grace despised and iniquitie to haue the vpper hand in the figure that hee beareth wese the spirit to conquer righteousnesse to be exalted and a Kingdome of glorie to be set vp for euer that if we should finde in our selues the sinnes of Solomon yet we might assuredly knowe they cannot driue away the image of Christe but he is redie to iustifie al that do beleue for it is no dout but he in whose person was suche an image of Christe Christ offred to him againe an image of righteousnesse in which he should be presented faultelesse to eternall life Now where Christ is set out thus a King for euer we are taught not by dayes and times to measure his commaundementes but to holde them without chaunge as the gouernment for euer of his eternall kingdome for it is to to grosse follie for vs to say he is still our King if we dare abrogate his lawes for he is our ruler for euer and yet without him we will make lawes continually Was it euer heard among earthly kinges that subiects could either repeale or change their princes lawes or make lawes without them in their owne kingdome Or can there be greater treason then to cōspire for such a lewde libertie Euen so it is with all men and princes in the Churche of christ He is our Kinge he must be our Lawe-giuer he is King for euer and his lawes must neuer be chaunged he is our king alone without him al the world can make no law In no cōmon wealth there was euer law proclamed but in the name of the King In the Churche of Christ who shall proclame decrees but in the name of Christ and therfore expressly Christ taketh vpon him to be our onely Lawe-giuer And all princes the more godly they bee the more carefully will take heede to be no lawgiuers in his churche for matters concerning faith for that were to giue a lawe vnto him which none wil do but antichriste himselfe The Pope stirred vp Charles the fifte and King Henrie the eight and gaue them for their hire this title to be called defenders of the faith a proud beequest and how humbly it was possessed God doeth know After that king Henrie taking vnto him the courage of a true and naturall king draue out that spirituall tyrante out of all his Realme and by graūt of the clergie cōsent of the parleament toke vpō him the name of supreme head of the church of England which the pope had before vsurped ouer al nations But seing now it is so that these names are taken vp and made hereditarie to our Kinges and Queenes we will not reason of the titles rather let vs do the duetie of louing subiects pray that they may finde grace by their names to be prouoked more to godlinesse that in true ioy of heart they may haue the honour of their calling and hold fast a good conscience against the day of Christe This onely we testifie to all potentates and princes that what honourable titles so euer they haue yet they must be subiect in the Churche and haue Christe alone to be king ouer it Let them make no lawes appoint no orders ordeine no gouernement but such as are agreeable with his lawes orders and gouernement For that were sacrilege and it is the presumption of the man of Rome but let them exsecute the lawes of Christ see his orders kept establishe the gouernement which he hath ordeined holde men of al degrees in obedience vnto God for this is the true honour of the Lordes chosen Princes and the glorie of their calling which shall not wither And now to the end we may the more willingly do this both we and our kings whom God hath set ouer vs let vs marke this further which the Apostle addeth of our Sauiour Christe that His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse meaning as I saide that his gouernement is all in trueth and righteousnesse A good reason and a great persuasion to all that are of God why we shoulde let Christ alone with the ordering of his Church His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse not only a righteous scepter that is that whatsoeuer he ordeineth it is righteous but the scepter of righteousnesse that is whatsoeuer is righteous is ordeined of him and all spirituall scepters of all kings which are not directed by him they are crooked broken scepters of superstition scepters of idolatrie there is none of righteousnesse but onely the scepter of Iesu Christ. The scepter is a little wand which Princes haue accustomed to beare in their left hand and it is a signe of their gouernmēt by a Metonymie it signifieth here the gouernment it selfe Now the scepter of Christe is as his kingdome is not a scepter of wood or metall like other kings for his kingdome is not of this world as theirs is but his scepter the Prophet Esaie in plaine words describeth it He shall smite the earth saith he with the scepter of his mouth with the breath of his lipps shal he kil the vngodly In which wordes of the Prophet we see both what is this scepter and why it hath the name of righteousnesse the scepter is the worde of his mouth that is the preaching of the Gospel not decrees nor decretalls nor traditions of men nor vnwriten verities by none of al these we haue receiued the spirit of God but onely by hearing faithe preached it therefore alone is the scepter Heere tell me dearely beloued I wil aske no harde question but a thing which your eyes haue seene and your bands haue handled Tell me what kingdome is the Popes Or whence is it Is it Christs Then the preching of the Gospel is the scepter of it and the scepter bearers are in euerie congregation the pastors teachers by the Gospel preached it bindeth and loseth by the Gospel preached it ruleth ouer vs by the Gospel preached it teacheth faith it ordeineth religion it ministreth Sacraments by the Gospel it begetteth vs by the Gospel it nourisheth vs and in the hope of the Gospel it layes vs downe in peace If it haue another scepter then this then it is an other kingdome then that of christ If the scepter be the Canon lawe the scepter bearers their Cardinals and clergie lords their chauncellers and commissaries and other men that wee knowe not If they binde and loose by pardons and bulls If they teach a faith solded vp as they terme it in an idle fancie that we must beleeue as the Churche doth beleeue and the Church beleeueth as we do beleeue when neither our Church nor we can tel what we beleue If they teache vs to worship after the traditions of men If it feed vs vp in the hope of the Church of Rome If it lay vs downe at last in an vnknowen purgatorie whether this be the scepter iudge you and if it be I assure you in the worde of trueth the Apostle and Prophet bothe witnessing
as one by whoÌ„ al other things were begotteÌ„ And againe being the first begotten of all creatures in this name he condemneth the blasphemie of Seruetus which denyed him to be the sonne of God but onely in respect of his comming in fleash And that y apostle speaketh here of bringing into the world he meaneth not barely his natiuitie but as God gaue vnto Christ all the endes of the earth for his possession so the honourable setting of him in this authoritie he calleth it his bringing in into the world as appeareth because this is the glorie of this bringing that the Angels shall worship him And againe when he sayth the world he meaneth not this age of man but as he expoundeth it in the second chapter the worlde to come euen also as the Prophet Esaie called it that is the kingdome of Christ in the world through the preaching of the gospell And the worship with which the Angels shall worship him is that they shall haue from hencefoorth no such rule as before authorized in their owne persons from God but now they shall giue all glorie to christ Euen as we see in his natiuitie a great multitude of Angels sang Glorie be to GOD on high and in earth peace good will towards men because Christ was borne in the Citie of Dauid a sauiour vnto all people So in all his life in his death in his resurrection ascension and since his ascension there neuer appeared angel vnto man but to the praise of Christe and to ratifie all honour and worship due vnto him which ministerie of Angels because now so clearely it serueth Christ the Scripture is fulfilled Let all his Angels worship him And now that we haue seene the sense and meaning of this Scripture in some pointes I will more particularly applie it to our instruction It is saide first When he bringâ—… is his first begotten into the worlde which wordes meane as I said when in glorious triumph God lâ—…deth him into the possession of his kingdome And as the prophet saith wheÌ„ God giueth him his dâ—…n from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the endes of the land that â—…ll that dwell in the wildernesse may kneele besore him and his enimies may lick the dust Heere we must marke howe this hath beene accomplished and when wee knowe it if wee loue Christe let vs set foorth his excellent glorie This was especially doone no doubt in the crosse of Christe him selfe according as him selfe prayeth when he entreth vnto it Father glorisiâ—… thy sonne And Sainct Paule saith in it he hath spoyled principaitâ—…es powers and hath made open shewe of them and triumphed ouer them vpon his crosse A proofe of this wee sawe with our eyes when Christe vppon the crosse so wrought in the hearte of the Romane capâ—…eine that hee cryed aloude Truely this man was the sonne of GOD. When all the people behelde it that was done and smoâ—…e their brests and went backe when manie Saincts roase out of their graues and went into the holie Citie And not onely this worke was in men but that wee might know the vertue of his deathpearced euen into hell to bynde iudgement to the diuel and his Angels with eternal desperation and to witnesse it vnto his Church that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it To this end we sawe the earth did quake the stones were 〈◊〉 the Sonne was darkened the graues did open and this was the beginning of this kingdome The increasing and amplifying of this is the preaching of the same crosse that is of Christe crucified that it might be seene and heard in all the worlde which had also a glorious beginning in the Apostles of Christe whome God sanctified to that worke with excellent power and graces of the holie Ghoste so that notwithstanding the weakenesse of their persons yet their voice went into all landes and their wordes vnto the endes of the earth And boldely Sainct Paule witnessed of themselues that God had giuen them glorious weapons to fight withall weapons not carnall neither swoordes nor prisons as earthly princes haue to keepe their subiectes in feare but other weapons in deede more contemned of the worlde but yet made by God more mightie then al other weapons or engines to cast downe holdes For by our weapons sayth Saint Paule we cast downe mans imaginations and querie â—…ighe thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of Christ. And this not onely was for that age but as GOD is vnchaungeable in all his wayes so this is made his euerlastinge ordinaunce that the preaching of the Gospel shoulde be his mightâ—…e power to saue all that do beleeue And accordingly this coÌ„mission is giuen to all that are sent out in the name of Christ for the gathering together of the Sainctes for the work of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ tâ—…l we meete all together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe Sith this then is that spirituall pompe and those victorious chariots by which the Sonne of God is carried in triumph into the inheritance of the world they that haue eares to heare let them heare what it is to preache the Gospel of Christ and they that be called vnto it let them knowe what woorke they haue in hande and they that resist it shall at the last be consumed as they that be enimies to the glorie of Christ must needes be made his footestoole So that euerie one in the regard of so glorious a worke should humble himselfe to become a labourer in it yea the greater dignitie the more trauell it shoulde bring vnto it So that princes them selues haue no greater honour if we wil beleeue the Prophet Esaie then to licke the dust vnder the Churches feet By which speache the Prophet meaneth that the faithfull zealous kings which reigne vpon earth should with the perill of their crownes not feare to set out and giue all their strength to the Gospell of Christe by whiche the Lorde of Lordes is to be settled in his throne and he that ruleth for euer in the house of Iacob is to be crowned king The preaching of the Gospel is the preparation of his waye and the obedience vnto it is the honour of his reigne and what king hath too good a hand to ioyne in this nay what king whose spirite is in his nostrels and all his glorie is but a vading flower what king I say is worthie to be a doer in this worke but that it pleaseth this immortall and heauenly king of his free grace to accept his labour so that iustly they are iudged that are despisers of GOD and knowe not the Lord of hostes against whome they are proude Shall God proclame it with so loude a voice that when
light of the Lord is the breath of man it sercheth al the bowels of the bellie where also he calleth the word light because it shineth in mās heart as in a darke place and trieth out all the secrets of his thoughtes in this meaning heere the word is called liuelie as I tolde you before the more to stir them vp not to neglect so high a prophet as the sonne of God whose worde came with maiestie and power vnto them The second title heere attributed to the worde is that It is mightie in operation meaning that it hathe in it force and vertue able to subdue all enimes and bringe vs in obedience vnto Christe this vertue of the woorde Sainct Paule notablie setteth out to the Corinthians magnifying his Apostleshippe by this means Our weapons saith he are stronge by the power of God 〈◊〉 cast downe holds wherwith we ouerthrow imaginations euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ haue readie vengeāce against al disobedience howsoeuer a man magnifie him selfe or a man exalt himselfe in whiche arrogancie of spirite he seemeth as it were buried in sinne and his heart hardened against the grace of God yet let him heare this word and let it oft fall into his eares for it is as the prophet saith a hammer which breaketh the stone in peeces and is able in the power of God to mollifie his heart or if the sinner be suncken downe so deepe that he will not rise it will crushe him down deeper that he may perishe in his sinne and so God saith to his Prophet Ieremie I will put my wordes into thy mouth and it shal be as fire this people shal be as wood and it shal deuour them And this is it Saint Paule expressely witnesseth to be the onely meanes to glorifie God to preache the trueth of his word vnto all for so saith he we are alwayes a sweete smelling sauour of Christ vnto God as wel in those that perishe as in those that be saued to the one a sauour of life vnto life to the other of death vnto death I would we that are preachers could learne and beleeue this it would make vs leaue our vain babling much talke of philosophie and prophane things and fill our mouthes onely with the worde of the Lorde for this only is mightie in operation the other hath at all no strength no strength at all in this behalfe to glorifie God or to conuert a sinner but strong to delude the people with idlo sounds strong to tickle our eares with fond delight strong to puffe vs vp with pride of our wittes but more weak then water to teach vs true repentance for proofe I say let the sinner come forth that hath beene conuerted by hearing stories or fables of poets I am sure there is none for faith is onely by the worde of God of let the preacher come forth that vseth such thinges and doeth it not either to please men or to boast of his learning for this he knoweth that the word only not prophane things conuerteth the people and why then doeth he vse them The Lord saith by his prophet Ieremie If they had stand in my counsell and had declared my wordes to my people then they should haue turned them from their euill way from the wickednesse of their owne inuentions a plaine testimonie why our preachings are vnprofitable to the people euen because we speake in our owne fansies and vse exhortations of our owne heade And againe in the prophet Malachie the Lord declareth what couenant he made with Leuie and how he promised to blesse his labours in the teaching of his people The Lawe of truth saith he was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie founde in his lipps he walked with mee in peace and equitie and did turne manie away from their sinnes Can any thinge be spoken playner Hold fast the word of God committe the fruite of thy work to the strength of it and thou shalt finde it as is here said mightie in operation and thou shalt conuert manie sinners Let them tell me nowe all that haue eares to heare what madnesse is it to fil the peoples eares with vnknowen tales and sweete wordes in which is nothing but a deceitfull sound leaue the word of God mightie in working to conuert their soules And you dearely beloued who delight in such vanitie and make the preacher transgresse for your fansies sake let me but reason with you as S. Paule reasoned with the Galathians Tel me whether by such tales or by hearing the word of God haue you receiued the spirite that is wherby were you conuerted from your vanitie vnto the liuing God was it the worde of truethe or else Gentile stories that wrought this vertue in you and are you so foolish that when you haue begun in the spirit you wil now go forwarde in the flesh Let vs leaue then this greate abuse bothe you to turne away your eyes to follie and the preacher to vse the pulpit like a Philosophers chaire We may alledge sometime a storie or prophane sentēce I denie it not but then it is good doing it when the remembring of the saying bringeth necessarilie into memorie the worde of God also for which it was alledged and giueth light vnto it for a more cleare declaration of the truth yet when the story is told and remembred by it selfe there is then but a foolish delight of a vaine man to helpe him in his talke to multiplie idle woordes there is no edifying in it at all The third title of the word now following is this That It is more sharpe then a two edged sword and this similitude is often made in the Scripture The prophet Esaie preaching the promises of God hee saith His mouth is made like a sharp sworde And Sainct Paule giueing armour to a Christian souldiour by which he may kil his enimies he biddeth him Take the sworde of the spirit which is the word of God. So in the firste and nineteenth Chapters of the Apocalypse the sonne of GOD is described with a two edged swoorde proceding out of his mouthe meaning by these speeches no other thing but that by the preaching of y gospel Christ should get the victorie and bring all enemies in subiection vnto him euen as the Prophet Esai saith He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes shall he kill the vngodly by which we doe learne that the more wee pray Thy kingdome come and the more we wishe the prosperitie of the Churche the more we must striue to make the word of God knowen vnto all for that is the swoorde and scepter of his kingdome The next title heere attributed to the worde is That it entreth into the diuisiō of the soule the spirit of the ioynts and the marrow
our care and diligence for so the Apostle heere exhorteth his brethren the thing is hard and difficult whereof we speake there fore marke it more carefully and giue greater heede to vnderstanding this then is a good cause why the scripture is hard euen that we should put farre from vs all idle sluggish thoughts and prepare our selues with a good conscience and greate diligence as oft as either we heare or read the same and why should it not be so is there any knowledge wisedome learned but by labour and diligence to plowe thy fielde to dresse thy vineyard to keepe thy cattel to buylde thy house to euery worke hath not God appointed care and trauell no otherwise hath God dealt with his worde The Papistes not knowing this or else dissembling it they haue tolde vs an other cause why the Scripture is hard and that is that either we should not at al presume to read it or if we doe read it yet we should not presume of any vnderstanding of it otherwise then the Church of Rome hath taught vs I doe not speake one worde vntruely of them not one of them but this day they will confesse it This they teache The scripture is harde therfore euery man must not read it and if any do read it yet he must vnderstand it after the interpretation of the Church of Rome Heere I beseech you consider it diligently and tel me whether in such doctrine there be any reason trueth or godlinesse we haue a controuersie with these men whether the Churche of Rome be the Churche of Christe or of Antichrist the cause must be tryed by the Scriptures is it any reason nowe for them to challenge that we must beleeue the scripture according to their interpretations is not this to make them Iudges of their owne cause when the Apostle bad vs Try the spirites whether they be of God or no meant hee trowe you we should trie them according to the testimonie of the church of Rome when the men of Thessalonica tried the apostles doctrine whether it were true or no asked they the iudgement of the church of Rome Surely dearely beloued all this is but childish follic whiche of vs euer heard of any men who would bee Iudges in their owne cause except those of whome it is saide aske my fellowe if I be a theefe and beside this their vnreasonable talke haue they any truth in their words was there euer true and iust man that claymed this manner of try all is it not confessed and agreed vpon among all men that trueth seeketh no corners why runne they for defence to their owne darke hoame and feare the open iudgement of all men Learne of our sauiour Christ who is trueth it selfe saith he not If I should beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse were not true and againe If I honour my selfe mine honour is nothing worth then if beside the wordes of his owne mouth who was the sonne of Dauid he had had no testimonie he could haue beene no true prophet but therefore he was true because his heauenly Father bare witnesse to him bothe in his glorious voice and in the assured testimonie of the lawe and the prophets and in al his miracles which made it manifest that he was the sonne of god If thus our sauiour Christ confirmed his credite vnto men and offered himselfe to be tried by the scriptures what proude people are these and what proude wordes are in their mouthes that woulde haue no triall of their dooings but the censure and iudgement of their owne mouthes Againe this vnreasonable vnture speach the the church of Rome onely must expound the scriptures because they be hard is there any godlinesse at all in so saying is it not taught vs many times that if we loue feare honour serue God we must obey his worde kepe his ordinances make all his lawes the rule of our life how then doe they loue God or what godlinesse is in thē that giue not gods worde credit in it selfe but make the truth of it to stand vpon their owne vnderstanding This nowe we knowe the hardnesse of scripture is not that we shoulde absteine from reading and hearing it nor because we should trust the interpretation of the Church of Rome but because we should with great and earnest affection applie our studie pray vnto God to lighten our minds that we may be taught of his spirit Now further let vs consider yet these woordes of the Apostle Because you be euil of hearing not only as I haue saide they teache vs because of the hardenesse of the scripture to take more heede vnto it but also verie plainly and manifestly they teach vs by what meanes the scripture becommeth harde vnto vs that is through our dull hearinge And who so euer he be to whome the scripture is hard let him accuse his owne dulnesse and whosoeuer blameth the Scripture in this behalfe hee blameth him selfe bothe of slowe eares and of a faithlesse heart for is there any thing thing more plaine then these woordes therefore it is harde because you be dull of hearing Take away from the man a deafe eare and a carelesse minde and thou hast taken from the scripture all obscuritie and darknesse leaue the man in his negligent minde thou makest the scriptures as hard as any darke speeche or riddle and I beseech you the more to confirme your faith in this persuasion marke how oftē in the scriptures this is taught vs that nothing maketh the scripture hard but our infirmitie our Apostle heere once taught it before The worde saith he did not profit them because it was not mingled to them with faith Saint Peter when he had said of Paules Epistles that many thinges in them were harde to vnderstand he addeth which the vnlearned the vnstable do peruert euen as they doe all other scripture heere you see again the scripture is hard but you se to whō and why to the wicked because they are wauering minded and will learne nothing be it neuer so plaine Saint Paule also speaking of the vnderstanding of the mysterie of the Gospell sayth plainely it is the carnall man that perceiueth not the thinges of God and in deede he can neuer vnderstande them because they be discerned spiritually Our sauiour Christ himselfe being asked this question why he spake so darkly and in parables he answereth thus To you it is giuen to knowe the mysterie of the kingdome of God but to those that are without all thinges are done in parables coulde he speake more plainely his worde is not hard vnto his children but to straungers to Infidels to men without God in the worlde to those hee speaketh darkly then dearly beloued this case being so clere let vs be bolde to say to all that accuse the worde of God of hardnesse as Sainct Paule hath say de before vs If the Gospel be yet hid then is it hid to those that perish
to be praysed And in the Epistle to the Colossians The fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in him And many other places plaine as these grounded vpon this and such other places of the Prophets before them And therefore our sauiour Christ him selfe said vnto these Iewes whiche yet beleeue not Searche the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of mee The second thing heere attributed to Christ is That his kingdome is euerlasting So the Prophet Esaie had saide The increase of his gouernement and peace shall haue no ende He shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vppon his kingdome to order it and to stablish it with iudgement and with iustice from hencefoorth euen for euer The same testimonie the Angel gaue of his kingdome when hee came to the virgine Marie The Lord God saith he shall giue vnto him the throne of Dauid his father he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and his kingdome shal haue no ende And howe can this be possibly applied vnto Solomon so directly against the Scripture that the scepter should be taken once away not onely from the house of Solomon but from all tho tribe of Iudah And howe could they not see with their eyes the ruine of that kingdome and the throne of Solomon quite forgotten The thirde thing attributed heere to Christ is y the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of his kingdomeâ—… according as the Prophet Dauid saith in an other place that righteousnesse and iudgement are the foundations of his throne And the meaning of these wordes is after expressely added Thou hast loued saith the Apostle righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is the scepter of righteousnesse whiche he speaketh of that is that his gouernement shal be without all respect of pensons a ministerie of iustice and true iudgement euen according to the will of God his father with whome there is no acceptation of the person of a man. And howe can they attribute this to Solomon They knowe howe Solomon did fall away so farre from righteousnesse and hated iniquitie so little ere he died that he became a notable idolater And howe was his gouernement in suche iustice when the whole people came after to Rehoboam his sonne and saye Thy father did make our yoke grieuous now therefore make thou the grieuous seruitude of thy Father lighter we will feare thee The fourth thing heâ—…e spoken of our Sauiour Christ is y for this cause God had annoynted him with the oyle of gladnes aboue his felowes For this cause saith the scripture because thou louedst so muche iustice what meane they still to thinke here vppon Solomon and of suche reward of his righteous rule except they would haue the Scriptures false that beare witnesse of him He had turned as the Prophet sayth iudgement into wormewoode And howe standeth it that he was annoynted with the oyle of gladnes that is with giftes of the holie Ghost aboue his fellowes when many kings of Iudah haue greater praise of God then he and scarce any did fall from God so grieuously as he Nowe one refuge behinde which they think they haue is nothing at all they wil say that all this was spoken in respect of his beginning in which he was famous with this oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes and aboue all the worlde True it is in respect of his gouernement at the first I graunt this might be spoken of him but are not the wordes plaine that they are not meant of any that should beginne well and then fall backe For saith not the texte that this scepter of iustice shal be in his kingdome for euer Therefore howe so euer Solomon was once honoured aboue all kinges yet this praise was not his but anothers who shoulde for euer abide in his iustice and righteousnesse So these foure thinges here witnessed of the Prophet that he is called God that his kingdome is euerlasting that his gouernment shal be euer righteous that he is annoynted with oyle of gladnes aboue al his felowes All the Iewes in the world cannot see Solomon nor any mortall man in this glasse but muste needes acknowledge our sauiour Christ the sonne of God God and man the sauiour of the worlde the King and Priest of his people for euer Now further to examin this scripture for our own edifying let vs marke first how Solomon is set out a figure of Christ and so singular tokens shewes of Gods loue and mercie vppon him that he should resemble his only begoten sonne notwithstanding a man loaden with sinnes and iniquities so as few haue appeared more vnrighteous or more vnthankful to god Such an other example almost we haue in Samson a man ful of infirmities yet exceedingly beeloued of God and a liuely figure of his sonne Christe We learne in this bothe to knowe our selues and to knowe god In our selues to truste to nothing not riches honour friendes strength authoritie no not learning wisedome gouernement or any knowledge for in these both Samson and Solomon haue fallen downe before vs And if euer man had ben borne that could haue his happines in him selfe that man was Solomon strong in power rich in treasure wise in rule healthful in bodie sober in affection abounding in pleasure what so euer his eyes or eares could desire No gifte wanting in minde in bodie in outwarde life yea more then this a hart that could measure al the delights of the world to vse them as they are and se the vanitie that is in them and confesse that life in immortalitie is aboue all yet from al this he falleth when God leaueth him in his owne power to make trial of his owne strength for how could fleash and bloud preuaile against principalities the power of darknes And how could Solomon stande vpright thoughe his strength had bene double when Adam him selfe could fall from Paradise Then let not vs pore creatures boast our selues in whome there is no wisedome Come not into this fight in thine owne armour for where Solomon hath fallen who soeuer thou art thou wilt be crushed in pecees if in him there was so little help confesse thou with al humblenes of minde y in thy flesh there is no goodnesse but put thy trust in the liuing God by whome thou shalt be able to do all things And on the other side seeing the great fallings of Solomon did not let the good worke of the Lord but that hee made a man so full of infirmities so cleare an image of his sonne Christe and powred all his benefites so plentifully vpon him Let vs here see the goodnes of God who hath found a way to burie for euer the sinnes of all his people and so to forgett them that they haue none accompt the figure of Christ was therfore in Solomon that we should see how grace aboundeth aboue sinne how mercie is exalted aboue iudgement In the nature and bodie of Solomon we see the spirite quenched
with mee this kingdome is a kingdome of darknesse a kingdome of sinne and it shall returne to the shape of his first beginning The kingdome of Christ shal be euer knowen by the scepter of the onelie Gospell preached and practised in it Now why is this called the scepter of righteousnesse Because saith the prophet it killeth the vngodlie the same exposition the Apostle immediately addeth Thou haste loued righteousnesse and hatediniqui◅ie therefore it is called a scepter of righteousnesse because it maketh the faithful righteous destroyeth the sinners from the face of the earth In this sense Saint Peter calleth it the seed of regeneration because by it we be begotten a-new into the image of God which is in righteousnesse So that heere we know whether we be of the Kingdome of Christ euen by the scepter by whiche we be ruled If the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ haue refourmed vs into a newe image to bee holie as our Sauiour Christ is holie that by his spirit the worlde be crucified vnto vs and we vnto the worlde then haue we our enfranchisement in this kingdome if not though we dwell in the mids of the Sanctuarie yet were we straungers from the lawe that came out of mount Sion And though we were baptised with all the water in the sea or as the Prophet saith though we wash our selues with Nitre and take much Sope yet our iniquities are marked before the Lord except we fele the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the righteousnesse and holinesse of this kingdome of Christe And what madnes can be like vnto it to flatter my selfe as if I had my portion among the electe of God and yet dwell in tabernacles of the Children of the diuell that is I meane yet walke in all the sinnes of a corruptible man Are not Gods children his Sainctes be they not brought vnto him with the scepter of righteousnes doth hee not keepe them with the seale of his holie spirite If I see no good workes in my hands if I know neuer that the preaching of the gospel killed concupiscence in me and made me hunger and thirst after righteousnesse if I feele not the spirite of God to sanctifie more and more my heart al mine affections how can I say I am the childe of God No no talke while thou wilte vse thy libertie say thou art a Protestant renounce the Pope except thou loue righteousnesse euen as thou louest thy soule reioycest in weldoing as in thy life thou hast bene but an idle hearer of the worde of trueth Godlinesse is not made of wordes as a wood is made of trees but it is an earnest loue proceeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned faith in whiche wee may glorifie God and do good to his people Paule was godlie when he gloried in nothing but in the crosse of Iesu Christe by which the worlde wascrucified vnto him and he vnto the world They are godlesse Hypocrites which in worde confesse they knowe God but in deedes denie him They are Christs which haue crucified the fleshe with the affections concupiscēce of it they are of their father the diuell that in wickednesse do the desires of the diuell Let vs then learne dearely beloued in good time to be wise when we were in ignorance then we walked in the woorkes of darkenesse now we haue vnderstanding let vs walke as the children of the light if we take the gospel into our mouth let vs knowe it is a scepter of righteousnesse to reforme our life and whosoeuer he be that hath chosen this portion peace be vpō him vpon the Israel of God and he that withdraweth himselfe from this purpose euen as the Apostle after saithe Let our soules haue no pleasure in him And here let vs also marke howe the Apostle setteth out this righteousnesse of christ Thou hast saith he loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is generall in all duetie which we do vnto God to loue the obedience with all our heart and soule and to detest and hate all the transgression and sinne So the Prophet Dauid saith I hate vaine inuentions but thy law I loue againe thy law I loue but I hate falshod abhorre it Euē so must we hate iniquitie if we loue righteousnesse and abhorre falshod if we loue the trueth and this is that eternall lawe whiche God gaue from the beginning I will saith he set enimitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede her seede But O Lord what a rebellious people are we where God hath commaunded all concorde and bound vs together in all bonds of vnitie One bodie one spirite one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God the father of vs all yet al these bondes we breake in sunder anger hatred reprochful words quarels wounds murders euerie cursed thing but we reach our hands vn to it to make strife one with another and disanull the agreement which God hath made on the other side touching the workes of darkenes we wil walke in them and though God hath separated them from vs as heauen from hell or Christe from Belial and hath made the hatred of them perpetuall to vs and our posteritie yet we thinke as the Prophet sayth to make a league with death and to beat agreement with hel we will follow our fleshly concupiscence as though there were no lorde to controll vs and we will not hate sinne at all A corrupt nature to loue that which we are bid hate and hate that which we are bid loue but a more corrupt affection if we giue place to these desires and are well pleased to loue them still It followeth in the end of this seuenth verse thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes In this we may learne an other notable cause why we shoulde acknowledge Christ our onely King and Law-giuer Because he is thus annoynted that is in him dwelleth all fulnesse of grace and the treasures of all wisdome and knowledge are hid in him so that leaue him leaue his lawes leaue his scepter we leaue instruction we leaue righteousnesse we leaue eternall life And heere note that the oyle of gladnesse is the giftes of the spirite of God gladnesse to our selues because it filleth vs with ioy in the Lord and gladnesse to other because it powreth grace into our lips to cōfort the weak harted to make vs a swete sauour of life vnto life to all that hearken vnto vs The heart of earth y is dry and baren and beareth no ioyful fruite of the Lord God this oyle of gladnes hath not yet softened it to make it a fertile soile for the seede of the worde of god And the carelesse man of a dull spirite that is not touched with his brothers sinning but letteth him alone in his vncleanesse to sinck or swim to stand or fall to liue or die
reciteth not but for our times it hath a verie good instruction the Prophet thus concludeth The children of thy seruants shall continue and their seedâ—… shal stand fast in thy sight because Christ had ioyned his Church to himselfe he the head they the bodie by him who endured longer then the Heauens the Prophet knew his people could neuer perishe and in his thought if the Prophet had comfort against the tyrannie of the kingdome of Babylon what comforte may we haue now against the enimies of the church of Christ They thinke they be many strong and rich and wise and they will preuaile their Pope shall vp againe they will haue Masse they will exalte the Church of Rome they will become slaues to a vile person as they were before they will do I cannot tell what Alas poore soules how fast they hold a lye in their right hand The shame that they seeke for they shall neuer finde For what are they Or what is their strength How much are they better then grasse or then the flower in the field What is their life more then a vapour or then a smoke that vanisheth away yet they boast them selues against the Church of Christ which is knit vnto the sonne of God liueth in his life standeth in his strength whose right hand hath made all thinges and whose yeres endure for euermore while we trust in this our hope is sure and all our enimies shal be ashamed And let vs pray that it would please God our heauenly father of his great goodnesse to haue mercie vpon vs that by his spirit the eyes of our mindes may be lightened to see what great Saluation he hath giuen vnto vs in Iesu Christ who is his onely sonne heire of althings creator of the world who ruleth and gouerneth all things and shall shewe vs his glorie in immortalitie when all these creatures shall haue their â—…haunge And the Lord graunt that in these dayes of our vanitie while yet we are walking to the day of rest we may in the meane season see his grace and glorie in all his creatures in whiche we haue our pleasure that we may enioye them to his praise and with wise heartes measuring his times who shall endure for euer when all these thinges are past we may mourne in spirite to see the time approch when we with him shall bothe see and inherite his immortalitie through his sonne Iesu Christ who hath purchased it for vs and with his mightie power will keepe vs in safetie vnto it against that day to whom with the father and the holie Ghost our onely comforter beal honour and glorie nowe and euer Amen The sixte lecture vpon the 13. and 14. verses 13 Vnto whiche also of the Angels saide he at any time Sitt at my right hand till I make thine enimies thy foote stoole 14 Are they not all ministring spiritâ—…s sent forth to minister for their sakes which shal be heires of saluation NOWE the Apostle maketh the fifte comparison betweene the Angels and our Sauiour Christe in which it is plaine he is exalted aboue all Angels And this comparison is out of the saying of the Prophet Sitt on my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy foote stoole A singular honour aboue all that euer Angel had for it signifieth that God hath taken him into the fellowship of glorie and giuen him all power in Heauen and in earth Touching this Psalme as it is moste true so it is confessed of all that it is a prophesie of our Sauiour Christ how he should be King of his Church and vtterly subuert all his enimies and be our priest after the order of Melchisedech who should bring an end to the priesthood of Leuie and according to this meaning of the Prophet so the Apostle alledgeth this sentence for proofe of this excellencie of the sonne of God aboue all Angels And with this testimonie our Sauiour Christe him selfe confuteth the Phariseis when they denyed his diuinitie resoning of the force of this word LORD because the comparison then was with Dauid These wordes of the Apostle To which of the Angels said hee at any time c. they shewe plainely what glorie it is to sitt on the right hand of god For when the Apostle sayth The like was neuer said to Angels that is such glorie was neuer giuen them what can it else meane but that Christe is confessed to be one God with his father Or what can we vnderstand to be higher then all Angels but God alone If the right hand of God could signifie his presence the Angels are in his presence and of them thousand thousandes are before him and as our Sauiour Christ saith They see the face of our heauenly father If his right hand could signifie the fruition or sight of his glorie the Angels are all blessed spirites and see his glorie euen as it is If his right hand did signifie any inferiour power though it were greater then all the worlde such power haue also Angels so that one of them haue smitten whole armies of men and whole Countries and therefore bee they also called principalities and powers because no strength in the world can resist them But seeing his right hand noteth vnto vs that honour whiche neuer Angel was receiued vnto and aboue the angels we know none but God alone therefore the Scripture speaketh plainely in setting Christe on the right hand of his father farre aboue Angels that he is one God and equall with his father Besides this sith it is saide Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footestoole it is plaine that this is the right hand of God the power of God giuen vnto Christe in which he shall ouercome all his enimies and sith this is the ende of that glorie that glorie is nothing but the power by which this is brought to passe and when this shal be accomplished that all his enimies shal be confounded then this shall bee finished for him to sitt on the right hand of his father not that Christ shall ceasse to be equal with his father but that this kingdome of Christ our mediatour betweene God and vs in which he keepeth vs that shall cease and he shall giue it vp vnto his father and God shall be vnto vs all in all And thus farre of all these honourable titles giuen vnto Christ in all which the Apostle proueth him greater then all Angels The first is that hee is called the naturall sonne of god The second that the Angels haue commaundement to worship him The third that he is a King of glorie reigning for euer in trueth and righteousnesse The fourth that he is Creatour of the world and indureth when the world shall perish And fiftly that he sitteth on the right hand of high maiestie all whiche are proper titles to the sonne of God and greater then can be giuen to any Angel and therefore Christ to be exalted aboue them all Now in the 14. verse
Angels Where it followeth here that all transgression of that lawe was punished no doubte he respecteth the people of Israel in the wildernesse where of so manie hundred thousandes all died in their sinnes except Caleb and Iosua who were of an other spirite which fearefull example of this people is likewise alledged by Sainct Paule in the firste to the Corinthians the tenth Chapter to admonish the Corinthians that by their example they should learne And where the Apostle addeth Howe shall wee escape if we despise so great saluation howe true this is we cannot doubt if we will open our eyes this day and looke about vs What is become of the Churches of Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colossos Thessalonica all whiche Paule so highly commendeth What is become of the churches of Pontus Cappadocia Asia Bithynia to which Peter writeth What is become of Smyrna Pergamus Thiatyra Sardis Philadelphia Laodycea y churches mentioned in the Apocalypse In all Asia Graecia Macedonia Syria Palestina and many famous countries else where are nowe their churches Yea to come yet nearer home What is become of the Churches in many Countries and Islands which our eyes haue seene to flourish The famous kingdome of Hungarie the great Countrie of Liuonia howe haue barbarous tyrants layde them waste that scarce one Church of Christ hath peace within them These are the punishementes which God hath executed for the contempt of his Gospell and our eyes and the eyes of our children this day haue seene it If we will not be warned but doe as we do despise the Gospell more then all nations round aboute vs suffer mockers and scorners to make their banquets among vs giue leaue to proude men to haue their pleasures at home and come not once to the church in xiiii or xv yere let the wolues loose whose rauening teeth are yet red and their bellies ful with the bloud of Gods saincts if we will do greater abhominations then these I wil not appoint times and seasons for so God hath not sent me hither a Prophet but as the scourge will surely come so I dare boldly say The wiseman seeth the plague comming and hideth him but the foole goeth on forward is snared It foloweth in the Apostle in the 3. and 4. verse Which at the first began to be preached c. The Apostle continueth yet his reason added to this exhortation of taking heed to the Gospel which as he did before of the excellencie of Christ the teacher of it so repeating that he addeth also for the more glorie of it the way and manner in whiche it was taught respecting heerein the glorious manner how the law was giuen lest thereby any should lesse regarde the Gospel And this manner of teaching he magnifieth first by the authour who was no Angel but the Lord himselfe then by the minissters of it who were not one but many and euerie one in as honourable and assured a calling as Moses himselfe Thirdly that the preaching of it was with signes wonders powers and sundrie special gifts of the holy ghost euen as it pleased God to distribute them So that they shal be without excuse all the despisers of it Heere some haue thought that this epistle can not be Paules because he sayth They which heard this Gospel of Christ himselfe they haue cōfirmed it to vs which thing Paul neuer saith but always standeth vpon this that he receiued it by Reuelation This reason is not vnlikely neither yet is it necessarie for S. Iude being an Apostle yet saith Remember the wordes which before this you haue heard of the Apostles And as Paul would not lightly haue spoken it in his owne person so heere his name beeing concealed and making him selfe one with those to whome hee writeth he might well speake it And it is not to be pretermitted that he saith not it was taught vs but it was confirmed vnto vs which might be said euen of Paule him selfe being confirmed by Ananias and conferring with Peter Iames Iohn c. and manie other wayes Therefore this is a thing still doubtful and whether it were Paule or not Paule we cannot tell That he sayth heere of signes woonders and powers he calleth miracles signes because they were testimonies seales to vs of the doctrine to be from God hee calleth them woonders because they were straunge and shewed an vnwonted woorke not knowen of men he calleth them powers because they had an euident profe of the power of God the sundrie distributions of the spirite hee calleth the extraordinarie giftes which followed those that did heleeue as our Sauiour Christ promised whereof S. Paule speaketh at large 1. Cor. 12. And thus the Apostle endeth this exhortation that we would carefully hearken to the Gospell giuen by Christe preached by the Apostles confirmed by the gifts of the holie ghost whose contempt God our heauenly Father will moste assuredly reuenge Now let vs examine againe the words and applie them to our particular instruction In the firste verse wher it is said we ought more diligently to harkē to the things that we haue heard we learne one lesson verie necessarie for our time and with which we may stopp the mouths of a great many papists when we reason with them about the studie of the scriptures howe all men ought to knowe them if we alledge the moste cleare places as in the vj. of Deuter. These words shal be in thine hart Thou shalt rehearse them to thy children thou shalt talke of them at home in thy house and when thou art in thy way when thou liest down whē thou risest vp Thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thy hands and they shall be as a frontlet betweene thine eyes Thou shalt write thē in the entrie of thine house and graue them vpon thy gates These and such like places they haue learned thus to answere All that was ment in y olde lawe now Christ hath giuen the holie ghost to the church and it can not erre therefore we must heare her Whether this be not wilfully to be blind see nothing nowe iudge when you heare the Apostle making comparison namely betweene our fathers of the olde testament and vs he sayth that wee are more bounde to the doctrine taught by Christe in his gospel then all our fathers to the law of Moses But they say God hath giuen his holie spirit to the church to guide it in all trueth First I answere this helpeth them nothing for it is a common argument which all sectaries and scismatiques may like wise boast of it But let them proue first that the church of Rome is the church of christ Now touching this gift of Gods spirite powred vppon vs I say it is a promise to the particular comforte of euerie one that wee shall neuer fall from the grace and loue of God it is not a warrant generally to all that the church shal be euer in open rule gouernement no blemish within
world to come of which we speake whereof the Apostle hath spoken no man can doubt All his speach hath bene to bring vs vnder the rule gouernement of Christ then it is Christs kingdome which heere he calleth The world to come which is through the power of the spirite to renewe the worlde to kill in vs the olde man with all his concupiscence to quicken our soule and bodie into all righteousnesse to vanquishe sinne death hell and to establishe vs in hope of perpetuall inheritance of the glorie of god This did our Sauiour Christ perfectly and fully accomplish in his owne person and we by the same spirit euerie one according to the measure which he hath receiued so he doth shew forth this victorie Thus the Apostle when he had mentioned the giftes of Gods spirite commeth into the speach of the kingdome of Christ which by the gifts of that spirite is set vp in vs not according to the will of mā nor according to the will of Angels but as it hath pleased God we if we wil be partakers in it let vs confesse and serue the Lord Iesu for he giueth this blessinge to whom he will. It foloweth But one testifieth in a certeine place c. that honour of renuing of the world which the Apostle before had denied to angels now by plaine testimonie of the prophete he proueth it to beelong vnto Christ and where he beginneth thus But one witnesseth in a certein place rather then naming the prophet bothe the vnwoonted speache better expresseth the affection of his minde inflamed with the loue of that whereof he spake and it is more answerable with the words of the prophet who not with vsual speach but with a souden exclamation saith What is man that thou art mindeful of him now touching this saying of Dauid it is no doubte but he spake it in extolling the goodnesse of God to all Mankinde both the wordes of the Psalme are plaine in reckoninge vp the benefites which apperteine to all men and here the Apostle expresly so vnderstandeth it in the eight verse where he saith But yet we see not all thinges subiect vnto him How then is it applied vnto Christ rightly truly and according to the prophets meaning for one thing let vs learne which I haue tolde you often bothe of the prophets and of their prophesies they had a continuall desire to see the dayes of Christ and longed after the time of his appearance more then the chased Hart doth long for water brookes or the fainte and thirstie soule longeth for meate and drinke and therefore had a delight euen to speake of his comminge which they do often and with glorious words touching their prophesies because they knew y all benefites which God gaue vnto man he gaue them for Christs sake who was onely beloued therfore bothe in setting out benefites receiued and foretelling the blessings which God would surely bring vpon them in their woords they had respect to him in whom all Gods promises were accomplished and many times vttered such speches as could properly agree to no other but Christ alone to whome alone was giuen and by whome we were partakers of it so that thoughe most of their prophesies had a trueth of the present time and incident vnto themselues yet they are also truely and according to the prophetes sense applied vnto Christ by whome all goodnesse came vpon them and vs So it is here in this prophesie of Dauid the words then are true and spoken of the state of man as it was but yet also are referred to Christ because he is authour of it and the only man to whom God gaue this excellent glorie whiche we also haue but through him and that we may knowe thus the Prophet meant in deede hee added these words thou hast made him a litle while inferiour to Angels thou hast crowned him with honour glorie c which fully wholy agree to none but christ But of all this we shal haue occasion to speake more after Thus we se how this prophesie is applied out of which the Apostles second argument of his exhortation is this In the preaching of the worde of Christ God hath giuen vs his kingdome and eternall life a glorie which no Angel could bring vnto vs how then shall we not moste iustly be condemned if we contemne such a heauenlie blessing God hath not made subiect to angels the world to come we do here consider as it were two worlds the one past made by Adam which was sul of hatred enuie rebellion sorrow shame sinne death the bondage of the diuel the other now restored by Christ ful of loue blessings obedience honour righteousnesse life the fauour of God not distinguishing these worlds by times the one first y other after or making any change of heauē earth or any creature for they stand both together in the light of the same sunne moone but as in man are two estates y one of Adam natural which is in death and condemnation the other of Christe and by grace which is in life saluation so they are called the olde world and the new which phrase is vsuall in the scripture often when God speaketh of sending his sonne hee sayth thus Lo I wil create a new heauen and a new earth And the 70. interpreters whom here the apostle followeth they call our Sauiour Christ y Father of the world to come because I say of this restitutiō which he maketh in the world And though the name properlie be giuen to these dayes in which the gospel is preached yet the fruite benefite was also before neither were Abraham Isaak and Iacob nor the other Patriarches and Prophets of the olde worlde but they also sawe in spirit the day of Christe and were then of his kingdome onely the name is reserued to vs because that blessing is now clearely reuealed in perfect beautie and Christ the author of it hath appeared as one of vs and dwelt among vs in our owne nature This world God hath not put in subiection to Angels that is God hath not made his Angels neither purchasers nor dispensers of this heauenlie treasure It was neuer in their power to haue done this thinge In vaine wee should looke for such blessing at their hands If they should enter into this worke they would fall downe vnder it for it is not an Angel but it is the Sonne of God that shall chaunge the worlde whiche was in sinne and shame to fashion it a new into righteousnesse and glorie This is a verie good place out of which we may learne how to knowe our selues and all other creatures how to giue vnto Christ his own honour for seeing the world to come noteth all the restitution which is by Christ the full chaunge of all that euer was by sinne and therfore named World because wee should assuredly knowe there is nothing excepted if then no parte of this worlde bee
are spoken of thee thou Citie of God. There is neither Sunne nor Moone sea nor land golde nor siluer meate nor drinke no elementes of the worlde no obseruations of Moses lawe no traditions of men that is ouer man but man ruleth all and all is vnder his feete Here streight way bothe Iewe Gentile saith These be in deed golden promises but where are these honourable personages you speake of Are not we as our fathers were and doth not death deuour vs To this the Apostle aunswereth I graunt we do not yet see with our eyes how these thinges are but I say againe our eyes are no iudges in this case The glorie is not earthly and the kingdom is not of this world wherof we speak but the riches spirituall and of the spirituall man they are discerned Know thy selfe y by saith thou art Christs and he thine that he died for thee and thou liuest by him that thou art fleshe of his fleshe bone of his bone a member of his bodie and what soeuer is his is thine haue this faith and now come and see and thou shalt see all the glorie of the worlde lesse then the glorie of suche a man for thou seest Christe humbled in deede once that he might suffer death but euen then when he was in the shape of a seruaunt thou sawest him full of grace trueth euen as the onely begotten sonne of God thou sawest him soft of speache but of merucilous wisedome plaine in teaching but full of grace and power simple in countenaunce but of an inuincible courage of lowe degree but of excellent power of no account among men but great in miracles at which man was astonished Thus thou hast seene Christ euen when he was lowest highly exalted that thou hast no good cause to reason against thy dignitie though thine eye see not euen in this time all things subiect vnto thee but see further into our Sauiour Christ and thou shalt see more of thine owne honour Thou haste seene him in thy fleash raysed from the dead and in thy nature ascended into Heauen that man in his person might be crowned with glorie and honour we haue seene him carrie our fleash into the presēce of God his father and it is no more possible to take this glorie from vs as many as bee one with him then it is possible to pul away againe his personal humanitie from the person of his godhead This I see in Christ and know it in my selfe And what though yet a while the outward man be grieued Thou foole that which thou sowest it reuiueth not againe except it first dye a litle corne of wheate it can not haue vertue to becōe thirtie fourtie times better then it was beeing multiplied to so many all as good as it selfe bringing beside fruitfull increase of strawe and chaffe except it firste bee cast in the ground dye And how shouldest thou haue a change but if thou be first corrupt And how much art thou better then a graine of corne y thou mightest surely know whē through corruptiō thou shalt come into incorruption that thy glorie shal be then vnspekable althings shall serue thee to make thy life infinitely blessed more then it is Thy hope now if thou couldst inlarge it a thousand folde yet it shuld be greter thē thou cāst imagine thy faith if it could comprehend more assurance of immortalitie then y eye doth surely of y light of the sunne yet y shalt finde y fruite of it aboue al thy thoughts This thou seest if thou see Christe and this thou knowest to be thine if thou know thy self to be one with him And for thy sinns howsoeuer they cleaue vnto thy bones hate them as thou hatest hell for from thence they are and the diuel worketh them but care not for them for though they were heauie in weight and manie in number what then thou haste thy hope not in thine owne person but in the bodie of Christ into which thou art graffed and in which there is no ▪ spott nor blemish but perfecte righteousnesse euen before God and in him as all other things so sinne also is putt vnder thy feete and thou art ruler ouer◅t And thus farr of the doctrine of the Apostle heere taught vs in this his Exhortation Nowe let vs returne to his other purpose howe he teacheth the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe the first reason whereof is in these wordes That hee might tast of death for all For as to the end he might suffer death it was necessarie he should be humbled because death else could not come into his presence so suffering death that man might bee deliuered by that death it was necessarie that hee him selfe should be man for so were the iust iudgements of God he gaue man a lawe pronounced a curse to him that brake it therfore whē we had all trespassed we were fallen into the punishment of our sinne for y threatnings of God are not as the words of a man that can alter or by some intercession that they can be mitigated but with God there is no change nor shadow of change that whiche with him is once purposed was euer decreed and his words are not weake but what he hath threatened if we fal into his hands all the creatures of the worlde haue no helpe for thee So that this beeing decreed of God Cursed is he that abideth not in all things written in this booke all people must nedes say Amen And The soule that sinneth must nedes dye redemption from this there is none to be loked for but by suffering of it for y Lord had spoken it must be done so our Sauiour Christ sith he would deliuer vs he must be made man like vnto vs and in our nature dye the death Our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs but they were imputed vnto him The punishment of them is forgiuen vs but it was not forgiuen him Righteousnesse is freely giuen vs but it was not freely giuen him He obeyed the lawe of his father euery iot and euery title that he might fulfill all righteousnesse He bare the condemnation of hell and death that he might abolish it He tooke vppon him the guiltinesse of our sinnes and bare them in his owne bodie y he might nay le them vpon his crosse Whē it pleased God our heauenlie father of his greate mercie to accept the obedience of his lawe for our perfecte righteousnesse and to giue vnto it the recompence of eternall life and when it pleased God to accept this for a full punishment of all the sinnes of man if any man could bee found to beare it before God and ouercome it our Sauiour Christ craued no more but this the residue he perfourmed all in his owne bodie and by his eternall spirite ouercame it so that in him is life in him is righteousnes in him is immortalitie in him is the reconciled good wil of God and that excellent wisdōe
feare of death were al their life long subiect to bondage Two special vertues of y death of Christ are here set out one y he might vanquish the diuel an other y he might set his people at libertie which both thinges howe they were wrought in Christ in the wordes themselues we shal more plainely see Of the vanquishing of the diuel he sayth thus That by death he might abolish him who had the power of death The diuel hath the power of death that is he is the authour of it by his malicious nature he brought it into the wotlde for god made it noâ—… nor hath any delite in it neither it is good in his eyes nor was euer mentioned among the workes of his handes but from the diuell and of the diuell in the diuel it began and is and abydeth therefore in the Apocalypse his name is giuen him Abaddon that is the destroyer and as death is of him so for this cause also he is sayde to haue the power of it because through his manifold tentations he maketh men sinne by whiche death reigneth for so S. Paule sayth of Adam beeing seduced by the diuell By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer al men because all haue sinned this is it then that is said Christe vanquished him that had the power of death that is he abolished sinne and the condemnation of sinne which was the kingdome of the diuel and thereby triumphed ouer him So Saint Iohn sayth for this cause the sonne of God appeared that he might lose the workes of the diuel that is sinne death which are both of the diuel for sinne God condemneth of death he hath said I wil be thy destruction protesting he is author of neither of both And how hath our sauiour Christ done this Euen by death A mer uelous wisedome an vnspeakable mysterie such as could neuer haue bene fouÌ„d or done but by God alone for what els is death but the power of the diuel and the verie miserie of the worlde To make this the vanquishing of the diuel and the meanes to bring all happinesse vnto man what was it else but his excellent vertue who as Saint Paule sayth calleth things that are noâ—… aâ—… though they were and can raise vp light out of darknes And sure if al men should haue laide their heades together to wishe a plague to haue fallen vppon the diuel they coulde not all haue deuised such another that his glorie should be his shame his power should be his ouerthrowe his kingdome his vndooing What could the Prophet Dauid in all his zeale of GOD wishe more againste reprobate men traytours to Christ and to his Gospell then thus to wishe Let their deintiâ—… tables be snares to take them and let their prosperitie be their ruine Euen thus Christe hath vanquished the diuell and yet it is true that he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whome hee may deuoure and it is true that Iohn saith that he hath great wrath and maketh cruell warre againste the Church of Christ but it is as true his strength is all weakened and his power is broken that it can not hurte vs for Christe hath nowe ouercome him And as Saincte Iohn sayth The time is come in whiche the Prince of the worlde is cast out and Christe hath spoyled all principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them vppon his crosse But how is it then thou wilt saye that his assaultes are so fearefully described that he is sayd to be Prince of this worlde ruler of this darcknesse full of power and authoritie ouer fleash and bloud Because we should knowe no fleash is able to withstand him neither was it according to the power of mortall man that he was vanquished but onely Iesus Christe of the tribe of Iudah was the Lion to crushe him in peeces Wilt thou knowe then where and to whome the diuell is abolished Before Christ our heade and to all the faithfull that are members of his bodie Wilt thou knowe where and to whome the diuel is in ful power and ouercome Before the naturall man and to all those whiche in their owne strength seeke to resist him and therefore Sainct Paule when he had described him in all his greatnesse hee biddeth streight caste away the strength of fleshe and bloude and put on all the armour of God for onely by it we should stande vpright in the day of euill So the diuel is abolished to all those that haue the shield of faith to quenche his firie dartes that is to all those which beleeue onely in Christ to be partakers of his victorie The diuel is in full force to those that are 〈◊〉 trusting in their owne woorkes or in the libertie of their owne will. In that the diuel is saide to haue the power of death as in other places where he is called the God of the worlde the Prince of this darkenesse the Author of sinne wee must note this if we rest in sinne liue in errour and ignoraunce followe the lustes of the worlde or walke in all the wayes of death then let me feare for here is the kingdome of Sathan and my perill is nigh that I should be holden in it But if I be at couenaunt with my selfe to haue no pleasure but vtterly to hate these things if I like not to go in the pathes of death if I loue not the world nor the things of the worlde if I haue my delight in the word of God to vnderstand the mysterie of Christe and to be lightned with it if I hate sinne and all the enticements of it then may I hope I walke in the likenesse of our Sauiour Christ and all the power of Sathan is broken before me Where it is further said that Christe hath done this by his death that by death he ouercame him that had the power of death we see a cleare and manifest testimonie what maner of death Christe suffered euen that ouer which the diuell had his power the same death which is the rewarde of sinne by bearing it he ouercame it and he conquered no more then he submitted himselfe vnto for by death he ouercame death if he suffered no more but a bodily death he ouercame also but a bodilie death we shall all rise againe but in the condemnation of the sinne of our soule or if he haue ouercome death and the power of it both in our bodie and soule then Christ hath suffered the paines of it both bodie soule that we might rise again froÌ„ the bands of death and liue with him for euer For this is true by death he hath ouercome death and he hath broken the force of it no further then he hath felt the sting of it in him selfe Therefore this let vs holde and let vs so beleeue Christ bodie and soule was made a sacrifice for our sinnes so he saide himselfe My soule is exceeding
of God in so much that if they should bee made causes of our lustification and the glorie of Christe should be so giuen vnto them wee might iustly call them the beggerlie elements of the world and vnprofitable things What shall wee say or thinke of so manie childishe toyes and foolishe fancies as wee haue seene of late when men will attribute saluation vnto them When our owne woorkes haue this honour giuen them When Holie water Belles Candles Crosses Palme bowes Ag◅us deies the beginning of Saint Iohns Gospel hanging aboute your necke when to these thinges we attribute power against the diuel whom Christe vanquished onely vppon his crosse what name shal wee giue these beggerly thinges When pilgrimages fastinges visiting of mens tumbes kissing of reliques purchasing of Masses when these things are exalted and said to purge our sinnes what shal we cal them what drunkennes what witchings what madnesse what brutish astonishment hath couered our spirits that we should beleue such things what strange illusions and sleights of Satan haue hid our vnderstandings that we should know nothing The ceremonies ordeined of God himselfe the sacramentes of his eternall testament they are but helpes of our infirmities to leade vs vnto Chr◅ste from whom whē you shal separate them they are no more Gods holie sacramentes but beggerly elementes and our owne fansies and fonde immaginations which are contrarie to Christe euen from our cradle to exalt them thus what is it but a proude liking of our owne presumption This is a cleare proofe that in nothinge is saluation but in Christe alone and that one saluation hath beene from euer whyle these outwarde thinges haue had manye chaunges And againe in that Christe was then the prophet we are sure the patriarches and forefathers did not worship God after their owne will and deuice but onely as the spirite of Christe did teache them from which testimonie of spirite when they fell away all their religion was reiected for onely in Christ God was also well pleased so that thoughe they had no lawe written yet were they taught of God and his sonne was their scholemaister to lead them in al trueth reuealing his will vnto them euer by such meanes as best pleased him and after when God wrote his lawe he wrote this also as a decree for them to holde euer that they should neuer adde nor take away but do onely what they were commaunded and much more now in these last dayes in which our Sauiour Christe hath appeared vnto vs in our owne nature man like vnto vs vppon whome we sawe the holie Ghost to come downe and God him selfe hath sealed him in making manifest the owne glorie speaking out of his cloude This is my beloued sonne heare him much more I say we ought now only to heare his voice because now more clearly thē euer before he hath reuealed all the counsell of God vnto vs but nowe the diuel hath beene no lesse enuious against the saluation of man then he hath beene before now also he hath made some to set forth the imaginations of their owne hearts and hath bewitched many to followe their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth is blas phemed and for their owne traditions sake he hath made the woorde of the Lorde Iesu of none effecte This worke hath he wrought in all the Papacie yet we cānot or wil not se his rebellious doings Christ saith his kingdom is not of this world yet hath he taught them to make their Bishops Princes and hathe giuen them power ouer life and goods Christ saith The princes of the nations beare rule ouer thē but it shal not be so among you yet hath he made his firste begotten sonne to weare a triple crowne and al the kinges of the nations to come kisse his feete So Christe hath taught vs to worship in spirite and trueth to drinke the wine in the sacrament of his bodie and bloude to praye in a knowne toung to eate of any meates without scruple of conscience to vse holie matrimonie in all estates as a remedie against sinne but as though Christ were no prophet vnto vs we haue abrogated these his lawes and made other con◅ratie of our owne This our eyes haue seene our eares haue hearde and whether we will or no wee must needes confesse it yet some flatter them selues in a maruelous madnesse and doing all things contrarie to the Lorde Iesu they say still they cannot erre but they shall one day see and knowe that Christ is the onely prophet of the new Testament and blessed be the Lorde God who hath made vs this day to beleeue it and while yet the day of health and acceptable time is to hearken onely vnto him and refuse all the vaine inuentions of men It followeth now in the Apostle But the worde that they heard prof◅ed thē not ▪ because it was not mingled with faith to those that heard it As before the Apostle concluded repeating againe his exhortation so in this verse he repeateth the cause why they profited not by the word of exhortation that wee againe hearing the cause of our sinne should be made more wise to take heede of it the cause was their infidelitie because saith he The word was not mingled vnto them with faith the word of God preached is as a cup offered vnto vs of which we must drinke whether we wil or no one way it is made vnto vs a cup of the water of life another way a cup of destructiō and such a liquor as is of death vnto death euen as saith or infidelitie is brought vnto it so it is a cup of life or death In this similitude the Apostle speaketh thus The word was not mingled to them with faith As men that loue to sit at the tauerne do mingle their drink with spices or their wine with sugre so we in that most blessed tauerne in which the worde of God is offered vs to drinke we must mingle it with the sweete spice of faith and it is a cup of eternall life vnto vs otherwise if we be vnsaithfull we haue lost our blessing and are fallen from the hope of life Christ who is the head corner stone in whō the building doth stande he is nowe to vs a stone of offence at which we haue stumbled are fallen downe because we haue not receiued his worde with faith It is true the gospel is the power of God to saue man but yet to saue the man that doth beleue whether he be Iewe or Gentile here we see how God hath ioyned vnseparablie his word our faith wherfore it is also called the word of faith neither is it possible to be faithful without the knowledge of the word neither is any knowledge of the worde profitable but beeing mingled with faith This dearly beloued is no obscure doctrine that you should not vnderstād it neither is it taught vs in ambiguous wordes that ye can doubt of it but it
priest of the olde lawe must necessarily be a naturall man then that he must do the worke of the people in thinges apperteining to God thirdly that he must doe it with some sacrifice fourthly with compassion for the peoples errours in all which Christ onely is excellent aboue all other Now the Apostle goeth forward and yet sheweth a fifte propertie of the high priest afore and that is that he was called of God and thrust not himselfe into that roome function To this purpose now it followeth And no man taketh vnto him selfe this honour but he that is called of God as was Aarō then in the two verses following sheweth howe in this also Christe excelled Aaron and had a more glorious calling then he first because an high decree of God was pronounced by the Prophete in which vnder the name of a soone God ordeyned him priest saying Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Againe he called him not vnto a priesthood of signes and shadowes which endured but for a while but he called him to the true priesthood it selfe which chaunged not but made him a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech So as the sonne is higher then a seruant the trueth better then the figure of it and that which abydeth euer better then that which in time is abolished so much this calling of Christ exceedeth Aarons calling and all the priestes of the lawe Heere let vs first learne sith the Apostle speaketh plainely No man taketh honour to him selfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was that bothe it is vnlawfull for any man without a calling to take vppon him the ministerie neither yet any calling ought to be which is not according to the will of God for seeing the ministerie is honourable and hee is iustly honoured that executeth it faithfully how can I exalt my selfe but of right I ought againe to be brought lowe and in steede of glorie haue shame for what doe I in this but rob Christe of his glorie who is head of his Churche and appointeth ministers whom hee will who ruleth in the house of Iacob and ordeyneth officers at his owne pleasure If in an earthlie kingdome subiectes would presume to take offices at their owne choice were it not extreme confusion vtter reproche and shame vnto the prince howe muche more to bring this confusion into the Churche of Christ Therfore both our Sauiour Christ himselfe did openly ordeine his own apostles neuer any of them executed that office but with protestation that they had this calling of God therfore their Epistles beginne as you reade Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ. Peter the seruant of Iesus Christ. And y same frō the beginning hath beene a perpetuall lawe in the church of god Moses Dauid Esay Ieremie and all the residue they tooke not this honour to them selues but were called of God in the name of God they declared vnto the people his visions and his wordes from which if they declyned to the righte hand or to the leste they made them selues sinners and not onely thus it is in the ministerie but for as much as the Apostle giueth it a generall terme No man taketh honour vnto him selfe euen in the common wealth in matters of this vaine life not onely the God of peace wil not haue his people to liue in confusion euery man to exalte himselfe but also limitteth to euery one the bounds of his calling in which God hath giuen him honour and without which bothe hee sinneth against God and offendeth his Prince that hath appointed him The Iustice muste deale with those thinges whiche apperteine vnto a Iustice a iudge with the things of a iudge and as it is rebellion for the priuate man to resist the magistrate so is it presumptiō in a magistrate to take vpō him aboue his calling We haue gotten amōg vs I know not what prouerb which cōmonly we call A cast off our office if this bee to cast off the lawe of our calling and take more honour then is giuen of the higher power we deserue it right wel if for such prety castes our selues should be cast quite out of our places for in matters aboue vs we be all priuate men and must goe vnto them to whom God hath giuen the iudgemente where we our selu◅s haue the place of honour there let vs be faithful as before the Lord. The second thing to be learned in these wordes is that we haue all such a calling as we may be sure it is of God for we must be called of God as Aaron was Heere dearely beloued I woulde wee had no cause to complaine or seeing thinges are so ill as they are I would we had the spirite of the prophete Ieremie to wishe that our handes were full of water or in our eyes were a founteine of teares that we might weepe day and night for the sinnes of our nation then the Lorde in due time would hearken vnto vs and the highest from his holy seate woulde regarde vs that our eyes might see all our ruines restored But nowe touching this calling in magistrates and officers of our common wealth I will say no more but in one worde as the scripture speaketh God calleth him vnto his dignitie who is orderly appointed and is a man of courage fearinge God dealing truely hauing no respecte of persons and hating couetousnesse otherwise if by bribing by ambition or by any vnlawfull meanes he come to his preferment the more he knoweth himselfe the more he wil feare least his calling be not of God but this they will regarde to whome it belongeth our speciall doctrine here is in the callinge of the ministers wherof by the grace of god I wil tel you the trueth but because this and other thinges are nowe in bitter controuersie betweene our selues so that the vncharitable wordes of our mouthes are witnesses against vs of the euill affections of our hearts and our hurtfull doings one toward another do shew abundantly that euil will hath taken deepe root within vs I protest y I haue neither part nor fe lowship in this diuisiō but in loue vnitie I beare him witnesse who speaketh trueth and beare with his errour who is deceiued acknowledging my self more vnworthie then either both And that you dearly beloued may hold fast the bonde of peace and not be broken off with euerie temptation I befeeche you consider but this with me hath not God giuen his gifts diuersly to one more to one lesse to one ten pounds as it is in the parable to another but one and can we thē all know a like must we not of necessity one know more another lesse one be more wise another lesse one vnderstand this truth another that euen as God reuealeth it and euerie one of vs haue our wantes in which wee may bee better taught and shall it not be euer so as long as our knowledge is in part we see not the