie that we have it will cut the throat of our soule and banish us out of heaven therefore let us strive against it Leave striving one with another and let us all strive against sinne We shall never bee Martyrs if we doe it not for they that will not lay downe their sins for Christ will never lay downe their lives for Christ. How must we strive against sin 1 By prayer 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I be sought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me Let us pray against anger pride uncleannesse covetousnesse continually 2 By Scripture If we be inticed to idolatry let us fight against it with the sword of the Spirit as Christ did saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve If we be provoked to adultery let us say Whoremongers and Adulterers GOD will judge 3 By the substracting of the nourishment of that sin Let us strive against lust and uncleannesse by a sober and temperate life The very Heathen could say Sine cerere Baccho friget Venus Eate and drinke sparingly and the fire of
downe of all pernicious weedes of Anabaptisme Brownisme Popery in this garden of the LORD IESUS Pray for all faithfull Preachers and Ministers whatsoever that all the people from the highest to the lowest may know CHRIST and live obediently to the Gospell One principall reason why there be so many disorders in the Church is this because the people have no care of their Ministers seldome or never commend them in their prayers to the God of heaven Earnest prayer was made by the Church for Saint Peter and the Ephesians prayed for Saint Paul till they wept againe but there is no praying for our Pauls and Peters If it had beene said prate of us the people would readily have put that in practise they make the Preachers their table talke they speake evill of the Rulers of the people in all places If it had beene sayd prey upon us wee should have had a number of preyers That which the Papists gave to the Ministers they that be called Protestants take from the Ministers Pharaoh would not have the lands of the Priests touched in the time of a famine and scarcity We in the time of a plenty take away their lands Heeretofore the leane kine devoured the fat and were more ill favoured now the fat devoure the leane and are never satisfied Heretofore the people gave their very earrings to the Priests now they are ready to pull the coate over the Priests eares Every one in the parish will prey upon him but scarce one will pray for him If it had beene sayed pry into us we would have done it with a narrow eye the foot of a Preacher shall not slip but he shall be taken tripping by and by a moate shall be made a beame a mole-hill a mountaine But he doth not say prey upon us prate of us pry into us but pray for us and as ye love the glory of GOD the beauty of Sion the peace of Ierusalem the salvation of your owne soules pray for us Some there be that will pray for the Ministers but it is because they are bound to pray for their enemies There is one Michaiah sayd Achab but I hate him So some will say indeed wee have a Minister but he is ever rubbing on my soares therefore I hate him Yet because CHRIST sayes pray for them that hate you I will pray for him I but thou must pray for him as for the greatest friend in the world that thy soares being lanched with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of GOD they may bee suppled with the oyle of GODS mercy in CHRIST and thou saved at the day of Iudgement Heere wee may see the wonderfull humility of Saint Paul hee was a master-builder of the Church had seene CHRIST he was adorned with singular gifts of learning and of piety he spake with tongues more then al he was taken up into the third heaven c. He was a man deepe in GODS bookes in prayers often in fastings often he had travelled all the world over in the propagation of the Gospell of CHRIST A man would have thought that his owne prayers had beene sufficient hee needed not the prayers of others Indeed the prayers of Prophets of Preachers are of great force with God The LORD told Abimelech that Abraham was a Prophet he should pray for him Yet the prayers of common Christians are also to be desired Vis unita fortior The prayers of the people and Ministers joyned together will the sooner prevaile with the Lord. The King may adscribe much to the request of one of his privy Counsell yet hee rejects not the petition of the meanest Subject The Preachers are of Gods privy Counsell He revealeth his secrets to them yet the prayer of a righteous man is avayleable if it bee servent Cornelius was no Minister yet his prayer went up into remembrance before God The head needes the ayde of the foote the King needs the prayers of the Subjects the Minister of the people Therefore let us all require the prayers one of an other But why should wee pray for you you are bad men God will not heare our prayers for you It is not so for wee trust wee have c. Some take it to be an argument à pari We have discharged a good conscience towards you in all things delivering unto you all things necessary to salvation therefore discharge you a good conscience againe in praying for us But it is rather a procreant cause of their praiers We are holy men such as feare God as labour to keepe a good conscience and to live honestly therefore praie for us You are to praie for all chiefely for them that be of the household of faith Wee are of that household and bring forth the fruits of faith therefore pray for us Vngodly men that have no good conscience had most need to be praied for yet we may pray more boldly for the godly God will sooner heare us for them These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either bee understood of the persons or of the things they are indifferent in the Greeke Some connexe them with the words following and referre them to the persons thus Wee are assured that wee have a good conscience there they make a Comma amongst all men desiring to live honestly The matter is of no importance Yet I see no reason why our English translation may not be reteyned It agreeth with that protestation of Saint Paul I have walked with all good conscience to this day As here he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See how confident he is in this point he doth not say we hope we thinke wee haue some probable conjecture or light perswasion but we are assured this with boldnesse and confidence we are able to protest not to our commendation and glory but to the praise and glory of God that we have a good conscience in all things Whereby wee are given to understand that it behooveth all Christians especially Ministers to bee assured of a good conscience in all their doings Nothing is more terrible then an ill conscience It is the onely hell as Luther calls it If the Divell had not an ill conscience he were in heaven in comparison As on the contrary side nihil in hac vita securius nihil jucundius possidetur bona conscientia sayes an ancient Father Premat corpus trahat mundus terreat diabolus illa tamen semper erit secura Wherefore let us first search out what a good conscience is then what be the things wherein a Minister must keepe a good conscience First for the conscience in generall It is called conscientia sayes Bern. quasi cordis scientia that etymologie is not to be rejected if it be taken with his meaning Scientia sayes he is when the heart knowes other things conscientia quando cor novit se. Yet as any may see according to the nature of the word conscience is a knowledge with an other
The Hebrewes have no fit name for it in all the old Testament the word conscience is not to be found Yet the old translation hath foisted it into the Text Gen. 43.22 Non est in nostra conscientia quis posuerit eam in marsupijs nostris as also Prov. 12.18 It is in the booke of Wisedome and Ecclesiastic but they were written in Greeke But the Hebr. put leb the heart for it Davids heart smote him that is his conscience Give not thine eare to every word that men speak of thee for thy heart knoweth that thou also hast cursed others that is thy conscience In Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin conscientia a joynt knowledge or a knowledge with an other either cum alio that is with the high and eternall God for none besides God and a mans owne selfe hath an immediate knowledge of himselfe or rather scientia cum alia scientia there is a knowledge whereby we know that we know and that is conscience but the nature thereof shall better be manifested by a definition I might propound sundry to you Damascen defines it thus it is lex nostri intellectus Origen est correptor paedagogus animae Saint Bernard est inseparabilis gloria vel confusio uniuscujusque The Schoolemen say it is applicatio Scientiae ad factum seu faciendum The best of the new wryters est practicus Syllogismus hominem excusans aut accusans In my poore judgement it may bee thus defined conscience is a function of the understanding whereby wee apply the generall knowledge that is in us to our particular thoughts words and actions 1 It is not a part of the will but of the understanding not of that which wee call theoricall but of that which is termed practicall Therefore it is in worke and action As a dead man is no man but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So a dead conscience is no conscience but nomine tenus A seared conscience that is past feeling and doth nothing Whereupon the Schoolemen contend that it is neither habitus nor potentia but actus His whole worke is to apply the generall knowledge engraven in us by the pen of nature to our particular thoughts words and actions There be generales notitiae or maximes written in our hearts as it is an horrible thing to commit murther a beastly thing to commit adultery a fowle vice to lie and dissemble to have an heart and an heart whereas God hath given thee but one heart This the law written in our hearts teacheth us Now comes conscience and doth her duty Thou hast committed murder thou art an adulterer a lyar a dissembler therefore thou art abhominable in the sight of God The knowledge that is in us gives us the major Conscience infers the minor and the conclusion necessarily followes of it selfe This is conscience in generall whereby it is easie to see what a good conscience is One defines a good conscience thus Quae habet in corde puritatem in ore veritatem in actione rectitudinem and it is not amisse yet it expresseth not the power of a good conscience A good conscience is a comfortable applying of the knowledge that is in us to the joy of our hearts whereupon ariseth boldnesse and confidence so that a man thinkes himselfe as it were in heaven I will give you an example of it in a minister Knowledge gives Saint Paul the major every minister of CHRIST that hath walked faithfully in his calling shall have a crowne of righteousnesse a good conscience in Saint Paul makes the minor and brings in the conclusion I have fought a good fight kept the faith therfore for mee is reserved a crowne of righteousness This is a good conscience which ought in some measure to be in us all That wee may the better be assured that we have a good conscience as Saint Paul had let us examine our consciences in these things First for our entrance into the ministery then for the execution of our ministery being entred First let us examine our conscience about our entrance into this high and magnificent calling wherein two especiall points are to be observed namely the gifts passive and active 1 Let us call our selves to accompt what passive gifts we have received from GOD Almighty A Bishop sayes Nazianz. is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vaine and empty name he must be well furnished in some measure with gifts fit for the office A Scribe sayes CHRIST that is taught to the Kingdome of Heaven must be as a rich householder that is able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tumble out of his treasury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such are all Ministers of GODS sending Ezra was a perfect scribe in the law of God So Artashastes doth entitle him in the beginning of his letter To Ezra the perfect Scribe of the law of the Gods of heaven Apollos was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mighty in the Scriptures Saint Paul boasted of himselfe after an heavenly manner I thanke my GOD I speake with tongues more then they all But a number there bee that thanke GOD they speake but with one tongue namely their mother tongue Indeed the man of GOD ought chiefely to bee seene in GODS booke and though he have never so great skill in Logicke Rhetorique Philosophy History c. he must dissimulare eloquij venustatem when he speaks to the people as Saint Ierom. sayes yet for all that he must not bee a rudesby a meere stranger in them Moses that man of GOD was brought up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all no art excepted and this Saint Stephen records to his singular commendation Saint Paul was not to seeke in Aratus Epimenides and others Meletus Bishop of Alexandria whom alluding to his name they called mel Atticae hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all acts as Euseb. testifies of him Didymus used rhetorique poetry philosophy Philo Iudaeus was an excellent divine in his age for his learning in these externall arts he was called an other Plato Origen was wonderfull in them in so much as Porphyrie his enemy was compelled to admire him for it The Papists at this day many of them give them their due are very learned men Oh that GOD would turne the edge of learning the right way And shall the Ministers of our Church bee unlearned wilt thou leape into Moses Chaire or rather into Christs Chaire and hast no gifts in any comparable measure to teach the people out of it The King in the Gospell sayd to the man that came to the marriage without the wedding garment Friend how camest thou hither So will hee say to all saucy and insufficient Ministers Friend how came you hither who made you the dressers of my vineyard that have no skill to dresse it who made you dividers of my word that mangle it and cannot cut aright who made you builders of my house that know not how to square a stone or frame a piece
of timber for my house Dancers have their Schoole sayes Nazianz. Fidlers and Musitians are trained up to it and is the ministerie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it such a light thing that whosoever will as it was in Ieroboams time whether hee bee a Weaver a Tapster a Taylor may bee a Minister it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes he must be taught sometimes confuted comforted reprooved and Who is sufficient for these things None fully The great Doctours in Divinitie must bee Schollers all the dayes of their life yet if thy conscience tell thee that thou hast no gifts in any acceptable measure how canst thou say with Saint Paul I am assured I have a good conscience in all things when not in the first thing in the gate and porch to the ministery The best furniture of all is a sincere and upright heart As God gave Saul an other heart when hee advanced him to the kingdome So the Lord gives a good heart to all good Ministers Learning and knowledge is as water in the well a good heart is as the bucket to draw it out for the watering of Christs Garden if this bee wanting even a learned man will doe little good in the ministery Therefore examine with what heart thou camest hither to feede thy selfe or the lambes of Christ to enrich thy selfe or to make them rich in Faith 2. Let us come to active gifts When wee have the Testimonie of a good Conscience that the Lord in some measure hath given us gifts from Heaven Let us consider what gifts wee give on earth whether Lady Pecunia be the janitrix that lets us into the Church or not whether wee come in by Simon Magus or Simon Peter Qui vendunt vel emunt praebenda Ecclesiarum dicuntur tales à Simone Simoniales Simonie is well defined by Brulifer to whom the rest of the Schoole-men agree Est studiosa voluntas emendi vel vendendi aliquod spirituale seu spirituali annexum Pactum is not onely Simonie a compact or agreement betweene the Patrone and a Minister or any other for them but Simonie is peccatum voluntatis as the heart commits adultery if thou lustest after a woman as the heart commits murder if thou hatest thy brother thou art a murtherer So not the hand onely but the heart commits Simonie if thou hast a lustfull desire after a benefice in an unlawfull way In their judgement thou art a Simonist And this they proove by the Father of Simonists There was no pactum betweene Simon Magus and the Apostles but onely voluntas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee made an offer of money to them and that was condemned If thou hast a desire in thine heart to get a benefice by any sinister meanes thou art a Simonist then almost in this age who can say hee is assured to have a good conscience in this thing Yet further to lay it open let us come to the branches of Simonie It is committed foure kinde of wayes The first and the greatest per pecuniam which no man will denie Saint Ambrose reports as a monstrous thing in his dayes I heard a Minister say Centum solidos dedi ut Episcopalem gratiam ass equerer But how would hee have wondred if hee had lived in our time when wee may heare that some have given centum minas for a benefice when solidi are turned into minae what doth this but minari the vengeance of God to the Ministerie The second way is per adulationem when as a Minister which is the Doctour of the truth hath no truth in him but will lye flatter cosen and dissemble doe any thing for a Benefice This is Venenum mellis dulcedine palliatum poyson wrapped in honey yet as many Popes came to the Popedome by poyson so many Ministers so woefull is our time come to a benefice by this poyson They cannot bee assured with Saint Paul that they have a good conscience in it The third way is Per importunas preces ambientium by the importunate suit of Ministers either by themselves or by their great friends for a benefice Est orare Ducum species violenta jubendi The request of great men in high places is a violent kinde of commanding hee that comes thus to a living in their opinion cannot avouche that he came to it with a good conscience The fourth is Sordidum obsequium a base kinde of service performed by a Minister As the devill confessed in the maide he is the Servant of the high God the Ambassadour of Christ as it were Christ in the Church Yee received mee sayes Saint Paul as an Angell of Christ yea as Christ himselfe and it is a shame for Christ for Christs deputy or vicegerent that susteines his person to be too servile to any To them may bee replyed that Sentence of the Apostle If I labour to please men I cannot be the Servant of Christ and have wee not many that by this base ladder climbe up to the livings in the Church Heretofore Cornelius threw down himselfe at Saint Peters feete but now a Peter yet in truth a Pseudo-peter throwes himselfe downe at the feete of a meane Gentleman for a Benefice This is a kinde of Simonie as the very Schoole-men have affirmed an horrible vice hee that is tainted with it cannot protest with Saint Paul I have a good conscience in all things Saint Ambrose doth excellently paint out this sin I would to GOD all Ministers would have his words engraven in their hearts If thou comest in by Simonie Caro suscepit dignitatem anima perdidit honestatem Caro dominatur populis anima servit daemonibus Caro Sacerdotium comparavit anima detrimentum paravit and what shall it availe a Minister to win the whole world and loose his owne Soule O it is a comfortable thing for a Minister if hee may truly protest with the Prophet I have not thrust in my selfe to bee a Pastour over this people neither have I desired the day of miserie Lord thou knowest to be set over a people to have the charge of many Soules for the which we must answer at the day of Iudgement if a man will faithfully discharge his Office it is rather a miserie then a felicitie hee shall have many difficulties to wrastle withall Every drunkard fornicatour adulterer c. if his vices bee ripped up will bee against him Wherefore if thou hast thrust thy selfe into this miserie GOD will leave thee to defend thy selfe if thou hast beene thrust in by him hee will defend thee But as for this vice of Simonie I will shut it up with those verses which were not amisse to be imprinted in the hearts of us all Haec duo damna feres si tu sis Simonis haeres Mortuus ardebis vivus semper egebis These two losses shalt thou beare if thou beest Simons heyre A beggar live shalt thou heere and after burne in hell feere Of the one that for the most part they bee beggars all the world
sees it as for the other wee shall feele it to our woe if wee doe not repent So much for the good conscience which wee must have from our entrance into our places Now let us come to the exequution of our calling being entred Wherein wee must examine our consciences about two things our preaching and our life In our preaching must bee observed the matter of our preaching and the manner 1. For the matter let us with a watchfull and circumspect eye see what wee deliver what foode wee minister to CHRISTS Lambes what bread wee breake to the people Let there bee nothing in our Sermons at any time that is contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul speaketh to sound sincere and upright doctrine As there was not a blemish nor a soare by all probability in Absaloms body from the crowne of his head to the soale of his foote so let there be no blemish so farre as is possible no sore of corrupt doctrine from the beginning of our Sermons to the end Let all bee consonant to the Analogie of Faith as the Apostle speaketh Let us have never a drop of doctrine but wee are sure it flowes from the fountaine of GODS Word A lamentable thing it is to consider how many Preachers in the light of the Gospell partly for the ostentation of their owne wit and learning partly on an unstayed affection and unsetled judgement deliver dangerous points that make much hurlie burlie among the people Inter curas maxima cura est refraenare curiosos they are to bee avoyded etiamsi nescio qua umbra honestatis liberalium Studiorum nomine velatae atque palliatae sint O res indignas vigilijs lucubrationibus Episcoporum Aug. Epist. 56. Deliver those things rather that may pierce the hearts of the people to Salvation then that which may tickle the eares of the people with a carnall delight and to damnation in the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a Countrey Village where be many Farmers to inveigh against Lords and Land-lords in the eares of the people to declaime against the vices of Ministers in the Church to lay open the blemishes of the state and governement ô this is as honey to them A famous Preacher a couragious Preacher I warrant you hee cares for none Alas what profit have the people by this applie every plaister to every soare Speake that which may be most fit for the edification of that auditorie to whom thou speakest Labour to beate downe Poperie Brownisme which sprouteth too fast bring whom yee can to the Church but scare none from the Church give no occasion by your preaching to runne out of the gates of Sion Above all things in your Sermons have a Christian regard to the peace of the Church wherein yee live which as a loving mother reacheth out to you the dugs of the Word of GOD which you may sucke to your comfort Pray for the peace of Ierusalem sayes the Psalm and if wee must pray for it wee must preach for it Therefore say I preach for the peace of Ierusalem wherein ye live that wee may see the peace of it if it be the will of GOD all the dayes of our life Of this preaching wee shall have great comfort to our consciences 2. Let us have an eye to the manner of our preaching In it let us seeke the glory of our master not our owne glorie A great number of Preachers have more respect to their words then to the matter to the sound of a syllable in the eares of the people then to the sounding of the trumpet of the Gospell in their hearts I will not denie but that the man of GOD may bee eloquent the Holy Ghost himselfe is most eloquent in the Scripture He that hath but halfe an eye may see that Sedeloquentia as Aug. speaketh tantò terribilior quantò purior tantò vehementior quantò solidior it must bee senilis not puerilis Divinae not humana It is the foolishnesse of preaching as the world accounteth it that must save us if any thing save us Crucifixi virtus in Paulo sayes Chrys. fuit Poetis Rhetoribus Philosophis potentior Let there bee a maternall eloquence in Preachers such as becometh the gravitie of the Word of God As Hester that had beauty enough of her owne required nothing of the Kings Eunuch but went in to him as she was and yet she was better accepted of then they all So the Word of God is beautifull enough of it selfe it needs no colours of over-affected eloquence and Rhetoricall painting to set it out withall this goes but to the eare it never enters in the heart where on the seed of the word shall fall for the most part it makes the Auditours to laugh and to smile in their sleeves but as Saint Ierome admonishes us lachrymae Auditorum laudes tuae sunto it is a greater commendation for a Preacher to make the people weepe being pricked in their hearts for their sinnes then to moove them to laughter Let us all strive to have a good conscience even in the manner of our preaching that when the Sermon is ended our consciences may beare us witnesse wee sought Gods Glory not our owne Saint Chrys. cryes out upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vix ullus est Sacerdos qui ad eum non allidit etiam hodie animus meus ab inani gloria capitur Let us all strive against it with might and maine For our preaching in the exequution of our office that shall suffice now let us come to our life which is either generall as common to all Christians or speciall as peculiar to our selves As all Christians are bound in conscience to adde to their faith vertue temperance c. to eschew all vices that may bee a disgrace to the Gospell and to embrace all vertues that may be an honour to it so especially the Preachers of the Word Magistrum vitae in vita offendere is a grievous thing as the heathen himselfe could say the offence of a Minister is a double offence quia peccat facto exemplo Abimelech said to his souldiers As yee have seene mee doe so make haste and doe the like If a Minister doe evill hee neede not say so to the people they will make haste to doe the like fast enough Nulli jam illicitum esse videtur quod ab Episcopo tanquam licitum perpetratur Id homines credunt esse laudabile quod Episcopus habuerit delectabile If the Minister bee a drunkard a frequenter of Tavernes and Ale-houses c. the people take licence thereby to commit the like sinnes If covetousnesse were a sinne would our Minister bee covetous c. Thus hee doth not onely sinne himselfe but hee makes others to sinne Therefore for conscience sake wee had need all to have an eye to it tanquam in coelo peccat sayes Saint Bern. Qui in Clero iniqua facit
let us annexe workes to our faith The Lord makes us perfect in workes that our election may be sure He doth not pray to GOD to make them perfect in some good workes but in all As he sayd homo sum humani nihil à me alienum puto So let us say Christianus sum nullum Christianum opus à me alienum puto Herod did many things but because hee did not all he was not saved Heere some trees bring forth Peares some Plumbes some Apples some Almonds There is no tree that bringeth forth all fruit But every Christian must be as a tree planted by the rivers of waters that bringeth forth all fruit We must be ready for every good worke wee must have prayers and almes deedes zeale meekenesse humility patience we must abound in every good worke 3 He doth not say the Lord cause you to begin in every good worke but God perfect you c. We must labour to aspire to perfection daily more and more as Iac. 1.4 So let zeale patience c. Let every grace have his perfect worke Vsus promptos facit use makes perfectnesse scribendo disces scribere use thy selfe to writing and in the end thou shalt write well use legs and have legs so use thy selfe to good workes and be perfect in good workes Milo by using to carry a Calfe when it was young did beare it when it was old So let us exercise ourselves in good workes from our youth as the young man sayes at the length it will bee easie to attaine such a perfection as is acceptable to God Let us use our selves to pray as Daniel did morning and evening Let us use our selves to reading of the Scripture as the Bereans to Preaching as Christ to fasting as Anna to give to the poore and needy as Dorcas and Cornelius At length we shall attaine to some perfection in them c. This is amplified 1. By the rule whereby our workes must bee framed that is the will of God Christ sayd not my will but thine be done So must every Christian say our will is to live at ease to wallow in pleasures to take the Tabret and Harpe to eate the Calves out of the middest of the stall to rejoyce with the instruments of Musicke Our will is never to taste of any misery to have no losses crosses sicknesse if possible not to have our finger ake But let us entreat the Lord that wee may doe His will to say with them Acts 21.14 The will of the Lord be done 1 Thes. 4. The will of God is your sanctification The Lord so perfect us to every good worke that we may possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour that we may serve Him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life 2 It is amplified by the manner of our working That which is well pleasing in his sight not for any worthinesse of ours but through Iesus Christ in whom God is well pleased with us for without him we can please God in nothing Cain and Abel both offered Sacrifices yet God was pleased with Abel not with Cain The Pharisee and Publican both praied in the Temple yet the one was heard and the other was not Why because one was in Christ not the other Let us desire the Lord to accept of our poore and imperfect workes for the worthinesse of Christ in whose name they are presented to him He concludes with a doxologie a song of praise and thankesgiving to Christ the great Shepheard which is God above all blessed for ever to him be glory for ever and ever He it is in whom wee were chosen before the foundation of the world in whom is our life breath and being He it is that in unspeakable love came downe from the pallace of heaven into the dunghill of the earth for our sakes that vouchsafed to take flesh of a woman for us to be borne in a Stable layd in a cratch to endure the speaking against of sinners to be called Beelzebub a bibber of wine a friend of Publicanes and sinners to be blindfolded buffetted spit upon cruelly whipped to be pittifully nailed hand and foote to the Crosse to susteine the wrath of his Father to dye to be buried to rise againe to ascend into heaven there making intercession for us therefore to him be praise for ever and ever He it is that though he bee absent in body yet hath not left us Orphanes poore fatherlesse children he hath given us his spirit to be a father to us to guide us into all truth an heavenly Comforter to comfort us in all distresses to seale us up to the kingdome of heaven He hath left us His Word the foode of our soules the sword of the Spirit to defend us from all enemies of our salvation Hee hath given us the Sacrament of His blessed Supper as a perpetuall memory of him wherein we may daily see him the bread and wine are as pledges of his body and bloud that we may eate him spiritually be one with him and he with us He it is that hath given us his Angels to pitch their tents about us to take our soules at our dying day and to carry them into the kingdome of heaven Therfore let us say with cheerefull hearts to him be praise worthy is the Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe to receive all honour and glory prayse power and might now and for ever Amen VERSE 22. 1 AN admonition Suffer the word of exhortation 2. The reason which is taken from the brevity In admonitions I have beene briefe hee spent but three Chapters in them therefore take them the more patiently Such is the pride and perversenesse of our nature we cannot abide to be told of our faults like gauled horses wee are ready to winch and kicke at it Therefore this caveat is very needfull Suffer your selves meekely and quietly to bee reprooved for your sinnes Suffer the Preacher to tell you of your covetousnesse your pride malice c. of your drunkennesse fornication and adultery of your negligence in comming to Church of the little care that is had for the good of the Towne every man is for himselfe none for the Towne Suffer your selves to be admonished of these things it is good for you Ye suffer fooles gladly sayes Saint Paul yee suffer stage players to tell you of your faults and ye laugh at it and will ye not suffer Preachers ye suffer the Physition to give you sowre potions yee send for him and reward him for it and will yee not suffer the Physition of your soules to bee sharpe with you for your salvation Ye suffer Chirurgions to cut you and will yee not suffer us to lanch the soares of your sins that the corrupt matter may issue out Suffer the words of exhortation and magnifie God for them Blessed be thou and blessed be thy counsell sayd David to Abigail So when the Preacher tels us of that which is amisse and exhorts us to
written in us by the pen of nature the labourer is worthy of his hyre we pay our Weavers Burlers Spinners our thrashers They that thrash out the corne of the Word of God to us we are loath to pay Our owne harvest-men we will recompence Gods harvest-men by our good will shall have nothing Saint Paul bestoweth an whole Chapter in pleading for the Ministers allowance Who goeth a warfare at his owne cost Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Yet our Pauls and Apolloes are worthy of nothing for their planting and watering They that served at the Altar lived on the Altar and they that preach the Gospel ought to live on the Gospel Extraordinarie examples must make no ordinary rule These tooke nothing Saint Paul tooke nothing therefore now we ought to take nothing The poore receive the Gospel The Gentiles were poore therefore in commiseration they would take nothing neither are we rigid exactors of the poore I but Paul tooke nothing of the Corinthians yet they were rich Not because he might not but because he would not to pull downe the arrogancie of the false apostles which exalted themselves and went about to depresse St. Paul There was one thing wherein all the world knew he excelled them that he preached the Gospel freely among them Whereas those greedy dogges could never be satisfied They devoured them they tooke away theâ—r goods yet they were had in high estimation among them This advantage he would by no meanes lose It were better for him to die than that any should make this rejoycing of his vaine These be unlearned cavils Saint Paul wrought for his living his hands ministred to his necessities therefore now Preachers must worke for their living 1. Saint Paul wrought not every where of some Churches he tooke nothing of others he did In so much as he upbraideth the Corinthians with it that he was faine to rob other Churches to take wages of them to doe them service 2. Saint Paul was furnished with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost with all kinde of tongues which must cost us infinite labour to attaine to his understanding was opened to understand the Scriptures without helpe of Commentaries For Christ at his Ascention into heaven opened the understanding of all the Apostles So he did his when he revealed himselfe to him Saint Paul was able to preach without study without bookes so are not we The people call on us to preach they have never Sermons enough though none be practised yet they would have us to preach for nothing We must be painefull Bees flying up and downe from booke to booke as from flower to flower to gather honey for them yet we must be as Camelions to live by aire David professed he would not offer a burnt offering to the Lord his God of that which cost him nothing Yet some would have us to offer them up by the preaching of the Word for nothing They be such as feele no sweetnesse in the Word of God for if they did they would be content to plucke their eyes out of their heads for us if it were possible much more the money out of their purses They that build upon this place They went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles by a kinde of Alchimistrie which they have goe about to make a great matter of nothing VERSE 8. HE concludes this point by a necessity of it imposed upon all Wee Not thou alone but I too All that love the truth I am a poore man in respect of worldly wealth in comparison of others yet I am willing to put my helping hand to it He doth not say we may if we list but we ought It is a debt that we owe Whose debters are they saith Saint Paul of the Gentiles namely to the poore Iewes to contribute to them for if they be partakers of their spirituall things their dutie is also to minister to them in carnall things What to doe To receive such Such worthy labourers in Christ his harvest as these be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take them from their tedious journeyes into our houses and to give them the best reliefe we can Why That we might be fellow helpers to the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow workers for the truth together with them We are fellow helpers to the truth sundry kinde of wayes 1. Amicè alloquondo by speaking friendly to the Preachers of the truth Hezekiah spake comfortably to the Levites which was a cheering of their hearts as the word importeth 2. Instruendo alios by a private instructing of others as Priscilla and Aquila did Apollos Housholders that catechize their families are great fellow helpers to the truth 3. Pro eis loquendo as they that made apollogies for them 4. Eâ—periculis eruendo by pulling them out of dangers So they that let downe Paul in a basket through the wall of Damascus were fellow helpers to the truth that Paul preached So were they that conveyed Athanasius away in a ship from the fury of Iulian 5. By helping them to their maintenance So did Hezekiah by commanding the people to pay their tithes and offerings to the Priests and Levites whereby they were encouraged in the Law of the Lord. As they discourage them that with-hold their right from them as a number doe they thinke they may pinch on the Parsons side so doing they give a secret maime to the truth 6. Temporalia ministrando by ministring temporall things to them by receiving the Preachers of the truth into our houses by releiving of their necessities by affording them all the comfort we can by sending to them if they be in distresse This is the direct scope of the place So the Shunamitish women of great estimation was an helper to the truth in preparing a chamber a stoole a candlesticke all necessary provision for Elisha So was Iohanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward with other holy women that ministred to Christ of their substance Constantine was an helper to the truth in entertaining the Bishops in his owne Palace and admitting them to his owne table Let us all according to our ability receive such that we may be helpers to the truth The second part of the substance of the Epistle is a fruitfull admonition given to Gajus 1. Concerning a bad man 2. Concerning a good man ver 12. In the bad man 1. There is a description of him 2. A caveat to avoid him ver 11. He is described by a combate betweene him and Saint Iohn Where there is 1. His resisting of Iohn 2. Iohns resisting of him ver 10. Hee gave the assault Iohn is onely se defendere a defender of himselfe VERSE 9. IN his resisting of Saint Iohn is to be considered 1. What he did resist 2. Who resisted 3. The manner of his resistance That which he withstood was a letter written by Saint Iohn I wrote to the Churches that
over-seething pots that send forth a fome or from over-charged stomackes that must needs belch Salomon saith of the foole eructat stultitiam he belches out foolishnesse Belchers yee know are odious to all so be all pratlers With what With malicious words As they said of Moses and Aaron Yee take too much upon you So Diotrephes said of Saint Iohn hee tooke too much upon him as if none should rule in the Church but hee Hee prated that hee did exhaust the treasury of the Church that hee overburthened them with a multitude of strangers sent to them It may be that he breathed out some points of erroneus doctrine too He prated against him he could not tell what inaniter ac irrationabiliter saith Lyra vainely and without all reason Zenophanes was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spurre to Homer and Diotrephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spurre of Saint Iohn of whom hee was not worthy to be named the same day A common sinne yet a grievous sinne more grievous than we are aware of to be pratling in corners of other men 1. Therein they sin against God who gave them their tongues to be as trumpets to sound forth his praises and bells to toll their brethren to God not as coales of Iuniper to burne withall nor as sharpe rasors to cut withall 2. In this they imitate the devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Basil they have their character and denomination from the devill hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the accuser and slanderer of the brethren so are they Hee is the old devill and they are the young devills 3. The object where about they be occupied is the good name of men now a good name is above silver and gold Hee doth not a man so great wrong that robbeth him of his silver and gold as hee that robbeth him of his good name 4. Hee is a man-slayer and no manslayer hath eternall life he kills three men at once with the sword of his tongue himselfe the hearers and the man whom he trusteth through with the speare of his malevolent speeches vnus est qui loquitur unum verbum profert he is one that speaketh he bringeth but one word out of his mouth yet in uno momento multas aures inficit multas animas interficit in one moment he infects many eares and kills many soules 5. He banisheth himselfe out of the Kingdome of heaven raylers by name are excluded therefore let us leave this pratling least hereafter we chatter and burne in hellfire Major est machaera linguae quam ferri saith Saint Augustine the sword of the tongue makes a deeper wound than the sword of yron It goes to the heart of many Saint Chrysostome professes he knew some Quos verba magis affecerunt quam vulnera whom words have more affected then blowes and no marveile saith he the body receives the one the soule the other But let us not be so faint hearted words are but winde as wee use to speake let them passe away like the winde especially being undeserved 1. What be those pratlers they be not lupi rapaces sed pulices mordaces Not ravening wolves but back-biting fleas they bee but as a company of whelpes that follow us wapping at our heeles 2. We draw in the same yoke with Christ and all the Saints Some kept a pratling against Christ that he was a perverter of the people that hee denyed to pay tribute to Caesar. Tertullus the oratour made a declamation against Paul Wee have found this man a turbulent fellow a mover of sedition throughout the world What a number of false accusations were commensed against Athanasius that he embeaseled the Kings treasure that he had killed Arsenius his owne deacon In this wee have a cloud of witnesses many companions in this affliction Wee may happily keepe out of the clawes of men but wee shall never keepe out of the jawes of men The servant is not above his master Daemonium habet he hath a devill audit Dominus patitur audit servus indignatur this heares the master and puts it up quietly this heares the servant and stormes at it impatiently 3. Men speake against us but God speakes for us It is Origens observation Nunquam tantas laudes dixit Deus de Mose ac postquam Miriam Aaron ei maledixerunt God never spake so much in the commendation of Moses as when Miriam and Aaron discommended and spake evill of him Were ye not afraid to speake against my servant even against Moses They disprayse God prayses what neede we to regard them 4. What is our rejoycing save the testimony of a good conscience there is joy within why should there be sorrow without Those pratling tongues croake in our eares like Ravens an excusing conscience sings like a Nightingal in our hearts let this inward musicke countervaile the outward jarring for a good conscience is a continuall feast 5. Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners hee that knew no sinne boare the contumelious speeches of sinners shall not wee that bee sinners beare the reviling speeches of sinners 6. We are no losers but gainers by it Blessed are ye when men hate you when they separate you and revile you putting out your name as evill for the Sonne of mans sake rejoyce and be glad behold your reward is great in heaven Hereunto accords that worthy speech of S. August Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae Whosoever willingly detracts from my good name doth unwillingly adde to my reward in the Kingdome of heaven therefore let us be so farre from vexing at them as rather let us rejoyce in them This is the least though it be fowle enough there follow greater from words he goes to actions 1. He receives not the brethren himselfe 2. He forbids them that would 3. Hee casts them out of the Church Yet he doth not simply say he receives not the brethren but not content with his malicious prating still he goes on from one degree of sinne to another There is a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of covetousnesse in sinning a covetous man is not content with that which he hath though he have the riches of Craesus yet still he would have more So hee that hath begun to drinke of the water of sinne must needs drinke more and more Haman was not content to put Mordicay to death that refused to bow to him but he must needs have the lives of all the Iewes in the provinces of Ahasuerus Herod was not content to kill Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword but he clapt up Peter into prison intending to serve him with the like sawce The Iewes at Thessalonica could not be content to have persecuted Paul in their owne Citty but they must pursue him to Berea likewise One witch-craft one adultery would not content Iesabel her
goodnesse let us not fret at it carry a spight against the Preacher but let us say blessed be thou ô man of God and blessed be thy Counsell blessed be God that sent thee to us c. Thus we should suffer even with thankesgiving the word of exhortation The reason is because he hath beene briefe in it I have not beene long rubbing of your soares I have told you of it in a word Therefore suffer it rather Yet now adayes some unwise hearers commend longitude hee stood upon it long againe and againe he was an houre two three houres peradventure he might have spoken as much in a quarter of an houre A wise and pithy brevity should be more welcome to us if wee were judicious hearers Suffer them that wisely in a few words in the spirit of love and meekenesse exhort you to that which is good VERSE 23. GOod newes He is set at liberty that is loosed Timothy which by the mother is an Hebrew Acts 16.1 he was in bonds somewhere though it bee not expressed in 〈◊〉 Scripture for the which they sorrowed therefore he signifies 〈◊〉 to them With whom if he come shortly I will see you Why he was in bonds at this time Heb. 10.34 1. He might 〈◊〉 there bonds past not present 2. This may bee spoken with a â—â—cret condition understood though not expressed If I bee deâ—â—vered too When we heare of the deliverance of our brethren out of any â—anger wee should be glad of it If the foote bee delivered of a â—orne that was in it the head rejoyceth at it Wee are members 〈◊〉 of an other let us rejoyce at the deliverance one of another Doe 〈◊〉 heare that any was greivously sicke and is delivered let it doe 〈◊〉 hearts good Doe we heare of the delivery of any Christians 〈◊〉 of the hands of the Turkes Papists and other enemies of the â—ospell let it be joyfull and acceptable to us To this end would 〈◊〉 have them to take knowledge of Timothies deliverance and so â—ould we doe VERSE 24. WHom they should salute 2. From whom they should receive salutations 1 Their Spirituall Rulers and Governours then 〈◊〉 whole body of the Church Not onely they in Rome but in all â—ie that professe the Gospell of CHRIST Salutations are 〈◊〉 of love now the Ministers and Preachers of the Word are be love above common Christians we should have them in sinâ—â—r love for their worke sake therefore they are to bee saluted 〈◊〉 others If ye send Commendations to a Towne especially member the Minister Salute all unlesse they be professed eneâ—â—es to CHRIST and the Gospell bid them not then God speede â—therwise salute all but chiefely them that have the oversight of 〈◊〉 people they must have the first place in our salutations VERSE 25. HEE concludes with a blessing The grace of our LORâ— IESUS CHRIST that is the love and favour oâ— Christ be with you all Amen Even so in the shutting up of this Epistle doe I take my leavâ— of you Many excellent points of Doctrine many necessary anâ— profitable exhortations have beene delivered to you out of it it 〈◊〉 even the body and marrow of religion Now the Grace of GOâ— bee with you GOD give you grace from His Spirit to think on them to practise them to His glory in this life that yee maâ— bee partakers of His everlasting glory in the life to come Amen A COMMENTARIE VPON The second Epistle of St. IOHN VERSE 1. THat these two Epistles be S. Iohns as well as the former the similitude of style and of affection doth evince the style is S. Iohns and they be written with S. Iohns affection The three Epistles differ thus In the first he entreats of the love of God and our neighbour joyntly together In the second of that to God more specially by it selfe In the third of our love to our neighbour more particularly The first was written to all Christians in genreall the second to a woman the third to a man The parts of this Epistle are these 1. The inscription of it 2. The contents of it verse 4. The inscription conteines a description in the 2 former verses a precation in the third In the description 1. He describes himselfe which is the writer 2. The persons to whom he writeth he describes himselfe by his office The Elder the persons to whom he writeth are the mother and the children He describes the mother severally 1. By her inward estate elect 2. By her outward a Lady He describes them both joyntly together by his entire love to them which is first averred in regard of himselfe 2. Enlarged in regard of others in this verse 3. Illustrated by the procreant cause of it in both verse 2. THE ELDER THere was another called Iohannes presbyter Iohn the elder to whom some ascribed both these Epistles So writeth Hieronymus de viris illust yet he himselfe is not of that opinion Nay citing a testimonie out of these Epistles he doth in plaine termes attribute them to S. Iohn the Evangelist Clangat tuba Evangelica filius tonitrui quem Iesus amavit plurimùm qui è pectore salvatoris doctrinarum fluente potavit Let the Evangelicall trumpet sound the Sonne of thunder who from the breast of our Saviour drunke in abundantly as it were rivers of heavenly doctrine He doth not entitle himselfe an Apostle but an Elder 1. Because he speakes not with authority like an Apostle but talkes with her familiarly as a father with his daughter 2. Because he was knowne throughout all Asia after a kinde of excellencie by the name of Elder He hath the title of an Elder 1. for his age in outliving all the Apostles 2. for his Wisedome that commonly accompanieth old age the Senate was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an assembly of auncient men 3. for his grave and discreete carriage 4. and chiefely for his office in the Church Ministers are usually called elders St. Paul left Titus in Creta to ordaine Elders in every Citty The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young plant may not be made a minister but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young man may Though he be a young Timothy yet he is an Elder and to be honoured for his office much more the reverend Prelats of the Church Alexander the mighty Monarch did great honour to Iaddus the high Priest Constantine the religious Emperour esteemed highly of the Bishops at the Councell of Nice he made them his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would have them sit downe by him and placed them at his owne table Valentine the Elder called Ambrose his father Ambr. de vita valent Valentine the younger though an Arrian rose up to him in token of reverence when he came into the consistory No doubt but this Laay honoured Iohn with her heart so ought wee to doe the Elders of the Church If they be
contemned the word at length will be contemned That for the writer now to the persons to whom he writeth the mother and her children Origen speakes somewhat contemptibly of women When Christ came into the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon Behold a woman Mat. 15.22 Mira res Evangelista a strange thing O Evangelist Behold a woman that is the authour of transgression the mother of sinne the weapon of the Devill the cause of our expulsion out of Paradise I but Christ honoured women in lying in the wombe of a woman he appeared first to women after his resurrection and made them Apostolos apostolorum Apostles to preach his resurrection to the Apostles Paul preached to women There have beene women of speciall note Sarah the Mother of the faithfull Hester the nurse and preserver of the faithfull women that ministred to Christ of their owne substance among whom was Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods steward Theano Crotoniatis was a Philosopher and a Poet too Pythagoras learned his naturall Philosophie of his sister Themistocleas Ignatius wrote to two women the blessed Virgin Mary Maria Cassabolita Cyrillus Alexandrinus Basil Chrystome Ambrose Augustine Fulgentius Bernard wrote to women Hierome wrote to many to Salvina to Faria to Agoruchia to Celantia Asella Marcellina most of his workes he dedicated to Eustochiam a noble and worthy Virgin S. Paul wrote to Apphia and S. Iohn heere to a woman The mother is first severally by her selfe described then both of them joyntly together by his singular love to them all Shee is set forth 1. By her internall and spirituall estate she was elect 2. By her externall and worldly estate she was a Lady Some of the Popish interpreters will have her name to bee elect to the Lady Elect. 1. That is a saucie transposing of the Greeke words it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Lady Elect but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Elect Lady 2. As S. Iohn doth not set downe his owne name no more doth he hers 3. The same title is given to her sister verse ult and no likelyhood that two sisters should have one and the same name there was not so great a penurie of names Elect is nomen appellativum non proprium a noune appellative not a proper name First she was a Lady a Widdow by all probabilitie else S. Iohn would have made some mention of her husband She was magna nobilis domina a great and a Noble Lady sayes Lyra shee had an ample familie she was an entertainer of the Preachers and professors of the Christian faith Catharinus supposeth she had a Iurisdiction she was a Lady of some Towns Mannours and Lordships The unlearned Anabaptists use that place as an hammer to beate downe all the seats of superiority In Christ neither bond nor free Iew nor Grecian Male nor female we are all one in Christ Iesus True indeed we are all one in Christo but not in Mundo as S Augustine doth well distinguish in Christ there is no difference but in the world there is Men and women are to be respected according to those places of honour whereunto God hath advanced them in the world whether they be Kings or Queenes Lords or Ladyes Christ makes an honourable mention of the Queene of Shebah S. Luke dedicates his Gospell and the history of the Acts to Noble Theophilus To the most noble governour Felix saies Claudius Lysias Most Noble Festus sayes S. Paul heere S. Iohn gives the vertuous woman the title of a Lady whom God hath honoured let us honour too It is he that setteth up and pulleth downe according to his heavenly pleasure otherwise we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighters against God as Gâ—maleel speaketh Yea though the persons bee bad yet the places are to be respected and they in regard of their places But this was a good an holy and religious Lady an elect Lady most interpret a select Lady egregia an egregious Lady a grege segregata separated from the common sort a famous and illustrious Lady But I see no reason why it may not be expounded according to the native signification of the word it is well translated in the English The elect Lady Elect in Gods eternall Counsell as S. Peter called the strangers dispersed through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Bythinia Asia Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father S. Paul salutes Rufus that was elect and chosen of the Lord Rom. 16.13 He speakes of Clement and other his fellow-labourers that their names were written in the booke of life Philip. 4.3 She had learned Christ as the truth is in Iesus she had a lively faith in Christ she had a demonstration of her faith by good workes by them she made her calling and election sure therefore he pronounceth her to be one of Gods elect we must judge of the salvation of others by their love and charity It becommeth us saith S. Paul so to judge of you all he was farre more charitable than they that judge none shall be saved unlesse they be of their owne stampe and goe to such a Lecture and Sermons as they doe Now he writes not to her alone but to her children too To the Elect Lady and her Children by nature and by grace too as Aquinas speaketh children both men and women but the women were Virgins sayes Lorinus because they were at home with her so were the men-children too As he made great account of the mother so of the children too the proverbe is love me and love my dogge much more love me and my children we will pray for the Kings life and for his sonnes say they So S. Iohn heere salutes the mother and the children too Vpon this he makes a testification of his love to them which is first averred in respect of himselfe 2. amplified in regard of others 3. Illustrated by the procreant cause of love in them all verse 2. Touching himselfe he pronounceth with an ardent affection whom I love in the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which men or women I love how in truth for in the Greeke it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an article in the truth but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth that is truely unfeignedly Let love be without dissimulation There is too much dissembled love in the world Love one another saith Saint Peter with a pure heart unfeignedly A kisse is a token of love For the which cause it was an use in the Primitive Church for Christians to kisse at the celebration of the Supper saith Saint Chrysostome But as he complaines many doth it with the lippes onely ac si in scenares ageretur as if they were on a stage Valentine being an Arrian kissed Ambrose but he reproved him for it Quid oscularis eum quem non agnoveris Why dost thou kisse him whom thou carest not for Greete one another with an holy kisse