Our Sauiour Christ being y eternall sonne of God through the work of the holy ghost was made man of the virgin Marie and borne without originall sinne and by the same spirit filled still his manhood more and more with grace till the fulnesse of all righteousnesse was within him that so his manhood might inherit saluation according to the promisse Do this and thou shalt liue But hitherto as he is righteous so he is righteous for him selfe and only that man is yet blessed which was conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of the virgin Marie Our sinnes doe yet remaine and we abide holden vnder the death of them and therefore as his first woorke sanctified him self so yet there remained more that he might sanctifie vs For when he commeth to vs he findeth vs in sinne through sinne in death and in the condemnation of the diuell who had the power of death So that he had nowe another worke then in his first righteousnesse to sanctifie his owne bodie He must also abolish sinne and death and hel in which we were holden if he wil be a sauiour vnto vs And heere he must multiplie all his former righteousnesse and make it infinite for a greater worke is behind and a new law is giuen vnto him a law neuer giuen to all flesh a singular law out of the depth of Gods wisdome and goodnesse which without the fall of Adam had neuer beene seene neither of man nor Angel a law of a redeemer that is a law by which he might bring man from death to life from hel to heauen from hatred to loue and from the diuell to God a work farre greater then to make the worlde of nothing This law was to loue God his brother not in vsual things of life whervnto al we were appointed but in taking vpon him sin and death and treading the winepresse of the anger of almightie God. And this thing he hath also done For being righteous pure holie and without spot the sinne that abounded he tooke it all vpon him and deathe that reigned he submitted him selfe vnto it and went as despised among men in shame in ignominie in affliction of the flesh for the sinne of our bodies and in anguishe of spirite in mourning and in sorrowe to beare the sinnes of our soules before GOD feeling the heauinesse of his wrathe whiche was the sting of death and condemnation and before man shewing the signes of it vpon a cursed crosse in agonies bloudie sweates and in wofull crying according to the sense and feeling of sorrowe that was vppon him And all this he endured not vnwillingly for then he had done nothing but with exceeding ioy of heart that he had found out the miserie in whiche he might seale it howe muche he loued his father and make it manifest howe he loued vs So went he willingly vnto death and that he might satisfie the iustice of his father and purge the sinnes of his people with all his heart he gaue his bodie vnto the crosse and his soule a sacrifice for our sinne which obedience was accepted of his father the iust punishment of all sinne and full redemption of all his elect And this the Apostle here meaneth when he sayth that by himselfe he purged our sinnes And because he saith by himselfe he purged our sinnes in this we see a cleare discharge giuen to the Tabernacle and all the sacrifices at the doore of it not one of them purged sinne And though some wee called sinne offeringes and the sinnes of the people in such sacrifices were saide to be forgiuen yet they had that name and calling not according to the merite of the woorke but according to the vertue of the thing they signified euen as the Lordes supper is called the communion of the bodie of Christe and baptisme is saide to bee the washing away of our sinnes not in trueth of the thing but in mysterie of the signe The phrase being so vsed for more assurance and warrant of the promise not to carrie the grace of God from our sauiour Christ and his spirit to the dumbe elements of bread or water And if the Iewes are here instructed to leaue their vaine trust and confidence in the lawe and to knowe that the forgiuenesse of their sinnes was not in meates drinkes and diuerse washings and carnall rites of the temple nor in the bloud of Goates and Calues or in the ashes of an heifer sprinckling thē which are vncleane but onely in the precious bloud shed and the bodie crucified of Iesus Christ notwithstanding all these ordinaunces were giuen them of God what could our fathers say who sawe the Lawe abrogate the temple pulled downe the lande prophaned the Iewes scattered the wordes of faith preached and that they should glorie in nothing but in the Crosse of Iesu Christ what could they say either Tertullian for fasting crossing oyling whiche he learned and had of Montanus the heretique Or Cyprian for satisfaction or Theodoretus for martyrs merits or Cyrill for iustification of woorkes or Augustine for prayer for the dead or Ierome for so many superstitions of lights garments vessels c. Nay what can we say who haue seene all that the olde fathers haue seene why at this day we should loue their errours nay why we should deuise new of our owne which the oldefathers knew not why haue we loued the popes woful Iubileis or his damned pardons why do we yet think that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quick dead why was purgatorie first drempt on as much hotter thē our fire as ours is hotter then a painted fire or why was the building of chapels chauntries or religious houses thought to be a meanes to deliuer vs from such burning A thousand such things why we haue loued them what cause can wee alledge before the Lord The lawe of God giuen by Moses his faithfull seruant a lawe which had bene a scholemaister to leade many thousands vnto Christ could it not stand with Christ without darkening of his glorie and can the lawe of the pope giuen by Summists Canonists a people not knowē in y house of God which lawe onely leadeth to the obedience of the church of Rome can it be that it should bring any light to the gospel of Christ I nede not stand in ma ny words to confute so great folie I leaue it to the conscience of all that be wise hearted whether God abrogating his ownelaw ment that the pope shuld institute a new or whether he ment to take away all earnall ordinaunces that hee might make it plaine whiche the Apostle heere teacheth that by Christe alone all our sinnes are purged But heere some man by a subtile enimie may bee easily deceiued who will saye All this neede not they attribute not the forgiuenesse of sinnes to the popes pardons or to any masses but to Christ alone The Pope and masses are onely the applying of the fruit of Christes death vnto
world to come of which we speake whereof the Apostle hath spoken no man can doubt All his speach hath bene to bring vs vnder the rule gouernement of Christ then it is Christs kingdome which heere he calleth The world to come which is through the power of the spirite to renewe the worlde to kill in vs the olde man with all his concupiscence to quicken our soule and bodie into all righteousnesse to vanquishe sinne death hell and to establishe vs in hope of perpetuall inheritance of the glorie of god This did our Sauiour Christ perfectly and fully accomplish in his owne person and we by the same spirit euerie one according to the measure which he hath receiued so he doth shew forth this victorie Thus the Apostle when he had mentioned the giftes of Gods spirite commeth into the speach of the kingdome of Christ which by the gifts of that spirite is set vp in vs not according to the will of mā nor according to the will of Angels but as it hath pleased God we if we wil be partakers in it let vs confesse and serue the Lord Iesu for he giueth this blessinge to whom he will. It foloweth But one testifieth in a certeine place c. that honour of renuing of the world which the Apostle before had denied to angels now by plaine testimonie of the prophete he proueth it to beelong vnto Christ and where he beginneth thus But one witnesseth in a certein place rather then naming the prophet bothe the vnwoonted speache better expresseth the affection of his minde inflamed with the loue of that whereof he spake and it is more answerable with the words of the prophet who not with vsual speach but with a souden exclamation saith What is man that thou art mindeful of him now touching this saying of Dauid it is no doubte but he spake it in extolling the goodnesse of God to all Mankinde both the wordes of the Psalme are plaine in reckoninge vp the benefites which apperteine to all men and here the Apostle expresly so vnderstandeth it in the eight verse where he saith But yet we see not all thinges subiect vnto him How then is it applied vnto Christ rightly truly and according to the prophets meaning for one thing let vs learne which I haue tolde you often bothe of the prophets and of their prophesies they had a continuall desire to see the dayes of Christ and longed after the time of his appearance more then the chased Hart doth long for water brookes or the fainte and thirstie soule longeth for meate and drinke and therefore had a delight euen to speake of his comminge which they do often and with glorious words touching their prophesies because they knew y all benefites which God gaue vnto man he gaue them for Christs sake who was onely beloued therfore bothe in setting out benefites receiued and foretelling the blessings which God would surely bring vpon them in their woords they had respect to him in whom all Gods promises were accomplished and many times vttered such speches as could properly agree to no other but Christ alone to whome alone was giuen and by whome we were partakers of it so that thoughe most of their prophesies had a trueth of the present time and incident vnto themselues yet they are also truely and according to the prophetes sense applied vnto Christ by whome all goodnesse came vpon them and vs So it is here in this prophesie of Dauid the words then are true and spoken of the state of man as it was but yet also are referred to Christ because he is authour of it and the only man to whom God gaue this excellent glorie whiche we also haue but through him and that we may knowe thus the Prophet meant in deede hee added these words thou hast made him a litle while inferiour to Angels thou hast crowned him with honour glorie c which fully wholy agree to none but christ But of all this we shal haue occasion to speake more after Thus we se how this prophesie is applied out of which the Apostles second argument of his exhortation is this In the preaching of the worde of Christ God hath giuen vs his kingdome and eternall life a glorie which no Angel could bring vnto vs how then shall we not moste iustly be condemned if we contemne such a heauenlie blessing God hath not made subiect to angels the world to come we do here consider as it were two worlds the one past made by Adam which was sul of hatred enuie rebellion sorrow shame sinne death the bondage of the diuel the other now restored by Christ ful of loue blessings obedience honour righteousnesse life the fauour of God not distinguishing these worlds by times the one first y other after or making any change of heauē earth or any creature for they stand both together in the light of the same sunne moone but as in man are two estates y one of Adam natural which is in death and condemnation the other of Christe and by grace which is in life saluation so they are called the olde world and the new which phrase is vsuall in the scripture often when God speaketh of sending his sonne hee sayth thus Lo I wil create a new heauen and a new earth And the 70. interpreters whom here the apostle followeth they call our Sauiour Christ y Father of the world to come because I say of this restitutiō which he maketh in the world And though the name properlie be giuen to these dayes in which the gospel is preached yet the fruite benefite was also before neither were Abraham Isaak and Iacob nor the other Patriarches and Prophets of the olde worlde but they also sawe in spirit the day of Christe and were then of his kingdome onely the name is reserued to vs because that blessing is now clearely reuealed in perfect beautie and Christ the author of it hath appeared as one of vs and dwelt among vs in our owne nature This world God hath not put in subiection to Angels that is God hath not made his Angels neither purchasers nor dispensers of this heauenlie treasure It was neuer in their power to haue done this thinge In vaine wee should looke for such blessing at their hands If they should enter into this worke they would fall downe vnder it for it is not an Angel but it is the Sonne of God that shall chaunge the worlde whiche was in sinne and shame to fashion it a new into righteousnesse and glorie This is a verie good place out of which we may learne how to knowe our selues and all other creatures how to giue vnto Christ his own honour for seeing the world to come noteth all the restitution which is by Christ the full chaunge of all that euer was by sinne and therfore named World because wee should assuredly knowe there is nothing excepted if then no parte of this worlde bee
subiect to any creature and if it be Gods eternall counsell that it should neuer be submitted to any no not to Angels in whome else can wee trust or in what other thing can wee put confidence to haue any parte of this wrought for vs We are all as our fathers were men by nature of the olde world our bodies and mindes full of sinne holden vnder the condemnation of the diuell all creatures against vs and God him selfe hateing vs no way to renewe our age no man to chaunge our state no Angel but God hath giuen it to Christ alone Wil I say that I can alter mine owne wil to make it couet goodnes Or put power into the members of my bodie to serue righteousnesse Or doe the things in which is any merite to eternal life Or purchase againe Gods fauour which was remoued from me If I wil boast of any of these I speake too proud words for either man or Angel and say that this seconde worlde is made subiect vnto me all good will all righteousnesse al merite al pleasure in heauenly things al reconciliation all victorie ouer death all loue of God all hope to be short all that is good and all ioy of spirite is of this new world whereof Christ is king And whosoeuer shall thinke that any power of these things is in himselfe he is puffed vp into pride of heart suche as an Angel of Heauen should not beare vnpunished for not vnto Angels but vnto Christ these things are giuen What can we nowe thinke of these men that tell vs the sacraments giue vs grace the masse is propitiatorie for our sinnes our submitting our selues to the Churche of Rome shall saue vs the Pope if we follow him he can not erre Crosses Bells Candels Holie water Vestments Pilgrimage Pardons Reliques euerie one hath his vertue the number of prayers hathe his measure of reward flesh or fishe it hath his holines according to his time These men and all the louers of their Gospell which take away from Christ the only rule of the world wherof we speake and put it in subiection to fleshe and bloud and the elementes of the world what shall we say of them Shall we beleeue them Or shal they prospet Nay they haue plowed wickednesse and they shall reape iniquitie they haue wandered in errour and they shal eate the fruite of lyes Now if this be so that all flesh hathe no goodnesse in it that all his wisedome and trauell can renue no whit of the lost worlde or bring any light into horror and darknesse but all is of Christ what shall we yet do with wordes of louder blasphemie which they call workes of supererogation What shall we doe with the Pope himselfe who by generall voyce of all his Church is saide that he can dispense the abundance of merites whiche were in the virgin Marie and in all Saints by his bulls to applie them Confessis contritis that they shal haue days of pardon as manie as he will number Are they ashamed of these thinges Nay they are not ashamed but euen now they lende vs ouer whole volumes to shewe the fruite of pardons how good they are and of late haue sent vs a bull that we should haue experience howe they holde this doctrine And what shall we say of suche a one Surely dearely beloued euen as the Prophet sayth of the people of Israel His formeations are in his sight and his adulteries are betweene his breastes So his vncleanesse is manifest to all the worlde and his marke is in his forehead that hee might bee knowen to bee Antichriste And you dearely beloued when you talke with your friends who are not yet persuaded in the religion of Christ when they thinke that wee haue free wil or we may deserue by our works or Lent and fasting dayes are holie or flesh or fish doe please God or the signe of the crosse is good or censing and Musicke stirre vpp deuotion or any suche thing Doe but aske of them whether they thinke obedience loue deuotion forgiuenesse of sinnes puritie life grace and such other fruites of Gods spirite and his mercie aske I say whether they thinke them workes of the olde worlde corrupt by Adam or of the new restored by Christe If they be of the new God hath not giuen them neither to our prayers nor fasting not working nor day nor time nor meat nor crosse nor musick nor belles to be short no not to Angels but to Christ alone to be dispensed according to his will If thou were as good as an Angel or thy meate as good as Manna that fell from Heauen or â—…hy garments as precious as Aarons Ephod or thy censinges as sweete as the perfume of all the Tabernacle or the dayes that thou keptst were as honourable as the day in whiche Christ arose againe from the dead yet neither thou nor thy garmentes nor thy meate nor thy dayes can set one of thy feete in this world we speake of it is the kingdome of Christe and be hath done it alone according heere as this prophesie is plaine and manifest Now followeth this prophesie what it man that thou art mindful of him c. by these words the apostle pro ueth this kingdome of Christ both properly and of right to be his and also by faith through Gods spirite giuen vnto vs in our Sauiour Christ they haue this sense Was not thy glorie great inough O Lord in the worke of thy hands but y thou shouldest giue thy sonne to be made man in whom our nature should be so exalted that al power should be giuen to him in Heauen and in earth who by his death should abolish all enimitie against man that he might be crowned with glorie and maiestie and haue eternall life in his owne hand And all this according to the verie sense of the prophet and therfore here alledged as in deed it was to be a prophesie of our sauiour christ Of vs also it is ment thus The prophet considering both the great maiestie of God appearing in his works and the base and lowe estate of a frail man that such a God of so great maiestie should haue any respect of a fraile and wretched man he could not but thus humble him selfe What is man O Lord that thou shouldest regarde him Such thoughts dearely beloued let vs haue and with such secret counsels let vs nourish our fayth This is the meditation to which we are called in all the workes of God and for this cause God hath giuen vnto vs hearts of men full of reason iudgment that we should rightly consider of all his creatures When we see the heauens we cannot chose but confesse before them it was not the hande of man that set them vpp so high We knowe the shining light of the sunne it is not giuen vnto it from earth or earthly thing we are sure y earth is found our owne trauel hath found it so our eyes do see the
with mee this kingdome is a kingdome of darknesse a kingdome of sinne and it shall returne to the shape of his first beginning The kingdome of Christ shal be euer knowen by the scepter of the onelie Gospell preached and practised in it Now why is this called the scepter of righteousnesse Because saith the prophet it killeth the vngodlie the same exposition the Apostle immediately addeth Thou haste loued righteousnesse and hatediniqui◅ie therefore it is called a scepter of righteousnesse because it maketh the faithful righteous destroyeth the sinners from the face of the earth In this sense Saint Peter calleth it the seed of regeneration because by it we be begotten a-new into the image of God which is in righteousnesse So that heere we know whether we be of the Kingdome of Christ euen by the scepter by whiche we be ruled If the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ haue refourmed vs into a newe image to bee holie as our Sauiour Christ is holie that by his spirit the worlde be crucified vnto vs and we vnto the worlde then haue we our enfranchisement in this kingdome if not though we dwell in the mids of the Sanctuarie yet were we straungers from the lawe that came out of mount Sion And though we were baptised with all the water in the sea or as the Prophet saith though we wash our selues with Nitre and take much Sope yet our iniquities are marked before the Lord except we fele the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the righteousnesse and holinesse of this kingdome of Christe And what madnes can be like vnto it to flatter my selfe as if I had my portion among the electe of God and yet dwell in tabernacles of the Children of the diuell that is I meane yet walke in all the sinnes of a corruptible man Are not Gods children his Sainctes be they not brought vnto him with the scepter of righteousnes doth hee not keepe them with the seale of his holie spirite If I see no good workes in my hands if I know neuer that the preaching of the gospel killed concupiscence in me and made me hunger and thirst after righteousnesse if I feele not the spirite of God to sanctifie more and more my heart al mine affections how can I say I am the childe of God No no talke while thou wilte vse thy libertie say thou art a Protestant renounce the Pope except thou loue righteousnesse euen as thou louest thy soule reioycest in weldoing as in thy life thou hast bene but an idle hearer of the worde of trueth Godlinesse is not made of wordes as a wood is made of trees but it is an earnest loue proceeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned faith in whiche wee may glorifie God and do good to his people Paule was godlie when he gloried in nothing but in the crosse of Iesu Christe by which the worlde wascrucified vnto him and he vnto the world They are godlesse Hypocrites which in worde confesse they knowe God but in deedes denie him They are Christs which haue crucified the fleshe with the affections concupiscēce of it they are of their father the diuell that in wickednesse do the desires of the diuell Let vs then learne dearely beloued in good time to be wise when we were in ignorance then we walked in the woorkes of darkenesse now we haue vnderstanding let vs walke as the children of the light if we take the gospel into our mouth let vs knowe it is a scepter of righteousnesse to reforme our life and whosoeuer he be that hath chosen this portion peace be vpō him vpon the Israel of God and he that withdraweth himselfe from this purpose euen as the Apostle after saithe Let our soules haue no pleasure in him And here let vs also marke howe the Apostle setteth out this righteousnesse of christ Thou hast saith he loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is generall in all duetie which we do vnto God to loue the obedience with all our heart and soule and to detest and hate all the transgression and sinne So the Prophet Dauid saith I hate vaine inuentions but thy law I loue againe thy law I loue but I hate falshod abhorre it Euē so must we hate iniquitie if we loue righteousnesse and abhorre falshod if we loue the trueth and this is that eternall lawe whiche God gaue from the beginning I will saith he set enimitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede her seede But O Lord what a rebellious people are we where God hath commaunded all concorde and bound vs together in all bonds of vnitie One bodie one spirite one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God the father of vs all yet al these bondes we breake in sunder anger hatred reprochful words quarels wounds murders euerie cursed thing but we reach our hands vn to it to make strife one with another and disanull the agreement which God hath made on the other side touching the workes of darkenes we wil walke in them and though God hath separated them from vs as heauen from hell or Christe from Belial and hath made the hatred of them perpetuall to vs and our posteritie yet we thinke as the Prophet sayth to make a league with death and to beat agreement with hel we will follow our fleshly concupiscence as though there were no lorde to controll vs and we will not hate sinne at all A corrupt nature to loue that which we are bid hate and hate that which we are bid loue but a more corrupt affection if we giue place to these desires and are well pleased to loue them still It followeth in the end of this seuenth verse thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes In this we may learne an other notable cause why we shoulde acknowledge Christ our onely King and Law-giuer Because he is thus annoynted that is in him dwelleth all fulnesse of grace and the treasures of all wisdome and knowledge are hid in him so that leaue him leaue his lawes leaue his scepter we leaue instruction we leaue righteousnesse we leaue eternall life And heere note that the oyle of gladnesse is the giftes of the spirite of God gladnesse to our selues because it filleth vs with ioy in the Lord and gladnesse to other because it powreth grace into our lips to cōfort the weak harted to make vs a swete sauour of life vnto life to all that hearken vnto vs The heart of earth y is dry and baren and beareth no ioyful fruite of the Lord God this oyle of gladnes hath not yet softened it to make it a fertile soile for the seede of the worde of god And the carelesse man of a dull spirite that is not touched with his brothers sinning but letteth him alone in his vncleanesse to sinck or swim to stand or fall to liue or die
God God dwelleth in him and he in god And who soeuer he be that for any seare of man or for any cause maketh it not knowen that thus he beleueth or wil not professe his fayth the scripture testifieth against the thoughts of his heart and sayth plainlie He loueth the glorie of man more thē the glorie of god Let vs not be guiltie of so great sinne for this cause the calling of the Gentiles was so greatly magnified because the name of God should be greate from one end of the earth to the other Howe doe we holde our peace if wee be called in this couenant and not onelie so but what creature is there whiche is his dumbe nature sheweth not out the prayse of his Creatour The Heauens declare the glorie of GOD and the firmament sheweth his hand◅e woorke howe should then man of whome GOD hath bene esspecially mindful ty his toung so excellent a member of his bodie not with it speake forth y praise of God and make the world his witnes what faith he hathe in Christe But of this I spake before in the eleuenth lecture and vpon the twelfth verse Nowe let vs pray c. The thirteenth Lecture vpon the 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. verses to these wordes whose house c. 2 Who was faithful to him that hath ppointed him euen as Moses was in all his house 3 For this man is counted worthie of more glorie thē Moses in as much as he which hath builded the house hath more honour then the house 4 For euerie house is builded of some man he that hath built al things is God. 5 Now Moses verily was faithful in al his house as a seruant for a witnesse of the things which should be spoken after 6 But Christ is as the Sonne ouer his owne house c. I Tolde you the Apostle in this Chapter beginneth a speciall discourse of the prophesie of Christ first as you haue heard making an earnest exhortation for vs to hearken vnto him Nowe he goeth forwarde and teacheth what maner of Prophet Christ is and howe we ought to account him First that he was ordeined of God next that he was faithfull in his calling for he saith He was faithful to him that appointed him for in that the sonne of god was as we haue hard thus made man this was gods appointment to make him our Prophet and in that he was appointed of God he is set forth with his warrant that he did not glorifie him selfe to be our prophet but his father gaue him this honour by his glorious voice sounding out of the cloude This is my beloued sonne in whome I am wel pleased heare him and let vs take heede not to refuse or despise him that is thus sent of God and speaketh from Heauen least we should be found to striue against god And here that it is saide God appointed him wee see the roote and founteine of this loue that Christ should come a sauiour among vs It was not onely in the person of the Sonne who gaue his life for his sheepe but it was also in the person of the Father who so loued the worlde that Hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euerie one which beleeueth should not perish but haue life euerlasting So that we know as the worke instrument of our saluation is in Iesu Christ God and man who was crucified for our sinnes so the first cause is in God the Father who according to his owne purpose and will hath predestinated vs in Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laide that we should be vessels of honour to set foorth the praise of his glorie who had mercie vpon vs. And as we must giue vnto our Sauiour Christe the glorie of our redemption in the sacrifice of his bodie or else we denie him to be the Sonne of God so we must giue vnto the Father the praise of his mercie that hath freelie loued vs and predestinated vs eternallie vnto life or else we denie that he is the Father of our Lord Iesu Christ for as this is our profession that Christ hath done the deede so this is our profession that God the Father hath appointed him vnto it And as the Apostle speaketh here that God appointed him to be our Prophet so our Sauiour Christ euer acknowledgeth that he was sent of his Father The second thing here witnessed of Christ and in which we are assured he is our onelie prophet we are prouoked to hearkē vnto him is that He was faithful in all the house of God This faithfulnes is truth and integritie in discharge of this office committed to him wherein he set all his care and industrie that he might be found faultlesse that like as he was sent of God to be a Prophet to reueale his will so he did faithfully perfourme it teaching only the doctrine ordinances of his Father as in many places Christ testifieth this faith in his doing My doctrine saith he is not mine but his that sent me Againe I doe nothing of my selfe but as my father hath taught me so I speake And again The words that thou hast giuē me I haue giuen thē How diligently then ought we to heare such a Prophet as hath so faithfully spoken And here we haue all a verie good lesson taught vs in the person of Christ to what calling so euer we be called of God in the same let vs be faithfull if wee be preachers faithfull preachers if we be princes faithful princes if we be iudges faithfull iudges if we be treasurers faithful treasurers if we be merchants faithful merchants what soeuer we bee faithfulnesse must bee our praise for as Saint Paule requireth of all Hee that hath an office let him be diligent in his office so hee giueth this as the prayse of all diligence It is required of euerie dispenser that he be found faithfull and euerie vnfaithfull seruant shal be condemned in his worke in the day that his accompt is called for for he that hath bene vnfaithful in things of this life which are fraile and fewe how can he thinke there shall euer be committed vnto him eternallthings and infinite in number And we must heere also marke that it is say de of Christe He was faithfull to him that called him that is to God for vnto God wee must make our accompt of euery worke It is true that Kinges make their vnder officers but the offices are all of God Kinges serue to appoint the persons in this ministerie of man but God alone appointeth them their work which is the ministerie of his iustice and the safetie of his people of which he also will aske an accompte and before him we doe all that we doe When Iosaphat King of Iudah appointed his iudges and officers he giueth them this charge Remember that now you execute not the iudgemēts of man but of the lord Ther fore in euery office thou bearest the image of
such like names by which wee call you either we haue this earnest affection to winne you vnto Christ or else in the pulpit also we haue learned to dissemble I note this now bothe to stiâ—…re vp my selfe and to admonish other for I heare daily such louing names of the people in the preachers mouthes and I pray God as much louing affection may be in their heartes vnto them An other thing in these woordes of the Apostle taught vs is this what the cause is why all the day long the Lord speaketh vnto vs and few regard it and the cause is an vnbeleeuing heart therefore the Apostle saith Take hede there be not in anie of you an euil and vnbeleeuing heart to fall away from the liuing God which wordes he addeth as a declaration of the former wordes of the prophet where he saith It is a people that doe erre in their heartes for they haue not knowen my wayes heere we must first see where is the roote and founteine of our sinne whiche is not farre off from euery one of vs in the East or West or ends of the world but it springeth vp and is nourished in our owne hearts and what soeuer is euill in vs here it hath his founteine in which wee knowe first our sinne is our owne and of our selues it riseth accuse not neither this nor that but humble thy selfe and confesse thy sinne which is bredd within thee It is true we haue many tentations but we could not be ouercome of them if the corruption of sinne were not within vs for our Sauiour Christ was also tempted yet he sinned not the cause was wheÌ„ the prince of this world came vnto him he founde nothing in him if it were so in vs all temptations should be in vaine but we because we are borne in sinne and no goodnesse dwelleth in our flesh therefore we are streight carried as we moste desire and our owne concupiscence giueth strength to our tentations And againe here we see as our hart is a root of sinne so there is no sinne but commeth from the heart if thy heart accuse thee not be of good comfort thy sinnes are abolished if thy heart condemne thee mock not thy selfe for thy sinne abideth Our Sauiour Christ sayth The things come not from without which do defile a man but they do proceede froÌ„ the heart that is within for out of the heart come euill thoughtes murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse slaunders all such things as defile a man. A notable sentence and ful of godlie comforte in all our life for when I see so many men vexed in minde this way or that way some vowe pilgrimages some obseruation of dayes some absteine from meates some one thing some an other in this wauering of many my hope is stedfast I fear not meat drink day time place person for all this serueth mee and I serue the Lord before whom wheÌ„ my heart is fetled in loue and obedience al the world beside cannot defile me Let vs therfore take good heede of this and we take good heede to the safest tower of defence that wee haue in all our life take heede of thy heart for if it accuse thee it will kill thee if it be on thy side let the heauens fall yet the ruines of it shall not make thee affraide let thy aduersaries be who they will let their counsell be neuer so subtile and thy destruction that is conspired neuer so cruell yet if thy heart shal be faithful thine enimies shall feare more then thou they shal be ashamed more then thou for innocencie assisteth thee which is strengthened with the arme of God and is not vanquished of a vaine man Let vs followe then the calling of the Apostle and let vs regarde well our heartes Now as this is the safetie of thy life to haue thy heart cleane so marke these wordes of the Apostle and he wil teach thee how to haue thy hart cleane Let there not be in any saith he an euil hart of infidelitie Infidelitie is it whiche maketh thy heart abound in euill and if by any meanes it can get roome to lodge within thee thy heart is taken and imagineth from henceforth al mischiefe When our Sauiour Christ so manie times reproueth sundrie sorts of men he maketh this as a generall fault of all that They are vnfaithfull and slowe to beleeue When Saint Paul condemneth them as reprobate men which do neuer see the light of the Gospell he maketh this the cause of their sin that The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their vnbeleeuing heart And if we will be free from so great a plague let vs follow this counsell of the Apostle that there be not in vs vnbeleeuing hearts Let vs be as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Thomas to be not vnfaithfull but faithful Whatsoeuer is spoken in the worde of trueth let it haue within vs a sure persuasion If God say hee wil be our defence and our exceeding great rewarde let vs beleeue the assuraunce of his promise and knowe he will not leaue his Sainctes neither yet forsake them If God haue promised eternall life to those that walke faithfully before him let vs beleeue his word that a thousande thousande and ten thousand thousand yeres before him haue none account neither yet any time which can be expired at the last but aboue all time in immortalitie he hath established a dwelling for his Sainctes If God haue threatened eternall fire to consume and deuour his enimies let neuer our heartes doubt or wauer through the temptations of the diuell but let vs acknowledge it in a certeine trueth and beleeue it as if wee hearde euen nowe the fearefull voice to sound Go yâ—… cursed into eternall fire With such a beleeuing hearte let mee foresee the latter ende and I shall not sinne for euer But take nowe this feare awaye of those last iudgementes and bring a wauering heart to Gods promises and the sentence is pronounced ouer thee because thou hast not beleeued trueth thou shalt erre in thine hearte and beleeue lyes till vanitie waste away thy yeres and thou fall into the destruction whiche thou shalt feele before thou canst beleeue that it is prepared And let vs not onely beleeue these last thinges of which last of all men must haue experience but in all thinges nowe incident into our life Let vs not be hard hearted but beleeue the trueth what it speaketh vnto vs. If Paule say The glorie of the wicked is to their shame let vs yet while we haue time beleeue it and cast out suche ambitious desires as moste assuredly shall bring confusion If Paule say They that wish to be rich they fall into teâ—…tations and into snares and into many foolish and hurtfull desires which drowne 〈◊〉 perdition and distruction why do we not beleeue it and why make wee not our affections as straunge from couetousnesse as we wishe to be farre off
wee haue with Christe he is our substance being in y inheritance of Glorie so his righteousnesse is our righteousnes his loue is our loue his life is our life his spirit is our spirit of his fulnesse we receiue all this is a great mysterie which neither our eye seeth nor our hearte can vnderstand but yet it is a reall ioyning of vs with him which our faith doeth easily comprehend when we shal see that wisedome which could vnite in one person God and man we shall see the wisedome which hath made all vs the bodie of that head and members one of another This great benefite is here set out vnto vs in a sure promise We be partakers of Christ that we should as I said e be more moued with so great a blessing And here we haue al to learne a good lesson that is how we are all set free from sinne presented faultlesse before the presence of gods glorie and that is by being made one with Christe and appearing in his countenance for of him only it is true This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased if vnto him wee be giuen and with him be ioyned then in him we are also beloued and throughe him we be accepted This is y saluation we haue by him to be graffed in him and made partakers of his life Euen Abraham our father before Abraham Noe Enoch Abel or whosoeuer since haue had highest praise Iob Daniel Samuel Iohn Baptist the virgin Marie all are one before God not one in himself excepted but all were vnited to Iesus Christ in whome they were righteous Were we neuer so full of good works our wel doing extendeth not vnto the Lord nor they can possibly either deserue his fauour or once come in his sight but we muste leaue all our workes in the earth where they are done and they must die with the corruptible hands and feete with whiche they are wrought we must goe naked and bare offer nothing but that which is Christes yea our selues we must present in his bodie for in our owne persons we can not possibly be accepted haue therefore a wise and vnderstanding faith knowe how you are made one with Iesu Christe and there lay the anchorhold of thy hope for in him it is impossible thou shouldest perishe It followeth If we hold the beginning of our substance sure stedfast vnto the end this is the condition vnder which we shal be partakers of Christ perseuerance and constancie vntill the end Our Substance as the Apostle calleth it that is our beeing our vpholding our settled standing this our estate of vniting vnto Christ the beginning of this nowe wrought in vs we must hold it and streÌ„gthen it vnto the end then we knowe we be partakers of Christe this beginning of our Substance is faith by the preachinge of the gospell by which we be nowe spiritually vnited vnto Christ this faith by hearing y voice of Christ through which we are one with him by the same worde wee must nourishe it and keepe it stedfaste vnto the ende this is the same thing whiche Paule teacheth to the Colossians that Christ hath reconciled vs in his bodie if we abide in saith grounded and settled and be not moued from the hope of the Gospel whiche we haue hearde preached vnto vs touching this I saide muche in the exposition of the sixt verse now this I will adde if you will knowe the churche of Christe know it by this marke it holdeth the beginning of her substance stedfast vnto the end the beginning of our substance he called before in the sixte verse the assuraunce and reioycing of our hope Saint Paul as I told you in plaine words expoundeth it thus a sure faith in the gospel preached Now you know the marke of the church of Christ a sure faith by the preching of the gospel take away assuraunce you take away the faith of Gods electe for it must bee sure stedfast settled vnmoueable vnto the end if hunger thirst nakednes if the sword of the Tyrant if the stormie seas if fearfull visions of euil spirites if any of these make thee feare in all these thus Christ reprooueth thee O thou of litle faith for if he that made all be stronger then al if in him thou trust thou must feare at nothing but knowe for trueth that neither height nor depth nor death nor life nor Angel nor power shall euer separate thee from the loue of God this therfore I say first marke take away suretie and take away the faithe of Gods Churche Againe take away the preaching of the Gospell and you take away faith for so Paul saith Our faith is grouÌ„ded in the gospel preached vnto vs as in another place he speaketh expresly faith is by heaâ—…ing of the word of God therfore the gospel hath this name to 〈◊〉 called the worde of faith the hearing of faith the preaching of faith and our receiuing of the gospel is called the obedience of faith neither is it possible to haue faith where thou hast no woorde which thou caust beleeue Now consider I beseâ—…ch you what Church is the church of Rome their fayth they conceale it not but thus reach preach that it hath no certeintie and for the gospel to warrant their faith they seeke it not but say ignorance wil stirre vp deuotion and wil not suffer the people to knowe the Scripture nay they say they neede it not but onely beleeue as the Church beleeueth are these the people to whom the Apostle writeth that they should surely beleeue the Gospel vnto the end if light be darcknesse if good be euill if holinesse be sinne then are these men the Church of Christ but the time is past Nowe let vs pray that it would please God to strengthen in vs a true and liuely faith c. The seuenteenth Lecture vpon the the residue of the chapter 15 So long as it is said To day if you heare his voice harden not your heartes as in the prouocation 16 For some when they heard prouoked him to anger howbeit not all that came out of Aegypt by Moses 17 But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeeres Was he not displeased with them that sinned whose carcases fell in the wildernesse 18 And to whome sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that obeyed not 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe HEre the Apostle proceedeth to amplifie this exhortatioÌ„ of the prophet in these words If you heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the bitter murmuring touching these wordes you haue heard theÌ„ before expounded vnto you therefore we now wil let them passe only noting this vnto you the Apostle saith while it is yet called to day that the prophet had said to day the apostle saith yet that exhortatioÌ„ is yet it is called to day wherby we learn the prophesies were not for the present
take his mercie from vs A plaine rule of this Saint Paule commendeth vnto vs all writing to the Philippians With feare saith he and trembling make an end of your owne saluation commending lowlinesse and humblenesse of minde but yet ioyning it fast to the hope of eternall life And this counsell hee followed him selfe as he sayth to the Corinthians I was among you in weakenesse and in feare and in muche trembling Yet hee helde fast his fayth that Neyther death â–ª nor any creature should separate him from the loue of God. And this the Apostle euen in this place teacheth when hee addeth Leaste anie of you seeme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depriued For in deede he is not depriued or â—…rustrate of any hope who neuer had hope but it seemeth so to some because he would talke of hope No more can any man fall who neuer stoode yet because it appeareth so Sainct Paule sayth He that seemeth to stande let him take heede hee fall not It is moste certeine Hope maketh not ashamed but we deceiue our selues in thinking we haue hope for true hope as is saide here is in the promises and they are apprehended with faith and faith hathe feare of sinne Where these thinges are no man is depriued of his hope where these things are not he hopeth foolishly who had in deede no hope at all And he is saide to fall out who at the last is founde to haue no inheritance with the Sainctes who yet neuer fell out for in deede he neuer was within the couenaunt according to that which Sainct Iohn saith They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they should haue â—…arried with vs. This I say that you may know how to answere the enimies of oure fayth who â–ª woulde haue vs still to doubt and neuer to be sure of Gods promises when they obiecte vnto vs these places of feare we may aunswer them that our feare is our humilitie and casting away of pride our feare is our reuerende care to walke in the wayes of God if they feare any other feare wee will not feare with them â–ª For God hath not giuen vnto vs the spirite of feare againe vnto bondage but he hath giuen vs the spirit of adoption by which we crie Abba Father This is oure blessinge whiche wee haue of GOD and in whiche wee shoulde alwayes reioyce I graunt wee do not here obey God as wee shoulde for who is hee that sinneth not Wee feare many times and Gods dearest children are most tempted so that they are brought sometime euen to hell gates but this we confesse is our infirmitie the trueth of Gods promises ought to haue greater faith within vs but it is necessarie we should feele our sinnes that we might be humbled and we must die in our selues that we may reigne throughe the victorie which Christ hath gotten and in al our weakenesse we will still confesse that we may not nor ought not thus to feare but muche rather to reioyce in the Lorde and alwayes reioyce Nowe it followeth in the Apostle For vnto vs hath the Gospel bene preached as wel as vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it In these wordes the Apostle sheweth the cause why he hathe thus applied the prophets exhortation vnto vs because vnto vs nowe the same Gospell is preached which was preached vnto them and if we be vnfaithfull howe should wee escape but bee partakers of the same punishmentes This place is well to be marked which teacheth vs that the same saluation is now preached whiche was preached before to all Patriarches and Prophets in whiche wee knowe there hathe beene but one way of saluation from the beginning of the worlde for then this was promised whiche is nowe perfourmed The seede of the woman shoulde breake the head of the serpent from whiche promise made there was neuer but one faith of Gods electe and one way of life which was Iesu Christe euen as our Apostle sayth Iesus Christ yesterday and to day he is the same world without-end And this doctrine is not new but the Prophets and Patâ—…arches knew it with vs and they all beleeued the Catholique church and communion of Sainctes euen as this day we do â–ª Saint Peter saith That it was reuealed vnto the prophets that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they ministred those things which now are preched vnto vs. And the Prophet Esay in the 14. chapter sheweth howe God called out all nations as it were to dispute with him whether there were any saluation in the world but by his free grace and first hee asketh who called Abraham in that couenant of mercie which was giuen him who hath done it euen he that called the generations from the beginning I the Lord I am the first and with the lâ—…ste I am the same expressely teaching that his people of Israel had the saâ—…e saluation whiche Abraham had and Abraham the same which all nations and countries euer shall haue one sauing health of all euen as God is for ever vnchaungeable So Sainct Paule making comparison betweene vs and the people of Israel of whome here the Apostle speaketh he saith They eate all the same spirituall meat drank all the same spirituall drink for they did drinke of the rock which followed them and the rock was Christe And not onely this one saluation is vnto all but this also onely Christ hath beene euer the Prophet and minister to declare that saluation for so the Apostle teacheth then and nowe his voice was heard and as it is saide after â–ª his voice did then shake the earth yea before then ih the dayes of Noe he was preached vnto the disobedient people who were drowned in the floude and are now holden in the prison of their sinne So that this we know in Christ are saued all his saints and by Christ they haue ben taught all that euer did beleeue Wherby we learne all the sacrifices of the patriarches and all sacrifices and ceremonies of the law they purged no part of their sinns neither was there anie redemption in them for the Israelites had not the Fathers sacrifices nor the fathers had their ceremonies nor we haue now either sacrifices or ceremonies which were in honour among them yet one saluation is vnto vs all and therefore as we may boldly say vnto them all their ordinaunces in worldly elementes they did not purge their consciences meates and drinks did not helpe them who were dailye exercised in suche obseruations so agaiue they may say vnto vs neither our sacraments doe giue grace vnto vs no more then theirs vnto them they seale vnto vs the grace that is in Christ and assure vs of the saluation that is in him but in them selues there is no health at all And if we may say thus euen of the sacramentes instituted
he kneeled downe fell vppon his face and so prayed vnto God. And as the cause of his prayers is here mentioned To be deliuered from death so the wordes of his prayer in the Gospel are like Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me meaning the death of his crosse to which he was condemned And as heere is mencioned his great and lowde crying so there the Euangelist saith he cried out with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and like as heere is said He prayed with weeping teares so there is witnessed that he was sorrowfull and greeuouslie troubled that his soule was heauie euen vnto deathe and that in a great agonie his sweate was like vnto drops of bloud a wofull kinde of weeping but suche was his compassion that we might haue sure hope and as heere is said he was deliuered from his feare so at that time when all his spirites were troubled the Angell came from heauen to bring him comfort These similitudes they are all so agreeable that it is euident the Apostle respected especially aboue other this part of his passion in which his perfecte loue and vnchaungeable affection toward vs shined in most fulnesse of beautie in that it was so seruent and so deepely rooted that neither feare nor trembling nor any anguishe of spirite could make him shake nor the force of death nor any bloudie sweates coulde pull it out of his bowels In this one sentence dearely beloued there is more for vs to learne then either eye hath seene or eare hath heard or all flesh in this life shal atteine vnto it is the depth of the glorious Gospell whiche the Angels doe desire to beholde But to note vnto you some thinges in which our faith may be strēthened we haue to learne by y example of our sauiour Christ in this place that in all temptations wee should approch vnto our God and make our complaints vnto him who is onely able and readier for to helpe vs He hath not forgot his promise that he hath made of old Cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil deliuer thee he is a place of refuge and of sure defence a strong tower against all assaults the righteous man that shall hasten vnto him hee shall be surely saued the author finisher of our fayth he is gone before vs we shal be surely partakers of y same mercie It skilleth not how great our temptations are into which we are fallen nor how manie in number the Lord will deliuer vs out of all It skilleth not how many our sinnes are nor howe great in our eyes that haue procured our troubles the Lord will scatter them as the cloudes from the heauens and they shall not turne away his louing countenance from vs Let vs looke on this patterne Iesus Christ that is set before vs it woulde crushe our fleshe in peeces to beare with him the weight of his afflictions from which he was deliuered and it would make our teares to be as drops of bloud to be partakers of so great anguishe of spirite as he susteyned and yet it was not so great but the comfort of the Angell sent from his father was much greater so that by prayer hee obteined a most excellent victorie and hath brused the serpents head and broken all his force and why should we then be discouraged If our sinnes be as crimson or if they bee red like skarlet yet they are the sinnes of our owne bodies but not ours only but also the sinnes of the world they rested all vpon Christ our Sauiour and yet he prayed for deliuerance and hath obteined and therfore we may say with boldnesse forgiue vs our trespasses If the loue of Christ were so greate to beare the sinnes of vs all of them euerie one hath gotten forgiuenesse how should not we that are laden but with our owne sinnes lift vp our heades into great assurance of hope and heare with ioyfulnesse the worde of promise I will be merciful to their vnrighteousnesse I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more And what though our afflictions are exceeding many that the whole head be sicke and the whole heart be heauie that from the sole of the foote vnto our heads there be nothing whole in our bodies but all wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption yet all this is nothing vnto his passions by whose stripes we are healed And these troubles are nothing vnto his mightie cryinges who was compassed about for our sakes with feares and horrors till his sweate was as drops of bloud and his bones bruised in his fleshe Then let the whips and scourges of our chasticement be grieuous let vs yet be beaten if the will of God so be with scorpions Christ in great compassion suffering with our infirmities hath borne yet a more heauie weight of iniquities and hath been deliuered So that if we obey we are partakers of his mercies we haue full persuasiō that neither death nor life nor Angels nor prin cipalities nor powers nor things prefét nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yea and greater boldnes then this if it be possible to dwell within vs the Apostle here hath offered it in Christ Iesu. If all the sinnes were vppon him and all sorrowes in his fleshe and yet from them all God hathe hearde his prayers why should we not be sure that our sinnes and sorrowes shal be done awaye why should we not be sure that God him selfe hath appointed vnto all that mourne in Sion as the Prophet saith to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirite of heauinesse Let vs therefore behold dearly beloued for he was woūded for our transgressiōs brokē for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vpon him these praiers are ours these supplicatiōs for vs auailable for moe sinnes then we are able to commit this is our victorie that shal ouercome the world euē our faith in al miseries and multitudes of woe we are not sunken so deepe in sorrow as he that for our sakes made prayers and supplications with strong cryings and with teares and was deliuered from his feare The second point that we haue here to learne in this example of our Sauiour Christe is to knowe vnto whome we should make our prayers in the day of trouble which the Apostle testifieth in these wordes that Christ made his prayers vnto him that was able to deliuer him from death a rule to bee kept of vs in al manner of our petitions and supplications whatsoeuer to make thē knowen vnto him that can graunt our request that is vnto God this rule was kept of the Church of God from the beginning When men were once turned from their Idols
No creature at all shal yelde his seruice vnto them the elememtes of the worlde shall seeme to melt away This state of miserie Christe entred into and sunke downe deepe in this confusion and who can expresse his sorrow Beeing full of goodnesse he had the reward of euil full of obedience he was punished as wicked full of faith yet had the reward of a sinner inheritour of all things and Lord of all yet nothing at al to doe him duetie the King of Kings and Lord of lordes yet made an outcast and abiect of the people the ruler of all and God of glorie yet compassed with shame and great confusion the authour of life yet wrapped in the chaynes of eternall death the onely begotten of his father and his best beloued yet cast off as a straunger and chasticed as an enimie the brightnesse of glorie and the beautie of the highest heauens yet crucified in dishonour and throwne downe into hell O picture of perfect wretchednesse and image of miserie howe iust cause founde he to crie out alowde My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee his whole bodie and nature like vnto vs altogether broken with the rewarde of sinne his soule powred out into all calamitie the wrath of his father and condemnation resting vpon him How truely may we here say and confesse the article of our faith He descended into hell How liuely do we see it perfourmed that the Prophet speaketh of The snares of death compassed me and the paines of hell tooke holde vpon me I found trouble and sorrow This was the cōpassion that he had towardes vs by whiche he suffered with our infirmities more then Aaron or all the priestes of the lawe coulde possibly haue done for vs If we could possiblie consider dearely beloued as we should we would gladly imbrace him as the high priest for euer of the new testament when we shal be made of one fashion with him throughe some measure of his afflictiō to feele the weight of our sinnes then we shall confesse what cause he had of complayning and how dearely hee hath bought the honour of the high Priest and Mediatour The Lord lighten the eyes of our minde that with open countenāce we may behold him who for our sakes endured such a death of the crosse wee shoulde not then need many exhortations the remembrance of the latter end would keepe vs safe from sinne But let vs now see what the Apostle further teacheth vs and while our sauiour Christe is in these greate extremities what fruite of well doing he hath learned by it It followeth And although he were the sonne yet learned he obedience by the things he suffored Lo dearly be loued this was no little profit of all his troubles he learned thereby how and what it was to obey his father that when these things rested all vpon him yet he could say in meekenesse of spirit Not my will my father but thy wil be done he might haue great boldnesse that his obedience was perfect The shame of the worlde the afflictions of the flesh the vexations of the minde the paines of Hell when these coulde make him vtter no other wordes but Father as 〈◊〉 wilt so let it be done what hope what faith did he surely build on that his obedience was precious in the sight of his father this example is our instruction We knowe then best how we loue the Lord when wee feele by experience what we wil suffer for his sake It is an easie thing to be valiant before the combate or to dreame of a good courage before the hart be tryed but in dede to be vnshaken in the midst of the tempest and to stand vpright when the ground vnder thee doth trēble this is to knowe assuredly thou art strong in deede and to say with boldenesse thou shalt neuer be moued this our Sauiour Christe might throughly glorie of The heauen earth and elementes they were all his enimies his Father in whome he trusted shewed him an angrie countenaunce he that fainted not but cryed stil Thy wil be done O Father he may be bold of his obedience there is no creature can make him falsifie his faith If this be the fruite of our afflictions the Apostle speaketh not without great occasion Account it for an exceding ioy when ye fall into sundrie troubles For what can bee more ioyful vnto the soule that is oppressed then to giue this in experience that neither hight nor deapth shall remoue him from the lord The glory of Abraham was exceeding great when he had sealed it with practise that he would forsake his countrie his kinred and his fathers house at the commaundemēt of God to go whether he would shew him then he knew by good proofe hee was made worthy of Christe when he could forsake Father mother house lande and all thinges to come vnto him The patience of Iob was not thoroughly knowen till all his goods were spoyled and he left exceedinge bare in that case when he spake so boldely Naked came I out of my moothers womb and naked shal I returne again the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away as the Lord wil so is it done the name of the Lord be praysed for euer Nowe might Iob be sure of the strong patience which should bring foorth hope that neuer should be confounded Our brethren before vs whiche so constantly haue holden the professiō of their faith that y flames of fire could not make it wauer they had a good witnesse that their election was sure when they might speake by experience that neither life nor death coulde remoue them from the loue of God. Thus the good grounde is knowen what it is when the heate can not scorche it nor bryers and thornes turne the good corne into weedes but thoroughe all stormes it will giue nourishment to the seede til it giue greater increase to Gods honour and glorie The best of vs all let vs thanke God for this profitable experience for before it come vnto vs we knowe not howe great the rebellion of the fleshe will be The Apostles of Christ they bragged not a little that they woulde neuer forsake their maister Christ he alone had the wordes of eternal life and they would not chaunge him for another they beleeued him they knewe him to be Christ the fonne of the liuing God and there was no other sauiour But when they sawe the swordes and staues the rulers offended the people in an vprore the crosse at hande their courage fell downe they forsooke him all and fled away Peter was not a litle stoute as himselfe was persuaded he would neuer forsake Christe though he should die for his name and for proofe of his courage he drewe his sword stroke so venterously that he had almoste slaine one he seemed to be at a point and fully resolued that he would not leaue his maister till the sworde shoulde diuide them but alas this boldnesse was
remembreth by good accompts what things the Lord hath done for him how he hath blessed him from what present perils he hath saued him how againe him self hath bene euer vnthankfull vnworthy of the least of al Gods mercies yea by many speciall crimes deseruing wrath and anger which thoughtes doe worke in him a troubled spirite and pensiue soule so that not onely teares but the state of the whole bodie sheweth the griefe of his minde and not the bodie onely but in all his life it worketh great care much praying anger with our selues feare desire zeale punishment also that by iudging our selues we may preuent the iudgement of God it maketh vs detest our sinne and the remembrance of our sinne as in the Acts of the Apostles they burne their bookes of sorceries which were of great price value and as Saint Iude sayth They hate euen the coate spotted with the flesh and according to this is the amendement of their life with all loue and desire If they haue beene extortioners they will make restitution if they haue beene vsurers they will giue back increase if they haue giuen their handes and knees and members of their bodyes to the Popish Masse with all their strength now againe they will deteste it and make it knowen they hate their firste sinne this manner of repentance is stronge meate of perfect men The second point heere spoken of is faith toward God of which so much as may be apprehended of children is called milke as to beleeue that God the father of his greate loue gaue his onely begotten sonne Iesu Christe to be made man who in his bodie might fulfil all righteousnesse and beare the punishment of sinne which also by the power of his spirit he ourcame and hath gotten eternall redemption for all that shall beleeue But so to examine this faith wisely and according to Scripture that when we finde the beginning in God the father the work in God the sonne the applying and bestowing of it in the holie Ghoste and when we be wise so to distinguish these graces in euery person that yet wee diuide them not as taking away from the one vtterly what soeuer especially wee giue vnto the other this I say when we haue so learned that wee see all the glorie of sauing health is in God no merit or desert in man but that without the law the righteousnesse of God is laid open vnto vs witnessed by the law and by the prophets then we be perfect to fede of this strong meate that faith alone iustifieth Againe when we knowe that this is the gifte of God with whome there is no chaunge nor shadowe of chaunge but he is constant in his loue for euer whē faith hereof taketh boldnesse that nether heigth nor deapth nor life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor any creature shall euer be able to remoue me from the loue with whiche God hath looued mee this assured boldenesse is the meat of the man of God who is perfect in faith Likewise Baptisme the thirde thing here mentioned the milke of it is to knowe that by it they be sealed into the couenant of Gods grace and mercy which he hath to the fathers and their children but to knowe by this how to be baptised into the death of Christ that as he is rysen againe from the deade so wee should walke in newnesse of life that is to knowe that our Baptisme presenteth vnto vs the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes washed away with the bloud of Christe While as hee dyed and was buried for our sinnes so wee also should dye vnto sinne that it haue no more rule in our mortal body and as he rose againe from the deade so that death hath no more rule ouer him so we should after liue in newnesse of life offering vp vnto God our bodies and our soules who hath redeemed them and purchased them vnto him selfe To knowe all this according to the scripture is the perfect knowledge of our Baptisme Imposition of handes that was a solemne ceremonie vsed with prayer in whiche it was declared that the parties were accepted of GOD into his Church according to the faith of Christe whiche then they professed this was the milke which children had fead on But to see in it a free and bolde profession of faith before all men to be holden and a holy vowe or promise in whiche they bounde them selues to perpetuall holinesse by the laying on of handes as by a solemne othe to haue it witnessed of the Lord they were his children and to witnesse it in them selues they woulde abide the temples of the holie Ghoste to be short to promise a persourmaunce of all what so euer was hoped for in vs in the day of our baptisme this is the strong meate And this which this day ought to be practised as a thing verie profitable in the Churche of God it is miserably defaced by the Papistes for where it was in the Churche of God an vse that Christian children should be taught the principles of fayth which when they had wel learned and could giue a good accompt of their faith then in y open congregation with prayer and laying on of handes on their heades they were declared to be receiued as partakers of the graces and sacramentes of the church this good order the Papistes haue chaunged and made them a sacrament of confirmation onely by the Bishop to be ministred and by him to little children of no knwledge to whome hee giueth a newe Godfather or godmother which should speake for them when they cannot speak for them selues And whereas in the scripture this hath beene euer a ceremonie in solemne blessinges in sacrifices in admitting ministers in giuing spirituall giftes and no where vsed but onelie with prayer this order seemed base to them that knewe no end of their owne inuentions and they would needes haue crosses tapers oyle miters surplices c. without which there was with them no confirmation thus in this as in all thinges prophaning the holie ordinaunce of God. The resurrection of the bodie another poynte here mentioned was for Children that they might knowe their bodies should not die as the bodies of beastes to consume in earthe and not returne but that they shoulde rise againe at the latter daye and their owne bodies should be made immortall but in this also to see the glorie what a bodie it is whiche shall liue for euer which shal be made like to the body of Christ which shal be made able to stand in the presence and behold the glorie God of which shal be set free from sorrow care sicknesse death al aduersitie This mysterie which the Angels of God desire to behold when we can wisely see it know therefore we are here but pilgrimes and straungers another countrie is our owne whiche God hath made and not man in which we set our heart with all the delight and pleasure of it in this to reioyce this
abound in worldly peace the crowne and beautie of mine honour is to serue the lord If God haue giuen me trouble in the dayes of my vanitie this is cōfort ynough that I am the seruaunt of the lord Be our life as it will either high or lowe the only fruit of it is the seruice of God the onely hurt that can approch vnto vs is to forget the Lord whose seruants we should haue bene and let vs so much more constantly dwell in this persuasion of heart because we haue heard that the Lord hath spoken it there is no greater glorie no not in his Angels then to serue before him Of the nature of angels as they are here described by the grace of God I shall say more in the latter end of this Chap. Now let vs pray that as we haue learned so we may follow acknowledging the glorie of our Sauiour Christ and what the honour of his kingdome is and desire grace that we may be founde woorthie to be labourers in that excellent worke in which God hath appointed to glorifie his sonne and that we may serue him in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of our life who is only al the hope we haue and shall in his good time fill our life with his owne presence and satisfie our eyes with the sight of his maiestie And the same onely and liuing God giue vs his holy spirite in which we may be comforted to liue in his loue to walke in his wayes and to account al the world but vanitie in respect of the inheritaunce purchased vnto vs in the Lorde Iesu the onely forgiuer of al our sinnes to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be honour and glorie worlde without ende Amen The fourth Lecture vpon the 8. and 9. verses 8 But vnto the sonne he saith O God thy throue is for euer and euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse 9 Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated iniquitie Wherfore God euen thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes NOw the Apostle beginneth the third comparison according to the title before Bearing vp all things with his mightie power which setteth out the kingdome of Christ so that the comparison is Christe is an eternall king so is no Angel therefore he is to be honoured aboue them Thus hauing made mention of his kingdome then he describeth it more at large bothe to shewe what his kingdome is and to make it more plaine that though we could imagine easily that Angels in honour deserued the name of Kings yet such a kingdome no Angel could euer haue An euerlasting throne a righteous scepter exalting trueth beating downe iniquitie in worthinesse whereof GOD hath annoynted this King with gladnesse aboue all other and hath called him by the name of GOD himselfe Heere the Iewes whome God hath shut vp in a heauie iudgement and for the first centempt of his Gospell keepeth them stil in blindenesse vntill this day they as they seeke busily all wayes of errour to deceiue them selues so they haue blinded their eyes that they should not vnderstand this prophesie And first where it is said Thy throne O God They say the name GOD is likewise attributed to men as they occupie any rome appointed them of God as where this same prophet saith I haue said you be Gods whiche meaneth that they haue commaundement from God to execute his iudgement But the Iewe if he had not chaunged his heart and turned it away from wisedome to follie hee might haue knowen that though this name be also giuen to Angels or iudges yet it is giuen not to one but to manie so that in their number it is manifest that it is a figuratiue speeche Or if it be giuen to one it hath some addition as where it is saide to Moses I haue made thee Pharaoes God limiting the name to a certeine sense but thus attributed to one without any correction of speache it was neuer but to God alone Againe they say all this Psalme is of Solomon and therefore beeing true in him it cannot proue any diuinitie in Christ but this errour is euē as grosse as the other For how so euer this is true that the Psalme was written as a wedding song of ioy at the marriage of Solomon with Pharaoes daughter yet this is knowen and manifest that in the stories of those men whiche were figures of Christe something is euer spoken not agreeing to the figure but to Christe alone that we might bee bolde to applie it vnto him Neither yet can this Psalme possibly be written of that mariage of Solomon simply in it selfe For when the Prophet beginneth my hart breaketh out into a good matter howe can this praise or this earnest desire of the Prophet agree to it which was contrarie to the lawe of God and of it selfe could neuer be good What had the Kings of Israel to doe with Idolaters and blasphemers to marrie their daughters no doubt as Solomon was a most famous prince so the glorie of the world did here lead him For Aegypt was the greatest Monarchie in the world and Pharaoh the mightiest King so that his daughter giuen to king Solomon was the princeliest marriage that could be made but that it displesed God it is cleare for bothe his generall lawe is against it and this is particularly alledged in the causes of Solomons ruine And though this Psalme were now to wishe prosperitie and peace vnto it what then who will dispute with the Lorde for turning all thinges to the best to those that loue him so when Solomons hautinesse had done this what though God would except her after the renouncing of all her idolatries when as the lawe saith she had shauen her head and pared her nayles and forgot her fathers house what though he would haue her a figure of the honourable calling of the Gentiles and shewe then in her that though he gaue his lawes to Iacob yet he was a God in all the earth all that proueth nothing but Solomon might do yll still this wedding song was made not for him but for another whome hee figured But let these Iewish quarels againste the trueth alone and let vs examine the text heere as it is what honour it giueth to Christ and how by no meanes it can agree to Solomon In this scripture there are foure speciall things spoken First he is called God alone as I saide and without addition euen as the prophet Esai also calleth him the mightie god By whiche warrant of the Prophets beeing a moste sure word the Apostles are bolde to giue to our Sauiour Christe the name and power of the liuing God as Iohn saith the worde was God. And Thomas with these wordes confesseth his former vnbelief My Lord and my God. And S. Iohn in his Epistle saith Iesus Christe this is the true God. And Sainct Paule calleth him the God which is for euer
it to be garnished with golde and siluer and vaine sightes of a corruptible eye which in time consume and the rust and canker frett them away But in thine heart which Christ hath sāctified there is greater treasure then this If thou loke vpon the earth thine eyes are cleare to see from East to West and all is thine the stones in the streete are at league with thee and the beasts of the field are at peace with thee Let all the tyrants in the earth lift vp their handes against thee they shall not finde any thing vnder heauen to doe thee hurt all creatures are sworne to thy safetie it is not possible for man to breake their faithfulnesse they can do nothing vnto thee but good Loke also without the boundes and compasse of Heauen and Earth and with pure eyes thou seest greater thinges then these thou seest hell abolished death troden vnder feete the first sorrowe cast out into shame Saints Angels are in thy sight immortalitie hath lengthened thy dayes the glorie of God is before thee in a glasse He that can builde thee suche an other tabernacle let him be thy God and where else thou findest suche treasure there settle thy heart or if this only be the greatest reioyce only in this and pray for a sincere faith that thou mayest in deed see it and haue thy soule knit vnseparably vnto it that thou mayest greatly despise all other thinges say as the Prophet Dauid said What is man that thou art mindful of him And thus farre at this time Now let vs pray c. ¶ The ninth Lecture vpon part of the 8. verse vpon the 9. 10. verses 8 But we yet see not all things subdued vnto him 9 But we see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour which was made a litle inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death that by Gods grace he might tast death for all men 10 For it became him for whome are all these thinges and by whome are all these thinges seeing that he brought many children vnto glorie that he should consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions I Tolde you at the beginning that the Apostle in the first seconde chapter setteth purposely out the person of Christ how he is God man how he set out his godhead in y first chapter you heard vnto which hee addeth this earnest exhortation in the beginning of this chapter wherof also we haue already spoken Nowe in these woordes whiche wee haue read he beginneth the other parte of his purpose to teache that our Sauiour Christe is perfect man and taketh his occasion of the text before alledged which he applyed vnto Christe as chiefe and principall though it be ment also of all men for when he had so highly magnified man in consideration of mans present state a doubt is streight moued Howe can this bee sithe we see not these things yet subiect vnto him To this the Apostle aunswereth that it is alreadie accomplished in our Sauiour Christe who is beecome man for our sakes and through death hath gotten this glorie for vs so heere is a full declaration how this prophesie alledged is verified in man and a preperation to teach more at large how Christe is perfect man In the words of this eighth verse But now we see not yet all thinges subiect vnto him he moueth the doubt whiche is easily made against that Scripture whiche so highly extolled man and aunswereth thus vnto it In deed I graunt all things are not yet thus subiect vnto man but yet in Christe wee see this already accomplished for wee haue seene him made lower then Angels and yet againe exalted and crowned with glorie and honour euen as him selfe is witnesse All power is giuen mee in Heauen and in Earth and so hee is risen from the dead that death hath no more power ouer him for euer who beeing made man for vs in him it is accomplished that man is ruler ouer all the workes of God now in parte and after this fullie when our base bodies shal be chaunged and made glorious In this we see how he commeth to speake of the māhod of our sauiour Christ which after he declareth more at large For the suffering of death Some translate this Through the suffering of death as shewing the cause why God exalted him but neither is that so pertinent to the Apostles purpose nor his wordes doe so signifie but thus For the suffering of death that is to the end hee might suffer death So he sheweth the cause why Christ was made lower then Angels and that is because he might die for otherwise in the maiestie of his Godhead all death and all corrupion fall before him and nothing can stand in his sight but life glorie and immortalitie therefore to the end that that immortalitie and glorie of GOD might dye and death might come vnto him it must needes be that he should be humbled beneath Angels In the words that followe That by Gods grace he might taste of death for all men he sheweth here y cause why he dyed As this was the cause of abasing him that he might dye so this was y cause of his death that he might dye for vs that is that he might take our death vpon him so by him we might be deliuered from it Where he saith By the grace of God he sheweth that it was the free loue of God that gaue his sonne vnto vs no desert on our behalfe but when wee sought not after him then hee offered him selfe vnto vs and when we sate as the prophet saith in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death then a great light rose vp vnto vs to this end that we which are the Gentiles might prayse God for his mercie And where it is said that he might tast of death he calleth here To taste of death to haue in deede sense and feeling of the paines not diminishing the passion as a thing lightly touched but warranting the bitternesse and all the sorrow of it euen to the bottome of the graue and deathe to be tasted fealt in deed and saying For all he meaneth not by All good or badd whosoeuer they be but as Sainct Iohn plainely expoundeth it God gaue his sonne to die to the end that al that beleeue should not perish but haue life euerlasting So our Sauiour Christ saith All that beleeue are baptised shal be saued So thus farre the Apostle hath taught plainely both how the former prophesie is accomplished in Christ and is verified in euerie one of vs and he hath aptly begun to teache this doctrine that our Sauiour Christ is perfect man which in this Chapter I saide was his especiall purpose Now touching this greate excellencie of man whereof the Apostle hath spoken howe wee be made partakers of it a little further weighe it He hath spoken greate and maruelous thinges euen as the Prophet had saide Marueilous things
receiue from Christ all that is healthfull vnto vs And as by ioyntes and sinewes our members are really knit and made a bodie vnto the head so really truely and in deed by one spirite wee be knit vnto Christe as perfectly and substantially made one with him as our members are one with our head If thou vnderstand not this or sayst with Nicodemus How can this be done I say vnto thee againe Pray that thou mayst be taught of God and that his spirit may reueale it vnto thee for if the tounge of Paule were dumb not able to speake what he sawe in vision how much lesse is man able to speake the trueth of greater mysteries And if our harts cannot comprehend all the wisdome of God in the winde that bloweth how he rayseth it vpp or maketh it fall againe how canne wee vnderstand this wisedome of our vniting vnto Iesus Christ Onely this I can say God hath giuen vs fayth in whiche wee may beleue it and out of which such ioy shineth in our mindes as crucifieth the worlde vnto vs how farre our reason is from seeing it it skilleth not it is sufficient if we can beleeue it We beleeue in the Lord our God yet we know not what is his countenaunce We beleeue apprehend by hope his glorie yet neither eye can see it nor eare can heare it We beleeue and see immortalitie yet our heart can not comprehend the height the breadth the length the deapth We beleeue the resurrection of the dead yet wee can not vnderstand such excellent wisedome how life is renewed in the dispersed scattered bones ashes We beleue our sauiour Christ is man we haue seene him and felt him yet how he was man borne of a virgin all men in the world haue no wisdome to declare Euen so dearely beloued wee beleeue that our Sauiour Christ and we be one hee of vs and we of him he the head we the bodie really substātially truly ioyned together not by ioynts and sinewes for that vniting I knowe wel enough but by his spirit of which we haue all receiued and this vnitie I cannot conceiue nor vtter till I knowe God euen as he is and his holie spirite which hath wrought this blessing Thus we learne what here the Apostle teacheth vs and thus wee vnderstand what is heere said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one And where it is said heere He that doth sanctifie shewing the present time the worke still a doing it teacheth vs that our sanctification hath a daylie increase when it is fully accomplished then God calleth and our dayes are at an end And let vs note this well for it behoueth vs much If we be Christians we are still sanctified by the spirit of Christ for so it was in him He grewe still in grace before God men If thou begraffed into his bodie thou hast his spirite and it will haue his worke in thee Thou shalt not be wearie of well doeing nor ceasse to reioyce in God thy Sauiour but still increase in spirituall grace til thou come to the age of the fulnesse of Christe There can be no affection in thee according to the fleash but if it be greate it will appeare in his work much more this which is of the spirit of god If thou be sorrowful it wil make thy face sad If ioy be within it maketh thy countenance merrie If thou haue a flattering heart all the members of the bodie will streight serue so vile a thinge If hatred bee within thee thy bodie will shewe it forth in all manner of cursed doing and there is nothing that can possesse the minde but it leadeth the members in obedience of it Howe much more if the spirite of God hath replenished thy minde will all the bodie shewe foorth godlie desires This the Apostle noteth when he sayth He that sanctifieth It followeth For this cause he is not ashamed to call vs brethren Vpon good cause the Apostle sayth He is not ashamed for if hee humbled not him selfe in great loue of vs how iustly might hee accompt it shame to be as we are He that made Heauen and earth he that is the immortall and glorious God one with his father before whome all Angels do obey and all Princes are earth and ashes ought wee not to say seeing it pleaseth him to acknowledge vs that are but poore creatures that hee is not ashamed of vs It was great praise in Moses beeing so highly esteemed of Pharaoh that yet hee would vouchsafe to visite his poore brethren It was singular loue in Ioseph when he was nexte vnto the King in honour and dignitie yet not to be ashamed of his fathers house who were heardmen and shepeheardes But all is nothing in comparison of this that Iesus Christ is not ashamed of vs for what the glorie of the vaine worlde made not a mortall man ashamed of his duetie to acknowledge his poore father and brethren in whose persons hee might suffer a little reproch but how much greater was this doing whereof we speake The shining brightnesse of the glorie of God made not the onlie begotten sonne ashamed of his free grace to acknowledge vs that were his enimies in whose persons he should suffer a moste shamefull and slaunderous death This is the case betweene Christe and vs and this the Apostle meaneth when he sayth He is not ashamed to call vs brethren And if his highnesse abased it selfe to our lowe estate and was not ashamed let vs dearely beloued learne to be wise and knowe what the lord requireth of vs for all the good which he hath don vnto vs He sayth in the gospel He that is ashamed of me and my word before men I will bee ashamed of him before my Father which is in heauen And is not trowe you this a iust condēnation if we wretched men wil be ashamed of him who beeing the God of glorie was not ashamed of vs How much is he greater then we Abraham when he approched nere vnto him he felt him self how he was but dust When Iob came nere to see the tokens of him he abhorred him selfe and confessed how vncleane he was When Dauid saw the glorie of his dwelling he said he had leuer abide but one day as a dore keeper in the house of him then tenne thousand dayes to beare rule in Kinges palaces When Paule sawe the glorie prepared for vs in his resurrectiō he said he accompted all the worlde to be but doung to the ende he might winne him If then such a Christ be not ashamed to call vs brethren a marueilous vnspeakable foolishnes is bound vp in our heartes if we be ashamed to call him brother againe He were a folishe poore man that were ashamed of the kinred whiche the King did chalenge of him he is more foolishe thoughe he were a King him selfe that is ashamed of the Sonne of God when he offereth himselfe vnto
sorrowful euen vnto death at the entr◅e into it Saint Marke saith He beganne to be astonished at his griefe was ouerwhelmed with his sorrow in which agonies Saint Luke saith his sweat was as drops of bloud falling from him and God sent an Angel from heauen to strengthen him And can we thinke al this came vnto our sauiour Christ for feare of the death of the bodie His seruants that receiue of his fulnesse do they so easily despise this death that either they wish for it to be with Christ or they reioyce in the middes of it before the persecuter and did our sauiour Christ himself in whom is the fulnesse of the spirite so feare and tremble at the remembrance of it Did the Apostles sing in prison and went away reioycing when they were whipped scourged Did Paul glorie in so manie tribulations which he reckoneth vp and did our Sauiour Christ in the like paine crie with a fainting heart My God my God why hast thou forsaken me No dearly beloued it is not so but that which made Christ to tremble would haue crushed his Apostles in peeces and that which made him to sweat bloud so plentifully would haue made them sink into the bottom of hell and that which made him crie would haue holden both men and Angels vnder euerlasting wo and lamentation If then our Sauiour Christ were as the prophet saith like water powred out and all his bones out of ◅oynt if his hart were like wax mol ten in the midds of his bowell if his strength were dried vp like a potsherd and his toung cleaued vnto his iawes if he were brought with his sorowes into the dust of death fie vpon their blasphemous speaches cursed words which say he suffered nothing but bodily paine I would those which are Papistes among vs and in their simplicitie are deceiued with the errour of many I would I say they knewe the wickednes of this one point of their doctrine that they say the soule of Christ suffered nothing but onely for the bodies sake as our soules suffer when our bodies are weake or are sicke or die If God impute this their ignorance vnto them howe shal they be saued from the death of sinne and condemnation Do they not know what the scripture saith He bare our sinnes in his bodie he submitted himselfe to the death of them and by the wounds of his stripes we be healed Did our sinnes deserue only a bodily death or did they not deserue the second death which is the wrath of God holding bodie and soule in an euerlasting fire And how shall they escape it if they know not this death in the bodie of Christ by whose stripes they may see themselues healed Let them pray and let vs pray for them that if it be the will of God they may soone be conuerted know the vnspeakable loue of our Sauiour Christe who was accursed for our sakes suffered for vs not onlie the torments of his bodie but the anguishe of his soule and the wrath of his Father ▪ which wounded his flesh and spirit vnto death and would haue holden him in that condemnation for euer if he had beene no stronger then we that deserued it But because he was also the Sonne of God in whome the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily the eternall spirite that was within him did lose the chaines of death and hel and mightily arose vp from the power of Sathan of whiche it was impossible that hee should be holden and he hath left those his enimies the diuel death hel in ignominie and darcknesse and hath abolished them for euer and euer not to hurt vs any more worlde without end In this hope dearlie beloued is our delight and dwelling place and they that knowe not these sufferings of Christ our soules shall haue no pleasure in their counsels And thus farre of the firste benefite mentioned of the deathe of Christe that he hath abolished the diuel The second benefite is that we be set at libertie from the bondage of the feare of death For so the apostle sayth And should set them free as many a◅ with the feare of death all their l◅fe long were hold◅n i◅ bōdage In these wordes let vs now consider what bondage we were in without Christe ▪ and what libertie wee haue obteyned through him Without Christe all our life is a miserable bondage in feare and terrour of eternall condemnation to come vpon vs for our sinne in the day of death through Christe wee see our sinnes purged the diuell vanquished death and condemnation abolished and our selues in the libertie of the childrē of God to say Our father whiche art in heauen This is the difference of estate betwene the children of God and the children of this world And what miserie trow we then do the wicked of the world liue in There is in deede no peace vnto the wicked as the Lord hath said when in all their life is feare and terrour when they carrie in their breastes tormenting furies to holde them day and night in feare of endlesse destruction God hath don it and no doubt they feele it there is giuen vnto thē a spirit of bondage and of feare in which they tremble at their owne estate they are the children of the handemayde Agar borne in the bondage of her wombe and dwell in the deserte and are in mount Sinaie where is the burning fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and sounde of trumpet at which they tremble for they are without Christ and therfore must needes be in bondage and in the feare of death all their life But thou wilt say The wicked prosper reioyce in their dayes they are bound in no such bondage nor feare no such feare Thou canst not tell nor thou knowest not the heart of a wicked man howsoeuer hee boast in his substance and hath peace in his riches peraduenture there is a bitter remembrance of death ▪ within him When Pharaoh the proud tyrant had hardened his heart boasted exceedingly against the people of Israel yet he sawe no sooner the death of the first borne but he feared trembled as the leaues in the wildernes and I remember Solomon sayth There is in deede a way that a man thincketh streight and pleasant when the issues of it leade vnto death But what pleasure is that and what delight Solomo◅ addeth euen in that laughing the heart is sorrowfull and that mirth doth end in heauinesse they doe indeede strengthen them selues striue mer◅eilously to cast out feare sometime with one pastime somtime with an other but if they could cast it out as out of a cannon yet would it euermore returne againe and vexe their heart that so flieth from it Balaam would faine haue comforted himselfe with riches and honor which he loued so much yet was he not without feare but at the last it brake out and he spake Let my soule die
thus it was necessarie it should be that he might be a faithfull high Priest to reconcile vs euen vs bodie and soule vnto God his Father It followeth in the 18. verse For in that he suffered when him selfe was tempted he is able to succour those that are also tempted These wordes shew the cause of the former saying why our Sauiour beeing made man was so much the more meete to be a faithful mediatour vnto vs towarde God for beeing man and him self tempted he felt our infirmities and had the more compassion towarde vs Other thinges wee haue to note in the 17 and 18. verse which the next time we will more speake of Now let vs pray c. The twelth Lecture more vpon the two last verses and vpon the first verse of the third Chapter 17 Wherefore in all things it behoued him to be made likè vnto his brethreÌ„ that he might be mercifull a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people 18 For in that he suffered and was tempted bee is able to succour them that are tempted CHAP. III. 1 THerfore holie brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Christe Iesus THe Apostle as I saide shewed in these last verses what profite is vnto vs in that Christ became man for so he was made a merciful and faithfull high priest The meanes of this faithfulnes was for that he hauing experience of our temptation had the more compassion on vs to deliuer vs. Heere we are first taught that Christe became a faithfull high Priest for vs because he was man like vnto vs so that who soeuer denyeth our Sauiour Christe to haue a naturall bodie like vnto ours he also denyeth that he is either a mercifull or faithfull mediatour for vs for so it pleased God to instructe him according to his manhood that by experience and feeling he should learne to haue pitie on others he calleth him mercifull in respect of the affection of his minde which was full of compassion toward vs hee is called faithfull in respecte of his constancie who would neuer leaue vs till he had brought vs into eternall life In all this we must learne how to do good vnto our brother in affliction and these two things in our Sauiour Christe we must carefully keepe if we will be righteous after his similitude We must ioyne vnto all our doing a loue and compassion to our brother in his want and a constancie in well deseruing that our loue be not wearied with paine and labour for without loue what soeuer I do it is nothing no not though I gaue as Sainct Paule saith all the goods I haue vnto the poore And I pray you is not this the law of God Loue thy brother as thy selfe wherein all our dueâ—…e is taught vs betweene man man What then though I do no murther or steale not or speake not euil though I helpe the safetie of my brothers life though I mainteine his estate thoughe I bring him increase of goods though I care for the puritie of his bodie though I mainteine his good name Except I haue in all this an inwarde loue and affectioÌ„ to do it to him with such a hart as I would haue another do the like to mee and to be grieued with all his hurt as though I my selfe susteined it except I say some measure of this loue and compassioÌ„ be in my doing my doing hath none accouÌ„t in the fight of god Marke this dearely beloued and teache it your children and I would our fathers knew it well that boast so much of the good works of the old world There is no good work vnder the sunne but that whiche is done in loue and compassion of minde and were their workes such whereof they brag when they gaue the riche altar clothes vestimentes the costlie hanginges for their chancels their bels their gilded crosses when they carued curious images and clothed theÌ„ with goldsmithes woorke when they builded chapels and chanteries when they went farre on their knees gaue riche gifts vnto shrines In all these works so much magnified where was mercie what loue what coÌ„pas sion was there in theÌ„ They pitied not I am sure the pouertie of lime stones to cloth theÌ„ so gorgeously nor they pitied not y priest in his furred gowne to put vpon him a cope of great price for all men in y world let him speak y euer was the better for it whose bodie was y warmer for y costly clothing of y church walls whose house was the lighter for the torches candels about the altar who le head aked y lesse for the goodly garland of an image or if there were in all this no profite to my brother no loue no coÌ„passion of the thing to which I gaue a gift how could these be good works y had no goodnes in theÌ„ For I thinke there is no man so vaine y will thinke he did these things vnto god y were vnspekable blindnes to thinke y with the gifts of golde and siluer I could please god he gaue no gold nor siluer for our rauÌ„soÌ„ nor he wil take none for recompence of our sinnes The Prophet plainely sayth Al my goods can bring nothing vnto thee O Lord. And how doth the Lord him selfe reiect such vaine thoughts of our hearts when he saith If I be hungrie I will not tell thee and such other like speaches in the fiftie psalme commaunding expresly if we will doe good with meate drinke cloath golde siluer c. bestowe it vpon the needie brethren for God taketh no such gifts at our hands And therfore dearely beloued al these good works of which you haue heard such boasting before God they are as nothing there is no goodnes in them for neither is there any mercie in such doings and without it it is impossible to please God in thy doeing And thus we see their workes euen their greatest workes and of supererogation when you haue weighed theÌ„ wel they are found lighter then straw And their woorkes of dignitie next vnto these they are of the same sort of no value as light as vanitie it selfe Such are their penie or groate doles when the man is dead that his executours vse to giue for his soule Was there euer folie like vnto this No work is good without loue compassion of mine owne flesh yet then is the worke done for me when my flesh is without sense and when there is no compassion or feeling left within mee But God is iust and for so fruitelesse a work he gaue a helplesse reward 〈◊〉 they bestowed a verie ydle liberalitie and GOD recompenced it with verie ydle thankes that for their benefite the foolish people should say Lorde haue mercie on his soule for whome I thinke they prayed not al the dayes of his life when the acceptble time was and the day