he hath no neede to sacrifice for himselfe Christs sacrifice absolutely perfect because he is not tainted with any spot of sin his sacrifice was such that the only offering of it is sufficient to the ende of the world for he offered himselfe For the law maketh men high Priests Vers 28 He gathers by the vices of men how weake the Priesthood was as if he should say seeing the law ordaines not true Priests indeed it must needs follow of necessitie that this defect must be amended by somewhat else Now it is corrected by the word of the oath For Christ is not ordained as a common man but as he is the sonne of God not subiect to any infirmitie but decked and adorned with an high and soueraigne perfection He addes further that the oath is after the law to shewe that God not contenting himselfe with the Priesthood of the law was minded to ordaine and establish something that should be better For in the ordinances and statutes of God that which comes after turnes the things that were before into a better estate or els abolisheth vtterly those things which had a place onely for a time CHAP. VIII 1 Now of the things which we haue spoken this is the summe that we haue such an high Priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of maiestie in heauens 2 And is a minister of the Sanctuarie and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not man 3 For euery high Priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices wherefore it was of necessitie that this man should haue somewhat also to offer 4 For he were not a Priest if he were on the earth seeing there are Priests that according to the law offer gifts 5 Who serue vnto the patterne and shadow of heauenly things as Moses was warned by God when he was about to finish the Tabernacle See said he that thou make all things according to the patterne shewed thee in the Mount 6 But now our high Priest hath obtained a more excellent office in as much as he is the Mediator of a better Testament which is established vpon better promises NOw the summe of that we haue spoken c To the ende the readers might know what the matter is which he now handleth he shewes it is his intent to proue that the Priesthood of Christ is spirituall by which the Priesthood of the law was abolished True it is that he alwaies holds on his purpose but because he contends with diuers arguments he interlaced this admonition that hee might alwaies keepe the readers attentiue to the ende and scope of his speech He hath heretofore prooued Christ to be the high Priest now he striues to prooue further that his Priesthood is heauenly wherby it follows that by his comming that which Moses instituted vnder the law is abolished in regard it was earthly Now because Christ suffered in the basenesse of the flesh and by taking vpon himselfe the forme of a seruant made himselfe of no reputation in the world Philip. 2.7 The Apostle sends vs to his ascension by which not only the shame of the crosse was swallowed vp but also that base and abiect condition which he had by cloathing himselfe with our flesh For we must esteeme of the dignitie of Christ his Priesthood by the vertue of the holy Spirit which was manifested in his resurrection and ascension Thus then stands his argument Seeing Christ is ascended to the right hand of God to raigne triumphantly in heauen he is not a minister of the earthly sanctuarie but of the heauenly As touching this word of holy things or of the sanctuary the Apostle expounds himselfe when he addes of the true Tabernacle But some may aske here Obiection whether it was a false Tabernacle which Moses built or made at randon For in these wordes there is a close opposition I answer that this trueth whereof he speaks is not opposite to a lie but to the figures onely as also when it is said Ioh. 1.17 The law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Answer This auncient Tabernacle then was no vaine inuention of man but the image of the heauenly Tabernacle Notwithstanding because there is difference betweene the shadow and the bodie also between the signification and the thing speakes of the death of Christ he respects not the outward act so much as the spiritual fruite that came thereof He suffered death after the common manner of men Two things to be considered in Christs death but in that he blotted out sins as a Priest this was by a diuine power The shedding of his blood was a thing outward but the purgation it wrought and yet worketh is a thing inward and spirituall In a word hee died on earth but the power and efficacie of his death reached to heauen As touching that which followeth some turne it thus Of the number of those which offer gifts according to the law c. But the words of the Apostle haue another signification therefore I had rather resolue it thus Whilst there are or seeing there are Priests For his meaning is to prooue one of the two either that Christ is not a Priest if so be the Priesthood of the law remaine because it is without sacrifice or rather that the sacrifices of the law doe take an end as soone as Christ shewes himselfe But the first member is absurd because it is not lawfull to spoyle Christ of his Priesthood It remaines then that we confesse the order of the Leuiticall Priesthood to be now abolished Who serue vnto the paterne c. I take this word to serue in this place Ver. 5 for the performance of the diuine seruice and therefore this word vnto must be vnderstood in the Greeke text or els some other word like vnto it which also we haue put to wit in the. Truly this sense agrees better than as others turne it Which serue to the paterne and shadow of heauenly things and the construction of the Greeke text doth easily beare this sense To be short he teacheth that the true seruice of God consists not in the legall ceremonies and therefore when as the Leuiticall Priests executed their office they had onely a shadow and an inferiour pourtraiture which is farre beneath the true and naturall paterne For indeede the Greeke word which we translate paterne or samplar signifies so much So that he preuents an obiection which might be made to the contrarie For he shewes that the seruice of God after the custom of the fathers was not vnprofitable because it had an higher significatiō to wit heauenly As it was answered to Moses when he was to finish the Tabernacle This place is in Exod. 20.40 And the Apostle alleageth it to proue that the seruice of the law was but as a picture to shadow forth that which was spirituall in Christ God commands that all the parts of the Tabernacle should be answerable to the
law as also he followes his other argument which he took from the lesse to the greater when he saith that God or Moses spake then on earth and that now the same God or Christ speakes now frō heauen Although I had rather referre both the one and the other to God Now he saith that God spake on earth because he spake more low and after a manner lesse authenticall Let vs alwaies remember that the outward administration of the Law is here handled the which if wee compare with the Gospell shall be found such as smelleth something of the earth because it doth not raise vp the minds of men aboue the heauens vnto a perfect wisedome For howsoeuer the law containes the same doctrine yet for as much as it was a schoolmaster onely perfection is alwaies taken from it Whose voyce then shooke the earth Vers 26 c. Seeing God did then shake the earth when he published the Law he proues that God speakes now much more diuinely and gloriously because the earth is not onely shaken but the heauen also For his proofe he alleageth the place of Haggai the which notwithstanding he recites not word for word but because the Prophet foretels that heauen and earth shall be shaken the Apostle takes these words vp to shew that the voyce of the Gospell not onely thundreth in earth but it also pearceth aboue the heauens No doubt but Agge there speakes of the kingdome of Christ For it by and by followes in the text I will moue all nations and the desire of all people shal come and I will fill this house with my glorie Now it is out of question that all people were not gathered into the same bodie till they were gathered vnder the leading of Christ neither is there any other desire wherewith wee can rest satisfied but in the same Iesus Christ Againe Salomons Temple did not surmount in glorie till the greatnes thereof was spread throughout the whole world Wee neede not doubt therefore but that the Prophet points out the time of Christ So then if from the beginning of Christ his kingdom it was necessarie that not onely the lower parts of the earth should be shaken but that his power should come euen to heauen it selfe truly the Apostle rightly gathers that the doctrine of the Gospell is more excellent and ought to bee heard with the greater euidence of all creatures And this word yet once more c. Vers 27 In the text of the Prophet it is word for word Yet a little while Now his meaning is that the calamitie of the people shall not endure long before the Lord wil send deliuerance But the Apostle stands not vpon the phrase only he inferres by the mouing of the heauens and the earth that the whole state of the world should be changed at Christ his comming For whatsoeuer is created is subiect to change but the kingdome of Christ is eternall wherefore it necessarily followes thereupon that al creatures ought to be reformed and made better From thence he comes to make an exhortation to wit that we apprehend this kingdom which cannot be shaken for the reason why the Lord remoues vs is to the end he might confirme vs truly and for euer in himselfe Notwithstanding I approoue rather of the reading of the old Latin translator which is thus Taking the kingdome we haue grace If wee reade it by an affirmation the sense will runne very well to wit that when we receiue the Gospell the spirit of Christ is giuen vs to the end wee may serue God with reuerence and feare If we reade it by way of exhortation to wit Let vs haue it will bee a more obscure and constrained manner of speech In a word I take it the Apostle meant to say that if so be we enter into the kingdom of Christ by faith we shall obtaine assured grace which will cause vs to serue God with fruite for euen as the kingdome of Christ is farre higher than the world so also is the gift of regeneration When he faith By which we may serue God so as wee may please him with reuerence and feare although he requires a readines and delight in the obedience which wee giue him yet he therewithall signifies that God approoues of no seruice which is their owne abode for the name of Christ And that he might the better prouoke those to whom he writes to the performance of this dutie he addes that some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnawares thinking they had beene but men I doubt not but this is to be vnderstood of Abraham and Lot For they beeing accustomed to entertaine strangers sometimes lodged Angels vnawares when yet they thought of no such matter thus their houses were greatly honoured And questionlesse the Lord also shewed euident signes how acceptable hospitalitie is vnto him when he so largely recompenced both Abraham and Lot VVhen we inuite the poore to our houses in them we giue entertainment to Christ Obiection If any obiect that this fell not out often Answere the answer is easie Angels are not onely receiued but euen Christ himselfe is entertained of vs when we receiue the poore home to our houses in his name There is an allusion and an artificiall manner of speech in the Greeke words which haue an excellent grace which cannot be expressed in the French Remember those that are in bonds Vers 3 c. There is nothing which mooueth vs more to mercie and compassion than when we put vpon our selues the person of those that are afflicted And therefore he saith that we ought to bee mindfull of the prisoners euen as if we were in their place That which immediately followeth in the other member is diuersly expounded to wit as you your selues also beeing of the bodie Some take it generally thus you also are subiect to the same aduersities and inconueniences which are incident to all mankinde And others restraine it thus as if you were in their person I like neither the one nor the other For I referre it to the whole bodie of the Church and so the sense will bee seeing you are members of the same bodie you ought to bee mooued with the afflictions of one and other to the ende there may be no separation betweene you Marriage is honourable Vers 4 c. Some thinke this to be an exhortation to those that are married to the end they might liue chastly and in such honestie in marriage as thereunto appertaineth also that the husband should dwell with his wife in all chastitie and modestie that their bedde bee not prophaned by lasciuious dishonestie And so this word let it be should be supplied Notwithstanding it is not amisse if we should say Mariage is honourable among al. For when we heare that mariage is honourable ought it not by and by to come into our mindes Surely we ought to liue in the same honourably and reuerently Others take it by way of yeelding or granting thus Although
spirits who would willingly bring out of vse that holy rule of an oath which God hath giuen in his lawe For out of question the Apostle here speakes of the manner of an oath as of an holy thing allowed and approoued of God And it is also to be noted that he doth not onely say that it was thus in vse in old time but also testifies that it lasteth euen yet to this day Let vs then take an oath for an helpe to maintaine the truth when we want other proofes So God willing more abundantly c. Vers 17 See how the Lord applies himselfe to our dulnesse and slownesse to beleeue and how he vpholds vs euen as a most gentle father is wont to do his children Because he seeth that we rest not satisfied with his bare and naked word he addes an oath to the end he might the more effectually confirme and ratifie the same in our hearts And hereby also we may see how profitable and necessarie it is to haue such an assurance of the loue he beares vs that we might haue no more accasion to wauer or tremble For as God forbids vs to vse his name without cause or for a light cause or a thing of nothing and threatens all them with his sharpe vengeance who shall rashly and vnaduisedly take vp the same in vaine And as he also commands that we reuerently vse the maiestie of his name so by both he shewes that he hath his name in great price and estimation The certentie then of our saluation must needes be a matter of great consequence seeing he that forbiddes to take vp his name in vaine vouchsafeth to sweare to confirme vs in the assurance of it Our saluation is in great account with God seeing he sticks not to confirme vs in the assurance thereof by his oath We may also gather from hence in what estimation our saluation is before god seeing that to prouide for the certaintie thereof he not onely supports our incredulitie but leauing as it were part of his own honour and yeilding much more to our weaknes then he should doeth yet notwithstanding by this meanes graciously remedie the same To the heires of promise It seemes he specially speaks of who take hope in this place for the thing hoped for but we rather adde hereunto that the Apostle speakes not of a naked promise hanging in the aire but of a promise which we receiue by faith or to speake in one word hope here signifies the promise apprehended by faith By this word to obtaine as also by the word hope he notes out such a constancie as he hath touched heretofore Which hope we haue as an anker of the soule Vers 19 c. It is a goodly similitude in that he compares faith to an anker cast out and fast rooted in the word of God For the truth is that whilest we flote vp and downe in the salt sea of this world we are not staied vpon sure and firme ground but we reele as a shippe to and fro in the middest of the sea yea euen in a troublesome sea tossed with floods and waues For the diuell he ceaseth not to raise vp infinite stormes and tempests that might at once ouerturne and drowne our shippe if so be our anker be not deepely fastened euen to the very bottome And indeed let vs turne our cies whither soeuer wee will we shall perceiue no firme land whereupon to stand safely but which way soeuer our senses doe turne them we shall see nothing but water yea such waters whose waues doe swell and roare lifting vp themselues on high threatening our destruction But as the anker is cast into the middest of the water into an obscure and hidden place and whilest it lieth so hidden it keepes the ship in safetie that it is not drowned of the waues vnto which it is exposed and laid open so ought we to fixe and fasten our hope in God who is inuisible Herein stands the difference that the anker is cast downwards because it findes fastening in the earth and our hope is raised vp on high and flieth into heauen because it findes nothing vpon earth Our hope finds no soâ—ting vpon earth and therefore we cast it not downwards but vpwards or in the world vpon which it may safely rest and stay it selfe securely neither ought it to rest it selfe vpon the creatures but onely vpon God And as the cable to which the anker is fastened ioynes the shippe with the earth by a long and inuisible distance so the truth of God is a cable by which we are knit vnto him so as there can be no distance of place so farre off neither yet any darknes be it neuer so thicke that can let vs to cleaue still fast vnto him Being thus made fast vnto God howsoeuer wee must fight indeede daily against infinite stormes and tempests yet are we notwithstanding so out of danger that we shall not perish with our shippe And therefore he saith that it is an anchor both sure and stedfast For no tempestuousnes of waues can be so great that they should be able to rent the anchor in pieces or to breake the cable or that the shippe by meanes thereof should be clouen in twaine This indeed falles out vpon the Sea but the power of God is farre otherwise to sustaine and keepe vs and is otherwise also as well in regard of the efficacie of hope as of the stablenes of the word of God And it entreth into that which is within the vaile We haue said alreadie that faith shall finde nothing which shall not be fleeting and vanishing till it come neere vnto God of necessitie therefore it must pearce euen into heauen But because the Apostle hath to doe with the Iewes hee alludes to the ancient Tabernacle and saith that they must not rest themselues in the things which are seene but that they must enter euen into the secret place which is hidden behind the vaile as if he should say you must passe beyond all the externall figures and old shadowes that faith may rest it selfe vpon Christ alone Now wee are to note this reason well Faith must passe beyond all externall shadowes that it may rest it self vpon Christ alone to wit that as Christ is entred into heauen euen so ought our faith to ascend vp thither after him For by this we are taught to cast the eye of our faith vpon nothing els For men shall lose all their labour to seeke God in his maiestie seeing it is too high for them to attaine vnto but it is Christ who reacheth vs his hand to bring vs into heauen And this was shadowed out of olde euen vnder the Law For the high Priest entred into the Sanctuarie not only in his own name but also in the name of all the people he bare as you would say the twelue tribes in thither in his breast and vpon his shoulder when in remembrance of them twelue precious stones were
of a roll Now there is no inconuenience if by this booke we vnderstand the law which prescribes the rule of holy life to all the children of God Although another exposition seemes more true and proper to wit that he confesseth himselfe to be of the number of those who yeild themselues obedient vnto God I graunt that the law commands all of vs to obey God But Dauid meanes that he is numbred among those who are called to obey God And after he protests that he obeyed this vocation when he saith I desired to doe thy will Which specially agrees vnto Christ For although all the faithfull do aspire to the righteousnesse of God yet there is none but Christ which may be said to be wholly addicted to doe the will of God And yet notwithstanding this place ought to kindle in vs a readinesse to obey For for this cause Christ is set before vs as the patterne of perfect obedience to the end that all which are his should inforce themselues to follow his steppes striuing who can be formost yea that they altogether with one consent may answer the calling of god as also in their whole life to giue approbation that these words Loe I come are truly fulfilled in them To the same purpose also is that to be referred which followeth It is written of me that I should doe thy will O God As it is said elsewhere that the end of our election is to be holy and without blame before him Eph. 1.4 He taketh away the first Vers 9 that he may establish the second Here you see why and to what purpose this place is alleadged to wit to the ende we might know that the full and perfect righteousnesse vnder the kingdome of Christ hath no neede of the sacrifices of the law For the will of God as touching the rule of perfection is established though they be taken away It followes then that since the sacrifice of Christ is come the sacrifices of beasts ought to cease seeing they haue nothing in cōmon with him For as we haue said Dauid in this place had no occasion to reiect the sacrifices for any fault comming from them seeing he bends not his speech against hypocrites neither reprooues he the superstitious abuse of Gods worshippe and seruice therein but denies that the vse of sacrifices should be required of a faithful man which was taught in holinesse testifying that such a one may perfectly obey God without them By which will we are sanctified Vers 10 Hauing applied the place of Dauid to his purpose hee now by occasion turnes some words to his profit rather to deck and beautifie the matter withall than precisely to follow the exposition of the said place Dauid protests not so much in his owne person as in the person of Christ that he is ready to doe the will of God This extends it selfe to all the members of Christ For the doctrine of S. Paul is generall where he saith This is the will of God euen your sanctification that euery one of you should abstaine from vncleannesse 1. Thess 4.3 But because the example of this obedience was in Christ farre more excellent than in any other principally by taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and then in presenting himselfe to the death of the crosse for this cause the Apostle saith that Christ hath satisfied the commandement of his father in offering himselfe a sacrifice and that we by this meanes haue beene sanctified When he saith by the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ he alludes to that part of the Psalme A bodie hast thou ordained me at the least it is so in the Greeke And thus he signifies that Christ found sufficient matter in himselfe wherewith to appease his father Christ alone is sufficient to fulfill whatsoeuer God requires so as he needed no supplies from any other For if the Leuiticall priest had had a fitte bodie the sacrifices of beasts had beene superfluous But Christ alone sufficeth and of himselfe is sufficient to fulfill whatsoeuer God requireth 11 And euery Priest standeth daily ministring and oft times offereth one manner of offering which can neuer take away sinnes 12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins sitteth for euer at the right hand of God 13 And from hencefoorth carrieth Psal 110.2 1. Cor. 15.25 till his enemies be made his footestoole 14 For with one offring hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified 15 For the holy Ghost also beareth vs record for after that he had said before 16 This is the Testament that I will make vnto them after those daies saith the Lord I will put my lawes in their hearts Ier. 31.33 and in their mindes I will write them 17 And I will remember their sinnes and iniquities no more 18 Now where remission of these things is there is no more offring for sinne ANd euery Priest c. Vers 11 The conclusion of the whole disputation is that the custome of offring euery day is wholy disagreeing contrarie to the Priesthood of Christ And that for this cause since his comming both the office of the Leuiticall Priests as also the manner and custome of offring euery day is ended For the nature of things repugnant is such that when the one is established the other falls downe Hitherunto hee hath very sufficiently debated the question touching the establishing of the Priesthood of Christ it remaines then that the old Priesthood doe cease which agreeth not with Christs For all the faithfull haue a full and absolute consecration in his onely oblation Although we may expound the Greeke word He hath finished or perfected Vers 14 yet I had rather say He hath consecrated because the question is now touching the things which concerne the seruice of God When he saith those which are sanctified vnder this word he comprehends all the children of God and admonisheth vs therein that wee lose time to seeke the grace of our sanctification any where els But least men should make themselues beleeue that Christ is now idle in heauen he saith againe that he is set at the right hand of the Father Vers 12 By which manner of speech as we haue seene elsewhere is signified rule and power And therefore wee haue no neede to feare that hee will suffer the vertue of his death to decay or be quenched or that he will suffer it to lie idlely buried he I say who for this cause is liuing to the end he may fill heauen and earth with his vertue Moreouer hee admonisheth vs by the wordes of this Psalme how long this estate or condition must endure to wit till such time as Christ hath wholy subdued all his enemies Verse 13 Wherefore if our faith seeke Christ sitting at the right hand of God and content it selfe that he is set there we shal in the end enioy the fruite of this victorie wee shall I say triumph with our head being vnclothed of the
Tabernacle comprehends vnder it all the externall figures which were conioyned with the Tabernacle The sense of the place then is this that we are not to marueile if the ancient ceremonies of the Law doe now cease For this was figured in the sacrifice which the Leuites carried out of the host to be burned there Leuit. 16.27 to wit because that euen as the Ministers of the Tabernacle did eate nothing at all of it so also if we serue in the Tabernacle that is to say if we yet retaine the ceremonies thereof we shall not participate of this sacrifice which Christ hath once offered nor of the satisfaction which hee hath once accomplished by his blood For he carried his blood into the heauenly Sanctuarie to the end he might doe away the sinnes of the world Let vs goe foorth to him Vers 13 c. To the end the Allegorie which he brought before or the similitude taken vpon a deriuation of the ancient ceremonie of the law might not seeme to be farre fetched he addes a good and a necessarie exercise which is required of all Christians And this order and manner of teaching S. Paul also is wont to keepe to wit he shewes the faithfull wherein God would haue them exercised when he endeuours to turne them from those ceremonies which are now become friuolous As if he should say This is it that God requires of you and not that wherein you trauaile for nothing The very same course doth the Apostle now take For when he calleth vs to follow Christ hauing left the Tabernacle what doeth he else but admonish vs that there is another manner of matter required at our hands than to say that we serue God in the shadow that is to say at our ease and without paine vnder the glittering magnificence of the Temple because we must march further and must follow our vocation through flights banishments iniuries afflictions slaunders reproaches and through all manner of incombrances The Apostle then sets this condition of fighting in which we must labour sweat vnto blood as opposite against those exercises which consisted in shadowes in the meditation whereof these masters of ceremonies onely boasted For here haue we no continuing c. Vers 14 He extendes that going forth whereof he made mention yet further to wit that we thinke with our selues that we are as straÌ„gers wanderers in this world and that our onely place of rest waiteth for vs in heauen Thus then as often as we are either driuen out of any place or that any change befalles vs let vs meditate of that which the Apostle here teacheth to wit A meditation for the exiled that we haue no certaine abiding vpon the earth because heauen is our home and inheritance And the more we are exercised the more let vs alwaies prepare our selues euen to the last going forth For those who liue too much at their ease Iob. 29.18 Psal 30.6.7 and in rest doe for the most part dreame of a neast here And therefore seeing we are inclined to such carelesnesse and securitie it is profitable for vs to be tossed and led often hither thither to the ende we may learne to direct our eies to heauen which otherwise are too much inclined to the earth Let vs therefore by him c. Verse 15 Hee returnes to that speciall doctrine which he touched before to wit of the auncient ceremonies abolished Now he preuents that which might be obiected to the contâ—arie For seeing the sacrifices are inferiour to the Tabernacle as things depending vpon it it followes that the Tabernacle beeing abolished the sacrifices also doe cease and are abolished Now the Apostle hath shewed that in as much as Christ hath suffered without the gate we also are called thither and for this cause those who minde to follow him ought to forsake the Tabernacle he had onely commanded till the abolishment of the law Besides there is also an exhortation ioyned with this doctrine which ought marueilously to prouoke vs to exercise the duties of loue to our neighbours For it is no small honour when he accounts the good which we doe to men for sacrifices offered to himselfe and that he so greatly deckes and adornes the good turnes and seruices that we haue done which yet are scarce worth the naming as to pronounce them to be sacred and holy things Wherfore when we suffer loue to grow cold amongst vs we not onely thereby defraud men of their right but also euen God himselfe who by a solemne title hath consecrated all the good which he commands vs to doe vnto men to himselfe The word communication extendes it selfe further than beneficence which is the shewing of mercie For it comprehends all the pleasures and seruices which men doe one to another And this is the true badge of loue The true badge of loue to wit when those who are knit together by the band of Gods spirit doe communicate of their good things one to another Obey your leaders Vers 17 I doubt not but he speakes of the Pastors and other Gouernours of the Church For there were then no Christian Magistrates and where he saith that they watch for your soules it properly appertaines to the spirituall gouernment In the first place he commands them to yeeld obedience in the next place honour These two things are necessarily required first that the people beleeue the doctrine which their pastors teach secondly that they reuerence them But withall we must obserue that the Apostle speakes onely of those who exercise their office faithfully For those that haue nothing but the bare title and which is worse doe abuse this title of Pastor to destroy the Church such deserue no great reuereÌ„ce least of all that credit should be giuen vnto them or that one should beleeue them The Apostle doth very apparantly expresse this when he saith that they watch for your soules which only appertaines vnto those who doe faithfully execute their office who are Pastors indeede according as their name signifies The Papists then are twice sottish to goe about to confirme the tyranny of their Idol the Pope from this place The h. ghost coÌ„maÌ„ds that we receiue the doctrine of the faithfull ChristiaÌ„ Bishops Pastors with all obedience to obey their good holy counsels And it is his will also that we reuerence and honour them But what fauour or allowance doth this giue to these which are but Bishops onely in shewe And yet notwithstanding all those which are called Bishops vnder the Papacie are not onely such but are also cruell butchers of mens soules and enraged Woolfes But leauing to tell what they are I will onely say this for the present VVe must learne to discerne true Pastors from false that when commandement is giuen vs to submit our selues to our Pastors we ought diligently and prudently to discerne who they be that are the true and faithfull leaders For if we beare this honour and reuerence
the heauens are the workes of thine hands 11 They shall perish but thou doest remaine Psal 102.26 and they all shall waxe old as doth a garment 12 As a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy yeeres shall not faile IT may seeme at the first blush that this testimonie is vnfitly alleaged of Christ and specially in a matter so doubtfull as this is whereof he intreateth For the question is not as touching the glorie of God but of that which properly belongs and agreeth vnto Christ Now there is no mention of Christ in this place but the maiestie of God is rather set foorth simply vnto vs therein But although it bee granted that no mention at all is made in this Psalme of Christ yet we may euidently perceiue that hee is so pointed out in it that no man neede to doubt but that his kingdome is recommended as directly therein vnto vs as if it were vttered in plaine and expresse words Therefore whatsoeuer is contained in it ought to be applied to the person of Christ For whereas it is said in the former verses Thou wilt arise and haue compassion on Sion that the Gentiles may feare thy name and all the Kings of the earth thy glorie And again when the people shall be gathered together and the kingdomes to serue the Lord. All this you know was not fulfilled but in Christ Truly we shall but lose our labour to seek this God by whom all the world was vnited into one faith and into one spirituall worship vnlesse wee seeke him in Christ So then all the whole contents of this Psalme agreeth properly to the person of Christ First in that hee is called the eternall God Creator of heauen and earth Secondly that such a perpetuitie is attributed vnto him as is without change by reason whereof his Maiestie is exalted into the highest degree and himselfe exempt out of the ranke of all creatures Now whereas Dauid saith that the heauens shall perish some do resolue the meaning thus if it please God it should so come to passe to wit that the heauens should perish which sense if it stand for good then nothing should be affirmed But what neede haue we of such a constrained exposition when as we know that all creatures are subiect to vanitie for to what purpose should this renument of the heauens serue the which they attend and waite for with no lesse desire then women in trauaile to be deliuered if there should be no change of them And therefore the perpetuitie of Christ which is heere magnified brings singular consolation to the faithfull whereof this Psalme in the end concludes that they shall bee partakers For Christ you know communicates himselfe and all his benefits to his bodie the Church 13 Verse 13 Vnto which of the Angels also said he at any time sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole Psal 110.1 1. Cor. 15.25 14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation HE yet againe extols the excellencie of Christ by another testimonie to the end we might thereby knowe how farre he surpasseth the Angels The testimonie is drawn out of the hundreth and tenth Psalme which cannot be expounded of any other than of Christ For seeing it was vnlawfull for Kings to meddle with the Priesthood as the leprosie of king Vzzias witnesseth and seeing it is manifest likewise that neither Dauid nor any of his successors in the kingdome were ordained Priests it thereupon follows that here is a newe kingdome and a new priesthood seeing one onely is appointed for both these offices Besides that the eternitie of the Priesthood agrees to none but to Christ Now in the very beginning of the Psalme he is placed at the right hand of God Which manner of speech is as much as if he had said that the second place was giuen him after the father For it is a similitude or metaphor by which he signifies that he is the fathers Lieutenant and his cheif Ambassadour to exercise his power so as the Father raignes and gouerns yet by his hand Now there is neuer a one among the angels which hath so excellent and high an office and therfore it followes that Christ is farre more excellent than they all Till I make thine enemies thy footestoole Because Christ is neuer without enemies which fight against his kingdome it seemes not altogether out of danger especially if we looke vpon those who endeauour with might and maine to ouerthrow it for as they haue great power and force so they want no subtiltie nor politique deuises but haue skill enough to put in exequution all their designes with no lesse then a furious madnesse And if on the other side we shall with the eies of flesn onely looke vpon the little flocke of Christ wee shall thinke euer and anon that his kingdome is readie to fall to the ground But this promise dispossesseth vs of all feare to wit when we heare that Christ shall neuer be plucked from his seate but shall raigne rather till he put all his enemies vnder his feete It is profitable therefore for vs to note these two things First that the kingdome of Christ as long as it is in this world shall neuer be in rest and quiet but shall haue many aduersaries which will molest and trouble it Secondly let the enemies plot and conspire what they can Though Christs kingdome be daily assaulted yet it shall neuer be vanquished yet they shall neuer attaine the end which they aime at because Christ who is set at the right hand of his father is not set there for a time but shall sit there till the end of the world Therefore let all those looke to be ouerthrowne and troden vnder his feete that wil not submit themselues as subiects vnder his Imperiall gouernment Now if it be demanded whether the kingdome of Christ shall end after he hath subdued and destroyed all his enemies I answer it is certaine that it shall be perpetuall but in such a manner as Saint Paul sets it out vnto vs in the 15. to the Corinth For we must vnderstand that God 1. Cor. 15 27.28 who now will be onely knowne in Christ shall then appeare vnto vs in himselfe Christ indeed shall still continue the head both of men and Angels but yet so that his honour shall be no way diminished thereby Now they that would be further resolued as touching this question let them haue recourse to that which I haue written vpon the foresaid place to the Corinthians Are they not all Vers 14 c. Now he speakes of the condition of Angels shewing what it is to the ende the comparison betweene them and Christ might be the better vnderstood True it is that in calling them spirits you may therein see a title of great excellencie For in this respect they are
him 9 But wee see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour Philip. 2.8 which was made little inferiour to the Angels through the suffering of death that by Gods grace he might taste death for all men FOr he hath not He proues againe by another argument that wee ought to obey Christ Vers 5 to wit because the Father hath put the rule and highest gouernment ouer the whole world into his hands of which honour the Angels are vncapable From whence it followes that there is nothing in the Angels be it neuer so great that ought to hinder him who onely is the highest that hee should not haue the soueraigntie ouer all creatures But it is needfull in the first place that we examine the Psalme which he alleageth because it seemes he draweth the words thereof vnfitly vnto Christ For may some say Obiection Dauid doth there recite the benefits which God sheweth to mankinde And after he had considered of the power of God in the heauens and in the starres he comes in the next place to speake of men concerning whom the wonderfull bountifulnes of Gods goodnes doth especially appeare And therefore it should seeme he speakes not of one man alone but of all men in generall To which I answere Answere all this lets not but these sentences may be restrained to the person of Christ I denie not but man from the beginning was set into the possession of the world to the end hee should haue lordship ouer all the workes of God but he deserued by his transgression to bee depriued and dispossessed of al that rule and gouernment For it is the iust punishment of ingratitude in a vassall who holds all he hath of another that his Lord whom he refuseth to acknowledge or serue faithfully as hee ought should dispoyle him of all that right and of all those benefits which were giuen him before And therefore as soone as Adam turned away from God by his sinne he was worthely depriued of all the benefits he had receiued Not that hee lost the vse but because hee could no longer lay claime vnto them himselfe hauing forsaken God the giuer of them And euen concerning the vse also God would there should remaine signes therein of this priuation As for example how comes it to passe that the beasts doe rise vp in fiercenes against vs and wheras they should feare our countenances we feare them so that some of them can neuer be brought into subiection and those that bee it is with great difficultie for the most part What is the reason that many of them are hurtfull vnto vs so many waies that the earth doth not of it selfe bring forth encrease according to the tilling and sowing bestowed vpon it that the heauens the aire the sea and other creatures are become so noysome and hurtfull vnto vs Is it not because we haue rebelled against our heauenly Creator not 〈…〉 this benefit of God doth in no sort any way belong vnto vs 〈…〉 selues appertaine vnto God till that right which wee haue lost in Adam be restored to vs againe in Christ For which cause S. Paul teacheth that meates and drinkes are sanctified vnto vs by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4.5 And in another place hee saith that to the vnbeleeuing nothing is pure because without faith their mindes and consciences are impure and defiled Tit. 1.15 And that is it which we had in the beginning of this Epistle where it is said that Christ is ordained of his Father heire of all things Truly in that he attributes the inheritance to one onely hee thereby excludes all others as strangers And that very iustly for wee are all of vs banished out of Gods kingdome What haue we to doe then to scrape vnto our selues those creatures which hee hath ordained for the nourishment of his household children and seruants But Christ by whom wee are called againe into the familie and household of God receiueth vs with him into the societie of his right and title to the end that by him with all the elect wee might enioy the whole world with the blessing of God For man hauing receiued rule and lordship ouer all creatures and by his sinne losing all right and interest in them both for himselfe and all his posteritie God the Father instituted in his place a second Adam his only begotten sonne Iesus Christ God and Man to whom hee hath giuen power and lordship ouer all creatures and hath also giuen him authoritie to communicate the comfortable right and lawfull vse of them to whom he will that is to say vnto the faithfull but not to the reprobates and vnbeleeuers And therefore S. Paul shewes that Abraham was made heire of the world by faith that is to say because he was incorporated into the bodie of Christ Rom. 4.13 which being 〈…〉 men to seeke timely and earnestly Now this restauration and renument is begun in Christ as by the head We neede not doubt then to behold our title and recouerie of our first estate in him All our right to the creatures cōsists in Christ as often as there shall be any question moued touching the power and authoritie of man ouer all creatures And hereunto appertaines that which hee expressely mentioneth touching the world to come For hee takes it for the renued world to come And to the end we may the better vnderstand this let vs cōceiue in our minds two worlds first that old world which was corrupt by the sinne of Adam and the second that which is repaired by Christ For the estate of the first creation is forlorne and falne into ruine with man so farre foorth as there is respect vnto him Two worlds This Psalme then shall haue no place till such time as a restauration be made by Christ We now see well that he calles not onely the estate of those things which we waite for after the resurrection the world to come but that also which took his beginning from the first raigne of Christ and shall haue his accomplishment in the last redemption I cannot conceiue the reason why hee suppressed Dauids name and yet I assure my selfe that hee doth not call him a certaine one by way of contempt but doth so name him by way of honour as being one of the Prophets or of the most excellent and authentique authors Thou hast made him a little inferiour Verse 7 Here we doe meete with a new difficultie in the exposition of the words I grant as I haue alreadie said that the place is not improperly expounded of the Sonne of God but a man would thinke the Apostle doth now draw the words to a sense contrarie to Dauids meaning for it seemes that he referres this word a little to the time and thereby vnderstands the abasing of Christ in regard he was made none account of restraining the glorie to the day of the resurrection whereas Dauid stretcheth it generally to the whole life of man I answere that it was not
gather this fruite by faith as we ought For in vaine shall a man seeke saluation where there is either death or mutabilitie and therefore those who rest in the old and ancient Priesthood shall neuer come to saluation When he saith those that come to God by this he signifies the faithfull who doe onely enioy the saluation obtained by Christ In the meane while he shewes what it is that faith ought to behold in Christ the Mediatour For it is the chiefe happines of man to be knit vnto his God who is the welspring of life and of all felicitie but all of vs are shut out from hauing accesse vnto him by our owne vnworthines Therefore the proper office of the Mediatour is to succour vs in this regard to reach vs his hand to bring vs into heauen Now he alwaies alludes to the olde shadowes vnder the Law For although the high Priest had the names of the twelue tribes vpon his shoulders and that hee bare also the signes thereof continually vpon his heart Exod. 28.12.29 yet he entred himself alone into the Sanctuarie whereas the people tarried without in the court But resting now vpon Christ and hauing him our Mediatour we enter by faith euen into heauen No vaile lets vs from approching vnto God now if we beleeue in Christ because there is no vaile to hinder vs but God with open face doth appeare vnto vs and with an amiable countenance calles vs to come boldly and familiarly vnto him Seeing he euer liueth c. Can wee sufficiently esteeme this pledge of Gods loue toward vs that Christ now liues rather for vs than for himselfe He was receiued into eternall blessednes that he might reigne in heauen but the Apostle preacheth that it was for vs. Wherefore both the life the kingdome Christ with all that he hath is ours and the glorie of Christ are appointed to our saluation as to their proper end and Christ hath nothing which wee may not bee bold to applie to our commoditie because he was once giuen vs of the Father vpon this condition that all he hath should be made ours Now the Apostle also immediatly shewes by the effect that Christ performes this office of Priesthood because the proper office of a Priest is to make intercession for the people that he might obtaine fauour of God for them Christ doth this alwaies because he is risen againe from death for this end Therefore he iustly attributes vnto him the name of a Priest because of his office of intercession For it became vs to haue such an high Priest c. Vers 26 He now frames his argument which wee call Ab annexis that is to say by things ioyned together These qualities or conditions of being iust innocent and without spot are necessarily required to be in a Priest Now this honour agrees to none but to Christ It followes then that that which was required to be in the Priests vnder the Law for the right exercising of their function was wanting in them We may therefore conclude that there was no perfection in the Leuiticall Priesthood and that of it selfe it was vnlawful further than it was seruiceable vnto Christ and was a figure or representation of him For euen the very outward ornaments of the high Priest shewed this imperfection otherwise to what end serued so rich and costly garments wherewith God caused Aaron to be adorned when he was to performe the diuine seruice were they not signes of an angelicall holinesse and excellencie farre exceeding all humane vertues Now these signes were applied vnto him because the substance was not present there in effect It appeares then that there was no other sufficient Priest but Christ Separate from sinners This member comprehends all the rest For there was some holines some innocencie and puritie in Aaron but onely in a small measure For al these vertues were blemished with many spots in him But Christ which is exempt out of the common order of sinfull men is onely and alone free from sinne And therfore there is none other in whom we can finde true holines and perfect innocencie For in that it is said he is separate from vs it is not as if he would shut vs out from hauing communion with him but because this excellencie is proper to him aboue vs that he is voide of all impuritie All prayers that depend not vpō Christs intercession are reiected Question Now we may gather herehence that all those prayers which depend not vpon the intercession of Christ are reiected But a question may be made whether the Angels also bee separate from sinners And if they be what should hinder them from exercising the office of the Priest or that they should not be our mediatours for vs to God Answere The answer is easie for there is no lawful Priest vnlesse he be ordained of God Angels no lawfull mediators and vvhy Now there is no place that shewes where God hath done the Angels this honour And therefore it should bee an vsurpation full of sacriledge in them if they should intrude into this office not being called thereunto Moreouer as we shall see in the beginning of the chapter following he must be a man that must be a Mediatour between God and man Although the last condition which the Apostle here recites to wit made higher then the heauens were onely sufficient of it selfe to resolue this questiō For none can knit vs to god but hee which attaineth vnto God Now this is not giuen to the Angels themselues Eph. 4.10 for it is not said of them that they are made higher then the heauens Wherefore it belongs to none but to Christ to reconcile vs to God seeing there is none but he that is ascended far aboue all heauens Now this manner of speech is as much as if he had said that Christ is exalted aboue all the orders of creatures so as he is placed aboue the Angels Which needeth not daily c. Vers 27 He followes the antithesis betweene Christ and the Leuiticall Priests noting two speciall wants in them whereby it appeares that the old Priesthood was not fully perfect In this place he toucheth but the summe briefly but hereafter he will expound all the particulars at large but one of the principall defects was that they daily renued their sacrifices and indeed this was the chiefe thing in question For mine own part I will also shortly and briefly touch euery point Was it not a defect that the high Priest was faine to offer sacrifice first for his owne sinnes for how could such a one appease God for others whose wrath and indignation did worthily threaten himselfe This is one reason then why the auncient Priests were not sufficient to doe away sinnes The other defect was that they euery day offered diuers sacrifices whereby it appeared that there was no sufficient purgation because the purgation beeing reiterated the sinnes and offences remained Now it is otherwise in Christ For
the world was created by God For to what purpose haue men reason and knowledge but that they might confesse their Creator Yet so it is that faith only causeth vs to know and acknowledge that God created the world wherefore no marueile if faith bee accounted the chiefe vertue aboue all others in the ancient fathers But here a question may be demaunded Question why the Apostle affirmes that we vnderstand that by faith which the Infidels themselues doe know For the beholding of the heauens and the earth constraines the very wicked to acknowledge the maker of them And S. Paul also by this condemnes all men as guiltie of ingratitude because that when they knew God they did not giue that honour which to him belonged Rom. 1.21 And to say the truth it had bin vnpossible that the feeling of religion should alwaies haue word of God next that they depend on nothing but vpon his free promises In the first place he saith that the sacrifice of Abel was not esteemed for any respect better than his brothers but onely because it was sanctified by faith For in very truth the fat of the beasts had no such sweete sauour that God should bee appeased in respect thereof The person of a man must be accepted before his sacrifice can be allowed who is accepted of God then but he whose heart is purged by faith And the Scriptures doe shew sufficiently for what cause sacrifices were well pleasing vnto him for these are the words of Moses God had respect to Abel and to his gifts From whence we may easily gather that his sacrifices were acceptable vnto God because he himself pleased God And from whence came it that he pleased him but because his heart was purged by faith God testifying of his gifts He confirmeth that which I haue said to wit that there comes no works from vs that are acceptable to God till such time as wee our selues are receiued into fauour or to speake more briefly no workes are reputed for iust before God No vvorks are accounted for iust before God but those that proceed from a righteous man but the workes of a righteous man For see the argument of the Apostle God testified of the gifts of Abel by the which he obtained the praise of righteousnes before him Now this is a profitable doctrine and so much the more worthie to bee noted because the truth of it cannot easily be perswaded vnto vs. For when we see some brightnes to shine be it in any worke whatsoeuer wee are suddenly rapt vp into an admiration of it and wee thinke God cannot iustly reprooue it but hee who onely lookes to the inward puritie of the heart rests not at all in the outward visors of workes Let vs learne then that no iust worke can proceede from vs till such time as we be iustified our selues in the sight of God He being yet dead This he also attributes to faith to wit that God testified he had care of Abel after his death as well as during the time of his life For when he saith that he spake being yet dead he signifies that which Moses recites to wit that God was moued by his cruell death to take vengeance of it Whereas then it is said that Abel or his blood cried both the one and the other are figuratiue speeches Now this was a singular testimonie of the loue of God towards him that he had a care of him after he was dead And from hence it appeares that he is of the number of the Saints of God whose death was pretious vnto him as it is in the 115. Psalme vers 15. 5 By faith was Enoch translated that he should not see death Gen. 5.24 neither was he found for God had translated him for before he was translated he was reported of that he had pleased God 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God for he that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him BY faith Enoch c. Vers 5 He makes choise but of a few of the ancients to the end hee might make way to come the sooner to Abraham and his posteritie Enoch He shewes that Enoch was translated by the meanes of faith But first of all we must vnderstand the reason why God tooke him out of this world after such an extraordinarie manner It was an excellent testimonie whereby all men might know how greatly hee was beloued of God For at that time impietie and all manner of corruptions reigned euery where if hee had died after the common manner of men none would haue thought hee had been so presented by the prouidence of God that hee should not be infected with the common contagion of the time but in regard he was caught vp without dying the hand of God did therein manifestly shew it selfe from heauen by pulling him as it were out of the midst of the sire It is no small signe of honour then you see which the Lord shewed him in this translating of him Now the Apostle affirmes that hee obtained this by faith It is true indeed that Moses declares how he was a iust man and one that walked with God but for as much as faith is the beginning of righteousnes therefore this loue of God towards him is rightly attributed to faith As touching curious questions wherewith curious heads are wont to intangle themselues it is better to passe by them in silence Curious questions are to be auoided They aske forsooth what became of Enoch and Helias And ed with the feeling of his goodnesse He that hath not a true taste of Gods goodnesse wil neuer seeke to God nor call vpon â—im hoping for saluation at his hand for we either despise or flie from God if wee behold not saluation in him Now let vs remember that wee must beleeue this and not content our selues with a bare naked opinion of it For although the wicked and vnbeleeuers doe sometimes conceiue something like vnto it yet for all that they doe not therfore come vnto God because they are not staied vpon a firme and steadfast faith this is the second part of faith by which we obtaine fauour with God to wit when we are certainly perswaded that we haue saluation in him But many doe malitiously corrupt this second member by drawing from it the merit of workes and the confidence of meriting Merit of works For see how they frame their argument If wee be acceptable to God by faith because we beleeue him to be a rewarder of them that seeke him faith then say they hath respect to the merit of workes But the onely way to refâ—â—e this errour The meanes how to seeke God is to consider of the meanes by which we seeke God For we must not bee so foolish to thinke wee seeke God when wee erre from the right way of seeking him Now the scripture assigneth this to be the meane
meanes brings them to faith because euen Abraham himselfe had nothing worthie of praise but that which proceeded from thence First he teacheth that faith was the cause that he so suddenly obeyed God when he was commanded to goe out of his countrie Secondly that by meanes of the same faith he continued constant in his vocation vnto the end Two trials of faith By these two testimonies was the faith of Abraham cleerely proued first by his readines to obey secondly by his constancie in perseuering Being called The ancient Latin Translator and Erasmus referre this to the name which should bee a very colde and sillie sense For mine owne part I had rather expound it of the oracle by which Abraham was called to goe out of his countrie for he banished himselfe out of the same in such sort that yet in the meane while he did nothing without the commandement of God And in very truth A principle of faith it is one of the principles of faith that wee mooue not so much a foote vnlesse Gods word goe before to shew vs the way nor vnlesse it giue vs light as a lanterne as Dauid saith Psal 119.105 Wherefore let vs learne to obserue this all our life long that wee take nothing in hand but accordingly as we are called thereunto of God To come to the place which he should afterward take for an inheritance With the commandement he had a promise that God would giue him the land for an inheritance he by and by embraced this promise and was no lesse ioyfull of it than if he had been put into present possession of it Behold a singular proofe of faith First Another triall of faith to forsake that we haue in hand as they say secondly to goe seeke things which are very farre off from vs and altogether vnknowne vnto vs. For when God commanded him to goe foorth he assigned him no certaine place where it was his pleasure hee should inhabite but left his minde perplexed and in suspence Come saith he to the place which I will shew thee Wherefore did he deferre to shew him the place but to the end his faith should be more and more exercised Gen. 12.1 Againe the loue of his owne countrie might not only haue slacked Abrahams readines but also wholy haue locked vp his heart from going out of his house His faith then was excellent seeing it brake through all difficulties and did thus flie to the place whither the Lord called it By faith he remained c. This is the second member Vers 9 to wit that hee being entred into the promised land could hardly finde entertainment therein as a stranger Where was this inheritance which he hoped for Truly he might forthwith haue thought that God had deceiued him and might haue had a greater occasion than the former to nourish this thought which the Apostle omitteth to wit because by and by after famine did driue him thence so as hee was twice constrained to flee into the land of Gerar. But the Apostle contents himself to commēd his perseuerance in one word in saying that he was as a stranger in the land of promise For the condition of a stranger was contrarie to the promise When Abraham then constantly sustained this tentation it was an excellent vertue in him but yet such as proceeded from no other cause than faith With Isaak and Iacob His meaning is not that they dwelled together in the same tents or in one time but he makes Abraham a companion with his sonne and his sonnes sonne because they were trauellers in the heritage which was promised to them and yet fainted not although God made them waite a long time For by how much the more their hope was deferred by so much the more their tentations increased if they had not manfully repulsed all the doubts and assaults by the buckler of faith For he looked for a citie Verse 10 c. He giues a reason wherefore he attributes their perseuerance vnto faith to wit because they looked vnto heauen and this was to see those things which yet were not to be seene For although it was to their great commendation that they had alreadie entertained the assurance of the promise into their hearts which God had made vnto them of enioying the land so as after some good space of time the thing should be accomplished and giuen them indeede yet in that they did not wholy stay themselues in the hope of that onely but pearced euen vnto heauen it selfe in this they did shew yet a more cleere and euident marke of their faith He calles heauen a citie that hath a foundation because it shall endure for euer whereas there is nothing in this world that is not earthly and transitorie But this manner of speech may seeme absurd when he makes God to bee the creator of heauen as if hee had not created the earth also I answer that because in earthly buildings besides the matter there is also the hand and mens industries therefore the workmanship of God is not opposed to them in this place amisse For whatsoeuer is built of men tastes of the instabilitie of those that made it as on the contrarie the perpetuitie of the heauenly life agrees to the nature of him who is the builder of it to wit God Furthermore to the end that we neuer waxe wearie in following God the Apostle teacheth that all encombrances are lightned by waiting for this heauenly life By faith Sara also c. Vers 11 To the end women may know and vnderstand that this doctrine is no lesse common vnto them than vnto men he brings in the example of Sara Sara VVomen haue interest in the matter of eternall life as well as men the whom he notes out before all others because shee is the mother of all the faithfull But it is wonderfull that her faith is commēded seeing shee is manifestly conuicted of infidelitie for shee laughed at the word of the Angel Obiection as if it had beene a fable Gen. 18.12 Her laughing was not by way of admiration for if it had shee should not haue beene so sharpely reprooued of the Angel It must bee confessed Answers that her faith was mingled with infidelitie Faith commēded though it were mingled with distrust but because shee corrected her distrust after shee was admonished shee is notwithstanding that allowed of God and her faith commended Whereas then at the first shee reiected this message of the Angel as a thing incredible yet as soone as shee vnderstood that it proceeded from the mouth of God shee receiued it in obedience And from hence we gather a very profitable doctrine that howsoeuer our faith doe somewhat wauer and halt yet it ceaseth not for all that to be approoued of God Distrust must not be nourished prouided that we let not loose the raines to distrust Now the summe is that the miracle which God did when Isaack was begotten was the fruite of the faith of
Abraham and his wife by which they apprehended and felt the power of God Because shee iudged him faithfull that had promised These reasons are to be diligently obserued which doe expresse the vertue and nature of faith If a man should onely heare that Sara conceiued by faith he should not yet vnderstand all but this exposition which the Apostle addeth takes away all difficultie For he saith that Saraes faith consisted in this that shee iudged God to be faithfull and that in his promises which sentence containes two members For first wee are with so many helpes Obiection If any man obiect that they could not beleeue vnlesse they receiued the promises whereupon it was necessarie faith should be founded Answere I answer this is spoken by comparison For they were farre off that degree to which God hath now exalted vs. Wherefore howsoeuer they had the selfe same promise of saluation with vs yet notwithstanding they had not that same clearenesse of the promises which wee now inioy vnder the kingdome of Christ but contented themselues to behold them afarre off Confessing that they were pilgrimes and strangers Iacob confessed this when he answered Pharoah that the daies of his pilgrimage were fewe and euill in respect of the peregrination of his fathers as also that these his daies were full of many euils Gen. 47.9 If Iacob acknowledged himselfe to be a stranger in that land which was promised him as a perpetuall inheritance it thereby appeares that he was not of this world If the Fathers vnder the law who were compassed about with so many darke clouds did notwithstanding aspire vnto heauen hovv much more ought vve to vvhom Christ novv reacheth his hand to dravv vp thither but did set his affections on things that were farre aboue in the heauens And therefore the Apostle infers that the Fathers did euidently shew by this their manner of speech that they had a better countrie in heauen For if they were strangers and pilgrimes then had they another countrie wherein they had a certaine dwelling Now if these men in the mids of so many darke clouds did yet in spirit soare euen vnto the heauenly countrie what ought we to doe at this day wee I say to whom Christ doeth so apparantly stretch forth his hand from heauen to lift vs vp thither If the land of Canaan could not keepe them backe how much more ought we to stand vpon our deliuerance freedome we I say to whome there is no certaine abode promised in this world And if they had beene mindefull Vers 15 c. He preuents an obiection which might bee made to the contrarie to wit that they were therefore strangers because they had left their country The Apostle replies surely when they called themselues strangers they thought not of Mesopotamia for if they had beene desirous thereof it remained still in their power to haue returned backe againe But they banished themselues from thence of their own accord and which more is they renounced it as though it did nothing at all appertaine vnto them They meant another countrie then which was out of this world Wherefore God is not ashamed to call them c. Vers 16 He hath respect vnto that sentence I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob Exod. 3.6 Truely it is no small honour when God makes himselfe famous as it were with the names of men also when by this marke he wil be discerned as you would say from Idols The Apostle shewes that this priuiledge was also founded vpon faith because that as the holy Fathers aspired vnto the heauenly countrie so God also for his part held them to be of the number of his citizens But we must gather from hence that we haue no place among the children of God vnlesse we renounce the world VVe shall haue no inheritance in heauen vnlesse we count our selues strangers in the earth as also that we shal haue no inheritance in heauē vnlesse we be strangers on earth Furthermore from these words I am the God of Abraham of Isaack and of Iacob the Apostle rightly gathereth that they are heires of heauen because God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing 17 By faith Abraham offered vp Isaack Gen. 22.10 when he was tried and he that receiued the promises offered his onely begotten Sonne 18 To whom it was said Gen. 21.12 In Isaack shall thy seede bee called 19 For he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort 20 By faith Isaack blessed Iacob Esau concerning things to come 21 By faith Iacob when he was a dying blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and leaning on the ende of his staffe worshipped God 22 By faith Ioseph when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel and gaue commandement of his bones quicke yet were they all but flea bitings in regard of this tentation to wit that hauing receiued the promises hee is then commanded to put his sonne Isaak to death For al the promises were founded vpon this In Isaak shall thy seede be called Gen. 21.12 so that this being taken away there remained vnto him no more hope of blessing or of grace The question is not here then as touching any earthly matter but of Abrahams eternall saluation yea of the saluation of the whole world How many and how great anguishes of minde thinke we was this good personage cast into when it came into his heart that with the losse of his sonnes life the hope of eternall saluation should be cleane cut off and extinguished And yet notwithstanding by faith hee went on valiantly ouercomming all these thoughts to put that in execution which was commanded him of God If this his constancie deserues the title of an admirable vertue thus to hold out in the middest of so many hard incumbrances then doubtlesse that faith which onely was the cause that made Abraham thus constantly to perseuere must of necessitie deserue to carrie away the prize But hereof ariseth no small difficultie Obiection how should Abrahams faith be thus highly cōmended seeing he forsooke the promise For as it is true that obedience springs from faith so also is it as true that faith springs out of the promise Abraham then being destitute of the promise his faith also must needes vanish But the death of Isaak as we haue alreadie said was as a cleane extinguishing of all the promises For Isaak must not now bee considered as a priuate person among others but as he in whose loynes Christ was inclosed Answere The Apostle himselfe giues vs the solution to this question which would otherwise be somwhat difficult adding by and by that Abraham gaue God this honour to to wit Vers 19 he thought him able to raise vp his sonne againe euen from the dead Therefore he reiected not the promise that was made vnto him but did extend the
God For the question is of Christ manifested in the flesh But to answere to the point we must vnderstand that the Apostle expresly saith that the holy Ghost spake thus when the Sonne was brought into the world which were not truly spoken if so be the Psalme did not speake properly of the manifestation of Christ yet questionlesse that is the very true meaning For the beginning of the Psalme is an exhortation to reioyce neither doth Dauid speake there to the Iewes onely but addresseth his speech to all the earth euen to the Isles that is to say to the Regions beyond the Seas The reason of this reioycing is in these words for the Lord reigneth And if afterward you reade the whole Psalm you shall see nothing spoken in it that doth not belong to the kingdom of Christ which began when the Gospell was published Yea the whole argument of the Psalme is nothing else but a letter authenticall wherewith Christ is sent as you would say to be put into the possession of his kingdome Now what cause of ioy would this kingdome bring if so be it were not a kingdom of saluation to all the world that is to the Gentiles as well as to the Iewes Wherefore the Apostle speakes here very properly and to the purpose when he saith that Christ is brought into the world to wit because his comming vnto men is there described Moreouer the Hebrue word Elohim for which hee hath here put Angels doth also signifie Gods but wee are not to doubt but the Prophet speakes of Angels For this is the sense there is no power so high which ought not to stoope to the rule of this King seeing his comming shall bring an vniuersall ioy to all the world Vers 7. Psal 104.4 And of the Angels he saith he maketh the spirits his messengers and his ministers a flame of fire IT seemes that in alleaging this place hee drawes it to a contrarie sense For albeit Dauid doth in this Psalme describe the order which God keepes in gouerning of the world so as out of all question in this fourth verse he speaks of the windes which he saith are made his messengers in regard they runne as posts at his becke and commandement so that whensoeuer hee causeth the earth to ring with his thunders they shew what readie and diligent seruants they are to execute their charge enioyned them But what doth all this appertaine to the Angels For answere some take it to be spoken allegorically as if the Apostle should expound the literall and plaine sense of Angels by an Allegorie as they call it But for my part I had rather say that this place was alleaged to bee applied to the Angels by way of similitude in this manner Dauid compares the windes to the Angels so as they exercise the like office here in this world which the Angels doe in heauen the windes being visible spirits as it were For euen as Moses in the creation of the world recites onely the things which are to be perceiued by our senses and yet notwithstanding would that higher things should bee comprehended therewithall so Dauid in this description of the world and of nature paints out vnto vs as in a table that which we ought also to vnderstand as touching the heauenly order And therefore I think this is an argument which we call a similie that is to say of a thing like when the Apostle transferreth that to the Angels which is properly spoken of the windes 8 But vnto the Sonne he saith O God thy throne is for euer Verse 8 and euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnes 9 Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated iniquitie Psal 45.7 Wherefore God euen thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes WE cannot denie but that this Psalme was composed for Salomon in forme of a mariage song because his mariage with the King of Aegypts daughter is celebrated therein yet notwithstanding wee must also confesse that that which is here said is so excellent that it cannot wholy be found in Salomon Now least the Iewes should be constrained to confesse that Christ is God they doe here frame a cauill to wit that this throne is of God or that we must supplie the verbe hath established and say God hath established thy throne Thus after the first exposition this word Elohim should be translated in the Genitiue of God the other exposition supposeth that this sentence should be imperfect but one may very well see that they seeke nothing else but starting holes Whosoeuer then shall reade this sentence with ripenes of iudgement and without a mind bent to cōtention he shal not denie but the Messias is here called God And let no man replie that here is a word vsed which is common both to Angels and Iudges for we shall not finde it in any place wheresoeuer attributed to any one in particular but to God Further to the end that I striue not about the word where shal that throne be found which may be said to be stable and firme for euer and euer vnlesse it bee the throne of God The perpetuitie therefore of the kingdome is a certaine testimonie of the Diuinitie Now in the next place the scepter of Christs kingdome is called a scepter of righteousnes whereof there was some figure in Salomon but very obscure that is to wit so farre forth as he shewed himselfe a iust King and a louer of Equitie But the righteousnes and equitie of Christ his kingdome doth farre exceede the reason is because that by the Gospell which is a spirituall scepter he reformeth vs according to the righteousnes of God As much is to be said touching his loue of righteousnes For because he loueth it therefore he causeth it to reigne in those that are his Therfore God euen thy God It is certaine that this is truly spoken of Salomon who was annointed King because God preferred him before all his brethren who excepting this were equall and children of a King also as well as he But it more fitly agreeth to Christ who hath adopted vs to himselfe to be companione together with him howbeit not by any right of our own Now he is anoynted aboue his felllowes because he was annointed without measure but wee euery one according to our measure as it is distributed to some more to some lesse Moreouer he was annoynted for our sakes to the end all of vs might draw out of his fulnes Ioh. 1.16 And therfore he is the Christ that is to say the annointed and we Christians in thorow him as the riuers do streame from the fountaine now for as much as Christ hath receiued this annoynting in his flesh it is therefore said that hee was annoynted of his God For it should be absurd to say he was inferiour to God vnlesse in regard of his humane nature 10 And thou Lord Verse 10 in the beginning hast established the earth and
truth and vertue thereof farre aboue the life of his sonne because hee limited not the power of God within so narrow a compasse as to thinke that Isaak being dead How Abraham may be said to hope aboue hope that also should therefore be bound or quenched By this meanes he kept the promise still because hee tied not the power of God to the life of Isaak but had this certaine perswasion that it would shew it selfe no lesse powerful euen in his dead ashes than in quickning and restoring his life againe From whence he recouered him after a sort As if he should say this hope did not deceiue Abraham For it was as a kind of resurrection when Isaak was thus deliuered out of the middest of the shadow of death The Greeke word Parabole which wee translate figure or similitude is interpreted diuers waies by the expositors For mine owne part I take it simply for a word of similitude as either after a sort or such a like speech For howsoeuer Isaak was not raised vp in very deede yet notwithstanding he seemed after a sort to be raised vp when hee was suddenly and miraculously deliuered by such an vnexpected fauour of God Yet I reiect not that which others thinke to wit that our flesh which is subiect to death is shadowed out in the ramme which was put in the place of Isaak I confesse that to bee true also which others teach that the image of Iesus Christ was painted foorth in this offring But I speake now of that which the Apostle meant to say and not of all things that might rightly be gathered Now in my iudgement the true sense is that Abraham recouered his sonne euen as if he had been giuen him from death into a new life By faith Isaak blessed c. This also was a worke of faith Vers 20 to giue a blessing concerning things to come Isaak For whereas the thing is not yet effected but the naked word onely appeares there faith must needes be said to reigne But in the first place wee are to obserue what good vse this blessing had of which he speakes For to blesse is generally taken to pray that good may come to those for whom we pray But there was another thing rather in the blessing of Isaak for it was as if he had put the person of his sonne Iacob into the possession of that land which God had promised to him and to his heires But what of all this Surely he had nothing in this land but the right of buriall These high words then Let peoples obey thee and let the nations doe thee seruice seeme to be ridiculous Gen. 27.29 For what authoritie was he able to giue another who was scarcely free there himselfe We see then that this blessing is grounded vpon faith because Isaak had nothing to giue his sonnes but the word of God Obiection Yet notwithstanding some may doubt whether there were any faith in the blessing of Esaw seeing he was a reprobate and reiected of God Answere The solution is easie because faith did chiefly shew it self in this when he discerned between the two twins begotten of him that in such sort that he gaue the first place to the lesser For in gouerning himselfe according to the oracle of God he took away from the eldest the ordinarie right of nature Now the condition of the whole nation depended vpon this that Iacob was the elect of God and this election was ratified and confirmed by the blessing of the father By faith Iacob when he was a dying Vers 21 c. The purpose of the Apostle is Iacob to attribute whatsoeuer came to passe amōgst this people and was worthie of memorie vnto faith notwithstanding because it had been a thing too long to recite euery particular example hee chuseth out some amongst many as this which hee now reciteth For the tribe of Ephraim did so surmount the others that they were in a manner hidden vnder his shadow For the Scripture often comprehends the tenne tribes vnder this name of Ephraim and yet notwithstanding Ephraim was the yonger of the two sons of Ioseph When as Iacob blessed him and his brother they were both of them then children What did Iacob see in the yonger that he should preferre him before the elder nay at that time when he did it his eyes were euen dimmed by reason of age and whereas hee put his right hand vpon the head of Ephraim surely it was not by chance or at aduenture for he crossed his armes so as he put his right hand vpon the left side Moreouer he assignes two portions vnto him as if he had bin Lord already of that land from whence famine had driuen Iacob There was nothing here therefore which was agreeable to reason but faith The Iewes despise faith and yet it was the chiefest vertue their ancestors had who onely was the gouernesse in this action If the Iewes therefore would bee any thing indeede let them boast of nothing but of faith And worshipped towards the end of his staffe This is one of the places by which we may coniecture that the Hebrues in old time had not the vse of prickes or points For the Greekes could not so farre deceiue themselues that they should turne Rodd for Bedd if there had been at that time such a manner of writing as there is now at this day There is no doubt but Moses speaks of the bolster of the bed when he saith Al Rosch Hamitthah But the Greeke translators haue turned it The end of his staffe as if it had been there Matthaeh The Apostle is not nice to applie that vnto his purpose which was commonly receiued True it is that hee wrote to the Iewes but it was to them which were dispersed in diuers regions and had changed their mother tongue into the Greeke Now we know that the Apostles were not so precise in this respect but did willingly apply themselues to the weake who had yet neede of milke Neither is there any danger in it prouided that the readers be alwaies brought backe to the pure and natiue reading which the Scripture vseth Now for the thing it selfe there is no great difference For Iacobs worshipping was a signe of giuing of thankes wherefore he was led by faith to submit himselfe vnto his sonne Ioseph By faith Ioseph when he died c. Vers 22 This which the Apostle now recites is the last of all the acts of the Patriarkes which in very truth is well worthie to be put in writing For doubtlesse it was a token of an excellent faith that all these riches pleasures and honours could not cause this holy personage to forget the promise of God For from whence is it that he had such a constancie of minde as to despise all that which was in high account here in this world and that he esteemed nothing of all that which was precious in it but because he ascended into heauen by faith
As touching that which he commandeth for carrying his bones thence it was not because thereby drawne vnto faith But now let vs see what the things are which he praiseth in the faith of Moses First of all he saith that being come to age he had this vertue of faith to refuse to be called the adopted sonne of Pharohs daughter He makes mention of his age because if he had done it beeing a childe it might haue beene imputed either to lightnesse or ignorance For in regard there is no reason nor counsell in children they expose themselues to their owne hurt altogether at randon And yong men also are often carried hither and thither by an inconsiderate heat of blood To the end therefore we might know that Moses did nothing vnwisely or what he had not forethought himselfe of long before the Apostle telleth vs that he was now at mans state the which we may also clearly perceiue by the history Now it is said that he refused the adoption of Pharaohs daughter first because when he went to visit his brethren he endeauoured to succour them Secondly he reuenged their wroÌ„gs al which things tended to this end to shew that he rather desired to returne to them of his own nation than to continue in the court of the king This was as much then as if of his owne free motion he had willingly reiected all The Apostle attributes this vnto faith because it had beene better for him in respect of outward things to haue remained in Egipt but he was perswaded that the stocke of Abraham was blessed of the which blessing the onely bare promise of God bare witnesse The commendation of Moses faith For he saw no testimonie thereof before his eies neither yet any thing neere vnto it Whence it appears that he beheld that by faith which was farre remooued from his sight Esteeming the rebuke of Christ Vers 26 c. Wee must diligently obserue this phrase of speech for by it we are taught to flie from all that which we cannot obtaine without offending of God as from a deadly poyson For he calles the pleasures of sinne all the allurements of the world which doe turne vs away from God and from that vocation to which he hath called vs. For those earthly commodities that respect this life which yet with a good conscience and by the permission of God we may enioy are not comprehended in this number wherefore let vs alwaies remember to discerne what God permits vs as lawfull Notwithstanding there are many things which of themselues are lawfull the vse whereof is forbidden vs in regard of circumstance of time place or for some other respects And therefore we must alwaies consider this in all the commodities of this present life to wit that they serue vs as helpes and furtherances to follow God and not as lets and hindrances He calles the delights of sinne temporarie because they doe incontinently vanish away with the life And against them he sets the rebuke of Christ which all the faithfull ought willingly to receiue into their bosomes For whom God hath chosen Rom. 8.29 them hath he also predestinate to be made like vnto the image of his sonne Not that he exerciseth them all alike with the same reproches or with the same kinde of crosse but because all ought to be so disposed that they refuse not to be companions with Christ in bearing of the crosse Let euery one of vs then consider with himselfe whervnto he is called by this communion to the ende he may cut off all impediments and difficulties For we must not lightly passe it ouer that he calls all the disgraces which the faithfull haue endured from the beginning of the world by the title of the rebukes of Christ. Because euen as they were members of one selfe same bodie with vs so also were they in nothing seperated from vs. True it is that all anguishes encombrances as they are the rewards of sinne so are they also fruites of that malediction which was imposed vpon the first man but all the wrongs which we endure of the wicked for the name of Christ are reputed of him as his owne and for this cause S. Peter reioyceth that he in his flesh did fulfill that which was wanting of the afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 And if we consider of this as we ought it shall not be so grieuous nor painefull vnto vs to suffer and indure for Christ Where he saith that he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of god by that meÌ„ber he yet better signifies vnto vs but he was farre off from seeing God such as he was indeed The Apostle therefore meaneth that Moses was no lesse imboldened than if beeing rauished vp into heauen he had set God onely before his eies or as hauing nothing to doe with men neither beeing subiect vnto the perils of this present life he went on manfully as if hee had not beene to fight with Pharaoh Yet notwithstanding it is very certaine that he was sometimes couered ouâ—r with so many difficulties as they made him thinke in his minde that God was farre off from him or at the least that the obstinacie of the king furnished with so many helps to resist Moses faith vvas often mingled with the infirmities of the flesh should ouercome him in the ende To be short God did shewe himselfe in such wise to Moses sight as yet in the meane while hee left place for faith but Moses beeing enuironed on euery side with all those feares which pressed vpon him at his heeles yet turned his minde and all his senses to God True it is that this vision wherof we haue spoken did greatly aide him to this businesse but yet he saw more in God than the sight of this visible signe could helpe him vnto For he apprehended his power which was sufficient to swallow vp al feares and dangers For resting himselfe vpon the promise he held it for certaine that the people were already Lords of the promised land The nature of faith described howsoeuer they were now oppressed vnder the tyrannie of the Egyptians From hence we gather first that it is the true nature of faith to set God alwaies before our eies Secondly that faith regardeth things more high and hidden in God than those which our senses are able to comprehend Thirdly that the onely beholding of God is sufficient to correct our tendernesse and to make vs to be more hard then stones or iron to beate backe all the assaults of Satan Whence it followes that by how much the more a man is delicate and effeminate so much the lesse is his faith 28 Through faith he ordained the Passeouer Exod 12.22 and the effusion of blood least he that destroyed the first borne should touch them 29 By faith they passed through the red sea as by drie land Exod. 14.22 which when the Egyptians assaied to doe they were swallowed vp 30 By faith the walles