receiue from Christ all that is healthfull vnto vs And as by ioyntes and sinewes our members are really knit and made a bodie vnto the head so really truely and in deed by one spirite wee be knit vnto Christe as perfectly and substantially made one with him as our members are one with our head If thou vnderstand not this or sayst with Nicodemus How can this be done I say vnto thee againe Pray that thou mayst be taught of God and that his spirit may reueale it vnto thee for if the tounge of Paule were dumb not able to speake what he sawe in vision how much lesse is man able to speake the trueth of greater mysteries And if our harts cannot comprehend all the wisdome of God in the winde that bloweth how he rayseth it vpp or maketh it fall againe how canne wee vnderstand this wisedome of our vniting vnto Iesus Christ Onely this I can say God hath giuen vs fayth in whiche wee may beleue it and out of which such ioy shineth in our mindes as crucifieth the worlde vnto vs how farre our reason is from seeing it it skilleth not it is sufficient if we can beleeue it We beleeue in the Lord our God yet we know not what is his countenaunce We beleeue apprehend by hope his glorie yet neither eye can see it nor eare can heare it We beleeue and see immortalitie yet our heart can not comprehend the height the breadth the length the deapth We beleeue the resurrection of the dead yet wee can not vnderstand such excellent wisedome how life is renewed in the dispersed scattered bones ashes We beleue our sauiour Christ is man we haue seene him and felt him yet how he was man borne of a virgin all men in the world haue no wisdome to declare Euen so dearely beloued wee beleeue that our Sauiour Christ and we be one hee of vs and we of him he the head we the bodie really substātially truly ioyned together not by ioynts and sinewes for that vniting I knowe wel enough but by his spirit of which we haue all receiued and this vnitie I cannot conceiue nor vtter till I knowe God euen as he is and his holie spirite which hath wrought this blessing Thus we learne what here the Apostle teacheth vs and thus wee vnderstand what is heere said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one And where it is said heere He that doth sanctifie shewing the present time the worke still a doing it teacheth vs that our sanctification hath a daylie increase when it is fully accomplished then God calleth and our dayes are at an end And let vs note this well for it behoueth vs much If we be Christians we are still sanctified by the spirit of Christ for so it was in him He grewe still in grace before God men If thou begraffed into his bodie thou hast his spirite and it will haue his worke in thee Thou shalt not be wearie of well doeing nor ceasse to reioyce in God thy Sauiour but still increase in spirituall grace til thou come to the age of the fulnesse of Christe There can be no affection in thee according to the fleash but if it be greate it will appeare in his work much more this which is of the spirit of god If thou be sorrowful it wil make thy face sad If ioy be within it maketh thy countenance merrie If thou haue a flattering heart all the members of the bodie will streight serue so vile a thinge If hatred bee within thee thy bodie will shewe it forth in all manner of cursed doing and there is nothing that can possesse the minde but it leadeth the members in obedience of it Howe much more if the spirite of God hath replenished thy minde will all the bodie shewe foorth godlie desires This the Apostle noteth when he sayth He that sanctifieth It followeth For this cause he is not ashamed to call vs brethren Vpon good cause the Apostle sayth He is not ashamed for if hee humbled not him selfe in great loue of vs how iustly might hee accompt it shame to be as we are He that made Heauen and earth he that is the immortall and glorious God one with his father before whome all Angels do obey and all Princes are earth and ashes ought wee not to say seeing it pleaseth him to acknowledge vs that are but poore creatures that hee is not ashamed of vs It was great praise in Moses beeing so highly esteemed of Pharaoh that yet hee would vouchsafe to visite his poore brethren It was singular loue in Ioseph when he was nexte vnto the King in honour and dignitie yet not to be ashamed of his fathers house who were heardmen and shepeheardes But all is nothing in comparison of this that Iesus Christ is not ashamed of vs for what the glorie of the vaine worlde made not a mortall man ashamed of his duetie to acknowledge his poore father and brethren in whose persons hee might suffer a little reproch but how much greater was this doing whereof we speake The shining brightnesse of the glorie of God made not the onlie begotten sonne ashamed of his free grace to acknowledge vs that were his enimies in whose persons he should suffer a moste shamefull and slaunderous death This is the case betweene Christe and vs and this the Apostle meaneth when he sayth He is not ashamed to call vs brethren And if his highnesse abased it selfe to our lowe estate and was not ashamed let vs dearely beloued learne to be wise and knowe what the lord requireth of vs for all the good which he hath don vnto vs He sayth in the gospel He that is ashamed of me and my word before men I will bee ashamed of him before my Father which is in heauen And is not trowe you this a iust condēnation if we wretched men wil be ashamed of him who beeing the God of glorie was not ashamed of vs How much is he greater then we Abraham when he approched nere vnto him he felt him self how he was but dust When Iob came nere to see the tokens of him he abhorred him selfe and confessed how vncleane he was When Dauid saw the glorie of his dwelling he said he had leuer abide but one day as a dore keeper in the house of him then tenne thousand dayes to beare rule in Kinges palaces When Paule sawe the glorie prepared for vs in his resurrectiō he said he accompted all the worlde to be but doung to the ende he might winne him If then such a Christ be not ashamed to call vs brethren a marueilous vnspeakable foolishnes is bound vp in our heartes if we be ashamed to call him brother againe He were a folishe poore man that were ashamed of the kinred whiche the King did chalenge of him he is more foolishe thoughe he were a King him selfe that is ashamed of the Sonne of God when he offereth himselfe vnto
vs If it were thus yet what is become of building religious houses of pilgrimage of numbering many prayers of their holie orders their garments their fasting c All these they let sink in their own shame with out defēce for these applied not the death of Christ vnto vs but in the merite of the worke they were commended But as these haue no colour of good defence so the excuse of the other is very vaine for how say they that the pope or priests applie the me rites of Christ seeing this application cannot stand by their owne confession without a real sacrificing of Christ For saith not y Apostle here that Christ did it by him selfe not onely making Christe the woorke but also the woorkman the price and the chapman the sacrifice sacrificer not al the world can giue any other recompence for sinne but him nor all the world can giue him but him self as both more plainly we shall heare afterwarde And here is expressely saide that he did it by him selfe with as great warrant giuing vnto him y doing as the thing done As wel and with as litle sinne we may choose another sacrifice as another sacrificer For by the same worde of God bothe are giuen to him a like And as there is not mentioned any other thing that euer could be offered so there is not named any other person that euer could offer this But as he is alone our king and alone spoiled principalities and powers vpon his crosse so he is alone our priest and alone he sacrificed vp his bodie once for all Now where it followeth in the Apostles words That he sitteth at the right hand of high maiestie we must first marke the change of wordes where it is vsually saide he sitteth on the right hand of god Here he saith on the right hand of the highest maiestie whiche is as it were an interpretation of the right hand of God signifying nothing else but the power and glorie of God giuen vnto the person of the mediatour according to that saying of Paule God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names Beside this seeing the right hand of God doth signifie his power wee must learne to be wise hearted not make vnto God a right hand or a left like vnto ours Wee know the commandement Thou shalt make vnto thy selfe no grauen image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth Let vs giue our obedience and confesse that God is incomprehensible not like to any thing which possibly our bodilie eyes can see And let vs not seeke vaine pretences that we might committe sinne and see it not to say I will make it for a remembraunce or the more to stirre vp our mindes make it howe thou wilt the precept is broken which saith thou shalt not make it And be thou well assured as long as S. Paules wordes shall betruer then thine so long it shall stand that if thou do make any similitude in the worlde to represent God Thou hast now turned the trueth of God into a lie changed the glorie of the incorruptible God to the likenes of the image of a corruptible creature and if accordingly God giue thee vp to a reprobate sense for this pride in thine owne wisedome he doth with thee but as he did with thy forefathers therfore take heede The cause why the Scripture attributeth vnto God eares and eyes and hands and feete it is because we are not able yet to comprehende any thing of Gods maiestie therfore the holie Ghost applieth speach to our infirmitie that we might by these woordes the Lord seeth heareth kepeth and ruleth al things that in him we might boldly trust Let not vs carrie away this great goodnesse of God into rebellion to leaue his glorie whiche we see onely by faith and make him handes and feete and gray haire like vnto a wretched bodie that is consumed with yeares But the time is past Let vs pray that it would please God our heauenly father to humble our hearts vnder the mightie power of his sonne Christ that wee may feare loue and obey him reioycing in the excellencie of glory that he hath giuen vnto vs who is the sonne of God and the Lord increase in vs our faith and hope that in the assurance of Gods loue our consciences may be at peace and in the reuelation of Gods glorie our hearts may be filled with ioy in the Lord which we be seech God to graunt vnto vs euen for his sonnes sake our only mediatour and aduocate Amen ¶ The third Lecture vpon the 4. 5. 6. and 7. verses 4 And is made so much more excellent then the Angels in as much as he hath obteyned a more excellent name then they 5 For vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my sonne this day begat I thee And againe I wil be his father and he shall be my sonne 6 And againe when he bringeth in his first begotten sonne into the worlde he saith And let all the Angels of GOD worship him 7 And of the Angels he saith He maketh his spirits his messingers and his ministers a flame of fire IN these wordes as I tolde you the Apostle beginneth to set out the person of our sauiour Christ by comparison with Angels and this comparison he maketh in many pointes as wee shall heare that the more cleare wee see it tho more effectually we might confesse his high Godhead and therefore aboue all thinges to set him alone called in the new testament the high Prieste and Prophet and King of his people And the first comparison here made is of the first title before giuen him that he is the naturall sonne of God begotten of the substance of his father whereby he must needs be one and equall with his father which name as no Angel hath it so no Angel is to be compared to him That thus the Apostle taketh the name of Sonne according to the dignitie of nature it is plaine in his owne wordes saying And is made so much more excellent c. verse 4. making his excellencie according to his name his name according to his excellēcie For otherwise the name of the sonne of God may be giuen to euery one of vs as God calleth Israel his first borne and all the elect the sonnes of God So the magistrates are sonnes of God and the Angels also the sonnes of God but we by adoption grace the magistrate because he executeth the iudgement of the Lord the Angels by creation none of vs according to the worthinesse of our owne nature But by nature substance eternitie as the Apostle here meaneth there is none the sonne of God but Christ alone And that thus Christ is the sonne of God he proueth it first out of the second psalme where it is said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten
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
the vnitie of the Godhead that is really in him When it is attributed to the father as he that by his Sonne hath made all these things we acknowledge the properties of y persons the father dwelling in light which none cā approch vnto a founteine and head-spring of immortall glorie And the sonne the shining brightnes of that glorie by whome it is made knowen of men and Angels so when we say we belieue in God the Father Almightie who made the worlde we acknowledge the goodnesse and mercie by which the world was made originaly to dwel in the person of the Father when we say the worlde was made by the Sonne we acknowledge the wisdome of God by whiche the thing was wrought and the glorie of it imparted vnto vs to be in the person of the sonne as likewise wheresoeuer the holy Ghost is mentioned in this worke we acknowledge the vertue and power giuen to all creatures both for their continuance for the efficacie to be of the person of the holie Ghost and where the creation is attributed to all Father Sonne and holie Ghost we confesse the vnitie of the Godhead in the distinction of persons which now we see in faith and wherein we reioyce in hope which shal neuer be confounded but shal be made perfect when this mortalitie shall put on immortalitie and we shall see God as he is Where it is said further God laide the foundations of the earth and the heauens are the workes of his handes We must consider the creation of the world is thus attributed to God not onely because all things were made by him but because he hath so made them that they carrie a marke imprinted in them of the power and Godhead of the Creator Thus he meaneth when he sayeth the Heauens are the workes of thy handes Euen as the Prophet sayeth The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his hand◅e worke Day vnto day vttereth speache and night vnto night openeth knowledge And heere we must learne according as the works of God are thus before vs so to beholde them and take the pleasure of thē that we giue glorie to God in all that he hath done When I see the heauens I must see his greatnesse who was able to set such a couering ouer the earth When I behold the earth I must behold his prouidēce who hath ordeined such a place of nourishment for all creatures When I looke vpon the vnchangeable course in which all things are established I must loke vpon his cōstant wisdōe goodnesse who in a stedfast purpose hath extended his mercies ouer all his workes In the least of all the creatures of GOD when I see wisedome power glorie more then all the worlde can reache their hands vnto let mee humble my selfe vnder his high maiestie before whome no King no Prince no power of the world hath any account but all nations before him are as nothing and they are accounted vnto him lesse then nothing and lighter then vanitie it selfe Thus God hath shewed him selfe in his creatures and euen as S. Paule saith his inuisible things hee hath made manifest in them both his eternall power and his Godhead that they might be without excuse all that will not honour him Let vs therefore dearely beloued forget now the times of ignoraunce and at last be wise hearted to reade the bookes which GOD hath written in great letters and layde open before vs in all his workes let vs see his glorie Thus did the Prophet Esaie before vs as in the 40. chapter of his prophesie we read Who hath measured the waters with his fist and compassed heaven with his spanne who is he hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mounteines in a weight and the hilles in a balance Nothing in the worlde no not the verie dust of the earth could come in the prophets eyes but he could see in it a great worke of the Lorde Sainct Paule saith God left not him self without witnesse amōg men euen when the times were moste blinde For as much as hee gaue vnto them from heauen rayne and fruiteful times for who is hee that maketh the rayne to fall the Sunne to haue his course of shining Who hideth the treasures of the snow brin geth foorth the hoare frostes Who couereth the Heauen with cloudes and bringeth foorth the windes out of their places Who maketh the sea to roare with the greate noyse of the waues and maketh it calme againe as if it had not beene moued What Princes what hostes of men though al the worlde woulde ioyne their strength together can doe the least of these things Nay if all nations should bende them selues together they can not hurt sea land ayre cloudes elementes day night summer winter nor any thinge that God hath established for euer but in euery one of these is the strength which cannot be resisted The ayre can infect all fleash the earth swallowe it vp the Sunne burne it with heate the frost kill it with colde the thunder and lightning do make affraide all the tyrants amoung men Nay we may learne in the plagues of Aegypt howe the moste vile things can make ashamed all the children of pride And why then do we not learne in all that we see to confesse y greatnes of the Lord Why doth not the strength of his workes make vs confesse his power and all the delight that we haue in them why doth it not make vs acknowledge all his goodnesse to the childrē of men The prophet Dauid saith When I beholde the Heauens whiche are the workes of thy hands the Moone and the starres which thou hast ordeined what is man say I that thou art mindeful of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Our Sauiour Christ saith when we see how God feedeth the sparowes and cloatheth the Lilies we are a faithlesse people except we see his prouidence ouer vs to feede vs and to cloath vs in all our necessities And sure the trueth is except I see with such eyes the creatures of God I am become a creature degenerate from that image in whiche I was first fourmed If I see nothing in the heauens but that they are light aboue my reache the horse mule see this as well as I. If I see nothing in the earth but a place to walke in or to take my rest vpon it the beastes and foules see this as well as I. If I see nothing in my gorgeous apparell but pride of a goodlie colour the Peacock seeth that in her feathers And if in all my meate and drinke I knowe nothing but the pleasure and sweetenesse of the taste the hogge and swyne haue heere as great a portion as wee To be short if hearing seeing smelling tasting feeling be all the delight we can finde in the workes of God we haue giuen our preeminence to the dumbe creatures which haue these
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
By soule heere he meaneth that parte of vs in which our affections are as ioy sorrowe loue hatred anger mildenesse or any such motion of vs of good or euill By spirit he meaneth the moste excellent parte of vs in which is reason wisedome vnderstanding to consider and meditate of all the works of god By ioynts and marrow he mea◅ieth all the members of our body and thus Sainct Paule vseth these wordes of soule and spirite and bodie where he saith to the Thessalonians as it is in the fifth chapter The God of peace sanctifie you wholie that your spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vntil the comming of Christ teaching vs what is a true Christian when his minde thinketh his soule desireth his body executeth nothing but what is faultlesse before God and man. So when the worde is saide to diuide betweene the soule and the spirit it noteth the mightie worke of it in the reprobate to wound all their thoughtes and desires with feare and terrour and with astonishment of heart contrarie in the electe it crucifieth the olde man with al the concupiscences and the desires of it When it is said to diuide betweene the ioynts and the marrow it sheweth the worke in all the members of our bodie to sell them vnder sinne to worke vncleannesse with greedines being hardened or to sanctifie them in the power of God that they may be seruaunts of righteousnesse vnto him being mollified To be short in soule spirite ioynts marrowe the Apostle meaneth that the word once heard the whole man is touched and al that is with in him feeleth streight a chaunge except a heauier iudgement be vpon him that he haue eares heare not wherein yet the worde hath a worke and maketh him fall deeper in the sleepe of sinne if we will learne examples are before vs of good euil what to leaue or what to choose The prophet Abacuche foreseeing the state of Christes church what daunger should be vnto it euen then to be oppressed again when it was not yet halfe growen vp he saith When I heard it my belly trēbled my lippes shooke at the voice rottennesse entred into my bowels and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble heere we see the worde diuiding betweene the ioynts and the marrow how it distempered the prophets whole bodie because of the heauie threatning of the Lorde and an excellent blessing was vnto him for this feare and trembling at the voice of the Lord in the day of trouble hee had rest So the Prophet Esay at Gods threatening against his church that euen in the dayes of Christe her peace should be broken off her flourishing glo rie shoulde againe be shadowed hee crieth my leanesse my leanesse wo is me as if he had said it consumed his flesh and wore away his beautie to heare the voice of the Lord against his people if thus wee feare in deede at Gods thretenings as his saincts do vnfeignedly reioyce at all his promises a good worke of his mightie woord is in vs and it is his power to our saluation but if we be despisers and regarde not the woord that is brought vnto vs a while we may seeme to be in peace as the sick man in his sleepe feeleth not his paine but the word will wounde at the last the spirite and wee shal feele it in our flesh what we haue despised We reade in Daniel of Belshazzar a proud king in the mids of his princes and all his roaltie he sawe a hand writing and the woorde of the Lorde was before his eyes streight his countenance was chaunged and his thoughtes troubled him so that the ioyntes of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another such feare and terrour came vpō him whē the voice of the lord did pronounce his iudgment And not onely thus but we see it further the wicked not onely wounded but also slaine with the word of God. When many of the rulers of the people of Israel led the people to moste shamefull idolatrie the prophet Ezechiel was sent to preache vnto them and when hee prophecied before them Pelatiah the Sonne of Benaiah one of the Princes which seduced the people he dyed in his presence A like example is of Ananias and Sapphira who at the voice of Peter did bothe fall downe dead so true it is that the word is forceable to deuide and enter betwene our reines that is to sley the wicked and to quicken the godlie Last of all it is here said that the word discerneth betwene the thoughts and intents of the heart meaning that how so euer the heart of man is prepared the woord of God directeth it either more to be hardened with the deceites of sinne or wholie to bee renewed to the loue of righteousnesse It followeth nowe Neither is thereany creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome we haue to doe These words shewe an excellent proofe of all the former things spoken of the word for seeing it is the word of God how should it not haue the power of God if among men as euery one hath moste power so his word is moste feared how should it not be but God who is the searcher of our hearts and reines and is almightie ouer all but that his worde should haue of his nature vertue and power to make the proude to feare and to comfort the humbled Let vs therefore now bee wise in time and let the worde of the Lorde fashion all our heartes if it doe not yet it worketh still and wee shall one day knowe what voice wee haue despised for as it is heere that all thinges are open vnto his eyes so we shall heare his voice when in all thinges it shall shew his power It shall speake vnto all creatures and they shall heare it the earth and sea shall bring the bodies which they haue consumed the fire shall yeld againe his ashes and the ayre her dead the elementes shall mealt away and the Heauens shall vanish the Lorde shall speake and the deade shall all arise then shal we too late bewail our madnesse which haue heard before this voice regarded it not And this let vs learne with it if such bee the strength of Gods woorde of it selfe when yet hee shall multiplie this power and make it also eternall which is infinite what shall we say then but O Lorde who shall abide it when hee shall pronounce Go you cursed into eternall fire what condemnation shal be vppon the wicked surelie dearelie beloued as it is greater then our heartes can immagine so yet in this similitude we may see as it were an image of it for as his worde diuideth betweene soule and spirit marrow bones cogitations and intentes so we knowe that in euery parte of them the wicked shall feele Gods anger head and arme
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
senses more exqisite then wee and we haue turned the heartes of men into the heartes of beastes who with wisedome prudence vnderstanding knowledge reason can do nothing And the wordes of the prophet are fulfilled in vs Man when he was in honour had no vnderstanding he was compared to the bruite beastes and was made like vnto them I speake this with the more wordes and the more earnestly that you might see and detest the shame of some who do not onely not see in the creatures of God the glorie of God to feare before him and to giue him honour but quite contrarie in all his creatures they prophane his name which eate till they surfeit and drinke till they be drunken who put on pride with all their apparell and make their lands and houses priuiledged places for muche iniquitie which fill their mouthes with cursed swearing euen in the sight of the Sunne and commit their whoredomes and feare not at the darkenesse of the night Flee dearely beloued farre from suche hate them as the prophet saith with perfect hatred al their assemblies The earth that mourneth vnder the burden of them one day will spue them out and the creatures which they hold in this miserable bondage of sinne one day God will heare their sighes and they shall giue a speedie witnesse against their oppressers And thus much of the creatures of God which here are saide to be made by the sonne of God and to be the workes of his hands An other thing heere we haue to consider that the Apostle teacheth the excellencie of Christ in respect of his continuance before whome the heauen and earth are but a moment for so in this comparison he speaketh of their age as a thing of nothing They shall perish they shal waxe old as a garment they shal be folded vp as a vesture making al the continuance of the heauen to be vanitie and of none account for although it may seme he might haue made this comparison with things of a more expresse shewe of vanitie then a garment as to haue compared them with smoke with the shadowe of smoke with the dreame of a shadow or such like yet in comparing the time of the heauens whiche are so many ages with a garment which is scace a yeare it is as cleare a testimonie al is nothing as if al were not a minute of an houre Besides this the cause of this comparison with a garment was the similitude in whiche God hath sette the Heauens who hath spred them like a corteine and made them as a couering to all his creatures it was not to make the comparison lesse in shewe of their vanitie Then heere let vs be wise hearted as the prophet was as oft as our hope is before our eyes to see our Sauiour Christ liuing for euer let vs not only cōfesse that our owne age is nothing in respect of him but let vs boldly continue euen the continuance of the heauens and account all thing nothing that hathe an ende for let the dayes be neuer so manie whiche you can call into account and multiplie yeares into the longest continuaunce which your thoughtes can comprehende that thousand thousandes be before you and tenne thousand thousandes are in your minde with one worde you shall confute them all with the breath of your mouth you may blowe them away and as the prophet sayth make them all as a garment that is rent and worne for reckon vp all thy thousandes that thou canst and put this worde Past vnto them and where are they nowe become a thousand thousand thousand yeares past what are they And if time be such a tyrant to breake the delight of the long age of the verie heauens that the wise hart of a man doth say euen they are vanitie wax old as doth a garment what foolishnesse hath wrapped vp all our vnderstanding and what blindnesse is in our hearts that we see not our owne life what it is Not one of a hundred that hath three score and tenne yeares and of those a great parte are slept out so that we feele them not and a greate parte consumed with sorrow either in losse of credit or feare of punishment or paine of sicknesse or griefe of our labour or pensmenesse of our wants or anguishe of our desires or at least euen with a wearinesse of time it selfe so that of three score and tenne yeares let him speake that can glorie most and he shall finde that in them all he hath scarce tenne full yeares of pleasure and this verie pleasure euen then when it is greatest what is it Surely suche as if hee loke downe into his owne thoughts he should say in the mids of it his heart is heauie And shall yet this life so short so troublesome so without pleasure so fast holde vs bounde with blinde desire that we neither long for nor looke after Iesu Christ who liueth euer and hath cast forth of his presence all sinne and sorrowe and deathe it selfe Could the Prophet so shewe him in immortalitie all his elect with him in the glorie of his father that he bewayled the vanitie of his owne life yea though it should haue lasted as long as the heauens and while the Sunne and Moone endureth though he should haue abiden king of Israel was al this vnto him as a shadowe or an idle dreame in comparison of Christe who is for euer and whose yeares shall neuer faile And shall we think wee haue the spirite of God or any portion in Iesu Christe who in his euerlasting continuaunce cannot finde such pleasure as in our visard of vaine life that soudenly appeareth and is no more who in the glorie of his presence and maiestie of his Father can see no such delighte as in carding diceing daunsing and such like works of reproche and shame and horririble confusion Nay I will tell you dearelie beloued and I will tell you true your owne eyes and eares shall beare witnesse with mee that I lie not These men that thus serue in the vile bondage of these pastimes they carrie with them the badge and cognisaunce of another maister then of the liuing God for tell me from morning to night are not their mouthes full of adulterie of wrath of hatred and swearing without shame◅ in whiche God is dishonoured and the crosse of his Sonne Christ made despised Then doubt not what these men do nor what maister they serue but pray that God may haue mercie vppon them as vppon vs this day who loue not their delights that they may repent and withdrawe them selues from the snare of the diuell in which they bee holden according to his will and begin while yet it is good time to despise this and regarde the life of Christe in comparison of which they may say with the Prophet The Heauens shall perish and consume as a garment but thy yeeres O Lord they haue no end One other thing foloweth in the Prophet which the Apostle
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
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
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
sunne doth cōpasse it about then what strength of the world can make it stand in this wide emptie space compassed with the firmament The sea that is so great violent who can stop the proud waues of it or make it kepe his course to rise or fall The diuel may for a while dul our harts that we may be made like the horse mule in whome is no vnderstanding and think of chaunce and fortune and we can not tell what so that for all these workes we be neuer the better but if the power of the diuell be broken and we be carried out of the darknes that he hath scattered before vs our hearts shall see feele it and our tongs wil confesse The heauens declare the glorie of God the firmament sheweth his handie worke And not only in these things which before the simplest eyes are greate and merueilous but in euery thing we shall learne wisdome When we see the constancie that God keepeth with the day night which haue their course for euer we will see much more y certeintie of his counsel the assured couenant that he hath made with his childrē When we see how he cloatheth the flowers of the fieldes and feedeth the young byrds that call vpon him much more we wil knowe that he will not leaue his elect in their infirmities but will cloathe their nakednesse and minister food vnto them And to be short in all things we shall behold the goodnesse of God and as the Prophet Dauid heere doth aboue all workes we shall acknowledge his goodnesse toward man whom alone he careth for aboue all other and whome alone he hath made ruler ouer all his creatures with which thoughtes wisely conceiued it is vnpossible but wee should be stirred vp with thankfulnesse and with all our power shewe forth his praise who hath had so greate mercie vpon vs. It followeth Thou hast made him a little while inferiour to Angels In these words y prophet breaketh vp this praise of Christ with an acknowledgement of his present state in earth that if one should think Where is all this glorie Where is this honour he speaketh of Was not his life in much affliction Least any should be offended with this cogitation hee preuenteth it thus as if he had said And thy sonne ô Lord whome thou hast exalted so highly and giuen vs this glorie through him we confesse thou didest abase him and madest him a while inferiour to thine Angels and gauest him vp vnto death for thy peoples sinnes but thou diddest raise him againe and gauest him honour and victorie ouer death and sinne The prophet Esaie in the like purpose doth notably set out this great humbling of our Sauiour Christe not onely beneath Angels but beneath the lowest condition of all men and after sheweth how God would raise him vp againe aboue all his enimies that no man should be offēded at his crosse And in this we learne that in deede he had experience of euill he was in deede abased in deede bate our sinnes in his bodie and was truely broken for our transgressions that in the feeling of his sorrowe we might the more sensiblie see what was all his loue towardes vs And for as muche as the glorie here spoken of is ours as we be members of Iesu Christ to whome it is giuen we learne here so to loke for this glorie cuē as our Sauiour Christ hath attained vnto it before vs God humbled him vnto a lowe degree that he might exalt him our life must be as his we must suffer with him that wee may come vnto his glorie Without him we are borne in anger in him we be reconciled throughe many afflictions He that liketh not thus to go vnto glorie he may lye downe againe in his shame where Christ did finde him and make the worlde witnesse of his vnspeakable follie And he that will murmur against these afflictions in this way of life whiche are no other then Christe him selfe did suffer a thousand-folde more then he hath left them for vs let him leaue his redeemer and dwell againe in the bondage of death that the Angels may beate witnesse of an vnthankfull wretche But we dearely beloued as many as glorie in the crosse of Christ we must reloyce in afflictions and thinke the reproche of Christe more honourable then any ornaments of Golde and siluer Let vs comfort our selfe in this that thought Christ were humbled and our heartie desire is to beare the yoke with him yet his oppressiours liue not euer The seripture saith it is but a verie litle while that thus y hast made him lower then Angels euen so are all our troubles as a cloude that is blowen away or as the dark night against the appearance of y Sunne a verie litle while and they are no more We may call it as Paule did The momentanie lightnesse of this affliction or as Peter did A litle while now we are made sorowfull or as the Prophet Dauid did Heauines may endure for a night euen so it is with vs all and what so euer our troubles be many in number great in weight grieuous in circumstance why shoulde we murmur The Sunne that shineth giueth a salue vnto them the day that vanisheth drieth vp the wound in a verie litle while it is quite forgotten A blessed medicine that neyther al Apothecaries can make worse with drugges nor all tyrants can keepe it away with prisons nor all frowardnesse of the patient can make it of lesse vertue but all afflictions whatsoeuer they be they are healed with this if we be humbled with Christ a verie litle while and all is cured If this be not ynough to prepare our hearts to tribulation that they are our leaders to a perpetuall ioy nor this ynough that Christ hath tasted of them all before vs and we shal be like vnto him yet this is ynough euen for a froward man that though all troubles doe come vpon vs yet a verie litle while and they are all consumed This is the goodnesse of God toward his church he would not lengthen the dayes of their life into many hundred yeares as he did at the firste when his Churche had greater peace For if nowe wee had suche liues it is vnspeakeable what shoulde bee the oppression of the godlie what tyrannie of the wicked Howe would they swell in pride and tread the godlie vnder foote if they should liue many hundred yeres that now doe hate vs to death beyond death shewing crueltie to our bones and ashes when their owne feete stand at y graues mouth and the earth is ready to swallowe them vp Howe would the mightie men make vs laboure out all the strength of our body the couetous men make vs pine with hunger the ambitious men poure contempt and shame vpon vs if now since their minde is so fraught with malice their bodies had also strength of a thousād yeres But a short
are spoken of thee thou Citie of God. There is neither Sunne nor Moone sea nor land golde nor siluer meate nor drinke no elementes of the worlde no obseruations of Moses lawe no traditions of men that is ouer man but man ruleth all and all is vnder his feete Here streight way bothe Iewe Gentile saith These be in deed golden promises but where are these honourable personages you speake of Are not we as our fathers were and doth not death deuour vs To this the Apostle aunswereth I graunt we do not yet see with our eyes how these thinges are but I say againe our eyes are no iudges in this case The glorie is not earthly and the kingdom is not of this world wherof we speak but the riches spirituall and of the spirituall man they are discerned Know thy selfe y by saith thou art Christs and he thine that he died for thee and thou liuest by him that thou art fleshe of his fleshe bone of his bone a member of his bodie and what soeuer is his is thine haue this faith and now come and see and thou shalt see all the glorie of the worlde lesse then the glorie of suche a man for thou seest Christe humbled in deede once that he might suffer death but euen then when he was in the shape of a seruaunt thou sawest him full of grace trueth euen as the onely begotten sonne of God thou sawest him soft of speache but of merucilous wisedome plaine in teaching but full of grace and power simple in countenaunce but of an inuincible courage of lowe degree but of excellent power of no account among men but great in miracles at which man was astonished Thus thou hast seene Christ euen when he was lowest highly exalted that thou hast no good cause to reason against thy dignitie though thine eye see not euen in this time all things subiect vnto thee but see further into our Sauiour Christ and thou shalt see more of thine owne honour Thou haste seene him in thy fleash raysed from the dead and in thy nature ascended into Heauen that man in his person might be crowned with glorie and honour we haue seene him carrie our fleash into the presēce of God his father and it is no more possible to take this glorie from vs as many as bee one with him then it is possible to pul away againe his personal humanitie from the person of his godhead This I see in Christ and know it in my selfe And what though yet a while the outward man be grieued Thou foole that which thou sowest it reuiueth not againe except it first dye a litle corne of wheate it can not haue vertue to becōe thirtie fourtie times better then it was beeing multiplied to so many all as good as it selfe bringing beside fruitfull increase of strawe and chaffe except it firste bee cast in the ground dye And how shouldest thou haue a change but if thou be first corrupt And how much art thou better then a graine of corne y thou mightest surely know whē through corruptiō thou shalt come into incorruption that thy glorie shal be then vnspekable althings shall serue thee to make thy life infinitely blessed more then it is Thy hope now if thou couldst inlarge it a thousand folde yet it shuld be greter thē thou cāst imagine thy faith if it could comprehend more assurance of immortalitie then y eye doth surely of y light of the sunne yet y shalt finde y fruite of it aboue al thy thoughts This thou seest if thou see Christe and this thou knowest to be thine if thou know thy self to be one with him And for thy sinns howsoeuer they cleaue vnto thy bones hate them as thou hatest hell for from thence they are and the diuel worketh them but care not for them for though they were heauie in weight and manie in number what then thou haste thy hope not in thine owne person but in the bodie of Christ into which thou art graffed and in which there is no ▪ spott nor blemish but perfecte righteousnesse euen before God and in him as all other things so sinne also is putt vnder thy feete and thou art ruler ouer◅t And thus farr of the doctrine of the Apostle heere taught vs in this his Exhortation Nowe let vs returne to his other purpose howe he teacheth the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe the first reason whereof is in these wordes That hee might tast of death for all For as to the end he might suffer death it was necessarie he should be humbled because death else could not come into his presence so suffering death that man might bee deliuered by that death it was necessarie that hee him selfe should be man for so were the iust iudgements of God he gaue man a lawe pronounced a curse to him that brake it therfore whē we had all trespassed we were fallen into the punishment of our sinne for y threatnings of God are not as the words of a man that can alter or by some intercession that they can be mitigated but with God there is no change nor shadow of change that whiche with him is once purposed was euer decreed and his words are not weake but what he hath threatened if we fal into his hands all the creatures of the worlde haue no helpe for thee So that this beeing decreed of God Cursed is he that abideth not in all things written in this booke all people must nedes say Amen And The soule that sinneth must nedes dye redemption from this there is none to be loked for but by suffering of it for y Lord had spoken it must be done so our Sauiour Christ sith he would deliuer vs he must be made man like vnto vs and in our nature dye the death Our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs but they were imputed vnto him The punishment of them is forgiuen vs but it was not forgiuen him Righteousnesse is freely giuen vs but it was not freely giuen him He obeyed the lawe of his father euery iot and euery title that he might fulfill all righteousnesse He bare the condemnation of hell and death that he might abolish it He tooke vppon him the guiltinesse of our sinnes and bare them in his owne bodie y he might nay le them vpon his crosse Whē it pleased God our heauenlie father of his greate mercie to accept the obedience of his lawe for our perfecte righteousnesse and to giue vnto it the recompence of eternall life and when it pleased God to accept this for a full punishment of all the sinnes of man if any man could bee found to beare it before God and ouercome it our Sauiour Christ craued no more but this the residue he perfourmed all in his owne bodie and by his eternall spirite ouercame it so that in him is life in him is righteousnes in him is immortalitie in him is the reconciled good wil of God and that excellent wisdōe
God God dwelleth in him and he in god And who soeuer he be that for any seare of man or for any cause maketh it not knowen that thus he beleueth or wil not professe his fayth the scripture testifieth against the thoughts of his heart and sayth plainlie He loueth the glorie of man more thē the glorie of god Let vs not be guiltie of so great sinne for this cause the calling of the Gentiles was so greatly magnified because the name of God should be greate from one end of the earth to the other Howe doe we holde our peace if wee be called in this couenant and not onelie so but what creature is there whiche is his dumbe nature sheweth not out the prayse of his Creatour The Heauens declare the glorie of GOD and the firmament sheweth his hand◅e woorke howe should then man of whome GOD hath bene esspecially mindful ty his toung so excellent a member of his bodie not with it speake forth y praise of God and make the world his witnes what faith he hathe in Christe But of this I spake before in the eleuenth lecture and vpon the twelfth verse Nowe let vs pray c. The thirteenth Lecture vpon the 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. verses to these wordes whose house c. 2 Who was faithful to him that hath ppointed him euen as Moses was in all his house 3 For this man is counted worthie of more glorie thē Moses in as much as he which hath builded the house hath more honour then the house 4 For euerie house is builded of some man he that hath built al things is God. 5 Now Moses verily was faithful in al his house as a seruant for a witnesse of the things which should be spoken after 6 But Christ is as the Sonne ouer his owne house c. I Tolde you the Apostle in this Chapter beginneth a speciall discourse of the prophesie of Christ first as you haue heard making an earnest exhortation for vs to hearken vnto him Nowe he goeth forwarde and teacheth what maner of Prophet Christ is and howe we ought to account him First that he was ordeined of God next that he was faithfull in his calling for he saith He was faithful to him that appointed him for in that the sonne of god was as we haue hard thus made man this was gods appointment to make him our Prophet and in that he was appointed of God he is set forth with his warrant that he did not glorifie him selfe to be our prophet but his father gaue him this honour by his glorious voice sounding out of the cloude This is my beloued sonne in whome I am wel pleased heare him and let vs take heede not to refuse or despise him that is thus sent of God and speaketh from Heauen least we should be found to striue against god And here that it is saide God appointed him wee see the roote and founteine of this loue that Christ should come a sauiour among vs It was not onely in the person of the Sonne who gaue his life for his sheepe but it was also in the person of the Father who so loued the worlde that Hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euerie one which beleeueth should not perish but haue life euerlasting So that we know as the worke instrument of our saluation is in Iesu Christ God and man who was crucified for our sinnes so the first cause is in God the Father who according to his owne purpose and will hath predestinated vs in Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laide that we should be vessels of honour to set foorth the praise of his glorie who had mercie vpon vs. And as we must giue vnto our Sauiour Christe the glorie of our redemption in the sacrifice of his bodie or else we denie him to be the Sonne of God so we must giue vnto the Father the praise of his mercie that hath freelie loued vs and predestinated vs eternallie vnto life or else we denie that he is the Father of our Lord Iesu Christ for as this is our profession that Christ hath done the deede so this is our profession that God the Father hath appointed him vnto it And as the Apostle speaketh here that God appointed him to be our Prophet so our Sauiour Christ euer acknowledgeth that he was sent of his Father The second thing here witnessed of Christ and in which we are assured he is our onelie prophet we are prouoked to hearkē vnto him is that He was faithful in all the house of God This faithfulnes is truth and integritie in discharge of this office committed to him wherein he set all his care and industrie that he might be found faultlesse that like as he was sent of God to be a Prophet to reueale his will so he did faithfully perfourme it teaching only the doctrine ordinances of his Father as in many places Christ testifieth this faith in his doing My doctrine saith he is not mine but his that sent me Againe I doe nothing of my selfe but as my father hath taught me so I speake And again The words that thou hast giuē me I haue giuen thē How diligently then ought we to heare such a Prophet as hath so faithfully spoken And here we haue all a verie good lesson taught vs in the person of Christ to what calling so euer we be called of God in the same let vs be faithfull if wee be preachers faithfull preachers if we be princes faithful princes if we be iudges faithfull iudges if we be treasurers faithful treasurers if we be merchants faithful merchants what soeuer we bee faithfulnesse must bee our praise for as Saint Paule requireth of all Hee that hath an office let him be diligent in his office so hee giueth this as the prayse of all diligence It is required of euerie dispenser that he be found faithfull and euerie vnfaithfull seruant shal be condemned in his worke in the day that his accompt is called for for he that hath bene vnfaithful in things of this life which are fraile and fewe how can he thinke there shall euer be committed vnto him eternallthings and infinite in number And we must heere also marke that it is say de of Christe He was faithfull to him that called him that is to God for vnto God wee must make our accompt of euery worke It is true that Kinges make their vnder officers but the offices are all of God Kinges serue to appoint the persons in this ministerie of man but God alone appointeth them their work which is the ministerie of his iustice and the safetie of his people of which he also will aske an accompte and before him we doe all that we doe When Iosaphat King of Iudah appointed his iudges and officers he giueth them this charge Remember that now you execute not the iudgemēts of man but of the lord Ther fore in euery office thou bearest the image of
worshippest God and an idoll too And consider I beseech you but this one thing and marke it well that the Scripture is thus called the The worde of God. There is no doubt but the name of God is great ouer al the earth his name is praysed from the rysing of the sunne to the going downe of the same neither is there any creature but it sheweth foorth his glorie yet hath not God reserued the â—…ound of his name to be called vpon 〈◊〉 y name of any creature but he hath giuen this only to his woorde We do not say The heauen of God nor the earth of God nor any thing in them vnder the name of God is noted notwithstanding they shew forth his glorie but the writings of the Apostles prophets by this name we know them The word of God why else but that his wisdome his power his glorie his mercie especially and aboue al things shineth in his worde and therefore let vs persuade our selues that his maiestie can not be so highly offended in any abuse of all his creatures as when his woord is despised When man sawe not his eternall power and Godhead which was manifest and might haue ben knowen in the workes of the creation of the worlde yet God did ouersee all their ignorances and had pitie on them he gaue them a better testimonie of his presence made his worde knowen in the middes of them that they might beleeue it and be saued which word whosoeuer shal despise he hath despised the power of God by which he should be saued is more guiltie before god theÌ„ paganes infidels which neuer knew him neither can there be any other meane of saluatioÌ„ vnto him To this effecte no doubt the apostle giueth this reuerende speach to the prophesie The holie ghost hathâ—… saide Thus hauing prepared the people to heare regard he setteth downe the words of the prophet as followeth To day if you wil heare his voice hardeÌ„ not your harts as in the bitter murmuring in the day of tentatioÌ„ in the wildernes where your fathers c. To vnderstand this exhortatioÌ„ well we must see the whole purpose of the psalme The prophet maketh this psalme no doubt as a preparation for the people in all their holie conuocation how to present them selues before the Lord after the same manner in a good and laudable custome we vse it now in the church in our seruice vnto God beginning with this Psalme to stirre vs vp into feare and reuerence an earnest desire of the praise of god O come let vs sing vnto the Lord c. and because our zeale toward God is faint and hypocrisie hath infected the heartes of manie therefore the Prophet toucheth them neerer that if they will stand acceptable before God delay not nor bee faint hearted but euen speedily with a good courage Today if you will heare his voice harden not your heartes c. And he rehearseth the examples of their fathers who tempted God and fel in the wildernes the feare of whose examples should make vs wise This beeing now the plaine meaning of the prophet you see how fitly this Scripture is alledged by the Apostle as then the Prophet cryed vnto them in their assemblies Today if you will hear his voice c that they might keepe holie their Sabbaoth dayes and bee holie in their assemblyes before their God to heare his woorde with humilitie and offer them selues in a holie obedience vnto it So here the Apostle applying it vnto Christe who then spake by his Prophetes that his woorde now might haue also the reuerence of his owne person he sayth also to them Today if you wil heare his voice harden not your heartes c. Now touching the words that he sayth Today he meaneth all the time in which the gospel is preached teaching vs heerby that so long as the word is preached so long saluation is offered In like sense Saint Paul exhorting the CorinthiaÌ„s not to receiue the grace of God in vaine alledgeth this saying out of Esaic I haue hearde thee in an acceptable time and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee wherevnto he addeth Behold now is the acceptable time beholde now is the day of saluation plainely expounding this time this day to be so long as the gospell is preached by which we learne how great a benefite it is to heare Christ preached for then God offereth him self vnto vs then he stretcheth out his handes as the prophet sayth to imbrace vs then he calleth vs to come vnto him then he wil accept vs then is the time of saluation for vs all his fauour loue mercie goodnes al his graces are laid out vnto vs he hath opened the heauens y we might see and shewed forth his glorie that we might vnderstand and be no more vnbeleeuing but beleeuing And what excuse trow we can we take vp to bringe before him if this Gospell of grace of peace of life be preached vnto vs and not regarded Therfore euen as the Apostle sayth afterward so let vs learne While the Gospel is preached it is stil called Today harden not our hartes against it through the deceites of sinne And this I beseech you once againe to remember that when the Gospell is preached vnto vs then it is Today Take away this word preached which is the power of God to thy saluation and what time art thou in Sure in the night in whiche no man can woorke for this is the day when his voice is heard Euen as the dayes of our life they arise with the sunne and go downe againe with it so the day of our saluation it springeth in the preaching of the Gospell and it is shut vpp againe with the ceasing of that voice and therfore the holie ghost saith when our sauiour Christ doth come to Capernaum in the borders of Zabulon and Nephtalim The people that sat in darknesse sawe a great light and to them that sat in the region and in the shadowe of death light arose vp vnto them this light is the light of the sonne of righteousnesse how long so euer it shineth so long shineth the acceptable time and the day of health nowe would I faine know what auaile prayers for the dead what helpeth sacrifices for them in purgatorie is not this Sonne gone downe vpon them is it not night with them and they all haue made their beds in the dark Haue they any more eares to heare or are they not as men dead long agoe Howe then can yet their state bee changeable How can they obtein grace mercie peace by our intercession If they can the Apostle sayth not true that it is no longer Today then while the Gospell is preached Sainct Paule saith not true that now onely is the Acceptable time our Sauiour Christ deceiued vs when he said The night commeth in which no man can work but this was the enuie of the diuell to
from death and from the graue If our Sauiour Christe say If you loue mee keepe my commaundements who hath bewitched vs that we should not beleeue the trueth what meane wee to liue in all excesse of sinne and poure out our selues into riot and yet stil say we loue the Lord Surely dearely beloued one cause is of all an vnbeleeuing heart hath seduced vs Wee think wee eate of the secret Manna when in deede wee seede of asshes We can not see that God resisteth the proude his iudgements are high aboue our reach and therefore we will set vp our owne praise and striue for honour euen vnto death we feare not the shame that we cannot see We knowe not what the kingdome of heauen is neither can we knowe for our eye cannot see it our eare cannot heare it our heart cannot comprehend it neither hath the spirit of God reuealed it vnto vs. and when infidelitie hath thus couered vs it is no maruel though we heare in vaine It is easier for a Camel to creep◅ through a needels eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen for we cannot feare where we thinke there is no daunger we can not hope where we loke for no goodnes promises and threatenings are but blastes of wind where infidelitie hath taken away our wisdome let vs now looke into our selues search our heart and reines whether we stand in faith or no for behold this know and the spirite witnesseth it there is no ambitious minde aspiring to honour no vncleane and filthie concupiscence of adulterie no couetous desires of Gold and Siluer no sinful delights of worldly minded men no falling from God for these corruptible and vaine thinges but infidelitie is both roote and braunche the beginning and ending an vnfaithfull heart causeth all in all and let faith but dwell within thee to beleeue the word of trueth know there is glorie and honour and immortalitie and eternall life to those that patiently seeke the Lorde and indignation wrath and tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euerie man that doeth euill Knowe that the worlde is vanitie and all fleshe is grasse that righteousnesse is perfect blessing and the feare of God is happinesse beleeue this as thou beleeuest thine eyes to see the light of the Sunne or to discerne the darkenes of the night and thou shalt neuer fall were thy ◅ntations neuer so many thou shalt ouercome them till the diuell himselfe doe flie from thee let vs therefore pray and pray continually euen as the Apostles prayed O Lord increase our faith The woordes following heete In falling away from the liuing God they shewe bothe what it is to be vnfaithfull and what worke it hath in vs For to doubt when the Lord hathe spoken or mistrust what hee hathe promised it is to fall away from him and when we beginne in heart to wauer and call into question whether his worde shal be perfourmed or no we lay our selues open to the assaultes of sinne and soone fall away from the liuing God to our owne vanitie And this generall rule that infidelitie maketh vs fall from God wee must particularly applie to all the workes of our life that wee be not hardened as the Apostle saith with the deceipt of sinne If I fall into daunger and mistrust Gods prouidence and seeke worldly meanes and vnlawfull helpe of man for my deliuerance the prophet Ieremie curseth this infidelitie and sayth we withdraw our hearts from the lord If in maintenance of our common wealth we seeke only policies and doe that whiche is wisest with naturall men the Prophet Esay cryeth wo vnto suche for they fall away from God they looke not sayth he vnto the holie one of Israel nor seeke vnto the lord If I vse lying woordes or any deceipte in buying and selling thinking so to wax rich I am a lying merchaunt that am fallen from God and as Solomon saith The bread of deceit shal be sweete but for a while and then my mouth shal be filled with gra◅ell and therfore that we may not at last be ashamed and be guiltie of this great sinne to forsake the liuing God let vs take heede there bee not in anie of vs an euill heart of infidelitie It followeth now But exhort one an other daily while it is yet called to day As before the Apostle taught vs to beware of the sinne so like a wise teacher he telleth vs heere how wee shall doe it that is by daily exhorting one another So Sainct Paule when hee would persuade the Thessalonians to walke as children of the light and as in the day time he setteth out this rule vnto them Exhort one an other edifie one another and this is the discharge of that great commaundement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe as appeareth by the lawe that is written Thou shalt not hate thy brother from thine heart but thou shalt reproue him suffer him not to sinne Thus the Lord hath ordeyned and this duetie he wil aske at our hands in which he wil iustifie vs or else condemne vs Sainct Iames sayth He that conuerteth a sinner from going astray let him know it he shal saue a soule from death shall couer a multitude of sinnes Solomon sayth The fruite of the righteous is as a tree of life and he that winneth soules is wise And the Prophet Daniel in cleare and absolute words speaketh plainly They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne manie to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer This duetie I confesse is chiefly the ministers then the magistrates then the fathers and maisters who are all accordinge to their calling guiltie of bloud if men perish in their gouernement for want of instruction but yet this duetie is also cōmon to all and none excepted we ought all to edifie and exhort one another There is no excuse of ignorance there is none so simple but hath learned the royal law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In breach of this duetie who is so simple but he can sometime espie the sinne of his brother In this let him exhorte him after his skill for though hee haue receiued but one talent yet must hee occupie that else hee shal be condemned for a wicked and a faithlesse seruaunt Looke therefore vnto this and watch euerie one ouer his brother that he may confirme him in the grace of Christ. We haue often meetings for the comfort of our life and many brotherly feastinges are amoung vs Take heede we drinke not our wines in carued bolles and haue sweete musicke at our tables and none of vs as the Prophet sayeth remember the affliction of Ioseph that is I meane and none of vs care for the adulterie drunkennesse gluttonie blasphemie of his brethren for if our meetinges be
heere in this word Let vs studie we haue a plain interpretation of that he said in the first verse let vs feare for the whole verses that and this as you may see haue one and the same meaning there hee saith Let vs feare lest forsaking the promised rest we seme to be fr◅strate that is lest by such vnfaithfulnes as was in them wee also make the promise to vs in vaine here he saith Let vs studie to enter into this rest least wee fall into their example of vnfaithfulnesse thus the exhortation beeing all one it is manifest that this worde Let vs feare which he vsed first hath the meaning of this word Let vs studie which he vseth now so that this is as I told you then y feare of gods children a careful studie in deuour to walk faithfully before god And an other good lesson we may here learne sith the Apostle saith let vs studie it is plain we ought not to nourish in vs as the manner of the world is a carelesse securitie to speake and think of our hope in God with a secure mind as if we cared not greatlie for it or longed not much after it such a carelesse minde is altogether vnmeete for the profession of the gospel of Christ and it is a thing that we do all vnderstand none can excuse him selfe by ignorance we know the fault by the tryall of our owne hart when we think of God and his heauenly kingdome what parte and fellowship we haue in it wee can tel how our heartes are then affected if it bee our ioy our comforte our consolation if it drawe our delight and studie after it then are we children of that kingdome then we obey this calling of the Apostle which is here Let vs studie to enter into this rest but if we can think or speake of the kingdome of heauen as wee would speake of farre countries for talke sake to heare what is sayde of them but without any care whether we see them or no then we are seduced with the deceit of sinne and this exhortation of the Apostle is made in vaine vnto vs And let vs not here deceiue our selues to think wee haue our cares for the life to come when wee haue no care at all for it our nature is here verie blind beleeueth easilie her owne vaine fancie not onely Scribes and Phariseis and suche frowarde sinners doe presume much of their owne righteousnesse glorie in them selues but euē Gods good people are soone beguiled with selfe-loue the Corinthians talked much that they were wise that they were spirituall holy men but Saint Paule saith vnto them Seeing such contentions emulations sectes are among you you are yet children and you are carnall So we dearly beloued if we wil say we feare before God our care our study our hart is in the kingdom of God yet we laugh when we talke of his iudgmentes make our ieastes and rymes with his holie woorde or if we be nothing moued in spirite when wee speake of it then are we not studious but carelesse secure negligent we heare not this exhortation of the Apostle Let vs studie to enter into his rest and thus is this exhortation ended made out of the woordes of the Prophet To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts c. It followeth now For the word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged swoord and entreth through euē to the diuiding asunder of the soule the spirit and of the ioynts of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughtes and the intents of the heart neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked open vnto his eyes with whom we haue to doe In these wordes the Apostle setteth out the nature of the worde of God vnto vs vppon what occasion wee may easily see he hath taught that Christe is our onely Prophet and we haue no other schoolemaister to teach vs and instruct vs in the wayes of God he hath also earnestly exhorted vs to heare his voice and faithfully to harken vnto him lest we fall into the condemnation of others who haue bene despisers afore vs and whose iudgement we should not escape for the word of God woundeth euen into the soule of the sinner thus hee commeth to this description of the strength and force of Gods word as may appeare by his owne woordes going before lest we fall into the same example of disobedience thus prouing it y we cannot escape because the word is so strong and mightie And this doctrine of the Apostle let it this day be our instruction if we do beleeue or if we think the Apostle saith true that the word of God hathe so greate power in it let vs regarde it let vs giue our feare our reuerence our obedience vnto it for how great a sinne must it needes bee to despise a thing that is so precious and howe great peril is there in it to prouoke a thing against vs whiche is so strong If it were but the roaring of a beare or Lion it would make any of vs affraid yet could it but only pearce into our eares if it be but the voice of thunder it seemeth to make the verie earth to shake yet is it but a bodily sound and the spirite heareth it not a whitt what then When he speaketh whome the marrow within our bones doth heare how truly saith the prophete of him his voice shaketh not only the sea and the drie land but the verie heauens also and can we haue yet any excuse if we heare not him that speaketh so lowde If we beleue not him to whom our own hearts beare witne◅e of his trueth or if we heare not his word whose voice shaketh both heauen and earth or are we born of God if so great vertue power of god haue no feeling in vs No no be not deceiued God is not mocked his sheepe heare his voice we are not borne of him but we are born of hard rocky mounteins a stonie generation nourished and sed of cruel Tygres if such instruction such teaching preuaile not with vs Heare then dearely beloued heare learne that we may be edified let our harts be softened that we may haue the wordes of God written in them And seeing wee haue so excellent a prophet let vs be thankfull scholers and growe vppe in the knowledge of his doctrine if at it neuer be imputed vnto vs that wee haue hardened our hearts and would not knowe his wayes And to the end we may take the more heede let vs marke these words of the Apostle in which he setteth out vnto vs the great force of the woorde of God The woord of God saith he is liuely and sharper then any two edged sworde c. This place is well to be weighed of vs for of purpose the Apostle speaketh to teache vs what the worde of
God is and what power it hath both to quicken the faithfull and wounde the disobedient vnto death wherevnto so euer the Lorde doeth sende it it shall do his will no time no place no person can possiblie chaunge it no creature can breake the force of it the worke that is appointed for it to do it wil assuredly bring to passe Let soule spirit ioynts marow heart and thoughtes striue still against it it will wound all and pearce through as a sharpe sworde euen as al things are naked and bare before the eyes of the lord who speaketh neither let any man euer thinke whosoeuer he be that heareth or readeth this worde of God but that it worketh in him the will of god Euen all we here present this day when after this sermō ended we shal returne to our calings know it assuredly think on it as you are in your way y the word spokē is entred into you if it haue quickned your faith it is the word of life if it haue kil led your old affectiōs it is the seed of your new birth if it haue don you no good it hath detected your cor ruption accuseth you in your own cōscience for change it you shal not make it fruitlesse you cannot there is no defence against the strokes of it but it pearceth through to the place to which it is sent if it light in faithful places it bringeth the power of God vnto saluation if it fall where infidelitie is or disobedience it maketh the hart as flint or as an Adamant stone This is the effecte of the Apostles meaning in these wordes whiche you haue hearde The prophet Esaie to the same purpose vseth an apt similitude who speaketh thus in the name of the lord Surely as the rayne commeth downe and the snowe from Heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and budde that it may giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my worde be that goeth out of my mouth it shal not returne vnto me in vaine but it shall accomplish that which I wil it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it This Iohn Baptist taught vs going before Christ to prepare his way when hee cryed to the people Euery vallie shal be filled and euery Mounteine and hill shall bee brought lowe crooked things shal be made streight the rough wayes shal be made smoothe and all flesh shall see the saluation of God meaning hereby that all offences and stumbling blockes should bee taken away no power in the worlde should be so greate which should not giue place to this word whiche is the power of God to saue all that doe beleeue The scriptures are ful of suche testimonies of the nature and strength of Gods worde to teache vs bothe to feare before it and to humble our selues for it wil preuaile and also to try our heartes that it may haue in vs a good and profitable work rather to renue vs in the spirit then to harden vs in the deceits of sinne but let vs now come to the words of the Apostle examine thē in all their proper meaning It is said first The word of God is liuing which propertie may be atttributed to the worde of God in diuerse respects first in respect of vs because it quikneth vs into a spirituall life and without it we are in darknesse in the shadow of death therfore it is a liuing word and the seede of our new birth So Sainct Paul saith to the Corinthians In Christ Iesu I haue begotten you through the gospel And S. Iohn sayth Of his owne wil hath he begotten vs with the word of life expreslie calling it the liuing worde or the worde of life because it quickneth vs as I saide into a spirituall life wherin without all doubting we are taught assuredlie to know that if euer we will become the children of GOD that we shall no more liue our selues but what Christ may liue in vs thus we must be borne and thus we must be made a new in takeing into vs the seede of the worde of God and then as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of it that we may grow thereby in the fulnesse of our agee in Christe If the Papistes did well vnderstande this they should also vnderstand with it that them selues were bastards no children as being borne of mortall seede of fathers of counsels of decrees of Popes not of the immortall seede whiche is the woorde of god Another cause why the word is called liuing is in respect of it selfe because it is eternall and abideth euer according to the nature of the liuing God whose word it is so Sainct Peter expresly calleth it where he saith we be borne of a newe immortall seede by the word of the liuing God and abiding for euer therefore attributing life and immortalitie vnto the worde because it is of the liuing and immortal God of which we ought to learn that there is no wisedome no instruction no discipline by whiche we can apprehend eternall life but only the wisdome and instruction of the worde of God for what an absurd thing is it that the wisdom of man which is vaine as man is vaine which is transitorie earthly is abolished should leade mee into that life which fadeth not but is eternall in heauen yea what an absurd thing I say is it seing we ourselues and all that is in vs before the presence of the Lord must needes be changed so that no man possible cā see him and liue yet to think that our wisdome can leade vs vnto him or our reason can approche vnto the places where his glorie dwelleth Surely dearly beloued this is much more folie then to seeke to gather grapes of thornes or figges of brambles for it is to seeke for light in darkenesse and for life in death for out of a corrupt minde a froward heart we seeke for holie obedience and immortalitie as many as say that without the word of God they can please him the papists do not yet vnderstād this and therefore they wearie them selues with their owne inuentions and multiplie ceremonies in their churches which God will cast out as he hath begon til their madnesse be made manifest to all nations An other cause yet there is why the worde of God is called Liuing and this cause moste agreeable to this place That is because it enteret◅ with power into euerie part of vs so that as our life is dispersed into euerie parte and we feele it both in griefe and pleasure euen so the vertue of the woord of God pearceth into euerie member to bruise as the prophet saith the verie bones or to fill them with marrow and fatnesse this sense is plaine and agreeable to al the words following and in this same meaning Solomon calleth it also A liuing worde as his words are plaine The
hande and foote back and side shall haue experience of his anger all the thoughts of their harts shal be wounded with death and so much the more vnspeakable because their bodyes shall feele and their minde knowe the immortalitie of death and euerlasting destruction that is vppon them whiche extreeme wretchednesse no horrour of darcknesse no weeping and gnashinge of teeth no gnawinge of conscience no eternall fire doth fully and inough set out vnto vs. But this we leaue to the reprobate men who euen to this day haue sould their heartes to conceiue mischiefe and it repenteth them not Let vs feare now in the day of health and better thinges are appointed for vs We shall heare an other voice Come ye blessed into eternall life possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning which voice shal enter depe and into all our members bring a sensible feeling of the loue of God and his greate glorie when with heart and minde wee shall see and knowe our inheritaunce with God in eternall glorie wherevnto if nowe we be raysed vp and the promises of God beginne with vs this vnspeakable and glorious hope so that our heartes be fast holden in the loue of it neuer to chaunge for worldly vanitie or rather shame woorse then vanitie for with what name shall we name it that is exalted against the Lorde if I say thus the woorde of God bee vnto vs wee haue sealed it that his word is liuing and entreth into the diuision of the soule and the spirite and we haue beene fruitfull hearers of all this longe exhortation which the Apostle hath made and ended to stirre vp his brethren faithfully to heare this prophet of God his sonne Iesus Christe and our sauiour who hath reuealed all his wil vnto vs And thus farre of this former parte of the Epistle in which we are taught that Christe is our only prophet but the time is paste Now let vs pray c. The xxj Lecture vpon the residue of the chapter the 14. 15. 16. verses 14 Seeing then that we haue a geat high priest which is entred into Heauen euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs holdefast our profession 15 For we haue not an hye Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all thinges temped in like sorte yet without sinne 16 Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of neede WE haue heard dearely beloued howe the Apostle hath taught that Christe is nowe our onely Prophet what care we should haue diligently and faithfully to harken vnto him if we will not be guiltie before God of great condemnation and iudgement The reasons are of the Apostle to proue him our onely Prophet first because God sending his onely begotten sonne into the worlde made man like vnto vs and reuealing the will of his father vnto vs the excellencie of his person inforceth vs to confesse that God ordeyneth him alone to be our Prophet Againe he was faithful in the house of God and then what nedeth any other prophet vnto vs thirdly he was more honourable then Moses in this office many wayes to be preferred afore him therfore no other Prophet is to bee ioyned with him Fourthly the Prophet Dauid said To day if you hear his voice c. which we must needes vnderstand to be a perpetuall prophesie and therefore accomplished in Christ whome we must heare if we wil beleeue and be saued Last of all the force strength of the word of God is such as it must needes warrant the maiestie of God in Christ the author of it and as n one other hath that glory so none to be our prophet but he alone vnto all those reasons he hath added as you haue heard ernest exhortatiōs to giue more weight vnto them for the better persuasion of his brethren to whome he writeth Nowe he beginneth the other principall point of this first part of the Epistle that is to proue that Christ is our only priest which disputation he continueth to the eleuenth chapter as we shal god willing heare He beginneth it firste with an exhortation as he vsed the like often before and as I saide to make vs more carefully regarde his woordes Sith thē we haue a great high priest who hath entred into heauen Iesus the sonne of God let vs hold this professiō the force of this exhortation is in the excellencie of the priesthood of Christe secretely compared with the priesthood of Aaron who was in nature their brother in person weake as other men in office earthly entring into a tabernacle made with hangs in vertue a figure of a better sacrificer himselfe not profiting at all but Christ is another highe priest in nature the sonne of GOD in qualitie great and full of glorie in office heauenly entering before God to be our mediatour in vertue holie and perfect himselfe to purge our sinnes This the Apostle noteth calling him high priest greate entring into heauen and the sonne of God and so much the more we are guiltie before him if we shal not holde fast and professe all his instruction and doctrine Now least we should thinke the Apostles exhortation is weake and that he taketh it for graūted which is in controuersie for he calleth our sauiour Christ high priest which yet it seemeth he hath not proued we must consider what hath beene spoken before and so we shall see good argumentes in this exhortation for the proof of his cause He hath taught him to be the sonne of God made man reuealinge vnto vs the counsell of his father purchasing a most glorious inheritance for vs and setting vs free from the bondage of the diuel in which wee were holden vnder the feare of death which things before witnessed of our Sauiour Christ and necessarily prouing him for the same cause to be our priest according to that trueth in the beginning of this disputation he calleth him our great highe priest So he beganne before the thirde chapter Consider holie brethren the Apostle and high priest of our profession not yet hauing particularly spoken of those offices but calling him by those names because according to the description of his person before made it must needes followe that he was both our priest and Prophet Another argument of his priesthood is that hee was here in earth afflicted as we be submitting him selfe to death from which he is risen and nowe ascended into heauen therefore he is our priest crucified for our sinnes risen for our iustification and making now Intercession for vs before God his father Thus we see vpon howe good warrant the Apostle in the beginning exhorteth them to acknowledge Christ their priest and thus muche touching this entraunce of the Apostle into this disputation and why he vseth such wordes Now touching the matter To teach that our sauiour Christ is our onely priest he first sheweth by the workes of
Christ 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
Christ in which we are to learne if God haue so loued vs we ought also to loue our brethrē to remember them that are oppressed as if we also were oppressed in bodie and to reioyce with those that do reioyce as if our owne hearts were filled with gladnesse a iust iudgement is vnto them all who hauing Christ such an example of loue cā yet notwithstanding hate their brethren And here we also learne whatsoeuer afflictions are yet are they lesse then the strength giuen vnto vs neither shall they euer turne the loue of God from vs for all afflictions without exception Christ suffereth with vs We see by Paule howe many howe greate howe aboue measure were his troubles by sea by lande of friendes of enimies in bodie in spirite yet calleth he them al the afflictions of Christe and his suffering Lazarus in all his pouertie sicknesse sores suffered nothing wherin Christ was not partaker of his griefe if the paines and miseries of patient Iob were nowe vppon any man euen Iob fealt nothing which Christ fealt not with him for while this mysterie is which is for euer that Christ is the head we the body how shuld the bodie be hurt and the head not touched with the paine of it Let vs not then care what crosses we beare for as there is none more shamefull then the crosse of Christe so all ours are accounted as his If we be poore sicke contemned imprisoned or whatsoeuer is the fruite of sinne God is not as man to turne his face from such children but we are the dearer in his sight cucric crosle sealeth the loue of Christ that he suffereth this with vs to the ende hee might neuer caste vs away euen as he was made sinne for vs who knewe no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Who nowe can be discouraged with the afflictions of his life or be enuious against the wicked man if wee see his dayes full of peace and prosperitie No no these be but broken weapons and can not enter to the hurt of our soule only let vs take heede of sinne that it reigne not nor haue any kingdome in vs for therein Christ hath taken no part and by it onely we are separate from him as by that with which he will haue no felowshippe And where it is heere saide that our Sauiour Christ was like vnto vs in all things except sinne it is a cleare place to teache vs what to beleeue of the true humanitie of our sauiour Christ leaue off foolish and vaine questions in which there is no edification dispute not of particular things this or that wherin thy foolishe minde may fall into heresie and thy foolish heart may take offence but beleeue it stedfastly that thou haste learned truely that in all things Christ was like vnto thee sinne only excepted if any thing bee spoken of his humanitie not agreeing with this it is false and to bee refused It foloweth now in the last verse Let vs therfore go with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace that we may obteine mercie finde grace to help in time of nede In these wordes the Apostle concludeth wherefore hee hath thus magnified the priesthood of Christe and what benefite we haue by it that is to go with boldnesse vnto the throne of God and knowe our selues assuredlie reconciled vnto him in consideration of which excellent vnspeakable benefite he maketh his conclusion by way of exhortation that wee might neuer bee slacke and slouthfull to receiue so great a blessing nor by any vnthankfulnesse shewe our vnworthnesse of it Now in these wordes are manie especiall good lessons for vs to learne firste were hee saith Let vs goe which exhortation hee groundeth vpon the former wordes that Christ as hee said is entred into the Heauens we must here learne to applie it to our selues all that Christe hath done as in deede he did it not for his owne cause but for ours and we learne how it belongeth vnto vs euen as it is wrought by Christe in our nature whose members we are And thus what so euer we can see in Christ that he hath done and what soeuer glorious promises are made vnto him let vs knowe our vnitie that we haue with him all blessings that they are ours If he haue ouercome sinne we haue also ouercome it If he haue vanquished death we haue vanquished it also If he haue risen from the dead wee shall rise also If hee haue ascended into Heauen we shall ascende If he sitt on the right hand of maiestie wee shall also be glorified and see God as he is for wee be ioyned all vnseparably vnto him as the head is ioyned vnto the bodie by the wonderfull mysterie of Gods wisdome who hath made him of our nature and giuen vnto vs of his spirite and in this felowship with him which he hath giuen vs there is nothing so greate but hee hath giuen vs with him the righteousnesse of all his woorkes and glorie of all his inheritaunce with him is ours and wee are also Lordes ouer all whether it be Paule or whether Appollo or whether it bee Cephas whether the world whether it be life or whether it be death whether things present or whether things to come all things are ours and we are Christes and Christe is Gods. Thus we must apple it and make it ours whiche Christ hath giuen vs euen as the Apostle saith of this that Christ is our high preist mediatour let vs therefore go vnto the throne of grace An other thinge wee must heere note that the Apostle exhorteth vs to goe with boldenesse teaching vs that a constant persuasion and good assuraunce of Gods fauour doe highly commende our prayers vnto God and without it we are like vnto the flouds and waues of the sea which are rouled vp and downe with the winde and our hope with God is frustrate Now this boldnesse which is thus necessarie for vs we must learne likewise both how we haue it and what it bringeth vnto vs how we haue it we canne no way better learne then by the Apostle him selfe who making againe this selfe same exhortation in the tenth chapter following saith thus Seeing we haue this great high priest the ruler ouer the house of God let vs go vnto him with a true hart ful persuasion of faith hauing our harts sprinkled frō an euil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water this is then the boldnesse with which we approche vnto God stedfastly to beleeue that with the bloud of Christ our mindes are washed frō impure thoughtes and our bodies from sinne This S. Paule also teacheth in plaine and manifest wordes in Christ saith he we haue this freedome and entrance with boldnesse through faith in him and in another place he saith this must needes be thus that by faith onely we should haue this accesse vnto God else saith hee the promise of God coulde
the present time not knowing that the time passeth the cōcupiscēce is ended in it that that lord after wil call thē to iudgmēt Thus the Prophet Daniel nameth the sinnes of Nabuchadnezar his errours and Abacuch making his prayer for all the sinnes of Israel hee nameth them their ignorances let vs therefore as this Apostle before warned vs beware lest we be hardned with the deceites of sinne but knowe for a suretie when wee be delighted with euil it is our errour if we were wise we would neuer be deceiued with so hurtfull enticements It followeth now in the third verse And for the same cause he must as for the people so for him selfe offer sacrifice for sinne In these words the Apostle beareth witnesse of want imperfection of the priesthood of Aaron that though he appeared as a mediatour betweene God and his people yet he was not perfecte for suche a woorke but acknowledging his owne sinnes hee sett him selfe in their number which looked for a better mediatour who was only figured could not be exhibited in his person to this end he offered sacrifice both for the people and for him selfe according as hee was expresly commaunded in the lawe of Moses as wee reade in the ninth Chapter of Leuiticus and againe after is here mentioned in the seuenth Chapter following And here we see the propertie required in a mediatour that is that he be absolute holie without spot to whome it can not bee said Physician cure thy selfe for then could he be profitable to none but who soeuer shall take vpon him this worke to pacific God and to conquer Satan he must haue a body prepared of God to all obedience he must be armed with the power of God to beate and vanquish sinne hell and condemnation so to abolish the Diuel they neuer knewe this neither the righteousnesse nor yet the power of a mediatour who so easily haue giuen this glorie vnto weake men for this streight condition the iustice of GOD requireth of him that shal reconcile man vnto God that he bring in him selfe all the righteousnesse whiche his holie lawe requireth by it first to sanctifie him selfe to be accepted and in that innocencie to beare the punishment of the sinnes of his people that hee might sett them free then in the power of his spirite to ouercome that punishment rise from it that it might be abolished and all with him might haue entrance into glorie and eternall life Now this comparison of the Apostle somwhat more plainly appeareth in which we see the dignitie of Christe Aaron was in nature a perfect man and so was Christe and more excellent in propertie beeing without sinne Aaron ministred for the peoples sake and for his own also beeing a sinner Christ for his people only himselfe needing nothing Aaron offered sacrifice but of other things none of his owne Christe offered his sacrifice his owne and him selfe Aaron had compassion on his brethren but in a certeine measure and the greatest parte of it for him selfe and sorrowe of his owne infirmities but Christe wholie was grieued for vs and for our sakes onely he bare infirmities of all which the doctrine is plaine vnto the people of Israel that not Aaron but Christ was the great high priest to reconcile them vnto God And here we see touching that that is said the high priest offered for his own sinnes and for the sinnes of the people that is not ment that his sacrifices were in deed a cleansing of their sinnes for neither can the bloud of Calues Goates wash away that infection neither can a sinnful man offer a sacrifice of such price onely the Lord Iesu offering his body could do so excellent a woorke but that the sacrifices of the lawe and that high Prieste were said to purge sinnes it was onely in figure as being signes and tokens of Christ and of his bodie to be sacrificed vppon the crosse which redemption they confessed and beleeued in their oblations and God sealed it vnto them by fire from heauen consuming their burnt offerings that their faith was precious in his sight and he would perfourme his promises vnto them according to their hope and giue them a sacrifice for their sinn euen his only begotten sonne that euery one which beleeued in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting and in wittnesse of this constant trueth because their sacrifices were as figures of it he giueth them the name of that which they figured and calleth them sinne offeringes and propitiatorie sacrifices and reconciliations betwene God and them And this is cōmon to all sacraments of the olde and newe Testament that they might be vnto vs sure vndoubted pledges of Gods promises that he perfourmeth them all therefore the name and title of the thing is giuen to the figure so these sacrifices were called sinne offeringes and peace offerings circumcisiō was called Gods conenant the Lambe his passeouer the Arke his glorie the temple his rest Baptisme the washing of our new birth and what madnes is in men I can not tel why they stum ble and fall and are broken an this phrase this is my bodie Could the name of reconciliation be giuen to the bloud of an Oxe the name of Gods benefites be giuen to the cutting off of a litle skin and to a white lambe his glorie his blessednesse his rightcousnesse to golde to stones to water and can not the name of the body of Christ be giuen vnto bread or could not the name of forgiuenesse of mercie of couenant of glory of presēce of righteousnesse change the nature of golde stones fleshe water and such like and must needes the name of bodie streight change bread into fleshe or is not the sacrament of Christes bodie and bloud as glorious a mysterie as full of trueth as other sacraments were why should it not haue a greater honour named by the thing whiche it representeth but this as occasion is offered and in a worde for the thing is plaine to those that will vnderstand they that with affection haue robbed themselues of iudgmente let vs pray for them and they that do belong vnto the couenant shal one day with vs confesse the true doctrine of the sacrament in which it is sealed Now Let vs pray c. The 23. Lecture vppon the 4. 5. 6. verses 4 And no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron 5 So likewise Christ tooke not to him selfe this honour to be made the high priest but he that said vnto him Thou are my Sonne this day begat I thee gaue it him 6 As he also in another place speaketh Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Tolde you the Apostle here maketh comparison betweene the priesthood of Aaron of Christ that so by conference the dignitie of Christ might more appeare The comparison hitherto hathe beene in this that the
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
glorifie god in al their life the ioyes of heauen do somwhat moue them and the paines of hell do muche astonishe them they see and know what gods maiestie is vnspeakable and his glorie infinite his fauour is better then life and his displeasure is vntollerable the glorie of his presence the fiercenesse of his wrath these thinges do touche them because they would escape his iudgement so still it is them selues that they loue If there were neither heauen nor hell they would not care for God nor Christe so as I said this is all their obedience because they loue them selues but the godly they obey for the loue of God their owne soule is not so deare vnto them as the name of the Lord to see it glotified nor their owne life is precious vnto them if the powring of it out may be to the praise of his holie name Thus muche of the difference betweene the good and euil as touching the graces of God which they haue both receiued whereby we see plaine that faith and loue are two especiall properties by which the good and euill are distinguished and by which we may trie our selues if we be lightened as the wicked or as the elect of god Nowe let vs see the manner of rebellion howe farre they fall away first we must obserue what points the Apostle hath before named in the beginning of y chapter he mētioneth repentāce frō dead works faith toward god the doctrine of baptisme laying on of hands and resurrectiō frō the dead eternall iudgmēt which here he calleth y beginning foundatiō of christian amitie then he speaketh of an apostacie or falling away frō all these pointes heere named euen from the foundation firste beginnings of the christian faith so y all the former light is quite put out the first vnderstāding is al takē away they laugh now at repentance the first faith they accōpt it folishnes they esteme not of our baptisme no more then of y washing of their hands for any confirmation or solemne receiuing thē into the church of God they care not for it the resurrection of the dead doth but feede them with mery conceits they think pleasantly with them selues what maner of bodies they shal haue the eternal iudgment though it make thē somtime affraid yet they incourage thē selues againe say tush it is a great way off thus they haue turned light into darknes knowledge into ignorance hope into errour faith into infidelitie glory into shame life into death Speake to thē of the sonne of God they make a iest with the man of Galilie tel them of the sauiour of y world they wil call him y Carpentars sonne such a generall apostacie the Apostle speaketh of and this he calleth the fall from which man can not rise againe by repentance for how can they repent when the Apostle noteth them by this mark among other that they are fallen from repentance they are now as S. Paul saith past sorow for their sinnes as it is in the 2. to the Romanes they haue a hart y cannot repēt so saith s. Peter that they haue such eyes as can not ceasse from sinning Whē they haue done al things y are abhominable yet thei will say wherin haue we sinned so they contemne because they are in y deapth they cannot returne because they shal finde no grace they haue sinned against the holie ghost cōdemnation is their portion they shall neuer repent but fal into iudgement and thus farre of their sinne howe greate it is The thirde thing we haue here to consider is with what minde they doe committe this greate sinne which heere the apostle setteth out with these wordes they crucifie againe vnto them selues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him whiche what can it be else but euen with the spirite of the diuell as saint Paule saith to say that Christe is accursed for was not he made vpon his crosse a curse for vs y we might be made righteousnesse to God through him they y crucifie him againe say they not againe y he hath a diuel y by Belzebub y prince of y diuels he casteth out diuels doth not their hart loade him againe with all opprobrie and shame where it is said they do this vnto thēselues it noteth how desirously willingly with what cōsent of mind they doe it euen so as they would againe haue the crosse of Christ a mocking stocke in the world thus their owne conscience is their accuser of most wicked rebellion against god This also appeareth plaine in the 12. Chapter of Saint Mathew where when our sauiour Christ wil accuse y Phariseis of this great sinne it is saide that he sawe their thoughtes So in the Actes of the Apostles where the graces of God are magnified by the preaching of Paule and Barnabas it is said of the Iewes that when they sawe it they were full of enuie rayling and gainesaying all that Paule and Barnabas had taught So againe Paule saith to Elymas O thou that art full of all subtiltie and mischiefe And it is written of Saule king of Israel who so highly hated and persecuted Dauid yet he saide Beholde I knowe that thou shalt be king and that the kingdome of Israell shall be established in thy hande by these places it is cleare that their conscience and heart filled with enuie and malice doe make them with all greedinesse to committe abhomination And according as they haue thus caste off God so God againe hath cast off them and giuen them vp to their owne vile affections so that it is come vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is returned to his vomit and the swine that is washed to the wallowing in the mire their hearts are fatte as brawne that they can not repent and their faces as brasse that they can not be ashamed and therfore their sinne is written with an yron penne grauen with the point of a Diamond that it may be kept in remembraunce before the Lorde And here againe we see the weake consciences that tremble for feare of their transgressions and mourne all the day for feare of their sinnes they are so farre off from the sinne against the spirite of God that the spirite cryeth in their behalfe Comforte ye comfort ye my people sayth your God speake comfortably to Hierusalem and crye vnto her that her warrfare is accomplished and her iniquitie is pardoned for she hath receiued of the Lord double for all her sinne Their godly sorowe hath brought forth their repentance which is vnto saluation and wherof againe they shall neuer repēt them Neither let thē here be discouraged with the exāples of Esau Iudas or any such who may seeme to haue beene sorrowfull for they were not sorroful for their sinnes as it is plainely testified of Esau that he contemned his birthright but they lamented their ruine and condemnation neither did