Priests must submit their Miters CHRIST is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath a principality and a preheminence in all things Great Surpassing all the high Priests that ever were They were meere men this both God and man they mortall this immortall they kept their office for a time this for ever Men did but stoupe to them the Angels stoupe to this our High Priest their jurisdiction was shut up in the territories of Iudea this ruleth over all the world He is a great one therefore doe no ill because of his greatnesse and feare no enemies if we doe well Which is gone through the heavens which hath pierced these visible heavens object to our eyes and is entred into the highest heaven where hee sitteth at the right hand of God for ever The High Priest in the time of the law entred into the Sanctum Sanctorum but this hath entred into heaven whereof that was a Type and a figure there hee maketh intercession for us The High Priest went into the Sanctum Sanctorum once every yeare hee is gone once into heaven for all Christ then in respect of his humanity is not in the earth Iesus excelling Iehosuah the High Priest Zach. 3.1 Who according to his name was a kind of Saviour but not worthy to be named with this Iesus the same day The Son of God Hee was the Son of man too Mary was his Mother The High Priests in the time of the law were the Sonnes of Aaron they descended of him this is the Son of God he thought it no robbery to be equall with God Vpon that hee inferreth the first Vse Our High Priest is a mighty one able to punish us if we shrinke from our profession and of power to protect us from all our enemies if we stick to him therefore let us hold fast our profession With might and maine totis viribus the doctrine professed by us let no enemies drive us from our profession neither Satan nor any of his instruments The Pharises held fast the traditions of their elders and would not bee removed from them Mark 7.3 All Heretickes have held fast their opinions they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some Heretickes have held their opinions to the death Superstitious persons have held fast their superstitions being wedded to them All Ephesus cryed out for Diana Great is Diana of the Ephesians The losse of Michas goods did not grieve him halfe so much as the losse of his gods ye have taken away my gods and what have I more Iud. 18. The Turkes are wonderfully addicted to Mahomet he is a great Prophet among them they will not let him goe And shall not we hold the profession of the Lord Iesus They hold errors fast and shall not we the truth The subject of their profession are base and counterfeit things meere inventions of men lies and fables Mahomet was but a base fellow a Merchants man one that had the falling sicknesse a coozener and a jugler the subject of our profession is Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Therefore let us hold it fast Let neither the Syrenicall songs of Heretickes and Schismatickes in the time of peace nor the blustering wind of persecution in the time of War pull us from our confession Let us be faithfull to the death as the Martyrs were let house and land Wives and Children liberty and Country yea our lives goe before our profession But this is an hard matter wee have no strength of our selves to hold it against so many strong and mighty enemies Saint Peter thought himselfe a stout champion though all deny thee I will not Yet he denyed him he was not so good an holdfast of his profession as he should have beene Therefore let us all feare our selves and flye to God for strength that it would please him so to strengthen us by his holy spirit that wee may hold fast the profession of Christ and his Gospell to the end hold that which thou hast lest another take thy Crowne We will hold our mony fast though it be to good uses we will not part with that but as for religion a number are at this passe they care not what becomes of it let that goe whither it will So we may sleepe in an whole skinne and keepe that which we have let come what religion there will we can be of any Religion Such turne-coats and time-servers shall never set a foot in the kingdome of heaven If we hold not our profession fast wee shall misse of the Crowne of eternall life VERSE 15. THe foundation whereupon the consolation is built is the wonderfull love and compassionate kindnesse of this our High Priest It dependeth on the former by preventing an objection that might bee made Thou willest us to hold fast our profession but alasse how shall wee doe it Wee are compassed about with many weaknesses and infirmities by reason wherof we shall not be able to keep it fast Be not discouraged with the sight of your infirmities your High Priest is well enough acquainted with them who as he is high and mighty so he is wonderfull kinde and loving Hee is not stately as some great personages be Kings Priests and others that looke aloft and disdaine them that be under them his magnificence doth not make him proude he descendeth to the lowest of his brethren 1. Misericordia vera 2. Assumpta miseria 3. Servata innocentia His love and kindnesse is set forth 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively which cannot compati He is not made of steele and yron but of the same flesh that we be He is acquainted with our infirmities Simplici notitia ut Deus experientia ut homo he hath a feeling of all our miseries in soule and body But such a one as suffereth with us in all calamities being tempted as we are passing through the furnace of all afflictions as we have done temptations are put for afflictions Iac. 1.2 In all points as we are according to the same similitude that we are not in shew as a painted man is like a man but in deed in truth Phil. 2.7 Christ did really and truly sustaine the like calamities that we doe The only difference is in the manner not in the matter he was tempted as we are but not after the same sort our temptations are mixed with sinne his not wee sinne in our afflictions hee not 2 Cor. 5. ult 1. They that be in high places must have a feeling of the miseries of others Whereas many have not what is that to us Great personages in high places have little feeling of the miseries of their brethren in low and inferiour places many a Peere that fares delicately every day hath little feeling of the calamities of sundry of his poore brethren but our High Priest the great Shepheard of our soules hath a feeling of the griefes not onely of the Shepheards that be under him but of every Sheepe nay of every Lamb that is in his flocke being man he
hee teacheth us to pray he doth not in his owne person make intercession with sighes and groanes for the Holy Ghost cannot sigh and groane but he stirres up to it The Papists say that Christ is intercessor immediatus but the Saints bee mediatores mediatâ— But wee must goe to God by Christ alone there is one Mediatour and no other As there is but one God So but one Mediatour They might as well say there is but one immediate God and many mediate Gods as to say there is one immediate intercessor and many mediate When thou goest to a King sayes St. Ambrose thou must make a friend with some about him but ad deum non opus est suffrâ—gâ—tore sed mente devota Christ is our eye by whom we see the Father our mouth whereby wee speake to the Father Nonâ— loves us so deerely as Christ none is in greater favour with the Father than the only Son that lyeth in his bosome therefore let us go to God by him and him alone We must not imagine that Christ makes intercession for us now in heaven after the same manner he did when hee was on the earth either by bowing of the knee by falling down on his face by praying with sighes and groanes as hee did at the death of Lazarus or with strong cryes and teares as he did in the Garden being glorified in heaven hee doth it not after such a carnall manner but Christ is said now to make intercession for us two kinde of wayes 1. Non voce sed miseratione not by uttering any voice by making prayers to his father as he did on the earth but by having pitty and compassion on us We have not a high-Priest which cannot be touched with our infirmities but a mercifull high Priest that was tempted as we are and can succour us in our temptations 2. He maketh intercession for us by presenting himselfe before the Father for us Hebr. 9.34 the exhibition of his glorious body in heaven the force and efficacy of his passion the recordation of his obedience these intercede with the Father for us Whereupon it is well said of Gregory l. 21. moral cap. 13. Vnigenito filio Deum pro homine interpellare est apud coaeternum Patrem seipsum hominem demonstrare The consideration of Christs perpetuall intercession in heaven for us may be a singular comfort to all Christians We count him happie that hath a friend in the Court then how happy are wee that have such a friend as Christ in the Court of heaven If the Kings Sonne make a request and that earnestly to the King for us shall wee not be in great hope to speede Christ Iesus the Sonne of God makes request to God for us and shall we not assure our selves that whatsoever wee aske in his name according to his will he heareth us In sicknesse poverty disgrace in the assaults and temptations of Satan yea in death it selfe Let us flie to this our Intercessour in heaven Say on my mother said Solomon to Bathshebah I will not say thee nay so sayes God the Father to Christ say on my Sonne make intercession for thy members I will not say thee nay Blessed are we that have such an Intercessour only let us not grieve him with our sins let us glorifie him by an holy life let us bring forth fruits worthy of the faith we have in him then we may boldly commence our suits to him and he will prefer them to his Father to the everlasting joy and comfort of us all VERSE 26. HItherto the Priest-hood of our Saviour hath beene advanced above the Leviticall Priest-hood by foure strong and infallible arguments Now there remaineth an high and magnificent description of the Priest himselfe Wherein 1. The substance of the description ver 26 27. 2. A reason for the confirmation of it In the substance of the description 1. The person of our High-Priest 2. His Ministery Became Not as if wee were worthy of him as wee say the best Preacher in England becomes the King It is better translated as Stephen doth conveniebat nobis was requisite and convenient for us it behooved us to have such an High-Priest Our redemption could not have been accomplished without such a one What manner of one 1. Holy in himselfe and in his own nature not only in respect of his deity but of his humanity also Luk. 1.35 Act. 2.27 The Devills acknowledge this we know who thou art that holy one of God Dan. 9.24 Chodesh Chodashim Some Priests Prophets and others have beene holy men but none so holy as Christ not a spot or blemish of unholinesse in him therefore fit to discharge the office of an high-Priest and to reconcile us to his Father 2. In respect of others doing no harme but all good to all not circumventing any by fraud or deceit nor offering open wrong and injurie to any In regard whereof hee is compared to a sheepe which of all creatures is most harmelesse nay profitable for his flesh and wooll too So was Christ so farre from doing any harme that hee did good to his very enemies a simple man no craft in him 3. As he was harmelesse himselfe so he tooke no harme from nothing 1. Actively 2. Passively 1. Vndefiled of all things The Priests in the time of the Law above others were to be circumspect that they were defiled with nothing especially in the time of the exequution of their office all that while they might not keepe company with their Wives they were to abstaine from wine not to touch a dead body or any uncleane thing Christ was more undefiled than any of them all they might keepe their bodies from being outwardly defiled yet they were stained with sin in soule and body too Christ had no defilement any kinde of way 2. He was undefiled of any person Hee conversed with sinners for the reclaiming of them as the Physition keeps company with sicke persons for the curing of them but he neither gave allowance to their sinnes nor received any contagion from them Then his ministery is set forth to us Where 1. The place where he doth Minister in the Sanctuary of heaven Some expound it thus that is a most high and excellent man But it is rather to be referred to the place where he ministers he is exalted above all those adspectable heavens Ep. 4.10 he is made higher than them and exequutes the office of an high-Priest for us in the highest heavens where he makes continuall intercession for us Is our high Priest holy and shall we be unholy that belong to him Is the head holy and shall the members bee unholy Is the husband pure and shall the wife be an impure strumpet Nay wee must labour in some acceptable measure to expresse the holinesse that is in him whereupon he saith be yee holy as I am holy Indeed wee cannot bee so holy as he is and as certaine Heretickes dreamed that were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure
of Holies even as it is termed Hakodesh Levit. 16.2 Loe say some heaven was not opened in the time of the Law till the passion of our Saviour Christ therfore the Patriarchs and others that dyed then went not to heaven but were in place of rest distinct from heaven this is their limbus patrum which they have forged But quickly to stop their mouthes it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gate in the Kings Pallace may be opened though not knowne The way to the Holiest of all that is to heaven prefigured by their Sanctum Sanctorum was not yet manifested it was obscured under Types and figures darkely revealed to them Not all the people but one man entred into the Holy of Holies a type of heaven and hee but once a yeare The way to heaven was not so cleerely manifested then as it is now when Christ Iesus our fore-runner is gone into it before us and for us The faithfull then knew the way to heaven and immediately after death went to heaven but they had not such a cleare knowledge of it as wee have This is probable The first Tabernacle as yet having his standing whereby he doth not meane the first part of the Tabernacle as hee did before but the whole Tabernacle for indeed it was but one though divided into two parts while the Tabernacle of the Iewes with all the rites and ceremonies belonging to it was yet standing It is called the first in respect of Christ's body which was the second Tabernacle It is the Holy Ghost that speaketh in the Scripture 2 Pet. 1. ult 2 Tim. 3.16 Iacob said of Bethel the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it So the Holy Ghost is in the Scripture and we are not aware of it The Holy Ghost speaks in Genesis Exodus Leviticus in the Psalmes in the Prophets he speakes in the Gospels in the Epistles of St. Paul and St. Peter therefore when the Scripture is read let us heare with all reverence because God Almighty speaketh in them No place of holy Scripture is idle no not the framing of the Tabernacle the Holy Ghost therby doth signifie to us many holy mysteries in it therefore let no portion of Scripture be lightly regarded by us Wee know the way to heaven better than they did therefore wee should walke more carefully and conscionably in it then they did our Lord and Saviour our Head and Husband Christ Iesus is gone into heaven to prepare a place for us blessed are the eyes that see which we see Therefore if we tread not in this way but rather take the way to hell our condemnation shall bee the greater at the latter day As God in mercy hath opened the way to heaven more cleerly to us then to them So let us be carefull to take this way to the everlasting joy and comfort of us all VERSE 9. THis signification hee doth further prosecute 1. Shewing the use of that Tabernacle 2. The inabilitie of the service of it For the use it was a figure a parable Which signifies both a dark speech Mat. 13.10 and a figurative speech a similitude or likenes Take a similitude from the fig-tree that tabernacle was a similitude of a more excellent tabernacle to come namely of the body of Christ V. 11. that is illustrated by the time and the manner It was to bee a similitude but for the time present during the ceremoniall Law till the fulnes of time came that Christ shold come and be made of a woman The manner how it did prefigurate Christ by certaine gifts and sacrifices that were then offered Which were only figurativa not exhibitiva they did only figure out Christ by whom we are made holy and perfect but they could not make us holy Concerning the flesh and the outward man they might purifie them but they could not purifie the soule and conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the which time Are offered Peradventure that Temple stood when he wrote this Epistle therefore hee uses the present tense or hee speakes according to the custome of the time when they were used Make holy or perfect the word signifies both Him that worshipped God by them that by them performed divine service to God Hebr. 7.19 These did only point at Christ by whom we are made holy and perfect justified and sanctified by him so as our consciences be at peace with God Hebr. 10.2 by the meere offering up of a Calfe a Lamb c. Their consciences could not bee freed from the guilt and punishment of sin our consciences are pacified only by the sacrifice of Christ on the Crosse applyed to us by faith which was prefigured by those sacrificers Rom. 5.1 Conscience is a register that keeperh a note of all our sins Some times he may be a sleepe and say nothing but at one time or other he will awake and bring all our sins to our remembrance then what shall we doe whither shall we flie Where shall we find comfort As the sacrifices in the time of the Law could not pacifie the conscience So it is not the hearing of a thousand masses the going in Pilgrimage to the holy land it is not the building of Churches the giving of almes though these be excellent things if they flow from a true faith it is not the cogitation of our workes simply in themselves without Christ Iesus that can quiet our consciences Saint Paul in this sense disclaimed his workes I desire to be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith It is only Christ Iesus and the application of his sacrifice to us by a lively faith that can secure our consciences and stay the rage of them being justified by faith wee have peace with God the bloud of Christ purgeth us from all sinne Therefore let us entreat the Lord to assure our consciences upon good grounds that Christ is ours that hee hath dyed for all our sinnes and that his righteousnesse is ours then shall we have comfort of conscience in all calamities yea in death it selfe in this present life and shall triumph with Christ in the life to come VERSE 10. THat they could not purge the Conscience he evinceth by the nature and quality of them No carnall fleshly or outward thing can cleanse the heart or conscience these are only Carnall rites and outward ceremonies a carnall commandement Hebr. 7.16 consisting of meates drinkes c. therefore they cannot pacifie the conscience that is only the bloud of Christ that purgeth us from all sin These are illustrated by the time of their continuance Imposed as an heavy loade and importable burthen Act. 15.10 whereof we are now eased by Christ. There is some question about the grammaticall construction because the participle is of the accusative case plurall and
Iesus Christ. What a singular prerogative is this that we which are but dust and ashes should have an entrance yea a bold entrance into heaven None that wore sackcloth might enter into Ahasuerus pallace though we be never so poorely attyred so as we believe in Christ we may enter into the pallace of heaven Every one may not enter into the Kings Privie Chamber none but great states and those admitted by the Groomes and Gentlemen of the Chamber all of us that are engraffed into CHRIST may goe boldly into the Privy Chamber of the King of Kings David said of the kingdome of Iudea what am I and what is my fathers house that he hath brought me hitherto So we may say what are we or what were our fathers that we should come into the holy place of heaven By prayer we may be bold to enter into it in this life and if we send up any prayers to heaven let us doe it boldly in the name and mediation of Iesus Christ. At our dying day our soules may boldly enter into heaven there will be none to stay them If one offer but to goe into the Chamber of presence some of the guard will be ready to put us back but here the Angels Gods guard in heaven will be ready to receive us and to carry us into heaven as they did Lazarus At the day of judgement we may be bold to enter in soule and body because CHRIST will meete us in the ayre and translate us into it with himselfe Therefore let us magnifie God for this our sweete and comfortable entrance and that with boldnesse into the holy place of heaven 2. By whom or by what meanes have we an entrance into heaven Not by the bloud of Thomas of Peter of all the Martyrs in the world put together not by any inherent righteousnesse that is in our soules not by the merit and dignity of our prayers fastings almes deeds and other workes but by the bloud of Iesus alone If CHRIST had not shed his bloud for us we could never have entred into heaven O the wonderfull love of the Lord Iesus Let this constraine us to love him againe to count nothing too deare for him no not our owne bloud if he will have it for the confirmation of his truth and Gospell 3. Here wee see that Heaven is an holy place they that bee unholy cannot enter into it dogges enchanters c. are without We are all by nature unholy such were some of you 1 Cor. 6. c. Therefore let us entreat the LORD to make us holy in some measure in this life that wee may enter into this holy Hierusalem in the life to come VERSE 20. SOme might say thou speakest of our entrance into heaven but which is the way that leadeth to it Hee that goes to London must goe by a way and there must bee a way to carry us to heaven That he pointeth out with the finger this way is the sacred and undefiled flesh of our Saviour Christ wherein he payd the price of our redemption Which is here resembled to a vaile His flesh is called a vaile sayes Gorrhan quia sub velamine specierum sumitur in viaticum The High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies by a vaile and so by the flesh of CHRIST wee goe to heaven As the vaile covered the mysteries that were in the Holy of Holies and hid them from the people so the flesh and humanity of our Saviour Christ covered his deity in that his deity was hid and concealed from the world though it was manifested by his workes speeches and actions This was for the qualities 1. A new way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occido that which is newly killed It fittly agreeth to the flesh or body of our SAVIOUR CHRIST that was lately killed for our sinnes But it is put for any new thing whatsoever as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new opinion It is not called a new way because it was now newly found out never heard of or knowne before for Abraham saw this way a great while agoe and went into heaven by it So did all the faithfull in the time of the Law But it is called a new way because it was now newly manifested to the world being before obscured under types and figures 2. New things retaine their vigour and strength whereas old things wither away This is alwayes a fresh and a new way the power thereof shall never bee dryed up 3. New things are acceptable to men a new Preacher shall be heard more attentively then an old this is a new way therefore let it be welcome to us all 4. It may be termed a new way because none but they that be new men new creatures in Christ Iesus can tread in this way A living way It is improperly adscribed to a way yet it is emphaticall 1. So called because it is opposed to the dead way in the time of the Law There the High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies by the bloud of beasts that were dead when they were sacrificed our Saviour Christ was sacrificed alive 2. This way is ever living and remaining for men to enter into heaven by Some wayes dye and cannot be seene this way lives to be seene of all the faithfull to the worlds end 3. It leadeth to life therefore it may be termed a living way 4. They that take this way shall live for ever So Christ is called living water Ioh. 4. This way hath Christ dedicated for us hee hath gone it in his owne person that wee may bee bold to follow him in it Ioh. 14.2 All Antisthenes Schollers had new bookes pens writing tables and here is a new way for all Christ's Disciples He hath renewed it againe that is the force of the word It was in the time of the Law and the Fathers trode in it but it was renewed by Christ at his death The Iesuites gather from hence that none went this way before Christ. But when the Temple was dedicated it was before So this way now dedicated by our Saviour Christ was before though not so conspicuous as it is now CHRIST alone is the way to heaven I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me Then in what a wofull case are they that be out of this way Turkes Iewes and all that professe the name of Christ but blaspheme it Surely they must needs be in the high way to Hell Yea and also a number besides that will have Christ to be but the halfe way to heaven He is one part of the way and their workes are the other part A way is for men to walke in so in Christ and by Christ we must walke to the heavenly Hierusalem Let us keepe this way with all diligence that we may get to heaven VERSE 21. I But this is a thorny and rugged way full of many dangers how
Sea insomuch as the Psalmist exclameth how great is thy goodnes ô Lord which thou even then preparedst for the sons of men He prepares for us the foules of heaven fishes of the Sea beasts of the field to be our nourishment but of all preparations this is the greatest he prepared for us a City a most glorious Citty All the Cities in the world are not worthy to be named the same day with this thieves may breake into these Citties so cannot they into that These may be sacked by enemies so cannot that These Citties shall be burnt at the day of Iudgment this abides ever these need the Sun by day and Moone by night this needes none of them for it is enlightned with the glory of the Lamb. In these there is good and bad there none but good the spirits of just and perfect men In these there is sometimes dancing sometimes weeping there is no weeping at all but continuall singing to GOD Almighty these Cities may be famished so cannot that we shall eate of the hidden Manna and of the tree of life in the Paradise of God for ever Here our fellow Cittizens are men and sinfull men there we shall be Cittizens with the Angels here Cittizens have their Gownes whereby they are knowne which at length are moath eaten and come to nothing there wee shall be cloathed with the white robe of immortality that lasteth for ever In these Citties some are rulers some ruled there wee shall all be Kings and reigne with CHRIST for ever These Citties are made by Carpenters and Masons this by God O admirable City Let our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee in it in this life that we may be taken up into it and remaine in it for ever in the life to come Yet this City is little regarded If Yorke Norwich London were ours we would thinke our selves happy men yet we count the preparation of this City nothing Ye talke of a City to come I would I were Lord of one Towne here take thou that City Many a prophane Esau is ready to say so but let us be thankefull to God for this City Hebrewes 11.17.18 19. WE have here a Catalogue of famous Christians in the Old Testament wherof some were before the floud others after as Abraham with whom having begun now he addes and concludes of him in these Verses Wherein we have a tragedy and a comedy a tragedie in a fathers oblation of his Sonne a comedie in the unexpected restitution of his Son to him 19. a sorrowfull tragedie in his going a joyfull comedy in his teturning Touching the former 1. An admirable worke performed by Abraham 2. The motive that set him on worke his stedfast faith in the resurrection Verse 19. In the work the author of it and the exquutioner of it VERSE 17. THe author of it was God that tried him Man tryes the Devill tries and God tries homo tentat ut cognoseat man tries to know what is in another Tentare à teneo wee try that we may quasi manu tenere hold as it were with the hand and have a certaine knowledge of him whom we try As the Queene of Shebah hearing of the fame of Salomon went to try him with hard questions 1 Reg. 10.1 Diabolus tentat ut decipiat to coozen us and to destroy us So the Serpent tempted our great Grandmother Eve and beguiled her Deus tentat ut quis sit homo hominibus innotescat that what is in man may be made manifest unto men hee tryed Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Chrysost. not to learne more than he knew before but to demonstrate the excellent graces that were in Abraham the world how he preferred God before all things even before his onely Sonne Thus CHRIST tempted Philip about the loaves Ioh. 6.6 God knew what was in Abraham but hee tryed him to make others know whereas Gen. 22.12 he speakes it after the manner of men When a man hath tryed the fidelity of his friend he sayes now I know thou lovest me so God applying himselfe to our capacity having tryed Abraham sayes now I know yet no accesse of knowledge to GOD hee knew what was in him before An admirable tryall a wind that might shake the strongest Cedar in Lebanon yee may take a view of it Gen. 22.2 Every word is very emphaticall 1. He doth not say send him by another but take him thy selfe carry this innocent Lamb to the slaughter house thy selfe 2. Not five or sixe yeeres hence but now presently without delay 3. Not thy servant but thy Sonne Tully tooke heavily the death of his servant how might Abraham take the death of his Sonne 4. Not one of many but thine only Sonne though thou hast no more but he take him kill him 5. Hee names him I doe not meane Ismael though thou art loath to part with him but Isaac 6. Whom thou lovest so deerely so tenderly all thy love is contracted into him thou hast no other to love 7. To the land of Moriah which is a great way off three dayes journey Oh what thoughts did trouble him all that while 8. When he comes there he doth not say hang him on a tree drowne him which had beene intollerable for a father to doe but burne him which is the sharpest death of all offer him up for a burnt offering to me 9. Consider the conference that was betweene him and Isaac in the way which might strike Abraham to the heart Father here is fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt offering alas my Son said Abraham in his heart though hee spake it not with his tongue thou must bee the burnt offering no doubt but the teares went trickling downe his cheekes Oh how wonderfully was he tryed all these were as so many daggers held at his heart 10. Besides all these the Hebrewes report that the Devill appeared to him in the shape of a good Angell and disswaded him from the offering of his Son telling him it was a most monstrous and unnaturall fact greatly displeasing to GOD Almighty No doubt but the Devill was busie with him to withdraw him from Obedience to GOD but that of his apparition is a feyned fable That we see how this holy man was tryed he was tryed indeed to the utmost a wonder he did proceed to the action Thus it pleaseth God to trye his Children A Gold-Smith tries his gold by casting it into the fire and Saint Peter calls it the fiery tryall A Captaine tryes his Souldiers before he brings them into the field One friend tryes another and God in love and wisedome tries us all how we are affected to him he sent false Prophets and dreamers of dreames to try the Israelites whether they would cleave to him with all their hearts and soules or not Deut. 13.3 hee tryed David by Shimei that rayled on him and hurled stones at him being a King A great indignity for a King to beare he tryed Ioseph with sore
Children losse of goods and of life for the unspeakeable joy set before us Such joyes as neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither ever entred into the heart of man to conceive Here our Saviour walked from towne to towne preaching and working miracles he sate weary on the well of Samaria but now he sits at the right hand of God Which is a signe of rest and of his Majesty Iudges sit Kings sit And wee shall one day sit in heaven with him that where I am they also may be Ioh. 17.24 We shall be in the same pallace of heaven with him though not at the right hand of God with him The Noble men and Courtiers are in the Court though they bee not so neere the King as the Kings Son is we shall be with the Lamb arayed in white robes having palmes in our hands and Crownes on our heads c. Christ endured much sorrow but now he hath much glory so shall it be with us ye heard of the patience of Iob and what end the Lord made Affliction is sowre but the end is sweete we have a tragedy in this world but wee shall have a Comedy in the world to come Therefore let us run with patience and joy There be two races the Devills and Gods as there be two wayes the broad and narrow if we run the devils race in pride covetousnesse drunkennes uncleannesse the end of it will be wofull wee shall bee tormented with the Devill and his Angels for ever but if we run the race of God looking to Iesus the author and finisher of our faith the end shall be glorious and comfortable Therefore let us all runne this race VERSE 3. NOw followes the applying of the example Where 1. What we are to consider in Christ. 2. To what end the matter of the consideration and the end The thing to bee considered in Christ is his patient bearing of evill tongues Where 1. His fortitude in bearing 2. What it was 3. How great 4. Of whom 5. Against whom Consider him I need not name him he hath beene pointed out to you with the finger already He might have called for fire from heaven to consume them hee might have had many legions of Angels to destroy them hee might have made their tongues to rot or swell in their heads while they were a speaking yet he endured them and went away Such Yours is nothing to it such an unmatchable contradiction the like is not to be found in the world againe Such contradiction in word and deed too Luk. 2.34 Acts 28.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against himselfe The end least yee bee wearyed as travellours in their journey And faynt and loosed in your mindes as they be whose joynts are loosed and so fall downe Never was there any so ill spoken of so much spoken against that so little deserved it as our Saviour Christ. Such as never was heard of neither can enter into the heart of man no griefe is like to my griefe sayes the Church Lam. 1.12 So no contradiction is like to Christs contradiction 1. If wee respect the opprobrious speeches wherewith they laded him all that could be devised they upbraided him with his Father a Carpenter by his brethren and sisters by his Country a Galilean no good thing can come out of it never a good bird in that nest That was one of the least they cast aspersions on his life a bibber of wine a friend of Publicans and sinners a Samaritane one that had a Divell a Magitian that wrought by the Devill a coosener a deceiver Matth. 27.63 a seditious man a perverter of the people a rebell that denyed to pay tribute to Caesar a mad man Mark 3.21 a Sabbath breaker because he healed on the Sabbath day a blasphemer that intituled himselfe the Son of God All that could be imagined Luk. 2.34 2. If wee respect the manner how they reviled him with mockes taunts nodding of the head spitting on him They blindfolded him they smote him and then they said prophesie ô Christ who it is that smiteth thee The manner was most ignominious 3. If we respect the generality of the persons that spake against him All of all degrees did whet their tongues against him Herod Pilat the Pharisees the Sadduces the rulers of the Church his kinsemen Ioh. 7.3 The Thieves that were crucified with him both at the first though one repented the Souldiers the skumme of the Country The whole people cryed with one voyce away with him no King but Caesar. 4. What was hee against whom they threw the dirt of these vile and malignant speeches Separate from sinners in whom the most sharpe sighted Eagle of them all could not finde one spot of sinne Which of you can rebuke mee of sinne Hee did good to the whole Country healed all diseases for nothing hee preached the glad tydings of the Gospell yet thus they rewarded him He is the Butt at which they shoote their poysonfull arrowes Consider him David is worthy the considering how patiently did hee beate Shimei hee shewed himselfe more valiant in that sayes St. Chrysostome then in cutting off Goliahs Head But that is nothing to this he bore one Shimei Christ bore many Shimeis David was a sinner Christ was none yet he endured the speaking against of sinners Let us consider him Let him be in the mindes and memories of us all when wee are ill spoken of let us consider Christ. It was hard to be endured yet he endured it Neither was it patience perforce he might have curbed them if he had listed he might have caused their tongues to have beene eaten up with wormes as Nestorius was Hee might have made them to drop out of their heads hee might have called for a thunderbolt from heaven to strike them starke dead he could have made the earth to have opened her mouth and swallowed them up quicke as he did Core that spake against Moses yet he would not he endured all We thinke much to bee ill spoken of and I pray you what are we in comparison of Christ Was the Creator ill spoken of and shall the Creatures stomacke it did the Potter endure ill speeches and shall not the Pots did hee that knew no sinne and shall not we that are full of sinne did the LORD and Master and shall not wee the servants What are wee greater than Christ my Lord Ioab said Vriah lyes abroad in the field and shall I goe to my house So the Lord Christ passed the pikes of ill tongues and shall we think to be freed from them There bee three things that may comfort us against evill tongues 1. The consideration of Gods providence in all things God carries a stroake in it It is the Lord said Eli let him doe what seemeth him good It may bee God hath bidden him to curse David said that regall Prophet that stayed his hand their tongues move against us but it may bee God moves us or suffers it so to be
shew thy dislike of that But we are so far from being at peace with all as that wee are not at peace with our neighbours with them that dwell in the same towne and professe the same Religion with us there is heart burning envy and malice strifes and contentions even among us nay some are so farre from being at peace with all men as that they are at peace with no man like Ishmael whose hand was against every man Wee are so farre from following of peace that wee will not accept of it when it is offered They seeke peace and we refuse it Such is our folly wee had rather be following the Lawyers to our cost and smart then to follow peace home to prevent Law Let us all bee followers of peace let us follow it let us seeke it by all meanes possible The hunter followes the deere though it run away so let us doe peace and lay hold on her whether shee will or no. Peace is a singular thing God is stiled the God of peace he is not called the God of faith c. 2. Mat. 5.9 he doth not say blessed are they that can talke gloriously of religion but blessed are the peace makers Why for they shall be called the Children of God They that be at peace are Gods Children they that live in strifes and contention are the Devils Children The envious man sowed tares hee it is that soweth the tares of discord and dissention 3. Wee are members one of another and shall we be at warre Ioseph would not have his brethren to fall out by the way We are brethren and have one elder brother which is Iesus Christ shall we fall out one with another and that upon every trifling occasion It is a wonder to see what jarres there are betweene the professours of the Gospell betweene neighbour and neighbour scant two in a towne that love heartily and sincerely There be two especiall things that hinder peace pride and covetousnesse Prov. 13.10 Pride is the Nurse of contention There is I proud and Thou proud I stout and Thou stout none will bend none will yeeld as Abraham did though he were better than us every kinde of way The second is Covetousnesse We are so much wedded to the world the valour of an halfe penny will make us to contend Why rather suffer yee not wrong If every man were content to put up a little wrong what peace would there be in the Towne how should it flourish to the credit of the Gospell and comfort of us all The second vertue is holinesse It might be objected if we follow peace with all men then we must bid holinesse adieu For some will not be at peace with us if we be holy I but if peace cannot be joyned with holinesse away with it doe not so follow peace as that ye should let holinesse goe Above all things lay hold on holinesse Apoc. 1.7 They shall see him when he comes to judgement but they shall not see him in his kingdome Or if they see him it shall be afar off as the rich man in hell saw Lazarus they shall not be partakers of his joy and glory Without learning without variety of tongues without riches honour beauty men may see the Lord but without holinesse none shall see him By nature we are all unholy comming of unholy parents borne and conceived in sin but we must be holy before we can goe to Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 Be ye holy as I am holy The kingdome of heaven is called the holy Ierusalem No uncleane or unholy thing can enter into it The Angels for their unholinesse were cast out of Heaven and shall we thinke that GOD will take unholy men into heaven A great number scoffe at holinesse O yonder goes an holy man Indeed if he be a whited Tombe and a painted Sepulchre whose holinesse for the most part consisteth in the laying open the unholinesse of others he is worthy to be despised But except we be all holy we shall never see heaven Let us be holy first in heart then in our eyes tongues hands feet and all the members of our body being truly holy we shall see the Lord to our eternall comfort Perfectly holy we cannot be in this world there will alwayes be some drosse cleaving to the best golden Candlesticke but let us be sincerely holy and we shall triumph with Christ for ever VERSE 15. THese two are particularly unfolded 1. Peace then holinesse Verse 16. For the preservation of peace they must take heed there be no Apostats nor backsliders among them Apostasie from true religion will breake the bond of Christian peace 1 A Caveat for the performing of it 2. A meanes for the fulfilling of it Watching one over another playing the Bishops and Overseers one of another Not 1 Pet. 4.15 busie-bodies in other mens matters Not onely that your selves fall not away but as much as lyeth in you that there be not one Apostata in the whole Church It is a metaphor from Travellours that lagge behinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Chrysostome By the grace of God in this place is not meant the everlasting love and favour of GOD but the Doctrine of the Gospell which he of his grace and goodnesse offereth to us 2 Cor. 6.1 Let none revolt from the truth of the Gospell but Continue in the grace of GOD. As a remedy for the effecting of it let no root of bitternesse c. Deut. 29.18 Any bitter root of Heresie of false and erroneous Doctrine as appeareth in Deut. Besides that any bitter rootes of malice and envie pride and ambition covetousnesse c. All these will breed strifes and quarrells among you therefore let them not spring up beate them downe so soone as they arise He perswades them to keepe them from springing up by two pernicious effects the one hath relation to themselves the other to others Trouble you as a multitude running upon you And by this meanes many shall be defiled for whose perdition you must answer One scabbed Sheepe infects an whole flocke 2 Tim. 2.17 1 Cor. 5.6 Iudas having fallen away from Christ came howling to the Pharisees and said I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud What is that to us say they looke thou to that So though some round about us fall from the Gospell to Popery Atheisme Brownisme it never toucheth us we are ready to say What is that to us am I my brothers keeper I verily according to our place and ability Let every one of us in that place wherin God hath set us take heed that no man fall away from the grace of God Let us all as much as lyes in us keepe them from falling especially let Pastors looke to their sheepe and Householders to them of their owne houses If a fayre and beautifull Apple fall from thy Tree thou art somewhat grieved at it and shall it not grieve us to see Trees fall out of Gods Orchard Sinne as ye see is a
If Moses quake how shall Ahab quake if St. Peter how shall Iudas Let us labour before hand to bee reconciled to GOD by IESUS CHRIST that wee may stand without trembling before the Son of man Yee see their condition in the time of the Law there was blacknesse and darkenesse all things were then obscure We have the cleere light and bright Sunne shine of the Gospell All things were terrible to them all things are comfortable to us God the Father speakes to us sweetly from heaven this is my beloved Sonne heare him They could not abide the voice of God it sounded with such terrour in heir eares GOD the Sonne speaketh amiably to us come to mee all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest therefore f much holinesse were required of them how much more of us At the delivery of the Law they were to sanctifie themselves from the highest to the lowest they were to wash their garments they might not come at their Wives all the while then how holy ought wee to bee with whom GOD deales so lovingly in the time of the Gospell If a servant that hath a sower Master that lookes fiercely on him and speakes angerly must obey how much more obedient ought hee to bee that hath a kind and loving Master that lookes on him alwayes with a cheerefull countenance and speakes friendly to him God in the time of the Law was terrible master hee is most kinde to us now in Christ Iesus Therefore let us serve him with all cheerefulnesse We have had a view of the terrible estate of the Church in the time of the Law Now let us see the comfortable estate of the Church whereunto we are come in the time of the Gospell What Saint Basil speakes of the Scripture in generall may be avouched of this in speciall Hexam Hom. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERSE 22. THe estate of the Church in the time of the Gospell is set forth 1. By a narration of the places to the which we are come 2. By an enumeration of the persons to whom we are come The places are two one a Mountaine the other a City Every word is to bee observed We must not pretermit the adversative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but. Yee have heard how it was with them they were in a pittifull case nothing but feare and terrour it is otherwise with you the case is altered with you You are in a more blessed condition illi procul stabant they stood afarre of they might not touch the bottome of the Mount if a beast touched it he dyed for it Vos prope est is you are come neere Not to Mount Sinai full of smoake blacknesse darkenesse and tempest but to Mount Sion a sweet and amiable Mount Sion speculatio dei as Gregory doth interpret it Moral l. 33. c. 1. GOD is to bee seene by manifest tokens in the Church contemplatio Dei nos fortes reddit The contemplation of God in Christ Iesus infuseth courage into us all it makes us more strong and valiant Thus God hath beene more gracious to you if yee can make a good use of it The Church is resembled to a Mountaine not to a valley 1. Propter altitudinem for the height of it a Mountaine is higher than the ordinary earth the Church is high it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above Gal. 4.26 and they that be of the Church must carry high and regall mindes they must not bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10. not Crowes that hover below on the earth but Eagles that Mount up into heaven Whereupon Saint Hierome Epist. 17. hath a witty observation of the blessed Virgin Mary When she saw her wombe to be domum Dei the house of the Son of God relictis campestribus ad montana perrexit leaving the low Champion Countries she went up into the hill Country Luk. 1.39 So after we begin to beare Christ in the wombe of our soules by faith we must leave earth and mount up in our affections into heaven wee must seeke the things that be above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 2. The Church is compared to a Mountaine propter securitatem for the security of it A City seated on an high Mountaine furnished with munition and victualls within it selfe strongly fenced against blustering windes and stormy tempests cannot easily be overcome no more can the Church the gates of hell may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valere avayle for a time but they cannot praevalere 3. Propter ascendendi difficultatem for the difficulty of ascending to it A man may not goe up an high hill but it must cost him paines sweat and labour so it is a laborious thing to get to heaven Labour for the meat that endureth to life everlasting strive to enter in at the strait gate if by any meanes sayes S. Paul I may attaine to the resurrection of the just 4 Propter immobilitatem for the immobility of it mons à movendo by Antiphrasis quia minimè movet The Church is as Mount Sion that standeth fast for ever and cannot be removed Happy are they that be of the Church When S. Peter was on Mount Tabor where he saw but a glimmering of the joyes of heaven he was so ravished with it that he cryed out Master it is good for us to bee here let us here make our Tabernacles That was unadvisedly said of him But let us all be earnest suitors to GOD Almighty that wee may make our Tabernacles in Mount Sion for ever and ever The second place unto which wee are come in the time of the Gospell is a Citie The Church in the time of the Law was in the wildernesse now it is a Citie and that a most worthy and famous Citie Where is to be considered 1. Cujus sit civitas whose Citie it is 2. Quae qualisue sit what Citie it is It is the Citie not of a Man but of God Rome was Romulus's Citie Philippi was Philips Citie Alexandria was Alexanders Citie Constantinople was Constantin's Citie but this is GOD's Citie Not the Citie of a dead and forged God of Iupiter Apollo Mars Mercurie but the Citie of the living God Therefore as he never dyes but lives for ever so that Citie shall abide for ever And if ye will needs know what Citie it is not to hold you in suspence it is Ierusalem Visio pacis the vision of peace Here is all peace no warre in this Citie Not earthly Ierusalem which was a renowned Citie in her time but Heavenly Ierusalem the Mother of us all Theodosius the Emperour was wont to say Solus Ambrosius dignus Episcopi nomine Only Ambrose is worthy of the name of a Bishop We may better say Solum Coelum dignum civitatis nomine only Heaven is worthy the name of a Citie These Cities may be overturned by earthquakes Simeon a little
that comforts us with the promises of the Gospell Therefore our righteousnesse should exceed theirs I beseech you by the mercies of God sayes S. Paul not by the terrours of GOD. Gods mercies have beene wonderfull therefore let us serve him more cheerfully than they have done the love of Christ ought to constraine us As he hath died for our sins and shed his bloud for them so let us dye to them continually Let us serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life that when this life is ended wee may raigne with Christ for ever They had short winter dayes that were full of shadowes we have summer dayes the Son of righteousnesse shineth forth brightly to us they had the bloud of Goats Lambes Calves Oxen as a representation of the bloud of Christ we have Christs bloud actually shed on the Crosse for us they saw Christ afar off Your Father Abraham saw my day and was glad we see him already offered on the Altar of the Crosse for our sinnes and crucified before our eyes in the preaching of the Gospell Happy are the eyes that see that which we see Many Kings and Prophets desired to see them and could not Let us walke worthy of this kindnesse of the Lord. Now followes the use we are to make of it which is double the one negative that we despise not our Saviour Christ the Mediator of the New Testament the other affirmative that we serve and honour him Vers. 28. He disswades us from despising him by two arguments the one from the worthinesse of the person 25. the other from the dignity of the Gospell the thing it selfe VERSE 25. FOr the caveat hee doth not simply say despise him not but with a watch-word looke to it the danger is great if ye doe Christ is despised two kinde of wayes openly and secretly openly by refusing to heare him at all as they in the Gospell wee will not have this man to raigne over us How often would I have gathered you together and ye would not some will not come to Church to heare CHRIST they had rather heare a Fidler than heare a Preacher 2 When as men heare yet contemptuously as the Pharisees did Luke 16.14 these are open despisers of Christs speaking The other are close and secret despisers They doe not peremptorily say they will not come but they make excuses for not comming I have bought a yoke of Oxen sayes one a Farme sayes another I have burling in hand spinning in hand I have a journey to take on that day I cannot come This is a despising of Christ speaking as the word importeth The other secret despisers are carelesse and negligent hearers we will give him the hearing but if we were out of the Church we would not thinke of it againe They looke themselves in the glasse of the Word see many spots but have no care to wipe them away This is a kinde of despising the voice of Christ and it shall be required at our hands despise not him that speaketh any kinde of way but heare him with all reverence He is worth the hearing 1 He speakes vera nothing but the truth for he is the Truth it selfe 2 Suavia that which is sweet and comfortable to us all sweeter than the honey or the honey combe Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden I will give you rest 3 Vtilia that which is profitable he tels us of a Kingdome prepared for us 4 Manifesta he speakes plainely evidenter that any may understand him there be no aenigmata no riddles in his speech 5 Efficacia he speakes efficaciter powerfully with authority never did any man speake as he doth 6 Sublimia heavenly things therefore despise not him that speaketh but receive the honey drops of his speeches to the joy and comfort of you all Why what though we despise him the matter is not great yes there is great danger in it If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth namely Moses yet tanquam ex divino Oraculo which revealed the Oracles of God to them on the earth They that rejected him were severely punished The man that with an high hand gathered sticks on the Sabbath-day contrary to the Law of Moses was stoned Corah Dathan and Abiram that murmured against him were swallowed up by the earth they that tooke their parts were destroyed Num. 16.49 Some vengeance or other wil light on us if we turne him away and refuse him that speaketh from Heaven But how doth Christ now speake from heaven Surely by the mouthes of his Embassadours he that heareth you heareth me Will ye have an experiment of Christ speaking in me When a learned Ezra standeth up in the Pulpit to speake to the people Christ speaketh The wicked will reply on Christ at the day of judgement and say Lord when saw wee thee hungry and gave thee no meat So some will say O if we might heare Christ speaking from heaven we will sit with reverence and heare attentively When any of his Stewards and Ministers speake He speaketh therefore beware how ye despise him that Moses's ministery and shall they escape that despise Christs ministery Many heavie judgements will light upon the contemners of Gods Word Manasseh though a King was carried into captivity for it Pelatiah died Ierusalem that would not heare Christ when he clocked to her as a loving Hen heard the cry of the Romanes to their destruction If we at this day turne away our eares from hearing Christ speaking to us from heaven the sword of the enemie famine pestilence tedious Agewes not heard of before some plague or other will fall on us If they escaped not that despised Moses shall they escape that despise Christ speaking from heaven VERSE 26. THE second reason is taken from the dignity of the Gospell Then at the delivery of the Law The voice of God did but shake the earth Exod. 19.18 Now at the exhibition of the Gospell It shooke earth and heaven too The which he proveth out of Hagge where we have 1. an Allegation of the Text then a Commentary on the Text. The people mourned that the second Temple was not so glorious as the first GOD comforts them promising to make it more glorious not in sumptuous building but by the comming of the Messiah into it Before he did shake but the earth when the Law was given now he will shake heaven and earth heaven and earth was moved with the comming of Christ when he was borne Herod and all Ierusalem was shaken Wise-men directed by a Starre came out of the East to worship him At the Passion of Christ the earth shooke the graves opened many dead Saints came out and appeared Heaven also was shaken at his comming the Angels in great multitudes came from heaven and sung for joy at his comming the voice of the Father was heard from heaven at his Baptisme This is my beloved Son c. At the passion of
and Alypius writ Domum vestram non parvam Christi ecclesiam deputamus We account your house no small Church of Christ Eusebius reports of Constantine that he had in his Pallace the forme of a Church singing of Psalmes and himselfe would begin the Psalme reading of Scripture prayers Oh that all Christian families were like to these Saint Bernard findes fault with Eugerius that the lawes of Iustinian made a greater noise in his Pallace then the lawes of GOD. Suffer no unchastitie no indecencie to reside in the countenance in the habite in the gate of those that be about thee Inter mitratos discurrere calamistratos non decet it is not comely to see uncomely heads among them that weare miters upon their heads Catharinus being himselfe a Bishop is not afraid to say that Philemon vir saecularis a secular man shall rise up in judgement against us the Prelates of the Church who had turned his house into a Church A worthie patterne for all to imitate There is much crying for reformation let every man reforme himselfe and every house-holder his familie then soone would there be an happie reformation in Church and Common-wealth We have had the persons in the salutation there remaines now the matter of it which conteines in it three things Donum datorem mediatorem the gift the giver the Mediatour The gift is double primum ultimum the first which is grace the last which is peace the one is causa fons bonorum the cause and fountaine of all good things the other finis perfectio bonorum the end and perfection of them all Grace first the undeserved love and favour of God By nature we are out of favour with him the children of wrath All have sinned and all stand in need of the favour of God It is a sweet thing to have the favour of Princes yet that is mutable Mephibosheth had Davids favour but he was wounde out of favour Athanasius had the favour of Constantine but he lost it 1. God is immutable not so much as a shadow of turning in him 2. They can pleasure us but with fading things God with durable 3. They dye God lives for ever 4. They can doe us no pleasure when we be dead God can for all live to him he can raise us up againe and set us in heavenly places with Christ let us all sue for his favour The next is peace flowing from the other 1. All kinde of prosperitie especially the peace of Conscience that surpasseth all There is the worlds peace that worldlings have their eyes sticke out by reason of fatnesse they are not in trouble as other men they have more than heart can wish they dye and that peace dyes with them There is CHRISTS peace being justified by faith wee have peace with God through IESUS CHRIST our LORD That is the comfortable peace indeede Is it peace Iehu said Iehoram What peace when as the Witchcrafts and Adulteries of thy Mother Iezebel are yet in great number What peace can a man have when as his sinnes boxe him continually and will not suffer him to bee quiet As the Ghost of NERO his Mother tormented him There is no peace saith God to the wicked he is like the raging Sea foaming out dirt and mire When Herod entended to make Warre with them of Tyrus and Sydon they sued for peace by Blastus his Chamberlaine God Almighty intends to make Warre against us for our sinnes let us sue to him for peace by Christ Iesus who by the bloud of his Crosse hath set at peace all things in heaven and earth Augustus Caesar wished three things to his Son the favour of Pompey the boldnesse of Alexander and his owne fortune Let us wish these two things to all that wee love grace and peace From whom From GOD our Father All the Persons in the Trinitie are our father CHRIST is the everlasting Father the Holy Ghost is our Father I will not leave you Orphans fatherlesse the comforter shall be a father to you They may all be here comprehended Vbi una persona Trinitatis auditur ibi tota Trinitas intelligitur Every good gift and perfect thing commeth from above even from the Father of light from him comes grace peace and all other good things let us all put up our supplications to him By whom He is described three wayes à Dignitate à Charitate à Sanctitate For his dignitie he is the Lord for his love he is IESUS and a Saviour for his Sanctitie he is Christ the anoynted above all CHRIST is the Conduct pipe whereby all blessings are conveyed to us he is the heyre of all we Coheyres by him hee is primarily beloved we secondarily in him and for him As the oyntment powred on Aarons head went downe to his beard and the skirts of his garment So the oyle of gladnesse powred on Christ our head came downe from him to us all we have nothing without him he is to be magnified for all Saint Paul in this inscription hath broached a great deale of Christian eloquence for Onesimus every word is an oratour to plead for him 1. The name of Paul which was renowmed among all 2. The estate of Paul a Prisoner and that of Iesus Christ he may not stop his eares against the crie of such a prisoner 3. Not hee alone but Timothie too Et vis unita fortior 4. Hee is his dearely beloved he may not deny him that loves him so dearely 5. He is his fellow labourer and he must give him leave to labour with him in this businesse 6. Hee puts in the Woman too this night-raven even in bed may sing a sweet note for Onesimus 7. Archippus being appointed their Pastour cannot easily be rejected 8. The whole household will speake a good word for their old fellow servant 9. The name of grace must needs make him to deale graciously with Onesimus Philemon had the forgivenesse of his sins by the grace of God that must induce him to forgive his servant as God of his meere grace and mercy had forgiven him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitate thy heavenly Master in this it is Chrysostomes observation VERSE 4. Wee have dwelt something long in the porch yet no longer then necessity required let us now enter into the house and come to the substance of the Epistle Where first there is the subject of it secondly the conclusion of it Verse 21. The subject of it is an earnest suit for Onesimus Where 1. There is the foundation whereupon his suit is built 2. The commencing of the suit or supplication to him for Onesimus 3. The foundation is the graces wherewith PHILEMON was beautified they are expressed in a thanksgiving wherein these circumstances are to be considered 1. Cui to whom he gives thankes 2. Quando when he gives thankes 3. Super quo for what hee gives thankes for his love and faith Where
1. A relation of them 2. A communication of them 4. Quare Why he gives thankes because he hath a joyfull experience of them in himselfe He doth not say I commend thee I extoll thee to the skies for this great love thou shewest to the Saints and for the faith thou hast in the LORD IESUS but I thanke GOD for them He is to be praised for all The Oratour would thanke God for honour but himselfe for vertue It was the Donatists song Scientia ex Deo charitas ex nobis knowledge is of GOD love is of our selves Whereas God is to bee blessed for them all for what have wee poore beggars but that which wee have received Eo quisque pessimus quo optimus fi adscribat sibi quòd optimus He that is best is worst if he ascribe his excellencie to himselfe Ioseph indeed saies Augustine found silver in Benjamins sacke but it was of his owne putting in So God findes silver and golden graces in us but he put them in before therefore he is to be thanked for all Homo est exceptorium bonitatis Dei Man is an emptie vessell that receives all which it pleaseth God to powre into it Whose God is he whom he thankes My God What is he Saint Pauls God and not Saint Peters God Yes verily It is not his meaning to monopolize God to himselfe as it is the manner of some to doe God is their God alone they are the Sole children of God all others are reprobates St. Paul was not of such a proud spirit he speakes this Non Deum restringendo sed Deum applicando not restraining God to himselfe but applying God to himselfe Aug. makes a sweete commentary upon it Dicis Deus meus thou sayest my God Securus dicis verum dicis thou speakest it securely thou speakest it truly at non fecisti ut non sit alterius yet thou hast not hereby brought it to passe that he should not be other mens God as well as thine Non enim sic dicis Deus meus quomodo equus meus for thou doest not so say my God as thou doest my horse equus tuus est non alterius he is thy horse and not anothers Deus tuus est alterius he is thy God and anothers too not of the Iewes only but of the Gentiles too yea the God of the whole world The Sunne is ALEXANDERS and Diogenes too But this is the propertie of faith to applie God particularly to our selves My Redeemer liveth sayes Iob there is no peace saith my God to the wicked my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour sayes the Virgin Mary My God and my Lord sayes Saint Thomas I thanke my God sayes Saint Paul which hath loved me and given himselfe for me Meus Iesus sayes Origen my Iesus frequent in his bookes Erasmus reports of Dr. Colet Deane of Saint Pauls that he was often heard to speake these words O Vtinam essem cum meo Christo. The Devill can say God and he trembles at it but he cannot say my God this is proper to the faithfull The Lord is my strength and my salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill he will be my God in life and in death too he will never forsake me till he hath brought me to his everlasting kingdome But where or when did he give thankes for him in his prayers making mention of thee He was not unmindfull of him he did not forget him as Pharaohs butler did Ioseph he remembred him he made mention of him Not now and then but alwayes Where Not in his cups but in prayers There were some in Saint Ambrose time that would make mention of the Emperour in their cups but St. Paul made mention of Philemon in his prayers as he praised God for him so he prayed to God likewise for him The best men cumulated with the greatest graces of the Spirit had need to be prayed for St. Paul was rapt up into the third heavens where he saw secrets not to be uttered yet he desires the Ephesians prayers Saint Peter was a stout champion yet CHRIST prayes that his faith should not faile Philemon abounded in all good gifts of knowledge faith and love yet St. Paul ceased not to pray for him 1. The best of all know but in part believe in part love in part therefore wee had need to pray for them that their defects may be supplied that they may encrease daily more and more 2. Here we are viatores non apprehensores wayfaring men we are not come to our journeyes end therefore wee had need to be prayed for that wee may persevere to the end and have the crowne of life Paul had his prayers So we must all Isaack went into the field to pray and hee prayed oft in his tent too David prayed at all seiles of the day morning evening noone and he prayed in the night too David was encumbred with the weighty affaires of the kingdome yet he prayed thrise a day Cornelius prayers went up into remembrance before God Our Saviour in the dayes of his flesh was full of prayers there was one that payd three hundred prayers to God every day as a daily tribute Constantine was stamped in his coine praying he would especially be marked for that 1. Our necessities are many for soule and body therefore let our prayers bee many We are as houses that stand in continuall need of reparations therefore let us pray to him that made us to repaire us that we may be fit buildings for his Majestie 2. Our enemies are many within and without too Now there is no strength in us against this great multitude let us pray to God to stand by us and for us But let us pray first in faith else we are like the Waves of the Sea and shall obtaine nothing 2. In fervencie remembring the Apostles If dignior sequeture effectus quem ferventior praecedit affectus that prayer shall have the greatest efficacie which hath the greatest fervencie 3. In humility omnis rogatio humilitate eget all requests must be preferred in humility This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him thou prayest and art not heard quia diveses because thou art rich in thy own conceit he sent the rich empty away 4. Pray with importunitie a kinde of godly impudency sayes Nazianzen is to be used in prayer 5. Perseveringly Speciall mention is to be made of some in our prayers 1. Of Kings which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillars of the people they are worth tenne thousand of us therefore let us pray for them nominatim by name Sacrificamus pro salute Imperatoris Deo nostri ipsius sed quomodo pura prece we sacrifice for the safety of the
Emperour to his God and ours But how by pure prayer 2. Of learned and godly Preachers that may winne many thousands to Christ. 3. Of extraordinary common-wealths men 4. Of rare Christians as Philemon was Alexander counted Achilles happie that he had such a trumpetter of his praises as Homer was PHILEMON might count himselfe happie that hee had such a worthie man to pray for him as Saint Paul was KING Abimelech was beholden to Abraham for his prayers and Iobs friends to him for his prayers Constantine thought his pallace strong because it was fenced with the prayers of holy Bishops Let us rejoyce in this that we have Pauls to pray for us VERSE 5. BVt what was the motive of his thanksgiving The excellent graces wherewith GOD had adorned him where there is 1. Fama bonorum the report of them 2. enumeratio bonorum an enumeration of them 3. Objecta eorum the objects of them For the fame or report Saint Paul heard of them an admirable hearing from Phrygia to Rome sayes Chrysostome and Oecumenius There are two things that are wont to be carried in the Wagon of fame bad and good the one swiftly the other slowly the one lamely the other lustily of the one we shall heare all and more than all and scant halfe of the other as it fell out in the Wisedome of Salomon What did he heare His love and faith where is hope then tanquam media in ijs intelligitur sayes Aquin. as a midle vertue betweene both it is comprehended in both These three in a golden chaine are linked together faith sayes parata sunt mihi magna great things are prepared for me hope sayes mihi servantur magna great things are reserved for me love sayes curro ad illa magna I make hast to those great things But why hath ' love the precedencie Love is the daughter faith the mother and must the daughter bee placed above the Mother It is so 1. Because it is Saint Pauls drift in this whole Epistle to procure PHILEMONS love to Onesimus 2. Because love is Notior Nobis better knowne to us then faith which is more hid and secret These are illustrated by their objects CHRIST and the Saints The Papists refer both to both objects whereupon they inferre As we love God and the Saints too So we must believe in God and in the Saints too yet diversely in God principaliter principally in the Saints consequenter consequently There is no consequence in this argument for God hath commanded us to love all but he hath not commanded us to believe in all that hee hath reserved as a regall prerogative to himselfe and his glory he will not give to another He sayes owe nothing to any man save love but he doth not say owe nothing to any man save to believe in him 2. Here the Apostle speakes of living Saints to whom Philemon extended his liberalitie now the Papists will not have us to believe in living Saints but in dead Saints therefore this place makes not for them 3. It is said to him that worketh not but belieueth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Aug. makes a worthie collection upon it whosoever dares say justifico te I justifie thee may consequently say crede in me believe in mee which none of the Saints can truly say save only he which is Sanctus Sanctorum the Saint of Saints Ye believe in God believe also in mee Credimus Paulo sed non credimus in Paulum wee believe Paul but not in Paul we believe Peter but not in Peter As we believe the Catholike Church but not in the Catholike Church because the Creed sayes I believe in the Holy Ghost Nazian concludes from thence that the Holy Ghost is God for we must believe in none but God 4. Quid est credere in cum nisi credendo in cum ire ejus membris incorporari What is it to believe in him .i. In CHRIST but by believing to goe into him and to be incorporated as members into his body Now we are not incorporated into the Saints therefore we are not to believe in them 5. They can erect no such building out of this place for the praepositions in the Greeke distinguish the objects Hearing of thy love and faith there hee pauseth a while which thou hast towards the Lord Iesus there he restraines faith and towards all Saints .i. Thy love towards all Saints regulating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before mentioned 6. Paul is a good expositour of himselfe Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and of your love towards all Saints Here he reduces them to their proper objects so that no question can be made of it 7 If we must believe in the Saints we must hope in the Saints It is St. Basil's reason But we must hope in God alone Maledictus qui sperat in homine cursed be he that hopes in man As Saint Paul heard of PHILEMONS faith and love So it were to be wished that all the world might ring of our faith and love these be necessary for all Christians faith in the first place love in the second nec palmes sine vite nec virtus sine fide there can be no branch without the Vine no vertue no not love without faith Faith makes a Christian love makes and showes a Christian No CHRIST no heaven no faith no CHRIST Faith is the hand that layes hold on CHRIST The high Priests and Pharisees gave a strait charge that if any knew where CHRIST was he should shew it that they might take him Would yee faine take him sayes Augustine I will tell you where he is and how yee may take him He is in heaven there ye may take him Sed quomodo mittam manum in Coelum ut ibi sedentem capiam How shall I send my hand into heaven to take him mitte fidem tenuisti Send thy faith thither and thou hast taken him By faith we apprehend him and all his benefits by faith we put on CHRIST as a garment wherewith our sinnes are covered from the sight of God and as Iacob got the blessing in the clothes of his elder brother so doe we get heaven clothed with Christ like the Woman clothed with the Sun CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts by faith O happie house where the Sonne of God dwelleth Faith is the victory whereby we overcome the world we are more than Conquerours through him that hath loved us Insomuch that we may take up that triumphant song O death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory the strength of death is sinne the strength of sin is the Law but thankes be to God through Iesus Christ that hath delivered us from you all By Faith Moses saw him which is invisible by faith wee see the joyes of heaven and Christ standing at the right hand of GOD ready to receive us into them
deviation from the Lawe of God shall wee therefore sinne The proper fruit of sinne is death yea death everlasting It is by accident through Gods mercie if any good come of it therefore let it be carefully abandoned by us all He does not say perhaps he therefore ranne away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he uses a word of better report he departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was separated from thee by the permissive hand of Gods providence After that men have repented of their sinnes we must not aggravaâ—e but in some measure extenuate them Not Noah's drunkennesse but Noah's unadvised drinking Not David's adultery with Vriah's wife but the matter of Vriah Not Peter's apostasie but Peter's deniall Not Onesimus running away but departing Before they be humbled we must be as Trumpeters to waken them out of their sinnes Lift up thy voice as a trumpet After that we must be as Nurses to cherish them before Corazives after lenitives before wee must come with the Law as a Schoolemaster to whip them after with the Gospell to comfort them before we must be Bonerges the sonnes of thunder after Barnabasses the sonnes of consolation But for how long did he depart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an houre It is the last houre Our whole life is but an houre in respect of eternity The whole race of our life is but the running of an houre-glasse and a short houre-glasse too a spanne long There was a woman that had an issue of bloud twelve yeeres an other that was bowed by Satan eighteene yeeres a man diseased in his feete 38. yeares all in comparison of eternity was but an houre Endure with cheerfulnesse an houres paine here that thou mayest have eternall joy hereafter Having made a narration of Gods providence in his flight hee makes an application of it to Philemon 1. Shewing the end of it to be that he might receive him with advantage 2. Declaring the manner how hee should receive him Verse 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. à fugâ from his flight 2. à me from me 3. à Deo from GOD. In all these respects let him bee welcome unto thee But for how long not for a season as before but for ever Some interpret it for ever .i. to serve thee for ever so long as yee both shall live alluding to that place If the servant say thus I love my Master I will not goe out free then his Master shall bring him to the Iudges set him to the post bore his eare through with an awle and hee shall serve him for ever .i. to the yeere of Iubilee So that hee should serve Philemon for ever .i. during life that is not sutable to the place 1. The opposition requires it should be taken for eternity He departed for a while but thou shalt receive him for ever 2. In the Greeke it is an Adjective not an Adverbe that thou shouldest receive him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall not onely for a time in this world but also to reigne eternally with CHRIST together with thy selfe and the rest of his Saints being now engraffed into CHRIST by faith as thou art This implyes the resurrection of the body for if Onesimus should not rise againe he could not bee eternall Idoneus est reficere qui fecit hee that made the body of nothing can remake it when it is consumed to nothing The faithfull are omnipotentes in CHRISTO omnipotent in CHRIST I can doe all things by IESUS CHRIST that strengtheneth mee that is Luther's collection and they bee aeterni in CHRISTO eternall in CHRIST In CHRIST wee shall all be made alive againe meet him in the ayre be translated with him into the Kingdome of glory and abide with him for ever The wicked are eternall too they in endlesse torments the godly in endlesse joyes which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor can enter into the heart of man VERSE 16. BVt how is he to receive him not now because an alteration is made in him now as a Servant He doth not speak it in contempt of servants Dominus servus diversa nomina sed homines homines paria sunt nomina Master and servant are diverse names but men and men are equall names Thou art a man a weake man a sinfull man as well as thy servant therefore despise not thy servant One may goe to heaven as well out of the degree of a servant as of a master Let none of you suffer as a thiefe there the name of thiefe is a contemptible name so is not the name of a servant here when as he sayes not as a servant non ut servum tantùm not as a servant only Ioseph esteemed Mary not as a Wife but as a woman greatly honoured by God to bee the mother of him that was both GOD and man yet he esteemed her as his Wife So here What then but above a servant Why a brother and a brother is more than a servant We are all brethren maximè cùm fides accedit media qua omnem superbiam amputat especially when faith conjoynes us together which is as a knife to cut off all pride In CHRIST there is neither bond nor free but we are all one in CHRIST IESUS The Father and the Sonne are brethren the Minister and the people are brethren if they believe in Christ. So also the Master and the servant are brethren we have one Father which is God one mother the Catholike Church one elder brother which is IESUS CHRIST one inheritance the kingdom of heaven we are all brethren and godly servants are to be used by their masters as brethren Before Paul called Onesimus his Sonne Verse 10. Now his brother in the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the one is manifested his naturall affection in the other his benevolence and equality What brother a beloved brother beloved of all good Christians but especially of Saint Paul who was his Father as well as his brother upon that he inferres he should bee more beloved of PHILEMON because he is tyed to him with two bonds to St. Paul but with one The one in the flesh the other in the LORD Grace alone knit him to Saint Paul grace and nature too to Philemon By the flesh is meant Carnall affinitie by the LORD spirituall Onesimus was Saint Pauls only in the Spirit he is PHILEMONS in the spirit and in the flesh too they be neere to us in the flesh that be neere in carnall and outward considerations as man and wife brethren kins-folke countrey men Townsmen of one house or one familie Laban said to Iacob thou art my bone and my flesh the fire warmes them most that be neerest to it GOD is more beneficiall to the good Angels then to men because they be neerer to him then men in nature spirits as he is in quality
of greater holinesse than men in place because they be with him in the Court of heaven Our kindnesse si caeteris paribus if other things be correspondent should extend it selfe more to them that be neerest to us in the flesh Hee that hath this worlds wealth and sees his brother want So he that hath this worlds wealth and sees them that be neere to him in the flesh especially if there be neerenesse in the spirit too how dwelleth the love of God in him Neverthelesse the spirituall affinitie is in some regards to bee preferred before all Who is my Father my Mother sayes Christ hee that doth the will of my Father in heaven hee is my Mother brother and Sisters VERSE 17. THen he concludes the receiving of him with a kinde of adjuration If thou hast me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thy opinion and judgement it is well translated if thou count mee What a partner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the same countie together with thy selfe of the same communion of Saints of the same house-hold of faith he doth not say if thou count me a Prelate a ruler of the Church but a partner he is content to be unus ex illis non supra illos to bee one of them part and part like not one above them The Angels count us partners I am thy fellow servant and one of thy brethren CHRIST counts us partners Heb. 2.14 and shall we disdaine to call one another partners There bee partners in nature so are we all partakers of the same ayre of the same water of the fruits of the same earth partakers of miserie and of death there bee partners in office as Church-wardens and Constables they that answer for a child at the font are called partners There be partners in grace partakers of the divine nature not of the substance but of the qualities of it partakers of one Christ of one heaven Such a partner did St. Paul desire to be accounted and happy are they that be in this partnership He is very earnest with Philemon as Lydia was with Paul and Silas If yee haue judged me to be faithfull to the Lord come to my house they durst not but count her faithfull to the Lord and Philemon durst not but count Saint Paul a partner Now receive Onesimus or exclude me out of thy partnership he pressed sore upon him But how should hee receive him As my selfe as my owne bowels Thou wouldest receive me affectuosè reverenter with a loving affection and with reverence so receive him Papè quanta verbi dignitas Good Lord how doth he dignifie Philemon by it O admirable love especially to a fugitive and a servant VERSE 18. THe last argument to perswade the receiving of him is ex parte debiti concerning the debt which he oweth and wrong that he hath done to him which he would have to be no hinderance to the businesse Where 1. There is a concession of the wrong and debt 2. St. Pauls undertaking for the satisfaction of it Verse 18. 3. A confirmation or strengthning of the satisfaction 4. An amplification of the satisfaction Verse 19. Injured thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in any thing or owes thee namely ought Wherein wee have confitentem reum hee himselfe with teares hath acknowledged it to me So that the particle If here is not nota dubitantis but concedentis At his departure as fugitive servants are wont to doe he carryed away with him a piece of Plate or some other thing if he have so done as I know he hath impute it to mee set it on my account I will be countable for it and discharge all Here first we see that restitution must be made of wrong Restituere as Aquinas doth well define it est aliquem iteratò in possessionem dominium rei substituere Restitution is a constitution of a man in the right possession of the thing againe The wrongs whereof restitution is to be made are bona animi corporis famae fortunae the goods of the mind if we have heene the meanes of the distraction of any the goods of the body if we have wounded any the goods of fame if we have defamed any the goods of fortune as wee call them but indeed the blessings of God this text leadeth us only to the latter If we have wronged any this way let us be carefull to make restitution non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum sinne is not remitted unlesse the thing taken away be restored 1 It is Gods precept if the wicked have restored the pledge and given againe that which he hath robbed till restitution be made he remaines as a thiefe and robber 2 Iudas made restitution he brought againe the thirty peeces of silver they are worse than Iudas that make no restitution 3 The thing remaining unlesse it be restored will ruinate thee and thy house too The taking away of Naboths Vineyard was the overthrow of Ahab and his house If we have so lived that we may make Samuels chalenge at our dying-day whose Asse or Oxe have I taken to whom have I done wrong It is a sweet thing yet a rare thing if our conscience tels us we have wronged any let us make satisfaction for the wrong De quanto how much is to be restored we will not curiously dispute at the least simplum the same thing if it be possible if not yet something equivalent thereunto and according to the quantity of the wrong if the party have susteined much wrong by a long detention of it then duplum or triplum as the Schoolemen speake Zacheus offers a fourefold restitution the which he doth not by the way of supererogation as Aquinas will have it but in an extraordinary fervent zeale for the demonstration of the efficacy of his conversion The person to whom restitution is to be made is the party himselfe if he be alive or else his heires Et ubi non est haeres ecclesia haeres sayes Eusebius where there is no heire the Church is heire But in any case let restitution be made and that with as great expedition as may be for nec per modicum tempus in peccato morandum for there is no dwelling in sinne no not a small time Lactantius affirmes of the Romanes si restitutionem facerent ad casas egestatem reverterentur if they should make restitution they must come to poore Cottages instead of their magnificent Palaces So would many it is to be feared if they made restitution of all wrongs especially to the poore Church which hath beene wronged in all Ages 2 Here it is apparant that debts are to be paid Rather than Philemon should bee unpaid Saint Paul will pay him a matter of greater moment than we are aware of 1. It must be preferred before our living and maintenance When the Prophet had made a bountifull provision of Oile for the poore
abundance of rayne as made a gracious supply to the comfort of them all Saint Augustine writes of a certaine Barbarian servant which was made a Christian who never learned to read yet by three dayes prayers obteyned so much of God that he could read the bible to the admiration of those that were with him This should encourage us all to pray for our selves and others too Say on my mother sayd Salomon to Bathshebah I will not say thee nay So God by the secret inspiration of the spirit speakes to us say on my children I will not say you nay ascendit precatio descendit miseratio Wee have had the instrumentall cause now to the efficient which was Gods grace and mercy He doth not say your prayers shall merit my delivery but through your prayers I shall be given to you In the Greeke not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods free and undeserved goodnesse Prayer is a sacrifice well pleasing and acceptable to God I will lift up my hands as an evening sacrifice yet it is not meritorious When we have done all we can prayed as attentively as zealously as we can we are unprofitable servants and wee had need to pray to God to forgive the weakenesse of our prayers VERSE 23. THe second member of the conclusion is salutations sent to him from those which were with Saint Paul of whom the one is a prisoner the rest at libertie 24. The prisoner is Epaphras Hierom saies it is an Hebrew name Epaphras frugifer of spharah fructificare and indeed he was full of the fruits of righteousnesse by IESUS CHRIST Why may it not be a Greeke name he being a Grecian one of Colosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expono He was a Preacher and good expositour of Scriptures a faithfull Minister of CHRIST My fellow prisoner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuspide captus taken with the speare a captive in Warre So these were taken by the speare of Satan and Nero his bloudy instrument Before hee called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fellow servant now his fellow prisoner which is more for all his fellow servants were not his fellow prisoners Saint Paul gives him this as a more honourable title It is a greater dignitie to suffer for Christ then simply to believe in CHRIST It is no honour to bee fellowes in evill as Simeon and Levi were brethren in cruelty but in good and commendable things it is My fellow-Iudge my fellow-Bayliffe my fellow-Alderman especially fellow-prisoner in CHRIST IESUS To be Barabbas's fellow-prisoner is an ignominious thing but to be S. Pauls fellow-prisoner is a glorious thing Let us not be fellow-prisoners in the Divell as Traytors Thieves Murderers Iesuits but if we be fellow-prisoners in CHRIST IESUS let us rejoyce in it and glorifie God on that behalfe Vnto this may be applied the vulgar saying Est aliquid socios habuisse doloris It is a comfort to have a fellow-prisoner in a good cause They may pray together sing Psalmes together confer together edifie one another comfort one another Ieremie was alone in the Dungeon his sorrow was the greater S. Paul hath a fellow with him in prison at Rome his sorrow is the lesser VERSE 24. THe other that be at liberty are in number foure The first is Marcus Iohn was his Christen name Mark was his surname Saint Hierome interprets Mark to be sublimis High of Rum elevare To lift up he was lifted up by GOD to the Sacred Office of the Ministery There be three things that tend to his commendation 1. His consanguinity with Barnabas which was a Levite a great benefactour to the Church Saint Pauls especiall friend and is entituled the Sonne of Consolation he was his sitters Sonne 2. Is the piety of his Mother her name was Marie in whose house the Saints were assembled and prayed for Saint Peter when hee was in prison 3. His owne industry and forwardnesse in accompanying St. Paul and Barnabas whose Minister hee was yet there is one thing that is a staine in this faire cloth that is his departing from Paul and Barnabas He went not through with them in the worke left them in the plaine field and returned to Hierusalem which was an occasion of a great falling out betweene these two worthy Men. Neverthelesse by all probability he repented of it and became a more painefull labourer afterwards for at this present he was of good reputation in the Church else Saint Paul would not have set him in the forefront of his salutation The second is Aristarchus Mons operis amplioris sayes Hierome Har mons Magnaseh opus a Mountaine of a more ample worke he was of Macedonia and a Thessalonian he was Saint Pauls prison-fellow when he wrote to the Colossians but now at liberty The third is Demas Sileas sayes Hierome of Dum silere hee was dumbe and too much silent or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 popularis he was a popular Man a man-pleaser he loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Saint Paul sets a brand of infamy upon him Demas hath forsaken me and imbraced the present World But at this time he was in good account with Saint Paul otherwise he would not have done him so much honour as to place him before Luke Dorotheus reports he became an Idolatrous Priest and Cajetan cals him an Apostate But if this Epistle were written after the second to Timothie as it hath the after place then undoubtedly GOD gave him repentance he returned to CHRIST and to Saint Paul againe Insomuch as Ignatius reports that he was afterwards Bishop of Magnesia Howsoever that caveat may bee profitable for all Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall A great Starre fell from heaven the greatest of all may fall if GOD support them not with the hand of his Spirit Therefore let us all have an eye to our standing The fourth is Luke Ipse consurgens of Luz ipse Kum surgere And indeed he rose to great estimation in the Church he is low ultimus sed dignitate primus the last in place the first in dignitie He was a Syrian by Nation and of Antiochia Saint Paul his Disciple Hic est ille frater cujus laus est in Evangelio this is that brother whose praise is in the Gospell throughout all the Churches 2 Cor. 8.18 When Saint Paul sayes according to my Gospell he meanes S. Lukes Gospell He did Evangelizare calamo lingua he preached by his pen in writing a Gospell and the Historie of the Acts they be both eloquently written He preached also with his tongue as Epiphan recordeth in Dalmatia Galatia Italia Macedonia Nicephorus affirmes that he was an excellent painter another Apelles surely
he painted out Christ in lively colours sundry kinde of wayes this we are sure of he was a Physitian and greatly beloved too Luke the beloved Physitian saluteth you a Physitian for the body and the soule too which is more than ordinary Eusebius makes mention of one Theodotus a Bishop that was both Medicus Theologus a Physitian and a Divine too Paul sayes of one of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for Divinity alone he must needs be a rare man that is sufficient for both These be they that send commendations to him whom he dignifies with this Title my Fellow-labourers or Fellow-workemen Some in the calling of Christianity some in the calling of the Ministry too Both are workes both are labours Nomen Christiani est nomen operis sayes S. Augustine and S. Paul sayes he that desires the office of a Bishop desires a worthy worke Here a common place of salutations doth not only salute us but inviteth us unto it In Greeke saluting is a kinde of imbracing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because whom we salute we embrace with the armes of love or at the least pretend it In Latine Salutare est salutem optare to salute is to wish health and prosperity to the parties whom we salute The Anabaptists are not onely unchristian but uncivill also to condemne salutations Indeed Elisha willed his man that if he met with any he should not salute him and CHRIST charges his Disciples to salute none by the way Those were in matters of extraordinary importance which required great expedition otherwise we may and ought to salute Angels salute The Lord is with thee thou valiant man sayes hee to Gideon hayle Mary freely beloved sayes Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin CHRIST would not have his Apostles to be so unmannerly to goe into an house and not to salute it he himselfe salutes after his resurrection peace be unto you Saul went forth to meet Samuel and saluted him Though Nabal was a churle and a foole too yet David would not deale so foolishly with him as not to salute him Thus shall you say for salutation There is a sweet eccho of salutations betweene Boaz and his reapers the Lord be with you sayes he the Lord blesse thee say they David saluted his souldiers The greatest thinke no scorne to salute the meanest I but whom must we salute All. We must love all pray for all even for our very enemies Now saluting is nothing else save an intimation of love a kind of praying and well wishing therefore we must salute all I but Saint Iohn gives us other counsell If any come to you and bring not this doctrine receive him not to house neither bid him God speed We must not vouchsafe him a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must distinguish betweene gods enemies and our owne if they be notorious open professed adversaries to CHRIST as those were we ought not to afford them a kind salutation nay if an Angell from heaven should preach any other doctrine we should hold him accursed But if they be secret adversaries and unknowne it is not impiety to salute them Some are so rigid that they will not salute a stranger because they know not whereabout he goes 1. It is repugnant to charity Love thinketh not evill it believeth all things It is greater charity in things doubtfull to believe the best then the worst 2. As Aristotle being reproved for giving an almes to a wicked man answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had compassion of the man not of his manners so wee salute the man not his life we bid the man God speed not his actions But how are we to salute 1. For the externall manner by word of mouth or by writing Saint Paul omits salutations in never a one of his Epistles but in Rom. 16. he is most plentifull in them So is Ignatius Commendations are requisite in our letters if they bee not made commendations matters of course not greatly regarded 2. For the internall manner we must salute sincerely not hypocritically it must bee Saint Paul's haile not Iudas his haile Greete one another with an holy kisse They must be holy not unholy greetings The end of salutations is the preservation of love which by all good meanes had need to bee maintained by Christians and a demonstration of the respect we have one of another VERSE 25. THe last branch of the conclusion is a Valediction or farewell hee takes his leave with a short yet a sweet prayer where 1. There is the substance of it then the sealing of it In the substance 1. Res optata the thing wished or prayed for which is grace love mercy favour Grace must be Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending of every worke Saint Paul began with it and he ends with it 2. Cujus sit gratia whose grace it is of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath brought us into grace and love with God who before were his enemies and out of grace which hath graciously redeemed us from sinne death hell and damnation and hath opened to us the doores of the kingdome of heaven 3. Cui optatur to whom it is wished not to Philemon alone but to all that were with him Be with your spirit Man consists of two parts a soule and a body here by a Synecdoche melior pars pro toto the better part is put for the whole be with your spirit .i. with you The grace of CHRIST is to be preferred before the grace of all earthly Kings and Princes 1. Their grace is mutable to day in grace to morrow out of grace As Haman was with Ahasucrus and Belisarius with Iustinian CHRIST is not mutable 2. They dye CHRIST lives for ever CHRIST lives for ever the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with us all Then he seales his prayer with Amen Nec Graecum est nec Latinum sayes Aug. it is neither a Greek word nor a Latine but an Hebrew word mansit non interpretatum and by the providence of God remaines in all tongues uninterpreted ne vilesceret nudatum least haply being unfolded it should bee lesse esteemed as Hallelujah Hosanna c. It is particula confirmantis a particle of confirmation as Saint Ambrose well observeth So be it So be it The Lord grant it may be so It must in a fervent zeale be the shutting up of all our prayers It is doubled by the people when Ezra praysed the Lord the great God all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands and no doubt their heart too As the Church sayes we will lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens If the hand be lifted up without the heart it is an hypocriticall Amen and unacceptable unto God The end of this Commentary A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE OF St PAUL to the Hebrews FIRST the inscription of the
they that thought most highly of him tooke him to be but some admirable Prophet like Moses or an Angell in the shape of man Therefore here he shewes him to be above the Angels Where 1. A proposition comprehending in it the excellency of CHRIST above the Angels 2. A confirmation of it by diverse strong and invincible arguments 1. CHRIST is the Sonne of God So are not the Angels 2. The Angels worship CHRIST therefore hee is their superiour 3. The Angels are Ministers and servants Christ is the Lord to whom they minister 4. CHRIST is an everlasting King So are not the Angels 5. CHRIST made heaven an earth So did not the Angels 6. CHRIST sits as an equall at the right hand of GOD whereas the Angels are ministring spirits and stand round about his throne therefore it must needs bee confessed that Christ hath a chaire of dignity above the Angels and for that cause is the high and eternall God and is become by vertue of his Deity being from all eternity with the Father better than the Angels by many degrees they are not worthy to be named with him the same day A more surpassing name above them .i. greater honour and dignity then they Phi. 2.9 Eph. 1.21 he hath given him a name .i. A prerogative and priviledge this name came to him jure haereditario by descent as it doth to the Sonne from the Father CHRIST is exalted into a chaire of dignity above the Angels This is a singular comfort to the Church The Angels are great mighty puissant and glorious creatures wee men cannot endure the presence of an Angell many of the Saints have fainted for feare at the sight of Angels yet our Saviour Christ that hath dyed for us our elder brother the Lord protectour of his Church and Children is farre more excellent than the Angels If he be above the good Angels then above the bad therefore let us not feare all the Devils in hell Christ our captaine is above them and able to trample them under his feet VERSE 5. I But how proves he this that Christ is more excellent then the Angels 1. By a relation betweene GOD and him which agreeth not to the Angels He brings it in by the way of an interrogation after the manner of Rhetoritians That CHRIST is the Sonne of GOD hee doth not prove by his preaching which made some to confesse it never man spake as this man doth not by his miracles the stilling of the Sea and Windes which made some come and worship him not by his resurrection ascension and sending of the Holy Ghost from heaven the Iewes would have cavilled at these but he proveth it by two places of Scripture What Sonne The naturall Sonne of GOD begotten of Gods essence the Angels are made by God but not begotten of God as Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discretivè thou alone whereby he distinguishes him from other Sonnes The Angels Iob 1.6 The Magistrates Psalme 82.6 are called the Sonnes of God in regard of the Majestie of that rule and dominion which they exercise in the name of God whose sons they are in respect of their office but they not begotten of the essence of GOD as Christ is God begetteth us by the word of truth but that is mediately hee begat Christ immediately of himselfe To day some referre it to the Virgins Wombe to day i. When thou wast conceived begotten and borne of the Virgin Athanas. and Cyril others interpret it de hodie quodam infinito To day .i. from all eternity in such a day as lasteth for ever Hebr. 13.8 So Augustine To day In this cleere light of the Gospell I have manifested thee to be my begotten Son Matth. 3.17 So the word hodiè is used Hebr. 3.13 as he was begotten of the Father from all eternity so hee was begotten by him anew againe in the mindes and hearts of men when he was revealed to them by the preaching of the Gospell after Christ his resurrection and ascension into heaven Rom. 1.4 This first text of Scripture the Rabbins themselves expound of Christ 2 Sam. 7.14 No doubt but that was spoken of Salomon that was to build a Temple unto God Many things are peculiar to him as the words immediately following yet Salomon was a type of Christ which is our true pacificus who built a more glorious temple to God which was the Church And some things there be in that prophesie which cannot be applyed to Salomon but to Christ as Verse 12. the seed that shall proceed out of thy body Salomon was come out of Davids loynes already CHRIST was to come of him which is called the seed of David and the Sonne of David 2. Verse 13. Salomons kingdome was not established for ever 11. Tribes were rent from his Sonne By Christ we also are made the Sonnes of God and God is our Father I goe to my God and your God to my father and your father We are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus the Spirit cryeth in our hearts that is makes us to cry Abba Father 1 What an honour is this Seest thou a man that beleeves in Christ though never so poore a man he is a Kings Son the Son of the King of Kings and Prince of Princes 2 As Christ hath made us the Sons of God so let us live like the Sons of God If I be your Father where is my honour will a child play the wag in his fathers sight he will reverence his Father more then so we are continually in the sight of our heavenly Father He compasseth our pathes round about not a thought in our hearts but he searches it out therefore let us feare Him let us commit no sin in any secret closet because our father seeth us Potiphers Wife picked out a time when no man was in the house then shee sayd to Ioseph come lye with me I pray thee here is no man to looke on us I but our Father is in the house therefore let us not sin because of him let this bee a bridle to restraine us from all Sin VERSE 6. ANd when againe hee bringeth in the Prophet or rather God the Father a trajection of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if it had beene said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather no trajection For once He brought him into the world in the Verse going before when at His exhibition in the flesh Hee manifested it to the world that Hee was His onely begotten Sonne as Matth. 3 17. chap. 17 5 27 54. He brought Him in first when Hee sent Him to take flesh of the Virgin 2. When after His Ascension Hee manifested Him to the world by the propagation of the Gospell over all the earth therefore when Hee sends Him at the day of judgement to judge the World He brought Him into the World to take possession of it as His owne house Chrys. He is the first begotten Sonne of Blessed Mary in respect of His
crany to escape by but we shall find none he makes them Iudges I appeale to your owne selves Iudge you He doth not say if we contemne secretly or openly but if we neglect The carelesse neglect of the Gospell shall pull damnation on us He doth not say so great a word as before but so great salvation A glorious and comfortable title which cannot be ascribed to the law that killeth it doth not save Saint Paul calls the law a killing letter the ministration of death and of condemnation but the Gospell sayes It is the word of salvation Act. 13.26 The power of GOD to salvation Rom. 1.16 So that they which contemne it contemne their owne salvation So great as can not be expressed by the tongue of men and Angels wrought by so great a Saviour Tit. 2.13 So great as eye hath not seene eare heard neither entred into the heart of man to conceive not a saving of us from our enemies in this world but of soule and body from the Devill death and damnation in the world to come Great also in eternitie and durance for it shall never have end The greatnes of this salvation is amplified three kind of wayes 1. By the first Preacher and divulger of it 2. By those worthy instruments that succeeded him 3. By the miracles wherewith it was graced That which wee heare is salvation a matter of great weight and singular importance therefore let us not neglect it If a man lye in a deepe pit ready to be drowned and one come to him offering him his hand to pull him out will he not listen to him The preaching of the word is Gods hand to pull us out of the pit of hell and shall wee neglect it If a man tell thee of a Lord-ship which thou mayest have for a little money wilt thou not give him the hearing We bring you tidings not of an earthly Lordship but of an everlasting kingdome which you may have without Gold and without Silver only reaching out the hand of faith to apprehend it and shall we turne away our eares and not regard it How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great salvation When men are at a play they will be attentive and the preaching of the word whereby we may be saved in the life to come is had in small estimation What a lamentable thing is this This must needs pull the wrath of GOD on us Wee count it a small matter to neglect the Word of GOD yet they that doe it shall hardly escape the vengeance of GOD how shall they escape sayes the Apostle Certainly with great difficultie therefore let us be diligent hearers of it The threatnings of Angels if despised were severely punished and shall not the threatnings of the Sonne of GOD in the ministrie of the Word The Preachers in the name of CHRIST thunder out GODS judgements against swearing profanations c. A number heare them and are no more moved than the stones in the wall but GOD will meet with such they shall hardly escape GOD will one way or other make them feele the smart of his heavy hand there is no way of escaping for them Therefore let us with reverence tremble at the word Which at the first began Having taken a beginning to be preached by the LORD which brought it first out of the bosome of his Father he did not introduce it into this world by stealth secretly as heresies and phantasies are wont to be but openly Christ alwayes taught in the Synagogues and in the Temple The Lord. That is the LORD IESUS the LORD of heaven and earth The LORD often so called not by Angels as the Law but by the LORD the naturall SON of GOD not by mortall men as Plato Aristotle c. In this respect the Gospell should be most welcome to us The LORD IESUS Himselfe was the Preacher of the Gospell he went up and downe through Citties and Townes preaching the Gospell The first Sermon hee made was in Nazareth where hee was brought up from thence he went up to Ierusalem c. CHRIST was a Preacher and shall we thinke basely of Preachers Was it not an high office which the Sonne of GOD will take on him CHRIST would not be a King be refused that then what wretches are they that will rayle on Preachers gibe and jest at them make songs of them Reverence the Preachers seeing CHRIST Himselfe was a Preacher And was confirmed unto us c. Some expound it thus and after them that heard it of Christ it was confirmed to me that is after it was preached by CHRIST and the first Apostles that heard him on the earth it was confirmed to me also as a later Apostle yet one that heard and saw CHRIST from heaven rather Paul in modesty and humilitie puts himselfe in the number of the common Saints and Christians to whom the Gospell was confirmed by the miracles of the Apostles or by the Apostles that heard Christ. Or he doth not speake here of his doctrine as if he received that from the Apostles but that hee was confirmed in the truth of the Gospell by the miracles of the Apostles which was no disparagement to him This is the strongest argument to perswade some that this is none of Pauls Epistle Saint Paul is wont to stand stiffely on the reputation of his Apostle-ship hee had his doctrine not from men but God he was not inferiour to the chiefest Apostles whereas the Author of this Epistle was one of the Apostles Schollers he had the doctrine of the Gospell not at the first hand but at the second This may be answered diverse kinde of wayes 1. Both these may well bee applyed to Saint Paul the LORD IESUS first preached the Gospell to him from heaven when he called him and he was confirmed in it by Ananias 2 It may be a rhetoricall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequent in divine and prophane writings when as the speaker assumes that to himselfe which is proper to the hearers and by a Synecdoche includes himselfe in their number as the Penman of this Epistle sayes how shall wee escape if we neglect so great salvation yet he was none of them that neglected this salvation Heb. 10.26 Yet he did not commit that wilfull and horrible sin against the Holy Ghost Paul 1 Thes. 4.17 sayes We that are alive yet he was not alive at Christ's second comming so though he say which was confirmed to us yet he speakes in the name of the Hebrews not of his owne as 1 Pet. 1.12 where S. Peter seemes to exempt himselfe out of the number of the Apostles yet he was one 3 S. Paul by conference with the Apostles that heard Christ preach when he was on the earth might without any disparagement to him be the more confirmed in the truth of the Gospell 4 He doth not say he was confirmed but the Doctrine was and that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports not the persons but the
sin as we have but the greatest of all is his owne goodnesse and mercy Isai. 9.6 Iohn 3.16 Both had sinned Angels and men Why was Christ made a man to dye for men and not an Angell to redeeme Angels from everlasting death because it was his owne good will and pleasure his singular love to mankinde Let us therefore magnifie him for it from generation to generation Some as Augustine observeth tooke occasion from hence to be proud and insolent See Christ tooke on him our nature not the Angels therefore we are exalted above Angels we have just cause to thinke highly of our selves As if a sick man should boast the Physitian came to my house not to my neighbours therefore I am a better man than my neighbour the reason why Christ tooke on him thy nature not the Angels was because thou wert sick of sin so were not the good Angels Neverthelesse it is a preferment to us that Christ should assume our nature to his our corruptible nature to his incorruptible as if a King should take the patcht cloake of a beggar and annex it to his royall cloake decked with Pearles and precious Stones Now as Christ hath honoured our nature in becomming man so let not us men dishonour our owne nature by drunkennesse uncleannesse covetousnesse nor by wrangling and contending one with another Christ hath graced our nature let not us disgrace it VERSE 17. WHereupon he returnes to his conclusion which he would have to be infixed in our memories I will declare thy name to my brethren which he could not doe unlesse hee were a man as his brethren are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debuit he ought because it was his fathers will and his owne will too necessitate non coactione In all things appertaining to the substance not to the corruption of our nature He was like unto us in all things sin only excepted He was like to us in all the faculties and members of soule and body He had the same affections that we have yet unstained with sin We are sorrowfull so was He My soule is heavie to the death We are joyfull so was He Luke 10.21 In that houre Iesus rejoyced in spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are zealous so was He the zeale of thy house hath eaten me up We are hungry so was hee Marke 3.5 Wee wonder at all things so did He. We are afraid of death so was He My soule is heavie to the death Come to the Body We are little ones grow in stature so Christ Luke 2. ult We are hungry thirsty sleepy so was He He slept in a Ship Mat. 8.24 not in a Church We are weary so was he He rested himselfe on Iacobs-Well Iohn 4 6. We dye so He died also As He is like to us so let us be like him in meekenesse patience charity in praying for our enemies Brethren All are his brethren quoad naturam the faithfull quoad gratiam Iohn 20.17 He will not be ashamed to call us Brethren at the day of judgement Mat. 25.40 and shall not we call one another brother The King and Subjects are brethren the Ministers and their People rich and poore are brethren and let us not be snapping and snarling one at another but live lovingly together as brethren Both members are unfolded in the words following that is he was a faithfull High Priest Appertaining to God In divine not in humane matters The High Priest made an attonement for the people Levit. 16. So did Christ for his people GOD and man were fallen out Christ made us friends God was displeased with us he pacified his wrath towards us which the Father by an audible voice witnessed from heaven Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased How by the bloud of his Crosse which was Gods bloud Acts 20.28 We were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.18 19. In many things we offend all who then can be saved our sins for number exceed the sands of the Sea the least sin is sufficient to throw us into hell without Christ. But by Christ we are reconciled to his Father and have peace with him Col. 1.20 Luke 2.14 Rom. 5.1 Oh I have sinned but 1 Iohn 2.2 Christ is the propitiation for our sins Worthy then is the Lamb the Lord Iesus to receive all glory Men at Christ-masse use to take a greater liberty to sin to quaffe swill and carowse to open the floud-gates of all impiety but the consideration of Christs comming into the world should be a bridle to restraine us from sin Christ came now to make a reconciliation for our sins and shall we plunge our selves deeper into the Sea of sin God forbid The love of Christ should constraine us to forsake sin it should not make us wallow in the filthy puddle and sinke of sin Wilt thou make much of the knife that cut thy Fathers throat David though he longed for the water of the Well of Bethlehem yet when it was brought to him by three of his Worthies he refused to drinke of it saying Is not this the bloud of the men that went in jeopardie of their lives 2 Sam. 23.17 Sin cost the bloud of Christ let us not then drinke iniquity like water VERSE 18. HEE prosecuteth the former branch touching mercy As CHRIST was like to us in nature so hee was tempted as we are Saepius ipse miser miseris succurrere disce Art thou tempted whether thou art the child of GOD or not A shrowd temptation wherewith the best men and women are shaken So was CHRIST If thou beest the Sonne of God the Devill calls it into question and would have had CHRIST to doubt of it Art thou tempted with povertie with want of things necessarie for this life So Was Christ from his Cradle to his grave he was borne in a stable laid in a cratch had not an hole to hide his head in he had no money in his purse but was faine to send to the Sea for some he kept his Passeover in an other mans chamber was buryed in an other mans grave Art thou tempted with malevolent tongues with some that are ever rayling on thee So was Christ hee was termed a Wine bibber a glutton c. Art thou tempted with sicknesse the toothach the headach the cholike the gout c. We never read that Christ was sicke because he had no sinne in him yet being clothed with our nature hee knowes what belongs to paine and will succour us in all our distresses Art thou persecuted Herod sought his life as soone as he was borne A rich man that hath a good fire continually in his house a table furnished with all delicates that lyes soft on a bed of dowlne he cannot so well pitty a poore man as one poore man may doe another CHRIST being rich would become poore he would bee a man
the Gospell to give eare to Christ that speaketh to us in the ministery of the Word This is my beloved Son heare him Now in the end the Apostle makes an exposition of the Allegorie and applies it to them to whom he writeth I doe not speake of the Tabernacle or Temple which were glorious houses wherein God in some sort dwelt but I speake of Gods spirituall house the Church a part whereof you are as well as Moses and they in the time of the Law All Christians in all Ages are the house of God What a singular honor is this that we should be Gods house yea his dwelling-house 1. A Nobleman hath many Houses which hee dwels not in himselfe but letteth them forth to other men we are not houses to let but God himselfe dwelleth in us we are his mansion-House The Centurion said to Christ I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roofe so may we say we are mortall and sinfull men houses of clay unworthy that God should come under our roofe yet it pleaseth him of his infinite mercy to dwell in such base houses as we are 2 If God dwell in us and we be his house then how neat and handsome should it be kept Shall a Kings house be overgrowne with weeds Shall there be filthy and sluttish corners in a Kings Palace And shall we that professe our selves to be Gods house be full of pride envie and malice that be stinking weeds in the nostrils of God Shall Gods house be full of swearers drunkards adultereres c. The divell found his house swept and garnished to his minde and shall not Gods house be swept for the entertaining of him Let us garnish our selves which are Gods house with the sweet flowers of faith love hope zeale humility temperance patience sobriety that God may take delight to dwell in us 3 There is no man especially if he dwell in an house and it be his owne but will bestow needfull reparations on it and do you think God will suffer his house to lye unrepaired nay being Gods house we shall want nothing for soule or body If we decay in faith zeale and other graces of his spirit he will in due season repaire them againe he will keepe his house wind-tyde and water-tyde he will preserve it from wind and weather yea the gates of hell shall never prevaile against his house 4 A man may have an house and be defeated of it some wrangling Lawyer may wring it out of his hand or he may be weary of his house and make it away none can snatch Gods house out of his hand he is no changling he will keepe his house for ever Blessed are we that be GODS house and the Lord give us grace to keepe us undefiled for his Majesty that he may take pleasure to dwell in us in this World and wee may dwell with him in the World to come What are we the house of God simply Live as we list and do what we will No verily but if we hold fast the confidence c. One speciall quality of a good house is to be firme and stable if it be a tottering house ready to shake in every wind and tempest a man will have small joy to dwell in it even so we that be the house of God Almighty must not be wavering and inconstant but we must stand sure and hold fast the graces we have received There be two things which we must hold fast faith and hope the boldnesse that we have by faith to come into the presence of God to whom we have accesse by Christ apprehended by faith and by vertue whereof we may boldly call God Father and open our minds freely to him that is the nature of the word Vnto faith must be annexed hope faith makes a Christian hope nourishes and susteines a Christian we must hold both fast As we have begun to put our trust in Christ so we must make him our pillar to leane upon continually as we have begun to hope for eternall happinesse purchased by Christ so we must still stand in a stedfast expectation of it Though persecution arise for the Gospell though we be clapt up into prison banished out of our country though we be put to the fire for the name of Christ yet let us not cast away our hope let us not deny Christ and sleepe in an whole skin let not the pleasures and profits of this world carry us away from Christ though death it selfe come yet let us trust in him We are wont to be hold-fasts in our money none shall easily get that from us but let us chiefly be hold-fasts in the Pearles and graces of the Spirit Whatsoever comes let us hold faith and hope fast let Houses and Lands Wife and Children yea our owne life goe rather than them Thus if we hold the confidence that we have in CHRIST and the rejoycing of our hope to the end we shall be Gods houses in this life and be received up into that house which is made without hands in the heavens He doth not simply say hope but the rejoycing of the hope the glorying of hope Satan and his instruments goe about to overthrow our hope and mocke at it It is a goodly thing I warrant you which you hope for What fooles are you in hope of an imaginarie kingdome hereafter to deprive your selves of so many pleasures in this life bee wiser than so A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush Take your pleasure whyle you be here and hope not yee cannot tell for what To that hee opposeth this glorying and rejoycing Yea boast of your hope even before your enemies faces what excellent things are reposed for you and rejoyce in this hope as if you had the kingdome of heaven already Not as if these did make us the house of GOD but by these wee shall have an assurance to our selves that we are the house of GOD. A Father sayes to his Sonne if thou wilt be no Ale-house hunter but doe as I will have thee thou shalt be my Sonne this doth not make him his Sonne for he was his Sonne before but it assures him to be his Sonne A Captaine sayes to his souldier if thou wilt play the man and not shrinke in the wetting thou shalt be my Souldier yet hee was his Souldier before so here if yee hold fast faith and hope ye shall be my house that is all the world shall see indeede that you are my house not for a while but to the end So as neither we faint in persecution nor in the time of prosperity bee drowned in the pleasures and profits of this world Be faithfull to the end he that continueth to the end shall be saved The second argument is desumed from the testimony of the Holy Ghost In the allegation of the testimony first a charge not to shut up their eares and hearts against this worthie and heavenly Prophet but to entertaine him
come out then they murmure against God despaire of his providence and are ready to exclaime against God This was the Israelites fault and thus often times they tempted God in the wildernesse If they wanted water to quench their thirst withall then they must needs dye God was not able to provide them water If they wanted bread So they did likewise and in a pelting chafe were ready to stone Moses and Aaron Then they would back againe to Aegypt then they wished themselves dead as if the same God that had miraculously beyond the expectation of men provided for them heretofore was not able to doe so still So when some told them of the walled townes that were in the land of Canaan of the mighty Gyants that were in the Country in comparison of whom they were but Grasse-hoppers then they brake forth into this exclamation God is not able to bring us into this land wee and our Children shall perish in this wildernesse They had seene with what a strong hand God had brought them out of Aegypt how miraculously he divided the red Sea that the waters stood as a wall on both sides till they safely passed over yet for all that when they were in any difficulty then God was no body of no power or willingnesse to doe for them This was a vile tempting of God which highly displeased him But there is no reason why we should thus tempt God casting off the hope and confidence we have in him He is subject to no changes yesterday and to day the same for ever Men may change but God changes not a man may be strong to day and weake to morrow whole to day and sick to morrow rich now and poore afterwards alive now and dead a while after a man may love us this houre and hate us the next as Amnon did his sister therefore we may make a question of the helpe of man But God is one and the same continually not a shadow of turning in him his arme is never shortned the welspring of his mercy and goodnesse is never dryed up Therefore in all distresses let us trust in him though all worldly meanes fayle us in sicknesse and health in poverty and wealth in death and life let him be our pillar to leane upon The Prince that would not believe the plenty that GOD had promised was troden to death 2 Reg. 7.17 and the carkasses of these men that thus tempted God fell in the wildernesse therefore let us beware of incredultie As Faith is the best vertue so infidelitie is the greatest vice CHRIST could doe nothing among his owne kinsfolke because of their unbeliefe Shall any thing bee impossible with God Indeed that which he wills not that he cannot doe it is his will that CHRIST in respect of his humanity should be in heaven till the day of judgement therefore he cannot doe this make his body to be here on the earth The Papists set Gods omnipotency on the tainters and stretch it too farre as some bad clothiers deale with cloath But if God have once given us his faithfull promise to doe this or that let us believe it though all the world say nay to it God had promised to bring them into the land of Canaan though there were never so many blockes in the way they should have depended on this promise So God hath promised us the kingdome of heaven feare not little flocke it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the kingdome Luke 12.32 though now and then through weakenesse we fall into sinne though Satan and his instruments rage though we be sicke dye be buryed our bodyes consumed to dust and ashes yet let us certainely know wee shall have this kingdome This is amplified by an excellent meanes which they had to pull them out of this infidelity which was a continuall view and contemplation of the wonderfull workes of God although they saw my workes in the Hebr. they saw the Aegyptians drowned in the red Sea and themselves safely walking through it they saw the cloudy pillar conducting them day and night water gushing out of a stonie rocke Manna descending from heaven that the clothes on their backes and shooes on their feet did not waxe old many yeares together they might have felt with their hands the power and goodnesse of GOD protecting them yet they would not believe in him whereas the sight of Gods former workes should strengthen our faith in all future calamities That use did David make of the workes of GOD. The LORD delivered mee from the clawes of the Beare and pawes of the Lion therefore hee will deliver mee from this Philistim GOD was gracious to mee in such a sicknesse therefore hee will be in this GOD provided for mee when I was a child and could not shift for my selfe therefore hee will provide for me being a man growne GOD preserved mee in such a plague and pestilence therefore I will depend on him still when I was in such an extremity GOD helped me therefore he will helpe me still God delivered England in the yeare one thousand five hundred eightie eight therefore if England serve him hee will deliver it still When Queene Elizabeth the mirrour of the world was taken away we looked for a wofull day yet God gave us a joyfull day after it therefore alwayes let us trust to him let the sight of his wonderfull workes dayly before our eyes be as oyle to nourish the lampe of our faith that it never dye The last circumstance appertaining to this sinne is the time how long it continued they tempted and proved him 40. yeares though they saw his workes These words in the Hebr. are coupled with that which followeth 40. yeares was I grieved with that generation Yet there is no jarre betweene Paul and David for these two are convertible and depend the one on the other They be both true they tempted God 40. yeares and he was grieved with them 40. yeares If they tempted him 40. yeares then he must needs be grieved with them and if God was grieved with them 40. yeares then they tempted him so long so that the one cannot be separated from the other They dwelt in this sinne a long time and would not bee plucked out of it VERSE 10. THe punishment of the sinne Gods wrath was kindled against them In the end after hee had borne the burden of their sinnes many yeares together his wrath did breake out against them for it They were irksome and tedious to me I could beare them no longer after that I had striven with them fortie yeares when there was no remedy I cast them off God is grieved similitudinariè That rebellious that obstinate generation Hee was not grieved with their Children but with them The Children doe not smart for the fathers faults if they make not their fathers sins their own sinnes Their Children went into the land of Canaan though they did not Least it should seeme to be a griefe or anger without reason
have done pares in peccato shall be pares in supplicio Why should God spare us more than them We are his people So they We sit in the lap of the Church So they We have the preaching of the Gospell So they Verse 2. We the Sacraments So they They were baptized in the red Sea they eate of the same spirituall meat and they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10.34 Therefore if we be guiltie of the like sinne we must looke for the like punishment The ancient Israelites went very farre towards the land of Canaan In many things obedient to the voice of God they journyed and stayed at his appointment they had sent spies that viewed the Country No doubt many of them were in fight of it they were on the borders setting a foot on it yet because they were incredulous stubborne rebellious and disobedient to God they were destroyed in the wildernesse and so came short of that rest both of the land of Canaan the figure of this rest and some of them it is to bee feared of heaven too prefigured by it they came saies Saint Chrys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us therefore take heede it be not so with us Would it not grieve you that bee Merchants to see a ship fraught with rich merchandise miscarry in the haven Alasse hath it passed the raging waves blustering windes terrible tempests so many miles on the Sea and is it cast away in the haven what a pittifull thing is this So wee may begin well goe out of Sodome with Lots wife follow God a great while as they did in the wildernesse some tenne twentie thirtie or fortie yeeres yet be banished out of the kingdome of heaven Therefore let us not flatter our selves in our faire beginnings but let us runne the wayes of Gods Commandements to the end forget the things that are behind but presse on to the marke that is before though as old disciples as Mnason yet let us study this to our dying day how to enter into this rest It is something to beginne well to goe towards heaven but that is not all Lots wife went out of Sodome Demas once embraced Christ. If thou goest to London you will not stay at Romford but goe till thou comest to that famous city Therefore let us all look to our selves as we have begunne so let us proceede and never cease to our dying day I forget the things that are behinde and follow hard to the marke Let us not stand bragging what wee have beene what we have done how many miles we have gone towards heaven but let us runne the wayes of GODS Commandements to the end as David Those that are travellours are subject to falling you are travelling to the heavenly Ierusalem therfore be not secure but take paines in the rowing of the ship of your soules to the haven of eternall rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the same example Vivitur legibus non exemplis all examples are not to bee followed Phil. 3.17 There be exempla imitabilia declinabilia If any good examples be set before your eyes follow them The faith of Abraham the uprightnesse of Noah the sincerity of David the patience of Iob the constancy of Paul the humility of the blessed Virgin Mary c. But if bad examples follow not them follow not Noah in his drunkennesse David in his adulterie and murder Peter in his denyall nor the Israelites in their obstinacie and disobedience to GOD in the Wildernesse for the which they were excluded out of the land of rest Away with those naughty examples of Lots Wife Absalom Iesabel Ananias and Saphira c. Come out sayes God of Babylon Let us not follow the wicked in their wickednesse least wee follow them to hell Let us believe God and his Word let us walke in an holy obedience to all his Commandements then believing in Christ and bringing forth the fruits of a true and lively faith when the reprobate shall bee in hell with the rich glutton wishing for a drop of water to coole their tongues we shall bee in Abrahams bosome and rest from all sorrow for evermore VERSE 12. THe second reason to excite us to this study is taken from the power and Majesty of the Word that commandeth this lesson to bee studied As it was to bee to the ancient Israelites So is it to us God often mooved them by Moses Iosua and Caleb and others to march on valiantly in the wildernesse as sure as God is in heaven yee shall have the promised land but they contemned this Word Num. 14. Therefore they were destroyed So will GOD deale with us for his Word is as mighty now as ever it was This is that study which God in his Word injoyned to you and hath often excited you thereunto beware how yee contemne this Word It is no dallying with edge tooles this sword of the Spirit is sharper than any two edged sword and will either open the soares of your soules that they may bee healed or it will wound you to death everlasting therefore despise it not but as God commanded you in his Word so study to enter into his rest 1. The nature of the Word is set downe then illustrated and confirmed For the nature it hath two qualities Many things are lively that are not mighty There is life in a little child but no great might in him the Word is not so As it is lively so it is mighty The Word of God is not a dead Word it hath life in it There is some wine and drink that is dead we can feele no life in it as it goes down our stomack the Word of God is lively Aqua-vita and no auditour but shall feele it to bee lively in him either to salvation or destruction They are called lively Oracles by St. Stephen Act. 7.38 There is life in it it begets us to a Spirituall life in this world and to an eternall in the world to come It is also a mighty or powerfull Word Ierome translates it evidens as if he read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty There are sundry potions that bee mighty in operation purge mightily and cary away a great deale of corruption out of the body but none so as the word of God it purgeth us from Idolatry ignorance superstition prophanenesse from swearing cursing and banning from drunkennesse fornication and adultery c. It is a mighty purger and sweepes a great deale of filthinesse out of the soule and if it purge thee not it will kill thee as a medicine if not worke upwards or downewards it will kill the man so the Word will mightily clense thee or mightily confound thee These qualities are confirmed 1. Comparatively then simply by the effects thereof Now he setteth forth the power of it comparatively It is sharper Of a more cutting nature not then a blunt sword but a
people the way to heaven to pray for the people in the congregation to carry their prayers to God to celebrate the Sacraments these be the lysts of the Minister The Magistrate hath his bounds and the Minister his Vzziah though a King must not meddle with the Priests office and Azariah the High Priest must not intrude himselfe into the Kings office yet that High Priest of Rome will have both swords hee will bee a Priest and a King too he will be for matters of the world as well as for GODS matters Boniface the eight shewed himselfe one day in the attyre of a Priest another day in the attyre of a Prince affirming that hee was both Bellarmine of late hath somewhat minced the matter that the Pope hath no power in temporall matters directè yet indirectè quoad bonum spirituale he may play Rex In respect of the spirituall good of the Church he may depose Princes at his pleasure and dispose of their kingdomes as pleaseth him So as a man get into an house it makes no great matter whether directly or indirectly and the Papists so as they may thrust the Pope into the possession of temporalities they care not whether directly or indirectly If one kill a man whether directly or indirectly all is one So as the Pope may play the butcher with Kings and Princes at his pleasure what availeth it whether directly or indirectly this is indirect dealing by an indirect distinction to breake downe the wall of partition that God Himselfe hath set up betweene the Priest and the Magistrate Every one shall finde enough to doe in his office and to guide his owne boate though he intermedle not in the office of the other and put his rudder into another mans boate Let the Magistrate look well to his temporall things and let the Minister keepe himselfe to his spirituall things they be both Gods deputies the one in things that belong to God the other in things that perâ—â—ine to men Let them discharge their offices to Gods glory and the good of them that be committed to their charge He insisteth in one particular pertaining to GOD that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes that is for the expiation of sinnes The Iesuits will have a perpetuall Priest-hood to be heere described and ordained in this place There must be Priests to the end of the world to offer sacrifice for sinne whereas it is as cleare as the noone day that this description is borrowed out of the law to set forth the spirituall Priest-hood of Christ withall The Apostle here teacheth us not what must be in the time of the Gospell but what was in the time of the law applying it to Christ. An externall sacrifice propitiatory for sin as they will have it is injurious to the blessed and perfect sacrifice which Christ offred on the Crosse for the sins of the world All outward sacrifices for sinne must now cease the bloud of Christ shed on the crosse having purged us from all sinne Yet the Ministers of the Gospell have now some sacrifices to offer up they bee either common with all Christians or proper to their ministerie 1. They must offer up themselves soules and bodies as an holy sacrifice to God as all Christians are bound to doe 2. They must bee plentifull in the workes of mercie to their power as other Christians are for with such sacrifices GOD is well pleased But there be other spirituall sacrifices that are also proper to them 1. To present the prayers of the people to God Ezra praised the great God of heaven and all the people said Amen So the Minister as the mouth of the congregation as a Spirituall Priest must offer up the prayers of the people to God and they in an holy zeale subscribe to him saying Amen Amen 2. We by the preaching of the Word doe sacrifice the people to God The Priests in the time of the law took a knife and cut the throat of a Calfe a Sheepe a Goat and so sacrificed them to the Lord. We by the sword of the Spirit cut the throat of sin of covetousnes pride malice uncleannes and so offer up the people as a glorious sacrifice to the Lord an odour that smelleth sweete Happy are they that bee sacrificed by the Ministers of the holy Word these sacrifices wee must offer to the end of the world and pray for us that we may offer them to Gods glory the comfort and salvation of you all VERSE 2. HE must not only execute his office but in such a manner as God requireth not in rigour and severity but in love kindnesse and compassion Which is illustrated by the persons on whom he must have compassion and the cause why If any sinne on ignorance or weakenesse hee must have compassion on them Such as are seduced by others and carryed out of the way what and if they sinne on knowledge Must they not be pittied Yes God forbid else but if they sin on malice against the knowne truth we must not so much as pray for them nor bee touched with any compassion towards them Pray not for this people neither lift up a cry for them There is a sinne unto death I doe not say that yee shall pray for it Saint Paul had no pitty on Alexander the Copper-Smith but prayed against him Otherwise if any of the people through infirmitie fall into a sinne if upon weakenesse of braine he be overcome with drinke if by the flattering entisements of the flesh he happen to be carryed into Adultery if hee bee somewhat too much in love with the world if he be a little tinckled with pride if he happen to be seduced by any Heretickes that come with a shew of Religion with faire and sugred words and so beguile him ere hee bee aware wee that be the Preachers of the Word must have compassion on such A Minister must not have an heart of flint but of oyle ready to melt at the consideration of the infirmities of the people and there is good cause why Because he himselfe is compassed with infirmities as they are as with a gowne that covers him from top to toe VERSE 3. ANd that he proveth by an evident signe A Minister is compassed with the same infirmities that the people are The Lycaonians would have sacrificed to St. Paul and Barnabas but they refused it O doe not so we are men of the like passions with you Cornelius fell downe at Saint Peters feet but hee tooke him up saying I my selfe also am a man Elias was a rare and admirable Prophet yet a man subject to like passions as we are Though we be never so wise learned or holy yet let the best Preachers in the world remember that they be men cloathed with the ragged Coate of infirmities as others bee Hence it is that Ministers yea famous Ministers doe often fall As Noah did into drunkennesse David into Adultery and murder Peter
of faith faith of Christ and Christ of the kingdome of heaven therefore let us shew all diligence in them to the full assurance of the hope of eternall life But how long must we be diligent Not for a time but to the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referre it to the verb show that yee may shew the same diligence to the end holding out in the race of Christianity to the end of your life So run that ye may obtaine It is a folly to run at all unlesse we run to the end a folly to fight at all unlesse we fight to the end Remember Lots Wife she went out of Sodom but because she looked back she was turned into a pillar of Salt Let not us be diligent for a time but to the end we must be working to our lives end so long as any breath is in our body it is not enough to bee young Disciples but we must be old Disciples as Mnason was as we have beene diligent in prayer almes-deeds in hearing of Sermons in crucifying of sinne so we must be diligent to the end hold that which thou hast lest another take thy Crowne be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the Crowne of life VERSE 12. THat yee be not slothfull like the sluggard yet let mee lie a while in the bed of sinne Let us shake off all slothfulnesse and be not weary of well doing like lazie travellers that will goe no further If we served a bad master that either would not or could not reward us for our service then there were some cause why we should be slothfull we serve a most loving rich and bountifull master therefore let us not be slothfull Diligent servants may be a spurre to them that be negligent Marke such a one be thou like him So St. Paul to whet this diligence propounds worthy examples to them He doth not simply say be yee followers of the Saints but hee points out the vertues wherein we must follow them Examples prevaile much Though wee should rather live by lawes then by examples yet examples have a mervailous attractive power The Iewes especially were carryed away with examples therefore the Apostle propoundeth some to them We honour the Saints non adoratione sed imitatione we doe not make gods of them but we imitate the vertues that were in them there is exemplar primarium secundarium 1 Cor. 11.1 CHRIST is certum indubitatum exemplar he knew no sinne therefore we may be bold to follow him in all things the which hee did as man Wee must not follow him in his fasting forty dayes in walking on the Sea c. but follow him in his humility modesty patience c. In these things wee may follow Christ without exception but the holyest men of all have sometimes beene exorbitant therefore we must follow them with limitation They were laughed at that counterfeited a kinde of purblindnesse to follow Alexander that imitated Plato in his crooked shoulders when they goe straight let us follow them but when they goe crooked let them goe alone Wee must not follow Noah in his immoderate drinking David in adultery and murther Peter in denying CHRIST we must tread in their good steps not in their evill wee must imitate them in faith and patience c. Faith inlayed with charity is regina virtutum Temperance meekenesse patience c. are the maidens of honour that waite upon her By faith wee live the just man shall live by his faith that is his life By patience we possesse our soules after wee begin to live in CHRIST Patience is a pillar for the just to leane upon while he liveth By Faith we have an interest into the kingdome of heaven by patience we saile through the tempestuous Sea of this world till we come to the haven of rest By Faith we apprehend the promises which is a metonymie whereby is meant the joyes of heaven promised to us patience is an yron pillar to uphold us against all crosses and afflictions Patience is a most necessary vertue yee have need of patience Hebr. 10.36 A Souldier hath need of his armour So have we in this warfare of the armour of patience Here is the patience of the Saints Apoc. 14.12 if yee bee Saints yee must have patience many are the troubles of the righteous these are they that came out of great tribulation Apoc. 7.14 Wee cannot get to heaven without tribulations therefore wee must have patience by the way Innumerable are the crosses we meete withall crosses in our soules bodies many sicknesses and diseases in our goods they may be taken away by thieves fire and other casualities in our names wee must passe through good report and evill report What godly man lives without his crosse therefore we have need of patience to beare them all I but what is patience many talke of it that know it not In Christian patience there must be these foure things 1. Not a Stoicall apathie a sencelesnesse a blockishnes that it should be as pleasant a thing to us to be in equuleo as in lecto Christ Himselfe felt paine his soule was heavy to death and Christians feele paine in their afflictions but they patiently endure it they are not overcome with it 2. If we suffer any misery it must be in a good cause Thieves by land and Pyrats by Sea suffer much hard-ship Catiline did patiently abide cold and other extremities yet hee was not patient Baals Priests endured cutting and slashing and covetous misers and earth-wormes will endure much to get money yet that is no patience miranda est duritia sed neganda patientia Patience must be in a good cause in Christs quarrell and in the suffering afflictions imposed on us by God else it is no patience 3. In our sufferings there must be a good affection and a good end Saul was patient when men despised him he gave them not a word but that was in policie not in Christianity Some have patience perforce because they cannot be avenged they have no power to doe it that is dissimulation not patience and some suffer much for vaine glory as Heretickes have done but wee must suffer for Gods glory for the magnifying of him and his Gospell that is right patience to keepe faith and a good Conscience 4. Our patience must be continuall As our crosses are perpetuall while wee are in this world So our patience must bee perpetuall Wee must dye with patience in our mouthes patientia est honestatis ac utilitatis causâ voluntaria ac diuturna perpessio rerum arduarum Cicer. Take the Prophets sayes Saint Iames as an ensample of patience But I will commend one example to you instead of many Take our SAVIOUR CHRIST for an ensample of patience that endured such contradiction of sinners As his life was full of miseries from his cradle to his grave so was it full of patience He was reviled and reviled not againe he was called Beelzebub
and not in his heart It hath beene an ancient custome in the Church of Rome to sweare by Saints and by their relikes But consuetudo sine veritate erroris est vetustas Cypr. l. 2. ep 3. The laying on of the hand on a Bible or a testament when we sweare This may bee excused for properly to speake wee doe not sweare by the Bible it is only an obtestation as the words of this bible are most true so is that which I sweare and it is an outward token whereby wee declare to the world that wee sweare by him which is the authour of the Bible or because in this booke are contained the promises and threatnings of the LORD to them that sweare truly and against them that sweare falsely so among the heathen they touched the altar when they swore yet they swore by him whom they worshipped on that altar for they would lift up their hands to heaven when they swore denoting by that bodily gesture of theirs that they did sweare by God alone who made the heavens We may sweare by God primariò principaliter but we may sweare by the creatures Secundariò This is but a meere shift and fond evasion Zephan 1.5 for they sware by the Lord primarily by malchum secondarily yet God was offended with them Besides there is none greater than man but God The Angels are creatures as well as we they are our fellow-servants and one fellow-servant must not sweare by another therefore we that be creatures must sweare only by the Creatour 3. Here wee see what a reverent estimation wee are to have of an oath it must be the end of contradiction after men have sworne wee should be as mute as fishes not have a word to say An oath was sacred among the heathen 1 Sam. 30.15 Abimelech and Phicol his Captaine were satisfied when they had Isacks oath Gen. 21.22 but with us small credit is to be given to oathes the oath of a Christian is no sure foundation to build upon Iesabel had false witnesses at her elbow to condemne Naboth withall the Pharisees had two false witnesses in a readinesse to sweare against our SAVIOUR CHRIST And now a dayes such is the corruption among Christians that small credit is to be given to many mens oathes for they say it is an easie matter in London and I would to God it were not in the country to procure men to sweare to what they will So that now a dayes an oath is rather the beginning then the end of controversies whereupon so many perjuries are found in the land a manifest argument that Atheisme growes among us The foole that is the wicked man sayes in his heart there is no God and I thinke many sweare by God if there be a God but all false swearers shall one day know to the terrour of their conscience that there is a God who will be avenged on them for abusing his name Let an oath be such an holy thing with us that there may be no more controversie after we have sworne Then why should we doubt of our salvation God hath bound himselfe by oath and promise to bring us to his kingdome and shal wee bee as reeds wavering with the winde I for our salvation dependeth in some sort on our workes pendet ex certitudine operum quae conjectu ralis atque imperfecta certitudo est It dependeth on works not as causes but as inseparable effects of faith not upon their dignity or perfection but upon their being with faith Be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the crowne of life I but who can tell whether he shall persevere to the end or not We may be good to day and bad to morrow Noah David Peter fell Yes we may be comfortably sure of our perseverance for hee that hath begun a worke in us will finish it to the day of Christ and though we fall yet we shall rise againe for the Lord putteth to his hand whom he once loveth hee loveth to the end and never forsakes them till hee have brought them to his kingdome Onely let us not bee rocked a sleepe in the cradle of security but work out our salvation with feare and trembling VERSE 17. Ἐφ ' ῷ̔ wherein in the which thing or in the which oath or for the which cause God did it willingly not by constraint none could enforce him to it More abundantly then was necessary for his bare word had beene enough save that the weakenesse of man required it See here GODS dealing with us after the manner of men To shew that is to make a lively and evident demonstration Vnto the heyres of promise not to Abraham alone but to all the faithfull The immutability which cannot be transposed or altered Not of his promise but counsell arguing that it was no sudden or fickle promise but such as proceeded from wise and deliberate counsell and the counsell or decree of God standeth for ever That of Hezekiahs and the Ninevites had a secret condition unlesse he had prayed earnestly for life and the others repented Ier. 18.7 8. or it was rather a commination then the pronuntiation of a decree or counsell Interposuit se as if CHRIST the Mediatour had made this oath and interposed himselfe in it betweene the father and us for the greater ratifying of it Oecumen Annexed to his promise Here we have the dignity of the godly they are heyres not of a Knight of a Lord a Duke c. but of God and the promises that is of the joyes of heaven which GOD hath promised to them in his word The kingdome of heaven belongs to Children not to servants the faithfull are the Children of God and joynt heires with Christ so that the inheritance of the celestiall Canaan pertaines to them how then dare you despise the lest of the heyres of promise 2. This may comfort us against the crosses of this life Art thou a poore man hast no money in thy purse to relieve thy selfe and thy family withall as Peter and Iohn had not hast thou not a bed to rest thy weary body on nor an house to hide thine head in as Christ had not the foxes have holes and the birds of the ayre have nests but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head yet faint not neither be discouraged for thou art an heyre of promise and shalt one day have a full fruition of the heavenly inheritance prepared from before the foundations of the world were laid The heyre of a Gentleman is kept under Tutors and Governours in the time of his nonage but as soone as that is expired he is at liberty and free from all so though we be the heyres of God yet in the time of our minority and nonage in this world we are kept under many austere masters yet the day of our redemption drawes nigh when as all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and we shall have full
of tithes by the Ministers argues a superioritie that GOD hath given them over the people In things appertaining to their office they are greater than the temporalty they are Gods Ambassadours and workmen with him and the tithes are a tribute which the people are bound to pay them for their worke Here wee behold the greatnesse of the Ministerie and what great men the Ministers bee It is a thing worth the consideration of us all for the Holy Ghost wills us to consider it The receiving of tythes from the people argues the greatnesse of the Ministers to whom tithes are paid The world through the subtilty and malice of Satan hath a base opinion of the Ministers supposing them to be little men of no account or reputation yet in very truth whatsoever their stature be if as little as Zacheus whatsoever their outward estate and condition be though as poore as Peter and Iohn that said silver and gold have we none yet in truth they are great men Obadiah though the Kings steward had an high opinion of Elias sayes he art not thou my Lord Elias the King of Israel esteemed highly of Elisha My father the charet of Israel and the horseman thereof Herod reverenced Iohn Baptist and the very Devill speaking in the mayd spake honourably of Paul and Silas Constantine the Emperour used the Bishops at the Councell of Nice with marveilous respect he would needs have them to sit downe by him and he would not be covered when any of them were preaching The Spirit of God sayes in this place consider how great a man Melchizedec was So say I to you all consider what great men the Preachers of the word be Is not the Kings Ambassadour a great man they are Ambassadours of the King of Kings therfore great men Is not the steward of a noble mans house a great man these are Gods stewards the disposers of the secrets of God as Paul termeth them 1 Cor. 4.1 they are as Christ himselfe in their place and office he that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10.16 When they preach Christ preacheth therefore great men to be received as Angels from heaven yea as Christ himself yet some prophane persons there be that suppose them to be the least of all others of least account and estimation He is no Iustice of peace no governour in the Common-wealth therefore a little man a straw for him I but though in secular affaires they are subject to the civill Magistrates yet in spirituall matters they are above them I speak of subordinate Magistrates Consider them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord they are the Shepheards and all others though there be a Gentleman a Knight a Lord in the parish yet they be all his sheepe Therefore the Minister in respect of his office is a great man So let us esteeme of him and receive with meekenesse feare and reverence the word delivered by him The small account that the people make of the Preacher causes the Word of God to finde the lesser entertainement among them therefore banish that opinion out of your hearts and know them to be great men as indeed they be VERSE 5. AGainst that might bee objected What is the receiving of tithes an argument of greatnesse Why then the Levites are as great as Melchizedec for they take tithes Sol true indeed yet great oddes betweene them 1. They are of the tribe of Levi which GOD consecrated to the Priest-hood in that respect they have a right to receive tithes Melchizedec is none of that tribe yet hee takes tithes because his Priest-hood is more excellent in regard whereof he hath a greater interest to tithes 2. The people give them tithes because they have an expresse commandement from GOD to take them Abraham not by commandement but willingly of his owne accord gave tithes to Melchizedec because he knew he had an immediate autority to take them from God being in a more excellent manner the Priest of God 3. The Levites take tithes of the progeny of Abraham Melchizedec of Abraham himselfe the author and foundation of the whole stocke of the Hebrewes They have a commandement which is laid downe Num. 18.21 31. Lev. 27.30 Deut. 14.22 27. therefore they may lawfully take and who be they that dare resist this commandement According to the law not of their owne braines but by warrant from the Law Not of some but of all the people none are exempted from paying of tithes To tithe the people that is by a metonymie the goods of the people He shewes what is meant by the people the Israelites their brethren they were brethren in nature having all one father which was Abraham and in religion professing one God and religion This should make them more loving one to another 4. They tooke tithes or their brethren but Melchizedec of their father which was Abraham Vterini as it were though in this respect they and the people are equall both came out of Abrahams loines yet that did not priviledge them from paying tithes to the Levites There be two veines and two arteries from the loines which carry the seede to the place thereof therefore they are put for generation Though the Ministers bee advanced into a chaire of dignity above the people yet they must remember that they are their brethren The King is the subjects brother when thou makest a King thou shalt take him from among thy brethren much more is the Minister brother to those to whom hee speaketh Our Saviour Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren and shall wee disdaine to call the least Sheepe in our flocke our brother or our sister Wee must not bee as Lords and tyrants over God his heritage but carry our selves as brethren towards them Speake kindely have compassion one on an others infirmities as brethren VERSE 6. HEre we see Melchizedec Priest of the most high God received tithes and the Levites had a commandement to take tithes Now here a question doth necessarily offer it selfe whereunto the text draweth mee whether I will or no whether tithes bee the perpetuall maintenance of the Ministery or not A thing somewhat controversall in this last and wicked age of the world wherein charitie waxeth cold as to all in generall so to the Ministers in speciall Some if there were no law to compell them would give them neither tithes nor any other thing at all so unthankefull are they for the foode of their soules I but wee will not stand to mans courtesie for then in most places we should have a cursey but it shall be evinced out of the Word of GOD that tithes is that part and portion which God Almighty hath allotted to us It was not only the Levites maintenance in the time of the law but it is our maintenance in the time of the Gospell and must continue to the worlds end Bellar contendeth that tythes are due to the Ministery non jure divino sed ecclesiastico yet he alloweth that
blessing takes away veniall sinnes But that sounds ill for the bloud of CHRIST taketh away all sin yet there is great force and efficacy in the blessing of faithfull Ministers their curse if it bee lawfull is terrible The Children whom Elisha cursed were torne in pieces with Beares and their blessing is powerfull and effectuall when they preach God preaches and when they blesse GOD blesseth Therefore they that runne out of the Church before the blessing despise GOD Himselfe GOD by us blesseth you and will you not set a straw by this blessing 2. To blesse is taken for giving of thankes So wee blesse God we give him thankes for all his mercies 3. To blesse is to consecrate a thing to an holy use So God blessed the seaventh day So the Cup is called the Cup of blessing because it was blessed by Christ and set apart to an heavenly use This is a lively demonstration of the Ministers superioritie above the people without all contradiction wee blesse you you are blessed of us therefore wee are greater than you Isaac blessed Iacob therefore he was greater than Iacob Iacob blessed his twelve sonnes therefore he was greater than they we as spirituall fathers blesse you therefore we are greater than you Some of you may bee more honourable more worshipfull more wealthy then wee yet in respect of our office wee are greater than you If there be a Gentleman a Knight a Lord an Earle in the Parish he must bee willing to be blessed by the Minister we as Gods deputies blesse you in the name of the Lord in that respect wee are your superiours highly to bee esteemed and reverenced of you all You are to receive us not simply as men but as men of God for we are spirituall fathers that blesse you in the name of God and are as Gods armes to pull you up into the kingdome of heaven VERSE 8. NOw he comes to the amplification of Melchizedech's greatnesse by comparing him with the Levites The 1. argument to proove Melchizedech's advancement above the Levits is layd downe in this verse he that is immortall is greater than they that be mortall Melchizedec is immortall the Levites are mortall ergo They dying had those that succeeded them we read of no successour that Melchizedech had because if we respect the historie he lives still Heere that is in the Leviticall priesthood though they be superiour to the people yet they dye as the people doe But there that is in Melchizedech Though the ministers as God his Lievtenants in spirituall matters receive tithes and in that respect are above the people yet they must not be puffed up with pride and swell against their brethren Heere is a cooling card for us all They that take tithes dye as well as they that give tithes the most famous ministers in the world dye Noah a preacher of righteousnesse he was saved in the Arke when all the world was drowned yet he dyed Moses a renowned prophet brought up in all the learning of the Egyptians catechized and instructed by God himselfe with whom the Lord talked familiarly as one friend with an other yet he dyed Elias and Elisha were worthy men honoured of all in their time the chariots and horsemen of Israel yet they dyed Iohn Baptist was admired of all all Iudea came flocking to him yet he dyed The Apostles were taught by Christ's owne mouth the Holy Ghost descended on them in the similitude of Cloven tongues they were the silver trumpets that carryed the sound of the Gospell over all the world yet they dyed Let not the high and magnificent office which we susteine in the church because wee stand in a pulpit of wood as Ezra did above all the people because we are as Gods stewards to dispose the food of eternal life to them let not this make us proud though we be as perfect Scribes in the Law of the God of heaven as Ezra was as eloquent a man and mightie in the Scriptures as Apollos as learned a man as Paul was that spake with tongues more than they al as powerful a Preacher as Elias or Iohn Baptist as thundering a Preacher as the Sons of Bonerges Though thou haddest the Bible by heart as Origen had of as great variety of reading as Athanasius yet die thou must They that receive tithes dye yea all other receivers dye too Though thou beest a Lawyer that receivest many hundred Angels in a yeere though a Merchant that receivest much by traffike a Clothier that receivest a great deale by thy Clothes a Physition that receivest much by thy physicke though a Gentleman a Nobleman that receivest great rents per annum it may be a thousand two thousand three thousand pounds nay though a King that receivest much by the crowne lands by taxes subsidies by imposts and other meanes how great a receiver soever thou beest the grave must one day receive thee all must dye givers and receivers too Therefore let us so live the short time we have to tarry here that whensoever death comes the Angels may receive our soules and carry them up into Abrahams bosome On the other side Melchizedec and Christ live for ever hee Secundum historiam Christ Secundum veritatem Our King our High-Priest lives continually In respect of his humanity he dyed and gave up the Ghost on the Crosse but in respect of his deity he lives for ever of his life and kingdome there is no end Which may be a singular comfort to all that belong to him Our friends dye our fathers and mothers dye our Ministers and Preachers dye our Magistrates and Governours dye but Christ Iesus the Protectour of the Church never dyeth He lives for ever and will provide for those that appertaine to him Though we heare of the death of never so many good men yet let us not be cast downe with griefe Christ our Saviour liveth for ever VERSE 9. THe second argument whereby the Apostle proves that Melchizedec is greater than the Levites the Levites payd tithes to him ergo he is greater than they therefore Melchizedec must needs be a great man Because this might seeme to bee too acute more subtile than solid the Apostle mollifies it If I may so speake if I may use so light a reason as it may seeme in so weighty a matter The reason is pregnant and needeth no excuse therefore translate it and to say as the thing is The tithe-taker was a tithe-giver Which was wont to receive tithes A participle of the present tense imports an use and custome as Matth. 17.24.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bee put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet here it hath his force by Abraham as a meane betweene them both as one that came betweene them Here wee see wee may doe many things before we are borne All wee sinned in Adam When hee eate of the forbidden Tree we eat of it when he was banished out of Paradise we were banished when he pulled the wrath of
God and one another in love in some calling or other The eye serveth one way for the benefit of the body the eare another way the hand another way and the foote the lowest part of the body serves too the service whereof is so necessary as that the body cannot be without it We may serve God to his glory and our owne comfort in the meanest calling that is and let us all so serve him in our severall places in this world that wee may raigne with him in the world to come The Apostle doth not say whereof no man ruled at the Altar It cannot bee denyed but that Ministers in some sort are rulers of the people obey them that have the oversight of you in the Lord yet our office must not puffe us up with pride we must remember it is a service yea a painefull and an honourable service He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke on us rather than honos prodesse rather than praesse 2 Cor. 4.5 Our selves your servants for CHRIST 's sake Yet it is not a base service as some imagine and in reproch they will say of a Minister hee serves at such a towne Wee grant we are servants yet in an high and honourable place we serve in the Church the house of God as stewards do in a Noble mans house we dispense to you the foode of life Therefore as all the household honours the steward so ought all the parish to honour the Minister VERSE 14. TO put it out of all doubt hee sheweth to what Tribe this Priest appertaineth he proves it by the common voice and testimony of all it is a cleere case all confesse it Of whom it is said the Lord said to my Lord sit thou on my right hand c. As the Sunne dispelling the clouds and darknesse of the night riseth in the morning and scattereth his beames over all the world So the Sonne of righteousnesse rose dispelling the foggie mists of the ceremoniall law and spreading the light of the Gospell over all the world Iudah both on his supposed fathers side Luk. 2.4 and on his mothers side Luk. 1.27 It seemes that Christ pertained to the Tribe of Levi too 1. Elizabeth was Maries Couzin she was Wife to Zacharie which was of the Tribe of Levi now they were to marry in their owne Tribes Sol They of the Tribe of Levi might take Wives out of other Tribes so as the inheritance were not transported out of the Tribe as 2 Chron. 22.11 yet the men not the women gave the denomination of the Tribe and the child was not said to be of that Tribe whereof his mother was but whereof his father was 2. Nathan was of the Tribe of Levi yet Christ came of him Luk. 3.31 It was not Nathan the Prophet but one of David's sonnes of that name 2 Sam. 5.14 It is manifest Christ was of the Tribe of Iudah the Sonne of David concerning which Moses Gods Scribe and Pen-man of that that was deputed to the Priest hood The Tribe is changed ergo the Priest-hood It pleased CHRIST to come of the Tribe of Iudah not for any holinesse that was in Iudah above the rest of the twelve Patriarchs Iudah himselfe committed incest with his daughter though unknowne to him at the least hee tooke her to be an Whore and lay with her but our Saviour made choice of this Tribe of his owne gracious goodnesse Though CHRIST descended of the Tribe of Iudah yet all of that Tribe were not sayed There are seald as many thousands of all other Tribes as of that and of that Tribe as Kings and others are noted to be wicked men Therefore wee must not flatter our selves in any outward prerogatives as the Papists doe They have a part of the coate wherein Christ went to be crucified some of the nailes wherewith hee was fastned to the Crosse they make pilgrimages to the Sepulchre of Christ c. All these are nothing to salvation Though thou couldest derive thy generation from Christ according to the flesh though thou haddest beene one of Christs brethren if possible lien in the same wombe yet that makes thee not the neerer to the kingdome of heaven Lay hold on Christ with a lively faith labour to say with Paul I live and yet not I but the Son of God liveth in mee then thou shalt be eternally saved Our LORD CHRIST is often honoured in Scripture with this title it may worthily bee adscribed to him He created us of nothing preserveth and upholdeth us being created hee bought us with his precious bloud when we were worse than nothing therefore justly is he our Lord. This we confesse in our Creede And in Iesus Christ our Lord this we professe in our prayers which end thus through Iesus Christ our Lord. Yet we use him not as our Lord yee call mee Master and Lord and yee doe well but then yee ought to behave your selves as dutifull and obedient servants to me Servants goe and come at the commandement of their Lord. I have servants under me sayes the Centurion I say to one goe and he goeth doe this and he doth it Doe we deale so with Christ our Lord hee sayes come not at the Ale-house there to sit quaffing and swilling till reason be buried in you yet we will be as drunken as Apes as wee use to speake Our Lord sayes your bodies are mine they bee my members and the temples of the Holy Ghost doe not prostitute them to Whores and Harlots yet we will do it Our Lord sayes one thing is necessary preferre the hearing of my Word before all worldly businesses yet if there be a Sermon in the Towne and a paltry faire a little from the Towne we will preferre the faire before the Sermon Christ shall speake to the walls for all us Our Lord sayes use my name reverently in all your talke yet we will make it as common as a Tennis ball and sweare by God and Christ at every word Is this to call Christ Lord Christ hath the name of our Lord and the Devill hath our service what a monstrous thing is this As in word we call Christ Lord so let our deeds shew us to be his servants we are bought with a price wee are not our owne but Iesus Christs therefore let us glorifie him in our Spirits and bodies which be his VERSE 15. THe second Argument is taken from the discrepant creation of Priests he that is made a Priest after an heavenly and Spirituall manner is greater then they that are made after an earthly and carnall manner our Saviour Christ is made after an heavenly and Spirituall manner they after an earthly and carnall manner therefore he is greater then they Hee makes an entrance into it by the cleerenesse and evidencie of the case More abundantly evident that the Leviticall Priesthood is gone and the Priesthood of Christ is come into the roome of it If after but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is
parts and were off the stage therefore he must needs be a Priest in heaven not in the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 performe divine Service or which serve with great reverence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a particle that increaseth the signification in composition and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tremo much more should we serve in the Gospell 1 Cor. 2.3 To the patterne or sampler or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being understood which serve in the patterne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is subostensio obscura repraesentatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.17 which was but a type or shadow of heavenly things All that was in the ceremoniall Law were types of our Saviour Christ and of the kingdome of heaven The Sanctuary a shadow of heaven the Tabernacle of Christ's body the High-Priests of Christ their sacrifices types of his the brasen Serpent a figure of him they had the shadow and we the substance This he proveth by the testimony of God Himselfe Divinitùs admonitus Moses did not make it of his owne head but by Gods appointment and direction When hee was about the making and finishing of the Tabernacle for it was begun that it might be finished Syriac dum conderet tabernaculum Supply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not in the Hebrew Text yet it may bee derived out of Exodus 25.9 The Lord in a vision shewed heaven our Saviour Christ and all things appertaining to him to Moses Now according to that patterne were the Tabernacle and Temple to bee framed that might praefigurate and shadow out those heavenly things to the Iewes In earthly buildings the patterne of the house is not so glorious as the house the patterne is drawne in paper in darke lineaments but this patterne farre exceeded the whole beauty of the ceremoniall Law it might draw a little neere to it but it could not expresse it to the full The Ministers of the New Testament are more glorious than the Priests of the Old Testament In this wee agree wee are both servants the servants of God and of the Church but here is the difference they served the patterne we the thing patterned they served the shadow wee the truth and substance shadowed by them they shadowed CHRIST to come to the people wee preach Christ already come Iohn Baptist was greater than all the Prophets but we in a one sense are greater than Iohn Baptist the least in the kingdome of heaven is greater than he In this respect our Ministery should be more highly esteemed of the which notwithstanding is little regarded by many The Devill in the maide spake honourably of Paul and Silas some of us will speake contemptibly of Christ's Ambassadours They were the moone light we are the Sunne-light we serve to shew you the way to heaven plainly and perspicuously therefore honour our service and Ministery Where had they this patterne from Moses and hee from GOD. Moses might not swerue from his patterne All things must bee squared according to that patterne which God hath left to us in his word The Magistrate must rule the common-wealth according to the patterne that God hath set downe in his word The Governours of the Church must order it according to the patterne that God hath appointed the disposers of the Mysteries of God must preach according to the patterne of Christ and his Apostles not in the entising words of mans wisedome but in the plaine evidence of the spirit and with power The father must so governe his Children the Master his servants the Husband his Wife according to the patterne prescribed by God This patterne of the most wise God must be observed by us all If wee follow the devices of our owne braine and leave this patterne of God Almighty wee justly incurre his wrath and displeasure Vriah the Priest must make the Altar in all points like the fashion that King Ahaz sent from Damascus 2 Reg. 16.11 A Carpenter and Mason must make the house according to the patterne received from him that is the Author of the house he must frame the house to the will of him that sets him on worke and not after his owne will A Sempster must sow according to the Sampler A Scholler must write according to his Coppy Wee are angry with a Barber if he doe not trimme us as we would have him and displeased with a Taylor if hee make not the Coate as we wished him and must not the high and eternall God bee justly incensed against us if we follow our owne patterne and forsake his therefore let that patterne so neere as we can bee carefully observed by us all Neither must we follow it in one or two things alone but in all See that thou make all things according c. In some things peradventure which like us well we can be contented to be directed by Gods patterne but in all things wee will not In some things wee will bee carryed by our owne will and affection Herod did many things that Iohn Baptist bade him he followed the patterne in some things but he would not doe all Let Iohn preach his heart out he will keepe his sweet sinne of incest still Saul followed Gods patterne awhile in his government but at length he departed from it As Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all Gods Commandements so wee must observe Gods patterne in all things hee that keepeth the whole Law and offendeth in one point is guilty of all and if ye breake Gods patterne but in one thing especially wittingly and willingly he will require it at your hands A Scholler must not write two or three letters according to his coppie but all if he make one awry his Master will be offended with him Therefore in all things so farre as it is possible let us follow the patterne that God hath set before our eyes that yeelding not a lame and halting but a full and complete obedience to him we may have a full weight of eternall glory in the life to come But what and if we have not all things according to this patterne shall wee in a pelting chafe hurle all away God forbid If thy garment be not made in all points according to thy minde wilt thou cast it away and not rather have that amended which is defective If thine house be not in all respects built as thou desirest wilt thou pull all down Though there should be some men in the Church and common-wealth that draw not so neere the celestiall patterne as were to bee wished yet let us not in a rage fling out of hose Churches and common-wealths Such is the infirmitie of man and the malice and subtilty of the Devill that no Church in the world can bee found wherein there are not some imperfections comming short of the patterne delivered to us yet let us not separate our selves but hold the unity of faith in the bond of love VERSE 6. THe fourth argument to prove the advancement of Christ's ministration above the Leviticall is
come suddenly and wee are gone againe in the turning of an hand though it bee the body of a Wise Salomon 〈◊〉 a strong Sampson a faire Absalom yet remember it is but a tent or Tabernacle the time is at hand sayes Saint Peter when I must lay downe this Tabernacle Wee know not how soone our bodies may be layd in the dust therefore let us not be too much in love with them Now as the Tabernacle in the time of the Law was kept neate cleane and handsome it might not bee polluted with any thing So let us keepe our bodies from all pollutions Let us not defile these our Tabernacles with drunkennesse fornication adulterie pride covetousnesse but let us reserve them as holy and undefiled for the Lord. VERSE 12. NOw to the service which is likewise applyed to our Saviour Christ where 1. What it is 2. Where offered 3. The efficacy of it There the High-Priest by the bloud of Goats and Calves went into the holy place here our High-Priest goes into heaven by his owne bloud therefore this service excelleth that When the High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies hee was to offer up a bullocke for his owne sins and a Goate for the sins of the people here hee useth the plurall number because they were iterated every yeare The High-Priest went in by other bloud Christ by his owne bloud It was an easie matter for him to take the bloud of a young bullock and of a Goate it cost him no great paine but our high-Priest was faine to shed his owne bloud before he could enter into heaven He went once every yeere into the Holy of Holies CHRIST went once for all into heaven and there he remaines till the day of judgement Where wee have a notable argument against his carnall presence in the last supper If Christ in respect of his body were here present so oft as the supper is celebrated then he should come and goe into heaven often but he went once into heaven and there must be till all things be restored Act. 3. Therefore he is not here on the earth bodily so oft as the supper is ministred The third thing in the Tabernacle was the use of the service that was in it that was onely to shadow out our redemption to bee accomplished by Christ but this our High-Priest being gone into heaven by the Tabernacle of his owne body and by his own bloud hath indeed wrought the worke of our redemption With much sweat and labour our redemption cost him deere In the Greeke having found out a rare pearle and invaluable Iewell not found before yet it doth also signifie acquirere idque labore nostro 〈…〉 Satan hell in whose bondage and slavery we were Not a temporal redemption as a man may bee rescued from his enemies and fall into their hands againe but an eternall one so as we are delivered from them for ever These words for us are not in the Greek yet they are well supplyed for Christ obtained no redemption for himselfe he was never in bondage to sin and Satan therfore he could not be redeemed Though Bellarmine defend that Christ merited the glory of his body and the exaltation of his name for himselfe yet no redemption Our SAVIOUR CHRIST by the one sacrifice of his owne bloud hath obtained eternall redemption for us therefore there needs no more sacrifice for our redemption Then away with the sacrifice of the masse which is propitiatory for the quicke and the dead For the Papists held it in time past but being forced to it by the light of Scripture they let goe that hold and affirme that it is only repraesentativum commemorativum applicativum of that sacrifice on the Crosse. Bellarmine defends it to bee a propitiatory sacrifice and so doth the councell of Trent The Iesuits say it is not that redeeming sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world yet it may availe for the remission of some particular sinnes with a relation to that redeeming sacrifice on the Crosse. They say it is the same with that on the Crosse it differs only modo that is a bloudy sacrifice this an unbloudy I but all the legall sacrifices instituted by God must cease after the oblation of this sacrifice whereby eternall redemption is obtained for us then this new forged sacrifice of the masse being a bird of their owne hatching must cease And howsoever they minse it affirming that it is but a commemoration and an application yet they hold still that it is propitiatory for sin as if a full propitiation was not made by Christ's sacrifice on the Crosse. Their opinion is this that it is not that redeeming sacrifice on the Crosse that could not be often done because Christ could not dye often yet by being a commemoration of that sacrifice and an application of it to us it doth obtaine remission of sins and is a propitiation for sin it is propitiatorium impetratorium still Propitiatory for the sins of them that be present and of them that bee absent alive and dead impetratory because it obtaineth not only spirituall benefits but also temporall So that this is the issue The Sacrifice of the masse is not that generall redeeming sacrifice that was offered on the Crosse yet being a commemoration and an application of it it is propitiatory for the sins which wee dayly commit So sayes the Counsell of Trent 1. Vnder the genus all the species are comprehended if that was a generall redeeming sacrifice taking away the sinnes of the world then it left no sinne untaken away They speake contraries If by that wee have a generall pardon of all sinnes then there is no speciall pardon for sins in the sacrifice of the Masse Col. 1.20 2. Was that sufficient to propitiate for sins or insufficient Surely they will say sufficient therefore there is no need of any helpe from the sacrifice of the masse Againe it is not propitiatory 1 Pet. 2.24 makes much against this propitiatory sacrifice 1. Not by a Priest but by himselfe 2. In his owne body not in the commemorative or applicatory sacrifice of his body 3. He left none hereafter to be taken away 4. All our sinnes Where on the Crosse not on any Altar where a commemoration should bee made of his sacrifice on the Crosse but on the Crosse it selfe The Idolaters offered the bloud of their Sons and Daughters to their Idolls but they would not offer their owne Christ hath entred into the holy place with his owne bloud by his owne stripes we are healed in his owne body he bare our sins by his own bloud he made a way into heaven for us he gave not the bloud of any of his servants but his owne bloud Oh how are wee beholden to CHRIST that spared not his owne bloud for us The love of Christ should constraine us We are redeemed sayes Peter not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of CHRIST as of a Lamb
undefiled we are bought with a price and that a deere price even the bloud of the Sonne of GOD. Our swearing drunkennesse c. these cost the bloud of the Sonne of GOD we are washed from them in the bloud of Christ and shall we wallow in them is not this the water said David for the which three worthy men ventured their lives he would not drinke of it though very thirsty So when we are provoked to sinne to drunkennesse covetousnesse adultery let us reason with our selves Indeed the water of these sins is sweete but did it not cost the bloud of CHRIST therfore away with it we think sin to be nothing yet all the Martyrs on the earth all the Angels in heaven could not have freed us from sin The Son of God must shed his bloud for it therefore let the consideration hereof bee a perpetuall bridle to restraine us from sin CHRIST 's bloud is the price of our redemption he sweat drops of bloud when hee was in his agony in the garden at the commandement of Pilat hee was extreamely whipped so that the bloud came exceedingly out of his holy body he had a Crowne of thornes platted on his head that made the bloud runne about his eares being nailed hand and foote to the Crosse the bloud came out in great measure a Souldier thrust him through with a speare and out of his side came water and bloud So that this our High-Priest redeemed us not with the bloud of beasts but with his owne bloud How then are wee to love CHRIST IESUS that spared not his heart bloud for us There was no bloud almost left in this immaculate Lamb he spent all for our sake Wee will love them that give their money for us and shall wee not love CHRIST that gave his bloud for us yet the love of Christ is not so deepely fixed in us as it ought to bee We love the trash of the world the pleasures of the flesh above Christ. This love of Christ should constraine us to forsake our sinnes Wilt thou make much of the knife that cut the throate of thy friend or father Sinne was the knife that cut CHRIST 's throate therefore let us hurle it away but this bloud of CHRIST by the which we are washed from our sinnes is little regarded for all that wee wallow in the mire of our sinnes forgetting the LORD that bought us as Saint Peter speaketh Wee are redeemed from our drunkennesse covetousnesse pride c. by the bloud of CHRIST therefore let us have no fellowship with these sins 2. Heaven is an holy place there dwells the holy God there bee the holy Angels and holy Saints they that remaine unholy shall never enter into it dogs enchanters c. are without By nature we are all unholy borne in sin conceived in iniquity pulling sinne to us with Cartropes and iniquity with Cords of vanity but wee are made holy by the spirit of Sanctification Such were some of you drunkards c. but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 They that continue in sin without repentance shall never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven Noah was once overtaken with Wine but he forsooke that sin David fell into adultery but hee washed it away with his teares Peter denyed Christ but he wept bitterly for it Manasseh left his idolatry Paul his persecuting of the Church of God Mary Magdalen her uncleannesse even so if through the corruption of our nature wee have beene carryed into any sin let us by repentance rise up out of it againe Let us strive to be holy in this world holy in heart in conversation that wee may enter into the holy Hierusalem in the world to come Follow peace and holinesse without which none can see God The wicked mocke at them that be holy I but except yee likewise be holy ye shall never reigne with Christ in the Holy Hierusalem 3. By CHRIST wee have a plenary redemption of soule and body out of the clawes of Satan As the Bird is in the fowlers net so were we in the Devills snare but we may say with them in the Psalme the net is broken and we are delivered yea wee are delivered eternally we shall never fall into that bondage againe The afflictions whereunto we are incident in this life are temporall but the redemption is eternall sicknesse poverty malevolent tongues imprisonment death it selfe is temporall our joy is eternall Let that comfort us in all the calamities of this life A burning agew the tooth-ach the stone lasts not alwayes but my joy in heaven shall be eternall here I may be in griefe for a time but there I shall reigne with Christ for ever Wee love them that obtaine a temporall redemption for us If a young man bee bound Prentise to an hard master for tenne or twelve yeeres and if one should buy out his apprentiseship and set him free would hee not take himselfe much beholding to him Wee were bound Prentises to Satan hee kept us in his snare at his will and pleasure being his bond men wee should have remained in hell fire world without end Now Christ Iesus hath redeemed us and made us the free men of God Cittizens of heaven how are we indebted to him If thou wert a Gallislave under the Turke and one should rid thee out of it wert thou not much obliged to him Christ hath brought us out of the gally of sinne and damnation therefore let us sound forth his praises all the dayes of our life Let us say with them in the Revelation worthy is the Lamb that was killed and hath obtained eternall redemption for us to receive all honour and glory and blessing for ever and ever VERSE 13. THat Christ by the shedding of his owne bloud hath obtained an eternall redemption for us is confirmed by an argument à pari à minore from the sacrifices of the Law to the sacrifice of Christ. 1. What they were 2. What was the fruit and effect of them If the bloud of Bulls and goates c. being an outward thing could sanctifie the flesh that was an outward thing then the bloud of Christ being a spirituall thing in force and power everlasting must needs sanctifie the conscience which is a spirituall and internall thing yea this rather than that for many respects as we shall see but the one ergo the other The Protasis is in this 13. Verse Because hee would enwrap the whole Ceremonial Law hee reckons up other sacrifices and rites then those which the High-Priest used when hee went into the Holy of Holies 1 Chron. 29. Verse 21. Among the rest he makes mention of one solemne ceremony whereunto the Iewes adscribed much Num. 19.1 A Red Cow was commanded to bee taken which was without spot and never accustomed to the yoke she was to be burnt to
are sanctified by the Holy Ghost as the worker of sanctification but we are sanctified by the offring up of the body of Christ as the meritorious cause of our sanctification The bodies of the Saints are holy things being the members of the Holy Ghost The bodies of the Martyrs are precious things whereby the truth of the Gospell was sealed yet by these we cannot be sanctified in the sight of God because there was sinne in them Hearing of Sermons prayers and almes deeds are all of them testimonies of our sanctification and by them we make our calling and election sure We have an inherent sanctification in us after we bee regenerate but that is lame and imperfect there is nothing that can perfectly sanctifie us that we may appeare without blame before God save the offering up of the body of the Lord Iesus Hee is made to us wisedome righteousnesse sanctification Therefore let us entreat the Lord to give us a true and lively faith whereby we may apply Christ and his merits to our selves that being sanctified by him and made cleane through his bloud we may enter into the holy Hierusalem in the life to come VERSE 11. FOr there were many of them of what sort and condition so ever Standeth as a Servitour at the Altar For some thing or other was done every day there was the morning and evening sacrifice For the publike good of the people being the Minister of them all One time would not serve the turne as it doth with Christ. The sacrifices in speciall were Bulls Goates Sheepe c. yet often iterated Never no hope of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fully and utterly as they ought to be so as they never trouble the consciences of men againe they were a recordation of sin but no a motion of sin No Priest was exempted from service In the Church of Rome peradventure the inferiour Priests the Parish Priests take some paines among the people But the Pope the High-Priest the Cardinalls and those that are called Majores sacerdotes live at ease some of them they are minstred unto but wee must all minister in those places wherein God hath set us that we may enter into the joy of our Master in the life to come The Angels are ministring spirits and shall we thinke scorne to minister 2. We must no day bee idle but dayly serve God in our severall functions whether wee bee Ministers or people passe the dayes of your dwelling here in feare As wee aske our daily bread at Gods hands so wee must daily performe service to God Daniel prayed three times a day Anna served God in prayers day and night The Bereans turned over the Bible daily every day let us doe something whereby God may be glorified 3. As the Priests in the time of the Law offered up the same sacrifices So let us the same sacrifice of prayer of preaching of praise and thankesgiving of almes deeds and the workes of mercy So long as wee tarrie in the world let us alwayes be offering up these spirituall sacrifices though they bee the same yet they are acceptable to God No more can any thing that wee can doe now CHRIST IESUS alone is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world VERSE 12. BVt He that is Iesus Christ our Priest hee being but one is opposed to them that were many He could doe more than all they put together Not many as they did one specie and numero too For the expiation of sins which those sacrifices could not take away There be foure things that commend this sacrifice 1. Sufficientia quoad precium 2. Efficacia contra peccatum 3. Gloria quoad praemium 4. Victoria quoad adversarium Hee doth not stand as they did Stare est famulorum sedere dominorum Not at the Altar here on earth but at the right hand of God in heaven Not for a time as those Priests continued their time and then went away but for ever Some joyne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that which goeth before after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever the vertue whereof lasteth for ever God hath no right hand nor left but as Kings cause them that bee neerest and deerest unto them to sit at their right hand so Christ He is in equall Majesty with his father After the offering up of this one sacrifice he offers no more as a Priest but reignes as a King for ever There must be no iteration of this sacrifice The Papists alleadge that the sacrifice of the Masse is the same with that on the Crosse. Suppose it were yet it must bee but once offered Those in the Law were often offered but this must be but once offered otherwise the whole disputation of the HOLY GHOST in this Epistle is overthrowne What doth he now he doth not now play the Carpenter he takes no more paines in preaching in suffering as he did here but he sits quietly in all joy and happinesse at the right hand of God Acts 7.55 Christ appeared to Stephen standing but that was for the strengthning and encouraging of him against the rage of his enemies He stood up ready to take him out of their clawes into the kingdome of heaven otherwise for the most part the Scripture introduces Christ sitting as it were in his regall throne at the right hand of God next in glory power and Majesty to God the Father yea equall with him in all things 1. This may bee a comfort to us against all our adversaries The King and Protectour of the Church sitteth at the right hand of God in heaven The Vniversities chuse them to be their Chancellours which are in greatest favour with the King and most gracious in the Court so doe incorporations chuse the like to be their high stewards that may stand them instead in the time of need He that hath the protection of us is a great man in the Court of heaven He sits at the right hand of God hee hath all power in heaven and earth Therfore let not us feare that are under his wings he will not suffer us to want the thing that is good 2. As CHRIST now sitteth in heaven after all the miseries crosses and afflictions which hee sustained on the earth so when this wretched life is ended we shall be in heaven with Christ Ep. 2.6 Let this encourage us to a patient suffering of all calamities in this world Wee may have a tragedy here but a comedie hereafter worme-wood here and honey there Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord they rest from their labours and shall remaine in heaven with Christ for ever VERSE 13. IT might be interpreted and expecteth the remnant As he himselfe the head of the Church is in heaven so he expecteth the comming of his members to him Or from henceforth waiteth that is the accomplishment of the number of his elect which God the Father hath given to him He comes down no more into the earth to
offer any sacrifice for sin but remaining in heaven still he patiently abideth Then let us waite The foot-stoole of his feete Donec imports a continuation of time Sinne the Devill and his instruments death it selfe If Christ tarrieth for us shall not we tarry for him Luk. 12.36 2 Pet. 3.12 The soules of the Saints that lay under the Altar cryed how long Lord but this answer was returned to them that they should rest for a little season untill their fellow servants and brethren were fulfilled Apoc. 6.10 11. The patient abiding of the poore shall not perish for ever Let us by patience and long suffering passe through the sea of afflictions in this world that we may be with Christ in the haven of eternall happinesse in the world to come Let us tarry for him till the breath bee out of our bodies and let our flesh rest in hope till the day of judgement 2. This phrase doth signifie the greatest and basest part of subjection that can be Ioshua made the men of War to set their feete on the neckes of the Kings that fought against them Ios. 10.24 Adonibezeck made them whom he subdued to gather crumbes under his table Iud. 1.7 The Psalmist sayes of the enemies of Christ they shall licke the dust under his feete and Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall tread Satan under our feete I will lay thee at my foote we are wont to say Now as they shall be Christ's footstoole so our footstoole too Wee shall be conquerours yea more than Conquerours by him that loved us but this full and compleate victory shall not be till the day of judgment when death the last enemy of all shall be subdued In the meane season while we be here we must look to have our enemies on our top to spit on our face to smite us as they did Christ to make long furrowes on our backes to offer us the greatest indignity that can be but let us be of good comfort the time shall come when they shall be our foot-stoole to their everlasting shame and we shall be as Kings with crownes on our heads and palmes in our hands for ever and ever VERSE 14. THere is great reason he should sit still at the right hand of God in heaven because with one offering he hath perfected that is hath gi-given them all things that were requisite reconciliation remission of sins sanctification redemption Not for a time but for ever Not all the world in generall but those that are sanctified they that remaine dogs and swine still have no benefit by this sacrifice but those that are sanctified Eph. 1.4 1 Cor. 6.11 All have not benefit by the sacrifice of our Saviour Christ only they that are sanctified Acts. 20.32 This is the will of God even your sanctification If we be not sanctified we shall never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven Dogges Enchanters Whoremongers are without Follow peace and holinesse without which no man shall see GOD. Except a man bee borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3.5 Such were some of you but yee are sanctified c. 1 Cor. 6.11 This is little considered of us We falsely imagine that we may wallow like swine in the mire of our sinnes and yet goe to heaven when wee dye That cannot bee None are perfected by the offering of CHRIST but they that are sanctified If thou remainest a covetous miser still and beest not sanctified from thy covetousnesse if thou continuest a drunkard still and art not sanctified from thy drunkennesse if thou dwellest in thy fornication adultery stil and beest not sanctified from these sins If thou beest a proud man still and art not sanctified from thy pride to have a lowly opinion of thy selfe thou shalt never have any comfort by the oblation of CHRIST Wee must be Saints in some measure while wee are here on the earth or else wee shall never be Saints in heaven hereafter Paul writeth to them that are sanctified 1 Cor. 1.1 Therefore let us entreat the Lord to sanctifie us in soule spirit and body throughout that we may enter into the holy Hierusalem in the life to come VERSE 15. FOr the HOLY GHOST testifieth this also to us 2 Pet. 1.21 For after hee had said before these are the words of the Apostle making a collection out of the Prophet He doth not say for Ieremie beares us witnesse but the Holy Ghost The whole Scripture was given by inspiration from God it was inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 The HOLY GHOST speakes in the bookes of Moses in the Psalmes and in the Prophets in the writings of the Evangelists in the Epistles of the Apostles and in all the rest In other writings men speake but in the Scripture GOD Almighty speaketh therefore how reverently are they to bee read and heard of us wee that bee the Preachers speake yet it is not wee but the Spirit of GOD that speaketh in us the HOLY GHOST speaketh by the mouth of all his servants therefore let us take heed how we resist the Holy Ghost VERSE 16. AFter he had promised a New Covenant instead of the Old After those dayes namely of the old Testament those being expired Then saith the Lord concerning the New Covenant that was promised Two things Renovation and Remission of sins Verse 17. God doth not promise to put his lawes in our eyes that wee might look on them in our mouthes that we might talke of them or on the fringes of our garments as the Pharises had the Law of God but if wee feare Him Hee will put his lawes into our hearts that the heart being possessed with the Law of God it may set the tongue and all the members of the body on worke VERSE 17. NEither the guilt nor punishment of them This testimony was cited Chapter 8. to prove that there was a New Covenant to abolish the Old Here it is alleadged to prove that remission of sins is effected by the sacrifice of Christ in the New Testament which was only figured out by the sacrifices of the Old Testament So that one and the same Scripture may be applyed to diverse purposes The foundation whereupon the remission of sins promised by God was built was the sacrifice of Christ in the New Testament otherwise this testimony should not be alleadged to purpose That which we minde to punish we will remember I remember Amalek said the Lord. A master being displeased with his servant sayes I will remember you anon but God will not remember our sins he will rase them out of the booke of his remembrance An happy turne for us for if he should remember but one sin against us it were sufficient to cast us into hell As God remembers not our sins So let not us remember the injuries done to us Ioseph would not revenge himselfe on his brethren for the injurie they intended against him and practised but
shall we passe through it Christ himselfe will be our leader in it As hee is both the sacrifice and the Priest so he is the way and the guide the way Hee doth not say an High-Priest but simply a Priest because there is no other sacrificing Priest save CHRIST in the New Testament Not a small one but a great one great in person being God and man great in power for heaven and earth are his great in goodnesse and mercy that will have compassion on our weaknesse and if we happen to faint he will support us by the way For his superiority and preheminence over the house of God that is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 Moses was over the house of God yet as a servant Hebr. 3.5 Christ as the Lord and King the commander in the house he over a part of Gods house in Iudea Christ over the whole house dispersed over all the earth All Ministers in some sort are over the house of God Who is a faithfull servant that his Lord may make rule over his house that bee over you in the Lord 1 Thes. 5.12 So Moses was over the house Yet a great difference betweene them and Christ. A noble man is over his house and his steward is over his house Christ as the Lord and owner of the house wee as his stewards to give you your meat in due season A singular comfort to all that be of this house that such a one as Christ is over it Some houses have tyrannicall governours which scrape all to themselves and have no care of them in the house Christ is not such a one he hath a loving and fatherly care of all in the house Some householders would provide for their house and cannot they want ability Christ Iesus that is over this house is both able and willing to provide all things necessary for us Therfore let us be of good comfort we shall not want the thing that is good The Church is God's house All England is the Kings dominion White-Hall is his Chappell so all the world is Gods empire but the Church is his house therefore let us behave our selves wisely and religiously in the house of God Will any make the Kings house and Ale-house to quaffe and swill in A brothel-house to commit adultery in and shall we that be in the Church the house of God be drunkards adulterers wicked and lascivious livers As wee bee in Gods house so let us demeane our selves accordingly VERSE 22. HAving such a wise loving and mighty Priest let us come unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely to God by him by the invocation of his name asking boldly all things necessary for this life and the life to come as also let us draw neere to him by an holy life and blamelesse conversation They that make an outward profession and deny him in their lives are farre from him the others are neere and walke with God as Enoch Some interpret it Let us draw neere to that heavenly Sanctuary which is opened to us whereunto we draw neere with a true heart But especially this is to be understood of prayer This drawing neere is not so much with the feete of our bodies as with the feete of our soules The way whereunto is chalked out to us and wherein our High-Priest directeth us for it must have relation to all that went before Now we draw neere to heaven by prayer and an holy life A true heart voyd of hypocrisie and dissimulation for God heareth not hypocrites though they make never so goodly a shew and have never so glorious words 2. An assured faith which purifieth our hearts Act. 15.9 there must be no doubting in faith Iac 1.6 Though thou beest as tall a man as Saul yet thou art not the neerer to heaven but if thou sendest many prayers to heaven and hast thy conversation in heaven then thou drawest neere to heaven Being sprinckled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our hearts from an evill conscience There was a sprinckling water in the time of the Law made of the ashes of the red Cow wherewith the people were sprinckled Num. 19.9 their bodies were sprinckled with that but our soules must be sprinckled with the bloud of Christ. From an accusing conscience that our sins are washed away in the bloud of Christ. We should have no more conscience of sin Heb. 10.2 our consciences should no longer pricke us for sin because being justified by faith we have peace with God and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus This afterwards breedeth sanctification 1 Pet. 1.2 There be many false-hearted wretches in the world such as Iudas was that kissed Christ and betrayed him at the same time there bee many that pretend love to religion and yet have none in them such were those Ezek. 14.1 Such were the Pharisees whited tombes and painted Sepulchers such were the Sadduces that came with a notable glosse to our Saviour Christ and there is a number of Hypocrites at this day that maske under the Vizard of Religion He that made the heart knowes the heart and will one day discover them to their shame Therefore if we draw neere to God let it be with a true heart least hee say to us as to them this people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their hearts are farre from me If wee be falsehearted men though we carry never so glorious a shew God cannot abide us but if we be true-hearted men though there be many weakenesses and infirmities in us he will accept us in Christ Iesus Behold a true Israelite said Christ of Nathaneel There bee true Israelites and false false cloathes glasses clockes c. Faith is like the Moone sometimes at the full sometimes in the wane But seeing Christ hath merited our salvation God hath promised for Christ's sake to bestow a kingdome on us therefore let us not doubt of it That is to doubt of the sufficiency of Christ's merit and of the Word of God How shall wee come to this full assurance If our hearts bee sprinkled from an evill conscience by the bloud of Christ. By nature have we all bad consciences accusing us for sinne In many things we sinne all All those sinnes lye as an heavy loade on our consciences and make us to cry out ô my sinnes they will not suffer mee to bee quiet day nor night but being sprinckled in our hearts with the bloud of CHRIST we shall no more be vexed with the sting of an evill conscience because Christ hath dyed for all our sins Happy are they that be thus sprinckled Our hearts being sprinckled from an evill conscience our bodies must be washed with pure water It is not enough to have a good soule to God-wards though that is the chiefe but our bodies also must be washed with the pure water of the HOLY GHOST Our eyes must be washed from unchast lookes our eares from rash receiving of reports one against another our
of prosperity we will not bestow any of our goods on the poore on the Church on the maintenance of the Word of God unlesse it be extorted by Law then how will we suffer with joy the losse of all in the time of adversity Let us not be so glewed to our riches let us use them now as if we used them not that if the time of tryall should come wee may joyfully forgoe Christ's sake VERSE 35. NOw hee prepareth them to persist with boldnesse in it by confirming and strengthning of them in the profession of the Gospell 1. Hee commends to them an heavenly courage and invincible boldnes then he points out two props or pillars for it to leane upon 1. The admonition 2. The reason of it Cast not away as faint hearted Souldiers are wont to doe their weapons cast it not away but keepe it still Eph. 6.13 he bade us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our spirituall armour Here he would not have us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee are wont to cast away those things that be hurtfull and cumbersome to us This heavenly weapon of confidence and boldnesse is very necessary and commodious for us therefore let us not cast it away Will a traveller cast away his staffe whereon he leaneth and sustaines himselfe in his journey The confidence wee have in God by Iesus Christ is the staffe whereon we leane therefore let us not cast it away for so much as yee know yee have within your selves a better enduring substance in heaven although yee loose all these earthly goods Therefore cast not away that confidence Let it cause you couragiously to passe through all afflictions whatsoever The word doth import not only an inward boldnes but an open profession of it before all the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when men are not afraid to speak all and deliver their whole minde As ye have begun to fight valiantly under Christ's banner even to the spoyling of all your goods so let nothing quayle your courage continue fighting to the end Why what shall they get by it this your bold and confident fighting shall be rewarded and that greatly too therefore persist in it Hee doth not say it shall have but it hath already namely fide spe not a small but a great recompense of reward We shall not only have a reward but a great reward Psal. 19.11 Matth. 5.12 It is great in many respects 1. For earthly goods which wee loose we shall have treasures in heaven that abide for ever and is not that a great reward for chips to have gold 2. For our afflictions that are finite wee shall have infinite and eternall happinesse Here we suffer for a time there we shall reigne forever What a great reward is this Barzillai said to David why will the King recompence it with such a reward much more may wee say why will the King of Kings recompence our afflictions with such a great reward as this is Let the consideration of this reward put life and courage into us all It would grieve a Souldier to fight when he shall get nothing but blowes but if he be sure of a rich spoyle when the battell is ended that will make him fight couragiously we shal be amply rewarded therefore let us fight Our labour is not in vaine in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult all our good workes shall bee rewarded yet thereupon it doth not follow that they are meritorious Wheresoever the Papists finde fire in the Scripture that is the fire of purgatory and where they finde a reward thereupon they conclude a merit Indeed opus merces are relatives but not merces meritum A reward doth presuppose a worke but not a merit All that laboured in the Vineyard were rewarded but not according to their merits for then they that laboured but one houre should not have beene equall with them that bore the heate and burden of the day but they were rewarded according to the promise of the Lord of the Vineyard so shall wee bee Therefore it is said Verse 36. that we shall receive the promise But this is most certaine that all our workes whatsoever issuing from faith shall be rewarded Our comming to Church our hearing of Sermons if with feare and conscience our feeding of the hungerie cloathing of the naked our prayers almes deeds c. yea a cup of cold water given with a sincere heart shall not loose his reward Moses looked to the recompence of the reward so let us doe with the eye of faith It is not in vaine to serve God as the wicked complaine in Malachie we shall have great recompense of reward for our service Let this encourage us all in the profession of the Gospell VERSE 36. THe first pillar is patience Where 1. The necessity of patience 2. A remedy against impatiencie 1. The necessity of patience is intimated 2. Vrged by a forcible reason He doth not say it were well yee had patience it were a convenient thing that yee had patience yee cannot be without it A Souldier hath need of weapons a man of meat and drinke and yee of patience Why the reason is taken from the necessary use of it without patience yee cannot have heaven promised to you therefore yee have need of it That after yee have done the will of God that is suffered according to his will It is Gods will we should passe to heaven through afflictions 1 Pet. 4. ult in that respect let us beare them patiently and let us say with Paul Act. 21.13 I am ready not to be bound only but to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus The promise that is rem promissam Multa cadunt inter promissum rem promissam Patience is a noble vertue nobile vincendi genus est patientia 1. Sapientem demonstrat David shewed himselfe a wise man when he bore patiently the railing of Shimei So did Hezekias when he answered not Rabshakeh The world counts them fooles that put up reviling speeches yet they be the true wise men 2. Fortitudinem superat aerek Aphaijm Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is counted cowardlinesse not to resist yet it is the best valour in the world 3. Sine ictu de hoste triumphat Wee give our enemie never a blow and yet we overcome him not feriendo but ferendo we triumph over them all It is a victory gotten not only without bloudshed but without the stryking of a stroake 4. In morte vitam conservat As the Salamander lives in the fire so patience makes us to live in the fire of afflictions 5. De regno securitatem praestat Matth. 5.10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heaven therefore let this excellent vertue be imbraced by us all In patience possese your soules Wee can have no quiet possession of our soules without patience Wee have neede of patience at all times and seasons in
Virgins thinke to carry away all the praise As CHRIST was borne of a Virgin so of a Wife too feare not to take to thee Mary thy Wife Mariage serveth more for the propagation of the Church then Virginity doth God is glorified by marryed folke as by Virgins as in Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebeccah Zachary and Elizabeth with sundry others 3. Children are the inheritance of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward When Sarah was a young woman in the floure of her age the mirrour of beauty a passing fayre and beautifull woman full of bloud then she had no Child when she is old and past child-bearing then she hath a Child these be the Children said Iacob to Esau which God of his grace hath given me We adscribe the fruits of trees to God and shall we not adscribe the fruits of our bodies to him whensoever we have Children in our young age or old age let us praise God for them VERSE 12. THe event which is amplified by the naughtinesse of the roote and the innumerable branches that sprang from it In regard of her faith and her Husbands together Of one sprang many of one Abraham for it is of the masculine gender by his copulation with Sarah Gorr ab uno that is utero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And what was that one a dead one too Why he was now but an hundred yeares old Methusalem begat Lamech when hee was one hundred eightie seven yeeres old But they were of greater strength before the floud then after 2. Abraham sundry yeeres after this begate Children then why should this be counted a wonder he was lively afterwards and was he dead now those he begate of Keturah which was a yong woman 2. Even the power to beget them was of God too not of nature in himselfe he was a dead stocke The multitude of the branches is set forth by two similitudes Abraham had two kindes of Children the one after the flesh the other after the spirit By the starres as some will have it are meant the godly whose conversation is in heaven as the Starres bee in heaven and they shine by their vertues like starres Vnder the sand of the Sea is comprehended the carnall progeny of Abraham propter instabilitatem numerositatem ponderositatem infructuositatem they are light and inconstant as the sand is But that is too nise Generally the similitude is to bee extended to the whole race of Abraham his seed is compared to them both for number Some Mathematicians have taken on them to set downe the just number of the stars they are but one thousand and twelve in all They are beyond their bookes too presumptuous to goe beyond their limits God can number them all and call them by their name but to us they are innumerable as the sand of the Sea is and so were they that came of Abraham By the lippe of the Sea the shoare is as the lippe of the Sea the extremity of the Sea as the lippe is of the mouth and as the lippe keepes things within the mouth so doth the shoare keepe in the Sea Multitude of Children a populous posterity is the blessing of God 2 Sam. 19.17 Iud. 12.9 Psal. 128.3 Children are compared to arrowes blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them A full quiver of these shafts is the gift of God Let us not take too much thought for providing for them he that feedeth the young Ravens will feede our Children if we trust in him Philip asked where shall we have meat for so great a multitude Let not us say so hee that sendeth mouthes will send meat if by faith we depend on him 2. We must not tye God to the course of nature Of Abraham and Sarah that were dead came as many as the starres and the sand Of a company of dead bones stood up an exceeding great armie When GOD had foretold of a plenty there was a Prince which tooke exception against it if God would make windowes in heaven could this come to passe he was troden under mens feete for it Let us not object against Gods power Let us not call Gods power into question pinion his armes shut him into prison Let us not say God can doe this or that hee doth whatsoever hee will in heaven c. LORD if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane Hee cannot doe those things that imply a weakenesse a contrariety to himselfe for that were to deny himselfe but whatsoever imports a power and is agreeable to his blessed will that he can doe Shall any thing bee impossible with GOD it was not possible by the course of nature that Abraham and Sarah at this age should have a Child yet they had one and of that one Child came a great people There is no possibility in nature that the dead should rise againe yet God can effect it Let us keepe no Sophismes or Problems against Gods power but in all things though it seeme impossible to the world let us depend on him by a true and lively faith Now to the things recorded of Abraham after hee had a Childe The one is common to others together with him the other proper to himselfe alone That which was common is his perseverance in faith to the end That which is proper to him is the offering of his Sonne In the former 1. A narration of their perseverance Verse 13. 2. A confirmation of it The narration is first set downe then amplified VERSE 13. HEE doth not speake it of Abraham alone he dyed in the faith then he should have made an iteration of it in all the rest wherefore for the avoyding of it he affirmes it generally of them all Viz. Abraham Isack Iacob Sarah mentioned before and all the godly too that sprung of them before the possession of the land of Canaan Hee doth not say these lived in faith a great while but dyed in faith they carryed their faith with them to the grave According to faith that is that faith whereby they had committed themselves wholly to God and by vertue wherof they depended on him or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is amplified by certaine effects negative affirmative internall eternall 1. They had not the promises yet believed them They received with gladnesse the promises made to them they had the pronuntiation the delivery of the promises but they had not received the accomplishment of them The promises that is res promissas Not the earthly things promised to them but they received the kingdome of heaven hee useth the plurall number because one and the same thing was often promised to them Gorrhan expounds it They received them not plenè perfectè because though they had requiem in limbo yet as yet they had not gloriam in coelo but that is a devise not easily to bee made good The land of Canaan was promised to them yet they had not received
with delight and pleasure the English may be well retained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for deditus voluptati The Papists following the vulgar translate it then to have the fruition of a temporall sin and Ribera is a greater patron of the Latine then of the Greeke hee sayes the Greeke might bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the vulgar hath done well but Cajetan is more ingenious saying that temporarii is put for temporarium Of ease and quietnesse safety and security delicate fare honour and dignity in Pharaohs Court These hee might have there enjoyed yet hee rejected them all VERSE 27. THese pleasures are amplified by two adjuncts they be temporary and sinfull though he had enjoyed them he could have had no long lease of them hee must one day have forgone them all 2. They were sinfull pleasures Some say so called because without sinne he could not have disclaimed his owne people rather because they are the occasions of sinne the instruments of sinne and can hardly be enjoyed without sinne In it selfe it is no sinne to bee in the Court of Princes but through our corruption it sometime becommeth sinne Or in a particular manner they had beene sinne to him if for them he had disclaimed the people of God David had an hard choyse that might justly put him to a stand a man would thinke that Moses had an easie choyse whether hee would live in prosperity or in adversity this required no great deliberation Who would not rather embrace prosperity yet he rather chose adversity A Physition sayes to a sicke man here is a boxe of Iuncats and a boxe of Pils the Iuncats will overlay thy stomack the Pils will purge thee and make thee whole he rather chuses the Pils then the Iuncates so the pleasures in Pharaohs Court would have overcharged Moses soule adversity with Gods people would be a meanes for the saving of his soule therefore he rather chose that Let us not be too much bewitched with prosperity it may be as a cradle to rocke us asleepe in sinne adversity may be as a Charret which though it jogge us and make us sicke for the time yet at length it will carry us to heaven Therefore if it bee the will and pleasure of GOD let us rather chuse that as Moses did it is better to have Lazarus his paines and to goe to heaven then all Dives his pleasures and goe to hell Pleasures are Syrens that deceive us all we are all too greedy of pleasure yet here be two soure sawces that may make us loath the sweetmeate of pleasure 1. For the most part they be sinfull the pitch and tarre of sin cleaveth to these earthly pleasures Riches seeme pleasant things to us yet they be thornes to pricke us and snares to entangle us meate and drinke Corne and Wine are pleasant things yet they often breed surfetting and drunkennesse Silver and Gold are pleasant things it doth a man good to looke on them yet they are as thieves to steale away our hearts from God and as plummets of lead to drowne us in perdition if we looke not well about us Hardly can we use these pleasures but we shall defile our selves with sin and banish our selves out of the kingdome of heaven therefore let us be wise and circumspect in the use of them 2. Wee can enjoy them but a season Hast thou faire houses large lands ample possessions Canst thou dispend one thousand three thousand per annum thou canst hold them but a season peradventure this night thy soule shall bee taken from thee and then whose shall all these be Art thou a wealthy Merchant a rich Clothyer a Gentleman Knight Lord thou canst enjoy thy place but a season it may bee Seventie yeeres and what is that to eternity who would bee a King for an houre and a miserable beggar all the dayes of his life after and who would live in all jollity here for an houre and frye in hell world without end Therefore let us not be besotted with these transitory pleasures but desire the joyes that abide for ever The reasons that induced him to it are 1. A reverent estimation of the miserable estate of Gods Children in this life 2. An heavenly contemplation of their happy estate in the life to come VERSE 26. THis choyse was built on judgement Accounting in his account it was the greater being lead to it by the direction of Gods spirit his judgement being enlightned and directed by the Spirit of God Not thinking or supposing conjecturing but esteeming Hee doth not say heaven to bee greater riches but the rebuke of Christ. The Papists translate it improperium Christi the nicke name of Christ. The Hebrewes being in a strange Country in great servitude and bondage were obnoxious to many opprobrious and contumelious speeches and usages therefore he sayes the rebuke of Christ and that is put generally for all afflictions But how was that the rebuke of Christ Christ was not borne then he could not then be mocked Hee was agnus occisus ab origine mundi Christ hath beene afflicted from the beginning of the world as he was after his Ascension into heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The afflictions of the Church are called the rebuke of Christ the shame and ignomie of Christ not actively but passively that shame and rebuke wherunto Christ is exposed in this world When we are rebuked and persecuted Christ is persecuted When Ishmael mocked Isaac hee mocked Christ when the Aegyptians oppressed the Israelites they oppressed Christ when the body is afflicted the head is afflicted when the Wife is afflicted the Husband is afflicted So when we are sicke hungry or naked Christ is Gal. 6.17 Col. 1.24 As Abraham saw Christ by the eye of faith So did Moses and hee esteemed highly the rebuke of Christ. What estimation had he of it 1. Hee did not esteeme it to be poverty though indeed the Israelites were very poore but riches Not rich in the positive but in the comparative degree not great riches but greater than all the riches in Aegypt Not then the Sheepe and Oxen but the treasures nay than all the treasures in it not only then all the treasures in the Court but in all Aegypt they had many treasuries abundance of Gold and Silver yet in Moses judgement the rebuke of Christ was a greater treasure Greater not de praesenti but de futuro There is the Sonne and heyre of a Nobleman that shall have great lands and possessions yet in the meane season he is kept under he fares hard he is under a severe Schoolemaster yet a wise man will say I esteeme his estate better than the condition of a riotous person that presently lives in jollity So Moses knew howsoever they were afflicted here yet the riches of heaven should one day be theirs therefore hee accounts the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of
Aegypt greater in glory and perpetuity The reason is rendred Hee did not looke on their present but future estate Genesis 15. Verse 1. They should be greatly rewarded in the life to come therefore he would be one of them Mockes and taunts banishment imprisonment losse of goods burning at the stake for the name of Christ these are greater riches than all the treasures in the world without Christ and so let them bee esteemed of us al after these follows heaven and at the taile of them comes hell in that respect it is the greater 2 Cor. 4.17 for this light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us an eternall weight of glory The councell of Trent Bellar. Stapleton and our English Iesuites in their annotations on this place doe falsely father this assertion on us that wee teach it to bee unlawfull benè operari intuitu mercedis whereas wee hold no such opinion It is a meere slander of theirs We confesse there is a reward layd up for the godly and wee may lawfully looke up to it yet in that our looking two things are to be observed 1. We must not respect that Solùm nor praecipuè it must neither be the only thing nor the chiefe thing that sets us on worke The principall motives to good workes must be Gods glory and the love of Christ. GOD hath created all for his owne glory our light must so shine before men that they seeing our good workes may glorifie our Father in heaven I will abstaine from sinne because it dishonours GOD. I will adorne the Gospell with good workes because they glorifie God 2. The love of Christ must constraine us thereunto As he hath dyed for my sins so I will dye to sinne 3 The consideration of our owne duty must presse us to it All that wee can doe is a debt which wee owe unto our GOD therefore wee must alwayes bee paying our debt to our lives end The 4th is that rich and ample reward reserved for us which is as a bell to toll us to good workes this we may respect but it is not the chiefest thing propounded to us in well doing The Philosophers could say that nuda virtus is to be desired so God is to bee loved and served for himselfe alone without any other by-consideration They that doe good workes only for the reward are mercenary as a labourer will not doe a dayes worke unlesse hee may have a shilling and they that have no respect to the reward that regard it not at all are unthankefull to God who hath prepared a reward for us Let us looke to the reward by the which he allures us as a father doth his Children to well doing but let that neither bee the sole nor principall marke wee ayme at but the glorifying of our heavenly father for whose glory we were created and redeemed 2. Let us expect a reward for our well doing yet not upon merit but upon promise Paul being ready to dye looked at the reward from henceforth there is layd up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse But what Crowne not which hee had merited but which GOD had promised and for his promise sake would give to him This is the surmise of some Papists that merces meritum bee relatives though promissum merces are relatives yet merces meritum are not Wee looke for a reward because God hath promised it not because wee have merited it for when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants Otherwise let us be bold to cast up our eyes to the reward Christ himselfe had respect to the recompense of the reward Hebr. 12.2 and we that be Christians may imitate him in that Though a child have a poore man to his Father that is not able to leave him a Groate yet he is bound to honour him but much more if hee be a rich man and willing to leave him a fayre inheritance Our father is rich hee will reward us with a kingdome therefore let us the rather serve and honour him great is your reward in heaven behold I come and my reward is with me Here wee meete with many crosses in our mindes bodies goods name in our Wives Children Cattell here are many occasions of weeping but let us cheerefully endure them all One day we shall be taken up into that place where all teares shall bee wiped away from our eyes for ever Let us looke to this recompense of reward VERSE 27. THe second notable thing in Moses is a necessary crosse imposed on him which is amplified by a corrumpent and a conservant cause of it The corrumpent was the fiercenesse of the King which he feared not the conservant was the sight of God standing by him The greatest part of Interpreters expound it of Moses departing out of Aeyypt when hee carryed the people with him then and in the dispatchall of his message and office he feared not the fiercenesse of the King but contemned it That is true yet it seemes not to be the proper meaning of the place 1. Then the Apostle should invert the order which hitherto he hath not done nor hereafter doth in this Chapter hee should set the departure out of Aegypt before the Institution of the Passeover 2. This departure out of Aegypt is included Verse 29. it should be now unseasonable to speake of it 3. Then Moses did not forsake Aegypt but hee went as a Conquerour out of Aegypt They that forsake a Country leave it for some cause in regard whereof they cannot safely tarry in the Country Therfore it is rather to be referred to the flight of Moses when after the killing of the Aegyptian he left Aegypt and fled into the land of Midian This might seeme to have proceeded from infidelity yet the power of faith is to be seene in it Moses perceiving that now the King being incensed against him and the Israelites as yet not acknowledging him for their deliverer there was no convenient time to prosecute his office therefore he flieth for a season committing himselfe to the providence of GOD and expecting a better opportunity for the delivering of the Israelites in the meane season by faith he forsaketh Aegypt for a time There is one only thing that opposeth itselfe to this Interpretation Here it is said that he feared not the fiercenesse of the King yet Exod. 2.14 it is as cleere as the noone day that he feared it and fled upon it 1. The participle may be rendred in the praeterpluperfect-tense as Verse 31. by faith Moses forsooke Aegypt having not feared the fiercenesse of the King namely in killing the Aegyptian according to his commission received from God not that he feared it not afterwards 2. Though hee feared a little at the first yet that feare was allayed afterwards in a couragious magnanimity he forsook Aegypt and feared not the fiercenesse of the King in pursuing after him It may be this fierce Lion will sent messengers after me
either to try us withall or to humble us for one thing or other 2 The Testimony of thine owne conscience if that accuse thee weepe if that excuse thee laugh that which they speake is either true or false if in be true mourne for it and amend it if it be false rejoyce in it Matth. 5.11 3 Christs example must be never out of minde An ancient Father professeth of himselfe that when hee remembred that prayer of Christs he could not find in his heart to be revenged of any It was as a bridle to restraine him from revenge So as oft as we thinke on these words consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners let them be a Bull-warke to us against evill tongues Did he that was no sinner endure and shall not we that be sinners endure ill speeches There is none that can challenge a priviledge from ill tongues Kings themselves are faine to swallow up many an ill word The persecution of the tongue is a grievous persecution to tender hearts more grievous than that of the hand Mocks and taunts goe to the heart of men and discourage many In all these let us consider our Saviour Christ that endured such contradiction of sinners he had a loade of contumelious speeches lay'd on him yet he endured them Let Christs enduring make us to endure and let them not hinder us in the race of Christianity Let us take heed we be not accessary to his persecution Some there be that are never well but when they be speaking ill of others Their mouthes are like Mils that cannot grinde without foule water A dangerous Plurisy it were well that they were let bloud of that vaine Come say they Let us smite Ieremie with the tongue Let us keep our hands off but let us lay on loade with our tongues This they thinke they may lawfully doe Our tongues are our owne who shall controll us Nay they be not your owne 1 Cor. 6.19 Of every idle word ye must give an account much more of every rayling and back-byting word The tongue is an unruly evill but labour to rule it As we sit at Table by the Chimney side let us not speak ill but sound forth the praises of GOD for CHRIST's comming into the world S. Iames sets two brands on him 1. He is a Coosener whom doth hee deceive not another but himselfe 2. His religion is vaine he may thinke highly of himselfe yet he is a vaine man Some take a liberty to themselves to speake ill of those that be not as they are so holy so religious as they thou shouldest rather pray for them than speak ill of them Acts 26.29 S. Paul wished that Agryppa and all that were then present were he was but he did not raile on them no more must we If defects be in any pray for the supply of them but speake not ill of them behinde their backs Let us remember that in sinning against the brethren we sin against Christ let not one member persecute another let Ismael doe it but let not Isaac doe it Let us all arme our selves against malevolent tongues let us never dreame to live without ill words Nay S. Luke sayes Woe be to you when all men speake well of you Let us alwayes remember this Item of the Holy Ghost Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners that his example may be as Aqua-vitae to keepe us from fainting VERSE 4. NOw followes the second argument which is taken from a defect in their former affliction We have endured many things already Heb. 10.32 Why doest thou speake to us of enduring more I but ye have not come to the last stroake yee have lost your goods but not your lives for Christ and his Gospell as many have done and you peradventure may doe hereafter As Christ hath shed his bloud for you so must you bee content to doe the like for him if he call you to it Matth. 23.35 Vnto bloud that is unto death Such a one seekes my bloud that is my life Bloud-sucker His bloud be on as and our children that is let us be answerable for his death It is so called because in a violent death there is an effusion of bloud We must never thinke we have resisted enough to our dying-day Phil. 3.13 Striving against sin Some interpret it against the sin of the persequutors labouring by threatnings and promises to draw you from Christ. Rather against sinne in yourselves which is as Cable-rope to pull afflictions on you Though God impose them on you or suffer them to befall you for his Gospell There be Cutters sad Hacksters desperate Ruffians that will resist to bloud they will challenge one another into the field and it may be see the heart-bloud one of another but this is in the Devils cause not in Christs cause Let us resist in the defence of Christ and his Gospell to the bloud Christ hath shed his bloud for us and shall not we shed ours for him Many of the Heathen have given their bloud for their Countrey and shall not wee give it for Christ and the Church for the confirmation of it in the faith of Christ Though we have stood out a long time in Christs quarrell resisting the enemies of the Gospell yet let us not set downe our staffe Let us never think wee have resisted enough till wee have resisted to bloud Christ gave us our bloud Christ redeemed our bloud Christ hath prepared heaven for us that be flesh and bloud therefore it cannot be spent better than in his service But as for us we yeeld our selves Captives to sin we throw downe the bucklers and suffer him to over-master us there is no striving against sin We strive one with another every Towne is full or unneighbourly strifes and unbrotherly contentions We strive not against sin Sin is the greatest enemie that we have it will cut the throat of our soule and banish us out of heaven therefore let us strive against it Leave striving one with another and let us all strive against sinne We shall never bee Martyrs if we doe it not for they that will not lay downe their sins for Christ will never lay downe their lives for Christ. How must we strive against sin 1 By prayer 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I be sought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me Let us pray against anger pride uncleannesse covetousnesse continually 2 By Scripture If we be inticed to idolatry let us fight against it with the sword of the Spirit as Christ did saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve If we be provoked to adultery let us say Whoremongers and Adulterers GOD will judge 3 By the substracting of the nourishment of that sin Let us strive against lust and uncleannesse by a sober and temperate life The very Heathen could say Sine cerere Baccho friget Venus Eate and drinke sparingly and the fire of
over-seething pots that send forth a fome or from over-charged stomackes that must needs belch Salomon saith of the foole eructat stultitiam he belches out foolishnesse Belchers yee know are odious to all so be all pratlers With what With malicious words As they said of Moses and Aaron Yee take too much upon you So Diotrephes said of Saint Iohn hee tooke too much upon him as if none should rule in the Church but hee Hee prated that hee did exhaust the treasury of the Church that hee overburthened them with a multitude of strangers sent to them It may be that he breathed out some points of erroneus doctrine too He prated against him he could not tell what inaniter ac irrationabiliter saith Lyra vainely and without all reason Zenophanes was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spurre to Homer and Diotrephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spurre of Saint Iohn of whom hee was not worthy to be named the same day A common sinne yet a grievous sinne more grievous than we are aware of to be pratling in corners of other men 1. Therein they sin against God who gave them their tongues to be as trumpets to sound forth his praises and bells to toll their brethren to God not as coales of Iuniper to burne withall nor as sharpe rasors to cut withall 2. In this they imitate the devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Basil they have their character and denomination from the devill hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the accuser and slanderer of the brethren so are they Hee is the old devill and they are the young devills 3. The object where about they be occupied is the good name of men now a good name is above silver and gold Hee doth not a man so great wrong that robbeth him of his silver and gold as hee that robbeth him of his good name 4. Hee is a man-slayer and no manslayer hath eternall life he kills three men at once with the sword of his tongue himselfe the hearers and the man whom he trusteth through with the speare of his malevolent speeches vnus est qui loquitur unum verbum profert he is one that speaketh he bringeth but one word out of his mouth yet in uno momento multas aures inficit multas animas interficit in one moment he infects many eares and kills many soules 5. He banisheth himselfe out of the Kingdome of heaven raylers by name are excluded therefore let us leave this pratling least hereafter we chatter and burne in hellfire Major est machaera linguae quam ferri saith Saint Augustine the sword of the tongue makes a deeper wound than the sword of yron It goes to the heart of many Saint Chrysostome professes he knew some Quos verba magis affecerunt quam vulnera whom words have more affected then blowes and no marveile saith he the body receives the one the soule the other But let us not be so faint hearted words are but winde as wee use to speake let them passe away like the winde especially being undeserved 1. What be those pratlers they be not lupi rapaces sed pulices mordaces Not ravening wolves but back-biting fleas they bee but as a company of whelpes that follow us wapping at our heeles 2. We draw in the same yoke with Christ and all the Saints Some kept a pratling against Christ that he was a perverter of the people that hee denyed to pay tribute to Caesar. Tertullus the oratour made a declamation against Paul Wee have found this man a turbulent fellow a mover of sedition throughout the world What a number of false accusations were commensed against Athanasius that he embeaseled the Kings treasure that he had killed Arsenius his owne deacon In this wee have a cloud of witnesses many companions in this affliction Wee may happily keepe out of the clawes of men but wee shall never keepe out of the jawes of men The servant is not above his master Daemonium habet he hath a devill audit Dominus patitur audit servus indignatur this heares the master and puts it up quietly this heares the servant and stormes at it impatiently 3. Men speake against us but God speakes for us It is Origens observation Nunquam tantas laudes dixit Deus de Mose ac postquam Miriam Aaron ei maledixerunt God never spake so much in the commendation of Moses as when Miriam and Aaron discommended and spake evill of him Were ye not afraid to speake against my servant even against Moses They disprayse God prayses what neede we to regard them 4. What is our rejoycing save the testimony of a good conscience there is joy within why should there be sorrow without Those pratling tongues croake in our eares like Ravens an excusing conscience sings like a Nightingal in our hearts let this inward musicke countervaile the outward jarring for a good conscience is a continuall feast 5. Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners hee that knew no sinne boare the contumelious speeches of sinners shall not wee that bee sinners beare the reviling speeches of sinners 6. We are no losers but gainers by it Blessed are ye when men hate you when they separate you and revile you putting out your name as evill for the Sonne of mans sake rejoyce and be glad behold your reward is great in heaven Hereunto accords that worthy speech of S. August Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae nolens addit mercedi meae Whosoever willingly detracts from my good name doth unwillingly adde to my reward in the Kingdome of heaven therefore let us be so farre from vexing at them as rather let us rejoyce in them This is the least though it be fowle enough there follow greater from words he goes to actions 1. He receives not the brethren himselfe 2. He forbids them that would 3. Hee casts them out of the Church Yet he doth not simply say he receives not the brethren but not content with his malicious prating still he goes on from one degree of sinne to another There is a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of covetousnesse in sinning a covetous man is not content with that which he hath though he have the riches of Craesus yet still he would have more So hee that hath begun to drinke of the water of sinne must needs drinke more and more Haman was not content to put Mordicay to death that refused to bow to him but he must needs have the lives of all the Iewes in the provinces of Ahasuerus Herod was not content to kill Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword but he clapt up Peter into prison intending to serve him with the like sawce The Iewes at Thessalonica could not be content to have persecuted Paul in their owne Citty but they must pursue him to Berea likewise One witch-craft one adultery would not content Iesabel her
as it is possible For in truth it is impossible the best of us all must make account to passe through good report and ill report into the kingdome of heaven Our Saviour himselfe had not the good word of all Some said he was a good man others said nay to it but he deceiveth the people It is no good report that I heare of you said Eli to his sonnes that lay with the women assembled at the doore of the tabernacle of the Congregation Let us not be justly ill reported of for our grosse Idolatry abominable swearing lying killing whoring for our execrable covetousnesse and oppression that will make us stincke in the 〈◊〉 of God and men But if they speake all manner of ill of us lying let us rejoyce in it VER 13 14. THe conclusion of the Epistle Consisting of an excusation for his short writing of a Christian farewell and of loving and mutuall salutations The excuse is altogether the same with the former in the 12. of the 2 Epistle The Christian farewell is in these words Peace be to thee It was the manner of hte Hebrewes at their meeting and parting to say peace be to thee So our Saviour being ready to goe out of the world saith to his Disciples Peace I leave with you my peace give I unto you There is pax externa all outward prosperity pax fraterna a brotherly peace Behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to live together in unity Pax interna the peace of conscience that passeth all understanding pax eterna the eternall peace that is in heaven Saint Iohn wisheth them all to Gajus The salutations are mutuall 1 From the Christians with Iohn Our friends salute thee the name of friend is taken strictè strictly for a faithfull friend indeed A friend is nearer than a brother 2 Latè largely for any common and seeming friend The rich have many friends many fawning friends 3 Latissimè most largely for any man our neighbour thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemie now every man is our neighbour 4 Ironicè Ironically even of an enemy Christ saith to Iudas Friend wherefore art thou come 5 Piè religiosè piously and religiously Our friends salute thee that is fideles the faithfull that be with me Our friends in the Lord Iesus they that love us in the faith those are the best friends of all The other salutations are to the Christians with Gajus Greete the friends by name not in grosse but nominatim particularly which argueth his singular love to them Christ cals all his sheepe by name he takes a speciall notice of them all For Salutations I remit the Reader to the former Epistle and to the Epistle to Philemon FINIS Errata in Epist. ad Philem. Pag. 5. read Pala. p. 32. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 34. dele si p. 42. r. parah p. 45. r. commendations Ad Hebreos Pag. 73. dele if p. 123. fin r. to call them from it p. 133. med r. take heede of that sin p. 142 line penult r. envious p. 143. init supply but swore he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them ibid. l. 11. dele noâ— p 146. l 4. oâ—r sâ—lvation redundat p 211. med if there were nothing redundat p. 213. ad med r. I will goe p. 22â— fin r they went many a mile p 233. ad fin inlaid with charity dele p. 266. r. Num. 35.2 3. p. 283. supply as they say p 303. ab init r. many of them the most beastly p. 305. a med r for his owne sacrifice ibid. med r. able p 325. med r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 334. med r. sacrifices p. 372. ad med r. it is an indefinit p. 374 ad med r 3. Apoc. 14.13 p. 419. ad fin v. 26 r. for this sin p 430. med r forgoe them for p 434. l 7 r. be p. 440. l. 1. r. killed p 461. l. 4 r. of her facts p. 469. med r. as heaven p 470 init in redundat p 474. l â—5 r â—hus p. 434. â— med r hee could doe no other p 513. fin r. three hundred p. 157. ab init r. soone p. 545. l 1. v. 5. r. them p. 550. l. 17. r. receive p. 574. l. 30. r. but let p. 592. l. 29. r. out p. 595. l. 24. r bâ—dge p. 590. l. 26. r. of her p. 604. l. 8. and redundat p. 614 l. 25 r. they p. 515. l. 21. r. fearefull p. 619. l. 15. r. imitation In Epist. Iohan. Pag. 666 l. 29. r. misericordia p. 668. l. 22. r. fruitfull p. 670. l. 22. r. one another p. 672. l. 22. r. but it is p. 674. l 26. r. multa p. 676. l. 19. r. for p. 678. l. 9. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 691. l. 13. supply they p. 693. l. 11. 12. r. enioyning p. 697. l. 15. r. doth ibid. l. 27. r. might p. 699. l. 23. r. repressed p. 702. l. pen r. thrusteth p. 708. l. 40. for O r. Woe 2 Tim. 3.16 Tertullian ad Trallianos De Doctrin Christ. lib. 2. Orat. In presentia 170. Epise Eccles. 9.14 Cant. 8.8 Luk. 15.4 Iac. 1.20 Philip. 2.7 Gal. 3.20 2 Tim. 4.13 Luk. 9.52 Act. 13. Serm 42. de Ver. Apost Chrys. Act. 5.41 Luk. 23.41 De simpl praelat Contr. lit Petil lib. 2. cap. 19. Cont. 2. Gaudentij Epist. lib. 2. c. 12. Super gestis cum Emerito Donat. 1 Pet. 4.15.16 Acts 16.1 2 Tim. 3. Cajet Matth. 23.8 1 Cor. 1.1 2 Pet. 3.15 Hebr. 2.11 De dignitate sacerd c. 1. Bern. In epi. dom ser. 2. Socr. lib. b. c. 4 1 Thes. 5.12 Ignat. ad Ephes. Prov. 18.19 Cajet Gorr Aquin. Iohn 4. Luk. 8. Act. 18.26 Aug. in Ioh. Tract 51. V. 2. Illyr Beza Chrys. Naz. 2 Cor. 3. Col. 4.17 Sen. 1 Reg. 22.31 1 Cor. 16.9 Apoc. 1.16 Acts 11.21 Dan. 12.3 Apoc. 19.10 Psal. 45.7 Cathar Cajet Chrys. in arg Epist. Psal. 101.4 1 Reg. 10.5 2 Reg. 10.21 Acts 20. Ios. 24.15 Epist. 143. Lib. 4. de vita Constan. De consid ad Eug. lib. 1. Ambr. in hunc locum Rom. 5.1 Isa. 57 20.2â— Isa. 9.6 Haymo Iac. 1.17 In hunc locum Verse 4. 5. 6. 7. Aug. de grat lib. Arbitr c. 19 1 Cor. 4. Bern. in Cant. Serm. 84. Ambr. De Ios pair c. 11. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 24. De ovib cap. 16. Rom. 3.29 Ios. 3.13 Iob 19.25 Isa. 57. vlt. Luk. 1.74 Ioh. 20. â—8 Rom. 1.8 Gal. 2.20 Psal. 27.1 Psal. 23.4 2 Tim. 4.18 Eph. 6. 1 Thes. 3.10 Psal. 55.17 2 Paâ—al 20.12 Iac. 1.6 Iac. 5.16 Aug. Ep. 121. Hier. lib. 1. c. 3. Psal. 34 6. Aug. in illum Psalmum Luk. 1. 1 Tim. 2.1 2 Sam. 18.3 Ter. ad Scapul Gen. 20.7 Iob 42.8 Bern. in Psal. 91. Ser. 10. Rom. 4.5 De peccat mer. remis cap. 14. Ioh. 14.1 De theol l. 5. Col. 1.4 In Psal. 7. Bern. in Cant. Ser. 30. Ioh. 11. ult In Ioh. tract
what Country man he was he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundanus The whole world is my Country all Countries are alike to me Yet in truth wee have no Country in the world England is not our Country Heaven properly to speake is our Country as Christ sayes call no man father here on earth so call no Country your Country on the earth Now heaven is our Country so we must seeke it it is worth the seeking and we cannot have it without seeking seeke the kingdom of God We must seeke it by prayer reading of Scripture hearing of Sermons by godly and fervent desire of the heart by heavenly meditations Our whole life ought to be a continuall seeking of heaven but alas we seeke for silver and gold Sheep and Oxen houses and lands and let heaven goe we are like Aesops dogge that snatched at the shadow and lost the substance We seeke more for shadowes then for the substance all the weeke long we are seeking of the world and scant on the Lords Day no day in the weeke doe we seeke heaven VERSE 15. THis is illustrated 1. By a declaration of the Country which they sought 2. By the fruit and reward of their seeking Object They professed themselves strangers because they were out of their soile the land of Chaldea Sol. That cannot be the Country which they had longed after for if their minde had run on that they had opportunity and time enough to returne in they had leysure but they would not take it 1. He shewes what Country it was not which they sought VERSE 16. 2. WHat it was which is first described comparatively then plainly pointed out with the finger The reward 1. A favour or prerogative in this life 2. In eternall happinesse in the life to come Exod. 3.15 he is the God of the whole world in generall he is the God of the wicked for temporall blessings of the faithfull for spirituall and eternall He that is the God of the whole world is now the God of three men Chrys. It is a glory to servants to have a denomination from their Lords and Masters I am servant to such a Noble man but it is no honour for a Lord to say I am the master of such a poore man such a beggarly fellow is my servant yet God glorieth of us that hee is our God Master and Father He makes this a piece of his style as if a puissant Prince would be called the King of Pigmies He hath prepared Hebr. 13.14 Ioh. 14.2 They doe not merit it GOD in mercy prepares it for them When Vide Matth. 25.34 God prepares many excellent things for us in this world but none comparable to this He prepared the world as an house furnished for man at the first We can but prepare temporall houses for our Children Some by this City understand the Church which though it bee on the earth is called heavenly because her chiefest part Christ her head is in heaven and her conversation is in heaven Hyperius But they were in the lap of the Church already within the walls of that City they needed not to seeke that which they had Heaven then is better than earth it is better by many degrees Men chuse that which they thinke to be best we choose earth rather than heaven therefore in our opinion that is the better What fooles what dolts be we men are ready to change for the better who would not change a beggars cottage for a Kings Pallace a patcht Cloak for a Princes robe We say heaven is the better yet we are loath to change our dwelling on earth for it by our good wills we would tarry here still We say heaven is a better country then this but we would faine continue in the earth still Many a Child is ashamed of his Father when hee comes to great honour We were base and ignominious wretches yet God was not ashamed of us If a great man have a kinswoman that is poore yet if a faire and beautifull woman haply he will not be ashamed of her We are all fowle and black by reason of sin yet God is not ashamed of us and shall we one of another A King is not ashamed of a beggar and shall one beggar be ashamed of another Shall one earthen Pot though it be a little guilt and tipt with silver be ashamed of another earthen Pot Though thou beest a rich man and hast more silver and gold than thy brother yet be not ashamed of him thou art earth as well as he yee are Pots of one Potter Constantine was not ashamed of the Bishops the Angels are not ashamed of us they acknowledge themselves to be our fellowes and brethren and shall we be ashamed one of another Though he be never so poore a man if he believe in Christ be not ashamed of him 2. As God is not ashamed of us so let us not be ashamed of him though Christ be afflicted here on earth yet let us not be ashamed of him and his Gospell for if we be he will be ashamed of us when he commeth with his holy Angels How doth it appeare he is not ashamed of us because he disdaineth not to be called our God He doth not say to be called their Lord and Master but God I thank my God that we read often This comprehendeth all good things for this life and that to come happy are the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. The Lions shall be hungerbit but they that have God for their Lord shal want nothing that is good This may strengthen us against poverty sicknes and all calamities against sin Satan and death it selfe Will any child feare want that hath a rich and loving father our God our Father is rich heaven and earth are his he is most loving he tenders us as the apple of his eye therefore wee can want nothing that is good The Lord is our God our shield Protectour and defender therefore let us feare nothing If God be on our side who can be against us Nay this may comfort us against death it selfe From this one word our Saviour proves the resurrection he is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him Though we dye God is our God he will raise us up againe at the latter day and translate us into his kingdome This may be a pillar of comfort for us to leane upon that God is our God By what token doth he shew himselfe to be our God because he hath prepared a City God is an excellent preparer Hee prepared the world as an house well furnished against the comming of man into it he prepared a Table for the Israelites in the wildernesse he gave them water out of a stony rocke and Manna from heaven he prepared a kingdome for Hester when she was a poore banished maide hee prepared a Whale for Ionah when he was cast into the