following on the contrarie parte the Apostle setteth downe what is the proper glorie of Angels that by plaine comparison this dignitie of Christ might more appeare and so of Angels he addeth that they be all ministring spirits sent out for the safetie of those whiche shall inherite saluation Where he calleth them ministring spirites according to the testimonie of Dauid before alledged He maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flâ—… of fire which bothe names spirites and ministers the one of nature the other of office he bringeth thus into the proper definition that they be ministring spirites And because the ministerie of any creature may be in diuerse things therefore to take away this vncerteintie wherein their ministerie should be hee addeth streight that they are ministers for the safetie of Gods electe So setting out a perfect definition of an Angel fully comprehending all that wee can or ought to knowe of those blessed spirites I for all their glorie is comprehended in the nature of a spirite and the prayse which continually they sing vnto God is comprehended in their ministerie for they are named ministers according to Gods ordinaunce and good pleasure so that with continuall praise and thankesgiuing and reioycing in the Lorde they doe their worke as after their example we make our prayer Thy will be done in earth us it is in Heauen Now vpon this definition of Angels and the former testimonies of the great glorie of the sonne of God our Sauiour Iesus Christ by good comparison the Apostles conclusion is plaine and manifeste that seeing our Sauiour Christ is so exalted euen aboue the angels in all the honour of a King a Priest a Prophet wee ought much more so to acknowledge him aboue Moses aboue Aaron aboue all Temple sanctuarie mercie seate and all ordinances of the lawe that he might be alone our onely health and saluation And thus hee finisheth this first Chapter in which I saide he setteth out the person of Christe according to his Godhead bodily dwelling within him Now touching the wordes what we haue to note of this where he saith to which of the angels saide he at any time I then sufficiently declared vnto you as God gaue me grace when I expounded the v. verse Likewise of Christes sitting at the right hand of God I spake more fully expounding the third verse Where it is here added Till I make thine enimies thy foote stoole The Apostle Sainct Paule speaking of this victorie of Christ he saith He shall abolish all rule and authoritie and power noting as he faith in an other place that we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers against worldly rulers of this darkenesse against spirituall wickednesse in high places wherein we see of what force and strength our enimies are And because he saith The last enimie shal be abolished which is death we see that there shall neuer want enimies to the Churche whereby wee shoulde be prouoked in regarde of our continuall daunger to be euer watchinge and because of our stronge enimies onely to put our truste in Christe And here I beseech you let our hearts be in out owne wayes and of our naturall life let vs learne wisdome least we be also vpbraided of our Sauiour Christ that we can discerne the face of the earth of the skie but we can not iudge of our selues what is right Tell me who of vs hauing a long iourney by many theeues and wilde beastes or passing the rockie seas in great and violent stormes though lie escape a place or two where no theefe is not aâ—…ye beaste hath molested him yet at euerie place of daunger his feare is still renued And thoughe he haue passed many highe surges and deepe gulphes of water yet at euerie waue hee is still affraide not carelesse because he hath passed farre but still carefull because there is more behinde and this wisedome we vse because we know we may as well fall toward our iourneyes end and as well bee drowned before the hauens mouthe as when we first began our daungerous voyage Euen so with the Church of Christ in which this day we confesse our selues to haue our portion from the first day of her peregrination in earth till her last entraunce into glorie there is a perpetuall hatred betweene the serpent and her head and betweene the seede of the serpent and her children in which strife euerie one of vs particularly haue our fight so that from our mothers wombe till we lie downe in the graue our life is a warrefare vpon earth No age no condition of life no day no night but brings his enimie with him and the same enimie armed with sinne and death as well against the man of an hundred yeares olde as against the childe that is newe borne and as well we may fall into condemnation through apostasie of old croked age as through concupiscence and pride of youth And if at any time we become secure like a carelesse people who haue our senses dulled with an idle dreame of peace it is not because webe out of danger but according to the parable in the gospel The strong man hath possessed aâ—… therfore al things seme to be so safe sure Let vs therefore be wise shake off the weight of this dull sluggishnes which presseth vs downe that with attentiue eares wee may willingely heare his louing counsell who one day will breake the strongest head of all our enimies Hee biddeth vs watche and pray because wee knowe not the day nor yet the houre and so much the rather let vs doe it because we stand not in danger of robbing or drowning or tearing with wilde beastes which yet would make vs affraide though death should end our miserie but we stand in daunger of greater calamities when death shal be abolished whether we shal be accursed in eternall fire or whether wee shal be the blessed of the Lorde And as the perill is great so we haue heard the enimies are strong and such as before whome we are verie cowards for be we otherwise neuer so valiaunt to indure paine to quarell to fight to despise any daunger as it is the manner of a great many ruffians in deed but men of good courage they would bee called bring mee one of them in battell against these enimies wee haue to striue against pride against concupiscence against idle games against all sinne and thou shalte see no boy no woman no sickeman so verie a cowarde he hath not the heart to strike one blowe but yeeldeth him selfe a slaue and is led away as an oxe to the slaughter-house Let vs therefore watch Let vs pray for in this dangerous battell in which these strong men are verie cowardes what can we do Euen let vs denie our selues and trust vnto him that sitteth on the right hand of his father and hee shall make all our enimies our footestoole And this word we must not lightly
from it Where said he the pope shall dispense against my apostles and prophets God said It is better to speake fiue wordes which we vnderstood then 〈◊〉 thousand in an vnknowen tong Where said God the ignorant men should pray in latine With this verie argument are ouerthrowne all doctrines of men all traditioÌ„s alpoperie And if this argumeÌ„t were good in the Apostle why is it not good in vs Nay if this be vsuall in y scripture why are we so dull that we will neuer learne it Doeth not God condemne the idolatrie of the people of Israel by this reason They built high places which I commanded not Doeth he not condemne all their superstition and vaine worshipping with y same argument Who required these things at your hands When Dauids purpose was stopped from buylding the house of God was not this the word of the Lord that came vnto him Where socuer I haue walked with all Israel spake I one woorde to any of their Iudges saying why haue you not builte me a house of Cedretrees But why seeke we further wheÌ„ the law is plaine What I commaund thee do that onely And true it is y it is our wisdome and the Light that shineth in our harts as in a dark place If once we go from it as y prophet saith There is no wisdome at all within vs. And this I say because of some which would not haue arguments made negatiuely of scripture I think because it is against Aristotles doctrine But let vs now go forward It followeth in thevi verse Againe when he bringeth c. This is the second comparison betwene Christ and the Angels That it is saide plainely of Christ who is the sonne Let all Angels worship him a thing determined by y scripture it self that Christ is not onely greater then Angels but God to be honoured of all Angels And he alledgeth to this purpose the manifest prophesie that wheÌ„ God brought his sonne into the worlde hee proclamed before him this honour Let all the Angels worship him First touching the alledging of this texte out of the Psalme we neede not doubt this doeing of the Apostle is proofe inough that that Psalme is a prophesie of the kingdome of Christe of which the psalme saith that God with great power and glorie would establish it in earthâ—… shewing miracles in his creatures feare and confusion in his enimies ioy and gladnes in the hearts of his children righteousnes and holines in their liues and not only this but all Angels should worship before him Now as he hath taught this by the testimonie of the prophets giuen to Christ so after in the 7. verse he sheweth the same on the other side by the testimonies which y scripture giueth to angels of whoÌ„ sayth he it is said he maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flaming fire The absolute mening of which wordes wee must learne of the Apostle him selfe in the 14. verse following where according to this testimonie he hath defined their nature and called them ministring spirites Then in these wordes he maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flaming fire hee nameth them a flaming fire according to y similitude in which their glorie hath ben seene as the angels that were with Elizeus his seruant sawe them as chariots of fire the similitude of the beasts which Ezechiel saw were as coles of burning fire and the Seraphims haue their names because they are of a fierie colour and these wordes â–ª spirits and ministers we must resolue thus ministring spirites So out of this texte his argumeÌ„t staÌ„deth thus â–ª Christ is called the sonne the first begotten sonne whome the Angels worship but the Angels are his ministring spirites therefore Christ is greater then the Angels Now for the allegation of this text the Apostle is a sufficieÌ„t witnesse to me that this verse of the 104. Psalme is ment of the Angels of God and not of the windes and I see no reason to the contrarie For first he mentioneth the winds before where he saith He walketh vpon the wings of the winde and therefore a repetition of the same in other wordes was not necessarie â–ª Againe seeing ministers here signifie those which execute Gods power to saue his people I see no cause to attribute it to the windes for though God euen by the elements help his people manie times yet that praise is not giuen as a name to the element which is done in the Angels Now where it is obiected that the Prophet there setteth out the maiestie of God according to his gouernement in thinges of the worlde I graunt it and so the ministery of Angels was then open known in the world And therfore of Angels also the Prophet speaketh as of them in whome the glorie of God shined euen as in the heauens the cloudes the lightnings c. beside this in these words the apostle wil proue what is the nature of angels which requireth that he should speake in the naturall sense of the prophets wordes And the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed of the Apostle seemeth not to be without cause for though it be the Hobrue phrase â–ª as it is saide yet it may well haue iust cause why the Apostle vseth it in Greeke it signifieth as much as if he said thus Vnto all Angels we may say you be but ministring spirites And so it is like vnto the text next alledged of christ To the sonne he sayth c. And thus the preposition is verie conueniently vsed and maketh the Prophets wordes a naturall description of the Angels Therefore for my parte thus I say and thus I am persuaded that as it is here alledged so the wordes were ment of the angels of God which are his ministers to execute his will for safetie of his people And thus muche of the Apostles argument here made Nowe where our Sauiour Christ is here called the first begotten sonne of God both Sainct Iohn sufficiently sheweth the meaning of it in the beginning of his gospel and S. Paule doth plainly expounde the word Iohn saith of our sauiour Christ that he was in the beginning with God that al things were made by him without him nothing was made at al which is as if he had added he was his first begotten sonne Saint Paule expresly addeth the comparison of creatures naming him the first begotteÌ„ before al creatures because saith he all things were created by him in heauen in earth visible or inuisible angels or powers by him and for him all were made so this is the first begotten the maker creator of all things And he is called the first begotteÌ„ not the first creature that in this name we might see the blasphemie of Arrius who sayth there was a time when the sonne of God was not when this name first begotten is not in respect of nature as one in time begotten before other but in respect of his work
reciteth not but for our times it hath a verie good instruction the Prophet thus concludeth The children of thy seruants shall continue and their seedâ—… shal stand fast in thy sight because Christ had ioyned his Church to himselfe he the head they the bodie by him who endured longer then the Heauens the Prophet knew his people could neuer perishe and in his thought if the Prophet had comfort against the tyrannie of the kingdome of Babylon what comforte may we haue now against the enimies of the church of Christ They thinke they be many strong and rich and wise and they will preuaile their Pope shall vp againe they will haue Masse they will exalte the Church of Rome they will become slaues to a vile person as they were before they will do I cannot tell what Alas poore soules how fast they hold a lye in their right hand The shame that they seeke for they shall neuer finde For what are they Or what is their strength How much are they better then grasse or then the flower in the field What is their life more then a vapour or then a smoke that vanisheth away yet they boast them selues against the Church of Christ which is knit vnto the sonne of God liueth in his life standeth in his strength whose right hand hath made all thinges and whose yeres endure for euermore while we trust in this our hope is sure and all our enimies shal be ashamed And let vs pray that it would please God our heauenly father of his great goodnesse to haue mercie vpon vs that by his spirit the eyes of our mindes may be lightened to see what great Saluation he hath giuen vnto vs in Iesu Christ who is his onely sonne heire of althings creator of the world who ruleth and gouerneth all things and shall shewe vs his glorie in immortalitie when all these creatures shall haue their â—…haunge And the Lord graunt that in these dayes of our vanitie while yet we are walking to the day of rest we may in the meane season see his grace and glorie in all his creatures in whiche we haue our pleasure that we may enioye them to his praise and with wise heartes measuring his times who shall endure for euer when all these thinges are past we may mourne in spirite to see the time approch when we with him shall bothe see and inherite his immortalitie through his sonne Iesu Christ who hath purchased it for vs and with his mightie power will keepe vs in safetie vnto it against that day to whom with the father and the holie Ghost our onely comforter beal honour and glorie nowe and euer Amen The sixte lecture vpon the 13. and 14. verses 13 Vnto whiche also of the Angels saide he at any time Sitt at my right hand till I make thine enimies thy foote stoole 14 Are they not all ministring spiritâ—…s sent forth to minister for their sakes which shal be heires of saluation NOWE the Apostle maketh the fifte comparison betweene the Angels and our Sauiour Christe in which it is plaine he is exalted aboue all Angels And this comparison is out of the saying of the Prophet Sitt on my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy foote stoole A singular honour aboue all that euer Angel had for it signifieth that God hath taken him into the fellowship of glorie and giuen him all power in Heauen and in earth Touching this Psalme as it is moste true so it is confessed of all that it is a prophesie of our Sauiour Christ how he should be King of his Church and vtterly subuert all his enimies and be our priest after the order of Melchisedech who should bring an end to the priesthood of Leuie and according to this meaning of the Prophet so the Apostle alledgeth this sentence for proofe of this excellencie of the sonne of God aboue all Angels And with this testimonie our Sauiour Christe him selfe confuteth the Phariseis when they denyed his diuinitie resoning of the force of this word LORD because the comparison then was with Dauid These wordes of the Apostle To which of the Angels said hee at any time c. they shewe plainely what glorie it is to sitt on the right hand of god For when the Apostle sayth The like was neuer said to Angels that is such glorie was neuer giuen them what can it else meane but that Christe is confessed to be one God with his father Or what can we vnderstand to be higher then all Angels but God alone If the right hand of God could signifie his presence the Angels are in his presence and of them thousand thousandes are before him and as our Sauiour Christ saith They see the face of our heauenly father If his right hand could signifie the fruition or sight of his glorie the Angels are all blessed spirites and see his glorie euen as it is If his right hand did signifie any inferiour power though it were greater then all the worlde such power haue also Angels so that one of them haue smitten whole armies of men and whole Countries and therefore bee they also called principalities and powers because no strength in the world can resist them But seeing his right hand noteth vnto vs that honour whiche neuer Angel was receiued vnto and aboue the angels we know none but God alone therefore the Scripture speaketh plainely in setting Christe on the right hand of his father farre aboue Angels that he is one God and equall with his father Besides this sith it is saide Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footestoole it is plaine that this is the right hand of God the power of God giuen vnto Christe in which he shall ouercome all his enimies and sith this is the ende of that glorie that glorie is nothing but the power by which this is brought to passe and when this shal be accomplished that all his enimies shal be confounded then this shall bee finished for him to sitt on the right hand of his father not that Christ shall ceasse to be equal with his father but that this kingdome of Christ our mediatour betweene God and vs in which he keepeth vs that shall cease and he shall giue it vp vnto his father and God shall be vnto vs all in all And thus farre of all these honourable titles giuen vnto Christ in all which the Apostle proueth him greater then all Angels The first is that hee is called the naturall sonne of god The second that the Angels haue commaundement to worship him The third that he is a King of glorie reigning for euer in trueth and righteousnesse The fourth that he is Creatour of the world and indureth when the world shall perish And fiftly that he sitteth on the right hand of high maiestie all whiche are proper titles to the sonne of God and greater then can be giuen to any Angel and therefore Christ to be exalted aboue them all Now in the 14. verse
scripture principalities rules powers dominions thrones Cherubim Seraphim Angels archangels therefore there be nine orders A thirde reason they drawe out of this because there is named Angel and Archangel in whiche names is manifest difference of degree therefore there are nine diuerse orders of Angels Touching the first argument of the nine precious stones of the King of Tyrus it is nothing but follie for what though he were compared to Angels in glorie because his garment was full of precious stones doth it therefore followe that as many kinde of stones as were in his gowne so many orders there should be of Angels If I sawe a man cloathed in riche colours and many iewels about him so that I would say hee shineth like the Sunne must it needes followe that as many colours as are about him so many colours are in the Sunne But the thing is all false the king is not compared there to Angels but because the Cherubims that couered the Mercie seate were of beaten Golde and excellent woorkemanshipp with them that King is compared and called the couering and the annoynted Cherub so that the nine precious stones muste bee nine orders of Cherubims vpon the mercie seate or nine orders of cloathing Nowe where they say there are nine seuerall names of them therefore nine orders First that is false for heere the Apostle out of the Prophet alledgeth two names more spirites and flaming fire They are called in Iob the sonnes of God so by this accompt there must be twelue orders of Angels Or if they will say these names are common to all Angels so is I am sure the name Angel whiche yet they make one particular order therefore if the communitie of the name take away the particular order then are there but eight orders if not then are there twelue But touching these names it is no doubt they are so named according to our vnderstāding as we see the great glorie power of God to appere in them that we might giue him the praise of his work and not imagine so precisely a iust number of the orders of Angels And this is most cleare in Paule him selfe when he had reckoned vp principalities rules powers dominions hee addeth And euery name that is named in this world or in the world to come a cleare sentence of his owne modestie in confessing a holie ignorance of the state of Angels and such as should moue vs to sobrietie to say with S. Augustine The difference of these degrees I confesse I knowe not if any man will say he knoweth it let him speak but let him proue that he speaketh And in dede very reason inforceth thus much that none knoweth the difference for the names are such as we cannot make any good distinction betweene them and the same names are giuen also to the diuels that we should be sure they note no order but rather signifie the power that is in them Now for their third argument that there are Angels and Archangels manifest wordes of degree first this wanteth much in accompt to make ix orders then I say and it can hardly bee confuted that wheresoeuer the name Archangel is mentioned it signifieth our Sauiour Christ and no creature Or if it be attributed to a creature he that in one work is called an Angel in another woorke of greater glorie in our eyes he may be there called an Archangel yet I wil not define any thing neither dare I affirme that all Gods Angels are of equall glorie I haue not climed into the Heauens to knowe such thinges but this I knowe that all this proueth nothing a diuersitie of thus manie orders Therefore now to leaue to speake of things vnprofitable to seeke after let vs see what true comfort God giueth vs in this place The Angels of whome so muche we haue spoken and whose honour is such that seeing our Sauiour Christ exceedeth them the Apostle here proueth he is the GOD of glorie In that I say these Angels serue for our safetie how great is our saftie And what shall we render vnto God for this saluation It were exceeding loue to giue to any man a garde of men about him it were more to giue him a garde of princes But what are men what are princes what are Kinges in respect of Angels whome God hath made to pitche about vs Not one of vs this day that are Christes but haue his Angels to keepe vs in our way What princes glorie can now dazell our eyes except we knowe not our selues Howe can wee enuie earthly blessinges of houses lands seruaunts to abound vnto our brethren except we be ignoraunt what God hath done for vs How can we fil our liues with any straunge concupiscence of thinges whiche God hath holden back from vs if we beleeue what excellent treasure of his angels he hath giuen vs If his Angels be ours how truely may we say with Paule Let vs not hereafter glorie in men for whether if be Paule or whether Apollo or whether Cephas whether it bee the worlde whether life or else death whether they be things present or else to come all is oures And why should we now feare to be shodd with the preparation of the Gospel of peace and go boldly whether trueth fayth holinesse duetie calleth vs What if the world breake with hatred or men swell in malice againste vs are the Angels driuen back with vaine threatenings Or what if we doe fall before the enimie and he preuaile against vs as it happened to our Sauiour Christ him selfe is this a want in Angels that watch ouer vs Or is it not rather the good wil of God that we should dye with Christ the sooner to reigne with him Last of all now let vs knowe how this glorie is giuen vs not of our selues but as wee are members of Christ for to him it doth properly belong who is our head He is the ladder which Iacob sawe in a dreame reaching from Heauen to Earth and the Angels ascending and descending by it as him selfe plainely expoundeth it saying to Nathaniel that he should see the heauens open and the Angels ascending and descending vppon the sonne of man so that this honour is ours as we be Christes to him it apperteineth and to vs it is giuen as we be made mēbers of his bodie by faith And thus far of angels Nowe let vs praye that it would please God our heauenly father of his gratious goodnesse to lighten our vnderstanding into all knowledge wisdome of his worde that we may be carefull because of our enimies lest at any time we fall into temptation and that we may be bolde in Iesu Christ who sitteth at the right hand of his father till he make all our enimies his fotestoole and who hath giuen vs his good guard of Angels that we might see his loue and know our honour that so we may consecrate our selues to set forth his praise and walke before him in holinesse
it to be garnished with golde and siluer and vaine sightes of a corruptible eye which in time consume and the rust and canker frett them away But in thine heart which Christ hath sāctified there is greater treasure then this If thou loke vpon the earth thine eyes are cleare to see from East to West and all is thine the stones in the streete are at league with thee and the beasts of the field are at peace with thee Let all the tyrants in the earth lift vp their handes against thee they shall not finde any thing vnder heauen to doe thee hurt all creatures are sworne to thy safetie it is not possible for man to breake their faithfulnesse they can do nothing vnto thee but good Loke also without the boundes and compasse of Heauen and Earth and with pure eyes thou seest greater thinges then these thou seest hell abolished death troden vnder feete the first sorrowe cast out into shame Saints Angels are in thy sight immortalitie hath lengthened thy dayes the glorie of God is before thee in a glasse He that can builde thee suche an other tabernacle let him be thy God and where else thou findest suche treasure there settle thy heart or if this only be the greatest reioyce only in this and pray for a sincere faith that thou mayest in deed see it and haue thy soule knit vnseparably vnto it that thou mayest greatly despise all other thinges say as the Prophet Dauid said What is man that thou art mindful of him And thus farre at this time Now let vs pray c. ¶ The ninth Lecture vpon part of the 8. verse vpon the 9. 10. verses 8 But we yet see not all things subdued vnto him 9 But we see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour which was made a litle inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death that by Gods grace he might tast death for all men 10 For it became him for whome are all these thinges and by whome are all these thinges seeing that he brought many children vnto glorie that he should consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions I Tolde you at the beginning that the Apostle in the first seconde chapter setteth purposely out the person of Christ how he is God man how he set out his godhead in y first chapter you heard vnto which hee addeth this earnest exhortation in the beginning of this chapter wherof also we haue already spoken Nowe in these woordes whiche wee haue read he beginneth the other parte of his purpose to teache that our Sauiour Christe is perfect man and taketh his occasion of the text before alledged which he applyed vnto Christe as chiefe and principall though it be ment also of all men for when he had so highly magnified man in consideration of mans present state a doubt is streight moued Howe can this bee sithe we see not these things yet subiect vnto him To this the Apostle aunswereth that it is alreadie accomplished in our Sauiour Christe who is beecome man for our sakes and through death hath gotten this glorie for vs so heere is a full declaration how this prophesie alledged is verified in man and a preperation to teach more at large how Christe is perfect man In the words of this eighth verse But now we see not yet all thinges subiect vnto him he moueth the doubt whiche is easily made against that Scripture whiche so highly extolled man and aunswereth thus vnto it In deed I graunt all things are not yet thus subiect vnto man but yet in Christe wee see this already accomplished for wee haue seene him made lower then Angels and yet againe exalted and crowned with glorie and honour euen as him selfe is witnesse All power is giuen mee in Heauen and in Earth and so hee is risen from the dead that death hath no more power ouer him for euer who beeing made man for vs in him it is accomplished that man is ruler ouer all the workes of God now in parte and after this fullie when our base bodies shal be chaunged and made glorious In this we see how he commeth to speake of the māhod of our sauiour Christ which after he declareth more at large For the suffering of death Some translate this Through the suffering of death as shewing the cause why God exalted him but neither is that so pertinent to the Apostles purpose nor his wordes doe so signifie but thus For the suffering of death that is to the end hee might suffer death So he sheweth the cause why Christ was made lower then Angels and that is because he might die for otherwise in the maiestie of his Godhead all death and all corrupion fall before him and nothing can stand in his sight but life glorie and immortalitie therefore to the end that that immortalitie and glorie of GOD might dye and death might come vnto him it must needes be that he should be humbled beneath Angels In the words that followe That by Gods grace he might taste of death for all men he sheweth here y cause why he dyed As this was the cause of abasing him that he might dye so this was y cause of his death that he might dye for vs that is that he might take our death vpon him so by him we might be deliuered from it Where he saith By the grace of God he sheweth that it was the free loue of God that gaue his sonne vnto vs no desert on our behalfe but when wee sought not after him then hee offered him selfe vnto vs and when we sate as the prophet saith in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death then a great light rose vp vnto vs to this end that we which are the Gentiles might prayse God for his mercie And where it is said that he might tast of death he calleth here To taste of death to haue in deede sense and feeling of the paines not diminishing the passion as a thing lightly touched but warranting the bitternesse and all the sorrow of it euen to the bottome of the graue and deathe to be tasted fealt in deed and saying For all he meaneth not by All good or badd whosoeuer they be but as Sainct Iohn plainely expoundeth it God gaue his sonne to die to the end that al that beleeue should not perish but haue life euerlasting So our Sauiour Christ saith All that beleeue are baptised shal be saued So thus farre the Apostle hath taught plainely both how the former prophesie is accomplished in Christ and is verified in euerie one of vs and he hath aptly begun to teache this doctrine that our Sauiour Christ is perfect man which in this Chapter I saide was his especiall purpose Now touching this greate excellencie of man whereof the Apostle hath spoken howe wee be made partakers of it a little further weighe it He hath spoken greate and maruelous thinges euen as the Prophet had saide Marueilous things
Christ what is the office of the true priest and that is that hee be greate and stronge to beare all our infirmities then that hee make an entrance for vs vnto God induing vs now with saith boldenesse of his spirit and finally giuing vs his grace and saluation which things as they were neuer in Aaron nor in all the sonnes of Leuie so they haue clearely appeared in Christe and therfore with boldnesse let vs cleaue vnto him to this effecte is this exhortation Now where he saith Sith therfore we haue a great high priest who hath entred into the heauens Iesus the sonne of God let vs holde this profession I would we could heere learne of the Apostle to bee wise The excellencie of our sauiour Christ both of his person and of his doings was a strong persuasion vnto him to giue glorie vnto Christ alone Seing Christe was the sonne of God full of power to doe all he would who had entred into the presence of his liuing father what man is he shall ioyne him selfe vnto him to claime a parte and fellowshipp in that worke which Christe hath taken vppon him selfe or who that may haue his hope and reioycing in Christ wil cast it off to glorie in a mortall man◅ this madnesse was so greate in the Apostles eyes that as a thing which it grieued him to remember so he besecheth his brethren neuer to let it sink into them but rather seeing Christ was vnto them such a one let them abide in him hold fast his profession Thus we at this day let vs strengthē our faith and aunswer all our aduersaries if the question be whether iustification bee in our owne woorkes let vs say seing Christ the sonne of the liuing God hath beene conceiued of the holie Ghost and borne of a virgine and sanctified himselfe for vs fulfilling all righteousnesse in his flesh and offering vs freely of his fulnesse to be made holie before God we will holde this profession and wee that are but dust and full of euill wee will not ioyne our selues with so excellent a sauiour we renounce our righteousnesse and the righteousnesse of our fathers the righteousnesse of Abraham of Paule of Peter of the virgin Marie and the righteousnesse of Christe shal be our righteousnesse alone If wee be asked whether the Masse be a sacrifice for our sinne let vs aunswer seeing Christ the immaculate lambe of God by his eternall spirit hath offered vp once his owne bodie vppon the crosse and giuen eternall redemption to those that doe beleeue if an impure priest of polluted members will presume to bee one in this businesse let his sinnes be imputed vnto him who with vnchaste handes will needes crucifie againe the sonne of God we will none of his cursed workes but will holde our profession Christ is our sacrifice and sacrificer alone he is the pro pitiation for our sinnes So in all other poinctes if Christ who came downe from heauen and is in the bosome of his father hathe taken vpon him to be our prophet let vs holde this profession and not care what fleshe and bloud can say vnto vs If Christ to whom all power is giuen in Heauen and in Earth who is King of glorie and sitteth on the right hand of maiestie in the highest places if he haue taken vpon him to lose the workes of the diuel and set vs free from his bondage why holde we not this profession or why runne we to holie water belles candels crosses and such vanities as though they holped Christ in his worke Or if all our enimies thinke they can connute this that here we say let them aunswer vs howe is the reason of the Apostle good against the priesthod of Aaron that it is abolished no other sacrifices are but Christ because he is so excellent a priest the sonne of God the greate high priest and hath entred the heauens If this dignitie of his person proue the priesthod onely to bee his why doth not the same proue all these thinges we speake of to be done wrought by him alone or how is it possible that his priesthood for the excellencie of it cannot stand with the priesthood of Aaron which yet was glorious and that it shoulde stande with the filthy stinking priesthood of a greasie handed pope which is loathsome to see heare ▪ or how can his glorie beare no fellowe in his priesthod yet beare the fellowship or any partenership with other in the office of a Kinge and prophet Seeing then it is thus withvs that wee be glorified to haue such a priest so high so greate let vs holde as the Apostle saith his profession and acknowledge no helpers vnto him Thus the Apostle hauing shewed the dignitie and glorie of Christ our priest in the 15. verse following he sheweth also his mercie and compassion that we may knowe him a perfect priest and for this cause he addeth this least the weake Iewes should otherwise be offended and fall at the knowledge of his glorie for hearing our Sauiour Christe exalted as God they would easily thinke and shall the Lord againe speake vnto vs do we not remember the dayes of mount Sinai when he spake vnto them and they were all afraide yea Moses himselfe did he not tremble and the people pray that they might heare him no more shal it be so agiane with vs or hath the Lord spoken and we haue not seene his maiestie to stop this or like offence the Apostle addeth this of his compassion loue for we haue not a high priest which cānot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sorte ▪ yet without sinne the summe of which words are that as we acknowledge Christe to bee the sonne of God so we also beleeue that he was made man like vnto vs and in this participation of nature hath taken also vpon him al our infirmities accounting them as his owne so that we may be bolde to come vnto him who is no more fearfull in the glorie of his maiestie but louing in y similitude of our nature And that it is said here he suffereth with vs is tempted as we made like vs in all things we must vnderstand it by reason of that spirituall and vnspeakable coniunction which we haue with him in that he is our head and we are his members a vnitie not knowen of fleshe and bloud for it is not made of ioynts and sinewes but seene onely with the eyes of faith according as it standeth by participation of the same spirite and when we shal know what the spirite is we shall see the band in whiche we are knitt together and be able to speake it howe Christ now suffereth with vs and howe the afflictions of his sainctes are suche vnto him as if they were in his own bodie euen as he saith Saule Saule why persecutest thou me by which experience the apostle Paule also calleth his afflictions the afflictions of
he kneeled downe fell vppon his face and so prayed vnto God. And as the cause of his prayers is here mentioned To be deliuered from death so the wordes of his prayer in the Gospel are like Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me meaning the death of his crosse to which he was condemned And as heere is mencioned his great and lowde crying so there the Euangelist saith he cried out with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and like as heere is said He prayed with weeping teares so there is witnessed that he was sorrowfull and greeuouslie troubled that his soule was heauie euen vnto deathe and that in a great agonie his sweate was like vnto drops of bloud a wofull kinde of weeping but suche was his compassion that we might haue sure hope and as heere is said he was deliuered from his feare so at that time when all his spirites were troubled the Angell came from heauen to bring him comfort These similitudes they are all so agreeable that it is euident the Apostle respected especially aboue other this part of his passion in which his perfecte loue and vnchaungeable affection toward vs shined in most fulnesse of beautie in that it was so seruent and so deepely rooted that neither feare nor trembling nor any anguishe of spirite could make him shake nor the force of death nor any bloudie sweates coulde pull it out of his bowels In this one sentence dearely beloued there is more for vs to learne then either eye hath seene or eare hath heard or all flesh in this life shal atteine vnto it is the depth of the glorious Gospell whiche the Angels doe desire to beholde But to note vnto you some thinges in which our faith may be strēthened we haue to learne by y example of our sauiour Christ in this place that in all temptations wee should approch vnto our God and make our complaints vnto him who is onely able and readier for to helpe vs He hath not forgot his promise that he hath made of old Cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil deliuer thee he is a place of refuge and of sure defence a strong tower against all assaults the righteous man that shall hasten vnto him hee shall be surely saued the author finisher of our fayth he is gone before vs we shal be surely partakers of y same mercie It skilleth not how great our temptations are into which we are fallen nor how manie in number the Lord will deliuer vs out of all It skilleth not how many our sinnes are nor howe great in our eyes that haue procured our troubles the Lord will scatter them as the cloudes from the heauens and they shall not turne away his louing countenance from vs Let vs looke on this patterne Iesus Christ that is set before vs it woulde crushe our fleshe in peeces to beare with him the weight of his afflictions from which he was deliuered and it would make our teares to be as drops of bloud to be partakers of so great anguishe of spirite as he susteyned and yet it was not so great but the comfort of the Angell sent from his father was much greater so that by prayer hee obteined a most excellent victorie and hath brused the serpents head and broken all his force and why should we then be discouraged If our sinnes be as crimson or if they bee red like skarlet yet they are the sinnes of our owne bodies but not ours only but also the sinnes of the world they rested all vpon Christ our Sauiour and yet he prayed for deliuerance and hath obteined and therfore we may say with boldnesse forgiue vs our trespasses If the loue of Christ were so greate to beare the sinnes of vs all of them euerie one hath gotten forgiuenesse how should not we that are laden but with our owne sinnes lift vp our heades into great assurance of hope and heare with ioyfulnesse the worde of promise I will be merciful to their vnrighteousnesse I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more And what though our afflictions are exceeding many that the whole head be sicke and the whole heart be heauie that from the sole of the foote vnto our heads there be nothing whole in our bodies but all wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption yet all this is nothing vnto his passions by whose stripes we are healed And these troubles are nothing vnto his mightie cryinges who was compassed about for our sakes with feares and horrors till his sweate was as drops of bloud and his bones bruised in his fleshe Then let the whips and scourges of our chasticement be grieuous let vs yet be beaten if the will of God so be with scorpions Christ in great compassion suffering with our infirmities hath borne yet a more heauie weight of iniquities and hath been deliuered So that if we obey we are partakers of his mercies we haue full persuasiō that neither death nor life nor Angels nor prin cipalities nor powers nor things prefét nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yea and greater boldnes then this if it be possible to dwell within vs the Apostle here hath offered it in Christ Iesu. If all the sinnes were vppon him and all sorrowes in his fleshe and yet from them all God hathe hearde his prayers why should we not be sure that our sinnes and sorrowes shal be done awaye why should we not be sure that God him selfe hath appointed vnto all that mourne in Sion as the Prophet saith to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirite of heauinesse Let vs therefore behold dearly beloued for he was woūded for our transgressiōs brokē for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vpon him these praiers are ours these supplicatiōs for vs auailable for moe sinnes then we are able to commit this is our victorie that shal ouercome the world euē our faith in al miseries and multitudes of woe we are not sunken so deepe in sorrow as he that for our sakes made prayers and supplications with strong cryings and with teares and was deliuered from his feare The second point that we haue here to learne in this example of our Sauiour Christe is to knowe vnto whome we should make our prayers in the day of trouble which the Apostle testifieth in these wordes that Christ made his prayers vnto him that was able to deliuer him from death a rule to bee kept of vs in al manner of our petitions and supplications whatsoeuer to make thē knowen vnto him that can graunt our request that is vnto God this rule was kept of the Church of God from the beginning When men were once turned from their Idols
XXVII LECTVRES or readings vpon part of the Epistle written to the Hebrues Made by Maister Edward Deering Bachelour of Diuinitie ¶ Imprinted by Lucas Harison ANNO. 1577. ¶ To the Christian Reader increase of faith and knowledge with an earnest Zeale of Christ Iesus the Lord. THE Epistle to the Hebrues conteyneth such doctrine as the holy apostle knew moste necessarie for the Iewe who a fewe excepted in the blindnes of their heartes acknowledged not Christe Iesus for the Messias albeit all thinges long before prophecied of the Messias by the holy Patriarches and Prophetes were in him clearely and fully accomplished and that in the eyes and eares of all Israel This their great blindnes caused the excellent light of this Epistle to be set foorth to the whole world for as their other wantes and falling off from the faith and naturall Oliue tree caused the fullnesse and grassing in of the Gentiles so their doubtfulnes as the doubtfulnesse of Thomas occasioned such cleare doctrine that we which come afterwarde cannot now without singular impietie make any doubt in the doctrine and gospel of our Lord Iesus Christe the which long agoe hath not beene both made and fully aunsweared Whereuppon all men ought to bee armed with this persuasion that whosoeuer againe doubteth where the doubt is already taken away and whosoeuer sinneth the sinne that hath beene heeretofore punished is a double offender for hee is not guiltie of the infidelitie alone or of the sinne but also of the despising the example set downe for vs that we trembling at the iuste iudgements of God against others should auoyde the the sinne in our selues knowing that if wee cōmunicate with the wicked in their blindnes wee must also communicate with them in the daunger is in the prouocation then in the punishment Wherefore concerning my first woordes the Iewes acknowledged not Iesus Christ for the Messias and redeemer of the world but we must acknowledg it and the rather hauing amongst the vnspeakable treasures of the word of God this pretious epistle wherin the doctrine of the person and offices of Christe are most substantially prooued and witnessed by the holy Ghost For therein the Apostle chiefely proueth Christ to be the annoynted of God annointed not with common Oyle but with the Oyle of gladnes that is with all fulnesse of the spirite into a prophet that teacheth vs the wisedome and loue of the father hee alone the priest that washeth away sinne maketh peace with his sacrifice euen a high Priest after the order of Melchisedech al other priests after the order of Leuie being for the time but shadowes and figures of the light and life in Christe hee alone the King of Salem whose kingdom is without vnrighteousnes and euerlasting not as other kingdomes which are outward and bodily but his kingdome frameth and ruleth the hart by the spirit of God and the scepter of his lippes the throne thereof being established in trueth and maiestie for euer and euer Besides these chiefe partes being the bodie of the Epistle there be other braūches conteining both vehemēt exhortations to the worthy receiuing of the word this present doctrine in faith and also to the bringing forth of the plentifull fruite therof in patience This excellent epistle about foure yeres past was expoūded in the citie of London by two learned godly men who made I suppose their choice of that Epistle as conteining very necessary doctrine for our times wherin the enimies of the Gospel are to to many preuaile too too much against the peace of the Church for they seke righteousnes in their own works sacrifices whiche is not foūd otherwise in heauē or earth thē in the righteousnes alone sacrifice of our lord Iesus Christ who not by the sacrifice of staūge bloud but by the offering vp of his owne bloud being himselfe the sacrifice and sacrificer made an end of all sacrifices and oblations going before and lefte no place for any new sacrifice or oblation to be vsed afterwarde Neither was this all that the Apostle ouerthroweth all other sacrifices establishing that as all sufficient which was at the fullnes of them according to the eternall decree of God the father made vpon the altar of the crosse once for euer and so consequently confuteth the Papistes mainteyning euen with bloudie sacrifices of men their vnbloudy sacrifice of the Masse but moreouer the doctrine is ve ry profitable and necessarie to stirre vp the minds and furnish the harts of professours of the Gospel 〈◊〉 knowledge concerning the person and offices of Christ Iesus the Lord. For to leaue the Catholiques as they vntruly call themselues either to the grace of God to be conuerted which God graunt vs hartily to pray for or to the blindnes of their hart to worship they know not what concerning the professours of the truth I beseech thē in the mercies of Iesus Christ to knowe the height the depth the length bredth al the mesures of Christ preached in the Gospel that as the foundation is moste certeine so it may bee also certeinely knowne and bring forth certeine fruites to the glory of God their own assured saluatiō in him Otherwise if the know ledge of our lord Iesus Christ be weake our faith cānot be strong if the faith be not strong thē our hope is small the afflictions of the spirit many But on the other side daily and effectuall exercises of the worde bringe increase of knowledge increase of knowledge bringeth increase of faith increase of faith bringeth increase of hope hope bringeth patience and in patience wee holde the possession of our soules til the day of our ful redemption But to returne to the two Interpreters of this Epistle the one lyueth and may doe wel if the Lord so dispose of his hearte to publishe in Printe his Readinges made to his greate prayse vpon the whole the other is layd vp in peace with the righteous but before his death he painfully gathered together the greatest part of his lectures leauing thē in writing that therby he might againe profite the Church after his death and now they are published to the benefite of the Church the zeale wherof greatly exercised his godly minde and many times brought his watchfull head and weake body neere to the graue Of whome I might truly speake much to his great prayse yet nothing vnknowne but let God haue the praise neuerthelesse as I will say no more ▪ in persuading men so I can say no lesse in duetie then this his goodnesse was by the grace of God very much and his harmelessnes more his giftes notable and his spirite more notable accompanying him for the measure of his bodily strength with daily increase til the last day and hower wherin for our punishment the Lord translated him from mortalitie to immortalitie Touching these his Praelections a goodly paterne of his swete spirite thou hast them gentle Reader in thy hands and I leaue
them to thy iudgement they neede not my commendation But be not thou deceiued in iudgeing good thinges by the first taste for they delight more the second time then at the first and more at the third time then at the second Try my commendation and giue thy sentence But of all other readers of these M. Ed. Deerings expositions I haue namely to exhort and beseech the Citizens of London others sometime his diligent auditours that they would now repaire their vnderstanding and reâ—…site their consolations reaped at the first fâ—…utes of this present doctrine that they would also examine and take an accompt of their memorie to see what is now set downe in writing here that they haue vtterly forgotten long agoe So they shall beholde how easily good thinges and comfortable things euen thinges of eternall life how soone they perishe and for want of true reuerence to the worde or diligent regard to our sáluation are by Satan made fruitelesse whereas in small matters olde men haue freshe memories as to remember where their gold lyeth and how many obligations they haue and of what conditions And what is it I pray you that in them causeth so good momorie euen the hart set theron with diligent care which heart more set vpon that that is more precious infinitely what iudgement what comfort what stedfastnes would it cause in the word of life But how commeth so small heede in so mightie matters Certeinly herevpon that the worldly man is of a worldly minde and a man without the spirit as the Apostle Iude speaketh hath no tast of the spirit no delight in spritual riches they are to him foolishnes But of memorie thus much may suffice I would haue thought it too muche were it not that to learning and knowledge in man I know nothing better For thy memorie though the voice be taken away and the spirite with the Lord yet the doctrine remaineth to thee in letters remaine thou mindfull now to make that hereafter fruitfull to thee by diligence which hetherto hath by negligence lyen barren Let vs account it a blessing from God that we haue thus many of M. Deerings readings the rest whiche wâ—…re to the x. Chapter or there about 〈◊〉 the other three Chapter 's waite for and desire some other 〈◊〉 faithfull labour If any man hauing small hope to make the remainder like to that which wâ—…e haue refuse therefore to attempt the matter let him otherwise abouÌ„ding with gifâ—… and 〈◊〉 and hauing exercises in the Church humble himselfe to be in the second or third place to finishe the worke and benefite the Church whereunto al men are insâ—…tely â—…ndebted and almost no man carefull to come out of debt But most of all let vs continually pray that our good God would in these perillous ends of the world put on vs al his whole complet armour to stand against the power and malice of Satan that he would also illuminate our heartes with the bright beames of his wisedome and holy word that we may be freed from the darknes of ignoraunce and errour that the mouthes of the wicked may be stopped and the lippes of the children of God opened and fulfilled with the 〈◊〉 of God. Moreouer seeing the Lord hath layed sharpe roddes and long time executed great iudgements vpon our neighbours round about giuing vs now all these 18. yeares of our gratious Souereigne the Gospel in great peace it is our duetie to consider our duetie in this behalfe first that we in brotherly compassion and in an inward fellowfeeling lament to our power redresse their calamities secondarily that wee be thankefull to God for our peace and carefull to yeeld our selues in all singlenes and trueth euery way obedient to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ the king of peace in as large the same maner that is to vs offered in the word of life in the third place that all diligence bee vsed that the word may haue his free passage and main course to the ouerthrow of all aduersarie power especially of the open enimies Papists and Atheistes to the discouerie of other sectes springing vpp of their owne accord where the word is not planted finally to the cutting off of prophane and loose life which nowe aduaunceth it selfe against heauen and prouoketh the Almightie except by discipline it be broken downe that the kingdome of Iesus Christe may be moste glorious on earth and that the sonnes of men may be safe and reioyce vnder the shadow of his winges For a further vnderstanding hereof and of many other like exercises in the knowledge practise of Christianitie I referre thee gentle Reader to these Lectures beseeching God to make thy labours fruitful with his coÌ„tinual blessings especially in thy prayers wherein as carefull for the whole Church also pray that the Lord in mercie would make the Churches beyonde the seas rather partakers of our peace with fulnesse therof then in iustice to make vs companions of their punishment in the laste place and greatest measure Amen The xxiiii of Nouember 1576 ¶ The Praelections of Edward Deering vpon certeine of the first Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrues ¶ The first Lecture vpon the firste verse of the first Chapter 1 AT sundrie times and in diuerse manners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne AT sundry times in diuers maners c. Before we begin the exposition of this Epistle I wil briefly speak somewhat of these three pointes Why this Epistle was written by whome and at what time And first touching the cause of the writing though we knowe assuredly it was cause sufficient to leaue so excellent doctrine vnto the church of God yet a speciall occasion then giuen was vndoubtedly this The Iewes were stubbernly set to the maintenance and defence of the law of Moses holding fast al the ceremonies of it as things necessarie neuer to be abrogate but perpetually to be vsed in the worshipp of god Among the residue they did especially striue for Circumcision next vnto it for the obseruation of meates and drinkes and times and feastes and sundry purifyings as these things are namely mentioned in the scripture Besides these other ceremonies they imbraced them and loued them And though many thousandes as it is in the xxi of the Actes did beleeue yet were they still zealous for the law nor could possibly heare of the abrogation of it In so much that they and their forefathers had made this an article of their faith and it is the ninth article of their Creede they holde it to this day God gaue his lawe to his faithful seruant Moses and he wil neuer alter it nor chaunge it for any other And this their opinioÌ„ as it was rooted in theÌ„ so they had very many plausible persuasions for it they stroue not for the inuentions of man but for the law of God not
holden by traditiōs but writtē by Moses not in doubtful testimonie but in manifest shew of the glorie of god And this their opinion they did not think was any coniectural exposition but the manifest word as it was oft repeated that this should be an ordinaunce to them for ouer For this cause the Apostle hauing compassion vpon his weake brethren who beleued in Christ but were also thus addicted to the law he writeth vnto them this Epistle by all meanes persuading them neuer to ioyne together our sauiour Christ with the Ceremonies of the lawe whose glorie is perfect in him self alone and all height must be abased before him He created alone and he will redeeme alone He made alone and he wil saue alone and to be set in cōparison with him all the gold siluer precious stones all the ornaments of the temple they are but Beggerlie Elements Nothing else in earth nothing vikler earth nothing in heauen nor in the heauen of heauēs no vertue no power no strength no name else that is named in which or by which we can be saued but only the name of Iesus christ And for this cause this epistle was written Wherin it shal be good for vs to marke how from the beginning sathan hath striuen to obscure and darken the glorie of Christe and howe hee hath holden stil the same purpose vnchaungeably euen to our dayes First he chaūged him selfe into an Angel of light with glorious names of Moses Moses vnder pretence of holinesse striuing against trueth a marueylous practise in those dayes inough to haue subuerted the faith of many For who would haue thought that such men so great louers of the lawe of the Temple of Moses should bee enimies of the true Mellias or be ignoraunt of the saluation and spirituall worship which he should teach them But here we learne not to ground our faith neither vpon the glorious wordes nor vppon the glorious hames of mortall men For this deceiued from the beginning but the worde it selfe must bee graffed in vs if we will not erre So now in these our last times in which the diuel striueth as at the firste wee see how many say vnto vs The church the church The pope the pope The fathers the fathers many thousandes are led with this sound of wordes yet in these wordes is no wisedome onely they renewe the olde deceipt in which the diuel first troubled the church of God For what is the Churche they speake of who is the pope who are their fathers are they greater then the Temple then the lawe then Moses if not then their names may be vsed for a cloke of falshood as y others were Then we must trie them and examine them whether it be a true churche or true fathers they speake of To follow a church you know not what is to trust to the Temple you knowe not how And knowe it well such wordes are but mockeries and such spirites are of error and darknesse The effect is proofe inough For the end of their religion is that ignorance is the mother of deuotion Now touching the author of this Epistle who it was it skilleth not For if the name had ben here what had it shewed but that God vsed the ministerie of such a man And now the time is not knowen it teacheth expressely the doctrine is of god And for this cause to the bookes of holie scripture names are sometime added sometime not that the doctrine of the Lorde might be vnto vs without respect of person And for my parte who wrote this Epistle I can not tell nor I see no cause why I should seeke it For when the spirite of God hath lest it out can I think it the better if I should adde it I remember Athanasius sayeth that since the Gospell was first preached this Epistle was euer thought to be Paules But Eusebius as boldly on the other side saith that he dareth constantly affirm as the sense is the Apostles so the phrase pēning is some other mans but whose God knoweth and thus much of the authour whome we will leaue as we finde him a faithfull wittnesse of Iesus Christ euen to the ends of the world but whose name we knowe not Now for the time in which it was written it is certein it was in y apostles dayes For if it had bene after the destruction of Ierusalem threatning so oft the anger of God to those who would despise his sonne no doubt he would haue mentioned so singular an example Besides this he maketh mention of Timothie as his companion and fellowe who was famous among the Apostles And it is like that this Epistle was written about the later end of the Apostles age because he saith that this doctrine first preached by the Lord hath now bene confirmed vnto vs by them that heard it And noting the time how long the Gospell had bene preached afore he sayth that time required that nowe they should be able to be teachers of it Againe in the x. chapter he putteth them in remembraunce that in times past they had suffered great and manifolde afflictions for the Gospels sake So that we easily see this Epistle as it is holie and Apostolicall in the trueth of doctrine so it hath also the honour of their time And thus farre of the occasion authour and time of this Epistle Now as briefly as I can I will shewe you the argument of the whole Epistle and that is this that onely in Iesus Christ is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Which argument he handleth thus Firste setting out our sauiour Christ who he is in the ten firste chapiters Then howe saluation is thorough him in the residue of the Epistle In setting foorth our sauiour Christe who he is he sheweth first the nature of his person in the two first chapters then what is his office in the next eight Touching his person he teacheth first that he is perfect God in the first chapter then that he is perfect man in the second Chap. of which we wil speake more particularly in expoūding of the text Of his office whereof we said he intreateth in the viii next chapters he teacheth this firste that he is our Prophet from the beginning of the iii. chapter to the xiiii verse of the fourth then that he is our priest from thence to the xix verse of the x. chapter And though the Apostle of purpose and with great care do plainely teach that Christ is our king yet because this necessarily followeth of the other there was no doubt but that Messias their priest and prophet should be also their prince and king therefore he seemeth not to make any particular intreatie of this as of the other offices but as he was a kingly prophet a kingly priest and the sonne of God so in proofe of all these he maketh with them manifest proofes of his kingdome at in the text more plainely God willing I will
Our Sauiour Christ being y eternall sonne of God through the work of the holy ghost was made man of the virgin Marie and borne without originall sinne and by the same spirit filled still his manhood more and more with grace till the fulnesse of all righteousnesse was within him that so his manhood might inherit saluation according to the promisse Do this and thou shalt liue But hitherto as he is righteous so he is righteous for him selfe and only that man is yet blessed which was conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of the virgin Marie Our sinnes doe yet remaine and we abide holden vnder the death of them and therefore as his first woorke sanctified him self so yet there remained more that he might sanctifie vs For when he commeth to vs he findeth vs in sinne through sinne in death and in the condemnation of the diuell who had the power of death So that he had nowe another worke then in his first righteousnesse to sanctifie his owne bodie He must also abolish sinne and death and hel in which we were holden if he wil be a sauiour vnto vs And heere he must multiplie all his former righteousnesse and make it infinite for a greater worke is behind and a new law is giuen vnto him a law neuer giuen to all flesh a singular law out of the depth of Gods wisdome and goodnesse which without the fall of Adam had neuer beene seene neither of man nor Angel a law of a redeemer that is a law by which he might bring man from death to life from hel to heauen from hatred to loue and from the diuell to God a work farre greater then to make the worlde of nothing This law was to loue God his brother not in vsual things of life whervnto al we were appointed but in taking vpon him sin and death and treading the winepresse of the anger of almightie God. And this thing he hath also done For being righteous pure holie and without spot the sinne that abounded he tooke it all vpon him and deathe that reigned he submitted him selfe vnto it and went as despised among men in shame in ignominie in affliction of the flesh for the sinne of our bodies and in anguishe of spirite in mourning and in sorrowe to beare the sinnes of our soules before GOD feeling the heauinesse of his wrathe whiche was the sting of death and condemnation and before man shewing the signes of it vpon a cursed crosse in agonies bloudie sweates and in wofull crying according to the sense and feeling of sorrowe that was vppon him And all this he endured not vnwillingly for then he had done nothing but with exceeding ioy of heart that he had found out the miserie in whiche he might seale it howe muche he loued his father and make it manifest howe he loued vs So went he willingly vnto death and that he might satisfie the iustice of his father and purge the sinnes of his people with all his heart he gaue his bodie vnto the crosse and his soule a sacrifice for our sinne which obedience was accepted of his father the iust punishment of all sinne and full redemption of all his elect And this the Apostle here meaneth when he sayth that by himselfe he purged our sinnes And because he saith by himselfe he purged our sinnes in this we see a cleare discharge giuen to the Tabernacle and all the sacrifices at the doore of it not one of them purged sinne And though some wee called sinne offeringes and the sinnes of the people in such sacrifices were saide to be forgiuen yet they had that name and calling not according to the merite of the woorke but according to the vertue of the thing they signified euen as the Lordes supper is called the communion of the bodie of Christe and baptisme is saide to bee the washing away of our sinnes not in trueth of the thing but in mysterie of the signe The phrase being so vsed for more assurance and warrant of the promise not to carrie the grace of God from our sauiour Christ and his spirit to the dumbe elements of bread or water And if the Iewes are here instructed to leaue their vaine trust and confidence in the lawe and to knowe that the forgiuenesse of their sinnes was not in meates drinkes and diuerse washings and carnall rites of the temple nor in the bloud of Goates and Calues or in the ashes of an heifer sprinckling thē which are vncleane but onely in the precious bloud shed and the bodie crucified of Iesus Christ notwithstanding all these ordinaunces were giuen them of God what could our fathers say who sawe the Lawe abrogate the temple pulled downe the lande prophaned the Iewes scattered the wordes of faith preached and that they should glorie in nothing but in the Crosse of Iesu Christ what could they say either Tertullian for fasting crossing oyling whiche he learned and had of Montanus the heretique Or Cyprian for satisfaction or Theodoretus for martyrs merits or Cyrill for iustification of woorkes or Augustine for prayer for the dead or Ierome for so many superstitions of lights garments vessels c. Nay what can we say who haue seene all that the olde fathers haue seene why at this day we should loue their errours nay why we should deuise new of our owne which the oldefathers knew not why haue we loued the popes woful Iubileis or his damned pardons why do we yet think that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quick dead why was purgatorie first drempt on as much hotter thē our fire as ours is hotter then a painted fire or why was the building of chapels chauntries or religious houses thought to be a meanes to deliuer vs from such burning A thousand such things why we haue loued them what cause can wee alledge before the Lord The lawe of God giuen by Moses his faithfull seruant a lawe which had bene a scholemaister to leade many thousands vnto Christ could it not stand with Christ without darkening of his glorie and can the lawe of the pope giuen by Summists Canonists a people not knowē in y house of God which lawe onely leadeth to the obedience of the church of Rome can it be that it should bring any light to the gospel of Christ I nede not stand in ma ny words to confute so great folie I leaue it to the conscience of all that be wise hearted whether God abrogating his ownelaw ment that the pope shuld institute a new or whether he ment to take away all earnall ordinaunces that hee might make it plaine whiche the Apostle heere teacheth that by Christe alone all our sinnes are purged But heere some man by a subtile enimie may bee easily deceiued who will saye All this neede not they attribute not the forgiuenesse of sinnes to the popes pardons or to any masses but to Christ alone The Pope and masses are onely the applying of the fruit of Christes death vnto
he beginneth this worke of his eternall decree to bring his sonne into his kingdome all the Angels of heauen shall worship before him and shal a mortal man so farre exalt himselfe in his wisedome in his richesse in his honour in his nobilitie in his crowne in his kingdome that he shall thinke it a disgrace to giue all his life to the Gospell Can fleshe puffe it selfe vp so farre aboue the Angels O dearely beloued if we be happie let vs learne this and let vs further the worke of the Lorde the Angels worke with vs If we will not we shall pine away in our owne enuious idlenesse and without vs the Sainctes and Angels shall giue Christ his glorie Another thing here we may marke howe it is attributed to God the Father this glorifying of Christ for so he saith when he bringeth his first begotten sonne into the world Whereby we learne that it is the worke of God and let not vs boast for though he vouchsafe to set our hande to his businesse yet our hande that is but vanitie doeth wither awaye in the worke except God giue it vertue that it should haue fruite We cannot so much as speake except he put his spirite into our mouth and when we do speake with a good measure of grace yet the ignorant do not heare vs except he prepare their hearts and still our worke is nothing worth but he alone worketh al in al. And for this purpose that we shoulde giue him the glorie of his owne woorke and not seeke our owne praise therefore hee hath chosen his workmen as you see Not many wisemen of the worlde not many mightie not many noble but commonly men of small account a few in number he giueth them tongs to speake and they carie his Gospel ouer mightie kingdoms and make it flourish when al the powers of the realme haue armed them selues against it And all this that we shoulde confesse as here the Apostle saith it is he it is not we that giue this kingdome vnto christ And seeing it is his worke who is able to bring all his purposes to passe it shal be our wisedome to further that which God himselfe will make to flourish and prosper whether we will or no. And where it is here saide Let all the Angels worship him he giueth our Sauiour Christ a cleare testimonie so to be the sonne of God in petson that he is also in nature one the same God with his father For whome shoulde the angels worship but God alone who in themselues haue suche power giuen them of God that one is able to destroye whole kingdomes and suche glorie that our eyes cannot beholde them And seeing God hath made this law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serue and yet the Angels worship Christ how cleare a proofe is it that Christe is God for we knowe their perfect and willing obedience and therefore we pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen So that the Iewes might throughly know that seeing the Angels did worship him and had so their charge from God therfore Christ was one God in the maiestie of the father And most true it is our sauiour Christ without that nature had neuer taken that honour vpon him The Apostles of Christe Paule Peter Barnabas other men of excellent gifts and singular power to worke mightily sighes and miracles yet would they neuer heare the name of worship Peter vtterly refuseth Paule and Barnabas they rent their clothes being rauished with zeale of gods glorie when it is once offered them Nay the Angels them selues whiche are greater then all kinges they cannot abide it as manifestly we see in the Angel whiche appeared vnto Iohn when Iohn would haue fallen downe at his feete to worshippe him the Angel gaue him streight charge Take hede thou do it not for I am but a fellow-seruant with thee and then teacheth him that which heere we learne that worship only apperteineth to God so that this text serueth the Apostles purpose very fitly both to the cōfession of the godhead of Christ in his preferring so farre aboue Angels that the Israelites might more equally beare it that he should be preferred before Moses In the 7. verse wher he saith he maketh his Angels ministring spirits wee muste note that this name the Apostle giueth them as that wherein is their greatest honour For otherwise if he named in the Angels thinges of least account it had bene no proofe of the glorie of Christ but naming that by which they most excelled yet exalting Christ so farre aboue them it is cleare proofe of his excellēt glorie aboue all creatures So I say here we must note that that holie ghost attributeth this to the Angels as their highe honour that they are ministring spirites wherin let vs wel consider what it is to serue the liuing God and how truely it is said his seruice is perfect freedome If he be an Angel hee hath no greater glorie and who are wee and what are our fathers houses that can fancie vnto our selues more honour then to feare before God and walke obediently in his commaundements Howe many times doe Abraham Isaak Iacob Iosue Moses Dauid and all the good kings of Iudah how many times doe they intitle them selues the sonne of GOD how many times doth God shewe foorth his great loue and fauour vnto diuerse men vnder this name to call them his seruants Or who was euer heard of except Senacharib or Pharaoh or men like vnto them that would boast otherwise and say Who is the Lord that I should heare his voice I knowe not the Lorde neither will I let his people go Praye dearely beloued that wee may haue eyes to see and cares to heare and hearts to vnderstand vnto what honour in this day we bee called for most assuredly true it is and all the Angels of heauen beare wittnes vnto it that in the world there is no greater glorie then to serue the lord If thou were as highe as the Prophet Dauid yet Dauid had no greater glory to boast of then this Behold Lord for I am thy seruant I am thy seruat the sonne of thine hand maide Or if thou were a king aboue all kinges full of wisedome riches honor as Solomon king of Israel yet to be the seruaunt of the Lorde were thy greatest dignitie aboue titles of kingdomes and countries this were most honourable Solomon the preacher the sonne of Dauid Yea the Angels of whom we speake they haue al their glorious names of Thrones Powers Rules Principalities Dominions in this respect that they be the seruantes of the Lorde to execute these his mightie workinges and take away from them this seruice of God you take away the honour of their highe calling So assuredly we may beleeue confesse it boldly that amōg men there is no other honour but this If God haue made my life to
passe ouer for it noteth a certeine great confusion vpon the enimies of Christe forthough it be sometime honour to be named the Lords footestole as where it is saide Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footestoole And especially in the lamentations of Ieremie where he saith The Lord hath darkened the daughter of Sion and throwne downe the beautie of Israel and hath not remēbred his footstole Yet in this place where it is spokē of Gods enimies it noteth their extreme ruine and shame euen as of those whome wee doe stamp vnder our feete An example of this we haue in the Iewes whose name was once so honourable how doe the Prophets glorie of the house of Iudah yet since they haue taken vp this enimitie against Christ and sett them selues against his Churche and people they haue had experience of the Lordes right hand and their name is a name of shame and ignominie ouer all the worlde An other example we haue of Rome what citie had once such honour what name was of more renowne yet since it hath beene the seate of Antichriste enimie to the sonne of God and to his Gospell as she hath filled her selfe with all abhominations so God hath troaden her vnder feete and as the Prophet sayth shee hath left her name as a curse vnto the chosen of the Lord that I assure you in my eares in the eares I am sure of many thousands moe the citie of Rome is a citie of contempt of ignoraunce of sinne like a deade stock whose sweete blossomes and pleasaunt fruite is withered and worne away And her roote as the Prophet saith is rottennesse and her bud as the dust and suche shal bee the ende of all the enimies of the Sonne of God. Nowe followeth in the last verse this definition of Angels whereof we spake before in whiche we learne and so confesse that they are ministring spirites sent out for our safetie and defence so that hereafter whosoeuer will dispute with vs aboute Angels with one worde we will answer him and cut off all curiositie This we knowe and we know it onely and who so euer knoweth more hee knoweth nothing but the vanitie of his owne minde Angels are spirites whiche serue the Lorde ▪ for his Churches safetie If yet we wil be vaine still and thinke yea but what are Archangels principalities powers rules thrones dominions What are Cherubim and Seraphim All these how so euer they be called in diuerse respectes diuersly they are all Angels in condition and nature as they are so here defined For if any Archangel throne or dominion or any other name that is named were any way greater then an Angel all this disputation of the Apostle were nothing worth for how could it proue the excellencie of Christ aboue all creatures because he is greater then Angels If Cherubim or Seraphim or any Archangel were also greater then an Angel And therefore that the reason of the Apostle may be as it is strong and vnanswerable we must confesse all blessed spirits whatsoeuer they be they be all this and this is their glorie that they be ▪ Gods ministers for the safetie of his children This doctrine the Prophet Dauid teacheth also verie plainely in the 34. Psalme The Angel of the Lord pitcheth roūd about thē that feare him deliuereth them And againe in the 91. Psalme He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to kepe thee in all thy ways they shal beare thee in their hāds that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone And according as this is Gods worde and his promise so we haue many examples howe he hathe at all times iustified his faith in the perfourmance of it that we might not stagger in this doctrine of Angels The Patriarches the people of Israel the Prophets the Apostles and Saincts of the new Testament our Sauiour Christ himselfe we haue seene howe the Angels haue beene with them in daungerous times and ministred the help of God vnto them Now touching the manner how the Angels of God execute this ministerie euen as it is not harde vnto the Lorde in the battels of men to saue with manie or with fewe so God sendeth out his angels more or lesse euē as he wil that it might be known the power is the Lords When Iacob feared before his brother Esau God sendeth to him an hoast of angels to comfort him When Eliseus was besett with the great hoast of the king of Syria his seruant was now exceedingly affraide Eliseus prayed to haue his eyes opened that he might see the helpe of God which was present with them and hee sawe immediately the mounteine full of horses and chariots rounde about Eliseus which were Gods Angels sent for the Prophets safegarde When our Sauiour Christ is in distresse and anguish God sendeth many Angels which doe minister vnto him And so he testifieth of the vsuall work of God common to all his sainctes and applieth it particularly vnto himselfe in reproouing Peter who woulde needs drawe his sword to mainteine his cause Thinkest thou saith he that I can not now pray vnto my father he wil giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels And as thus God sendeth out a great multitude for the saftie of one so contrariwise sometime he appointeth but one for the saftie of manie So God sent an Angel to deliuer Israel out of Aegypt and to guide them throughe the terrible wildernesse and euer after in all their troubles when they called vppon him the Angel of his presence as y prophet Esai saith was their deliuerer and when they should enter the lande of promise God sent an Angel to driue out the Canaanites before them When the armie of y king of Ashur came and besieged Ierusalem God sent an Angel who deliuered the Citie and in one night slew 185000. of the Assyrians When Dauid numbered the people and procured the wrathe of God God sent an Angel into Ierusalem who slew with the pestilence 70000. of the people So we haue many examples where vpon occasion to one man God sendeth one Angel euen as it is saide of one that he came to comfort our Sauiour Christ in the garden To Lot God sent two angels So to the womē that came to the graue of our sauiour Christ two Angels appeared tolde them he was risen againe When the Apostles looked after our Sauiour Christ at his ascension into heauen two Angels appeared vnto them to teache them what they had to do When God would destroy Sodome and Gomorth he sent three Angels to Abraham to tell him of it In the vision that Ezechiel had of the destruction of the citie God sendeth out sixe Angels to execute that iudgement And why is all this diuersitie to the end no doubt we should not be curious but rest in the doctrine which the Lord taught vs that the Angels are his ministers for
their safetie who shall inherite his Kingdome Against this doctrine as many haue offended so among all there is none which haue sunken down so deepe in folie as the Papists haue done First they haue made to euerie countrie a peculiar and proper Angel a thing altogether strange from the word of God a meere imagination of their owne heade And the reason wherewith some would proue it is nothing worthe thoughe I graunt some Godlie men doe not vtterly reiect it for they say there is named in Daniel the Prince of Persia the Prince of Graecia meaning the Angels particular gouernours of those countries In deede the Aramites might so haue vnderstoode it which did thinke there were some Gods of the mounteines other some of the vallies but Christian men that reade the Prophets shoulde knowe that in the nexte Chapter Daniel him selfe expoundeth that those Princes were the Kings of those couÌ„tries And in deed this is not the opinion of the Prophets or of the Prophets childreÌ„ but it came first from the olde idolatrous Gentiles who from the beginning had this fancie and made Noe him selfe whom they called Vertumnus to be the Angel or countrie God of Hetruria and from that day to euerie nation they made euery patrone euen as they would Againe they teache that particular men haue their particular Angels one good an other bad and some good men dare not vtterlie condemne this opinion but sure to mee it is an heresie not muche vnlike the Mâ—…nicheies who taught that euery man was violently drawen to do good or euil by a good spirit or euil which equallie of them selues had rule in man for what vanitie is it when I knowe that Gods commaundement is to all his Angels to haue charge ouer me for mee to seeke whether any one haue a particular charge Or what comforte can I haue in it except I think Gods coÌ„maundements are some of light accompt some in earnest Or except I thinke it is with Angels as it is with men that which is cared for of all is cared for of none Besides this it is a thing not agreeing to the similitude of God of his Saintes for Gods loue is one ouer all with out respect of persons and our duetie is to all our fleash of what nation or countrie so euer it be A difference I graunt there is of magistrates parents maisters kinsfolke c. whiche maketh our fault more or lesse but this onely is according to the age of men a thing not incideÌ„t vnto Angels But they haue also reasons to proue this is true and first they alledge that Christ saith of his little ones their Angels see all wayes the face of my father which is in heauen therfore euerie one hath his angel I meruel wise men can like of this reason for seing they argue vpon this because they are called their Angels and are so named because of the ministerie which they haue for their safetie may not these woordes as well stand though the Angels bee apointed al ouer all as if they had charge euery one ouer one Nay doth not the scripture thus expound it when it sayth of euerie one of those little ones when they turne from their sinnes that all the Angels reioyce at it But an other reason they haue where the disciples being astonished at the newes of Peters comming as they are amased they say it is not he it is his Angel. Sure this must needes bee a slender trueth that hath no better proofe then the Disciples wordes when they are amased know not what they say So we might proue that Saintes might dwell in Tabernacles because Peter saide Lorde let vs make Tabernacles one for Moses an other for Elias So we might think that dead men walke because the Disciples astonished at the sight of men thought somtime that they were goastes If it be saide yet they spake after common opinion of men be it so so was it the common opinion that deade men did walke as appeareth by Herode who thought our Sauiour Christ was Iohn Baptist risen againe from the dead And what if that place were as cleare as they could wishe it why mighte I not expound it it is his Angel that is some Angel which God hath sent for his deliuerance this being according to the scripture more then that to haue it his peculiar Angel but let this goe an errour as it is had it neuer so great patrones and let it appeare more manifest by the errour which it draweth with it that likewise euerie man hath an euill Angel for what reason hath that when we know that into one was a Legion entred Let this also therefore goe euen to the Gentiles from whom it came The first authour of it that I read of was Empedocles the Philosopher who as Plutarch sayth taught it that euerie man had two Angels one good another bad and the Grecians haue a common verse which they vse in manner of a prouerbe Euerie man hath his owne Angel to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all his life And so when Brutus was slaine the night before one appeared vnto him and saide I am thine euill Angel ô Bâ—…utus But beside these things which I confesse some wisemen haue beleeued the papists haue gone much further and haue tolde vs of the shape and figure of Angels what colour they haue how bigge they be of how many orders what difference of each degree and many other things which I meane not here to touch as things more worthie to be forgotten for euer then once with good reason to bee confuted For if Moses by inspiration knowing the originall of the world how it was yet had it not reuealed what to write of Angels If Stephan that sawe the heauens open yet saw not these orders of Angels what they were If Paule who was taken vp in the third heauens sawe yet so litle of Angels that who so euer will teach so curiously of them he saith they be puft vp of a fleshly minde to speake of thinges which they neuer sawe If Iohn in all his high reuelation had no suche knowledge reuealed of Angels who is the Pope or what is his parentage that in these thinges we should beleeue him In deede to get him credit in greater folie then this that vnchast counsell of Laterane writeth that the Pope hath authoritie ouer all powers in Heauen But all the worlde knoweth now suche witnesses haue taught their tounges to lye One doubte may heere arise touching the degrees of Angels because they will seeme to alledge scripture for it And first they saye The Prophet Ezechiel describing the glorie of the King of Tyrus he nameth nine precious stones which are in his garment in which place he nameth the same King Cherub comparing him with the Angels therefore these stones signifie nine orders of Angels The second reason is that there be nine seuerall names with which Angels are called in y
subiect to any creature and if it be Gods eternall counsell that it should neuer be submitted to any no not to Angels in whome else can wee trust or in what other thing can wee put confidence to haue any parte of this wrought for vs We are all as our fathers were men by nature of the olde world our bodies and mindes full of sinne holden vnder the condemnation of the diuell all creatures against vs and God him selfe hateing vs no way to renewe our age no man to chaunge our state no Angel but God hath giuen it to Christ alone Wil I say that I can alter mine owne wil to make it couet goodnes Or put power into the members of my bodie to serue righteousnesse Or doe the things in which is any merite to eternal life Or purchase againe Gods fauour which was remoued from me If I wil boast of any of these I speake too proud words for either man or Angel and say that this seconde worlde is made subiect vnto me all good will all righteousnesse al merite al pleasure in heauenly things al reconciliation all victorie ouer death all loue of God all hope to be short all that is good and all ioy of spirite is of this new world whereof Christ is king And whosoeuer shall thinke that any power of these things is in himselfe he is puffed vp into pride of heart suche as an Angel of Heauen should not beare vnpunished for not vnto Angels but vnto Christ these things are giuen What can we nowe thinke of these men that tell vs the sacraments giue vs grace the masse is propitiatorie for our sinnes our submitting our selues to the Churche of Rome shall saue vs the Pope if we follow him he can not erre Crosses Bells Candels Holie water Vestments Pilgrimage Pardons Reliques euerie one hath his vertue the number of prayers hathe his measure of reward flesh or fishe it hath his holines according to his time These men and all the louers of their Gospell which take away from Christ the only rule of the world wherof we speake and put it in subiection to fleshe and bloud and the elementes of the world what shall we say of them Shall we beleeue them Or shal they prospet Nay they haue plowed wickednesse and they shall reape iniquitie they haue wandered in errour and they shal eate the fruite of lyes Now if this be so that all flesh hathe no goodnesse in it that all his wisedome and trauell can renue no whit of the lost worlde or bring any light into horror and darknesse but all is of Christ what shall we yet do with wordes of louder blasphemie which they call workes of supererogation What shall we doe with the Pope himselfe who by generall voyce of all his Church is saide that he can dispense the abundance of merites whiche were in the virgin Marie and in all Saints by his bulls to applie them Confessis contritis that they shal haue days of pardon as manie as he will number Are they ashamed of these thinges Nay they are not ashamed but euen now they lende vs ouer whole volumes to shewe the fruite of pardons how good they are and of late haue sent vs a bull that we should haue experience howe they holde this doctrine And what shall we say of suche a one Surely dearely beloued euen as the Prophet sayth of the people of Israel His formeations are in his sight and his adulteries are betweene his breastes So his vncleanesse is manifest to all the worlde and his marke is in his forehead that hee might bee knowen to bee Antichriste And you dearely beloued when you talke with your friends who are not yet persuaded in the religion of Christ when they thinke that wee haue free wil or we may deserue by our works or Lent and fasting dayes are holie or flesh or fish doe please God or the signe of the crosse is good or censing and Musicke stirre vpp deuotion or any suche thing Doe but aske of them whether they thinke obedience loue deuotion forgiuenesse of sinnes puritie life grace and such other fruites of Gods spirite and his mercie aske I say whether they thinke them workes of the olde worlde corrupt by Adam or of the new restored by Christe If they be of the new God hath not giuen them neither to our prayers nor fasting not working nor day nor time nor meat nor crosse nor musick nor belles to be short no not to Angels but to Christ alone to be dispensed according to his will If thou were as good as an Angel or thy meate as good as Manna that fell from Heauen or â—…hy garments as precious as Aarons Ephod or thy censinges as sweete as the perfume of all the Tabernacle or the dayes that thou keptst were as honourable as the day in whiche Christ arose againe from the dead yet neither thou nor thy garmentes nor thy meate nor thy dayes can set one of thy feete in this world we speake of it is the kingdome of Christe and be hath done it alone according heere as this prophesie is plaine and manifest Now followeth this prophesie what it man that thou art mindful of him c. by these words the apostle pro ueth this kingdome of Christ both properly and of right to be his and also by faith through Gods spirite giuen vnto vs in our Sauiour Christ they haue this sense Was not thy glorie great inough O Lord in the worke of thy hands but y thou shouldest giue thy sonne to be made man in whom our nature should be so exalted that al power should be giuen to him in Heauen and in earth who by his death should abolish all enimitie against man that he might be crowned with glorie and maiestie and haue eternall life in his owne hand And all this according to the verie sense of the prophet and therfore here alledged as in deed it was to be a prophesie of our sauiour christ Of vs also it is ment thus The prophet considering both the great maiestie of God appearing in his works and the base and lowe estate of a frail man that such a God of so great maiestie should haue any respect of a fraile and wretched man he could not but thus humble him selfe What is man O Lord that thou shouldest regarde him Such thoughts dearely beloued let vs haue and with such secret counsels let vs nourish our fayth This is the meditation to which we are called in all the workes of God and for this cause God hath giuen vnto vs hearts of men full of reason iudgment that we should rightly consider of all his creatures When we see the heauens we cannot chose but confesse before them it was not the hande of man that set them vpp so high We knowe the shining light of the sunne it is not giuen vnto it from earth or earthly thing we are sure y earth is found our owne trauel hath found it so our eyes do see the
fraile life is such a bridle in their iawes to pull them back and death such a tyrant ouer thē to appall their courage that they haue no heart to doe as they would yet if they do rage as mad men not seeing their end yet God hath had mercie vpon vs turning their plague into our blessing and hath giuen vs but a shorte life least we should mourne too long so that whatsoeuer temptations we fall into yet but a verie little while the Lord wil deliuer vs from euill and all our troubles haue but a small reckoning to the hinderance of our glorie For it is but a while here that God hath made vs inferiour to Angels It followeth Thou hast crowned him with glory honour thou hast set him ouer the workes of thine hands thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his fete In all these words we learne the exceeding honour vnto which God hath raised his sonne Christe To be crowned with glorie and honour is to haue the excellencie of al dignitie giuē vnto him as the words folowing in the Apostle doe plainely expounde it where he saith In that he put all things in subiection vnder him he left nothing not subiect vnto him And in this according to the Prophet we must see our owne dignitie also as wee are Christes for this honour is not the naturall mans as all the miseries of our life can testifie but it is his that seeth him selfe to be Christs that can say as S. Paule saith I liue not now but Christe liueth in me ouer such a one the prouidence of God watcheth the Angels pitch their tents aboute him and he seeth great securitie in al his wayes Though the mounteines were moued or the seas did make a noyse yet the name of the Lord is his strong tower and he shall not be moued for GOD who hath made him Lord of all maketh that all things worke to him for the best If at any time hee seeme afflicted to the worlde it is but as a shewe or visard that seemeth feareful when the milde face of a man is vnderneath so these are but appearaunces without of a litle mourning when within is nothinge but a perpetuall ioy of the holie Ghoste S. Paule against those that are too much troubled to beholde our sufferings he sayth thus I graunt you we are wroung but we are not crushed in peeces wee are troubled but not at our wits end we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but we are not killed as if the Apostle should haue said vnto them ô you think vs in great bondage but our freedome is more then you are ware of And in an other place he notablie setteth out these afflictions of the godlie which the worlde thinketh to be so great that men shrinke backe and dare not looke on them I will tell you sayth Saint Paule we are as contemned persons but in deed honorable as dying but in deed aliue as men chastised but there is no death neere vs lamenting but in deede perpetually reioycing as poore men but in deede we make many other rich like men that had nothinge but in deede all the word is ours So we see howe this is true in vs euen now by faith and after this in full perfourmance of our inheritance with Christ in the resurrection of the iust thus euen in outward thinges we are partakers of Christes kingdome so that nothing can hurt vs Now touching y inward things y is a freedome of conscience aboue al things this we know if we be ingrassed into the bodie of Christ we be his he liueth in vs his victorie ouer al is ours we see it by faith all thing is in subiection vnder our feete Paule Apollo Cephas things present things to come life death the worlde it selfe all is ours the fayth of Christ exalteth vs hath made vs higher then the heauens In heauen and earth we haue no Lord but the Lord Iesus all things are vnder his feete our faith hath made vs one with him we are his and all is ours and no man can now beare rule ouer our faith except he wil beare rule ouer Christ by faith we are one with him his power is ours we reigne with him we are risen with him the world hath no more power ouer vs Wil one com to vs forbid vs flesh forbid vs whitmeat cōmand vs fish Heare it not it is the doctrine of diuels I speak not now of ciuil choyce of meates drinkes apparell c. We be Christs and all meats are ours Wil he say this garment is holie this day is fasting this relique is to be honoured this order is religious this crosse is defensiue against the diuell this Cake is thy Sauiour this masse is propitiatorie this worke is meritorious this pope is thy lawgiuer this church of Rome is the warrant of thy faith what shall wee say to such swine y lye wallowing in myre seke for righteousnesse in dounge and clay when Christ the sonne of God hath offered vs his righteousnes What shall we thinke of such seruile men who wil leade vs into bondage of euerie triflle whom Christ hath made rulers ouer all the world For what is it else to make me in bondage of things then to bring me in this feare of them I may not touche them I may not eate them I may not vse them that will make me holie this will defile me and such like Is this y voice of Paul To the cleane althings are cleane Is it the voice of Christ That which entreth in at the mouth defileth not the man. Is this the voice of the Apostle in an other place You be bought with a price be not the seruāts of men No dearely beloued if we haue fayth and be of Christ God our heauenly father hath giuen vs his owne Sonne sure with him he hath giuen vs all things we haue receiued the libertie of the children of God and the conscience of a Christian man is no more in the power of all the world but that is only sinne vnto him which is the breach of the lawe of god Now sith this is the state of a Christian man and thus all things are in subiection vnder his feete we see easily vpon what ground our sauiour Christ said that The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a pretious stone which if a man finde he will sell all that he hathe to buy it for all other riches of all dominions they haue their measure onely this treasure is infinite hath all thinges vnder it Now let euerie man boast himselfe as he will some of chariots some of horsses some of one thing some of an other but thou if thou wilt haue perfect ioy boast thy self of a Christian heart Neither the gorgeous chambers of any princes palace nor the riche iuell houses of the earth are comparable in glorie vnto this for what is
life Christ was made our redemption Sainct Paule expressely saith By the obedience of one a great many are presented righteous And again he saith For this cause he was made subiect vnto the law that he might râ—…deeme theÌ„ which were holden vnder the law And for this cause he pretermitted not one iot or one title of it that he might bestowe vpon vs the fulnesse of all righteousnes but the scripture attributeth commonly our redemption to his death because it was the chiefest and greatest worke of all the accomplishment perfection of aâ—… the rest vpon the crosse he was lowest cast downe and vpon the crosse he triumphed ouer sathan and after the crosse he obteyned power ouer death and hell therfore in it as the Apostle saith he was consecrate to eternall glorie And thus farre at this time Now let vs pray c. ¶ The tenth Lecture vpon the 11. 12 and 13. verses 11 For he that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified â—…re all of one wherfore he is not ashamed to call theÌ„ brethreÌ„ 12 Saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middes of the Church wil I sing praises to thee 13 And againe I will put my trust in him And againe Beholds here am I and the children which God hath giuen mee THe reasons before vsed to proue the humanitie of our sauiour were these First he dyed for man and therefore it was necessarie hee shuld be man Secondly it was the decree of God to bring man into glorie through many afflictions but so Christe our head was also consecrate to enter into glorie therfore he was naturall man. Now it followeth For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of oâ—…e This word For noteth a cause of that whiche was saide before as hee had said this He that leadeth other into the glorie of God by the same way he must enter also him selfe He addeth now the cause and grounde of that saying because they must be of one nature bothe hee that leadeth they that are led into this saluation Now because the Apostle hath spoken so plainly of the nature of our Sauiour Christ that he is perfect man to teach vs that yet not in our owne nature but being regenerate by his grace we are made children Therefore the Apostle chaungeth his former speache and in sted of saying He that leadeth into glorie which is the work spoken of he sayeth He that sanctifieth naming the vertue incident by which the work was done and in sted of They that are ledd which is the benefite imployed he saith They that are sanctified which is the qualitie with whiche they are indued meaning yet one thing before and now there in plaine wordes calling it our entrie into saluation here by a figure naming it our sanctification whiche is the meanes of our inheritaunce of it and by this exhorting vs that we would followe holinesse which is our likenesse with christ And thus much touching these wordes how they hang with the former Nowe to consider them in them selues we haue the third argument for the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe which is this He that shall sanctifie his people must beecome one with them but Christ hath sanctified vs therefore he is of our nature And the force of this argument standeth vpon that ground whereof wee haue spoken that this is the decree of the iust God that the nature of man could not be sanctified but in the person of man. A proofe declaration that it is so is added by the Apostle in the residue of the verse And for this cause he is not ashamed to call vs brethren whervnto is streight added the testimonie of the 22. psalme out of which he proueth it I wil shew forth thy name vnto my brethren in the midds of the congregation I will praise thee a plaine euideÌ„t testimonie where our Sauiour Christ calleth vs brethren for the prophet Dauid who in manie of his afflictions bare the image of our Sauiour Christ wrote that Psalme thoughe in his owne great calamities yet especially in the person of Christ as it is certeine because the Euangelistes and Apostles alledge out of that Psalme many places applying them all to our Sauiour Christ besides that the whole Psalme is a liuely descriptioÌ„ of the passion of Christ and the latter ende foretelleth the calling of the Gentiles whiche were only to be gathered to the setting vp of this glorious kingdome of Christ so that that is aptly here applied vnto Christe which there the prophet Dauid spake in the person of christ And here let vs mark this while the Apostle proueth our sauiour Christ to be man he alledgeth the scripture so as distinctly shew the offices of Christ that he is our Prophet our King our Priest that we might know we can not giue him these offices and denie his manhoode nor graunt him his manhoode and denie him these offices so heere this texte as in the name Brother it proueth he is of our nature so these words I wil declare thy name and I will sing of thee they shew that our Sauiour Christ is our prophet to reueale the wil of his father to vs. Now where it is saide here He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are al of one we haue to coÌ„sider y euen in the manhoode of our Sauiour Christe is vertue and grace in which he doth sanctifie vs for not only as he is God he sanctifieth vs but also in his humane nature he hath this vertue and power to make vs holie not taking his nature suche from the virgin Marie but making it such by pouring into it the fullnesse of his spirit And this our Sauiour Christ himselfe witnesseth for speaking of his sending into the worlde how he was sent of his Father to call his lost people vnto saluation he saith in like sort he also sendeth his Apostles and streight addeth For them I sanctifie my selfe The holinesse which the Apostles had in their calling they had it from Iesus Christe made man and walking in that vocation before them Euen so it is with vs all that is good in vs and all the righteousnesse that can be in vs we haue it neither out of the East nor West but from the bodie of Iesus Christ neither is there in the worlde any other sanctification so that all we that be heere this day and all people else of the world except wee know perfect manhood and our own nature to be reallie vnited vnto the person of the sonne of God who hath sanctified himselfe for vs there is no sanctification for vs vnder heauen Euen as our hands and armes other members are not nourished but only by the meate receiued of the head so our spirituall meate of righteousnesse and life is not giuen vs but from our head Iesus Christ. And as the veins are meanes by which nourishment is conueyed to euerie parte so fayth is the meanes by which we
sorrowful euen vnto death at the entr◅e into it Saint Marke saith He beganne to be astonished at his griefe was ouerwhelmed with his sorrow in which agonies Saint Luke saith his sweat was as drops of bloud falling from him and God sent an Angel from heauen to strengthen him And can we thinke al this came vnto our sauiour Christ for feare of the death of the bodie His seruants that receiue of his fulnesse do they so easily despise this death that either they wish for it to be with Christ or they reioyce in the middes of it before the persecuter and did our sauiour Christ himself in whom is the fulnesse of the spirite so feare and tremble at the remembrance of it Did the Apostles sing in prison and went away reioycing when they were whipped scourged Did Paul glorie in so manie tribulations which he reckoneth vp and did our Sauiour Christ in the like paine crie with a fainting heart My God my God why hast thou forsaken me No dearly beloued it is not so but that which made Christ to tremble would haue crushed his Apostles in peeces and that which made him to sweat bloud so plentifully would haue made them sink into the bottom of hell and that which made him crie would haue holden both men and Angels vnder euerlasting wo and lamentation If then our Sauiour Christ were as the prophet saith like water powred out and all his bones out of ◅oynt if his hart were like wax mol ten in the midds of his bowell if his strength were dried vp like a potsherd and his toung cleaued vnto his iawes if he were brought with his sorowes into the dust of death fie vpon their blasphemous speaches cursed words which say he suffered nothing but bodily paine I would those which are Papistes among vs and in their simplicitie are deceiued with the errour of many I would I say they knewe the wickednes of this one point of their doctrine that they say the soule of Christ suffered nothing but onely for the bodies sake as our soules suffer when our bodies are weake or are sicke or die If God impute this their ignorance vnto them howe shal they be saued from the death of sinne and condemnation Do they not know what the scripture saith He bare our sinnes in his bodie he submitted himselfe to the death of them and by the wounds of his stripes we be healed Did our sinnes deserue only a bodily death or did they not deserue the second death which is the wrath of God holding bodie and soule in an euerlasting fire And how shall they escape it if they know not this death in the bodie of Christ by whose stripes they may see themselues healed Let them pray and let vs pray for them that if it be the will of God they may soone be conuerted know the vnspeakable loue of our Sauiour Christe who was accursed for our sakes suffered for vs not onlie the torments of his bodie but the anguishe of his soule and the wrath of his Father ▪ which wounded his flesh and spirit vnto death and would haue holden him in that condemnation for euer if he had beene no stronger then we that deserued it But because he was also the Sonne of God in whome the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily the eternall spirite that was within him did lose the chaines of death and hel and mightily arose vp from the power of Sathan of whiche it was impossible that hee should be holden and he hath left those his enimies the diuel death hel in ignominie and darcknesse and hath abolished them for euer and euer not to hurt vs any more worlde without end In this hope dearlie beloued is our delight and dwelling place and they that knowe not these sufferings of Christ our soules shall haue no pleasure in their counsels And thus farre of the firste benefite mentioned of the deathe of Christe that he hath abolished the diuel The second benefite is that we be set at libertie from the bondage of the feare of death For so the apostle sayth And should set them free as many a◅ with the feare of death all their l◅fe long were hold◅n i◅ bōdage In these wordes let vs now consider what bondage we were in without Christe ▪ and what libertie wee haue obteyned through him Without Christe all our life is a miserable bondage in feare and terrour of eternall condemnation to come vpon vs for our sinne in the day of death through Christe wee see our sinnes purged the diuell vanquished death and condemnation abolished and our selues in the libertie of the childrē of God to say Our father whiche art in heauen This is the difference of estate betwene the children of God and the children of this world And what miserie trow we then do the wicked of the world liue in There is in deede no peace vnto the wicked as the Lord hath said when in all their life is feare and terrour when they carrie in their breastes tormenting furies to holde them day and night in feare of endlesse destruction God hath don it and no doubt they feele it there is giuen vnto thē a spirit of bondage and of feare in which they tremble at their owne estate they are the children of the handemayde Agar borne in the bondage of her wombe and dwell in the deserte and are in mount Sinaie where is the burning fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and sounde of trumpet at which they tremble for they are without Christ and therfore must needes be in bondage and in the feare of death all their life But thou wilt say The wicked prosper reioyce in their dayes they are bound in no such bondage nor feare no such feare Thou canst not tell nor thou knowest not the heart of a wicked man howsoeuer hee boast in his substance and hath peace in his riches peraduenture there is a bitter remembrance of death ▪ within him When Pharaoh the proud tyrant had hardened his heart boasted exceedingly against the people of Israel yet he sawe no sooner the death of the first borne but he feared trembled as the leaues in the wildernes and I remember Solomon sayth There is in deede a way that a man thincketh streight and pleasant when the issues of it leade vnto death But what pleasure is that and what delight Solomo◅ addeth euen in that laughing the heart is sorrowfull and that mirth doth end in heauinesse they doe indeede strengthen them selues striue mer◅eilously to cast out feare sometime with one pastime somtime with an other but if they could cast it out as out of a cannon yet would it euermore returne againe and vexe their heart that so flieth from it Balaam would faine haue comforted himselfe with riches and honor which he loued so much yet was he not without feare but at the last it brake out and he spake Let my soule die
heere taught vs by the apostle The church of God is not found by places and countries it is but a foolish thing to say Here is Christ or there is Christ he is in the desert or he is in the towne but as where the carcase is there are the Eagles so where are men that beleeue in Christ there is his Church This is the Apostles meaning when he saith Whose house are we Now as we haue learned to seeke the church not in places but in the harts of men so in the words folowing the men are also described that by their marks we may know them from other men of the world which are not of the house of God but an assemblie of the wicked It followeth If we hold stedfast the confidence and reioycing of our hope vntill the end Here the Apostle setteth downe three especiall marks and properties by which the Churche and children of God are knowne the first is the ioy of their hope the seconde the assurance of it the third the constancie and perseuerance vnto the end The ioy of our hope is a present feelinge of immortalitie and the glorie of God which the holie Ghost kindleth in our hearts filleth vs with all heauenly gladnes according to the promises preached in the worde of trueth which is his Gospel And let vs not thinke but that God hathe done thus with vs whom he hath chosen to eternall life He hath prepared our hearts to know and feele his vnspeakable gifte which he hath giuen vs for if we should bestow any gifte vpon men we are not so vnwise to giue a precious thing vnto him that knows not what it is we would not giue him a Diamond that would thinke it to be a piece of glasse nor wee would not giue him a pearle that would thinke it to be a graine of salt for so we should leese both our labour and our thankes And shal we thinke the Lord wil so bestow his heauenly blessings will he giue his gifts to those that know them not who can not giue him againe the praise of his goodnes no he will neuer do it but as Peter sayth he hath taken vs for his owne people to the ende we should shewe forth his vertues that hath called vs out of darknes into his maruelous light therefore if we bee in the couenant of his grace appointed to the inheritance of his glorie it is impossible wee should not feele the comfort of it and know the height breadthe of his great mercie and grace If there be a barren and fruitlesse man that knoweth nothing of all this in whose eares the sound of the name of God hath neither feare nor reuerence and in whose heart his knowledge hath neither ioy nor gladnes he is yet a straunger from the church of God and cannot challenge anie part or fellowship of the Gospell of Christe for while he can feele no greater pleasure then of bodily delite his eye to see his eare to heare his mouth to taste his skin to touch why is not the oxe as good as he for these thinges are vnto the oxe as well as vnto him or if honour riches authoritie credite fauour be the things he loue moste and in which he hath greatest comfort what is he better then the Paganes infidels that were before him in whome this desire was as much and this delight muche more abounding then vnto vs for we in respecte of them are beggerly tenants and they in respecte of vs were monarches of the whole worlde If these things coulde make the house of God the house of God were among the beastes of the field or among sauage people worse then beastes whose desires if they be our desires and their delightes if they be our delights we shal be of them and they of vs but the house of God shal be of neither of both for in the house of God is this hope that we speak of a feeling I say of Gods glorie in whiche we haue pleasure more then in all the worlde Let vs take an example of Paule in steede of manie he protesteth thus I accompt all the world to be losse vnto mee yea I accompt it but as doung to the ende I may winne Christe haue thou this heart and thou hast peace and thou hast sealed it that thou art of the house of God and this is it that the Apostle teacheth vs heere in these wordes if we holde this reioycing of our hope stedfast vnto the end Another thinge heere to be learned if wee will knowe our selues to be this house and Churche of God is that as we holde this hope so we must hold it stedfast and without wauering vnto the end for so the Apostle sayth We must haue stedfast assuraunce of our hope he calleth it in the sixt chapter A full persuasion of hope Sainct Paule calleth it His intentiue hope a hope in which he shall neuer bee frustrate So that this assurance and ful persuasion is in a true and liuing hope and it casteth out mistruste and wauering euen as fayth doth for fayth hope cannot be separate neither in nature nor propertie but if you haue fayth you haue hope and as your faith is so is your hope a sure faith a liuely hope a wauering faith a blinde hope for our faith is a persuasion of the loue of God in Christ our hope is an apprehēsiō of the glory which by that loue is giuē to vs. It can not be that we should knowe the loue and grace of God which is our faith but we must know the fruit of his loue that is his glorie eternal life which is our hope if therfore we be sure God doth loue vs in Iesu Christe wee are also sure that God will glorifie vs through Iesu Christe and as our fayth reioyceth in Gods fauour so our hope reioyceth in Gods glorie and as our faith is sure that nothing shall separate the loue of God from vs so our hope longeth after the incorruptible inheritaunce which we feele and knowe is laide vpp in heauen So this constancie and boldenes of our hope without wauering laid vp in our breastes and crying stil within vs Come Lorde Iesu this hope is our warrant we be the house of god And all this I speake more plainely in mo words because there are so many which either cannot or will not vnderstande it for they conceiue no other thinge when wee speake of hope but a desire to haue a thing wherof we doubt if we aske of thē whether they be sure to be saued through Christ they will answer they can haue no assurance for thē how could they hope thus they make them a hope of their owne a new hope which the Church of God knoweth not a doubtfull desire of a thing they wishe in steade of a present feelinge of the thing they long for But let vs be wise hearted and knowe before the Lord as the Apostle
againe another time for thou knowest not whether he will returne or not Seeke him therfore where he may be found and call vnto him while he is neere at hand The seconde pointe the Apostle stoode vp on was that If we heare his voice we should not harden our hearts teaching vs that onely by faith wee shoulde bee fruitefull hearers And if infidelitie beare rule in our heartes all preaching and teaching is in vaine and the voyce of Christe can bee vnto vs but a sauour of death vnto deathe therefore when wee heare him speake let vs faithfully receiue the Gospell of saluation at his mouth or at the mouth of his minister knowing he is our onely prophet giuen of God vnto vs of this the apostle now concludeth in the first of this chapter Let vs feare therefore least at any time this promise of entring into his rest being forsaken any of you may seeme to be depriued by this conclusion yet once againe exhorting them that they would not neglect their onely prophet calling them so at last be frustrate of their vaine hope Let vs heere lay together these sayings of the Apostle in the beginning of the second chapter when he had proued our sauiour Christe to bee God he saith Wherefore my brethren we must carefully hearken to the things we heare least we fall away as water In the beginning of the thirde chapter when hee proued him to be mā also like vnto vs except sinne he addeth Therfore my brethren partakers of the heauēly calling consider the Apostle and highe Priest of our profession Iesus Christ After againe when hee had proued our sauiour Christ to be our only and faithful Prophet he confirmeth his doctrine by the woorde of the prophet alledging this exhortation out of him To day if you wil heare his voice harden not your harts c. Againe applying these woordes of the Prophet he saith See my brethren that there be not in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe Now heere againe as a conclusion Let vs feare lest this promise of entring into his rest beeing forsaken we should seeme to be depriued And as though all this were not inough in the eleuenth verse after he sayth Let vs therfore be diligent to enter into that rest that no man fall into the euil example of disobedience And yet againe in the end of this chapter Seeing wee haue a greate highe Priest that hath pearced the heauens euen Iesus Christ the sonne of God let vs hold fast our profession c. What shall wee thinke of all this what meane these often exhortations surely dearelie beloued nothing else but that wee bee dull of hearing and exceeding harde to learne for tell mee notwithstanding this exhortation so often made are there not ◅rowe you many among vs which yet regarde it not yea and yet if againe and againe hee should crie vnto vs would wee all obey his voice wee would if wee were wise but foolishnesse is so wrapped vp in our heartes that I am affraide all the exhortations not onelie here made by the Apostle but all other that haue bene made vnto vs thirtie fourtie fiftie threescore yeeres haue not yet taught vs all that be heere this day with singlenesse of heart and with synceritie to loue the Lord and is it then any maruell though the Apostle hauing compassion on his brethrens ignoraunce doe this often exhorte them in one thing and if wee be weake subiect to the same infirmities y they were let vs think it is necessarie for vs Only I beseeche you take heede that seeing God hath this mercie vppon vs which he had vppon our fathers that his word is thus vnto vs Precept vpon precept precept vpon precept let not vs be againe as they were that notwithstanding all these often and earnest exhortations so plaine to vnderstand yet that the Lord speake vnto vs as with a stammering and a straunge language that we vnderstand nothing for alas dearely beloued how vnprofitable were that for vs and how much better were it wee had neuer heard at all then so often to refuse the Lordes calling let this therfore be our wise vnderstanding in this case and that whiche so often is tolde vs let vs at the last truelie learne it Now touching these wordes of the Apostle that he saith let vs feare that wee lose not this rest promised vs we must not take it as though the Apostle taught that the elect should feare as though they might fall from their hope or that their election were not sure for you haue heard before howe hee saide We must hold the reioycing of our hope with all assurance and constancie vnto the end but heere wee muste consider to whome the Apostle speaketh that is to such as are farre off from a true fayth which haue shewed no great regarde to the voice of the Lorde Iesu whiche are yet in many tentations of sinne doubtful to be carried away with the deceites of it As if at this day the apostle should preach when we see so many worldly minded men so few hungering and thrusting for heauenlie things in this case and to suche people considering their outwarde woorkes the Apostle sayth let vs feare as in deede there is iust cause of feare for when there is scarce in vs anie zeale of God scarce any loue of righteousnes but all our thoughts doe wander in worldlie vanitie if in this case we should boast of our faith were it not good to byd vs feare to take heede that we be not deceiued and what is this against the assuraunce of the faythful that the Apostle biddeth them which are not yet called in holinesse to feare lest they be deceiued in their vaine hope If it be heere sayd the Apostle includeth also him selfe and therefore this feare is also in the most godlie I deny not but in other places of scripture feare is commended vnto the most godlie but the cause of this is because we be all weake full of infirmitie readie to sinne as we see in Dauid in Ezechias in Peter in all the Sainctes of God and therefore this feare is commended in them which is a good care and regarde of their weakenes that they fall not a care that may driue ou◅ securitie not a feare to take away the boldenes of faith So when we are bid to feare it is as when wee are byd to watch to be sober to stand with our loynes gyrded to haue before vs the wayes of God with reuerence and obedience it forbiddeth presumptuous and vaine boasting of saluation when the glorious and fearefull name The Lord thy God is not regarded of thee So when Saint Paule commendeth our faith he addeth Be not yet high minded but feare and Iob sayth If I haue done righteously I will not lift vp my head This feare is a feare of falling into sinne least wee should offend so mercifull a Father it is not a feare of falling from his grace least hee should
hande and foote back and side shall haue experience of his anger all the thoughts of their harts shal be wounded with death and so much the more vnspeakable because their bodyes shall feele and their minde knowe the immortalitie of death and euerlasting destruction that is vppon them whiche extreeme wretchednesse no horrour of darcknesse no weeping and gnashinge of teeth no gnawinge of conscience no eternall fire doth fully and inough set out vnto vs. But this we leaue to the reprobate men who euen to this day haue sould their heartes to conceiue mischiefe and it repenteth them not Let vs feare now in the day of health and better thinges are appointed for vs We shall heare an other voice Come ye blessed into eternall life possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning which voice shal enter depe and into all our members bring a sensible feeling of the loue of God and his greate glorie when with heart and minde wee shall see and knowe our inheritaunce with God in eternall glorie wherevnto if nowe we be raysed vp and the promises of God beginne with vs this vnspeakable and glorious hope so that our heartes be fast holden in the loue of it neuer to chaunge for worldly vanitie or rather shame woorse then vanitie for with what name shall we name it that is exalted against the Lorde if I say thus the woorde of God bee vnto vs wee haue sealed it that his word is liuing and entreth into the diuision of the soule and the spirite and we haue beene fruitfull hearers of all this longe exhortation which the Apostle hath made and ended to stirre vp his brethren faithfully to heare this prophet of God his sonne Iesus Christe and our sauiour who hath reuealed all his wil vnto vs And thus farre of this former parte of the Epistle in which we are taught that Christe is our only prophet but the time is paste Now let vs pray c. The xxj Lecture vpon the residue of the chapter the 14. 15. 16. verses 14 Seeing then that we haue a geat high priest which is entred into Heauen euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs holdefast our profession 15 For we haue not an hye Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all thinges temped in like sorte yet without sinne 16 Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of neede WE haue heard dearely beloued howe the Apostle hath taught that Christe is nowe our onely Prophet what care we should haue diligently and faithfully to harken vnto him if we will not be guiltie before God of great condemnation and iudgement The reasons are of the Apostle to proue him our onely Prophet first because God sending his onely begotten sonne into the worlde made man like vnto vs and reuealing the will of his father vnto vs the excellencie of his person inforceth vs to confesse that God ordeyneth him alone to be our Prophet Againe he was faithful in the house of God and then what nedeth any other prophet vnto vs thirdly he was more honourable then Moses in this office many wayes to be preferred afore him therfore no other Prophet is to bee ioyned with him Fourthly the Prophet Dauid said To day if you hear his voice c. which we must needes vnderstand to be a perpetuall prophesie and therefore accomplished in Christ whome we must heare if we wil beleeue and be saued Last of all the force strength of the word of God is such as it must needes warrant the maiestie of God in Christ the author of it and as n one other hath that glory so none to be our prophet but he alone vnto all those reasons he hath added as you haue heard ernest exhortatiōs to giue more weight vnto them for the better persuasion of his brethren to whome he writeth Nowe he beginneth the other principall point of this first part of the Epistle that is to proue that Christ is our only priest which disputation he continueth to the eleuenth chapter as we shal god willing heare He beginneth it firste with an exhortation as he vsed the like often before and as I saide to make vs more carefully regarde his woordes Sith thē we haue a great high priest who hath entred into heauen Iesus the sonne of God let vs hold this professiō the force of this exhortation is in the excellencie of the priesthood of Christe secretely compared with the priesthood of Aaron who was in nature their brother in person weake as other men in office earthly entring into a tabernacle made with hangs in vertue a figure of a better sacrificer himselfe not profiting at all but Christ is another highe priest in nature the sonne of GOD in qualitie great and full of glorie in office heauenly entering before God to be our mediatour in vertue holie and perfect himselfe to purge our sinnes This the Apostle noteth calling him high priest greate entring into heauen and the sonne of God and so much the more we are guiltie before him if we shal not holde fast and professe all his instruction and doctrine Now least we should thinke the Apostles exhortation is weake and that he taketh it for graūted which is in controuersie for he calleth our sauiour Christ high priest which yet it seemeth he hath not proued we must consider what hath beene spoken before and so we shall see good argumentes in this exhortation for the proof of his cause He hath taught him to be the sonne of God made man reuealinge vnto vs the counsell of his father purchasing a most glorious inheritance for vs and setting vs free from the bondage of the diuel in which wee were holden vnder the feare of death which things before witnessed of our Sauiour Christ and necessarily prouing him for the same cause to be our priest according to that trueth in the beginning of this disputation he calleth him our great highe priest So he beganne before the thirde chapter Consider holie brethren the Apostle and high priest of our profession not yet hauing particularly spoken of those offices but calling him by those names because according to the description of his person before made it must needes followe that he was both our priest and Prophet Another argument of his priesthood is that hee was here in earth afflicted as we be submitting him selfe to death from which he is risen and nowe ascended into heauen therefore he is our priest crucified for our sinnes risen for our iustification and making now Intercession for vs before God his father Thus we see vpon howe good warrant the Apostle in the beginning exhorteth them to acknowledge Christ their priest and thus muche touching this entraunce of the Apostle into this disputation and why he vseth such wordes Now touching the matter To teach that our sauiour Christ is our onely priest he first sheweth by the workes of
confessed the necessitie of a mediatour so further in the person of the high priest in that he was taken from among men that is was a man like vnto his brethren they learned also that this mediatour should be a perfect man. For when God who wrought daily amonge them by the ministerie of Angels glorious and fearefull woorkes yet neuer appointed Angel nor other creature to make the peoples sacrifice and offer vp their vowes and prayers vnto him to come vnto him in the peoples name to craue pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes but in an vnchaungeable counsell euer reserued his woorke vnto the priest one of their brethren a man like to them selues hee taught them plainely that hee shoulde bee a perfecte man of their owne nature and substance who so euer shoulde reconcile them vnto God. Againe in that the priest came not with emptie hands before God neither yet might do except him selfe would be destroyed but he had with him alwayes his sacrifice to acknowledge all men endebted vnto God in payment whereof he would be reconciled they learned herein that their mediatour must also offer vpa sacrifice for them in whiche God would be pleased and accept it as a sufficient payment of all our debtes vnto him which sacrifice they knew well should not be the bloud of Calues Goates for it is to vile a thing to appease the anger of God but another sacrifice holie righteous without spott of sinne vnblameable before God with suche a one God would be pleased Thus the Israelites beeing instructed of necessitie to seeke a mediatour and that mediatour to be a man and that man to offer vp a sacrifice of his owne without spot or blemishe a satisfaction for our sinnes and a reconciliation to God in this they were instructed to confesse as we confesse and to beleeue as we beleeue that as there is but one God so there is but one mediatour betwene man God euen the man Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe to be the price of the redemption of mankind this is the fayth of Gods elect holden of Abraham Isaake Iacob as well as of vs the faith of the Saints from the beginning and we to whom now it is most clearely reuealed let vs be thankfull for so great a benefite in more constancie of our faith neuer to be remoued from this holie trueth As oft as we speake of a mediatour let vs confesse there can be none among angels for they are no men nor among the Saintes for they were all sinners neither among all other creatures for they are all corruptible so that wee wil not giue neither gold nor siluer for the redemption of our soules nor trust in the merites of saints and Angels who al want vertue for this worke but when wee thinke of any mediatour we will confesse Iesus Christ the sonne of God the sonne of Dauid the onely mediatour and purger of our sinnes And here further let vs learne seeing a priest is to doe our thinges before God and to offer for our sinnes let vs knowe these two things bothe to be done by Christe for vs that is bothe to make intercession and to purge our sinnes in neither of which workes let vs attribute any thing to any other except we will robbe Christ of the glorie of his priesthood wherein we may see what the Papistes haue done for if wee bee wise to iudge rightly and will see that whiche God setteth beefore our eyes wee cannot choose but wee muste needes see howe they haue taken bothe these things of the priesthood of Christe and giuen them vnto other First for the oblation of Christe to purge our sinnes if wee will acknowledge it wee must confesse that it was done but once and must neuer be repeated the seconde time bothe as the Apostle after in plaine woordes teacheth vs and as the nature of Christes priesthood doeth necessarilie proue for hee hathe his priesthood abidinge euer euen as he liueth euer neither can it be carried ouer to another but as the sacrifice is his owne so hee is prieste alone to offer it whiche hee did once vpon the crosse Therefore their Masses are aboue all sacrilege accursed in which they say that the Prieste thoughe vnbloudily yet he offereth in a propitiatorie sacrifice the naturall and royall bodie of Christe and not onely thus they tran◅erre the purgation of our sinnes from the Altar of the Crosse where it was made by Christe to the Altar of an idoll where they woulde doe it by a prieste but they doe not so muche as confesse that it was once perfecte and full vppon the crosse but finde wantes in it there offered I slaunder them nor for it is their owne doctrine neither am I sure will they denie them selues write that Christe satisfied for sinns before baptisme both for the giltinesse and punishment of them but as for sinnes after baptisme he tooke only away the guiltinesse of the fault but le◅t the punishment for our selues to beare so much as by afflictions of our life and by purgatorie after our life we could possibly endure Thus lame they leaue vnto Christe the purgeing of our sinnes the highest part of his priesthood The other part of his intercession they handle it no better for do they not pray vnto all saints and Angels ▪ doe they not call the virgine Marie the Queene of heauen the gate of Paradise the treasuresse of grace the refuge of sinners the mediatresse of men our life our delite our hope what after this cā they leaue vnto Christ And this dearely beloued I alledge not vnto you out of priuate mens writings whiche they might denie but in their sacred holy Masse booke these things are written In their masse of the annunciation they sing this song Salue virgo virginum Mediatrix hominum All haile virgin of virgins the mediatresse of men In the masse of the conception they sing this Tuspes certa miscrorum Vere mater orphanorum Tu lauemen oppressorum Medicamen infirmorum Omnibus es omnia Thou art the vndoubted hope of the miserable the mother in deed of Orphanes the refreshment of the oppressed the healing medicine of all the diseased and thou art all things to all men You heare the rime of all this I am sure and for the matter it is not worth englishing Now ioyne vnto this more out of the masse booke O foelix puerpera Nostra pians scelera O happie bringer foorth of children cleansing our wickednesse c. and out of the Portesse Tu per Thom◅ sanguinem c. O Christ make vs to ascend vnto heauen whether Thomas is ascended and by the bloud of Thomas c. And tel me nowe what is left vnto Christ to be our mediatour Surely dearely beloued the trueth is euen as the Lord hath persuaded vs this day he that bosted so long to be the vicar of Christ we haue tryed him and founde him to be the verie Antichrist who denyeth in deed Christ to
because otherwise the scripture would bee hard vnto them Againe because it was ashame after so longe time to haue profited so little Nowe he exhorteth them by shewing the great hurte which shal be vnto them by their ignorance and rudenesse ▪ and sayth that while they are such they can neuer knowe the pretious and hid treasure of righteousnesse whiche Christ hath giuen onely to those that are wise and haue learned his blessed Gospel For better vnderstanding of this you muste knowe this figuratiue speeche of the Apostle of milke and strong meate by milke he meaneth the generall principles of doctrine as him selfe after declareth as of repentance of faith in Christ of baptisme of the resurrection and suche like set out breifely in generall tearmes and according to the capacitie of Children with whiche they are prepared to the kingdome of heauen and must still growe vp in more vnderstanding till they doe see with all the saincts the higth the deapth the length the bredth of Gods vnsearchable goodnesse in Iesu Christ which the Apostle calleth here the word of righteousnes Now if we wil abyde stil in our first instruction when gray hayres shal be mingled with our black yet then still we will be children in vnderstanding the Apostles wordes shal be iustified in vs we are not meete disciples of the excellent knowledge of the Gospel for he that is still at his milke hath not yet tasted of the worde of righteousnesse which is strong meate And it foloweth in the Apostle For strong meate belongeth to thē that are of perfect age which through long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne good euill In these words the Apostle maketh it more plaine what is milke and what is strong meate and why they are so called that is milke which agreeth to beginners and such as haue little experience that is strong meat which is for olde practitioners such as haue wisdome to iudge betwene truth falshod And thus much briefly of the sense of the woordes out of which what instructions we haue to gather for our owne edifying I will speake more at large God willing the next time Now let vs praye c. The 26. Lecture vpon the 13. 14. verses before mentioned so forth vpon the 1. 2. verse of the sixth Chapter 13 For euerie one that vseth milke is inexpert in the word of righteousnesse for he is a childe 14 But strong meate belongeth to them that are of age which through long custome haue their wits exercised to to discerne both good and euill CHAP. VI. 1 THerefore leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forwarde vnto perfection not laying againe the foūdation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. 2 Of the doctrine of baptisme and laying on of handes of the resurrection from the dead and of eternall iudgment WE haue heard alreadie what reprehension the Apostle hathe hetherto made of the slackenesse of the people in learninge the mysteries of Gods word First because they haue beene so carelesse that they haue made the word hard vnto them that they cannot vnderstand it where I tolde you y who soeuer he be that accuseth the scripture of hardnesse the Apostle concludeth against him that he hath a hard dul hart Secondarily he rebuketh them in respect of the time which hath beene so long that they might nowe haue taught other yet they neede to bee taught them selues yea euen the beginnings And heere I wishe vs to looke well vnto our selues for all men knowe how longe the time hath beene in whiche the Gospell hath beene preached vnto vs and howe little we haue profited God knoweth Thirdly hee blameth them for their slacknesse because by it they spoile themselues of a great treasure for while they be thus rude and ignoraunt the worde of righteousnesse that is perfect knowledge can neuer be taught vnto them neither can they bee partakers of the excellent knoweledge of the gospel of Christe but it is vtterlie impossible euen as it is for children to eate stronge meate Then he sheweth who be strong euen those that haue their wisedome perfect so that they can iudge betweene good and euill To this purpose are these laste wordes of the Apostle Euery one that vseth milke is inexpert of the word of righteousnesse for he is a childe but strong meate is for the perfect whiche through long custome haue their wittes exercised to discerne good and euill Firste wee haue heere to learne this principle of Christianitie he that is rude and ignoraunt can not apprehend the excellent knowledge of the Gospell of Christe that is he that can say no more but this I beleeue in one God wee muste repent vs of sinne we are saued by faith we must worship God in spirite and trueth we are baptised in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost we beleeue the resurrection of our bodyes we looke for eternal life and suche like confessions in generall wordes though where this is confessed with a single heart and a minde willing to learne more God may and will for his Christes sake accept it vnto saluation yet we that haue receiued of the Lorde bothe time and abilitie ought more exactly to vnderstand if we wil not bee despisers of the manifolde graces of God as for example the childe is taught that there is but one God aboue al and to worship him alone whome he confesseth in three distinct persons the father the sonne and the holy Ghoste Surely a young Christian man which with this faith shoud humble him selfe before God and crye Our father which art in heauen no doubt God would heare his prayer yet notwithstanding seeing this mysterie is not onely taught in generall termes but is set out also in more particular pointes in knowledge of al we must looke for the fulnesse of our comforte and reioycing that now we haue in god Thou sayest I beleeue in God the father almightie thou sayest well and it is a holy confession if thou haue hearde no more but if thou hast also learned that God is a spirit not of the nature of man not like vnto the idols of the Gentiles not like vnto any creature that thou hast heard or seene but a nature of maiestie glorie incomprehensible and aboue the thoughts of man then thou oughtest heere to exercise thy senses with wise meditations howe greate and glorious the Lord is whome thine eye cannot see thine heart can not conceiue no creature in Heauen or earth can resemble vnto thee so thou shalt learne obedience to say vnto thy senses and vnto thy naturall heart what haue I to doe with you All carnal cogitations and thoughts of man be they neuer so high of Kinges and Emperours of golde and precious stones they are vile filthy to cary into heauen if thine imaginatiōs will resemble them to the God of glory thou doest but fill thy soule with corruption
the knowledge of God not onely by the heauens which declare his glorie nor by the firmament whiche sheweth his work nor by any of Gods creatures in which his eternall power and Godhead doth appeare shine and of which light all nations are made partakers but they are also lightened with his holye woorde which is a lanthorne to their feete and a light vnto their steppes and haue hearde his Gospell preached vnto them vnto the which they haue agreed that it is the word of life The second note of them is y they haue tasted of the heauenly gift the heauenly gift is the life and great saluation that is in Christe Iesu by whom we are reconciled which likewise our Sauiour Christ calleth the gift of god speaking to the woman of Samaria and this is that knowledge into which they are lightened by the gospel and this they do not only knowe but of this gifte they haue also tasted whiche is they haue gladly sometime receiued it and reioyced in it like as our Sauiour Christe describeth them by the parable of the stonie ground that incontinently with ioye they receiue the seede and which also he noteth in the Phariseis speaking of Iohn Baptist whiche was a shining lampe among them and they for a season did reioyce in his light The thirde note of these men is that they haue beene partakers of the holie ghost which is that many graces of the spirite of God haue beene giuen vnto them as these two aboue named y they are lightned with knowledge reioyce in their vnderstanding which is neither of flesh nor bloud nor of the will of man but of the holie ghost vnto these we may adde also others as y gift of miracles the gifts of toungs or any such that God hath distributed vnto these euen as he wil these things or any of them when they haue receiued to the praise of God glorie of his holie name they are made partakers of the holie ghost and they are blessed with heauenly blessing The fourth note is that they haue tasted the good word of God not much differing from that he first spake of that they were lightened that is that they had knowledge of God not onely by his creatures but muche more by his worde But heere naming the good word of God hee noteth especially the Gospell by comparison with the lawe as if he shoulde saye they haue knowen God not onely by his lawe which is fearefull to the sinner but by a more sweete vnderstandinge of the Gospel which saith Come vnto mee all you that labour and are laden so calling it the good worde as that which is glad tydinges of saluation and therefore also good because they haue tasted it good and ioyfull and haue seene the glorie of it as the greatest treasure that is giuen vnto man. The fifte and laste note heere set foorth is that they knowe and confesse that this Gospell hathe the ende eternall life and Christe is a mightie Sauiour who will keepe for euer those whome he hath purchased and hee nameth the worlde to come because the spirite hathe lightened them to see the latter ende of this corruptible worlde and to knowe assuredly that here they haue no dwelling citie but another habitation is made for Gods chosen not with mortall handes but euerlasting in Heauen and calling it the powers because it is made so strong in Christe Iesu that it can neuer be assaulted for all power is giuen vnto him in Heauen and in Earthe and hee hathe made that heauenlye Citie glorious for his Sainctes throughout all worldes Thus hath the Apostle described those persons whome he biddeth beware that these fall not backe to chaunge so greate glorie into endlesse shame for if they will turne these thinges vpside downe and the graces that they had receiued to Gods glorie abuse them to the reproche of his holy name it is vnpossible they should rise againe by repentance And thus farre of the persons what giftes they haue receiued wherein yet let vs vnderstand a great difference betweene these men which fall away and the giftes which are in Gods elect that cannot perishe nor euer sinne against the holye Ghoste First in the measure of grace that they haue receiued there is great difference or rather no comparison then their obedience according to this grace is nothing like The wicked are but lyghtened with the beginninges of the Gospell the electe are more instructed in the mysterie of Godlynesse The wicked haue but tasted of the life that is in Christe the Electe liue not them selues but Christe lyueth in them The wicked are but a little made partakers of the spirite by some giftes of grace that are within them the electe are watered so farre with the spirit that they to be baptised in the death of Christe to dye vnto sinne to liue vnto righteousnesse so that sinne shall not reigne in the mortall bodye The wicked haue but tasted the Gospell of Christe and his sauing health the electe are fedde with his mercyes and still they hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse see with exceeding â—…oy the height the bredth the length the depth of the mysterie of their redemption The wicked haue felt the world to come and haue for a little while delighted in it the elect haue their conuersation altogether and with great gladnesse loke from thence for a sauiour that this life is not deare vnto them but they will holde it foorth in their hands to all persecutions to finish the short course that they haue here with â—…oy These are great differences but the greatest is yet behinde the wicked they are straungers euen from y womb not ingraffed into the body of Christ nor haue any feeling of election in them selues but the godly are indued with faith and assured hope that if this earthly tabernacle be dissolued they haue a dwelling place with GOD himselfe who hath loued them this hope they delight in in this they liue in this they rest while this is assaulted they despise the worlde when this is vnshaken then is their sorrow but the wicked it is not so with them their hope is not this for their ioy is onely heere when they haue examined the secrets of their owne harts they shall rather finde that their bellie is their God for notwithstanding all the gifs of God that they haue receiued yet they want this measure of fayth by which they are persuaded that God is their God and their delight is all in the Lord alone And againe the obedience that they shewe in their life it is not to the true obedience that God requireth as their faith is no true faith for God requireth this alone that we loue him with all our hearte with all our soule with all our strength with all our vnderstanding and that we loue our neighbour as our selfe but this loue is not in them nor they haue not this end of all their works that they may