them to serue his turne as who hath it in his hand to destroy them at his owne will The maiestie of Christ shoulde more affect vs then the power of earthly princes And therefore the maiesty and power of Iesus Christ should much more affect and moue vs then all the power and greatnesse of earthly princes and the feare of him should be stronger to conteine and hold vs within the bounds of duety and faithfullnesse towards him then the feare of any secular power should be to remooue vs from the same a August in Psal 75. Terribiles sunt reges saith saint Austen sed super omnes terribilis qui terret reges Kings are greatly to be feared but he is fearefull aboue all that maketh kings themselues afraide If we feare kings because they can destroy vs how much more shall we feare him that is able to destroy kings Earthly kings can but destroy our bodies neither can they do that but when as the Lord will giue them leaue but this king hath power ouer bodie and soule and is able when he will to destroy both b Mat. 10.28 feare not them saith Christ that kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule but feare him that is able to destroy both soule and bodie in hell fire 7 Againe it is to be obserued how the prophet setteth downe a certaine time determined by Iesus Christ for the execution of his wrath A day appointed for the execution of the wrath of Christ For this is imported in that that he saith In the day of his wrath Wherby he calleth vs to patieÌ„ce to a quiet contented expectation of the reuealing of the Lords hand that we take it not amisse if the Lord do not so soone manifest his wrath against his enimies as we desire and looke for We see it oftentimes fall out that the enimies of Christ and his church infinitely storme and rage against his name and Gospell and yet in the meane time all thinges goe with them according to their owne desire They murther the righteous and innocent and wash their feete in the bloude of them that giue anie testimonie vnto the faith of Christ and the Lorde in the meane time maketh as if he saw it not and holdeth his hand as if he cared not what were done by them This sometimes wee woonder at and are amazed in our mindes to see that God suffereth those thinges to bee done to poore innocent soules for his sake and doth not straightwaies drawe his sworde and bring foorth his weapons for the reuenging of their cause But the prophet willeth vs alwaies to consider that the Lorde hath appointed a daie for the manifesting of his wrath against his enimies which as in wisedome and iudgement hee hath determined so in wisedome also hee will obserue and keepe the same In the meane time their courses are not vnknowen vnto him but he appointeth both which way and how far they shall goe and disposeth their goings to good ends and vses howsoeuer the same be not alwaies apparant to our eies But that which the Lord hath appointed they cannot passe they cannot goe beyond it where he hath set thenet they shal be taken where he hath digged the pitte they shall certeinly fall and shall not escape the plague that he hath prepared for them Howsoeuer therefore they reioyce in their present successe against the iust and comfort themselues in the assurance of their owne estate as if heauen and earth were sworne to serue their will yet as Dauid saith a Psal 37.13 the Lord laugheth them to scorne because he seeth that their day is comming the day that shall strip them of all their glory and turne their light into darkenesse and giue them the full reward of b Zepha 2.10 their pride whereby they haue reproached the iust and magnified themselues against the people of the Lord. Let vs therefore in this be halfe submit our selues vnto the wise dome of the Lord and not prescribe vnto him when or how he shall glorifie himselfe in the deliuerance of his people or in the destruction of his enemies And seeing the impieties and blasphemies of the wicked conteine far more wrong and offence vnto the maiestie of God then they can doe vnto vs and yet he is content in respect of himselfe to for beare and to defer his wrath let vs not maruell that he is so slow in the mainteining and instifying of our cause that vseth so great sufferance and patience in his owne The day of wrath sâ—â—ially to be vnder siood of the day of iudgement or the ast day 8 But this day of wrath as it hath relation vnto all those daies of particular iudgements wherein God in this world from time to time taketh open reuenge vpon wicked men and persecutours of his church so it must be extended also to that c Reuel 6.17 great day of wrath wherein shal be the consumation and full accomplishment of all iudgment Which saint Paul calleth also a Rom. 2.5 the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God and saint Peter b 2. Pet. 3.7 the day of iudgment and of the destruction of vngodly men Which is therefore specially so called because God shall then in speciall manner make his iudgement to appeare vniuersally vpon all the wicked so that there shal be no deniall of his hand For now although the wrath of God doe oftentimes light vpon the wicked in such sort as that plainly men that haue eies may discerne vpon them the hand of the sonne of God whom they haue dispised yet the world wilfully blindeth it selfe and will not behold or acknowledge therein the work of God but rather impute all to mishap and fortune and ouersight and therefore through hardnesse of hart feare not to goe forward in the same waies wherein they haue seen others to fall before them Thus children tread in their fathers steps and successours follow the cruelties and vngodly courses of their predecessours without any doubt or feare at all of their vnexpected and fearefull end Although therefore that God doe thus set foorth his iudgement by many dreadfull examples euen in this life yet it is to the most as if he iudged not because men will not take it to be his iudgement Againe albeit many there be that are thus made spectacles of the wrath of God in this world yet many there are also that seeme to goe to their graues in peace as if God had taken no notice of them or vnderstood not what they had done against him Prosperitie and honour accompany them to their end and the world cannot discerne but that they are blessed and happie men But that day of iudgement shall reforme all this errour when as they that now refuse to see or to acknowledge the power and worke of God in those executions which hee performeth in this world shall haue their eies opened to
men and brethren the end of our preaching and seruice in the gospell that by the sound of this trumpet we may gather amongst you an army vnto Iesus Christ and may traine you and arme you and leade you foorth to the battell of the Lord. Now therfore in the former part of this verse there are three things of vs to be obserued Three things to be obserued in the former part of the verse First what our calling or condition is in the seruice of Iesus Christ we are his army Secondly with what affection the subiects of Christ goe foorth to fight for him with great deuotion or willingnesse Thirdly how they are attired and armed for this battell in the excellent beauty of holynesse A christian life a continuall warfare 2 First then we are to remember that a Christian life is a continuall warfare and that there are enemies against whom we are still to lie in campe and to maintaine fight and with all watchfulnesse and circumspection to looke vnto our selues and to fortifie and strengthen our fortresses and holdes that we be neither surprised by their craft nor surcharged by their power Satan the chiefest enimie of Christs kingdome Satan the deuil the chiefe of these enemies c Iob. 1.7 compasseth the earth to and fro d 1. Pet. 5.8 goeth about like a roaring lyon still seeking whom he may deuour A mightie dangerous aduersary great in power wily in practise bould in attempt fierce in charge instant and importunate in fight weerisome in continuance manifold in all his actions a very Protêus turning and winding himselfe into all fashions and formes and shapes sometimes a fearefull Dragon sometimes a flattering Mermaide and any thing to serue his turne An expert and beaten souldiour knowing all stratagemes and policies of warre A skilfull and cunning fisher knowing all maner of baites for all kindes and for all seasons hauing as Cyprian saith e Cypr. de exhortat martyrij by long experience and practise learned all meanes and waies to cozen and deceiue vs applying himselfe to the seuerall ages of men to their estates and degrees their places and callings their humours and affections omitting no occasions no oportunities that he can any way apprehend to subuert and ouerthrow vs. The world a speciall instrument whereby Satan fighteth against vs. 3 A speciall instrument that he vseth to this purpose is the world with the tentations whereof we are so enuironed and beset on euery side and finde them still so lying in our way that we may seeme to walke amongst bryers and thornes nay amongst adders and serpents the biting and stinging whereof it may seeme vnpossible to escape Seldome or neuer are we free but that he assaieth vs either by the men of this world or by the things of this world to hold vs backe from doing good and to draw vs on to the committing of euill He seeketh to winne vs to euill by the euill examples of the world that whilest we are ashamed to goe alone to heauen we may with the multitude goe that a Mat. 7.13 broad and easie way that leadeth vnto destruction He discourageth vs from goodnes by the offence and displeasure sometimes of friends sometimes of great men that whilest we loue men more then God we may by pleasing of men fall away froÌ„ God He trieth vs by the reproches and slaunders the mocks and taunts the twitings and vpbraydings of the world that the irkesomenes thereof entring into our soules like arrowes into our bones may make vs weary of folowing vertue and godlines whereby we become subiect vnto such disgrace He raiseth trouble and persecution that the danger of life and goods the feare and dread of fire and sword of imprisonment and banishment may driue vs away from our reioycing in the crosse of Christ The things of this world strong temptations 4 Now by the things of this world he strongly tempteth vs and vseth the allurements of profit and gaine of pleasure and delight of preferment and glory of the world as three mightie engines wherewith vniuersally he oppugneth the whole nature of man and as with bullets of â—ron battereth and beateth downe the castles and towres that seeme inuincible and striketh the very b Reuel 9.1 starres from heauen to earth extinguishing in men the light of the spirite that hath most clearely shined quenching the zeale that hath most feruently burned preuailing with men to pull downe in themselues that which God hath builded vp to make sale of Faith and shipwracke of conscience and to become runnegates and apostataes yea and sometimes persecutors of the Gospell which they themselues haue professed The motiue whereof the deuill saw to bee so strong as that thereby he would needs trie the strength of our Sauiour Christ a Mat. 4.8 Luc. 4.6 shewing him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them and saying If thou wilt fall downe before me and worship me they shall be all thine And surely hereby he winneth many to fall downe before him and to worship him by sinne and vnrighteousnes and wilfull breaking of the commandements of God For the compassing of their vniust and sinfull desires of the things of this world yeelding themselues at his will to become vassals and slaues to couetousnesse extortion vsurie falsehood to whore dome and filthinesse to gluttony and drunkennesse to ambition flatterie hypocrisie enuie and all maner lewd and euill works content to admit a wound in the conscience for a peny in the purse and for the pleasure of the body to destroy the soule and for the kingdome and glory of this world to loose the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ Satan strong against vs by the lust and concupiscence of our owne harts 5 We see how dangerous an enemie we haue to deale withall but yet the danger is much the greater for that in our own bosomes we cary a fire to burne our selues a false Tarpeia conspiring with the enemie to betray her owne father a treacherous Dalilah flattering her owne husband to bereaue him of all his strength and to deliuer him bound into the hands of them that seeke his life I meane the corruption of our owne nature the frowardnesse and vngratiousnesse of our owne harts the venome poison that we bring with vs nourish in vs euen froÌ„ our mothers wombe which as a troubled fountaine or rather as a raging sea is still casting vp mire and dirt and sending foorth the motions and lusts of sinne which are euermore ready to open the gates to the enemie to let him in vpon vs by the seeing of the eie by the hearing of the eare by the tasting of the tongue and by all the parts and powers both of our bodies and of our soules For what are all these but gates and doores and windowes whereby sinne and death if we preuent it not doe enter in vpon vs and take fast hold of vs 6 Thus
that day when as the angell brought that gracious and blessed tidings from heauen e Luc. 2.10 Behold I bring you glad tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people that this day there is borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lorde This Psalme written of Christour Lord and not appliable to any other Of this Sauiour Christ the Lord was this Psalme written by way of Prophecie which for the performance of this solemnity I haue chosen to entreate of which although the Iewes of later times haue gone about to wrest to another meaning yet is so approoued and vndoubted a prophecie of Christ that the Pharisees durst not dense it when a Math. 22. â—â— 4â— being apposed and demaunded by our Samour how it should be seeing Christ is the sonne of Dauid that Dauid notwithstanding should call him Lord saying The Lord said vnto my Lord they could not answer him a word whereas the answere had been very easie and readie if they could haue denied this Psalme to be meant of Christ But they knew it could not be otherwise vnderstood and it was commonly taken amongst them to be a prophecie of their Messias according to the verie euidence of the text it selfe which cannot be fitted to any other but onely to Christ our Sauiour the sonne of God For whereas some of them sithence haue construed all these things as spoken in the name of the people of Iudah concerning Dauid their king the text it selfe refuseth that construction when in those words sit thou at my right hand it mentioneth an honour done to him of whom it speaketh greater then can be fitted to the angels and therefore much lesse to be applied vnto Dauid Againe that which is spoken in the fourth verse of the Priesthood cannot be vnderstood of Dauid who was indeed a king but neuer had any thing spoken as touching the Priesthood to appertaine vnto him and of whom it cannot be conceiued how it should be saied Thou art a priest for euer c. Yea there is nothing here spoken whereof we may see in Dauid anie more but some little shadow in comparison of that that hath come to passe in Iesus Christ The diuision and parts of this Psaâ—me 3 Vnderstanding it therefore of him to whom onely it can properly belong we may see many notable lessons conteined heerein of the kingdome and priesthood of Christ of his mightie power and successe in the gathering and gouerning of his Church of the condition and qualitie of his people of his dreadfull reuengement and wrath to be brought vpon all them that resist his kingdome and gouernment We may for orders sake diuide the whole Psalm into three parts the one concerning the kingdome of Christ in the three first verses the other concerning his priesthood in the fourth verse the third concerning his power and victorie and triumph ouer his enimies Three things to be obserued in the kingdome of Christ. from the fourth verse to the ende Againe in the first concerning the kingdome of Christ three points may obserued First the inuesting of him into his kingdome in the first verse In the second verse the meanes and maner how this kingdome is erected and established In the third verse the qualitie and continuall supply of the subiects of this kingdome 4. The inuesting of Christ into this glorious kingdome is by the word of his heauenly father The Lord saied vnto my Lord. Wherein is vttered the euerlasting decree and purpose of God for the exaltation of Iesus Christ to this excellent glorie to sit at the right hand of God Gods saying is the manifesting of his euerlasting purpose For whatsoeuer God doth or will do he hath before saied it with himselfe in his secret and vnsearchable counsell before the foundations of the worlde were laide Now we are heere to distinguish him that saieth from him to whom it is saied the one termed the Lord The Lord God the father my Lord God the sonne the other my Lord to import by the one that is the Lord God the father by the other that is my Lord the sonne Iesus Christ who according to the a Rom. 1.3 flesh was made of the seed of Dauid and in that respect was the sonne of Dauid but yet called by Dauid himselfe my Lord that we may vnderstand that he is somewhat more then that that he was borne of Dauid For by being Dauids sonne he was but onely man but somewhat there is further for which Dauid speaking of him calleth him Lord teaching vs thereby to acknowledge him to bee the sonne of God But when speaking of God the Father My Lord why in speciall maner spoken of Christ he calleth him the Lord and speaking of God the Sonne he calleth him my Lord as thereby to import some more speciall and neerer bond and respect betwixt the sonne and vs he doth it not to barre vs from calling God the father our Lord also but thereby giueth vs occasion to consider that all that communion and felowship which wee haue with God the father thereby we are his people and he is the Lord our God ariseth from the sonne and standeth in the sonne so that no otherwise can we call God our Lord and our God but as with Thomas we can first saie vnto Iesus Christ b Ioh. 20.28 Thou art my Lord and my God For whosoeuer is excluded from the sonne is excluded also from the father c 1. Ioh. 2.23 Whosoeuer denieth the sonne saieth Saint Iohn the same hath not the father And the sonne himselfe telleth vs d Ioh. 14.6 God no otherwise good and mercifull vnto vs but in his sonne Iesus Christ. I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth vnto the father but by me God is good gracious full of mercy and compassion full of bountie and kindenesse but the fountaine of all this goodnes is stopped and shut vp against vs but as it is opened vnto vs in the sonne of God Whereby we may conceiue how little good they haue reaped by their speculations concerning God that haue liued without the knowledge and faith of Iesus Christ They haue caried great credite and reputation of wisedome and learning in the world and haue beene accounted diuine men and indeed haue vttered many excellent and woorthie sentences concerning the diuine nature his wisedome and power his iustice and mercy and our dutie and deuotion towards him But they spake onely as it were by hearesay and those sentences were but onely weake and languishing imaginations the authors whereof sought rather to gaine glorie vnto themselues by speaking of God then to glorifie God of whom they spake Albeit howsoeuer they spake them and how farre soeuer they apprehended what they spake yet what comfort of conscience receiued they thereby what peace towards God what perswasion of Gods loue towards them what assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes what were
and stronger the right hand then the left And therefore more commonly more fitly we vse the right parts then the left and finde them pliable and able to many matters to which the left doe vs little steede or none at all and we holde it a preposterous and vnorderly peruerting of natures course and an vnsightly thing when by euill custome a man hath his left hand more easie and readie for his vse then his right hand is And this strength of the right hand the holy Ghost hath relation vnto when to set foorth the speciall power of God exercised in any glorious worke it expresseth the same as performed by his e Psal 98.1 118.15.16 right hand as in infinite places of Scripture we may obserue In ciuill vse it is a matter of honor to be set at the right hand He that sitteth at the princes right hand is deemed to be next in honour to the Prince And in this regard f 1. King 2.19 Solomon sitting on his throne caused a seat to bee brought for his mother comming vnto him and set her at his right hand And vnto this alludeth that speech concerning the spouse Psal 45. a Psal 45.9 At thy right hand did stand the Queene in a vesture of gold c. Whereby is imported the singular honor that Christ doth vnto his spouse the church Whether way soeuer we vnderstand the right hand Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in all most full brightnesse of the glory of God and in all soueraignty of power and dominion ouer all creatures both in heauen and earth so that the godhead in the man Iesus Christ ruleth and gouerneth all things administreth guideth mainteineth the church purchased by his bloud and to be short executeth all iudgement by his hand Whereupon it is said Iohn 5. b Ioh. 5.27 The father hath giuen him power to execute iudgement in that he is the sonne of man and Act. 17. c Act. 17.31 He will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed The man Iesus Christ saith Iohn 17. d Ioh. 17.5 Glorifie me O father with thine owne selfe with that glorie which I had with thee before the world was The man Iesus Christ saith Math. 28. e Math. 28.18 All power is giuen vnto me both in heauen and earth Of Iesus Christ concerning his manhood it is saide f Eph. 1.20.21 Ephes 1. God hath set him at his right hand in heauenly places farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and dominion and euerie name that is named not in this world onely but also in that that is to come hath made all things subiect vnder his feete c. And againe Phil. 2. g Phil. 2.9 God hath highly exalted him and hath giuen him a name aboue euerie name that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth c. Behold this is our Sauiour It is not without cause that we put our trust in him who is able to doe all things for vs because h Math. 11.27 Iohn 3.35 What comfort we haue by Christs sitting in heauen in our flesh all things are committed vnto him And thus hath God exalted and honoured our nature and flesh in the person of Iesus Christ that wee may not doubt now but that there is a way prepared for vs into heauē seeing that our flesh is sitting at the right hand of God Let it not dismay vs that our flesh is here subiect to the crosse tribulation that it is afflicted with hunger thirst worne out with trauell and labour dried vp with weeping and teares vexed with sicknes and paine fainted with heat deadded with colde tortured and slaine with fire and sword cast into the pit and consumed to dust and ashes Iesus Christ in this flesh of ours endured hunger and thirst was humbled and afflicted with fasting and weeping was exercised with sorowe and paine he was buffeted with fistes scourged with rods pricked with thornes pearced with nailes wounded with speare appaled by death shut vp in the graue and yet the same flesh nowe sitteth in heauen at the right hand of the maiestie of God And in what condition a Tertul. de resurrect carnis Pignus totius summae illuc quandoque redigendae As a pledge saith Tertullian to assure that the whole remainder of our flesh shall one daie be brought thither Whereupon he notablie inferreth Feare not flesh and bloud yee hane in Christ taken possession of heauen and of the kingdome of God or if any denie heauen to you let them denie Christ himselfe to bee in heauen O sonne of God the euerlasting brightnes of the glorie of God what was there in corruptible flesh that should mooue thee to haue that respect vnto it that thou shouldest thus lift vp the dust of the earth and exalt it aboue the highest heauens what coulde flesh profit thee or do thee good that thou shouldest vouchsafe vnto it so great a blessing But this was his mercie and loue towards vs when there was nothing in vs that might deserue his loue that wee might learne to honour him that hath so highly honored vs and might vnderstande that these bodies of ours redeemed with his most precious bloud and called to the hope of so great glorie are of more sacred and precious account then that they shoulde be prostituted vnto sinne and made brothell houses of filthines and vncleannesse and abused to be made the iustruments for the performing of our vnlawfull and sinfull desires It shoulde be alwaies a strong reason to mooue vs to the sober and holy vsage of our bodies to remember that Christ in our flesh sitteth in heauen and our bodies are appointed to sit with him for howe shall we thinke them to be meete for heauen if wee by wilfull sinne disgrace them and make them viler then the earth The maiestie of Christ sitting at the right hande of God an assurance of safetie both to the Church in generall and to all the members thereof 10 Now this height and maiesty and power of Iesus Christ serueth also to giue vs comfort and assurance of safety in all dangers both of the church in generall and in speciall of our selues In the shakings of the world in the totterings and staggerings of empires and kingdomes in the mutations and alterations of states and common wealthes in the middest of the whirlewindes and stormes and tempests of troubles at the sight whereof the world standeth amazed and vnder the burthen whereof it groneth yet Christ still sitteth at the right hand of God and in all things interposeth his hand and by his diuine prouidence and wisedome so gouerneth all things that howsoeuer things seeme to goe by hap and at all aduenture without the stedfast guiding of any directing hand yet indeede there is not so much as the moouing of a foote
c. but as saith Saint Ierome c Hierony in Psal 110. all Ecclesiasticall writers haue saied that he is saied to bee without father according to his manhood without mother and kinred according to his godhead and therein also without beginning of daies or end of life Therefore as Melchisedec for any thing we reade so Christ verily and indeed continueth a priest for euer seeing he euer liueth as was before saide to make intercession for vs. The honour of priesthood proper vnto Iesus Christ 21 Nowe of all that hath beene spoken this is the summe that the honour of priesthood for propitiation and attonement for sinne belongeth onely vnto Iesus Christ that hee alone it is who for the greatnesse of his person and for the woorthinesse of his sacrifice and for the power of his intercession is sufficient to be our mediatour vnto God that hee onely answereth that that was figured in Melchisedec being for vs both a king and a priest The sufficiencie of the priesthood of Christ is the condemnation of the popish priesthood in whom we haue righteousnes and peace and blisse who neuer ceaseth to stande and pleade for vs before the throne of God Seeing then hee is thus alsufficient in himselfe and abideth euer with God to performe in our behalfe the office of a priest wee learne heereby to looke to another priest or mediatour but onely to him therefore to cōdemne the popish priesthood togiher with all their strange intercessiōs of sacriledge blasphemie as tending to the derogation of the priesthood of Christ and to the impeachment of that sacrifice and attonement that he hath performed for vs. The popish priesthood of no order appointed by God and therefore not of God Of whom it may be demaunded by what order it is that they take vpon them to bee priests and to offer sacrifice for forgiuenesse of sinnes The Scriptures as before is saide name vnto vs onely two orders of priesthood of which theirs is neither The order of Aaron they will not chalenge vnto themselues the order of Melchisedec they dare not because it is noted to be the peculiar and soueraigne royaltie of the sonne of God Or if they dare as indeed what dare they not to serue their turne how or with what colour can they fitte themselues to that order for to be a priest after the order of Melchisedec is to be both king and priest and to be a priest a Heb. 7.3 continuing for euer without father without mother c. But these things cannot be applied to popish priests Therefore priests according to the order of Melchisedec they cannot be If neither according to Aaron nor according to Melchisedec then their priesthood is not of God but they are priests of their owne making and therefore hatefull vnto God The popish priesthood impeacheth and disgraceth the priesthood of Christ 22 And so much the rather for that by this their vsurped priesthood they vilifie and disgrace the priesthood which God by his oath hath established for euer in Iesus Christ For what doe they but mainely detract from the excellencie of his person when in offering sacrifice for sinne they match mate with him euery varlet and pesaunt to whom it pleaseth any Romish bishop to giue imposition of hands and make them priestes to appeere before God and to make attonement for sinne whom men woulde scant thinke woorthie enough for the wiping of their shooes or the keeping of their swine The sacrifice of his crosse that b Heb. 7.27 9.12.26 10.10.12.14 once offering of himselfe which onely and without any second offering the scripture commendeth vnto vs teaching vs that thereby we c Heb. 10.10.14 are sanctified and perfited vnto God so that wee haue no neede of any further offering what doe they but disgrace as vnsushcient when they make a necessitie of offring him vp in sacrifiec euery day to purchase thereby forgiuenesse of sinnes both for quicke and dead and when the holy Ghost most expressely saith that a Heb. 9.24.25 he is entred into heauen to appeere in the sight of God for vs not that hee shoulde offer himselfe often doe yet notwithstanding teach that being in heauen he often and euery day b Rhem. Tesia Annot. Heb. 7.23 concurreth with their priests as the Rhemists speake to offer vp himselfe His intercession they haue made in a manner frustrate and voide by putting in his place other intercessours and mediatours by whome they haue perswaded themselues to haue more ready accesse vnto God euen as many as there are saints to be found in heauen as if Christ were either vnwilling or vnable to procure them fauour with God or were asleepe and had forgotten either the office committed vnto him or this promise whereby as before was noted he hath assured vs in this sort c Ioh. 14 13. Whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name I will doe it that the father may be glorified in the sonne teaching vs to vse no other but onely his owne name because God in this behalfe hath chosen to be glorified neither in Peter nor Paul nor in the virgin Mary but onely in his sonne To discourse these points at large would be too long and tedious but thus in a word they rob Christ so much as in them lieth of that honour which God the father by an irreuocable oath hath confirmed vnto him and make the word of God of none effect by communicating that to other which the father hath vowed shal be proper vnto him alone And horrible is the iniquitie and villanie that from time to time they haue committed vnder the pretence of this priesthood even d 2. Pet. 2.1.3 denying the Lord that hath bought them and through couetousnesse with famed words buying and selling and making merchandise of the e Renel 18.13 soules of men and whilest they fed them with an opinion of forgiuenesse of sinnes by their priesthood and sacrifice bereauing them of forgiuenesse of sinnes which they should haue found indeede in the bloud of Iesus Christ Let vs not be partakers of their error but refusing all other priesthood and mediation let vs cleaue vnto that onely which God hath ordeined in the person of Iesus Christ He hath f Heb. 1.3 by himselfe purged our sinnes and perfectly fulfilled the worke of reconciliation which was committed vnto him of the father he needeth no aslistants or helpers in this behalfe The comfort that we receiue by the priesthood of Christ 23 But of all this a singular comfort is ministred vnto vs. For seing we haue such an high priest so glorious and great in person so sufficient in woorth of sacrifice so gratious in intercession sitting also at the right hand of the maiesty in heauen so neere vnto God the very sonne of God what good thing is there that we may not hope for at the hands of God by his meanes How should we doubt but
that God is alwaies ready to yeelde vs fauour and grace comming to him in his name How may we comfort our selues in affliction and distresse lifting vp our eies to heauen and saying He sitteth in my behalfe at the right hand of God who is able to doe all things for me His eies are alwaies ouer me his care is alwaies for me his mouth is neuer shut from soliciting and pleading my cause with God the father There is nothing so grieuous in my sinnes but his bloud is able to acquit it nothing so high in the gifts of God but his intercession is able to obteine it He hath taken me to be his he wil not suffer me to perish but will preserue and keepe me for euer God the father grant vnto vs c. The fifth Sermon Vers 5.6.7 5 O Lord he that is at thy right hand shall wound euen kings in the day of his wrath 6 He shall iudge amongst the heathen he shall fill all with dead carkeises he shall wound the head ouer great countries 7 He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift vp his head THese verses serue for declaration of that that we read in the first verse For heere is shewed howe Iesus Christ set vp in the maiestie of his kingdome exerciseth his power for the confusion of them that refuse him for their king and denie to stoope vnto his scepter vntill that be performed which is there promised that all his enimies shall bee made his footestoole This is the generall drift of these wordes but more particularly we may obserue heere set foorth concerning Iesus Christ the seueritie of his wrath What points we are to obserue in these three last verses the extent of his gouernment his authoritie of iudgement the prosecution of his victorie and after all accomplished his triumph and glory Of all which I will speake as the course of the wordes themselues doth giue occasion 2 As touching the first the prophet in the fift verse turning his speech to God the father speaketh to this effest O Lord he to whom thou saiedst sit thou on my right hand c. after that thou shalt haue exalted him to that fulnesse of maiestie and power shall in the day that he shall appoint for the execution of his wrath strike through and wound with a mortall wound not onely the viler and baser sort and as it were the common souldiers but euen the captaines themselues yea the very kings potentates of the world whosoeuer they be that shall oppose themselues against him refuse to yeeld their neckes to the bearing of this yoke A double end of Christs sitting at the right hand of God Where at the first sight there is giuen vs occasion to consider a double ende of Christs sitting at the right hand of God The one concerneth the saluation of his faithfull people the other the destruction of rebells and enemies The one yeeldeth great comfort and assurance of hope and the doctrine thereof is proper to them that beleeue in Iesus Christ and incline their eares to his words and apply their feete to walke in his waies to whom it cannot but yeelde great matter of confidence towards God to bethinke themselues that they haue such an high priest and mediatour as sitteth at the right hand of God in so great acceptation with God in the height of the glory of God in all souerainty of power and dominion ouer all creatures both in heauen and earth Why should I doubt but that my praiers are heard of God when he that sitteth at the right hand of God is there alwaies ready to intreate for me Why should I feare least my sinnes condemne me when he that sitteth at the right hand of God is ready to pleade his satisfaction for my sinnes What can the deuill do against me when he fighteth for me that sitteth at the right hand of God He is my redemption and life that sitteth at the right hand of God and therefore how shall death or hell be able to doe me harme Who will accuse me when as he hath acquitted me who will condemne me seeing he hath sealed a pardon for me To be short it is riches in pouertie health in sicknesse ioy in sorow safety in danger life in death faithfully to remember and hartely to imbrace Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God the father Blessed is the man whose hart Iesus Christ possesseth by this faith but he that accepteth not of this great grace by faith and obedience of the gospel vnhappy is he and thrise vnhappy howsoeuer according to the course and condition of this world he seeme to be most happy 3 For Christ as to his that receiue and loue him he is gratious and louely Christs sitting at the right hand of God full of terrour to rebellious and vnthankfull men and sitteth at the right hand of God for their defence and safety so to them that vnthankefully refuse him or rebelliously fight against him is full of terrour and feare full of wrath and rigour and sitteth at the right hand of God to be reuenged of them wounding and killing and not sparing euen the very kings and monarches of the world that are not reconciled vnto him He is not onely a lambe to saue but also a lion to destroy He hath not onely a scepter to gouerne but also a sword to kill a Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore saith Dauid O ye kings vnderstand ye that are iudges of the earth Kesse the sonne least he be angry when his wrath shall sodainly burne blessed are they that trust in him but woe to them that haue despised him a Mat. 3.12 He hath his fanne in his hand saith Iohn Baptist and he will purge or make cleane his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but the chaffe he will burne with vnquenchable fire And who are this chaffe but the wicked and vngodly but sinners and vnbeleeuers and hypocrites who in the field of this world and in the floore of the church liue and grow togither with the good corne with the faithfull and iust securely flattering themselues for that they haue place to grow in the Lordes vineyard whereas in the meane time to God-ward they are vnprofitable and good for nothing bringing foorth no good fruite being void of faith and a good conscience yeelding no true deuotion no sound obedience vnto Iesus Christ when notwithstanding they honest and grace themselues with the profession of his name Vnto them Christ shall adiudge a portion in the fire that neuer shal be quenched He shall say at the last day not onely b Mat. 25.34.41 Come ye blessed inherite the kingdome but also Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire c 2. Thess 1.7 The Lord Iesus saith saint Paul shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angells in flaming fire to render vengeance vnto them that know not God and that obey not vnto the
THE EXALTATION of the kingdome and Priesthood of Christ In certaine Sermons vpon the 110. Psalme Preached in the Cathedrall Church and city of WORCESTER in the time of Christmasse anno Domini 1596. By ROB. ABBOT doctor of Diuinitie sometime felow of Baliol Colledge in Oxford LONDINI Impensis G. Bishop 1601. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in Christ the L. Bishop of WORCESTER my very good Lord. My good Lord it is nowe full two yeeres since vpon a purpose to reuiewe some part of those exercises which I performed in the citie of Worcester I extracted these fewe Sermons to serue for introduction to the rest Vpon dispatch whereof applying my selfe not long after to another matter of greater waight and being thereby as by other occasions hindered from any conuenient leisure to deale by my selfe for the publishing of these discourses they haue sithence lien a sleepe till of late opportunitie seruing I found the meanes to tender them to his hands which hath thus brought them into open light Since which time being by your Lordship motioned to doe that which I had thus begunne to doe and hauing your opinion that therein I should do a seruice beneficiall and profitable to the Church I was the more comforted in that I had begunne and presumed the rather as before I had intented to commend vnto your Lordships good fauour the first fruites of these my reuiewed meditations And theerein I account your Lordship to haue some speciall interest both in regard of the place where they were performed being your owne Cathedrall Church as also of my selfe who hauing founde that Honourable respect at your Lordships handes since your first comming to that place cannot but holde my selfe alwaies bound to yeeld a due acknowledgement and confession thereof Which I coulde not tell better how to doe then by a gift of inke and paper which yet doth rather craue another fauour for the accepting of it then yeelde any recompence of the former But I hope this my labour shall not bee vnfruitefull vnto them who at the first were hearers of these Sermons Who if they reaped any benefite or comfort at the first by hearing may nowe renewe the same by reading and more firmely imprint in minde what they then conceiued might serue for their edification and furtherance towardes God And although I doubt not but if their regard in hearing were answerable to my care in speaking they still retaine the taste of those wholesome wordes that were deliuered vnto them yet to giue them the more full and perfect apprehension thereof I will endeuour as opportunitie may serue to present vnto their eies the thinges which did once affect their eares and to make others also partakers of the same if at least these small beginnings doe finde that comfortable entertainment both with them and others as may giue encouragement to the rest to folowe after Wherein I can promise to my selfe no more then the condition of these times will affoorde in which their reigneth a nice and wanton humour which delighteth to bee tickled with the entising wordes of humane wisedome and more respecteth how finelie wee speake to please the care then how faithfully to touch the heart But for my part as in preaching so in writing my care hath alwaies beene rather to edifie the conscience of the godlie then to feede the fancie of the curious and not to delude men with emptie wordes but onelie by conuenient wordes to impresse and enforce the matter that I haue had in hand And more then this the Reader may not expect either in this Treatise or anie other that heereafter happily may come from me Which I know shall be pleasing to your Lordship whose trauels haue alwaies entirely tended to the sauing of soules by implanting them with true faith and instructions of godlie life and by seeking passionately and effectually to enter into the harts of them to whom you haue spoken Wherein as God hath blessed your labours in other places so I doubt not but hee will also in the place where nowe you are as I hartilie wish and praie for as willing to expresse mine affection to that citie wherein I haue bestowed the greatest seruice of my life and wherein I assure my selfe that a fewe names there are at least I hope many that shall be my crowne and reioycing at the daie of the Lord Iesus Of which ioy I enuie not that any man should be partaker with me but rather desire to heare of a successour in my place by whose good meanes they may be yet further increased and stablished in the grace of God Which how necessarie a care it is I thinke there is no man but seeth that inwardly waigheth and taketh to hart the state of our daies wherein we are so setled vpon the lees of those corruptions which are vsually bredde by long prosperitie and peace as that much worke it is not onely to waken them that are asleeepe but also to keepe men from sleeping when they are once awake The due consideration whereof if it were admitted woulde perhaps stirre vp the deuotion of them whom it concerneth to be mindefull of their owne good Which I knowe manie of them are and God I hope by your Lordships good meanes will mooue the rest With which hope I recommend these remembrances to your Lordships fauourable acceptation beseeching God so to blesse your endeuours and courses as that they may yeeld glorie vnto God and profite to his church and comfort to your owne soule at the comming of Iesus Christ. Amen Your Lordships in all loue and dutie ROB. ABBOT The first Sermon vpon Christmas day Psal 110.1 The Lord saied vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole a 1. Tim. 3.16 GReat is the mysterie of godlines saith Saint Paul God made manifest in the flesh c. God in the flesh man to be God one and the same to be both God and man it is b Bernaer in vigil natal dom ser 3. a woonder of the worlde nay more then a world of woonders God higher then the heauens man of the slime and dust of the earth God incorruptible and immortall man nothing but mortalitie and corruption God infinite and incomprehensible c 1. King 8.27 the heauens and heauens of heauens are not able to conteine him man a handfull of wormes meate a fewe spannes are sufficient to describe and measure him What comparison is there at all betwixt the heauenly maiestie of God and the basenes of vile flesh And yet the d Ioh. 1.1.14 word which was God became flesh and dwelt among vs c. A mysterie vnspeakeable the secret of Christian faith the foundation of Christian hope the inducement of Christian loue both towards him who being God became man for our sakes and towards other men for his sake 2 The reuealing of this mysterie to the world we celebrate this day which by our solemne obseruation is answerable to