the Iudge of the world to giue dome and definitiue sentence both of quicke and dead and that as it were in open court of generall Sessions or assises when as he shall render to euerie man according to his workes vengeance vpon the wicked and reward vpon the righteous destruction and damnation vnto the vngodly but soules health and saluation vnto the Godly Seuenthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the Epiphanie not the first Epiphanie when Christs birth was manifested to the wise men of the East by the leading of a starre but when Christs glorie shall be reueiled by the finall eclipse of the sunne the darkning of the moone the falling of the stars and the shaking of the powers of heauen when as the sonne of man shall so come as the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth vnto the West Mat. 24.27 and 29. when as the hearts of all men shal be made manifest Eightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of visitation when as Christ Iesus the great bishop of our soules shall visit the ample diocesse of his Church and shall call all the cleargie before him and cause them to render account of their cures and charges and shall make those shine as starres for euer and euer that shal winne soules vnto God but will remoue those candles out of their candlestickes or els the candlestickes out of their places which either giue no light or bad light or are either dropping candles by their lewd lothsome life or spitting candles by their troublesome and seditious doctrine Ninthly the day of appearing as in this place because that then our Sauiour the sunne of Righteousnesse shall sodenly pearse the cloudes and breake fourth in glorious brightnesse by the shining beames of his heauenly grace fulfilling the heartes of all the faithfull with the cheerefull light and comfortable heate of his diuine presence which haue lien long as it were in Iosephs colde yrons of aduersitie and affliction and languished in Daniels darke dungeon of despaire As the naturall sunne with his gladsome glee after the dismall darkenesse of the wearie night dispelleth and dispierceth the thicke clouds being long looked and longed for at the last appeareth to the chearing and cherishing of all mankind so called an appearing to the comfort and consolation of the good the godly that when they see the least glimpse and glimmering of him to peepe out or appeare they should then lift vp their heads and looke vp because their redemption is at hand for then and neuer till then shall the workeman receiue his wages the labourer in the Lords vineyard his pennie the faithfull seruant the rule of the Lords house the thriftie vser of his talents the gouernment of so many Cities the constant runner his propounded garland the spirituall souldier his promised crowne the little flocke their prepared kingdome the followers of Christ in their regeneration their thrones of iudgement Which time teacheth vs that we should not so doate as to dreame of any crowne throne or kingdome in this life or once to looke for any paradise heauen or other blessednesse in this world nor any time to hope for any happinesse before our chiefe shepheard doe appeare For as there is no heauenly paradise but in Abrahams bosome nor any pleasures for euermore but at the right hand of God nor any true ioies to be found but in the kingdome of heauen so are we not to enter into this paradise to enioy these pleasures and to be partakers of these ioies vntill the day of his appearing In the meane time therefore we must not with the husbandman looke to reape with ioy before we haue sown with tears nor to looke to liue with him before we haue died with him to raigne with him before we haue suffered with him to be glorisied with him before we haue beene crucified with him to sit with him on his right hand and on his left before we haue drunck of the cuppe that he hath druncke of and been baptized with the baptisme that he hath been baptized with to bee crowned with this crowne of glorie before we haue bin crowned with his crown of thorns to be found as fine gold for the treasure-house of the Lord vntill we bee purged and purified in the fire and fornace of affliction to be good corn in the Lords garner before we haue been sifted by Sathan Finally not to sit on his throne before we haue continued with him in his temptations For first must the Church be militant here vpon earth before it can be triumphant in heauen first must we suffer affliction before we can liue Godly in Christ Iesus and to conclude first must we be in tribulation before we can enter into the kingdome of heauen It followeth in the next words Yee shall receiue c. Now come we to the reward which our Apostle Peter promiseth in the person of our Sauiour Christ which is no light thing of small valew or meane account but the greatest gifte and richest reward that can be giuen and receiued a bountie beseeming the person of our Sauiour the bestower and worthy the partie that is partaker Kings and Princes when they liberally conferre gifts and rewards they giue not toies and trifles but great and royall guerdons such as are agreeable to their maicstic and magnificence Aristotle writes of his Magnanimus that he bestowes benefits vpon others freely and franckly and that herecompenceth aboue measure and proportion and that he will not vouchsafe to giue light little things but precious and peerelesse presents But howsoeuer the Philosopher frame such a man according to his owne fantasie as a Phaenix seldome or no whereto be found yet such a one the Scripture describeth God the Father and Christ Iesus his sonne and our Sauiour to be in all respects as first to be the giuer of all things and that liberally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not vpbraidingly and those that he doth giue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good gifts and perfect gifts Iames 2.17 farre surpassing in worth and worthinesse the gifts of any Palatines or Potentates Kings and Keysars Conquerors and Monerches in the world Pharo King of Egypt gaue noble gifts vnto Ioseph when he gaue him his owne signet to weare on his hand fine garments of linnen to put on his backe a chaine of golde to put about his necke and gaue him to wife a Princes daughter and made him Vice-roy of all his land and gaue him his best coach but one to sit in Gen. 41. Saul king of Israel honourably rewarded Dauid when as hee gaue him his royall robe and all his Princely garments vnto his sword his bow his girdle and made him lieutenant generall of all his forces and smally his owne daughter to wife 1. Sam. 18. The Queen of Saba gaue princely presents to Salomon when shee gaue him sixscore talents of golde and an exceeding quantitie of sweete odours and an infinit number of precious stones
rith and poore high and lowe euen Potentates and Princes Kings and Keysars Monarchs and conquerors ought not onely to stoupe for it but to bestirre themselues and endeuour with all might and maine and all meanes possible yea with all the outward parts of their bodies and inward powers of their minde to attaine vnto it And here to conclude let vs marke what Peter saith Ye shalreceeive this crown and this crowne of glorie yea and this incorruptible crowne of glorie but how not in way of merite and desart but as a grant and grace gift and guerdon which our Sauiour vouchsafeth to bestow vpon vs for so we reade in the conclusion of euerie Epistle belonging to the seuen Churches in promising vnto them crownes thrones and kingdomes he telleth them that he will giue and grant them and yet in a manner of reward when as Austin saith Coronat in nobis dona sua non bona nostra munera sua non merita nostra And thus much of these words and of this whole text c The Lord c. FINIS THE ANNOINTING OF CHRIST OR Christian ointment IOHN 2.20 But ye haue an ointment from him that is holy and ye know all things THis Text as it may appeare by the first words hereof is nothing else but an exceptiō or correction An exception or cor rection whereby our Apostle in this his Catholike Epistle seemeth to except and exempt those elect faithfull Christians vnto whom hee writeth from those of whom he speaketh in the two verses going before As if he had said They were Scismatickes which cut themselues off from the body of the Church for they went out from vs but they were not of vs but you haue fellowship with vs as in the 1. chap. 3. They reiected castawaies but you erected children and therfore tearmeth them not once but often by the tender name of babes Againe they Antichrists or Antichristians but you Christians and thereupon telleth them that they haue an ointment from him that is Holy finally that they seeme to know much and indeed know nothing but ye haue knowne all things The words thēselues being but one verse Diuision deuide themselues verie plainly as it is euident into two principall parts The first a cause in the former words But ye haue an ointment from him that is holy The second an effect of the same cause in the words following And or rather for ye haue known all things In the first part the cause are these foure things to be considered First an hauing But ye haue that is a benefit receiued and blessing bestowed Secondly who are they that haue the same ye those elect and faithful to whom Iohn writeth Thirdly what they haue an ointment Fourthly from whom euen from him that is holy In the secōd part the effect are to be noted two things first knowledge in generall secondly what kinde of knowledge a ful perfect and absolute knowledge of all things of all which in their due order as they lie in the text But ye haue Before I begin to entreat of the matter or materiall points belonging to my text mentioned before in my Diuision I think it requisite first to speake of the manner of this speech and of the exception and signification of the first word in the entrance of my text which giueth a light and vnderstanding to the whole verse following The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle here vseth which commonly is taken for a coniunction copulatiue and signifieth And but in this place it is otherwise to be accepted for an exceptiue particle and therefore verie well translated not et but ac by the Latin interpretors and faithfully Englished But making this whole sentence to be nothing els but an exception or exemption as is before declared And that this word is so vsually taken in the Scripture it is euident by many and manifest places as Mat. 11.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But wisedome is iustified of her children whereas our Sauiour maketh an exception against the blasphemous Iewes which ceased not to raile reuile him by the name of glutton wine-bibber Samaritane friend of Publicans and sinners as if our Sauiour had said exemptinhg others from them that although they condemned and contemned him so yet there were others euen his owne children that did iustifie and glorifie him likewise Mat. 12.39 An euill and adulterous generation seeke a signe in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no other signe shall be giuen them but the signe of the Prophet Ionas Againe Act. 20.28 in those words of Peter vnto Cornelius and his companie Ye know that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iewe to accōpany or come to one of another nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 howsoeuer in the originall to be Englished but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or vncleane The like in many other places of the Scripture which I cannot stand to rehearse that I may proceede from the manner of this speech to the matter of my text The first of the foure things to be considered in the former principal part of this verse is an hauing where first we are to note that the Apostle here vseth not either the preterperfect or the future tence but onely the present saying not either you haue had or you shall haue but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habetis you haue wherein hee signifieth the happy state of those to whom he writeth in now possessing and presently enioying the heauenly blessing of the which hee here speaketh for had he said either you haue heretofore insinuating that their benefit past he had seemed to haue accused them of vnthankefulnesse and argued them of miserie Miserum enim est fuissE miserum habuisse for this were an vnhappy state for a man to haue had wealth but now to be disabled by pouertie or to haue had health but now to be diseased by sicknesse or finally to haue been endued with manie temporall gifts or spirituall graces and afterwards to be dispoiled and dispossessed of the same as the Troians once of themselues Fuimus Troes that sometimes they gloriously flourished although afterwards they were victoriously vanquished by the Grecians whereupon Virgil Nunc seges est vbi Troia fuit the soile where Troy diastand is now become corne-land and where of that olde Prouerb sere sapiunt Phryges that the Troians are wise afterwards So the Iewes at the first as Peter tearmeth them 1.2.9 out of Moises Exod. 19.6 were a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation and the peculiar people of God but now by reason of their rebellion against God the reiecting of his Gospell the killing of his Prophets the crucifying of Christ and the persecuting of the Apostles The Iewes are become of children of the couenant heires of promise and seruants of Gods house as banished rebels exiled out of his kingdome vngratefull tenants thrust
were Aaron and his sonnes so called after they were so consecrated to minister before the Lord in the Priests office Exod. 30.30 And so are the Prophets of the Lord tearmed in those words of the Psalmist in the person of God himselfe Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme the latter being put exegeticos expounding the former as who to be the Lordes annointed euen the Prophets Psal 105.15 Euen so doth this inward pure and precious ointment of the holy ghost of the which the other outward holy oyle was a type and figure consecrate and sanctifie the chosen children of God to bee vnto him spirituall Kings Priests and Prophets as wee are oftentimes so tearmed in the Scriptures As first king and priest so called by Peter A chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2.9 out of the 19. Exod. 6. where the Lord promiseth to his people the children of Israel that he will make them a kingdome of Priests and an holy nation Againe by Iohn he hath made vs kings and priests vnto God euen his father Apoc. 1.6 As also Prophets as likewise Peter I will power out my spirit in the last daies vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie out of the Prophet Ioel 2.28 The elect and the faithfull shewing themselues to be such kings whē the kingdome of God is within them when Christ hath set vp his throne in their hearts and when they rule and raigne ouer sinne by the power of God the sword of the word and the Scepter of the spirit not onely making their appetite to be subiect to their reason and their will to their vnderstanding but also their outward man to be obedient to their inner man and the law of the members to the law of the spirit by macerating their lust and lustful bodies by mortifying their carnall and corrupt affections and by crucifying their fleshie and filthy lusts concupiscences and by giuing their members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse and not as seruants to vncleannes to commit iniquitie Rom. 6.19 And such priests declare they themselues to be when they offer vp those Christian spirituall sacrifices which God requireth of them As first that whole burnt offring which Paul commendeth in giuing vp their bodies a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is their reasonable seruing of God Rom. 12.1 And secondly the sacrifice of righteousnes which Dauid commandeth when he saith Offer the sacrifice of Righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord Psal 4.5 Which sacrifice of righteousnesse is twofold of the hart whereof the prophet A sorrowfull spirit is a sacrifice to God a broken and contrite heart Lord shalt thou not despise Ps 51.17 And of the hands of which the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice the Lord is well pleased Heb. 13.16 And finally such Prophets doe they appeare to be when they search the Scripture as our Sauiour biddeth Ioh. 5.39 when they exhort one another daily while it is called to day as Paul warneth Heb. 3.13 and when they labour to growe vp more and more in grace and knowledge as Peter requireth 2. Epist 3.18 and last verse we see then how honourable holy and happy the estate of all the children of God is in being made partakers of this heauenly ointment in not onely bringing forth the former blessed fruits and effects as thereby to be made both valiant Champions and victorious conquerours ouer our spiritual and ghostly enemies and contraries to be refreshed and eased in the middest of our afflictions aduersities to be healed and helped of all the outward sicknesses of our bodies and inward sinnes of our soules to present vs as a sweet smelling sauour or odour in the nostrels of the Lord to giue vs a glad heart and a cheerefull countenance both before God and man The spirituall effect of this heauenly ointment and to consecrate vs Kings Priests and Prophets vnto God but also in bestowing vpon vs so high a dignitie priuiledge and prerogatiue as to make vs the elect vessels of such a diuine liquor whereby we may be worthily tearmed not the gally Pots for that is too base a name but rather the Allabaster boxes of so precious an ointment yea and to be no siluer shrines for that is too meane a mettall for such an excellent matter and that not of Danae the Image that came downe from Iupiter but indeede the golden Temples and Tabernacles of the holy ghost the spirit of God which discended downe from Iehoua himselfe This being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which first our Sauiour himselfe is called Christ and we next his members tearmed of the same Christians that glorious title wherein we haue cause to ioie and reioice for this is that precious ointment which Dauid figuratiuely prophesied should first be powred vpon Aarons head which is Christ and then fall downe vpon his Disciples and Apostles which were the goodly ornaments of the golden age of the Church Psal 133. and the beard as it were of Aarons body annexed to the Head Christ and lastly which ran downe to the skirts of his cloathing euen to the Preachers and teachers of the gospell which liue in this last age of the Church which are as it were the hemme of Aarons garment euen the lowest and least members of the Church and last ministers of Christ And not only vnto them but vnto all the number of the elect and faithfull in generall as being purfles and appurtenances of Aarons body the church and partaking as being the communion of Saints in proportion according to the measure of Gods gifts and graces of this holy and heauenly ointment The duetie therefore of vs all and euerie one of vs is this so to prepare our selues as that wee possesse our vessels in holinesse and purenesse As the Apostle warneth vs euen to purge our hearts from all Hypocrisie to cleanse our soules from all iniquitie and to purifie our mindes from all impietie that being washed with the water of regeneration perfumed with the incense of faith and seasoned with the salt of grace and sweetned with the fruits of charitie wee may be found fit vessels and sweet receptacles for so soueraigne an ointment For as new wine as our Sauiour saith in the gospell must be put in new vessels least that both perish so must this precious liquor be powred into new and pure vessels that both may be preserued For euen as the dead flies as Salomon saith doth cause to stincke and putrisie the ointment of the Apothecarie Eccl. 10.1 So doe the carnall affections of our mortall bodies corrupt and contaminate this spirituall ointment of the holy ghost by making it to be vnto vs not the sweete odour of life vnto life but the bitter sauour of death vnto death and to preuent it rather to our destruction and damnation then to conuert it to our soules health and