practise that which wee heare And this faith will appeare by working 1 Thes. 2.13 it will worke a change and alteration in your whole man VERSE 3. ON the other side it profits us that believe for we enter into his rest He doth not say shall but doe He that believeth in me hath eternall life he doth not see it a farre off as Moses upon the top of Pisgah viewed the earthly Canaan but enters not into the boyling lead of Purgatory but into spirituall and everlasting rest As infidelity is the bar to keep out unbeleevers So fidelity is the gate or doore whereby we may enter into heaven Act. 16.31 Rom. 3.28 This may seeme to bee unfitly alleadged By consequent it prooves that believers enter in for if unbelievers doe not then by the law of contraries believers doe And if the former words be included in a parenthesis these doe fitly follow as a confirmation of that which was in the latter end of the former verse it profited them not because it was not mingled with faith How prove you that As he said c. thus it doth excellently well agree Hitherto the dehortation hath beene propounded Now hee comes to prevent an objection that the Iewes might make which was indeed the only shelter they had to flye unto This rest that David speaketh of is the land of Canaan which some of our fathers missed of because they would not believe God What is that to us We believe in him and are at this day of a long time seated in the land of Canaan therefore we are none of those unbelievers thou needest not to be so fearefull of us To that he answers nay this rest is a spirituall and an heavenly rest and that he prooves by two divine testimonies one out of Genesis about Gods Sabbath the other out of the Psalme before cited The rest of that Sabbath he introduceth by a narration of the cause why God kept it It is perobscurus locus as Beza well observeth a defective speech something must be supplyed And verily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is particula asseverantis as well as adversantis the workes being finished from the foundation of the world this rest that we speake of was fore-signified Here we may behold the end for the which God Himselfe kept a Sabbath namely that we might perpetually commemorate the Creation of the world The Lord might if it had pleased Him have made the world in a moment yet he took sixe dayes to the making of it that we might deliberately consider of his wonderfull workemanship and then rested the seaventh day making it a type of our eternall rest with him in heaven But here a question may be moved whether all Gods workes were finished at the beginning of the world whether all were made within the compasse of these sixe dayes or not 1. What say you to the soules of men Is there not a dayly creation of them they come not ex traduce they are not traduced and conveyed unto us by the seede of our Parents for they are only the fathers of our bodies not of our soules and the spirit returneth to God that gave it God makes soules every day therefore all his workes were not finished from the foundation of the world The answer is easie They were in specie from the beginning though numero they bee augmented every day They were not all created at the first in heaven and put dayly into bodies according unto Gods discretion and appointment but God maketh them continually yet the same species the same kinde of creature was from the beginning 2. What shall wee say to Mules It was a long time many hundred yeeres before they came into the world Gen. 36.24 1. The Hebr. word is ambiguous Iemim of Iam the Sea Hee found waters standing pooles in the wildernesse like to Seas above the expectation of men 2. Let it be translated Mules yet the meaning may be hee was the first that found them in that countrie whereas they might be in the world before 3. Though they were invented by this man yet the matter of them was made by God in the beginning Thirdly what shall we say to those creatures that ryse of putrefaction they were materialiter potentialiter though not actualiter from the beginning All things were either in materia or in specie from the beginning of the world There were no houses no ships no Townes nor Cities at the first yet the matter whereof they be framed was prepared to mans hand by God and he gave man wisedome for the framing of them VERSE 4. HOw doth that appeare For He that is God He is not curious in the naming of the place it was well knowne to the Hebrewes being daily exercised in the Scriptures Now by that was prefigured that rest when we shall rest with God in his kingdome As God for our capacity laboured in the creation of the world rested afterwards delighting himselfe in the contemplation of the workes that he had made So when this life is ended we shall rest from all our labours and enjoy eternall quietnesse with him Therefore this shewes that it is not a carnall but a spirituall not a temporall but an eternall rest that is here entreated of Did God rest from all his workes How is it then that our Saviour saith my father worketh hitherto There be the workes of preservation and of creation The high and eternall God is not idle since he made the world His eyes are over all the ends of it beholding the evill and the good He is the Rector of the Vniversity of the whole world nothing comes to passe without him A Sparrow fals not to the ground without his will He disposeth still of all things and doth whatsoever he will in heaven and earth and in all deepe places but as for the workes of creation he hath rested from them all nothing now is created new Then all things throughout the wide compasse of the world are the workmanship of God He spread the heavens above our heads as a Curtaine he laid the foundation of the earth he made the roaring sea the birds that flie in the ayre the beasts that walke on the earth the fish that play in the Sea the Angels in heaven and men on the earth are his creatures O how wonderfully am I made sayes the Psalmist Therefore let us all glorifie our Creator in whom we have our life breath being and moving We especially that are Lords over GODS creatures let us magnifie him above them all Neverthelesse a lamentable thing to consider we dishonour him above all the Birds of the ayre the Beasts of the field the Sunne Moone and Stars are more dutifull in their kinde than we be O the unthankfulnesse of sinfull Man This place againe which we have in hand doth intimate so much unto us VERSE 6. WHich he proveth first by the event verse 6. Some must enter in because of Gods promise 2 Cor.
he that believeth hath eternall life he is as it were in heaven already therefore let us be suiters to God because faith is the gift of GOD to bestow it where it is not and to encrease it where it is yea let us all pray for the faith of Iob though thou kill me I will believe in thee It is an axiome with the Papists that faith may be without love we grant it fides Daemonum but not fides Christianorum an Historicall faith which is the faith of the Church of Rome defined by a Catechisme authorized by the Councell of Trent may be without Love and a miraculous faith may be without love 1 Cor. 13.2 But a justifying faith cannot he that is perswaded of the love of God towards him in Christ God so loved the world c. cannot but love the brethren and members of Christ. Every one which loveth him that begate loveth him also which is begotten of him They that bragge of faith and have no love are like empty vessels that give a lusty sound and have nothing in them Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and have not love I am as sounding brasse and as a tinkling Cymball though I had the gift of Prophecie and knew all secrets and all knowledge If I had all faith that I could remove mountaines and had not love I were nothing Though I feede the poore with all my goods and giue my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing So though I talke of Religion with a silver yea with an Angelicall tongue though I goe which is the glory of many to never so many Lectures heare Sermons receive Communions and have not love I am nothing Saint Augustine amplifies it further Signent se omnes signo crucis Let them signe themselves with the signe of the Crosse Let them say Amen that the Church rings of it let them sing Hallelujah let them fetch deepe sighes and groanes at Sermons that may be added Let them enter into Churches let them build Churches all this is to small purpose non discernuntur filii Dei à filiis diaboli nisi charitate nothing distinguishes the children of GOD from the children of the Devill but love Hereby shall all men know yee be my Disciples if yee love one another Faith without love is as a lampe without oyle vita corporis anima vita fidei charitas Bern. the life of the body is the soule and the life of faith is love faith that worketh by love Not a verbal love like them warme your selves fill your bellies and give them nothing but a reall love to feede the hungrie to cloath the naked to be an eye to the blind a foote to the lame to be a father and mother to the poore and fatherlesse to be a covering to them that their loynes may blesse us as they goe in the streets to be bountifull in our almes to all the people as Cornelius was to prepare garments for poore widowes as Dorcas did Such was the love of PHILEMON an actuall love he refreshed the bowells of the Saints Such must be the love of all true Christians My little children love not in word and tongue only but in deede and in truth PHILEMONS love extended it selfe to the Saints as is here avouched of him yet it was not couped up within the penne of the Saints the Saints must have the prime place in our love but not the whole Doe good to all men chiefely to them of the household of faith they chiefely but not they wholly Aristotle gave an almes to an unworthy man one reproved him for it Sayes he I gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the nature of the man not to the man the nature is Gods and must be sustained the vice is his owne and the Devills and must be reformed Their flesh is as our flesh and we must not hide our eyes from our owne flesh Neverthelesse the Saints must drinke most deepely and frequently of the cup of our love All my delight is in the Saints that be on the earth Saint Paul ordaines a collection for the Saints every first day of the weeke He himselfe was content to be a messenger to carry a contribution to the poore Saints at Hierusalem and requesteth the prayers of the Romans that that his service might be accepted of the Saints Know yee not that the Saints shall judge the world God honours them to bee the judges of the world therefore the world ought especially to be relievers and lovers of them VERSE 6. LAst of all quorsum To what end We give thankes and pray that the communication of thy faith Where 1. There is a narration of it 2. A confirmation of it Ver. 7. In the narration 1. The act of communication 2. The effect of it 3. The end of it As there is a communion of Saints so there must be a communion of gifts bonum quò communius eò melius a good thing the more common it is the better it is the Sunne communicates his light to all the world and shines the brighter for that the springs and fountaines communicate their water and are the fuller for that a nurse or mother communicates her milk to the infant and her breasts are replenished still the communication of faith of knowledge and other gifts is not a diminution but an augmentation of them Let us joyfully communicate that which we have one to another May become effectuall In some Greeke copies it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conspicuous manifest but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather to be embraced having an effectuall operation in others to provoke them to the like So Saint Paul provokes the Corinthians to liberality by the example of the Macedonians one student provokes another one Merchant an other and one Christian an other Sanguis martyrum semen ecclesiae the burning of one Martyr made many and the liberality of one Christian makes many liberall examples are more availeable then precepts But how By the acknowledging of every good thing Wee must acknowledge the good things that be in others The Queene of Shebah extolled the good things that were in Salomon and blessed GOD for them The elders of the Iewes acknowledged the good things that were in the Centurion God set the good things that were in Iob as on a stage and the Devill himselfe could not but acknowledge them though maliciously he depraved them Christ though he were the giver of them acknowledged the good things that were in Nathaniel Peter acknowledges the good things that were in St. Paul St. Augustine acknowledged the good things that were in St. Hierome and Hierom also the good things that were in Saint Aug. as appeares by their Epistles one to another We are injurious to God if we doe not acknowledge them No Painter
good thing but to obey that which we heare is better Not every one that saith Lord Lord but he that doth the will of my Father shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 7.21 Christ shall come from heaven to render vengeance to them that obeyed not the Gospell 2 Thes. 1.8 The ancient Israelites were banished out of Gods rest because they obeyed not His voyce I was not disobedient sayes Paul to the heavenly vision Let us by their example learne to obey God that we be not excluded out of His everlasting rest VERSE 19. IN the last place he poynteth out that maine and capitall sin for the which they were debarred this rest and he introduceth it in Emphaticall termes In the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conjunction copulative but often it hath the force of an illative as 1 Cor. 15.21 It is as cleere as the noone day we may behold it with our eyes Not that they would not it may be they had a minde to enter into that rest but could not why what barred them out unbeliefe Infidelity is a grievous sin The Noble man on whose hand the King leaned was troden under foote in the gate because he believed not the Word of the Lord. If the Lord would make windowes in heaven might this thing be it cost him his life for it The ancient Israelites were heere excluded out of the Land of Canaan and many of them out of the Kingdom of heaven too because of their unbeliefe Can God give us flesh to eate can he prepare a table for us in the wildernesse thus they mooted on Gods power and called it into question ô the townes of the Land of Canaan are walled up to heaven the inhabitants are Gyants we as Grashoppers in comparison of them Can God bring us into this land for that cause they entred not into it therefore let us labour to pluck up this bitter roote of infidelity out of the hearts of us all Neverthelesse it is the proper vice of this age it reigneth exceedingly among the professors of the Gospell we believe neither Gods threatnings nor His promises God saies whoremongers I will Iudge a poynt for his judging we will be whoremasters still God resisteth the proud yet we will be proud men still Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruite c. We reade of no hurt that Dives did to Lazarus hee did not set his dogges on him nor cudgel him from his gate yet because hee did no good hee fryed in Hell wee will not believe this for all that wee will keepe that wee have to our selves and doe no good with it The curse shall not depart from the house of the swearer yet we sweare still we laugh in our sleeves at the threatnings of God And as for his promises we believe them not God hath promised us a Kingdome where though we be consumed to dust and ashes yet we shall rest with Christ for ever yet we believe not this A Bird in the hand is better then two in the bush We will not leave our earthly pleasures in hope of this Kingdome Our unbeliefe is in a manner as great as theirs therefore God may worthily shut us out of his rest But let us remove this infidelity out of our hearts This is the time of the yeare that we remoove tenants out of houses unbeliefe is a bad tenant that will not onely pay us no rent but will also rend Gods Kingdome from us hath dwelt in the houses of our hearts many yeares together let us now at length give him a remoove thrust him out of doores let us beleive God in all his sayings in this life that we may rest with him in his eternall Kingdome in the life to come CHAP. 4. IN the former Chapter he excited us to a reverend attention to Christ the Doctor and Prophet of the Church by a fearefull example of the wrath of God that fell upon the ancient Israelites for hardning their hearts against his voice and contemning him for this cause they were excluded Gods rest Now in the beginning of this Chapter he makes a more large and evident application of that example to us in the time of the Gospell wishing us not to tread in the steps of the rebellious Iewes least we drinke of the cup of Gods wrath as they did This Chapter divides it selfe into two branches 1. The remainder of Christ his prophesie to Verse 14. 2. A transition to his priesthood In the remainder the former example is applied to us In the which application wee have first a dehortation from incredulitie which was the barre that kept them out of God's rest to Verse 11. 2. An exhortation to a diligent studie to enter into that rest Touching the former 1. A propounding of the dehortation 2. A preventing of an objection that might bee made against it In the propounding of it 1. The substance of it 2. A reason whereby it is strengthened The substance of it is comprehended Ver. 1. VERSE 1. SEeing we have such a terrible example of Gods wrath in the ancient Israelites which for their unbeliefe and contumacie were shut out of Gods rest let us being subject to the like frailety and as little able of our selves to stand as they let us feare that we fall not as they did What is it that we must feare Least any of us should seeme to come short of his rest for there is no time to sin and goe to hell in our youth or elder age How lest the promise being left cast behinde our backe and not regarded the cause of infidelity is a carelesse neglect of God his promise Where read we of any promise made of entring into his rest we read of a commination or threatning that some should not enter into it but in the former testimony there was contained no promise True not directly yet indirectly and by necessary consequent for if God sware that they should not enter which disobeyed him then a secret promise was included that the faithfull and obedient should enter in therefore let us feare least forsaking this promise of entring into his rest c. Any of you For I love you all and would be loath that one of you should perish Seeme not simply say be deprived Some thinke the Apostle so speaketh that he might not exasperate the Iewes which would have taken it in great snuffe Therefore he sayes if any seeme but that word may have his force Seeme and that worthily even in the judgement of all the world by neglecting so great salvation to be deprived To come short The word is very significant To be left behind If among them that travell by the way some being weary of the length and tediousnesse of the journey slacke their pace sit downe and will make no hast the rest enter into the towne or City to the which they travell but they are left behind So if we goe not on cheerefully in the way following God calling us that leadeth
to come VERSE 10. ALL interpreters with one consent expound this of all the faithfull for hee that believeth in Christ hath eternall life he is already in this rest from all his workes wherein hee was occupied and busied in this life as God did from all his workes of Creation after he made the world I will not deny but that this is the scope of the place yet not the direct meaning and exposition of it 1. The illative conjunction argues that this is a reason for the confirmation of the former conclusion which this doth not 2. In some greeke copies there is the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poynting out some particular man therefore it is better to expound it first and principally of our Saviour Christ then secondarily of all true Christians He that is Iesus Christ our true Ioshua that conducteth us into the Celestiall Canaan as he did the Israelites into the earthly He that is now entred into his rest from his hungring and thirsting from his working in the trade of his supposed father from his travelling up and downe from towne to towne in the preaching of the Gospell from his sweating of bloud from the paines that he susteined on the Crosse he hath ceased from all these workes as God did from his and where the body is thither shall the Eagles be gathered where the husband is there shall the wife be where the head is there shall the members be Christ his entrance into this rest is a certaine pledge of our entrance into it The name of rest is cheerefull to us all especially to those that have travelled sore all the day long Al men desire to live in rest Hence it is that the Kingdome of Heaven is set forth to us by it Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours And we say among our selves when a man is dead he is at rest O sweet and comfortable rest The tongue of Men and Angels is not able sufficiently to expresse it 1 We shall rest from the labours of our calling wherewith we are turmoiled The Husbandman shall follow the Plough no longer the Weaver shall sit no longer in the cold in his Loome the Clothier not ride up and downe in the raine frost and snow about his wooll and cloth the Preacher shall no longer be turning over bookes and taking paines in his study and pulpit we shall ride no more to market to buy corne to make provision for our houses we shall no longer take thought for our selves our wives and children we shall have all things provided to our hands and eat of the hidden Manna and of the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God for ever 2 We shall rest even from the workes of Religion which are now Charrets to carry us to Heaven We shall no longer be turning over the Bible in our Houses catechizing and instructing of our Families no more go many a mile in the dirt and wind to the Church shall no more be praying with cries sighs and teares thanksgiving shall remaine in Heaven It shall be all our worke to be praising of God but petitions shall then cease no need of the Ship when wee be in the Haven 3 We shall rest from the workes of sin here in many things we sin all Noah is sometime overtaken with wine David fals into adultery and murther Peter into the deniall of Christ Paul and Barnabas are at jarres betweene themselves The good that we would doe that doe we not and the evill we would not that doe we Sin makes us to cry out like tired Porters O miserable men that we are c. Then wee shall rest from all sinne and be like the Angels in Heaven for ever 4 We shall rest from all the crosses and calamities of this life There shall bee no banishment no imprisonment no hunger nor thirst neither any leading in captivity or complaining in the streets no sword of the enemy to feare no railing and slandrous tongues to grieve us no discontents in our children and servants no sicknesses diseases nor head-atch tooth-atch agues dropsies gowts c. All ease in all parts and members of the body all joy and comfort in our soules Then the Devill that roaring Lion that walkes about continually seeking how to devoure us shall be utterly cast out he shall have nothing to do with us any more 5 We shall rest from death It is a worke to dye it is a maine enemie with whom we struggle But then this last enemy shall be put under our feet death shall be swallowed up into victory O what an excellent rest is this This world is like Noahs Dove which could finde no rest to the sole of her foot Gen. 8.9 It may be we may have here a rest for a time a man may be free from sicknesse a yeere or two but there we shall have rest for ever Here is some wormewood in our sweetest honey some coliquintida in the pot of our mirth but there shall be joy without sorrow happinesse without misery Let us all long after this rest let us not only wish with Balaam that we had it but let us take the way that leadeth to it and that is a straight and narrow way The broad way of pleasure and delight leads us to hell where the rich man lay in infinite torments The narrow way that leadeth to rest where Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome Let us therefore mortifie sin subdue our stubborne lusts and rebellious affections let us if need be suffer afflictions for the name of Christ that we may one day enter into this rest where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes for ever Now he stirs us up to take a course for the obtaining of that rest It is a folly to know that there is a fine and delicate Countrey unlesse we our selves may goe into that Countrey So it is to small purpose to know that there is an Heaven unlesse we may be partakers of it Where 1. A commendation of an heavenly study to us 2. Certaine spurs to prick us forward to this study The spurs are three strong and forcible arguments 1. Is taken from a fearefull example 2. From the Ladder whereby we climbe up to this rest which is the Word of God 3. From the omniscience of God that sees whether we study it aright or not VERSE 11. THE studie is commended to us in these words He doth not say goe to heaven thinke on this rest now and then at leasure talke of it but let us study labour c. He doth not say study ye but us S. Paul himselfe must be a Student in this businesse Not loiter but study and labour not to take a view of this rest but to enter Not simply say into any rest but into that rest that noble worthy famous and renowned rest spoken of before where we shall rest with God his Angels and Saints for ever There be rests in this world
writing by his Apostles The Testatour is Christ the thing bequeathed is an inheritance the legataries are the faithfull the witnesses to it are his Apostles Act. 1.8 The seales are the Sacraments the exequutor is the HOLY GHOST Ioh. 14.16 which is CHRIST 's Vicar on the earth a faithfull exequutor that will give us our legacies to the full and deprive us of nothing Our SAVIOUR is dead therefore his Testament is of force Object If CHRIST 's Testament was of no force till his death then how could they in the time of the Law have remission of sinnes and eternall life Sol. In seeing the day of Christ by the eye of faith as Abraham did it was not in force complemento till Christ dyed acceptatione it was This eternall inheritance could not have come to us without the death of our Saviour Christ. If hee had not dyed wee could never have had possession of this inheritance therefore how are wee to love the Lord Iesus that hath ratified this inheritance to us by his bloud Let the consideration of the death of Christ worke a death to sinne in us all that as he hath dyed for us to procure this inheritance so we may dye to sin daily more and more Seeing the Testatour is dead we may assure our selves of this inheritance bequeathed to us by his will It is a rule in Law debts must be payd before legacies and oft-times under the colour of paying debts the legataries goe long without their legacies It cannot be so here our Saviour Christ left no debts to pay he ought nothing he departed cleere with all men therefore we may be sure of our legacie All the devils in the world cannot keepe us from it VERSE 18. DEdicated to God by certaine Solemne rites and ceremonies Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the feast of dedication Ioh. 10.22 Much lesse should the latter bee ordained without bloud VERSE 19. TO the Law as God required Exod. 24.8 Every precept being spoken by Moses Some thinke that all the people are said to be sprinkled because the twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel were sprinckled Others thinke that some few of the elders were sprinckled instead of all the rest Or all may be put for a great part In a manner all of them were sprinckled VERSE 20. YEt it was the bloud of heifers or of Goates but it is called the bloud of the testament because by it was signified Christ his bloud which is the maker of the Testament to this did our Saviour allude Matth. 26.28 this is the bloud of the New Testament which was shed for you Beza translates it that God hath commanded to you as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather expound it which God hath commanded subaudi to be carryed to you The bloud of Calves and goates sprinckled on the people in the time of the Law was a figure of Christ's bloud sprinckled on our consciences Object Here wee may learne say the Rhemists that the Scripture containes not all necessary truths when neither the place to the which the Apostle alludeth nor any other doth mention halfe these ceremonies but he had them by tradition Sol. I but all these are contained in the Scripture The booke was sprinckled on the Altar or at least with the respersion that was cast on the people For the purple wooll and hysop Levit. 14.51 there is the water too Ribera sayes all these are necessarily collected for there could be no sprinckling without them Vnder the peace offerings Exod. 24.5 are comprehended Goates appointed to peace offerings as wee may see Levit. 3.12 The meaning of these words is nothing else but this is a significant token of the bloud of the New Testament that is to bee shed for your sins This bloud sprinckled on the people was a significant type and figure of the bloud of our Saviour Christ whereby the New Testament is confirmed to us That was the bloud of Goates and Heifers this of Christ the immaculate Lamb of God 2. Moses was the sprinckler of that bloud the Holy Ghost is the sprinckler of this 3. That was sprinckled on the face or garments of the people this on our hearts and consciences 4. The aspertorium the sprinckling sticke there was made of purple wooll and hysop the aspertorium here is faith With that doth the Spirit or God sprinckle on us the bloud of Christ. 5. That sprinckling did but sanctifie the outward man this the hid man of the heart 6. The force and power of that sprinckling lasted but a while the efficacy of this sprinckling continueth for ever Therefore let us all be desirous of this sprinckling As the Woman of Samaria said Lord give me of that water So let us say LORD sprinckle us with the bloud of CHRIST continually It is a comfortable thing for a man to bee sprinckled with sweet water it is a sweet smell and refreshes him but nothing so sweete as the bloud of CHRIST sprinckled on our soules and consciences by faith Let us desire the Lord to sprinckle this bloud on us dayly more and more that being washed with it wee may bee made fitt for the Holy Hierusalem and remaine with Christ for ever and ever Hebrewes 9.21 NOw followes an application of the rites and ceremonies belonging to the Tabernacle 1. A narration of them Verse 21.22 2. An accommodation of them The rites are two 1. The rite of consecration or sanctification Lev. 16.14 16. 8 15 18. 2. The rite of purification some by fire some by water Num. 31.23 In all things are comprehended also all persons An accommodation is made of these rites by the way of an antithesis or opposition whereof there be foure members 1. An application of the things Verse 23. 2. Of the place Verse 24. 3. Of the actions Verse 25.26 4. Of the use Verse 27.28 The things are applyed by way of opposition It was necessary that the types of heavenly things should be purified with such externall things for the purification of the flesh or outward man But c. The sacrifice of Christ is termed sacrifices in the plurall number and yet is but one because the fruit and efficacy of it is derived unto many So the wisedome of Christ is set forth by seven eyes his power by seven hornes Apoc. 5.6 The Holy Ghost being but one spirit it is called seven spirits Apoc. 1.4 The place is applyed by way of opposition 1. In respect of the nature that was made with hands this without 2. Of the use or end there the High-Priest did appeare before the Arke and Mercy-seate which were figures of Gods presence here our High-Priest appeares before GOD immediately without figures for us The third is an application of the action or service the dissimilitude whereof consisteth in three things 1. There the High-Priest went often into the holy place here our High-Priest went into heaven but once 2. He went with other bloud ours
he painted out Christ in lively colours sundry kinde of wayes this we are sure of he was a Physitian and greatly beloved too Luke the beloved Physitian saluteth you a Physitian for the body and the soule too which is more than ordinary Eusebius makes mention of one Theodotus a Bishop that was both Medicus Theologus a Physitian and a Divine too Paul sayes of one of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for Divinity alone he must needs be a rare man that is sufficient for both These be they that send commendations to him whom he dignifies with this Title my Fellow-labourers or Fellow-workemen Some in the calling of Christianity some in the calling of the Ministry too Both are workes both are labours Nomen Christiani est nomen operis sayes S. Augustine and S. Paul sayes he that desires the office of a Bishop desires a worthy worke Here a common place of salutations doth not only salute us but inviteth us unto it In Greeke saluting is a kinde of imbracing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because whom we salute we embrace with the armes of love or at the least pretend it In Latine Salutare est salutem optare to salute is to wish health and prosperity to the parties whom we salute The Anabaptists are not onely unchristian but uncivill also to condemne salutations Indeed Elisha willed his man that if he met with any he should not salute him and CHRIST charges his Disciples to salute none by the way Those were in matters of extraordinary importance which required great expedition otherwise we may and ought to salute Angels salute The Lord is with thee thou valiant man sayes hee to Gideon hayle Mary freely beloved sayes Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin CHRIST would not have his Apostles to be so unmannerly to goe into an house and not to salute it he himselfe salutes after his resurrection peace be unto you Saul went forth to meet Samuel and saluted him Though Nabal was a churle and a foole too yet David would not deale so foolishly with him as not to salute him Thus shall you say for salutation There is a sweet eccho of salutations betweene Boaz and his reapers the Lord be with you sayes he the Lord blesse thee say they David saluted his souldiers The greatest thinke no scorne to salute the meanest I but whom must we salute All. We must love all pray for all even for our very enemies Now saluting is nothing else save an intimation of love a kind of praying and well wishing therefore we must salute all I but Saint Iohn gives us other counsell If any come to you and bring not this doctrine receive him not to house neither bid him God speed We must not vouchsafe him a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must distinguish betweene gods enemies and our owne if they be notorious open professed adversaries to CHRIST as those were we ought not to afford them a kind salutation nay if an Angell from heaven should preach any other doctrine we should hold him accursed But if they be secret adversaries and unknowne it is not impiety to salute them Some are so rigid that they will not salute a stranger because they know not whereabout he goes 1. It is repugnant to charity Love thinketh not evill it believeth all things It is greater charity in things doubtfull to believe the best then the worst 2. As Aristotle being reproved for giving an almes to a wicked man answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had compassion of the man not of his manners so wee salute the man not his life we bid the man God speed not his actions But how are we to salute 1. For the externall manner by word of mouth or by writing Saint Paul omits salutations in never a one of his Epistles but in Rom. 16. he is most plentifull in them So is Ignatius Commendations are requisite in our letters if they bee not made commendations matters of course not greatly regarded 2. For the internall manner we must salute sincerely not hypocritically it must bee Saint Paul's haile not Iudas his haile Greete one another with an holy kisse They must be holy not unholy greetings The end of salutations is the preservation of love which by all good meanes had need to bee maintained by Christians and a demonstration of the respect we have one of another VERSE 25. THe last branch of the conclusion is a Valediction or farewell hee takes his leave with a short yet a sweet prayer where 1. There is the substance of it then the sealing of it In the substance 1. Res optata the thing wished or prayed for which is grace love mercy favour Grace must be Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending of every worke Saint Paul began with it and he ends with it 2. Cujus sit gratia whose grace it is of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath brought us into grace and love with God who before were his enemies and out of grace which hath graciously redeemed us from sinne death hell and damnation and hath opened to us the doores of the kingdome of heaven 3. Cui optatur to whom it is wished not to Philemon alone but to all that were with him Be with your spirit Man consists of two parts a soule and a body here by a Synecdoche melior pars pro toto the better part is put for the whole be with your spirit .i. with you The grace of CHRIST is to be preferred before the grace of all earthly Kings and Princes 1. Their grace is mutable to day in grace to morrow out of grace As Haman was with Ahasucrus and Belisarius with Iustinian CHRIST is not mutable 2. They dye CHRIST lives for ever CHRIST lives for ever the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with us all Then he seales his prayer with Amen Nec Graecum est nec Latinum sayes Aug. it is neither a Greek word nor a Latine but an Hebrew word mansit non interpretatum and by the providence of God remaines in all tongues uninterpreted ne vilesceret nudatum least haply being unfolded it should bee lesse esteemed as Hallelujah Hosanna c. It is particula confirmantis a particle of confirmation as Saint Ambrose well observeth So be it So be it The Lord grant it may be so It must in a fervent zeale be the shutting up of all our prayers It is doubled by the people when Ezra praysed the Lord the great God all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands and no doubt their heart too As the Church sayes we will lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens If the hand be lifted up without the heart it is an hypocriticall Amen and unacceptable unto God The end of this Commentary A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE OF St PAUL to the Hebrews FIRST the inscription of the
we are not the Angels Ministers This is thy gracious goodnesse towards us thy name be blessed for it for ever and ever Whether he have appointed to every one of us a particular Angell or not let us not be too curious in the discussing of it this is comfortable for us that wee have many Angels to Minister to us Their Angels saies CHRIST of those that believe in him not their Angell not one Angell but many carryed Lazarus his soule into Abrahams bosome 3. What an unspeakable comfort is this for us What a Tower of defence against Satan and his Angels The Devill compasseth the earth to and fro hee walkes up and downe like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure and there be many 1000s of devils there were a legion in one man These by Gods permission raise up tempests stirre up extraordinary windes blow downe houses Nay if God did not bridle them they would quickly teare us all in pieces but let this be our castle to flye unto as there be bad Angels to hurt us so there be good Angels to defend us There were Charrets and horse-men of fire round about Elisha and the Angels of God though we cannot see them with our eyes pitch their Tents round about us these be stronger than the Devill and his angels because they never sinned and have God on their side In the time of Popery the people were much deluded with the walking of spirits they durst not go through a Church-yard in the night for feare of them Sundry are afraid of Fairies and of ill spirits that haunt their houses no doubt but the evill angels are busie in all places yet let us feare none of them all we are guarded with the celestiall guard of holy Angels that are able to protect us from them all especially Christ Iesus is on our side which is above all Angels he sits at Gods right-hand hath all power in heaven and earth he will preserve us from all dangers in this life and bring us to his everlasting Kingdome in the life to come 4 Seeing that God hath ordained the Angels to be ministring-spirits for our sakes which undoubtedly looke carefully to their charge seldome or never are they absent from us some or other are present with us continually Let us do nothing that may grieve these Heavenly Spirits let the Women be covered because of the Angels So let not us sweare and blaspheme the Name of God c. because of the Angels Men would blush to commit filthinesse in the presence of an honourable Personage the Angels are alwayes present with us therefore even in respect of them let us absteine from sin CHAP. 2. IN the former Chapter the Author as in a Glasse shewed the Deity of CHRIST and both simply and absolutely ratified it Now he applies it to them to whom he writeth Where 1. An application 2. A transition to his humanity In the Application 1. the Vse 2. the Reasons whereby it is pressed 1. From the incommodity 2. From the punishment set forth by a comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forsomuch as CHRIST the Author of the Gospell is not onely above the Angels but is the high and eternall God being the naturall Son of the everlasting Father and engraven forme of his Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we ought So then it is not left to our discretion we are tied with the bond of necessity to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intend our mindes that the things may be imprinted in our hearts and practised in our lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more aboundantly We should abound more in hearing attention and practice than they did in the time of the Law we should excell them by a more rare and singular attention for though the things are the same yet the party is not the same by whom they are delivered It is not enough to heare Sermons every weeke which is good and commendable but we must yeeld a diligent attention to the things that we heare we especially now in the time of the Gospell when God speaketh to us by his owne Son The people were bound to heare attentively in the time of the Law when the Prophets of God spake to them but much more are we when the Son of God the Prince of Prophets the Prophet of the Prophets speakes to us All Samaria gave heed to Simon Magus that bewitched them and lead them to the Divell and shall not we give heed to Iesus Christ that labours to carry us to Heaven Doe not onely heare but attend to that which ye heare Take heed how ye heare whether loosely or carefully profitably or unprofitably Lydia attended to the things that Paul spake Acts 16.14 We must not only heare the Preacher but attend to the things which he uttereth An Infant doth not only take the dug into his mouth but he sucketh at it and that with greedinesse So we must not onely lye at the big of the Word but we must suck sweet doctrines and heavenly instructions from it The ground that receives not the seed into it will never be fruitfull if it lye aloft and be not hidden in the bowels of the earth it can never yeeld fruit so when the seed of the Word is sowne if we doe not marke it and lay it up in our hearts hide it within us as David did the birds of the Ayre that is the divels that flie up and downe in the Church will pick it up and run away with it Therefore let us diligently give heed to the things which we heare hearing is good and they be commended that heare yet that is not sufficient a diligent attendance must be given to that which we heare When Christ reades a Divinity Lecture to us we that be his Schollers must attend to it It is said of the people that they hung on Christ watching the words that came from his mouth ready to receive them before they came so with all care and diligence we must hang on the Preacher marke his words and be ready to receive them into our eares and hearts even before they are delivered so eager should we be of the Word Especially now in the time of the Gospell what attention is there in the Starre-Chamber when the Lords of the Privie Counsell speake But if either the Prince or the King himselfe make an Oration then there is wonderfull attention In the time of the Law the Prophets spake which indeed were of Gods counsell by whom God revealed his will to the people but now the Prince of peace the everlasting Counsellor the Kings owne Sonne that lay in his owne bosome in whom all the treasures of wisdome are hid speaketh to us Therefore let us listen with all diligence to the things which he speaketh And how doth Christ now speak Not daily from Heaven as he did to Saul but by the mouth of his Ambassadours He that heareth you heareth me will ye have an experience of Christ that
an hard father chode sharply now hee stroakes them on the head againe saying wee are perswaded better things of you 2. We must have a good and charitable opinion of them that sit in the lap of the Church that subject themselves to the Ministerie of the Word though there bee some defects and blemishes in them St. Paul judged all in the Church of Philippi to be the elect Children of God Phil. 1.7 We must not be too lavish or too strict in our judgment some have such large consciences as that they are perswaded too well of all that all in the end shall bee saved yea even the Devills themselves that was the dotage of Origen And some at this day cannot bee perswaded that any shall be damned the lappe of their charity is too wide and others is too narrow They are scant perswaded well of any but of themselves they thanke God with the Pharisee they are not as other men all others are naught and they only are good but except there appeare manifest tokens of reprobation except they take an apparant bad course and the very high way to hell we must perswade our selves that they may appertaine to the number of Gods faithfull and elect Children wee are perswaded of our owne salvation judicio fidei and we may be perswaded of the salvation of others scientia charitatis wee must not bee too rash in our sentence as the Barbarians against Saint Paul doubtlesse this man is a murderer Such a one hath these and these faults doubtlesse he is the child of the Devill if they prosesse the Gospell and have any godly care to live accordingly though there be wants in them wee must be well perswaded of them But what was St. Pauls perswasion did hee perswade himselfe that they were honest good natured men and the like Nay more then so that they were in the number of those that should be saved That young man in the Gospell was a man of rare and excellent parts he had kept as he said all the tenne Commandements from his youth and Christ loved him yet there were not things in him that accompanied salvation Thou maiest be a sowre Cato a just and upright Aristides in thy dealings with men and yet have not the infallible markes of salvation It is an excellent thing when there be those vertues in men and women that accompany salvation Hast thou a sharpe and pregnant wit So had Esau that could wittily descant on his brothers name Hast thou a brave and eloquent tongue So had Aeschines Tully and Demosthenes Art thou a faire comely and beautifull man as goodly a man as one shall see in a summers day So was Absalom Hast thou a reaching and a politike head So had Achitophel Art thou a deepe Scholler a profound learned man So was Porphyrie Lucian Iulian that never set a foote in the kingdome of heaven Labour to have those things that accompany salvation faith hope zeale patience humility and other graces of the spirit whereby we may be perswaded that you are the deare Children of God The Lord worke those things in us all that accompany salvation Though the Church be perswaded of thee that thou art a wise man witty learned that is to small purpose So live that both the Preachers and all good people may bee perswaded you have that in you for the which they may judge you to be heyres of salvation Here hee prevents an objection that might be made What Paul hast thou bin so bitter towards us hast thou called us babes and novices in Religion Hast thou set before our eyes such a terrible example of Apostates and backsliders as if we were birds of the same feather and now art thou well perswaded of us thou doest but flatter us wee can hardly thinke so O yes saies St. Paul assure your selves we have a good opinion of you though we thus speake these are but trumpets to waken you out of sin the wounds of a lover to cure you withall they be but spurs of fatherly admonitions to pricke you forwards unto all goodnesse Wee made mention of these men not as if you were such but to warne you that you be not such Though the Preacher be sometimes round and vehement yet the people must not imagine that he is hardly conceited of them A Father loves his child when he chides him a Physician his patient though he give him bitter pils and we love you though we be hot against the corruptions that raigne among you VERSE 10. SAint Pauls perswasion was not grounded on nothing it is not as a castle built in the ayre it hath a sure ground to stand upon you have good workes issuing from faith therefore we are perswaded of your salvation To forget that is both to prosequute and crowne your workes as hee hath begun a good worke in you so he will finish it in this life and reward it in the life to come If God should not doe this he should be unjust but he is not unjust he is not an unrighteous Father that forsakes his Sonne or an unjust builder that leaves his building That this is his meaning is apparant by that which went before and that which followes after unlesse he were perswaded that God would finish the worke begun in them his perswasion could not be firme and in the next Verse he prayes that they may goe on forward to the end and when he hath done so hee will crowne his owne worke The Iesuits say it is a world to see what wrything and wringing the Protestants make to shift off this place whereby it is cleere that good workes are meritorious and causes of salvation If it bee an unrighteous thing with God not to give heaven to our workes then we have it not on meere mercy but of justice Iustum est ut reddat qui debet debet autem qui promisit It is just with God so to doe not in regard of our merit but of his own promise They that came into the vineyard at the last houre had as much as the first yet not of merit but of covenant It is an unrighteous thing for one to break his promise GOD hath promised to reward our workes with eternall life therefore he should be unrighteous if he did it not and in the next words he shewes that wee must not depend on our merits but on Gods promise ratified by an oath But what manner of work is it not an easie work but a labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seco. Such a wearisome labour as cuts the body it may be they went away a mile to visit the Ministers and members of CHRIST they had many discouragements yet they waded through them all it was an hazarding of their life to bee seene in their quarrell to make their part and to relieve them This worke of theirs is illustrated by the manner of it the end the matter
fruition of Gods presence at whose right hand is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore VERSE 18. THat by two immutable things God will have us to have two strings to our bow in which it was impossible for God to lye God is not as man that he should lye or the Son of man that he should repent there is our pillar to leane upon viz. the immoveable truth of God That we might have strong consolation against all the crosses and afflictions of this life not weake but strong comming from a strong GOD cofirmed by two strong meanes the promise and oath of God and continuing strongly a great while to the end of our lives Many are our crosses in soule and body in goods name children and servants against them all we have strong consolation Who have fled for refuge which flie not to this as our castle and tower as men in a storme and tempest flye into a tree or house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to have but to hold Vpon the hope set before us that is eternall life hoped for which is set before us VERSE 19. THe effect of the promise is a sure hope which is set forth by a similitude where we have the qualities of the ancre and the power of it it entreth into heaven it selfe whereof the legall sanctuary was a type The which hope whereby we hold heaven referre it not to consolation though it be of the same case for that is further removed and it enters not into heaven but to the vertue of hope An ancre a spirituall and an heavenly ancre not a temporall and earthly for the preservation of the soule not of the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not slipperie which cannot bee supplanted or overthrowne Firme stable that cannot be removed an ancre must neither bee too little nor too light An ancre goes downeward this upward anchora in imo spes in summo Of this metaphor he made choyce that so he might returne to the Priesthood of Christ from whence he had digressed Into the inner of the vaile that is the Sanctuary which was separated by a vaile from the rest of the tabernacle Exod. 40.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pando because it was spread over with a vaile this was a type of heaven Heb. 9.12.10 19. In this stood the Arke and other secrets which were hid from the people None came into the Holy of Holies but the high Priest and he no more than once a yeere even so heaven is a secret place there be joyes which eye hath not seene eare heard neither can enter into the heart of man to conceive yet our hope as an ancre entereth into it As a Ship cannot be without an ancre no more can we with out hope The ship is the soule of a Christian the ancre is hope the Sea where it is tossed is the world the place whereinto the ancre is cast is heaven These ancres are throwen into the bottome of the Sea this into the bottome of heaven where it is more sure As the ancre in a storme and tempest holdeth the ship fast that it is not tossed up and downe nor shaken with winds and waves So doth hope the Ship of our soules in the tempestuous Sea of this world It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it drawes all men to the expectation of future happinesse Wherein these things are briefly to be considered 1. Wherof hope is it is of future not of present things Hope that is seene is not hope 2. It is of some joyfull thing that is to come if it bee an uncomfortable thing we rather feare it then hope for it hope is of some joyfull thing that is to come As wee that be Christians hope for heaven where wee shall remaine with Christ for ever 2. Where is hope the answer is easie it is in this life there is no hope in the life to come they that bee in Hell are out of all hope of comming out for there is no Gaole deliverie and they that be in heaven have the end of their hope they see that is they feele the joyes of heaven they hope no longer for them There is use of hope only in this world while we remaine in this vaile of misery and let us desire God to nourish the lampe of our faith to our dying day 3. In whom must our hope be fixed In none but in God alone thou art my hope my castle my tower my refuge Cursed bee hee that maketh flesh his arme And it is good reason why God alone must be the subject of our hope for hee only can simply and of himselfe give all things creatures cannot doe it but it must be God reconciled to us by Iesus Christ. Here we must distinguish betweene sperare in and sperare per we must sperare in Deo solo tanquam in autore fonte bonorum omnium sperare per aliquem aut per aliquid est tanquam per instrumenta à Deo ordinata te à Deo bonum aliquod consequuturum that is not unlawfull as Philem. 22. but withall prepare mee also a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I shall bee given unto you Wee may hope for health by the Physitian but wee must not put our trust in the Physitians as Asa did wee may hope by prayers fastings reading of Scriptures hearing of Sermons by mortifying of sinne as by instruments to goe to heaven but wee must not hope in these things 4. What Pillars hath our hope to leane upon The Schoolemen make two gratia Dei merita praecedentia Peter Lombard lib. 3. dist 26. defines hope thus est certa expectatio futurae beatitudinis veniens ex Dei gratia meritis praecedentibus he adds further sine meritis aliquid sperare non spes sed praesumptio dici potest Blasphemous in my opinion As for good workes as they be fruits of faith and seales of our election they may cause us in some sort to bee of good courage and to hope well but we have no merits to put our trust in we must not hope to goe to heaven for the merit and dignity of our workes that is but a broken staffe to leane upon our workes are full of imperfections therefore let us set them aside The only props that hope hath to support it withall must be derived from God in Christ they be especially three as St. Augustine speaketh and of them he glorieth Charitas adoptionis veritas promissionis potestas redditionis 1. God hath adopted mee in CHRIST to be a fellow heyre of his kingdome with him therefore I hope for that kingdome for once his Sonne and ever his Sonne there is not a shadow of turning in him 2. God of his free mercy
diverse qualitie of both Priest-hoods The Priest-hood which is everlasting and abideth for ever is more excellent than that which is momentany and continueth but for a time Christs Priest-hood is eternall the Leviticall Priest-hood lasted but for a time ergo This Argument hath two branches the comparison betweene them 23.24 and an effect 25. the comparison is in the number and continuance That the Priest-hood of the Levites was temporarie is evinced by the relatives If the Priests continued but a time then the Priest-hood but they continued but for a time which is illustrated by the number of them and the reason of the number And they verily being many were made Priests And why were they many because they were forbidden by death to endure Death would not suffer them to continue long therefore it was necessary that there should bee many of them one to supply the roome of the other There were not onely many inferiour Priests but many high Priests not at one and the same time but successively After Aaron came Eleazar after him Phinees c. for the same cause there be many Kings one King succeedeth another because death will not suffer them to live death forbids them to abide He brings an inhibition against their continuance I command thee here to stay and to goe no further and all Kings Priests Lawyers Physitians must obey him A paucity is a greater argument of perfection then a multitude The kingdome is better governed that hath one King then that which hath many that house is better ruled that hath one Master then many the world is better with one Sun then if there were many the Phaenix is the most famous of all birds because there is but one of them at a time God being but one is farre more glorious then man being many So is it betweene the Priests of the Law and CHRIST they were many but CHRIST is but one which remaineth alwayes therefore his Priest-hood is more excellent than theirs But why were they many because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death As it is here said of the Levites So it may be said of us all A man walking in London streets or in a corporation is on the suddaine arrested by a Sergeant and commanded to stay so as wee are walking in our race in the world comes death as the LORDS Sergeant and bids us stay here yeeld up thy life I will not suffer thee to tarry any longer Adam was the ancientest man that ever was the first that breathed on the earth yet hee was not suffered to endure by reason of death Methusalem was the longest liv'd man that ever was he lived almost a thousand yeeres yet dyed Sampson a mighty strong man with the jaw-bone of an Asse he slew a thousand Philistims he carryed away the great Gates of the Citty on his Shoulders yet he was arrested by death Saul a goodly tall man higher than any of the people Absalom a faire beautifull man not a blemish in him from the Crowne of his head to the soale of his foote Salomon the wisest man that ever was Saint Paul a learned man he spake with tongues more than they all a profound divine taken up into the third heaven a painfull and powerfull Preacher he converted a great part of the world to Christ yet they were not suffered to continue by reason of death This is the condition of us all high and low rich and poore learned and unlearned none of us all can bee suffered to endure long by reason of death Death is a cooling Card in all our mirth and jollity that comes at length with his Axe and cuts all downe Kings are not suffered to endure by reason of death there is a succession of Kings as well as of other men Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen are not suffered rich Merchants Lawyers Divines Physitians are not suffered to continue by reason of death The Physition that hath saved the life of many in the end surrenders his life into Deaths hands none of us can endure here long by reason of death The Priests of the Law dyed and the Ministers of the Gospell must dye none but CHRIST endures for ever therefore seeing Death will not suffer us long to tarry here let us so live the little and uncertaine time wee have in this world that wee may live eternally with Christ our everlasting Priest and Saviour in the world to come VERSE 24. HEre in the Priest-hood of Christ there is but one Priest and why because hee is not mortall and taken away by Death as they were but immortall and endureth for ever Indeed in respect of his humanity he dyed but hee continued not long in that death not past three dayes and three nights After he rose againe sitteth now at the right hand of God and lives for ever whole Christ both God and man Rom. 6.9 whereas the Priests in the Law shall not live againe for ever in their bodies till the day of judgement And our Saviour Christ in respect of his deity endureth for ever continually and therefore hee hath an everlasting Priest-hood intransibile which passeth not by succession from one to another as the Leviticall Priest-hood did but continueth for ever in the person of one man Chrysost. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee hath not a succeeding Priest-hood In the time of the Law there were many sacrificing Priests but now in the time of the Gospell there is but one sacrificing Priest and that is our SAVIOUR CHRIST which offered one sacrifice once for the sinnes of the world This cutâ—eth off the whole rabble of the massemonging Priests Indeed spiritually wee are all Priests Apoc. 1.6 to offer spirituall sacrifices to God but there is no Priest to offer an externall sacrifice for sin but Christ. The Iesuites chafe at us for this collection yet it is firme VERSE 25. THe eternity of Christs Priest-hood is illustrated by an effect that ensueth thereupon As he is willing so he is able Also which necessarily is inferred on the other To save all that belong to him Thence hee hath his name Iesus because he saveth Matth. 1.21 This is amplified 1. By the manner how he saveth us 2. By the description of them whom he saveth 3. By the cause why he is able to doe it For the manner wholly omnino leaving no part of our salvation to be accomplished by others Acts 4. Verse 12. he needs not the helpe of the Virgin Mary of Thomas c. he can save us wholy of himselfe They that are saved are such as come to God by him not by the Virgin by any Saints or Angell in heaven The reason why because he ever liveth to make intercession for us he discharges the office of a Priest for us still in heaven Romans 8.26 it is said that the Holy Ghost maketh intercession for us yet the HOLY GHOST is not our Mediatour hee doth not in our nature pray for us as Christ doth but
our memories Of late a most divellish and never heard of treason was contrived by some Iesuited Papists to blow up the whole realme the which that it might never be forgotten in England a perpetuall holy day is inacted by act of Parliament wherein publike thankes is given to God for it One way or other such extraordinary mercies are to be imprinted in our memories A reservation of some externall relicke is not alwayes necessary there may be danger in that if some part of the Gunpowder or some of the barrels which they had layd in the vault had beene kept it would not have been so good as a solemne day every yeere for the recordation of it But alas we are all exceeding forgetfull of Gods mercies his judgments are soone forgot the terrible pestilence which at the beginning of the Kings raign swept away so many thousands is not remembred much lesse will we remember the favours and blessings of the Lord beneficia nemo ponit in calendario that is good of our own benefits but we must all put the benefits of God Almighty in the calender of our mindes for ever 2. And Aarons rod that budded The occasion was this Whereas Corah Dathan and Abiram with all that belonged to them were destroyed for their malepart dealing against Moses and Aaron the Israelites began to mutter at it came to Moses and Aaron saying ye have killed the people of the Lord Num. 16.41 whereupon a great number of them were slaine Now to the intent that this murmuring against the Priest-hood might be stayed the Lord by a lively token would make manifest to all posterity unto what an high chaire of honor he advanced it he commanded 12. rods to be taken according to the number of the 12. tribes that tribe should have the preheminence in the sanctuary whose rod budded now Aarons budded and no other therefore he and the Tribe of Levi were to bee acknowledged in spirituall matters above the rest for ever This doth signifie to us what a care the Lord hath of his sacred ministery which through the malice of Satan is ready to bee contemned in the world My people are as they that rebuke the Priest A contemptuous rebuking of Gods Ministers is a sinne of sins q. d. they cannot commit a greater offence then this they have no good successe that resist Gods Ministers Corah and his complices were swallowed up by the earth alive Ieroboams hand was dried up which hee stretched out against the Prophet Iesabel was eaten up with dogs that set her selfe against the servants of the Lord. Vzziah was smitten with a Leprosie for his contempt of the Priests Ananias and Sapphira that went about to play mocke-holy day with Saint Peter were smitten with suddaine death Therefore let us take heed how wee oppose our selves to the Ministers how wee murmure against their authority thinke or speake contemptibly of them The world may seeke to depresse Aarons rod but it shall bud and flourish in despite of them all Therefore let us have a reverent opinion of the Ministers let us esteeme them as GOD 's stewards as his Ambassadours such as are over us in the Lord. Let us submit our selves unto them and receive them with feare and trembling as the Corinthians did Titus when his Ministery is despised God is despised and hee will not put it up at our hands The third thing reserved were the Tables of the covenant The Arke is a representation of the Church which above all other things must have the Law of God in it This golden Candlesticke must hold up the Candle of the Word of God Hence it is that she is called the ground and pillar of truth not as if shee were to determine what is truth but as a pillar upholds the house so the Church the truth Then what a Church is that Church of Rome that banishes the Law that burnes up the Bible that seekes to suffocate the Truth She is no Arke but a prison of the faithfull This doth declare to us that the Law is to bee had in perpetuall remembrance Let us that be Christians not only have it in our bibles Let us not only talke of it with our tongues but let us lay it up in the Arke and closet of our hearts for ever I have hid thy Law in my heart sayes David As the two Tables of stone were laid up in the materiall Arke so let us entreat the Lord to write the tables of his Law in the fleshie tables of our heart that it may be our guide and comfort all the dayes of our life VERSE 5. WEE have heard what was in the Arke Now let us see what was over it the Cherubims of glory which are so termed because the glorious God betweene them did make answer Cirbi tanquam puer Carab they were certaine images like to little Children with faire and beautifull faces and they had wings by those were signified the Angels which are the Guardians and keepers of the Church figured by the Arke Gen. 3.24 Psalm 91.11 Capphoreth of Caphar that signifies to cover and to reconcile or pacifie the covering of the Arke where GOD by the High-Priest was pacified with the people and obtained mercie for them Therefore it is called the Mercy-seate and Christ Rom. 3.25 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from this Mercy-seate did God speake Numb 7.89 Psalm 80.1 Of the Cherubims vid. Exod. 25.18 The Mercy-seat or covering of the Arke was a type of our Saviour Christ who covers the Church with his righteousnesse which is a propitiation for our sins The Cherubims are the Angels that minister to Christ and his Church Mat. 4.11 and an Angell comforted him in the Garden As they ministred to him when he was on the earth so they be ministring Spirits for our salvation to the worlds end As GOD spake to Moses by the mercie seate so doth he to us by Christ. 2. At the Mercy-seate God shewed himselfe to be favourable to the people so is he to us by Iesus Christ. See in what an excellent estate the true members of the Church are they have many to protect them 1. God as an Eagle doth shadow us Deut. 32.11 2. CHRIST as a Henne doth shadow us the Holy Ghost also is a father to us I will not leave you Orphanes the Angels they shadow us they are ministring spirits for our salvation they pitch their Tents about us and hold us in their hands The King of Tyrus is called the annointed Cherub Ezek. 28.14 and 16. the covering Cherub covering his people under the wing of his protection Sundry uses may be made of this 1. We that be Christians may be more couragious then any other we are better guarded then any other the wicked are guarded with the Devill and his Angels wee with the holy and mighty Angels they have the black guard we the white an armie of ten or twenty thousand men may bee with them but an army of an
Testament is made There is no Mediatour besides him Mediatour quasi medius dator Of the New Testament which is farre different from the Old Covenant or Testament for it consisteth on better promises Hebrewes 8. ver 6. By the meanes of death that death being or comming betweene for the redeeming of us from the punishments due to the transgressions and the price wherewith he redeemed us from them was his owne bloud If CHRIST his death doth redeeme us from all transgressions then there needs no sacrifices for sin after his death Yes say the Iesuites one to be a representation of that on the Crosse. I but you say that the sacrifice of the Masse and that on the Crosse are all one in substance differing only in the forme and manner Now if Christ be really present in the Masse how can the Masse bee a representation of him And that manner is opposite to the Scriptures for the Scripture sayes he is only offered up with bloud Your unbloudy sacrifice is no sacrifice In the former covenant whereas we for our part were not able to performe that which belonged to us GOD performed his part but we could not doe ours It is unseasonable here to dispute whether CHRIST delivered them that lived in the time of the Law for by the Old Testament is meant the Old Covenant not the time of the Old Testament Therefore it is opposed to the New Testament In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were for the sins of them that were under the Old Testament That they which are called namely effectually as well internally by the spirit as externally by the word 1 Cor. 1.2 24. Rom. 8.30 Not only heare it but receive it namely by faith The promise The full fruition whereof they should receive hereafter in the meane season the Holy Ghost is as a Seale and earnest penny of it Ephes. 1.13 2 Cor. 1.22 It is not a thing merited by our workes but a gracious inheritance promised to us CHRIST is the right and principall heire Hebr. 1.2 we are secondary heyres with him and by him Rom. 8.17 Not a fading inheritance as these be but that lasteth for ever CHRIST is the sole Mediatour 1 Tim. 2.5 Ioh. 16.23 Apoc. 8.3 Let us not cry with those Idolaters ô Baal heare us but aske the Father in his Sons name and say ô CHRIST heare us Who prevailes more with the King then the Kings Son Let us not leave the Sonne and goe to servants There is a double calling the one externall alone by the outward sound of the word the other externall and internall too not by the Trumpet of the Word alone ringing in the eare but by the voice of the Spirit also perswading the heart and moving us to goe to Christ. Of this calling spake our SAVIOUR CHRIST no man commeth to me except the Father draw him namely by his spirit as well as by his word Iudas was called hee was not a professour alone but a Preacher of the Gospell Simon Magus was called he believed and was baptized Herod was called he heard Iohn Baptist sweetely and did many things that he willed him Sundry at this day come to Church heare Sermons talke of Religion that doe not answere Gods call Therefore let us entreat the Lord to call us effectually by his blessed Spirit out of our sinnes to holinesse and newnesse of life If wee be thus called we shall receive the eternall inheritance which CHRIST hath purchased for us Let us be suiters to God that he would make us partakers of this calling that makes an alteration of us 1 Cor. 6.9 11. If wee were Idolaters as Manasseh to call us out of our superstition and idolatry if persecutors as Paul to call us out of our persecuting if wee are Adulterers as David to call us out of our uncleannesse if drunkards out of our drunkennes if covetous oppressours as Zacheus was to call us out of our oppression and make us new Creatures in Christ Iesus It is not a purchase bought with the money of our owne merits but an inheritance bequeathed to us by the last Will and Testament of our Saviour Christ Luk. 22.29 and I appoint unto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me The inheritances that bee in the world seeme faire and glorious it is a goodly thing to have the inheritance of a great Gentleman of a Knight Lord Earle Duke but a Kings inheritance surpasseth all yet these are but strawes to this inheritance These inheritances may bee taken from us while wee bee here Mephibosheth's lands were given away to Tsibah and Naboth lost his Vineyard though it was the inheritance of his fathers When Death comes then we must forgoe all houses and lands all that our fathers left us But this inheritance is eternall wee can never be deprived of it we shall enjoy it world without end Therefore let us seeke to have an assurance of this inheritance in our hearts and consciences If a man be sure to be a Lords heyre though hee is in misery yet he will endure it we are sure to have an eternall inheritance by Christ let us therefore abide patiently the miseries of this short life VERSE 16. THere must needs be carryed as a true and an infallible report it must be sure and certaine that the Testatour is dead Where 1. The axiome 2. The proofe or illustration of it Verse 17. Here wee see it was necessary CHRIST should dye Ought not CHRIST to suffer these things and to enter into his glory Luk. 24 26. why not because the Devill would have it to be so not that the rage and fury of the Pharises should bee satisfied not because Iudas would but because God the Father in singular love to mankinde had so ordained in his eternall counsell and because Christ was willing to dye for us Can mankinde bee saved no otherwise but by my death then here am I take me I will dye for them ô the wonderfull love of Christ Here the Testatour would live still if he might and then the legataries should never have their legacies our testatour might have lived still if he would being the Lord of life yet that we might have our legacy hee would dye ô unspeakable love Let it bee imprinted on our hearts that it may constraine us to leave all sins VERSE 17. NOw followes the proofe or illustration of the axiom A Testament is thus defined by Vlpianus Est declaratio voluntatis nostrae de eo quod fieri volumus post mortem Is of force Is firme After the Testatour is dead both because hee may alter it at his pleasure and the goods remaine all still in the Testatours hands it is testamentum ambulatorium usque ad mortem The Testament of our SAVIOUR CHRIST is a good Testament It is partly nuncupativum as it was pronounced by himselfe when hee was alive partly Scriptum as it was after committed to
profits of the world seldome or never thinking of the joyes of the world to come Who will serve a Master that is ready to dye Such a one as cannot preferre thee the world hath one foote already in the grave therefore let us serve him no longer CHRIST hath not redeemed us by the bloud of a Calfe Ram Sheepe c. not with the sacrifice of an Angell of his mother or any Saint but by the sacrifice of Himselfe no other sacrifice could save us Now as Christ in wonderfull love hath sacrificed Himselfe for us so let us offer up our selves as an holy sacrifice to him VERSE 27. THe application of the use is set forth by an elegant antithesis betweene the cursed condition of men by nature and the blessed condition of men by grace through CHRIST IESUS The lamentable condition of men by nature is double 1. They must all dye then there remaines a Iudgement for them Vnto the common death of men is opposed the death of our Saviour Christ that taketh away the sins of the world In regard whereof death cannot hurt the faithfull Vnto the fearefull judgment to come is opposed Christ's second comming amplified by the persons to whom he shall come by the manner how and the end of his comming Layd up in Gods secret Counsell Why for sin at what time so ever thou eatest thou shalt dye the death To all men It an indefinite proposition is equivalent to an universall Man that is borne of a woman is but of a short time c. that is every man Object 1 Cor. 15.51 Sol. That change shall be instar mortis Object 2. Lazarus dyed twise That was extraordinary ordinarily men dye but once But after this the judgement immediately without delay 1. The particular then the generall Then there is no Purgatory We have two purgatories in this life the fire of affliction and the bloud of Christ then wee neede feare no purgatory after this life Here we see an appointment a decree a sentence wherein foure circumstances are to be observed 1. By whom this appointment is made namely by God Almighty in whom there is not a shadow of turning and which is able to bring that to passe which he hath appointed What I have written I have written said Pilat and would not alter his writing so what God hath appointed hee hath appointed and hee will accomplish it Men are mutable they appoint and disappoint it is not so with God hath he said it and shall he not doe it Therefore as sure as God is in heaven this appointment shall stand Who at any time hath resisted his will who can breake his appointment 2. What it is that is appointed once to dye What is death properly to speake it is a separation of the soule from the body Man was made with two parts the body of the dust of the ground the soule breathed into him by God Life is a conjunction of these two death is a separation of them There is an improper death which is a change of these two conjoyned still together which shall happen to them that be alive at the day of judgment but the Apostle here speaketh of the proper death 2. There is an extraordinary dying and an ordinary Some have dyed twise as Lazarus and those that rose with Christ at his resurrection but ordinarily it is appointed to all men once to dye It is not appointed to all to be rich wise learned but to dye 3. Why was this appointment made because of sin Rom. 5.12 at what time thou eatest thou shalt dye the death Sinne is the cause of death Then why should wee bee in love with sin Wee shunne poyson because it will kill us drunkennesse adultery swearing and other sins brought death into the world therefore let them be hated by us Why are wee afraid of the plague because it will kill us Sinne will kill both soule and body therefore let us all bee afraid to sinne 4. The persons to whom this appointment is made to men to all men There is no man living but shall see death it is appointed to Kings to dye to Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen Merchants Clothiers Husbandmen to high and low rich and poore learned and unlearned It is appointed to the Ministers to dye and to the people to the Master and servant to the Husband and to the Wife We read of a Woman that had seven Husbands they all dyed and in the end the Woman dyed also None can avoid the stroake of death the Physitions that cure others at the length dye contra vim mortis non est medicamen in hortis the godly dye good Women bring forth with sorrow as well as bad so good men and women dye as well as bad as the faithfull are sicke as well as the unfaithfull so also they dye as well as others Oh that this were carefully remembred by us and that wee would lay it close to our hearts We see our neighbours Townsmen one or other almost everyday carryed to the earth yet wee lay it not to heart it workes not in us a death to sin we follow the world with such earnestnesse as if we should never leave the world Let us so live that wee may dye in the LORD IESUS rise againe and live with him for ever When or where we shall dye wee cannot tell that is in Gods hands but this is most certaine wee shall dye quocunque te verteris incerta omnia sola mors certa In all other things we may use a fortè fortè eris Dives fortè habebis liberos but when wee speake of death we may put fortè under our girdles and say certè morieris If any should aske a reason why the godly should dye seeing CHRIST hath dyed for them the answer is easie because CHRIST dyed to free them from death eternall not from the corporall death which is imposed upon all because all have sinned Christ hath taken away the curse of the corporall death but not death it selfe cogitur non obesse sed non abesse wee are all sinners therefore we must all dye Let us bee carefull to feare God while wee bee alive that wee may not greatly feare death whensoever he shall come Death is a bitter cup all of us in some sort feare to drink of it CHRIST feared it non est fortior miles quà m Imperator wee feare it as it is a dissolution of nature but let us not feare it after a slavish manner Take this sugar to sweeten this bitter Cup withall 1. CHRIST hath taken away the sting of it 1 Cor. 18.57 thankes bee to God which giveth us the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is a great Goliah yet stripped of his armour as a roaring Lion yet without jawes or pawes as an hissing Serpent yet without a sting the sting of death is sinne Christ hath taken away the sins of the world In his owne body upon the tree he
Priest in the time of the Gospell 1. For number they were many for their office they stood ministring every day 3. For the sacrifices they offered alwayes the same and that often 4. For the inability or insufficiency of them they could not take away sinne The manner of our Priest 1. He is but one whereas they were many analysis 12 2. His sacrifice was but one and that once offered Verse 10. 3. His was propitiatory for sinnes whereas theirs were not 4. Hee sitteth as Lord he stands not as a servant as they did and hee sits not on an altar on earth but at the right hand of God in heaven The which glorious sitting of his is first amplified by an effect an expectation of his friends to come to him for whom he dyed analysis 15 and the overthrow of his enemies Then it is ratified by a reason taken from the power and vertue analysis 14 of his sacrifice If by that one offering which hee made on earth before his Ascension into heaven he hath perfected his for ever then he may well continue in heaven still at the right hand of GOD but c. Ergo. analysis 15 This opposition is confirmed by a divine testimony out of the Prophet Ieremie Where 1. An allegation of it 2. A ratiocination or reasoning thereupon In the allegation 1. The Author analysis 16 17. Then the matter analysis 18 From whence he deduces this reason concluding the efficacy of Christ's Priest-hood and sacrifice If remission of sins be fully procured and obtained by the one sacrifice of Christ in the New Testament once offered then there is no more oblation for sin but c. as appeareth by the testimony afore cited ergo the latter An exhortation to holinesse of life is deduced upon the former doctrine The former part of the Epistle hath beene doctrinall delivering many excellent poynts of doctrine concerning the person and offices of our Saviour Christ. In his Priest-hood he hath beene more ample because greatest controversies were moved about it The latter part of the Epistle is morall shewing what use we are to make of the former doctrine to Verse 20. cap. 13. In this exhortation 1. A generall proposition comprehending summarily in it all things belonging to a Christian à 19. to 32. 2. A particular unfolding of it In the generall proposition 1. The substance of the exhortation to 26. 2. The necessity of it à 26. to 32. In the substance 1. The foundation whereupon it is built 19.20 21. 2. The matter whereunto wee are exhorted The foundation whereupon it is built is the consideration of many singular benefits which wee reape by CHRIST they are in number three analysis 19 1. The opening of the Sanctuary of heaven to us which is illustrated 1. By the key whereby it is opened the bloud of Iesus 2. By the manner of entring into it not with feare and trembling quaking and shaking but with boldnesse 2. By the way that leadeth to that Sanctuary the sacred body analysis 20 of our Saviour Christ wherein he made satisfaction to the wrath of God for our sins Which is described 1. By a similitude 2. By the author and consecrator of that way 3. By the qualities of the way 3. It is illustrated by the guide and leader to conduct us in that way which is set forth by his office by his greatnesse by his superiority and authority The matter of the exhortation which is a generall drawing neere to God amplified by the manner of it not so much with the analysis 22 outward man as with the hid man of the heart not with a false but with a true heart 2. The particular duties or vertues wherewith we must draw neere to him which are foure 1. Faith 2. Hope 3. Love 4. Christian exercises for the preservation of love Of these he entreateth afterwards Of Faith Chap. 11. Of Hope Chap. 12. Of Love with the exercises thereof Chap. 13. Faith is illustrated 1. By the propriety thereof which is a full assurance 2. By an effect which it engendreth which is the comfort of a good conscience as they in the time of the Law were sprinckled with the bloud of beasts Exod. 24.8 So being justified by faith our hearts are sprinckled with the bloud of Christ whereby being purged from all our sins we are delivered from an evill accusing conscience and have peace with God The second vertue is hope the profession whereof is stoutly to analysis 23 be kept and maintained by us The which keeping is 1. Amplified by the efficient cause thereof which is the washing of us with the pure water of the Spirit whereby we are made fit to make and hold this profession 2. By the manner how it is to be kept without wavering 3. By a reason to excite us to the keeping of it taken from the nature of God the pillar on whom our hope leaneth If God bee faithfull that hath promised eternall life to us which wee hope for then let us keepe the profession of it but God is faithfull that hath promised eternall life to us which we hope for ergo let us keepe the profession of it The third is love whereunto we are to provoke one another 1. Love is commended to us 2. A breake-necke of love is removed analysis 24 V. 25. The vertue of love is amplified 1. By an antecedent that must goe before it the considering one of another and by a consequent that necessarily followeth love which is good workes The exercises for the preservation of love are two 1. A reverend estimation of Christian assemblies a notable analysis 25 nurse of love which is set forth by the contrary And from that he dissuadeth us by the example of some in his time which is to be avoided by us 2. A mutuall exhorting one of another whereunto he spurreth us by a consideration of the neerenesse of the day of judgment confirmed by their owne testimony If the day of Iudgement bee at hand wherein wee must give account how wee have behaved our selves in this present life what soules we have wonne by our diligent exhorting one of anothor and what we have lost by the neglect of that duty then let us carefully exhort one another But the first is true as you all see therefore let the latter be practised by us analysis 26 The necessity of the exhortation depending upon the wofull destruction of them that contemne it If they that despise this exhortation forsaking the fellowship of the faithfull and setting light by the blessed sacrifice of our High-Priest shall drinke deepely of the Cup of Gods vengeance then it behooveth us all to regard it but they c. Ergo. In this we have two things 1. A demonstration of their lamentable end Ver. 26.27 2. A confirmation of it In the demonstration of their lamentable end 1. Their sinne then their punishment Their sin is set forth 1. By the nature of it it is a willing sinning 2. By the time when
remitted so Christ forgot the cruelty that his persecutors used towards him Mat. 18.3 All good turnes let us remember but as for all wrongs let them bee forgotten for ever Why will he not remember our sins any more Surely because his Son Christ Iesus hath dyed for our sins and offered himselfe for them him that knew no sin he made to be sin for us therefore he will remember our sins no more To that purpose is this testimony alleadged in this place VERSE 18. WHereupon he inferreth this conclusion Of these things that is of sins and iniquities is There may bee spirituall oblations and sacrifices of prayer thankesgiving and almes deeds Hebr. 13.17 but there remaines no more offering for the expiation of sinnes If all sinnes be forgiven for the one oblation that Christ hath offered there needs no more offering for sin but for the worthinesse of that one oblation all sins are forgiven us Ergo there needs no more offering for sin Object There is Christ's As for the Masse it is the same sacrifice that Christ offered on the Crosse therefore that may still remaine as propitiatory for sinne Sol. 1. It is not the same for Christ's body is in heaven there he tarryes still Verse 13. and Act. 3.21 therefore it is not in the sacrifice of the Masse here on earth for that cause it is not the same sacrifice that was on the crosse 2. Here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That was bloudy this unbloudy Which differ as much as light and darkenesse death and life and if unbloudy then no remission of sins in it Hebr. 9.22 3. If Christ be offered in the Masse then he must suffer there Hebr. 9.26 but he doth not suffer there ergo 4. If CHRIST be there offered then hee is there consumed for sacrificabile must be destructibile as Bellarmine confesseth and in all sacrifices there is a consumption of the thing sacrificed the Goate the Sheepe the Heyfer was consumed and Christ was consumed or destroyed on the Crosse he is not destroyed in the Masse ergo he is not in the sacrifice of the Masse Yes sayes Bellarmine he is destroyed sacramentally because he is eaten by the Priest though not physically and really I but in a sacrifice there must be a physicall and reall destruction of the thing sacrificed otherwise no sacrifice Againe a repetition of the same sacrifice is here excluded If CHRIST must bee offered up often then that one offering on the Crosse was insufficient for the taking away of sinne but the Apostle proveth that CHRIST was to be offered but once If he be offered up often it is an indignity to him for so were the sacrifices in the Law The Masse I conclude still is no propitiatory sacrifice Here we have a most sweet and comfortable doctrine by the offering of our SAVIOUR CHRIST we obtaine remission of sins his bloud purgeth us from all sin In sin we are warmed in our Mothers belly in sin we were conceived and borne We sucke sinne as milke from our mothers breasts before wee bee regenerate wee doe nothing but sinne draw sin with Cartropes and iniquity with the cordes of vanity After we are regenerate In many things we sinne all The just man falleth seven times a day If God should enter into judgement with us for our sins we were not able to answer one for a thousand We sin in preaching praying hearing our best sort of actions are defiled with sin But here is our comfort by the oblation of Iesus Christ on the Crosse once made wee have remission of all our sins In so much as wee may say death where is thy sting Let us desire the Lord to apply this oblation of Christ to us by a true and lively faith And as by CHRIST alone we have the forgivenesse of our sins which all the sacrifices in the Law could not purchase nor any thing that we can doe under the Gospell so let the love of Christ in dying for our sins cause us to dye to sinne dayly more and more and as he in wonderfull love offered up himselfe as a sacrifice for the putting away of our sins so let us offer up our selves our soules and bodies as a holy living and acceptable sacrifice to him all the dayes of our lives that the power of Christ's passion appearing in us in this world we may reigne with him in the world to come Now hee makes an application of that discourse hee had of Christ. analysis 19 1. The foundation Then the building 22. The doctrine and the use The doctrine hath three branches 1. Our entrance into heaven 2. The way whereby we enter Verse 20. 3. Our guide and leader in the way Verse 21. In our entrance 1. The manner of it 2. The place whereinto we enter 3. The meanes whereby analysis 20 In the way 1. A commendation of it 2. The conservation of it 1. For his office he is a Priest analysis 21 2. For his dignity great 3. For his dominion over the house of God The use is threefold 1. An appropinquation to God Verse 22. 2. A profession of God 23. 3. A declaration of it by provoking one another 24. analysis 22 Our appropinquation 1. Ex parte subjecti 2. Ex parte formae 3. Ex parte medij Internall externall analysis 23 Our profession must be held fast Where 1. How 2. Why. In the provocation 1. How it must be done with consideration analysis 24 2. To what we must provoke VERSE 19. 1. WE must make a profitable use of all doctrines propounded to us The High-Priest in the time of the Law could not enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum without bloud Hebr. 9.7 no more can wee into heaven hee entered by the bloud of a Goate and an Heyfer we by the bloud of Iesus Act. 20.28 We have boldnesse of entrance into the holy places How Thieves enter into an house so doe sacrilegious persons into a Church but it is with quaking and trembling least they should be apprehended because they have no right of entring wee enter boldly into the sanctuary of heaven because we have a right to it by Iesus Christ. Not to see it afarre off on an hill as Moses did the land of Caâ—an but to enter into it Into what Into the holy places which is expounded to be heaven Hebr. 9.24 In the time of the Law none but the High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies and that but once a yeere here all both Ministers and people Magistrates and subjects high and low rich and poore all that believe in Christ have entrance into heaven We may be bold by prayer to enter into it in this life and in soule and body we shall have a comfortable entrance into it in the life to come None but Gentlemen of the Privie Chamber may enter into the King we may all goe to the King of Kings and that boldly because we are reconciled to him by
hands from covetousnesse theft and rapine our feete from going to unlawfull places our tongues from reviling lying backe-biting slandering St. Peter at the first refused to have his feete washed by CHRIST but when hee understood the mystery of it hee cryed Lord not my feete alone but my hands and my head Ioh. 13.9 So let us entreat Christ to wash all the faculties of our soules and all the members of our body with this pure water that so we may reigne with him for ever VERSE 23. STill hee alludeth to the rites and ceremonies of the Law Hebr. 9.10 And washed according to the body We must be washed in soule before we can bee washed in body but hee makes a speciall mention of the washing of the body because it was more conspicuous and because hee now comes to an outward profession of the name of GOD which must bee declared by our bodies Some interpret this of baptisme which is the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. but they were baptized already and admitted into the Church and fellowship of the faithfull which some relinquished Verse 25. Therefore hee need not bid them draw neere by baptisme Rather it is to be understood of the HOLY GHOST who is oft in Scripture signified by water Ezek. 36.25 Ioh. 3.5 This is pure water indeed proceeding from a pure and holy spirit this surpasses all the waters in the Law whereof they were figures Let us keepe it with all our strength tooth and naile Let neither Satan nor any of his instruments let no boysterous windes of stormie persequutions drive us from it It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepe it so as we loose it not he doth not simply say hope but the confession of it Let us bee ready to make an open profession of the hope we have by Christ before all men whatsoever Not inclining one while this way another while that way but keeping alwayes one and perpetuall tenor Matthew 10. verse 32. Rom. 10.10 Not leaning on our owne wit wisedome or strength but upon the fidelity of God He that hath promised to us eternall salvation by Christ will accomplish it therefore let us hold fast the profession of the hope which wee have in him If wee had the word of a man only wee might bee wavering but we have the Word of God he doth not directly say God but he describes him by his attribute Many are washed with the water of baptisme that are not washed with this water as Simon Magus of whom it is said fonte quidem lotus sed non in pectore mundus except a man be borne of this water he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Therefore let us entreat the Lord to wash us with this water Let us say with the woman of Samaria yet more sensibly than she did Lord ever give us of this water then shall wee be cleane and fit for the Holy Hierusalem It is not enough to have hope as a precious jewell locked up in the Chest of our hearts but wee must also make a profession of it before the world Rom. 10.10 1 Pet. 3.15 We must professe before all men that we looke for salvation by CHRIST and by no other Whatsoever come of it we must keepe this our profession What went yee out into the wildernesse to see a reede shaken with the winde wee must not be wavering Reedes but Stones built on the Rocke CHRIST IESUS we must not be as meteors hanging in the ayre betweene heaven and earth we must not halt betweene two religions wee must not be wavering which way to take whether to be Papists Familists Schismatickes or of no religion but we must hold fast the profession of true religion to the end When many of Christ's Disciples departed from him he said to the twelve will yee also goe away to whom should we goe saies St. Peter Let us sticke to CHRIST and goe to none but him There be two things that hinder it feare and shame Of the former we have an evident example Ioh. 12.42 Many of the chiefe rulers believed in Christ but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him least they should bee put out of the Synagogue Men in times of persequution are afraid to loose their goods honour liberty life it is good sleeping in an whole skinne This terrifies them from any open profession of the name of CHRIST But let such remember that the fearefull are the first that have their portion in the lake Apoc. 21.8 Let nothing drive us from the profession of CHRIST our SAVIOUR let us not feare them that can kill the body but Him that can cast body and soule into hell fire This caveat is needfull in some places and time The other is shame CHRIST is poore in this world the Gospell is sometimes naked destitute of wealth and honour many afflictions attend on it the professours of it sometimes thrust to the walls In Iulians time none of the Christians were Captaines or had any office this makes many ashamed of it If the father be a poore man many a sonne is ashamed of him ashamed to owne him for his father so because the profession of CHRIST in some places hath nothing to grace it withall sundry are ashamed of it but Saint Paul sayes I am not ashamed of the Gospell of CHRIST Men will hold fast their purses and shall they not hold fast their profession of CHRIST Let us not bee ashamed of CHRIST how contemptible so ever he seeme to be lest he be ashamed of us before his father and his glorious Angels Why what should move us to it The Papists will have two pillars for hope to leane upon gratia Dei merita praecedentia sine meritis sperare aliquid non spes sed praesumptio est I but the grace and mercy of GOD is a sufficient pillar alone by it selfe the Apostle sayes not keepe the profession of your hope yee have many merits yee shall never fall but keepe it let no persequution remove you from it for he is faithfull that hath promised You are weake you stand to day and fall to morrow your enemies are many and mighty and there is no strength in you to resist them yet hold fast your hope for God is faithfull In him there is not so much as a shadow of turning Wee are unfaithfull wee promise and unpromise It is not so with him I know whom I have believed I have fought a good fight from henceforth is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse In all assaults and temptations let us not looke to our owne weakenesse for then we may stagger but to the promise of God and then we may be sure for as hee hath promised us a kingdome so hee will performe it Therefore let us hold the profession of our hope VERSE 24. LEt us set our mindes one on another Consider what their growth is in Christ what progresse they have made in Christianity Not to
envy them that be adorned with better gifts then we nor to contemne them that have lesser to checke them by their wants and infirmities to prie into them with a curious eye but to the whetting and sharpening one of another to be as spurs and whetstones one to another To love the badge of Christians Gal. 5.6 And to good workes It is no love that hath no good workes 1 Ioh. 3.18 This stirring up of our brethren must not be done rashly or unadvisedly but with due advice and wise consideration therefore sayes he consider one another First wee must consider then provoke we must diligently consider when we come to the performance of this duty Wee must consider in what case our brother is touching his soule whether hee lye in ignorance or not Whether hee goe forward or backeward whether hee bee cold in his profession or not As we finde his wants so we must make supply by a godly provoking of him Wee will consider one anothers wealth how many faire houses hee hath how much land hee purchaseth how many cloathes he makes and if hee bee before us in the world wee envy him We will consider one another to doe our neighbour a mischiefe if we can to sit on his skirts at one time or another as Saul had an eye to David and the Pharisees watched our Saviour Christ. But we will not consider one another to further them towards the kingdome of heaven The end of our consideration must bee to provoke to goodnesse First to love as the fountaine then to good workes as the streames flowing from it Faith that worketh by love no love no faith If yee be my Disciples love one another he that hateth is a man-slayer We must say you are members of the same body whereof Christ is the head therefore love you one another Abraham said to Lot I pray thee let there be no strife betweene us for we be brethren So let one neighbour say to another let no strife be among us for we are brethren in the LORD IESUS We have one faith baptisme SAVIOUR one inheritance one Father therefore let us love one another If this were practised by us there would not bee such heart burning betweene neighbour and neighbour such uncharitable suspicions such brawlings and contentions even about trifling matters as there be Many are so farre from provoking to love as that they kindle the fire of contention and sow the seed of discord and variance where they dwell Now love is not without good workes No good workes no love 1 Ioh. 3.18 Let us not love in word neither in tongue only but in deed and in truth We must provoke one another to be pittifull to the poore to be liberall to all good uses to adorne the Gospell by good workes The woman of Samaria said to her townesmen come goe with mee and I will shew you the Messiah So must wee goe to our neighbours and say come let us goe to Church and heare Divine Service and Sermon Let us carry our servants with us Let us goe together about the towne Let us see in what estate the poore bee who wants bread meate cloathes lodging c. Let us goe to the Alehouses and other suspected places and see what disorders there be there Let us reproove drunkennesse let us compell them that bee idle to fall to worke and to get their bread with the sweat of their browes Let us see harlots and adulterers punished that are a disgrace to the towne Come let us not be so glewed to our mony let us give cheerefully to the preaching of the word and to all good uses Oh that this were practised by us that we had some sounding bels and trumpets in the parish to toll on one another to the kingdome of heaven especially if the chiefe men and women in a towne which are the bell-weathers of the flocke if they would shew themselves to be good fore-horses what a number might they draw after them Monica Augustins mother said volemus in coelos ô that wee were like her yron sharpeneth yron so doth man sharpen the face of his friend Let us sharpen one another to good workes that wee may say at the day of judgement here am I and the neighbours thou hast given me But I would to God there were not some that draw backwards that pull their neighbours from love and good workes Wilt thou give to the Preacher wilt thou bee so forward in towne matters thou shalt get nothing by it These are wretched men and are to answer for the spoyling of themselves and others at the day of judgment Strengthen thy brethren said Christ to St. Peter Luke 22.32 So we must comfort and exhort our brethren Rom. 16.3 They were no Ministers yet St. Paul calls them his fellow helpers because they did helpe on their brethren they helped on Apollos Act. 18.26 The thiefe on the Crosse would have provoked his fellow to love and good workes Fearest thou not God and shall we be worse than he Let us stirre up one another hast thou no feare of God no love to religion They that convert many shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of heaven not minister only but all others that are the meanes of the conversion of any It belongs to all to save soules Iac. 5. ult Wee are not borne for our selves alone as the heathen could say it was the bad speech of wicked Cain am I my brothers keeper I verily thou art thy brothers keeper and if he perish through thy default thou shalt answer for him at the latter day Therefore let us provoke one another to all good duties in this present world that we may al one with another live with CHRIST our blessed Saviour in the world to come VERSE 25. THe gathering together unto that is to Iesus Christ 2 Thes. 2.1 We must not shut up selves in Cloysters with monkes nor with Diogenes in a tunne Wee must love the company of the Saints All our delight must be in them Especially we must beware how wee forsake the publike assemblies where is the word and Sacraments with the joynt prayers of the Church Some did it in the Primitive Church for feare of the enemies loath to joyne with them for feare of loosing their goods honours life liberty And now some forsake them in pride and in an high conceit of themselves depart from us we are holyer than you As it is some mens custome A bad custome yet hee names them not Call one to another And by so much the rather as yee see that day drawing neere We have not a long time to exhort in therefore let us exhort That day which in Scripture is called the day of the Lord when wee shall bee rewarded for our well doing and they punished that contemne our exhortations Luk. 21.34 Yee see with your owne eyes by plaine and evident tokens it is neere at hand The meetings of Christians are private or publike
fall into Gods hands especially let us take heede how wee doe maliciously impugne the truth sealed up in our hearts and consciences by the Holy Ghost let us beware how we wage battell against CHRIST and despise him the Saviour of the world if by such a sinne wee fall into the hands of the Almighty GOD there is no getting out of his hands againe VERSE 32. SO much of the exhortation in generall Now followes the ripping up of the particular branches of it Wherein 1. A preface to the explication of it 2. The explication it selfe A preparation is made to it 1. By calling to remembrance their valiant behaviour in time past 2. By confirming them in their profession Verse 35. We must not remember old injuries there must be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them they must bee raced out of our remembrance yet there â—re three things which we must remember 1. Beneficia accepta wee must never suffer Gods benefits to slip out of our minde we must keepe a perpetuall catalogue of them 2. Mala commissa I remember my faults this day said Pharaohs Butler We must call our sins to remembrance and weepe for them 3. Exemplaria bona praeterita both of other men and of our selves too The Apostle here would have them call to their remembrance what manner of men they had beene in times past how forward how zealous of religion what afflictions they endured for it and to continue the same men still rather to encrease then to decrease Remember from whence thou art fallen sayes Christ to the Church of Ephesus which had forsaken her first love Many are hot in the beginning that waxe key cold in the end therefore let us remember the dayes of old that our latter dayes may bee as good if not better than our former dayes Grow in grace 1. What they must remember a notable exploit of theirs 2. The time when it was done After yee were enlightned with the knowledge of the truth and had given up your names to Christ. Yee did not fall under the burden but very manfully stood under it Hee doth not simply say afflictions but a fight not a little one but a great one Ye wrastled with many afflictions So soone as we become Christians we must looke for afflictions All that will live godly in CHRIST IESUS shall suffer persecution These were no sooner enlightned but they had a great fight of afflictions Hee that will bee my Disciple let him take up his Crosse and follow mee If thou wilt be a Christian thou must have the Crosse. So soone as CHRIST our Captaine was baptised hee was led into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the Devill and so soone as wee in baptisme professe our selves to bee his Souldiers wee must expect a great fight of afflictions Apoc. 7.14 Wee need not to fight one with another Ephraim to eat up Manasseh and Manasseh Ephraim wee shall have enemies besides to fight withall the Devill and his instruments sicknesse malevolent tongues poverty losse of goods and life too Therefore let us all prepare our selves for this fight We cannot have an heaven here and an heaven hereafter too wee must looke for paines here with Lazarus if we will have joyes hereafter with him VERSE 33. THis fight is illustrated by a distribution of the afflictions which they sustained either in themselves or with others In the afflictions which they endured in their own persons is to be considered the manner and the matter of them For the manner they were set on a theatre 1 Cor. 4.9 exposed on a stage to the laughter of the whole world for the matter of their afflictions they concerned their good name or their goods and life For good name they had many reproches layd on them called Heretickes Galileans maintainers of the sect of the Nazarites foolish Asses that would believe in a crucified God besides that they had such afflictions as touched goods and life Neither did they suffer in their owne persons alone but in the persons of others or that were conversant in the like afflictions If the toe bee full of paine the whole body suffers with it If one Christian be in affliction we must have a fellow-feeling of it I Iohn even your brother and companion in tribulation Apoc. 1.9 In being companions with them we are companions with Christ. When I was in prison yee visited me We will be companions with drunkards with adulterers and shall we not be companions with them that are afflicted for the name of Christ Let us be companions of their misery weeping praying and relieving them in this life that wee may bee companions with them of felicity in the life to come VERSE 34. BOth these are confirmed For the former they sorrowed Where whether at Hierusalem Rome or any other place is not expressed but the Apostles bonds were as their owne bonds Hebr. 13.3 For the latter they suffered the snatching of goods the persequutors playd the harpies violently taking away their goods Silver Gold house-hold Sheep Oxen c. yet they suffered it how not contentedly alone but with joy they rejoyced to be spoiled of their goods for Christ's sake they were not only not grieved but glad of it why they were on a sure ground not only guessing or conjecturing but That ye have where in your selves fide spe Ioh. 3.36 What A better substance ratified by the place and qualitie of it for place it is not in earth where thieves breake and steale but in heaven as in a strong castle where it is safe But say some what tell you mee of goods in heaven Let me have my goods on earth A bird in the hand is better than two in a bush For the quality not a fading but an enduring substance These were excellent professours that suffered joyfully the spoyling of their good for Christ's sake Men had as leave loose their lives as their goods Whereupon the Grecians comprehend them both in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet if we were right Christians indeed we will be content and that with joy to part with all we have in the world for CHRIST and his Gospel Hee that loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me much lesse is he worthy of Christ that loves his goods more than him 1. God gave us all why shall he not have all if he require it can they be bestowed better than on him that gave them 2. We shall have better in the roome those goods tarry but a while we may loose them by casualties in this life at least when death comes wee must forsake all these endure for ever Who will not change for the better give me a better house and take mine a better horse we love the better If we loose these goods for Christ's sake we shall finde better therfore let it not grieve us to part with them But this is an hard thing this made the young man goe sorrowfull away Now in the time
adversitie and prosperity too Though wee bee not thrust out of our houses spoyled of our goods banished the Country clapt up into prison carryed to the stake for the profession of the Gospell yet if wee belong to CHRIST wee shall alwayes have our Crosses All that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persequution If any will be my Disciple let him take up his Crosse. God will exercise us one way or other either he will send us sicknesse or stirre up some rayling Shimeis against us he will evermore be trying of our faith Therefore we have need of patience It is as needfull as our meat and drinke Patience is the foode and nourishment of the soule Therefore the Lord in mercy give patience to us all From hence some conclude that good workes are necessary to salvation Patience is a good worke The Apostle avouches that it is necessary not only ratione praesentiae being good workes they cannot bee separated from faith sed ratione relationis ad salutem for here hee doth not simply say that patience is necessary but with a reference to eternall life that yee might receive the promise Wee grant good workes are necessary to salvation none can be saved without them but how not as meritorious causes of salvation that is CHRIST alone which hath purchased heaven for us with his owne bloud but necessary as fruit for a tree and the way for a passenger to goe by to his house and Country Good workes are the way to heaven and so necessary for us all to walke in In that respect we have need of patience of vertues and good workes VERSE 37. HEre is a remedy against impatiencie taken from the shortnes of the time wherein we are to suffer Thou callest for patience thou wouldest have us to be patient in our afflictions but how long shall we continue in them To that he answers parvum quà m quà m the ingemination of the word augmenteth the signification of it as Toboth Toboth Raagnoth Raagnoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee that is the Lord Iesus Christ and deliver you out of all your miseries I he will come but it may be long first Nay he will make no tarrying If wee bee in any kinde of affliction wee thinke the time long though it be never so short As the Saints in the Apoc. 6.10 cry how long Lord So if wee be sicke we say how long Lord how long will it be ere this sicknesse be removed from me how long shall we endure the taunts of the wicked how long shall Christians in some Countries suffer banishment imprisonment losse of goods how long shall the Devill and his instruments tyrannize over them but a very little while even the turning of an hand the twinckling of an eye in respect of eternity What is tenne or twenty yeeres calamity if it should be so long What is thirtie eight or fortie yeeres as Ioh. 5. a man was so long diseased in his feete what is this to life everlasting who would not fight a while that he might have the victorie who would not take physike a while that he might be whole our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glory Therefore let the shortnesse of our suffering comfort us hee that should come will come in his due and convenient time GOD comes to deliver us three kinde of wayes 1. By plucking us out of the temptations in this world as hee did Saint Paul out of the mouth of the Lion the Emperour of Rome 2. By our particular death he takes us out of the world by death and then there is an end of all our sorrow 3. By his comming at the generall judgement that is not long behold I come quickly Then shall we both in our bodies and soules in heaven where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes for ever Let us be of good comfort yet a very little while and the Lord will come graciously to us one way or other VERSE 38. THe second pillar for sustaining them in afflictions is Faith Where 1. The excellency of Faith 2. The application of it Verse 39. The excellency is 1. Set downe then illustrated Beemunatho Every man must live by his owne faith he cannot live by the faith of another In the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by my faith that is by faith in me which is all one Here we see whereby a Christian lives not by the ayre as Camelions doe not by love as we use to say not simply by his meat and drinke by that indeed through Gods blessing the body liveth but the soule lives by faith Gal. 2.20 and they that want faith are dead even while they live as Saint Paul speaketh of the widdow A just holy and righteous man lives by faith I know whom I have believed Wee know what joy is laid up for us in heaven therefore we beare patiently all the afflictions of this present life We doe not only live by faith at our first conversion and justification as Saint Paul disputeth in his Epistle to the Romans but all the dayes of our life we live by faith Therefore let us entreat the Lord to encrease our faith that in all calamities we may live by it in this world and live without it in his kingdome in the world to come This is illustrated by the contrary but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall have no pleasure in him So the Seventy have it The Hebrew in words is much different from it yet in sence they are all one Gnuphlah hee makes himselfe a tower whose heart is not upright in him He trusts to himselfe not to God that is he withdraweth himselfe from the Lord and if his heart bee not upright in him then God hath no pleasure in him But wee need not busie our selves in the reconciling of these places for Saint Paul doth not of purpose alleadge it as the Prophets testimony but only useth the words of the Scripture in them to commend faith to them If any with-draw himselfe by infidelity and thinke it a better course to sleepe in an whole skinne then to suffer any thing for Christ and his Gospell My soule Either it may be spoken in the person of the Apostle or in the person of GOD neither any good Christian nor GOD Himselfe will take any pleasure in such a one but hee is rather detested of God and man therefore let us live by faith and not withdraw our selves by infidelity VERSE 39. THen followes an application of it to the Hebrewes which is partly negative partly affirmative Though I have spoken of some unfaithfull persons that with-draw themselves or depart from the living God yet I would not have you imagine that I meane you that I put you into that black bill nay you are of another stamp you are birds of another feather yea he includes himselfe in their number that they might conceive the
better of it to be coupled in the same yoke with him 1. He tells them what they are not Wee are not of the withdrawing Either the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be supplyed after the manner of the Grecians or the noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of the Hebrewes we are not the Children of the withdrawing to the destruction of our soules but we are the Children of faith to the conservation of our soules in this Sea of miseries wherein we are tossed 1. Here wee learne that when the Preacher hath occasion to terrifie the wicked hee must comfort the godly least they take it to themselves and bee discouraged So Hebr. 6.9 1 Thes. 5.4 2 Thes. 2.13 Many weake consciences are soone cast downe and ready to apply that to them which the Preacher never meant of them therefore we must use this wise and heavenly discretion that the Apostle doth 2. Here we see that good Christians must be no withdrawers of themselves Wee must withdraw our selves from the wicked come out come out my people from the middest of them We must not withdraw our selves from the Church of God because of some pretended spots in her as the sectaries doe but we must withdraw our selves from Gods enemies There is a time also when we must withdraw our selves from the company of our friends into our secret chambers and pray to God as Daniel did But in the time of persecution we must not withdraw our selves through infidelity and run out of the field wherein God hath set us We may read of some with-drawers Ioh. 6.66 Demas was a withdrawer so was Iulian the Apostata but let not us be such Let us say with them Ioh. 6.68 to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Iosua would be no withdrawer choose yee whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord Ios. 24.15 Saint Peter would be no withdrawer though all forsake thee yet will not I he did deny him for a time and withdrew himselfe but he wept bitterly for it and stood better to his tackling If the storme and tempest of persequution should arise let us not withdraw our selves and refuse to suffer for CHRIST but let us sticke to him all the dayes of our life Yee are they that have continued with me in my temptations CHRIST loves continuers Be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the Crowne of life Let nothing make us to withdraw our selves from CHRIST but let us cleave stedfastly to him in this world that wee may reigne and triumph with him in the world to come CHAP. XI IN the substance of that exhortation derived out of the doctrine of CHRIST 's Priest-Hood three severall vertues were commended to us the first faith the second hope the third love Now followeth a particular explication of all these Faith is painted out to us in this Chapter Hope in the twelfth Love with the fruits thereof in the thirteenth This Chapter hath two principall parts a definition of faith and an illustration of it 1. By Example 2. By instance Verse 3. It is defined Verse 1. Where the nature of it is expressed It makes them existent not onely in intellectu but also in corde voluntate It is a full perswasion that wee shall have these things which we hope for nay it puts us into a reall possession of them VERSE 1. FAith is the evidence of things which are not seene The holy and celestiall Hierusalem where there is no Sunne but is enlightned with the glory of the Lamb continually where there is no night crying or weeping where all teares shal be wiped from our eyes for ever cannot be seene with mortall eye yet faith makes it evident to us even in this life The blessed and glorious Trinity GOD the Father Sonne and HOLY GHOST cannot be seene no man hath seene GOD at any time yet faith makes GOD visible to us standing by us in all afflictions Our SAVIOUR CHRIST the King of the Church and mediatour of mankinde clothed with our nature sitting at the right hand of GOD in all glory and Majestie cannot now be seene of us Stephen saw him when hee was on earth but that was extraordinary now we cannot see CHRIST in his glory yet by faith we see him and know that so soone as we are dissolved we shall be with him The holy and celestiall Angels that are our guaâ—dians that hold us in their hands that sing prayses to God continually in heaven cannot now bee seene of us yet by faith we see them and are assured that they will take our soules at our dying day and carry them into heaven The spirits of just and perfect men of Adam Eve Isaak Moses David of the Patriarkes and Prophets of the blessed Virgin Mary Saint Paul Saint Peter of the Apostles and Martyrs cannot as yet be seene of us but by faith we know they are in heaven and we our selves one day shall be with them Wee cannot now see or apprehend the joyes of heaven no eare hath heard them no eye hath seene them they cannot enter into the heart of man yet by faith they are evident to us The resurrection of the body cannot now bee seene wee see many carryed to the Church and Church-yard to be buryed but we see none rise again yet by faith it is evident to us so that we can say with Iob our Redeemer liveth and with these eyes shall wee see him and no other for us Faith is an excellent eye The eye of the Eagle is very sharp and piercing shee can see from heaven to earth she can espie her prey a farre of she and her birds can look on the Sun but the eye of faith is farre more piercing that sees Christ the Sun of righteousnesse and by it we looke into the Sanctuary of heaven and behold what is there Some write of one Lynceus that he could see an hundred thirty thousand paces off but wee by the eye of faith can see further this one eye is better than all Argos his eyes Howsoever the eyes of our bodyes waxe dimme let us entreat the Lord to preserve this eye to make it brighter and brighter every day Faith is the evidence of things not seene Let us make much of this evidence If wee have an evidence whereby we hold our lands we will shew it to some Lawyer to see of what validity it is we will keepe it safe under locke and key Let us examine this our evidence of faith if there bee a cracke in it let us seeke to have it amended and let us take up that prayer of the Apostles Lord encrease our faith Lord strengthen the eye of our faith that even on earth we may see heaven VERSE 2. HEre is an illustration of it 1. Ab exemplis 1. In generall If for this faith our fathers were well reported of then this is the true faith but our fathers were well reported of
did the rest Enoch lived so long and he dyed therefore certainely he dyed not Some maintaine this assertion that Enoch is still alive together with Elias they are kept by the providence of GOD in paradise where either they eate of the fruites of the Garden or live without meat miraculously as Moses Elias and CHRIST did forty dayes together then towards the end of the world these two witnesses shal come forth shew themselves openly to all encounter with Antichrist convert the Iewes and in the end shall be put to death But I proceed Saint Paul sayes 1 Cor. 15.51 So Enoch did not dye yet he was changed in soule and body extraordinarily assumed in coelestem patriam as Calvin speaketh yet not in coelestem gloriam freed from the miseries of this life yet not fully glorified Some glory now they have yet their full glory is now deferred till we all meete together in a perfect man in Christ Iesus It is here registred as a singular honour that God vouchsafed to Enoch to take him away They are sometimes deepest in GODS bookes that are soonest taken out of this world being fitted for it by GOD Almighty We read of two Trophenius and Agamedes that having built a Temple to Apollos required of the GOD such a reward as he thought to be best for men he granted it and within three dayes they were found dead The best we read of in Scripture tarryed not long here Iosias was taken away in the flower of his age our Saviour CHRIST lived not past thirty foure yeeres because Enoch pleased GOD he tooke him away Saint Peter being in the Mount said it is good for us to be here let us heere make our Tabernacles So we say of the Mountaine of this world it is good for us to be heere ôh that we might make our Tabernacles heere wheras indeed it were best for us to be taken out of this wretched and sinful world as Enoch was Here we are with wicked and deceitfull men there we shall be with Holy Angels here we sin continually there we shall cease sinning heere we are subject to innumerable calamities there all teares shall be wiped from our eyes Let us desire God to prepare us for death and then to take us away when it shall seeme best to his heavenly will Pope Siricius out of these words Rom. 8.8 framed this Argument they that be in the flesh cannot please God Married persons are in the flesh ergo Enoch was a maried man he begat Sons and Daughters yet he pleased God Abraham was a Maried man he had two Wives and many Children yet he pleased God in so much as heaven is called the bosome of Abraham Zachary and Elizabeth were Maried folkes yet they pleased God and walked in all his Commandements without reproofe Spiridion Bishop of Cyprus a Maried person yet he protested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet never a whit the worse for divine duties Let us not be drowned in the pleasure of Mariage as he in the Gospell I have maried a Wife c. Let us keepe the marriage bed undefiled bring up our children in the feare and nurture of the Lord instruct our households in the wayes of God and out of Marriage we may fly to heaven as also out of a single life VERSE 6. IT is confirmed by an axiome in Divinity none can please God without faith he pleased God Ergo. Whereupon he sets downe two properties of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be supplyed He doth not say it is hard or difficult but impossible Not to offer oblations to God that did Cain but to please God The workes of the unregenerate doe not completely please God The Iustice of Aristides the gravity of Cato the chastity of Lucretia the liberality of Caesar were not simply good works quoad formam or finem neither did they please God perfectly in as much as they wanted faith Fides est mater radix bonorum operum they did them not in faith to Gods glory therefore his soule tooke not that pleasure in them which otherwise he would have done He doth not say without policie Iacob a plaine man yet hee pleased God not without learning honour riches Lazarus a poore man yet pleased God not without beauty Ebedmelech a blackmore yet hee pleased God but not without faith Therefore let us all bee suiters to God to give and encrease faith in us that wee may please him in this life and bee glorified with him in the world to come I but all flatter themselves that they have faith wee have all faith Have yee so Saint Paul sayes all men have not faith 2 Thes. 3.2 Examine it by that touchstone Gal. 5.6 1 Ioh. 4.20 doest thou boyle in hatred against any of thy brethren doest thou say with Achab there is one Michaiah but I hate him one neighbour but I hate him then thou hast not true faith for faith and love goe hand in hand together Where there is no love there is no true faith Then he sets downe the two properties of faith That commeth that is that believeth pedibus fidei Iohn 6. Verse 44. That He is the Maker and Governour of all that sees all and judges all The foole hath said in his heart there is no God There be too many of these fooles it is to be feared in the lap of the Church Tit. 1. ult they professe they know God but by their workes they deny them We goe masked under the vizzard of Religion yet in our hearts wee say there is no God Wee speake faire and meane fowle pretend love and intend mischiefe Wee lye coozen dissemble circumvent and defraud one another as if there were not a God that sees all our juglings A rewarder In this life Gen. 24.35 The Lord blessed Abraham wonderfully so that he became great he gave him Sheep and Beeves Silver and Gold men servants and maide servants and Camels and Asses he rewarded Ioseph with honour Hester with a kingdome Dorcas with life againe In the life to come Apoc. 22.12 And behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his worke shall be We shall bee rewarded for our service yet not of merit but of mercy Luk. 12.32 2 Tim. 4.8 If we come diligently to Church as Hannah heare Sermons with a reverent attention as Lydia lay them up in our hearts and practise them in our lives as the blessed Virgin Mary if we come to the Holy Communion with sincere affections to have our faith strengthned and to become new men if we give with cheerefulnesse to GOD 's Minister that feeds our soules to the poore members of IESUS CHRIST God sees it and will reward it with joy of conscience in this life and with eternall happinesse in the world to come We serve not a churlish Nabal but a liberall master that will reward us for our service yea a cup of cold water shall not be unrewarded
heaven and never come thither themselves When was the floud Most Authors thinke in May. 1. Because it might wholly be adscribed to the power of God not any way to the course of nature as it might if it had beene in winter 2. That the wicked of the world being drowned in the pleasures of the earth might at that time of the yeere bee deprived of them when the earth was most pleasant 3. Because the floud began to dry up in the spring Gen. 8.11 4. Gen. 19.23 as it was a faire sunne shine morning when fire and brimstone fell from heaven on Sodom so the floud might come in the fairest time of the yeare Whether were they all damned that perished in the floud Some writers exempt infants they had something answering to baptisme that saved them The question is about adulti whether all they were damned Epiphan Ambrose Beda affirme that they went all to hell yet when Christ came and preached in hell they were delivered but in hell there is no Gaole delivery Cajetan and Lyra say that some of them went to hell yet not ad locum damnatorum but ad limbum patrum out of which Christ fetched them when he went to harrow hell 1 Pet. 3.19 For mine owne opinion It is not like they were all damned yet that reason of Saint Ieromes is not convincing Nahum 1.9 following the Seventie he translates it non vindicabit Deus bis in idipsum whereas in the Hebrew it is it shall crush them at the first time there shall be no need of a second blow God may justly punish both in this life and in the life to come one and the same fault that hath not beene washed away with repentance But three reasons may induce us so to thinke 1. Gen. 7.22 the floud was a prevailing fortie dayes and fortie nights Some that were hardned before at the sight of the waters running up into some high mountaines might repent of their folly and their soules might be saved inter pontem fontem est misericordia 2. Who dares avouch that they were all damned that were destroyed in the wildernesse that all went to hell whom the earth swallowed up in the conspiracie of Corah Dathan and Abiram and why should we affirme them to be al damned that were drowned in the floud wee must judge more charitably of them that are swept away in temporall plagues and calamities 3. Let us judge our selves which is the strongest As they were not all saved that were in the Arke Cham was a cursed wretch so were they not all damned that were carryed away with the waters By his framing of the Arke before the eyes of them all and his preaching to them of the floud the LORD might have sufficient matter by vertue thereof to proceed to the just condemnation of them all Or the word world is here taken for the wicked of the world as oft in Scripture Ioh. 17. I pray not for the world he brought in the floud upon the world of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2.5 This warning was not for Noe alone but for all the world that seeing the Arke a making they might repent This is the goodnesse of God Almighty he gives warning of his judgements before they come hee shoots off a warning peece not like austere masters who strike before they speake but herein he is like the Lion that roares before he goes to his prey He gave a warning to Adam and Eve that at what time they did eate of that fruit they should die he gave warning of the destruction of Sodom Lots sonnes had warning to goe their way if they would have lystened to it he gave the Israelites warning of the captivitie in Babylon Hierusalem had warning of her overthrow Christ wept over it and said O if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong unto thy peace but now are they hid from thine eyes God gave the Ninevites warning of their destruction that it was at hand The old world had a faire warning of the floud they were warned of it an hundred yeares together This is Gods mercy he doth nothing but he reveales it to his Prophets that they might open it to the people At this day God gives us many warnings by his Word and creatures by earth-quakes thundring and lightning by blazing starres and fierie comets as wee have had a fearefull one of late yeeres continuing in some places of the land a moneth together portending wars c. Let us not stand in a slavish feare of them God is above them all yet let them be as trumpets to waken us out of sinne God hath warned us by his Ambassadours and Preachers of the Word we have had warning that if we loath the heavenly Manna of the Word God will take it from us if we receive it not with all gladnesse when it is put into our mouthes we shall goe from East to West and not finde it yet this warning doth us little good for all that we are not diligent and cheerefull in hearing of Sermons and in the participation of other holy rites we have had warning of Adultery Theft oppression cruelty of coozning one another that there is a God that sees all and wil revenge all yet these sinnes are ryfe among us As the old world had warning of the destruction of it by water so we have beene warned of the destruction of it by fire almost all the signes of the day of Iudgement are already past yet we feare not that day neither prepare for it All these warnings because we have not profited by them shall bee so many witnesses against us at the latter day Praemonitus praemunitus but our hearts are so hardned as that all the warnings in the world will doe us no good We are angrie with our servants if they will take no warning did not I warne thee of such a thing and then wee thinke we have just cause to be on his jacket how many thousand warnings hath God given us and yet we like bad servants will take no warning the Lord soften our hearts that they may enter into us for the reformation of our lives Of what was hee warned In themselves they could not bee seene yet Noah saw them by the eye of faith The incarnation and passion of our SAVIOUR CHRIST could not be seene in the dayes of Abraham because CHRIST was not then borne yet Abraham saw it by faith and was glad Neither Heaven nor Hell can be seene of us yet by faith we see them and believe them both That terrible day when the world shall passe away with a noise cannot yet be seene yet being warned by God of it we behold it and know assuredlie it shall be The resurrection is not yet seene wee doe not see the dead rise out of their graves yet because GOD hath said it we believe it The proper object of faith are invisibilia as for those things which we see properlie
saw all his sons slaine before his face by usurping Phocas and at the death of every one hee uttered these religious words justus es domine justum judicium tuum but he did not kill them himselfe In prophane histories sundry are recorded to have offered their Children as Agamemnon did Iphigenia though she were carryed away by Diana So did divers others among the heathen but these offered them to devills not to God and they did it not with such a divine resolution as Abraham did I but what say yee to Iephte he offered up his only daughter unlesse a Sonne be valued at an higher rate than a daughter So that he comes not behind Abraham Yes many degrees 1. Some collect out of the Hebrew words that he did not offer her up but let it be granted yet it is not worthy to bee compared with this of Abraham for he did it not with his owne hands and if hee did it was in a rash and preposterous zeale and his vow like Herods oath had better beene broken then kept he had not Gods warrant for it as Abraham had 2. In her the promises were not made as here in Isaac There only nature was tryed here faith was tryed and nature too An example that cannot bee pattern'd Iob lost seven sons and three daughters at a clap Abraham but one that was as much as Abrahams if not more Nothing neere 1. Iobs eye saw it not neither was he charged to kill them with his owne hands 2. In none of them were the promises made this was the principall shaker of Abrahams faith In what a perplexity thinke yee was Abraham when he tooke this journey about such a sorrowfull businesse as this was how might Sarah take on when shee missed her Sonne five or sixe daies and could not tell what was become of him nor her husband If Zipporah cryed bloudy husband to Moses for circumcising the foreskin of her Sonnes flesh how might Sarah have cryed ô bloudy ô cruell Husband that killest thine owne Son and mine too In what a pittifull case was Abraham when hee built the Altar couched the wood on it bound Isaac to it put to the fire and was stretching out of his hand to cut his throate If David kept such an howling for Absalom an ungracious child ô my Sonne Absalom my Son Absalom when he saw him not he was a wicked son a rebell a Traytor one that went about to put his father besides the saddle and to justle him out of his throne yet how lamented he for him how might Abraham be pierced in this time and cry ô my Sonne Isaac my Sonne Isaac my sweet Child the only staffe of mine old age my loving my dutifull and obedient Sonne beautified with so many glittering vertues the joy of the world to whom the promises are tyed must thou be killed and that by thine own father too must I be the butcher and kill thee this touched him to the quicke If the bowels of the harlot yerned within her when her child was to be divided by Solomons sword how did Abrahams bowels yerne within him when with his own sword he was to take away the life of his owne Sonne yea of his only Son This might wring teares from the eyes of us all Chrysostome hom 3. in 2 Cor. reports that when he preached of this story the people fell a weeping Gregory Nissen seeing a lively picture of this history could not passe by it without teares in truth it may worthily affect us all and let us make it our owne case it will cause us all to weepe Oh what a lamentable sight was this to see Abraham about the killing of his only Sonne that a father should bee put to this extremity to be the butcher of his Sonne his only Sonne upon whom depended the salvation of all the world you that be fathers though yee have many children are you willing to kill any of them your selves Surly no unles ye be unnaturall fathers Vpon a turbulent sedition in Thessalonica Theodosius in an anger tooke order that seven thousand should be put to death A Merchant in the City that had two Sonnes there put into the Calender of those that should be executed their good old father put up a supplication for his two sons the Souldiers pitying him told him they could not save both for then the Emperours number would not be fulfilled but they said they would spare one choose which hee would The poore father looking rufully on both could not tell which to chuse while he delayed both were slaine If God take away but one or two of our children we are in Rachels case we will admit no comfort God tooke all that Abraham had Abraham had but one Sonne whom hee loved deerely a vertuous a Religious Sonne of whose loines should descend the Messiah and SAVIOUR of the world yet hee offers him up because it is GODS Will as a burnt offering to the LORD Where is this faith this love now a dayes to bee found There are many Naboths few Abrahams GOD may take up that complaint against us which he doth against Eli. We honour our Children above God Though they lye sweare and blaspheme the name of God c. we cannot abide they should have any correction for it I had rather God should be dishonoured than my Child corrected If we will not sacrifice them spiritually how corporally as Abraham did Will we not correct them and will we kill them at Gods commandement He that loveth father or mother wife or children more than me is not worthy of me God gave us them and he can take them away at his pleasure and shall wee bee more wedded to them then to God My life saies Paul is not deare to me so I may fulfill my course with joy and shall any Child bee so deare to us as to pull us from God and heaven too our lives and owne soules must not bee deare to us so as we may glorifie God much lesse our Children As the Christians said when with weeping eyes they could not hold Paul from Ierusalem why then say they the will of the Lord be done so let us in all things Will God have our goods our children our lives the will of this blessed God be done The Lord gave c. blessed be his name We have had the admirable act performed by Abraham Now to the motive of it which was a certaine perswasion which he had of the resurrection His accounts being cast up after many consultations to and fro this was the totall summe the finall conclusion wherein he would rest Though I offer up my Sonne as a burnt offering to God yet he is able to raise him up again from the dead Of the ashes of one Phenix arises another Phenix and of the ashes of one Isaac shall rise another yea the same Isaac in substance that was before In whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed therefore I will doe it
one that is thy junior thy inferiour lifted up in wealth honour and dignity above thee grudge not at it it is Gods doing be contented with it 3. Here we have a patterne in old father Iacob how to behave our selves at the time of death when wee see and heare death knocking at our doores then especially we must be occupied in heavenly duties we must not be cursing but blessing as Iacob was then above all other times we must be worshipping of God praying to him praysing and magnifying him for his mercies as Iacob was upon our beds and upon our staves Though we be weake and impotent wee must be glorifying of God when Hezekiah received that message set thine house in order for thou must dye then hee turned his face to the wall and prayed earnestly to the Lord. When our Saviour was going out of the world he was blessing his Disciples and here Iacob is blessing and praysing to his dying day so must we be We must not then be swearing cursing and banning quaffing and swilling as many be like the Epicures let us eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye Then we must be preparing of our selves for a better life where we shall remaine for ever The neerer the time approcheth that a tenant must goe out of his farme the more carefull he will be to improve it to his best commodity the lesser time that a man is to enjoy money lent to him the greater advantage he will make of it if hee can even so when we perceive wee must depart out of the farme of this world let us use it most to Gods glory and seeing God hath lent us our life as a summe of money to be payd to him praestituto die the neerer the day of payment comes the more conscionably and diligently let us be in the use of it to the honour of God and our owne profit When the steward in the Gospell saw that he was to goe out of his office he makes the best of it he can so let us doe of our life when we are to part with it They that be actours in a Comedy or Tragedy will have a speciall eye to the last act that they may have a joyfull plaudite of the people So this life being as a stage whereon wee play our part let us chiefely look to the last act at our departure out of the world that it may be joyfull to our selves and all those that be round about us our whole life should bee a continuall glorifying of GOD but especially the closing up of our life with death that wee may leave a testimony behind us of that lively faith which wee have in the Lord Iesus Let us be praying meditating blessing talking of heavenly matters to the last gaspe VERSE 22. IN Ioseph there be two things 1. A memorandum given to the Israelites 2. A Charge for the removing of his bones which were both lively demonstrations of his faith Hee presaged his death Gen. 50.24 either by the nature or quality of his disease or by divine revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing to his end Memoriae prodit brought to memorie Out of Aegypt often promised by God which he had received from his fathers he makes a certaine prediction of it He bound them with an oath Gen. 50.25 Not so much for feare of Idolatry lest the Aegyptians should worship him when he was dead as Chrys. in Genesin and August de mirabilibus Sacrae Script l. 1. c. 15. they had opportunity to doe it before his bones were removed but to confirme the faith he had in the promises of God he was so sure that they should have the land of Canaan as that hee would have his bones carryed away before-hand 2. Because the land of Canaan was a type of heaven he would be there buryed 3. Because in life and in death he would be with the godly Rhemists the translation of reliques or Saints bodies and the due regard and honour wee ought to have to the same are proved hereby Bel. l. 2. de reliquiis Sanct. c. 3. upon this example concludeth non ergo superstitiosum neque novum est transferre ossa Sanctorum 1. The Israelites were bound by oath to translate his bones not so they 2. They kept not those bones to shew to the people or to carry them about on festivall dayes but they buryed them Ios. 24.32 3. Those were translated into the land of Canaan because it was a type of heaven So is no speciall Country now Therefore that is no president Ioseph a great man the ruler of Aegypt yet dieth death over-rules us all The rich man dyed as well as poore Lazarus It is appointed to all once to dye He rubbed their memories put them in remembrance of their departure out of Aegypt whereupon the booke of Exodus hath his name containing the departure of the Children of Israel You are well seated here in the land of Aegypt you are planted in Goshen the fattest of the land It is like for my sake ye shall finde favour for a time yet set not up your staffe here but remember yee must depart hence the land of Canaan is your Country promised to Abraham Isaac and Iacob let your mindes run on that land As for this world it is a kind of Aegypt flowing with all pleasures and profits yet let us know that this is no place of abode for us we must depart from hence The time of my departure is now at hand sayes St. Paul 2 Tim. 4.6 Luk. 9.31 If he had need of such a Memorandum much more we for this end Philip had his Vsher who daily said to him memento Philippe te esse mortalem The Israelites were too much wedded in their affections to Aegypt they desired to be againe with their Onyons and such like fare as they had in Aegypt We are all too much in love with this wretched world it likes us as well as the Mount did St. Peter Many wish that they might make Tabernacles here for ever yet let us all know that this is no abiding place wee must all depart eximus è vita tanquam è theatro Farmers from their farmes Gentlemen Knights Lords from their beautifull houses yea Kings must depart out of their Pallaces A voice came from heaven to Nebuchadnezar Oh King thy kingdome is departed from thee Let us seriously thinke of this departure of ours When a Travellour comes to his Inne hee lookes about him and sayes here is a fayre Inne here I have a brave Chamber and I have plenty of all things for my money yet this is not my home I must not tarry here I must depart even so though we have the world at will and all things as heart can wish beautifull houses large lands ample possessions yet here is no place to abide in we must depart leave all goe away with a Coffin and a winding sheete Let us use this world as if wee used it not let our
to catch me but the King of Kings is with mee I feare him not I will rest under the wings of Gods protection Chrysost. answers that he did not so feare as that he should never returne againe Why for he endured with a strong and a valiant minde nothing could overthrow him As seeing him that is invisible God in himselfe is invisible and cannot be seene Yet Moses by the eye of faith saw him as a Gyant on his side which made him to contemne Pharaoh and all enemies whatsoever he saw him in the bush Exod. 3. but rather by the eye of faith The Rhemists translate it him that is invisible he sustained as if he had seene him how can a man sustaine God they have quite lost the force of the Greeke word which governes no case but is absolute of it selfe All flight is not to be condemned Moses fled out of Aegypt yet it was in faith St. Paul fled out of Damascus yet in faith Tertullian hath an excellent treatise to this purpose There is a time to burne and a time to flye If they persecute you in one City flye to another If our flight come from faith not from feare and infidelity wee may have comfort in it It had beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. cast thy selfe downe said the Devill to Christ so Moses should have cast himselfe into danger if he had not fled There be two wings wherewithall we must flye when wee flye out of any Country being pursued by our enemies the wing of faith and of righteousnesse Whatsoever we doe must be done in faith else it is sinne in the sight of God if we sticke by it in the time of persecution it must not be in presumption presuming in our owne strength but in faith relying on GOD. If we flye it must not be in infidelity as if GOD were not able to keepe us in security and being unwilling to suffer any thing for the name of Christ but it must be in faith to reserve ourselves for better opportunities and to fight more manfully afterwards under Christ his banner By faith Moses forsooke Aegypt The second wing wherewith we must flye is the wing of righteousnesse If wee flye not sinne as well as the Country if wee carry our sinnes adultery covetousnesse pride c. with us in our flight they will make hue and cry after us and pursue us to the terrour of our conscience whithersoever wee goe these things being observed let us bee bold to flye Christ himselfe fled and hee gave his Apostles license to flye 2 We cannot see the essence of GOD yet we may see the goodnesse mercy and power of GOD. The essence of the winde cannot be seene yet the effects of it may When David was hunted by Saul as a Partridge he saw GOD preserving him from his clawes The three children saw GOD in the fiery furnace Daniel in the Lions den Ionah in the belly of the Whale S. Peter in prison The faithfull in all calamities see GOD in poverty in disgrace exile sicknesse yea in death it selfe they see the Lord Iesus ready to receive their spirits and they have such joy at this spirituall sight of GOD as that it makes them in a manner to forget all sorrow This makes them to endure all crosses as Moses did Let us desire the LORD to sharpen the eye of our faith that we may see him which is invisible to the comfort of our soules in this life and may see him face to face in the life to come The reason why we faint in calamities why wee give place to the fury of men is because we see not GOD on our sides by the eye of faith for if we did we would not feare men Will the Souldier feare if he see his Captaine with him especially if hee bee a most wise Vlysses and valiant Ajax that can protect him from his enemies Will a childe feare that hath his Father by him which is able to defend him If Gehazi had seene the Chariots and Horsemen of fire round about him and his Master he would never have delivered that pitifull speech alas Master what shall we doe VERSE 28. THE former were proper to Moses Now follow two other which are common to the Israelites together with him the celebration of the Passeover and their passage through the red sea In the celebration of the Passeover 1. the act then the causes of it which are three the instrumentall formall and finall Made the Passeover which doth signifie both to ordaine and to keepe and celebrate Matth. 26.18 Moses did not onely ordaine it at GODS appointment but together with the Israelites did keepe and celebrate it as a confirmation of their faith in the deliverance that was to come Here by Passeover of necessity must be understood the Paschall Lambe which was a signe and token to them of the Passeover The Passeover was the passing of the Angell by the house of the Israelites when he slew the first-borne among the Egyptians Moses did neither institute nor celebrate that but that was instituted and performed by GOD. They did take and eat the Paschall Lambe which was a significant token to them of that Passeover therefore it is no new thing by a Sacramentall metonymie to give the signes the name of the thing signified This is the LORD 's Passeover Exod. 12.11 that is A signe of the Lords Passeover this is my covenant sayes GOD of Circumcision Gen. 17.10 that is as it is expounded Vers. 11. A signe of my Covenant The Rock was Christ that is a type and figure a lively signification of Christ. Therefore we are not to seeke a knot in these rushes He shewes what this Passeover is affusion of bloud not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an affusion namely to the lintell and doore cheekes with a sponge of hysope The Lambe was killed the bloud effused into a Basin the sponge of hysope dipped in the bloud whereby it was sprinkled on the doore cheekes This Moses ordained and celebrated that the Angell seeing this bloud on the doores of the Israelites might passe by their houses and kill none there That is the Angell appointed to it by GOD yet no Angell is mentioned The first borne both of man and beast among the Egyptians Touch them that is kill them Gen. 26.11 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much as touch them with his finger or the top of his sword The celebration of this Sacrament by Moses and the Israelites was a lively demonstration of their faith Achaz would have no signe They did not reject this signe To what purpose should bloud be sprinkled on our doores Cannot the Angell discerne the house of an Israelite from the house of an Egyptian without such a marke or can a few drops of the bloud of a Lambe be as a buckler to us against the wrath of God They chopt no such Logick with the Lord but in
them safely away againe This was specimen fidei if she had not beleeved GOD and his promises shee would never have done it All this while she hazarded her owne life if her house had beene searched and the Spies found with her it had cost her her head she had beene drawne hanged and quartered for a traitor yet knowing they were Gods people and that God had delivered the Citie into their hands though it were with danger of life they should be her ghests and she would keepe them this was actus fidei it could be no other My life said S. Paul is not deere to me so as I may fulfill my course with joy So said Rahab My life is not deere to me so as I may fulfill the will of God They that have a true faith indeed will venter even their lives in Gods causes It is like as she was an harlot so she was an Inkeeper too Peradventure some signe hung at her doore which made the Spies to take that house but undoubtedly God by the secret finger of his providence directed them to this Harlots house for the saving of her body and soule too When she hath once taken the charge of them she discharges the duty of a good Inkeeper no hurt shall come to her Ghests yet in some Innes in England many a one have had their throats cut even with the consent of the Host and Hostesse Vile beasts farre unlike to Rahab But is this such a worthy act such a notable worke to bee so highly extolled by the pen of the Holy Ghost It was stained with two foule blots with treason and a lye 1. Iericho was her native Citie the mother in whose lap she had sitten quietly many yeeres together and doth she now betray it into the hands of the enemie now fie upon her Traitor It is a bad bird that defiles her owne nest it is an ungracious bird that destroyes her owne nest But the answer is easie In this Rahab shewed her selfe faithfull to God rather than unfaithful to her Countrey Al the Countreys in the world are his The Devill said All these are mine but he lied God may truly say of all the Kingdomes of the Earth All these are Mine I give them to whom I will Now Rahab knew that God had given Iericho to the Israelites Therefore she joynes with God in introducing them into the Land Where did God ever say that he hath given England into the Popes hand Therfore some of our English Iesuites are most unnaturall and divelish to goe about to betray it into his hands Rahab shall be rejoycing in heaven when they without repentance are howling in hell The other blot wherewith this fact was stained was a lye That is apparant it cannot be denied it cannot be coloured shee said they were gone and wished them to pursue after them when they were on the roofe of her house covered with the stalkes of flax Origen said we may used a lye Tanquam medicamento condimento But this we will not defend wee will seeke no cloake for it Wee will not say it was a profitable lye therefore warantable for wee may not doe ill that good may come of it Yet we will distinguish betweene the fact and the blemish of the fact It may be a good Horse though he stumble now and then it may be a good garden though there be some weeds in it she may be a faire Woman though she have a wart and that in her face too so it may be a good worke though it be defiled with the spot of some weaknesse and infirmities This is enough to prove that Rahab was not justified in the sight of GOD by this worke because some pitch of impiety did cleave unto it yet for all that the worke was good and well pleasing to GOD. If God should accept of none of his childrens workes because they be imperfect he might worthily reject all In many things we sin all Perfect Saints are in heaven Heb. 12.23 Imperfect here on earth yet we doe not affirme that the workes of the faithfull are Merae Sordes inquinamenta Though there is filthinesse in them yet they be not filthy There may be a spot of inke or a little dirt on the face of a beautifull Absalom yet he is no foule man there is difference betweene staring and starke mad But who were they that perished They that obeyed not that would not be perswaded to yeeld themselves to GOD and who were they looke Ios. 6.21 Men women and children As for the men and women there might be some reason because they were stubborne and resisted God but why were the children put to death As David cried in the pestilence I have sinned but as for these sheep what have they done So it might be said as for them of the elder sort it made no matter for them but as for the children those little Lambes what had they done 1. We are not to dispute with God Iusta judicia Dei licet occulta 2. They were the brood of rebellious parents conceived and borne in sin therefore they might justly perish with their parents Liberi partes parentum a young Serpent may be killed because he may poyson though actually he cannot poyson as the old doth When a Nobleman is condemned of treason his wife and children smart for it and why may not their children be destroyed that are Traytors to God as the Canaanites were The faithfull say of the Edomites happy shall they be that dash her children against the stones The children of Daniels accusers were throwne into the Lions denne the children of the faithfull are holy because they are within the covenant and the children of the wicked are unholy because they be out of the Covenant Therfore let us not mervaile though they drinke of the Cup of GODS wrath together with their parents But God will bee mercifull to our children because hee is our God and the God of our seede hee will hide them under the shadow of his wings if not from temporall plagues for in that we must refer our selves to his will yet at the least from the plague of plagues from hell fire in the life to come VERSE 32. NOw follow those examples that are shut up in a short Epitome and compendium 1. An enumeration of their persons 32. 2. A narration of the power and efficacy of their faith 1. In actions verse 33 34. 2. In passions to 39. which are amplified by the event 39 40. In the enumeration 1. A preface prefixed before it 2. The substance of the enumeration it selfe The preface hath two parts an interrogation and an affirmation I am entred into so large a field as that I know not how to get out I am at a nonâ—plus I know not what to say If should run on still in this veyne I should run my selfe out of breath I should weary both you and me Why I should want time the time would fayle me telling
offered to them if they would have transgressed Gods Commandement Which is illustrated by the end Some interpret it the better Resurrection not that worser of the reprobate that shall rise againe but to everlasting woe but that better resurrection of the godly to eternall glory Others A better that is a more glorious resurrection as martyrs not that common one of all the faithfull 1 Cor. 15.41 Yet by the opposition this is the meaning of it If they would have denied God and broken his Commandements they might have had a kinde of resurrection from the sentence of death pronounced against them and have lived longer in the world yet they refused that for a far better resurrection in the world to come when they shall rise againe with comfort and enter into GOD's Kingdome a better resurrection than they that were raised up by Elias and Elisha they rose to a temporall life So we by faith shall receive our Fathers and mothers brethren and sisters our sons and daughters alive againe by faith we shall receive our owne bodies againe after the wormes have eaten our flesh with the same eyes in substance that we now have shall we see GOD meet CHRIST IESUS in the ayre and be translated into the kingdome of glory Vnspeakable is the force of faith the LORD strengthen the faith of us all If Eleazar would but have dissembled that he had eaten Swines flesh he might have beene delivered If the three children would have fallen downe and worshiped Nebuchadnezzars golden Image they might have beene delivered if Daniel would have praied to King Darius he might have beene delivered from the Lions Master favour thy selfe said S. Peter to Christ when he went to Ierusalem to be crucified and many Syrens sang this sweet song to the Martyrs O favour your selves doe not wilfully cast away your selves have a care of your selves your wives and children Who would not bee intised with this Musick yet it could not prevaile with them And why That they might receive a better resurrection If for the preservation of this short life which is but a span long they had revolted from Christ and his truth they should have had a miserable resurrection they should have risen with a sting of conscience with a worme continually gnawing on them they choose rather to suffer death that they might rise with a cheerefull and joyfull conscience to eternall life All shall rise againe good and bad Cain shall rise with the same hand wherewith he slew his brother Iesabel with the same body that was eaten up by the Dogs Rabsekeh with the same tongue wherewith he railed on the God of Israel Iudas with the same lips wherewith he trayterously betrayed our Saviour Christ Turne-coats like Ecebolius shall rise but they shall rise with horror of conscience The godly that have stuck to Christ that have fought valiantly under his banner to the very death they shall rise with comfortable consciences meet Christ joyfully in the aire bee translated into the kingdome of glory and remaine with him forever Therefore let us all have an eye to this resurrection VERSE 36. THE lesser belong to the Name or to the body Some did incutere pudorem some dolorem some horrorem Were tryed by mockings as Elisha 2 Reg. 2.23 Ieremiah Cap. 20.7 Psal. 38.13 c. They received the triall of mockings and scourgings Yet it is not like they used wyre whips as some now in other parts doe By bonds and imprisonments As Micajah and Ieremiah The drunkards made songs of David Ieremiah Iob. Our Saviour was mocked on the crosse The Scribes the Pharisees the Elders and all the common people mocked him The Martyrs were mocked in the Primitive Church This is a tryall we have daily even in the peace and light of the Gospell There be Atheists Drunkards Adulterers Prophane persons that daily mock the children of God This is an horrible sin 1 Saint Paul cals it persecution Gal. 4.29 and all mockers are persecutors Seest thou a jesting fellow that is alwayes scoffing at good men Thou mayest well say there goes a persecutor 2 The seat of the scornefull is the highest step of sin Psal. 1.1 3 God is a speciall avenger of it he made Beares come out of a Wood and devoure two and forty litle children that mocked Elisha Then let those men looke to themselves that mock the Prophets of GOD the Lord will meet with them one way or other 4 Mocks touch the good name A thiefe is a lesser sinner than a mocker A good name is above gold Prov. 22.1 Therefore let us all take heed of this vice which is frequent among us The Apostle would not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is when as men presuming on their wit think to turn a thing whither they will he would not have this to be named among us much lesse to bee practised by us Elias scoffed at Baals Priests in an holy zeale being directed to it by the Spirit of God Such Ironies proceed from an extraordinary motion of Gods spirit but let us beware how we scoffe at Gods workes how we make our selves merry with his Word how we mock his Ministers and other his servants It is a vice too rife among us Some had rather lose their friend than their jest nay some had rather lose the friendship of God than their jest It is a great sin to grieve any of Gods children wilt thou grieve him sayes S. Paul for whom Christ died he had rather eat no flesh so long as he lived than he would offend his brother and let not us jest so long as we live if we cannot doe it without the offence of our brethren Mockings are tryals woe to the tryers but blessed are they that with meeknesse and patience endure these tryals And scourgings which must needs be painfull to the body By bonds and prisonments which are uncomfortable to all Though a Bird want nothing in a Cage have bread and water enough yet she had rather an hundred times be abroad Liberty is sweet bondage soure though it bee accompanied with some delights and pleasures But I warrant you their imprisonment was hard enough they were fed with the bread of affliction and the water of affliction as Micaiah was and some as the Story saith in Queene Maries dayes were faine to drinke their owne water instead of drinke they had a miserable imprisonment which they notwithstanding endured cheerefully for the Lord's sake VERSE 37. THey were stoned as Zecharias the son of Iehojadah 2 Chro. 24.21 S. Stephen and S. Paul were stoned They were hewne asunder as Ierome reporteth by the common consent of the Iewes Isaiah was Origen sayes he was sawne in peeces with a woodden saw at the commandement of Manasseh because he affirmed he saw the Lord of Hosts Tempted This is left out altogether by Chrysostome and Theophylact Some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were burnt as some were under Antiochus That might be entertained with some applause
because here speciall kindes of deaths are mentioned yet alterations are dangerous The word Tempted may be retained They were tempted with many faire promises of wealth ease honour and preferment to forsake their religion yet they persisted valiantly to death Achab and Iesabel put many to the sword so did Manasseh that made Ierusalem swim with bloud Saul did so 1 Sam. 22.18 eighty five persons he slew at once Their flight and banishment 1. Among Men then among Beasts 28. From one Towne to another being persecuted by the adversary Not in silkes and velvets like brave Gentlemen wheresoever they become But in Sheepes skins and Goats skins either for necessity because they could get no better or in policy because they would not be knowne and descried by the enemy This their flight was accompanied with many miseries Destitute of things necessary meate drinke money lodging Afflicted in soule and body Evilly intreated many kinde of wayes In the Primitive Church some were stoned as Saint Stephen put to the sword as S. Iames Acts 12.2 Crucified as it is reported of S. Peter with his head downeward Some broyled on hot Grydirons some cast to wilde beasts some drowned some buried even alive some burnt in the fire to ashes Men must prepare themselves for all kindes of death for the name of Christ and he that in his providence sendeth them will in his goodnesse inable us to beare them to his owne glory and our endlesse comfort 1. A wandring life is very uncomfortable It is a great benefit to live quietly at home without wandring to sit under our vines and figge trees Let us be thankefull to God for it 2. If we must needs wander let it not be in a foolish humour to see strange Countries and new fashions let it not bee in an idle vaine to decline working as our rogues and vagabonds wander but let it be for the keeping of a good conscience as in Queene Maries dayes some wandred to Franckford Embden c. VERSE 38. WHy did they wander because they were so bad that they durst be seene no where nor shew their heads no the world was not worthy of these holy men Therefore God did sequester them from the world The wicked counted them the dung and off-scouring of the earth not worthy to breath or to tread on the ground but indeed they were excellent men angelicall men of whose company the world was unworthy The godly being compared to Christ are unworthy men unworthy with Iohn Baptist to unloose the latchet of his shoe but compared with the wicked Phil. 2.15 worthy men too good indeed for the world how basely so ever they think of them The old world was unworthy of Enoch therfore God tooke him away Sodom was unworthy of Lot therefore God pulled him out of it Achab and Iesabel with the unthankfull Israelites were unworthy of Elias therefore God tooke him into heaven in a fiery Charret The world was unworthy of these men therefore God sent them into Caves and deserts The Towne wherein wee dwell was unworthy of many religious Townesmen which wee enjoyed therefore GOD hath taken them away We must learne how to esteeme of the worthinesse of men not by their beauty strength gay Coates c. But wee esteeme it by their wealth by the high places they have in this world we are like them Iac. 2. If a man had come with a gold ring they said sit thou here if he were a poore man though a godly man they set him at their foote-stoole but wee weigh the worth of men in a wrong ballance These were worthy men such as the world was not worthy of that wandred in wildernesses One godly man though never so poore is a more worthy man than ten thousand wicked men then a world of wicked men be they never so wealthy and honourable Vertuous men are the worthy men therefore let us make much of them In wildernesses as Elias 1 Reg 19.4 and dens and caves of the earth 1 Reg. 18.13 They were safe among beasts that could not be safe among men the very beasts were more favourable to them then men The Ravens fed Elias the Lions were kind to Daniel the dogs to Lazarus the Whale to Ionah being as an host to him and his belly as an Inne Though wee should be compelled to walke in wildernesses let us not be afraid he is God of the wildernesses as well as of Townes and Citties and hee can keepe us there his rod and his staffe comfort us wheresoever we become It is a misery not any felicity to be an eremite it is an affliction no set profession Saint Iohn Baptist was no eremite as the Papists imagine it was an inhabited wildernesse though lesse populous where he kept VERSE 39. WIth God and men Their actions and passions are amplified by an event which hath two parts the one affirmative the other negative Yet not They received Christ promised to them by faith they saw his day by the eye of faith and were glad as Abraham did they received likewise the fruit of their faith that is the salvation of their soules at their dying day This makes nothing for limbus patrum But they received not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that promise of Christ's reall exihibition in the flesh because the fulnesse of time was not yet come Neither did they receive the promise of full and complete happinesse in soule and body together they and wee shall be partakers of that at the latter day VERSE 40. A Reason is used taken from the gracious providence of God Who had respect to us as well as to them If Christ had beene exhibited in their dayes the end of the world had beene come for he came in the last dayes Hebr. 1.1 Then what should have become of us but God knowing hee had other sheep to call throughout the wide compasse of the whole world deferred the exhibition of Christ for the accomplishing of the just number of his elect that so both they in the old Testament and we in the new might bee perfected together and one day meete in heaven together with Christ our head as a perfect man God hath a care of all his Children he will not have one to be perfect without another A better thing not in substance but in circumstance We have Christ and so have they God hath provided heaven for us and so he hath for them How then are we better provided for Yes in respect of many circumstances They saw Christ afarre off we neere hand they saw Christ to come we already come they saw him in the Paschall Lamb our Passeover is already offered they had the shadow we the body their Sacraments to confirme their faith in Christ were many and those hard and difficult ours are few and easie they had a little light wee a great light they had Moone light we the Sun light Blessed are the eyes that see c. Some of us are ready to say in our
Children losse of goods and of life for the unspeakeable joy set before us Such joyes as neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither ever entred into the heart of man to conceive Here our Saviour walked from towne to towne preaching and working miracles he sate weary on the well of Samaria but now he sits at the right hand of God Which is a signe of rest and of his Majesty Iudges sit Kings sit And wee shall one day sit in heaven with him that where I am they also may be Ioh. 17.24 We shall be in the same pallace of heaven with him though not at the right hand of God with him The Noble men and Courtiers are in the Court though they bee not so neere the King as the Kings Son is we shall be with the Lamb arayed in white robes having palmes in our hands and Crownes on our heads c. Christ endured much sorrow but now he hath much glory so shall it be with us ye heard of the patience of Iob and what end the Lord made Affliction is sowre but the end is sweete we have a tragedy in this world but wee shall have a Comedy in the world to come Therefore let us run with patience and joy There be two races the Devills and Gods as there be two wayes the broad and narrow if we run the devils race in pride covetousnesse drunkennes uncleannesse the end of it will be wofull wee shall bee tormented with the Devill and his Angels for ever but if we run the race of God looking to Iesus the author and finisher of our faith the end shall be glorious and comfortable Therefore let us all runne this race VERSE 3. NOw followes the applying of the example Where 1. What we are to consider in Christ. 2. To what end the matter of the consideration and the end The thing to bee considered in Christ is his patient bearing of evill tongues Where 1. His fortitude in bearing 2. What it was 3. How great 4. Of whom 5. Against whom Consider him I need not name him he hath beene pointed out to you with the finger already He might have called for fire from heaven to consume them hee might have had many legions of Angels to destroy them hee might have made their tongues to rot or swell in their heads while they were a speaking yet he endured them and went away Such Yours is nothing to it such an unmatchable contradiction the like is not to be found in the world againe Such contradiction in word and deed too Luk. 2.34 Acts 28.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against himselfe The end least yee bee wearyed as travellours in their journey And faynt and loosed in your mindes as they be whose joynts are loosed and so fall downe Never was there any so ill spoken of so much spoken against that so little deserved it as our Saviour Christ. Such as never was heard of neither can enter into the heart of man no griefe is like to my griefe sayes the Church Lam. 1.12 So no contradiction is like to Christs contradiction 1. If wee respect the opprobrious speeches wherewith they laded him all that could be devised they upbraided him with his Father a Carpenter by his brethren and sisters by his Country a Galilean no good thing can come out of it never a good bird in that nest That was one of the least they cast aspersions on his life a bibber of wine a friend of Publicans and sinners a Samaritane one that had a Divell a Magitian that wrought by the Devill a coosener a deceiver Matth. 27.63 a seditious man a perverter of the people a rebell that denyed to pay tribute to Caesar a mad man Mark 3.21 a Sabbath breaker because he healed on the Sabbath day a blasphemer that intituled himselfe the Son of God All that could be imagined Luk. 2.34 2. If wee respect the manner how they reviled him with mockes taunts nodding of the head spitting on him They blindfolded him they smote him and then they said prophesie ô Christ who it is that smiteth thee The manner was most ignominious 3. If we respect the generality of the persons that spake against him All of all degrees did whet their tongues against him Herod Pilat the Pharisees the Sadduces the rulers of the Church his kinsemen Ioh. 7.3 The Thieves that were crucified with him both at the first though one repented the Souldiers the skumme of the Country The whole people cryed with one voyce away with him no King but Caesar. 4. What was hee against whom they threw the dirt of these vile and malignant speeches Separate from sinners in whom the most sharpe sighted Eagle of them all could not finde one spot of sinne Which of you can rebuke mee of sinne Hee did good to the whole Country healed all diseases for nothing hee preached the glad tydings of the Gospell yet thus they rewarded him He is the Butt at which they shoote their poysonfull arrowes Consider him David is worthy the considering how patiently did hee beate Shimei hee shewed himselfe more valiant in that sayes St. Chrysostome then in cutting off Goliahs Head But that is nothing to this he bore one Shimei Christ bore many Shimeis David was a sinner Christ was none yet he endured the speaking against of sinners Let us consider him Let him be in the mindes and memories of us all when wee are ill spoken of let us consider Christ. It was hard to be endured yet he endured it Neither was it patience perforce he might have curbed them if he had listed he might have caused their tongues to have beene eaten up with wormes as Nestorius was Hee might have made them to drop out of their heads hee might have called for a thunderbolt from heaven to strike them starke dead he could have made the earth to have opened her mouth and swallowed them up quicke as he did Core that spake against Moses yet he would not he endured all We thinke much to bee ill spoken of and I pray you what are we in comparison of Christ Was the Creator ill spoken of and shall the Creatures stomacke it did the Potter endure ill speeches and shall not the Pots did hee that knew no sinne and shall not we that are full of sinne did the LORD and Master and shall not wee the servants What are wee greater than Christ my Lord Ioab said Vriah lyes abroad in the field and shall I goe to my house So the Lord Christ passed the pikes of ill tongues and shall we think to be freed from them There bee three things that may comfort us against evill tongues 1. The consideration of Gods providence in all things God carries a stroake in it It is the Lord said Eli let him doe what seemeth him good It may bee God hath bidden him to curse David said that regall Prophet that stayed his hand their tongues move against us but it may bee God moves us or suffers it so to be
this life and Citizens of the holy Hierusalem in the life to come Peace ease health wealth worldly prosperity through the corruption of our nature and the malice of Satan makes us unholy Noah continued an holy man all the time of the floud when he was shut up in the Arke and tossed with the waters he no sooner came to the dry ground and planted a vineyard but in some sort became unholy being overtaken with wine We read of no filthinesse that David committed while he was persecuted by Saul when he came to his kingdome and had peace from all his enemies then he fell into adultery When a man hath his health and when hee is of a strong and lusty constitution of body he runs at randome seldome or never thinkes on God not with such zeale and sincerity as hee ought to doe on the other side it is adversity that through Gods goodnesse makes us holy men Hezekiah was better in his sicknesse than in his health Manasses chaines were a meanes to rid him of the chaines of sin when he was the King of Babels prisoner he became the Lords free man Davids long and tedious sicknesse there being no rest in his bones because of his sin did him much good it made him to say it is good for me that I was afflicted The sicknesse of the body engendreth the health of the soule perijssemus nisi perijssemus said Themistocles to his Wife and Children when they were banished and found extraordinary favour at the hands of strangers So wee may say if our outward man had not perished by sicknesse our inner man had perished In the time of health we are Martha's carryed away too much with the world Sicknesse makes us Maries to meditate more upon heavenly matters that causes us to pray and that with teares to turne our faces to the wall and take a farewell of the world as Hezekiah did to call our sins to remembrance as 1 Reg. 17.18 Therefore let us beare the chastisements of our wise and loving Father that we may be partakers of his holinesse in this life and of the holy Hierusalem in the life to come VERSE 11. THe event and issue of afflictions is amplified by a comparison of the times 1. He shewes the present asperity of afflictions then the future utility No Child takes pleasure in correction for the time it is irkesome and unpleasant but when he comes to yeeres of discretion he prayses God for it that he was not permitted to live as he listed but was kept within the bounds of piety So Gods chastisements are not joyous for the time to the flesh though the spirit then rejoyceth as some have clapt their hands for joy in the flames of fire yet to the flesh no affliction is comfortable sicknes imprisonment banishment death is not joyous Children cry out ô good Master good Father So wee cry out for paine Oh my head my backe c. Oh good Iesu Afterwards when the paine is removed the heart purged and they feele the comforts of the spirit It yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse Of an holy and righteous life lead in the feare of God it breeds quietnesse of conscience the peace that passeth all understanding It procures eternall rest and quietnesse in heaven where wee shall be free from all calamities 2 Cor. 4. pen. The time of affliction is the seeds time the harvest comes afterward as hee said of vertue amara radix dulcis fructus may most truly bee said of afflictions the beginning is as bitter as gall or worme-wood but the end shall bee sweeter than hony A sicke man will drinke bitter potions for health a Merchant will endure stormes and tempests for wealth A woman endures great paine and sore travell for the joy of a man Child A Husbandman will sow in winter that hee may reape in harvest so let us be willing to sow in teares in this life of affliction that we may reape in joy in the life of rest and quietnesse This fruit is amplified by a description of the persons to whom it brings this fruit non castigatis sed exercitatis by them we are exercised to all goodnesse God rewards us opportunè afterwards abundè fruit integrè of righteousnesse juste to them that be exercised One action makes not an exercise he is not a Souldier that hath fought once a wrastler that hath wrastled once a Marrinour that hath sayled once habitus acquiritur crebris actionibus So hee is not exercised with afflictions that hath beene once afflicted We must be exercised by many chastisements through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God God will exercise us dayly The body that wanteth exercise is corrupt and if we be not exercised with afflictions we shall grow naught There are two exercises for the faithfull the Scripture Hebr. 3.14 and affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Saint Chrysost. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercise makes a man valiant and invincible He that is not used to running cannot run well use makes perfectnes This might mitigate the paine of affliction it is but an exercise that God useth for our good In all afflictions let us not look so much on the time present as on the time to come All our comfort is in this word afterwards The cutting and lanching of a man the putting of long tents into the soare of a man is not joyous for the present but when the dead flesh is taken out the soare cured the health that comes afterwards bringeth joy eadem est ratio disciplinae qua medicinae No apprentiseship for the time is very joyous many of them work hard and fare hard they have many a heavy blow are weary of their lives thinke every yeere two till they be out of their Apprentiseship The joy comes afterwards when they be free men when they set up for themselves by Gods blessing some prove Mayors Aldermen or the chiefe men in the towne where they have served No childbirth is joyous for the present when a woman travaileth she hath sorrow but when she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world The seed time for the most part is not very joyous the husbandman endures much cold and raine and his seed for the present seemes to be lost when harvest comes then comes the joy So the seed of righteousnesse is sowen in affliction in this life the great joy shall be at the generall harvest in the life to come then all weeping and wayling shall bee cast out then we shall not know what sicknesse meanes then shall we have joyes that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither entred into the heart of man to conceive Let this bee as sugar to sweeten afflictions to us 2 Cor. 4. ult Now followes the conclusion of this point wherein hee exhorteth them to courage Ver. 12. to constancy Ver. 13. VERSE 12. WHerefore seeing the
profit of affliction is so great lift up the hands Manus sunt organa organorum they that be faint and of a feeble courage hang down their hands and have weake knees The knees sustaine the weight of the body he would have them to take heart to them to lift up their hands and to strengthen their knees that they may run the race set before them Runners stretch out their hands legs and knees too So must wee in this spirituall race VERSE 13. STagger not but goe firmely like stoute men make straight steps goe not awry rectos gressus facimus rectè credendo confitendo patiendo Now yee halt but ye are in the way if yee looke not to it ye may be carryed quite out of the way There is triplex obliquitas In intellectu affectu actione The people in Elias time halted betweene two opinions 1 Reg. 18.2 So some of the Hebrewes began to halt betweene two Religions Iudaisme and Christianisme The false Apostles and persecuting Iewes made them as it were to halt The ceremoniall law the Temple are of Gods institution shall we forsake them and believe in Christ crucified they that bee Christians are hated of all the world spoyled of their goods and lives too Wee will pause a little on the matter wee will consider with our selves whether it were best for us to be Christians or not This halting hee would have removed and wishes them to make straight steps to goe on manfully in the profession of the Gospell that no afflictions make them to halt As for us GOD be thanked for it we live not in the time of persecution as the Hebrewes did wee are not spoiled of our goods cast into prison constrained to flye our native Country carryed to the stake to be burnt for the name of CHRIST we have a Vertuous and Religious King that is a nursing Father to the Church yet the chastisements of the Lord are ryfe among us because wee are not bastards but Sonnes When the first borne were destroyed in Aegypt there was not one house of the Aegyptians but one dead in it There is scant one house among us but there is one sicke or afflicted in it A man can travell almost into no Country but hee shall finde a number sicke sometimes the man and Wife Children and servants downe at once Neither are they of the worser sort drunkards adulterers atheists c. but many of the better sort good professours sober godly and religious men that are thus visited Our heavenly father sees something amisse among us which causeth him to send forth his rods into so many places The Church of Corinth was an excellent Church yet St. Paul sayes for this cause namely a negligent and disorderly receiving of the Lords Supper many are weake sicke and sleepe among you The Lord sees us to bee rocked asleepe in security to bee negligent in prayer reading of Scripture comming to Church he sees the heavenly Manna of his Word the food of our soules to be loathed in all places men waxe too nise and dainty in hearing he sees the Sacraments not to be regarded men make small reckoning of these seales of faith For these causes many are weake and sicke among us yet let us not faint under these afflictions Let us lift up our hands that hang downe c. Let us consider who it is that striketh us it is the LORD said Eli c. It is not an unlucky conjunction of Planets they be not the dogge dayes which are the cause of these diseases they are not simply to be imputed to the weather or the time of the yeere It is the Lord that smiteth us and let him doe what seemeth him good Hee is our loving and mercifull Father in Christ Iesus hee will lay no more on us then hee will enable us to beare to our everlasting comfort in the end We are chastned by the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world Hee suffers the wicked oftentimes to live in jollity the rod of God is not upon them they are not in trouble as other men but hee Schooles his owne Children they shall seldome bee without some affliction or other least they should bee drowned in the pleasures of the world Therefore let us beare the chastisements of the LORD patiently for a short time in this life which is but a spanne long that wee may live with our heavenly Father in the life to come Hitherto he hath given a precept touching our selves how we our selves are with patience to runne the race set before us quietly enduring such chastisements as our father imposeth Now hee doth further enjoyne us to bee as trumpets to waken others to it that they may run together with us in the race of Christianity Where 1. An admonition 2. A reason for the enforcing of it Verse 18. In the admonition 1. A generall propounding of it Verse 14. 2. A particular unfolding of it In the generall propounding of it 1. The vertues commended to us peace and holinesse Then the reason for the enforcing of them of the latter especially VERSE 14. HE doth not say embrace peace when it comes to you and offers her selfe to you but though she runne away follow her lay hold on her and bring her whether she will or no. We must seeke peace instanter follow it generaliter with all prudenter in holinesse Not with some but all not with your friends alone but with your enemies too not only with them of the same Religion but with those that be of another Religion Bee at peace with their persons though not with their vices bee at peace with all what in thee lieth especially holinesse that is of absolute necessity bee not so greedy of peace that yee should forget holinesse holinesse of soule and body 1 Thes. 4.3 2 Cor. 7.1 Hereunto he inviteth us by the danger of the want of it without which no man be he never so wise learned honourable though he be a King he cannot be saved without holinesse shall see the Lord in his blessed and glorious kingdome in the life to come as a Citizen of the same kingdome Our Saviour was at peace with the Pharisees hee went to many of their houses to dinner hee was at peace with Caesar though he were a persecutor of the Church and payd tribute to him and wee may be at peace with all men throughout the wide compasse of the world with Atheists drunkards adulterers c. 1 Cor. 5.10 Yet here two cautions are to be observed 1. Wee must distinguish betweene peace and familiarity wee may bee at a generall peace even with the enemies of God but wee must not bee familiar with them There is danger in that All our delight must be on the Saints that be on the earth they must be our familiars 2. Wee may bee at peace with the persons of all but with the vices of none Bee at peace with a drunkard but not with his drunkennesse reprove that
Christ the Sun in the heaven was darkned and drew in her face At the Feast of Pentecost after Christs asscention the Holy Ghost came from heaven the Apostles on the sudden spake all languages on the earth all Nations were shaken with the preaching of the Gospel which as a Trumpet from Heaven sounded in the eares of them all Thus the Gospell whereof Christ is the Minister is farre more glorious than the Law whereof Moses was the Minister Therefore let us take heed how we despise him that speaketh now to us from heaven VERSE 27. HAving alleaged the Text he makes a Commentary of it Shaken like ships tossed on the Sea As of things that are made as the Tabernacle and Temple were Which cannot be shaken the precious Iewels of the Gospell may remaine for ever The ceremoniall Law with all the Rites belonging to it is shaken the Gospell continues to the worlds end They that despised the Law were punished though it were to continue for a time how much more shall they that despise the Gospell which abideth for ever Here the Apostle speaketh of a spirituall shaking There is one materiall shaking yet behinde when as the pillars of Heaven shall bee shaken the world shall passe away with a noise the earth with the workes thereof shall bee burnt up that is a terrible shaking We feare now to see a few trees shake but then Heaven and Earth shall shake Let us shake now before CHRIST speaking to us in the ministery of the Gospel that we may stand without shaking before him at the latter day Here we see that the Scriptures are not carelesly and negligently to be read of us Grandia mysteria lye often hid in one word but of one word in the Old Testament Christ deriveth the resurrection God of the living not of the dead Out of the Cloud S. Paul fetcheth Baptisme out of the Rock Christ. The Apostle here out of one word in the prophesie of Hagge concludeth the abrogation of the Law and the corroboration of the Gospell Therefore let us be circumspect in reading of the Scriptures there is nothing idle in it no not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Basil speaketh one word may be a foundation to set a goodly building on Therefore marke with diligence every word of the sacred Scriptures VERSE 28. HEre we have the affirmative use that we should honour him whereunto he exciteth us by two arguments the one à praemio the other à poena 29. Receiving a Kingdome by expectation in this life and possession in the life to come Not a Lordship but a Kingdome which our Saviour Christ speaking better things than Abel hath purchased for us with his bloud He doth not say seeing we merrit a kingdome we are not merritors but receivers of it Christ puts it into our hands and wee receive it What manner of Kingdome not an earthly that may be shaken but an heavenly The windes may blow downe these kingdomes the earth may shake and hurle them downe fire may consume them the sea devoure them God may use the men of one kingdome as knives to cut the throat of another kingdome But this is a kingdome that cannot be shaken This we receive from Christ our Saviour he rewards our poore service with a kingdome therefore let us serve him Which is amplified by the efficient cause and the formall The efficient is the grace of God without the which we cannot serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us hold the grace given to us in the Gospell that it may bee as a whet-stone to sharpen us to his service Then for the manner of it it must be pleasingly so as he may be pleased with our service Some serve God and yet please him not They give to the poore and to the Preachers of the Word but it is grudgingly whereas God loves a cheerefull giver We must so serve him as that we may please Him Whereunto two things are required shamefastnesse in respect of our selves and reverence in regard of him When we looke to our selves considering what vile wretches we be polluted with sin in soule and body wormes-meat dust and ashes then wee must hang downe our heads in our bosomes for shame we are unworthy to serve such a Master as Christ is 2 In respect of him we must have reverence because he is the high and eternall God We must love Christ and reverence him too love him as a Saviour reverence him as a Lord and Master Though a servant have a poore man to his Master yet he must reverence him our Master is rich Heaven and Earth are his therfore reverence him Though we have a weak man to our Master yet we must reverence him Christ is most strong able to crush us in peeces with a rod of Iron Though he be a wicked man yet reverence him Christ is most holy no iniquity dwelleth in him therefore reverence Him VERSE 29. WHY he is our kinde loving and mercifull GOD but as Hee is a GOD of mercy so of vengeance too GOD is ignis communiens consumens purgans Hee is a preserving fire to them that serve Him aright Zach. 2.5 Hee is a consuming fire to them that rebell against him that cast His Commandements behinde their backes He was a consuming fire to the Israelites when he sent fiery Serpents among them to kill them to the Sodomites when He sent fire and brimstone to destroy them to the two Captaines that went for Elias when Hee sent fire from Heaven to spoyle them Hee consumes with Consumptions and diseases with the Pestilence inundations of waters with fires in many Townes There be two fires the one temporall the other eternall Hee will be a consuming fire to all impenitent sinners when they shall bee with the rich Glutton in the lake burning with fire and brimstone for ever Therefore let us feare this God Kisse the Sonne least if His wrath be kindled but a little yee perish from the way We flatter our selves too much in the mercies of God God is mercifull As a Father pittyeth his children c. His mercie reacheth to the heavens Though we be adulterers drunkards proud malicious yet God is mercifull I but as He is demulcens Pater so he is animadvertens judex with an axe ready to cut our heads Because God doth not alwayes shew Himselfe in the likenesse of fire a terrible God powring downe the coales of his wrath upon us because he beareth with us and doth not by and by punish us for our sins we thinke we may contemne him we may serve him as we list any service will content him I but remember likewise that our God is a consuming fire It is long peradventure before a fire breakes forth it may lye lurking a great while and not be seene but if it begin to flame to set upon a Towne without great prevention it will burne up the whole Towne So God is patient His wrath
him by flyes as Hee did Pharaoh Hee choaked Pope Adrian with a flye Hee can send wormes to eate him up as Hee did to Herod All the men of the world are to him as a flye to an Elephant Hee can suddenly crush them He confounded the Counsell of Achitophel overthrew Goliah with a stone Therefore let this victorious song bee alwayes in our hearts and mouthes The Lord is my helpe and I will not feare what man can doe unto me nay I will not feare what all the Devills in hell can doe unto mee God is a spirit man is flesh God is strong man is weake God is the Creator man is the creature God is the Lord man is the servant Therefore if God be our helper what neede wee to feare a man Wee in England have many enemies enemies without the Realme and within The Iesuits are alwayes busie ever working some mischiefe against us they are plotting continually they have alwayes some mischiefe or other a forging in the shop of their cruell braine they would faine make a generall riddance of us all Yet let us say the Lord is our helper we will not feare what man no not what those bloudy men can doe against us VERSE 7. BEfore hee gave morall precepts now follow precepts of doctrine and Religion 1 An exhortation to perseverance in true Doctrin 2. A dehortation from false He exhorteth to perseverance in the truth by two Arguments 1. From the example of their spirituall guides and Captaines that have gone before them 2. From the unity of the Doctrin of Christ verse 8. Touching their guides and rulers there be two things 1. A remembrance of them 2. An intimation of them Suffer them not to slip out of your remembrance though they bee dead yet let not their memory dye He stirs them up to a remembrance of them by a lively description of them They are described 1. By the authority of their place 2. By the sincerity of their preaching The worthy Preachers and Martyrs that be gone must not be banished out of our memories we must often thinke upon them that the recordation of their vertues may be as a whetstone to sharpen us to the like The name of the wicked shall rot but the righteous shall be had in perpetuall remembrance If I forget thee ô Ierusalem say they in the Psal. Let not us forget the holy men that dyed in the Faith of CHRIST I am as a dead man out of mind Dead men are soone forgotten Let us remember Isaiah that was sawen in pieces for the trueth remember Saint Peter Saint Paul the Prophets Apostles Martyrs that have layd downe their lives for the truth A notorious theefe an infamous drunkard like Falcidius qui superavit totam Asiam bibendo an egregious whoremaster as Hercules shall be remembred we will speake of them with a kinde of jollity But good men zealous and sober Christians shall soone bee forgotten wee seldome remember them and talke of the good things of the excellent graces wherewith GOD adorned them It may be we will remember some Preachers that be dead and talke of them to the disgrace of some that be alive to cast them into the dish of the living to upbraid them withall but wee doe not remember them for our owne benefit comfort and instruction that they may be as bels to toll us to the like good things that were in them Remember Lots wife said Christ but that was to avoyde the backsliding that was in her Remember your rulers to embrace the vertues that were in them But how must we remember them by following of their Faith Whereunto hee inviteth us by a contemplation of their conversation from the beginning to the end how sincere how constant they have beene in the whole course of their lives Nothing could make them to starte or to shrink from Christ and his Gospell but they continued manfully to the end Follow them in this Here wee may see how we are to honour the Saints departed Hee doth not say Erect Churches for the memoriall of them appoynt holy dayes to remember them by worship their reliques Saint Paul his napkins Saint Peters crosse the stone that hit Stephen on the elbowe their bones c. pray to them visit their tombes and sepulchres goe in pilgrimage to them no no but follow their faith as they have beene faithfull to the end not regarding their owne lives so be you This is the best honouring of the Saints departed If there have beene any slips and infirmities in them as all of them have had some let us not follow them in those as Platoes Schollers followed him in his crooked back in going stooping as he did and as Alexanders parasites followed him in his defect of seeing Let us not follow Noah in his drinking Abraham and Isaak in dissembling Lot in his incest the Midwives and Rachel in lying David in his adultery Peter in his denyall Paul and Barnabas in contention but let us follow their Faith their hope zeale continencie their frequent and fervent praying their enduring of all crosses for the Name of Christ and their constancie in the profession of the truth to the last gaspe Neyther famine cold nor nakednesse imprisonment banishment sword fire fagot could draw them from Christ. Let us follow them in these things that wee together with them may follow the Lambe in the life to come VERSE 8. WHy they might have one Christ and wee an other they one doctrine and we an other That cannot be Iesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever in the time of the law now in the time of the Gospell and so to the end of the world In former ages in this age in future ages The same in Essence without change In his promises never failing In his doctrine Christ is put for the doctrine of Christ 2 Cor. 3.14 Act. 15.21 Homer is often used for poetry Mars for warre Apollo for wisedome Bacchus for wine Hee was declared after one manner in the law in types figures sacrifices after an other manner now but alwayes the same Christ the head and foundation of the Church 1 Cor. 3.11 Agnus occisus ab origine mundi There is but one truth and doctrine of Christ professed by the godly in all ages therefore let us embrace that and persist in it to the end They embraced Christ so let us doe There is one Christ one Faith one Baptisme one Church none other foundation can any lay then Iesus Christ. Hee was the foundation of the Church in Adams time in Abrahams time in Isaiahs time in Pauls time in the law in the Gospell and shall be to the end of the world Abraham saw the day of Christ and was glad All that ever have beene saved were saved by Christ one GOD and one Mediatour betweene GOD and man There is no other under heaven whereby we must be saved Therefore let us continue in this one doctrine of Christ which yesterday and to day
sees it as for the other wee shall feele it to our woe if wee doe not repent So much for the good conscience which wee must have from our entrance into our places Now let us come to the exequution of our calling being entred Wherein wee must examine our consciences about two things our preaching and our life In our preaching must bee observed the matter of our preaching and the manner 1. For the matter let us with a watchfull and circumspect eye see what wee deliver what foode wee minister to CHRISTS Lambes what bread wee breake to the people Let there bee nothing in our Sermons at any time that is contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul speaketh to sound sincere and upright doctrine As there was not a blemish nor a soare by all probability in Absaloms body from the crowne of his head to the soale of his foote so let there be no blemish so farre as is possible no sore of corrupt doctrine from the beginning of our Sermons to the end Let all bee consonant to the Analogie of Faith as the Apostle speaketh Let us have never a drop of doctrine but wee are sure it flowes from the fountaine of GODS Word A lamentable thing it is to consider how many Preachers in the light of the Gospell partly for the ostentation of their owne wit and learning partly on an unstayed affection and unsetled judgement deliver dangerous points that make much hurlie burlie among the people Inter curas maxima cura est refraenare curiosos they are to bee avoyded etiamsi nescio qua umbra honestatis liberalium Studiorum nomine velatae atque palliatae sint O res indignas vigilijs lucubrationibus Episcoporum Aug. Epist. 56. Deliver those things rather that may pierce the hearts of the people to Salvation then that which may tickle the eares of the people with a carnall delight and to damnation in the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a Countrey Village where be many Farmers to inveigh against Lords and Land-lords in the eares of the people to declaime against the vices of Ministers in the Church to lay open the blemishes of the state and governement ô this is as honey to them A famous Preacher a couragious Preacher I warrant you hee cares for none Alas what profit have the people by this applie every plaister to every soare Speake that which may be most fit for the edification of that auditorie to whom thou speakest Labour to beate downe Poperie Brownisme which sprouteth too fast bring whom yee can to the Church but scare none from the Church give no occasion by your preaching to runne out of the gates of Sion Above all things in your Sermons have a Christian regard to the peace of the Church wherein yee live which as a loving mother reacheth out to you the dugs of the Word of GOD which you may sucke to your comfort Pray for the peace of Ierusalem sayes the Psalm and if wee must pray for it wee must preach for it Therefore say I preach for the peace of Ierusalem wherein ye live that wee may see the peace of it if it be the will of GOD all the dayes of our life Of this preaching wee shall have great comfort to our consciences 2. Let us have an eye to the manner of our preaching In it let us seeke the glory of our master not our owne glorie A great number of Preachers have more respect to their words then to the matter to the sound of a syllable in the eares of the people then to the sounding of the trumpet of the Gospell in their hearts I will not denie but that the man of GOD may bee eloquent the Holy Ghost himselfe is most eloquent in the Scripture He that hath but halfe an eye may see that Sedeloquentia as Aug. speaketh tantò terribilior quantò purior tantò vehementior quantò solidior it must bee senilis not puerilis Divinae not humana It is the foolishnesse of preaching as the world accounteth it that must save us if any thing save us Crucifixi virtus in Paulo sayes Chrys. fuit Poetis Rhetoribus Philosophis potentior Let there bee a maternall eloquence in Preachers such as becometh the gravitie of the Word of God As Hester that had beauty enough of her owne required nothing of the Kings Eunuch but went in to him as she was and yet she was better accepted of then they all So the Word of God is beautifull enough of it selfe it needs no colours of over-affected eloquence and Rhetoricall painting to set it out withall this goes but to the eare it never enters in the heart where on the seed of the word shall fall for the most part it makes the Auditours to laugh and to smile in their sleeves but as Saint Ierome admonishes us lachrymae Auditorum laudes tuae sunto it is a greater commendation for a Preacher to make the people weepe being pricked in their hearts for their sinnes then to moove them to laughter Let us all strive to have a good conscience even in the manner of our preaching that when the Sermon is ended our consciences may beare us witnesse wee sought Gods Glory not our owne Saint Chrys. cryes out upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vix ullus est Sacerdos qui ad eum non allidit etiam hodie animus meus ab inani gloria capitur Let us all strive against it with might and maine For our preaching in the exequution of our office that shall suffice now let us come to our life which is either generall as common to all Christians or speciall as peculiar to our selves As all Christians are bound in conscience to adde to their faith vertue temperance c. to eschew all vices that may bee a disgrace to the Gospell and to embrace all vertues that may be an honour to it so especially the Preachers of the Word Magistrum vitae in vita offendere is a grievous thing as the heathen himselfe could say the offence of a Minister is a double offence quia peccat facto exemplo Abimelech said to his souldiers As yee have seene mee doe so make haste and doe the like If a Minister doe evill hee neede not say so to the people they will make haste to doe the like fast enough Nulli jam illicitum esse videtur quod ab Episcopo tanquam licitum perpetratur Id homines credunt esse laudabile quod Episcopus habuerit delectabile If the Minister bee a drunkard a frequenter of Tavernes and Ale-houses c. the people take licence thereby to commit the like sinnes If covetousnesse were a sinne would our Minister bee covetous c. Thus hee doth not onely sinne himselfe but hee makes others to sinne Therefore for conscience sake wee had need all to have an eye to it tanquam in coelo peccat sayes Saint Bern. Qui in Clero iniqua facit
Emperour to his God and ours But how by pure prayer 2. Of learned and godly Preachers that may winne many thousands to Christ. 3. Of extraordinary common-wealths men 4. Of rare Christians as Philemon was Alexander counted Achilles happie that he had such a trumpetter of his praises as Homer was PHILEMON might count himselfe happie that hee had such a worthie man to pray for him as Saint Paul was KING Abimelech was beholden to Abraham for his prayers and Iobs friends to him for his prayers Constantine thought his pallace strong because it was fenced with the prayers of holy Bishops Let us rejoyce in this that we have Pauls to pray for us VERSE 5. BVt what was the motive of his thanksgiving The excellent graces wherewith GOD had adorned him where there is 1. Fama bonorum the report of them 2. enumeratio bonorum an enumeration of them 3. Objecta eorum the objects of them For the fame or report Saint Paul heard of them an admirable hearing from Phrygia to Rome sayes Chrysostome and Oecumenius There are two things that are wont to be carried in the Wagon of fame bad and good the one swiftly the other slowly the one lamely the other lustily of the one we shall heare all and more than all and scant halfe of the other as it fell out in the Wisedome of Salomon What did he heare His love and faith where is hope then tanquam media in ijs intelligitur sayes Aquin. as a midle vertue betweene both it is comprehended in both These three in a golden chaine are linked together faith sayes parata sunt mihi magna great things are prepared for me hope sayes mihi servantur magna great things are reserved for me love sayes curro ad illa magna I make hast to those great things But why hath ' love the precedencie Love is the daughter faith the mother and must the daughter bee placed above the Mother It is so 1. Because it is Saint Pauls drift in this whole Epistle to procure PHILEMONS love to Onesimus 2. Because love is Notior Nobis better knowne to us then faith which is more hid and secret These are illustrated by their objects CHRIST and the Saints The Papists refer both to both objects whereupon they inferre As we love God and the Saints too So we must believe in God and in the Saints too yet diversely in God principaliter principally in the Saints consequenter consequently There is no consequence in this argument for God hath commanded us to love all but he hath not commanded us to believe in all that hee hath reserved as a regall prerogative to himselfe and his glory he will not give to another He sayes owe nothing to any man save love but he doth not say owe nothing to any man save to believe in him 2. Here the Apostle speakes of living Saints to whom Philemon extended his liberalitie now the Papists will not have us to believe in living Saints but in dead Saints therefore this place makes not for them 3. It is said to him that worketh not but belieueth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Aug. makes a worthie collection upon it whosoever dares say justifico te I justifie thee may consequently say crede in me believe in mee which none of the Saints can truly say save only he which is Sanctus Sanctorum the Saint of Saints Ye believe in God believe also in mee Credimus Paulo sed non credimus in Paulum wee believe Paul but not in Paul we believe Peter but not in Peter As we believe the Catholike Church but not in the Catholike Church because the Creed sayes I believe in the Holy Ghost Nazian concludes from thence that the Holy Ghost is God for we must believe in none but God 4. Quid est credere in cum nisi credendo in cum ire ejus membris incorporari What is it to believe in him .i. In CHRIST but by believing to goe into him and to be incorporated as members into his body Now we are not incorporated into the Saints therefore we are not to believe in them 5. They can erect no such building out of this place for the praepositions in the Greeke distinguish the objects Hearing of thy love and faith there hee pauseth a while which thou hast towards the Lord Iesus there he restraines faith and towards all Saints .i. Thy love towards all Saints regulating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before mentioned 6. Paul is a good expositour of himselfe Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and of your love towards all Saints Here he reduces them to their proper objects so that no question can be made of it 7 If we must believe in the Saints we must hope in the Saints It is St. Basil's reason But we must hope in God alone Maledictus qui sperat in homine cursed be he that hopes in man As Saint Paul heard of PHILEMONS faith and love So it were to be wished that all the world might ring of our faith and love these be necessary for all Christians faith in the first place love in the second nec palmes sine vite nec virtus sine fide there can be no branch without the Vine no vertue no not love without faith Faith makes a Christian love makes and showes a Christian No CHRIST no heaven no faith no CHRIST Faith is the hand that layes hold on CHRIST The high Priests and Pharisees gave a strait charge that if any knew where CHRIST was he should shew it that they might take him Would yee faine take him sayes Augustine I will tell you where he is and how yee may take him He is in heaven there ye may take him Sed quomodo mittam manum in Coelum ut ibi sedentem capiam How shall I send my hand into heaven to take him mitte fidem tenuisti Send thy faith thither and thou hast taken him By faith we apprehend him and all his benefits by faith we put on CHRIST as a garment wherewith our sinnes are covered from the sight of God and as Iacob got the blessing in the clothes of his elder brother so doe we get heaven clothed with Christ like the Woman clothed with the Sun CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts by faith O happie house where the Sonne of God dwelleth Faith is the victory whereby we overcome the world we are more than Conquerours through him that hath loved us Insomuch that we may take up that triumphant song O death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory the strength of death is sinne the strength of sin is the Law but thankes be to God through Iesus Christ that hath delivered us from you all By Faith Moses saw him which is invisible by faith wee see the joyes of heaven and Christ standing at the right hand of GOD ready to receive us into them