like a wheele O my God make them like a wheele sayes Dauid A wheele tilts vp behind and shootes downe before So the wicked are forward to all badnes and backward to all goodnes But the godly are like a Panther A Panther hath foure claws and no more on each hind foot but fiue clawes and no lesse on each fore foote So the godly though they bee weake to the worldward yet they are strong to Godward And setting the better foote before as wee say they Follow hard and run with might and maine most violently to lay holde on that hope which is set before them For there are two sortes of violent men Of the first sorte the Apostle sayes b. No extortioners or violeent men shal inherit the kingdom of heauen Of the second sort our sauior saies The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and violent men lay hold on it Both are violent men but both are not violent to men For they offer violence to men these offer violence to God Therefore they doe not enter but these do enter into the kingdome of heauen For though God be not content that wee should offer violence to men yet he is well content that wee should offer violence to himselfe And that we should Followe hard and as Pyrats or theeues set vpon him if it be lawfull for me so to speake and by the force of faith spoile him and rob him of al his eternal treasures Therfore calling his church he sayth Arise my loue my faire one make hast and come away He that doth make account to come to GOD must make hast to come to God He must vse violence and Follow harde and come downe quickly with Zacheus and for speedines he must be like a Doe or a Roe vpon the mountaines of Bether Euen as those beastes in Ezechiel did run returne as lightning So must euery one who is enlightned with the spirit of God Followe as swiftlie as lightning which doth no soner flash down from heauen to the earth thē he must in affection mount vp from the earth to heauen And like as the Isralites were commanded to eate the passe ouer in hast Semblably all we which are true Isralites must girde vp the loines of our minds and Follow hard and run a pace redeeme the time that both the wrath of God may pas ouer vs and also the mercy of God may abide with vs. For God among other arguments of his mercy sayes thus Who hath giuen wings to the Ostridg The Ostridg neuer flies with his wings but onely a little lifts vp his body with them when he runs And in y e pinion of each wing he hath a sharp spur wherewith he pricketh his own self that he may run the faster So that God hath giuē wings vnto y e Ostridg not for the Ostridge but for vs. That we might thereby learne howe wee ought by all good meanes to quicken our dull disposition that wee may Followe harde euen as wee see the Ostridge eggeth his owne selfe forward with the flapping of his wings For they that wayte vpopn the Lord shall change their strength they shall lift vp their winges not onely as the Ostridge but also as the Eagle they shall I say lift vp their wings as the Eagle they shal run and not be faint they shall walke and not bee weary Euen as Pindarus writeth that King Therons coursers were such as wold neuer be wery of going l so shal these Follow still and neuer be weary of well doing But the most especiall thing to be considered heere is this that the Prophet sayes They which waight vpon the Lord shall change their strength Hee sayes not they shall loose their strength that whereas before they were strong now they shall be weake but they shall change their strength namelie the vse of their strength that whereas before they were strong and did follow hard to serue sinne nowe they shall be as strong shall Follow as hard to serue God For God only it is which can melt brasse out of a stone I wot wel there is a stone called Almacrasia which being molten becometh brasse But these words haue a far more hidden meaning To wit that God doth melt brasse out of a stone when he taketh the hart of a sinner which is as hard as a stone and melting it with the holy Ghost and with fire dooth afterward make it as tough as brasse This was seene in the conuersion of Paul For when Paul was made an Apostle thē a stone was made brasse He was as hard as any stone before his conuersion when he stoned Stephen Hee was as tough as any brasse after his conuersion when he did Follow so hard that no affliction could seperate him from the loue of Christ Which thing was prophecied of long before When the Patriarch Iacob sayd Beniamin shall be as a rauening Wolfe in the morning he shall deuoure the pray in the euening he shall deuide the spoile Paul was this Beniamin because he was of the tribe of Beniamin Paul was this rauening wolfe because he breathed out threatning and slaughter against the Disciples and was euen mad vpon them as a rauening Wolfe Paule in the morning deuoured the pray because in the beginning of his dayes he wasted and deuoured the Church of God as a pray Paul in the euening deuided the spoile because in the latter ende of his dayes he did Follow his calling hard and deuided the word of God aright of which the Psalmist saies I reioyce in thy word more then they which haue found a great spoile So that this is no losse of strength but onely a change of strength O blessed Beniamin O holy Apostle Thou hast now changed thy strength Yea by changing it thou hast much increased it For thou wert nothing so strong before as thou art now Nothing so strong before being a ston as thou art now being brasse Nothing so strong before being a rauening wolf as thou art now beeing a meeke lambe Nothing so strong before in the morning as thou art now in the euening Nothing so strong before when thou diddest deuoure the pray as thou art nowe when thou doest deuide the spoyle When no impediments no stumbling-blocks can stay thee but thou wilt needes Follow hard and runne ouer the whole world to deuide the spoyle among all Nations to preach the Gospell vnto all people So likewise Baruch was inflamed as the Hebrew word signifieth hee was I say inflamed to fortifie the wall of Ierusalem In mans bodie the arteries running along the veines and beating vpon them stir vp the blood and keepe it warme least otherwise by standing still it should congeale and waxe colde After the same manner in Baruch his heart there were liuely and quicke motions of the holy Ghost which did blowe coales and stirre vp the gift of GOD in him which did warme
did represent it in the forme of a moone And what dyd they but tread it vnder their feete when they did weare it vpon their shooes Nowe we that are Christians see and ought to see our calling better then they Howe that not many vvise men according to the flesh not many mighty not manie noble are called But that we must aswel by dishonour as by honour enter into eternall glory Some others imagin that carnall pleasure is perfect happines But what saith the Apostle Meates for the belly and the belly for meats but God will destroy both it and them Meates for the belly That is true we doe eate to lyue And the belly for meates That is false VVee doe not lyue to eate Therfore GOD will destroy both it and them Both the belly the meates of all Epicures Because they thinke their belly is made for meates whereas indeede onely meates are made for their belly Because they thinke they may liue to eate vvhereas indeede onely they may eate to liue For the prize of our hie calling is not meate or drinke or any carnall pleasure but righteousnes and peace ioy in the holy Ghost Others account transitory riches to be perfect happines And certainly if wee vse our riches well as diuers worthy Citizens of this Citty haue done to the maintenance of learning to the building of Hospitals to such other good purposes then riches I graunt are a great helpe to a vertuous mind and a speciall furtherance to felicity Otherwise that complaint of Saluianus may take place euen in those our times Our times are so miserable sayth hee that now adaies no man is thought to be more happie then hee that is knowne to be most wealthie And that also of Innocentius Fie for shame saith he now adayes a man is esteemed according to his money whereas rather the money should bee esteemed according to the man Euery one is reputed worthy if he be wealthy and naught if he be needy whereas rather euery one should be reputed wealthy if he be worthy and needie if hee be naught For questionlesse riches of themselues doe encumber and entangle the mind euen as an Ape is tied and teddered to his clogge VVe reade according to the Greek translation that Abraham was very rich But there is a Latine translation which saith that Abraham was very heauy And the originall Hebrew indifferentlie beareth both VVhich proueth that riches are a heauie burthen and doe many times hinder them very much which would attaine to blessednes Yea if thou set thy heart vpon them they will likewise set themselues vpon thy hart and lie so heauily vpon thy hart that they will presse and way thee downe with thy hart into hell Therfore diuers holy men and women heretofore haue voluntarily abandoned their wealth and preferred pouerty before it that they might the sooner the easier come to perfection For as it is hard for a Periwinkle in the sea to swim or for a Snayle vpon the land to creepe while they beare their houses vpon their backs euen so it â—s hard for a rich man that trusteth in his riches with all his big bunches of wealth vpon his back to goe through the needles eye and to enter into the kingdom of heauen VVherefore we must follow hard toward the mark not for any action in this life but for euerlasting life not for any worldly honour but for eternall glorie not for any carnall pleasure but for ioy in the holy Ghost not for anie transitory treasure but for the kingdom of heauen not for any other prize but For the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus This euerlasting life is the onely perfect life because it is the prize this eternall glory is the onely high honour because it is of the high calling this ioy in the holy Ghost is the onely godly pleasure because it is of God this kingdome of heauen is the onely Christian treasure because it is in Christ Iesus This I say this euerlasting life is the onely perfect life because it is the prize VVhich maketh the Marchant-venturer that gets it most absolutely blessed As the Psalmist sayth speaking of another Blessed art thou that fearest God and walkest in his waies For thou shalt eate the labour of thy hands O well art thou and happy shalt thou be O well art thou For thou hast feared God and walked in his waies for thou hast followed hard toward the marke And happy shalt thou be for thou shalt eate the labour of thy hands for thou shalt haue by the gracious gift of God euerlasting life the onely perfect life The prize of the high calling of GOD in Christ Iesus As the Apostle sayth speaking of himselfe I haue finished my course I haue kept the fayth There is hence-forth layde vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse O well art thou aud happie shalt thou bee O well art thou For thou hast finished thy course and kept the fayth for thou hast followed hard towarde the marke And happie shalt thou bee for there is hence-forth layde vp for thee the crowne of righteousnesse for there is hence-forth layde vp for thee euerlasting life the onelie perfect lyfe The prize of the high calling of GOD in Christ Iesus Thys eternall glorie is the onely high honour because it is of the high calling For all of the visible Church haue a calling Seeing the Church is nothing else but the companie of them which are called Yet all that are called are not worthie of this calling Seeing many make excuses and will not come when they are called Therefore Saint Peter prayeth for the dispiersed Iewes That the God of all grace which hath called them to his eternall glory would make them perfect confirme strengthen and establish them therein And S. Paul likewise prayeth for the Thessalonians That God would make them worthy of his calling to eternull glory and perfect al the good pleasure of his goodnes and the work of faith in them VVhereby wee see that they are the onely worthies of the world which are so happy as to haue this high honour and dignity giuen them to be called the sonnes of God VVhich was prefigured in the seeling of the temple VVhere were grauen palme-trees and chaynes The palme-tree is high the chayne is calling The palme-tree chayne the high calling For God the Father by his effectuall calling as by a strong chayne doth draw his children to Christ. And then standing before the Lambe they hold palmes in their hands which are the ensignes of their honour So that being drawne vp to the high palme-tree by the calling chayne they are made partakers of eternall glory the only high honour The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus This ioy in the holie Ghost is the only godly pleasure because it is of God Indeede sometimes euen in this life we
learne true humility which is true magnanimity of S. Paul Paul had a most noble and most stately hart higher than the very poles of heauen it selfe All that euer he had done hetherto or could doo he thinkes too little nay he counts it nothing He was not a whit inferiour to the very chiefest Apostles yet he Forgets it Hee laboured more than they all yet he Forgets it He spake with tongues more than they all yet he Forgets it Hee had care of the churches yet he Forgets it He fought with beasts at Ephesus yet he Forgets it He troad fathan that vile beast vnder his feete yet he Forgets it Hee spake wisedome among them that are perfect yet he Forgets it Hee was rapt vp to paradise into the third heauen where he first learned that among the Angels which afterwards hee taught amongst men yet he Forgets it All this is nothing with him All this he Forgets saith I Forget that which is behind This is the second degree to perfection TOuching the third hee sayes I stand not still but I Endeuour my selfe to that which is before Saint Bernard writing to one Haimericus Chancelor of Rome in his very first salutation wisheth him to forget those things which are behind and to follow the Apostle to those thinges which are before Which no man can doo that either stands still or is idle Wherefore Hermes saith generally Nothing in the whole world is altogether idle The wise man hath allowed a time for euery thing else but for idlenes he hath allowed no time Moses Arke had rings and barres within the rings to signifie that it was not made to stand still but to be remoued from place to place Iacobs ladder had slaues vpon which hee saw none standing still but all either ascending or else descending by it Ascend you likewise to the top of the ladder to heauen and there you shal heare one say My Father doth now worke and I work also Whereupon Basil noteth that king Dauid hauing first said Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle addes then Not he that hath wrought righteousnes heeretofore but hee that doth now worke righteousnes euen as Christ sais My father doth now worke and I worke also Descend you likewise to the foote of the ladder to the earth and there you shall heare that figge tree accursed which did beare leaues and no fruite VVhereupon Theophylact noteth that Iohn Baptist hauing first sayde The axe is layde to the roote of the tree adds then Not euery tree that hath not brought forth good fruite heretofore but euery tree that doth not now bring forth good fruite shall be cut downe euen as that fruitlesse fig tree was cut downe and cast into the fire Therefore we must so walke as God seeing our continuall fruitfulnes may say of vs I see men walking like trees Men walke like trees when as men are neuer idle but alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord As the tree of lyfe euerie moneth bringeth forth twelue maner of fruits For so Christ said to him whom he healed Take vp thy bed and walk He sais not Take vp thy bed and stand still like a stone but take vp thy bed and walke like a tree Otherwise to them whom he found standing still he said in his wrath and in his sore displeasure why stand yee still all the day idle why are ye like Moab setled vpon your lees and not poured from vessell to vessell we must make account to giue account for euery idle word wee speake And much more then for euery idle houre wee spende Hee hath called the time against me sayes Ierusalem So that for the very time which we haue contemned we shall be condemned and for euery day which wee haue spent idlely wee shall be shent seuerelie The Istaelites were commaunded not once in a weeke or once in a moneth but euery day to gather Manna except onely the Sabaoth day To teach them and all vs that till wee come to the saboth of our euerlasting rest in heauen wee must neuer stand still but euery day bee doing somewhat Wherfore Apelles posey was this Let no day passe without a line Be sure euery day thou do some good then draw one line at the least According to that Line vpon line line vpon line And Pithagoras posey was this Sit not still vpon the measure of corne Do not looke to eate except thou sweat for it According to that Hee which will not worke let him not eate In my Fathers house sayes Christ are many mansions So that no man may sing his soule a sweete Requiem saying with that corâ—orant in the Gospell Soule take thy rest For in heanen onely which is in our fatherâ— house there are many mansions to rest in In this world which is out of our fathers house there are not many mansions no not any mansions to rest in but onely 〈◊〉 to worke in We are come sayes the author to the Hebrews to the spirits of iust perfect then in heauen So that no man may â—ue out for hymselfe a Quietus est saying with the church of Laodicea I am rich and haue inough For in heauen onely are the spirits of iust and perfect men which are rich and haue inough In this world wee must neuer think we are rich but we must alwaies be poore in spirit wee must neuer thinke we haue inough but we must alwayes hunger thirst after righteousnes Wherfore if thou haue a talent put it not into a napkin but into the banke if thou light a candle set it not vnder a bushell but vpon a candlestick if thou build a Citty place it not vnder a dale but vpon a hil if thou seek Christ seeke him not in thy bed but in the garden Lie not stil Sit not stil stand not stil but Endeuour thy selfe to that which is before Walke before mee and be perfect sayth God to Abraham As if hee should say if thou wilt bee perfect then walke before me and Endeuour thy selfe to that which is before thee For the Apostle in the other part speaking of those thinges which are behind saith that he doth not onely not beare them in body But not so much as beare them in mind Heere contrariwise speaking of those things which are before hee sayth that hee doth not onely intende hys minde to them but also extend his very body towards them So that as they which runne in a race bend forward theyâ— breasts and stretch out their armes to shew that they haue a desire to run faster then possibly theyr feete can follow them after the same sort wee which runne in this course of Christianity must cast away euery thing that presseth down sin which cleaueth so fast that wee may Endeuour our selues or as the Greeke word here
man shall enter by it because the Lorde God of Israell hath entred by it Here-throgh signifying that although the heart of a Christian which is the temple of the holy Ghost may let many things enter into it at other gates yet it must keepe the East gate the most illuminate and highest power part of it continuallie shut against all men yea against all the world and opened onely to one thing I meane to God who hath already entred into it and enlightened it with his spirit That as at the window of Noahs Arke there entred in no mist no water nothing else but one thing onely which is light so at this East gate no mist of humaine errors no water of worldly cares may enter in but onely the light of heauen and a sanctified desire to be fast knit and perfectly vnited by faith and loue to God Hence it is that Moses comming to talke with God vpon the mountaine was commaunded to bring no man with him but to come vp himselfe alone Nay more-ouer being vpon the mountaine alone he was couered and compassed about with a thick cloude which made him feare the name of the Lord and hooded him as I may say in such sort that hee could see nothing but one thing which was God And therefore the Psalmist sayth O make my heart like Moses heart when he was vpon the mountaine O make my heart like the windowe of Noahs Arke and the East gate of the temple O make my heart but onely one heart one in it selfe one in thee O knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name Tell me wherefore sayes Christ speaking to his spouse Thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon but onley to teach vs that I forget that which is behind is the second degree to perfection For seeing Christ is nowe risen againe and ascended vp into heauen which is the high tower of Lebanon therefore wee which are the Saints of God must not bee like the Idols of the heathen which haue noses and smell not but we must haue noses like the tower of Lebanon which forgetting all earthlie things and leauing them behind must smell and seeke those things which are aboue God appoynted Gedeon to dismisse all those of his army which bowed downe their knees to drink and to retaine onely those which lapped water out of their hands as a dogge lappeth Because hee which drinketh vpon his knees like an Oxe cannot possibly goe forward while hee drinketh But hee which with some of the Polonians or with that dogge Diogenes lappeth water out of his hands may neuerthelesse goe forward while he lappeth as an Egyptian dogge doth while he lappeth the water of Nilus And like as a lustie hound of a good kind ordereth his going so well that though hee haue runne ouer very many fields and through a thousand thickets alreadie yet hee neuer remembreth any labour which is behind but forgetteth it and if he chance to lap water in some brook by the way yet euen while he lappeth he lifteth vp his head and stil goeth on and plieth him forward to his gaine so must wee doe in this pursuite of perfection Seeing Christ hath now sprinkled all the way betweene heauen and earth with his blood and so hath made it a fresh and a liuing way therfore we which haue noses like the tower of Lebanon must as blood-hounds trace him by the foote run after him in the smel of his oyntment hunt hotly vpon this fresh liuing way with a fresh and liuely faith though we haue gone very far done a thousand goods deeds already yet we must alwayes forget that which is behind till we haúe gotte if not the childrens bread yet at the leastwise some little crum of mercy that fals from our Maisters table some little drop of blood that falls from our Lordes side which shall I assure you be sufficient to make vs perfect men in Christ. Tell me wherefore was the altar of perfume set within the Sanctuary but onely to teach vs that And endeuour my selfe to that which is before is the third degree to perfection For euen as that altar of perfume was placed not in any common roome or in any odde corner of the tabernacle but in the Sanctuary it selfe somewhat beyond the vaile close to the golden censer very neere the mercy seate so a Christian hart which is a spirituall altar of perfume and of a sweet sauiour to God must daily endeuour it selfe to that which is before and still more and more aspire to heauenly things and alwayes neerer and neerer aproach vnto the throne of grace and continually higher higher aduance it selfe to him that is the highest and holiest of all Tell me wherfore did the Israelites when they had pitched in Mithkah remoue their tents frō thence and pitch in Cashmonah but onely to teach vs that And followe hard is the fourth degree to perfection For euen as they as soone as they had pitched in Mithkah which signifies sweetnes by and by remoued their tents frō thence and pitched in Cashmonah which signifies swiftnes so we must ioyne Mithkah and Chashmonah sweetnes swiftnes both together as soone as we haue pitched in Mithkah as soone as we haue tasted seene how sweet the Lord is presently wee must remoue our tents from thence and pitch in Chashmonah presently we must follow hard and run not only sweetly but also swiftly in this way of peace which leadeth vnto life Tell me wherfore saies Christ againe speaking of the praise of his spouse Thy plants are as an Orchard of Pomegranates but only to teach vs that toward the mark is the fift degree to perfection For a Pomegranate hath many graynes within him in his case and a little round circle or a crown without him vpon his head Now these graynes being sweet in tast and red in colour are orderly set one by another and poynt vp or as it were looke vp altogether to the crown To intimate thus much that wee which are plants of the Church as an Orchard of Pomegranates must grow on still toward the mark not only when we enioy the sweet tast of pleasant prosperity but also when wee beare the red colour of bloody persecution consenting in a kind of conformity and perfect peace and vnity one with another wee must poynt vp altogether with the finger of faith to Christ and looke vp continually with the eye of loue to our head who by being first crossed is now come to be crowned with honour and glory In the arke of the couenant there was the golden pot that had Manna and Aarons rod that had budded and the tables of the testament and the propitiatory or couering and a crowne of gold round about it O how notably and marueilously do these things sort and agree together The pomegranate
and the ark the sweete tast and the pot of Manna the red colour and the rod of Aaron the order of the graynes and the tables of the testament the head of the pomegranate and the couering of the ark the crowne vpon that head and the crowne about this couering To inhinuate thus much that we which are like an orchard of pomegranates must also be like the arke of the couenant being builded and reared vp still toward the mark not only when our Lorde feedeth vs with the sweete Manna of his mercie but also when he afflicteth vs with the sharp rod of his correction and alwayes keeping the tables of the testament which are the commandements of perfect loue to God and to our neighbour that by faith in Christ who is the couering and the propitiation for our sinnes we may obtaine the golden crowne of life King Darius vpon a time by chance opening a great pomegranate and being demanded of what hee would wish to haue as manie as there were graynes in that pomegranate answered in one word of Zopyrusses Now Zopyrus was a right noble and a valiant Knight who seeing the King his master could hardly surprize Babylon where the trayterous Assirians were entrenched bethought himselfe of a wonderful strange practise He went home to his owne house and caused his sernants to rent his whole bodie all ouer with scourging him and to cut off his nose his lips his eares Then straightwaies running to Babilon he made the Assyrians beleeue that Darius had misused him in this sâ—rt because he had spoken in their behalfe counselling him to breake vp his siege and to remoue his armie from assaulting their Citty They hearing this tale and the rather thinking it to be true because they saw him so shamefully disfigured in his bodie were perswaded to make him their chiefe Captayne By which meanes he betrayed them all surrendred both them and their City into his masters hands O most faithfull and louing subiect O most worthy and couragious hart One Pomegranate full of such graynes yea euen one grayne full of such valour and vertue is suffiâ—ient for a whole Country either to recouer it if it be lost or to keepe it that it be not lost O that I could tell where to finde such a man O that I could tel where to see but one such amongst vs all I wold I assure you honor the very ground he goes vpon and kisse euen the shadow of his feet VVell beloued I pray God I pray God with all my heart that her sacred Maiestie whom the Lord for his glory sake alwaies shield defend that her sacred Maiesty I say may finde very many yea may see vs al as true to God to her and to our Countrey as Zopirus was to his prince That if any time of triall should come vve may haue so much will and holy manhoode in vs as to put our selues vpon the pykes ieopard a ioynt yea venter the martyring and mangling of our whole body and euen the losing of our liues rather the either forraine enemies or home-bred rebels should haue theyr wils of vs. Knowing that our life is frayle and mortall wee may dye euery moment but for a man to do some notable peece of seruice before he dye and to sheath his sworde in the sides of his enemies and to kill if it be but one that is a sworne rebell to his God to his Prince and to his countrie this indeede is a most honourable and a most glorious thing this is it which shal be chronicled and registred remembred yea and rewarded for euer But â—o return to the Marke againe VVe which are plants of the Church like an orâ—hard of pomegranats like the arke of the couenant must loue not only the head of the pomegranate the couering of the arke but also the order of the grains the tables of the testament not onely the sweete taste and the pot of manna but also the red colour and the rod of Aaron It is a myracle and would amaze any man to consider how zealous the Christians were in the Primitiue Church how vnsatiably they thirsted after the crowne of martirdome what 〈◊〉 with Zopyrus what rackings what wild beasts what broylings they endured How in a manner if I durst say so they suffered almost as horrible tormeÌ„ts when they dyed for Christ as Christ did when he dyed for them VVell well so great and so absolute and so excellent and so admirable perfection is not now required at our hands Yet this by your good leaue fauor I wil be bold to say That we can neuer be perfect Christians indeede and runne toward the marke â—right except at the loast wise we haue that in resolution which they did put in execution Except if need require wee that are faithfull can finde in our hearts to doe that and to suffer that for batred of the spirituall Babilon and for loue of our heauen by Lord which Zopiâ—us an infidell did and suffered for hatred of the earthly Babilon and for loue of a mortall King Except wee can be content not only to be white 〈◊〉 by liuing purely and patiently in those afflictions and crosses whereof our miserable life is full which is in some sort a kind of martirdome but also to be red Roses by dying constantly and ioyfully for the truth if the good pleasure of God should so appoynt it and by making our garments red in the bloud of Grapes which is the most perfect martyrdome and commeth neerest of all to the marke that so Christ may rightly say to his Church here amongst vs Thy plants are as an Orchard of pomegranates Tell me wherfore sayes Dauid againe speaking of the oath of God He appoynted the same vnto Iacob for a law and vnto Israell for an euerlasting testament but onely to teach vs that for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus is the sixt and last degree to perfection For Iacob and Israel are two seuerall names and yet they signifie but one singular man Neuerthelesse in a diuers respect Because Iacob is he that supplanteth or wrastleth Israell is he that seeth or beholdeth God Now Iacob supplanting or wrastling is a subiect or a seruant Israell seeing or beholding God is a friend or a sonne This is confirmed by Baruch saying God hath found out the way of knowledge and hath giuen it vnto Iacob his seruaunt vnto Israell his beloued So that Iacob is only a faithful seruant but Israel is a beloued sonne Therefore there is appoynted vnto Iacob a law but vnto Israel an euerlasting testament Seeing a law or a statute or a decree or a precept properly belongs to Iacob a subiect or a seruant but a testament or a couenant or an agreement or an accord properlie belongs to Israell a friend or a son For as long